《Spirit Immortal》 Chapter -1 Spirit Ranks Spirit Practitioner (Rank 1 -9) Spirit Apostle (Rank 10 - 19) Spirit Core (Rank 20 - 29) Spirit Adept (Rank 30 - 39) Spirit Spectre (Rank 40 - 49) Spirit Lord (Rank 50 - 59) Spirit King (Rank 60 - 69) Spirit Emperor (Rank 70 - 79) Spirit Venerate (Rank 80 - 89) Spirit Saint (Rank 90 - 99) Spirit Immortal (100-???) Chapter 1 Fight me! "Ha!" "Hiyaa!" Two young voices echoed through the courtyard. Under a nearby willow tree, an old man stood seemingly relaxed. The old man stroked his reddish-brown beard as he monitored the two kids as they fought. The first child was a girl with scarlet red hair tied into a bun. Her freckles and short nose made her appearance extraordinarily impulsive, and that trait was reflected in the way she was attacking her opponent. She held nothing back and kept moving forward. Her opponent, on the other hand, was a black-haired child who was on the defensive. Never engaging the monster that was charging at him. "Shin! If you keep dodging, I will hit you!" "What do you mean?! You''ve been trying to hit me all the while!" The girl, Ariel threatened the young boy. "Shin! Come on! Stop dodging! It won''t hurt! I promise!" "As if a punch from a bulldog like you won''t hurt." "What did you say?!" Ariel seemed to have a surge of adrenaline rush to her head after Shin''s comment. She jumped into a frenzy with a barrage of fists. "Hey! Shit, she snapped! First Elder help me!" The old man who was peacefully watching the fight play out gave a short sigh and slowly walked towards the girl who lost control. "Hahahahah! Let this bulldog teach you a le¡­ Hey Grandpa! What are you doing?! I have yet to make Shin cry!" Ariel exclaimed as her grandfather grabbed her by the hand and carried her up. "Ariel¡­ You shouldn''t take things too far. And Shin, you had it coming when you provoked her." "But First Elder!" "But Grandpa!" "Enough! I should have known letting you two spar would lead to this¡­ No dinner for both of you tonight!" ""What!"" The bearded old man stroked his beard as he slowly walked away from the dumbfounded children. "It''s your fault! Grandpa is mad at me now!" "You were the one who wanted to hit me!" "Then guess what''s going to happen now?" Ariel raised her fist and gave Shin a menacing look. Fearing for his life, Shin ran away from the monster that was threatening it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Frie Clan. A clan with a history spanning over a thousand years and has been around since the last Spirit Immortal ascended into the Immortal Realm. Situated atop of a dormant volcano, the Frie clan was one of the many clans in the Himmel Empire. Being located in a place where the fire elements thrive, the descendants of the Frie clan were blessed with Fire spirits from birth and have gone on to contribute to countless of battles for the Himmel Empire. However, ten years ago, a battle that nearly wiped out the entire Frie Clan concluded. To recuperate their strength, the once proud Frie Clan that wouldn''t cower in the face of danger was forced to enter seclusion in their holy mountain. "Ouch! Can''t you be gentler?" "Can''t you be smarter? How many times have I dressed an ''Ariel wound'' of yours? Although you guys are childhood sweethearts, she sure doesn''t hold back." "WE ARE NOT CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS! Who would like that violent ape?" "Yeah yeah¡­ Deny it all you want but the rest of us have a bet that you would end up together." "What? Then I bet that she and I won''t end up together and take all your money." Shin was sitting on his bed topless, revealing a multitude of bruises. Treating him was a teenage boy four years older than him and recently promoted Spirit Apostle, Junius. "Joke all you want! By the way, are you prepared for next week?" "Hmmm? What''s happening next week?" Shin gave Junius a quizzical look. "My god you are clueless..." "What?" "It the Day of Spirits! You are awakening your spirit dumbass!" "Oh yeah..." Shin replied to Junius in an uninterested manner. "Wow. That''s the response I wanted. Didn''t you realize it when First Elder increased your training and made you fight Ariel?" "So that''s why the crazy old man did that." "You sure are unrestrained¡­ Nobody else in our group would dare call First Elder that." After the Frie clan went into seclusion, they accepted orphans to increase their dwindling numbers. The children were put in the care of the First Elder to groom. Junius and Shin were part of that group. "Of course I don''t say it to his face. He has a kind and gentle exterior, but the insides are just like a grown-up Ariel. If someone told me that they were not related instead I would have told them that they were crazy." "Either way it seems that he dotes on you quite a bit. The others were quite jealous." "Try taking his whip of love before you get jealous..." Shin shivered as he recalled the numerous times the First Elder disciplined him. "No thank you. That whip is exclusively for your personal use. I wouldn''t want to infringe on your rights." "You assshole..." This banter continued on for an extended period of time showing off the kinship between the two. Junius was the oldest of all the orphans and was considered to be the big brother. Every single child would go to him for advice, and he would reply in kind. Junius was four when he was adopted into the Frie clan and had no memory of his family. Being the oldest, Junius believed that he had to be the most responsible one. Whenever an orphan was being bullied by those in the main family, he was the first to stand up against them. "HEY SHIN!" As Shin and Junius continued their bickering, a deafening shriek sounded outside their lodging. "Oops, Wifey''s here!" "She''s not my¡­ Argh, whatever." Shin groaned as he grew lazy to retort Junius whenever and unwillingly got out of bed. "Try not to make her angry. I just treated your bruises, my services for an ''Ariel wound'' is only limited to once per day." Junius was not going to pass up on an opportunity to make fun of his little brother. "Shut up..." Shin reached the main door and slowly opened it. In front of him was a young girl in her pyjamas looking not older than ten. Her appearance was not the prettiest in the world, but there were numerous charms that could be pointed out. "Shin!" Ariel greeted Shin as he opened the door. "Ariel, you know you shouldn''t be here at this hour. The headmistress will scold both of us if she finds out!" "Urgghhh¡­ That old lady. It''s okay I won''t stay long. As I was getting ready to sleep, I realized that we have not settled our fight!" "What? You want to go now?" "Nah, that would be too boring! Next week, after we awaken our spirits, then we can fight!" "Why?" "Cause it would be much more interesting!" Ariel smiled brightly as she proposed a dangerous scenario for Shin. She happily skipped away from Shin''s lodging. After she moved a certain distance, Ariel turned back to make one final declaration. "Get ready to fight me!" Chapter 2 The Day of Spirits 1 Himmel Empire. Frie Clan Mountain. Orphan''s Lodging. As the morning sun rose on the Frie Clan, a youth''s panting could be heard. The teen was running around the training room just outside the Orphan''s lodging where the majority of his friends were still asleep. After ten laps, the youth stopped. He took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. With a swinging motion, he summoned a water sword and grabbed it. Using the water blade, he performed a set of swordplay exercises. "Yawn¡­ Junius you''re already here?" Shin who just awoke from his deep sleep, walked lazily into the training room where Junius was performing his swordsmanship. "Yeap! You''re early for once. What happened? Did a cockroach enter the room and scared you awake?" "How did you know?" Shin looked at Junius with befuddlement as the later accurately deduced his reason for coming for morning practices early. "What really? You are already ten and still afraid of roaches..." "Hey! It was over forty centimeters!" "As if such a roach exists!" "You don''t believe me? Wait till you go back to the room! I saw it go into your room!" "And you didn''t stop it?!" "If you think that I could stand a chance against that thing you are terribly mistaken!" The two started bickering again. "You two just never stop arguing don''t you?" As Shin and Junius were caught up in their own little world, a young teen and a child entered the training room. "Lily! Max! You guys are early as well!" Junius exclaimed at the newcomers. The first was a young girl with pale blue hair named Lily who recently turned thirteen this year. She awakened her spirit three years ago during the Day of Spirits and is one of the four in the orphan''s division which already has an awakened spirit. Her personality is similar to Ariel as the two often hung out. However, unlike Ariel, she was much more reserved. The other child who followed Lily into the training room had a blue hair cut in the shape of a bowl. His thin stature indicates that he was frail in a fist fight. Due to her being older and having a similar hair color, Lily was extremely defensive of this little kid who was no more than eight. That, in turn, made Max more attached to Lily and basically turned him into her carry-on. Wherever Lily went, Max was somewhere behind. "Hmmm? Junius you are one to talk. Looking at the state of your training uniform you must have been here for at least a half hour." "Guilty as charged." Junius smiled at Lily''s comment. "Sigh¡­ I know everyone is uptight about the Day of Spirits next week, but you are already a spirit apostle. Do you really need to practice so hard? Even the others who are involved in the Awakening ceremony aren''t as hardworking as you. Look at Shin! He is hardly prepared for the Awakening ceremony!" Shin perked up his ears and looked at Lily as she mentioned his name. "Errr¡­ Sister Lily, don''t pick on brother Shin too much." Max timidly requested Lily to stop bothering Shin. Based on his past experience, if he let Lily mouth off against Shin, it would continue on for an extended period of time, and it often ended with Shin dozing off and Lily punching Shin. "Max! You can''t be soft on Shin! And you too must train hard. Two years later when it is time for your spirit awakening, you can''t be like that lazy bum over there." Yes, even though Lily was nowhere near Ariel''s level of violence, she had one other trait that greatly annoyed Shin and a number of the other orphans. She was a big nagger. Possibly due to her being the oldest girl amongst the orphans, she became the ''mom'' of everyone. Shin ignored the multitude of insults that were being hurled at his direction and went to his favorite corner to nap. Due to the cockroach incident, he woke up over an hour before he had to and would take any extra minute he had to sleep before training starts. "Look! He''s going to sleep again!" Lily face-palmed herself as she noticed that the target of her anger ignored her and went back to sleep. "Ignore him he is always that way." "But Junius!" "Hahaha, it''s alright! Shin is just being Shin. Trying to force him to care about his spirit awakening is just impossible." "The older brother spoils the younger one." "I guess so." Junius laughed at Lily''s comment before his face slowly turned grim as he spoke in a deep voice. "But Lily, this year we have to be careful. We can''t have a repeat of last year. Especially this year when that Second Elder''s grandson is also awakening his spirit." Lily stared at Junius and nodded her head in contemplation. "Last year when Lia awakened her spirit, the other kids from the main branch were not quiet about it. It would be hard to believe that they won''t stir up trouble. Especially since this year, we have three participants in the Awakening Ceremony." As of right now, the orphan division had four kids with awakened spirits. Junius had reached the Rank 10 threshold and broke through to become a spirit apostle, furthering his cultivation to Rank 11 while the rest were still regular spirit users with Lily reaching Rank 9. However, from next week onwards, the orphan division would have seven spirit users thus making the kids from the main household uneasy. "Although we have the protection of the first elder, the other kids would still come and demean us." "Thankfully there are people like Ariel in the clan who don''t care about whether we are not from their immediate family." Lily took this chance to praise her friend who treated her as an equal and scolded the others who looked at the orphans as extras who were unneeded. "Either way, we must be prepared. I am sure there will be some light skirmishes next week, so we have to be in top condition." Junius revealed the reason why he was training extra hard these days. "I wish Shin had half the resolve you had. The twins should be fine next week, but I''m really concerned about Shin. What is he awakens a useless spirit due to his laziness?" "Hahahaha! Do you really think that is possible? Spirits aren''t affected by how lazy one is!" "But Shin is not part of the norm! I just can''t believe someone like him can awaken a good spirit!" "HAHAHAHAH!!!" As Junius was laughing at Lily''s absurd hypothesis, Shin''s mouth twitched, but his eyes remained shut. "I can hear you guys you know..." Shin thought to himself but was too lazy to wake up. Chapter 3 The Day of Spirits 2 An hour after Lily disrupted Shin from his beauty sleep; the training room was filled with children from ages seven to fourteen. All eleven of the children assembled were the first generation of orphans adopted by the Frie Clan. The leader of the orphans was undoubtedly Junius who was the oldest. Following Junius, Lily commanded the most respect. Mostly because she was the ''mother'' of the group. Constantly nagging at her juniors and making sure that they follow the rules. In the orphans, there were currently four people with awakened spirits. Junius and Lily being two of them. One other person who awakened her spirit was Lia. Lia had long dark blue hair which was tied up in a ponytail. Although she was a year older than Shin, she was shorter than him. As someone who was shy and timid, she avoided confrontation and was not particularly capable of defending herself. The last orphan with an awakened spirit was a tall black haired youth named Ryner. Ryner turned thirteen this year and awakened his spirit at the same time as Lily. Being the opposite of Lia, he tends to be rash when it comes to dealing with the main family members. "Ella, Emma, are you prepared for next week? I hope you haven''t been lazing off like that slob over there." Lily questioned two girls who looked the exactly the same other than the small mole on one of their noses while pointing at Shin who was amazingly still asleep. "Sister Lily!" "Lily!" The two happily exclaimed as Lily spoke to them. "I believe we are ready!" "Yeap! I''m going to awaken a spirit that would shock all of you!" Ella and Emma respectively answered. With the Day of Spirits beckoning, three children from the orphan division were going to awaken their spirits. Once someone reaches the age of ten, they have to undergo the Spirit Awakening Ceremony to attain an awakened spirit. In the orphan division, three of them just reached ten years of age. The first being Shin. The other two were the twins, Ella and Emma. As twins, they were the only real family in the orphan division. But like the other orphans, they had no clue who their parents were or where they came from before the Frie Clan saved them. Ella and Emma both had purple hair and a boyish face. The only way to differentiate them is that Ella''s face was free of blemish while Emma has a small mole on the side of her nose. "Good good! You guys are the hope of this year''s crop!" "Wow Lily, you want to forget about Shin''s existence..." Junius was amazed at how biased Lily was. Just as Lily was about to issue a rebuttal, a loud bang was heard as the door flew open. "Alright, all of you to your positions!" A towering man kicked the door open. Standing at over two meters tall, he had a beard full of red hair but ironically, his head was void of it. His physique would make a bodybuilder cry of shame, and his facial features would make even the most robust babies cry with a wink. The ten of them who were busy hanging around immediately jerked into their positions and stood still awaiting instruction. Yes, the ten of them. "Hoh¡­ This boy has the balls to sleep in my class!" The man who just entered the room noticed the sole boy sleeping at the corner of the room. In fact, he had expected the boy to be there. "Guess I have to show him my fist!" The man disappeared from the view of the children and instantly appeared next to Shin. Clenching his fist, he delivered a knockout punch to the sleeping beauty. "OWWWW!!!!" Shin was awoken by a sharp pain in his head. The pain slowly turned into a throbbing one as he looked up at the perpetrator with tears in his eyes. "Wakey wakey!" "Instructor..." "Get into position quickly; I have an announcement to make." Shin looked at his friends as he noticed many of them trying to hide their laughter. "Couldn''t they wake me up before this monster came? And why are all members of the main family so violent? Ariel, First Elder, and even Instructor. It must be hereditary. The ancestor of the Frie clan must have been the biggest bully in history..." Shin issued his inner monologue while begrudgingly walking into his position. "As you all know, next week is the Day of Spirits. So today all those under ten years old are to do self-training while I guide Shin, Ella, and Emma. Lily, you ensure that the four of them continue their training." "Yes, Instructor!" Lily and the children under ten replied in unison. "Shin, Ella, Emma, Junius, Ryner, and Lia!" "Here!" "Follow me!" The bald instructor walked out of the training room and beckoned the six of them to follow. The instructor walked into the training courtyard and turned to his cute students. "The Day of Spirits approaches. I can feel the fire spirits jumping with joy." Letting out a smile, the instructor closed his eyes as he unknowingly let out this statement. "Shin, what is the Day of Spirits?" Shin was shocked that the instructor would suddenly ask him a question and was stunned for a short period of time. "Hmmm?" The instructor opened one eye and glanced at Shin. Pressuring the later to answer quickly. "Ermmm, the Day of Spirits is the day where people of age awaken their spirits!" Shin flusteredly answered. Fearing that a fist would come flying his direction should he delay any further. "Wrong!" "What?" Shin, Ella, and Emma were shocked. If it was not the day to awaken their spirits, then what was it for? The older kids, however, gave a knowing smile as they experienced their instructor''s banter once. "Hmmm. Where to begin? Since time immemorial, spirits and humans coexisted. However, humans were never able to summon spirits." """What?!""" The three were now so shocked that their mouths opened wide. It was like their entire worldview had changed. "Don''t interrupt! Anyway, Since time immemorial, spirits and humans coexisted. However, humans were never able to summon spirits." The older kids listening to the story started to giggle. This instructor memorized the entire script which was prepared for those who were about to undergo their spirit awakening. However, once someone interrupted, he would forget the whole thing and start over. "It all changed when somewhere down the road, our ancestors began to understand how to harvest the spiritual energy all around us and eventually contracted with spirits." "As the years went by, humans became more advanced in the way they used spirits. They used Spirits to create fire, manipulate the oceans and even move the earth. And eventually, someone did the impossible. Someone managed to achieve immortality using their spirit!" Shin, Ella, and Emma were now stunned beyond belief. "As the first Spirit user achieved immortality, he immediately ascended into the immortal realm. Through his ascension, the immortals in the realm above were pleased and gifted the land that we live in a surge of Spiritual energy." "Following that, many more people started to be capable of awakening spirits. It didn''t stop there. After the first Spirit Immortal ascended, many more followed his steps. The second, the third and much more ascended and each time a Spirit Immortal reached the heavens, the realm above would repay the land by bestowing it with more spiritual energy. Now, virtually every human can undergo the Spirit Awakening Ceremony." "The fact that the Day of Spirits is a day for children of age to awaken their spirits is a falsehood. In fact, anyone of any age can awaken their spirit at any given time!" The three listening to the story was now harbouring their questions. "If that''s the case why must we wait for the Day of Spirits to awaken our spirits?" "Looking at your faces you guys must be thinking why in that case the clan made you wait until the Day of Spirits to conduct your awakening." "Well, let me tell you!" Seeing the cheeky expression of the instructor that said ''Ha! I read your mind'', the older kids who already listened to his story before started feeling nauseous. "The reason why is because the Day of Spirits was the day when the first Spirit Immortal ascended into the immortal realm! Following his example, many of the subsequent Spirit Immortals chose the Day of Spirits to ascend therefore making the Day of Spirits the one day in the year where spiritual energy is the most abundant and for you weaklings to have the best connection possible to the spirit sleeping inside of you." "Also, the reason why the Himmel empire decreed that all Spirit Awakenings can only occur when the child has reached the age of ten is that there were instances when clans forced the younger generation to awaken their spirits at a tender age but instead, the children suffered spirit backlash ending their lives." "Now do you understand the importance of the Day of Spirits?" Chapter 4 The Day of Spirits 3 The three ten-year-olds nodded their heads as they slowly tried to comprehend the bombshell that was dropped on them. "There is a way to achieve immortality using our spirits?!" Shin thought to himself. Before, he had little interest in the awakening ceremony and just decided to go with the flow. However, the concept of having eternal life seemed novel to him. "Imagine all the things I could do if I lived forever!" Unable to hold back, Shin decided to question the Instructor. "So instructor, how does someone achieve immortality?" The Instructor smiled and answered the curious Shin. "Of course when the Spirit User reaches Rank 100! It might seem straightforward but most people in their lifetime don''t even reach Rank 20. In fact, in the long history of mankind, there are only nineteen recorded Spirit Immortals. The last Spirit User to ascend into the realm above was Spirit Immortal Dream who ascended over five centuries ago." "Well, that''s enough of the Day of Spirits. When the day comes, you will be able to experience the Spirit Awakening ceremony for yourselves. Right now you will need to understand what happens after you awaken your spirit." "Junius! Ryner! Lia!" """Here!""" "Summon your spirits!" "Yes, Sir!" The three youths who were called stepped forward and answered the instructors call. Spirit energy was gathered by the three of them, and Junius released a surge of blue energy that took form in the shape of a sword. The sword had no guard and was comprised of only the blade and handle. With a majestic blue aura covering the sword, the blade looked gentle but yet deadly if someone were to come too close. Ryner''s spirit also released a surge of blue energy. The blue energy condensed itself and took the form of a little salamander. Although it looked cute, its viciousness was exposed by the violent look in its eyes. Lia''s surge of spirit energy condensed into a harmless looking Cyan Hyacinth that floated just above her hands which were clenched together. "As expected, Junius summon time is impressive as always." The Instructor gave an honest assessment of the youth''s summoning technique as smiled in approval. "Thank you, Instructor!" Junius gave the instructor a bow as he received the compliment. "Work hard. You are the first Spirit Apostle among the Orphans, and if you do not want to be surpassed by your juniors, you must continue to push yourself." "Yes, Sir!" "Alright! Shin, Ella and Emma listen here!" """Yes Sir!""" "As demonstrated by your seniors, spirits can take various forms. Some may be in the form of a weapon, some may be an animal and others might be plants. Generally speaking, the awakened spirit will not differ much from anything that can be found in the real world. And the reason for such a system is that the spirit realm is dependent on the real world." "Not much is known about the spirit realm. Some scholars even doubt its existence. However, what is true is that the ancestors who first contracted a spirit did so quoting the spirit realm." "Junius! Demonstrate your first ability!" "Yes, Sir!" The Instructor called out to Junius to showcase his ability. Junius closed his eyes to concentrate as he raised his sword. "Junius is gathering spiritual energy!" Ella gasped in a low voice. Emma and Shin nodded in response to Ella''s remarks. After three seconds, Junius'' awakened spirit, the water blade, started to glow in blinding blue light. With a strong thrust, Junius'' water blade started extending at blinding speeds as it rushed to a nearby tree. The extended blade pierced through the tree as if it did not exist and further extended to another tree. The blade only stopped after it left five such trees with a hole on its trunk as the blade lost its form and turned into water. "That is my first spirit ability. I named it Pierce." Junius gave a casual introduction to his ability. "Well done Junius. Now, this is the first ability that you would awaken with your spirit awakening. Unfortunately for you, you do not get to choose your spirit or your first ability. Ryner show your first spirit ability!" "Yes, Sir!" Ryner stood forward and mentally ordered his spirit forward. He gathered spiritual energy as he focused on the tree in front of him. With a soft voice he murmured: "Acid Ball." The salamander spewed out a small ball of clear liquid which seemed harmless. However, the results showed that the little ball of fluids was far from safe. As the ball touched the tree, the liquid flowed from the point of contact to the bottom of the tree as smoke began to form. The tree bark started to melt and eventually, the tree lost enough of its trunk to begin to lose its balance. In the end, the tree fell. Visually, Ryner''s ability was more visually shocking as he fell an entire tree while Junius just put a small hole through a couple of trees. "Nicely done. Going by the amount of acid you produced I assume you broke through to Rank 9?" The Instructor asked Ryner. "Yes, Sir! I broke through a few days ago!" Ryner was initially surprised that the Instructor could tell his rank just by his first ability but made no point to lie. "Congratulations! When you reach the peak of rank 9 and require a skill to break through to reach Spirit Apostle do tell me immediately. I will arrange for it to be done." "Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" "Now Lia!" "Yes, Sir!" Lia followed her two seniors lead and gathered spiritual energy into her spirit that was resting on her two hands. The Cyan Hyacinth started to glow in a light blue colour as small vines started curling around the flower. Although beautiful, it was the least awe-inspiring ability. "I call this ability aquatic vines. Right now I am currently on land hence I can''t show its true power but believe me it is ten times stronger when I am in contact with water! Furthermore, I''m only Rank 4!" Lia cried at her poor performance compared to her two seniors. The instructor gave a bitter smile as he thought to himself: "Maybe it''s too soon for her to demonstrate her ability. I should have asked Lily instead." Since Lily and Lia had the same plant-based spirit, the Instructor opted for Lia to boost her confidence by demonstrating her ability in front of her juniors. It turned out that it backfired on him as Lia''s spirit was still premature. "Lia. It is sufficient that you gained three ranks in a year. You can always improve your ability, but spirit cultivation is equally as important." It was true. Both Junius and Ryner gained on average three ranks per year with Junius only reaching Rank 11 because he had to break through to become a Spirit Apostle. Even in the Frie clan, it was a cultivation speed that was above average. It was a testament to the first elder''s commitment and the Instructor''s training prowess that the Orphans could grow this quickly. With Lia keeping pace with them, it was an ideal situation for her. But the performances of her two seniors left her downcasted and unknowingly, the instructor remarks drilled the final nail in the coffin as Lia dejectedly sobbed her way into the training room. The other kids who remained looked at the instructor with contempt as their eyes said everything they wanted to voice but could not. "You made her cry..." "*Cough*¡­ On to the next topic..." The instructor gave a light cough to change the subject as the eyes that landed on him made him uncomfortable. Chapter 5 The Day of Spirits 4 "Now that you know what would happen when you awaken your spirit next week, you will need to know how to progress once you awaken your spirit." Trying to ignore the previous scenario, the instructor continued on with his explanation. "Firstly, you will have to learn how to gather spiritual energy and to implement your spiritual energy into your Spirit and Spirit Ability." "Secondly, you must learn to upgrade your ranks. Fortunately for you, you are part of the Frie Clan. The teachers here are superb and you guys breaking through to the Spirit Apostle realm is basically guaranteed." The Instructor casually tossed in a self-praise comment into his speech but the majority of those listening ignored it. "And lastly, you must learn how to use your spirit abilities in combat. Being the hardest, it would take the longest amount of time to master. Each Spirit User has a different spirit and hence, a different way of fighting. For instance, Junius has a water sword spirit. Which means he is the most suited for the frontlines. On the other hand, Lia has a Cyan Hyacinth spirit. Do not look down on that spirit of hers. There was once a spirit master who was able to use the Cyan Hyacinth to create an endless maze in which no one could escape from. If she grows her spirit the right way, she could be a force deadlier than Junius and Ryner combined." The Instructor was trying to demonstrate that even the most innocent spirits had a deadly side. But as the others pictured poor Lia who was ''encouraged'' by the Instructor earlier, they could not picture her spirit posing a threat to anyone. Seeing that the audience was losing interest in his speech, the Instructor wanted to liven things up again. "Now Junius, show them your second ability!" Junius gave a simple nod as he closed his eyes and started gathering spiritual energy again. "Junius is gathering more spiritual energy than before!" Emma exclaimed as she saw an innumerable amount of blue spirit particles congregate around Junius. After gathering enough energy, Junius opened his eyes and focused on a distance no more than fifty metres away. Once finding his target location, Junius pounced. Enhanced by the spiritual energy enveloping him, it took him less than four seconds to reach his location. Once there he swung the spirit sword in his hands until it made a full circle. "Water Ring!" The swing that Junius made formed a ring filled with water. The sharp aura that was present in the sword was transferred into the ring as the ring stayed in place around Junius. The water in the ring started flowing at a high speed as if it was part of the rapid currents of the world''s fastest flowing river. As the water in the ring was reaching the peak of its velocity, Junius muttered a word. "Expand!" The water ring which was surrounding Junius started to grow in at breakneck speeds. The ring passed through trees and boulders cutting through them all. When the ring reached twenty meters in diameter, the amount of water faded as the ability disappeared. If one ignored the destroyed terrain, it would be hard to guess that Junius used his ability. "Wow..." Shin, Ella, and Emma looked at Junius with a different light. That kind-hearted big brother of theirs had such an ability that made him look so barbarous. The Instructor laughed loudly as he said: "Hahahaha! Why are you so surprised? The battle ability of myself is much greater than that senior brother of yours!" The orphans looked at the instructor with weird eyes. Half of them could not believe that the Instructor was so shameless while the other half did not want to bother with him. "Well it''s obvious for you guys to be ignorant of my greatness but that''s not the point! Every time you reach a bottleneck, which is at the peak of rank 9, 19 and so on, you would have to learn a new skill. Most of the time, you can get the new skills from your mentors, which mean the first elder or me. Of course, if you have the insight, you could develop your own skills. But that is extremely rare, and most spirit users just learn skills that were passed down. For instance, this water ring ability of your senior is a variant of my very own second ability ''Fire Ring.''" With a thought, the Instructor summoned his very own spirit. Red spirit particles began to gather as the Instructor summoned a gigantic club which was around a hundred fifty centimetres. A hulk of a man deserves a hulk of a weapon. The orphans uniformly thought that with his unkempt facial hair and humongous club, the Instructor looked like a prehistoric caveman. However, they were not going to voice their opinion lest the Instructor decides to hit them with that beast of a weapon. "Now you guys must be thinking now, why must spirits have elements?" Of course, none of the orphans were thinking of that. They were still distracted by the caveman look of the Instructor. But none of them were going to admit that. "Yeah of course!" "Teach me, exalted Instructor!" "Why are there spirits with elements, big strong man?" The orphans bombarded the Instructor with questions. Pleased by the compliments and obedience of the children to listen to his lecture, the Instructor continued his explanation. "Elements are all around us. The ones that are easily harnessed are the five main elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Lightning. Majority of the spirits users have contracted a spirit which has one of the main elements. " "In fact, the Frie Clan has roots with an ancestor who first contracted with fire elementals. Hence, the majority of the descendants all have fire elemental spirits." "Next would be the rarer elements which are Light, Darkness and Mind. These elements are omnipresent and in theory, should be the most common elements. However, the elementals are hard to contract, and it is much rarer to see a spirit user who has one of these elements. One such spirit user is the recently ascended Spirit Immortal Dream. She was a Mind Spirit User and legend has it that she annihilated an entire country by casting an eternal slumber spirit ability. Therefore, although they are rarer, it does not mean they are by any means weaker." All the orphans shuddered at the thought of the might of Spirit Immortal Dream. Just by casting a single ability and she was able to destroy an entire country?! They made a mental note to themselves to never be on bad terms with a Mind Spirit User. "And lastly, the rarest of all spirit users are the spirit users who contracted the elements of Space and Time. Not much is known about such spirit users. In fact, there are only five recorded instances of spirit users who contracted space or time elementals." "With the explanation of the elemental types finished, time to explain why spirits must be aligned with an element." The Instructor intentionally paused to create dramatic tension. """...""" Shin, Ella, and Emma sat patiently waiting for the instructor to finish his explanation. The Instructor looked at them and with a straight face said: "I don''t know." The three of them fell down. Shin clenched his hands into a fist and had to hold himself back from punching the detestable face in front of him. Ella and Emma were flabbergasted while holding each other hands. "Hey don''t blame me! Even the top scholars in the capital of Himmel do not know! I mean there are multiple hypotheses on why it is but none of them are actually confirmed. If you are so smart, go and figure it out and tell me!" Now even the older orphans who have heard this story before want to punch this old fart. Thankfully, their wish was about to come true. "LOU!!! WHY DID YOU MAKE LIA CRY?!" A booming voice could be heard in the distance as a streak of red light flashed through orphan lodgings and landed right in front of the Instructor. The red light disappeared revealing four characters. Firstly, poor Lia who was mentally traumatised by the Instructor. Next was Lily, who was probably the listener of Lia''s troubles. Standing by Lily''s side was a red-haired little girl with freckles and Lily''s good friend, Ariel. Hearing about the situation from Lia, Lily probably went to complain to Ariel. Ariel, being a good friend, decides to punish the man who made Lia cry and therefore, she brought the only person who could reign him in. "Eekk! First Elder! It is a misunderstanding! I didn''t mean to make her cry!" "But you did! Lou, you better have a good explanation for this..." Gathering spirit energy onto his fist, the first elder decided to give a knockout punch to the man who made an eleven-year-old cry. Seeing this, the orphans present, including Shin, gave a thumbs up to Lia. For allowing them to somewhat vent their frustrations. Chapter 6 The Second Elders Grandson 1 "Hey, Junius¡­ Was everything the Instructor said true?" After the first elder abruptly interrupted the Instructor''s class, the orphans were dismissed and were given time to do their respective chores. Currently, it was the end of the day, and it was almost time for bed. The headmistress would begin her rounds soon, and anyone found awake would face the consequence of her violent broom. As Shin lazed around in the living room, he questioned Junius who he was sharing an apartment with. "It seems that everything was just¡­ thrown at us. I don''t know how to feel right now." "It''s understandable. When I first heard the lecture, I was blown away by how much bigger the world is and how small we really are. But have no doubt, everything the instructor said is true." Junius kindly explained to the lost Shin. "But it is amazing to think about. Immortality exists. A Spirit User was able to single-handedly annihilate an entire country. And everything else. It just feels so surreal." "..." Junius quietly observed Shin as he continued his passionate rant. "Hooh¡­ Is the slothful Shin finally willing to work hard in training?" "Haha! I don''t think I would! Training to get to the Immortal realm sounds hard." "I knew that would be something you would say!" The two youths laughed it off. "By the way did you find the cockroach?" Junius footsteps abruptly came to a halt. From Shin''s point of view, it seemed that the older brother of his was shaking. "Hey Shin¡­ I actually missed the days where I lulled you to sleep. You know why don''t we do it tonight?" "Ha! I knew it! The cockroach was too big! And you had the gall to tell me that I was too old to be scared of roaches!" "Hey which diabolical god decided to make a cockroach over half a meter!" "What?!?! Wasn''t it forty centimetres?" "Don''t tell me..." "You can''t mean..." "IT GREW?!?!" The night was long as the Shin and Junius slept together with the fear of being mauled to death by a cockroach. -.- Morning. Orphan''s Lodging. One day before the Day of Spirits. "Now that I know that the Day of Spirits is when there is the most abundance of spiritual energy, it feels like there is much more spiritual energy around us." Shin made an observation in which he had never noticed before. "You''re right. As the Day of Spirits comes closer, the density of spiritual energy increases." Junius verbally agreed with Shin''s hypothesis. "Anyway, it''s time for morning practice. Get ready soon." "Hey, Junius." "Yeah?" "If we are going to be relying on our spiritual cultivation soon, why must we practice martial arts? It seems like it would be a huge waste of time. In fact, I rarely see you do any spirit cultivation?" Shin asked Junius. Junius looked at his ignorant and lazy friend and gave a soft smile. "It''s not that I do not practice spirit cultivation. It''s just that you are not exposed to the ways of it. When you awaken your spirit, you will understand. Also, practicing martial arts is essential for spirit arts too." Junius patiently explained to Shin. "There is actually something the Instructor left out from his explanation the other day. Awakening your spirit takes a huge toll on your body. If your physique is not strong enough, often awakening your spirit would severely damage your body. That''s why there is an age limit in the Himmel Empire for people to help their kids awaken their spirit." "Additionally, what if you awaken a spirit like mine which specializes in close-quarter combat?" Shin looked at Junius with dubious eyes and told his roommate. "Do I look like I would awaken a spirit like yours?" "Hahaha! Unfortunately for you, your spirit is not determined by how lazy you are." "Then again Junius, what determines my spirit?" "There are an array of variables. The most predominant one being your family background. For example, look at Ariel. Her grandfather''s spirit is the Ember Fire Whip. Hence, there is a high chance that Ariel would awaken it as her spirit. Of course, it is not definite as she could also awaken another spirit but her element is all but confirmed. You know, because she was born into the Frie clan, a clan blessed by the fire elementals." A cold chill went down Shin''s back as he imagined Ariel with the same whip that the first elder had. "Let''s hope that won''t be the case..." "So Shin! You still have to practice martial arts! Let''s start with ten laps today!" "Are you trying to kill me?!" Shin exclaimed as Junius casually tossed a training regime that was impossible for the weak and feeble Shin. "Hey, Junius! Shin!" As if trying to save Shin from his inevitable fate of running laps around the training room, a voice echoed through the orphan lodgings. A dark blue haired youth with her hair tied in a ponytail could be seen running in the direction towards Junius and Shin. "Lia? What are you doing here this early?" "Junius! There''s trouble! Lily and Ryner are be confronted by five members of the Second Elder''s youth faction!" "What?!" Junius face instantly darkened. "Why are they over here in the orphan''s division?" "I don''t know¡­ Junius you have to hurry. When I left them, Ryner seemed to be unable to hold back anymore. Some of those who came were in the Spirit Apostle realm, and I fear that Ryner might..." Lia was unable to mouth her concerns as she feared for the worst. "Understood, I will head there immediately. Shin, you stay here, it''s too dangerous. Lia, lead the way." Lia started running with Junius just by her side. "It''s starting to become troublesome..." Shin thought to himself as he sighed. "I guess I should go too." Shin realized that even if he was included into the mix, he would have no effect in the outcome of the confrontation between those from the Second Elder''s faction and the orphans but nonetheless, he wished to provide even the little bit of support for his ''family.'' Shin hastily trailed in the direction where Junius and Lia left. Chapter 7 The Second Elders Grandson 2 "Hey! What do you think you are doing?" At the front of the orphan''s training facility, there were seven youths in a standoff. Two of them were on the same side. That, of course, being Lily and Ryner. They were on their way to the training facility to begin their morning practices when they were suddenly stopped by five youths. Age spanning from ten to fifteen, the youths were all draped in dark red robes that contrasted their bright red hair. "What we can''t walk into our backyard?" One of them sneered. "You know well enough that the First Elder''s lodging is here and you call it your backyard?" Lily used the term ''First Elder''s lodging'' instead of ''Orphan''s Lodging'' in order to put some pressure on the intruding party. Technically, she was not wrong. The Frie clan was headquartered on top of a dormant volcano and had three main habitable areas. The first was the Main Hall. The heart of the Frie clan. It was the largest habitable area in entire mountain and was where a majority of the Frie clan''s infrastructure was. The Main Hall had the armoury, the audience hall, the library and the residence of the Clan Master. The next area was the granary. The Frie clan prided itself on being self-sufficient and the granary was a helpful ally. Being a dormant volcano, the Frie clan had a large amount of fertile soil and it helped produce an excess of food for the clan. Lastly, the residential area. The Elders of the Frie clan each had a section of the residential area to train their disciples and to live in. The orphans, who were taken under the First Elder''s wing, were able to stay at the edge of the First Elder''s abode. "So what? As disciples of the Second Elder, we can walk this area as we please. You guys are just extras we brought in." Ryner was about to snap at the youth''s comment. "Enough bullshit! State your business! Are you here to fight or not?" Ryner shouted at the youth. "Hmmm¡­ We are not uncultured like you lot. We just want to have a look at your ''candidates'' this year." The youth who had been demeaning the orphans the entire time finally revealed their purpose for coming. "Why?" Lily questioned the youth. "None of your business. Just bring them out!" "Why you!!!!" Ryner gathered his spiritual energy and summoned his Water Salamander. "Ryner stop!" Lily hurriedly ordered Ryner to control himself. "Hoh¡­ I guess you want to fight then." The youth gave a menacing smile and gathered his spiritual energy when¡­ "Brother Leon, stop..." The youngest member of the group walked in between Ryner and the youth who had been threatening them the entire time. "Linus..." "..." The kid stared at Leon silently to indicate that there was no room for discussion. "Fineeee..." Leon, who was about to summon his spirit, released the spiritual energy he gathered and placed his hands behind his head. Ryner, who still had his awakened spirit out, was dumbfounded by current events. He was prepared to fight the youth who was insulting them the entire time but an even younger kid came out and stopped the youth. "Hey, mister¡­ We are not here to cause trouble. We just want to meet the people who are about to awaken their spirits." "..." Ryner kept silent as the kid extended his hand to indicate he was making peace. "Ryner, retract your spirit." Lily reminded Ryner. Currently, it looked like Ryner was about to use his spirit on a defenceless kid who most probably had not even awakened his spirit. "My name is Linus¡­ I am awakening my spirit tomorrow too. So I just want to see my peers. I am really not here to cause trouble..." As Ryner retracted his spirit, Linus introduced himself. "My name is Lily, and this guy here is Ryner." Lily followed suit. It was basic manners to respond to someone who gave his name by telling him their names. "Sister Lily¡­ Brother Ryner¡­ I guess I''ll call you that." "Sister Lily, I heard that there are three from the orphans division going through the awakening ceremony this year?" Linus asked Lily if the information he received was correct. "You heard right." "Hmmm¡­ If I am not wrong, you are about to go for morning training right? Will they all be there?" "Why is he so adamant about meeting Shin and the twins?" Lily was getting suspicious about why Linus had to meet the three ten-year-olds but tried to put a friendly face. "I''m not sure." Lily deliberately gave a vague answer. Before she could determine their true purpose for coming, she had to protect her juniors. "Sister Lily, I truly just want to meet them. Please be at ease." "Hmmm¡­ Wait¡­ Leon is part of the Second Elder''s faction, and he is following this kid¡­ It can''t be!" Lily made an assumption about the boy''s identity. "Could it be, are you the Second Elder''s grandson?" "Oh? Did you figure it out? Yeah¡­ My grandad gave me the assignment to assess those from the orphan division¡­ Could you help me out?" Lily gasped at the revelation. The First Elder and Second Elder have always been at odds. Even at the previous spirit awakening ceremony, there were rumours that the Second Elder instigated the conflict between those from the orphan division and the other disciples present. Having ordered his grandson to compete with Shin and the twins was something that he would do. But to do it so openly was weird, to say the least. Before Lily could give an answer, two loud footsteps could be heard. It was Lia and Junius. "Lily! Ryner! Are you alright?" Junius asked his two juniors. "Yeah, we''re fine. They didn''t start a fight... Yet." Lily answered Junius and at the same time, warning him that there was still conflict brewing. "You must be the eldest of the orphans, Junius¡­ I''ve heard a lot about you from grandad¡­ My name is Linus¡­ As I was telling sister Lily and brother Ryner, I want to meet the ones who are about to undergo their spirit awakening... Could you arrange that?" "Wha..." Junius, not understanding the entire situation, was shocked at Linus'' request. "Junius, it''s like this..." Lily explained the entire circumstance to Junius. "I''m sorry. I don''t think any of them would be a good match for the Second Elder''s grandson." Ryner sarcastically replied to Linus. "Oh¡­ I hardly doubt so..." Junius was starting to get a headache. "I don''t think we can have you meet with any of them though. They are all hard at work preparing for tomorrow''s ceremony." "Is that so¡­ But that looks like one of them though?" Linus pointed to the distance. Tracing the direction of the boy''s finger, all the orphans present saw a black haired youth who was trying to hide behind a nearby tree while listening in on the conversation. When the orphans saw the poorly hidden boy, they all face-palmed. "Oops..." Shin thought out loud. Chapter 8 The Second Elders Grandson 3 "Argh! That retard Shin!" Junius'' headache was getting worse as the exposed Shin slowly walked in their direction. "Hi?" Shin tilted his head as he gave his greetings. "So you are one of the three who are awakening their spirit? Meh¡­ Anyway, if you didn''t hear, I need to assess one of you... Could you spar with me for one round? Please help me out, or grandad will scold me again..." Linus requested Shin to fight. "..." Shin was speechless. He thought that by following Junius, he could provide moral support for his friends but it turned out that he was the one that required the help. "Ermmm¡­ Linus is it? Why don''t you take on those from the direct lineage instead? For example, Ariel from our division is also undergoing her spiritual awakening tomorrow." Shin wanted to pass the buck to his childhood friend Ariel. Junius and Lily were flabbergasted. How could Shin sellout their friend so quickly? Was he still vengeful that Ariel beat him to a pulp? "Sister Ariel? I can''t do that. Grandad told me to fight those from the Orphans!" A childish Shin who was prepared to sabotage his friend and a childlike Linus who was adamant in following his grandad''s orders clashed. "But I am weak!" "It''s okay! Just show me what you got!" "So I am supposed to stand there and let you injure me?!" "Yeah! If not grandad will scold me!" This back and forth exchange continued. All the spectators had a bitter smile as they witnessed these two ten-year-olds acting like they were five. "Linus! Just beat him up. Let''s just finish the assignment given by the Elder and leave this depressing place." Leon, who could not take it anymore, asked Linus to beat up Shin. Ryner stepped forward with clenched fists ready to fight the rude intruder, but a hand appeared in front of him. "Junius!" "Ryner, don''t attack them first. No matter what happens, we can only endure. Even if we are provoked, if we throw the first punch, we would be at fault. The first elder would be able to do something if they were the ones who started fighting, but if we did it, the punishments we will receive is much more than what they would receive." Junius logically explained to Ryner. Ryner clenched his fists and held himself back. As if thinking of something, Junius gave a wry smile and continued speaking. "Maybe letting Shin fight this Linus would help him be more serious." As Ryner and Lily heard Junius revelation, they gasped. "Young master Linus!" Junius called out one of the two youths who was arguing. "Hmmm¡­ What is it big brother Junius? Also, calling me Linus is fine though..." "Then Linus! We can let you assess Shin, but please leave immediately afterwards. Shin still has to prepare for tomorrow." Blood drained from his face as Shin realized that the one he trusted the most was offering him up on a chopping block. "Naturally¡­ I wasn''t planning on staying too long anyway..." "Okay, and could you reign in your lackeys? I personally don''t mind it but them insulting our abode is indirectly throwing insults at the first elder." It was true. The place that the orphans were living is was personally established by the first elder and insulting it meant demeaning the care the first elder put into making this place. "What?!" Leon was annoyed with Junius'' statement and snapped back at Junius. The same could be said about the other members escorting Linus. Junius had no qualms about throwing insults back at the peace-distributors. They had come here with the intent to be disrespectful. Hence, Junius threw being courteous out of the window. Although they could not fight, he saw no reason to stand there and not retaliate when provoked. "It''s fine brother Leon... " Linus glanced and Leon and walked towards Shin slowly. "Hey¡­ Shin right? Just give it you''re all¡­ I need to tell grandpa the level that the orphans my age have achieved." Shin who was initially despairing on being sold out started to awaken at the words of the child the same age as him. Although there was no malice in the words he uttered, the intention was clear as day. ''If I lose here, would it imply that the first elder teachings are bad hence giving a reason for the second elder to pick on us?'' Shin realized that his performance today would not only affect himself but the entire division as well. ''Maybe that''s why he sent his grandson. Assuming that he inherited the second elder prowess, he should be someone near Ariel''s level.'' Thinking that he was going to face someone who was of similar levels to Ariel gave Shin a headache. "So Shin¡­ Let''s make this quick..." Linus took a deep breath in and went into the standard Frie battle stance. The Frie Clan developed their own hand-to-hand combat style, and every member of the clan would be taught the very basics. What Linus was displaying, with his legs crouched and left hand in front of his right was the standard Frie battle stance. As Shin saw that battle was inevitable, he adopted the same stance. The air was tense as none of the spectators was talking. All that could be heard were the breathing of the two boys. "HAH!" Linus pounced at top speed towards Shin as he raised his right leg towards Shin''s face. As if expecting that, Shin dodged to the right as the vertical forward motion of Linus made it hard for him to change directions. However, Linus landed his right foot which was in the air and delivered a back roundhouse kick in the direction Shin had dodged into. Seeing the left heel of Linus moving at top speed towards him, Shin bent his back to avoid the oncoming attack. After Linus'' rotation ended, Shin somersaulted away from the dangerous boy. ''He''s fast! He might be a little faster than Ariel! I knew it! The Frie Clan''s ancestor must have been a big bully!! Why must all of them be so violent?!'' Shin had no time to collect his thoughts as a punch started flying in his direction. Quickly dodging the attack, he retaliated with a kick with his right leg, but it hit the air. ''Damn it! He''s agile as well!'' The back and forth between the two continued as Lia muttered. "Hey¡­ They are not using spiritual energy right? How can they be so fast?" Even Lily was slightly shocked at the lazy bum who was physically adept. "Although they are not as fast as Junius, they can''t be that far off. I can probably understand the second elder''s grandson but how is Shin this fast as well?" "Haha! Lily, you''re surprised, right? I told you that you underestimated him. Think about it. If he can keep pace with that monster Ariel, he should be capable of this much." Ariel Frie. Even at the age of five, she had the strength that could match teenagers. Amongst every youth of the Frie clan, her pure martial arts is at the very best. In particular, her power strikes. It was said that one day when she was nine, she accidentally injured a Spirit Apostle in a pure martial arts session even though she had not cultivated an ounce of spirit power. Due to the first elder''s ''love,'' Shin has been fighting against Ariel as long as he has been in the Frie Clan. Naturally, he could not match the strength of the beast. Thus, he ran. The first spar session with Ariel still gives Shin nightmares. Ariel back then still had little control over her strength, and every punch could cripple Shin many times over. Thankfully, the first elder intervened in time if not Shin would not be alive right now. As the battles went on over the years, Shin had developed cat-like reflexes and blinding speeds to survive the ordeal that is Ariel. "Haha! So running away from Ariel made him strong! This is ridiculous." Lily snickered as she thought of her friend who was probably still sleeping at this hour. Not only were the orphans shocked, but even the guys who came with Linus were also speechless. "To think that there was someone other than young lady Ariel who can keep up with Linus regarding speed." One of them whispered to the other. Linus was unbeaten in his age group due to his agility and speed. Most of the kids who challenged Linus could not even touch him. However, it seems that the tables had reversed in this situation. No matter what Linus did, he could not make contact with Shin. Leon''s face turned sombre as he thought to himself. ''As expected, the orphans might have another expert in their midst. Although limited in number, they could become an asset to the Frie clan in the future¡­ I wonder why the second elder is so insistent on driving them out?'' Not a hint of arrogance could be observed from Leon. He acted like a bully since the second elder hated the orphans and ordered Leon to make their lives miserable whenever they met, but he could not see the value in agonizing future experts that could bring merit to the now weakened clan. Chapter 9 Spirit Awakening Ceremony 1 Linus was chasing Shin around as the latter easily dodged all his attacks. It shook Linus to the core. To think that there was someone faster than him in his generation. Even though he sparred with Ariel before, there was no clear winner as their speeds were similar with Linus taking a slight edge. After all, if Ariel landed a few of her hits on Linus, even he would not be able to come out unscathed. But since he was a little faster, Ariel could not land most of her shots. With Ariel being the best pure martial combatant in their generation, Linus believed that he was the fastest kid in the Frie clan. However, his trip to the orphans division proved otherwise. There was actually someone that he could not lay his hands on no matter how fast he attacked. Although his perceived title of fastest in his generation was dethroned, Linus did not feel disappointment or anger. All he felt was one emotion. ''I''m going to hit him!'' It was desire. The desire to surpass the adversary in front of him and to retake his position as the fastest kid in the clan. Linus started to take shorter intervals of rest and his attacks on Shin became more frantic. ''His speed increased?'' Shin performed a manoeuvre to dodge Linus who increased his speed. Left kick, right uppercut, high knee. All sorts of attacks came flying Shin''s way. In the end, Linus jumped in the air and stretched his right leg far out. With a thump, the heel came flying down towards Shin''s face. ''I can''t dodge!'' Realising his predicament, Shin crossed his arms together to block the incoming strike. It might break his forearm but at least his face was protected. ''Goodbye, my arms¡­ Thanks for your company all these years.'' Thinking that he was going to lose his arms, he looked away and closed his eyes. A split second later, Shin felt an impact on his arm. ''Arghhh! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts?...'' Shin felt a slight impact but he realised that there was not as much pain as he expected. He opened his eyes and looked up only to see that Linus'' right heel was stopped by Shin''s defence. ''Oh¡­ He doesn''t have Ariel''s gorilla strength¡­ Phew, my arms are still intact.'' Conditioned by Ariel, Shin''s body defences are already at the top end of children of his age group. In fact, it might be even stronger than the average adult. Years of having his bones damaged by Ariel and having it heal to grow stronger has made Shin extremely durable. "Okay young master Linus, I believe you have an accurate grasp of Shin''s ability now?" Junius walked in and stopped the fight. After all, no matter how durable Shin was, weakening him any further might actually cause problems for tomorrow''s spirit awakening. Linus lifted his leg off Shin''s arms and relaxed. He smiled and replied to Junius. "Yeah¡­ I think this much should be enough¡­ For now..." Shin felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard the last two words Linus said. ''For now? Is he planning to fight me again? I knew it Frie clan members are all battle junkies!'' Linus beckoned to Leon and others to leave. As the group walked further away from Shin and the orphans, Linus turned back and hollered. "See you tomorrow!" -.- "He sure is weird. I thought that the second elder''s grandson would be more condescending but he seems to be alright." Junius gave his thoughts to those present. "Hmph. So what? He''s surrounded by low lives like Leon. I''m pretty sure in the future he will become a bane to us." Ryner agreed with Junius but gave his opinion on what could happen in the future. "Yeah, we have to be careful..." Lily thought out loud. "At least we managed to push them out of here¡­ Hey Shin! Let''s go! We don''t want to be late for training!" Junius turned to Shin only to find him drawing circles on the floor. "Oh come on! You''re sulking now?" "You sold me out! What kind of elder brother throws his little brother into a fight?!" "It''s not like you''re injured or anything!" "I could have been!" Shin started quarrelling with Junius. He could not forget the despair he felt when Junius agreed Linus'' demands for a fight. "Stop being a baby. Let''s go! Do you want the instructor to punish us?" "Argh! I freaking hate you!" Although Shin was vengeful that Junius betrayed him, his fear of the instructor ultimately propelled his feet in the direction of his peers. -.- Before training started, Junius recounted the orphan''s previous interaction with Linus and Leon to the instructor. After understanding the situation, the instructor told the orphans not to worry as he would discuss the matter with the first elder. Other than that, the day was mundane as usual. Shin trained together with the twins in preparation for their spirit awakening whereas those not involved in the ceremony stuck to their routines. "What spirit do you think we would get?" One of the twins, Emma, asked Shin and her sister. "Spirits are not given you know..." Shin replied apathetically. "You know what I mean!" Emma puffed her face and chided Shin. The two twins were indistinguishable other than the small mole that Emma had. With her cheeks expanded like a pufferfish, it was easier to locate the mole. Shin would often mix the two up thus the small mole was helpful for him. "Ignore him, Emma, he would probably get a bad spirit after all. Maybe he would get a sloth spirit. Seeing that he likes to sleep so much." Ella chipped in on the conversation with a jab to Shin. Probably due to her attachment to Lily, Ella has developed a sense of discomfort when discussing Shin''s matters. "Yeah yeah¡­ You''re starting to sound a lot like Lily." "Thanks for the praise." Shin and Ella''s eyes met as invisible lightning sparked between the two of them. Knowing that the conversation was getting nowhere, Emma started speaking again. "I think Shin might get a weapon spirit! Just like Junius!" Emma responded with a smile. ""Huh!?"" Ella and Shin exclaimed at Emma''s prediction. "I mean¡­ You''re quite similar to Junius." "Emma¡­ You can''t look at it that way. Look at Lily and Lia. They both have plant spirits but Lily is much more hardcore when compared to Lia!" Shin gave Emma a logical comparison. "Hey! Don''t talk bad about sister Lily!" Ella snapped at Shin. "Fine¡­ Looking at how much you worship her, you would probably be elated if you awakened a spirit that is similar to hers. Since you would get to train with her." "..." Ella remained silent but her face indicated that although she was annoyed with the way Shin phrased it, his statement did hold some truth. "It would be great if we all had water spirits though..." Emma softly stated. However, Shin and Ella did not answer it. Awakening water spirits were undeniably unprecedented in the Frie clan due to their fire heritage. However, all the current orphans had awakened water elemental spirits. Junius has his Azure Water Blade. Lily with her Magenta Lilypad. Ryner awakened the Acidic Salamander and lastly, Lia with her Cyan Hyacinth. Every single one of the orphans had contracted a water elemental spirit that was unheard of in the Frie clan. Up till now, only four of the orphans had awakened their spirits so the First Elder could chalk it up to coincidence. But if tomorrow the trio also all awakened water spirits, there would be seven water spirit users. The orphans had their suspicions but since it was not addressed by any of the Clan members, the could only keep their thoughts to themselves. "Well, if we do we probably should ask the First Elder why..." Shin murmured in a volume that the twins could hear. If every orphan had the same element, the water element to boot, why did the Frie Clan select them? The twins nodded their heads in contemplation. "I guess we will find out tomorrow." Chapter 10 Spirit Awakening Ceremony 2 Frie Mountain. Frie Clan household. Orphan''s division courtyard. It was finally the Day of Spirits. Children like Shin or Ariel who have not awakened their spirits would not feel the difference but anyone who had their spirit awakened would instantly be intoxicated by the abundance of spiritual energy surrounding them. Especially in a spiritual hotspot location such as Frie Mountain. A long time ago, after the first Spirit Immortal ascended, the early ancestors realised that there will be one day in a year where spiritual energy would be in excess. Spirit energy absorption would increase, spiritual skills would be easier to use and children who had a hard time awakening their spirits would easily overcome that hurdle. Of course, such a discovery was later exploited. Generals decided to send their legions to war during this day and countless of lives were lost. Ever since then, the word Day of Spirits had become synonymous with the word, ''Death.'' Spouses of military men would cry when the day approached and Lords feared the risk of an opportunistic strike. And soon, fifty years after the Day of Spirits first appeared, the greatest war mankind had ever seen broke out. Every ancient civilisation participated in the war and the estimated population drop was more than 70%. A devastating war which peaked at the very auspicious time which was the Day of Spirits. That day, blood flowed like a river and the pile of corpses were high enough to tower any mountain. But with conflict comes growth. In that war alone, three Spirit Saints reached rank 99 and killed off every other spirit user who came close to touching their power. Realising that humanity was on the brink of extinction, they set aside their differences and gathered every human still alive. Tribal villages, fiefdoms and remnants of kingdoms were unified under one cause. To battle extinction. The three Spirit Saints decreed that no one could ever fight on the Day of Spirits again. It would be celebrated as a holiday in which children could awaken their spirits and conflicts be set aside in commemoration of all the fallen in the great war. After the decree, the Spirit Saints united the remaining humans to form an ancient empire that would prosper for thousands of years even after they left for the Immortal Realm. Communities grew, the population started to increase and humanity was on the right track for survival. Seeing that their work was done, the three Spirit Saints smiled and ascended on the Day of Spirits in front of the entire human population. The Day of Spirits had only caused harm and grief to the human population. But when the three pioneers ascended, there were only happiness and awe. As they turned into spiritual energy and broke through the sky, the entire world shook. Beautiful aurora borealis graced the sky and halos of spiritual light orbited the Earth. It was a magical day that no other Spirit Immortal since has replicated when they ascended. With three spirit users breaking the barrier and entering the realm above, the Immortals were extremely jubilant as they rewarded the Earth with much more spiritual energy. Humans capitalized on the increase and many more spirit users were awakened. In less than a thousand years, the war which crippled humanity to the brink of extinction had become an afterthought. Centuries and millennia passed since that great war and there have been many wars since. Even the ancient civilisation that was formed by the three historic Spirit Immortals had faded into the annals of history. The capital of said civilisation has been reduced to nothing but ruins. None of its previous lustres could be found. However, there was one thing that had stood the test of time. The rule that no battles were fought on the Day of Spirits. Even though there was no one to mete out punishments to those who violated the rule, modern civilisation has placed self-enforced regulations on themselves. Till this very day, the Day of Spirits is a day in which conflicts are set aside, families which are separated due to work reunite and children of families awaken their spirits. And the Frie clan was no exception. All the orphans, except the younger ones who have nothing to do with the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, were waiting anxiously for the arrival of the First Elder and the Instructor. It was five in the morning and Shin was still grumpy about being woken up so early. ''Damn it¡­ Why must the Spirit Awakening Ceremony be conducted in the morning! Don''t they like sleep? On top of bullies, are the Frie clan elders insomniacs?!'' Shin was right to be pissed. The ceremony was slated to start at six in the morning, just before sunrise. This meant that the orphans must be awake by four in order to prepare and gather around for the First Elder to receive them at five. Furthermore, the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony required the orphans to be dressed in ceremonial clothing which was cumbersome to put on. Junius, being paranoid that Shin would oversleep, kept calling him up like a personalised alarm clock. He even opened the bathroom door every minute to check on Shin when he was changing to ensure that Shin would not sleep in there. ''You know what? Screw the Frie clan elders man. You can take a guy''s flesh and blood but don''t take his sleep time! I should suggest a protest in the name of sleep!'' Not being a morning person was Shin''s greatest weakness. And with the Frie clan obsessed with early mornings, Shin was suffering every day. Just as Shin was cursing every Frie clan member who ever lived, a silhouette could be seen in the distance. "Good morning kids!!! What a fine day we have! I barely slept due to the amount of spiritual energy around!" The bald instructor with crazy, unkempt facial hair called out the orphans. "I agree¡­ The amount of spiritual energy is much more different than that of normal days!" Junius acknowledged the Instructors statement as he took a deep long breath. "Instructor, where''s the First Elder?" Lily questioned her superior at the absence of the old man. "He''s waiting with the other kids so if there''s nothing else let''s move. We have to rush if you take your time." The instructor beckoned the orphans as he walked swiftly away. ''It''s only five in the morning and they are so energetic...'' Shin sighed while looking at his surroundings. It seemed that if he did stage a protest, none of his friends would join in support. ''Ah¡­ There is probably that girl.'' -.- Frie Mountain. Frie Clan household. Main Hall left wing entrance. The orphans met with the First Elder at the left wing entrance of the Main Hall. Behind the first elder were seven young children who were around Shin''s age. Being under the First Elder''s wing, Shin recognised every single one of the kids. In fact, he might be more familiar with the freckled redhead with barbaric strength than most. ''As expected, Ariel is half asleep.'' Even though she was from the Frie clan, Ariel hated early mornings. Shin and Ariel had almost nothing in common. But when it came to the topic of early mornings, they would often confide in each other as they felt that they were the only ones who hated to wake up early in the Frie clan. In order to ensure that she would not get beat by her grandfather, Ariel developed a special skill. When she was walking, she would bend her head down slightly so that others could not see her face. And with the head looking down, she could sneak in a few short naps. ''But that''s only possible with her physical prowess...'' Trained from an early age, Ariel had manifested superhuman senses. Thus, even if she was half asleep, she could still ''feel'' her surroundings so that it seemed that she was truly awake. ''How she does that is beyond me.'' Shin marvelled at his training partner''s skills. "Yo! Junius! Shin!" A young ruby red-haired boy walked to the Orphan''s direction once noticing them. "Tobias! It''s been a while!" Junius replied the boy. Tobias was one of the kids being trained in the First Elder division. The First Elder has multiple followers and the majority of their kids are being trained by instructors the First Elder had handpicked. The barbarian that is teaching the orphans was Lou Frie. One of the top fighters in the Frie clan. Even amongst all the instructors picked by the First Elder, Lou Frie would be the best. There were multiple protests when members of the clan found out that one of their best instructors was dispatched to train orphans they picked up. However, after seeing the spartan training regiment Lou Frie was planning to implement, they happily retracted their protests in fear that the monster would be in charge of their own child''s training. Tobias was a child of a beautiful couple and it was evident that he retained their looks. Fortunately, both his parents survived the conflict that brought the Frie Clan to their knees and Tobias grew up in a complete household. Hence, he had a friendly and outgoing personality, often hanging out with the orphans. "Wait... Tobias, you''re ten?" Shin had his eyes opened wide as he looked at the boy he thought was much younger than he was. "What?! You didn''t know that?" Tobias was even more shocked. He had spent years with Shin and the latter did not even know his age. "Maybe it''s because of your baby face?" "Oh, you pissed me off now!" Tobias lifted his fist up high and threatened Shin. Tobias had a minor complex. Due to him inheriting his parent''s good looks, as a kid, he looked extremely cute. Many older women would come specifically to cuddle the cute little creature that was Tobias. Hence, he would often be mistaken for an age much younger than he really was. "Hahaha!" Junius was laughing at the side. But looking at the back of the First Elder, Junius questioned Tobias. "Are all the seven kids that came with the first elder awakening their spirits today?" "Of course! If not why would they be here?" Junius was speechless. The orphan division was sending out three kids to awaken their spirits this year and it had already broken the orphan division''s record. But the First Elder''s main division alone could casually send out seven. And when he attended his first awakening ceremony, there were over ten of them. ''A fallen great clan is still a great clan.'' Junius was in shock. The First Elder main division sent seven children this year. Including the orphans, it would be ten. Adding the children from the second elder division and other members of the Frie clan, the number of kids awakening their spirit this year might be well over thirty. Imagine that. Every year, there is an increment of thirty spirit users in a clan. Maybe the Frie clan could weather out this tribulation... Chapter 11 Spirit Awakening Ceremony 3 "Oh yeah! Shin, I heard you fought Linus to a draw." Tobias mentioned the rumour he heard to his friend who was lazily keeping pace with the other members. "Huh?! Who said that? I lost." "It wasn''t a draw? Linus was going on about how there was this great black haired kid among the orphans who fought him to a draw. It was said that the higher-ups of the family were pleasantly surprised at how well the orphans were growing." "What?!" It was not an act. Shin was genuinely shocked and shrieked. His outburst did not go unnoticed though. Everyone in the vicinity turned to Shin. Noticing the many gazes, Shin covered his mouth with both hands and looked away. Thinking that it was just nerves, the people who turned to look at Shin gave a warm smile and turned back. "What do you mean the higher-ups know about me? Why did it escalate to that point?" "I think that Linus went back and sung praises about you. Saying that you were the best. That you and Ariel would serve as great training partners." "Is he crazy? Why would Ariel serve as a great training partner? WHY WOULD I BE A GREAT TRAINING PARTNER?" Shin whispered in a voice in which only Tobias could hear. ''Damn¡­ I hope that those higher-ups won''t call me to do tedious missions.'' The Frie clan, just like any other clan in the Empire, assigned missions to their members. The more competent you are, the more likely you would get chosen to take a more laborious task. Shin''s dream was to be as useless as possible so that he could continue with his comfortable life. Getting attention from the higher-ups of the clan was something that Shin wanted to avoid at all costs. "What else have you heard Tobias?" While Shin was drowning in sorrow, Junius narrowed his eyes and questioned the cute little critter. "Hmmm¡­ Nothing much¡­ Why do you ask that brother Junius?" Confused, Tobias asked Junius back. "No, it''s nothing¡­ I really hope that it is nothing..." Junius replied with a cryptic tone. "You''re weird brother Junius..." Junius did not want to bother Tobias with his worries. It was strange for the second elder to do nothing even after finding out that the orphans had a strong newcomer. Seemingly, there was the calm before the storm. -.- Frie Mountain. Frie Clan Main Hall. Spirit Awakening Shrine. As the children were talking happily, the group reached their destination. An opulent building with sculptures of past Frie clan legends beckoned them. The structure was dyed in a deep scarlet red hue as countless beautiful designs depicting the various spirits graced each pillar. And at the top of the gate entrance stood a huge symbol. A red circle with a yellow flame in the middle. It was the Frie Clan Mark. There was a period of time where this mark struck fear into enemies on the battlefield as it meant no one was going to leave it without facing the threat of burning to cinders. But ever since the Frie clan went into seclusion, the mark has never been seen outside of the Frie Mountain. Nonetheless, the symbol crafted at the gate still retained its regal stature. It was a tradition for the clan heads of each generation to impart a portion of their spiritual energy into the symbol and as multiple years flowed, the Frie Clan Mark has become a domineering legend of the Frie Mountain. All spiritual beings would marvel at its grandeur, and even stronger people such as the First Elder would bow their heads to respect the mark. "As expected, the Frie Clan Mark is as amazing as ever." The First Elder remarked as he paid his respects. Everyone behind the First Elder followed suit and gave a deep bow. Shin was indignant to bow down to a door, but a slight pressure gently forced his head down. ''To think that even a door is so amazing!'' Being part of the Orphans, Shin had little access to the resources of the Frie clan. Thus, he had not entered the main hall as much as someone of direct descent such as Ariel. Coming to the Spirit Awakening Shrine was only his fifth time in the main hall. Seeing that a mere door could force him to bow was something entirely foreign to him. "Okay, kids follow me and do not touch anything! Even I cannot control the defensive mechanisms in the Shrine. If something happens to you, death would be the least of your worries." The First Elder gave a ''gentle'' reminder before sauntering into the Shrine. The children gulped and carefully walked past the gate. Shin was even trying to trace the Elder''s footsteps. The interior of the Shrine was much less grand compared to the outside. Other than a few small ornaments, the Shrine room looked like any other. However, there was one thing that stood out. A stone altar bearing the Frie Clan Mark. There was no gold or silver decorating it. Neither were there any elaborate designs. It was just a simple stone altar. Shin even thought it looked like a stone bench found anywhere outside. However, even without the spectacular opulence that everyone expected, it was still a behemoth object to every living being in the room. "Woah..." Every child present ready for the Spirit Awakening Ceremony gasped in wonder. It was especially true for the Frie Clan descendants. There was an invisible connection linking them to the altar. "Junius, Lily, you''re their chaperones, so you are allowed to enter the Shrine. But once the ceremony begins, you must leave the room. Understand?" The First Elder instructed the pair. ""We understand!"" "And you guys taking part today. When your names are called, go in front of the altar and kneel. Follow the instructions of the officiant, and you will be fine." "Yes, Sir!" The kids replied the First Elder. "I see that you''re here early Edward..." Just as the First Elder finished his briefing, a raspy voice bellowed from the entrance of the Shrine. "Ash..." The First Elder turned to look and immediately recognised the originator of the voice. A wrinkled old man with reddish brown hair strolled towards the First Elder. Behind him were fifteen young children. One of them was someone the orphans were familiar with. The cause of Shin''s recent headache. ''Linus! If he is behind this man, it means that¡­! Could he be the Second Elder?!'' Shin took a second look at the old man. If that feeble old man dressed in a vibrant scarlet red robe was who he thought he was, Shin had to be wary. This man is the orphan''s greatest adversary in the Frie Clan. "I see that you have brought the midgets we picked up." "Ash! Mind your tongue!" Ash Frie. The current Second Elder of the Frie Clan. A veteran of combat, he led the Frie Clan warriors to victory multiple times. Always believing the powers of the Frie Clan, his conservative philosophy disdained the fact that outsiders were brought in to boost the strength of the clan. "Edward, you still side with these brats even after all these years." "And I will continue to do so until the end of my days, Ash." "Why can''t you see that them being here causes more harm than good?" "Why are you so obstinate in your belief that they won''t bring merit to the Clan?" "After all they are mere outsiders of the Clan. So what if they become strong? If they don''t have any blood ties, they will betray us at any moment!" "Enough! We had this conversation multiple times. Let''s not bicker in front of the children." "I''m telling you, they will be the bane of our existence one day." "ENOUGH!!!" The First Elder snapped and shouted at the Second Elder. It was evident that the two were not on good terms. "You two sure know how to create a scene wherever you guys go..." A third voice could be heard in the distance. Unlike the Second Elder''s raspy male voice, it was a gentle and feminine voice. "Master!" Everyone in the Shrine recognised that voice. Even the orphans who had little connections in the Frie Clan could recognise the voice. A middle-aged woman strolled into the Shrine while the others formed two lines to greet her. She was the highest authority of the Frie Clan. "Senior Ash. Please do note that there is a time and place for everything. Today is the Day of Spirits. All conflicts are set aside, and it is a day of celebration. Please reflect on that." "Of course, Master." Even though the woman was much younger than the Second Elder, he was unable to disrespect her. After that fateful battle ten years ago, many of the Clan''s strongest warriors, including the previous Clan Master, perished. To stabilise the Clan, the higher-ups scrambled to find a replacement. And the name that was recommended the most was, Enfen Frie. The current Clan Master. Although she was younger than the other candidates such as the First and Second Elder, her strength was on similar levels. Not only did she prove herself on the battlefield, but her connections outside of the Frie Clan were also massive in helping the Frie Clan recover. She was also well liked by all the members of the clan. Initially, the Frie Clan placed her as stand-in Clan Master due to her age. However, since she proved her worth, an official ceremony crowned her to be the Seventh Generation Clan Master. "Senior Edward too, you should not raise your voice in a sacred place such as the Shrine." The Clan Master was impartial and voiced her opinions to both participants of the fight. "I apologise, Master¡­ But it was Ash who..." "No buts! Senior Edward, please act your age! No matter how angry you are, raising your voice in the Shrine is not acceptable!" After lightly reprimanding the First Elder, the Clan Master walked towards the altar. Shin and the others were shocked at how the First Elder was being treated like a kid. ''Even that old geezer has his match!'' Chapter 12 Spirit Awakening Ceremony 4 Half an hour after the Clan Master arrived, all the participants of the Spirit Awakening Ceremony had gathered. Including Shin and the twins, the First Elder''s division had a total of ten children undergoing the ceremony this year. The Second Elder''s division had fifteen. And the other parts of the Frie Clan had sent nineteen kids. A grand total of forty-four children were awakening their spirits today. "Forty-four children! This should be the highest in recent years!" The Clan Master remarked to the woman who was busy at work preparing the altar. The woman was dressed in a pure white robe with a thin cloth covering her head. She seemed to be in her thirties, but her demeanour and composure did not reflect her projected age. "Enfen, stop bothering me. I would like to conclude the ceremony as soon as possible. With so many of them this year, it might take a while to awaken all of their Spirits." Casually calling the Clan Master by her name showed how close the two women were. "Come on, Lien! Humour me a bit. I doubt a little conversation will hinder your preparations! You''ve been doing it for so many years, by now you could conduct the ceremony with your eyes closed." "Enfen, unlike you, I have a proper role here today. Go kill your boredom somewhere else." The woman named Lien had a point. Other than giving a short speech at the start of the ceremony, the Clan Master had no part in the Spirit Awakening Ceremony process. If she wanted to, the Clan Master could leave right after her speech. However, Enfen preferred to stay till the end. The Spirit Awakening Ceremony was the perfect excuse for her to take a break from the mundane tasks of Clan Master. "You''re always such a bore! Even if you ask me to go somewhere else, there is nowhere I can go! The First and Second Elder are clearly divided and won''t talk. Also, everyone else here is all children. There''s no one from our generation over here!" "Then go stand in the corner. I will be starting the ceremony soon, so I''m going to ignore you from now on." Clearly irritated by the Clan Master''s constant disturbance, Lien turned her back towards Enfen and continued her preparations. Perhaps in the entire Frie Clan, only Lien would talk to the Clan Master this way. As the Clan Master walked away from the altar depressed, Shin and the twins were whispering to each other. "Who is that woman dressed in white?" Shin asked the knowledgeable Ella. Due to her close proximity to Lily, Ella was the most well informed of the three. "That is Lien Frie. The Shrine Maiden. She is the officiant of every year''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony. It is said that her Spirit is an auxiliary one which helps in awakening Spirits. She maintains a perfect record of having no casualties while on the job!" Ella educated Shin. Her eyes contained a slight tinge of reverence as she spoke of the Shrine Maiden. "She is also the best friend of the Clan Master. Even though the Shrine Maiden vehemently rejects that claim, everyone can see that the two of them share an unbreakable bond. In fact, she is the only one who can talk down to the Clan Master! Not even the Elders have the courage to that!" "Wow. The Clan Master neutralises the Elders, and the Shrine Maiden neutralises the Clan Master. Does that mean that the Shrine Maiden is the hidden boss of the Frie Clan?!" Shin gave his theory. "There''s no way! Stop imagining things!" Ella did not appreciate Shin''s remarks. "Of course I''m joking!" "Hehehehe!" Emma was bemused with the interaction between Shin and her sister. Even though they were at odds at face value, the truth is that they were quite close. Other than Junius, Shin''s most favoured contact was the twins due to them being the same age. Ella and Emma also liked hanging out with Shin as his goofiness served as an excellent way to pass the time. "Okay, children gather around! The ceremony will begin shortly. Chaperones, please leave the premise and wait patiently outside the door." Just as the trio concluded their conversation, the Shrine Maiden had finished her preparations and gave instructions to the group. Junius, Lily and the other chaperones bowed to the altar and swiftly headed to the exit of the room. But it was not before Junius mouthed two words to the orphans remaining. "Good luck!" Smiling, Junius and Lily left the Shrine Room with a number of teens. As the last person exited, the doors slammed shut. "Before we begin the ceremony, the Clan Master would like to say some words." The Shrine Maiden expressionlessly said. The Clan Master, Enfen Frie, walked in front of the altar and faced the forty-four kids present. Her imposing presence overwhelmed those watching her as if her previous disposition when she was talking to her best friend was a lie. Even the high and mighty Ariel could only cower in front of this giant. "Good morning to you all! I''m sure that most of you are anxious and afraid of what''s to come. You might be worried that you would get hurt or you might find it hard to awaken your Spirits. Not to worry, you are in safe hands. The Shrine Maiden here has been officiating the ceremony for many years and is one of the very best." The Clan Master reassured the children with her first few sentences. "Some of you might be even worried that your awakened Spirit would not match up to the others. Worried that you would not awaken the Spirit that your parents have. Or even afraid that your Spirit would be a useless one. So let me tell you a story. There was once a Spirit user born into an incredible lineage of heroes. Each one of his family members awakened Spirits that made outsiders green with envy." "His father had a Sword Spirit and cultivated to Rank 80. His mother had a Dragon Spirit and cultivated to Rank 76. Everyone had high hopes for their child to awaken a crazy, never before seen Spirit to shock the world! The family invited nearly every human within a thousand miles to witness this little boy''s Spirit Awakening Spirit." "However, the reality was cruel. With thousands upon thousands of people watching, the young boy awakened a mere Dagger Spirit. Thought to be a trash Spirit at the time, the boy''s parents were left despondent and ashamed that their child had disappointed them in front of thousands. They started to distance themselves from the boy, and even members of their clan left the boy to rot in a corner." "Everyone gave up on the boy. Everyone but the boy himself. Instead of wallowing in despair, the boy sought a path that would prove his parents and all his doubters wrong. He cultivated and fought almost to the point where it killed him. He formulated all his own Spiritual skills and formed a martial arts technique that was specific to the Dagger he wielded." "Centuries later, the boy grew into a powerhouse of the world reaching the level of a Spirit Saint hitting the Rank 99 threshold. With his Dagger Spirit in hand, he stormed into the household which abandoned him to settle his grievances with his family." "With his mortal ties severed, he took the final step and like few before him, stepped into the realm above and forever etched his name in the history books. By now you should have guessed it. The boy in the story is the Eight Spirit Immortal ever. Immortal Damien. From then on, Dagger Spirits are lauded as one of the most deadly Spirits and were no longer the trash Spirit that everyone viewed them to be." "If you have one take away from this story, let it be this. Your Spirit does not define who you are or who you will be. What you choose to do with your Spirit defines you. Overcoming prejudice, Immortal Damien carved his own path to becoming someone everyone thought he could never be. Do not let your Spirit choose what you should become. Use your Spirit to become what you wish to be, like Immortal Damien." "I hope that all of you here present would become someone like Immortal Damien and fight for the Frie Clan." The Clan Master finished her story with a bright smile. Chapter 13 Do you like Hammers? 1 "Now that the Clan Master has concluded her speech, the ceremony will commence. I will call out the names accordingly, and you will step towards the altar and kneel. From then on, follow my every instruction! During the ceremony, I expect the absolute silence from the rest of you!" After the Clan Master gave her inspiring speech, the Shrine Maiden briefed the children present on the steps to take for the ceremony. "Would Aaron Frie please come forward." The Shrine Maiden called out the first name on the list. A young male stepped forward from the crowd and walked briskly to the altar. Once there, he knelt on the cold hard floor. Shaking like a leaf in the autumn breeze, the boy named Aaron was visibly nervous. "Rest assured child, nothing wrong will happen to you. I guarantee it." The Shrine Maiden attempted to calm the boy. "Now close your eyes and relax. You will feel my hand touching your forehead so do not be alarmed." She gently instructed Aaron. "..." Aaron closed his eyes while kneeling and entrusted his body to the Shrine Maiden. Relieved that the boy was now calm, the Shrine Maiden began the awakening process. She first placed her left hand on the boy''s forehead and raised her right towards the heavens. Similar to Aaron, the Shrine Maiden closed her eyes. However, unlike Aaron, a significant amount of spiritual energy was being gathered by her body. "Wow..." Every other child gasped in amazement. It was the first time they felt that much spiritual energy congregated in one spot. Even Ariel and Shin who had felt the full brunt of the First Elder''s spiritual power were flabbergasted by the petite white-robed woman in front of them. "She can gather much more spiritual energy when compared to grandpa!" Shin nodded to Ariel''s claim. "And it is much less domineering..." Once, Ariel and Shin went too far in pulling a prank and infuriated the First Elder. In a fit of rage, the old man released his Spirit and pressured the young duo. Shin remembers the scene in extreme detail. With the Fire Whip Spirit in hand, the First Elder managed to cause the Heavens to shake and the Earth to rumble. The amount of spiritual energy being gathered by the old man was something that the two of them would never forget. It caused their skin to crawl every time they recalled it. But the Shrine Maiden was different. The amount of spiritual energy being gathered was evidently much more than the time the First Elder summoned his Spirit, but it was much more gentle. It was as if an ocean of warm water filled the room and it gave those present a sense of comfort. "Look inside..." The Shrine Maiden started whispering to the young boy kneeling in front of her. The onlookers were curious about what was happening, but all they could see was a torrent of spiritual energy surrounding the two individuals in front of the altar. All of a sudden, a bright amber light could be seen coming forth from Aaron''s body. Noticing the change, the Shrine Maiden gave a rare smile and further guided the young boy. "Aaron, can you see it? That is your Spirit. Call out to it, reach for it and grasp it!" "..." Aaron''s entire body started sweating. Everyone could see that he was in a focused state and should not be interrupted and thus stopped all movement altogether. The next instant, the amber light began to condense, and a blurry form could be seen. "AHHHHHH!!!" With a loud bellow, Aaron reached out to the light, and a bright flash blinded everyone in the room. Recovering from the shock meted out by the flash of light, Shin and the others could see clearly the Spirit that was in Aaron''s hands. "Congratulations. You have awakened a Sword Spirit." In Aaron''s hands was an amber coloured Sword Spirit. One of the most common Spirits in the world was the Sword Spirit. Junius had it, and numerous other ancestors of the humans had it. However, just because it was a familiar Spirit did not mean that it was weak. In fact, it was just the opposite. With so many cultivators of the Sword, there was an abundance of cultivation manuals and martial arts techniques that a Sword Spirit wielder could train in. Hence, there were a large number Sword cultivators that had reached the Spirit Saint realm. "Hahahaha!" Aaron started to laugh to himself. He was glad about this result. His most apt weapon was precisely the sword. Even though he never met his father, his mother often told him stories of how with his Sword Spirit in hand, he stormed the battlefields to rid the Frie Clan of their enemies. Unfortunately, Aaron''s father perished in the battle ten years ago. Now that Aaron had awakened a Sword Spirit, he could feel a kindred connection to the father he never met. "Well done, Aaron!" "Congrats!" Aaron''s friends started shouting and cheered the boy as he left the altar to return to his group. "Thanks!" Aaron could not hide his happiness as he replied to his supportive friends. "Okay, the next one to come is Annelise Frie..." The Shrine Maiden called out the next participant. This time, it went much longer. Aaron awakened his Spirit in under three minutes. Annelise, on the other hand, took about ten minutes. "Okay next..." After Annelise, Frie Clan members were called out one after another. Some of them managed to awaken their Spirit faster, while some had a much harder time. "It seems that the awakening ceremony takes different times for different people." "Yeah. I hope I won''t take too long..." "Knowing Shin, your Spirit should be as lazy as you are. It might take a while to awaken it." "Hey! Actually, that might be true..." Shin and the twins started to talk in between ceremonies to kill time to their turn. "I''m getting really nervous." Emma clung on to Ella and said. "Don''t worry, we have been preparing for this for the past few weeks. There is no way that you will have trouble awakening your Spirit." "But Ella..." "Come on Emma, knowing you, your Spirit will come out in under one minute!" "Really?" "Of course! Your talent is the highest among all of us." "Hmph! You''re flattering me again!" "You could tell? Hehe. What''s wrong with me praising my own sister." "Ella..." Cringing at the twins display of sisterly love, Shin opted to ignore the duo and focus on the altar. "Next, would Ariel Frie please step forward?" It was time for the main event. Chapter 14 Do you like Hammers? 2 "Hoho¡­ It''s Ariel''s turn. I bet everyone here is waiting to see her Spirit." The Clan Master had long distanced herself from the altar and stood beside the First Elder. When Ariel knocked out a Spirit Apostle even before she awakened her Spirit, it caused shockwaves in the Clan. A physical talent of her calibre was scarce, even when the Frie Clan were at its peak. Since she had the potential to become the Frie Clan''s most powerful fighter, whatever Spirit Ariel awakens, a significant amount of resources and guidance was already planned for her future. However, it was still beneficial to prepare her training around what Spirit she awakens. "..." The First Elder was silent. Even though he seemed nonchalant, it was him putting up a brave face. In actual fact, he was slightly nervous. After all, Ariel was his only granddaughter. "What Spirit do you think she will awaken senior?" The Clan Master questioned the First Elder. "It matters not. Whatever Spirit she has, I will ensure that she becomes the strongest warrior the Frie Clan has ever seen." "Such confidence. But you are right. That girl isn''t normal. I really wonder what have you been feeding her?" "If there really were a special diet that could make our members stronger, I would have shared it immediately. But this little girl is really an enigma. I wonder where she gets her super strength from." "Hmmm¡­ It''s not something you fed her?" "Surely you jest." "Of course. Just making small talk." No one in the Frie Clan could unravel the mystery that was Ariel. How could she have superhuman power even as a child? The Clan Master had even called in the majority of her connections to find the answer, but no one could understand her physique. In the end, the conclusion the Frie Clan had come to was that Ariel was born with an innate body type that was far superior to any human. "It''s Ariel..." "Ariel is awakening her Spirit now?" "Now this is getting interesting!" Ariel was a celebrity in the Frie Clan. After all, she was a monster wrapped in human skin. All those present were eagerly anticipating her awakening. "Quiet please!" Aggravated by the constant chit-chat, the Shrine Maiden hollered out. Instantaneously, the everybody kept their mouth shut. If a pin were to drop on the floor right now, one could even hear the echoes of the impact. "Ariel, please kneel in front of the altar and close your eyes." As she had done it many times before Ariel, the Shrine Maiden kept the briefing short as she assumed Ariel would have a clear understanding of the procedure by now. Ariel, hearing the Shrine Maiden, immediately followed the steps of her peers before her and entrusted her body to the white-robed woman. "Ariel..." The Shrine Maiden started gathering spiritual energy again and it enveloped the entire room once more. Whispering words of guidance into her ear, the Shrine Maiden instructed Ariel on the steps to take. In less than half a minute, a scarlet red light started emitting out of Ariel. The vibrant glow started growing stronger and stronger by the second and eventually, the Shrine Room was filled with the light. Not only was the room dyed crimson, but the temperature started rising drastically. "Wha..." "Why is it getting hotter?" The children who were nearest to the altar could feel the dramatic heat increase. Soon, it felt like their face was melting. "Ahh!!! Hot! Hot!" "Don''t stand close to the altar!" "Run away from Ariel!" "My goodness! I''m going to melt!" Panic ensued as the children scrambled to run away. "No way! Natural phenomenon?!" The Clan Master exclaimed in shock. Usually, Spirit Awakening would not cause any harm to the surroundings as everything occurred in the psyche of the child. However, there are times when the unusual would happen. In some rare cases, the Spirit of the child would cause a physical reaction in the material world. "Ariel invoked a natural phenomenon?!" Even the First Elder was shocked. When a child awakened their Spirit and triggered a natural phenomenon, it was a harbinger of dominance. A Spirit that was baptised with the natural phenomenon was many times stronger than an average Spirit. At the same rank, it was unbeatable. While the people in the room were scared out of their wits, the floor in front of Ariel started to form a puddle. It was not a water puddle though. The source of the heat in the room came from this very puddle. It was not a puddle of water but a puddle of molten lava. The Shrine Maiden immediately retreated from the scene and left Ariel to complete the ceremony on her own. From her experience, she knew that any help she gave Ariel was useless at this point. The heat coming out of the lava puddle was strong enough to melt the flesh off everyone present. However, Ariel remained unfazed. "So you are my Spirit?" Knowing that the lava could never hurt her, Ariel placed her right hand in the centre of the puddle and reached in. Ignoring the sounds of shock and horror around her, she smiled and grasped the object lying inside the pool. "Hiyahh!!!" With a warcry, Ariel lifted her Spirit out of the puddle of lava into the many eyes in the Shrine Room. In her hands was a 1.5-meter long Warhammer. The black hammerhead was easily the size of three fully grown adult heads. Red markings on the bludgeon gave the Spirit a primal feel and the aura emitting from Ariel made her look like an ancient Amazonian which could take on hundreds of warriors by herself. "Amazing..." "Looks like Ariel will become a pillar of the Frie Clan." Many of those present remarked. As numerous praise was being flung in Ariel''s direction, a silent curse was muttered by the boy shaking in the corner while looking at the little girl wielding a weapon that was too big for her. ''OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! THE HEAVENS HAVE ABANDONED ME!!! WHICH SICK GOD GAVE ARIEL THIS SPIRIT?!?! IS HE TRYING TO KILL ME?!'' Shin was shivering as he recalled the promise Ariel made a few nights prior. "Next week, after we awaken our spirits, then we can fight!" Looking back, it would have been better to just let Ariel beat him up then. At least he would not have to face the wrath of the monster equipped with a dreadful Spirit. "Shin¡­ My condolences..." "I will pray for your safety." All of the orphans knew that Shin was Ariel''s training partner. Naturally, they would have heard of the arrangement Ariel made a week before. Knowing that Ella and Emma looked at Shin with sadness as if he was already dead. "NOOOO!!!" Shin shivered at his future prospects. No matter how he saw it, he would have at least one limb broken. Chapter 15 Do you like Hammers? 3 After the disturbance caused by Ariel, the Shrine Maiden calmed the vicinity and resumed the ceremony. However, even she was shaken. She had been performing the Spirit Awakening Ceremony for years and never had she help awaken a Spirit that could trigger a natural phenomenon. To her knowledge, it was the first time in the Frie Clan history that someone initiated a natural phenomenon when awakening their Spirit. Not only was she excited about what the future holds for the little she-devil, but also the future of the Frie Clan. If Ariel matures safely, she might be able to become the most influential individual the clan has ever seen. By then, the Frie Clan would be able to rise from the ashes and reclaim its spot as one of the most decorated families in the Himmel Empire. "Okay next..." Casually calling the other children present, the Shrine Maiden was trying to quicken the process as there was vital time lost due to Ariel damaging the floor in front of the altar. The children who went after Ariel performed underwhelmingly. Maybe it was due to nerves, many of them took longer than ten minutes to awaken their Spirit. Of course, no one else was able to trigger a natural phenomenon, but that was to be expected. Ariel was the anomaly. But no one could blame them. After witnessing Ariel''s performance, even veterans would have been shaken to the point where they would not be able to control their bodies. "Next, Linus Frie." The entire clan were looking forward to this year''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony. Why? Because of two individuals. One was the infamous First Elder''s granddaughter. The one who injured a Spirit Apostle even before she cultivated spiritual power. The other individual was the Second Elder''s grandson. A genius that could match the monstrous innate body of Ariel. The two clashed a few times, and every match ended with a draw. Ariel was merely too much slower than Linus. Ariel''s speciality lay in the power of her strikes. But her strength was useless if she could not land any of her hits. So when she was up against Linus, who was the fastest and most agile kid in the Frie Clan, she was unable to secure the win. "Since Ariel awakened such a Spirit, do you think Linus will too?" "I doubt it. Ariel was different from Linus from the start. Her Spirit should be a result of her innate talent. Something that Linus lacks." "But he is the only one who can fight Ariel to a draw!" "That does not mean that his Spirit would be as awesome as Ariel''s." Those remaining in the Shrine Room speculated about the boy''s Spirit as he slowly made his way to the altar. Once in position, he knelt down and shut his eyes tight. "Hey Ella, when will it be our turn?" Shin was confused on why it took so long for the Shrine Maiden to call out their names. "Didn''t brother Junius tell you? I bet you weren''t listening again!" "Half of the words that come out from his mouth is constant nagging, so I usually ignore him!" "And you''re proud of that?!" "Hehe..." Emma giggled at how the two were starting to fight again. "Anyway, we will awaken our Spirits once the rest have done so. It was the case for every Spiritual Awakening Ceremony since brother Junius underwent it four years ago..." As she said that, Ella started to become downcast. "Oh, I see..." Giving preferential treatment to those with the Frie bloodline was something that the orphans were used to. After all, the best should be given to the immediate family. Something Shin and the others were not. "Okay! Don''t start getting depressed! Look! Linus is going to begin the ceremony. Maybe it might cause a sensation like when Ariel awakened her Spirit." Trying to change the topic, Shin directed the twins attention to the boy kneeling at the altar. "Linus, look inside yourself..." The same procedure that had been repeated many times this morning was conducted by the Shrine Maiden on Linus. Like Ariel, a scarlet red glow started to emit out of the young boy''s body. However, unlike Ariel, there was no increase in temperature. As the Second Elder saw this, he started to give a visible frown. After all, his rival had one-upped him. His own grandson was not able to match up with the First Elder''s granddaughter. ''Looks like there will not be two geniuses under the same sky...'' The Shrine Maiden sighed to herself. If the Frie Clan had two monstrous Spirit practitioners, the future would be much more optimistic. After being crippled ten years ago, the Frie Clan had been focusing all its efforts on rebuilding, and one aspect of the process was to train talented individuals. ''We should not be too greedy. Linus himself is a great talent.'' Although she said that in her head, the Shrine Maiden was nevertheless, disappointed. All of a sudden, the red glow being emitted by Linus started to condense into a ball in front of him. The ball of red light started growing smaller and smaller till eventually¡­ "Chirp! Chirp!" A crisp and sharp voice could be heard. The ball of light dispersed and revealed a small rainbow coloured bird that was apparently a hatchling. It looked around in confusion for a while until it spotted Linus. With a chirp, it happily hopped to the boy. "Oh ho¡­ It''s a Niji Swift." "The Second Elder''s spirit is an Emerald Lion. I was sure that Linus would have awakened something similar. To think that his grandson awakened a bird Spirit." The First Elder and Clan Master commented. The Niji Swift is a Spirit that specialises in extreme speed. Amongst bird Spirits, it was one of the fastest. It was fitting that a fighter, whose emphasis was on speed, awaken one of the fastest Spirits. "Although not as eye-catching as Ariel''s awakening, if nurtured properly, this Spirit can become a tremendous asset to the clan." The Clan Master remarked. "I agree. The Niji Swift is one of the rarest Spirits to have. It might cause a problem in finding information on how best to train it. But being one of the top bird species, there are a few basic methods we can try." The First Elder replied the Clan Master. "Hmmm¡­ Weren''t you and the Second Elder both at odds, why are you so supportive of Linus? Shouldn''t you want to devote more assets to Ariel?" The Clan Master teased the old man. "I only have a problem with the backward fella over there whose entire body is filled with hate. I support any type of increment in strength to the Frie Clan. No matter where it comes from." "You should know why he turned this way¡­ And I doubt you can blame him. After all, he lost his only son in that battle." "So did I..." "..." The two realised that the conversation was starting to go the wrong way and decided to keep quiet to stop exchange before it got too awkward. "Anyway, who amongst the three orphans being sent out has the best potential?" The Clan Master changed the discussion topic. "The twins show promise. But I would think Shin has the best potential." "The one who fought Linus to a draw?" Being the Clan Master, she had to know every single incident in the Clan. The report on how Linus and Leon visited the orphans to pick a fight had been relayed in detail to the Clan Master. The First Elder even filed a complaint on the Second Elder, so it was hard for the Clan Master to forget the incident. "Yeah. But that''s not the reason why I fancy his chances." "Hmmm¡­ Why then?" "Hmph. That little brat has been Ariel''s training partner since he could walk. And so far, Ariel has not beaten him once." "What?!" The Clan Master was genuinely alarmed. Ariel had long become a legend in the clan. Her monstrous strength and ridiculous combat skills made her one to look out for. She had long held the title for the strongest child in the Frie Clan. Even though she had drawn with Linus when they fought, it was not considered a defeat. But the First Elder was claiming that Ariel could not even beat this lean black-haired youth?! "Don''t look down on Shin. Most of the time he seems weak, but that is merely a farce. That boy is as talented if not more talented than Ariel. It''s just that he wants to avoid drawing attention to himself as much as he can." "There''s no way¡­ Are you telling me that he had defeated Ariel in a fair fight?" "That''s right! The angry face Ariel''s back then was so cute!" As the First Elder started to reminisce about the time where Ariel lost to Shin, a happy parently smile appeared. Frowning, the Clan Master urged the old man to continue his story. "Cough. Cough... Ever since that defeat, Ariel has been training hard to earn a win over that kid. If Shin did not exist, I doubt that Ariel would have become as strong as she is now." "Wait, so Ariel has never trumped Shin in battle?!" "Well, that''s not technically right. During practice sessions, Shin normally runs away from Ariel and ensures that he would not get hit. During those times, Ariel would sneak in a minor victory by lightly bruising Shin. However, if there was something on the line, let''s say I ban him from eating his favourite foods if he loses, Shin becomes a demon. When he is in that state, not even Ariel could pin him down." The First Elder narrated his experiences with Shin to the Clan Master. "To think that you were hiding another monster in your division..." "Shin does not have Ariel''s superhuman strength though. It''s just his natural physical awareness and battle sense that vastly exceeds Ariel''s." "Hoh¡­ Now I''m looking forward to this little boy''s achievements." Unbeknownst to Shin, the highest authority of the Frie Clan had locked on to his little body. Chapter 16 The Cute Little Cerulean Koi 1 A shiver went down Shin''s spine as he looked around in confusion. His senses were telling him that someone was watching him. After a cursory scan of the room, he saw that nothing was awry and calmed himself. ''Maybe it was my imagination.'' Currently, the Shrine Maiden was finishing the rites for the last Frie Clan member. After the kid in front of the altar concludes her awakening ceremony, it would be the orphans turn. "Soon it will be our turn¡­ I''m getting really nervous now..." Emma muttered. "Yeah, there''s something about being the last to go that freaks the hell out of me." "It''s like all the pressure is on you." "What pressure is there? No one expects much from us anyway. I mean after Ariel, most of them want to get this thing over with." "Well, I''m not nervous because of the surroundings. But about what Spirit I would awaken!" "Ella, you would probably get a plant Spirit like your favourite sister Lily." "Hey! Stop that!" The banter continued is a soft whisper while the Shrine Maiden was finishing up her current ceremony. A short while later, the girl in front of the altar concluded her awakening and happily thanked the Shrine Maiden. "Okay next. From the orphan division, Emma! Please step forward." "Ahh! It''s me first!" Emma jumped in fright when her name was called. With anxious eyes, she looked at her friends for help. "You can do it!" Ella cheered her on. "Emma, you will probably do better than your sister, so rest assured!" "Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" "Didn''t you say before that Emma was the most talented among all of us here? Don''t tell me you didn''t mean it?" "That''s not what I meant!" "Then what?" Starting to quarrel again, Ella and Shin threw insults at each other. "Hehehe¡­ Don''t quarrel too much! Okay, I''m off!" Emma cheered up instantly and sauntered towards the altar. "Hey, Shin." "Hmmm?" "Thank you..." Ella, seeing her twin sister walking off with less anxiety, thanked Shin. She knew that Shin''s prior insults were to up the mood of her twin. "It''s only natural that we help each other, Ella." "Hmph, you seem to always know how to cheer Emma up." "Of course. We''ve been together for such a long time!" "Is that so, then how would you cheer me up?" "That requires the help of Lily. No one else can do that." "Is that so?" Smiling at the coy reply of Shin, Ella felt that even her nervousness was slowly going away. No matter how much she disliked Shin on the surface, Shin was part of the orphans, and that group was the closest thing to family she had. "Let''s see what Spirit Emma would awaken." "..." Shin wordlessly nodded. Meanwhile, Emma had already knelt in front of the altar and prepared herself for the ceremony. "Emma, close your eyes and look deep inside you. I will assist you along the way. Don''t be nervous child, I will be with you always." The Shrine Maiden repeated her words to Emma as she released a torrent of spiritual power. "How many times can she do that?" Shin was amazed. The Shrine Maiden had been gathering massive amounts of spiritual energy and using that to assist in the Spirit Awakening Ceremony for each and every child present. Thus far, she had awakened forty-one children''s spirit, and she still had spare for the orphans. "As expected of the Clan Master''s best friend¡­ She is even more amazing than the rumours." "Do all the higher-ups of the Frie Clan possess this much strength?" "I doubt it. The Shrine Maiden''s Spirit specialises in awakening Spirits. So I bet she has an ability to quickly restore her spiritual energy." "Even so, she is incredible." Once the duo finished their conversation, a pale white glow began to shine from inside of Emma. "Emma, do you see it? Reach for it and grasp it!" Whispering to Emma in a voice only she could hear, the Shrine Maiden instructed Emma. "Ha!" With a low shout, Emma reached for the light. Once her hands touched the light, a blurry figure could be seen forming. As the light began to dissipate, the figure became much more clear. An Ice Bow with a crystalline string lay still on Emma''s hands. As if untouched by any blemish, the bow reflected all light that touched its body, and the string emitted a frosty aura. "A mutated elemental Spirit!" The Shrine Maiden gasped. All Spirits had their own elements with the five major branches being Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Lightning. However, there were occasionally Spirits that take an element mutated from the original elements. The ice bow in Emma''s hands was precisely that. Ariel''s Lava Warhammer could also be considered a variant mutated elemental Spirit. ''This year''s batch is exceptional. First was Ariel''s triggering of the natural phenomenon. Next is Linus'' Niji Swift. And now this girl with her mutated Ice Bow!'' In all her years as Shrine Maiden, she never had such a crazy Day of Spirits. Of course, the crazier, the better. Having more talents in the Frie Clan is never a bad thing. "Next, could Ella from the orphans please step forward?" The Shrine Maiden calmed the shaking Emma and sent her back while calling for the next participant. "It''s my turn!" "Good luck." "Hmph! I don''t need luck from you!" Although she said that, Ella was smirking. Being cared for warmed her heart. As Ella reached the altar, Emma returned, seemingly tired. "How do you feel?" Shin asked the girl who awakened her Spirit seconds ago. "A little drowsy. It''s as if my perception of the world has increased. The abundance of spiritual energy sure is intoxicating." "What do you mean?" "You will find out in a bit." Emma vaguely replied Shin''s question. "Hmmm¡­ Whatever, look it''s Ella''s turn." "Knowing Ella, she would surely get a killer Spirit!" "I think she might get the same Spirit as you." "Why?" "Since you guys are twins?" "That doesn''t mean she will have the same Spirit as me!" "Just guessing! Why are you getting so agitated? Wouldn''t it be nice if the two of you have the same Spirit? That way you would get to train together." "Oh! You''re right! That means I should pray that we get the same Spirit!" "Uhhh, sure!" "Hehehe..." With her signature laugh, Emma said a silent prayer before diverting all of her attention to Ella kneeling in front of the altar. ''She sure is easy to tame...'' Shin thought to himself. Chapter 17 The Cute Little Cerulean Koi 2 While Shin and Emma were chatting, the Shrine Maiden was focusing all of her attention on the little girl kneeling in front of her. ''Just two more.'' Sweat beads were beginning to form on the Shrine Maiden forehead. Even though she had a significant amount of spiritual energy. Safely awakening over forty children''s Spirits was taxing, even for her. The process of awakening a Spirit was in theory, straightforward. All one had to do was inject a little of spiritual power into the child''s body to awaken the slumbering Spirit. However, since ancient times, this method had fluctuating mortality rates. Often times, the officiant of the ceremony would insert too much spiritual power that the kid would explode, or too little spiritual power was added such that the Spirit sleeping inside would not awaken causing gradual wear and tear on the child''s body. Only the Spirit users with the best control over their powers had a higher chance of safely awakening a slumbering Spirit. In the Frie Clan, the Shrine Maiden had awakened an auxiliary Spirit that emphasises on control. Since then, she had been groomed by the previous Shrine Maiden to become the next officiant of the Spirit Awakening Ceremony held every year on the Day of Spirits. Since then, she had done a great job in ensuring that all who underwent her Spirit Awakening Ceremony came out unfazed. After all, until this day there are incidents where the officiants accidentally killed a child during the ceremony. ''Focus!'' Motivating herself, the Shrine Maiden started briefing Ella the same way she did everyone else. "Ella, look inside yourself and..." Repeating the same process she did forty-two times today, the Shrine Maiden guided Ella in the Spirit Awakening process. After two minutes, a bright white light, similar to Emma''s, began to shine from Ella''s body. Seeing that the slumbering Spirit has been safely awakened, the Shrine Maiden relaxed and instructed Ella on the next step. "Ella. Can you see it? That is your Spirit! Reach out for it and grasp it!" As if hypnotised by her words, Ella''s hands followed the Shrine Maiden''s instructions. The bright white light began to condense, and a torrent of spiritual energy enveloped Ella. "Ha!" With a shriek, Ella took a firm hold of her Spirit and pulled it out from the light. With that, Ella''s Spirit became visible to everyone in the room. "It''s the same Spirit as the previous girl!" "Two of the same Spirits back to back?!" "That''s a first." "It must be because they are twins!" The Spirit that Ella had awakened was the exact same one that Emma had awakened a few moments ago. An Ice Bow with a crystalline string. Similar to Emma''s Spirit, there was a cold aura being emitted from the bow with made all who tread near feel a drastic decrease in temperature. ''Two mutated Spirits back to back!'' By now, the Shrine Maiden was too lazy to get surprised at all the Spirits being awakened today. It was definite that this year''s batch was indeed the cream of the crop. ''And there is still one left!'' Although her back was drenched with sweat and her spiritual energy reserves low, she was still fired up for the last child. "Ella, you may return now. Take your time to get used to your Spirit. There is no rush." The Shrine Maiden smiled and guided Ella away from the altar. "Would Shin from the orphans division step forward!" It was finally Shin''s turn. Being the last person to awaken his Spirit, many of the surrounding children were just hoping that he could get it over with quickly so that the ceremony could end and they could leave the Shrine. They were all desperate to start training with their new Spirits. "Look. It''s your favourite child''s turn." "He is not my favourite child, Clan Master. Ariel is." "Really, where did the praise from earlier on, go to?" "Well, he does give me a tonne of headaches." "I see¡­" The Clan Master and the First Elder were making small talk. "But I am worried about Lien''s condition. Even she had not awakened so many children''s Spirits at once." The Clan Master showed a tinge of worry for her lifelong friend. "This is the last awakening so the Shrine Maiden should be able to hold on. After all, she is much more durable than the rest of us." "I sure hope so." The First Elder reassured the Clan Master. "Look, it''s time." "Yeah. Let''s hope it will be a grand finale." Shin knelt obediently in front of the altar as the Shrine Maiden finished her preparations. "Now, close your eyes child. You will feel my hand touch your forehead, so there is no need to be alarmed." When Shin was observing the other members of the Frie Clan undergo their Spirit Awakening, he memorised every single thing that was expected of him. He even felt that the ceremony would be a piece of cake. However, now that he was actually physically in front of the Shrine Maiden, he could not help but feel a significant amount of nervous energy being built up. "Rest assured child. Nothing will happen to you. I swear on it." The Shrine Maiden did her routine of calming Shin before the ceremony commences. No matter how strong Shin seemed to be, he was still, after all, a ten-year-old child. Once Shin had both his eyes shut, he felt a cold touch on his forehead. ''This must be the Shrine Maiden''s hand¡­ It''s cold.'' Shin noticed. All of a sudden, a surge of spiritual energy could be felt enveloping Shin. He never felt so much spiritual energy before. Shivering, Shin started feeling cold. Soon, he felt his consciousness being transported somewhere else. When he opened his ''eyes,'' all that he could see was darkness. "Listen, child, I will assist you in awakening your slumbering Spirit. Look inside of yourself. Do you see a light? An energy source?" The Shrine Maiden questioned Shin in a soft voice that only he could hear. "..." After hearing the Shrine Maiden''s words, he realised where he was. Shin''s consciousness had been transported into his Spiritual body. ''Amazing...'' Shin thought. He was transported to a different place just by having the Shrine Maiden touch his forehead. Shin was in awe at the woman''s abilities. ''No time to get distracted. I have to find my Spirit!'' After calming himself, he remembered the Shrine Maiden''s instructions and began searching for the light. "Child. Do you see anything?" The Shrine Maiden''s voice echoed in Shin''s head. "No there''s nothing! Just pitch blackness!" Shin opened his ''mouth'' to tell the Shrine Maiden. "There''s no need to worry child. For some people, it takes time to find their Spirits. Rest assured. I will be here always. Do not panic and take your time to look around." Reassuring the clueless Shin, the Shrine Maiden instructed the boy to continue his search. Chapter 18 The Cute Little Cerulean Koi 3 ''That''s strange...'' After a few minutes, seeing that Shin had no progress in awakening his Spirit, the Shrine Maiden was baffled. By now, even if a child did not manage to find their Spirit, the amount of spiritual energy being supplied by the Shrine Maiden would at least trigger a response by the slumbering Spirit. ''There''s no helping it...'' Seeing that continuing down this road was not progressing, the Shrine Maiden opted to take a different path. ''Since he is the last one, I guess I would supply the remainder of my spiritual energy to him.'' Drastic times calls for drastic measures. The Shrine Maiden knew that continuing down this path would lead to nowhere and decided to change her approach. "Shin, from now on I will be increasing the amount of spiritual energy being supplied to you. If you feel any discomfort, tell me immediately. I will cease the ceremony. Do you understand?" Shocked, Shin immediately replied. "Yes senior! I understand!" "Good! I will begin right now." Saying that, the Shrine Maiden gathered much more spiritual energy than before. The torrent of energy was blinding to the outside eye but all Shin felt was a gradual increase of energy in his spiritual body. Shin did not have the knowledge to recognise it, but the Shrine Maiden was performing a high-level ability. The average Spirit User would not have that much control over his or her own spiritual energy. For instance, if it were the First Elder or the Clan Master performing the rites, Shin would have long exploded from spirit overload. "What is Lien doing?" "Is there something wrong with the awakening process?" The Clan Master and First Elder both speculated on the possible change in the Shin''s awakening ceremony. "Lien might overuse her spiritual power..." Worried about her dear friend, the Clan Master commented on the situation. "What''s going on?" "The Shrine Maiden is increasing the amount of spiritual energy required for the ceremony!" "Did something go wrong?" The younger generation also noticed that there was a drastic change. "Is Shin going to be alright?" "Shin..." Even the twins could feel that something was amiss. Meanwhile, Shin was still in the pitch black world looking for his Spirit, unaware of the commotion he had caused. "Child, is there any discomfort?" The Shrine Maiden''s voice echoed in Shin''s head. "Not at all, senior!" "Good. Now continue on with your search." "I understand!" Although he said that, Shin did not know where to begin. All he could see was pitch darkness. ''How did the rest manage to find their Spirits? Or is mine just much more elusive?'' Shin asked himself. When Ariel awakened her Spirit, she took less than a minute to locate the slumbering Warhammer. Ella and Emma also took less than three minutes. But by Shin''s estimate, he should have been here for at least ten minutes. "How is it, child? Any luck?" The Shrine Maiden''s voice appeared once more. "No senior, I don''t see..." Before he could finish his sentence, a blue light appeared in the distance. "Shin?" Worried that Shin stopped his sentence halfway, the Shrine Maiden called his name. "No, I''m sorry. I see a blue light!" "That''s great! Reach for it!" "Yes senior!" Shin ran in the direction of the faint glow. However, no matter how far he ran, it seemed that the light was still the same distance away. As if it was running away from him. ''What kind of Spirit runs away from its master?!'' Shin was exasperated. "What''s the matter, child?" "The Spirit seems to be running away from me!" "What do you mean?" Shin relayed his experience with the Shrine Maiden. ''That''s strange, I never had this happen before. Maybe this child''s Spirit is exceedingly special...'' As the white-robed woman thought that, she sent a surge of spiritual energy into Shin. However, once exposed to the energy supplied by the Shrine Maiden, the blue light immediately evaded and ran further away. ''Hmmm? The Spirit is afraid of the Shrine Maiden''s spiritual energy?'' Shin was baffled. ''Maybe...'' Seeing the reaction of his Spirit, Shin conjured up an idea. "Senior, it seems that the Spirit does not like your spiritual power. With your energy enveloping me, it seems to avoid me like I''m the plague. If possible, could you sever your connection with my spiritual body? Maybe, I would be able to grasp my Spirit then." "What?!" The Shrine Maiden was astonished. This was the first time a child had proposed that she cut her connection in awakening their Spirits. "Are you sure child? If I do that, you will be on your own in awakening the Spirit. In doing so, you might not be able to awaken your Spirit. In fact, it might cause some damage to your soul." She tried to confirm Shin''s intention and at the same time, warn him about the possible repercussions of her severing the connection. "But we have to try! There''s no use in amplifying the amount of spiritual energy if my Spirit keeps running away from it!" Realising that Shin had a point, the Shrine Maiden sighed and offered a compromise. "Alright. I will stop supplying spiritual energy. However, I will not sever the connection. I have to ensure your safety after all. The moment something goes awry, I will pull you out. Do you understand?" The safety of the children was her utmost priority after all. There was no way the Shrine Maiden would let Shin continue on such a dangerous path alone. Shin''s heart warmed as he realised her intentions. Many from the senior generation detested the orphans. But Shin could feel the genuine care the Shrine Maiden had for himself. "I understand senior." "Okay. I will stop supplying spiritual energy now. From now on, please be careful. If there is something wrong, immediately call me, I will be here." As she said that, the spiritual energy that enveloped Shin started to dissipate. Once the last ounce of energy left Shin, a feeling of desolation overcame Shin. He felt cold and alone. As if he was the only person that existed in the vast darkness. ''I see¡­ So that''s why the Shrine Maiden is required to assist in every Spirit Awakening Ceremony. If not, everyone will start to feel this way.'' Trying to avoid being overwhelmed by the desolate nature of his spiritual body, Shin willed himself towards the blue light in the distance. And as Shin surmised, the light stood still. In fact, Shin even felt it beckoning to him. "Senior! It works, it stopped running!" "Is that so..." Shin excitedly told the Shrine Maiden. ''Why is his Spirit so different?'' While she was happy that Shin would be able to conclude the awakening ceremony, it didn''t stop her from having questions about the nature of his Spirit. Shin sauntered towards the blue light that remained stationary. He wanted to run, but the extreme cold of the darkness prevented him from accelerating from his current pace. All that Shin could do was maintain his speed as he desperately reached for his Spirit. ''Damn it! Why is awakening my Spirit so cumbersome?'' Getting pissed at his Spirit, Shin cursed his current circumstance. ''You had better be worth all the effort!'' Slowly but surely, Shin inched forward. Without the Shrine Maiden''s protection, he could feel his consciousness fading gradually. However, eventually, he reached his destination. What awaited him was neither a Spirit nor a light. But a large lake. ''What''s this?'' Chapter 19 The Cute Little Cerulean Koi 4 Meanwhile, in the Shrine Room, Shin''s body had been emitting a pale blue light for nearly five minutes. Most of the time, once the light appears on the child''s body, it meant that the slumbering Spirit was already awake and was just waiting for the user to grasp it. It was usually a simple procedure that could be concluded in seconds. However, Shin had been stuck at this step for much longer than that. "What''s going on?" "I don''t know. All of a sudden, the Shrine Maiden gathered all of that energy, but a few moments later, she immediately dispersed it." "But it seems that the ceremony is still ongoing..." "Maybe there are some complications?" "Yeah! He''s been in that state for far too long!" "That guy is Shin from the orphan division right?" "Yes. I heard that he fought Linus to a draw yesterday." "Really? Why haven''t I heard of it?" "It is fairly recent news." A commotion started as the children around the altar were beginning to get impatient. So far, Shin took the longest to awaken his Spirit. The younger generation was just making small talk, but the older generation recognised the severe irregularity of the situation. "Lien is taking far too long. What is going on?" The Clan Master murmured. "The Shrine Maiden was on the verge of overusing her spiritual energy, but a few moments after, she dispersed it. Maybe she was tired?" The First Elder gave his theory. "No way, I know Lien. She would rather sacrifice herself than to put a child in danger. As I see it, not an ounce of spiritual energy is given to Shin right now. Which is highly unusual for her. Lien knows more than anyone of the issues of not supplying spiritual energy during a Spirit Awakening Ceremony. I wonder what forced her to make that choice..." "Even though she is not supplying spiritual energy, it seems that her connection with Shin is still there. Something is bizarre about this situation." The duo was sharing their ideas on what had happened. Not only were the Clan Master and First Elder alarmed, even the Second Elder, who was quiet the entire time, had a grim face. With Shin still kneeling and the Shrine Maiden still standing motionlessly in front of him, all that could be observed was the blue light being emitted from Shin. Inside of Shin''s spiritual body, however, was a much different story. Shin was being confronted by a vast lake. Interestingly enough, once Shin was close to the lake, the extreme cold that was making him lose consciousness immediately disappeared. The water was extremely clear, and Shin could look many meters down. However, there was no sign of his Spirit. ''Don''t tell me this lake is my Spirit? How am I supposed to grasp this Spirit?!'' Shin was clueless on the next step he was supposed to take. He assumed that his Spirit was this lake as no matter how much he looked inside the water body, there was absolutely nothing. "Child, what''s taking so long?" The Shrine Maiden''s voice sounded once more. This time, it was much less gentle, and even a slight impatience could be heard. "Senior, in front of me is a lake. That was the source of the blue light. But I cannot find my Spirit anywhere!" "What do you mean a lake?!" "A literal lake senior! A water body!" "I know what a lake is, child. I meant why is it in your spiritual body?" "I''m just as clueless as you are!" The Shrine Maiden was incredibly shocked. This was the first time she had such a peculiar awakening ceremony. ''What secrets does this boy hold?'' She wanted to pry but knew that it was not the time or the place. "Have you tried diving into the lake?" "What? Won''t I drown? I don''t know how to swim!" A visible crease could be seen on the Shrine Maiden''s forehead as she heard Shin''s answer. "Listen, child, how can you drown when you are not even breathing? Your consciousness is here, not your true body!" "Woah! Senior you''re right!" Enlightened, Shin immediately answered the Shrine Maiden. "Senior I will be diving in now!" "Quickly, or do you want to be stuck here forever?" "Of course not!" As Shin replied the frustrated woman, he plunged into the lake. ''This kid sure knows how to get on people''s nerves.'' Diving down, Shin was introduced to a new world. In contrast to the endless darkness, the lake was vibrant and filled with life. There were multitudes of coral, aquatic plants and fishes. It was weird as it was much different from when Shin looked at the lake before from the surface. ''Where did all these marine life come from?'' Even though he had never been to an ocean, lake or even a pool, he felt like he could move however he wanted. Unhindered by the water around him. Shin started searching for his Spirit. With so much aquatic life, you would think that he would get confused on which one was his real Spirit. But Shin knew that every single lifeform he had met thus far was not his Spirit. It was a gut feeling but nonetheless, a very accurate one. Suddenly, a light began to shine from the middle of the lake. ''So that''s where you were! Damn it! Finding you sure is troublesome!'' Shin scurried towards the light source. At the same time¡­ "Hey! Isn''t the temperature dropping?" "Hmmm¡­ Must be your imagination! I don''t feel anything." "No! It is getting colder." "Hey, why is there water droplets forming on your body?" "Really?" "Yeah! On your left shoulder." "Wait! There are some on you too!" "No way?" In the Shrine Room, there was a noticeable change in the environment. The First Elder was the first to realise what was happening. "It can''t be? Natural phenomenon again?" "..." The Clan Master wordlessly agreed with the First Elder. As soon as the first water droplets were observed, thousands more were seen forming. And once the number of droplets reached an uncountable number, it began to rain heavily in the Shrine Room. The Clan Master, the First and Second Elders, the Shrine Maiden and all of the other children could not avoid getting drenched. The rain continued to pour into the room without regard to the pitiful cries that could be heard. The water droplets only stopped forming once the water level in the room reaches thirty centimetres deep. When the rain calmed, the Shrine Room looked like it had turned into an indoor pool. "What the hell?!" "Damn it! I''m getting out of here!" Multiple people were gunning for the door. But just before the entrance opened, a cerulean light started illuminating the indoor pool. The light was dim, but it had a regal aura to it. Soon, the light began congregating in front of Shin. At this moment, Shin''s eyes opened wide. Using his two hands, he reached down towards the light in the pool and gently grabbed the Spirit hiding within. "Finally, I''ve got you!" Shin triumphantly declared. In his grasp was a cute baby Cerulean Koi. It seemed rather dull and was unaware of its surroundings. All it wanted to do was swim in the pool it created. "There''s no way I''m letting you run you bastard! Do you know how much trouble you caused me?!" Shin shrieked at the Spirit. "Oh my its so cute!" Emma, who had a soft side for cute things, energetically stated. "Emma! It caused us so much trouble! Look we are all wet! It must be a devilish fish!" Ella could not help but retort at her obsessed twin''s reaction. "What? All that trouble for a feeble Spirit like that? I can''t see how it''s special!" One of the children from the Second Elder''s division remarked. "Hahaha! To think that we thought it would be an incredible Spirit! Looking at it, it must be useless!" His friend backed up his claim. However, unlike the children, the older generation all had black faces. They did not even know what to say. If one observed the Second Elder right now, they could see that the old man was seething with rage. As if he wanted to run towards Shin right now and tear his head off. "Hey¡­ Did you know?" The Clan Master asked the First Elder. She was in too much shock after looking at Shin''s Spirit that she forgot to attach an honorific when talking to the First Elder. "This¡­ I didn''t..." The First Elder himself was speechless. He never expected that the child he doted on was... "..." The Shrine Maiden was also looking at Shin''s awakened Spirit in deep contemplation. "Senior Edward¡­ Please hold back Senior Ash for now. I''m afraid he might rush out and kill the boy. I will call for an emergency meeting once I get back." "Yes, Clan Master." As the First Elder replied the Clan Master, his eyes darted towards the Second Elder. Thankfully, the old man was able to restrain himself, but the First Elder could see blood dripping out of his clenched fists. Chapter 20 The First Elders Dilemma 1 "Wait, you''re my Spirit? You barely look like you can harm anything! How did you cause me so much trouble?!" Once Shin''s consciousness returned to his body, he was finally able to grasp hold of the Spirit that was so elusive in his spiritual body. Before, he did not manage to get a good look at his Spirit. After all, it looked like a ball of light the entire time. However, right now, he could clearly see a Cerulean Koi that was struggling to break free from his tight grip. "Oh no, you don''t! Stop trying to¡­ Wait, why is there so much water in the Shrine Room?" Shin verbally asked his question out loud. He was sure that there were no signs of water in the Shrine Room before he underwent his ceremony. But right now, in his kneeling position, the water level in the room had reached his waist. Looking around, he saw that everyone in the room, including the Shrine Maiden, were soaked to the bone. Oddly enough, although his pants were wet, his torso and head remained totally dry. As if he was immune to the earlier downpour. "Why is everyone so wet?" Shin threw a question into the crowd. "Why? You don''t remember?!" "Damn this clueless black-hair!" "Screw you, Shin! Do you know how long it took to wear this dress?!" A number of the children near Shin replied the boy. A certain red-hair, freckled young girl even threw a verbal insult in his direction about her clothes. "Wait¡­ What happened?" Shin was clueless as to why there were so many people infuriated with him. "What happened? You happened! You and your bloody Spirit caused the Shrine Room to rain! Now everyone here is wet because of you!" "Yeah! Do you know how troublesome it is to simply wear these clothes? Now we have to slog back while they are wet!" "What kind of Spirit causes the interior to rain anyway?" Majority of those present were annoyed with the ceremonial clothes that they had to wear to the ceremony. It was tight, uncomfortable and made movement clumsy. They could not wait to get back and change into something cosier. But now, adding to the aforementioned qualities, the robes were now damp and sticky. It caused the children to feel an unbearable hatred to the black-haired youth responsible for their plight. "Hey, why is he dry?" Someone in the crowd noticed that Shin was totally dry at his top. The current situation looked like everyone else was forced to enter the ocean for a ''dip'' while Shin enjoyed himself on the beach. "What the hell?! We went through all of that, and the culprit himself is totally unaffected by his own ability?!" "The heavens are against us! Why must we suffer such injustice?!" "Hmph! If the heavens won''t deal judgement! Let me be the judicator!" As he said that one of the youths summoned his recently awakened Spirit. "Well put! We shall all deliver justice to this heretic!" Another girl who saw that her friend had summoned his Spirit, brought hers out as well. "Die, Shin!" Even the purple haired girl who was supposed to support Shin pulled out her Ice Bow. "WOAH WOAH WOAH!!!! NOT FUNNY GUYS!!! I''LL DIE!!!" Shin yelled at the top of his lungs. "Accept your fate, Shin..." Ariel approached Shin, Lava Warhammer in her hands and led the charge. "Enough!" *CLAP* Before anyone could get to Shin. A sharp clap echoed through the Shrine Room. A surge of spiritual energy filled the room and cancelled every single awakened Spirit. Even the cute little Koi that Shin contracted. The rebound of their Spirits caused those who summoned them to fall on their back. Shocked, they looked for the source of the clap. "The ceremony has concluded. Everyone is to return to their lodgings and talk to their instructors on how to utilise their Spirits. Please make haste." The Clan Master held her hands together in a clapping position indicating that she was the source of the earlier ability that cancelled their abilities. She informed the group of her decision and silently pressured the forty odd kids. Although they outnumbered the Clan Master, none of them felt that they could win in a direct confrontation with the monster in front of them. "Yes, Clan Master." Begrudgingly, the children started to form back into their groups to head back to their lodgings. ''Phew, that was close!'' Shin breathed a sigh of relief as he felt that he would have perished if not for the Clan Master''s intervention. "Senior Edward, Senior Ash. Please follow me. We have urgent matters to attend to." The Clan Master opened the door to the Shrine Room as the residue water in the area was emptied out, much to the surprise of the chaperones waiting outside. She beckoned the two elders to follow her and walked out of the room. However, before she left, she took one last glance at Shin. Feeling the stare, Shin immediately stood up straight and met the eyes of the Clan Master. He wanted to thank her for saving him, but before he got the chance, the Clan Master kicked off the ground and flew away. The First Elder wanted to follow, but he would only fly when he knew the Second Elder had left. There was no way he was going to leave the Second Elder with Shin in the condition that he was in. "Hmph!" Snorting in derision, the Second Elder flew away from the Shrine Room, following the Clan Master. Now that he was assured of the orphan''s safety, the First Elder pursued the two. ''What is going on?'' Shin was still in a daze after what had happened. While he was in his spiritual body, he saw a lake. Inside said lake, was a bright light. As he closed in on the bright light, he awakened in the real world and grasped his Spirit. After that, he noticed that the surroundings were filled with a significant amount of water and the people around him was filled with equal amounts of hate. Furthermore, he almost died with that many Spirits aiming at him. ''What a day! I just want to go back and lie down!'' Thinking that. Shin fantasised about his comfy bed. "Please wait a moment child." A warm and gentle voice came from behind Shin. The Shrine Maiden, dressed in pure white robes called out to Shin. Still standing in front of the altar, the Shrine Maiden was visibly fatigued. Not only physically, but mentally as well. "A word of advice child, do not stray too far from your lodgings in the foreseeable future." "Huh?" Shin was confused as to why the Shrine Maiden asked him to do that. "Child, it''s for your own sake. Just listen and stay in the orphan''s division. At least for the time being." "Ermmm¡­ Alright, Senior." The Shrine Maiden warned Shin. After hearing what the Shrine Maiden had to say, Shin rushed towards his group that was already departing from the Shrine. ''What a mess...'' It was, without a doubt, the craziest Spirit Awakening Ceremony she had ever initiated. Chapter 21 The First Elders Dilemma 2 "What happened in there?" After the orphans left the Shrine, Junius questioned the trio. He and Lily were standing patiently outside of the Shrine Room and all of a sudden, there was a loud commotion. Although they were curious, all the chaperones resisted the urge to open the door to check on the situation. A few moments later, the Clan Master opened the door, and copious amounts of water came gushing out, confusing all those who were outside. Furthermore, everyone inside the room seemed like they had been doused in water. "Hmph! Why don''t you ask Shin!" Ella snorted and looked at the black-haired youth with an innocent look on his face. "What? It''s not my fault!" "If it''s not your fault, whose is it!?" "It was that stupid fish! I didn''t want to make it rain!" "Haaah?! Isn''t it your Spirit?!" "But I wasn''t even conscious when it happened..." "It''s your Spirit, so it''s your responsibility that we''re drenched!" Ella and Shin began arguing. "Wait wait. Back up. Could you tell us every detail, Ella?" Lost in their conversation, Junius requested Ella to explain the circumstances of the situation. "Brother Junius! It''s all Shin''s fault! Firstly..." Ella, wanting Junius to find justice for her, slowly recounted the scenes that occurred in the Shrine Room. "And that''s why all of us were wet. Shin didn''t even spare the Shrine Maiden who was so busy helping him!" Once Junius and Lily heard the story, their mouths opened wide with astonishment. The three ten-year-olds had little idea of what a natural phenomenon means but the two of them clearly understood the implications it had. A Spirit that had undergone the baptism of a natural phenomenon was born to dominate. In the same rank, no other Spirits would stand a chance. It was especially true for the lower ranks. Right now, every child who had awakened their Spirits were Rank 1. If Shin, Ariel, the twins, Tobias and Linus were to fight right now, Shin and Ariel would have a clear advantage. Additionally, a Spirit Practitioner that triggered a natural phenomenon would cultivate up the Ranks a little faster compared to their compatriots. "Shin¡­ You¡­ HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" Lily shrieked. She knew that Shin was the least hardworking amongst every single orphan. And yet, this kid managed to pull off something she thought was impossible. "Oh my god¡­" Junius sighed heavily. Even though he was happy for his little brother, knowing that someone from the orphans had triggered a natural phenomenon when awakening their Spirit meant that more scrutiny would be placed on them. Furthermore, the relationship between the First and Second Elders was not that great. Factoring this in, the number hardships the orphans will face in the future would only increase. "Anyway, let''s head back first." With his left hand holding his forehead, Junius led the orphans back to their lodgings. -.- Frie Clan. Main Hall Inner Sanctum. Clan Debate Chamber. In the middle of the inner sanctum, there was a vast chamber. Filled with ornate decorations, the large room seemed too luxurious for its purpose. When one enters the hall, they would be greeted with a bounteous amount of lavish wood grain chairs cosy fittings neatly stacked in rows. And at the end of the pathway, lay a throne. Implementing numerous shades of red, the throne looked like an ethereal burning chair when seen from a distance. *Eeeeeee* The massive doors of the chambers creaked opened revealing the silhouettes of three people. Leading the way was the most talented member of the Frie Clan and current Clan Master, Enfen Frie. Her earlier clothing, which was thoroughly soaked, had been replaced with a regal red robe with golden dragons embroidered onto it. It was an attire fit for the Clan Master of the Frie Clan. Following her were the two high elders who were not on speaking terms right now. Their earlier clothing had also been changed immediately into something more appropriate. The Clan Master took her place on the throne and addressed the two who followed her. "Seniors, please take a seat. I have called for an emergency meeting. It would probably take them a while to gather here." "..." "..." Both the two elders silently walked to their respective seats. The second elder was expressionless and quiet now, but the Clan Master and First Elder know that once the meeting begins, he would have more than a little to say. After fifteen minutes of waiting, numerous heroic individuals, each more stunning than the other entered the premise. Soon, every single one of the Frie Clan''s most essential personnel had arrived. The First Elder, Second Elder, Disciplinary Head, Supply Elder, Head Instructor, Finance Elder, Defense Elder, Trade Elder, Mission Elder, Shrine Maiden and some other vital members of the Frie Clan walked through that door. Disregarding the operatives sent outside of Frie Mountain for reconnaissance, the members here were the most influential people currently in the Frie Clan. However, even though the Frie Clan''s full power were present, the chambers were still only a quarter full. It shows how much damage the Clan had been dealt ten years ago. "I thank you all for coming and apologise for the abruptness of this meeting." Seeing that no one else was coming, the Clan Master stood up and addressed the room. "Do not mention it, Clan Master, it is our duty to obey the luminary of the Frie Clan." A slender middle-aged man replied the Clan Master while bowing. "Anything the Clan Master asks for, we must obey. Coming immediately when being summoned is something that is to be expected from us." Another middle-aged woman followed the previous man''s lead. "Knowing the Clan Master, she would not have summoned us urgently without good reason." "Of course!" Many other higher-ups replied the Clan Master after hearing those words. "It''s as you have surmised, there is a critical issue that all of you should be aware of." The Clan Master validated their suspicions. "As you all know, today is the Day of Spirits. So I, alongside the two high elders and the Shrine Maiden, participated in the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. The ceremony was a huge success with multiple children awakening great Spirits that will benefit the Frie Clan." "Oh, that''s fantastic news!" One of those in the crowd exclaimed. "Not only that, when Ariel, the First Elder''s granddaughter, awakened her Spirit, it triggered a natural phenomenon." "What?!" "Is that true?!" "Hahaha! The heavens are smiling upon us! Congratulations Senior Edward! You must be elated!" "If we train her well, she can become the strongest combatant the Frie Clan has ever seen." "Looks like the Frie Clan would be able to rise again in the coming generation." As they heard the news, many of those in the chambers were jubilant. After all, hearing the good news was never bad. "But Ariel was not the only member to initiate a natural phenomenon." The Clan Master resumed talking after the commotion had died down a little. "Oh my god! Another one?!" "Are the heavens that kind?!" Many were already over the moon that one child had a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon. But now the Clan Master was saying there was another? "Yes, he is from the First Elder orphan division. The one named Shin." Revealing Shin''s name, the Clan Master brought the black-haired youth into the attention of those present in the sacred chambers. "The one who beat Linus?" "Oh ho¡­ Looks like the First Elder''s orphan experiment had paid off." The crowd murmured as they heard the news. Though they would have preferred that a blood-related member was the one who awakened a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon, having someone from the orphans was not that bad of an alternative. "But herein lies the problem." The Clan Master continued her speech. Before, she was firm and resolute, but now, a slight tremble could be heard in her voice. "That boy¡­ Awakened The Sovereign Koi..." "..." A pin-drop silence was left in the room as she made that declaration. Chapter 22 The First Elders Dilemma 3 "Clan Master¡­ Are you sure its The Sovereign Koi?" One of the members asked in disbelief. "Lien knows the most about the situation. She will fill you guys in on the details." The only one who knew everything that had happened when Shin was awakening his Spirit was the Shrine Maiden. Therefore, the Clan Master asked her to come out to address the astonished crowd. "Although I''m not absolutely certain, there is a 99% chance that Shin had indeed awakened The Sovereign Koi, given the unique circumstances his awakening." "Tell us everything." A raspy voice bellowed from the left of the Clan Master. The Second Elder, who was silent the entire time, finally opened his mouth. "It started when I sent my spiritual energy into his body. No matter how much I sent in, the then slumbering Spirit did not react to my spiritual energy. Ten minutes in, when his Spirit did not even give a response, I decided to change my approach." "Sending in all my spiritual energy, I guided the boy while trying not to overload him. Here comes the second irregularity. No matter how much spiritual energy I provided to him, he was able to withstand it with ease. Granted the amount I supplied was in controlled amounts, but no normal kid would be so nonchalant with that much spiritual energy inside of him." "However, that child realised that the method I was employing was not working as his Spirit seemed to be afraid of my spiritual energy. My assumption is that it disliked the fire element and strayed far away. But no regular Spirit would have the ability to do that. If not, I would not have been able to awaken other Spirits such as the Ice Bow another orphan awakened." "Heeding his advice, I retracted my spiritual energy and allowed the child to wander his spiritual body alone to find his sleeping Spirit. Amazingly, the idea worked, and he was able to approach the blue light that he saw. Before, when the child was coated with my spiritual energy, it would just evade him like he was the plague." "Next, the child reported that he saw a lake in his spiritual body." "What? A lake?!" One of the members gasped. As experts who had lived decades, they all knew how weird it was for a lake to appear in one''s spiritual body. "Exactly, a lake. I did not know what to think of it at the time, so I just instructed him to dive in. Once he was inside, my connection with him was cut off, and a few moments later, it started to rain inside of the Shrine Room." "A cerulean light illuminated the room, and eventually, the child summoned a cerulean coloured Koi. The only possible explanation for all these occurrences is that the Spirit that Shin had awakened is indeed The Sovereign Koi." "..." The Shrine Maiden concluded her experience when awakening Shin''s Spirit and was greeted with silence. Everyone in the debate chambers was in deep contemplation. "If what the Shrine Maiden said is true, then it means that this boy has truly awakened that famous Spirit." A yellow-robed old lady remarked. Her grey hair was tied into a bun and was put in place with a crimson phoenix hairpin. Even though the elasticity of her skin was waning, her body was still full of life. Her black-coloured eyes dilated as she looked to the Clan Master. "Supply Elder, do you know something about it?" The middle-aged woman seated on the throne asked the Supply Elder. "Only rumours¡­ I''ve heard that when a child awakens The Sovereign Koi, they will visit the Lake of Celestials. Virtually every Spirit User that contracts The Sovereign Koi will trigger a natural phenomenon. It may seem that the baptism of the Spirit occurs in the material world, but in truth, The Sovereign Koi undergoes its baptism in the Lake of Celestials." "The Lake of Celestials? What is that?" "That I do not know, Clan Master. That information, after all, is just something I have heard through word of mouth. It may not even be true." "But you believe that your source is reliable?" "That I cannot confirm too." The Supply Elder vaguely answered the Clan Master''s questions. "Let''s assume the worst then. This orphan that the First Elder had picked up had indeed awakened The Sovereign Koi, what would be our next course of action?" The Second Elder interjected with his own question. "Ash¡­ What do you mean by that?" The First Elder looked at the old man that had become his worst enemy in the Frie Clan. "Edward, you should know more than anyone. The Sovereign Koi would cause nothing but trouble for the Frie Clan!" "Ash, Shin is just a child. We can train him to become a valuable asset to the clan!" "He will be a liability! I move for a vote to kill the devil spawn." The Second Elder used his right to start a vote in the Debate Chamber. "What?!" A good number of Frie Clan higher-ups were appalled at the Second Elder''s decision. "Ash, are you truly that heartless? Are you willing to kill a child just because of his Spirit?" "It''s not just a Spirit, Edward. It''s THAT SPIRIT!!!!!" The fiery rage that the Second Elder contained, spilt out. "Edward, this matter is no longer up for discussion. I have put in a motion for a vote, let the majority decide what they want." "..." The First Elder wanted to head up to the deranged old man and punch him until he came to his senses but held back on that urge. "Senior Ash, I understand how you feel, but this is a life we are talking about. A child''s life. You cannot ask that we leave that to a vote." "Clan Master, my decision is final. I am using my right as High Elder of the Frie Clan to put this matter to a vote. Not even you can overturn this." Seeing that her words were put on deaf ears, the Clan Master sighed. "Fine¡­ We shall hear the arguments for and against the execution Shin from the orphan division. I will give the two sides five minutes to prepare." "There''s no need Clan Master, my stance is straightforward. The brat has awakened The Sovereign Koi, the calamitous Spirit. There is no need for me to elaborate." The Second Elder succinctly concluded his side of the debate with three sentences. "..." There were some in the audience who nodded alongside the statement made by the Second Elder. "Since Ash does not need time to prepare, neither do I. Everyone here knows how strong The Sovereign Koi can become. If we manage to train the Spirit Practitioner effectively, the Frie Clan will gain a crazily capable Spirit User. Additionally, Shin and Ariel are training partners. In fact, if all goes well, Shin might even marry into the Frie Clan. Once an offspring is made, no matter what Shin does, it will be for the good of the clan." Desperate to ensure the safety of the orphan under him, the First Elder proposed a union between his granddaughter and said child. "If I may add, this child is exceedingly pure and harbours no ill will towards the Frie Clan. In fact, there seems to be gratitude in his heart. I know because I was inside his spiritual body." The Shrine Maiden chipped into the First Elder''s defence. "Lastly, what would the world think if we kill an innocent boy in cold blood? Even if we assume that we would be able to cover up the execution from the outside world. What implications would it have on our children who know nothing? All they would see is a bunch of old fogeys killing off their friend. I hope you make the right choice." The First Elder ended his speech with a guilt trip. "Now that both sides have presented their arguments let''s proceed with the vote." The Clan Master stood up from her throne and gazed into the crowd. "Before we begin, I would like to remind you the oath that the previous head, my father, had all of you swear..." Many in the audience gulped. The Clan Master saying that clearly showed that she was against the execution of the child. "I will commence the vote..." Chapter 23 The First Elders Dilemma 4 "Those in favour of the execution say raise your hands now." There were many members on the fence about this issue. On the one hand, the threat that The Sovereign Koi provided was too significant and on another, if they voted to kill the boy, they would be faced with the opposition of the combination of the Clan Master, First Elder and Shrine Maiden. It was not a line-up they were willing to cross. In the end, the pressure the trio placed on them was too enormous and many who wanted to raise their hands chose not to. But still, around a quarter of the members in the chambers were for the execution of the child. "Those against it raise your hands now." Now, the remainder of the members in the chambers raised their hands. "Vote has concluded. Motion to execute the boy, Shin, from the orphan division proposed by the Second Elder has failed." "Phew..." The First Elder heaved a sigh of relief. He was determined to save Shin''s life. Even if the majority vote wanted to claim the boy''s life, the First Elder would do anything in his means to smuggle Shin out. Thankfully, it did not come to that. "..." Gritting his teeth in anger, the Second Elder stormed out of the debate chambers. But not before giving a hateful glare to all those present, including the Clan Master. "Such insolence!" The Supply Elder claimed. No matter the situation, the elders of the clan, should not openly show disdain to the Clan Master, the highest authority there is. "Leave him be, Senior." The Clan Master, however, did not feel insulted or angry. As the Second Elder left the debate chambers, many from his faction followed suit. Currently, only half of the members remained. "Ha¡­ Things sure have escalated quickly." A muscular old man with a face void of hair commented. His physique was more suited for wearing armour instead of the casual garb he had on right now. "Defense Elder¡­ I agree. How did things end up here?" The First Elder monologues. In fact, the rift between the First and Second Elder had begun long ago. Even without Shin, one day, the situation would have deteriorated until the point of no return. The black-haired youth just accelerated the time taken for the two elders to completely fall out. What gave both the Clan Master and First Elder a headache was, the current division of the clan. The Second Elder had in his hands, thirty percent of the Frie Clan''s power. Not only did he command many war veterans, but he also managed the trade and various other tasks in the Frie Clan. If he were to stage an open rebellion, although it was highly likely that he would lose, it would further damage the clan''s foundations. "It''s not your fault senior." The Clan Master walked down from her throne to console the First Elder. "The heavens have its plans. All we can hope for is that the Second Elder manages to contain himself in the coming months. Maybe eventually, his rage towards that child would die down." "Maybe, huh..." "Yeah. Maybe¡­ In the meantime, I would hope that you tighten the security around the orphan''s abode. Better to be safe than sorry." "To think that it had to come to that..." "I''m sure the Second Elder would not openly murder the child. But that being said, what do you plan to do with the boy?" The Clan Master questioned the First Elder. "I have a few ideas, but I don''t want to resort to them unless absolutely necessary." "Oh? What do you have in mind?" "I was thinking of sending him to Seph..." "Lady Seph?!" The Clan Master shrieked. If you asked her who would she rather face, an army of hundred thousand or Lady Seph, she would desperately choose the army and thank the person for giving her that choice. "Are you sure you want to protect the kid?" The middle-aged woman, who abandoned her regal aura for a frightened little girl, questioned the true intentions of the First Elder. "Haha! I see that Seph still gives you nightmares. Don''t worry, she has calmed down drastically since retiring. But even so, she is still my last resort. After all, I would not save Shin here just to send him to his grave elsewhere." "..." Silently, the Clan Master prayed that Shin would not have to come to face the terror that she encountered in her younger days. -.- Frie Mountain. Orphan''s lodgings. Junius and Lily escorted the three who had recently awakened their Spirits back into their living area. Eager to make them show their Spirits, Junius dragged them towards the training facility. "Come on guys! We''re almost there!" Once they left the Main Hall, Junius forced them to run back. He wanted to see their Spirits as soon as possible. "E...nou¡­gh... " *Pant* *Pant* The infinite stamina Junius urged his juniors on. However, the rest of them were out of breath. "Damn it Junius! Why must we run back? Do you think we are marathon runners or something?!" Due to the natural terrain of Frie Mountain, there were multiple upslopes and downslopes making the pathways uneven and unsuitable to run. But somehow, Junius was able to effortlessly trek the area like it was on flat ground. "Don''t be like that! I just want to see your Spirits as soon as possible!" "Before you get the chance to see them, we will die!" "Yeah brother Junius, this is too much." "Oh my god, why are there stars when the sun is up?" "Is it just me or is the ground moving?" Those that ran all the way back started hallucinating due to the lack of oxygen in their brains. "Come on! Just a few more meters! You can do it!" Junius, unfazed by the complaints, further encouraged them. "Junius, as much as I feel your enthusiasm, I need to sit down..." Even Lily could not keep pace with the madman who ran miles without breaking a sweat. "There''s no helping it. Let''s rest here for one minute and continue!" """You''re bloody crazy!""" Voices of anguish echoed through the orphan''s abode. Chapter 24 Reach for the top! 1 The one-minute rest ended up taking over fifteen minutes as the orphans, except Junius, limped their way into the training room. Once there, they laid on the mats with their arms and legs wide open. "Damn it, I am never following Junius again." "I second that. No one can keep pace with that monster." "Include me in that group." "I''m sorry brother Junius, you are not human..." Shin, Lily, Ella and Emma lay flat as they swore to never run with that maniac ever again. "Ehehe¡­ I may have overdone it. But I wanted to see your Spirits so much!" "What are you an obsessive girlfriend? Can''t it wait a few hours?!" Shin started arguing with Junius again. "Okay, that''s enough! You guys do seem like a couple." "Hey! I don''t swing that way." "No one would like that brute that only knows how to exercise all day." "What did you say?!" "The truth." Ignoring the others present, Junius and Shin entered their own world. "Hehehehe" "What will we do with these two idiots?" Emma and Ella shook their heads as they watched the free show. "Hey, stop that! Anyway, once the three of you rested enough, summon out your Spirits for us to see." Lily, unable to bear with the current situation, instructed the trio to bring their Spirits out. "Yes, Sister Lily!" After hearing her words, the twins both summoned their Spirits. The training room temperature instantly fell a few degrees after the two Spirits came into contact with the air. "So this is a mutated elemental Spirit?" Lily carefully inspected the crystalline bow that was covered with a frosty aura. It seemed that if she touched the bow, she might get a frost burn. "Oh ho, this is interesting. Can you use your first spirit ability?" Once a child awakens their Spirit, instinctively, they are able to use a single spirit ability. It is part of their nature. There was no need for guidance, the child would know what to do to conjure up their ability. "Hmmm¡­ We know what ability it is, but when we tried using it, nothing came out." "That is natural. After all, you have just awakened your Spirits and are at Rank 1. You guys have not even cultivated yet! The amount of spiritual energy in your body is minimal, so it is natural to be unable to use your first spirit ability." Lily patiently explained to the twins. "Shin, you''re up!" Junius pushed Shin to summon his awakened Spirit. "Fine..." Reluctantly, Shin gathered spiritual energy and summoned the cute little cerulean koi once more. Once brought out, it swam around in the palm of Shin''s hands. It was strange that a fish could swim without water, but it was only capable of doing so within the compounds of Shin''s hands. "This is the Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon?!" Junius and Lily were shocked. The little fish looked like it was unable to even hurt a fly. How could it have been a tremendous spirit that caused a natural phenomenon? "Yeah, this is it. This little bugger was so difficult to find in my spiritual body! It even made everyone in the Shrine Room angry at me just because it wanted to swim around even though it could do so without water!" "Swim around?" "Of course! This little fish didn''t like dry land so it summoned a swimming pool so that it could move around!" "Wait, Shin. What is your first spirit ability?" Shocked by Shin''s intricate understanding of his Spirit, Junius asked the boy. "Hmmm? It''s to create and manipulate water I guess..." ""What?!"" Junius and Lily both yelled. Majority of elemental spirits could not manipulate their element. For instance, Junius'' first spirit ability, uses the property of water to expand his sword rapidly. Ryner''s acidic salamander spits a ball of acid. Lia could summon vines from her plant Spirit while Lily could use her Spirit to squirt high-pressure water jets. None of them had such an overpowered ability such as manipulating water. Just imagine, if Shin cultivated hard enough, he would be able to move the oceans to his will and no one in the world could beat him at sea. "Hmmm, I guess that is partially true. I can only manipulate the water that I create." Thinking that his seniors misunderstood him, Shin clarified the extent of his ability. "Even so..." "That''s too strong." The senior orphans murmured to themselves. If Shin were to produce an unlimited amount of water, does that mean that he would have the absolute advantage no matter what the terrain? Typically, a Spirit User would be hindered by the battlefield they were on. For instance, if a water elemental Spirit were to fight in a desert, its effectiveness would be cut in half. Same goes for a fire elemental Spirit when duelling in the ocean. "Is that so..." But Shin was unfazed. He did not see what was so unique about the ability he had. "You may not see it now Shin, but in the future, you would understand that this first spiritual ability of yours, may as well be your strongest." "Really?" "Of course! Wait until you further increase your rank. Then you will see the difference." "You say ranks Junius, but I don''t understand what ranks are there!" "Brother Junius, he''s right. None of us was taught that before!" Emma added on Shin''s remarks. "Oh, that''s right. The instructor has not taught you yet. Ahhh, what the hell. I''ll tell you the ranks of the spiritual world." "When a person awakens their Spirits, they are called a spirit user. The realms a spirit user can reach are as follows: Spirit Practitioner (Rank 1 -9) Spirit Apostle (Rank 10 - 19) Spirit Core (Rank 20 - 29) Spirit Adept (Rank 30 - 39) Spirit Spectre (Rank 40 - 49) Spirit Lord (Rank 50 - 59) Spirit King (Rank 60 - 69) Spirit Emperor (Rank 70 - 79) Spirit Venerate (Rank 80 - 89) Spirit Saint (Rank 90 - 99) Spirit Immortal (Rank 100) I am already at the Spirit Apostle Realm of Rank 11. Lily and Ryner are also knocking on that door. I assume that in a few months, they will be able to break through." Junius smiled at Lily and gave her a silent voice of encouragement. "The instructor that we all know and love has reached Rank 57 and is currently a Spirit Lord. To put it in perspective on how incredible he is, if he were to enter the military, the instructor would instantly become a battalion commander." "Woah..." "The strongest member of the Frie Clan is, of course, the Clan Master, the most talented individual of her generation. The last I heard, she was already a Spirit Emperor Realm at Rank 74. Only the First and Second Elders are her match." "Wait, so the two high elders are both Spirit Emperors?!" Ella blurted out in shock. "Of course. If not why would they have the title ''High Elder?'' As far as I know, there are only three Spirit Emperors in the Frie Clan. The two high elders and the Clan Master. In fact, there is even a chance that the current Clan Master would cross Rank 80 and breakthrough into the Spirit Venerate Realm. The first in the Frie Clan''s illustrious history!" "The Frie Clan had never produced a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate before?" Shin found it ludicrous. A family clan with so many years of history had not been able to cultivate a Spirit Venerate? "Shin, you must understand, at their level, cultivation is a whole other ballpark. Right now, we are able to improve our ranks with little effort. But once you reach their ranks, trying to improve is like moving a mountain with every step you take." Junius laughed at the naivety of his little brother. "But that is still a long way to go for us. We should focus on the present and improve our ranks one step at a time." Chapter 25 Reach for the top! 2 "So how do we improve our ranks?" Shin asked the all-important question. Currently, Shin and the twins were like a blank piece of paper. They had no idea on how to proceed in their cultivation. After all, they had only been training to awaken their Spirits not anything afterwards. "Well, now that you have awakened your Spirits, you will have to learn how to cultivate internal spiritual energy. As you all know, there is spiritual energy all around us. With practice, we are able to harness it for use to a certain extent, but ultimately, it is not something we can call our own. Hence, we use the spiritual energy around us to grow our Spirits so that it can produce its own spiritual power. This internal spiritual energy is called mana." Junius began his lecture to educate the ignorant trio. "Think of the human body as a vessel for mana. The more mana you add to the body, the stronger it becomes. Of course, it has to be done gradually through cultivating the Spirit and body. Finding the right cultivation technique is essential too. No two spiritual users are the same. Even if they have the same starting point, like you two, Ella and Emma, in the end, they will have drastically different cultivations." "Cultivation techniques? What are those?" Emma quizzically asked Junius. "I was just getting to that. Cultivation techniques are ways to harness spiritual energy your Spirit to cultivate. For instance, I am cultivating the Moonlight Sword Mantra. It''s a cultivation technique specialised for water elemental sword Spirits such as my Azure Water Blade. The Moonlight Sword Mantra helps in aiding my Spirit''s growth and allows me to increase my rank." "As for choosing your cultivation technique, it is something for the Instructor to do. I have no experience and will be unable to help you in this regard. Unfortunately, you did not awaken a sword spirit like mine. If not, we could train happily together!" "..." Junius loved to help out his juniors. When Ryner and Lily underwent their Spirit Awakening Ceremonies and did not awaken a sword spirit, Junius felt dejected as he could not mentor them. He was hoping Shin would awaken a sword spirit so that he could impart his knowledge to his favourite little brother but that would not come to pass. Shin and the twins, on the other hand, were thanking the gods that they did not awaken a sword spirit. After all, who would want to keep up with Junius'' training regime? "Are there some cultivation techniques that are better than the others?" Ella asked her seniors. "Well, cultivation techniques aren''t classified into ranks, but which one is most suited to the Spirit User. Let''s say if I tried training in Junius'' Moonlight Sword Mantra, no matter how much I cultivate, I would not be able to progress. After all, I don''t have a sword spirit." Lily replied her cute junior. "Thankfully, the Frie Clan possesses numerous cultivation manuals. Even those that are not related to the fire element. They are stored in the Clan''s Athenaeum in the main hall. Once the Instructor inspects your Spirit, he will assist in helping you choose a cultivation manual." "I see! So sister Lily, we still have to wait for the Instructor before we can begin training?" "Of course silly. And hey, the Instructor is rather late. He should have arrived by now..." Lily looked towards the door and questioned the punctuality of the Instructor. "Sister Lily..." "Yes, Emma?" "I have a question, but I''m not sure if it''s appropriate to ask..." "Just ask away." Lily smiled warmly at the younger sister she cared for so dearly. "Ermmm, why do we all have water elemental spirits?" Lily''s smile instantly vanished once she heard Emma''s question. "The Frie Clan are a sect that uses fire elemental spirits. Even Frie Mountain is most suited for fire spirits. But we awakened water elemental spirits, which is strange. Did the Frie Clan choose us as orphans because of our elemental affinity?" Emma was not the only one curious about this fact. Every other orphan were clueless about why they had awakened water elemental spirits, which were counter to the Clan''s elemental leaning. However, they did not have the guts to confront their superiors on that issue. "Well, Emma I..." "I''ll answer that question!" A booming voice reverberated across the training room. Heavy footsteps could be heard closing in on the orphans as the silhouette far away became more distinct. A towering man with a bald head and unkempt facial hair stepped into the room and glanced at the children in the room. He was the cause of many of the orphans nightmares, the Instructor Lou Frie. "Hoho, I see that Ella and Emma have awakened mutated elemental spirits. Not bad!" Moving his eyes around, he could clearly see the Ice Bows in the twins hands. Slowly, his gaze landed on Shin''s hands. ''It''s really The Sovereign Koi!'' Trying to keep his composure, the Instructor averted his eyes from Shin. On the outside, he seemed indifferent, but his thoughts were in disarray. "Instructor?" Lily, seeing that the Instructor had gone quiet, called for him. "Ahhh¡­ Ahem¡­ Sorry about that, I was just lost in my thoughts." "It''s alright. Instructor, earlier you said you knew something about the circumstances of our Spirits?" "Ah yes! Lily and Junius, you were not informed right. Come, let me tell you!" Regaining his demeanour, the Instructor started his explanation. "As you all know, the clan fought in a devastating war ten years ago. Even though we managed to win, it came at a great cost. Many of our clansmen died, and our foundations were crippled. The only option we had at that point was to retreat into Frie Mountain and seclude ourselves to prevent opportunistic strikes from elsewhere." "One of the key reasons we lost was due to our lack of diversity. The opponents we fought were smart. They avoided head-on confrontations and attacked our weaknesses. In one of the many battles, they forced us into the ocean to fight. As you know, fire elemental spirits are not the best at sea combat. Less than half of our clansmen made it through that battle, even less returned home." As the Instructor recalled that conflict, his voice slowly turned more and more anguished. "The previous Clan Master realised that solely relying on the Frie Clan members were not enough for us to win the war and decided to lift the age-old ban on employing outside help. However, that was a mistake. The mercenaries we hired were turncoats and nearly destroyed the clan from the inside. Thankfully, we managed to persevere." "In the end, we came out of the war victorious. But there were far too many losses. Even the once valiant Clan Master could not stop his injuries from claiming his life. In his last days, the previous Clan Master studied and reviewed the war from multiple angles and knew that the only way for the Clan to not repeat its mistakes, was to train other Spirit Users. Hence, he began the orphan programme." Looking at the astonished children in front of him, the Instructor explained the origins of the orphan programme. "First, he decided to find orphans that had a strong affinity for water elemental spirits to patch the weakness of the clan. He scoured the continent and was able to find eleven young orphans, whose parents had either died or abandoned them and brought them back." "Next, he made the council swear an oath not to hurt any of the orphans as many were sceptical of the plan. People such as the Second Elder, who believed that the Frie Clan should be supported only by blood-related members, were strongly resistant to the previous Clan Master''s project. However, he begged and only truly convinced them by saying that it was his dying wish." "Lastly, on his deathbed, he handed the responsibility of the programme to the person he trusted the most in the clan, the First Elder. After all that, he passed silently in his sleep." "We should have told you earlier, but the pain of losing one of our great leaders was too great, and we did not want to give you too much pressure. You guys, the orphans, were brought in to supplement our weaknesses. That is why all of you have awakened water elemental spirits..." The Instructor ended his story by staring emptily into space. Shin had never seen the muscular man cry, but currently, he saw that the Instructor''s eyes started to mist. Chapter 26 Reach for the top! 3 The Instructor in his current state was something entirely foreign to the orphans. He was always the heroic figure in their hearts, and nothing could faze him. But right now, he was showing a moment of weakness. "We pledge our allegiance to the Frie Clan!" Junius stood up straight and gave a salute. After learning of the history of the orphan programme, there was no way any of them would not have been moved. They were just parentless children waiting to be thrown into the jungle. If not for the previous Clan Master, who knows what they could have become. "We pledge our allegiance to the Frie Clan!" Following Junius'' lead, Lily gave a salute too. """We pledge our allegiance to the Frie Clan!""" Even Shin and the twins could not help but salute. Hearing what the previous Clan Master was willing to do for their sakes, they immediately felt a close kinship with the deceased man. "You brats..." The Instructor rubbed his eyes as he received their salute. "Okay! Enough of that, all the Frie Clan wants from you is to become strong. Train well. I hope that one day, you guys will be one of the strongest supports of the clan." Composing himself, the Instructor grabbed a chair and sat down. "We won''t let you down, Instructor!" "I know you won''t¡­ Enough about that, Ella and Emma! Come here, let me inspect your Spirits! I will help you choose a cultivation technique." Trying to move on from the previous topic, the Instructors beckoned the twins. Gingerly inching forward, the two girls made their way to the behemoth. "Mmmm¡­ These Ice Bows seem incredibly unique. Nothing like the Fire Bows members of the Frie Clan awakens. If I am not mistaken, your first ability should be to shoot an ice arrow right?" "Y...yeah!" "Don''t be shocked. Most bow spirit user''s first ability is to conjure up arrows. It''s nothing hard to deduce." "Is that so?" "Of course! If not, would they use their bows in close combat? The Bow Spirit has traditionally been a long ranged Weapon Spirit. It is highly sought after by the military due to its nature. In fact, one of the Frie Clan''s strongest member uses a Bow Spirit." "Really? Who is it?" Ella questioned with eager eyes. If the elder were to teach them, how great would that be? "Yeah! Her fifth spirit ability is terrifying. She literally rains down fire and incinerates all that is in her path." "Woah, who is she?" "She''s actually someone you''re quite familiar with. Can you guess?" Smiling mischievously, the Instructor asked his students to make an assumption on who the mysterious elder was. "Huh? Someone, we''re familiar with?" "Who could that be?" But none of them could even conjure up a guess. After all, the number of Frie Clan elders they have contact with can be counted in one hand. "She''s the person who gets you up every morning and keeps the order!" "What?!" "It can''t be..." Realising who the Instructor was implying, the children were shocked into disbelief. "The Headmistress?!?!?!" The orphans have close relations with three Frie Clan seniors. The First Elder, the Instructor and the Headmistress. The Headmistress is a woman who looked like she was in her forties, but her actual age was a mystery to everyone. Her strict demeanour frightens everyone in the clan. Even the dignified First Elder was not immune to her horror. There was once, the Headmistress chased the old man across the Frie Mountain to reprimand him causing people to assume that she was his senior. With a feather duster in hand, the Headmistress'' signature move was to push up her glasses with her free hand and lecture anyone who crossed her. None of the orphans could believe that she could be the wielder of a devastating Bow Spirit. "Maybe one day, you can go to her for pointers!" The instructor laughed as the twins shivered. If they had a choice, they would avoid the Headmistress at all costs. "Anyway, I believe there is a water bow elemental cultivation technique in the Clan''s Athenaeum. Use that as a foundation. In the future, when making the breakthrough to Spirit Apostle, you can develop the technique into something that further suits your Ice Bows." "Yes, Sir!" The twins answered in unison. Nodding at the cute little girls, the Instructor turned his attention to the troublemaking black-haired youth. "As for you, Shin I am unable to help you right now." "..." Speechless at his declaration, Shin gave the Instructor a weird look. "Well, I can''t give you the specifics but, your Spirit is¡­ different. Anyway, when you visit the Clan''s Athenaeum tomorrow, you will understand." "Okay..." ''Must you be so vague?'' Verbally, he agreed, but internally, Shin was bewildered by the Instructor''s words. "That being said, I hope that the three of you will meet me here tomorrow at six. I will bring you to choose your cultivation techniques!" ''What?! Morning again? Why do the Frie Clan members hate me so much?!'' "Alright, if there is nothing else, you are dismissed! Enjoy the remainder of the Day of Spirits while it lasts. From tomorrow onwards, you will be busting your ass in training!" "Yes, Sir!" As he finished his task, the Instructor left the training facility and disappeared into the distance. -.- Frie Mountain. Residential Area. Second Elder''s Abode. Meeting Hall. In a chamber not far from the orphan''s abode, an old man dressed in lavish garbs sat quietly atop his chair. Standing in front of him, waiting for his instructions, were his grandson and a number of children ranging from ages ten to twenty. "Children, sorry for calling you here at this hour." "It''s nothing elder!" "Elder, please don''t apologise for something like that!" "Yawn..." Those nearest to the elder promptly responded to the elder''s apology. Linus, however, was tired from all the commotion caused earlier and was yawning continuously. "As you all know, today the dreadful orphan division had three of their members awakening their Spirits. Two of them awakened mutated elemental Spirits while the last one had a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon!" "..." "Day by day, they are getting stronger. Before they only had four Spirit Users but today, they have seven. Additionally, all of them have extraordinary talent. The oldest one has already broken through to become a Spirit Apostle." "..." "Who is to say that they will not one day become strong and overrun the clan?! I will not sit still idly and wait for that day to come! But the upper management of the clan does not share my intentions. They would prefer to feed those who do not share our blood and forgo the ancient wisdom of our ancestors!" "..." "So I will need your help. If I were to act against them directly, not even I could escape punishment. But if someone from the same generation fights them, they would be unable to do anything. Will you join me in driving those demon spawns out of our clan?!" "YES ELDER!" "I knew I could count on all of you. Do me proud. In the next harvest festival, you will carry out my plans. I will call upon you then." "YES ELDER!" A patriotic shout echoed through the meeting hall. "Alright! Dismissed." Waving his hand, the Second Elder dissolved the group and went back to his chair. "Is it truly fine elder? Would this manoeuvre not cause retaliation from the First Elder?" Hiding in the shadows, a voice questioned the Second Elder''s decision. "It is necessary¡­ Even if it incurs the wrath of everyone else in the clan, they will one day understand my intentions." Cryptically answering the shadow, the Second Elder sighed. "If not for the previous Clan Master, why would we have deteriorated to this state?" Chapter 27 The Clan Athenaeum 1 Frie Mountain. Orphan''s lodgings. Boy''s dormitory. Shin was lying listlessly atop his bed. After the Instructors touching speech, the orphans scattered and returned back to their rooms to rest. It was a hectic day after all. They needed to recharge their batteries for the next day. ''What''s so special about you?'' With his Spirit swimming about in his hands, Shin wondered about the uniqueness of this little Koi. Junius and Lily had informed him about what triggering a natural phenomenon meant, and it still baffles Shin that this seemingly harmless Spirit was actually so incredible. *Mmmmm* A low murmur broke Shin out of his deep contemplation. The noise was coming out from the adjacent room. ''What''s that sound?'' Following the direction from where it came from, Shin reached Junius'' room. ''What is he doing at this hour?'' Curious, Shin slowly opened the unlocked door. Junius never had the habit of locking his room. This is so that his juniors could reach him at any time. What greeted Shin was a half-naked, meditating Junius seated unmoving on his bed. In his two hands, was his Azure Water Blade. Additionally, large amounts of spiritual energy were being gathered by the youth causing his aura to spike and producing a low pitch murmur. Junius'' face was at peace and even had a zen feel, however, his entire body was sweating. There was so much perspiration that his bed was drenched. If Shin did not know about Junius'' hardcore training methods, he would have thought that Junius had wet his bed. As if noticing someone had entered the room, the spiritual energy gathered by Junius slowly started to fade and eventually, the youth calmly opened his eyes. "Shin¡­ Why are you here?" Seemingly intoxicated, Junius asked the black-haired youth on the reason he entered his room. "Junius, what are you doing?" "Hmmm? Cultivating of course! In the final hours of the Day of Spirits, I want to cultivate as much as possible. This is the only day of the year that spiritual energy is so abundant. Cultivating right now will garner twice the results with half the effort!" "Wow, you really are hardcore." "Maybe¡­ Anyway, why did you come here so late at night?" "You were making a small disturbance. I was curious at what it was." "Oh, that! Sorry, I didn''t realise it was that loud." "What was that noise?" "Just the process of gathering spiritual energy to refine into mana." "I see..." As Shin finished his questions, he rubbed his nose gently. Seeing that gesture, Junius realised something and asked Shin. "Is something bothering you?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "Haha, don''t try to hide it, whenever you are worried about something, you would rub your nose." "What?! Do I really do that?" "Of course! I have been with you for so many years, do you think I wouldn''t know your habits?" "..." Shin was stunned speechless at how much his elder brother knew him. Junius even understood his personal habits that even he was unaware of. "So what''s bothering you?" Junius asked his younger brother once more. "Ha¡­ It seems that I can''t hide it from you. I am worried about my Spirit." "What do you mean?" "You remember when the Instructor said that he couldn''t help me?" "Yeah?" "I realised that, maybe, my Spirit had no suitable cultivation techniques in the Frie Clan. And if it did, it may not be the best one for me." "I see..." Shin poured out his worries onto the empathetic Junius. This issue had been plaguing him ever since they left the training facility earlier today. "The Instructor said that when I visit the Athenaeum tomorrow, I will understand but..." Nervous that his future prospects seemed bleak, Shin frowned. Junius, on the other hand, had a bright smile and looked at his little brother with happiness. "What are you smiling at?" "Hahaha! It''s nothing! Just seeing my little brother mature has moved me!" "What do you mean?" "The reason why you were brooding over this issue is that you want to become stronger right? It''s a far cry from your earlier disposition of wanting to become a useless bum!" It was true. Shin''s earlier ideas were to try not to become a standout in the clan. If he got more attention, he would be tasked with harder missions. Something he dreaded. But now, he was actively seeking power. "H...hey! That''s not what I meant!" Blushing, Shin tried to shake off Junius'' theory, but it only served to edge on the youth''s playful side. "It''s alright! I''m so touched. Now, Shin will work hard with me." "S...Shut up!!! Damn it, I knew talking to you was a bad idea." Stuttering, Shin turned around to leave the room. However, Junius grabbed his hand and solemnly whispered. "Look, Shin, anyone would have been touched by what the Instructor said earlier. After all, we were just parentless children and the former Clan Master saved us. So we must do the best we can to repay him." Junius accurately guessed the reason for Shin''s change of heart. "But that doesn''t mean that we should all become Spirit Emperors or anything. Each person has their own talents, if you can''t cultivate well, it''s alright. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself! Worse case scenario, I become a Spirit Saint and cover for all of you!" Beaming, the youth declared his stance. ''Hah, worrying seems stupid now...'' With his big brother''s ridiculous words, Shin''s tense heart started to relax. "Hmph! As if you could become a Spirit Saint. There is no way a muscle-brain such as yourself would have a high comprehension ability!" "What did you say?!" "The truth." "Tskk, to think my goodwill was wasted on you!" "Yeah, yeah." "Anyway, you should head to sleep soon. Tomorrow you have to be awake early." "Alright¡­ Good night." "Ah, wait!" As Shin reached the door of his room, Junius called out to him. "Yes?" "Shin, you have to be careful tomorrow." "Why?" "You awakened a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon, the Second Elder already hates the orphan division, but your appearance would make us look more of a threat to him." "..." "Although you would be in the Main Hall, where all forms of fighting are banned, there can be no guarantees. Try not to stray too far from the Instructor!" "Alright! Alright! Damn it, you''re starting to become more and more like Lily." "I''m just concerned for you!" "See?! Right there! Classic Lily comment!" Laughing at how much Junius was starting to resemble the nagger, Shin went to bed. Chapter 28 The Clan Athenaeum 2 Frie Mountain. Orphan''s lodging. Training facility. A day after the highly anticipated Day of Spirits and Spirit Awakening Ceremony. A young boy could be seen lying unmoving on the floorboards of the orphan''s training facility. The black-haired boy seemed dead as a purple-haired girl poked at him with her finger. "Hey, Shin wake up! The Instructor is about to arrive!" Emma tried to wake up Shin who was sound asleep in the middle of the training room. It was currently a few minutes before six, and the Instructor would be arriving at any moment. An hour ago, Junius managed to drag Shin out from his bed and brought him to the meeting area. However, ever since then, Shin had been in a coma. "Ignore him, Emma, let the Instructor deal with him." Another purple-haired girl remarked while seated relaxed in a nearby corner. Her features were the exact duplicate of Emma''s. "Ella! You know that if we let him be, the Instructor will hit him again!" "Come on Emma, it''s not the first time anyway." "But still..." "Just take a break. You''ve been trying to wake him up for the past few minutes to no avail. It''s useless." Emma had been trying to wake the slumbering Shin for a long time now, but he showed no signs of movement. Yesterday''s events had really taken a toll on him, and he was really knocked out now. It took Junius all he had to piggyback the hibernating boy before leaving to commence his morning routine. "Mmmmm..." A low groan came from the bottom of Emma as the twins were lost in their conversation. "Shin! Are you awake now? Quickly get up! The Instructor will be arriving soon." "Arghhhhh... so¡­ sleepy..." Wiggling on the floor like a worm, Shin struggled to get up. "Wow, I wish I could show your current state to everyone else." Ella gleefully sneered at Shin. Somehow managing to sit upright, Shin began to monologue. "I hate this morning tradition so much¡­ Why does everyone love mornings? The human body is supposed to sleep for twelve hours everyday¡­ When I become an elder, the first policy I implement would be that no one is supposed to wake up before ten¡­ Furthermore..." "Oops, looked like we lost him. He should be fantasising right now..." "Yeah, this seems bad." If Shin had one major weakness, it would be waking up. He hated the early mornings that the Frie Clan loved so much. Every single day, they had to wake up extremely early. Although their bedtime was not late, Shin was just not that much of a morning person. *Boom* As Shin was muttering gibberish to himself, a loud bang could be heard at the entrance. A towering man, over two meters tall, walked into the training room. "Ahhh, there you are! Come, its time. Let''s go!" ""Yes, Sir!"" Ella and Emma replied the gigantic man while Shin lay rested on his butt. Thankfully for the boy, the Instructor did not notice that and left the room. "Come on Shin! It''s time to go!" Pulling the lazy bum, Emma tried to drag him out of the room. "Damn it!" Wearily, Shin got to his feet and let the girl tow him out. "Hey, do you think Emma is a cart-horse or something? Walk by yourself!" Cutting the connected hands of the two with a chop, Ella separated Emma from Shin. "I see that the three of you are getting along well." Grinning at their situation, the Instructor commented. "..." Ella and Shin were speechless while Emma was doing her signature giggle. "But we can''t waste too much time. Move quickly, I want to avoid the rush hour. Many children awakened their Spirits yesterday so there will probably be a large number of people visiting the Athenaeum today." Slowly dragging his feet, Shin followed the enthusiastic Instructor towards the Main Hall. -.- Frie Mountain. Frie Clan Main Hall. The Clan Athenaeum. At the edge of the Main Hall, lay a colossal building coated in a silvery white hue. Numerous tall pillars supported the roof that was over a hundred meters above ground. Although it lacked in lavishness compared to the other structures in the main hall, its simplicity made it stand out. Numerous scholars walk in and out this building every day and it was one of the most valued places on Frie Mountain. The Clan Athenaeum. A haven for students and learners. Open to all, members of the Frie Clan are welcomed to browse through the plethora of knowledge stored within the compound. The Clan Athenaeum contained everything. From cultivation techniques to historical records. All information that is required is stored in this very building. The Frie Clan even has a saying. ''When facing a severe threat, the vault matters nought, saving the Athenaeum is paramount.'' The ancestors believed that even if the Frie Clan were down to its last member, it would survive if the Athenaeum was intact. Hence, the security here was quite tight. Firstly, no one, even the Clan Master, was allowed to use their spiritual abilities within the premise. Secondly, many defence arrays and tools were protecting the area. And finally, it is placed in the most secure, hard-to-reach part of Frie Mountain. "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Are we there yet?" Panting heavily was Shin, who was in a coma a couple of minutes ago. Behind him were two adorable young girls who looked exactly alike. They too were panting like dogs. "We''re here! Hey, you guys! Are you really getting tired of that bit of climbing? It looks like when we get back, I would have to double your stamina training." "What?!" "Damn it..." "Ha¡­ Ha..." Shin and Ella exclaimed while Emma was still trying to catch her breath. The trio is by no means weak. Extensive training had caused them to develop to the point where their stamina could easily match the average adult. However, the Athenaeum was truly hard to reach. There were several crevices and bumps that they had to traverse. Simply put, it was terrain that no ordinary human would expect to encounter. "Don''t give me that unwilling look! One day, when you become strong, you would thank me for my patience in training all of you!" "This hateful Instructor..." While they were cursing the muscular man within their heads, their attention was brought to the marvellous building beckoning them from afar. "Wow..." "It''s beautiful!" Enthralled by the allure of the structure, the children stood by in awe. "Hahaha! Pretty isn''t it? Don''t worry, you will get to come back here often." ''What?! Does that mean I must repeat that dreadful route?!'' Thinking of the road, or lack of roads, that led them here. Shin made a silent decision to avoid tasks that require him to come back here regularly. Chapter 29 The Clan Athenaeum 3 After taking a short break, the Instructor led the trio into the dazzling place of learning. Shin and the twins were gasping in wonder as they walked through the vast hallways of the Athenaeum. Everything here was so foreign to them. They were used to seeing opulent structures in the Main Hall, but the serenity and purity of the place made it seem out of this world. Soon, the four individuals reached a counter. The desk was made of ceramic, and one could tell that it had been standing for countless of years. Although it was old, the table was still extremely sturdy as it was able to hold the weight of the numerous books and paper resting on it. Behind the counter, a middle-aged, bespectacled man was busy writing something down and did not realise the arrival of the Shin and the others. "As usual, Favian is busy at work..." The Instructor took one look at the man and began to sigh. Evidently, the Instructor knew this man who was writing furiously. "Hey, Favian! Favian!" Shouting the man''s name, the Instructor placed his hand on the desk. "Woah! Who is calling my name? Ugh, it''s just you huh? What are you doing here so late at night, Lou?" Noticing the Instructor, the man named Favian stopped his task and focused his attention on the man who disturbed him. "Night? It''s already morning! The sun has started to rise!" "What? It''s daybreak already?! Damn it, time sure flies..." "You do know that working overnight is bad for your body?" "What are you, my mom? Here to check on my condition?" "I couldn''t care less!" "Yeah, yeah¡­ State your business and leave. I was kind of in the middle of something." Favian urged the Instructor to quickly conclude the matter he came here for. "Rude as ever I see. Well whatever, you see, I''m here to choose cultivation techniques for these little fellas over here. I need access to the third floor." The Instructor pointed to Shin and the twins as he explained his reason for being in the Athenaeum. "Oh right, yesterday was the Day of Spirits¡­ Hi there, little ones!" Noticing the trio, Favian smiled and started conversing with them. "Is this savage giving you any trouble? I doubt this battle maniac could properly serve as a suitable Instructor." Casually insulting the Instructor, Favian asked the orphans if they had been distressed by him. Shin was actually tempted to nod his head, but he knew that would only cause the Instructor to give him a bump to his head and resisted the urge. "Hey! I''m not here to let you call me names in front of my students! Give me the pass to the third floor!" "Hmph, can''t stand a little discussion huh? Well whatever, here!" Annoyed by the Instructor, the bespectacled man passed over a green-coloured card that had the Frie Clan mark imprinted on it. "Thanks. Also don''t stay here every night for your research! Go home once in a while." "Shut up, Lou!" Leaving the counter, the Instructor brought the trio towards a large pavilion nearby. "Instructor, who is that?" The curious Emma gave the Instructor a quizzical look. It was rare to see the Instructor close to anyone other than the First Elder or the Headmistress. "Oh, that bookworm? He is one of the librarians of the Athenaeum. Although he considers himself as more of a researcher. You will encounter many people like him in here. The scholarly type." "What is your relationship with him. You two seem close..." "Well, we were once fellow students to the same Instructor. Like you guys! But it is strange. Even though we were taught by the same teacher, the paths we took were drastically different..." Reminiscing about his past, the Instructor revealed some facts about his life. "But that''s not important now, what''s vital is that we get you that cultivation technique. Come, we''re going up." The instructor brought them to a circular platform much to the bewilderment of the trio. If they were going up, why were they not heading towards the stairs? Once everyone was on the platform, the Instructor slotted the green-coloured card into one of the pillars that were rising up from the platform. After a few seconds, the floor below the orphans began to rise. "Wha¡­!" "Huh?" "WHAT?!" Feeling that they were leaving the ground, Shin and the twins were shocked into speechlessness. "Hahaha! The look on your faces is gold! I never get tired of this!" Smirking as if he had successfully pulled off a prank, the Instructor explained the situation to the children. "We are on something called an elevator. It brings us to the floor that we are authorised to access. In this case, the third floor. That''s where all the cultivation manuals are. Don''t worry, as long as you stay on the platform, you won''t fall. It''s perfectly safe!" "There is such a thing?" "Woah¡­ Amazing!" "We don''t have to use the stairs?" The children were amazed by the Athenaeum once more. It was indeed as if they had stepped into a foreign land. Their amazement did not last long, however, as they reached their destination in a few moments. "We''re here!" The instructor removed the key from the slot and walked out the open doors of the third floor. Gesturing the kids to follow, he held the door open. Nervously, Shin and the twins walked briskly out of the elevator. They were fearful of falling and therefore, couldn''t wait to leave the strange pavilion behind. "Welcome to the third floor of the Athenaeum!" The Instructor held his hands wide opened as he introduced the venue. The third floor resembled an extensive library. There were multiple bookshelves and an uncountable number of books. Members of the Frie Clan dressed in scholarly robes were also researching or studying on the numerous tables scattered around. "Stay close and don''t bother anyone. Even I wouldn''t want to get into the bad books of some of the individuals here." Giving the kids a light warning, the Instructor brought them to the far end of the level. Here, there was a sign in red that said ''RESTRICTED.'' The bookshelves in this area all had chains on them, and no average person could hope to steal a single book. "Well, this is the cultivation manuals section. Sit at this table and wait for me. I''ll be back in a moment..." The Instructor left the children at a nearby table and entered the restricted zone. Chapter 30 The Clan Athenaeum 4 Fifteen minutes had passed since the Instructor left the trio at the table outside the restricted zone and the orphans were starting to get bored. "What''s taking him so long?" Shin moaned. First, he had to get up early today. Secondly, he had to get through that nasty terrain to enter Athenaeum. And all this was before seven in the morning! Now he had to sit here patiently doing nothing as he waited for the Instructor? He was slightly pissed at the situation. "As much as I hate to agree with Shin, we have undergone so much for a single morning..." Ella complained too. They were bored senseless. "Shhhh¡­ Lower your volumes. Didn''t the Instructor say that we can''t bother anyone?" Emma reminded the two. They were in a library-like place. There were people reading books and researching all around them. It was weird to see so many people with their books this early in the morning, but it was routine for the researchers of the Athenaeum. "Yeah, sorry about that..." Instantly using a softer voice, Shin apologised to Emma. "It''s alright! Anyway, have you guys heard of the harvest festival?" "What of it?" The harvest festival was an annual event the Frie Clan held to celebrate the excellent year of crop harvest. Usually, after the Day of Spirits, food production would slightly increase, and the surplus of crops meant that there would be a feast for everyone. The harvest festival would be held for one week, and on the last day, a grand feast will be conducted. Every year, the orphans would attend the banquet and leave immediately afterwards. Hence, Shin naturally knew of this event. "There is a tradition of the Frie Clan that those who awakened their Spirits must take on a single mission during the harvest festival." "What?!" Still whispering in a soft voice, Shin exclaimed. It was the first time he heard of this. "Yeah! But we are not doing the missions solo of course. We will be placed in groups, and even a Spirit Apostle will accompany us at all times." Ella, who knew about this event, chipped in with her knowledge. "Wait, we will be assigned missions during the harvest festival? What kind of missions?" Exasperated by the revelation, Shin questioned Ella. "It depends. Most of the time, it would be simple clan-issued missions such as collecting herbs, but there are some more difficult ones. Junius actually participated in a beast hunt for his harvest mission." "Really?! He never told me!" "Its probably cause you weren''t listening..." Only half of the words Junius says would actually stay in Shin''s mind. Maybe Junius had mentioned it once in the passing, but Shin would have probably forgotten. "Hold up, hold up! So we will be forced to take missions?" "Don''t think of it as being forced¡­ Take it to be our coming-of-age. One way or another, we will have to take missions in the future. The harvest missions are like the first step to prepare us." "Well said, I agree with the little lass." A voice, other than Shin and the twins, sounded from the next table. An old woman, dressed in a white scholarly robe, stood up from her table and sat on the empty chair beside Shin. "Ermmm, senior?" Neither Shin nor the twins knew this woman. However, heeding the Instructor''s earlier warnings, the orphans were trying to be polite even though the old woman randomly joined their table. "Child, you should learn from your little friend here. Knowledgeable and wise at her age, reminds me of my younger self! Hohohoho..." Apparently, the old lady took a liking to Ella due to her earlier words. "Senior, I''m sorry to say, but we are here with our Instructor¡­ He told us to stay here quietly so he might be upset when he returns and sees you with us." Shin tried to drive the elderly woman away. Although he was okay with talking to her, the Instructor might scold them when he comes back from the restricted zone. "Hohoho¡­ There''s no need to worry Shin. Lou would not dare be upset at me." "Wha¡­ You know me?" Shin was stunned that the old lady knew who he was. "Of course. The orphan whose spirit triggered a natural phenomenon. You are quite famous in the clan now. All the higher-ups know your name." "What?!" Finding out that he became renowned in the clan, Shin gasped in shock. His name must be spread quite a bit if a random person he never met could recognise him. "Hohoho¡­ There''s no need to be that alarmed. Hidden gems are gems nonetheless. Eventually, people will notice their worth and seek to unearth them. Anyway, seeing that you''re here, you must be finding a suitable cultivation technique!" The old woman guessed their reason for entering the Athenaeum. "Ermmm¡­ That''s right." Still wary of the woman, Shin decided that it was better to just humour her. "Hmmm, alright then. Release your Spirits and let me see. I will help you judge the best cultivation technique for you!" """Huh?!""" The three orphans nearly raised their voices in the silent third floor when they heard what the old lady wanted them to do. "But, senior. Isn''t summoning our Spirits in the Athenaeum banned?" Ella, who had a favourable impression of the old woman, asked. "No, usage of spiritual abilities is not allowed. Releasing your Spirits for a short amount of time is fine." The old lady replied the confused Ella. "But, our Instructor had already gone in to search for cultivation techniques that are suitable for us..." Emma timidly claimed. She was still fearful of the Instructor''s previous words that the people here were not to be crossed. "Hohoho¡­ Looks like Lou holds an esteemed position in your hearts. Don''t worry about it. Lou will understand." "..." Unsure of what else to say, the trio remained silent. The old woman was adamant in looking at their Spirits. "Come on, hurry up..." Gently urging the kids, the woman gave a bright smile. "Okay, then senior, then Emma and I will release our Spirits first." Giving up, Ella agreed to the old lady''s demands. "Ella!" Emma nudged her twin sister and gave her a ''what are you doing'' look. She feared that when the Instructor comes back, he will provide them with a harsh reprimand. "It''s okay Emma. Let''s get this over with." Emma felt an indescribable sense of comfort when talking to the old lady. She felt like they were peas from the same pod. Maybe it was due to the woman''s earlier compliment or some other reason, but Emma felt that she could trust this stranger that she just met. "Fine..." Reluctantly, Emma followed her sister''s lead and gathered up spiritual energy. The next moment, two beautiful Ice Bows appeared in the twin''s hands. The frosty aura being emitted out gradually lowered the surrounding temperature by a few degrees. "Hmmm..." Looking at the two Spirits, the old woman fell deep in thought. Occasionally, she would raise her hands to touch the Spirits and fall back into her thinking state. "What is she doing?" "You ask me?" Emma and Ella were also dumbfounded by the senior''s current state. However, after inspecting the Spirits for a minute, the old woman snapped out of her contemplative state. "Looking at the Spirits, I assume that Lou recommended you two to cultivate a water bow spirit cultivation technique and in the future, adapt it into something that better suits your Spirits am I right?" Accurately pointing out the Instructor''s plan, the old woman stared at the twins. "Ah¡­ Impressive, senior. That is precisely what the Instructor has told us." "Hmph! What an amateur!" Snorting in derision at the Instructors proposed arrangement, the elderly woman started to scold the muscular man. "Two mutated elemental spirits and he suggests the most basic option? That is just a waste of their talents! There is obviously a much better alternative, and he chooses the simplest one? Looks like he needs a refresher course on cultivation techniques!" Shocked by her outburst, the orphans started to slowly back away from the old woman. The Ice Bows that the twins summoned disappeared as the three of them tried to make their escape. "When Lou comes back, I''ll make sure I set things right! Hey, where are you guys going? I still need to see your Spirit, Shin!" But that was not possible. The old lady noticed them trying to run and locked on to the black-haired youth. ''Damn it! Why must I run into so many problems this early in the morning.'' Usually, Shin would be just waking up at this time. But he had endured an entire week of problems jammed into a few hours. ''Whatever¡­ Let''s just do as she says...'' Helpless, Shin gathered spiritual energy and summoned his cute little cerulean Koi Spirit. ''Hoho¡­ It truly is The Sovereign Koi...'' As the saying goes, seeing is believing. In the council meeting held in the debate room yesterday, the Clan Master said that Shin had awakened The Sovereign Koi. She was even backed up by the Shrine Maiden and the two high elders. However, even though the old woman was present in that chambers, she still held a certain degree of scepticism. ''For The Sovereign Koi, there is only that legendary cultivation technique¡­ Question is if the council will allow me to pass it on to this child¡­ Argh! To hell with it! I''m not particularly known for obeying orders¡­ You had better thank me, Edward!'' "Hey, you kids, what did I say about..." Just as Shin released his Spirit, the Instructor left the restricted area with two manuals in hand. Noticing that the trio was talking to someone else and even released their Spirits, he stormed in their direction ready to give them an earful. "What are you about to say? Lou?" The old woman, however, glared viciously at the Instructor. As if he was ruining her fun. "..." "..." The two stared at each other until eventually... "MOM?!" Chapter 31 Eminence of the Lake 1 ''Mom?!'' The three kids thought in their heads. They could not see the resemblance between the two. The instructor is a two-meter tall monstrosity while the old lady has a petite figure. "Lou, it seems that you have forgotten your training! How could you recommend a water bow cultivation technique to the twins?" Infuriated by the decision her son made, the old woman chided him. "Mom, what are you doing here? Can you really be wandering around the third floor?" Unwilling to start an argument with his mother in front of his students, the Instructor hastily tried to change the subject. "Hmph, there''s nothing I cannot do in the Athenaeum! I''ve heard some interesting news recently and came to see it for myself." At this time, her eyes moved towards Shin. "And it seems like coming here was the right choice..." "..." Understanding the reason why his mother came to the third floor this early in the morning, the Instructor sighed helplessly. "Okay mom, I can handle my students. You should go upstairs before your subordinates find you missing." "Lou, you''re getting quite brazen these days, did you not hear me before? The cultivation techniques that you are about to impart on these children are not up to par. Let me choose their cultivation techniques." "Mom! It''s inappropriate for someone to coach another''s students!" "Hah?!?!" "Hiiii..." The Instructor squealed when the old woman glared viciously at him. Even the emperor has to bow to the empress dowager. A child would always fear their mother. Shin and the twins were gobsmacked with how the Instructor was behaving in front of the woman in front of him. He is twice her size, but now he was slowly backpedalling to safety. "Lou, have you forgotten what I do? As Chief Librarian, there is no one more well-versed in cultivation techniques than I am. You should be thankful that I am helping your students." "But..." "Enough! Go play in the corner or something, I''m busy here." "..." Dismissing the Instructor, the Chief Librarian proceeded to devote her attention to the orphans. The trio finally got a demonstration of the phrase there is always a mountain higher. The Instructor that had tortured them with numerous drills was put in his place by this feeble old woman standing next to them. "Come here, little girls." The Chief Librarian smiled and beckoned the twins. Her poise was much different the earlier stern attitude she used against her son. "Mutated elemental Spirits... Bow Spirits... Twins¡­ Hohoho, isn''t that the perfect fit?" "Huh?" "Hoho, little girls, I know the perfect cultivation technique for you two. In fact, it might have been tailor-made for your two!" "Really?!" "Is that true senior?!" Ella and Emma could not hide their excitement. Anything the Chief Librarian, who had decades of experience with cultivation techniques, recommended must be right. "Of course! It''s called the Crystal Toxotai Mantra!" The Chief Librarian exclaimed with great enthusiasm. However, the twins were unable to understand why the old woman was so excited. "Ermmm senior, what is that?" "Oh, of course, you wouldn''t know it. Silly me!" The old woman seemed to have forgotten that she was talking to young children, who had no research experience. Before she began her explanation though, she had to do one thing¡­ "Lou, go to the cultivation manual section K24 and pick up the Crystal Toxotai Mantra. Its silver-coloured so you won''t miss it." The Chief Librarian made the Instructor her courier. "Mom, I do not work for you! I''m an Instructor now!" "Okay. Would you hurry up? I''m actually quite busy, so I must settle their cultivations quickly." "..." Being relegated to the side, the Instructor could only obediently follow his mother''s instructions. "Now, where were we? Yeah, I was just about to explain the Crystal Toxotai Mantra!" "..." The orphans were speechless. Where did their dignified Instructor disappear to? "Thousands of years ago, there was once a unit of Spirit Archers. Their arrows pierced through armours like they weren''t there and they could shoot airborne birds from miles away. But even with their expertise, they were unable to beat the dominant Spirit Sword Users." "The kingdom''s Spirit Archers were undoubtedly strong, but when it comes to dividing resources, the king will choose the Spirit Swordsmen over the Archers. He believed that the Spirit Archers were a less valuable asset. So the Swordsmen prospered while the Archers languished." "Feeling the unjustness of the situation, the captain of the Spirit Archer unit trained with a vengeance of proving the king wrong. He rallied his unit, and they experimented with multiple techniques to improve their strength without regard for their cultivations. They trained tirelessly for many moons without taking a single break. Eventually, they developed a mantra that was best suited for them." "Every single one of the members of the unit practised the new mantra. The captain, the sub-captain up till the lowest ranked member of the unit abandoned their previous cultivation techniques in favour of the new one. It was a tremendous risk. If the newly developed technique failed, they would have wasted countless of years of their cultivations. Not to mention, the technique they developed had never been tested before. No one truly knew if it was truly safe." "Nonetheless, the Spirit Archer unit believed in the genius of their captain and followed through. Their mantra focused on the unity of the Spirit Users so having compatible Spirits was paramount. Thankfully, the unit managed to successfully cultivate the new technique and their strength drastically improved." "With a single-minded drive, the unit charged into battle for the kingdom securing victory after victory. However, the true test came when the unit had to face a thousand man strong battalion in the open fields alone. Everyone thought that they were going to perish. But that was when the strength of the mantra truly began to shine." "The defensive attributes of the cultivation technique allowed the Spirit Archers to take a substantial amount of damage. And through the focus of unity, the unit was able to enhance their own spiritual abilities. In the end, the battle was won with the Spirit Archer unit crushing their opponents with next to no casualties." "Proven wrong, the king had no choice but to promote the members of the unit and to provide the best resources the kingdom had to the heroes." As the Chief Librarian was finishing her story, a muscular man walked out of the cultivation manual area with a silver-coloured book in hand. But the trio did not notice their Instructor''s return. "The cultivation technique that they came out with is precisely the Crystal Toxotai Mantra! Its focus on unity is the best reason why the two of you should cultivate it. Being sisters, furthermore twins, who have awakened the same Spirit, your Spirit compatibility will be off the charts. Additionally, your ice attribute coincides greatly with the crystal aspect of this mantra! If this isn''t the cultivation technique for you, I don''t know what is!" Seeing that her son had arrived with the item she requested, the Chief Librarian snatched the manual from his hands and brought it to the twins. "Here! Study it carefully." With a warm smile, she led the twins towards a nearby table and gently instructed them. Chapter 32 Eminence of the Lake 2 "Now that they are settled, it''s your turn, Shin." The Chief Librarian taught the twins the fundamentals of how to read the cultivation manual before turning to the black-haired youth. However, before she could begin talking, the Instructor started whispering into her ear. "Mom, the First Elder has made the decision on Shin''s cultivation technique. Please do not interfere. As you know, his situation is kind of precarious." "Hmph, I know it better than you. So I advise that you keep quiet on the matter. I have my own plans." "What do you mean?" "There is only one cultivation method for the boy..." "Mom!" Understanding her intentions, the Instructor exclaimed. "If you let Shin cultivate that technique, the council will not be pleased." "Lou, The Sovereign Koi deserves that cultivation technique. Anything else is just a waste of its potential. I will personally explain my actions to everyone. Haish¡­ It seems that there will be an emergency meeting again once Ash hears of this..." "..." The Instructor knew that his mom''s mind was set and decided not to challenge her. After all, Shin cultivating that technique will only serve to benefit him. "Why do so much for Shin?" "Let''s say I have taken a liking to that kid." A bitter smile appeared on the face of the old woman. Her eyes were hiding a deep pain that could not be voiced. Meanwhile, Shin was confused at the current state of events. The Chief Librarian was about to impart a cultivation technique to him but was abruptly stopped by the Instructor. The two had begun whispering at a volume that he was unable to hear making him feel left out. "Is something wrong senior?" Shin was unable to tolerate the wait and asked the Chief Librarian. "Hoho, nothing child. I was just reprimanding Lou on his short-sightedness!" Laughing, the Chief Librarian gave Shin a succinct reply. "..." Only the Instructor truly understood the considerable undertaking his mother was willing to take. Her decision today is great for increasing the strength First Elder and his division, but it will further fracture the relationship between the two high elders. Mainly, the Chief Librarian has chosen her side in the internal battle that was coming. "Shin, do you know what your Spirit is?" "Hmmm? Isn''t it just a cerulean Koi?" Baffled by the question, Shin answered the old lady by describing the colour of his Spirit. "Hoho, from the looks of it, you don''t really think much of your Spirit..." "Is it something special?" "How could an ordinary Spirit trigger a natural phenomenon?! Your Spirit is beyond special Shin, its extraordinary!" "Really?" "You''re young and ignorant, so you wouldn''t know, but your Spirit is a noble one amongst water elemental Spirits." "What do you mean, senior?" "Hoho, that cute little fish of yours is one of the Eight Scions of Water." Revealing the famous nicknames of Shin''s Spirit, the Chief Librarian started to explain in detail the origins of the boy''s Spirit. "Over a million years ago, humans were just beginning to contract with Spirits. The first Spirit User made a pact with an earth elemental Spirit. Others started following in his footsteps and similarly contracted earth elemental Spirits. Some, on the other hand, wanted something different. Earth elements were all around them thus making contracts with those Spirits easy. However, many ventured out in search of new elemental Spirits. Some ancestors visited active volcanoes to contract fire elemental Spirits and some approached whirlwinds to contract with wind elemental Spirits, but no one had ever made a pact with water elemental Spirits." "Humans are not aquatic creatures. Hence, it was almost impossible for a mere mortal to contract with a water elemental Spirit. But one day, a woman attempted to overcome the odds. She stranded herself on a raft and sailed into the horizon with no goal in sight. Her only option to survive was to contract with a water elemental Spirit." "Though, it was easier said than done. She was drifting for thirty days with no progress. The only way she survived was through the occasional fish that swam past her raft and the salty taste of ocean water. Eventually, she started hearing voices." "The voices asked her: Why go so far? Don''t you regret coming out to the ocean? You could have chosen the easy way and contracted an earth Spirit." "Convinced that they were just hallucinations, the woman only replied with one sentence. ''The ocean is so pretty.'' Her maniacal obsession with the oceans drove her to only contract with a water elemental Spirit. In the end, when she felt that her life was about to end, she smiled and lay motionless on the raft, delighted that even at her final moments, the woman would be surrounded by the object she held most dear to her heart." "But at that moment, a colossal beast rose from the oceans. Its appearance shook the heavens and caused tsunamis that could be felt miles away. The beast had an azure serpentine body and jaws that could easily crush mountains. The woman was greeted by one of the most primordial Beast that has ever existed, The Celestial Dragon." "Moved by her love for the oceans, The Celestial Dragon saved her last flicker of life from fading by helping her contract with the spiritual form of itself. That was how the first water elemental Spirit User came to be. When she got back to land, she became unparalleled and dominated the ancient world." "Unfortunately, she never did become a Spirit Immortal, but she did leave behind eight remarkable children, each awakening different water elemental Spirits." "Monarch of the Oceans, The Colossal Leviathan Champion of the Swamp, The Divine King Serpent Terror of the Seas, The Abominable Cthulhu Majesty of the Rivers, The Seven-Headed Hydra Beauty of the Arctic, The Enigmatic Narwhal Devourer of Tides, The Obsidian Xuanwu Emperor of the Lagoon, The Heavenly Sturgeon Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi Each Spirit was given a title. Collectively, these Spirits are called the Eight Scions of Water." Finally understanding how unique his Spirit really was, Shin gasped in amazement. It turns out that the inconspicuous Spirit he thought was worthless had such a backstory. "Although the woman''s children had awakened drastically different Spirits, they all cultivated the same mantra..." At this point, the old woman who had narrated the story to Shin began to smile brightly. "It''s called the Celestial Water Mantra." Chapter 33 Eminence of the Lake 3 "The Celestial Water Mantra is the oldest water elemental technique known to man. The progenitor of all water Spirits, The Celestial Dragon imparted this technique to the woman. She then transmitted the technique to her children. In this world, only nine Spirits can successfully cultivate that legendary mantra. The Celestial Dragon and the Eight Scions of Water." The Chief Librarian walked towards the adjacent table and grabbed the golden box lying there. Knowing that Shin was coming, she had long retrieved the book that lay deep inside the depths of the Athenaeum. The Celestial Water Mantra is one of the most secured manuals in the Frie Clan. It was not even placed in the restricted zone of the third floor. "Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi. That is your Spirit. One of the Eight Scions of Water, it is a mythical Spirit rarely seen in the Himmel Empire. The moment you awakened this Spirit Shin, you have sealed your destiny. The only true cultivation technique that you can practice, is the Celestial Water Mantra." Saying that the Chief Librarian handed the box over to Shin. "Train well child¡­ Once you master your Spirit, you will become a valuable asset to the Frie Clan." "Senior¡­ Thank you..." Seeing that the old woman in front of him was so helpful to him, Shin felt grateful. In fact, right now he recalled everything members of the Frie Clan did for him. From the previous Clan Master who had saved them from their parentless lives to the First Elder, who guided him every step of the way. Shin felt genuinely indebted to the Frie Clan. Mentally, he swore to become stronger for the Clan''s sake. "Hoho seems like my efforts will not go to waste." Before, when the Chief Librarian saw Shin, she was unsure of whether passing on the Celestial Water Mantra to the boy was a good idea. But now, seeing the determination and gratitude in Shin''s eyes, the old woman affirmed that her choice was the correct one. "Now try to memorise as much as you can today. You can use any of the tables on the third floor for your studies. The manuals can never leave the Athenaeum. So anytime you wish to read the manual, you can find me here." Hearing that, Shin despaired as he recollected the arduous route he had to take to reach the Athenaeum. Realising that every time he wanted to learn the Celestial Water Mantra he had to repeat the painful climb back here, Shin''s face blackened. "Hohoho, just treat it as training child. The path to the Athenaeum is undoubtedly hard, but there is always a price for learning." "..." Unwilling to agree with the Chief Librarian, Shin remained silent. "Hoho, since I have finished what I came to do, I should return before some meddlesome juniors of mine come looking for me. Lou, you had better train them well!" "Hmph! There''s no need for you to tell me that! Shin, Ella and Emma are my students. Needless to say, I will give them the best treatment!" The Instructor solemnly responded to his mom''s warning. "Hahahaha! Now that''s my boy!" Satisfied with her son''s words, the Chief Librarian headed towards the lift and disappeared to a higher floor. "Instructor, is that senior truly your mother?" Now that the old woman had left, Shin asked the Instructor. It was inappropriate to ask such a question before, but now that only the Instructor remained, Shin, inquired. "Unfortunately, yes. She is currently serving as Chief Librarian of the Athenaeum, the highest position in this place. Even the Clan Master would not have much control over her if it concerns the Athenaeum." All decisions about the Athenaeum were handled by the scholars and librarians who frequented the place. The regular members of the Frie Clan had very little influence over what happens in the Athenaeum. It''s as if this sanctum of learning is its own governing body. No matter what happens to the Frie Clan, the Athenaeum must live on. Hence, having the Chief Librarian openly support the First Elder by providing the Celestial Water Mantra to Shin is a much bigger deal than it seems. "Okay, enough about her, we should start reading the cultivation technique she handed you." Pointing towards the golden box in Shin''s hands, the Instructor suggested that Shin should start studying. "Fine¡­" The golden box was reasonably easy to open. All Shin had to do was remove the clips and lift the lid. An azure coloured book lay in the box. Heavy foxing could be observed as the paper had started browning and showed signs of stain spots. Evidently, the manual was extremely old and even delicate preservation methods could not stop it from ageing. "Is this the original book?!" Thinking that the manual in the golden box was the original copy of the Celestial Water Mantra due to its age, Shin questioned the Instructor. "Of course not! Virtually every writing that records the Celestial Water Mantra is a copy. The original manual has long decayed out of existence. There is no way a book can last for over a million years." Laughing at Shin''s preposterous query, the Instructor replied. "So why is the manual here so old?" "The majority of them are like that. The only organisation that prints issues of the Celestial Water Mantra is the Lantis Republic in the east and they usually sell it once every century. Adding to the fact that there are only nine Spirits that can cultivate this technique, it is a miracle that the Frie Clan even had a copy." "Oh..." "Well, once you''re done with your questions, it''s time to begin studying, I will assist you along the way. Look, Ella and Emma are already pulling far ahead." While Shin was listening attentively to the Chief Librarian''s lecture, the twins were busy learning their cultivation technique. They were already beginning to memorise the fundamentals. "Now Shin, listen carefully. The Celestial Water Mantra teaches you in four key areas. Gathering of spiritual energy, converting that spiritual energy into mana, using mana to cultivate your Spirit and utilising your Spirit. These four steps seem simple, but there is ancient wisdom in the texts. If you are unable to understand something while reading the manual, feel free to voice your doubts. Also, there is no rush. You can always come back another day." "Fine, I get it..." Hours go by as Shin, and the twins started studying their cultivation manuals. Many other ten-year-olds who had awakened their Spirits yesterday came later in the day to find cultivation techniques suited for them. Ariel and Tobias came an hour after the Chief Librarian left while children from the Second Elder''s division arrived fifteen minutes after them. Noticing the orphans, the children sneered but did not dare make a scene in the Athenaeum. Their Instructors, on the other hand, were wide-eyed when they saw the manual that Shin was reading. One of them hastily retreated, presumingly to tell the news to the Second Elder. Meanwhile, Ariel''s Instructor picked out the perfect cultivation technique for her. What truly infuriated Shin was the name of the technique that Ariel was going to cultivate. The Annihilation Hammer Mantra. A cultivation technique that focuses on preparing the Spirit User for the decimation of their enemy. It looks like Shin must not only become strong for the sake of the Frie Clan, but also for his own well-being... Chapter 34 The Harvest Festival 1 Night arrived rather quickly for the children learning their cultivation techniques. Shin only managed to memorise the first three chapters of the Celestial Water Mantra before the Instructor started to collect the manuals from them. "It''s time to return. The Athenaeum is only open to the public until sunset. Only scholars and librarians can stay here after dusk." "But I''m not even halfway done!" "Then come here another day! I have to return these manuals now." The Instructor walked away with the two manuals in hand and disappeared from the orphan''s sights. "Damn it! I don''t want to come here every time I want to study my cultivation technique!" "Too bad, Shin. Who told you to be a slow learner?" "Hmph! I doubt you have memorised the entire book, Ella!" "Not quite, but we are halfway there. I''d reckon Emma, and I would need only two more trips here to sufficiently cultivate the Crystal Toxotai Mantra on our own!" "What?! You guys are that quick?" "Of course! We aren''t unlearned like you. Anyway, why did it take you so long to read only three chapters? We were here for half a day!" "What do you know?! The text in the scripture is so cryptic, and I couldn''t understand even half of it! Nearly every page, I needed to turn to the Instructor for help!" The Celestial Water Mantra is one of the oldest cultivation techniques existing. It has been translated many times from ancient languages to modern ones. Hence, there were many words in the manual that was entirely foreign to Shin. Adding to the fact that Shin is not an avid reader, it took him a long time to even complete a single chapter. "Hehehe, it''s alright Shin! Even if you take more time to memorise your cultivation manual, I will accompany you here!" Giggling, Emma tried to cheer Shin up by offering her companionship. "Emma! You''re too kind to Shin again!" "But Ella, even if we memorised the entire book, we would still have to return frequently to revise on what we have learnt!" "That''s true..." "See! We can all now become study buddies!" Trying to convince her sister to join her, Emma cheeringly said. "Okay kids, it''s time to go!" Coming out of the restricted zone, the Instructor beckoned the trio to follow him as he moved towards the lift. -.- "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ I don''t want to take that road again." Reaching his room, Shin collapsed on his bed while panting heavily. The exhausting path back from the Athenaeum reaffirmed Shin''s desire to double his efforts to memorise the Celestial Water Mantra so that he does not need to repeat that route. "Oh, Shin! You''re back! How was the trip to the Athenaeum? Did you manage to find a suitable cultivation technique?" Noticing that his brother had returned, Junius entered Shin''s room to ask about his experience. "The trip was tiresome! Damn it, why is the Athenaeum at such a hard to reach place?!" "Ah, I knew you would complain about that. Just treat it as morning training! It''s a beautiful place after all!" "Talking to you is useless!" "Hahaha! Don''t be that way! So, did you get a good cultivation technique?" Shin felt hopeless when it came to discussing his worries with this elder brother of his. Junius loved the trip to the Athenaeum as it served as a good exercise routine. "Well, sort of¡­ The Chief Librarian picked out one for me." "What?! You''ve met the Chief Librarian?!" Shocked at the revelation, Junius shouted. "Yeah, did you know that the Chief Librarian is the Instructor''s mother?" "No way?!" "I was shocked when I first found out too! She was way smaller than that behemoth, and yet they were related!" "But why did the Chief Librarian choose a cultivation technique for you?" Confused about the reason why one of the highest executives of the clan personally chose a cultivation technique for a little junior, Junius asked Shin. "Perhaps, it was due to how special my Spirit is?" "What do you mean?" "It goes like this..." Asking for clarification, Junius made Shin recount the entire story he had heard about the Eight Scions of Water to him. Shin left out no details in his explanation. The origin of his Spirit to how it can only cultivate the Celestial Water Mantra. "I see..." After hearing the entire tale, Junius placed his left hand on his chin and started to think. "Is something wrong?" "Shin¡­ If what you have told me is true, it means that your Spirit will become exceedingly powerful. You might become one of the strongest members of the Frie Clan!" "Thanks for the pressure..." "No! You don''t see the point! If your Spirit is as amazing as the Chief Librarian said it to be, you will become the primary target of the Second Elder! The Second Elder absolutely abhors the orphans and do not wish to see us grow strong. With you awakening The Sovereign Koi, he will zone in his hatred onto you!" "What?!" "And here lies the true problem¡­ Inside of Frie Mountain, no matter how much he detests us, there is no way he could directly attack us with so many watchful eyes. But in less than a week, you will be participating in a harvest mission where you will be leaving the mountain..." With Junius connecting the dots, Shin started to realise the peril he might be in. The harvest festival was commencing in a few days. During the event, children who had just awakened their Spirits would be assigned missions to complete. The harvest missions were to let the youths leave the premises of the clan to gain experience. For the most part, the harvest missions were simplistic and easy to accomplish. However, since the children were leaving the jurisdiction of the Frie Clan, there was a certain amount of danger involved. If the Second Elder was dead-set on harming Shin, the harvest festival was the perfect opportunity to strike. "What should I do, Junius?" Fearing for his life, Shin asked his older brother in distress. "Don''t worry. If I can think of it, I''m sure the First Elder can too. But just to be certain, I will request that I be the Spirit Apostle attached to your group." Assuring his little brother, Junius pat Shin''s head to calm him down. Usually, Shin was not so docile, but he had just received the fright of his life. After all, he was still only ten-years-old¡­ "Haha, isn''t this great? Caressing your head made me feel nostalgic. Remember the days when you were afraid of lightning and snuck into my bed?" "That was a long time ago!" "Ah! I have an idea! Why don''t I sing you a lullaby? Like the good old days?" "Sh...shut up! Just leave my room! I need to sleep!" Furiously stomping his feet, Shin pushed Junius'' hand away and directed him to the door. Junius chuckled as he walked out of his little brother''s room. Shin''s face was as red as a tomato while he was driving Junius out. ''Haish¡­ Although I''m happy Shin awakened an amazing Spirit, it will only cause more trouble for the rest of us¡­ Whatever, I must ensure that none of my cute little siblings gets hurt...'' Making a mental oath, Junius hardened his heart to become stronger no matter the cost so that he can protect his juniors. Chapter 35 The Harvest Festival 2 The next few days before the harvest festival were rather mundane. Shin and the twins visited the Athenaeum every day to learn their cultivation techniques while the other orphans continued on with their training. Junius had been pestering the First Elder to ensure that he supervised Shin during his harvest mission and the old man finally relented. Realising that there was a potential threat when sending Shin out of Frie Mountain, the First Elder planned to have the black-haired youth secretly protected by a loyal member of his division. Given the state that the Second Elder was in, who knows what could happen. Speaking of the Second Elder, once he found out that the Celestial Water Mantra was handed down to Shin, he barged into the Clan Master''s office demanding an explanation on why the issue was not discussed. Sparing the child''s life was one thing, but actively trying to strengthen Shin without consulting the council was something he could not ignore. The Chief Librarian was summoned to account for her actions. After five gruelling hours of interrogation, it was found that everything she did was for the interest of the Frie Clan and she was punished leniently by revoking her seat in the council for three months. Although the Second Elder was unsatisfied with the result, all he could only swallow his grievances. The issue had just aggravated the divide in the clan. Unaware of the impact he had caused since awakening his Spirit on the Day of Spirits, Shin was still anxiously preparing himself for the harvest mission. Reading the Celestial Water Mantra fervently, Shin was trying to soak in as much knowledge as he possibly could. After hearing Junius'' ominous premonition, Shin felt the need to become stronger quickly to sufficiently protect himself. But time waits for no one. The day Shin dreaded has finally arrived¡­ "Shin, wake up! Today is the first day of the harvest festival! You need to be in the Main Hall to accept your mission!" "A...ahhhh! Junius, I''m not feeling very well today¡­ Could you help me tell everyone that I will be staying in bed for the duration of the harvest festival?" "Get up, Shin! Your miserable excuse won''t work!" "Come on! Just help me this time! I don''t want to attend the harvest missions!" Shin complained to his elder brother. "Although I understand where you are coming from, no child has ever skipped a harvest mission! Do you really want to be the first?" "That sounds great! So help me tell the First Elder that, alright?" "Shin! That''s not how it works. Didn''t we go through this before? You will be completely safe! The First Elder is putting you in a four-man group that will be led by me! And everyone in the party will be people you trust!" "What?! Trust? There''s no way I''m taking a mission with Ariel and Ella! Both of them will torture me to death before the Second Elder gets to me!" The harvest mission requires that the children form into groups. A Spirit Apostle would be assigned to each group, and the children were free to choose who would be in their parties. However, seeing that the Second Elder could potentially harm Shin, the First Elder brought matters into his own hands. He first formed a four-man cell consisting of Shin, Ariel, Ella and Emma. Next, he assigned Junius to be their Spirit Apostle chaperone even though the boy had no experience in leading a party. This was because the First Elder was entirely sure that Ariel, the twins and Junius would never harm Shin. The First Elder also assigned a Rank 50 Spirit Lord to shadow their every movement and protect them from any harm. Of course, it was done behind their backs. After all, the purpose of the harvest mission is for children to experience the world outside of the Frie Clan. If they knew that they would be protected, it would not serve as much of a training. "Shin! If you don''t leave your bed, the headmistress would personally come and wake you up!" "Huh?!" "The First Elder expected that you would react this way and instructed the headmistress to come here if you are not in the Main Hall by eight. Do you really want her to come here?!" "Damn it¡­ Why did that old geezer do something like that?!" "So hurry up! Even I don''t want to see her inside our rooms..." Junius shivered as he imagined the headmistress entering the dormitory of the two. The woman was a germaphobe and detested filthy areas. Shin and Junius have many good qualities but being neat and tidy was not one of them. If the headmistress entered their rooms and saw the mess it was in, her shrieks would be so deafening that even people on the other side of the mountain would hear her. "Fine..." Giving up on his earlier plan of pretending to be sick, Shin got out of bed and started to change. "Junius, what kind of harvest missions are there?" While changing into his standard training gear, Shin asked the youth standing nearby. "There are many. The most common of which being going down the mountain to collect herbs for the Clan. It seems like a simple task, but most of the herbs are found in the forest nearby. Inside the woodlands is home to numerous beasts that could easily kill a Spirit Practitioner such as yourself. So the purpose of the trip down the mountain is to expose you to the possible dangers outside of the Frie Clan." "Sounds kind of sadistic to send children to such a dangerous place for experience..." "Haha! There''s no need to be that alarmed. The population of beasts in the forest is heavily controlled by members of the Frie Clan. Any beasts that are as strong as Spirit Apostles would have been driven deeper into the forest. The harvest missions only require you to scan the outskirts of the place." "So that''s why Spirit Apostles have to be assigned to each team..." Shin realised the reason why Junius had to accompany them. "Yeap! The enemies we might face will be easily defeated by me. All you need to do is to focus on your mission." Finished changing, Shin left the dormitory with Junius and headed towards the orphan training facility to rendezvous with the twins. "Oh yeah, Ella told me that for your harvest mission, you had to take down a beast?" Recalling the conversation he had with Ella, Shin questioned Junius on the rumour he heard. "Ah, that isn''t really considered a beast hunt¡­ My harvest mission was to help find a missing object in the mine at the foot of the mountain. Unfortunately, while tracing the item, we met a beast. It turned out the article that we were finding for was a shiny gold tooth one of the Frie Clan members had misplaced when exploring the mine. Hehe, guess what happened to the tooth..." Grinning, Junius urged Shin to speculate the fate of the missing golden tooth. "The beast you''ve met took it?" "HA HA! Not only did it take it, but that monkey beast also shoved the tooth up his ass like a plug! HAHAHA! Oh my god! You should have seen the look on the guy''s face when he saw his prized possession lodged in a monkey''s rectum! My God! I can''t..." Wheezing while laughing hysterically, Junius placed both his hands on his abdomen to attempt to stop his laughter. But the more he remembered of that day, the more he laughed. "Pfftt¡­." Even Shin could not help snickering. "So what happened next?" Curious about how the story progressed, Shin pressed Junius to complete his tale. "Hahaha! The Spirit Apostles that were assigned to us took care of the beast. It was a hard fight though, it took the collective effort of three Spirit Apostles to finally defeat the monkey..." "So you didn''t do anything during the mission?" "Well, it was an unexpected turn of events. Too unexpected if I must say so myself." Wiping his tears, Junius composed himself. "Hopefully we would be assigned a simple mission like yours..." "There''s no need to fret! Harvest missions are usually immensely straightforward. Irregularities such as my first harvest mission are rare. The upper management just wants the ten-year-olds to experience what it''s like outside." While the two were cheerfully discussing the harvest mission, they reached their destination. Chapter 36 The Harvest Festival 3 When Shin and Junius entered the training facility, they saw Lily training four kids that were younger than ten. One of them was the overly attached Max, who followed Lily wherever she went. Other than Max, there were two girls and one boy. There are eleven members of the orphan division. Firstly, the oldest of them all, Junius. The ''mother'' of the group, Lily. The hot-blooded youth, Ryner. The kind and gentle older sister, Lia. The cute tomboyish purple haired duo, Ella and Emma. The lazy black-haired boy, Shin. The boy whose blue hair was cut in the shape of a bowl, Max. Similar in age with Max were the two girls. The first girl had cornflower blue hair that flowed to her waist, making her the orphan with the longest hair. Fionn is a skilled fighter who frequently trains with the twins as she lives in the same dormitory as them. Although she was not as strong as Ella, she was not one to be underestimated. On the other hand, the other girl who had her sapphire coloured hair tied into a ponytail had a meek and gentle demeanour. Elyse was influenced heavily by her roommate, Lia, and turned out to be somewhat passive. Finally, there was the youngest member of the orphans. His viridian hair was combed entirely to his side as he stood emotionless while watching the demonstration Lily was giving. Jacob stayed with Ryner and learned his brooding ways. Fortunately, he was not as impulsive as Ryner, and would never openly pick a fight. Not yet at least¡­ Junius, Lily, Ryner, Lia, Ella, Emma, Shin, Max, Fionn, Elyse and Jacob. These eleven are the first ever batch of orphans the Frie Clan had ever accepted into their ranks. The previous Clan Master looked for children who showed proficiency for water elemental Spirits and brought them back nurture them into a pillar of the Frie Clan. And he was right. The orphans that underwent the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony were able to summon tremendously gifted Spirits. Even the kids that have yet to awaken their Spirits are talented in their own ways. "Oh, Junius! Shin! You''re here." Noticing the duo as they walked into the training facility, Lily called out to them. "Lily, seems like you are hard at work training the juniors." "Of course! Today is the start of the harvest festival so the Instructor won''t be present. Someone has to guide them so might as well be me!" Lily and Junius loved to take care of their juniors. In fact, there was even a friendly competition between them to see who was the most caring. "Don''t overdo it though, since the Instructor won''t be here, just let them relax for once." "Hmph, you don''t have to tell me that! I was just training them in the morning, and the rest of the day, they would be free!" Snorting cutely at Junius'' statement, Lily told him her plans for the young kids. "Shin! Where are you going this early in the morning?" Seeing that Shin was dressed up, something that he would rarely do, Elyse went up and pulled his sleeves. "Elyse, today Junius, Ella, Emma and I will be heading to the Main Hall. So you guys be good until we come back okay?" Cuddling the cute creature in front of him, Shin explained that he would be gone for the day. "You''re going to the Main Hall? Are you going to attend the harvest festival?" "No fair! I too want to eat candied haw!" "Candied haw?! Shin you are going to eat candied haw without us?" "..." Once the four children heard that Shin was going to the Main Hall, they immediately thought that he was participating in the harvest festival to eat their favourite treat, candied haw. Even the usually nonchalant Jacob had bits of saliva dripping from his mouth. Max, Fionn and Elyse were turning nine this year while Jacob was turning eight. Naturally, they have acquired a sweet tooth, and the best treat they had ever tasted was the candied haw during the banquet on the last day of the harvest festival. "I wish I was going to eat candied haw..." Tears started accumulating as he remembered the possible danger the harvest mission brings. "Shin, you''re crying? What happened? Did someone bully you? Don''t worry! I will protect you, Shin!" Like an angel who descended from heaven, Elyse comforted the sobbing black-haired youth. "Elyse¡­" Moved beyond words, Shin lay comfortable in the little girl''s embrace. "*Ahem* Elyse, Shin is not being bullied. He just has to participate in a clan mission." Coughing at his little brother''s shameless display, Junius clarified Elyse''s misunderstanding. "Eh? So Shin is not being bullied?" "Yeap! Now that he has grown up, Shin must partake in missions for the clan. Today is his first mission, so he is rather nervous." "So that''s it! Shin, you are old now, so you have to do grown-up things! Don''t worry, after I awaken my Spirit, I will help you!" Finally understanding the origin of Shin''s anguish, Elyse encouraged the troubled youth. Witnessing the determination in her eyes, Shin felt terrible about exploiting her kindness. "Don''t worry, Elyse! I''ve regained my energy! Thank you for helping me!" Petting her hair and playing with her ponytail, Shin thanked Elyse. "Hehehehe..." When Elyse was younger, Shin doted on her a lot. If his closest friends were the twins, Elyse was the person who he honestly saw as his own little sister. Max was hanging out with Lily, Fionn stayed with the twins and Jacob grew attached to Ryner. So when they were younger, the person he had the most contact with after Junius was Elyse. Thus, he spoiled the little girl by giving in to her every demand. Thankfully, Elyse is an angel that came from heaven, so she was naturally kind and was never unreasonable or domineering. "Whenever I see the two of them interact, they truly look like brother and sister." Junius beamed as he watched Shin and Elyse playing with each other. "Yeah, how good would it be if it were true..." Lily agreed with his observation. "Don''t worry, although we are not blood-related, our bonds go even deeper than that..." Junius clenched his fists and mentally swore to protect his ''family'' no matter the cost. The smiles that are present here should always remain. Being the oldest of the orphans, he felt a self-imposed pressure to grow strong so that he could become the support of his juniors. Currently, there were many forces in the Frie Clan that did not like the orphans. The Second Elder is one example. To adequately protect them, Junius had to become one of the most influential members of the clan. That was the reason why he trains to a maniacal degree. "Junius, we can all feel that you care for us, is there really a need for you to push yourself that much?" It was a conversation the two of them had multiple times before. Junius trained without restraint and hardly cared about the side-effects of overtraining. There were many times where he collapsed from overworking his body. But in the end, the results speak for himself. In four years, he had reached Rank 11. In fact, his combat ability might even be on par with a peak Spirit Apostle of Rank 19 due to his superior martial arts prowess. "Lily¡­ You know that it will never be enough. Even though the First Elder and other seniors are kind to us, we must ultimately rely on ourselves." "But none of us want to see you get hurt¡­ I don''t want to see you get hurt..." Lily fidgeted nervously as she said those words to Junius. "..." Before Junius could mouth a reply to that statement, two identical figures appeared at the door. "Ah! Sister Lily, you''re here!" Ella noticed Lily and bolted in her direction. Emma, on the other hand, strolled happily towards Shin and Elyse. "Hah, I guess it''s time for us to leave..." Rubbing his nose, Junius made the call to exit the training facility. "Ehhh, can''t it wait a few minutes? We''ve just arrived." Ella moaned. She wanted to talk to her beloved elder sister Lily for a while before leaving for an entire day. "We should be as punctual as possible. Going there a few minutes early won''t hurt." Junius promptly denied Ella''s request. "Fine¡­ I''ll see you in a bit sister Lily!" "Okay Elyse, be good. We will probably be back tonight." "Yeah! Stay safe, Shin! Emma!" "Hey hey, what about Ella and Junius?" "Oh yeah! How could I forget? Stay safe Ella! Brother Junius!" "Hahaha! We will!" As the four orphans were walking out of the training facility, Junius felt two hands grasping his right arm. "Junius, stay safe..." Lily managed to utter out these words as Junius began to leave. "Yeah, I will..." Bidding their farewells, Junius led the trio towards the meeting point in the Main Hall. Chapter 37 Receiving the Mission 1 Junius led Shin and the twins towards the Main Hall where they will meet Ariel. For the children attending the harvest missions, all they needed to do was to form a group with a Spirit Apostle captain and receive any available missions from the Mission Chambers. Missions that are issued by the Mission Chambers have varying difficulties. Some were typical and easy assignments such as collecting herbs, but there were also more difficult missions such as subjugations of beasts. For the harvest festival, the Mission Chambers would specifically find low tier missions for the children to experience. Adding to the fact that a Spirit Apostle had to be present at all times, the missions were generally safe. "Oh isn''t that Ariel?" Junius pointed to a wooden bench nearby. Sitting comfortably on the bench with her eyes closed was a red-haired freckled young girl. Her unkempt bed hair was unprofessionally tied into a bun as her mouth opened wide. "As usual, that girl is unrestrained..." Shin sighed as he saw his training partner''s appearance. It was common to see Ariel sleeping in bizarre places, especially in the morning. "Okay, Shin! You go wake her up. Since we''re all here, we can go straight to the Mission Chambers." "What?! Why must I be the one who wakes her up? Can''t you do it?" "Well, she is your wife..." "What wife?!" Enraged by Junius'' joke, Shin snapped back. "Hahaha, I mean she''s your best friend! Come on, hurry up now. We don''t want to be late!" "Then why can''t Ella or Emma wake her up?" "Hmph! If you really think that I''m going near Ariel when she''s asleep, you''re terribly mistaken, Shin!" "Hehehe, we shall leave Ariel to you..." Junius and the twins had once witnessed Shin trying to wake up the slumbering Ariel. Annoyed by the noise, the young girl hurled her hands out in rage and landed a right hook straight onto Shin''s nose. Fractured and bloodied, it took the boy over three weeks to heal from that injury. There was no way they were risking their lives to wake up Ariel. "Damn it¡­ Why is it always me who gets the short end of the stick!" Sulking, Shin slowly edged closer to the unconscious monster. ''I have to keep my distance when I''m trying to wake her up¡­'' Simulating numerous scenarios in his brain, Shin was thinking of the perfect way of waking up Ariel without causing harm to his body. Luckily for him, there was a fallen tree branch nearby that he could make use of. ''Perfect! Let''s use that stick to poke her!'' With a tree branch in hand, Shin tried to awaken the scarlet-haired girl. "M...mmmm, huh? Shin, what are you doing?" Sensing that something was approaching her, Ariel yawned while she opened her eyes. To her surprise, Shin was standing in front of her with a tree branch and was moving towards her. "Oh, Ariel! You''re awake!" Throwing the branch immediately, Shin greeted the sluggish Ariel. Rubbing her eyes, Ariel was not lucid to her surroundings. Shin began to perspire cold sweat as he was hoping that Ariel did not notice him trying to attack her with a stick. "Mmmm, yeah¡­" "O...oh! Now that you''re awake, we can go receive our mission." "Ya¡­ Hey, Shin¡­ What were you trying to do with that tree branch?" "!!!" Unfortunately for Shin, Ariel had apparently seen him approaching her with a stick and throwing it away. "W...what b...br...branch?" "Don''t play dumb, the one right there." Pointing to the stick that Shin threw away, Ariel demanded an explanation. "N..nothing!" "I see¡­ I get it now¡­ Shin, seeing that we have not met for a few days, you have grown rather brazen. Looks like you need to be reminded of how terrifying I can be!" Cracking her knuckles, Ariel stood up from the bench she was sleeping on and headed towards Shin. "N...no! It''s a misunderstanding Ariel! Why are you getting so worked up! We need to hurry and receive our mission, we shouldn''t be wasting time here! HEY, JUNIUS HELP ME!" Panicking, Shin tried pleading to Ariel. However seeing that she showed no signs of slowing down, Shin sought help from Junius. But all he saw was his older brother snickering at his misfortune. "Prepare yourself, Shin!" Raising her fist high in the air, Ariel threatened Shin. "NOOOO!!!!" Screams of terror echoed through the front of the Main Hall early this morning¡­ -.- Frie Mountain. Residential area. Second Elder''s courtyard. The Second Elder lived in a simple place. Grey walls with no extravagant designs and plain doors were the theme of the site. It seemed like a regular person''s house, not the abode of a Frie Clan High Elder. However, the Second Elder''s courtyard was huge. The old man frequently addressed his followers and needed a place where he could talk to them all at once. Hence, he designed the courtyard to be as vast as possible. Currently, the Second Elder is sitting in a pavilion in his courtyard while drinking tea. Next to him were five young teenagers not older than twenty. "Today is the day where the brat who awakened The Sovereign Koi undergoes his harvest mission..." After the Second Elder took a sip of his tea, he addressed the five youths. "That bastard Edward made preparations to protect that kid. He even placed Ariel into that brat''s team to deter attacks by me..." The teenagers remained silent as the Second Elder began to brief them. "He will be vigilantly monitoring me and my subordinates so it would be complicated for me to directly attack that demon spawn, but you five will be out of his surveillance radar..." "I have rigged the harvest missions so that the brat with The Sovereign Koi will take a mission that leads him into the forest at the foot of the mountain. I''m sure you''re familiar with that place?" """""Yes, Elder!""""" The Second Elder''s question got received with an immediate answer from the five youths. "Good¡­ When the demon spawn enters the forest, that is when you will strike. Aim to kill, but crippling him would also be good. After all, you guys are only Spirit Apostles. I''m guessing that Edward would assign a Spirit Lord or someone equivalent to protect that group but I will be sending Bates in to give you cover." "Senior Bates? He''s involved in this operation?!" Bates is one of the Second Elder''s oldest subordinates. Born a generation younger than the Second Elder, he had been the old man''s follower for nearly a century. One of the most potent forces that the Second Elder commands, Bates had recently crossed the Rank 60 threshold to become a Spirit King. "Yes, but he would not assist you in killing the boy. After all, he has his own pride. He will shelter you from any harm that the expert Edward sent might inflict on you. So all you need to do is focus down the boy named Shin." The Second Elder explained the details of the plan. "Elder, what if the people with him try to defend him?" One of the teenagers asked the question that plagued his mind. "If Ariel acts as his shield, try to cause as little damage as you can to her while trying to kill him. If we killed Ariel, the Clan Master might just execute us all. As for the rest of the orphans, do as you deem fit. But remember, killing or crippling Shin is the primary goal. Once that is achieved, immediately escape." Finishing his briefing, the Second Elder handed five black-coloured robes that covered the entire body to the teenagers. "Wear this when you attempt the job¡­ Do not disappoint me..." """""Yes, Elder!""""" Chapter 38 Receiving the Mission 2 Oblivious to the danger he was in, Shin reached the entrance of the Mission Chambers in the Main Hall with a sore right cheek. Ariel''s earlier ''disciplinary action'' had resulted in Shin gaining a swollen red bump. "Ouch! It hurts!" Rubbing the inflamed injury with his left hand, Shin moaned in agony. "Hmph! Serves you right! Using a stick to wake me up! Am I some sort of animal?" Ariel was unremorseful of her actions and even started scolding Shin. "Even so, why do you always turn to violence? Can''t you talk things out? Must you always use your fists?" "My fists always work!" "No, they don''t!" The two training partners started to banter. Shin and Ariel have known each other all their lives, so naturally, they know many things about one another. Playful arguments were routine for them. "Hey, it''s great that you two get along well, but we''re here!" Junius stopped their fight. The group had reached a modest, ligneous building that stood over twenty metres tall. It was one of the more straightforward constructions in the Main Hall. Instead of an essential place of the clan, it looked more like a simple cabin in the woods. "Let''s go!" Junius led the party and opened the wooden door of the Mission Chambers. Entering the building, the group was greeted by a wooden counter. There were already groups lining up in front of it to receive their missions while others were huddling up in various corners to discuss the details of their tasks. "Ariel, did the First Elder give you a badge?" Junius asked the freckled young girl. "Of course! Do you need it now?" Ariel reached into her pocket and grabbed a simplistic looking badge with the number eleven inscribed on it. "Yeah, we have to present it to the counter to receive our mission." "Oh, then here! You take it!" After Junius explained the use of the badge, Ariel threw the dull item towards the youth. "Okay, wait here. I will line up to accept the mission." Instructing the group to remain where they were, Junius walked towards the counter. "Ariel¡­ Do you know why the First Elder assigned you to join us?" Once Junius left, Shin turned to Ariel and asked solemnly. He felt that it was unfair for Ariel to potentially risk her life just because the First Elder wished to protect him. "I''ve heard¡­ Seems like you''re being targeted. Quite the popular kid you are..." "So you knew and still agreed to join us?!" Although Ariel always bullied him, Shin wouldn''t want to endanger her life. The number of people he felt a kinship with were limited, and Ariel was one of them. "Hmph! As if they dare harm me!" "Still! You could possibly get injured!" "I doubt they would be able to lay a single finger on me!" "This isn''t a joke Ariel!" "Don''t be so uptight, Shin! I can protect myself. In fact, I can even protect you!" His training partner was adamant about following them on the mission. "Besides, there is no confirmation that they are truly going to act during this harvest mission. Grandpa said that he was going to monitor the Second Elder''s every movement so you can rest assured!" "..." "Hey, Shin. Even if I wasn''t assigned to your group, do you really think I would sit back and do nothing knowing that you might get harmed?" Similar to how Shin didn''t want Ariel to be harmed, there was no way the freckled girl would abandon Shin in his moment of peril. Growing up together as training partners and playmates, there was an unbreakable bond between them. Even if they were at loggerheads, they would often help each other through the tough times. "Hehehehe..." Emma giggled as she saw the interaction between the two. "What? Why are you laughing?" Shin inquired for the reason of Emma''s sudden outburst. "No, it''s just that you two get along so well!" Pulled back into reality, Shin and Ariel blushed at Emma''s comments. "..." "..." Unable to speak due to embarrassment, the two remained silent until Junius came back. "Guys! Good news! We''ve received a rather simple mission. All we need to do is to enter the forest and pick out one kilogram of Tinjo mushrooms!" After queuing for five minutes, Junius finally received the mission. But when he came back, he saw that the atmosphere had become weird. Shin and Ariel were reddened while the twins were grinning from ear to ear. "What happened?" "Hehe¡­ Nothing much!" Emma joyfully answered Junius'' question. "Well, whatever¡­ Here are the details." Junius started to explain the specify the task that the group was about to undergo. Firstly, the team had to leave the Frie Clan via the north gate and head towards the forest at the foot of the mountain. At the outskirts of the forest, there was a checkpoint manned by members of the Frie Clan. There, they must secure a weighing scale and a few baskets. Finally, they must head into the forest and collect the Tinjo mushrooms. Tinjo mushrooms were used for the treatment of injuries as their natural properties helped in replenishing blood. "The Tinjo mushrooms are about twenty centimetres tall and are dark yellow in colour. Hence, they should stand out in the forest. We just need one kilogram so we should be finished in a few hours! We should be able to make it back in time for dinner!" Junius excitedly said. Although the harvest mission was simple, the real threat was the Second Elder. No one knew what plans he had so it was better to quickly complete the mission and head home. "Come on! Let''s head to the north gate! The quicker we finish the mission, the earlier we can get back!" Junius then led the way to the north gate. The Frie Clan was situated on one side of Frie Mountain. This is to prevent enemies from attacking the base from the rear. Hence, there were only three paths out the Frie Clan. Firstly, there was the north gate. The most common way into the Frie Clan and could be considered the main entrance of the clan. When there were visitors, they would always go through the north gate. Next, there was the east gate. The east gate was hard to find from the outside due to it being hidden by numerous natural boulders, and only members of the clan truly knew where it was. Lastly, the hidden gate. Its location is only known to the upper echelons of the clan, it was the Frie Clan''s emergency escape route. To get to the forest, the group had to leave from the north gate and enter the woods nearby. From the Main Hall, the north gate was only a five-minute walk, so Shin and the others reached their destination rather quickly. "..." "What''s the matter, Shin?" Seeing that his little brother abruptly stopped, Junius asked Shin. "It just dawned on me¡­ This will be the first time that I will be leaving the premise of the Frie Clan..." Up until now, the orphans mainly stayed in their lodgings and trained every day with the Instructor. They had rarely left the comfort of their homes. But now, Shin was walking out of Frie Mountain and into the vaster world. "Haha, getting nervous? Don''t worry, my first time leaving Frie Mountain was also rather nerve-wracking. But you will just have to get used to it." Junius encouraged Shin. Eventually, the orphans must step into the wider world. Right now, they were like frogs stuck at the bottom of the well. They only knew life inside the Frie Clan. But they must realise that the Frie Clan isn''t the entire world. "You''re right..." Shaking off his anxiousness, Shin took the leap and walked right past the north gate into the new and foreign land... Chapter 39 Not as simple as it seems... 1 Walking down Frie Mountain from the north gate was rather easy. Although there were many security patrols, since the group were wearing Frie Clan robes, they were not stopped and were left relatively unhindered. Occasionally, a security officer of the clan would strike a conversation with them, but otherwise, it was a smooth journey to the forest. Once at the checkpoint outside the woods, they presented the badge given by the First Elder and collected the necessary items to complete their mission. Since Junius was only a guard, he was exempt from obtaining Tinjo mushrooms, so only four baskets were handed out. Unfortunately for Shin, being the only boy in the group, the girls pushed all the items to him. Although all the pieces together did not weigh much, it was still cumbersome to carry. "Hey! Can some of you help me take just one basket?" Shin complained. It was unjust that he had to carry four baskets plus a weighing scale the entire trip. "No can do! Why do you think I was grouped with you? I have to be on the lookout for any potential danger." Ariel tried to justify her reason for not carrying a basket by using the excuse that she was Shin''s guard. "You''re a boy so suck it up!" Ella, on the other hand, could not be bothered with an excuse and just flat-out denied his plea. "Ermmm, I can help you carry the weighing scale, Shin..." Emma offered her assistance by carrying the lightest load there is. "Yeah, help me with that. Trying to prevent the scale from falling off is a pain." Shin accepted Emma''s offer as the weighing scale was hard to control. With that, four Spirit Practitioners and one Spirit Apostle left the checkpoint and headed into the forest. Their mission was simple. They had to search the outskirts of the forest to find wild Tinjo mushrooms. "Oh! Look at that, a Tinjo mushroom right off the bat!" Junius, who was leading the way, immediately located a fresh Tinjo mushroom growing on a nearby log. The fungi usually grow on decayed wood so the group must be observant of their surroundings. "Ella, pick that mushroom up and weigh it!" "Okay, but brother Junius, is the Tinjo mushroom poisonous?" Ella is willing to pluck the fungus but had to be sure that it would not harm her. She had heard ample stories in the past of people getting poisoned due to ignorance, and she was not willing to take that risk. "The Tinjo mushroom is fine. But if you see a mushroom with polka dots, turn the other way. The spores that mushroom produces can paralyse a fully grown adult." Junius warned Ella of the other harmful mushroom that she had to be wary of while reassuring her that the Tinjo mushroom was safe for plucking. "Alright, Emma! Bring the weighing scale along!" "Okay!" Harvesting the mushroom from the dead log, the twins recorded its weight measurement. "It weighs fifty grams..." "What?! I thought for sure that it was over a hundred grams..." Seeing the size of the mushroom, Junius assumed that it would easily be above a hundred grams. However, he did not take into account the hollow caps that the Tinjo mushroom has. "So we need to roughly collect nineteen more of those mushrooms." Ariel theorised on the number of mushrooms they had to collect. "Well, since you''ve found one here, there should be a few more growing nearby..." Shin placed the four baskets on the floor and started to search the area. "Hey! Don''t stray too far away from us! We should stick together!" "Oops, sorry. I forgot about that." Before Shin wandered off alone, Junius warned the absent-minded boy. The five-man party stayed near each other while they searched decomposed tree barks for the Tinjo mushroom. However, after fifteen minutes, there was still only one mushroom in the basket. "Seems like the Tinjo mushroom is harder to find than we thought..." Ella wiped the sweat from her forehead as she remarked. "Yeah, Junius your luck is truly excellent. Finding a rare herb the moment you enter the forest..." Shin was bitter. He had to flip over rotting wood, dirtying his hands in the process to search for signs of the Tinjo mushroom but all Junius did was to point it out. "If my luck were that good, I would have found another one already." Junius, however, denied his claim. He wished that he could find as many Tinjo mushrooms as possible so that he could return home early. The eeriness of the woods and the prospect of an attack coming from any direction unnerved Junius. He had to be vigilant of any sudden movements. "Ah! I''ve found another one!" Emma, who was checking the rear, managed to locate a forty centimetre large Tinjo mushroom. "Wait, do those mushrooms really grow that big?!" Although the fungus in her hands had all the characteristics of a Tinjo mushroom, it was the biggest one that Junius had ever encountered. "Hehehe, it weighs a hundred and thirty grams! Hooray!" Elated that with her recently found mushroom they were one step away from filling the quota, Emma cheered. "That''s great Emma! Come on, you guys! We should pick up the pace!" "Junius¡­ Even if we ran around in this place, the mushrooms wouldn''t magically appear." "But we would be able to cover more ground!" "Hah¡­ This musclehead..." Shin sighed at Junius'' love for exercise. *BOOM!* *BOOM!* All of a sudden, two deafening explosions were heard in the distance. A massive flame tower reached for the heavens and instantly, the temperature of the forest rose tens of degrees. Wave after wave of spiritual energy crashed into the woods heavily impacting the party. Shin, Ariel, Ella and Emma were shivering due to the violent nature of the mana and even Junius could not keep a straight face. "What the hell?!?!" Cold sweat started dripping from the youths as they struggled to keep themselves together at the sudden turn of events. "What is happening?" Shin inquired while shuddering desperately. If that flame pillar was here for him, there was no way he would be able to survive. "Watch out!" Two shiny objects flew at top speed towards the Shin. Only Junius was able to react in time. In one motion, an azure blade arced and slashed the items away from Shin. "Tskk..." Voices of displeasure were heard from the woods when the assassination attempt failed. Five figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding the group. Dressed in all black garbs with balaclavas covering their entire face, the assassins were all wielding unsheathed swords. "Looks like we''ve got company..." Junius muttered at their current predicament. Chapter 40 Not as simple as it seems... 2 Winding the clock a few minutes back, a red-robed middle-aged woman was observing Shin and his party from afar. Continually looking for any signs of danger, the woman was assigned to protect Shin should there be any complications. ''I would honestly doubt that the Second Elder would kill Shin in broad daylight though.'' The woman thought to herself. Even the High Elders had their limitations. It was not as if they could do whatever they wanted to without facing the consequences. If the Second Elder indeed killed Shin, he would face severe punishments. He might even be stripped of his title and exiled out of the Frie Clan. It was unthinkable for a High Elder to relinquish his title just to kill one orphan. ''I mean I get why he wants to kill Shin¡­ The Sovereign Koi is indeed a threat to the existence of the Frie Clan, but if trained correctly, the clan could really benefit from an expert using that infamous Spirit¡­ Furthermore, Shin is just a child!'' The woman was disgusted by the Second Elder''s way of doing things. To sate his desires, he was willing to kill an innocent kid. ''Hmph! But with me here, let me see what he can do!'' Driven to protect the black-haired youth, the woman increased her surveillance of the vicinity. "Hoh¡­ So you are the one the First Elder sent, Ines..." A thick, masculine voice sounded behind the woman hiding in the trees. "Wha¡­!" Shocked beyond belief, Ines coated herself in mana and leapt off the branch she was resting on. She felt the world turn as she manoeuvred a somersault to land safely on the ground. When she looked up, Ines saw a burly and dishevelled man who only had his right arm. "BATES!!!" Realising who her adversary was, Ines exclaimed in terror. Bates is a legend in the clan. A veteran of a hundred battles, when he was a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, he managed to kill a Rank 60 Spirit King at the expense of his left arm. Thus, he earned a nickname that struck fear to all who faced him. The One-armed Kingslayer. Now that he had promoted to a Spirit King, no one could accurately pinpoint his battle power. Some say that he should be as strong as a Spirit Emperor, others say that he was as strong as a peak Spirit King, but one thing was undeniable. Bates is one of the most powerful members of the Frie Clan. "To think that the Second Elder sent you to kill Shin¡­ It looks like he''s really determined..." "What the Elder does is none of your business¡­ If you value your life, just stay here with me and ignore the child." Bates'' thick voice resonated in Ines'' ears. "As tempting as the proposition is, I have a job here¡­ So I can''t play with you, Bates..." Promptly turning down Bates'' proposal, Ines summoned her Spirit. A flame Ainu Wolf Spirit appeared beside the woman as she prepared her battle stance. The blaze Ainu Wolf Spirit was wreathed with fire on its head, shoulder blades and four limbs. As if it was sentient, it adopted a battle position similar to Ines. Although Ines was no match for Bates, a Rank 54 Spirit Lord such as herself was no pushover. "Such a shame..." Shaking his head in disapproval, Bates began to levitate in the air. *Rumble* The ground shook as spiritual energy was being gathered in large amounts by the Spirit King. After a few seconds, Bates'' right hand began to illuminate a reddish light as all of the mana in he had gathered condensed and formed an ochre-coloured gauntlet covering his entire hand. "But I can''t afford you to be messing with the Elder''s plans..." As he said those words, the fire elements started to dance with joy when Bates summoned his Spirit. The air around Ines become scorching hot as a flame circle, hundred meters wide, appeared under the woman. "Wha¡­!" Before she even got the chance to react, Bates uttered his next words. "I apologise¡­ *Fire Pillar*." Snapping his fingers, the flames beneath Ines rushed upwards with blinding speeds forming a pillar that reached for the heavens. Immense amounts of mana enveloped the area and caused numerous surges of spiritual energy. Instantly incinerating the trees nearby, the fire pillar decimated the forest. As for the fate of Ines, no one knew¡­ -.- "That''s the signal!" Once the fire pillar lit up the sky, a teenager dressed in black garbs yelled out. In the briefing prior, the Second Elder mentioned that Bates would give a signal that signified that the operation had commenced. "Senior Bates has given the signal. Do we know the location of the target?" The leader of the five teenagers asked. "Yes! He is two hundred meters west of us." "Good! The Elder said that once the operation commences, we will have less than five minutes to kill the target before reinforcements arrive. We must complete the mission within that time-frame, or else it is considered to be a failure. Remember, hide your identities. So that means no Spirits. Use only the throwing blades and sword that the Second Elder had bestowed on us." "Yes, Sir!" The assassins replied in unison. Although they were not able to use their Spirits, being Spirit Apostles, they should be able to handle a Rank 11 Junius and four kids who had just reached Rank 1. Rushing west, they began to have visual on the group. "Great, they are distracted by Senior Bates'' fire pillar. Use this opportunity to strike. Aim for Shin! Try not to hurt Ariel." The most skilled teenager in throwing knives aimed straight for Shin''s head and fired two blades at the unsuspecting boy. However, his attack was foiled by the sharp Junius who had summoned his Spirit and was ready to battle. "Tskkk..." "That Spirit Apostle with them is rather capable. To be able to deflect high-speed throwing knives in that split second..." "There is no time to admire him. If sneak attacks don''t work, we shall assault them directly. Surround them! Make sure that Shin does not have a route to escape!" With that, the five teenagers emerged from the woods and confronted Shin''s group. Chapter 41 Not as simple as it seems... 3 The party was surrounded by five tall figures dressed in full black attire. Each one of the assassins held a metal sword which was all designed the same way as if they were forged by the same hammer. Shin and the group huddled together facing the threat as it slowly edged closer. "Shin, I''m guessing they are here for you. So you escape with the rest, I will hold them off. If you reach the checkpoint at the forest, I doubt they will continue attacking." Junius, with his azure water blade summoned, instructed Shin breakout from the enclosure. "Junius, there is no way that you can fight the five of them!" Shin exclaimed in reply. He wanted to escape, but there was no way he would leave Junius behind. "Hmph! Junius, Shin is right. If we leave, we leave together." Ariel, who was boiling with fighting Spirit, started to gather a significant amount of spiritual energy. Mana overflowed from her body, and a bludgeon-like figure began to form in her hands. The next instant, a wave of spiritual energy surged from Ariel''s body as her Spirit, the Lava Warhammer, was summoned. Likewise, Ella and Emma prepared their battle stances and used their mana to condense their Spirits. Two alluring and majestic Ice Bows graced the battlefield as a frosty aura started emitting from their crystalline bowstrings. Witnessing their actions, Shin also summoned his Spirit. He clasped his two hands together and focused all of his mana there. A cerulean light began to emit from Shin''s body, and spiritual energy rushed rapidly through the gaps in his fingers. With a soft shriek, the cerulean light condensed to form a cute little fish that started to swim in the compounds of Shin''s hands. "You guys¡­ Fine, but remember, our objective is to escape, not beat them. So at my signal, we all run." Touched by his companions camaraderie, Junius changed his previous plans. Being the only Spirit Apostle, he had the most battle experience and was the best-equipped person to deal with the five assassins. Thus, he had planned to stay behind to keep the five assailants company while his juniors escaped to safety. The enemy, on the other hand, was not willing to let them regroup. To prevent the party from regaining their composure, the five black-garbed attackers charged with maximum speed. "Guys! Drop to the floor!" Junius barked. He gathered his mana into the azure water blade in his hands. The Spirit in his hands started to shimmer as the water blade began to become more and more aqueous. It was as if a river had started flowing in the sword. In one fluid motion, Junius spun his Spirit around once to form a ring of water that stayed floating in the air. *Water Ring* Shin and the twins had witnessed Junius'' second spirit ability before and thus, they knew what was coming. Shin grabbed Ariel by her head and pushed her to the floor as he dropped down. Ella and Emma similarly fell while minding their heads. The currents in the ring of water started to speed up as Junius supplied more mana. Eventually, the water started flowing at breakneck speeds. *Expand!* Once Junius shouted the word, the ring of water instantly enlarged and sliced at the five assassins charging at the group. Three of the black-garbed assailants felt the danger and retreated hastily. Unfortunately, the last two weren''t as observant. A second later, they could see a line of liquid right in front of their eyes. "Shit!" Raising their swords, they attempted to defend the uncanny spiritual ability. The water ring made contact with the steel blades. The two attackers felt their arms give way and their feet being lifted off the ground as the force of the circle of water blew them into the air. Even though the steel swords they were using were bestowed by the Second Elder, a small chip could be seen after it went through that ordeal. "Wow!" Ariel blurted out in delight. She had seen Spirit Apostles demonstrate their abilities in a contest before, but none of the abilities she witnessed had the strength of Junius'' water ring. *Gulp* Shin swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he witnessed his older brother fight. Although he had seen that ability once before, watching it in live combat had a different feel to it. "Now! Run!" Junius pointed to the direction of the checkpoint and commanded the party to escape in that direction. The four on the ground got off their stomachs and began to run. Junius served as the rear guard to protect their escape and was following closely behind the group. "Damn it! They''re running away!" "Chase after them!" Two of the assailants who retreated yelled out and began to chase the group. The two who were blown away by Junius came to their senses after hearing the order and got onto their feet. Being Spirit Apostles, their bodies had been trained to a significant degree. Through the use of mana manipulation, they were able to strengthen their bodies to increase their speeds. Thus, even though the party had managed to escape, the assailants were able to catch up quickly. "Damn it! They are right behind us!" Ella glanced over her shoulder and saw the five assassins making impressive ground even though the party had a head start. It was the difference between Spirit Practitioners who had just awakened their Spirit and Spirit Apostles who had trained for years. Junius could easily boost his speed if he wanted to but since he was acting as rear guard, he had to match his juniors'' speed. "Ella! Emma! Can you shoot them?" Junius questioned the two long-ranged Spirit Users if they could snipe the assailants who were about to catch them. "We can, but currently, we only have enough mana for three arrows! Once we shoot the three arrows, we will be unable to use our Spirits." Ella explained their circumstance. "So the both of you can shoot six arrows huh¡­ That''s fine! Shoot when they are about to catch us. That will slow them down a bit. Can you do it?" Junius calmly analysed their Spirit ability and formulated a plan. "Yes, brother Junius!" "I''ll try my best!" The twins replied determinedly. Less than ten seconds later, the five Spirit Apostles, who were hot on their heels, were just a mere ten meters away from the group. "Now!" Junius gave the signal for the twins to open fire. Spiritual energy started to congregate, and a bluish-white light formed an icicle in the twins'' free hand. Ella held the Ice Bow on her left hand while Emma held her Spirit on her right hand. Although the two were twins, they had different master hands. Nocking the icicles on their bowstrings, the twins came to a halt and took aim at the oncoming attackers. Finding a shot, the twins released their arrows. *Ice Arrow!* The icicles whistled through the air as it flew viciously towards the assailants. The twins were not yet expert archers and were not that capable of shooting arrows, but at this short distance, their arrows were sure to hit its target. *Ding!* *Ding!* The twins aimed directly at the two nearest figures that were less than ten meters away. Although they were caught off guard, the assassins that the twins targeted swiftly came to a halt to receive the attack. Being so near to the twins meant that they had less than a second to react. Lifting their swords in defence, they calmly met the two arrows. As the icicles made contact with their steel swords, the two assailants felt their feet move an inch backwards. The force of the attack pushed them back, but that was not all. A chilling frost could be felt from their swords. "What?!" Shocked, the two black-clothed assassins looked up to find the source of the sudden cold. To their surprise, their steel swords had some ice forming at the point of contact that the twins'' arrows hit. It turns out, Ella and Emma''s first ability, Ice Arrow, had a passive freezing effect. Anything the tip of their arrow touches, it freezes. With that, the twins had rendered two of the assailant''s steel swords, useless. "Shit! Hey, the Ice Arrows will freeze your weapon! Dodge that ability. Don''t block it!" The leader of the called out while throwing his damaged sword away. Reaching into his pockets, he grabbed two smaller blades and returned to his pursuit. "Nice one! Ella! Emma!" Once the twins shot the ice arrows, they immediately started to run again. Junius noticed that with their first shot, they managed to destroy two weapons, severely weakening their pursuers. "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Using spirit abilities in combat is harder than I thought..." Ella panted heavily while keeping up the pace. The twins had practised using their spirit ability before, but it was in a contained and safe place. Using the same ability in real combat was much more taxing than they thought. "It''s alright! Just rest for now. We are reaching the checkpoint soon! Once we are there, they will be unable to do anything to us." Junius encouraged the twins as they rapidly ran towards safety. Chapter 42 Not as simple as it seems... 4 "Why are they not summoning their Spirits?" Ariel, who was right beside Shin, asked the question that had been bothering her for a while. If the assassins sincerely wished to harm them, why would they not summon their Spirit? It seemed more efficient to use their Spirits to battle. Instead, they only used physical objects such as steel swords and knives to attack the party. "They probably wish to hide their identities. If they are members of the Frie Clan, they will incur punishments if we discover who they are." Junius speculated. He too wondered why the attackers were not using their Spirits at first, but after contemplating about it, he came up with a possible explanation. "Hmph! If they are not going to use their Spirits, why are we running?! I could use my hammer and knock them into the high heavens!" Ariel, who was full of confidence, declared that she would beat them all up while raising her Spirit. Fire elements started to gather around Ariel as mana seeped through her body. "Even if they won''t use their Spirits, they are still Spirit Apostles. I know that you are strong Ariel, but we can''t survive an onslaught of five Spirit Apostles! Furthermore, if we push them to the brink, they might just summon their Spirits to deal with us!" Junius rationally explained to the freckled girl who was about to rampage. "Tskkk¡­ Fine!" Running away was not part of Ariel''s nature, she would much rather face the enemy upfront and bludgeon them till they become flat pastry. However, at this moment, Shin and Ariel who were at the forefront of the group, felt a gush of wind pass by from atop them. Immediately sensing danger, they slammed their feet into the ground to come to an abrupt stop. The next moment, they saw a patch of black smoke halting their advance. In the short time that they paused, the pursuers leapt the distance and surrounded the group once more. Three were armed with steel swords while the remaining two were wielding short knives. Adopting a battle stance, they prepared to attack. "Looks like we are unable to escape anymore..." Junius sighed as he readied his battle stance. Gripping his Spirit with both hands, Junius faced the enemy, prepared to risk his life for his juniors. His Azure Water Blade begun to brighten up as he increasingly supplied his mana to his Spirit. Ella and Emma gathered spiritual energy too and condensed an icicle in their free hand once again. With the arrow resting comfortably on the Ice Bow, the twins drew their bows. Aiming directly at the two assassins in front of them, they made sure that their enemies were wary of their threat. Ariel happily raised her Lava Warhammer while baring her fangs at her enemy. The dormant tattoos on the Spirit started emitting a low buzzing sound, and a crimson red light blasted out of the Warhammer. The air became increasingly hot, so much so that Shin was sweating just by standing next to Ariel. Shin, Junius, Ariel, Ella and Emma. The five of them were facing five Spirit Apostles. Logically, each member of the group would fight one assailant. But, the twins Spirits were suited to long-range engagements and Shin''s Spirit was mostly useless in direct confrontation. Hence, only Junius and Ariel were the best equipped to fight their adversaries. "I will try to handle three of them at once. Ella and Emma, you will cover me and try to shoot while I engage them. As for the other two, Shin and Ariel, you deal with them." Junius told the group his plan as blue particles started exuding off his body. Similar to the assailants, Junius was also capable of strengthening his body using mana. A subtle blue aura formed around Junius that made the youth seem like an unparalleled warrior. "Sorry for keeping you guys waiting..." Junius pointed his blade at the enemy as he addressed them. Bending his knees, he vaulted off his original position and charged straight like a bull towards the first enemy. Caught off guard, the black-clothed assassin frantically hoisted up his sword to defend. *Clink!* The two swords collided. Junius slashed downwards, and his target was shoved backwards by the impact. Junius was engaging three assassins at once. Two of them were wielding steel swords while the last one manipulated two short knives. The instant Junius attacked one of their comrades, the other two pounced. A silver light flickered at the corners of Junius'' eyes as the blades danced around him. Anticipating the attacks, Junius twisted his body and retreated backwards. Unfortunately, he did not come out unscathed. One of the silver lights flickered past his chest and left a small wound. "AH!" Junius hollered in pain. Fresh, crimson blood started flowing out from his chest and staining his grey robes. Noticing that the teen had been injured, the two assailants took the opportunity to continue striking. Strengthening their bodies with an abundance of mana, they leapt towards the damaged youth with bloodlust in their eyes. *Whew* *Whew* But before they could go anywhere near Junius, two crystalline arrows sliced the air and headed straight towards the assailants. Recalling the earlier scene, the attackers pivoted their ankles to change their direction. The arrows missed their mark and pierced the ground leaving a chunk of frozen land. "Brother Junius, are you okay?!" Emma rushed forward to inspect the youth''s injury. The blood from the wound flowed down his abdomen and begun to stain his pants. If left untreated, Junius might suffer from a severe loss of blood. "I''m fine¡­ What about you two? Since you fired two arrows each, do you still have enough mana?" Junius, as if he was unaware that he had a massive cut in the middle of his chest, asked worriedly about his juniors'' conditions. "You don''t have to worry about us! We should treat your injury first!" Being Rank 1 Spirit Practitioners, the twins had a limited amount of mana in their bodies. Hence, they were only able to conjure up three arrows before they ran out of juice. Now that they had shot two arrows each, they just had enough mana to use the attack one more time. "Even if I wanted to sit back and heal, there is no way those guys will just let me..." Taking a deep breath, Junius readied himself. It was the reality of a battle. Once the fight begins, there were no breaks in between. The contest ends when one side lies defeated. Junius had worked his entire life to prevent himself from ending up on the beaten side. Gathering up his mana once more, Junius faced his adversaries. "Damn it!" "..." The twins felt Junius'' determination through his actions. *Whoosh...* Sweat beads began forming on their foreheads as they accumulated their last bits of mana to create the final ice arrow that they could conjure up. "This time, we will hit them!" "Yes!" Motivating themselves, the twins nocked their arrows and drew their bowstring for the last time. -.- On the other side of the battlefield, Shin and Ariel were facing two black-clothed enemies. One with a steel sword, the other with two short knives. Their lust for blood could be felt from Shin''s position as they slowly sauntered forward. "Shin, you take care of the one on the left, I will take the right one." Ariel''s battle aura surged forth as she addressed Shin to fight one opponent while she attacked the other. "That''s fine with me, but I won''t be able to take him down..." "What do you mean?" "My first spiritual ability is not suited for head-on confrontations, if I fight him, I will be using my physical body only. Furthermore, I don''t have any weapons. Thus, I might not be able to beat him." Shin explained the reason why he was not a good matchup for his opponent. "Ahhhh, you''re causing trouble for me even at this time? Whatever¡­ Then hold him off for a few seconds while I pulverise mine." Frustrated at Shin''s lack of strength, Ariel instructed him to delay his adversary until she was done fighting hers. "Alright¡­ But don''t take too long. He is, after all, a Spirit Apostle¡­ I can only dodge for so long." Shin was not going to ask her how she was so confident that she could defeat a Spirit Apostle in a few seconds. It was the infamous Ariel after all. Her superhuman power was renowned in the clan even before she awakened her Spirit. "Alright then!" Gathering her mana, Ariel darted forward like an arrow being released from its bowstring. The next instant, she was engaging her enemy. Swinging her Warhammer from the right, she took aim at the black-garbed enemy with the full intention of blasting him away. Sadly, her opponent was no pushover. Bending his body backwards like doing the limbo, the assailant easily evaded the Lava Warhammer. Ariel reacted quickly. Using the earlier swinging momentum, Ariel launched her body into the air. Her crimson hair fluttered in the wind as her petite body floated graciously midair. Once her feet were directly above the assassin, Ariel kicked down with all her might. Dodging in the nick of time, the black-clothed Spirit Apostle escaped far away. With no target, the force of Ariel''s kick was headed straight to the floor. *Boom!* The ground shook as Ariel made contact with it. A large dent formed on the forest floor as the girl found that her foot was stuck. "What?!" Unable to control her power, Ariel caused a hole in the forest thus trapping herself. Realising the chance that he had, her opponent dashed away to assist his ally in killing Shin. "Wait!" Incapable of freeing herself, all Ariel could do was shout desperately at the black-clothed man. Chapter 43 The Curtain Falls 1 Shin was busy defending himself from the barrage of attacks from his assailant. His first spiritual ability was to summon and manipulate water, and at his current level, all he could do was to sprinkle water onto flowers. Hence, he had to rely on his physical abilities to evade the deadly knives that his opponent wielded. *Swish* *Swoosh* The knives cut through the air and barely missed Shin every single swing. Even after twenty odd strokes, Shin still managed to emerge untouched. The assailant became red with frustration as he knew that the time they had was limited. Reinforcements for the orphans were about to arrive any moment now, so if he had to kill the target, it must be now. Unfortunately for him, Shin''s forte was evading strikes. Trained by Ariel for nearly his entire life, he had become a master of dodging. Bending his body as if there were no bones, Shin fluidly eluded the assassin''s onslaught. He backpedalled after each successive dodge to slowly move further away from the black-clothed man. It was unusual for a Spirit Practitioner, who had just awakened his Spirit, to fend off a Spirit Apostle but that is precisely what Shin is doing. ''Okay! I can do this! Ariel should be about done with her opponent...'' Fully trusting his training partner, Shin felt comfortable about his current predicament. Initially, he thought that a Spirit Apostle would be much harder to evade, but thankfully, the martial arts prowess of the person in front of him was not that great. If he were to compare the assailant''s ability with someone, it would be the Second Elder''s grandson, Linus. Although he was extremely fast and agile, Shin is able to manage the threat. ''Maybe I should try using my first spiritual ability...'' The cerulean Koi was still swimming comfortably around Shin''s left hand. After some experimentation, Shin realised that his Spirit did not require him to focus all his attention on it. Once summoned, the Koi was able to do whatever it wanted without Shin instructing it. As long as he supplied mana to it, the fish would remain in the material world. ''Ah, there''s no harm in trying!'' Currently, Shin and the assailant were in a deadlock. Every single strike that the assassin threw at Shin, he would easily evade. Stab, dodge. Slash, dodge. The cycle will repeat itself until their stamina runs out or one of them messes up. Being a Spirit Practitioner, there was a higher chance of Shin losing strength ahead of the Spirit Apostle. Then, the assassin would be able to land a clean hit on Shin''s vital points thus incapacitating him. Shin would like to avoid that future. Hence, he decided to use his spiritual ability. Sending mana to his Spirit, Shin conjured up an image in his mind. Lifting his left hand to his chest, Shin controlled the cerulean Koi. The fish started to swim excitedly in circles as a small water ball formed right beside it. "What?!" The sudden change of events stunned the assassin as he momentarily halted his attacks to prepare himself for the possible retaliation of his target. The water ball floated like a bubble and became more and more aqueous. From a size of a pea, the summoned water ball proliferated as if it was a balloon being filled with air. ''Focus my mana into one point, and aim!'' Shin had been studying the Celestial Water Mantra ever since he visited the Athenaeum. However, even till now, he was unable to complete the book. But after reading the first half of the book, Shin gained a cursory understanding of how to manipulate his mana. Painstakingly, he managed to learn how to utilise his first spiritual ability and just yesterday, Shin learnt how to summon a water ball. ''Alright, just a bit more mana until it bursts!'' As Shin predicted, after two seconds, when it reached the size of a watermelon, the ball of liquid that Shin had made exploded as water gushed out in all directions, dousing everything in a five-meter radius. "..." "..." Shin and the assailant remained silent after the black-haired youth used his spiritual ability. The cerulean Koi floating on Shin''s hand started flapping its little fins haughtily, as if proud that it had managed to pull off its first ability. Shin, on the other hand, was downright dejected. ''Ah! So embarrassing! Why did my first ability have to be this?!'' Despite the fact that he was in a battle that might determine his life, he had to go and do something silly. "Hmph!" Snorting in disgust, the attacker resumed his assault on Shin. As if angered that he was cautious for such a mundane ability, he started attacking without any care of defence. ''Damn it! Where is Ariel?!!'' Desperately trying to escape death, Shin mentally shouted out his training partner''s name. She was taking way longer than he expected. As if his prayer was heard, a figure started approaching in from a distance. ''Ariel?! Is she finally here?'' Relieved that he was able to take a break from the constant assault, Shin relaxed his anxious heart. Unfortunately, his composure was broken when he realised who had arrived. ''What?! Another one of them?! Don''t tell me Ariel was defeated?'' When Ariel left to deal with her enemy, Shin had the utmost confidence that she would be able to beat him. Shin was present on the day when the little girl severely injured a Spirit Apostle in a practice match. Although the Spirit Apostle she fought did not use his Spirit, it was still a reasonably serious sparring session. Thus, it shocked everyone when Ariel managed to not only defeat her opponent but also disable him. ''It can''t be¡­ If Ariel lost to him, how could I win? Am I going to die today?'' Despondent and horrified, Shin theorised that he was going to live his final breath. The assassins were sent to kill him after all, now that there was no one blocking their way, they could finally complete their mission. ''No! I''m still too young to die!'' Even though Shin''s current situation seemed grim, he wasn''t merely going to give up his life. The black-haired boy''s mind started spinning. At the seconds leading to his possible demise, Shin''s mind began to overwork itself thinking of possible paths out of his predicament. It was as if time had slowed down for Shin. His eyes darted everywhere. The assassins that were void of injuries, the earthy floor filled with grass and forest wildlife, the verdant trees that pillared all around him. Nothing was off limits as Shin visualised a way to escape his assailants. A way to live. ''That is!'' Glancing to his left, Shin caught eye of a peculiar object that lay unsuspectingly on the forest floor just a few meters from where he was standing. Elated to see that item, he started to formulate a plan. ''Okay! It can work! I just need them to come closer...'' Finding a path to survive, Shin dashed to his left in short steps and gathered his mana once more. His first ability was rather useless in combat, but it had one advantage, the amount of mana needed to use that ability was rather small. The twins had a formidable first ability in the Ice Arrow, but the drawback is that they could only shoot three arrows before they ran out of mana. However, Shin was able to use his first ability more than a dozen times with the amount of mana he currently had. Reaching his target, Shin summoned a water ball once more. The cerulean Koi once again spun around in circles, as if delighted that Shin was using its ability once more. The ball grew bigger and bigger until it eventually was big enough to fit a small dog. "Hmph!" The black-clothed assassin wielding two short knives ran straight at Shin. Having experienced the ability once before, he simply thought that Shin was gasping for straws and used the ability as he had nothing else to lose. He felt the wind blow past his face as he reached maximum speed. Aiming his weapons at his target''s throat to end his life once and for all. ''Come on¡­ A little bit closer...'' But he had played into Shin''s plans. Now that the assailant had thrown caution into the wind, he would be unable to retreat once the ball of water exploded. Of course, Shin''s plot was perilous, but it was the best way to immobilise his opponent. ''Just a few more steps...'' Shin''s timing had to be impeccable. A few milliseconds earlier, the assassin would be out of range of his ability. A few milliseconds later, Shin loses his head. ''Almost there...'' Beads of sweat trickled down Shin''s face as he focused entirely on the opponent in front of him. His hands had started shivering in anticipation, but Shin was unable to notice it. He had to fixate all his attention at the knife-wielding assailant about to claim his life. ''Now!'' Once the assassin was a meter away from him, Shin used the water ball to pick up a red polka dot mushroom lying at his feet. The fungi started to float inside the aqueous ball, and an orange dust-like substance began to escape from it. "What?!" In that instant, the assailant finally understood Shin''s plans. He had recognised the mushroom and knew what damage its spores could do to a human''s body. Unfortunately, his earlier inertia made it impossible to stop in time. However, he had to try. He planted his feet into the forest floor and turned his body in another direction. The assassin was planning to attempt an escape away from the water ball. "Too late!" But Shin was not kind enough to let his enemy slip away. The moment that black-garbed attacker sought to run, Shin willed the ball of water carrying the deadly mushroom spores to detonate. Liquids that had been drenched orange indiscriminately rushed out in all directions, soaking everything that it touched. The assassin was no exception. The fluid landed all over the black-garbed man as if trying to marinate the assailant. Water seeped through the assassin''s clothes to come into contact with his skin. Not to mention, his eyes, which was uncovered, took the full brunt of the spore-infected liquid. "AHHHHHH!!!!" Crying out in agony, the assassin brought his hands up to cover his face. Currently, he felt as if ten thousand needles were pricking at his very being. His eyes and nose took the most amount of the spores, and thus, that area caused the most pain. Unable to bear the torment, the man fell to the forest floor and started to convulse. "..." Shin was speechless at the sudden turn of events. He even felt sympathy for the assassin that was about to kill him moments earlier. Thankfully, Shin was able to manipulate the water he created. Hence, he displaced any drops of liquid that might have reached him. Otherwise, he would have suffered the same fate, rolling helplessly on the floor. All of a sudden, spiritual energy started gathering from the man who was jerking uncontrollably on the ground. As if it were a defence measure, the assassin''s Spirit began to form to help the defeated assailant weather through the gruesome experience he was having. The other assassin, who was standing dumbfounded until now, regained his senses once he saw that crimson light was gathering where his partner was. During this mission, the Spirit Apostles had to ensure that they did not summon their Spirits. Once they did and the survivors of the assassination attempt recognised it when they returned to the Frie Clan, the Second Elder would be heavily implicated. Leaping forward, the remaining assailant raised his steel sword high and attempted to finish off Shin before he could see the Spirit that his partner was about to summon. Once Shin dies, they will have completed the mission and can immediately retreat. But it was not meant to be. Before the assassin could even reach Shin, the large object fell from the sky. Blocking his path to the black-haired boy. *BANG!* The ground trembled once the bludgeon-like weapon hammered down on it. Instantly, the air started to dry, and the forest floor started to boil. The assassin, who was on his way to kill Shin, felt that his skin was about to melt from being near to the weapon that barred his path. Red liquid began to form from under the hammer where it contacted the ground, and it slowly spread outwards. Soon, a puddle of molten lava, not commonly seen in a forest, appeared in the area. The assassin gulped as he backed away from the lava puddle and glanced at the perpetrator behind its formation. "Hmph! Try running away again! Your head will be next!" Lifting the Lava Warhammer Spirit up, a red-haired freckled girl, who seemed too petite to be carrying such a mammoth weapon, gave a thumbs-down gesture that pointed to the lava puddle. Usually, Shin would dread the days where he had to see her, but now, her appearance made him cheer joyfully. "Ariel!!!!" Chapter 44 The Curtain Falls 2 While Shin was busy preserve to save his life, Junius and the twins were beginning their final struggle to defeat three Spirit Apostles. Junius'' clothes were dyed deep red as the blood from his wound dripped bit by bit out of his injury. Grasping his Azure Water Blade, Junius prepared himself for battle. ''Ahhh¡­ From the state of my injury, I can at most swing my blade thirty more times before the wound expands...'' Junius speculated on the number of strokes he could perform according to the current state of his cut. Currently, he was beginning to feel light-headed due to the lack of blood in his system. If his injury worsens, eventually he would be unable to function. *Crunch* Blood trickled down his mouth as Junius used his front teeth to bite the bottom of his lip. To prevent himself from losing consciousness, he needed to sharpen his mind with pain. Glancing at his behind, he saw his two cute juniors with their arrows nocked, and bowstring pulled all the way back. Both of their hands were shaking uncontrollably as their faces were drenched with sweat. "Ha¡­ Ha..." Panting breathlessly, the twins were aiming directly at two black-clothed assassins. Using their first spiritual ability twice had a taken a toll on their bodies, and currently, they were on their third arrow. Once the icicle-like arrow was released from the bow, it was highly likely that Ella and Emma would collapse due to the lack of mana in their bodies. Hence, it really took all they had to even keep their arrows drawn for so long. "..." Junius clenched his fists in anger. He was not only angry at the assailants that forced them into this situation were his juniors had to suffer, but he was also mad at himself. If he were stronger, his juniors would not need to use their Spirits. If he didn''t rush blindly at his opponent causing the wound that he had, they could have dragged the battle for a while longer, long enough for reinforcements to arrive. If¡­ Countless what ifs rushed through his mind, but he knew that it was not a time for excuses. All he could do was to place his life on the line to protect the people he loved the most. Junius lowered his sword from a battle stance and place it near his waist with the sword tip pointed straight at the enemy right in front of him. A pale blue aura could be observed as mana from Junius'' spiritual body was supplied to the Azure Water Blade in his hands. In an instant, the sword Spirit started to glow. "*Pierce!*." Thrusting his sword outwards, the Azure Water Blade extended itself and viciously attempted to penetrate the assassin that stood unsuspectingly. Although astonished at first, the black-garbed assailant quickly regained his senses and twisted his body to evade the elongated sword that was charging towards him at top speeds. Luckily for the assassin, Azure Water Blade only managed to barely scrape him even though he had reacted at the last minute. His companions, however, were much more alert. Once Junius used his ability, they saw an opportunistic opening and pounced with the full intention of disabling the injured youth. Junius had expected the attacks of course. He was aware of the major flaw of his first spiritual ability. When the Azure Water Blade was elongated, his sides were open to attacks. Hence, whenever he used ''Pierce,'' Junius had to be cautious of an enemy counterattack. *Splat* Before his opponents could even get within five meters of him, Junius halted his supply of mana to his Spirit. Thus, the sword that seemed to be able to extend to the ends of the earth dispersed and became liquid to water the earth, leaving behind the original metre long Azure Water Blade in Junius'' two hands. "Bring it!" Junius hollered in his battle stance. He had to end the fight within thirty strokes before his cut worsens and he fell due to the lack of blood. The two assailants were not shocked that Junius had regained his sword and begun their flurry of attacks. Slash. Stab. Thrust. Slice. Hack. Every single type of blade attack imaginable was thrown at Junius. The two assassin wielded two short knives. Thus, they were unable to match the reach that the Azure Water Blade provided Junius, but they made up for it with their numerous fast-paced attacks. Forcing his body to move, Junius barely managed to sidestep the barrage. He tried not to strain the area where his injury was while dodging but eventually, the two assailants forced him into a corner. ''Here comes the first slash!'' Raising the Azure Water Blade above his head, Junius gathered his mana into the sword. *Eeeee* As Junius prepared to attack the assassins, a slight ripping sound could be heard. However, it was not audible to the assailants who were about to maul Junius. It was the sound of Junius'' wound tearing up once more. Blood started to gush out at a faster rate than before as Junius gritted his teeth. ''I can''t give up now!'' Trying to ignore the pain, Junius used the Azure Water Blade to fend off the assassins. Soon, an extended exchange of blows commenced. Junius easily blocked the shorter knives of his opponents, but with every movement, he could feel his wound worsening. Finally, after twenty swings, Junius original grey-coloured shirt had turned crimson red. ''Damn!'' Stabbing his sword into the forest floor, Junius supported his wobbling body. The severe loss of blood had rendered him delirious. It took him all he had to even stay awake at this point. Evidently, facing three opponents by himself was too much for him. ''I can''t¡­ Fall...'' Junius tried his best to remain awake, but with every second, he could feel his consciousness leaving him. Not wanting to give the vulnerable youth a break, the two assassins teamed up to finish the boy once and for all. The fallen leaves on the forest floor flew as the assailants sprinted towards Junius. But at this moment, Junius'' Azure Water blade began to glow in a blue light. Pulling the blade out from the ground, Junius spun around once to form a ring of water. The water ring remained floating in the air as the currents inside of it started flowing at a rapid speed. The sharp, suffocating aura of the Azure Water Blade transferred into the ring of water and eventually, the wounded youth uttered a sentence. "*Water Ring, EXPAND!!!!*." Junius used his final attack before dropping to his knees. The ring of water expanded expeditiously and brutally collided with his attackers. Unable to dodge in time, the black-garbed assailants brought their knives together to block the spirit ability. *Tssssssss!!!!* The ring of water sliced at the knives slowly chipping away its blades. Eventually, cracks began to form and the weapons the assassins wielded, broke. Once the knives were damaged, the ring of water lost its form and faded into water droplets that rained onto the floor. Their hands shaking from the shock, the assailants paused to regain their senses. *Fwoosh!* *Fwoosh!* However, the reality wasn''t so kind to them. As they stood still, two arrows whistled through the air and targeted the immobilised duo. Before they could even realise the looming threat, a sharp pain could be felt from their abdomens. "ARGHHH!!!!" The both of them wailed in anguish. A cold air permeated through their bodies as they felt a biting icy pain coming from their stomachs. Looking down, they saw an icicle-like arrow protruding out of their bodies. Some frosty ice could be seen coming out of the arrows. The twins, who had drawn their bows since the beginning of the fight, had finally released their arrows. They had aimed for the perfect time to strike the opponents, and thankfully, they had managed to hit their targets. When Junius used to pierce, the twins endured. When Junius was being bombarded by attacks, the twins endured. When Junius was supporting himself with his sword, the twins endured. Ella and Emma held out and only struck when they were absolutely confident that their arrows would hit their targets. However, once the arrows were released from their bows, the Ice Bow Spirits that they had summoned faded into nothingness as the twins fell over due to overusing their mana. Similar to Junius'' current state, they were unable to lift a single finger to fight. The remaining assassin, who was watching his teammates fight Junius from a distance, finally rushed to his fallen allies. The two who were hit with the ice arrows tried to pull out the foreign object that was invading their bodies but every time they touched the icicles, they felt an unbearable pain surge through their bodies. "ARGHHHH!!!" "Damn it!" Wanting to help his partners, the assassin who was uninjured attempted to help pull the arrows out. "Ignore us! Kill them first!" One of the wounded assassins barked. He had even forgotten that their primary target was Shin. All he wanted to do was to eliminate the people who had caused him the agony he was in. Nodding to his words, the unscathed assassin picked up his blade and rushed maliciously towards the three orphans who were trying their best to remain conscious. At their current state, all they could do was pray that a genie would fall out of the sky and save them. ''I guess this is the end...'' Junius shed a tear as he saw the assailant charging towards him. He was unable to defend and could only wait for death. However, what caused him the most pain wasn''t that he was about to die, but that he was unable to protect his cute little juniors from harm. Once he died, Ella and Emma would be next to go. And finally, the five assassins would gather together to kill Shin. ''Ella, Emma, Shin¡­ I''ve let you down...'' Moments before his head was about to be separated from his head, Junius mentally apologised to his family. *BANG!* As Junius was saying his final goodbyes, a thunderous tremor rocked the forest. Distracted by the noise, the assassin halted his advance. The next instant, a red light bolted through the numerous trees of the forest and ended up in front of the fainting youth. "Who dares to injure my pupil!!!!" A behemoth man, who was as tall as an adult bear standing upright, emerged from the light and stood in front of Junius, protecting him as if a mother hen would. His face was red with anger, and his veins began to show. "Instructor!!!" Ella and Emma shouted. Although they were unable to move, they were able to see that their Instructor had finally arrived to save them. Chapter 45 The Curtain Falls 3 ''He''s injured quite badly...'' Glancing at Junius, the Instructor determined the state of the youth. Junius, who was barely awake, knelt motionless on the floor. Red fluids dripped from all over his torso, and the tears on his robes made it seem like he had traversed through hell. Seeing his pupil''s plight, the Instructor clenched his fists in rage. Of all the orphans, the one he loved most was Junius. Being the oldest orphan, the Instructor had spent the most time with him. Furthermore, Junius'' hardworking etiquette thoroughly impressed the veteran of the Frie Clan. Hence, the Instructor showered the youth with the most care. He had even taught one of his own spiritual ability to Junius. Thus, seeing that Junius was hanging by a thread, the Instructor was about to erupt into a fit of rage. He desperately wanted to snap the necks of those responsible for Junius'' injuries, but he knew, there was something more important right now. "You guys¡­ Leave now before I kill you!" "..." The three assassins were speechless at the Instructor''s words. Once the two-metre tall giant appeared, they had entirely resigned to their fates of being captured or even beat down. After all, arresting them would be the most significant evidence that the Second Elder was involved. But currently, the Instructor was letting them walk away from the crime scene. In fact, the Instructor did have that thought. Not only did he want to capture them, but he also wanted to wring their necks alive. But Junius'' injuries were not light. If he delayed even a few minutes, the youth would have met the grim reaper before he reached treatment. Hence, with an indignant expression on his face, the Instructor made the painful choice of releasing the assailants. "Did you not hear me? SCRAM!!!" A torrent of red spiritual energy flowed out of the Instructor''s body as he roared at the three black-garbed men. Heat waves could be seen emitting out of the ground as the infuriated man allowed his mana to seep into the surroundings. The assassins weren''t going to squander away the chance of leaving and scurried away like frightened mice. Even the two who had an arrow sticking out of their bodies ran at a speed that made it seem that their injury was non-existent. "You''re too brash, Junius..." Lightly reprimanding the youth who was about to lose consciousness due to the lack of blood, the Instructor touched Junius on the forehead and transferred a small amount of mana into his body. All the Instructor could do was to warm up Junius'' body using his mana. The Instructor was not a healer, but he could alleviate Junius'' current suffering. "Instructor¡­ Shin..." Seeing that the Instructor had arrived in the nick of time, Junius was glad that both the twins and himself were able to make it through the ordeal. Relaxing his body, Junius felt a comfortable, warm darkness enveloping him. However, before he embraced the tempting call, he tried to explain Shin''s circumstance. "Instructor! Shin and Ariel are still fighting! There are two more assassins in that direction!" Ella explained the situation while pointing to the east, preventing Junius from completing his sentence. Currently, he was severely injured, and any unnecessary movements might expedite his trip to the netherworld. "I know. But there is no need for me to go¡­ There is already someone going there to help them. So rest assured, bringing you to treatment is the first priority right now." Not wanting to waste any more time, the Instructor carried the two twins over his shoulder with his left hand like a sack of potatoes. Using his right arm, he cradled Junius like a precious baby. The three orphans were currently immobilised. Hence, he had no choice but to carry all of them at once. Thankfully, his physique allowed him to move them with little effort. Hearing that, Junius fell into a state of tranquillity and lost consciousness in the Instructor''s arms. "Is Junius alright?!" Once Junius fainted, Emma exclaimed, worried that her older brother might have passed away. Likewise, Ella wore a frightened expression. "He''s still alive, for now¡­ We need to hurry!" A red aura engulfed the orphans in the Instructor''s arms. With a kick, the Instructor leapt out of the forest and flew straight towards Frie Mountain. The twins could see the world move around them at rapid speeds, but they could not feel any sort of wind. It was as if they were untouched by the outside world once protected by the Instructor''s aura. "Please make it in time..." The Instructor pleaded as he rushed desperately towards the medical facility in the Frie Clan. -.- On the other side of the forest, Ariel and Shin are at a standstill with the one remaining assassin. His comrade is squirming in agony on the floor as he had come into contact with the spores of the polka dot mushroom. Currently, it is a two versus one. Even though the assassin is a Spirit Apostle, he is under orders not to use his Spirit. Furthermore, Shin and Ariel are not regular Rank 1 Spirit Practitioners. Both of them awakened Spirits that triggered a natural phenomenon, and are competent martial artists. "Ariel, how did you do that?" Noticing that the assassin did not intend to attack, Shin asked Ariel about the lava puddle that lay uncharacteristically on the forest floor. "Hmmm? Oh, that! That is my first spiritual ability! If I will for it, I can coat my Lava Warhammer with fresh molten lava!" "What?! So you can hurl lava with every swing?!" Shin uttered out in horror. If Ariel''s Spirit glazed itself in lava, which weapon could possibly hope to contend against it. "Hehe, strong right? But I can''t use it forever. Every time I swing my Lava Warhammer using my first spiritual ability, a large amount of mana is consumed. Currently, I can only use the ability ten times before I run out of mana, so I have to use it sparingly..." Ariel explained the nature of her first spiritual ability and its limitations. "I see..." Shin had mixed feelings about Ariel getting stronger. On one hand, with her power, they will be able to escape from their current predicament. On the other hand, once they returned to the Frie Clan, she would want to test her abilities with her training partner. "Well, thankfully there''s only one left standing¡­ What did you do to that guy over there who is rolling on the floor like a dog?" Unaware of Shin''s conundrum, Ariel questioned him about how he managed to disable one of their enemies. "A long story¡­ We should focus on the guy in front of us first!" At this time, a red light started to illuminate out of the fallen assassin. As a defence measure, his Spirit began to form by itself to alleviate the pain that he was experiencing. ''Shit!'' The remaining assassin cursed in his mind. Currently, it seems that they were unable to complete their mission. It had been over five minutes since Bates had released his flame pillar and reinforcements might arrive at any moment. Thus, they had to retreat. However, his companion was about to summon his Spirit, and if Ariel or Shin recognised it, the assassins could be traced back to the Second Elder. *Whoosh* To prevent the summoning of his companion''s Spirit, the assassin dashed towards the man lying on the floor in hopes to knock him out. "Oh no, you don''t, Shin! Cover me!" Ariel raised her Lava Warhammer off of her shoulders and charged towards the last assailant. Shin, realising his training partner''s intentions, conjured up yet another water bubble to cover her tracks. Although his ability was lacking offensively, it served as a great distraction. Unfortunately, neither Ariel nor Shin managed to show off their battle prowess. Before any contact was made, a red light crashed into the forest floor right in front of the fallen assailant. It was as if a meteor had struck the earth. Shin and Ariel lost their balance and tumbled to the ground due to the impact. A burly one-armed man wearing an ochre-coloured gauntlet walked out of the crater he formed and glared at Ariel and Shin. The forest seemed to have become a sauna once he appeared as numerous trees started to catch on fire. "Senior Bates!!!" Ariel instantly recognised the new adversary. Being the First Elder''s granddaughter, she is much more informed than a regular Frie Clan member. Hence, she knew every single one of the Frie Clan''s most valuable assets. Bates is one of them. The tale of him taking down a Rank 60 Spirit King when he was a Rank 50 Spirit Lord is legendary. And now that he is a Spirit King, people speculated that he could easily challenge a Spirit Emperor. A few seconds after Bates arrival, another meteor-like object flashed through the forest and landed in front of Shin. This time, there was no impact. A tall, middle-aged woman, stood unwaveringly before the black-haired youth determined to protect the boy at all costs. Looking at the woman, Shin noticed that she had dressed somewhat eccentrically. Instead of hands, she had a set of robust and sharp black claws that could easily be mistaken as a set of knives. Her entire skin had grown a coat of thick red fur that seemed to be able to defend against any sort of damage. From her behind, a fluffy tail wreathed in flames, uncharacteristically of a human, wagged slowly leaving behind a trail of fire wherever it went. Lastly, her head was protected by an Ainu Wolf''s skull. "Aunt Ines!" Ariel exclaimed. After Ines was attacked by Bates, she was forced to use her spiritual body enhancement. The spiritual body enhancement is an ability where the user merges with their Spirits to take a new form that dramatically increases their battle capabilities. Ines'' spiritual body enhancement creates an armour for her to wear and protects her from any fire-elemental damage. Hence, she was able to escape from Bates'' fire pillar relatively unscathed. "Long time no see, Ariel. I would love to chat but for now, stand back." Smiling affectionately at her, the middle-aged woman urged Ariel to hide behind her. "Bates! Do you honestly think the Clan Master will ignore this matter?!" Rapidly changing expressions, Ines shrieked at the one-armed man who was protecting the two assassins. "Ha¡­ You''re right. Let me take responsibility." "Huh?" Bates sighed and gave an answer that Ines was not expecting. She wanted to threaten Bates with the Clan Master''s name but never did she expect that the loyal subordinate of the Second Elder would be so quick to claim responsibility. "I''ll personally bring these assassins back to interrogate them on who sent them¡­ I believe I will be able to give the Clan Master a satisfactory answer once I''m done..." However, his next statement cleared up her doubts. "HUH?! What do you mean you will interrogate them?!" If Bates brought the two black-robed assassins back, the Second Elder division would be able to spin up fake stories to deflect suspicion away from their camp. After all, there would be no evidence that the Second Elder ordered the assassination of Shin. They could claim that the assassins were sent by a random organisation to target Frie Clan members. "Don''t worry, I will get to the bottom of this assassination attempt..." When Bates crashed onto the forest floor, he had knocked out both of the assailants. Picking up the unconscious duo with his one arm, he bent his knees slightly in preparation to jump. However, before he left, he took one last glance at Shin. "..." "..." Meeting eyes, Shin shivered at the one-armed man''s gaze. He felt that every part of his soul was being scanned by the bottomless well that was Bates'' eyes. "Ha..." Sighing, Bates jumped into the air and disappeared from the forest. "To think he just left like that..." Ines murmured out. Although she was unwilling to let Bates take the assassins away, she knew that there was no way that she could beat him. Furthermore, if she tried to wrestle the assassins out of Bates'' grasp, it would leave Ariel and Shin vulnerable to attacks. Thus, she could only unwillingly let the one-armed man take away their evidence. "We should return to the mountain¡­" "Senior! My companions are still fighting some other assassins back in the forest!" As Ines was preparing to return up to Frie Mountain, Shin mentioned that Junius and the twins were still behind them. There was no way he was going to abandon his three siblings. "Child, there''s no need to worry. When I was busy with Bates, I saw Lou running straight for your friends. If I''m not wrong, by now, they would have been rescued." "The Instructor?!" Hearing that, Shin relaxed. If the Instructor was heading towards Junius, he could rest assured. "Alright! Let''s return to the clan!" Ines addressed Ariel and Shin as she released her spiritual body enhancement and returned to her regular human form. Chapter 46 The Curtain Falls 4 By the time Shin returned to the mountain, the Frie Clan had erupted into a state of turmoil. Lou Frie had stormed into the initially tranquil and pristine medical facility carrying three injured youths. Two of them had light bruises and a case of mana depletion. Although it was not life-threatening, they still required medical attention. However, what shocked the various staff at the time was the condition of the boy that Lou had carried gently over. With a massive cut at the centre of his chest, his entire torso was drenched scarlet red by the amount of blood he had lost. About to shake hands with the angel of death, if Junius did not get medical help immediately, he would breathe his last. Threatening to topple the medical facility, Lou Frie summoned all the top healers of the clan to heal his beloved pupil. Once the operation to heal Junius had begun, Lou reported straight to the First Elder and sought that actions be taken against the Second Elder. Ines had also returned and described her encounter with Bates to the First Elder. Everything was recounted without missing a single detail. From how Bates barred her path into the forest and to how he claimed that he would arrest the assassins for interrogation. Enraged, the First Elder brought the top members of his faction and barged straight into the Second Elder''s abode, demanding for Bates to hand over the assassins. The clash of the two largest divisions woke up the slumbering Frie Clan. After the war ended ten years ago, the clan had entered into an extended period of stasis. Occasionally, there were small movements that might have garnered a minute amount of attention but otherwise, the following years after the battle was rather peaceful as the clan focused on rebuilding. Members that have gone into closed seclusion broke their cultivation early to witness the historical conflict, and every single soul living on Frie Mountain were eagerly watching the clash unfold. The First Elder flew straight into the Second Elder''s abode with his Kyoli Fire Whip Spirit in hand. Various Spirits were also summoned by his followers as they backed the old man in his advance towards the Second Elder. "Ash¡­ Hand them over!" The First Elder lashed out at the decrepit old man standing solitary in his courtyard. The lonesome man stood unwaveringly facing the dozens of experts who had intruded into his territory. From his eyes, a sombre sadness could be felt. It was as if the object he loved most had finally abandoned him. Before the Second Elder could mouth a reply, numerous amounts of lights flew straight towards the old man and floated in the space in front of him. The Second Elder''s loyal subordinates had finally arrived. All of them had resolute expressions. If the First Elder is determined to do battle, they will be happy to comply. "What is the meaning of this, Edward? Do you truly wish to tear apart the Frie Clan?!" The Second Elder hollered out. When he moved against Shin, he thought that even if the boy died, the First Elder would hold back his rage. After all, no matter how much the two of them hated each other, they all shared the same blood. Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected the First Elder to trigger a full-on retaliation and send his entire force straight to his doorstep. It''s as if he valued that despicable outsider more than the peace of the Frie Clan. "It''s you who wishes to tear the clan apart! Hand over the assassins that were sent to attack the juniors of my division!" The First Elder cannot directly accuse the Second Elder of ordering the assassination attempt on Shin. There is just no substantial evidence of him doing so. However, if the First Elder can get his hands on the assassins, he will be able to make them squeal and thus gaining the evidence required to convict the Second Elder. "I believe that will not be possible..." A burly one-armed man with unkempt hair ambled out of the Second Elder''s house. Although dishevelled, through his noble demeanour, one can see that he is not a regular ruffian. "Bates!!!" Ines clenched her fists in anger the moment the man showed up. He was the cause of her earlier suffering. By shooting a flame pillar at her and blocking her way, he had nearly cost the lives of the orphans. "Bates¡­ What do you mean you can''t hand over the assassins? Are you saying that you are going to shelter them?!" The First Elder erupted. If Bates is going to protect the assailants, it is as good as admitting that the Second Elder had ordered the strike on Shin. "Of course not, I would not dare to shelter such scum. It is just that during the investigation, the poor little souls were unable to take my ''questioning'' and passed away. Rest assured, before they left the living world, I found out who sent them to attack the juniors from your division." "Huh?! You killed them?!?!" The Instructor, wielding his massive club, exclaimed. Of course, none of those who came with the First Elder would believe such a story. By claiming that the assassins had died, they could spin whatever story they want to deflect suspicion from their door. After all, once the assassins had died, there was no way to confirm the truth. "It was an unfortunate mistake¡­ I was so angry that someone had ordered an assassination attempt on juniors of our clan that in a fit of rage, I snapped all of their heads. I am ashamed of doing something so unprofessional..." Trying to justify the reason that he killed the assassins, Bates put on his sorrowful expression while addressing the multiple experts levitating in the sky. "But before they died, they did manage to give a name. They said that they were hired by the Black Masks to kill any juniors of the Frie Clan!" Bates pinned all the blame on an organisation called the Black Masks. The Black Masks are a criminal institution that had gained prominence in the Himmel Empire in recent years. As their name suggests, members of the Black Masks concealed their faces with face masks. No one knew where they came from or who their leader was. But one thing''s for sure, the Black Masks name is synonymous with crime. From assassinations to human trafficking. Some of the Black Masks even resort to banditry to get what they want. Furthermore, unlike traditional crime syndicates, the Black Masks go out of their way to upset the establishment. It''s as if chaos is their calling. With family clans being the fundamental building blocks of the Himmel Empire, the Black Masks were known for sending forces to slowly chip away the power of sects such as the Frie Clan. Thus, Bates theory that the Black Masks sent assassins to kill Shin is somewhat reasonable. But of course, everyone present knew that Bates is lying. The Second Elder had openly shown animosity towards Shin and the second the youth left the clan for a mission, he was attacked. Additionally, Bates was in the forest preventing Ines from saving Shin. All the clues pointed straight at the Second Elder, but with no hard evidence, even the First Elder cannot outright say that his fellow High Elder had sent someone to kill a little junior. "If that''s the case, why did you prevent me from saving Shin in the forest, Bates?!" Ines was quick to point out the loophole in Bates'' explanation. Why would one of the Second Elder''s most influential aide stop Ines from saving Ariel and the orphans from a possible assassination attempt? "I have no idea what you''re talking about, Ines¡­ I saw you rushing towards the forest as if you were trying to destroy it. I assumed that you were about to eradicate a precious asset of the clan and tried to prevent you from burning down the forest. Don''t you remember?" "Hmph! Such sophistry!" Only Bates and Ines knew what went down in the forest. Hence, it was one person''s word against another. Ines claimed that Bates wanted to protect the assassins while Bates alleged that Ines tried to burn down the forest. With no other witness to prove otherwise, the argument had reached a dead end. "Fine! Let''s assume that everything you have said is true!" At this moment, the First Elder spoke up to Bates'' comments. "Since you say that you don''t have a guilty conscience, let us search your abode for the dead bodies of the assassins. That way, we can determine if you are telling the truth." The First Elder proposed to search the Second Elder''s abode for the bodies of the fallen assassins. The Second Elder had sent Spirit Apostles from his own faction for the assassination attempt. Hence, there was no way he would have killed them. With that in mind, the First Elder theorised that the assassins must be alive and hidden somewhere inside of the Second Elder''s home. "You wish to search my home?" The Second Elder narrowed his eyes. It was impossible for the First Elder to find any corpses as the Spirit Apostles have been moved to a secure location. Moreover, letting his nemesis ransack his house is a great insult to his prestige. "Hmph! Do you honestly think that the Elder''s home is something you can ravage?!" One of the Second Elder''s underlings shouted in contempt. "So Ash, would you let us in or not?" Ignoring the audacious junior, the First Elder doubled down on his affirmation. "If you want to start a war Edward, there''s no need to be indirect¡­ I will settle it with you right now!!!" A torrent of spiritual energy spewed out of the Second Elder as he summoned his Spirit. Flames spewed forwards searing everything in its path. Two seconds later, a shadowy, illusory figure manifested itself behind the decrepit old man. "*ROAR!!!!*." A deafening blast reverberated through the courtyard at the same time the image appeared. Those whose cultivation levels were subpar had no choice but to cover their ears in agony. But even then, red liquids started to drip out from their auditory canal. The rest who were able to maintain their sanity began to see the figure behind the Second Elder slowly becoming more explicit. Standing over five meters tall, a gigantic cat-like creature stared down the intruders. Instead of regular claws, the feline possesses gleaming green crystals for nails. Its mane breathed an emerald green fire that mesmerised anyone who lay sights on it. Legend has it that the beast that the First Elder and his subordinates were witnessing had once roamed the battlefields unhindered and without equal. Mauling and burning its enemies alive, the opposition would retreat in fear once they caught the eye of this magnificent beast charging their way. The Second Elder has summoned his Spirit, the Emerald Lion. Being a pure attack Spirit, its combat level is the highest in the Frie Clan. "I see¡­ So it had come to this..." Sighing in regret, the First Elder steeled his heart to face his age-old adversary. Although he did not wish to stir up an internal conflict in the already weakened Frie Clan, this time the Second Elder had pushed his bottom line. "ENOUGH!!!!" But the conflict would not come to pass. An unyielding, womanly voice bellowed from across the mountain. A middle-aged lady wearing an imperial gold robe sauntered forward into the courtyard of the Second Elder. In that instant, many of the clan members bent their heads involuntarily. A heavy invisible spiritual pressure was pressed down onto their souls the moment the woman came into view. "Clan Master!" "..." The two High Elders, who were barely able to resist the pressure, had a close look at the newcomer. In her hands, the Clan Master held an ornate golden token that had been branded with the Frie Clan Mark. A red aura spilt out from the badge and filled the surroundings. "The Proof of the Sovereign..." The Second Elder begrudgingly exclaimed. Over the years, the Frie Clan had gained a diverse amount of assets. Some have remained, some have been lost. However, two objects had stayed the same since the founding of the clan. One is Frie Mountain. The ancestors of the Frie Clan had established the clan in one of the most spiritually abundant locations in the Himmel Empire, and their descendants have never abandoned the place. And the other object is the Proof of the Sovereign. Passed down to each generation, only the Clan Master was able to use its power. Whoever wields the Proof of the Sovereign has absolute authority in the clan. If he or she wishes to, the owner of the token can even force anyone who shares the blood of the Frie Clan to kneel. And right now, the current Clan Master, Enfen Frie, is doing just that. Every single living being in the courtyard was unable to control their legs as they slowly bent down into a kneeling position. Only the two High Elders were able to resist the massive pressure being dealt onto them. "Are the both of you trying to destroy the clan?!" Infuriated, Enfen lashed out at the two old men. This is the first time she had to use the Proof of the Sovereign since assuming the position of Clan Master. Since it was authoritarian in nature, she despised using the token that was passed down by her ancestors. But desperate times calls for extreme measures. "Clan Master, I..." The First Elder was about to explain the situation but was cut off by the golden-robed woman. "Enough! I know everything that has happened here! I trusted that no matter how bad your disputes were, you would put the clan''s interests above everything else. But it seems that I was wrong. You were about to crush the clan from the inside. How are you able to justify that?! Aren''t the two of you ashamed to face your dead kin that sacrificed their lives for the continuity of our clan?!" The Clan Master is genuinely enraged. What was the war that they fought ten years earlier for? It was so that the Frie Clan can continue to prosper and survive. Numerous lives were lost in that battle, and now the two High Elders were currently trying to instigate another conflict that might end the clan once and for all. Not only the two elders, even their subordinates felt abashed at the Clan Master''s words. Instead of striving to rebuild the clan, they were about to destroy it. "Members of the Frie Clan, hear my order!" Seeing that the two sides had calmed down, the Clan Master raised the golden token into the air. With her voice amplified so that the entire mountain will be able to hear her, Enfen Frie laid down her decree. "Effective immediately, the two High Elder''s are stripped of their Elder status for ten years. They are barred from ever crossing each other''s territories, and all future conflicts will result in an instantaneous exile out of Frie Mountain!" The Clan Master''s decree echoed through the entirety of the clan. Every breathing soul living in Frie Mountain were able to hear that familiar voice. The Clan Master has always been forgiving to the mistakes of her people, but when there is a need to, she will always mete out punishments. And stripping the two High Elders of their position is the harshest punishment she had ever given. "..." "..." The Second Elder gnashed his teeth while releasing his Spirit. The Emerald Lion that had intimidated the surroundings disappeared. Even the First Elder reluctantly released his Spirit. Although he was just reacting to the Second Elder''s actions, bringing his troops over and threatening to start a battle that might destroy the Frie Clan was rather extreme. "This matter is settled! All of you, release your Spirits and return to your lodgings!" The Clan Master raised the Proof of the Sovereign once more and addressed the rest of those present. "Yes, Clan Master!" Every single soul gathered in the courtyard replied in unison. Whether they were Spirit Lords, Spirit Kings or Spirit Emperors, the Clan Master''s orders were absolute. Bolts of red lights flew out of the Second Elder''s home until eventually, only three figures remained. The Clan Master stared down the two High Elders. Generation-wise, she was their junior. But regarding authority, she trumps her seniors. When she was still a sheltered, ignorant girl, these two goliaths had already established themselves in the clan. Back then, although they weren''t the best of friends, their relationship was nowhere as toxic as it is now. And currently, they have passed the point of no return. All because of a single black-haired boy. "Senior Edward¡­ I need a word with you." Gesturing towards the First Elder, the Clan Master turned her back sluggishly. Internal strifes are the worst nightmare of any leader of a family clan. Historically speaking, the majority of clan collapses were due to a large scale internal conflict. With the two most significant divisions in the clan at the brink of an all-out war, she had to attempt to heal the wounds. Of course, it was delaying the inevitable, but at least it gave her time to contemplate on how to properly fix the problem that the Frie Clan had. "Alright..." The First Elder and Clan Master levitated away from the Second Elder''s abode leaving behind a sole disgruntled old man. A vicious hatred could be felt emitting out of the feeble, elderly body. From the Clan Master''s actions, it is evident that she favoured the First Elder over him. And once the two factions truly began to battle, it won''t take a genius to determine which side she will be on. Clenching his fists, the Second Elder turned his body in a fit of rage and stormed into his room. -.- Frie Mountain. Main Hall. Liuto Medical Facility. Dusk arrived at Frie Mountain. The bright blue sky had turned crimson red as the sun disappeared into the horizon. *Ding!* *Ding!* Chimes of a bell reverberated through the Main Hall, indicating to all that night was approaching. Workers who had been exerting themselves all day, departed from their jobs to return home and be with family. However, in a clean, white building, there were no signs of movement slowing down. The Liuto Medical Facility is one of the only places in the Frie Clan that never closes. Established by the previous Clan Master, the construction had been placed to treat any sick and injured. And currently, the facility had an extremely damaged patient. Lying motionless on the sickbed, Junius was covered with countless amounts of bandages. When he was first brought into the facility, the youth had lost over a third of his total blood count. With the help of the best healers of the clan and a healthy amount of fresh blood vials, Junius'' condition had started to stabilise. Thankfully, the Instructor wasted no time in bringing the wounded boy back. If he were a few minutes later, Junius might have been on his way to the netherworld. At present, Junius is still in a comatose state. Sitting next to his bed in the visitor''s chair is a pale blue haired girl. Tightly gripping his hand, beads of water dripped down her face. When Lily heard the news of Junius'' hospitalisation, she stopped everything she was doing and hurried down to the medical facility to be with the youth. Seeing the state of Junius, she had nearly fainted in fear and shock. Her premonition had come true. Only through the Instructor and various healers assuring her that Junius was going to be alright did she calm down. Nevertheless, ever since entering the ward, she showed no intention of leaving Junius'' side. Standing in one corner of the room, a black-haired boy watched over the duo in self-reproach. The only reason why Junius is lying frozen on the bed is due to him. If Junius did not volunteer to lead Shin''s team, the person that might have been hospitalised would be him. Staring into the room from the outside, two figures observed the interactions of those in the place. The grief and sadness in the little girl''s eyes. The hate and powerlessness of the black-haired boy. "Ha¡­ Is it a mistake?" The old man, who seemed indomitable before, sighed as he looked like he aged a few decades after seeing the bedridden youth. "No, it''s not your fault¡­ If my father were here, he would have done the same thing..." The middle-aged woman, dressed in a gold robe, consoled the old man. "Fate is a mysterious thing¡­ Is this happening to us because of our earlier sins?" "Senior Edward..." The Clan Master and First Elder arrived to check on Junius. Thankfully, the boy is going to live to see another day. If not, even if he had to break the peace of the Frie Clan, the First Elder is willing to barge straight back into the Second Elder''s abode to exact vengeance. "Don''t blame a child for his parent''s crime. That can also be said about the situation with Ash. Because of his unrelenting hatred, his next generation had grown up with a predisposing animosity towards the orphans. And once they grow up, they will start to fight Shin and the others with all their might. If any of the orphans get hurt, they will wish to get revenge. And thus, the wheel of hatred continues to spin¡­ Till when will this cycle end?" "..." The Clan Master remained silent as she listened somberly at the old man''s rant. One of the great pillars of the Frie Clan, someone who could move the earth and burn the seas, seemed so weak as he monologues. "I had wished to end the cycle in this generation. With the death of Ash and I, maybe they could restart afresh. But it seems that it is not meant to be..." Sighing, the old man found a nearby chair and rested himself. It was a taxing day, and he was all but spent. Although he had not strained himself physically, mentally, it had been one of his most tiring days. "What are your future plans?" The Clan Master took a seat next to the exhausted old man. Once the two High Elders had bared fangs at each other, there was no going back. Although the Clan Master had managed to slow down the deterioration, a broken dam is doomed to fail and flood all who lived near it. "Shin cannot remain on the mountain¡­ Because of The Sovereign Koi, not only Ash, but other indignant members of the clan might target him." "I concur..." The Second Elder is not the only person who disliked the fact that Shin remained in the clan. A silent minority also wished to chase the boy out. Keeping him here will only cause a greater rift and push that opposition closer to the Second Elder''s camp. "In fact, I have the perfect plan for him..." "What?" Smiling bitterly, the First Elder watched the black-haired youth inside Junius'' ward. He did not wish to go to push Shin to this step, but currently, he had no other choice. "Let''s make him a healer." ~~~ End of Book 1 ~~~ Chapter 47 Leaving the Clan 1 Frie Mountain. Orphan''s abode. Shin and Junius'' lodging. The usual cocktail-blue sky had turned tar-black as dense, black clouds enveloped the atmosphere. A light tap on the window had slowly turned into a torrential deluge that barred the path of any who tried to barge through it. Sheets of rain fell and dictated that no outdoor activities were possible a majority of the clan retreated indoors. Crackles of lightning flashed through the sky as the downpour showed no signs of slowing down. On this misty day, two young boys were busy finding items to pack while arguing incessantly. "SHIN!!! Hold that vase with both hands! If you break it, I''ll end you!" Junius, who was seated in a wheelchair bandaged up, yelled at the black-haired youth who was clumsily trying to move an oversized vase with just his right arm. "Shut up! Who brings a vase when moving to a new place anyway?!" "That''s my lucky vase! If I don''t see it around, I will feel uncomfortable!" "Just leave it here! Bringing this vase for the ride might actually break it." "Arghhh!!! I can''t trust you¡­ Let me pack my stuff." "Oh no no no! You just sit there like a disabled person should! Fine! I''ll carry this bloody vase with both hands! Happy now?!" "See? Was it that hard?" "..." Three days after the assassination attempt on Shin, Junius awoke from his coma and was set on the path of rehabilitation. When the youth regained consciousness, Lily and Shin cried out in relief. Even the Instructor, who was ordinarily never fazed, shed a little tear at the recovery of his beloved pupil. Although Junius had fought out of the claws of death, he needed more time to have a complete recovery. As Shin lived with Junius, the black-haired youth had been assigned to be on Junius duty. Everything that his elder brother needed, Shin had to provide. When Junius required to use the toilet, Shin had to be there to pull his pants down. When Junius wanted to eat, Shin had to cook. Essentially, Shin had become Junius'' personal servant. The first few days went great. Junius had begun showing drastic improvements in his recovery. He had even started to use the bathroom himself. However, two weeks in, the First Elder dropped a bombshell onto the orphans. "Shin, Junius! Both of you, pack what you need. In a few days, you will be sent out of Frie Mountain and stationed somewhere else!" The old man draped in red robes kicked down their door and broke the news to them. As expected, the two boys were bewildered and bombarded the First Elder with a sequence of questions. Questions such as: ''Why are we being moved?'' and ''Where are we going?'' were the common theme, but the old man quietly shut down their queries and ordered them to pack. "Three days later, I will tell you everything. For now, just pack your essentials. You might be stationed there for a long time so keep that in mind as you pack." With those words, Shin and Junius were sent to pack. Scraping dust off old items, the duo combed their familiar house to find things for their journey. Clothes, books and toothbrushes. Nothing had to be left behind. Since Junius was unable to move freely without opening a wound, Shin was the only boy in the lodging that hustled around frantically to store items into their luggage. "Hey, why do you think we are being stationed away?" Pushing a load of clothes into a brown suitcase, Shin questioned the wheelchair-bound youth. Even though Shin had his theories, he still wanted a second opinion. "You should know why¡­ That assassination attempt, although unsuccessful, was a direct threat to your life. The First Elder knows that and wants to protect you." Seeing that his little brother had turned sombre and moody, Junius tried to assure that the move away from the clan was for his best interests. "Then, do you really think that the assassins were sent by the Black Masks? To kill random Frie Clan members? And we were just collateral damage?" Shin sent a barrage of questions Junius'' way. When Junius had regained consciousness, the Instructor told them the official statement the upper echelons of the Frie Clan gave regarding the assassination attempt on the orphans. They claimed that the Black Masks had sent assailants to kill juniors of the Frie Clan and the orphans were unlucky to meet them. And once the assassins were caught by Bates, they had confessed to everything. However, in a fit of rage, the Second Elder''s division slew, all the captured assassins thus cutting off any way of tracing the Black Masks. Of course, everyone who knew the circumstances of the assassination attempt knew that the official statement was just a cover story to prevent complete mutiny from the Second Elder''s division. But there were whispers. Whispers that alleged that the Second Elder had personally ordered Spirit Apostles from his division to kill the boy who had awakened The Sovereign Koi. And those whispers had naturally reached the ears of the distraught orphans. Fear and confusion arose from the very black-haired youth that was central to the story. And currently, he was sharing his dismay with his elder brother. "That is the official statement¡­ But everyone knows that the Second Elder might have pulled some strings..." Raising his head up to meet Shin''s gaze, Junius strongly replied his younger brother he doted on so much. "Then¡­ Why? Why does the Second Elder hate us so much? Why does he want to kill me?!" The black-haired youth shivered as the numerous hairs on his body started to rise up. A sudden chill raced up his spine as he muttered those words. Shin could not comprehend why the Second Elder wished for his death. Furthermore, the threat was so severe that the First Elder had to relocate them to a faraway place that was out of reach from the Second Elder. "..." Looking at his distressed younger brother, who seemed like he was about to cry out of despair, Junius wordlessly forced his battered body out of his wheelchair. Stumbling as he got out, the bandaged youth plodded towards Shin and brought him to his embrace. "I don''t know why the Second Elder is aiming for us¡­ But I promise you this, Shin. If he wants you dead, he has to step over my dead body first!" Declaring his stance, Junius gave Shin an oath. A pledge to never falter and to protect the brother he held so dearly. "Yeah..." Nestling in his elder brother''s embrace, the ten-year-old boy wiped his misty eyes on the grey-coloured robes that Junius wore. His earlier anxiety faded away quickly as he felt like an indomitable mountain had appeared to shelter him from any trials and tribulations that might enter his path. When Shin was younger, he had often hugged Junius to calm down during that days he felt afraid and alone. Thus, being brought into these familiar arms gave Shin a sense of security. However, after a few minutes, Shin realised the awkwardness of the situation and quickly pushed Junius back into his wheelchair. With his face as red as an apple, the boy bit his tongue as he struggled to make out his sentences. "This¡­ A¡­ Anyway! I have to get back to packing!" "Oh come on! We were having a great moment! After you''ve turned six, you have started to turn to me less and less!" Before, when Shin was younger, he had invariably followed Junius around, like how Max and Lily were currently. However, at some point in time, Shin had grown out of hugs and cuddles, leaving Junius exasperated that his little brother didn''t want his companionship anymore. "J¡­ Just shut up!" Stammering on his words, Shin walked out of the room and continued to find items to pack. Chapter 48 Leaving the Clan 2 Frie Mountain. Residential area. First Elder''s abode. As Shin and Junius were busy contemplating how to efficiently pack their belongings, two brooding figures could be seen pacing around in circles as if impatiently awaiting the arrival of someone. The first person was an imposing, rough goliath. His chiselled face was hidden under the thick undergrowth of facial hair. The usual piercing gaze of his was replaced with saddened and worried eyes as he rubbed his knuckles in anxiousness. His broad shoulders and muscular body that had terrorised the orphans currently seemed so small. Next to him stood a slim and lean middle-aged woman dressed in black attire with white fittings bordering its edges. With an additional broomstick, she would look no different to a Victorian-styled maid. Her long, wavy hazel-coloured hair was tied up into a small bun atop her head preventing the wind from messing up her look. Pure black spectacles covered her amber-coloured eyes, and her two freckles disappeared as she grimaced while staring at her companion. The man and woman were two people that the orphans were extremely familiar with. Both of them had caused many nightmares for the orphans over the years. "Lou, stop moving around¡­ You''re making me dizzy." The woman adjusted her glasses up the bridge of her rounded nose while addressing the Instructor. Her furrowed wrinkles and deteriorating skin elasticity suggested that she had a few more years before menopause kicks in. "Shut it Elizabeth¡­ It''s not like you''re entirely calm too." "At least I''m not causing you a migraine. Your incessant shuffling is bothering me." "I can''t help it! Why isn''t the First Elder here yet?!" The Instructor raised his head and turned to the direction of the entrance. Both the Instructor and the woman were told to meet with the First Elder in the evening, and the old man was currently over half an hour late. "I understand your frustration, but the Elder is a busy man. In all my years being his subordinate, he has never been late for a meeting without good reason." The woman calmly retorted the Instructor''s query. "Yeah¡­ I know¡­ It''s just that Junius and Shin are being relocated. Even though they did nothing wrong. I find it unjust that they have to suffer due to our negligence." "Lou¡­ You''re still beating yourself up over what happened two weeks ago?" The woman worriedly asked the Instructor. When the sturdy, middle-aged man first saw the condition the Junius was in, he had nearly burst out in anger. And after he sent the injured youth to the medical facility and charged into the Second Elder''s abode to demand blood, he had failed to uphold justice. Even the upper echelons of the clan had issued an official statement claiming that the Second Elder had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. Unable to protect and eventually avenge his dearest pupil, the Instructor had been feeling down in the dumps ever since. And just this morning, he had received news that the First Elder was about to station Junius and Shin away from the clan. Although sending associates out of Frie Mountain was a common occurrence, the two orphans were too young and still in their development years. Without the constant the guidance of the Instructor and the high spiritual density of Frie Mountain, their cultivations might be stifled. Thinking that the First Elder''s plan was unfair treatment, the Instructor requested a meeting with the elderly man. Unfortunately, he felt that his lone voice would not be sufficient to overturn the First Elder''s decision hence he roped in a helping hand. And the helpful hand that came to his aid was one of the First Elder''s most trusted subordinates, the Headmistress. In charge of the livelihood of not only the orphans but the entirety of the younger generation in the First Elder''s division, this woman held incredible power. A single word of hers is worth thousands, and the First Elder always held her advice with high regard. Thus, with the Headmistress giving her endorsement, there was a glimmer of hope that the First Elder would change his mind. Thankfully for the Instructor, he had known the Headmistress since he was young and they had often gone on missions together. Furthermore, he managed to build up some favours over the years. Hence, getting her to come on his side was rather straightforward. "Yeah¡­ But that''s not the point! The First Elder is making a grave mistake sending Junius and Shin out of Frie Mountain! They are two of the most talented youths of our clan! Sending them away would be severely detrimental to their development!" "Yeah, yeah¡­ Keep that vigour for when the Elder arrives." A soundless sigh escaped from the rosy lips of the Headmistress. She was reluctant to go against the First Elder''s wishes but seeing her friend so adamant in his belief, the Headmistress decided to put in a word or two on the Instructor''s behalf. "Oh! Speak of the devil¡­ Look, he''s walking over right now." Just as they mentioned the First Elder, a wrinkled, willowy old man sauntered in from a distance. His hands cuffed behind his back as he entered his abode while furrowing his brows looking down at the pavement. In deep contemplation, he did not notice the two figures who were anxiously awaiting his arrival for the past half hour. ""Elder!"" The Instructor and the Headmistress shouted out to catch his attention. Otherwise, the old man might have passed them without acknowledging their presence. "Hmmm? Oh, Lou and Elizabeth¡­ Right, there was a meeting with you..." The First Elder rubbed his forehead as if just remembering that he had an arranged appointment. "Elder! We should not send Junius and Shin away! I..." "Okay, let me stop you right there, Lou." The Instructor had spent the entire afternoon rehearsing his arguments on why the two orphans had to remain on Frie Mountain. He had even sat the Headmistress down to listen and critique on his delivery. Unfortunately, the First Elder was not going to give the muscular man a chance to present his points. "I know everything you are about to say. In fact, I had the same ideas that you probably have. I had just finished a discussion with the Clan Master on how to proceed with Shin and Junius..." The First Elder stopped the Instructor and begun to monologue. "As you know, sending the two of them away is due to the danger that they are in. Although Ash might lie low after we stormed into his abode, the definite rift between us has only grown bigger. Sooner or later, Ash will send people to deal with Shin again. Additionally, Junius'' performance when fighting against the assassins was spectacular. Even now, I hear rumours about the child who fought off three Spirit Apostles on his own. There''s no way Ash would leave such a threat to mature quietly under his jurisdiction." Stopping midway, the elderly man went over to a nearby table to pour himself a cup of tea. Evidently, he felt fatigued and dehydrated from all the talking he did. Taking a seat on one of the many marble stools in the courtyard, the First Elder quenched his thirst before placing his teacup down. "So we will be sending them to the Chilyoja Waypoint. Located less than twenty kilometres from the mountain, if they are ever in trouble, either the Clan Master or I can easily rush there to help them." "But Elder, if they are within reach, won''t the Second Elder also have a chance to deal with them?" The Headmistress who had been silent until now tilted her head quizzically. "Haha! Let him try! I have some connections in the area. Junius will be working for the Mayor of the district thus making him a civil servant of the Himmel Empire. Even I would be apprehensive to lay my hands on the boy." The Instructor heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that Junius would be working in the Mayor''s office. If the Second Elder wished to hurt Junius, all he had to care about was the backlash he would face from the First Elder. But if he laid hands on Junius when he was working as a member of the Himmel Empire, the Second Elder might face a felony. "What about Shin?" Noticing that the First Elder didn''t mention that Shin would be working for the Mayor, the Instructor asked about what would Shin be doing at the Waypoint. "Hohoho, that boy is in even more secure hands. Even if the Frie Clan gathered all of its resources, we would be unable to pry Shin from that person''s grasp." "What?!" The two listening to the First Elder gasped in surprise. Although the Frie Clan had fallen from grace, regarding overall strength, it was still amongst the best in the Himmel Empire. With three Rank 70 Spirit Emperors, there were little adversaries that could threaten them. If the full force of the Frie Clan was unable to contest with that person, does it mean that he or she had reached a boundary well above the Clan Master or High Elders? "There''s no need to be that surprised¡­ The person is someone you are familiar with. Let me give you some hints." The mischievous side of the elderly man surfaced as he saw the reactions of his precious subordinates. "She''s around my age, has light blonde hair and once publicly spanked our current Clan Master in front of the entire clan." "Wha..." "It can''t be..." The first two hints that the old man gave were rather broad. However, the last clue was a dead giveaway. There had only been one person in history that had dared to physically punish the current Clan Master, Enfen Frie. The story was a legendary one that revealed the dark annals of Enfen''s past. "Lady Seph!!!" Chapter 49 Leaving the Clan 3 "Exactly, not many people know this, but recently, Seph retired from her original post and opened a clinic in Chilyoja Waypoint." The First Elder stroked his beard which had just begun to whiten. He felt somewhat amused when looking at the agape mouths of the Instructor and Headmistress. "Why would such a person seclude herself in a rural area such as Chilyoja Waypoint?!" Lady Seraphim, or as she''s more commonly known, Lady Seph, was famous not only in the Frie Clan but also nationwide. Being one of the top healers in the Himmel Empire, she had served as Chief Physician of the army and once, an Imperial Doctor. If she sincerely wished for it, she could be bestowed a nobility title and retire in luxury and comfort. Thus, learning that she had stationed herself in a rural area such as Chilyoja Waypoint came as a great shock to the Headmistress. "She has her reasons¡­ But that turned out well in our favour. I''ll be sending Shin to her so that he can learn the ways of a healer." When Shin had awakened The Sovereign Koi, the First Elder had already thought of sending him to Lady Seph. Many of the older Frie Clan generations who knew of the threat of The Sovereign Koi, felt apprehensive of training Shin into a Spirit User that could potentially jeopardise the clan. And maybe one day, they would back the Second Elder in his claim and order the execution of the black-haired youth. To prevent such an occurrence from happening, the First Elder had to show that Shin would not grow up to become a menace to the clan. Hence, he planned to train Shin as a capable healer where his Spirit would pose less of a danger. Now that the environment in the clan had become toxic, the First Elder felt that it was the perfect time to send Shin away to possibly water down the fires. "Lady Seraphim would accept Shin as a disciple?!" Someone of Lady Seph''s stature could easily attract some of the most exceptional talents in the land if word got out that she was recruiting students. In fact, the Himmel Imperial family themselves would open up a school so that Lady Seph could efficiently teach her students. However, the old veteran had shown no intentions of accepting disciples, much to the dismay of the empire''s top brass. "Well, he won''t be an official disciple. He will just be an attendant to her clinic¡­ But that alone is enough." The First Elder denied that Shin would become a disciple of that legendary figure. Being an attendant to one of the empire''s most accomplished physician was something that would draw the envy of any Spirit User aiming to become a healer. "How did you even manage to get Lady Seraphim to agree to this?" The Instructor rubbed his hairless head as he questioned the First Elder. Although Lady Seph was a friend of the Frie Clan, having her accept Shin was extraordinary. "Let''s just say that I have leverage¡­ Anyway, since you are so worried about your two proteges, I assume that you would be fine in escorting them out of the mountain." Clearing the last drop of tea from his cup, the First Elder stood up calmly and headed to his room, indicating that the discussion was over. "Of course! Leave it to me!" "Great. Three days from now, we will be sending a caravan to Chilyoja Waypoint. In addition to sending the two boys there, you will need to protect the goods that will be sent there to sell. Just in case, I will be sending Ines with you." Although the Frie Clan secluded themselves ten years ago, it didn''t mean that they had zero contact with the outside world. Very often, they would send convoys to nearby trading ports and cities to trade and purchase items that the clan needs. With Chilyoja Waypoint being so near to the mountain, the Frie Clan trades there at least once a month. The clan even had an anchor store located at the heart of the town. "Thank you, Elder!" Bowing his head, the Instructor respectfully saw the First Elder off as he retreated into his chambers. The muscular man had come here with the purpose of dissuading the old man from sending his pupils away, but instead, he got convinced that the First Elder was doing the right thing. The moment the old man disappeared from sight, the Headmistress sighed and glanced at the Instructor. Somewhat indignant that she had to waste her time following the Instructor. "See, I told you the Elder has his plans. Junius and Shin will be in good hands." "Yeah, it seems that I have worried too much..." Adjusting her glasses once more, the Headmistress turned towards the exit and gestured for the Instructor to follow. "We shouldn''t remain here once our business is done. Let''s leave." "Hah¡­ You''re so uptight about the rules." Sighing, the Instructor followed the stern middle-aged woman out of the First Elder''s abode. -.- Frie Mountain. Orphan''s abode. Shin and Junius'' lodging. White clouds began gliding through the black moonless sky an orange glow started to illuminate it. The sun awoke from its long slumber and emerged up from the horizon bringing a blue hue to the lonely atmosphere. Birds tweeted out in unison, singing a peaceful and melodious tune as pheasants could be seen flying unhindered across the mountain. And on this beautiful morning, a drowsy ten-year-old boy was struggling to keep his elder brother from leaving his wheelchair. "Junius! You''re not totally recovered yet! Don''t go around exercising!" "I have been sitting in that bloody chair for the past two weeks! Just give me this morning!" Shin had been rudely roused out from his beauty sleep at the sound of metallic clanking just outside his door. As he languidly opened his door, Shin saw Junius trying to force himself out of the wheelchair and escape for a morning exercise. After resting for two weeks, Junius was able to do a majority of his primary functions such as going to the restroom and feeding himself. He could even walk somewhat simplistically for a short period of time. However, he was in no condition to physically drain himself with something such as exercise. "In the afternoon, we will be taking a trip for god knows how long! At least let me stroll around outside! I don''t want to be stifled any longer!" Being an exercise junkie, being unable to work out was like torture for Junius. Seeing that he had shown signs of improvement, the youth attempted to sneak in a secret run from his ''nurse'' that monitored him nearly twenty-four hours a day. Additionally, in the afternoon, they would be leaving the clan. Hence, he might not have another chance to sufficiently stretch his muscles. "No means no! The doctor said you have to use a wheelchair for at least one month! Leaving it early, especially for exercise is forbidden!" But Shin was not about to risk Junius'' health for a whim of his. "Come on! Just this once!" "No!" "Please?" "Never!" And thus, the day where the two brothers depart from the mountain began with the usual bickering just like any other day. Chapter 50 Goodbyes 1 As the sun reached the peak of the crystal clear sky, its blazing hot heat warmed the earth with little care for its inhabitants. The milky white clouds drifted with the winds as they decorated the blue sky. The heat radiating from the streets made the atmosphere unbearable for any form of physical exercise. And in the midst of this blazing afternoon, stood a group of young children with mixed expressions. "Shin! I don''t want you to go!" A snotty nosed girl with her sapphire coloured hair tied into a ponytail clung to a black haired boy who was carrying a large suitcase on his back. Her baby-soft heart-shaped face that was often the victim to many pinches was now covered with tears and snot, indicating that she had been crying prior. Usually, Shin would tease her for being a crybaby, but currently, even he felt misty-eyed parting with this cute little creature. "Don''t cry, Elyse¡­ It''s not like I''m going to disappear forever!" Gently patting the head that was buried in his chest, Shin bitterly chastised the girl. Ever since they were young, the two had one of the most profound bonds amongst the orphans. Shin genuinely saw Elyse as a younger sister, and the girl loved Shin as an elder brother. Although they were orphans, relying upon and comforting each other over the years had made them as close as blood-related family. "Hic¡­ hic¡­ But Shin! We won''t see each other anymore." When the news broke that Junius and Shin had to leave the clan, the orphans were devastated. Each child had a different reaction to the revelation. Lily ran to find Junius and accompanied him as if he were living on borrowed time. Ryner vocally called out the Instructor and tried to convince the man to stop the transfer. Lia, Emma, Max and Elyse wailed uncontrollably, and even the stoic Fionn and Jacob were in a bad mood ever since receiving the news. But all of them had a common goal, to spend as much time with the two youths before they left the clan for god knows how long. Unfortunately, time flowed by like a river and Shin and Junius were standing in front of the North gate with their bags packed. "Hic¡­ hic..." No matter how much Shin tried to calm Elyse down, the more she thought that her beloved brother was leaving her, the more tears dripped down from her big, round eyes. "Hah¡­ What to do with you..." Sighing in melancholy, Shin reached for the nape of his little sister and gently massaged Elyse''s neck. Whenever Elyse felt insecure, Shin would often perform this manoeuvre to calm the girl. Meanwhile, his roommate wasn''t having a gentle time either. Still firmly fixed to his wheelchair, Junius could only move his hands in helplessness as a pale-blue haired girl tended to his every need. Holding up a pink, paper umbrella with floral patterns, Lily sheltered Junius from the fiery heat of the sun. Occasionally wiping off the sweat beads that formed on his forehead, Lily seemed like an overprotective mother caring for her sick child. "Lily, there''s no need for you to do all of that. I''m fine on my own." In the morning, Lily arrived in front of Shin and Junius'' lodging as per usual and helped to carry the bags over to the gate. However, ever since they rendezvous, Lily had not uttered a single word. Silently nursing Junius, the awkwardness rose to an unbearable level for the disabled youth. "..." Ignoring his plea, Lily continued to raise her umbrella, faithfully standing next to Junius. "Lily, I can manage. You are probably tired from all the moving. Rest for now..." At the North gate, there were multiple carriages each loaded to the brim with various trading materials such as grain and spices. After the harvest festival, the Frie Clan would typically send a caravan to trade the excess produce they farmed. "Junius¡­ If you go, when will you come back?" Shivering while biting the tip of her lip, Lily mouthed out her first words of the day. Internally, she had not prepared herself for the absence of Junius. As the two oldest orphans, they had always been a dynamic duo. Junius being the shield of the group while Lily took care of the orphans like a mother would. With Junius gone, the pressure on her would increase multiple folds. Not only must she continue on with her role as a caretaker, but she also had to block any threats that might be directed at her younger siblings. But the most important factor to her was the fact that her mental support, Junius would be gone. In front of her juniors, she acted like a stern mother that lectured the group at every turn, but when facing Junius, she could become the thirteen-year-old girl that she was. "I don''t know Lily¡­ It''s up to the First Elder. Worry not, I will send letters every month..." Grasping her quivering left hand, Junius assured the girl. Naturally, he knew about his role in Lily''s heart. Once he left the mountain, she would have to step up to efficiently take care of her fellow orphans. Hence, Junius had actually implored for the Instructor to be more observant to the orphan''s situation and even provide more assistance if needed. "Hey! Who knows? The place we are being stationed at is only a day or two away! Maybe you can come visit or vice versa." Shin and Junius were being sent to Chilyoja Waypoint for their own protection. Maybe it might take a year for the situation to calm down or perhaps the two will only be able to come back in ten years. No one really knew. Hence, the First Elder had assured the orphans that they would be able to visit one another in the future. "But Lily¡­ When I''m gone, please be careful¡­ Try to reign Ryner in. I''m sure there will be troublemakers from the main bloodline coming over to try and instigate a fight. If Ryner loses his calm, there might be undesirable consequences." Although Junius seemed nonchalant about leaving the clan, deep down he felt frightened. If something happened to his family while he''s gone and he wasn''t there to defend them, Junius thought that he would go crazy with guilt. Feeling the grasp on her hand tighten, Lily finally gave a soft smile. Even when Junius was being evicted out of the mountain, he still placed the orphans'' interests above his. That''s why he''s publically known as the big brother. That''s why she¡­ Lily''s earlier anxiety slowly melted away as she placed the rough hand that was filled with scars and blisters due to years of using the sword on her silky, smooth face. "I know¡­ You too. Be careful..." Finding comfort in the warmth of his hands, Lily purred happily much to the dismay of Junius. The embarrassing scene was witnessed not only by the other orphans but by the other Frie Clan members that were accompanying them on the trip. Whistles of praise could be heard as smiles and laughter plagued the area. Noticing that they had become the centre of attention, Lily quickly let go of Junius'' hands as the young couple started to blush uncontrollably. Chapter 51 Goodbyes 2 Although the couple was subject to playful mockery, Lily refused to leave Junius'' side and continued her task of tending to his every need. After all, once he left, the two might not be able to meet for a long time. Thus, she wanted to treasure every last second she had remaining with the youth. Meanwhile, Shin had finally managed to pry Elyse off his body. The cute, bubbly faced girl had managed to calm down, but she still let out the occasional sniffle. "Shin, you must remember to write me letters!" Elyse pointed her left index finger directly at the black-haired boy as she instructed him. The Instructor had said that although they were moving away, the duo would be able to send back letters frequently. Hence, the back and forth messages would form some sort of solace for the orphans who are staying behind on Frie Mountain. "Of course I would! Who knows, maybe I would be able to send back a souvenir for you!" The Frie Clan sends a caravan every month to Chilyoja Waypoint to deliver products and collect items from the store located there. Hence, Shin and Junius would be able to send letters back monthly via the convoy. "Hehe, you better! I want candy!" Shin''s words instantly cheered the downcast girl up. Seeing the girl now, Shin could imagine an invisible tail wagging gleefully, as she requested for her favourite treat. "No can do. Your teeth are already starting to decay!" Pinching open Elyse''s mouth, Shin located a browned tooth that was showing signs of deterioration. Evidently, this little girl had more than a few sweets in her lifetime. "But you''re going to a new place! I''m sure the sweets there are much more delicious than the ones in the clan!" Disputing with Shin, Elyse tried hard to convince the boy to send back candy. "Fine, fine¡­ If you promise to eat your vegetables, I''ll send back the best sweets I can find!" Seeing her puffed cheeks and unwavering gaze, Shin finally yielded to her demands. In the end, he was the person who spoiled Elyse the most. "Ewww¡­ But I''ll do it in the name of sweets!" Flashing a brilliant smile, Elyse let go of Shin''s hand and stuck her tongue out. Soon after her exchange with Shin was over, two purple haired girls, no older than ten years of age, walked over with grim faces. Their faces were precisely alike bar the small mole on one of the girl''s face. "Shin..." With misty eyes, Emma sauntered into Shin''s arms. The usually cheerful and gorgeous smile was replaced with a dark and sorrowful frown. The orphans were like one big family. Having Shin and Junius forced out of their lives would undoubtedly form a hole in their hearts. "Emma, don''t be like that¡­" Emma tried to be optimistic in front of Shin to prevent him from worrying but every time she imagined that the next morning, the boy who brought so much fun and laughter into her life would be missing, tears started to well up in her eyes. As far as she can remember, Shin had always existed in her life. She knew nothing about her parents or where she came from. All she knew were the Frie Clan and the orphans. Being of similar age to Shin, they had often played and trained together. His antics with her twin sister, Ella where her sister chided Shin when he did something silly always made her laugh. Thinking that from tomorrow onwards, the boy that was ever-present in her life was disappearing, was too much for her young and fragile heart to bear. "Shin..." As Emma tried to speak, she realised that her mouth was unable to form any words. She had thought of words to say at their parting, but currently, her mind drew a blank. "I''ll send letters to you too. Look at you, you''re wearing two different types of shoes!" "Eh?" At Shin''s statement, Emma''s eyes darted down to her feet. To her surprise, she found that on one foot, she wore a straw indoor sandals and on the other foot, a white training shoes. Due to Shin''s departure, the purple-haired girl had been absent-minded the entire morning. She hadn''t even realised that she donned two different types of footwear. "EH?!?!" Exclaiming in shock, the round-faced girl frantically tried to hide her feet. "Hahaha! It''s alright! I''ll send back a pair of shoes for you!" As if treating the exile as a vacation, Shin promised to send back souvenirs for his fellow orphans. "Hmph! I''m ignoring you!" Emma turned her back to the black-haired youth with a smile. Although she had brightened up slightly, there was an ostensible cheerfulness concealing her sadness. To prevent Shin from seeing her tears, Emma tagged in her elder twin sister to say her goodbyes. "Hah¡­ Shin, you''re really good at handling Emma..." Ella had mixed reactions towards Shin. Some days, the boy would drive her absolutely nuts, and she would wish for him to not exist. On other days, Shin would show his usefulness in helping her appease Emma when she did something wrong to her. But overall, Ella saw Shin as an annoying brother that was of similar age to her. Hence, although she might not be as emotional as her twin sister, Ella was still slightly depressed about his departure. "Well, we have been together for a long time..." "I''m her twin sister, and I''m still not as adept as you when it comes to dealing with Emma." "I guess you must be more observant." "Hmph! As if I''m less attentive than a lazy bum like you!" "It''s the truth though..." "Why you!" Even as Shin was leaving, the two had to enter one last argument. But before the two got into a fight, the duo scoffed at their interaction and started to laugh in mockery. Some things just never change. "Hahaha¡­ I''m going to miss this..." Ella lightly tapped Shin''s chest as a tear begun to form in her eye. No matter how much he bothered her, Shin was still one of the orphans. One of her family. "Yeah me too. Take care of Emma for me will you? As the elder sister, you should be more responsible." "Hmph! Needless for you to say, I''ll take care of my baby sister even without your words." "Wow, so reliable..." "You! Hmph! That''s alright, I''ll save this fist for the next time we meet. Oh, by the way, I think there''s someone else here to send you off." Pointing to a nearby limber pine tree, Ella directed Shin''s attention to a lone girl flipping pebbles over with her left leg. Her scarlet red hair that was usually tied into a bun was flowing down her shoulders like a waterfall bathed in blood. The adolescent amazonian figure of hers full of muscle unusual for her age suggested that she would one day grow into a powerful warrior. Her pale-white face was littered with tiny freckles that suited her flashy, vibrant robes. Feeling a gaze on her, she twisted her head to the side as her eyes met Shin''s. "Ariel..." Chapter 52 Goodbyes 3 Ariel and Shin had a long history together. Usually, the Frie Clan would separate the boys from the girls when it came to sparring sessions. Boys tend to be more physical and direct while girls gravitated to a more agile and flexible fight style. Hence, when Ariel displayed her astonishing ability as a pure physical fighter, it left the First Elder dumbfounded on how to proceed with her training. If he left her to train with other girls of the clan, Ariel would just pulverise her training partner. It came to a point where parents of Frie Clan trainees would plead that their children do not spar with the monster that was Ariel. Thankfully, there was the existence of a specific orphan that was of similar age to Ariel. At first, both the twins and Shin served as Ariel''s training partner, however, after a few sessions, it became evident who was best suited to spar with the red-haired girl. Early on in his life, Shin had proved his aptitude for battle. Every strike that Ariel threw at him, he could easily evade. With perfect vision and cat-like reflexes, he was the only adversary that Ariel could not overcome. Impressed by his talent, the First Elder taught him basic footwork and how to sufficiently protect himself. Armed with that knowledge, Shin flourished and became one of the best child fighters in the clan. For a period of time, even Ariel was unable to do anything to him. Enraged that Shin was improving at a rate so much faster than she was, Ariel placed all of her efforts into training to catch up with her training partner. Punching down trees till the skin on her fists tore and sprinting up and down the mountain till her legs went sore, Ariel did everything in her power to beat Shin. Ultimately, her hard work would not bear fruit as Shin''s battle sense was proving too much for the girl. In light skirmishes, Ariel held the absolute advantage as Shin was too lazy to fight with all his might. However, when there was something on the line, the boy transforms into a perfect fighting machine. Currently, Ariel''s skill level was just a little behind the black-haired youth. Hence, she had hoped that with her awakened Spirit, she would be able to bridge that gap. But before the two even got a chance to settle their fight once and for all, Shin was being driven out of the clan. Puckering her lips in dissatisfaction, Ariel slowly headed towards Shin with light steps. "Hey..." "Yeah?" Baffled by the way Ariel was behaving, Shin tilted his head in befuddlement. The Ariel he remembered was always steadfast and firm with her words. Seeing her being meek and indecisive was a fresh experience for him. "Ariel, you''re here to see me off too?" "Hmph! Don''t be full of yourself! I''m just here to see your crying face when you leave!" "Well, sorry to disappoint you but that''s not going to happen!" "You never know, I bet when you''re about to leave, you''ll cry like a little baby!" "No way! I''m sure you will cry before I do!" "HAH?! Are you crazy? I cry, for you? You must be quite crazy if you think that way!" "You''re not going to shed a tear for your training partner leaving? Such a heartless friend!" "Hmph! You cause nothing but trouble for me¡­ Nothing but trouble..." Ariel charged forward with a raised fist with the intent of punching the rude Shin. However, midway through, she darted her eyes downwards to the floor as her hands lightly tapped Shin''s chest. Feeling that tears were about to well up, Ariel averted her eyes from the youth. She did not want to prove Shin right. From young, the two had trained together, played together and even studied together. After members of the Frie Clan discovered Ariel''s immense talent, they tried to deter their children from hanging out with her, for fear that Ariel might accidentally injure them. Thus, before the First Elder introduced Shin to her life, she would often find herself alone with no peers to play with. Children avoided her like the plague and adults would gossip behind her back. Hence, when the black-haired youth first walked into her courtyard many moons ago, she felt that the boy would shun her off like everyone else would. But Shin did not discriminate. Treating her as an equal and a friend, the boy became her friend. Additionally, to her surprise, the boy was an even greater talent than herself. Although people called her the monster of the Frie Clan, Ariel always believed that the title should have been given to Shin. After all, no matter how hard she trained, she was still one step behind the boy she regarded as her rival. "See, you cried..." "Shut it! I''m¡­ not crying!" Choking on her words, Ariel denied Shin''s claim. "Ariel..." "Shut up! There''s just some dust in my eye, that''s all!" Using her palms to wipe off the tears that were being gathered in her eyes, Ariel tried to compose herself. As much as she hated to admit, Shin was the closest friend she ever had. After she felt segregated out from the clan, Ariel had walled herself off from having any relations with people her own age. She believed that all that she needed was her grandfather and all would be well. But as time went by, she felt more and more chained in grief and solitude. No one would go near Ariel bar some adults that were close to her. And due to that, she started to hide her feelings making her harder to talk to. With an expressionless face and detached aura, fewer children went up to her and eventually, no one even bothered with her. Shin''s arrival changed all of that. After she became friends with Shin, he introduced her to the rest of the orphans. There she met young girls around her age that weren''t afraid of her, and they began to socialise. Being with girls like Lily and the twins made Ariel come out of her shell and become more vibrant in her approach to relationships. Thus, she had even formed friendships with children that had avoided her before. And all of that began with the black-haired youth standing in front of her. "Ariel?" "Shin¡­ I''ll miss you." Hearing Ariel''s words, Shin became paralysed with shock. This was the first time Ariel had shown any affection to him. Typically, she would lash out with harsh words or unstoppable punches, but right now, at this moment, Ariel had actually blurted out such tender words. "Wha..." "Hmph! Don''t you go dying over there! We still have a fight to settle!" Before they awakened their Spirits, Ariel went all the way to Shin''s room to issue a challenge. Once they had their Spirits, the two would spar once more to determine who was the better fighter. However, numerous problems and tribulations had delayed their promised fight. ''Ah, that''s right there''s still that!'' Just recalling the promise, Shin heaved a sigh of relief that he was leaving the clan. It was the first time he was actually glad that he was being transferred. No matter how he saw it, the cute little cerulean Koi of his was no match for the juggernaut that was Ariel''s Lava Warhammer. "The next time we meet, we will settle it!" Ariel''s face bloomed a brilliant smile while Shin despaired, praying that the day where they fought would never arrive. Chapter 53 Departure 1 As Shin and Junius bade their final farewells, two figures could be seen in the distance observing their interactions. One of them was a middle-aged brunette lady with shoulder-length hair. She soft sigh escaped from her mouth as she saw the lovely and innocent relationships that the children shared. It pained her that she had to separate the duo from their friends, but it was not her choice. "Ines, what''s wrong?" Noticing the despondent reaction from his partner, the muscular, broad-shouldered man worriedly asked Ines. "Lou¡­ I just feel bad for them. They are just kids and must deal with this kind of parting so early on in their lives..." The woman scratched the back of her head as she showed her concern for the orphans. Being part of the Frie Clan that had entered multiple battles over the years, she had become accustomed to partings and loved ones leaving. But she had never had to deal with farewells at such a young age. Furthermore, once Shin and Junius went, who knows when they would be allowed back into the clan. By the time the First Elder and Second Elder settle their differences, the duo would have long become adults. The Instructor stroked his beard as he heard Ines'' statement. He shared her sentiment. Having Junius and Shin leave the clan at a young age might be detrimental to their development. The best time for a Spirit User to develop was during their adolescent age. With proper instruction, a stable foundation could be built and thus secure their future cultivation path. Hence, the Instructor felt that without his tutoring and the optimal conditions of Frie Mountain, the duo would be stifled in their training. Only when the First Elder detailed out his plan for Shin and Junius did the Instructor agree with the decision. Even then, he felt bitter that they were effectively chasing out two of the Frie Clan''s most exceptional young talents. "I know¡­ But this is for their sake. If that bastard Second Elder were not so despicable and stubborn, we wouldn''t have to do this." "Watch what you say, Lou¡­ The walls have ears." Ines placed her index finger on her rosy lips as her eyes moved to the other Frie Clan members loading items into the carriages. She agreed with the Instructor that the Second Elder was the cause of the problems they were facing. However, using such colourful language to berate the Second Elder in public could get them into trouble. No matter how hateful he was, the Second Elder has always served the Frie Clan well and commanded large amounts of respect on the mountain. "I know¡­ A slip of the tongue." Instantly lowering his volume such that only Ines could hear him, the Instructor pouted in dissatisfaction. It was the Second Elder who had forced this situation, and he could not publicly fight back due to the official statement made by the Frie Clan. He understood that the peace in the clan should not be easily broken but the Second Elder had clearly instigated an assassination attempt on Shin. In the process, Junius got severely injured and wound up close to death. And all the Second Elder got was a suspension of his title? At his level, that title meant little to him. He still controlled a large part of the Frie Clan, and the title was just a name for the old man. The Instructor was forced to stomach his belly of hate, and that made him sick. His beloved student nearly died and was forced out of the mountain for doing nothing but protecting his junior. "Glad that you know¡­ So what are you going to do? Are you staying at Chilyoja Waypoint with the two or are you going to leave them there alone?" Ines asked a question that had caused headaches for the Instructor for the past few days. His heart gravitated towards staying with Junius, but he couldn''t forgo his responsibilities to the other orphans. The Instructor wasn''t worried about Shin as he would have the guidance of the illustrious Lady Seph, whose cultivation trumped his own. However, Junius would only be assigned to the Mayor''s office. Unless the Mayor taught Junius, it was highly unlikely that the youth would get a capable teacher. "I really want to remain there with them¡­ But I have nine other students to worry about." In the end, the Instructor placed the well-being of his other pupils above his favourite one. Thankfully, Junius has already reached the Spirit Apostle level, and his cultivation is somewhat fixed until he reached Rank 19. Additionally, it was not as if the Instructor would never see Junius again. Every once in a while, he would visit the youth to follow up on his training. "Yeah, that''s for the best..." Ines squinted her eyes in gloom as she heard the Instructor words. She was very clear how much he cared for Junius and how hard it was for him to come to that decision. "Hopefully, there is someone in Chilyoja Waypoint that can guide Junius..." "Oh ho, you''re content with someone stealing away your precious student?" "Hahaha! If he meets a better teacher than me, why not? But I doubt that''s possible. There''s no better teacher than me!" "Wow, such confidence." Ines rolled her eyes at the Instructor''s shameless declaration. "It''s about time..." The convoy was set to depart at noon once all the vehicles were fully loaded up. The Instructor and Ines purposely slowed down the process so that the orphans would have more time to say their goodbyes. The trip to Chilyoja Waypoint would take about half a day. Hence, there was no rush for them to leave. "Alright, time for the bitter farewells to come to an end." A lean man loaded the last carton of goods into the carriage and gave the Instructor a thumbs up. It meant that the caravan was ready for departure. "Junius, Shin. It''s time to go..." The Instructor trudged towards the youths to notify them that they were about to leave. "Oh, okay..." Shin took one last look at the north gate, his eyes dreary and mouth shivering. The Frie Clan had been his entire life. He had never stepped out of the clan and knew no one outside of the mountain. All his precious memories and most beloved friends stayed in the clan. Now that he was leaving it, he felt a surge of anxiety and powerlessness. Humans always feared the unknown. To Shin, anything outside of the clan was the unknown. "It''s okay, I''m here..." Noticing his younger brother''s state of panic, Junius reached out from his wheelchair and held Shin''s hand. No matter how mature he seemed, Shin was still a ten-year-old orphan. "Yeah, you are..." Junius'' hand managed to calm Shin down a little. "Lily, you can stop now, Shin will take over." Glancing behind his chair, Junius pushed the girl who had been with him the entire day away. Since he was still in a wheelchair, he required someone to physically push him around. "..." But Lily stood still silently, as if in deep contemplation. "Lily?" "Junius, what would you do if a random girl over there hits on you?" "Ha?! W...ha...what?" Once he heard Lily''s comment and stern expression, Junius'' mouth failed to form words. "Huh?! What''s with that reply?" "N...no! I mean why would you think that?" "Hmph! I''m sure you''ll jump at a chance to get a girlfriend!" "No! Why would I do that?" "Just a hunch¡­ So, to prevent that from happening..." Seeing that Junius was still in a stunned state and unable to move, Lily bent down rapidly. All that Junius could see was a beautiful face, free of any acne, coming straight for him. The next second, he felt a soft peck on his right cheek. Lily had kissed Junius. "I have to place a charm..." Smiling triumphantly like she had accomplished a momentous task, Lily straightened her back and giggled lovingly. Since Junius was about to leave, she decided to be more forward with her feelings. She had always admired Junius since they were young. Being the reliable senior who was always present to protect the other orphans, Lily slowly developed a dependency on Junius. Eventually, those feelings evolved into something much more profound than a regular senior-junior affection. But she hid those feelings in fear of being rejected. After all, Junius might only see her as a junior or little sister. However, now that the youth was leaving, Lily wanted to affirm their relationship. "Y...you..." Junius placed his left hand on his cheek and struggled to speak after Lily''s action. "Whew..." The Instructor whistled with a dirty smile. Recently, he had seen how much Lily was concerned with Junius and knew that one day, their relationship would develop beyond just friends. He just didn''t expect it to come so soon. "Ha¡­ Youth..." Ines similarly smiled teasingly. After her actions, Lily had deeply imprinted herself into the middle-aged woman''s mind. "Ah..." Shin''s mouth opened wide enough for an apple to fit through. The other orphans had equivalent expressions. Even Ariel dropped her jaw at her friend''s actions. "Hehe~." The only thing that remained of the scene was Lily''s gleeful chuckle. Chapter 54 Departure 2 Still recovering from the shock that Lily had inflicted upon him, Junius sat dazed on his wheelchair as Shin pushed him into the carriage. The convoy that is heading to Chilyoja Waypoint consisted of ten vehicles each being powered by their own engines. Seven of them were cargo vehicles which held the various goods and items that were being sent for trading while the remainder were passenger carts. Using a ramp, Shin pushed Junius up into the empty vehicle. Being three metres wide, there was plenty of space for the disabled youth and his wheelchair. Ryner even assisted them by carrying their luggage into the carriage. "Shin, take care..." Being a man of few words, the boy used his right hand to tap Shin''s shoulder. Although they were from the same division, Shin and Ryner had not interacted as much. Shin always found Ryner impulsive while Ryner disliked Shin''s attitude towards training. However, there was no denying that being in the orphan division had made them more friend than foe. "Thanks¡­ You too." "Junius, make sure not to overdo it over there." "Hah? Ah! Ryner, yes¡­ What did you say?" Apparently, Lily''s attack dealt a fatal blow to the youth as he was still out of sorts. Only when Ryner mentioned, his name did his consciousness return to the material world. "Haha, to think that the high and mighty Junius would be defeated with a single kiss." Ryner and Lily were the same age and thus often trained together. Ryner had long noticed Lily''s feelings but did not bother to voice out anything. After all, it was not in his place to butt into another person''s love life. Furthermore, seeing his elder brother, that has always dependable, lose himself over a kiss was somewhat novel to Ryner. "Even you are teasing me..." Pouting his lips, Junius lightly rebuked Ryner. Junius and Ryner always had a close relationship. Being the two oldest boys, they felt a heavy responsibility to shield their younger juniors from any harm that would come their way. Whenever there was trouble, the two youths would be the first to step up. But they had two drastically different methods when it comes to tackling problems. Junius would analyse and plan out the best approach before acting while Ryner would instead charge headfirst, worrying about the consequences afterwards. Ryner''s forthright and impulsive personality left him vulnerable to attacks. Thus, Junius had always been there to hold him back. And now that he was leaving the mountain, he was worried that Ryner might get himself into big trouble. "Ryner, you must be less hasty in the future. If someone attacks you, don''t be so quick to fight back. Go straight to the Instructor or First Elder." "Yeah, I know." "Good, you are now the big brother of the orphans. The responsibility is huge, but I believe that you can do it." Junius shot an unwavering gaze towards Ryner. "Leave it to me!" And Ryner did not disappoint. He was aware of his shortcomings and knew that he had to improve. "Alright, we are about to depart!" The Instructor''s voice bellowed from the front seat. It was finally time to leave the mountain. Ryner dismounted the carriage and returned back to his place with the other orphans. "How does this thing work?" Shin had never been out of the clan, and thus he had never sat in a moving vehicle. He had always imagined that horses would be pulling the carriages and even looked forward to riding one on the way. But looking at the car, there were no horses in sight. "Oh? Shin, you never rode in an aether car before?" "No, this thing is called an aether car?" "Yeah! It runs on an engine powered by aether crystals. Being able to run for hours without any delay, this vehicle is the clan''s go to when it comes to transport!" "Okay..." Shin squinted his eyes at the Instructor''s salesman-like speech. "Haha, seems like you''re not impressed! Not to worry, later on, you will see how marvellous this contraption is." The Frie Clan had recently purchased a new batch of aether cars. Although convenient, these vehicles were hard to make and thus, rather expensive. Only the affluent were able to acquire these aether cars. Regular merchants and commoners still relied on the traditional method of using horses to pull their carriages. "But I much rather ride a horse though..." Shin mumbled out in dissatisfaction. He had read legendary stories of heroes charging into battle with their prized stallions, intimidating their enemies. In fact, Shin had never seen a horse before as he lived a sheltered life on Frie Mountain. "Hmph! Nice things would be wasted on you. If you want to ride a horse so much, I''m sure our destination would have a few mounts for you to see." "Really?!" "Haha! You silly boy!" When Shin heard that he might be able to ride a horse, his eyes lit up with anticipation. Seeing that, the Instructor lightly punched the excited boy''s head. At this moment, a bright, juvenile voice echoed through the aether car. "Bye-Bye! Shin! Remember to send me candy!" A cute little girl with sapphire hair waved her hands left and right bidding farewell to the boy that promised her an assortment of sweets. "Bye! Shin! Brother Junius! Take care!" "Bye-bye!" The remaining children said their respective goodbyes. Junius and Shin naturally waved back happily. When Junius'' eyes met Lily''s, the girl gave him a mischievous wink that reminded the youth of the earlier scene where she kissed him. A cold shiver went down his spine as he saw her actions. Meanwhile, Shin focused his attention on the scarlet red-haired girl that came to see him off. The two had always been at odds, but now that he was leaving, Shin realised that he would miss the times where she would drive him crazy. "Shin, don''t die before we meet again!" "Yeah, see you soon." Taking one last look at the mountain, he grew up on and the people he grew up with, Shin closed his eyes. Now, he must leave it all behind to embark on a new journey. A path that he didn''t think he had to take. As he was soaking it all in, Shin felt a light thud. He felt the vehicle move gradually away from the north gate. He was genuinely leaving the Frie Clan. "See you all soon..." Chapter 55 On the road 1 The scorching heat midday heat from the sun had ebbed into a comforting warmth as thick, white clouds hid the fiery ball away. The azure blue sky started to darken indicating that dusk was drawing ever so close. Crepuscular animals, which are only active during twilight, retreated into the safety of their homes to prepare for their deep hibernation as nocturnal creatures stretched their bodies as they arose from their slumber. Two hours have passed since the caravan heading towards Chilyoja Waypoint left the Frie Clan. By now, the mountain that Shin and Junius had grown up on, was far from sight. Looking out the unlocked window, a young boy watched the surroundings move by with a lonely frown. His rich black hair that covered his ears ruffled with the late afternoon breeze. "What are you looking at?" A voice called out Shin from inside of the car. Junius, who was still firmly attached to his wheelchair, noticed that his younger brother was looking despondently outside and worriedly called him out. "No¡­ I just haven''t been out of the clan before¡­ The roads and surroundings look so different..." Being part of the reclusive Frie Clan, the orphans had rarely stepped foot outside the mountain. Even for Junius, who had reached the Spirit Apostle level, never left the jurisdiction of the Frie Clan. Thus, seeing the unfamiliar scenery made Shin slightly uncomfortable. "I guess you would get used to it¡­" Although he said that, Junius too felt somewhat restless. "By the way, Junius, do you know anything about our destination?" After watching the foreign landscape for a few minutes, Shin pulled down the drapes of the window to prevent himself from overthinking. As a distraction, he asked Junius about the place they were being stationed at. Not much had been explained to him ever since that fateful day when the First Elder burst into his room ordering him to pack his stuff. Hence, he wanted to know if Junius had any information that had not been passed down to him. "Nope. I''m just as clueless as you." But alas, Junius was also kept in the dark. "Of course you haven''t heard anything, telling you is my job." Listening in to their conversation, the brunette lady sitting at the front looked over her shoulder and addressed the duo. Her soft, creamy complexion fit well with her glowing oval-shaped face. With mesmerising brown eyes that trapped any who dared to lock eyes with her, the duo felt enthralled by the woman. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Shin started to question the lady. "Senior Ines, you know where we are going?" "Of course! If not, why would I be here? The First Elder asked me to be your guide. Also, I''ll be staying with you two for one month to help you get accustomed to the lifestyle there. Ah, it''s rather hard to be talking like this right? Make way, I''m coming through." Currently, Ines sat in front together with the Instructor who was busy driving the aether car. Her thin and slender body shape served her well as she squeezed through from the front to the back where Shin and Junius were. Unknowingly, facing this senior of theirs, the two orphans sat up straight in a formal manner. They have heard many rumours about Ines. Once, they heard that the lady was disturbed by a few ruffians who wanted to harass her. Being surrounded by five men, all nearly twice her size, Ines remained calm and politely refused their advances. When one of the guys started being more physical, the lady unleashed her Spirit and kneed all her adversaries at their family jewels. The moment her leg reached the man''s crotch, a deafening sound reverberated through the area paralysing all men who heard the deadly sound. Thus, the legend of the Frie nutcracker was born. Facing the fabled nutcracker, Shin and Junius did not dare to be impolite, lest she became insulted. "Haha, there''s no need to be so stiff! It''s not like I''m going to eat you up or anything!" Ines chuckled at how the two orphans were behaving. She thought that the two were just being respectful to their seniors. Never would she have imagined that her fame had even reached the orphan division and that the duo were actually fearful of her. "No, no. It''s only natural to sit properly when speaking to someone of a senior generation." "Yeah, please senior Ines, don''t mind us." Shin and Junius were not going to risk offending Ines thus, did not have any plans on relaxing their posture. "Haha! Seems like Lou really taught you well! Now, where do I begin? To start off, do you know about the three great powers?" "No..." "..." Both Shin and Junius shook their heads in denial. They were taught many things, but the current political situation in the world was something the First Elder left out when it came to history lessons. "Oh, I have to start from there? It''s alright, I''ll go through it with you from the beginning. The world is a rather vast place, from the early days of mankind, exploring the world in its entirety was a common goal shared amongst all tribes of man. It took a while but thousands of years ago, the first world map was completed." "People always assumed that the world consisted of multiple continents due to the many seas that separate each region but turns out, the world was just one huge landmass. After much deliberation, the then governments of the world decided to call this landmass, the Terre Continent." "Once the world map was drawn and distributed, ancient civilisations waged wars to claim the richest of resources for themselves. Through this prolonged period of conflicts, old kingdoms fell as new empires emerged. Eventually, the remaining victors conjured up a peace treaty that concluded the years of endless strife." "Thus, the three great powers were formed. Firstly, there''s the Himmel Empire that we live in. Located in the south of the Terre Continent, our empire is lead by a line of sovereigns that possess the blood of an ancient Spirit Immortal that transcended mortality to enter the realm above. With an area of over ten million square kilometres, it is one of the largest civilisations in history." "Next, the Lantis Republic. Founded by eight historic clans, unlike the other two great powers, they are located out of the Terre Continent, in an archipelago eastwards. Instead of being led by a line of emperors, a handful of empowered voters cast their ballot to choose their leader. Boasting the biggest and strongest navy in the world, the Lantis Republic is unbeatable at sea." "Lastly, forming the final corner of the triad, the Kori Federation up north. The remaining clans of the world gathered up to become one of the great powers. Consisting of thirty self-governing states, each clan controls one area in the north." "Each of the three great powers has at least one Rank 90 Spirit Saint presiding over them and protecting them if necessary forming an equilibrium between the three great powers. Therefore, ever since the destructive war many years ago, there had been no need to take up arms." Chapter 56 On the road 2 "Senior Ines, if the Himmel Empire is to the south, the Lantis Republic to the east and the Kori Federation up north, what is to the west? Isn''t Frie Mountain in the west of the Himmel Empire?" Junius, unable to contain his curiosity, raised his hand and asked the middle-aged lady giving them a lecture on world history. "Perfect Junius, you know quite a bit. That''s where I''m going with this. When the early cartographers were exploring the world, they found an endless rainforest filled to the brim with wild beasts. Every single expedition sent into the woodlands turned out fruitless as a majority who ventured in never made it out. No one truly knows what lies in that bizarre place. Some speculate hoards of primordial beasts that survived since the prehistoric age lived there. Some even say that the rainforest was a gateway into a mystic realm. Nonetheless, since no one really knew, that patch of land remained unmarked in the final version of the world map." "In modern times, we call that place the Uncharted Wilderness. It is estimated to span over fifty million square kilometres covering the entire west of the Terre Continent. Ever so often, hordes of beasts would infest the land thus there is a need for the Himmel Empire to protect their western cities. A series of military posts are stationed in front of the Uncharted Wilderness to prevent high-level beasts from terrorising the citizens of the empire. The strongest of which is called Aldrich''s Keep." "Named after one of the most famed generals in the history of the Himmel Empire, Aldrich''s Keep is the foremost defender of the western front. With twenty thousand citizens living there, half of its populace are elite soldiers of the Himmel Empire. Till this day, Aldrich''s Keep has never been breached, making it one of the strongest fortifications in the empire." "With such a large number of fighting men and women, it comes as no surprise that a substantial amount of supplies would be needed to maintain the keep. The capital frequently sends provisions to the fort via supply convoys, but the expedition to Aldrich''s Keep is no simple task. To increase the efficiency of travel, multiple waypoints were constructed with the idea of speeding up supply delivery. And the nearest waypoint to the keep is our destination, the Chilyoja Waypoint." Up till now, Shin and Junius were clueless about where they were being stationed at. The First Elder didn''t even give a cursory explanation of their destination. Hence, hearing Ines talk about Chilyoja Waypoint really opened their eyes. "Coincidently, Chilyoja Waypoint is also rather close to Frie Mountain, only twenty kilometres away. With the aether car, we should be able to reach there by late evening. At the waypoint, we have an anchor store that will serve as your future home." After speaking so much, Ines felt that her throat had become somewhat dry. Reaching into her back pocket, she brought out a silver vial containing her favourite liquor. Pulling out the cork, the brunette lady drank a mouthful of fluids, emptying the flask of alcohol. "Aahhh! That hits the spot! So, do you two have any questions for me? I know it''s a lot to digest so take your time. It will take us a few hours to reach the waypoint anyway." Ines sat comfortably back in her chair as she stared at the two orphans, encouraging them to ask as many questions as they could. Although she had recently met Shin and Junius, her interactions with them had been quite positive thus making her feel a small sense of kinship with the duo. "Ermmm, Senior Ines. Do you know how we are going to be training from now on?" Being the cultivation junkie that he was, Junius asked the question that has been plaguing him since he heard that they were being relocated. "Ah, Junius. I''ve heard that to love to train¡­ Looks that the rumours were true huh? Mr Fought off three Spirit Apostles..." After the assassination attempt, two prevalent tales emerged. One, the Second Elder had sent someone to kill the talented young orphan who had awakened The Sovereign Koi. Two, the orphans had a genius disciple who single-handedly fended off three Spirit Apostles without regard for his own life. With that, both Shin and Junius had become infamous overnight. Shin was publicly recognised as the victim of the whole ordeal while Junius became the knight in shining light. Of course, people from the Second Elder''s division saw his strength as a potential threat, but the rest of the clan thought otherwise. His camaraderie and loyalty to his junior made him somewhat popular within the Frie Clan. "Please, the rumours about me are not deserved..." It was true. Only through the collective effort of the twins and himself did he manage to fend off three Spirit Apostle assailants. Furthermore, the assassins were unable to use their Spirits with the fear of exposing their origins. But the details were lost as the word spread from mouth to mouth. "There''s no need to be humble¡­ Anyway, you will be assigned to the Mayor''s office to work as an apprentice constable. You will learn the ropes of being a police officer at the waypoint and maybe eventually, climb up the ladder." "A constable? Me?" Using his index finger, Junius pointed to himself as he questioned the First Elder''s decision. No matter how he saw it, he did not think that he could be part of law enforcement. "Haha! What''s so surprising about that?! In fact, it might be the perfect role for you!" Seeing the confused young boy, Ines laughed out heartily as she gave a playful wink to encourage the youth. "Then Senior Ines, what about me? Will I also be an apprentice constable?" Fearing that he would be tasked with the burdensome job of being a police officer, Shin nervously asked the lady who was chortling uncontrollably. "Nope. To become an apprentice constable, you must at least be a Spirit Apostle. Not only are you not one, but you have also just awakened your Spirit. Furthermore, your first spiritual ability is not combat capable. How could we expect you to apprehend criminals?" "..." Although Ines seemed to be demeaning Shin''s abilities, the boy did not feel insulted. Instead, he heaved a sigh of relief. Being stuck together with Junius training to be a constable could only result in long hours of torture. "Hey, don''t be relaxed just yet! You might not become a constable, but your training might be even tougher than Junius''." "What?! I mean¡­ What do you mean by that Senior Ines?" Accidentally raising his voice, Shin quickly realised his mistake and reverted back to his polite mode. He did not want to unintentionally face the wrath of the famed Frie nutcracker. "Haha, even I''m not sure about what kind of training you would get. It''s inconvenient for me to reveal to you where you will go. For now, just anticipate your arrival at the waypoint." Hearing the grim words of Ines, Shin had a premonition of imminent disaster. Chapter 57 When you flaunt your riches, bandits are sure to flock 1 As the sun sank ever so closer to the horizon, the bright blue light of the day gradually drained away to make way for the evening sky. A chilling wind breezed through the convoy sending a shiver down the spines of any who came into contact with it. "Something seems amiss..." The Instructor, who was casually steering the wheel of the aether car, glanced around the surroundings in suspicion. After travelling for a few hours, the caravan was nearing Chilyoja Waypoint and might arrive at any moment. However, ever since leaving the clan, he had not seen any other traders or merchants that might be entering the waypoint. Scratch that, he had not even seen traces of any other humans. "Hmmm? Something wrong, Lou?" Ines, who had finished answering all of Shin and Junius'' queries, at some point returned to her original seat at the front, next to the Instructor. Hearing the upsetting words of the muscular man, she asked for the source of his worry. "Don''t you feel that something seems weird? We are about to reach the waypoint, but there is no one in sight. Usually, there would be some other carriages on the roads leading to the gates. But we have yet to see a single soul..." "Hmmm? You''re right¡­ Stop the car, I''m getting out." Hearing the Instructor''s legitimate concern, Ines tapped the steering wheel of the aether car and asked the brawny man to stop the vehicle. Once, the car came to a halt, she opened the door and climbed to the roof to get a better viewing angle. Since the car that they were in was leading the caravan, the abrupt and unplanned stop startled those who were behind them. "What''s going on?" "Why is Ines on the roof of the car?" All the other Frie Clan members performed an emergency brake and got out of their vehicles. "Hraaarhhh, what''s going on?" Waking up from the commotion, Shin, who had decided to take a nap, rubbed his eyes while yawning. Junius, who had also shut his eyes for a light rest, quickly became alert after hearing the noise. "It seems like there something happening..." Grabbing on to his pristine, new shoes, Junius attempted to wear his footwear and leave the comfort of his wheelchair. "Hey, what are you doing?" Unfortunately for Junius, Shin was still playing the role of his caretaker. Reaching out, the black-haired youth gripped Junius'' hands. "I''m going out to check." "No can do, you are supposed to stay in that cosy chair of yours for two more weeks!" "But I can walk with little problems! One or two weeks doesn''t make a difference!" "Nope, the doctor said that you have to remain wheelchair-bound for a month! Not one day less. Don''t worry, I''ll go out to see what''s going on. You remain here and rest like an injured person should." Wrestling the shoes away from Junius, Shin kept the footwear at the overhead compartment so that Junius would be unable to reach it. Once he made sure that Junius failed to escape, Shin left the aether car from the back door. But what greeted him were the confused faces of the other Frie Clan members. Many of them looking at the roof of their car. Intrigued, Shin followed the direction of their gazes to find Ines grimly scanning the surroundings. ''What''s going on?'' Shin asked mentally. At this point, the more experienced escorts realised that something had gone awry and scrutinised the surroundings. Ines, with her high vantage point, was able to see much more. Currently, the convoy was on a road that was surrounded by multiple trees. Scanning deep into the woodlands, Ines could see signs of irregular movement. The rustling of leaves hinted that a substantial number of living beings were hiding in the bushes. "Bandits¡­ I should have expected¡­ Everyone, assume battle positions! We are under attack!" Raising her right hand upright, Ines gave the order. The highest command present were Ines and the Instructor due to their high cultivation levels. Thus, her words were law. "Alright!" "Come at me!" "Hah!" The long forest road blinked sparks of red as the numerous escorts gathered spiritual energy to summon their Spirits. As members of the Frie Clan, all of those present had undergone the Spirit Awakening ceremony and had decent cultivation levels. Usually, escort missions were taken by juniors of the clan consisting of Spirit Apostles and Spirit Cores with a Rank 30 Spirit Adept leading the convoy. However, due to some special circumstances, the current caravan had two Rank 50 Spirit Lords presiding over it. "Hmph! Damned bandits..." Ines cracked her knuckles as she prepared herself for battle. The reason why the Frie Clan had to purchase a new batch of aether cars was because a few months ago, a bandit tribe had hijacked a caravan en route back from a trading port. Although there were no casualties from the attack, the clan had suffered severe losses. Unfortunately for the Frie Clan, an aether car was a sign of wealth and opulence. Hence, their convoys had historically been a prime target for bandit attacks. The council had once toyed with the idea of going back to using horse carriages, but the efficiency and low maintenance costs of an aether car were hard to ignore. Furthermore, the Frie Clan had the pride of a major power. They did not want to be seen using a backward method of transportation. "Ho ho, some ignorant bastards are trying to steal our stuff huh?" Getting out of the driver''s seat, the Instructor stomped out of the car leaving massive footprints on the ground. "Hey, Ines! Leave them to me¡­ I couldn''t let out steam before, so let them be my punching bags!" Back at the mountain, the Instructor wanted to rush out and club the Second Elder and Bates till their heads caved in. However, he was deprived of that urge once he read the official statement that was issued by the upper council of the clan. Swallowing his anger, all he could do was grit his teeth in indignation. Now that the perfect target had shown up, he could finally vent his frustrations with a good old fashioned beat-down. "Hah¡­ Leave some alive and intact¡­ We need to bring them to authorities later on..." Although they were under attack, Ines was more worried about their assailants. Seeing that the Instructor was pumped up and ready for a fight, she prayed that the bandits would not suffer too much at the hands of that pent-up monster. "*Whhoooshhh*." At that moment, a flying arrow whistled out of the woods and headed straight for the brawny man''s head. It flew through the air at speeds untrackable to the average human eye. With a foul black arrow tip, the arrow threatened to take down the Instructor before he could even react. But unfortunately, the muscular man was no average human. A crimson red light gathered from under the Instructor and condensed to form a humongous battle club that was a hundred fifty centimetres long. Adding that to his unkempt facial hair and broad-shoulders, the Instructor currently looked like an indomitable caveman. The Instructor effortlessly deflected the arrow by simply raising his Spirit. However, once his club made contact with the projectile, he noticed that something was wrong. Looking down at his Spirit, a purple fluid remained. As if it were alive, the liquid bubbled, trying to eat away the massive club. Sadly, the Instructor''s resistance was much stronger than the strange fluid. "Poison huh¡­ Interesting... Everyone, be careful! They are using poison-laced weapons! Don''t think of them as mediocre bandits!" The Instructor had his fair share of fighting against bandits. Most of the time, bandit tribes are formed by weak and impoverished people who had yet to awaken their Spirits. Even those who were able to awaken their Spirits were barely to cultivate to the Spirit Apostle level due to the lack of resources and cultivation techniques. However, seeing that their foes were able to use poison-laced arrows that were strong enough to cause a reaction to his Rank 57 Spirit, the Instructor knew that the bandits were not regular outlaws. The moment the Instructor warned the other escorts, a horde of ruffians wearing tattered and filthy clothes emerged from the woods. Armed with steel weapons such as swords and spears, over a hundred bandits formed up into a neat row, preparing themselves for an ordered charge. Bowmen nocked their arrows and stood at the rear of the formation. Instead of a bandit tribe, the assailants seemed like a well-trained army regiment. "Woah¡­ What''s going on?" The muscular man was shaken. He had never seen such strange bandits in all his years serving the Frie Clan. Before he could give out any orders, the bowmen released a hail of arrows that flew directly at the caravan. "Damn it¡­ Brace yourselves!" Chapter 58 When you flaunt your riches, bandits are sure to flock 2 As the arrow rain drew ever so close to the convoy, many of the Frie Clan members, including Shin, retreated back into their aether cars. Those with higher cultivations, however, readied their Spirits to deflect the oncoming onslaught. The Instructor raised his behemoth club and swung it around in circles. Flames that wreathed out from the Spirit formed multiple rings of fire that hovered above the Instructor''s hairless head. "Hah!" With a shout, the muscular man who wielded the prehistoric club directed the numerous fire rings towards the arrow rain. As the rings made contact with the bolts, the projectiles burned into oblivion thus preventing any damage to the aether cars. The other Frie Clan members also did their jobs as well, since none of the arrows fired managed to even reach within ten metres of the convoy. Currently, the caravan consisted of thirty escorts while their foes numbered in the triple digits. Easily outnumbered, a regular escort convoy would have long met their end. Unfortunately for the bandits, they had picked on the wrong target. Each one of the escorts was highly trained Spirit Users with years of experience under their belt. With this current lineup, they would not even fear an army battalion let alone a group of criminals. Clearly astonished that their initial barrage had little effect, the bandits stood rooted to the ground unsure of how to proceed. They had used this tactic many times before and it had brought in excellent results. Once their target caved into the arrow rain, the frontline would charge in and raid whatever they saw, leaving no chance for their victims to retaliate. However, their current enemy deflected their arrow barrage with ease thus leaving them unsure of the next step. Such hesitation did not slip past the eyes of the veteran Instructor. "Now''s the chance! Half of you, stay behind and guard the items. The rest of you¡­ CHARGE!!!" A dust cloud formed as the Instructor kicked off his initial position and advanced to the bandits who were somewhat clueless about what had happened. "ARHHHH!!!" Following his lead, half of the escorts utilised their summoned Spirits to boost themselves as they faced the oncoming threat. A deafening warcry reverberated through the air as fifteen battle-hardened Spirit Users charged with the Instructor. Noticing that the Instructor and his subordinates were closing in the distance, the bandits raised their steel weapons and prepared for impact. Alas, there was no way mere steel weapons were able to pose a suitable challenge for Spirits that had been nurtured for decades. Like cutting through butter, the Frie Clan Spirit Users carved through the formation of the bandits leaving them in disarray. "Hmph! Thanks for coming, I needed some punching bags to vent my anger!" Infusing more and more spiritual energy into his gargantuan club, the flames that came out from the Spirit became more distinct. The Instructor, who had already looked like a caveman, seemed to have upgraded to become the progenitor of the man who had discovered fire for the very first time. Leaping into the air, the Instructor aimed at the centre of the remains of the bandit formation. With a shout, the brawny man slammed down onto the ground with his fiery club causing a miniature explosion, scattering the bandits away. The once flat floor suddenly had a huge dent that was akin to a meteor crater. And it was formed by the man standing right in the middle of it. "Not bad..." Lifting up his Spirit and placing it on his shoulders, the Instructor seemingly admired his work, and he wiped off the sweat on his forehead. The bandits, on the other hand, were dispersed and panicking over what had happened. This wasn''t the job that they signed up for. Initially, when they saw the convoy that consisted only of aether cars, the bandits assumed that some wealthy merchant was flaunting his riches and that they could easily raid the caravan for loot. Unluckily for them, what they encountered wasn''t a fat cat but a vicious tiger. Peeking out of the lead aether car, Shin and Junius were trying to get a better look at the happenings outside. Thankfully, the car had installed retractable windows that enabled the duo to carefully observe what was going on. "Woah, to think that the Instructor is that strong!" Shin had always known that the bald, burly man had always been strong, but he had never witnessed to which extent. But now that he saw the Instructor easily fending off a horde of bandits and deflecting a hail of arrows, Shin gained a newfound respect for the man who had always tormented him. "Of course he has to be powerful! If not how could be become our Instructor?" Hearing Shin''s words, Junius beamed with pride as if he were gushing about his own child. It''s always a good feeling when someone appreciates and praises your teacher. "Yeah¡­ How can he make so many rings of fire? Junius you can only make one!" When the black-haired youth saw that the Instructor could form a large number of fire rings with just a few swings of his Spirit, he questioned his senior who had learnt the exact same skill. "I have no clue¡­ The Instructor had not taught me that yet¡­ And since he keeps it a secret, I assume that it means I''m not ready to learn it." Junius had absolute trust when it came to the Instructor. So finding out that the skill he learnt had an advanced version did not tick him off one bit. He knew that the mentor he respected would never withhold teaching skills. If Junius didn''t learn it, it meant that he wasn''t ready. "Maybe, one day you will be like him. Swinging your sword around, making countless of water rings." "Easy there, that''s for the future¡­ And we need to concentrate on the battle..." Teasingly mocking Junius, Shin smiled as he diverted his attention back to the battlefield. But at this moment, the Instructor and the other Frie Clan members were just giving the bandits a beatdown. It wasn''t even a fair fight. Unable to do anything to the caravan, the bandits had long ordered a retreat, but the airtight assault of the Instructor made it impossible for a clean withdrawal. "Hah¡­ Time to end this!" The Instructor raised his behemoth club Spirit up in the air with the full intent of slamming it to the ground once more. The resulting explosion would produce a shockwave that would paralyse the remainder of the bandits thus, ending their encounter. "*Whhooossshhh!*." The hundred and fifty-centimetre weapon dashed down towards the floor as everyone braced for impact. But strangely, the explosion and shockwave that everyone expected did not come to pass. "Hoho¡­ As I expected, there''s no way those bandits figured out how to fight¡­ You guys are the ones pulling strings." Underneath the Instructor, a lean man dressed in cotton blue garbs was using a sword to stop the humongous club from making contact with the ground. The obsidian black sword looked like the darkness of the eclipse and staring straight at it might mesmerise a person''s soul. Spiritual energy began emitting from the sword indicating that the weapon in the man''s hand was no ordinary sword, it was a top-tier awakened Spirit. The man seemed like any other, but one thing that sets him apart was the distinct black mask that covered the entirety of his face, hiding the man''s true identity. The moment the Instructor saw this man, it was as if a million light bulbs lit up simultaneously in his brain. He was more than familiar with which organisation this man belonged to. "Black masks!" Chapter 59 When you flaunt your riches, bandits are sure to flock 3 The black masks were a mysterious organisation that had emerged recently. Other than becoming active over the past few years, not much is known about the organisation. No one knows who founded the black masks or the total number of members it had. Primarily involved in crime, the association had their hands in an array of felonies from large-scale assassinations to simple robberies. Unlike traditional crime syndicates, the black masks target the establishment explicitly as if it were trying to wreak as much havoc as they could. Stirring up conflict was their forte, and because of that, they had attracted a wide variety of talent. Rogue cultivators who had been banished from their clans and government agents unhappy with how they were treated all found refuge within the quarters of the organisation. Of course, not everyone who knocks on the door would get an invitation. One must at least reach the level of a Rank 30 Spirit Adept before they could don the infamous mask. If they were not strong enough, they could still join the organisation but would not be given rank or title and could only serve as slave labourers. For instance, the hundreds of bandits that attacked the convoy were technically part of the black masks, but they were disposable to the syndicate. However, the current adversary the Instructor was facing, was not. It was rumoured the mask was a tool to boost spiritual power and whoever wears it, would be able to take on a Spirit User much stronger than themselves. And currently, the black mask standing in front of the Instructor was able to effortlessly stop the massive club that could clobber anything that stood in its path. "HAH!!!" Lifting his Spirit up once more, the Instructor increased the supply of spiritual energy to his club and slammed down the bludgeon, aiming straight at the black mask''s head. This time, the blue-clothed man decided to avoid the humongous club by somersaulting away. Missing his target, the Instructor''s weapon crashed into the ground and formed a burning crater. Now that the assailant wasn''t under him, the Instructor could take a good look at his foe. Standing 1.8 metres tall, the man''s solid lean body was hidden by his plain and tight blue robes. Wearing covered shoes and thick gloves, there was no exposed skin that the Instructor could use to deduce his origins. The only clue was the viridian coloured hair flowing out from his head. And finally, the distinct and notorious mask. Covering his entire face, the eyeholes were the only two exposed holes, and even then, a wire mesh that concealed the iris made it impossible for the Instructor to see his enemy''s eye colour. Usually, a standard black mask would have no designs, but on the forehead of his enemy, there was a golden crescent moon pattern. Amongst the members of the black masks, a hierarchy existed. Intelligence reports state that the syndicate separated themselves into five levels. The lowest level was called the Dalits. Members at this level could only serve as cleaners or manual workers of the organisation. The numerous bandits that surrounded they convoy were at this level. The next level was called the Shudras. Members at this level were given the coveted mask that was recognisable anywhere in the empire. Shudras must at least cultivate to the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm before they even got a chance to receive the mask. The obsidian masks that they were given had no designs or patterns. However, it invoked absolute fear to anyone who saw it. Being the most abundant and active, the majority of infamous stories of the syndicate were caused by the Shudras who terrorised the population. A level above the Shudras were the Vaishyas. Vaishyas were the rank equivalent to captain in the black masks syndicate. Usually commanding a cell of Shuras, they had to be at least in the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm. A Vaishya could be identified by the green snake embroidered on their masks. At a level higher, there was the Kshatriya. When a black mask reached this level, they would be considered part of the inner circle in the organisation. Often commanding over a hundred Shudras, the Kshatriyas rarely made an appearance, making them hard to locate and detain. Their masks had a golden crescent moon pattern that illuminated in the dark. To even be considered for this level, the members of the syndicate had to at the very least, be in the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm. The final known level of the black masks were the Brahmins. No one knows what gorgeous and intricate patterns were sewn on their masks as none of them had never made a public appearance. Going by the sequence, intelligence agencies assume that to reach this level, one has to at least be in the Rank 60 Spirit King realm. And that were the only five levels intelligence reports identified. It was unclear if there was a higher level and who the leader of this entire organisation was. Dalits, Shudras, Vaishyas, Kshatriya and Brahmin. These were the five known levels of the black masks. And currently, the Instructor was facing a Kshatriya, one of the big shots. "To think a Kshatriya would personally come for a bandit raid. What''s the special occasion huh? You ran out of business and want to steal your subordinates job?" The Instructor relaxed his body as he sneeringly addressed the black mask standing in front of him. It was rare to even see a Vaishya let alone a Kshatriya participate in a mission. "..." The black mask remained silent and unmoving to the Instructor''s ridicule. Although his expression was hidden under the mask, the Instructor had a gut feeling his words had infuriated the Kshatriya. "What''s the matter? Has the cat got your tongue? Can''t even say a single word?" Continually provoking the Kshatriya, the Instructor hoped to at least hear the assailants voice. "..." Instead of a verbal reply, the Kshatriya raised his right hand upwards. As if waiting for that action, five shadowy figures emerged from the shrubbery and meandered forward. They were another five core members of the black masks. Astonishingly, each one of them had a green snake pattern sewn onto their masks. With the Spirits summoned, the Instructor focused his attention on the woman who wielded a teal-coloured bow Spirit. Evidently, she was the one who shot the poison arrow at him. "Wow, one Kshatriya and five Vaishyas¡­ I guess you guys are really determined huh?" Although the Instructor remained composed and unfazed on the outside, inwardly he was cursing. ''The hell?! So many high-level black masks? Something fishy is going on...'' The current line-up of the black masks was sufficient to take down a regular family clan of the Himmel empire. But they were, at present, targeting a mere trading caravan. Granted, they were using aether cars as transport, but most of the time, the Frie Clan flag were enough to deter potential criminals from targeting their cargo. ''Did the Second Elder hire them? Impossible, he would never risk an entire trading convoy filled with aether cars for the sake of killing Shin...'' The suspicion that the Second Elder bought the services of the black masks quickly flew through the Instructor''s mind, but he quickly dismissed it. The Second Elder was in charge of finances and trade. Thus, he knew how precious aether cars were. If the clan lost ten aether cars at once, its ledger books would be in the red. ''If it''s not the Second Elder, why would so many high-level members of the black masks target this convoy?'' Throwing out the only probable theory, the Instructor was clueless at why they were being targeted. At this moment, the Instructor saw a brown coloured flash zoom past him. Smashing her heels on the grass floor, Ines slowed her momentum till she was a metre in front of the Instructor. Already in her spiritual body enhancement form, the brunette middle-aged woman was prepared to do battle. "Lou, what''s going on? One Kshatriya and five Vaishyas¡­ Why are so many big-shots here?" Being a Rank 54 Spirit Lord, Ines had her fair share of black masks knowledge. With one look, she was able to deduce that the situation had turned precarious and immediately darted to assist her partner. "I don''t know¡­ But we are outnumbered, escaping should be our focus. Once we are near Chilyoja Waypoint, they will stop chasing us." The muscular man whispered in a voice that was only audible to Ines. Initially, the Instructor was not fazed when facing over a hundred bandits with thirty men. In fact, he was still confident if everyone gave their all, they would be able to beat down every single enemy present. But the assignment at hand was first and foremost an escort mission. Bringing Shin and Junius to safety was the utmost priority. "I agree¡­ Facing six high-ranking members of the black masks and over a hundred bandits will be no simple task though..." "We can try¡­ Send ten escorts to drive the aether cars away. The remainder of us will travel alongside the convoy while holding back the black masks!" The Instructor barked his orders at Ines. "Done." With a giant leap, Ines retreated back to the other members of the clan to relay the Instructor''s command to their subordinates. Once he saw that the caravan had begun to move, he raised his humongous club and pointed it straight at the six adversaries that were staring him down. "Come at me, you bitches..." Chapter 60 The Black Sword 1 As the Instructor was readying himself for a clash against the notorious black masks, Shin sat nervously in the aether car''s chair, feeling the vehicle rattle as it dashed through the cold evening road. A few moments prior, a well-dressed young man, no older than thirty, yanked the car door open and took over the driver''s seat. Although they were startled, Shin and Junius felt no menace coming from the youth. Furthermore, they had recognised him from their previous interactions with the other escorts. "Boys, sit tight, it''s going to get bumpy." After warning the two orphans, the suave young man started the engine of the car and immediately steered the car away from the assailants. "Are we under attack again? Did the Second Elder send them?" The black-haired boy clutched his arms together giving himself a degree of self-comfort. Thinking that he was being targeted once more, Shin trembled in fear. Junius, being the older brother he was, noticed his roommates anxiety and wheeled his chair over, disregarding the fact that the car they were in was speeding at top speeds. "I don''t think it''s the Second Elder this time. The people attacking us should be bandits that just want our supplies. I doubt they would try to harm us. Even if they did, look around us! Everyone here is doing their best to fend off the attackers. Nothing bad will happen to you, I assure it!" Grasping Shin''s shivering hands, Junius showed the youth that he was well-protected. Junius was a Rank 11 Spirit Apostle while Shin only recent awakened his Spirit. All they could do was provide moral support as the other members of the Frie Clan dealt with the black masks. Nonetheless, the escorts sent on this mission were the cream of the crop. "Besides, I''m here. They won''t get to you if with me protecting you!" Junius brotherly instincts kicked in as he saw the boy he grew up with scared out of his wits. "No! You can''t fight! It''s alright, I''m fine now..." Putting on a tough face, Shin attempted to compose himself. ''I can''t be a scaredy-cat anymore! Junius is injured, and it''s up to me to protect him!'' Ever since Junius had been severely injured during the assassination attempt on his life, Shin had been beating himself down. The assassins were undoubtedly sent to claim his life and yet he came out unscathed while Junius got the short end of the stick. When he first saw Junius lying unmoving on the hospital bed a fortnight ago, Shin felt his world come crashing down. The valiant and immovable elder brother of his could actually plunge into such a state. And once he realised that he was the cause of Junius'' coma, Shin instantly wanted to make amends. Thus, he had been willing to serve at the feet of the disabled youth, tending to his every need. Now that they were being attacked and Junius was as vulnerable as ever, it was up to him to protect his wheelchair-bound brother. "Junius, you just rest¡­ I''ll take care of anyone who comes." Gathering spiritual energy, Shin raised his right hand and concentrated the torrent of mana to his opened palm. The cerulean light congregated and illuminated the dark aether car. The next instance, a fishlike silhouette started to glide through the compact boundaries of Shin''s adolescent and little palm. Its huge eye bubbled as if annoyed that it was brought out of its slumber and it fluttered its fins to a fanatical degree. If it were in water, there was no doubt that the fish would generate splashes that would create miniature waves. Contrary to Shin''s brave declaration that he would protect Junis, the sight of the indignant cerulean Koi did not spark any faith in those words. "Haha! Then I''ll be counting on you." Junius chuckled in a half mocking, half encouraging voice. "Hmph! The injured should just shut up and recuperate!" Shin''s face turned vermillion as he groaned. He had seen the heroic figure of Junius summoning his Azure Water Blade while delivering cool lines and he had fantasised himself doing the exact same thing multiple times. However, his cute little cerulean Koi did not care about his delusions. "*Boooommm!!!*." At this moment, a deafening blast reverberated through the fields, and the ground trembled in fear. "What?!" Shin immediately scurried to the opposite window and peeked out to see what had happened. "Ghuahh!" Gasping in terror, Shin brought his free left hand to his mouth. "What happened?" Curious at Shin peculiar behaviour, Junius likewise looked out of the window. "What the hell?!?!" Widening his eyes in terror, Junius opened his mouth so wide that an orange could easily fit through. The two orphans saw the sight of their Instructor, hovering over twenty metres in the air. Additionally, the tight robe that covered his ripped body had long been torn off exposing his upper torso for all to see. With muscles that would make any bodybuilder weep in inferiority, the Instructor flaunted his physique to intimidate his opponents. But that was not what startled the duo. The initial fiery club that was already massive had expanded to over thirty metres long. The most frightening fact was, even with his Spirit severely surpassing his body size, the Instructor still managed to comfortably lift the colossal club above his head. "*Whooooosshhh*." Swinging the gargantuan Spirit downwards, the Instructor aimed his club at the six black masks that led the charge against the convoy. Sadly, there was no way members of a notorious syndicate that terrorised the empire, would stand still and let the brawny man have his way. Though the Instructor''s Spirit was exceedingly powerful when it was enlarged, it had one critical drawback. The club was too slow. As with every oversized object, it was rather hard to control. The six black mask effortlessly evaded the oncoming threat and retreated to safety. Missing its target, the monstrously sized club crashed into the grass floor creating a cloud of dust and dirt that towered over any nearby structures. The impact caused a massive shockwave that advanced towards the nearby caravan, nearly toppling it. If not for the drivers'' quick-wittedness, the aether cars would have long rolled away from the road. The Kshatriya, who wielded a black obsidian blade, took this chance when the Instructor was recovering from his attack, to launch a full-on assault. Kicking off the ground, the Kshatriya became a blur to onlookers as his figure tore through the wind as his sword craved the fresh blood of the jacked man. Realising his mistake, the Instructor ceased sending mana into his Spirit and willed for the club that was as tall as a building, to shrink. ''Compress, compress, compress!!!!'' The Instructor mentally hurried his Spirit to diminish its size. But before his club returned to its regular size, the Kshatriya was already within reach of the Instructor''s body. At this moment, the Instructor felt as if time had slowed down. He could thoroughly examine the black mask now that his assailant was less than two metres away from him. The mask had its signature golden crescent moon pattern etched firmly into the item. With the darkness of night enveloping them, the Instructor even noticed that the decoration started to glow in a mysterious mystic light. That luminous design seemed to contain a hint of foreign mana that the Instructor had never experienced before. Now the Instructor finally understood where the rumours that donning a black mask would give the user a significant power increase came from. ''Now''s not the time to be mesmerised!'' Pulling himself together, the Instructor brought the club, which had just returned to its original size, inwards to his chest to parry the oncoming attack. Luckily, he had done so in the nick of time as the obsidian blade clashed with the club, and sent the Instructor crashing to the ground. One second was all it took. From the start, where the Kshatriya launched himself to the vulnerable Instructor to when the burly man plunged headfirst into the grass floor, happened in the span of one second. "Wow... So that''s how Spirit Lords fight!" Shin exclaimed in awe. He had seen the Instructor spar multiple times. But on each occasion, the Instructor never even used a tenth of his full strength. Seeing the Instructor go all out in a battle against someone of his calibre, really broadened Shin''s horizons. Chapter 61 The Black Sword 2 Rising from the cloud of dust and dirt, the Instructor trudged out of the crater he had formed. His tanned skin had turned completely charred due to the soot his Spirit caused. With an icy cold gaze, the Instructor found his opponent levitating up in the air, seemingly composed. For the Kshatriya to so easily push him back, the black mask must be at a similar level. A clash of Spirit Lords was rather rare in the empire. Due to their overwhelming strength, if two Spirit Lords fought, they would easily destroy the surrounding landscape causing maps to be redrawn. If he was on a subjugation mission, he would have little care for the scenery and crush everything that stood in his way. However, since he was escorting the two orphans, he had to be much more passive. At their level, the Instructor could snap their bodies as effortless as popping a matchstick. Thus, he had been extremely cautious about how he attacked his opponent. The only thing that he wanted to avoid is making Junius and Shin collateral damage. And the Kshatriya appeared to realise that fact. Instead of focusing all of his attention on the opponent, the Instructor kept glancing backwards at the convoy. The seasoned black mask had seen that look before. It was the look of a mother who was trying to protect her children. Furthermore, having a bludgeon weapon Spirit, it was natural to assume that the Instructor''s fighting style was to aggressively demolish his opponent without caring about his own body. But currently, the Instructor was meekly trying to prevent the Kshatriya from targeting the caravan. "..." Without saying a word, the Kshatriya looked at his five subordinates and pointed his right index finger towards the Instructor. At the same time, he flew downwards and directed the numerous bandits in a charge against the convoy. ''DAMN IT!!!'' Blood drained from the Instructor''s face as a surge of fear and anxiety trembled through his body. The worst case scenario had occurred. Finding out that the payload in the caravan was unquestionably precious, the Kshatriya ignored his fight with the muscular man that might lead to nowhere, and fixated his attention on attacking the aether cars. Bending his knees down, the Instructor tried to rush forward to prevent potential disaster. But before he could do so, a blinding light blinked through the air and landed less than a feet away from the man wielding the club. Glancing downwards, the Instructor could see an ornate and alluring arrow sticking out of the grass floor. A purple resin seeped out from the arrow-head and corroded the nearby plants, killing them instantly. If the projectile had slightly altered its path a few centimetres, the victim of that purple fluid wouldn''t be the green grass, but the Instructor''s beefy foot. ''Poison!'' Twitching his eye, the Instructor traced the trajectory of the arrow and found the shooter. A slim and bony woman, with her back straightened, had a firm grasp on a royal purple coloured bow in her left hand. Similar to the Kshatriya, not a single bit of skin was exposed as she wore a thick dark blue robe with a black scarf, that was unusual for a spring evening, covering her neck. Unlike the Kshatriya, the design on her mask wasn''t a golden crescent moon, but a noble green snake. Surrounding her, were four other Vaishyas wearing the exact same mask. ''Tsk, how troublesome!'' The Instructor clicked his tongue in annoyance. A Vaishya was usually at the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre level, one realm below the Instructor. If it were a spar, he could have took her down with one hand behind his back. However, he was facing five Vaishyas. Furthermore, they were highly trained members of an infamous crime syndicate. Fighting them off was no easy task. "INES!!! HOLD HIM OFF!!!" Projecting his voice, the Instructor hollered for his companion to be wary of the oncoming threat. "Hmmm?" The booming cry resounded through the air and was audible to any living being within sight. Turning her head over her shoulder, the brunette lady saw a lean and tall man, speeding over with an obsidian black blade in his hands. "Hmph! You think you can take me on?!" Snorting in derision, Ines raised her claws and bent her knees. Being in her spiritual body enhancement form, the Rank 54 Spirit Lord prepared herself for the impending assault. "Come at me!" Growling like a wolf would, Ines bared her porcelain white fangs and her talon-sharp claws. Circulating the mana in her body, Ines summoned an orange flame that started forming under her feet. Slowly climbing up her body like a snake, the menacing fire covered a huge chunk of her armour, making her look like a primordial flaming beast. The aether cars were efficient due to their low maintenance and constant performance. However, unlike horses, the vehicles were unable to traverse at top speeds. Thus, even with the driver pumping the accelerator till its maximum, the convoy still moved at a slow pace. It was certainly not at a speed that could outrun the Kshatriya. Thus, in order to ensure the safe escape of the Shin and Junius, Ines had to stay behind and delay the nefarious black mask. "..." As if accepting her challenge, the Kshatriya whirled his weapon and collided with the brunette. Using her razor sharp claws, Ines was able to block the blade. However, blinding halting the sword was a mistake. "*Click!*." A soft metallic sound echoed into Ines'' ears as she felt the fur on her armour stand up in fear. Seeking the direction of the sound, Ines witnessed her claws, which was her best weapon during her many years as a warrior, being chipped away by the obsidian blade. "The hell?!" Raising her legs, Ines performed a straight kick to the stomach of the Kshatriya and pulled away her prized claws. Once a Spirit User merges learns the spiritual body enhancement, they were able to greatly enhance their physical prowess and their effectiveness in battle. Additionally, they would be able to enjoy the best attributes that their Spirits possesses. For example, a Spirit User who awakened a bear Spirit would be able to harness the raw strength of said beast and a Spirit User who awakened a falcon would be able to fly without impunity, dominating the skies. Ines had awakened a flame Ainu Wolf Spirit, one of the most elementally superior beasts which inherited the agility and ferociousness of the wolf. In her spiritual body enhancement form, Ines would gain a boost in her speed and raw attack power. And of course, the deadliest weapons in her arsenal were the ten jet black claws that could maul the living flesh of any who dared to tread into its path. In all her years fighting, she had never seen her claws worn down, let alone pierced through. Even if she left a battle all battered up, her claws would always remain intact. Therefore, one can imagine her panic when a random felon, who was acting as a bandit, managed to easily chip her claws. It was a testament of how sharp the obsidian black sword really was. Unfortunately for Ines, the Kshatriya took this chance where she was out of sorts to sneak past the woman. From the short interactions he had with Ines and the Instructor, he could deduce that the most precious item in the caravan was in the very first aether car that was leading the retreat. ''SHIT!'' Ines cursed mentally in her mind. Her blunder might have cost the lives of the two she was hired to protect. Recovering her wits, Ines pursued the Kshatriya as fast as her legs could allow. But it was too late. Wielding a sword Spirit, the Kshatriya specialised in speed and precision. To the Spirit Lord, the aether car, that was travelling at maximum speed, was practically stationary. "BOOOOM!!!" Crashing down like a star falling from the heavens, the black mask toppled the aether car that Shin and Junius were in causing the two passengers, plus the driver, to be ejected from their seats. Violently knocking against the interior of the car, Shin and Junius struggled to keep their vital points safe. "DAMN IT!!!" Ines shrieked at the top of her lungs. Her brief moment of shock had resulted in Shin and Junius getting hurt. At this point in time, she was still a few seconds away from the vehicle. That was more than enough time for a Spirit Lord such as the Kshatriya to execute any living thing in that car. Willing her legs to move faster, Ines desperately attempted to prevent the black mask from proceeding any further. "Urrgghhh!" Once the aether car came to a halt, Shin groaned while rubbing his head. Thankfully, he had not sustained any serious injury from the earlier collision. Peering downwards, he could see Junius who was sprawled on the floor, conscious and largely unhurt. Before he could verbally confirm the status of his elder brother, a black light pierced through the back door of the car, slicing the vehicle open. With the car suspended and a broken through door, Shin could clearly see the outside evening sky. The sun had long retreated to its slumber as sparkles of starlight graced the heavens. The earlier blazing hot heat had been replaced with a cold icy breeze that chilled the insides of the car. And finally, standing in front of him, Shin had come face-to-face, or rather, face-to-mask, with the adversary that threatened to wipe him out of existence. His obsidian black sword in hand, the Kshatriya stared, unmoving at the duo. ''Is this the end?'' Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Shin''s eyes glistened as the thought of death loomed in his mind. Chapter 62 The Black Sword 3 Cries of the bandits echoed through the chilling evening winds as the Dalits threw their bodies at the convoy. Since the leading car had been stalled, every single Frie Clan escort left their posts and summoned their Spirits to do battle. Being the lowest level of the black masks, the hundred plus men varied from regular humans who had yet to awaken their Spirits to Spirit Apostles with mediocre Spirits. Naturally, their skill level was subpar compared to the trained members of the top tier clan, but their overwhelming numbers still managed to cause a headache. Grinding down the bandits one by one, the escorts robes started to turn scarlet red as blood splattered everywhere. The Dalits were as crazed as can be. Their red eyes hinted a burning madness that could only be soothed by drawing blood. Having no regard for their lives, the bandits cared nought that their comrades were being cut down right next to them as they focused at the prize at hand. Killing as many Frie Clan members as possible. Being part of the Frie Clan, the escorts had all awakened fire elemental Spirits and thus, fighting with fire was their speciality. Charred bodies could be seen lying motionless on the cold floor as the smell of burning flesh masked the organic pastoral fragrance that came with a country road. As the day approached dusk, the light coming off the burning corpses served as lanterns that illuminated the path, making a rather gruesome sight. The Instructor was currently at a deadlock with the five Vaishyas. As the commanders, they seemed to care little about the fact that the bandits they controlled were being burnt to a crisp. In fact, from their demeanour, the Instructor could even sense a little contempt and disgust. With so many of their underlings perishing at such a rapid rate, eventually, the black masks would be forced to retreat and suffer a loss. Thus, the current actions of the notorious crime syndicate baffled the burly man. If their original plan was the rob the convoy, they should have realised that the current lineup of escorts was enough to decimate their entire group. Hence, to cut losses, they would have abandoned the mission. If they wanted to assassinate someone, they didn''t have to do so when there were so many high-levelled personnel present. No matter how the Instructor pondered over it, he could not comprehend the black masks motives for the attack. Indiscriminately attacking and wearing down the Frie Clan escorts, it was as if they wished for mutual destruction. ''Something''s wrong...'' The more he assessed the situation, the more questions emerged. But at this very moment, he saw the Kshatriya, who ran away from him, overturning the aether car that Shin and Junius were in. "JUNIUS!!!" The Instructor''s eyes nearly bulged out from their sockets, and his heart almost stopped beating. Junius was his favoured pupil, and now that his life was endangered, the muscular man''s brain malfunctioned. The five Vaishyas flew in front of the enraged man, barring his path. But they underestimated the mental condition of the Instructor. "FUCK OFF!!!" With a shout, his Spirit expanded once more to over thirty metres long and swung the colossal club with all his might. He didn''t care about holding back anymore, he needed to rush to his students. Facing a Spirit Lord, those two poor souls wouldn''t even last a single millisecond. -.- As the Instructor expected, Shin and Junius were being confronted by the Kshatriya. But unlike his prediction, they had survived for much more than a millisecond. Not because they managed to escape, or because they were skilled enough to deter the Spirit Lord, but because after slicing open the car back door, the Kshatriya stood motionless, as if rooted to the ground. At such close proximity, Shin could clearly see the features of the black mask. A tall and lean man, with a healthy build, was the black-haired youth''s first impressions of the outlaw. His viridian-coloured hair fluttering with the wind made him look rather suave even though his face was covered. And then, of course, there was the obsidian black sword. With no guard, the sword consisted of only a blade and a hilt. Peering into the darkness of the blade, Shin felt his soul being altered as if a vortex of endless dread had consumed him. The light dimming from his eyes, Shin felt heavy sleepiness closing in on his consciousness. But before the youth fell into a comatose state, a cerulean light emerged from the depths of his spiritual body. The Sovereign Koi, which had been wiggling around in his hand, jerked Shin awake, as its aura enveloped the boy preventing the obsidian darkness from engulfing him. "That''s¡­!" It was the first time since arriving that the Kshatriya spoke. His voice sounded gravelly and hoarse as if roughened up through numerous years of trials and tribulations. There was even a tinge of authority in his tone. Instead of a felon, Shin got the feeling that maybe in a past life, the black mask standing in front of him had been a well-respected officer of the military. Taking the chance when the Kshatriya was stunned, Junius summoned his Azure Water Blade and stood up from the ground. Rushing forward, Junius pointed his Spirit straight at the black mask that was infinitely more powerful than he was. Standing in front of Shin, he seemed like a mother hen who would do anything to protect her children. A few days prior, Junius had regained the ability to walk for brief periods of time. However, under doctor''s orders, he was to remain firmly attached to his wheelchair. Hence, even though he was posing as a gallant warrior, the Spirit Apostle could barely stand. "..." Wordlessly staring down the Kshatriya, Junius'' poise said it all. He was declaring to the opponent, ''If you want him, you must get past me!'' However, his appearance contrasted his unwavering presence. Looking downwards, one could see Junius'' legs wobbling as if they were jelly being pressed. It was not because he was afraid. After not using his legs for such a long time, springing up all of a sudden took its toll. Although he couldn''t control his legs, there was no way he was going to let Shin come to any harm. "Why..? Water Spirits..?" Thankfully, Junius wouldn''t need to protect Shin. Profoundly shaken by what he saw, the Kshatriya further voiced out his questions. He had forgotten that he was in disguise and desperately tried to seek answers. By hearing his words, the two orphans somewhat understood why the black mask was startled. The Frie Clan had traditionally produced fire elemental Spirit Users. Now that his target was two kids who had awakened water elemental Spirits, he had become slightly confused. "What''s going o¡­.!" Before the Kshatriya could finish his sentence, a furry creature emerged from behind and landed a high kick straight to the black masks head. Upon coming into contact, the Kshatriya took the full brunt of Ines'' kick and broke the sound barrier as his figure bounced on the grassy floor like a rock skipping on a lake. "Are you kids alright?" Sending the enemy flying, Ines checked on the two orphans'' condition. "Yeah¡­ Nothing happened." "We''re alright, senior Ines." Only after hearing their verbal confirmation, did Ines heave a sigh of endless relief. When she had seen the Kshatriya cut open the car''s door, she felt like her soul had left her body. Although she had her doubts about how they managed to survive the onslaught of a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, she decided to save her queries for a more appropriate time. "Okay good. Stay in the car and don''t move! I will protect you." After ensuring the duo''s safety, Ines stood in front of the broken down aether car and guarded the two orphans. This time, even if they had to walk over her dead body, she wouldn''t allow the black masks anywhere near Shin and Junius. "*BANG!!!*." Breaking through the blockade of five Rank 40 Vaishyas, the Instructor made his way to Shin and Junius. Meanwhile, the Vaishyas darted to the distance to recover the leader that had been blown away by Ines'' vicious kick. "Junius! Shin! You guys alright?! Were you harmed anywhere?!" Now that he had returned to the side of the orphans, the Instructor anxiously tried to determine if his students were harmed. He had felt hopeless when he heard that the two were being evicted out of the clan and should they fall into any harm, especially under his watch, the Instructor felt that he might as well end his life for being such a failure of a teacher. "Nothing happened, sir!" The two orphans'' heart warmed as they saw the genuine concern in their Instructor''s eyes as they replied. "Good¡­ Good¡­ Alright, time to beat these assholes up!" The care and concern that the burly man displayed had been replaced with a bottomless rage. He wanted to rip the black mask to shreds for what they put his beloved pupils through. -.- Meanwhile, at the site where the Kshatriya lay, unmoving, the five Vaishyas rushed to his side, assisting the man to get up. Bringing his right hand to his head, the Kshatriya tried to quell the throbbing headache that Ines had gifted him with. "Damn that Frie Clan! Captain, say the word, the second phase of the operation can begin!" The black mask who wielded the poison bow declared as she angrily tried to get the man they called captain to give a particular order. Being over a hundred metres away from the convoy, they could speak with freedom as the Frie Clan members were unable to hear them from this distance. "No, the mission is cancelled¡­ Some complexities have arisen." The Kshatriya, on the other hand, was not so eager to start another conflict. "Why?! We have them in our grasps! Just a bit more and we can wipe out this entire caravan and deal a heavy blow to that wretched clan!" Raising her voice to her superior''s order, the Bow Spirit black mask protested. "You will understand when I explain it to you. But it is neither the time nor the place to do so. We''re retreating!" Although she was indignant, she had no choice but to follow her captain''s orders. "What about the Dalits?" One of the other Vaishyas brought up the existence of the hundred plus bandits that had mindlessly attacked the escorts while they were busy fighting the Instructor. After a few minutes of fighting, their numbers had been cut down by half, and the ones who did survive were in no shape to leave. "They served their purpose¡­ Let''s leave!" Clearly, the Kshatriya held the Dalits with little regard as he decided to abandon them altogether. To him, those raving maniacs were just disposable tools that were required to serve his agenda. Now that he had no plans, it was much easier to just leave them to die than to save the survivors. Turning into blurs, the six core members of the black masks disappeared using the cover of night, eluding the eagle-like vision of the Instructor. Chapter 63 The New Home 1 "They¡­ ran? Just like that?" Seeing the six black masks leave immediately after the Instructor and Ines gained the upper hand stunned the onlookers. Now that the sun had disappeared into the horizon leaving a canopy of luminous stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night, it was near impossible to track the movements of the black masks that specialised in covert operations. "Did my kick really did that much damage?" Ines even raised her feet upwards, imitating a flamingo, to inspect the leg that sent the Kshatriya flying. Although she had used all of her might in that kick, she had serious doubts that a famed Kshatriya black mask would have fallen from that single attack. "Yeah, something''s wrong¡­ Junius, what happened?" With the danger passed, the Instructor dispersed his mana causing the indomitable club in his hands to disappear. A thousand possible questions formed in his mind but first, he had to know what had happened. "I don''t know¡­ I think Shin, would be a better candidate to explain. He was the first to confront the enemy." "Oh ho? Looks like the lazy bum had grown a little. Shin, tell me what happened." The Instructor gave a rare smirk as he heard Junius'' words. Amongst the orphans, Shin was the least hardworking and would avoid fighting by any means. Hearing that the black-haired boy actually stood up to the Spirit Lord, made the Instructor a little proud at his growth. Naturally, he knew what triggered this change in Shin. Witnessing Junius fall in battle served as a catalyst for Shin''s desire to change himself. A playful thought even flashed through the Instructor''s mind that with a few more tragedies, Shin might have a total upheaval of character but he quickly pushed away that line of thinking. "Ah¡­ Errrrr¡­ Yeah..." Shin was still trying to comprehend what had happened when the everyone''s attention had suddenly been diverted onto him. Recovering from the shock, the black-haired boy struggled to form words. "Hahaha! Take your time, take your time! There''s no need to get tongue-tied." Seeing Shin stutter, Ines reassured the boy and gently encouraged him. The adorable, stunned expression of Shin''s, that resembled a startled cat, greatly amused the middle-aged lady causing her to giggle. "*Cough!* *Cough!* I''m sorry, I''m fine now!" Coughing twice, Shin affirmed that he had recovered. His face had turned a little red after Ines had teased him. "It''s alright¡­ So, Shin. What happened?" The Instructor didn''t mind the delay. "We were sitting in the car when suddenly, we felt the world turn upside down. The car rolled for a few seconds, and when it stopped, we found ourselves lying on the floor. Luckily, we didn''t get injured. Later, a black sword cut through the back door of the car, revealing the enemy." Trying to be concise, Shin recounted his experience. "Strangely, after he sliced the door open, he just stood there without moving so I could take a good look at the man. The first thing I noticed is that the man wore a black mask with a golden crescent moon on his forehead. I was unable to see his face, but I think his hair was blue-green." Shin was trying to describe the features assailant to the Instructor, hoping that it would be helpful information. "Yes, we know that. So, what happened next?" "Ermmm, he just stood there and did nothing." "He didn''t do a thing?!" The Instructor exclaimed at the Kshatriya''s eccentric behaviour. A member of a heinous organisation such as the black masks would have kidnapped one of the two orphans to use as leverage. However, the Kshatriya not only didn''t abduct the children, but he didn''t do anything at all. "Yeah¡­ But he did say a few words..." "WHAT?! He spoke?!?!" If the Instructor wasn''t astonished before, after hearing Shin''s words, he was utterly flabbergasted. The black masks are a mysterious organisation, and they were able to keep their secrecy as their members were trained to be untraceable. From wearing robes that covered every patch of their skin to putting on masks that made the faces unrecognisable, the black masks would never leave behind traces. And preventing the enemy from hearing their voice was one of the most basic procedures in hiding their identity. "Yeah, he did¡­ He said something about us having water Spirits¡­" "Water Spirits?" The more the Instructor learnt, the more confused he got. What had water Spirits had to do with the Kshatriya leaving the orphans alone? "He was about to say something else, but senior Ines stopped him by kicking him in the head." "Well, excuse me for trying to save you!" "No, no! That''s not what I meant senior Ines! I mean..." "Hehe, it''s alright Shin. I was just kidding around." Ines reached for Shin''s head and ruffled his silky, black hair. The ten-year-old adorable reactions brought out her playful side. "..." While the brunette middle-aged lady was jubilantly smiling about finding a new toy, the Instructor stroked his unkempt beard as his wrinkles started to show. ''Everything about this attack is raid is weird¡­ First, they sent the Dalits to indiscriminately attack us, without caring about the supplies. Next, the Kshatriya sliced open the door of the aether car but stopped after seeing Junius and Shin''s Spirits. Finally, when Ines blew him away, they immediately retreated, leaving the Dalits behind. No matter how I see it, this incident is an overall net loss to the black masks. Why would they do something so peculiar?'' Question after question popped up in the Instructor''s mind as he attempted to comprehend the black masks motives. However, seeing that the sky had long turned dark, he decided reaching the waypoint was of greater importance. ''Whatever, bringing the two to safety is more important...'' "Thank you, Shin. Your experience will help the clan take precautions when dealing with the black masks in the future." "Black masks?" Shin tilted his head quizzically. "That''s the name of the group which attacked us. I will explain it to you later. We need to leave this abhorrent place first." All around them were corpses of the Dalits that had been abandoned by the six core members of the black masks. With bodies burnt to ash and severed limbs scattered about, it was not a good place for children to stay in. "Ines, how''s the aether car?" The Instructor pointed at the overturned vehicle that Shin and Junius were on. "Looks like we''re in luck, other than the sliced open back door, the car is still largely functional. Obviously, we would need to send it for repairs, but I think it should be able to make the trip to the waypoint." "That''s great news! How many casualties are there?" "By some miracle, there are none. I mean some escorts are lightly injured but largely, everyone''s fine." "What about the bandit remnants?" "We captured five of them, the rest either ran away when those six left or are lying dead right there." Questioning Ines, the Instructor got a full grasp of the entire situation. Once the six core members of the black masks retreated, the weak Dalits were no match for the might of the convoy escorts. Unfortunately, from the hundred bandits, they only managed to apprehend five for questioning. "Alright, gag the captives and detain them in one car. Let''s leave this depressing place." Chapter 64 The New Home 2 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. As the time drew ever closer to midnight, the hooting of owls and howling of coyotes dominated the peaceful yet eerie woods. Animals of the night, which were hidden in their homes during daylight, roamed the freely through the forest. Going about their nightly routine, predators searched for food while prey did their best to avoid becoming dinner. But amidst the thicket of trees, lay a patch of cleared out land that was unnatural for such an area. Oddly enough, creatures who moved unhindered in the woods avoided this patch of land. In the middle of the cleared-out fields, there stood a small town. An array of buildings, from small huts to massive brick constructions were littered across the city. Even though the sky had turned pitch-black, the town still remained well-lit through the help of numerous lanterns illuminating the streets. Although the town was well-lit, there was little to no sign of human interactions on the streets. Homes had long turned off all their lights for their inhabitants to get some shut-eye. And the fact that they could sleep comfortably and safely while living in a jungle, filled with deadly animals, was due to the impeccable security the town possess. Defence walls made of solid rock, standing over five metres tall and three metres thick, encircled the town, preventing any sort of creature from ever entering. Many beasts had attempted to scale the wall for the scrumptious feast that awaited them in the citadel, but unfortunately, if they somehow managed to breach the walls, there was a horde of town guards itching to slay them in their tracks. As part of the initiative to deliver military supplies to Aldrich''s Keep more quickly, Chilyoja Waypoint was constructed. A substantial portion citizens who took up residence in the waypoint were families of soldiers stationed at Aldrich''s Keep. Furthermore, Chilyoja Waypoint serves as a resting spot for supply caravans. Hence, the Himmel Empire invested quite a bit of money in enhancing its security infrastructure and ensuring that the waypoint remains a safe haven. The streets in the inner town were void of human life, but the gates were a different story. Chilyoja Waypoint prided itself for its tight security. And part of what made the town safe were the constables who worked round the clock. From manning the guard posts to patrolling the town, the constables in Chilyoja Waypoint are professionally trained to protect their citizens. All the four gates were heavily guarded, and even with midnight drawing closer, there were at least twenty highly trained constables stationed at each entrance. "Sir! There''s a convoy of aether cars driving straight towards us!" A constable, who was keeping watch atop the eastern watchtower, ran down and reported his sighting to a ruddy and chubby man, who was reclined comfortably on his chair. With a book in hand, the man slowly got up from his chair, jiggling his bulging stomach in the process. "A convoy of aether cars you say¡­ Did you see their flag?" Stretching his plump arms, the man yawned as he asked for further details. "No, sir! It was too dark to see anything." "Bloody useless! Then could you see what colour were the cars?" "Ermmm¡­ I think it was red?" "Do you think, or do you know?!" "I''m sorry, sir! The cars were red, sir!" "God damn it¡­ They don''t pay me enough to deal with crap like you. Move aside, greenhorn! Tell Aldea to raise the gates..." "Sir! Is it a good idea to open the gates for a convoy that we haven''t confirmed the identity of?" "That''s why I called you useless recruit! If you had half the brain, you should be able to guess who the convoy belongs to! Aether cars are expensive vehicles, and no average joe can afford them. With them coming in the middle of the night means that they must have a gold visa that allows them to bypass queues and enter the town outside of trading times. Adding to the fact that they dye their cars red, there''s only one clan the convoy could possibly belong to." "The Frie Clan?" "That''s right you dumbass! So, are you going to leave or do you want me to kick you out myself?" "Sorry, sir! I''ll inform senior Aldea to raise the gates!" "Damn it¡­ The new hires sure are dimwits..." Watching the recruit constable stumbling on his on foot as he scurried away, the plump man rubbed his meaty forehead in frustration. "Is it just me, or are the quality of recruits dropping fast..." Slapping his book shut, the bulky man climbed out from his guardpost and made his way to the massive steel gates that protected the waypoint from invaders. -.- "Shin, wake up¡­ Hey, Shin¡­ Shin!!!" "Woah! What¡­ What happened?" After facing possible death, Shin felt exhausted. He already had a long day and adding to the fact that the shaking of the aether car resembled the rocking of a cradle, the fatigued Shin decided to get some sleep. But even before he entered a state of deep sleep, the youthful voice of Junius jerked him into reality. "How''s your nap?" "You woke me up to ask me that?! Damn it, I''m going back to sleep!" "Hey, hey! Don''t do that! Look, we''ve arrived." Pointing out the window, Junius prompted Shin to have a look. As he was rudely awoken from his beauty sleep, the irritated black-haired boy rubbed off the discharge from his eyes and poked his head out of the window. Instantaneously, his sleepiness waned as an imposing, towering white wall came into view. The wall was as plain as could be but Shin could tell that the barrier had seen its fair share of hardships. The white paint had slowly eroded away as ferns grew at the base of the walls. "*Eeeeeee*." Once the convoy was less than ten metres away from the gate, the steel bars that blocked any entry into the town were raised gradually. From inside the city, Shin could see a lone plump figure waiting peacefully for the row of aether cars. Once the gates were fully raised, the Instructor got out of the vehicle and strode forward to greet the chunky man. "Hoho, now that''s a rare face! Lou, were you relegated to become a mere escort?" Evidently, the man recognised the instructor and teased him while giving a greeting. "Of course not. I see you''re still as fat as ever, Lewis. What happened to never drinking booze again?" "Haha, I broke that promise within the week that I made it!" "How unoriginal of you..." "Shut up! I''m fine with the way I look!" "Tell that to yourself in the mirror." "Yeah, yeah. So, what brings you here at this ungodly hour?" "I would have made it here earlier, but there were some unforeseen circumstances..." "Unforeseen circumstances?" Lewis'' fats jiggled once more as he tilted his head quizzically. "We met the black masks..." "..." Hearing the Instructor''s words, Lewis'' face turned sombre. "Tell me more..." "Let me settle down my caravan first. We''ve captured five Dalits, and I hope to hand them over to you." "Of course, leave it to me. You know where to find me..." "Definitely." After the exchange, Lewis made way for the Instructor and the Frie convoy to enter Chilyoja Waypoint, the two orphan''s new home. Chapter 65 The New Home 3 The churning sounds of gravel echoed through the empty streets of the waypoint, causing the inhabitants who were still awake, to draw their curtains and look for the source of the soft disturbance. To their surprise, ten aether cars, which were a rare sight in the town, were driving on the streets in a single file. Each vehicle was draped in mud and dirt, which prevented the aether cars from looking like the luxury commodity that they were. Additionally, the first car had its back door ripped open, revealing its contents. The cars drove slowly, to prevent disrupting the sleep of the citizens, and eventually, the caravan exited the residential area of the waypoint and entered its commercial hub. Unlike the residential area, the streets weren''t as deserted. With much more lanterns lighting up the vicinity, shops that operate in the night, such as pubs and gambling dens, had opened their doors wide to attract business. Ladies of the night waved their handkerchiefs and showed off their ample bosoms to lure lustful demons into their lair. Drunkards found empty alleyways to empty their stomachs of the disgusting swill that plagued their system. And throughout the hustle and bustle of the nightlife, no hooligans or mobsters were roaming the streets. Instead of hoodlums, constable patrols were inspecting every nook and cranny, on the lookout for potential crime. It was a testament to the safety of the waypoint that even in the most crime-prone area, there wasn''t even an inkling of a gangster. Driving through the commercial hub in a convoy of aether cars pulled eyes from everywhere. Residents who were enjoying their after-hours fun time stopped what they were doing and looked that the unusual sight. One gaze became two. Two became four. Until eventually, everyone on the street was looking at the aether cars. Even the patrol guards dropped their duties to monitor the situation. Being in the leading car and with their back door sliced open, naturally there were multiple people who focused their attention on Shin and Junius, who were the only two passengers of that car. With so many eyes on them, Shin felt like he had become some sort of exotic zoo animal that was put on display. ''Arghhhh!!! So embarrassing...'' Shin mentally shouted. He wasn''t even in the waypoint for a day, and he had already become the centre of attention. But no matter how ashamed he was, the number of onlookers only increased. Thankfully, he didn''t need to be watched for much longer. After a minute, the aether car came to a halt. "Alright boys, welcome to your new home!" Ines, who was sitting in the front seat, glanced over her shoulders and pointed her right index finger outside. Shin and Junius turned their heads, tracing the direction of her finger. "Woah..." Shin gasped in amazement. The aether cars had stopped in front of a grandiose, lavish building that stood over five stories tall. A metal fence with sharp tips encircled the construction that prevented any unwarranted trespassers from entering. Surrounded by buildings that were far smaller than it was, the marvellous piece of architecture stood out like a sore thumb in the already posh commercial district. Once the vehicles stopped in front of the elegant building, the onlookers started to connect the dots and realised what was happening. As if it were like magic, the spectators gradually dispersed and continued with their happy hour activities. "Welcome to the Mushinkei!" Ines introduced the place with a wide grin on her face. "The Mushinkei serves as an anchor store for the Frie Clan in Chilyoja Waypoint. We send supplies here, and the store sells them for a profit. The Mushinkei is also a place where operatives of the Frie Clan working outside the mountain can congregate and rest. Hence, there are plenty of empty rooms here for your picking!" "..." Shin wasn''t able to hear a word that Ines had said as his head was still in the clouds after looking at the exquisite building. Fortunately, Junius still had a clear mind. "Senior Ines, we get to choose our rooms?" "Of course! You get to choose whichever rooms you like! The top two floors of the building are all private rooms, and the majority of them are empty. Come, let me bring you around." Opening the front door, Ines beckoned the two orphans to follow her. Junius got on his wheelchair and tapped Shin on his shoulder to bring him back to reality. "Hey, Shin! Snap out of it! We need to leave!" "Huh, ah! Right! Sorry, I was kind of amazed¡­ Are we really going to live in such a luxurious place?" From young, Shin had been staying in a plain and simple house. The orphans were not being mistreated though, it was the Frie Clan policy that all lodgings not be too extravagant to keep their members humble. However, that policy was only enforced on Frie Mountain. The Mushinkei, on the other hand, was a piece of architecture that was located in the heart of Chilyoja Waypoint where government officials and members from other clans frequent. To leave a firm impression that the Frie Clan were part of the elite, the upper echelons of the clan had invested heavily in dolling up the Mushinkei. Bringing in the best artisans, the clan paid a hefty sum in constructing the building. They also bought timeless art pieces to decorate the front desk, further bleeding out the money in the vault. Wheeling Junius down from the aether car, Shin noticed that there was a cleared patch of land opposite of the Mushinkei. In the commercial district, there were rows upon rows of buildings. Hence, it was highly unusual to see an empty lot of land. The longer he stared at the empty space, the more intrigued he became. "Senior Ines, why is there an empty space there?" Even Shin didn''t know why he voiced that question. Initially, it was just pure curiosity, but after a few seconds, he felt an instinctive urge to find out more about that empty lot. The unexpected query came at a shock to Ines. Her feet stopped moving as she bit her lip. Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, she turned to look at the direction that Shin was pointing at. ''To think that his first question is about that...'' Her pupils began to dilate, and her gaze started to waver. Looking at the empty patch of land, she deliberated on how to answer the boy who was asking an innocent question. "The previous owners of the lot were unable to make rent, so the mayor''s office confiscated their property and demolished the store. It''s nothing of importance. Come, let us find you a room first." Ines quickly answered Shin''s question and diverted his attention to the Mushinkei standing right in front of them. "Oh, okay..." Pushing Junius, who was still mandated to remain on a wheelchair, Shin followed Ines through the iron fence and into the dazzling building. As they edged closer to the entrance, the polished wooden doors creaked open, revealing a tall, bony man. His leathery face complemented his receding hairline. His hazel coloured eyes showed a tinge of compassion and warmth as he looked at the two orphans heading towards the building. "I''ve been expecting your arrival, Ines. Where is Lou?" Brushing off the dust on his butler''s uniform, the tall man asked for the Instructor''s whereabouts. "He left once we arrived. We ran into some trouble on the way and apprehended some of the troublemakers. Lou is bringing them to the authorities." "Oh good lord! Did they manage to hurt you?" "Hmph! Of course not! I''m offended for you to suggest that Marshall!" "I''m just worried for your safety, that''s all." The butler named Marshall giggled at Ines'' animated response. "I believe the two handsome young boys standing behind you are Shin and Junius, am I correct?" Putting on an amiable smile, Marshall bent down to greet the duo. "Pleased to meet you, senior. My name is Junius, and the boy pushing my wheelchair is Shin." "Pleased to meet you, senior." Realising that the butler was talking to them, Junius gave a respectful introduction. "Hohoho, there''s no need to be so formal. Just call me Marshall." Bowing to the two orphans, the butler requested Shin and Junius to drop the formalities. "Boys, Marshall here is the head of the Mushinkei. He is in charge of the maintenance of the building and its everyday operations. He knows everything that happens in the Mushinkei. So he''s kind of a big shot here!" "I don''t want to hear that from the famed Frie Nutcracker¡­ Do you know I still get worried customers asking if the Nutcracker is in? Your famed exploits have even reached the neighbouring cities." "No way?! Surely you jest?" "Of course not. Since you''re staying here for a month or so, you will be able to confirm that for yourself." "Arghhh!!! I don''t want that kind of reputation!" Up till this day, Ines was still single. She had many potential suitors before, but once they heard her infamous title, they immediately scurried away to protect their family jewels. "..." "..." Shin and Junius were standing right next to Ines. Hence, they naturally heard the conversation. Their faces turned vermillion red as they tried their best to stifle their laughter. "Oh dear, why are we still standing in the cold? Come on in! Shin, Junius, I have personally selected some of the best rooms that we have for you. Please, come and take a look!" Chapter 66 Yakkyoku Clinic 1 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Constable Headquarters. In a dark corner of Chilyoja Waypoint, hidden from the inquisitive eyes of the town residents, there stood a gloomy and inconspicuous structure. Enormous boulders and towering trees prevented the structure from ever getting discovered. And even if someone managed to venture in uninvited, the watchful gazes from the treehouses above would be able to apprehend them immediately. To enter this mysterious structure, one had to tread carefully on the single concrete pathway constructed. One wrong step and the consequences could be dire. And currently, a hulking middle-aged man was trotting nonchalantly down that very path. As if he had memorised the numerous bends and curves of the road, the man walked unhindered at a brisk pace. The guards who monitored the road round the clock were well aware of that man''s presence, but they didn''t bother to disturb the man. Evidently, they had been expecting his arrival. At the end of the path, the Instructor was filled with nostalgia as he saw the towering structure. He had once been a regular visitor to this building a long time ago. Ever since that devastating battle ten years ago, the Frie Clan had been forced into seclusion to recover from their wounds. It was hard to believe, but before the upper echelons of the clan ordered their members to return to the mountain, the exalted Frie Clan had agents operating at every corner of the empire. Like an indomitable eagle, the clan''s wings encompassed the empire, striking fear into their enemies hearts. But now, other than the Mushinkei and the members who tended to its daily activities, there were rarely any Frie Clan operatives working outside of Frie Mountain. "..." With heavy footsteps, the Instructor opened the tightly shut doors of the building and made his way inside. "Lou! You''re here!" Once stepping into the constable headquarters, a nasal voice called out to the Instructor. "Lewis, sorry for being late." "No, settling your personal matters is more important. After all, you wouldn''t want your supplies to go bad." The wooden floorboards creaked as Lewis made his way over to greet the muscular man. Being a plus-sized man, his weight could easily collapse the aged, mouldy wood. It was an enigma that the floor had not caved in yet. "This time, there is something in that escort that''s much more important than a bunch of supplies." "Oh ho, and what was that?" "I''ll tell you later, we have more pressing matters at hand. Have you started interrogating the prisoners?" Once the Instructor had reached the gates of the waypoint, he gave the five captured Dalits to Lewis. The constable captain then brought the bandits to their headquarters. Chilyoja Waypoint didn''t have a prison, but the constable headquarters had multiple detention cells. Currently, the five convicts were being imprisoned deep in the dungeons of this very building. "Not yet¡­ But honestly, I think we won''t be able to get much out of them..." "Huh? Why?" "What, you didn''t talk to them after catching them?" Lewis raised his eyebrows as he questioned the Instructor. Since the Frie Clan escorts were the ones to apprehend the Dalits, the seasoned constable assumed that they had done some preliminary investigations. "We did, but they remained quiet throughout the trip. Did something happen?" "What? Hmmmm¡­ I think it''s better for you to see for yourself." Stroking his fat chin, Lewis turned his body to lead the Instructor to the cells where they Dalits were held. The floorboards creaked loudly as the two massive bodies sauntered through the ground floor of the headquarters. Fortunately for the floor, it did not have to endure much more torture as the two large men reached a stairwell that led down to the basement. Following Lewis down, the first thing the Instructor noticed was the cobblestone walls that had moss popping out from each crevice. Chains that hung from the ceiling made the basement seem more like a slaughterhouse than a holding cell. The air was as cold as can be, giving anyone who entered the chills. The Instructor covered his nose as a pungent stench, that reeked of blood and sweat, reached his sensory organs. "As usual, this place is revolting." Frowning at the inhumane conditions in the dungeon, the Instructor gave a grim remark. "Relax, you understand the rules of the waypoint. Only the worst kinds of criminals would be locked here. Murderers, rapists and violent bandits. Common misdemeanours won''t result in imprisonment. In fact, we only have eight detainees. Well, until you came and brought five more." Lewis brushed off the Instructor''s comments and further descended down the stairs. After descending three levels, the duo reached a metal reinforced door with a lone guard manning the level. "Sir!" Once the constable saw Lewis, he stood up from his chair and clucked his feet together, performing a military salute. "At ease, open the door." "Yes, sir!" Pulling out the keys from his pocket, the junior constable unlocked the numerous locks on the massive door. Being the most secure place in the entire waypoint, there were a series of checks the constable had to perform before he could fully open the entrance to the dungeon. "*Eeeeee*." After a full minute, the final lock had been unsecured, and the metallic gate squeaked open. "Let''s enter." The Instructor and Lewis made their way into the dungeon. The first thing that greeted the Instructor was the numerous empty cells that were uncharacteristic of a prison. Noticing his bewilderment, Lewis flashed the Instructor a snobbish grin. "I told you, we only have eight prisoners. Most of the cells here are vacant. But isn''t this the goal of a good police force?" "Yeah, yeah. Shut it. Where are the prisoners?" "Hahaha! Someone''s rattled¡­ They''re just up ahead." Lewis'' bulging stomach jiggled as he led the Instructor further into the dungeon, after passing the numerous empty cells, they arrived at a large cage that held the five Dalits. With their hands and feet in chains, the bandits sat on the cold, concrete floor, unresponsive to their surroundings. "So what''s the big deal? Can''t you just begin your interrogation?" Seeing that the five Dalits were wide awake, the Instructor prompted Lewis to start grilling the outlaws. He was still furious about the black mask assault on their caravan and wanted to dig out any information on the mysterious organisation. "Hold on, let me show you. You, open the cage!" Lewis ordered the junior constable to unlock the cell so that he could enter. "Yes, sir!" Placing the key into the lock, the cell guard attempted to open the cell. However, once his hands grabbed the bars of the cage, the dim eyes of the Dalits suddenly turned sharp. A maniacal frenzy blew up from the depths of their souls as their dazed expression turned into a thirst for blood. Getting up from their positions, the five Dalits charged mindlessly towards the cage door. With bared fangs, the bandits reached out and tried to strike the poor junior constable. "ARGHH!!!" Scared out of his wits, the prison guard pulled his hands back the cage door could be unlocked. Falling to the floor, the junior constable laid on his bum as he saw the five Dalits that were hell-bent on ripping him to shreds. "Hah, another useless dimwit¡­ Hey! Get up, you''re embarrassing me!" Lewis was annoyed that yet another newcomer had failed to impress. While Lewis was reprimanding his subordinate, the Instructor was carefully inspecting the five Dalits. Their eyes had turned crimson red as not a shred of sanity remained. Their decayed teeth and putrid breath suggested that the bandits had little care for hygiene. With hands filled with blisters and warts, the Instructor inferred that the men had been doing some heavy duty work. All in all, from what he observed, the Dalits had lived quite a miserable life. "Hmph! Settle down you assholes!" Snorting in derision, Lewis released a surge of spiritual energy and directed it towards the cell. Swept into the air, the five Dalits got pushed backed and were only stopped when their backs knocked into the solid wall. Groaning in agony, the bandits rolled on the cold floor. "All¡­ hail¡­ the¡­ Allfather..." One of them started to murmur a chant. "All¡­ hail¡­ the¡­ Allfather..." "All¡­ hail¡­ the¡­ Allfather..." "All hail¡­ the Allfather..." "All hail the Allfather!!!" "ALL HAIL THE ALLFATHER!!!" "ALL HAIL THE ALLFATHER!!!" It was the first time the Instructor had heard them speak. Sounding like religious zealots, the five Dalits cried out the chant in unison. Chapter 67 Yakkyoku Clinic 2 "The Allfather?" Hearing the delirious chants of the demented Dalits, the Instructor raised his eyebrow in contemplation. "Did the black masks have such a figure?" "I don''t know... I have never heard of the black mask syndicate having a single leader." "Seems like we have uncovered something big." Being one of the most mysterious organisations in the Himmel Empire that emerged in recent years, there was not much information on the black masks. No one knew who founded the syndicate or their total combat strength. Thus, each new finding was crucial to the empire''s police force. "ALL HAIL THE ALLFATHER!!!" "ALL HAIL THE ALLFATHER!!!" Still chanting wildly in the cells, the five bandits continued their mad frenzy. "Oh, shut up!!!" Lewis'' nostrils flared up as released a torrent of mana. A dazzling emerald green light emerged from his obese body and congregated in his right hand. The Instructor raised his hands to protect himself from the blinding light as a sharp, ornate jade sword formed in Lewis'' hand. With a jewel embedded into its guard, the jade blade boasted an array of ancient runes that made the sword look like a national relic. "Down!" Slashing his sword in the air once, Lewis released a ray of emerald light. Once exposed to the light, the five Dalits fell to the floor once more with foam pouring out of their mouths and their eyes turning white. The fat man had knocked the bandits out cold. "..." Stroking his dishevelled beard, the Instructor observed the Dalits. If that Allfather is the real leader of the black masks than there would be one more vital clue to eliminating the vile syndicate. "Lewis, do you think that the Allfather brainwashed them?" "Maybe, maybe not. I''ve seen religious fanatics that act this way before." "No, the way that they''re acting is much worse. If you look into their eyes, you can see that their consciousness had been ripped from them. As if they had become a living puppet that does their creator''s bidding." "Aren''t you exaggerating? There are thousands, if not tens of thousands of Dalits. Are you suggesting that this Allfather could possibly use his Spirit to control that many independent minds? I doubt even a Rank 90 Spirit Saint could do that!" Lewis doubted the Instructor''s ludicrous remarks. "I''m telling you, those Dalits have not a single ounce of humanity left in them¡­ Additionally, I''ve fought a Kshatriya up close before." "What does that have to do with this situation?" "Everything! Those masks that are issued to each member strengthens each and every one of them. If the Allfather is a real figure, he must be dispersing his power to the syndicate." "You''re joking! There''s no way such a person could exist!" Although Lewis was vehemently rejecting the Instructor''s hypothesis, he felt that the muscular man was making valid points. It was just that he couldn''t fathom a person holding so much power that he could freely share his mana with that many black masks. "I hope that I''m wrong too¡­ Lewis, I need to talk to the mayor." "Yeah, this matter is too huge for us to ponder on our own. We need to report it to the higher-ups." As Spirit Lords, both the Instructor and Lewis had considerable standing in the Himmel Empire. However, the circumstances of their findings were way beyond their scope. "Not just that, there''s something else I need to request from him." "Oh? And what''s that?" "Remember when I said that the convoy I escorted contained something much more important than supplies?" "Yeah?" "I brought my students over. They are being stationed here at the Mushinkei." "What?! You became a teacher?" Lewis jaw dropped once he heard that the Instructor became a tutor. He had always remembered the muscular man as an impatient and fiery man. Imagining him patiently guiding and coaching a kid seemed unfathomable to Lewis. "Hahaha! What''s there to be surprised about. By the way, I hope you would look after one of my students. He will be assigned to the mayor''s office where he will be training to be a constable." "Wow, the exalted Lou Frie''s disciple. I hope he is not as disappointing as the recent new hires..." "Hoho, don''t worry he won''t disappoint. I''m sure he will become one of the most valuable constables in the waypoint within the year!" "Hahaha, I sincerely hope so! Alright, let''s leave this depressing place..." -.- As the Instructor was with Lewis, Shin and Junius were busy gaping in awe at the intricate interior of the Mushinkei. The ground floor of the building was over four metres tall and had plenty of space for movement. The first thing the orphans saw was a marble counter manned by an alluring femme fatale that was no more than twenty-five years of age. Her maroon-coloured hair flowed like a waterfall to her thin and slender waist. Wearing a traditional mandarin gown, the slit in the dress revealed her seductive bare, long legs. Noticing the new arrivals, her bright brown eyes lit up as she threw out an affectionate smile. "Sister Ines! You''re here!" Leaving her station, the elegant woman sashayed over to greet her fellow clan members. "Riko! Long time no see! How have you been?" "Hmph! Why are you suddenly so attentive? You didn''t even bother to come to visit once! How could I be fine?" The receptionist puffed her cheeks like an adorable hamster as she protested. "Ermmm, you know I''m busy with clan matters¡­ It''s not like I didn''t want to visit." "Hehehe, I''m joking! I''m just glad you''re here!" "... I see the little girl has grown up splendidly, to be able to joke like that." "Of course! I''m not a clueless, little girl anymore!" Her banter with Ines suggested that the two had a long history with each other. "Alright, alright. Come let me introduce you. Shin, Junius, this is Riko, my younger cousin. Riko assists in the storefront and deals with clients that walk through the main door. Riko, these two are the new residents of the Mushinkei." "Hello!~ Nice to meet you! You can call me Riko!" "Pleased to meet you, senior Riko. My name is Junius." "Pleased to meet you, senior Riko. My name is Shin." Shin echoed Junius'' greetings thinking that it was the right thing to do. "*Bzzzt!* *Bzzzt!* Do I really look that old to you? Call me Riko!" "Huh? But..." "No buts! I''m not old enough to be addressed as a senior. Repeat after me. Ri~ko~" For some reason, watching the gorgeous lady in front of him being so pushy reminded Shin of a specific broom-wielding headmistress that loved to torment the orphans. "Hey, enough playing around. You''re over a decade older than them, how do you expect them to call you by name?" Ines couldn''t stand to watch Riko making a fool out of herself and butted in. "So what? In my heart, I''m forever eighteen! Come, Shin, say Ri~Ko~!" But her comments fell on deaf ear as Riko continued to urge Shin. "Ermmm¡­ Sister Riko?" "Hehehe, see! Shin gets it! I''m going to raise your allowance!" Squealing in delight, the slender beauty promised to give Shin more money for his smooth comments. "Hey! Don''t throw money at such trivial comments!" "My youth ain''t trivial!" "..." While Riko and Ines started arguing, Junius'' ears had perked up at one of Riko''s comments. "Senior Riko, we are getting an allowance?" "Call me Riko! And of course, you will get an allowance. We will provide you with a monthly stipend of five silver coins! How''s that?!" "..." "..." Riko proudly declared. However, she did not get the reaction she wanted. "Huh? Wait¡­ Sister Ines¡­ Don''t tell me they don''t know the value of money..." "Ermmm¡­ They''ve been living on the mountain since forever, so¡­ I guess not?" Sticking out her tongue, Ines replied Riko. "Arghhh! The hermit lifestyle of the Frie Clan really harmed this generation. Fine! Listen up you two! The Himmel Empire uses three precious metals as currency. First is copper coins. One copper coin is sufficient to purchase a bowl of noodles. When you accumulate a hundred copper coins, you will be able to trade it for one silver coin. One silver coin should be enough to buy a silk gown sewn by the best artisans in the waypoint. Lastly, gold ingots. If you have a hundred silver coins, you trade it for a single gold ingot. A gold ingot is enough to let a family live in luxury for one month." Riko patiently explained how the Himmel Empire''s currency works. "What?! Seni¡­ Sister Riko, we can''t accept that much money!" Junius was about to call Riko ''senior'', but after he saw her stern gaze, he abruptly changed to sister mid-speech. "Don''t worry, it''s not like you guys are going to be freeloading here anyway. Just take it as our investment to you." Before Junius could issue a rebuttal, a compassionate voice came from behind him. "That''s right. It was the First Elder''s orders. Rest assured, that small amount is nothing to the Frie Clan. It''s like plucking a strand of hair out of an ox." Marshall, who was helping out with the luggage, overheard the conversation and chimed in. "Then, we can only express our gratitude at your gracious offer." Standing up from his wheelchair, Junius gave a deep bow. He had been taught basic manners from the headmistress and knew that a great kindness was bestowed onto them. Hence, despite his wobbly legs, he still decided to perform a bow of respect. "Wow¡­ Hey, sister Ines, are you sure that boy is brother Lou''s disciple? He''s way too well-mannered!" "Sometimes, I have my doubts as well¡­ How did brute like Lou raise such a courteous child?" "Hahaha! It''s fine. It''s fine. Your well-being is the most important to us!" Patting Junius on the back, Marshall gave a broad smile. At first, he had some doubts when he heard the circumstances of the two orphans. He wondered why the First Elder would go to such lengths to protect outsiders of the clan. The old man had nearly initiated a conflict that could potentially end the Frie Clan just to exact revenge. But now, after some initial interactions with the two, he was starting to understand why. The two orphans were just innocent youths that wanted to live their lives and even serve the Frie Clan in the process. Instead of orphans, the First Elder and everyone else in his division saw them as part of the family. "Alright, enough chit-chat, I''m sure you''re excited to see your new rooms!" Chapter 68 Yakkyoku Clinic 3 The Mushinkei had five levels and a basement. The basement served as a storage unit where goods would be kept. Armed with state of the art equipment, it was claimed that a dead fish could stay fresh for a year in that basement. The ground floor was the reception area with a few shops that sold precious supplies from Frie Mountain. Clients would come in and browse the best products that the building has to offer. The second floor, on the other hand, consisted of purely meeting rooms. To cater to their high-end customers, the Mushinkei had plenty of private rooms to tend to business, and they were all located on the second floor. The third level was the office area. Marshall, who led the Mushinkei, had his own private space to balance the ledgers and he is aided by a team that supervises the daily operations of the building. Finally, the fourth and fifth floor. The Mushinkei was not only an anchor store in Chilyoja Waypoint but also a place of rest for operatives working outside of Frie Mountain. Thus, each room was designed with comfort in mind. With a cotton bed that could comfortably fit three full-grown adults and luxurious linens, the rooms were the perfect place for tired individuals, who worked tooth and nail for the clan, to take a good rest. Equipped with an indoor elevator, it was rather convenient for Junius, who was still supposed to be wheelchair-bound, to reach the upper levels. Opening one of the room doors, Marshall invited the two orphans to inspect their new lodgings. "Woah..." "So beautiful..." Walking into the room, Shin and Junius blurted out with their voices shaking. The new place that they have gotten was a significant upgrade from their previous living conditions. "This one is Shin''s room, the one next door is Junius''. There is a shared bathroom down the hall where you can shower and do your business. So, how do you like your new rooms?" Marshall smiled broadly as he introduced the rooms. "Senior Marshall, this is too much. We don''t require that much space!" Junius protested by waving his hands. "It''s not much¡­ These two rooms are the most common types that we have. Unless you want to sleep in the basement, there are no other rooms worse than this." "But..." "It''s fine! It''s fine! Your bags are going to be delivered up soon, so just rest for now. You must be tired from that journey so I wouldn''t mind if you unpacked tomorrow morning. However, do note that we need to brief you in the afternoon about your duties as well as give you a tour of the area. So be punctual." With a wink, Marshall left the room and disappeared down the hallway. "..." "Hey, Junius! Look at the size of this mattress! I can spread out my arms and legs like a star, and there''s still enough space!" Unlike Junius, who was feeling uncomfortable about accepting such luxury, Shin was ecstatic about his situation. As a person who loved sleep, a fresh, comfy bed was the best gift he could have gotten. "You sure are unrestrained..." Sighing, Junius used his hands to turn the wheels of his wheelchair to propel himself over to Shin. "I mean look! There are no cracks in the walls or open spaces where bugs can get in! There is also an air vent! I thought that only existed in the Main Hall! To think our rooms would get one too! Hahaha! No more bugs! No more summer heat!" The former lodging that the duo stayed at before was akin to a cabin in the woods. Insects would frequently remain over for snacks, and the temperature from the surroundings decided how well their sleeping conditions would be. Thus, seeing that the new rooms handed down to them were so luxurious, Shin was over the moon. "Calm yourself, Shin. Remember, we are not here on holiday. We are stationed here as members of the Frie Clan!" "Fine..." Pouring cold water on Shin''s celebratory mood, Junius calmed the hysterical boy down. "Alright, once our luggage arrives, we are to unpack immediately. After that, we should go get some sleep. Can you wake up by yourself tomorrow¡­ Stupid question. I''ll come to wake you up tomorrow so don''t go to bed too late." "Fine¡­ Fine¡­ I thought that since leaving the mountain, there won''t be the headmistress to nag at me. But who knew, you had inherited some of her traits!" "Huh?! How am I similar to that broom demon?!" "Hehehe, just joking. Can you manage? Do you need me to help unpack your stuff?" Shin questioned worriedly. Junius claimed that he had largely recovered but judging from recent events, it was still somewhat hard for him to walk with ease. "It''s alright! I can manage. It''s been a long day, so I''m going to rest for now. See you tomorrow." Retreating to his room, Junius left Shin all alone in the large bedroom. "Hur Hur¡­ This is bliss..." Burying his face into a soft and fluffy pillow, Shin happily kicked the bed in joy. After a while, he felt his eyelids becoming heavy. ''Arghhh¡­ So tired¡­'' It was a rather eventful day for Shin. In the morning, he bid a sorrowful farewell to the people closest to him. In the afternoon, he nearly lost his life to a random bandit attack. And lastly, at night, he met a bunch of new people and got to know his new home. So many events had transpired and so many emotions evoked. Fatigued, Shin sank into the cool, cotton bed, letting his mind wander into dreamland. -.- Twilight melted away as Shin snoozed through the night. From the horizon, a brilliant ball of orange rose, bringing about a majestic sunrise, flooding the waypoint with powerful rays of morning light. Sounds of residents waking up and making breakfast filled the town. A refreshing fragrance of morning dew drifted into the ajar window and filled the luxurious room that Shin was sleeping in. Tuckered up and snoozing like a pig, Shin lay on the bed with drool spilling out from his mouth. "Hah¡­ I knew this would happen¡­ He didn''t even unpack." Junius had long left the bed and freshened up. Although he had regained the ability to walk, to not worry his companions, Junius continued to use the wheelchair given to him. When he went over to wake his little brother, he saw an untouched bag of luggage just sitting outside his room. And as he suspected, Shin immediately fell asleep once he left the room. "Hey, wake up!" "Arghhhhh¡­ Just one more hour..." "You didn''t even unpack! What one more hour? Get up now, or I''m gonna tickle you." "Hmph! I''m no longer a little kid! Do you think I am going to lose to your lousy skills? Through the power of this bed, I have become oak! There''s no way¡­ Hehe¡­ Okay, wait¡­ Hehehehehe¡­ Okay, I''m sorry!!! Hehehehehehe¡­ DAMN IT, JUNIUS!!! I''M AWAKE, STOP!!!" Getting onto the bed, Junius unleashed his masterful skills, honed through numerous years of waking Shin up. Only when the black-haired boy sat up straight and directed a straight hook to his arm, did Junius stop. "Have a nice sleep?" "Damn it¡­ You''re a demon, you know that?" "Thanks for the compliment. You said that you were going to unpack, so what''s with the untouched bags outside?" "Ermmm¡­ There were some unsuspected circumstances..." "I don''t care about that. Go wash up, I''ll help you unpack¡­ Thankfully, we are meeting Senior Marshall in the afternoon, so we still have time." "As you command, headmistress." "Hey! I''m not like her! Urghhh¡­ He escaped..." After making a sly comment, Shin grabbed hold of a towel and ran out of the room. Although he was insulted, Junius could not help but give a broad smile. It seems like the first day of their new life was off to a smooth start. Chapter 69 Yakkyoku Clinic 4 "Oh, you guys are early! Did you get enough rest last night?" After Junius forced Shin to organise his stuff and clean the room, the two orphans headed down for breakfast. "Senior Marshall, thank you for your hospitality. We rested enough." "Hoho, there''s no need to be so formal. This is now your home too! You can be more forward!" "But, senior Marshall..." "Junius, too much humility can sometimes be read as an insult. Just accept it." Initially, the bony man was rather pleased with how down-to-earth Junius was. But after Junius tried to protest his gifts for like the thousandth time, Marshall clearly got a little miffed. Narrowing his eyes, he lightly chided Junius. "I''m sorry..." "Hahaha, it''s alright. Just be mindful of that in the future. Oh dear, have you two eaten?" Regaining his cordial look, Marshall reached his right hand out to pat the boy on the head. "No, senior." "Oh, how forgetful of me. I didn''t tell you about the canteen! There is a canteen on the third floor that serves food. My goodness, you must be starving. My apologies!" Marshall apologised, clearly remorseful that he had omitted such a vital detail yesterday. "No, we aren''t that hungry!" "*Nod* *Nod*." Shin nodded like a bobblehead to Junius'' words. "Don''t be shy. To make it up to you, let me take you to one of my favourite restaurants in town. They serve amazing sweet and sour pork ribs that are seasoned with the best peaches in the empire! We just need to wait for Lou and Ines." "There''s no need senior, we can just eat from the canteen!" "No, no. Either way, you will need a guide to tour the waypoint. So it''s not that troublesome. Furthermore, bringing you to the Paradise Inn gives me an excuse to skip work!" Winking playfully, Marshall offered to bring the duo for food. "We just have to wait for Lou and Ines." "Here! Here! Senior Marshall! What about me? Don''t I get to go to the Paradise Inn?" Overhearing the entire conversation, an alluring young woman, stood up from her position and walked over gracefully. "Riko, you have to stay here and man the reception counter. There''s no way you can leave. And didn''t you eat earlier? I saw you stuffing your face with dumplings!" "No fair! Then why do sister Ines and brother Lou get to go? I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs!" "Just treat it as a welcoming meal for them! To celebrate their arrival." "Then I want to celebrate with them!" Pouting furiously, Riko attempted to skip work too and join them in their food adventure. "Enough! Fine, I''ll order some takeout..." "Yay! You''re the best senior Marshall!" The beautiful woman had understood that she was unable to leave her post. After all, there was no one in the building that had her experience in dealing with customers. Thus, her earlier outcry was to guilt Marshall into buying back one of the most expensive dishes for her to eat. Witnessing the interaction, Junius and Shin were reminded of the First Elder and Ariel. No matter how stern the old man was, he always had a soft spot for his precious granddaughter. Even though the two individuals in front of them didn''t seem to be directly related, the two orphans could tell that they shared an unbreakable bond. "Arghhh, I should really stop letting you walk all over me. Do some work for once and call Lou and Ines down!" "Aye, sir!" "There''s no need, we could hear you from a few levels up." Two figures exited the elevator and slowly walked over to greet those gathered at the main entrance. One was a beefy, bald man, who kept an unkempt beard, making him look like a prehistoric caveman. With his eyes bloodshot and clothes dishevelled, it was evident that he did not get a good night''s rest. The other figure, however, was well-dressed and as fresh as can be. "Marshall, you''re going to treat us to sweet and sour pork ribs?! Hooray!" "Hey, it''s just a one-time thing. Don''t get used to it." "Still, I want five servings of that signature dish, please! It''s been a while since I''ve gone to the Paradise Inn." With her Spirit being a Flame Ainu Wolf, Ines had inherited an enormous appetite. Sometimes, Marshall would wonder how she maintained that figure even though her stomach was akin to a bottomless void. "Hey! No one eats five servings! You only get two servings, you hear me? Two servings!" Terrified that Ines would spend all his money, Marshall rejected her demands. "I''m glad that you get along, but before we go to the Paradise Inn, we need to make a stop somewhere." "Hmmm? What do you mean?" Interrupting Ines and Marshall''s argument, the Instructor disclosed that they were needed someplace. Relaxing his shoulders, the muscular man gave a bitter smile. "We need to go to Yakkyoku Clinic." As he said those words, everyone except the two orphans flinched. Ines covered her creased forehead as if saying ''Ah, I didn''t want this day to arrive so quickly. But since it''s here, let''s just get this over with.'' Marshall raised his eyebrows and mentally questioned the sanity of the Instructor and Riko just stood there, her healthy complexion turning as white as a sheet. There was dead silence in the room as Shin looked around, unaware of why the adults had stopped moving. "Lou, do¡­ do you have business there?" There was a little quiver in Marshall''s voice as he questioned the Instructor. "I have to deliver this letter to Lady Seph from the First Elder¡­ It''s not like¡­ I want to go or anything..." The Instructor had gotten back late last night, but that was not the reason why he barely got any sleep. Before leaving the mountain, the First Elder had given him detailed instructions of how to settle the two orphans down in the new environment. Junius would be dispatched to the mayor''s office where he would be training to serve as a constable. Whereas Shin¡­ Thinking about the fate of Shin, the Instructor couldn''t help but tear up. The worst part was, he had to deliver the letter that the First Elder had personally written to the demon he was about to visit. Looking back, the First Elder might have been reluctant to visit the woman himself and thus, he sent a sturdy courier. The contents that the letter contained would only cause an inconvenience to the monster, ticking off the slumbering beast. Serving as the delivery boy, the Instructor could clearly predict his future. A future where he won''t be happy. Hence, he had been having trouble sleeping the night prior. "I see¡­ Let¡­ let me lead you there..." Marshall reluctantly dragged his heavy feet out of the Mushinkei. Riko swallowed a mouthful of saliva, glad that her job had saved her from the fate of meeting that demon. "Why is everyone so uptight?" "I don''t know..." Shin bent down and asked Junius, who was still sitting on a wheelchair. But he didn''t get any good answers. Tilting his head in confusion, Shin pushed Junius as they followed the adults out of the building. -.- The Mushinkei was at the heart of the commercial district of Chilyoja Waypoint, making it one of the most central locations in the town. However, Marshall had claimed that their destination was at the westmost part of the waypoint. Hence, although the town was rather small, it still took the group a half hour to reach their destination. Marshall thought of using an aether car to transport them over, but he realised that the walk could actually serve an introductory tour for the two orphans and help familiarise them with the roads. In that half hour, Shin and Junius had learnt multiple things about the waypoint. Where the restaurants were, which places to avoid and even met new acquaintances. The long walk also gave the group a chance to know each other better. Marshall asked numerous questions about the orphans while Junius and Shin asked many questions about him. Sharing stories about one another made them grow closer. Overall, it was a fun bonding experience. However, all good things must come to an end. "We''re here..." Sighing in melancholy, Marshall stopped in front of a small little storehouse. Unlike the Mushinkei, this building was much more simple and unassuming. Thick green moss grew up the walls of the storehouse as the white paint had started to fade. Broken windows and walls with holes in them were prevalent in the building making onlookers wonder how such as run-down house had not caved in yet. And atop the front door, there was a black signboard with golden letters that read: "Yakkyoku Clinic" A contrasting place where dread and joy met, it was Shin''s first encounter with the infamous building. Chapter 70 Lady Seraphim 1 "Lou, why don''t I stay here? You guys are the ones who need to meet her..." Marshall suggested that he stayed outside while the group entered the decrepit building. "Actually, I need to use the bathroom! Lou, you can take the two kids in. I''ll be right back!" Ines, on the other hands, escaped far away before the Instructor could drag her in with him. "Damn it, a bunch of spineless dimwits¡­ Fine! I''ll go by myself! Junius, Shin. Follow me." The two orphans, who were still clueless at why their seniors were acting like a bunch of scaredy cats, nodded at the Instructor''s words, somewhat perplexed at their current situation. Why must they stop at this clinic before they ate? Why does everyone fear to enter this building? Why did the Instructor put on a bold look, but his legs were shaking like a leaf? All these questions emerged in their brains, but they dared not voice it. "*Gulp*." Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, the Instructor wobbly legs started to firm up as he steeled his resolve. Straightening his back and putting on a valiant posture, he advanced straight towards the wooden doors of the storehouse. "*Eeeeee*." The doors creaked open as the Instructor lightly pushed them open. To their surprise, the interior was nothing like the exterior of the storehouse. With the doors open, a breeze of clean air, with a tinge of sweet lavender incense, filled the noses of the newcomers. Peering into the clinic, Shin could see a hallway with two long, white ceramic benches on each side. Each bench was in pristine condition, reflecting any source of light that came into contact with it. At the end of the hallway, there was a lone frosted glass door. Since the room was so well-lit, there was no way to see through that door and check if there was anyone in. Composing himself, the Instructor walked into the clinic gesturing for his students to do the same. Taking a step into the building, Shin felt like he had entered another realm. A strange spiritual aura invigorated him, rousing his mana to emerge. Without thinking, Shin raised his hands to touch the pearly white walls. Feeling the cool yet comfortable surface, the black-haired boy closed his eyes. A primal instinct awoke from the inner depths of his soul as a cerulean light illuminated the snowy white room. Taking a seat on the bench nearest to him, Shin sat in a lotus position and started to meditate. The next instant, a cute little cerulean Koi appeared in Shin''s hands, wagging its tail and flapping its fins in a bubbly frenzy. From the boy''s mouth, a series of ancient chants were spewed out, interrupting the peace and quiet of the sanctuary. "He''s breaking through?!" The Instructor was alarmed. Shin had awakened The Sovereign Koi during the spiritual awakening ceremony and was taught the Celestial Water Mantra at the Athenaeum by his mother. And naturally, he had been practising how to cultivate ever since. When the Chief Librarian heard that Shin was leaving the clan, she had personally inscribed a copy of the Celestial Water Mantra kept in the Athenaeum. Usually, doing so went against the policies laid down by the Frie Clan ancestors, but since Shin had only just begun to cultivate and was forced out of the clan, the Clan Master made an exception. Hence, even though he was far away from the mountain, he could still continue to cultivate. Currently, Shin was a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner. Due to recent circumstances, he had little instruction and time to cultivate. Furthermore, he had just awakened his Spirit. Hence, the Instructor was thoroughly surprised that he was showing signs of breaking into Rank 2. When Junius was first cultivating, it took him over four months to enter Rank 2. And that was with rigorous training like summoning his Spirit to do sets of swordplay moves every single morning and physical exercise that would tire any grown adult. But Shin only required a few weeks. Additionally, he did not have the hardcore training that Junius experienced. ''I see how the higher-ups can see him as a threat. A Spirit User that triggered a natural phenomenon sure is frightening! Luckily the First Elder had to foresight to make him a healer...'' The Instructor mentally praised the one he served. It has only been a few weeks since the awakening ceremony, and yet Shin was breaking through. That kind of growth rate was unprecedented in the Frie Clan. If Shin was training as a fighter, in a few short decades, his strength might even trump the might of the Clan Master. By making him a healer, the upper echelons of the clan would only see him as an asset rather than a threat. Meanwhile, Junius had his eyes bulging as he looked at his younger brother. He was the most familiar with Shin''s daily routine and knew how little he had actually cultivated. It was of no fault of his own though. From taking care of Junius'' daily needs to packing for their departure, there was simply too little time for Shin to cultivate. Hence, when Junius saw the familiar sight of a Spirit User breaking through, he didn''t know whether to feel happy for Shin or bitter at his own lack of talent. The cerulean Koi swam around enthusiastically, oblivious to Junius and the Instructor''s feelings while waving its fins as if it were cheering Shin on. Employing the breathing technique taught in the Celestial Water Mantra, Shin continued to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy and convert it into his own mana. The concept of entering a higher rank is simple. When the Spirit User''s Spirit had grown sufficiently, it would reach a threshold. From there, numerous factors could trigger a promotion. The most common of which is when the spiritual energy the Spirit User can absorb exceeds the amount of mana he produces. Of course, only the concept seems straightforward. Actually achieving that was rather difficult. Only by training the Spirit could such a situation occur. The Sovereign Koi, which was baptised in the Lake of Celestials, was one of the most beloved Spirits in nature. Hence, its Spirit User would most certainly be favoured by the natural spiritual energy that the world produces. "..." A low murmur could be heard reverberating in the air as Shin stopped chanting. And after a few seconds¡­ "Ughhh¡­ My head hurts..." Shin''s eyelids drowsily opened as he raised his right hand to quell his throbbing headache. There was no burst of light or an explosion of sound. Shin had just successfully cultivated into Rank 2 of the Spirit Practitioner realm. Other than a headache that Shin had, there were no other effects of breaking into a higher level. "Shin, how do you feel?" "Like someone hit my head with a frying pan..." "Do you feel like you can generate more mana?" "Hmmm? You''re right! What happened?!" "Hahaha, congratulations! You''re now a Rank 2 Spirit Practitioner!" The Instructor put on a bitter smile while congratulating the black-haired youth. His expression remained jovial, but his eyes betrayed a look of envy. When he had first begun cultivating, it took him half a year to break into Rank 2. And that was with a multitude of hardships. But this boy did it within a month and did so rather comfortably. "Hey, Shin. What''s that on your lap?" Junius noticed something queer sitting on the black-haired boy''s lap. "Hmmm? What the?!" Glancing downwards, Shin saw the source of Junius'' query. A snow white fur ball, the size of a watermelon, was situated snugly in between his thighs. The cerulean Koi in his hands was slightly peeved that a foreign object had entered its space and used its tail to whip the furball. However, that object remained tenaciously in place. "Instructor¡­ Does breaking through cause someone to lay an egg?" Junius asked the muscular, middle-aged man. However, even he was bewildered. As a Spirit Lord, his senses were rather sharp, but he had not detected the furball before it was firmly situated on Shin''s lap. "Hey!" Bringing his hands downwards, Shin attempted to move the strange object. In that instant, the furball unravelled itself to reveal two large, perky black crystalline eyes. Coated in a thick, snowy white fur, the creature stared unwaveringly at Shin. Its lengthy tail twitched in annoyance at the cerulean Koi''s disturbance, and it used its pinkish claws to push the fish away. "A gerbil? What''s this thing doing here?" The Instructor voiced out the species of the creature lying comfortably on Shin''s lap. "WHO''S USING MY CLINIC TO BREAK THROUGH AT THIS HOUR?!?!?!" Before anyone could do anything about the creature, an adenoidal voice bellowed from the other side of the frosty, glass door at the end of the hallway. Loud thuds shook the floorboards as a shadow appeared to come closer to the door. "*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*." From the sounds of her footsteps, it was apparent that the owner of the clinic''s initial response to her visitors wasn''t pleasant. The glass door swung open revealing a willowy, blonde elderly lady. Her white skin, which was surprisingly still plump, and her bright blue eyes hinted that if she were her prime, she would have been a real beauty. Her chiselled cheekbones rose up high, as the nostrils on her sharp nose flared. Strands of uncombed bed hair could be seen sticking out from her luscious blonde hair, suggesting that a few moments prior, she had been tucked in and enjoying her nap. Draped in a regal white coat that hid her body, the elderly woman examined her unwelcome visitors. Although her eyes were still dreary, Shin could sense decades worth of experience as he peered into her pupils. Scanning the three individuals, her gaze stopped for a moment at the cute cerulean Koi, swimming freely in Shin''s palms. Squinting her eyes, she opened her mouth with a query: "Who the hell are you?" Chapter 71 Lady Seraphim 2 Staring straight at the three unwelcome visitors, the elderly lady snorted out in annoyance. "Lady Seraphim, I''m Lou Frie, and the First Elder from the Frie Clan sent me to deliver this letter to you." Instead of beating about the bush, the Instructor decided to get straight into the matter at hand. From the stories he had heard, the lady standing in front of him was not one to tolerate excessive flattery and unnecessary words. Hence, he immediately took out a yellow envelope which was sealed with a wax seal, bearing the mark of the First Elder. "Lou Frie? Where have I heard that name before?" The wrinkles on her forehead began to show as she tried to recall the name presented to her. "Lady Seraphim, we had met before, when you came to Frie Mountain many moons ago. When you were tutoring the Clan Master, I was but a small apprentice, following my master around." "Right! Right! We''ve met before! How''s my beloved protege? Is she doing well?" After identifying that the intruders weren''t hostile, the old woman put down her guard and flashed an amiable smile. "The Clan Master is doing very well, Lady Seraphim." "Hoho, it''s been a while since I saw her. Maybe I should visit the mountain soon..." Hearing the lady''s words, the Instructor''s back became drenched in sweat. He remembered the last time the two met, it did not end well for the highest authority in the clan. Fearing that if the Clan Master got wind that he accidentally caused Lady Seph to visit her, the Instructor attempted to dissuade the old woman. "Although I''m sure the Clan Master would be thrilled to welcome Lady Seraphim, she is bombarded with clan matters to deal with. Hence, she might not be able to entertain the Lady." "Hmph, should I ever grace the mountain, Enfen should be jumping with joy. What bullshit clan matters can trump serving, *cough* *cough* I mean playing host to her old mentor?" Lady Seraphim shot a cold glare at the Instructor. "Of course! I''m sure the Clan Master would be delighted to play host to your esteemed self!" After being the recipient of the gaze that was as cold as the artics, the Instructor gave up on dissuading the old woman and decided to sacrifice the leading authority of the clan he served. "Well, enough of that. Hand that letter over¡­ For Edward to contact me via a proxy¡­ If he wanted something, he should have personally come and beg for it..." Snatching the letter from the Instructor''s outreached hands, the old woman used her long, sharpened fingernails to break the seal on the envelope. Pulling out the piece of papyrus paper, the lady started to read through its contents nonchalantly. Squinting her eyes to take a better look, her initial expression was peaceful, looking like a typical person reading the daily newspaper. After a few moments, her lips began to arch downwards as she completed the first paragraph. Slowly, her facial expression began to change. From a peaceful, affable smile, to an annoyed frown, until finally... "THAT BASTARD EDWARD!!! WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?!?!?!?!?!" Lady Seraphim''s oval face began turning vermillion as her eyebrows pulled down together. Baring her fangs, her silky hair began to rise as a suffocating spiritual pressure filled the room. Shin and Junius used their hands to hold their chests as the air surrounding them began to thin, making it hard to breathe. The invisible pressure didn''t care about those two suffering children though. As the woman became more irate, the pressure started to mount. Only when the Instructor placed his hands on the two orphans, who were in anguish, did the pressure straining them lessen. "Please calm yourself, Lady Seraphim." Unable to stop her outburst, the Instructor only hoped that the enraged woman would come to her senses. "Damn it!!! Edward, you conniving old fox. Bringing up things of yesteryears¡­ Fine then! Don''t let me catch you outside! I swear, if I don''t rip you to shreds with my own two hands, my name isn''t Seraphim!" Noticing that her actions had caused harm to two innocent bystanders, the woman stopped releasing her mana, making the pressure in the clinic disappear entirely. "Bingbing! Come here!" As the old woman said that, the cute gerbil, sitting on Shin''s lap, stood upright and bent its legs. With a huge leap, the creature left the black-haired youth behind and headed straight to the blonde lady gesturing for it. Landing on Lady Seraphim''s shoulders, the gerbil gave the old woman a lick on her cheeks, before using its round, black eyes to stare at Shin. "Boy with the Sovereign Koi, I assume that''s you right?" "Ah, y-yes!" Lady Seraphim called out to Shin, giving him an annoyed look. "What is your first spiritual ability?" "P-pardon me?" "I said, what''s your first spiritual ability. In the combination of being inept, are you also deaf?" The old woman, with a vicious tongue, scolded Shin just a few minutes after they met. "I-I''m sorry! I can create water and manipulate it..." Shin was still slightly shaken by Lady Seraphim''s earlier outburst and was unable to properly articulate his words. "Hmmmm¡­ Creating water and manipulating it¡­ That''s rather powerful for a first spiritual ability. I assume that you underwent the baptism of a natural phenomenon?" "Ah, yes!" "Ohhoho¡­ That ability seems rather exploitable *cough* *cough* I mean convenient. Fine! Rejoice, you can be my attendant. In return, I will provide you with proper tutelage and protection. Oh, keep in mind, you are just an attendant, not a student. So don''t call me master." "Huh? What''s going on?" Shin looked around in befuddlement. He started the day by organising his room, followed by Marshall offering to buy them lunch. However, the Instructor told them they needed to stop at Yakkyoku Clinic, their current location. In the clinic, they met a peculiar old woman that nearly used her spiritual pressure to suffocate him and now, she was claiming that he had to become her attendant. The entire day''s events moved by too fast, and he was unable to come to terms with the current reality. "Hmmm? You didn''t know? Seems like everyone in that washed-up clan is rather useless huh? You. My. Attendant. Was that clear enough?" Irritated by his blur and clueless face, Lady Seraphim began to mock the black-haired boy. "What? I''m sorry, but I don''t know what senior does. I don''t know how I could assist you..." Shin asked the old woman. "Oh god¡­ Can''t you see the sign outside the door? As an owner of a clinic, I''m naturally a healer. In fact, one of the very best if I may say so myself!" Placing her fist on her chest, the old woman indulged in a little self-praising. "Senior is a healer?" "Of course! What you don''t believe me? Wow, kids these days¡­ Fine, you! Boy in the wheelchair! Stand up, it''s depressing!" "Huh?!" Junius, who was surprised to be called out by the old woman, pointed to himself as he said: "I''m sorry, senior¡­ I was diagnosed to stay in the wheelchair for a month. If I stand up now, my legs will give way within minutes." "I know that you most probably sustained a heavy injured to your chest around a fortnight causing a massive loss of blood. The reason why you have wobbly legs is due to the lack of blood replenishment causing your muscles to fail if you overly strain them." After taking a cursory look, the old lady could accurately deduce why Junius was stuck on the wheelchair. "T-that''s right! So I can''t..." "And like I said¡­ [Stand up!]" An ethereal voice, sounding remarkably similar to the old lady''s, reverberated through the clinic. As if heaven''s door was opened, a radiant golden light shot out of Lady Seraphim''s hands and landed square on Junius'' body. The aura that was emitted was identical to the earlier pressure that suffocated the two orphans, but instead of feeling stifled, Junius felt a warm, serene power envelop his consciousness. Closing his eyes, Junius surrendered his body to the heavenly light without even knowing it. That cosy feeling made Junius want to melt. The next instant, an exquisite figure, with flawless proportions, appeared inside of the youth''s mind and raised her heavenly harp to play a melodious tune. The song was only audible to Junius. With every note, Junius could feel a mysterious power energising him. Bit by bit, the power strengthened his body, and when the heavenly aria came to a halt, Junius awoke from his spiritual stupor. "Stand up boy." Only Lady Seraphim and Junius knew what had happened in that few short seconds. Shin and the Instructor wore a blank face, unsure of what to feel. Junius looked down at his legs and jumped out of his wheelchair. His legs were filled with vigour as he hopped in place. Feeling more energy than he ever felt before, Junius kicked the air a few times before calming himself down. The injury that plagued him since that fateful incident has been fully healed. And all it took was Lady Seraphim''s two words. Chapter 72 Lady Seraphim 3 "..." Shin was speechless. Instead of a healer, he felt that the lady in front of him was a miracle worker. He had heard tales of ancient doctors using their powers to raise the dead and make blind people see. And the phenomenon that occurred was somewhat similar. Although it was not on the same scale, it had a similar impact. Junius was barely able to walk just a few moments prior, but now, he seemed to be as fit as can be. "So, boy with the Sovereign Koi, do you believe me now?" The elderly woman put on a pompous smile as she tapped her chest. "..." "As expected of Lady Seraphim, I thank you for bestowing your graciousness on my unworthy disciple." While Shin was tongue-tied, the Instructor''s voice sounded out from the side. He was trying to butter up the old woman as he could tell that she was still quite aggravated. Additionally, he was genuinely grateful that she had spent her energy to heal Junius. The youth was about to enter the mayor''s office. Rather than presenting a half-baked warrior, it was better to show Junius in tip-top condition. "Was I talking to you, caveman?" "Hiii!!!" Instead of calming her down, the Instructor''s words only served to add oil to the fire. "Come to think of it, I''m still rather pissed at Edward. Since he sent a sturdy body such as yourself..." The old woman spoke in a casual and mellow voice. But to the Instructor, he felt that her words were the whispers of mistress death herself. "To rid myself of this belly full of hate, just suffer for a few seconds..." With a wave of her hand, the old woman sent a surge of golden mana straight at the Instructor. The muscular man could attempt to evade but his instincts, hardened over multiple years on the battlefield, advised him otherwise. He felt that if he showed even an inkling of dodging, his fate would be far worse than death. Gritting his teeth, the Instructor braced himself for impact. "*Boooom!!!*." The sound of the Instructor falling to the floorboards echoed through the clinic. Once the resplendent light hit him, the muscular man felt like he was poked with a thousand needles as every pore in his body started to perspire. Convulsing uncontrollably, the valiant Instructor looked like an epilepsy patient suffering from an unprovoked seizure. A million thoughts and memories flashed through his mind in that few seconds he was on the floor. One particular memory, of the First Elder giving a solemn prayer before handing him the letter, stood out the most. Initially, he thought little of it, but looking back, the Instructor hypothesised that the First Elder knew of this outcome all along. Shin and Junius started to embrace each other in fear. A Rank 50 Spirit Lord was taken down, just like that. ''Why is it that the more I see the Instructor in recent days, the more useless he seems?'' Shin mentally worded out while shivering. Back in the clan, he was severely reprimanded by his mother, a frail old lady who seemed to be harmless. And now, he was also taken down by an old woman, but this time, he was suffering in agony. "Ha¡­ That was refreshing¡­ You were wise not to dodge, young one." After releasing a little of her stress, the old woman wiped the sweat off her forehead and complimented the Instructor. "T-th-thank you, for be-being lenient..." The Instructor was well aware of the old lady''s capabilities and knew that she had gone easy on him. If she really meant to harm the brawny man, none of his muscles, which he loved so much, would have remained. "Edward has a good eye! You! Boy with the Sovereign Koi!" After tormenting the Instructor, Lady Seraphim focused her attention on the black-haired boy who was hugging his elder brother. "Y-yes!" "Tomorrow at noon, meet me here! I have some pressing matters to attend to." "Yes, senior!" "Don''t call me that. Since you''re going to be serving *cough* *cough* assisting me, you can just call me Lady Seph." "Understood! Lady Seph!" "Good boy, alright see yourself out!" Stoking the fine, black hair of Shin, the elderly woman told her guest to leave as she turned around to retreat back into her quarters. The gerbil on her shoulder puffed its cheeks and wagged its leathery tail as it raised its claws to wave the boy goodbye. "Right! I nearly forgot..." The woman with a venomous tongue stopped her footsteps as she recalled something. "Boy with the Sovereign Koi, your name." "Hmmm, ah, yes! My name is Shin!" "Alright, Shin¡­ See you tomorrow." -.- Lady Seraphim disappeared into the room with the frosted glass door, leaving the two orphans with a muscular man, who still remained sprawled out on all fours, unmoving on the cold floor. "Shin... Who was that woman?" Junius was still gobsmacked at what had occurred. He came to this clinic on the Instructor''s direction but didn''t expect to be healed. He especially didn''t expect to be fully healed with just two words. "I don''t know..." "But you are going to be her attendant. Didn''t the First Elder notify you of this matter?" "Not at all¡­" Like Junius, Shin was kept in the dark about this entire matter. He had not even heard of Lady Seph before today, and in just a few moments, he found out that she was going to take care of him. "I-I can answer that." The Instructor, who the two orphans assumed was dead, suddenly raised his right hand up, like a corpse reaching out from its grave. As the holy light entered his body, the Instructor felt like there was an uncontrollable electric current pulsating through his body. Now that Lady Seraphim had left, his body slowly recovered, regained the vitality that he had lost. "But first, let us get out of here. Since the Lady is busy, we shouldn''t overstay our welcome..." Pushing himself up, the Instructor headed towards the exit. Who knew if the wacky old woman might have a mood swing and decide to further torture him? Thus, before that could happen, the brawny man elected to make a tactical retreat. "Lou! You''re alright!" Exiting the clinic, the Instructor and the orphans saw a tall, middle-aged man standing next to a brunette woman. They wore bitter smiles as they welcomed the Instructor. "Marshall, you''ve better let me eat all I want at the Paradise Inn. I sacrificed myself for the two of you..." If Marshall and Ines had followed the Instructor in, they would have most likely suffered the same fate as he did. Having lived in Chilyoja Waypoint for the longest time, Marshall clearly heard the rumours surrounding Yakkyoku Clinic and its owner. Lady Seraphim was well-respected in the community, but her strange temperament was equally famous. "Definitely, definitely¡­ Come, let me lead the way!" From his pale expression and lethargic tone, Marshall could guess what had gone down in the clinic. Breathing a tremendous sigh of relief, the tall man decided to thank the Instructor by giving him the royal treatment. Chapter 73 The Mayors Office 1 White fluffy clouds graced the ever blue morning sky as the fiery ball warmed the inhabitants of the world. The empty streets that Shin saw the night beforehand started to become packed with residents of the waypoint as they went on with their busy, daily life. Shops opened up, waiting for customers to come and browse their stuff and traders drove through the roads sat comfortably in their carriages. The current time was around ten in the morning and restaurants had started to fire up their kitchens in preparation for the afternoon lunch rush. Once lunch hour arrived, workers would halt their businesses to flock to the diners that served their succulent dishes. Lunchtime was a great equaliser for a town filled with Spirit Users. Only in a restaurant, would you see a Spirit Emperor mingle with a regular Spirit Practitioner, enjoying themselves as they stuffed themselves with scrumptious meals. Although at higher cultivation levels Spirit Users won''t necessarily go hungry after skipping some meals, it was still a primal joy to binge their favourite cuisines. One restaurant, in particular, was a popular destination for all residents of the waypoint. Whether they were young or old, fat or thin. Everyone in this little town frequent this one restaurant. Founded by one of the first ever residents to live in the waypoint, the Paradise Inn had been around since the town first came to be. Serving their signature dishes, Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs and Aged Peach Wine, the Paradise Inn had attracted an array of die-hard fans. It was even rumoured that even the general stationed at Aldrich''s Keep would often sneak out from his dwellings to purchase some fresh wine from the distinguished store. And due to its fame, the store had always been packed. Separated into five levels, the first three levels were for regular visitors to wine and dine. However, to get a seat in these areas, one must brave the long queues that stretched around the building from the moment the restaurant opens until its eventual closure. The fourth level and fifth level was a premium area, where only members holding a membership card could freely enter. Each customer would be given a private room that can seat over twenty people. Having their own personal waitress, the customers can expect rapid service and their waiting time for food will be cut in half. However, only by purchasing a membership card, which costs a gold ingot, could one be entitled to access this area. Since the average family would not have the financial capability, the two higher levels were often visited by the elite of the waypoint. Naturally, being one of the town''s most significant trading partners, Marshall held on to one such card. "Hey, pace yourself¡­ It''s not like the food is going anywhere." And currently, Marshall was busy trying to slow down the mammoth breathing down plates of meat as if it were air. "Shut it! That old woman''s ability emptied my stomach in one go. I need to reclaim all my lost energy from her strike." The Instructor told a white lie as he continued to chow down on the mouthwatering Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs presented to him. That intoxicating flavour sucked him in every time, and he did not wish to stop. "You too, Ines! What justifiable reason do you have for eating that much?!" Similar to the Instructor, there was a stack of empty white plates standing tall in front of the middle-aged woman. "No reason, I''m just hungry." "Goodness sake, I only meant to treat Shin and Junius to a good lunch and yet you are stealing all their food? As seniors, aren''t you ashamed?" Marshall placed his palm on his face as he chided the two gluttons. After entering the building, they had hardly left a morsel of food for Shin and Junius. The orphans had to share a dish and a serving of white rice. "Just order some more! Aren''t you like rich?" Ines wiped her mouth, which was stained red from the Sweet and Sour sauce. "It''s the clan''s money you''re spending, let me remind you! The clan''s money!" "..." Shin could not help but to stifle a laugh. The three seniors must have been really close in the past for them to act this way. "Senior Marshall, I think we will be alright. Instead, could you tell me more about Lady Seph? Why am I about to become her attendant? In fact, who is she?" Shin questioned the bony man. Widening his eyes, Marshall adjusted his tie and dusted off his suit before sitting in a formal position. "I guess the First Elder didn''t tell you anything at all. No matter, I will brief you. Have you heard of the legend of Yara Pass?" "No..." "Hmmm¡­ Alright then, I''ll start from there. Do you know about the three great powers?" "Yes, senior Ines told us. The Himmel Empire, the Lantic Republic to the east and the Kori Federation up north." "Exactly, although the three great powers had signed a peace treaty, stating that there will be no major wars, small skirmishes are quite unavoidable. The Himmel Empire is actually doing rather well with the Lantis Republic but the Kori Federation, on the other hand, have been seeking trouble in recent years." "About thirty years ago, a rare aether crystal mine was discovered near the northern borders of the Himmel Empire, exactly where Yara Pass is. Since both powers shared the same continent, there was a fight for resources every time one shows up. Being near the borders of both the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation, there was a natural claim of sovereignty on who gets to keep the mine. While each great power had a legitimate claim, the result could not be sorted out by diplomatic talks." "Hence, the battle for the mine began. Since the two great powers did not want the conflict to escalate into a large scale war, neither sides sent reinforcements to the two citadels guarding the borders. Yara Pass consisted of fifty thousand able warriors that would fight to the end, but the Kori Federation had over seventy thousand. Being outnumbered, the champions of Yara Pass were at a loss." "The Kori Federation knew this and prepared to fight a prolonged battle, in the effort to tire the soldiers out and thus, winning the mine. But unfortunately for them, they had made a severe miscalculation. Yara Pass held a trump card." "A godlike healer, said to be Hippocrates'' reincarnation, happened to be at Yara Pass at the time and agreed to stay for the battle. She was not going to participate in the battle, but she would heal any who needed her aid. For days the battle raged on. Men who fell on the battlefield would show up the next day, fully recuperated and ready to continue the battle. Days turned into weeks, and as the Kori Federation''s assault began to slow, the warriors from Yara Pass started to gain traction and started to push their enemies back into their bases." "The general in charge of the Kori Federation dubbed the fruitless battle as ''It was as if we were fighting a bunch of zombie soldiers.'' Since then, the name of the healer started to spread not only empire-wide but worldwide. Each one of the three major powers reached out to procure this healer, but only one managed to convince her." "Since then, the legend of Yara Pass began to spread like wildfire, further pushing her fame to superstar status. By now, you should know who I''m talking about right?" Giving Shin a coy wink, Marshall urged the boy to guess. "Don''t tell me¡­ It''s Lady Seph?!" "Exactly, the legend of Yara Pass is precisely the woman you''ve met earlier." "T-then¡­ What is her cultivation level?" Hearing the miraculous powers of his soon-to-be mentor, Shin could not help but ask. "I''m unsure. When she was at Yara Pass, she was already a Rank 71 Spirit Emperor. Thirty years had already passed since then so who knows what heights has she reached?" "B-but¡­ but¡­ A Spirit Emperor is going to be my mentor?" Shin only knew three Spirit Emperors. The Clan Master and the two High Elders of the Frie Clan. Although he was close to the First Elder, he had not been near the level of an apprentice. Every now and then, the old man would give him some pointers, but that was about it. "Shin¡­ Looks like you have nailed a big fish..." Junius, who was eavesdropping on the conversation, opened his mouth wide and remarked. Chapter 74 The Mayors Office 2 "Senior Marshall, if Lady Seph is truly a Spirit Emperor, why does she run a clinic in such a rural location?" Junius could not help but ask. From the story that they have heard, the elderly lady that they had met was one of the most elite individuals in the Empire. A person of her stature should be displaying her talents in the capital, where the cream of the crop gathers, not in a mere waypoint. "That I do not know. Some claim that she got sick of the politics in the capital while others said that she just didn''t have the drive anymore. But that is irrelevant. What is important is that she is here and is willing to be Shin''s mentor." Shin nodded his head as his azure pupils wavered. Rather than the backstory of Lady Seph, he was contemplating on a whole other matter. "Senior Marshall, I''m going to be training to be a healer?" Only after visiting Yakkyoku Clinic did Shin discover this fact. Ever since he was brought back into the Frie Clan as an orphan, he had been training his physical abilities. Although he dreaded become a fighter, he felt like it was his only option. Even the First Elder had pitted him against the mighty Ariel to bolster up his natural talent. Now that a different path had been opened up to him, he was unsure of what to feel. "Yes. The First Elder really didn''t tell you anything huh..." Marshall scratched his stubbly chin as he glanced over at Shin, who was feeling slightly conflicted. "Shin, it might not be in my place to do this, but for all the years I''ve known the elder, he was not one to do things without reason. There must be a compelling reason for him to let you learn the art of healing, especially from someone like Lady Seph." "..." "If I may interject..." From the side of Marshall, a chestnut-coloured hair woman, with crystal-clear brown eyes, placed down the large piece of succulent pork ribs in her hands. Taking a fresh towel from the side table, she began to clear her mouth of the red stains, left behind by the savoury sweet and sour sauce. "Shin, as you know, your situation in the clan is rather precarious." Ines started off with a bleak statement. "Ines! Shin''s still a child!" The Instructor spat out a chunk of chewed meat, marinated with his own saliva as he heard the brunette''s words. "Eventually, he will have to know about this. Would you rather he be kept in the dark his whole life?!" "..." Ines'' outrage silenced the room. "If you have nothing to say, just eat your ribs, Lou¡­ Shin, as you know, the official statement given by the clan about what happened to your group during the harvest festival was that the Black Masks had issued an indiscriminate attack." "Yeah..." Now that the Instructor was silenced, Ines focused all of her attention to the black-haired boy. Steadfast and headstrong, that was Ines'' personality. If someone had to be the bad guy to break the news to Shin, she would gladly play devil''s advocate. Without beating around the bush, Ines went straight to the main point. "But I''m sure you have heard some rumours doubting the real truth..." "..." "Although we don''t have any evidence, everyone from the First Elder''s division was almost completely certain that the Second Elder had ordered for your assassination. In fact, on that day itself, the First Elder led all of his high-ranking subordinates to raid the Second Elder''s abode." "What?!" The news that Ines revealed was something entirely unknown to the orphans. "That day was as hectic as can be. If not for the Clan Master''s interference, there might not be a Frie Mountain today..." Hearing her words, Shin instantly became speechless. He had no idea that the clan had undergone such turbulence because of him. Clutching his fists, he brought his hands towards his chest and rested it at the spot where his heart was. Feeling his heartbeat slowly becoming more frantic, the black-haired boy attempted to calm himself. "In the end, the Clan Master revoked the two High Elder''s privileges for ten years and barred them from entering each other''s territories. That lacklustre conclusion was due to the Clan Master fearing that the Second Elder would launch a full-on revolt, effectively ending the Frie Clan." "Then¡­ Senior Ines¡­ Why does the Second Elder want to kill me?" Shin has been fostered in the Frie Clan ever since he could remember. The First Elder, the Instructor, the Headmistress, Ariel and all the other Frie Clan Members that he had been in direct contact with were all kind to him. Often times, they would make him go crazy, but all in all, he felt like they were his real family. Thus, seeing the contrasting attitudes of the Second Elder and those from his division made Shin feel that his situation was rather bizarre. "This¡­ Ermmm¡­ Hah¡­ The Second Elder''s philosophy is drastically different from the First Elder''s." "What does that mean?" "Hmmm, the Second Elder is an extremely conservative person. He believes in keeping the bloodline of the clan pure and that we do not require external help. He once claimed that if the clan should go down, it should go down without foreign blood on the mountain. Thus, he was infuriated when the previous Clan Master started the orphan programme." "However, no matter how indignant he was, he could not go up against the former Clan Master and kept his feelings bottled up. But deep down, he had always seen you orphans as a threat that was unnecessary to the clan. He had always been trying to find excuses to expel you guys out from the clan, but Junius and the other senior orphan''s exemplary performances showed that the previous Clan Master''s ideas were correct." "But then, you awakened your Spirit Shin..." After giving a lengthy explanation of the Second Elder''s motivations, Ines took a mouthful of fragrant jasmine tea to quench her thirst. "W-what about my Spirit?" Shin''s voice quivered as he asked. "You awakened the infamous Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi! Furthermore, you triggered a natural phenomenon! Once you reach a high enough cultivation level, you could easily become the strongest person in the entire Frie Clan! That is something that the Second Elder does not want to see!" "..." "In fact, it is not a worry that is exclusive to the Second Elder. Many of the upper echelons of the clan feel this way. After all, you are not of the same blood. There is no guarantee that you would remain loyal to the clan." "Nonsense! There is no way Shin could ever rebel against the Frie Clan!" Junius hollered out, dropping all sorts of formalities. "Of course I know that. Calm yourself Junius..." "My apologies, senior Ines¡­ I got too worked up." "It''s alright¡­ Now, where was I? Right, since many of the other Frie Clan members were starting to see you as a threat, the First Elder decided to train you in a profession that would not only increase your value but decrease your threat levels¡­ And that is a healer." As she said that, Ines stood up from her seat took a deep breath in. With her eyes, she signalled for the Instructor to do the same. Realising what was coming next, the Instructor stood up in a similar fashion. The next instant, the two of them bent down in unison. "For the protection of the clan, the First Elder was forced to make this choice. We do not pray for your forgiveness but hope that you would at least understand..." Genuinely apologetic, the brunette woman and the muscular bald man gave a deep bow. As Spirit Users, they had the freedom to choose whichever path they wished to be in. Be it an indomitable fighter or a humble scholar, there was an infinite number of routes that they could take. However, for the sake of the Frie Clan, the First Elder had no choice but to make Shin walk the road of a healer. Feeling that they had robbed his prospective illustrious future away, the two Spirit Lords could not help but apologise in place of the one they served. "S-senior Ines! Instructor! There''s no need to apologise! I..." Shin, on the other hand, was utterly gobsmacked and clueless on what to feel. He was never one to consider his future. Thus he had no idea why the two seniors of his were apologising. "Shin, everyone in the First Elder''s division, believes that you will become a valuable asset to the clan. Hence, we will spare no expense to ensure your safety. One reason for sending you to the waypoint is to learn from Lady Seph, while the other is to protect you against the Second Elder!" The Instructor lifted his head and stared straight into Shin''s eyes. The black-haired boy initially averted his gaze, but slowly, he began to compose himself. Instead of complaining about his situation, he decided to accept his senior''s goodwill. "I understand. I will not let the First Elder down!" Chapter 75 The Mayors Office 3 "Alright! Alright! That''s enough serious talk! Today we are here to give Shin and Junius a welcome feast! What''s with the sombre atmosphere?!" Marshall broke the silence with a clap and took a plate of Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, freshly served from the kitchen, and placed it in front of the two orphans. The delicious aroma of the ribs, coated with the sauce which looked like a red candy, woke the duo up as they tried to prevent themselves from salivating. "Haha, yeah. You two should just enjoy yourselves for now. From tomorrow onwards, there will be many tasks for you to do!" Ines pulled out her chair and rested her supple bottom on the cushioned chair. Evidently, she was still famished, even after eating five plates of ribs. "Before that¡­ Junius!" "Yes!" The Instructor remained standing as he called out his beloved pupil. Junius, who was about to bite into a stack of pork ribs, replied back with his teeth on full display. "After receiving Lady Seph''s healing, do you feel any discomfort?" At Yakkyoku Clinic, Lady Seraphim sent a surge of healing light and managed to fix the injured youth, who was expected to remain on his wheelchair for a further two weeks. "None at all, sir! Lady Seph''s healing ability sure is remarkable. Not only can I freely walk, I feel stronger than ever!" "That''s great¡­ I''m sorry to push this onto you immediately after you recovered but after lunch, could you follow me to the Mayor''s office?" "Hmmm? Why''s that?" Junius tilted his head quizzically. "As you know, Shin will be trained at Yakkyoku Clinic by Lady Seph. You, on the other hand, will be training to be a constable. And since that is technically a government post, you will need to get tested at the mayor''s office. You know, background checks and some interviews. Initially, they would test your physical abilities at the constable headquarters, but by pulling some strings, I managed to get the mayor himself to test you." "What?!" Although Junius had not met the mayor before, he knew that the position that the mayor held was the highest in the waypoint. Affluent clans would have to butter up the man, and even then, they might not have the means to claim a meeting with him. And yet, Junius, a mere Spirit Apostle, was going to be tested by the mayor personally. "There''s no need to be surprised. I have something important to discuss with the mayor, and you will just be tagging along. If you have made a full recovery, I would like you to do your tests today. Is that alright?" "T-that''s! Of course, I wouldn''t mind! Thank you, Instructor! I will do my best to not let you down!" Standing up straight, Junius saluted his mentor. "Hahaha! Now that''s the Junius I know! For now, just relax and eat your food! Knowing you, I''m sure you will pass the tests with flying colours!" "Then, while you are at the mayor''s office, I will bring Shin home." Ines smiled jubilantly as she got to spend some quality time with the black-haired boy. It has been a long time since she enjoyed herself. Usually, she would be cooped up in the mountain, doing the same mundane tasks over and over again. Thus, being together with the orphans was a refreshing experience for her. Especially with Shin, whose adorable reactions made her squeal with delight. "Yeah, I''ll be counting on you." Unaware of the danger that he had put Shin in, the Instructor nodded his head in affirmation. -.- After lunch, the group split ways with the Instructor leading Junius to the mayor''s office while Marshall and Ines brought Shin back to the Mushinkei. Needless to say, on the way back, Shin was teased endlessly by Ines, and his cheeks had turned red due to all of the pinchings the brunette lady dealt on him. The worst thing for Shin was, no matter how much he disliked Ines, he was too afraid to voice his concerns. Hence, the only thing that he could do was sulk. Unfortunately for him, the reddened cheeks were only made more adorable with his pouting, making him look like a charming squirrel. Unable to hold back, Ines left her hands on Shin''s face throughout the journey, causing Shin to be stuck in an infinite loop that he was unable to escape from. Meanwhile, the Instructor led Junius through the bustling streets of the waypoint and straight to the mayor''s office. They had nearly got separated due to the endless streams of people going about their business, but thankfully they managed to reach the office without much trouble. The mayor''s office was naturally the tallest building in the waypoint. Since each government agency was representative of the sovereign emperor, there were no structures that could be taller than it within the town. Built in the heart of the waypoint, the towering edifice stood at over fifty metres tall. Its foundation was made with a pile of bricks over ten metres high and angled in a way that no intruders could ever hope at ascending. Instead of an office, the structure seemed more like an impregnable castle. And currently, two figures were attempting to enter the massive structure. "So Junius, are you adapting well to your new life?" As the guards at the main gate were checking their identifications, the Instructor started to make some small talk. "Instructor, I''m very satisfied with my current circumstances." "You know, when it''s just you and me, you don''t have to put on that brave farce..." "..." In all honesty, after the incident in the forest and finding out the real truth about it, Junius felt a violent rage surging up from his abdomen. He thought that if he had the opportunity, he would tear the Second Elder limb from limb and feed his dead corpse to any wild beasts that tread the land. Targeting him was one thing, but to actually want to kill Shin, who wouldn''t even harm a butterfly, infuriated the youth. Additionally, because of what the Second Elder did, the two orphans were forced out of the clan, away from their loved ones. All of those factors added up made Junius want to holler out in resentment, but as he did not want to show an uncool side to his little brother, he hid his feelings. However, the Instructor has known Junius ever since he was just a snotty-nosed boy, who frequently wet his pants. Hence, he was able to tell that the current Junius was a little off. "I know that you must be rather pissed at my ineptness¡­ Being unable to stand up for you when you were being evicted out of the clan." "Of course not! Why would I ever blame you, Instructor?! If not for you, I would not be standing as I am!" Towards the Second Elder, all Junius felt was a belly full of hate. But for the other Frie Clan members, especially those in the First Elder''s division, the youth was genuinely grateful. And for the brawny, bald man standing in front of him, Junius felt indebted to him. He had guided the orphans to the best of his ability and was always the first to stand up against any maltreatment that the orphans suffered. Thus, no matter how much he wanted the Second Elder dead, he could never hate the Frie Clan as a whole. "Is that so¡­ I''m glad you feel that way. But it is true that if I were stronger, you might not have been injured¡­ Listen, Junius, I have taught you many things over the years, but my next few words will probably be the most significant to you..." The Instructor stopped and gazed far away, in the direction that Frie Mountain was. Junius unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he anticipated the man''s next words. "In life, you can only rely on yourself. Although it is also important to have good teammates, ultimately the life that you lead can only be determined by one person, and that is yourself. And to not feel the helplessness that I did, you need strength. Overwhelming strength. Why is it that the Second Elder can act so brazen in the clan? Isn''t it because he is powerful? Isn''t it because the Clan Master fears that the clan would be destroyed because of him even though she knows that he is in the wrong?" "..." Listening attentively, Junius could only put on a solemn expression as the muscular man displayed an outpour of emotion. "That bastard tried to kill an innocent little boy in broad daylight, and he believes he is justified in doing so¡­ And letting him go scot-free¡­ Listen Junius, I know you are someone who treasures his loved ones so let me tell you. The only way you can protect them is by becoming strong. Stronger than anyone else! Do you understand me?" "Yes, Instructor..." "Good! And the first step in that journey shouldn''t be in the Frie Clan, it should be right here!" "What do you mean?" "No matter how strong or how successful you become, you will always be a thorn in the Second Elder''s flesh. The more powerful you become, the more that old man will see you as a threat. However, if you are protected by an entity that is stronger than the Frie Clan, the Second Elder would be unable to touch you!" "Instructor, you don''t mean that I become a permanent member of the mayor''s office?" "Of course not, your loyalties must remain with the Frie Clan. What you must do is to prove your worth to the constables in the waypoint. The Himmel Empire rewards its citizens based on their merits, especially for government agencies. If you perform well, they might send you to the capital where you can display your strengths and become an indispensable member of the empire. Only then, can you raise your head high and return to the clan, pressuring the Second Elder." The Instructor laid down his future hopes onto the youth, who was still shocked at the revelation. "But of course, that is a long shot¡­ Nonetheless, I believe that you can do it! After all, you are my best student!" A wide grin appeared on the Instructor''s face as he said that. "You''re right! I''m Lou Frie''s student! There''s no way that I am inferior! I will do my best to live up to your expectations!" "Hahaha! That''s my boy!" Laughing out loud, the Instructor pat Junius'' back as he encouraged the youth. "Lou Frie, the mayor has summoned for you." At this moment, a gentle voice came from inside the castle. An attendant, wearing the standard uniform of the mayor''s office, notified the Instructor of the mayor''s summons. "Remember, Junius. You must impress the mayor¡­ Only then will you be able to fast-track your career." "Yes, sir!" Chapter 76 Mayor Nadeo 1 A female attendant led the Instructor and Junius back down the ostentatious corridors of the office. Decorated with cashmere draperies and gorgeous artworks, the administration office of the waypoint seemed to look more like a mogul''s mansion than a place of business. Compared to the humble furnishings of the Frie Clan, Junius felt that the mayor''s office was much more suitable for nobility. After walking for five minutes, the duo finally reached a large, mahogany door, with gold plated handles that made the surroundings look modest in comparison. "*Knock* *Knock*. Your Excellency, the guests have arrived." The female attendant knocked twice on the massive door, causing two loud sounds to echo through the chamber. "Alright, send them in." A husky male voice called for them from the room in a monotonous tone. "Please enter." Pushing the doors open, the attendant revealed the contents of the highest office in the waypoint. Shelves filled to the brim with an endless supply of paperwork, were the first things that Junius noticed. Standing at the side of the office, there was a ruddy, obese man, putting on a broad smile to welcome the duo. Recognising the person, the Instructor gave a slight nod to acknowledge his presence. The meaty man was precisely the constable captain that had greeted them when they first arrived at the town gates, Lewis. Usually, the Instructor would greet his longtime friend immediately, but they were currently in the presence of the most influential authority in the waypoint. Sitting comfortably on his leather, cushioned chair, a lean and robust man, who looked no older than sixty, was busy reading the numerous amounts of reports placed on his desk. His wrinkles occasionally furrowed as he read through the paragraphs but otherwise, the man was entirely focused on his job. "Your Excellency Nadeo, it''s been a while." The Instructor gave a slight bow as he greeted the regal man. Seeing his mentor''s actions, Junius did the same. But compared to the Instructor''s small movement of the neck, Junius gave a much more angled bow. As a high ranking member of the Frie Clan, furthermore a Spirit Lord, there were not many people in the empire that could force the Instructor to give his utmost respects. The mayor of Chilyoja Waypoint, although prominent in the area, was still just a Rank 58 Spirit Lord. If not for the formal occasion, the Instructor wouldn''t even have bothered to take a bow. "Lou Frie, yes it has been a while¡­" Putting down his pen, the mayor tidied his messy brown hair as he addressed his visitors. Giving a cursory glance, Junius could tell that the man had been holed up in this room for a long time. Creased robes and unwashed face, with dark, heavy eye bags, the Mayor seemed like he had been awake for the entire week. "Your Excellency, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to accommodate us. I truly appreciate it." "No matter, from what Lewis has told me, this matter seems to be pressing." "Exactly. As you know..." "Hold up!" Before the Instructor could begin his sentence, the mayor raised up his right hand to stop the brawny man from saying anything. "Is the child really required to attend this meeting?" Pointing to Junius, the mayor questioned if the boy really needed to stay in the room. "Of course it is, Your Excellency. Junius here was one of the people who encountered the Kshatriya firsthand. He had even heard him speak." "Oh ho?" Tilting his head in admiration, the mayor leaned back onto his chair. From what he had heard from Lewis, the Frie Clan convoy had encountered the Black Masks, consisting of over a hundred Dalits, five Vaishyas, and a Kshatriya. To tell the truth, even he was unsure if the waypoint was capable of handling an attack force of that scale. And yet, the convoy somehow managed to force the Black Masks to retreat. "Fine, the boy can stay." "It''s alright, Your Excellency, Junius here will be joining your office soon so he won''t be an outsider." "Is that so? What will he be doing?" "He will be training to be a constable your excellency. I believe you have received a letter from our clan''s First Elder regarding this matter." "Right! Right! My apologies, it''s just that there have been so many issues with the waypoint lately that it must have slipped my mind." Rubbing the temples of his head, the mayor apologised to the Instructor. "Another reason you have brought the child here is for me to test him, am I right?" Hitting the nail on the head, the mayor accurately guessed the reason for Junius'' presence. "That''s right, I hope that Your Excellency could personally evaluate my apprentice here. I''m absolutely certain that he will become a valuable asset to the waypoint." At this point, the Instructor shot a menacing glare at Lewis. Feeling pressured, the pudgy man smiled wryly and reached for a brown document that had been collecting dust at one corner of the mayor''s desk. Yesterday, the Instructor had passed the file containing every single detail of Junius to Lewis. The constable captain had wanted to give the document immediately to the mayor, but he didn''t have the heart to bring up such a matter when his superior was slogged with work. Hence, the file had been just sitting on the desk since Lewis arrived in the office in the morning. "Hmmm, says here that the boy is only fourteen years old and is already a Rank 11 Spirit Apostle?! Proficient in hand-to-hand combat and specialises in swordplay! Wow, your apprentice is quite talented." In the current Terre continent, a regular Spirit User who cultivates can reach the Spirit Apostle realm when they are twenty years old if they were fast. Due to the decree by the emperor, only when a child is ten years old, can they undergo the Spirit Awakening ceremony. Hence, everyone in the empire had the same starting point, even for the royalty. Naturally, many factors contributed to fast cultivation. The quality of the Spirit, for instance, is a significant factor. For Spirit Users like Shin, whose Spirit was baptised by a natural phenomenon, their cultivation path will be much smoother than a regular Spirit User. Another factor was the resources poured into training the Spirit User. A top clan like the Frie Clan would typically be more well-equipped to train talent as compared to a third-rate clan. And this showed with Junius. Countless hours of guidance and resources were poured into training Junius. Thankfully, he had the work ethic to match. Hence, he was able to reach the Spirit Apostle realm when he was fourteen compared to the average age of twenty. "And his Spirit is¡­ T-the Azure Water Blade?" The mayor''s drowsy eyes sprung back into life as his initial sleepiness had been washed away. The Frie Clan was notorious for their fire elemental Spirits. Having a pupil with a water elemental Spirit was highly irregular for the Frie Clan. "Junius is an orphan that we had picked up." "An orphan¡­ Ahahaha¡­ I see¡­ I see..." Closing his eye while laughing bitterly, the mayor gave a sardonic grin. From the Instructor''s words, he had been able to deduce certain matters. But of course, he wouldn''t be so tactless to voice his thoughts out. "From his particulars, he could easily get a job anywhere in the empire. After all, who would turn away such a talented child? To be completely honest, I''m not even sure if I need to test him. But we must follow procedures. I will test him personally after our talks." "Your generosity is much appreciated, Your Excellency." Clearing his throat, the mayor decided not to overthink the matter and continue his talks. "Now onto the matter at hand¡­ Who is this Allfather?" Chapter 77 Mayor Nadeo 2 "Since we have begun questioning the Dalits, the only thing that they could repeat was: ''All hail the Allfather.'' It was as if they were possessed by some kind of demon." Lewis commented from the side of the mayor''s desk. Other than Junius, everyone else in the room had a basic understanding of what had happened. Hence, the conversation went straight to the core of the topic. "Other than the fact that those deranged lunatics were chanting his name, do you have any evidence of the existence of this ''Allfather?''" The mayor rested his elbow on the desk and leaned on his arm. "None, Your Excellency. After our questioning, the Dalits had returned to their dazed state, not responding to anything. In fact, we are worried that they might die of starvation if they continue to refuse to eat." "That''s a problem... Hah, Black Masks¡­ Black Masks¡­ In the end, all my recent problems stem down to this bloody organisation..." Unable to hide his frustration, the mayor lashed out at the criminal syndicate. "Your Excellency, has there been many occurrences dealing with the Black Masks in the waypoint?" The Instructor''s ears perked up after hearing the mayor''s cry. "Right, you are new to the town¡­ In recent months, there has been a spike in bandit raids outside the waypoint, scaring away traders from approaching the town. Haven''t you noticed the lack of convoys?" "Now that you mentioned it when we were on the road, there were no other carriages around." "Exactly, looking back, it might have been the Black Masks who instigated all those attacks. If not, why else would there be a sudden rise in bandits?" As the mayor reflected, he found it more and more likely that the criminal syndicate was the root of recent crime. "Maybe even the Watkin murderer is related to the Black Masks." "What do you mean, Your Excellency?" The Instructor frowned as he heard the unfamiliar term. "Ten days ago, there was a missing person report filed claiming the disappearance of a wealthy merchant, Andrew Watkin. He was last seen drinking with his friends, celebrating the expansion of his new store. They had the time of their lives, a certain friend of mister Watkin claimed. Partied till daybreak. After they had their fun, the members went their separate ways. In a drunken state, mister Watkins wandered through the empty streets of the town. And that was the last sighting of the affluent merchant." "Didn''t you say it was a murder?" "I''m not done. The next day, a certain stable boy went for his routine morning feed and received both good and bad news at the same time..." Laughing bitterly, the mayor stared straight back at the Instructor. "Turns out, he wouldn''t need to feed the horses that morning. They already had their fill¡­ Eating Andrew Watkin''s body that is." "What?!" Stunning the Instructor and Junius, the mayor felt nauseous as he recalled the state of the body. The case had caused a considerable sensation in the waypoint, which was generally crime free. Only people who were fresh off the boat wouldn''t have heard the news. "Yeah, mister Watkin''s body was dismembered and nearly turned into minced meat. Thankfully, the stable boy discovered him early when the body was still somewhat recognisable. Otherwise, there was no way we could identify the corpse." "Is this matter linked to the Black Masks too?" "Inconclusive¡­ But it was most definitely a premeditated murder. Only someone who truly hates mister Watkin could do such a gruesome thing. But being a merchant, Andrew Watkin had crossed many organisations and individuals. In fact, he was known for his unscrupulous methods. Thus, the list of potential suspects with motives is endless. Perhaps the Black Masks wanted him dead for some reason." "So that''s why the town is in a state of unrest..." The Instructor finally understood why the waypoint, which was usually upbeat and brimming with life, seemed to be much less toned down. With bandits running rampant outside the walls and a murderer on the loose in the inside, it was no wonder that the townsmen didn''t want to go out. "Exactly, you should notify your kin to be extra careful these days. Although we have constables working round the clock to maintain public order, it is better to be safe than sorry." "Duly noted. Thank you for your advice, Your Excellency." The Instructor thanked the mayor for warning him of the danger. Junius even made a mental note to inform Shin of the news that he had heard. "Now back to the topic at hand, this ''Allfather'' figure. Lou Frie, do you think he is real?" "I cannot confirm that he exists, I certainly believe that there is a very powerful cultivator behind the Black Masks." "Hmmm? What do you mean?" Reclining back in his chair, the mayor pushed for the Instructor to elaborate. "The Dalits, they are most definitely brainwashed by a potent spiritual ability, one that manipulates the individual''s body." "..." Staring blankly at the muscular man, the mayor went speechless for a while. "You do know that what you are proposing sounds ludicrous right? It might be plausible if there was only one mind-controlled Dalit, but there are hundreds if not thousands of them. Are you suggesting that this ''Allfather'' has the capability to do all that?" "That''s why I require more information. However, I came to this hypothesis after fighting the Kshatriya." "Go on..." "When going head to head with that Kshatriya, I felt an enigmatic power, one that transcends even the strongest Spirit Users that I have ever seen, lurking inside those masks. What I theorise is that this ''Allfather,'' is a powerful cultivator that is able to spread his power amongst all those who wear the mask. And for those Dalits, the same type of energy can be felt, albeit at a much smaller scale." "..." The mayor felt a significant headache coming once hearing the words of the Instructor. "Lou Frie, have you ever seen a Rank 90 Spirit Saint?" Instead of replying to the absurd theory, the mayor raised a question to the Instructor. "No..." "I have... Once... A Rank 90 Spirit Saint is unlike any other cultivators. Standing at the peak of the cultivation world, those entities are closer to gods than mortals. Although I was a Rank 44 Spirit Spectre at the time, as I walked closer to him, I felt the air thin, and the ground tremble. Of course, it was all in my head. And I wasn''t even anywhere close to him." The mayor''s eyes quivered as he recollected that experience. "The insurmountable pressure had been etched into my bones. From that moment I knew, that the world that I knew and loved, was ever so small. If that entity wished for it, he could crush my entire world with the snap of his fingers. Do you get where I''m coming from?" Shaking his head, the Instructor replied a negative. "What you''re suggesting, that someone who can control all those Dalits, and distribute his power to his subordinates, should be a person standing at the peak, a Spirit Saint. Am I right?" "Yes..." "So I''m going to tell you, a Spirit Saint has no need to for that. If this ''Allfather'' figure was indeed into petty crime, he could just do as he please, and no one will have the ability to stop him." "..." "Additionally, among every single Spirit Saint on the Terre Continent, none of them have the capability that you have just mentioned. Only a Spirit Saint with a Mind-elemental Spirit could accomplish that, and the only one that I know of has already ascended into the Immortal Realm five hundred years ago." Bringing up Spirit Immortal Dream, who ascended five centuries ago, the mayor shut down the Instructor''s arguments. "I''m sure that the Black Masks have a leader, but I highly doubt that he brainwashed the Dalits and imbued some of his mana into those pesky masks." "Then, what other possible explanations could there be?" The Instructor cried out. "I don''t know yet, and that''s why I need more investigations. Regardless, I will send a report to the capital. But for your outlandish tale, I would spare myself the trouble of making me look like a fool to the high command." Discarding the Instructor''s hypothesis, the mayor made up his mind. "I thank you for coming today to share your experience. But I believe that our business is done, for the little boy over here, I shall trust in Lewis'' evaluation abilities." Clearly, the Instructor''s ridiculous comments had irritated the mayor. Hence, the man passed the duty of evaluating Junius to his constable captain. "I see¡­ Thank you for your time, Your Excellency." If the mayor''s emotional state could be said to be slightly peeved, the Instructor was desperately trying to hold back his punches. However, as his status as a Frie Clan member, he cannot be seen assaulting a government official. Clenching his fists, the Instructor led Junius out of the chambers, with Lewis trudging far behind. Chapter 78 Mayor Nadeo 3 "What''s with that guy?! Just because he''s a mayor doesn''t mean he''s omniscient! He should at least consider my words!" After the dreadful encounter with Mayor Nadeo, the Instructor stormed out of the office building with Junius and Lewis in tow. He had come with good intentions to warn the man about the possibility of the Allfather being a Spirit Saint, but the mayor just disregarded his theory altogether. "You just caught him on a bad day, Lou. Usually, he''s not that bad. There have been too many mishappenings in the town, and Nadeo has been swamped with paperwork. I think he had been holed up in that room for a solid two weeks." Lewis attempted to calm the Instructor down. He was in a somewhat awkward situation. Being constable captain, he was close to the mayor and was even on a first-name basis with him. However, he had been buddies with the Instructor ever since their younger days. Caught in the middle, Lewis wished to speak up in favour for his boss, in hopes that the Instructor would not hold a grudge. "So what?! Being cranky doesn''t give you a pass to be unreasonable!" "Why don''t we try again when Nadeo is in a better mood? The constable headquarters are getting quite close to apprehending the Watkin murderer. When that''s done, we can deliver the good news to Nadeo, alleviating one of his worries. And at that time, you come in and pitch your idea again." Lewis suggested the Instructor wait for a few days before trying again. "Forget it, it''s not like I need to report my hypothesis to him. I have other ways to contact high command of the Himmel Empire. But first, I will need to report to my clan. I hope you wouldn''t mind me taking back some of the Dalits for interrogation?" The Instructor relaxed his muscles, which had been tensed from the earlier stress, as he stared at Lewis. Initially, he had the full intention of surrendering all five of the Dalits so that he could assist the constable office. However, after his bitter experience with the mayor, he decided that it was better for the Frie Clan to investigate from their end. "T-that..." "Mind you, I will be reporting to not only the First Elder but also the Clan Master. After all, our precious convoy was targeted by the Black Masks. They would want to personally see those Dalits for themselves." Putting on his most menacing glare, the Instructor pressured Lewis with the names of the big shots in the Frie Clan. "Fine¡­ Fine¡­ You win! You can choose two Dalits to bring back..." Not willing to begin a fight, Lewis unwillingly acquiesced to his demands. "Now that''s better¡­ Let''s visit the constable headquarters¡­ Over there you can test Junius for his abilities." "Right..." Glancing over to the youth, who had been silent for the entire time, Lewis gave a mental sigh. When he first read the details about Junius, he was amazed by the boy''s cultivation level at a young age. And when he learned his Spirit, he could guess the reason why Junius was sent to Chilyoja Waypoint and why the Instructor wanted him to become a constable. Junius'' Azure Water Blade was extremely compatible with his own Emerald Jade Gladius. Lewis theorised that the Instructor hoped for him to coach Junius. Eventually, the Instructor would have to leave Chilyoja Waypoint, and he had hoped for someone to look after Junius when he was gone. "I''m of the same mind as Nadeo. This boy here will be welcomed anywhere in the empire with his capabilities. So I will keep it short. Let''s just do the evaluation here." "Here?" The Instructor and Junius opened their eyes wide after hearing Lewis'' suggestion. They were currently right in front of the mayor''s office, at the heart of the town. Although the pavements were clear because civilians were not allowed to tread too close to the building, there were still many onlookers. "Why not? You wanted to show Nadeo your pupil''s ability right? Our current location is visible from the top of the building, where Nadeo''s room is. Furthermore, there is no need for meticulous testing. I will go easy on him." To become a constable, one had to pass a series of fitness tests and examinations regarding their Spirit. However, since Junius was from the Frie Clan and the Instructor had rigorously endorsed him, Lewis didn''t think that there was a need for Junius to undergo all those tests. "Fine¡­ Junius, just accompany Lewis here for a while. Don''t hold back." The Instructor accepted Lewis'' terms. He wanted the mayor to personally test Junius, but since that man was a prick, he didn''t really care who tested his pupil. After all, he had the utmost faith in Junius'' abilities. "If you say so..." Junius replied in a monotonous tone, but deep inside his eyes, one could sense an endless drive to succeed. Apparently, the Instructor''s words before they entered the office had inspired him to do better. He sauntered slowly forward as he mentally chanted his cultivation technique. A torrent of blue elemental energy enveloped the youth as the mana being released from his body gradually became much stronger. "..." The blue aura that Junius emitted was as cool as an ocean breeze, making those who witness it fall into a state of comfort. Slowly, the aura expanded until eventually¡­ "HA!!!" Raising his right hand upwards, the blue aura, that could not have harmed a fly, turned into an intimidating, piercing one as Junius congregated all of his mana. In his raised hand, an azure sword formed. Consisting only of a blade and a hilt, the Azure Water Blade reflected all light that came into contact with it. As Lewis looked at Junius'' Spirit, he could not help but smile in admiration. ''Not bad!'' Junius'' summon time, stance and mana were all spectacular for someone of his age. If it were not for business, Lewis would have been tempted to immediately accept Junius as a disciple. But unfortunately, the seasoned constable knew where the youth''s loyalties lied. Hence, he could only give up on his delusions. ''I thought that I should pull my punches, but it seems that this boy might be tougher than I initially thought.'' After Junius had summoned his Spirit, the bystanders on the road immediately felt the surge in spiritual energy. Curious, they stopped what they were doing to check the commotion. The guards in front of the mayor''s office were also startled. Usually, if there were a fight anywhere near the building, they would move to subjugate the troublemakers. However, one of the troublemakers were the constable captain that they served. Thus, they were unsure if they should make a move. From the precipice of the edifice, a brooding figure eyed down the town square. Noticing his trusted subordinate and his two earlier guests at the centre of the commotion, he gave a dry smirk. Having held office for so many years, he naturally knew what his deputy was trying to do. Both the Instructor and Lewis felt the strong gaze directed their way and looked up at the building. Meeting eyes with the mayor, the Instructor bit his lip. He had got the mayor''s attention, now all that mattered was Junius'' performance. ''Don''t let me down, Junius!'' "Senior, whenever you are ready!" Straightening his back, with his sword pointed straight at Lewis, Junius assumed a basic swordplay stance. His eyes burning with a hot youthful passion, the orphan was ready to do battle. "Alright then!" In that split second, from the depths of Lewis'' body, an emerald light shot out, forming a jade gladius, sharper than the best blades forged by any of the empire''s blacksmiths. "Come at me!" Holding two fingers up, Lewis gestured for Junius to begin his attack. "HAAA!!!" Kicking himself forward, Junius propelled his body straight for the meaty body of Lewis. Determined to show his capabilities, the youth held nothing back. The constable captain, on the other hand, wore a calm expression, as if he was walking down a park, admiring the environment. Even as the blade of Junius drew ever closer to the bulky man, Lewis still remained stationary. Five metres¡­ Four metres¡­ Three metres¡­ Two metres¡­ One metre¡­ Seeing that Lewis had not moved even an inch, Junius was having doubts on whether he should follow through with his assault. However, the Instructor''s words of encouragement repeated through his mind, and he decided against it. Initially, Junius was aiming for Lewis'' head, more specifically, the space between his eyebrows. But afraid that he might actually harm the meaty man, who looked like he wouldn''t be able to dodge a slow-moving turtle, Junius changed his target to a non-vital area. In less than two seconds, when Junius was close enough to smell the bad breath of the constable captain, the youth slashed his Azure Water Blade down, aiming to sever Lewis'' dominant hand. Junius'' Spirit started to glow a rich azure colour as the sharpness of his sword increased exponentially. As he swung his sword, from the bystander''s standpoint, it seemed like the blade had disappeared, leaving only a trace of azure light. If Junius'' opponent were an average Spirit Apostle, at this range, his hand would have been cleanly removed from his body. However, the one Junius faced was no Spirit Apostle. Lewis'' inflated figure suddenly disappeared from Junius'' sight as his Spirit cut the empty air, where the obese man should have been. ''What?!'' With no target, Junius'' body temporarily lost control as the forward momentum pushed him a few steps. Regaining his senses, Junius raised his blade up as scanned the surroundings. ''Where did he go?!'' For a full four seconds, Junius lost sight of Lewis. If this situation was replicated in a lawless setting, Junius could have been beheaded by a counterattack. However, just before the fifth second, the youth heard a screeching sound overhead. "*Skreeee!*." Looking up, Junius saw a round, plump man, eclipsing the afternoon sun. Diving down with his emerald sword pointed at Junius, Lewis'' ''aerodynamic'' body glided straight towards the youth. Pivoting his ankle, Junius waited for the right moment to move. If he ran too early, Lewis would be able to change his trajectory mid-flight, causing him to be locked-on. If he moved too late, he would be pierced by the ornate sword, not to mention the tonnes of fat that Lewis had. Hence, Junius had to have the most precise judgement on when to evade. "*Whoosh!*." When the emerald sword was a metre away from Junius, the youth used all of his energy and thrust himself outwards. "*BOOOOM!!!!*." A deafening sound blasted through the quadrangle as the constable captain made contact with the cemented floor. Performing a flip, Junius gasped for air after that close shave with death. "Not bad¡­ You dodged that one." Grinning broadly, Lewis put his pearly white teeth on full display. Gaining back his bearings, Junius took a deep breath to slow his heartbeat. He had thought that Lewis was underestimating him before, but as it turns out, he was the one underestimating Lewis. Being in the same cultivation realm as the Instructor, there was no way that the meaty man standing in front of him was weak. Calming himself, he made a mental note of being more cautious. ''I should show off my abilities...'' Bending his waist down, Junius pointed his Azure Water Blade straight at Lewis. Gathering his mana, Junius pumped spiritual energy into his Spirit, in preparation to launch his ability. "Pierce!!!" With a shout, the Azure Water Blade elongated at a blinding speed. No slower than a bolting arrow, Junius'' Spirit lusted for fat lard of Lewis. "Oh ho..." Stroking his double chin in admiration, Lewis marvelled in the talents of the youth. But at the same time, he effortlessly sidestepped the lengthened sword. "How about this?" After evading the sword, Lewis dashed straight towards the exposed Junius. Having fought multiple enemies, the constable captain could calmly analyse an opponent''s techniques during battle and find an exploitable weakness. Thus, he could accurately determine the drawbacks of Junius'' first spiritual ability, Pierce. Once his Azure Water Blade was elongated, Junius would be exposed to enemy retaliation. It was a fact that both he and the Instructor were well aware of. Hence, to counter that¡­ The sword that had been stretched to over ten metres in length became droplets of water as the mana supply was cut off by Junius. In his hand, the original Azure Water Blade, shined brightly once more as Junius turned around, leaving a ring of water. The sharp aura from his Spirit was duplicated in the water ring as the currents in the ability grew faster and faster. "Expand!!!" At its peak speed, the ring of water enlarged itself, faster than the fastest arrows. And at this moment, Lewis was only two metres away from the water ring. "Hahaha! So that''s it!" Lewis'' bulging belly trembled as the man laughed out loud. The reason why Junius was taught the elemental ring was precisely due to the weakness of his first ability. Once the Instructor had viewed Junius'' ability once, he immediately explained to the child its strengths and weaknesses. He also planned for Junius to inherit one of his spiritual abilities to overcome the glaring drawback that was evident to everyone. Through that one move, he was able to change Junius'' greatest weakness, to one of his most valuable assets. Imagine, in battle, if an enemy thought that when Junius'' sword was elongated, meant the perfect opportunity to strike but instead, all he gets is a water ring to the face. Nine times out of ten, this method would immobilise the unsuspecting enemy. However, if the opponent was a veteran with a much higher skill level¡­ "*Whoooosh!*." Kicking off the ground, Lewis performed a somersault, something phenomenal given the size of his body, and bypassed the ring of water. The next second, he landed behind Junius and pointed his Emerald Jade Gladius at the nape of the young orphan. "It''s over..." At this range, Lewis could just let go of his sword, and Junius head would roll on the floor. However, instead of feeling disappointed, the constable captain could not hold back his beaming smile. The Azure Water Blade, which should have been pointed forward, was currently aimed right at the meaty man''s heart. While Lewis could behead the youth, Junius could also merely use ''Pierce'' to end his life. "Guahahahahaha!!! You pass!!!" Chapter 79 The Daily Life of an Attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic 1 Lewis stopped supplying mana to his Emerald Jade Gladius causing the brilliant sword to lose its lustre. The blade gradually lost its previous ferocity as it slowly faded away into nothingness. Taking one step back, the obese man giggled, causing the chunks of fat being attached to him to jiggle. "Hahaha! Very good! Young, bold and terrific battle acumen! You are what the waypoint constables lack!" Lewis hollered out, clearly delighted that he had landed a good subordinate. Recently the constable''s office had been hiring subpar newbies, much to the dismay of the veteran constable captain. "You are too kind, senior." Cutting off the mana supply to his Azure Water Blade, Junius saluted Lewis as the man sung his praises. The exchange between the two had lasted for less than a minute, and in that time, Junius had thoroughly convinced Lewis of his abilities. And the meaty constable captain wasn''t the only one that was amused. High up in the building, where Junius and the Instructor came out from, a lean and robust man rested his head on the window pane, watching the performance of the capable youth. A dismal sigh escaped from the insides of his mouth as his eyelids trembled. A diabolical thought started to form as the memories he had bottled up resurfaced. The silk curtains that covered window started to crease as the man increased his grip. His arms felt heavy as an invisible pressure began to mount in his mind. Perhaps it was due to his lack of sleep, he thought that his brain had started to become impaired. ''I should really go rest...'' Rubbing his forehead, the highest authority of Chilyoja Waypoint finally decided to leave the room that reeked of his unwashed scent. Like a squirrel looking for acorns, the mayor left the side of the window, seeking out his own comfortable bed. -.- After the commotion in the town quadrangle right outside the mayor''s office, the Instructor brought Junius straight back to the Mushinkei. Since his pupil had already been tested, there was no need to visit the constable headquarters. Hence, the Instructor left Lewis with a warning to keep the Dalits in line before heading back. Entering the luxurious building once again, Junius moved quickly, practically skipping like a merry little child, through the aisle. He had been delighted that he was able to show off his skills and receive high praise from his new boss. Additionally, he had proved that the Instructor was not overstating his abilities. "Hoho~ Someone''s in a good mood! Eh?! Wait, Junius is your legs all healed?!" Behind the marble counter, a mellifluous woman''s voice sounded. Riko, who was wearing a sultry red mandarin gown, flashed a pleasant smile to welcome Junius back. She was also slightly startled that Junius, who was supposed to remain on a wheelchair, had suddenly made a full recovery. "Seni¡­ Sister Riko! Ah! My legs. We visited Lady Seph, and she healed my legs." "Oh is that so?! That''s great news!" "Yeah, I''m grateful for her help. By the way have you seen Shin?" Junius nearly made a mistake once again but quickly adjusted his greeting after Riko'' stern expression locked eyes with him. Ever since he arrived, he had trouble addressing his seniors informally. Especially when it comes to Riko. Her seductive proportions made her seem extremely mature, making it hard for Junius to see her as someone from the same generation. "Shin is home. He just ran up to hide in his room." "Hide?" "Hahaha! He arrived home with cheeks as red as the ripest tomatoes! Sister Ines actually pulled on those cute little things for over an hour! How lucky¡­ When he came home, he immediately darted upstairs, leaving me without an opportunity to pinch him!" Ines squirmed as she thought back at those reddened cheeks of Shin''s. Any girl who likes cute things would be tempted to have a go at pinching those. And for the women in the Mushinkei, there was very little entertainment to be had. Dealing with customers day in and day out drained them severely. Now that they had a ten-year-old boy, who was at the peak of his cuteness, they couldn''t help but bully him. "Ha ha¡­ Then I''ll be on my way, sister Riko..." "Sure thing! If possible, bring Shin down! Tell him that I have candy!" Riko attempted to lure the hiding critter back down so that she could have her turn. "I''ll try..." Junius however, just wanted to escape the woman. Who knew if, without the ten-year-old boy''s cheeks, she might be tempted to go for his own. Hence, Junius scrambled up the stairs. "Shin! Are you there?" Using his knuckles, Junius knocked on the door. However, there was no response. Knocking the door once more, Junius called out his younger brother again. "Shin?" "Junius?!" This time, after affirming Junius'' voice, loud thumps could be heard heading towards the door. The sounds of multiple locks being released caused Junius snicker. It turned out that Shin had been attempting to hide from Ines and was paranoid about any visitors. As the wooden door creaked open, Junius burst out into laughter once he saw the state of Shin''s face. Swollen and red, Shin greatly resembled a tree squirrel which stuffed its face with acorns. Thinking back, he couldn''t blame Riko. Even he was tempted to touch the boy''s face. "Hahaha, I''d heard what happened to you. How do you feel?" "How I feel? All I feel is pain, Junius. That senior never let go of my cheeks no matter how much I begged! Damn it what''s with the direct bloodline of the Frie Clan. All of them are barbarians." Shin snorted. "Don''t say that¡­ They just want to spend some time with you." "Screw that! I''m never leaving this room. The people outside are demons I tell you!" "Fine fine, why don''t you complain to the Instructor? I''m sure he will be able to stop them." Junius gave Shin a suggestion to complain to the Instructor. "Yeah, yeah¡­ Enough about me. How was your examination?" Shin tried to change the conversation topic. Evidently, he was displeased with the way he was treated by the seniors. However, he suddenly remembered that Junius had accompanied the Instructor to the mayor''s office so that he could be tested. "Full marks!" Holding up a victory sign, Junius boasted about his performance. "Hmph! Show off..." "Hahaha! You should also work hard! Tomorrow you will be going to Lady Seph''s place for training!" "You think I don''t know that?!" One worry of Shin''s was the predators lurking outside, namely the two ladies, who were gunning for his cheeks. The other concern was his future training with Lady Seph. From the primary interaction with her, he could tell that she was no softie. In fact, she might be even worse than the Instructor. "Oh yeah, Shin. When I was in the mayor''s office, I overhead something important." "Hmmm, what is it?" "Apparently there''s a murderer on the loose." "What?!" Junius words caused a stir in Shin''s tender heart. He had heard of people killers only through stories, he had never expected one to be so close to where he lived. "Yeah, it came straight from the mayor''s mouth so it shouldn''t be fake¡­ When you return from the clinic tomorrow, try to avoid dim and isolated places. I would love to pick you up, but I''m starting my training tomorrow as well." After his assessment, Lewis happily allowed Junius to begin his training the next day. If all goes well, after six months of basic training, Junius would be promoted to become a junior constable. "Alright, I''ll be careful..." Chapter 80 The Daily Life of an Attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic 2 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Yakkyoku Clinic The night turned into day, and the blazing hot sun was high up in the sky, bathing the landscape in its glorious glow. Like the day before, the residents of the town woke up early and went about their daily business. Shouts from merchants calling customers into their store bellowed through the boisterous streets. However, in one secluded corner of the bustling town, one storehouse remained relatively peaceful. With aged vines sticking out of its walls, the building looked like an abandoned house that was deserted for an extended period of time. If not for the dim light that was visible through the cracks in the windows, one might assume that there were no inhabitants. And right outside of the desolated building, a young black-haired boy stood rooted to the entrance. Wearing a reluctant frown, Shin questioned whether he should enter the clinic. Every time he urged himself to take a step, the sight of his Instructor sprawled out on the floor resurfaced from the depths of his mind. He feared that the instant he entered, he would suffer the same fate. ''Calm down¡­It''s alright...'' Taking deep breaths, Shin propelled himself further down the walkway and pushed open the main door. Peeking in, he marvelled at the outstanding contrast between the exterior and interior. On the outside, Yakkyoku Clinic looked like an inhabitable place for anyone to live. However, the inside was a different story. The walls were as clean as can be and even the floorboards, which should have been aged, seemed to contain not even a speck of dust. Slowly walking inside, Shin walked down the empty hallway. It was strange for a clinic to not have patients in the middle of the day, but the boy didn''t focus his mind on that fact. With heavy steps, he reached the lone frosted glass door that stood before him and the owner of the clinic. "*Knock* *Knock.* Hello? Lady Seph? This is Shin..." Giving two gentle knocks, Shin called out for Lady Seph. "Hmmm? Ah! Right! Come in! The door is unlocked." An adenoidal voice sounded through the frosted glass door. Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Shin pushed open the door revealing the contents of the room. The first thing that Shin saw was a luxurious wooden desk, with a few snug couches surrounding it. Behind the counter, a willowy old woman, displayed her wrinkles as she was busy writing down something on a piece of paper. Sitting next to her on the desk, a white gerbil, turned its head and used it adorable immense black eyes to greet the newcomer. Shaking its tail, the creature was visibly excited that Shin had arrived. ''Why is there a gerbil in this clinic?'' Shin could not connect the dots on how a gerbil can possibly assist in the healing process other than being a lovable mascot. However, he quickly diverted his attention to the Spirit Emperor that was busy doing her own work. "Ermmm, Lady Seph?" Since he entered the room, the blonde elderly woman had not once placed her attention on the youth. In fact, she wasn''t even paying attention to her surroundings, primarily focusing on her task at hand. "You, sit down. I''ll tend to you later..." Evidently, the woman had no intentions of talking to Shin at this moment. Without even glancing at his direction, Lady Seph ordered Shin to take a seat. "Okay..." Although she was rude to the boy, personally Shin didn''t mind. After all, if she wanted to, she could paralyse him in an instant without him having the chance to retaliate. Find a comfortable position, Shin rested his bottom and sat nervously, waiting for the blue-eyed woman to call out for him. As he moved to a nearby couch, the gerbil, coated in a snowy white fur, leapt up from its position and found refuge on Shin''s lap, much to the boy''s surprise. Curling itself into a furball, the animal shut its dreary eyes and dozed off into sleepy land. ''Why does this thing like me so much?'' Back when he was making his breakthrough into Rank 2, the gerbil had also assumed the exact same position. It was as if it was born to rest on his lap. Initially, Shin was tempted to move the creature, but its luscious and velvety fur wasn''t uncomfortable to the boy. Stroking the gerbil, its tail straightened up as it began purring in delight. Intrigued by the gerbil''s reactions, Shin touched the ears of the animal to see what other response it could give. And the animal didn''t disappoint. Lying on its belly, curling into a disc and straightening its hands to the heavens, were some of the few reactions it gave to Shin. A smile, strangely reminiscent of the one Ines gave Shin, crept up the black-haired boy''s face as he went for his next move. "It seems like you are enjoying yourself." But his enjoyment didn''t last long. Lady Seph called out the boy in a cold voice. "Hiii!!!" Shin jolted in surprise. Looking up, he saw Lady Seph''s bright blue eyes staring at him. Her lush blonde hair flowed down to her waist, entirely unlike her appearance the day before, where strands were sticking out. Still donned in her white coat, Lady Seph placed her hands into the pockets of her robe as she stood up from her recliner. "Shin, right?" "Y-yeah!" "Summon your Spirit." Lady Seph ordered the black-haired boy to bring out The Sovereign Koi. "Y-yes!" Closing his eyes, Shin mentally chanted the celestial water mantra as mana started to gather. A cerulean light illuminated the room as a fish-like figure began to form in between his cupped hands. The snowy white gerbil hopped around in excitement, eyeing the Spirit that was being formed. The next instant, a burst of light shot out from his body as The Sovereign Koi made its appearance. Unlike its regal name, the Spirit looked naive and out of sorts. Moving its fins around in a frenzy, the cerulean Koi seemed to be unhappy about being summoned. "I assume that the Frie Clan had given you the Celestial Water Mantra, am I right?" "Yes!" "That''s good, so I won''t have to guide you for cultivation. The Sovereign Koi''s greatest strength is that it cultivates rather quickly with that cultivation technique." Lady Seph explained nonchalantly. "Edward expects me to teach you the way of the healer, but as you expect, I don''t randomly teach anyone. So don''t get your hopes up." "..." "What I will give you though, is a chance to become my disciple. After all, I can''t ignore that old bastard after he sent me that letter. From now, till you become Rank 9, I will be testing your abilities. When you are going to break through to the Spirit Apostle realm, I will then decide whether you are qualified to become my disciple. Do you have a problem with that?" "... None at all, Lady Seph..." After being speechless for a few seconds, Shin pondered over the matter and decided that it was best to follow the elderly woman''s directions. "That''s good. If I remember correctly, your first spiritual ability is to create water and manipulate it am I right?" "Yes!" "And how many times can you use that ability?" "It should be about twenty times." "Excellent, follow me. Bingbing, here!" Reaching her hands down, Lady Seph grabbed the gerbil which was desperately holding itself back from jumping to Shin. Making an adorable sound of protest, the creature reluctantly let the woman seize it and nestled itself in her arms. Once she secured Bingbing, Lady Seph walked out the back door leading to the backyard. As expected the patio was filled to the brim with weeds and uncut grass. And at the back corner of the lawn, there was a small cubicle. Standing isolated, the compartment seemed to be somewhat out of place in the grassy unmown yard. With the snowy white gerbil in her arms, Lady Seph walked down the sole stone pavement that led to cubicle, with Shin following curiously behind. Once they reached the booth, the elderly lady raised her feet up and gently nudged the door open. Peering inside, Shin saw a stone latrine unblemished by any faeces or urination that might have soiled its pretty surface. "For now, your workplace will be in this room!" Lady Seph exclaimed as she stroked Bingbing''s fur. "P-pardon me?" Shin tried his best to comprehend the elderly woman''s words but after his mind drew blank after several times. "Take this chance to clean *cough* *cough* train your mana replenishment and spirit control. Using your spiritual ability, I want you to find any specks of dirt and remove them from this cubicle." Wearing a triumphant smile, Lady Seph told Shin of his true purpose at this clinic. "..." Turns out, he was just a cleaner. Chapter 81 The Daily Life of an Attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic 3 "Excuse me?!" Shin could hardly believe his ears after hearing Lady Seph. He had come here with the mindset that he was going to be trained in the ways of a healer, but as it turns out, the woman only saw him as a helpful errand boy that could do her chores. "Come, demonstrate your spiritual ability then." Lady Seph didn''t care about Shin''s befuddlement and suggested that he use his spiritual ability. "..." Helpless, Shin begrudgingly accepted her words. Circulating his mana, the boy amplified the amount of spiritual energy given to The Sovereign Koi in his hands. The cerulean fish circled around Shin''s fingers in joy as a small ball of water, the size of a melon, started to form above it. And after a few seconds, when the ball is at its peak size, Shin directed his ability into the cubicle. Letting go of his ability, the ball of water lost its form, allowing the fluids it formed to fall into the latrine. Now that Shin was a Rank 2 Spirit Practitioner, he was able to use the ability much more fluently. Thinking that he had impressed the elderly woman, Shin looked back in anticipation. But instead of being dazzled by his ability, Lady Seph wore a visible frown. Even Bingbing in her arms couldn''t put on a happy face. "That''s it?" Lady Seph disappointedly claimed. When she heard of Shin''s ability, she had expected something much more. "Yes..." Feeling that something wasn''t right, Shin meekly answered back in a soft tone. He sensed that the woman''s current state looked like a dormant volcano that was preparing itself for a gigantic eruption. "DON''T KID ME, BOY!!!" The blonde old woman bellowed out. "Hey, did your teachers teach you nothing?! Why would you utilise your Spirit that way?! Oh god damn it, and you''re already Rank 2??? How''s that possible?!?!" "..." Shin could only remain silent at Lady Seph''s outburst. Afraid that anything he said might further piss her off. "Ha¡­ Looking at your ignorant face makes me sick¡­ Whatever, since you can''t even clean right¡­ Wait here for a while, let me get something..." Leaving Shin with those words, Lady Seph returned to the clinic. Bingbing, the little white gerbil, didn''t follow her as it jumped out of her bosom and sat next to the dejected boy. As if trying to console him, Bingbing nudged its head on Shin''s lap. ''What is this gerbil? It doesn''t seem to be an average animal...'' Ever since he first entered the clinic, Shin had wondered why such an adorable creature was living with Lady Seph. Now that it was showing signs of intelligence, Shin was utterly amazed. But his curiosity had to be put on hold as his new teacher exited the building and headed in his direction. In her hands, a small transparent glass beaker, with several markings on its side. Placing the beaker in front of the young boy, Lady Seph began speaking. "Shin, fill this cup up to the brim." Giving Shin a cold glare, Lady Seph ordered him to fill the beaker with his spiritual ability. "Okay..." Congregating his mana once more, Shin summoned a ball of water and willed it over the beaker. Releasing its form, the boy dropped the water in the ball as it spilt all over the place. Although some of the residue water made it into the cup, most of it was lost as it hit the grassy floor. Adamant to continue, Shin gathered his mana again. However, Lady Seph raised her hand up and stopped the boy. "That''s enough. Do you see your problem?" "..." "I knew it. Let me ask you, Shin. What do you think your first spiritual ability is?" The black-haired boy was stunned at the obvious question. He had explained to the woman before and yet she was asking him the same question again. Unsure of what to do, he replied in the same manner as before. "To create water and manipulate it." "Exactly, so why are you shaping the water into a ball every single time?" "T-that..." Hearing her logic, Shin became tongue-tied. Even he didn''t understand why he utilised his ability that way. No one had taught him to do that nor did he see anyone with the ability to do so. Hence, when Lady Seph posed that question to him, he had no rebuttals. "It looks like you don''t know why¡­ You know what I think? I think that forming it into a water ball is the simplest method available to you. Thus, you have started with it and stuck to it." Lady Seph theorised on Shin''s ability. "Your ability is a strong one. Utilising it the way you did will only serve to waste its potential. Now, I want you to try forming a string of water. This time, don''t form a water ball. Just use your mana and imagine yourself hand-moulding that string." Pouring out the remaining water in the beaker, Lady Seph encouraged Shin to continue with his demonstration. "Okay, I''ll try..." Once again, Shin gathered his mana and attempted to follow Lady Seph''s instructions. Instead of imagining a ball of water, he formed a picture of a string in his sub-consciousness. The cerulean Koi moved its fins rapidly, as if in a hysteria of what was to come. ''I have formed the image¡­ Time to summon it into reality.'' Following the steps he had mapped out when forming the water ball, Shin supplied additional mana into his Spirit. ''Now!'' The next moment, a serpentine jet of water flew out from the palms of his juvenile hands and headed straight for the empty beaker, lying stationary on the floor. Moving at a slow speed, Shin desperately tried to control the string of water, but unfortunately for him, his creation had no intentions of listening to him. As if it were an untamed beast, the jet of water blasted the edge of the beaker, toppling it in the process. Expecting to be reprimanded, Shin slowly peeked up at Lady Seph. Oddly enough, the woman still remained a calm and composed posture as she viewed Shin''s failure. "Again." Saying a single word, the elderly woman ordered Shin to try one more time. "Y-yes!" Thankful that the woman had not exploded just yet, Shin repeated the process once more. The second time he tried, as expected, was a total failure. He was not able to control the string of water, and it missed the beaker entirely. The third time he tried, the beaker of water toppled once again. Shin was even expecting the glass cup to break, but fortunately, it was quite resilient. The fourth time, the managed to fill the beaker with a little water, but in the end, he was not able to fully control his mana, causing the string of water to tremble, leading to an uneven filling. The fifth time¡­ The sixth time¡­ The seventh time¡­ Shin kept trying as Lady Seph remained at his side to supervise him. It was strange for the owner of the clinic to not be tending to patients in the middle of the day, but for her, it was the norm. Guiding Shin was basically killing time for her. "Ha¡­ ha..." After the fifteenth time, Shin was nearly out of mana. Using that much of his ability when he was just Rank 2 really took a toll on his body. Forcing himself onto his knees, Shin took a short rest after the strenuous activity. His palms had turned frosty as he perspired cold sweat. He felt his entire face reddening due to the strain that he was under. If he were to use his ability once more, he would most definitely collapse due to mana depletion. But his efforts weren''t fruitless. After fifteen tries, he had managed to completely fill the beaker to the brim in one go with his spiritual ability. A satisfied smile crept up his face as he realised his accomplishment. And he was not the only one that was amazed. ''To think he could improve this much in one day, after some simple instructions¡­ As expected of a Spirit User who awakened The Sovereign Koi...'' On the surface, Lady Seph looked emotionless, but in her mind, she was satisfied with Shin''s improvement. Since Shin was being attached to her, she naturally wanted to know everything about this little boy. Hence, the previous afternoon, after she sent Shin, Junius and the Instructor back, Lady Seph paid a special visit to Frie Mountain. At her cultivation level, flying to and fro Chilyoja Waypoint and Frie Mountain was as easy as walking down a park. And as anticipated, the entire Frie Clan was turned into turmoil from her arrival. Siren bells ringed, and guard dogs barked as she flew high up above the mountain and savagely called out for the First Elder. As the clan was hiding in seclusion, everyone thought that there was an enemy attack and nearly shot the woman down. Fortunately, the Clan Master recognised the voice of the person that taught her for a few years and hastily defused the situation. Flying up to meet her, she invited the illustrious healer into her abode and offered her the best tea that the clan could provide. At the same time, she ordered her subordinates to drag the First Elder to the room where Lady Seph was resting. After some ''talking,'' the Clan Master ran out of the room with tears in her eyes, swapping places with the indignant First Elder. To blow off some steam, Lady Seph gave the elderly man a stern reprimand. Years of hatred that had been held in check blew open as she faced the High Elder, who was putting on his best puppy eyes imitation. Calming down a little, she enquired every single detail about Shin. And the First Elder held nothing back. From the day he was brought back to the clan, his exceptional battle acumen, his slothful yet efficient attitude. And even¡­ Thinking back to the conversation she had with the First Elder, Lady Seph sighed despondently. She should have expected this kind of talent from Shin. In fact, she was tempted to immediately accept him as a disciple, given his history. But right now, training him to become a Spirit Apostle was paramount. "Not bad kid, you have a little talent." Praising Shin for the first time, Lady Seph gave a wry smile. "But don''t get cocky! I want you to perfect this technique first before I teach you anything else. For now, every afternoon of your time will be spent with me. So if you don''t want to spend the rest of your days filling beakers, you had best improve!" Warning Shin, the elderly woman walked back into the clinic, gesturing for him to follow. "Since you are out of mana, you can try again once you replenish your spiritual energy. I''ll leave that cup here in the backyard for your training. For now, follow me. I''ll show you what your next assignments are." Bingbing happily nibbled on the sleeves of Shin''s robes and pulled him over to the clinic. Evidently, the creature didn''t like the outside that much. "U-understood..." Catching his breath, Shin got onto his feet. Feeling a little thirsty, he desperately searched for a source of water. And then it hit onto him, what he was doing the entire time was to pour himself a glass of water. Displaying a self-mocking smile, Shin lifted the beaker from the ground and gulped down the contents of the cup. ''Sweet...'' Tasting the water that he created, Shin tasted a candy flavour from the fluid. Unlike pure water, it seemed like it was the perfect rejuvenating drink. Emptying the beaker, Shin carefully planted it on a nearby stone table before rushing back inside the clinic. Chapter 82 The Daily Life of an Attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic 4 "Here, take all of these." Once Shin entered the clinic, he caught a faint whiff of the scent of old books. Looking up, he noticed a tower of paperback manuals that nearly soared to the ceiling. Reaching out, he could feel that the pillar of books had collected small amounts of dust over multiple years. Taking a deep breath, the musty scent, that had been accumulated overwhelmed his sensory organs as he gave a light cough. "These are all the fundamentals of learning how to become a healer. Learning about the basic human body structure, the types of plants that aid in healing and many more. Every weekend, I will test you on your knowledge to monitor how much you have learnt." Lady Seph informed Shin about his training regiment. Shaking in disbelief, the black-haired boy eyes quivered as he thought of the hardships he was about to face. Although he was somewhat proficient in studying, seeing the pile of notes that was twice his height, he felt light-headed. "But senior, I don''t have any prior education!" Shin protested. The previous Shin would have outright complained about having too much workload. However, recent events had prompted him to be a little more hardworking to help his brother Junius and the many members of the Frie Clan that counted on him. But one does not change overnight. Still, in disbelief at the sheer workload, Shin felt that he had to voice a little complaint. "Hmph! If you don''t think you can manage, you can walk out the door right now! This little stack of papers is just the beginning, boy¡­ Take a look at your side!" Unimpressed by Shin''s protest, Lady Seph used her left thumb to point to the room on the boy''s right. Glancing over, Shin''s jaw dropped in anguish. The opened room revealed a mini-library, with shelves upon shelves of thick covered books. The library was around the size of two average rooms, and the only source of light was the unlocked window. But even though it was dim, the juvenile boy could still count at least a few hundred books. ''Do I have to read all of that?!'' Shin shouted in his head. Just the sight of a single book already made him faint, now that there was an entire room dedicated to books, Shin felt that he would collapse in shock. "Rest assured, not all of the books in there are for you to learn, if you somehow manage to become my apprentice, then it will be mandatory for you to be proficient in everything in there." "..." And with Lady Seph''s added remarks, Shin was tempted to just dump everything and leave the clinic right now. "But before you train your read from this pile of books, I need you to do something for me." Delaying his study period, Lady Seph went over to a corner and opened a wooden cabinet. Inside the locker, there was a bamboo broom and woolly mop. Additionally, there is a multitude of other cleaning apparatus. Cloths, feather dusters and even bars of soap. "Sweep and mop the floor for me. Before you begin learning, you must pay some interest." Rather than an attendant, the blonde elderly woman saw Shin as more of a servant. "..." ~~~ Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Southern Ward Residences. As the sun disappeared down the horizon, the sound of shuffling feet could be heard as residents scurried back into the safety of their homes. Due to recent events, there was certain unrest in the air. Bandits becoming more and more prevalent and a recent gruesome murder made the locals more apprehensive about staying out at night. Right before sundown, business owners chased their customers out of their shophouses and locked the entrance with additional locks. Other than the central district, the streets had become void of life by the time the moonlight shined. Chilyoja Waypoint was separated into five areas. The central district, and the four wards. The central region was the place where most businesses were done. Numerous merchants and affluent family clans set up their shops here. It was also where the mayor''s office was located. Being a waypoint for military supplies to pass through to get to Aldrich''s Keep, the East and West Wards were mainly filled with large roads so that caravans could pass through. Other than the small amounts of houses and shops in those two areas, they were rather empty. The Northern Ward was for families of distinguished war veterans that were stationed at Aldrich''s Keep. Occasionally, soldiers from the fortress would return back to see their parents and children, and when they look at their families living in peace, they would feel that their sacrifice was worth it. Hence, the mayor had placed the safety of those residents at the utmost priority. With the most constables stationed there, the Northern Ward was most possibly the best protected in the town. And that leaves the Southern Ward. Considered to be the worst district in the town, the Southern Ward was notorious for having the most atrocious place in the beautiful Chilyoja Waypoint, the Slums. Filled with pest infestations and abandoned buildings, this small area is where poverty thrived. People living here might be debt-ridden gamblers or even ex-convicts, who were unable to find a job after their time in prison. To put it simply, the Slums was where people who had reached rock bottom in their lives go to seek refuge. But unlike the traditional slums, the one in Chilyoja Waypoint had much less crime. Perhaps it was because the constable headquarters was located somewhere close to the area, there were little felonies committed in the Slums. Hence, the constables rarely disturbed the peace of the region. But currently¡­ "Secure the perimeter, evacuate the innocent civilians! I want this place to be shut down within the hour!" A commanding voice barked orders at the dozens of constables, donned in their protective robes. Many of them wielded sheathed steel scimitars down at their waists. Marching in unison, the constables stormed through the once tranquil Slums, gathering up the trembling residents. "Sir! We have barricaded the five buildings surrounding this area." A constable officer, who looked no older than thirty, saluted the obese man who was commanding the entire operation. "What about the civilians?" Lewis, answered back while gazing straight at the dwelling that the felon he was chasing was suspected to live in. "We have evacuated the majority of them, sir! In a few more minutes, there should be no innocent soul left in the building!" The constable officer replied. "Excellent! The fact that the Watkin murderer could cover his tracks for so long means that he is most likely a capable Spirit User. Not just that, his Spirit should be one that specialises in concealing himself. I fully expect that there will be issues in apprehending him. Repeat my orders to your men, be extremely careful not to lose sight of him!" "Yes, sir!" Saluting Lewis once more, the constable officer left the premise to supervise his men. Currently, the constables of Chilyoja Waypoint were dispatched on an operation to take the most wanted man they have into custody. Ever since he viciously butchered the affluent merchant, Andrew Watkins, the town had gone into a state of uncertainty. Not only had it cost the citizens to have sleepless nights, but even the mayor was unable to rest with ease. Many of the residents of the waypoint were regular Spirit Practitioners, and only an elite few were able to reach the Spirit Apostle realm and above. Thus, when the news broke that the Watkin murderer was most likely a high-level Spirit User, there was an outpour of panic. People not letting their children go out of their houses and closing their shops way before sundown became the norm. Lewis, being the constable captain, naturally knew of all these occurrences. He knew that the only way to truly return the town back to its peaceful state, he had to capture the criminal and do it quick. Therefore, he was especially eager to effectively complete the mission and bring the murderer to justice. However, hunting for the Watkin murderer proved to be harder than he thought. Every time he found a lead, the traces of the madman would disappear altogether as if he were a ghost. The same pattern happened for a number of times, and slowly, it had already been nearly two weeks since they discovered the corpse. But then a sudden breakthrough in the case came in this morning. There had been reports that someone resembling the Watkin murderer, was seen living in an abandoned building in the Slums. The constables had combed through the Slums once before as it was the obvious choice for a criminal to go and hide but their actions had proved fruitless. Hence, with the new report, the constable captain didn''t know if it was reliable. But Lewis felt that it was worth a shot, seeing that they had no other leads. "All the civilians have been evacuated, sir!" Ensuring that there were no innocent residents left, the constable officer raced back to report to Lewis. "Alright! All units get into position, we will be raiding the building in five minutes." Pumping himself up, the chunky man stretched his tense muscles as he prepared to barge into the dwelling. Chapter 83 Chasing a Murderer 1 As the lights flashed outside in the darkness of the Slums, one singular figure rested himself with his back towards a window. Sitting with his butt clenched and grasping the left side of his exposed abdomen, the man cautiously peeked out the window, being extremely careful not to alert anyone of his presence in the building. Gasping heavily for air, the black-haired man began to hyperventilate. However, since he was trying to conceal himself, he covered his mouth with his free hand to prevent anyone from hearing his breaths. ''FUCK IT ALL!!! How did I get discovered?! Argh!'' Mentally screaming out curses, he suddenly felt a throbbing pain coming from the left of his stomach. Looking downwards, he saw the bandage, which had long turned brown from age, starting to come loose, revealing a gruesome puncture. The injury was still in a state of recovery, but due to inadequate treatment, it was unable to heal at a faster rate. Adding the fact that the man was under severe stress, and was without access to clean water, the wound had started to become mouldy. The man really wanted to shout out in agony, but he did his best to prevent the voice from leaving his throat. ''Fuck it! Fuck it! FUCK IT!!! It''s all because of that fucking fat piece of shit!'' As he persisted through the hardships he was facing, a picture of a round man with a full goatee appeared in his mind. He hated the man so much that if he could kill him again, he would personally enter hell to drag the man out. But no matter how much he cursed, he was still unable to bring back a dead man. ''I can''t stay here anymore¡­ I need to find an opening to escape...'' Gritting his yellow, rotten teeth, the man stood up from his position and entered the nearby bathroom to hide. He had to plan his escape thoroughly. He was surrounded by at least thirty highly trained constables and judging from the scale of the operation, the constable captain might be personally leading them. He had faith that with his Rank 27 Spirit Core cultivation level, he would be able to easily escape the weaker constables. But if he were up against the juggernaut that was the constable captain, he was unsure if his concealment ability would work. His mind raced as he recalled every single nook and cranny of the dwelling, hoping to find the optimal escape path. But as he looked up, he saw something. In the bathroom, there was a small broken mirror mounted onto the bathroom door. The glass was hardly at optimal levels of cleanliness with greasy fingerprints scattered all over the rectangular surface. However, through all the dirt and dust, the man could somewhat make out his reflection. His gorgeous bright, brown hair had turned pale with numerous strands of white popping out. Touching his face, he cringed as the blisters and boils caused him pain when disturbed. His fingers and teeth had turned brownish-yellow in colour, indicating that he was infected to the bone. As he saw the state that he was in, he could not help but shed a single tear. Funnily enough, he could not afford to waste his tears. Thus, he used his rancid tongue to lick the drop of water on his face. It was his first taste of water in days. ''Why has it come to this?!'' Beating his chest, the man tried to get his feelings in check. He was once someone with a future. Someone that could live with his head up high and his chest stuck out. Seeing that everything had hit rock bottom for him, the man found his emotions hard to bear. "The first floor clear! Search the second floor!" But he could not afford to wallow in sorrow. The constables were gaining in on his position. If he remained stationary, he would be like a chicken on a chopping block. ''Time to move!'' Gathering up his mana, the damaged man prepared himself to use his spiritual abilities. ~~~ "Where is he?" After five minutes, Lewis entered the building once he had ensured that there were no routes of escape. Giving a cursory glance, he could still see that the constables were still frantically searching the ground floor and he could hear hurried footsteps on the second floor. Arcing his mouth downwards into a frown, the clunky man raised his eyebrows and asked a question, fully aware of what the answer was. "We have not found him yet, sir!" The constable officer marched over and saluted Lewis. Giving a status report, he filled in the constable captain on their progress. "Keep searching! Damn it, the fact that I can''t feel his presence makes me uneasy¡­ I want every single corner of every room searched! Bring down the furniture if you have to!" Barking orders at the unfortunate officer, Lewis stomped his way up to the third floor. The dwelling had only three levels. As someone who was hiding from law enforcement, it was common sense to find a high vantage point so that he could be on the lookout for threats. The wooden stairway that had decayed over the years without maintenance creaked in agony as Lewis placed all his weight ascending them. Careful not to fall through the stairwell, Lewis slowly reached the top floor. As he was climbing, he made sure to check every opened room and even sent a little of his spiritual sense. However, no matter how hard he looked, he could not find traces of a person. "..." On the top floor, about five constables were busy at work, breaking down doors and overturning furniture. One junior constable saw Lewis enter and immediately dropped his work and saluted the superior. Once one constable did so, the rest of them on the level did the same. "Enough with that! Continue with the search!" "Yes, sir!" With his hands behind his back, Lewis entered the room closest to the staircase. It looked like a simple room in an abandoned building, shards of broken glass dispersed all around the floor, rats scurrying about, minding their own business. And with the faded paint and broken floorboards, it seemed that no one could have possibly spent any amount of time living in this putrid location. Gradually, Lewis scanned the room, trying to ensure that he did not miss a single clue. Sniffing his nose, the veteran constable attempted to identify if there were any form of human odour. Squatting downwards, he tried to find any sort of footprints or fingerprints. And then, something caught his eye. Near the window, against the wall, three drops of fluids were of a different colour to the dark brown walls. It was a subtle difference, requiring a trained eye to identify. Drawing closer to the window, Lewis went to his knees and got a whiff of the mysterious drops of liquids. ''As expected, blood¡­ It''s also fresh.'' A triumphant smile crept up the round face of the constable captain. Initially, they had been tipped off that someone resembling the Watkin murderer was seen lurking in the Slums. Lewis was unsure if they should follow the lead but as it turned out, the gamble actually paid off. ''But if he was here, where is he now?'' Getting up from his kneeling position, Lewis made the assumption that the murderer had been close by. Finding possible ways of escape, Lewis entered the bathroom which door had been pried open by the junior constables. A pungent, disgusting smell enveloped his sensory organs the moment he set foot in the lavatory. Bearing with the stench, Lewis checked for any further clues. The first thing he noticed was the unlocked window that was opened up wide. Sticking his head out, Lewis was able to see his subordinates stationed around the building, with curious onlookers making small glances to see what the commotion was about. And then, he saw it¡­ To his right, there was a wooden pillar that started from the floor and reached the ceiling of the building. And on that pillar, he was able to spot a significant amount of oily fingerprints. "DAMN IT!!! HE RAN?!" Bellowing out in frustration, he made the conjecture that the felon he was chasing had made his escape by climbing down the pillar that he was looking at. "Sir, what happened?" Running into the room after hearing his shouts, the constable officer asked his boss. "Are you guys blind?! He moved out this window!!! Shit!!! The fact that he can move down without getting noticed by the people outside means his concealment ability is much stronger than we anticipated! I want all men to cover the streets! Search the sewers if you have to! Don''t let that bastard get away this time!" In a fit of rage, Lewis summoned out his Emerald Jade Sword and sent a surge of mana crashing towards the window. Breaking down the wall, Lewis leapt down from the third floor and nimbly landed on the ground floor, without messing up the grass. The constables in the building marched out in a frenzy to follow their superior''s instructions. Vacating the empty building, the constable officer ordered four junior constables to stay and monitor the dwellings as he chased after Lewis. As more and more constables left the area, the commotion died down, and the bystanders dispersed. After fifteen minutes, in the same bathroom that Lewis found the fingerprints, a slight thud could be heard. "Bang!!!" From the ceiling, a hidden door slammed open revealing a bony man, who was desperately trying to catch his breath. Climbing out of the secret compartment he had built, the man hurriedly made his way down the broken wall. Utilising his Spirit, the Blorgte Chameleon, he merged with the Spirit to turn himself invisible. Before he had chosen this building to seek refuge, the Watkin murderer had laid down a multitude of getaway plans, just in case he was exposed. Thankfully, one of his plans managed to trick the constable captain, giving him the space to make his escape. Leaving behind the building that he had spent nearly a dozen days in, the man cautiously faded into the crowd, trying his best to avoid detection. Once the constables that were surrounding him had primarily dispersed, the man found a wall to rest on and clutched onto his wound. ''I can''t die now! Not yet...'' Affirming his will to live, the man slowly slogged his way to his second place of refuge. Chapter 84 Chasing a Murderer 2 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Constable headquarters. The darkness of the night further enveloped the disorderly town as constables scurried through every part of the Southern Ward, hoping to find even a trace of the felon that they were chasing. However, unlike the constables who were working restlessly outside, the headquarters was relatively quiet. Perhaps it was due to the lack of personnel in the building, the constable headquarters resembled a peaceful inn. Spacious and tranquil, if someone were to say that this was where the town''s best fighters assembled, no one would believe him. And on a bench situated at the far corner of the assembly room, there was a single youth, sitting in a lotus position, mediating in patience. This morning, Junius had reported to Lewis for his first day as a trainee. Unfortunately for him, there were some unforeseen circumstances, and the constable captain had to leave the boy alone for the remainder of the day. But before he left, Lewis had tasked some of his subordinates to guide Junius and give him a tour of the facility. Hence, Junius was led by some disgruntled junior constables to learn the ropes about his new job. However, after two hours, the junior constables were dispatched out together with the majority of the force, leaving Junius to wander about alone in the close to the deserted building. Thankfully, the cafeteria was open and free to access for all constables. If not, Junius would not know what to do for his meals. And after strolling through the empty hallways for the fifth time, the youth got bored of the building. Finding a secluded place in the assembly room, Junius decided to cultivate quietly while waiting for Lewis to return. "God damn it, the Watkin Murderer escaped again!" At that moment, Junius'' ears perked up as a raspy voice sounded through the assembly room. Being forced out of his serene state, Junius eyes gradually opened up to look at the newcomers. Two junior constables, with their shirts drenched in sweat, removed their protective gear while finding a restful spot to regain their energy. "And we almost had him! What''s with his crazy spiritual abilities. Not even the captain could find him!" As a Spirit Lord, and a seasoned veteran of the force, Lewis had the detection ability equivalent of the most sensitive bloodhound. The fact that the Watkin murderer could evade detection for such an extended period of time was utterly shocking to the constables. "Hmph! So what if he''s great at concealing himself? It''s only a matter of time before he gets caught! The four gates had been reinforced, and every constable in the town is working round the clock to apprehend him!" One of the constables snorted as he reminded his buddy on the state of the waypoint. When the Watkin corpse was first discovered, Lewis had laid down the order to reinforce the walls of the town. Additionally, the constable captain commanded every single on-duty constable to cancel any plans that they had until the criminal was apprehended. Essentially, the murderer was like a mouse caught in a trap. There was only so much he could run before law enforcement catches him. "Not to mention, the captain said that he must be severely injured. Give or take three days, perhaps we might seize a dead man instead." Speaking out a grim statement, one of the constables predicted that the murderer would bite the dust before they could catch him. Overhearing their conversation, Junius scratched his chin in thought. ''The murderer at large is more dangerous than initially thought? Is Shin still at Yakkyoku Clinic? I hope he''s alright...'' The youth''s mind wandered to the boy who was currently busy wiping down the dust and dirt from the outside of the decrepit building. "Hey, what are you doing alone here?" While Junius was lost in thought, a willowy figure crept up on him as tapped his shoulder. Glancing back, the youth saw a tall yet skinny young woman, who was wearing her best friendly smile. Donning on a black constable uniform, the woman, who looked no older than thirty, proudly displayed her array of badges on her right bosom. Clearly, she was someone of considerable importance in the headquarters. "Yes, Madam! I was just waiting for Captain Lewis to return from his mission!" Clicking his boots, Junius gave a salute, albeit a little clumsy, to the woman as he reported his situation. "Haha, there''s no need to be so formal, you''re Junius right?" "Madam, you know me?" Confused that a constable officer could recognise his face, Junius gave the woman a puzzled look. "Senior Lewis mentioned you. Furthermore, I was present on the day you first entered the waypoint. My name is Aldea. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Aldea introduced herself with her most professional smile. She had used this expression of hers to charm numerous of her colleagues to do her bidding. And to a certain extent, she had captivated Junius a little. Her beautiful, auburn shoulder-length hair was tied into a bun, fully exposing the milky white nape of hers. With eyes as big as a panda''s, she could bewitch any unsuspecting male. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, senior Aldea! If I may be so rude, may I enquire on when Captain Lewis will be returning?" If he were entirely honest, Junius would like to return to the Mushinkei immediately. However, since no one had authorised him to do so, he was unsure of what action to take. "Senior Lewis will not be returning today. He was caught up with work. Sorry to inconvenience you, Junius¡­ I know that today is your first day with the force. You must be disappointed." Looking apologetic, Aldea attempted to soothe Junius from feeling letdown. "No, it''s alright! I understand that captain Lewis is a busy man¡­ But since he is not coming back, may I return home?" "Of course! Why would we hold you here for no reason? You just came at a bad time. Today, nearly all the constables in the waypoint were mobilised. Ah! To make it up to you, why don''t I walk you home?!" Aldea exclaimed as if she had thought of a great idea. "I''m grateful for your kindness, but I cannot impose!" "It''s not imposing! Adding to that, it is rather dangerous outside now¡­ If anything happens to you while you are walking back, how could I report it to senior Lewis?" "But..." "No buts! Come on, let''s go!" Grabbing his hand, Aldea led Junius out of the assembly room and back to the Mushinkei. ~~~ The road back to the Mushinkei was straightforward and short. If unhindered, Junius could be back within half an hour if he took his time. However, there were copious amounts of constables marching by checking the identity of each citizen that was awake at this hour. Fortunately, Aldea was escorting Junius back. With her black officer uniform, the duo was hardly ever stopped by the patrols. As the youth glanced around the neighbourhood, he could see worried citizens peeking out from the safety of their homes monitoring the situation of the streets. On each house door, there were newly added chain locks that further secured their homes. The roads that were bustling with life in the morning had turned deserted with very little wanderers roaming down them. Sulking in discontent, Aldea could not help but comment: "Terrible isn''t it? The state of the city that is..." "..." Nodding in agreement, Junius recognised that the town had become much different. "It used to be a splendid and warm place. The Waypoint. But because of all these criminals, none of our citizens can live in peace." As she started to monologue, Aldea used her sharp nails to scratch the back of her ears. "Junius, you should remember the current state of the town. Remember that this is what we as constables, should strive to prevent." "Yes, senior!" "Haha, great! I believe that you would make a splendid constable in the future! I''ve heard that senior Lewis had personally accessed you and passed you with flying colours. So I will have high expectations of you!" As the two continued to share their experiences, they reached an opulent building that stood over five stories tall. Although it was nearing the end of the night, all of its lights were still shining brightly illuminating the area. "Ah, we''ve arrived. Alright, Junius I will see you tomorrow. I will make sure that there will be someone there to guide and facilitate your training!" "Wait! Senior Aldea!" Before the gorgeous woman could leave, Junius grabbed her sleeve to stop her from moving. Widening her eyes in shock, Aldea looked over her shoulder. "Is something the matter?" "Can I ask you a question?" "Of course, ask away!" "Do you know what happened to the plot of land over there?" Pointing to the empty space directly opposite the Mushinkei, Junius asked this question. It was a query that Shin had brought up ever since he had first laid eyes on the vacant lot. At first, Junius thought little of it, but after he saw the way Ines was answering in trepidation, he started becoming curious. Initially, probed a little, asking the various staff if they knew about the empty lot, but the majority of them ignored his question or just told him to ask someone else. And as more people avoided him, the more curious, he felt. With no one else to turn to, he could only rely on someone who was not related to the Frie Clan. "Ah, that¡­ That lot used to belong to the Awter clan. But ever since they fallen for grace, the mayor reclaimed that land. It had been on the market for quite some time, but no one wants to buy a cursed piece of land after all." "Cursed?" Baffled, Junius could not help but ask. "Yeah, cursed. Ah, could we continue this conversation another time? I think that my assistance is required somewhere else." "Oh, sorry for holding you up! Thank you for seeing me home!" "Haha, no worries. Goodbye!" Leaving Junius with those words, Aldea hurriedly left the Mushinkei, unaware of the landmine that she had set. ''Awter Clan...'' Not understanding why, those two words stuck in Junius'' mind like an earworm. Repeating the name of that clan mentally, Junius entered the lavish building, in search of his younger brother. Chapter 85 The She-Devil Pays a Visit 1 "Shin? Are you here?" Ascending up the stairs to reach the floor where both Shin and he lived, Junius knocked on his junior''s door to ascertain that he had arrived back home. "Junius, huh..." Slowly creaking the door open, a black-haired boy placed his head through the opening. His hair had become dishevelled, and the crystal clear azure eyes of his had turned cloudy. Opening his mouth wide, the Shin yawned heavily as he greeted the youth who called for him. "Woah, what happened to you?" Blinking in surprise, Junius pushed open the ajar door and attempted to enter the room. And the contents of the room utterly shocked him. Pages upon pages of yellow paper were scattered on the carpeted floor. In all his years living with Shin, he had not seen his little brother being so studious when it came to studies. "What the hell?! You''re actually studying?!" Turning to Shin, Junius gasped as he questioned the fatigued boy. "ARGH!!! It''s not like I want to! Damn it! That old woman is a demon I tell you!" Dragging his feet, Shin trudged to the large, comfortable bed in the middle of the room and landed face first, resting his weary body. Shouting through the cotton sheets, the young boy''s voice became muffled as he complained about his first day at Yakkyoku Clinic. "Why? What did she do to you?" Junius started to pick up the sheets of paper on the floor and organised them into a stack while asking Shin of his experience. "Hmph! They said that I was going to be an attendant in the clinic, but it turns out I was scouted because my first spiritual ability was the perfect cleaning tool!" "Hmmm? What does that mean?" "The first thing that dreadful old woman wanted me to do is to clean her toilet! But when that option was not available, she made me pour water into a cup! Later on, she made me clean the outside of that dirty building! Do you know how many dead insects I found on the top of her roof?! There should be at least a hundred of them! And after all that, she taught me how to brew tea! Why must I learn how to brew bloody Oolong tea?! What benefit does it bring to me?" In a single breath, Shin recollected all of his painful experiences of the day. "Pfft¡­ I m-mean, that sounds bad¡­ So what''s with the huge number of papers?" Junius covered his mouth as he tried to stifle his laughter. Shin traditionally hated to do heavy lifting work and imaging the boy trying to pick dead roaches from the roof of a building made Junius a little amused. "I''m not done¡­ To train as a healer, that grandma told me that I must be well-read. So she gave me a stack of paper from a random pile. Here''s the best part¡­ SHE WANTS ME TO LEARN ALL OF THIS BY TOMORROW!!!" Shouting at the top of his lungs, Shin buried his head in a pillow as he moaned. Earlier on, when he was about to leave the clinic and rest his overworked body in the comfort of his bed, Lady Seph took a small stack of papers from the pillar of paperback manuals. She then proceeded to order Shin to memorise each manual to the best of his ability. Tomorrow, she would test him on how much he had progressed. If she felt that his performance was subpar, the old woman would force him to clean the exterior of the clinic once more. "So that''s why you are studying so hard..." Finally understanding why Shin was hard at work, even though it was unlike his usual self, Junius gave a deep sigh. Compared to his little brother, his mundane time at the constable headquarters was like a walk in the park. "Junius, help me..." Tears started to form as Shin groaned. "Hah, it can''t be helped. Come, is there any words you don''t know?" Taking off his jacket, Junius brought the stack of papers onto Shin''s bed and proceeded to guide Shin. "Here, what''s a pelvis?" Pointing to an unfamiliar word, Shin asked Junius about all of his queries. Slowly, Junius taught the boy. Of course, since Junius was not a healer, there were many words that he could not recognise, but those that he did, he made sure that they were adequately explained to Shin. The study session lasted long into the night, and Junius faithfully taught his younger brother, until said brother dozed off that is. Placing a blanket over Shin, Junius gave a parently smile as he silently left the room. ''Awter Clan¡­ I think I should investigate more before I worry Shin about it.'' As he was teaching Shin, Junius informed him that the Watkin murderer was still at large and that he should take extra precautions when heading home after his daily visits to Yakkyoku Clinic. Initially, Junius wanted to inform Shin about the new information that he had received from Aldea since it seemed that the black-haired boy was as curious as he was. But after a while, he decided against that idea. ''Shin has a lot on his plate right now¡­ I can tell him about my findings at a later date...'' Thinking that Junius retreated to his room and prepared for the next day. ~~~ The next few days passed with the two orphans following the same routine. Every morning, the Instructor would wake them up and train them in basic physical exercises. Although Shin was preparing to be a healer, both Lady Seph and the beefy man shared a consensus that the ten-year-old should continue with his physical training. Junius, on the other hand, required the exercises so that he could stay in shape for the constable drills that he would be performing later that day. In the afternoon, after they had their lunch, Shin would go to Yakkyoku Clinic while Junius reported to the constable headquarters. Shin continued to master his first spiritual ability by trying to fill up an empty beaker, with Bingbing cheering for him at the side. And when he was out of mana, Lady Seph would show up and force him to study various notes from the miniature library in the clinic. Some days, Shin was subjected to light punishments such as cleaning the greasy and filthy roof while other times, he was forced to stay in and study medical journals. It took him a while, but soon, he reached a level that even Junius was unable to render assistance due to the complexities of the subject matter. Thankfully, the cranky grandma was surprisingly patient when teaching Shin about medical affairs. Hence, he was not punished as much as he anticipated. But whenever he messed up something terrible, Lady Seph would send flying kicks his way. Junius continued to learn the ropes from Aldea and other trusted constables from the headquarters, and soon, he had grown to have quite a reputation in the waypoint. News of a talented young constable trainee, who was a Spirit Apostle at the age of fourteen, spread like wildfire. And Junius was quick on the uptake. He learned the basics of how to effectively police an area and even memorised the entire town map. Showing off his impressive martial talents and superior spiritual abilities, Junius started to gain some respect among the various constables that thought he managed to get the job because of his connections with the captain. Additionally, his personality was great and humble, making it simple for him to gain close acquaintances. And as he gained more friends outside of the Frie Clan, he got a little more information about the Awter Clan. What surprised him was that the more he found out, the more intrigued he got about the mysterious clan that disappeared. He heard that the Awter Clan was once a great superpower whose strength rivalled the Frie Clan''s at its peak. But as if overnight, the mighty clan vanished with very little of its records remaining. And every time Junius probed for more details he always ended up in a dead end. Instead of feeling dejected, he felt his curiosity rising as he continued to pry about the fallen clan. However, it turned out to be somewhat challenging, especially at a sensitive time like this. The Watkin murderer still remained at large even though it had been almost three weeks since Edward Watkin was found dead in the horse stable. Many of the residents speculated that the felon had long escaped from the town and even if he was still somehow hiding in the security tightened town, he must be on his deathbed. Even mayor Nadeo was starting to speculate that the murderer had left the waypoint. Of course, Lewis and other seasoned constables knew that it was highly unlikely that the hunted man could leave their containment. Nevertheless, they still reassured the public that the murderer would be caught soon and they had constables on patrol round the clock to keep the residents safe. During this time of crisis, many of the caravans entering and leaving the waypoint were heavily inspected causing massive queues to form outside the walls. And currently, there was a luxurious, ruby-coloured aether car, caught up in the terrible line. "Grandpa! Are we not there yet?" A little girl, whose age was no more than ten, cutely poked her head out from the backseat. Her ruddy freckles became more prominent as she placed on a displeased frown. With rich scarlet hair that flowed down to her waist, the young girl looked like an ancient Amazonian that could take down any prey she wants. "Ariel, be patient¡­ It''s not like Shin can run away..." An elderly man, who was seated at the front, glanced over his shoulder stroking his reddish-brown beard. Aiming to tease his beloved granddaughter, the First Elder brought up her training partner, who was currently hard at work training with Lady Seph. "Hmph, it''s not like I care for him! T-that''s right! I want to see sister Riko as soon as possible!" Folding her arms akimbo, she retorted the elderly man''s claim while reclining back in her chair. "Fine, fine¡­ Hah, was it really alright, bringing you here..." Dryly asking that question, the First Elder sighed and returned to focus on the queue ahead. "I wonder how much Shin has grown though..." "I doubt he will be any stronger than me! I''m already at Rank 2!" "Right, you''re the best, my little princess..." Humouring his precious granddaughter, the First Elder raised his shoulders as he answered her. "Hehehe, I hope you remember our promise, Shin..." Evilly rubbing her two hands, Ariel thought of the black-haired boy that she had not seen in a month. At the same time, the poor little boy felt a cold shiver run down his spine, unsure of what was to come. Chapter 86 The She-Devil Pays a Visit 2 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Yakkyoku Clinic. It was a peaceful afternoon in the Western Ward. Radiant birds sang their mellifluous tunes as they sat perched high up in the trees. Since there were little houses and shops in the area, the number of residents walking around were minimal. Ever since the rumours that the Watkin murderer had long left town started to spread, the inhabitants of the waypoint begun to loosen up a little. Nervous parents were now more assured to bring their bored children out to play in the local playground and store owners were more willing to operate after sundown. Gradually, the waypoint had started to return to its former state. Of course, there was still a certain tension in the air, but it was much more reserved compared to a week ago. Even the barren Western and Eastern wards that had little residents already started to see their streets become more populated. Especially on such a beautiful day, where the sun was gently warming the area and the perfect spring breeze that would melt just about anyone. Many of the residents left their abode in search of the ideal recreational activities to celebrate such a glorious day. But for a certain black-haired boy, this day was closer to hell than heaven¡­ "Hey! You can''t remember just that bit of words? I just taught you that yesterday!" A blonde, well-fitted elderly woman raised her voice at a poor boy who was vigorously writing down notes on a yellow piece of parchment. Her crystal-clear blue eyes flickered in an annoyed light, resembling a ravaging ocean that was determined to capsize any ships that were on it. Raising her long salient nails, she made a tiger claw and grabbed the scalp of the little boy. "ARGHHH!!! It hurts! It hurts! Damn it, grandma! No matter how much to pull my hair, I won''t remember it quicker!" Shin protested vehemently. The first few days, the young boy was cautious with his words when dealing with the terror that was Lady Seph. But after days of mistreatment, he was unable to keep up his pretences and reverted back to his old self. He used to call the old woman''s name with a tinge of awe and respect, but now he just referred to her as grandma. "Who are you calling your grandma?! Call me Lady Seph!" "Damn it! Then stop being a naggy grandma!" "What did you say?!?!" Lady Seph''s faced turned crimson red as the blood rushed to her head. After many days of interacting with Shin, she had a sudden spike of throbbing headaches. Both the black-haired boy and she were both eccentric people. Hence, when the two collided, it was like oil and water. "Hmph! That''s it, prepare to suffer, boy!" Clenching her fists, Lady Seph started to circulate the mana in her body. The next instant, a resplendent, blinding golden light shone from the depths of her soul as a sacrosanct phantom woman appeared behind the elderly woman. The phantom had a pair of rich golden wings that represented the heavens themselves. Enrobed with a pristine white peplos, the feminine figure seemed to be untainted by the material world, as if she existed in her own dimension. As Shin was trembling at the scene that he had experienced many times over the past few days, Lady Seph gingerly lifted her shut eyelids. Similarly, the goddess-like phantom opened her eyes at the same time. Pointing her index finger at Shin, the blonde woman murmured a few words like a halcyon chant. A torrent of pure, holy power surged mercilessly at the black-haired boy once she finished her words. Once the light made contact with Shin, he felt all his pores tighten instantaneously as an invasive spiritual energy ran amok in his body. Waves upon waves of electricity pressed on his nervous system as the boy helplessly fell onto the floor and flopped around like a fish out of water. As he felt himself losing control of his body, Shin also saw tears and snot flow out from his eyes and nose. The punishment only lasted five seconds, but to Shin, it felt like an eternity. What Lady Seph had performed on Shin was one of her offensive spiritual abilities that was cultivated by her Spirit, the Iofiel Angel. Being part of the rarest elemental types, Light, the Iofiel Angel was one of the least seen Spirits in the world. There are only five humans alive who awakened the Iofiel Angel, and due to its rarity, Spirit Users possessing them were highly coveted. Specialising in the healing arts, having a healer with the Iofiel Angel was one of the most significant military assets a commander could dream to have. And as demonstrated by Lady Seph, although it was primarily a healing Spirit, it can also pose a dangerous threat in combat. "Serves you right little boy..." Cutting off the mana supply, the gorgeous phantom, which stood behind Lady Seph, begun to fade into nothingness. "H-ha¡­ H-ha¡­ Damn it, why am I always surrounded by inhumane people..." Panting heavily, Shin got up from the cold floor as he sat down in place, attempting to regain his senses. The ability that Lady Seph performed on the poor boy was a paralysing effect that made the user experience a tremendous amount of pain in that short period of time that it was utilised. But astonishingly, there were no side-effects to that ability. Perhaps it was due to Lady Seph not wanting to truly harm the boy, other than that dreadful pain that seemed to last for aeons when it was used, Shin would walk out relatively unharmed. In fact, he would always feel a surplus of spiritual energy in his body after the deed that could aid in his cultivation. "So boy, of the stack of papers I''ve handed you. How much have you really remembered?" After calming down, Lady Seph picked up a teapot and poured herself a cup of Oolong tea that Shin brewed himself. In the past few days, Shin had learned how to control his first spiritual ability, read up on the fundamentals of the human body and was taught how to clean the building and brew tea by Lady Seph. Although the boy himself felt nothing about his progress, the elderly woman that taught him was utterly dumbfounded. For a ten-year-old to be able to absorb so much knowledge in such a short period of time was unheard of. Eager to see how much she could push Shin, Lady Seph kept feeding books to the unfortunate child. Initially, when they first started, Shin was reading the most introductory material about medicine there was. However, by her original estimates, Lady Seph had expected Shin to completely master the subject matter in about a month. But Shin surprised her by proficiently memorising all the papers in three days. She then proceeded to increase the difficulty level bit by bit. But every time she raised the bar, it seemed that Shin could effortlessly leap over it without breaking a sweat. Adamant to find his tipping point, she handed him a paper that was essential to study for an apprentice healer to get their license from the healer''s association. And that was what Shin was currently studying. It was a document that was easy for someone of her level, but to a ten-year-old boy, it should be the equivalent of a foreign language. "I think I should be halfway there¡­ There are too many words that I don''t understand. Like what the hell is Epistaxis?" Flipping to a page where he got stuck at the night prior, Shin pointed to an unfamiliar word. "That basically means bleeding from the nostrils." Lady Seph sharply explained. "What the hell? Why can''t they just say nosebleed? Is there a need to be so complex?" Rubbing the back of his head, Shin wrote down a footnote next to the complicated word to help him remember the term. "If you want to officially become my apprentice, the least you can do is memorise all those terms..." "There are too many words! The human anatomy is too crazy. Adding up all the plant names to brew herbs and the huge number of illnesses, there are way too many words!" "To become a healer, you will need to know all of that. Or do you want to disappoint that First Elder of yours?" "..." Shin wanted to retort but swiftly decided against it. Going against the looney old woman once was enough for today. If he intentionally made Lady Seph summon the Iofiel Angel again, it would look like he enjoyed to be tortured. "Alright, I think that''s enough studying for today..." "Huh? Really?" Shin suddenly became elated at the old woman''s sudden change in words. Currently, the sun was still up high in the sky. Usually, Lady Seph would force him to study until the moon drifted into the sky. "Yeah, it looks like we have some guests after all..." Lifting up her head slightly, Lady Seph directed Shin''s attention to the door at the entrance, down the lonely hallway. At that moment, two silhouettes could be seen approaching the gate. "*Knock* *Knock*, is anyone in?" An aged, croaky voice resounded through the hallways. Shin''s ears twitched as he seemed to be able to recognise the voice. "Hmmm, they should be in..." "Let me try, grandpa! Hello!~ Is anyone in?" This time, a juvenile nasal voice called out from outside the clinic. "It can''t be..." Shin''s earlier euphoria had quickly turned sour as he heard the younger voice. If there was someone''s voice which he could recognise even if it were muffled, it would be hers. "Oh, it''s open!" The doorknob quickly turned as the young girl realised that the entrance was unlocked. Squinting their eyes as the bright sunlight from outside shone into the dim clinic, Shin and Lady Seph both made out the two unexpected visitors. "Ariel..." "Edward..." Chapter 87 The She-Devil Pays a Visit 3 An elderly man and a little girl slowly stepped foot into the clinic where Shin had suffered at for the past few days. Dressed in rich, luxurious robes, the pair looked like a wealthy merchant and his adorable granddaughter, who have come out from their opulent abodes to mingle with the ordinary folk. After a cursory glance, the little girl, who was a slightly dazed, suddenly flashed a radiant smile as her eyes lit up when she saw the black-haired boy standing rooted to the ground. "Shin! You''re here!" With hurried steps, Ariel headed in Shin''s direction. The two had not seen each other in weeks, so naturally, Ariel was somewhat anxious to see if her training partner was doing well. "A-ariel¡­ W-why, are you here?" Stuttering on his words, Shin struggled to comprehend the reason for the scarlet-haired Amazonian to visit the place where he worked. "Hmph! Why can''t I be here? Staying on the mountain every day is rather suffocating. So grandpa and I decided to visit you! And of course eat some delicacies here." Being the granddaughter of a High Elder of the clan, Ariel had experienced several privileges. One of which is visiting Chilyoja Waypoint once every few months. Usually, she would follow her grandfather on official business and take the chance to experience life outside the clan. However, this time, she had a specific reason for coming to the town. And that reason was standing right in front of her¡­ "Also, don''t misunderstand. I''m here as a courier and messenger. Emma and Elyse kept pestering me to personally see how you''re doing." As one of the few members in the Frie Clan that could freely visit Shin, the other orphans pleaded with Ariel to check on their sibling''s current condition. Also, she was here to deliver some gifts for Shin and Junius from their family back on the mountain. At the same time, when she returned, she would deliver the souvenirs that the duo had bought for the other orphans. "I see..." Hearing the two familiar names, a wave of nostalgia hit the young boy. He could clearly remember the sorry state that the two young girls were in when they saw him off. Elyse especially. He terribly missed the snotty nosed girl with her bright sapphire hair. "*Cough* *Cough*, Shin, is this your little girlfriend?" Not knowing how to read the situation, Lady Seph, who was silently watching the two children interact, lightly coughed and attempted to tease her attendant. When Ariel entered the building, she did not even notice the old woman as her attention was wholly focused on the training partner she had not seen for a long time. But as she looked up to scan the elderly woman, her eyes widened, and her mouth gaped in horror. "You''re that crazy old lady!!!" "What the hell did you say?!?!?!" Ariel mindlessly threw a comment at the unprepared Lady Seph. When Lady Seph stormed into Frie Mountain, stirring up a frenzy, Ariel who was sleeping soundly, was rudely jerked awake. Finding for the cause of the commotion, she saw the terrifying elderly woman floating up in the air, being escorted by the revered Clan Master down to her dwellings. It was only the next day when she asked her grandfather what had happened, did Ariel find out the identity of Lady Seph. Unfortunately, when the First Elder was explaining the situation, he occasionally slipped in a few insults which had rubbed off onto the innocent young girl. "Hiiii!!!" Squealing in fear, the valiant Ariel shivered as she scurried back to the safety of her grandfather. Currently, Lady Seph looked like a demon reincarnate as she viciously glared down at the little girl. "What a presumptuous lass. I wonder who on earth taught you your manners..." Cracking her knuckles, Lady Seph menacingly advanced towards Ariel, who was shaking like a leaf. Shin, who knew the pattern of the diabolical old woman, closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer for his training partner. "Errrr¡­ AH!!! I''m sorry to have insulted you. I-I just heard my grandpa call you that once and I unknowingly..." "A-ariel?!" While hiding behind the back of her trusted grandfather, the frightened girl twiddled her thumbs as she sold the First Elder out. Stunned by his granddaughter''s betrayal, the First Elder turned his head round to see Ariel quivering while holding her knees. Evidently, Lady Seph had made an enormous impression on her that day when she first barged into the clan. "Oh ho¡­ So you''re the one bad mouthing me huh, Edward¡­ In front of children no less¡­ It looks like you can''t wait for mistress death to claim your life¡­ Why don''t I do the job for her?" Spewing out ominous words, a golden light emerged from the depths of Lady Seph''s soul as a humanoid phantom started to form behind her willowy body. The elderly man could felt his heart palpitating wildly as daunting memories of the Iofiel Angel resurfaced. "H-hey¡­ Seph, you shouldn''t joke like that. No, wait. WAIT!!! ARGHHHH!!!" In a peaceful corner of the western ward of Chilyoja Waypoint, where few humans reside, a desperate scream of agony reverberated, stunning all living creatures who had the poor fortune of hearing it. ~~~ "Damn it, you''re still as unreasonable as ever..." "Serves you right! Nobody told you to badmouth me!" The First Elder rested his entire body, that was aching all over, on the sole bed in Lady Seph''s office. As a doctor, she had to have a resting area for her patients. After the elderly man pissed off his long-time friend, Lady Seph sent a relentless flurry of attacks his way. Due to them being on similar cultivation levels, the blonde woman held nothing back as she knew that the First Elder''s physique was able to take the damage. And the result was swellings all over his body, his nervous system malfunctioning and an array of other injuries. Naturally, being a physician, Lady Seph knew how to not cause any permanent damage to her bosom friend. However, she also knew which points in the body caused the most pain. "So what brings you here? Got bored of the mountain?" After she meted out the punishment, Lady Seph sent the two children out to the backyard while she treated the First Elder. Knowing her friend, she knew that the elderly man would not visit for no apparent reason. "Nothing much actually. Today I''m just a chaperone for my granddaughter." "..." "You see, those two are training partners since young. They have never been apart for more than a week. Hence, my granddaughter was somewhat worried about Shin''s condition..." Sitting upright on the medical bed, the First Elder glanced out the window to see his granddaughter and the boy he picked up, chatting happily in the backyard. "Furthermore, you should be able to guess¡­ Since he awakened The Sovereign Koi, there has been plenty of protests back in the clan. I''m here to ensure that no one from the clan actually makes a move on him..." "I see..." Reclining backwards on her chair, Lady Seph placed her hands behind her head to find a comfortable position. The First Elder''s words made her think about the whole situation surrounding her new attendant. "Enough about me¡­ So how is Shin? Do you think that you would accept him as a disciple?" When the First Elder sent Lady Seph the letter extorting her to make Shin the attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic, he had hoped that the black-haired boy would somehow manage to learn the way of the healer from the legendary physician. Although he had hoped that the eccentric woman would relent and accept Shin as a disciple, he knew that Lady Seph did not casually accept new students. "..." Expecting an answer, the First Elder looked at the elderly woman''s direction. But all he got was a bitter smile and silence. "Seph?" "You, how did you raise that kid?" Before she answered his question, Lady Seph posed an additional query his way. "What do you mean?" "... Looking at your expression seems that you don''t know huh..." "Don''t know what?" "That boy¡­ Is a genius." "..." "Knowing you, you probably didn''t give him any proper scholarly learning throughout the years..." Lady Seph''s speculation was right on the money. The First Elder and many others in his division had headstrong personalities. With an earnest brotherhood mentality, the First Elder attacks problems headfirst with little care of the consequences. Essentially, members in his division were mostly muscleheads. Ines and the Instructor were the prime examples. Even Ariel is developing like them. Hence, from young, the First Elder had instructed the orphans to train extensively on their physical attributes. Although he allowed the headmistress to give them some elementary schooling, it was nothing comprehensive. "That boy absorbs knowledge like he is drinking water. All my life, I have never seen a child so gifted in learning. No matter how much I amped up the difficulty, he just keeps surprising me..." "Is that so..." The First Elder tried to imagine Shin as a studious student. But no matter how much he pictured it, he thought that the boy was more suited for hand-to-hand combat. "At this rate, I''d reckon he will be able to learn ''Heal'' for his second spiritual ability." "WHAT?!" Raising his voice, the First Elder got on his feet, overwhelmed with shock. ''Heal'' was an essential ability for any healer. In fact, the majority of the time, one could not be considered a healer if he did not have ''Heal'' in his arsenal. However, to learn the remarkable ability, the Spirit User had to have a substantial amount of knowledge on the human body. Additionally, the Spirit must be compatible. Otherwise, it would just harm the Spirit User''s future prospects. Most of the time, an apprentice would learn the ability when they form their Spirit Core at Rank 20. They must have also studied for at least ten years under a certified physician from the healer''s association. Thus, the First Elder was dumbfounded when Lady Seph suggested that Shin could learn the ability when he promoted to the Spirit Apostle Realm. "You expect that much from him?" Lowering his voice, the First Elder turned sombre as he faced the woman, who was gazing out the window. "I will accept him as my disciple, Edward. Not because of you, but because I''m curious of what heights he can reach¡­ But bear in mind, once he formally accepts me as his master, Shin will no longer be part of a mere Frie Clan." Undermining the family clan that the First Elder was from right in front of him, was usually a death sentence for anyone. However, the elderly man did not mind Lady Seph''s harsh words. "I see¡­ No, I''m grateful. If he stays under your wing, the threats to his life will diminish¡­ As you know, his position in the clan is somewhat problematic." Now both the First Elder and Lady Seph looked outside and observed the boy in melancholy. "Will you tell him?" After a brief period of silence, Lady Seph asked him those four words. There was no need to elaborate on the details as both parties knew well enough what the woman was referring to. "I''ll let the heavens decide..." Puckering his lips, the First Elder''s eyes began to twitch as he thought of past events. Chapter 88 The First Patient 1 While the two elderly folks were chatting about Shin''s future, the boy in question was busy entertaining his training partner. Curious about how his fellow orphans were doing, Shin asked all the questions that were plaguing him since leaving the mountain. "Did anyone from the Second Elder''s faction cause any disturbances?" Hugging his knees while sitting atop a bench, the black-haired boy worriedly inquired if there had been any disruptions in the orphan''s abode. Although Ariel did not live with Emma, Elyse and the rest of the orphans, she was very close with all of them and often visited their dwellings. "No¡­ Ever since you and brother Junius left the clan, there has not been any movements from the youth division of the Second Elder." Ariel had long heard about how the Second Elder picks on the orphans. She remembered the day when Lily complained to her about Leon and Linus barging into their courtyard, initiating a sparring session with Shin. However, oddly enough, after the Second Elder received the punishment that the Clan Master meted out, he had become somewhat reserved with his actions. "I see, that''s good¡­ Is Elyse still sad that I left?" "Well, yeah¡­ But she''ll get over it. Oh yeah, you promised to send her sweets right?" Recalling that the sapphire-haired young girl had constantly reminded her to bring back the candy that Shin had promised her, Ariel brought up the topic. "Ah! That''s right¡­ I still have to buy them gifts!" "What?! You have not bought the gifts yet?!" There were two main reasons why Ariel had come to the waypoint. The first was that she was worried about Shin and wanted to see how he was doing. The second was to be a courier that delivered gifts back to the orphans on the mountain. Hence, hearing that he had forgotten to prepare the gifts, Ariel became slightly miffed. "Hey! I was swamped alright! There was simply no time to go out and purchase stuff!" "Yeah, right! I''m sure it just slipped your mind!" "No! I really¡­ Arghhh¡­ Whatever. I''ll just go buy them now, will that be fine with you?!" Through years of experience dealing with Ariel, Shin knew that it was better to stop arguing and just let her get her way. Otherwise, a dreadful flying fist would come speeding his way. "Lady Seph! Can we leave a little earlier? I need to purchase some things..." Shouting into the clinic, Shin asked for permission to leave. "Hmmm? Yeah, sure¡­ Why don''t you leave with that little lass over there? I need to have a long chat with Edward..." The blonde elderly woman''s ears twitched as she heard the young voice. Raising up her bony hands, she shooed them away and proceeded to resume her conversation with the First Elder. "Ariel, after you guys are done shopping, head straight to the Mushinkei. I''ll meet you there." Similarly, the First Elder gestured for them to leave and immediately began discussing matters with Lady Seph. Gaining their approval, Ariel happily skipped out of the clinic with Shin trudging closely behind. However, before they left, Shin suddenly remembered something vital. "Damn! I don''t know where in the town to buy souvenirs!" Other than the first day in Chilyoja Waypoint, Shin had little leisure time to fully explore the populated town. And with all his meals entirely provided for, he had barely touched his monthly stipend. "What? You''ve been here for so long, and you don''t know where to buy gifts?" Ariel adorably rolled her eyes as she looked that the poor boy in confusion. The first time she entered the town, she had thoroughly explored all the tourist''s locations and bought a tonne of sweets and clothes. And all of that was done in a single day. Hence, she was taken aback at Shin''s confession. "I told you, I was busy!" "Wow, you sure are useless¡­ Whatever, come let me show you the best places in town!" Putting on her best local tour guide face, Ariel led Shin out of the western ward, where Yakkyoku Clinic was located and headed straight to the heart of the town. ~~~ The commercial district was bustling with life as merchants and customers interacted with each other, hoping to get the best deals. Old housewives mingled with young maidens in cosmetics stores while their partners sat in one corner, unhappy that they had become mules for their shopping. Although the commercial district was a place of business and trade, having that many items together in one spot made a great date spot. Young couples would often stroll down the many shophouses and enjoy each other''s company. Adding to the fact that there were delicious eateries scattered around, it was not a surprise that the commercial district was a place where love blossomed. And currently, there was a pair of young ten-year-olds wandering down the stone pavements of the district. "So, what else do you need?" Cupping her hands behind her back, Ariel twirled around and looked at the black-haired boy, whose hands were full of bags. Like a bull in a wheat field, Shin tried his best to keep up with the nimble girl, who was free of any load. "Just shoes for Emma¡­ Can''t you help me carry some of these bags?" "No way!~ Those are your gifts so why should I carry them?" "Then carry your own bags then!!!" Shin started to slouch like a hunchback as he exclaimed. While shopping for items, Ariel had purchased an array of cute merchandise and clothes. Hence, around half of the bags that Shin was carrying belonged solely to the little girl, who spent money like water. "Hey, that''s payment for my services! If not for me, how would you know where to buy all of those. Furthermore, a gentleman should always offer to carry a maiden''s bags!" "I''m just a kid! Not a gentleman! And you''re no maiden! You''re a..." "I''m a what?" Shooting a menacing glare that sent shivers down the boy''s spine, Ariel edged Shin to continue his sentence. "Nothing..." "Hmph, that''s what I thought! Oh, the shoe tailor ahead makes excellent gomushins! I''m sure you can find a great one for Emma!" Merrily skipping away, Ariel headed straight to the storehouse right in front of the duo. The wooden entrance was merely decorated with carvings of an assortment of women''s apparel. Boots, sandals, gloves and many other drawings gave customers a sneak peek on what the store has to offer. Sighing heavily, Shin lifted up the multitude of bags that he laid on the floor and struggled his way into the store. ~~~ At the same time when Shin and Ariel started their shopping spree, in the filthy sewers of the commercial district, a lonesome brooding figure sat in a miniature hut formed with leftover sticks and straw. Every few seconds, the man would let out a few coughs, shaking the structure that he built and threatening to collapse it. His clothing had been viciously torn, leaving large patches of exposed skin to the repugnant sewage water. "ARGHHHHHH!!!" Groaning in agony, the man applied pressure to the left side of his stomach, attempting to quell the pain. Unfortunately, the swelling had reached an extreme point. Days of leaving the wound untreated had caused the infection in the man''s body to spread to other areas. Now, for the man, there was virtually not a single cell that didn''t hurt. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" Repeating curses like a chant, the man with pale white hair, tried to roll around but every time his exposed skin touched the cold, contaminated water, a new wave of pain surged through his body. Coughing uncontrollably, the man brought up a piece of torn cloth from his robe and covered his mouth. Pumping his chest repeatedly, he managed to contain the coughing for a while. As he thought the worst was over, the man tasted iron in his mouth as red fluids started spewing out from the cloth that was on his mouth. "Third time today..." Crumpling the cloth, tainted in his own blood, the man gritted his teeth in anger. He was no moron. The fact that he was showing all these symptoms meant one thing. His days were numbered. "Fuck that Andrew Watkin!!! Even in death, he''s causing me so much trouble!" Since he murdered the wealthy merchant, the man had been on the run, trying his best to evade law enforcement. Sadly, the security in the town was too tight. And with his severe injuries, it was extremely hard for him to escape, even with his Spirit Core cultivation level. "Looks like I''m not going to survive¡­ Andrew, oh Andrew¡­ If I''m going to die, I''ll bring down everything you hold dear!!!" Finding his final resolve, the damaged man slowly got up from his makeshift home and gradually made his way to the sewer exit. Chapter 89 The First Patient 2 As Shin and Ariel entered the simple shoe store, the first thing that caught their eyes was the endless rows of footwear, that was freshly produced by the store''s cobbler. Comfortable, leather chairs were littered all over the place with an adequate amount of knee-length mirrors for customers to fully view how the shoes look on them. An aromatic fabric fragrance filled the noses of the two children the further they moved into the shop. "Oh, my! Customers!" An adenoidal voice sounded out from behind the wooden counter. Strangely enough, although the shoe shop seemed to be one of the most inviting stores in the waypoint, there was not a single soul shopping for apparel. Hence, when the retail manager saw Shin and Ariel, he was slightly startled. "Hello, little ones! Is there anything that you are looking for?" The brown-haired young man left the counter and hastily jaunted to his two prospective customers. Being part of the business for so many years, he could instantly tell if customers were big spenders or not with a single glance. Ariel was wearing a bright red silk robe with gorgeous embroideries of golden phoenixes and heavenly flowers. And although Shin''s clothes were not as flashy as the fiery little girl''s, he was still donning on a Mushinkei issued cotton robes, making him look like an upper-class citizen. Recognising that the duo were likely to have hefty wallets, the manager put on his most amiable smile and addressed Shin and Ariel. "We''re looking for some cute gomushins! Can you show us your best works?" Ariel exclaimed in place of Shin. She had some pride in being a shopping connoisseur even though she was way too young to receive that title. As the First Elder''s granddaughter, the places she had visited were not limited to just Chilyoja Waypoint. Once, Ariel followed her grandfather to the busiest place in the western part of Himmel Empire, Huuring City. The shops in Hurring City were much more extravagant in their designs, and their products were twice as expensive. Hence, although she was young, she had a little experience when it came to shopping in the high-end areas. In fact, she had honed her haggling skills while she was in Hurring City and couldn''t wait to demonstrate it in front of Shin. "Of course! Right, this way!" Bowing down in joy, the shop manager led the first customer he has had in days straight to the aisle where the gomushins were located. "Oh crap! I just realised that I don''t know Emma''s size!" Shin came to a sudden realisation. When he left the mountain, he had promised to purchase souvenirs for his siblings back home. The other gifts were simple. Elyse wanted sweets while the rest were alright with anything he sent back. But for Emma, Shin had promised to buy a pair of footwear without asking for her size first. "God damn it, Shin! You sure are hopeless. Must I do everything for you?" Greatly bemused by Shin''s helpless expression, Ariel chided him while trying to withhold a smile. "Emma should be the same shoe size as me. Don''t worry, I''ll be your fitter." Volunteering herself, Ariel''s eyes shone in delight as she glanced around the luxurious store. With so many adorable designs present, Ariel felt that she could spend the rest of her time here just to try on each and every shoe. "That helps, thank you!" "Hey, I expect some payment! If I see a shoe that I like, you must buy it for me!" "What?!" After the earlier bizarre shopping spree, Shin was down to his last two silver coins from his monthly allowance. When he first entered the shop, he managed to take a quick look at the average price of the products. His heart bled when he saw that a mere piece of foot protection could cost as much as one silver coin. But to appease Emma, he begrudgingly decided that it was alright to spend that much. Now with Ariel joining the fray, after today, the young boy would be entirely broke. ''Whatever, I just need to not spend for the rest of the year...'' Thinking back, it was rather easy for him to save money. Since all his meals were provided for and he had no need to pay rent, the young boy had basically no expenses. "Here let me try!" While he was busy agonising over the thinning of his wallet, Ariel had already struck up a conversation with the store manager. Putting on a pair of alluring purple gomushins, the young girl walked around in a circle to test how comfortable were the soles. "Hmmm, not bad! Shin, what do you think?" Striking a pose in front of a mirror that clearly highlights the designs of the charming shoes, Ariel asked for Shin''s opinion. "I think that''s great! Let''s go with this one!" Visualising Emma wearing those pair of gomushins, Shin was content with the image. Hoping to wrap things up and go home, the boy suggested that they purchase that pair. "Hold on you moron, we can still try other pairs of shoes! But you''re right, it does look good. Could you hold onto it?" Removing the gomushins, Ariel placed them on the shop manager''s outreached hands and continued browsing through the shelves, in search of the perfect footwear. "Of course, young lady! You sure have a nice boyfriend!" The duo were currently shopping for a pair of shoes for Emma. Misunderstanding the situation, the shop manager mistakenly thought that Shin was willing to fork out any amount to please his partner. "H-huh?! We''re not in that kind of relationship!" Ariel''s face flushed instantly after hearing the manager''s words. Flustered, she attempted to clear up the man''s misconception. "Oh! My apologies!" The young man gave a deep bow while hiding his wide grin. From her adorable reaction, that triggered his fatherly side, the experienced shop manager could tell many things. ''Ah, youth!'' It has been a while since he felt this way. Recent days had been rather dreadful for him, and having a pair of innocent young children visit his store somewhat warmed his heart. Mentally, he had already decided to give them a little discount if they asked for it. "Hmmm?" While Ariel was busy getting agitated, Shin noticed a figure approaching from outside the shop. Draped from head to toe in a grey overall coat, the hunched man limped into the store with his head looking at the floor, preventing anyone from seeing his face. "A new customer?!" The store manager raised his eyebrows surprise. Business was slow these few days, and he had expected to close up early. However, there was a sudden influx of customers which brought great joy to the brown-haired man. In his jubilation, he did not even notice that his new customer was behaving erratically. "Young lady, would you mind if I tend to the next customer. Feel free to browse around while I''m away. If you have any questions, don''t worry! I''ll rush to your side to answer them!" "Okay!" Leaving Shin and Ariel behind, the shop manager hurried over to the entrance to greet the newcomer. Due to recent events and slow business, the manager was forced to retrench many of the employees in the store leaving him the lone guardian. In charge of everything in the shop, he had to do all the chores. From cleaning to servicing customers. "Good afternoon, mister! How may I help you today?" Rubbing his hands in delight, the manager welcomed the man dressed in a grey coat. "I see that business is bad, huh? Manald?" A hoarse voice, as rough as sandpaper, sounded out from under the newcomer''s covered hood. "Right! Right! Business really has been¡­ Wait, how did you know my name?" The shopkeeper''s pleasant smile turned into a confused frown the moment the man spoke. From the depths of his memory, he seemed to recall hearing that voice somewhere, but he was unable to pinpoint the owner of the voice. "How cruel¡­ It looks like even you don''t recognise me..." At that moment, the man raised his two hands to his hood and gently lifted it. Slowly, more and more of his facial features were revealed to the confused store manager. His wretched face was filled with boils and burns. His pale white hair had turned a sickish-yellow colour after being dyed in sewage water for too long. The light in his right pupil had diminished completely, leaving only the whites, essentially making him half-blind. The closer the store manager got, the more prominent the putrid stench of faeces and urine could be smelt. Panting heavily, the man''s rancid breath mixed with his distinct odour to form a unique foul smell that could not be found elsewhere. Typically, one would back away covering their nose and mouth from such a bad smell. But the manager was too overwhelmed with shock to do that. "Y-you''re Gawil!" Falling to his butt, the store manager revealed the name of the man that he had not met in many weeks. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Constable Headquarters. "You found the Watkin Murderer?!" On the highest floor of the mysterious building, a booming voice resonated through the hallways as a plump middle-aged man, slammed his fist on the desk as he stood up. The contents of the table shook violently, and some of them even fell to the floor after the Lewis punched the miserable wooden desk. "Are you certain?" "Yes, sir! Constables on patrol had witnessed him entering a store in the commercial district. They are currently on standby, awaiting orders." "Fantastic! Tell them to hold their ground. Wait, scratch that! I''m going to fly there right now! Where did you say he was spotted?" Eager to apprehend the felon that he was chasing for over two weeks, the meaty man questioned his subordinate. "H-he¡­ Entered the Watkin Shoebox." Chapter 90 The First Patient 3 "G-gawil¡­ I thought you returned home..." The store manager''s mouth shivered uncontrollably as he tried to form words. Meeting the broken-down man, who dressed like an impoverished beggar, once more greatly frightened him. The last time he saw Gawil, his boss, Andrew Watkin, was still alive and had just celebrated the opening of a branch store. Back then, Gawil was a valiant and robust young man, who had plenty to be proud of. With his Rank 27 Spirit Core cultivation level, Gawil was definitely one of the elites in the waypoint. Thus, when the store manager saw how decrepit and haggard he was, he could not help but wonder the pains that the young man had went through. "Manald¡­ Do you think I still have a home to return to?" Looking up at the ceiling, Gawil let his mind wander as he said those words. He remembered the beautiful open fields and the verdant trees that surrounded his humble little village. Children from that small town would run down to the nearby waterfall pool to play while their mothers would be nearby, doing their laundry while supervising them. The majority of Gawil''s best and most pleasant memories was from that modest village which had next to nothing to offer. As he continued down memory lane, he saw a feminine figure beckoning him from the background of his unassuming abode. The woman was not the prettiest, nor did she boast the perfect proportions desired in a lady, but whenever Gawil saw her, a warm feeling filled his heart. However, all of a sudden, he saw the woman fading away bit by bit. No matter how much he called out for her, she would not turn back. Knowing that it was inevitable, Gawil grasped his chest letting down an outpour of tears. "That bastard Andrew took everything from me, Manald¡­ HE TOOK EVERYTHING!!!" Getting agitated, Gawil hollered out at the top of his lungs, gaining the attention of Shin and Ariel, who were still at the gomushin section. Curious about the commotion, the duo slowly put down their bags and plodded over. "Y-you¡­ D-don''t tell me you actually..." In truth, when the news broke that Andrew Watkin was brutally mutilated, Manald had his suspicions about Gawil being the murderer. Nevertheless, it was just speculations, and he hoped that the man did not really do it. "Yes, I did¡­ I brutally stabbed him in the throat and heart multiple times. Even when he begged and begged, I did not stop. And you know what, after he knew that he was not going to escape, that fat bastard returned back to his incorrigible self..." After saying so many words, Gawil felt a sharp pain reverberating through his body. He felt that his lungs had caught on fire and unable to control himself, he coughed out thrice spewing red fluids everywhere. Using his right hand, Gawil repeatedly beat his own chest to quell the pain. "Fourth time today¡­ Do you know what his final words were? I curse you, I curse you to hell! Curse me?! What he did to me?! Even on his deathbed, he was unapologetic. Do you really think that such a person deserves to live in the light for another day?!" The store manager kept quiet and listened carefully to Gawil''s rants. Mostly because he was too terrified of the battered man''s strength. Manald was just a mere commoner, who had not even got the chance to awaken his Spirit. Although Gawil seemed to be in a weakened state, the store manager was not willing to take the opportunity. "Manald, you know what people call me now?" Containing his internal injuries for a short moment, Gawil leaned on a nearby pole and weakly addressed the store manager. "..." "They call me the Watkin Murderer¡­ Even if I pass, that will be what my legacy amounts to. Just a random man who killed Andrew Watkin. Don''t you find it laughable?" Taking off the grey robe that he used to conceal himself, Gawil laughed bitterly. He had wished to take revenge on Andrew Watkin for robbing his life, but now, his very own identity was tied to Watkin''s. Gnawing his teeth in frustration, the resentful man threw the tattered grey coat away revealing his pathetic state. His sole shirt had been ripped from side to side and had turned brown from excess exposure to sewage water. At the left side of his stomach, there was an immense swelling that had spread to his chest and crotch. With broken fingernails and yellowed out skin, the man looked like more of a beast than a human. "So, before I go down in flames, let me trash this store. The store he held so dearly his entire life!!!" The Watkin Shoebox was the first ever shop that Andrew Watkin had ever opened. Treating the store as if it were his own child, Andrew had placed a tremendous amount of emphasis on maintaining it even if the store was not generating enough money. When Andrew Watkin passed away, his wife and other family members wrestled to split his estate and thus forming rifts in each one of his multiple stores. The Watkin Shoebox was no exception. Additionally, many customers started to avoid stores founded by the merchant hence, forcing many of them to shut down. Manald was one of Andrew Wakin''s most trusted aides and was given the Watkin Shoebox to manage. "Gawil! Don''t do this, master Watkin is already dead! You have got your wish!" Trying his best to dissuade the aggravated man, the store manager attempted to protect the one keepsake that was passed down onto him. "SHUT UP! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!?!" Gawil''s veins started to pop as he bawled out in displeasure. All of a sudden, a dense, invisible pressure mounted onto everyone inside the store. Falling to their knees, Shin, Ariel and the store manager attempted to combat the force but to no avail. The two ten-year-olds were much better off compared to the poor manager though. Being far away from Gawil and Rank 2 Spirit Practitioners, they could still manage to breathe comfortably. Manald, on the other hand, was just a commoner with no spirit cultivation. If the enraged man wished for it, he could easily crush the poor man. "What''s this?!" Shin asked Ariel with a little trepidation in his tone. "It''s spiritual pressure. This is going to be troublesome¡­ The man is at least at the Spirit Core realm." "Rank 20?!" "At least¡­ Once a Spirit User compresses his Spirit into his body to form a Spirit Core, he would be able to use spiritual pressure to weaken his enemies. Judging from the power of his pressure, he shouldn''t be a Rank 30 Spirit Adept, but nonetheless, the fact that he could form his Spirit Core means that he won''t be an easy opponent." Ariel calmly broke down the strengths of the decrepit man who was gathering mana at an astonishing rate. She had plenty of experience fighting Spirit Users that were well above her level and hence was able to accurately deduce her opponent''s strength. While Ariel was thinking of the best way to escape from this predicament, Shin''s eyes were glued to the man''s injuries. "Yellowed skin, inflamed swellings, coughing out blood¡­ Where have I read about this before?" Shin thought back on the numerous medical journals that Lady Seph had forced him to read for the past few days. The symptoms were familiar to him, and he swore that he had seen them in a book before. "What''s wrong?" Seeing that Shin had gone silent, Ariel asked the youth who was lost in his thoughts. "I know!!! He probably has acute Amcinoma!" From the depths of his mind, he managed to pull out a name that matched all of the man''s symptoms. "Huh? What''s that?" "Ermmm, how do I put it¡­ He has a severe wound on his left stomach right?" Pointing to the Gawil''s injury, Shin attempted to explain the man''s condition. "Yeah, what about it?" "It has been infected. And given the size of the infection, I assume he was unable to get it treated. His right eye has lost its light, and his skin had turned yellow. Coughing out blood is a sign of lung infection which is a classical case amongst patients who have Amcinoma!" Excited that he was able to use the vast amount of knowledge that he had learned to good use, Shin patiently explained to Ariel. "I see, so he is currently sick?" "Not just sick, extremely sick. Given how bad the infection looks, the man must be in significant pain. I''m surprised to see him able to walk actually. From what I''ve read, people who catch acute Amcinoma usually won''t be able to move, due to how painful the whole ordeal is." "Good, that means we have a chance to bring him down!" "Why do I feel like you''re getting pumped up?" Shin shook his head once he saw Ariel''s flushed expression. "Don''t worry, follow my lead!" Gathering her mana, a red light began to shine from the crown of Ariel''s head. The next instant, a black Warhammer, with primal crimson markings formed in the delicate hands of the little red-haired she-devil as an impish smile crept up her face. Similarly, Shin mentally chanted the Celestial Water Mantra and summoned out the cute little cerulean Koi. "Let''s go!" Chapter 91 The First Patient 4 "Hmmm?" Sensing a sudden surge of spiritual power, Gawil raised his eyes from the innocent store manager, who was sprawled out on the floor. Glancing forward, he saw two little humans, no more than ten-years-old, each wielding their own Spirits while staring him down. Furrowing his brows, Gawil probed the two minors by sending a wave of spiritual pressure down their way. Once the spiritual pressure began to mount, Shin immediately felt his legs go wobbly as he struggled to stand still. Bending his knees to lower his centre of gravity, the black-haired boy tried to fight the spiritual pressure and was barely able to maintain his posture. Meanwhile, Ariel used the handle of her Lava Warhammer to support herself by poking it in the floor, like a walking stick. "What''s this? Some weakling Spirit Users think that they can stand up against me? How cute..." Through his probe, he was able to tell that the two children were nowhere near his match. He had only used a fraction of his spiritual pressure, and they were unable to take it. If they genuinely fought, even in his vulnerable state, he would be able to wipe the floor with Shin and Ariel. "I have no business with you retards, but since you''re in this shop at this time, count yourselves unlucky." As he said those words, a torrent of spiritual energy burst forth. Mint-coloured mana light filled the empty room as the spiritual pressure being sent forth by the decrepit man increased exponentially. Exposed to the direct wrath of Gawil, Shin and Ariel found that the air had become much thicker making it hard to breathe. Cracks started to form on the wooden floorboards surrounding the insane man and when the pressure reached its peak, the light settled and congregated into a lizard-like figure. The Blorgte Chameleon in Gawil''s hands was a rarely seen Spirit in the Himmel Empire. With its mint-coloured scaly exterior and enormous black eyes, the reptile seemed to be an innocent critter, incapable of causing the brutal damage that was inflicted on Andrew Watkin. Waving its tail back and forth, the Spirit lazily stared down Shin and Ariel, as if indifferent to their existence. "*Cough!* *Cough!* ARGHHHH!!! Fuck this..." Summoning the Blorgte Chameleon out in his current state evidently had its drawbacks. Every single part of his body ached in torment when he circulated his mana, forcing out a mouthful of blood. "Fifth time today¡­ Hahaha, looks like the constables have finally found me." At the same time he brought out his Spirit, his senses caught a note of the numerous amount of new spiritual energies arriving outside of the store. The constables had surrounded the Watkin Shoebox, evacuating nearby civilians in preparation for a raid. "My light ends today¡­ But before it disappears for good, let me bring down one more memory of that bastard Andrew!" Bringing the Blorgte Chameleon closer to his chest, Gawil willed for the apathetic lizard to enter his body. Transferring all its energy to the broken-down man, who could barely walk, the Blorgte Chameleon turned into a ball of light and merged its entirety with Gawil. The next instant, mint-coloured scales begun to form on the yellowed skin of the man and a thick, meaty reptilian tail grew out from Gawil''s behind. "Spiritual body enhancement! Damn it, we need to stop him!" Both Shin and Ariel recognised the ability that Gawil was employing. Most commonly found in Spirit Users with beast Spirits, the spiritual body enhancement allows the Spirit User to adopt the characteristics of their Spirits, significantly heightening their combat strength. Ines was a great example. Although she had a womanly constitution, in her spiritual body enhancement mode, not even the Instructor would be willing to fight head-to-head with her. Raising up her Lava Warhammer, Ariel bolted straight towards Gawil, who was currently in mid-transformation. After she had awakened her Spirit, the Frie Clan had provided her with the best teachers and training partners. Typically, when training a novice Spirit Practitioner, the clan would group up other Spirit Users of similar levels and let them spar. But for Ariel, the Frie Clan had prepared various Spirit Apostles of varying strengths. Therefore, the fiery little girl was no stranger to fighting against Spirit Users well above her level. Swinging her Spirit straight at Gawil''s abdomen, Ariel attempted to further deteriorate the damaged man''s condition by aiming at his infected wound. "Hiyahhh!!!" A sharp voice echoed out as Ariel put all her weight behind the swing. The Lava Warhammer started to glow in a dim red light and put forth a low buzzing sound. Unfortunately for Ariel, just before her hammerhead made contact with Gawil, the man suddenly opened his closed eyes. "Hmph!!!" Swinging his weighty tail, Gawil effortlessly dispatched the little girl who was charging straight at him. At the same time, his hands, which had turned into claws, reached out and gripped onto a nearby pole that supported the building. "HAAA!!!" Gathering all of his might, Gawil clenched his open claw to crush the wooden pillar. Dust and splinters flew everywhere as the building started to shake from the impact. Gawil''s plan was simple. Since he was going to die anyway, he might as well go out by burying the Watkin Shoebox with him. By taking down all the pillars and trashing the store, eventually, the building would collapse taking him down with it. As for the collateral damage inflicted for his revenge, he cared nought. "We can''t let him destroy the store!!!" At this point, Manald, who was lying on the floor in fear until now, called out. He felt ashamed that he had to request two ten-year-olds, who were wholly unrelated to the store, to help him take down the madman. "Ariel, distract him for a moment!" Shin shouted out as he gathered his mana. The Sovereign Koi flapped its adorable fins in excitement as more and more spiritual energy was supplied to it. Seeing that Shin was preparing to do something, Ariel acknowledged his request with a slight nod. Bringing up the Lava Warhammer overhead once more, the scarlet-haired girl charged forward, aiming to crush Gawil''s skull. "Again, if I''m not bothering you, FUCK OFF!!!" Clearly irritated that a mere child Spirit Practitioner thought that she could deal with him, Gawil spun around twice, letting his massive tail spiral round. He intended to heavily injure Ariel the moment she got near. But Ariel''s plan wasn''t to get near to him. "HA!!!" Just before she got into range of the chameleon-man, Ariel immediately halted her steps. With her Lava Warhammer overhead, she bludgeoned down the bloodthirsty Spirit straight to the innocent floorboards. At that time, the primal markings on the Warhammer brightened up in a reddish-orange light forming a pool of lava that begun to spread aggressively, melting anything that came into contact with it. When he saw the pool of lava, the store manager started to feel faint. He had requested for the Spirit Users to prevent Gawil from destroying the building, not to help him demolish it. But as he was lost in his agonising thoughts, a stream of pale blue water slithered rapidly through the air. Taking advantage of the time when Gawil was mesmerised with the lava pool, Shin created a string of pure water and directed it straight at the open wound of the Spirit Core cultivator. Like a serpent stalking its prey, the stream of water twisted and turned past the obstacles hindering its path and eventually¡­ "ARGHHHHHHH!!!" Gawil fell down in agony once the foreign fluid invaded his body through the opened wound. Tears started to drip out of his pain as his claws grabbed a nearby stand. Rolling around on the floor, Gawil attempted the pull the ''snake'' out from his body, but when he felt that he could not grab the thing invading his body, he immediately tried to locate the source of the water stream. "FUCK YOU, BASTARD!!!" Tracing the stream of water back to Shin, Gawil let out a desperate roar and darted towards the black-haired boy. Showing off his claws that were as sharp as an eagle''s beak, the frenzied man threatened to rip Shin''s head off. "Oh no, you don''t!" Thankfully, Ariel was barring the path to Shin. Swinging her Lava Warhammer once more, the little girl managed to catch the chest of Gawil, who was unable to think straight. Getting hit by the full brunt of Ariel''s Warhammer, the damaged man flew horizontally towards the nearby wall, like a baseball when hit by a professional hitter. At the same time, Shin cut off his mana supply to the water stream, making it lose its form. "Shin, what did you do?" Surprised that the boy was able to seriously injure the Spirit Core cultivator, Ariel questioned Shin with a tinge of awe in her tone. "How do I put this? Ariel, remember that time when you got the scrap on your knee during one of our sparring sessions?" "Yeah?" "When the First Elder applied water to your wound to clean it, how did it feel?" "It hurt like hell!!!" "Exactly! It was painful for you, even though it was a small wound, so what about him? His infection was left alone for such a long time, and his wound was never properly treated. So can you imagine the pain it would feel if I invaded his body a stream of pure water?" Shin patiently explained how he brought down Gawil. He had managed to come up with this plan after remembering the medical text on how humans with infected wounds react when getting treated. Luckily, he had become extremely proficient in controlling his first spiritual ability. Otherwise, he would be unable to pull it off. "Urghhhh!!! I see! So that''s how!" Enlightened, Ariel put on a jubilant smile after seeing Shin''s growth. Looks like his time away from the mountain had not been a waste. "Alright let''s finish him!" After she managed to land a successful hit on the lizard-man, Ariel got much more pumped up to do battle. Directing her attention back to Gawil, who was pinned to the wall, the impassioned little girl placed her Lava Warhammer on her shoulders as she prepared for the final blow. Grasping his left stomach, Gawil tried to suppress the overwhelming pain that Shin had inflicted on him. At his cultivation level, he could naturally deduce what the youth had done. He could even feel the remnants of the foreign liquid lodged deep inside his wound. ''I underestimated them...'' Gawil thought. After the two consecutively damaged him, he felt his strength leaving his body at an exponential rate. If he faced them head on once more, he would most likely suffer a defeat. ''What was I thinking? Going head to head with them¡­ That''s not my speciality anyway!'' A wry smile crept up his lips as he thought of those words. His Spirit was the Blorgte Chameleon, it was never a pure fighter type Spirit. "Let me send you to hell!" Like a wild lioness hunting her prey, Ariel pounced at the weakened man who was lying stationary on the floor. But before she even managed to get near... "Hmph!" Clapping his hands together, Gawil circulated his mana and almost instantaneously, his form disappeared completely. "Huh?" Losing sight of her target, Ariel was forced to bring her assault to an abrupt end. Chapter 92 The First Patient 5 "Where did he go?!" Unable to find her target, Ariel cautiously brought her Lava Warhammer down while being wary of her surroundings. She had never faced such a peculiar situation before. Gawil, who was definitely lying on the floor a few seconds ago, had unexpectedly disappeared from her sight. "Be careful! Gawil''s Spirit is the Blorgte Chameleon. He specialises in making his presence unnoticeable!" As Shin and Ariel were confused, the store manager warned them of Gawil''s ability. Although he was not a Spirit User, he had once worked closely with the man. Hence, he knew a little about how Gawil fought. ''Tsk, damn that Manald¡­'' Gawil clucked his tongue in annoyance after hearing the store manager''s warnings to Shin and Ariel. His Blorgte Chameleon was one of the most elusive beasts in the natural world, rarely sighted by any explorers. That the reason why was because of its innate ability, camouflage. By changing the colours on its scales and altering its spiritual wavelength, the Blorgte Chameleon is arguably the best disguiser amongst all beasts. As a Spirit User who had contracted with the Blorgte Chameleon, Gawil had inherited the legendary innate ability. In fact, he had studied extensively on how to improve on it. And the results speak for themselves. When he was just inches away from Lewis, a Rank 50 Spirit Lord with plenty of experience tracking down criminals, Gawil was able to rely on his camouflage ability to utterly fool the seasoned veteran. So when he found out that he was in no shape to take on Shin and Ariel, as much as it hurt his pride, he resorted back to his forte to deal with the duo. Climbing up a nearby pillar, Gawil planned to launch an assault from the ceiling to take down the hazardous girl, who for some reason was able to spew out lava from her Warhammer. ''Slowly¡­ Slowly¡­ Now!'' Reaching a point where he was directly vertical of Ariel, Gawil prepared himself for the aerial assault. Unaware that her head was in serious threat of being ripped off her slender shoulders, the scarlet-haired girl moved her eyes in a frenzy, hoping to catch sight of the lizard-man. Finding the perfect chance, Gawil released his claws and let gravity pull him downwards. "Ariel! Swing your hammer above you now!" At that moment, Shin cried out to Ariel. Although she was unable to see anything above her head, she still faithfully followed Shin''s instructions. "Hiyaahh!!!" The Lava Warhammer, which had been dormant for a while, suddenly shone in a crimson light as the primal marking begun to glow once more. Effortlessly spinning the heavy bludgeon around like it was a bamboo pole, Ariel aimed at the empty air right above her. "ARGHHHHH!!!" To her surprise, her Spirit actually managed to make contact with an invisible object causing it to holler out in agony. In that instant when the Lava Warhammer made contact with the unknown body, a molten, volcanic fluid flowed out from the depths of the hammerhead and melted everything it touched. Unable to maintain his invisible form, Gawil''s figure reappeared in the crumbling store and flew backwards, straight towards the concrete wall. As he flew through the air, Gawil had a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He had once again been blown away by the menacing, primordial Warhammer that he had belittled before. ''What the hell?!?!?! How did the brat manage to sense me?!'' But what truly shocked Gawil was how Shin could accurately deduce his presence. His prided camouflage, which had served him well throughout the years, had actually been cracked by a boy no more than ten-years-old?! "Shin! How did you know?!" Ariel''s hands started to shiver in trepidation. She had only managed to discover Gawil once her Spirit mowed down on him. Beforehand, Ariel did not even have an inkling of where the Spirit Core cultivator was. If she had not listened to Shin''s instructions, Ariel might have lost her head. "When I attacked him earlier on, some of my created water was heavily lodged into his wound. Since I can manipulate the water I created, I am able to sense where it is. But his concealment ability is extremely powerful. I only noticed him when he got near to us." Shin nonchalantly explained how he was able to sense Gawil while focusing his eyes on the man who had reddish-orange lava flowing out from the centre of his chest. When he sensed Gawil dropping down from the ceiling onto the unsuspecting Ariel, a profound fear gripped his heart. The man was genuinely trying to kill them. Hence, to prevent any further mishaps, he had to ensure that he knew where Gawil was at all times. But alas, there was no way Gawil would allow himself to remain visible for much longer. Gathering his mana once more, the mint-coloured scales began to glow as it brushed off the lava at his abdomen and gradually made his figure disappear. "He concealed himself again!" Ariel called out in frustration. What angered her the most is that even though they were focusing their attention on him, Gawil could easily slip under their radar by using his concealment ability. "Shin! Can you zone in on his position?" "No, I can''t¡­ His invisibility ability is amazing. If he''s within two metres, I could vaguely sense his position but otherwise¡­ Wait, this is a shoe shop right?" "Huh? Why are you stating the obvious?" Ariel squinted her eyes in displeasure after hearing Shin''s words. She mentally questioned his sanity for bringing up such a weird question in a crucial time like this. "No, that''s it! Store manager do you have..." Thinking of an idea, Shin moved towards Manald, who was sitting in a corner nearby. ~~~ While Shin and Ariel were discussing their next plan of attack in soft voices, Gawil was hiding behind a small shoe rack in invisibility mode. Using both his impaired hands to pat down the pain in his chest and left stomach, the decrepit man just sat there, resting. He was already in a sorry state when he entered the Watkin Shoebox. Now that Shin and Ariel had added on three massive attacks that profoundly deteriorated his condition, he felt that he could hold on no longer. Struggling to even keep his eyes straight, Gawil felt the world spin round even though there was nothing to affect it. He lost control of his hands, which were trembling wildly and his back was drenched with cold sweat. The sounds of the busy street, which were so clear before, had become muffled and the sweet smell of fabric was wholly replaced with the iron scent of blood. ''Damn it! Damn it! I just wanted to destroy that fucker''s store! Where did those two abnormal humans come from?!'' Feeling his soul slowly dripping out from his body, Gawil cursed Shin and Ariel, indignant that he was unable to finish what he sought out to do. Trying his best to remain conscious, the damaged man circulated his mana, possibly for the last time. But at that moment, he saw a vast shadow emerge from behind. ''What the hell?!'' Turning his head over his shoulder, Gawil looked for the source of the shadow. And he did not have to search for long. Inside the brown wooden store, there was suddenly a humongous blue water ball that nearly covered the entire shop. Unlike the Shin''s previous water balls, the current one that he conjured up was coloured in a vibrant dark blue dye. ''What''s he doing?'' Gawil questioned the little boy''s intentions by forming such a strange ability. Fortunately for him, he did not have to wait long to find out. "Now, Ariel!" A sharp juvenile voice sounded out. "Gotcha!" Already with her knees bent and thighs down, Ariel pounced straight above the gigantic water ball, like a wound-up spring being released. Spinning the Lava Warhammer round, she reached a point where she was able to survey the entire store with a single glance. "Now!" "Alright!" Indicating to Shin that she was in position, Ariel remained airborne right above the colossal blue ball of water. At that time, Shin immediately released the form of the ball, letting the dyed water drop, washing the entire store. Shin''s plan was exceedingly simple. By using the dyes in the shoe store, he would paint the water he created dark blue and form an immense water ball. When it was big enough to cover the entirety of the shop, he would drop the dyed water everywhere, revealing the position of Gawil. And Ariel, who would be flying in the air, will direct her bloodthirsty Warhammer to finish him off. Seeing that his skin, which should have been invisible, had turned dark blue, Gawil finally understood the predicament that Shin had put him in. He attempted to quickly evade the looming threat from the ceiling, but it was too late. Speeding towards him like a shooting star, Ariel aimed her Lava Warhammer straight at Gawil''s poor head. ''I can''t dodge!'' Unable to avoid Ariel''s attack, Gawil formed a cross with his two arms to protect his head. "*BOOOM*!!!" A deafening blast reverberated through the store, stunning everyone inside. Even the constables on standby outside were jerked in surprise. Like a crashing meteor, Ariel created a crater in the middle of the store upon impact, essentially crippling Gawil''s arms. "Haha! I did it! Shin! I did it!" Hopping around like an elated bunny, Ariel showed off her accomplishment by waving the Lava Warhammer in her hands up and down. Earlier, when Shin briefed her on his plan, she was a little sceptical. But ultimately, she trusted the training partner that she had been with for her entire life. Thinking back, Shin would always use these kinds of weird tactics to outsmart her and eventually beat her. That''s why she struggled so hard to take a win off this lean young boy. "Yeah, you di¡­ Ariel! Watch out!" Walking out from behind the counter, Shin approached Ariel with a relieved smile. But before he could pat her on the back, a large shadow emerged from the crater that Ariel formed. "ARGHHH!!!" Hollering out his most agonising roar yet, Gawil wrapped his thick, scaly tail around Ariel''s neck. Like an anaconda that found its prey, his tail tightened his grip, cutting off the air flow in her throat. "Ariel!" Shin brought out The Sovereign Koi, frantically forming numerous streams of water to attack the broken-down man with. After studying the human anatomy for so long, he knew how fragile a human neck was. With just a little force in the wrong direction, the person would be sent directly to the netherworld. Worried that Gawil would snap Ariel''s neck in the heat of a moment, Shin rushed forward desperately. "Since I''m going out anyway, let me just take one tribute with me!" And Shin''s fears weren''t unjustified. With his mind unsound, Gawil was unable to make any rational decisions. Normally, he would not even consider taking an innocent life for the sake of his revenge, but now that everything had come to an end, he wanted to do the unthinkable. "No, you won''t..." As Gawil was preparing to end Ariel''s life, an adenoidal voice sounded out from the entrance of the store. Before Gawil could turn to look at the source, a radiant golden light enveloped both him and Ariel. Bathed by the same majestic light, the two individuals were facing two contrasting experiences. Ariel felt her strength, and spiritual energy return to her body and the pressure on her neck lighten. A warm feeling wrapped her heart as if she was placed in her mother''s arms once again. Her Lava Warhammer begun to vibrate in joy as her mana calmed, strengthening her entire body into a state it had never been before. Gawil on the other hand was unable to control his body once exposed to the golden light. Unable to retain his spiritual body enhancement form, his reptilian tail grew back into his butt, releasing the hold on Ariel. As if he were struck by lightning, he felt a sharp, excruciating pain move through his body, paralysing him in the process. Falling to the floor, Gawil flopped around like a freshly caught fish on a boat. "Man, I let you out of my sight for one second, and you get caught up in something troublesome. I expect some payment, boy..." A willowy, blonde woman entered the store with an adorable, white gerbil resting on her shoulders. Behind her, there was an elderly man with a reddish-brown beard who was wearing a concerned expression. Rushing over to Ariel, who was busying coughing to regain her breathing, the First Elder handed her a bottle of water. "Lady Seph!" Never in his life was Shin so happy to shout out those two words. Chapter 93 The First Patient 6 Sauntering leisurely into the Watkin Shoebox, Lady Seph was followed by a plethora of fully-equipped constables that rushed in rapidly to apprehend the Watkin Murderer. Among them, there was a pudgy, middle-aged man, whose frown was deep enough to touch his own double-chin. Less than three minutes have passed since Lewis received the report about the whereabouts of the Watkin Murderer. Eager to seize the man that he had been chasing for the past few weeks, he flew out of his office''s window and raced here as fast as he could. However, seconds before he arrived, another more powerful existence already made her way into the store and did his job for him. "Young man, you constables sure are slow¡­ If I were a few seconds late, that pretty little lass wouldn''t be able to retain her head..." Lady Seph sassed the beefy man, not impressed with how slow he was in reacting to the incident. "My apologies, Lady Seph. I''ll be sure to make a satisfactory report that will compensate the Frie Clan..." Gritting his teeth his frustration, Lewis placed his clenched fists to his sides and gave the woman a deep bow. He did not know that Shin and Ariel just happened to be in the store the moment the Watkin Murderer struck. But Lewis wasn''t all to blame. The constables who first discovered the felon''s position were all merely Spirit Apostles. Should they have entered before Lewis had arrived, the Watkin Murderer might have already made his escape. Nonetheless, if he had known that there were two innocent children stuck in the same place as the wanted criminal, Lewis might have done things a little differently. "Don''t tell that to me, just hope that Edward doesn''t erupt on you¡­ He seems to love that lass quite a bit." Glancing down at the scarlet-haired little girl, who was still trying to regulate her own breathing and the old man helping her do so, Lady Seph ominously warned Lewis. A cold shiver ran down the spine of the weighty man once he realised who the old man and the girl was. The Frie Clan''s First Elder was famous, or one might say, notorious for having an explosive temper. Gulping down a mouthful of nervous saliva, Lewis prayed that the Ariel would hopefully emerge unscathed. "Alright, while you are busy worrying about your life, let me see the retard that tried to mess with my attendant." Lady Seph wore a playful smile as she walked towards her new patient. Summoning out the Iofiel Angel, the elderly woman glowed in a dim golden light, in preparation for her next task. "Are you going to heal him?!" After seeing the familiar stance, Shin was able to deduce what Lady Seph was attempting to do. Shocked that she was going to help restore the person who had tried to kill him and Ariel earlier, the black-haired youth questioned his teacher. "Of course I am! Is there a problem?" "That man tried to kill us! Why should he be healed?" Shin was extremely clear on how supernatural Lady Seph''s abilities were. If someone said that she could raise the dead, Shin would be compelled to believe that person. He felt that someone like Lady Seph should only use her powers to do good, not save a known murderer that had attempted to maul them just a few minutes earlier. "Shin¡­ We are healers, not judicators. We do not decide who is right or wrong. Who is worth saving and who we should let die. We save lives. I hope you remember that..." Lady Seph''s face turned sombre as she put on the most serious expression that Shin had seen yet. With her brows furrowed and lips curved downwards, the elderly woman gently exhaled out a mouthful of air while explaining her position. Taken aback by her sudden solemnity, Shin closed his mouth in indignation. Evidently, he was not convinced. "Well, you''re too young to understand it now anyway..." Wearing a bitter smile, Lady Seph diverted her attention back to the Watkin Murderer, who was lying unconscious on the floor. Using the Iofiel Angel, she closed her eyes as a melodious tune filled the room. Behind her, the phantom of the divine woman spread her wings wide as an ostentatious harp appeared in her hands. Using her heavenly fingers to pluck the mystical strings, the Iofiel Angel started to play a mellifluous song. The Watkin Murderer''s fingers began to twitch as his ears picked up as the aria descended onto his body. A golden light, akin to droplets of rain, started to flow out of his body. His yellowed skin gradually turned into a healthy pink colour and the wound on his left stomach begun to close. At this point in time, Lady Seph seemed to notice that something was amiss in the man''s body and sent forth a wave of spiritual energy. Scanning every single cell in the Watkin Murderer, Lady Seph tried to determine the cause of the anomaly she sensed. And after ten seconds, she started to give a deep frown. Closing her eyes, her eyelids trembled as she bit her lip. Only after a substantial amount of time, did she stop supplying mana to her Spirit and released the light, enveloping the felon. "What''s wrong?" Lewis was puzzled. Usually, when a healing process started, the healer would continue supplying mana until their patient''s condition had stabilised. But looking at the Watkin Murderer, it was evident that he was far from making a full recovery. "This man¡­ He''s a walking corpse..." "What?!" At her words, everyone in the room gasped out in shock. If the famed Lady Seph was unable to do anything to heal the Watkin Murderer and even blurted out such dismal words, it meant that the man was truly beyond saving. "His infection had destroyed half of his organs. One of his lungs is punctured, and his heart is lacking the strength to continue pumping blood. Without proper access to clean food and water, his body is severely lacking energy, and many of his bodily functions had shut down. It is a miracle that he is still alive right now¡­ Even if I used all my abilities to heal all the damaged parts, due to prolonged stress and days of lost blood, he would still breathe his last within the hour." Lady Seph calmly accessed the man''s condition and narrated it to those present. Before, she was wondering how Shin and Ariel, two Rank 2 Spirit Practitioners, could hold back a fully-grown man in the Spirit Core realm. But after accessing the Watkin Murderer''s body, she finally understood why. Breathing out a mournful sigh, Lady Seph addressed Lewis: "He will wake up shortly, so if you have any questions for him, make it quick. I hope you won''t stress him too much before he passes..." Strangely, Lady Seph was empathetic towards the felon and calmly rose from her position. Finding a stand to lie on, she folded her arms and beckoned for Shin. "Boy, tell me what happened in the store. Don''t leave out any details." "Ermmm, it started when Ariel and I were shopping..." Although Shin was thought that Lady Seph was not behaving like her usual self, he still recounted the details of how he met the Watkin Murderer. From the start where Ariel and he entered the Watkin Shoebox, to the appearance of the felon, how he deduced that he had Amcinoma and how they managed to fight him off. Listening earnestly to his explanation, Lady seemed apathetic, but her fingers were furiously tapping her sleeves like a broken clock. "I see¡­ Well, you''re not wrong. The man did suffer from acute Amcinoma, but his injuries were far more serious than you thought. Externally, it looks like all he had was Amicinoma, but internally, he had been broken down to the bone..." "What do you mean?" "I might have some questions for this ''Watkin Murderer.'' Hah... Looks like I''m still not immune to this..." Shin was extremely puzzled at Lady Seph''s words. But before he could inquire, a hoarse cough could be heard coming from the unconscious man lying stationary on the floor. "He''s waking up!" One of the junior constables cried out. Drawing the eyes of everyone in the room, including the incensed First Elder, the Watkin Murderer suddenly became the centre of attention. Coming to his senses, the felon gave a cursory scan of the room. Attempting to move his hands and legs, he felt a tight constriction binding his movements. Turning his head around, he saw a horde of constables surrounding him with their weapons unsheathed. Even the pudgy constable captain had summoned out his Emerald Jade Gladius. "You are under arrest for the murder of Andrew Watkin, how do you plead?" Typically, Lewis would bring his prisoner in for questioning, but hearing Lady Seph claim that the man had less than an hour to live, he did not want to waste any time by moving the felon. "...Jeffe..." Panting heavily, the Watkin Murderer''s face turned red as he attempted to mouth out some words. "What''s that?" "...nam¡­ son..." But no matter how much he tried, the words were unable to properly flow out his mouth. "I said, how do you plead?!" Irritated by the Watkin Murderer''s actions, Lewis raised his voice a little while trying to pull out some answers from the convict. "MY NAME IS GAWIL JEFFERSON!!!" Like a despaired window, the man lying on the floor wailed. He had enough of people calling him the Watkin Murderer. Being compared to the man, he abhorred the most, sickened him to the stomach. The feeling had bottled up inside of him for the past few weeks, and now finally, he was unable to take it anymore. Chapter 94 Gawil Jefferson 1 Taken aback by Gawil''s sudden outburst, Lewis stood up from his crouching position and slowly backed away. One of his eyebrows raised in bewilderment as he remembered that after chasing the man for so long, this was the first time he had heard of the felon''s name. All the while, the constables and the public just referred to him as the Watkin Murderer. "My¡­ name is g...gawil¡­ Jefferson!" Huffing and puffing, Gawil tried his best to enunciate his name. However, due to his weakened state, he was unable to clearly say it out loud. "..." Lady Seph''s frown only grew deeper after seeing how desperate the man was. She clearly understood the amount of pain that he was going through. Just trying to breathe was hard enough and now, he was attempting to shout out his name. "Hah..." Giving out a big sigh, the elderly woman sent a surge of resplendent golden light straight towards Gawil. As the holy light enveloped him, the decrepit man felt his energy returning to him as he started to stabilise his breathing. Letting himself get drunk in Lady Seph''s power, Gawil felt as if he had entered an ocean of healing water, where every drop of fluid rejuvenated his damaged body. After a short while, he regained control of his mental functions as he started to become more and more lucid. Looking up at the woman that enabled him to recover, Gawil gave her a slight appreciatory nod and tried to sit upright. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to feel his legs and many parts of his upper body. Hence, he continually collapsed the moment he attempted to get up. Like a toddler learning how to walk, Gawil kept falling much to the annoyance of the constable captain. "Here! Now can you speak?!" Picking up Gawil, Lewis rested him up on a nearby shelf and urged him to continue his story. Although he was a hundred per cent sure that the man in front of him killed Andrew Watkin, he didn''t know his motivations for the murder. Was a single man''s homicide plan? Or was he part of a greater group? Lewis wanted to find out. "Yeah..." Gawil replied weakly. With Lady Seph''s added power, he was able to regain a little of his strength. "Did you kill Andrew Watkin?" "Yeah, I did..." "Why did you do so?" "He deserved to die¡­ That bastard deserved to die..." Questioning Gawil, Lewis pressed on every single query he had. "Why did he deserve to die?" The fat constable captain wanted to push on with the interrogation, but at that time, Gawil''s eyes moved away from the man and gazed a nearby little boy. Standing next to Ariel, who had primarily recovered and was in some sort of stupor, Shin was attentively listening in on the conversation between Lewis and Gawil. Suddenly, he felt the earnest stare of the man who had tried to kill him earlier on. Becoming the focal point in the room, many of those present wondered why Gawil turned his attention to the black-haired boy. But they didn''t have to wait long to find out the answer. "You there, what''s your name?" Gawil affectionately asked Shin. It was strange to see his assailant look at him with kind eyes. Unsure of the man''s motives, Shin just gave his name. "Shin..." "Shin huh¡­ I see¡­ You reminded me a lot of myself¡­ The look that you had when that little girl was about to die in my grasp¡­ I think you should be able to understand..." Knocking his head on the wooden stand behind him, Gawil stared into empty space as he said: "Would you listen to my story?" ~~~ In a countryside, where the majority of nature is untouched by human civilisation, it was a small, humble village. Focusing primarily on hunting and farming, the inhabitants of the small town were somewhat withdrawn from society and only mingled with their inner circles. However, even though the villagers had little knowledge of the world surrounding them, they had plenty of awakened Spirit Users. The village head was even a Rank 34 Spirit Adept, who was strong enough to deter bandits from raiding their homes. And one day, during the Day of Spirits, the very same village head, who was ordinarily stoic and undeterred by his surroundings, was nervously walking around in circles with furrowed brows and a back drenched with cold sweat. "Bawil! Stop moving about! You''re making me dizzy!" A middle-aged lady furiously reprimanded her husband. Holding a sewing kit, the woman was in the middle of putting on the final touches on the pouch she was working on. Having the man moving around in circles really distracted her. "Sorry, my dear¡­ It''s just, Gawil is undergoing his Spirit Awakening as we speak! What if he doesn''t awaken a good Spirit?!" The village head was extremely nervous because his son was about to undergo the Spirit Awakening ceremony. Although he put on an indifferent expression earlier on when cheering on his son, in front of his beloved wife, he let his feelings burst forth. "What to do with you¡­ Gawil is your son! Obviously, he would awaken the best Spirit there is! There''s no need to worry!" "But..." "No buts! Now shut it, I''m trying to finish up my gift to Gawil! Go take a walk or something! Stop bothering me!" Shooing her husband away, the lady picked up her sewing needle and continued to work on her embroidery. "Fine..." In their village, during the children''s Spirit Awakening ceremony, no one other than the village priest was allowed in the venue. Hence, many of the nervous parents could only patiently wait in their own abodes for their children''s results. An evil thought flashed past Bawil''s mind, thinking that he should just take a small peek at the chambers but he eventually brushed it off. And just as he was about to leave the room, he heard a young, familiar voice. "Father! Mother! I''m home!" Even if he was buried alive, Bawil was able to recognise his son''s voice. A ecstatic smile crept up his face as the village head knocked open the door, totally forgetting to put on his dignified demeanour. "Gawil! Welcome home! So? How did it go?" In the courtyard, there was a young boy, no older than ten-years-old who had a head full of vibrant brown hair and was a little on the chubby side. His father, the village head, was unable to hide his anticipation and immediately jumped into the topic. "Perfect! I inherited father''s Blorgte Chameleon!" With his right hand, he raised his index and middle finger, forming a victory sign. "Really?! That''s great!!! Hahahaha! You did not let me down, my son!" If not for his age, Bawil would have loved to grab his little son and hop up and down in ecstasy. "Yeah! Even Hewla managed to inherit her father''s Spirit!" "Oh ho¡­ Hewla did huh..." Thinking of the little girl, who was Gawil''s playmate from young, a mischievous thought emerged in Bawil''s subconscious. "Thinking about that lass, isn''t she the perfect wife for you?" "W-what are you talking about father?! We''re not like that!" At his father''s teasing words, Gawil''s face turned beet red and his throat begun to dry. The little boy had a crush on the girl that was always with him and sometimes imagined that she would become his wife. However, that was all his innocent heart thought of. "Hahaha! What''s there to be ashamed of? Hewla is the granddaughter of the village elder, and the both of you are talented enough to awaken Spirits. Furthermore, I''ve seen the way she looks at you! Hahaha! It''s settled then! I''ll propose an engagement with the village elder. I''m sure that they will agree!" Typically, the Bawil would try to retain his leader persona in front of every single one of his village members; but today, he was too happy to bother. Gawil had awakened the Blorgte Chameleon, carrying on his legacy and he had found a prospective wife for his son. It was only a matter of time before he could retire with a room filled with grandchildren. "Father!" Gawil embarrassedly tried to protest, but his father''s thoughts were final. Amazingly enough, both the village elder and Hewla were rather fond of the engagement proposal and immediately accepted. However, what it resulted in was two very abashed little children who could barely look each other in the eyes, much to the amusement of their parents. ~~~ Fifteen years had passed since Gawil awakened his Spirit. The day to day activities of the village had remained mundane with the farmers working hard on the cotton plantation nearby and hunters bringing back carcasses of meat for the villagers to share. Children would playfully run about while their mothers supervised them from afar. However, the usually busy streets of the village were currently empty as every single soul in the small town were gathered at the large straw entrance. "Are they here yet?" "Not yet, I can''t see them!" "Did something bad happen?" All the villagers were gossiping while eagerly anticipating the arrival of something. At the forefront of the crowd, there was an elderly woman who had a head full of white hair and a young lady in her twenties. The lady was grasping the hems of her sleeves while biting the lips of her rounded face. Her bright black eyes trembled as she thought of the worst possible outcome worrying the old woman next to her. "Rest assured Hewla, your husband will return safe and sound. After all, he is the best genius in our village''s history! Furthermore, his father is with him." The village elder reached out her hand and grasped her granddaughter''s shivering palms. "But they are hunting down a Shuthe Serpent! How can I not be worried?!" Hewla anxiously retorted. A few days ago, hunters from the village sighted a Shuthe Serpent just a few kilometres east from the town. If left alone, the beast, that could easily match a Spirit User in the Spirit Core realm, might make its way into the village and possibly claim some innocent lives. To deter that threat, the village head gathered some of the clan''s best fighters and launched an expedition to hunt the beast. Gawil, also known as the village''s greatest genius, was also recruited into the expedition. He had reached the Spirit Core realm in thirteen years, smashing his father''s record. And due to his Blorgte Chameleon latent spiritual ability, Gawil was also among the best hunters in the village. Hence, if there was a hunt for a Shuthe Serpent, it was natural for the young man to be recruited. "Why aren''t they back yet..." Hewla looked into the sky and wondered about her husband''s safety. The hunters had left the village early that morning. And currently, the sun was about to disappear into the horizon. Every single villager had been camping at the entrance in hopes to see their fighters return safe and sound but since the expedition squad had been gone for an entire day, their imagination started to run wild. "Look! From the forest!" At that moment, a large object emerged from the darkness of the woods. Sensing the abnormal item, every single villager turned their attention to it. Gradually rolling out of the verdant woodlands, a large carriage carrying a twenty-metre long snake headed straight towards the village. Atop the snake''s head, there was a valiant young man, leisurely sitting on its crown. The moment Hewla caught sight of the young man, her eyes began to glisten. Covering her mouth with both her hands, she calmed her beating heart and prevented herself from wheezing. After the anxiety in her heart died down, she put on a radiant smile and called out to the man that she loved. "Gawil!!!" Chapter 95 Gawil Jefferson 2 "Hewla!" As the man sitting on top of the Shuthe Serpent saw the sweet, milky face of the young woman, he felt a warm, affectionate feeling rise up in his chest. Hewla''s perfectly straight long hair covered her cheeks, hiding the round and chubby face of hers. Apparently, the woman had a small complex about how full-figured she was and tried her best to conceal her excess fat. Gawil always frowned upon her overly conscious nature as he believed that she was perfect the way she was. However, Hewla always put her husband''s words on deaf ear. Nonetheless, the two lovebirds would always make up after serious fights, showing how much they cared for one another. "Hewla! I''m home!" Descending from the corpse of the Shuthe Serpent, Gawil immediately rushed over to his precious wife. Stoking her smooth face, the man rubbed off the beautiful tears that dripped down her cheeks. After leaving for an entire day, he couldn''t begin to imagine the amount of worry he made his wife go through. "You bastard¡­ You''re late!" Lightly admonishing Gawil, Hewla used her fists to softly tap her husband''s chest. Although she had seen him off for many hunting trips, Gawil had never faced a beast that was as dangerous as the Shuthe Serpent. Hence, when the expedition was running a little late, her imagination ran wild as she feared the worst. "I''m sorry¡­ The Shuthe Serpent was much more elusive than we thought. It took a while for us to really locate it." Lovingly caressing Hewla''s fragrant head, Gawil''s fingers reached her nape and begun to massage it. Whenever his wife was feeling tense or stressed, he would produce this manoeuvre to calm her, and it worked every single time. Feeling intoxicated by her husband''s care, Hewla seemed to have melted as she entrusted her body to Gawil. Taking advantage of her delirious state, Gawil moved his fingers from her nape and gently raised her chin upwards. Bringing his lips closer, the man went straight for her unprotected, cherry red lips. "Hey! Not here!" Figuring out what her husband was trying to do, Hewla brought up her hand and pushed the oily face that was rapidly closing in on her. "Come on! I just fought hard for our village! Shouldn''t I get a reward?" "Not in front of everyone! My grandmother is here too!" "Then we should show her how loving we are!" As everyone saw how Gawil and Hewla were behaving, the villagers gathered there started to nod their heads in approval. As the village head''s only son and the village elder''s only granddaughter, the couple were like celebrities in their little community. When they had their wedding ceremony three years ago, every single soul attended and watched them become united in matrimonial bliss. "Hahahaha! I know that you guys are a loving couple, but do it somewhere where I can''t see it!" A brawny man approached the duo from behind the carriage. Stroking his unkempt beard, Bawil teased his son and daughter-in-law making Hewla face turn as red as a tomato. "Father! If that''s the case, may I return home with Hewla?" Gawil''s grasp on his wife''s hands became tighter as he impatiently asked his father if he could leave. "Of course! Go and make some grandchildren for me!" "Father!!!" At his words, Hewla was unable to endure the teasing anymore and helplessly blurted out. Although she had been subject to such teasing many times before, they were currently in the presence of every single villager. "Hahaha! Oops, looks like crossed some sort of line! Gawil, you don''t have to stay for the dismantling of the beast. However, I do need you to report to me tomorrow morn¡­ Wait, scratch that, tomorrow afternoon! Take your time tonight!" Ever since Gawil married Hewla and broke through into the Spirit Core realm, Bawil had thrown away his stoic demeanour and replaced it with the loving father behaviour. After all, if all went well, Gawil would inherit his place as village head, and he would eventually retire will a hall full of grandchildren. "Understood! Leave it to me!" Elated by his father''s approval, Gawil gave him a thumbs up while embracing his flustered wife''s waist. "What am I to do with the two of you..." Putting her palm on her forehead, Hewla let Gawil drag her off while the rest of the villagers smiled at their bliss. ~~~ The next day, after a rough, sleepless night, Gawil unwillingly trudged out of his humble abode and headed to the house of the village head. After marrying Hewla, the couple had been allocated a place on their own by Bawil so that they could experience life together. In the future, when Gawil inherits the position of the village head, they would not be able to spend as much time as they could now. Thus, Bawil tried not to overwork his son too much. "Ahhhh¡­ Morning, father..." Stretching his arms as he yawned, Gawil entered his father''s office while trying to keep himself awake. "It nearly noon, Gawil¡­ I assumed you had fun last night?" "That''s not something you should ask your son!" "Then I''ll ask you as a fellow married man." "Just shut up!" Sitting in front of his desk, Gawil poured himself a cup of tea while striking up a conversation with his father. "Hahaha, judging from your ghastly face, I presume that my long-awaited grandchild will be arriving soon!" "Just get to business!" "Alright then! Gawil, you''re performance when hunting the Shuthe Serpent was exemplary. I believe no time you will be able to surpass me!" Reclining back in his chair Bawil praised his son with a broad, proud grin on his face. "Is that why you called me here? Just to praise me?" "Of course not! Gawil¡­ One day you will become a great Spirit User, perhaps you might even become strong enough to contend with those great family clans of the Himmel Empire! So, before I transfer my position to you, I want you to inherit my dream..." "Dream?" Confused by his father''s words, Gawil probed a little. "Gawil¡­ Are you content with the way the village currently is? Working day and night on the cotton plantation for a little produce and selling it for a marginal profit? Sending the able-bodied men to become hunters so that we can feast on meat once a fortnight?" "..." Hearing his father question the village''s way of life, Gawil frowned a little. He had been living the same lifestyle for his entire life, and now suddenly, his father was saying that he was unsatisfied with it. "There''s no way you are content! The world is vast and much bigger than this small village! Primordial beasts roam the continent and the sea while Rank 90 Spirit Saints, who can bring a nation to its knees, rule every living person! My talent is unable to even dream about reaching their level, but I believe you can!" "Me?" "Of course! And when you do reach that level, every single soul in the empire would remember your name! Our name! The Jefferson name!" Bawil fervently exclaimed. "My son¡­ Your useless father had always dreamed of leaving a mark in history. Unfortunately, my talent has always been lacking; but the heavens have not abandoned me! They sent me you..." "Father¡­" Worried that his father was beating himself too much, Gawil attempted to stop Bawil from speaking any further. However, the village head raised his hand to stop his son. "Even in my old age, I can''t see myself progressing any further in my cultivation. So I had diverted all my attention to easing your future path. Our village harvests cotton at an astonishing rate. By using that as a bargaining chip, I had invited a wealthy fabric merchant who is living nearby, to visit our village." "What?" "Today he''ll be coming over to inspect the plantations. I hope that you could meet him. After all, you two will be interacting much more in the future. Put on your best behaviour though¡­ The man owns one of the largest fabric business in our area. A large majority of shoes, clothes and other apparel are made by his companies." "I see..." "Remember son, this is just a stepping stone for us! Once our partnership with the merchant takes off, we will be able to earn much more money than we are earning now! With that added cash reserves, we can purchase the best cultivation manuals for you, and perhaps even send you to those expensive sects!" As Bawil continued to share his dreams, a knock on the door could be heard. "Village head, your visitor has arrived." An attendant informed the Bawil of the arrival of his guest. Getting up from his chair, the village head dusted off his robes and gently combed his hair. "Send him in!" After a few short seconds, heavy footsteps could be heard closing in from a distance. Giving his son a wry smile, Bawil prepared himself to receive the guest that he was anticipating. The bamboo door creaked open as a large, obese man appeared in the hallway. Gawil''s eyes opened up in shock after seeing how large the man was. Perhaps it was due to the living conditions in the village, people that fat were hard to find. Wearing a luxurious green robe, the man unfolded his paper fan as he walked into the office. Squinting his eyes the man scanned his surroundings first before turning his attention to the two men in front of him. "Good afternoon, my name is Andrew Watkin." It was the first fateful encounter of Gawil Jefferson and Andrew Watkin. Chapter 96 Gawil Jefferson 3 The first meeting between Andrew Watkin and the Jeffersons went great. After exploring the fields, the affluent merchant was extremely pleased with how the crops were being grown, and how the villagers were doing their best to ensure that the cotton plantation was free of pests and other hazards. After the preliminary inspection, Bawil offered that Gawil bring the guest on a tour of the village, to help his son build a bond with the merchant. Gawil naturally obliged. Bringing Andrew Watkin to the various places in the town; but since the village was rather small, the tour managed to end rather quickly. Just as the merchant was getting bored, a peculiar sight caught his eye. "Is that a Shuthe Serpent?" Glancing at the carcass of the once-perilous beast, Andrew Watkin asked his guide. "You have a good eye, mister Watkin. That beast had been haunting our village for the past few days. Just yesterday, we launched a hunting expedition to bring down the serpent. Thankfully, no one was injured." Gawil explained how the Shuthe Serpent died and anything that the merchant wished to know. "Since you know that much, you must be one of the brave hunters who brought down this thing..." "I''m not worthy of such praise. All I did was defend my home." "There''s no need to be modest. A Shuthe Serpent is a powerful beast. For someone of your age to be able to hunt it is rather remarkable." Andrew Watkin slapped his paper fan shut as he started to contemplate something. "Is something the matter?" "No¡­ It''s nothing¡­ Gawil, right? Do you mind if I call you that?" "Of course not! Please, ask anything you need." "Then I won''t be courteous. Why don''t you work for me for a few years? As I understand, there are still a few more years before you officially take over your father''s position. During that time, why don''t you work for me in my shops? I am in a severe need for capable Spirit Users to protect my products and could really use a hand..." Andrew Watkin put forth a proposal for Gawil to work for him. A little shocked by the sudden turn of events, Gawil was unable to think straight for a short period of time. "As someone inheriting the village head position, don''t you think you should gain more connections outside? Working at my store will help to broaden your horizons! Furthermore, I will pay you a fair amount." Seeing that Gawil was still shellshocked by his sudden words, Andrew Watkin continued to press, in hopes of convincing the young Spirit Core cultivator to join his ranks. "That¡­ I think I should discuss this with my father first..." "Then I''ll await your good news!" Putting his pearly white teeth on full display, Andrew Watkin flashed Gawil the brightest smile he had ever seen. Of course, in future, Gawil would continuously curse this day where he listened to the fat monster''s words¡­ ~~~ Naturally, Bawil was elated when he heard that the wealthy merchant had invited Gawil over to work for him. The thing his son lacked the most was not strength or cultivation, but experience in the real world. Only by exposing him to the perils of the world outside of the village, could Gawil continue to grow and become stronger. Hence, when Andrew Watkin offered his son a job, Bawil happily threw Gawil straight into the merchant''s arms. Thus, Gawil embarked on his first job outside of the village. Andrew Watkin was rather kind to the country bumpkin when he first arrived in his store. The wealthy merchant introduced Gawil to many of his affiliates and family members. Additionally, he never underpaid or mistreated the newbie, making Gawil''s early days under him a cakewalk. The Jefferson Village was close to Chilyoja Waypoint, Andrew Watkin''s base of operations. Hence, Gawil was always given a few days off a month to report back to the village and meet his precious wife and inspect the cotton plantations. Everything was going smoothly for Gawil. His village was prospering, and his cultivation was improving at an exponential rate. And just like that, three years had passed since Andrew Watkin first visited the town. "What did you say?!" Bulging his eyes out, Gawil blankly stared at his wife. Widening his mouth so large that an apple could fit in, the young man, who had quickly grown into a responsible adult, made the dumbest look he had in years. Bemused by her husband''s reaction, Hewla gently used her delicate fingers to push Gawil''s jaw up. "Hehehe, I''m pregnant you silly..." "You''re joking¡­ Is it true?! Is it really true?" Reaching out to Hewla''s soft stomach, Gawil''s fingers trembled in excitement. And she couldn''t blame him. When she first heard the news, Hewla had the exact same reaction he had. The couple had been married for years, and they had tried to have a baby every single night that they were together. Unfortunately, due to the both of them being strong Spirit Users, it was a little more difficult for them to produce a child. However, that did not bother Gawil. After all, they were still very young. "Yeah! My grandmother personally confirmed it! You''re going to be a dad, Gawil!" "Me? A father? HAHAHAHA!!! I''m going to be a father? Oh my god! My love! Come here, my love!" Immediately after he got the news, Gawil brought his wife close to him and embraced her. Smelling her fragrant hair and stroking her smooth back, the man felt as if the world had turned pink with joy. He had wished for a child ever since he got married and he had to admit, the numerous times he had been let down over the years really struck down his confidence. "Hey! Hey! Don''t be so violent! What if you scare the baby?" Pushing her husband away, Hewla lightly admonished him. "Right! I''m sorry! Hahahaha! I''m going to be a father! We have to celebrate! Let me go get¡­ Wait..." "Hmmm? Is something the matter?" Seeing that her husband''s jubilant mood had suddenly turned bitter, Hewla grabbed his sleeve. "Mister Watkin is sending me on a mission tomorrow¡­ It might take me a few days to return¡­ Arghhh!!! What timing!" "It''s alright, Gawil. Work is more important¡­ It''s not like when you return, I won''t be pregnant anymore." Hewla gently smiled when she heard her husband''s reason for feeling despondent. Caressing his head, she comforted him like the good wife she was. "Don''t worry, I''ll work extra hard on this mission! Getting it done for one day won''t be a problem!" "Okay! I''ll wait for you!" ~~~ Like Gawil said, one day after he found out the news of his wife''s pregnancy, Andrew Watkin had summoned him to his chambers. With a sparkling smile, Gawil walked straight into the office that he had been to so many times before and impatiently headed towards his boss. "Mister Watkin, I have arrived!" "Oh ho, seems like you are in a good mood!" "Yeah, I''d just received some great news!" In the familiar chambers, there was an obese man busily reading documents with a brown-haired young man assisting him in moving the enormous stacks of paper. Noticing the new entrant into the building, the merchant stopped what he was doing to welcome his subordinate. "That''s good. You need to be in tip-top condition for your next mission anyway, Manald! Bring me that document!" "Yes, master Watkin!" The attendant turned to a nearby table and reached for a piece of yellow parchment paper. "Gawil, I need you to follow this map and find a cave. I''ve heard that a pregnant Mandalac Tiger had been spotted near there. If you find it, abduct the baby cub for me. Your Blorgte Chameleon Spirit is perfect for the job. A Mandalac Tiger cub can be sold at an auction for a substantial amount of money." After interacting with Andrew Watkin for so long, Gawil began to have a basic understanding of how the prosperous merchant''s mind works. He would do anything if there were profits to be made and hardly cared about the livelihood of those affected. Gawil had done many missions similar to this one, but he had always detached himself by saying that it was just work. However, now that he was going to have a baby, he could not help but feel for the pregnant beast. He wondered if it was the right thing to do. "Mister Watkin, do we really need to do that? After all, the Mandalac Tiger is not disturbing anyone..." "Did I ask for your opinion, Gawil? Need I remind you that I''m paying you to do as I say? Enough of this useless blabber¡­ I hope that you can get it done quickly..." Venomously striking back at his subordinates unwillingness to accept the mission, Andrew Watkin put on a displeased face. Occasionally, when Gawil was doing something that annoyed the merchant, Andrew Watkin would leak a little of his real character. Domineering and calculative, the man would lash out without care of his worker''s feelings. "Understood..." "Oh right, I nearly forgot..." Before Gawil could leave the room, the obese man brought out a small little medicine box. Opening the wooden lever, a pungent herb scent filled the office. "This here is a vitality enhancement pill. I expect your fight with the beast to be messy so I specially ordered someone to make this." "This¡­ The pill is too valuable mister Watkin! I can''t possibly take this!" "Don''t worry about the cost¡­ Just complete the mission." Standing up from his chair, Andrew Watkin picked up the tiny, yellow pill from the box and handed it over to Gawil, urging him to swallow it down. Touched by the man''s goodwill, the Spirit Core cultivator naively devoured the pill. "I will not let you down!" Tapping his chest twice, Gawil gave his boss a salute and resolutely left the room. He wanted to complete the mission as soon as possible so that he could return to be with his wife. As the figure of Gawil disappeared into the distance, the pleasant smile of Andrew Watkin slowly changed into a detestable frown. "Master Watkin, must we really do this?" Manald, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke up. "There''s no choice¡­ Funds are low and to open a new store, I must cut away some costs. If I eliminate the Jefferson Village, we will be able to possess the entirety of their plantations nearly doubling the income generated from that place. Furthermore, we don''t have to deal with those backwater bumpkins anymore." Nonchalantly explaining his rationale, Andrew Jefferson looked like he could care less about the lives of those villagers that he despised. "Unfortunately, there are two very high-skilled warriors in that village. Gawil and his father. Sending Gawil away to that trap would take away half of their fighting strength. For the rest of the village, I got some hired hands to quietly eradicate them. After all, who would notice if a remote community of fewer than fifty people disappeared from the face of the earth..." ~~~ Unaware of the dangers that his family was facing, Gawil innocently bolted towards the cave where the Mandalac Tiger resided. Since it was close to Chilyoja Waypoint, it took him less than five hours to accurately locate his target. "This should be it..." Looking at the map, Gawil tried to find similarities between the drawing and the surroundings. Happily, for him, everything on the map matched the environment, indicating that he was at precisely the right place. In fact, the drawing was too accurate that Gawil had to rub his eyes in disbelief for a while. "Wow, mister Watkin''s means are incredible¡­ To think that he could find a map this precise." Astounded by his employer''s prowess, Gawil carefully walked into the cave. Aiming to find the Mandalac Tiger cub as soon as possible, his steps started to move more frantically and eventually, he found himself deep inside the cave. "That''s weird, I scoured the entire place, but there are no signs of any living thing..." Thinking out loud, Gawil scratched his head in confusion. "Of course there isn''t!" At that moment, a loud bang echoed through the empty cave as a voice bellowed out behind Gawil. Turning backwards, he saw a gigantic explosion destroy the entrance of the cave, letting rocks fall and pile up. A second later, the exit to the cave was entirely sealed up. Looking up, Gawil saw three burly men, each with their own unique Spirits, staring him down. Shockingly for him, Gawil recognised those three people. "You guys! What are you doing?!" Amongst Andrew Watkin''s close associates, there was a division that focused primarily on completing tough missions. Hence, nearly every single one of its members were high-level Spirit Users with most of them being Spirit Core cultivators. Even Gawil was part of this elite group. "I''m sorry, Gawil. It''s nothing personal¡­ Master Watkin just doesn''t want you and your stupid backwater village around anymore." "WHAT?!" One of the burly men blurted out, much to the dismay of Gawil. "Well, business is business¡­ Don''t struggle. I don''t want you to suffer before you die." "You think that I''ll let you?! I..." Before Gawil could mouth out another word, he suddenly felt a throbbing pain pulsating out of his body. Losing control of his body, Gawil fell to his knees. "Hoho, perfect timing. It looks like the drug Master Watkin gave you is finally coming into effect..." The leader of the gang smiled slightly edging closer and closer to Gawil. "Drug?" "Hah¡­ Why are you so naive? Did you really think that Master Watkin would give you a vitality enhancement pill? Let this be a lesson for you in your next life¡­ Don''t be so trusting of others." Pulling out a knife from his back pocket, the burly man violently thrust the blade into the left stomach of Gawil. "ARGHHHH!!!" Screaming out in agony, Gawil felt a cold, metallic object lodged in his body. The pain was amplified by the weird drug that he consumed back in Andrew Watkin''s office. Using his right hand to grab the knife, Gawil tried to push away the burly man''s hand. "It''s no use, Gawil¡­ Just relax, it will be over in a mom..." Before the burly man could finish his sentence, he saw a brilliant flash of light that blinded his eyes for a second. When he was about to come to his senses, he felt his throat being cut through. Looking down, he saw Gawil''s left hand, which was holding a small dagger, right in front of his neck. "You¡­ think¡­ you''re¡­ the only¡­ one with¡­ a knife?!" Gasping for air, Gawil struggled to put forth his words. With his dagger piercing the burly man''s throat, Gawil ended his former co-worker''s life in an instant before pushing away the corpse. "Damn it!" Seeing their partner''s life taken away without him having the chance to react, the other two men angrily prepared their Spirits to end their target''s life. However, Gawil was not going to let them have to chance to even get close to him. Summoning out the Blorgte Chameleon, Gawil entered his spiritual body enhancement mode and turned invisible. "Be careful, his Spirit specialises in concealing himself. Other than that he has no other offensive abilities that we need to worry about!" One of the men warned the other. "AHHHHHH!!!" Unfortunately, his warning came a little late. Glancing to his side, he saw Gawil''s transformed claw penetrating his partner''s heart. Gawil''s mint-green scaly arms had been dyed crimson-red as blood dripped everywhere. "You fucking..." Before he could launch an attack, a meaty reptilian tail whipped through the air and crashed into the last man''s body, flinging him up high. Colliding with the rocky surface of the cave, the assailant spat out a mouthful of blood before looking at Gawil with extreme shock. "You¡­ Hid your strength?" Everyone in the Watkin company knew that Gawil had the Blorgte Chameleon Spirit that specialised in concealing itself. Hence, they had the assumption that physically, Gawil was not as gifted as the other Spirit Users. Never did they expect that Gawil was actually that powerful when it came to fighting. "I... never¡­ needed to¡­ show it..." Still in pain, Gawil grasped his wound and slowly approached his final assailant. With a backwards roundhouse kick, Gawil violently pushed the man''s head into the cave walls, turning it into nothing but red paste and brain matter. "Hewla..." However, he did not take any pride in taking down three Spirit Core opponents. All his mind was focused on was his beloved wife that was in severe danger. ~~~ Finding a path out of the sealed cave took Gawil much longer than he anticipated; but once he did, the man rapidly rushed back to his village as fast as his legs could carry him. Due to the grievous wound in his stomach and the diabolical drug in his system, Gawil fell over a couple of times while running. However, every time he felt his legs weakened, he thought of his loving wife and their unborn child. With that image in mind, Gawil willed his legs to move and desperately pleaded to the immortals above that his family would be safe and sound when he arrived. But the heavens did not hear his call. Night had fallen. The cold moonlight illuminated the pitch-black curtain of the night sky as the darkness embraced every living soul. In the midst of the chilling night, there was a pile of ash, that was out of place for something in the middle of the forest. The black dust still retained a bit of its heat, indicating it was not long since the burning had occurred. Walking through the place that he had once called home, Gawil stumbled around in disbelief. "No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! THIS CAN''T BE!!!" Running around like a madman, Gawil ran straight towards his lodgings, in hopes that his wife had managed to escape. Although there was a large wound in his stomach, he was unable to feel the pain as he bolted. After a minute, he reached his humble abode, or rather, what remained of it. Charred and broken-down, the cottage that Gawil once loved had long been burnt to cinders. Still hoping that his wife had managed to escape the devastation, Gawil fearfully dug through all the dust and dirt. Two minutes passed, he had not found anything. Ten minutes passed, still nothing. And after twenty minutes, Gawil started to smile. If he had not discovered anything, there was a real possibility that Hewla had managed to escape! Just as he was about to stop his search, he saw ''it''. A scorched human corpse, with its hands and knees tucked into its chest, could be seen at the end of the cottage, where the couple''s room was located. Blackened beyond belief, the body was indistinguishable when placed in the middle of the ashes surrounding it. However, even in death, there was no way Gawil wouldn''t recognise ''her''. "No..." With a weakened voice, Gawil kneeled down in front of the corpse and reached his hand out. For some reason, the body was holding on to something in its hands. As if it were the most precious thing in the world, the corpse was protecting the item as if it was more important than its own life. Opening up the corpse''s hand, Gawil felt all energy leave his body. A tiny cotton sock that was specially made for a baby lied comfortably in Hewla''s hand, untouched by the flames and embers that surrounded it. "No¡­ No..." No one was more excited of her pregnancy than Hewla herself. She had loved children and was always jealous when her many peers started to get pregnant, leaving her behind. Thus, when she had heard the news, Hewla felt her heart leap out of her body. After Gawil left for the mission, Hewla immediately got a sewing kit together and prepared to make the best clothes that she could for her unborn child. "Hewla¡­ No..." Memories of his precious wife started to flood Gawil''s mind. The first time they met as children. Hewla would often pull his nose and call him a snot-nosed brat. "No, this can''t be..." The first time they saw each other after their confirmed engagement. Embarrassed and shy, the two could barely look each other in the eyes, much to their parent''s amusement. "He-hewla¡­ Hewla..." Their first time in the wedding chambers. Both of them were inexperienced and were clumsy in the beginning, but eventually their lust for each other took over as they indulged in their first night as a couple. At this point, Gawil was unable to hold back his tears. Like a broken dam, his eyes released a torrent of tears while his hands shivered, holding the unfinished sock. His shoulders trembled as he fell onto the floor. Bringing his face closer to the burnt corpse, Gawil gently caressed the nape of his wife one last time. While he was wallowing in grief, an image of an obese, despicable man came to mind. The anguish in his eyes quickly turned into a rage that boiled hotter than the divine sun above as he thought of the man that caused him so much hurt. "ANNNNNNDDDDDDRREEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" An outraged roar bellowed out from the now burnt-down Jefferson Village, cursing out the perpetrator behind the mindless massacre. ~~~ "And so, I swore to take vengeance on the bastard who took everything away from me..." Gawil Jefferson, who was currently being detained by the constables of the waypoint, recounted his story in front of the many people in the Watkin Shoebox. Shin, Ariel, Lady Seph, Lewis and the First Elder all wore bitter expressions as they heard the tragic tale. Initially, Shin and Ariel loathed the man and couldn''t wait for him to get punished. However, after listening to his tragedy, the two of them had second thoughts about giving the poor man any form of penalties. "If you had come to us, we would have brought him to justice..." Lewis suggested if Gawil had come forth to the constables, things might have turned out differently. "What good is the law? Does a barbarian like him deserve to be tried? What about my hate? He killed my family! He killed my wife! HE KILLED MY CHILD! What sort of justice can anyone enact on him?" At his outburst, even Lewis had no choice but to keep quiet. "So I immediately headed to the waypoint, and in the darkness of night, I managed to sneak past the gates. Thankfully, I didn''t have to wait long to find that fucker. Turns out, he was out celebrating the opening of his new store. HE FUCKING WENT DRINKING WHILE MY FAMILY WAS BURNT ALIVE!!!" Hearing how heinous Andrew Watkin was, everyone in the room felt surging hate rising from the depths from their hearts. Turns out, the dreadful merchant deserved what he got. "While he was drunk and defenceless, I brought him to a stable and unleashed all my hatred. At first, he was tearing out words of remorse. He begged, and he begged, but that only made me angrier. When he found out that it was useless, he reverted back to his despicable self. Tell me, officer... Does someone like him deserve to live?" "..." "Why have you gone silent? TELL ME! DID HE DESERVE TO..." Before he could finish his sentence, Gawil coughed out blood once more. However, since his blood replenishment was still low, the red fluids that popped out of his mouth had started to dry up. Feeling the last ounce of spiritual energy leave his body, Gawil knew that his time had come. "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ All I wanted to do, was to do my father proud, by leaving my mark in history. But because of that bastard, now no one will know my name..." Closing his eyes, Gawil felt a warm darkness beckoning him. Tempted to just let himself into the arms of mistress death, the decrepit man blankly stared into the air. However, before he left the living world, he eyed the young boy, who had so excellently defeated him. Shin''s talented fighting acumen and his desire to save his beloved greatly resonated with the dying man. Looking at Shin, Gawil could see a part of him inside of the young ten-year-old. "Tell me, boy¡­ Will you remember my name?" Not knowing why, Gawil felt that one day, Shin could amount to something huge. If such a person remembered his name, wouldn''t that be the next best thing? "I will..." Shin gave the man, who was on his deathbed, a resolute nod. "Haha¡­ Then it''s sufficient¡­ At least my name will be remembered by someone..." As he said those words, his eyelids started to become heavier as his body ceased to function. His chest stopped moving as his breathing slowed. The beating of his heart gradually came to a halt as the light in his eyes faded. Finally, the Watkin Murderer, no, Gawil Jefferson, took his last breath as his soul dissipated out of existence. Chapter 97 Dreams under the Starry Night Sky 1 Once the public had found out that the long, feared Watkin Murderer had finally passed away, the entire waypoint collectively breathed a huge sigh of relief. Earlier on, with a convict on the loose, everyone was extremely fearful to go out, making a tense atmosphere for them to live in. Thus, once Lewis confirmed Gawil Jefferson''s death, he had ordered all the constables to spread the news. There was a vital piece of information that he had censored though. To pay his respects for the tragic young man, Lewis deliberately concealed the Watkin Murderer''s real name. He did not want the Jefferson name to be synonymous with the Watkin murder. Lewis even sent his subordinates to the Jefferson Village to confirm the deaths of the villagers and offered to spend office money to build a memorial. However, his headaches were far from over. After he found out that Andrew Watkin actually had ordered an attack on an innocent village, Lewis brought over some of his most capable constables and raided the Watkin home. Naturally, when Mayor Nadeo heard the news, he had immediately issued a search warrant. Although Andrew Watkin was the mastermind, there were still his hired hands that launched the assault on the unfortunate village, that was still at large. Were they the elite mercenaries that Andrew Watkin had employed over the years? Or were they a much larger, nefarious organisation? Lewis wanted to get the answers. Unfortunately for him, after an extensive search of the Watkin Mansion and countless of interviews with his family members, workers and even close associates, the constable office was unable to find any clues on the mysterious organisation that Andrew Watkin had hired. With that, the commotion surrounding the Watkin Murder died down as quickly as it surfaced. Civilians in Chilyoja Waypoint returned to their comfortable way of life as the tight security at the gates began to slacken, resuming the high traffic of trade into the town. From this day, no one will ever hear the name Gawil Jefferson ever again; but those two words were still fresh in a particular black-haired boy''s mind. "Shin, so you were here! I was looking for you!" The Mushinkei, the opulent building that was the headquarters for Frie Clan operatives in Chilyoja Waypoint, had five levels. Each floor had a specific purpose with the fourth and fifth being the residential areas. Being permanent residents in the Mushinkei, Shin and Junius knew every nook and cranny of the two top floors. Especially the secret place that they both loved to visit. "Yeah¡­ Do you need something?" Resting on a bamboo mat, Shin was lying on all fours, restlessly gazing at the starry night sky above him. From the fifth floor, there was an inconspicuous stairwell to the roof. Not many people knew that there was roof access in the Mushinkei as there were a minute amount of people who have permission to enter the fifth floor. One would think that the rooftop of such a grandeur building would have elaborate architectures like a pavilion or a canopy. However, the place that Shin was currently at was utterly barren. Other than the bamboo mat that he brought up from his room, the roof was void of any furniture, making it inhospitable for any person to stay. But that did not dissuade Shin from coming up here. Whenever he felt low or downtrodden, Shin would often secretly come up to gaze at the night sky, filled with twinkling stars that glistened like teardrops from the heavens. The cold breeze of the night that would usually deter a person from staying up here for an extended period of time seemed to give Shin an inexplicable warmth as he melted into his surroundings. "Nothing¡­ It''s just that you disappeared after dinner. I thought you went out or something!" Junius gradually approached Shin, who was entirely focused on the cluster of stars that formed the milky way. Since no one really came up here, Marshall, the manager of the Mushinkei, did not bother to install any form of lighting to illuminate the roof; but Junius did not need to have artificial light to see his younger brother''s expressions. The radiant moonlight shone brightly upon the empty roof, allowing Junius to carefully examine the black-haired boy''s face. "Is something bothering you?" Junius asked. "No, why do you ask?" "Don''t lie to me¡­ Ever since that day, you have been barely eating! Even the usually bubbly Ariel seemed to be in a trance. Did something happen to you when you encountered the Watkin Murderer?" It had been three days since Shin and Ariel were caught up in an attack in the Watkin Shoebox. Thankfully, the two came out relatively unhurt, with Ariel suffering slight bruises and abrasions. Well, they came out untouched physically, psychologically was another matter. "Nothing happened..." "Then why are you so depressed?" "That''s..." "Shin, you know that you can rely on me!" Tapping his chest twice, Junius urged his younger brother to depend on him more often. "Fine¡­ The Watkin Murderer''s name is actually called Gawil Jefferson..." Sitting upright, Shin started to narrate the events of his encounter with Gawil Jefferson. From how they began to fight, to how he and Ariel defeated him. How he nearly killed Ariel, rousing the ire from the depths of the little boy''s heart and eventually, the tragic tale that made Gawil the way he was. Not missing out a single detail, Shin told Junius everything. "Oh, wow¡­ What a story..." "I know right..." After Junius heard the entire story, his mouth opened up wide as he wore a bitter smile. Gobsmacked by the revelation that the Watkin Murderer was actually a good person who was exacting vengeance, Junius did not know what to feel. His eyes wandered around before he saw Shin blankly staring into the night sky once more. "So, why are you so affected by his story?" Junius edged closer to Shin and tapped the boy''s shoulder. "I think it''s because I no longer know what is right or wrong. Initially, when I first found out that he was a murderer, all I could think of is that I must escape with Ariel. So I fought with everything I had. I never felt my mind move that fast before! And when he was about to kill Ariel, I hated him with everything in my body. I wanted to kill him so bad!" "..." "Luckily, Lady Seph made it in time to save Ariel¡­ And then, when she wanted to heal the man, I naturally protested. Why should such a bastard be allowed to live when he tried to kill us? But then, he goes and tells us that story..." Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Shin brought his knees to his chest as he hugged himself. Only by doing so, did he feel a little more secure. "After I heard that story, all the hate I had for him mysteriously vanished. In fact, I felt sorry for him. All he wanted to do was to live his normal life and have his name remembered by others; but now, when I walk down the busy streets, I hear people still calling him the Watkin Murderer¡­ Was what he did really wrong? He wanted to kill the evil person who killed his family¡­ So why are people celebrating his death? He was the good guy!" At that point, Shin did not notice it, but he was already shouting at the top of his lungs. Gawil Jefferson was clearly a good guy who was pushed to do a horrendous deed by a diabolical person, and yet all he got was people elated at his death. Although Gawil had tried to claim his life before, Shin could not help but feel the how unjust the poor man was treated. "Shin¡­ You sure are growing up..." Bringing the trembling boy into his embrace, Junius lauded at Shin''s maturity. The boy was only ten-years-old, and he could already feel empathy for the person who had tried to murder him and his closest friend. If put into his situation, Junius did not know if he would behave the same way. After contemplating on the best way to cheer his little brother up, Junius flashed a jubilant smile as he said: "Shin, have I ever told you of my dream?" "Dream?" "Yeah! Dream!" "I don''t think you have..." "Initially, I wanted to climb up the ranks of the Frie Clan so that the orphan division will no longer be mistreated by the those from the main bloodline. However, after these few weeks in the waypoint, my dream has changed..." Pausing his speech, Junius cleared his throat as the adorable black-haired boy stared at his elder brother with his crystal-clear azure eyes. "I''m going to become a general!" Chapter 98 Dreams under the Starry Night Sky 2 "A general?" Shin opened his eyes wide at Junius sudden confession. He had never heard of his elder brother wanting to enter the military until now. Granted Junius already had a government title by being a junior constable, but aiming to be an acclaimed general was an entirely different matter. The difference between a general of the Himmel Empire and a mere constable from a remote waypoint was like heaven and earth. "That''s right! Shin, you''d probably won''t know, but in the empire, the ones with true power and authority aren''t the family clans like the Frie Clan or the numerous business moguls. The ones with true power are the Imperial Family and the government bodies that assist them. In fact, even the Emperor himself must keep his officials happy. Otherwise, he would run the risk of a revolt!" Junius had been training in the constable headquarters for an extended period of time now and naturally, he had learnt many things about how the Himmel Empire works. Aldea, his mentor, had efficiently imparted her knowledge down on the youth and he had absorbed the information like a sponge. "And the only way a commoner like me can reach the heights needed to protect our family is for me to join the military!" As the two orphans stared at the night sky, littered with a vast array of dazzling stars, Junius eyes began to sparkle as he fantasised about his future. "Junius¡­ We can manage by ourselves..." Worried that his elder brother had self-imposed a gigantic burden on himself, Shin tried to dissuade him from making any rash decisions. He was extremely familiar with Junius'' mentality. If it were for his family, he would push himself above his limits so that he could protect them. Shin witnessed it firsthand when Junius defended him against those thugs who wanted to claim his life back on Frie Mountain. "Hahaha, I''m not just doing it for you guys. As a government official, being a general is something that I should strive for anyway!" Shoving Shin''s worry off, Junius reassured the boy that he was doing it because he wanted to. "And to your point on Gawil Jefferson..." Clearing his throat, Junius stood up from the bamboo mat and leaned on the railings of the rooftop. His nose wrinkled as the corners of his mouth twitched once. Putting on a sombre face, he addressed black-haired boy: "Shin, you''re weak." Taken aback by Junius sudden complaint, Shin''s body jerked backwards as his brows furrowed. He was unsure of why Junius was trying to demean him. "Actually, we''re weak." Smiling wryly, Junius blankly gazed upwards. "We are mere ants trying to live in a giant''s world. No matter how much we wallow in despair, how much we loathe the world, how much we think that the world is unfair, the feet of the giants will always trump us." At this point, Junius saw that Shin was shivering slightly. Be it due to to the freezing night breeze or the fear mounting up in his body, Shin was unable to find warmth under the moonlight. Taking off his jacket, Junius gently blanketed his younger brother. "Imagine if you were the emperor of the Himmel Empire. If you heard how badly Gawil Jefferson was being badmouthed out in the streets, what could you do? As the emperor, you could send down a decree stating that Gawil Jefferson will become a national hero for his bravery, forcing all of the bad gossips to stop." Shin''s cloudy eyes started to clear up as he heard Junius'' logic. "Furthermore, you don''t need to be an emperor to help clear Gawil Jefferson''s name. Let''s say if you were a military general. With your position, you could make him a martyr, wiping away the helplessness that you are feeling now." Stroking Shin''s hair, Junius'' face convulsed as if he had swallowed a bitter pill. The advice that he was giving to Shin, wasn''t it more applicable to himself? "Only with authority, can someone do all of this things. Right now, we are just small fishes in the pond; but I believe that one day, with hard work and determination, we can become dragons that no one can ignore." "I see..." Shin had finally understood the message that his elder brother is trying to convey to him. In his current state, Shin is unable to do anything with the powerlessness that he felt. He wanted to clear Gawil Jefferson''s name but lacked the means to do so. However, if he lacked the ability, why doesn''t he find a way to obtain it? "Haha, looks like I really did cheer you up!" Seeing the black-haired boy''s face suddenly brighten up, Junius lightly laughed as he lay down on the bamboo mat. He had been at the constable''s headquarters for nearly the entire day. Feeling the need to rest his fatigued body, Junius relaxed his tense muscles while gazing into the blanket of stars high above. "Yeah¡­ Thank you for that..." Pulling off Junius'' jacket from his shoulders, Shin returned the piece of clothing to his elder brother, who was lying down like a lazy turtle. Beaming at Shin''s thoughtfulness, Junius used his two hands to support his head as he said: "So, Shin. What''s your dream?" "Huh?" Junius, who was basking in the glow of the luminescent moonlight, threw a casual question Shin''s way, not knowing that his mindless words had actually brewed a small storm in his younger brother''s mind. ''What IS my dream?'' It was a line of thought that had never crossed Shin''s mind before. He had always followed where the flow led him. Wherever the First Elder or the Instructor led, he followed. From leaving Frie Mountain, the place where he grew up in, to entering the tutelage of Lady Seph, none of these decisions were something that he himself wanted. Now that Junius had brought it up, Shin felt his subconscious fall into a frenzy. "Hmmm? Shin, why have you gone qui..." Before Junius finish his sentence, the youth heard a crackling sound coming from the roof exit. Turning his head over his shoulder, he saw the closed metal door slowly creak open as a petite figure walked up the building. Seeing that the roof was occupied, the little girl quivered slightly. Evidently, she had expected the roof to be empty at this time. "Ariel?" Tilting his head in confusion, Junius said the name of the newcomer without thinking, drawing the attention of the perturbed boy sitting next to him. Adjusting his posture, Shin similarly turned round to look at his childhood friend. Wearing a pearly white nightgown, Ariel''s luscious scarlet hair flowed down to her waist like a waterfall. Since she was preparing for bed, the little girl did not wear the typical hairpins that she always had on her. Her rosy cheeks that make her look inebriated and damp hair indicated that Ariel had just come out from the shower as a sweet fragrance filled the once stale air of the rooftop. Ever since that fateful day when Shin and Ariel had confronted Gawil Jefferson, the little girl had seemed to return home in a stupor that she could not wake up from. The First Elder was worried that the battle with Gawil had actually impaired her mental functions and desperately begged Lady Seph to heal his precious granddaughter, even though Ariel herself said that there was nothing wrong with her. Nevertheless, there was something that was definitely bothering Ariel, but she would not open up about it, much to the dismay of her grandfather. Putting her hands behind her back, Ariel hung her head down. With short glances, the usually headstrong little girl, peeked at Shin, unsure of whether she should approach or not. Noticing her hesitation, Junius flashed a mischievous grin as he spoke out loud: "Ahhhh! *Yawn!* I''m getting tired¡­ Shin, I''ll be heading back first! I''ll talk to you tomorrow!" Getting up from his comfortable position, Junius stretched his body as he wore his jacket. With his back turned to Ariel, the playful youth gave Shin an impish wink and headed straight for the roof exit. Tapping the milky, smooth shoulders of Ariel, Junius gave her a thumbs up as he disappeared down the stairs. Shin was slow to understand his elder brother''s actions, but Ariel knew precisely what Junius was thinking about. As they say, girls develop faster than boys. Biting her lip and stamping her foot, the adorable little creature blushed furiously as she thought of Junius'' misunderstanding. "Ariel?" "No, it''s nothing!" Unsure of why his training partner was behaving that way, Shin cautiously called her out. However, his actions only served to aggravate her as she stormed her way from the metal door to the bamboo mat where Shin was sitting. Slightly moving her head, Ariel gestured for the young boy to vacate some space so that she could comfortably sit. Snugly resting her bottom on the bamboo mat, Ariel took in a large breath to help ease her tensed muscles and quell her beating heart. Shin gingerly glanced over the little girl, who was only dressed in a nightgown, not knowing where to look. Her creamy white legs below her knees were on full display as the spaghetti strap of her dress wholly presented her perfect collarbone. For a Spirit User that focused on pure power, it was strange to see her glossy arms, silky as can be. Perhaps she had a healthy amount of fat that was covering her muscles, Shin wondered. Since she had just got out of the shower, Ariel seemed to be radiating heat making her skin look as tender as a lamb. "You''re here to see the stars?" Trying to ward his mind off of Ariel''s body, Shin asked the girl. "Yeah¡­ What were you and brother Junius talking about just now?" The freckles on her cheeks twitched as she spoke. "Our dreams for the future¡­ I guess.." "Dreams, huh?" As she heard the topic that Shin and Junius were talking about earlier, Ariel quivered a little. She tried to mouth a reply, but something in her subconscious held her back. Creasing her face, Ariel suffered from an internal struggle. She was unsure if she genuinely wanted to share her worries with Shin. "I think I should leave¡­ Take your time stargazing¡­ Just return the mat to me when you''re done..." Seeing that Ariel was somewhat apprehensive to share her woes, Shin decided that it was best to retreat and give her some time alone. "Wait!" Just before Shin managed to stand up, he felt a smooth hand grasping his wrists, preventing him from proceeding any further. "Yeah?" "Shin¡­ Do you know about the legend of the Eternal Burning Tree?" Chapter 99 Yggdrasil, the Eternal Burning Tree 1 "Eternal Burning Tree?" Shin scratched his chin as he tried to recall the unfamiliar term. The more he thought about it, the more ludicrous the word seemed. How could a tree, which was so weak to fire, be burning for eternity? "I''m sorry, I''ve never heard of it before..." Giving up, Shin just shook his head and stared at the abashed little girl sitting next to him. "Hah¡­ Then I''ll just tell you¡­ A long time ago, during the early ages of mankind, the first scholars wanted to figure out the beginnings of everything. What is life? What are Spirits? What happens after you die?" Shin''s ears perked up in curiosity after hearing Ariel''s words. These were all questions that many people had no real answer to. "One day, one of the scholars proposed a test. They would all hang themselves with a rope from a tree and bring themselves to a near death state. When they were about to die, the other scholars would immediately cut the rope and resuscitate the person who was undergoing the experiment. Once they regained consciousness, the scholars would each recount their experiences, in hopes to figure out what truly lies after death." "The first scholar who was revived said: ''I saw it! I saw a burning tree!'' The revelation puzzled the other scholars. After all, what did a tree have to do with life after death? Unsure of whether the first scholar was lying, they proceeded with the next person. Repeating the process, the second scholar was hung from the exact same tree. When he was near death, the other scholars cut the rope and resurrected the second scholar." "''The first scholar wasn''t lying! There really was a burning tree!'' The second scholar claimed. Convinced that they were on to something, they repeated the process multiple times and in the end, out of all the scholars who participated in the experiment, over half of them claimed to have seen a burning tree." At this point, Ariel''s eyes glistened as her body trembled. Taking a deep breath in, she continued to tell the story. "Then, the scholars remembered an old folktale. Of how all of life began from a tree of beginnings, the tree of life, Yggdrasil. Suddenly, it all made sense to the scholars. If the tree of life was where everything began, why couldn''t it be where everything ended?" "With that findings, the scholars sent word to every living soul in the land that they have found out what happens after a person dies. Naturally, it created a big commotion as everyone wanted to know if their findings were accurate. So many other people followed in their footsteps. They hung themselves in hopes to catch a glimpse of life after death. They wanted to see the Eternal Burning Tree for themselves..." "However, no one else had managed to see the Eternal Burning Tree, and in the process, many humans died attempting to reach Yggdrasil for themselves. The kings and emperors of old saw that the discovery of the Eternal Burning Tree had caused much more harm than it did good and denounced the hypothesis as ramblings of a bunch of madmen that were seeking fame. Thus, the discovery was buried in the annals of history as the scholars who participated in the experiment were all executed. In fact, the phrase ''Chasing Yggdrasil but finding death,'' refers to the stupidity that the scholars had put the general public through." Tucking her knees into her chest, Ariel raised her head to gaze at the night sky. The infinite number of stars in the night sky brought a certain comfort to her petite body as her eyes started to get misty. "Why are you telling me this story?" Being with Ariel for such a long time, Shin was extremely familiar with all of her habits and standard behaviours. However, the current Ariel was someone entirely foreign to him. It was as if she had become another person. "Shin, do you know why I prefer hanging out with the orphans than people from the main bloodline?" Ariel answered Shin''s question with another question. "No¡­ Why?" "It''s because I am an orphan too." "..." "Well, I still have grandpa, so I am not completely alone, but like all of you, I never knew my father and mother..." Shin started to get a bitter taste in his mouth as Ariel opened up her thoughts. All the orphans, including Shin, knew that Ariel lacked a father and a mother. Due to the devastating war that the Frie Clan fought, many of their top fighters had perished including the First Elder''s son and daughter-in-law, Ariel''s biological parents. Hence, Ariel had always been under the care of the First Elder, not knowing how an average family would be like. "But then something mystical happened on that day when we were attacked. As I was enveloped by Lady Seph''s healing light, I felt the warm embrace of a woman. That woman was rough on the edges, slightly too muscular and possibly the coarsest lady I have ever met, but when she embraced me, I had never felt so comfortable¡­" Clenching her fists, Ariel let the tears drip from her face as she thought back at that encounter that was so hard to forget. Shin''s eyes widened as his jaw dropped. Never in the many years that they had been together, had Shin seen Ariel cry. "The moment lasted for an instant, but I felt the boundless love that the woman had for me. It was something that my grandpa would never be able to recreate. I had never met her in my entire life, but I instinctively knew who that woman was." Rubbing her forearms, Ariel sniffled to prevent the snot from dripping down her nose. Violently jerking her body, her voice started to get muffled as she choked on her tears. "Shin, if the Eternal Burning Tree is the place where all souls return to, don''t you think that my mother''s soul is resting there too?" "You wish to hang yourself to find the Eternal Burning Tree?!" Shin shouted out, worried that his training partner was about to do something irrational in a time of weakness. "Of course not¡­ There is a second part to that legend..." "Oh..." Ariel''s heart warmed when she saw the black-haired boy''s concerned face. In this life, there were few people that she actually cared about, and one of them was precisely this young boy in front of her. "Legend has it that one of the Spirit Immortals in human history, ascended to the Immortal Realm just so that she could chase Yggdrasil. Her husband had died in a terrible war, and she had loathed the fact that she was unable to do anything for him. Wishing to see him once more, she convinced herself that the Eternal Burning Tree existed in the realm above and cultivated until she was strong enough to break through that final barrier..." Finally understanding what Ariel was trying to say, Shin''s face turned sombre as he stared at the floor. "Shin, I wish to chase Yggdrasil¡­ I want to see my mother! I want to see my parents!" Proudly shouting out her dreams at the top of her lungs, Ariel stood up from the bamboo mat and declared her intentions to the heavens. At that very same moment, a hooded figure, who was standing on a nearby building used his wrinkled fingers to support the bridge of his nose. Ever since he had seen Ariel in a weird state, the First Elder had been worried sick that his granddaughter had undergone something drastic during her battle with the Watkin Murderer. Hence, like a crazed stalker, the elderly man had monitored Ariel''s every movement. Other than her private moments, such as her toilet and shower time, the First Elder had followed Ariel to find out what exactly was the cause for her change in mental state. However, no matter how much he eavesdropped on her conversations or stalked her around town, he could not figure out why Ariel had changed; but after her conversation with Shin, he finally understood why. ''Arthur, Brenda¡­ Can you see this from the heavens? How much your daughter misses you?'' Letting a single tear drip down his creased, aged face, the First Elder stared at the stars as he thought of his son and daughter-in-law. He only had one son and that child of his sadly only managed to father one daughter before his untimely departure from the world. Hence, the First Elder had sent as much care as he could to the parentless child; but no matter how much he loved her, Ariel was still ostracised when she was younger due to her innate talent and fiery temper. Thankfully, she met Shin and the other orphans, who had essentially became her first and closest friends. ''Seems like bringing her here was the right choice after all...'' After the Watkin Murderer attacked Shin and Ariel, the First Elder had been having regrets on bringing his granddaughter to Chilyoja Waypoint. Especially when Ariel entered her despondent state without telling him the reason why she was depressed. However, now that he had heard her goal, the First Elder felt an invisible boulder being lifted from his heart. With her new goal, Ariel must strive to become a Spirit Immortal, something that was much harder to do as compared to a mere clan master role that the Frie Clan was grooming her to become. Hence, there was no need to question her drive for improvements as she had made her conviction to chase Yggdrasil. With a gratified smile, the elderly man disappeared from the building, without anyone noticing that he was there all the while. "You wish to reach Rank 100?!" "Yeah! That''s the only way that I can chase Yggdrasil and potentially resurrect my parents!" "I see..." "Shin, why don''t you chase Yggdrasil with me? We should both aim to become Spirit Immortals and enter the realm above!" Raising her hands to the heavens, Ariel suggested that the black-haired youth follow in her footsteps and achieve her goal with her. "I''ll consider it..." Hesitant to make such a bold promise, Shin apprehensively dodged giving Ariel a straight answer. However, his aversion was quickly picked up by the little girl. "As expected, you don''t believe me right?" "Well, it is a hard story to digest..." "But I believe in it! I believe that the Eternal Burning Tree is real, and I''ll prove it! Once I reach the Spirit Immortal realm, I will definitely revive my parents! The only fear I have is..." The agitated scarlet-haired girl quickly calmed down and returned to the seat right next to Shin. Unsure of whether she could continue down that line of thinking, Ariel''s body began to shiver in fear. "What is it?" "Do you think that my parents would want to see me? What if I would only be a bother?" "..." Shin turned speechless at Ariel''s words. He could see that the girl was starting to become more gloomy and realised that he should do something. Remembering something that he had read in a book once about comforting a sad person, Shin breathed out a large mouthful of air as he steeled his nerves. "Hiii!!!" Squealing in surprise, with a tinge of delight, Ariel opened her eyes wide as she felt a warm hand embracing her trembling shoulders. Bringing her closer to himself, Shin allowed Ariel to lean her entire body inwards. A milky shampoo fragrance filled his nostrils as he got a good whiff of the little girl''s scalp. Trying to quell his beating heart, Shin started to console the girl who was in a melancholy mood. "I''m sure your parents would be delighted to see you..." "You sure?" "A hundred per cent..." "I see..." Ariel had been battling this issue in her heart over the past few days. No matter how much she tried to suppress her uneasiness, it would always bounce back and send a new wave of anxiety down her path. However, for some reason, just by hearing Shin''s words, she felt all of her worries melt away like they didn''t exist in the first place. In a state of complete comfort, the little girl nestled snugly in the arms of the black-haired boy as they enjoyed each other''s company under the radiant starlight of the beautiful night sky. Chapter 100 Yggdrasil, the Eternal Burning Tree 2 ''ARGHHHH!!! WHY DID I DO THAT?!?!?!'' As the night deepened and the moon shone brightly on the inhabitants of the world, a certain black-haired boy was having trouble going to sleep. It was way past midnight, and the boy was supposed to be tucked in a long time ago. However, every time the image of him embracing his childhood friend emerged from the depths of his mind, his eyes would open up wide as he kicked the cotton bedding. Rolling about the bed in embarrassment, Shin covered his blushing face with the luxurious pillows provided by the Mushinkei. Raising his hands up, Shin''s azure pupils began to dilate as he remembered the warmth of Ariel''s milky, smooth skin. Cringing in shame, Shin sat up straight on the bed and recalled what had happened. After he had comforted Ariel, the two children suddenly became aware of their close proximity to each other and shyly separated. Unable to bear with the awkward atmosphere, Ariel promptly retreated back into her abode, leaving Shin alone with his bamboo mat. It took him a short while, but eventually, he realised how brazen he was being. Suppressing the urge to bang his head against the wall, Shin rolled up the bamboo mat and ran back to his room. Diving into his bed began to roll around, causing a strange noise to echo out from his room. "Damn it, Shin! Stop being so noisy!" At that moment, there was a loud banging at Shin''s door. Junius, who had an early day tomorrow, had been hearing the shuffling of Shin''s bedsheets against his thighs for the past hour. Thinking that it would die down after the boy went to sleep, Junius ignored the noise and tried his best to enter slumberland himself. However, the incessant disturbance was too much to bear, and Junius decided to give Shin a piece of his mind. Jerking out of his bed, Shin swiftly headed to the entrance and cautiously opened his door. "Hey, Shin! Do you know how early I¡­ Hmmm? Why is your face so red?" When Junius was about to reprimand his younger brother on how vital his sleep was, the youth noticed that Shin was about as red as a tomato. Putting his hand on the boy''s forehead, Junius checked if his younger brother had caught a fever. "No, your temperature is just fine..." "I-I''m fine!" "You don''t look fine¡­ Don''t tell me something good happened with Ariel?" "N-no-no-no-nothing happened!!!" "No way¡­ You guys really..." Seeing Shin get flustered after he mentioned Ariel, confirmed Junius'' suspicions. Earlier on, when he tactfully retreated from the roof to give the two some alone time, he did it in a teasing manner. Junius did not expect that there would actually be some progress with their relationship. "Y-you''re misunderstanding the situation!" "Hahahaha, don''t worry! I support your relationship anyway. In fact, everyone back home does so too! Arghhh, I had the bet that you would get together when you reached fifteen though, I think Lia bet you would get together at a younger age..." Regretting that he had placed the wrong bet, Junius eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "WE ARE NOT TOGETHER!!!" Exasperated by how Junius was ignoring his words, Shin hollered out with an impassioned roar. "Right¡­ Right¡­ Could you do me a favour and get together a few years later? Over a dozen food tickets are on the line!" When Junius and the other orphans made the bet, they had used the most valuable things they owned, food tickets for the cafeteria. If someone had won, they would be able to feast like a king would. "Just get out of my room!" As he was done with Junius teasing, Shin attempted to push the youth out with all his might. "Right, Shin! You have to get up early tomorrow right? You''re taking Lady Seph''s test! Don''t stay up too late!" Before he left, Junius managed to get in one word in as the door slammed shut in his face. "Hah..." With his back placed on the door, Shin gently slid down and took a deep breath. Seeing Junius had reminded him of their earlier conversation. "Junius wants to become a general and Ariel wants to chase Yggdrasil to revive her parents... Even Gawil Jefferson wanted to become famous so that everyone could remember his name¡­ Everyone has a goal¡­ What is mine?" It was a question that had been plaguing his mind since that fateful day in the Watkin Shoebox. Everyone he met had a goal. Some small, some large. However, no matter how much he thought of what he wanted to accomplish, Shin''s mind always drew blank. "What is my dream?" Gently throwing himself back on the bed, Shin deliberated on the question as he slowly entered the Garden of Hypnos. ~~~ The Uncharted Wilderness. ??????? The chilling winds of the night whistled through the damp forest as the towering trees that dwarfed any man-made structure stood their ground, unperturbed by their surroundings. Creatures of the night made their way out from their morning hibernation and roamed the vast wilderness, in search of prey. "*Boom!* *Boom!*." A deafening stomp echoed past the lonely woods, rousing those who were anywhere near. From the shadows, a silverback gorilla, standing over fifty metres tall, slowly swung down from the emergent layer of the forest and sharply descended to the lush floor. Beating its chest repeatedly with its fists, the humongous beast screeched out a battle cry as it began its day of hunting. The wind elements surrounding it started to dance in joy as spiritual energy gathered at the beast''s feet. Kicking off from the ground, the silverback gorilla sprung forward at a speed that was not possible for something of its size. Pouncing about, it moved from tree to tree, opening its pure black eyes in search for prey, and it didn''t take long for the silverback gorilla to find a suitable meal. A lime green snake could be seen sleeping with its head popping out from a nearby bush. As if it was unaware that it could be seen as vulnerable prey, the serpentine creature rested its head on the mossy floor, as it were in a comatose state. Delighted that it found an easy meal, the silverback gorilla opened its mouth in excitement but made sure that it did not produce any sort of sound. Stealthily, the beast hopped around until it reached the tree that was nearest to the snake. After it made sure that its prey was still oblivious to its position, the silverback gorilla bared its fangs and kicked off the tree that it was hanging from and lunged towards the lime green snake. Using its rugged hands, the gorilla grabbed the serpent and attempted to twist its head out from its body. Pulling and pulling, the beast imagined itself enjoying a sumptuous meal of snake meat. However, after pulling on the snake for a few seconds, the gorilla sensed that something wasn''t right. Looking down, the slumbering snake had suddenly opened its eyes and glared at its assailant. Typically, if an animal is being preyed on, it would desperately try to escape with a frightened expression. However, the snake''s face didn''t even have a semblance of fear. In fact, it only looked mildly annoyed that a random brute had awoken it from its sleep. At that moment, the silverback gorilla felt a presence, much larger than it was, looming behind it. Turning its back, the beast was greeted by a hundred metre tall lion, with a blood red mane, and the wings of a dragon. From its behind, a scaly tail ran down the bush and straight to the location where the gorilla was. The snake that the silverback gorilla thought was easy prey turned out to be the tail of a napping chimera. The black fur on the gorilla stood erect as it realised its folly. Releasing the serpentine tail of the chimera, the silverback gorilla summoned as much wind elements as it could in preparation to make its drastic escape; but it was futile. The air rumbled as the chimera opened its mouth. Red spiritual light converged into a ball in front of the savage beast, raising the temperature of the freezing night. Just before the silverback gorilla could make its getaway, the chimera released the ball of fire, sending a beam of concentrated spiritual energy straight at the gorilla, piercing the heart of the beast. Puffing out its cheeks like a squirrel, the chimera sent out a thunderous roar, declaring its triumph to the world. In the Uncharted Wilderness, it truly was the law of the jungle. The strongest beings thrived while the weakest perished. Due to this fact, primordial beasts, which are said to rival Rank 90 Spirit Saints, are the most abundant in the Uncharted Wilderness. Many civilisations over the years had challenged themselves to conquer this unexplored territory, but every time they tried, they failed. It goes to show how dangerous this mysterious patch of land was. Nonetheless, the dangers did not deter some organisations to hide their headquarters here. After all, the most dangerous place can also be the safest. "What? What happened?" A slender woman, wearing a black mask, hurried out from the hidden bunker and tried to find out the reason for the commotion. "Nothing had happened¡­ Just some random beast thinking that Akai''s tail is food again." A hoarse voice sounded out from her front. Emerging from the bushes, a viridian-haired lean man, who face was covered entirely by a black mask with a golden crescent moon pattern, sauntered towards the woman. Behind him, there were five other black masks with green snake symbols embroidered into their masks. "Sir!" Saluting the newcomers, the scout stood to one side and allowed her superiors to enter the bunker. As a normal Shudra, she was in no position to stop the Kshatriya and five Vaishyas from entering the secret base. "At ease¡­ You guys, go get some rest¡­ I''ll be using the transmission room..." "Yes, sir..." There was a tinge of lethargy in their words as they replied their leader. Evidently, they had received some news that had made them despondent. Usually, such sloppy behaviour warranted for a scolding, but the Kshatriya knew that his subordinates were truly worn out and let their behaviour slide for today. Making his way down the bunker, the Kshatriya walked through the familiar hallways. As one of the few bases for the black masks, the shelter housed a large number of their operatives, many of whom are familiar with the Kshatriya. If it were an average day, he would be more than willing to greet those stationed in the bunker, however, today the Kshatriya only had one goal in mind. Descending down the numerous levels in the secret base, the man reached an isolated room on the bottommost floor. The area was exceptionally simple. There was no furniture, no windows and no lifeforms. The location that the Kshatriya had visited was basically a closed off cell that nobody could live in. The only thing that it had was a black orb, placed right in the middle of the room. Inside the orb, there seemed to be an endless amount of black waves attempting to break free from its structure as an obsidian light radiated out from the mystical object. As the Kshatriya edged closer to the orb, he felt his mask begin to throb wildly. Falling to his knees, the Rank 50 Spirit Lord paid his respects to the inanimate object, awaiting the arrival of its master. "Allfather, heed my call..." The orb began buzzing with a low murmur as if in response to the Kshatriya''s words. Overjoyed that his plea had been heard, the black mask kowtowed once in gratitude to the owner of the orb. "Allfather¡­ Please assist us as we take revenge on those who stole everything from us!!!" Chapter 101 The Hippocratic Oath As the night turned to day, the celestial lunar ball in the sky got replaced with the fiery sphere that illuminated the boundless heavens. Morning birds chirped their symphonies in celebration of a new day and the fresh scent of morning dew filled the noses of the residents of the waypoint. Ever since the announcement that the Watkin Murderer had passed, the heated hustle and bustle of the town had returned causing the streets of Chilyoja Waypoint to be extremely boisterous. Merchants, who had avoided opening their businesses too early for fear of being compromised, had risen up from their late-night slumber and started their shops in the wee hours of the morning. Elated that the markets no longer open late, housewives rushed from their humble abodes and bolted to the stores, hoping that they would be able to catch a good deal. Now that security had relaxed, children could now freely leave the walls of the town with their friends to enjoy life outside of the constricted community. As the commotion around the Watkin Murderer had died down, the city had returned to its usual self. "Alright, Shin¡­ Like always, I will give you a series of questions. You have an hour to complete the test." Unlike how active the waypoint was, in a particular corner of the western ward, a young boy was being confronted by an elderly blonde lady. Pulling out a yellow parchment, Lady Seph handed Shin a feathered pen while urging him to start the test. "Shin, good luck..." A soft, mellow voice sounded out from behind the youth. Turning his head over his shoulder, Shin''s eyes quivered as he saw the young girl that had caused him to have an anxious night. Since Ariel and the First Elder had no other plans for their stay, the scarlet-haired girl decided that she might as well be a cheerleader for her childhood friend''s test. From what she had heard from her grandfather, if Shin manages to pass the examination set by the intimidating old woman, he would be able to formally accept her as his master. Ariel did not know much about Lady Seph. However, she did know that the terrifying woman had once barged into Frie Mountain without consequence and even forced the exalted clan master to fall to her knees. If Shin became her student, there was no way his future prospects won''t be bright. "Yeah..." Deliberately avoiding the passionate gaze of Ariel, Shin took the yellow parchment and headed to the adjacent room. When they first met in the hallways of the Mushinkei earlier this morning, there was an awkward silence as the both of them did not know how to react after that interaction on the rooftop. Eager to evade Ariel, Shin desperately tried to escape straight to Yakkyoku Clinic. Unfortunately, the First Elder suggested to Ariel that they could watch Shin pass Lady Seph''s test. After all, they had nothing else to do before they left. Hence, Shin could only endure the uncomfortable walk from the Mushinkei to the clinic as the two abashed youths tried their best not to maintain eye contact. "Seph, if you have already decided to accept Shin as a disciple, is there really a need for you to hand him such a difficult paper?" Unaware of his granddaughter''s feelings, the First Elder stroked his beard as he asked his long-time friend about the need to test Shin. Although he was not trained in medicine, just the vocabulary on the paper that Lady Seph handed to Shin made him dizzy. If he couldn''t read it, how could a ten-year-old child ace that test? "Just shut up¡­ Do you really think that Shin is as dumb as you?" "What?! Since when am I dumb?" "You have always been a musclebrain from the first day I met you. Thankfully you brought this child to me¡­ Otherwise, you would have squandered his talent." Sighing, Lady Seph moved her head up and down twice and scanned the elderly man''s body. From the first day she met the old man, they had always been at loggerheads, and the reason for that was because of how drastically they approached problems. Lady Seph would use all the knowledge at her disposal to carefully plan out the best course of action. The First Elder, on the other hand, would much rather charge headfirst and destroy any obstacles that stood in his path, regardless of the potential ramifications his actions brought. "Hmph! You''re still as unbearable as ever!" "Yeah, yeah..." "*Eeeeee!*." Although Lady Seph could brush off the old man''s comments, the furry white gerbil on her shoulders didn''t like the fact that its master got insulted. Baring her teeth, Bingbing snarled at the First Elder, threatening to use her sharp fangs to gnaw the man''s eyeballs out. "Woah, there! Bingbing, there''s no need to get so angry¡­ Hey, Seph! Stop your partner! If she gets in my shirt again, my old heart won''t be able to take it!" "Serves you right!" Evidently, the First Elder had an unpleasant prior experience with the snowy gerbil, which seemed to be harmless. Gradually backing away from the little critter, the honoured High Elder of the Frie Clan looked like a frightened prey, backing away from its predator. As the two old friends were fooling around, a half hour had passed since Shin disappeared into the separate room. "Arghhh!!! I''m done!" An excited shout echoed through the pristine hallways of the clinic. A black-haired youth gradually emerged from the empty room and made his way to the blonde woman standing with her hands in akimbo and legs crossed. Handing her the piece of yellow parchment, the boy said: "Here!" "You finished it? You still have a half hour¡­ Don''t you want to review your answers?" "If they are all correct, there is no need to review them?" Tilting his head in confusion, Shin wondered why Lady Seph was so amiable today. Usually, after he finished a test, the woman would snatch the paper away and immediately search for incorrect answers. However, today she actually requested him to review his work! "If that''s the case, then fine..." Collecting the paper from Shin''s hands, Lady Seph read through the answer sheet, in hopes of finding a mistake. After ten seconds, her eyebrows creased as she got further engrossed in the paper. One minute later, she began flipping the yellow parchment in shock as her eyes rapidly scanned the examination paper. Finally, after five minutes, the elderly woman gasped in horror and gave Shin a weird look, as if she was meeting an alien for the first time. ''The material I gave him are questions that are tested in the healer licensing exam¡­ Haha, that means if I send him to the healer''s association, won''t he become the youngest physician to ever get his license?!'' In her old age, few things could excite Lady Seph; but as she confirmed the results of Shin''s test, she could feel her stoned heart rapidly start to beat again. "So did he pass, Seph?" Bringing her hand to her chest, the elderly woman took a deep breath to quell her throbbing heart. "Yeah, he did¡­ Congratulations Shin. You are now my formal disciple." "Huh, what?" All Shin was told was that he was coming to Yakkyoku Clinic so that he could take a test. He had never heard anything about formally accepting Lady Seph as his master. Those present in the clinic had varying expressions after hearing the news. Bingbing leapt out from Lady Seph''s shoulder and jumped around on the floor in euphoria. The First Elder wore a proud and warm smile, and Ariel covered her mouth, trying desperately to contain her screams. "Today''s test was somewhat of an entrance exam for you¡­ I didn''t expect you to do that well, but you actually scored a perfect score!" "Quick, Shin! Prepare some tea so that you can commence the acceptance ceremony!" Seeing that Lady Seph was in an agreeable mood, the First Elder signalled for the boy to prepare her favourite tea. Nodding frantically, the black-haired boy quickly ran to the back and brought the familiar teapot and teacup from the cabinet and immediately started to brewing a portion of oolong tea. "Lady Seph. Please receive my cup!" With trembling hands, Shin presented the freshly brewed tea to the stoic woman, who was staring into blank space. "Wait¡­ Shin, before you formally become my disciple, there is a need for you to recite the Hippocratic Oath." "The Hippocratic Oath? What''s that?" "It''s a pledge that all healers must take before they get their license¡­ However, since you''re not going to the association, we might as well let you take the oath right here..." Initially, for an apprentice physician to even get close to a patient, they would need the approval from the healer''s association. However, Lady Seph was currently at odds with the acclaimed organisation, and there was no way she was going to send her personal student the lion''s den. After all, once Shin''s talent is revealed, some of the old-timers in the institution might take a foot out of their coffins to personally accept the boy as their disciple. "The Hippocratic Oath is a vow that was created by Hippocrates himself. The very first healer that ascended into the Immortal Realm. Not only was he virtuous and magnanimous, but Immortal Hippocrates was also credited to be the founder of modern medicine. The famous ''Heal'' ability that all healers must learned was actually a self-created ability by Hippocrates." "Really?" Being the first time he heard of this story, Shin attentively listened to Lady Seph''s words. "Before he ascended, he created the healer''s organisation that had lasted to this very day. From then on, to become a healer, one had to recite the Hippocratic Oath first." "I see..." "Alright, so repeat after me, I swear to fulfil, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:" "I swear to fulfil..." "Louder! With more conviction!" Displeased with Shin''s lack of energy, Lady Seph shouted for the boy to raise his volume. "I SWEAR!!!" "That''s better! Now repeat after me, I..." "I swear to fulfil, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon''s knife or the alchemist''s drug. I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient''s recovery. I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person''s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I lived and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help." After the long speech, Shin dropped on the nearby bench and rested his tired body. Feeling thirsty, he drank from one of the teacups filled with Oolong tea. At the same time, the elderly blonde lady downed the cup of tea that was given to her earlier by Shin. "With this, you are formally my student!" Turning her cup upside-down, Lady Seph showed that she had completely emptied the tea. "Lady Seph..." "You''re still calling me Lady Seph?!" At this point, everyone in the room started to giggle and look at the two with warm eyes. "Master..." ~~~ End of Book 2 ~~~ Chapter 102 End of Book 2 & Authors thoughts TLDR: I will be taking a break for around a week due to my school assignments/examinations coming up and will remain posting on 30th July 2018. For my new Webnovel viewers, I wouldn''t mind you not voting for me using your power stones next week since I won''t be posting for that week! Hi! For my QI readers, I realised that you didn''t get to read how I started writing Spirit Immortal. So below is a short description of myself! Background about myself and inspirations for writing Spirit Immortal Currently, I am a university undergraduate, and I have been reading fiction for years. I first got into reading fiction because of anime. Initially, I was a pure anime/manga fan. But I then found out about the existence of light novels. Light novels were far ahead from the existing anime, so I started to binge read translated volumes on Baka-Tsuki. It became somewhat of a drug to me. I kept reading and eventually, fictions had become part of my daily life. However, everything changed when the Yen Press attacked¡­ Suddenly, many of my favourite novels disappeared, and less and less light novel translations surfaced. Finding myself in a severe deficit of fictions to read, I found something called Novelupdates. Every few minutes, there was a new novel chapter being released. I was overjoyed. Finally, I was able to satisfy my daily fiction needs. That was how I got into wuxia/xianxia novels. Being ethnically Chinese and fluent in both English and Chinese, there was a great allure for me in these stories. When I was younger, I would frequently watch The Legend of the Condor Heroes and many what we call "wuxia xiaoshuo." So seeing that the traditional stories blend with modern themes was somewhat shocking to me. To think that such a part of the internet existed! So I started reading a lot of wuxia/xianxia stories. I remember the early days of Coiling Dragon and Stellar Transformations. The friendly competition between Gravitytales and Wuxiaworld. But one day, I encountered Doulou Dalu. For those who have not noticed, Spirit Immortal''s cultivation system is inspired by this very novel. The reason being, it was the only cultivation system that I could actually follow. It''s a very simplistic system, rank 1-100. The other Wuxia novels cultivation systems confused the heck out of me. However, worry not, Spirit Immortal is not a fanfiction of Doulou Dalu. In fact, other than the cultivation levels, they are nothing alike. For a while, Doulou Dalu was my favourite novel. To a certain extent, it still is my favourite translated wuxia/xianxia novel. But I started feeling bored. Every single book that I read followed the same format. And after many disappointing stories, I thought to myself¡­ Hey, I could just write something I like! Thus, the idea of Spirit Immortal started germinating in my mind. It took me over five months to finish plotting the major arcs, characters and finally the ending before I started typing my first word. Majority of the reason why it took so long for me to start writing this story is because of my procrastination and school. Additionally, I didn''t know if the story was going to be well received. But eventually, I steeled my mind and said: "Whatever, as long as I am satisfied with the story, who cares?" So yeah, currently the number one fan of Spirit Immortal is myself, and I can''t wait to put the entire story I have in my head into words for all of you to read. It will take time though, so do stick around! Issues I have had when writing Book Two I have realised that many of you were unsatisfied with the pace of the story, saying that it is too slow and whatnot. And guess what, I agree! I have been putting the character and world development at the forefront of my story thus slowing down the story progression, However, fret not, now that the first two books are completed, the story progression would begin to expedite as I believe that I have sufficiently developed my characters! I''m trying to be more descriptive in my writing but that is still a work in progress. Perhaps it would be the greatest hurdle for me but rest assured, I will try my best! Another major issue I had was time management. I started writing Spirit Immortal during my semester break where I had plenty of time. I even managed to complete Book 1 during that break itself! However, once school started, I had to figure out a way to balance work, personal life and writing Spirit Immortal. There were some days where I only had three hours to efficiently write, proofread and edit my chapter before I deemed it ready to be published. Hence, there might be times where my writing quality dropped slightly but I''m trying my best to ensure that I retain and even improve on my writing quality, so please be patient with me on that one. Future of Spirit Immortal Once my semester break hits once more, I will be sitting myself down in order to write as many chapters as I can. Perhaps, eventually, I will take the road of creating a Patreon account to allow you guys to read advance chapters and at the same time, give myself some funding to weather through the school days. So yeah, I can''t thank you guys enough for continuing to stick with me as I continue to write Spirit Immortal. I hope that I will be able to deliver the satisfying fiction that I have conjured up and brought you as much enjoyment as I had in writing this story! Chapter 103 Three Years Later... 1 A cold wind blew through the lush, verdant woodlands gently shifting the vaporous mist that enveloped the thick shrubbery. Coiling around the towering oak trees, the dense fog made the thicket seem illusory and mystical. The sweet perfume of damp, earthen soil cleansed the lungs of any who stepped foot in the magical land and those who lived in civilisation all their lives would be taken back millenniums back into the primordial era. "*Crunch* *Crunch*." The serenity of the empty forest was broken by a peculiar sound, not often found in the uninhabited woods. Fallen dried leaves on the floor, which were usually untouched, cracked out in agony as a pair of heavy boots made their way through the land. The footsteps were unhurried and calm as if the eeriness of the timberlands was unable to faze the person plodding through it. "Where is that bloody herb?" A youthful voice echoed in the misty woods as the person brought his right hand over his eyes and squinted them intensely. His black hair shuffled with the wind as his azure blue eyes dilated. Donned in a brown, full-bodied, trekking robe, Shin was performing his weekly routine of collecting medicine herbs for Yakkyoku Clinic. Three years had passed since the Gawil Jefferson incident, and now, Shin had grown from a ten-year-old, who was subject to numerous pinchings from the ladies of the Mushinkei due to his rosy cheeks, to a thirteen-year-old, who was still subject to numerous pinchings from the ladies of the Mushinkei. Growing at a slower rate than others his age, Shin remained half a head shorter than those his same age and was even similar in height to Ariel. His body remained perfectly lean and symmetrical, possibly due to the rigorous morning exercises that Junius had enforced on him in the absence of the Instructor. However, although he had matured significantly, one thing remained constant. Shin retained his adorable appearance and captivating cheeks that had followed him since he was born. Perhaps in a few years, the young adolescent might morph into a heartthrob that struck down the hearts of innocent girls, but currently, he was just the target for pinches. "Hah¡­ It''s been nearly two hours¡­ If I can''t find the Crimson Marlberry, Master will kill me!" Being the disciple of the illustrious Lady Seph did not exempt Shin from doing the dirty work. Collecting herbs had become a weekly routine for the youth. Lady Seph claimed that sending the boy into the nearby forest to collect medicine materials was an effective training method as it developed Shin''s identification skills. However, truth to be told, she just did not want to waste any more money buying herbs from the local pharmacy as money was getting tight. Carrying a bamboo-weaved bag, filled to the brim with precious herbs and mushrooms, Shin wearily trudged through the forest floor, in search of the elusive Crimson Marlberry. He had collected every other material that his master ordered him to find, so there was nothing else for him to do. Combing through the dense woods, uncovering every corner and leaving no stones unturned, Shin desperately searched, hoping to complete his assignment before sundown. However, his effort did not come to fruition. No matter how hard he looked, the Crimson Marlberry just did not want to show itself. "Arghhh!!! Whatever, I''ll just head back¡­ Damn it, I''m not looking forward to tasting Master''s ''Holy Light'' again..." Whenever Shin pissed off the elderly woman, who had went through menopause years ago, Lady Seph would summon the Iofiel Angel and send a shining ray of light his way, paralysing him for a few minutes. Apparently, it was her favourite way of destressing and unfortunately for Shin, he was the only one nearby that she could vent her frustrations on. Just as the black-haired youth gave up all hope of surviving, a pungent stench, that reeked of rotting flesh and decayed fish, filled the air forcing Shin to cover his nose. Typically, an average person would try his best to leave the area as soon as possible, however, as an apprentice healer, Shin''s eyes lit up in excitement. "Could it be?! Hahaha! This smell in this area can only mean that the Crimson Marlberry is near!" Pivoting his feet, Shin pounced in the direction of the stench, tracing the elusive herb. A thick cerulean aura enveloped the youth, strengthening every cell his body. In the three years under Lady Seph, Shin''s cultivation had leapt from Rank 2 to Rank 9, averaging a cultivation speed of three levels every year. In fact, the young boy was extremely close to reaching the peak of Rank 9 and triggering his breakthrough into the Spirit Apostle realm. Shin progress was staggering to everyone who heard of it. Junius only managed to reach the Spirit Apostle realm at age fourteen, and that was considered extremely quick by the Frie Clan''s standards. However, even before Shin celebrated his thirteenth birthday, he was already preparing to become a Spirit Apostle. When questioned by Junius on how he managed to increase his cultivation so quickly, Shin replied that he followed everything that Lady Seph planned for him, which includes a daily task of cleaning the latrines. Tempted by the proposition, Junius cleaned the toilets for a week, in hopes of expediting his cultivation speed. Regrettably, all he got was a bucket full of laughs and wheezes. The reason why Shin was training at such a monstrous speed was due to a variety of factors. Firstly, The Sovereign Koi was a legendary Spirit that even had its own cultivation technique that was passed down from the Celestial Water Dragon itself. Additionally, Shin had triggered a natural phenomenon that baptised his Spirit, essentially making him a favoured entity of the water elemental spirits. The second factor was Lady Seph''s wealth of knowledge. As a physician and former high ranking member of the Himmel Empire, the elderly woman was privy to a vast array of information kept in the libraries of the capital. Even books that were only suited for the eyes of royalty were not spared from her thirst for knowledge. Hence, Lady Seph knew precisely how to train the exiled youth and fully optimise his capabilities. The final factor was Shin''s hardcore training regiment. Every single day, Shin was subjected to morning exercises, led by the Instructor version two, Junius. In the afternoon, Lady Seph would force him to use his spiritual abilities endlessly to perform daily tasks. For instance, cleaning the toilets, brewing her a pot of tea and other mundane work. At the end of the day, when Shin was leaving Yakkyoku Clinic, he would always feel himself drained of mana, and he regularly cursed his master on making him do those tasks. However, unbeknownst to him, Lady Seph was actually employing a training method that she had learnt from the royal library. By making Shin spend all his mana on his spiritual abilities, Lady Seph could make him more accustomed to his skills. When his mana pool was drained, she would let Shin drink a recovery tea, brewed with the very best ingredients, that helps to stimulate spirit gathering, essentially filling the youth up with mana the very same night. The process of draining and recovering mana in the long run drastically increased the amount of spiritual energy that Shin could absorb and use as mana. Hence, in the evening when he was cultivating the Celestial Water Mantra, the black-haired youth would feel his cultivation improve by leaps and bounds. Rushing towards the suspected location of the Crimson Marlberry, Shin felt the wind flow past his face at a speed that was previously unattainable for him. Although he felt fatigued and indignant at the Spartan training that he had been put through over the years, the young boy had to admit that the training was showing its results. When the stench of rotting flesh was at its strongest, Shin halted his steps and turned his neck while darting his eyes wildly, hoping to catch a glimpse of his target. "Where is it?" "Oooooaaaaoooaaaaa!!!" At that moment a low growling reverberated through the trees and caught the attention of the youth. A pair of glowing lights, resembling blood red rubies emerged from the shrubbery revealing its ghastly figure. With tusks that reached for the heavens, an onyx furred wild boar bared its fangs and threatened the intruder that dared to step foot in its territory. Unlike regular wild boars, the one in front of Shin was at least twice the size of its peers. "Why is this thing here..." As he was questioning the existence of the wild boar, from the bushes, Shin could see a shiny red ball surrounded by countless black ones of similar shape. Space seemed to distort as the stench of the plant released an acrid odour that stung the eyes of any who were near it. Filling the surroundings with an abundance of spiritual energy, the Crimson Marlberry shone with a dim red glow. "I found it!" Growing in the midst of a bunch of wild marlberries, the Crimson Marlberry hides from sight and releases a putrid smell to deter predators from looking at it as an evening snack. Being one of the few herbs near the waypoint that collects spiritual energy and retains it, the Crimson Marlberry was a rare and precious herb that could go as high as one gold ingot on a good day. However, every piece of treasure has its dragon. Due to it emitting a significant amount of spiritual energy, the Crimson Marlberry attracts savage animals that are looking to evolve into spiritual beasts. With enough exposure in a mana-rich environment, even a harmless insect can morph into a beast that threatens thousands. The wild boar was precisely one of those creatures. It had noticed the numerous benefits of staying near the peculiar plant and had seen itself grow stronger every day. In return, the boar guarded the small red object with its life, fighting off any predators or gatherers that sought to pluck the Crimson Marlberry. If it was given a few more years, it was highly likely that the boar would evolve into a spiritual beast that could generate its own mana. Still, with its muscles strengthened and skin hardened through years of mana exposure, the animal was no mere pushover. "Hah¡­ Why must things always be so hard?" Annoyed that he had to enter battle once again, Shin gently dropped the basket of herbs onto the floor and lightly removed his jacket. On his belt, there were two pearly-white, identical ceramic gourds with the only difference being the labels on them. Tapping on the gourd labelled ''Two,'' Shin congregated his mana on his hand. Uncorking the gourd, a green fluid started to flow out from the ceramic flask. Directed by Shin''s mana, the liquid encircled the youth like a serpent, protecting him from any threats that came close. Like a conductor leading a musical orchestra, Shin moved his fingers erratically to control the movements of the green fluid that surrounded him in the air. "Sorry, but I can''t afford to lose the Crimson Marlberry¡­ Sleep for me, will you?" Pointing at the unfortunate savage beast, Shin directed a large portion of the green fluid at the wild boar. Like a coiled up snake, the string of water stuck at a blinding speed. However, as if anticipating the strike, the wild boar rushed to the side and evaded the bizarre liquid. After his first attack failed, Shin raised his eyebrows, slightly taken aback that his opponent was more skilled than he thought; but his troubled state did not last longer than a millisecond as he began to take things a little more seriously. From the gourd, Shin brought out more of the green fluid and sent forth an additional four strings towards the wild boar. However, it was for nought as the creature effortlessly sidestepped all the attacks. "What the hell?! How can a fat pig be that agile?!" Seeing that his attacks were useless against the wild boar, Shin quickly became annoyed. It was at this moment that the creature found an opening in the youth''s defences and charged headfirst at the unarmoured boy. Pointing its head down, the wild boar attempted to use its tusks to maul the intruder and cripple him. Its plan was perfect, unfortunately¡­ "Gotcha..." A playful grin appeared on the initially frantic face of Shin''s as the wild boar came near. From the earthen ground, a small green whirlpool, the size of a watermelon, began to spin violently. Unaware that it was heading to its doom, the wild boar''s eyes gleamed in anticipation as its tusks grew every closer to the savoury flesh of the adolescent. The next instant, when the animal was right above the whirlpool, a green fluid shot upwards like a fountain, covering every single part of the wild boar. Almost at the exact moment, the strange liquid touched its flesh, the wild boar felt the world slow down as its muscles began to relax. Collapsing onto the floor, the whites of its eyes started to show as drool flowed out from its mouth like a river. In that single instant, Shin had managed to take down a half-step beast without even laying a finger on it. "Phew, that was harder than I thought!" Twitching his fingers twice, Shin collected every single drop of green fluid, that was scattered about in the air, back into the gourd. Careful not to touch the liquid that he constructed, Shin corked the ceramic gourd tightly. The green fluid was a potent drug that once exposed to the skin, its chemicals would seep into the body, sending the target into a state of paralysis. Even a single drop could incapacitate a fully-grown man and send him to Lalaland. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Shin uncorked the ceramic gourd labelled ''One'' and summoned out the liquid inside the flask. This time, it was just clear water that Shin himself had created using his first spiritual ability. Over the past three years, after undergoing Lady Seph''s rigorous training, Shin could now comfortably control liquids that he created with ease. He didn''t even need to summon out The Sovereign Koi when it came to manipulating water he created. Moving his fingers, Shin carefully directed the string of water to the sole Crimson Marlberry hidden in the bushes. Once the liquid had wholly enveloped the herb, the boy made a clenched fist, cutting the stem of the Crimson Marlberry and bringing the red fruit into his basket. "I''m finally done! Damn it, next time I should just ignore that old grandma, let her collect this bloody thing by herself!" Shouting out curses at Lady Seph, who had no way of hearing him, Shin picked up the bamboo-weaved bag and slowly made his way out of the forest. Chapter 104 Three Years Later... 2 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. The overcast grey sky covered the bright crimson sun as a comfortable breeze cooled the blazing street of this mid-afternoon. In the three years that had passed, there had been little changes in the town that Shin and Junius called home. Merchants still went about their business as military supplies regularly entered the waypoint en route to Aldrich''s Keep. With a sharp decline in crime, residents of the town started to become more daring in their leisure activities with many leaving the safety of their homes in the complete darkness of night. As the hour hand of the clocktower slowly reached four, many workers were gathering their final burst of energy, eagerly anticipating for the time that they knocked off from work. However, for a certain black-haired boy strolling down the gigantic boulevard that ran through the waypoint, his day was only beginning. Stretching his tense muscles, Shin walked further down the busy street, with a bag full of precious herbs. The mix of herbal and peculiar scents burst forth from the unsuspecting bag, drawing the attention of anyone in a fifty-metre radius. ''Stop looking!!! It''s not like I want to smell this way!!!'' Mentally shouting out, Shin turned his head downwards in an attempt to evade the piercing gazes that the bystanders were shooting at him. Many of the herbs in his basket had precious medicinal value and it just so happens that most of them emit a pungent odour. Especially the Crimson Marlberry, being a spiritual herb, the stench it gave out was unbearable for an average person who had no knowledge of its value. ''Damn it! I''m so not going to help Master anymore!'' Every week, under the guise of sending Shin on a training mission, Lady Seph would order her disciple to gather herbs so that she could brew medicine. Oddly enough, after the arrival of the new attendant at Yakkyoku Clinic, the number of patients spiked. Perhaps, before when it was just Lady Seph, everyone was a little apprehensive about letting the loose fuse of a physician treat them. However, with a punching bag nearby for her, the patients need not fear the wrath of the demonic healer. The majority of the time, Lady Seph could help heal physical injuries and purge poison out of the patient''s body using her Iofiel Angel. Still, for internal injuries or conditions that require nourishment and medicine, there was a need for medicinal herbs in the clinic. Hence, Shin was sent as a gatherer to a nearby forest. Unable to bear the stares of hostility anymore, Shin quickened his steps and rushed back to Yakkyoku Clinic. ~~~ Many things didn''t change in Chilyoja Waypoint over the past three years. The Mushinkei remained the same, the Mayor''s office didn''t undergo any changes, and even the Constable''s Headquarters had little renovations. However, there was one building in the entirety of the town that had drastically changed. Yakkyoku Clinic, which was more of a run-down shed than a workplace for a Spirit Emperor, had fixed all the problems it had with its exterior. Gone were the cracked walls and broken-off roof tiles. The faded paint had been washed away and replaced with a more modern colour. Weeds and unmown grass, which were prevalent before, had been completely removed from the front and back lawn, making the place of healing look more and more hospitable. Naturally, it was Shin who had done all the work in fixing the exterior of the store, since Lady Seph only cared about the hygiene of the interior. Taking one good look at the building that he had toiled so hard to fix, Shin felt tears fill his eyes. Since Lady Seph did not allocate too much money to renovating Yakkyoku Clinic, the black-haired boy had taken over two years to completely refurbish the place. Like a proud mother seeing her child grow up, Shin always felt a sense of accomplishment whenever he returned to this building. Walking straight to the main entrance, he recalled the hardships that he had faced when it came to fixing the place. The pavement had to be redone, so he bought a bucket full of cement only to realise that it was not enough to rebuild the floor. The wooden pillars had been eroded and mouldy from years without maintenance, so he had to call in external help from skilled carpenters in the waypoint. As Shin reminisced about the hardships that he had faced, he found himself already pushing open the main door, and back into the familiar corridor where he spent his youth. "I''m back!" Announcing his arrival, Shin scanned the empty clinic in befuddlement. Typically, on a weekday like today, although there would be fewer customers, for it to be completely empty was highly unusual. As Shin was trying to comprehend the situation, a snowy white furball leapt out from behind the counter and landed on the young boy''s shoulders. Unravelling itself, Bingbing stared at Shin with its hypnotising black eyes and started to gnaw on his hair. Flashing a wry smile, Shin brought his left hand and stroked the soft fur of the mysterious gerbil. Up till this day, Shin had no clue on Bingbing''s species. Although she resembled a gerbil, Bingbing also had a magnificent ability of hiding herself from the sights of others and incredible physical strength. Furthermore, on some occasions, Shin had personally witnessed the adorable innocent creature emit tremendous amounts of mana. Funnily enough, one of those occasions was when Bingbing met Ariel for the first time. Being a young girl then, Ariel had a love of cute things, just like the other females at the Mushinkei. Hence, when she saw Bingbing''s puffed cheeks, she could not help but attempt to pinch them. Unhappy by her gesture, the gerbil, who seemed to be unable to harm a fly, bared her fangs and released a surge of devastating mana, causing Ariel to fall to her bum. It was the first time Shin witnessed Bingbing prowess. As it turned out, nothing around Lady Seph was ordinary. Even an adorable animal such as Bingbing had such a frightening presence. For some reason, the snowy white gerbil had liked Shin from the very beginning and detested any member of the Frie Clan who had come into her path. "Bingbing, I''m back¡­ Where''s Master?" Turning his head to look at the creature on his shoulder, Shin asked Bingbing for Lady Seph''s whereabouts. It might seem odd to speak to an animal like how one would converse with a human, but it was a common occurrence in the clinic. "*Squeak!* *Squeak!*." Happily nudging on the young man''s neck, Bingbing''s tail stood erect as she pointed in the direction of the treatment room. The only two people that she would let touch her were Lady Seph and Shin. In fact, in recent days, the gerbil would rather spend more time with the black-haired youth than her true master causing Lady Seph to lash out at Shin a few times. "She''s in the treatment room? Is there a patient?" Lady Seph would only be in the treatment room if there were a patient. Typically, she would loathe to leave her personal office as it gave her the solace of peace and quiet to do her readings. Putting down the bag filled with herbs, Shin slowly edged closer to the room on the right. Knocking twice, he called out: "Master? I''m back!" "Shin?! Great timing! Come in!" An adenoidal voice called out from inside the room. Opening the wooden door, Shin widened his eyes. Lady Seph had remained the same over the three years. With her bright blue eyes that sparkled with vitality and luscious blonde hair untouched by the whites that plagued people her age, one would question if she was truly an elderly woman. By her side, there was a lean and fit middle-aged man who bore a massive scar in the middle of his chest. Although he was well-bandaged, Shin could see a dense red liquid overflowing out from his body. "Shin, help take out this gentleman''s bandages and clean his wound." Now that her disciple had arrived, she could leave the cumbersome work to him. Walking back into the medicine room, Lady Seph left Shin with the damaged man as she searched for some ointments to treat the man. "Woah, that''s sudden..." Taking off his jacket, Shin advanced to the injured man and carefully searched for the knot that tied the bandage together. It did not take him long to find the crudely tied connection and gently untied the bandage. Judging from the position of the knot and poor handling of the dressing, Shin could deduce that the man had either had an incompetent companion who had no idea on how to dress a wound or that he self-bandaged himself. Seeing that there was no other person in the room, Shin guessed it was the later. "Did you bandage yourself?" "Yeah¡­ How did you know?" "Just a guess¡­ What happened? How did you get injured?" "It''s a long story¡­ By the way, who are you?" When the middle-aged man entered Yakkyoku Clinic, he did not expect to meet a young boy and never did he think that instead of the famous Lady Seph, that very same boy would be the one treating his wound. "I''m Lady Seph''s disciple." "Lady Seph accepted a disciple?!" Astonished by the revelation, the middle-aged man turned his head over his shoulder and looked at Shin from head to toe, as if evaluating the young boy. "Yeah, I formally became her student three years ago¡­ Alright, I''m going to clean your wound now. You will feel a stinging pain, can you bear with it?" As they were conversing, Shin had already cleanly removed the bloodied bandage, revealing a gruesome injury that stretched from the man''s collarbone to his stomach. The cut was deep enough that Shin could see the insides of the man as fresh blood began to flow out. Evidently, he was injured recently. "Hahaha! As a brave warrior of Aldrich''s Keep, how could I be afraid of a little bit of pain?! Just bring it on!" "Alright then, bite down on this piece of cloth. This is to prevent you from accidentally biting your tongue." Handing over a brown cloth, Shin summoned out The Sovereign Koi and circulated his mana. For a wound of this nature, he needed the purest form of water to sanitise the injury. Thankfully, his first spiritual ability allowed him to create water in its most pristine form. Flapping its fins in jubilation, the cerulean Koi, which had not grown a single inch over the past three years, spun around twice as it formed a transparent water ball. Pumping more and more mana into the water ball, Shin grew the sphere into the size of a watermelon before slowly moving it to the injured man''s chest. "*!!!!!*." The man attempted to shout out loud, but the cloth in his mouth only allowed a low murmur to sound out. Struggling to endure the pain, the middle-aged man wiggled about in his chair. Dark red blood started to fill the water ball that was stuck to the man''s chest like a leech as Shin continued to cautiously cleansed the impurities in the man''s body. The process lasted for about a minute before Shin was satisfied with the results. Pulling out the ball of water, the black-haired youth displaced the dirtied blood in the yard by sending it out the window. "Okay, I''m done... Master!" Lady Seph herself could clean and heal a grievous wound all in a matter of seconds. However, to train her disciple, she had always left the cleaning of injuries to Shin. After all, if Shin wanted to learn the ways of a healer, he had to get accustomed to the human anatomy first. "You''re done? That''s faster than I thought..." Coming out from the medicine room with a handful of herbs and ointments, Lady Seph gave the injured man a cursory glance before nodding in satisfaction. The first time Shin attempted to clean a wound, he had nearly fainted due to the massive amount of fresh blood coming out from the patient''s body. Slowly, as he treated more and more injured people, his cleaning had become frighteningly efficient. Sending a holy ray of healing light, Lady Seph employed the most elementary spiritual ability that all healers must have in their arsenal, ''Heal.'' Visually speaking, it was more striking than Shin''s flashy display of fluid control. The gigantic cut gradually shrunk like a clam closing its mouth, and when the light left the man''s body, all that remained was a grey scar. ''As usual, her abilities are mystical...'' No matter how many times he saw his master display her healing abilities, Shin could not get over how magical Lady Seph was. A gravely injured man could become a vibrant, able-bodied man within seconds. "All patched up! Here take this pill¡­ It will help with your blood nourishment. So Lymark, what brings you here?" Now that the man had been fully healed, Lady Seph could finally get down to business. Apparently, the man that Shin had just treated was no random vagrant who happened to chance upon the clinic. "I give my thanks to the Lady. If not for your good graces, I might not have-" "Cut the crap, Lymark¡­ The only reason that you''re here is that old fogey west from here needs my help. Spit it out, what happened?" "..." Not amused by the pointless flattery, Lady Seph urged the man to state his business. Laughing out bitterly, Lymark scratched his brown hair and sat upright. Taking a deep breath, he placed his two hands on his lap and in one fluid motion, gave the elderly woman a deep bow. "Please help us save Aldrich''s Keep!" Chapter 105 Three Years Later... 3 "Save Aldrich''s Keep? What do you mean?" Lady Seph tilted her head in confusion after hearing Lymark''s plea. Aldrich''s Keep was the first line of defence of the Himmel Empire''s western front. Bordering the enigmatic Uncharted Wilderness, which was rife with vicious spirit beasts, the valiant soldiers of the fortress ensure that the west border is well protected and safe. The Himmel Empire also spared no expense when it came to giving the warriors the support that they needed. After all, the massive project to construct waypoints throughout the land was primarily because of military posts such as Aldrich''s Keep. Headed by an illustrious general that was at the Spirit Emperor realm, Aldrich''s Keep had always retained its impregnable status. No matter how hard the tribulations, the sturdy structure perpetually maintained its form, acting as the immovable shield for the Himmel Empire. Hence, when Lymark, who was one of the general''s most trusted aides, claimed that the fort needing saving, Lady Seph did not know what to think of it. "His Excellency had sent me to deliver a message. The purge that happens every decade has been moved up due to unforeseen circumstances. The capital is currently lacking manpower and cannot afford to send additional Spirit Users to the Keep." "Hold it right there¡­ Anmac should know that I''m just a healer, I won''t be able to add much firepower to his defences." "Yes, but your deeds at Yara Pass is legendary. If you can lend even a fraction of your abilities, our warriors will be able to last for days when facing the beasts head on!" Shin''s eyes began to glaze over as he attempted to follow the conversation that the two seniors were having. He was curious about the happenings of Aldrich''s Keep, but after hearing the unfamiliar terminology, Shin just sighed in resignation and slowly crept to a corner. Noticing her disciple''s odd behaviour, Lady Seph returned back to her chair as she said: "It seems like my disciple is unable to follow our talk. Do me a favour and explain the circumstances to him will you?" Pouring herself a cup of tea, Lady Seph relaxed her body as she stared into the distance. If it were any other person requesting her to return to the battlefield, the elderly woman would decline with all her might. In fact, she would have lashed out in anger at the person. However, her relationship with the general stationed at Aldrich''s Keep was somewhat complicated. It could be said that he was a benefactor of sorts. Hence, she wanted to give herself some time to review the situation. Surprised at the sudden demand, Lymark moved his eyes between the young black-haired boy and the distinguished woman, who had made her mark on the national level years ago. From the rumours he had heard, Lady Seph did not spare the faces of anyone and was somewhat of a loose cannon. There were even some reports that she had once reprimanded the highest authority of the land, the Emperor. Thus, hearing that she valued the opinion of her disciple came as a great shock to the middle-aged man. Making a mental note to get into the good graces of Shin, Lymark cleared his throat and explained the situation. "I''m sure you are familiar with the purpose of Aldrich''s Keep, am I right?" "Yeah..." "Alright, then it speeds up my explanation. The Uncharted Wilderness contains a plethora of savage spirit beasts, each stronger than the other. Some are said to rival the might of an entire nation and could even pose a threat to the strongest beings on the Terre Continent. Fortunately, those creatures tend to avoid civilisation and live deep in the massive patch of land." At this moment, Lymark cupped his hands together with his back bent forwards. Sensing a shift in the man''s tone, Shin''s face turned sombre. "Aldrich''s Keep focuses on dealing with the spirit beasts that live in the outskirts of the Uncharted Wilderness that might actually slip out and wreak havoc on the masses. However, our predecessors realised that by the time the army responded to the threats, multiple lives might have been lost¡­ As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Thus, the first commanders that created Aldrich''s Keep decided to initiate a beast horde through artificial means to wipe out a significant percentage of the beast population." "We call it the purge. Happening every ten years, brave warriors from all over the country would gather in Aldrich''s Keep to face the beast horde, and it worked wonders. Incidents where beasts that had escaped from the Uncharted Wilderness and terrorised local villages sharply declined. Casualties when battling the beasts could also be contained as it was a structured military operation with adequate resources supplied to defeat the beasts. However, this year, something strange occurred..." Lymark paused for a moment. Shaking like a leaf, the poor man continued his story. "All of our outposts in the Uncharted Wilderness had been wiped out. Even the devices that we used to push out the beasts and trigger the horde had gone missing. Fearing that foul play had occurred, his excellency ordered us to be vigilant as he suspected that the number of beasts attacks from the Uncharted Wilderness would surge; and he was right. Day after day, new sightings of spirit beasts filled the reporting room, and countless of my associates had been casualties of the sudden increase of attacks." "In fact, on my way to Chilyoja Waypoint, I had even been attacked by a vicious Hellfire Lion. Thankfully, I managed to take it down before it went anywhere near innocent people, otherwise..." Finally explaining how he got the wound on his chest, Lymark sighed in agony. He knew that if things remained the way that it was, the warriors stationed in Aldrich''s Keep would run out of energy before the beast epidemic was solved. If that happened, the consequences would not only be dire for those in the fortress but to the entire Himmel Empire. "His excellency and the rest of the high ranking officials in the Keep decided to bring up the purge four years ahead of schedule to wipe out the sudden increase of the spirit beasts population. However, since the request came at an unfortunate time, the capital is unable to immediately send troops over, and the estimates state that the earliest reinforcements could be dispatched is two months from now... By that time, we fear that Aldrich''s Keep would be overrun with beasts as our soldiers had been worn down from the non-stop fighting." Lymark gave small glances at Shin and the inanimate elderly woman, who was listening in to the conversation. He knew that convincing Lady Seph was a momentous task as she had long retired from a life in the government. Not many people knew the real reason why such an esteemed figure disappeared from the public eye, but Lymark was one of the few who knew. Being one of the most trusted subordinates of General Anmac, the brown-haired middle-aged man knew more than he let on. Hence, he was aware that his trip here might prove to be fruitless. However, seeing how Lady Seph valued Shin, Lymark saw a silver lining. If he could convince Shin that Lady Seph''s presence was absolutely essential, perhaps the famed healer would display her mythical powers once more for the Empire. "You said that foul play might have occurred¡­ Have you identified the perpetrators?" Lady Seph, who had been quiet all the while, suddenly opened her mouth to question Lymark. "N-no! Not yet! However, his excellency has his suspicions! He said that there is only one entity that has the ability to perform such a feat and benefit from the fall of Aldrich''s Keep..." Hearing Lymark''s words, Lady Seph''s eyelids began twitching erratically. "The Kori Federation..." "E-exactly! His excellency claims that the Kori Federation had instigated the attacks..." "Does Anmac have any proof?" "No¡­ Not yet..." Closing her eyes, a variety of emotions could be seen on the blonde woman''s face. After a period of prolonged silence, Shin saw his Master''s eyes quiver as she raised her hands to say: "Alright, get out¡­ Go to an inn somewhere and rest¡­ Your body is still weak, and you need to recover from your injury. I will give you my answer tomorrow¡­ Shin, see him out." Not wanting to entertain her guest anymore, Lady Seph retreated into her office. Taken aback by his Master''s sudden attitude change, Shin could only blankly nod at her orders. "Senior Lymark, do you have a place to stay?" "Just call me Lymark¡­ Yeah, I have a house in the town. Shin, may I call you that?" "Of course!" "Alright then, Shin¡­ Please help me convince your Master¡­ Lady Seph''s abilities are absolutely critical in the next purge. With her around, the morale of the troops would be heavily boosted in this time of crisis. Please, I''m begging you..." Nearly falling to his knees, Lymark grasped the wrist of the black-haired boy and pleaded. "I-I''ll try my best..." After listening to the conditions at Aldrich''s Keep, Shin could not help but feel for the man. In fact, he was unsure of why his Master was hesitating. The opportunity to not just save the lives of the heroes at the fort but also countless innocent civilians of the Empire just presented itself. For a healer, wasn''t it the calling of a lifetime? "Thank you¡­ Thank you so much¡­ I''ll be on my way then..." Getting up from his chair, Lymark stumbled around the room a few times as he felt a little light-headed. Running up to support him, Shin was only stopped by the injured man''s outreached hand. "S-senior Lymark, do you need help returning home?" "It''s alright¡­ I can manage¡­ Shin, I hope that you can help convince your Master..." With that, Lymark trudged out of the clinic and disappeared into the distance. Bingbing, who had been sitting comfortably on the counter, leapt up and landed on Shin''s shoulder, licking his neck in the process. Usually, this action would prompt the young boy to play with the adorable critter. However, Shin was lost in thought as he furrowed his eyebrows in dissatisfaction. Turning about, Shin briskly walked down the corridor and straight to the frosted glass door of Lady Seph''s office. Knocking twice, Shin sought an audience with his Master. "Master, can I come in?" "Yeah..." A lethargic voice sounded out from the other side of the door. Pushing open the door, Shin was greeted by a slouched blonde woman who was blankly staring at the ceiling. Closing the door behind him, what ensued was a minute of awkward silence. Shin, unsure of how to begin the conversation, nervously awaited his Master''s orders. Lady Seph, on the other hand, was as quiet as can be. "Shin, make us some tea..." Finally, the elderly woman broke the stillness of the room. Immediately acknowledging her words, Shin began the routine that had been ingrained into his soul over the past three years. Perfectly brewing a fresh cup of Oolong tea, Shin poured out two cups, one for his Master and one for himself. Over the years, he had long grown accustomed to the taste of the bitter tea. "You must be wondering why I did not accept his request straight away..." "..." Accurately determining Shin''s thoughts, Lady Seph gently placed the teacup at the saucer and peered straight into her disciple''s eyes. From what Shin understood of his Master, although she was extraordinarily queer and harsh, the elderly woman had a pure and kind heart. There was no way she would sit back and let even a single person die in front of her, let alone an entire fort of brave warriors that risked their lives for the safety of others. "The matters of the military are more complicated than you think¡­ Politics is an even worse path¡­ I didn''t want to expose you to the dark side of the Empire this early on..." Sighing in self-condemnation, Lady Seph gave Shin a remorseful look that sent shivers down the thirteen-year-old''s spine. "Hah¡­ Give me some time to think¡­ Here, this is today''s replenishment pill¡­ Return home and cultivate well..." Handing over a mahogany pill box, Lady Seph shooed her disciple out of her office. Bingbing, who was resting on the boy''s shoulders, jumped to its Master and waved Shin goodbye by wagging its tail. "Okay¡­ Then, I''ll be off..." Initially, Shin wanted to help Lymark convince his Master, but after seeing her melancholy mood, he could not muster up the words to persuade her. Placing the pill box into his pocket, Shin gave Lady Seph a light bow before leaving Yakkyoku Clinic. Chapter 106 A Sudden Change in the Spiritual Body 1 After being chased away by his Master, Shin dispiritedly walked down the bustling path back to the Mushinkei. Chilyoja Waypoint over the three years didn''t change much. The streets remained the same with constables doing their daily patrols while enforcing the safety of the town. Shouts of merchants luring customers into their den echoed through the commercial district and children, who were just finishing school skipped merrily back home. Wearing a luxurious grey robe with exquisitely embroidered fittings, Shin looked like the son of an affluent noble who had begun his evening stroll of the town. His jet black hair now flowed down to the nape of his neck and covered his ears. Oddly enough, although Shin did not pay much attention to how he looked, his natural appearance remained prim and proper, giving him the demeanour of an upper-class citizen. Feeling slightly tense in his shoulders, Shin rotated his head around while trying to release the tension of his muscles. His azure blue eyes, which permeated one''s soul, glanced around at the surroundings, observing everything in sight. No matter how much he tried to do otherwise, Shin''s mind kept returning to the words that Lymark and his Master just said a few moments prior. The threat of Aldrich''s Keep falling was genuine. If nothing were done to stop it, everything that he knew would be at risk. The restless town that he had come to love, the innocent children who offered him flowers from their school. The granny who was living her twilight years in peace down by the northern gate that fed him her signature dish whenever he visited. The local butcher who gave him free extra toppings whenever he asked for it. All these innocuous people, who had little to no spiritual power, would all be exposed to severe risk once Aldrich''s Keep falls. Perhaps even the people he held most dear back on Frie Mountain might be unable to weather the storm. Thinking deeply about the matter, Shin''s feet moved solely based on muscle-memory to propel him back to the Mushinkei. Before he realised it, an ostentatious edifice came into view. Snapping out of his stupor, the black-haired youth slapped his face twice to freshen up and opened the tremendous door that lay in front of him. "I''m back..." "Shin! You''re home~! How''s work?" A cheerful voice called out to the young boy. Donned in a hot pink traditional mandarin gown, Riko flashed an exultant smile as she welcomed Shin. As if untouched by time, the femme fatale retained her sultry looks and her milky complexion. Bending her down her waist, Riko rested her elbows on the marble counter with her hands supporting her dainty head. "Sister Riko¡­ It''s tiring..." Shin deliberated on whether he should share his worries with the upbeat young woman but eventually decided against it. Riko had plenty on her plate right now. Marshall, the manager of the Mushinkei, had just returned to Frie Mountain for his quarterly reporting and Ines had been sent far away for a mission, much to her adamant refusal of course. The Instructor had been busy with training the other orphans. Last year, Max, Fionn and Elyse, who were two years younger than Shin, underwent their Spirit Awakening ceremony. Oddly enough, the three orphans did not manage to awaken water elemental Spirits which came at a great shock to the other members in the division. It had to be said that every single orphan from Junius to Shin had awakened water elemental Spirits. They were even told that the previous clan master had specially chosen abandoned children who had shown talent with water elemental spirits. However, Max awakened an earth elemental Spirit while Fionn and Elyse both awakened a wind elemental Spirit which contradicts the explanation that the Instructor had given them. Feeling suspicious, Junius and Shin meekly questioned the burly, bald man once when he came to visit. Pushing out a mournful sigh, the Instructor claimed that he too had no idea and evaded the questioning. Unable to dig up any more dirt, the two decided to let sleeping dogs lie and returned back to their own lives. "Oh ho~! Do I see an opportunity to administer my world famous Riko massage~?!" Bring her arms up from the counter, Riko''s eyes begun to beam in passion and anticipation as she assumed a stance that was suitable for giving a person a massage. "E-ermmm, it''s okay! Oh, look at the time! I need to go and cultivate!" "Wait! Don''t you want¡­ Arghhh!!! He ran away so quickly!" Although it seemed like Riko had the best intentions for the black-haired boy, in truth, her Riko massages disguised her true intentions. To brutally demolish the puffy cheeks of Shin''s. The poor young lad had fallen victim to her trap multiple times but as they say, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Learning from his previous experiences, Shin knew that the best course of action was to swiftly retreat whenever the young woman showed her intense gaze. "Phew, that was close..." Bolting up the stairs, Shin felt the energy being drained from his thighs as he fell to the floor. Wiping off the cold sweat on his forehead, the black-haired boy heaved a sigh of relief as he felt like he had dodged an arrow. "Shin? Why do you look so pale?" At that moment, a husky, masculine voice called out to the young boy. Turning in the direction of the call, Shin noticed a tall male teenager, who was over 1.8 metres tall, walking down the hallway towards him. His rich viridian hair had been cut short and his body, which had been lean three years ago, had gained a significant amount of muscle. The sharp nose, free of any blemishes, complemented his high cheekbones and really highlighted his prominent chin. When he smiled, two adorable dimples made his manly face seem a little less intimidating. "Junius¡­ Just the usual..." "Sister Riko again huh? She never gives up does she?" "Exactly!" Over the past three years, Junius had started to make a name of himself in the constable''s circle. Starting from the very bottom as an apprentice constable, he worked his way up and had been promoted twice, the most recent one happening on his seventeenth birthday. Never slacking off on the job, he had made a good impression on the many constables he worked with. His affable nature made him a popular pick for patrol shifts, and due to his suave image, Junius had become some sort of a mascot for the town constables. In the three years, even though he was sloughed with work, Junius never slacked when it came to cultivation. He had advanced from Rank 11 to Rank 15, making him the youngest mid-stage Spirit Apostle in Chilyoja Waypoint. Although it was a far cry from Shin''s advancements, it had to be said that cultivating at higher ranks is generally much more difficult. In total, Junius hard work and determination had managed to propel him fifteen ranks in just a mere seven years. His battle prowess similarly improved at an exponential rate. Among the lower ranks of constables, Junius had the most number of arrests. Due to his approachable attitude and good-looking smile, he had garnered quite a large fanbase in the waypoint. Working in law enforcement can be tough as they are literally policing over the common folk, monitoring the citizens every suspicious move. Thus, there may be times where the public would have a negative impression of the constables. Having a young, tall, handsome teenage boy, who was popular with residents of the waypoint really helped to boost the overall image of the constables. "Hahaha, if she''s so desperate, why not let her do it?" "Are you insane?! You might think it doesn''t hurt because she looks frail, but her pinches rival that of Senior Ines''!!!" "Oh come on, it can''t be that bad..." "Hmph! Why don''t you try it next time?" No matter how much time had passed, the duo would always find a way to bicker about the smallest of things. Junius being the elder brother, loved to tease Shin, whose over-exaggerated reactions brought out the playful side of the viridian-haired youth. "So how was your day?" Like any concerned family member, Junius questioned the fatigued boy. "Actually, something bad had just happened..." "Hmmm? What is it?" "It''s like this when I returned to the clinic..." Junius was the one person that Shin had placed the most trust in. Whenever he was feeling down or a troubling matter that he had no answer to, presented itself, the black-haired boy would always confide his troubles with Junius. Without missing a single detail, Shin recounted everything that had just occurred in the clinic just a few hours ago. "What?! Aldrich''s Keep is in danger of being overrun by beasts?!" Shouting out in shock, Junius eyes quivered frantically as he lost control of his senses. It was rare for the youth, who was usually as cool as a cucumber to be that shaken. It went to show the severity of the situation. "Why doesn''t Lady Seph agree to it right away?! If Aldrich''s Keep falls, won''t it be bad for Chilyoja Waypoint, the place where she lives?" Rapidly blinking, Junius was unable to comprehend the elderly woman''s thoughts. "I don''t know¡­ Master said something about military and politics, and that I would not understand¡­ I have never seen Master that depressed before..." "..." Junius'' mouth twitched a little after hearing Shin''s words. It seemed that there was more than meets the eye when it came to Lady Seph not accepting Lymark''s request. "I wonder if Mayor Nadeo knows about this news..." Changing the subject, Junius wondered if the higher-ups in the town knew of the threat that Aldrich''s Keep was under. After being a constable for so long, he had a cursory understanding of how the government works in the town. If the news that the impregnable fort could possibly fall spread in the waypoint, there would be an outpour of panic and anxiety. In fear of losing their lives, desperate prosperous citizens would flee the town, destabilising the social hierarchy. Without their employers, those left behind might turn to looting and crime to survive. It was highly possible that Mayor Nadeo and Lewis knew of the dreadful news and deliberately covered up the entire thing from the public. With his hands supporting his chin, Junius pondered over the situation. All of a sudden, the teenage youth jerked his body forward as he realised something vital. "If Lady Seph goes to Aldrich''s Keep, don''t you need to follow her?" "Huh? T-that..." From the start when Shin heard Lymark''s claims, never did the thought that he would be leaving the waypoint cross his mind. Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, he struggled to come up with a reply. "Master didn''t say¡­ She did say something along the lines that she didn''t want to expose me to the military that early¡­ Perhaps..." Piecing together his Master words, Shin hypothesised on the possibility of him leaving the waypoint; and the more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely. "Ah¡­ Don''t think about it too much. You should be getting some rest." Seeing Shin''s pinkish complexion turn pale, Junius advised the boy to retreat to his room. However, truth to be told, he was also unsure of whether Shin should leave the waypoint. Junius remembered how distraught the boy was when he moved away from Frie Mountain three years ago. It took them a long time to grow accustomed to the life in the town. "Okay..." Nodding like a lifeless doll, the black-haired boy slowly trudged into his room, leaving a glum Junius behind. The extravagant lodging remained mostly unchanged. The bed was still as comfortable as ever. The space between the four walls was still extensive even though Shin had just entered his growth spurt years. "Hah¡­ Let''s just not think of it." Going to a nearby drawer, Shin took out a thin manual. Its blue leather cover released a foul smell as it had been tainted by time. Wrinkles on the yellow parchment made some of the ancient words illegible, causing the young boy to squint ever so often. "Time to cultivate..." Shin''s daily routine consisted of three parts. In the morning, Junius would wake him up early to go through a gruelling exercise that matched the Instructor''s deadly practices. When the fiery ball in the sky was at its highest, Shin would head straight to Yakkyoku Clinic and tend to Lady Seph''s every need. Naturally, he spent a considerable amount of time spending his mana, thus improving his efficiency with his abilities. Finally, when the terrestrial moon graced the heavens, Shin would take the recovery pill or tea that Lady Seph provided him that day and begin his cultivation. For some odd reason, Shin felt his cultivation progress much more smoothly whenever he cultivated at night. Perhaps the water elemental spirits hibernate during the day due to the immense heat causing his mana replenishment rate to dip. Flipping the pages of the Celestial Water Mantra, Shin found a suitable chapter to begin his chants. Shin had read the manual from cover to cover multiple times, but he had never managed to fully memorise the mantra. It was as if a mysterious force prevented the boy from printing the wisdom of the book into his head. Shin prided himself on his ability to learn materials from printed paper rather quickly but every time he attempted to comprehend the manual, he felt himself drawing a blank. More often than not, Shin felt like he managed to learn something new whenever he re-read the book that had been accompanying him all these years. "..." Popping in the fragrant pill handed to him by his master, Shin closed his eyes and started to chant mentally. Circulating the mana inside of his body, the cute little cerulean Koi made its appearance once more as the boy begun his cultivation session... Chapter 107 A Sudden Change in the Spiritual Body 2 "..." In the stillness of the room, a low murmur buzzed, breaking its complete silence. Sitting in a lotus position on his bed, Shin rested his two hands on his lap as The Sovereign Koi joyfully spun round in circles. A dim cerulean aura started to emit out from the young boy causing the temperature of the enclosed room to drop drastically. Shin''s chest inflated and deflated every time he took in a deep breath as he entered a serene state. Absorbing the abundant spiritual energy from his surroundings, Shin felt his body lose its weight as a tranquil feeling overwhelmed his body. Before he began to cultivate, intense emotions of fear, sorrow and pity were circulating in his head. Shin was afraid that he might have to leave the place he called home once more. Anguished that if Aldrich''s Keep fell, thousands if not millions would either die or have their lives torn apart. And finally, pitiful about the situation Lymark was under. Unbeknownst to Shin, the wealth of emotions caused his mana to run amok in the initial stages of his cultivation session. Due to him consuming the replenishment pill that Lady Seph had personally formed, his spiritual body was extremely perceptive to even the most minute changes in his psyche. The Sovereign Koi in his hands fixated its large black eyes on its master as if worried that if he continued down this path, something disastrous might happen. All of a sudden, Shin felt a blazing heat emerging out from his abdomen. His silken pyjamas started to become drenched with cold sweat as he felt his body spiral out of control. Shin''s arms trembled, and he perceived himself falling down an endless pit of darkness and gloom. All the while, the young boy had been chanting the fifth chapter of the Celestial Water Mantra vehemently in his mind. The Celestial Water Mantra was explicitly tailored for Spirit Users who had contracted either one of the Eight Scions of Water. Being descendants of the Celestial Water Dragon, each one of the scions harboured the innate ability to transcend any other Spirit to stand at the apex of the cultivation world. However, there was one major drawback when it came to the Celestial Water Mantra. It was too profound. Up to this day, there had not been any Spirit Immortals that possessed the Eight Scions of Water due to how difficult it was to cultivate the Celestial Water Mantra to perfection. Every single sentence in the manual can be interpreted in a million different ways, and there were often times where a Spirit User re-reads the entire book and found a different path for their cultivations. Even Rank 90 Spirit Saints were not an exception to this phenomenon. The current chapter Shin recited was one that he had read many times before. Even he did not know why he chose this chapter in his cultivation session today. "..." As if being placed into an incinerator, Shin''s body was sweating profusely, dousing his bedsheets with salty perspiration. The cerulean aura that enveloped the young cultivator grew to twice its previous size as it erratically shifted through the air. Just as Shin felt as if he could no longer hold on, something in his mind clicked. "Water, the progenitor of life. Fear it. Love it. Detest it. Everything returns to it." The words in the manual resonated in his mind. What were emotions? Why did he feel for the poor man who travelled all the way from Aldrich''s Keep, risking his life in the process, to deliver the message to his Master? Why did he feel despondent when he speculated that he was leaving the waypoint? Why was he hateful when his Master did not immediately accept the man''s request to save thousands of lives? All these questions and more surfaced in the depths of his sub-consciousness. However, no matter how hard he thought, he could not decipher the reason why emotions existed. And then, he repeated the last line. "Everything returns to it..." At that moment, the mana in his body stabilised, and the cerulean aura dimmed down, returning to the boy''s body. Reaching an epiphany, Shin felt his spiritual body calm down, like an ocean after a violent storm. "That''s right. Everything returns to dust. Why should I be so bothered by my emotions?" The exact moment he thought of those words, a warm and powerful energy, unlike the turbulent one from before, surged up in his body, strengthening every cell that he possessed. Like a hungry vacuum, Shin absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy aggressively. Feeling every pore in his body open, the young boy took a deep breath in as his mana became increasingly enriched. Seeing that its master was out of danger, The Sovereign Koi flapped its fins jubilantly and proceeded to merge back into Shin. The process of Shin refining his mana took an extended period of time. About an hour to be precise. Every time he felt the surge of energy welling up from his abdomen, Shin relaxed his muscles, attempting to yield himself into the comfortable feeling. Now that he had reached a revelation, Shin allowed his worries to melt away. Soon, the effects of the pill that Lady Seph had given Shin diminished as he felt his cultivation rate slow down. Usually, after every cultivation session, Shin would feel lethargic and would immediately want to take a nap. However, this time, he was brimming with energy. Peering into his spiritual body, he saw that the amount of mana stored inside was like a boiling pot. The energy inside of him was gunning to be released but the lid capping it was preventing it from happening. "Shin¡­ Shin!" While he was puzzled by the strange occurrence, Shin felt his consciousness return to him. From the insides of his room, he heard a variety of voices calling out his name. Opening his tightly shut eyes, Shin drowsily tried to make out the figures standing in front of him. "Shin! You''re finally awake!" "Shin! Are you alright?" Junius and Riko, who were disturbed by the abnormal change in spiritual energy, hurriedly rushed into Shin''s room to determine the state of the youth. Breaking into the enclosed area, they found the young boy drenched to the bone as if he was playing in the rain, seated in a lotus position atop his bed. The spiritual energies in the room were highly unstable as the aura being emitted from Shin made them lose their bearings. Just as they were about to assist the boy escape from his predicament, an immense phantom, shrouded in an ethereal fog, appeared behind Shin. A primal terror crept up the two Spirit Users spine as they stood rooted to the floor, unable to approach the youth. The next instant, the phantom enveloped the boy as all of the spiritual energy in the surroundings disappeared into Shin''s body, balancing out his condition. With the boy mended, the phantom dissipated as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind a stabilised Shin, who was still madly affixed in his cultivation session. "Yeah¡­ Why are you all in my room?" Oblivious of the commotion that he had caused, Shin, who was still in a delirious state, questioned the two on why they entered his room during his cultivation session. "Why? What were YOU doing?! Do you know how worried we were?!" Riko cried out. Although they knew that Shin''s condition had been remedied once the phantom did its work, the duo was still frightened that something might have gone awry with the youth. "I just cultivated¡­ By the way, Junius. I feel like something is not right with my spiritual body." Other than his Master, Shin always consulted his elder brother when it came to matters regarding cultivation. After all, Junius was much more diligent as compared to Shin. "What?! Is there something wrong?!" Worried that Shin had destroyed his cultivation path, Junius shouted out. "No, it''s not that¡­ My spiritual body seems to have reached some sort of bottleneck. It is filled with mana and looks like it might burst anytime..." As he said those words, the duo''s eyes widened as if they were about to be gouged out from their sockets. Shin didn''t know what that meant, but they evidently did. "J-Junius¡­ How old was Shin again?" Riko''s voice quivered slightly as she asked the tall teenager standing next to her. "He will be celebrating his thirteenth birthday in a month''s time..." "So he''s still twelve¡­ Haha, oh, my god..." With a bitter smile, Riko questioned everything she knew about cultivation. Approaching a nearby cushioned seat, the sultry woman sunk into the chair while rubbing the temples of her head. "Why? What''s wrong?" Unsure of why Riko was behaving eccentrically, Shin titled his head in confusion and asked the elder brother of his, who had always been so reliable. But as he looked at the youth, all he saw was a dispirited viridian-haired teen, who wore the exact same expression as Riko. "Shin, you''re probably at the peak of Rank 9 now. At any time, you can break through into the Spirit Apostle realm." It was no wonder that the duo were dismayed. A Spirit Apostle at twelve years and eleven months old. To put into context how great that achievement was, the current record in the Frie Clan for a Spirit Practitioner to reach the Spirit Apostle realm was twelve years and eight months. However, that was with the support of Frie mountain, where the elemental spirits thrived and the innumerable amounts of precious materials provided by the elders of the clan. Unlike the record holder, Shin did not have all those benefits, making his achievement all the more impressive. Junius himself reached the Spirit Apostle realm at fourteen years and three months, making him one of the more outstanding talents in the Frie Clan. However, compared to Shin, he was more than a year slower. Trying his best to prevent his jealousy from spilling out, Junius further explained the situation to his prodigious younger brother. "Now that you''re at the peak of Rank 9, you can learn a new spiritual ability. Once you''ve learnt it, you will officially step into the Spirit Apostle realm. That you must consult Lady Seph for¡­ Congrats, Shin..." Half happy for his younger brother and half annoyed that his talent was so overwhelming, Junius eyes glazed as half-heartedly celebrated Shin''s accomplishment. "I''m at the peak of Rank 9? But I just reached Rank 9 one month ago!!!" "Oh god damn it, just shut up!" "What?!" Although Junius knew that the black-haired boy wasn''t gloating, he couldn''t help but feel slightly miffed when he saw that ignorant and pure expression of shock on Shin''s face. After a while, Junius realised that instead of feeling envious, he should be proud that Shin had reached this milestone at such a tender age. "Hah¡­ Go and rest. You must be fatigued from the earlier cultivation session..." Wearing a bitter smile, Junius dragged Riko, who was still trapped in a daze, out of the room to allow Shin to get some rest. Chapter 108 A Sudden Change in the Spiritual Body 3 "You what?!" A deafening shriek echoed through the empty alleyway of a remote corner in the western ward. The shout was so loud that nearby bystanders that were far away had to plug their fingers into their ears to prevent themselves from going deaf. In a clean and charming building, a blonde elderly woman opened her eyes fully like saucers and stared at the black-haired boy, who was cheekily rubbing his nose in front of her. "You''re at the peak of Rank 9? Didn''t you just advance a month ago?" "Yeah¡­ Yesterday when I returned, I immediately got to training. For some reason, I managed to reach the peak of Rank 9." "..." Falling into her chair, Lady Seph looked at the young boy as if she was studying an enigma. Covering her mouth, the elderly woman furrowed her brows and gently closed her eyes, entering into a state of deep thought. The news that Shin had brought her was way too timely. While she was considering whether she should accept her old friend''s call to protect Aldrich''s Keep, her protege came and told her that he was about to break into the Spirit Apostle realm. Lady Seph had already planned for Shin to learn ''Heal'' for his second spiritual ability and wasn''t a war zone the perfect place to learn and practice such an ability? ''Are the heavens playing a joke on me? Must I really return to the military?'' Mentally cursing the heavens above, Lady Seph gingerly opened her eyes to notice her disciple fidgeting. His mouth twitched ever so slightly as his dreary eyes betrayed a sense of nervousness. Shin did not know what to expect from his Master once he reached the peak of Rank 9 so he was unsure on whether he should report on the fact, especially in a time where Lady Seph had the matter on Aldrich''s Keep to worry about. "Hah¡­ It''s fine, you did well, Shin..." Beckoning to Shin, Lady Seph signalled for the black-haired boy to come closer to her desk. Once he was within reach, the elderly lady flashed a warm and proud smile, stroking the silky hair of her disciple. Lady Seph rarely gave out compliments thus, when Shin heard her affectionate words, he felt like a thunderbolt had struck him. Being a thirteen-year-old boy, Shin had entered the stage where he wanted others to treat him like an adult rather than a child. However, feeling the heartfelt touch of his Master, he decided against pushing Lady Seph''s hand away. ''Fine then¡­ For this child...'' Steeling her resolve, Lady Seph decided to make the hard choice. Words cannot adequately describe how much she hated to return to the wretched place that was the military but for the sake of her disciple, she made up her mind. The duo did not spend much time together, but Lady Seph had begun to favour the boy even more so than her old-time friends that went through thick and thin with her. Their personalities were like oil and water. One was an unreasonable old wretch while the other was a cunning little fox. There were many times where they clashed, and it ended up with Shin convulsing on the floor like a fish out of water. There were also times where the boy drove her absolutely hysterical due to his antics. But one day, when Shin was unable to make it to the clinic, the elderly woman felt a surge of loneliness well up in her heart. Ever since the day that they met, Shin had added some colour to her mundane life. Lady Seph had no partners or children as she was virtually married to her books. In the past, when she was in the prime of her life, all she cared for was the pursuit of knowledge to become the best healer there ever was. Days of study turned into years, and before she knew it, she had transformed from this beautiful maiden that every male in the empire lusted for into a middle-aged senior that had lost her suitors. However, that did not deter her. Lady Seph continued on her quest to become the best healer in the world; and to a certain extent, she had achieved that goal. In the modern day, who hasn''t heard of her mystical abilities at Yara Pass? Nothing mattered to Lady Seph. As long as she was the best healer in the world, she did not care much about her personal life. But one day, when she was hard at work researching in her extensive laboratory, she noticed something peculiar. Other than herself, there was not a single soul in sight. Lady Seph''s devotion to her work had manifested an unsociable behaviour where she had shunned anyone who attempted to get close in her life. To protect her research, she had fired all sorts of assistants, who were all major fans of hers. In the end, she was all alone. When ''that'' incident happened, and she decided to leave the military and politics altogether, there was no one to wave her goodbye in the capital. There was no one she could confide in or share her troubles with. She was all alone. The only partner that she had was the adorable snowy-white gerbil that had accompanied her since her days in the military. Leaving the capital and relocating to a remote corner in an obscure waypoint where her face was not publically recognisable, Lady Seph thought that she could start anew. Alas, reality wasn''t that kind. Her erratic and antagonistic character chased any patients away, leaving her isolated once more. Used to the lack of human touch, Lady Seph just carried on with her research and continued to live the life of a lone wolf. Yet, one day, a particular trio barged into her empty clinic bearing the mark of the Frie Clan, the clan of one of her old acquaintances. It was by pure coincidence that she chose to live in Chilyoja Waypoint, which was a stone throw distance away from Frie Mountain. However, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that her random pick had led her to a fateful encounter. Lady Seph''s first impressions of Shin were dismal. He had been forced onto her by the First Elder, whom she had owed a favour. But slowly, after a few days of interacting with the boy, she had started to get more intrigued by Shin. He was a slothful young boy and hated to use excessive force when doing tasks. However, his ability to learn was second to none. Even though he hated to do the assignments he was given, Shin would begrudgingly finish them on time and with little mistakes. Over the years, due to his presence, the number of people who entered her clinic seeking aid had gradually increased. His hard work in renovating the building had also helped to improve the overall vibe of the place. The once cold and desolate clinic was now filled with warmth that she had never felt before. Although the boy drove her mad at times, he had also brought tremendous amounts of joy just by growing up under her tutelage. Thus, for the sake of her disciple''s growth, no matter how much she hated the idea of stepping foot into a military base, Lady Seph knew that it was the right thing to do. She gave Shin a gaze of ardent love as the young boy purred in her pleasant touch. Unaware that his advancement had caused a significant shift in his Master''s psyche, Shin''s face started to redden as he enjoyed the rare praise that Lady Seph had bestowed unto him. "Alright then, care to tell me what you know about entering the Spirit Apostle realm?" Taking her mind off the issue of Aldrich''s Keep, Lady Seph asked Shin on the extent of his knowledge. "A-ah! Nothing much actually¡­ All I know is that I have to learn a spiritual ability from Master..." With an abashed face, Shin breathed in multiple times to regain his composure. He felt embarrassed by his earlier actions. "You''re not wrong, but not totally right either. You''re not learning a spiritual ability from me, you yourself are learning a spiritual ability." "Huh? I don''t get it..." At the odd explanation that his Master gave, Shin titled his head to the side and gave Lady Seph a look of confusion. "Haha, I guessed you wouldn''t understand¡­ To begin with, I have to explain to you what are spiritual abilities..." Now that she had her emotions in check, Lady Seph signalled for Shin to take a seat while she reclined back in her chair. Stirring the cup of tea in front of her, the elderly woman took a sip before beginning her long explanation. "Spiritual abilities are a strange phenomenon. Like Spirits, experts argue over the exact origins of how they came to be. Some claim that spiritual abilities are just the by-products of owning a Spirit. Others say that spiritual abilities are the gifts sent from the heavens, a law of nature one might say. However, one thing is certain, the spiritual ability you learn is something that will something unique, that only you can use." "Let me give you an example. That young lad you call the Instructor and your fellow roommate, Junius. Both of them have learnt the ability ''Elemental Ring,'' am I right?" Noticing that she had lost Shin in the explanation, Lady Seph opted to go for a visual aid. "Yeah..." "Since Junius has the Azure Water Blade, which is a water elemental spirit, he had visualised the ''Elemental Ring'' ability like a savage flowing river that is as sharp as any sword. Your Instructor, on the other hand, uses the ''Elemental Ring'' like a burning explosive, decimating anything in his path. Do you get the picture?" "Kinda..." Shin had seen how both the Instructor and Junius used the Elemental Ring. Thinking about it, he saw the point that Lady Seph was trying to make. "Thus, although the two spiritual abilities are in concept the same, two different Spirit Users will manifest unique properties once they learn of it. This is something that you have to keep in mind. Whenever you''re learning a new spiritual ability, you should not strive to copy it exactly. Try to make it compatible to your own Spirit. Each Spirit User has their own unique experiences and how they perceive the world. There are instances where talented Spirit Users even create their own spiritual abilities as there were none out there that was suited for them!" Lady Seph raised her voice into a cry as she emphasised the importance of not blindly copying spiritual abilities. In her many years in the military, she had seen many youngsters ruin their cultivation path just because they wanted to emulate the successes of their predecessors. However, instead of making a name for themselves, the most they amounted to was being a footnote in the annals of history. Not wanting her beloved disciple to follow their ill-fated path, Lady Seph gave Shin a sombre gaze. "Okay..." "Good!" Brightening up, Lady Seph produced a delighted smile. "Now, onto the next topic. About the spiritual ability that I am about to impart onto you." Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Shin''s eyes glistened as his ears perked up. After all, his Master''s next words were the one that he had come for. "Let''s talk about ''Heal''..." Chapter 109 Learning the New Spiritual Ability 1 "''Heal'' is the most essential skill that is required for a healer. No matter what path you take in the future, you can''t be considered a healer if you don''t have this spiritual skill in your arsenal..." Introducing the ability that was famed far and wide, Lady Seph closed her eyes mid-sentence. All of a sudden, Shin felt the air thin, and the ground shake as the spiritual energy in the cramped office became denser and denser. As if the gates of heaven were pried open, a ray of hallowed light emerged from the depths of the elderly woman''s soul, enveloping the entire room with its divine touch. When the light was at its brightest, a phantom of a pure and reverent maiden appeared behind Lady Seph. Donned in a pearly white peplos, the Iofiel Angel descended into the material realm, bringing with it a golden harp and a melodious song. Spreading its luminescent wings wide, the ethereal phantom released a surge of mana that made the black-haired boy sitting in front of it gasping for air. Moving her hands to a nearby drawer, Lady Seph reached for her toolbox. As a healer, she had to have an array of medical utensils around so that she could effectively treat her patients. Picking out a razor-sharp scalpel, the elderly woman placed the ice-cold blade on her left hand and in one swift motion, sliced down as if she were cutting a piece of butter. "Master!" Shin''s jaw dropped as his eyes nearly bulged out from its sockets. Fresh, crimson blood oozed out from the deep wound uncontrollably like a dam that had been breached. Abruptly standing up, the black-haired boy worriedly gaped at the elderly woman who had performed a manoeuvre of self-harm. He was unable to comprehend Lady Seph''s actions. Just as he was about to open his mouth, the blonde woman dropped the scalpel and raised her hand to silence the boy. "I''m alright¡­ Watch closely, Shin." The Iofiel Angel behind of Lady Seph moved. Pointing its delicate index finger at the elderly woman''s injury, the Angel shot a resplendent golden ray that engulfed the open wound. Noticing how collected his Master was, Shin, heaved a sigh of relief and gave a self-deprecating smile. What was he so worried about? The person in front of him was one of the greatest healers of all time. As if by magic, the opened wound slowly closed itself and the old woman''s exposed flesh disappeared out of the view of Shin as if it didn''t exist in the first place. The black-haired boy had seen this occurrence happen multiple times before, but every single time, he would be gobsmacked by how effortless it was for his Master to mend an injury. "This is my interpretation of ''Heal,'' which utilises the full potential of my Spirit. My Iofiel Angel can be considered one of the highest authorities in the light element. Shin, can you name all the known elements of Spirits?" Once the cut was fully healed, Lady Seph took a dry cloth from the nearby rack and doused it with medicinal alcohol. Rubbing the area where her wound used to be, the elderly woman released her mana as the phantom behind her gradually faded into nothingness. "Ermmm¡­ There are the five main elements. Fire, Water, Wind, Earth and Lightning. Following that, the three omnipresent elements. Light, Darkness and Mind." "You forgot the elements of Space and Time." "Oh right!" Since the elements of Space and Time had always been obscure, they slipped the young youth''s mind. After all, there were only five recorded instances of a Spirit User awakening a Spirit with the elements of Space or Time. "As I mentioned before, when learning spiritual abilities, there is an important aspect that every Spirit User must bear in mind. And that is the issue of compatibility. Although in theory, every single Spirit should be able to learn ''Heal,'' there are some elements that are more suited for it and some elements that are not. For instance, Fire is too destructive, Wind is too sharp, Earth is too rigid and Lightning¡­ Well, let''s not go there." Wearing a bitter smile, Lady Seph avoided the topic of healers who had awakened a Lightning Spirit, and Shin could roughly guess why. Lightning has historically been the most savage element with their Spirit Users famed for ravaging everything in their path. Imaging a healer who possessed the lightning element was like being told that a lion that only feasted on grass existed. "Of the omnipresent elements, darkness is more suited for the most abominable and repugnant of acts so there''s no way they could ever learn a craft as delicate as healing." When Lady Seph mentioned the Spirit Users who had awakened the darkness elements, a muddied fury could be seen rising up from the depths of her blue eyes. As someone who possessed one of the leading Spirits in the light element, Lady Seph seemed to have an unkind disposition to the opposite element. "Finally, the Mind element. Spirit Users that awaken the Mind element usually lean more to their own domain of spiritual abilities. For instance, Spirit Immortal Dream, who ascended more than five centuries ago, was able to mesmerise and alter a person''s subconscious without him even realising. Most of their abilities deal with a living being''s consciousness, and they do not affect the material world. Thus, there are basically zero Mind element healers." Feeling thirsty, Lady Seph gently picked up the pearly white ceramic teacup that was sitting comfortably on her desk. "Ideally, the Time element is the best-suited element for a healer. If someone could reverse time and fully recover a patient, wouldn''t that be the best? However, meeting a Spirit User who has Space or Time element is harder than finding a needle in a haystack." "So that leaves the Water and Light element. Due to their gentle nature, the majority of healers possess either one of those two elements. In fact, if you enter the Healer''s Association, there even are two separate factions for each element." Listening in on his Master''s words, Shin thought of the famed organisation that he had heard of multiple times. To be recognised as a healer, one had to get their licence from the Healer''s Association. The young teen had heard many rumours, damaging rumours if one may add, of the massive institution from his illustrious Master. Whenever the topic of the Healer''s Association got brought up, Lady Seph''s eyes would roll in derision and words not suited for children would come spewing out from her venomous tongue. "Thankfully, you have awakened a water elemental Spirit. One of the strongest in fact. So, as my student, I fully expect you to grasp the inner workings of the spiritual ability." As she said that, Lady Seph got out from her chair and retreated deep into the clinic. Yakkyoku Clinic was divided into four main sections. The hallway where patients would enter and await their turn. The treatment room, the place where the miraculous healer would work her magic and repair her patients. Lady Seph''s office, where the blonde elderly woman did all of her research and miscellaneous duties and finally, the library, where she kept all of her medical journals and other books. Although Shin had been under her tutelage for nearly three years, Lady Seph only allowed the boy to enter the enclosed room six times. Opening the door, Shin was greeted by the earthy scent of papyrus as dust clouds started to gush out from the library. Curious about what his Master was doing, Shin peered into the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the forbidden place. However, before he could wholly scan the area, like a ghost, Lady Seph appeared right in front of him. In her hands, there was a golden stone tablet that was brimming with a consecrated aura. Seemingly taken from the pillars of heaven itself, the tablet gave the young black-haired boy a sense of inferiority, as if he did not deserve to bask in its splendour. It was uncommon for inanimate objects to possess mana, yet for some reason, this stone tablet had one of the purest and most potent forms of spiritual energy that Shin had ever experienced. Suddenly, he realised where he had felt this mana before. "This is..." Looking in between the golden stone tablet and his Master, Shin saw a connection between the two. "There are two ways that a Spirit User who had reached the peak of their realm could learn a new spiritual ability. The first way is to comprehend it themselves. The most traditional and complex way. Spirit User from ancient times all used this method. In fact, there are many Spirit Users nowadays who think that it is better for them to make their own spiritual abilities. That''s why there have always been stories of Spirit Users being stuck at a bottleneck at Rank 9, Rank 19 and so on..." Putting on a sardonic smile, Lady Seph took a deep breath. "The second method is to obtain a hereditary opuscule. When someone reaches the realm of a Rank 20 Spirit Core, they gain the skill to engrave their skills into words. For example, I''d reckon the way Junius learnt the Elemental Ring from the boy you call the Instructor was through a hereditary opuscule." With one hand, Lady Seph nonchalantly handed over the golden stone tablet into the hands of the youth. Shin, on the other hand, was able to deduce the importance of the object and received it carefully with both hands. His arms shaking, Shin glanced down at the tablet only to see an array of cryptic runes that were extremely faint. Perhaps it was due to the bright background, only by squinting could the boy make out the shapes of the runes. "The quality of the hereditary opuscule is of utmost importance too. For instance, ''Heal'' recorded down by a Rank 20 Spirit Core cultivator can''t compare to ''Heal'' penned down by a seasoned Rank 70 Spirit Emperor. The difference is ability is too far apart. After all, a Spirit Emperor has way more experience as compared to a mere Spirit Core cultivator." After hearing her words, Shin was sure of that the object that he was currently cradling like a baby was a hereditary opuscule that was engraved by his Master herself. The mana between the two was so similar that it was chilling. Shin felt as if two Lady Sephs were standing next to him. "To learn ''Heal,'' other than having the right elements, there is actually another prerequisite¡­ And that is to have a profound understanding of the human anatomy and medicine in general. Many apprentice healers train for years, perhaps decades before they even get a chance to learn the famed ability." As she mentioned how long it took for others to even learn ''Heal,'' a proud parently smile appeared on the elderly woman''s face. "However, you have already reached that prerequisite..." "Huh?" Unsure about what his Master was talking about, the young boy cocked his head to one side while staring at the relaxed wrinkles of the elderly woman''s face. "The amount of knowledge you have on the human body is sufficient for you to learn ''Heal'' ten times over. Many apprentice healers learn ''Heal'' when they break through at Rank 20 or 30 because of how difficult it is. Yet, you can already learn it when you are entering the Spirit Apostle realm! Hahaha, if the old bastards of the Healer''s Association can see this day, they would probably be vomiting blood by now! Who says I can''t raise a disciple?! My disciple will now become the youngest ever physician to learn ''Heal!!!'' HAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Evidently, there was some bad blood between Lady Seph and those people who she called ''old bastards.'' Whenever Shin hears his Master talk about them, she would turn into a different person altogether. Like a crazed lunatic that escaped from an asylum, the elderly woman gave a maniacal laugh as she raised her head towards the heavens. "*Ahem!* Sorry bout that¡­ I lost myself there..." Realising that she was still in the middle of explaining how to learn ''Heal,'' Lady Seph composed herself and pointed to the golden stone tablet in Shin''s hands. "Shin, pour your mana into that heredity opuscule over there. From there, the process of learning the spiritual ability will commence." Chapter 110 Learning the New Spiritual Ability 2 With trembling hands, Shin carefully held the golden stone tablet close to his chest. Everything that he had been training for the past three years had boiled down to this moment. Truth to be told, when he was forced into the path of the healer, the boy felt nothing of it. He was insanely talented, and from young, everything came to him with ease. Following the instructions of those above him, Shin had always accomplished the tasks that were bestowed unto him. If one were to compare him with an object, he would be a lone leaf following the flow of the river. Wherever the currents took him, Shin would go. Be it training in hand-to-hand combat or learning educational materials from the headmistress, Shin had always gone with the flow. There wasn''t anything wrong with him, it was just his inherent personality. Shin didn''t like to put too much effort into thinking about how he lived his life. As long as he was happy and his loved ones were safe, he didn''t care much about his future. However, for the first time ever, he was at a major crossroad. Should he follow down the path laid down by his Master, he would become a healer and trying to divert to a different route in future would prove immensely onerous. Although he had no attachments to the life of a fighter, he could not help but wonder if the path of a healer was the right choice for him. "What''s wrong?" Seeing the hesitation in the eyes of her disciple, Lady Seph concernedly asked Shin. "It''s nothing¡­ I''m just wondering if the path of the healer is the right one for me..." Typically, the young boy would not share his buried feelings with others. However, today was special. Just yesterday, a flood of emotions had overwhelmed him, and it nearly cost his life. Furthermore, the blonde woman, who had guided him all these years, was no stranger to Shin. In the three years, he had interacted with Lady Seph, there were times where he wondered if he weren''t an orphan, would he communicate with his own biological grandmother like how he treated Lady Seph. "Shin¡­ Are you having second thoughts about this path?" "No! Not at all! Everything that I have been doing over the past three years was so that I could become a healer. I just didn''t expect it to come this fast..." Adamantly denying his Master''s claim, Shin violently shook his head left and right. However, in his eyes, Lady Seph could sense a tinge of anxiety and uncertainty. Over the years, Shin had slowly morphed from a prepubescent boy into a young teen that had shed all of his baby fat. Shin''s long silky black hair that covered his ears had given him a sense of mystique that made him look more mature than his age suggests. However, no matter how hard she looked, all Lady Seph saw was the young snot-nosed brat that barged into her clinic that fateful day. "It''s alright, many people feel this way before they start an uncertain route. But let me tell you something, Shin..." Bringing her thin hands upwards, Lady Seph found the crown of her disciple''s head. With a tender touch, the elderly woman lovingly stroked the young teen''s hair. "Who said that you will only be a healer?" "Huh?" Shin had been living the past three years, desperately reading medical journals, studying the human body, dissecting dead animals, all under the assumption that he was going to enter the path of the healer. He learnt how to clean wounds and which medicines are best for treating diseases. Everything under the sun was subject to his studies. Yet, now his Master was telling him he wouldn''t only be a healer. "Don''t get me wrong, your main profession will still be a healer¡­ However, there has always been this old expression. Never put all your eggs in one basket. I don''t want you to become just a boring old doctor that only knows how to mend broken bones. Why do you think I let Junius train you every morning in martial arts?" "What do you mean?" "Shin. Let me paint this scenario for you. When you are on the battlefield, which I''m pretty sure you will be in your lifetime, do you think the enemy would sit there and let you resurrect your fallen allies?" "No..." "Exactly! So you must be able to fend off enemies for yourself! That''s why Junius taught you martial arts, that''s why I taught you how to make the paralysing drug in your second gourd!" Looking down at his waist, Shin gently caressed the two gourds that had been gifted to him a few years back. Initially, he had no idea why Lady Seph was so particular when it came to those two gourds. However, after hearing his Master explain herself, he was starting to get the gist of the situation. "As a healer, your head is the second most coveted prize, next to the commanders. That''s why even I have learnt some spiritual abilities that immobilise all my opponents. After all, you can''t heal if you aren''t alive..." "I see..." Realising the point that Lady Seph was trying to make, Shin felt enlightened. "So there''s no need to worry, Shin. The path of the healer is righteous and fulfilling. Imagine one day, if your loved ones were severely injured, as you know, every second count. Instead of dragging their dying bodies to a nearby quack, wouldn''t you want to be the one who personally administers their healing?" When Lady Seph said those words, Shin''s mind was instantaneously brought back to the day where Junius got injured in the forest at Frie Mountain. His body trembled as he recalled the despair he felt. Cupping his elbows together, Shin began to wonder, if he was a healer back then, could he had prevented Junius from going through the pain of losing his ability to walk. For some reason, after the image of Junius being injured emerged, another particular figure came up. An amazonian-like girl, who boasted perfect proportions for someone of her age, appeared in Shin''s subconscious. Her gorgeous scarlet hair that flowed to her hourglass waist and ruddy freckles would turn any heads if she were walking down a street. Although she had way more defined muscles than an average girl, her spongy baby fat still covered her entire body, making her look harmless. Shin didn''t know why the image of the girl that visited him every month popped up in his head at this moment. Shaking his head, Shin''s healthy complexion turned as red as a tomato as he pushed out the thought that he had. "Shin, never underestimate the abilities of the healer. Not to mention, it is a highly desirable profession. People would bend over backwards to purchase your services." Finally, Lady Seph gently grasped Shin''s two hands, which were still holding on to the hereditary opuscule and said: "Don''t worry child¡­ It''s the right path for you. I know your character. You are a kind-hearted and noble soul that loves his closest kin. There''s no way you are suited for the path of a warrior. You would much rather protect the ones you love most." Shin felt his consciousness shudder as his eyes met his Master''s. Every word that she said had pierced into his fragile heart. He felt as if the woman was able to read the deepest parts of his mind that even he didn''t know existed. "Alright..." Affirming his decision, Shin closed his eyes and circulated his mana. The Sovereign Koi, which had been dormant until now, materialised into the world while eagerly flapping all of its fins as if it was aware of what was about to happen. A bright cerulean light enveloped the boy like a casing as Shin directed his mana into the golden stone tablet that he was holding. Unlike her usual repugnant self, Lady Seph wore a tender smile as her hands lit up with a golden light. Transferring a little bit of mana over to her disciple, she kick-started the initiation process of learning the ability. "Good luck, Shin..." Now, everything was all on the prodigious disciple. For learning a new spiritual ability, there was not really much she could do to help Shin. However, she had no doubt that the young teen would perfectly master ''Heal.'' She was even eager to see what would Shin''s interpretation of the ability be. But for now, all she could do is kick back, relax and witness the birth of the youngest ever healer in history. ~~~ While Lady Seph was enjoying her tea in the material world, Shin felt a cold and bitter darkness encroaching on his body. Sharply opening his ''eyes,'' the young teen observed his surroundings. To his surprise, the ever so familiar office had disappeared. The strong and sturdy wooden desk, the cushioned seats that aided in his daily recoveries and finally, his Master and her pet. They were all gone. Moving his ''body'' around, Shin tried to get his bearings and figure out where he was. However, all he saw was darkness. "Wait a second¡­ This is awfully similar to the time I awakened my Spirit!" Remembering the Day of Spirits, when he first entered his spiritual body, Shin finally realised where he was. An icy cold crawled up his skin as Shin felt the hairs on his ''body'' all stand up. It was a similar experience he had when the Shrine Maiden removed her spiritual energy from him. However, unlike the last time, Shin had an abundance of mana stacked inside of him. "Phew, that was close¡­ Now, what must I do..." As the cerulean light descended on his ''body,'' Shin was protected from the cold; but now, he was unsure of how to proceed. When he sent his mana into the hereditary opuscule, Shin vaguely saw the intricate runes light up, and before he knew it, he was already sent into his spiritual body. "How do people even enter their spiritual bodies in the first place? When I return, I must ask Master..." Although he was curious about the mysteries surrounding the spiritual body, he had to put them on hold as he had to focus on the task at hand. "Since I had to find my Spirit during my spiritual awakening ceremony, for learning a second spiritual ability must I do the same?" Sensing his connection to The Sovereign Koi, Shin attempted to summon his Spirit. Surprisingly, the cute little cerulean Koi compiled and appeared right in front of the youth, stunning him in the process. "Wait, if you''re here, what am I supposed to do?" Wagging its tail like an excited puppy, The Sovereign Koi pointed its head to the right of the boy, as if telling him that what his sought was in that direction. "Ah, what the hell..." Seeing that that was nothing else he could do, Shin heeded his Spirit''s advice and promptly made his way right. His spiritual body was like an endless road led to nowhere. Everywhere he went, he was surrounded by eternal darkness that didn''t seem to change. In here, Shin would never tire, but he would also not know how far he had to travel. As he traversed an unfathomable amount of ground, the young boy was starting to doubt the authenticity of his Spirit''s instructions. Just as he was about to give up, from a distance, a huge oceanic blue light could be seen. "Finally!" Kicking off from the ground, Shin felt his ''body'' propel forward at a speed that was unimaginable in the material realm. It did not take long but eventually¡­ "What the hell?!" Shin was greeted by a familiar sight. A vast lake that had neither currents nor waves had appeared in his spiritual body. In fact, compared to the last time he was here, the lake had expanded to over ten times its initial size. Before he could mouth out a single word, a golden light shone at the centre of the lake, as if beckoning for visitors to come. The Sovereign Koi agitatedly spun around in circles and levitated towards the golden light. As he was contemplating on the best way to cross the lake to get to follow the cute little Koi, Shin felt a pat on his back, pushing him from the shore and into the lake. Amazingly, instead of falling down and getting drenched, Shin was still standing upright as if he were on land. Turns out, in his spiritual body, he was able to walk on water! "Hahaha! I''m a magician!" Every time he stepped on the liquid surface, soft ripples spread out from the point of contact disrupting the calm, unperturbed waters of the lake. Before he got carried away, Shin brought his focus back unto the matter at hand. Chasing the cerulean Koi, the young teen slowly but surely edged closer to the radiant golden light in the middle of the lake. Chapter 111 Learning the New Spiritual Ability 3 Small ripples spread out on the surface of the vast, unperturbed lake each time Shin took a step forward. Although the black-haired boy knew that he was in his spiritual body and nothing here could harm him, he still felt a creeping sense of fear when he occasionally glanced down at the bottomless body of water. Shin''s bright, azure eyes dilated as his fingers began to tremble like a leaf. The oldest and strongest emotion known to man was fear, and the strongest kind of fear was the fear of the unknown. Not knowing what lay in the darkest parts of the lakes brought out a primal fear that Shin could not shake off. For all he knew, a great white shark, the size of a house, might be encircling on his position. Unlike the shaking youth, The Sovereign Koi was happily darting towards the golden light, unruffled by the depths of the far-reaching lake. In spite of his fear, Shin still followed his Spirit. After all, with the shore far from sight, it was his only viable option. It didn''t take long before the golden light in the centre of the lake slowly became more visible to the youth. Levitating in mid-air, the hereditary opuscule emitted a regal presence, not inferior to the aura that The Sovereign Koi was putting forth. The cryptic runes on the golden stone tablet had been pulled out from the rock, forming a series of radiant, floating words that surrounded the hereditary opuscule. "What are those words?" Shin scratched his face as he approached the floating slab. The Sovereign Koi eagerly flapped its fins in a frenzy as it returned to Shin''s side. As if it knew what was going to happen, the cute little cerulean Koi patiently levitated at its master''s side. Shin''s eyebrows slowly rose as he wondered what his Spirit was doing but after a while, he decided that learning the ability was much more critical. Before he could get close to the golden stone tablet, the floating words surrounding the hereditary opuscule suddenly stood erect, as if noticing the arrival of the newcomer. Taken aback by the sudden change, Shin halted his footsteps, causing a massive ripple to spread out on the surface of the inanimate lake. Like a viper that had found its prey, the radiant words that were hovering about turned into rays of holy light and struck the black-haired boy. Bathed in the hereditary opuscule divine splendour, Shin felt a surge of information overload his mind. Its purpose fulfilled, the golden stone tablet turned into a regular grey piece of rock and with a plop, dropped down into the darkness of the deep lake, eternally losing its unfathomable radiance. Falling down to one knee, Shin brought both his hands up to the temples of his head. The immense invasion of knowledge from the stone tablet had given the youth a migraine of the likes he had never felt before. The cerulean aura enveloping the youth had started to glow with a faint golden lustre, making Shin look even more ethereal than he did before. The once tranquil lake, which was void of any turbulence, now experienced a significant overhaul. It started with a mild wave that was harmless for any who was near. After a few seconds, the tides of the lake began to get more and more choppy as the sharp whistles of the wind graced the body of water. After a full minute, the lake had morphed into a breeding ground for mountains of barbaric rogue waves that dwarfed even the tallest buildings made by man. The tempest in the lake continued on as Shin struggled his hardest to contain the pain caused by the golden words entering his body. Surprisingly, no matter how much he wailed, stomped or rolled, the turbulent lake would refuse to swallow up the young boy. It was strange to see a person moving on water like he did on land, but the only spectator was the cute little cerulean Koi, which was wiggling its body in hysteria and did not care about the laws of physics. Thunder boomed out as lightning struck. Showing no signs of slowing down, the typhoon drastically became wilder as the black-haired youth couldn''t seem to snap out of his stupor. Awoken from the unexpected turmoil, from the depths of the lake, massive shadows slowly made its way to the surface. If Shin could see the change in the lake, he would most likely be scared out of his mind. Beneath the boy, a large number of creatures that had been eluded by the lake made their appearances for the first time in his spiritual body. With each shadow bigger than the other, the gathering of the mysterious creatures, slowly calmed the ravaging lake as they surrounded the black-haired boy, who was toiling to complete the inheritance. Instead of running away scared, The Sovereign Koi was elated at the arrival of the colossal creatures and dived straight into the lake which it claimed as its own. Returning to its territory, The Sovereign Koi glided through the lake at extraordinary speeds as it spun around in circles under the black-haired youth. As if answering the cute little cerulean Koi''s call, the massive shadows initiated a harmonious, inhuman song, that was loud enough to overshadow even the most deafening thunders. However, instead of feeling overwhelmed, as the melodious tunes entered Shin''s eardrums, the young boy felt a strange, warm, comforting pleasure enveloping his burdened ''body.'' The runes in his mind began to simmer down as the throbbing pain in his head diminished. Finally able to read the words that his Master had bestowed on him, Shin entered into a dreamlike trance. His facial muscles, which had been overtly tensed beforehand, had returned back to its bubbly and smooth appearance. In his mind, Shin was slowly piecing together the complexities of ''Heal.'' Seeing the state that Shin had entered into, The Sovereign Koi delightedly shot out from the lake and transformed into a cerulean beam that aimed straight at the young boy''s chest. "..." A low buzzing sound reverberated through the emptiness of the lake as the meditation of the youth continued on. Seconds turned into minutes as minutes turned into hours. All the while, Shin remained floating, sitting in a lotus position, atop the lake as the blurry, gargantuan shadows all patiently awaited his awakening. Suddenly, the oceanic blue lake began to turn into a rich cerulean hue as mana from the depths of the body of water, rose up. Like a brightly glowing meteorite, the lake illuminated the eternal darkness of the spiritual body as dense spirit particles congregated on the youth''s position. Shin was about to break through into the Spirit Apostle realm. "ARGHHHHH!!!!" Bellowing out at the top of his lungs, a pillar of light shot out from underneath Shin that reached high up into the cosmos above. Knowing their role had been fulfilled, the colossal creatures backed off gradually, giving the youth a venerating bow in the process. Like subjects waiting on their sovereign, the creatures stood watch as the boy stabilised his condition. "*Boom!* *Boom!*." As the pillar of light surrounding Shin started to dim, two crystal obsidian obelisks, that seemed to appear out of thin air, surrounded the young boy. On the first obelisk, cerulean runes filled up the entire surface, and a gentle, pure aura it manifested made the crystal pillar look like a cordial monument that beckoned people to visit. On the other hand, the second obelisk was utterly void of any writings or drawings, as if it were a blank canvas waiting to be painted. Only when Shin had finally fully comprehended the runes passed down by his Master did the second obelisk react. Golden runes emerged from the youth''s lean body and eagerly stuck itself on the idle pillar. Vibrating violently as more and more runes found its way on it, the second crystal obelisk similarly started to manifest an aura. Instead of the gentle and benign feeling that the first obelisk gave out, the second one brought forth a noble and lofty presence, forcing anyone who sees it to gape in awe. The moment the runes on the second obelisk had been fully engraved, a surge of radiant golden light burst forth from the pillar, silencing the remnant unruly waves and winds on the lake. In the complete stillness of Shin''s spiritual body, there were only a few things that remained. A meditating youth, the two crystal obelisks and the shadowy figures hidden by the lake. It was finally done. Shin had promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm. Now that his purpose was fulfilled, Shin''s ''body'' started to become illusory as he prepared to awaken from his ''dream.'' Unfortunately, since he was still stuck in his stupor, Shin was unable to see the changes in his spiritual body for himself. The vastly large lake, which was already bigger than any body of water the boy had ever seen, had drastically increased in size. The darkness of the sky had been replaced with an endless cosmos that perfectly mimicked the night sky on the day Junius and Ariel shared their dreams with the forlorn youth. And finally, at the centre of the lake, there stood two crystal obsidian obelisks, each displaying contrasting auras. Meanwhile, in the material world, Lady Seph had been patiently waiting for her disciple to complete his promotion to the Spirit Apostle realm. Occasionally sipping a cup of her favourite tea, the elderly woman did not divert her eyes from the youth for more than five seconds as she regularly monitored his condition. Typically speaking, learning a spiritual ability posed no risks for the Spirit User, but one can''t be too sure. If something visibly happened to Shin, Lady Seph would not hesitate to use all of her power to rescue her prodigious disciple, even if it meant destroying her body in the process. However, even after two hours, Shin showed no signs of waking up. "That''s strange, I thought he would finish learning the ability within an hour..." Stroking the snowy-white gerbil''s soft fur, Lady Seph thought out loud. When an average apprentice healer learns ''Heal,'' it would usually take them about one to two hours to fully comprehend the technique, and that is due to how complex the ability was. For less profound abilities like ''Elemental Ring,'' it would usually take the Spirit User less than an hour to comprehend the ability. Lady Seph thought that with Shin''s talent, he should have been able to complete the inheritance process in less than an hour. Unfortunately, reality was always different from theories. Thankfully, there was nothing physically wrong with Shin. Otherwise, the overprotective teacher might have been tempted to halt the process altogether. "Hmmm? He''s awakening!" Shin had arrived first thing in the morning today, skipping his daily morning practices with Junius to report his advancement to the peak of Rank 9. Thus, even though he had spent quite some time in Yakkyoku Clinic, it was still barely midday. Shin''s eyelids started to twitch as his hands spasmed. The mana that he was releasing had all but receded. Gently opening his eyes, Shin looked around the room in a daze as everything was blurry for him. "What¡­ happened..." Falling forwards, Shin was caught by the bony arms of his Master. At the moment of contact, Lady Seph sent a little bit of spiritual energy to probe for any irregularities. In that split second, she conducted a comprehensive scan of the fatigued boy''s body. Nothing could escape Lady Seph''s radar. Shin''s heartbeat, blood flow, and even the amount of mana the boy had left. Only after double-checking, did the elderly woman breathe a sigh of relief. Following that, she flashed a proud smile as she said: "Congratulations, you are now a Spirit Apostle!" Chapter 112 A Pleasant Surprise 1 Slowly regaining his bearings, Shin rubbed his forehead to quell the throbbing headache that he had. His pinkish complexion had turned pale white from the stress that he had undergone earlier on. Although his consciousness was in disarray, Shin''s mana pool boasted a different story. When Lady Seph scanned her disciple''s body, she could clearly see that Shin had perfectly refined the remnant spiritual energy that had been used for his promotion to the Spirit Apostle realm. Not only was his mana more defined, but Shin''s physical attributes had also increased exponentially. The thin layer of fat that enveloped his body had long been burnt off as his toned muscles became denser. Keeping his lean figure, Shin started to look way more mature for his age. In his milky, azure eyes, if one looked hard enough, they would be able to sense a tint of golden splendour hiding in the depths of his retina. "Shin, you alright?" Taking out a piece of wet cloth, Lady Seph wiped off the beads of cold sweat from the panting youth. Although she knew that her disciple had no visible traumas, the elderly woman was not omniscient. There was no way for her to check if Shin had sustained a psychological scar from his advancement into the Spirit Apostle realm through one cursory scan. "Yeah¡­ Just a little tired..." Everything that Shin had experienced all occurred in his spiritual body, thus the sense of fatigue that he was feeling was all in his head. After composing himself and a short rest, the black-haired boy would be up and running before he knows it. "Good! So how was it? What is your interpretation of ''Heal?''" Now that her disciple was almost back to full health, Lady Seph could no longer hold back her suspense. Like an anxious mother, eager to hear of her child''s examination results, the blonde woman''s eyes sparkled in curiosity. "Master¡­ I think I will need to trouble you to get a new gourd..." "Huh?" Shin reached out to his waist and grabbed one of the pearly-white ceramic gourds that were attached to his belt. With a mischievous smile, the youth uncorked the flask and clutched his hands together, with the gourd in his firm grasp. Mana congregated in Shin''s hands as his fingers emitted a cerulean glow. Spirit particles moved from his delicate palms and entered the flask. The uncoloured water soon changed into a luminescent fluid that made it look supernatural. "I call this, ''Healing Water.'' I took your advice into consideration. The part where you said if I''m on the battlefield, no enemy would just let me heal my allies. So I thought about it. I currently have two gourds. One is filled with my enriched mana, that allows me to have more precise control of the water in it. The other is laced with the paralysing drug, that immobilises any living creature." Shin''s first spiritual ability was the creation of water and the skill to manipulate it. Taking that into account, Lady Seph taught him this fighting method to maximise the young teen''s capabilities, and it worked wonders. One gourd focused on inanimate objects while the other focused on taking on living creatures. With those two gourds, even an apprentice healer like Shin could take on weaker spiritual beasts with relative ease. "And then I thought if I already have two gourds, one for defence and the other for offence, why not have another one for healing? That way, even on the battlefield, I won''t be impaired at all!" The primary benefit of having the gourds was that Shin need not summon out his Spirit everytime he wanted to start a fight. All he had to do was prepare the liquids, safely store them in the flasks, and when the time comes, Shin could just use the manipulation skills that he had honed so desperately over the years. "Shin, for this ''Healing Water,'' is there any loss in efficiency?" After hearing her disciple''s explanation, Lady Seph was slightly sceptical. She had heard of water elemental users creating similar abilities, but each one of them had severely toned down the effectiveness of heal. For instance, ''Heal'' in its unadulterated state was able to piece together a deep wound within seconds. However, the versions that other water elemental users had created might only be able to stop the bleeding and not entirely close the injury. "I don''t think so..." "Try it on me!" Taking out the scalpel once more, Lady Seph made a small cut on her left hand and prompted Shin to demonstrate his newly formed ability. "If you say so..." Tapping the gourd twice, Shin''s forehead creased as he manipulated the dense ''Healing Water'' out of its flask. Being a new form of liquid, it took him a while to get used to its viscosity, mana and some other factors. However, after a few seconds, the ''Healing Water'' that Shin had created made its way to the bleeding cut, like a viper stalking an unsuspecting mouse. At the point of contact, the ''Healing Water'' shone in a bright cerulean light, and immediately kickstarted the healing process. Lady Seph felt a refreshing sensation enveloping her arm as the water did its magic. Sucking out the impure blood, the stream of water rapidly closed the wound and even hydrated the dry, wrinkled skin of the elderly woman. In no time, the wound on Lady Seph''s hand had made a full recovery. Returning back to Shin, the stream of ''Healing Water'' spat out the bits of infected blood it had obtained from the woman and entered the ceramic gourd once more. "Although it''s rough around the edges, this ability is indisputably ''Heal...'' HAHAHAHAHA!!! Good! Shin, you did well! You did well!" Unlike the watered down versions that she had heard about, the ability that her disciple had comprehended had retained all the properties of ''Heal,'' and that excited her. Just imagine, if one day, Shin was able to produce gallons upon gallons of ''Healing Water,'' wouldn''t he be the greatest asset to any organisation out there? "Here, drink this tea. It will help you replenish your mana." Since Shin had only recently promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm, using ''Healing Water'' was somewhat taxing on his mana reserves. Taking this into consideration, Lady Seph had long prepared a pot of ginger tonic tea that would aid in his recovery process. "Thank you, Master." "So, how was the whole ordeal?" "Terrifying..." "Hahahaha! Don''t worry, many Spirit Practitioners who first break through all feel this way in the beginning. In the later stages, advancing a realm would become less frightening since you have gone through it once before!" "I guess..." The master and disciple duo laughed merrily as they shared their experiences. Lady Seph would hear Shin''s questions and give relevant answers to the best of her knowledge. Essentially, it had turned into a discussion session for them. However, the peace of their conversation by a blunt bang on the door. "*Knock!* *Knock!*. Lady Seph? It''s me, Lymark!" "Arghhh, this brat only knows how to intrude at the worst possible times huh?" Lady Seph''s kind and loving face turned gloomy after hearing the disturbance. Yesterday, the general of Aldrich''s Keep had sent one of his most trusted aides to invite her to the fort. Fearing that it would be overrun by beasts in the upcoming purge, General Anmac knew that the esteemed healer''s prowess would be required. However, he also clearly understood how much Lady Seph hated the military. Thus, General Anmac had sent Lymark, who was his human resource officer, to help convince the grumpy elderly woman. Being the head of human resources in Aldrich''s Keep, Lymark''s bread and butter was to manage relations between disgruntled parties and ensure that the morale of the fort remained high. He had mended broken relationships, insecure soldiers who missed their family and many more cases regarding human relations. Regarding the human psychology, he was not inferior to the top healers in the Healer''s Association. Hence, before he came to Chilyoja Waypoint, he had done as much research as he could on the woman named Lady Seph. Her history with the empire, her likes, her dislikes, anything that he could use to help convince her to join their ranks in the upcoming purge, Lymark wanted to find out. Thankfully, General Anmac was compliant and gave him the necessary information. However, because Lymark now knew of her past, the seasoned veteran recognised that bringing Lady Seph back to the military was an insurmountable challenge. Yesterday, when he met the elderly woman, he could tell that she was unwilling to join their crusade. Thus, after contemplating on it all night, Lymark had devised a series of plans to convince Lady Seph to answer the general''s calls. In the hopes of buttering the elderly woman up, Lymark purchased a basket of premium tea leaves that were only available in the capital. "Lady Seph! Here''s a gift from me to you. If you wouldn''t mind, could you spare me a few sec..." "Shut it, Lymark. I accept Anmac''s request. I''ll follow you there within the week." "...onds to talk to you about¡­ Huh? " Cutting off the middle-aged man mid-sentence, Lady Seph collected the basket of tea leaves and slammed the door shut on his face. Still stunned by the interaction, Lymark stood rooted to the ground, unmoving while trying to comprehend what had just happened. "That was easy..." Of course, there was no way Lymark could have known that Lady Seph had already made up her mind before he had arrived. Thinking that it was the magic of the tea leaves, Lymark made a mental note to himself that the best way to deal with Lady Seph was to gift her tea. Naturally, that would prove to be dastardly in future, but that''s another story altogether. Chapter 113 A Pleasant Surprise 2 "Shin, after this go back and pack. We will be leaving the waypoint within the week." "Master, you accepted the senior Lymark''s request?" "What other choice do I have?" Shin had overheard the entire conversation between his master and the warrior from Aldrich''s Keep. Although he was happy that Lady Seph was going to participate in the deadly purge that might cause the deaths of thousands, the black-haired youth was unsure of what made the adamant elderly woman change her mind. Due to her pride, there was no way Lady Seph would say she was going back into the military for the sake of her disciple. "Shin, your ''Heal'' is phenomenal. Sometimes I really want to open up your head and examine its contents..." "*Yip!* *Yip!*." As if agreeing with her Master, Bingbing chirped while perched on top of the blonde woman''s shoulders. "Is that so..." Shin''s face flushed as he heard the rare compliments. Lady Seph did not show much affection over the years, and her sudden change in attitude was too much to bear for the young teen. Rubbing his nose, Shin tried to hide his face, which was as red as a tomato, from his Master. "But don''t get complacent! This is just the first step in the healer''s journey. From now on, there will be many hurdles and difficulties that will present themselves. I hope that you will be able to overcome the challenges and become the greatest healer there ever was." Stroking Shin''s silky black hair, Lady Seph shared her dreams for her disciple. "Challenges?" "Yeah, for instance, the upcoming battle at Aldrich''s Keep. It will be one of the toughest challenges you will face. Not to mention the fame that will come your way." "I''ll be famous?" Shuddering his shoulders, Shin stared at the elderly woman with widened eyes. He had always hated to be in the limelight. Back at Frie Mountain, before he was forced into exile, Shin never tried to stand out even though he had the capabilities to do so. All he wanted to do was to live his life in peace and quiet so that he could sleep comfortably at night. Never in his wildest imagination would he think that he could be famous. "Of course! Even right now, if I publicly say that I have accepted a disciple for three years, pilgrims from all over the world would come and kneel at your feet!" "WHAT?!" Stunned beyond belief, Shin fell down onto a nearby couch as he felt strength being drained out of his body. He had no idea that he would become revered after entering Lady Seph''s tutelage. For the first time in three years, Shin regretted becoming the famed healer''s disciple. Seeing her disciple''s reaction, Lady Seph couldn''t take it anymore and begun to laugh out hysterically. "Hahaha! Why are you so afraid? I''m just joking!" Other than Junius and Ariel, perhaps the one who knew Shin the most was Lady Seph. She knew how reserved and introverted the young teen was. Not willing to stand out from the pack, one could claim that Shin would rather be a lone wolf. Diligently completing all the tasks assigned to him albeit with a little unwillingness. "Haaaahh¡­ Master! Don''t tell scary jokes like that!!!" Heaving a sigh of relief, Shin tapped his chest to quell his beating heart. "Well, the part of you becoming famous still rings true. I have not publicly added you into my tutelage with the Healer''s Association, but once we go to Aldrich''s Keep, there will be no way I can keep it under wraps. To rub salt in the wound, you are probably the youngest person in history to learn ''Heal,'' so..." "HUH?!" At this point in time, Shin''s heart had already suffered from more stress than he could handle. Taking a big gulp of the remaining tea left in his cup, Shin despondently stared at the ceiling hoping that it was all a bad nightmare. "So, just mentally prepare yourself for that life! For now, you can return back to the Mushinkei. I''ll discuss the details with you tomorrow." Gently tapping her disciple''s head, Lady Seph told the boy to return home so that she could sort out the logistics of their departure. There were many things that she needed to do now. Making a closure sign, discuss with Lymark the duration of their absence, so on and so forth. "Fine..." Accepting his fate, Shin slowly trudged out of Yakkyoku Clinic, dispiritedly making his way to the Mushinkei. ~~~ "Hah¡­ Am I really going to be well-known?" Lying down on his bed, Shin pondered about what Lady Seph had told him just a few moments prior. When he entered the Mushinkei, there was almost no one around. Riko had to attend to some customers that had arrived to view their inventory, Junius was busy at work with constable affairs, and all the other Frie Clan members had their own jobs to do. After all, it was still the middle of the day. Thus, Shin had no one to confide in or even share the news that he had promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm. To a certain extent, he could sense how famous his Master was but never did he expect that her fame would rub off onto him. Over the three years, he had seen his Master easily enter functions in high society whenever she wanted to obtain something. For instance, a year ago, when a high-profile auction was being conducted in Chilyoja Waypoint, only the most affluent and influential were invited. Initially, Shin thought that the auction had nothing to do with him and the matter just slipped his mind. However, Lady Seph caught wind of a precious herb, that she needed for her experiments, was being sold in the auction. Forcing her way into the tightly guarded facility, Lady Seph demanded a VIP room and an inspection of the herb, something that was unheard of in the auction history. Naturally, Shin was dragged into the fray as Lady Seph needed a serva-, no an attendant around to carry the bulky items. It was then that Shin really discovered how revered his Master really was. Although she was most definitely causing a disturbance, the owner of the auction house did everything in his power to butter the elderly woman up. Like a eunuch answering to the emperor, if Lady Seph wanted to do something, the owner would comply. That attitude was shared with not only the owner of the auction house but with all the other members of high society that Shin had met that day. As people well-versed with current affairs, they all knew of Lady Seph''s historical exploits. They knew that the elderly woman who was overbearing, to say the least, could only be a friend, never a foe. In fact, there were some fans of Lady Seph as well, hoping to get a signature of the illustrious healer. Shin did not want to have that kind of fame. If he had a choice, he would much rather be a laid back Spirit User that could sleep in all day long, not caring about other people''s expectations. Fearing that one day, he was going to end up like his Master, Shin felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Something bothering you?" An energetic and mellifluous voice sounded out in the emptiness of Shin''s room causing the teen to snap out of his thoughts. "Yeah, I might become famous..." "You? Famous? Not even in a million years!" "I know right, wait..." Shin had mindlessly answered the girl''s words, but now, he realised that something was incredibly wrong. He should have been the only person in the room. How was there another voice present? Sharply turning in the direction of the voice, Shin was greeted by a tall and slender young teenage girl, who looked no older than thirteen. Her gorgeous scarlet hair that flowed down to her hourglass waist like a gushing blood river was tied into a ponytail, making her look much more innocent that she really was. Her eyes that glistened like the stars at night, seemed to have a hypnotic effect on those who dared to enter a staring contest with her. With her hand firmly gripping a nearby pillar, Shin could clearly see the many calluses and blisters that could only be caused by excessive usage of a weapon. Unlike the regular girl, she did not decorate her nails nor did she bother to put on any makeup to make herself look more attractive. Although her chubby round face made her seem harmless, Shin clearly understood the terror this girl could bring if she really desired to. "A-ariel¡­ What are you doing here?" Every now and then, Ariel would make a trip down from Frie Mountain to Chilyoja Waypoint to check on Shin. Under the excuse that she had to deliver items from the orphans of course. In all the three years Shin had spent at the waypoint, he had only met the other orphans just twice. Since they were in exile, every year, the First Elder would bring the orphans down to Chilyoja Waypoint so that they could reunite with Shin and Junius. "Hmmm. Today is the day where you meet with Sister Lily and the rest! Don''t you remember?!" "Oh right!" Today was precisely the day where the orphans would reunite. However, due to the numerous thing that had happened over the past twenty-four hours, Shin had utterly forgotten that fact. "Hmph! How could you forget such an important day?! With such a forgetful attitude, it is no wonder that you advance so slowly! Look! I''m already a Spirit Apostle!" Although distance kept them apart, Ariel''s surging desire to surpass Shin''s progression only seemed to have grown with the distance. Every waking hour of hers had been spent in cultivation or practising her battle techniques. Naturally, the Frie Clan was glad to have such a studious and talented prodigy in their midst. Hence, they had provided her with the best materials and teachers. And it paid off. Just two weeks ago, Ariel had reached the peak of Rank 9 and was ready to promote into the Spirit Apostle realm. The upper management of the clan was ecstatic. Even though she was unable to beat the all-time record set by an ancestor of the clan, the elders still were happy that a Spirit Practitioner had managed to promote into a Spirit Apostle within three years. "You''re also a Spirit Apostle now?!" "Yeap! I''m also a¡­ Wait, what do you mean ALSO?" "I¡­ Just promoted today..." "HUH?!" Ariel''s work regiment was in no way inferior to Shin''s. However, she did hold the advantage as she trained on Frie Mountain, one of the densest fire elemental spots in the Empire. "Wait, you''re also a Spirit Apostle? And you just promoted today?" "Yeah..." "Just promoted today¡­ Hmph! I promoted two weeks ago! I''m still faster than you!" "Yeah, yeah..." After being with Ariel for nearly his entire life, Shin knew that the current best course of action was to leave her alone to fantasise about her win. Otherwise, she would give him hell for the next few days that she was staying at the waypoint. "Where are the rest?" Curious about the whereabouts of his fellow orphans, Shin asked the fiery young girl. "It''s lunchtime now, so probably in the cafeteria?" "What do you mean probably?" "Come on, do you expect me to know everything?" "God damn it, you''re useless..." "Huh?! You''re the one whose useless!!!" "..." Gritting their teeth, the two stared viciously at each other for a period of time. However, after a while, their facial muscles relaxed as a self-mocking smile appeared on both of their faces. "Haha, some things don''t change do they?" "Yeah¡­" Ariel gave a wry laugh while Shin lightly snorted. Even after all this time, the first thing they do after meeting for the first time in forever was to bicker. "Let''s go to the cafeteria, either way, I''m hungry." Realising that he had not taken his lunch, Shin suggested to Ariel that they go to the cafeteria for food. At the same time, they could meet up with the other orphans. Chapter 114 A Pleasant Surprise 3 "Just now, you said that you''re going to be famous. What did you mean by that?" As the two young teens walked side by side towards the cafeteria, Ariel brought up Shin''s previous mumblings. It was rather strange for the young boy to so say such ludicrous words. "Huh? Oh, that¡­ You know I said that I just reached the Spirit Apostle realm?" "What about it?" "Apparently, I''m the youngest healer in history..." "..." Abruptly halting her footsteps, Ariel raised her eyebrows while giving Shin a queer look, as if he was a lunatic that had begun speaking gibberish. The black-haired youth similarly stopped and stared straight into the Amazonian girl''s eyes, mentally putting forth a signal that he was dead serious. With how close they were, some sort of telepathy had developed between the duo. If Ariel makes a statement about clobbering him to death, Shin instantly knew when she was joking and when he should desperately run. The same applied to Ariel. She would know when Shin was playing around and when he was serious. "No way¡­ You? Youngest healer?" Although she could tell that Shin was being genuine, Ariel still could not believe her ears. She had long heard of legendary figures in their youth, they were the youngest scholars or youngest fighters to ever grace the land. Thinking that she was looking at the youngest healer in history, Ariel could not connect the dots between those legendary figures and the boy she had known since young. The boy who had wet his bed even until he was seven. "Yeah, Master said so..." "Oh god, I''m going to hurl..." Covering her mouth, Ariel made a gesture imitating a person who was severely sick and had to empty their stomachs. "Hey! It''s not like I want to be famous!" Insulted by his childhood friend''s playful actions, Shin angrily retorted. "Hmph! Given your lazy ass, I doubt people would really admire you!" "Then I''ll become really famous! And then girls would line up to chase me!" "HUH?! What kind of girl would be attracted to you?!" With her razor sharp nails, Ariel pulled on Shin''s earlobes, punishing the black-haired youth for having wild fantasies. "OW! OW! OW! GODDAMNIT ARIEL!!!" Using his two hands, Shin got a firm grasp of the formidable girl''s outreached arm. Desperately squeezing and pulling on her lean yet muscular left hand, Shin attempted to free himself from the demon in a girl''s body. Over the years, Ariel had trained herself primarily on the strength discipline. Due to her natural physique, on her eleventh birthday, she had shattered the weight-lifting record in the Frie Clan of a prepubescent youth of both genders. She had lifted up a boulder weighing a tonne, something that even older strength-based Spirit Users were unable to accomplish. Even the Instructor was only able to lift that same boulder when he was eighteen, seven years older than the little monster of the clan. Shin, who was training to be a healer, had focused primarily on the speed and agility discipline so that he could evade attacks, stood no chance against the bear claws of Ariel''s. "Serves you right!" Only after ten agonising seconds, did Ariel release the young boy. Shin could feel his ears burning, and if he had a mirror, he would be able to see that the right side of his head had turned entirely red. Using his sweaty palms, Shin gently massaged his ear and gave Ariel a hateful look: "Hahhh¡­ That violent side to you didn''t change at all huh?" "Why should I change?" "You know, you''re starting to become a grown girl, you should be more virtuous!" "No way! I''m fine the way I am! Screw that virtuous thing! I''d much rather fight a thousand beasts than to stay at home learning calligraphy and what not!" "That''s why you..." "Harghh?!?!" Like a wild hooligan, Ariel''s nostrils flared up as she gave Shin a vicious stare. "Nothing..." "I thought so!" As they were bickering, their legs had carried them all the way to the Mushinkei cafeteria. It was a simple place. The scrumptious aroma of spices and soup boiled for hours filled the large room as the cacophony of human chatter made the place the most boisterous place in the tranquil building. Since the Mushinkei was a shared area, there were no walls between the tables. Anyone could join two tables together and join their friend''s meals thus, not only was the cafeteria a place for food, but it was also a great hub where people can get together and socialise. "Shin! You''re here!" The moment the duo stepped into the noisy lunchroom, a sharp and wheezy voice called out for Shin. After a quick scan, Shin noticed a large number of young teens gathered around at a joined table. At the head seat of the table, there was a brunette middle-aged lady, who gave out the air of an expert. However, that mystique broke down the instant she noticed her favourite cheeks that she had so sorely missed. "Shin?" "Shin!" "Shin..." A plethora of different emotions could be seen on the faces of all the teens gathered as they turned their head to look for their fellow orphan. Elyse and Emma, who were the closest to Shin, immediately stood up and bolted to the door. For the rest of the orphans, they flashed a cheerful smile as they watched the two girls running to greet the youth that they had come to visit. "Elyse! Emma! Long time no..." Before Shin could complete his sentence, he felt a soft impact on his abdomen. Looking down, all he could see was an ocean of sapphire as the distinct scent of shampoo filled his nose. "Shin! I missed you!" Happy to see her elder brother again, Elyse leapt into Shin''s arms as she welcomed him. Among all the orphans, the one Shin had doted on the most growing up was Elyse. Even when he left for Chilyoja Waypoint, the one who cried the most wasn''t Ariel or Emma, but the chubby little girl in his arms. He had promised to send her sweets every month, but even that wasn''t enough to fill the gap left in her heart. "Come on, Elyse. You''re already eleven! You''re also a Spirit Practitioner now! You can''t be asking for hugs so often!" Lightly chiding the sapphire-haired girl in his arms, Shin tapped on her shoulders, asking Elyse to let go of him. After last year''s Spirit Awakening ceremony, the three orphans shocked everyone when Max awakened an earth elemental Spirit while Elyse and Fionn both awakened a wind elemental Spirit. Initially, it was thought that all the orphans were products of the previous Clan Master''s plan to boost the strength of the Frie Clan by adopting abandoned children who were proficient in the water elements. However, through last year''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony, it was evident that it was not the case, causing all of the orphans to ponder on the weird fact. Nonetheless, there were no resources or teachers diverted from their division just because of the fact. If anything, there were more resources poured into developing the orphans due to the increment of Spirit Users in the group. "Why can''t I hug you? I missed you a lot!" Puffing out her cheeks, the adorable little creature in Shin''s arms protested his words with a pout. Although there was only a two year age gap between the two children, Elyse behaved as if there were a four or five-year gap. From young, she had been spoilt rotten by Shin, and she only acted this way in front of the black-haired youth. "Fine, fine¡­ Emma, how have you been?" Finally giving up, Shin let Elyse remain in his embrace and stroked her hair. Massaging the nape of the little girl while she purred in bliss, Shin addressed the other person who had ran up to greet him. "I''m fine. I just advanced into Rank 8 a few weeks back!" With her hands behind her back, Emma jubilantly folded her feet on top of each other as she replied the youth. Evidently, she had been proud of her accomplishment and wanted Shin to praise her. It had to be said that advancing seven ranks in three years was quite a feat. On average, youths of the Frie Clan advance two levels every year and only the cream of the crop could beat that advancement rate. When Junius became a Spirit Apostle in four years, others in the Frie Clan lauded the orphan programme for bringing in such a talented youth, but that wasn''t entirely true. Sure, Junius was talented, but he was not overwhelmingly gifted as compared to the other elite younglings in the Frie Clan. It was a combination of his personal hard work and the training regiment set down by the First Elder and the Instructor that facilitated Junius'' rapid growth. Thus, when the other orphans started to show similar results, it came as no surprise to the other divisions. Following Junius, Lily had quickly promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm with Ryner not trailing that far behind. Even Lia, who was one year older than Shin, was starting to show signs that she could be advancing to the peak of Rank 9 any day now. Junius, Lily and Ryner all showed one thing in common. They all promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm around the four-year mark. Counting aside the anomaly that was Ariel, the typical Frie Clan youth would take five years to cultivate themselves until the Spirit Apostle realm. It was something the Instructor had prided himself in accomplishing. Unfortunately for their juniors, the Instructor had set the standard for the younger orphans now that he had some idea of how well the orphans could do under his tutelage. "Ha¡­ ha¡­ Congratulations..." Seeing her prideful face, Shin laughed bitterly as he did not have the heart to tell her that he had entered the Spirit Apostle realm. He knew how hard every single orphan trained from their letters. Shin did not want to make Emma lose confidence in herself due to his capabilities. "Hahaha, what''s with that? Nevermind. Come, join us!" Pulling on the hems of his shirt, Emma led Shin and Elyse, who was still stuck onto the young boy like a koala bear, back to the dining table where the rest of the orphans were. However, before he could even get to his chair, a shrill voice echoed through the cafeteria. "Wait¡­ Shin! Did you promote?!" When Ines first saw Shin, she was tempted to rush forward and take hold of the cheeks that she had loved so much. However, she felt like there was something different about the youth but she could not put her finger on what had changed. Only when Emma brought up the topic of cultivation did she think of probing his mana. After all, members of the First Elder''s division were not the sharpest tools in the shed. What she found was a dense, refined spiritual energy that no Spirit Practitioner could possess. Shocked by the discovery, Ines could not help but holler out in excitement. The other orphans likewise were astounded by Ines'' words. Although they did not utter out a single word, their piercing stares demanded an answer from the abashed youth. "Yeah..." """"""""""WHAT?!?!?!""""""""" A collective shout reverberated through the busy lunch hour cafeteria, stunning all those present. Chapter 115 Ism Going With You! 1 Lia, who was just about to slurp on a mouthful of noodles, spat out all the contents in her mouth as she choked. Grasping onto a nearby tablecloth, her long dark blue hair got entangled in the mess as she desperately tried to prevent fluids from overflowing out from her nose. Likewise, Lily''s hands trembled as her chopsticks dropped straight to the floor. At that moment, all the orphans shared the same stunned expression. "You have promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm? W-when?" Ryner struggled to comprehend the facts that had been presented to him. Over the years, he had toiled perilously to advance even a single step forward. He knew that amongst the older generation of the orphans, he was the least talented and thus, he had to work doubly as hard. Now that, Shin, whom he was not that close to, had said that he cultivated ten ranks in a little under three years, Ryner did not know what to think of it. "Today..." Although Shin knew that he was going to get grilled on his promotion, the blaring stares were still agonising to endure. "Wah!!! Congratulations, Shin!" Elyse tightened her grip on the black-haired youth''s waist when she heard of the news. She certainly knew what a tremendous accomplishment it was to promote within three years. In recent years, only Ariel was able to pull off this feat, and that was with the full-on support of the Frie Clan. Shin did not have that luxury. Thus, even though he promoted two weeks later than the fiery young teen, it did not mean that he was any less gifted. "The hell?! Shin, you promoted?!?! Arghhh, how could I lose to a guy like him!" Indignant that the lazy bum that she knew had surpassed her, Ella rubbed the temples of her forehead to soothe a headache that she was getting. Being twins, Ella and Emma grew up looking exactly the same. Therefore, to help others differentiate them, Ella decided to go with a bob cut while Emma let her purple hair flow down indefinitely. Although Emma still had the little mole on her face that helped to tell the twins apart, as she grew older, the mole became less and less prevalent. """...""" The remaining orphans, Max, Fionn and Jacob, gave Shin a silent puzzled look. Max and Fionn had just begun their cultivation path a year ago so that both knew how hard it was to advance. On the other hand, Jacob had yet to awaken his Spirit and did not understand what the commotion was about. "Shin, did Lady Seph teach you a new spiritual ability?" "Yeah, I learnt ''Heal...''" "WHAT?!?! YOU ALREADY LEARNT ''HEAL''?!" Unable to hold back her agitation, Ines cried out in a voice best described as a terrified shriek. "Oh god, I have to report this to the Elder!" Usually, after the First Elder brought the orphans to Chilyoja Waypoint, he would retreat into his chambers and not meddle with the affairs of the younger generation. Hence, the instant he entered the Mushinkei, the elderly man disappeared from sight, even to the extent of skipping lunch. "Ah! If that''s the case, Senior Ines. Could you take me with you? I''m going to leave the town soon, and it is best if I informed him." "What do you mean?!" This time, instead of Ines, Ariel shouted out from his side. "Master is leaving for Aldrich''s Keep to assist with the upcoming purge, so I have to follow her there. I don''t know how long I would be gone so it would be best for me to inform the Elder about it." "Huh? Is there something wrong with Aldrich''s Keep?" Unaware of the tremendous threat that the fortress was facing, Ines blankly asked Shin for information. "It''s a long story¡­ Why don''t we meet up with the Elder first so that I don''t have to explain it twice?" "Good point. You guys, continue with your dinner. Shin, follow me." Ines gestured for the rest of the orphans to continue on with their meal as she pulled on the black-haired boy''s arm. However, after hearing such ominous words, every single child present had lost their appetite. Clearing their trays, Lily acted as their spokesperson and said: "We''re following you! We also want to know about Aldrich''s Keep!" With resolute eyes, the orphans collectively stood up. "Fine then." Ines knew that the orphan division were all a tightly-knitted bunch that would not stand down when one of their brethren was in trouble. Thus, when she heard that they wanted to follow her, Ines didn''t bother to convince them otherwise. Swiftly exiting the cafeteria, the group returned their silverware and headed for the First Elder''s chambers. ~~~ The Mushinkei residential area had multiple rooms each uniform in its design. However, at a remote corner of the topmost floor, there were two VIP rooms that were only accessible for Elders of the Frie Clan. Although it was partly due to their higher status, the main reason why those two chambers were built was that of their cultivation level. Elders of the Frie Clan were at minimum, Rank 60 Spirit Kings and whenever they practised their cultivation, the spiritual energies surrounding them would run amok, causing terrible repercussions for those whose cultivation levels weren''t up to par. Therefore, the two VIP rooms were built with the most powerful of materials and had extremely little openings for mana to seep out. Additionally, unauthorised personnel were not allowed anywhere near these chambers, even if there was no one living there. Even though Shin had lived in the Mushinkei for nearly three years, he had not visited this area on the fifth floor before. When the group of teenagers first passed through the stone door, they were greeted by a dim and brooding room, that had no windows or any form of exposure to the outside world. The grey walls were painted with beautiful red murals that made the chamber look less dreadful than it really was as a small number of candles barely kept the room lit. On top of a stone bed, there was a wrinkled old man, with a face full of hair, sitting in a lotus position. In a state of trance, the elderly man took short breaths at a time while meditating. Only after Ines gently said his name did the man''s eyelids start to twitch. "Oh, Ines¡­ What are you doing up here?" Being broken out of his cultivation state, the First Elder gingerly opened his eyes and scanned his visitors. Among them, was one of his most faithful subordinates. No matter the difficulty, the brunette middle-aged lady would do her utmost best to complete the mission assigned to her. However, at this stage of her life, all the First Elder hoped for was that she find a good bloke to settle down with. Together with Ines was his beloved granddaughter that he had showered with love since young. Behind her were the orphans that he had brought over from Frie Mountain to visit Chilyoja Waypoint. And in the midst of all of them, there was a black-haired teenager, no older than thirteen. Shin had grown slightly since the last time they met, so it wasn''t hard to recognise the boy he had favoured. "Oh, Shin. You''re here too. It''s been a while..." Sensing that something was amiss, the First Elder got off from the stone bed and slowly examined the young boy that he had not met in a year. It took him a while but eventually... "Shin! You became a Spirit Apostle?!" At this point, Shin could only roll his eyes that the surprised expression that everyone had given him. Ariel did it. Ines did it. The other orphans did it. Now even the First Elder. However, he kept his opinion to himself and gave a slight nod. "Hahaha! That''s terrific! We should go and celebrate!" "About that, Elder. You should hold back on the festivities¡­ Shin has something to say." "Huh?" Handing over the attention to Shin, Ines prompted the young boy to tell his story. Therefore, Shin started recounting everything. From how Lymark came into Yakkyoku Clinic severely injured, to the tale of beasts beginning to overrun the warriors of Aldrich''s Keep and how they needed a well-established healer to be there due to the lack of manpower. While Shin was explaining everything he knew, the rest of the orphans kept mum. Ariel rested her body on the wall, with her hands supporting her chin. Her crystal clear eyes started to become muddy as she thought of Shin''s departure. After all, from what the boy had said, once he left, he wouldn''t know when he would return. "I get the gist of the situation..." Finally completing his story, a grim atmosphere descended upon the room. Based on Shin''s story, Aldrich''s Keep was in severe danger of falling. If that were to happen, not only would the innocent citizens of the Himmel Empire be in peril but even prominent family clans like the Frie Clan would not be spared from the onslaught. "Grandpa! If that''s the case, shouldn''t we send support?! The Uncharted Wilderness is not that far from Frie Mountain!" Ariel cried out. Truth to be told, the young teenager had a point. Since the Frie Clan headquarters was extremely close to the Uncharted Wilderness, if Aldrich''s Keep falls, there might be a chance that a mighty beast would roam near the mountain. However, instead of agreeing with her suggestion, both the First Elder and Ines wore a dark frown. "We can''t do that, Ariel. Being part of the Himmel Empire, we must follow the Himmel Empire rules. Unless there is an Emperor''s edict, no family clan must get involved with military affairs. Since the Frie Clan had not received any reports from the Imperial family or the government, there is no way we could send reinforcements." To prevent the family clans from growing too big and wielding too much control in the empire, ancestors of the Imperial family laid down this ironclad law. Should a family clan disobey this rule, they would run the risk of an entire army being sent to their doorstep. "Even though we want to help, due to that law, we aren''t able to. Hah¡­ All we can do is hope that the warriors at the fort are capable enough to deal with the threat. Shin, when you''re over there, you must be careful." When the First Elder learnt that Shin had begun on the path of the healer, he instantaneously understood why Lady Seph accepted the request. What better way to train a healer than to place him on a battlefield, where injuries ran rampant. Since the famed Lady Seph was with the youth, the First Elder could be assured of the Shin''s safety. "Wait!!!" A cute, energetic voice sounded out. Turning their attention to the scarlet-haired little girl lying on the wall, everyone in the room waited for Ariel to say her next words. "Grandpa! I want to follow Shin!" Chapter 116 Ism Going With You! 2 "Absolutely not! Ariel, stop spouting nonsense..." The First Elder shut down Ariel''s suggestion the instant he heard it. Going to Aldrich''s Keep was not like going for a picnic at the park. There was a real possibility that if Ariel went to the fortress, she would not return. "Grandpa! You said that for me to progress, I need to garner some real-world experiences and that the tame environment of the Frie Clan might slow my development!" "T-that..." Of course, Ariel would not back down so easily. As she was training in the path of a warrior, it made no sense that she be stuck around on a mountain, sparring with a bunch of older Spirit Users. They could provide her with a safe environment to slowly nurture her battle capabilities, but that was not the way a warrior should develop. Especially someone of Ariel''s prowess, the best way to train her was to run rampant on the battlefield. It was something that had troubled the First Elder ever since he saw Ariel''s progression speed. No pond could contain a dragon. For Ariel to truly become the most dominant Spirit User the Frie Clan has ever seen, she must be willing to charge valiantly into hordes of enemies, demolishing anything in her path. In fact, after hearing Ariel''s rebuttal, the old bearded man was somewhat tempted to let her go as there was really nothing the Frie Clan could offer regarding actual combat experience. "Wait! Elder, I think Ariel has a point." Instead of helping the First Elder deter his granddaughter from going on the reckless path, Ines poured oil into the flames and jumped to Ariel''s defence. "Since we can''t send reinforcements, we can at least send a small group of individuals under the guise of a training expedition. That way, we will have an insider stationed at Aldrich''s Keep. With someone there, the Frie Clan will be able to accurately determine the size of the threat and take precautions in the event that Aldrich''s Keep falls." "Yeah! And what Aunt Ines said!" Ariel''s scarlet hair flew high in the air as her head rapidly moved back and forth. Obviously, she did not understand half of what Ines had said. Her real motive was to follow Shin. When she heard of the potential perils awaiting Shin, Ariel felt her blood run cold. If the boy she had been playing with since young were to suddenly disappear in a place where she could not see him... Ariel didn''t even want to fathom that thought. "Hmmm¡­ As ludicrous as it sounds, it might not be that bad of an idea to have someone at Aldrich''s Keep. Furthermore, if we send some Spirit Lords, I''m sure it would bolster the forces at the fort..." Seeing that her grandfather was seriously considering her suggestion, Ariel tried her best to keep a smile from creeping up her lips. Just before she landed the finishing blow, she suddenly felt a tug on her sleeves. "Ariel, if you''re worried for me, don''t be. I''ll be with Master. Nothing could possibly happen to me!" Shin attempted to persuade the rash little girl from making a huge mistake. Like Ariel, he did not want to see one of his closest friends get hurt. "Shut it, Shin! I''m not doing this for you! If Aldrich''s Keep falls, even I would be affected! I might as well smash some of those savage beasts with my Lava Warhammer before that happens!" Putting forth a clenched fist, Ariel performed a swinging manoeuvre, demonstrating how she planned to pummel the monsters of the Uncharted Wilderness. At the same time, her resolute eyes stared deep into Shin''s soul. It was a look that Shin had seen many times before. Whenever Ariel made up her mind, she would always show Shin that face. "Fine¡­" Realising that any more attempts to persuade her was useless, Shin let go of the passionate girl''s shirt and placed his hands up in the air. "So grandpa! Let me go with Shin!" "..." A chilling silence descended upon the room. The First Elder clearly understood the motives of his precious granddaughter. Using the excuse of wanting to train, Ariel would stay at Shin''s side to protect him from any danger. If he was to be entirely honest, no matter from which angle he approached this situation, it seemed that the best course of action was to send Ariel to Aldrich''s Keep with Shin. Shin was still a prime asset for the Frie Clan, and although Lady Seph had guaranteed her disciple''s safety, there was no way she could keep an eye on Shin round the clock. She would have her own obligations at the fortress, and there will be times where the boy would be left alone. With Ariel around, at least the Frie Clan would have a justification to send a few high tier Spirit Users to protect the two of them. Also, Ariel would get some vital training by clobbering some beasts. The only thing keeping the First Elder from agreeing with this request was his own fears. Ariel was his last remaining kin left in this world. A keepsake from his deceased son, the elderly man, had sworn to protect every single portion of the girl''s body from harm. Sending her to such a dangerous place ran counter to his oath. "Grandpa?" "I can''t say yes right away¡­ I need to report this back to the Clan Master first. Shin, you said that you would be leaving within the week?" "That''s what senior Lymark told us." "Alright, I''ll head back for the mountain right away. Ines, you monitor them while I''m gone. I should be back by midnight." Not waiting for the brunette woman''s reply, the elderly man turned into a ray of red light and vanished from the VIP chambers. At his level, travelling to and fro from Chilyoja Waypoint to Frie Mountain took less than ten minutes. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. Main Hall. "You want to call an emergency Clan Meeting?!" "Yes, Clan Master." In a tall precipice where the fire elements danced with great joy, there lay a small wooden cottage. Surrounded by an array of concrete buildings, the humble abode seems to be somewhat out of place. However, that was what the owner intended the cabin to be like. Being someone of significant influence, the Clan Master had little chances to enjoy the outdoor life. When she was younger, her father had frequently brought her out of the dull, stuffy life of the Frie Clan to enjoy some outdoor air. Longing for some sense of freedom, the Clan Master ordered the construction of this simple cottage so that she could have a place to retreat to in the midst of her tiring life. However, for today, her peace was interrupted by an elderly red-bearded man. "My apologies for disturbing you during your resting period but this matter is crucial, and I need the Elders to convene." Solemnly bowing down to the middle-aged woman, the First Elder pleaded the Clan Master to call for an emergency meeting, something that only someone of her stature could accomplish. "I''m fine with that but are you sure about calling senior Ash? You two aren''t exactly on speaking terms." The Clan Master did not doubt the elderly man''s motives for calling a meeting. She knew that the First Elder would only call for an emergency meeting if the matter he had on hand were of the utmost importance. However, she had her doubts about calling the Second Elder when the two of them are essentially engaged in a cold war. "There''s no choice. Every Elder must be present. It concerns the survival of the Frie Clan after all." "Tell me more..." Hearing the elder''s words, the Clan Master immediately sent an edict calling for the elders to convene on her position. At the same time, she listened to everything that the First Elder had to say. One by one, bolts of light shot past the mountain and landed on the courtyard of the Clan Master. Familiar faces such as the Shrine Maiden, the Supply Elder and the Defense Elder greeted the First Elder while confused on why they had been summoned. Slowly, the most prominent figures on the mountain had congregated and awaited the Clan Master''s words with puzzled faces. Among them, there was a black-faced old man with his head full of reddish-brown hair neatly combed to one side. The moment he locked eyes with the First Elder, he visibly snorted in derision and glanced the other way. The Clan Master sighed as she looked down at her subordinates. Although she had just called them to gather, the elders had almost evenly split among themselves, forming two divisions with a clear line separating the both of them. Never had the estrangement between the two factions been so visibly evident. Shaking her head, the Clan Master began to levitate above the rest of the crowd and projected her voice out loud. "My fellow brethren, I have called for this emergency meeting because the Frie Clan is going to face a crisis soon." Recounting everything that the First Elder had said to her, the Clan Master explained everything. From how Aldrich''s Keep was going to fall and the First Elder''s plan to send Ariel with Shin alongside some top tier fighters of the Frie Clan to monitor the situation. "So, what do you guys think?" Still floating in mid-air, the Clan Master sharply stared at her fellow clan mates. "I think it''s a great idea! If Aldrich''s Keep were to be run over by beasts, Frie Mountain wouldn''t be unaffected. Since we can''t directly send reinforcements, that plan would be the best alternative." "Yeah, that sounds good!" The general consensus on the matter was rather unanimous. The best case scenario was that Aldrich''s Keep could successfully purge the horde of beasts by themselves, but if that was not going to happen, it made sense to add precautions. "Alright then. I suggest that we send four children and two Spirit Lords. Since Shin and Ariel have already been confirmed, senior Edward. I''ll trouble you to find two more participants. For Spirit Lords, I recommend Ines and..." "Wait!" At that moment, a bony hand raised itself from the crowd. His raspy voice turned the heads of every single elder in the courtyard as the elderly man''s vibrant red robes fluttered with the wind when he walked forward. "Do you have an issue with my arrangements, senior Ash?" "Not at all, I too believe that we should send some forces over to the Keep. However, do you really think that one team is enough?" The Second Elder debated if only sending four children were sufficient. "Are you suggesting we send more children to Aldrich''s Keep?" "Yes. To make our plan more believable, shouldn''t we send a larger group of trainees over to participate in the purge?" "How many do you suggest then?" "Eight would do. Four from Edward''s division. Four from mine." The First Elder''s eyebrows rose as he heard those words. Never in his life did he think that the Second Elder would be so compliant. However, the more obedient he was, the more the First Elder felt that something was amiss. But he could not just outright reject the Second Elder''s suggestion. "In that case, we must add more Spirit Lords." "Yes. Of course, I will choose the best of the best from my division to join the expedition." Although the Clan Master was reluctant, she still nodded in approval. "Enfen, I mean Clan Master! I have a suggestion." The Shrine Maiden, who had been silent all this while, suddenly shouted out. "Speak." "Why don''t I join that expedition? Although I''m a Spirit King, my Spirit is an auxiliary one. I''m sure the military wouldn''t mind me there." If possible, the Clan Master would rather send proper reinforcements at the Spirit King level, to help bolster the defences of Aldrich''s Keep. However, if the Frie Clan fielded such a force, the general of the Keep might misunderstand and think that the clan was planning a hostile takeover when the soldiers were at their weakest. "Lien¡­ You don''t have to do that. I''m sure you are swamped with work at the Shrine." "Clan Master. Before I''m the Shrine Maiden, I''m a member of the Frie Clan. Am I to sit back and do nothing in times of crisis?" The Shrine Maiden''s stared straight at her long-time friend with an unwavering gaze. Finally giving up, the Clan Master acquiesced. "Hah¡­ If that''s your wish¡­" Chapter 117 The Elite Squad Assembles 1 The emergency meeting finished just as abruptly as it began. Members of the Frie Clan that followed the Second Elder immediately dispersed as soon as their leader left. The remaining Elders gave the Clan Master and the First Elder a short farewell before returning to their daily lives. After all, it was still the middle of the day, and they all had their tasks to complete. The Shrine Maiden similarly bade her farewells and flew out of the courtyard. Since she was going to be leaving the Mountain for an indefinite amount of time, she had to make sure that all duties in the Shrine were assigned. "Are you sure about sending Ariel to Aldrich''s Keep? It''s going to be dangerous there." Now that the emergency meeting had concluded, only two figures were left in the courtyard. Looking at the First Elder, the Clan Master could tell that the once valiant warrior of the Frie Clan was totally jaded. His wrinkles had become more and more defined and his hair, which was usually wholly reddish-brown, had strands of silver hair popping out. "Honestly, I still don''t want to¡­ But what can I say? That lass is adamant about going. I''m certain that even if I forbid her from going, she would sneak out in the middle of the night and ride to the Keep herself." Falling onto a stone bench, the elderly man recalled the resolved face of his granddaughter. Smiling wryly, the First Elder thought of many scenarios in the past where his son, Ariel''s father,had shown him that expression. "Hoho, is her dependence on that boy so deep? It seems like your grandson-in-law has already been decided!" Relaxing her facial muscles, the Clan Master took a seat next to the fatigued old man and started to tease him. "What can I do? In fact, I''ll be happy if those two really got together. I mean, right now, could you think of any other candidate for Ariel''s husband?" "T-that..." Hearing that question, the Clan Master became tongue-tied. Faces of the younger generation all popped into her mind. Linus, Leon, Junius, Ryner and basically any junior around Ariel''s age. Most of them were talented Spirit Users, however, if they were compared to the Frie Clan''s little freak, they could only be described as subpar. "Not to mention, other than Shin, who else could deal with Ariel?" Ariel was perhaps the most violent of all the girls in the Frie Clan. Since her Spirit Awakening Ceremony, when she first showed the world that she possessed a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon, many parents had urged their sons to chase the fiery little girl. From then onwards, Ariel would have a line of suitors aged ten to eighteen, of all shapes and sizes, knocking on her door every few days. However, their efforts were for nought. Whenever Ariel saw those boys, she thought that they were there to challenge her in a battle. Therefore, she would summon the primal Lava Warhammer and scare them off, causing a ridiculous rumour to be formed. ''If you want to date Ariel, you must first defeat her in battle.'' That tale spread across the Mountain like wildfire and soon, even Shin and Junius, who were staying far away, heard about the rumour. When Ariel first listened to that rumour, she just laughed it off as a bad joke, but when she seriously thought about it, the scarlet-haired girl realised that she would not accept a husband that she deemed unworthy anyway. Excited about the prospects of their child climbing up the ladder, parents would send their sons into the lion''s den to spar with the beast. Unfortunately, many of those who faced Ariel, never returned unharmed. Even as a Spirit Practitioner, Ariel was able to beat many Spirit Apostles with relative ease. After all, the might of the Lava Warhammer was one of the top Spirits of its kind. Adding the fact that Ariel''s raw physical power easily tops any regular teenagers, not one person who challenged Ariel actually succeeded. "You''re right¡­ Haha, with Ariel''s hot-blooded nature, only Shin could possibly hope to reign her in." "Hah¡­ No matter how much you keep a girl at home, there will come a day where she''ll be independent. Ariel''s already thirteen, she''s beginning to morph into a young woman. I can''t hold her hand forever..." Staring into the sky, the old man seemed to have aged a decade as he thought of his precious granddaughter. The Clan Master beamed in delight as she said: "Ariel and Shin will be the future of our clan. Once they wed, it would signify a new beginning for the Frie Clan. That would be something worth celebrating." "Haha, that''s still a long way down the road. For now, we should focus on strengthening the Frie Clan should Aldrich''s Keep falls. Would the treasury be fine if we purchase some defence mechanisms from the Capital?" "We still have access cash from our last sale so we should be fine. I think that we should..." Putting aside the idle talks, the Clan Master and First Elder discussed the various ways the Frie Clan could arm themselves for the upcoming disaster. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. The Mushinkei. Straight after the First Elder disappeared from their sights, Shin and the other orphans continued to catch up on the missing time that they had. The orphans had a rare opportunity to leave the mountain while Shin was let off early by Lady Seph. Thus, alongside Ariel, the young teenagers roamed the streets of Chilyoja Waypoint while shopping and playing. After Ariel, the richest person among the group was Shin, due to his high monthly stipends and frugal spending habits. Taking advantage of their cash cow, Elyse and Emma appealed to the black-haired youth so that they could purchase some of their favourite sweets. The older orphans, such as Lily and Ryner, did not want to extort money from their junior and could only give a slight pout. Seeing his fat money pouch thinning, Shin could just sigh. He did not know what to do with his money anyway. If buying some items could make his loved ones happy, Shin didn''t mind spending a hefty sum. "Shin, buy me this necklace!" A cheerful voice sounded out from the side of the black-haired youth. Ariel, who was standing in front of a roadside store, held out a small piece of amethyst attached to a silver chain. The small piece of stone had a small number of black spots littered in it, suggesting that it was nowhere near as pure as it was supposed to be. "Ariel, aren''t you richer than me? Can''t you buy this yourself?" Shin had no qualms when it came to spending money for the orphans. Back on Frie Mountain, many members of the younger generation weren''t given proper allowances and could only make money through missions handed out by the upper management. The orphans fell into that category. Thus, it made sense that weaker Spirit Users like Elyse or Emma were as poor as a church mouse. Ariel, on the other hand, was a direct descendant of a High Elder, whose authority is second only to the Clan Master. Generally speaking, Ariel should be loaded with cash. "Isn''t it more novel if the boy buys jewellery for the girl?" "How is that novel?! That''s sexist!" "Please? It''s the first time I have asked for you to buy something!" "Huh?" Shin was taken aback by Ariel''s words. In all these years of knowing her, the number of times she used the word please could be counted with one hand. "Is there something special about this necklace." "T-t-that! Just buy it for me, please!" Ariel blushed furiously as she stomped her feet on the concrete ground. There was no way that she could say that the amethyst stone in the middle of the necklace reminded her of a certain black-haired boy. With the necklace firmly grasped in her hands, Ariel handed it to the lady tending the store. "I want this please!" "You have a good eye, miss! This product was crafted by the best artisan in the town and was mined from a quarry sitting above a Spirit Vein. The person who designed this necklace had forged this necklace with extreme care thinking about giving it as a gift to his beloved wife. Unfortunately, his significant other had passed away before he completed crafting the necklace. With a heavy heart, he unwillingly sold the item to me, hoping that it would land in the hands of its rightful owner. And from the looks of it, I think that would be you!" Being a small roadside store, the saleswoman had to spout out a bunch of lies and flattering words to make a sale. The necklace that Ariel had picked out was most definitely not crafted by the best artisan in the town, and the amethyst stone was not mined from a Spirit Vein. Nonetheless, it was still a beautiful piece of amethyst making her story somewhat believable. "I-is that so! Then how much would this be?" Ariel''s eyes glistened when she heard that there was such a romantic story behind the random piece of jewellery that she had picked out. The value that she placed on the rock had instantly shot up after hearing the touching story. "Hmmm, I usually don''t do this, but you suit the necklace too much¡­ How about this, I''ll give you a discount. One silver coin!" Knowing that she had a customer caught hook, line and sinker, a devious smile crept up the saleswoman''s face. From Ariel''s outfit, she could deduce that her customer was part of the upper class and instantly put forth a price that was outlandish for a necklace of that quality. "One silver?! You might as well rob a bank!" Shin shouted out at the absurd quote that the store vendor gave. After living in the town for some time, he had understood how the market works. Roadside stores such as this one tend to overprice their items to compete with the legitimate ones, and if an ignorant traveller came, they would jack up the prices even further. "That stone is at most ten copper at Keystone Jewellers!" "Tskkk¡­" The saleswoman clicked her tongue after finding out that Ariel had a local who was guiding her. Keystone Jewellers was the most dominant shop selling gems in Chilyoja Waypoint. An amethyst in that condition would only fetch ten coppers in that store if they even bothered to sell it at all. "Fine! How about fifty coppers?" "Nope! Ten coppers!" Giving up the charade, the shop vendor offered to sell at a much lower price. However, Shin was not satisfied with the quote and continued to bargain. "How about forty coppers?" "Twenty!" "Alright, alright! I give in! Thirty coppers! That''s my final offer. If you won''t take it, just leave and don''t bother my business!" "..." Ariel was speechless on the exchange that had just happened. The kind and friendly store woman had instantaneously turned into a venom-spewing shrew. "Fine then¡­" Taking out thirty copper coins from his pouch, Shin claimed the item from the hands of the saleswoman and entrusted the necklace to Ariel. With a bright smile, Ariel clutched the newly bought jewellery and kept it close to her chest. "Thank you..." "Y-yeah..." Seeing Ariel so benign was something foreign to the young boy. Scratching his head, Shin looked away as the rest of the orphans, who saw the couple''s interaction from start to finish, snickered in amusement. Chapter 118 The Elite Squad Assembles 2 Strolling down the bustling streets of the commercial district, Shin and the other orphans continued to chat about their daily lives. After living apart for such an extended period of time, they have all accumulated a number of stories to share with each other. Shin mostly complained about Lady Seph and how demonic Junius had become when it came to morning training. The other orphans, such as Elyse and Emma, shared everything that had happened on Frie Mountain during his absence. Be it funny stories or sad, sombre ones, the young children babbled away, forgetting about the time. Eventually, the sky had begun to dim as grey clouds gathered. The city bell rung six times indicating the start of the evening. Droplets of water drizzled down from the overcast sky as the booming sound of thunder reverberated in the waypoint. "Guys, I think we should return to the Mushinkei. It''s starting to rain." Lily suggested to the group. Being the most senior member of the orphans present, her words held the most weight. Unanimously nodding to her idea, Shin and the others stopped browsing the stores and turned back. However, it did not take long after something halted their steps. "Junius!" Ryner caught the sight of a viridian haired teenager donned in a pure black constable gear. With golden lions sewn neatly upon his chest, the youth seemed to resemble a valiant champion. His handsome features attracted the gazes of all the young maidens surrounding him and his charming smile brightened even the sternest faces. Currently, the youth was busy making his rounds at the town with one of his partners. Noticing the group of teenagers, Junius eyes lit up in excitement. Bidding farewell to the young man standing next to him, the teen hastily brisk-walked towards Shin and the others. "Guys! You''re all here!" Seeing his juniors for the first time in a year, made Junius heart leap with joy. He lamented the fact that he was on duty during the first day of their visit but Junius endured it. In fact, when he first reported to the Constable Headquarters earlier on, he lacked the motivation to efficiently executed his patrol duties. "Junius! How are you? What time would you be knocking off?" The orphans bombarded the youth with an array of questions. Unable to cope with the variety of voices, Junius raised his hands in resignation, begging his fellow juniors to slow down their speech. Before he could answer their questions though, a fuzzy silhouette bolted past the centre of the orphans and struck the suave teen right in his chest. "Lily..." "Idiot¡­ Why weren''t you there to meet us?" "Sorry, I had work to do..." In the three years since Junius and Shin left the mountain, Junius and Lily''s relationship had taken one step further and gone to a level beyond that of ordinary friends. As a handsome young successful Spirit Apostle, the number of girls who wanted to chase Junius wasn''t few. The first time Lily visited the waypoint, she saw many young maidens making eyes at the boy that she mentally thought of as her own. Unable to shake the uneasiness she felt, Lily became more aggressive in her advances towards the young teen, fearing that a random bimbo would take him away. Lily had sent a plethora of love letters that would make even the most accomplished romance authors blush and frequently called her best friend, Ariel, to make sure that no random broad tried to seduce Junius. Thankfully, her pursuit had paid off as Junius made their relationship official after a few months. Although the pair could only meet once every year, Lily seemed to like the separation as it made their story look like something out of a fairy tale. Of course, she hated that her sweetheart was so attractive that random lustful succubuses sought him out but Lily wholly trusted the viridian-haired youth. Furthermore, Lily herself was proud of her features that enthralled the popular constable. Now that she was sixteen, she had reached the prime of her puberty years. The pimples that were associated with early pubescence had all but diminished making her complexion as clear as a marble. Letting her hair grow out, the silky threads of pale blue goodness flowed down to her petite bottom, making her look much more motherly than before. Her growing bosom sparked the wild fantasies of men and could cause even celibate monks to act zen while taking a peek every now and then. "Fine, I forgive you. When will you be finishing your work?" "Soon¡­ Give me another hour or so?" "That long?" "Yeah..." It was not like Junius wanted to continue working. He would much rather spend time with Lily and the other orphans as their time together was limited. Sighing despondently, Junius stroked the fringe of his lover as he flashed a tender smile. He had dearly missed that face of hers over the past year and could not stop looking at it. However, that simple act of his caused Lily''s milky white face to blush furiously as she avoided his eyes. ''That gaze of his is unfair...'' Burying her face deep in his chest, Lily thought of the many girls that had fallen for the boy she loved because of his smile. "Hahaha, Junius it looks like you''re loved dearly huh! Why don''t you just leave with the little missus there? I''ll make some excuse to headquarters!" "Senior! You would do that?!" The constable that Junius had been patrolling with nearly barfed with all the sweetness that he was witnessing. Teasingly, he gestured to Junius that it was fine to leave his post. "It''s fine, it''s fine¡­ You''re only needed for another hour anyway. Leaving a little early won''t hurt." "Thank you, senior!" Giving his superior a deep bow, Junius grasped the waist of the pale-blue haired girl in his embrace and walked towards the orphans. Lily had always maintained the strict motherly appearance in front of her juniors, but when Junius was involved, she reverted back to a teenage girl, who was swooning over her crush. "Let us return!" With his girlfriend nestled to his side and his loved ones all surrounding him, Junius was over the moon. It was the sight that he had always envisioned, albeit in a watered-down state. The reason why he worked so hard in the first place was to ensure that the orphans could live with their heads held high, happily surrounded by each other''s warm faces. Leading the group, Junius headed straight for the Mushinkei. ~~~ On the way home, the orphans had filled Junius in on everything that had occurred earlier that day. The viridian-haired youth was not surprised that Shin had advanced and was heading to Aldrich''s Keep, but when he heard of the plan to send some youths of the Frie Clan to the fort, Junius had almost immediately volunteered himself to go. However, as he thought about it, there was no way the Lewis or the other senior constables would let him leave. While Junius was brooding on a plan to get him on the ticket to the Keep, the orphans had reached the Mushinkei. Promptly retreating to the insides of the building, the group had just managed to evade the imminent downpour by a hair''s breadth as sheets of rain came splashing down from the heavens. "Phew, looks like we''re lucky!" Ariel exclaimed. Firmly holding on to her new necklace, she protected it from the small drizzles that they experienced while walking back. "Oh finally, you guys are home..." At that moment, a lethargic voice sounded out at the entrance of the building. Ines, who was resting at the counter, called out the orphans. "Senior Ines, what happened? Why do you look so drained?" Junius worriedly asked the haggard middle-aged lady. It was rare to see this senior of theirs in such a state. "Arghhh!!! Bad news, I guess¡­ The Elder had gotten permission to send Ariel and a few other youths to Aldrich''s Keep." "What?! Isn''t that good news?!" Ariel''s eyes nearly popped out in excitement. She was the one who wanted to follow Shin the most and hearing that her wish had been granted made her ecstatic. "Yeah, but there''s more. The Second Elder would be sending a cell alongside Ariel and Shin..." "Ah¡­ I see..." Hearing those words, the mood in the room instantly dropped. Since the orphans were ostracised by the Second Elder''s division, anyone from that side of Frie Mountain would go against them with extreme animosity. "Senior Ines, if the Second Elder was to send a cell, how many would we be sending?" "Same like them. Four youths. With Shin and Ariel taking two slots, while the twins make up the other two." "Huh?" "We''re going to Aldrich''s Keep?" The twins twitched once their names were brought up. Usually, for missions in the Frie Clan, the upper management would recommend the youths to form a cell, typically a group of four members with skill sets that balanced each other out. With Ariel as the vanguard and Shin as the healer, they needed some medium and long-range Spirit Users to cover their weaknesses. Therefore, the First Elder suggested that the twins, who both wielded the Ice Bow Spirits and cultivated in the Crystal Toxotai Mantra, join their cell. Perfectly complementing each other''s strengths, their team would surely be able to grow much more rapidly during the upcoming purge. After all, that was their ''goal'' for sending a training expedition. "Yeah, so Ella and Emma. Both of you need to get ready. You''re not returning to the mountain for a while. The Elder has arranged some of your personal belongings to be delivered here tomorrow. As much as I hated it, I had just returned from meeting with Lady Seph..." "With Master?!" Shin gasped in amazement. No wonder Ines seemed to have aged significantly since they last saw her. She must have suffered the wrath of the temperamental elderly woman. "I explained to her the entirety of the First Elder''s plan¡­ Goddamnit, now I know why they call her the healing demon¡­ She''s an absolute monstrosity! And what''s with that bloody gerbil?! How could it be so strong?!" "Bingbing?" Shin tilted his head in confusion when he saw that Ines was directing his anger towards the harmless furry animal that frequently rested on his head. "Arghhh!!! Whatever. Anyway, prepare yourselves. According to Lady Seph, she plans to leave the town three days from now¡­ The Second Elder''s team will also be arriving in the next few days." Leaving the orphans with few additional precautionary words, Ines retreated back up to her room so that she could recover from the stress that she had incurred. Chapter 119 The Elite Squad Assembles 3 As the day turned into night, the orphans retreated back into their designated rooms to get their deserved rest. The one time a year where they visit Shin and Junius is also the only time where they could really kick back and relax from the constant hounding of the Instructor. Much to Lily''s displeasure, Riko and the upper management of the Mushinkei divided the orphans into different rooms according to their genders and forbade them from visiting each other. The pale-haired hormonal teenager wanted to spend more time with her lover, but unfortunately, rules were rules. Last year, when she attempted to sneak out of her room for a late night rendezvous, she experienced the full might of Riko''s muscled thighs. Hence, as much as she wished to be with Junius, all she could do was endure. Although the Mushinkei had built plenty of rooms, at this time of year, many Frie Clan operatives were staying over at the hub, causing the orphans to bunk together like they did back on the mountain. For the girls, Lily, Ella and Fionn stayed in one room while Ariel, Lia, Emma and Elyse stayed in the other. For the boys, Ryner, Max and Jacob took over Shin''s room while the vacated tenant stayed over at Junius'' room. Ariel could have easily stayed over at her grandfather''s room if she so desired, but she opted to have her sleepover with her fellow friends so that they could chat the night away. "Shin, are you awake?" While Junius stayed in the comfort of his bed, Shin was all tucked in on a mattress that Junius had laid out. Just before he entered dreamland, his elder brother''s husky voice pulled him out from his trance. "Now I am¡­ What do you want?" "Nothing¡­ I just wanted to chat. After you leave, it would take a long while for you to return. Who knows when would be the next time we meet?" "..." Rubbing his eyes, Shin pulled off his cosy blanket and drowsily stared at the viridian-haired youth. His chest moved up and down as the tired boy took deep breaths to try and wash away his sleepiness. "Shin, when you are at Aldrich''s Keep you have to be wary about your surroundings. Especially with the cell that the Second Elder is sending. Perhaps there might be a repeat of that incident." "Junius, you worry too much¡­ When I''m at the Keep, I''ll be with Master. Furthermore, with that many soldiers around, do you think they would be able to do anything?" "I get your point, but..." Whenever Junius thought about how vicious the Second Elder was, he could not help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Back then, Shin was only ten, and the old bastard had instructed some of his henchmen to take down the unfortunate youth. Now that Shin had proven that his talents were not to be underestimated, who knew what that maniacal elder would do. "Whatever then. Perhaps they really won''t be able to do anything to you. Either way, you must be extra careful." "Alright, alright. You''re such a worrywart..." "Hmph! If I don''t worry about you, who will? Remember Shin, I am your guardian, father, brother, best friend, trainer..." "Shut up! Goddamnit, you and Lily are made for each other! Your nagging is almost identical!" "You think so?" Junius scratched his nose in delight after he heard Shin''s words. Even though the teen was not trying to praise him, Junius took it as a compliment. "I''m going back to sleep! Don''t bother me anymore!" "Fine, fine..." In one single motion, Shin covered his entire body with his favourite blanket and rested his head on the cotton pillow that he had purchased from the best fabric maker in the waypoint. The young teenager was somewhat frugal when it came to his stipends but matters regarding his sleep, he wouldn''t mind if he had to splurge all of his money. Collecting all three parts of the hibernation trinity, the best blanket, pillow and bolster that the town had to offer, Shin snoozed off, leaving Junius to ponder on matters alone. The loving smile that Junius wore slowly turned into a grim frown. ''Shin leaving the waypoint, for the time being, should be for the best¡­ I still have to investigate the leads that I have regarding the Awter Clan...'' During the past three years, Junius had collected valuable data regarding the mysterious clan that disappeared thirteen years ago. The more he learnt, the less he really understood about the clan. For some reason, his curiosity about the Awter Clan had only grown over the years. He had his suspicions, but since they were outlandish, to say the least, Junius did not want to jump to conclusions. Looking at the peaceful face of the junior that he had taken care of his entire life, Junius could not help but feel his heart warm up. Faces of the other orphans begun to surface in his mind, from the love of his life to the adorable clingy Elyse. Every single one of the children was like part of his flesh. Should something untoward happen to them, he would risk everything to save their skins. ''I will protect them!!!'' Taking one last glance at Shin, Junius relaxed his facial muscles as he dived deep into the comfort of his bed. ~~~ Fun times never last long. During the next three days, the orphans spent as much time as possible together, reminiscing on the good old days while discussing current affairs in the clan. Forcing Junius to spend all of his annual leave days, Lily dragged her lover through the romantic streets of the town in hopes of deepening their relationship. Additionally, she had to make a statement to the single maidens who were gunning for the talented constable that he was long taken. Well, it was not like Junius disliked it either. Ariel similarly dragged Shin around the town with so that she could have a mule when shopping. Since she was leaving with Shin, the young girl had to buy some necessities for her stay at Aldrich''s Keep. When the day of reckoning arrived, the orphans and Ariel all gathered in front of the Western Gate. Lady Seph, who had been slaving Lymark to do her bidding, was happily seated in a pure black aether car that Lymark had prepared. She had ''requested'' that the middle-aged man provided the best transportation that he could find and luxurious amenities for the near four hundred kilometre trip. Of course, the seasoned warrior of Aldrich''s Keep did everything in his power to keep the temperamental elderly woman as satisfied as possible. "Lady Seph, we will be ready to depart in an hour''s time." "Whatever, don''t bother me unless we reached the bloody place." "Of course, of course." Rubbing his hands like a eunuch, Lymark gave Lady Seph a deep bow before slowly retreating. Looking around, his eyes caught the sight of five Frie Clan aether cars, already parked and ready to go. Initially, he was apprehensive about bringing members of a family clan into the Keep. However, the more he interacted with Ines and the other adults that shared their plan with him, the more he felt that bringing them was the right move. Aldrich''s Keep was experiencing a time of crisis. No matter the source, some additional extra hands to help them weather the storm was much desired. Hearing that four Spirit Lords and an auxiliary Spirit King would be joining their ranks, Lymark felt that it was a deal too good to be true. Now, not only did he acquire the help of the illustrious Lady Seph and her disciple, but also a force that could equal a third-rate family clan. Fantasising about how the general of the Keep would praise him, Lymark glanced around, hoping to find the youth that had helped him convince Lady Seph to join the purge. It was not long when he saw a large group of teenagers, all with varying ages, standing at the bottom of the gate, staring each other down. "To think that they sent you, Linus..." Shin, who was right smack in the middle of the orphans, addressed the bright-red haired teenager that was wearing the widest smile that he had ever seen. Alongside Shin and Ariel, Linus was one of the great talents of the Frie Clan. Although his Spirit was not baptised in a natural phenomenon, Linus had still advanced through the ranks quickly due to the Second Elder''s endless pushings. Currently, he was a Rank 9 Spirit Practitioner, which was quite a feat for someone of his age. "Shin¡­ It''s been a while..." Using his signature speech patterns, Linus happily greeted the boy that had fought him to a draw, many moons ago. Over the years, Linus had retained his androgynous appearance and seemed to be untouched by puberty. His textured fringe had stretched all the way down to his eyebrows, and his bubbly pale white face made his bright red hair all the more prominent. Unlike the others in his group, Linus was genuinely delighted that he could meet Shin once more. Amongst everyone his age, the only people that could match him were Shin and Ariel. Back then, when Linus claimed that he wanted Shin as a training partner, he was not jesting at all. He had truly desired to train with the black-haired youth. Thus, when he heard that Shin was sent into exile, Linus sulked for days, and it took him a while to get back on his feet. "I see that you are here as well, Leon..." Junius menacing stared at the older boy that was accompanying the prestigious Second Elder''s grandson. When they were still living on the mountain, the detestable face that pops whenever the orphans thought of the Second Elder''s youth division, was Leon''s. Constantly harassing them whenever they met, the orphans, especially Junius, had a horrible impression on the tall bloke. "Hi! Long time no see!" As expected, Leon was commissioned by the Second Elder to chaperone his grandson. Being the only one from the cell in the Spirit Apostle realm, Leon''s primary mission during this trip was to ensure that Linus did not fall into any harm. "What are you guys planning, huh?" Junius, unquestionably miffed that the Second Elder had sent Leon, venomously spat out his thoughts. "Relax, we are not here to cause trouble. If Aldrich''s Keep falls, all our lives will be affected. Furthermore, all of us that were sent are on the brink of breaking through to the next realm!" Currently, Leon was Rank 19 while Linus was Rank 9. The other two Spirit Practitioners that the Second Elder sent were also both at Rank 9. At that level, the best way to advance was for the Spirit User to claim some real-world fighting experience. "Shin¡­ I''ve heard to promoted to become a Spirit Apostle..." While Leon and Junius were having a spat, Linus came over to Shin and asked him if the rumours of him advancing were true. "Yeah..." "Ah, as expected¡­ Congratulations¡­ But don''t worry, I''ll catch up with you soon!" Turning his back towards the black-haired youth, Linus promptly retreated into his aether car. His two followers, who were also at Rank 9, jogged rapidly to keep up with the teen, leaving Leon behind with the rest of the orphans. "Haha, he''s as free-spirited as ever!" Leon glanced over his shoulder to look at the boy he was meant to be guarding. Desperately trying to quell his shivering hand, Linus quickly hid in the back seat of the car. Of all the younger members in the clan, the only two that Linus would consider his rivals were Shin and Ariel. Now that both of them had promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm, the young teen could not help but feel that he had been left behind. "Shin, I hope you understand that we really have no intentions of bothering you during this trip. I know that we have some bad blood between us, but Linus truly sees you as an equal and a rival. Please don''t think bad of him, alright?" Giving Shin a cheeky wink, Leon left the orphans alone and returned back to the side of his Elder''s grandson. The orphans were stumped by the sudden change in attitude by Leon. Was he really the same guy that had terrorised them since young? "Did he knock his head against a wall or something?" Lily, who was wide-eyed after that encounter, gasped in confusion. "I don''t buy it¡­ Shin, Ella, Emma¡­ You guys must be careful when you reach the Keep. People from the Second Elder''s division can''t be trusted..." Junius had the most experience when it came to dealing with those from the Second Elder''s division. The majority of them loathed the orphans'' existence and would rather they be thrown out of the clan. "I know..." Chapter 120 What Do You Know About Beasts? 1 As the convoy started to make its final preparations, the elites that were going to escort the youths all gathered in one place. Among the five figures, Ines, who was one of the two Spirit Lords sent by the First Elder, carefully scanned the other four individuals. Donned in a pure white robe with a translucent veil obscuring her facial feature, the Shrine Maiden looked as solemn as can be. Being the leader of the expedition, every single member of the Frie Clan had to report to her, no matter what their affiliation was, and if Ines was completely honest, she was glad that the famed Shrine Maiden was in charge of the expedition. After all, there was no way she could reign in the two elites sent by the Second Elder. Songath and Slystan are two brothers that had sworn fealty to the veteran Elder. During the great war thirteen years ago, the siblings had proven their capabilities countless of times on the battlefield and had served the Second Elder ardently. With bright blonde hair and rugged good looks, Songath and Slystan were like knights that had flown out from the books of a fairy tale. Although their reputation was not as illustrious as the Instructor''s, they were still two of the more prominent figures in the clan. "As expected, the Second Elder sent those two..." Ines whispered in a low voice to the lean man to her right. The pale green robe that he wore highlighted his rather charming features and made him seem meeker than he really was. "Well, he is sending his own grandson on the expedition. In the event where Aldrich''s Keep really falls, those two are the best choice for protecting Linus." Marric nonchalantly explained. Each one of the High Elders has a handful of Spirit Lords under their command, and every single one of them possesses tremendous powers that could level mountains. However, even amongst all of the vicious Spirit Lords under the First Elder''s command, the seemingly demure middle-aged man was still the most destructive. Reaching Rank 59 many years ago, Marric was considered a half-step Spirit King and could breakthrough any moment now. Regarding seniority, Marric was about the same age as Ines, Songath and Slystan yet, he held the most authority. Due to his past heroic exploits and imposing character, every single member of the Frie Clan respected Marric. Even people from the Second Elder''s division could only bow their heads in awe in front of this reserved-looking man. "Enough chit-chat. Let''s discuss our plan." The Shrine Maiden eyebrows twitched in irritation after hearing the mumblings from Ines and Marric. "The Clan Master has sent a message to the General Anmac at Aldrich''s Keep, notifying him of our arrival. Under the guise of sending the younger generation on a training expedition for the purge, we will be stationed at the Keep indefinitely, helping the soldiers out as much as we can. However, do note that the priority is still the safety of the children. Under no circumstance are we to leave them unsupervised. If even one of them were to suffer a grievous injury, don''t blame me from executing the appropriate punishments..." Ines gulped a mouthful of saliva as she heard the warnings given by the Shrine Maiden. If it were anyone else, she might have chalked it off as a bad joke. But the white-robed woman standing in front of her was different. Her notorious reputation of punishing wrongdoers in the clan was legendary. Even Spirit Lords feared to experience the hells that she could put one through. "Understood!" Standing up straight, the four Spirit Lords shouted out while saluting the Shrine Maiden. "Good. We will follow the instructions of Lymark, the human resource officer from the Keep. For now, just standby next to your aether cars. Once he gives the signal, then we will depart." Adjourning the meeting, the Shrine Maiden briskly walked towards the pure black aether car situated at the very front of the convoy. Her steps became more hurried as she realised that she was going to meet the person that she idolised for so long. Taking a deep breath, the Shrine Maiden composed herself and carefully knocked on the car door. In the back seat, there was a blonde elderly woman, who was reclined comfortably in her position as she read a thick paperback book. "Lady Seph, it''s me." "Hmmm? Who are you?" "My name is Lien. We''ve met before when you came to the mountain to teach Enfen." "Oh right! You''re that bosom friend of hers!" Initially, Lady Seph was annoyed that someone had disturbed her rest time. However, after recalling the familiar face, she beamed in happiness. "So, how''s Enfen, that lass?" Many years ago, when Lady Seph was still in politics, she had spent a short period of time resting on Frie Mountain due to diplomatic relations. Back then, she was still at the height of her popularity, and many distinguished figures sought her out to accept their children as apprentices, and the previous Frie Clan Master was not exempt from that temptation. Therefore, Enfen Frie, who was still a Spirit Apostle, became one of Lady Seph''s first ever apprentices. Although Enfen was not training to be a healer, the previous Clan Master hoped that his precious daughter would learn various skill sets such as herbology or alchemy, something that Lady Frie was said to be an expert in. Furthermore, Enfen was entering her rebellious phase back then, and he thought to have Lady Seph, who was a well-known dictatorial figure, teach the rebelling youth would help curb her hostilities and tame her to become a better person. And well, he was right. Under Lady Seph, Enfen had learnt many valuable lessons. In fact, if not for the temperamental old woman, Enfen''s character might not have evolved into one that was fit to run an entire family clan. "She''s fine. Becoming the Clan Master is stressful, but she''s managing." "That''s good. But would it kill her to pay a visit once in a while? Perhaps my position in her eyes is waning somewhat..." Slightly upset that Enfen had not dropped by at Yakkyoku Clinic, Lady Seph pouted her lips as she planned on how to punish the ungrateful protege of hers. "E-enfen is busy with matters of the clan, so she''s unable to leave the mountain. However, I''m sure you''re on her mind every day!" "You think?" "Of course!" "Fine then, I''ll forgive her this time..." Wiping off the sweat off her forehead, the Shrine Maiden heaved a sigh of relief. If she had come up with the wrong answer, Lady Seph might have flown all the way to Frie Mountain just so that she could mete out some punishments. "Lady Seph, we are all geared up and ready to go!" At that moment, Lymark butted in and notified them of their imminent departure. "Okay¡­ Lien, may I call you that?" "Of course, by all means!" "Then Lien, why don''t you travel in my car? There''s plenty of room." The aether car that Lady Seph was travelling in had four large cushioned seats in the back with one driver''s seat up front. Going by the initial plan, Lady Seph was to sit alone with Lymark driving the car while the Shrine Maiden stayed in the vehicle provided for her. "Can I really?!" A sharp shriek sounded out, drawing eyes from all corners of the convoy. The Shrine Maiden seemed to have reverted back to a young girl and squealed in delight. Realising her folly, she brought her hands to her mouth and lightly coughed twice. From the first time that the Shrine Maiden heard of Lady Seph''s exploits, she had been idolising the famed healer. Now that she had the opportunity to have a lengthy discussion with her idol, there was no way the Shrine Maiden was going to pass on it. "Haha, yeah. Before that, could you call my disciple over too? Ah, bring that lass that is always with him as well. We can all travel together!" Instructing the Shrine Maiden to bring Shin and Ariel into her car, Lady Seph continued on with her reading. Apparently, she did not want to sit in this large aether car alone. "Understood!" Shredding the last bit of authority that she had, the Shrine Maiden promptly headed to the main gate, where Shin was saying his farewells to the other orphans. "Looks like it''s time for us to go..." Shin, Ariel, Ella and Emma all stood together on one side with the remaining orphans facing the other. While all the other members of the expedition were all comfortably seated in their respective cars, only the orphans stood outside, in the blistering hot sun. "You guys, take care!" Lily gently stroked Ella''s face as she addressed them. Lia, Fionn and Elyse were similarly waving at the four youths that were about to depart. "Bye bye, have a safe trip!" "Come back soon!" Tapping Shin''s shoulder, Junius gave a broad smile as he said: "Take care!" "Yeah..." "And remember what I have warned you about. I do not want to collect my brother in two pieces." "Yeah, yeah..." Rolling his eyes at the constant nagging of Junius, Shin turned around and followed the Shrine Maiden to his Master''s car. Although it was sad to be leaving, he had experienced it once before. Thus, he was more mentally stable this time. While Shin and Ariel disappeared into the black aether car, the twins followed Ines into another red-coloured one. Waving goodbye for the final time, the orphans remaining in the waypoint, watched as the convoy slowly made its way out of the town and into the vast road ahead. Chapter 121 What Do You Know About Beasts? 2 Travelling through the perfectly maintained corduroy roads, the convoy hastily sped towards Aldrich''s Keep. As the pathways were frequently used by the military, the surrounding woods had mostly been cleared in hopes of preventing an unexpected ambush. However, the Himmel Empire''s efforts to clear the land had transformed the landscape into a barren desert that only served to gather dust and sand. Glancing out of the moving car, Shin let his mind wander as he viewed the desolate terrain that did not change no matter how far they have travelled. Chilyoja Waypoint was long gone from view, and all that he could see at the back was dust clouds formed by the revoluting wheels of the aether cars. "Shin, what are you thinking about?" In the luxurious pure black aether car, there were four individuals seated comfortably at the back. Dragging Shin and Ariel into the vehicle, the Shrine Maiden immediately sat directly opposite Lady Seph, afraid of fainting if she was seated right next to her idol. Therefore, that position was firmly reserved for the only person who could somewhat deal with the temperamental elderly woman. Noticing that her disciple was lost in thought, Lady Seph lightly stroked Shin''s silky black hair. "Nothing..." Not wanting to worry his Master, the young teen shook his head causing Lady Seph''s hand to retreat. Caressing the snowy white gerbil on his lap, Shin thought of the numerous possibilities that could happen at the Keep. Although he had brushed off Junius'' warnings, something about the viridian-haired youth''s attitude unnerved him. It was as if Junius knew that the Second Elder was about to order another assassination attempt on Shin. Furthermore, over the years, his stance on the Frie Clan had gradually begun to shift. Initially, even if the Second Elder was up to his usual shenanigans, he would not blame the Frie Clan as a whole. However, in more recent days, Shin could sense a weird atmosphere around Junius, but he was unable to pinpoint what exactly had changed. "You must be nervous about leaving the clinic. After all, you have been working on it for so long!" Making a wild guess about Shin''s sudden despondence, Lady Seph thought that her servant, no disciple, had missed Yakkyoku Clinic. Spending hundreds upon hundreds of hours holed up in that building, Shin had been vigourously nourishing the once-decrepit building. Lady Seph hypothesised that since he was leaving it for a newer place, Shin might feel somewhat homesick. "Hah..." Sighing at his Master''s wild conjecture, Shin picked up Bingbing and proceeded to ignore the blonde elderly woman. Ecstatic at his touch, the white gerbil nibbled his fingers in pure euphoria as it wagged its tail furiously. "Wow, to think that a Tier 8 beast could be so docile..." The Shrine Maiden eyes widened when she saw the adorable little gerbil gnawing on the black-haired youth''s fingers. Her pupils dilated as her throat started to dry as she thought of how brave Shin was to allow such a mighty beast to play with his body without any fear of losing a limb. At that moment, her impression of the boy had changed drastically. "Tier 8 beast? What''s that?" Hearing the unfamiliar term, Shin tilted his head to the side and questioned the beautiful woman, dressed in a pure white robe. "What you did not know about the tiers of beasts?" Surprised that Shin did not know about something so rudimentary, the Shrine Maiden exasperatedly glanced at the blonde woman next to the teen, who was still engrossed in the book that she had brought. Feeling some annoying stares, Lady Seph gingerly moved her head upwards to discover that all of the eyes in the aether car were entirely stuck on her. "What?" "L-lady Seph, not to be rude but did you not teach Shin about the natures of beasts?" If it were anyone else, the Shrine Maiden would have reprimanded the teacher for not teaching their students on one of the most basic knowledge that every single Spirit User should know. However, in front of her idol, she did not dare to be insolent. "Ah, must have slipped my mind¡­ Well, back then there wasn''t any need for Shin to know, so I didn''t bother..." Giving a rather Lady Seph-like answer, the elderly woman shrugged it off as something inconsequential. "Hah, then Lien you explain it!" Finding it bothersome to speak, Lady Seph passed the teaching lesson over to the Shrine Maiden, who seemed to be eager to do anything that the elderly woman desired. Bringing her attention back onto the book in her hands, Lady Seph entered into a trance-like state where only she and the book existed. "We''ve lost her senior¡­ Once Master starts to read a good research paper, it would take her hours to snap out of it..." Shin had seen that look in his Master''s eyes multiple times. Whenever she stumbles upon a spectacular book, she would become lost in the pages, and it would take a significant effort to drag her back out. Once, when he was busy gathering supplies in the woods, Lady Seph, who was still accompanying him at that time in medicine gathering, entered into a zone where she sat still on a log for multiple hours. Only after endless shouts and begging did the elderly woman snap out of her trance. "Lady Seph seems¡­ So much different from the stories I''ve heard of her..." As the old saying goes, never meet your heroes. In the myths that she had heard, Lady Seph was a valiant auxiliary Spirit User, who never backed down in the face of her enemies even though she held the disadvantage. The rumours of her standing up to authority were legendary. One rumour even claimed that she stood up to the acting Emperor of the Himmel Empire, without fear of her head rolling on the floor. When all these aspects were combined, it formed a gallant figure in the depths of the Shrine Maiden''s mind, as Lady Seph served as a role model for all female auxiliary Spirit Users out there. However, the reality was much more different than she had expected. Shaking her head, the Shrine Maiden tried not to overthink it lest the image of the idol in her mind came crumbling down. "Shin, do you truly not know the tiers of beasts?" "No..." "But you do know that Spirit Beasts do exist right?" "Of course, I''ve taken on a few before!" Thinking of the numerous times he faced a Spirit Beast while gathering herbs, Shin firmly nodded. "Well, Spirit Beasts are basically animals who have been mutated due to long exposure in places with extreme spiritual energies, similar to humans in fact. However, unlike humans, animals do not undergo any sort of awakening ceremony. They just evolve into Spirit Beasts that can create and store mana in their bodies. Once an animal first becomes a Spirit Beast, they would be classified as a Tier 1 Spirit Beast. Equivalent in power to a Spirit Practitioner, Tier 1 beasts are the most common form of beasts." Promptly beginning her explanation, the Shrine Maiden took several sneak peaks at Lady Seph while addressing the black-haired youth. "While human Spirit Users are classified into Ranks 1-100, Spirit Beasts are categorised into Tiers. Tier 1 being the weakest and Tier 9 the strongest. Each tier represents one realm difference. So for instance, a Spirit Apostle like yourself would be similar in power to a Tier 2 Spirit Beast, while a Tier 9 Spirit Beast would be equivalent to a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate." "Wait, didn''t you say that Bingbing was a Tier 8 Spirit Beast?! Does that mean her strength is as powerful as a Spirit Emperor''s?!" Glancing downwards at the adorable little gerbil that seemed to be unable to hurt a fly, Shin eyes quivered in awe, stunned that the animal he had always seen as a pet was actually as powerful as the First Elder or the Clan Master. Even Ariel was greatly taken aback by the revelation and took one hard look at the gerbil. She could not comprehend that her grandfather, whom she had always seen as invincible, was similar in strength to this little animal stationed on Shin''s lap. As if comprehending what had just happened, Bingbing puffed up her cheeks in pleasure, basking in the awe-stricken gazes of the youths in the car. However, seeing that Shin had stopped patting her belly, the snowy white gerbil used her tail and encircled it on the boy''s wrist. Pulling Shin''s hand closer, Bingbing gave the black-haired a queer look, as if asking him why did he stop. Only after Shin continued to stroke the gerbil did she close her eyes and purred in delight. "To think that Bingbing was that strong¡­ That explains a lot..." Thinking back to the various odd occasions where the Instructor was unable to feel the gerbil''s presence or when the First Elder backed off from the snowy white gerbil when she bared her fangs, Shin suddenly began to connect the dots. "The Tier 8 Spirit Beast that is resting on your lap is commonly known as the Kamaitachi. One of the strongest ice-variant beasts in existence. Don''t be misled by its cute exterior. If need be, they could easily bring down an entire army by itself. Furthermore, once a Spirit Beast reaches Tier 5, they would be able to gain intelligence similar to that of a child. At Tier 9, their intelligence was said to be able to match even the world''s smartest tacticians." "So it turns out that you''re actually this amazing, huh?" Lifting up the snowy white gerbil like he did many times before, Shin concentrated all of his attention on the beast, much to the apprehension of Ariel and the Shrine Maiden. "Wait, senior! If you said that there are nine tiers with the highest being able to match a Spirit Venerate, does that mean that there are no Spirit Beasts that can contend with a Rank 90 Spirit Saint or even reach immortality?" "Of course not, you silly child..." Shin heard a loud thud to the side as Lady Seph slammed her book shut. Interested in the conversation that they were having, the elderly woman was secretly listening in all this while. "That lass explained that there are nine tiers of Spirit Beasts, but these tiers are actually defined by humans who have observed and recorded the habits of the Spirit Beasts. Although they are fairly accurate, there is one level that no human has ever thread into. That is the level of the Primordial Beasts." Reclaiming her partner from Shin''s hands, Lady Seph wore a jubilant smile on her face as she caressed Bingbing lovingly. "The Primordial Beasts are the strongest creatures to roam the earth, even surpassing many Tier 9 Spirit Beasts and multiple Spirit Saints. The only reason why they are not included in the human-developed tier system is that their might is unfathomable. Some say that they are as strong as Spirit Saints while others claim that they are Immortal Beings that descended upon the material world. For instance, the Celestial Water Dragon, who has been alive since the days of the first water elemental user, was last seen four thousand years ago. If it was a mortal being, how could it survive for that long?" "..." "If not for the fact that there were Spirit Saints that had brought down Primordial Beasts before, there would be no question that they are descended Immortals..." As Lady Seph started to discuss about the mighty Primordial Beasts, she became more and more sombre. Staring out of the window, the elderly blonde woman reminisced about the old times while she tried to calm her aggravated heart. Tapping her fingers on her knees, Lady Seph closed her eyes as she said: "Sorry about that, so yeah. That''s all you need to know about Spirit Beast tiers. It would come in handy at the Keep. We will be fighting a horde of them so it would be good for you to know about all their weaknesses. On that note, Shin. Here''s an encyclopedia of all the known beasts surrounding Aldrich''s Keep. Memorise them for me will you?" "Now?!" "Of course! If not when would you? We are still quite far from the Keep so it would give you plenty of time to finish reading it." Handing over a thick leather book towards the black-haired youth, the elderly woman forced him to study. Ariel, who hated books the most, started to whistle while looking out of the window, afraid that the old shrew might coerce her to do the same. "But, we''re still on the road! I can''t..." "No buts. I''ll test you when we reach. Hopefully, you don''t fail. Otherwise..." Cutting off her speech, Lady Seph shot her disciple a menacing glare. "Goddamnit¡­ Fine! I''ll do it!" Chapter 122 Arriving at Aldrichs Keep 1 The path to Aldrich''s Keep was rather straightforward. Since the roads had been recently built, there were hardly any obstructions caused by wear and tear. Bandits that hijack and raid convoys were common in the Empire, but when it came to the paths built by the military, no marauder in their right minds would hope to challenge convoys travelling there. Not only were there regular checkpoints that were armed to the teeth, but also the caravans were typically escorted by an extremely powerful Spirit User. For the convoy that Shin was travelling in, including the members of the expedition sent by the Frie Clan, there were six Spirit Lords, one Spirit King, one Spirit Emperor and one Tier 8 Spirit Beast. With enough firepower to decimate a bandit base ten times over, there was no way any bandit leader who is worth his salt would order an attack on that convoy, making the journey rather smooth. Shin, who was frantically speed-reading through the thick encyclopedia handed to him by his Master, felt the car jerk violently, breaking him out of his concentration. "What happened?!" Shin was not the only person affected by the sudden stop. Initially, Ariel wanted to chat with her childhood friend to create the illusion that time was going faster. However, after seeing Shin so engrossed in his work and the two seniors at her side merrily hitting it off, the scarlet-haired girl rested her head on the cushioned walls and let herself be dragged into the Garden of Hypnos. Unfortunately, it served to be her undoing. Without control over her body, the sudden jerk lunged her forward, banging her head against the black-haired boy sitting right in front of her. When the two heads collided, Shin felt his world turn as stars begun to appear around him. Ariel, on the other hand, felt a thud on her forehead, similar to getting lightly hit by a pair of chopsticks. "We''ve arrived¡­ But something''s off..." Seated in the driver''s seat, Lymark glanced over his shoulders and reported the situation. Rubbing his head to quell the pain, Shin gingerly looked out of the window. "Wow..." It took him a second but soon, he gaped in awe. The barren desert had changed into a vast field that spanned for kilometres, filled with lush greenery. With wheat and rice partures on each side of the aether cars, if not for the colossal edifice towering over him, Shin would have thought that he entered a farmland. Standing over two hundred metres tall, a stone wall barricade that blocked the only path from the Uncharted Wilderness to the Himmel Empire, forced the convoy to come to a halt. Free from the greenish moss that plagued every ancient building, the Keep walls seem to glisten in a silvery light as the luminous sun focused its glare on the impregnable barrier. From the interior, open windows with fully loaded cannons pointed down on the open fields to deter any intruders from ever thinking of setting foot in the fortification and ravage any wild beasts that somehow managed to escape through the heavily armed fortress. At the very top of the walls, sentinels walked the pavements while being on full alert, lest something egregious happens. Smoke and soot flowing out from the chimneys indicated that the Keep was bustling with life and at the highest peak, there was an imposing flag, fluttering with the cold wind. Bearing the colours of the royal family, it was an ensign of authority that only government bodies could wear. Although the emblem looked simplistic in nature, Shin could not help but stare with trepidation. As the convoy edged closer to the humongous fort, the steel gate, which should have been hoisted up for them to pass, remained firmly shut. Unsure of what had happened, Lymark said: "That''s strange¡­ We have reached exactly on time! There should be someone here to receive us. Did something happen?" A day before the convoy left Chilyoja Waypoint, Lymark had sent a message to the Keep, informing them of the expected arrival time. Usually, when someone of Lady Seph''s stature enters Aldrich''s Keep, there would be procession waiting to welcome her. However, even though the convoy had arrived precisely on the dot, there was not even a single soul at the steel gate. "Lady Seph, please excuse me." Giving the blonde elderly woman an apologetic bow, Lymark hastily got out of the aether car. Closing his eyes, the middle-aged man released massive amounts of dense mana as his feet started to levitate up from the ground. If he were not someone whom the sentinels were familiar with, flying up the walls of Aldrich''s Keep would typically be a death sentence as an order to gun down the intruder would be passed down. Fortunately, the guards on duty immediately recognised their head of human resources. "Shin looks like this might be your lucky day..." "Huh? What do you mean?" Lady Seph looked over at her disciple with a wry smile. "Your first day in the Keep and you get to see a beast horde firsthand. If that''s not luck, I don''t know what is." "Beast horde?! Aldrich''s Keep is under attack?!" The primary reason why Lady Seph was sent here was so that she could assist the soldiers of the fortification to manage the threat of savage beasts from overrunning the Keep. To think that her task had begun so quickly. "Just wait and see..." Accurately determining the cause of the disturbance, Lady Seph reclined back in her chair while stroking Bingbing''s fur. When the Shrine Maiden heard Lady Seph''s words, she closed her eyes and maximised her sensory skills to the limit. Only then could she feel that on the other side of the Keep, there was a weak disturbance. Countless hooves and footsteps shook the ground floor creating a light reverberation. ''How did she find out so fast?!'' Being trained as an auxiliary Spirit User from young, the Shrine Maiden prided herself on her sensory abilities. However, only after Lady Seph mentioned it did she realise that a beast horde was imminent. And it took the elderly woman just a few seconds to deduce that fact. Finding another reason to respect her idol, the beautiful woman tried her best to hide her fangirl self. As expected, when Lymark returned from the top of the Keep walls his face had turned as white as a sheet, and he made his way to the black aether car with hurried steps. "L-lady Seph¡­ There has been an unexpected beast horde! Our soldiers are fighting it off at the other side as we speak!" "I know. Don''t worry about our accommodation for now. Bring us in." "Yes! At once!" The moment Lymark replied to Lady Seph, the gigantic steel gate that had barred their paths was lifted, allowing Shin and the others to get a good look at the insides of the famed fort. Fully armoured warriors, each equipped with a deadly weapon, marched in unity across the bustling fields. Rows upon rows of military tents, lined up, providing sufficient housing for the thousands of men and women living in the Keep. Horses pulled carriages of supplies around the enclosed encampment and currently, every single soul in the Keep was heading towards the other end, where the beast horde was. "Lymark, could you bring us to a tall vantage point? I want to show my disciple how the beast horde looks like." Unfazed by the hustle and bustle, Lady Seph nonchalantly remarked. After being in the military for so long, the adrenaline rush that came whenever the army was in peril had all but diminished in her aged body. "B-but, Lady Seph. Aren''t you going to be helping us this time around?" The whole purpose of Lymark going to Chilyoja Waypoint was to bring Lady Seph back to act as a healer, not a spectator. However, there was no way the middle-aged man could force the temperamental elderly woman to do his bidding. "I said I''ll help you during the purge. This is just some minor beast horde. If the warriors in Aldrich''s Keep can''t do this much by themselves, they can''t be called the very best, am I right?" "..." Unsure of the best reply to give her, Lymark turned silent. Of course, Lady Seph was not heartless. Through her estimates, the number of beasts that were currently threatening the Keep was definitely something that they could manage by themselves. Otherwise, as a healer, she would be the first to volunteer her services. "Alright then, follow me..." Torn between his worry for the safety of his fellow brothers-in-arms and his pride as a warrior of Aldrich''s Keep, Lymark decided to trust the capabilities of the soldiers that he had put so much faith in. Bringing the group of people he had brought from Chilyoja Waypoint to the wall facing the Uncharted Wilderness, Lymark desperately prayed for the safety of his friends. ~~~ "What the hell!" Leaving the convoy of aether cars parked in a remote corner, Shin and Ariel regrouped with Ines, Marric and the twins while Leon and Linus stayed with the others sent from the Second Elder''s division. The Shrine Maiden stuck tightly to her esteemed idol as they made their way up the steep steps of the wall. Shin felt his blood boil as his hearing blurred. For the first time ever, he was about to witness a battlefield. Ariel was in a similar situation. However, instead of fear, her Amazonian blood was anticipating the adrenaline that could only be brought by fighting on the front lines. And as expected, the theatre of war was as gruesome as they thought. Vicious beasts of all shapes and sizes decimated the land with their elemental abilities while the valiant troopers held their ground. Forming a line of shields, the warriors of Aldrich''s Keep barred the path to the fort while spearmen and bowmen cleared the waves of beasts from the rear. With the vanguard holding strong, gallons of blood flowed out from the mountain of dead monsters making the battlefield reek of death and destruction. However, even though the soldiers were performing splendidly, they were not the focal point of attention. Standing solitarily in front of the vanguard, there was a prim and proper blonde haired man. Donned in full body armour, the man resembled a shining knight that came straight out of a fairy tale. Undaunted by the hundreds of beasts in his path, the sole knight wielded his claymore sword, awaiting the next wave of enemies. Shin wanted to shout out to the knight but was stopped by a wrinkled old hand. Lady Seph gave her disciple a bitter smile and shook her head lightly. The next instant, everyone watching the battle, felt a warm heat wave hit their faces. "Fall back! Commander Alwig is going to use his ability!" The soldiers on the battlefield retreated in an orderly manner once they heard the order. Once he determined that his men had made enough space for him, the clean-cut man, who was coated in a thick red spiritual aura, smiled in delight. Bending his knees down, the knight leapt high in the air, leaving a significant dent on where he was before. The silver claymore sword in his hands started to burn with a white-hot fire as he transferred his mana over to his Spirit. "Death from above!" Pointing his Claymore down at the centre of the beast horde, Commander Alwig turned into a beam of light and crashed down at a speed that no one could follow. "*BOOOOMMM!!!!*." The instant he touched the floor, a huge explosion obliterated those beasts who were unfortunate enough to take the full brunt of the attack. The residue fire that resulted from the blast burned any of the remaining beasts within a fifty-metre radius. Ariel, who also possessed a pure strength fire elemental Spirit, shivered in excitement as she saw the attack. It was the ability of her dreams. However, the knight was not done. "Scorched Earth!!!" With his claymore stabbed securely into the muddied ground, Commander Alwig''s body shone in a blinding red light as he transferred a tremendous amount of mana into the earth. The moisture from the soil surrounding him almost instantaneously evaporated as flames that could easily melt metal formed. Like a wildfire, the flames spread quickly and burnt down any enemies that were in their path. "A domain ability?!" Ines exclaimed in shock as her eyes nearly popped out from her sockets. A domain ability was one of the hardest to learn and therefore, one of the rarest abilities out there. As its name suggests, a domain ability forms a mana field that enhances the user''s other abilities while also greatly impairing his opponent''s. To learn such an ability, one had to be close to elements and have tremendous comprehension ability thus, possibly only 0.1% of all Spirit Users had a domain ability in their midst. With his flaming claymore and Scorched Earth domain, Commander Alwig mauled down the beasts like a knife cutting through butter. Most of the time, the beasts would have already taken substantial damage due to the flames on the ground and all the knight needed to do was clean up. Repeatedly swinging his sword, melted limbs of beasts flew in all directions as Commander Alwig annihilated anything in his path. "Assist the Commander!" Seeing that the beast horde was finally beginning to thin, one of the vanguard officers ordered a full-on assault to finally clear out the threat. Putting down their shields, the fearless warriors of the Keep charged straight ahead, careful to avoid the domain that their commander had created. With the beasts in disarray, it was a simple task for them. Soon, after fifteen minutes of fighting, the beast horde had been eliminated. Dead carcasses of beasts piled up to form a mountain while a river of blood flowed out of it. The stench of charred meat could be smelt even from the upper levels of the walls, where Shin and the other children of the Frie Clan were. Unable to hold back their disgust, the majority of the teens hurled the contents of their lunch out of their stomachs and into the nearby drainage. And none of the older members blamed them. In the face of such death and destruction, even they felt sick. While the morale was low and their bodies fatigued, many soldiers dropped to the floor to catch a well-deserved breath. At that moment, a well-groomed blonde man stood at the precipice of the mountain of carcasses and waved the majestic flag in his hands. "For the Empire!" Like a desperate wail, Commander Alwig shouted out a battle-cry. "For the Empire!" "For the Empire!!!" "FOR THE EMPIRE!!!" One voice became two. Two became four. Until eventually, every single warrior on the battlefield was shouting out at the top of their lungs. They had lived to see another day. Chapter 123 Arriving at Aldrichs Keep 2 "Who''s that?" After the mighty display by the soldiers of Aldrich''s Keep, Ines could not help but marvel in the overall camaraderie of the fighters. Many of them were broken and lacked the strength to even walk in a straight line. However, they all remained to help clear the area and bring back the fallen. Thankfully, the casualty count this time was significantly lower even though they were hit by a surprise attack but nonetheless, one dead was still one too many. With a heavy heart, the warriors hoisted the dead bodies of their comrades and solemnly marched back into the Keep. Amongst all of them, the most prominent figure was the blonde haired knight that decimated a good portion of the beast horde. Instead of leaving the clean-up to his subordinates, Commander Alwig personally stayed back to ensure that none of his men was left behind although he was the one who expanded the most mana. With his entire faced drenched with sweat, it looked like he had just run through a torrential downpour. His body wrenched violently when he carried an injured comrade, but his eyes were resolute. That gesture really touched Ines, and she could not help but ask Lymark about the man''s identity. "He''s our second-in-command, Commander Alwig! As a Rank 63 Spirit King, he is one of the strongest beings in Aldrich''s Keep. In fact, he is a descendant of General Aldrich himself! His family has been guarding the Keep for generations. It''s highly likely that one day, he would inherit the guardian position from General Anmac!" Lymark''s face started to beam in glee as he proudly introduced the pride of the impregnable fortress. Whenever the opportunity for him to gloat about his compatriots arose, it was as if the middle-aged man would turn into a different person. Spouting praises after praises about the heir of the Keep, Lymark''s mouth never seemed to pause for breaks. "Hmmm, Shin. You go down there and assist in the healing." Stroking her wrinkled chin, Lady Seph pointed to a sick bay at the foot of the wall and directed her disciple to go over. "Me? But I don''t have any experience yet!" Stumped by her words, Shin cried out in horror. After learning ''Healing Water,'' the young black-haired teen barely got any chances to execute his new ability. Asking him to assist in the healing of war-torn veterans was like telling him to run before he could walk. He was not even confident to heal a wounded animal not to mention a fully-grown human being. "Just do it. You know that I don''t like to repeat myself..." The whole reason why Lady Seph even agreed to come to the Keep in the first place was so that Shin could advance his healing abilities. Shooting him the standard death glare, the blonde elderly woman tapped her fingers with her arms in akimbo. "Fine..." "Wait, Bingbing. Accompany him. Lymark, escort him back to my lodging when he''s done. For now, take me to meet Anmac." Simultaneously ordering her Spirit Beast companion and her slave, no guide in the waypoint, Lady Seph turned away from the battlefield. Now that the battle was over, she should pay a visit to the decrepit old friend of hers that had called her here. "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Happily obliging Lady Seph''s words, Bingbing jumped off from her shoulders and landed on Shin''s. Using her little snout to poke the boy''s cheeks, Bingbing wiggled her tail frantically as she got to spend some quality time with Shin. When the Shrine Maiden saw how attached the snowy white gerbil was to Shin, her mind wavered in disbelief. Just imagine, a Spirit Beast that was as strong as the High Elders and Clan Master of the Frie Clan was acting like an adorable pet to a mere Spirit Apostle. "I''ll come with you!" Ariel raised her hand and darted to the side of the black-haired youth. The main reason why she even volunteered to come to Aldrich''s Keep was to ensure her childhood friend''s safety. Knowing that he lacked the combat attributes to defend himself, the fiery little girl felt uneasy about letting him roam the dangerous fort by himself. "Okay then..." Locking arms with Shin, Ariel dragged the boy down to the sick bay without his permission. Bingbing, annoyed that a pest had been attached to her second favourite person, bared her fangs at the scarlet-haired girl but ultimately did not do anything. Nestling herself closer on Shin''s neck, the snowy white gerbil put on a triumphant smirk while glancing down at Ariel. The fiery little girl felt insulted that a beast was showing an imposing attitude towards her, but she eventually let that thought go once she recalled that Bingbing was as powerful as her grandfather. However, she was not willing to back down without a fight. Tightening her grip on Shin''s arms, Ariel similarly stared straight at the snowy white gerbil. Thus, a queer rivalry between a Tier 8 Spirit Beast and an Amazonian Spirit Apostle began. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Aldrich''s Keep. General Quarters. After Shin, Ariel and Bingbing headed towards the sick bay, the remainder of the Frie Clan members were led by Lymark''s men to their respective lodgings. Since it was a military base, the rooms being provided were somewhat simplistic even though they were given the best places the Keep could provide. Lady Seph, on the other hand, followed the middle-aged man, meandering through heaps of soldiers rushing back and forth the walls to reach their final destination. At the precipice of the walls facing the Uncharted Wilderness, there was a stone castle rested atop a pure black meteorite. As the elderly woman edged closer to the big chunky rock, she felt a foreign mana source, one strong enough to make her quiver, hit her body. The hairs on her wrinkled body stood upright as her sensory abilities went haywire whenever she attempted to probe the insides of the majestic rock. "This damned rock is still standing huh?" It was not the first time Lady Seph had an encounter with the meteorite that lay in front of her. With a gaze that was mixed with awe and annoyance, the blonde elderly woman took a deep breath and recollected her previous experience with the boulder. "Of course! The Guardian Rock is the lifeblood of Aldrich''s Keep! If it were to fall, the walls would be nowhere near as effective!" A long, long time ago, when Aldrich''s Keep was first constructed, the Spirit Saint guarding the Himmel Empire had bestowed upon the fort a mystical black meteorite. Unlike regular boulders, once the Guardian Rock was connected to the specially built fort, its defensive powers would be transferred over to the walls forming a barrier coating that effortlessly deflects any oncoming attacks. It was one of the main reasons why Aldrich''s Keep has remained impregnable to this day. "Yeah, yeah. Let''s go..." Climbing up the concrete staircase, the two individuals made their way to the castle sitting atop the Guardian Rock. Being the highest point in the entire Keep, there was only one person qualified to stay up in the regal mansion. "*Eeeeee*." The aged wooden doors of the entrance creaked creepily as Lymark gradually pushed them open. Covered in cold marble and nothing else, the castle seemed relatively empty and abandoned in contrast to what Lady Seph thought a noble''s home would look like. At the very end of the hall, there was a carpeted staircase that spilt into two, and on the furthermost wall, an august flag bearing the colours of the royal family displayed itself for all visitors to gawk in its grandeur. Desperately holding back her barf, Lady Seph snorted and looked away from the detestable banner in contempt. Her brows furrowed and eyes glazed over, the elderly woman said to her guide: "Quickly lead me to Anmac." "O-of course! Right, this way!" Unsure of what had soured Lady Seph''s mood, Lymark immediately led the elderly woman to a simplistic looking door on the first floor of the castle. Knocking on the door, Lymark reported their arrival. "Your Excellency, Lady Seph requests an audience!" "..." However, there was no reply from the other side. Lymark was puzzled. At this time of the day, there was no way that the general would not be in his quarters. "Lady Seph, please give me a second¡­ *Knock!* *Knock!* Your Excellency! Are you in?" This time, instead of light tapping the door with his knuckles, Lymark used his fists to loudly bang on the door. At that moment, as if by magic, the wooden doors swung wide open, causing the middle-aged man to lose his balance. Peering into the room, the first thing that Lady Seph noticed was the gigantic glass wall on the other side of the office. Instead of having windows, the general had opted for a fully transparent wall, so that he could monitor the entire Keep from his premises. "Seraphim, you''re here." With a silver cane in hand, the wizened, bronzed old man turned towards his visitors. Unlike before, his hairline had begun to recede revealing patched of wrinkled skin on the top of his head. His long silvery beard could not hide the years that have piled up in his life. Trudging forward using his lavish cane as a support, the elderly man greeted his visitor. "You''ve aged horribly, Anmac..." After seeing her old friend after all these years, Lady Seph could not help but sigh. The yesteryears where they roamed the world thinking that they were untouchable had long past. When the world first heard of their names, they were budding legends that held the future of the entire world in their hands. Now, they were just ancient dinosaurs in the new age. "That''s what leading an army does to you. There is no time for me to rest." While talking to his dear friend, he gestured to his subordinate to leave them alone. Bowing down to the two legendary figures, Lymark hastily retreated backwards, leaving them to talk it out by themselves. "If my memory serves me right, you enjoy the Oolong tea from the Wongkyo Province. Fortunately, I still have one bag of tea leaves in my storage. Please, take a seat." Walking over to the nearby teapot, the elderly man, who seemed to have one foot in the grave, began to brew the special tea for his guest. "Cut the crap Anmac, you know I dislike pleasantries the most. Just tell me what really happened." "Oh, I do know that. That''s why I''m pouring you this cup. We''re going to be here for a while." "Fine..." Finally resting her bottom on the cushioned chair that the general had pointed to, Lady Seph folded her arms and waited for her friend to begin business. Although General Anmac was quite a number of years older than the blonde woman, Lady Seph could not be bothered when it came to manners. Seeing his impatient friend, General Anmac let slow a silent giggle. Even after all these years, Lady Seph still retained the same disposition that she had when they were younger. "Before we begin, could you tell me what do you know?" Placing down the perfectly brewed cup of tea, the decrepit old man sat down on his office chair. "Huh?! Have you knocked your head?! Your subordinate told me that the Kori Federation was behind the sabotage!" "Oh, if it were only that simple..." "What?!" Closing his eyes, the esteemed general of the Empire, guardian of the famed Aldrich''s Keep, exhaled out a despondent sigh. "Seraphim, what do you know about the Black Masks?" Chapter 124 Arriving at Aldrichs Keep 3 "Black Masks?" Lady Seph raised her eyebrows after hearing the unexpected word. Back when Shin first entered her tutelage, he recounted his near-death experience when the Kshatriya with the black sword attacked their convoy. Thankfully, the assault ended in failure, and the Black Masks retreated, otherwise, Lady Seph might not have discovered such a talented disciple. "Yeah, I''ve heard of them. Aren''t they just some small-time criminal organisation?" From her perspective, a bunch of Spirit Kings and Spirit Lords leading a syndicate some something minor compared to the villains that she had faced in her illustrious career. To her, the Black Masks would be more of a minor annoyance than a legitimate threat. "If only¡­ Initially, when I saw how nearly all of our defensive mechanisms in the Uncharted Wilderness were compromised, I deduced that only the Kori Federation could be behind such a large-scale operation. However, I was wrong..." Opening his desk drawer, General Anmac brought out a small jade box, sealed with talismans and barred with iron chains. With careful precision, he twisted the knob of the chain and released the restraints of the case. "..." Peeking over from her side, Lady Seph waited for her bosom friend to reveal its contents. However, instead of directly opening the lid, the seasoned general sent a surge of spiritual energy to down its way. The jade box vibrated wildly like a rabid dog once it detected the foreign power causing the table to shake and the teacups to topple over, spilling its contents. Standing up abruptly, Lady Seph''s pupils began to dilate, and her eyes quivered in agitation. Black gas, darker than any substance known on earth, spilt out from the opened spaces, contaminating the room with a foul stench. Using his silver cane, General Anmac gently lifted the lid of the jade box to reveal its contents. A single Black Mask with a green serpent embodied on the middle of the forehead. Like a frenzied caged animal, the inanimate object lifted itself from the bottom of its cell and frantically tried to escape. Unfortunately for it, the Spirit Emperor was using his mana to keep it contained. Otherwise, it would have long vanished. Only after General Anmac''s cane pushed the Black Mask down did it revert back to its calm state. Curious about the object, Lady Seph''s face edged closer the foreign mask to get a better look. "After some reconnaissance, we found an out of place cabin deep inside the Uncharted Wilderness. Thinking that it might have been our saboteurs, we sent an elite team to clear out the shed, only to find a group of Black Masks staying inside. The fight that ensued was a gruesome one. There were at least ten Rank 40 Spirit Adepts and two Rank 50 Spirit Lords amongst their ranks causing us to expand all of we had to even capture one of them. Unfortunately, on the way back, he self-denotated though some unknown means, leaving behind this mask." With his cane still firmly pushing down the Black Mask, the elderly man explained everything to Lady Seph. "This mask was retrieved from a Rank 40 Spirit Adept, or what the syndicate would call them, a Vaishya." "So what''s with this mask? Does it have some supernatural powers or something?" "..." After hearing her question, a bitter smile crept up General Anmac''s face. "We don''t know¡­ This mask is truly mystical. Embued with some sort of mana, it is able to move and launch attacks by itself. The black gas that it emits is equally as dangerous. If a person did not awaken a Spirit, there would be no way for him to resist the power of this mask." "Are you saying that whoever wears this mask would gain some sort of foreign power?" "That is what we deduced¡­ The Vaishya that this mask belonged to was an auxiliary Spirit User. However, his agility and strength match that of an offensive Spirit User¡­ Seraphim, I bet Lymark told you that the Kori Federation was behind the recent crisis that Aldrich''s Keep is going through. However, after a quick search of the abandoned cabin, we found out defence mechanisms scattered all over the floor." Pushing the Black Mask back into the jade box, General Anmac resealed the case and chained it up once more. Hiding it in his desk drawer once more, the elderly man resumed his conversation with his old friend. "The Black Masks are behind this attack. For what reasons, we do not know, but there is something we do know now¡­ There is a substantial power standing behind this organisation, and it has no qualms about making the Himmel Empire its enemy." "So there are only two possibilities. A Spirit Saint or a Primordial Beast huh..." Stoking her chin, Lady Seph voiced out the only two entities that did not fear any repercussions from one of the three great powers of the world. "Here''s where it gets tricky¡­ Of all the known Spirit Saints, none of them would possibly bother about matters of the material world. And as for Primordial Beasts..." The number of Rank 90 Spirit Saints alive could be easily counted with one hand. As they were essentially celebrities, everything about them had been recorded down in great detail. From their motivations to their personality and their past exploits to their plans for the future. Everything that there is to know about the Spirit Saints the world already knows. Thus, General Anmac could surmise with great confidence that none of the Spirit Saints that he knew of were behind the Black Mask syndicate. "I know you don''t want to hear this but, there''s no way a Primordial Beast is responsible for the Black Masks¡­ And that''s because there is one serving their boss..." "WHAT?!" At this point, Lady Seph was unable to sit still. Slamming her hands on the general''s desk, she shrieked hysterically. "SOMEONE IS CONTROLLING A PRIMORDIAL BEAST?!?!" Her nostrils flared as her clenched knuckles turned beet red. In her eyes, the veteran general could see a tinge of uncontrollable hate and wild terror. A squeaking noise could be heard coming out from her small mouth as Lady Seph''s gritted teeth rubbed violently against each other. Resembling a slumbering dragon that had been rudely awakened, the elderly lady vehemently shouted. "Calm down, Seraphim. You don''t know the full story yet. Although I get your anger, there''s no need to be so up in arms." "..." Realising her folly, Lady Seph took her empty teacup and walked towards the teapot situated a couple of metres away. Gulping down the liquid gold in one shot, she imposed zen on herself to help her calm down. Her frantically beating heart slowed, but that did not quell her impatience. "Tell me more about this Black Masks organisation..." Initially, Lady Seph was gutted that she had to comply to her old friend''s request to enter the military once more even though she retired. However, after hearing his tale, she realised that it was the right choice to come here. ~~~ While his Master was comfortably sipping tea with the general of the Keep, Shin was anxiously standing in front of a white tent bearing the mark of the Healer''s Association. In every military zone, there was always a sick bay that tended to the fallen and injured soldiers of war. As a neutral organisation, the Healer''s Association had members serving in every corner of the three great powers. Carts and wheelbarrows carrying numerous injured soldiers all wheeled in and out of the tent as groans of agony echoed through the platform. "So many people were injured?" As she was unfamiliar with the battlefield, Ariel assumed that the earlier battle brought little casualties and to a certain extent, she was right. The valiant effort of Commander Alwig and the expertise of the vanguard troops had minimised the damage done. Nonetheless, having wounded soldiers were still inevitable. "*Gulp!* Let''s enter..." Steeling his resolve, Shin led Ariel and Bingbing, who was resting comfortably on his shoulders, into the clean white shelter. The first thing that they saw once they entered was rows of linen sheets laid down on the floor with rough and haggard men rolling about on it. Crimson red blood that gushed out from their wounds stained the pristine white cloth that covered them, and nurses tried their best to keep up with the influx of patients. The pungent stench of alcohol and medicinal herbs entered the two teenagers noses causing Ariel to take out a handkerchief to cover her nasal cavities. Shin, who was used to the smell, opened his mouth wide at the extensive variety of equipment that was present in this tent. "Hey! You two! No entry for uninjured patients! Please exit the tent!" While the two of them were marvelling at Healing Association tent, an authoritative voice sounded out from the back. Looking up, they saw a stern middle-aged lady, with her hand firmly attached to her curvilinear waist, staring straight at them. Draped in a full Healer attire, the woman''s dark brown hair was neatly tied into a bun, perhaps in fear that a stray hair might accidentally lodge itself in an injury, causing an unnecessary infection. "Senior, I''m a healer too. I''m under my Master''s orders to assist in treating the injured." Quickly explaining his arrival, Shin attempted to persuade the woman that he was a legitimate healer. "You? A Healer?" Scanning the boy from head to toe, the woman raised her eyebrow in scepticism. Shin''s juvenile, clear face and high-pitched voice suggested that he was younger than he truly was. His grey Frie Clan robes that had elaborate designs allowed the woman to infer that this boy was not someone from the Keep, possibly an outsider paying a visit to his family. The woman even examined Ariel who was standing next to him. Connecting the dots, she concluded that the boy was trying to show his girlfriend that he was some sort of big fish, even though he had mediocre skills. "Hmph! If you''re a Healer, then I''m a Spirit Emperor! Go back to your family, boy! We''re trying to work here!" Shunning the black-haired teen out of the tent, the middle-aged woman resumed her work. "Hey! You don''t have to be so rude!" Ariel cried out in protest. They were here offering a helping hand, but all they got was contempt. "Bring your girlfriend along too! We don''t need any hindrances around here!" "Hindrance?! Did you call me a hindrance?! Ha?!" Before Ariel lost her temper and did something out of hand, Shin grabbed her by the hands and gagged her mouth. "Sorry for the disturbance..." Bowing his head down, the black-haired teen slowly retreated from the premise. After interacting with so many hot-headed individuals, he knew that the best method was not to face them head-on. Instead, he should make a tactical retreat first and decide on the best course of action later. "Why did you do that for?! That woman was so rude!" Ariel shrieked at Shin. "We shouldn''t cause a disturbance here¡­ We can just try again later. In fact..." Looking around, Shin saw many more soldiers lying outside of the medical tent rather than inside. It was common knowledge that the most gravely injured people were treated first, leaving behind the others for when the Healers had more time on their hands. Although Shin had learnt ''Heal'' and Lady Seph had assured him of his capabilities, he still felt slightly apprehensive when it came to healing severe wounds. Thus, dealing with the lower tier of injuries felt more comfortable for him. Finding a random stranger, who was left unattended, the young boy walked over with his partner in tow. "Mister? Hi, Mister?" "Hmmm?" Touching the arm of the resting soldier, Shin put on his brightest smile as he woke him up. The trooper had light bruises all over his hands and legs, and his most severe injury was the cut that stretched from his left nipple to the core of his abdomen. Although there was a bandage stopping the bleeding, he was still rather broken down. "Mister, I''m a healer here to treat you¡­ May I see your injuries?" "Healer? You? Have you finished drinking your mother''s breast milk yet?" Laughing crudely in a hoarse voice, the war-torn soldier mocked the black-haired youth. Once again, his age was his downfall. No one in the sick bay took him seriously. "Hey! You-!" Before Ariel could mouth a rebuttal, Shin raised his hands to stop her from speaking. "Mister, I truly am a healer. Whether you believe me or not is up to you. If you want to remain in pain, you can just shun me off right now. However, if you want to walk around freely once again, please let me help you." With an earnest gaze that stunned both the soldier and Ariel, Shin pleaded to treat the fallen warrior. When Shin first scanned through the injured outside the medical tent, he picked out the ones who were in the most need of attention. It just so happened that the rugged man in front of him was one of them. "Buahahaha! Fine! I''ll entertain ya! Go ahead! Show me what you got ''doctor!''" Sitting upright, the damaged soldier spread his hands out wide allowing Shin to begin his treatment. Heaving a sigh of relief, Shin put on a broad smile as he gathered his mana. "You won''t regret it. I''m going to start now..." Chapter 125 The Youngest Healer in History 1 Shin uncorked the white ceramic gourd labelled ''three'' that was resting on his belt, filling the air with a sweet floral smell. Bringing his right hand to his waist, the boy gathered his mana and directed the clear transparent water out from the gourd. The Healing Water glistened brightly as the glare from the sun made contact with it, causing those who were near to squint. "You will feel a stinging pain, please bear with it." Looking at the haggard soldier, Shin smiled while directing his Healing Water towards him. "Buahahaha! I am no stranger to pain! Go ahead!" Although the warrior did not really think that Shin could heal him, he decided to humour the little boy. Taking off his shirt entirely, he revealed every single wound that he had sustained in that battle. Minor cuts and grazes were littered all over his torso, and his limbs had small patches of black, indicating the bruised areas. Of course, the most critical injury was still the cut he gained at the centre of his abdomen. Naturally, Shin had removed the carefully placed bandage before beginning his treatment. "Argh!!!" As the Healing Water made contact with the wound, the injured soldier started to groan in pain. However, since he was a veteran when it came to injuries, he sat firmly, not swaying around in the least. Shin was taken aback by the soldier''s tolerance to pain. He was wholly aware of the type of pain his patient was going through. To come out of it with just a soft groan was quite remarkable. "Heal!" Once the liquid had thoroughly covered the wound, a cerulean light was emitted out. The soldier, who had been bearing incredible amounts of pain, started to feel his head becoming light-headed as if he was in the clouds. The stinging anguish that he felt was replaced with a refreshing feeling on his chest. Closing his eyes, his mind cleared, and he entered into a trance state, surrendering total control of his body to the black-haired teen. Beads of sweat started falling down Shin''s forehead as he directed all of his attention on the open wound. Mana began to flow out from his body like an open tap causing his spiritual energy to deplete rather quickly. However, his efforts were not without any rewards, the open wound on the soldier''s chest started to close rapidly, like a clam closing its mouth. It took a while, but eventually, the injury disappeared from the warrior''s body, as if it wasn''t there in the first place. "Phew!" Cutting off the mana supply, Shin dropped the Healing Water that had been contaminated with the soldier''s blood and fell onto his bum. It was the first time he healed someone other than himself or his Master. Thankfully, he had done it well. Ariel, noticing that Shin was sweating like a pig, pulled out her handkerchief and wiped off his excess perspiration with a jubilant smile. It was the first time she had seen Shin in action, and she was not disappointed. Taking less than a minute, he managed to fully mend the broken-down soldier and did it without any issues. "Hmmm? What?! It''s over?!" Waking up from his stupor, the soldier patted himself all over to find out that the cut that was on his chest had disappeared like magic. With great shock, he gawked at the young black-haired teen who was taking a rest on the floor. "Y-you¡­ You''re really a healer?!" The soldier''s fingers quivered, half in excitement, half in disbelief as he pointed at Shin. He had made fun of the boy when he first offered to treat him and to be honest no one could blame him. Just imagine if a young teen came up to you and claimed to be a healer when all the other healers were at least ten years older than him. Even the most experienced of men would be sceptical of the boy. "That''s what I told you..." "Wait, wait, wait¡­ How old are you?!" The warrior remembered he heard a tale where healers were able to revert back to a younger age using one of their spiritual abilities. Perhaps, the boy sitting in front of him was one such healer. "I''m turning thirteen this year. Why? Is something wrong?" Unsure of why his patient was asking those questions, Shin tilted his head in confusion. "THIRTEEN?! Oh my god! What the hell?!" All of the healers that the soldier knew were all in their late twenties to their early thirties. Never had he heard of a teenager learning the ''Heal'' ability. The soldier''s screams attracted the gazes of all nearby patients, lying nearby while waiting for their turn to enter the medical tent. Curious about the commotion, a few of them walked towards the Shin. "Ronlen, what''s going on?" One of those in the crowd recognised the injured soldier and asked for what happened. "This boy, he healed me of my wound!" "He healed you? This boy?" "Yeah, he did!" "No way, Ronlen are you drunk? He''s not even an adult, how could he be a healer?" "Hmph! Why don''t you try it then?!" As usual, Shin''s age made everyone doubt that he genuinely was a healer. After a short period of rest, the black-haired teen recovered his bearings and stood up to address the crowd. "Wait, Shin. Shouldn''t you be resting after that?" Before he could say a word though, Ariel butted in, worried that Shin might overextend himself and collapse. "No worries, healing that soldier only depleted a fifth of my mana reserves. I can still treat more people." ''Heal'' was an extremely mana expensive ability. Shin had just recently promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm. Thus, he had to use that ability sparingly. Reassuring his concerned childhood friend, Shin tapped her shoulders to indicate that he was alright. Glancing around, the young healer scanned for his next patient. Since his mana was limited, he might as well treat the more severe injuries first. Noticing a young woman lying flat on the sheets while clutching her stomach, Shin moved forward. ~~~ "Okay, that''s one more down..." While Shin was busy healing Ronlen outside, inside the pristine medical tent, ten individuals, all donned in pure white gowns bearing the mark of the Healing Association, were hard at work treating their patients. Multiple patients inside the tent required immediate medical attention. Thus, none of the healers had any spare time in their hands. "Healer Escred, thanks for the good work! After the next patient, the remainder of the soldiers all have light injuries, so there''s no need to push yourself too much." Sitting on top of a portable chair, a mature hazel brown-haired man rubbed the edges of his chiselled cheeks while letting a yawn go. At his side, a brunette woman, who held onto a chart put forth a warm smile while addressing the man. As the head nurse, she was the moral support of both the patients and the healers present. Thus, she had to ensure that the healers were not overworked to the point of exhaustion. "Nurse Hannah, this is nothing compared to the sacrifice that our soldiers gave for the safety of Aldrich''s Keep. Furthermore, as a healer, it is my responsibility to aid any patients that walk through that door." Standing up from his chair, he grabbed the chart away from the woman''s hands and started to read from it. "Hah¡­ If only the crisis didn''t come at such an unfortunate time. We hardly have enough healers!" There were always ten healers stationed on Aldrich''s Keep, and since the fort only sees action during the purge that happens every ten years, it caused a significant problem for the healers in the keep. They were currently severely short-handed. Typically, when the purge was nearing, the Himmel Empire would pay the Healer''s Association to send more doctors to the Keep. However, since the upcoming purge was so unexpected, they lacked the time or the resources to get external help. "There''s no helping it. We have to make do with what we have. Oh yeah, nurse Hannah. Just now, you were shouting at two young kids. What happened?" Seeing that the conversation had taken a downturn, Escred opted to change the topic lest their moods worsen. "Hmmm? Oh, that! Get this, that black-haired boy claimed to be a healer and wanted to assist you guys in treating the patients. What a joke right?!" Recalling her previous interaction with Shin and Ariel, nurse Hannah scoffed in displeasure. Her image of Shin still remained as the boy who wanted to show off to his girlfriend. "That young kid was a healer? That would be highly unlikely..." Hearing the outlandish tale, Escred fell deep into thought. ''That being said, the number of healers has been diminishing for a while. Hah, is there a way to get younger Spirit Users more interested in the path of healing?'' Back when he reported to the Healer''s Association a few years ago, Escred wandered through the hallways and barely saw any new and young faces. The path of a healer was an unpopular one. Many youths in their adolescent years would look down on healers and would instead train for the path of a warrior or any other profession causing there to be a severe deficit of talented Spirit Users to join their ranks. It was a problem identified by the Healer''s Association many years ago, and they have tried multiple measures to help rectify this issue. However, none of their attempts worked as the number of healer apprentices kept dwindling. "Haha, youth¡­ Anyway, I should get back to work. There are still so many patients waiting quietly outside." "Right, right! I shall leave you be then!" Bowing down to Escred, nurse Hannah backed away to check on another healer in the tent. However, at this time¡­ "OHHHHH!!!" Loud screams of admiration from the outside echoed into the medical tent, causing all the healers to lose their concentration. Turning their heads to the entrance, all the nurses and healers wondered what had happened. "Something is happening outside?" Escred, who was nearest to the exit, briskly walked forward to see what the commotion was about. Exiting the tent, he saw a crowd of soldiers all clustered together in a doughnut shape, as if there was some sort of show in the middle. "What''s going on here?" "Healer Escred! Come and see! Apparently, there''s this super young healer here that is tending to our injuries!" One random soldier replied the hazel-coloured haired man. "Young healer? Could it be?" Pushing through the crowd, Escred attempted to get a good view of the mysterious young teenager; and he wasn''t disappointed. Sitting down next to a sleeping woman warrior with an exposed stomach, a black-haired boy was controlling a small amount of water while covering her wound. "Is he washing her injury? No, wait! That ability is!" At that moment, a bright cerulean light illuminated the area, blinding those who were too close to Shin and his patient. The woman, who was in agony, seemed to have brightened up as her complexion recovered. The wound that had plagued her for so long had all but vanished, leaving behind her smooth and white belly. "Did he really just cast ''Heal?!''" Escred''s jaw dropped at the sight of Shin successfully treating the injured woman lying on the floor. He of all people knew how difficult it was to learn the esteemed ability. Not only must one possess the right Spirit, but they must also read towers of books to even get close to comprehending the ability. Escred himself took over a decade in an apprenticeship before he was qualified to learn ''Heal'' and yet this young teenager did it like it was nothing. "What the hell is that boy?!" Chapter 126 The Youngest Healer in History 2 "Shin, are you alright?" After splendidly healing two consecutive patients, the newbie healer could feel his exhaustion pile up as he spent a significant amount of mana in a short period of time. It was the first time he could feel the symptoms of mana fatigue. Even Lady Seph''s spartan training sessions did not manage to push him that far. Taking in deep breaths, Shin felt his mind grow a little hazy as he tried to regain his bearings. "I''m fine¡­ I just need to rest for a bit." Apparently, using ''Heal'' repeatedly was a harder hurdle to cross than he first expected. Each injury is unique, and the mana required to treat them varies drastically. If the person only has a bruise, the mana spent for ''Heal'' would be far less as compared someone who had a massive puncture at the centre of his chest. All this while, Shin had been treating minor injuries and occasionally, a deep cut here and there; and that was with familiar bodies such as his own or his Master''s. Thus, when a foreign patient comes along, it would take him much more mana to effectively treat the person. Sitting at one corner with Ariel wiping off the beads of perspiration that congregated on his forehead, Shin closed his eyes and started to mentally chant the Celestial Water Mantra. It was one of the few ways that he had to stabilise his condition. "Excuse me, coming through¡­" However, his rest was soon broken by a sonorous voice that pushed through the crowd. Unable to cover up his excitement, Escred wanted to meet the wonderous youth as quickly as possible. With his concentration broken, Shin annoyingly raised his eyebrows and glared at the hazel-coloured hair man. "Sorry to disturb your rest young man, but may I know your affiliation?" Escred clearly knew that Shin was recuperating his lost spiritual energy, but nonetheless, he could not hold back. It was the first time he had seen such a young Healer anywhere in the Empire. "Hey! Can''t you see that he''s resting? Move aside, old man!" "O-old?!" Ariel snapped at Escred for disturbing Shin during his meditation. Like a guardian of a watchtower, the fiery scarlet-haired girl made sure that no one could come near her childhood friend in his time of weakness. Seeing someone that she could only best describe as an uncle come forth, Ariel sharply pushed him away. Escred, on the other hand, was not used to be treated so nastily by someone else, especially a person of the opposite gender. As one of the top Healers of the Keep and an eligible bachelor, many nurses and female soldiers fawned over him. It also helped that amongst the ruffians, his charming good looks made him stand out like a rose surrounded by a pile of manure. Shaking his head while wearing a bitter smile, Escred decided to take a more direct approach. "I''m sorry, but you can''t heal the patients without proper authorisation. Thus, I need to confirm your affiliation." To a certain extent, Escred''s words rung true. If you were not a registered Healer, then you were barred from treating the patients. However, in Aldrich''s Keep where the number of qualified Healers was few and far between, any extra pair of hands would be greatly appreciated. What Escred truly wanted to find out was who trained this youth and for what purpose did his Master send him to the war-torn Keep. "You!" "Ariel, it''s fine¡­ We shouldn''t cause any trouble..." Still drained from using ''Healing Water'' twice in a row, Shin drearily raised his hand to stop his partner from going wild. Resting his head against a nearby wall, the black-haired teen said: "My name is Shin. I am an apprentice healer that recently learnt ''Heal.'' My master sent me here to help you guys treat the wounded." "Your master? Who is your master?" "I''m not sure if you would know her, but people call her Lady Seph..." Unbeknownst to Shin, he had just dropped a bombshell on every single soul in the sick bay. "LADY SEPH?!" "That legendary healer is here?!?!" "My god! There''s hope for Aldrich''s Keep after all!" Bit by bit, all those soldiers surrounding Shin started to exclaim joyfully. These few days have been hellish for them. Week after week, there were hordes of beasts running out from the Uncharted Wilderness threatening to overrun the Keep. Every single day, the soldiers had to deal with the fear of a sudden raid where no one knew if they were going to win. In fact, many warriors had committed truancy and escaped from the impregnable fort as they did not want to be subject to the mental and physical torture that the Keep was putting them through anymore. Thus, hearing that the hero of Yara Pass was currently present in the Keep greatly boosted their morale. "Y-y-y-y-your m-m-master is L-l-lady Seph?!" Escred stuttered uncontrollably, entirely unlike his previous authoritative self, as he heard who taught the prodigious young boy sitting in front of him. He had long heard of the illustrious Healer, but ever since she vanished all those years ago, there had been no word from her since. Now, someone was claiming that he was her disciple and that she was currently present in the Keep made Escred''s mind overload. "Yeah, what about it?" Unsure of why everyone was so up in arms about his Master, who was a temperamental elderly woman that wouldn''t even do her own renovations for her clinic, Shin looked around in confusion. "I-is it true? Lady Seph is in the Keep?" Somewhat regaining his composure, Escred coughed lightly and asked the boy once more. It couldn''t be helped. The news that he received was way too surreal. "Yeah, Master is here alright¡­" "I''m sorry but could you produce some sort of proof?" Unconsciously, the hazel-coloured haired healer edged slightly closer to Shin, unaware that his fervent gaze caused both Shin and Ariel to cringe and back away. Sensing that her second favourite person was under threat, Bingbing, who was resting comfortably in Shin''s bosom, scurried out of the young teen''s clothes and released a surge of spiritual energy. "That is!" Before he could get in a word, the temperature of the sick bay drastically dropped as if a sudden snowstorm had arrived. A biting cold frost filled the area as chunks of ice started to form on the concrete ground. Escred, who was closest to Shin and Ariel, bore the full brunt of the attack. Almost instantaneously, he was brought to his knees as his healthy pink complexion turned blue as bits of ice covered his skin. Bingbing''s eyes glowed in an ethereal white light as she glared straight at the foolish peasant that attempted to harm the boy she wanted to protect. "A Kamaitachi! What the hell is this spiritual power?!" One of the soldiers instantly recognised Bingbing''s species and cried out in horror. Being one of the sovereigns of ice, a Kamaitachi could fly through the ranks and become a Tier 8 Spirit Beast with ease. However, none of the warriors at the Keep believed that a Tier 8 Spirit Beast could be domesticated and even dispatched to protect a mere young boy. Nonetheless, the reality was much different from their beliefs. "What''s going on?!" At this point, every one of the healers and nurses in the medical tent ran out to identify the source of the attack. To their horror, they saw their top healer, Escred, kneeling on the floor and coated in a layer of ice while two young teenagers stared at him with their mouths wide open. "Healer Escred!!!" Nurse Hannah ran at top speeds summoning out her Spirit in the process. Thinking that the Keep was under siege by the two youths, she directed her mana at the black-haired boy whom she thought caused this situation. "WAIT!" Breaking free from the layer of ice that bound him, Escred held his hands up high stopping the assault from the brunette woman. Halting in her tracks, Nurse Hannah gave the man a queer look with a mix of anxiety and concern. Shaking his head, the hazel-haired man gestured for the woman to stand down. "Thank you for staying your hand. I was too impulsive earlier on..." Bowing down to the snowy white gerbil in Shin''s hands, Escred issued an apology. He realised that he was too brash and the Spirit Beast had no intention of ever killing him. After all, if Bingbing really wanted him dead, he would have no way of escaping the ice that she had summoned out. Puffing her cheeks while showing a little of her razor-sharp fangs, Bingbing nodded in satisfaction and returned back into Shin''s shirt. As a Tier 8 Spirit Beast, she had her own pride. If not for Escred''s overly aggressive attitude against Shin, she could not even be bothered to raise her paws. Now that her ice had cooled the man''s head, she could continue on basking in the warmth of Shin''s body. Shin, on the other hand, was utterly overwhelmed it was the first time that he had seen Bingbing in action. "I''m sorry for my earlier behaviour. Healer Shin, would you forgive my impudence?" Escred stunned every single one of the healers and nurses with his current demeanour. He was even calling this strange young boy a Healer! "Y-yeah..." "Hah¡­ Thank you so much! If I may be so rude, may I pay a visit to the esteemed Lady? I wish to pay my respects!" "Master didn''t say anything about receiving guests so I doubt she would say yes..." "Ah! Of course! The esteemed Lady must be very busy. How foolish of me¡­ Pardon my rudeness but may I ask you some questions?" Although he was unable to meet the hero that every Healer idolised, Escred didn''t mind it one bit. For now, he should curry favour with this talented young boy who had learnt ''Heal'' at such a tender age. Shin was the sole disciple of the famed Lady Seph and was even a gifted Healer. Even a fool would realise that in the future, this black-haired teen would be a rising star of the Himmel Empire. "Errr¡­ Okay then..." "I just have two questions¡­ How old are you and what is your cultivation level?" Escred asked the two most burning questions that he had. In the records of the Healer''s Association, the youngest ever person to become a healer did so at age sixteen. However, it was evident that Shin was way younger than that. A bubbling excitement arose from the depths of his soul as Escred realised that the boy in front of him might have just shattered that record. Shin was still taken aback by Bingbing''s prowess and did not give much thought to answering the questions. If he knew of the repercussions that it would have brought him, Shin might have possibly held back on his answer. Unfortunately... "I''m turning thirteen this year, and I just promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm by comprehending ''Healing Water,'' a variant of ''Heal'' that I learnt through Master''s hereditary opuscule." "A self-comprehended ability?! Just as I surmised!" Jumping up in joy, Escred shouted out. It was true. He was currently staring at the youngest Healer in history. Chapter 127 The Youngest Healer in History 3 Shin and Ariel backed away slowly from the overly excited man while cautiously eyeing everyone who surrounded them. Due to Escred''s elation, every single soldier, nurse and healer in the sick bay were all gaping in awe while staring at the black-haired youth that they had underestimated. Nurse Hannah, the woman who chased Shin out of the medical tent after thinking that he was a phoney, began to shiver in trepidation. There was no soul in the medical field that had not heard of the illustrious Lady Seph. Thinking that she had just denied entry to the disciple of such an esteemed figure made her legs wobble and her head spin. "Hahaha, my apologies, Healer Shin! I lost myself there a bit¡­ Judging from your appearance, you must be drained of mana right now! Here, take this replenishment pill! It will help you recover spiritual energy much faster!" Composing himself, Escred took out a small white pill from a cotton pouch in his pocket. As healers, there were many times where they would run out of mana due to the excessive use of their spiritual abilities. Thus, every single healer would carry some mana replenishment pills that were concocted by an apothecary to help keep them going. "Thank you..." Taking the pill off Escred''s hands, Shin popped it into his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. "Alright! Return back to your posts! There''s nothing to see here!" Ecstatic that Shin accepted his goodwill, Escred dispersed the crowd to allow the youth to rest. Naturally, he remained on-site so that he could observe how the young healer operated. Shin, unaware that he had become an experimental subject of the hazel-coloured haired man, closed his eyes and mentally recited the Celestial Water Mantra. With Ariel and Bingbing firmly fixed at his side, no random onlooker dared to disturb his meditation. ''I must report this back to the association. That Lady Seph is present in Aldrich''s Keep, and she had accepted such a talented disciple...'' Escred wore a cordial smile on the outside but mentally, he was planning to claim some credit on reporting the esteemed healer''s arrival. After Lady Seph went into hiding many years ago, all news about her had been hidden from the public''s eye, and no one could track her location. If he reported back to the Healer''s Association, Escred might be rewarded accordingly. While Escred was fantasising about his rewards, a cerulean light started being emitted out of Shin''s body. Blue particles of light congregated around the black-haired youth as a small silhouette appeared on his outreached hands. The Sovereign Koi, which had been resting happily in the depths of Shin''s spiritual body, finally made its appearance after a long time. Behaving like an inebriated drunkard, it used its adorable little fins to rub its large eyes and shook violently like in a fit. ''The Sovereign Koi?! The Awter Clan''s legacy?!'' Escred felt his blood run cold as beads of perspiration dripped down his forehead. His fingers quivered in shock, and his eyes nearly bulged out of its sockets. Evidently, the knowledgeable healer knew what Shin''s Spirit was with just one glance. ''To think that some of the children survived the massacre!'' The tale of the Awter Clan was a tragic one. Once one of the top clans in the Himmel Empire, it was reduced to dust after an extended war with a neighbouring clan over disputes undisclosed to the public''s eye. After the Awter Clan''s demise, it was reported that no living soul, young or old, survived the endless onslaught that their enemies brought forth. Possibly due to the clan''s ties with the Lantis Republic, the Himmel Empire wished to avoid a conflict with one corner of the three great powers, thus covering up the fact that there were survivors. Escred wasn''t the only one stunned though. Many soldiers recognised the legendary Spirit. Being one of the Eight Scions of Water, there was no way that they couldn''t identify it. Oblivious to the stares, The Sovereign Koi remained nonchalant as it swam around in the palms of Shin''s hands. Ariel, on the other hand, did not understand why the gazes of the onlookers had suddenly changed. Earlier on, they were looking at Shin with awe and admiration. However, right now, their eyes contained a tinge of fear and agitation. At that moment, Shin''s eyelids quivered slightly, indicating that he was awakening from his meditation. Gingerly opening his eyes, he too was overwhelmed by the stares from the surroundings, and he couldn''t be blamed. When he was at Chilyoja Waypoint, other than the Mushinkei and Yakkyoku Clinic, the young boy never summoned out The Sovereign Koi in a public setting. Otherwise, he might have gotten the same stares much earlier. "What?" Shin asked Escred. "Y-you¡­ What clan are you from?" The only two entities that possessed one of the Eight Scions of Water, The Sovereign Koi, was the Awter Clan and one of the ancestor clans in the Lantis Republic. Unsure that Shin was indeed from the fallen clan, Escred cautiously enquired on his roots. "Hmph! Let me tell you! He is from my Frie Clan! That means Shin is under our protection! Don''t try to mess with him!" However, instead of getting a reply from the boy himself, Ariel took the chance to push the Frie Clan''s name so that Shin gained an extra layer of protection. After all, the Frie name was quite substantial around these areas. "THE FRIE CLAN?!" Escred screamed out. He had expected to either hear the Awter Clan or the ancestor clan of the Lantis Republic, never did he anticipate that¡­ "That''s right! So don''t mess with him. Otherwise, the Frie Clan won''t let you off!" Thinking that her scare tactic worked, Ariel beamed in pride, showing the whites of her teeth. When the onlookers heard that Shin was part of the Frie Clan, they all gaped in horror. Their minds went into overload and eventually, many of them connected the dots. "I see, I see¡­ So Healer Shin is part of the Frie Clan..." Escred rubbed the temples of his forehead as he felt a throbbing migraine forming. "Ermmm, Healer Escred. If I may, my Master instructed me to assist in the treatment of the patients to the best of my ability. Since you have validated my identity, could I continue treating others?" Unaware of the conundrum that he had put the hazel-haired man through, Shin asked Escred if he could continue on healing. Lady Seph had ordered Shin to treat as many patients as he could, and it meant that if he were to return without completely draining his mana, he would get a taste of her ''holy light''. "Of course, of course! We are currently short-handed, so any help that we can get is more than welcomed!" Patting Shin on the back, Escred chucked the ludicrous information that he had just received to one corner of his mind while directing the boy inside the medical tent. ''Arghhh! What a mess! I must report this to headquarters as soon as possible...'' ~~~ In a distant corner of the Himmel Empire, secluded and obscure from all roads and towns, there lay an enormous forest that remained moist even under the blistering hot summer sun. Bordered by soaring verdant hills, the pristine forest seemed untouched by the destructive hands of man as an abundance of wildlife roamed the area. Monastery quiet, the only sounds that graced the natural habitat were the croaks of frogs and the rustling of leaves given out by wildlife prowling the bushes and monkeys swinging from the flourishing woods. The pungent smells of rain dew and dampen earth filled the lungs of any who hoped to cross the shrubbery and currently, there was one such individual. As he continued his journey, the crackling of twigs and dried leaves echoed through the peaceful forest causing animals to steer clear from the teenager. His straight viridian hair and sharp nose highlighted the charming dimples that appeared whenever he smiled, and his high cheekbones made him look like a model for a sculpture. Dressed in hiking gear, the tall teen used his thick brown boots to help him navigate through the labyrinth that this place was. "Where is it?" Junius thought out loud. Unfortunately, there was no one nearby that could help him with his woes. After Shin left for Aldrich''s Keep, Junius spent some time bonding with his lover and fellow orphans before they were tragically separated once more by the First Elder. Now that he was seventeen and had matured significantly, the First Elder and Instructor placed less attention upon the boy and allowed him to do whatever he wanted. Everything except returning to the mountain. Currently, the relations between the First and Second Elder were at its worst since Shin left three years ago. The two divisions had been fighting to move more neutral high-level individuals into their camp much to the Clan Master''s displeasure. Many Frie Clan members had mixed feelings when it came to the orphans especially those who had a neutral stance. On one side, they wished to honour the previous Clan Master''s wishes, and on the other, they did not want to taint the blood of the Frie Clan with outsiders. Thus, albeit unwillingly, the First Elder had kept Junius and Shin out of the mountain, to prevent pushing any neutral members from pledging allegiance to the Second Elder. Additionally, since Junius and Shin were central to the incident that nearly triggered a war between the two factions, the First Elder wished to keep the two of them safe from any other assassination attempts. Knowing that fact, Junius treasured his time together with his lover and the ones he claimed to be his family. However, all good times come to an end, and the orphans had to return eventually. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was going to monitor him anymore, Junius registered for an extended leave of absence at both the Mushinkei and Constable Headquarters. Under the guise that he was going on a training expedition to temper himself, the seventeen-year-old attempted to visit the one place that had been bugging him for all these years. The place where all his investigations lay. Holding on to a detailed papyrus map, Junius continued to trek through the forest hoping to find the place that he was looking for. He had ridden on horseback for three days straight in hopes of finding this elusive place, and he was not going to give up now. Wielding his machete, Junius cut through any obstacles that lay in his path. Until eventually, a glistening light blinded his eyes that were used to the dim forest. "Did I find it?!" With great fervour, the young teen gathered his mana on his legs and propelled himself forward. Junius'' ears were deafened by the roaring sounds of the wind as he sliced through the air as his hair became askew, but he cared nought. He had found his target. As he left the final tree behind him, what greeted Junius was a vast lake that spread out for kilometres at each end. The heavenly light that shone from the skies made the colossal water body seem divine. Waves upon waves gently crashed into the shores of the forest filling the air with the scented nectar of the sublime lake, greatly dazzling the unprepared youth. For some reason, Junius felt a strange connection to this natural body of water, but he couldn''t put it into words. Taking a deep breath in, the young teen marvelled at the grandeur of the lake. "So this is Awter Lake..." Chapter 128 Awter Lake 1 The first time that Junius heard of the name Awter, he thought nothing much of it. After all, it was just some foreign name that he had just heard for the first time. However, over time, he began to grow curious about this particular plan. Thankfully, as a constable, he had much more access to information as compared to the average joe. It took him a full three years of investigations to eventually find the map that leads to Awter Lake, and he was stunned by the amount of work he was put through. The more he researched, the more questions emerged in his mind. Why did the Awter Clan, one of the Himmel Empire strongest, disappear almost overnight? Why was the information about the Awter Clan so tightly kept? Why does no one dare to speak much about the Awter Clan? All these mysteries popped up the more Junius investigated. He was able to gain the answers for some of those questions that he had, but most of them were left unanswered. Therefore, he decided to visit the place where the Awter Clan used to reside in, Awter Lake. Travelling to Awter Lake was quite simple. Surprisingly, it was rather close to both Frie Mountain and Chilyoja Waypoint. However, once Junius got to the dense forest, he started to get lost in the woods. Thus, when he finally saw the pristine clear blue lake, Junius heaved a massive sigh of relief. ''Since this used to be the headquarters of the Awter Clan, I''m sure there will be ruins hidden somewhere¡­'' Junius didn''t have much of a plan when he decided to take the pilgrimage to Awter Lake. He had hoped that once there, he would be able to figure things out. Hopefully discovering a run-down building that housed clues about the fallen clan. Junius had his theories, but since they were outlandish and downright maniacal, he didn''t wish for them to be true. He needed hard evidence to convince himself. Using the crescent-shaped machete, Junius made a path through the thick branches and bushes while roaming the shores of the lake, in hopes of finding the clues that he had sought. His cotton robes started to get drenched in rancid sweat as he walked around in the blistering hot sun causing Junius to feel extremely uncomfortable. However, he knew he was on a clock. Once night falls, he would be forced to halt his search due to the poor lighting conditions. After ten minutes, Junius still kept hope that a random ruin would show itself on the rims of this massive lake. After thirty minutes, the viridian-haired youth tried his best to retain his focus as fatigue and boredom piled up. Soon, after an hour of not finding anything, Junius began to harbour doubts about whether he was in the right place. It didn''t make sense that there were no ruins anywhere near Awter Lake, given that it was once a great clan of the Empire. ''Woah! What''s that?'' Just as he was about to change his search approach, from a distance, Junius saw a patch of mossy earth, protruding unnaturally from the ground. Thinking that he had hit the jackpot, the teenager rubbed off his fatigue and gathered mana into his legs. As a weapon Spirit User that focused on agility, Junius had mastered the craft of body enhancement. Speeding through the rocky shores of the lake, Junius left behind a distinct footprint every time he made contact with the floor. "Bingo!" It didn''t take long for him to reach the unusual structure. A triumphant smile crept up his chiselled face, revealing its adorable dimples that would make any teenage girl swoon. Just as he suspected, Junius was greeted with a half-demolished building that stood solitary on the shores of the lake. Abandoned for god knows how long, the destroyed construction only retained less than half of its structure, leaving verdant life to reclaim the land that it once stood on. Thick tree vines entwined themselves on the concrete pillars while terrestrial ferns grew from the exposed cracks of the broken walls. Scented flowers that would have no place growing in a man-made environment thrived in the decrepit old building, giving it a specific natural colour. ''This must be one of the buildings developed by the Awter Clan. It seems strange that there is only one of them here...'' Although Junius was disappointed that there wasn''t a large number of buildings for him to search, beggars couldn''t afford to be choosers. Starting his search, Junius hoped to find clues that pertained to the Awter Clan and help rest the crazy thoughts that he had in his head. Unbeknownst to the viridian-haired youth, the moment he stepped foot in the run-down building, a hidden shadow traced his steps and monitored his every move. Sending forth a signal for reinforcements, the shadow kept its distance while Junius obliviously continued his search for clues. ''This must be some sort of watch house or something¡­ There are no bedrooms or housing apparel...'' Walking around the ramshackle shack, Junius tried to identify its previous purpose before it was destroyed. Judging from the fact that there were no beds or anything resembling a place of living, he deduced that it might have been a lookout station. Following that train of thought, he hypothesised that there might be written records laying down somewhere in the building. Going through each room, Junius hoped to find any compartments that could have housed such journals. It was then, he saw a broken concrete floorboard, that revealed a hidden miniature chamber. Lifting out the lid, Junius was greeted by a multitude of metal boxes that lay on top of each other, all tightly sealed with iron chains and lockets. ''Finally, some real progress...'' The last major breakthrough that Junius had was finding the location of Awter Lake. Other than that, all previous records of the mysterious clan were wiped clean, and in general, the public kept mum on the topic. "What the hell is this thing made of?" Swinging the crescent-shaped machete, Junius attempted to slice through the chains to reveal the contents of the box. However, no matter how hard he hacked and slashed, the shackles remained firmly tied to the metallic crates. Frustrated, the youth gathered his mana in his hand and summoned out the Azure Water Blade. After three years of intensive cultivation and physical training, his Spirit had grown by a few centimetres, and the sharpness of the blade had reached heights that it never could before. Glowing in a radiant light, Junius used the tip of the Azure Water Blade to hopefully pry the box open. Surprisingly, without using much force, the chains binding the crate was quickly cut, and the lid popped open without him prompting it to. Wearing a victorious smirk, Junius cautiously lifted the aged journals that were so meticulously kept. Although the books were so carefully preserved, many of them had already had lost pages with over half of them already thoroughly burnt out of recognition. Taking advantage of what he was given, Junius began the next stage of investigations on the Awter Clan. Turning to the first page of the records, the teenaged boy started to read its contents out loud. "Year 790. The month of July. The second day. Everything is on schedule. Nothing of significant importance happened today." Skimming through the pages, Junius continued to read the records of the watch-house. Like any typical sentry station, the contents of the journal were simple. Recording the everyday happenings surrounding the area. As it turned out, in the year 790, the Awter Clan was still in the pink of health and had yet to face its demise. Picking up another journal, Junius read out from it once more. "Year 791. The month of March. The fifth day. Boring~ Wow, why must I keep writing in this bloody journal every single day? It''s not like anyone is going to read this. I would much rather be given a post on the lake than standing guard over here on this stupid shoreline." "On the lake?" As he read the strange yet comical record, Junius raised his eyebrows and fell deep in contemplation. If the Awter Clan had built their homes floating atop of the lake, it made sense for there to be so little ruins surrounding the place the clan called home. Happy that he had some significant advancements, Junius increased his pace and rapidly flipped through the pages. "Year 791. The month of September. The twentieth day. Once again, nothing happened today¡­ So damn boring! Am I going to be a sentry guard for the rest of my life? Oh, and I heard that Elder ''Sword'' is going to become a grandfather soon. I''m sure that his grandchild would be as devastatingly mean as him! Hahahaha!" "Year 792. The month of April. The eighteenth day. For the thousandth time, nothing happened today! Arghhh, kill me now. This life is so boring ~ Why was I even given this stupid job? Oh, and I heard that the grandson of Elder ''Sword'' had just popped up. So I congratulate him, well not like he would ever read this article anyway..." "Year 793. The month of December. The twenty-sixth day. The year is ending which means that it should be New Year''s day soon! But why is everyone on the lake so glum lately? They should learn a little from me. I''m just a dumb sentry guard, but I am having the time of my life! Though, it is very boring, scratch that, it''s utterly boring. Arghhh, will I ever get my promotion?" Somewhere along the road, the person writing the records stopped caring about procedures and had turned the books into his own personal venting journals. Although it was not the definitive proof that Junius was looking for, at least it gave him some information about the Awter Clan. Prying open another metal box, Junius continued reading the journal entries. "Year 794. The month of May. The seventh day. A storm is brewing. The Elders have convened multiple times, and our strongest forces had all been recalled. Is there going to be a major upheaval in the future? Day by day, I see our Spirit Kings and Emperors rushing back and forth out of the lake. What''s going on?" "Year 795. The month of June. The nineteenth day. Defences have been boosted, and new weaponry had been dragged in from afar. Are we truly going to war with our neighbour? Is this the only way?" "Year 795. The month of December. The twenty-fifth day. I can''t take this anymore! Every day, corpses of our comrades are driven in by carts! They are our cousins, our brothers, our sisters, our brethren! Why must this continue? Why must I be the one to check in their bodies? Why¡­ why..." "Year 796. The month of February. The sixteenth day. The Clan Master''s wife is pregnant! The Clan Master''s wife is pregnant! Finally, some good news! The morale of our troops has never been higher! With this, I''m sure that we can persevere onwards! We have to. For the future of our offsprings, we must win this war!" "Year 796. The month of July. The twenty-seventh day. I can''t take this anymore! I want to return to the boring days that I had earlier on! Am I a sentry guard or an undertaker?! Why must I continue to see the dead bodies of my friends and family?! Why must this war continue?! Can''t we just find some sort of peace? WHY?!?!?!" "Year 796. The month of September. The twenty-third day. The heir to the throne is born! The Clan Master''s wife had given birth to a healthy baby boy! If we can just hold on for a few more months, perhaps the Lantis Republic will send in reinforcements! Please, for the sake of our future children. Brave warriors of the Awter Clan, please fight on! Please..." "Year 796. The month of October. The fifteenth day. The onslaught continues. I can hear the sounds of troops marching and the scent of charred wood with every passing minute. We have retreated to our shell, must they be so ruthless?! Must everything be burnt to cinders?!" "Year 796. The month of October. The sixteenth day. Dear Immortals in the heavens above. Is there no salvation for us? Is this the end of our prideful clan? Not even for the innocent children who bore no sins of their parents?! This might be my final entry ever. If anyone may chance upon my mournful babble, let it be known that I, Ricson Awter, am no coward. Even if I may go down, I will die on the corpses of my fallen enemies!" With that, Junius had come to the end of the final page of the journal. His hands trembling in fear, his mind could barely register the information that he had just absorbed. The last days of the Awter Clan were tragic. Judging by how little infrastructure remained, one could say that they had been thoroughly wiped clean. Unfortunately, the brave sentry warden that stood guard at this post must have long passed. Clapping his palms together, Junius gave a silent prayer to the brave soldier that had fought valiantly to the very end. "*Tsssssttt!*." "Who''s there?!" At that moment, a loud rustling of the bushes came from the outside of the building. Carefully placing down the journal entries, Junius summoned out his Azure Water Blade and bolted out into the open shore of the lake. Ten brooding figures, all draped in full black garbs, surrounded the broken-down shack barring any escape routes. Junius, who had been busy reading the sentry guard''s journals, had failed to realise that the enemy had congregated in the area and by the time he left the building, it was too late. Squinting his eyes, the viridian-haired youth gaped in horror as he realised who he was facing. "Black Masks!!!" Chapter 129 Awter Lake 2 Donned in full ebony black robes and their faces entirely covered with the mysterious masks that defined their organisation, the ten figures quietly stood there and stared at the young teenager, whose mind was going into overdrive, desperate to find a possible means of escaping. Junius had a bitter encounter with the syndicate earlier on when they attacked the Frie Clan caravan three years back. If not for the Instructor and Ines fighting them off, Shin and Junius might not have lived to breathe this day. ''I need to find a way to escape.'' Surprisingly, after surrounding the youth, the Black Masks did nothing, giving Junius ample time to plan his next course of action. Taking a brief glance at the run-down building, Junius shook his head as he thought: ''Although I really want to investigate further, getting out of here is more important!'' With his Azure Water Blade in hand, Junius gathered his mana quickly into his legs as he used a body enhancement technique. In a fraction of a second, his figure turned blurry to the assailants as he spun around and bolted straight for the forest. The Black Masks had encircled him, and thus, he had to choose what he thought was the weakest individual to break through the blockade. Unfortunately, his choice utterly backfired against him. The slim and petite Black Mask that he had chosen turned out to be the agilest of all the assailants. Quickly tracking Junius with her eyes, she too disappeared from Junius'' sights, and in the next instance, her sharp nails were already firmly clawed into the flesh of the young teen''s abdomen. "AARRGHH!!!" Screaming out in agonising pain, Junius lost control of his body falling flat onto the floor. Among all of those in the syndicate who were worthy to claim the Black Masks for themselves, they had to be at least in the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm. With Junius only being a Rank 15 Spirit Apostle, there was no way that he could fight head-to-head with any of them. As if toying with the youth, the slender Black Mask that attacked Junius, playfully kicked the teen as he spasmed on the rocky shores of the lake. Taking advantage of the Black Mask underestimating him, Junius gathered a significant amount of mana on the Azure Water Blade, making it shine in a bright luminescent light that blinded both him and his assailant. "PIERCE!!!" Elongating his Spirit, Junius hoped to severely injure the woman who was just centimetres away from him, but his efforts were useless. Expecting the attack, the Black Mask easily evaded the strike with a spin and in one motion, directed her feet to the young teens face. Kicking Junius head-on, the viridian-haired youth flew a few metres back into the centre of the encirclement. Feeling his head spin, Junius tasted the bitter flavour of iron in his mouth. Bringing his hands to his lips, a velvety red substance began to profusely flow out from the insides of his jaw staining his palms and ultimately, dripping onto the shore. ''DAMN IT!!!'' There was no way out. His surprise escape didn''t work. Being a constable, Junius naturally knew about the Black Masks syndicate. The assailants consisted of a mixture of Shudras and Vaishyas which were all in the Spirit Adept and Spirit Spectre realm. As a Spirit Apostle, Junius didn''t stand a chance against these enemies especially since they had already locked on onto his body. His surprise move against the seemingly feeble Black Masks was his best way out, but that failed splendidly. Once again, the Black Masks just stood there, as if waiting for Junius to make his next move. By now, Junius was tired and desperate. Grasping for straws, he spun around once with his Azure Water Blade, forming a ring of water around him. The sharpness of his sword was transferred into the gushing torrents inside of the ring as it started to emit a radiant light. "EXPAND!!!" Shouting out at the top of his lungs, the water ring viciously targetted the many Black Masks surrounding the youth as if thirsting for their flesh. However, before it even reached anywhere near his assailants, the mana connection that Junius had with his ability mysteriously vanished. "Huh?" Confused, Junius looked around in shock, recklessly trying to find the cause of his failure; and he didn''t have to search for long. A Black Mask, bearing the mark of a golden crescent moon on his forehead, gradually approached Junius from the centre of the lake. Although the lake spanned for kilometres, the viridian-haired individual slid across the massive water body like a nimble water strider, forming large ripples with every step. In his hand, a hiltless obsidian blade, sharper than a serpent''s tooth, absorbed all forms of light into it, making it seem like a blade of death. ''Damn it, it''s the guy who attacked us before!'' Instantly recognising the blade that almost claimed his life, Junius bit down hard on his lips, causing a trickle of blood to flow out. To be able to disperse his ability so efficiently, one had to have a much higher cultivation level as compared to him. Given that the Kshatriya could fight the Instructor to a standstill, it was not a surprise that he could do just that. ''I have to find a way out! I can''t just die here!'' On paper, Junius was stuck in a hopeless situation. Surrounded on all fronts by Spirit Users with a much higher cultivation level than himself, it would take a miracle for him to escape out of this containment. Fortunately, the Black Masks weren''t planning on immediately executing him, giving Junius some buffer time to think about how he could run away. Knowing this criminal organisation, they were probably planning to capture and torture him to gain information. While Junius was busy trying to figure out a way to escape, the Kshatriya had already landed on the rocky shores of the lake. Opening a path for their leader, the Black Masks retreated with their heads bowed down. "Tsssk!" Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Junius endured the pain that was pulsating through his entire body after taking two heavy blows and limped in the opposite direction of the Kshatriya. With his Azure Water Blade in hand, he despairingly tried every means that he had to deter the path of the Black Mask that was gaining on him. Using pierce multiple times didn''t work as all the Kshatriya had to do was take one step to the side. Using Elemental Ring was helpless as the Spirit Lord could effortlessly disperse that ability. Nothing that he had in his arsenal even remotely worked. Finally, the Kshatriya seemed to have decided to stop messing around. In less than a fraction of a second, Junius was flung into the air and thrown viciously down into the cold hard floor, causing a small crater to be formed. Convulsing violently, Junius felt his strength leave him. If not for his mana body enhancement, perhaps he would have been knocked out cold with every bone in his body violently shattered. Trying his best to move, he found that four lanky men were pinning him down, binding his every action. His vision murky from the impact, Junius still tried his best to struggle. Unfortunately, it was all for nought. In his delirious state, the only thing that he could see was a pinkish palm with a pure black aura coating it descending quickly upon his face. "I''m sorry..." The last thing that Junius heard was a gravelly voice apologising to him. At that moment, Junius truly believed that he was going to perish. "Lily¡­ Shin..." Muttering out the names of those he loved, Junius felt his consciousness leave him as everything in his world turned pitch black. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Aldrich''s Keep. Visitor Lodgings. After the big commotion that Shin had caused, he had continued to treat a further five more patients before he utterly ran out of mana. Also, once the other healers saw how hardworking a mere teenager was being, they doubled their efforts, not wanting to lose to someone who was almost half their age. Therefore, the patients present in the sick bay were practically all treated within a single day. Satisfied with his result, Shin decided to call it a day. Desperate to get into the good graces of the talented youth, Escred ensured that Shin was adequately escorted back to his abode by stalwart guards of the Keep. Overwhelmed by the constant eyes that followed him everywhere, getting out of the sick bay was a refreshing change of pace for the young teen. Lying down on his comfy bed, Shin recalled the happenings of the day. Once he returned from the sick bay, he had planned to report to his Master, but she had yet to return. Assuming that she was out on official business, he returned to his room with Bingbing snugly lying next to him. "So you''re actually this strong¡­ Then why are you so attached to the weak old me?" The first time he heard of Bingbing''s powers was when the Shrine Maiden explained to him the tiers of beasts. Initially, although he had heard of it, he didn''t actually believe that Bingbing was a Tier 8 Spirit Beast. After all, all these years he had been treating the snowy white gerbil as some sort of pet or mascot. Thus, Shin could not imagine her being able to fight off a vicious Spirit Beast many times stronger than himself. However, after that incident at the sick back where she froze Escred with nothing more than a thought, Shin was forced to reevaluate his view on the creature that he had so frequently treated as a mere pet. It also raised a further question. Why was Bingbing so attached to him? If his memory serves him right, whenever Bingbing was exposed to a stranger, she would almost always ignore that person, but since the first day that they met, the Tier 8 Spirit Beast had instantaneously taken a liking to the black-haired youth. Bingbing''s ears twitched adorably when she heard Shin''s question and simply licked the exposed skin of his forearm. Although she unquestionably had the intelligence to understand the youth, the snowy white gerbil refused to give a definite answer. "Whatever..." "*Bang!* *Bang!*." While Shin was busy thinking about Bingbing''s behaviour, a violent knock on the door could be heard. "Shin, open the door! We have just been issued an assignment!" "Huh?" From the other side of the door, Ariel''s sharp and juvenile voice sounded out. Bingbing snared in annoyance after hearing the hateful girl''s voice while Shin threw his blanket up in the air, getting up in the process. Unlocking the door, he was greeted by three youthful girls donned in their sleepwear. During their stay at Aldrich''s Keep, each person was given a single room that was all next to each other, regardless of their genders. Ariel and the twins were given the rooms closest to Shin. Thus, at any time of the day, they could come and visit the black-haired youth. "Shin! Tomorrow we will be entering the Uncharted Wilderness! Finally, we can get to pulverise some Beasts!" Ariel exclaimed out in joy. Possessing a pure attack Spirit, she felt trifled in recent days as she had not measures to let loose. "Wait, what do you mean? Why are we going out to the Uncharted Wilderness?" Since Ariel had skipped some details, Shin was unable to comprehend her words. "Hah¡­ As always, Ariel is overly excited¡­ Lady Seph is going to be leading an expedition out into the Uncharted Wilderness tomorrow to investigate the strange happenings leading to the recent purge and all of us from the Frie Clan are expected to go. After all, officially we''re here to train." Ella, who knew that Ariel wasn''t able to adequately explain the situation, butted in with her own explanation. "Master is? Why would she do that?" Shin clearly understood his Master''s motivations. Although she had accepted to come to the Keep, there was no way that she would volunteer to lead an expedition for the military. "I don''t know, you can ask her tomorrow. Since we''re part of a cell, we will be travelling together, so senior Ines told us to inform you." "I see¡­ Okay, thank you." "Hey, Shin! Since we''re here, why don''t we discuss our abilities?! That way we can improve our teamwork!" Emma lightly clapped her hands together while wearing a cheery smile. "Y-yeah! That seems alright..." Apprehensive about letting three girls into his room in the middle of the night, Shin hesitated at first. However, not knowing each other''s strengths and weaknesses in cultivation might serve to be their downfall in the perilous Uncharted Wilderness. Thus, Shin opened the door wide and welcomed the three girls into his humble abode. Chatting late into the night, their merry chatter was abruptly halted when Ines found out and hysterically lectured them about the boundaries between boys and girls, forcing the girls to return to their own rooms. Chapter 130 The Uncharted Wilderness 1 The Uncharted Wilderness. Spanning over fifty million square kilometres, it was the only place in the vast Terre Continent that man had yet to fully map out. Covering the entire western front, the Uncharted Wilderness was home to Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes. From Tier 1 Spirit Beasts that could barely harm anyone to a Primordial Beast that could easily threaten to take down an entire country. Due to the extreme dangers of the woodlands, soldiers from the Himmel Empire were only allowed to enter the Uncharted Wilderness with an experienced guide and were barred from venturing out of the designated paths that had been set. Typically, bringing in young Spirit Users to train in the Uncharted Wilderness would be borderline insane. After all, no one could accurately predict what dangers that they would be facing that day. However, with Lady Seph, the Shrine Maiden and four Spirit Lords escorting the youths of the Frie Clan, Shin and the others would be more than safe as they hunt Spirit Beasts. "This place is so eerie..." Ella whispered to the black-haired youth walking by her side. Although dawn had broken a few hours earlier, very little light broke through the canopy layer giving the woodlands a bizarre atmosphere. With every bush rustling, their minds spun wildly as the imagined the worst, greatly amusing the seniors who escorted them. "Don''t worry, Ella! I will protect you from any Spirit Beasts!" Ariel, as if immune to fear, proudly proclaimed while tapping her chest. Ella''s tense facial features relaxed a little after hearing the scarlet-haired girl''s words and a bitter smile crept up her face. If Ariel was a young man, Ella might have fallen for her right then and there. "Hahaha, thank you, Ariel. You''re much more reliable than this lazy ass over here!" "Who are you calling lazy?! I''m much more hardworking than you okay!" "No way! Who slept through training sessions fifty per cent of the time?" "That''s ancient history alright?!" "Yeah, yeah..." Rolling her eyes at Shin''s declaration, Ella adorably pouted her lips and folded her arms in akimbo. Shin, on the other hand, was exasperated at being called lazy. If Ella could see the number of hours he spent on studying and physical training, there would be no way she would call him slothful. "Hehehehe, I''ve missed this!" Emma giggled in joy after seeing the two teens interact. Back on the mountain, Shin and Ella would continuously bicker over every small little thing. Once, they fought for almost a full hour on who got to eat the last desert and in the process of their quibble, the desert simply melted away. "Well, Shin and Ella do get along quite well..." Squinting her eyes, Ariel''s gaze moved between her childhood friend and the girl that he was squabbling with. Similarly, Bingbing popped her head out of Shin''s robes and stared at Ella. "W-what?" The two glares that Ella was receiving made her skin crawl. "Nothing..." "*Yip!* *Yip!*." While the girls of his group were busying eying down one another, Shin''s mind went blank as he looked at the elderly blonde woman who was leading their expedition. In the morning, before they left the Keep, Shin wanted to report his achievements at the sick bay to his Master but, Lady Seph didn''t seem to care about his presence and was lost in deep thought. Assuming that she was just feeling tired, Shin thought little of it. However, even after entering the Uncharted Wilderness, Lady Seph had not exchanged a single word with Shin, greatly worrying the youth. It was the first time Shin had seen his Master act so strange. ''Something must have happened yesterday when Master met the General...'' Shin thought out in his mind. Currently, Lady Seph was wearing a stern expression with her brows furrowed and her nostrils flared. Her fingers were rapidly tapping on her folded arms, while her entire body posture was tensed up. Typically, if Lady Seph were angry, she would simply explode and send a surge of mana to incapacitate the person who annoyed her. However, this time, she was acting like a pent-up volcano. Wanting to erupt but simply without the means to yet. Standing next to her, there was a blonde knight, in full silver body armour, guiding the elderly woman through the forest. Commander Alwig, the one who had so expertly displaced a Beast Horde almost single-handedly, was assigned to be Lady Seph''s guide as they traversed the Uncharted Wilderness. To send the Keep''s second-in-command as a mere guide seemed to be overkill but it went to show how vital Lady Seph was to General Anmac. Ines and Marric led Shin and the three girls while Songath and Slystan escorted Linus, Leon and the other two Spirit Apostles sent from the Second Elder''s division. With a fighting force this powerful, even a Primordial Beast would think twice before recklessly attacking them. "Senior Ines, Senior Marric, may I walk with my Master? There is something I have to ask her..." Shin, unable to shake the feeling of unease that he had, decided to confront Lady Seph. "Hmmm? Sure you can!" Although taken aback at first, Marric flashed a broad smile before agreeing to Shin''s request. After all, he didn''t have the authority to ban Shin from meeting his Master. Songath and Slystan, the two Spirit Lords that were handpicked by the Second Elder, snorted in derision as they saw the black-haired youth being so overly friendly with those from their clan but they didn''t dare to start anything. Their displeasure didn''t go unnoticed though. Linus and Leon clearly saw how the two seniors of theirs hated Shin. However, they were unable to understand why. "Brother Leon, I know this might come a little late but, why do all the adults in our division hate Shin?" Linus whispered softly into Leon''s right ear. He knew that his grandfather and the First Elder were at odds and the Frie Clan members that have pledged allegiance to them would occasionally butt heads whenever they met. However, those squabbles didn''t reach the level of resentment that they had against the orphans, notably Shin. Linus had seen the way some adults from his immediate surroundings look at the black-haired boy. It was as if they were looking at a piece of dung that barred their path. "I don''t know¡­ I was hoping you would know¡­ I don''t understand it either. Remember the Elder told us to note down Shin''s abilities during this trip to see if he would become a potential threat? No matter how I see it, Shin''s amazing healing powers would only serve to benefit the Frie Clan. Did you know that he caused an uproar in the sick bay yesterday?" "No¡­ What happened?" "Shin appeared in the sickbay and started to treat patients left and right. Because of that, a name had begun to circulate in the Keep. They''re calling him the youngest healer in history!" Leon was in a similar position to Linus. Although since they were younger, he was ordered by the Second Elder to make the orphan''s lives miserable, as he matured over the years, he felt that it was a detrimental move. The Frie Clan is in a severe shortage of healers right now so why should they make one of their most talented healer unhappy with the clan? Logically speaking, they should be fawning over Shin, begging him to stay in the clan rather than trying their best to chase him out. "Youngest healer in history? Is that true?" Linus'' eyes widened as he heard the news. To hold such a title was every hot-blooded child''s dream. "It should be¡­ Why would they lie? Hah¡­ I really don''t know what the Elder is thinking. Is it really worth it to antagonise the First Elder just for the sake of Shin and the orphans?" "..." Linus and Leon are part of a silent minority in the Second Elder''s division that disagrees with his views about the orphans. However, there was no way that they could publically come out and say that. Even Linus, who was the one closest to the Second Elder, didn''t understand why the adults in his division have such a burning hatred of the orphans. "Hah¡­ Whatever, we''ll just see how it goes¡­ What''s more important is that we ensure that Aldrich''s Keep doesn''t fall..." Sighing, Leon rubbed Linus'' hair as he stared at Shin walking over towards Lady Seph. For now, the most pressing issue was for the Keep to remain standing so that powerful Spirit Beasts would not threaten the area surrounding Frie Mountain. ~~~ "Master..." "Hmmm? Oh, Shin¡­ What''s wrong?" The black-haired youth pulled his Master''s robes to gain her attention. Thankfully, this time, she responded to his call. "Master, is something bothering you? You''re not behaving like you usually would..." "*Yip!* *Yip!*." As if agreeing with Shin, Bingbing squealed out loud, drawing the attention of both Commander Alwig and the Shrine Maiden, who were standing behind the elderly woman. "Hahaha, looks like I can''t hide much from you two¡­ Yeah, it''s a long story but to put it simply, some assholes have messed with something that they should not have." "Messed with something? What is it?" "Something man should never ever do..." Lost in her cryptic speech, Shin tilted his head in confusion. Sensing that Lady Seph didn''t wish to continue her explanation lest she gave out too much information, the only other person who knew of the elderly woman''s thoughts, Commander Alwig, butted in the conversation. "Hi there, you must be Shin! The Lady''s esteemed disciple! I''m Alwig!" Reaching out his hand, the Spirit King put forth an amiable smile and sought for a handshake with the black-haired teen. Stunned by the knight''s sudden gesture, Shin''s hands started to quiver as he accepted the handshake. "Hi..." "Hahaha, don''t be so nervous! In fact, I''m the one who''s supposed to be nervous! I''m meeting the youngest healer in history after all!" Evidently, the nickname that Shin had gained spread like wildfire after his actions at the sick bay yesterday. Even the high and mighty Commander Alwig heard of that moniker. "Hah¡­ If only the Empire''s younger generation of healers had half your talent¡­ Back at the Imperial Military Academy, I rarely got the chance to meet any healers because of how scarce they were!" "Imperial Military Academy?" Hearing the unfamiliar term, Shin wore a puzzled expression. "You''ve never heard of Imperial Military Academy?! It''s where we send the most talented youths to train! Hmmm, in fact, why don''t I write you a recommendation letter? I''m sure the principal would be delighted to accept you!" Casually tossing out a suggestion, Commander Alwig began poaching for talents. The military was currently recruiting gifted enlistees, and Shin was precisely what they needed. Naturally, his thoughtless words were met with wrath from both Lady Seph and the Shrine Maiden. "Shut the hell up, Alwig! I''m not letting Shin into the military!" "That''s right! Shin belongs to our Frie Clan! We can''t let you take him!" "*YIP!* *YIP!*." Comically, the one with the most extreme reaction was a certain snowy white gerbil. Baring her fangs and claws at the charming knight, Bingbing threatened to bite the man''s head off he said another word. "Woah, Woah! Just making small talk! Don''t get so up in arms about it!" Raising his two hands, Commander Alwig wore a defeated expression, seeing that his attempt to gain a new talent for the military had failed. "Never joke about that again, Alwig..." "I got it¡­ I apologise, my Lady..." "Hah, good that you know¡­ Anyway, are we reaching the site soon?" The objective of the expedition today was to investigate the recently crashed defence mechanisms that the Keep had placed. Lady Seph wanted to personally examine the site, and in the meantime, if there are any weaker Spirit Beasts that appeared, the teenagers that were with them could gain their first taste of fighting against one of those vicious Beasts. "Yes, we are. If we continue on this path, we will be there within fifteen minutes." "Good, let us not waste any more time..." Chapter 131 The Uncharted Wilderness 2 Aldrich''s Keep was the Himmel Empire''s primary shield against the savage Spirit Beasts of the Uncharted Wilderness, and the main reason that they could do so were the defensive mechanisms that the army had placed inside checkpoints of the spooky woodlands. Typically between one to five kilometres deep, the checkpoints served as both a sentry station and a barrier to keep wandering Spirit Beasts from venturing anywhere near the Keep. At each checkpoint, there was some necessary weaponry to attack the beasts, but most importantly, it housed a device called the Tlachlo Trap. Named after the person who created this device, the Tlachlo Trap, also known as the Tlachlo Lantern, was a simple lamp that emitted a pungent stench that could only be picked up by Tier 3 Spirit Beasts and above due to their oversensitive noses. Once turned on, it could be used to either deter or attract those beasts based on the needs of the Keep. Usually, the checkpoints would use Tlachlo Trap to deter Spirit Beasts from roaming near the Keep. However, during the time period of the purge, the reverse setting would be used to initiate a Beast Horde, so that the valiant soldiers of the Keep could clear out potential threats that stayed near the borders of the Himmel Empire. The real reason why Aldrich''s Keep is facing this crisis was due to the fact that many of their checkpoints which housed the Tlachlo Trap had been burnt to ashes, and the perpetrators had seemed to turn the lanterns on to attract the beasts, causing hordes of them to prowl out from hiding and target the poor citizens living in the fort. Thankfully, the walls of the Keep had been sturdy enough, and the talent defending it was amongst the best in the business. However, even the most stalwart warrior gets tired. In the past few weeks, the Keep has been on high alert since the first day they discovered that the checkpoints were being brought down. Adding to the fact that they had already been through numerous battles, the soldiers were quickly reaching their limits. Thus, it was imperative for Lady Seph to visit the Keep and agree to work side-by-side with the fatigued fighters to boost their morale and overall optimism that they could survive this crisis. Of course, hiring such an esteemed healer wasn''t without a cost. It could be said that now that she was in the Keep, her authority would only be second to the General himself. Wherever she wanted to go, she went. Whoever she wanted to escort her, would drop down everything that they had to attend to her. Visiting the most recent fallen checkpoint was something that she had wanted to do the instant she heard the full story. Guessing that the criminals that caused the damage might leave some clues about their whereabouts and motives, Lady Seph ordered that a guide bring her along to the decimated area. And decimated it was. Charred wood and pitch black ashes were littered all around the small patch of land that was once a checkpoint. The elemental spiritual energies surrounding the area were at disarray signifying that a battle between Spirit Users had once occurred on this flat land. According to the General, the checkpoint towers were usually made of a mixture of enhanced brick and the toughest of woods, capable of withstanding even an all-out attack from a Tier 7 Spirit Beast. For it to go down, and go down that quickly, it must have been an ambush by a coordinated human criminal group. "When did this checkpoint go down again?" Lady Seph asked Commander Alwig. "Three days ago¡­ We wanted to investigate, but then the Beast Horde had already gathered and was ready to attack." Whenever there was an attack on the checkpoint, the General would send a team of investigators to gather clues about the assault as soon as possible to avoid possible contamination by weather, wild animals or anything under the sun. Unfortunately, this time a Beast Horde was waiting directly outside of the Keep, preventing them from responding on time. "Too bad then¡­ Let''s see what we can find." Closing her eyes, Lady Seph began to glow in a radiant golden light as a blurry silhouette of a woman dressed in white appeared behind her. Spirit particles congregated around the elderly woman, filling the area with a dense spiritual pressure that bore down on every single soul nearby. Shin, who was used to this sight, remained unfazed but his friends were feeling something drastically different. Ariel, the twins, Linus and Leon all felt their throats closing up, and the pressure forced them to slightly bend their bodies. As for the higher-level Spirit Users, they were able to merely stand comfortably among the pressure, while marvelling over Shin''s amazing endurance. Commander Alwig especially. Not only was Shin a great healer but his physical attributes were top-notch. If not for Lady Seph''s existence, he would have long dragged the black-haired boy into the military by any means necessary. The blonde elderly woman realised that her actions were improper and immediately lightened the pressure being emitted from the Iofiel Angel, instantly allowing the children around Shin to catch a breath. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Shin, how can you endure that?!" Ella, who had just received a culture shock from experiencing Lady Seph''s summoning firsthand, questioned the only teen who was unperturbed by the immense pressure. "Well, if you meet her ''Light of Love'' every single day, that pressure is nothing." Sighing bitterly, the black-haired youth explained his circumstances. After the numerous discipline sessions that Lady Seph had bestowed upon Shin, his endurance for spiritual pressure and pain as a whole had reached an entirely new threshold. In fact, he was confident that he could face the Instructor''s fists head on and not feel as much pain as he did before. "Oh, I see..." Feeling sorry for resurfacing her friend''s psychological traumas, Ella tapped the boy''s shoulders while giving him an encouraging smile. Meanwhile, Lady Seph who was oblivious to her disciple''s rants used the Iofiel Angel to scout the vicinity while sending her mana outwards, in search for the smallest of clues. "Found something..." Lady Seph nonchalantly whispered out. Walking over to a burnt pile of ashes, the elderly woman coated her hand with a thick golden coating and stretched her long fingers down into the ground. It didn''t take long for her to discover her target. Pulling out a blunted shuriken star, Lady Seph used her mana to clean the roasted weapon and raised it high into the air for everyone to see. "A shuriken star? Why would that be here?" "Most probably one of the attacker''s weapons¡­ Alwig, you said that there was a Tlachlo Trap situated here. Where would it usually be? And can you tell if it was destroyed or stolen away." Lady Seph addressed the only person who knew about the attacks on the checkpoints. "The attackers'' modus operandi always remains the same. First, they create a distraction by controlling beasts to attack the checkpoint tower. How they commanded the beasts is still a mystery that we have not solved. Secondly, they sneak into the tower and locate the Tlachlo Trap. Once found, they would send all their manpower to either steal and destroy the lantern. Finally, they would burn down the entire checkpoint to cover their tracks." "I see¡­ Alwig, keep hold of this and give it to Anmac. I''m sure he has better uses for this compared to any of us here..." "Of course, my Lady." Solemnly nodding while receiving the shuriken star, the original magnificence that the commander had exuded a day prior seemed to have vanished as he turned into an errand boy for the elderly woman. "Oh, just our luck! Looks like there will be a party soon..." Staring into the depths of the forest, Lady Seph''s eyes brightened, and her ears twitched as she said those ominous words. Following her gaze, the Shrine Maiden, Commander Alwig and all of the Spirit Lords directed their attention to the quiet and spooky woodlands. ''As usual, her senses are terrifying!'' After Lady Seph, the first one to discover the oddity was the Shrine Maiden. Approximately five kilometres deeper into the Uncharted Wilderness, the Shrine Maiden could sense a faint disturbance, similar to that of the beast horde that they faced yesterday, albeit on a much smaller scale. Likewise, Commander Alwig noticed the disruption and with one swinging motion, summoned out the silver claymore that obliterated any beasts that it faced. "Everyone! Summon out your Spirits! We''ve got company!" Raising his Sword Spirit up to his face, Commander Alwig bent his knees and assumed a combat stance, ready to receive the imminent threat. Red spirit particles started to emit out from his body as the blade of his claymore turned red-hot and formed a sacred orange flame. "Finally!" Ariel''s blood boiled with excitement as her face became flushed. With a smile that extended from ear to ear, the fiery young girl summoned out her Lava Warhammer causing the immediate temperature of the humid rainforest to rise drastically, stunning both Lady Seph and Commander Alwig. The dark red glow that shone out from the primal markings of the Spirit made the bludgeon ten times more menacing than any other Warhammer while the bits of lava that dripped onto the floor from its face made it seem one with nature. "Hoho, to think that this girl also had a Spirit that was baptised in a natural phenomenon. Edward, that bastard, how much else is he hiding from me." Although Lady Seph knew Ariel for almost three years, she had no idea what her Spirit was or what abilities she possessed. The elderly woman had always seen the girl as her disciple''s carry-on as whenever Lady Seph met Ariel, it was always with Shin around. However, after seeing the Lava Warhammer, the seasoned healer knew that she had to reassess her image of the scarlet-haired girl. Commander Alwig, on the other hand, was seeing another prospective talent that he could rope into the military; but he had to put away that thought for a later time. The twins'' Ice Bows once again made an appearance as both Ella and Emma look more composed as they summoned out arrows of ice out of thin air and nocked them onto the crystalline string of their Spirits. Now that they were both at Rank 8, they had enough mana to effortlessly fire over a hundred ice arrows. Also, their strikes and defences had become much more potent after cultivating the Crystal Toxotai Mantra. As for Shin, the only two means of attack that he had was the two gourds situated on his belt. Uncorking both of them, the young teen brought out a string of transparent water created by The Sovereign Koi and allowed it to encircle his body before forming it into a ball that remained levitating in the air. Being a Spirit Apostle, Shin''s control over his created water had drastically improved, and manoeuvres like that were as simple as breathing to him. Doing the same to the nerve-paralysing liquid in the second flask, Shin now had two balls of fluids orbiting around him like planets to a star. Staying close to the children, Ines and Marric too summoned out their Spirits and remained vigilant. On the other side, Songath and Slystan stood in front of Linus and Leon. After all, to protect the children was their utmost priority. "They''re here!" Bursting out from the jungle, mana-filled Spirit Beasts bared their fangs at the unwelcomed visitors as the elements in the air vibrated in trepidation. Finally, it was Shin''s first battle with the vicious beasts of the Uncharted Wilderness. Chapter 132 The Uncharted Wilderness 3 The trembling of the ground thickened with every passing second as hundreds of vicious Spirit Beasts broke through the thick bushes of the woodlands. Wolves, bears, apes, boars that had absorbed spiritual energy over the years had evolved into mana hungry Beasts that could manipulate the elements. Some of the Spirit Beasts had even begun to deform and took on hideous attributes that suited their fighting style. Thankfully, the horde of beasts that had been set loose was rather weak, with only a handful of them reaching Tier 3 and above. Nonetheless, having over a hundred beasts stampeding towards them was not pleasant. Swinging his flaming claymore, Commander Alwig landed the first blow. Coating himself with a brilliant red aura, the handsome blonde knight leapt over twenty metres in the air and locked onto a central target. When the destructive flames on his sword reached its peak, Commander Alwig swooped down from his position, like a meteor crashing into the Earth. "Death from above!" Instantly incinerating a large chunk of the Spirit Beasts, Commander Alwig dispersed the horde, sending the creatures into a state of disarray. At this moment, Ines flashed a mischievous smile as she addressed the youths under her care: "Guys! Now''s your chance! While the Spirit Beasts are confused, you can take this chance to take care of them!" If not for the overall strength of the beast horde, there was no way that Ines would allow Shin and the others to risk their lives. Merging with her Ainu Flame Wolf Spirit, Ines'' physical and sensory attributes had been heightened to the limit. Should the Ariel or the orphans fall into any harm, she had ample time to react and protect them. "Finally!" No longer willing to wait, Ariel spun her gigantic Lava Warhammer as if it were a wooden broomstick and bolted straight to a nearby furry Earthen Bear that had its hind legs turned into solid rock. Its eyes were reddened, as if in a frenzy, and its jaws heavily disfigured, possibly due to a fight with a rival Spirit Beast. With claws sharper than a falcon''s beak, anything that got in the path of its paw swing would be brutally mauled apart in less than a fraction of a second. "Wait, Ariel! Damn it, Ella! Emma! Give us some support!" Chasing after the fiery scarlet-haired girl, Shin controlled the two orbs of water revolving around him as he instructed his two archers to provide some cover. "Gotcha!" Releasing their nocked arrows, the icy bolts sliced through the air and targeted the Earthen Bear that stood over two metres tall. Unfortunately, it wasn''t so easy to damage a seasoned Spirit Beast. Swinging its meaty arms, the Earthen Bear swiped the two ice arrows away with ease as it growled out in anger. Although the Tier 2 Spirit Beast was slower than average, it made up for its weaknesses using the thick hide and enormous physical strength that it possessed. "Haha! So what if you''re strong? Can you take my hammer?!?!" The Lava Warhammer in Ariel''s hands started to glow in a dim primal light, and small amounts of lava started to leak out from the insides of the bludgeon. Pumping in more mana into the Spirit, Ariel ferociously slammed the glowing Warhammer into the outreached arms of the Earthen Bear. Activating her first spiritual ability, a pool of lava leaked out from the head of her Spirit and spilt all over the beast, melting the bulky coat of fur on its arms in an instant. "*OOOOAOOOOARRR!!!*." Groaning out in pain, the Earthen Bear took one step back and released the Lava Warhammer. Enraged at the little girl that caused it so much agony, it lifted one of its hind legs and directed a straight kick at Ariel, who was within arm''s length. Initially, Ariel thought that with her first attack, the beast would have at least been blown over five metres away. However, since its hind legs were made of solid rock, it stood rooted to the ground, unmoving at the fiery girl''s massive assault. Unsure of how to evade the attack, Ariel brought her Lava Warhammer close to herself as she braced for impact. However, the pain that she had expected to receive never came. Before the Earthen Bear''s paws made contact with her milky flesh, a ball of water came in between the two and halted the vicious beast''s talon-sharp nails. "Explode!" Sending a surge of mana to the water sphere, Shin willed for it to detonate. Both Ariel and the Earthen Bear felt the full force of the explosion, but since Ariel was many times lighter than the Tier 2 Spirit Beast, she was sent flying backwards while the bear remained unmoving. "Phew! Thanks, Shin! You''ve saved me there!" Somersaulting twice to regain her bearings, Ariel landed square on the forest floor next to the black-haired youth. If Shin had not rescued her, although her sturdy body might be able to escape severe wounds, light injuries were inevitable. "Ariel, we can''t be too brash! The Earthen Bear has one of the toughest stances among Tier 2 Spirit Beasts. Knocking it over is near impossible for us!" "Oh, and you''re an expert in this after reading one book?" "No, I just remembered the Spirit Beasts that frequent Aldrich''s Keep..." Ariel was referring to the time where Shin was forced to memorise a book about Spirit Beasts given by his Master. Truth to be told, the young girl didn''t believe that her childhood friend could remember so much information in such a small amount of time, but thankfully, Shin was that smart. Otherwise, she would have been rolling on the floor in distress right now. "For the Earthen Bear, its weaknesses are its eyes and the underside of its shoulder joints! We should aim for those!" "You mean its armpits?" "Exactly! Since its extremely slow, we should be able to aim for those parts with ease. Did you catch that Emma, Ella?" "Loud and clear!" Shin deliberately shouted out instructions at a volume that the twins at the back would be able to hear. While the four of them were working together to deal with a singular enemy, Ines and Marric were busy clearing the area so that the children could safely hunt the Earthen Bear. Once they heard the black-haired youth''s orders, they both flashed a prideful smirk and glanced over at the group sent by the Second Elder. Although on average, their strengths were above Shin and the others, their knowledge of the Spirit Beasts that they were facing was lacklustre at best. Linus was using his Niji Swift Spirit to rapidly attack the Tier 1 Spirit Beast standing in his path, not knowing that the more he poked the beast, the angrier it got. The other Rank 9 Spirit Apostles that came with Linus weren''t doing all that well either. Each facing against a single Tier 1 Spirit Beast, they barely even got on even footing with the beasts before Songath or Slystan had to bail them out. Only Leon, who was older and much more experienced was able to effortlessly take down a Tier 1 Spirit Beast before heading over to help Linus with his target. Creating one more ice arrow, both Ella and Emma aimed straight at the weak spots of the Earthen Bear that Shin had mentioned. Needless to say, it was a fruitless endeavour as the Bear simply swatted the two icicles away as they were annoying flies hovering about its honeypot. "We can''t damage it! Its reflexes are too good!" "Damn it! Ariel, we need to create a distraction so that the twins arrows can connect!" "On it!" Wielding her Lava Warhammer up high once more, Ariel bolted forward at the tall and lanky Earthen Bear with Shin following close behind. "I''m over here furry furry furry!" Mocking the Beast, Ariel swung her Spirit around in a frenzy to catch the bear''s attention. If it could move from its position, there was a higher chance that a window of opportunity would open for Emma and Ella to fire their arrows at its weak spots. "*OOOOARREOOOORRR!!!*." Evidently enraged by the little girl''s taunts, the Earthen Bear began to emit a brownish-beige aura as the earth elementals danced around it. Mana being released from the insides of its body filled the stale air of the verdant forest and soon, the ground under the Shin and Ariel shook violently, as if in terror of what''s to come. "What the!" All of a sudden, spikes of earth rose from the feet of the duo forcing them to use body enhancement techniques to quickly evade the attack. The spikes continued to grow, and soon, the place where Shin and Ariel first stood at had been turned into a Thornfield that barred any entry. "Hey, Shin! Why didn''t you tell me it could do that?!" Blaming the black-haired teen next to her, Ariel shot Shin a vengeful glare, thinking that he had withheld information. "I don''t know EVERYTHING! Why don''t you read some books for yourself?!" "HAH?! You wanna go right now?!" "Ermmm, guys¡­ Please don''t start a fight right in front of the enemy..." Letting go a dejected sigh, Ella reminded the foolish couple that they were currently facing a powerful Tier 2 Spirit Beast. "Yeah, yeah! Let''s get this asshole first!" Once more, Ariel dashed forward at blinding speeds, leaving a red trail of light behind her. Enhanced by her mana, Ariel''s body now could withstand extreme pressures and velocities. Sending much more mana than she did before, the Lava Warhammer started to glow in a blinding light instead of a dim radiance. "What''s she doing?" It was the first time that Shin had seen Ariel perform that manoeuvre. Curious about what was going to happen, Shin quickly trailed the path of his childhood friend. "Shin, watch this! My second spiritual ability! I call it the eight-pronged combo!" Once Ariel was within arm''s reach of the Earthen Bear, the Lava Warhammer buzzed out a low murmur as it molten light reached its peak. Swinging the heavy bludgeon from the right-hand side, Ariel shouted out: "THE FIRST HIT!" Closing in the distance, the Lava Warhammer moved at a speed that Shin could not follow with his eyes as it connected with the chin of the Tier 2 Spirit Beast. Leaving a significant amount of lava in its wake, the Spirit nearly melted off the entire snout of the deformed Earthen Bear. However, Ariel was not done. "THE SECOND HIT!" Using the leftover inertia from the initial attack, Ariel spun around once and thrust out the hammerhead onto the abdomen of the rooted bear. Similar to the first hit, the second hit contained a heap load of lava in its midst and rendered the thick fur that the Earthen Bear used for defence obsolete. "THE THIRD HIT!" "THE FOURTH HIT!" Continuing her relentless attack, much to the horror of Shin and the other onlookers, Ariel made the Tier 2 Spirit Beast look like a mere punching bag that she used to train with on a daily basis. Since the Earthen Bear was extremely slow, it had no choice but to withstand the pain that it was dealt with using the thick hide and mana strengthened body that it had. Nonetheless, every single one of the onlookers, took one step back, in fear that a stray lava droplet might be sprayed into their area. ''*Gulp!*. I must never cross Ariel ever again¡­ I don''t want to suffer from that eight-pronged attack!'' Mentally making a side-note to never piss off this short-tempered girl anymore, Shin rotated the two liquid orbs around him, ready to form a water barrier to protect himself from the lava that was flowing around everywhere. "THE EIGHT HIT! How''s that big guy?!" Finally completing her combo, Ariel left the two-metre tall bear covered with molten lava from head to toe, that melted every single strand of fur that it had. Relying on its dense muscles and solid hide, the Earthen Bear convulsed violently as it tried to shake off the remnants of the lava. "Damn it, what are you made of?! How are you still alive?!" Ariel cried out in exasperation. However, she was not the only one who was stunned. Shin, the twins and even Ines who was overseeing their entire fight were all greatly taken aback. How could a mere Tier 2 Spirit Beast survive that deadly onslaught and still remain to stand? "*OOOOARRRRRRR!!!!*." Growling out in anger, the Earthen Bear lunged forward, hoping to tear the little critter that had caused it so much pain from limb to limb. However, in that moment of anger, it had forgotten to protect its weak spots, giving Emma an opportunity to target the undersides of its arms. The crystalline arrow whistled through the air and pierced deep into the flesh of the Earthen Bear, causing it to moan out in agony. "Nice one, Emma!" Finding the perfect opportunity, Shin bolted forward and controlled the orb of liquid containing the paralysing agent to come forward. Taking the chance when the Earthen Bear was squealing in anguish, Shin sent the sphere of water straight at the opened wound causing the drug to rapidly enter the Spirit Beast''s blood flow and quickly incapacitating it; And as expected, the Earthen Bear stumbled around like an old drunkard before falling flat onto the forest floor. Chapter 133 Somethings Not Right! 1 The collapse of the Earthen Bear caused the ground to tremble as its enormous weight slammed onto the grassy floor. To ensure that the Earthen Bear had truly fallen, Ariel used her Lava Warhammer and smashed the meaty skull of the Spirit Beast, leaving a puddle of molten lava. Among the Beast Horde, the vast majority of the Spirit Beasts were brainless, savage Tier 1 beasts that wildly trampled through everything that stood in its path. Commander Alwig and the other Spirit Lords were responsible for thinning down their numbers while the youths with them fought with the stronger Tier 2 Spirit Beasts to boost their overall strengths. Lazily moving her eyes to track the movements of both the horde of beasts and her disciple, Lady Seph stroked her wrinkled chin as she fell into deep contemplation. Was it truly so coincidental that when they first stepped foot on the fallen tower, a beast horde would suddenly appear? ''There''s nothing to it¡­ Let me try to search for other clues...'' Resummoning out the Iofiel Angel, Lady Seph coated herself with a radiant golden splendour and rose up high out of the canopies and into the emergent layer. The Uncharted Wilderness was mainly a rainforest with trees reaching one kilometre in height at their peak. Typically, it was not wise for a Spirit User to fly out without proper scouting as powerful Spirit Beasts, such as Tier 8 or Tier 9 monsters, loved to roam the highest levels of the Uncharted Wilderness. However, Lady Seph didn''t care one bit if she attracted one of those beasts. Once she was satisfied with the height, the elderly blonde woman willed for the Iofiel Angel behind of her to create a ball of light, brighter than the most powerful of flames. For those below, it was as if a second sun had appeared in the cloudless morning sky. The younger members of the expedition had no choice but to turn their heads to prevent the glare from blinding their eyes. "What is she doing?" Ariel used her Lava Warhammer to decimate a nearby Tier 1 Spirit Beast before asking the elderly woman''s sole disciple. "I don''t know! I''ve never seen her do that before!" Not even Shin, who had spent three years next to Lady Seph, knew what the elderly blonde woman was trying to accomplish. Over the years, the only abilities that he had seen her display were her healing and paralysing light. Given that she was a Spirit Emperor, there were many other abilities that she had not shown to the youth. Not caring about the chatter down below, Lady Seph congregated her mana to its maximum before letting it burst out in a radar-like manner. It was as if an explosion that threatened to destroy all life within it had detonated, filling the entire vicinity with a blinding light. Oddly enough, when Shin and the others were exposed to the luminescent glow, all they felt was a comfortable, warm sensation crawl up their skins, as if they were greeted by a pleasant sea breeze. "Found it!" The light shone for less than ten seconds, but during that time, it gave Lady Seph all the information she needed. In a remote corner of the Uncharted Wilderness, ten kilometres away, there was a small cave that was camouflaged really well. With mossy ferns and grassy patches, if someone didn''t know better, they would assume that it was a natural hill mould. Unfortunately, their disguise was not good enough to hide from the Spirit Emperor''s sensory prowess. Turning into a ball of light, Lady Seph flew at a speed that no mere human could track and targeted the new discovery that she had made. Commander Alwig, noticing that the elderly woman had found something of importance, sliced the final Tier 3 Spirit Beast of the horde before barking out: "You guys stay here! I''ll provide the Lady with back-up! The remainder of the horde are all Tier 1 and 2 Spirit Beasts, so you should be able to handle them!" The first thing that Commander Alwig did when he saw the beast horde was to identify all the dangerous threats of the group. With his Rank 63 Spirit King cultivation, furthermore owning a pure attack Spirit, decimating the Tier 3 Spirit Beasts were a cake''s walk for him. After a few short minutes, the hundred-strong beast horde had been reduced down to just a handful thus giving the assurance that he needed to leave the group unattended. Similarly turning into a ball of red light, Commander Alwig disappeared into the forest, hoping to catch the trail of the esteemed healer, leaving behind Shin and the others to fend for themselves. "Alright guys, I think that you guys can take care of the remainder, I''ll be watching over you!" Ines, who still merged with her Ainu Flame Wolf, gave Shin, Ariel and the twins a mischievous wink before turning around to provide Marric with a nod. Among the elites of the First Elder division, Marric was one of the most trusted. Keeping an eye out on Songath and Slystan, Marric halted his attacks on the Tier 1 Spirit Beasts. Noticing the middle-aged man''s gaze, the two Spirit Lord brothers did the same. Since there was no immediate danger, it was the perfect chance for the youths that came with them to train against vicious Spirit Beasts of the Uncharted Wilderness. Linus and Leon were the first to act. Not wanting to be overshadowed by Shin and Ariel, Linus used his Niji Swift and quickly attacked a nearby Tier 1 Spirit Beast that lacked the agility to dodge his attacks. Leon, on the other hand, kept a safe distance while protecting any random beasts from attack the young boy''s rear. The other two Rank 9 Spirit Practitioners likewise tried their best to keep up with their young master''s pace, but since they lacked the training, the fell short when it came to fighting their enemies. "Shin! Cover me!" Due to Ariel''s excessive swinging of her Lava Warhammer, the forest floor that she had fought in had turned into a landfill of lava, similar to the aftermath of a volcanic eruption. Well, since the scarlet-haired girl had been barred from letting loose in recent days, Ariel was like a pent-up volcano. Everytime her Lava Warhammer bludgeon a savage Spirit Beast to death, she felt her tension that she had built up over the days being released all at one shot. Still holding the cute little cerulean Koi in his hand, Shin orbited the two spheres of liquid while flashing a bitter smile at the twins who were covering their backs. Emma and Ella giggled at Shin''s helpless reaction, nocking another ice arrow in the process. With Ariel leading the charge, the three Spirit Users behind her must do their best to support her in her exploits in any way possible. Due to Shin''s expert directions, the fiery little redhead was able to evade any certain death situations while the twins could identify the weak points of the beasts that they were facing; and at the centre of their operation, the black-haired teenager used a mixture of his paralysing Bit by bit, the team cleared out the remainder of the horde. Linus and Leon were doing well too. Now that they were getting the hang of killing beasts, their cleaning operation rapidly increased, with Linus leading the charge. In less than thirty minutes, the last Spirit Beast of the horde was mercilessly smashed by a certain scarlet-haired girl''s Amazonian-like Warhammer, bringing an end to their conflict. ~~~ Traversing ten kilometres in a blink of an eye, Lady Seph made sure to scan the vicinity once more to check for signs of life. As expected, in that short period of time, there was no way that those trapped in the cave could efficiently escape. The moment Lady Seph''s light reached the cavern, the members hiding inside knew that their position was compromised. Frantically trying to destroy all evidence that they were here, the ground shook violently as they scurried about in their abode. "Hmph! Trying to run huh?" Nevertheless, there was no way that Lady Seph would allow them to continue destroying evidence. The Iofiel Angel levitating next her begun opened up her heavenly mouth as a melodious tune filled the verdant land. In her hands, a golden harp, designed with intricate carvings played a beautiful song as the angel''s creamy white fingers plucked gently on the tightly stung cords. "[Sleep!]" In an authoritative voice, Lady Seph barked out her orders. She had just used one of her trademark abilities, ''Words of the Angel.'' By utilising the powers of the legendary Iofiel Angel, she was able to use that ability to heal wounds, force people to enter a deep slumber and to a certain extent, order the recipient of her ability to do her bidding. However, such a powerful ability was not without its limitations. It was only able to work if the person she is using it on had a much lower cultivation level than herself. Thankfully, she was currently a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor. There were very little people on the face of this earth that had the capabilities to resist her ''Words of the Angel.'' Falling down like flies, the people in the cave began to feel their minds becoming clouded and their vision, blurry. The song that was being played continued to fill the area even affecting nearby innocent animals. Tracking down Lady Seph using the hymn that was making animals enter the Garden of Hypnos, Commander Alwig finally noticed the cave that was so expertly hidden. Since his cultivation wasn''t low, the blonde knight could firmly resist the urge to lie down on the lovely grassy floor and let his mind enter into a state of hypnosis. However, it wasn''t easy. It went to show how potent Lady Seph''s abilities were. ''Phew, luckily she''s not our enemy this time...'' Thanking his lucky stars that the elderly woman was not here at Aldrich''s Keep to wreak havoc, Commander Alwig raised his flaming claymore and broke down the barriers preventing outsiders from entering the cavern. "After you, my Lady." Falling down from the air, Lady Seph gave the knight a slight nod before proceeding to enter the broken down door. The cave was extremely simple. Not many changes had been made from its natural appearance as bits of paper could be seen littered all over the room. Fallen bodies of men and women lay flat on the floor, some even snoring out loud, oblivious to the fact that the enemy had infiltrated their base. But this base of operations was no some run off the mill settlement, formed by some average criminal syndicate. The faces of the slumbering individuals all were obscured by the pure obsidian-coloured masks, the signature of their organisation. "The Black Masks! And so many of them!" Commander Alwig exclaimed. It was rare to even see one Shura from the Black Masks let alone the twenty-odd number of them lying on the floor. Evidently, they were preparing for something massive. "Look, my Lady! There''s the Tlchalo Traps!" On a nearby table, three green lanterns, all emitting a small, odourless fog, lay ominously as if waiting for people to discover it. "Alwig¡­ Something''s not right¡­ You go ahead and get as much evidence that you can lay your hands on. I need to investigate the inner parts of this cave..." Although they had gotten a massive haul by capturing the enemy base, Lady Seph didn''t feel joyful in the slightest. Her heart couldn''t shake off this feeling of unease that she had the moment she set foot into this cave. "Yes!" Saluting the elderly woman, Commander Alwig flashed a triumphant smile and went on to retrieve the Tlchalo Traps, unaware of the danger that he was in. "Hah¡­" Breathing out a huge sigh, Lady Seph willed the Iofiel Angel to follow her tracks as she walked further into the humid and dark cave. Chapter 134 Somethings Not Right 2 The damp cave was exuding a faint earthy aroma, and the deeper Lady Seph trekked, the more potent the stench became. In the central area of the cave, where all the fallen Black Masks were, small lanterns illuminated the creepy facility, giving some semblance of life in the depressing place. However, as Lady Seph went deeper and deeper, the torches and lamps that lit up the path oddly disappeared, as if not trying to disturb what lay at the end of the tunnel. Lifting up her palm, the elderly woman created a small ball of light that helped her to navigate the area. When she used her sensory abilities earlier on, she felt a faint disturbance, one of the which she had never felt before, hidden deep inside the cavern. No matter how much she tried to rub it off as her imagination, the uneasy feeling in her heart kept piling up. Placing her left hand on her chest, the elderly woman tried her best to calm herself. Perhaps at the end of the path, she would not find anything, and it was all just a figment of her imagination? Careful not to make any sudden movements, Lady Seph took slowly approached the end of the tunnel, one step at a time. The hibernating bats hanging from the ceiling screeched in annoyance as the light that she created blinded their nocturnal eyes and flapped their wings around, creating a chilling wind in the already frightening cave. Ignoring the little critters flying above her head, the elderly blonde woman saw a large wooden door, barring entry into the final area of the cave. The door had been crudely placed, with strands of rope hanging from the handle of the door. Being exposed to such a damp area had caused the wood on the door to break apart with bits of brown mould growing from its gaps. It was a rather simple door, yet whenever Lady Seph tried to move her hands up to push it open, alarm bells start ringing in her mind, as if once she opens this door, her life would change forever. As a veteran healer that fought in countless battlefields, Lady Seph prided herself on being knowledgeable, resourceful and even humble in the face of adversary, to a certain extent. However, the one thing that she prided herself the most on was her supernatural instinct. It was not a spiritual ability nor was it a trained skill. It was just something that combined both her natural acumen and years of experience, and it had served her well over the years. Following her instincts, she had saved herself multiple times in perilous situations, and currently, her instincts were screaming at her not to open that door. ''Should I...'' If she left the door unopened, she might live to regret that decision as her curiosity would haunt her for as long as she lives. However, if she did open the door, she would sate her inquisitive mind but would live to see the reprecussions of her decision. Fighting the internal battle in her mind for a few seconds, the elderly woman finally steeled herself and reached out for the decrepit handle. Pushing the door open, Lady Seph was greeted by a near empty room. There was nothing on the ceiling, nothing on the floor and nothing on the walls. Similar to the rest of the cave, cold brown rocks enveloped the room, and the damp temperature made the place somewhat humid. It was a simple room, with nothing in it, nothing other than the small black orb levitating at the centre of the room. Under the orb, an altar made of stone that had faces of despair carefully crafted as it looked straight at the floating ball. Once Lady Seph''s eyes made contact with the foreign object, she felt as if a million gazes were laid down onto her and the unsettling feeling that she had earlier on, multiplied itself a thousand times over. The hairs on her wrinkled arms and legs started to stand as she felt her internal temperature drop several degrees. Her bright pupils began to dilate, and her jaw seemed to move by itself, chattering the two sets of teeth together. Clenching her fists, Lady Seph tried to quell the body that was not listening to her instructions. However, it was all for nought. ''I''m¡­ scared?'' Fear. The most primal emotion that had been buried in her heart for all these years started to arise once more. As a peak Spirit Emperor, there were very little things that could cause such an adverse reaction in her body, and it has been years since she felt this way. Her shivering body stood rooted to the ground even though she had willed it to run. Unsure of what to do, Lady Seph took one more look at the dark obsidian orb that lay peacefully until she came to disturb it. "*Mmmmmmmm*." A low buzzing sound that came from the object resonated in the chilling cave. The insides of the black orb seemed to house a violent storm that terrorised the sea as waves of spiritual energy crashed onto its surface. Emitting out a dreadful aura that made Lady Seph nauseous, the levitating orb gathered more mana into its body, causing the room that housed it to tremble in fear. "DAMN IT!" Finally regaining control of her body, a resplendent light shone from the depths of the elderly woman''s body and half of her mana was transferred over to the Iofiel Angel. In less than a fraction of a second, the heavenly woman, floating behind Lady Seph, embraced its master and used its wings to cover the elderly woman, much like how a mother chicken would protect its hatchlings. Initially, Lady Seph thought of running, but it was too late. The black orb that lay at the centre of the room exploded out, obliterating everything it touched. There were no explosives, nor was there any sound. Just pure obliteration. Anything that its light touched would just turn into nothingness. In her cacoon, Lady Seph was able to barely resist the pain and willed her body to escape at the top speed that it could. Trying her best to outrun the wave of death and destruction, the wings that were protecting her started to shine in a divine light. It didn''t take long but soon, Lady Seph was out of the cave that was being eaten up by the disturbing black ray. Commander Alwig, who noticed that something had gone awry, immediately left the moment he felt the frightening mana in the deepest parts of the cave. Thankfully, he acted quick. Otherwise, he would have suffered the exact same fate of the sturdy rocky cave. Hoping that Lady Seph was safe, the blonde knight waited patiently with his Flaming Claymore Sword ready to take down any enemies that came into his path. Seeing the radiant angel light and the familiar mana signature, Commander Alwig heaved a sigh of relief. Seems like the seasoned healer had survived the ordeal. "Lady Seph! Thank goodness you''re safe! If you had perished, I don''t¡­ know¡­ what¡­ huh?" At first, Commander Alwig was just happy that the elderly woman had come out from the blast safe and sound. However, as the wings of the Iofiel Angel unravelled itself, instead of the familiar face that he had served for the past few hours, the knight was greeted by a breathtaking sight, one of the likes that he had never seen before. Luscious blonde hair that was unblemished by the slightest damage flowed like a gentle river to the ends of her waist. High cheekbones and a face that seemed to be void of pores highlighted the pure white complexion that made her look somewhat inhuman. Her bright blue eyes resembled the beautiful everlasting morning sky and one peer into it would enthral even the most celibate of men. Walking out of the Iofiel Angel''s embrace, the gorgeous young woman placed her long barefoot legs onto the forest floor, staining her flawless feet in the process. Gingerly blinking her eyes, the female''s long eyelashes flickered about as she awoke from her stupor. Using the crystal clear eyes of hers, the woman took one hard look at the astonished knight, whose jaws had dropped so low that a ball could fit inside of his mouth. "What?" "L-L-L-Lady Seph?! Is that really you?!" "Huh? Who else could it be? You retard!" All the evidence presented pointed to the fact that the jaw-dropping beauty standing in front of Commander Alwig was the temperamental esteemed healer that he had been following since early this morning. From her adenoidal voice to the robes that she was wearing. However, her current appearance was just too different from the wrinkled elderly woman of before. Instead of looking sultry and voluptuous, the woman that Commander Alwig was looking at was more like a famous sculpture depicting the perfect woman. One would not feel lust when looking at her. Instead, they would marvel at her beauty from a distance, unsure if they were worthy to breathe the same air as her. "Why do you look like that?!" "It''s the side-effect of my ability¡­ To survive that brutal attack, I had to use my greatest self-enhancement spiritual ability that reverts me back to my body''s peak condition. In this mode, my abilities would be twice as effective, and all my physical, mental and physiological reactions would be greatly enhanced. The bad thing about that ability is that I would turn into my younger self and would stay in this body for the next twenty-four hours..." Turning back to take a look at the decimated land that was once the base of the Black Masks, Lady Seph gave out a huge sigh. Adorably pouting her lips, the beautiful woman sniffled in dejection. Although she hated to use this ability, if she hadn''t used it, she would have suffered a similar fate to those who remained unconscious in the cave. "Bad thing you say..." At the esteemed healer''s words, Commander Alwig didn''t know if he should laugh or cry. It was every woman''s dream to remain young forever, and Lady Seph had a spiritual ability that could do just that. However, instead of continuously using it, she scoffed at the idea that she would revert back to her prime years and even found it a burden. "Alwig¡­ What have you recovered?" Oblivious to the blonde knight''s thoughts, Lady Seph started to question him on his haul. "Nothing much. Other than the Tlachlo Lanterns, I managed to salvage one box of paper messages. I wanted to move some of the sleeping Black Masks, but that mana surge came before I could do so. Speaking of which, what was that?" "Something bad¡­ Something really, really bad¡­ Alwig, we need to return to the Keep immediately. Now that whatever it was has blown up this base, I''m sure it would expedite its plans." "W-What is it?" Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, the Spirit King clenched his fists and asked the young, beautiful woman. "I don''t know. But if it could strike that much fear into me, one could only imagine the terror it would cause once unleashed into this world. This Black Masks syndicate is not as simple as a regular criminal organisation. If that thing that I met is leading them, they are strong enough to fight head to head with either one of the three major powers!" Putting forth an ominous prediction, Lady Seph gritted her teeth in annoyance. She was not ignorant. The only reason she survived that encounter was because the entity she faced did not possess its full capabilities. Most likely, every single Black Mask base had a black orb just like the one she came face to face with. If she met the true existence that created that sphere, it was highly possible that she would have been crushed like a house fly without her having a chance to react. "I-Is that so..." Stuttering, Commander Alwig felt a chill run up his spine. If a fearless and seasoned Spirit User such as Lady Seph had so much to say about the enemy, it meant that the threat that they were facing was much more complicated than they first imagined. "Let''s meet up with Shin and the rest first. We have to hurry!" Chapter 135 Somethings Not Right! 3 After the trashing that Shin and the others gave to the beast horde, the entire forest floor of where they stood had turned into a decimated field of ash and lava. Naturally, due to all the contrasting elements that had been utilised in that fight, the spiritual energies in the area were in disarray. "Is anyone injured?" Being the person in charge of the Frie Clan members when they are in Aldrich''s Keep, the Shrine Maiden glanced around at Shin and the others, mainly focusing her eyes on the younger generation. Although the beast horde was cleanly cleared out, there was no getting by light wounds that might have been inflicted on them. "We''re mostly fine!" Ariel, who had a mental understanding that she was the leader of her cell, tapped down the bodies of Shin and the twins before reporting back. For the twins, since they had been assisting from the backlines, they mostly felt fatigued from using ice arrows so many times. In fact, other than their shirts getting a little drenched with sweat, there were no visible oddities with their bodies. On the other hand, Shin and Ariel were acting as the vanguard of the group. Logically speaking, they were subjected to the most dangerous attacks and therefore, had the highest chance of getting gravely injured. Thankfully, due to Ariel''s viciousness and Shin''s keen eye, they had avoided that for the most part. For instance, if not for Shin using his abilities to separate Ariel and the Earthen Bear earlier on, she might have become the black-haired boy''s next patient. Taking this opportunity to cup a feel, the scarlet-haired girl approached her childhood friend with a flushed face and searched every nook and cranny of his body for injuries. Shin, although unwilling at first, for some reason allowed her to do just that after she gave the excuse that it was inevitable. With reddened faces, the pair interacted awkwardly much to the annoyance of the surrounding onlookers. Ines hatefully spatted out while worrying that she might become an old spinster while Ella clucked her tongue, unsure of what Ariel saw in the lazy youth that she grew up with. Emma and the Shrine Maiden, just gave a warm smile as they saw how the duo''s relationship was progressing ever so smoothly. "*Ahem!*. Ariel, if he''s alright, you can take your hands off now." Putting her fist on her mouth, the Shrine Maiden gave out a dry cough while hinting to Ariel that it was not the time or the place to continue with their flirting. Particularly when there was a certain brunette woman who was honestly worried about her future married life. "R-Right! T-There, Shin''s fine! Everyone, Shin''s fine!" Realising that she had gone overboard, the usually hot-blooded girl moved her hands off of Shin''s slender chest while shouting out an excuse. Like an embarrassed hamster, the young girl puffed her cheeks out while pouting her lips, hoping that people would buy her justification. However, no one who heard the girl really believed that she was searching for wounds. "I think brother Leon is injured!" Not knowing how to read the mood, Linus shouted out to the Shrine Maiden, breaking away all attention from the blushing young girl who was stiffly moving her body. Hearing that there was an injury, Shin immediately turned his head and directed his eyes to the Second Elder''s group. When fighting off the beast horde, as the oldest and the one with the highest cultivation level, Leon had been assisting Linus and the other Rank 9 Spirit Practitioners in his cell. During a clash with a Tier 1 Spirit Beast that Linus was fighting, Leon accidentally strained his muscles causing the beast to land a clean hit on his leg and abdomen. Fortunately, his body was sturdy enough to withstand the attacks, but a bruise was inevitable. Moving away from the fiery little girl who had been ''inspecting'' him earlier on, Shin briskly walked to the young adult who was sitting on the floor with a head full of sweat. "What happened?" "It''s nothing¡­ A wound like this would go away after a few hours of rest. Don''t worry about it." A bitter smile crept up the bright-red haired teen''s face. Rubbing the bruise on his left leg, he tried to brush off the pain as something that would heal by itself. Of course, the injury that he sustained was nothing severe, but if left untreated, it would still cause a great deal of pain and perhaps leave a long-time physiological scar. "Shin, please help him¡­ He got injured because of me..." Linus, on the other hand, didn''t buy the excuse. He clearly saw the Spirit Beast connect its paws against Leon''s body and it wasn''t a soft hit either. Although Linus was a rather stoic lad and no one could really tell what he was feeling at any given moment, as Shin peered into his trembling eyes, the black-haired youth could sense genuine fear and concern. Linus knew of Leon''s past bullying of the orphans and was truly afraid that Shin would take that into account and deny to heal the injured youth. ''Hah¡­ I guess I''m too soft...'' To be entirely honest, Shin had some really unpleasant memories pertaining to Leon''s actions in the past. If someone told him back then that in the future, he would volunteer to heal the boy that had been terrorising the orphan''s abode, Shin would have said to him that he was crazy. However, the relationship between Linus and Leon somewhat reminded him of his unhealthy yet amusing relationship with Junius. Although they were not related by blood, the two had formed a bond that was truly thicker than mere familial relations. "Don''t worry Linus, I will treat him to the best of my ability. Leon, please show me your wounds so that I can tend to them, please." Without waiting for approval, Shin uncorked the pure white ceramic gourd labelled ''three'' and pulled out a handful of healing water. For small injuries such as the one Leon had sustained, treating them was as simple as breathing air for Shin. It would cost a little of his mana, but with the replenishment pills that Escred had given him yesterday, the newbie healer could recover the lost spiritual energy in a jiffy. "Alright then..." Songath and Slystan, the two Spirit Lord brothers, sent by the Second Elder, wanted to stop the interaction between Linus and Shin but once the Shrine Maiden''s menacing eyes reached them, they were forced to look the other way. No matter how much they felt that Leon needed treatment, they didn''t want to owe any favours to members of the First Elder''s division, especially Shin, the bastard that they hated the most. Nonetheless, in Aldrich''s Keep, the Shrine Maiden''s words were law. Thus, they could only grit their teeth and report the incident word for word to their master. Lifting up his shirt and rolling up his pants, Leon exposed the two wounds caused by the Spirit Beast that attacked Linus. As expected, since it was a blunt hit, there were no cuts or open wounds. However, a blackened bruise that was the size of a large pear was present at both his damaged areas. Heaving a sigh of relief, Shin relaxed after finding out that he did not need to spend too much mana on an injury of this scale and expertly moved his healing water onto Leon''s abdomen to treat the first wound. The effects of heal practically took place in an instant and as if by magic, the swelling in his muscular stomach started to dissipate. Turning back into the healthy pinkish skin that he once had, Leon''s bruise had all but disappeared, leaving a slight red tinge behind. "I-It heals that fast?!" Leon had heard of Shin''s mystical abilities before but had no way of knowing if it were fact or bloated up rumours. Yet, now that he was receiving the treatment firsthand, he could barely believe his eyes. The pain that had been plaguing him for so long had vanished instantly and visually speaking, it was more shocking. The bruise had disappeared as if it wasn''t there in the first place. "Please bear with me for another minute. Let me tend to the injury on your leg." Oblivious to his patient''s feelings, Shin concentrated on the task at hand and directed his healing water to the hairy left leg of Leon''s. Although to the untrained eye, the two bruises were precisely alike, Shin could instantly tell that the swelling on Leon''s abdomen was more severe. Therefore, only after ensuring that the bruise was fully recovered did he begin on the injury on Leon''s leg. ''If only the two High Elders could see this¡­ Why must there be continued bloodshed?'' The Shrine Maiden smirked joyfully as she saw how careful Shin was being when treating someone from the opposite faction. The two divisions of the clan had been butting heads since the orphan programme had been introduced by the previous Clan Master. Looking at the two, Shin had a more significant reason to hate Leon, and yet, he had put down his grudge to treat the teen that had treated him and his friends so poorly over the years. Judging from the expressions of the Linus and Leon, there was no trace of animosity that the older generation had for the orphans either. If the younger generation could get along this well, why couldn''t those elderly morons do the same? Nonetheless, it was all her wishful thinking. Finishing the final touches on Leon''s injuries, Shin wiped off the beads of perspiration that formed on his forehead and tapped the red-haired teen''s legs. "All fixed up." "Thanks..." Rising up from his crouching position, Shin offered a hand so that Leon could stand. "Shin¡­ Thank you..." Linus, grateful that the black-haired youth had heeded his plea, gave the boy a quick bow, much to the displeasure of Songath and Slystan. They didn''t like the idea that the grandson of their leader had extended such a gesture to their enemy. "No problem. If you''re injured, you can rely on me!" "Thank you..." "Hey if you guys are done hunting, get ready in ten seconds! We need to hurry back to the Keep!" At that moment, a familiar adenoidal voice echoed through the serene woods, breaking the sombre atmosphere that Shin and Linus were sharing. "Master?" Instantly recognising the voice that he had been listening to for the past three years, Shin turned his head to find the direction in which Lady Seph had disappeared to. It had been a short while since she and Commander Alwig had left them and it was about time for them to return. From the depths of the dense forest, two brooding figures appeared from a distance. One of them was the blonde knight donned in a full silver plate armour that had been leading them since the early hours of daybreak. The other one was a breathtaking beauty, one of the likes none of them had ever seen. Ines, Marric, Songath, Slystan and even the Shrine Maiden didn''t know what to think of it. Commander Alwig had disappeared into the forest in pursuit of an elderly woman and had returned with a young beauty instead. Shin, on the other hand, felt all his senses grow cold as he recognised the features of the young woman. Her clothes, her eyes, her hair. Everything about that woman could only indicate one thing. However, the black-haired youth didn''t want to believe it. "M-m-m-master?!" "Of course it''s me you dumbass!" ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ Not part of the chapter so you can skip this if you want to. I added this here since the author''s thoughts can''t exceed 500 words. So QI added the power-vote rankings recently, showing who had used the most stones to vote for my novel. Not surprisingly, the number one fan of this novel is myself (if I may so shamelessly say), with 92 votes. I had expected to be way ahead of the competition but surprisingly, I had only beaten the number two voter by one power stone! With 91 votes, Rem2k narrowly lost out to me even though I had been voting for myself every single day since I started posting on QI. So Rem2k, thank you for your daily support! Of course, I must thank the other voters as well, Simocx07, FL123, FalconW and so many more! I will continue to write and hopefully, bring as much enjoyment as I can to you guys via this novel of mine! Thank you for reading! Chapter 136 Attack! Attack! Attack! 1 "Master! What¡­ You¡­ Wait, I don''t understand¡­ What¡­ What happened to you?!" Exclaiming out at the top of his lungs, Shin pointed his quivering finger at the beautiful young woman that appeared alongside Commander Alwig. Once the Shrine Maiden and the others heard the astonished youth''s claim, they too dropped their jaw and tried to find the link between the maiden, who could easily trample the feelings of those imperial courtesans due to her beauty, and Lady Seph, who was a wrinkled elderly woman who was way past her prime. "Hah¡­ Must I explain this to everyone I meet? To put it short, it''s my ability. There! You happy?! Can we go now?" Trying to cut the conversation short, Lady Seph rolled her eyes in displeasure. Bingbing, who had been at Shin''s side for the entire time, gently nudged her snout on the boy''s cheeks, as if asking what the commotion was all about. Naturally, the snowy white gerbil had seen Lady Seph in this form before and didn''t understand why everyone was making a fuss. "Master! You can become younger?! Or were you young in the first place and liked to roleplay as a granny? Wha..." "Let me cut you off right there o'' precious disciple of mine. One more word out of your mouth and you can get the usual treatment..." Raising her milky white arms, Lady Seph created an orb of brilliant light that Shin had dreaded to see. Jerking violently, Shin stood still like a frozen sculpture and ended all topics pertaining to his Master''s appearance. Truth to be told, a part of his consciousness wanted to reject the fact that this breathtaking charmer of a woman was the same person that ordered him to clean her toilet for the past three years. However, once the familiar light and mana came out, all doubts in his mind just vanished without a trace. "L-Lady Seph, might I ask why you have used that ability? Is it because of that strange mana surge earlier on." While Shin had begun to cower in fear, the Shrine Maiden approached her idol somewhat apprehensively. Not only was Lady Seph a role model for all auxiliary Spirit Users but now she could age backwards too? It was as if she was begging for female Spirit Users to worship her at her feet. Trying her best not to lose herself by being an obsessive fangirl, the woman draped in all white robes gave her theory on what had happened. "Yeah, I had to use my ''Self-rejuvenation'' to escape from that horrid attack." "What was that mana signature anyw..." "*BAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMM!!!*." Before the Shrine Maiden could complete her words, a thunderous roar reverberated through the dense forest, deafening the ears of all those who were near it. Shin and the rest immediately brought their hands to their heads and fell to the grassy floor like puppets being cut from their strings. "ARGHHHH!!!" Moans and groans of the younger generation filled the air as Shin, and the others rolled helplessly on the ground. Their hands, which had been covering their ears, were suddenly stained with a red liquid and at the same time, an excruciating headache, one of which the likes that they had never experienced polluted their minds. The Spirit Practitioners of the group, such as the twins and Linus, were unable to bear the pain any longer and allowed their minds fall into a bottomless abyss, leaving Shin, Ariel and Leon to fend against the pain by themselves. "Damn it!" Waving her hands, Lady Seph created a blanket of healing light that enveloped the fallen children, protecting them from sustaining any further damage. Gritting their teeth, the Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings with the group tried their best to endure the pain by chanting their cultivation techniques and enhancing their bodies with mana. Yet, even after doing all of that, their pain was only alleviated when Lady Seph gave them a protective barrier, similar to the one that she provided to Shin. "W...What¡­ Happened?" Shin rubbed the temples of his forehead as he tried his best to regain his bearings. The crazy sound that he had experienced had left him in a dreary state, unsure if his vision was a dream or reality. Ariel was in the exact same state. Thankfully, she was situated next to Shin and grabbed hold of the black-haired youth''s arms to validate his safety. Lady Seph, the sole person who was unaffected by the blast, furrowed her brows and glanced at her disciple. "Quickly! We have to leave now! Wake up your friends! I didn''t think that it would react so swiftly after finding out..." "Lady Seph! What''s going on?! What was that?!" Ines cried out. There were very little things that could shake Ines to her very core, and that sound had almost made her wet herself. If she were to describe it, it was as if she was stranded on a floating boat, surrounded by an endless sea filled to the brim with marine predators that all wanted a piece of her flesh. "There''s no time to explain, carry those who are unconscious and¡­ NO EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW!!!" Instantly moving to her disciple, she harshly pushed both the heads of Shin and Ariel towards the verdant forest floor and increased the mana being supplied to the barriers protecting everyone in the expedition. Heeding her advice, all the Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings dropped straight to the ground and strengthened their mana enhancements. Ines lay on top of the blacked out twins while Songath and Slystan covered Linus and the other two Spirit Practitioners that came along with them. "*BWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!*." Even though they were guarded by Lady Seph''s protective barrier, all those awake felt the temperature drastically rise as the moisture in the air got sucked out. Peering outside of the light barrier, Lady Seph could even see the mud on the grassy floor beginning to boil with bubbles popping out ever so often. All of a sudden, a crimson light, more dazzling than even the brightest of days, shot through the air at speeds that no human could ever hope to follow and burnt every tree that came into contact with it. Spanning over two kilometres wide, from the perspective of those below, it seemed like the entire sky had turned into a deep crimson hellscape. Not stopping for anything, the laser beam decimated all that was in its path until it reached its target. Its target that was¡­ "It is heading for Aldrich''s Keep!" Commander Alwig bellowed out in horror. Staring into the distance, the number two guy of the Keep knew exactly what the laser beam was aiming for. He couldn''t fathom what kind of damage such a concentrated amount of spiritual energy would do to the famed fort''s walls. On one side, he had faith in the impregnable myth of Aldrich''s Keep. However, he had never witnessed an attack on this kind of scale before. The crimson light continued on for ten seconds, sending shockwaves that decimated the land and flattened the tree lines. Hot, scalding steam rose up from the muddied floor and melted the leaves of the Uncharted Wilderness turning the humid climate from before into a blistering hot heat. Only after the full ten seconds did the light begin to dissipate into nothingness. "Is it done?" Shin felt his Master''s grip on his hand loosen, giving him an opportunity to raise his head. The adults of the group had all gotten up from their positions and seemed to have transformed into blocks of unmoving statues. Their eyes opened so wide that they looked like the eyes of a dead fish waiting to be sliced on the chopping board. However, Shin couldn''t fault them. One look around the terrain and the black-haired boy wore the exact same expression as the rest of his seniors. The canopies of the towering trees had been turned into dust, leaving space for those below to gaze at the afternoon sun that had been obscured just seconds earlier. Feeling a sharp pain at his mouth, Shin raised his fingers to find that the dry atmosphere had brutally cracked his lips, causing small amounts of blood to flow out. Turning his body around, all Shin could see was destruction from end to end. Due to that crimson beam, the landscape had drastically changed. "Wake them up! Wake them up! WAKE THEM UP! WE HAVE TO HURRY BACK TO THE KEEP!" Commander Alwig''s voice trembled as he hurried the members of the Frie Clan to quickly get those who were unconscious, up and running as soon as possible. In fact, he was tempted to just leave the group alone and rush back to ascertain the safety of his comrades. "Alwig, you go! We''ll catch up with you later!" Lady Seph knew how much the blonde knight was worried and immediately dismissed him. After all, to Commander Alwig, everyone here was just a stranger that he had met for the first time this morning, while those living in the Keep fought alongside him every day of the year. "Thank you, my Lady! I''ll be taking my leave then! Please take care!" Spouting out those parting words in a single breath, the knight enhanced his legs to the limit and bolted straight towards the Keep. At this time, Linus and the twins had mostly regained consciousness and need a few minutes to recover from their disorientation. "Bingbing! Help us please!" "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Acknowledging her Master''s plea, the snowy white gerbil hopped off Shin''s shoulders and happily squeaked. As she was gathering mana, Bingbing emitted a cold, pale aura that instantly chilled the surroundings. Opening her large adorable eyes, Bingbing instantaneously enlarged to over a hundred times her original size, giving enough room for the entire group to hop on. "Wow! Bingbing you can even do this?!" Shin was utterly flabbergasted. Just how many more mysteries could he uncover about the gerbil who was always by his side? "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Ecstatic that Shin had praised her, Bingbing rapidly wagged her tail. When she was a small critter, all that did was tickle the palms of the black-haired youth. However, now that she was larger than the average elephant, her happiness would shake the earth and send dust clouds flying about. "Come on, everyone hop on!" Not wanting to waste any more time, Lady Seph personally dragged the members of the expedition onto Bingbing''s back. Moving at the fastest speeds that she could reach, the enlargened gerbil ferried the group straight back to Aldrich''s Keep. Well, what remained of it. "N-N-No way!" The fields surrounding the Keep had been utterly wiped clean as a sea of flames took its place. Bits of brick came crumbling down from the top of the fort as cracks formed all over the once solid walls. And the most shocking of all, the black meteorite that had been present since the inception of the fort, had gone missing, alongside the general quarters that lay on top of it. "Don''t tell me, in that one hit, that beam took down the Guardian Rock that stood for aeons?!" Lady Seph could not hide her agitation and shouted out. Having interacted with the mystical object before, she could tell how sturdy that rock was. For it to have been wiped clean in one single hit was absolutely ludicrous. As for General Anmac, she wasn''t that worried about that old cockroach. The seasoned warrior always found a way to rise from the ashes. Closing her eyes, Lady Seph maximised her sensory abilities to its absolute limit so that she could identify the scale of which the attack had caused to the soldiers of the Keep. Her ears twitching ever so slightly, she could hear the groans of pain by the injured and the cries for help from the stranded. Wearing a bitter frown, the beautiful woman turned to look at her disciple as she said: "Shin, I hope you''re mentally prepared¡­ It''s going to get busy from here on out..." Chapter 137 Attack! Attack! Attack! 2 The insides of the walls were just as Lady Seph expected, fallen soldiers clutching their wounds while those who did survive, formed a search party to recover those who were trapped under the debris. Healers from the sick bay scurried about the place where the wounded were gathered while commanders gathered their battalions for further briefings. Amongst the panicked bodies, there was a blonde knight loudly barking out orders to his subordinates with a fierce expression. Only after noticing the arrival of the Frie Clan members did he relax his facial muscles. "Lady Seph! You guys are back!" Once he calmed down, Commander Alwig reflected on his actions towards Lady Seph and the rest and felt somewhat remorseful. He had left them out in the Uncharted Wilderness even though he was their primary guide. Granted they were near the Keep and the firepower that they had were enough to make the journey back unharmed, he had still abandoned them, shirking his responsibility in the process. Thus, when facing the group, he unconsciously had his head bent at an angle with his arms to his side. "Alwig, what''s the condition of the Keep?" Trying to skip the pleasantries, the beautiful young woman folded her arms while hurrying on the conversation. "The good news is that from that attack, not many of our soldiers were taken down. About ninety-five per cent survived that mysterious strike and can continue to fight. The bad news is about what''s to come..." Leading the group up the steep staircase of the Keep, Commander Alwig shook his head in fear and disappointment. The bricks on the wall had already started to crumble, and every so often, a piece of rock would fall from the precipice of the old barrier that had defended the Himmel Empire''s western border. "Now that the Guardian Rock is gone, once a beast horde arrives, we won''t be able to rely on the walls of the Keep anymore. We would have to use all of our strengths to fight them in that field over there to prevent them from overrunning the Keep. Judging from how swiftly that entity reacted, I''m sure that a beast horde, one of which the likes we have never encountered, would be marching out from that woodlands within the day." "So that''s why all the warriors are forming flanks now?" Shin followed Commander Alwig''s finger to the field just outside of Aldrich''s Keep. Even though the Guardian Rock had just been destroyed, there were already soldiers marching out of the fortification and formed a tight defence line to bar the entry of any who tread near. "Exactly! Although we would love to spend all of our energies on healing the fallen and repairing the walls, we simply don''t have that luxury. I know you guys are just here to monitor the situation and protect those kids with you, but all I hope is for you to lend your powers when it counts the most." Directing his words to the Shrine Maiden and the four Spirit Lords that she commanded, Commander Alwig put on a pleading face, in hopes that they would lend their expertise in the fight that was to come. Currently, Aldrich''s Keep is facing a crisis that it had never been in before. An additional helping hand was more than welcomed for the second-in-command. "Alwig, the members of the Frie Clan are guests! They are not our reinforcements!" An old voice bellowed out from behind the blonde knight. Tapping his silver cane on the concrete floor as he walked, General Anmac slowly walked towards the group with a worn-out face. His wrinkles had become more defined and his eyes, which had been full of vigour, was showing traces of fatigue. Since his meeting with Lady Seph, it seemed like he had aged over ten years, and one step closer to his grave. "Hoho, Anmac. I knew your pile of old bones would somehow survive that attack!" "Seraphim! It has been so many years since I''d seen you in that form! Why don''t tell me you miss the embrace of a younger man and wish to seduce them in that appearance?" "Oh, did that near-death experience cause you to lose your mind? Do you want me to put it back in order?" Raising a clenched fist, the blonde doll of a woman threatened to punch a hole through General Anmac''s head. Pointing his silver cane towards the woman''s fist, the elderly man played along with Lady Seph''s threat. "Alright, let''s not kill each other before the enemy arrives..." Acting as a mediator, Commander Alwig went in between the two juggernauts and slowly separated them from each other. At the same time, he whispered in a voice that only the General could hear. "General! We need all the help that we can get! If the Frie Clan members help us, we have a much higher chance of weathering out this storm." In Aldrich''s Keep, there were over twenty Spirit Lords and four Spirit Kings. If the Frie Clan members joined their ranks, they would be able to delegate more forces to different parts of the battlefield thus minimising the risk of high-level Spirit Beasts from breaking through. "Yes, I concur, but that''s not the way to do things here! If any member of the Frie Clan falls, especially the younger ones, it will become the Empire''s responsibility. Right now, they are here on orders of their Clan so even if they die, the Empire would not be affected in any negative way since they came here of their own accord. However, if we were to order them to fight, we will be shouldering a responsibility that we can''t bear. Remember, we are soldiers of the Empire! We can''t just do things without considering the ramifications that it would have for the government!" Stating his logic, the General barred Commander Alwig from bringing the fighting power of the Frie Clan into play. "Then what do you suggest you do with them?" The blonde knight was frustrated. In the next beast horde, a good amount of his comrades were expected to fall. Reinforcements from the capital would take ages to march into the western territory, and they had no other options. "Follow my lead..." Pushing the stunned knight aside, the seasoned General put on a stern face and eyed those of the Frie Clan group. "I understand that you guys are guests and I dare not hope that you volunteer your services to defend the Keep. However, we are in a state of peril so please hear the plea of this haggard body of mine..." Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, the group remained silent as they waited for the next words of the general. "When our troops fall in battle, we would move them into a safe place in the Keep for healing. All I hope for you guys is to defend that area should any stray beasts wander in." In the next battle, Aldrich''s Keep was expected to send out all of its forces into combat. There were no extra hands to help defend the sick and wounded. After cracking his head open a few times, General Anmac finally understood that this was the best course of action for the members of the Frie Clan. He did not want them to abandon the Keep as their strengths were needed but neither could he force them to fight. All he could do was plead that they help defend a single place while the warriors raced out into the battleground. "The Frie Clan is part of the Empire, and we have received the emperor''s grace multiple times. We accept this task presented to us!" Taking one step forward, the Shrine Maiden, who acted as the leader of the group, accepted the General''s appeal while giving the aged man a salute. "Thank you¡­ Thank you¡­ Seraphim, I hope you would uphold your promise." "Yeah, yeah..." Rolling her eyes adorably, the young woman scoffed at the elderly man''s stern words. Deep down, she knew that the reason why General Anmac asked the Frie Clan to guard the healing bay was due to her disciple. He knew how much Lady Seph cherished Shin and more experience healing wounded bodies was imperative for the young boy to grow. Additionally, the general knew that she didn''t want Shin to get hurt. Thus, having the Frie Clan stationed at the sick bay was also to her benefit. Now, she must go all out when she fights. "General! Commander! Urgent news!" At that moment, a hurried soldier up the crumbling stairs of the Keep walls with a head full of sweat. His arms trembling, he gave the two figures a bow before hesitantly looking at the people with them, unsure if it was the right setting to report the news. "What is it? You can speak!" Noticing the soldier''s trepidation, Commander Alwig directly ordered him to spill out his news. "U-Understood! The scouts that we have sent out have finally sent a message. A horde, over a hundred thousand strong, have started to form in the outskirts of the Uncharted Wilderness. Up till now, they have not made any sudden movements, but it is expected to attack within the hour!" "WHAT?! A HUNDRED THOUSAND?!?!" Unable to hide his fear and surprise, the blonde knight hollered out. It was probably the strongest beast horde that the Keep had ever seen. At best, the number of fit warriors to fight in the upcoming battle was around ten thousand. Outnumbered almost ten-to-one, it seemed like a hopeless cause without the help of the Guardian Rock. "Why have they not attacked? Are they gathering?!" General Anmac questioned the soldier but only received a silent uncertain shake of the head. It was highly unusual for beast horde attacks to be so coordinated. Historically, the beasts would just attack with whatever numbers it had and even during the purge, the amount of Spirit Beasts would never exceed ten thousand. Yet, the threat that the Keep was facing seemed more like a tactical war between humans instead of warriors slaughtering unwanted beasts. "Goddamnit, how the hell are they able to control those beasts?! To gather a hundred thousand and make them wait patiently like a real army?!" Biting his nails, Commander Alwig wandered about the mysterious enemy that they were facing. Although they knew it was the Black Mask syndicate, they didn''t know how powerful its leader was. Whether the leader was a Primordial Beast or a human Spirit User, the strength that it displayed was off the charts. Being able to cause a mana explosion that nearly ended Lady Seph''s life, creating a laser beam that could destroy the Guardian Rock that brought down half of Aldrich''s Keep impregnable legend and finally, controlling over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts to do its bidding. Either one of those abilities was outlandish to hear, but it was the truth. "There''s no choice, we have to hurry! Members from the Frie Clan, I''m counting on you!" "Shin, you follow them. I have to assist that old bastard. Stay safe!" Lovingly patting the silky black hair of Shin''s, Lady Seph gently kissed the forehead of her disciple while letting Bingbing fall onto his shoulders. Typically, when his master did that to him in her old woman''s exterior, he would feel nothing of it. However, now that her lips had regained its plump and soft texture, adding to the fact that Lady Seph was now a breathtaking beauty, Shin couldn''t help but retract a little from his master''s kiss. "Hmph!" Ariel was obviously displeased when she saw Shin being kissed by another woman but after mentally repeating to herself that the blonde Apollo look-alike was originally a decrepit grandmother, she felt her jealous heart ease up. "I''ll lead you to the healing bay!" Commander Alwig volunteered his guidance services once more, leaving space for Lady Seph and General Anmac to chat. ~~~ "So here we are again, fighting side-by-side..." "..." After the members of the Frie Clan retreated, General Anmac and Lady Seph levitated up high in the air while monitoring the situation of both the Uncharted Wilderness and the troops down below. Once the warriors below saw the two floating figures, the all chanted out a war-cry while boosting up their morale. The presence of two legendary war figures was much needed in a time a crisis such as this. "Anmac, the thing that I saw. If it appears on this battlefield, I''m taking Shin, and I''m running. That''s not a fight that I have signed up for." Still traumatised after witnessing the might of the black orb, Lady Seph gave the general a hard look. The deal was for her to assist the Keep at the cost of their past relationship as fighting partners, not to throw her life away. "Was it that bad?" "The worst feeling that I had ever had. Even that dinosaur grandma coffined in the Healer''s association never made me feel that much fear. In fact, I''m not sure if any Spirit Saint could possess that kind of power." "Hohoho, to think that something like that exists in this world! What do you think? Could it be a descended immortal? Or a primordial beast stronger than any recorded in the history books?" "Perhaps¡­ All I know is that once that appears here, to hell with the military. My life is more important." "You mean your disciple''s life is more important?" "..." General Anmac was one of the few people in the world that fought alongside Lady Seph in her youth. So he can say with high confidence that the seasoned healer that stood alongside him was no coward. There were many monikers given to the woman over the years, and many described her as heartless, but the wizened, bronzed man knew that she was one of the most compassionate healers out there. There was no way she would abandon thousands of lives for the sake of her own. "That boy really had an impact on you huh?" "Shin''s talent is beyond comprehension, Anmac. I believe that not only would he overtake me, but even the mythical Hippocrates himself." "Hahaha, so that''s why! You''re raising a mini-you huh?" "You could say so. My legacy, my research. I''m afraid that at the end of the day, no one would remember it. All that they can remember is my actions at Yara Pass, and that is tied to the story of the Empire. I want to transcend that name. The father of healing, Spirit Immortal Hippocrates. The greatest genius of all time, Spirit Immortal Dream. I want my name to be up there with them. And if it can''t be done, at least I get to be the master of the next Spirit Immortal." "And you think that to be Shin?" "I know that it is." Under the earnest gaze of the blonde woman, General Anmac could only sigh in resignation. "Well, let''s see we can add another legend under your belt, Lady of Yara Pass." Deafening roars and trembling earth signified that the beast horde was finally ready to march onto the field of Aldrich''s Keep. Summoning out a silver scythe, the famed general, with his bony structure, resembled the grim reaper, ready to slash the life out of anything that got near. "Hmph! They would be calling me Lady of Aldrich''s Keep after this, burying your name in the process! Hahaha, I wonder how would that make you feel?!" Behind the beautiful woman, a heavenly figure as gorgeous as herself, made its appearance. In her hands, an exquisite harp that when played, caused a divine melody to fill the entire area. "I would be more than happy to welcome it!" Bursting out from the depths of the Uncharted Wilderness, a sea of savage Spirit Beasts marched out baring their fangs out at the troops that barricaded their path. Bears, tigers, falcons, deer. Basically, anything that evolved from a regular animal into a Spirit Beasts stampeded their way out of the forest and into the fields. Among them, higher tiers of Spirit Beasts could be seen mingling with the weaker members. Lady Seph could even spot out a Tier 6 Spirit Beast, something that could threaten a Spirit Lord, out on the vanguard. Commander Alwig was barking out orders non-stop while the other Spirit Kings and Spirit Lords ensured that their men stayed in formation. As expected, the valiant warriors all wore brave faces, as if it were just yet another training exercise for them. "Let us begin..." Chapter 138 Attack! Attack! Attack! 3 "Hold the lines! Stand your ground!" Commander Alwig glowed in a brilliant red light as he wielded his Flaming Claymore Spirit over his head. The beast horde inching forward with every passing second, there was little time for motivational speeches and elaborate planning. All the commanders of the Keep could do was gather their troops and use pre-established techniques that were successful in previous purges. However, with the horde reaching over a hundred thousand strong, there was no telling if those tactics could work. The rattling of armour and shivers of the men didn''t go unnoticed by the blonde knight. "O'' brave warriors of Aldrich''s Keep! Before you lay a challenge, one of the likes this fort have never faced for hundreds of years!" Projecting his voice the loudest he could, Commander Alwig addressed the scared soldiers with a resolute face. His androgynous features and shining armour made him look like a character straight out of a fairy tale, causing all to glue their gazes on Alwigs medium build body. "Yes, the enemy outnumber us! Yes, the walls have been destroyed! Yes, some of us might not be able to survive this day! But remember who we fight for!" Every single trooper stared at Commander Alwig, not moving their eyes for even a single second. "We don''t fight for the Empire! We don''t fight for those who live in the capital! Hell, you don''t even fight for me or any of the commanding officers! Who you fight for is for your friends and family living safe and sound behind those walls!" At this point, the blonde knight was livid. Every time he opened his mouth, saliva spewed everywhere and the pale complexion that he once had, was now reddened by all the hoarse shouting. "If we fall, if those walls fall! The first victims are the ones who live near the border! Our mothers! Our fathers! Our wives! Our children! Our best friends! Our fellow villagers or townsmen! Do you want that?! Do you want to see these vicious beast terrorise our homeland?!" "NO SIR!!!" "Are we going to let those Spirit Beasts run all over our bodies and invade our land?!" "NO SIR!!!" "Great¡­ Alright, men¡­ Let''s kill these fuckers." Putting on his silver helmet, Commander Alwig pointed his flaming claymore into the sky. From his point of view, the beast horde seemed to look like a tsunami of bodies stumbling over each other to get the first piece of the pie and the wave was coming in hot. Gathering more mana than he ever did before, the blonde knight''s silver armour looked like it turned red as it reflected the crimson light that his flaming claymore was producing. At that moment, the heavens darkened as a shadow started to form in the clouds. "Stand your ground and brace yourself! The Commander is using his sixth spiritual ability!" One of the officers barked out while turtling behind the shield that he had. From the sky, a flaming ball the size of a carriage started to fall at a blinding speed as it headed towards the centre of the horde. "*Grrooarrrr?*." Taken aback by the sudden change in the sky, the numerous beasts halted their advance and immediately panicked. Growls and screeches filled the desolate battlefield as they all scampered away, in fear of getting crushed by the flaming rock headed their way. Even Shin and the other Frie clan members, who were safely behind the walls of the Keep, felt fear as they saw the descending rock. Running away was a basic survival instinct, and the Spirit Beasts followed it to the letter. Once they saw an imminent threat that could potentially take their lives, they ran. However, it was all too late. "*BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!!!!*." The crash from the meteor sent shockwaves through the Keep and nearly knocked the troops off their feet. Thankfully, they were long prepared and knelt down to lower their centre of gravity, preventing a potential collapse of the defence line. The beast horde, on the other hand, was experiencing an entirely different story. "*GGRRRAAAARRRRR!!!*." Decimating a significant portion of the beasts, the meteor that Commander Alwig summoned caused a giant crater and an ocean of flames that burnt everything it came into contact with. Moans of pain sounded out from the horde, but the warriors felt no compassion for the creatures that threatened their livelihood. Standing up from their crouching and kneeling positions, the defence line filled with heavy shields and clanking armour appeared once more. "Long-range battalion! FIRE!!!" Once the first blood was drawn by Commander Alwig, one of the other Spirit King commanders ordered the backline to release their attacks. Archer''s released their nocked arrows, catapulters cut the rope withholding their boulders, and many of the long-range weaponry developed by the Empire''s best military craftsmen fired out. Since Commander Alwig threw the horde into disarray, the majority of the ballista fires connected with their target decimating the first wave of beasts. "Hmmm, that subordinate of yours is not bad..." "Hohoho, he is going to be my successor. Of course, he''s the best of the best!" "Well, if he''s the best, why didn''t he give some prior warning before firing that stupid ball from the sky?" "Errr, that..." While the troops on the ground were celebrating the Commander''s destructive ability, Lady Seph, who had been floating in the air, was not pleased that she had to employ evasive manoeuvres because of the blonde knight. Although the meteorite didn''t come anywhere close to both the general and the seasoned healer, it was still an annoyance to get out of the way. "Looks like that boy needs some education after this battle..." Staring down menacingly at Commander Alwig, Lady Seph spewed out an array of venomous words. "Go easy on him. We still need him in one piece." "Hahaha, don''t worry! If he gets injured, I can just patch him up¡­ Over, and over..." "Urghhh..." Seeing Lady Seph in that state resurfaced some unpleasant memories that the wizened general had, and he unconsciously added some distance between them. Mentally sending a prayer to his successor, General Anmac shook his head in fear. "Oh, look. Your precious successor seems to be suffering." Once Commander Alwig used his sixth spiritual ability, he went down on one knee while heavily wheezing from his nose and mouth. The dominant aura that he once possessed disappeared and he could barely stand. "Well, it is a powerful ability that he had recently comprehended when he promoted into the Spirit King realm. I''m sure he will be up on his feet after he recovers a little of his lost mana. Well, if you were to give him and the others a boost, I''m sure he would welcome it with open arms." Mischievously winking at Lady Seph like a playful boy who loved to prank his peers, General Anmac hinted for the beautiful blonde woman to use her ability. "Now''s not the time, Anmac. When I deem it to be right, I will do it. After all, that''s the contract we made." "Fine, fine..." While the two Spirit Emperors were leisurely chatting mid-air, a terrifying battle was unfolding beneath them. Elemental long-range attacks and physical weaponry surged from behind the defence line and took down any beasts that were treaded near the vanguard. Flying Spirit Beasts were also not spared from the onslaught as the airspace was strictly guarded by Rank 40 Spirit Spectres that had gained the ability to soar in the skies after promoting. One by one, the army chipped away the first wave of Spirit Beasts without a single casualty amongst their ranks. However, a gut-wrenching screech from beyond the fields halted the premature celebrations of the warriors. "Now''s no time to celebrate! Get ready, the second wave is about to arrive!" The long-range battalion restrung their ballistae and catapults while archers nocked their bows once more. Due to Commander Alwig''s preliminary strike, the soldiers of Aldrich''s Keep managed to survive the first wave mostly unscathed. However, they wouldn''t be lucky the second time. Now that the blonde knight was desperately attempting to regain the lost mana that he had spent, it was up to the rest of the Keep to defend the lines. Many of the Spirit Users with high cultivation levels stood up when it mattered most and fired a plethora of abilities at the beast horde thinning down their numbers bit by bit. However, none of the attacks was as flashy or destructive as the flaming meteor that Alwig had summoned. After the second wave ended, a third wave began to form. After the third wave, the fourth wave gushed out of the Uncharted Wilderness, leaving no time for the warriors to rest. The defence line was seemed to be facing the aftermath of a seaquake, where waves of ocean water would come barging into the shore. However, instead of regular water, the waves contained ferocious Spirit Beasts of all tiers, and they all thirsted for their blood. "Damn it! Defence line! Brace for impact!" It had now reached a critical point. The defensive line was now the first people to make contact with the Spirit Beasts. Up till now, they could rely on long-range attacks and the barrage by the Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings. Nevertheless, neither arrows nor mana was infinite. It would come a time where the archers would find no ammunition in their quivers and the Spirit Users shooting out the endless assault would become drained. Unfortunately, it was only at the fourth wave that it happened. Tightly holding their ground, the vanguard valiantly raised their shields perpendicular to the ground, preventing any Spirit Beast from crossing their line. Spearmen and pikemen stood behind the ones wielding their shields and aimed their weapons at the throats of the beasts that made it to the defence line. The endless clash between the two sides sent a tremor that had the same magnitude as a miniature earthquake, forcing the troops to retreat ever so slightly. Blooded flowed down the battlefield like an endless river and the carcasses of the beasts piled up into mini-hills that allowed other Spirit Beasts to gain the high ground. Some of those that managed to reach the high vantage point leapt off and evaded the defensive line altogether. However, they were unable to get far as warriors from behind the vanguard, picked them off one by one. "Hmmm, that entity that I met doesn''t seem to be that keen to appear in the battlefield huh?" From the start where she appeared alongside General Anmac high up in the sky, Lady Seph had continuously been monitoring not only the battlefield but the woods from which the Spirit Beasts are running out from. No matter how hard she looked, the feeling of unease that she once had never appeared and there were also no signs of members of the Black Mask syndicate making an appearance. "Hoho, does that mean that you are finally ready to act?" General Anmac gave a wry smile as he addressed the young woman levitating next to him. At the same time, the first casualty from the Keep had been claimed. A leaf troll stampeded its way past the first shield bearer and tossed over five spearmen in the process. Many of the other beasts experienced the same thing. Since the warriors were heavily mana-drained and physically fatigued, it was much easier to break down the defensive line than it was before. Numerous soldiers fell flat on the floor with broken bones and torn tendons. Some even embraced the sleeping beauty act and lay unconscious on the ground, awaiting the kiss from their prince charming to wake them up. "Hmph, with this our slate is wiped clean, Anmac! You can''t ask me to do this kind of shit anymore!" "Hohoho, I might not have enough years left to cash in that favour anyway..." "A resilient roach like you trying to die? HAHAHA! Don''t joke with me at this hour, Anmac." "Hahaha, the new generation will always have to take over someday! If this is my grave, I would more than welcome it!" "Shut it. Even if you are on death''s door, as long as I''m here, no ghost will dare claim your life." "Oh, you''re making me blush!" "..." Finally deciding to ignore the old fool, Lady Seph gently closed her eyes and grasped her two hands together close to her chest, like a nun offering a prayer in a chapel. The Iofiel Angel behind her glimmered in a radiant holy light, seemingly forming a second sun in the sky. As her chanting grew stronger and more frantic, so did the light illuminated from the thin, petite body of Lady Seph''s. And finally, at the right time, she said those magical words. "*Divine Rain!*." Lady Seph cast her most extraordinary ability, the ability that had made her famous in the first place. Billions of divine raindrops, coloured in the most brilliant of gold, poured down from the heavens and onto the bloodied battlefield below. Whenever the drops of heavy golden dew dropped onto the savage Spirit Beasts, they felt a sharp pain entering their bodies. On the other hand, when it fell onto the brave warriors of the Keep, they felt the fatigue from the bodies leave and their mana slowly recovering. Those who were injured mystically seemed to have had their pain alleviated as all the wounds on their body disappeared. Soldiers who have fainted became wide awake as if nothing had ever happened to them. In fact, even Commander Alwig, who spent a significant portion of his mana, felt like his mana replenishment rate had doubled, nay tripled after getting bathed in that holy deluge. "Lady Seph is with us! We have nothing to fear!" Taking advantage of this situation, one of the commanding officers hollered out to boost the dwindling morale of the troops. "NOTHING TO FEAR!!!" Fighting with the same vigour as they did at the beginning of the fight, the warriors stood up from their rested bottoms and continued to mow down the waves of Spirit Beasts that kept coming at them. "Haha, they''re such a cheery bunch aren''t they?" Ecstatic that her ability had caused so much change, she proudly rubbed her nose as she addressed the wizened old man by her side. "Well, let''s hope they won''t get too overconfident¡­ Seraphim, I know this ability takes quite a toll on you. How many more times can you cast it?" Worried about his comrade''s own health, General Anmac couldn''t help but ask. "Hmmm? In this state about twenty more times? Don''t forget I have grown tremendously since Yara Pass. Something like this is easy compared to facing that leader of the Black Masks." "T-Twen-Twenty?!" Stuttering on his words, General Anmac struggled to come to terms with the new information he had been given. Back at Yara Pass, the most that Lady Seph could do was two, maybe three Divine Rains before she was out for the day. However, after not meeting her for a period of time, she had actually improved that much. Thinking back to the days where people would compare her to Hippocrates, the elderly general realised that no matter what age a person was, a genius was still a genius. "You know, I would hate to be the enemy general if you were my opposition..." "Yeah, you might as well surrender and meet all my demands. That way you could save yourself from the embarrassment of losing too tragically!" "Hah¡­ Seems like calling you here was really a good call..." Mentally praising himself for having such incredible foresight, the general saw the possibility of the Keep weathering up this storm, grow larger with the presence of this legendary healer. Chapter 139 Teardrops In The Rain 1 Thanks to Lady Seph''s rain of light, the warriors of the Keep rose up from the brink of destruction and continued their defence against the onslaught of beasts. Commander Alwig regained a large chunk of his mana and swung his flaming claymore while the Spirit Archers fired off elemental arrows with their replenished mana supply. The defence line had stood firm. "Hohoho looks like its time for these old bones to finally get to work!" Gently spinning his silver scythe around his body, General Anmac eyes burnt with a youthful vigour as he assumed a leaping position with his weapon ready to reap any life that stood before it. "Trying to retain your position as the most respected person in the Keep? I think it''s too late. I''m sure right now your precious troops have forgotten that their general exists!" Lady Seph playfully quipped while addressing the elderly man''s desire to get into the battle. "HAHAHA! I don''t really care about that though¡­ If I don''t get into battle, the fatalities will pile up, and the amount of administrative work I would have to do would be tremendous. If that''s the case, why don''t I just clear as many beasts as I can right now?" "Hmph! Yeah, yeah¡­ Try not to get yourself killed though, I would hate to use Divine Rain, and the troops lose their morale to fight." "As if I could lose my life with you around!" "..." Ignoring Lady Seph''s warning, the veteran general turned into a line of silver ash as he rushed dead first into the heap of vicious beasts. Arching his sharpened scythe, General Anmac slashed out horizontally leaving a path of silver light, that remained square in the air. The light that the scythe produced seemed small and simple, however upon further inspection, one could feel the endless sharpness and terror that it contained deep inside its splendour. Giving off a shine like the celestial moonlight of a clear night''s sky, the crack expanded at the speed of light, and soon, it seemed like the entire world had been severed. All the Spirit Beasts in the path of the light were unable to escape leaving them with only one option, to be sliced. Some of the lucky ones were able to survive with their legs being cut off. However, most of the Spirit Beasts were sliced at their abdomens and heads, ending their charge instantaneously. "THE GENERAL IS MOVING!!!" Cheers of joy became prevalent in the army once the wizened bronzed man took his first shot at the horde. Commander Alwig even gave out a merry laugh as it was the first time in ages he had seen his superior using his spiritual abilities, and it was as flashy as always. After the Spirit Emperor''s attack, the wave of beasts had been halved, easing the pressure on the vanguard. Looking up at the sky, General Anmac and Lady Seph''s eyes met, and the elderly man smiled from ear to ear, putting on display his full set of browned teeth. "Show-off..." As if utterly oblivious to her earlier ostentatious show of might, Lady Seph pouted her lips and turned her head towards the walls of the crumbling Keep. "I hope Shin is alright..." Taking her mind off the battlefield for one minute, the seasoned healer wandered what her disciple was up to. ~~~ "Ariel, there''s no need to stay too close, we''re quite safe here!" "*Yip!* *Yip!*." A black-haired young teen was trying his best to push the red-haired girl, who was latched onto him like a newborn kitten to its mother, away from his body while the snowy white gerbil on his shoulder cheered him on. After reporting to the medical bay, the Frie Clan members spread around on all fronts to ensure the safety of the children, at the same time, monitoring the battlefield situation from the safety of the Keep. Feeling the volatile changes in spiritual energy, the Shrine Maiden and other Spirit Lords dry gulped in trepidation. It seemed like the battle that was going on was not one that they could easily make a contribution in. Unaware of their seniors fear Shin and Ariel were playing out their own love comedy routine. "There''s no such thing as safe in a battlefield! Don''t worry, it''s not like I''m hurting you or anything..." "How is twisting my arm not hurting me?! Goddamnit Ariel, let go for once!" Initially, Ariel had been locking her left arm around Shin''s right, and although it was embarrassing to endure the stares from the twins and the other healers in the medical bay, the black-haired youth was still able to bear it, with a reddened face of course. However, once a loud explosion was heard outside the walls, the young girl''s grip tightened, and over the course of the battle, every time something unexpected happens, the pain on Shin''s right arm only intensified. Soon, it got to the point where his elbow joint was facing the other direction, and his muscles tightened up due to the amount of pressure Ariel was supplying. "Ariel, you''re going to break his arm if you continue. I know as lovers, you''re concerned about him but don''t you want a husband with a right arm?" The one who came to Shin''s rescue wasn''t one of the twins or any member of the First Elder''s division, but the red-haired Leon who Shin had healed earlier today. "L-L-Lover?! Who the hell is his lover?! And why would I marry him?!" Exasperated at the teenager''s claim, Ariel cried out. "Hmmm? There''s this rumour going about in the mountain that the First Elder was planning on marrying you with Shin, and to be honest, the fact that you would always visit him monthly at Chilyoja Waypoint only added truth to that claim." "That''s because I''m a courier! We''re not engaged or anything!" Truth to be told, neither Shin nor Ariel had ever considered progressing their relationship from childhood friends, simply because they were too young to think of those matters. Shin was busy dealing with day to day matters of Yakkyoku Clinic while Ariel had to shoulder the expectations of the entire clan by training her hardest every day. Although they met each other on a monthly basis, all they did was exchange letters and gifts and touring around the town commercial district when they had the time. Shin shot the scarlet-haired girl a queer look. At the same time, Ariel released her tight hold on Shin''s arm to prevent any further misunderstandings. Thanks to Leon''s teasing words, a sort of still awkward air enveloped the area. Ariel was by no means an ugly girl, and neither was she considered the most beautiful. In fact, if Shin was to be truthful, the teenaged girl with her ruddy freckles and scarlet hair was not even as gorgeous as other women he met in the Waypoint. However, whenever someone brought up the topic of marriage partners, the first image that came into his mind was always the Amazonian body of Ariel''s. ''What am I thinking!'' Shaking his head to rid himself of this train of thought, Shin opened up his mouth: "We''re not in that kind of relationship, Leon..." "Hmmm? Well, that would come as a relief to many young boys on the mountain!" "Huh? Why would that be?" Taken aback by Leon''s sudden words, Shin asked. "You didn''t know? Ariel right here is slated to be one of the most powerful members of the Frie Clan in the future! All large number of families would love to see their position in the mountain rise up once their boys walk down the aisle with one of the future leaders of the Frie Clan. Thus, she had been chased left and right ever since the Spirit Awakening Ceremony!" "Really..." For some reason, when Shin imagined Ariel in a bridal dress walking down the aisle with another strange man, the black-haired youth felt an unpleasant feeling rise up his chest. "Yeah! There''s even this saying circulating around the clan, if you can beat Ariel, you gain the right to date her. Of course, to this day no one had actually done so." "Hmph! There''s no way my husband can be weaker than me!" As if affirming that rumour, Ariel snorted while she cut in the conversation. "And since you have already beaten Ariel, everyone assumed that only you had the right to date her!" "Huh? Since when did I beat her?" "Huh? Since when did he beat me?!" Both Shin and Ariel exclaimed at the same time. "The First Elder told the Clan Master once that among every member of the younger generation, only Shin had defeated Ariel in a one-on-one spar. Am I wrong?" "Oh, that¡­ Hmph! He had only won against me before we awakened our Spirits, and that was three years ago! Oh! That reminds me! Shin, you still have not upheld your promise to fight me!" A long time ago, back before the two underwent their Spirit Awakening Ceremony, Ariel knocked on Shin''s door in the middle of the night in her nightgown to propose a final spar to determine who reigned supreme. However, due to the string of events that followed, the two never got the opportunity to fulfil that promise. From Junius getting attacked to Shin moving to the Waypoint, there was utterly no time for them to fight it out once more. "Ah¡­ That..." Glaring hatefully at Leon who had brought the matter up, Shin sighed internally. Evidently, he had remembered that promise as he had lived in fear of it all these years. With Ariel''s Lava Warhammer, Shin''s adorable cerulean Koi stood no chance of defeating her. Adding to the fact that he had predominantly entered the healing path, the young Amazonian girl would smash him to smithereens within seconds. Thus, he had always tried his best to ensure that Ariel would forget that promise. He would avoid going near training rooms with her and spend more time shopping in populated areas when she was around, all in hopes that her memory would fail her. However, all it took was a few sentences from Leon to overturn his three years of hard work. "Oops, did I step on a landmine?" Realising what had happened, Leon shrugged his shoulders and gradually retreated from the scene of carnage that he created. "Damn it, Leon!" "Alright then! Once all this is done, Shin! You''re fighting me right here!" "Come on, Ariel! This is a war zone! Do you really think we can spar here?!" "I don''t care! We''ve put this off for three years!" Starting to bicker once more, the other children of the Frie Clan felt their tense hearts alleviate as they saw the warm interaction between the two. In this unfamiliar land, where death and destruction were just metres away from them, it was nice to see a heartwarming sight of a puppy love blossoming. "MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY!" Nonetheless, their argument was cut short by the shouting of medics rushing into the camp with wheelbarrows of injured patients. Lady Seph''s divine rain was overwhelmingly strong, and the majority of injuries could be instantly healed once the golden drops of heaven touched them. However, her ability was not omnipotent. Some injuries were just too severe for even the divine rain to heal and since Lady Seph couldn''t take her eyes off the battlefield, those wounded had to be returned to the medical bay. One by one, around ten patients out of the ten thousand out in the field crossed the damaged walls and made their way into the white tents. Typically, at this stage of the battle, the wounded would have easily passed the triple digits, and the healers would be scrambling about, trying their best to treat as many patients as they could. However, thanks to Lady Seph''s appearance, their jobs were made much more manageable. "Shin, aren''t you gonna help them?" Ariel adorably tilted her head as she asked the black-haired youth. In her eyes, after witnessing his miraculous abilities, she believed that Shin was one of the best healers out there. Granted the number of times she had seen a healer in action could be counted on one hand. "No, right now their workload is manageable I think¡­ Perhaps later when there are more patients..." Taking one look around the medical bay, Shin could tell that the healers were not understaffed in this situation. Additionally, the patients that were being wheelbarrowed in were in the worst conditions of their lives, and the newbie healer lacked the confidence to appropriately treat them to full recovery. "Alright then..." Sticking onto Shin like glue once again, Ariel found a comfortable position and waited for their whole ordeal to pass. Chapter 140 Teardrops In The Rain 2 "Goddamnit! They just keep coming!" Commander Alwig exclaimed while swinging his flaming claymore in the scorched earth domain that he had created. With his abilities becoming much more effective due to the area of effect, the blonde knight could continue to mow down Spirit Beasts at an astonishing rate. However, even after fighting for a full thirty minutes, the horde of beasts continued to rush out the woodlands and into the open fields. To the numerous warriors standing their ground, it seemed like they were facing an endless tsunami. Just when they think that it was the final wave, another, stronger and more powerful wave appears. "Commander! We''re all out of ammunition!" The long-range battalion officer rushed over to Commander Alwig''s position to report their situation. Currently, the defence line was still holding steady as the long-range battalion had been continuously bombarding the enemy with all the arrows, boulders and throwing spears that they had. However, at the rate that they were going, there would come a time where there was nothing left to shoot at the monsters. "That fast?! Arghhh, to think that we would have to rely on this so early into the battle! Nevermind, let''s hope Lady Seph''s Divine Rain can see us through the rest of the fight! MY BROTHERS!!!" Hollering out, Commander Alwig resolutely stared at his fellow comrades. At that moment, every single pair of eyes on the battlefield were glued to the blonde knight who raised his flaming claymore up high in the sky. There was no need for words. From the bottom of their hearts, they all knew what their leader was trying to convey the second they saw his expression. "CHARGE!!!" An all-out attack. That was the Keep''s final option to deal with the beasts. Typically, they would have many formulations and strategies to deal with the purge, but this time, there was just not enough time or manpower. Yes, the chances of death were high. However, if they let even a single Spirit Beast through that wall, their families and friends would be the ones at risk. Sealing their resolve, every single member of the army summoned out their Spirits and dashed forward, following their commander''s lead. "Such a chummy bunch¡­ I guess I should help them out once more!" Up high in the air, Lady Seph gathered her mana once more and cast Divine Rain. Golden droplets of pure mana drained down from the heavens, instantly healing the fatigue that had piled up in the warriors'' bodies. And thus, the battle for Aldrich''s Keep had reached its next stage. ~~~ "Make way, more patients coming through!" Wheelbarrows contained bodies of soldiers groaning in pain started to become a frequent sight in the medical bay as every minute, there was a freshly injured person coming through the gates. Escred and the other healers moved around at frantic speeds as they tried their best to treat every patient. However, after a period of time, it became evident that there was no way for them to heal everyone. "Shin, you should go and help¡­ After all, you are a healer right?" Surrounded the moans of men and women on their deathbed, Ariel lightly pulled the hems of Shin''s shirt and gestured for him to help those rolling on the floor. "Ariel¡­ It''s not like I don''t want to help them, it''s just..." "Just what?" Wearing an uncomfortable face, the black-haired boy bit his lip as his eyes quivered. "I have no faith in myself. Those people who are being wheelbarrowed in, they are all in a severe state. I''m guessing Master is healing up those who are lightly injured outside the walls leaving those who are in a drastic state for the healers in the medical bay." Shin''s thoughts had hit the nail on the head. Due to Lady Seph''s Divine Rain, many warriors that had broken bones or torn tendons could quickly rise from the ground and continue their assault. However, there are also many limitations to Divine Rain. Patients that had their entire body impaled or lost a significant amount of blood due to an open wound weren''t able to fully recover just from Lady Seph''s mass healing ability. They required specialised treatment and care from qualified healers. "If Master can''t heal them, with my meagre abilities, how could I hope to treat them?" Shin mouthed out his deepest fear. He believed that he did not have the qualifications to help the fallen warriors of the Keep. Up to this point, he had only been treating light wounds and minor injuries. He had never faced a life-threatening wound. Before, if he failed in healing, all that he had to do was try again. However, if he were to face any of the patients out here in the medical bay, failure meant the death of a person. Looking at the despondent youth, Ariel didn''t know what to say. All this time, she thought that Shin had magical abilities that could heal any wound. That''s why she had no care for her body earlier on when they were facing the Earthen Bear. Ariel believed that no matter what injuries she sustained, Shin would be able to fix it all up in a jiffy. "Hahaha..." All of a sudden, the scarlet-haired girl broke into a dry laugh after carefully observing the face of her childhood friend. "What''s so funny?" "No, it''s nothing¡­ It''s just that you have the same look as you did when you left the mountain..." "Really? I don''t think so..." "Shin, how long have we known each other? I know every single one of your faces. Your happy face, your sad face, your excited face, everything¡­ And from what I see, you''re just worried that you would damage your Master''s prestige." "T-That!" Shin''s eyes widened as his innermost feelings were laid down to bare. Indeed, after interacting with Lady Seph for so long, he knew how esteemed his Master really was. From Chilyoja Waypoint to Aldrich''s Keep, everyone he came across had some inkling of who the prestigious healer was and when they found out that she had accepted a direct disciple, they had all grovelled at his feet, hoping to curry some favour with him. Yet, if the disciple that the revered healer accepted, could not even treat a dying patient, wouldn''t that reflect negatively on her tutelage. Thus, whenever he treated a patient, he made sure that he was entirely convinced that his abilities were sufficient. Otherwise, he would turn a blind eye. Thankfully, since Shin entered the fortress, he had only been given patients with mild symptoms and light injuries, things that he had complete faith in treating. However, many of the soldiers here in the medical bay right now required much more than some basic healing that Shin could provide. "Shin¡­ You said it yourself, you are the history''s youngest healer! You are the sole disciple to one of the best healers in the world! What injury or illness you can''t heal?!" "Yeah, but..." "Shin! Listen to me! Is it right for a healer to just sit back and do nothing while people are suffering?!" Slapping the two plump cheeks of Shin''s, Ariel asked the black-haired boy. "No..." "Then what are you waiting for?! Go out there and treat some patient! Don''t worry about having faith in your abilities as a healer! I have faith in your powers, and that alone is enough!" "Hahaha¡­ How does that work?" "I don''t know! It just does!" Putting her two arms on her hourglass-like waist, Ariel proudly puffed out her chest and declared to Shin. Seeing his childhood friend behave so eccentrically, Shin rubbed his nose as he felt his anxiousness slowly dissipating. A self-deprecating smile appeared on the lips of the young teen as he gazed into the obstinate eyes of the scarlet-haired girl. "Haish¡­ Fine, you got me..." Standing up from his position, Shin''s chest moved up and down as he took deep breaths. Uncorking the pearly white ceramic gourd containing his Healing Water, the Shin walked forwards into the medical tent with a beaming young girl not too far behind. ~~~ Uncharted Wilderness. ?????? The battle of Aldrich''s Keep raged on with mountains of carcasses piling up in front of the walls. Now that it was a free for all, the stronger Spirit Users went on a frenzy in the frontlines with General Anmac and Commander Alwig leading the charge. The weaker foot soldiers stayed behind to make sure that no Spirit Beasts that slipped through the cracks of the vanguard''s assault. All in all, even though it was a crazed, uncoordinated attack, the walls of the Keep still stood firm as less than one per cent of Spirit Beasts could hope to make the journey there. In the depths of the Uncharted Wilderness, at a far deeper distance as to where Lady Seph explored, there was a single watchtower that stood high up in the emergent layer, giving anyone who had the chance to stay there, a good view of the surroundings. A menacing pair of eyes that had been monitoring the battle situation ever since it started grimaced at the sight of Lady Seph setting the entire warzone in a holy light with her Divine Rain. "Tsssk¡­ To think that even after that laser, the Himmel Empire bastards can still hold on to their walls for so long..." Donned in full black attire, the man wearing an obsidian black mask, clicked his tongue in displeasure. Writing down his discovery on a parchment of paper, the man hurriedly tied the note into a pulley system that was built for delivering messages quickly to and fro the watchtower. However, before he got the chance to send his note down, a tall and broad-shouldered figure, standing at over two metres tall, flew up next to the soaring tower, shocking the man greatly. Falling onto his bottom, the man looked up to identify the person who had caused him to lose his balance. "S-Sir Brahmin!" The Black Mask syndicate had a clear hierarchy set in stone, and all who wished to stay in the organisation had to play by its rules, and one of the most fundamental laws that the association had was to always obey the words of the ones above you. Currently, to the known public, the Black Masks had only five levels, and only members from the bottommost four levels had been seen by law enforcement. The highest level, the Brahmins, had yet to make their appearance and many suspected that it didn''t exist and was just a ruse conjured up by the lower levels of Black Masks to make their syndicate appear to be more powerful than it really was. "How''s the situation?" While his words were gentle, the Brahmin''s intimidating gaze indicated that his inner thoughts were far from docile. The sentry guard situated at the top of the watchtower felt his legs wobble due to the frightening aura that the Brahmin was giving off. And it didn''t help that the luscious golden tree in the middle of his forehead, shone brighter and brighter with every step that he took towards, the downed man. "Still nothing! We have not breached the walls yet! The Himmel Empire army is still holding strong!" "Hmph! To think that willy old fox had employed the help of Lady Seph¡­ No matter, it''s only a matter of time before their defences come crumbling down..." "What do you mean, Sir Brahmin?" Unsure of what his superior meant, the black mask who was keeping watch, carefully asked the towering man. After contemplating a little on whether he should divulge the information he had to his underling, the Brahmin simply chuckled in a sinister way before replying: "Hehehe¡­ The Allfather has approved the use of Akai and Midori..." Chapter 141 Teardrops In The Rain 3 After Commander Alwig had thrown all tactics into the wind and opted for a desperate, all-out assault, the number of warriors falling in battle just kept rising. Lady Seph was able to revive the majority of them using her supernatural ability that was Divine Rain, but there was a small portion of soldiers that slipped under the cracks and had to undergo specialised treatment. The medical bay, which was filled to the brim with patients lying on white linen sheets, had turned into a bustling area with robed healers desperately trying to treat as many people as they could. "Senior Escred¡­ Can I borrow a moment of your time?" Apprehensively pulling the sleeves of the chief healer, Shin asked the hazel-haired man. "Can''t you see that I''m¡­ Oh! Shin! What do you need?" At first, the frantic man, who was overworked, sharply snapped at the young voice that called for him. However, once he realised who the voice belonged to, a warm smile appeared on his fatigued and ghastly face. "I want to help too! Please assign some patients to me!" With Ariel by his side, the black-haired boy found the courage to speak his mind freely. Declaring that he would much rather be of assistance than an accessory, Shin shouted out loud. "Oh! That''s great! We always appreciate a helping hand! Nurse Hannah!" Logically speaking, since Shin was a young teenager and a guest of the Keep, he had no business meddling with the matters of the medical bay. In fact, even if he were to hide in one corner in fear of his life, no one in the Keep would blame him. After all, he was neither an enlisted healer nor was he a member of the army. Thus, the fact that he had volunteered his services in this time of crisis was something commendable. "Healer Escred, you called?" Rushing over to the mature man, a brunette lady huffed and puffed as she carried a chart filled with the names of the wounded. Shin and Ariel''s eyes contracted once they saw the familiar woman. Back when Shin came into the medical bay under Lady Seph''s instructions, the nurse standing in front of them had shooed them away like unwanted rodents in a kitchen. "Nurse Hannah, Healer Shin here wants to help us treat some patients. Give him a brief overview of the situation and assign him some of the wounded, please. I have to get back to work." Leaving Shin and Ariel with the middle-aged woman, Escred rushed back to the side of his patient. Now that the medical bay was swamped, there was little time for chit-chat as freshly injured bodies were being delivered by the minute. "Ermmm..." "..." An awkward air separated the two individuals. Ever since that day when Nurse Hannah chased Shin out of the white tent, the two had never talked and in general, left on bad terms. To be entirely fair for Nurse Hannah, she had never seen a healer that young before and thus, her mind automatically assumed that the boy was pulling a prank on her. Nonetheless, it was still true that she had shunned off the youngest healer in history who was also the disciple of the Keep''s saviour. "Healer Shin! I''m sorry for my earlier impudence! Please accept my apology!" "Eh?!" Bowing down until her upper body was nearly parallel to the ground, Nurse Hannah issued a heartfelt offering of remorse, much to the black-haired youth''s surprise. Shin''s feelings towards the brunette lady weren''t anywhere near the level of hate. Although he felt annoyed when she had turned him away, that one time, he had never thought of exacting vengeance or forcing the woman to make amends. "Nurse Hannah! You don''t have to do that! I''m not mad!" "Truly?!" "Yes! Please get up!" All healers and nurses had to get approved by the Healer''s association before they could start practising their craft and back in the academy, the young head nurse had seen prideful talented youths that were unscrupulous in their actions and were basically tyrants in the making. Thankfully, Shin did not have the tendencies of those younglings that she had met back at the Association. Otherwise, it was highly likely that she would have been forced out of a job. "Nurse Hannah¡­ All I want is to help you guys treat some patients. Please be kind to me!" As a rookie, the amount of knowledge that the black-haired youth knew about the medical bay was basically zero. He didn''t know what medicinal herbs were in the infirmary. He didn''t know how the shifts were structured. Essentially, everything that a healer needed to know about his workplace, Shin had no hint about. Therefore, it was important to befriend someone who could slowly explain everything to him and who better than the chief administrator herself? "Hah¡­ Thank you, Healer Shin. If that''s the case why don''t I stop wasting your time? For Healers, we would typically assign a station where you can treat as many patients as you want. Typically, there would be about four to eight beds per station, depending on the skill of the healer. How many beds do you think you would need?" "Just the one will do! I''m well aware of my limitations. There''s no way for me to treat patients en masse!" "I-I see..." Not wanting to bite off more than he could chew, Shin requested that only one bed be added to his station. Every single patient in the medical bay had sustained severe injuries, and Shin knew that his level of expertise wasn''t up to par as compared to the other healers in the tent. "If that''s the case, you can have this sheet over here! I''ll send some patients your way soon!" Pointing to a nearby white linen sheet, Nurse Hannah gave the young boy a slight bow before running off to arrange the necessary equipment for Shin. Promptly arriving at his station, Shin took out a mana replenishment pill from his pocket and swallowed it in one gulp. Closing his eyes, he calmed his body down and allowed the cerulean light sleeping deep inside of him to appear in the world once more. "..." Finding a comfortable spot for herself, Ariel carried Bingbing off of Shin''s shoulders to allow him to concentrate on his task at hand. The snowy white gerbil was reluctant to part with the black-haired youth and even growled at Ariel when her hands went near. However, once it saw Shin''s solemn expression, although it was unwilling, it still allowed the snotty scarlet-haired brat to handle its body. After one minute of meditation, The Sovereign Koi in Shin''s hands started to flap its fins wildly in joy as if it was finally being liberated. At that moment, Nurse Hannah returned with a bunch of medical equipment, and behind her, two hunky nurses carried a male soldier, who was in a coma, on a stretcher and gently hoisted him down to the bed that Shin was next to. "Healer Shin?" "Yeah, I''m here..." Gingerly opening his eyes, the black-haired youth stared straight at the brunette lady considerably shaking her composure in the process. When the veteran nurse peered into the eyes of the young teen no more than half her age, she could sense infinite wisdom that was unbefitting of a person his age. Perhaps it was due to the presence of the legendary Spirit, but what Nurse Hannah felt at that moment could only be described as gazing into the vast universe itself. "Describe his injuries." Three words. That was all Shin said to the nurse. However, that was all it took to convince the nurse that she was face-to-face with the real deal. It was not just his succinct words that moved the lady, but the manner in which Shin said it. At that very second, she felt like she was standing next to Lady Seph herself. "Y-Yes! His chest had been impaled by a beast''s horn, and multiple of his ribs had been fractured. The tusk that he had been pierced by is still in his body as we feared that removing it prematurely would have caused severe blood loss." Turning his head slightly, Shin scanned the unconscious victim multiple times over. Using the database of knowledge that he had acquired over three years, the boy could tell within seconds the best way to treat a patient with his conditions. "Good. Lay him down, I''ll handle the rest." "Are you sure?! Wouldn''t you need someone to help you pull out the horn?!" "Don''t worry. I''ve got that covered." Uncorking the pearly white ceramic gourd labelled ''One'', Shin brought out the highly mana-concentrated water that he had created and formed a transparent sphere that orbited around his body. From the flask labelled ''Three'', he summoned out the Healing Water that he had created and formed yet another orb. This time, the sphere contained a slight hue of gold in its midst, drastically differentiating itself from the previous water globe that Shin had produced. "Alright then..." Signalling for the nurses to drop the patient on the bed, Nurse Hannah retreated from the scene and continued on with her administrative work. After all, she was not only the leader of all nurses but the organiser of work for the healers. However, every so often, her eyes would unconsciously gravitate to the black-haired youth, curious at how he was planning to treat his patient. "Phew, thank god he''s not awake. Otherwise, getting him to quiet down from all the pain would prove to be hard work." Thanking his lucky stars that his first patient won''t be able to grumble to him about his treatment, Shin supplied a little more mana to the transparent water ball, and four tentacle-like objects came sprawling out like two pairs of spider legs and held the soldier in place. Once the man was tightly secured, from the centre of the water sphere, a fifth tentacle slowly crept its way to the thorn that was sticking out of the soldier''s chest. Behaving like how a human hand would, the tentacle rolled itself around the horn, and once it had a firm grip, it yanked as hard as it could to completely remove the thing sticking out of the man''s chest. The surrounding onlookers, including Ariel and Nurse Hannah, were all flabbergasted after witnessing Shin''s methods. No one had expected that his manipulation of water had reached such a drastic level where he could easily create tentacles that could easily do the work of a few men by himself. Thanks to the gentle nature of his water, the impaled object was effortlessly removed from the body of the soldier, causing crimson blood to come gushing out from his wound. "Oh no, you don''t!" Expecting that result, the Healing Water that he had on standby flew straight at the opened puncture and shimmered in a resplendent golden light. Finding his way inside of the soldier''s body, Shin used his Healing Water to locate all the possible injuries that Nurse Hannah had stated earlier. One by one, he treated everything. From the broken ribs to the damaged organs that resulted from the strike. Naturally, since the soldier was significantly injured, it had drained a large portion of his mana when he used ''Heal'', but after seeing the colour coming back to his patient''s complexion, the black-haired boy flashed a wry smile before gently closing the wound with a bandage. "This patient should be sufficiently treated. Nurse, could you send the next one?" From start to finish, Shin barely took ten minutes, almost matching the pace set by the other healers in the camp. Of course, he lacked the mana to completely match the seasoned healers regarding stamina, but one additional patient healed meant one less person suffering in pain, and that was enough for the youth. "Yes! Send the next patient!" Nurse Hannah instructed her subordinates to carry the male soldier lying on the white linen sheets away while calling for another group of nurses to bring in the next victim of war. This time, it was a female archer that had her body burnt from the increased firepower of the beasts. "Oh ho, this one''s going to be tricky..." Letting out a dry smile as if he had found a new challenge, the young teen once again manipulated his two trusty fluids that were floating in mid-air and began his careful treatment. ~~~ An hour after he had appeared in the sick bay, Shin was currently on his fifth patient. The previous few people he treated, although tricky at first, once Shin got used to the idea that he could heal even the most horrendous of injuries, the young healer started to get into a groove. However, with each new patient occupying his bed, he began to feel the strains of mana fatigue as the spiritual energy in his body had started to run dry. "Shin, are you okay?" Ariel, who could sense even the slightest change in Shin''s expression, worriedly asked her childhood friend. Although she was proud of his accomplishments, she did not want him to eventually crash and burn. "Yeah... I think I have enough mana for one more patient before I''m done for the day..." Healing six patients in a day was not an accomplishment that could be bragged about for a standard military grade healer. However, if the healer was a recently promoted Spirit Apostle who had a meagre mana count to begin with, it was something worth commending. "Alright, I''ll tell Nurse Hannah that when she comes with the next patient. For now, just recuperate your spiritual energy." "How are you faring, Healer Shin?" Speaking of the devil, the brunette woman walked over to Shin''s station while he was busy bandaging up the last patient. "Not that good¡­ I''m sorry, Nurse Hannah. The next patient would be my last for today, at least until I recover a bit of my mana." "There''s no need to apologise! Just your willingness to help when we are severely understaffed is greatly appreciated! Not only that, you had perfectly treated five patients! Let me tell you a secret, after seeing your mystical methods, the other healers have doubled their efforts, not willing to lose out to you!" "Is that so..." "I never jest! Just look around! The patients are moving in and out of the ward at a much faster rate than before!" Wiping his forehead full of sweat with the handkerchief that Ariel offered, Shin took a quick glance around the tent. Indeed, the healers and nurses had quickened their pace, and the patients were getting treated at a much faster rate. "Oh look! Your next patient is here!" At that moment, two nurses carried a haggard decrepit middle-aged man on a stretcher into the tent. The soldier had bruises all over his body with countless cuts and burns covering his charred skin. Coughing out ever so often, red viscous fluids spewed all over his muddied armour, further deepening its gruesome colour. Since the man''s head was obscured in a thick metal helmet, Shin couldn''t identify the man from his position, however, judging from the sounds of his coughs, he could tell that the man''s injuries weren''t light. "Bua¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ To think, that... you''re healing me... again!" "You''re..! Senior Ronlen!" When Shin was first turned away by Nurse Hannah, desperate to complete the assignment that his Master had bestowed on him, the young teen randomly selected a wounded soldier that had been lying still outside of the medical tent. Back then, he thought little of it and never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that he would treat the same man twice. "Senior Ronlen! What happened to you?! How are you in this state?!" Shin exclaimed in horror. The man was torn all over with every fibre of his body shattered. His eyes were bloodshot, and the cracked skin covering his skeleton was either burnt or punctured. It was no exaggeration to claim that he was the patient with the worst condition in the medical bay. And that was without examining the insides of his body. "Everything¡­ Boy¡­ Can you¡­ Fix me?" "Please stop talking, Senior Ronlen! You would only worsen your condition!" Struggling to even mouth out words, Ronlen collapsed on the white linen sheets laid out in front of Shin while bearing a hopeful smile. "Come on boy¡­ I have faith in you..." Being the first patient to be treated by Shin in Aldrich''s Keep, Ronlen was well aware of the black-haired boy''s capabilities. In fact, he was confident that Shin was one of the best healers in the medical bay in spite of his young age. "I''ll try my best..." Chapter 142 Teardrops In The Rain 4 ''Goddamnit, his condition is far worse than I thought!'' Just by observing the exterior of Ronlen''s body, Shin was unable to tell the full extent of the soldier''s injuries. However, after a few minutes of examining his insides, Shin realised how grim the man''s condition was. Organs that controlled the entirety of his system had all malfunctioned with his lungs and intestines severely damaged. The plump beating heart of the fallen warrior had taken a significant hit with several of his arteries disconnected, and a majority of his muscles had been torn. The bones holding his abdomen together had nearly entirely been shattered and his Ronlen''s skin, which used to have a healthy tan, was now either burnt or sliced open. It was a miracle that the man still could breathe. "Damn it!" Meticulously handling his Healing Water, Shin attempted to fix the most critical parts of his body first. Yet, deep down, a particular fear was building up in his chest. If he had been handed Ronlen just an hour prior, Shin would have lacked the confidence to effectively heal the downed warrior, however, after five successful treatments, the novice healer decided that it was worth a shot. "Heal!" A radiant golden light shone from the depths of the fluid the moment it touched Ronlen''s mangled body as Shin desperately supplied mana to it. "ARRGGHHHH!!!" Groaning out in agony, Ronlen strongly clasped the white linen sheets, digging his nails deep inside. In fact, his grip was so powerful that it tore through the blankets and cut straight into his sweaty palms. At his current state, the soldier was extremely sensitive to all kinds of external pressure and being exposed to the pure Healing Water proved to be too much for the Ronlen to handle. "Quick! Someone get something for him to bite on!" Shin cried out frantically. He was afraid that if the soldier carried on his violent reaction, Ronlen might accidentally chomp on his tongue. "On it!" One of the nurses that happened to be nearby, took a rolled up wet cloth and immediately inserted it into the man''s mouth. With his mouth muted, the moans of pain ceased, but Ronlen''s body convulsed drastically as if he were being possessed by a ghost. Beads of perspiration came pouring out from all his pores like an endless waterfall, drenching the bed that he lay on. His face turned beet red as his breathing grew more frantic. "Heal! Heal! HEAL!" Shin, who was already low on mana, supplied every single ounce of spiritual energy that he had left in his tank, and to his surprise, his increased output did show some minor results. The destroyed organs started to see some semblance of life as the golden light from his Healing Water gently caressed them and the burns on Ronlen''s skin began to turn back to its original colour. ''I might be able to do this!'' After that few short minutes after he commenced his treatment, things were starting to look better for the critically wounded soldier. Wounds began closing, damaged parts started to move. Overall, the life-threatening injuries had shown signs of improving. "Wow..." Ariel''s eyes glistened in amazement as she saw her childhood friend pull out another miracle yet again. Among all of his patients thus far, it was no question that Ronlen''s condition was the worst, but nothing seemed to be too hard for the young healer. Using all of his knowledge that had been firmly crystalised in the depths of his mind, Shin carefully picked the best way to heal his patient. The ability ''Heal'' is unique among all other spiritual abilities in which the cultivation level didn''t add to how potent the skill would be. Depending on the insight of the healer, the effectiveness of the ability would change. For instance, a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate that had just learned ''Heal'' would not be able to hold a candle to a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre that had years of experience and had read thousands of medical books, teaching him all the ways to treat a patient. The only limitation that Shin had was his mana thus limiting the number of times he could use that ability. However, if he was based solely on how well-versed he was in using ''Heal,'' although he wasn''t as good as the other healers in the Keep, it was just by a slight margin. "Damn it! HEAL!" While Ariel was star-struck, Shin didn''t share the same sentiment. He knew that what he was doing wasn''t anywhere near enough to effectively treat Ronlen. Pushing himself even further past his limit, Shin threw all caution in the wind and supplied all the remaining mana that he had left, running the high risk of overexertion. The Sovereign Koi stopped moving its scaly body and peered straight at the black-haired young teen. Being Shin''s Spirit, it could clearly feel the intense feelings that the youth was hiding in the recesses of his mind. Torn between letting the boy act out on his emotions to save his patient and ensuring its master''s safety, The Sovereign Koi was caught in a dilemma. ''Please¡­ Let me save him!!!'' Mentally screaming out, Shin let out a despairing plea. Perhaps it was a combination of Ronlen being his first patient in the Keep and his reputation as Lady Seph''s disciple, Shin desperately didn''t want to fail in the warrior''s treatment. "..." For a few seconds, the adorable cerulean Koi just stood there, staring intensely at its master. However, as if finally making up its mind, The Sovereign Koi re-entered the teenager''s body careful not to disturb the concentration of its master. Since everyone was either focused on Shin or the dying patient, no one noticed that the floating Spirit had disappeared. In the depths of Shin''s spiritual body, The Sovereign Koi returned to its territory, the vast lake that the black-haired boy had created. At the centre of the massive water body, two crystal obsidian obelisks remained levitating atop the surface of the lake and oddly, the original splendour that it once had started to dim as mana kept flowing out of Shin''s body like an opened tap. Taking one good look at the two obelisks, The Sovereign Koi seemed to sigh as it dived straight into the lake that it called home. Like any deep natural basin of water, there was darkness all around, causing any human to lose sight of their bearings. However, for the adorable cerulean Koi, it was literally swimming about in its own domain. Shining in a radiant light, the fish seemed to become a beacon at the bottom of a murky ocean, causing all sorts of life to congregate around it. One by one, all the living things inside of the lake slowly appeared and stayed below the level in which The Sovereign Koi was swimming at as if paying their respects to their monarch. Fishes, crustaceans and even plant life all gathered around the seemingly harmless little Koi. Some as small as termites, others more prominent than the largest buildings of the Himmel Empire. All of them shared one thing in common, the reverence that they had for The Sovereign Koi. There was no need for sounds or words. Once they assembled, they knew what they had to do. Balls of beautiful light moved out from all the life forms bodies and bubbled up to the surface, giving the boy outside a little boost in mana. Although it was slight, it was enough for Shin to complete his healing process. Shin''s hands began to tremble as the increased mana flowed through his body and into the Healing Water that was directly in contact with Ronlen. At that point, many eyes were gazing at the youth, including the other nurses and healers in the medical bay. Shin''s powerful surge of mana had caused such a strong disturbance that even healers who were focusing on their treatments had no choice but to see what was going on. The radiant golden light that shone from the Healing Water that Shin had created illuminated the entire tent, blinding those who were closer to the boy. Even Ariel, who had a high tolerance to bright lights due to her affinity with fire, was forced to look away. ''I can do it!'' Caught in his own mental stupor, Shin was oblivious to the commotion that was being generated by him or how much mana he was spending. His mind was too focused on healing Ronlen that he didn''t even realise that he had received a mysterious mana boost. "Shin! Stop it!" However, at that moment, a descending hand grabbed Shin by the wrists and forcefully cut the flow of mana from his body to the Healing Water. With no spiritual energy, the orb of Healing Water couldn''t retain its form and splashed violently onto the floor, drenching the clothes of all who were near it. "W-What..." Still remaining in a daze, Shin wasn''t able to comprehend what had happened. His eyes wandered around until he saw a firm white hand, tightly grasping his wrist. Looking up, his vision was covered by a hazel-brown colour that resembled the ripe chestnuts that he had frequently consumed. "Senior Escred?" "Yes, that''s me!" "Senior Escred! What are you doing?! I''m in the middle of treating my patient! Quick, let go of me so that I can resume my..." "THAT''S ENOUGH SHIN!!!" For the first time ever, Escred raised his voice at Shin. "You''ve¡­ Done enough¡­ In the first place, his injuries were too egregious..." "No, I can still continue! Please let go of my hand, I can still continue!" "Shin, it''s not your fault¡­ It really isn''t¡­ He can''t make it anymore¡­ If you continue down this road, not only would this soldier here die, the world would lose a genius healer..." Still firmly gripping on Shin''s hands, Escred refused to allow Shin to continue on with his treatment. After the sensing the peculiar spiritual energy, Escred had left his station to check on the black-haired youth who was trying so desperately to save his patient. Having more experience under his belt, Escred could tell in a few looks if a wounded soldier had passed the threshold of being saved. And unfortunately, Ronlen already had his two feet laid firmly in his grave. However, Shin had only practised the art of healing for less than three years and had just learnt ''Heal'' a few weeks back. He lacked the practical experience and insight to tell when a patient was a goner and believed that all who were wounded, could be saved. "Shin..." Although she was entirely clueless about the art of healing, when Ariel saw the sorry state that Shin was in, she knew that if he continued on trying to heal Ronlen, there would only be demerits to Shin''s body. Taking hold of his other wrist, she shook her head gently. "DAMN IT!!!" In a fit of rage, Shin got onto his feet and stormed out of the medical tent, leaving the dying Ronlen behind. At that point, Ronlen had long lost consciousness, and although he was still breathing, it wouldn''t take long for his nostrils to stop moving. Taking one last look at the fallen warrior, Ariel''s eyes trembled as her mouth began to dry. A million thoughts raced across her mind, but one stood out the most. She had to go chase Shin. "Shin!" Bolting out of the medical tent in the same manner as the black-haired youth before her, Ariel tried her best to catch up with her childhood friend, and thankfully, she didn''t have to run for long. Shin had fallen to his knees as he stared helplessly at the empty sky. "Shin..." "Ariel, I''ve failed..." Wearing a self-deprecating frown, the young boy looked as if the world had ended and no one could really blame him. For the first time, he had failed to treat a patient, and Ronlen''s death was inevitable now. "No, you haven''t¡­ Even Escred said that there was nothing that could have been done..." "Isn''t it funny? Senior Ronlen was my first patient ever¡­ To think that I would be his last doctor..." Before he treated Ronlen, the only experience he had in healing was treating injured animals and minor wounds on himself and his Master. Thus, when he treated Ronlen for the first time, Shin was genuinely elated. He had proven his skills by successfully healing someone else. "It''s not your fault..." "I was too complacent¡­ If I had admitted that I was lacking, perhaps another healer could have taken my place." "It''s not your fault..." "My flaws, my incompetence¡­ They claimed a life today Ariel..." "It''s not your fault..." Gently soothing the young boy, the scarlet-haired girl approached Shin and brought his head to her bosom. Stroking the silky hair of his, Ariel did her best to calm him down. Currently, Shin was in a weakened state, both mentally and physically. It was at this time that he needed the compassion of another human being most. At that moment, billions of brilliant golden raindrops trickled down from the heavens above while the sound of warriors clashing their weapons with beasts resonated through the crumbling Keep walls. "Master¡­ If it were Master, she would have been sure to heal Senior Ronlen..." Remembering how mystical Lady Seph''s abilities were, Shin was sure that the woman that he spent so much time with would be able to heal Ronlen even to the point of perfection. "It''s not your fault! It''s not your fault! IT''S NOT YOUR FAULT!!!" "Ariel..." "You did your best¡­ And that''s enough..." "Is it really?" "Yes, it is..." Desperately embracing the petite body of Ariel''s, Shin bit down hard on his lip as he felt himself choking up. His temperature seemed to have dropped as a chilling cold enveloped his spine, causing slight shivers all around his body. Feeling her clothes getting slightly wet, a bitter smile crept up Ariel''s face as she continued her gentle embrace. In these darkest of hours, all that remained were the teardrops in the rain. Chapter 143 The Final Stage 1 "Have you calmed down?" After a few minutes lying on Ariel''s chest, Shin''s body stopped trembling as the tear ducts in his eyes ran out of moisture. The sweet and comforting natural scent that his childhood friend was emitting greatly helped the teen to regain his composure and come to terms with what had happened just moments prior. When he was at his most vulnerable state, Shin felt that it was soothing to have a familiar fragrance envelop his nasal cavities, thus easing that tension that he had. Taking deep breaths in, the black-haired boy slowly came to his senses. Earlier on, he had received a blow when his mental and physical state was at its worst. However, now that he had somewhat recovered, he realised the silly position that he was in. Releasing his arms from Ariel''s slender back, his face of despair had turned red from embarrassment due to showing his weak side to a close friend and even forcing her to cuddle with him. Invisible steam seemed to whistle out of the young boy''s ears like a boiling kettle as he stammered on his words. "S-Sorry about that¡­ I''m fine now..." "Are you sure? You can continue if you want to..." "No¡­ I really shouldn''t..." Ariel''s standard Frie Clan robes had been stained with tears and snot, essentially placing a sizeable wet smudge on her chest area. Shin, who was the cause of the state of her clothes, blushed furiously while taking small peeks at his childhood friend''s bosom. Curious about his odd stare, Ariel traced his gaze and finally noticed the strange dampened spot on her robes. Likewise, her entire face flushed in unease while she stuttered: "Y-Yeah¡­ You shouldn''t..." "..." An awkward silence descended upon the two teenagers as they recalled how shameful their earlier actions were. Ariel started to twiddle with her hair by forming curls while Shin scratched his nose to rid himself of the terrible itch that he had gotten. For a short period of time, the two didn''t speak a single word. However, the peace and quiet were broken by an irate young voice. "Urgh, I can''t stand watching these two anymore! Emma, let us return!" From the side of the medical bay, two identical purple haired young girls, one putting on a pleasant smile while the other pouted in annoyance, stood lying on a nearby pillar while they observed the duo. Although Ariel was the one who stuck firmly to Shin throughout, the twins were also somewhere close, monitoring the rookie healer as he did his treatments. When they saw the black-haired boy charge out the room with Ariel running close behind, Ella and Emma were worried that Shin, in his moment of weakness, might do something brash. Thus, they quickly chased after them. However, all they got to witness was the two lovebirds in each other arms while Shin sobbed uncontrollably. "Hehehe, come on Ella! It''s like watching a love story come to life!" "Blergh!!! Ahhhh¡­ Why did Ariel choose Shin anyway? I''m sure she could do much better!" The two sisters spoke out in a loud voice, as if unaware that Shin and Ariel could clearly hear them. Naturally, the duo''s reddened faces only turned even more crimson after listening to the twins'' conversation. However, now that he was composed, Shin decided to ignore the mindless taunts and walked straight towards the two young teens, gossiping at the entrance of the medical bay. "You guys, do you know how Senior Ronlen is faring?" "Ah!" As a healer, one should never leave a patient unattended for. Yet, back then, when Shin was overwhelmed with emotions, he had just stormed out of the tent, letting the wounded soldier lie unmoving and without proper attention from a healer. "Shin¡­ That¡­ I think it would be better if you see for yourself..." "Alright then..." After a brief pause, the young healer took in a deep breath. From Emma''s short words, he could deduce what had happened. At his side, he could feel a warm hand grasp his own. From the corner of his eyes, he could see a scarlet-haired girl standing next to him with a face as red as her own hair. Although she was embarrassed, there was no way Ariel was going to let Shin cross this hurdle by his own. Her small hands had been roughened up and had minor callous forming, possibly due to her frequent handling of the Lava Warhammer. Unlike a typical girl''s gentle hands, Ariel''s possessed a particular might that not even Shin could accurately describe. What all Shin knew was, with her by his side, he was empowered and felt that he could move mountains if he so wished. "Ariel¡­ Thank you..." Pulling the girl along, Shin re-entered the white tent. Once he popped into the medical bay, all the surrounding onlookers stopped in their tracks and focused their attention on the youth. With every step that Shin took, the frozen bystanders would take one step backwards, making way for the young healer to return to the place where he once was. And it didn''t take long till¡­ "So he''s gone?" At the station where Shin had worked for this past hour, a white blanket covered the entire body of a certain individual, indicating that a life had been lost. Nurse Hannah, who had rushed forward once seeing Shin''s arrival, closed her eyes as she gave an affirmative nod. "Healer Shin, please don''t reproach yourself¡­ Healer Escred had taken a look, and there was nothing that you could have done. Corporal Ronlen was a valiant soldier, and fought hard until the very end." "Yeah..." To be entirely honest, Shin knew from the start that Ronlen had a slim chance of survival once he saw the state of his body. However, Shin had hidden that sentiment deep down as he believed that if he tried his best, maybe, just maybe, a miracle could happen. Unfortunately, Shin did not possess the mystical powers of his Master just yet. Kneeling next to the unmoving corpse, Shin brought his two hands together and began to pray in a soft voice. "I hope you find peace." At this point, Shin felt rather faint, but he persevered on. After healing five consecutive patients and seeing his sixth pass on into the next life, he was exhausted. Mentally, physically and mana-wise, he had next to nothing left in the tank. All he wished for was a nice place to lie down and recuperate his strength. Sadly, life wasn''t so kind. "*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!*." A thunderous explosion, one that shook the earth of the Keep and brought everyone in it to the ground, sounded out causing the medical tent to collapse upon itself. "What''s going on?!" Healer Escred and many of the other senior management screamed out. The Frie Clan higher-ups all scrambled to protect the children from as the Shrine Maiden formed a force field that shielded all within it. Rushing out of the collapsed tent, everyone in the medical bay scrambled around to find the cause of the destructive sound. Luckily, or rather, unluckily, they found it rather quickly. The walls facing the Uncharted Wilderness, the pride and joy of Aldrich''s Keep, the reason why the Western Border of the Himmel Empire had been secured for countless years, had been breached. Two-thirds of the wall had come crumbling down leaving an enormous hole at the centre of the famed barricade. Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes charged through the opened ''gate'' that wasn''t there a few seconds ago and viciously stormed their way to the other end. And even though it was still in the afternoon and the sun was still illuminating the sky, those on the ground could only see darkness. "WHAT IS THAT?!?!?!" One of the soldiers exclaimed in horror. Standing at over two hundred metres tall, a leafy and verdant Gargantuan Treant, eluded the bright fiery ball in the sky as it used its colossal feet to stomp through the walls of the Keep. Every time that its legs made of thick roots and vines came into contact with the ground, a miniature earthquake shook the area, causing the dwellings in the Keep to come crashing down like huts made of straw. "A Tier 9 Spirit Beast!!! Seriously what is up with this purge?!" The Gargantuan Treant was a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, the beast equivalent of a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate. In Aldrich''s Keep, there were only two Rank 70 Spirit Emperors, and that was General Anmac and Lady Seph. However, even if both their strengths were put together, they were still far from a match from a Spirit User that had transcended into the Rank 80 realm, let alone a Spirit Beast that had reached Tier 9. At this point, the Himmel Empire must send either a Spirit Venerate or a Spirit Saint if they hope that the Keep could remain standing. Thankfully for Shin and the rest, the Gargantuan Treant seemed uninterested in interacting with the small fry that it considered being equivalent to ants and slowly made its way to the other end of the Keep, aiming to take down the other wall as well. Aldrich''s Keep had mainly two walls to protect the Western Border. The wall containing the Guardian Rock that faced the Uncharted Wilderness carried the most weapons and defence mechanisms so that they could repel beasts whenever a purge arrived. In fact, in theory, as long as the Guardian Rock remained, even a Primordial Beast that stands at the apex of the food chain would have trouble breaching the defences of Aldrich''s Keep. Unfortunately, the Guardian Rock had been utterly decimated by the earlier mysterious laser beam, making the western wall just a normal barrier made out of concrete and rock. "Aldrich''s Keep has been breached?! What happened to Master?!" Now that the western wall was destroyed, it was only a matter of time until the eastern one falls as well. After all, the east wall does not even boast a tenth of the defences that the western wall has. All the Gargantuan Treant needs to do was to gently kick the brick hurdle, and it would come crumbling down. "Lady Seph''s mana signature is still strong! Quick, all of you hide immediately! Do not engage the Spirit Beasts! Safety is your primary concern right now!" The Shrine Maiden replied to Shin''s inquiry and followed it up by barking orders at the rest of the facility. Earlier on, General Anmac had requested for the Frie Clan to protect the medical bay and that was what she planned to do. Although she was tempted to aid in the fight against the beast horde, the white-robed lady realised that the best thing that she could do was ensure the safety of the injured and the younglings she swore to protect. Responding to the Shrine Maiden''s orders, the nurses and healers brought all that couldn''t move deep into a hidden part of the Keep that was safe from outside invasions while the wounded that could move, assisted in whatever ways they could. The younger generation of the Frie Clan, including Shin, all retreated with the help of Ines and the others while the Shrine Maiden squinted her eyes at the beast horde that raced through the Keep like gazelles stampeding across the savanna. Instead of going for the fresh flesh of humans, they all had eyes on one thing, to enter the territory of the Himmel Empire. ''Their behaviour is highly unusual, but at least it works in our favour...'' Typically, savage Spirit Beasts would mindlessly attack humans, no matter the situation. That''s why they were so viciously hunted down by the authorities, even to the extent that for stronger beasts, a generous bounty would be offered. However, instead of going for the easy prey, the Spirit Beasts ran past the medical bay like it didn''t exist. ''Whatever, I need to report this to Enfen first!'' Putting her two of her fingers into her mouth, the Shrine Maiden whistled out loud calling for a carrier pigeon that she had brought along to send urgent messages back to Frie Mountain. Taking out a small piece of paper, she wrote down four ominous words before tying it to the feet of the white bird. Seeing the carrier pigeon take off, the beautiful woman let out a mournful sigh as she said: "Aldrich''s Keep has fallen..." Chapter 144 The Final Stage 2 Turning the clock back a few minutes, the army was putting on a valiant effort against the beast horde with the assistance of Lady Seph. Every so often, a downpour of radiant golden light fell from the sky, giving the warriors the added strength that they needed to continue their defence. Bit by bit, the soldiers chipped away at the endless tsunami of beasts, roaming out from the woodlands of the Uncharted Wilderness in droves. Spirit abilities flew about the battlefield severely destabilising the mana concentration of the environment causing some of the weaker attacks to be utterly neutralised or completely misfire, thus ending up in cases of friendly fire. In a nutshell, it was just mayhem in the front lines. "Scouts! Is there an estimate on the remainder of beasts?" Commander Alwig burnt a nearby Rogga Minotaur into a crisp before asking one of his close associates. "Yes! We have approximately killed forty thousand beasts!" "Forty thousand?! That means that there is still sixty thousand out there?!" Biting his lip while hollering out in annoyance, Commander Alwig quickly did the math. In a typical purge, forty thousand beasts killed wasn''t something to be scoffed at, in fact, that number might have broken the previous record. Adding to the fact that the fatalities on the Himmel Army''s side were rather small, killing forty thousand beasts was actually a cause for celebration. However, there were still sixty thousand beasts hiding inside the thick forests, waiting to pounce out and feast on the bodies of the fatigued soldiers. "How many men remaining do we have that are able to fight?" "About seven thousand! Three thousand have either perished in battle or had been delivered into the medical bay!" Three thousand men for forty thousand Spirit Beasts. If Lady Seph weren''t here casting Divine Rain, the casualty count would have been much more significant, and Aldrich''s Keep would have fallen an hour ago. Yet, even though the esteemed healer has been doing her best to give the soldiers a boost every few minutes, after a while, the lethargy seemed to have caught up with the army men, forcing them to become much more sluggish than they initially were. That was one of the drawbacks of Divine Rain. Although it recovers a large number of Spirit Users injuries and stamina, it was unable to treat the mental stress that the soldiers have been through for the extended period of time. Their minds needed a break from all the adrenaline that had congregated in their bodies and the overall fatigue that came with killing beasts and seeing their fellow men die before them. Taking a brief look around the rusted army, Commander Alwig clicked his tongue and barked out: "Goddamnit! Order our men to slowly back away from the fields and return behind the walls! We are going to switch to the turtle defence!" "But, sir! The walls have started to fail, if we use the turtle defence, we would barely last!" In Aldrich''s Keep, there was a popular tactic that they had always employed during the purge, and that was the turtle defence. By relying on the enhanced powers of the Guardian Rock, they could hide behind the walls and shoot out barrages of arrows and abilities to decimate the beast horde. However, since the mysterious laser earlier on had utterly disintegrated the Guardian Rock, the army was forced to create a defence line high up into the fields since the walls could come crumbling down at any moment. "There''s no helping it! If we continue on this all-out assault, we will all die here in the fields anyway! Pass down my order! We are returning to the Keep!" "Yes, sir!" Transmitting the commands laid down by the blonde knight donned in silver armour, the army slowly retreated from the Uncharted Wilderness and headed straight for the collapsing Keep. There were no reinforcements from the Himmel Empire inbound or any external help that they could rely on to fight against the overwhelming numbers. All the army had was themselves. Thus, if the casualties were to pile up, it was only a matter of time before Aldrich''s Keep falls. "Anmac! How are you faring?" Up high in the sky, Lady Seph, who had used her self-rejuvenation ability to revert herself back into her younger body, worriedly asked the aged general. Since he summoned his Spirit, the elderly man had been endlessly slashing down enemies by the hundreds and even cleared out the strongest beasts in the horde. "Seraphim, something''s not right!" "What do you mean?" Taking out a Tier 5 Spirit Beast with one swing of his scythe, the wizened bronzed man jumped up from his position and levitated next to the beauty in the sky. For a while now, he had his suspicions on the battle situation, and an unsettling feeling had been building up in his chest. "These beasts, instead of trying to eat the carcasses of their fellow animals or the dead bodies of the fallen soldiers, they are just charging ahead. In all my years supervising the Keep, this phenomena has never happened before." Typically, the reason why beasts act the way they did was to survive. Food, an essential part of survival, was always the primary motivating factor for them and therefore, a bloodied graveyard such as this one was kind of like a free-for-all buffet. Yet, all they did was charge blindly, regardless of their own safety. Even if they were controlled, their natural instincts would take over at some point as the urge to munch on the corpses would grow ever stronger. "It''s as if they''re not only wired to attack us, but they are also running from something..." "A hundred thousand Spirit Beasts running from something?! Hold on!" Closing her eyes, Lady Seph released a torrent of light from the inner depths of her body as a blinding radar-like explosion scanned the nearby vicinity. Peering deep into the Uncharted Wilderness, the seasoned healer hoped to find for some clues on what could have caused the beast horde to feel such fear, and she didn''t have to look for long. Two robust and mighty mana signatures could be felt in the distance, gradually approaching the crumbling walls of the Keep. One was gentle and mild, yet once Lady Seph probed a little, she felt a tremendous backlash striking her spiritual body. The other was violent and reactive, like an acid bath that corroded any that came near it. "What the fuck..." "What?! What did you see?!" Lady Seph''s entire being paled in shock as she felt that all hope was lost. Seeing his long-time friend in that state, General Anmac couldn''t help but ask. "*GWOOOOO0AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!*" "*RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRRRR!!!*" However, before he got his answer, two raging roars, each with their own distinct flavour, sounded out from the Uncharted Wilderness causing the ears of those with lower cultivation levels to bleed. "SERAPHIM! What was that?!" "Two fucking Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, Anmac! TWO FUCKING TIER 9 BEASTS!" Lady Seph wasn''t the type to have an emotional outburst, but in this situation, who could blame her. One Tier 9 Spirit Beast was enough to flatten the entire army, and now they had to face two at the same time. Not to mention, the sixty thousand beast horde that had abandoned their wave idea and all scurried out of the woodlands, burying all in their path. "What?! Goddamnit, things just never go the way they are supposed to!" Seeing that the army had already begun their retreat, General Anmac continued to stand in the frontlines with his trusty silver scythe in hand. Taking big swings at the numerous beasts, the aged Spirit Emperor hoped to take out as many enemies as he could so that his men could safely retreat before the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts came out. Unfortunately, there was no way reality would be so kind to him. Two menacing shadows bolted out from the darkness of the woods and made their appearance on the battlefield. Standing at over two hundred metres tall, a Gargantuan Treant stomped its foot on the burnt floor causing an earthquake to rumble through the area. From the bottom of its feet, new plant life immediately started growing and vines wrapped around the dead corpses and carcasses, absorbing them as nutrients. On its body, all sorts of trees and ferns could be seen growing out. Moving at a snail''s pace, the two cut holes on its face that represented its eyes stared fixedly on the crumbling walls of the Keep, ignoring the small fry that was laid on the floor. Behind it, a hundred metre tall chimaera swung its serpentine tail as it spread its wings out wide. Its lion head gave out a large yawn, baring its razor-sharp teeth for all to see. Behaving like it was the sovereign of the area, the chimaera calmly moved its blood red paws and headed towards the scrambling army. "HEY, YOU!!!" However, before they could decimate their opponents, a young blonde woman, who was flying around in the sky, screamed out at them, causing the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts to stop in their tracks. "I know you guys can understand me! Why are you doing this?!" Lady Seph amplified her voice so that both the Gargantuan Treant and the Blood Red Chimaera could hear her. Once a Spirit Beast reaches a certain cultivation level, they would gain the intelligence of a regular human. For a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, understanding and conversing with a human was a piece of cake. "Human woman¡­ Move aside¡­ No kill..." "RARARARA!!! Midori?!" Two voices started to echo through the desolate fields, shocking every single soul in the area. "Akai¡­ Mission only¡­ Break walls..." "Fine¡­ Move aside, woman. I won''t kill you today..." The Gargantuan Treant only had one objective, to destroy the walls of Aldrich''s Keep. Evidently, the Blood Red Chimaera had the same mission. "I''m afraid I can''t let you do that..." General Anmac flew up high into the skies and blocked the path of the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. As the highest authority in the Keep, he had to uphold his duty to the best of his ability. Letting the beasts overrun the place he swore to defend was something that he would much rather die than see. "Anmac..." "Seraphim, this is no longer your fight! Leave this place!" The elderly man seemed to have aged decades after saying those words. Initially, he thought that with Lady Seph around, Aldrich''s Keep would have a much better chance of fighting off the threat, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts to appear alongside the hundred thousand strong beast horde. Right now, it wasn''t a battle to defend the Keep, it was a battle to survive annihilation, and that was not a battle that the seasoned healer had signed up for. Gaping while staring at her old friend, Lady Seph felt her mind go blank. The only reason that she was here was because of the debt she had with General Anmac. Otherwise, there was no way she would have fought for the military. If it were the olden days, she would have gone all out and assisted her partner in any means she could. However, now that she was no longer in the military and had a disciple to care for, she couldn''t go throwing her life away for a cause that she loathed. "Fine¡­ Don''t die..." Gathering a large amount of mana, Lady Seph sent a healing light down the wizened man''s way, hoping to give him a slight boost. "Hahaha! I won''t!" Now that she had been released from her bond, Lady Seph promptly treated. Biting her lip, a single teardrop dripped down her beautiful face as the woman rushed back towards the Keep. She knew... This battle was over. "Ignorant fool¡­ Akai¡­ Do what you will..." "RARARA!!! Finally something fun!!!" The hundred-metre tall chimaera laughed out loud as it went into its battle position. It had been stifled over the years, and now, there was a playtoy laid bare for him to enjoy. The Gargantuan Treant, sensing that an opening had shown itself, jumped up high from its position and aimed its landing on the now decrepit western walls. General Anmac wanted to stop it, but a lime green snake whipped itself across the air. "Come here, human man! Your opponent is me!" Using its tail to halt the general''s attack on the Gargantuan Treant, Akai frolicked around, taunting the Spirit Emperor. However, the elderly man''s eyes were still fixated on the colossal monster, that was flying straight down at the western wall. "*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!*." Breaking down half of the walls with that single hit, the Gargantuan Treant opened a path for the array of Spirit Beasts that waited patiently at the foot of the fortification. Continuously breaking down the crippled walls, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast didn''t stop until over two-thirds of the barrier had been opened. All those who were unlucky enough to be near the walls had instantly perished from the shockwave, while those far away, could not escape the earthquake that ensued from the impact. Yet, Midori wasn''t done. Recovering from its crouched position, the Gargantuan Treant serenely made its way to the other end, as if it was taking a stroll down a familiar park. The sentries on the other wall used all sorts of arrows, ballistae and even catapults to deter Midori''s path but it was to no avail. Sending out a torrent of vines, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast instantly opened a hole through the thick concrete walls and bit by bit, tore the eastern wall apart. "*BOOOOM!!!* *BOOOOM!!!* *BOOOOM!!!*." Sounds of concrete blocks falling onto the floor reverberated through the fort as the Gargantuan Treant continued his slow decimation of the eastern walls. Until eventually¡­ The last piece of concrete fell from the walls, opening a direct path from the Uncharted Wilderness to the abundant lands of the Himmel Empire. The beasts surrounding Midori howled and growled, seemingly in celebration of that act as they marched their way past the fallen Keep. The legend of Aldrich''s Keep, the impregnable fort that stood for centuries, was finally broken on this day. Chapter 145 The Final Stage 3 "RETURN TO THE KEEP! DON''T LET ANY OF THEM INTO OUR HOMELAND!!!" Commander Alwig waved his flaming claymore sword in a frenzy as he screamed out in terror. After the Gargantuan Treant broke down the two walls of the Keep, large amounts of mana flowed out of its body and into the soil underneath the concrete ground of the fort. Summoning out a plethora of trees and vines, Midori created a straight path from the western walls to the eastern one and in the process, destroying anything that stood in its way. Barracks that stood tall for decades had collapsed and monuments that commemorated the legends of the Keep had been toppled by the intense mana being thrown out by the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Currently, the majority of the standing army were all on the western wall, trying to hold back the sixty thousand strong beast horde. Unfortunately for them, due to the overwhelming numbers and the sudden assault by Akai and Midori, thousands of Spirit Beasts had passed their defence line and were already on their way into the lands of the Empire. Right now, the focus of the battle had switched from defending the Keep to eliminating as many beasts as they possibly could. "RARARA!!! Go and die human! We have already won!" The Blood Red Chimaera that was facing General Anmac laughed out loud as he effortlessly toyed with the veteran fighter. The wizened bronzed man''s face had turned red as he panted heavily. General Anmac had been slicing down countless of Spirit Beasts and had just witnessed his fort being decimated. Naturally, his mental and physical levels were at an all-time low. Akai, on the other hand, was superior in all aspects. The Tier 9 Spirit Beast had overwhelming amounts of mana, much more than the old general. It was in its peak condition as it had not fought a single battle prior to arriving and finally, it had already finished what it came to do. Right now, if Akai wanted to, he could simply end the fatigued general with a flick of his claws. "FUCK YOU!!!" General Anmac''s scythe glowed in a silver light as he hacked at the hundred-metre tall monster. He had desperately wanted to rejoin his army to fight off the Gargantuan Treant, but unfortunately, the lime green serpentine tail of Akai''s was too fast for him to evade. All he could do was watch Midori slowly tear down the walls of his home as he fell into despair. The silver scythe narrowly missed the Blood Red Chimaera''s head as it simply took one step backwards. As if to counter that attack, the serpent tail of Akai spewed out a toxic green fog that filled the entire area and entered General Anmac''s body through his pores. "*Cough!* *Cough!*. Damn it, poison!!!" Feeling his mind go dizzy, the elderly man coughed out a mouthful of blood. As a Spirit Emperor, fighting head-to-head with a Tier 9 Spirit Beast was pure suicidal. Although on paper they were only one realm apart, the gulf between the two levels was quite substantial. In fact, to hunt down a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, one needed a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate or at least five Spirit Emperors that could neutralise its abilities. Unfortunately for Aldrich''s Keep, they didn''t have either option. "RARARARARARA!!! Now that''s the spirit..." Akai let out a sinister roar and gathered his mana. Initially, he was slightly annoyed that General Anmac was not focusing on him. As a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, he had his own pride, especially since he evolved from a lion. Having his opponent look away during a battle was a great insult to his might. Thus, now that General Anmac had given Akai his undivided attention, the Blood Red Chimaera could finally go all out. The spiritual pressure being emitted out of the hundred-metre tall Spirit Beast mauled down on the aged general forcing the man to drop down from the skies and onto the ground. At that moment, General Anmac felt as if he was at the bottom of a deep ocean, with the weight of the entire sea pressuring him. ''ARRGGHHH!!! FUCK!!!'' Trying his best to stay on his feet, the elderly man glanced upwards to gawk at the colossal monstrosity that lay before him. From the insides of its opened mouth, a miniature ball of fire started to form. Although the mini-sphere appeared to be relatively harmless, the experienced warrior felt that another sun had graced the skies. The pressure on his body mounting with every passing second, General Anmac''s movements started to become sluggish and imprecise. "Bye-bye~ Ignorant human..." While still trying his best to move, the last thing that General Anmac saw was the bright red light, that was hovering above his head, quickly descend upon his body. ~~~ "Shin! Are you alright?!" Hiding in a well-guarded facility, Shin and the other Frie Clan members were greeted by a beautiful young blonde woman, who had rushed over to her disciple''s side. "Master! Thank goodness you''re alright!" "Silly child, there''s no way I would die that easily..." Reuniting with her disciple, Lady Seph breathed a massive sigh of relief. Pulling the young boy into her embrace, her youthful body quivered in fear. When she left General Anmac just moments prior, deep down, both of them knew that it would be their last time seeing each other. She had just lost one of her most cherished friends, if her sole protege had been taken away too, Lady Seph didn''t know what she would do. Turning to the Shrine Maiden, the seasoned healer wore a bitter smile as she said: "Thank you for taking care of Shin while I wasn''t here..." "E-Eh?! L-Lady Seph, there''s no need to thank me! I was just doing my job!" As the head of the Frie Clan expedition, the Shrine Maiden was in charge of the safety of all the members present. Therefore, to the best of her ability, she eradicated any stray beasts that roamed near the area. "Nonetheless, I thank you. Right now the Keep is in a mess, the beast horde had stormed the area. Without your presence, I doubt this place would be safe." "Thank... You..." Abashed by the constant praise, the Shrine Maiden shyly looked away from her idol and attempted to quell her beating heart, and that phenomena were not limited to just her. Entering the medical bay, where numerous healers and nurses worked, Lady Seph seemed to be like an angel descending from the heavens. Anyone who went to the Healer''s Association would almost always hear the legend of Yara Pass and the goddess-like abilities of Lady Seph. "L-Lady Seph¡­ It''s an honour to finally meet you¡­ M-My name is Escred..." A certain hazel-coloured haired individual crossed the entire facility to greet the gorgeous woman. In his memory, Lady Seph was described as an elderly woman that was way past her prime. However, the woman in front of him was clearly a youthful beauty, causing him to be somewhat tongue-tied. "Yeah¡­ What''s the situation here?" Now that she had reunited with Shin, Lady Seph could finally relax her tense heart. Judging from the earlier conversation that Midori had with her, the Black Masks weren''t planning on massacring the soldiers in the Keep, rather they wanted to move the vast amounts of beasts from the Uncharted Wilderness into the Himmel Empire. Thus, as long as she didn''t go an provoke the beasts, Lady Seph doubted that there would be any retaliation against them, and even if there was, she could simply flee with Shin. Although she was no match for the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, Lady Seph was confident in her speed. After all, her light elemental affinity was much faster than a slow-moving Treant or a Flame Chimaera. "The Beasts have infiltrated the Keep! Commander Alwig and the other commanders are doing their best to kill as many beasts as they can!" One of the officers guarding the medical bay reported. Right now, Aldrich''s Keep was overrun with Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes, and the warriors of the fort were hard at work trying to diminish their numbers. Unfortunately, they were severely outnumbered, and the straight path created by the Gargantuan Treant was now deluged with vicious beasts. If one viewed the lane from up top, it would resemble an overflowing river, but instead of droplets of water, the river contained Spirit Beasts that could easily maul an average citizen apart. "What about the Gargantuan Treant?" "After it destroyed the eastern wall, it disappeared back into the Uncharted Wilderness!" "I see..." Putting her hands on her chin, Lady Seph fell into deep thought. From her interaction with Midori, she could tell that the Tier 9 Spirit Beast was not under any apparent control. The Gargantuan Treant was a peaceful beast and disliked to come into the open. In fact, the mighty beast would even go out of its way to avoid human contact, and yet, Midori showed such a violent side of itself going against the gentle behaviour of his species. ''If he wasn''t controlled, what could possibly compel him to fight for the Black Masks?'' Lady Seph was baffled. The more she learnt about the mysterious syndicate, the less she understood. The entity that they called the Allfather was someone that could easily fight a Spirit Saint, and the intelligence that General Anmac had given her claimed that there was a Primordial Beast under the Allfather''s control. Adding to the fact that two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts were willingly working for the organisation, the Black Masks could most definitely threaten the fragile balance of the three great powers. And that was only with all the known information of the Black Masks. Who knew what other powerful entities lay hidden behind the syndicate. ''Whatever, let''s just try and survive this ordeal first...'' Peering to her side, Lady Seph sighed as she stroked the silky hair of her disciple. ~~~ Uncharted Wilderness. ??? "Sir Brahmin! We''ve done it! Senior Midori and Senior Akai broke down the walls." "Hmph! That is to be expected! Alright, that means the first stage of the mission is a success." The sentry atop the watchtower joyfully reported to the menacing man standing next to him. "Although we had to skip a few steps and allocate much more resources due to Lady Seph finding one of our bases, thankfully we managed to complete phase one quickly..." "It''s all thanks to the Allfather''s foresight! If we delayed any longer, the old bastards from the Himmel Empire might have rushed out from the comfort of the capital and rushed towards the Keep." "Exactly! Ahhh, how I wish I could bathe in the Allfather''s glory once more!" The Brahmin laughed out loud in a maniacal manner as he honoured his supreme leader. "Hah¡­ When will I get the chance to meet with the Allfather..." "HAHAHA!!! Not to worry my friend! As long as you keep serving the Allfather with all your heart, I''m sure that day will come soon! Of course, I will report your service during this mission in full!" "Thank you, Sir Brahmin! I will continue to work hard!" Like two religious fanatics, the Black Mask duo chortled as the warriors of the Keep steadily fell to the endless onslaught of the beast horde. ~~~ For more than an hour, Commander Alwig and the remnants of the army continued to slay as many beasts as they could. Slashing and hacking wildly, the originally ten-thousand men strong army was reduced to less than two thousand as many warriors either fell in battle or retired due to excessive injuries. Nevertheless, the remaining fighters displayed their determination as they endlessly fought on, even though the war had already been lost. Thousands, if not tens of thousands of beasts had long escaped from the Keep and went on to the greener pastures of the Himmel Empire. "This is just a mess..." Lady Seph''s voice quivered as she said those words. Now that the majority of the beast horde had dissipated into the Empire, the esteemed healer felt comfortable enough to bring Shin out from hiding so that she could help treat the patients that fell outside of the medical bay. The once indestructible Aldrich''s Keep had turned into a wasteland, filled to the brim with carcasses of dead beasts and corpses of fallen soldiers. Shin, who was accompanied by his carry-on, Ariel, felt nauseous as he witnessed the death and destruction that surrounded him. Buildings collapsed and weaponry utterly decimated, the military base that he had once lived in was totally unrecognisable. "Terrible..." "*Gulp*." Shin softly whispered out while Ariel swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Slowly walking around, Lady Seph identified some of the injured soldiers and healed them. Although she was technically released from her duties by General Anmac, the least that she could do was treat some of the valiant warriors that fought to the very end. Yet, after ten minutes of trekking, it became evident that the dead outnumbered the living. No matter how mystical a healer was, there was no ability in the world that allowed the resurrection of the dead. "Tsssk..." Clicking her tongue in anger, Lady Seph quickly walked past the mountain of bodies with Shin and Ariel following closely behind. Right now, she only had one target in mind. Lady Seph had to meet with the highest authority in the Keep so that she could contact the Empire. Initially, that would be General Anmac, but after leaving him to deal with the Blood Red Chimaera, deep down she had a feeling that going to the wizened general was no longer an option. Thus, she had to get to the number two person in the Keep; and currently, that person was¡­ "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!!!!" Standing at the foot of a stack of Spirit Beasts, a blonde knight was busying hacking the dead carcasses while spewing out curses at every swing. His claymore sword had lost its earlier splendour and resembled a dull weapon that a third-rate mercenary would use. The silver armour that he once wore proudly had been clouded by mud and blood, and the healthy complexion that he had was all but lost. "Alwig! Alwig! ALWIG!!!" "Lady Seph..." Only after shouting out his name did the knight respond to the Lady Seph''s calls. The once handsome and bright eyes that inspired thousands had turned cloudy as the man lost all hope. His body damaged with countless of cuts and bruises, in Shin''s eyes, the current image of Commander Alwig was far from the brave warrior that single-handedly obliterated a horde of beasts when he first came to the Keep. "Lady Seph¡­ It''s all over¡­ Aldrich''s Keep had fallen, the beasts have infiltrated the lands of the Himmel Empire and¡­ The General..." "Yeah¡­ Anmac passed away..." "Why¡­ Why¡­ WHY?!?!?!" Sending out a mournful scream, Commander Alwig fell to his knees and started to cry. "Lady Seph¡­ What do I do now?" His entire life, Commander Alwig had been trained to serve Aldrich''s Keep, eventually becoming the successor of General Anmac. But now, there was no longer an Aldrich''s Keep to defend. His comrades, dead. His house, destroyed. His mentor, dead. On this very day, everything in his life had been taken away from him. "Alwig¡­ There''s nothing that you can do to turn back time." "..." "What you can do is fight for the future." Taking a small peek at a certain black-haired youth standing next to his childhood friend, Lady Seph let out a helpless sigh. "That despair that you feel. Remember it. Use it to sharpen your blade. So that in the end, you can fight the ones that took everything you had away from you." "Lady Seph..." "For now, we need to contact the Capital¡­ Although I hate to admit it, only those bastards living there can help us now¡­ Alwig, help me establish a connection with them." "I understand..." The Himmel Empire had numerous experts, and even without counting the powerful family clans, they had over three hundred Rank 70 Spirit Emperors and over fifty Rank 80 Spirit Venerates. Each one of them had the power to rule over a domain, but the majority chose to remain within the Capital, the northern border and the eastern border. Naturally, the Capital contained the most experts and not to mention, the Imperial House. With a Rank 90 Spirit Saint always present in the Capital, it was without question, the most secure place in the entire Empire. "Thank you." Although the notion of contacting the bastards of the Empire made Lady Seph sick to the stomach, extreme circumstances call for drastic measures. She was willing to set aside her vendetta against the Empire for one moment so that she could discuss the genuine threat that was the Black Mask syndicate. "SHIN! ARIEL!" While Lady Seph and Commander Alwig were conversing a hurried voice called for the two youths. Turning their heads, they saw a white-robed woman running straight at them, with Ella and Emma in hot pursuit. "Senior? Is something the matter?" "*Hurghh!* *Hurghh!*. Shin, Ariel! The Clan Master had sent back word!" Panting heavily, the Shrine Maiden tried her best to compose herself. "Due to the unexpected breach of Aldrich''s Keep, all Frie Clan personnel are to return to the mountain immediately! And..." The Shrine Maiden tried to continue the Clan Master''s, but after seeing the face of Shin, she suddenly became lost for words. "And what?" "J-Junius... Junius he¡­ Junius has disappeared!!!" ~~~End of Book 3~~~ Chapter 146 End of Book 3 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: Like every end of a book, I will be taking a one week break and will resume posting on 17th September 2018. Phew, once again, we have come to the end of yet another book! Oh god, when I first starting writing, I didn''t expect me to take this long to reach this point! Linodo, your pacing is way to slow! Hahahaha! Well, what to do. As you may all expect, I am a novice writer trying to improve his writing skills along the way as I pen down a long webnovel. Thus, I have begun to experiment on changing my writing style slightly as I go along writing this book. I''m not sure if you all have noticed, Book 1 & 2 I had set myself a minimum chapter length of a thousand words. However, for Book 3, I started to challenge myself and set a minimum chapter length of a thousand and five hundred words. Of course, a lot of the chapters in Book 3 exceeded two thousand words unexpectedly due to that change. Hehe. Another thing that you need to know about me is one day, I hope to gain the skills required to write a story, totally unrelated to Spirit Immortal, so that I can publish it legitimately. Right now, I believe that my writing skills are still not up to par (grammar, sentence structure and overall writing style) so please watch over me as I continue on this journey to improve myself. One day, I hope that I will be able to write that story and earn some income as a part-time writer! Well, now that the bullshit chatter is out of the way, it''s time for some real talk. Look, I''m not one to hype up my future book but honestly, I''m truly afraid of writing Book 4. Not to go into any spoilers, when I planned out the entire story of Spirit Immortal, Book 4 was the pivotal point of the entire story. I''m not sure how my audience, you guys, are going to take Book 4 since it is much different from the earlier books that I have written but you know what, I''m going to go for it anyway. Book 4 will be the hardest book that I will be writing thus far and I truly hope that you guys would enjoy it! As always, thank you all for reading my story. I will continue to write and improve along the way so do forgive me for any mistakes that I make. Thank you all for your support! Chapter 147 The Grand Burial 1 "What do you mean Junius disappeared?!" "I''m sorry, Shin..." "Why are you apologising?!?! Where did Junius go?! WHERE DID JUNIUS GO?!" Shin exclaimed in shock after hearing the Shrine Maiden words. "Shin! Calm yourself! Aunt Lien is just as worried as you!" Ariel cried out from his side. Grasping the hands of the shaking youth, the scarlet-haired girl attempted to calm Shin. Peering at his childhood friend, the agitated black-haired teen took several deep breaths in. "I''m sorry, Senior¡­ I had lost myself..." "It''s alright, I understand. You''re just worried about someone you love." Wearing a bitter smile, the Shrine Maiden consoled the youth. She too had reacted this way after receiving news that her loved one had passed. Thus, she knew what kind of emotions the boy was going through. "Please¡­ Please, tell me what happened to Junius." Shin cried out in a plea. To be honest, he was more confused than distraught right now. When they left for Aldrich''s Keep, Junius was still in the pink of health with everything going smoothly for him. He had a good job where he had become some sort of mascot for the constables. He had a loving girlfriend in Lily, and even though they only could meet once a year, their relationship was still going strong. Everything was perfect for the young teenager, so why would he suddenly disappear? "The Mushinkei and the Constable Headquarters both confirmed that Junius had gone on a journey to train himself and he was expected to return a few days ago. However, up to this day, there is still no news of him." "Did he tell anyone where he was going?!" Shin''s eyes dilated as his voice started becoming more unstable. He was unable to hide the worry and uneasiness that he had as his hands trembled unconsciously. The black-haired youth knew the most about Junius, there was no way he would have abandoned his post without any reason. If Junius had disappeared, it must mean that something untoward had happened. "No¡­ He just said that he was going south. He didn''t give any details about his destination." "South? Why would he go south?" Initially, Shin hypothesised that Junius had chased their party to Aldrich''s Keep. After all, with Junius'' overprotective character, it made sense that he would want to personally protect Shin and the twins from harm. However, since the viridian-haired teenager never made it to the fortification, it meant one of two things. One, he was attacked along the way and was unable to continue the trip, or his target location was never the Keep in the first place. Thanking the immortals above that it wasn''t the former, Shin continued to probe. "No one knows¡­ Everything is still so fresh and premature. Once we return to the mountain, we will be able to figure it out." "Does that ''we'' include me?" "T-That..." Since the assassination attempt on his life three years ago, Shin and Junius had been unofficially living in exile. Although it was both for his own safety and to maintain the fragile balance of the Frie Clan, the black-haired boy still missed residing with his family. There were many times that Shin fantasised about returning to the mountain when he was living in Chilyoja Waypoint, but he knew that dream would not come to pass. "The Clan Master didn''t say anything about that..." Knowing the full circumstances of Shin''s exile, the Shrine Maiden could sympathise with the young thirteen-year-old''s feelings. However, because she knew everything related to that incident, the white-robed lady could roughly guess what would happen if she brought Shin back in these dire times. Closing her eyes gingerly, the Shrine Maiden shook her head. "I see¡­ Whatever¡­ Senior, even though I can''t return to the mountain, Junius is someone dear to me. I hope to be involved in the search." Dropping his head like a disappointed puppy, Shin tightened his hold on Ariel''s small hands as he sought some form of comfort. Sensing her childhood friend''s despondency, the scarlet-haired girl replied in kind as she lay her head on his shoulders. "Definitely. I will make sure to keep you posted. Right now, once matters are settled here, I will bring the rest back to the mountain. Shin, you will be safe as long as you stay by Lady Seph''s side." The Shrine Maiden quickly assured Shin while giving him further instructions on what was to come. "Yeah, Shin¡­ You don''t have to worry. I''m sure brother Junius is just lost or something. By the time we return, there will definitely be news of him!" Ariel added some comforting words while staring at the beautiful black pupils of her childhood friend. "I hope so..." Shin, on the other hand, could not hide his anxiety. Gritting his teeth while clenching his two fists until his knuckles turned white, the youth started reminiscing about the past. Junius was probably the one he interacted with all of his life. Ever since he could walk, Shin remembered that Junius had been right there by his side. In his times of grief and his times of happiness, Junius had always been there. Thus, the fact that this pillar of his life had suddenly gone missing created a particular void in the young teen''s mind. ''Junius¡­ I hope that you''re alright...'' ~~~ "So you guys still use the Cikai Mirror to communicate?" Lady Seph followed Commander Alwig past all the destruction and death that was littered all along the fallen Keep into a small little chamber, hidden away from sight. Although over eighty per cent of the fort had been torn down by the beast horde, some reinforced structures that were secluded underground managed to elude the carnage. At every single military base in the Himmel Empire, it was mandatory for the higher-ups to install a communication room so that they could regularly report back to the capital, and Aldrich''s Keep was no exception. The small communication room had very little knick-knacks and only contained the bare essentials. A rounded ceramic table that was surrounded with comfortable stools, in case the meeting would run long, and naturally, the device that created a connection with the Capital, the Cikai Mirror, were the only two items that graced the chambers. "Yeah, it''s still the most effective way for us to establish a channel given the long distance between the Keep and the Capital." "Hah¡­ Well, if it ain''t broke, don''t fix it right..." Lady Seph smiled wryly as she stared at the crystal clear mirror that reflected her beautiful features. It would still take many hours for the side-effect of ''Self-Rejuvenation'' to wear off thus, she had to unwillingly remain in this state. "Who are you going to contact?" "It depends on who is on the other side at that time. Typically, the officer who is receiving the transmission would determine the severity of the call and connect me to the appropriate authorities. Given that Aldrich''s Keep has been destroyed, I''m guessing a High General, or perhaps someone at a higher position would receive the call." Commander Alwig patiently explained to Lady Seph while his eyes lost a little of his confidence. As someone in the military, the blonde knight would have loved to report only good news through the Cikai Mirror. Unfortunately, this time he was going to be recounting his failure to defend the fort he swore to protect. "Urgh¡­ Although I don''t want to meet any of those bastards again¡­ Whatever¡­ Have you established a connection?" Thinking about meeting those who lived in the Captial, that had their heads up their asses, Lady Seph sneered in disdain. "Yes, right now we are awaiting someone of authority to receive our call. Please be patient, my lady." "Tskkk¡­ Hopefully, I don''t meet a detestable face..." Praying to the Immortals above that she does not meet one of her most hated enemies, Lady Seph folded her arms in akimbo and waited for the transmission in the Cikai Mirror to connect. Thankfully, she didn''t have to wait for long. "*Kkkkkktttttt!*." "Sir! The other side has picked up!" One of the officers in charge of the communication room shouted out. "Who are we connected to?" "T-That¡­ N-No way¡­ We are conn-" "It''s me." Before the officer to mouth out his words, a deep sonorous voice echoed through the stone chamber. Inside of the Cikai Mirror, a lean and robust middle-aged man wearing a bright yellow robe appeared before those in the communication room. Intricate, beautiful dragons that had been fastidiously sewn onto the ostentatious garments highlighted the grandeur of the well-built man and the diamond crown on his head showed off the extreme wealth that he possessed. His sharp chin was covered by a well-groomed goatee, and his rounded nose made his bright green eyes even more prominent than it already was. "Y-Your Majesty!" Once realising who was in their presence, every single person in the room fell to their knees and bowed their heads. The Himmel Empire adopted a monarchy where one individual held absolute sovereign power. All subjects were to report to that one person and all allegiances formed were in his name. Thus, no one within the lands of the Empire would dare cross this person. Well, that was in theory. "Hoho, senior Seraphim. To think that you''re present as well!" "And to think that you''re still well and alive on the throne, you brat." Recognising the cheerful face that hadn''t changed one bit since she left, Lady Seph rolled her eyes in displeasure. Of all the people that Lady Seph wanted to avoid meeting, the reigning Himmel Emperor was among the top picks. Although she did not hate him as much as the other elders in the Capital, due to his absolute power and whimsical attitude, the seasoned healer didn''t know the right manner to deal with him. "Hahaha, to think that we would meet again in these circumstances, also, you''re in your younger body! How many years has it been since I saw you that beautiful? Perhaps the last time was when I was just a mere child¡­ Ah, the memories..." "Let me halt you right there, Tenno¡­ I mean Your Majesty. There is an urgent issue at hand. We can catch up some other time." Lady Seph brought her hand to her head as she quelled an emerging headache that she was getting while the other members in the room gaped in awe at how casual the Emperor was being. If it were some other person being that informal, to the point of which that she accidentally called the Emperor without honorifics, that person would have been tried for Les Majeste in a heartbeat. However, Lady Seph was no ordinary person. "Right. I''d heard Aldrich''s Keep had fallen. What''s going on?" As if switching to another person, the Emperor furrowed his brows as his voice deepened once more. Assuming his regal disposition, the middle-aged man questioned those in the chambers. "That¡­ Your Majesty, if you may allow me to speak." Commander Alwig, who had remained to kneel in front of the mirror all this while, raised his head slightly and addressed the ruler of his nation. "Skip the formalities. You must be Alwig." "Yes, that is me!" "Given that the fact that you are the one who had contacted me, I''m guessing senior Anmac has..." Stopping his sentence, the Emperor directly gazed at the war-torn blonde knight. "The General¡­ Fought hard to the very end..." "I see¡­ Alwig, tell me everything! From the beginning until the very end! Leave no detail behind!" "Yes! Your Majesty!" Standing up in a hurry, the blonde knight gave the Emperor a military salute before beginning to recount everything that had happened. Chapter 148 The Grand Burial 2 "After the Gargantuan Treant broke down both walls of the Keep, it created a path for the beast horde and disappeared shortly afterwards. Due to that, the beasts easily entered the lands of the Himmel Empire." Commander Alwig went through every single incident that had occurred leading to the Keep''s eventual demise. "I see¡­ If that''s the case, there was really nothing more that you could have done. We had severely underestimated this threat." Rubbing his sharp chin, the Emperor thought out loud. "I thank Your Majesty for your immeasurable grace!" "Alwig, remember this, you and the remainder of your subordinates are blameless. Since senior Anmac and senior Seraphim were both present in the Keep, in theory, you should have been able to weather through that crisis. But to think that this Black Mask syndicate is that strong¡­ Hah, we have been focusing too much on the northern and eastern borders. To think that not one Rank 80 Spirit Venerate was present to defend the Keep." Rubbing the temples of his forehead, the Emperor reflected on his oversight. Recently, due to the increasing tensions between the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire, the elders in the Capital all suggested that troops be pulled from the insignificant southern and western borders to strengthen the northern and eastern ones. Therefore, there was not a single Spirit Venerate that was anywhere near Aldrich''s Keep that could offer his or her assistance. "Also one more thing Tenno, I mean Your Majesty." Accidentally calling the sovereign by his name once more, Lady Seph coughed dryly to correct her words. "I think that there is a real need to discuss the Allfather''s existence with the Healer''s Association." "Why is that?" "I wish to convey the threat to not only the Himmel Empire but the other two major powers as well. However, given that the Himmel Empire''s relationship with the Kori Federation isn''t in the best of places, perhaps the neutral Healer''s Association would help." Lady Seph explained her logic. The Healer''s Association was a unique entity on the Terre Continent. Since its formation, it had never involved itself in the politics between the nations and had always remained neutral. Following the doctrines laid down by its founder, Immortal Hippocrates, the Healer''s Association had continually taken a negative stance against fighting in any battles. "That sounds like a good idea. In fact, the Lantis Republic has been rather distant as of late, so having the Healer''s Association aware of this threat would prove to be beneficial." The Emperor nodded his head in agreement. "Did something go wrong with the Lantis Republic?" "Of the eight ancient clans that govern the republic, the Longyu Clan has essentially cut all ties with our Empire due to the demise of the Awter Clan. Although the other clans still maintain an amicable relationship with us, the Longyu Clan''s influence is not to be trifled with." At the Emperor''s new information, everyone in the communication room froze in their place. Commander Alwig slowly raised his head and stared at Lady Seph once the Awter name was brought up, hoping to see some sort of reaction. Unfortunately, the beautiful woman remained stoic, and no one could accurately read her thoughts. "Nonetheless, the encroaching hands of the Allfather would eventually make its ways to their shores. We should set aside our differences to combat the Black Mask syndicate." Changing the topic, Lady Seph resolutely declared. "..." Hearing her words, the Emperor remained silent for a few seconds. After letting the silence sink in, he replied: "Did he terrify you that much, Senior Seraphim?" "Your Majesty. If what I felt was just a portion of his power, he might be the strongest being in the entire world." "I see¡­ Alright then, how do you propose we meet? Are you willing to come back to the Capital?" "You know that won''t happen, Your Majesty..." Still folding her arms in akimbo, Lady Seph sharply denied the preposterous idea that the Emperor had proposed. The eyes of the two juggernauts clashed, and even though they were thousands, if not tens of thousands of kilometres away, the tension between the two still could suffocate any weak Spirit User. "Alwig, leave us." "Y-Yes! Your Majesty!" Taking one last peek at the gorgeous blonde woman, Commander Alwig retreated the room alongside all the other operatives, so that Lady Seph and the Emperor could have a private conversation. When the doors firmly slammed shut, the regal middle-aged man in the mirror started to speak: "Senior Seraphim, you still can''t forgive the Empire? The Elders were just trying to strengthen us, and no one got hurt. Additionally..." "Shut up, Tenno! You should know my personality by now! I will not back down! Don''t think for one second that because I am contacting you, I had forgiven the Empire for what it had done! As far as I''m concerned, everyone related to that incident is as good as dead." Screaming out at the top authority in the land, Lady Seph''s eyebrows quivered as her nostrils flared up. Clearly, she was still agitated by the actions of the past. "If that''s the case, why try to help us?" "It just so happens that the threat the Allfather poses supercedes my hate for all of you. You guys may be unpardonable, but the countless of lives that rely on your soil certainly isn''t. A war that breaks the many years of peace is the last thing that I want..." Taking a deep breath in, and while closing her eyes, Lady Seph thought back about the incident that happened many moons before. "I see¡­ Fine, I''ll respect your choice. I''ll send General Elbert to your location, at the same time, I''ll dispatch an army a hundred thousand strong to help clear the beasts that are currently plaguing the west." Initially, the Emperor had held hope of reconciliation with the esteemed healer. After all, when she was working for him, Lady Seph had proved herself to be a great asset multiple times. However, seeing how adamant she was, the Emperor could only resign to his fate. "Thank you, Tenno..." "It''s nothing. By the way, where are you planning to host the meeting?" "Send Elbert to Chilyoja Waypoint. That''s where I currently reside." "Chilyoja Waypoint?! You''re living there now?!" For the first time, the Emperor turned wide-eyed from shock. He had been searching for clues about Lady Seph''s whereabouts for years, and as it turned out, she had been hiding right under his nose this entire time. "Yeah, I''ll be contacting the Healer''s Association from my end. Also, one more thing. I will be performing the funeral rites for those who died in this battle¡­ For Anmac¡­ I''m sure you won''t mind would you?" "Naturally! It''s a pity that we have lost Senior Anmac¡­ I''m sure he would be elated if he knew your feelings." "Shut it, Tenno..." A wry smile crept up the beautiful blonde woman''s face as she thought of her long-time friend. The battle for Aldrich''s Keep had resulted in a massive loss, both for the Empire and for herself. The least that she could do was personally see her good friend off. ~~~ News that Aldrich''s Keep had been overrun by beasts took the entire Himmel Empire by storm. The legendary Keep has always been known for its impregnable status and a reliable shield in the West, and yet, it had fallen. Every single soul living within the abundant lands of the Empire all retreated to the safety of their homes and made the necessary precautions to counter any stray beasts that ventured into their homes. Family Clans immediately called back all of their operatives while towns and villagers allocated fighters to patrol the area round the clock. The top brass of the Himmel Empire was naturally aware of the severe threat that its citizens were under and the Emperor had ordered one of the Capital''s top generals to march to the West with a hundred thousand strong army. Major cities in the west also did their best to expedite the allocation of resources to help those in crisis. However, oddly enough, since the sixty thousand Spirit Beasts invaded the country, there had been minimal attacks on the population, lulling many into a false sense of security. As if vanishing into a puff of smoke, the beast horde had all but disappeared. Other than the occasional wild Spirit Beast attacking a farm for food, there had been no sightings of the sixty thousand strong beast horde, causing the military to be greatly confused. They had been dispatched to hunt the beasts, and yet, there were no leads on where they were hiding. Three days had passed since the fort was overrun and destroyed. While the army from the Capital was still busy marching down, a sombre atmosphere descended upon the run-down Aldrich''s Keep as Commander Alwig initiated the Grand Burial. Of the ten thousand men that stayed in the military base, only three thousand survived the onslaught. Aldrich''s Keep had always prided itself on its low casualty count throughout the years when it faced the purge yet ironically, on that fateful day, the number of soldiers who passed on reached a record number. A total of seven thousand either dead or missing and to top it all off, the General that had stood by the Keep all of his career had passed on together with its legacy. Needless to say, it was the greatest tragedy that the Himmel Empire had sustained in recent years. Due to the terrible death count and the insufficient manpower, the remnants of Aldrich''s Keep could only collect the identification tags of those who died and record their names into a log so that sufficient reparations could be sent back to their grieving families. However, since many of the bodies were not in a whole state, Commander Alwig decided to burn the corpses altogether and have Lady Seph perform the funeral rites for his brothers that had passed. "We gather here today in memory of the valiant soldiers of Aldrich''s Keep that have perished in the battle three days ago." Standing in front of a large crowd, Lady Seph began her speech. Amongst those present, Commander Alwig was holding on to a silver cane as gently as he possibly could. General Anmac was a simple man, he did not lavish in owning otherworldly possessions and abhorred the use of unnecessary luxuries. It was evident from his frugality that the wizened man was a down-to-earth person and yet, the only luxury item that he owned was this silver cane that followed him everywhere. When Commander Alwig and the other soldiers went far out into the barren fields that bordered Aldrich''s Keep in search of fallen brothers, they could not find the old general''s body. However, they did manage to identify a gigantic crater that contained a large amount of ash and residue mana. Initially, they fantasised that the acclaimed general might have survived the encounter with the Tier 9 Spirit Beast and was hiding somewhere, waiting for someone to save him, but once they found the silver cane, it was evident that the worst possible thing had happened. General Anmac had passed on, leaving nothing but his trusty cane behind. Up high on the battlements, Shin and the other Frie Clan members stayed in one corner while watching blonde elderly woman addressing the remaining soldiers. Once twenty-four hours were up, Lady Seph lost all of her youthful looks as the after-effects of using self-rejuvenation kicked in. Losing all power within her body, the elderly woman fell into a coma for twelve hours with Shin tenderly taking care of her by her side. The plump and healthy skin of hers had turned frail and grey. Creased wrinkles became more prevalent on her face and arms causing her to look even older than she was before. Only after a full day of nourishment and constant care did Lady Seph return to her ordinary self. "We give thanks to those who had served us, protected us and ultimately died for us. For them, their journey is just beginning, yet for all of us here, we mourn and grieve their loss." Lady Seph amplified her voice as she began her eulogy. Taking a quick look backwards, the elderly woman gingerly glanced at the tall stone monument with thousands of names carved onto it. Since each body was burned and their ashes buried, to commemorate their lives, Commander Alwig built a stone monument and personally carved each name onto the memorial. It took him hours to complete the carvings, but in the end, it was all worth it. At the top of the entire stone pillar, a simple sentence stood high above the rest of the names. ''Remembering General Anmac.'' As Lady Seph read those three words, her mind was filled with countless memories. Rubbing the corners of her reddened eyes, she calmed herself as she continued on with her speech. Chapter 149 The Grand Burial 3 "The tragedy of war is that there is always a victim of it. To face the inevitable, the brave warriors of the Keep fought to the very end. I''m sure many of you have lost an acquaintance, a friend or perhaps even a family member in this battle. I know I sure did. Anmac was a good friend of mine, and up to this day, I still can''t believe that he is truly gone..." Lady Seph''s eyes turned mournful as many in the audience felt themselves choking up. The battle for Aldrich''s Keep had resulted in a loss, but perhaps that worst part of the battle wasn''t that the myth of its invincibility was lost, but the death of countless of loved ones. Once Shin heard his Master''s words, he lifted up the metal dog tag in his left hand and calmly read out the name. "Ronlen Redhildi." Although the time Shin shared with Ronlen was extremely brief, the impact that the man had on his life was massive. Ronlen was Shin''s first ever patient that he had successfully treated, but he was also the first patient that Shin unsuccessfully healed. Ever since that day, Shin grew curious about the life of Ronlen and went through the army records, hoping that he could personally deliver the fallen soldier''s dog tag to his family. However, as it turned out, like Shin, Ronlen was too an orphan. No relatives. No loved ones. No children. Just a lone ranger that fought his hardest to protect the land that he had no real obligation to. "Shin..." Ariel, who had rarely left Shin''s side since his emotional outburst, gently grabbed his right hand to give the boy some semblance of comfort. As if by reflex, Shin''s fingers intertwined with Ariel''s as they had gotten used to each other''s touch. ''Right, I''m not alone...'' Although Shin and Ronlen had many things in common, Ronlen wasn''t picked up by a major clan when he was orphaned. Reading through his background, Shin found out that the man didn''t know his parents and was abandoned at a young age. Growing up prowling the streets of a major town, Ronlen fought his way up into the military and eventually managed to land a job defending Aldrich''s Keep. Unlike Shin, there was no real family that Shin could deliver Ronlen''s dog tag to. "I know Anmac. He loved doing what he did. Many called him stupid for devoting his entire life to Aldrich''s Keep when he could have easily climbed up the ranks in the Capital. However, since he was born in the west, Anmac had grown up in an environment that was rife with Spirit Beasts terrorising the populace." Feeling a single teardrop fall down her cheeks, Lady Seph started to reminisce about her good friend. "When many underestimated the threat of the Uncharted Wilderness, Anmac refused to do so. He had seen the devastation a beast horde could cause and remained adamant in his belief to protect the western border." Every single one of the soldiers listening to Lady Seph''s speech had seen the General''s devotion first-hand. General Anmac committed his entire career to Aldrich''s Keep and fought for it to his very last breath. Commander Alwig stroked the silver cane as he thought back on the many lessons that the aged warrior had imparted to him. It could be said that General Anmac was more than a mentor for the blonde knight. All of a sudden, Commander Alwig''s vision turned watery as his tear glands started to overflow. "On that day, we''ve lost many of the world''s finest. General Anmac being one of them. But their memory will not be forgotten! The battle for Aldrich''s Keep may have resulted in our loss, but the war for our lands isn''t over!" Clutching her hands together in prayer, Lady Seph summoned out the Iofiel Angel. "Let us give them their Final Salute!!!" "*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!*" The crowd exploded with a huge roar as they all performed a military salute. As if waiting for that signal, the Iofiel Angel glistened in a holy aura and shot a radiant beam of light at the stone monument that stood behind Lady Seph. The names on the dull stone slab turned into a vibrant golden colour as the light illuminated them as if giving some form of life to the inanimate object. Imbued in Lady Seph''s powerful mana, the stone monument stored the gentle spiritual energy deep within itself, creating a force field that would preserve the glorified gravestone for aeons to come. Tightening his grip on Ariel''s cold palms, Shin felt a wave of emotions overcome him. The time he spent in Aldrich''s Keep was undoubtedly short, but it was the longest week that he had lived thus far. ~~~ "Thank you, my Lady. You have helped us tremendously over the course of your stay. Words cannot accurately describe my gratitude towards you." At the foot of the broken eastern walls, a small convoy with multiple aether cars stood immobile as a blonde knight bowed down at a ninety-degree angle towards an elderly woman. After performing the funeral rites for General Anmac and the other fallen warriors of Aldrich''s Keep, Lady Seph and the rest of the Frie Clan members had little reason to remain. In fact, since Lady Seph had a meeting with the representatives of the Himmel Empire and the Healer''s Association, she had to rush back to Chilyoja Waypoint as soon as she could. "It''s nothing, Alwig. It was Anmac who had called me over in the first place. To think that he just went off and died just like that..." Time didn''t change Lady Seph''s venomous tongue but even as she cursed her now deceased friend, a sombre expression of pain could be sensed in her bright eyes. "Nonetheless, if you weren''t here, perhaps there would have been no survivors. Thus, I owe you my eternal gratitude." Unfazed by the elderly woman''s sny remarks, Commander Alwig continued to bow down in thankfulness. Lady Seph''s constant casting of Divine Rain was what made the army hold out for so long, killing over forty thousand Spirit Beasts in the process. Additionally, when the battle was over, it was Lady Seph who led the healers to recover the injured bodies, saving hundreds of lives in the process. "Yeah, yeah¡­ Anyway, what are your plans now Alwig? Are you still going to remain in the Keep?" Now that there was no more Aldrich''s Keep, Commander Alwig had no obligation to stay in this remote place and could enter the military properly. "Yes, I will stay. After all, this is my home, no matter how torn down it is, Aldrich''s Keep will always be the place that I return to." "Hmmm, sounds taxing. Whatever floats your boat I guess¡­ For old times sake, if you need anything, you can always find me at Chilyoja Waypoint. Although I can''t promise that I would help you personally, I could utilise some of my connections." "Thank you, my Lady! Your generosity is boundless." While the blonde knight was praising the esteemed healer, he wore a face that seemed to have swallowed a bitter pill. He was hesitant to speak the exact words in his mind. However, his uncertainty didn''t go unnoticed. "What is it? You have been wearing the same expression for a long time. If you have something to say, just spill it out." Annoyed, Lady Seph sharply snapped at her junior. "If that''s the case, please pardon my candour. Lady Seph¡­ Shin¡­ He is from the Awter Clan, am I right?" The volume of Commander Alwig''s voice turned so soft that it was basically a cicada''s whisper. He was well aware of the elderly woman''s temper, and Shin was basically her most precious treasure. However, he knew that the words that he had hidden in the depths of his mind had to be said eventually. "..." The atmosphere instantly turned cold as Lady Seph glared viciously at the blonde knight. Her demeanour had changed from a courteous one into a rabid beast that would do anything to protect her child. Only after a comprehensive scan of Commander Alwig and determining that he meant no harm did she release a deep sigh. "What of it?" Admitting to his claim, Lady Seph waited for the blonde knight''s next words. "As I''d thought¡­ Lady Seph, it may not be in my place to say so but would you be willing to listen to a piece of advice." "Shoot." "Although I do not know how the Frie Clan is involved with Shin and yourself, once the Longyu Clan finds out that a direct descendant of the Awter Clan is still alive, they would dispatch all of their manpower to recover him for the Lantis Republic, and once that day comes, not even you can save him." Sending an ominous warning down Lady Seph''s way, the blonde knight rekindled the old fear that had plagued the elderly woman the moment she accepted Shin into her tutelage. "What are you getting at, Alwig?" "Forgive me for saying this but Lady Seph, you might be strong, but you are no match for the might of the Longyu Clan and those that stand behind it. Especially that old ancestor of theirs that once dominated the three major powers with her godlike abilities. The best way to prevent Shin from being kidnapped by the Lantis Republic is to send him to the Imperial Military Academy, where he would be protected under the flag of the Himmel Empire." "You dare tell me to send Shin to the military?!" At that point, Lady Seph burst out in hysteria. "Please, my Lady... Take one second to seriously think about it. Why did the Lantis Republic not annihilate the Frie Clan after finding out that they decimated the Awter Clan? Wasn''t precisely because the Frie Clan was backed by the Empire during that war? To prevent a full-on war, the Longyu Clan was forced to swallow the bitter pill and simply follow the instructions of the other seven ancestor clans that run the Republic!" Facing the full brunt of Lady Seph''s rage, Commander Alwig was under immense pressure to back away and cease his words. However, currently, his belief trumped all logic that he had, and he continued to press on. "Shin is the youngest healer in history and adding to the fact that he is related to the Longyu Clan, there is no doubt that the Lantis Republic would come for him. By then, it would be too late! You won''t be able to protect him from all the Spirit Venerates of the Longyu Clan not to mention the divine ancestor of theirs! Would you rather Shin be sent to the Lantis Republic where you would never meet him again or would you prefer him to join the Imperial Academy? After all, both you and Shin share the same birthplace, the Himmel Empire. Please, just take a moment to consider it..." Alwig was almost tempted to fall to his knees as he made that plea. "..." Stunned speechless by the young man''s outburst, Lady Seph stood rooted to the ground with her fists tightly clenched. It was not that she hadn''t considered that line of thinking. It was just that she refused to receive any more help from the Empire that had caused her that much pain. However, as Shin grew older and more powerful, more and more people would know his name, and eventually, the Lantis Republic would come knocking on her door. "Y-You¡­ Hah¡­ Fine¡­ I''ll consider it..." Finally giving in to the blonde knight, Lady Seph quietly retreated from her position and sauntered her way to the convoy that was eagerly waiting for her arrival. At that moment, the juggernaut of a healer seemed to be ever so small. Chapter 150 The Return 1 "Thank you for seeing us off." "Hahaha, it''s nothing! I should thank you for helping us treat so many patients during your stay!" Shin conversed with the Chief Healer of the Keep, Escred, at the foot of the now destroyed east walls. Over the course of his stay, Shin had volunteered his services to the understaffed medical bay countless of times, especially after the Keep had fallen. Hundreds of patients came rolling through the bloodied white tent where the healers worked round the clock to treat as many patients as they could, but the fatalities were too tremendous. Fresh batches of injured bodies were delivered every hour, causing the healers to almost go insane from all the treatment that they had to do. Therefore, whenever Shin was not tending to Lady Seph, he would rush down to offer his services, helping decrease the workload as much as his mana reserves would allow him. "Then senior Escred, if there''s nothing else, I will be boarding now." Shin bowed down to the handsome man while nudging the scarlet-haired girl that stood by his side. Ariel, who had been rude to Escred ever since the first time that they met, felt awkward when it came to dealing with the healer that had been so cordial during their stay. "Thank you for your hospitality." Nonetheless, as a direct descendant of one of the High Elders of the Frie Clan, Ariel had to display at least a little manners. "Really, there''s no need to thank me! I''m just doing my job! Argh, if only you could stay with us for a little longer, Healer Shin..." "Senior, there''s no need to be so formal with me. You can just call me Shin." Furrowing his brows, Shin offered up a suggestion to the handsome hazel-haired man. Shin had been bothering Escred over the past few days and had learnt many things from the experienced healer. As the old adage goes, walking ten thousand kilometres of roads is better than reading ten thousand scrolls of books. There were many things that only experience could teach you and having Escred assisting the novice healer every step of the way proved to be extremely useful for his overall growth. Thus, whenever Escred addressed Shin with an honorific, it made their relationship seem much more distant than it really was. "Is that so! Then I''ll do just that! Also, drop the senior tag when calling me!" "B-but..." "No buts! Just call me Escred or Brother Escred!" The hazel-haired healer shared the same sentiments with Shin. Initially, he wanted to butter up the young teen as he was the esteemed Lady Seph''s direct disciple. However, after a few days of interacting with Shin, Escred was genuinely drawn to the young man''s character. Soon, it didn''t matter that Shin was the youngest healer in history or the disciple of one of the world''s top healers. All that mattered to Escred was that he found a sincere friend in the black-haired boy. "Then, Brother Escred..." "HAHAHA!!! That''s better. Now that you called me brother, there''s no way I should shy away from giving you a gift right?" Laughing out boisterously until his shoulders shook, Escred reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal talisman bearing the mark of the Healer''s Association. Turning it over, six mana inscribed letters that spelt Escred''s name revealed itself to the black-haired youth. "Since there''s nothing much I can give you, I''ll just hand you this. This is my personal identification medal from the Healer''s Association. Although you might not need it since you''re with Lady Seph, in times of emergency, perhaps my name would be of use to you." "Brother Escred! I-I can''t accept this! It''s too valuable!" The talisman in Shin''s hands was something that could be used in both the Himmel Empire and the Healer''s Association. It basically gives the bearer of the medal the right to perform deeds in Escred''s name. In the hands of nefarious individuals, the medallion could be used to implicate the hazel-haired healer negatively. Thus, Shin was apprehensive about receiving the talisman. "Hey, if you''re calling me brother, there''s no way I don''t trust you. Furthermore, once you formally enter the Healer''s Association, perhaps the medal would become useless to you. Anyway, having it on your body is great protection!" "Why would I need protection?" Being thirteen years of age, Shin had minimal chances to meddle with the politics of the world. He naturally didn''t understand how vital influence was in the Himmel Empire. In fact, that was one of the reasons why Escred felt a need to protect this pure creature from the fangs of the venomous snakes that he might encounter in the future. Additionally¡­ "Shin, could I have a moment with you? In private?" Gingerly shifting his gaze between Shin and Ariel who stood next to him, Escred hoped to speak one-on-one with his new brother. "Okay¡­ Ariel, I''ll be right back." Answering Escred with a little confusion in his voice, Shin signalled to the scarlet-haired girl that he would be leaving. "Sure, just make it quick though, once Lady Seph boards the convoy, it would be time to depart." "Don''t worry, I won''t hold Shin for long..." Escred assured the young girl as he lightly pulled Shin away to a corner where no one could hear them, baffling Shin and Ariel in the process. "Is something the matter?" "Shin, how are you related to the Frie Clan?" Ever since the first day that Escred witnessed Shin summoning out The Sovereign Koi, it was a question that had plagued his mind for the longest time. "Hmmm? I was an orphan, and the Frie Clan adopted me in. What about it?" Surprised that Escred had actually pulled him aside for such a strange question, Shin tilted his head in confusion as he answered the healer''s query. "An orphan?! Adopted¡­ I see¡­ Now it makes some sort of sense..." Mumbling to himself in a feathery voice that was too soft for Shin to accurately pick up, Escred scratched his head while desperately trying to connect the dots. "It may not be in my place to say this but Shin¡­ Be wary of the Frie Clan. Build up an external power source that does not rely on that clan." "Why?" Bewildered by Escred''s advice, Shin widened his eyes. It was the first time that anyone had warned him about the Frie Clan. Although it had its flaws, many people on Frie Mountain genuinely cared for Shin regardless of his orphan lineage. The First Elder. The Instructor. The headmistress. The Shrine Maiden. All of them had cared for the young boy in one way or another. Yes, there were many dissidents among the Frie Clan that hated the orphans, but the love he felt from those aforementioned people were genuine. "Like I said, I can''t or rather, I''m afraid that I''m not the right person to say it¡­ Well, since you''re Lady Seph''s direct disciple, it could be considered a plus. Just remember, never put all your eggs in one basket. You don''t have to stay in the Frie Clan, heck you don''t even have to stay in these remote lands! With your talent, the world is your oyster!" "Okay..." "I''m serious, Shin¡­ Hah, maybe you can''t see it now but trust me, you must be extremely cautious about the Frie Clan." Seeing Shin''s nonchalant attitude made Escred realise that the black-haired youth was going to take his words with a grain of salt, and to be honest, he couldn''t really blame Shin. Who would you believe? A clan that had raised you since you were little or a random guy who you had spent a few days with? "Shin! We''re about to depart!" At that moment, a youthful female voice sounded out from the convoy and called out for Shin. Apparently, Lady Seph had concluded her business and was already comfortably seated in the lead car. "Brother Escred, once again, thank you for your hospitality. I have to leave now." "Yeah! Have a safe trip!" Now that their time together had come to an end, all that Escred could do was to wish the young man the best. "What did he tell you?" Once returning to the aether car, Ariel promptly asked the black-haired teen. "Nothing much..." "I see..." To her right, Shin was sitting on the luxurious chair while glancing outside of the window. Evidently, he was not in the mood for idle chatter. To her front, Lady Seph was similarly staring into space, caught in the midst of deep thought. The sole person who was not perturbed by their mood was the Shrine Maiden, who sat diagonally from Ariel. Yet, due to the two individuals'' silence, both Ariel and the Shrine Maiden withheld their words and simply went with the flow. Ariel, concerned at Shin''s queer state, held his hands once more and lay on his shoulder. ''What does brother Escred mean? Be wary of the Frie Clan? Argh¡­ Whatever, Junius'' safety is more important...'' After the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, the most pressing news to Shin was the whereabouts of his elder brother, Junius. For now, he should put all meddlesome thoughts aside and focus on the safety of one of his closest family members. ''Please be safe, Junius...'' Chapter 151 The Return 2 The trip back to Chilyoja Waypoint was an uneventful one. Other than the hurried nature of the convoy and the extra vigilance that was being applied to the surroundings, the journey was smooth and without much disturbances. Throughout their travels, both Lady Seph and Shin remained in a sour mood thus causing Ariel and the Shrine Maiden to bond a little to not disturb the master-disciple pair. "We''re here." All of a sudden, the aether car that had been travelling non-stop halted causing the passengers to slightly jerk off their seats. Lymark, who had been in the driver''s seat this entire time, turned his head back to inform Lady Seph that they had arrived. The sudden revelation caused both the elderly blonde woman and black-haired teen to snap out of their stupor. Glancing out the window, Shin saw the all too familiar western gate of the Waypoint that he had been living in for the past three years. "That''s fast. Alright, thank you Lymark. Send my regards to Alwig when you return." Now that Lymark''s purpose had been completed, Lady Seph gently opened the door and dismissed the middle-aged man. "Will do. Thank you for¡­ Argh, she already left." Before Lymark could say his goodbyes, Lady Seph promptly exited the luxurious aether car with Bingbing on her shoulders. "Haha, since she''s not going to accept my thanks, Shin, would you accept it on your master''s behalf?" "Hmmm? Ah¡­ Senior Lymark, I''m sure Master is just in a bad mood..." Realising that he was being addressed to, Shin stuttered in his earlier words before composing himself to give the driver a respectful bow. "No, it''s fine. I''m used to it. Speaking of bad moods, what''s wrong with you. You had been awfully quiet since we left." At Lymark''s words, Ariel''s ears twitched in curiosity. Shin had been acting weird the moment he entered the car, and although he was still somewhat responsive as compared to the zoned-out Lady Seph, being a long-time friend of Shin''s, Ariel could tell that something was terribly wrong. "Ah, that¡­ It''s really nothing¡­ My time in Aldrich''s Keep has just been that hectic that''s all¡­ Additionally, Junius is missing..." Shin''s eyes drearily faded as he dropped his brows. Bringing his head downwards to stare at the floorboards of the aether car, he let out a despondent sigh. "Oh, I see¡­ Shin, there''s no need to worry. Even though Aldrich''s Keep had fallen, as Lady Seph had said, the war isn''t over. We will wipe out all the beasts that marched through those walls and make those assholes who caused the horde pay in blood!" Lymark patted his chest and proudly declared. Like many in the Keep, he had great pride when it came to the legendary fort. Even though its fabled grandeur has been broken, as a member of its troops, Lymark like many others wish to reclaim their lost dignity by annihilating any of the beasts that had overrun the Keep. "I''m sure you will, Senior Lymark. Alright then, I''ll be departing as well. I hope to see you soon." "Hahaha! That''s more I like it! Yeah, I''m sure we will see each other very soon!" Bidding farewell to the middle-aged man, Shin stepped out of the aether car with Ariel and the Shrine Maiden following quickly afterwards. The young teen''s nostrils expanded as he breathed in a mouthful of fresh air, free of the stench of blood and ashes. Since the news that a sixty thousand strong beast horde had broken through the western border, every single town and village fortified their defences lest they faced a beast invasion of their own. However, even after a few days, nothing major had happened, and there wasn''t even a single beast in sight. It was as if the beast horde had vanished into thin air. "Sister Riko! Senior Marshall! Senior Lewis!" Once outside, Shin spotted three familiar faces that stood at the gates to welcome the returnees. Dashing forwards in a hurry, the black-haired teen''s eyes brightened up as he said: "Is there any news of Junius yet?!" Without even greeting his three seniors, Shin directly skipped to the question that he so desperately wanted to be answered. Junius'' disappearance had been plaguing him the entire trip, and Shin wished to at least hear a little good news. "Shin¡­ Sadly no¡­" The one that answered the hurried youth wasn''t the sultry young woman who manned the front desk of the Mushinkei every day nor was it the tall warden that was in charge of liaisons with Frie Mountain, but the plump Chief Constable that wore a bitter frown. "I see¡­ No, I have to join the search! Senior Lewis, Senior Marshall¡­ I must join the search!" Now that he had returned, Shin decided to devote all of his power to find the missing family member that he had. "I don''t mind it, but we are severely understaffed. Due to the increased safety precautions, all the constables are working overtime constantly. We had only dispatched a few people to go on the search so there won''t be much protection for you." "It''s alright! Alongside the Frie Clan search party, I''m sure we can find Junius in no time!" "About that..." At that point, Lewis carefully shifted his gaze between Marshall and Shin. "What about it?" The black-haired youth tilted his head while staring at the obese man. "It''s fine, Lewis¡­ He''ll find out eventually. Let me be the one to tell him." Marshall raised his hand to stop the Chief Constable from spouting out any more words. "What''s going on? Senior Marshall?" "Shin..." Taking a deep breath in, the middle-aged man adjusted his butler uniform by tapping off the dust off his shoulders and preparing himself for the outburst that he was expecting. "Shin, the Frie Clan is not sending a search party." "Huh?" Feeling his mind go blank, Shin quietly stood there, rooted to the ground, with an empty expression. He did not know how to process the new information that he got. During the journey, all his thoughts could focus on was how could he add value to the search party by analysing the possible places that Junius could go. Thus, now that he discovered that the Frie Clan was planning no such expedition to find Junius, Shin''s mind wholly blacked out. "What do you mean? Is the First Elder going to search with some higher-ups by flying or something, that''s why a search party is not needed? Or is it you already know where Junius is, so there''s no need for that? Or is it..." "Shin! Listen, please..." Marshall raised his voice slightly to stop the young man from going off with his own thoughts. "We don''t have the manpower, especially in these times of crisis where every single operative is being called back to the mountain to combat the threat of the beast horde, there''s simply..." "No! So what because of some beast horde you''re not going to find Junius?!" "That''s not what I mean... when everything dies down..." "WHAT BULLSHIT!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN EVERYTHING DIES DOWN?!?! BY THEN IT WOULD BE TOO LATE!!! WE HAVE TO SEND A SEARCH PARTY RIGHT NOW!!!" Forgetting that he was addressing a senior, Shin burst out into a fit of rage and yelled out at the thin, tall man. At that moment, all eyes that were surrounding them instantly landed on Shin, including Lady Seph who was talking to Mayor Nadeo. It was as if the world had slowed down for all of those present. The majority of them all knew Shin, and some even grew up with him. However, in all of their years interacting with Shin, they had never seen him so outraged that he thoroughly lashed out at another individual. "Calm yourself, Shin..." "HOW CAN I CALM MYSELF?! YOU''RE TELLING ME THAT YOU ASSHOLES ARE ABANDONING JUNIUS!!!" His teeth chattering and his knuckles turned white from rage, Shin''s entire body convulsed as he further bellowed out. Junius had always behaved himself and was the exemplary example of a future asset to the Frie Clan. He was talented, he was brave and last but not least, he got things done. Just ask the Constable Headquarters in Chilyoja Waypoint. Thus, it made to sense to Shin that the Frie Clan would refuse to send help to search for the viridian-haired youth. "Shin, please understand. We can''t afford to send anyone. Furthermore, Junius went away of his own volition to god knows where and we don''t know how long it would take to search for him. Finally, there is no indication that he is unable to come back by himself." "HIM NOT BACK RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST INDICATION!!! *Cough* *Cough*. There''s no way Junius would abandon his duties!!!" Essentially yelling out at the top of his lungs, Shin felt his throat go a little hoarse as he coughed out violently. "I''m sorry, Shin. Our hands are tied..." Although he received the full brunt of Shin''s anger, Marshall still apologised as he knew that the Frie Clan was in the wrong this time. Having seen Shin and Junius spend their lives in exile, Marshall had started to see the duo in a fond light. He too knew that if Junius didn''t return, it meant that something untoward had happened. In fact, to a certain extent, he shared Shin''s sentiments and wished that he could rush out into the unknown just to find the missing youth. Therefore, when the order came from Frie Mountain, he couldn''t believe his eyes at first. They were, essentially, abandoning Junius. "Junius¡­ Why..." Suddenly turning meek, Shin''s eyes lost their earlier glamour, as if all hope was lost. "T-That! Those are orders from the Clan..." "Does the First Elder know about this?" "I don''t know..." Ariel and the other members of the expedition overheard the entire conversation and just stood there quietly. Emma had already lost control of her tear ducts and was sobbing uncontrollably while Ella comforted her while biting her bright red lips. The Shrine Maiden raised her eyebrows as she was perplexed by her bosom friend''s decision. From what she understood, many people in the First Elder''s division greatly cared for Junius, and they had even risked war with the Second Elder to get revenge when the youth was injured by the men sent by the Second Elder. Yet, why did the Clan Master order that no search party be deployed? "Why? Is it because we''re orphans?" Shin shook violently as his ears turned beet red with anger. Now that he was in a state of complete ire, he turned all of his resentment to the Frie Clan. All of a sudden, multiple memories flashed by his head of how badly the orphans were treated. Bullied by the main bloodline. Not receiving the best materials. Forcing Shin and Junius into exile no matter how much they hated it. So many unpleasant memories surfaced, and even though it didn''t lead to animosity back then, thinking about it now, Shin felt his entire being filling with rage. "No, it''s not that¡­ It''s just we don''t have..." "Excuses! Excuses! EXCUSES! EXCUSES!!! YOU GUYS JUST CAN''T STAND THE SIGHT OF US RIGHT?!?!?! THAT''S WHY YOU''RE ABANDONING JUNIUS!!!" "Shin¡­ Please, we''re not..." "SHUT UP!!! I DON''T WANT TO HEAR IT!!!" Pushing Marshall out of the way, Shin stormed straight into the town and headed for Yakkyoku Clinic. In his current state, the black-haired teen needed a place to cool down, and since the only two places he frequented were the Clinic and the Mushinkei, he chose to go to the remote location that no Frie Clan member was situated at. Although Shin''s anger had filled his entire mind, he still retained a little of his rationality. If he was anywhere near a Frie Clan member of a Frie Clan property, Shin was afraid that he would lash out violently. "Ariel, follow him. Don''t let him injure himself..." The Shrine Maiden gently instructed the only person that Shin would show his vulnerable state to. Right now, Shin was like an active volcano which was on the verge of erupting, and when he does flare up, it was highly possible that he could hurt himself. "Mmnnn!" Ariel didn''t even need more guidance. She herself was worried about the well-being of her childhood friend. After giving one deep bow to her seniors, Ariel urgently ran in the direction that Shin had disappeared into. "Hmph! Just pray that he doesn''t do something brash, otherwise, instead of a beast horde, I''ll personally go up your mountain and drag everyone down from that pedestal that they are sitting on." Lady Seph walked past the Frie Clan, snorting derisively in the process. Evidently, she was unsatisfied with the decision that the clan had made. As Shin''s master, Lady Seph naturally knew of the relationship between Junius and her precious disciple. Furthermore, she had a good impression about that youth that would risk anything to protect his younger brother''s life. The Shrine Maiden, Ines, Marshall and Riko all lowered their heads in shame as the esteemed woman walked by with Mayor Nadeo in tow. To be completely honest, they too were in the same boat as Shin. Confused and enraged about why the Clan had undertaken this action, especially when the value of Junius had only increased over the years. "I''ll relay that message to the Clan Master..." All the Shrine Maiden could do was to cup her hands and watch as Lady Seph disappeared into the highly fortified town. Chapter 152 The Return 3 "Damn it¡­ DAMN ALL OF THEM!!!" Running into his designated study space of Yakkyoku Clinic, Shin used his fist to repeatedly knock into the drywall, causing imprints of his knuckles to become more prominent with every impact. With every punch, the blood from his lips that was produced by Shin biting it too hard flew out and stained the pristine white wall giving the study room seem like a slaughterhouse instead. "Why? Why? Why? Why?! Why?! WHHHHHYYYY?!?!?!" With one final punch, Shin gathered his mana into his fist and drilled through the wall like it were paper. Blisters and punctures caused his palms to shake uncontrollably as droplets of rich crimson fluids dripped down onto the floor. Pulling back his quivering hand, the black-haired boy fell on his bottom and pulled his knees inward. Resting his head on the bloodied wall, his entire being felt listless as droplets of bitter tears fell down his cheeks. "Junius¡­ I''m so sorry..." Whispering out in a soft voice, Shin apologised to his elder brother who was currently missing. "Shin? Shin? Where are you?" While the young teen was wallowing out in despair, a youthful girl''s voice sounded out in the corridor of the Clinic. Worried that Shin would do something rash and injure himself, Ariel chased her childhood friend all the way from the western gate to Yakkyoku Clinic, where the young teen had holed himself in. "Shin! What have you done?!?!" It didn''t take long for the scarlet-haired girl to find Shin and when she did, Ariel got the fright of her life. In front of her, the wall which should have been pure white had been stained red from the young teen''s blood. In the middle of the wall, a clear and substantial hole had been punched through, deforming the entire backdrop of the room, and finally, on the floor, there was a youth who lay despondently, as if awaiting the end of the world. "Go away, Ariel¡­ Leave me alone..." "How can I leave you alone?! Look at what you have done to yourself!!! Quick, do you have any bandages? Or maybe you could heal yourself?! Shin? Hey, Shin! Are you listening to me?!" "SHUT UP!!! Just leave me alone!" Swinging his fist that was dripping with blood around, the young teen shooed Ariel away. Right now, he wasn''t in the mood to talk or interact with another soul, especially someone from the Frie Clan. All his life he had grown up thankful that the Frie Clan had picked up the other orphans and him so that they didn''t rot in one corner and yet, now that the Clan had abandoned Junius, the gratitude that he felt was no longer there. "Shin..." Ariel had lived with Shin nearly her entire life, and she had never seen the boy this emotional. Realising that there was nothing that she could say or do that would cheer her childhood friend up, Ariel quietly sat down opposite of the young teen. "What are you doing? I told you to leave me alone." "I am. Just ignore me, I''ll be just sitting here." "What''s the point of that?" "I can''t leave you alone right now. God knows what would happen if you run amok and further hurt yourself." "..." Unable to come up with a retort for her words, Shin simply gave the girl a short glance before burying his head in his knees. Right now, his mood was unstable, and he knew that clearly, and who could blame him? He had just found out the clan he trusted his life to wouldn''t even bother to save the person who meant the most to him. Five minutes passed. Shin''s temper had started to cool down, and the blood on his hands began to dry. The pain that he didn''t feel due to the intense emotions that clouded his mind started to sting his consciousness. However, the moment he felt the pain, he remembered that Junius might be in extreme peril and the pain that he might be feeling would be much worse than some meagre injury causing the intense rage that died down earlier to resurface once more. Fifteen minutes passed. Ariel still remained silent as her gaze stayed fixated on the young teen who was unmoving. Shin''s rage had yet to dissipate as he was caught in a vicious cycle. Every single time he thinks that he calmed down, just one thought of Junius would cause the hate that he had for the Frie Clan to resurface once more. Nonetheless, being a healer, he knew that he couldn''t leave the wound on his knuckles untreated for that long and thus, he uncorked the white ceramic gourd on his waist to summon out the ''Healing Water'' that he created to treat himself, much to Ariel''s delight. An hour passed. The two youths sat opposite one another in complete silence. Shin was still trying to figure out his emotions while Ariel quietly stood by. Lady Seph and Bingbing had arrived back in the Clinic thirty minutes ago and discovered the duo in Shin''s study room. Initially, Bingbing wanted to rush to Shin''s side to comfort the youth, but she was stopped by her Master''s wrinkled hands. Sensing Shin''s volatile mood and seeing the resolute eyes of Ariel, the experienced old woman knew that it was best to leave the two alone. Hours passed and soon, the bright sunny day had turned into an overcast sky. Massive drops of rain drizzled down from the heavens and slammed onto the pristine clinic. The blistering heat had all but dissipated leaving a cold and humid environment for the citizens of Chilyoja Waypoint. Housemaids scurried to keep their hanging laundry while mothers pulled their children into the safety of their warm abodes. However, amidst the hustle and bustle, in the remote corner of the busy town, two young teens, who had remained unmoving for hours, sat completely quiet. The distance between them was just a few metres, and yet, Ariel felt that the young teen, with trembling shoulders, seemed to be so much farther. Shin was physically close to her, so close in fact that all she had to do was walk a few steps and she would be able to grasp those smooth cheeks of his. However, during these few hours, Ariel realised that the distance between them was not as it seemed. Ever since she was born, Ariel lived a sheltered life with her grandfather doting on her so much so that it bordered on pampering. Anything she wanted, she would be served on a silver platter. Additionally, when her latent talent was discovered, the entire clan started to revere her and gave her the best training resources one could hope to imagine. Shin, on the other hand, didn''t have a family. He was an orphan that the previous Clan Master had picked up to boost the Clan''s weaknesses. Everything that the orphans had gotten, they had to fight for. The Instructor and Headmistress trained them hard since they were young and they never knew their own parents. Adding to that, the Second Elder''s division loathed the impure blood and sent their children to bully them at any possible moment. Comparing the two environments that the two had grew up in was like comparing heaven and earth. Yet, through all those difficult days, the orphans were able to persevere. Showing to the clan that their talents were far from average, the orphans fought hard to prove that their place on the mountain was not misguided; and a significant reason why was due to the leadership of Junius. Being the oldest orphan, Junius had always shouldered the burden that everyone placed on the orphans. Always caring for them, standing up for them when the going gets tough and even being the rational mind in an untenable situation. Junius had always been the solid rock that anchored the orphans and led them in their darkest of hours. All the orphans, even Ryner who was a hot-headed child growing up, looked up to Junius as their leader, their role model and finally, their elder brother. Even though they were not technically related, the bond that the orphans shared went beyond blood relations, and that was highlighted with the relationship between Shin and Junius. Having spent the most time together, Junius had been with Shin every step of his life. When Shin was in the cradle, Junius embraced him. When Shin was first learning to walk, Junius was there to guide him. When Shin first started to train, Junius was his first partner. When Shin needed a roommate, Junius offered up his cabin for him. Finally, in that forest on that fateful day, Junius nearly gave his life to save Shin. Junius had always been a shining beacon in the black-haired youth''s life. So much so that no matter how lazy Shin was, if an issue pertaining to Junius arose, the typically sleepy youth would rise to the occasion, just so to save his elder brother, but this time, Shin was utterly powerless to do anything. Words cannot accurately describe how much Shin loved Junius and how much he hated the Frie Clan right now for abandoning him. Ariel, who could be said to be one of Shin''s closest associates, too couldn''t imagine the pain and suffering that her childhood friend was going through. Thus, all that she could do was writhe in the fact that the distance between them was much more significant than she first imagined. "How¡­ How could they do this?" A weakened dry voice echoed out from Shin''s corner, brightening the eyes of the scarlet-haired girl. It was the first time in hours that she had heard his voice. Due to the earlier sobbing and shouting, the young boy sounded hoarse and anaemic, prompting Ariel to leave her position to pour a cup of tea for the forlon teen. Putting the cup right next to Shin, Ariel sat in front of the young boy and gestured for him to drink up. Unfortunately, Shin had no intentions of receiving Ariel''s kind intentions. "Ariel¡­ They abandoned Junius..." "Yeah, they did..." Ariel was no idiot. She had overheard the entire conversation that Shin had with Marshall and instantly decided that the Frie Clan was in the wrong. For the first time, she felt ashamed to bear the name of Frie. What was she going to say to the distraught orphans back on the mountain? What was she going to say to Lily who loved Junius so much? Over the course of the few hours alone with Shin, countless of thoughts entered her mind, and the best answer that she could come up with was to simply apologise in place of the clan. "Why? Why would they do that?" "I don''t know..." "Is it because we''re orphans? Because we''re not from the main bloodline?" "I''m sure that''s not it..." "Then why? WHY?!?! WHHH-HHH-HHHII-HHII-HYYY?!?!?!" Hollering out like a crazed lunatic, the young teen started to cry uncontrollably. Snot fell down his flared up nostrils, and tears came gushing down like a broken down dam. At that moment, he felt terrified. Not just because he feared the worst for his elder brother, but because he felt the most alone that he had ever felt in years. If the Frie Clan could abandon Junius, who was without question the greatest asset from the orphan division, they could do the same with the other orphans. Pulling the sobbing youth into her bosom, Ariel felt her clothing turn wet from all the crying that Shin did. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry, Shin..." Doing her best to comfort Shin to the best of her ability, the duo sat in each other''s embrace for a solid five minutes before the black-haired youth finally calmed down. "No¡­ Ariel, I''m sorry¡­ I can no longer trust the Frie Clan..." "..." Now that he had figured out his resolve, Shin stood up from his position and stared wordlessly at the scarlet-haired girl. Although he knew that the decision of the clan had nothing to do with the young girl sitting in front of him, in his current state, he felt annoyed at anything or anyone related to the Frie Clan. "Ariel, I will find Junius, whether the Frie Clan sends support or not. I''m sorry but¡­ That''s just how it is." Following the series of let-downs that the Frie Clan had brought onto Shin, he felt nothing but resentment for the clan that had raised him up all these years. "Shin, you don''t have to do this alone! You know that I will support you. Don''t worry, once I return to the mountain, I will hound my grandpa to send reinforcements. In fact, I too want to join the search for brother Junius!" "Do whatever you want Ariel, but for now, please leave me alone. I have some thinking to do." Nonchalantly shooing the young girl out of his room, Shin held the door open for Ariel. "Are you sure that you won''t do anything rash?" The whole reason why Ariel stayed with Shin for so long was because she feared that he would do something to hurt himself. "I''m calm now. Please, let me be alone for a while." "Okay. I''ll send letters. Don''t worry, just wait for my good news!" Once Ariel left the room, it was highly probable that she would be sent back to Frie Mountain immediately. Thus, the only way that they would be able to communicate was through carrier letters. "..." Merely giving Ariel a detached stare, Shin slammed the door and found one corner in his humble room to sit. ''Junius, I''ll definitely save you!'' Chapter 153 Meeting Of The Heavyweights 1 In the long peaceful corridor of Yakkyoku Clinic, one young scarlet-haired girl stood silently as she stared at the stable door that stood before her. After being chased out by Shin, Ariel didn''t leave immediately. She was still worried that the young teen might be impulsive and therefore, she waited to hear any unwarranted sounds for a full three minutes before she was disturbed. "You really care for him huh?" An adenoidal voice broke the silence of the corridor, snapping Ariel out from her focus. "Lady Seph! No, I''m just worried that he might be rash." "Haha, don''t worry child. When he''s in my domain, there''s no way he can do anything that would hurt himself!" "I see..." Dropping her eyebrows, Ariel dejectedly sighed. Noticing her sadness, Lady Seph smiled and rubbed her silky scarlet hair. "Child, Shin''s just in a bad place now. Don''t take it to heart." "No, I understand¡­ If I were him, I might have felt the same way..." Growing up with Shin, Ariel clearly understood how important Junius was to the black-haired teen. Role model, elder brother or dependable senior. Everything that Shin needed in an older brother figure, Junius had it. Therefore, knowing that the Frie Clan had deserted the distressed youth just because it inconvenienced them greatly pissed Shin off. "It''s good that you can see it that way. Alright, leave Shin to me for now. I''m sure Edward is eagerly waiting for your return to the mountain." While Ariel was comforting Shin, the entire Frie Clan convoy was resting at the Mushinkei, waiting for the young girl''s arrival. "Lady Seph¡­ Thank you¡­ Please look out for Shin, especially in these turbulent periods. Should he rush out to rescue Junius without help, he might get attacked by a stray Spirit Beast." Placing her hands on Lady Seph''s sleeves, Ariel begged "Hahaha, there''s no need to worry child! I know what to do. Geez, you two are not even married yet, and you''re already such a worrywart." "M-Married?! L-L-Lady Seph! We''re not in that kind of relationship!" Turning redder than a boiled octopus, Ariel accidentally bit her tongue as she accepted the elderly woman''s teasing words. It was a rare sight to see the valiant Amazonian girl this flustered as she was generally as cool as a cucumber. Exceedingly amused by what she was witnessing, Lady Seph let out a playful chuckle. "Well, that will change in due time!" "I-I-I-I have to leave now! G-Goodbye!" Turning away from the aged woman who had reverted back to a mischievous child, Ariel hurriedly escaped from Yakkyoku Clinic and returned to the Mushinkei where Ines and the rest were waiting. "Ah, youth¡­" Grinning from ear to ear, Lady Seph watched as the abashed young girl ran from her after some light teasing. Both Shin and Ariel have reached early adolescence and have started to gain some basic attractions to members of the opposite gender. They may not be aware of it, but the majority of those who knew of their relationship reckoned that one day, either Shin or Ariel would make the first move. Once that happens, it would only be smooth sailing from then on. "Hmmm, but the little lass might be right about Shin being rash¡­ Bingbing, these few days, monitor his actions would you?" "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Squeaking out at the top of her lungs, the snowy white gerbil nodded her fluffy head as she ran into the room that Shin was in. ''Hah¡­ What is Edward thinking, not sending help to Junius¡­ Well, it''s their clan matter, so it''s not convenient for me to interfere¡­'' Squinting her eyes, Lady Seph stared in the direction that Frie Mountain was in as if trying to communicate with her old friend. ''Whatever¡­ The next I meet him, I''ll make sure to give him a loud earful. For now, let me prepare the place for the meeting¡­'' As much as she wanted to hound the old bastard, Yakkyoku Clinic was going to play host to representatives for two huge organisations. Since it was inconvenient for the Emperor Tenno to leave the Capital, he sent one of the best generals under his direct command to meet with the esteemed healer. However, what gave Lady Seph severe headaches was the representative that the Healer''s Association was sending over. ''Urghhh¡­ Just thinking about her pains my poor head...'' Rubbing the temples of her wrinkled forehead, Lady Seph took a deep breath in, trying to calm the pain in the head. Since Lady Seph had cut communications with the Healer''s Association for so long, it was only natural that on the day she sent a transmission over, one of the biggest figures in the Association was the one to pick up her call. As for the representative that they were sending over, let''s just say Lady Seph would much rather stick her hand into the most putrid to cow dungs than to spend one minute conversing with her. "Tsskkk, how troublesome..." Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Lady Seph gave Shin''s study room a quick glance before returning to her office. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. First Elder''s Abode. Two days had passed since Lady Seph, and Shin returned to Chilyoja Waypoint. Once Ariel had returned to the Mushinkei, the convoy rushed back to Frie Mountain so that they could adhere to the Clan Master''s orders that all operatives were to return with immediate effect. The heavily guarded mountain had added even more defensive mechanisms, and with high numbers of sentry guards patrolling every corner, currently, even a fly would find it difficult to breach the mountain''s defences. On the day Ariel returned home, she stormed into her grandfather''s room just so that she could request a search party be sent to assist Shin. With the Ella and Emma supporting her, the fiery young girl was fearless as she presented her demands. Ariel had even added in that she would be going down the mountain as well. Nevertheless, the ball was never in her court. The instant the First Elder saw his granddaughter barge into his room late that night, he could already guess what her purpose was. Adamantly sticking to the clan''s decision to not send out a search party for Junius, the First Elder turned his back towards his beloved granddaughter, much to the surprise of everyone present. The First Elder had historically been a loving figure to not only Ariel but the orphans as well. Whevener the orphans were facing any injustices, they knew that they could always rely on the First Elder to rectify their problems. Yet, this time, he just didn''t care. In the end, Ella and Emma were sent back to the orphan''s lodgings where they were mostly placed under house arrest once again. Not able to leave the premises, the only thing that the orphans could do was to train hard every single day in their training facility. Ariel, on the other hand, was given a much harsher ''punishment.'' Knowing his granddaughter''s temperament, the First Elder feared that Ariel would break out of her room and rush down the mountain as well. Therefore, only the scarlet-haired girl was locked inside of the First Elder''s personal abode where she only had access to the courtyard and her room, with guards and maids monitoring her actions round the clock. However, it was not just Ariel who had felt the strangulation of the Frie Clan''s new policy. Down the other side of the residential area, Linus and Leon were facing similar conditions as the one placed on the orphan division. Other than their own lodgings, they were forbidden from straying far. In fact, the majority of the younger generation were feeling the strain. Essentially, Frie Mountain had turned into a vast glorified prison where not only could nothing enter, but also, nothing could escape. Under the dazzling carpet of the starry night sky, an aged man sat quietly on his comfortable wooden rocking chair as he sipped on his favourite tea. Typically, on a full lunar moon night, the entire mountain would be bustling with excitement as children stayed up late to play and stargaze while adults celebrated with a full moon''s feast. However, on this particular cold night, there was only dead silence. Not even the songs of the joyful cicadas could be heard. "A penny for your thoughts?" While the old man was blankly staring into space, a clear and sonorous voice broke his silent stupor. "Clan Master¡­ Do you have that much time on your hands that you would come to scare this old-timer?" "Senior Edward, surely you jest. You have fought over a thousand battles and braved countless of enemies. What could I possibly do to scare you?" "Haha, your glib tongue is as good as ever!" Although he was facing the highest authority in the clan, the First Elder still remained seated, as if not caring about his own personal decorum anymore. Naturally, Enfen Frie didn''t particularly care that the elderly man sitting in front of her cared little about mannerisms. Pulling over an intricately designed wooden stool, the Clan Master poured herself a cup of tea before making herself comfortable next to the First Elder''s rocking chair. "Don''t you think that your treatment of Ariel is a little too harsh? She only has access to three places now! Her room, her bathroom and your courtyard. It will only be a matter of time before she goes insane." "There''s no helping it. If I let her be, she would most definitely run down the mountain by her own means. Her desire to help Shin is quite strong after all." Finishing his cup of tea, the First Elder wore a bitter smile as he talked about the granddaughter he loved so much. "Hahaha, what can you do? She''s at that age after all! Speaking of Shin, are you not going to explain the truth to him?" The Clan Master concernedly questioned the elderly man. "Yeah¡­ At least for now. I have sent Lou to the last known location to find him. The problem is..." "Why did Junius go to THAT location right?" Finishing the First Elder''s sentence, the Clan Master let out a sorrowful sigh. Her bright eyes seemed to go muddied as she recollected the pain and suffering that war had brought upon both sides. "More importantly, how did Junius know about Awter Lake? Was it pure coincidence? Or did someone lead him there? Either way, once Lou returns we would be able to gain some clues." "Too bad it''ll lead to Shin misunderstanding our intentions. From the verbal reports that Lien and Ariel submitted, it seems like he''s quite pissed at us at the moment for abandoning Junius." "There''s nothing to it. If we publicise that we''re going to send a search party to find him, we must also tell everyone the last known location that he went. If Ash and the others find out that he travelled to Awter Lake, they would assume that Junius betrayed the Frie Clan and therefore, have a legitimate reason to chase out the other orphans, or at least cause some other form of trouble..." The elderly man stroked his unkempt beard as he recounted the entire situation. When Junius was first reported missing, everyone in the First Elder''s division went into a state of panic thinking that the Second Elder had got to him. However, once the First Elder found out that Junius actually went to Awter Lake before disappearing, he did everything in his power to cover up that fact and made the illusion that he had virtually abandoned the lost youth. Nevertheless, it was just a ruse to trick the Second Elder while sending some of his top subordinates to personally conduct the search. "Hah¡­ Riko from the Mushinkei had sent in a report stating that Shin hasn''t returned to his room ever since returning from Aldrich''s Keep. All this time he had been staying at Yakkyoku Clinic while badgering the Constable Headquarters to send a search party out to find Junius. It seems that he really loves that elder brother of his. Even though they are not blood-related, in more ways than none, they are perhaps the closest siblings I''ve ever seen." Taking out a piece of yellow parchment paper, the Clan Master presented it to the First Elder, who was still rocking on his chair. "Yeah¡­ Junius was the brightest star in Shin''s life. So even though he is concealed by a dark cloud, Shin would do anything in his power to reclaim Junius back from the abyss." Staring skyward, the First Elder''s eyes shone as they reflected the milky dots that graced the heavens. "So before it comes to that... Before Shin becomes desperate... We must find Junius and deliver him back safe and sound." "Yeah, let us do just that..." Sharing the elderly man''s sentiments, a jubilant smile crept up the Clan Master''s face as she similarly admired the beautiful night sky. Chapter 154 Meeting Of The Heavyweights 2 As Riko mentioned in her report to the Clan Master, Shin had been busy at work during the past few days where he returned to Chilyoja Waypoint. Day by day, he pestered the Chief Constable, Lewis, to send a search party or at least give some clues about where Junius might have gone. However, he always received the same answer. "We will be sending a search party soon just wait for my good news!" No matter how much Lewis wanted to save Junius, he was accountable for the safety of every single human soul in his jurisdiction. Thus, Lewis had to make sure that his actions weren''t clouded by his desire to save his protege and only send men when there was an absolute surplus of them working. It took him five full days to gather the necessary personnel to conduct the search and even then there were only twenty people. Since the information that Junius had given them was rather vague, all they knew was to search the south to trace the young teen''s footsteps, and there was no way twenty men was enough for such a search. Nonetheless, Shin was not willing to call it quits without even trying once. Following the search party down south, the young man explored every possible nook and cranny that might contain potential clues of Junius'' whereabouts. Shin had even role-played as the youth just to get a sense of what Junius might have done. However, even after searching for more than a week, there wasn''t even the slightest clue of where Junius could be. "Damn it, Junius! Where the hell did you go?!" By this time, Shin and the search party had combed every planned area for the search at least three times. Unfortunately, they came up with nothing. Soon, once Lewis and Mayor Nadeo realised that continuing down this path would only be a waste of resources in a delicate time, they temporarily suspended the search party, at least until the military arrives with reinforcements to take down the Spirit Beasts that plagued their vicinity. Therefore, although he was unwilling, Shin was forced to halt his search for Junius and could only return to Chilyoja Waypoint with a sorrowful frown. Speaking of which, since he was still pissed off by the Frie Clan, the young teen had refused to return to the Mushinkei and stayed exclusively at Yakkyoku Clinic, much to the delight of a certain snowy gerbil. Turning his study room into a somewhat habitable bedroom, Shin slept over at the clinic as Bingbing used him as a warm cushion. Thankfully, Lady Seph had no qualms about letting her disciple stay over at her abode which boasted the best showers and cleanliness in the entire waypoint. "Hah¡­ Bingbing, you''re here huh¡­ Where''s Master?" An exhausted voice sounded out in the corridors of the clinic, causing the snowy white gerbil''s ears to twitch in excitement. Even though Shin had informally moved into the clinic, over the past few days, he was barely around. Other than sleeping or showering, the young teen had spent the majority of his time searching for clues about his missing elder brother. However, it seemed that his search could only come to an abrupt end today. Without support from the Constable Headquarters or the Frie Clan, there was no way a mere Spirit Apostle could find Junius. "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Leaping onto the fatigued black-haired teen''s shoulders, the snowy white gerbil wagged her tail while squeaking in an animal tongue. "She went out?! That''s rare¡­ Well, since she''s not here, I''ll just be resting in my room." Rubbing his tense shoulders, Shin raised his arms to stretch while releasing the tension that had been built up over the past few days. For the first time in his young life, the black-haired teen was severely sleep-deprived. Typically, whenever he felt tired, Shin would find any possible excuse to take a nap or turn in early so that he could catch up on his lost sleep. However, due to the tremendous emotional stress of losing a close friend and the physical toll of traversing multiple hills and jungles, Shin had barely slept a wink. "*Yip!*." Nodding her head in confirmation, Bingbing left Shin alone and hopped into her bed on the counter. In the meantime, Shin quickly entered his ''new'' bedroom while trying his best to keep his heavy eyelids from closing. The small accommodation was relatively simple. Thick towers of books and notes piled up around the small wooden table centred at the side leaving little space for anyone to walk. The scent of musky sweat and terrible dust remained in the small room as Shin barely had time to clean. Piles upon piles of used clothing lay scattered across the wooden floor, and some had even made their way to the temporary mattress that Lady Seph had bought for her live-in disciple. "Urghhh¡­ So tired..." Falling face first onto the bedraggled mattress, Shin embraced his baggy pillow as he felt a wave of fatigue hit him to his very core. Due to his extensive search for Junius, he had lost many precious hours of sleep. Gingerly closing his eyes, the young teen let himself sink deeper into the Garden of Hypnos as totalness darkness descended upon his consciousness. ~~~ "*Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!*." "..." "*Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!*." "... Hmmm? Bingbing?" As Shin was enjoying his long-awaited deep sleep, a sharp and adorable voice chirped loudly from the side of his bed. Lifting open his heavy eyelids, the young teen let out a lethargic yawn as he sat up on the mattress. Moving his body, Shin felt heaviness in many parts of his body, indicating that he had been out cold for an extended period of time. Stretching out the sore muscles, the young teen turned his head in a clockwise rotation to ease the tense shoulders that he had. "*Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!* *Yip!*." Happy that Shin had finally answered her calls, Bingbing hopped ecstatically as she tried to communicate something to the half-awake youth. "Huh? Sorry, could you slow down? I didn''t understand it." Combining the fact that he was drained of energy and he wasn''t a linguistic expert on the beast tongue, Shin rubbed his eyes as he requested the gerbil next to him to repeat what she was trying to say. "*Yip!~* *Yiiiip!* *Yip!*." "Someone''s here? Who?" "Me." As Shin was busy trying to figure out what Bingbing was trying to convey, a toneless voice called out from behind of him. "Eeeek!!!" Letting out an astonished squeal, Shin jumped out of his bed in surprise and turned his head to greet the intruder of his space. "Hohoho, what''s there to be scared of, little one? Can''t take a small surprise?" Sitting by his bed, a gorgeous woman, possibly in her late twenties greeted the startled youth. As Shin''s drowsy eyes started to brighten up, he could fully pick out all of her facial features. Donned in full white priest garb, the young woman''s ornate robes highlighted her ample figure as she folded her long legs together. Long, glossy black hair that flowed down from her golden biretta covered her entire face, making it look smaller than it actually was. With a fully hydrated complexion free of any wrinkles or blemish, the woman seemed to be in the prime of her life. If she were to walk down the streets alone, Shin was confident that hordes of thirsty men would pile over each other to get a chance to woo her. "Ermmm, miss? What are you doing in my room?" Although he was enthralled by her appearance for a little bit, Shin quickly got to the main issue at hand. There was currently an unidentified woman, possibly a malicious intruder, trespassing his room. However, instead of feeling threatened, the young teen oddly enough felt a strange sense of kinship with the woman. "Hahaha! Miss! It''s been ages since someone called me that! Now that''s a good boy! I see that Seraphim has chosen the right disciple!" Hearing Shin addressing her in a flattering manner, even though he didn''t mean in, put a beaming smile on the young woman''s face. "You know of Master?" "Of course I do! Otherwise, how would I be able to enter this secure place this easily?!" With a smile that blatantly showed her full set of white teeth, the woman rubbed the young teen''s head. Usually, when an unfamiliar person shows up in the clinic and performs such a queer gesture on Shin, Bingbing would be the first to jump in and rescue the boy. However, this time the little gerbil quietly watched as the woman copped a feel. In its eyes, one could even see a tinge of fear and reverence. "Ermmm, so are you here for the upcoming meeting?" As Lady Seph''s sole disciple and fellow roommate, it was natural for Shin to know about the upcoming event that his Master was so busy preparing for. In fact, he felt a little guilty that he couldn''t offer his usual assistance as his mind was too preoccupied with finding Junius. "Well, sort of¡­ I''m also here to meet my precious disciple who had abandoned me for so many years." "Your disciple is also in town? What a coincidence..." Shin shot the young woman a weird look as he raised his eyebrows. Judging from her exterior appearance, Shin assumed that the woman was in her late twenties, so it was strange for her to have a disciple that young. However, since she was one of Lady Seph acquaintances, Shin simply turned a blind eye. "If you''re going to meet Master, I''m afraid she''s not in yet. You might have to wait for a while longer." Shin gave the woman a respectful bow while glancing out of the window. The earlier blistering heat of the day had been replaced with the chilling cold of the night. Pitch darkness enveloped the waypoint blocking, and a minute amount of lights remained lit. Thinking that it was about time for his Master to return, Shin turned the doorknob of his door to guide the woman into Lady Seph''s office. However, before he even got out of his room, the wooden door flung open and hit the unsuspecting youth right in the nose, pushing him downwards in the process. "Shin! Are you home?!" From the other side of the door, an adenoidal voice worriedly shouted out. "Master¡­ You hit my nose..." Instantly recognising the owner of the voice, Shin started to heal the partially broken nose of his with Healing Water and tried his best to focus his vision. The blonde elderly woman, who was the cause of Shin''s current pain, seemed to have forgotten the existence of her disciple as her jaw dropped in shock. Stunned speechless, the prestigious healer''s eyebrows began to twitch uncontrollably as she stared down the intruder of her property. "Althea¡­ When did you arrive?" "Hey, hey, hey! Is that the attitude you take when addressing someone who travelled thousands upon thousands of kilometres just to see your face one more time?!" "Hah¡­ Why did the Healer''s Association allow you to come out from your hibernation?" "Do you honestly think those snotty-nosed brats can order me around?" "Tskkk¡­ I shouldn''t have called using that bloody communication crystal Raphael gave me¡­ To think that it would connect to you..." "Hey! He did a good thing. Otherwise, god knows when I would be able to see my precious disciple again!" Waving her arms about like a spoilt child, the senior donned in priestly robes protested Lady Seph''s words. "M-Mas¡­ Master?!" Shin exclaimed out in agitation. If his ears weren''t deceiving him, that meant that¡­ "Yeah¡­ Shin¡­ This here is Althea Curador¡­ The sole Spirit Saint that the Healer''s Association has and¡­ My Master..." Dry-heaving as if she was about to vomit out a bucket full of blood, Lady Seph introduced the young and busty woman. "Pleased to meet you, Grand-Disciple of mine!" Chapter 155 Meeting Of The Heavyweights 3 ''A Spirit Saint?!'' Of all the information that he had just been handed, the fact that the black-haired woman standing in front of Shin was a Spirit Saint was perhaps that most shocking. In the current Terre Continent, the number of Spirit Saints were so scarce that one could count them with the fingers on four hands. Legend has it that a Spirit Saint was able to move mountains with just a thought and their powers could flatten any enemies that stood before them. In fact, the reason why the major superpowers could retain their position was precisely due to the existence of such entities protecting their land. It was hard to even catch a glimpse of a Spirit Saint, let alone meet them in person. Yet, at this exact moment, Shin was staring straight at one such figure. "Master''s master?! But you look so young!" Shin shouted out in complete shock. After trekking around the waypoint in search for Junius, he had next to no energy left but yet, when it was revealed that young black-haired woman in front of him was actually Lady Seph''s Master, the fatigued teen could feel all his lost energy being regained in an instant. "Hah¡­ As expected you''re fooled by that as well¡­ Don''t worry, Shin. Although she looks like that, in truth she''s an old dinosaur that had lived for more than three centuries. She just has some perverted tendencies to revert back to her younger self at will." Answering her ignorant disciple''s questions, Lady Seph insulted her Master and explained everything in a single breath. "Hey, is that the kind of tone you use to talk to your Master? Who wouldn''t want to look young and beautiful all your life?! You''re the strange one that likes to remain in your older self! If you train rejuvenation strong enough, I''m sure you can do the same." "Shut it! I have better research to do! Besides, you only use that ability so that you can seduce unsuspecting young men right?!" "HUH?! You have become rather insolent after leaving my tutelage after so many years! I think I should roughen you up just like the olden days huh?!" Baring her fangs while raising her milky white fists, Althea threatened to beat Lady Seph up, causing the typically fearless elderly woman to take one step back. If one looked closely, they would be able to observe the cold sweat beads that formed on her wrinkled forehead. "Now, now¡­ There''s no need to come to that¡­ Put down the fist oh beloved Master of mine..." "Hmph! That''s better!" Raising her chin up to celebrate her victory, the beautiful black-haired woman proudly smiled. ''Ahhh¡­ So that''s where Master learnt her violent ways from...'' Shin quietly thought in his mind. The image of Althea raising her fist was so reminiscent of Lady Seph that it bordered on deja vu for Shin. Of course, being experienced in getting hit or struck by his Master, there was no way that Shin would voice out his opinion, lest he gets bombarded by not one, but two vicious women who had no notion of what disciple care was. "Back to business! Child, what''s your name?" Losing interest in the dejected Lady Seph, Althea questioned the young boy who was in a daze. "My name is Shin! Errr, Grandmaster?" "Hahaha, sure! You can call me that! So Shin, how is my precious disciple treating you? Is she a good teacher?" "Ah, yeah¡­ She may be harsh at times, but I know it''s all because Master wants me to grow as fast as possible..." Hesitant about revealing all the days where he cursed Lady Seph to death due to her vicious training, Shin simply replied with the most appropriate answer that he could think of. "I see! I see! You''re such a good kid! Not only that, you''re already a Spirit Apostle at such a young age! Hahaha, if you keep it up, you''ll probably learn ''Heal'' before you reach twenty! Keep it up, young lad!" Vigorously rubbing the black-haired youth''s head, Althea praised Shin vehemently while giving him words of encouragement in the process. "But, I already learnt ''Heal''..." "Hahaha, that''s right! You will be¡­ able¡­ to learn¡­ Wait, what do you mean you already learnt ''Heal''?! Aren''t you just a Spirit Apostle?!" Althea''s jubilant expression had slowly turned into one of complete shock. "I learnt ''Heal'' to promote into the Spirit Apostle realm..." "Wait, wait, WAIT!!! H-H-How old are you Shin?" "Thirteen..." "Thirteen?! Judging from your mana pool, it must have been some time since you promoted¡­ Seraphim! What''s this about?!" Realising that it was faster to ask Shin''s Master on all the details, Althea turned her head to find the elderly blonde woman with a cheeky smirk on her face. "It is what it is¡­ I taught him ''Heal'' when I thought he was ready, and he learnt it. Nothing special about that." Trying her hardest to retain her deadpan expression to mess with the Spirit Saint, Lady Seph acted like it was no big deal. "You bloody¡­ Urgh¡­ Seraphim, I order you to tell me the exact age, to the day, that Shin promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm! Withhold any information and I will hold you in my iron armpits for a full hour!" Nonchalantly placing out a threat that could only frighten Lady Seph, Althea glared at her disciple as she waited for the information. "Fine¡­ Fine¡­ When Shin first learnt ''Heal,'' he was twelve years, eleven months and twenty-four days old. Currently, he had stayed in Rank 10 for over a month, and I assume it would take him a few more to reach Rank 11." "At what age did he enter your tutelage?" "I think a month or so after he awakened his Spirit. So around ten?" "Hold up¡­ You''re telling me, you taught him all of the basics to learn ''Heal'' in less than three years?!" At this point, Althea couldn''t be bothered to get shocked anymore. Nonetheless, she still wanted to know the entire truth. "Yeah¡­ I know it sounds hard to believe, but that''s the truth." "..." Now it was Althea''s turn to drop her jaw. In all her three hundred years roaming this earth, she had never heard of a talent that could learn ''Heal'' in a mere three years. "Of all people, to think that you are the one who would hide something like this from me. You nurtured the youngest healer in history, and you didn''t even bother to report it to the Healer''s Association?!" Exasperated that Lady Seph would hide Shin from her, Althea turned her head towards the young teen and intensely stared at him. Taken aback by the sudden attention, Shin matched the beautiful woman''s gaze with his own. Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, the young teen felt like his soul was being enthralled by the mesmerising pitch black eyes of Althea. Even though she was old enough to be considered his ancestor, Shin could not help but feel fascinated by her elegant allure. "Can I take him?" Licking her lips as if she found a scrumptious meal, the Spirit Saint gave Shin a greedy look that was not suited for viewing a minor. A cold shiver ran up the teen''s spine causing goosebumps to form all over his body. Carefully taking one step backwards, Shin instinctively opened a distance between him and the smiling beauty. At this moment, he felt like an ordinary house rat facing an indomitable python that was hell-bent on eating its prey. "Hah?! What makes you think that you can snatch Shin from me?! He''s my disciple!" One of the reasons why Lady Seph felt so apprehensive when she heard that her Master was attending the meeting was because she feared that Althea might steal Shin from right under her nose. "Haha, I''m just joking! There''s no need to be so uptight!" "With you, I''ll never know¡­ Perhaps you might really force me to give Shin up because you want him as a disciple." "As I said, I''m just pulling your leg. Unless you really want me to take him away..." "Screw off!" Pulling Shin into her embrace like a mother protecting her child, Lady Seph vehemently denied Althea''s offer. While Lady Seph was up in arms about protecting her disciple, the person in question was simply stunned that the seemingly infallible Master of his displayed a different side to herself that he had never seen before. "Wow, you have really changed since I last saw you, Seph¡­ Fine, I''ll stop joking. Either way, we have important business to tend to¡­ Is the representative from the Himmel Empire here?" Seeing that continue down this path of conversation would bear no fruit, Althea changed the topic while secretly observing a certain unsuspecting youth. "Yeah, he''s waiting outside..." Raising her eyebrows, Lady Seph gave her Master an odd look. It was unlike Althea to give up on obtaining something once it catches her eye. Being a Spirit Saint, if she wanted something, she could just take it, and no one would be able to defy her. In fact, although Lady Seph had every intention to fight Althea to her last breath if she wanted to snatch the disciple she worked so hard to nurture. Thus, even though the Spirit Saint seemed to have lost interest, the elderly blonde woman refused to let go of Shin. Opening the door to the corridor, Lady Seph revealed a tall and lanky man draped in full body armour. Thick shoulder guards and thigh guards made of Spirit Beast hide, reinforced with steel protected all of his vital parts, giving him a certain indomitable aura. Standing at over two metres tall, his muscular frame served to frighten anyone who came near and posed as a significant asset when it came to intimidating opponents. Brown leather gloves and massively armoured boots that had either been dirtied or torn indicated that the man was no desk-seater. The faint stench of death and blood was being emitted out from the man''s body, forcing Shin to inadvertently cover his nasal cavities. If it were before, the smell would have been invisible to Shin and he would remain oblivious. However, after the terrible battle at Aldrich''s Keep, the young healer was much more attuned to the putrid smell. "Pleased to meet you, Your Holiness. My name is Elbert." Putting forth his hand, General Elbert humbly addressed the Spirit Saint that had led the Healer''s Association for countless years. Evidently, he had been briefed about the situation beforehand. Otherwise, if it were in any other setting, no matter how experienced he was, there was no way that General Elbert could have remained calm after suddenly meeting one of the individuals that stood at the apex of the cultivation world. "Hohoho¡­ The Healer''s Association sent me, a Spirit Saint, to attend this meeting and yet all the Himmel Empire could cough up is a mere Spirit Emperor¡­" Folding her arms in akimbo, Althea glared at the muscular man that towered over her, unfazed by his large stature. "My apologies, Your Holiness. If we would have known that your noble self would be attending, I''m sure our ancestor would be happy to visit." Instead of retorting the beauty, General Elbert immediately lowered his body so close to the ground that he nearly grovelled. ''Wow, she randomly decided to come by herself, and now she''s complaining about the lack of representation from the other side.'' Lady Seph thought out to herself. Typically, it would be rare for a Spirit Saint to meddle with the current affairs of the world. Since they were desperately seeking to become the next Spirit Immortal, they rarely showed their faces in the cultivation world, always secluding themselves so that they could advance to the next step. Historically, the only times a Spirit Saint moved was during great wars or when the human race was being threatened. Give and take some rare instances where the Spirit Saint turned mad and decided to take down anything that they see, the majority of the time, they remained hidden in their own world. Therefore, the Himmel Empire couldn''t be blamed for sending a mere Spirit Emperor to the meeting. Never in their wildest dreams would they have expected the famed matriarch of the Healer''s Association to make an appearance. "Whatever¡­ I don''t want to see that leathery face anyway¡­ Come on, let''s start the meeting and be done with it." Walking straight into Lady Seph''s office, the Spirit Saint ignored the small fry that she could have squashed like a housefly. In her mind, anything that the Himmel Empire''s representative said would be inconsequential. The only thing that mattered to her was Lady Seph and the prodigious little disciple that she had picked up. "Master¡­ Is she really my Grandmaster?" Now that Shin had some breathing room, he cautiously asked Lady Seph for confirmation. No matter how hard he tried, Shin couldn''t picture the gorgeous woman, who didn''t seem to exceed thirty years of age, to be the mentor of the elderly woman he called Master. "Looks can be deceiving, Shin... Especially in the world of Healers. And yes, although I hate to admit it, Althea was my Master when I was growing up. Even though she looks like that, she is a bona fide dinosaur that lived for over three hundred years. She ate way more salt than you ate rice, child!" Sending her disciple a timely warning, Lady Seph gave an undignified frown. "But¡­ How can someone live so long?! Isn''t that unnatural?" "Hmmm? I didn''t explain lifespans of a Spirit User to you? That''s strange. Alright, listen up. What is the maximum lifespan of a human? Assuming that he or she is not a Spirit User." "Probably about a hundred years?" Digging deep into his medical knowledge, Shin tried to recall the full details about human life. "That''s right. Typically, a human without spiritual energy at most can walk the earth for about a hundred years. Anything more than that and their fire would burn out at any moment. However, for Spirit Users, our lifespan is drastically different. We will shed our mortality at two stages on our cultivation paths." "*Gulp*." Swallowing down a mouthful of saliva, Shin opened up his ears to receive the vital information. "Firstly, during the promotion to Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm. The reason why it is called Spirit Spectre realm is because the flesh is being rebuilt into an astral entity in which your Spirit merges with your soul. From there, the cultivator reforms their own bodies using whatever materials they have in hand. They also can absorb spiritual energy much faster, making them infinitely stronger from their previous realm. Once they advance, they can experience weightlessness and essentially become one with their surroundings. That''s why the majority of Spirit Users in the Spirit Spectre stage or above gain the ability to fly automatically. Since in that realm, they''re technically no longer a regular human, their lifespan would double to two hundred years." "But Master! If a Spirit Spectre cultivator had already shed his or her mortality, doesn''t it mean that they no longer can die?! Why would there even be a lifespan?" Presenting his uninformed opinion, Shin questioned Lady Seph. "Good thinking, Shin. However, your thinking is flawed. The reason why people die is because their bodies degrade over time. Same goes for their astral forms and new bodies. Well, let''s put it this way. Promoting to the Spirit Spectre stage is the same as giving the cultivator a second life. Thus, many people try to reach the Spirit Spectre stage as young as possible, so that they could retain their youthful looks for over a hundred years." Lying on the side of the wooden walls, Lady Seph continued her explanation. "What''s next¡­ Oh right, the second stage that a Spirit User can prolong their lifespans. Well, this one is much more complex, and it won''t apply to you for a while so I''ll skip the specifics. The second time that a cultivator can prolong their lifespan is at the Rank 80 Spirit Venerate realm. Once a Spirit Emperor successfully makes the leap into the Spirit Venerate realm, once again, their lifespans would double. This time, they can live to over four hundred years of age, and that''s on average! God knows how long a Spirit Saint could actually live until. The oldest Spirit Saint ever recorded in history lived to a ripe old age of seven hundred and twenty-three before he passed." As Lady Seph started to talk about this topic, her eyes began to brighten up in a hot fervour. Evidently, she had some passion when it came to prolonging lifespans. "Master?" "Ah¡­ *Ahem!*. Sorry, I lost myself there¡­ Of course, that Spirit Saint would much rather have entered the unknown to become a Spirit Immortal, but no one really knows what lies behind that horizon." "I see..." "Well, that''s all you need to know about the lifespans of Spirit Users. Do you have any more questions?" "Just one¡­ Master, how old are you?" Blinking innocently, Shin asked an innocuous question. "..." Little did he know that the question that he thought was harmless had actually caused a stir in the elderly woman''s mind. Her sparkling pupils dilated as if they were stars that lost their starlight and her throat began to dry. Clenching her fists in indignation, the elderly woman felt a wave of emotions run through her body as she looked at her beloved disciple with fear and anxiousness. However, as if by magic, Lady Seph stabilised her emotions in an instant and turned her jittery feelings into one of mild annoyance. "Hey, never ask a woman for her age! Have I not taught you any tact?!" Slamming her fist square on the crown of Shin''s head, Lady Seph punished the kid for issuing such as careless remark. "OWWWW!!!" Falling to the floor, Shin rubbed the sore spot while looking up at his Master with tears in his eyes. "Hmph! Serves you right! Anyway, once you''re done, go brew us some tea and join us later on." "Huh? Can I really listen in on such a high-level meeting?" The meeting that Lady Seph was convening had two representatives of high-profile powers. One of them was a Spirit Emperor that served for multiple years as a general for the Himmel Empire. The other was a Spirit Saint that could easily topple a nation if she felt like it. Compared to them, Shin was basically an insignificant insect that could be crushed at any given moment. "Of course you can! You''re my disciple! If I say it''s alright, it means it''s fine. Quick! The Oolong tea isn''t going to brew itself!" "Okay..." Although he was slightly apprehensive, Shin still moved his feet towards the pantry that stored all of the premium tea leaves that Lady Seph had bought. Watching the dejected back of her disciple as he walked away, Lady Seph furrowed her brows in displeasure and let out a sorrowful sigh. ''Hah¡­ It seems like I should prepare Shin for the future¡­ What a pain...'' Shaking her head, Lady Seph pushed the thoughts into the recesses of her mind as she entered her office where the two heavyweights lay waiting. It was time to begin the meeting that would shape the future of the world. Chapter 156 Meeting Of The Heavyweights 4 "You two wouldn''t mind if my disciple sits in on our meeting right?" Taking a sip out of the Oolong tea that Shin had brewed, Lady Seph reclined back on her chair as she addressed the two individuals sitting on the other sides of the roundtable that she had set up. Representing the Himmel Empire, General Elbert sat up straight with pride with his fully-covered helmet resting to his side. The warrior''s rectangular face was crisscrossed with a multitude of battle scars that started from his broad forehead to his chiselled chin. His dark eyes rested beneath the thick black eyebrows somehow made him seem more intimidating than he already was. With a shoulder width of over half a metre wide, the hulk of a man appeared to be a giant in a dwarf''s room as he nestled uncomfortably on his position. However, since he was afraid of upsetting the other two behemoths in the room, the General folded his arms tightly while nodding his head. "Of course! I''d love to see more of Shin!" From Lady Seph''s left, an excited voice that somehow managed to retain a melodious tune replied to the elderly woman. Representing the Healer''s Association, Her Holiness, Lady Althea smiled so wide that her eyes had turned into two horizontal lines. Her luxurious black hair profoundly enhanced the pure white priestly robes that concealed her womanly curves. The golden biretta that sat squarely on the crown of her head amplified her regal demeanour, giving all who laid eyes on her a reason to bow down in submission. Yet, unlike her supposed lofty self, Lady Althea beamed in happiness as her gaze landed on the black-haired youth that she was just introduced to. It was strange for a Spirit Saint to express interest in a mere Spirit Apostle as they were heavens apart, but it goes to show how valuable Shin''s talent was in the eyes of the Healer''s Association. In recent years, the number of healers had been dwindling and a significant reason why was because there had been no mythical figures among the new generation to motivated youngsters to join the trade. For instance, when Lady Seph first became famous after the incident in Yara Pass, the number of healer applicants skyrocketed as they aspired to become somewhat like the legendary hero. However, that was decades ago, and very few of the younger generation idolised the esteemed healer anymore. Therefore, if Shin were willing to become the face of the Healer''s Association, the youngest healer in history would hopefully boost recruitment efforts and increase the overall number of healers in the long run. Unaware that he was being targeted by one of the most influential individuals in the entire world, Shin naively served tea to the two guests and returned to stand behind Lady Seph''s chair. "Thank you. Then let''s begin this meeting. As you all know, Aldrich''s Keep had been overrun by beasts..." Lady Seph started the conversation with an introductory topic. However, before she could continue on, the pale white hands raised itself and stopped the elderly woman from continuing. "Seph, you can skip the chitter-chatter. All of us present know the details. What''s more important is the threat of the Allfather that you mentioned." "..." General Elbert wordlessly nodded his head to Lady Althea''s comments. Before they had even reached the waypoint, they were both briefed on the severity of the situation. Under the Emperor''s orders, General Elbert led a hundred-thousand strong army towards the West where the beast horde had broken through. Additionally, a further thousand of the Empire''s best builders were sent to repair the now decrepit fort with a newly bestowed Guardian Rock that was gifted from the Spirit Saint ancestor that guarded the Himmel Empire. Lady Althea, on the other hand, brought a large number of healers from the Association to help assist with the restoration of damaged lives due to the beast epidemic. Although the Healer''s Association remained neutral in all political matters, in times of distress, they were the first to react with foreign aid. That''s why even though their organisation was arguably one of the largest in history, the three major powers merely let them be. If any single one of the major powers decided to launch an assault against the Healer''s Association, the other two would not simply sit back and watch the organisation fall. However, the likelihood of any of the superpowers waging war against the Healer''s Association was highly improbable. After all, the majority of their domestic healers were indebted to the Association for training them to become great physicians. Should there be an assault on the Association for whatever reason, the first to revolt would be the healers from their very own country. "Hah¡­ As impatient as always¡­ Fine, I''ll just skip ahead. When I was in the Uncharted Wilderness scouting a fallen checkpoint, I found a Black Mask base. Me being me, I knocked out everyone with my ability before entering the damp cave." "Naturally." Nodding her head in agreement, Lady Althea approved of her disciple''s reaction to finding a base. ''As much as she doesn''t want to admit it, Lady Seph really did learn everything from Grandmaster huh...'' Shin mentally sighed at the resemblance of the two women. "Leaving the gathering of evidence to my then assistant, I felt a strange energy being emitted from the depths of the cavern. Venturing in blindly, I hoped to find the source of that intangible power, and that''s when I saw it..." Closing her eyes, the elderly woman''s eyelids started quivering as she recalled her terrorising experience back in the Uncharted Wilderness. Teeth chattering and fingers twitching, Lady Seph tried her best to keep her feelings under control as her face turned pale blue. "I saw a black floating orb. The moment I laid eyes on that thing, my entire being just froze over. It was as if I had been possessed and restrained. I couldn''t see into the floating orb, but what I can tell you is all I felt was fear... No other emotion. Just pure, unadulterated fear¡­ The entity that created the orb was no mere human. The spiritual energy that I felt was much more frightening than anything I have ever faced before. Yes, that also includes you, Althea..." Hunching her back forwards while cupping her hands together on her knees, Lady Seph looked at her Master, with trepidation still in the depths of her soul. "It was that bad for you huh..." Meeting her gaze, Lady Althea put her dainty hands on her perfectly shaped face as she became lost in thought. "I don''t know the true identity of the Allfather that the Black Mask syndicate worships. It may be a forgotten Spirit Saint that had become too powerful for the mortal world and wanted to kill some time by forming this sick group. Or perhaps it is a Primordial Beast that existed since time immemorial. But, what truly frightens me is the third possibility." "What is it?" Urging her disciple to spill her theory, Lady Althea looked at the elderly blonde woman with a little urgency in her eyes. "It is the most far-fetched theory that I have, and the chances of it being true are possibly zero. However, it also is the best explanation for the immense power that I had felt¡­ And that is the fact that the Allfather might be a descended Immortal from the heavens above." "*!!!!*." Every single one of the other members attending the meeting expressed their shock differently. General Elbert stood up abruptly, nearly flipping the roundtable in the process. Shin gasped in horror as he almost fell over his chair while the final person, Lady Althea, frowned deeply as she shot her student a menacing glare. "One must be careful with their own words¡­ Do you have any evidence to back that ludicrous claim, Seph?" "No¡­ That''s why I said that it''s a longshot. In a world where we don''t even know where Spirit Immortals go to when the ascend or why they aren''t able to contact the mortal world after they''re gone, it is a real crazy guess. I just based it off of some rumours that I had heard about the Allfather. About the fact that he is a descended Immortal sent to punish the system and bring salvation to the masses." Shaking her head like a broken pendulum, Lady Seph showed how wild her conjecture really was. "Well, if he really is a descended Immortal, he could just kill all of us with a snap of his fingers. Why would he bother to found an organisation that does petty crime for a large part of its early years?" General Elbert, who had been silent all these while, raised a logical question. "I don''t know. The only reason why I brought it up is because of all the rumours floating around." "What rumours?" Since Lady Althea had not been living in the Himmel Empire, she remained mostly oblivious to the rumours surrounding the mysterious Allfather that led the Black Mask syndicate. "Your Holiness, after we apprehended some of the Dalits, the members of the lowest level in the Black Masks, they have been blurting out crazed chants that infer that the Allfather is actually a descended Immortal sent to smite all of the oppressors in the mortal world." Assisting Lady Seph with her explanation, General Elbert spoke out loud. "Hmph! Just a bunch of lunatics! Seraphim, don''t tell me you actually believe the words of degraded fanatics!" "Althea¡­ No, Master¡­ You have no idea the tremendous power that I felt..." "..." Stunned speechless by her disciple''s despondent reply, Lady Althea furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief. "That power shook me to my very core. Although I know that it is a stretch, saying that the Allfather is a descended Immortal actually validates that otherworldly strength that he wielded. Not to mention, he is able to mobilise two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts on a whim." "... It really impacted you that much?" After a short pause and a cursory scan of Lady Seph''s sombre expression, the black-haired beauty let out a short sigh. Lady Seph was a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, and in her life, she had faced her fair share of overwhelmingly strong opponents. Furthermore, with her connections, the number of Spirit Saints that she had met face-to-face were not few. Yet, her evaluation of the new foe that had appeared in the Himmel Empire exceeded anything that she had ever met. "Yes¡­ Yes, it did¡­ The threat of the Black Masks is a real one, Master¡­ That''s why we require all the firepower that we can get! We need to destroy the core of the organisation before it grows to be too big. Right now, the Black Mask syndicate is still in its infancy, meaning that there''s still a chance. However, if the three major powers still continue to play on their own political board, once they fully understand the threat of the Allfather and his minions, it would be too late!" As a healer, Lady Seph had a huge passion for life. Preserving life, celebrating its vices. The experienced healer loved human life. Right now, the Black Mask syndicate was still rather small as their operations still bordered on petty crime, but it wasn''t long until their forces grew stronger. By then, adding on the power of the Allfather, Lady Seph was confident that a devastating war that would shake the continent would commence. In that war to come, countless of innocent lives would be lost. Currently, the three major powers still held the advantage. In fact, just the full force of the Himmel Empire could probably topple all the bases of the criminal organisation. However, since the armies of the Empire couldn''t be easily moved in fear of an invasion, it would take decades for them to weed out the Black Masks. Shin, who had been simply standing behind Lady Seph''s chair with his arms behind his back, gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he recollected the fearful appearance of the Gargantuan Treant. If the Black Masks were still growing, what kind of heights could it possible reach in the future? "Hah¡­ Fine, I''ll talk to Raphael to communicate with the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic. Although the Healer''s Association can''t guarantee that they''ll listen..." Speaking in the position as the representative of the Healer''s Association, Lady Althea replied to Lady Seph. "Likewise. I will report your warnings straight to His Majesty. But Lady Seph, you must understand that to convince the entire Imperial Court would be a momentous task, even for our sovereign. Please give us some time." General Elbert lowered his head with both his hands on his knees. "I know. I''m not expecting overnight change. However, this must be expedited so that we deal with the Black Masks as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be too late." Lady Seph gestured to the lanky General to raise his head while addressing the two. "I understand. I will relay that to His Majesty. I''ll be taking my leave. If you need anything from me, I will be staying at the Mayor''s Office for the moment." Standing up from his chair, General Elbert gave the two esteemed women a quick bow before turning to the door. "Wait, Elbert¡­ There''s something I need to ask from you." However, before he could leave, an adenoidal voice stopped him. Lady Seph, who seemed reluctant to voice her thoughts, clenched her fist while shooting glances between her beloved disciple and the muscular warrior. "Yes, you can ask me anything, my Lady." "Ermmm¡­ Ahhh¡­ Hah..." Countless ideas flew through her mind in that short time-span that she called out for the General. Nonetheless, after five seconds, Lady Seph seemed to have steeled her mind and gave the unsuspecting warrior a resolute look. "My Lady?" "Elbert¡­ Tell me about the Imperial Military Academy." Chapter 157 A Chilling Wind Draws Closer 1 "Are the preparations done?" Fifty kilometres off the borders of Chilyoja Waypoint, two full black-robed figures stared intently at their target from a high vantage point. On both their faces, two thick and ominous black masks covered their facial features, preventing anyone from recognising their appearance. The slim man with the mask that bore a golden crescent symbol quietly inquired about their mission preparations with his eyes still fixed on the direction of the waypoint. "Almost. We just need five more minutes before we a ready to strike. Soon, you will be able to give the signal, Captain!" The female Black Mask that was standing next to her superior replied with a loud voice. At the centre of her obsidian mask, a green snake symbol reflected the gentle moonlight. "Good¡­ Remember, try not to kill anyone this time. Our mission is to retrieve a single person. Any deviations might compromise the task." "Not to worry, Captain! We are all aware of the mission!" Clapping her boots together, the subordinate Black Mask saluted the Kshatriya. "Alright, when it''s time, you know where to find me..." With his hands behind his back, the Kshatriya walked forward and ominously glared at the direction of the waypoint. ''Hah¡­ My brother¡­ Give me strength...'' ~~~ "The Imperial Military Academy? What of it?" Perplexed that Lady Seph had brought up such a different topic, General Elbert cautiously questioned the elderly woman. "Hah¡­ As much as it pains me to say it, I want to enrol my disciple into the academy." Clenching her fists and placing them firmly on her bosom, Lady Seph finally brought up the topic that had caused her so much pain over the past few days. Hearing his Master''s words, Shin distant eyes suddenly focused on the elderly blonde woman that was sitting right in front of him. It was the first time that he had heard her plans to send him somewhere else other than Yakkyoku Clinic and that greatly confused the black-haired youth. However, he wasn''t the only one who was perplexed. Lady Althea, who knew much more details about Lady Seph''s past, raised her eyebrows in bewilderment. She knew how much her disciple hated the Himmel Empire''s upper management and the politics of the world. Yet, here Lady Seph was, willingly trying to send her sole disciple into the lion''s den. "Your disciple? Is it the young man standing behind you?" Since General Elbert had to rush towards Chilyoja Waypoint from the Captial, there was very little information dug up about Shin by the intelligence agencies of the Empire. "Yes, and you don''t need to worry about his talent. Although he''s only thirteen, he had promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm and is already a full-fledged healer." As its name suggests, the Imperial Military Academy gathers the Empire''s most talented youths and trains them to become future military assets for the army. Therefore, a certain degree of talent was required to even be considered to step foot into the academy grounds. For instance, if the Spirit User wasn''t a Spirit Apostle by age fifteen, there was no way for him or her to be accepted by the faculty. "He''s already a healer at thirteen?!" For the first time since he''d met the two juggernauts of the healing world, General Elbert''s face showed shock. "Forgive me for saying this but Lady Seph, are you sure you want to enrol your disciple into the Imperial Academy? Given his talents, I''m sure he would be successful anywhere he goes." Trying to reaffirm the elderly woman''s intentions, General Elbert cautiously proceeded to question Lady Seph. Typically, a student would enrol in the Imperial Military Academy to gain a fast track in their career. However, it came at a price. Over ninety per cent of graduates entered the army or navy while the remaining graduates started government jobs. Essentially, once a student enters the illustrious academy, they were immediately tied to the Empire''s Imperial Courts. Thus, General Elbert had to make sure that Lady Seph was absolutely sure of her choice. "I''m still sitting on the fence so hurry up and tell me all about that bloody school!" Annoyed that the General didn''t take her on her word, Lady Seph''s defined wrinkles were on full display as she frowned heavily. "Ah, my apologies¡­ The Imperial Military Academy is the elite school dedicated to training the future generation of army officials. Of all the year''s applicants, only one per cent would be considered to enter. The recruitment age for all first-year students is fifteen, and they would spend a total of five years of training to be fit for their future role." "I know all of that. What I want to know is how often can he come out or how often can I get in? After all, although I might be sending him there, I will not relinquish my position as his Master." That was the major question that plagued Lady Seph''s mind. Lady Seph only wanted to use the Himmel Empire''s name to scare the Lantis Republic from abducting Shin. She had no real intention of letting Shin learn from another teacher while she wasn''t around. "That I do not know, my Lady. However, I''m sure arrangements can be made should you talk to the principal of the school." Since he was not part of the faculty, General Elbert could not speak on behalf of the academy. However, no one in their right mind would deny such a simple favour from one of the best healers breathing today. "Seraphim¡­ Are you truly intent on sending Shin there?" Lady Althea chimed in on the conversation with a doubtful query. "Althea, this is my decision. The Healer''s Association has no say in it." "... Fine, fine¡­ I''ll respect your wishes." Raising her two hands, the Spirit Saint ''surrendered'' to her disciple while a wry smile crept up her lips. "..." The person in question, Shin, on the other hand, was utterly stumped when he heard the news. It was the first time that Lady Seph had even brought up the topic. Up until this point, Shin had not thought too hard about his future prospects. Like a boat floating on top of the endless ocean, he merely went wherever the currents took him and tackled problems one step at a time. Shin was never the type of person to consider where he would be in ten years time. "Master¡­ What about Junius?" Currently, the most pressing issue that he was dealing with was the fact that Junius had gone missing. Thinking that both the Frie Clan and the Constable''s headquarters had given up on the search, Shin was worried that if he left the waypoint at this time, no one would even remember the viridian-haired youth in a few months time. "Not to worry, Shin¡­ There are still two more years before your admission. That''s plenty of time to find the young lad. In fact, now that Elbert is here with an army, who knows? Perhaps in a few days time, a random patrol officer might find clues about Junius." Placing her wrinkled hands on the black-haired teen''s head, Lady Seph reassured her disciple. Since an additional hundred thousand troops are surveying the entire west side of the Empire, new clues about Junius might surface. "Yeah..." "*DINGDINGDINGDING!!!*." At that moment, the deafening chimes of the town bell resonated through the empty streets of the night, waking everyone from the comfort of their beds. Abruptly turning to look outside of the window, Lady Seph and Shin gave out a deep frown. Evidently, they knew what the sounds implied. "What''s going on?" Lady Althea, possibly the most uninformed of the bunch, perked up her ears as she asked the others. "Emergency. Whenever the town faces an emergency, they would loudly ring the town bell of the incoming dangers. Judging that there have been no alerts sent out that an emergency drill was commencing, this time it''s the real deal..." Lady Seph ominously blurted out. Ever since the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, every single town had increased their defences and had even conducted emergency drills to help improve the readiness of their citizens. However, whenever an exercise was being held, there was always a town notice on the exact date and time of the drill. Thus, seeing that there was no prior alert, Lady Seph immediately concluded that Chilyoja Waypoint was under attack. "Elbert, you left your army at Ophis right?" "Yeah¡­ But I did bring some of my most elite men. Don''t worry, I will ensure the safety of this town." Since General Elbert was only at Chilyoja Waypoint to attend a meeting, it made no sense for him to march his entire army over. Nonetheless, the men that he did bring were amongst the very best under his command. Being either Rank 50 Spirit Lords or Rank 60 Spirit Kings, they could quite easily decimate any beasts that dared to venture near the town. "Fine, go do your thing. We''re done here." "Then I''ll be taking my leave!" Cupping his two hands together, General Elbert gave Lady Seph and Lady Althea a deep bow before squeezing his way out of the narrow corridor. ~~~ "Captain! The beast horde has reached the walls of the town! We are ready to commence the operation!" The female Vaishya saluted the tall and lean Black Mask leader that she followed. "Good¡­ We have five thousand Spirit Beasts attacking the waypoint, it would create more than enough time for us to seize the target¡­ Remember, we are to be as discrete as possible. If you can, try not to use your mana to prevent alerting others of your location." The Kshatriya barked out orders one final time. "Yes, Sir!!!" Shouting out in unison, every single Black Mask in the cell replied at the top of their lungs. "The target is a black-haired thirteen-year-old teen with clear blue eyes! Once you discover him, signal out to the rest, and we will congregate to your location! We will split into three groups. One will scout the Mushinkei, one would scout Yakkyoku Clinic, and finally, the remainder of you will be wandering the streets just in case he is roaming about. DO NOT HARM A SINGLE HAIR ON HIS BODY!!! Am I clear?!" "Yes, Sir!!!" "Good¡­ Then let''s commence the operation..." Chapter 158 A Chilling Wind Draws Closer 2 "What''s the situation here?" General Elbert rushed towards the concrete barrier that protected the borders of Chilyoja Waypoint. From the top of the barracks, a pudgy middle-aged man recognised the famed General and immediately rushed down from his position. "Sir! It''s an attack by a beast horde. Initial estimates number them at four thousand with the strongest being a Tier 6 Orc King." Lewis reported all of his findings to the General. Even though he was not under General Elbert''s command, regarding the Empire''s hierarchy, the muscular fully armoured man was at a much higher position. "Hmmm, any signs of a coordinated attack?" Now that he had started to gain a cursory understanding of the Black Mask syndicate, General Elbert had to be wary of any possible scheme that the criminal organisation may hatch. "It seems to be unlikely. The beast horde consists of mostly orcs, and they are only attacking from the east, which fits the past modus operandi of beast hordes led by Orc Kings." Spirit Beasts, like humans, acted based on reason, and the best reason to attack a town was to gain sweet and delicious meals out of the thousands of humans living peacefully there. Since the Orc Kings had limited intelligence, they just acted on instinct and preferred to launch an all-out assault, wreaking havoc wherever they could. "I see¡­ Do you need our assistance?" "Thank you for your generosity. However, I believe that the forces that we have are sufficient to wipe out the threat!" The excess fats on Lewis'' stomach jiggled as he bounced up in a salute. A five thousand strong beast horde was not one to be underestimated but neither were the forces that the town had harvested. Siege weapons and anti-beast devices were installed all over the walls of the borders, further assisting the powerful guards that oversaw the battlements. Rank 50 Spirit Lords were evenly spaced out between the walls, eager to begin their battle to wipe out as many enemies that they could. On the muddied floor surrounding the walls, deep trenches had been dug out and were filled with deadly traps to slow the advance of any beasts that roamed near. Currently, the civilian town had been transformed into a military fort that could even hold back the toughest of enemies. "Well, it''s better to have an extra pair of helping hands. Furthermore, my men and I have nothing else to do, so we might as well help out." Cracking his knuckles, General Elbert felt his dormant blood start to boil. It has been a while since he last did battle and he couldn''t wait to release some stress. "Do you have people guarding the other three gates just in case an attack comes from those directions?" However, before he could let off some steam, General Elbert had to make sure that the entire town is secure. "Yes, we have men stationed at every gate. Additionally, we had set up a communication network that would inform us if there are any potential threats." "Great. However, it''s better to be safe than sorry. You wouldn''t mind if I sent some of my subordinates over right?" "Naturally! The more hands we have on deck, the merrier!" Although Lewis was slightly disgruntled that General Elbert didn''t fully trust the capabilities of the town''s elite defences, there was no way he could disobey a superior. Wearing a bitter smile, the Chief Constable watched as the bulky General snapped his fingers. At that action, twenty silhouettes appeared from the shadows and surrounded both the General and Lewis. ''W-What? Where did these guys come from? How did I not sense them?'' Many questions rushed through the obese constable''s mind as he stared wide-eyed at the various individuals that had suddenly made their appearance. Some of them were petite women with eyes while others were colossal men that towered over the majority of the soldiers. Nevertheless, all of the new entrants shared one distinct characteristic. They all bore the full-body armour of General Elbert''s legion. "Send two people to each gate. The rest... Follow me." General Elbert had always been a man of few words. Giving a short and concise order, the towering warrior leapt down from the battlements, disregarding the terrible height that he was falling from. "*BOOOOM!!!*." Landing squarely on the earthen floor, the immense weight of General Elbert caused a crater to form underneath his thick army boots. Thankfully, there were no innocent bystanders nearby. Otherwise, the impact would have swept them off their feet and possibly toppled them into the deep trenches surrounding the town. "Come out, my companion!" Dense amounts of spiritual energy congregated around the General''s body as his entire being shone in a green light. The ground shook as a tempest that surrounded the hulking man formed. Pulling back from the scene, Lewis and the other soldiers who were on top of the town walls, covered their eyes with their forearms as dust and dirt flew in all directions. After a few seconds, a gigantic emerald axe, that was twice the size of an average child, formed in the right hand of General Elbert. As he sliced through the air with his Spirit, the General felt a nostalgic feeling rise up his chest. It has been a while since his cleaver tasted the sweet nectar of beast blood, and as if eager to get back into battle, the Emerald Cleaver emitted a low buzzing sound. "Yeah¡­ I can finally let loose..." Being a Spirit Emperor, there weren''t many chances for General Elbert to enter a battle. Typically, in times of war, he would be commanding the troops from a safe distance as sending out a Rank 70 Spirit Emperor was always seen as a last resort. However, since there was no need to bother about the repercussions of his actions, the backed-up warrior could finally bare his vicious fangs once more. "Hah¡­ As I expected, he went off by himself." Peering down from his position, Lewis sighed as he observed the battle-hungry General. Behind him, a dozen of his subordinates all summoned out their Spirits and was ready to do battle as well. Facing the pressure of a Spirit Emperor and twelve Spirit Kings and Spirit Lords, even the Orc King had second thoughts about attacking the town. "Arghhh, whatever¡­ At least we won''t have any casualties this time¡­ Archers! Provide the General with long-range support!" Barking out orders, Lewis shook his head is disapproval. He had wanted to defend his town with his own powers, but with General Elbert and his subordinates taking the vanguard position, it was highly likely that the beast horde wouldn''t be able to reach within twenty metres of the town walls. "Haha, what a worrywart¡­" A broad smile crept up the general''s face as he saw the actions that Lewis was undertaking. Raising his Emerald Cleaver, General Elbert released a torrent of green mana, increasing his physical capabilities over a thousandfold. "Well then¡­ Shall we begin?" ~~~ Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Yakkyoku Clinic. Once the town bells began ringing, the citizens all went into a panic, locking their doors and reinforcing them with heavy furniture. Townsfolk left outside hurriedly returned to their lodgings or sought shelter in nearby constable boxes. Dogs barking loudly while cats shrieking in terror, the entire waypoint seemed to have descended into anarchy. Yet, in the remote clinic that Shin was currently staying in, everything was rather peaceful. Lady Althea raised up her cup of Oolong tea and took graceful sips from it as if she was in a tranquil village, unburdened by the outside world. "Oh my, what delicious tea! Seph, you must tell me where you got these!" After quenching her thirst, Lady Althea''s eyes brightened up in excitement as she sampled the best tea that Yakkyoku Clinic had to offer. "Shut it, Althea... Why are you still here?" Now that the meeting had concluded, there was no reason for the top person in the Healer''s Association to remain idle in a foreign domain. "You''re chasing me out?! Come on! Look at the mess outside! If a poor girl like me goes out, who knows of what dangers I might face?!" Bringing her hands to her chest, Lady Althea gasped in horror. "Wow¡­ You really went there¡­ You''re a bloody Spirit Saint, what could possibly faze you?!" Lady Seph rolled her eyes in annoyance at the black-haired beauty''s marvellous acting. As a Rank 90 Spirit Saint, the number of people that could match her in the Empire could be counted with the fingers of one hand. In truth, if she so wished for it, Lady Althea could easily decimate the beast horde with a snap of her fingers. However, since her life wasn''t directly in threat, the Spirit Saint simply didn''t have the motivation to neutralise them. "Hahaha, you got me! Hey, can''t I stay with my precious disciple and grand-disciple for a bit longer? How could you be so heartless? Furthermore, I have something to say to you..." With a wide grin, Lady Althea stared blankly at Shin while addressing Lady Seph. "Is that so¡­ Shin, leave us be for the time being¡­" Getting the hint, Lady Seph dismissed the young teen. "Okay..." Taking a bow, Shin kept the empty cups and promptly left the room, leaving the two behemoths of the healing world behind. "*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*." "..." Once Shin was gone, an awkward silence descended upon the room where only the sound of Lady Althea tapping on the wooden round table remained. Her bright black eyes lay fixated on the wrinkled body of Lady Seph''s. The Spirit Saint''s earlier frivolous attitude seemed to have evaporated into thin air as she reverted back to the stern Master that Lady Seph had always remembered her to have been. "Seraphim¡­ Oh, Seraphim¡­ I''ll just cut to the chase¡­ Are you still going to be so stubborn?" "Master¡­ You know very well what my thoughts are. If I go down that path, all that I''ll ever amount to is another you! I want to transcend you!" "What good would transcending me be when you''re fucking dead?!" Slamming her palm against the table, Lady Althea abruptly stood up, pushing the chair that she was sitting on straight to the floor. Knowing that her Master''s loss of temper was coming, Lady Seph closed her eyes as she prepared for the iron fist that she was all too familiar with. If Shin were present, he would most probably be gaping in awe that the unyielding Lady Seph would have such a reaction to a mere scolding. However, that was the testament to how scary Lady Althea really was. The Spirit Saint could be said to be the backbone of the Healer''s Association and the reason why it had grown so prominent today. Her prowess was known not only to those in her immediate surroundings but also to all the bigwigs that controlled the modern world. Even though her primary field was healing, there was not one Spirit Saint that dared to face her in a life-or-death match as her spiritual abilities were utterly terrifying. Thus, Lady Seph''s fear wasn''t unwarranted. "Hah¡­ Seraphim, now that you have a disciple, you should understand how I feel. Can''t you just listen to me? Your lifespan is quickly coming to an end¡­ Do you really want Shin to be without a Master while he reaches adulthood?" However, instead of the infamous iron fist, Lady Althea quietly sighed deeply instead. "My lifespan¡­ I still have a good decade left¡­ With Shin''s intellect, that''s more than enough time to impart all of my knowledge over." "You''re as obstinate as ever, Seraphim¡­ What''s wrong with learning any one of the spiritual abilities that our ancestors had left behind. Heck, I''ll even shorten my lifespan to store my ninth or tenth spiritual ability into a hereditary opuscule for you if you say the word." "Then I''ll just become another you! Master, I want to reach the heights of Hippocrates himself! For that to happen, I must comprehend my own spiritual ability!" "And how is that faring for you?!" "T-That..." Stumped by her Master''s quick rebuttal, Lady Seph stammered at her words. To promote to the next cultivation level, a Spirit User must either learn a spiritual ability from a hereditary opuscule that a senior had made or self-comprehend an ability by themselves. Obviously, the latter method was much more difficult and time-consuming, and there was no guarantee that the Spirit User would be able to do just that. To put it into context, it was estimated to be a hundred times harder to comprehend a spiritual ability rather than to inherit one and it only gets more arduous the higher the cultivation level. However, learning from hereditary opuscules came at a cost. Since the ability was inherited, there was no way for it to be hundred percent synchronised with the Spirit User''s cultivation. Furthermore, hereditary opuscules dull the cultivator''s senses and comprehension ability, thus making it harder for them to advance at higher levels. In fact, it was theorised that if a Spirit User only uses hereditary opuscules to promote, there was virtually no chance for them to become a Spirit Immortal. Lady Seph''s lifetime goal was to reach the heights of the very first Healer that transcended his mortality and break into the heavens above. Therefore, anything that could compromise that goal was a cancer that she would avoid at all costs. Thankfully, she had discovered that fact early on during her cultivation and started to self-comprehend abilities to promote once she reached the Spirit Spectre realm. Unfortunately, the good times didn''t last. Over the past few decades, she had been stuck at Rank 79, challenging to break through using her own comprehension at every given opportunity. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, how hard she begged to heavens to heed her call, the bottleneck that she faces seemed to be insurmountable. "Seraphim, even if you don''t want to live, don''t you want Shin to be with a Master?" "That''s why I have you¡­ Althea, no Master¡­ Of everyone in the world, there is no better person to carry on teaching Shin once I''m gone..." Giving the black-haired beauty a resolute stare, Lady Seph firmly stuck to her decision. "Master¡­ If I take your hand at this challenge that I''m facing, I will never be able to become a Spirit Immortal. I know you mean well, but I would much rather die tomorrow than live two hundred more years knowing that I will never reach the top!" "..." Lady Althea''s upper lip twitched uncontrollably as she watched her disciple. The duo had this conversation many times in the past. Enough saliva had been spewed out between the two, and any more was just a waste of effort. Lady Seph would never budge on her goal, and Lady Althea will never stop caring for her disciple''s life. "Hah¡­ Why do I even bother? Seraphim¡­ Just remember this¡­ When you feel that the last flicker of your life is about to dissipate, return to Healing Palace. Return to your home..." "I know..." As she said those words, Lady Seph felt her head being pulled straight to the ample bosom of the black-haired beauty. Her sweet fragrance that would make even the most celibate of men fall trickled the elderly blonde woman''s nose, filling her soul with a whiff of nostalgia. Closing her eyes, Lady Seph buried her head deeper into her Master''s embrace. Now, it genuinely seemed to be a Master-Disciple reunion. Chapter 159 Ism Sorry... 1 While the Master-Disciple combo was having their little emotional time, Shin''s body was sprawled out on top of his comfy mattress as he stared blankly at the empty ceiling. After listening in on the meeting, his brain was overloaded with a plethora of new information, and he required some time to process it. "Am I really going to some school?" Shin thought out loud as he felt his body getting heavier. Never one to plan out his future, Shin didn''t know what to feel about his Master''s plans for him. All this while, his mind had been entirely preoccupied with finding Junius. From joining the search party formed by the constables to dealing with the meddlesome Frie Clan members at the Mushinkei that kept pestering him to come home, Shin was too exhausted from thinking of anything else. Sighing deeply, the black-haired young teen raised his right hand in the air and gingerly examined the distinct lines on his palm. When he was in the earlier meeting, all he could do was hang his mouth at every turn, unable to chime in even a single word. Two Spirit Emperors who stood at the apex of the cultivation world could only bow down in trepidation at the Spirit Saint who overpowered them all. Wondering how long would it take for him to reach that level, Shin bit the corner of his lip. "If I continue down this path, if I follow my Master''s instructions, would I become strong as well?" A seed of doubt had been planted deep into the recesses of his adolescent mind. As a healer, all that he could do was treat injuries and illnesses as they came. Additionally, since learning from Lady Seph, his combat ability had significantly dropped. Before, he was confident that even if he faced Ariel face-on, there was a slight chance that he would triumph if he tried hard enough. However, in more recent years, Shin would merely avoid challenging Ariel altogether. "Can I really become strong going down the healer''s path?" Shin thought out loud. Judging from its name, the Imperial Military Academy might be able to help train the young teen in ways that Lady Seph could not. Perhaps by broadening his horizons like what Escred had advised him to do back at Aldrich''s Keep would be the right way. Yet, whenever he thought of leaving behind his loved ones behind on Frie Mountain, a dark hole of guilt latched on firmly onto the young boy''s heart. Emma, Ella, Elyse, Lily, Lia, Ryner, Max, Fionn and Jacob. All of the orphans were still ''trapped'' on the mountain with nowhere to go. Now that Junius had gone missing, god knows what emotions would have run through their minds? Especially the blue-haired beauty, Lily. Being Junius'' beloved, the young maiden loved the missing youth with all her heart. Should Shin also leave to a far away land, how would the remainder of the orphans feel? Additionally, a specific scarlet-haired fiery girl would without a doubt, pulverise both his legs before he even got a chance to leave. "Ariel¡­ I wonder what you are doing now?" A warm feeling sprouted out from the depths of Shin''s being as he thought about his childhood friend. Even though he and the Frie Clan were currently at odds, Shin has many allies in the clan that he would never give up on. On the day she left, Ariel promised to send a letter down, informing Shin of the situation in the clan. However, there was no sight of a message being delivered after such a long time. "Hah¡­ Whatever¡­ I''m sure a letter will come soon..." Reassuring himself, Shin stretched his tensed up body as he sat up from his mattress. While he started to think about the impish scarlet-haired girl, Shin remembered how much of a bastard he was back when Ariel was comforting him in his time of weakness. No matter how much he hated the Frie Clan at that moment in time, Ariel was wholly unrelated to the fact that they had abandoned Junius. In fact, she wanted to immediately run out and help Shin with the search party. Yet, instead of feeling empathy for the concerned girl, Shin chased Ariel out of his sights as if she was a parasite. Thinking back at all the times in Aldrich''s Keep where she never left his side for fear of putting him in harm''s way or about the time she consoled him in his darkest of hours when he failed to heal Ronlen, Shin felt that he owed Ariel a sincere apology. "*Ttte!* *Ttte!* *Ttte!*." At that moment, soft tapping sounds echoed through the room from the top of the young teen''s ceiling, as if a discrete cat had landed on top of the clinic''s roof. Twitching his ears upwards, Shin observed the empty grey wall. "Hmmm? What''s that?" Curious about the sudden noise, the young teen hopped to his feet and slowly made his way to the window. Since the curtains were drawn, there was no way for him to check and now that the waypoint was under siege, Shin wanted to find out if a beast had made its way this deep into the town. Cautiously advancing forward, Shin gathered his mana and summoned out The Sovereign Koi, causing a dim and gentle cerulean light to illuminate the dark room that he stayed in. The worn wooden floorboards creaked like as Shin transferred his weight over with every step. Slowing opening his silken curtains, the young teen was greeted by the dazzling night sky that housed the radiant full moon and the myriad of twinkling stars. Hesitant to step out of the safety of the clinic, Shin simply shrugged his shoulders as he said: "Must be my imagination..." "*BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!*." Convincing himself into a false sense of security, Shin wasn''t able to anticipate the sudden change that had occurred. The solid ceiling that sheltered him from rain and shine had all but collapsed as pieces of brick and wood fell straight to the floor. Dust clouds and debris filled the small study room, burying anything that lay under it. "*Cough!* *Cough!*." Wheezing out as much as he could, Shin crawled into a safe corner and huddled himself into a ball. Disoriented and terrified, Shin felt as if the entire world had caved in onto his body as all of his normal bodily functions seemed to had failed. His sense of smell had been blocked by the terrible smoke and dust that was prevalent in the room, causing mucus to spew out uncontrollably from his nose. The silent peace of the night had been replaced with a sharp ringing sound as his consciousness started to slip away from him. Losing control of his tear glands, Shin felt his entire vision go blurry as his eyes were filled with water. As the dust began to settle, Shin slowly became aware of his current position. Using his dirtied clothes to wipe his face, the young teen tried to regain his bearings and challenge the threat that had invaded his abode. "Urghhh¡­ What happ-!" However, as his vision started to become clearer, Shin gaped in horror. Standing in front of him, there were four tall figures. Each person was draped in a brooding black attire that absorbed all semblance of light. Their faces were hidden behind an even darker mask, Shin realised the perilous situation that he was facing. He had encountered members of this organisation once before, and it had nearly killed him. Not in the right state of mind to consider their purpose for barging down from his ceiling, Shin struggled to get to his feet so that he could evacuate to safety. Unfortunately, there was no way that reality was that kind. The Black Mask at the forefront of the group that bore the mark of the golden crescent moon gathered his mana together. Black smoke, darker than the murkiest of nights, congregated around the Kshatriya''s body as a hiltless obsidian blade formed within the compounds of his bony fingers. "That!" Recognising the black blade that nearly claimed his life those many moons ago, Shin inadvertently shouted out. On the day that Shin and Junius left Frie Mountain for Chilyoja Waypoint, their caravan was attacked by the very same Black Mask syndicate, and the one who led them was precisely the same person that stood before him now. Thinking that he had come to finish the job, Shin desperately tried to run. However, for some reason, his legs seemed to disobey him. "Don''t worry. Just sleep..." For the first time ever, a haggard voice gently echoed out from the depths of the mana filled mask as the Kshatriya attempted to calm the teen down. Being a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, the spiritual pressure that he could mount on a mere Spirit Apostle was immense. In front of someone who was absolutely more powerful than him, all that Shin could do was wait for his demise. "That''s what I want to say to you, you assholes!" While Shin had nearly resigned to his fate, the four Black Masks felt an insurmountable pressure descend upon their bodies, forcing them to fall to their knees. Waking up from his abhorrent nightmare, Shin felt two existences appear next to his body. One of which was a small snowy white rodent, while the other was a gentle being with unparalleled beauty. Using her soft yet firm hands, Lady Seph lifted up her disciple in her younger self and created a barrier of light using her Iofiel Angel. The moment the duo felt an irregularity coming from Shin''s room, Lady Seph immediately cast self-rejuvenation to return to her peak powers and wrecked through the walls to arrive at her precious disciple''s location. "To think that someone dares to harm my Grand-Disciple¡­ I think that you guys have some explaining to do!" Although Lady Seph was the first to react, the person restraining the intruders wasn''t either of the two beside Shin. Effortlessly avoiding the pile of debris that lay lying all over the floor, Lady Althea cracked her knuckles in annoyance as she walked into the room. Her nostrils were all flared up as the creased wrinkles on her forehead started to show. Although she was still wearing an amicable smile, Lady Althea''s eyes weren''t as friendly as it may have seemed. ''A Spirit Venerate?! No, this pressure¡­ This locking of space¡­ She''s a Spirit Saint!!! Why the fuck is a Spirit Saint here?!?!?!'' His face lying flat on the floor, the Kshatriya cursed his miserable fate. The number of Spirit Saints in the Himmel Empire could be counted with the fingers of one hand, and yet, one of them just happened to be in the vicinity just as he was about to carry out his mission. In the cultivation world, there was a saying. ''If you ever make a Spirit Saint your enemy, just beg for forgiveness and hope for the best,'' and there was a good reason why. The threshold between a Rank 89 Spirit Venerate and a Rank 90 Spirit Saint seemed to be only one level, but it was also the hardest one level a cultivator would ever face if they ever have a chance to reach it. A Spirit Saint was the absolute peak of the mortal world. Instead of a human, a Spirit Saint was much closer to the existence of gods. With just a thought, they could move mountains and calm natural disasters, and one of the most famous abilities that a Spirit Saint could obtain was the locking of space. And that was what the Black Masks were currently facing. "Alright then¡­ I''ll take my time to slowly ''question'' you..." Edging ever so close, Lady Althea casually threw out a threat, going against the anti-violence philosophy of the Healer''s Association that she was supposedly leading. Chapter 160 Ism Sorry... 2 Giving the four intruders a death stare, Lady Althea increased her control over her created zone. Using her mana, the Spirit Saint could easily displace and manipulate anything that came within one kilometre of her. At the distance that she and the Black Masks were at, the black-haired beauty could even tear their organs from their body by simply thinking about it. "ARGHHHH!!!" Nevertheless, it did not stop the Black Masks from trying to escape the grasp of the holy woman. The Kshatriya''s blade glimmered in pure darkness as it vibrated violently, trying its best to break free of the restraint that the Spirit Saint had placed it into. Regrettably, no matter how hard he tried or how desperate his mana flow was, the Kshatriya simply had no way of breaking free from Lady Althea''s control. "Resistance is futile, young man..." Raising up her creamy white hands, Lady Althea forcefully levitated the four Black Masks surrounding her up in the air like they were rag dolls that could be manhandled. "Althea, leave some for me¡­ I need them to explain why they destroyed my property, I mean tried to harm my precious disciple!!!" In a similar state of rage, Lady Seph left the mana barrier that she created and headed towards the nearest Black Mask. Facing a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor and a Spirit Saint, who stood at the apex of the cultivation world, was suicidal, even for the strongest being in the Himmel Empire. Thus, making a tactical retreat was the only thing that mattered for the Black Masks. Unfortunately, Lady Althea''s locking of space was too powerful for them. Feeling that all hope was lost, the Kshatriya landed his gaze on Shin, who was well-protected by a Tier 8 Spirit Beast and a Spirit Emperor. His beautiful azure eyes that resembled the pristine lakes of fantasy permeated through the Black Masks soul, giving him a sense of security, even during this time of peril that he was in. The luscious black hair that was untouched by even the slightest of impurities made the floating man recollect fond memories of his past. A valiant warrior with the same flowing black hair appeared vividly in his consciousness. Never wavering and never relenting, the suave man always stood at the forefront of every battle, protecting everyone he cared for in the process. The more the Kshatriya looked at the androgynous features of Shin''s face, the more choked up he became. Glistening teardrops dripped out from the wire mesh of the masks that hid his face and trickled down to the floor full of debris. ''This is the end for me¡­ I''m sorry, my brother¡­ I could not save your son...'' Releasing his grip on the obsidian sword in his hands, the Kshatriya gave up all hope of escaping. "ALLFATHER!!! DO IT!!!" Bellowing out at the top of his lungs, the Kshatriya screamed at the sky, as if asking for the Gods of the old to smite him. Not only did he fail his mission, but he had allowed himself to get captured. There was no way that the leader of the Black Mask syndicate would simply let that pass. "*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*." The starry sky turned cloudy as deafening crackles of thunder reverberated through the empty streets of the Waypoint. "What?!" A mysterious dark smoke seeped out from the four Black Masks bodies, stunning the Spirit Saint that was restraining them. Lady Althea''s locking of space was absolute. Unless her opponent had a cultivation level of a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate or higher, there was no way the person she bound using her mana would be able to move, let alone cast spiritual abilities. Clenching her raised fists, Lady Althea tightened her control over the four Black Masks, hoping to prevent whatever ability that they were using. Unfortunately, it was all to no avail. Endless amounts of black smoke spewed out from the Black Masks as if they were an open faucet, forcing Shin to cover his mouth to prevent choking. However, oddly enough, the smoke bore no smell or any of the properties found in regular soot. Instead, it felt like a gentle mist that hydrated the skin and strengthens the body. Falling into a stupor, Shin found himself in a similar state like the first time he met the Kshatriya three years ago. Overwhelmed by the endless dread and longing that consumed him, Shin felt like he had been transported into a foreign universe, where darkness prevailed all. There was no hate or pain in the different land. All the darkness brought was a solemn sorrow that desire, one of the likes that Shin had never experienced before. Alone in a different world, Shin was utterly isolated. Peering to his sides, Bingbing, Lady Seph and even the entire Yakkyoku Clinic had seemed to have disappeared. Wandering around the darkened world, the young teen tried his best to figure out what had happened once he was exposed to the black smoke. However, no matter how hard he tried, the only thing that Shin could find was the endless gloom of obsidian. "Damn it!!!" For the first time in a while, Lady Althea found herself not in control of the situation. Gathering more and more mana, the entire town trembled in fear as the Spirit Saint unleashed a fraction of her true power. The ground shook violently as if a devastating earthquake had been triggered, forcing the town residents to fall straight to the floor. Screams of terrified children filled the waypoint as pandemonium ensued. "Shin! Shin! Wake up!" Seeing that her disciple had fallen asleep in these dire times, Lady Seph sent a wave of healing light to snap Shin out from his comatose state. "Urgh¡­ What happened..." Thankfully, Lady Seph didn''t have to wait long for a reaction from Shin. Drowsily opening up his heavy eyelids, the black-haired youth tried to regain control over his body. "Shin! Are you alright?" Lady Seph concernedly yelled out. In front of the two individuals lying on the floor, a wall of pure impassable ice that blocked out any of the mysterious smoke protected Lady Seph while she was healing Shin. Bingbing excitedly wagged her tail as she saw Shin slowly waking up. Evidently, she had been working overtime to protect the boy who fainted and was elated that her efforts had paid off. "Yeah¡­ I was sent to somewhere weird..." "Don''t worry about it¡­ You can explain to me later. For now, just rest. Your mind had taken substantial damage." Gently stroking Shin''s neck, Lady Seph soothed her weary disciple. When she first started treating the young teen, the seasoned healer got the shock of her life after monitoring his condition. Shin''s consciousness had been shattered, and his psyche was on the verge of collapse. For some reason, the smoke that was being emitted from the Black Masks bodies harmed him much more than it should have. Thankfully, Lady Seph discovered that fact early on and began treatment immediately. Otherwise, the reprecussions might have been way more severe. "What''s going on?!" Lady Althea hollered out, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Turning to view the four Black Masks that were levitating, Shin''s eyes widened in shock. The signature item that concealed the assailants'' faces started to form cracks and eventually, shattered into thousands of pieces. The Kshatriya''s black obsidian sword had been lodged firmly into his heart, causing gallons of blood to flow out from his body. Now that his mask had been broken, Shin could finally get a clear view of the Kshatriya that had attacked him twice. With a middle-aged chiselled face, the viridian-haired man had his eyes firmly shut. Cleanly shaven and particularly handsome. That was Shin''s first impression of the man. Even though he wasn''t able to put up a fight against Lady Althea, just from the crisscrossing scars on his war-torn face, Shin could tell that the Kshatriya had seen his fair share of battles and was no average joe. Likewise, the other three Black Masks that had their masks broken had their Spirits lodged directly through their chests as a never-ending river of blood spewed out from their bodies. Unlike the Kshatriya, they lacked any critical facial features that might stand out, but nonetheless, they were still high-level assassins that could take down entire government bodies. Yet, while they were suspended in the air by the power of foreign influence, the Black Masks seemed to be like the regular run-of-the-mill criminal that had been sentenced to die. "Althea! Can''t you control them?!" Realising that something awry was going on, Lady Seph roared out at the black-haired beauty. "No, they''re being controlled by something!!! God damn it! Whoever you are, show yourself! There''s no need to hide!" Thinking that the person controlling the four Black Masks were nearby, Lady Althea called out for him. However, all she received was just an empty silence. Feeling that it was time for the Allfather to mete out his judgement, the Kshatriya pivoted his head so that he could view Shin for one last time, causing the two to lock eyes. At that moment, Shin felt a tingle run down his spine. Even though they were separated by an ice wall and a barrier of light, the Kshatriya could still view Shin clearly as if he was standing right next to him. ''Ahhh¡­ You really do resemble them...'' A single teardrop fell from the moist eyes of the fallen warrior. Feeling every single fibre of his being ceasing to exist, the Kshatriya could only weakly mouth out two very soft words: "I''m sorry..." "..." Not knowing whether the apology was directed at himself or someone else, Shin blinked his eyes frantically while the four Black Masks exploded into a puff of black smoke. Nothing remained. Not one body part. Not one fabric of clothing. Not one drop of blood. Nothing. Other than the broken down clinic, there was no other evidence that an attack had occurred. "Seraphim¡­ Earlier on, when you claimed that the Allfather will be a threat, I''ll admit I was a little sceptical." Profoundly exhaling, Lady Althea looked ahead while she talked to her long-time disciple. "However¡­ Now I''m entirely convinced¡­ This¡­ This is on another level." In all her years in the Spirit Saint realm, never had she encountered such a bizarre situation. From a place that was unseen, the Allfather could directly kill his subordinates who were under the domain of Spirit Saint. Even the current number one cultivator living today was unable to do something this powerful, and the fact that there was someone out there that could, horrified Lady Althea to her very core. "Althea..." "Not to worry, Seraphim. I know what I must do now¡­ I''ll personally talk to the leaders of the three major powers." Chapter 161 Ism Sorry... 3 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Western Gate. "Hah¡­ He really did go overboard..." A pudgy middle-aged man place his palm on his face as he let out a detached sigh. Like an eagle high up in the sky, Lewis'' eyes focused on the battlefield, or rather, slaughter field down below. Thirty minutes had passed since General Elbert arrived to reinforce the border of the town under siege, and he wasn''t jesting when he claimed that there was no need for backup. Raising carnage amongst the five thousand filthy orcs led by the Tier 6 Orc King, the seasoned warrior pulverised his way through the endless ocean of enemies and sliced off their leaders head with one clean blow. Without a central figure dictating their movements, the remaining orcs scattered around like petrified lab rats and did their best to retreat to safety. Unfortunately, their opponents weren''t that kind to let them run. Being sent from the Capital with the specific task to annihilate any Spirit Beasts that might terrorise the public, the elite team that came with General Elbert began to hunt down every single orc that they could find. On this chilling moonlit night, the elementals danced with joy as thick elemental spiritual essence spewed out terrorised the fields filled with beasts. Being Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings, taking on five thousand Tier 3 Orcs were mere child''s play for General Elbert''s subordinates. Additionally, Lewis and the town''s constables had supplied them with additional support by shooting arrows and cannon balls at the beast horde. "Sir! The orcs have mostly retreated! The town is saved!" From Lewis'' side, an officer exclaimed joyfully as he watched General Elbert mow down the final enemy. "Yeah. What did the Orc King expect? Going against General Elbert and his team of elites is just suicide. Well, it can be considered a complete victory for us." Elated that there were zero casualties, the Chief Constable stroked his smooth double chin as he smiled. "*VVVVVVOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!*." While General Elbert and the others were celebrating their victory, the ground shook violently, forcing every single soul in the town to fall over. The mana concentration suddenly spiked up as many found it hard to breathe. "What the hell?! Another attack?!" A deep fear crept up Lewis'' mind. It was a long time since he had felt such a dominant power. It felt as if the pressure being mounted on his body could crush his being with ease. "N-No way! This is!" Mayor Nadeo, who was supervising the entire battle, gawked in horror as he realised the identity of the insurmountable pressure. "Her Holiness, Althea?! Why is she releasing so much mana?!" Likewise, General Elbert recognised the crazy spiritual energy and turned his attention in the direction of Yakkyoku Clinic. The Spirit Saints of the cultivation world were lofty beings. They hardly cared about the happenings of the mortal world and would typically never move. After all, their inherent power was so overwhelming that normal humans would suffocate once exposed to their mana. Yet, Lady Althea had evidently started to fight something and was unleashing an absurd amount of mana. At that moment, a pillar of black smoke erupted from Yakkyoku Clinic and burst into the atmosphere above, dissipating almost instantly. Once the darkness entirely disappeared, the mana being sent from Lady Althea did the same, and the town reverted back to its normal state. "What''s going on?" With a raised eyebrow, General Elbert leapt away from the battlefield filled with dead carcasses of orcs and flew towards the clinic. Mayor Nadeo did the same. If something had occurred that required a Spirit Saint to take action, it meant that it was not small. ~~~ "Master¡­ Who are they? Or rather, why were they targetting me?" Still weak in the knees, Shin lay his head on a nearby pillar as he asked the vital question. For the longest time, Shin had been shunned away whenever he needed answers, as the adults felt that he was too young. However, after two attacks by the Black Masks, Shin genuinely feared for his life now. "Those people who attacked you are from the Black Masks. They..." "I know that! What I want to know is why do they keep trying to kill me?!" Stopping his Master mid-sentence, Shin cried out. "I don''t know Shin¡­ That''s what I want to know..." Gritting her teeth so hard that blood started to drip down from her mouth, Lady Seph shrugged her shoulders. No one was more miffed about the attack than herself. Not only was her sole disciple targeted, but half of her clinic had been utterly decimated. Furthermore, she had no clue about why the Black Masks had behaved the way that they did. "Shin¡­ Earlier on, you said something about being transported into a different place. What''s that about?" Recalling that Shin had a peculiar experience, Lady Seph tried to see if it could be a possible lead. At this point, she was just grasping for straws. Any possible clue that could lead to her finding the bastards that wrecked her life was a plus for her. "I don''t know¡­ Suddenly, I just blacked out, and I felt myself falling into a foreign place. Over there, all that remained was just darkness." Rubbing his head, Shin desperately attempted to narrate his entire experience. "A foreign place, huh¡­ Sounds odd. Perhaps the Allfather possesses a mental Spirit that can transfer consciousness... What else?" "It was¡­ Very dark¡­ Very cold¡­ Rather than terror, all I felt was dread for something¡­ A dread for life¡­ I don''t know¡­ It still feels rather surreal to me." Shaking his head, Shin tried his best to make sense of what had happened to him when he was sent away. However, due to his lack of experience, he was unable to fully articulate what had transpired. "Interesting¡­ Perhaps when interacting with the Allfather''s mana, you can actually feel his emotions or rather, what drives his power..." Lady Seph shot out a wild hypothesis after listening to her disciple''s account. "I have a connection with the Allfather?! Is that why he keeps sending people to attack me?" Shin cried out in fear. "As I said, it''s just a theory. A far-fetched one at that as well. Nonetheless, you should not leave my surveillance for a while. Just as a precaution." Lady Seph consoled the frantic young teen with a warm smile. "Okay..." Dropping down his eyes, Shin felt a surge of despondency hit him. ''Why am I so useless?'' Cursing his own inability to protect himself, Shin despaired. He had been training in the path of a healer yet he had been unable to save his very first patient. Additionally, when fighting in the Uncharted Wilderness, he relied on Ariel''s explosive powers to decimate the Earthen Bear. And now, when someone was targeting him, all that Shin could do was play the damsel in distress and wait for someone to rescue him. ''If Junius were here, he would have fought with everything that he got...'' Thinking back to his elder brother who was currently missing, Shin found himself sinking deeper and deeper into a state of depression. "Lady Althea!!! Lady Seph!!! What happened here?!" A familiar voice rang from a distance, turning the heads of everyone present in Yakkyoku Clinic. General Elbert, Mayor Nadeo and Lewis all rushed to the half-destroyed building as fast as they could once they felt the Spirit Saint terrifying power. "We were attacked. By the Black Masks." Nonchalantly answering General Elbert''s question, Lady Seph shot out a brief remark while folding her arms in the akimbo position. "WHAT?! They attacked the clinic?!" Mayor Nadeo couldn''t believe his ears. Who in the right mind would attack a Spirit Saint? "Huh? Do you think that I''m lying and I destroyed my own home?!" "No, no, no! Of course not!" "Hah¡­ Whatever¡­ You should search the area for any more of them though." "Lady Seph¡­ Could you show us the bodies? That way we would have more useful data." General Elbert casually asked. "They''re gone. Or rather, vapourised. The Allfather destroyed them after he found out that they were about to be captured." In place of her disciple, Lady Althea spoke out to the muscular general. "I-Is that so?" At her cool remark, the people who were gathered around the Spirit Saint dropped their jaw. They were all very clear of how powerful the being standing in front them was. To think that a leader of a mere criminal syndicate could actually smite someone under her control that easily. "Elbert, when you return, tell the Emperor. No, tell that old bastard that hides in the shadow that I will be paying a visit to the Himmel Castle." "..." "Seraphim, I''ll be taking my leave for now. However, I do expect you to send Shin over one day. After all, he still needs his healer''s licence." Flashing an affectionate smile at the fatigued youth''s direction, Lady Althea addressed her disciple to bring Shin over to the Healer''s Association. "Will do." "Alright then. Shin! I''ll see you soon!" Turning into a ball of light, Lady Althea burst into the endless sky above and disappeared past the horizon in a blink of an eye. Being a Spirit Saint, her control over space was unparalleled and could traverse significant distances with a mere thought. "Lady Seph, do you have a suitable lodging to stay in? If not, why don''t you stay in the Mayor''s Office while I send people over to help with the repairs?" With Yakkyoku Clinic broken to the ground, it was a rather inhabitable place for an elderly woman and a distressed young boy. Therefore, Mayor Nadeo offered them a place to stay. "Oh, that sounds good¡­ Let''s do it your way." Too lazy to find an alternative, Lady Seph took Mayor Nadeo up on his offer. Chapter 162 Visiting The Waypoint Once More 1 The aftermath of the beast horde assault turned out to be rather lacklustre. Since General Elbert and his subordinates had cleared out the Orc King and dispersed the enemy, no one in the town was hurt by the beasts. Other than the hundreds of dead carcasses outside of the walls, everything seemed to be business as usual in Chilyoja Waypoint. Naturally, neither Lewis nor Mayor Nadeo publically publicised that the beast horde was actually a distraction created by the Black Masks so that they could attack Yakkyoku Clinic, for fear of panicking their residents for no apparent reason. However, since Lewis was close to the Frie Clan, he did inform the residents of the Mushinkei of Shin''s situation. Stunned that the young boy that they had been sheltering for three years had once again been targeted, Marshall and Riko rushed to the Mayor''s Office to check on Shin''s condition. Sadly, the black-haired teen was still pissed off at the clan for abandoning Junius and didn''t bother to meet up with his visitors. Nonetheless, the two still badgered the staff of the Mayor''s Office to let them through so that they could at least confirm Shin''s wellbeing. Only after Lady Seph personally assured them that Shin was doing fine and was smoothly recovering did the two Frie Clan members leave the area. "Senior Marshall, we failed to meet Shin this time again..." Riko adjusted her grey cardigan as she wearily said. Being the front desk receptionist for the Mushinkei, the sultry young woman was one of the few people who spent an extended amount of time with Shin and Junius. It could be said that she treated the pair like they were her biological younger brothers. Yet, during these past few days, every time she walked past the familiar corridors of the fifth floor, the empty rooms of Shin and Junius always filled her with gloom. "I know¡­ What can we do? He''s still angry at the clan for what they did." "Hah¡­ To be honest, how could we blame him? In fact, even I feel pissed that the Clan Master didn''t send a search party. Not even an explanation why too..." Shaking her head, Riko stared at the floor. "Riko! We should not question the will of the Clan and the Clan Master. I''m sure that there''s a valid reason that hasn''t been disclosed to us." "Yeah, yeah~." Putting her hands over her head, Riko briskly walked ahead of the Mushinkei manager and opened the locked doors of the closed building. Since they had left to find Shin, business for the Mushinkei was delayed until they had returned. "Hey, hey¡­ Where have you guys been?" A gruff and hoarse voice burst out from the side of the opulent edifice, stunning the two in the process. "Lou! What a surprise. When did you arrive?!" Immediately recognising the instructor, Marshall gasped in delight. In the three years since he left Shin and Junius under Marshall''s care, the Instructor had barely changed. From his signature thick and meaty muscles that were protruding out from every crevice of his robes to the unkempt beard that he hardly tended to. Everything seemed to have remained constant in his life. "Brother Lou, what happened to you? You look spent!" After identifying the newcomer, Riko immediately rushed forward to give the man a hug. However, after getting a closer look, the alluring woman stopped in her tracks as she scrutinised the scruffy face of the Instructor''s. Dark eye rings that penetrated deep into his skin hinted that he had spent many sleepless nights before his arrival in the waypoint. As Riko got closer and closer, a foul stench that petrified her nasal cavities prevented her from approaching any more. His entire attire dishellved and town, the Instructor, seemed to had run through a jungle with nothing but his two legs. "Urgghhh, long story. For now, could you open the doors? I need a shower badly." "Yeah, you don''t say..." Pinching his nose as he approached, Marshall took out his key and unlocked the entrance. "Oh, could you call Shin out? I need to talk to him." "I''m afraid that''s not possible." "Huh? Why not?" Raising his eyebrows at Marshall''s queer reply, the Instructor halted his steps as he was walking into the building. "Shin no longer lives here. He is living with Lady Seph at the Mayor''s Office for now." "WHAT?! Why is he not living here anymore?!" Getting the shock of his life, the Instructor angrily bellowed, spitting saliva everywhere in the process. "He found out that the Frie Clan was not going to send a search party out to find Junius. So he''s not going to listen to us anymore. And since he has Lady Seph with him, we are powerless to control him." "Oh¡­ That makes sense." Nodding to Riko''s explanation, the Instructor somewhat agreed with Shin''s decision. Since he had been sent immediately to investigate Junius'' disappearance in secret, the Instructor was oblivious to all the happenings on Frie Mountain and Chilyoja Waypoint. Nevertheless, he was still concerned about his students'' wellbeings. Now that he found out that Shin was pissed off at the clan, the Instructor frowned deeply. "Well, I still have to see him. I have found some clues regarding Junius." "Did you find him?! Where did he go?!" Riko''s eyes brightened up as she heard the Instructor''s words. Shin wasn''t the only one who was anxious after finding out that Junius had gone missing. Riko had suffered many sleepless nights, worrying about the fate of the Mushinkei''s adorable resident constable. "No, I didn''t find him¡­ Arghhh, what a mess!!! I''ll tell you about it later on. Let me take a shower and rest my body first." "Of course! Right, this way!" Rushing towards the male shower room, Riko prepared a fresh set of towels and clothes for the fatigued beefy man. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Mayor''s Office. Lady Seph''s Guest Room. In the centre of the town, there lay an impressive lodging that was bordering on being called a castle. Luxurious decorations filled the backdrop of the building as some of the best craftsmen in the region designed the entire place from the ground up. Bearing the mark of the Emperor, the sole edifice to stand over fifty metres in height, the Mayor''s Office was without a doubt, a behemoth of a structure. One fit for nobility to call home. Like any other noble''s house, the Mayor''s Office has multiple guest bedrooms to accommodate the varying number of VIPs that often visit the town. Therefore, each and every chamber was elaborately designed to breathe exquisiteness. Terrifying large silken beds that matched the size of a commoner''s room were routine in the guest rooms as all sorts of lavish amenities catered to the visitor''s every need. In fact, there was even a personal butler that would serve the guest if he or she so chooses. "Shin¡­ You can''t just ignore the Frie Clan forever you know." "Master?" Lying on top of the enormous bed that Mayor Nadeo had prepared for him, Shin was caressing Bingbing soft and beautiful fur as an adenoidal voice beckoned to him. From the day that Shin was targeted, Lady Seph had heeded extra care when healing or tending to the disturbed youth''s needs. Although he was free from the scars of battle, internally, god knows what kind of psychological or spiritual injuries Shin might have suffered. Thankfully, after three full days of comprehensive examinations, Lady Seph could deduce that nothing awry was wrong with Shin''s spiritual body and otherwise. Closing the medical journal that she was reading, Lady Seph brought up a topic that the both of them had been trying their best not to bring up over the past three days. Shin because he didn''t want to talk about it and Lady Seph because she didn''t want to bother Shin during his healing process. However, now that the boy had recovered, Lady Seph finally shot out the topic that she had been bottling up. "I know that you are pissed. I would be too. But, shouldn''t you confront them like a man? Why do you just avoid them like flies?" It was a question that had been bothering the elderly blonde lady for weeks now. "Master¡­ It''s complicated..." "Simplify it for me then." Moving from the multi-purpose table to the side of Shin''s bed, Lady Seph stared at her conflicted disciple. "Master¡­ Alright then¡­ I don''t know how to feel about the Frie Clan..." "What do you mean?" "On one hand, I''m grateful¡­ No, all the orphans are grateful to the First Elder or the previous Clan Master that picked us up. After all, because of them, we managed to grow up with a family even though we were parentless from young. Yet, on the other hand, I know that we always be second-class citizens on Frie Mountain." Recalling the numerous times where the clan favoured children from the main bloodline, Shin dropped his head down. "..." "Initially, I thought that the First Elder would always have our backs, even when the going gets tough, I''d always believed that he would come through. But now, when given a choice between Frie Mountain''s safety and Junius, the message was as clear as day. We are just expendable firepower to them." "I see¡­ That''s why you''re so angry at them?" "No! All I care for is Junius'' safety! I still can''t forgive them for abandoning him! So, even if they won''t find him, I will! He is¡­ He is my elder brother after all..." A bitter smile crept up the young teen''s face. All these years, Shin had never publically claimed that the viridian haired youth that grew up with him was his closest kin. Yet, only when he was in distress, could Shin mouth out those words. ''I''ll be sure to say it to your face the next time we meet. So don''t die on me, Junius!'' "*Knock!* *Knock!*. Master Shin, Madame Seraphim. The members from the Frie Clan are here to see you again. They are claiming that they have information about a boy named Junius." A monotone female voice broke the silence of the room from the outside. The maid designated to Shin''s room had come to inform them of the Frie Clan''s arrival. "WHAT?! Junius?!?!?! Send them in, please!!!" For the first time since that fateful day when he received the news at Aldrich''s Keep, Shin felt his blood pump rapidly as his heart rate drastically increased. His entire face flushed in fervour as he heard that there was news on the young teen. Finally, there was hope for Shin to find Junius. Chapter 163 Visiting The Waypoint Once More 2 "Why must we all be dressed up to come here?! What''s wrong with the attire that I brought along?!" Adjusting his tight black formal robes, the Instructor showed how uncomfortable he was by nearly tearing the silk collar that was constricting his neck. "Huh?! Do you honestly think those filthy robes are suitable for a visit to the Mayor''s Office? Even if you don''t care about your appearance, I don''t want to be seen with you in a torn up, dirt filled, old costume!" Riko exasperatedly exclaimed as they walked down the hallways of the luxurious building. "Now, now. Stop fighting amongst yourselves. We''re meeting with Shin and Lady Seph very soon." Like a parent separating two siblings from a fight, Marshall cut in the conversation. "Right!!! Brother Lou, remember to convince Shin to come back to the Mushinkei! No matter how angry he is, Shin is still a valued member of our clan. He can''t be living off the Mayor for the rest of his life." "Convince him to return to the Mushinkei huh¡­ I can try but honestly, once he hears the news that I bring..." Ending his sentence with an ominous prediction, the Instructor sighed deeply. As they were conversing, the maids of the Mayor''s Office had led them to a lavish mahogany door that towered all the way to the ceilings of the building. Requiring the strength of two people to push open, the guest room''s door seemed to be overly extravagant, even for a person of Lady Seph''s stature. "As usual, they overdid it with the design..." "What can they do? Every single government office such as this one must include a few luxurious chambers just in case someone of importance stays over. I mean, if the Emperor personally visits, there is no way that he would stay in a pigsty right?" Marshall promptly replied to the Instructor''s casual observation. "Master Shin, Madame Seraphim. Your guests have arrived." Announcing the arrival of the Frie Clan members, a young woman dressed in black and white maid garbs knocked on the humongous door. "*Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!*." Once the maid said out those words, loud footsteps could be heard approaching from the other side of the door. A split second later, the doors slammed wide open, revealing the identity of the owner of the room. Lush jet black hair that made any fair maiden jealous and clear azure eyes that resembled the beautiful summer sky, a thirteen-year-old youth stood before the three individuals. "Shin..." The Instructor''s eyes glistened in happiness as he recognised the familiar face of his student. Although he had visited Chilyoja Waypoint often during the three years that Shin and Junius were living in exile, the muscular man still got sentimental every time he sees one of his most treasured student''s growth. "Instructor! Do you have any news of Junius?!" Not interested in exchanging any pleasantries, Shin skipped straight to the main topic. "Junius¡­ I do have some news. Let us talk inside..." Darting his eyes about the corridor filled with outside ears, the hulk of a man suggested that they moved the talk into the room. After all, it was not convenient for people not from the Frie Clan to hear about clan matters. "Ah, yes. Please come in!" Shin, on the other hand, could care less about the time and place. He merely wanted to know about the whereabouts of Junius and whether he was safe. "Lady Seph, nice to see you again." Once inside, the first thing that the Instructor noticed was an elderly blonde woman that was leisurely sitting on a cushioned seat. Flipping through a thick book, she seemed to be oblivious of the new entrants as she was thoroughly engrossed in her studies. "Instructor! Quick! Tell me where is Junius! Where did he go?!" "Hah¡­ Shin¡­ Before I begin, you need to calm yourself..." "Huh? Why?!" Not liking where the conversation was heading, Shin deeply frowned. "We have not found Junius. But we do have some clues on where he might have gone." "If you know something just say it! Any clues will be helpful for us to finding Junius!" Pissed off at how the Instructor was beating about the bush, the frantic teen urged him to spill the beans. "Shin¡­ We found out where he was last seen." "Where?! If you know where he went at least, we could start to search there!" "No, I''ve been there personally and combed the area for two weeks straight. Other than a few indications of a fight, there were no other clues about where Junius currently is. No bodies. No personal belongings. There was next to nothing that indicated that Junius had been even in that place." Shaking his head, the Instructor clearly explained why he was in such a fatigued state. Anyone would be tired after a fortnight of long searching. "A fight?! Are you saying that..." "Yes, there are two possibilities. First, Junius was at that location and somehow managed to get into a fight with someone, causing him to be severely wounded in the process. Thus, the reason why he had not returned is that he was seeking medical treatment somewhere far away. However, that is highly unlikely as I didn''t find any traces of blood." "What about the next possibility?" "The next possibility is also just my hypothesis¡­ The next possibility is that he might have been kidnapped by an organisation with a nefarious cause." "KIDNAPPED?!?!?!" Hollering out, Shin slammed his palms onto the silken sheets that he was sitting on as he stood up abruptly. "As I said, it''s just my theory. Either way, I can confirm that Junius is definitely alive." "He''s alive? Okay, that''s a start..." Muttering to himself, Shin felt a surge of relief filled his body. For the past few days, the worst thing that kept him up at night was the fact that Junius might have passed on into the afterlife without Shin even having the chance to say goodbye. However, now that he knows that the viridian-haired teenager was most likely alive and kicking, Shin felt a silver lining pop out in these dark hours. "Wait, you said that you visited the place that he was last seen. Where was he last seen? Perhaps if we form a search party to go there, we might find more clues!" Desperate to find any means possible to save Junius, Shin asked the Instructor. "T-That..." At the young boy''s innocent comment, the beefy middle-aged man started to find it hard to form words. "Well? Instructor, I know you of all people want to know more about Junius disappearance! That''s why you went to find him even when the Clan abandoned him. Come on!!! Please just tell me!" Sensing the hesitation in the Instructor''s voice, Shin started to beg. "Hah¡­ Fine¡­ He was heading towards¡­ No, he went to Awter Lake..." The moment the Instructor said those words, it was as if the Ice Age had descended upon the vast chambers. The faces of the Frie Clan members that had come with him all froze up as they gave the beefy man a strange stare. Even Lady Seph, who could hardly care about the Frie Clan matters, slammed her book shut and gaped as if the Instructor dropped a bomb upon her lap. "Awter Lake? Where''s that? And why did Junius go there?" The only one who was unaffected by the revelation was the very person that asked the question. Stoking his smooth chin, the young boy tried to make sense of why his elder brother would go to such an odd location. "We don''t know¡­ Shin, there''s no need to send a search party. I personally searched every nook and cranny of the lake, and it was all to no avail." "So what? Are you telling me to give up on finding Junius?!" "Exactly! Shin, there''s nothing that you can do! Even if the First Elder used his Spirit, I''m sure there was no way that he could find Junius. Leave the rest to the adults!" "LEAVE THE REST TO THE ADULTS?! Haven''t you already given up on finding Junius?! Of all people, I thought you would understand my feelings the most, Instructor¡­ It seems that I was wrong." "Shin¡­ I..." "Instructor!!! Junius might have been kidnapped, and you''re telling me to stay still?! You know there''s no way that I can do that! Tskkk¡­ I should have known¡­ Excuse me, I need some air." Disappointed at the news that the Instructor had brought, Shin decided that it was in his best interest to leave the toxic room for the time being. Rushing out of the luxurious chambers, the young man ran straight to the grassy courtyard so that he could ease his tense mind. "God damn it¡­" Cursing out softly, the Instructor clenched his fists indignantly. It was not like he didn''t want to save Junius, it was just he honestly didn''t know what happened to his precious disciple. "Hey, boy¡­ You said that Junius went to Awter Lake¡­ Are you speaking the truth?" Now that Shin was out of the room, Lady Seph finally found the opportunity to speak. "Yeah..." "Why did he go there in the first place? Don''t tell me he found out about the past?" "That is our fear. The fear of both the First Elder and everyone else in the division. In fact, there is the third possibility that I had hidden from Shin... The possibility that Junius had made contact with the survivors of the Awter Clan and betrayed the Frie Clan..." As he said out those words, a tinge of fear could be heard in the bulky man''s shivering voice. It was a prospect that he didn''t dare to entertain. "I see..." "That''s why we can''t publicise this matter. If the Second Elder finds out, he will have a legitimate reason to throw out the orphan division." Adamant to stick to the previous Clan Master''s wishes, the First Elder refused to give his counterpart any free ammunition that could drive the orphans out of Frie Mountain. "You know¡­ You can''t hide the matter of the Awter Clan forever¡­ And if you guys are not going to tell him, I will." "Lady Seph?!" Stunned by the elderly blonde woman''s casual remarks, the three members of the Frie Clan sat upright in terror. It was a dark history that the Frie Clan was trying so desperately to erase. "I must consider the best interest of my sole disciple over the Frie Clan after all. Either way, I''ll be sending Shin to the Capital within two years so that he can attend the Imperial Military Academy. Tell Edward that these two years will be his deadline. If he doesn''t tell him during that time-frame, the minute he leaves Chilyoja Waypoint for school, I''ll tell Shin everything." "Two years huh..." Falling deep into thought, the Instructor sighed mentally. If possible, he would wish to keep Shin in the dark forever, but even he knew that that would be a stretch. Shin deserved to know the truth. "I''ll relay that to the Elder..." ~~~ Himmel Empire. ????? Darkness fell upon the bustling Empire as the citizens found refuge in their warm abodes. As if the fall of Aldrich''s Keep had become just an afterthought, the towns of the Empire continued on their daily routines as if nothing had happened. After all, the impregnable fort had lost its title over a month ago, and there had been minimal accounts of beast attacks since. In a gloomy crevice of a well-hidden location, there lay a simple wooden cottage that seemed to be out of place. A well-maintained chimney with black soot flowing out indicated that there was human life residing within its four walls. Chopped logs and ashes of fireplaces were prevalent in the yard surrounding the humble cabin. Other than the fact that it was hard to reach, the house seemed to be rather hospitable to whoever was living there. From a distance, two hooded figures jumped down the numerous bends that led down the crevice and to the fully-sheltered hut. There were times where they had to stop and use their mana to disenchant some of the protective charms that were put into place. Otherwise, it was a smooth journey for the two individuals. Reaching the cottage within minutes, the visitors removed their hoods to reveal a man and woman pair. The man had short spiky blue hair that highlighted his broad forehead. With a sharp nose that resembled an eagle''s beak, the man seemed to be rather perceptive to his surroundings. The woman, on the other hand, had long flowing sky blue hair and a tall build. Her glistening eyes that sparkled in the moonlight gave her a mysterious allure that would attract any man, and her hourglass figure was only made more prominent as she sashayed down towards the cottage. Opening the unlocked door, the two individuals made their way into the master bedroom with heavy steps. Typically, they would be happy everytime they visited the cottage. Yet, on their faces, only doom and gloom remained. Inside the master bedroom, there was a young viridian-haired teen that was sleeping peacefully on top of the woollen sheets, unperturbed by the happenings of the outside world. "..." Encroaching ever closer to the youth, the duo gently raised their hands. "*SLLLTTTTT!!!*." However, before they could even touch the sleeping teen, an azure light illuminated the darkroom as a hiltless blade pointed straight at the intruders. Junius, who had been trapped in the cottage that his abductors had kept him in, raised his Azure Water Blade''s mana consumption as he threatened to slice the duo''s head off their shoulders. "Let me out..." Tired from the constant pain and suffering that he had been put through over these past few weeks, the young teen tried his best to find a way back to the regular world where his fellow orphans and loved ones were waiting. "Junius¡­ You know we can''t do that¡­ Now that you know everything, can''t you understand our burdens?" The mysterious blue haired woman exclaimed. "I can''t stay here forever¡­ I need to go back to Shin and Lily¡­ They must be worried sick about my situation." "No! It''s way too dangerous right now¡­ Especially after..." Screaming out, the woman stopped Junius'' idea dead on its tracks. "Especially after what?" "I¡­ I¡­ *Hiccc!*." Unable to stop her tears from falling, the woman covered her charming face as she turned away from the youth. Running to a corner, the woman directly faced the wall to prevent Junius from seeing her crying face. "What? What happened?!" Stunned by the sudden change in events, Junius concernedly asked. "Junius¡­ You can''t go back to the Waypoint¡­ It''s too dangerous. The Captain¡­ He led a team to take the young master. He¡­ The Captain, your father¡­ Perished¡­ I''m so sorry..." Chapter 164 A Year And A Half Later... 1 Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Yakkyoku Clinic. A year and a half had passed since the famed clinic had been destroyed by the Black Mask attack. Due to the sudden revelation that Lady Seph was permanently residing in the area, hordes of pilgrims flocked the unsuspecting town in the west of the empire, hoping to gain even a little glimpse of the illustrious healer. From wealthy merchants with irreversible illnesses to generals who had wished to heal a long time wound, the list of customers that wanted to visit Lady Seph was endless. Realising the business opportunity, Mayor Nadeo spent no expense at rebuilding the once torn down building, bringing in some of the best craftsmen in the country. Not only that, he had personally put in some of his savings to help hire additional manpower to help run the building. Guards and clerks were necessary for the clinic''s daily functions. Thus, Mayor Nadeo handpicked the best people that he could find. In return, the commerce being generated by foreign visitors helped to pay back the funds that he had invested into rebuilding Yakkyoku Clinic. Thanks to the fact that Lady Seph had revealed her location, Yakkyoku Clinic had almost overnight turned into a household name. Lured by the allure of tutoring under one of the greatest healers alive, many of the empire''s most influential healers sent their children to apprentice under Lady Seph. Naturally, many were turned away at the door, but the more promising ones gained a position as one of the infamous healer''s slave army. Standing at over twenty metres tall, Yakkyoku Clinic was now the busiest healing centre in the waypoint. Since Lady Seph had no interest in personally treating the plebians that plagued gathered here just for a mere peek of her, the clinic housed many healers that Mayor Nadeo personally commissioned. Although they were nowhere near Lady Seph''s standard, they all possessed advanced healing licenses that were over ten times harder to obtain as compared to a regular one. But that didn''t matter to the various pilgrims that travelled from far and wide. They might be unable to see the most famous healer alive, but they had a chance to see the next best thing. Now fourteen and a half years old, whenever Lady Seph''s name was mentioned, a specific black-haired teenager would often be thrown into the mix. Whispers that Lady Seph had gained an immensely talented disciple had spread as fast as wildfire. Not only did he manage to impress Lady Seph, who was notorious for not accepting any disciples into her tutelage, but he was also the youngest healer in history. For aristocrats and any other pilgrims, such a figure was someone worth befriending. Frequently treating patients for less than the stipulated price, Shin had gained some sort of fandom in the entire town. Reaching heights in fame that not even Junius could in his peak as Constable Mascot, the young teen had turned into a celebrity. His beautiful cerulean healing light was known by everyone who patronised Yakkyoku Clinic, and his quick and fast results impressed even the harshest critics. "Hey, can I get Healer Shin as my physician? I wish to meet him once in my life!" Slamming her hand down on the extravagant marbled counter that stretched for over five metres, a walk-in visitor exclaimed out to the receptionist. "I''m sorry, but the healer that treats you is based on chance. If your queue number is called, you walk into the designated room, and the healer inside will treat you. Worry not, all of our healers are extremely qualified for their role." Calmly explaining to the hurried woman, the receptionist tried her best to put on her customer-friendly smile. It was not the first time a patient had demanded that they are treated by either Lady Seph or Shin. To combat that problem, the manager of Yakkyoku Clinic was forced to put in place a system that was used by the more established clinics. Firstly, a patient would be examined by an accredited examiner. The examiner would study their symptoms and classify them into three different categories based on the severity of their conditions. For patients with level one severity, such as the common cold or simple swellings, they would be seen by healers working on the first floor. If the patient has something more severe, like a grave cut or if they were coughing out blood, they would be seen by physicians on the second floor. Finally, if the patient had a life-threatening injury or an incurable illness, they would be sent to the third floor, where they would have a chance to encounter Lady Seph. Once classified, their queue numbers would be called by the healer who had their booth freed up. Therefore, for a patient to meet a particular healer that they liked, it was entirely up to the heavens to decide if they had the luck. Being a healer for less than two years, Shin naturally only could treat a patient on level one. However, that turned out to be a bad thing for the clinic once that fact was revealed. Swarms of ''patients'' showed up, hoping to meet the youngest healer in history in person, even though they might not have anything wrong with their bodies. Thankfully, the examiner turned down every single person that came here with the improper purpose in mind. Otherwise, the floor of the now opulent clinic would be endlessly packed with people. "NO!!! I want to see Healer Shin! He is the only one that can treat me!" Resorting to mindless quibbles to get what she wanted, the woman protested the receptionist''s reasonable words. "Hah¡­ Why do you do this to yourself? Security!!!" Fed-up by the woman''s actions, the receptionist shouted out in an authoritarian tone. As if it were routine, three muscular men with broad shoulders that would make any body-builder weep, appeared inside the clinic and proceeded to drag the troublemaker out. "Is that the fourth person this week?" Thinking out loud to herself, the receptionist sighed as she saw the woman kicking the air and flailing her arms as the guards yanked her out of the clinic. There were many people like her, adamant to meet with either Shin or Lady Seph. Unfortunately for them, neither of them had any interest in meeting them. It didn''t matter what background you came from. Even if they were a Duke of the Empire, Lady Seph had no qualms about throwing a nuisance out of her abode. "What was that sound?" Inside one of the treatment booths, an elderly man turned his head to the door as the commotion caused by the troublemaker reached his ears. "Just ignore that. It''s probably nothing much." At his side, a youthful voice called out to him and reassured him of the situation. Sitting down in his formal healer''s robe that lacked even the slightest of creases, Shin warmly smiled. His luscious black hair had now grown to cover his ears, and the tip at his back had reached his silky nape. Hitting puberty, the boy''s voice had become deeper, making him sound a little more mature than he once was. Oddly enough, even though puberty hit, Shin lacked the oily face that was vulnerable to acne, and his appearance remained as prim as it used to be, much to Ariel''s annoyance. His azure eyes glistened in an intelligent light that seemed to peer through everything he saw, giving Shin a tinge of maturity that was uncommon for a boy his age. "Senior, after your treatment, you should be able to breathe a little better. Come, take a deep breath in." Gently instructing his patient to breathe, Shin attentively watched as the elderly man''s chest inflated like a balloon. "Good! You should be alright now! However, just in case I prescribed some medicinal herbs for you. After exiting, you should be able to see a pharmacy to the right. Show them this slip, and they will give you your medicine." Finishing his treatment, Shin handed the old man a piece of yellow parchment. "Thank you! Thank you!" Elated that his breathing problems had been resolved, the elderly man wore a bright smile. Once the patient had left the room, Shin exhaled deeply. "Arghhh¡­ I''m spent! Time to go back and rest..." A healer working at Yakkyoku Clinic typically spent six hours in the treatment booth per shift. However, since Shin had a much smaller mana pool as compared to the others, he was only required to serve three hours per day. Today, however, he had spent over four hours, completely depleting the limited mana that rested in his spiritual body. Tidying up the treatment booth for the next healer, Shin rubbed the temples of his forehead as he retreated back up the building. Yakkyoku Clinic had five floors. The first three were for treatment and everyday use. Anyone from the public with an appointment had access to the three stories. However, the final two floors were exclusively for Lady Seph and her precious disciple. Since that day where he talked down the Instructor, Shin had not once returned to the Mushinkei and opted to live here in the newly built Yakkyoku Clinic. Although time had healed some of their relations, Shin still couldn''t forgive the Frie Clan for abandoning Junius. There were many times where Riko and Ariel personally visited to convince Shin to return to the clan, but after the hundredth time, they realised that any additional efforts would be fruitless and they stopped trying altogether. Speaking of Junius, while the Frie Clan stopped searching, Shin never rested. Regularly sending out missing person posters to other towns and bringing Bingbing along to join his search party, Shin attempted everything that he could to find clues of the viridian-haired youth. Unfortunately, even after all this time, no new information had surfaced. However, Shin remained hopeful. Many of the orphans endorsed his endeavours, especially Lily. Being Junius'' lover, Lily was distraught when she first heard the news. Desperate to leave Frie Mountain to join Shin''s search party, she was granted permission by the First Elder. Also, other members of the orphan division were also allowed to leave the mountain for a select few days, just so that they could attempt to find Junius. "Hah¡­ Junius, stop hiding already. We need you to come back." Shin was well-aware of the ticking time bomb that hovered above his head. In half a year''s time, Lady Seph would be sending him towards the Capital so that he could enrol in the Imperial Military Academy. By then, Shin would lack the means to find Junius and could only pray to the Immortals above for his safe return. After all, he would be thousands of kilometres away. "Master Shin! There you are!" While the black-haired youth was lost for thought, a hurried voice echoed through the corridors that he was walking in. "Hmmm?" Turning his head around, Shin saw a young teenage boy, who was just a little bit older than him, running in his direction. It was odd for someone who was in every way, Shin''s senior, to address him as Master, but as a member of Lady Seph''s personal slav¡­ attendants, they insisted on calling Shin that way. "Her Holiness is calling out for you!!!" "Master? Why?" "I don''t know, Master Shin¡­ Please hurry, she said she wanted to see you immediately." Shaking his head, the teenager prompted Shin to make haste to his Master''s location. "Alright then. She''s in her study right?" "Yes!!!" "Okay then. I''ll go immediately." Chapter 165 A Year And A Half Later... 2 On the topmost level of the newly refurbished Yakkyoku Clinic, there was a specific room that almost nobody went to. There weren''t any guards nor were there any defensive mechanisms that barred entry into the room, it was just that no one even dared to approach. Better known by the staff of Yakkyoku Clinic as the forbidden zone, even the manager dared not tread near the chambers. Therefore, there was a pin-drop silence that came enveloped the entire corridor leading to that room. "Master, you called?" Knocking on the heavy door twice, Shin called out to the only person who had unlimited access to the room. Lady Seph''s peculiar behaviour was well-known, not only by the residents of the town but by the entire Empire. Never caving in for aristocrats or anyone in power, the elderly woman did as she pleased and cared nought for the consequences of her actions. Thus, even though multiple talented individuals were working at the clinic, very few of them got a chance to meet the esteemed healer face to face. Only Shin, her very own direct disciple, could meet Lady Seph whenever he pleased. "Yeah, come in." Turning the bronze doorknob, Shin was greeted with the familiar pungent smell of medicinal herbs. Inside the office that Lady Seph frequently stayed overnight in, there were towers of books and piles of flora. Compared to a regular healer''s office, the chambers seemed to resemble more of a researcher''s lab. Amongst the mess, there was an elderly blonde woman, who appeared to be untouched by father time himself, reclining on her rocking chair while reading a thick book. "Master. What do you need?" "Hmmm? Can''t I call in my precious disciple just because I missed him? Why must you always assume that I need you to do something for me?" "Huh? No, I mean¡­ Recently, every time you ask for me is because you want me to do something for you..." Confused by Lady Seph''s lack of purpose, Shin raised his eyebrows. Now that Shin had begun a career as a healer, Lady Seph had restricted herself to always treating him as a handyman that does her bidding for her. Furthermore, with her freshly delivered slav¡­ attendants, Shin''s role as her tea-brewer had taken a back seat. "Haha, it sure seems that way¡­ Don''t you miss the time where it was just you and me in that cramped house? Now everything has changed so drastically. The run-down lavatory that the both of us shared had turned into a storing shed that houses some of the Empires'' best medicines. The study room of yours that could barely fit a person is now a humongous waiting room for patients." Reminiscing about the good times that they had as a Master-Disciple pair, Lady Seph let out a despondent sigh. "Master, is something wrong?" Sensing the strange mood that Lady Seph was in, Shin concernedly asked. "Hah¡­ Brew some tea will you?" Pointing to the empty tea set that lay in one corner, Lady Seph closed her eyes and relaxed her entire body. "Uh, okay?" Walking over in slow and peaceful steps, Shin opened up the cabinet where the premium tea leaves were stored. Even though he had not brewed tea in a long time, Shin''s body precisely remembered the steps that had been drilled into him during the brutal time where he was first apprenticed to Lady Seph. The fragrant aroma of Oolong tea filled the chambers, causing a joyful smile to creep up the elderly woman''s face. After five minutes, when the drink was perfect for serving, Shin carried a tray with two ceramic teacups and placed them onto the desk of his Master. "Perfect¡­ Hey, how is it that your tea is so much better than those brewed by those mongrels? I applied the same training that I did to you, and yet, they can''t even reach half of this standard!!!" Exclaiming out in indignation, Lady Seph criticised her newly hired attendant''s tea brewing capabilities. "Hahaha..." Nervously laughing, Shin felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he recalled the gruelling hours he spent trying to cater to his Master''s taste buds. Silently praying for the safety of his juniors, Shin drained the cup of Oolong tea with one gulp. Initially, the teenager couldn''t stand the bitter taste of the tea when he first tried it. However, over time, it grew on him, and like his Master, it had turned into his favourite beverage. "Haish¡­ That''s why I''m going to miss this..." Shaking her head, Lady Seph produced a sealed yellow envelope that was stamped with some of the most extravagant ink that Shin had ever seen. A pulsating green aura was being emitted out, causing Shin to squint his eyes in suspicion. "What is that?!" "Worry not¡­ It''s just a mana encased letter. It bears no ill will, especially since you''re the recipient." "Me?" Pointing to himself, Shin opened his eyes wide in confusion. There were only a handful of people who would write to him, and they were mostly Ariel or the orphans. None of them had ever sent an envelope this queer before. "Yeah, take a look." Throwing the letter over, Lady Seph turned her back to Shin and stared out of the window. Tilting his head, Shin frowned at his Master''s weird behaviour. Summoning out a bit of his mana, Shin gently tapped the insignia that sealed the message. Melting as if it were butter, the lavish mark dissipated, allowing the teenager to read the contents of the letter. "Congratulations, your application to the Imperius Academy has been successful¡­ Please report to the academy grounds on the following date..." Reading out loud the first sentences of the letter, Shin felt his blood run cold. The day of reckoning had arrived. Lady Seph had informed him of her decision to enter the famed institution right after the second attack of the Black Masks. Her logic was that Shin would be better off being protected by the state in a more secure location such as the Capital. Furthermore, she wanted Shin to experience life outside of the healing path so that he had more life experiences. At least, that was what was explained to Shin. At first, Shin was reluctant to leave Chilyoja Waypoint while he was in the midst of searching for Junius. Additionally, he would be leaving behind a heap of some of his most treasured people in the world back on Frie Mountain. The worries that Shin had did not go unnoticed by Lady Seph. Hoping to resolve some of his grievances, the elderly blonde woman stormed into Frie Mountain, bringing Shin along, hoping that some sort of compromise could be met. Naturally, the higher-ups weren''t thrilled that Lady Seph was sending someone from their orphan division far away, to a place where their hands couldn''t reach him. Especially the Second Elder. All he wished for was Shin to die tragically in his hands, but since there was a behemoth that was Lady Seph continually guarding him, the Second Elder could only bitterly swallow his hatred. The negotiations lasted for ten whole days. In that time, Shin had returned to stay in the orphan''s lodging, bonding with his entire family that lived there. Elyse, who had been particularly attached to Shin since she was young, was thrilled that the youth had returned home, albeit for a short while. Emma even teared up when she finally got a chance to live with Shin once more. As they all did their best to catch up on lost time, the emotional hole left behind by Junius'' disappearance grew ever more prominent, reaffirming Shin''s decision to continue finding the missing youth. Adamant in his belief, Shin convinced the First Elder and some of the higher-ups to spend some resources to search for Junius during his absence. In a turn of events that no one expected, the Clan Master had even agreed to send two of the orphans, Emma and Ella to the Imperius Academy so that Shin wouldn''t be alone during his extended stay. In the four and a half years since awakening their Spirits, the two of them had promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm and were even at Rank 13! Their talent was equal to Linus, who was the Second Elder''s very own grandson! Naturally, after hearing that Shin would be accompanied by the twins, Ariel too wished to enrol in the prestigious academy. Unfortunately, she was turned down in the very same breath that she used to ask for it. Widely regarded by many to be the successor of the Frie Clan, there was no way Ariel could join the military. Speaking of Ariel, as expected of someone who triggered a natural phenomenon when awakening her Spirit, she had reached Rank 16 in a mere four and a half years, stunning every single member of the Frie Clan. If Ariel continued growing at the same exponential rate, she could very well become a Rank 20 Spirit Core before her sixteenth birthday, something that was unprecedented in the Frie Clan''s history. Unfortunately, she was not the youngest member to reach Rank 16 amongst those from her generation. Shin, who had spent his days healing patients with his ability and finding Junius, had somehow managed to be the one with the highest cultivation level. Reaching the Rank 16 cultivation level two months before Ariel, Shin was currently at the peak of his level, ready to break through at any moment. When the dean of the Imperius Academy first heard of Shin, he couldn''t believe his ears. To think that a monster had chosen to enrol in their school! Also, he was already a healer and was apprenticed to the notorious Lady Seph! As anticipated, he accepted the youth in a heartbeat. After all, their base requirement was that the student is a Spirit Apostle by the age of fifteen, which would eliminate over ninety per cent of all applicants. The dean had even offered a scholarship to get into the good graces of Lady Seph. Unfortunately, the famed healer hated to be indebted to the Empire, in whatever shape or form. Therefore, she paid for Shin''s six years of tuition in full. After leaving Frie Mountain with some of his worries resolved, Lady Seph told Shin that he only had two years left to search for Junius before he would be sent to the academy, giving Shin a sense of urgency to continue to search for his precious family member. "Master! It has only been a year and a half! Why is the letter here so early?!" Assuming that he had to leave immediately, Shin hollered out. There were still many things that he wished to accomplish in his limited time here at Chilyoja Waypoint. "Read the date, you silly¡­ You have to report to the Capital six months from now! They just sent you the letter early so that you can prepare." With a wry smile, Lady Seph corrected Shin''s misunderstanding. "Oh, I see¡­ Master, once I''m gone, will you send me updates about Junius'' search?" No matter where he was, there was no way that Shin would forget about Junius. "Of course¡­ Shin, do you remember our promise?" "I wouldn''t dare forget it..." "Good¡­ Alright then, come! Refill my cup!" Emptying the remaining Oolong tea in the teacup, Lady Seph asked for more of the liquid gold. "Hah..." Sighing at Lady Seph''s sudden childish change, Shin flashed a smile. In the end, the master and disciple pair enjoyed each other''s company as their reminisced on the good old days. Chapter 166 A Year And A Half Later... 3 Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. The Clan Master Chambers. As time flowed on like a neverending river stream, the dormant volcano that was Frie Mountain remained stagnant. There had been no change in its appearance, the concentration of fire elements or even a change in the number of trees that filled the area. Remaining verdant as ever, the sole hub where all the Frie Clan members congregated was filled with life. Since the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, over ninety per cent of all Frie Clan operatives had been called back onto the mountain, so that they could protect their home in the event of a beast horde attack. Thankfully, over the past year and a half, there had been no signs of untamed Spirit Beasts that came from the Uncharted Wilderness. Nonetheless, the higher-ups decided that it would be better safe than sorry and further increased their defences, causing the already turtled up clan to go further into seclusion. That meant that without good reason, the members of the clan were prohibited from leaving the mountain. "Clan Master, you need to see me?" In the quiet abode where no regular clan member could casually walk into, an elderly man leisurely stroked his beard while calling out the only other person in the room. "Senior Edward¡­ You''re here..." Turning her head over, the Clan Master greeted the First Elder that she had called over. "What''s wrong? It''s unlike you to call me here at this late hour..." Looking at the crescent moon that hung high up in the pitch black sky, the First Elder wondered about the Clan Master''s intention. "Take a look..." Throwing over some bamboo slips that had engravings on it, the woman that stood at the height of the clan gave out a helpless sigh. Using her right hand, she attempted to quell a throbbing headache that she was currently suffering from, but it was to no avail. Although he was confused at first, the First Elder still managed to read out the written engravings on the bamboo slip. "T-This¡­ I see¡­ Ash has finally made his move huh¡­ I was wondering why it took him this long..." "Is that of importance right now?! At the rate that Senior Ash is going, the Elder committee will be able to usurp me within the year!!!" Peeved off that the First Elder was focusing on the wrong issue, the Clan Master cried out. On the bamboo slip, was a covert message sent by one of the Clan Master''s, Enfen Frie''s, personal spy sent to monitor the movements of the Second Elder. Ever since the incident that nearly destroyed the clan four and a half years ago, the divide between the Second Elder''s division and the rest of the clan had only started to grow. Figuring out that the current Clan Master''s allegiance lay with his bitter rival, the Second Elder had tried his best to increase his influence on the mountain, hoping to dethrone the monarch and make that seat available for himself. And it had been working out. Many higher-ups that once sided with the First Elder and the Clan Master had went turncoat to join the crusade that the Second Elder was starting. Many felt that the Frie Clan should reappear in the world as the top clan that it was and dominate the western region once more. Adding to the fact that there was a shift to a more militaristic power mindset, neutral members of the Frie Clan hoped that their leader was much more of a fighter than a diplomat. Enfen Frie was undoubtedly the best leader that the Frie Clan could have when it came to rebuilding the clan from the devastating battle that crippled it. Her soft yet firm approach when tackling problems such as trade had served the clan well. Not to mention her talent was among the best in the Clan''s history and there was a good chance that she could become the first ever Spirit Venerate that the clan had. However, when it came to militaristic matters, her experience was in no way comparable to that of the Second Elder. Should the Frie Clan reappear in the world, they need a powerful and well-known leader. Not only was the Second Elder''s battle-tactics infamous to those who knew of the Frie Clan''s past exploits, but he was also the champion of a thousand wars. If he were to lead the Frie Clan, there was no doubt in the higher-ups'' minds that he would bring the clan back to their peak. "Well, the solution is simple, isn''t it? All you need to do is become a Spirit Venerate before he garners more power!" "Ha, ha, ha¡­ What a hilarious joke, Senior Edward! Why don''t you go and do it yourself?! Since it''s thaaaaat simple for you!" Rolling her eyes, the Clan Master denounced the First Elder''s teasing. At the higher levels, there was no question that it was exponentially more difficult to promote. Otherwise, why would so many people be unable to reach the Spirit Venerate realm, even in the long and illustrious history of the Frie Clan? "I''m just joking around¡­ But you''re right¡­ This is a real problem..." Stroking his long and white beard, the First Elder visibly frowned. His worst fears were starting to be realised. Almost fifteen years had passed since that war that utterly destroyed the Frie Clan and forced it to go into hiding. The scars of battle had gradually started to be forgotten, and the strength of the weakened clan had recovered somewhat. Although it was nowhere near its peak, the Frie Clan still could rise up like a phoenix from the ashes. Unfortunately, to do just that, the higher-ups were beginning to feel that a change in the top person had to be made, and to his horror, their pick could only end disastrously for the clan. "They can''t just take over your seat, Enfen¡­ They must either force you to retire or find a problem with your ruling. Since you''re young, the first method is out. For the second method, you had led the Frie Clan well since you were first inducted. There''s no way that they could just oust you!" "I understand that, but if it''s the will of the majority, they will definitely find a way to force me to abdicate my position¡­ My only fear is that the Senior Ash would threaten civil war if I do not surrender the Clan Master insignia..." As a pacifist, Enfen Frie hated the fact that needless bloodshed had to be spent. Therefore, she just might cave in if the Second Elder insisted on starting an inside war. "No. I have known Ash way longer than you. He will never spill the blood of the Frie Clan to get what he wants. That''s against his moral code. Wait..." As he said those words, the First Elder suddenly gained a thought. If he won''t spill insider blood, that doesn''t mean that he won''t¡­ "Enfen, no Clan Master. We must evacuate the orphans." The First Elder''s eyes dilated as his voice quivered. He didn''t dare to imagine it but perhaps¡­ "You think that he would kill the remaining orphans in cold blood?!" Seeing the point of view that the First Elder had taken, the Clan Master gasped in horror. "Perhaps¡­ You had received the acceptance letters for Ella and Emma right?" "Naturally!!! I have it in my office!" "Good, we must send all the orphans to the Capital, out of reach from Ash''s hands. That way, he won''t be able to use them as leverage!" Aiming to send the orphans to safety, far away from the mountain, the First Elder exclaimed. "We don''t own any buildings in the Capital though¡­ Where can we let them stay?" The Clan Master asked a valid question. The prices of houses in the central hub of the Empire was exorbitant, to say the least. There was no way the Frie Clan, which was in its recovery phase, could fork out that hefty sum in rent every year. "We find a place for them to rent. Take money out from my vault if need be. For the next six years, we must assure their safety!!!" Determined to keep the orphans safe from the creeping hands of the Second Elder, the First Elder cried out. "Senior Edward¡­ You¡­ Hah, you really care for them huh?" The Clan Master was moved by the First Elder''s dedication towards the children who didn''t bear the same blood as he did. "No, it''s not that¡­ Enfen, you probably saw it too. The day when the Awter Clan was decimated to their knees..." "..." "On that day, the members of our clan weren''t Spirit Users. They weren''t even humans. They were just savage beasts that hoped for one thing. Destruction. In their drunken stupor, they didn''t even stop to question whether what they did was moral or not. They probably weren''t even thinking about their humanity. All that they had become was mindless animals that feasted on the dead bodies of our enemies." "..." The Clan Master unconsciously held her breath as she heard the First Elder''s despondent speech. His aged freckles seemed to have reached the floor, and the head full of silvery white hair had made him look older than he really was. The years of fatigue and stress that had piled up became more evident as she watched the First Elder recollect the deeds of old. "On that day, everything that could move had to be burnt or killed. That was our mantra, that was our sin. Consumed by the hatred we had, the brave and valiant warriors of our clan had turned into vicious executioners. Not even sparing the women and children. When I realised what we had done, I was abhorred. My brethren¡­ All of a sudden, it seemed like I didn''t recognise a single one of them..." The more he thought back on that day, the more his hands quaked, unwilling to listen to his instructions to stop. "Senior Edward..." "The previous Clan Master, your father, also saw what I did. Thankfully, he had woken up from his hate much faster than I did and personally stopped any of our men from killing any more children. But it was too late. We had only managed to save a handful from the carnage. The majority of which, where just infants and toddlers¡­ Just imagine, from the hundreds of children that were in the Awter clan, we only managed to save seven¡­ And now, we had even lost the eldest of them..." Wearing a self-deprecating smile, the First Elder was unable to hold back the tears that glistened in his eyes. "That''s why I will protect the orphans, even if Ash has to get over my dead body!!! The children bear no sin!!!" Reaffirming his will, the First Elder shouted out. "Senior Edward¡­ I understand. I''ll ask my contacts to find a spot in the Capital immediately." "Thank you¡­ Enfen¡­" Chapter 167 The Changes In Their Lives 1 "Healer Shin! Healer Shin! It''s time for your shift!" A loud knock on the door echoed through the corridors of the fifth floor of the Yakkyoku Clinic, awakening the slumbering resident of the luxurious room. "Yes, coming!" After four and a half years, Shin had shed his lazy persona as he started to become more and more studious after everything that happened to him. In the past, there was a nagging Instructor number two that lived with him, and Shin dreaded the mornings in which he was forced to wake up and run five kilometres. However, now that Junius had disappeared, Shin had to discipline himself so that he would not let his elder brother down. "Ah, Healer Shin! You''re awake!" Opening his door, Shin was greeted by a young female apprentice about his age. Her adorable bob haircut and maid costume might fool the novice eye, but her true lineage was not one to be messed with. As the direct descendant of one of the Himmel Empire''s nobility, the young girl was a distant relative of the Emperor himself! In fact, although it was highly unlikely, the apprentice was in line to succeed the throne! "Kesyl¡­ You don''t have to be so formal you know..." Every time Shin sees the girl, he had to continually remind himself of her formidable background, just in case he does something untoward to her without thinking. "I can''t do that! You''re the disciple of Her Holiness, Lady Seph! To top it off, you are the youngest healer in history!!! Also, also..." "Okay, forgot I said that..." Shin had tried to change Kesyl habits multiple times, but it was always to no avail. Once again, he was amazed at how much influence his Master, which seemed to be a cranky old grandma, truly possessed in the Himmel Empire. Even a child of the highest of nobles had no choice but to grovel at her feet. "So, how are your studies?" While he was walking over to his booth on the first floor, Shin opted to start some small talk with the hamster-like girl that followed him. Kesyl was a legitimate child to one of the Emperor''s cousins. After awakening her Spirit, it became apparent that she was not suited for the path of a fighter due to her timid demeanour and love for life. Additionally, her awakened Spirit took the element of light, one of the most optimal elements for healing. Therefore, her parents decided that it would be desirable for her to pursue the art of healing. Registering at the Healer''s Association, Kesyl quickly gained everyone''s attention for her immense talent in recognising herbs and cultivation in general. She soon became apprenticed to many of the top healers in the Empire. Naturally, her connections to the throne had something to play to that, but nonetheless, her abilities were unquestionable. When the Duke found out that Lady Seph had resurfaced after so long, he immediately pulled his daughter from the tutelage of the healer that she was serving and requested that Lady Seph accept Kesyl. Needless to say, the poor little girl was subject to an array of tests, both in healing knowledge and how well she could serve as Lady Seph''s slav¡­ apprentice. And she was not the only one. Dozens, if not hundreds of applicants came to the front doors of Yakkyoku Clinic, hoping to even catch a glimpse of the illustrious healer. In the end, only five of the applicants came through, with Kesyl passing everything with flying colours. Initially, although she was shy and reserved, Kesyl still bore a little pride when it came to her knowledge of healing matters. After all, every single adversary of her age couldn''t even compare to her. However, everything changed when she first step foot into the four walls of this remote clinic that was so deep in the western border. She met a young boy, who was about her age, that had already become a healer, something that has never been done before. Not to mention, his healing capabilities were able to match some of the more experienced healers that worked in the very same clinic! At that moment, her eyes were finally open. The concept of there was always a mountain higher, and a sea wider came to her mind as she realised that she was merely a large fish in a small pond. In the real world, outside of her immediate vicinity, there would always be someone who would be better than her. Determined to even become a fraction as good as Shin, Kesyl doubled her efforts in studying, aiming to become a healer before the age of twenty. "It''s going very well! I''m sure that I will be able to become as great as you one day!" Kesyl eyes sparkled in delight as she answered Shin''s casual question. "Errr¡­ Ha, ha. I''m sure you will..." A droplet of nervous sweat dripped down Shin''s pearly white face as he unconsciously added some distance between him and the girl. Those eyes of reverence never failed to catch him off guard. He had always been treated like a regular boy back when he was in the Frie Clan and before Lady Seph announced her return. However, now that everything was out, many people looked up to him as a role model. "Okay, I should get going before Her Holiness calls for me!" Putting on her widest smile, Kesyl gave Shin a gentle bow before promptly running down the corridor. "Hah¡­ I should really work harder so that I can live up to their expectations..." Shin sighed to himself as he stared at the petite girl who was running in the opposite directions. Kesyl wasn''t the only one who looked up to him. Many of the healers in the clinic and many patients that believe in his healing capabilities all respected him, almost to the point of worship. "Arghhh! I''ll try not to think about it¡­ Time to start my day!" Shin pumped himself up for the new day. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. Orphan''s lodgings "Sister Lily! Sister Lily!" A nasal voice called out to a young and gorgeous teenage girl, while she was busy tidying up her luscious blue hair. Reaching the end of her puberty, Lily had grown to her maximum height as the baby fat on her face had all but disappeared. At her age, she should have been on an increasing curve of attractiveness, but her haggard expression spoilt the beautiful image of Lily''s. Her darkening eyebags and hollowed in cheeks hinted the multiple nights in which she barely slept. If there were any onlookers, they would be able to sense a dark cloud thundering over her head. "Max? Come in..." Unwilling to get out of her chair, Lily instructed the young boy to enter her room. "Sister Lily? You have a visitor!" Max excitedly exclaimed. During these few years, Max had grown considerably and was no longer the snot-nosed brat that followed Lily around like a carry-on. Although he was not a suave individual, his charm lay in the fact that he had an innocent aura that seemed to be untouched by the filthy hand of time. "Who is it?" "It''s me, Sister Lily!" Before the tired maiden had a chance to get an answer, a scarlet-haired girl walked into the room. Standing at 1.6 metres tall, the fourteen-year-old Ariel was already starting to morph from a juvenile girl to a youthful woman. Her Amazonian body had only become more defined as her muscles became more defined. She wasn''t too muscular though. A healthy layer of fat hid the powerful arms and thighs of Ariel, making her have a tinge of feminine charm. "Ariel? Why have you come here?" Confused that her friend would arrive in her room at such a weird time, Lily tilted her head in confusion. "Lily! You can''t keep wallowing in grief all day in here! The others are worried sick about you!" When Lily first heard of Junius'' disappearance, she had almost fainted on the spot. Desperate to find her missing lover, the young woman had tried all the means at her disposal. Joining Shin''s search party, going door to door at neighbouring towns with a drawing of Junius. Everything that she could think of she tried. Unfortunately, even after such a long time, there was still no news of the person she loved most in the world. The orphans, as well as other younger members of the Frie Clan that hung out with Ariel, all were extremely concerned for the well-being of their dear friend. There were often days where Lily would go two to three days without eating a single morsel of food. The grieving maiden was also plagued at night, with nightmares indicating that Junius had passed away. Instead of a cheerful young woman that she ought to be, Lily resembled more of a weeping widow. "Just leave me be, Ariel¡­ I need some time alone..." "You said that the last time! Sister Lily, I know you''re sad that brother Junius is missing. But you need to believe in Shin and the others! You can''t just let yourself rot in your room!" Ariel cried out, concerned that Lily might just kill herself if her behaviour continues. "Ariel, you just don''t understand!!! You never lost someone you cared for so much!!! Junius was my everything, and now he''s¡­ Just gone..." "Sister Lily, if you really cared for brother Junius, you won''t be doing all of these hurtful things to your body! When brother Junius comes back, do you really want him to see a damaged and tearful girlfriend?!" "!!!" As if struck by lightning, Lily visibly shook her shoulders. "Don''t you want brother Junius to come back and see his beautiful lover?" "Ariel¡­ You''re right¡­ I should be in the best condition when Junius returns¡­" Agreeing with Ariel''s point of view, Lily nodded slightly. Being optimistic in times of despair was hard. However, it was best to always see the bright side to things in life. "Hehe, I knew it! Sister Ariel always knows how to deal with sister Lily!" From the side, Max joyfully chuckled as he praised his own foresight in calling Ariel over. "Hmph! You little chum, have you started your morning practices?" "H-Huh? Ah, you see¡­ I was concerned about your health so..." Stunned that Lily had suddenly called him out, Max darted his eyes about erratically as a wave of nervousness hit him. "Hey! A sword can only be used if its sharp! You have to train daily otherwise..." Now that her vigour was somewhat recovered, Lily reverted back to her motherly bossy demeanour. "Yeah, yeah¡­ Wait, did I just shoot myself in the foot?" Thinking that it might have been better to leave Lily alone, Max thought out loud. "Why, you little..." Chasing the mischievous young boy out of her room, Lily bolted at a speed that didn''t reflect her weakened physique. "Haha, they''re such a lively bunch..." Giggling to herself, a wide grin crept up Ariel''s face. Holding up the amethyst pendant that hung loosely off her neck, the young girl started to think. ''Lovers huh¡­ Shin is going to leave for the Imperius Academy soon¡­ Should I confess before that?'' Lovingly staring at the pendant that a certain black-haired boy gave her, Ariel''s mind couldn''t help but wonder. Over the years, the feelings that had been bottling up in her heart had reached a point where she was unable to control it no longer. A few months ago, when she heard the news that Shin was going to leave for the Capital, she realised that she could no longer lie to herself. Ariel, like Lily, was hopelessly in love. Although Shin and the Frie Clan were at odds in recent years, his relationship with Ariel had only blossomed. On a monthly basis, Ariel would visit Shin, and they would go on dates, or as Shin calls it, mule work so that they could buy back items for the orphans to use. Nonetheless, it became increasingly evident that the both of them bore strong feelings towards one another and it was not as simple as a relationship between childhood friends. However, none of them had to courage to take that first step. In Shin''s mind, finding Junius was the most paramount and adding to the fact that he had limited time to work with, starting a new relationship with Ariel would only serve as a distraction. Ariel, on the other hand, had begun to learn how to manage the Frie Clan, albeit in small steps. Therefore, there was just no time for them to confess. However, with Shin leaving in six months, Ariel was afraid that there would come a time where the both of them would have no time to meet, and their feelings would fade away. She hated to think that, but it was still a real possibility. "Alright! I''m going to do it! Sister Lily captured brother Junius'' heart, why can''t I do the same?" Steeling her resolve, Ariel firmly grasped the piece of cheap amethyst and looked forward to the next time she met Shin. Chapter 168 The Changes In Their Lives 2 Over the past year and a half, due to Lady Seph''s sudden resurgence and the announcement that she resided in Chilyoja Waypoint, the number of tourists that frequently visited the remote town skyrocketed. To deal with the increased influx of people coming into the waypoint daily, Mayor Nadeo had requested permission from the government to expand the four walls of their borders and refurbish many of the older buildings, hoping to transform into a commercial hub. Nevertheless, Rome was not built in a day, and it will take time for the transformation of Chilyoja Waypoint to be complete. Hordes of half-finished buildings were littered all about the now booming town as hundreds, if not thousands of new jobs were being created for construction, commerce and tourism. Every time Mayor Nadeo sees the transformation of his precious town, a prideful tear would drip down his fatigued face. When Aldrich''s Keep had been overrun by a beast horde, he could only fear that the worst was to come. After all, the town was highly reliant on the now demolished fortification for trade. Thus, it was fortunate that Lady Seph had come to the rescue and added a new form of revenue for the Mayor''s Office. The population of the small town had increased dramatically as a result. The packed streets of the commercial hub had only grown more crowded and isolated regions that typically so no signs of life had turned into bustling neighbourhoods. "Healer Shin, will my child be alright?" Inside the confines of his booth, Shin was currently tending to a young girl, who was no older than the age of eight. With a pale face, the girl seemed to be caught in an endless daze as she occasionally sneezed, spewing mucus everywhere in the process. "She just has a cold¡­ Hold up!" Assuring the concerned parent, Shin uncorked his healing gourd and exquisitely controlled his Healing Water out. Shin''s first spiritual ability allowed him to create and manipulate water as he pleased and after years of practice, the young teen had fully mastered the art. When he first awakened his Spirit, Shin was utterly clueless on how to control the droplets of water that The Sovereign Koi would often create. Often times, in the beginning, he would spill the water he created all over his body, allowing the orphans to gain a good laugh from his silliness. Fortunately, through trial and error, the black-haired boy had found the best possible ways to control his ability. Now, if he so wished, he could even treat a patient with surgical precision. "Okay, little girl. Can you take a deep breath in?" "Hmmm? Mnnmmm!!!" Confused as to why the physician asked her to do such a strange manovure, the girl turned back to look at her mother. Only when her parent nodded her head, did she oblige. "I will be using my ability to clean your nasal cavities, please don''t be scared okay?" As he said that, Shin slowly moved his Healing Water to the face of the young girl. Afraid of the strange object that was approaching her, the little girl visibly moved her body backwards only to be stopped her mother''s gentle embrace. "Don''t worry, Healer Shin won''t hurt you. Just stay calm okay?" "Haha, your mother''s right! I wouldn''t dare to harm you! Take a deep breath in, it will be over in a moment." Once he was sure that the girl had followed his instructions, Shin used the Healing Water and covered her nose and her mouth. Careful not to choke or drown the little girl, Shin carefully observed her expression. If there were even a sliver of doubt, the young healer would immediately cease his treatment. Fortunately, after two seconds, the little girl persevered, and there were no signs of discomfort. "Good, just like that¡­ ''Heal!''" Exclaiming out in a commanding voice, the water covering his patient''s nose glowed in a cerulean light, instantly tackling the root of the girl''s illness. "Alright, all done!" Immediately moving the Healing Water away from the girl''s face, Shin ended the treatment. The treatment was over in less than five seconds. Thankfully, the little girl was able to hold her breath for that long. "Is it really?! Abigail, how do you feel?" Stunned at Shin''s healing methods, the mother concernedly asked her daughter. "Mommy? I think¡­ Okay?" Earlier on, Abigail''s voice was weak and soft as mucus coagulated deep in her nasal cavities. Realising it instantly, Shin resolved the problem in one fell swoop. "Ah! Great! Thank you so much, Healer Shin!" "Haha, your welcome. For Abigail here, she should be cured for all symptoms but to be safe, I will prescribe some herbs for her. Do not let her ingest the medicine that I''m giving you. If you have a diffuser, boil the herbs in the diffuser and let her sleep next to it, breathing in the aroma in the process." Explaining the method of treatment, Shin smiled broadly. It was not the first time he healed a sick child that had a worried parent. "So she''s completely healed?! That''s great, Abigail!" "Yes, mommy!" "Now you can go to school tomorrow!" "..." Speechless at her mother''s change in tone, the young girl opened her mouth so wide that an apple could fit inside. As all children were, Abigail thought that she could gain an off-day so that she could stay home from school. Unfortunately, her mother had other plans. "Ermmm, I don''t think it would be wise to send Abigail straight back to school. After all, she just recovered." Just as she was about to give up, a youthful voice came to her rescue. Chuckling mentally to himself, Shin explained to Abigail''s mother that it would be wise for the little girl to stay home. Taken aback by the young healer''s voice, Abigail turned towards Shin as if he was the consecrated saint of her faith and stared at him with eyes of worship. "Is that so? Well, if Healer Shin says so..." Although she really wanted her child to return to school, if her doctor said that it was inappropriate, it would be best to let her stay home for a few days. "Okay, I think we''re done here! Abigail, stay healthy okay?" Giving the little girl a mischievous wink, Shin smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you, Healer Shin!!!" Drunk in happiness, Abigail and her mother left the clinic with light footsteps as the headed straight for the pharmacy. All in all, meeting patients such as Abigail were a large part of Shin''s life. Every morning, he would wake up early and do one to two hours of physical training. Perhaps due to his desire to meet Junius, his drive would be newly refreshed, and as much as he disliked waking up, Shin would always do his best to complete his physical training before he started his day. Once he was all freshened up, depending on the time of his shift, he would either study in the extensive library that Mayor Nadeo had built in Yakkyoku Clinic or treat the patients that came to see him. Since he was still considered a novice, Shin was prohibited from treating the more severe cases, and the majority of his patients were those with minor colds or a light bruise. Nonetheless, he always treated each patient to the best of his ability. Perhaps it was due to his failure to save Ronlen back in Aldrich''s Keep, Shin was meticulous in treating every patient, even if it meant that he had to go the extra mile. Therefore, whenever he has a patient such as Abigail, it was always heartwarming to observe how desperate a parent would get when it came to the well-being of their children. "Hah¡­ Family, huh..." Unknowingly, Shin deeply sighed as he reclined back into his chair. From young, he was told that he was an orphan and that he was picked up by the Frie Clan. However, it didn''t change the fact that he was curious about his biological parents. What happened to them? Have they passed on? What would they do if they saw him now? Numerous questions flowed through Shin''s mind everytime he thought about this issue. "Whatever¡­ Treating the next patient is more important¡­" Pushing aside the random thought that he had, Shin was about to call out for the next patient. "*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*." However, before he got a chance to do so, heavy footsteps could be heard from the opposite side of the door and as it got louder with every passing second. "HEALER SHIN!!! There has been an emergency!!!" One of the physicians that had been hired by Mayor Nadeo stormed into the black-haired youth''s room, bringing dire news with him. "What happened?!" "There was a beast attack on a caravan four kilometres east from the waypoint! Over thirty people are injured! The Constable Headquarters has requested our assistance!" Now that Yakkyoku Clinic had become the leading healing hub for the town''s medical needs, the Constable Headquarters had formed a relationship with the clinic so that in times of emergency, the city could call upon the wealth of healing talent that the medical centre boasted. However, since Chilyoja Waypoint was a rather peaceful place, there had been less than three emergencies that required the assistance of Shin and the others. "Oh god!!! Are there any fatalities?!" "Unclear, but since it is an emergency, I assume that they all require immediate attention!" "Does Master know about this?" Taking off his inside coat, Shin concernedly asked. After the Black Masks'' attack, Lady Seph had instructed Shin to never leave the town without her authorisation, lest another attack happened. "She does! And she sent..." "Yip! Yip!" Bolting straight towards Shin''s bosom, an adorable snowy white gerbil lovingly licked the boy''s salty face. Being a Tier 8 Spirit Beast, Bingbing was the best bodyguard that Shin could have. Whenever he left Chilyoja Waypoint in search for Junius, Lady Seph always ordered Bingbing to follow Shin around, and this time was no different. "Oh, great! Alright then, Master has given her approval! Is there a carriage waiting for us outside?" "Yes! The rest of the healers are gathering as we speak." "Okay, I''ll be right there!!!" Clearing up his belongings at the fastest speed his hands could take him, Shin cradled Bingbing deeper into his chest as he rushed out of Yakkyoku Clinic. Chapter 169 A Scene Of Carnage 1 Dozens of riders on horseback and horses pulling carriages of people galloped straight out of the eastern gate and moved at rapid speeds towards the now downed caravan. Since it was unclear how many casualties there were, Yakkyoku Clinic had temporarily shut down and sent over ninety per cent of their available healers to the scene. Naturally, that meant that Shin and many of the apprentices were called in for duty, including Kesyl, who had experience with cleaning wounds and nursing. The scent of spring was blocked by the incessant discharge of dust clouds formed by the horses'' rapid movements, making the trip towards the convoy somewhat suffocating. Long-time veterans such as the constables and the elder healers were able to withstand the constant emission of dust and smoke, but Shin and Kesyl were forced to use a handkerchief to cover their mouths. "We''re here!!!" As the younger generation was trying to withstand the bumpy and uncomfortable ride, the carriage came to a sudden halt. A booming voice reverberated from one end of the transport to the other. Dismounting from the carriage, Shin was slack-jawed. The usually plain and flat fields were now littered with large craters and destroyed vehicles. Carcasses of horses revealed horrific bite marks showed the viciousness that had fallen upon the poor inhabitants of the convoy. Fresh, flowing blood filled the entire road, making the place reek of death. Decapitated vicious Spirit Beasts could be seen lying about, hinting the hard-fought battle that the escorts of the convoy had put up. Speaking of the human survivors, dozens of groaning bodies were lying about with constables trying their best with first aid. Dismembered arms and legs could be seen just centimetres away from their bodies as lumps of flesh were littered about. One could tell that the survivors had never experienced such pain before due to their endless tears and moans. "*Blurrgghhh!!!*." From the corner of his eyes, Shin could see Kesyl emptying out her stomach while attempting to keep her sanity. It was the first time someone like her had seen such a radical scene of carnage. "Kesyl, have some water and take a short break to get accustomed to the environment. Don''t rush into it." Shin warmly encouraged the weak little girl. Shin was mostly unaffected by the scene due to his prior experience healing at Aldrich''s Keep. Back then, the total death tally and disgusting sights that he witnessed were much more horrendous than that of the current environment. "I''m fine! Give me a few minutes!" Trying her best to recollect herself, Kesyl discharged her last amount of vomit before wiping her face. As an apprentice at Yakkyoku Clinic, it was unsightly for her to be taken aback by an attack scene. "If you say so¡­ Just don''t push yourself." Leaving Kesyl to the care of her peers, Shin hurriedly moved to understand the severity of the situation. "Healer Shin! You''re here!" A constable officer on stand-by called out to the black-haired youth. Shin was somewhat reputable amongst those from the Constable Headquarters. Not only was he a resident of Chilyoja Waypoint for four years, but he was also the former constable mascot, Junius'' ''younger brother.'' There were many times where Junius would proudly introduce Shin to his colleagues, virtually allowing Shin to be recognisable by any constable in town. "What happened here?" Before he could start treating patients, Shin wanted to know the full details of the attack. "A trading caravan, that was carrying various spices and food items, from a nearby town was travelling to the waypoint when over a hundred beasts attacked them. The motivation behind the beast attack is unknown, but we assume that they were attracted by the scent of food. Although they had managed to kill off the majority of the beasts, nearly everyone in the convoy was injured. We arrived here and drove off the rest of the beasts, but we lack the ability to treat any of them." The constable gave a rough breakdown of the situation to Shin. "Okay, have you separated the severity levels?" "Yes! Healer Rahwil came here a few minutes earlier than you guys and sorted them out." The constable officer assured Shin of his worries. "I see, if Senior Rahwil did it, it should be accurate. Alright, let me start treating some of them!" Healer Rahwil was a senior Healer at the Spirit Lord realm that worked at Yakkyoku Clinic. Among the new hires that Mayor Nadeo had roped in, Healer Rahwil was unquestionably the most experienced and possibly even the most overqualified. The only reason why he agreed to work at the clinic was only that he hoped to have a chance to learn from Lady Seph in person. Running over to the nearby survivors, Shin found the patients that he had the most confidence in treating. Closing his eyes, the young healer controlled his breathing as he gathered his mana. In less than a blink of an eye, a deep cerulean light emerged from the depths of his spiritual body. The Sovereign Koi, which had been resting peacefully in the vast lake that existed inside of Shin''s body, made its appearance once more. About four years had passed since it was awakened during the Day of Spirits and it had grown significantly since. Initially, it was so tiny that a slight stomp might utterly devastate it and cause it to lose its life almost immediately. However, now it was over forty centimetres in length and had thick muscles all over its body. The most significant change wasn''t its size though. The Sovereign Koi had originally been entirely cerulean in colour, but now there was a tinge of gold all about its scaly exterior. Flapping its fins in protest, as if annoyed that Shin had called it out from its happy slumber, The Sovereign Koi innocently glared at its master. "Hey, don''t be like that. It''s time for work..." Shin was often baffled by how his Spirit varied from others. Standard Spirits don''t usually display signs of intelligence and develop personalities. The Sovereign Koi, on the other hand, seemed to break all kinds of stigma on how a Spirit should be. Thinking that it was just because The Sovereign Koi was part of the Eight Scions of Water, Shin simply brushed the matter off completely. Using his first ability, Shin created a few litres of water just so that he could clean off the impurities that lay in the patient''s wound. Trying his hardest not to put the patient into any more harm, Shin quickly cleaned off many parts of the injured man''s wounds. Once he was satisfied, Shin created another vial of Healing Water and begun his treatment. The sweaty face of the patient slowly turned calm and collected after a short period of time, indicating that Shin''s healing was starting to take effect. After ten minutes, the blood flowing from the patient''s wounds had ceased entirely, and his body was starting to function the way it was supposed to. "Phew¡­ Good thing we rushed here..." Taking a hard look around, Shin saw all of his peers trying their best to heal as many patients as they could. Thankfully, they had responded quickly. Otherwise, many of the injured might not have lived to see another day. Now that his patient''s condition had stabilised, Shin moved on to the next available person. Once again, he repeated the steps. Cleaning the wounds, healing him up and finally, bandaging him. This time, the whole process took less than five minutes to complete as the patient''s wounds were less severe. Bit by bit, Shin healed as many patients as he could and in the end, thirty minutes had passed since he had arrived on the scene. "Hey, Healer Shin¡­ Did you feel that?" As he was bandaging one of his patients, Kesyl, who was assisting Shin in his treatment, gave an ominous statement. "Feel what?" Confused about what his junior was talking about, Shin tilted his head while continuing to treat his patient. "I don''t know¡­ Isn''t it like quieter now? Also, I felt a chilling aura..." "Oh come on, it must be your imagination! Let''s focus on the task at hand." "No! I clearly felt something spooky! There! Here it is again!" Adamant that something awry was about to happen, the bobbed haired girl stood up in a hurry and glanced into the woodlands far away. As a member of the Duke''s family, she was taught to sense danger as her life was often targetted. Therefore, her instincts had been trained to a terrifying degree. "Kesyl?" Finishing up his treatment, Shin stood up in the same manner as his junior and stared in the direction that she was looking at. "*ROOOOAAAARRRR!!!*." A frenzied howl bellowed out, stunning every single soul present. "Damn it! They''re back, huh!!! Men, to your positions! Protect the healers and the injured at all costs!!!" Summoning out his Spirit, the constable officer barked out orders at his men. It was a known fact that beasts liked to attack in packs as there was strength in numbers. In fact, there were often times where they attacked in waves to wear down their prey. Underestimating the drive of the hungry beasts, the constables were caught entirely off guard when they returned with reinforcements. "What luck¡­ We ran into a beast horde once more." While the nurses and apprentices sent from Yakkyoku Clinic were panicking, Shin and the other experienced healers were as calm as a sea breeze. It was not their first times on a battlefield. Many of them even fought with beasts to protect their patients before. "Kesyl, stay close to me. That way I can make sure that no beasts injure you..." Forming five water spheres that orbited around his body, Shin gently assured the alarmed girl. Over the years, when he was conducting his search for Junius, Shin had encountered various beasts. And every single time, using his own combat prowess, the Spirit Apostle had emerged victorious. Therefore, being stuck in a situation such as this was not entirely foreign to him. "Thank you, Healer Shin! I''ll help too!" Kesyl summoned out her Spirit and readied herself for combat. Although she was still an apprentice, Kesyl was still a Spirit Apostle that had been trained in protecting herself. There was no way she would allow herself drag Shin down with her antics. "Hah¡­ What to do with you..." Shaking his head, Shin moved his focus to the dozens of Spirit Beasts charging his way. Making out the identity of the adversary that they were facing, Shin squinted his eyes. "Grey Storm Wolves¡­ So they were the ones who caused this carnage huh..." Grey Storm Wolves. Spirit Beasts that are blessed in the element of wind. Alone, they were at most Tier 1 or 2 Spirit Beasts, but as a collective, they were far more dangerous than a regular Tier 4 Spirit Beast. The best way to deal with the overwhelming numbers that the pack of Grey Storm Wolves brought, was to separate them into individuals and take them down one by one. Knowing that fact, the constable officer had already instructed his subordinates to scatter as he was preparing a massively scaled ability that would spread the Grey Storm Wolves apart. Waiting patiently for the beasts to arrive, Shin controlled his water spheres as masterfully as he could, with The Sovereign Koi spinning around in circles around his hand. "Let''s do this!!!" Chapter 170 A Scene Of Carnage 2 As the pack of Grey Storm Wolves edged ever closer, Shin and the rest of the constables braced for impact. Although they were facing a direct attack from a bunch of savage beasts, every single one of the constables stayed calm. Throughout their entire career, they had faced multiple situations such as this one and fighting a few Grey Storm Wolves was one of the easier challenges that they had encountered. "*Whoosh!!!*." Being imbued with high amounts of elemental wind energy, the Storm Wolves were one of the fastest land Spirit Beasts there was. Speeding down towards the downed convoy, the pack of beasts viciously aimed at the delicious flesh of their prey. "Stupid beasts, do we really look like lunch to you?!" A crease formed at on the shiny forehead of the constable officer as he violently hollered out. He was pissed off that they were being underestimated. "Men!!! Mind your heads!!!" Warning everyone in the vicinity, the constable captain gathered a humongous fireball above his head and threw it straight at the pack of beasts. Moving at a speed equivalent to that of a fastball, the mass of fire was viciously aimed at the centre of the pack. Unfortunately, the Grey Storm Wolves were one of the most elusive and agile Spirit Beasts in the region. Scattering into smaller packs, the wolves effortlessly evaded the large-scale attack. "Idiots, that''s what I wanted you to do!!!" Once they had been divided, the other constables and able-bodied healers sprung into action. With their Spirits unleashed, they proceeded to wreak havoc amongst the split up wolf pack. Fire spewed and water sliced. Earth pounded, and lightning stuck. All sorts of elemental abilities were on full display as humans fought beasts. One of the Grey Storm Wolves signature attacks was to call forth razor sharp wind blades that could slice even the sharpest of swords. Naturally, every single one of the fighters present was aware of said ability and made the necessary precautions to protect themselves in the event that they were hit by it. Thankfully, due to the disorder created by the constable officer, the Grey Storm Wolves were still disoriented and were in the midsts of recovery, giving them a chance to strike at maximum strength without worrying about the ramifications from over-extending. "Stay close, Kesyl..." Shin blurted out softly while fixing his gaze upon the beasts that were heading to his direction. It didn''t take long for one rogue wolf to slip past the cracks of the constables'' defences and launch an attack on the young teen. Since Shin was of a smaller build compared to the others nearby, the wolf must have assumed that the young boy was an easy prey for lunch. "Dumb beast..." Lightly cursing the Grey Storm Wolf, Shin manipulated two of the water orbs to move in front of him. Gradually, the two spheres met and formed into a different shape altogether. A thin wall, entirely composed by Shin''s created water, barred the beast from coming any closer. From his back, the three remnant water spheres turned into eight water tendrils, making Shin resembled a spider that was stalking its prey. After facing many situations where he was forced to let others protect him, Shin had decided to put his foot down. In the one and a half years since he was targeted by the Black Masks, he had changed his training methods to fuel his combative side, as it was severely lacking as compared to someone like Ariel. As a result, he experimented on various ways to increase his combat ability. One of which was the spider form that he was currently adopting. By combining a strong defence with an offence that could control his enemy, Shin would expertly decimate his foes by either wearing them down or drowning them with his created water. Shin''s greatest asset was neither Heal nor was it his physical prowess, but the first ability that he disdained when he first awakened it. Creating water and manipulating it seemed to be a straightforward ability where the most the user could do was ensure that he retained an infinite water source. However, the number of variations and possibilities that the ability possessed was virtually endless. Unlike Junius'' ''Pierce'' or Ariel''s ''Lava Puddle,'' the fact that Shin could essentially make a thousand attacks from one ability made him the superior Spirit User. That was if he was proficient in using it. The Grey Storm Wolf closed in the distance between them in a blink of an eye. Baring its talon-like fangs, the beast attempted to break through the thin layer of water that seemed to be easily passable. However, for some reason, the moment it made contact with the wall, its teeth got stuck, and the wolf lost all of its momentum. Struggling to escape from the grasp of the water wall, the wolf flailed its muscular legs about as its claws scratched the viscous surface of the wall. Unfortunately, since it was made entirely from water, any damage done to the wall would be immediately repaired in the next second. "Hmph! I like dogs, but wolves that think that I am just a piece of meat really pisses me off." Shin snapped at the wolf. Evidently, he had some bad prior experiences when it came to wolf beasts. Now that the Grey Storm Wolf was caught in his trap, Shin could now lay down his cold judgement. Turning the ends of the spider legs into thick human fists, the pissed off youth ferociously slammed the water fists down upon the beast, as if he was beating down some dough. "*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*." Thundering blasts shook the floor, drawing the attention of all those nearby. Sparing no mercy, Shin hammered down on the beast, causing its bones to break and tendons to snap. Since the Grey Storm Wolf needed to be as agile and quick as possible, it bore very few defensive mechanisms such as thick fur or armoured flesh. Therefore, Shin didn''t need to expend much effort to completely decimate his enemy. After taking hundreds of fists, the Grey Storm Wolf had turned as flat as a pancake, with not a semblance of life amidst its eyes. Controlling one of his water tendrils to form a shape of a human hand, Shin grabbed the dead carcass and flung it far away to one side. "Healer Shin¡­ To think that you had such a barbarous side to you..." Kesyl gulped in fear. She was used to seeing the gentle Shin, who cared dearly about his patients. It was weird to see such a drastic change in the healer Kesyl had respected so much. "Kesyl, if it''s too crazy for you, I don''t mind if you close your eyes..." Playfully winking at the young girl, Shin offered up a suggestion. "No! I can take it! Please, don''t worry about me, Healer Shin!" Immediately taking back her statement that she had uttered in a daze, Kesyl immediately flushed in embarrassment. "Haha, just don''t push yourself too much." Diverting his attention back onto the battlefield, Shin smiled as he tried to reassure his junior, seemingly forgetting that she was about the same age as he was. Now that the Grey Storm Wolves were spread out, it was much easier for the constables to take out the beasts one by one. Thinning out the pack, the constables ensured that the healers and injured were well-protected and soon, the number of beasts had been halved. "Keep it up! We are almost done with them!" The constable officer barked out, satisfied with his men performance. Although there were some Grey Storm Wolves that slipped past the cracks in their defences, for the most part, the constables were holding back over ninety per cent of the beasts. For those wolves that managed to break through the defensive line, they were utterly smashed by the combative healers, such as Shin, preventing them from tasting the flesh of the injured that they had come to save. "Hoho... Looks like Healer Shin is really unloading huh..." A gravelly voice softly spoke out. Standing at the forefront of the combative Healers, a lean and medium-build man folded his arms in akimbo as he gazed at Shin''s direction with his pure hazel eyes. Looking no more than forty, the middle-aged man retained his head full of burgundy hair, which was uncommon for men his age. Wrinkles that should have been more defined had been made less significant, indicating that he was in the pink of health. "Healer Rahwil?" A nearby apprentice called out to the middle-aged man, confused that he had taken his eyes off the battle to stare at the black-haired youth. "No, it''s nothing¡­ As expected as the disciple of the infamous Lady Seph. At his age, not only is he a skilled healer, but his combat ability is also not one to be scoffed at¡­ To think that I could only get to see a talent like that appear in these peaceful times." Healer Rahwil shook his head. The Healer''s Association had a defined hierarchy that reflected the skillsets of those in each level. At the bottom-most layer, were the apprentices. Typically assistants to certified healers, the apprentices were the equivalent of a live-in disciple, and they learned the art of healing through the guidance of their masters. Once an apprentice had gained enough knowledge and experience, they could attempt to learn the staple ability of any healer, ''Heal.'' Unfortunately, due to the complexities that came with learning ''Heal,'' only one in five apprentices are able to add that supernatural ability into their arsenal before they turned twenty. If an apprentice had successfully learned ''Heal,'' they could register for their healing license so that they could be officially accredited as a novice healer. Should they wish to continue on the path of the healer, they must work in a recognised clinic or military medical facility for ten full years and learn another ability pertaining to their treatments. Only then would they be promoted to an intermediate healer, and the pattern continues. The ranks are as follows: Apprentice ¡ú Novice Healer ¡ú Intermediate Healer ¡ú Senior Healer ¡ú Registrar ¡ú Elder Healer ¡ú Divine Healer. As their title suggests, for novice healers to senior healers, they are all physicians with incremental healing abilities. A registrar, on the other hand, is a top healer that was bestowed with a management position in the Healer''s Association. Typically responsible for overseeing an entire region of healers, the Registrar was a position that was coveted every single doctor that joined the craft. If the Registrar gained enough prestige and reached a threshold in the art of healing that impressed the top brass of the Healer''s Association, then the healer would be promoted to the Elder Healer position and would be able to influence future decisions that the organisation might take. For the final level, the Divine Healer, only those who had done undisputable meritorious tasks for the Healer''s Association could be bestowed that title. Only the resident Spirit Saint, Her Holiness Althea, has the right to decide who gains the title that every single healer lusts for. In the modern day, there were only six breathing Divine Healers. "Perhaps I''m looking at the birth of the next Divine Healer..." Healer Rahwil muttered to himself, with a tinge of envy in his voice. Being a Senior Healer, it was natural for him to aim high. Unfortunately, he was well aware of his capabilities. The more Rahwil climbed up the ladder, the more crushed he got. The talents of those at the top were terrifying. So terrifying that the closer he got to the top, the more he wished to give up. Even if he had twice the lifespan of his peers, there was no way he could bridge the gap between those freaks of nature. However, even amongst those monsters, there were none that could even begin to match the talent that was Shin. The most horrific thing about Shin wasn''t his spiritual abilities or godlike cultivation rate, but his monstrous comprehension ability. He could fully assimilate hundreds of pages of medical journals within a day, something that even Healer Rahwil couldn''t do, with his decades of experience. Now that Shin was already at the peak of Rank 16, he was on track to break into the Rank 20 Spirit Core realm before he turned sixteen, further cementing his legacy as the most talented healer in history. While Rahwil was busy theorising about Shin''s future prospects, the young boy had taken on another Grey Storm Wolf. Turning the ends of his water tendrils into sharp blades, Shin brutally stabbed into the savage beast, severing its four limbs in a matter of seconds. Although his grey robes were free from impurities due to his excellent defences, no one present could deny that the youth stunk of death. "Hah¡­ We should finish up before I get more depressed..." Letting out a deep sigh, Healer Rahwil quickly mauled down another Grey Storm Wolf with the full intention of finishing the entire beast pack. Chapter 171 A Scene Of Carnage 3 When the battle first started, over sixty Grey Storm Wolves were charging downhill towards the downed caravan. However, in less than twenty minutes, there were less than ten remaining. After the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, Mayor Nadeo and the Chief Constable, Lewis, doubled up on the training that all the constables had to go through, ensuring that all of them were well prepared for any possible threat from the wild Spirit Beasts. And thankfully, their efforts weren''t fruitless. In the event of a surprise attack, the constables kept their calm and found the best possible way to minimise the damage done to them and those that they were protecting. Naturally, they had to thank the healers from Yakkyoku Clinic for stepping up and disposing of the few beasts that roamed past their defences but all in all, their reaction to the pack of wolves was optimal, given the situation that they were in. Finally realising the demise of their comrades, the wolves huddled up together to prevent any more casualties. Unfortunately, the constables had no intention of letting the beasts escape peacefully. "Don''t let a single one out of your sights!!! God knows if they will come back with more reinforcements!!!" The constable officer hollered out. "Yes, sir!!!" Surrounding the few wolves, the constables formed a solid circle, barring the path of escape for any of the beasts. In their hands, high-powered elemental weapons shone in a brilliant light, as if they were a charged up laser preparing to fire. Once the constable officer gave the signal, there was no doubt that the surviving beasts would be utterly terminated. "*AWOOOOOO!!!*." With death imminent, one of the Grey Storm Wolves howled out in despair. As if responding to its mournful cry, the remainder of the beasts followed suit. "Ready your attacks!!!" Raising his hand high in the air, the constable officer planned to give the wolves an end. For the sake of those that died in the earlier battle and the safety of all the residents in the town, the constable officer ignored the anguished bawlings of the wolves. "*WHHOOOOOOOSSHHHH!!!*." However, before he could give the signal, a dreadful wind smashed straight into the encirclement, sweeping all of the constables off their feet. "Damn it!!! Now what?!?!" Clearly irritated by the sudden change of events, the constable officer cried out. The constables in the forefront of the battlefield were unable to figure out what had hit them. However, for Shin and the other healers who were situated way back, they were able to clearly distinguish the identity of the attacker. A violent spiral of wind dropped down from the grey skies, seemingly drawing the clouds along with it. The crackling of thunder that was uncommon for the region reverberated through the heavens, breaking the monotony of the spring afternoon. Trees that should have been firmly rooted to the ground could be seen spinning uncontrollably, hurling themselves straight to any poor soul that passed its path. "A tornado?! Can the Grey Storm Wolves create such a phenomenon?!" Kesyl eyes bulged as she questioned her own sanity. "No, Grey Storm Wolves are at most a Tier 2 Spirit Beast. Even in large numbers, there was no way that they could create such a violent scene." A calm and sensible answer came from her side. Shin, who was furrowing his brows in contemplation, was clearly moved by the tornado making a sudden appearance. "Healer Shin? If it''s not the Grey Storm Wolves..." "Yeah, looks like the final boss has arrived..." Confirming Kesyl''s wild conjecture, Shin created a water wall once again to boost his defences. "AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" A vociferous howl, one of the likes that neither Shin nor Kesyl had felt before, descended upon the group of constables and healers. The vicious tornado began to dissipate revealing a twenty-metre tall giant. Four meaty legs that resembled pillars of buildings clawed deep into the bloodied soil. Its luminous eyes glistened spectacularly, bringing fear to its enemies hearts. Opening its jaw, the humongous beast revealed its full set of jagged fangs that could maul through the toughest of flesh with ease. "A Tempest Wolf King¡­ I should have guessed..." Shin shook his head in disappointment at his lack of awareness. The signs should have been obvious. Packs upon packs of Grey Storm Wolves weren''t a common sighting in the remote town. Being relatively weak, the Grey Storm Wolves tend to avoid human settlements for fear of annihilation. To be so bold as to attack a trading caravan that was just a stone throw''s distance from a major town, there had to be a powerful backer that gave the beasts their confidence. "A Tempest Wolf King? What''s that?" Kesyl questioned the disturbed teen as her eyes quivered in trepidation. "A mighty Tier 5 Spirit Beast. Judging from its size, it might even be on the brink of evolving into Tier 6¡­ Nonetheless, the constables are in for a tough fight now..." Shin explained to the girl patiently. When Shin first brought up the idea of creating a search party to find Junius, Lady Seph put forth a set of conditions. Firstly, he had to be accompanied by Bingbing at all times. Secondly, he had to always report to her where he was going, and finally, he had to memorise the majority of all wild Spirit Beasts that plagued the land of the Himmel Empire. That way, once he knows what kind of adversary he was facing, Shin could either decide to make an immediate escape or to put up a fight. Typically, if he were to discover a Tempest Wolf King, no matter what the situation, he would do his best to escape. However, with the protection of the town''s constables and an array of unmoving patients lying behind him, there was no way that Shin would consider fleeing. "Healer Rahwil! Don''t worry about us! Please help the constables take down the Tempest Wolf King!" Shin cried out. A Tier 5 Spirit Beast was the equivalent of a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre, and the only healer present that was in that realm was Healer Rahwil. As a member of Yakkyoku Clinic, he had a duty to protect the rest of the healers from harm''s way, even if it meant abandoning the constables in times of peril to save his own. Thus, from the start of the battle, even though he could clearly fight in the vanguard, Healer Rahwil stood at the back lines and placed all of his attention on protecting Shin and the others. "Are you sure?" "Yes. We can''t afford to let the potential debris from the fight destroy the landscape. Otherwise, how are we going to treat the injured?" Shin calmly explained, unaffected by the queer gazes that people were sending him. Even when facing a Tier 5 Spirit Beast, he was still as cool as a cucumber. "... Fine then. Be careful then." After a short pause, Healer Rahwil let out a sigh and leapt straight into the front lines to assist the constables. "Hah¡­ Bingbing, do you think that you could help me this one time?" Glancing downwards at his bosom, Shin muttered in a voice that only he could hear. The snowy white gerbil, who seemed unaffected by the commotion of the outside world, drowsily opened up her eyes after hearing her name being called. Lazily poking her head out from Shin''s robes, Bingbing took a quick peek at the Tempest Wolf King as her whiskers flung about with an adorable sneeze. It only took three seconds of observations before the Tier 8 Spirit Beast made up her mind. "You''re going back to sleep?!?!" Shin gasped at the gerbil''s next actions. Opening her mouth, Bingbing yawned deeply before snuggling in the warmth of the young teenager''s clothes. "Come on! It''s just one time!" "..." "Please? I''ll give you your favourite snack when we reach home!" "..." No matter how much Shin pleaded, Bingbing simply ignored him by shaking her tail. Lady Seph''s orders to Bingbing were to protect Shin in his times of peril which was subjective to the sentient Spirit Beast''s judgement. If Bingbing were to leave Shin''s side to deal with the Tempest Wolf King, a potential attacker that might have been lurking in the shadows might pounce out of nowhere and damage Shin. Additionally, after taking a look at the Tempest Wolf King and its adversaries, Bingbing deemed that there was no need for her to act as she deemed the combined powers of the constables and Healer Rahwil to be sufficient to take down a mere Spirit 5 Spirit Beast. "You''re heartless, do you know that?" "*Yip* *Yip*." For the first time, the snowy white gerbil responded. Apparently, she had taken issue with Shin''s accusation and proceeded to protest. "Yeah, yeah¡­ You''re not heartless¡­ Just cold-blooded!" "*Yip* *Yip* *Yip!!!*." "I know that you''re a mammal!" "*Yip* *Yip* *Yip* *Yip!!!*" "Yeah, yeah. I know that you helped me many times before..." "*YIP* *YIP* *YIP* *YIP* *YIP!!!*" "Okay, fine! I get it already!!! Sorry, for calling you that! There''s no need to shout!" "*YIP* *YIP* *YIP* *YIP* *YIP!!!*" "Urghhh, I said I was sorry! What else do you want?!?!" The back-and-forth bickering between Spirit Beast and human continued for a while, bringing in strange looks from the onlookers. "BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!" Unfortunately, Shin and Bingbing were unable to continue their disobedient son, and annoyed mother act as a thunderous explosion decimated the area. Piles of smoke and dust burst forth into the air, creating a thick fog that blinded everyone. Sensing a threat approaching Shin, Bingbing created a clear ice barrier that encased both the youth she sought to protect and the little girl that happened to be within arm''s length of him. Once the dust settled, the fight between the constables and the Tempest Wolf King became more and more apparent. Even though it was facing overwhelming odds, the savage beast still managed to hold its ground, landing clean hits every so often. "Isn''t the Tempest Wolf King a Tier 5 Spirit Beast? How can it do so well against Healer Rahwil and the others?" Kesyl innocently asked. "Kesyl, you need to understand this. The cultivation system is not a complete guide on the power of the individual or beast. For instance, even though I am a Spirit Apostle, I might be unable to triumph against well-trained, combat-oriented Spirit Practitioner in a fist fight. However, when it comes to treating patients, no Spirit Practitioner in the world could match my ability." Shin nonchalantly stated. There was no arrogance in his voice as all that he said was the truth. "The same goes for the Tempest Wolf King. Its strengths lie in its tremendous ability to control the area. With its elemental wind powers, it could create tornados, split open attackers and even move at blinding speeds. In a group battle, the Tempest Wolf King is almost unparalleled in its tier." "I see¡­ That''s why Healer Rahwil and the others are struggling to beat it..." Enlightened, Kesyl''s face brightened up. "Not only that, the constables are trying their best to prevent any form of collateral damage. So they must draw the Tempest Wolf King far away before they go all-out." Shin hit the pin on the needle when it came to the constable''s assault plan. Fearing that their battle would cause excessive damage to the bystanders, Healer Rahwil and the constables were doing their best to prevent any destructive abilities from flying Shin''s way. Thus, they had allowed the savage beast to control the flow of the battle until they were a safe distance away. "Well, let''s just watch. It''s not every day that you get to witness a high-level battle such as this one..." Chapter 172 A Scene Of Carnage 4 The Tempest Wolf King towered over the rest of the constables at twenty metres tall and moved at a speed that was unlike its size. Adding the fact that it could decimate legions of men with a wave of its tail, the vicious Spirit Beast was not a simple foe that could be overwhelmed with numbers. Healer Rahwil knew that simple fact. To deal with the monster, he had to find a way to bind its movements and allow the constables to deliver consecutive direct hits upon its body. Gathering his mana, Healer Rahwil summoned out his Spirit. On the palm of his hand, a white magnolia flower, resembling the purest of entities sprout forward, illuminated the grey atmosphere with its brilliant lustre. Although the skies were void of rain, the fragrant aroma of sweet rain dew filled the bloodied battlefield, calming the tense hearts of all the anxious fighters present. Even Shin, who was already somewhat peaceful, seemed to forget that he was in the midst of a battle with a Tier 5 Spirit Beast, as he closed his eyes to embrace the comfort that the aroma brought. "Senior Rahwil''s Spirit never ceases to amaze me¡­ Even in such a dire situation, it can make me lose my senses..." After a brief moment of relaxation, Shin snapped himself back into reality. The Epione Magnolia. A divine flower-type Spirit that was bathed in the elements of light. Bearing the name of a goddess of myth, the Epione Magnolia was a unique Spirit in which every Spirit User that awakens it, would gain the same first spiritual ability. A passive power that soothes the hearts and souls of any that roam near it, Spirit Users that possess the Epione Magnolia are always sought after by healers. Nonetheless, even though the Epione Magnolia was in nature a gentle Spirit, depending on how the Spirit User was raised, it could also, in turn, change into a vicious tool for destruction. Not wanting to waste any more time dilly-dallying, Healer Rahwil charged straight at the Tempest Wolf King while it was still under the effects of his passive. The Epione Magnolia on Healer Rahwil''s hand began to glimmer in a holy light as he edged closer and closer to the colossal beast. Realising that something was approaching it at high speeds, the Tempest Wolf King banged its head on the floor to snap itself out of the soothing effect that the Epione Magnolia had hit it with. Once the blurriness of its vision settled, the Tempest Wolf King saw a man flying straight towards it at full speed. "Too late, you mongrel!!!" Taking this opportunity, Healer Rahwil released thousands of beautiful white petals into the air, surrounding the Tempest Wolf King before it had a chance to react. The petals flew erratically with the wind, with no sense of directions. Figuring out that the enemy had done something during the brief period of weakness, the Tempest Wolf King howled in anger, releasing a flurry of wind blades. Unfortunately, since the white petals numbered over a thousand, there was no way for it to get rid of it all. Enclosing his fists, Healer Rahwil sent a significant amount of mana to the Epione Magnolia petals floating without instruction. All of a sudden, as if they had gone alert, the white petals stood erect at their positions, like soldiers waiting in attention. A playful smile crept up the face of Healer Rahwil as he felt a surge of blood rush up his face. It had been a while since he had used this ability in battle. Thus he was looking forward to seeing its effects. "Shrapnel him down¡­ ''Petal Rain!!!''" Turning into white luminous raindrops that fell directly at the Tempest Wolf King, the thousands of magnolia petals pierced into the flesh of the beast, hoping to tear off bits of its body in the process. "*AAAWWOOOOOOO!!!*." Howling out in agony, the Tempest Wolf King bore the full brunt of the attack. "Tssskkk, even though its a speed specialised beast, its hide is still that thick huh?" Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Healer Rahwil shook his head in disappointment. Being in full control of his ability, he was the most aware of its effectiveness. Even though he could break the first layer of its skin, the sharp petals were unable to penetrate any further. Calling down yet another tornado, the Tempest Wolf King cleaned itself of the foreign invaders that were currently stuck to its body. The flesh of the beast seemed to be untouched by the previous attack, bar some light cuts on its flesh. Clearly irritated by the strike, the Tempest Wolf King''s eyes turned crimson as it snarled viciously at the foolish creep that caused it such pain. "No, you did well, Healer Rahwil!!! Let me take it from here!" From the side of the disappointed middle-aged man, an enthusiastic cry emerged. The constable officer that was sent to oversee the entire group summoned out a pair of Auburn Iron Gauntlets and equipped them onto his hands. Controlling the fire elements that surrounded him, the officer compressed his mana to create a flaming globe that encompassed his entire body. "Haha, time for me to teach you a lesson..." Rich orange flames spun at high speeds melting the floor beneath the constable officer. Slapping his fists together, the warrior sped straight at the Tempest Wolf King that was busy staring Healer Rahwil down. Pissed off at the constable officer''s actions, the Tempest Wolf King threw a few wind blades at the man charging towards him. However, whenever it came into contact with the globe of flames that surrounded the officer, the wind blades dissipated into nothingness. All the while, the hungry gauntlets of the officer was fringing ever closer. After many failed attempts, the Tempest Wolf King finally hopped backwards for the first time since its arrival. For now, it had to swallow up its pride and figure out the best way to deal with its opponents. "Healer Rahwil! Can you send more of those petals to bind its movements?! It is too fast for me!" The constable officer shouted. Being a pure physical Spirit User, the officer was no match for the specialised attribute of the Tempest Wolf King. "I can try¡­ But it sees me as the number one enemy now after that attack¡­" "Don''t worry, I have a plan that would push it towards you! All you need to do is to use those petals once more!!!" "If you say so..." Readying his Epione Magnolia once again, Healer Rahwil summoned out a few thousand more white petals. Flowing around him, as if being carried by a spring breeze, Healer Rahwil seemed to become rather picturesque. Once the Tempest Wolf King witnessed its dreaded enemy summoning out his power, it growled in irritation as it glared at Healer Rahwil with vicious eyes. It was as if it wished to tear the middle-aged man''s body, limb from limb. "Hey, hey! I''m your opponent!!!" Taking advantage of the short moment where the Tempest Wolf King moved its eyes away from him, the constable officer closed the distance at an alarming speed. Still protected by the flaming globe that surrounded him, the constable officer didn''t have to fear the raging tempest that was created by the beast. Stunned by the sudden arrival of the constable captain, the Tempest Wolf King pivoted its body to move away from the flaming man. Sadly, it was too late. "Expand!!!" Hollering out at the top of his lungs, the constable officer''s body shone with an incredible light as fire burst forth from the side of the Tempest Wolf King''s meaty torso. "Wow! What a move!" Shin exclaimed out in excitement. It had been a long time since he had seen a high-level fight such as this one. Typically, he would either spar with children his age or witness fights that were beyond his comprehension level. For instance, the one-sided beatdown that Lady Althea gave the Black Masks was one example. All the aged woman did was lift a few fingers, and her foes were already struggling on the floor. Therefore, it was a rare occurrence for him to be able to witness a fight that he could analyse. Pushed to the side by the blistering hot flames, the gigantic beast retreated at the fastest speed that it could, without any sense of where it was heading towards. Its grey fur had been charred by the scorching heat that the flaming globe had produced. At this point, the Tempest Wolf King was exasperated. Opening its mouth, it sent a concentrated blast of wind towards the constable officer, hoping to destroy his enemy in one shot. Unfortunately, the attack was too telegraphed, and the officer managed to evade it with ease. "Haha, nice one officer!" However, the Tempest Wolf King''s troubles weren''t done. From its hind legs, a cheerful voice sounded out. Healer Rahwil sent a significant portion of his mana to the floating petals in the sky and called forth yet another Petal Rain. With nowhere to run, the Tempest Wolf King could only curl up into a ball and let the attacks land upon him. "WOOOOO!!!" Whimpering in pain, the beast bore the full brunt of the attack while protecting its burnt side. Thankfully, the petals weren''t powerful enough to pierce through its resilient hide. Thus it could still hold on. "As if I''ll let you recover!!!" Not allowing the Tempest Wolf King even a second to rest, the constable officer bolted straight that the downed beast with a clenched fist full of mana. The flames that surrounded him had been concentrated into that small gauntlet as it threatened to end the beast''s life. Behind him, his subordinates had started to fire all of their offensive abilities to give their superior support as he closed the distance. "TAKE THIS!!!" Slamming his fist straight into the crown of the Tempest Wolf King''s head, the constable officer roared out. "BOOOOOMMMM!!!" A deafening explosion that destroyed the eardrums of any who stood near reverberated through the battlefield, creating a dust cloud thirty metres thick. "Did he do it?" Kesyl timidly asked from the side of Shin. "Too early to tell..." Shaking his head, Shin was unable to confirm or deny the young girl''s conjecture. The only thing that they could do was patiently wait for the dust to dissipate. Luckily, they didn''t have to wait for long. After a few seconds, the smoke began to settle revealing a triumphant man standing atop the carcass of the Tempest Wolf King. Appearing like a champion of a Colosseum battle, the constable officer raised his Auburn Iron Gauntlets high in the air amidst the cheers of his peers. "Wow, that officer really is strong..." Kesyl unconsciously blurted out. As the Duke''s daughter, she had seen her fair share of mighty warriors. Therefore, impressing her was no small feat. "Yeah, Chilyoja Waypoint has become really strong..." Shin smiled bitterly. "Well, now that that''s done, we should really move the patients to a safer place. Lest another Tempest Wolf King appears..." Although the battle was over, Shin still felt somewhat unsafe in such an open environment. Shaking his head, the young boy asked Bingbing to undo the ice barrier that encased him and headed straight back to his patients. ~~~ "The Tempest Wolf King has been killed, sir!" Unknowingly, Shin had accurately predicted the menace that was encroaching upon them. A safe distance away from the battle, a scout dressed in total darkness knelt before an entity that was hidden among the bushes. "I''m not blind. I saw that battle. Well, its purpose was not to kill anyone there anyway..." A hoarse and tranquil voice nonchalantly replied the scout. "The problem is the boy is always protected by that Tier 8 Spirit Beast when he''s outside¡­ If we want to have any chance of reaching him without the hindrance of his master, we must do it within the confines of the town..." The voice acted as if everything was all part of his calculations. "B-But sir! Won''t we be too exposed?!" "There''s no helping it¡­ We have no other choice. All the preparations are complete. Also, he will be leaving the town for the Capital in a few months. By then, we would be unable to reach him entirely..." "I-I-I see¡­ So, sir! What do you propose we do?" The scout asked quizzically. "Hmmm¡­ Give me a few hours to think..." "Yes, sir!" Bowing down his head, the scout promptly left the area. "Ahhh, young master! You have grown tremendously..." Now that he was left alone, the entity cried out in a celebratory voice. "Not to worry¡­ Our reunion is near¡­ I must control my emotions¡­ My brothers above, watch over me as I proceed on this perilous mission!!!" Steeling his resolve, the entity''s voice turned solemn as he took one last glance at the black-haired youth before disappearing into the shadows. Chapter 173 Perfect Imperfections 1 The fight with the Tempest Wolf King had drawn in a massive commotion as high-level executives rushed from the town down to the scene of the battle. Even the constable captain, Lewis, was forced out of his office. Thankfully, there had been no casualties, especially on the part of the healers of Yakkyoku Clinic. Once the reinforcements arrived, injured from the trading caravan were moved closer to Chilyoja Waypoint, so that if another beast attack occurs, at least the defences of the walls could be used to destroy the savage beasts. As day turned to night, the majority of all the injured had been given primary treatment and were on the fast road to recovery. Satisfied with his work, Shin retreated back to his room as he rested for the day. Bingbing, who refused to leave the embrace of the young boy, happily hopped on the bed, as if signalling for Shin to play with her. Being an ice-attribute Spirit Beast, the adorable gerbil hated the scorching hot sun and preferred to be active in the cold moonlight. That''s why Bingbing would typically hide in Shin''s robes whenever he was out in the day. "Bingbing, stop jumping on the bed! You''re going to mess it up!" Shin lightly reprimanded the snowy white gerbil, afraid that it would pull the sheets off the bed. Grabbing Bingbing by her sides, Shin placed her onto his lap and started to rub her belly. With her four legs pointed heavenward, the gerbil closed her pure black eyes and began to purr in happiness. Likewise, Shin was enjoying the comfortable feeling of her fur as a contented smile crept up his face. "Hah¡­ I really need to become stronger..." However, his joyful expression quickly turned into a bitter frown as he recalled the earlier fight against the Tempest Wolf King. With his limited strength, all he could do was spectate the fight from a safe distance. He wasn''t even to protect himself from the discharge of the battle, requiring Bingbing to create an ice barrier to shield both Kesyl and himself. If the Tempest Wolf King wished to maul him over, the only thing that Shin could do was pray that someone strong enough was nearby to protect him. "Bingbing, how do I become as strong as you?" "*Yip* *Yip?*." Puzzled by the sudden query, the gerbil cocked her head. "What do you mean just sleep and eat well?! Hah, I can''t really talk to a Spirit Beast about this matter..." Shin chided himself for asking such a dumb question. "But honestly, I don''t know much about your heritage. Where you''re from, how did you grow to be so strong¡­ Stuff like that¡­ Could you tell me?" Shin knew that Bingbing was a Kamaitachi and was currently a Tier 8 Spirit Beast. However, other than that, he knew next to nothing. "*Yip* *Yip* *Yip* *Yip*." "Huh? You''re also not sure? From as long as you remember you were always with Master?" Shin was taken aback. It seems that the history between the Bingbing and Lady Seph was much more complicated than he first imagined. "Well, whatever..." Giving up on that line of questioning, Shin fell down on his bed and rested his head upon a woollen pillow. In Yakkyoku Clinic, there were many residential quarters. A few for the healers, a few for Lady Seph''s personal attendants and a few for the staff that run and maintain the building. However, in the entire clinic, there were only two rooms that could only be described as luxurious. As anticipated, the most palatial chambers were the ones of the sole Divine Healer in the building. Taking up almost half of the fifth floor, Lady Seph''s chambers consisted of her own personal library, an office and even a small laboratory for her do research. Knowing that the longer the famed healer stayed in the town, the more people would come to visit, Mayor Nadeo tried to make the best environment possible, and to a certain extent, he did just that. Satisfied with her new chambers, Lady Seph had no issue with staying over for an extended period of time, even though there were pests that kept travelling from far and wide, just to gain an audience with her. The next and only other residential room on the fifth floor was reserved for the sole disciple of Lady Seph. Although not as ostentatious as his Master''s chambers, Shin''s room was comparable to the one that he lived in the Mushinkei. Top quality linen sheets and well ventilated, there were very few rooms in the town that could match the comfort of his room. "That constable officer''s skill¡­ I wonder if I could use it..." Now that he had some time to think, Shin started to recall the mesmerising fire ability of the constable. Creating a flaming sphere that protected him and expanding it whenever he wanted, the ability seemed to be feasible for someone like Shin, whose first ability was to create and manipulate water. "Maybe I''ll try it out in the courtyard tomorrow..." Putting aside the random thought that popped up in his mind, Shin sunk deeper into his bed as he allowed himself to enter the Garden of Hypnos. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. Second Elder''s Chambers. The time was way past midnight and residents of the entire empire had long gone to sleep. Well lit streets and commercial hubs had started to turn off, indicating that all who were out had to return to the safety of their homes. However, in a certain humble abode, an isolated room was fully lit up as numerous wide-awake individuals spaced about. A grey-robed muscular man slowly turned in circles with his brows furrowed so close to each other that they nearly touched. His large frame towered over anyone else in the room, making him seem like the most influential person there. However, something was missing from his body. Only possessing a single right arm, the man could only use his overly brawny right arm to stoke his dishellved beard. "Bates, sit down. There''s no need to be anxious..." The Second Elder, who was sitting at the head of the table, ordered the man. One-armed Bates. Also known by many as Kingslayer Bates. One of the Second Elder''s most trusted aide, and the person who was central in the assassination attempt on Shin''s life many moons ago. Being a Rank 60 Spirit King, he was one of the strongest forces that the Frie Clan could call upon. Adding on to his extensive battle resume, Bates was a man to be reckoned with, and many younglings looked up to him for his composure in battle. Yet, at this very moment, the mighty Bates was shivering in anxiousness. "Elder. We can''t do this. If we fail, not only would our entire division be affected, I''m afraid the Frie Clan might fall further into ruin!" Unlike his masculine and confident self, Bates was crying out in worry. "I agree with Bates, Elder. The endeavour that you''re suggesting is absurd! Let''s not talk about the reprecussions if we fail. Even if we do succeed, the Frie Clan would be forever fragmented! Also, what would our children feel?!" One of the Second Elder''s subordinates cried out. Every single one seated on the table of this secret meeting was part of the Second Elder''s highest aides. Each and every one of them was a Rank 60 Spirit King with years of experience following the Second Elder. Therefore, their words carried a certain weight as they served as advisors for the elder. Often times, just a single voice from the table would make the aged man''s mind waver, not to mention two. However, this time, the Second Elder''s mind was made up. "My brothers. I gathered here not to counsel me, but to inform you of my decision! The Frie Clan has been stagnant for almost fifteen years since we destroyed the Awter Clan. When the previous Clan Master decided that we should go into seclusion, I was heavily against that. Then, the Elder Council put in his incompetent daughter in charge after he passed! We cannot be suppressed anymore!" In a fit of passion, the Second Elder slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. "We need to cleanse the clan from the weaklings that run it! Enfen, Edward, Lien¡­ All of these people that think that they''re doing well for the clan. All that they''re doing is ruining it! That''s why I''m going to ask the Ferumris Clan to help us usurp them! And the first thing that we need to do is rid ourselves of the bad blood that we picked up from the Awter Clan!" "... Elder, you..." Bates felt a chilling cold climb up his spine as he heard the elder''s words. "It''s all that bastard''s fault! To think that we had picked up the Awter Clan Master''s son and even hand fed him all these years! What a joke! We annihilated that clan to finish everything and yet here we are growing a tumour within our reaches! That bastard Edward even wanted to start a war to end the Frie Clan because of him!!! We are caught in madness I tell you!!! MADNESS!!!" Unable to repress his emotions any longer, the Second Elder hollered out. "..." An awkward silence hung over the executives on the table as they were unsure of what to say. It was rare to see the Second Elder out of control of his emotions. "I will not take no for an answer, my brothers. We will take over this clan, and we will be the phoenix that rises from the ashes. The Frie Clan will reign forever..." Chapter 174 Perfect Imperfections 2 Five days had passed since Shin went on the short expedition to save the downed trading caravan. The carcasses of the Tempest Storm Wolf and the Grey Storm Wolves were swiftly disposed of as trading routes resumed as per usual. Many of the injured traders had regained consciousness and were on the fast track to recovery. To show their gratitude, the traders had sent a large sum of gifts and monetary rewards to those who saved them. Shin, being one of the healers who went, had received a significant amount of gold that far exceeded his monthly stipend. In the first place, Shin was not a big spender, and he had quite a large sum of money saved up in the bank. The only times that he had to take out cash from his savings was to either fund Junius'' search party or to buy gifts for the orphans when they visited. "Shin, why are you smiling like an idiot?" As the young teen was drunk on excitement, a cold voice brought him back to reality. "Master! I just got some money, that''s all¡­ With this sum, I can buy some nice gifts for Elyse and Ariel!" Showing off the bank note that the traders had presented him with, Shin showed off his earnings to the frowning elderly woman. "Hmmm, that is quite a bit¡­ Speaking of that red-haired lass, isn''t she visiting here soon?" Lady Seph thought out loud. It was no secret that Shin and the Frie Clan were on sour terms. Members of the Mushinkei, such as Riko and Marshall, had tried many times to bring him back but they were all to no avail. Only Ariel, who had supported him through thick and thin, was able to meet Shin on a regular basis. From the first day that Shin was exiled, Ariel had been visiting him once a month under the guise of buying souvenirs for the orphans. However, the young maiden''s true motives were to check on the well-being of her childhood friend. After all, since he was forced out, Ariel had her worries about how he was going to adapt to the new environment. As time progressed, the monthly visits by Ariel had turned into a routine that both parties looked forward to. During that one day where she visited, the duo would share stories about each other''s life. Ariel would tell Shin all about the orphans back on the mountain and Shin would tell Ariel about how he was coping with the harsh training of Lady Seph. Therefore, among all of Shin''s acquaintances, Ariel was the one who knew the most about him. "Yeah, she''s supposed to reach here tomorrow I think." Based on the letters that she had sent, Ariel was meant to reach the waypoint tomorrow morning. Looking forward to seeing the freckled face of hers once more, Shin unknowingly broke out into a wide smile. "Shin, I know I had asked you this question many times before, but I''ll still ask it anyway..." Lady Seph eyes glistened as she stared deeply into the confused expression of her disciple. "You like that lass, don''t ya..." "That..." Shin''s cheeks flushed with a tinge of red as he brought his gaze to the floor. Indeed, it was a question that Lady Seph had asked him multiple times. Every single time the topic got brought up, Shin simply brushed it off, saying that they were just close friends. However, as time progressed and his mind grew more mature, Shin realised that his feelings towards the young girl weren''t that simple. From young, he had dreaded being near her as Shin feared that he would break a bone from her rampant hits. Nonetheless, he didn''t loathe her personality. After all, outside of training, Ariel would share many loveable and tender moments that showed that she genuinely cared for him. During his times of weakness, Ariel was the first person there to console him. When Junius was in a coma, she was there. When Shin left Frie Mountain for Chilyoja Waypoint, she was there. When Shin failed to heal Ronlen and blamed himself for his death, Ariel was there to comfort him. When Shin found out that Junius was gone and resented himself for it, she was there. A fair-weathered friend, she was not. A friend¡­ She was not¡­ "I think so..." Finally admitting the fact that he had buried so deeply into the recesses of his mind, Shin deeply sighed. "I like her¡­ I like her, but we can''t be together¡­ At least not yet¡­ Junius is still missing, and I will be moving away for six years." "Shin, I''m sure you know that it doesn''t work that way. From what I can tell, that lass likes you as much if not even more than you like her. Even if you don''t make it official, when the time comes, I''m sure she will." Being Shin''s Master, Lady Seph was probably the only person in the world that could clearly comprehend how the two felt towards each other. In the four and a half years that Shin had entered her tutelage, she had seen the duo''s relationship grow and knew many of their stories. The fights that they had, the sweet atmosphere that they created. Everything. "You think?" For some reason, hearing someone else tell him that Ariel liked him made his face burn hot in fervour. "Hah¡­ What am I to do with you¡­ Whatever, just leave! Your delighted face makes me sick! Go cash in that bank note or something!!!" Pissed off at Shin''s high spirits, Lady Seph pretended to be disgusted as she shooed him out of her study. "Haha, I''ll do just that!" Folding up the banknote that he was holding, Shin stuck his tongue out like a mischievous child and quickly exited his Master''s study. The footsteps of the young teen grew fainter and fainter as he proceeded to run down the stairs, leaving the elderly woman alone in the spacious chambers. Recalling the silly face of her disciple, Lady Seph flashed a rare warm smile. However, after a short moment, as she remembered a sour fact, her beaming smile turned into a deep frown. "To think that one day, a descendant of the Frie Clan would start a relationship with one from the Awter Clan¡­ Edward, oh Edward¡­ I know that you wish to cleanse your clan''s sins but is this truly the right way to do it? Once Shin''s knows the truth, would things stay the same?" Closing her eyes, Lady Seph reclined back on her chair as she took a deep breath. For the first time, the blonde elderly woman was starting to harbour some doubts. She didn''t know if telling Shin everything was the right thing to do in his current state. Junius had been missing for nearly two years and the person who stood by him all these while, supporting him with every foolish decision he made, was precisely someone from the Frie Clan. Not to mention, the feelings that he had for the young girl exceeded those of regular friends. Should Shin find out about his true heritage, once Lady Seph opened Pandora''s Box, won''t everything change? "No¡­ Shin deserves to know the truth. I must tell him before he falls deeper in love. He should know everything before he starts the relationship¡­" Gingerly opening her eyes, Lady Seph stared at the empty ceiling, steeling her resolve. "I''ll tell him after the lass leaves¡­ That way, he gets to enjoy one more day in bliss..." As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Not knowing what to expect, Lady Seph shook her head and continued to conduct her research. ~~~ "Haha, I think I can buy some nice clothes for Elyse tomorrow!" A youthful voice muttered underneath his breath as he wandered down the bustling streets of the commercial hub. Straight after leaving Yakkyoku Clinic, Shin headed for the sole bank in town to cash in the banknote that he had received as payment. Extremely satisfied after checking his account balance, the young teen merrily skipped back, fantasising about all the luxurious items that he could buy for his family back on the mountain. During the time where Junius had disappeared, Shin had stepped up and tried to fill his elder brother''s shoes. Always trying to be a solid pillar of support for the heartbroken orphans, Shin had done everything he could. Buying daily necessities such as new items of clothing and sending nourishment herbs over, the young teen had done his best to become a second Junius. Unfortunately, the void created by Junius'' disappearance wasn''t that easily filled. "I wonder what would Emma and Elyse want?" Thinking out loud, Shin pondered to himself. Of all the orphans on the mountain, without question, the ones that he was closest to were Emma and Elyse. Emma had always been the sensible and caring voice in his life while Elyse was the little sister that he couldn''t help but pamper. For the remainder of the orphans, although he loved them as a family, it was nowhere near the degree of feelings he had for Emma and Elyse. If he were to compare their relationships, Emma and Elyse were like his biological sisters while the rest of the orphans were more like his cousins that he met regularly. Naturally, the one that he was the closest to was the one who loved him more than anything else in the world. "Hah¡­ Junius, where the hell are you?" Recalling the bitter truth that Junius was still missing, Shin couldn''t help but let out a dismal sigh. Over the one and a half year period, Shin had tried everything to find the missing youth, and even though there had been no signs, he still refused to believe that Junius had left the mortal world. Knowing the teen since he was born, Shin was well aware of how resilient Junius was. There was no way that he would have been taken down in a remote location that no one could find. Unknowingly, as Shin''s mind rambled on and on about the possibilities of Junius'' current whereabouts, he found himself moving towards a less populated area of the commercial district. Before him, an opulent building, that stood about five stories high, lay to his side. The exterior of the house had remained unchanged since he last visited, forcing his mind to start reminiscing. "The Mushinkei..." Shin uttered out. Even though his relationship with the Frie Clan had its ups and downs, he couldn''t deny that there were many joyful memories shared in that very building. His first day at the Mushinkei where Riko showered him with hospitality and love. His daily bickerings with Junius about morning training. That fateful night where Ariel shared her dream with him. A large portion of his life was spent here. Although there were many sad memories, the happy ones trumped the miserable ones. "Should I enter?" Shin asked himself a question that he didn''t know the answer to. After a brief period of deliberation, the young teen simply shook his head and pivoted his feet to the other direction. Shin was still unable to forgive the Frie Clan for abandoning Junius. Before he left, he glanced at the opposite side of the Mushinkei. The empty lot that had been there ever since he first arrived at Chilyoja Waypoint, still remained unused, which was unusual for a piece of property that was in the heart of the commercial district. "Hmmm?!" As Shin was busy observing the empty lot as if by magic, a tall hooded figure appeared at the corner of the property. Turning his front towards the perturbed youth, the figure revealed his face. At that moment, Shin felt like lightning had struck his entire body, paralysing him in the process. His mind went blank as he recognised the distinct features of the young man''s face. Shaking, Shin brought his fingers up and pointed to the individual that stood a few metres away from him as he whispered in confusion: "J-J-Junius?!" Chapter 175 Perfect Imperfections 3 "Junius?!" Shin stood rooted to the ground with his jaw wide opened. During the past one and a half years, Shin had tried every trick in the book to find the missing youth. He had brought together a search party, he sent out missing person posters, and he had even begged for the town to send aid. Unfortunately, even with all his attempts, there was still no sign of the viridian-haired youth. Yet, currently, there Junius was, standing right in front of Shin. "J-Junius! Is that really you?!" Shin couldn''t believe his eyes. The distance between the two was too far for Shin to fully tell if it was the missing youth, but it wasn''t that far that he could recognise some of Junius'' features. The tall build, high cheekbones and sharp nose were all attributes that Shin would never forget. However, as if he was unaware of Shin''s existence, the hooded figure turned his back towards the stunned youth and briskly walked into an empty street. "Wait! Hey!" Finding the strength to move his legs, Shin chased after the figure that he thought resembled his elder brother. He had been pursuing Junius for a good amount of time, there was no way Shin was going to let a clue slip that easily. With that, Shin began a wild hunt for the hooded figure. For some odd reason, the man seemed to be moving at a speed that faster than Shin could keep up with. Every time he turned a corner, Shin would be at least fifteen steps behind him. Yet, the man wasn''t moving so fast that Shin couldn''t keep track of him. The chase carried on for a full minute, before the man turned into a deserted alleyway, disappearing into a manhole leading into the sewers. "Why would Junius lead me here?" After chasing the man for a short period of time, Shin was even more convinced that the person he met was the missing youth that he sought to find. Only someone with the experience of working as a constable would be able to manoeuvre the streets so well. So that brought up another question in Shin''s mind. If it was really Junius, why was he so elusive? Why couldn''t he just walk up to Shin and reunite? Staring deep down the opened manhole, the black-haired teen deliberated on whether he should follow the mysterious man. ''Could it be a trap?'' Shin mentally thought out. Based on everything that had happened with the Black Masks, his rational mind naturally moved towards the logical conclusion. There was no way going done alone into the sewers was a good idea, especially since he was chasing after someone who he had no clue about. ''Screw it! I''ll just wing it!'' Unfortunately for Shin, his desire to meet Junius once more trumped his rational mind. Gathering his mana, a cerulean light glimmered from the depths of his body as The Sovereign Koi appeared in the palms of his hands. With a thought, the adorable little Koi spun around in a circle and created five water spheres that orbited around the young teen. Even though he wanted to meet Junius as soon as possible, Shin still had to take precautions when entering into a foreign area. Gently descending down the metallic ladder of the manhole, the young teen made sure to be extremely cautious. The route down to the sewers was dark. Other than the cerulean light coming from The Sovereign Koi in his hands, Shin was surrounded by complete darkness. The putrid stench of sewage waste permeated the air, forcing the young teen to use his sleeves as a mask that covers his nose. Stepping on the disgustingly green wastewater that was prevalent all over the sewers, Shin carefully proceeded onwards. Using The Sovereign Koi as a light source, the young teen tried to find signs of the hooded figure that he suspected was Junius. Regrettably, as if by magic, the mysterious person vanished. Thinking that he was just unable to find him due to the low light, Shin continued on his search, careful not to stray too far from the manhole lest he required to make an escape. The five spheres of water started to orbit at a faster rate than before, protecting Shin from any potential harm. Anxious beads of perspiration dripped down the clear forehead of the young teen as he hoped to finally find out if Junius had indeed returned. Even The Sovereign Koi, who was typically aloof during tense situations, was flapping its fins frantically, displaying how jittery it felt. "*Crrraaaannnngggg!!!*" A loud metallic vibration reverberated through the air, forcing Shin''s already nervous heart to skip a beat. The sound was reminiscent of a crowbar being dragged through the cold concrete floor. "What was that?!" Turning his head about, Shin tried to find the source of the noise. It didn''t take him long to discover that the manhole cover that he had left open had been firmly shut, leaving no space for escape. All of a sudden, the pitch black of the sewers came to life as flaming torches brightened up the depressing place. Stunned by the sudden change, Shin quickly went on the defensive. Using two of the water orbs, he created a water wall that encircled him, preventing preliminary attacks from reaching his body. Jumping straight into an open space, Shin invited his attackers to show themselves. He planned to lure his opponents out into the open and find openings in which he could exploit. Currently, he was in an unfamiliar location, with next to no vision of where his assailants could come from. Should he misplay his next move, it could very possibly be his last. Expanding his senses to the maximum, the young teen darted his eyes about frantically, trying desperately to find out the possible routes of escape. However, before he could even begin to think about it, a hooded figure moved out from the shadows. In his hands, a pure obsidian hiltless blade, filled with an aura of absolute darkness that could suck one''s soul in, was pointed straight at Shin. "Isn''t that?!?!" There was no way in hell that Shin wouldn''t recognise that Spirit. It was the very same Spirit that nearly claimed his life twice before. ''How stupid of me to fall into a trap by the Black Masks!!!'' Mentally reprimanding himself for his folly, Shin transformed his three other water globes into eight spider legs. Now that he was facing a deadly foe, he couldn''t simply wait around for them to fire the first shot. He had to make his escape as soon as he could. Increasing the mana supply to his feet, Shin pounced forward at an alarming speed, using his water spider legs to keep the momentum. Unfortunately, the hooded figure seemed to have read his movements and charged straight ahead to stop the running youth. The speed that the hooded man had far surpassed that of Shin''s and he had caught up in the blink of an eye. Using his obsidian blade Spirit, the assailant sliced through Shin''s defences causing a majority of his created water to blend in with the dirty sewage. ''What''s going on?!?!?!'' Shin screamed out in his mind as his jaw widened in terror. The best part of using a water shield wasn''t its thickness or how durable it was, it was the fact that no matter how much you destroyed a water shield, it would always keep growing back. Yet, after taking a direct strike from the obsidian blade, Shin lost control of his mana and his water shield instantly collapsed. Lifting off from the ground, Shin created yet another layer of protection as he tried to increase the distance between him and the assailant. ''Think, Shin! Think! All you need to do is get to the surface and shout for help! By then, I''m sure you will be safe!'' Encouraging himself to find an escape path, Shin''s mind raced as he calculated all of the possible outcomes with the limited information that he had. Regrettably, there was no way the hooded man would let Shin recuperate peacefully. Holding up his obsidian blade, the man dashed forward at a speed that Shin could not keep track of. Instinctively, Shin used the eight water legs behind him to deflect the oncoming blow. He couldn''t see the strike, but his defences were good enough to let him see another day. ''Damn it! What''s with his speed?!?!?!'' Terrified by the hooded man''s display of speed, Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva. If he didn''t have his eight spider legs, there was not a doubt in Shin''s mind that he would have been injured by that attack. ''Screw it! I have to use that technique!!!'' Out of ideas, Shin decided to utilise the last move that he wanted to use. Turning all of his defences and offences into five water globes once again, Shin placed his two palms together and began to concentrate. Bit by bit, the water spheres quickly combined together forming a single water orb that encased Shin within it. Increasing the mana flow, the currents flowing in the globe turned rapid, pushing all residue nearby far away. If Healer Rahwil were here, his jaw would most likely drop to the floor. Shin was attempting to replicate the same attack that the constable officer used on the Tempest Storm Wolf. Naturally, since he only had five days of practice, the water barrier was nowhere near as powerful as the Constable Officer''s fire barrier, and every so often, a deformity would form upon the smooth surface of the sphere. "..." Unaware of what Shin was doing, the hooded figure raised his sword up once more and bolted straight at the black-haired teen, hoping to stop him in time. Unfortunately, it was too late... "SCREW OFF!!! EXPAND!!!" Hollering out at the top of his lungs, Shin supplied even more mana to the protection orb. The rapid currents of the water sphere quickly ran out of control as everything spewed outwards, stunning the hooded man who was just centimetres away. Pushed back by the force generated, the assailant flew through the air and landed in a place that was out of Shin''s sight. "I need to go!" Realising that it was his golden opportunity, Shin ran in the direction of the manhole that he first came down by. He had to escape immediately when the opponent is dazed. However, before Shin could even take the first step, five black-robed silhouettes suddenly appeared all around him, virtually locking him into place. On each one of their faces, there was a pure black mask that Shin could never, ever forget. ''Damn it...'' Stunned until he was out of words, Shin felt his legs give way, causing him to fall clumsily onto the floor. Before he could even muster out an ounce of strength to launch his all-or-nothing assault, a heavy drowsiness enveloped Shin''s consciousness as he felt himself falling deeper and deeper into an abyss. ''Is this death?'' Shin couldn''t help but wonder if this was his final moment. The faces of many of his loved ones flashed by within that very split second. The Instructor, Sister Riko, Emma, Elyse, Junius, Lady Seph¡­ Many of those faces that he held dear to his heart appeared, causing a tear to form in his left eye. Finally, his vision was clouded in a brilliant, rich scarlet colour as he thought about the only girl who had breached his heart. ''Ariel¡­ I''m sorry...'' Unable to hold it in any longer, Shin blacked out, as everything turned into nothingness. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. Second Elder''s Chambers. "Elder, it is done." A thick masculine voice sounded out, addressing the only other person in the room. The Second Elder brought up his cup of tea and drank it in one fine gulp as he received the news. "Good¡­ Bates, I will have to leave the mountain for a short period of time. I have to be personally there after all¡­ During my absence, look after the division would you?" Moving over to the one-armed warrior that was on his knees, the Second Elder gently tapped Bates'' shoulder. "Of course!" "Alright then¡­ You''re dismissed. Oh, and do ask Linus to drop by when his free..." Before Bates had a chance to leave the room, the Second Elder recalled the face of the sole grandson that he had. "Yes, Elder!" Giving the aged man a firm nod, Bates scurried out of the chambers, leaving the one he served, totally alone in the spacious but empty room. Although his aides had advised him many times to decorate the place up to make it more hospitable, the Second Elder quite liked the simplicity of everything here. Furthermore, he was not a big spender in the first place. All of the money he made either went to funding his division or buying cultivation materials for the one he cared for the most. "Hah¡­ Linus, oh Linus¡­ Why can''t you see?! Everything that I do is for the sake of the Frie Clan. For the sake of the division. For the sake of you..." Letting out a deep sigh that he would never dare to in front of his subordinates, the Second Elder fell flat on his bed and stared at the empty ceiling. His grandson, Linus seemed to be avoiding him as of late, and the elderly man clearly knew why. Ever since he was sent on the expedition to monitor Shin''s improvements, the two had started creating some sort of bond that the Second Elder utterly loathed. There had been many times where the Second Elder confronted Linus to stop communicating with Shin, but his words fell on deaf''s ears. "My son¡­ I have avenged you, and yet, why do I not feel appeased..." Staring heavenward, the Second Elder wondered. "It must be because of those devil spawns that still plague our proud home! That''s why my heart can never settle! Not to worry, soon, I will fix everything!" Renewing his vows, a burning rage of passion burnt through his eyes as the Second Elder clenched his bony fists. "My son¡­ One day, your son will inherit the clan. By then, the legacy that I had built for him will stand for thousands of years to come! This is my vow to you!!!" Chapter 176 The Reunion And The Separation 1 Himmel Empire. ??????????? In a dark crevice of a little-known location, there lay a simple cottage. Made out of straw and wood, should there be a storm or earthquake, there was no doubt that the small hut would collapse. However, due to some mystical factors, no natural disasters could ever reach this crevice, making it unnecessary for additional protections. No opulence came with the humble abode. On the exterior, perennial grass that could last for seasons at a time, filled the fields that surrounded the cottage, giving it a warm and comforting feel. Inside, the humble abode was decorated with the simplest of objects. There was no show of extravagance like the beautified Mushinkei bedrooms or the VIP rooms in the Mayor''s Office designated for royal blood. The stillness of the cottage and the lack of fauna produced an eerie silence that would creep out even the bravest of souls. "Urgghhh¡­ Arghhh..." Two significant groans of displeasure broke the quiescence atmosphere. In the spacious master bedroom, a black-haired teenager was lying flat on top of a luxurious bed, grimacing with his eyes tightly shut. Dirt that had accumulated on corners of his eyelids, indicating that the boy had been sleeping for a significant period of time. Moving his head about uncomfortably as it rubbed against the woollen pillow, the boy felt his consciousness come back to him as his limbs began to function. "Urghhhh..." Shin woke up with a throbbing headache, one of the likes he had never experienced before. Forcing his delirious self to sit up, Shin brought his right hand up towards his face and used his fingers to massage the temples of his forehead. Unable to think straight, the young teen quietly sat there in complete silence as he tried his best to regain his youthful vigour. "What¡­ Happened..." The fogginess in his mind started to clear after a minute of complete zen. Finally able to form thoughts, Shin tried to understand what had happened to him. "Right¡­ I was facing off against the Black Masks¡­ Wait, so I didn''t die?" Recalling everything that happened before he passed out, Shin gasped in confusion. Firstly, he was lured by a Junius lookalike into a sewer where he was confronted by the pure obsidian sword Spirit. Secondly, he had attempted to escape but was met with harsh retaliation. Only after utilising a trick that he learnt from the constable officer, did Shin manage to create an opening. Finally, when he was about to make his getaway, the Black Masks surrounded him and used some sort of ability to rid him of his consciousness. At that moment, Shin was certain that he was about to pass away. "Where am I?" Taking a hard look around him, Shin questioned out loud. Other than the large bed that was underneath him, the room that he was in only had four wooden walls. There was no other furniture, and there wasn''t even a window in sight. The door that lay ahead of him remained firmly shut, hinting that Shin was locked in from the outside. "What the hell is going on?!" Touching his body, Shin examined if there was anything wrong with him. Shin''s old robes had been replaced with blue silk pyjamas while his chapped skin had been brushed clean and been rid of all impurities. Turning to his side, small stool lay at the left side of his bed and was supporting a basin full of steaming hot water, hinting that there had been someone nursing Shin during his comatose period. "Tsskkk! I won''t get any answers while I''m lying here!" Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Shin decided that he should attempt to leave the room. Pushing out the white blanket that covered his body, Shin pivoted his waist so that his legs would reach the side of the bed. Thinking that he had mostly recovered from the trauma, the young teen hopped out of bed in a hurry. However, the moment his legs touched the cold floor, Shin felt like his entire being had turned into jelly as he fell with a loud thud. "Owwwww!!!" Questioning his earlier sanity, Shin used his two hands to push his torso up. Unfortunately, due to his weakened state, he could only lift himself for a few seconds before falling flat onto the floor once more. "Young Master!!! What are you doing?!" Before Shin could find the strength to move his body, a feminine concerned voice sounded out from the other side of the door. As the doorknob turned, a young woman, possibly in her late twenties, burst into the room carrying a cleaning cloth in her hand. Dressed in a deep purple robe that matched her light blue hair, the woman''s eyes glistened in worry as she saw how Shin was suffering on the floor. Dropping everything in her hands, the woman moved towards Shin and attempted to help him up. "Who are you?!?!?!" However, there was no way that Shin would allow a foreign person to come near to him, especially in these peculiar circumstances. Screaming out in animosity, Shin snarled at the woman. "Young Master! Please let me help you to the bed!" "Stay where you are!" Halting the woman''s advance with a shriek, Shin brought his body up and rested his back against the nearby wall. Due to the stress that he had incurred, it took a while for his bodily functions to be restored to its optimal state, especially his four limbs. Feeling as if a thousand needles were pinning down upon his arms and legs, Shin scowled in frustration. "Young Master, are you feeling better?" Since she couldn''t approach Shin, the woman fell to a kneeling position so that her eyes were level with the distressed youth. "Who are you? Why are you calling me young master?" Only after he calmed himself down did Shin reply the unfamiliar woman. More than a thousand questions flashed through the confused teenager''s mind, but in the end, he decided to ask the two pressing ones that were presented to him. Shin had to identify the person who was trying to tend to him and the reason why she was calling him in such an affectionate manner. "My name is Shia... Shia Awter¡­ As for why I''m calling you young master..." Unsure if she could voice out her thoughts, the young woman fidgeted in place. "I''ll tell you about that..." A booming voice echoed through the empty room forcing Shin and Shia to jerk in surprise. Turning their attention to the opened entrance, the two discovered that four additional figures were entering the room. Leading the four was a bulky middle-aged man whose clothes were too tight for him. With a broad muscular chest, the two-metre tall giant stared intently at Shin, who was sprawled out in one corner. Sensing that he was in danger, Shin increased his alertness and gathered his mana into his hand. Glowing in a cerulean lustre, The Sovereign Koi made its appearance once more. Behaving as if it had just woken up, the adorable little Koi moved its gaze around the now packed room. "It really is the Sovereign Koi!!!" Once the cerulean Koi made its appearance, every single soul in the room widened their eyes. Any doubts that they once had for Shin''s true identity had been utterly wiped clean. Shia, the woman that had been tending to Shin, even started to tear up in relief. Unable to wait no longer, the five individuals knelt in unison, paying their respects to the confused youth. "We greet the young Master!" Bowing his head, the muscular man who seemed to lead the rest, put on a solemn face as he declared out loud. """"We greet the young Master!"""" Following his lead, the four individuals shouted out at the same time. "W-What?" More confused than ever before, Shin unknowingly cringed as he attempted to back away. Unfortunately, since he was in a corner, there was nowhere that he could escape to. "Senior, we shouldn''t keep him in the dark any longer." At that moment, a familiar voice rung through the mind of the black-haired youth, causing him to fall deeper in shock. One of the newcomers that arrived with the muscular man stood up from his kneeling position and took off his hood, revealing the rich viridian-coloured hair that Shin was all too familiar with. His clear and prominent facial features hadn''t changed at all in the one and a half years that he had been gone, allowing Shin to recognise the hooded man instantly. "Junius! Is that really you?!" Shin exclaimed. The young teen had been searching endlessly for any clues of his missing elder brother, the elder brother that he had cared for so dearly. Never believing that Junius might have died, Shin kept holding on to the hope that one day, if he kept searching, he would meet Junius. Yet, after months of dead-end leads, Shin''s mind naturally gravitated to the worst possible outcome. "Of course it''s me, you silly..." Wearing a broad smile, Junius slowly walked from his position and dropped right in front of the stunned youth. Pulling Shin''s head into his embrace, the viridian-haired teenager stroked the silky hair of his younger brother as he whispered: "Sorry¡­ You must have been worried sick..." "You!" Shin wanted to retort and pull away, as he feared that he might be caught in the Black Masks'' trap once again. However, the more he heard Junius'' voice, felt Junius'' heartbeat and smelt his scent, the more Shin believed that the person in front of him was indeed the missing brother that he had been finding. "You! Are you¡­ Really Junius?!" "Still don''t trust me? Hmmm, how about this? Your favourite food is braised mutton with caramelised onions. Your favourite hobby is to sleep. You had wet your bed until you were six years old. You also LOVED the cockroaches that roamed into your room. Oh, oh! When you were eight, you had a bad nightmare and came running into my room, asking for a midnight consultation. However, that was because you wanted to sleep in my bed as you were afraid to go to sleep. Also..." "OKAY, OKAY I GET IT!!!" Taken aback that the teenager in front of him could list out everything that happened between Junius and him, Shin raised his hands in surrender. If this was really a trap, then Shin could only applaud the syndicate''s dedication to research on everything that had happened in his life. "Junius..." Tightening his grip around Junius'' back, Shin felt a tear roll down his cheeks as an enormous weight had been relieved off his chest. "Haha, this is so unlike you Shin..." "Shut it! Who told you to disappear for almost two years and not tell me anything?! By the way, what''s going on here? If you were fine, why didn''t you return immediately? Who are these people with you? Why are they calling me young master?" Shin rapidly asked. "One at a time, Shin¡­" Slowing down his anxious younger brother, Junius flashed a warm smile. "Before I can even begin to answer your questions, there''s something I need to tell you¡­ Something about the Frie Clan..." Junius consoled the troubled youth while his eyes turned red. Gritting his teeth, Junius gentle expression had turned into one of anger and resentment. "What is it?" "The Frie Clan lied to us, Shin¡­ We''re not orphans at all¡­ We had a family, we had a stable life. You, me, Lily, Ryner, Lia, Ella and Emma. The seven of us were all from one big clan. The Clan that the Frie Clan eradicated in that war fifteen years ago!!!" The more he spoke out, the more agitated Junius became. "..." "Shin¡­ We''re not nameless orphans! We have a last name! The seven of us are from the Awter Clan!" Chapter 177 The Reunion And The Separation 2 "What do you mean Shin was kidnapped?!" A pained shriek reverberated through the confines of Frie Mountain, scaring away all the birds which were resting comfortably atop their nests. "Ariel, relax. Seraphim had sent me a message that she has a way to trace Shin''s whereabouts." The First Elder tried to calm his agitated granddaughter with the most soothing voice that he could muster. Once Shin was knocked unconscious, Lady Seph suddenly had a bad premonition. Sending her men to search for the disciple that should have reached home hours ago, the elderly woman confirmed her suspicions. Using Bingbing''s superior sense of smell, Lady Seph could trace her disciple''s footsteps and could guess what had happened. "So where''s Shin now?" Ariel''s voice trembled with fear as she questioned her grandfather. Initially, it was supposed to be a happy day where she visited Shin at Chilyoja Waypoint. Ariel had even planned to buy a commemorative item to Shin so that he could have a relic to remember her by after he left for the Capital. However, now that she had received the bad news, all that she could think of were the whereabouts of her precious childhood friend. "We don''t know. Seraphim is already moving out to locate him. Since she said that she has her ways, all that we can do is trust her." When the First Elder first heard of the news, he dropped whatever he was doing and rushed towards Ariel''s side. Afraid that she might do something brash, the devoted grandfather had to make sure that Ariel was calm when she received the news. "But what if Shin is in danger?! Lady Seph might be strong, but she''s still a healer! Grandpa! We must send help!" "Ariel¡­ We can''t really..." A tinge of uncertainty flashed through the aged man''s eyes as he replied to his angsty granddaughter. "Are you going to abandon Shin the same way you did brother Junius?!" Before the First Elder could complete his sentence, Ariel shot out a verbal retort that shook him to the core. "No¡­ I..." "Please, grandpa! Please just save Shin!!!" Falling to her knees, the young girl weakly begged. Her voice had been clogged up by the feeling of anxiety that bottled up from her abdomen as her eyes turned red. "Hah¡­ Fine. I''ll go and assist Seraphim personally¡­ However, Ariel! You must promise me to stay inside the compounds of my abode at all times. The Frie Clan is undergoing a period of unrest and Ash might strike the clan at any moment." Finally acquiescing to Ariel''s demands, the First Elder deeply sighed. "Thank you, grandpa!" "Hah¡­ Girls really are hard to keep at home¡­ Lou! Elizabeth! Make sure that all the orphans and children from our division are safe. I''ll try to keep my absence short." Addressing the Instructor and the Headmistress, who was observing the interaction from a distance, the First Elder hooked his arms behind his back before flying off in the direction of Yakkyoku Clinic. "Shin¡­ You have to be safe..." Muttering out in a voice only audible to herself, Ariel stared at the vast sky as she made that wish. ~~~ "Awter Clan?" Shin innocently asked. It was not the first time he had heard of that name. During Junius'' investigations, the name of the Awter had come up a couple of times. However, thinking that it was just random babble, Shin largely ignored Junius'' claims. "Yes, we were from the Awter Clan. Do you remember the reason why the Frie Clan was forced into seclusion in the first place?" Junius clenched his fists as he questioned Shin. "Wasn''t it because they had fought a large-scale war that nearly decimated their entire force? Are you saying that..." Shin gasped in horror as he realised what Junius'' words meant. It was no secret that the Frie Clan fought in a terrifying battle fifteen years ago. Although they had emerged victorious, the cost of that war was the crippling of the Frie Clan''s battle force. In the beginning, they had countless Rank 50 Spirit Lords and dozens of Rank 60 Spirit Kings. They even had over eight Rank 70 Spirit Emperors in their heyday. Unfortunately, due to the intense war that shook the entire western region of the Himmel Empire, the Frie Clan''s numbers dwindled significantly. "Yes¡­ The Clan that the Frie Clan battled all those years ago, it was the Awter Clan." "!!!" Shin couldn''t believe his ears. If Junius words were accurate, wouldn''t that mean that the Frie Clan annihilated the Awter Clan and kidnapped the survivors to form the orphan division? "The Awter Clan was a well-respected one. With their strength equalling and even surpassing the Frie Clan during their day. Together, the two clans dominated the western region of the Himmel Empire. Not one soul living here hadn''t heard of their names." Junius began his monologue with a sombre expression. Evidently, during the time where he was missing, he had been familiarising himself with the history of the Awter Clan. "Let me take over from here, Junius. It''s best that the young master hears the rest of the story from my mouth..." Before Junius could continue, a booming masculine voice called out to the two boys. From the side, the two-metre tall giant tapped Junius on the shoulder while shaking his head. "If that''s what you want, Senior..." Moving away from the bed, Junius flashed Shin a warm smile. Using his eyes, Junius was hinting to Shin that he didn''t need to be alarmed and could trust the new person approaching him. "Young master, it''s an honour to finally meet you. My name is Vellan Awter, one of the generals of the once powerful Awter Clan and one of its few remaining survivors. I apologise for the rough manner in which we had to treat you with. If we came for you in broad daylight, either Lady Seph or the officials at the waypoint would catch on to our trail. You see, we want to keep the fact that there were survivors of the clan..." Bowing his head, Vellan asked for Shin''s forgiveness while stating his reasoning. "..." Unsure of what to say, Shin simply remained silent. He still didn''t trust the individuals that brought him here. After all, they were part of the Black Mask syndicate that was infamous for causing mayhem everywhere. "Young master, I know that you are in shock and still need time to recover. Perhaps you can''t even trust us right away, and I understand that. However, could you at least take some to listen to my story?" Vellan pleaded. "..." Shin gazed deeply into the muscular man''s eyes, hoping to find any signs of falsehood. After all, he was still wary of the entire situation that he was in. However, no matter how much he looked, all that Shin could see was a sincere person that truly wished to say his piece. "Fine.." "Thank you!" Raising his head, Vellan sat down gently on the woollen bed that Shin was resting on, causing a deep depression due to his excessive weight. "Before we can discuss the battle that ended our clan, it would be best for the young master to understand the beginnings of the Awter Clan. Have you heard of the legend of the first water elemental user? The lady who contracted the Celestial Water Dragon?" Vellan questioned the confused youth. "Yes, I do..." "Great! And did you know that the Celestial Dragon Lady gave birth to eight descendants?" "Yeah..." "Haha, then we can speed up the explanations. The eight children were born with exceptional talents, and their Spirits were all collectively described as the Eight Scions of Water. Monarch of the Oceans, The Colossal Leviathan. Champion of the Swamp, The Divine King Serpent. Terror of the Seas, The Abominable Cthulhu. Majesty of the Rivers, The Seven-Headed Hydra. The beauty of the Arctic, The Enigmatic Narwhal. Devourer of Tides, The Obsidian Xuanwu. Emperor of the Lagoon, The Heavenly Sturgeon. The Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi. Each and every one of these Spirits had made their mark in history." As Vellan stated the Eight Scions of Water, a prideful tear glimmered in his eyes. "However, towards the end of their lifespans, the eight children of the Celestial Dragon Lady started to have issues with one another. Alliances were made, and betrayals were common. In the end, disgusted by all the conflict, the eight children all branched out and created their own respective clans." "Eight ancient clans..." Shin was stunned by the new revelation. He had never heard the latter part of the story before. All he knew was that the Celestial Dragon Lady gave birth to eight exceptional talents, the likes of which the world had never seen before. "Throughout the ages, the eight clans fought for dominance, and many of them had produced Rank 90 Spirit Saints that could shake the foundations of the entire continent. However, after aeons of conflict, and millions, if not billions of bodies slaughtered, the eight clans finally decided that enough was enough, and they unified into one entity. That''s right, the eight ancient clans had formed the Lantis Republic." "What?!" Shin gasped in shock. He had never realised that the Lantis Republic had such a marvellous history. "The Lantis Republic instantly became a superpower in the world political state. Nearly every single water elemental Spirit User flocked to the archipelagos that housed the new government, hoping to learn from the best of the best, and well the eight ancient clans welcomed them with open arms. Among them, the Longyu Clan was the most receptive. Due to the gentle nature of their Spirit, the Longyu Clan had many issues when it came to firepower. Well, I guess you can guess which one of the Scions of Water I''m referring to..." With a playful wink, Vellan addressed the doubtful youth. "Don''t tell me¡­ The Longyu Clan''s Spirit is The Sovereign Koi?!" "Bingo. However, not all members of the Longyu Clan would inherit The Sovereign Koi. Just like any other Spirits, just because your parents have one Spirit, it doesn''t mean that you would naturally obtain it. It is said that one in ten children from the purest of bloodlines would have a chance to awaken The Sovereign Koi." "A thousand years ago, a young man by the name of Longyu Yuan was slated to become the next heir apparent of the Longyu Clan. His father was the Clan Master of the Longyu Clan, and his mother was the most talented Sovereign Koi user in history. There was not a doubt in his family''s mind that he would too obtain the Eminence of the Lake. However, when the Day of Spirits came, instead of awakening The Sovereign Koi, he summoned out a mediocre fish Spirit." "Disappointed by his results, the Longyu Clan made plans for another one of their descendants, Longyu Yuan''s cousin, to inherit the position of Clan Master. Based on the rules set by the founder of the clan, to inherit the position of Clan Master, the descendant must have awakened The Sovereign Koi. When he came of age and discovered that fact, Longyu Yuan flew into a fit of rage. Challenging his cousin to a duel, he aimed to prove that he was far superior then anyone else in his age group." "And to prove he did¡­ In fact, he was far more powerful as compared to his similarly aged cousin. However, Longyu Yuan went too far in the duel. Nearly crippling his cousin, Longyu Yuan was immediately stripped of his name and banished into exile. Unable to step foot on the Lantis Archipelago, he wandered around the Terre Continent, hoping to find meaning to his now demolished life. In the end, after thirty years, he had finally decided to settle down in one of the other major powers, the Himmel Empire." "Using his strength, Longyu Yuan established a clan on the western border of the Empire. Since it was a rather unwanted region, he managed to quickly gather up talent, mostly from underappreciated water elemental Spirit Users living there. In a mere twenty years, Longyu Yuan had gone from a vagrant rogue Spirit User, that had no purpose in life, to a Clan Master of one of the fastest growing clans in the continent that commanded over a thousand men." At this point, Vellan requested Shia to get him a beverage so that he could quench his thirst. "Since he was stripped of his name, Longyu Yuan had to come up with a new one. In the end, following the culture of the Himmel Empire, he called himself Sonadel Awter, and the clan that he established was named the Awter Clan. Under his watch, the Awter Clan thrived growing to match their rivals, the Frie Clan up north that stayed atop their holy mountain. All went well for Longyu Yuan in the first few years of the Awter Clan''s existence. He had even married one of the most sought-after beauty in the land, and gave birth to a wonderful baby girl." "However, in a strange twist of fate, when the time came for Longyu Yuan''s daughter to awaken her Spirit, she obtained the one Spirit that he had longed for. The Sovereign Koi had made its appearance outside of the Lantis Republic for the first time since its inception. When she grew up, her son as well, inherited The Sovereign Koi and..." At that moment, Vellan stared intently at Shin. "W-What?" Softly whispering out, Shin closed his eyes in trepidation as he could guess what the muscular man was about to say. "The bloodline of the Awter Clan runs deep¡­ Shin, you are the sole living descendant of Longyu Yuan. You are his great-grandson, and the heir apparent of the Awter Clan!!!" Chapter 178 The Reunion And The Separation 3 ''I''m the heir apparent to the Awter Clan?!'' Shin yelled out in his mind. He was unable to process the stunning information that had been given to him. "Young master. The fact that you had awakened The Sovereign Koi is the best proof of your identity. Based on Junius'' recollections, that bastard Ash tried to kill you after your Spirit Awakening Ceremony right? That''s because he found out who you really were!!!" Gritting his teeth in frustration, Vellan hollered out, frustrated that he wasn''t there to protect the last bloodline of his Clan Master. "But¡­ But..." All of a sudden, many things that didn''t make sense before started to clear. The reason why the Second Elder hated the orphans. The reason why many adults from the Frie Clan avoided him. The reason why he was exiled. As it turned out, he was the sole heir of the Awter Clan that the Frie Clan sought to destroy. "Then¡­ Why did the Frie Clan pick us all up? Why did the Frie Clan go into battle with the Awter Clan? What the hell is going on?!" As his mind begun to implode, Shin uttered out various questions. "I''ll explain it all to you, young master¡­ The Frie Clan and the Awter Clan had their differences in the past. However, their relationship was mostly cordial. In fact, there were even talks of making an alliance so that the two clans could share the mutual benefits of dominating the western region." Vellan patiently explained. At that moment, a fragrant aroma permeated through the empty hallways and into the noses of Shin and the others in the room. Shia had returned with a pot full of aromatic tea and handed the teacups over to her fellow clan mates. Knowing that Shin was still rather weak, the young woman attempted to assist Shin with his drinking, but she was stopped by his unwilling glare. "Later..." Shin sharply blurted out. He hadn''t recognised them as trustworthy allies and would much rather protect himself from any impurities that might have been added to his drink. "Ah! Thank you, Shia¡­ Young master, there''s no need to worry. We wouldn''t dare to spike your drink..." Sensing the fear that Shin had, Vellan assured him that the tea was safe to drink. "Please continue¡­ What happened next? Why did the Frie Clan fall out with the Awter Clan?" Shin simply brushed off the bulky man''s words as he pushed to find out more. "As I explained, the western region of the Himmel Empire is quite bare. There is no strategic importance here, as the Kori Federation was up north and the Lantis Republic was to the east. Additionally, the Uncharted Wilderness had been tame throughout the years, never causing unnecessary trouble for the Himmel Empire. Therefore, not many notable and powerful clans chose to set up their headquarters here, with the Frie and the Awter being the most prominent." After exhaling a deep sigh, Vellan continued on his story. "Over the years, the Frie Clan started to have disputes with the Awter Clan. No one really remembers who fired the first shot, but from then on, the Frie Clan basically cut all ties with the Awter Clan and our relationship had turned sour. That was about three hundred years ago. As the years gone by, minor clashes became a staple of our strained relationships, with many of our brethren getting injured. Nonetheless, the higher-ups of both clans knew that a war between them would cause needless bloodshed and therefore, often times the battles would remain as minor scuffles that didn''t claim any lives. However, there was still mutual hatred that remained." Recalling the days where he and his buddies cursed the Frie Clan during his training years, Vellan groaned. "Still, peaceful times can never last¡­ One day, during an expedition by the Awter Clan, we found something that every single person, clan and country lusted for. We found an aether crystal mine..." "..." Shin''s eyes widened as he could guess where the conversation was headed towards. In recent years, as the world became more modernised, the reliance on aether crystals had started to mount. Unfortunately, due to their scarcity, the prices of those precious jewels were sky-high, and anyone who owned a mine would undoubtedly be one of the richest in the land. In fact, the fight for Yara Pass, which was the battle that made Lady Seph famous, was a battle fought between the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire on who got to own the newly discovered aether mine. "But there was one problem. We had found the mine, but it was within the borders of the Frie Clan''s territory. However, it was really just at the border. If we drew the borderline just two kilometres the other way, the mine would undoubtedly be part of our territory. Moments after our discovery, the Frie Clan too discovered the mine after monitoring our scouts and scurried to claim it for its own. Furious, our Clan Master, your father, brought troops over to the aether mine to obtain it for our clan. After all, we had found it first. As you could expect, the Frie Clan wasn''t so thrilled about our arrangement and brought fighters of their own. From there, a disgustingly long battle ensued, and both sides suffered severe injuries." "Realising that the dispute was unresolvable by their own means, both clans went to the Empire to help adjudicate who had sovereign claim over the mine. I remember the hope that your father had when he suggested we took it to the government. He held an amazing faith that the courts would do the Awter Clan justice." Tears began dripping down Vellan''s rugged face as he recollected the optimistic face of his now deceased Clan Master. "..." Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva when Vellan brought up his father. Believing that he had no parents his entire life, Shin couldn''t help but wonder what kind of people his parents really were. "He held so much faith¡­ Yet, the courts betrayed him. Questioning where the loyalties of the Awter Clan lay, the judge awarded the aether crystal mine to the Frie Clan. The government believed that if we claimed the aether crystal mines as our own, we would sell it all to the Lantis Republic, the superpower that directly rivalled their own powers. How would we dare? The Himmel Empire was our home! Why would we threaten it by selling the aether crystals to others?!" Getting emotional, Vellan slammed his fist onto the bed that Shin was sitting on. One could see the logic behind the judge''s reasoning of awarding the mine to the Frie Clan. The Frie Clan had a long history with the Empire, and they were true patriots when it came to defending their nation. Whenever the Imperial family needed their assistance, the Frie Clan would throw their entire army of Spirit Users to assist the empire. On the other hand, the Awter Clan was a relatively newly established clan that had ambiguous ties to the Lantis Republic. Especially in recent years, where the Longyu Clan had attempted to patch relations with Awter Clan, hoping to bring back some of the Spirit Users that awakened The Sovereign Koi. "Pissed off by the verdict, our Clan Master demanded that a portion of the aether crystals go to our clan, but the Frie Clan Master refused! From there on, the conflict had escalated into a full-fledged war where all of our bottled up grievances over the years burst forth. Not only did the Frie Clan steal a good source of our income, but they had also caused trouble with our clan multiple times before!" "The war raged on for years upon years. There were times where we could have won, and there were times where they could have won. Ultimately, because our powers were about equally matched, the battles became more and more frantic and bloody. Dozens of corpses were being wheelbarrowed back, and many families have ripped apart. On both sides, the fatalities were enormous. Since it was a dispute between two family clans, it was not convenient for the government to intervene, but deep down we knew, the Himmel Empire had been sending aid to the Frie Clan..." At this point, Vellan could hold back no longer, and he hollered out in rage. The other Awter Clan survivors similarly gritted their teeth until their jaw started to hurt. The memory of the dreadful battle was too painful to bear. "Outgunned, outnumbered and weakened, as much as he didn''t want to, the Clan Master turned to the only hope that we had left. We had requested help from the Longyu Clan. Naturally, we didn''t want to make it into an international affair, as we still believed that we were part of the Himmel Empire. However, our backs were up against the ropes. The Longyu Clan was one of the eight ancestor clans of the Lantis Republic, and their powers were unfathomable. If they agreed to save us, even ten thousand Frie Clans wouldn''t be able to take us down." "Unfortunately, the Longyu Clan was stopped in their tracks by the Himmel Empire. The Imperial family believed that should they allow troops from the Lantis Republic to march all the way to their western borders, the consequences would be dire. Once that had happened, the fate of the Awter Clan was sealed. We were headed to oblivion." Vellan mournfully cried out. "The Frie Clan members were savages. The killed and they burnt. They killed, and they burnt. Everything that we once held dear had been burnt into crisps. Even blood that flowed down the battlefield had evaporated instantly due to the intense heat. Forcing all of our troops back into Awter Lake, the Frie Clan was planning to annihilate us entirely. To them, we were just pigs in the slaughterhouse waiting to be served..." "Only a few were lucky enough to avoid the massacre. Or should I say unfortunate? Up till this day, I have been plagued with nightmares about the end of our clan. I would see the memory of my brothers and sisters perishing in flames. And it''s all the fault of that fucking Frie Clan. If I had the choice, I would torture every single soul on that bloody mountain to appease my deceased brethren." Vellan''s face turned vermillion as he recounted his hate for the Frie Clan. "Those of us that survived wandered through the Himmel Empire, living aimless lives while cursing our own fate. However, one day everything changed. An ethereal voice, one of the likes that we had never experienced before, beckoned to us. He promised us vengeance. He promised us that we could restore the Awter Clan back to its glory days. He promised us power." As he said those words, Vellan laughed hysterically, like a crazed evangelist that was preaching the teachings of his religion maniacally. "W-Who is it?" Shin unconsciously asked. "The leader of our organisation, the one above all! The Allfather! His powers know no limit! His virtue is as boundless as the oceans! Young master, once you feel his energy and get baptised in it, I can confirm that the Awter Clan will rise again!" "Junius?" Feeling threatened by the sudden change in the attitude of Vellan, Shin turned to the only person he trusted in the room. "Shin, we can trust the Allfather. I had personally experienced his power, and I know that with it, we can easily trample the Frie Clan and save our trapped family. Lily, Ryner, Lia, Ella and Emma. The Awter Clan will be reunited!" "Junius..." Sensing that his elder brother had undergone some sort of drastic change, Shin grimaced in disgust as he unwittingly backed away. Before Shin could gather his thoughts to ask another question, hurried footsteps could be heard rushing from the outside of the cabin. In just a few moments, yet another individual appeared in the crowded master bedroom that Shin was staying in. "Fendry! I thought I said not to disturb me when I''m in the cabin!" Vellan snapped at the newcomer, forcing him to cower in fear. "I-I-I know, senior! I''m sorry to disturb you during your private time but there is an emergency, and I have been told to inform you immediately!" Shivering and shuttering, the young man fearfully told the raging muscular man. "Hmmm¡­ Fine! Young master, please rest well for the time being. Shia will be staying by your side to cater to your needs. I will be right back after I''m done with my chores." "Wait, I''m to remain here?! Can''t I go outside?!" Shin retorted. "No. It''s no longer safe. We can''t have you disappearing on our watch, young master. Not to worry, it is only temporary. Once everything is sorted out, and you''re inducted into our organisation, we can let you roam free." "So I''m to stay here indefinitely?! What about my Master? My friends? My..." Shin stopped abruptly as Ariel''s name hung on the tip of his tongue. He had just learnt that the Frie Clan had massacred his family. Could he truly be in a relationship with someone from that dreaded clan? "Young master¡­ You will come to your senses soon enough. There''s no need for all of them when you have your family. You must be tired. After all, you need to process all the information I had just given you. If you have anything to ask, Shia will be with you. Now, would you pardon me? I require to go back to work." Bowing respectfully to Shin, Vellan gestured to his followers to leave the room. "Shin, I will be back soon. At that time, we can talk more in detail." Junius flashed a smile at his younger brother before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. ''Arghhhh!!! What the hell is going on?!'' Shin''s mind was about to burst. As it turned out, he was not an orphan and was part of the Awter Clan that was destroyed by the Frie Clan. The very same clan that had raised him since he could remember had annihilated his biological clan, and the remnants of the clan had joined up with an infamous criminal syndicate that was planning to retaliate against the Frie Clan. Turning his head, Shin stared at the only remaining person in the room. The light blue haired woman smiled joyfully at her young master, as if unaffected by his perturbed mental state. ''Urghhh!!! Someone wake me up from this nightmare!!!'' Chapter 179 Solitary Thoughts 1 "Fendry, you better have a good reason for disturbing me!" Once Vellan and the other Awter Clan members left the cabin, the bulky man angrily snapped at the attendant. "Senior, it truly is urgent news. Do you remember the surveillance team that you sent to Frie Mountain to monitor their movements?" The scrawny man replied to the raging Vellan. "What about them?" "They had recently sent word that both the High Elders had left the clan! Right now, there is only one Spirit Emperor manning the mountain!" "What did you just say?!" Stunned by the new revelation, Vellan hollered out. His subordinates, Junius included, all had eager yet anxious faces as they heard the news. "Senior! This might be our chance! In all the years of their seclusion, never has there been a situation in which both their High Elder had left the clan unattended! Adding to the fact that our preparations to attack had been long completed, this is our golden opportunity!" One of the surviving Awter Clan members advised. "That''s right, senior! We still have some surviving Awter Clan members living on top of the mountain. Even if we can''t damage the Frie Clan, we could at least recover Lily and the others!" Junius threw his advice in as well. He had sorely missed his girlfriend over the months that he had gone into self-imposed exile and couldn''t wait to reunite with her. "Is there any chance that this may be a trap?" Vellan rubbed his chin as he thought out loud. The timings were too convenient for them that he suspected that foul play was involved. "I doubt so¡­ They don''t even know about our existence yet. Perhaps it''s just our luck?" Fendry tilted his head as he answered his superior''s random babble. "Yeah¡­ No, you''re right! A chance like this doesn''t come that often! Gather the troops, round up the Spirit Beasts from the Uncharted Wilderness! We have to hurry! Hahaha, such a joyous day this is! We reunited with our young master, and now, there''s a chance to severely cripple the Frie Clan!" Vellan''s laugh bellowed through the remote crevice as he took out an obsidian black mask from his pocket. On it, a gorgeous golden tree, the mark of a Brahmin, was exquisitely embodied. "Senior, I should follow you to the mountain! I''m the most familiar of how the landscape is and which paths we could take to get to the orphan division as quickly as possible." Junius blurted out. In the one and a half year that he was gone, Junius had reached the peak of Rank 19 and was on the verge of forming his Spirit Core. Satisfied with his progress, the higher-ups in the Black Mask syndicate agreed to make him into a trainee. However, due to the nature of their missions, Junius was only able to attend to small matters. Only after he reached the cultivation level of a Rank 30 Spirit Adept, could he don on the notorious mask and call himself a Shudra. "Yeah, we would require your knowledge¡­ Alright, Junius! You can join us. Stay close though¡­ We can''t have you dying right after we reunite with the young master." Vellan fell into thought for a few moments before agreeing to Junius'' claims. Although they held a vast amount of information about Frie Mountain, it was still data that was collected. If they had Junius, who was familiar with all the routes within the mountain, guiding them, completing their tasks would be infinitely easier. "Thank you!" Bowing down to Vellan, Junius expressed his thanks. Meanwhile, in the recesses of his mind, an ecstatic thought was brought forward. ''Finally¡­ Finally, our whole family will be reunited!!! Once Shin, Lily and the rest are together with me, I''m sure that we can take on the world!!!'' Junius screamed out in his head. Everything that he had worked for over the past year and a half was just for this moment. The moment where all the descendants of the Awter Clan were brought back together. "Okay, let''s move! We don''t know how long the two High Elders will be gone, so we need to strike while the iron''s hot! I will relay the message to Headquarters and request that they send a Spirit Emperor to tie down that bitch, Enfen Frie!" Turning into balls of light that raced broke through space, Vellan and the other Black Masks exited the crevice to begin their mission. ~~~ Shin was sitting solitary on his luxurious bed with his hands grabbing his head, as he recollected the information that was just given to him. Shia, who was supposed to be tending to the perturbed youth, had exited to the kitchen so that she could prepare a meal for her young master. After sleeping for a significant amount of time, Shin needed a nutritious meal to help him regain his energy. ''I''m from the Awter Clan¡­ The Frie Clan killed my family¡­ What''s going on?!?!?!'' Still unable to comprehend what Vellan had just told him, Shin kept questioning himself. ''If we were from the Awter Clan that the Frie Clan annihilated, why didn''t the First Elder or the Instructor hate us? Why did the Clan Master and the Shrine Maiden protect us? Why did the First Elder start a dispute with the Second Elder to gain vengeance for my sake? I don''t get it! I don''t get it! I DON''T GET IT!!!'' Shin pulled on his hair as the throbbing headache he had intensified. All his life, Shin had felt included in the Frie Clan. Sure, the Second Elder and some of the adults avoided the orphans like they were a contagious disease, but many members of the Frie Clan had treated them kindly. The First Elder, the Clan Master, the Shrine Maiden, the Head Librarian, the Instructor, the Headmistress¡­ Some so many people were on the orphan''s side. Even though they were considered impure blood by many, the number of people that loved and protected them far exceeded that minority. Not to mention, since young, Shin had been growing up with many of the Frie Clan''s younger generation. Ariel, Tobias and so many more. They had never once treated Shin like a filthy mongrel that was to be disposed of. If the Frie Clan truly hated the Awter Clan to its core, why did they save Shin, who was the sole heir to the clan? Thousands of possibilities ran through his mind. Was it pity? Was it the reluctance to completely clear out the bloodline of the Awter Clan? Or was it because of some other reason that he did not know of? ''The reason why the Second Elder sent a team to kill me was because I awakened The Sovereign Koi, proving my link to the main bloodline of Longyu Yuan... If the Frie Clan really wanted the Awter bloodline to cease, why did the First Elder and the Clan Master protect me? Why did the First Elder rush into the Second Elder''s abode to seek justice, possibly tearing apart Frie Mountain? Why did, why did, why did!!!'' So many thoughts raced inside Shin''s mind, that it caused his brain to burn. The more he thought about the situation, the more questions emerged. ''I need to find the First Elder and ask him everything!'' Shin exclaimed in his head. He knew that thinking about it would only make his head hurt, and adding to the fact that he was recovering, Shin fell backwards into his pillow, brushing off everything all together. As much as he wanted answers, there was no way for him to escape from the clutches of the Black Masks. Shin wasn''t powerful enough to fight his way through. ''Then again, something is off with Junius and the rest of those people¡­ How could they join a criminal organisation?'' Shin wondered in silence. Shin had heard many things about the Black Mask syndicate throughout the years, and it came to the point where every time he heard that name, he would retch in disgust. Assassinations, arson, murders¡­ The list of heinous crimes that they were involved in goes on and on. Not to mention, they were the culprits for destroying Aldrich''s Keep and sending tens of thousands of Spirit Beasts into the Empire. ''They also talked about the Allfather with such fervour¡­ Allfather¡­ Who the hell is that?'' From conversations with Lady Seph and many officials that were chasing the Black Masks, Shin had discovered the existence of the person behind the notorious crime syndicate. Seemingly invincible, the Allfather would distribute his powers amongst his subordinates using the masks that he created. He was even capable of killing his subordinates that had been restrained by the Rank 90 Spirit Saint, Lady Althea, from an undisclosed location. ''Arghhhh!!! What a mess! I need to get out of here first¡­ I need more information!'' Currently, Shin was confused about his emotions. Now that he knows that the Frie Clan slaughtered the Awter Clan, the clan in which he was supposedly from, Shin felt that he should condemn the Frie Clan to hell. Yet, he didn''t have the will to. Perhaps it was too surreal for him to comprehend or maybe he didn''t feel any affiliation to the Awter Clan. Or perhaps it was a combination of both. His mental state and his emotions were in disarray, confusing everything that he believed in thus far. "Young master, I have prepared your meal!" As Shin was in the middle of a mental breakdown, a soothing voice brought him back into reality. Shia, who was busy cooking Shin''s meal, had returned with a tray filled with delicacies and sweets. Putting the tray on the nearby table, the young light blue haired woman arranged the dishes in an orderly fashion right beside Shin''s bed. Staring at the woman who was just doing her job, Shin couldn''t help but wonder of her story. Up till this point, he had only heard what Vellan, a general of the fallen Awter Clan, had told him. "You¡­ Were you there? When the Frie Clan killed off the Awter Clan?" A weak and defeated voice escaped from Shin''s chapped mouth. "Young master? Ah¡­ Yes¡­ The day where the Frie Clan launched their final assault, I was just a young teenager at the age of thirteen. I saw it happen with my very eyes¡­ The collapse of our clan." Shia despondently replied. At that moment, Shin realised that it would be better for him to stop that line of questioning as it could only get more depressing. Furthermore, he wasn''t able to process it anymore. "My parents¡­ Did you know them?" Shin asked the only questioned that mattered to him. All his life, he believed that he was an orphan. He thought that his parents either abandoned him or died in an unknown location. However, now that he knows that his father was the Clan Master of the Awter Clan, Shin wanted to know all the minute details. "Of course! I mean, I was just a mere servant to the clan, but everyone idolised the Clan Master and mistress!" In an outburst, uncharacteristic of her previous sad self, Shia eyes glistened in joy as she remembered Shin''s parents. "Is that so¡­ What were they like?" "Haha, of course, you would be interested in your parents! The Clan Master was a kind and respectable man. Even though his power far exceeded anyone else, he was always like a big brother that you could confide your worries with. His control over The Sovereign Koi made our enemies tremble in fear, and his powerful spiritual abilities were renowned throughout the empire!" With a prideful expression, the young woman blurted out everything that she remembered about the valiant Clan Master. "I see¡­ What about my mother?" "Mistress Cassiel was the epitome of virtue and beauty! Not to mention, her intellect and cultivation level was not something to be scoffed at!" "Mistress Cassiel?" Shin''s eyes trembled as a fuzzy feeling started to gather in his stomach. "Yes! That''s your mother''s real name, young master! In fact, if I had to say so objectively, you resemble her much more than your father..." "Then what was my father''s name?" "... Your father, the Clan Master''s name¡­ Hah¡­ I''m sorry, I''m getting too emotional aren''tI?" Shia began to choke as she tried to restrain her sobbing. Remembering the good old days made her feel like a tidal wave of melancholy had come crashing into her heart. "Your father''s real name was¡­ Errol Awter. The best and brightest star in all of our lives!" Shia exclaimed out with happiness. "Errol Awter¡­ Cassiel Awter¡­ Those are my parents'' real names¡­" Shin muttered out those names repeatedly in his head as if he were a broken record player. "Tell me more! I want to know! My parents! What kind of people were they?!" Turning into a kid that wanted to hear a bedtime story, Shin urged Shia to continue. "Hahaha, of course, I will! Mistress Cassiel was perhaps, the most gorgeous woman in the entire Clan! Her long and straight black hair that shone mystically evoked the envy of all women who laid eyes on her! With her charming smile, she entranced the clan and..." Shin listened attentively as Shia went through all the details about his biological parents. The more he listened, the more comfortable he had gotten. As if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Shin could only smile giddily as Shia divulged everything to him. How did his parents meet? What kind of people they were? How they were perceived by the general public? Everything that he wanted to know, Shia would patiently tell him. For the first time ever, Shin finally felt like he had returned home to a family. Chapter 180 Solitary Thoughts 2 "Young master, we have been talking for over an hour now! Look! The food I prepared has now turned cold!" After coming to a self-realisation, Shia exclaimed out, trying her best to withhold her snicker. The moment Shia started to tell stories about Shin''s parents, the young teenager became engrossed with the subject and endlessly barraged her with questions. Elated that her young master had become interested in the Awter Clan, Shia patiently addressed each and every one of his queries, even adding on by recollected stories that seemed to be taken directly out of a fairy tale. Bit by bit, Shin learned about his now demised clan and his parents that led it. Each time the young woman brought up a new story, Shin''s eyes would visibly sparkle with curiosity and awe. "It''s alright, I''m not hungry. Tell me more about my parents and the Awter Clan!" Spending over an hour with Shia, Shin''s mental defences had eroded, and he was beginning to open up to the homely young woman. The feeling he got from her was similar to how he felt about Riko that manned the counter of the Mushinkei. "No can do! If you don''t eat, how can you regain your energy?! Come let me warm this up for you!" Retaking the dishes from the table and loading it onto the tray, Shia slowly walked towards the exit. "At the very least, let me come with you. You can heat up the food while taking my questions outside!" After thinking about it for a while, Shin opted to go outside and watch over Shia in the kitchen. Not to mention, he needed to find out where he really was. "Hmmm¡­ That seems okay! Do you need help moving out of bed?" Shia happily agreed to her young master''s request while tilting her head adorably. "No, I can manage..." Gently placing his feet on the floor, Shin affirmed that he had the energy to walk before moving all his weight onto his legs. He didn''t want a repeat of last time where he fell straight down. Following Shia out of the master bedroom into the living room, Shin gaped in awe. On the nearest wall, there was a large glass window that nearly as big as the wall itself, allowing users to fully admire the scenery outside. Verdant tall grass that covered the entire field swayed back and forth as the gentle breeze brushed through them. Gorgeous butterflies and buzzing bees flew from flower to flower, making the fields gush out with life. In the middle of all the greenery, there was a lanky Alder tree that stood over ten metres tall. Its thick bark that was riddled with holes seemed to house various wildlife as birds made their nests on the numerous branches that were spread in all directions. The place that Shin was brought to was well lit and filled with nature''s essence, and yet¡­ There was no sun. There was no sky. Covered by pure rock and minerals, the cave terrain suggested that Shin was currently underground. Confused by how life could flourish in such an environment, Shin couldn''t help but ask the only present person who knew some answers. "What is this place?" "Surprised? Haha, I was too when I first came here. This is one of the safe houses of the Black Mask syndicate. Protected by numerous charms and talismans, the house is unnoticeable from the surface, and even the strongest sensory Spirit Users would have trouble even finding this place." Placing the food back into the pot, Shia explained to Shin while trying to start the stove. "How can there be trees, butterflies and so much life here when the sun is blocked out? Isn''t it unnatural?" "I don''t know¡­ Legend has it that the Allfather was the one who created this place. Of course, no one really knows." Shia patiently explained. For her curious young master, she would do her best to answer anything that he wished to know. ''Allfather¡­ Allfather again...'' Falling deep into thought, Shin pondered on the significance of that title. Not only did Vellan and Junius praise the mysterious figure, even Shia, who seemed to be the most docile person that Shin had ever met, had great admiration for the leader of a vicious criminal syndicate. "Who is this Allfather person?" "Young master! Mind your speech!" When Shia heard Shin''s mocking tone, she immediately dropped the pot that she was holding and rushed over with a finger on her mouth. In her eyes, there was a fear and concern that she had never shown anyone before. "What?!" "The Allfather has ears everywhere! His will is omnipresent, and his power can span large distances. If he wished to, he could kill a person with a snap of his finger from one side of the continent to the other! Please, I do not want to see him harm the young master!" Shia was legitimately distressed as she feared that the Allfather might smite the young master that they had fought so hard to retrieve. "Okay¡­ I''m sorry..." "Thank you, young master. Please be mindful of your words from now on." "So¡­ Who is he?" "To be entirely honest, no one knows the true identity of the Allfather. No one had ever met him in person. In fact, we don''t even know if he''s a man or woman, or if he''s even human at all. All that we know is that his power transcends mortal comprehension." "Not even Vellan?" Shin questioned. Based on what Shia had told him, Vellan was a Rank 67 Spirit King and the highest supposed rank in the Black Mask syndicate, a Brahmin. If he didn''t have the authority to meet with the Allfather face to face, then who had? "Yeah¡­ We have heard his voice, but we have never seen him in person. That goes for the other Brahmins as well. In fact, the Black Mask syndicate is still rather young. We do not have any Rank 80 Spirit Venerates or Rank 90 Spirit Saints. Perhaps only after some of us reach that realm would we be able to finally see him." Shia theorised. "So there''s not even a single clue about where the Allfather came from? How is that possible?" Shin frowned as his brows came together. "Although we don''t have any evidence, many of us feel that the Allfather is either a descended Immortal or an ancient, all-powerful Primordial Beast that transcends space and time. His power is just that unfathomable! Not to worry young master! When senior Vellan and the rest come back, I''m sure that you would be granted an opportunity to feel his spiritual energy!" ''I''m not sure if I really want to...'' Shin thought to himself, careful not to verbalise it. If the Allfather could kill someone without even being near, then he was not an enemy that Shin wanted to antagonise. "Where did Vellan and Junius go to?" Changing the topic, Shin nonchalantly asked. "Hehe, you really want to know?" An impish smile crept up the young woman''s face. Resting her cheeks on her right hand, Shia playfully teased the youth. "What do you mean?" "Hehe, if I told you, you would be shocked¡­ Senior Vellan had brought his men to Frie Mountain!" "WHAT?!?!?!" Hollering out in shock, Shin slammed his fist onto the table as he stood up abruptly. "Why are they going there?!" "It seems like the two High Elders of the clan had left the premise, creating the perfect opportunity for them to strike! Young master, you don''t have to worry! I''m sure that they would bring back our fellow kinsmen that are trapped on that dastardly mountain." Thinking that Shin was worried about the other orphans, Shia reassured him that they would be safe and sound. "No¡­ That''s not what I mean..." Biting on his lip, Shin tried his best to control his emotions. ''If Vellan and the other Black Masks attack Frie Mountain, doesn''t that mean that he would put Ariel, Linus and the other children of the main bloodline at risk?'' Based on the story that Vellan had told him, Shin knew that the remnants of the Awter Clan wanted true vengeance. They wanted the Frie Clan to suffer the exact same fate that they did, and there was no room for negotiations. Shin, being the successor to the Awter Clan, should sympathise with their sentiments and yet, all he cared for were the safety of those that treated him well in the Frie Clan. ''Damn it! I can''t let them run amok in the Frie Clan! But¡­ The Frie Clan massacred my family, is it really that bad for them to kill some of the adults that were part of the war? No that''s not right! Arghhh!!! I don''t know what to do!!!'' Stuck in the middle, Shin felt like his mind was about to explode from the various thoughts that ran through it. Knowing that he was part of the Awter Clan that was annihilated, Shin could understand how Vellan and the others felt justified to take everything away from the Frie Clan. Especially after finding out about his parents, and what his life could have been if not for the vicious genocide conducted by the Frie Clan. However, as the orphan Shin who had grown up on Frie Mountain, he could not fathom seeing his loved ones die at the hands of the Black Masks. Over the years, he had formed lasting relationships with Ariel, the First Elder, the Instructor, Riko, Linus, and many more Frie Clan members. If any of them were to die, there was no way that he wouldn''t get heartbroken. ''Screw it! I should find a way out of here first! I need to stop Junius first!'' Deciding to leave the thinking for later, Shin walked out of the cabin, hoping to find an escape route that he could use. ~~~ "Edward, I told you that you didn''t need to come. I have my ways of finding Shin..." An adenoidal voice echoed through the empty canyons. "Well, my granddaughter sort of coerced me to come, so here I am¡­ Not to mention, I really want to find Shin." The First Elder stroked his messy beard as he kicked off from the ground accelerating even faster than he did before. "Hah¡­ That lass really likes Shin that much huh?" "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Bingbing squealed in Lady Seph''s arms as she too sped up her pace. "There''s nothing I can do about that¡­ I never intended them to be in a relationship, but if that''s the outcome, all I can do is accept it." Shaking his head with a bitter smile on his face, the First Elder recalled the tearful voice of Ariel''s. "By the way, who the hell took Shin? Don''t tell me it''s the Black Masks again?" "Hmph! Should be! Those retards never learnt their lesson¡­ Not to worry, I anticipated that this might happen one day, so I placed a special spiritual signature on Shin''s body. With Bingbing''s superior sensory skills, we should be able to find him soon..." "*Yip!* *Yip!*." At that moment, the snowy white gerbil pointed her tail to the left, prompting the two Spirit Emperors to move in that direction. "The fact that they keep targetting Shin¡­ Is there a special reason?" The First Elder wondered to himself. Shin had encountered the Black Masks three times within a five-year time span. The first was during his journey to Chilyoja Waypoint. The second was the attack on Yakkyoku Clinic, and the final one was the current successful abduction of Shin. For a young Spirit Apostle, it was abnormal, to say the least. "You might not want to hear this Edward, but I have a theory." "What?" "Well, it''s two theories to be exact. Both times they explicitly targeted Shin, they wished to kidnap him. That means that he has some value to the organisation. The Black Masks move for two entities. Their clients, and themselves. So either someone paid for Shin to get abducted or they want him for themselves." "What are you implying?" The First Elder raised his eyebrows as he tried to follow Lady Seph''s thought process. "Haish¡­ You sure are dense¡­ What I mean is, either the Lantis Republic had paid them to retrieve Shin''s Sovereign Koi for themselves or..." "Or what?" Seeing the blank face of the First Elder, Lady Seph deeply sighed as she said: "Or the Black Masks contain some survivors of the Awter Clan and they want their young master back." "*!!!*" The elderly man eyes widened in shock as his mind began to connect the dots. "I see¡­ That makes sense..." With a defeated expression, the First Elder halted his steps and stared blankly on the floor. "Like I said before, Edward. If you didn''t tell him about the Awter Clan, I will. However, if he was taken by the survivors of that dead clan¡­ Well, you gotta be prepared for what''s to come." Similarly stopping in her tracks, Lady Seph advised the elderly man. "You''re right¡­ I have been putting this matter off for too long¡­ When we find him, regardless if he knows the truth or not¡­ I''ll tell him. I''ll tell him everything..." Chapter 181 The Truth 1 In the lonely master bedroom of the wooden cabin, Shin sat solitary on the sizeable luxurious bed with a defeated expression. After affirming his will to escape from this prison that he was kept in, Shin tried his best to find exits that he could use. Unfortunately, the deep crevice seemed to have none. Telling Shia that he wanted a breath of fresh air, Shin circled about the lush cave, in search of escape routes. However, no matter how hard he searched all that he could find were thick cave rock walls. ''How is it possible that there is no way out? How did Junius and the rest bring me in then?'' Shin brought his nails to his mouth and started to chew on them. The stress levels that he was under were beginning to spike, and Shin needed a way to relieve the anxiety that he had. ''What should I do? I can''t just stay here!'' Shin contemplated on the best way to escape. During his meal time, Shin questioned Shia on various issues surrounding the Black Mask syndicate, and he found out many terrifying details about them. Firstly, they had multiple high tiered Spirit Beasts that actively listened to their bidding. That''s why they were able to control a beast horde of over hundred thousand Spirit Beasts. Secondly, since they were a rather new crime syndicate, they were actively seeking powerful individuals to join. Using the Allfather''s reach, they would tempt enemies of the state to join their ranks. For instance, a notorious rogue criminal cultivator that was wanted for heinous crimes, would come and seek refuge under the Black Masks name. And finally, Shin understood what a threat the Allfather really was. Not only could he supply his dark and intoxicating mana through the famous masks that he created, but he was also reigning over multiple Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. For some reason, the Spirit Beasts obeyed his every command and would do anything for him. ''What I don''t understand is the Allfather''s motives! What are his motives for bringing Vellan and the other Awter Clan members under his wing? Why is he seeking powerful individuals when he is strong enough? Who the hell is he?'' Shin barked out in his mind. "Young master! Young master!" Before he could gather his thoughts, Shia''s hurried voice echoed past the empty hallways as frantic footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. "Hmmm?" "Young master! We have to leave now! Our scouts have sensed some anomalies coming straight at us!" Crashing open the door, Shia moved to the side of Shin''s bed, ready to help him walk. "What do you mean?" "I''m not sure, but it''s dangerous now that our location is exposed! Quick, young master! We have an emergency exit in the basement!" Yanking on Shin''s sleeve, Shia pleaded with the youth to run away with her. "Wait! Shia¡­ Those anomalies¡­ Is my master coming to rescue me?" "Rescue?! Young master, you..." Shia jumped in fright as she understood the undertone meaning behind Shin''s words. "Y-Young m-master! *Hic!* *Hic!* Please don''t say that! Do you know how happy we were when we first found out that you were alive five years ago? From that day, we longed to reunite with you! Please, young master! Come with me! The Awter Clan can only rise from the ashes with you around! The Captain¡­ Junius'' father died trying to retrieve you! Please... *Hic!* Come with me¡­ Okay?" Shia knelt in front of Shin as tears streamed down from her face. Begging him like a desperate prayer, the young light blue haired woman choked on her tears, hoping that her young master would come to his senses. Shin''s eyes wavered as the temptation to adhere to Shia''s pleas overwhelmed him. Over the past few hours that he was awake, he had bonded well with Shia. She told him everything that he wanted to know and Shin felt that she was perhaps the most genuine person he had ever met. Her enthusiasm when recalling the Clan Master and Mistress gave Shin a fuzzy feeling, as he imagined how his parents were really like. But above all, the black-haired youth could tell that Shia really wanted the Awter Clan to be together once more, and with Shin being an integral part of the clan, she would do anything that she could to retain her young master. "Shia, I..." "No, young master! Please don''t say it! No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!!!" Screaming out like someone had murdered her entire family, Shia pulled on her hair as a pained shriek pierced through Shin''s eardrums. "Young master¡­ I''m sorry, I can''t let you leave us¡­ We sacrificed too much to save you! Just take a short nap! When you wake up, everything will be settled!" "Shia! What are you doi-!!!" Chilling spiritual energy filled the master bedroom as Shia circulated her mana. Bringing her hands together, the young woman concentrated intensely as a fish-like form appeared within them. "Young master, I''m sorry!" Apologising to the stunned black-haired youth, Shia prepared to fire her spiritual ability to immobilise Shin. "*Yip!* *Yip!*." However, before Shia could fully bring out her Spirit to knock Shin out cold, an adorable squeak snapped the two individuals back into reality. "Bingbing?!" Shin exclaimed at the sudden arrival of the familiar snowy white gerbil. "*Yip!* *Yip!*." Baring out her fangs, Bingbing''s body begun to illuminate with a bright white aura as a wintry frost descended upon the warm room. "Bingbing, wait!" Shin attempted to stop the Tier 8 Spirit Beast from attacking the poor woman, but it was too late. Bingbing sent a frosty surge of mana in Shia''s direction, instantly freezing her inside of an ice coffin. In her suspended state, Shia wore an expression that indicated her disbelief of what had happened. "Bingbing! I told you to wait¡­ Haaa, nevermind. If you''re here that means that..." "Yeap, I''m here too." At that moment, the solid wooden ceiling above Shin''s head instantly crashed open as an elderly woman gently floated down. "Master!" "Hmph! Stupid disciple! How could you let yourself get captured?!" Lady Seph chided her silly disciple that disappeared for almost an entire day. "Master..." The moment he heard those words, Shin dropped his eyes slowly as he remembered how he got caught. Back then, he cursed his foolishness for falling into such an easy trap, but currently, Shin felt that he needed to get caught so that he could find out the truth about his heritage. Over the past few hours, the poor youth felt like he had been thrown into a hurricane of wild emotions. When Shin found out that Junius was safe and sound, he was relieved. When he first heard that he was part of the Awter Clan, he was shaken. When he heard about how the Frie Clan massacred the Awter Clan, he was furious. When Shin was listening to stories about his parents, he was joyful. When he learnt that Vellan and the others were about to launch an attack on Frie Mountain, possibly endangering the lives of people he cared about, he was frightened. When Shin circled about the entire crevice, hoping to find a way of escaping, he was frantic. In that short period of time, Shin was exposed to a flurry of emotions that were beyond his control, and now that Lady Seph had reappeared, he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Running into the embrace of his master, Shin let out a primitive wail the likes of which he had never done before. "S-Shin?! W-What h-h-happened?! Are you hurt anywhere? What the hell did they do to you?!?!?!" Lady Seph was just joking when she chastised Shin for getting kidnapped. Never did she expect that her mindless remark would trigger such a drastic reaction. "I''m sorry¡­ *hic!* Can I just stay like this for a while..." Tightening his grip on Lady Seph''s back, Shin continued bawling out like a newborn baby. "Shin..." Sensing that her disciple was in a vulnerable state, Lady Seph gently stroked his pitch black hair and allowed him to empty his tear ducts. Only after a full minute, did Shin''s shaking body start to calm down as his mind felt comforted by his master''s familiar scent. "Have you calmed down?" "Yeah¡­ Master, am I dreaming?" "What do you mean silly? Of course, you''re not..." "It''s not a dream¡­ Everything that I''d heard is real¡­ Why? Why must things end up this way?" Wiping his face on the white robes of his master, Shin soothed his own psyche before leaving Lady Seph''s embrace. "Shin¡­ What happened?" "Master, I met Junius." "What?! You did?! Is that how you got captured? Junius lured you here?" "No¡­ Master, I was taken by the Black Masks. I was taken by the survivors of the Awter Clan..." "WHAT?!" Unable to hide her surprise, Lady Seph screeched out. "I see¡­ How much do you know?" "Everything." "I see..." Lady Seph dropped her head as she heaved out a deep sigh. "Edward is here with me. He''s clearing out the vicinity. I know you have many questions to ask him..." "The First Elder is with you?!" At that moment, Shin remembered that the reason why Vellan and the others were attacking Frie Mountain was because the two High Elders had left the premise. "Lady Seph! We need to hurry back to the mountain! Junius and the other Black Masks are going to attack Frie Mountain so that they can exact vengeance!" "What?! Oh my lord, the day just doesn''t want to end does it?! Alright, let''s get out of this depressing place first!" Lady Seph grabbed the left arm of Shin ready to fly out into the open. "Wait! Bingbing, could you free that woman? She did no wrong!" However, before the elderly woman could bring Shin out, the young teenager asked the snowy white gerbil to free Shia. "*Yip* *Yip*?" Although she was not entirely willing to free the person that she had just frozen, Bingbing obliged as the ice coffin that trapped the young woman began to melt at an exponential rate. Once her body was free, the unconscious Shia nearly fell to the floor, only to be saved by Shin''s quick reflexes. Moving her body onto the bed, Shin stared intently at the woman that he had spent the last few hours with. "I''m sorry, Shia. I can''t do what you want..." Even though he knew that Shia couldn''t listen to him, Shin still apologised. Remembering her tearful face, begging him to stay with her, Shin felt his heart tighten in pain. "Master, I''m ready..." "Yeah¡­ Hang on tight!" With Bingbing on her shoulder and Shin in her right hand, Lady Seph increased her mana supply as she flew skywards. The crevice that Shin was being kept in had multiple measures to hid its existence. However, the overall defences that it had were lacklustre. With Lady Seph''s abilities, she could easily drill an exit wherever she wished. It didn''t take long for them to reach the surface where the cold moonlight hit Shin''s pale face. The eerie winds rustled the nearby trees, giving the forest that they were in, a sense of mystique that gave anyone the chills. Sounds of nocturnal life echoed through the creepy woods, forcing Shin to wonder where he had been taken. "Seraphim! You''re out! Oh, and you have Shin with you too!" An aged voice boomed from the side of Lady Seph. A cold shiver ran down the black-haired youth''s spine as he heard that familiar voice. Initially, Shin had wished to meet him so that he could find out answers, but when it came to meeting him in person, the young teen didn''t know what to say. "Elder..." Turning his head over his shoulder, Shin was greeted by the same old face that he had seen on a daily basis, once upon a time. His wrinkled skin had become more creased as his entire hair turned white. Possibly due to the extreme stress that he had been under, the First Elder seemed to have aged decades within the short period of time that Shin hadn''t seen him. "Shin, it''s good to see you safe and sound!" The First Elder happily declared, only to be met with Shin''s solemn gaze. After staring at the elderly man for a few seconds, the youth averted his eyes as his body began to tremble. "What''s¡­ wrong?" "Edward¡­ He knows¡­ The people that kidnapped him. They were from the Awter Clan." "T-That!!! N-No wonder..." "Furthermore, they are currently targeting Frie Mountain in your absence." "What did you just say?! Damn it!" When he heard that Frie Mountain, his homeland was being endangered, the First Elder hollered out in anger, almost instantly forgetting about the youth that was within the arms of Lady Seph. "Edward, we can get there while riding on Bingbing¡­ However, there''s something you must do¡­ The thing you promised me before..." Lady Seph darted her eyes between the First Elder and her disciple, gesturing for her longtime friend to uphold his promise. "That! I know..." Chapter 182 The Truth 2 As the night darkened, and the moon reached the zenith of the Earth, Shin could feel the darkness of the world enveloping him. Sitting atop the enlarged Bingbing, Lady Seph, the First Elder and Shin pierced through the chilling twilight winds, as the Tier 8 Spirit Beast flew rapidly. Between the three individuals, there was a delicate silence as no one wanted to be the first one to talk. Shin still couldn''t look the First Elder in the eye, Lady Seph knew that it wasn''t in her place to speak and the First Elder¡­ He was far too concerned about the safety of his granddaughter to be devoting all his attention to Shin. Nonetheless, he knew that he couldn''t drag the issue out any longer, especially after the young teen had heard the story personally from the survivors of the Awter Clan. However, no matter how experienced he was in interpersonal relationships, the First Elder was currently tongue-tied on how to begin talking about such a precarious issue. "Elder¡­ Is it true?" Finally unable to take it anymore, Shin muttered out softly, while still averting his eyes from the elderly man. "Shin¡­ How much do you know?" Before he could confirm or deny his claims, the First Elder needed to comprehend the extent of Shin''s knowledge. "Everything." It was just one word. Shin had only said one word and the First Elder had received the biggest fright that he had gotten in recent memory. The hairs on his ancient body started to stand, and a cold shiver creaked through every fibre of his being. "Everything, elder¡­ From how the Frie Clan killed off the Awter Clan, the clan that I was from. To the fact that¡­ I was Errol Awter''s sole son. The heir to the Awter Clan." "That much huh¡­ Then there''s no need for me to say anything more¡­ Yes. Yes, the Frie Clan did kill off the Awter Clan." Dropping all forms of formalities, the First Elder didn''t beat around the bush as he got straight to the point. "Why¡­ Why did the Frie Clan do that? WHY DID YOU KILL MY FAMILY?!?!" Shin cried out as his entire body shook in a myriad of emotions. After listening to Shia''s stories about his parents, Shin couldn''t help but wonder what life would have been like if nothing had happened fifteen years ago. Would he have an entire loving family that he dreamed off? Would the familial warmth that he so longed for growing up as an orphan be there? Nonetheless, because of the Frie Clan''s actions, Shin wouldn''t be able to know for his entire life. "Shin..." Moving her hand to calm the terrified disciple of hers, Lady Seph supplied some human contact, hoping to soothe Shin''s outburst of emotions. "There are no excuses. The Frie Clan did indeed annihilate the Awter Clan. That is the undeniable fact. That is our sin. I do not ask for your forgiveness, nor do I want you to bury your hatred for us. However, I do hope that you would listen to our story¡­ My story..." The First Elder weakly explained. "..." Staying silent, Shin repressed his rage as he waited for the First Elder to continue. There were two sides to every coin. Shin was well aware of that fact. Even though he had listened to Vellan regarding the matter of the massacre, it seemed only fair to listen to the Frie Clan''s side of things. "It all began in the age after Longyu Yuan first established his clan in the Himmel Empire. Initially, the region was dominated by the Frie Clan as our history was long and developed. Many clans respected us, as did the Imperial Family. In those days, we were living in a period of bliss and harmony. Therefore, when the Awter Clan came about and threatened our sovereignty, the Frie Clan was unable to stay silent." Rapidly giving a brief overview of the two clan''s history, the First Elder''s voice turned shaky. "In the beginning, we tried to curb the growth of the Awter Clan. After all, Longyu Yuan''s philosophy of accepting any water elemental users into the clan made it a force to be reckoned with. Our ancestors realised that if their growth continued, the Frie Clan would lose its sovereignty over the region, and because of that¡­ Our age-long conflict began." When the First Elder spoke of those matters, a dejected sigh escaped his lips. His entire body that seemed so valiant in the beginning had started to show the years of battle scars and mental fatigue. "No one remembers who fired the first shot. Back then it was just chaos upon chaos. Our clans clashed multiple times, be it due to planned or unplanned circumstances. For instance, there was once the Frie Clan dispatched a team to take down a trading caravan of the Awter Clan just because it strayed a little bit into our roads. There was also a time where the Awter Clan crippled one of our members just because they had a heated verbal exchange." Shin listened attentively as the First Elder recounted the timeworn stories that had been buried with the Awter Clan''s demise. There were also stories that Vellan and Shia had left out, giving Shin a new perspective of the devastating relationship that the two clans had. They obviously weren''t the best of friends in the early days prior to the Awter Clan''s massacre. "Although the conflict was heated, it wasn''t to the point where we had to kill one another to survive. In fact, there was even a mutual respect that the two clans had for each other. Of course, we hated the Awter Clan, and I expect that they shared the same sentiments. However, since we did not want to engage in a war in which both sides would lose a significant amount of our forces, we bottled the hatred up. One generation of leaders even tried to mend the broken bridges that our ancestors had caused and ally with each other. As you would expect, the deal fell through in its infancy..." A bitter smile crept up the elderly man''s face. "Skirmishes between the Awter Clan and us continued on for a long time, even after the deal for peace. Growing up, I had even been training to hit straw dummies of Awter Clan members. That''s how much the two clans loathed one another. So even though we were not actively fighting, our relationship was extremely volatile, so much so that just one minor thing would ignite the flames of war." "The aether crystal mine..." Shin uttered out without thinking. "Exactly¡­ Given the nature of how valuable those crystals are, there was no way that the Frie Clan would give in to the Awter Clan''s claim. If it we didn''t have the bad blood behind us, perhaps we would have been able to reach a compromise. However, neither side wished to back down, and then¡­ It led to ''that'' incident..." Grimly biting down on his lips, the elderly man''s eyes showed a tinge of fear and anger as he recalled the fateful event that was the catalyst to the entire tragedy. "W-What?" Shin fearfully enquired. "The battle for the mine¡­ The Clan Master of the Awter Clan, your father, led his men to claim the mine for themselves. Naturally, our previous Clan Master wasn''t that thrilled and brought some of our best fighters to brawl out with them. On that day, many lives from both sides were lost, and the loss on our side that hurt the most was one of our most promising young talents¡­ The Second Elder''s only son¡­ And the person who killed him was¡­ Errol Awter..." "!!!" Shin''s eyes widened in horror. Now everything made sense to him. Why did the Second Elder''s division bully the orphans growing up? Why did the Second Elder despise the orphans with everything that he had? Why did the Second Elder order an assassination attempt on his life when he had awakened The Sovereign Koi? As it turned out, Shin was the crystallisation of every single thing that the Second Elder despised. "From then on, everything had gone downhill. Numerous other battles ensued as countless of lives were lost. Our forces dwindled with every passing moment as despicable tactics from both sides dominated our conflict. The animosity that burned like a thousand suns only grew more blazing as we saw our comrades fall in battle. Eventually, we lost all semblance of humanity. To us, the Awter Clan were just savages that had to be utterly eradicated. It didn''t matter who they were or whether they were innocent or guilty. To us¡­ They had to all die..." The First Elder dropped his eyes in shame, not knowing how to face Shin. In the past, all the members of the Frie Clan were drunk with hate and anger, himself included. They didn''t think about how killing the Awter Clan would affect the thousands of innocent lives on Awter Lake. They all viewed the Awter Clan using the same lens of hatred, unaware that they themselves had degraded into savages. "The war continued on for such a long¡­ long¡­ time¡­ I can''t even count the number of times I had cried over our dead brethren being wheeled back in droves. Even¡­ Even my¡­ Even my only son..." Opening up a box of emotions that he had sealed many years ago, the First Elder covered his face with the red robes that he wore, preventing the young teen from witnessing his sorry state. Shin intently stared at the now feeble elderly man, wiping the tears and snot that dripped down his face. In all his years, never had he seen the First Elder in such a miserable state. Always the indomitable pillar that never wavered, the First Elder never showed such an extreme emotion before. "My only son¡­ Arthur¡­ Died in one of the battles¡­ The moment I saw his¡­ Unmoving body, a pain of the likes I never experienced before enveloped my entire being. I mourned and mourned, but no matter what I did, my boy would not respond¡­ Soon, after days upon days of cursing my miserable fate, my anguish had turned into pure unadulterated hate. I too wished to kill off the entire Awter Clan, skinning their bodies and feeding them to the dogs!" "Elder..." "That was our sin. Losing ourselves. From then on, we, the Frie Clan only had one goal. Extermination. We would ignore the flags of surrender and any possible option to negotiate a peace treaty. Even when the Awter Clan had thrown in the towel and turtled into their home base, we would not relent. Lost in our emotions, we marched straight into Awter Lake, slashing and burning everything that moved." The First Elder''s body convulsed maniacally when he recollected the final hours of the Awter Clan. "With next to no men available to fight, the Awter Clan were like pigs awaiting slaughter on the chopping board. We killed and killed. A one-sided massacre. That was the only way to describe that night. Till this day, I can clearly remember the stench of burning flesh and the wailing cries for help. Only after a large amount of Awter Clan was eradicated, did we come to our senses." Bringing up his two hands, the First Elder looked like he wished to chop off the butcher arms that was stained in blood. "In our hate, we became monsters. In our hate, we became mindless beasts. In our hate, we slaughtered innocents. Many of us who woke up, tried to stop the massacre, but it was too late. Corpses of our enemies lay all around us¡­ No, corpses of humans lay around us. W-We¡­ Even burnt a b-b-baby! What hellish existence does that?!" Tears dripped down the elderly man''s face like a waterfall, draining the First Elder''s vigour away. "Once we finally understood what we had become, many of us had lost our minds. Unable to bear the weight of the many lives that we claimed, some of our most valiant fighters even ended their lives right then and there. As if trying to redeem ourselves from our immorality, we desperately searched for survivors. Unfortunately, there were none to be seen." "..." Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva, tightening his grip on his Master''s hands in the process. "However, in a strange twist of fate, we discovered a safe house. In there, seven young toddlers, ranging from infancy to four years old, lay sleeping, completely secure from the carnage. At that moment, we had two options. Either we murder the children in cold blood and completely lose our humanity, or we bring them back and raise them, partially easing our guilty hearts. To the previous Clan Master and me, it was a split second decision. Naturally, we faced opposition from those that didn''t awaken from their hate, the Second Elder being one of them; but the previous Clan Master was adamant." Explaining how the Frie Clan came to the conclusion of bringing the orphans back to Frie Mountain, the First Elder wiped the tears off his face. "Shin¡­ Junius, Lily, Ryner, Lia, Ella, Emma and you¡­ Due to our selfish and abhorrent actions, we robbed you all of complete lives. Trying to sate our guilt, we created a division for you guys and had even brought in random parentless orphans off the street to mix with the division, so that we could wipe clean any doubts of your heritage. We wanted to make you included into the Frie Clan, we wanted to create a life where you could prosper. It was not because we loved you, it''s because we wanted to wash clean our guilt¡­ But I see now, fairy tales do not exist..." With a defeated expression, the First Elder sat alone, forlorn and torn. "No matter how much we try to hide it, the past will come back to haunt you. There are even some people in our clan still living in said past..." "Elder..." "Shin, like I''d said. I do not need you to forgive us. If you want to leave us entirely, I completely understand. I was planning to send the entire orphan division to the Capital with you anyway. However, Ariel, that silly lass¡­ Her feelings for you are genuine. She doesn''t know about the dark past that the Frie and Awter Clans share. Please don''t follow in our footsteps and blame the innocent." Bowing down to the young teenager, the First Elder implored him to not condemn his granddaughter. At that brief moment where he closed his eyes, the First Elder was brought into a fantasy world that he had dreamt about many times before. In it, the elderly man was holding onto a young toddler while boisterously laughing out, dining on wine and fruits. Beside him, a grown-up Ariel was in the arms of a suave and tall Shin, happily smiling at the interaction between the First Elder and their child. It was his fantasy for the future. Where Shin and Ariel were in matrimonial bliss and that all grievances had been wiped clean. However, as it turned out, the dream that he was having, the fairy tale that he believed in, might never come into fruition. Chapter 183 The Truth 3 Once the First Elder had ended his emotional rant, a terrifyingly chilling silence descended upon the back of the enlargened Spirit Beast. The First Elder was shaking like a leaf, trying his best to keep his emotions in check, while bowing down to Shin. Lady Seph, who only knew of the cursory facts surrounding the demise of the Awter Clan, gaped in terror as if paralysed after learning the entire truth. And finally, Shin who had yet again received another information dump was merely sitting there, unmoving. However, unlike his stoic exterior, Shin''s mind was currently running at the speed of light, trying his hardest to process everything. His emotions were now in disarray and he felt that all logic had been thrown out of the window. The First Elder had admitted to murdering the entire Awter Clan, the clan in which he was supposed to be a part of, yet he felt sorrowful for the elderly man''s state of being. There was no question that the Frie Clan did an unforgivable thing, but after hearing every single part of the story, Shin didn''t have to heart to entirely blame the First Elder. At that moment, memories of his childhood on Frie Mountain flashed by Shin''s mind. The times where the Instructor taught him patiently and faithfully. The times where the Headmistress asked for what foods were his favourites. The times where he played around with Ariel and other members of the main bloodline. Naturally, there were countless bad memories that he had. However, the good ones easily trumped the bad ones. In his silence, the young teenager deeply thought about the relationship that he had with the Frie Clan. "When we brought you seven back from Awter Lake, the previous Clan Master, as well as a large majority of the elder council, agreed to raise the orphan division as if you were our own children. Of course, there was one major dissident to our cause¡­ Ash, unable to stand the fact that we had brought in survivors of the Awter Clan into our mountain, started to plant nefarious seeds of untrust in many of the elders'' minds. He argued that one day, once the orphans found out about their true heritage, they would rise up and seek vengeance. Thus, over time, the consensus regarding the orphan division had diminished as resources had been withheld for your growth..." After a brief period of silence, the First Elder resumed his speech. "Shin¡­ I know that you might hate the Frie Clan, but please do not play into Ash''s hands. If the elder council thinks that the orphans might turn into a threat, I''m not sure what they would do... Now that we had raised you to become a Spirit Apostle, not to mention your relationship with Seraphim, I''m sure your future would be boundless, even without the Frie Clan''s assistance. So Shin¡­ Once again, I can''t control how you feel about us now, but please¡­ Please don''t follow in the footsteps of our sinful generation." The First Elder''s voice cracked as he implored the young teenager to learn from his mistakes. "..." Instead of replying to the elderly man''s mournful plea, Shin simply stared at the man he had once looked up to. The First Elder, in all of the orphans'' hearts, had always been like an immovable pillar of support. His power far exceeds anyone that they had met, and his dedicated care could be felt whenever they interacted. Yet, the once giant figure of a man had turned so small right before Shin''s eyes. In his current state, Shin felt like the First Elder was akin to a house of cards. Just one gentle touch would send him crumbling down to his demise. "I had said what I had to say¡­ I''m sorry, but I have to rush back to the mountain¡­" Sensing that Shin wasn''t willing to talk to him no longer, the First Elder opted to retreat and return as fast as he could to Frie Mountain. After getting emotional over recounting the dark history that the Frie Clan had, the elderly man felt the need to protect the remaining people that he held so dearly. Taking one last look at the muted Shin, the First Elder recalled the crying face of his granddaughter. The whole reason why he left the mountain in search for Shin was precisely because of Ariel''s tearful plea. His eyes quivered in pain as the lips on his face curled up, giving him an empty expression of self-reproach. To think that the heir of the Frie Clan would fall in love with the heir of the Awter Clan. If everything weren''t so torn between the two clans. If the world had been a much better place, would those two meet and fall in love in the same manner? Nevertheless, thinking about hypotheticals would lead him to nowhere. "Shin¡­ The sins of the parents should never be borne by their children. You are innocent, and so is Ariel. The ones at fault are us¡­ The ones who fought in that disgusting war. The conflict that should have ended in the previous generation had been dragged down to yours¡­ For that, I''m sorry..." After giving Shin his parting words, the First Elder jumped off the flying Bingbing''s back and turned into a bolt of red light, darting towards the direction of Frie Mountain. "..." "..." After leaving Bingbing''s back, a calm stillness was shared between the two remaining individuals. Lady Seph, who had long released her grip on Shin''s shaking hands, fell into deep thought. ''So that''s the entire history between the Frie and Awter Clan¡­ And that''s why Edward and Enfen are so protective over Shin...'' Earlier on, before she accepted Shin into her tutelage, Lady Seph had barged into Frie Mountain, hoping to gather the background of the young child. Back then, she only gained a basic understanding over Shin''s past. Initially, she didn''t know what to feel about the Frie Clan killing off every member of the Awter Clan and even accepting some descendants under their wing. However, after the First Elder''s tearful confession, Lady Seph began to sympathise with the weakened clan. Such was the nature of war. For soldiers to fight in such a deplorable scene, they had to forget their humanity, their senses and become a weapon solely for the sake of execution. That was the reason why many warriors would seek death after awakening to the heinous deeds that they had done. For the Frie Clan, they took in one step too far. Lost in their hatred, they performed acts that were unfathomable when they were fully lucid. Instead of weapons sharpened for war, they had turned into butcher machetes that slaughtered innocents. Naturally, the after-effects that followed became too hard for many to bear. "Master¡­ Did you know about the Awter Clan?" Finally opening his mouth, Shin questioned his long-time master. Since his head was down, Lady Seph was unable to make out his expression, but from the tone of his voice, she could guess that it wasn''t a pleasant one. "Yeah¡­ Not to that extent though¡­ But, Shin¡­ It doesn''t change that fact that you''re my disciple. I will protect you even if the world turns on you." Bringing Shin''s head to her bosom, the elderly woman attempted to console the distraught youth. "Master¡­ *Hic!* *Hic!* What should I do? WHAT SHOULD I DO?!?!?!" The last few hours for Shin had been a roller coaster of emotions. He found out that he was the heir of the Awter Clan and his parents had been massacred, alongside the brethren of his clan, by the very same people that had raised him. It was simple to put all the blame on the Frie Clan and exact vengeance from there, but after hearing the First Elder''s account, the circumstances were much more complicated than he thought. In that war, no one won. Yes, the Frie Clan might have been victorious on paper, but the damage had already been done. The animosity between the two clans had been passed down from generation to generation, and even with the complete annihilation of the Awter Clan, the effects of the war still live on. "Shin..." Stroking the silky black hair of her disciple, the only thing that Lady Seph could do was offer her shoulder for him to cry on, as Bingbing rushed endlessly towards Frie Moutain, possibly to stop yet another tragedy from repeating itself. ~~~ While Shin was busy stabilising his mental state, a new fight had begun, hundreds of kilometres away from him. The deafening sirens of Frie Mountain had been sounded causing the entire vicinity to burst into an outroar. Being a battle clan that had just gotten out of a long and devastating war, multiple emergency procedures had been put in play. Growing up Shin and Ariel had all experienced some form of emergency drills that forces them to escape into safe houses. However, this time, it was not a drill. "Hurry up! Anyone below the Rank 20 Spirit Core realm, move to safety! The clan is under siege, I repeat! The clan is under siege!" Howls of distress echoed through the bustling mountain as children stayed close to their mothers. "Sister Lily! Are the orphans all gathered up?!" Ariel, who should have been safely stored in the First Elder''s abode, had run straight to the orphan division, the moment disaster struck. "Ariel! We''re all here! What''s going on?" Lily looked around as the adults of the Frie Clan scrambled to their battle positions. "A beast horde. There''s a beast horde that is thirty thousand strong moving in rapidly on our mountain" Being part of the main bloodline, Ariel naturally had access to more information than Lily ever could. "WHAT?! My goodness, what are we to do?!" Lily exclaimed in terror. Behind her, the remaining orphans also felt the horror that they were about to face. "Not to worry! Our clan is strong! The Clan Master and all of the elders are moving out! Not to mention the new weaponry that we had bought has been thirsting for beast blood!" Ariel reassured the anxious Lily that everything was going to be alright. "Right¡­ What can we do to help?" Lily casually asked. "Yeah, sister Lily! I want to help!" Elyse, who had already awakened her Spirit a few years prior, excitedly threw her hat into the ring, hoping to be dispatched on her first ever mission. "No, there''s nothing that we can do. Didn''t you hear? Only Rank 20 Spirit Core cultivators are needed in the frontline. All that we can do is retreat to one of the safe houses and await our clan''s successful victory. Right! Why don''t you follow me to my designated safe house?" Ariel suggested. Typically, during emergency drills, each division would have their designated safe house to retreat to. Although the defences were about the safe, having some familiar faces around could help ease the tension. At least that was what Ariel was thinking about. "Is that really fine?" "Of course! I just have to tell the Headmistress about it when we''re there! Urgh¡­ Now that I think about it, I don''t really want to deal with her stern face." "Hahaha, you still can''t take the Headmistress, huh?" Lily giggled at Ariel''s aversion for the person that dealt with her day to day activities. "Hmph! Only people like you can get along with her! You see, tiger mothers attract each other right?" "HARGH?! What did you say?!" "See! You''re only proving my point!" Playing along with Ariel''s taunts, the beautiful young teenager chuckled as she brought the scarlet-haired girl into her arms and nudged on the crown of her head. "Owwww!!! That''s enough, sister Lily! Come, let''s move before it''s too late!" After breaking free from Lily''s grasp, Ariel led the orphans on the road to the safehouse. ''Tsssk, of all times for the beast horde to arrive¡­ I don''t even know is Shin is safe or not! Grandpa! Shin! Please return soon!'' Crying out in her heart, the young girl prayed for the safety of the people she cared for the most in this world before moving straight towards the safehouse. Chapter 184 Battle Of Frie Mountain 1 "Senior Vellan! We have completed all the preparations! The Spirit Beasts are on standby!" Fendry knelt down before an armoured Black Mask Brahmin, who was still in the middle of fully equipping his body, reporting the situation of the army. "How many men did the Allfather send?" Vellan''s voice sounded out from beneath the mask, casually putting on an obsidian gauntlet in the process. "Twenty-four, sir! We have ten Shudras, eight Vaishyas and six Kshatriyas. Of course, the one leading them is..." "Brahmin Malgen¡­ Yeah, has he arrived?" Remembering the Spirit Emperor that the Allfather sent, Vellan cringed. Being a new crime syndicate, the Black Masks had a severe lack of talent. The most nefarious and ancient of crime organisations all had at least one Rank 80 Spirit Venerate leading them, but the Black Masks had absolutely none. Of course, using the Allfather was in a realm of his own, however, for some reason, he had an apparent disdain of showing his true self. Up till this day, not a single member of the Black Mask syndicate knew the true identity of their mysterious leader. Therefore, to deal with the deficit of manpower, the Allfather recruited rogue Spirit Users from all over the continent. Wanted murderers and disgraced members from fallen clans all joined the budding organisation, tempted by the sweet whispers of the Allfather. Promising power and the ability to grant the wishes that they had, the enigmatic leader brought in some of the most notorious felons that had ever existed. The most famous one of which was Malgen Chaxrala. Once the leader of a top sect in the Kori Federation, Malgen was slated to be one of the best earth elemental Spirit Emperor that was currently alive. His might was not only recognised by the country that he was in, but by all the other two great powers in the modern day. However, that all came to a close when the Kori Federation opened up an investigation when they had received evidence that Malgen''s clan was performing revolting acts against humanity, under their clean, shiny exterior. As it turned out, Malgen had been bringing in young Spirit Users, who were lured by the prestige of the clan, and used them as live test dummies or punching bags for his core disciples to train with. His philosophy was that the best way to develop his students for battle was to provide a live specimen for them. Naturally, the fate of those that he brought in never ended well. Either they had been played to death, or they took their lives themselves to rid themselves of the misery Malgen had put them through. Once the Kori Federation found out about how much of a devil Malgen was, they immediately decimated the clan and placed out an order for the heads of Malgen and all of his core disciples. They would even put out monetary rewards that would even tempt Spirit Emperors to go after the criminal that was Malgen. It didn''t take long for Malgen to be backed into one corner. Although he had yet to be found, Malgen could be caught at any moment. Unwilling to give up on his life, the Spirit Emperor tried his best to find ways of escaping, and in his moment of weakness, a dark voice beckoned to him, promising Malgen safety and power. Without a second of hesitation, Malgen joined the Black Mask syndicate to become the strongest human cultivator that the Allfather had ever recruited. Even till this day, his might towers over the other Spirit Emperors that had joined the ranks. Although Vellan should be glad about having a mighty Spirit Emperor on board for such a precarious mission, among all of the other Brahmins, the ex-Awter Clan general disliked Malgen the most, primarily due to the differences in their beliefs. Malgen thought little of the other Black Masks, considering of them as tools for him to grow stronger. Vellan, on the other hand, wanted the Black Mask to act like a family clan, just like how the Awter Clan was. Furthermore, Vellan had many subordinates who were remnants of the Awter Clan, and he didn''t like how Malgen would treat them as mere tools to be used. "Brahmin Malgen has just arrived and is currently residing in the main tent!" "Okay, I''m going there now¡­ Fendry! Don''t let anyone from my division venture anywhere near that putrid person! Especially Junius!" "Y-Yes, sir!" Saluting the fuming Vellan, Fendry promptly retreated to inform the other Awter Clan survivors of their senior''s orders. After donning on his full gear, the bulky man heavily stomped in the direction of the main tent, where the Spirit Emperor was currently residing. Trying his best to place his feelings aside, Vellan put on his most professional face, careful not to displease Malgen. Pushing aside the fabric flap that bar his path, the bulky man cautiously entered into the Spirit Emperor''s abode. Inside, a scrawny man, who looked like in he was in his mid-sixties, was seated in a lotus position atop the commanding throne. Lacking any visually breathtaking muscles, the grey-haired man seemed to be as brittle as glass in which Vellan could shatter with just a slight movement of his fist. His bronzed skin lacked any moisture, making it look like it could tear at any moment. Beside him, the twenty-four Black Masks sent by the Allfather all lined up into two rows, akin to that of an imperial procession. "Brahmin Malgen, thank you for accepting this mission!" Vellan gave a regal bow towards the bony man that sat upon the throne. As much as he disliked the guy, Malgen''s powers were the real deal, and with him leading the army, the chances of eradicating the Frie Clan was much higher. "There''s no need for thanks. I''m just doing what the Allfather ordered." Nonchalantly brushing off Vellan''s gratitude, the Spirit Emperor waved his hand. "No. I must still thank you for accepting such a dangerous mission! With you around, completely wiping out the Frie Clan would be a piece of cake!" Vellan mindlessly stated, ecstatic that the vengeance of the Awter Clan could finally be completed. However, instead of the usual reply that he was expecting, an awkward silence hung over the air. Perplexed, the muscular man pivoted his head about to watch the interactions of the other Black Masks. For some reason, they were looking at him as if he were a madman, forcing Vellan to utter the words: "What''s wrong?" "Haven''t you heard? The objective of the mission isn''t the complete annihilation of the Frie Clan. We are to rescue your brethren that are trapped inside and deal as much damage before the two High Elders return. We are not to expend too many resources in this fight." "WHAT?!" Ignoring all forms of formalities, Vellan hollered out in shock. All this while, he had the firm belief that today would be the last day of the Frie Clan. However, it seems that the Allfather has other plans. "Vellan, to completely wipe out the Frie Clan, we would need to bring in much more manpower and resources. Not to mention the damages that we would incur from the battle¡­ The only reason why the Allfather was gracious enough to even agree to this mission was because of his promise to you guys when you first joined..." Clearly, Malgen wasn''t pleased to accept the mission, as he clucked his tongue in annoyance. "But¡­ Didn''t..." Incoherent with his speech, Vellan''s voice wavered. "Didn''t the Allfather bring down Aldrich''s Keep so that we could use the beast horde in this operation?" "What? Who told you that? The reason why we brought down Aldrich''s Keep was to bring terror to the Himmel Empire. Using the tens of thousands of Spirit Beasts, we could easily topple a few clans and major towns. There''s no way that we would use all of them just for the sake of the Awter Clan''s revenge." Taking one hard look at the petrified bulky man, Malgen calmly explained. "Listen, Vellan¡­ I feel your pain, and I know how much you want to decimate the Frie Clan, but get your priorities in order. You are no longer the general of the Awter Clan, but a Brahmin of the Black Masks. Your personal vendettas are nothing compared to the will of the Allfather." "T-That!!!" Vellan tried his best to keep his emotions in check as he knew that Malgen was merely speaking the truth. No one truly knows what goes on in the mysterious Allfather''s mind and all that the subordinates of the organisation could do was follow his instructions. "Alright, go and collect yourself before we start the mission. Remember, we only have a limited amount of time, so focus on retrieving your brethren first. After that, use whatever pent-up anger that you have to inflict as much damage as you can before the two High Elders return." "I don''t get it! Why would the Allfather not want to destroy the Frie Clan? Why does he only want to brew conflict?!" Finally at his breaking point, Vellan screamed out at the Spirit Emperor. "Like I said before, Vellan¡­ The will of the Allfather is unfathomable to us mortal beings. All that we can do is follow his instructions to the letter. Or are you perhaps, displeased with his orders?" Raising his eyebrows, Malgen softly accused the bulky man. Sensing displeasure from his words, a chilling cold ran up Vellan''s spine as he hurriedly fell to his knees. "N-No! I would never dare!" "That''s what I thought¡­ You are dismissed! The assault will begin in fifteen minutes. The Frie Clan bastards have already manned their positions, so prepare for a hard early fight." "Yes, sir!" Rapidly moving backwards, Vellan left the main tent, leaving the main tent for the other Black Masks that were not members of the Awter Clan. "Brahmin Malgen, is it wise to leave Brahmin Vellan in that state?" A nearby aide of the Spirit Emperor spoke out, concerned that Vellan would do something foolish. "There''s nothing to it. For him, it''s a personal matter, but for us, it''s just another mission. Speaking of which, I do not want anyone of you to overexert yourselves, trying to kill the members of the Frie Clan. Target destroying their buildings and whatnot. We''re trying to harm their foundations to breed conflict. Try to avoid the elites and kill the weak. If you think that you might be at risk, don''t force yourselves. To be honest, I would much rather we take the orphans and leave, but the will of the Allfather is absolute..." Grumbling about the Allfather''s orders, Malgen shook his head. "Remember, we have the advantage going into the battle, but that won''t last very long! Once the two High Elders return, which I presume to be fairly quick, we must make a prompt retreat! So during that time, cause as much damage as you can. I''ll be tying down that bitch Enfen, so there should be no other threats that could kill you!" "Yes, sir!" Chapter 185 Battle Of Frie Mountain 2 "Fuck it! Fuck it! Fuck it!!! FUCK IT!!!" A pained cry echoed through the Black Mask temporary settlement as a muscular man, who towered over the average person, desperately punched on the dry bark of a pine tree. After leaving the audience of Malgen, Vellan ran into the woods and vented his frustration on a poor tree. In his mind, he had pictured the downfall of the clan that he had loathed, and that everything would end in a picture-perfect manner. The young master was safely retrieved, the orphans were soon to be reunited with Junius, and the Frie Clan was about to start their unquestionable demise into the annals of history. However, the Allfather seemed to have different plans. "Senior Vellan!" Behind the muscular Spirit King, various concerned voices rushed in from a distance, hoping to figure out what had happened to their senior. "Senior Vellan, what happened in there?" Unaware of the changes in the plans, Junius anxiously asked the heartbroken man. "I''m sorry¡­ We won''t be able to exact our full vengeance today¡­ The Allfather had changed his mind about annihilating the Frie Clan. We are to just retrieve the orphans and deal as much damage before the two High Elder returns." "..." The remaining survivors of the Awter Clan all looked at the distressed elder of theirs with mixed expressions. For the older members, they all had downtrodden faces and were frustrated that their revenge was unable to be completed, but the younger members like Junius had a less drastic reaction. "Senior, even if we can''t eliminate the Frie Clan today, I''m sure that we will be able to one day in the future! Saving Lily and the others are much more important!" Junius exclaimed. Worried about the lives of the ones he loved, the viridian-haired youth didn''t see the issue about delaying any plans for vengeance to a later date. For him, saving the orphans outweighed any other programs that the Black Masks had. "No¡­ You''re right¡­ We should reunite all of our brethren before we continue down this path! We can easily trample the Frie Clan in the future!" Instantly cheering up after hearing Junius'' words, the Spirit King''s eyes brightened as he affirmed his resolve to save the orphans. "Junius, you lived in the Frie Clan for a large portion of your life. I presume that you know where they would evacuate the orphans in times of distress?" "Yeah! I participated in the drills! I know where they would be!" Junius flashed a broad smile. "Great! Take one of the flying mounts with you! Guide us to where they would be kept! Since we can''t eradicate the Frie Clan, the least that we could do is rescue the orphans trapped there!" "Thank you, senior!" "Hehe¡­ Hopefully, you''d get to introduce me to that Lily girl that you fawn over daily. I really want to see what kind of beauty could enthral our young prodigy!" Unwilling to pass on the opportunity to tease the young Spirit Apostle, a mocking smile crept up Vellan''s face as he brought Junius'' head closer to his chest and nudged on it. "S-Senior!" "HAHAHA!!! Come! Let us finish this gorgeous night by blasting Frie Mountain into a ball of flames!" Screaming out in a war-cry, the bulky man regained his vigour, forcing a smile upon the faces of his subordinates, Junius included. ''Finally¡­ I get to meet you again, Lily! Once we''re all reunited, we can finally live our lives, free of the reign of the Frie Clan!'' ~~~ Sirens screeched as the Frie Clan warriors rushed towards their defensive positions. The moment the beast horde was detected, the Frie Clan had jumped into action. Tall metal walls were raised at the foot of the mountain as the high-levelled Spirit Users of the clan all donned defensive armour and flew rapidly in all directions. Heavy anti-air assault ballistae and powerful steel catapults that was able to fling boulders weighing over a hundred kilograms graced the frontlines in preparations for the fight ahead. Being a combat family clan, the Frie Clan had numerous procedures in play whenever the mountain was facing a significant threat. Hence, when the beast horde first came into sight, although they were taken aback, the overall mood of the clan was peaceful, since their operations were so organised. In fact, a certain air of glee could be detected from the battle-thirsty warriors, that had been holed up in their seclusion for that long. Only their supreme leader didn''t share their sentiment. "Why must there be a beast horde now, of all times?! Senior Edward has gone to track Shin, and Senior Ash is nowhere to be seen!!! God damn it, they must have been planning to strike at us since the very start!!!" A rageful voice bellowed down the Main Hall, stunning all those that were near. "Enfen, calm yourself. Losing control over your emotions won''t help to ease the situation..." From her side, a placid and soothing tone urged the seething mad Clan Master to calm down. The Shrine Maiden, who was the only person near the Clan Master at that time, was giving her two cents about the dire circumstances that they were facing. "Lien! How could you be so collected at a time like this?! A bloody beast horde is at our doorstep! Not to mention, our scouts had said that the Black Masks have started up camp nearby! I knew that bloody organisation was a threat to our peace!!!" "Enfen, cursing the Black Masks won''t get us anywhere. Our forces are strong enough to withstand the thirty thousand beasts with ease. The only problem is those Black Masks¡­ What do they gain by attacking us? Money? I''m sure that they know that flattening our mountain is next to impossible, so the assumption that they want to loot our vaults shouldn''t be true. Fame? The Black Masks are notorious enough, even without attacking Frie Mountain, many government officials are on the hunt for their heads. I just can''t wrap my finger around what they a truly after..." Rubbing her smooth and spotless chin, the Shrine Maiden theorised on what was driving the Black Mask syndicate to go to such lengths. "Who cares about that?! What we need to do is drive them off to ensure our survival! I had sent a message to the Himmel Empire so reinforcements would be arriving in a few hours. For Senior Edward, he had just sent word that he''s rushing back to the mountain. The only force that we''re lacking is Senior Ash, and I have no bloody clue on his whereabouts!" Miffed that the High Elder that was supposed to protect the clan wasn''t around, the Clan Master scowled in anger. "Have you contacted the executives at the Second Elder''s division?" "Naturally! Bates is on his way here now! Hmph, there better be a satisfactory explanation for Senior Ash''s absence... " Just as the Clan Master was speaking about the One-armed Kingslayer, a lanky figure could be seen approaching the Main Hall, which acted as the central brain of command for the defence of the mountain. Pale white like a sheet of paper, the usually valiant warrior seemed to be so feeble, regardless of his mighty stature. Bates'' eyes were dreary, and his mouth was hanging with a tinge of shame as if he wanted to find a hole to hide himself in. Evidently, he didn''t like that he had to be put in front of a furious Clan Master that demanded him to air the dirty secrets that the First Elder had. "Bates! Although there are so many things I want to ask you, since we''re short on time, I''m just going to cut to the chase¡­ Where''s senior Ash?!" The Clan Master''s annoyed cry echoed through the Main Hall, forcing Bates'' body to jerk slightly "This¡­ The elder had gone out on an errand duty..." "STOP BULLSHITTING ME!!! I know all the duties that the Second Elder has to do, and there have been no pending matters. I''m not one to say this, but my spies in your camp have reported some dastardly things about senior Ash. Let me tell you this, when he returns, whether we win this battle or not, I''m going to personally wring his neck out, so I suggest that you stop covering up for him or else you would be next in line!!!" "..." Bates stared intently at the Spirit Emperor that held the Proof of the Sovereign in her hands. Knowing that she might have a hard fight restraining Bates, Enfen had brought along the Proof of the Sovereign to restrain his bloodline. Essentially, Bates was currently at the Clan Master''s mercy. ''Elder¡­ I told you not to ally with an outsider! I told you not to leave the mountain! See what you have gotten us into?! @#$%^!'' Blaming the elder that he served with a flurry of colourful words in his mind, Bates decided that it wasn''t wise to hide the truth any longer. "Clan Master¡­ The elder¡­ The elder he¡­ Went to the Ferumris Clan." "Hargh?! Why the hell would he go to the Ferumris Cla-... Oh..." Initially, Enfen was pissed off that one of her High Elders would leave the mountain to mingle with another clan, however after a split second of deliberation, she understood what Bates was implying. "You mean¡­ He..." Pointing her shaking fingers at the fearful one-armed man, the Clan Master''s eyes quivered in pain, with the Shrine Maiden doing the same. "Exactly¡­ I''m so sorry¡­ We tried to stop him, but he didn''t listen¡­ I..." Falling to his knees, Bates opted to beg for forgiveness. "ENOUGH!!!" "..." Stunned speechless by the Clan Master''s outburst, Bates fell silent, leaving an awkward air of stillness between the two. "To think that senior Ash was that far gone¡­" "Clan Master! Our loyalties still lie with the Frie Clan, it''s just..." "What dogshit loyalty makes you ally with a rival Clan just to USURP ME?!" "Clan Master, please¡­ We will fight for the survival of the Frie Clan, please just trust us this once! After the beast horde is dealt with, you can mete out our punishments!" Afraid that Enfen would pull his forces out from the battle, risking the lives of thousands of Frie Clan lives, Bates kowtowed with all his might, causing blood to flow out from his damaged forehead. "Bates..." The Shrine Maiden was unable to watch her longtime friend act in such a derogatory manner. Thus, she averted her eyes. There was no question that the Second Elder''s division loved the Frie Clan. It was just that their methods lay on the extreme end of the spectrum and they would have little care for those outside of their bloodline, the orphans included. However, now that the Second Elder had apparently lost his mind, Bates no longer felt the need to cater to his every whim. What was most important right now, was for the Frie Clan to pull through this crisis. "You! Haaaah¡­ Fine¡­ Bring your men to the front line and lead the charge against the beast horde. Kill as many beasts as you possibly can. When the horde is about to reach the walls, Lien and the other shrine maidens will create a flaming force field that would slow their approach. We cannot allow the villains to step foot into our sacred mountain!" The Clan Master ordered Bates for the first time since she had assumed office. Although it seemed like a minor milestone, it was one step forward to mend the broken bridges that the Second Elder had personally burnt. "You wish is my command! Clan Master!" A stunning orchre light illuminated the area as the senior official of the Second Elder summoned out his Flaming Gauntlet, turning into a ball of light that charged straight for the beast horde, leaving the two ladies behind. "Enfen¡­ Are you really going to trust Bates? After finding out about the Second Elder?" The Shrine Maiden cautiously inquired, knowing that the mental state of her best friend was in a volatile state. "Hmph! We''ll cross that bridge when we get there! I''m sending Bates to the vanguard just to test his loyalty. If he really is a turncoat and wants to damage our clan from the inside, he would join ranks with the Black Masks. When that happens, we can just trap him outside with your flaming barrier, preventing him from causing any chaos. If he''s not, at least we have the firepower of the One-armed Kingslayer on our side¡­ His power is the real deal after all..." "Is that so¡­ Well, I agree with your actions, but what do you plan to do when the Second Elder returns?" "For that bastard¡­ I have my own plans. He will regret the fact that he was born once I''m done with him!" Intending to severely punish the Second Elder for treason, Enfen sinisterly grinned, causing her good friend to grimace in displeasure. ~~~ "Hah¡­ The elder really has done us in this time. Because of him, we have to fight in the frontlines!" A vengeful shriek echoed through the open plains of the chilling night. At the foot of Frie mountain, over a hundred members of the Second Elder''s division had been gathered by the command of Bates to face off against the savage beast horde that was waiting for orders from their leader. To regain the Clan Master''s trust, Bates opted to bring together some of the most powerful Spirit Users in his division and offer their assistance at the forefront of the defences. Being the most dangerous position, the risk of survival was small, and not many would dare to volunteer their services. Naturally, to show that they had not betrayed the clan, Bates felt that it was a necessary measure. "If you have the guts, why don''t you tell that to the elder yourself?" Bate sharply replied the sny comment given by his compatriot. "Oh, pardon me from that hell~! You know that I''m all bark and no bite!" "Tsssk, your attitude is as annoying as usual..." The Orchre Flaming Gauntlet in Bates'' sole hand shimmered in a brilliant light as he said those words. "So¡­ What''s the plan, boss? It seems like their preparations are done." A sluggish feminine voice beckoned to the one-armed man. In the distance, in the skies above the beast horde, there were about forty flying mounts that carried dark hooded figures. Although it was in the middle of the night and the distance between the two forces was rather substantial, the superior eyes of all the Spirit Users present could clearly see the discernible features of the Black Masks. Evidently, they were about to launch their attack. "We bring the fight to them¡­ There''s no way that we can allow them to enter into our sacred mountain!" "Haaa, so it would be a direct attack without any elaborate plans huh¡­ How very Bates-like of you..." "What do you mean by that?!" "Nothing~ You''re the best boss!" "Whatever¡­ Anyway, we should change the battleground into something more suited for our fighting style..." With a cunning smile, Bates gathered a considerable amount of mana into his gauntlet, forcing the temperature of the frosty night to rise significantly. Realising what their senior was about to do, the members of the Second Elder''s division all took a step back, ready to sit back and watch the show. "Descend upon the earth¡­ *Blazing Pyre!*." Snapping his fingers, the darkness of the night was broken as booming explosions filled the fields, leaving behind a trail of hot burning fire that illuminated the witching hours of twilight. Every so often, a new explosion would occur, long after Bates had cast his ability, reigniting the dissipating flames and forcing the battlefield to stay in a state of perpetual luminescence. "With this, we can fight to our all!" Flashing a satisfactory smile, Bates admired his work. Being part of a fire elemental clan, it was better for the Frie Clan fighters to battle on a pit of flames that massively disrupted their opponents and significantly enhanced their own abilities. "Hehe, thanks boss! Look at the faces of the Black Masks! They''re all shook!" One of Bates'' subordinates laughed out. Naturally, since their faces were hidden behind the infamous mask, none of the Frie Clan members could see what expressions their attackers had, but based on their frozen dispositions, one didn''t need to look at their faces to tell what emotion they were feeling. "This is just the appetiser¡­ Men! ARE YOU ALL READY?!" "YES, SIR!!!" "Alright then! Let''s kill these sons of bitches!!!" Raising his gauntlet firmly into the air, Bates signalled the start of the battle, compelling his men to charge forward with impunity. And so, the Battle of Frie Mountain had finally begun. Chapter 186 Battle Of Frie Mountain 3 The moment that Bates launched his spiritual ability, signifying the beginning of the battle, the long-ranged weaponry of the Frie Clan all launched aerial bombardments straight at the beast horde. Boulders that burnt with the whitest of flames clashed viciously on the beasts that roamed near, instantly incinerating dozens of the assailants. To prevent utter annihilation, the stronger Spirit Beasts, such as the Tempest Wolf Kings, all stepped forward deflect a large portion of the attacks. "Tskkk, it won''t be that easy to clean them up in one shot huh?" One of Bates subordinates bit her nails in frustration. Evidently, she didn''t want to be forced to work and hoped that the long-ranged weapons from behind the defensive walls would do the work for her. "Judging from their formation, I doubt that there are any Tier 7 Spirit Beasts or higher among their ranks. The Tempest Wolf Kings are at most Tier 5 Spirit Beasts, and the Zusa Trolls that are leading the charge should be Tier 6." Bates fell deep into thought as he analysed the enemy''s forces. Zusa Trolls were towering beasts that stood over ten metres tall and were blessed with the elements of the earth. Using their superior mana control, they could easily start landslides and trigger miniature fissures that would decimate the land that they were so accustomed to. Naturally, being a Tier 6 Spirit Beast, there was no way that it could win in a one-on-one encounter with the Rank 60 Spirit King that was Bates who was a whole cultivation realm higher than them, nevertheless, the superior numbers that they boasted proved to be a significant threat for the One-armed Kingslayer. "Not to mention, those Black Masks that are flying up top¡­ This is really going to be a long-drawn battle..." Just as Bates was thinking about the momentous task that stood before him, tens of bright red lights flew from inside of the mountain and landed squarely next to the members of the Second Elder''s division. "Lou¡­ Ines..." Beside him, a muscular bearded man and a hazel-haired beauty emerged with some Spirit Users from the First Elder''s division. In the Instructor''s hands, there was a sizeable flaming club that seemed capable of demolishing even the sturdiest of buildings with a simple swing. For Ines, she had merged with the Ainu Flame Wolf in her spiritual body enhancement, giving her a sense of viciousness that was irregular for a woman of her size. Likewise, the other mighty Spirit Users from the First Elder''s division all had summoned out their Spirits, ready to do battle. "Bates..." Ines bared her sharp fangs sharply at the one-armed man, ready to pounce and tear the man to shreds. Remembering the day where he attacked her in the forest while protecting Shin''s assassins, the belly of hate that Ines had buried started to resurface. Unfortunately, the large hand of the Instructor halted the savage woman''s advance. "Lou!" "Now is not the time Ines! We have to protect the mountain..." The Instructor''s booming voice bellowed out, somewhat dissipating the anger that the wolf woman had. "..." Bates stared quietly at the interaction between the Instructor and Ines, careful not to make an improper remark. Of all people, Bates was the one that was the clearest about how bad the relationship between the members of the First and Second Elder divisions. Not to mention, he was the orchestrator for many conflicts and had even personally attacked Ines herself. "Bates¡­ I don''t like you, and I''m sure you don''t have any pleasant feelings for us. However, to protect the mountain, we will assist you in fighting back the monsters." After calming Ines down, the Instructor lightly remarked. The orphans were currently being placed in one of the most secure locations on the mountain, meaning that there was no need for the Instructor to worry about their safety. Even if the Second Elder''s division wished to harm them, they would have to go through a series of defensive mechanisms and competent men that were placed there to protect them. Therefore, the Instructor could be at ease as he fought the war against the incoming threats. "Lou¡­ Thank you for your assistance¡­" Bitterly smiling, the one-armed man extended a few words of gratitude before turning towards the battlefield. Many of his men had engaged with the beasts, reducing the fields ahead into a pile of fire and ash. Being high-levelled Spirit Users, they were able to hold their own against the savage Spirit Beasts that were born with the elements blessings. Flaming boulders had been reduced to dust as the Zusa Trolls swung their massive weapons and the flames of war had been blown backwards by the Tempest Wolf Kings. Currently, the advance of the horde was inevitable, and within a few minutes, they would be threatening the fortified walls of the mountain. "I''m going ahead." Unable to hold back his bloodthirst, the Instructor kicked hard on the floor, propelling his heavy body skywards. Enlarging his flaming club, the Instructor summoned out fifteen fire rings and targetted a concentrated portion of the beast horde, hoping to thin down its numbers. Following his actions, Ines took one last growl at Bates and sped through the frontlines, flashing her razor-sharp claws as she aimed for the necks of the numerous beasts. ''Haha¡­ To think that our two divisions would be fighting side-by-side in the same battle...'' Bates scoffed in his mind as he watched the Instructor and the rest of the First Elder''s division fight alongside his subordinates. It was reminiscent of the times before the fall of the Awter Clan. ''Haaa... now''s not the time to be hung over the past! The first thing that we need to do is reduce the overwhelming numbers!'' Pushing aside the mushy thoughts that he had, Bates took a deep breath in, gathering a significant amount of mana into his ochre gauntlet. The temperature around him began to rise rapidly as an orange aura filled the area. The moist ground boiled in fear as the grass started to burn, and only when his gauntlet had gathered enough mana, did Bates cast his ability. "*Flame Pillar!*." In an instant, a towering pillar about fifty metres in diameter emerged from the centre of the beast horde and charged straight at the Black Masks in the middle of the overcast skies. Noticing the mighty attack, the Malgen, Vellan and the remaining Black Masks all scattered, potentially avoiding certain death. "Aiming for the head at the start huh..." Malgen sneered in ridicule. It was a common tactic to eliminate the commanding officer of the army to send the troops into disarray, so Malgen wasn''t faulting Bates for trying. However, the attack was too telegraphed, and only a fool would have been caught in that flaming pillar. "Let me return the favour¡­" Closing his eyes, the Spirit Emperor released a torrent of green spiritual energy, and at the same time, a lumbering pressure pushed down upon the Frie Clan, making it hard for the fighters to breathe. For that short period of time, it seemed as if there was an ocean above the sky as anyone below the Spirit King realm all fell to their knees, trying their best to gulp in huge breaths of air. "Spirit Emperor?!" Bates cried out in horror. Although he had his suspicions, the seasoned fighter hoped that there wouldn''t be such a strong foe amongst the Black Masks that were attacking. After all, only the Clan Master was a Spirit Emperor among the forces that were present on Frie Mountain. An evil maniacal smile crept up the lips of Malgen as a humongous phantom of a golem appeared behind the dark hooded man. Although the phantom only had the upper part of its body, it was still over twenty metres wide and thirty metres tall, making one wonder how big the Spirit would actually be if it were fully summoned. On its chest, precious minerals such as gold and platinum plates made the golem seem to be a structure created by the Immortals above. "The Thargrak Golem?! Malgen Chaxrala had joined the Black Masks?!" Bates exclaimed in complete terror. The heinous deeds of Malgen had even reached the ears of those living outside of the Kori Federation. "God damn it! What did the Frie Clan ever do to you, Malgen?!" Bates hollered out, thinking back to the history of the clan, hoping to find an inkling of any possible times that the Frie Clan might have offended Malgen Chaxrala. However, due to the great distance between the two, Malgen was unable to hear or reply to the inquisitive query. To prove that point, the Thargrak Golem placed its two hands together and created a long cannon barrel. "Break it down¡­ *Gravity Devastation!*." A blinding light shot out from the cannon barrel and fell straight onto the walls protecting Frie Mountain. There was no explosion, nor were there any fires like how Bates had expected. Instead, the walls all caved in like every single soul and structure around it. Falling straight into the ground wallows of pain and suffering could be heard as Frie Clan members manning the walls all felt their bodies turn inside out. In just a few short moments, the entire area of contact had been utterly decimated, leaving only a humongous crater with the crushed remnants of the fortified walls. "Hmmm? That was easier than I expected. Perhaps they don''t have enough resources to protect against my attacks?" Mildly taken aback about how simple it was to take down the walls of Frie Mountain, Malgen wondered if the Frie Clan was weaker than he had first imagined. "What the fuck?!" The Instructor''s eyes widened in fear as he cursed out loud. It was the first time in his long battle career that he had witnessed such a horrendous spiritual ability. "MALGEN!!!" Bates screamed out in fury as he witnessed his brethren die before his eyes. Controlling his Ochre Flaming Gauntlet, the one-armed man flew up high, hoping to land a clean hit on the greatest menace that the Frie Clan had ever faced. "I wonder if I can just land a clean hit upon the mountain..." Ignoring the flying threat, Malgen casually fired yet another shot upon the tall mountain that he was targetting. However, before it could even break the airspace surrounding it, the bullet of light was halted by a thin, yet robust red force field. "Haha, yeap. No way attacking the Frie Clan would be THAT easy..." Shaking his head, Malgen scoffed at his prior folly. His expression was peaceful, not bothered in the least that he had just wiped out tens, if not a hundred lives. Finally turning his attention to the ball of red light approaching him at blinding speeds, Malgen grinned at Bates fruitless efforts. "Brahmin Vellan¡­ You''re a Spirit King just like that fool coming here now. You deal with him." Malgen couldn''t be bothered to entertain the raging Bates and shoved the task of fighting him to the Awter Clan survivor. After all, the mission was caused by the remnants of the Awter Clan anyway. "Understood!" Vellan''s voice was shaky when he replied to the Spirit Emperor who was advancing towards Frie Mountain. It was not that Vellan was afraid to battle Bates. Instead, he was too overwhelmed with excitement. ''Finally¡­ Finally, the Awter Clan can show its face on this earth once more.'' Vellan''s blood boiled in anticipation. Circulating his mana, the boorish middle-aged man brought out his Spirit, awaiting the arrival of the angry one-armed Frie general. ~~~ "Thanks, Lien! You''d really saved us there!" The Clan Master exclaimed out to the red-faced white-robed woman, who was sitting in a circle with her fellow shrine maidens with their hands outreached to the air. Supplying the force field that protected Frie Mountain with mana, the maidens all had sweaty foreheads and wobbly hands after the potent attack of Malgen. "Not¡­ *hah* *hah* An issue¡­ However, we won''t be able to take too much more punishment..." Catching her breath, the Shrine Maiden worded out her thoughts, as much as she didn''t have the energy to. Evidently, the attack of Malgen did much more damage than any of them expected. "Yeah¡­ You''re right. To think that Malgen Chaxrala was sent to attack us. We didn''t have the infrastructure to deal with the kind of attacks he specialises in... Try your best to maintain the barrier. I have to go out and confront him..." "Are you confident about taking him on?" The Shrine Maiden asked. "No¡­ He''s much older and has much more experience in fighting. Not to mention his cultivation level should be higher than mine¡­ But I''m the only one present that even has a remote chance against him..." "Enfen..." "Oh, don''t show me that face! It''s not like I would definitely lose!" Seeing the downtrodden expression of her long-time friend, the Clan Master waved her hand to reassure the Shrine Maiden. "Hah¡­ What can I say¡­ Be careful alright! Malgen''s battle techniques are all vicious and unorthodox. Don''t let any of his spiritual abilities hit your body!" "Hey, who do you think you''re talking to?! I''m the Clan Master of the Frie Clan! There''s no way that a mere rogue cultivator can threaten me!" Pushing out her chest in pride, the Clan Master gathered her mana and enhanced her body in a crimson red aura. "Alright then¡­ Stay safe." "Yeah! I''ll be back soon!" Chapter 187 Battle Of Frie Mountain 4 "Hoho, with just one attack, the final boss arrives. What on earth happened to the natural progression of things?" Flying high up in the sky, Malgen sneered in ridicule as he watched the Clan Master of the Frie Clan appear before his eyes. In the cold and dark hours of the night, the temperature surrounding the veteran Spirit Emperor was akin to the hottest of days and was as bright as the afternoon skies. Floating straight ahead of him, there was a middle-aged woman, dressed in the most luxurious red robes Malgen had ever seen. Her eyes were gazing at him with a tinge of resentment and fear, but her posture was as steady as a rock. Releasing a significant amount of mana into the air, the Clan Master was preparing herself for the arduous battle ahead of her. However, before she should summon out her Spirit, she needed to confirm the reason for the Black Masks attack. "Malgen Chaxrala!!! Why have you come to disturb our peace?! The Frie Clan has never crossed your path, even in your most heinous days!" A blistering hot rage bellowed out from the middle-aged woman. Glancing down at the crater that replaced the fortified walls of the mountain, Enfen''s body began to convulse as she tried her best to restrain her wrath. "Well¡­ I have no beef with you. In fact, I rather admire the history of the Frie Clan." "Then why did you come?!" "Haha, have a good look at your precious one-armed general, and you''ll know why..." An impish smile crept up the lips of Malgen as he tilted his head downwards, in the direction of Bates. "Huh?! What do you me¡­ No¡­ No, you can''t mean?!" Initially, Enfen thought that Malgen was trying to distract her from the battle with him and was cautious in diverting her attention. However, the moment she lay her eyes on Bates, her entire being started to tremble. Well, to be more accurate, the one she was taken aback by wasn''t Bates, but Bates'' opponent. With an exquisite spear made out of pure crystal ice, the Black Mask that Bates was facing had was holding his own against the famed One-armed Kingslayer and even felt a slight advantage. "V-Vellan Awter?!" The Clan Master exclaimed. Vellan''s Spirit was a well-recognisable one, and during the war against the Awter Clan, many of the top brass had investigated and analysed the Awter Clan general''s abilities. Hence, it was no surprise that Enfen could quickly identify the person behind the obsidian mask in just a split second. "Exactly. You should have done a better job when it came to annihilating the Awter Clan. Some of the survivors slipped through the carnage and found refuge with our syndicate. Well, to be entirely honest, I didn''t even want to come here and fight, but orders are orders." The Thargrak Golem phantom moved and threw a light punch down the Clan Master''s way, forcing her to take immediate evasive manoeuvres. "No hard feelings, yeah¡­ Please die for me." "Hmph! Don''t underestimate me!!!" Hollering out in a burning passion, the Clan Master turned into a ball of bright red light that matched the luminous output of the incandescent moon above. Using the phantom of his Spirit, Malgen covered his body, to protect himself from being blinded. In a few short seconds, the light being emitted from the middle-aged woman started to dissipate, revealing a rich crimson garment, that wasn''t on Enfen''s body before. Wreathed with a bright flame that shot out embers at every given turn, the Clan Master seemed to have become a spiritual entity. Translucent reddish ribbons hung from her sleeves, giving her a sense of mystique and awe. Opening her eyes, the impassioned fire from her pupils burnt drastically as she stared down the opponent who had trespassed on her mountain. "Hoho, a Mystic Armament huh¡­ Looks like you got a huge windfall from the aether crystal mines that you seized from the Awter Clan..." Malgen praised the Clan Master for owning such a valuable item. "..." Enfen''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance the moment she heard those mocking words. Even though Malgen didn''t mean it as an insult, the Clan Master couldn''t help but see it as such. In that war that ended the Awter Clan, there were no winners. Only those that survived and those that didn''t. "Malgen, you''ll live to regret those words!!!" The fire elements danced in joy as Enfen gathered her mana once more. Being near Frie Mountain, which was a dormant volcano, the middle-aged woman held the home ground advantage. Not to mention, she wielded a Mystic Armament, one of the best external weapons that a Spirit User could use. Even though Malgen was clearly superior in cultivation levels and experience, Enfen could clearly give him a run for his money. "HAHA, come then!!! It''s been a while since I stretched these aged muscles of mine! Show me your best, O'' clan master of the Frie Clan!!!" ~~~ While the Clan Master was readying herself for a long-drawn battle with the famed Spirit Emperor, Bates was busy confronting the muscular lanky man that wielded the notorious ice spear. Fifteen years ago, there was no one in the western region of the Empire that hadn''t heard of the legendary ice spear of the Awter Clan. Vellan''s exploits and accomplishments were nothing short of legendary, even matching that of the Second Elder in his prime. Yet, because of the fall of the Awter Clan, his name, like his compatriots, was buried into the annals of history. "To think that the remnants of the Awter Clan still live on¡­ Vellan, have you come for your vengeance?" Bates muttered out while swinging his ochre gauntlet about. Since Vellan had arrived to stop the raging bull, the two had been engaged in a long deadlock where none of their abilities was able to trump each other. In the many years leading to that fateful massacre, the two had faced each other multiple times. There were days where Vellan bested Bates, and there were battles that Bates edged out over Vellan. Nonetheless, it was without a question that these two Rank 60 Spirit Kings were currently at the apex of their powers. "Fuck you, Bates. You know very well that what I want is more than simple vengeance." The ice spear of Vellan violently crashed into the metallic gauntlet that protected the One-armed general''s only hand. "I want annihilation. I want the Frie Clan to suffer the exact same fate that our clan did¡­ And I want you assholes to watch as I kill off all of your families, and make you feel the same helplessness that I did on that night..." Vellan meticulously described his plans for the Frie Clan with great vigour. On the day where the Frie Clan skewered their way into Awter Lake, Vellan was present and had even decided to fight till his last breath. However, by some twist of fate, he, alongside a handful of Awter Clan survivors, escaped the carnage and turned into homeless wanderers. There were many days in which he cursed his fate and questioned why didn''t he die fighting like a warrior. Screams of pain and despair haunted his dreams every time he shut his eyes, and Vellan had even contemplated taking his own life to rid himself of the agony. Unfortunately, being the most powerful Spirit Users among the survivors, he had to stabilise his depressed consciousness and charge forward. "Hmph! You couldn''t defeat us before, even when the Awter Clan head was in the realm of the living! What makes you think that you could stand a chance against us now?!" Bates sent a scorching ball of fire, reminiscent to that of a miniature sun, in the direction of the fallen Awter Clan general. Scoffing at the lacklustre attempt, Vellan pierced through the fire sphere, instantly turning it into a heap of solid ice. "You''re right¡­ Our Clan Master was strong and wise¡­ Yet, we still lost because of our heritage¡­" Vellan''s eyes dropped as he recalled the circumstances that led to the Awter Clan''s demise. Errol Awter, Shin''s father, was once hailed to be the strongest Sovereign Koi user in the Awter Clan''s short history. His might was so feared that even the Himmel Imperial family had to pay close attention to the Awter Clan''s growth. In fact, it might have also played a massive factor in the Himmel Empire''s decision to throw all support to the Frie Clan during that war. "But now, we have the backing of someone greater! Someone who has no qualms about the rules of the world and wants nothing to do with the three major powers! With him behind us, taking on the Frie Clan is a walk in the park!!!" A dark and sinister gas flowed out from the obsidian mask that obscured Vellan''s face, enveloping the crystal clear ice spear in his hands. Instantly, the near transparent spear of the seasoned fighter turned obsidian, and the noble aura that Vellan had once projected had turned entirely evil. "You! I see... That mask gives you some sort of power boost huh?" Bates deduced instantly. All of a sudden, the pressure being mounted on him from Vellan''s Spirit had drastically increased. Heightening his sense to the maximum, Bates readied himself for the hard fight that was soon to come. "I have nothing to say to a dead man..." Deciding that it was time to end the battle, Vellan chose to go all out. Pointing the tip of his ice spear at the shaken one-armed man, the Brahmin enhanced his body as a bright light was being transferred from the shaft of his spear into the blade tip. Almost instantly, Bates felt his entire muscular system malfunction as the temperature surrounding him began to drastically drop. Turning his gaze downwards, a chilling frost could be seen constraining his three limbs, significantly hindering his movements. "Fall into oblivion¡­ *Barafa Hail!*." Vellan''s rough voice echoed within the ears of the shaking Bates as frosty winds started to emerge from the tip of the Brahmin''s icy spear. Chunks of heavy ice fell from the sky and aimed for the neck of Bates. To the now sluggish one-armed general, the bits of ice seemed to resemble a crashing tsunami of arrows that could easily take down a battalion or two, within seconds. "Tssk, *Flame Pillar!!!*." For protection, Bates summoned out a pillar of fire that came from under his feet. Melting off the adverse effect of Vellan''s chilling ability, the one-armed man created an elemental shield that could protect him from the devastating impact of the hail that his opponent had summoned. "*WHHOOOOOOOSSSHH!!!*." At that moment, Bates heard a screeching sound, akin to that of a speeding arrow, flying his way. Unfortunately, due to the flaming pillar that he was enveloped in, Bates was only able to tell the general direction that the attack was coming from. "ARGGGHHHH!!!" Suddenly, the one-armed general felt a piercing pain coming from his abdomen. Diverting his attention downwards, he saw an obsidian ice spear protruding out from his stomach. Oddly enough, even though it was cold on the touch, once stuck firmly inside the body, Bates could only feel the endless heat coming from the injury. "Like I said¡­ I have progressed. You guys, on the other hand, have become weak from hiding in your shell for fifteen years." Vellan''s mocking voice reverberated through the chilling air as he levitated closer to the injured Bates. "Fuck off!" Clenching his fists, the veteran general summoned yet another flame pillar, but this time, he targeted the flames towards his own body. Due to the Frie Clan''s high resistance to fire, Bates wouldn''t die from his own abilities, but naturally, it would hurt like hell. The ice spear that had been lodged into his being had all but melted, reappearing in the hands of the nonchalant Vellan. "The Frie Clan won''t lose to the likes of you!!! Especially after we had beaten you once!!!" The rage that Bates had sealed up after the massacre of the Awter Clan came pouring out. "HAHAHAHA!!! YOU DARE SAY THAT IN FRONT OF YOUR GRIM REAPER!!! I applaud you for that!" A maniacal laugh that contained a mixture of disbelief and pure resentment bellowed out from the mouth of the enraged Brahmin. Congregating his mana around him, Vellan summoned out thousands of icy spears, whose sharpness would match even the most powerful weapons crafted by the world''s most renowned blacksmiths. Watching the numerous spears floating in the air with all of their tips pointing straight at him, Bates felt a most primal fear envelop his consciousness. "Rain upon my enemy¡­ "*Piercing Downpour!!!*." Instantaneously, the spears hailed down upon the recovering one-armed general, not giving him even the slightest of chances to retaliate. "To think that I have to use this ability this early into the battle¡­ How careless of me..." Sighing internally, Bates shook his head in disappointment. The earlier words of Vellan repeated themselves inside of his head. It was true that the Frie Clan had stopped fighting over the fifteen years after they killed off the Awter Clan. Whether it was guilt for performing such a despicable act or simply residue fatigue of a long-drawn war coming to a close, it was the irrefutable truth that the Frie Clan had stopped any battles, dulling the sharp knife that was their military. Compared to Vellan, who had been desperately fighting over the years to survive, Bates was clearly way more inferior. "I might feel the after-effects after this battle, but that''s still better than me dying here! I won''t let the Awter Clan get its revenge!!!" With a loud shout, Bates merged with his Spirit and executed his sixth spiritual ability. Turning into a deity that controlled the fire elements, Bates transformed himself entirely. The arm that was supposed to have been lost ages ago had been replaced with a handmade of eternal fire, that was far more sturdy as compared to a regular human''s arm. On his forehead, fire flickering embers flew above his eyes, making Bates look like a devil''s incarnate. Waving his newly attained hand, the Frie Clan veteran melted off all the piercing ice spears that were headed his direction. "Hoho, so you still had some fight left in you huh¡­ Not to worry. I''ll extinguish everything in a moment." "I''ll like to see you try!!!" Charging off his position, Bates began his desperate struggle against the mighty Vellan, hoping to protect his clan from any more damage. ~~~ "Senior Vellan and Brahmin Malgen have engaged the enemy¡­ Let''s begin the next phase of the plan." While the high-ranking members of the Frie Clan were trying to fend off the powerful Brahmins, Junius and the other Black Masks were preparing to enter into the next stage of the operation. "Those random Frie Clan bastards are more capable than we thought. They''re thinning out the beast horde that we brought rather efficiently..." One of the Black Masks that Malgen had brought from the headquarters remarked. Turning their attention down onto the deadly battlefield, Junius and the others watched as the Instructor, Ines and the other Frie Clan members tried their best to kill as many beasts as possible. ''Instructor...'' Junius had a bitter taste in his mouth as he recognised the dirty face of his former master. Growing up, he had always looked up to the Instructor and saw him as a sort of fatherly figure. After all, everything that Junius had learnt came from the Instructor. Yet, after finding out about the truth, all that Junius could think of was how betrayed he felt. Being an integral part of the Frie Clan, the Instructor must have been a potent force that claimed many Awter lives. Knowing that fact, Junius couldn''t see his former master in the same esteem and respect that he once had. "The force field is still barring our path! We won''t be able to fly in!" One of the Awter Clan''s survivors exclaimed. "Don''t worry¡­ That is about to be resolved really, really soon..." A sinister laugh came from behind the masks of one of the Shudras from the headquarters, foreshadowing the events that were to follow. "Huh?" Just as the Shudra said those words, the ground began to shake as a bright light could be seen forming in the distance. For a moment, all fighters, Black Mask or Frie Clan, halted their actions as they watched the luminous light that resembled that of a sun. "BWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" A crimson laser, similar to that of the light that demolished the walls of Aldrich''s Keep, shot at blinding speeds and crashed headfirst into the barrier created by the Shrine Maiden. Only able to hold the force field for less than a second, the white-robed women that were maintaining the barrier all collapsed onto the floor, allowing the laser to land square on the tip of Frie Mountain. "*Rumble!* *Rumble!*." Now that its peak was destroyed, the dormant volcano had suddenly awoken, vomiting out lava from its core out. "Haha, there we go! Come on! We don''t have much time to complete the mission!" The Shudra smiled, as if immune to the shock that descended upon all of those present. "T-This¡­ Is this the might of the Allfather?!" Junius couldn''t help but holler out. Although he had a brief encounter with the spiritual energy produced by the elusive leader, he had never witnessed how devastating it was first-hand. "Exactly! By his grace, we will be able to sink the entire world into anarchy! Through him, we will be the kings among kings!" With a fanatical cheer, the Shudra praised the powerful leader that they served. "I-I see..." Junius could only bitterly mouth out a few words before watching the flowing molten lava descend upon the place that he once called home. ''Lily¡­ Please stay safe! I''m coming to get you!!!'' Chapter 188 The Burning Rose 1 "LIEN!!!" Watching the force field that her cherished friend had painstakingly built fall into pieces, the Clan Master yelled out in agony. In her current state, she could hardly care about the enemy that she was facing. All she wanted to do was run back to the mountain and check on the wellbeing of her precious clansmen. "Hey, what are you trying to achieve? Averting your eyes from the opponent you''re facing?" Malgen mockingly belittled the stunned Enfen. Using his Thargrak Golem, he playfully swiped the distressed Clan Master, forcing her attention back onto him. "SHUT UP!!! I HAVE NO TIME FOR YOU!!!" In a hysteric rage, Enfen used her mystic armament to send numerous killer swipes down the Brahmin''s way. Unfortunately, it was only able to scratch the surface of the Thargrak Golem. As if waiting for that moment, Malgen waved his hands like a conductor, summoning out a second phantom right on top of Enfen and controlled it to launch a heavy punch right at the poor woman''s body. Unable to evade in time, all that the Clan Master could do was brace for impact and pray that the defensive mystic armament of hers could do the job. "In a fight against Spirit Emperors, one false move means death. I wonder who the hell raised you that way..." Watching the red-haired woman fall from the skies, Malgen lightly muttered out. "Tskkk, I can''t return back to affirm the safety of Lien and the others¡­ ARGGHHHH!!! Screw it!!! I''m going to knock this guy''s head into the abyss!!!" The Clan Master exclaimed in sorrow, after ridding herself of the rubble that lay on top of her. No matter how she looked at it, she was the only one who could halt Malgen''s advances into the Mountain. Finally deciding to go all out, Enfen gathered a significant amount of spiritual energy, forcing the damp grass around her to burn in fear. Heat waves radiated out from the ground as if it were the middle of a blistering hot afternoon and a patch of red aura filled the battlefield. Congregating her mana, the Clan Master concentrated everything that she had upon the two opened palms of hers, as an illusory flower began to form. The flickering flames surrounding the middle-aged woman began to move closer towards the transcendent Spirit as if they were subjects waiting to greet their emperor. Almost instantaneously, a crimson red rose bloomed within the compounds of the Clan Master''s hands, sending a surge of red energy bursting out. Embers of the eternally burning rose sparked off, reigniting the flames that surrounded the Clan Master of the Frie Clan, making her look like a fire deity that had descended upon the mortal realm. "You''re pissing me off flying about in the sky¡­ Come fight me on the ground you asshole! *Sky of Flames!!!*." Raising her Eternal Burning Rose towards the levitating Brahmin, the Clan Master cast her spiritual ability. At that moment, the darkened night had seemed to have turned into day as a blanket of fire covered the entire sky. Fireballs that resembled falling meteors fell onto the earth, targetting the many flying mounts of the Black Masks, Malgen''s included. "Hahaha!!! What an ability! Fine! I''ll humour you!!!" Admiring the Clan Master''s mighty ability, Malgen abandoned his mount and descended rapidly towards the ground, where the pissed off Enfen was waiting. "A mystic armament, a talented Spirit Emperor of the Frie Clan, and not to mention, the environmental advantage that you have¡­ It looks like I''m in a pinch huh?" After causing a crater at the location in which he landed at, Malgen casually stated out how much of a pinch he was in. "Looks like I get to go all out for once¡­ You know, I was getting bored of killing Spirit Users less powerful than myself!!! *Gravity Field!*." Fully summoning out the Thargrak Golem, Malgen performed a zone of control ability. The Clan Master felt her shoulders dropping down rapidly as a crushing pressure, one of the likes that she had never experienced before, mounted upon her body. Gritting her teeth, Enfen used the Mystic armament that she had to ease the burden that she was under, therefore, allowing her to remain standing within the gravity field that Malgen had summoned. "Hoho, as expected a Mystic Armament is indeed worth its salt. To be able to remain expressionless even after I maximised the gravity field¡­ Not many people can achieve that you know? I''m slightly hurt..." Although his expression was hidden behind the mask, Enfen could tell that the Brahmin was taking on a haughty attitude, as if he was schooling a junior that wasn''t able to harm him in the slightest. "Looking down on me would be the last thing that you do!!! *Vines of the Burning Rose!!!*" Casting yet another spiritual ability, the Clan Master created tens of thousands of vines that wreathed with the same type of fire that her Eternal Burning Rose had. Covering the entire fields in just a few short seconds, Malgen was forced to jump into the air, to prevent himself from being entangled with the thorny vines that thirsted for his flesh. Sadly, he was not safer in the skies above. The Sky of Flames that the Clan Master had created remained firmly atop the battlefield, and whenever Malgen came close to it, tens of fireballs prevented his ascent. "Two zone of control abilities? Wow, you have really chosen an odd route in your cultivation." Bombarded by attacks from above and below, all the Malgen could do was to fully summon out his Thargrak Golem to protect his body from any external damage. With its legs elongated towards the ground, thousands of thorny burning vines wrapped themselves upon the stone feet of the Thargrak Golem, preventing it from moving any further. "Now you really pissed me off. *Earthen Spikes!!!*" Concentrating his mana on the feet of his Thargrak Golem, Malgen created hundreds of sharp spikes that rose from the ground, piercing the menacing creepers on the floor. He had even focused heavily on attacking the cause of his agony, the Clan Master. However, as if expecting the Brahmin''s counter-attack, Enfen had encased herself in an image of the Eternal Burning Rose in her hands and protected herself from any harm that the earthen spikes could cause her. "Two zone of control abilities and a protective ability that burns out all types of attacks huh¡­ With that, won''t you be able to destroy a battalion with ease? Not to mention you have a mystic armament¡­ If I were a general of an army, you would probably be my worst nightmare..." Malgen half-heartedly praised his opponent''s expertise. From the short exchange that he had with the Clan Master, he could already tell that her spiritual abilities were catered to fighting against large groups. With a Spirit Emperor like her on the Frie Clan''s side, no standing army in the world would have an easy fight against the turtled up clan. "But focusing on that one aspect has opened up a major flaw in your battle techniques! Against a one-on-one Battle Spirit Emperor like myself, you''re clearly inferior!!!" Malgen smiled broadly as he pointed out the weakness of his opponent. Controlling the Thargrak Golem to combine with his body, the Brahmin armoured himself up, with a Spiritual Body Enhancement technique. "..." The Clan Master watched on silently as her opponent changed up his battle style. After her initial probing, she could tell that the sturdiness of the Thargrak Golem wasn''t something that her Eternal Burning Rose could easily break through. Only her trump card, which expended a significant portion of her mana, could stand a chance in injuring Malgen. Therefore, it wasn''t worth the effort to challenge the Brahmin in a head-to-head exchange. Malgen didn''t possess the ideal warrior body. His scrawny build and thin waist suggested that he wouldn''t be able to take on even a single hit from a much larger opponent. However, when the Thargrak Golem merged with him, the bony Brahmin seemed to have transformed into another being. His height was now over three metres and the spiritual pressure being released from his body nearly doubled. "BRACE YOURSELF!!!" Kicking off from his position, Malgen turned into a bright earthen light as he charged straight for the Clan Master who was well-protected by the phantom of the Eternal Burning Rose. In a time period of a few seconds, the frightening Spirit Emperor launched hundreds of explosive fists upon the barrier that protected Enfen. Only after the vines from the ground and the fireballs from the sky descended upon his body, did Malgen make a quick retreat. "Damn¡­ Your defences aren''t too shabby huh..." Looking down at his knuckles, Malgen watched as the golem armour protecting him had turned into mush as the flames melted his punches. It was the first time in ages since his golem armour had sustained that much damage. Naturally, Enfen didn''t come out from that exchange unscathed. The barrier that was supposed to protect her no matter what had shown signs of decay. Evidently, the power from Malgen''s strikes did much more damage than she had expected. ''ARGGHHHH!!! Why must such a strong person come to Frie Mountain?!?! Damn it, senior Edward, you better return here quickly!!!'' The Clan Master cursed her fate, at the same time she called out to the absent First Elder to make his prompt return. ''I''ll just have to hold him off for a while longer¡­ It looks like those elders from the Athenaeum have resolved the issue with the descending lava...'' Turning her attention to the flowing lava that was threatening the structures of the Frie Clan, the Clan Master felt her tense heart ease up a little as one of her worries was lifted. Closing her eyes, she circulated her mana once more and fixed the broken parts of her rose barrier. ''Senior Edward! You better return soon, else the Frie Clan would no longer be here!!!'' ~~~ "Chief Librarian! You have saved us!!!" A tired and spent voice exclaimed out from the bustling quadrangle of the Main Hale. The Shrine Maiden, who had been busy supplying mana to the force field that protected the mountain, had been blown backwards when the horrendous laser hit and blew apart the peak of the dormant volcano. Molten lava spewed viciously down from the top and descended upon the poor souls below, causing widespread panic and fear. Unable to move even a single finger, the Shrine Maiden just lay there helpless, waiting for the glowing orange liquid to claim her life. Fortunately, before that could happen, the Chief Librarian triggered a device in the Athenaeum that dissipated all forms of molten lava, narrowly saving the thousands of lives atop the mountain. "Not to worry. Did you honestly think that our ancestors would let us build our base on top of a volcano, just to let it all be destroyed by a little eruption? We have planned for this situation hundreds if not thousands of times over the years." The Chief Librarian smiled as she reassured the worried Shrine Maiden. "But this is bad¡­ Some of our safehouses had been destroyed by the impact¡­ Judging from the situation below, no one lost their lives, but we need to move our children to a more secure location." "You''re right¡­ Give me a few minutes¡­ To recuperate¡­ I''ll help you..." The Shrine Maiden weakly uttered out. Unfortunately, her body wasn''t functioning the same way that she wanted to. "Haha, you have done enough, Lien!!! Leave the rest to us! You and Enfen all share the same traits. Trying to shoulder things by yourself. Have some faith in us, the elders of the Clan!!!" With a wry smile, the Chief Librarian sent a little mana into the weakened white-robed woman''s body. At the same time, multiple bright red lights flew across the mountain, landing on the places where help was most needed. Typically, the elders on the council would rule and dictate how the clan would move forward. However, in these times of peril, every additional helping hand was a significant boost to the recovery of the clan. Unified by the same desire to survive, the elders of the clan assisted in any way that they could. It didn''t matter if they were from the First or Second Elder''s division. The only thing on their minds was to protect their families. "Chief Librarian¡­ Yeah, we have been shouldering too much¡­ We''ll leave the rest to you guys..." Falling onto her back, the Shrine Maiden opted to recover her spiritual energy without worrying about the wellbeing of the clan as a whole. "Yeah¡­ Leave the rest to us!!!" Chapter 189 The Burning Rose 2 "Ariel, we can''t proceed into the safehouse!!!" A pained shriek echoed through the packed streets of Frie Mountain. Lily, as well as the other orphans, were being led by a particular scarlet-haired Amazonian girl, down from their abode to the safehouse that Ariel was supposed to go to. Regrettably, before they could even reach the halfway point, the devastating laser beam broke through the barrier and sent the tip of the mountain flying into oblivion. As a result, balls of molten lava spewed out from the top and broke down multiple roads and buildings, causing panic to ensue. Only after the Chief Librarian activated the device that dissipated the lava, did calm return onto the mountain. "I know! Damn it, we can''t run to anywhere that I know of from this place¡­ Not to mention, there''s no one here that could protect us..." Biting her fingernails, Ariel deliberated on the next best path for them to take. Although the chaos had been somewhat contained, there was still the issue of finding a new place to hide. "Sister Ariel! Why haven''t you found shelter?!" At that moment, a youthful voice beckoned to the distressed group. Turning her attention backwards, Ariel noticed two bright red-haired teenaged boys brisk walking in her direction. Linus, accompanied by Leon, was trying to gather as many of their brethren as possible so that they could seek shelter together. By pure happenstance, Linus noticed that Ariel was alongside the orphans, and decided to prompt them to reach safety. "Linus! Our safe house was destroyed¡­ We can''t follow our original plans!!!" Not willing to beat about the bush, Ariel went straight to the point. "I mean we could find shelter in grandpa''s abode, but I''m not sure how secure it would be from everything that''s going on..." "If you can''t find a place to hide, why not come with us? There''s ten of you so the house might be a little squeezy, but at least it would give us sufficient protection from the beast horde!!!" An invisible light bulb lit up above Linus'' head as he made that suggestion. "Hah?! Are you planning something again?!" Ryner sharply snapped back. Over the years, he had learnt to build a sensible wariness about the members of the Second Elder''s division. Therefore, when the Second Elder''s grandson himself was trying to offer his assistance, Ryner couldn''t help but have a healthy scepticism. "No! Really, we really want to help you guys! I know we had our differences in the past, but when Shin saved Leon back at Aldrich''s Keep, I..." Before he could finish his sentence, the young red-haired teen shook his head. "I know that our Elder¡­ My grandfather¡­ Hates the orphans¡­ But I don''t feel the same way! Please trust me! I will put my life on the line to ensure your safety! Just like how Shin saved us back at the Keep..." "..." After hearing Linus'' outpour of emotions, even the cynical Ryner felt terrible for blaming the poor youth that only wished to help them. "I know it''s not in my place to say this¡­ But Linus is serious about helping you guys¡­ I know that I have mistreated you in the past, and I don''t hope for your forgiveness. So all I can do is apologise to you right now..." Leon, who had been quiet all this time, finally opened his mouth. When he was young and immature, Leon had been doing the Second Elder''s bidding, without overthinking about it. Therefore, he had been terrorising the orphans since they were little. As he grew older, he had started to form questions about the mistreatment of the orphans. Why did the Second Elder, as well as many of his henchmen, absolutely loathe the eleven children that couldn''t even do harm to the clan? Why must he play the bully in their little lives, when they had no parents and were ostracised by many who disdained those without the pure bloodline? Numerous questions such as those emerged in his teenage mind. Finally, the event that truly changed his outlook about the orphans was the trip to Aldrich''s Keep. When he was injured and was in immense pain, the one that came to his aid was a particular black-haired boy, that he had bullied growing up. Not only did he not seek revenge, but Shin had also done his best to alleviate the agony that Leon was in. At that moment, Leon felt heavy guilt, one of the likes he had never experienced before, weigh upon his heart. Bowing down to the orphans that stood before him, Leon gave out a sincere apology, stunning the children altogether. For the first time in their lives, someone of the Second Elder''s division was treating them with the respect that they deserved. "T-That..." Ryner turned absolutely speechless after watching his hated enemy on his knees. "L-Lily! W-What''s should we do?" "..." Even though Ryner had consulted the expertise of the orphans'' ''mother,'' even Lily was stumped for words. Intensely staring at the apologetic Leon, the young teenage girl couldn''t sense any falsehood in his demeanour. She knew that Linus had the best intentions and if not for the history between the two divisions, Lily might have accepted his proposal in a heartbeat. However, she feared that once at the safe house, the other children that the Second Elder had raised might turn against them, especially during these times of uncertainties. "Sister Lily, I think that we should take them up on their offer!" Ariel interjected while the rest of the orphans were in deep thought. "I trust Linus! Not to mention, I''ll be there as well! I''ll protect you with all that I have!" "Ariel¡­ Fine, Linus¡­ The orphans will seek shelter in your safe house." Finally relenting to the Second Elder''s grandson''s suggestion, Lily''s words brought a jubilant smile to Linus'' face. "However, if we were to face any kind of harassment by your camp, we will immediately leave. We won''t just sit there and let you guys bully us anymore!" "Naturally! I swear on my soul that I''ll ensure your protection. From both the Spirit Beasts and members from my division! If anything wishes to harm you, they must get past my dead body first!!!" Raising a fist pump into the air, Linus solemnly gave out that promise. ''Finally¡­ I get to repay Shin for what he had done for me!!!'' Linus cheered out mentally. There were many days in which he remembered the fear and anxiety that he had when he realised that Leon had been injured for his sake. If not for the presence of Shin, Leon might have incurred a long-lasting injury that might have stifled his cultivation. Hoping to return the favour one day, Linus had always been looking out for the orphans and had even stopped multiple bullying attempts planned by children of his division. Yet, he always felt that he didn''t do enough. Now that he finally got a chance to do just that, Linus wasn''t willing to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. "Alright then¡­ Let''s hurry before the beasts arrive!!!" ~~~ While the children of the Frie Clan were scrambling to find shelter in the horrid environment that Frie Mountain had turned into, their Clan Master was facing a bitter struggle with the mighty Malgen Chaxrala. Using the terrain to her advantage, Enfen was able to land multiple clean strikes upon the Spirit Emperor''s body, even forcing the fully armoured Brahmin to be more wary with his approach. Unfortunately, the defences of Malgen proved too tight for the Clan Master to break through, even with the support of her Mystic Armament. "You sure are sturdy¡­ How many lives have you experimented on to reach that level?" Halting her desperate attacks, Enfen opted to distract the Brahmin with words, just so that she could catch her breath. Malgen''s Chaxrala''s route to dominance was well-known to those who followed the news. Using his disciples as mere tools to sharpen his battle senses, the Spirit Emperor was perhaps the most vicious Spirit User that came from an orthodox sect. Naturally, that viciousness had paid off for him as he gained the title as the most powerful earth-elemental Spirit Emperor that was currently alive. "I could say the same for you¡­ How the hell could you take on so many of my attacks and not come out with a scratch? What kind of flower protection is that?!" Malgen fired back at the Clan Master who was currently encased in the phathom of the Eternal Burning Rose. Although the barrier that surrounded her had been torn apart many times, by adding a little bit of mana, Enfen could repair the damage done, with no physical damage to her original body. If an outsider were to view the current state of the battle, they would definitely think that the Clan Master had the absolute advantage. Compared to the worn out Thargrak Golem armour that Malgen was wearing, Enfen was in the pink of health, with not even a pant in sight. Of course, the reality wasn''t that kind to the Frie Clan. Using both her zone of control abilities and her defensive protection put an enormous toll on the Clan Master''s spiritual body, as mana was being drained at an exponential rate. If the battle were to continue on for a few more minutes, there was no doubt in the Clan Master''s mind that she would burn out, giving Malgen the opportunity to land the decisive blow. "I could do this all day, Malgen! I''ll give you one last chance to return back from whence you came. Should you do that, I promise you I won''t give chase!" Naturally, the Clan Master wasn''t going to admit that she was at the verge of imminent collapse and pulled out a bluff from her hands. "As tempting as it may be¡­ I have clear orders you see. Since you claim that you could do this all day, let me test what your true limits are!!!" Undeterred by the woman''s claims, Malgen heightened his spiritual energy to the max, as the earth elements danced with joy. The gravity field that he had cast upon the Clan Master had all but dissipated as he focused purely on breaching the solid defence of Enfen. ''Hahhh, looks like I can''t delay this anymore...'' As the Brahmin bolted towards her at a speed that the human eye could never hope to follow, Enfen sighed in disdain. She could at most continue on defending for five minutes before she ran out of mana, and even then, Malgen would probably only have lost thirty per cent of his power. Once she was taken out, nothing would be stopping the diabolical Black Mask from killing his way into the mountain. Time slowed down from Enfen''s perspective as she watched the beast horde enter the mountain from her peripheral vision. The image of Malgen with his outstretched hands in the shape of a knife came closer and closer with every passing millisecond. ''As much as I don''t want to do this¡­ I have to...'' Thinking of the trump card that she had forcibly sealed from her memory, Enfen''s body trembled in trepidation. When she had first learnt the ability, she had never expected it to become such a destructive one. Just remembering the collateral damage that it caused sent shivers down her spine. The Clan Master had even sworn to never use that calamitous spiritual ability ever again. However, drastic times calls for drastic measures. ''I''ll bet everything on this final attack!!!'' Once she used that ability, there was no going back. Her mana reserves would hit zero, and she would most likely be out of commision for a good few days. Nonetheless, it was worth the try. "All that is created by man must return to ashes." Cupping her hands together, the Eternal Burning Rose made its appearance once more, as Enfen started to chant her final mantra. "Drawn to the first flame, man harnessed its power for good. Drawn to the second flame, man harnessed its power for themselves. Drawn to the third flame, man harnessed its power for evil." Closing her eyes, akin to that of a nun praying to god in a holy chapel, the Clan Master gathered all of her remaining mana into the Eternal Burning Rose in her hands. All of a sudden, an immense light, more dazzling than that of the brightest star in the night sky, was emitted from the midst of the middle-aged woman''s body. "Fire for good, fire for evil. That was the mantra of men. Fire for all, fire for none. That was the song for wars." All moisture in the atmosphere surrounding her disappeared as the heat being released from the Clan Master exceeded that of the lava that was being spewed from Frie Mountain. The grass on the floor began to wither and burn as the air became drier and drier. Finally noticing that something was very wrong, Malgen halted his approach and widened his eyes in horror. Below him, the vines that were created by Enfen had disappeared into nothingness. Above him, the crimson sky that halted his ascent had dissipated like an evening fog. The fire elements all celebrated in harmony as the Eternal Burning Rose in Enfen''s hands started to bloom with a marvellous splendour as if foreshadowing the return of a long-awaited emperor. Over ten thousand Spirit Beasts from the horde had made it into the mountain, leaving the twenty thousand behind with the elite group assembled by Bates to deal with them. However, the moment the Instructor, Ines and the other Frie Clan members saw what their Clan Master was trying to do, they had all bolted far away, like frightened rats scurrying their way into the sewers. Evidently, they knew what would happen if they had stayed on for any longer. "O'' beautiful flower of mine! Bloom for me would you? Let my enemy face your wrathful vengeance! *The Final Petal!!!*" Screeching out at the top of her lungs, the Clan Master used her most powerful ability ever. The Eternal Burning Rose in Enfen''s hands started to expand rapidly, bringing all forms of fire elements into it at the same time. Once it had reached a size of over ten metres, it rapidly contracted, forming a singular piece of glowing light, resembling that of a rose petal. At that moment, time seemed to have stopped for anyone viewing the fascinating ability. Bates and Vellan, who had ended their fight just so that they could get out of range, dropped their jaws at how pretty the Clan Master looked with the single petal in her hands. The Instructor and Ines were far away, but they could clearly sense the terror that the petal contained within its miniature size. And as for the one closest to the Clan Master, Malgen, everything in his mind went blank. He felt a terror that he had thought he had long lost, creep up against his consciousness. The fear of death, a fear that he never thought he would feel again, pressed sharply upon the Brahmin''s mind. There was no sound. All that remained was the sight of the glowing petal dropping from the hands of the Clan Master, and onto the dried up floor below. "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!" A discharge of white, scorching energy destroyed half of the battlefield and instantly incinerated half of the twenty thousand Spirit Beasts outside of the mountain. Those that managed to escape the area of effect on time, such as the Instructor and Ines, trembled in fear as they witnessed the full might of their Clan Master once again. Bates and Vellan, who were fortunate enough to just reach the edge of the impact area, had their hearts beating at over two hundred beats per minute, as they realised that they had just narrowly escaped death. "Enfen?!" The explosion that the Clan Master had created could be felt by the numerous souls living on Frie Mountain. The Shrine Maiden, who was the most familiar with her friend''s abilities, tried her best to sit up from her resting position, hoping to catch a glimpse of the extent of the Clan Master''s discharge of energy. In the midst of the reddened skies, a mushroom cloud, resembling that of a rose in full bloom, towered over the mountain, as the blast waves made its way towards the clansmen, dropping many of them to their bottoms. "She used the Final Petal?! Shit! I need to go to her!" The Shrine Maiden exclaimed out. Only she knew the full toll that the Final Petal would cause upon the Clan Master''s body. Although she would be protected by the Mystic Armament that she was wearing, there was no doubt in the Shrine Maiden''s mind that Enfen would be severely weakened. "You stay put! I''m on my way!" However, before she could even hope to lift herself up, a familiar aged voice, rung in her ears, as a flash of red light flew right by her. Instantly recognising who that was, a wave of assurance eased the anxious heart of the white-robed woman as a wry smile crept up her face. "Geez, what took you so long?!" ~~~ The aftermath of the explosion caused by the Final Petal was utterly mortifying. Ten thousand Spirit Beasts dead and many others injured as a wall of fire barred the path to the mountain. For the fates of those caught in the explosion? No one really knew. ''Urrrgh¡­ I knew this would happen¡­'' Opening up her dazed eyes, Enfen found herself lying on the scorching hot floor, lacking even the slightest bit of energy to speak. All of her mana had been drained from her body, and the only thing that was keeping her from burning alongside the ground that surrounded her was the Mystic Armament that she wore into battle. "Hahaha¡­ Hahahaha¡­ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" While she was busy collecting her thoughts, a maddened laugh bellowed through the sulphurous smoke that polluted the air, forcing the Clan Master to divert her attention from herself to the person who was laughing. "Excellent! Ex-ce-llent! EXCELLENT, ENFEN FRIE!!! YOU HAVE GAINED MY HUMBLEST OF RESPECTS!!!" Malgen passionately exclaimed out. The Thargrak Golem armour that protected him had turned obsidian, with a sinister gas flowing out from the now broken mask of his. However, even with the Allfather''s added protection, about eighty per cent of his amour had been broken down into pieces. His mouth was filled with blood as many of his pristine white teeth had been knocked out. Even the infamous mask of a Brahmin, which was said to be harder than diamonds, had been half destroyed. ''Even with that, he''s still able to stand?!'' Enfen shouted out in her mind. Unfortunately, she lacked the energy to even move a muscle. "I see that it was an all-or-nothing attack, leader of the Frie Clan, and what a banger it was!!! I haven''t felt this thrilled in ages!!! Haha, as thanks, the least I could do is give you a fitting end. Future bards will sing of your valiant attempt to save your clan, even till your last breath!" "No, they''ll sing of how she killed off an enemy and how she lived!" Before Malgen could make the final move, a flaming whip that spat out embers lashed out at the damaged Brahmin, forcing him to make immediate evasive actions. ''The Kyoli Ember Whip?! Senior Edward?!'' As Enfen thought that, an elderly man dropped down from the skies and landed right in front of the exhausted middle-aged woman. "Enfen¡­ No, Clan Master¡­ You''ve done enough. Let me take over!" Chapter 190 The Burning Rose 3 "You¡­ That spiritual pressure¡­ So you''re one of the High Elders of the Frie Clan?" Malgen theorised after feeling the power that the First Elder was supplying. Standing in the way of Malgen and the Frie Clan Master, an elderly man, who was way past his prime, was holding on to a crimson whip that spewed out embers at every slight movement. His wrinkled face was furrowed into a frown as he watched the Black Mask that had caused so much damage to his clan while he was away. Although he was in his twilight years, the First Elder was no different than when he was twenty years young, a warrior that would do anything to protect his brethren from the hands of people who sought to harm them. "Malgen Chaxrala¡­ How deplorable of you to fall into the netherworld¡­ The once prideful Spirit Emperor now answers to a crook that hides behind a mask..." Snorting in derision at the Brahmin, who was battered all over, the First Elder gently lashed his whip on the floor. "Hahaha, as you''d said! I have fallen into the underworld! But who were the ones who drove me there in the first place? Isn''t it orthodox sects and clans such as your own? Unable to stomach my methods, they chased me into the ends of the world, hoping to see my head on a spike! At that moment, the only one who saw value in me, the only one who reached out his hand, is the mighty Allfather!" Malgen shouted out in anger. The broken down Thargrak Golem armour of his that had turned obsidian started to regrow, protecting the battered down flesh and bone of the Spirit Emperor. Even though he was injured beyond regular repair means, Malgen was still able to put up a decent fight for a while longer, a testament to his title as the world''s strongest earth elemental Spirit Emperor. "What a shame¡­ Looks like I''ll have to put you in your place. I wonder how much the Kori Federation would give me if I deliver your dead body straight to their doorsteps!" "Haha! I would like to see you try!" Once his armour had been fully recovered, the Brahmin kicked off from his stationary position and charged straight at the First Elder, like a wild bull that thirsted for the man''s blood. ~~~ "Junius! The First Elder of the Frie Clan has returned! Additionally, our scouts have picked up the mana signatures of the Second Elder and Lady Seph fast approaching! We have to quickly find the orphans before they arrive! Otherwise, we would be forced to fight to our deaths!" When the First Elder returned sooner than the Black Masks had expected, one of the remnant Awter Clan members notified the viridian-haired youth of the news. The original plan of the Black Masks was to rescue the orphans and deal as much damage as they could to Frie Mountain, and once the two High Elders returned, they were to immediately retreat. However, even after an hour since the operation has begun, the team sent to retrieve the orphans haven''t found a single clue of their whereabouts. "Damn it! They''re not at the designated safe house! I don''t know where they could be!!!" Junius desperately replied to the concerned Black Mask. Their mission was to find the orphans and leave the mountain as soon as they could. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, the nine little lives that they were seeking were nowhere to be found. "The safe house that we were supposed to go to in times of crisis had been destroyed by the lava flowing out from the mountain. The only other place that they could have gone is the First Elder''s abode, which is completely empty right now! I don''t know where else they could be!!!" At this point, Junius was downright frantic. When he flew into the airspace of Frie Mountain alongside his compatriots, he had expected a swift recovery of his family. After all, all he needed to do was reveal his face to them, and they would run off with him no questions asked. However, as every ticking second passed, the dream that he had of reuniting with his entire family had suddenly seemed to be so far away. Once the two High Elders returned to the mountain, the Black Masks were to return, with or without the orphans. In fact, now that the First Elder had returned, they were under increased pressure to retreat immediately. "Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!! Senior! We should circle the mountain! Let me have a clear look at all the residents below! Perhaps I would be able to find a clue about where Lily and the rest are!" Out of options, Junius opted to go for the most primitive way of locating his friends. "Alright! However, we can at most do it once! Brahmin Malgen is under high pressure after that deadly attack by that bitch Enfen. Not to mention the two other Spirit Emperors coming our way¡­ We probably have only five more minutes before we need to go!" "Understood!" Nodding his head, Junius controlled his flying mount and sped rapidly down towards the mountain, with many of his fellow clansmen behind him. ~~~ While the Frie Clan were slowly but surely fighting off their assailants, Shin and Lady Seph were seated quietly atop the back of the enlargened Bingbing. Flying at an incredible speed, the Tier 8 Spirit Beast was only a few kilometres off from Frie Mountain and would reach it within a few minutes. In fact, they were so close to the headquarters of the Frie Clan that when Enfen used up all of her mana to cast the Final Petal, Lady Seph and Shin could clearly make out the dazzling light being cast out from the explosion. "Looks like the battle is rather fierce¡­ To force that lass to cast that accursed ability..." Lady Seph muttered out in light shock. Being one of the Clan Master''s former mentors, Lady Seph knew many details about Enfen''s cultivation methods. The Final Petal was a trump card that the Clan Master had theorised back when she was just a little Spirit Apostle that was dreaming for the future. Studying various scholarly articles and researching on her Eternal Burning Rose, the young Enfen realised that a concentrated attack that collected all of her mana into one single petal could cause a devastating explosion, due to the nature of her Spirit. Naturally, she didn''t know the full extent of the power until she created that spiritual ability later on in her life. With the power capable of destroying an entire battlefield with one strike, the Final Petal was the most destructive spiritual ability created by a Frie Clan member in its entire history. During the war that ended the Awter Clan, Enfen had used the ability just once, and it caused shockwaves all over the nation. But, with every mighty ability, came its drawbacks. Due to the violent nature of the Final Petal, the Clan Master would be instantly immobilised as her spiritual body goes out of order for a good seven days. Additionally, with every additional use of the Final Petal, the lustre of her Eternal Burning Rose would fade, hindering her future progress in cultivation. Therefore, unless it was absolutely necessary, the Clan Master would never choose to use the Final Petal. "That¡­ That mushroom cloud of smoke¡­ It resembles a rose..." Mesmerised by the beautiful technique of the Clan Master, Shin seemed to have forgotten the reason why he was rushing back onto the mountain. "Yeah¡­ But every rose has its thorns. Remember Shin, when created an ability to advance in the future, never chose one that could injure your entire body!" "Yeah¡­" Not taking his Master''s advice too seriously, Shin watched the beautiful rose, bloomed high up in the stratosphere. ''Ariel¡­ Elyse¡­ Please stay safe!'' Calling out the names of those he cared for the most, Shin felt his heart tighten. However, at the moment when he remembered the scarlet-haired girl, the black-haired youth dropped his eyes as a wave of melancholy brushed past his very soul. ''Ariel¡­ What should I say when I meet you? Would I still see you as Ariel, the childhood friend that I grew up with? Or would I see you as Ariel Frie, the successor of the clan that wiped out mine?'' Stuck in the dilemma that had been plaguing his mind for the past few hours, Shin tried his best to picture the reunion scene that was soon to come. In just two days, his entire life had been changed entirely. If he weren''t kidnapped by the Black Masks, perhaps he would have met Ariel in the waypoint and confessed. If he didn''t know about the Awter Clan, maybe he would have lived his life in matrimonial bliss, heading towards a happily ever after. However, now that he knew of the Awter Clan, and the atrocities committed by the Frie Clan, could he honestly watch as his loved one inherits the very same clan that killed off his? "Shin? Are you alright?" Noticing that something was amiss with the black-haired teenager, Lady Seph asked. "Master¡­ It''s nothing¡­ Please hurry." Replying a negative, Shin shook his head and remained quiet, much to the dismay of the elderly woman. ''I''ll guess I''ll know what to do when I see her...'' Chapter 191 The Unfulfilled Promise Up high in the thin atmosphere of Frie Mountain, dozens of flying beasts rained down elements upon the clan under siege. Pincered on all fronts, the valiant fighters of the Frie Clan used all that they had to push back the ten thousand strong Spirit Beast horde at their doorsteps. Protecting all that they held dear, the warriors fought on and on, until their hands turned red as blood flowed out from their veins and onto their weapons. Slash. Hack. Slice. Stab. Burn. Rinse and repeat. The Frie Clan, which had been turtled in for nearly fifteen years, had once again returned to their roots as a battle clan. The flames of war burnT savagely through their eyes as they reverted back to their ghastly selves. However, this time, instead of killing thousands of innocent souls, they were slaying vicious beasts that hungered for their scrumptious meat. Among those that were being protected by the warriors of the Frie Clan, Ariel and the orphans were seeking refuge in the Second Elder''s safe house, as per Linus'' request. Naturally, when the youngsters of the Second Elder''s division first saw the orphans barging into their place for protection, many of them scowled in irritation, and some of them had even heckled for the orphans to leave. Unfortunately, Linus didn''t appreciate any of those comments made, reprimanding those who dared to speak their minds. To him, protecting the orphans was a much higher priority than respecting the opinions of those who discriminated against them. With the Second Elder''s grandson and Ariel, the most famous junior in the Frie Clan, on the orphans side, there was nothing much that the dissidents could do but frown in frustration. "Sorry for that, sister Lily¡­ If there''s anyone who tries to cause trouble with you, feel free to let me know!" Linus reassured the leader of the orphans, tapping his chest twice. "Y-Yeah¡­ Thank you..." However, before Lily could express her full gratitude, a massive tremor shook the teenagers off their feet as a shockwave caused the entire safehouse to tremble. Falling to the floor, the teenagers braced themselves for the possible impact, but the sturdiness of the safehouse proved to be too good. At that moment, there was no distinction between the orphans and the members from the main bloodline, as everyone huddled together. Only after the shaking had stopped, did they begin to separate. "What happened?" Ariel curiously asked, her eyes sparkled akin to that of an inquisitive cat. Moving forward from her crouched position, the young girl opened up the stone door, only to reveal a humongous mushroom cloud that resembled a dying rose. "The Clan Master''s Final Petal!!!" Leon exclaimed in horror. "Brother Leon, you know what is that?" "Yeah, the Clan Master''s most powerful ability¡­ It is said that anyone unlucky enough to be targeted by that ability, they would be instantly vaporised and anything within a kilometre radius would be utterly burnt to a crisp! To think the Clan Master would use it now..." Leon patiently explained to those present. Evidently, he knew much more about the Clan Master''s abilities than the average person. "The battle is really getting out of hand¡­ Look! There are even flying beasts circling around the mountain!" Ariel watched the skies, careful to pick out the menace that had been terrorising the Frie Clan. "We should return¡­ There''s no point in us being out here¡­ We''re too weak to influence anything." Linus sorrowfully sighed. As the Second Elder''s grandson, many expectations were being mounted upon him. The pressure to succeed in his grandfather''s steps, the pressure to be better than Ariel, and finally, the pressure to mend the broken relationship that his grandfather had with the orphans. If he were stronger, if he were as strong as Lady Seph or any other Spirit Emperor, perhaps he would be able to inflict change upon the now torn clan. "Linus is right¡­ Ariel, let''s return." Lily shook her head as she pulled on the sleeves of her dear friend. "Yeah¡­ Wait! Lily, watch out!!!" Noticing that something had gone awry, Ariel summoned out her Lava Warhammer in a split second and pushed the blue-haired girl away from her body. ~~~ "Damn it!!! Damn it!!! DAMN IT!!!!! I CAN''T FIND LILY AND THE OTHERS!!!!" Junius screamed out in his head. After circling the mountain a few times, he was unable to even find a single clue about the whereabouts of his precious family. During the one and a half years that he was missing, Junius had been desperately training, so that one day, he would be able to reunite the bloodline of the Awter Clan. However, to do so, he needed to snatch Shin from the mighty Spirit Emperor that was Lady Seph, and he had to somehow rescue the orphans from the heavily guarded Frie Mountain. The first part of the puzzle was completed when he sneaked into Chilyoja Waypoint and lured Shin into the sewers, where the Black Masks knocked him out. The subsequent part though was the more onerous task. There was no way for him to bring out the orphans, especially when they were under such tight surveillance in the clan. With no means to bring the orphans out, all he could do was bide his time and wait for the perfect opportunity. And the perfect opportunity came. Of all people, the Allfather ordered the rescue of the orphans from Frie Mountain and had even supplied the resources that the survivors of the Awter Clan needed to retrieve said orphans. When Junius first heard the news, he was beyond elated. The day that he had dreamed about for so long was finally becoming a reality. Once all the survivors of the Awter Clan were recovered, they could all bond together and grew stronger in the organisation that gave them a second lease in life. Yet, in his current state, he was unable to even find a single trace of where his loved ones might be at. And the clock was ticking. If Junius did not find the remaining orphans within the next few minutes, the order to retreat would come, forcing him to leave the mountain empty-handed. After this event, there was not a doubt in Junius'' mind that a such a godsent chance would repeat itself. Should they fail this mission, the Frie Clan would double their defences, and might even call in forces from the Himmel Empire to protect them. Not to mention, after Vellan had revealed his identity as a remnant of the Clan that they had once eradicated, the Frie Clan might do unspeakable things to the orphans that lived on the mountain. To prevent that from happening, Junius desperately sought to rescue them. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he searched, the viridian-haired teenager couldn''t find even a single trace of where they could be. "Junius¡­ It''s time¡­ We have received the order to retreat..." One of the Black Masks finally worded out the news that Junius had no interest in hearing. "The First Elder has returned and the Second Elder will be reaching within moments. Our mission to rescue the orphans has to be forfeited." "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!!!! Just give me a few more minutes to find them. Just a few more minutes!" "Junius! Give up! We can''t be selfish! We aren''t just free Awter Clansmen anymore¡­ We¡­ We are in the Black Masks¡­ The Allfather''s orders are absolute." Although he too was reluctant to leave without saving the orphans, the Black Mask that Junius was with knew that disobeying orders in the organisation was tantamount to insubordination, which carried severe punishments. "Please¡­ We can''t just leave them here¡­ We can''t just..." Fearing the worst for the remaining orphans living on the mountain, Junius'' eyes overflowed with tears. Once the battle was over, there was no way that the Frie Clan, which had already been discriminating the orphans, would simply leave them be. After all, the people that caused them to lose this many lives on this day were the same people that shared their blood. Just imagining what horrors the Frie Clan might put his beloved Lily through, sent shivers up Junius'' spine. In his wallowing grief, the young teenager looked down from his flying mount one last time. Overwhelmed with anxious emotions, he realised that he had been over the Second Elder''s abode this entire time. Junius eyes turned red as he gritted his teeth. Remembering the injustices that the Second Elder had inflicted upon the orphans and himself, the disquietude that Junius possessed soon transformed in raging hate. Many grievances that the orphans had suffered from could be traced back to the senile old man that held one of the highest position in the clan. Of every member from the main bloodline, only juniors from the Second Elder''s division were sent to bully the orphans. Furthermore, during the Harvest Festival Mission, the person behind the attempt on Shin''s life and the cause of Junius'' severe injuries back then, was the Second Elder. Finally, to keep the peace in the clan, Shin and Junius were exiled to Chilyoja Waypoint, where they barely got to meet with the ones they cared for the most. Nearly every bad memory that Junius had could be traced back to the Second Elder and his deplorable followers that terrorised his childhood. "Before we leave¡­ Can we just do one last thing?" A darkness that Junius had hidden away for his entire life began to emerge, as he hatched a sinister plot. His eyes turned muddied as the tears dried up and all that remained was a seething hatred, one of the likes he had never felt before. ''If the world won''t do any justice, I will enact it myself.'' "What is it?" "You know how the Frie Clan murdered our kin in cold blood? Not even sparing the those that are unable to fight?" "Yeah?" "Let''s do the same¡­" As if turning into a different person, Junius coldly stared at the numerous safe houses that lay under him. ~~~ "Huh? This mana signature is..." On top of the enlarged Bingbing, Lady Seph felt a peculiar mana source heading straight in her direction. From a distance, a bright red light was speeding right towards Frie Mountain, not willing to stop for anything. "Hoho, that''s why the Black Masks decided to attack huh?" "Master?" Noticing the same exact red light, Shin tilted his head in confusion. "Have a good look as he comes closer..." "Hmmm?" Taking heed of his Master''s advice, Shin waited for the bright red light to come closer to the flying Bingbing. When it finally noticed Shin and Lady Seph, the light steered from its original course and stopped right beside the Tier 8 Spirit Beast. From within the light, an elderly man, who seemed to be one step in his grave, emerged out and gave Shin an empty stare. Once the black-haired youth noticed who he was facing, his jaw dropped in shock. Throughout the time where he was trapped in the Black Masks'' lair, he had heard many stories about the relationship between the Frie Clan and Awter Clan. Furthermore, the First Elder also had explained the story from his perspective. However, no matter which side he heard it from, they all painted the Second Elder as this bitter individual who only wished to utterly annihilate the Awter Clan. The Second Elder absolutely loathed the orphans. Especially Shin, the person who carried the bloodline of Errol Awter, the man who murdered his only son. Watching as the black-haired youth slowly hid from his line of sight, the Second Elder scoffed as he spat out a mouthful of saliva to the side. As much as he wanted to kill Shin, with Lady Seph and Bingbing in his way, there was no chance that he could even lay a single finger on the poor youth. "Ash, do you really think this is the time to intimidate my disciple? Your clan is under heavy fire!" Lady Seph squinted her eyes in disgust as she watched the actions of the battle-hardened High Elder. Being a Spirit Emperor that specialise in healing, she was far from being a decent match for the Second Elder, who was the champion of a thousand battles. Nevertheless, if he were to start a fight just so that he could kill off Shin, there was no way that Lady Seph would sit there and do nothing. "..." Clearly not amused by Lady Seph''s poisonous words, the Second Elder resisted a tantalising temptation to strike. He wasn''t a fan of how Lady Seph backed the First Elder and Clan Master so dealing with her and Shin would be killing two birds with one stone. However, deep down, he knew that Lady Seph''s words held some merit. "..." Shin, on the other hand, hadn''t moved a single inch since the Second Elder''s arrival. A mixture of fear and guilt weighed upon his young heart, as he recollected the bitter memories that he had of the Second Elder. The Second Elder was nothing short of a terror during his childhood and had been the perpetrator for many of his saddest days. Yet, after learning the truth, Shin could somewhat understand where the Second Elder was coming from. Of course, Shin still hated the bloody old man to his absolute core and the fact that the Second Elder was still trying to kill him made Shin want to stab the retard in the stomach a million times over. However, even if it was just a little bit, Shin could understand why the Second Elder would try to kill the son of his worst nemesis. "Tskkk!" Realising that he was just wasting precious time, the Second Elder decided to continue on straight to the mountain, which was just a stone''s throw away. At this distance, even Shin, with his low cultivation level, could see the damaged houses littered all over the place he once called home. However, before the Second Elder could continue his descent, multiple crimson lights rained down upon the helpless abode, terrorising the lives of those who stayed in it. For some reason, the Second Elder simply levitated mid-air, his eyes trembling as his body failed to listen to his orders. Tracing the direction of the Second Elder''s gaze, Shin found out what had caused such a drastic change in the elderly man''s demeanour. Linus, Leon, Ariel and the rest of the orphans, were busy protecting themselves from the skyborne flying mounts and the Black Masks that were raining down hell upon them. Ella and Emma, the twin Ice Bows users, were shooting out elemental arrows at a frantic rate, hoping to shoot down the beams of elemental energy that was bombarding the buildings. Ariel and Lily were responsible for protecting the weaker Spirit Practitioners such as Elyse and Max; and finally, Linus himself was putting his body in grave danger by protecting the orphans that he pulled into his safe house. ''Why are Elyse and the rest with Linus?! Why is Ariel not in her own safe house?!'' Numerous questions flowed through Shin''s mind at the time. In his current state, he didn''t care about the Awter or Frie Clan. All he cared about was the safety of his loved ones. Coming back to his senses, Shin attempted to urge Bingbing to rush forward. However, before he could do just that, a particular hooded figure caught his eye. In his hand, there was an obsidian water blade that gleamed with the darkest of shadows. Beside him, many Black Masks were preparing to launch a final attack that would decimate everyone who stood below them, regardless of their affiliation. Although his face was concealed, Shin could clearly tell the identity of the hooded figure. "JUNIUS!!!! NOOOOO!!!!" ~~~ "Ariel! You saved me!" Watching as a concentrated spiritual attack brushed past her body, Lily thanked the scarlet-haired girl for her quick reactions. "Sister Ariel! What''s going on?!" Linus came out with a concerned cry. "Looks like they''re coming for us¡­ The Spirit Beasts in the air are preparing to blow away this entire estate!" Ariel exclaimed in horror. Above the entire Second Elder''s abode, there were dozens of flying mounts that were concentrating their mana to deal one final blow to the clan. In fact, the Black Masks that were on some of them were doing the same. "What are we going to do?!" Max shivered in fear as his face went as pale as a sheet. Among the orphans, only Max, Fionn, Elyse and Jacob were still at the Spirit Practitioner realm. For the weaker Spirit Practitioners that were emotionally immature, when faced with the possibility of imminent death, all that they could do was watch as power was drained from their entire bodies. "Seek cover! Us Spirit Apostles will try to deflect as many attacks as we can!" Ariel hollered out, as she gave a suggestion on the best course of action. Readying her Lava Warhammer, all the remaining Spirit Apostles followed her lead and brought out their indomitable Spirits to fight off the deadly threat. "Ariel¡­ If things go wrong¡­ Save yourself! I can''t let the orphans drag you down!" Lily was well aware of her bosom friend''s loyalty towards the orphan division. If push comes to shove, Ariel might abandon her safety, just so that she could save a single orphan, and that didn''t sit well with the blue-haired maiden. "You''re the pride of the Frie Clan! I can''t have you losing your life here." "Sister Lily¡­ One more word of filth out from your mouth, and I''ll sew it shut myself!" "Ariel!!! I''m serious! You can''t risk your life for us! You are..." "Stop underestimating me, Lily!" For the first time ever, Ariel dropped the honorific when addressing Lily, stunning the teenaged girl in the process. "I am Ariel Frie! The future Clan Master of the Frie Clan! If I abandon my friends just so that I could save myself, I wouldn''t be that much of a Clan Master would I?" Wearing the most radiant smile that Lily had ever seen, Ariel answered back. "Ariel¡­ Hah, looks like you''re a hopeless cause huh?" Raising her Spirit up, Lily grinned bitterly as she prepared for the inevitable attack of the Black Masks. "The same goes for you..." As the youngsters retreated into safety, all of the Spirit Apostles gathered their mana as they watched the hailstorm of spiritual abilities come hurling down onto the concrete floor. Ella and Emma shot their elemental arrow, piercing through many fireballs that came crashing down while Ariel and Lily used everything that they had to protect the weaker members. Linus and Leon, who were both proficient in using speed, dashed from person to person, helping them evade as many bullets as they could. For a time period, it seemed that they would be able to hold on until help arrived. Alas, destiny wasn''t that kind. Just as they were about to celebrate their accomplishment, the Black Masks above had run out of patience and had prepared a final barrage of attacks. Meteorites, Ice Spears, Earthen Boulders and many other devastating abilities were aimed straight at the buildings of the Second Elder''s abode. They didn''t care who or what lived in those houses. All they wanted to do, was wreak havoc and kill as many people as they could. With a wave of a hand, one Black Mask ordered all of his subordinates to release their abilities, sending a flurry of attacks to fall straight to where Ariel and the others were residing in. "Damn it!!!!" Ariel used her Lava Warhammer and started to shoot out Lava projectiles that melted some of the abilities mid-air. Unfortunately, many of them slipped past the defences laid down by the Spirit Apostles and were falling straight towards them. "BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!" As the abilities collided with the buildings, many of them were instantly destroyed. Being Spirit Apostles, Ariel and the others had little difficulty navigating through the descending attacks as all they needed to do was expend a little bit of mana to avoid the area of effect. The Spirit Practitioners, such as Elyse and Max, on the other hand, had no means to protect themselves. "ELYSE NO!!!" Ariel shrieked out in horror as she watched dozens of Ice Spears, sharper than any knives that she had ever encountered falling right towards, Elyse, Max and Fionn. In that brief moment, time seemed to slow down as she saw the edged spears move closer and closer towards the unmoving children. If there was more time, Ariel might have chosen to let Linus bring the three to safety with his Niji Swift. If the spears were a small boulder, perhaps Ariel could try blasting it away with a swing from her Lava Warhammer. However, at that very moment, the scarlet-haired girl opted to take the only route that came to her mind. At the same time that she sprung off the ground, Lily and Linus both noticed the perilous situation that their juniors were in and similarly came to the same conclusion that Ariel had. They had to save them. "*SLLLINNG!!!* *SLLLINNG!!!* *SLLLINNG!!!*." The sound of the Ice Spears piercing through flesh rung through the desolate Second Elder''s abode, stunning all those who were present. A chilling silence descended upon the safe houses, as crimson blood flowed down from three unmoving bodies, filling the entire area in a river of blood. "No..." Watching from afar, Shin held his breath as everything unfolded before his very eyes. Up in the air, the hooded figure that instigated the attack in the first place was in a similar state. Only after Junius watched as the final attack launched, did he realise the calamitous mistake that he had made. All along, the orphans were hiding in the place he least expected¡­ "ARIEL!!!!!!" "LILY!!!!!!!" ~~~ "Shit!!!" Not willing to delay any further, Lady Seph grabbed Shin by the waist and turned into a ray of holy light, speeding towards the mountain where Ariel lay unmoving. The Second Elder, who had witnessed the same scene as Shin, blinked forward at the same rate. "Junius! We have to go now!" Noticing the arrival of the Second High Elder of the Frie Clan, the Black Mask that was next to Junius hurried him, unaware of the egregious mistake that they had just done. "Lily¡­ No¡­ What have I done..." Out of sorts, Junius watched his two hands like a deranged lunatic. "Tskkk, he''s out of it¡­ Sorry, Junius! You''ll thank me later!" Landing a solid blow on the back of his neck, the Black Mask knocked Junius out and laid him out flat on the flying mount that he was on. On the ground, the three Spirit Practitioners that were targeted by the Ice Spears, all came out unharmed as they felt a warm red liquid drip down their faces. Max, who Lily had treated as a little brother, had been saved by the blue-haired girl that threw her body in harm''s way. The Ice Spears had pierced through her four limbs and many parts of her abdomen. Her heart had been yanked out from her chest, instantly forcing her bodily functions to shut down. Without even saying a word of goodbye, Lily had left the mortal world. Unlike Max, the person who had saved Fionn wasn''t anyone that she was close to, but the person that all the orphans deemed as public enemy number one. The Second Elder''s grandson, Linus. With an Ice Spear lodged straight through his skull, Linus had instantly perished. For someone of his standing, he absolutely had no need to risk his life to protect someone he barely even knew. Not to mention, the person he saved was part of the ''enemy''s division.'' "Linus¡­ Hey¡­ You''re joking right..." Falling straight to his knees, the Second Elder watched the lifeless eyes of his only remaining kin in this world. The Second Elder had lost his son''s life during the war with the Awter Clan, and he had tried to give his grandson everything that he could. Even the reason why he left the clan in the first place, was to find a suitable partnership with a neighbouring clan so that he could usurp the throne and had it over to Linus in the future. "Ha¡­ Haha¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHA!!!" A maniacal laugh bellowed out from his mouth with tears flowing uncontrollably out. If he weren''t so selfish. If he didn''t leave the clan to form an external alliance. Wouldn''t he be here to protect the only person that mattered in his life? Due to his delirious ravings, the Second Elder had caused the death of his precious grandson. Unable to bear with the agonising pain of loss yet again, all that he could do was stifle a laugh, as he surrendered his mind to the demons that sought for it. And finally, there was Ariel. Using her body to shield Elyse from any harm, the scarlet-haired girl was impaled in both her lungs. Not only that, her entire abdomen was filled with Ice Spears that was smeared in her blood. However, compared to the other two, at least the damaged girl was still breathing. "ARIEL!!! Master! Please save her!!!" Shin screamed out. Without even needing her disciple''s plea, Lady Seph had summoned out the Iofiel Angel and had begun the healing process. A holy light was being transferred from the elderly woman''s body into the weakened girl. Instantly removing the Ice Spears, the early signs of recovery from Ariel seemed to be promising as her pinkish complexion during the course of the treatment. Her wounds had been closed and the power being sent from the Iofiel Angel increased rapidly. However, after a few moments, Lady Seph suddenly stopped treating the poor girl, much to the dismay of her distraught disciple. "Master?! What are you doing?! Ariel needs immediate treatment!!!" "Shin..." Watching the black-haired youth with trembling eyes, Lady Seph felt a wave of emotion hit her soul. She had personally seen how much Shin cared for the scarlet-haired girl that was lying in front of her and to think that she had to be the one to... "Listen carefully, Shin¡­ Ariel¡­ This lass¡­ She''s not going to pull through..." "What do you mean? Huh¡­ But¡­ Ariel''s fine! Her skin is fine! Master, please continue to treat her!" "Shin! Ariel¡­ Her entire intestines had been pierced open. Her stomach had been utterly decimated in that attack¡­ Not to mention the two punctured holes in her lungs¡­ The most I could do is¡­ Prolong her life for a few more moments..." "Huh? What do you mean?! Aren''t you the best healer on the continent?! Why can''t you save her? WHY CAN''T YOU SAVE ARIEL?!" Screaming at the top of his lungs, Shin questioned his Master''s powers. "IF YOU''RE NOT GOING TO TREAT HER, I WILL!!!" Summoning out The Sovereign Koi, Shin created his Healing Water to attempt to heal the young girl that laid still in front of him. As his Healing Water reached the motionless body of Ariel, the young healer was able to fully comprehend the severity of Ariel''s injuries. Multiple organs that should have been there had been torn apart. Internally, the only things that were spared from the onslaught were her deteriorating heart and her wrinkled brain. However, even with those two vital organs intact, the damage done to her body was too much for any healer to treat, and Shin clearly knew that. Nonetheless, he wasn''t going to give up without a fight. "HEAL!!! HEAL!!! HEAAAALLLL!!!" Sending forth waves upon waves of mana, Shin attempted to save the poor little girl that was quickly slipping into the netherworld. However, no matter how hard he tried, Ariel''s blown apart internal organs weren''t going to come back. "Shin¡­ I-Is th-at you?" While the black-haired healer was doing his best to treat the fallen girl, Ariel gingerly opened her eyes. "I feel¡­ weird..." "Ariel! Don''t speak! Just hold on! I''ll fix you up! I promise! I will save you..." "Shin? I see¡­ I''m not going to make it huh..." Watching the frightened face of her beloved childhood friend, Ariel deduced many things. Feeling her soul dissipating bit by bit, Ariel could tell what had happened. "No! Don''t say that! I''m the youngest healer in history remember?! I will save you no matter what!!!" Shin resolutely exclaimed with tears falling out of his eyes. "..." Lady Seph watched on silently and bit her lips when she heard her disciple say those words. She knew that everything that Shin was doing was nothing more than a useless endeavour and anything that he said to Ariel was nothing short of empty assurances. Nevertheless, even she hoped that a miracle could occur and desperately prayed to the Immortals above. "Is¡­ Elyse alright?" Coughing out a mouthful of blood, Ariel sought to look for the young girl that she had saved, at the expense of her own. "Sister Ariel!!! Please, don''t die!!!" Running forward and dropping next to the bloodied scarlet-haired girl, Elyse begged and begged for Ariel to survive. Beside her, the remaining orphans all gathered and watched as Shin fearfully tended to the damaged girl''s injuries. "Haha, you''re fine¡­ Good¡­ I didn''t *cough* *cough* give my life for nothing..." "NO! Ariel stop saying that! I''ll save you no matter what! Please, stop draining your energy! I''ll save you¡­ I''ll save you¡­ So please..." "Shin¡­ Before I go¡­ I have to say something to you..." "No! Please¡­ I''m not ready for this¡­ I''M NOT READY FOR THIS!!!" Shin''s entire body convulsed in agony, as his heart shattered into a million pieces. Being the one that was desperately trying to heal Ariel, he was the one who was the clearest of her condition. At any moment, the young girl that he loved so dearly, would breathe her last. "Shin¡­ I love you¡­ I loved you ever¡­ since you first came to¡­ my house to train¡­ Shin¡­ I love you..." "Ariel, please don''t do this¡­ Please..." "Haha¡­ It''s funny, isn''t it? The promise that we made¡­ when we were ten¡­ I never got to fight you..." As her last bit of consciousness was about to slip away, Ariel recalled the promise that she had made to Shin over four years ago. She had planned to fight Shin once they had both awakened their Spirits, but unfortunate circumstances had kept them from fulfilling that promise. "Ariel¡­ No¡­ Please don''t do this¡­ I''m not ready for this¡­ I''m not ready..." "Shin¡­ I''m sorry¡­ Looks like I won''t be able to fulfil my promise to you¡­ Ah¡­ Where did you go? It''s gone dark now..." Although her eyes were wide open, Ariel was unable to make out the location of her loved one. "I''m here! I''m here! I will always be here! So just hang on! I''m going to save you!" Holding on to the palms of her hands, Shin sent all of his mana to the Healing Water that was treating Ariel, hoping for a miracle to come to pass. "Shin¡­ It''s cold..." "Ariel! Just hang on! Just hang on! I will¡­ I WILL SAVE YOU!!!" "Yeah¡­ You always will..." And then¡­ Complete silence. All that remained were the sounds of embers flickering and falling debris. In Shin''s arms, Ariel had wholly stopped moving as her final breath left her body. All around him, the cries and wails of the orphans sounded out, as many fell to their knees. Lady Seph, who seemed to be immune to tears, was unable to hold back anymore and turned her head away, covering her eyes in the process. And then¡­ There was Shin. "Hey¡­ Stop joking around¡­ Please¡­ Ariel?" Shaking the pale body of the one he loved the most, Shin''s mind had blocked out everything. No sounds and no scents could enter his consciousness as all he focused on was the unmoving body of the scarlet-haired girl that lay in his arms. She didn''t have the most beautiful features in the world, and neither was she the most feminine girl that he had ever met. However, she was the one who had stolen his heart. Yet, Ariel was gone, never to return. "Ariel...P-Ple-aaa-ssee!!! Don''t joke around anymore! Please! Ariel, wake up!!!" The memory of her adorable snort when she thought of something mischievous came to Shin''s distraught mind. The memory of them walking through the streets and her asking for a cheap amethyst necklace, the memory of the time where they first embraced each other on the top of the Mushinkei rooftop¡­ So many pleasant memories flooded the broken mind of Shin''s. "Ariel, no¡­ Please¡­ I''m not ready for this..." Then the fantasies that he had where he married Ariel in the future came into his mind. If everything had gone according to his plan, he would have been together with the scarlet-haired girl for eternity, and they would have given birth to the cutest of babies. Alas, it was a reality that would not come to pass. "Ariel¡­ ARIELLLLL!!!!!!!!" ~~~ End of Book 4 ~~~ Chapter 192 End of Book 4 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: As with every end of a book, I will be taking a break and will resume posting on 12th November 2018. I know, it''s a longer break than usual, but since it is the end of Act One, I think it should be justified... Oh and since this author thoughts is really long, it really is a too long didn''t read, lol. Hi there guys! Linodo here! WE FINALLY MADE IT!!! We finally made it to the end of ACT ONE!!! *Confetti pops!* Haha, that''s right, these first four books are actually part of one act. I know, I know, if it took me about five to six months to complete one act, how long would it actually take for me to finish the entire story?! Three years? Five years? Or should I go full Oda and write it for twenty plus years? Well, joking aside, I didn''t plan for my writing to take this long. If you followed me from the start, you would have known that I wrote Book One in just one month during my semester break. Naturally, the chapter length and quality of writing have been steadily improving (at least in my opinion), so there''s that, but the real issue that I have is time management. As a final year university student, school is my full-time job. The most important thing that I must focus on is my school, even if it means decreasing the release rate of Spirit Immortal. And let me tell you, it sure was a challenge. University courses were tough enough, now I have even less time to study and do assignments? There were even times where I just wanted to write an apology letter to you guys and drop the entire novel altogether. However, there was no way that I could do that. Why? Because I love writing. I don''t know why, no matter how stressed I am, when the clock ticks ever closer to 11 pm, I look forward to when my chapter to go live so that I can see how you guys liked it. You guys don''t know it, but there were many days where I would refresh my latest chapters just so that I could see your thoughts about the chapter. In fact, I might be refreshing this chapter right now! Hahaha! So don''t be shy to leave a comment or a review about the novel. Let me tell you now, the fear of an author isn''t a negative comment or a negative review, the true fear is that no one reads your work. Before I go in depth about the things you guys really want to know, let me tell you a little bit of my background. As many of you already know, I am an avid anime fan and got into reading web novels because I wanted to read light novels (the source material of a significant portion of anime). To tell you the truth, I didn''t like reading books growing up. That''s why my English is somewhat lacking as compared to most authors. I did, however, love watching shows/movies/cartoons. I watched many Chinese/Hong Kong dramas, American movies when the K-Wave first started I''d even watched Korean dramas. But, my one true love was still anime. I grew up watching Inuyasha, Shaman King, Naruto, One Piece, Katekyo Hitman Reborn¡­ The list goes on¡­ The peak of my anime obsession came when I was about 13-15. Those three years, I probably watched like two-three hundred anime titles, and that''s when my life really changed. I watched timeless pieces like Code Geass, FMA, Cowboy Bebop, Fate/Zero, Hunter X Hunter¡­ I delved into comedy anime like Baka Test (which I finished reading on Baka-Tsuki), Daily Lives of High School Boys, Seto no Hanayome, Seitokai Yakuindomo, Niichijou¡­ I had even watched Shoujo anime (even though I was not a young girl) like Seitoukaichou wa Maid-sama, Ouran High School Host Club, Kimi ni Todoke and thoroughly enjoyed them. However, up till that point, watching anime was just an entertainment hobby of mine. Only after I was exposed to Slice of Life anime did my opinion change. I first watched Angel Beats, and when the ending came, I found myself in tears. I was amazed at how a single storyline could affect my emotions that much. Following that, I binged watch several Slice of Life anime. Air, Kanon and so on. One day, at the peak of my obsession, I discovered a little title called Clannad. I soon discovered that it was by the same company that made some of the titles that I''d watched before, so I went into it with some high hopes. And well, season one was touching, but it was well within my expectations, after watching Angel Beats and whatnot. However, Clannad had something that the other titles did not. A second season. Curious, I thought, well why not? Boy, was I not prepared for that fucking second season¡­ Clannad: After Story destroyed me. If any of you haven''t watched it, stop reading this post and go watch it now. I don''t care if you drop my story, I''m just content that I had enriched your lives by letting you know how awesome After Story is. For the first time in my life, after watching a series, I felt empty. I felt as if there was an endless void that ripped my heart in half and that feeling lasted for a solid week. Ever heard of feels train? Clannad: After Story is like getting run over by the feels train while the conductor used the feels bat to hit you every single second. So, once I was finished griefing, I thoroughly reflected upon my experience. How could a story, that had no living creatures in any part of its production, tear me into shreds emotionally? Then, I had an epiphany. It was all about the story. You see, all forms of entertainment that I enjoyed, movies, dramas, anime, manga, light novels, video games, they all had one thing in common. They all had a story. It sounds stupid to say, but it was something that my young mind had pieced together. So, a slight flicker of passion started to burn within me. I wanted to write stories that made people feel that way. As I grew older, I started watching many more mature animes, like Kara no Kyoukai, Death Parade, Death Note that all had a theme of morality behind it. Instead of the emotional train wreck that Clannad had put me through, it made me question the existence of everything, something that very little Hollywood or Chinese/Korean/Japanese drama ever could. Also, let me shout out a little-known anime called "The Legend of the Legendary Heroes." Severely underrated in my opinion and I can''t seem to get my friends to start it. Perhaps you guys would after reading through this post. :p I wanted to be like Maeda Jun (writer of Clannad, Angel Beat and Kanon) and write touching and thought-provoking titles, and what better way than to write a web novel? Naturally, I''m nowhere near the level of Maeda Jun and the folks at Key, but I''m trying my hardest. After all, how could I climb Mount Everest without taking the first step? If I could make you guys feel even a fraction of what I felt after watching Clannad: After Story, then I''m content. So yeah, before this turns into an anime recommendation section, let''s talk about the pacing of the story, which was a significant issue that had been brought up by multiple users. As a novice writer, I''m still trying to figure out when I should speed up the pace and when there should be more exposition. At the start of this novel, I had a more direct ''tell not show'' writing style which is something that I am still trying to fix till this day. Furthermore, I feel that my writing has a systematic structure that had been ingrained into me due to my numerous years of schooling and learning how to write reports, essays and whatnot. That''s why I have been reading multiple successful author''s works, trying to find the best style that fits me. Trust me, I have been researching. I read many successful works and analysed their styles. I took time off going to social events just so that I could read/write more. After all, I want to improve my writing. I want to deliver the awesome story of Spirit Immortal (I''ll get to that later) in the best possible writings to you guys. In conclusion, my writing style still is a work in progress, and I hope that you could bear with me as I continue my experimentation. Okay, now that the soapy stuff is out of the way, let''s discuss the actual story. This is something that I don''t often do in Author''s Thoughts or any comments in general as I am not a good secret keeper. I''m afraid that I might accidentally divulge everything, in an accidental comment or otherwise. So I''ll try to be very careful here. The theme of Act One is family. Or to be more precise, what is a family? This is something that I had deliberated on for years, even before I decided to become an author. In Chinese culture, there is this saying, "Blood is thicker than water." I''m sure many of you who are frequent readers of eastern fantasy have come across this quote. However, one day I asked the question. Is blood really thicker than water? Why is it that just because someone is related to you, they must be closer than anyone else in the world? That''s how the idea of the orphans came about. I wanted to explore the relationships between children, who have no clue about whether their related or not, and see whether they can be as close as real family. Furthermore, I wanted to see if the adults that adopted them, in this case, the First Elder, the Instructor, etc. would treat them as if they were their own children. And I tried to show you guys that they genuinely loved for the orphans, albeit in a flawed way. Let me give another hypothetical example. A child was adopted as a baby by a foster family. The child was loved for, cared for and even treated as the most important family member by those who had no blood relations to him. However, one day, when the baby is grown to be fifteen years of age, the biological mother demands that the foster family hand over the child back to her custody. Is it truly right? If we''re going by the doctrine that "Blood is thicker than water," the child should be reunited with his mother. However, she is no longer part of his ''family.'' There had been no ties of love, memories shared or anything that could bind the two together. The foster family, which had treated him as their own son, is now his true ''family.'' That''s why when Shin found out about the truth of the Awter Clan, he didn''t go full on rage mode and vow to kill everyone who had the Frie Clan''s blood. It was because even though he is the heir of the Awter Clan, in his mind, he had no ties to it. Junius, on the other hand, is the polar opposite. He loved his family and would do anything in his power to reunite the orphans with their rightful ''family,'' those that shared the blood of the Awter Clan. Although his purpose is righteous, his methods are flawed, which led to the unhappy circumstances in ''The Unfulfilled Promise.'' And now¡­ We are finally addressing the elephant in the room. I''m sure many of you who read the last chapter are just dying to wait for me to talk about this. The deaths of Ariel, Lily and Linus. When I planned out the entire story, this was the turning point of everything. Ariel''s death. The promise that had been made in chapter one will forever remain unfulfilled. I had actually run into some issues when I first started to write book four. A problem that no author should have¡­ I didn''t want to kill off Ariel. I had grown too attached to her antics, and I wanted Shin and her to remain together and become some sort of power couple. I had even toyed with the idea of re-planning the story from scratch just to keep her alive. However, the more I thought about it, the more it would ruin my beautiful ending. If Ariel lived, the ending wouldn''t make any sense. So, I stuck to my guns, and I wrote the initially planned story, as much as I didn''t like to. I''m sure that there will be many who will dislike my choice to kill Ariel and might even drop the novel altogether. And that''s fine. I can''t force you to read my story anyway. I''m sure you guys can tell that I try my best to avoid the Wuxia/Xianxia cliche storylines that follow the same arc over and over. However, that, in turn, means that my writing style has to flesh out many details so that you guys can follow the story. So bear with me on that. Each Act will follow a theme. For instance, Act One''s theme is family and Act Two''s theme is¡­ Well, read to find out! The future of Spirit Immortal is unknown, even to me. I will be starting my internship soon and possibly, a job offer might come. Once I have the job, there would be so much less time for me to write so I don''t know if I can continue my daily releases. Especially since I''m not getting paid to write and this is essentially my hobby. However, I promise you this, as long as there are readers, I will continue to write. I just love the story too much to just walk away. I will try to finish the story within two-three years, but as it stands now, I don''t know if that''s a reasonable estimate. So, who knows what the future would bring? Alright, I shouldn''t talk anymore lest I accidentally leak my entire storyline to you guys. To be honest, I have been dropping many hints about the end of Act One, and I''m sure many of you caught on early. In truth, I had also dropped subtle hints about the final ending in many of the chapters. I wonder if you guys have picked up on some¡­ If you like the story, feel free to leave a review or a comment in the latest chapter, especially for my readers on Webnovel. I don''t get notifications if you post comments on older chapters so I won''t be able to respond. Please don''t ask questions hinting for spoilers. As I explained earlier, I''m not good at keeping secrets so I will ignore the question altogether. Thank you for supporting Spirit Immortal! Do leave a comment or review that tells me how you think about the novel! I hope that you have a lovely week ahead! Till next time! :D Chapter 193 The Broken Oath "Heal! Heal! Heal!!!" An agonising cry, akin to that of a wailing beast, echoed through the burning Second Elder''s abode. A black-haired youth, with his face full of tears, attempted to resuscitate the motionless body that lay in front of him. Ariel''s unmoving body was filled with a cerulean light as The Sovereign Koi danced, its face sharing the same anxiousness that its master had. Continually casting heal, Shin hoped and prayed for a miracle to occur. "Heal!!! Heal!!! He...al! He..a...a..al..." Sobbing nonstop, Shin continued on his fruitless task of trying to resurrect Ariel. His eyes had turned bloodshot by the endless amount of tears that flowed out as his entire being shivered. Standing next to him, Lady Seph watched as her disciple tried his best to bring his lover back to life. As a healer, she had watched as fallen soldiers left the mortal world and the elderly woman vividly remembered how much pain it was when she held the hands of her first ever dying patient. The pain and suffering that she went through were immense, and the young Lady Seph was unable to talk for three days afterwards. However, her agony paled in comparison to what her disciple was currently going through. Shin and Ariel had a bond that transcended ordinary lovers. Knowing each other for their entire lives, the duo had lived together, trained together, cried together, played together, and went through tough times together. Lady Seph distinctly remembered how Ariel would look at Shin. How her face would just light up when the black-haired youth would walk into the room. How her eyes glistened with the purest of love when she tip-toed over bashfully. How she would scowl in frustration when a random girl tried to hit on the handsome youth. All these little things that had been etched into Lady Seph''s mind, all came flooding out. "Sis...Sister Lily¡­ Why? WHY DID YOU PROTECT ME?!" A mournful wail reverberated through the Second Elder''s abode, as Lady Seph''s attention was drawn to Max, who was agonising over the loss of his favourite elder sister. "It should have been me¡­ Why? Why sister Lily? WHY?!" The tears that Lady Seph had been holding back for so long finally dripped out. She had seen many lives lost in her days as a military healer but never had she shown this much emotion. As Shin''s Master, she had an extensive knowledge of the relationships that the orphans had. In fact, in recent days, the elderly woman had even felt like the orphans had become her extended family because of Shin. Watching the gruesome manner that Lily had passed, Lady Seph started to question her sanity. If she was this harmed by the deaths, how would Shin feel? "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Ha¡­." Breaking the tearful atmosphere, a dry and bitter laugh sounded out, drawing the attention of Lady Seph. Kneeling on the floor with his hands sprawled out, the Second Elder was gazing heavenwards, spewing out dry laughter. However, he was not laughing at the miserable state of the orphans. Instead, he was merely chuckling to himself. His eyes were looking at the sky, but Lady Seph could tell that his attention wasn''t on the stars. In fact, he wasn''t even thinking about anything¡­ ''Ash¡­ His mind broke...'' It was a sight that Lady Seph was all too familiar with. Whenever a soldier has experienced too much trauma, and there was no anchor support for him, he would be reduced to a state of a vegetable. Although his body and powers were fully functional, his mind would never be the same. The Second Elder had only one remaining link that he fought for, and that was Linus. Watching his beloved grandson die right before his eyes, and to see him go with a spear impaled through his scrotum was something that the Second Elder could no longer bear. ''The Frie Clan has lost one of its High Elders...'' Lady Seph sighed in her heart as her focus quickly snapped back to the desperate youth trying to heal the corpse of his loved one. "Shin! Enough! She''s gone..." "Maaaaasssssterrrrr!!! Arrrrriiiiieellllll!!! She¡­ Said she loved me..." Crying his heart out, Shin pushed the blonde elderly woman''s hands away and continued his attempt to resurrect the dead. Elyse, who had been the recipient of Ariel''s protection, sat there next to him with her hands firmly attached to her chest, praying for a miracle to happen. Unfortunately, the dead could never return. That was the law of life. As he was continuing with his useless endeavour, a blue sparkle shone from the centre of Ariel''s chest, catching the attention of the grieving young healer. ''Was that a reaction?! Is there hope for Ariel?'' Shin thought out. Bringing his hands closer to her neck, Shin tried to find the cause of the sudden shine and what he found broke him. On her chest, there lay the same amethyst necklace that Shin had bought for Ariel many moons ago. All this time, Ariel had kept the cheap keepsake that the black-haired youth had bought for her, right next to her heart. Even though Ariel was a clumsy and lazy girl, the pristine condition that the necklace was in suggested that she had polished it every night as if it was the most valuable possession that she had. "Ariel¡­ Why¡­ Why did you leave me?!" Releasing control over his healing water, Shin grabbed the necklace and placed in close to his chest. "You told me you loved me¡­ But I didn''t tell you that I loved you more¡­ Why¡­ Why did you leave me?" Shin broke down in tears, tightening his grip on the amethyst necklace until his hand bled. Recalling the moment of helplessness, Shin relinquished all control over his emotions. Watching as the Ice Spear created by order of Junius, falling straight into the tender body of Ariel was too much for Shin''s young heart to endure. ''I''m the youngest healer in history¡­ I awakened The Sovereign Koi and triggered a natural phenomenon¡­ I have all these accomplishments, and yet I''m still so useless¡­ All I could do was watch as that spear killed you¡­ What good does healing do if I can''t even save the person most dear to me?!'' Shin trembled in agitation. The first time he fought against the assassins during the harvest mission, he was weak. The first encounter he had with the Black Masks when he was travelling to the Waypoint, he was weak. The first time Gawil Jefferson, the Watkin Murderer attacked him, he was weak. The first time he fought in Aldrich''s Keep, he was weak. The time where Junius used his abilities to defeat him and kidnap him to the Black Masks'' safe house, he was weak. And now¡­ He watched his loved one die right before his eyes. It seemed that everything that he had done up until now had been a waste of time. From the time when Shin first awakened his Spirit till now, he hadn''t grown stronger at all. He was still the weak little black-haired boy that needed someone to protect him. ''I''m too weak¡­ The healing path is too weak!!! Ariel died because I was too weak!!!'' For the first time in his life, Shin desired a higher power. "Master¡­ Your disciple is unfilial..." A defeated voice broke out from Shin''s chapped mouth as he addressed the blonde elderly woman that stood near him. Though, a tinge of resolution could be sensed in his cryptic words. "H-Huh?" Taken aback by her disciple''s sudden declaration, Lady Seph stood rooted to the ground. "Master¡­ I''m abandoning my pledge. I can''t go on as a healer." "W-What do you m-mean?!" "I need power! I can''t protect my loved ones as a healer¡­ In fact, YOU couldn''t even save Ariel! I can''t continue down this road Master! I need to become stronger! Stronger than anyone in this world!" "Shin¡­ You''re just confused! You''re mourning over the loss of Ariel, and this isn''t you talking! Don''t let a setback deter you from your original path!!! Your talents as a healer are second to none!" "AND WHAT GOOD HAS THAT DONE ME?!?!?! ARIEL STILL DIED!!!" "..." At her disciple''s sudden outburst, Lady Seph''s entire face dropped. The words of rebuttal that she had wanted to voice out had been forced down her throat as she stood there with her mouth hung open. ''Shin¡­ He''s serious¡­'' Her mind racing at two hundred kilometres a minute, Lady Seph tried to find the right words to convince her faltering disciple. However, when she recollected the scene where she watched helplessly as Ariel was so viciously pierced, the elderly woman, as much as she didn''t want to, found some merit in Shin''s claims. If Lady Seph weren''t a healer and were a fighter instead, perhaps she would be able to exceed her limits and save Ariel in time. Unfortunately, the majority of her spiritual abilities were all healing ones, and there was no possible way for her to have saved Ariel in time. Not to mention, although healers are an exalted profession in the Himmel Empire, not even the Lady Althea, the world''s best healer, can save someone from the bony fingers of the Grim Reaper. "Shin¡­ You..." "ARIELLLLL!!!!" Before Lady Seph could continue her sentence, a grieving cry bellowed through the air as a red beam of light shot straight down at the Second Elder''s abode. The First Elder, after forcing Malgen into a retreat, rushed back into the clan with the Clan Master on his shoulders. As he flew high up in the sky, his piercing eyes caught the drastic aftermath of the attack on the Second Elder''s abode, instantly shattering his heart into a million pieces. Watching as Shin, with his eyes full of snot and tears, attempted to heal the motionless Ariel, the First Elder felt his mind break. Ariel was the only family member that the First Elder had left in this entire world, and yet, there was, lying in a pool of her own blood. Falling to his knees next to the young scarlet-haired girl, the elderly man seemed to have aged twenty years instantly as his wrinkles became more defined. His feathery white hair had greyed considerably as he proceeded to hug the unmoving corpse of his beloved granddaughter. "Ariel¡­ No¡­ You''re not supposed to die¡­ Ariel..." It was the first time anyone of the orphans had seen the First Elder lose all control over his emotions. In fact, it was the first time for the Clan Master and Lady Seph as well. Always the happy-go-lucky person in their lives, the two Spirit Emperors had remembered the First Elder as someone who never faltered, even in the face of adversary. "Arthur! Brenda! I have failed you¡­ I have failed you..." Screaming out the names of his late son and daughter-in-law, the First Elder wailed out into the heavens above. "Senior Edward..." The Clan Master, who was still unable to move a single inch, sat helplessly in the corner as she watched the downfall of her clan''s two High Elders. "First Elder..." Shin unconsciously opened his mouth, forcing the mourning First Elder to turn his head abruptly. Taken aback by the sudden movements of the elderly man, Shin visibly groaned as an invisible pressure mounted upon his body. In the eyes of the First Elder, a hate that was only reserved for his mortal enemies was being reflected, forcing Shin to gasp out desperately for air. Only after a holy golden ray enveloped his body, did Shin feel his senses coming back to himself. "Edward! What are you doing?!" Lady Seph hollered out in fear. Moving in between the First Elder and her disciple, the blonde elderly woman used the Iofiel Angel as a protection from the wrath of the enraged Spirit Emperor. "ARGGGHHHH!!!! WHY?! WHY DID ARIEL DIE?!" Losing his mind, the First Elder summoned out the Kyoli Ember Whip and had even prepared himself to charge forward to end the Awter bloodline that had caused him that much pain. However, after a few moments of deliberation, he halted his mana supply as he watched the ground with a defeated expression. "No¡­ This is our sin¡­ Our sin¡­ We massacred the Awter Clan, and the Immortals above have cursed us¡­ We are sinners¡­ We are sinners..." Now, the First Elder finally understood the meaning of karma. The more sinful the person, the more their future would be damaged. In fact, karma didn''t just affect the individual themselves, but the people that surrounded them. The sins committed by the Frie Clan had finally come back to bite them full circle. "Please¡­ Take them all and leave, Seraphim¡­ Take them all and never return..." Although the First Elder didn''t specify who the ''they'' was, both Lady Seph and Shin clearly understood. After the tragedy that struck Frie Mountain, there was no way that the orphans could continue to call this place home. After all, the people responsible for the carnage that surrounded them shared the same blood as the orphans. "Edward¡­ Take care..." Not willing to refute the First Elder''s claim, Lady Seph grabbed all of the orphans, as well as the corpse of Lily, and placed them all onto the back of Bingbing. For the safety of her disciple, she had to leave Frie Mountain as soon as possible. Before the First Elder snaps and decides to finish off what the Second Elder had started. As Bingbing departed into the night sky that had been tainted orange by flames of battle, Shin watched as the First Elder stood silently in prayer, next to the person that he loved the most. Ariel''s face was smiling, even in death. Her refined face was firmly engraved into the memory of Shin''s. Was she in a better place? Did she reunite with her parents in heaven? No one knew. All that remained in Shin''s heart, was the memory of the unfulfilled promise. Chapter 194 Plans For The Future 1 The trip from Frie Mountain to Yakkyoku Clinic via the Bingbing Express was a brief one. Even before the orphans fully comprehended what had just happened, they had reached the borders of Chilyoja Waypoint. In fact, no one on top of the Tier 8 Spirit Beast was even able to compute what was happening due to the numerous events that had just occurred. Max was still crying over the unmoving corpse of his elder sister while Fionn was in a daze after watching Linus die before her very eyes. Ryner, who was the eldest after Lily, felt the need to step up, but even he was in grief after witnessing the death of the orphans'' ''mom.'' The twins, Ella and Emma, were in each other''s embrace, hoping to find some warmth in these darkest of hours. Beside them, Lia, who had the most fragile of souls amongst all of them, was gazing into blank space, like a deranged person who has lost her mind. Among the female orphans, Ella, Emma and Lia were the closest to Ariel and Lily, forming some sort of a clique where they all gathered together just to gossip and bond as young teenage girls. Now that two of their most treasured friends were gone, the three young girls had cried out until their eyes nearly bled. For Lily, many of the orphans looked up to her as the eldest after Junius, and in his absence, she had become an integral part of their lives. From waking them up every morning to becoming the sole pillar of support whenever someone from the Second Elder''s division comes to bully them. The three girls all felt an endless love for the blue-haired girl that had just brutally passed. Ariel had also possessed a large chunk of their hearts. After she was first introduced as Shin''s training partner, the scarlet-haired girl has been growing up with the orphans and could be even considered to be part of their group. The fact that Ariel always hung out with the orphans made them wonder if she had no friends in the main bloodline. For Ariel, it was possible that the orphans would never get to say their final goodbyes as they were banned from ever visiting the Frie Clan ever again, which meant that they would not be able to attend her funeral. Thinking about that heartbreaking fact, the three girls watched the bloodied face of Lily as they continue to weep. Naturally, the one who was the most depressed was the person that Ariel had given up her life for. Elyse. With her hands wrapped around Shin''s arms, the young girl kept repeating two words softly to the black-haired youth that was staring into thin air. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry..." Elyse''s entire body trembled in fear and sorrow. It was because of her that Ariel had died. It was because of her that Shin was robbed of his lover. It was because of her that Shin was going through all this pain. "Elyse¡­ Please¡­ Stop..." Although Shin knew that it was not the pitiful girl''s fault, he could not help but imagine an alternate timeline where Ariel did not save Elyse. Would he see that smile once more? The smile that could brighten up even the darkest of days? Nonetheless, Ariel had perished, and there was nothing that he could do to reverse that fact. Blaming Elyse for something that she had no control over was something that Shin didn''t want to do, but could help. Thus, he opted to stay silent. Fionn, who was saved by Linus, was merely sitting in one corner, tired and alone. Never in a thousand years did she expect to have a close encounter with death so early on in her young life and never did she expect that the person she once thought as a menace to the orphans'' existence to be the one that would save her at the expense of his own life. Max and Jacob all had sombre expressions as they watched their beloved eldest sister get cleaned by the mourning Ella. Judging from their prior encounter, it became apparent to the orphans that the Frie Clan were not going to bury their fallen comrade in their holy graveyard. Therefore, the only thing that the orphans could do for Lily now was to give her a proper send-off. "Shin¡­ I know this is not a good time but¡­ When you told me that¡­ Were you serious?" Now that Bingbing had safely ferried the orphans back to Yakkyoku Clinic, Lady Seph could finally take her time to examine her disciple''s intentions. "Yes¡­ I can''t go on living as this weakling that only relies on others to protect those precious to me¡­ Master, I can''t continue on the path of the healer. I need to become stronger. And to do it quickly!" Clenching his fists with a fiery will, Shin made a pledge to himself. His heart was still fractured from witnessing Junius order the attack on the Second Elder''s abode to watching his loved one die right before his eyes. Grasping the amethyst necklace that he took from Ariel, the young man resolutely stated. The only reason why Shin has yet to fall deeper into the abyss was due to a talk that he had with Ariel, many moons ago. ["But I believe in it! I believe that the Eternal Burning Tree is real, and I''ll prove it! Once I reach the Spirit Immortal realm, I will definitely revive my parents!"] Back when Shin comforted Ariel after the battle with Gawil Jefferson, the young girl had once explained to the then ignorant boy that in the realms above, there existed an ethereal existence. An existence where all souls returned to. ''I''ll carry on your dream, Ariel! I will chase Yggdrasil in your place and when I finally reach the Spirit Immortal Realm¡­ I will find you!!!!'' "Master! I have to become stronger! Stronger than anyone else in existence! I can never reach that goal if I''m a healer!!!" "Shin..." Watching as her disciple continued on his adamant path, the elderly woman felt something that she had never felt before. A sense of loss that preceded any grief that she had. Lady Seph had nurtured Shin with everything that she had. Knowledge, resources, and she had even personally created a hereditary opuscule for the youth. Hence, as Shin decided to leave the path that she had so carefully paved out for him, the elderly woman felt betrayed as all of her efforts had gone to waste. "Shin¡­ Hah¡­ I get it¡­ Fine..." Lady Seph shook her head in disappointment. The black-haired teenager had made up his mind to completely abandon his path, and any persuasion by her would just be a waste of her saliva. "What are your plans then?" "T-That..." Shin''s eyes wavered in fright. Although Shin knew that he wanted to grow stronger, as a homeless orphan that had just left the tutelage of his Master, there was nowhere that he could go. Not to mention, he had to carry with him, a whole lot of orphans that had just been kicked out from their homes. With no connections and very little money, there was not much that Shin could do to secure his place in the future. "Shin, this is what I suggest you do¡­ Go to the Capital and attend Imperius Academy with Ella and Emma. I''ll help the orphans find a suitable place to stay, and they can find professions that they are good at. After all, the Capital is the central hub of everything that the Himmel Empire has to offer. There''s bound to be a job for all of them." Lady Seph suggested with a bitter smile. "But¡­ The Himmel Empire¡­ I don''t really want to join their army..." Shin''s voice quivered. After learning about the miserable fate that the Awter Clan had been put through, the young teenager had his misgivings about the Himmel Empire that supported the Frie Clan''s endeavour to massacre the Awter Clan. "You said you wanted to grow stronger right? Then there''s no better option for you, Shin. The Imperius Academy houses some of the strongest teachers when it comes to battle techniques in the entire continent! Furthermore, there''s no guarantee that you would join the army after your graduation. Also, if you''re not going to go there, where else could you possibly go? Wander around the continent yourself?" "T-That!" Apparently, Shin didn''t think his plan thoroughly enough. All that he wanted to do was to become stronger, yet there was no proper plan that he had to do just that. "Hah, Shin¡­ What do I do with you¡­ Not to worry, I''ll put in a good word with the Headmaster for you. I do have some influence in high society after all. If I were to open my mouth, I''m sure that he would not pressurise you to join the army." "Master¡­ Why?" Gritting his teeth with clenched fists, the young teenager''s face turned beet red. He had abandoned his path. He had abandoned his Master''s tutelage. He had abandoned all of his Master''s years of work on him. Yet, the blonde elderly woman still supported him no matter what. Shin knew that he had let Lady Seph down by choosing to go to another path, yet she still loved him and cared for him the same way. "Once a Master, always a Master. From that first day that you offered me tea, I had already become bound to you. Naturally, I would prefer it if you changed your mind and continue on as a healer, but that won''t change how I would care for you, Shin..." Her facial muscles dropped as a wry smile crept up the wrinkled face of the elderly woman. Stroking the clear white skin of her disciple, Lady Seph saw the Shin that was ten-years-old, innocent as can be, that walked into her office for the first time. In all her years, she had never formed a relationship that was quite as close as the one she had with Shin. Throughout her career, Lady Seph''s only focus was the pursuit of the peak of the healing arts. Anything that could help her in her goal, she would charge full-on ahead and anything that got in the way of that very same goal, the esteemed healer would do anything in her power to get rid off. Only after the incident that forced her out from the Himmel Empire, did she re-evaluate her life philosophy. She found that many things were unethical to pursue and her entire life was set on a different tangent. Holing herself up in a remote corner of the Himmel Empire, the elderly healer opted to revert back to her hermit self and recluse herself from everything that the world has to offer her. As the world continued to spin, she remained silent. The tears of agony and the scent of death meant nothing to her, as she continued on in her safe little environment. With her trusted snowy white gerbil at her side to keep her company, Lady Seph decided to pursue the peak of the healing arts in an isolated state. And then, a specific black-haired child came into Yakkyoku Clinic. He was small and weak. So weak that with just a wave of her finger, Lady Seph was sure that he would break under the pressure that she would mount onto him. Yet, due to a request from a long-time friend, Lady Seph was forced to offer her services to teach and bring up the young boy, as much as she didn''t want to. In the early days of teaching Shin, all Lady Seph wanted to do was test the black-haired youth and if he failed any of her tests, she would immediately evict him, sending him far away from her isolated abode. However, it quickly became apparent that the youth that the First Elder had sent her was no normal kid. His talent for learning was unparalleled, and his Spirit was perhaps, one of the strongest in the continent. Not only could he keep up with the physical torture that his elder brother put him through, but Shin was also able to withstand the mental abuse that Lady Seph had given him by throwing endless amounts of books onto his table. So, the elderly woman finally relented and decided to formally accept Shin into her tutelage, excited to see what heights her newly received disciple could reach; and boy did he not disappoint. Shin became the youngest healer in history, and not only did he learn ''Heal'', but he also interpreted it to suit his Spirit, something that was unheard of from a thirteen-year-old. However, the true reason why Lady Seph wanted to help Shin wasn''t due to his overwhelming talent or his absurd comprehension abilities, but because she honestly saw the young teen as her own child. Chasing the peak of the healing arts since she was young came at a cost. Missing her youth, she had missed her opportunity to land a husband that could provide the familial bliss that all women could possess. Although she had no regrets over her decision, there were days where she couldn''t help but wonder, what would it be like to have a child of her own? "Master¡­ I''m sorry, I''ve let you down..." Shin tearfully embraced the woman that stood before him. Just as how Lady Seph saw Shin as a child of her own, the young boy too saw the woman as a parent of his own. "Hush, my child¡­ There''s no need to cry! I''ll always be here for you¡­ I''ll always be here for you..." Although she was trying to stop Shin from crying, tears started to drop from her face and down to the crown of the young teen''s head. ''That''s right¡­ So what if he doesn''t want to be a healer? I will always be his Master!!!'' Lady Seph resolutely shouted out in her mind. At that moment, a golden light glimmered from the depths of her spiritual body, as the bottleneck that she had been at for the past few decades had burst open. All of her knowledge condensed itself as her emotions took charge. The Iofiel Angel, appeared in the form of a phantom, smiling over the two individuals that were sorrowfully hugging each other. ''So that''s how it is¡­ Yes¡­ That''s how it should be!!!'' Unbeknownst to Shin, Lady Seph''s mindset had changed entirely, and her decision would change everything that the young black-haired teen will face from now on. Chapter 195 Plans For The Future 2 "We are from the Awter Clan?! The Clan that the Frie Clan annihilated?!" An angered shriek echoed through the silent clinic, almost awakening all of its inhabitants. "Ryner, I know that this is a touchy subject, but could you please keep it down¡­ I would rather not create a scene..." Shin placed his index finger against his rosy lips and suggested his fellow orphan to lower his volume. "But¡­ But!!!" Agitated from hearing the news, the teenager could not hold back his screams. "Let me explain everything to you. From the reason why the Frie Clan attacked our parents to why we entered their ''orphan programme,'' and..." Shifting his eyes downwards, Shin furrowed his brows and bit his lip as if he had swallowed a bitter pill. "And how Junius defected to the Black Masks..." Sitting the orphans all around him, the young black-haired teenager took his time to slowly explain everything. Although their hearts were broken, it was essential that they plan their next moves, so that they could continue to survive. And to do that, they had to know the truth. Being the only person among them that even had the slightest clue about what had happened, Shin volunteered himself to be their information source, as much as it pained him to do so. The death of Ariel was still fresh in his mind, and he had yet to finish mourning. Therefore, every so often, he would have to excuse himself from the room so that he could have some time to collect his thoughts. Nevertheless, Shin persevered onwards, telling his fellow family members everything that he knew. Various emotions and expressions were seen on the faces of the orphans as Shin continued his tale. Hate for the Frie Clan. Sorrow for the Awter Clan. Hate for the Black Masks. Sorrow for the victims of the Frie Clan. So many emotions raced through the minds of the young children, forcing them to deeply consider everything that occurred. The Frie Clan were deplorable for killing off their entire family, but they at least saved the orphans and tried to make amends. The First Elder, being the foremost powerhouse in the clan, had a great deal to play when it came to starting the massacre of the Awter Clan, but all these years, he had been showering the orphans with care and had even provided numerous resources for them to grow. Yet, the fact still remained that they had robbed the orphans of complete families. The Black Masks, which contained remnants of the Awter Clan, seemed to have a valid argument when it came to trying to reunite their entire family and Junius concern for the orphans was apparent as he rushed the seniors of the organisation to save them. However, they still killed off Ariel and Lily, two of the most central figures in the orphans lives, causing them to retain a hate for the criminal syndicate that would typically be reserved for mortal enemies. Ryner, who was a hot-headed lad, was deliberately trying his hardest to keep it together. Now that he was the eldest amongst the group, he felt the need to protect his siblings so that none of them could be lost ever again. Jacob, the youngest of the group, was holding the hand of Ryner, not willing to let go in the slightest. Evidently, he did not want to be separated from the person that meant the most to him, in these times of agony. Lia, the calm and gentle girl, was on the verge of breaking into complete madness, as she heard the reason for Junius'' attack on the Second Elder''s abode. In his attempt to protect and rescue them, he had actually killed off the most important person in her life. Lily was more than a sister to Lia. Lia considered the now deceased beauty to be her bosom pal. Nothing was off limits when it came to confiding her thoughts with Lily. Her love life, her future plans, dreams and goals. Everything that Lia wanted to know about Lily, she would tell her, and anything Lily wanted to know about Lia, she would tell her. There was even a time where they planned to walk down the altar together, holding a double wedding. Yet, only Lia remained living on this earth. The twins, Ella and Emma, all had sombre expressions as they listened in on Shin. The both of them loved Lily and Ariel, and they knew how much Shin loved the scarlet-haired girl that had just passed on. The amount of pain and grief that they were in constrained their hearts so tightly that the twins had trouble breathing. Hence, they can''t even imagine the amount of pain that Shin, someone who was regarded as Ariel''s lover, was under. To be entirely honest, they were only listening to the contents of Shin''s speech half of the time. The other half, they were observing Shin with moistened eyes, hoping to the Immortals above that their beloved friend would not break. Whenever Shin retreated outside to take a break, Emma would follow closely behind, making sure that he was okay. Even though Ella wasn''t as close to Shin as compared to her twin sister, she too kept a close watch on the door. Hiding at one corner, Max used his two hands to cup his knees together as he curled himself into a ball. Traumatised by Lily''s act, the young boy could still see the darkness, as he was reminded of the warm flowing blood that spewed out from Lily''s unmoving body onto his spotless face. Due to that fact, he was unable to hear a single word from Shin during his brief and only stared blankly into space. In the same condition as Max was, Fionn was sitting nearby, dazed as she recalled the dead body of Linus, the heir of the Second Elder''s throne. They had no prior interaction with one another, yet the red-haired boy rushed forward without thinking and sacrificed his life for someone that he had no ties to. Remembering that smiling face that was content with his deed, Fionn trembled in fear. And finally, there was Elyse. Her eyes never left Shin''s body as she observed everything that her elder brother was doing. Feeling guilty for Ariel''s death, the young girl did not know how to face the black-haired youth that was so desperately trying to keep his mental faculties from malfunctioning. She wanted to atone, but she had no idea how. Ariel was the love of Shin''s life, but because of Elyse, the scarlet-haired girl no longer existed in the mortal realm. Each one of the orphans had their own distinct reactions to Shin''s words. Some listened attentively, others did not. However, at the end of everything, a decision had to be made about their future. Thus, Shin continued on. "So that''s everything¡­ Why the Frie Clan killed off the Awter Clan and why Junius attacked the mountain..." With a despondent sigh, Shin ended his explanation. "Now, there''s nowhere for us to go. We have no family, the Black Masks would chase us until the ends of the earth and the Frie Clan might even attack us on sight. Fortunately, my Master has offered her assistance in protecting us in the Capital, where Ella, Emma and I were supposed to go a few months from now. I suggest that we all gather there, and let Master help us." "..." A pin-drop silence descended upon Shin''s room, as every single orphan wore a sour expression. "Shin¡­ That''s what you plan to do? Join the Himmel Empire that supplied arms to the Frie Clan to kill the Awter Clan?" Ryner replied, his tone as flat as could be. "There''s no other option for us, Ryner¡­ Unless we want to wander about aimlessly in the Empire, that is the only thing that we could do." "So what? We become pawns for yet another vicious organisation?! Shin, we just escaped from that treacherous clan! We should become free! Not serve as slaves under another master!!!" "Ryner! If that''s what you''re worried about, I''m the only one who has to enter the Imperius Academy! Master promised to find suitable professions that you guys can enter in the Capital!" "You going into the academy is already the worst part! Shin! We already lost too many family members¡­ We can''t lose you!!!" Ryner stood up from his chair and placed both his hands on Shin''s shoulders. He knew that if he allowed Shin to continue down this road, it would only lead to more pain and suffering for Shin and the other orphans. "WHAT AM I TO DO?! I have to become stronger, Ryner! I must become strong to protect all of you! I must become strong to become the Spirit Immortal! I must become strong to fend of Junius and the Black Masks if they come for us again! I must become strong to chase YGGDRASIL!!!" Shin hollered out for the first time since arriving at Yakkyoku Clinic. "And the only way I could do that is if I join Imperius Academy and learn their ways. Currently, I''m too weak..." "Shin..." Watching as his younger brother placed all the burden on himself, Ryner felt bad for chiding him earlier on. No matter their actions, the orphans all shared the same goal. To protect their family. "Sorry¡­ I was overly harsh¡­ But you know, we can''t have you go into that dangerous place alone..." "We''ll be there as well, Brother Ryner!!!" At that moment, Ella stepped up and tapped her chest. Behind her, Emma was flashing a broad smile. "That''s right! Shin won''t be alone!" "No! You can''t! Just as Ryner said, entering the Imperius Academy does have some sort of risk! If they ever decide to use us in war, we might be forced to oblige! Even though Master said that she would put in a word with the Headmaster, nothing is definite! You two should live your lives as free folk! Once you become strong enough, you can roam the continent by yourselves!!!" "Hargh?! And who are you to decide what we are to do, Shin?! We will enter Imperius Academy with you, and we will become stronger together!!!" Ella cut off Shin''s rant and walked forward raising a clenched fist as if she wanted to hit the foolish boy right on his head. Bracing for the incoming impact, Shin closed his eyes and flinched backwards. However, instead of a painful hit, he felt a gentle touch on his abdomen as milky smooth arms wrapped around his neck. Opening his eyes in shock, Shin found himself in Ella''s embrace as he felt his shoulders starting to become wet. "Shin¡­ You don''t have to carry the weight of everything by yourself¡­ Learn to rely on us more. We are¡­ After all, family..." Ella''s tears fell from her eyes and doused the cloth of Shin''s shirt. "Ella¡­ You can''t go¡­ I can''t afford to lose anyone else..." "And do you think that we can afford to lose you? The pain that you''re feeling from losing Ariel do you want us to experience that?!" "!!!" Stunned speechless by her words, the young teenager pulled his body back as he stared at the resolute faces of his fellow kin. ''That''s right¡­ I don''t want to lose them¡­ And they don''t want to lose me...'' Shin never thought about it that way. After feeling the pain of losing the person he loved the most in this life, he swore that he would never want to experience the same loss ever again. Thus, even if it meant sacrificing his life, Shin would never let his family get into harm''s way. However, Shin failed to consider it from their perspective. How he felt now, how he would much rather be the one that died, and how he would give anything to see Ariel smile for one last time, wouldn''t that be how the orphans would feel should they lose him? "I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t think about it that way..." "That''s right! So don''t say depressing things like that!" Lightly tapping on the smooth face of Shin, Ella released her embrace as gave a radiant smile. "Brother Ryner... As much as I hate to say this¡­ But we should go to the Capital first before we decide anything¡­ We might need a place to start anew..." Lia gently pulled on the teenager''s sleeves, suggesting that they follow Shin''s plan. "I agree¡­ We can''t stay too close to the Frie Clan..." Emma chimed in with a miserable sigh. Just thinking about the numerous incidents that had happened throughout twenty-four hours, made her head hurt and her body cold. What the orphans truly needed, was to bid their bitter endings goodbye and to find a place of new beginnings. "Hah¡­ Fine¡­ We''ll go to the Capital..." Finally relenting to his juniors pleas, Ryner deeply sighed and shrugged his shoulders. Chapter 196 The Golden String Of Fate ''A bit more¡­ Come on! A bit more!'' A low murmur reverberated through the air as an adenoidal voice broke the silence of the night. The sky was on the verge of daybreak as the glimmering crystalline moon above began to be obscured by the darkest of clouds while it descended past the horizon. Sounds of nocturnal animals disappeared as they returned to their burrows, preparing themselves for the morning to come. As daybreak approaches, the housewives of Chilyoja Waypoint started to awaken from their sleep, cooking a nutritious breakfast for their families, unaware of the carnage that had befallen on the Frie Clan the night before. The staff members of Yakkyoku Clinic shared the same fate. Sleeping soundly in their rooms, they had no idea about how their poster boy''s life had changed drastically and how their overlord had decided to leave the waypoint for the Capital. Speaking of their master, Lady Seph was currently secluded in the private cultivation chamber that was specially built for her by Mayor Nadeo. Being a Spirit Emperor, the amount of spiritual energy and spiritual pressure that she would release while cultivating was immense. A regular Spirit Practitioner would easily succumb under the power that she released, causing the need for unique means to be built. Using some of the thickest stone and densest Aether Crystals, the craftsmen of the stone chamber were somehow able to contain the suffocating spiritual energy that Lady Seph would release during her cultivation, into the room, allowing the Spirit Emperor to cultivate without worrying about injuring her fellow kin. ''A bit more! A bit more!'' Lady Seph screamed out in her mind. Golden aura seeped out voraciously out from her pores and tainted the dull stone chamber in a brilliant light, similar to that of a golden sun. If there were any religious fanatics nearby, they would undoubtedly assume that there was a coming of God and kneel immediately, basking in the golden light. Behind the elderly woman, an illusory beauty, draped in the most delicate white gown that was unblemished by any impurities, spread her divine wings as a golden halo descended upon her head. Without the stone cultivation chamber absorbing all of the mana that the Iofiel Angel was spewing out perhaps a riot might ensue as the mere mortals would get drunk with Lady Seph''s holy might. Lady Seph''s freckles started to furrow as vivid images of yesterday drowned her mind. The wailing face of Shin, begging for help as he watched as the First Elder explained everything that the Frie Clan had done to the Awter Clan. The image of Shin sitting despondently in one corner during their journey to Frie Mountain to stop the battle started by the Black Masks. And finally, the scene where Shin and she watched as Ariel got viciously mauled by the Ice Spears. "What good are healers if they can''t save Ariel''s life?!" Shin''s heated words repeated themselves in the subconscious of Lady Seph''s head. With his failure to rescue the one he loved most, Shin had decided to abandon the path that Lady Seph had put forth for him and pursue a different way, just so that he could gain power; and to a certain extent, the elderly woman understood where the distraught youth was coming from. A healer was only useful when the person was already injured, and that was the dilemma of the Healer''s Association. Over her long years, Lady Seph had seen countless deaths. Even though healers were treated as divine individuals that rid misery from those who were suffering, they too were unable to heal someone that was too far gone. ''What if¡­ One day, I watch as Shin dies, and my powers are unable to save him?! What would I do then?!'' Imagining the day where she was helpless to save Shin, Lady Seph''s entire consciousness quivered in despair. The image of Ariel dying was enough to frighten her, not to mention the possibility of Shin passing on in a place where she couldn''t reach. Desperate to create a skill that would prevent her worst fears from coming into fruition, the elderly woman heightened her comprehension abilities to the highest as she browsed through all of her knowledge that she had accumulated over the years. Inside of her Spiritual Body, the profound golden light that had been stagnant all these years had begun to show signs of evolving, as if in reply to Lady Seph''s intense emotions. Her eyes glistening as tears dripped out, and her forehead was drenched with sweat. Just the thought of losing Shin in the same manner as how Shin lost Ariel, frightened the elderly woman to her very core. Soon after she made that thought, a vortex that seemed to endlessly suck in mana spun rapidly inside of the elderly woman''s Spiritual Body, as the restraints of a Spirit Emperor eroded away into nothingness. In cultivation, once a Spirit Emperor breaks through their threshold to become a Spirit Venerate, their entire physical body enters into a metamorphosis state. Once in the Spirit Venerate realm, a Spirit User was more similar to that of a divine being than a mere mortal. Their physical body would become nothing but a shell for the tremendous amounts of mana that they possess and destroying it would mean nothing to a Spirit Venerate. As long as their Spiritual Body remains, a Spirit Venerate would perpetually exist in the realm of mortals. Naturally, they were still at the mercy of mother death once their time was up, but otherwise, they were essentially given eternal youth. Lady Seph''s soul was drifting through the luminous golden river that was contained inside of her Spiritual Body as the image of her next created ability finally came to be. Everything that she had learnt over the years had been leading to this moment. All of her knowledge that she consumed. All of the spiritual energy that she had absorbed. They all boiled down to this final moment. Once she passed this hurdle, she would step into the realm that had eluded her all these years. Sensing that it was finally time for her Master to change, the Iofiel Angel cocooned the elderly woman within the compounds of her wings, making sure that she was safely tucked inside. Fresh crimson blood started to pour out from the pure white wings of the angel as flesh and bone fell out in droves. Turning her physical body into a paste, all that remained in the cocoon that the Iofiel Angel created was the Spirit Core that Lady Seph had created many moons ago. An ethereal existence that could only be described as Lady Seph''s soul was wreathing itself around the golden core that was discharging significant amounts of mana. The illusory cocoon throbbed gently, akin to that of a heartbeat at a regular pace, as Lady Seph delved deeper and deeper into her consciousness, trying to give form to her new ability. ''I don''t want to be a mourning Master! I don''t want to see Shin die while I stay there powerless! I need to protect him!'' A dolorous wish echoed inside of the chambers, as the light formed from the cocoon shone brighter and brighter. "*Ding!*." A celestial power pulsated through the air, creating a ripple of energy that only those with high cultivation levels could feel. Eight golden halo rings, each representing one of Lady Seph''s current spiritual abilities, engulfed the solitary cocoon, giving endless amounts of mana towards the immobile soul. The light that brought out from Spirit Core shone brighter and brighter, until¡­ "Tssssssss..." A low hissing sound emerged from the cocoon as a ring made out of an exquisite golden string enveloped Lady Seph''s soul, forcing her to break free from her restraints. Finally, Lady Seph had created her ninth spiritual ability. Like a butterfly, the woman broke the wings of the Iofiel Angel that protected her and burst forth into the mortal world once more. A young woman, resembling that of Lady Seph''s body in her prime, emerged from the cocoon. However, instead of a pure physical body, she was in a heavenly state. Her eyes were glowing in a grey light as a mystical mist fell off her illusory body. If someone were to enter the cultivation chambers right now, they would mistakenly think that a ghost had come out from hiding to haunt those in the mansion. "Yes¡­ I have yet to complete my promotion..." Being the person who created her ninth ability, Lady Seph was well aware of the current state that she was in. She was not a Spirit Emperor anymore, but neither was she a Spirit Venerate. Lady Seph was stuck in the middle of the two realms, and only she knew why. "I need to cast the Golden String of Fate!" The Golden String of Fate, Lady Seph''s newly created spiritual ability. Realising that healing was useless if the person was never injured in the first place, Lady Seph created this protection ability that would connect her to anyone that she had cast that ability on. Using the Golden String of Fate, Lady Seph would be able to use the full extent of the Iofiel Angel''s abilities on the targeted person and would be able to protect him no matter how far they were apart. Healing, blessings, protection spells, anything that she could do to herself, she was able to do on the person on the other end of the golden string. However, such an overpowered ability came at a price. Lady Seph could only cast it on one person. Once their souls were tied, Lady Seph could protect him no matter the distance, and she could even summon a phantom of herself if her targeted person were in peril. The Golden String of Fate was her answer to how she would protect Shin from here on out and she could not complete her promotion to the Spirit Venerate realm as long as it hasn''t been cast. ''Time to go to Shin''s room...'' Since she was in spiritual form, Lady Seph could easily float through the walls that stood before her, therefore, making her way to Shin''s room was the easy part. Her only fear was how Shin''s Spirit, The Sovereign Koi, would react once it senses a foreign power enter the Spiritual Body of its Master. Watching the sleeping face of her disciple a wry smile crept up the ghostly face of the esteemed healer. Throughout the night, Shin had suffered setback after setback. Emotionally, not even a war-torn soldier would be able to handle such stress. Yet, somehow or another, the youngster was able to pull through, not willing to succumb himself to depression. Sometimes, Lady Seph wished that her disciple wasn''t as mature as he was. Sometimes, she hoped that he would rely on her more as if a regular child would. Looking down on his feathered cushion, Lady Seph could see a small puddle of water, that lay next to his pearly white face. ''The poor thing¡­ He cried himself to sleep...'' Using her illusory hands, Lady Seph attempted to stroke her disciple''s face, but it only managed to fall through the bed. ''Shin¡­ You''re always like that¡­ Trying to hide your grief¡­ Hiding how much something means to you¡­'' Ariel''s death had a much more significant impact on Shin than Lady Seph imagined. When she first heard of his plans to abandon the healing path, Lady Seph felt betrayed. However, as she continued on interacting with him, she realised that Shin wanted to gain more power. More power so that he could no longer feel the pain that was still throbbing in him. ''Not to worry¡­ I won''t let you feel that much pain ever again!'' Placing her two hands together, the ethereal woman started to pray. From the depths of her soul, a divine golden string, that seemed to be weaved by the Immortals themselves, descended upon the sleeping body of the youth and attempted to enter his soul. Before she could proceed any further, a cerulean light shone from the depths of Shin''s spiritual body as The Sovereign Koi made its appearance once more. Using its bright eyes, it stared at the ghost that was standing next to Shin''s bed. Initially, it was worried that something was about to invade its territory and wished to use any methods that it could to prevent that from happening. However, when it noticed the Iofiel Angel that was standing behind of Lady Seph, it quickly shook its head in disapproval as it merely allowed the woman to do as she pleased. Evidently, it realised that fighting Lady Seph was something that it could not bear and would only serve to damage its Master in the process. Not to mention, judging from the spiritual energy being put forth from the Iofiel Angel, it could tell that the ability of Lady Seph''s was merely a blessing that would only empower both Shin and itself. ''Such intelligence!!! There''s really something off about Shin''s Sovereign Koi!!! Looks like I must start researching on the history of the Celestial Water Dragon and the Lady of Water!!!'' Placing a mental note in her mind, Lady Seph quickly reverted back to concentrating on casting the spell. Since The Sovereign Koi had given its approval, casting the Golden String of Fate should be an easy task. Still in the midst of his deep sleep, Shin was unaware of the drastic ability that was about to be cast on him, and how it would affect his life in the future. "Shin¡­ I will protect you!!!" As the golden string crept deeper into his Spiritual Body, the young boy convulsed a little, reacting to the power that was being etched into his soul. Finally, after a few moments of discomfort, a golden light emerged from his soul, symbolising the success of the ability. All of a sudden, a mortal body pitched itself together right in front of the slumbering youth as a gorgeous twenty-year-old woman found herself fully naked on the floor. Her rich golden hair that resembled that of a waterfall of endless gold flowed effortlessly to the floor, making her look like a Rapunzel knock-off. With clear blue eyes that could gaze into any man''s soul and a perfect jawline that would make any escort green with jealousy, Lady Seph had turned back time and returned back to when she was a beauty that all men craved for. "Tsssk must be the rejuvenation ability¡­ Turning me this far back..." Lady Seph frowned in displeasure as she examined her smooth and milky complexion. Just like Lady Althea before her, she had become an eternal beauty that could turn heads every time she walked down the road. "Hah¡­ Now I have to deal with all those thirsty men again¡­ How troubling!" When she was still a novice healer, her good looks were both a merit and toll. The toll being how many men would bend their backs backwards to try to score with her. "Whatever¡­ I could just make them impotent if they dare to touch me..." Shrugging her shoulders, she pushed that thought away as she continued to lovingly watch her beloved disciple rolled about in his sleep. "Sweet dreams, my child¡­ For when morning comes, a new chapter of your life will begin..." Chapter 197 Goodbye, Lily... 1 Beautiful orange rays of sunlight flowed down upon the earth, waking up all that the nascent rays touched. The bright milky clouds flowed side by side, allowing the cooling morning breeze to direct their path. Civilians of Chilyoja Waypoint all arose to go about their daily activities. Children went to class while adults went to work. However, unlike their regular days, a predominant narrative was being passed around by word of mouth. The news that the Frie Clan, the slumbering giant of the West, was attacked by the Black Mask Syndicate spread like wildfire, as it was all the town could talk about. Being so close to Frie Mountain, there were some that were able to feel vibrations of the battle, and when the crimson mushroom cloud that resembled a rose came into sight, there were some high-level Spirit Users that could sense the change in the environment and rushed skyward, hoping to catch a glimpse of the action. Many of the strongest Spirit Users in the waypoint, including Chief Constable Lewis and Mayor Nadeo, toyed with the idea of rendering their assistance, but ultimately decided against it as defending the town was a higher priority. Nonetheless, their thoughts and prayers went to the Frie Clan, hoping that they would be able to weather the storm that they were currently in. It was currently ten in the morning. Shin and the other orphans, who had got in late last night were still in the midst of their recovery sleep, and no one dared to disturb them. After the emotional and physical trauma that they had been put under, they required some time to refresh their brains, Shin especially. Initially, he thought that he would be unable to sleep as the nightmare that was Ariel''s death would haunt his dreams. However, the stress and pain eventually got onto him as he cried himself to the Garden of Hypnos. Thus, as morning enters midday and the temperature rose drastically, Shin found himself in an uncomfortable environment for sleep. His lashes quivered as his eyelids rapidly twitched. Turning his head sideways, he opened his dull eyes, which had been hardened due to the dried up tears that he shed, and looked around the empty room. "Was that all a dream? Is Ariel still alive?" Hoping that everything that happened the night before was just a sick joke that God had played on him, Shin prayed desperately for everything to be a nightmare and his beloved one was still in the mortal realm. However, as he glanced down at his chest, he noticed a cheap amethyst necklace, that contained little specks of dried up blood on it. "Damn it¡­ DAMN IT!!!" Grasping the cheap knock-off necklace that Ariel had him buy for her many years ago, Shin wailed out loud once more. Since he had cried his all yesterday, the dried up eyes of his was unable to produce more tears, leaving him with nothing but his sobbing chest. "Ariel¡­ I can''t believe that you really left me..." Shin tried to control himself, but nothing could be done about his overflowing emotions. The memory of Ariel''s unmoving corpse was still fresh in his mind, and the desperation that he felt was second to none. "Shin? Are you awake? Are you okay?!" A loud knock on the door could be heard as Shin was wallowing in grief. Emma, who was living in the guest room, had got up early and was preparing the funeral rites for Lily alongside Ryner and Lia. However, when a deafening scream could be heard coming out from Shin''s room, Emma immediately rushed upwards to check on the black-haired youth. "Emma? Yeah, come in..." Weakly replying to the concerned girl, Shin composed himself as he hid the amethyst necklace within his shirt. "Shin¡­ Are you alright?" Taking a few steps forward into the young boy''s room, Emma queried on the teenager''s sanity. "Emma¡­ I''m alright, it''s just¡­ I can''t believe that everything really happened¡­ I really believed that it was just a cruel nightmare. I thought that if I woke up today, perhaps everything would go back to normal. I guess fairy tales really don''t exist." Sighing despondently, the Shin shook his head as he got out of bed. "Shin¡­ I''m sorry..." "Why are you apologising?" "If I were stronger¡­ If I had a higher cultivation level¡­ Perhaps I might have been able to save Ariel from the attack." Emma''s head dropped as her eyes darted from side to side. As someone who was close to Ariel the moment she sprung forward to save Elyse, she had a clear view of the exact second that the scarlet-haired girl lost her life. The powerlessness that she felt was burned firmly into her mind. "Emma¡­ It''s not your fault¡­ Ariel''s just like that. She lived life on her own terms. The fact that she rescued Elyse at the expense of her own life¡­ It was her own choice..." As Shin recalled the face of the now deceased young girl, he couldn''t help but release a sigh. Ariel was a beacon of light in Shin''s life. Her bubbly attitude towards life and constant smiles always brightened the young teenager''s day. Not to mention, her future was extremely bright. Having awakened a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon and obtaining a large number of resources from the Frie Clan, Ariel would at least reach the Spirit Emperor realm in her lifetime. Yet, the glorious future that she might have had was all but ruined, just because she wished to save someone precious to Shin. "Yeah¡­ Ariel was like that. Up till the very end¡­" Peering her eyes upwards, she could sense the melancholy that the black-haired youth was under. Evidently, the pain from losing Ariel has yet to subside. "Shin¡­ Is it really true that Brother Junius had entered the Black Mask syndicate? Even if they were the remnants of the Awter Clan, why would he be so willing to enter a criminal organisation such as the Black Masks?" Hoping to take his mind off the death of Ariel, Emma changed the subject. The issue regarding Junius was a tricky one for the orphans. On the one hand, they knew how much Junius cared for them, especially the now deceased Lily. Therefore, when they heard how he had ordered the attack on the Second Elder''s abode that had decimated three innocent lives, the orphans couldn''t believe their ears. "Junius did join the Black Masks! He was the one that lured me into the sewers so that they could kidnap me and bring the First Elder out of Frie Mountain!" His anguish quickly turning into anger, Shin''s eyes burnt with the purest of hate for the viridian-haired teenager that was directly involved with Ariel''s death. It was funny how fate worked. Just a few days before, Shin was desperately searching for any clues for his beloved brother and just the slightest tip would have sent shivers down his spine. Now, even though he still wished to find Junius, it was for an entirely different reason than before. "We have to stop Junius and the Black Masks, and to do that, I must become stronger. Right now, I''m too weak as a healer. That''s why when I get to Imperius Academy, I will be pursuing a different path!" Clenching his fists, Shin stated his resolution for the future for the first time. Although Lady Seph knew of his decision to leave her tutelage, the other orphans were still kept in the dark. Thus, when Emma heard of Shin''s plans, her eyes widened in shock. "But Shin¡­ You invested so much time in the path of the healer! Can you really just give it up?" As with all the orphans, Emma knew of Shin''s prestige as the youngest Healer in history. Hearing that Shin was willing to give it all away for the pursuit of strength came as a massive surprise for the young girl. "There''s no choice, Emma. I''m way too weak as compared to the other Spirit Users in the world. Every single time there''s a battle, the only thing that I could do was spectate! If I had more power, I would be able to save the ones I love the most, instead of healing them when they''re on the verge of death!" "Shin..." Emma''s eyes started to become misty. Shaking her head twice, she approached the young boy and buried her head into his chest, afraid that her tears would be contagious to the already broken Shin. "Emma, I need to go down this path. But you don''t have to. You should live your life freely as a young girl. Choose a profession that you are good in, find a good man and settle down. You don''t have to risk your life joining Imperius Academy with me." "How could we leave you alone in that foreign place? Shin, we all care for your safety¡­ We had just lost Junius, Lily and Ariel. We can''t lose you too!" Emma resolutely replied as her eyes sparkled. "Furthermore, Ella and I both want to become stronger as well¡­ I want to become so strong that no one can bully us ever again!!!" "Emma¡­ Yeah, that''s right! Let''s become strong together. That way, we won''t lose anyone ever again!" "Yeah!" Tightening her grip around Shin''s waist, Emma let out an excited cry. ''Once I enter Imperius Academy, I must look out for Emma and Ella. Also...'' Turning his eyes outside the window, Shin''s gaze went far out. Being on one of the tallest buildings in the Waypoint, Shin could watch the fields outside of the town walls. Not focusing on anything, in particular, he scowled in anger as his thoughts landed on one specific individual. ''Junius¡­ When I meet you again, I will be powerful enough to apprehend you!!!'' Now that Junius had defected to the Black Mask syndicate, chasing after him with the intent to apprehend him was now Shin''s top priority. Shin wanted to catch Junius so that he could bring him over to Lily and Ariel''s graves to apologise. Due to their chase for vengeance, the Awter Clan remnants had turned into savage beasts that would even harm innocents to get what they wanted. Not willing to succumb to their level, Shin did not have the heart to seek revenge on the Frie Clan that annihilated his family. Watching as Vellan, Shia and Junius descended into madness, Shin had no thoughts about following their flawed path. ''When I become stronger, then I will return to settle my debts with the Frie Clan.'' Shin sighed in his mind. It was a bitter truth that he had learnt the hard way. In this godforsaken world, everything boiled down to how strong you were. No one cares about how you felt. The only way to make people listen to you was to improve your power to the absolute limit. Ultimately, it all boiled down to how strong you were in the cultivation world. "Shin? Are you awake?" At that moment, an adenoidal voice broke the silence of the room as Emma quickly released her hold on the young boy. Wiping her face full of snot and tears on his grey pyjamas, the young girl flashed a brilliant smile and walked towards the door. "Master?" Shin tilted his head in confusion the moment he heard the voice. Although that distinct adenoidal sound was definitely belonging to his Master, somehow it seemed a little different, and Shin couldn''t wrap his finger around it. It sounded more light, sharper, and dare he say, more youthful? "Oh, great! You''re awake!" As Emma opened the door so that Lady Seph could enter, what she was greeted with was not the typical blonde elderly woman that she had expected, but a young and breathtakingly beautiful lady, that was draped in the Divine Healer''s robes. The gorgeous woman''s blue eyes sparkled as if they were precious sapphires that could be a Kingdom''s crown jewels. Her long and flowing blonde hair was tied into a bun and put in place by a laboratory tube that acted as a hairpin, showing that the woman didn''t really care about her appearances. Even though she was not wearing even the slightest of make-up, her supple white skin could rival those of professional idols and courtesans. Scratch that, it surpassed the levels of people in the beauty industry. "Master? You used rejuvenation on yourself once again?!" Shin shouted out in surprise. He had seen his Master only once in this state before, and that was back at Aldrich''s Keep. Using self-rejuvenation to instantly give herself a power-up, Lady Seph would revert back to her prime. However, it came at a price. Once the effects wear off, Lady Seph would be instantly immobilised for days, making her use the ability sparingly. Thus, Shin was shocked as there was no reason for his Master to cast self-rejuvenation. "No, you silly¡­ I promoted. I finally broke the barrier that a Spirit Emperor could never cross! From today onwards, I am a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate!!!" "..." Both Shin and Emma stood rooted to the ground with their mouths hung wide open. Only after a brief silence, did their mental faculties start to function again. "WHAT?!" Chapter 198 Goodbye, Lily... 2 "M-M-Master! You broke through?! You''re now a Spirit Venerate?!" Shin stuttered uncontrollably as he pointed at the young blonde woman in front of him. Beside him, Emma was wearing a similar expression and truth to be told, no one could blame them for having such a knee-jerk reaction. A Spirit Venerate stood at the peak of the cultivation world. Just one Spirit Venerate was capable of taking out over a hundred thousand men in a single strike. Other than Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts, no threat could possibly take on a Spirit Venerate in battle, and a significant reason why is due to their rebirth during their promotion. Shedding their mortal body, they had taken one further step into the divine. Compared to a regular mortal, they were much closer in resemblance to the Immortals above. In fact, due to their connection with the spiritual energy that was all around them, a Spirit Venerate could easily force any Spirit Emperor to kneel before them with just a thought. In the entire Terre Continent, the number of Spirit Venerates numbered less than two hundred, making them the elite of the elite. Since Spirit Saints rarely came out from the seclusion, Spirit Venerates were the true masters of the continent. In the Himmel Empire elder council, almost all of those who were granted a chair was at least in the Rank 80 Spirit Venerate Realm. "Haha, there''s no need to be so stunned!" "No! That''s great news! Congratulations, Master! You have broken through the bottleneck!" A jubilant smile crept up Shin''s face as his heavy mood was temporarily lifted. If he was completely honest, Shin was somewhat worried when he heard that Lady Seph had been stuck at the peak of the Spirit Emperor Realm for multiple years. Since his Master was somewhat advanced in her age, it was highly possible that if she did not break through within the next few years, her lifespan would burn out, leaving Shin with a pile of bones to bury. However, now that Lady Seph had promoted into the Spirit Venerate Realm, her lifespan would double, and she would be able to live until four hundred years of age. ''At least I won''t have to worry about Master dying anytime soon...'' After losing Ariel, Shin now treasured his bonds with his loved ones much more. Should Lady Seph die shortly after Ariel did, the young Spirit Apostle wouldn''t know how he would find the will to live on. "Master! Since you promoted, did you create a suitable spiritual ability for yourself?" Shin asked curiously. Being Lady Seph''s sole disciple, he was well aware of why she was stuck at the Spirit Emperor bottleneck for so long. Lady Seph was a traditionalist in the sense that she believed that all Spirit Users should create their own abilities based on their comprehension levels. Naturally, for lower cultivation levels, she wouldn''t be that harsh, judging from how she allowed Shin to use a hereditary opuscule to learn ''Heal.'' Otherwise, Lady Seph would prefer that everyone create their own abilities to promote. "Haha, that''s a secret for now." Closing one eye and placing her right index finger on her rosy lips, the young beauty gave an attractive gesture without realising it, causing Emma''s heart to skip a beat. However, her allure had no effect on the young black-haired teen as in his eyes, Lady Seph would always be the old grandma that took care of him. ''I can''t let Shin learn about the Golden String of Fate¡­ If he knows that there''s an eternal protection placed on his spiritual body, it might dim his future cultivation path...'' Lady Seph gave a mental assessment. Imagine if a young hot-headed Spirit Apostle who desired a fast track to power found out that he could never die as a Spirit Venerate could always save him whenever he was in trouble. Would he still be as cautious as to how he progresses his cultivation path? The answer was no. Given Shin''s personality, he would dive headfirst into danger, breaking his body down countless times just to become stronger. Not to mention, Lady Seph wanted to let Shin grow strong on his own. Only when his life was in absolute peril, would she use the Golden String of Fate to save the boy. "Furthermore, that''s not important! I''m here to check on your physical condition. Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?" Lady Seph''s tone turned sombre as she resolutely stared at her precious disciple. Although the Golden String of Fate was cast and there were no signs of Shin''s Spirit rejecting her blessing, Lady Seph couldn''t be a hundred percent certain until she examined Shin herself. "No¡­ There''s nothing wrong?" Shooting his Master a quizzical look, Shin shook his head in denial. "That''s good¡­ If you feel that there''s anything wrong, you come to me immediately! Understood?!" "Y-Yeah?" Despite the fact that he didn''t know what his Master was talking about, Shin still replied affirmatively. "Alright¡­ We should head down. For the lass that passed, Lily¡­ You wouldn''t mind if we buried her in the Chilyoja Waypoint graveyard right?" All of a sudden, Lady Seph brought up another topic. "If that''s what the others are okay with..." Looking at Emma''s nodding head, Shin agreed to Lady Seph''s suggestion. Lily''s funeral was something that was discussed among the orphans last night. Running away from Frie Mountain with the broken down corpse of their fallen family member, the orphans had no other place to turn to. They had spent their entire lives being raised by the Frie Clan, and they knew no other place that they could send their final goodbyes to Lily. Thus, they had decided to put off the burial of Lily until they could find a suitable location. However, while Shin was asleep, the females of the orphan division had finished wiping clean the bloodied corpse of their comrade and wrapped her up in a pure white dress. Rubbing some rogue and foundation on her peaceful face, the young girls had tearfully prepared Lily for a proper send-off. Since they were going to leave for the Capital soon, there was no way that the orphans could bring along a corpse, so they only had one choice. They were to perform Lily funeral rites right here in Chilyoja Waypoint. "Yeah¡­ We can always return here to visit her grave¡­ Maybe even Ariel''s..." Shin''s eyes shifted out of the window as he stared intently in the direction of Frie Mountain. Given the circumstances, it was highly possible that the orphans would not be able to come back anytime soon once they left for the Capital. ''I didn''t even get to say my final farewell...'' While Shin was busy wallowing in grief, his Master''s harmonious face suddenly turned into a deep frown. Her ears were perked up and her gaze shifted from the young black-haired teenager to the bottom of the stairwell. "Shin. Looks like you have a visitor." Even back when she was a Spirit Emperor, Lady Seph''s sensory ability was way above average. Now that she had become attuned to the spiritual elements that were all around, the seasoned Healer could even sense a rat from five kilometres away if she genuinely focused. Detecting a familiar mana signature entering the town from the main gate, Lady Seph informed her disciple of the new arrival. "Huh? Who is it?" Shin innocently questioned. "Someone that you''re all too familiar with. Your Instructor is on the way here. Tidy yourself up, he should be here within a few minutes." Lady Seph scoffed at the unkempt attire of her disciple as she suggested he take a quick shower. Even though she didn''t really care about how her disciple looked on a regular day, since he was going to meet up with a member of the Frie Clan, not to mention someone of considerable significance to his young life, Lady Seph wanted Shin to look prim and proper. "The Instructor?! He''s here?!" Emma exclaimed while bringing her hands to cover up her mouth. "..." Shin squinted his eyes as his mind ran wild with memories of the bulky middle-aged man. The Instructor had always played an integral part in the orphan''s lives. From the moment that they could walk, he was there to train them. In fact, some might say that he was the ''father'' of the orphans, given how much time he spent with them. "Alright, I''ll wash up." Quickly picking up his formal attire and a towel, Shin briskly made his way to the showers. ~~~ Yakkyoku Clinic, after it had been refurbished by Mayor Nadeo, had many new facilities that were uncommon for a regular healing clinic. For one, there was a gorgeous courtyard that had a wide array of plant life, ranging from verdant trees to beautiful flower gardens. Aiming to create a therapeutic environment, Mayor Nadeo had hired some of the best gardeners in the business to help construct this grandiose oasis for plants. Also, he had added in a Koi pond, hoping to please the young protege of Lady Seph. At the centre of the ornamental garden, there was a pristine pearly white pavilion that housed a few lavish chairs and a table that was constructed by the remnants of a tree trunk. Even though the garden was part of a clinic, it seemed to resemble a place that the Emperor would entertain his foreign guests instead. In the centre of the pavilion, Lady Seph had already taken her seat in the main chair as she sipped on the Oolong Tea that Kesyl, her lead attendant, had brewed for her. Among the numerous attendants sent by the country''s nobles, only Kesyl stood out to Lady Seph, due to her hardworking nature and dedication to the healing arts. Well, it also helped that her tea brewing technique was equal to Shin''s. Standing beside the youthful beauty, all of the orphans were gathered in one semicircle, with their guard up as they received the unwelcomed guests. A burly jaded man, who had next to no hair on his head, walked forwards together with a white-robed maiden by his side. Wearing a translucent silk veil, the woman''s facial features were well hidden, suggesting that her face was not something that outsiders could easily gaze upon. "Lady Seraphim. Pardon my unannounced visit." Bowing solemnly to the blonde beauty who was wearing a stoic expression, the Shrine Maiden asked for Lady Seph''s forgiveness. "Lien¡­ Don''t waste our time. Just state your business." Lady Seph sharply retorted with her fingers crossed together as her arms rested upon the wooden table. Even though the delegation sent by the Frie Clan was meant for the orphans, Lady Seph took the liberty of representing the group that consisted of teenagers and children. "We just wanted to apologise to the orphans. Our clan is currently in turmoil, and there is no possible way for us to let them step foot back on the mountain. We''re also here to give as much assistance as we can to relieve the burdens that they might have to bear in the future." The Shrine Maiden politely replied. Behind her, the Instructor''s gaze never landed on the esteemed healer that had reverted back to her jaw-dropping beauty of the past. Instead, all he was focused on was the conditions of the children that he had almost single-handedly raised. Over the years, even though he was well aware of their origins, the Instructor had begun to treat the orphans as if they were his own children. He would stay awake till daybreak, cracking his head on the best possible training regiments that each orphan should take. Being a muscle head which was only useful when there was a fight, the bearded middle-aged man hated desk work. However, if it were for the sake of enriching the orphan''s lives, he would go all out in the planning, as much as he disdained the work. Yet, even after all of the sacrifices that the Instructor had made for the orphans, all of them were looking at him as if he were the enemy and were fearful to even take one step towards him. ''Hah¡­ The scars of the conflict fifteen years ago sure run deep...'' The Instructor closed his eyes as he despondently let out a sigh. Being part of the generation that wiped out the Awter Clan, he was there when the carnage unfolded. Just thinking about the night where severed heads flew and the pristine lake became a basin of ever-flowing blood, the burly man felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The fact that a similar tragedy occurred yesterday night was direct proof that the Frie Clan had wiped clean their good karma from their deplorable actions. Turning his head to a stone table that was located right outside of the pavilion, the Instructor observed the unmoving corpse of Lily. The blue-haired maiden had been dolled up and was decorated with numerous flowers, making her makeshift coffin seem like a gorgeous bed of flora. "Lily¡­ How do you intend to bury her?" Without thinking, the Instructor blurted out his thoughts without caring about the atmosphere, causing the orphans to jerk in shock. Initially, Shin was sceptical if the Instructor truly cared for the now deceased girl. However, after carefully examining his facial gestures, Shin could see that the middle-aged man was wincing in pain. His brows were furrowed, and pupils were dilated. Biting the bottom of his chapped lips until it bled, the Instructor was desperately trying to hold back his tears. Although he had a close connection with virtually every orphan, the Instructor had an obvious bias. Junius, who was the eldest and most diligent, was the target of the childless Spirit Lord''s undivided attention. Even though he was not of his own blood, the Instructor had always treated Junius with the same amount of love he would give his child. If not, why else would he personally impart his skills to the youth? Lily, being Junius lover, was also given a little special treatment. Not to mention, the Instructor was truly impressed with her caring and devoted attitude towards the youths of the orphan division. Thus, seeing the unmoving body of Lily''s, made tears well up in his eyes as he became choked up. "We intend to cremate her and bury her into the town''s cemetery. Since we''re leaving the waypoint in a few days, we can''t bring her body along..." The eyes of the two Frie Clan members widened once they heard the news that Shin was about to move away with the orphans. However, after a brief moment of pause, they realised that it was possibly the best options for the orphans to take at this point. Recognising that this visit might be the final time he would ever see the children ever again, the Instructor felt a wave of sadness crash onto his soul. "I see¡­ May we join in on the ceremony. I too wish to say my final goodbyes to Lily." Speaking out in a weak and distraught voice that the orphans had never heard before, the Instructor begged for the chance to remain for the funeral. "Yeah¡­ Yeah¡­ You can..." Shin smiled and gave the defeated middle-aged man his approval. Hearing his words, the Instructor''s face lit up in joy as he was expecting to be rejected from the get-go. "Thank you¡­ Thank you..." Trying his best to hold back the crystalline beads that were trapped in his eyes, the Instructor wondered how did everything go so awry? If there was an alternate story, would there be a happy ending where they all lived peacefully on Frie Mountain? Unfortunately, happy dreams were all meant to be one thing. Just dreams. Chapter 199 Goodbye, Lily... 3 "Shin¡­ Instead of burying the lass in that unfamiliar land, why not bury her urn right here in this garden?" While Shin was preparing to move the corpse of Lily into the building, Lady Seph suddenly interjected with an idea of her own. "What do you mean?" "You see... If we register Lily''s death into the town''s cemetery, it will take a drastically long time for the application to process, and by then, the beautiful corpse of Lily''s might have begun to decay. Not to mention, since she''s not a resident of the town, it might prove to be a problem when finding a slot in the cemetery." Lady Seph started to reason with the youth about the issues that might occur if they wished to bury Lily in the local cemetery. "T-Then! Lady Seph! W-What should we do?!" A feminine resonant voice stuttered out, drawing the attention of everyone surrounding her. Lia, who was an introvert at heart, decisively asked the blonde beauty. Her bonds with Lily were the closest, and ever since they came to Yakkyoku Clinic from Frie Mountain, Lia had been tending to her deceased friend''s corpse, making sure that no harm could ever happen to it. "Like I said. I think that we should bury her here. Since I own this patch of land, I can do whatever I want on it. Not to mention, the gorgeous flowers here would be able to keep her company while we''re away." Smiling wryly at the frantic young girl, Lady Seph assured her that Lily would be in good company. "I see¡­ Yeah, I think Sister Lily would love that..." Lia''s eyes turned misty as she turned her head towards the unmoving corpse of her precious elder sister. Like her name suggested, the young maiden wasn''t one to shy away from a beautiful flower garden. In fact, on one of her dates with Junius, Lily had actively searched for a Lily Flower so that she could impress her partner with her beauty. "Would it really be suitable to bury Lily here?" Ryner frowned as he addressed Lady Seph''s suggestion. Although it sounded novel, was Yakkyoku Clinic a secure enough location as compared to the graveyard? "Not to worry. Even when I''m gone, Mayor Nadeo had invested a large amount of money into renovating this place to become the medical hub of the town. With so many resources being poured into the clinic, there''s no way that they would protect the lass'' grave." Flashing a beautiful smile, Lady Seph assured Ryner. "If that''s the case..." Ryner stroked his hairless chin as he thought intensely about the issue. Having Lily buried in Yakkyoku Clinic wasn''t a bad thing. At the very least, the orphans could visit her whenever they wanted to. All around him, the other orphans gestures were hinting the same thing. "So it''s settled! I''ll help you guys do the funeral rites, and your precious Instructor here could do her cremation." "Wait!!! How could we let a member of the Frie Clan burn the body of Lily?! They were the ones that killed off our clan!!!" Ryner retorted at the top of his lungs. His eyes turned bloodshot as he turned his attention to the two Frie Clan members that were standing at the foot of the stairs. "..." The Shrine Maiden narrowed her eyes in disbelief while keeping mum the entire time. She could hardly believe her ears. Yes, the Frie Clan had annihilated the Awter Clan and robbed the orphans of complete families, but didn''t they spend resources to raise the orphan division? The First Elder and many of the ''good guys'' in the clan all tried their hardest to create a conducive environment for the orphaned children that they had found. Building their own little sanctuary in the corner of the First Elder''s abode. Sending talented Spirit Users to protect and teach the orphans. Giving them as many resources as they possibly could. Was all of that forgotten by the orphans after just one day? Sensing the chilling stare of the Shrine Maiden, Ryner stopped dead in his tracks as his mouth ceased to move. Even though the white-robed woman was not releasing any mana or spiritual pressure, the young teenager still felt like his heart was being tightened as a primal fear crept up his body. "Please! I beg you!" However, before anyone could say a single word, the Instructor fell flat on his knees. With a loud thud, the burly man banged his head straight onto the concrete floor, creating a small crater as a result. The ground shook lightly as the orphans slowly backed away from the Instructor, as blood started to drip out from the muscular man''s forehead. "The Frie Clan was wrong, and I do not hope that you forgive us. The sins that we had committed fifteen years ago have continued to haunt us ever since. We have tried our best to make amends, but I know that it would never be enough. Although I can''t ask for you to forgive us, however, could you listen to my selfish request?" "..." An unsettling silence descended upon the garden once the Instructor blurted out those words. In the entirety of their young lives, they had never seen their exalted Instructor so desperate before. The Instructor had always been a steady rock, never faltering even in the toughest of situations. Hence, when he started to kowtow so hard until his head started bleeding, the orphans didn''t know how to react. "Junius, Lily, Ryner, Lia, Shin, Ella, Emma, Max, Elyse, Fionn, Jacob. The eleven of you, I have been raising you since you all didn''t have teeth! The entire time, I have done my best to nurture you to become the best that you could be! Initially, when I was first assigned the task of looking over you, I was hesitant. After all, I had participated in the war against that Awter Clan and might have slain some of your parents in the process. Nonetheless, I still tried to take on the daunting task." His arms dropping on the floor with his palms open and turned towards the sky, the Instructor was in complete submission. "I had no children. So I didn''t know the next thing about child-rearing. When you cried, I didn''t know if you needed food or wanted someone to coddle you. However, after many days of trial and error, and with help from Elizabeth, the Headmistress, I somehow managed to pull through. I raised you all, even though I was far from capable. To me, who had no children of my own, you were my children. Every single one of you. Yet, are you really going to deny me the chance to see of my very own daughter?" At this point, the Instructor could no longer bear it. Beautiful beads of tears dripped down from his face and landed squarely upon the floor. "T-That!" Ryner got tongue-tied after being presented with such a question. He had seen how much the Instructor cared for the orphans and how much time he invested to their well-being. Over the years, the only people who actually gave a damn about the orphans division in the Frie Clan could be counted with the fingers of two hands. The rest would either openly ostracise them or avoid them like the plague. As the Ryner''s mind started to recollect the many instances where the Instructor had openly defended them, his eyes began to show traces of guilt for his earlier explosive attitude. "I''m not asking you as a member of the Frie Clan, but as someone who raised you all these years. Let me give Lily a proper send-off, please!!!" With a desperate cry, the Instructor''s head remained firmly attached to the floor. "..." Unable to find the words, Ryner gaped his shock as his mouth hung wide open. Watching from the side, Shin rubbed the furrowed brows of his as he saw a little bit of himself in the begging Instructor. He too wanted to give Ariel a final send-off, but due to the circumstances surrounding their departure, that option was impossible. If the orphans did not allow the Instructor to help cremate Lily''s body, wouldn''t they be as deplorable as the Frie Clan that banned them from saying their final farewells to Ariel and Linus? "Brother Ryner¡­ We should just let him do it." Standing up from his chair, Shin tapped Ryner''s shoulder and suggested that they allow the Instructor to be part of the funeral proceedings. "He did raise us, after all..." "Yeah, Brother Ryner. As much as I don''t like the fact that a member of the Frie Clan would be burning Lily''s body, the Instructor is not just another Frie Clan member..." Tugging on the stunned youth''s sleeves, Lia tried to convince Ryner as well. "You guys¡­ Urgh¡­ I don''t know anymore!" Waving his hands, Ryner turned the other direction while giving his consent. Although he was currently the eldest among all the orphans, he held much less influence as compared to Junius or Lily. "Thank you! Thank you!!!" A joyful voice broke out from the Instructor''s mouth. "Instructor¡­ In exchange, I want you to tell us as much as you can about how the Awter Clan perished. From your perspective. I know the things that the Black Masks had told me, and I know the things that the First Elder had told me. But I haven''t heard from the regular members of the Frie Clan. Were things really that far gone? Was there really a need to kill off every single member of the Awter Clan? I want to know everything!" However, Shin was not planning to let the Instructor do anything for free. He proposed an exchange that could help him better comprehend the scale of the war fifteen years ago. "Senior Shrine Maiden, I also want to hear your side of the story." Only by listening to all sides of the story, would Shin gain a better grasp of the war that ended the Awter Clan. He was not one to blindly believe what one side was telling him, and ignore the other side''s perspective entirely. "You''re right¡­ The least we could do is give you guys a proper explanation..." The Shrine Maiden nodded her head while the Instructor''s eyes were fixated on watching the unmoving Lily. In his heart, the Instructor never considered the fact that one of his students would pass on before him. Adding to the fact that he spent so much time and care to nurture Junius and Lily to become powerful Spirit Users, he couldn''t believe that the young maiden was truly gone forever. "Yeah¡­ We should tell you everything..." Sighing deeply, the Instructor wore a defeated expression as he got to his feet. "Where to begin?" ~~~ As dusk quickly approached on the bustling waypoint, Shin and the other orphans stayed glued to their seats as the Instructor and the Shrine Maiden recounted every single detail about the ordeal that had befallen the Frie and Awter Clan. Being bitter rivals since day one, they could be considered as exact opposites. The Frie Clan was a well-established clan with backings from both the government and the locals in the area. With their powerful Spirit Users, they had been useful wardens in the west as they protected any Spirit Beasts that might have been let loose from the Uncharted Wilderness. Furthermore, they had even sent many men to the armies of the Himmel Empire, giving them a rather high standing in society. The Awter Clan, on the other hand, was newly established by Longyu Yuan after he was kicked out by the Longyu Clan. Their philosophy was to grow their influence by absorbing in all of the strained water elemental Spirit Users littered all about the Himmel Empire, and give them a home. Generation after generation passed and the two clans remained hostile on the surface, careful not to fire the first shot that would lead to total war. Unfortunately, the monetary lure of the Aether Crystal mines was too great. Unable to reach a settlement, the two clans clashed in a war that would kill thousands. As the Instructor recollected the numerous Awter Clan bodies that he had personally obliterated, his entire being shook with an incredible fear. "The warrior that killed your family, the madman that slaughtered the Awter Clan¡­ That wasn''t me!!! I want to say that, but unfortunately, I did indeed kill those innocents. I too had gone mad, in my quest for vengeance. Everyone who participated in that war lost someone precious to them. For me, it was my betrothed..." The Instructor''s head hung downwards as he gazed on the floor. For the longest time, the orphans had wondered why the Instructor was not married even though he was mighty Spirit Lord. Typically, once a Spirit User grows to display significant strength, they would be urged to leave behind high-calibre offsprings, to ensure that the future of their Clan remains bright. However, the burly man didn''t even have the slightest of intentions of settling down. "Christina was my childhood sweetheart¡­ We grew up together¡­ Played together¡­ Trained together¡­ Soon, we swore our futures together¡­ Yet, she perished¡­ In a place where I could never hope to reach!" "Instructor..." Shin unconsciously mouthed out. The Awter Clan had perished, but that didn''t mean that the Frie Clan had emerged victoriously. Deaths of many in the family had proved too much for the Frie Clan to bear. "Christina died in the hands of the Awter Clan, and innocents of the Awter Clan died had perished in mine. As much as I would want to call it a fair exchange, all I felt after everything was done, was emptiness. There was nothing good about that war at all! Not one thing! So what if we gained the Aether Crystal mine?! We lost way too much! Also..." The Instructor''s gaze promptly landed on Shin, as he let out a deep sigh. "We lost Ariel and many of our future talents..." "..." A chilling silence descended upon the area as everyone wore sombre expressions. The loss of Ariel and the others was something that both the orphans and the Frie Clan felt. Shin especially. "Is there anything else that you want to know?" Finishing the last bit of his tale, the Instructor watched as the sun began to set as the sky turned orange, in preparation of dusk. "No¡­ Thank you, Instructor..." Shin weakly replied. While the orphans were busy listening on the story, Lady Seph had long made preparations to cremate Lily''s body. Her gravestone was marked with golden letters that were infused with Lady Seph''s Rank 80 Spirit Venerate mana, and a classic silver urn was prepared. Wax candles were lit with a marked area for Lily''s grave to be, adequately dug out. "Shin, it''s time..." Lady Seph''s solemn voice called out her disciple. It was best that they performed the funeral rites before night had fallen. "Fall into place. If you want to say your final goodbyes before we cremate her body, do it soon." The orphans all stood up from their seats and walked emotionally, towards the corpse of their eldest sister. To the orphans, Lily was more than just family, she was the glue that stuck all of them together. Her nagging antics, although annoying at times, would be sorely missed once they left the town. The females of the orphans all sobbed uncontrollably as they took turns to say their final farewell. Max, who was the boy that Lily had gave her life for, had lost all forms of tears as his eyes dried up. "Sister Lily¡­ Goodbye." Gently stroking her porcelain clear face, Max bit down on his lip and quickly turned away, unable to bear the pain in his heart. "Sister Lily¡­ I''m sorry you had to go this way..." When it was Shin''s turn, all he did was apologise. If he managed to somehow stop Junius and Vellan from leaving the safehouse that he was being kept up, perhaps Lily, Ariel and Linus would still be alive and kicking. "When I find Junius, I will make sure that he answers to your grave!!!" The one who loved Junius the most, the one who cried the most when Junius went missing, was Lily. Yet, Junius was the one who had fallen from grace and ordered the attack on the Second Elder''s abode, ending three innocent lives. Once everyone was done, the Instructor summoned out a ball of fire, something that was easy for a fire elemental Spirit Lord of his calibre, and gently lit the coffin that Lily was in, ablaze. Lady Seph sent a little bit of her holy mana to guide the flames, turning it from an orangey red that was synonymous with the Frie Clan to a pale blue sacred fire. Watching as their beloved family member turns to ashes, the orphans all knelt to pay their final respects. ''Goodbye, Lily...'' Chapter 200 New Beginnings 1 One day after the burial of Lily, the orphans were already busy buying up new items of clothing, essential materials and other miscellaneous artefacts that would be required during their long journey to the Capital of the Himmel Empire. Since they were chased out brutally by the Frie Clan, they had left without any of their belongings, not like there was much in the first place. With Shin not spending any of his earnings throughout the past five years, the young teenager was loaded with cash and could easily afford to pay for anything that the orphans required. Thankfully, they were staying at Chilyoja Waypoint, a commerce hub that traders frequently visited. Hence, they were able to find most of their desired items or at least, something equivalent. Initially, Lady Seph wanted to provide the funds that were required so that Shin didn''t have to spend his hard-earned cash. However, Shin did not feel that it was right for him to accept Lady Seph''s generosity, especially after he had let her down by leaving her tutelage. It took the orphans one afternoon to finish procuring all of the items that they needed. Some of their valuable belongings that were left on the mountain would be sent by the Frie Clan to their address in the Capital. Eager to leave behind the bad memories, Lady Seph urged the orphans to quickly pack, so that they would be able to leave town and head towards the Capital after a few days. Using an Aether Car caravan to ferry all of them, it would take them at least a week to reach their destination. Therefore, they had to be mentally and physically prepared for the journey. Buying up all of the necessary rations, Lady Seph promptly announced her departure from Yakkyoku Clinic, much to the dismay of Mayor Nadeo and the other healers in the clinic. However, it wasn''t just Lady Seph''s departure that made them sad. Over the one and a half years of working with the diligent youth, the other healers formed a bond with the Shin and were all sorrowful to hear of the disaster that had befallen on him. Although they were all miserable to see him go, deep down, they knew that Shin needed to go to a foreign land so that he could start anew. They had seen how Ariel and Shin acted around each other. In fact, there were many times where they would tease the pair whenever they would go around the town on a date, merrily flirting all the way. Shin had always denied that they were an item, but everyone knew that it was a matter of time before they became an official couple. Therefore, when the heard the grim news of Ariel''s passing, they couldn''t help but become emotional. Yet another day passed, and it had already been three days since Ariel, Lily and Linus had left the mortal realm. To others, the three days might have been mundane, with nothing of significance happening in their lives, but for Shin, these three days had been hell. Every night, he would cry himself to sleep and every so often, he would be rudely awakened by frightening memories that haunted his dreams. Unable to control his thoughts and emotions, Shin would leave the clinic to run laps around the town and would even go to the training room to punch the wooden dummies until his fists started bleeding. Ever since he decided to leave the path of the healer, Shin had been intensifying his daily workout routine. Breaking his body down with exercises that he could never perform before, the young teenager tried his hardest to increase his core muscles and improve on his spiritual abilities. The lazy young boy that loved to sleep ten hours a day had transformed into a restless workaholic that barely slept a wink. Other than spending time with his fellow orphans, either to buy materials or plan for the future, Shin would be desperately cultivating or training until his body broke. Since he gained precious knowledge about the human body during his time as a healer, Shin knew how not to overtrain himself and with the help of his second spiritual ability, ''Healing Water,'' he was able to train just as hard the very next day. Even though he did not like to think himself as one, Shin was a prodigy, through and through. His talents in absorbing knowledge and his impeccable intuition in battle shortlisted him on the First Elder''s radar early on in his life, when the elderly man was looking for a sparring partner for Ariel. However, due to his laid-back and non-confrontational attitude, Shin withheld himself from training too hard, as he had no desire to seek power. Now that he wished to grow stronger, Shin unleashed that latent talent that had been sleeping within him and pushed himself to the absolute limit. He had even created a cultivation regiment for the journey so that he would not waste a single second trying to surpass his limits. For the remainder of the orphans, they were both shocked and worried for Shin as his unhealthy obsession intensified, even though he did not have ample time to mourn his lover''s death. Emma and Elyse, who were the closest two individuals to Shin at this point, urged him to take some time off to rest and let his mental state recover; but everything that they said just fell on deaf ear. And so, the day where all of the orphans were leaving the waypoint arrived. "Shin, take care when you reach the Capital." As the orphans gathered just outside the main gate of Chilyoja Waypoint, many of those who knew of Lady Seph and Shin''s departure all gathered to see them off. Healer Rahwil, who was slated to succeed Lady Seph during her absence, tapped Shin''s shoulders twice, hoping to encourage him. "Healer Rahwil... Thank you for taking care of me all this while!" While they had interacted many times, this was the first time that Shin had given the middle-aged man his sincere gratitude. Although Shin had the theoretical knowledge, his practical application was subpar at best. Furthermore, the last time his Master had personally dealt with minor ailments such as the common cold or a light bruise was possibly a century ago. Therefore, with Healer Rahwil showing him the ropes every once in a while, Shin somehow managed to get by without disgracing Lady Seph''s name. "No, it''s nothing! To teach someone like you was my honour! Although I''m slightly bothered that you won''t be following the healing path anymore, I hope that somewhere down the road, you would understand that there are many other ways to become strong, other than the path of a pure fighter." "I''m sorry¡­ For now, my mind is set. I need to pursue this path, for me to reach my goals." Lifting up his enclosed fist, Shin gently opened up his fingers to reveal the cheap amethyst necklace that he had obtained from Ariel. To chase Yggdrasil, to force Junius to wake up from his madness, Shin required more power. Something that he was sorely lacking. "I see¡­" Shaking his head, the middle-aged man let out a deep sigh. He had seen many young men who ended up like Shin. Chasing power to achieve their goals. However, they had all came back tattered and broken. "I can''t stop you, but I can at least wish you the best. Remember, if anything ever happens, you can come back here. Yakkyoku Clinic will always be your home." "Thank you!" After sharing a firm handshake, Healer Rahwil made way for the bob-haired girl who always wore a maid costume to say her farewells to Shin. Behind them, the final items were being loaded, indicating that it was almost time for them to depart. "Healer Shin! I won''t waste your time saying goodbye! I''ll see you at the Capital!" Kesyl saluted the young boy. Even though Shin had chosen to leave his healing career behind, it didn''t change the fact that he was the youngest healer in history. Thus, the respect that Kesyl had for Shin was still going strong. "Your father really wants you to learn from Master huh?" Shin shrugged his shoulders while he shook his head. Kesyl''s father was a Duke of the Empire, and he wanted his daughter to learn the healing arts from the very best. Even though Lady Seph was adamant about not accepting another disciple, it did not stop the obstinate Duke from trying, and truth to be told, Kesyl was an excellent choice for a disciple of the healing arts. Kesyl was a talented Spirit User, she was experienced in being an apprentice and most importantly of all, she was an excellent tea brewer, no passionate about her job. Unfortunately, the temperamental Divine Healer that was Lady Seph had no intentions on accepting a new disciple. ''Perhaps Kesyl would be a good replacement for me after I leave for Imperius Academy...'' Shin wondered. ''Whatever, that''s for Master to decide.'' Patting her adorable head, Shin smiled bitterly as his attention was quickly brought to the next two individuals in line. Riko and Marshall from the Mushinkei, who had been an integral part of the young boy''s life in Chilyoja Waypoint, were standing still, unsure if Shin was going to acknowledge their existence. "Senior Marshall, Sister Riko..." "Shin!" Riko let out an excited cry as she rushed forward to give the black-haired youth a tight embrace. Ever since Shin left the Mushinkei in protest, they had rarely communicated. However, that didn''t stop Riko from worrying about the young boy who she considered as a little brother. "Sister Riko¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t manage to save Ariel..." Reciprocating her outburst of feelings, Shin gently tapped the slender back of the sultry woman. Shin never hated Riko, even though she was part of the Frie Clan. That was an undeniable fact. "Don''t apologise for that!!! Shin, the one who is hurting the most, is you!!! Please, don''t say that..." Unable to hold back her tears, the young woman let out a mournful wail. "Sister Riko..." "Shin! I''m so sorry about everything! Please, you don''t have to forgive us, but you shouldn''t blame yourself! You did no wrong!" "Yeah¡­ Thank you..." Releasing his hold on the sobbing woman, Shin watched as the manager of the Mushinkei gave him a deep bow. "Senior Marshall?" "Shin, there is someone that wants to give you something¡­ Could you spare a moment of your time?" Marshall meekly asked. His voice contained a little tremble, indicating that the topic that he was bringing up was something hard for him to touch on. Once he said those words, a man, who looked no older than sixty, slowly approached the youth. His eyebags were so dark that his face resembled that of a panda''s and his untidy appearance suggested that he had very little time to groom himself. "Mayor Nadeo?" Instantly recognising the man, Shin''s entire body turned stiff. "Shin¡­ May I borrow a few moments with you¡­ In private?" "S-Sure?" Shin shot Mayor Nadeo a dubious look as he followed him to a nearby corner where no ears could reach. "Shin, as you may know by now, you are a member of the Awter Clan. Moreover, you''re not just any member, but the son of Errol Awter, the Clan Master!" Without beating about the bush, the middle-aged man went straight to the point and divulged Shin''s entire history without batting an eyelid. "H-How?! How did you know that?!" "Of course I did¡­ You parading The Sovereign Koi so blatantly and being part of the Frie Clan''s orphan programme made it easy to deduce. Anyone who had knowledge about that war could make that assumption." With his arms folded behind his back, Mayor Nadeo calmly explained how he knew about Shin''s heritage. "Not to mention¡­ Errol was a good friend of mine." "You knew my father?!" "Yeah¡­ It was a pity that he passed. He was kind, valiant and possibly one of the greatest friends a man could possibly hope to have. If not for that dastardly order being sent from the Empire, I might have sided with him during that war..." Gritting his teeth, Mayor Nadeo''s felt his blood boiling as he recollected the incidents leading up to the Awter Clan''s demise. "..." "I wanted to tell you the moment I found out that you were Errol''s son, but once I saw how happy you were, I thought, did I really want to ruin your life by telling you the truth? You were smiling whenever you interacted with that scarlet-haired girl that you always went on dates with and your life in the Mushinkei was stable. Once I opened that can of worms, I''m sure nothing in your life would remain the same. Thus, I kept quiet until now. I see now that it was a mistake..." Mayor Nadeo explained everything to Shin. "W-Why¡­ Why are you telling me this now?" "Because I might never see you again¡­ I have something to give you." Reaching into his bag, the middle-aged man pulled out a piece of old parchment paper, that was framed to keep it from degrading any further. "The Awter Clan, like the Frie Clan, possessed a piece of land in Chilyoja Waypoint. In fact, it was directly opposite of the Mushinkei." "That empty lot?!" Shin exclaimed. From the first time he laid eyes on the piece of vacant land, Shin felt an odd connection that he couldn''t put into words. "To think that it was owned by the Awter Clan..." "Yeah¡­ Errol gave the land back to me when he realised that the end was approaching. I didn''t have the heart to put the lot back into the market, so I just kept the land''s deed in my office, never to touch it ever again. However, now that you know everything, I think that I should return this to its rightful owner." Handing over the piece of framed paper over to Shin, Mayor Nadeo smiled brightly, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his chest. Shin''s hands began to tremble as he held tightly to the document. In a certain sense, this land deed was the only thing that his parents would ever hand down to him. "Thank you, Mayor Nadeo..." "Don''t mention it! Alright, I wouldn''t want to keep you any longer. Remember, if something happens to you in the Capital, Chilyoja Waypoint would always welcome you back!" "Yeah..." Watching as the middle-aged man disappeared from his sight, Shin took one final look at the town in which he had grown up in. The gates were polished clean, and the guards were keeping an eagle''s eye watch on the surroundings. Merchants were passing the checkpoints, and residents of the town were going about their daily business. Young children that had attended school were leaving for home, and Shin spotted many familiar faces. Abigail, the patient that he had treated just a few weeks prior, was roaming about with a handful of candy, utterly oblivious to the fact that Shin was leaving town. The daily milkman, the boisterous tavern barmaid, the stinky constable¡­ After moving to the Capital, Shin didn''t know when he would see them again. Behind him, the caravan was already calling out for the orphans and other passengers to board, giving Shin only one final minute to be lost in the moment. Chilyoja Waypoint had given him countless sorrowful memories, but it had also given him some of his best; and now, he was leaving it all behind. Turning his attention to the direction of Frie Mountain, Shin was reminded of the fact that he wasn''t able to give Ariel her proper send-off. ''Don''t worry, Ariel!!! Once I become the next Spirit Immortal, I will chase Yggdrasil so that we can meet once more!!! I promise you!!!'' Resolutely deciding on his future path, Shin took one final glance at the place where he grew up in before turning his back to walk in the opposite direction. It was finally time for Shin to leave everything behind and begin a new life. Chapter 201 New Beginnings 2 Himmel Empire. ????????? In the emptiness of cold and dark cavern in the middle of nowhere, there lay a large conglomerate of brick houses that was uncommon for a natural cave. Each and every home was well-lit, and the flickering of the lights indicated that they were all occupied. Just like any other small town or village, multiple well-established pathways helped its inhabitants move around the city. In fact, if not for the dark enshrined statue that stood over a hundred metres tall at the centre of the town, an outsider might think that it was a cave city built by the Himmel Empire. "ARRRGGHHHHH!!! LILY!!!!" A pained moan broke the silence of the town, briefly moving the gazes of many of its citizens. However, instead of being worried, they seemed rather nonchalant about the disturbance. In fact, a small percentage of them were mildly annoyed, hinting that it was not the first time that they heard that cry. "Senior Vellan, Junius is at it again!" A light-blue haired maiden rushed out from the kitchen and knocked on a nearby door. Shia, who was a non-combatant Spirit User, could only help nurse the wounded back to health. Therefore, she was tasked with taking care of the viridian-haired youth that had just returned from a taxing mission. Even though there were no visible injuries on his body, his mental state was far from sane. Shia was no seer and had no abilities that could help heal the mental wounds of Junius'', however, she was skilled in mixing herbs to form a hallucinatory drug that could help ease the psychological burden that Junius was carrying. Unfortunately, the drug could only be used for a few times before the user gains immunity to it, and that was what Junius was facing. After giving the order to attack the Second Elder''s abode, essentially killing Lily in the process, Junius fell into an abysmal pit of despair. To add insult to injury, when they returned to the safehouse, Shin was nowhere to be found, which meant that the unification of the Awter Clan had failed spectacularly. Not only did the Black Masks fail their mission to retrieve the orphans, they somehow managed to lose the most critical member of the Awter Clan due to their negligence. "Leave him be, Shia¡­ He has to have some time to grieve his loss." An exhausted man opened the door and weakly replied to the woman. His entire face had turned pale as his wrinkles became more defined. Evidently, the past few days hadn''t been easy for him either. Being a Brahmin, Vellan''s responsibilities in the organisation far outstripped any regular Black Mask. A failure of this calibre had put him in the bad books of the Allfather, and it was highly unlikely that their enigmatic leader would provide him with any more assistance towards their quest for revenge. "But he hasn''t eaten a proper meal in days! If this keeps up, I''m afraid that he would be too weak to do anything!!!" Shia exclaimed in fear. "There''s nothing that we can do, Shia. He just lost Lily, the person he loved the most. Furthermore, he was the one who ordered the attack that ended her life. Not only is he grieving, but he''s also in immense guilt. The only thing we can do is monitor him so that he does not take his own life in a moment of impulse. Well, the best way is to give him a drug that would help him forget everything, but I doubt that exists." Vellan sighed as he glanced in the direction of Junius'' room. Fearing that the young man might claim his own life out of guilt, the remnants of the Awter Clan had sealed him in one room and took turns to keep him under surveillance. They had tried many ways to calm Junius down. Talking to him, giving him drugs to confuse his consciousness and even using spiritual abilities. However, nothing that they tried ever worked as the sight of Lily being impaled was deeply engraved in his mind. "We can''t just leave him like this¡­" Shia, being the kind-hearted soul that she was, racked her brains for ideas. They had just lost their young master, there was no way that they were ready to lose yet another one of long-lost kin. "I''ll try to talk to him." "Yeah, you do that¡­ Perhaps he needs someone who is closer to his age to persuade him..." Among all of the Awter Clan members that survived the onslaught, the youngest was Shia. Although she was nine years older than Junius, Shia was still the optimal choice for helping the young man through these dark hours, as compared to the old fogeys that were Vellan and the others. Gaining Vellan''s permission, Shia quietly pushed open the door that locked Junius into his solitary confinement. Seated upon his bed, Junius was holding the temples of his head as his entire body was trembling in fear. Cold sweat flowed like a river from his pores, drenching the clean white sheets that lay under him. His eyes had turned bloodshot, and the chattering of teeth could be heard from far away. "Junius? Are you alright?" Promptly making her way to the flask of pure water situated at the nearby desk, Shia poured the young man a glass and offered it to him. After losing that much water through sweat, Shia feared that he might get dehydrated. "Lily¡­ Lily¡­ I''m so sorry!!!" Trapped in his own consciousness, Junius failed to reply to Shia. In fact, he didn''t even realise that someone had entered his room. "Junius¡­ Junius!!!" Shouting out his name, Shia somehow managed to gain Junius'' attention. "Sister Shia..." "Junius! You can''t continue on like this! Sooner or later, your entire body will collapse!!!" Worried about the health of the young man, Shia handed over the glass of water in her hand. However, instead of accepting her graciousness, Junius simply stared into blank space. "Sister Shia¡­ I killed her¡­ I killed Lily. I killed Lily¡­ I KILLED LILY!!!" "It wasn''t your fault!!! There was no way of knowing that Lily was at that place!!!" "But I still killed her! I killed Lily! My actions killed Lily! I KILLED HER!!!" Hollering out at the top of his lungs, Junius repeated the same thing over and over. Shia watched as Junius sunk deeper and deeper into depravity. His mind was broken down as he continued to blame himself for the death of his loved one. Unsure of what to do, the young woman dropped the glass of water in her hand and gently pulled the grieving Junius into her embrace. Her sweet fragrance filled the nose of the grieving young man, somewhat bringing his mind back into the mortal realm. "It''s not your fault! Everything is because of the detestable Frie Clan and that old blonde relic that attached herself to the young master! If not for them, our families would have been complete! If not for them, Lily would not have died! If not for them, the Awter Clan would not have perished in the first place!!!" Trying to put the blame of Lily''s death onto the Frie Clan, Shia stroked the viridian hair of Junius, consoling him in the process. "But¡­ I killed her¡­ I killed her..." Like a broken record player, Junius continued to mutter the same exact words. "No, you haven''t¡­ It was the Frie Clan that killed Lily! You are completely blameless, Junius..." "Am I really?" "Yes! So you shouldn''t blame yourself! To destroy the Frie Clan, to reclaim the young master, we need you Junius!" Seeing that she was somehow able to pull Junius back from the depths of his insanity, Shia continued on her persuasion. "But¡­ But¡­ I still killed her¡­ I killed Lily..." "No, you haven''t..." Jumping onto the bed, Shia gently caressed the smooth face of Junius. Gazing deep into his eyes, she knew that she had to do something drastic to keep the pieces of his mind from shattering even further. Moving in closer, Shia planted a gentle kiss onto the swollen lips of the young man. Junius'' eyes widened slightly as shock overtook the melancholy that he was feeling. Right now, he was mourning over the loss of his beloved woman, and he was as fragile as glass. If she didn''t do anything, Shia was sure that Junius would take his own life out of grief. Thus, she had to plant a seed of love into his fragile heart. "Sister¡­ Shia..." After her tongue softly swirled around his mouth, the young woman separated herself from the young man, leaving behind a silvery string of saliva between the two. Shia''s face had turned crimson red as an internal heat started to act up from her abdomen. Junius was in the same boat. Blood rushed to his crotch as he watched the seductive pose that the maiden adopted. "Junius¡­ It''s not your fault. It really isn''t..." Desperate to comfort the young man so that he could return to his feet, Shia launched yet another assault on the young man. This time, instead of being stunned, Junius accepted the kiss and allowed Shia to pin him down onto the bed. In his moment of weakness, Junius craved for human intimacy, and the woman before him was giving him just that. The two lay on the bed as both their mouths got to work. Their tongues intertwined with each other as if they were two serpents coiling as a clear liquid dripped down on the pillows underneath them. Turning from a pessimistic victim to a natural-born predator, Junius tore the linen robes off Shia''s sultry body as he lusted for someone other than Lily for the first time. ''Forgive me, Lily¡­ I never met you, but this is necessary for the mental health of Junius.'' Shia sent out an apologetic thought to the young woman that had just passed. Even though she never met Lily, Shia felt guilty for attempting to take away her man. However, she knew that it was only one way to bring Junius back from the endless loop of depravity that he was stuck in. Lost in the moment, Shia found herself void of clothes as Junius begun to disrobe. Allowing herself to become the medicine for Junius'' recovery, Shia quietly lay there as she waited for the inevitable to happen. ~~~ One week had passed since Shin, and the orphans left Chilyoja Waypoint in their journey towards the Capital. Typically, a long trip such as the one to the Capital would bore a person out as the horse-pulled carriages were extremely uncomfortable. However, using the Aether Cars, their trip had been rather pleasant as there was next to no disturbances. Other than the odd stop at the waypoints littered all about the empire, the journey was straightforward. Every single day, Shin would be seated in a lotus position for ten hours as he worked hard on his cultivation, something he rarely did before. When night time came, and the caravan stopped to set up camp, Shin would be doing strenuous exercise sets to strengthen his physical body, instead of getting some shut-eye. Concerned for his well-being, Lady Seph tried many times to persuade the youth to catch some sleep. However, the young teenager didn''t have that luxury. Every time he entered his dreamland, Shin would be haunted by the memory of Ariel''s bloodied corpse and would be brought back to that fateful day on the mountain. Therefore, to prevent himself from getting nightmares, Shin would work himself until he was physically and mentally drained. Days went by, and Shin continued on torturing himself instead of enjoying the journey towards the Capital. Unable to change the mindset of her precious disciple, all Lady Seph could do was watch over his every move, ensuring that he would not accidentally harm himself in the process. "Master, why are we moving off the main road?" A tired voice sounded out from within the Aether Car that Lady Seph was riding in. Shin was busy meditating his Celestial Water Mantra when all of a sudden, he felt the road turn bumpy. Peering out of the window, he realised that the caravan had left its original route and was now treading on the gravelly path just outside of the Capital. "We can''t go in via traditional routes, so we''re taking a detour." Lady Seph lazily replied. "Huh? Why can''t we enter the Capital the normal way?" "Hah¡­ It''s complicated. If I enter through the gates, I must hand over my identification papers. When that happens, the guards would figure out my identity in an instant and report straight to their higher-ups. One thing leads to another, and the next day, I will find my name plastered all over the morning papers." Although Lady Seph had stayed out of the public name for many decades now, her name was still widely recognised, especially in the Capital where she had once worked. "It''s troublesome enough that the Imperial Family already knows of my arrival. I don''t want any further trouble by letting the public find out." Lady Seph let out a despondent sigh as she stared out the window. "I see¡­ So how are we going to enter the Capital?" "Haha, through a secret passage of course! At the same time, I could introduce you to our escort." "And who would that be?" "Take a guess!" Now that Lady Seph had reverted back to her younger self, it seemed that her mischievous antics had been ramped up. Puzzled by her sudden question, Shin took some time to look through his memory on the possible candidates. "Don''t tell me¡­ The Emperor is coming to pick you up?!" Shin exclaimed in utter shock. With Lady Seph''s history of being the Imperial Physician and her ties with the Himmel Empire, having the Emperor come to pick her up wasn''t outside of the realms of possibility. "No, you silly! I wouldn''t want to look at his morbid face either! The Principal of the Imperius Academy is coming! So if you want to get into a good class, you had better give him a good first impression!" "The Principal?! I see..." Shin fell deep into thought after hearing Lady Seph words. Initially, Shin was accepted into the Imperius Academy under the notion that he would be following the path of the healer, with Lady Seph being his true master. However, now that he wanted to strengthen himself, Shin wanted to learn under some of the best combat teachers in the academy. ''The Principal huh¡­ I wonder what kind of person he would be...'' Shin wondered as the caravan crept meandered further and further off the main road, entering the obscure path that very few people knew about... Chapter 202 Principal Erudito 1 A few kilometres off the reinforced steel walls of the Capital there lay a barren wasteland made out of grey concrete. With the sun hanging high up in the sky, the blistering heat formed intangible radiation waves, distorting the imagery for anyone who peered through the wasteland. There were no roads that led to this area, nor were there any forms of human life, making one wonder if this place was indeed part of the bustling Capital that the Himmel Empire was proud of. At the very corner of the desolate land, there was a small hill, that seemed to be out of place for such a landscape. It was no higher than a hundred metres tall, with next to no plant life thriving off its sides. If someone were to walk close to it, they would be able to pick out the numerous oddities that it held, but since no one ever treads past this area, the hill remained undiscovered for many years. "Hirda, do you think that she would show up?" An anxious masculine voice echoed out from the foot of the hill. "I don''t know¡­ Lady Seph is notorious for having a weird temper after all." Replying to the man, a gentle and soothing voice sounded out. Two formally dressed individuals, both looking like they were past their sixties, were sitting on a stone bench while peering into the distance. The man was wearing a full white scholarly robe with beautiful embroidery that hinted his academic background. His face was coloured bronze and many people who saw him for the first time would mistake him for a statue, causing him to perform more dramatic gestures to show that he was full of life. In addition to his thick and greasy chestnut hair, one would imagine that he was the gaudiest person to ever come across. Beside him, the woman who was of similar age was wearing full-black spectacles, and her brunette hair was tied up into a bun. Even though she was advanced in age, her posture was perfect, and there were no signs of worn bones as she did every footstep she took was done with finesse. "Hah¡­ Are we wasting our time coming out here?" The scrawny man thought out loud as he deeply exhaled. "Either way, if she does appear, it would be worth the trip. Getting into the good books of a Divine Healer is something that the Imperius Academy could benefit from. Just imagine having her agree to one guest lecture¡­ The entire study body would fight tooth and nail just to procure a ticket." Adjusting her glasses, the woman named Hirda wickedly smiled as her capitalistic nature started to surface. "You''re right¡­ But honestly, try to fix that greedy face of yours. I''m afraid that it would scare her off instantly." "Like you''re one to talk Erudito! Once Lady Seph sees your stupid face, I''m sure she would scowl in disappointment! How could such a disgusting person run the Empire''s greatest academy?" "Hey! Unlike you, Lady Seph had met me a few times back in the day! So she already knows about my stupid face!" "How is that something to be proud of?!" Hirda couldn''t believe her ears as she heard her long-time friend praise himself over the slightest thing. As the two friends continued to bicker, a soft buzzing sound, reminiscent to that of a running motor, could be heard coming closer from a distance. Both Erudito and Hirda were high-level Spirit Users, with senses that were way above that of an average human. Thus, the moment they heard the unfamiliar sound, they could immediately triangulate where it was coming from. "See! An Aether Car caravan! I told you there was nothing to be worried about." Erudito proudly exclaimed while rubbing his nose. "What the hell are you talking about? You were the one that was worried to death about whether she was coming!" "No, I wasn''t..." "Urghhh!!! What a pain..." Grasping her head, the woman stood up and adjusted her robes in preparation to receive their guest. Although the two of them were reputable individuals in their own right, they were nothing compared to the status of a Divine Healer. Like Hirda beside him, Erudito''s hands were placed to the side with his back straightened. Meeting Lady Seph a few times before, he had a general idea about how she viewed others, and the first impression that he gives must be lasting. Watching as the convoy crept closer and closer, the man in his late adulthood unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. The screeching sounds of tyres cutting on the concrete floor rung within the duos ears as the leading Aether Car came to a full stop twenty metres ahead of them. At the same time, the remaining cars stopped in the same manner, leaving behind a plethora of dust clouds in its wake. The muddied doors of the Aether Cars smoothly came ajar as all of the passengers slowly alighted. From his peripheral, Erudito could see a few young teenagers, ranging from ages twelve to seventeen taking out their luggage as they stared at the two people that stood in front of them. ''Some of them must be attending the academy...'' Erudito theorised. As much as he wanted to go talk to them, the Principal had to focus on the task at hand, which was greeting the esteemed healer that called for his presence. Unfortunately, even after scouring the entire convoy multiple times, Erudito had yet to spot the infamous wrinkled face. Befuddled, he raised his eyebrows as he directed an inquisitive gaze at his partner, hoping to gain some answers. However, Hirda shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she was confused as well. ''Perhaps she''s still inside one of the Aether Cars...'' Thinking that Lady Seph had yet to step out, Erudito scanned the remaining cars, hoping to catch even a hint of the elderly woman''s visage. "There you are! Thanks for coming out to receive us, Erudito!" Just as the Principal was about to give up, an adenoidal voice called out to him, bringing his attention to the jaw-dropping blonde beauty that was waving her hands at him. Earlier on, when he was scanning the area, he noticed the young woman and he assumed that she was a mere custodian for the children. Even though she was perhaps one of the most gorgeous females that the Principal had ever seen, in his mind, greeting the temperamental Lady Seph was much more critical. Thus, Erudito didn''t pay much attention to her as he focused on finding the Divine Healer. "Do I know you miss?" Stunned that such a young woman would talk down to him in such a familiar manner, Erudito did his best to repress in displeasure as he responded to her in an affable smile. "You little brat¡­ If you can''t even recognise me after I changed my appearance, how could you run the Imperius Academy?" Sharply retorting to his words, the young beauty folded her arms in akimbo as a desolate frown crept up her lips. Hirda, who finally inferred who the blonde woman was from her words, gaped in awe as she took one step backwards. On the other hand, Erudito, who was still kept in the dark, felt a rising rage after being demeaned in public like that. However, to ensure that he does not get on the wrong side of Lady Seph, he had to show that he was patient towards her subordinates. "I''m sorry, I don''t believe that we had met before?" "Hah¡­ How the hell are you so dense? Perhaps this would jog your memory." Since the Principal was too thick to comprehend what had happened, Lady Seph decided to take some drastic measures. With a flash of golden light, the torrential mana that the Spirit Venerate had been holding back had been unleashed as an insurmountable pressure weighed in on the chestnut-haired man, forcing him to fall straight to his knees. Being a Rank 73 Spirit Emperor, Erudito was no pushover in the cultivation world. Even though he was not a pure combatant, he could very well hold his own against some of the continents best fighters. Yet, in front of this young woman, who seemed to be many years younger than himself, he was unable to move a single muscle. ''I got dominated so easily?!''Erudito screamed out mentally as his throat got restrained by the pressure. ''Spirit Venerate! This woman must be a Spirit Venerate at the very least!!!'' Starting to piece together the puzzle that was the blonde beauty''s identity, Erudito cursed his previous self for behaving so ignorantly. And to put the final nail in the coffin, a phantom of a gorgeous white-robed maiden that boasted a pair of holy golden wings, appeared over the head of the woman and stared the poor soul down. Waving her smooth and delicate arms, the angel sent a ray of divine light straight at the kneeling man, sending a shockwave that reverberated past his entire body. At first, Erudito felt an electrifying pain, however after a short while, the pain transformed into a comfortable feeling as he felt the many of the tight knots in his body instantly be released, making him feel ten years younger. After two seconds of being exposed to the holy ray, the Principal felt his body getting cleansed as toxins rushed out his pores as if they were terrified of the light that the Iofiel Angel was emitting. "T-Thank you, senior!" Gasping for air, Erudito promptly gave his gratitude. Knowing Lady Seph''s temper, the chestnut-coloured haired man knew that he got off rather easy. "Haha, don''t mention it!" "Senior¡­ No, Venerate Seraphim! You have finally crossed the threshold to become a Spirit Venerate?!" Now that he had regained his bearings, Erudito hollered out in complete shock. The first time he met Lady Seph, she was still in the nascent stages of the Spirit Emperor realm. Being arguably one of the hardest bottlenecks in cultivation to pass, less than one per cent of all Spirit Users manager to enter the Spirit Venerate realm and manage to double their lifespans. In fact, for a long time, Lady Seph was sure that she might never cross that barrier in her lifetime and had even made preparations for Shin should she pass on. Thankfully, it didn''t have to come to that. "Do you not have eyes? Why are you asking me the obvious? So¡­ Do you have a problem with that?" "No, that''s great news!!! Congratulations!!!" Cupping his hands together, Erudito gave the young woman a deep bow. "Alright, alright! Don''t get all dramatic! Oh, and one thing. I would like the fact that I broke through to remain a secret, at least for the time being. I don''t want that dastardly brat on the throne trying to woo me back into the Palace once more..." "Of course!" Agreeing with Lady Seph''s statement, ignoring the part where she verbally undermined the sovereign of the nation, the Principal of the Imperious Academy nodded his head repeatedly. "Okay, I believe that some introductions are necessary. This woman here is Hirda Isenhildi. She is my fellow Vice-Principal, and a notable fan of yours, Venerate Seraphim." Introducing the brunette woman that stood next to him, Erudito flashed a brilliant smile. "Greetings, Venerate Seraphim. Congratulations on your breakthrough." Following the typical high society mannerism, Hirda arched her torso forward with elegant form. "Nice to meet you too¡­ Ah, I should introduce those on my end as well. But to be honest, you guys only need to know three of them. Shin, Ella, Emma! Come forward." Like a mother calling her children out of their rooms, Lady Seph gestured for the younglings. "All of these children have already been accepted into your academy. The twins, Ella and Emma." Lady Seph pointed her dainty index finger to the two identical twins who both boasted rich purple hair. To help people better differentiate them, Ella would stick to a short ponytail while Emma would let her hair flow down to her shoulders. Suddenly put in the spot, the twins that had no formal mannerism training simply gave a rough bow, without opening their mouths. "They both use variant elemental Spirits. Ice Bows to be precise. Furthermore, they''re both in the Spirit Apostle realm." "Hoho, that''s good news! I''m sure they''ll fit just perfectly within our curriculum." Erudito rubbed his chin while observing the two young girls. Imperius Academy accepted first years at fifteen years of age. By then, they must have at least reached the Spirit Apostle realm. Otherwise, they wouldn''t even be considered for the position. While the Principal was trying his hardest to further deduce the class curriculum that the twins were best suited for, a young black-haired teen was brought forward by Lady Seph. Visually, Erudito could tell that the relationship between the Divine Healer and the young boy was far from simple. Just from their body language and how close Lady Seph would stand to the black-haired youth, both Erudito and Hirda could deduce some facts about the boy. "And this here is Shin! He is a Rank 17 Spirit Apostle!" Lady Seph cheerily cried out. "Rank 17?! H-How old is he?!" Unable to hide her surprise, Hirda shouted out. There was still about four months to the start of the school year for freshmen, and yet, there was someone whose cultivation level matched that of third and fourth years. "Just under fifteen." Lady Seph succinctly said. "So he must be your distinguished disciple, Shin!" Compared to Hirda, Erudito was much more composed. When Lady Seph first informed him to pick her up, the Principal naturally investigated everything there was to know about the prodigious disciple that was making waves around the Healer''s Association. At the age of thirteen, he had successfully become the first ever Spirit Apostle to learn ''Heal'' and not only that, he was the sole disciple of the infamous Lady Seph, who was notorious for not wanting to accept anyone under her tutelage. "Yeah, he is¡­ And he always will be..." Affectionately staring at the black-haired teen, Lady Seph''s words were cryptic to the outside ear, but to Shin, he clearly knew what his Master meant. Even though Shin had given up on the path of the healer, Lady Seph never gave up on him. In fact, she would do anything in her power to bring him back, but right now, she knew that Shin needed time to think and explore other options. "However, he wishes to join a more combat-oriented curriculum. Is it possible to arrange that?" "What? Why would he do that?" The Principal of the acclaimed academy furrowed his brows as he carefully observed Shin. Based on his cursory analysis, the seasoned educator could tell that Shin was not a combat type. Not to mention, he knew both of Shin''s spiritual abilities, and they were both best suited for auxiliary purposes. "It''s a long story¡­ Anyway, are you going to keep us standing out here in the heat?!" Abruptly changing the topic, Lady Seph pushed for a better environment to converse in. "Oh! Naturally! Please, follow me!" Slapping his forehead, the Principal turned his back and revealed a long and dark tunnel seemed to stretch for over a thousand kilometres. Carrying their luggage with them, Lady Seph and the orphans followed the two straight into the pit, charging forward towards their future in the Capital. Chapter 203 Principal Erudito 2 "What is this place?" Emma muttered out in confusion as she observed her surroundings. Although there were no torches or lights, the tunnel remained bright as the rocks all around were illuminating a strange glow. Creeper plants twirled their tendrils on all sides of the tunnel, allowing vines to hang down from the ceiling. Oddly enough, there were no bats or deplorable insects infecting the cave, even though it was filled with plant life. The damp and humid tunnel was definitely not a conducive place to stay in, but for some reason, the orphans felt that there was a mysterious allure to the odd cave. "We''re in a secret passageway that leads straight to the academy." Hirda replied to Emma''s mindless comment. During their short time together, the Vice-Principal of Imperius Academy had probed about the circumstances surrounding her future students, allowing her to seem like an approachable senior in the twins'' minds. After discovering that both the twins were already at Rank 13, her jaw nearly dropped in shock. The average freshmen that enter their academy would typically be either Rank 10 or 11. Yet, all of a sudden, they were accepting three superbly talented students. "Is it really okay for you to reveal this to us?" Listening in on their conversation, Ryner promptly enquired. Telling Shin and the twins were one thing, but to show that there was a passageway to those who were not attending the school made the young teenager question the security levels of the academy. "Not to worry! Even if this passageway is discovered, there''s no way unauthorised invaders can make it past the numerous traps laid down here!" "Traps?!" "Ah, they won''t activate as long as the Principal is present. Furthermore, there would be many reinforced doors that can only be unlocked using authorised mana signatures further on." Just as she said those words, a humongous metal gate, that was emitting a frosty spiritual pressure, barred the path of the party trying to enter the academy. On it, innumerable illegible symbols only served to confuse the orphans. Principal Erudito walked until he was in arm''s reach of the gate before placing his entire palm onto one of the mysterious symbols. Soon, the figures on the gate started to glow in a silver light as a low rumbling sound reverberated through the tunnel. A line began to split the gate in half before it started to open up slightly, giving just enough space for the party to walk through. "Stay close. From here on, the traps would get more vicious so make sure you don''t stray too far off." Issuing a light warning, Principal Erudito placed his hand on the gate as if he were holding the door open, and waited for everybody to pass. After the last person made it safely through, the metallic gate mysteriously closed shut, even without any prompts from the head of the academy. "Such a mystical method..." Shin unconsciously whispered. Heeding his words, the orphans shuffled their feet rapidly so that they were as close as possible to the Principal. Being in a foreign land that was rife with traps made them extremely uncomfortable after all. After passing three more similar gates, the party finally saw the light on the other side of the tunnel. "Wow..." All of the orphans softly blurted out in wonder. Before them lay a vast mountain range that spread out for acres on each end. The essence of nature was fully captured by the various topiaries that were littered all over the hilly region. Since they were quite some distance above ground level, the air was much thinner as the younger orphans had to put more effort into taking in oxygen. However, due to their heavy breathing, they were able to smell the organic aroma of nature with much more clarity. Walking out of the cave, an illusory wall suddenly appeared behind the orphans and hid the secret passageway. At the same time, a brown and thick boulder, which was just hanging over the entrance, suddenly fell, giving yet another layer of protection. "Alright, we''re here!" Principal Erudito happily exclaimed. "What? The academy is situated here on this mountain?!" Shin turned his eyes towards the Principal, shooting him a gaze of disbelief. "No, this is Tsucai Mountain. It''s part of the Thaishu mountain range that the academy owns. The academy itself is located down there." Pointing his index finger far into the distance, Principal Erudito directed the orphan''s attention to boundless campus that was situated at the foot of the mountain. Even from afar, Shin could make out the distinct features of the school grounds. Hundreds of pristine white buildings stood up high with dozens of intricate fountains, statues and sculptures littered all around the campus. A towering clocktower that rose high above the other buildings drew the most attention from the orphans. It was at least a hundred metres tall, and the clock face was probably as wide as a regular home. Perhaps since it was not a school day, Shin was unable to spot any students moving about, making the colossal campus seem uninhabited in the process. "So that''s Imperius Academy." Shin marvelled at the sight of his home for the next six years. "Beautiful isn''t it?" Principal Erudito smiled as he praised his own organisation. "Well, you can enjoy the scenery much more later on. For now, let''s get you into your rooms." During the first few weeks in the Capital, Lady Seph had arranged that they stayed in Imperius Academy while she tended to some logistics matters. However, since they were neither teachers nor students, Principal Erudito couldn''t justify them staying in a dorm. Therefore, they had to make do with a rest stop located right here on Tsucai Mountain. Moving into the small cabin that was located not far from the secret passageway exit, the orphans hurriedly placed down their luggage as Vice-Principal Hirda sorted them to their rooms. While the mayhem of the orphans settling down was happening, Lady Seph sat down with the Principal in the living room couch. However, before they could begin any discussion, the Spirit Venerate beckoned for Shin and the twins to join in on the conversation. "Firstly, it''s an honour to finally meet you again, Venerate Seraphim." Principal Erudito bowed down to the young blonde, before taking his seat on the opposite couch. "Dispense with the formalities, Eru. You''re the one that''s saving me from the trouble of settling down straight in the Capital." Waving her hands, Lady Seph thanked the chestnut-haired scholar in her own way. Being the celebrity that she was, there was no way that she could find peace if she were to go through the main gate publically. "No, no. The grace that you had bestowed upon the Academy decades ago has never been forgotten! Even my predecessor had said that should you ask for any assistance, the Academy must respond with everything that we''ve got. Bringing you in through the secret passage is a just minor thing!" "Hah¡­ There''s no need to bring up the deeds of yesteryear¡­ Anyway, I''m grateful." "Haha, it''s my honour to be of your assistance. If there''s anything else that you need me to do, please feel free to inform me." Offering his assistance once more, the Principal gave a gracious bow. "Hmmm, for now, please deliver these letters." Handing over a few newly sealed envelopes, Lady Seph asked for Principal Erudito to be her mailman. Taking a brief read through the names situated at the top of the letters, the wizened scholar''s eyes widened slightly. ''So many influential individuals¡­ Venerate Seraphim sure is on another level...'' Principal Erudito was amazed by the social sphere that Lady Seph was in. Even though they were both around the same cultivation level, before Lady Seph disappeared from the Capital, of course, their circle of influence was drastically different. Of the names listed on the letters, the Principal, who was a Spirit Emperor, could only arrange a meeting with a handful of them. The others wouldn''t even spare him a second glance. "Consider it done. Is there anything else that I could do for you?" "Well, could you slightly change the arrangement for Shin''s classes? I know that we had a prior agreement, but that has to be altered." "Why would that be?" Confused about the new direction that Lady Seph wanted her disciple to take, the Principal questioned the seasoned healer. "Shin wishes to go down a more combatant path." Without going into detail, Lady Seph shook her head as she reached out for the tea laid down on the table. "Your disciple wants to go down a combatant''s path?" Principal Erudito shot a strange look at the black-haired youth. Although Shin felt guilty for letting his master down, his mind was set. He was way too weak as compared to someone like Junius. Therefore, he required to make the change. Meeting the sharp eyes of the scholar, Shin stood his ground. ''Seems like there''s something that Venerate Seraphim is not willing to tell us¡­'' It seemed improper to question Lady Seph''s intentions, especially after she deliberately tried to be cryptic. "Well, that would be troubling..." "What do you mean?" "You see, the Imperius Academy curriculum allows the student to choose whichever classes they want as long as it fits their main course. If I recall correctly, Healer Shin would be entering the auxiliary course where his talents would be optimised accordingly. If I place him into the pure combatant course, alongside talented students that had been training their entire lives, I''m afraid that he might fall behind." Principal Erudito explained his logic. Imperius Academy was a place where the cream of the crop gathered. Any random student that was picked out could have easily topped the cohort of a lesser school. Thus, pitting Shin, who was not a combat specialist, against those monsters seemed a little unfair. "Don''t worry, Principal! I can manage!!!" Shin frantically screamed out. The whole point of him coming here was to learn from the best in the Empire. If he had to sit out and attend lessons that had no meaning to him, Shin would much rather leave the Capital in search for greener pastures. "Hmmm¡­ How about this? I''m making all these assumptions without knowing your true combat ability. Why don''t we lightly spar, so that I can deem if you''re capable of handling the combatant course?" Principal Erudito offered Shin a lifeline. If the black-haired teenager were just another student, he wouldn''t even bother accessing him. However, since Shin was Lady Seph''s disciple, the scholar had to show some good faith. "Thank you!!!" Bending his torso in a ninety-degree angle, Shin showed his gratitude. ''I must go all out to impress him!'' Shin mentally cried out. "Alright, let''s go outside then. Venerate Seraphim, it''s fine if I access him right?" "Sure, do your thing." Lady Seph nonchalantly replied as she took one more mouthful of the fragrant tea that lay before her. Following the bronze-faced man out into the cold air of the mountain range, Shin felt his heart pumping at a frantic rate. He was, after all, facing a Spirit Emperor that could crush him with a wrong move. Even though the Principal was sure to hold back his punches, there was still a real possibility that something might go awry, and Shin would leave the battle with more than just broken bones. The orphans all came out from the cabin alongside Vice-Principal Hirda and Lady Seph to spectate the battle between the two. Emma and Elyse were biting their nails in fear while Ryner and Lia were curious to see how much Shin had grown. As for the younger orphans, they were all praying for the safety of their older brother. "Come at me whenever you''re ready!" Leisurely taking his position ten metres away from the black-haired teen, Principal Erudito looked like he was a tourist that was enjoying the view rather than a senior accessing a junior. With his hands behind his back and not a single trace of spiritual energy being emitted out from his body, Shin was unsure if he should go all out or not. However, after thinking that it was foolish to worry about his opponent, especially when he''s a Spirit Emperor, Shin summoned out his Spirit. "Create Water!!!" Shin''s hands began to glow in a cerulean light as The Sovereign Koi appeared within his midst. Pumping out large amounts of mana, Shin utilised his first spiritual ability to great effect as he created gallons upon gallons of pure water that flooded the area. Waving his hands in unison, Shin controlled the water that filled the ground to form into eight spider legs that were attached to his back. At the same time, he created multiple water spheres that levitated as if unaffected by the pull of gravity. "Hoho, what a flashy technique¡­ So that''s the latent talent of The Sovereign Koi..." Still unwilling to move a single inch, Principal Erudito watched as Shin made his preparations. "But I wonder how hard it hits?" No matter how visually intimidating an ability was, if it was unable to produce the damage, it might as well be worthless. "Principal, pardon me." Shin gave the Spirit Emperor ample time to ready his guard. Yet, he just remained standing. Reluctant to wait any further, Shin was compelled to attack. Moving his arms, Shin called for three water spheres to gather together and spun them at an astonishing velocity. The insides of the globes currently resembled that of a savage whirlpool that sucked all life into it. Directing his fists to face the direction of the Principal, Shin unleashed his new attack. Three torrents of water viciously charged towards the Spirit Emperor, as if they were deadly snakes that wished to tear the Principal limb from limb. Shin''s first ability, which allowed him to create and manipulate water, allowed him to let his imagination run wild on the endless possibilities of attacks. Thus, even though it was only one ability, Shin could potentially create thousands of variants. The water tendrils, water spheres and spider legs were a few examples of what he could achieve. However, with such a wide range of possibilities, there was naturally a significant flaw in that ability. As the water torrents crept closer and closer to the Spirit Emperor, the Principal still remained unfazed. Just before the water torrents could reach his body, they ran into an invisible barrier, immediately forcing the ability to dissipate into nothingness. "How weak..." Principal Erudito calmly remarked. Shin''s variant abilities had one major flaw. As compared to normal spiritual abilities, it was still far too weak. "If that doesn''t work, how about this!!!" Charging forward with his eight water created spider legs, Shin attempted to break through the barrier that the Spirit Emperor created. Or at the very least, show the full extent of his combat abilities. However, no matter what he tried, his efforts bore the same result. "Damn it, breakthrough!!!" The spider legs changed its form every few seconds as it attempted to break the Spirit Emperor''s defences. Some instances, it resembled a weighty mallet and other times, it took the form of a spear. Nonetheless, the results were still the same. Principal Erudito still standing at the same place with the exact same expression. "COME ON!!!" Feeding off his emotions, The Sovereign Koi supplied more and more water, hoping to find a way through this impeccable barrier that the Principal had created. The exchange lasted for five excruciating minutes. Shin tried everything that he could think off to move the Principal, but nothing worked. In the end, exhausted and out of mana, Shin dumped all of his remaining water onto the Spirit Emperor, hoping to at least drench him. However, due to the mystical barrier, Principal Erudito survived that final attack, completely unscathed, and was as dry as a bone. "Hah¡­ Shin really has a lot of catching up to do..." Lady Seph let out a despondent sigh as she examined the desperate state of her disciple. She had personally experienced the calibre of freshmen going into Imperius Academy, and the seasoned healer knew that Shin was below average when it came to combat skills. And her sentiment was shared with both Principal Erudito and Vice-Principal Hirda. If Shin were sent to the combat class in his current state, he would get eaten up alive by the elites who were many cultivation ranks lower than him. "Boy¡­ I don''t know what drove you to try for the combat course, but I suggest you give up. Your future is set even if follow your current path as an auxiliary healer, so you should stay on it." As much as the Principal wanted to help Lady Seph, Shin was simply too weak. Forcing him into the vicious combatant course would only do more harm than good. "I''m sorry." Leaving the black-haired teenager alone with an apology, Principal Erudito returned to the cabin, hoping to continue his conversation with Lady Seph. ''You don''t get it¡­ If I stay on my current path, I have no future...'' Shin gritted his teeth as he lied down on the muddy ground. The image of a dying Ariel came to mind as he was given a bitter reminder of how powerless he really was. ''Why am I so weak?'' Shin covered his eyes as Emma and Elyse rushed forward to help him up. Even though he thought that he had cried his all, tears started to flow out of Shin''s eyes once more as he lay despairingly on the floor. Chapter 204 Principal Erudito 3 "Venerate Seraphim, if there''s anything else that you need, feel free to ring the bell located in your room. An attendant would be deployed over to your location the moment you ring it." After Principal Erudito finished assessing the black-haired teenager, he spent some time conversing with Lady Seph and got some logistic matters out of the way. Only after everything was settled, did he prepare to leave the cabin with the Vice-Principal in tow. Shin, who was unable to even place a drop of water onto the scholar''s body, was lying flat on the mud floor outside, exhausted both mentally and physically. Some of the orphans were keeping watch over him, ensuring that he didn''t do anything silly after his traumatic loss. Emma especially. She knew how much Shin wished to convert to the combatant path, and how much it meant for him to become stronger. He had even changed his entire training regiment that even the Spartans of old would find excessive. Yet, there was no way that he could become strong enough given the limited time frame that he had. Imperius Academy gathered students that were already specialised in their fields and had been training their entire lives just for that one course. Compared to the few weeks that Shin had, those students were far more superior when it came to battles. "One more thing before I leave¡­ Venerate Seraphim, although I don''t know what the circumstances surrounding your disciple are, I suggest that you persuade him to continue on the auxiliary course. If he were to enter the combatant course in his current state, the other students would be sure to chew him up alive." Principal Erudito stopped at the door and offered one final suggestion to the blonde beauty who was calmly seated on the couch. "..." Instead of replying the scholar, all Lady Seph did was sip her tea, as if unaffected by his proposal. Shrugging his shoulders, Principal Erudito flashed a wry smile before exiting the cabin. There, the Principal could see the black-haired teen, lying right where he left him. Attended by a few of his friends, he was sprawled out on the floor like a starfish. ''What a shame¡­ A talented healer had lost his way just like that...'' The aged man sighed despondently. The Himmel Empire and Terre Continent, in general, was in a severe deficit of capable healers. Thus, seeing how the youngest healer in history wished to leave his path for a more violent one, Principal Erudito felt that it was a pity. "Principal!!!" Just as he was about to climb down the mountain and head back to his office, a resolute shout called out for the scholar. "Hmmm?" "Four months!!! Give me four more months!!!" Somehow managing to sit up, Shin cried out. "The academic year starts in five months, give me a little more time to train!!! I will prove to you that I will be capable of handling the combat course!!!" "..." The bronze-faced man watched the young man that he had just defeated. His entire body was trembling, and the mana exhaustion must have made him delirious. In his current state, even a child would be able to beat Shin to the ground. Yet, in his eyes, the scholar could sense a burning hot passion that would never waver from its path. "I don''t understand¡­ If you enter the auxiliary course, you would definitely snatch the valedictorian, and once you graduate, top administrations would bend over backwards to try to recruit you. When that happens, money, fame, power¡­ Anything that you want, you will have. Why must you force yourself to go down a route that could lead to nowhere?" Principal Erudito questioned the youth. Shin was already at Rank 17, and it was highly likely that he could form his Spirit Core within the next year or two, which was one of the graduation requirements for final years at the academy. Furthermore, many in the auxiliary course were training to be healers, but Shin was already one. Truth to be told, even if Shin went out in the open right now, he would be heavily sought after, just for the fact that he''s the youngest healer in history. However, instead of on capitalising on his gifts, he was insistent on diverting his successful path for another. "Principal¡­ Do you think I''m strong?" Instead of replying the scholar''s question, Shin replied with another query. Taken aback by Shin''s sudden retort, the Principal frowned. By his standards, Shin was not a powerful Spirit User. Perhaps he might be able to defeat some of the weaker combat-focused Spirit Apostles on a good day, but otherwise, he was below the Academy''s average. To not deter his mindset, the Principal came up with a simple answer: "Strength comes in many forms. Even an auxiliary healer is powerful in his own right." "But even the best healer can''t revive the dead or turn back time!!!" Shin hollered out. His gorgeous azure eyes had turned crimson as his jaw convulsed erratically. ''Revive the dead? Ah¡­ I see...'' Hearing the youth''s words, Principal Erudito finally came to a revelation. "You¡­ Lost someone?" It was a tale spoken thousand times before and a tale that would be repeated millions of times in the future. Where there is life, there will be death. It was the immutable law of nature. To force the youngest healer in history to switch paths this early on, the person that Shin had lost must have been a monumental figure in his heart. "I must become stronger¡­ Stronger so that I would never lose anyone dear to me ever again!!! I also have some debts to settle¡­ When everything is through, I will chase Yggdrasil!!!" Shin declared his dreams for the future for the world to hear. "Chasing Yggdrasil huh¡­ You honestly believe in that ancient myth?" The tale of the Eternal Burning Tree was legendary in the cultivation world. After all, who didn''t want to believe that in the Immortal Realm above, there existed a well of souls that all humans returned to? "..." Taking the scholar''s mocking words head-on, Shin simply remained quiet. He wasn''t here to start an ideology sparring session. What he wanted was a chance to prove himself. "Haha, those eyes of yours are quite something!!! I can see a little bit of why Lady Seph treasures you so much!!! Fine, four months it is!!! If you can''t meet my standards by then, you will continue on with the auxiliary course!" Bellowing out in laughter, Principal Erudito agreed to Shin''s terms and calmly walked down the mountain range. Once they were out of the orphans sights, Hirda, who had been furrowing her brows ever since they left, finally broke her silence. "Hey, Erudito¡­ Why did you agree to Venerate Seraphim''s disciple''s terms?" Being the Principal of the acclaimed Imperius Academy, a school where only the best of the best were admitted, Erudito had to be impartial when it came to the application process. Shin, although excellent as a healer, was barely fit for the combat course and once placed there, he would undoubtedly become the dunce of the cohort. Even if he trained his hardest for four months straight, there was no possible way that Shin could bridge the gap against students who had years of practice in the same field. "Hirda¡­ Have you ever lost someone you cared about in a war or battle before?" Instead of replying to the Vice-Principal''s question, Erudito gazed back in the direction of the inn, his eyes not focusing on anything in particular. "Of course¡­ Anyone who treads the cultivation path runs the risk of losing people they care about. That''s just part and parcel of life." "Then you should understand how he feels right now. Despair. Fear. Hatred. These are just some of the emotions that are running through his mind. For a boy his age, he needs to release the stress that he accumulated so giving him this goal might be a good thing. When the four months is up, hopefully, he would have calmed down a little." Explaining his logic to his partner, Principal Erudito let out a huge sigh. "For now, let''s focus on our own business. Have you placed down measures to prevent the students from coming into Tsucai Mountain?" The Thaishu mountain range that was at the backyard of the Academy was generally off limits for all students. However, there were some instances where the students would either break the rules for a secret rendezvous, or they would seek permission to cultivate in peace on the agrestal mountains. "That has been taken care off, but are we really going to allow Venerate Seraphim to stay on the mountain indefinitely?" Hirda worriedly asked. Closing down an entire mountain just to ensure that Lady Seph''s arrival remains a secret wasn''t a sustainable plan. Eventually, the students and faculty alike would begin to wonder what the Principal was hiding. "Not to worry. Judging from the letters that she had asked me to deliver, Venerate Seraphim doesn''t seem to be too keen on staying here for long." "Why would that be?" "Take a guess!" Now that they were all alone, the Principal''s mischievous side had come out. "Urggh, if you''re not willing to tell me, then forget it!" "Haha, fine! I''ll stop teasing you." Bring his face closer, Erudito placed his index finger on his mouth as he whispered out in a soft voice. "She had sent letters to Property Mogul Garbert and the Minister of Housing at the same time." "What?!" Hirda jerked as she dropped her jaw. Property Mogul Garbert owns the Capital''s biggest property company, and he himself owns at least three percent of all the free land in this densely populated area. The amount of gold in his vault, when melted down, could fill an entire lake, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in not just in the Himmel Empire, but the whole continent. As for the Minister of Housing, she manages the population and controls the market price of all houses. Being part of the government, she disliked how business magnates like Garbert would buy out entire plot of lands when it could be used to develop new houses for the growing population. Just the fact that Lady Seph had the authority to send a letter to both these high ranking personnel was enough to stun the brunette woman. In the Capital, being a Spirit Emperor was useless if one didn''t have influence. For instance, both Erudito and Hirda were academics that had cultivated into the Spirit Emperor realm. However, the biggest name that they could hope to meet was the Minister of Education. If they wanted to meet with any other bigwigs, they had to go through numerous intermediaries and even then, there was no guarantee of an audience. "Bringing those two together¡­ Does she wish to buy out half of the Capital?" Hirda joked. "Haha, for the sake of your mental health, I''ll omit the rest of the names." Principal Erudito smiled in reply to his partner''s reaction. "So I''m guessing she''s looking for a mansion to settle down in. After all, her disciple would be staying in the Capital for at least six years." "To go so far for a mere child¡­ What happened in the years that she was gone?" Hirda mindlessly worded out. Lady Seph was infamous for not accepting proteges and only acted for the sake of her research. Yet, after decades away from the Capital, it was as if her personality had entirely flipped. "Not to mention, she still has bad blood with the Imperial Courts. The case regarding the Primordial Beast is still fresh, even to my ears. I''m sure she still resents the government in the way that they handled the issue. After all, she left her post of the Imperial Physician because of that case..." Hirda thought out loud. "Hirda, it''s not in our place to question Venerate Seraphim''s decisions. All we need to do is assist her in whatever ways we can." "Yeah, yeah¡­" Rolling her eyes, the Vice-Principal walked ahead of the bronze-faced scholar. ''Hah¡­ I chided her, but honestly, I feel the same way...'' Principal Erudito gave out a dismal sigh as the image of the black-haired youth came to his mind. ''Shin, huh¡­ I hope that you can prove your worth as HER disciple...'' Chapter 205 The New Home 1 Three days had passed since Shin, and the rest of the orphans were smuggled into the Capital by Principal Erudito, and they were beginning to settle down in their remote cabin. Due to the circumstances surrounding their arrival, they were not allowed to leave the mountain and could only live within the borders that Vie-Principal Hirda had laid out. After all, should their existence on the hill be revealed, especially to the young students in the Academy, a riot was sure to ensue. With their movements restricted, there were a limited number of activities that the orphans could do. Shin, who was adamant about becoming strong enough for the combatant course, had split his day into three equal parts. He would spend nine hours a day doing physical training, nine hours cultivating his Spirit and finally, the remainder of his time was devoted for sleep and miscellaneous activities. Using his healing water, Shin could go on for hours and hours without rest, but that, in turn, caused the rest of the orphans to get worried about his mental health. A lot of mournful things had occurred over a short period of time, and Shin barely had time to take everything in before charging headfirst to his new goal. Many of the orphans, were still wallowing in grief over the fact that Lily had died, and there Shin was, trying to break his body, and no one could stop him. Occasionally, Lady Seph would intervene and force him to rest, but in recent days, she had almost always been out when the sun was up. After all, she had to find a new lodging for the orphans and use her connections to allow those not attending the Academy to discover a profession that they could enter. "Shin, it''s time for lunch!" A youthful feminine voice echoed through the cultivation chamber that Shin was located in. During these three days, the black-haired teen could be predominantly found in two places. Outside of the cabin, where he would do laps and strenuous physical training that would break the average person, and inside of the cultivation chambers that were littered all over Tsucai mountain. The Thaishu mountain range had always been a place where teachers and students alike could come and cultivate in. With enough merit, the faculty would award exemplary students with a private cultivation chamber where they could cultivate in peace. "Lia? I''m fine, I''m not hungry..." Shin gingerly opened his eyes in response to the familiar voice. After Lily had passed, being the eldest female, Lia felt that the role of the orphan''s ''mother'' had fallen onto her. Naturally, her gentle nature made it difficult to control the orphans, who all had varying attitudes, but she was still trying her best. "Shin, you didn''t even eat breakfast!!! You should at least have a bite!!!" Lia hurriedly retorted. "It''s alright. I can manage." Adamant about continuing his training, Shin gave out a lazy reply before closing his eyes once more. "No, you can''t!!! Please, Shin, don''t force me to drag you out myself!" As much as it went against her nature, Lia knew that she could not allow Shin to continue on his self-destructive behaviour. A gentle pale blue aura started to emit out from her body as her mana intensified exponentially. Summoning out her Cyan Hyacinth Spirit, tens of thorny water vines crept closer and closer towards the teen sitting on top of the stone bed. "Lia¡­ Fine¡­ I''ll go." "Ah! Good! Today we cooked a special treat!" Once Shin acquiesced, the blue-haired girl''s eyes immediately brightened up as she reached out for his hand. The dining room in the cabin that the orphans were staying in was simple. There weren''t any lavish furniture, and everything was kept to the bare minimum. A solid communal wooden table that housed all the dishes that Lia had whipped out was situated right at the centre of the dining room. When the duo entered into the room, seven pairs of eyes all darted towards Shin and Lia, and happy smiles started to form on all of the orphan''s faces. Initially, the orphan division consisted of eleven young children. However, after ''that incident'' only nine remained. Ryner, Lia, Shin, Ella, Emma, Max, Elyse, Fionn and Jacob. Of them, only the eldest five were part of the destroyed Awter Clan, the remaining juniors were all real castaways that the Frie Clan had found. "Shin, you''re finally out!!!" Emma exclaimed in glee. "Brother Shin¡­ Come, sit here..." Tapping the empty chair that was next to her, Elyse beckoned for the black-haired teen. When Ariel first gave her life to save Elyse, the amount of guilt that the young girl felt was beyond immense. There were even days where she would lock herself up from the rest of the world and had feared to face Shin, who was unofficially Ariel''s partner. However, after days of support from Shin and the rest of the orphans, she had regained a little of her hyper nature and was much less gloomy than before. "Yeah..." Slowly making his way towards the vacant chair, Shin observed the rest of his family. Fionn was typically a sharp and down-to-earth girl, due to her close relationship with Lily and Ella. However, instead of looking upbeat, there were dark lines that could be seen running down her bubbly face and her eyes would often stare at nothing. Her close encounter with death back on Frie Mountain and the fact that Linus, someone that she never cared about had saved her, had definitely created a bottomless pit in her subconscious. In fact, ever since she left the mountain, she had been mostly unresponsive and had shown no signs of recovery. Sitting next to her, Max was in a similar state. Ever since he could walk, he had always associated Lily to be his closest kin. Perhaps it was due to their similar hair colour when he was a child, Max would rarely separate from Lily. Even as he was reaching his adolescent years, Max still stuck to Lily like they were glued together. Thus, seeing how she used her own life to save him, Max was caught in an endless spiral of despair. There were days where he would find himself sweating profusely as he woke up, as the memory of her death was painfully etched into his mind. ''Youngsters like them shouldn''t have gone through such a painful ordeal.'' Forgetting his own age, Shin mentally commented about how painful the experience was for his juniors. ''That''s why I must become stronger! To prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again!!!'' "Here you go, Shin. I cooked one of your favourites. Roasted chicken leg with mulberry sauce." Once Shin was settled, Lia placed a plate of succulent meat right in front of him. "Thank you..." "No worries! I know that you want to train, but you can''t grow stronger if you don''t have the energy right?" "Yeah..." Using his knife to cut the meat off the chicken leg, Shin observed the remainder of the orphans. When was the last time that they were all gathered in one place to enjoy a simple meal together? Shin couldn''t remember. Was it a year ago? Or was it two? "Guys¡­ I have something to ask." Now that they were all alone, Shin felt that it was the right time to bring up a topic that had been on his mind for the longest time. "What is it?" Ryner''s pupils dilated as he gave his younger brother his full attention. Similarly, Jacob, who was sitting next to him moved his attention away from the scrumptious chicken leg before him and gave Shin his undivided attention. "Emma, Ella and I are all going into the Imperius Academy, so for the next six years, our paths will be set. However, I never heard about what you guys want to do. Brother Ryner, Lia, Max, Elyse, Fionn, Jacob¡­ You have been caught up in the flow and had just followed Master and me to the Capital, but what are your plans?" "Hmmm..." Hearing Shin''s query, Ryner fell into thought. Shin was right. The orphans were like a miniature wooden raft in the stormy oceans. Wherever the current went, they followed, but now that they were independent, they should have their own dreams for the future. "I think I will find a job that can help me hone my Spirit. I can''t be sitting on my butt the entire time while the three of you are training hard at school." Ryner replied with his arms folded. Being the oldest of the bunch, he had the most pressure to become the stronger so that he could protect his younger siblings. "For me¡­ I just want everyone to be okay¡­ I want all of you to return to a complete home where you can let your hair down and relax. So maybe I should stay at home and become a cook or a housekeeper." Lia bashfully said. As with every complete family, there was always a warm home that everyone would return to. Lia''s dream was to create a wholesome home where her beloved family could return to. "Of course, I will work hard at cultivation as well! I want to live with all of you for a long time!" Lia declared. Without promoting to the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm, the longest a human could live for was a hundred years. The orphans, especially Shin, were all talented Spirit Users that were more than capable of reaching the Spirit Spectre realm within their lifetimes. Therefore, if Lia wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, she had to work doubly as hard during her cultivation sessions, so that she would not be left in the dust. "I see¡­ What about you, Elyse?" "I¡­ I want to enter the Imperius Academy!!!" The sapphire-haired girl exclaimed, stunning everyone in the room. "You want to enter the Imperius Academy?! Why?!" Shin hollered out in shock. Entering the military school meant that. "I¡­ I just want to be useful to Shin and the others..." Elyse dropped her head and softly muttered out. "I''m no good at combat. I''m not as smart as Brother Ryner or as sharp as Sister Ella. I have not particularly good at housekeeping as well¡­ All that I have is this Cinereous Cyclone Dagger." Gathering her mana, Elyse summoned out her Spirit. A jagged grey dagger that, that seemed capable of severing even the thickest of heads, appeared in her petite hands. During her Spiritual Awakening Ceremony, both Fionn and herself awakened wind elemental Spirits while Max summoned out an earth elemental one. Jacob on the other hand, oddly enough, awakened a water elemental Spirit one year later. "I don''t have anything that I''m good at, so perhaps I should enter the academy to find out which path is best for me. I want to be useful as well!!!" After reflecting on her current abilities, Elyse found that she was worthless as compared to her peers. Therefore, she wanted to enter the academy so that she could see where her talents lay. "The Imperius Academy has many ties to the Himmel Empire Military!!! It''s better that you don''t attend it! You should find a school in the Capital that gives you more freedom to choose!!!" Shin sharply replied. "Aren''t you going to Imperius Academy because it''s the best in the Empire? I too want to become stronger, Shin!!!" Elyse wasn''t willing to back down. There were many times where she wondered, if she was more powerful, would Ariel have died? Shin was currently working hard so that he could protect the rest of the orphans in the future. If she had the ability to defend herself, wouldn''t his burden be lessened? "Y-You! Urgh¡­ I''ll discuss this with you later." "Brother Shin¡­ She''s right you know..." At that moment, a mellow voice sounded out from his side, as Fionn, who had been quiet this entire time, finally opened her mouth. "We can''t remain this weak forever. Maybe entering Imperius Academy alongside Sister Ella, Sister Emma and you is the best path for us." With the same action, Fionn congregated her mana into her hands as a charcoal scythe, strangely similar of the one used by the Grim Reaper himself, appeared. "Brother Shin, I need to return to the Frie Clan¡­ At least so that I can pay my respects to benefactor Linus." Evidently, the death of Linus had made a huge impact on the young girl''s life. "That''s why I need to become strong enough so that they would let me in!" "Fionn..." Max and Jacob, the only two who remained silent throughout this whole exchange, were simply watching as Shin questioned everyone about their future. To be entirely honest, among the two, they had no idea about how they would proceed from here on out. Barring Jacob due to his young age and lack of maturity, Max was totally clueless about his future. In actual fact, he was unsure about how the others could move on to other matters when he was still mourning over Lily''s loss. ''Sister Lily¡­ What would you have me do?'' Even though he thought that he had cried his all, Max found his vision turn blurry as tears formed in his eyes. "Yip yip!!!" At that very moment, an adorable squeak echoed through the dining hall as a beam of white light flashed through the room. "Bingbing?!" Feeling an impact on his chest, Shin looked down to see the familiar Kamaitachi that followed Lady Seph everywhere. "Weren''t you supposed to be out with Master?" "Well, your master has returned of course..." Waltzing into the room, Lady Seph hung her fur coat on the rack before addressing the youths having their lunch. "Master! I thought you wouldn''t be back until sundown?" "That was the plan, but the meeting that I had was faster than I thought. Anyway, finish up your meal quickly. Once you''re done, we''re going down the mountain." Tapping her shoulders, Lady Seph relaxed her tense muscles. "Huh? Where are we going?" Shin couldn''t help but ask. "To our new home of course!!! Don''t tell me you want to live in this shithole for the rest of your lives?" With a triumphant smirk that would charm even the most celibate of men, Lady Seph folded her arms and announced. Chapter 206 The New Home 2 Flying down the mountain on Bingbing''s back, Lady Seph and the orphans took a long walk from the exit of the Academy. The Himmel Empire Capital was over 20,000 square kilometres, and Imperius Academy was at the edge of its borders. Thus, for them to even reach a hub where citizens reside in, they had to travel for at least a few hours. Thankfully, with the Bingbing express, they could drastically cut down their travel time, but nonetheless, it was still a long distance to cover. During their travels, the orphans spotted multiple of the city''s residents, and they were taken back by what they saw. Every single person in the Capital, all possessed a significant mana signature, and they were all dressed rather well. Back on the waypoint, it was common to find impoverished vagabonds or poorly dressed plebeians, but even in the remote reaches of the Capital, they had yet to find someone who didn''t look distinguished. Such was the nature of the most commercially wealthy area in the Himmel Empire. A place where only elites gathered, living in the Capital was synonymous with having a good life. Every so often, Shin would see a wealthy congregation strolling down the streets as they bellowed out laughing at the conversation that they were having. ''If the outskirts of the Capital already look so wealthy, how would the central hub look like?'' Shin wondered. Based on his experience in Chilyoja Waypoint, the best of the best was always stored at the central hub of a town. The best restaurants, the best services, the best places to do business, the best entertainment areas, they would almost always be in the city centre. "Master, where are we going?" Shin unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva. If they were on the path to the central hub, the young teen wanted to have some time to mentally prepare himself. "Well, we''re going straight to the mansion of course!" "And where is it?" "The far east side of the Capital. Just like Chilyoja Waypoint, the Capital is divided into five distinct areas. The centre houses all of the commercial hubs, government agencies, the Imperial Courts, and even the infamous Forbidden Palace that houses the Imperial Family. For the north, that''s where all of the Imperial Military congregates. Due to the threat of the Kori Federation, most of the military''s strongest troops are permanently stationed in the north. After all, the Capital is quite close to the borders of the Kori Federation." Lady Seph patiently explained the geography of the land that they were in. "The west mainly consists of residential areas and houses where the family clans of the Empire can purchase. The Frie and Awter Clan both used to have a small home there, but during that war, they were forced to sell them." The moment the blonde beauty brought up the two clans, the orphan''s faces visibly dropped. However, since she was engrossed in her explanations, Lady Seph failed to notice the change. "For the south, that''s where most of the experiments and research are going on. Back when I was the Imperial Physician, if there were nothing of importance to do in the Palace, I would spend most of my time over there. The Healer''s Association branch in the Himmel Empire is located there as well!" With a sly glance, Lady Seph watched the facial expressions of her disciple change when the Healer''s Association was mentioned. Even though Shin had stated his intention multiple times to leave the path of the healer, Lady Seph never gave up on bringing him back. Shin''s talent in the healing arts could only be found once in a few generations, and there was a high possibility of him becoming the next Hippocrates. However, with Ariel''s death, he had just suffered a significant setback that had caused a tectonic shift in his mindset. Thus, for now, she could only take it one step at a time. "Finally, the eastern part of the Empire, the place where we''re at right now. Allocated for the use of institutes of learning only, it contains some of the world''s best academies. Imperius Academy being one of them. Of course, due to that fact, many unclaimed lands were left alone so that students can hone their spiritual abilities unhindered, so there are lots of places where we can find inaccessible abodes that remain undisturbed." Lady Seph''s primary goal for coming back to the Capital was for the sake of her beloved disciple. She had no intentions about returning back to politics or mingling with the members of high society, especially now that she''s a Spirit Venerate. Up till this day, she can''t forgive the Imperial Courts so she would do anything in her power to avoid them as if they were the plague. Fortunately, during her time as the Imperial Physician, she had formed numerous contacts, and the majority of them owed her a few favours. Thus, even without contacting the Imperial Family, Lady Seph was able to live the rest of her days in the Capital as carefree as she wanted. "Oh, we''re here!" Just as the blonde woman finished talking, Shin and the others could see a humongous villa in the distance. With a preliminary glance, Shin could tell that the mansion was at least twenty times the size of Yakkyoku Clinic. Made out of solid brick and stone, the walls of the estate stood at over three metres tall and at the top of the walls, numerous metallic spikes barred any intruder from ever thinking about jumping over. The main door was facing the south, and the gates were heavily reinforced with a mysterious energy. Although the structure seemed simple, Shin could tell that the designer of the place was no random hillbilly. "This villa here used to be the property of a wealthy merchant when his daughter attended Imperius Academy. However, now that she had graduated, he sold it to one of my contacts. Lucky for us, huh?" Lady Seph was proud of the deal that she had snatched. "It has twenty rooms, three courtyards, four gardens, a fully-functional library, a cultivation chamber, a training room, and many more features!!!" "L-Lady Seph! Can we really stay here?!" Ryner cried with a stutter. The orphans that had stayed on Frie Mountain all their lives had never been exposed to such a luxurious life before. "Of course! You can stay here for the rest of your lives if you want! Ah, I won''t be doing any of your cleaning, cooking or laundry though." Winking mischievously, Lady Seph rubbed her index finger on her thumb. "No, no, no!!! How could we ever ask you to do that?!?! It''s just¡­ Kind of overwhelming..." Ryner''s face turned red as he became flustered over the Spirit Venerate''s teasing. "No, I get it. From having experienced that much pain to receiving this much must be hard for you to digest it all at once. Just take your time, there''s no need to rush." The orphans felt themselves welling up with tears as they heard the blonde woman''s words. In their darkest hours, where they felt alone, and as if they were up against the world, only Lady Seph supported them. Even though they were not related at all, the Spirit Venerate took them out of Frie Mountain, a place that welcomed them no longer. She had even arranged the funeral of Lily and was adamant about coming with them to the Capital; and even after all that she had done, she was still going to support them by purchasing such a lavish mansion where they could all stay in. "Thank you, Lady Seph..." "Alright, let''s not just stand here! Go in and pick your rooms!" Clapping her hands, Lady Seph led the way down to the glorious mansion that stood before them. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. The Holy Cemetery. While the Capital of the Himmel Empire was experiencing sun and shine, the western region was the total opposite. Dark, overcast clouds loomed up high in the skies as the blistering heat of midday was replaced with a morbid humidity as the crackles of thunder could be heard. Ever so often, a flash of divine light would tear through the atmosphere, making the land cry with agony. Frie Mountain, being one of the highest peaks in the land, was famously known for housing the clan of elites that wielded fire elemental Spirits to the highest degree. Many of those clansmen had gone on to become successful warriors in the military. Yet, on this day, the tall and dominating structure seemed so small, as compared to the relentless downpour that bellowed down from the heavens. Typically, members of the Frie Clan would never gather in one place, fearing that an all-out attack would ruin them all. However, just for one day, the Council of Elders had decided to throw caution to the wind and allowed every single soul on Frie Mountain to convene in the Holy Cemetery, so that they could mourn those lost in the vicious battle against the Black Masks. Compared to the war waged fifteen years ago, there were much fewer casualties, but on the whole, that one night had caused the Frie Clan to lose much more than they did during the war. The Second Elder had been driven into madness after losing his only beacon of light and had holed himself up in his chambers. Barely eating or sleeping, the Second Elder had become a broken doll, that could only repeat his grandson''s name over and over. Losing one of their High Elders basically permanently incapacitated the Frie Clan, that had been slowly recovering over the years. However, the true loss that the Frie Clan sustained were the deaths of two of their brightest upcoming stars. Ariel and Linus. Linus was a talented Spirit User that had awakened the Niji Swift. With the right training and resources, he would undoubtedly become a Spirit Emperor in the future. And then there was Ariel. The young girl with mysterious herculean strength and a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon. Ariel was the Frie Clan''s hope for a better future. With her talent, there was a slight chance that she would become either a Spirit Venerate or a Spirit Saint. Once she did, there would be no questions about the Frie Clan''s hegemony in the west. Yet, both of them perished, and to rub salt in the wound, they died because they exchanged their lives for that of outsiders that the Frie Clan had picked up. As their remains were being lowered into their specialised graves, dozens of dark faces could be seen gathered around the Holy Cemetery. The First Elder, being one of the mourning families, wore a full white robe. The elderly man''s eyes were vacant, and he seemed to have aged hundreds of years as all that remained of his body, were the wrinkled skin and brittle bones. "[AaaaAAAaaaaAAAAaaaAAA]" Standing on top of an altar that seemed unaffected by the pouring rain, the Shrine Maiden, alongside many of her subordinates, were singing a melodious tune, akin to that of a church aria, as they watched over the burial. Standing a reasonable distance away, the Clan Master watched over everything that was happening with a forlorn expression. Other than Ariel and Linus, many other Frie Clan members had been killed off during that attack, making it the deadliest loss that they had sustained since the war with the Awter Clan. ''Senior Edward¡­'' As the Clan Master observed the face of the First Elder that looked like he had given up on living in the world, she could feel her heart getting constrained as if a solid hand had a firm grasp on it. ''Was it a mistake to bring in the survivors of the Awter Clan?'' It was a question that Enfen Frie had on her mind ever since that day. If the orphan division never existed, would Ariel still be alive? ''No¡­ It''s useless to think about those meaningless issues. What''s more important is the future of the Frie Clan!'' If the Frie Clan weren''t already on a downward trajectory, after the night where the Black Masks attacked, they definitely were now. Both their High Elders were unable to fight for the foreseeable future due to the enormous emotional toll that they were just inflicted, and much of their infrastructure was damaged by the enigmatic laser. The only thing that they had functioning was the Aether Mine which was a steady source of revenue for the time being. "The new will replace the old, huh? Looks like it''s finally time for the two elders to retire fully..." The Clan Master muttered to herself. Over the past few days, due to the incapacitation of the two High Elders, Enfen Frie had been consolidating her power by forcefully taking over the two segregated divisions. Many loyal members of the two elders, such as Bates and the Instructor, had sworn their service to the Clan Master as they felt that there was a need for change in the clan. The two elderly beings had been running the clan for the longest time, and all that it had led to was death and destruction. Thus, they felt that there was a need to serve a new master that could influence the now decrepit clan into a better tomorrow. "Just rest for now¡­ We should have relieved you from your duties ages ago..." Enfen Frie tiredly said. Her eyes were alternating between the mourning First Elder and the lonesome abode that the Second Elder was holed up in. "We will take care of it from here on out..." Chapter 207 Strange Encounters 1 Himmel Empire. The Capital. Lady Seph''s Personal Mansion. Fifteen days had passed since Lady Seph introduced the orphans to their new home. Since the Spirit Venerate was trying to keep a low key, other than Principal Erudito and a handful of influential people, no one else knew that the infamous Imperial Physician had made her return to the Capital. The spacious estate had dozens of rooms, and due to the number of years that it had been left unattended, endless amounts of dust and cobwebs could be found lying all around. Without any hired help, the orphans were tasked with the job of cleaning up the entire place, and considering how humongous the mansion was, it took them a full two weeks to ensure that everything was picture perfect. Lady Seph, who had directly purchased the building, left all of the cleanings to the children while she set up her research lab in the far reaches of the dwelling. Now that Lady Seph had reached the level of a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate, something that had eluded her for decades, she had turned her sights to a new goal. Becoming the next Spirit Immortal. Compared to her predecessors, Lady Seph had a much higher chance of breezing through the early ranks of the Spirit Venerate realm and due to her outlandish comprehension ability and cultivation methods, she was almost guaranteed to become a Spirit Saint. Once that occurs, the next target in sight would be the prized goal of every Spirit User that had ever existed. Shedding one''s mortality for good to reach eternity. However, that was easier said than done. In the long history of mankind, there were only nineteen recorded instances where a Spirit User managed to ascend. In fact, in the last five thousand years, there had only been one person that reached eternity, and that was the legendary Mind-element user, Spirit Immortal Dream. Spirit Immortal Dream was considered to be a genius amongst geniuses and was widely coined to be the most talented Spirit User ever. At the age of five, she went against all expectations and awakened her Spirit on her own. By the age of ten, she had formed her Spirit Core, and when she reached adulthood at the age of twenty-one, Spirit Immortal Dream had crossed the first barrier of mortality and entered the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm, doubling her lifespan in the process. The Mind-element monster went on to break numerous records as she founded her own cultivation techniques, created her own research laboratory, and even established a small country that was independent of the three major powers, stunning every person alive at the time. Just like every Spirit User before her, Spirit Immortal Dream was obsessed with reaching the heights of her ancestors before her and devoted her entire life to investigating the Immortal Realm up above. However, in her quest to reach the elusive dimension, Spirit Immortal Dream stumbled onto many other questions as well. What were Spirits? What is the nature of life? Why do the ascended Immortals from the mortal realm never make contact? Does Yggdrasil exist? Many of those questions that researchers had been studying and will continue to explore were all disciplines that Spirit Immortal Dream wanted to know. In her quest for knowledge, at the age of thirty-seven, she discovered a little-known element called Aether and how mana could be stored in vessels that harnessed that magical power. That discovery shook the continent as people scrambled to find Aether mines that could help drive the technological wave that was hitting the entire continent. The country that Spirit Immortal Dream founded, seeing the immense thirst for the resource that their founder had discovered, capitalised on the situation, allowing them to grow to over ten times its original size in three years. To Spirit Immortal Dream, wealth and fame mattered nought. As long as she had a conducive workspace to help generate her ideas, she was content. In her isolated, she cultivated as she dived deeper and deeper into the bottomless pit that was her research and at the age of forty-three, she made history to become the youngest Spirit Saint ever seen on the continent. By that time, the country that she had founded was quickly becoming the fourth major power in the world. Everything was going fine for the young cultivator. She had made history multiple times, her country was prosperous, and every single power in the world would bend their backs backwards just to gain a meeting with her; but then, everything changed one fateful day. By the time she reached the ripe old age of sixty, Spirit Immortal Dream had long left behind the political matters to her ministers and secluded herself from the world to work on a secret investigation. It was known only to herself and some of her trusted aides. However, one day, a leak occurred, and the cabinet of ministers found out the preposterous research that she had been working on behind the scenes. Enraged by her studies, the entire government turned against their founder and demanded that she ceased all activities pertaining to the research. Spirit Immortal Dream tried to convince her brethren that it was for the greater good, but unfortunately, none of them wanted to listen. Almost overnight, she had lost the respect of her aides and her people. Heartbroken, the then Spirit Saint decided to end it all. Flying up high into the skies of her country, closed her eyes and gathered all the mana in her body to cast one final spell. As a single teardrop fell despairingly onto the grounds that she had built, Spirit Immortal Dream used her tenth spiritual ability, that froze the minds of all in her country. There were no survivors. Anyone who was unlucky enough to have stayed within the borders of the nation had entered a state of eternal stasis, never to wake up from their slumber. In less than one-thousandths of a second, Spirit Immortal Dream had condemned over a million souls to perpetual damnation, making this event the most deadly massacre in the history of mankind. Shocked by her actions, every single Spirit Saint in the world back then flew over to confront Spirit Immortal Dream, ready to take her down if need be. Yet, by the time that they arrived, it had been too late. Hovering at the peak of Rank 99 for the past two years, Spirit Immortal Dream had been hiding her cultivation level from the entire world so that she could spend more time researching and not get pressured by the community to ascend. In fact, she believed that there was another way into the Immortal Realm and wanted to find it before she grabbed eternity for herself. After all, based on historical records, one could infer that there was no way for an ascended Spirit Immortal to return to their homeland. Now that she had nothing to bind her to the mortal realm, Spirit Immortal Dream decided to complete her ascension right there and there. Her arms raised heavenwards, the gorgeous woman, that seemed to have been untouched by time, burst into a divine light and broke through the sky. Typically, when a Spirit Saint ascends, the Immortals above would bless the land by sending more and more spiritual energy into the continent. Yet, that wasn''t the case for Spirit Immortal Dream''s ascension. Instead of having aurora borealis and magical rings of infinity grace the skies, the world had received a heavenly punishment. Earthquakes that tore the land in half. Tsunamis that towered over the tallest mountains. Hurricanes that sliced through the hardest of metals and made a joke out of gravity. Volcanic eruptions that spewed acres of blackened ash clouds. Almost every natural disaster known to humans all transpired in the short time-frame after Spirit Immortal Dream ascended. Thousands if not hundreds of thousands of lives and property amounting to billions of gold were lost in that one day, and it took the continent over fifty years to fully recover. Up till this day, no one knows what truly happened and why did Spirit Immortal Dream''s ascension into the Immortal Realm cause that much devastation. However, what resulted from that whole ordeal, was the implementation of tighter controls over how Spirit Users could cultivate. Every single Spirit Saint would be monitored in their cultivation, and if they wished to tackle ascending into the Immortal Realm, they had to announce their attempt so that there would be ample time for the rest of the world to react, in case history were to repeat itself. "Speaking of which, Spirit Immortal Dream''s personal laboratory is just a stone throw''s away from the borders of the Capital." Lady Seph thought out loud. Spirit Immortal Dream''s personal research facility had been combed multiple times for clues on why her own people turned on her and what morbid study she did that warranted such a drastic action. Unfortunately, no matter how much they tried to investigate, the only thing that they could find was the puzzling riddle left on the walls of her main bedroom. [Dexsot Teinost!!!] Historians, linguists and decoders had tried every means that they had to try and comprehend the bewildering language, hoping to find some clues about the study that she was conducting. Yet, the more they attempted to decipher the code, the more mystified they got. In the end, all that they could do was bow their heads in defeat as Spirit Immortal Dream''s research became the biggest mystery of recent years. "Maybe I should bring Shin there..." Lady Seph pondered. As a researcher herself, Spirit Immortal Dream was a fascinating specimen to Lady Seph. Her talents were so great, and her ingenuity was unparalleled for her time that it made people wonder if she really was human. Furthermore, given her contributions to mankind, what research topic could have possibly forced her government to turn on Spirit Immortal Dream, and even pushed her to take out her entire country? "Well, that field excursion should wait for another time..." As the Spirit Venerate thought of her disciple, she couldn''t help but feel a little remorseful. Right as she was tidying her workspace, Shin was out in the training room pulling on weights and strengthening his core muscles. Even though he was not physically unfit, compared to a combat specialist, Shin was equivalent to that of a child. Therefore, he had been making use of his medical knowledge to push himself to the absolute limit so that when his four months was up, Shin could at least force Principal Erudito to concede to his place in the academy. "Using his healing water to speed up the recovery process of his muscles and strengthen his bones¡­ If he has a few years, Shin might become an absolute machine..." Lady Seph predicted the young man''s future self. "But, the physical body has its limits, I hope he realises that soon..." No matter how much progress Shin would see, eventually, his body would wear down, and his entire being would collapse. Naturally, with Lady Seph continually monitoring him, there was no way that she would allow him to reach that state, but still, she wished that Shin would realise that for himself. "Right now his training in anger and grief¡­ Urghhh, young boys are so hard to manage¡­ Hmmm? Is this what it feels like when a mother sees her child enter his rebellious phase?!" Lady Seph exclaimed. Being single all her life, she had no experience when it came to raising a child. However, back in the day, she had heard many of her peers describe that it was better to give birth to a girl as compared to a boy, due to how difficult adolescent boys are. "No, wait¡­ Based on Shin''s age, wouldn''t I be his grandmother or a great-grandmother? Arghhh, either way, I need to find a method to cool him down..." Now that Lady Seph''s lifespan had reached four hundred years, she still had two hundred years remaining to raise Shin and tackle the Spirit Immortal Realm. Therefore, she had all the time in the world to help her beloved disciple, before he treads further down this self-destructive path. "Ah, maybe I should bring him to the Healer''s Association? Perhaps that would rekindle his fire for the path of the healer¡­ What do you think, Bingbing?" "Yip yip yip!!!" The snowy white gerbil chirped merrily in approval. Since Shin was busy training day in, day out, Bingbing had been deprived of the chance to snooze in his embrace. Thus, she was willing to do anything if it meant letting Shin return to how he was before. "Well, we can try that next time¡­ How''re you feeling? Returning to the Capital after all these years?" "Yip yip!!!" Bingbing merrily replied, her eyes full of life and her tail wagging rapidly. "You sure? You''re not forcing yourself?" "Yip yip yip!!!" Shaking her head, Bingbing reassured her master that she was really doing fine. "Okay then¡­ If you see any of those bastards again, come to me first. I''ll handle the rest." "Yip yip yip yip yip!!!" "Haha, you Shinmaniac¡­ I''m asking about you, not how much you want to stay in Shin''s embrace. Alright, we still have some unpacking to do! Go and run to your favourite person!" "Yip yip yip yip yip!!!" "Oh, I''m flattered, but do you honestly think that I would believe you? I see you leaving my bed in the middle of the night to cuddle with Shin!!!" The Spirit Venerate and Spirit Beast teased each other as bosom mates would, making the dark and lonely lab, seem a little brighter for the beautiful blonde woman. Chapter 208 Strange Encounters 2 A day in the life of Shin was simple. He would start his day by waking up at six every morning. After a quick shower, he would put on his training gear and head down to the elaborate gymnasium that housed a plethora of exercise equipment such as weights that could be strapped onto one''s body and bamboo poles that acted as balancing practice. Typically spending his entire morning in the gym, Shin would physically strain his body to the limit. Sometimes, he would even enlist the help of Emma and Ella, the two expert bow users, to shoot arrows with their arrowheads removed, so that he could train his reflexes. In fact, the other orphans would join in on the morning practice as well, based on their newly found resolves. Ryner, Elyse and Fionn, who were the most desperate to become stronger, would try their best to keep up with the maniacal training regiment that Shin had prepared for himself. Unfortunately, after a few days, they were forced to tone down their workout as they lacked the tools, namely the healing ability, that Shin possessed. Skipping breakfast, he would work up an enormous appetite for his late lunch, where Lia would prepare a nutritious and heavy meal for the adolescent youth. As he would eat, Shin would read up on the various training practices that a combat-oriented Spirit User would adopt, and with his comprehension ability, he visualised the best ways for him to train. However, since he lacked a proper tutor, the only things that Shin could do was guess. After lunch, he would begin on his cultivation session. Since he had the Celestial Water Mantra, there were no issues when it came to his self-cultivation. As a matter of fact, he was already at the peak of Rank 17 and would breakthrough any day now. In a perfect world, he would form his Spirit Core and learn a combat skill from that promotion, but due to the four-month time limit imposed on him, Shin was not focused on that path. Once he was satisfied with his session, which was usually four to five hours each time, Shin would take a late afternoon lap around the area. It was essential for the young teen to run about, as he felt that there was a tremendous calming effect about being near the verdant mountains that had been left untouched by human interference. During this time, Shin would forget the miserable memories that plagued him and could enjoy one to two hours of peace. Finishing his run, the young teen would take a long shower to cleanse his body from the toxins that had been released throughout the day and have one communal dinner with all of his loved ones. In this life, the only people that he cared about were now all around him. Ariel and Lily had passed, while Junius had gone down the dark path. When he watched over the placid faces of the orphans, his master and Bingbing, Shin felt his desire to protect them burn ever so brightly. Subsequently, after dinner, Shin would simultaneously start his second cultivation session as well as studying the numerous books that the mansion''s library provided. Only when the clock struck midnight, did he retreat from his gruelling day to finally catch some sleep. His insane schedule would repeat itself endlessly as the days went by, and Shin would follow the plan to the letter, never compromising for even a single second. From the time where he woke up at six in the morning to the time where he went to bed at midnight, Shin would be tirelessly working hard to train his body. Today, the young teen was doing the exact same routine. Tying his laces so that his shoes would stay firmly attached to his feet, Shin was preparing for his late afternoon jog. "Hey, Shin! Try to come back early today! Ryner went hunting and caught a full-sized deer, so we''re preparing a feast today!" Lia shouted out from the kitchen. "Ryner did? Won''t the deer be poisoned?" Shin replied back, his face full of scepticism. Ryner''s Water Salamander Spirit was a potent one, but its acidic attacks didn''t make it the best hunter. "Haha, don''t worry! He didn''t use his acid on the deer! Anyway, we should be ready within the hour so try to rush back." Lia lovingly smiled. It has been over three weeks since Lily and Ariel tragically passed on during the Black Masks attack on Frie Mountain. The orphans, while emotionally damaged at first, had slowly started to recover as many of them didn''t carry the same bleak expressions as they did before. For Lia, who was convinced that she had to take on the role as the ''mother'' of the group, she had been laughing a lot more in recent days. Determined to make their new mansion a proper home where all of the orphans could return to, Lia had been doing her best to be an emotional pillar of support. "Okay, I''ll try." "Don''t try, just come back a little earlier! We need your bottomless stomach here!" "What am I, a pig?" "In my eyes you are!!!" With a face full of mockery, Lia teased her younger brother. "Urghh, I''m off..." Scoffing while rolling his eyes, Shin promptly walked out of the hallway and went straight out of the mansion. ''My usual route would take at least two hours though¡­ Whatever, I''ll just explore the place a little.'' Shin watched the surrounding environment and let out a sigh. From the first day that the orphans moved into the mansion, they had been trying to familiarise themselves with the foreign surroundings. Lady Seph''s new estate was located in a remote part of the Capital''s east side, and that meant that there was very little human life populating the area. The majority of the time, when the orphans would wander around the area, they would get lost in how beautiful the landscape was. The cleft hills were littered with verdurous greenery, making the mansion a utopia for little animals to explore. Nearby, a vast and pristine lake, that glistened in the dazzling sunlight became a frequent travel destination for the new residents. Not only was it alluring to the human eye, but it was also a hot spot to watch the local fauna react. Sonorous hymns of birds filled the area as the local deer and wildcats drank merrily from the water source. Shin was a particularly big fan of the immaculate lake. Being the owner of the Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi, Shin felt a mysterious connection whenever he was near a large water body. Furthermore, in these times of stress, Shin needed a place where his mind could be put to ease. However, since he had to return early today, the young teen opted to take a different route. Lightly jogging his way in the opposite direction of the lake, Shin tried to explore more of his surroundings. Even though they were given a simple map so that they wouldn''t get lost, it was still better for the orphans to use their bodies to familiarise themselves with the environment. ''Hmmm? What''s that?'' After thirty minutes of his light exercise, Shin noticed an odd peculiarity with one of the nearby hills. ''Is that a cave?'' An opening into the grassy hill could be seen thirty metres up from ground level, piquing the young teenager''s curiosity. ''Maybe I should investigate? It looks safe...'' Shin gave a brief assessment of the area before committing to his action. In the Capital, there were virtually zero untamed Spirit Beasts in the wild. Due to its close proximity to the heart of the Empire, all areas that contained Spirit Beasts were wiped out early on, and every year, an annual cleansing of the wilderness would be conducted. However, even though there were no longer any barbaric Spirit Beasts around, ferocious animals such as wild bears or tigers still existed. Although it would be dangerous for a child to roam into a cave without a skilled adult around, with Shin''s current capability, he should be able to comfortably dispatch an animal that didn''t possess any mana. Thus, judging that there was no danger, the young boy kicked off from the ground and darted towards the cave. The grotto was deep and dark as a chilling air, brushed against Shin''s exposed skin. Peering into the darkness to the best of his ability, Shin couldn''t sense any forms of life other than the browned moss that was prevalent at every corner. "Come out!" Congregating his mana in his hands, Shin summoned the cute little cerulean Koi, so that it could act as a light source. Puffing its gills in annoyance, The Sovereign Koi showed its displeasure for being used for such a menial task, but ultimately, it was unable to defy its master''s orders. "Don''t sulk. It''s not like I''m using you for food or anything." "..." Incapable of replying, the only thing that The Sovereign Koi could do was flap its fins around in a flurry. Carefully pacing himself, Shin crept deeper and deeper into the cave. An eerie fog that floated beneath his knees made the cavern much colder than it needed to be, but ultimately, Shin endured the cold and pressed on. After a few minutes of exploring, the young teen finally came to the end of the dark tunnel and was astonished by what he saw. A linen mat with numerous baskets of food was scattered all over the grey rock floor, hinting that someone had been using this cave for their own personal use. The pungent stench of incense masked the natural smell of the den, forcing Shin to cover his nose in the process. ''Someone has been cultivating here? Since there''s no trace of mana, perhaps it hasn''t been in use for the past few days¡­ I should inform Master of this place!'' Shin thought out while unconsciously stepping away. There was no telling if the Spirit User that had been using this place was a powerful one so it would be the wise choice to retreat and let Lady Seph handle this situation. Unfortunately, he was too slow to evacuate. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING?! COMING INTO MY SPECIAL PLACE?!?!?!" A furious voice bellowed through the cave, forcing Shin to cover his ears with his hands. Due to the cramped nature of the area and the spiritual pressure being released, Shin heard something in his ears pop as blood flowed out from the gaps in his fingers. ''Damn it, I screwed up!'' Uncorking two of the three gourds that lay on his waist, Shin brought out all of his healing and poisoned water. The healing water raced towards his eardrums in an attempt to repair the broken pieces while the poisoned water created a sphere around him, hoping to deter the attacker from launching an all-out attack. "Fucking brat. Why the fuck are you here?!?! Don''t you know students aren''t allowed in these parts during the school term?!" Realising that he was a little impulsive before for injuring a young Spirit Apostle before he got the chance to explain himself, the voice calmed himself before hollering out once more, this time without spiritual energy. "S-Senior! I don''t know what you''re talking about! I recently moved into the nearby mansion just a few kilometres south from here!" "Huh? Someone finally bought that fucking house?" Recalling that old estate that had been left uninhabited for a few years, the voice was rather taken aback. Although it was relatively cheap for its size, due to its poor location, not many people were interested in that building. "To think that someone would buy it¡­ I''m guessing you''re the child of the owner then, brat..." A misty shadow flew down from the ceiling and approached the groaning Shin. From the corner of his teary eyes, Shin was able to make out the basic features of the man that attacked him. Standing at over 1.8 metres, the man, who looked like he was in his thirties, had fully tanned skin and possessed a lean build. His green eyes that seemed to resemble the beautiful greenery that surrounded gave the man a distinct earthen look that was highlighted by his unkempt scruffy brown hair. "Who are you?" Not dropping his guard, Shin questioned the tall man. "Asking that right off the bat? Who the fuck taught you manners, boy?" The man sharply retorted with a face full of disgust, unaware that he was the impolite one in the conversation. "Whatever, my name is Mychael. I''m a teacher at Imperius Academy, and would probably be one of your future teachers." "Huh? How did you know I would be attending the academy?!" Shin exclaimed in shock. He had just met Mychael for the first time today and yet, the man was able to accurately guess that he would be attending the Imperius Academy. "Are you a fucking maggot that lacks a brain? Anyone who can think could guess that you would be a student in my school!!!" Unwilling to bother explaining himself, Mychael shot Shin a second glance, examining his physical state. "Hey, who the fuck taught you how to train? Your entire body is on the verge of collapse! At this rate, you would undoubtedly break yourself before you enter the freshman year!!!" As someone who had taught in the academy for decades, Mychael could tell how bad a student''s training was with a single look, and Shin''s current body state was among the worst that he had ever seen. "Why the hell are you focusing so much on breaking your body?! Haven''t you heard of using your mana to enhance yourself?! Who the fuck is your master?!" "Don''t insult Master!!! She''s way stronger than you can ever hope to be!!!" Shin exploded after hearing Mychael demean Lady Seph again and again. "Tsssk, this is why I dislike pampered brats¡­ Whatever, leave here now, I still have some cultivation to do!" Not willing to play around with Shin anymore, Mychael grabbed the teen by the collar and with one swift motion, flung the young boy out of the cave. Flying out of the grotto, Shin landed flat on the grassy floor. Thankfully, the ground was soft. Otherwise, he would have gotten out of that incident in a far worse state. "What the hell?! How did he do that?" Shin was left bewildered. How could such a thin and feeble looking man generate so much power? And then, a specific sentence of Mychael echoed itself through the young man''s head. ''Haven''t you heard of using your mana to enhance yourself?!'' Mana enhancement of the physical body was not a secret that no one had heard about. In fact, to a certain extent, Shin was able to do that too. However, the trick to strengthening one''s body varied from individual to individual. Without a proper teacher to guide him, Shin had no clue about where to start, and could only base his training from the books that he read. "Maybe I could get him to help me!" At this point, Shin was desperate for any possible methods to strengthen himself. If he could enlist the help of a teacher from the Imperius Academy even before he entered, the teen would have a much better chance of impressing Principal Erudito once the four-month time limit was up. Rapidly healing himself from the bruises and cuts he sustained from the fall, Shin ran up the hill once more to converse with the eccentric individual that he had just met. Chapter 209 Strange Encounters 3 "What the fuck are you doing back here?! Didn''t I tell you to scram?!" Mychael yelled at the black-haired youth that scampered into the cave where he was resting. The Imperius Academy teacher had been using the cave as his own personal cultivation chambers, due to its remote location and how accessible it was from his workplace. Without the constant noise that was synonymous with the rowdy campus, Mychael was able to find some peace and quiet. However, that tranquillity was now being threatened by the young teen that had just moved in just a few kilometres from his grotto. "Senior! I need you to teach me how to train!!!" After being thrown out like a javelin, Shin realised that the thin man sitting right in front of him was the real deal. If he were to teach him, wouldn''t his future progress in the path of a fighter be infinitely smoother? "Hargh?!?! Did you hit your head when you landed on the floor?! Why the fuck would I teach you?!" Mychael widened his eyes in astonishment. "Please! I need to know how to train in the path of the fighter, but I don''t know how to start! I had been working hard on my physical body, and as you said, I have no clue about how I could improve!" Falling to his knees, Shin started to beg the tanned skin man. At this point, the young teenager was grasping for straws. He needed to become capable enough so that he could impress Principal Erudito. "Tssssk, this is why I found this hidden cavern outside of the academy¡­ GET OUT!!! I''m not interested in teaching yet another student in my free time." "Senior! Please! I have to enter the path of the fighter! That''s the only way forward for me!" Shin''s eyes were filled with determination as he continued to stand his ground. "Urggh, as I said, I''m not teaching anyone for free!!! Mingling with snot-nosed brats in the academy every single day has been driving me insane! Now you''re telling me to teach you in MY free time?! Go fuck yourself!" Shin took the insults that Mychael spewed out with a grain of salt and focused on one specific aspect of his maniacal speech. "What if I paid you five gold ingots to teach me?!" "Are you deaf or¡­ Wait, what did you say?" Thinking that he misheard Shin, Mychael stopped himself mid-sentence to get some clarification. "I can give you five gold coins if you teach me how to strengthen myself!!!" Shin declared without the slightest shred of hesitation. After working at Yakkyoku Clinic for quite some time, he had been earning a doctor''s sum, and since he had no immediate expenses, Shin had saved quite a significant amount of money. In total, his net worth was worth about fifteen gold coins. Thus, Shin could afford to pay the foul-mouthed teacher for his services. ''Five gold ingots¡­ That''s about six months of my salary! Looks like this young kid is really the child of some wealthy merchant! Wait, isn''t it against academy policy to accept money from a student?'' Immediately tempted by Shin''s offer, Mychael fell into deep thought. ''No, he''s not even a freshman yet! So it shouldn''t be against the rules to extort him a little right?'' "Are you sure that you have that kind of money?!" The tanned skin man folded his arms and shot Shin a ruffian look. "I do! I only have a few silver coins in my possession right now, but the next time I visit you, I can prove to you that I have the money!!!" Shin exclaimed. "Nope! No money, no honey! Give me all of the gold upfront, and then I''ll consider if I should teach you!" Like a shady merchant, Mychael attempted to cheat the young boy of all his possessions. "Senior¡­ If I give you all of the gold, won''t you just run off without teaching me?" "WHAT?! Do you not trust in the great Mychael?! I''m fucking Mychael Dryttimria!!! I don''t need to swindle young boys of their money!" Even though the scrawny man declared otherwise, internally, he was commending Shin for his shrewdness. ''Damn it!!! He''s not some gullible chick that I can just cheat!'' "Of course, I do not doubt you! After all, all I need to do is tell Principal Erudito that a certain Mychael Dryttimria took all of my money if that happens!" Realising that he could capitalise on the situation, Shin flashed a sinister smirk. "Urghh¡­ Yeah¡­ You WOULD do that..." Mychael''s brows began to twitch as he recognised the blunder that he had made. ''Fuck me! He knows the Principal?! God damn it, should I just leave this bloody asshole here? But I don''t want to lose this cultivation spot!!!'' Just as the tanned, tall man was about to leave the area, Shin''s bartering voice echoed through the cave. "Why don''t we do it like this? You teach me for six sessions! Today will be the first one, and I''ll leave all of my silver and copper coins here. From the next session onwards, I''ll pay you one gold ingot each time." Putting forth a fair trade, Shin waited for the tanned man to reply. ''Hmmm? That seems alright¡­ All I need to do is teach this brat for six lessons, and I get five gold ingots?! Much better than teaching those idiots back at the campus!'' As the old saying goes, money keeps the world spinning. Now that Mychael had a monetary incentive, he was more than happy to accept the young boy''s terms. "Fine! I''ll agree with your nonsensical request! But first, give me all of your silver!!!" Mychael hollered out like a loan shark demanding for money. "Thank you, senior!!!" Reaching into his pocket, Shin brought out his coin pouch and emptied in front of the teacher. Counting the number of silver coins that the young teen possessed, Mychael frowned in dissatisfaction. "That''s all you have? Whatever..." Swiping his hands in the air, the coins mystically disappeared from the ground, right before Shin''s eyes, causing his jaw to drop in awe. "Fine, let''s begin the lesson. First things first, introduce yourself to me. Your cultivation background, who taught you those morbidly self-destructive methods to training, anything related to your cultivation, I want to know." For Mychael to effectively teach the youth, he needed to know a few facts about Shin. "I''m a Rank 17 Spirit Apostle, and I cultivate the Celestial Water Mantra." "Wait wait wait wait wait, hold it right there! Did you say that you''re Rank 17?!" After Shin''s first sentence, Mychael immediately cut in. "Yeah?" "Aren''t you a going to be a freshman in the coming year? How old are you?!" "Fourteen and a half¡­ I''ll be fifteen by the time enrolment begins." Shin succinctly responded. Although he didn''t feel that it was that big of a deal, every single adult who he met that was unfamiliar with his cultivation all shared the same reactions. "Amazing¡­ If you''re that talented, why are you struggling with your physical attributes?! It doesn''t make sense!" "That¡­ Hah¡­ Initially, I wasn''t on the path of a fighter¡­ I had been pursuing another path. But recent events had changed my mind, and I''m determined to become stronger on my own! However, I have no one to rely on when it comes to training my fighting prowess!" With a pained cry, Shin shot Mychael an earnest gaze. "That''s why I need your help!" "Hoho, so you''re one of those kinds of people. Well, fucker, you''re in luck! I''m possibly the best physical fighting instructor in the academy!" Mychael blew his own horn as he continually tapped on his chest. "Anyway, continue..." "Ah, yes! I possess a water elemental beast-type Spirit, called The Sovereign Koi." Holding out his palm, Shin brought out the adorable cerulean Koi to show the tanned man that stood before him. "I see¡­ A beast-type, huh¡­ Well, that should do well when you''re trying to conjure your Spiritual Body Enhancement later on." "Spiritual Body Enhancement?" Shin titled his head in confusion. "An essential skill for all fighters. Look." Stretching out his right hand until it was parallel to the ground, Mychael emitted out a green earthen aura that forced Shin to kneel down due to the immense spiritual pressure being released. The next instant, his outstretched hand turned completely brown as a thick layer of spiky scales grew out, like a snake shedding its skin. "My Spirit is the Espigado Crocodile. I learnt this spiritual ability when I promoted from a Spirit Practitioner to a Spirit Apostle. I''m sure you have seen many beast-type Spirit users obtain this ability." "Yeah..." Shin unconsciously nodded, remembering that Ines, the ferocious Frie Clan nutcracker, possessed the same exact ability. "Spiritual Body Enhancement allows the Spirit User to take on properties from their Spirits. Once cast, the Spirit User''s speed, strength and overall fighting capability would double or triple. So let''s say if you learn the Spiritual Body Enhancement when you form your Spirit Core in the future, using your fish gills, you would probably be able to breathe underwater effortlessly." "I see..." "But we''re not here to learn about that are we?" Releasing his mana, Mychael''s right hand quickly reverted back to what it was before. "We''re here to fix your bloody training regiment. Honestly, how did you thrash your body to that extent?" "Haha..." Giving out a nervous laugh, Shin opted to withhold the information that he was healing himself of the injuries that he sustained through training. Lady Seph was adamant about keeping her arrival to the Capital as secretive as possible. Thus, Shin had to be careful about revealing too much information. "Well, whatever¡­ Whatever you had been doing, stop it. You''re not treating your body right. Let your injuries heal for two weeks before starting to train again. During that time, try not to overly strain your body. For now, you should focus on one thing entirely." "What''s that?" "Mana strengthening. The most vital part of any fighter''s training kit. Using your cultivation mantra, try to infuse your bones and muscles with mana. Right now, you are just relying on training up your body without using the best tool that all Spirit Users have. The spiritual energy that you generate." "I read about mana strengthening before! But I have no idea on how to do that! I tried many ways, but they all turned out to be useless." Being the bookworm that he is, Shin had read many manuals about mana strengthening. However, no matter what he tried, he was unable to grasp the concept without any practical guidance. "Fuck me, you don''t even know how to train, how do you expect to comprehend mana strengthening?! Go and sit down on that mat!" Mychael hollered out while pointing at the nearby cultivation mat. "Sit down? Okay..." Shin walked apprehensively towards the end of the cave and settled down with his legs crossed in a lotus position. It was strange to be intruding on another cultivator''s personal space, but the young teen persisted. "Honestly, since you use water, it would be best to submerge you in a tub filled with liquid, but this would do for the first day. Concentrate on your physical body! Try and sense all the anomalies in it." "I''ll try..." Shin closed his eyes and began to dig in deep into his consciousness. Naturally, being his first time, the young cultivator had no idea about what he was looking for and composedly sat there in silence. "Fucking hell! I''m asking you to visualise your physical body, and there you are trying to sleep! Focus you asshole!" "I''m trying!!!" Indignant that he was getting scolded, Shin hollered out in response. The light coming from the sun began to dissipate as the day turned to night. After an hour of endless back and forth between the tanned man that called himself the best teacher in the academy and the desperate student that wished to try anything to become stronger, was Shin finally able to visualise the damage that he had forced his body through. ''What the hell?! What are all these red spots in my physical body?! How did I not notice?!'' As a healer, Shin took pride in knowing how bad a patient''s condition was. Yet, Shin was unable to sense the crazy amounts of damage that he had inflicted to himself during his lunatic drive to become stronger. "So you finally see how badly you had been pushing yourself? Send a little of your mana to those parts of your body and see what happens." "Huh? Okay..." Following Mychael''s instructions, Shin carefully attempted to treat the injuries with his calm cerulean mana. "ARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" However, the instant his mana made contact with one of the red spots in his physical body, Shin felt a pain, equivalent to that of a thousand needles poking the insides of his skin, permeating through every fibre of his being. ''What the hell?!'' Shin screamed out mentally. "Haha, see?! That pain would last for at least two weeks. Try to continuously treat those parts using your mana, and once you''re done, you should learn how to use mana strengthening." "And how do I do that?" "Well, there are three parts to mana strengthening. Muscle strengthening, bone strengthening and finally, skin strengthening. They''re all fairly straightforward, to be honest. For muscle strengthening, you would infuse your spiritual energy directly into your flesh. Although it seems simple, it will be hard to learn as you won''t get it first try. Bone strengthening tells the same story. You would need to invigorate them by sending mana to every single bone in your body daily. Both these tasks are extremely tedious and will take time to master." Mychael explained. "What about skin strengthening?" "Skin strengthening is slightly different from the other two. Although you could use the same method, it''s far more effective to coat your skin with a layer of mana protection. So once you master all three parts to mana strengthening, you should be able to do something like this with ease." Raising his right hand upwards, Mychael concentrated his mana into his fist and threw a light punch onto the nearby wall. "BOOOOOOMMMM!!!!" A thunderous roar reverberated through the quiet cave forcing the ground to shake beneath Shin. Opening his eyes, Shin was able to see a deep depression that was created by the light punch of the tanned man as cracks could be seen forming on the walls. "Wow..." "Well, mana strengthening is something like that. However, with the current state of your body, I doubt that you can make any progress. Go home and practice muscle and bone strengthening. Two weeks from today, I expect my due to be paid. Otherwise, I''ll go make some trouble at that mansion of yours." Unaware of the ludicrous threat that he had just made, Mychael darted out from the dark cave and promptly retreated back to the academy. As the saying goes, one day with a great teacher was better than a thousand days of diligent study. For the first time since he arrived in the Capital, Shin felt like there was a glimmer of hope for his future. If he continued on training with Mychael, there was a high chance of him succeeding once the four-month time limit was up. "Woah! Look at the time! Damn it, I''m going to get scolded..." Finally noticing the darkened skies, Shin was reminded of the promise he made to Lia before leaving the house. "Urrghh, whatever, time to go home..." Sighing internally, Shin feebly sauntered back to the mansion where an infuriated Lia was waiting for him at the doorstep. Chapter 210 Strange Encounters 4 When Shin returned home, as expected, he received a long lecture from the incensed Lia, with the rest of the orphans sitting nearby watching the show. Only after promising her to never be late again did the blue-haired maiden finally relent and allowed him back into the dining room where he ate the reheated leftovers of dinner. After his encounter with Mychael in the abandoned grotto not too far from the mansion, Shin had decided to change his training regimen according to what he had just learnt. Removing his excessive physical exercise, Shin allowed his body to rest while tirelessly trying to get the hang of his mana strengthening. Often times, he would find himself in a pool of water due to the cold sweat that he would discharge after rolling about in pain. Following the Imperius Academy''s teacher instructions to the letter, Shin had attempted to strengthen his muscles and bones in the same manner that was taught to him. The first few days of practice was somewhat daunting. There were times where he would cry out in immense pain, causing the worried orphans to check in on him every hour, and there were times where Shin would scream out in frustration due to his lack of visible progress. Every single day, Shin would lock himself up in the cultivation chamber and attempt his mana strengthening for twelve hours straight. In fact, he would have one meal a day, due to how much time he wanted to devote to his self-practice. For muscle mana strengthening, Shin would submerge himself in a tub of his own created water so that he could better visualise the physical state of his body. For bone mana strengthening, Shin would draw out an image of his own skeleton, using his imagination and medical knowledge, and attempt to individually strengthen them daily. In his drunken stupor, Shin would often forget that he would be training for ten to twenty hours in one sitting and required either Emma or Elyse to call him out for dinner. Eventually, after two weeks, Shin had healed all the damaged areas in his physical body, and he could feel mana being infused in every fibre of his being. Jubilant about his progress, Shin took an early breakfast before heading towards the hidden grotto where Mychael was waiting for him. "Hoho, fuck me¡­ So you really showed up." Mychael''s astonished cry echoed through the abandoned cave as he watched the young teen merrily skipping in. "Of course! I still need you to teach me much more!" "Hey, what about my price?" "Here!" Throwing over a small leather pouch to the tanned man on the cultivation mat, Shin watched as the metallic clank could be heard the moment his gold ingot touched the floor. Mychael took out the gold ingot and rotated it twice around, examining it for any flaws. "You really do have that much money¡­ Well, I''m a man of my word, I''ll teach you for five sessions. How much you improve is entirely up to you." Standing up from his rested position, the tall man approached Shin and begun to observe him carefully. Using his roughened hands, Mychael harshly examined the young teen''s body, making Shin feel as if he was being touched by an oversized bear that had no qualms about intruding on one''s boundaries. "Not bad. Your internal injuries have been healed, and there''s some mana flowing through your veins and bones. Not a bad improvement since the last time we''ve met." For the first time since meeting the black-haired teen, Mychael praised his accomplishments. "Judging from how little damage there is left, you haven''t been doing any physical exercise right?" "Yeah, I followed your instructions and stopped training for a while." Shin replied. "Good¡­ Try to run from the end of the cave to the entrance as fast as you can now." "Huh?" "Are you fucking deaf? Run to the entrance of the cave and back now!" While Mychael gave out an order with a placid expression, Shin was utterly confused about why he should do that. However, to not upset the tanned scrawny man any further, Shin begrudgingly abided. Lowering his knees, the young teen prepared to launch his body forward in one fluid motion. "Here I go..." Pressing all of his physical powers to the limit, Shin two feet left the floor as he began to sprint at the fastest speed he could. However, to his amazement, the young teen found that his body was much lighter than before and he was sprinting at a pace that was unreachable for him before. The cold chilling wind brushed against his face forcing the gorgeous blackened hair of his to be entirely pulled back due to his momentum. Shin wasn''t using any mana nor was he taking advantage of his Spirit to quicken his physical limit, yet he was able to become way faster than he was before. After travelling one round in the cave, Shin shot an incredulous look at Mychael, who was beaming from ear to ear. "So? How did you feel?" "H-How¡­ How did I become so much faster?! I clearly didn''t do any exercise!!!" Shin was absolutely stunned. All these time, he was training under the assumption that strenuous physical exercise was the way to improve his body and yet, during the two weeks that he didn''t do any, he saw his most significant growth. "Of course you would fucking improve! In training, there''s something called the recovery period. After a session of strenuous exercise, you should take some time to let your body repair itself so that it could come back stronger the next day. I''m guessing that you skipped this recovery period entirely and continuously pushed your body to the limit, not giving it any time to get accustomed to its new state." Mychael theorised. "Furthermore, by using mana strengthening, you would be able to slowly build up your body until eventually, you would break the limits of what the normal human body is capable of." "Now, you have improved your speed by a few seconds. One month from now, it would be another few seconds. One year from now, it would be a few minutes. Until eventually..." The moment Mychael said those words, he disappeared from Shin''s line of sight and left a small crater at the place where he once was. Half a second later, Mychael reappeared inside of the cave, holding a pine cone that could only be found on the forest floor outside of the grotto. "You will reach speeds that you never thought was humanly possible even without using your mana." "Wow..." Amazed by the ruffian teacher''s powers, Shin unconsciously applauded the man. "So now that you know how to proceed with your physical training, I should focus on teaching you about how properly use mana strengthening." Soaking in the young teenager''s applause that stroked his ego, Mychael happily started his next explanation. "Well to be entirely honest, I have explained everything that you need to know about mana strengthening so the only thing that I can help you with is to rectify any mistakes you have when practising it. Come, show me how you cultivated during these two weeks." Hearing the tanned teacher''s words, Shin immediately sat down on the cultivation mat and began asking every question that he had about mana strengthening. Despite his ruffian exterior, Mychael was rather proficient in explaining the concepts to Shin, who was a total newcomer when it came to the art of a fighter. When Shin would make a mistake, Mychael would promptly point out what he was doing wrong and worked hard to help him rectify his errors. Since Shin had genius levels of comprehension, the young boy was able to immediately change his errors whenever it was pointed out, shocking Mychael in the process. In all, for both parties, it was a smooth exchange. Often times, when teaching a student, Mychael would pull his hair out whenever they failed to understand a concept that he was teaching. Therefore, having Shin, who was an exemplary student, was a breath of fresh air for the tanned teacher. Not to mention, he was getting paid at one gold ingot per lesson. As morning turned into dawn, Mychael realised that he had spent over ten hours teaching one student, something he had never done before. ''Fuck, where did this boy come from?! His foundations are so weird but yet, his comprehension ability is really something out of this world. With the other famous freshmen that are entering the academy this year, won''t there be mayhem every single day?!'' Mychael remembered the numerous acclaimed names that were about to enter the academy in the same year that Shin was. Many of them were children of powerful Spirit Users or influential people in the Empire, while others were up-and-coming talents from the military and family clans alike. Of course, if Mychael knew that Shin was actually the disciple of the notorious Lady Seph, he would most probably think that the black-haired youth sitting in front of him would be the greatest threat to the peace in the academy. ''Well, whatever¡­ It''s not like I''m assigned to this next batch of freshmen.'' Mychael pushed the responsibility to her fellow teachers as he continued to watch over Shin''s progress. ~~~ Time flowed by like an endless stream down the yellow river and soon, four months had passed since Shin, and the orphans arrived in the Capital. Lady Seph, who had been trying to keep a low key, rarely brought the orphans out into the heartland of the prosperous city leaving the orphans with plenty of time to train and bond with one another. After the tragedy that claimed the lives of Ariel and Lily, the orphans had developed a certain sense of unity as they felt that they were all that they had left. Bonding over hunting trips and training endlessly to become stronger, the orphans had become closer than ever before. Ryner was no longer the impulsive young child that would charge forward at every single incident. Now that he had reached eighteen years of age, the young man had calmed down significantly. Knowing that he was the eldest amongst the orphans, Ryner felt that he had to be the unyielding pillar of support so that his younger siblings could rely on him during times of crisis. Since he had lost his opportunity to enter into a good academy, Ryner went out in search of a full-time job, where he could hone his skills. Using his Acidic Salamander, the young man received many offers but eventually settled on joining a hunting crew. Lia too had changed for the better. Coming out of her introverted shell, the young girl had blossomed into a young woman that seemed to be wiser than her years. Always there for the orphans, she was in charge of managing the household while her juniors were hard at work. Since she had been cooking a feast every day since arriving at the Capital, Shin felt that her culinary abilities matched that of professional chefs and believed that in the future, she could open her very own restaurant. Not willing to be left behind by Shin, the twins, Ella and Emma, who were about to enter the same year as Shin, trained constantly by using their Ice Bows daily. In the beginning, when they first awakened their Spirits, the twins were barely able to nock their crystalline arrows to their bows. However, now that they were at the peak of the Rank 13 Spirit Apostle realm, they could fire hundreds of arrows without rest effortlessly. The other juniors were hard at work as well. Elyse and Fionn, with their newly founded drive to enter into Imperius Academy, had cultivated tirelessly to reach the Spirit Apostle realm as quickly as they could. Max and Jacob on the other hand, had different ideas. Unwilling to enter a path where fights where common, the two younglings opted to enter a safer path. Max started work as a clerk in a nearby shop while Jacob showed interest in pursuing the academic track. In just a few more weeks time, Shin and the twins would be entering the academy, but before that, Shin had a significant hurdle to cross. He had to pass Principal Erudito''s test to join the combatant course. Through Mychael''s guidance, Shin had been tirelessly training himself to match the rest of the competition, and it had been showing results. During the four months, Shin had mastered the basics of mana strengthening and had even broken through into the Rank 18 Spirit Apostle Realm. Since Shin only had six sessions with Mychael, he had used the time sparingly. During the first month, Shin met with Mychael three times and being the knowledge sponge that he was, the young teen was able to learn almost everything that he needed to know. From then on, Shin scheduled his sessions with Mychael once every month, while taking the time to train on his own. "You really improved quite a bit there, brat." Watching as Shin meditated while gathering his spiritual energy, Mychael let out a defeated sigh. The duo was currently in the midst of their final session, three days before the deadline that Principal Erudito had set for Shin. "You think?" Gingerly opening his eyes, Shin smiled bitterly as he replied to the rare praise that Mychael gave him. "Yeah, but don''t get cocky though¡­ Even though you are much better than you were when you first came here, compared to the monsters that are coming into the academy this year, you''re almost equivalent to dog shit." "I know¡­ Damn it, your habit of lifting someone''s mood only to crash it the second after is really getting annoying..." "Haha, I don''t give a fuck what you say brat!" Over the six sessions, Mychael had been telling Shin tidbits about what to expect in the Imperius Academy campus once he enters. From which teachers to stay clear from to various departments in the faculty. The loose-mouthed teacher had even divulged details about the talented freshmen that were expected to enter alongside Shin, giving him a general idea of what to expect. Shin had grown slightly since leaving Chilyoja Waypoint and had reached a height of 1.7 metres at the age of fifteen. Due to his revised training regimen, the young teenager had developed a well-sculpted body that contained very little fat under the milky white skin of his. To help with his training, Shin had kept his hair relatively short as his fringe never went under his brows, highlighting the deep azure eyes that could stare into one''s soul. Shedding off his baby fat entirely, the young teen was now morphing into a suave young man that would turn heads wherever he went. In fact, there were many instances where Mychael would simply torture the youth because he was annoyed at how handsome Shin looked when compared to himself. "For mana strengthening, you have already mastered the basics, so there''s nothing more that I can teach you about that. BUT! There''s still one more thing that I have yet to teach you!" With an impish smile, Mychael wiggled his index finger about. "What would that be?" Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Shin waited for the tanned man to finish his explanation. "How to fight of course! What fighter doesn''t know any martial art moves?! Come, let''s bring this outside lest we destroy the place!" Tapping the young boy''s shoulder, Mychael slowly led Shin out of the grotto so that he could begin his final lesson. Chapter 211 Facing The Bronzed-Face Bastard Once More 1 In the midst of the hilly terrain where plants and wildlife thrived, two humanoid silhouettes were dashing about, as thunderous claps reverberated through the isolated area. Ever so often, tree branches would come dislodged, and small craters would form. Squirrels scurried away, while birds flew in the opposite direction from where all the commotion was coming from. Huffing and puffing, Shin was grasping for air while Mychael nonchalantly stared him down with a victorious expression. "Again!" The tanned man hollered out like a military battalion officer ordering his men. Shin squinted his eyes at the command and shook his head. Gathering himself once more, the young teen tried his best to calm his heartbeat and control his pulsating mana reserves. Unfortunately, the most that he could do was ease some of the tension that had been built up over this training session. Shin was by no means someone that lacked stamina. In fact, amongst all of the orphans, Shin would say that he had the highest endurance as he could comfortably run ten laps around the mansion without stopping. However, facing the adversary that was the indomitable Mychael, drained so much energy that Shin had no idea about how he could still remain standing. It had been barely two hours since Mychael begun to teach Shin about martial skills and the young teen felt like he had been to hell and back. Using a combination of physical grit, mana strengthening and pure willpower, Shin was somewhat able to learn the martial skills that the combat instructor was trying to impart onto him, but the black-haired youth simply lacked the experience and stamina to keep up with the brutish monster that stood before him. "Fuck, what are you waiting for?! Come at me again!" Mychael was miffed that Shin was clearly wasting time and screamed out one more time. "Argggghhhh!!!" Yelling out as he charged forwards, Shin gathered his mana into his hand once more. A cerulean light coated the exterior of his fist as he edged closer and closer towards the tanned man. However, just as he felt like his blow was going to connect, the image before him disappeared and Mychael was no longer standing in front of Shin. Reappearing behind the unsuspecting youth, Mychael sent a hard chop down Shin''s back, forcing the teen to fall face-first onto the muddy floor. A satisfied smile crept up the tanned skin man''s face, making him look like quite the pervert. "Haha, I knew you couldn''t manage to land a blow on me with your mana enhanced body!" "Why the hell are you gloating?! Aren''t you supposed to be a respected teacher?! Must feel nice to take a win off a student who is barely fifteen huh?!" "Haha, say all you want, I still won!!!" Before the two started to spar, Mychael suggested a friendly competition. If Shin managed to land a single hit on the tanned man, Mychael would offer Shin one additional lesson free of charge. Of course, the seasoned teacher knew that it was impossible for the black-haired youth to catch him and just made the bet so that he could see Shin being pushed to the limit. Furthermore, having seen Shin''s talent, Mychael was confident that one day, he would become a mighty Spirit User, and obtaining a win over the youth when he was still young was something that intrigued the bored instructor. ''Urggh, why did I even bother giving money to this man-child!!!'' Shin scolded himself for his folly. "Oops, look at the time! I gotta run!" Just as Shin was about to retort, Mychael stared into the bright sun that was up high in the sky, indicating that midday had just passed. "Hey! You''re leaving now?! I booked you for the entire day!!!" Shin angrily responded. Spending one full gold ingot per session, Shin expected that Mychael would spend an entire day coaching him on his weaknesses and elaborating how he could improve his physical condition so that he could enter the path of the fighter; And typically, Mychael would keep his end of the bargain. Yet, on the very last session, the teacher was planning to leave halfway through the lesson. "Well, it''s not like I can teach you anything in your current state. Not to mention, you have learnt all of the basics of mana strengthening, something that I promised I would teach you. Anything more would take WAYYYYY more than five sessions..." "B-But..." Shin was rendered speechless by the tanned man''s logic. In the end, he was just a scoundrel that viewed money as his first priority. Buckling his lips, Shin pouted in annoyance as he stared grimly at Mychael. "Hey, don''t give me that face! Fine! On account of our lasting friendship, as a parting gift, I''ll give you this!" Taking out a blue cover manual from his robes, Mychael threw the book at the fatigued youth lying on the floor. "What friendship? Hah¡­ Whatever¡­ What''s this?" Shin unconsciously asked while flipped open the first page of the book. On it, illegible penmanship that rivalled that of a five-year-old child was littered all over the page, and the atrocious handwriting carried on to the end of the manual. "My personal martial arts manual! It''s the first volume and highlights the basics of the basics. It goes into great detail about all of the moves that I had just taught you!" Mychael smiled triumphantly. "How''s that for a parting gift?! Given your comprehension ability, you should be able to master it by yourself!" ''What the fuck? No one in the world could possibly read this book, and you expect me to master it?!'' Shin cursed in his mind. Evidently, being in close proximity to a loose-mouthed individual like Mychael had taken its toll. "Haha, alright! I have to go now!" "Wait! Would you be teaching the freshmen when I enter the academy?" Shin hurriedly asked the tanned man, who was eager to leave the vicinity. "What, you miss me already?" ''No, you asshole! I need you to tell me how to read your stupid manual!'' Shin had the strong urge to voice out his thoughts, but he opted to let Mychael fantasise whatever he wanted. "Unfortunately I won''t be responsible for your bloody ass! TOO BAD! Haha, of course, if you''re thinking of paying for my next trip to the Baishin Whorehouse, I''ll be sure to make time for you!" Rubbing his right index finger and thumb together, Mychael let out a perverted giggle. "Fuck off!!!" Throwing a kick his direction, Shin watched as the tanned man disappeared from his line of sight. ''Hah¡­ I can''t believe I just gave five gold ingots to that scoundrel¡­ How did he even become a teacher in the first place? Principal Erudito must be blind...'' Shaking his head in disapproval, Shin gave a cursory look at the contents of the manual that Mychael had left behind. Other than the odd vowel, Shin was truly unable to comprehend what the seasoned teacher had written. ''Trying to read this would be as challenging as decoding a bloody cypher¡­ Whatever...'' With heavy steps, Shin trudged back towards the mansion, all while trying to fight off the intense pain that was pulsating through his veins and muscles. ~~~ "Shin! You''re back early today!" Once the black-haired teen entered the premise of Lady Seph''s estate, a feminine voice called out to him, drawing his utmost attention. "Hmmm, oh it''s just Ella..." "What do you mean by that?!" The youthful girl spouted out in indignation. Ella had her purple hair tied into a ponytail, showing off her sweet and tender nape for all to see. Her spotless, charming face was significantly smaller than the average girl, making her seem a little younger than she really was. Due to her incessant desire to exercise, Ella had very little fat under her skin, and there were even times where Emma would pout at how slim her sister was. "No¡­ You just caught me at a bad time¡­ So, what''s up?" Not willing to upset the teenage girl, Shin quickly changed the subject. "I asked why you are back so early! But honestly, that''s not important. I''m guessing you''re just nervous about that assessment that you have with Principal Erudito in five days time." In just a mere five days, Shin would be facing the biggest hurdle to his life as a combat oriented Spirit User. During the four-month period, the head of Imperius Academy had frequented the household of Lady Seph, hoping to form a lasting connection with the revered Spirit Venerate. Realising that Shin was still dead-set on challenging him once more, Principal Erudito promised to let the black-haired youth have another go during his next visit. "Haha, yeah¡­ Time really flies huh? I barely even trained and the time limit is about to arrive." Shin bitterly smiled to himself. "Hey! Don''t say that! You trained way more than anyone else in the house! If you claimed that you didn''t have enough practice, then what the hell were we doing?!" Ella exclaimed in anger. "You''ve done enough! I''m sure that you can pass that bronzed-face bastard''s test!" "You think so?" "I know so!" Ella encouraged the distressed youth. Being the same age as Shin, Ella had basically spent her entire life in Shin''s company and had personally seen his evolution from a lazy bum that hated to wake up in the morning, to the youngest healer in history and now, a battle-maniac that wished to grow stronger for the sake of his family. Back then, Ella and Shin were constantly at odds due to their contrasting personalities, but after recent events, Ella had built up a new found respect for the black-haired teen. Not only has he just experienced an immense heartbreak through the loss of Ariel, but he had consolidated himself and used that pain to grow stronger. "Haha, thanks for your consolation, but I''m well aware of my current standards. Although I have grown much stronger, compared to those monsters that are entering the academy this year, I''m still far from capable." "There you go again comparing yourself to the others. If you truly wish to compare, which one of them had reached Rank 18 and learnt ''Heal'' before the age of fifteen?! You really have to fix that self-deprecating habit of yours. You''re far more talented than the other freshmen!" "I hope Principal Erudito feels the same way as you do..." Thinking about the elderly scholar that was just about to assess him, Shin felt a headache forming up. "How do you plan on impressing him during the assessment?" "Based on how he reacted the last time, I''m assuming that he has the ability to form either an air barrier or something equivalent, as nothing I did seemed to pass his defences. Judging from how relaxed he was, I''m confident that there is nothing I could possibly do that would injure him." Shin calmly accessed the Principal''s fighting methods. Given that Principal Erudito was at the Spirit Emperor Realm, Shin shouldn''t be aiming to land a hit on the bronzed face man. Instead, he should be focusing on how he could show his improvements. "The best thing that I can do is charge at him with my physical powers, but I''m afraid that it won''t be enough..." "Arrrghhh!!! If only we could attack him all at once to smash his smug face inwards! Since we have a home ground advantage, I''m sure that we can take him down a peg or two!" Ella exclaimed. "Haha, yeah¡­ We do have home gro-... Wait..." After hearing Ella''s impulsive words, Shin somehow gained an epiphany. "No! You''re right, Ella! We do have an advantage!" "Huh? That''s what I said..." Unaware of why the young teen was so agitated, Ella tilted her head in confusion. "Haha, no time to talk! I have to go prepare for that match now!" Giving the stunned ponytail girl a quick embrace, Shin rushed into the mansion and began his final preparations for the battle ahead. Chapter 212 Facing The Bronzed-Face Bastard Once More 2 As the day of reckoning soon arrived, all of the orphans gave all the support that they possibly could for their beloved sibling. Lia ensured to prepare some of the best dishes that Shin loved. Ryner, Ella and Emma did their best to accompany Shin during his arduous training sessions, even going to the extent of putting their bodies in harm''s way to help him improve his physical condition; while the rest of the younger orphans all provided the mental support that the youth sorely needed. Being Shin''s master, Lady Seph also tried to give as much support as she possibly could. She had fully accounted what Principal Erudito''s Spirit was, from his strengths and weaknesses to how he would potentially face Shin later in that week. Naturally, since Shin was just a Spirit Apostle, there was only so much that he could do, and so much that he could prepare for when facing a Spirit Emperor of Principal Erudito''s calibre. Nevertheless, the young teen still trained tirelessly so that he could achieve his goal of entering the combatant course. Minutes turned to hours as hours turned to days; and soon, the promised day had finally arrived. Dark clouds gathered in the overcast sky as a chilling wind swept through the hilly terrain. Minor crackles of thunder boomed through the atmosphere, with flickers of blue lightning becoming the common sight for those down below. The soft pitter-patter of raindrops could be heard from the interior of Lady Seph''s mansion as the orphans eagerly waited for the arrival of the bronzed-face scholar. "Looks like there''s going to be a downpour soon¡­ Would you be alright, Shin?" Emma worriedly asked the black-haired teen, who was silently sitting down in a corner meditating. Gingerly opening his eyes, Shin softly replied the young girl. "No worries¡­ In fact, the rain might be helpful for me." Being a water-elemental Spirit User, Shin''s Sovereign Koi thrived in damp weather. Especially since the water elements were the most prevalent when rain was involved. Ever so often, Shin would glance out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scholar that he was expecting to show up any moment now. For the past four months, Shin had been training hard every day without even taking a single rest day. If he weren''t out trying to improve his physical condition, the youth would be in the cultivation chambers of the mansion, trying to further his spiritual abilities. "Shin, if you fail the test, what would you do?" A breathtaking blonde beauty nonchalantly asked the seemingly calm youth. For Lady Seph, the most ideal outcome would be Shin recognising his folly and voluntarily returning to the path of the healer. Nonetheless, after finding her new resolve to support Shin no matter what he chooses, Lady Seph would not force the young boy if he genuinely doesn''t want to. "I won''t fail, Master¡­ But, yeah¡­ If I really do fail, I think I would find a different academy or join Ryner in his hunting exploits¡­ That is the path that I must follow!" Shin''s mind never wavered about his goal. To fight off the Black Masks. To force Junius to kneel at Lily''s grave. To return to Frie Mountain so that he could visit Ariel one more time. To chase Yggdrasil and become the next Spirit Immortal. The only method that was evident for Shin to accomplish all of that was to join the path of the fighter. "I see¡­" Lady Seph sighed deeply with a trace of melancholy in her voice. However, since Shin was so focused on the task at hand, he failed to recognise his Master''s wistfulness. "Shin! They''re here!" As the orphans were all anxiously anticipating the arrival of Principal Eurdito, Ryner ran in from the opposite room with some big news. "They''re already waiting in the main hall!" "Hah¡­ So it''s finally time." Composing himself once more, Shin calmed his heavily beating heart and stood up from his meditative state. ''I hope the preparations that I made are enough...'' ~~~ "Erudito! You''re really going forward with this bet huh?!" An aged feminine voice rung in the ears of the bronzed-face man, prompting him to turn his head over his shoulder to address the concerned Hirda. "A promise is a promise, Hirda. I can''t back out now! Especially since Shin is the disciple of Lady Seph!" Evidently, the leader of Imperius Academy wasn''t too thrilled about the idea of facing Shin either. If not for the fact that Shin was the illustrious student of the revered Spirit Venerate that was once the Imperial Physician, the scholar wouldn''t even bat a single glance in his direction. "That''s why I called you impulsive. Everything was fine, but you had to go and agree to his ludicrous request. Do you know how much trouble I had convincing those assholes in the Student Registry to withhold the confirmation of Shin as an auxiliary student?! I couldn''t even tell them the reason why!" "You''re the Vice-Principal, and you can''t even order your subordinates to do something that simple?" "OH MY FUCKING GOD!!! LOOK WHO''S TALKING!!! YOU''RE THE PRINCIPAL SO WHY DON''T YOU DO IT YOURSELF!!!" Unable to hold back her resentment, Hirda spewed out all of her hatred for the academic that liked to dress like a fighter. "Hey, hey! Language! We''re going to be in the presence of Venerate Seraphim! You should learn some restraint!!!" "@#$%^&*(!!" As his partner started to hurl out profanity after profanity, Principal Erudito covered his ears and waited for the arrival of Lady Seph and the orphans. Fortunately, he didn''t have to wait for long. Elegantly stepping into the hall where the two Spirit Emperors were anxiously expecting her, Lady Seph entered the room with nine children following right behind her. "Venerate Seraphim! I apologise for imposing on you once again!" "Like I said before, Eru¡­ I''m the one who''s grateful for your assistance back when I first returned to the Capital." "Haha, don''t mention it! As promised, I''m here to deliver the school uniforms for those who are entering the academy next month." Clapping his hand twice, he signalled for the Vice-Principal to bring forth the pristine white gowns that all students had to wear on campus grounds. Rolling her eyes, Hirda temporarily hid her displeasure and brought the gorgeous outfits forward. "Miss Emma and Ella, here''s your uniforms for the combatant course! Do work hard!" Handing over the female uniforms that were gracefully folded together, Principal Erudito flashed an amicable smile. Imperius Academy separated their students into two disciplines. The combatant course and the auxiliary course. In each course, there were many modules that the students could take, based on their Spirit competencies such as close-ranged or long-ranged combat; and since the twins were experts with their Ice Bows, their admission to the combatant course was all but guaranteed. "Thank you!" Accepting their uniforms with their heads bowed down, the twins gingerly eyed the expression of the black-haired youth that stood behind them. "As for you, Mister Shin¡­ I have brought along two uniforms with me." Using his right hand, Principal Erudito held up the male version of the combatant course uniform. With his left hand, he held up a similar looking attire. However, it had a different symbol sewn on its breast pocket. "Which one you would end up acquiring, would be entirely up to your growth in the past four months." "I understand." Shin succinctly replied. "Good¡­ I assume that you''re prepared?" "I''ve never felt better." Staring at the bronzed-face scholar, Shin obstinately showed his resolve. "Alright then, let''s not waste any more time¡­ Where do you want me to access you?" "Could we do it outside of the mansion? I don''t want to mess up Master''s new property." "That sounds reasonable." After he said those words, Principal Erudito followed the black-haired youth out into the thin drizzle and out of the mansion. Behind them, the orphans were all carrying paper umbrellas to shelter themselves from the rain, while Lady Seph remained seated in the stone pavilion of her front porch, with Hirda and Bingbing accompanying her. At that moment all eyes were on the two individuals that were eyeing each other down in the cold shower from the heavens. Confident that history would repeat itself, Principal Erudito stood a short distance away from the young black-haired teen with his arms folded in akimbo. Even though millions of raindrops were making its way down to the earth, the scholar that was dressed in a grey combat robe, remained as dry as a bone, due to the invisible air barrier that he had created. On the other hand, Shin lacked such an ability and was starting to get drenched by the rain. Congregating his mana, the young teen let out a bright cerulean light as he summoned out The Sovereign Koi. "Hoho, you already reached Rank 18? Your cultivation speed is really terrifying..." Principal Erudito marvelled at the teenager''s ability to quickly advance through the ranks. Typically, at fifteen years old, a brilliant Spirit User would be struggling at Rank 9 as they would be trying their best to advance to the next stage. The criteria to enter Imperius Academy was for the freshmen to be fifteen years old, at least in the Spirit Apostle Realm, and have an outstanding talent that separates them from the rest of the crop; and Shin had blown all those criteria out of the park. Yet¡­ ''Why is he so adamant on switching paths? If he followed down the auxiliary path, he would unquestionably become one of the best talents our academy had ever fostered¡­ What a pity...'' Shaking his head, the scholar let out a mental sigh and waited for the young teen to strike. "Senior¡­ I''m coming now." After giving the bronzed-face man a simple warning, Shin spread his hands out wide like an eagle taking flight and created nine enlarged spheres of water.One of the water spheres turned into a humongous tendril and lashed out at the scholar''s barrier as if to test the endurance of Principal Erudito''s defences. ''Is he looking down on me?'' However, that action proved fruitless as the tendrils seemed to have collided with a diamond wall, instantly sending Shin''s controlled water flying all over. Nonetheless, the young teen was undaunted. Turning the remaining eight spheres into tendrils again, Shin continuously lashed out at the air barrier. ''Hah¡­ If that''s all that he has, then it really is disappointing...'' Principal Erudito shook his head in disapproval. ''Whatever, I''ll just wait for his mana to run out...'' Thinking that the exact same set of events were about to repeat itself, the bronzed-face scholar relaxed his body and aimed to wait until Shin ran out of mana. Shin grimaced in dissatisfaction and slowly crept closer and closer to Principal Erudito, all while continually bombarding him with water bullets and tendrils. "Shin..." The orphans all worriedly watched on as their grip on their umbrellas tightened. From an outsider''s perspective, Shin was just like a toddler that was trying to hit an adult. No matter how hard he tried, Principal Erudito wouldn''t even bat an eyelid to his actions. For thirty straight seconds, Shin would repeatedly send futile attacks at the Spirit Emperor, while taking his time to close the distance between him and Principal Erudito; and the bronzed-face scholar simply allowed him to do just that. Only after Shin was three metres away from the Spirit Emperor, did he finally stop and begin to hunch over, panting heavily like a dog in the process. "It looks like you''re finally spent huh? Like I said before, you''re not suited for the combatant path. Just give up." Looking down at the slouched youth, Principal Erudito tried to persuade Shin once more. "Senior¡­ You don''t understand¡­ The pain that I felt back then. How helpless I felt as I watched as Ariel breathed her last in my arms." "..." "That pain, that suffering. There''s nothing comparable to it in this world¡­ I never want to feel that way again! That''s why I''ll train. Train to become the strongest person in the world! That way, I will never fail to protect the ones I love ever again!!!" Shin screamed out in a declaration. Images of the remaining orphans, Lady Seph and Bingbing all flashed through his mind, giving him the drive to push forward no matter what the cost was. Bursting out in a cerulean light, Shin threw out gallons of his created water at the scholar still protected by his air barrier, forming a thick sheet of water that blocked Principal Erudito''s vision. At the same moment, Shin mana enhanced his entire physical body, letting him give out a slight spiritual pressure. Something that was uncommon for someone who hasn''t formed his Spirit Core. "Hoh..." Lady Seph raised one eyebrow as she observed Shin new transformation. Over the past few months, she had been engrossed with settling affairs in the Capital and building up her laboratory that she had neglected watching over Shin''s training. After all, if he were in any mortal danger, her Golden String of Fate would automatically protect him, without her intervention. Therefore, seeing Shin using Mana Strengthening to such a degree came as a decent surprise to her. "What?! To think that he learnt Mana Strengthening in just a mere four months!" Evidently, Hirda shared the same sentiment. With his enhanced body, Shin instantaneously appeared behind Principal Erudito and threw a heavy punch into the barrier that the Spirit Emperor had created, and to everybody''s surprise, his blow actually forced the bronzed-face scholar to fall forwards. "WHAT?!" At this point, Hirda couldn''t hold back her shock and screamed out loud like a madwoman, without caring that the esteemed Lady Seph was sitting next to her. Thankfully, the Spirit Venerate was in the same boat as her. With her jaw dropped, Lady Seph questioned if Shin''s attack really affected Principal Erudito, someone that was way stronger than Shin in every aspect. However, after a split second of thoughtful analysis, a dazzling smile crept up Lady Seph''s beautiful lips as she realised what her disciple had done. ''My god¡­ Shin, oh Shin¡­ Why are you so god damned adorable!'' The blonde beauty snickered in amazement. ''Now Eru MUST give you that placing! On the side of Principal Erudito, he was still recovering from the shock that he felt after Shin''s punch connected. ''What''s going on?! How did he damage me when I''m inside my barrier?!'' The bronzed-face scholar was utterly stunned. Shin''s fist clearly landed his air barrier and yet, Principal Erudito clearly felt something hitting his back. ''Wait¡­'' For the first time since he began the battle, the scholar heightened his senses to the absolute limit. To his utter surprise, he found that there were small amounts of Shin''s created water that had made its way into his barrier. ''How did he do it?! I was clearly protected from the water tendrils and bullets! Unless...'' Turning his attention to the ground, Principal Erudito tried to validate his theory. However, what he found stunned him even further. Throughout the entire forest floor, the leader of the Himmel Empire''s top school found that a little of Shin''s mana was all around him. ''Don''t tell me he sprinkled his created water all around the battlefield?!'' Setting the environment to one''s advantage was one of the most important rules of war. The side with that has control over the battleground, would the fight win nine out of ten times. Principal Erudito was well-aware of this concept and had even been teaching it to his students for years. Yet, since he underestimated his opponent, the seasoned scholar never bothered to check the environment, allowing himself to fall for Shin''s trick. ''That means that everything that he had done beforehand was all just a ruse to let me lower my guard just so he could land this surprise attack?!'' Recalling the vain attempts that Shin had fired at him earlier on, the bronzed-face man was stunned once more. ''To think that he planned this far ahead¡­ Haha, I lost this battle before it even began huh?'' Even though Shin was much weaker than the dominant Spirit Emperor, he had one significant advantage. Principal Erudito had been underestimating the youth since day one, allowing Shin to hatch this elaborate plot to impress the seasoned scholar. Taking one step backwards, the Spirit Emperor released his air barrier to instantly purge Shin''s created water that had come from beneath him. Unfortunately, being the opportunist that he was, there was no way that Shin would let the bronzed-face man do as he pleased. "Seismic Step!!!" Using one of the martial art skills that he learnt from Mychael, Shin launched a morbid stomp at the Principal''s feet. However, instead of pushing the feet of the Spirit Emperor deeper into the ground, the Shin felt like he had kicked an iron board instead. Nevertheless, it was within his expectations. Turning one half-round, Shin sent a roundhouse kick straight at Principal Erudito''s abdomen. ''Mychael''s Seismic Combination?! How did he learn this?!'' Taking the blows head-on, Principal Erudito was astounded yet again. The attacks that Shin had just demonstrated were part of a set of self-created martial art skills that was coined by Imperius Academy''s very own Mychael Dryttimria. ''This¡­ He must have learnt it from Mychael somehow...'' Although it was a deadly skill, since Shin was just a Spirit Apostle, he lacked the power to execute it to its fullest potential and could only force Principal Erudito to move one step backwards. Of course, for a Spirit Emperor to be forced to take a step back from a Spirit Apostle''s attack was an insult to his pride. ''Argghhh!!! I''ll scold that asshole later on...'' Lightly slapping on the youth''s body, Principal Erudito pushed Shin three metres back and let out a despondent sigh. From the side of his peripherals, the bronzed-face scholar could see Hirda trying her best to withhold her laughter, as well as the expectant gazes of the other children. He knew that he had been beaten. "So, senior? How did I do?" Recovering from the slap that the Spirit Emperor had given him, Shin beamed with the brightest smile of his life. ''This guy...'' Gritting his teeth, Principal Erudito shook his head as he said: "Hah¡­ You really are a rare talent¡­ Fine, you pass!" Chapter 213 Orientation Week 1 "Fine! You pass!" Those three words that Principal uttered resonated through the ears of Shin. In front of the pavilion where Lady Seph and Vice-Principal Hirda was resting, all of the orphans broke into cheers and flung the umbrellas into the air, ignoring the torrential downpour that was falling from the heavens. Ella and Emma embraced each other in tears while Ryner and Lia couldn''t hide their excited smiles. Throughout the four months, they had seen how hard Shin had worked for that one fight with the bronzed-face bastard. Hours upon hours of endless grinding and training sessions that pushed his body to the absolute limit were the norm for Shin during that four-month period. Fortunately, at the end of it all, his hard work had paid off. "Shin, I can call you that right?" Now that he had been sorely beaten, the aged scholar started to view the black-haired teen in a different light. Initially, Principal Erudito simply saw Shin as the disciple of Lady Seph. However, after that short assessment, the seasoned educator felt that he was looking at a future star of the human race. "Of course, senior! By all means!" Holding back his euphoria, Shin flashed the brightest smile that Principal Erudito had ever seen. "That final combination¡­ That fighting style¡­ Were you taught by someone who goes by the name of Mychael?" "Yeah! I met him while he was using a nearby cave for self-cultivation. I paid him five gold ingots so that he could teach me how to use Mana Strengthening!" "He took five gold ingots from you?! Oh, that asshole is really in for it now..." The bronzed-face man turned his head sharply in the direction of the academy as he secretly cursed the troublemaker that had placed him in such an embarrassing situation. ''Hehe, since you taught this monster for nearly four months, I''m sure you wouldn''t mind teaching him for six more years right...'' Hatching a devious plan to get back at the tanned instructor that was in charge of the fourth-years, Principal Erudito grinned sinisterly. "When I get back, I''ll discipline him for you. Anyway, a promise''s a promise¡­ Here, let me hand over your combat course uniform." Clapping his hands twice, the bronzed-face scholar called for his Vice-Principal to bring the prize that Shin had earned. The pristine white uniform was void of any creases and had absolutely no blemishes. Since it was encased within a thin transparent sheet, it was sheltered from the downpour, allowing Shin to see all of its elaborate details. The emblem of Imperius Academy was proudly displayed on both shoulders of the shirt with the symbol representing the combat course sewn beautifully on its right breast pocket. With trembling arms, Shin carefully received the attire with both hands and brought it to his chest. All the hard work that he had put in was just for this moment right here. ''With this, I''m just one step closer¡­ Ariel...'' Clenching his fists while his teeth remained tightly gritted, Shin thought of the one person that mattered the most to him. Glancing down at the amethyst necklace that he took from Ariel, Shin made a firm declaration. ''I''ll fulfil the promise I made with you, up in heaven...'' Principal Erudito watched Shin''s interaction with the uniform with sombre eyes. He had seen the very same expression from many of his students back in the day. Only people with a clear drive could possess such a powerful glint in their eyes. ''If I didn''t allow him to pursue the combatant path, I''m sure that he would have dropped out and chased his dream somewhere else¡­ Having such a desire at that young of an age is both a blessing and a curse¡­ I just hope that he doesn''t get consumed by his will in the future.'' Sighing internally, the Principal shook his head. ''Perhaps I''m just overthinking it¡­ Either way, I will be able to monitor him in the academy should anything go awry.'' "Shin¡­ I''m not one to pour cold water on a happy occasion, but this is something that I must remind you." After sending out two dry coughs, the Principal proceeded to speak to the emotional Shin, instantly calming the black-haired teen down. Using his bright azure eyes, Shin shot of deep gaze at the wizened scholar. "Yes, senior. Please speak." "Even though you had passed my test, your standards are still much lower than that of the average freshmen of Imperius Academy. You might perhaps be stronger than an average student in another school, but our institution only accepts the cream of the crop. Not to mention, this year, we have some absolute monsters entering our cohort. Each one of them has talents that outstrip that of any normal Spirit User." "I understand¡­" Shin nodded in agreement. Being taught by Mychael for the past few months, Shin had learnt some intricate details about the new freshmen coming in this year. Some of them had even earned a moniker for themselves even before they entered the academy. In fact, even in a one-on-one battle with either Ella or Emma, Shin would have no hopes of defeating the pair; and it was something that couldn''t be helped. They had been training desperately since their Spirit Awakening Ceremony in the path of a combatant, while Shin had only recently begun. "I know my combat abilities are far behind them, but I will do my best to catch up! No, I will catch up and become the strongest Spirit User in the Academy!" Shin declared to Principal Erudito. Shin was not interested in fame or fortune. He only wished to become stronger to further his own interests, and to do that, he must become the strongest Spirit User there was. "Haha! Good! I''m starting to see why Lady Seph accepted you as her sole disciple!" Bellowing out in laughter, the bronzed-face man tapped on Shin''s shoulder with a wide smile. "Alright, I''ll leave you to your celebrations! I''ll see you in a few weeks!" Turning his back away from the mansion, the veteran educator slowly walked away as his Vice-Principal did her best to catch up. However, before she disappeared, Hirda shot an incredulous look at Shin and said: "You really are an enigma, young one..." "Huh?" "No, it''s nothing¡­ I''ll see you at the entrance ceremony!" Disappearing into the pouring rain, the two educators left the premise of Lady Seph''s mansion, leaving Shin with the overjoyed orphans, that had all rushed forward to embrace the youth kneeling on the floor. Finally, the first step for Shin''s arduous journey had been completed. ~~~ Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperius Academy The Capital was perhaps the most bustling area in the entire Empire, as that was where all commerce and government lay. Tens of thousands of the Empire''s most influential citizens all congregated into this patch of land where all denizens of the realm dreamt of being. Every single day, there would be a memorable event, whether it was the Emperor''s birthday or a victory parade for the military. However, on this one day of the year, the entire city stopped its busy schedule for a few hours to send their children to the east side of the Capital for school. Many aeons ago, the Imperial Family realised that an educated and powerful population would lead to the longevity of their nation. Thus, through an Imperial Decree, hundreds of academies were built on the barren east side, to allow all of the citizens to send their children to school. Naturally, due to the competitive nature of humans, some institutions started to prove that they were way ahead of their competition, forming alliances with huge organisations to attract the best talents to their doors. Imperius Academy allied themselves with the Imperial Family, and in fact, many members of the Imperial Family had even attended the academy themselves, further cementing their dominance as the Capital''s greatest institution. However, it was not just their relation to the Empire''s transcendent family that made them the best, fostering some of the most glorious Spirit Users that the world had ever seen, Imperius Academy had made a name for itself on the global stage, and a significant reason for their success was their top-rated teaching curriculum. Imperius Academy offers two major courses that equip all graduates from its halls with theoretical and practical knowledge. Each class was assigned one of the best teachers that the Empire had to offer and all students were given ample resources to further their foundations. Naturally, with all these perks to offer, the price for attending the academy was rather steep as compared to the other academies. Each year, a student had to pay two gold ingots, amounting to a total of twelve gold ingots for their freshman year to their graduation. Hence, the school had also earned the sobriquet, ''The Playground for the Rich.'' With all the money that was being invested into the institution, Imperius Academy''s Campus boasted marvellous infrastructure that would make the average family clan''s facilities look like absolute garbage. Towering white buildings that were void of even the slightest impurities stood at every corner, and exquisite statues, built by some of the world''s top craftsmen could be found littered all over the academy grounds. With over five thousand acres of land, the campus could afford such opulence to decorate the rather barren location. "Shin, this place is really massive huh?" A youthful feminine voice echoed through the cold and daunting halls of the academy, snatching the attention of her compatriot, who was also gaping in awe. "This place is way too big! It''s even bigger than Frie Mountain!" Shin replied Emma with an estimated comparison. "To think that we''re going to spend six years in this place¡­ Up till this day, it''s still all too surreal for me..." Ella took one turn around to scan her surroundings. Since Lady Seph wanted to stay out of the public eye, Principal Erudito sent Hirda to pick up the three orphans, much to the brunette woman''s displeasure as she thought that she was being treated like a mule. However, since it was a direct order given by her superior, the poor old woman could only begrudgingly comply. "Haha, it''s quite a beautiful place, isn''t it? Imperius Academy was founded over ten thousand years ago, and there had been many enhancements to the infrastructure, but only the items in Adelcuth Hall remains untouched. It is one of my favourite places in the academy as well." Hirda gave a brief introduction about the location that they were at. "Adelcuth Hall acts as the communal area for all students. Only when there is a big gathering such as the freshmen ceremony would this beautiful hall be used." "I see..." "The ceremony starts in an hour, so you would see some students strolling in. You should take that opportunity to make some friends, and form some bonds. After all, you would be accompanied by them for the next six years." "Errmmm, senior Hirda!" Before the Vice-Principal could leave the premise to attend to her own matters, Emma held her back. "Yes?" "Would we be placed in the same class as each other?" Emma asked one of the most pressing questions that the orphans had. "Hmmm, that depends. The combatant course contains many modules, and no two individuals would take the exact same classes. Based on their Spirit, how far their cultivation has gone, and their interests, the modules are assigned accordingly. Naturally, since Ella and Emma have so many similarities, the two of you would probably experience a lot of overlap in your classes. Shin, on the other hand, might be a little lonelier. However, there will also be modules that all of you share." "Oh! That''s great news!" Emma leapt for joy and embraced her two fellow orphans. "Haha, you three are really close. Alright, I have some administrative things to do for now, so I have to leave. If you meet any problems, you can come to find me in the Principal''s Office. Later on, during your orientation tour, you will find out where that is." "Thank you, senior!" "Don''t mention it." Leaving behind those words, Hirda gave a wry smile as she walked away. Now that they were all alone, Shin and the twins could thoroughly examine Adelcuth Hall. Tall stone pillars that seemed to stretch towards the heavens stood erect at every corner, holding up the fifty-metre tall ceiling that housed a detailed mural painting of the famed individuals that once attended the academy. Turning their attention to the entrance of the hall, the orphans could see young yet matured fifteen-year-olds, all strolling into the auditorium, many of them bearing an air of opulence that was uncommon for teenagers their age. "It''s times like this that make you feel like we''re in a different world altogether right?" Ella unconsciously muttered out. "Yeah..." "That''s true..." "Hah¡­ We should join the group first. Let''s not think about all those matters..." The twins nodded their heads to Shin''s remark and followed him down the corridor to where their future awaits. Chapter 214 Orientation Week 2 Adelcuth Hall became more and more crowded as dozens of young teenagers sauntered into the building. Some of them were accompanied by their parents or chaperones, who were all dressed in extravagant clothing that matched their status. Due to the exorbitant price needed to attended the school, commoners were of the minority, and a large portion of those accepted had a significant background within the Capital. Rows of wooden chairs had been arranged for the freshmen to sit on while they waited for the opening ceremony to start. However, since there was still time, the students were all up and about, trying to socialise with their new classmates and forge new relationships. In Imperius Academy, there were no rotten apples. Each student in the hall had their own unique talents and had bright futures ahead of them. In fact, many up-and-coming merchants even hope to send their children to this very school, just to gain valuable connections. Yet, in this noisy crowd, three individuals were standing in one corner, unwilling to mingle with even a single soul. "I hate crowds like this..." Ella scoffed at the superficial interactions that were occurring all around her. "I agree¡­ They all look so scary..." Emma, on the other hand, was overawed by the other students'' looks. It was the first time that she was surrounded by that many wealthy and influential individuals. "Is that so?" Since Shin had been attending functions for High Society back at Chilyoja Waypoint, he was immune to the intimidating dress code that members of the upper-class wear. Instead of focusing on the parents of his classmates, Shin was focusing on the competition that he would be facing in the future. Being a Rank 18 Spirit Apostle, Shin was confident that he had the highest cultivation level of any freshmen in the building. However, since he had switched paths, he still lacked to the other freshmen that specialised in the way of the fighter. Based on the loose mouth of Mychael, Shin found out that there was at least ten super genius entering the same cohort as he was. A male descendant that bore the name of the most influential military family in the entire Empire, a prodigious daughter of one of the Capital''s wealthiest figures, and furthermore, rumour has it that a member of the Imperial Family was about to join as well. Each and every one of those talents would shake the foundations of any lesser academy and yet, they had all congregated in the same cohort as Shin and the twins. ''I wonder who here is the Freak of the Dundlewoods.'' Shin thought of the one prominent boy that Mychael had praised endlessly during one of his drunken stupors. The Freak of the Dundlewoods was a moniker given to a young boy that had caused an uproar a year ago when he took down five Spirit Core cultivators from the Kori Federation all by himself. At the age of fourteen, he had already reached the Rank 14 Spirit Apostle realm and his second spiritual ability was something that he had comprehended himself. Not to mention, his combat ability was top-notch, even among all the elite youths in the Empire. ''Rumour has it that he''s not even 150 centimetres tall¡­ Maybe I can spot him out...'' Scanning through the surroundings, Shin attempted to find the notorious teenager. Unfortunately, all he could see were an ocean of heads as the opening ceremony draws closer. ''Whatever, I''ll probably meet him in the future...'' "Should we sit down as well?" Emma adorably titled her head and asked. It was currently ten minutes till the start of the opening ceremony, and the freshmen were already starting to find their seats. "Perhaps¡­ Maybe we should fi-... URGH!!!" Before Shin could complete his sentence, he felt a sharp pain piercing through his back, forcing him to bend over. Shocked that their companion and fallen, Ella and Emma hurriedly entered their battle positions and faced the cause of Shin''s pain. "Hey, you fucking maggot! Why didn''t you tell me you knew that geezer?!" ''Huh? This voice...'' Even though the black-haired youth felt an immense pain in his back, he was still fully conscious and could clearly recognise the ruffian voice that echoed behind him. Carefully turning his head over his shoulder, as expected, Shin was greeted by the tanned and lanky scoundrel that had been teaching him mana strengthening for the past four months. "Mychael¡­ What the fuck are you doing?!" "What am I doing? What the fuck did YOU do?!" Mychael''s nostrils were flared, and his eyebrows were knit together. Naturally, having a tall, tanned man scream out at a poor youth drew the attention of everyone in the hall, many of whom were amused that such a commotion had occurred even before the opening ceremony began. "There I was, minding my own business, spending some quality time with Mimi from Baishin Whorehouse. She would sing for me, touch me like no one ever could and do things that no harlot would even attempt. I was in eternal bliss." Bringing his hands together, Mychael seemed to enter into a phase of worship, as he prayed to the hooker that he had hired as his goddess. However, in just a split second, his face that was filled with euphoria turned into one of resentment. "And then, that old bastard came barging into my bedroom, and knocked me out just when I was about to enter the garden of eternal bliss!!! Do you know how fucking disgusted I felt?! Getting cockblocked by my very own boss?!?!?!" "The hell I would know!" Shin retorted in anger as he rubbed the injury he sustained from Mychael''s kick. "And then, that old geezer said that I was being moved from teaching the fourth years to teaching the freshmen! Additionally, he deducted five gold from my salary just so that he could return it to you! Why the fuck must I suffer for something I did legally huh?! Fucking give me back my money! Give me back Mimi!" For some reason, Shin felt that Mychael didn''t care about the gold, but the fact that he was taken away from Baishin Whorehouse just before he got to enjoy himself to the fullest. "That''s not my problem! You''re the one who went whoremongering." "So what?! Argghhh!!! I never should have taught you in the first place! Look at the shit that it had gotten me into!!!" Grabbing the crown of his head with his two hands, Mychael crouched down in indignation as if someone had just murdered his entire family. "Well, you fucker. I hope you''re happy, cause I''m now one of your combat class teachers!" "WHAT?!" Shin hollered out in complete surprise. He had mixed feelings when it came to dealing with this tanned pervert that only cared about money. Even though he was grateful that Mychael had taught him faithfully over the six sessions, Shin didn''t want to deal with that deviant every week. "Hehehe, since you made me suffer¡­ I hope that you look forward to your coming year¡­ I''ll make sure you go through the same hell as I did!" ''No, that would be impossible...'' Shin shook his head as he watched the scoundrel leave the vicinity. "Shin¡­ THAT was the guy who taught you?" Ella raised her eyebrow in shock and questioned the black-haired youth that was still bending his back to alleviate the pain that he had. "Unfortunately¡­ Why did I even beg for him to teach me in the first place?" After this entire ordeal, Shin had begun to question how he makes his life decisions. "If the two of you ever meet him, immediately walk the other way! He''s not someone that you should stay around for long periods of time." "There''s no need for you to warn us! We already can tell!" Ella cringed at the thought of even coming close to that greasy scoundrel ever again. "Anyway, we should really find our seats, the ceremony is about to begin..." Ignoring the numerous stares that he had received from his surroundings, Shin led the twins to an empty area in one corner. Each student was allocated a seat number, and since they had a direct communication line with Principal Erudito, the three orphans were all positioned to sit next to one another. "Hello!" Just as Shin and the twins were getting settled down, a nasal male voice sounded out from behind them. Turning their heads, the orphans were greeted by a young boy, who looked no more than fifteen. His short silver hair that seemed to attract anyone''s attention glistened as the lights from the nearby lamps were reflected off it. Boasting porcelain white skin, the young boy seemed more feminine as his compassionate green eyes that resembled the endless fields of Valhalla stared down the three orphans, who were already awe-struck by his appearance. The young boy was wearing the standard combat course uniform but based on his demeanour, Shin questioned if he was more suited for the less physically demanding auxiliary course. Lacking the proper muscles, the youth didn''t seem to be able to harm even a single fly. "Hi?" Shin uttered the first response. "Ermmm, the seat next to you is number 233 right?" "Ah, yes!" "Thank god! Nice to meet you, my name is Isadore!" Reaching out his hand, the androgynous boy offered a handshake as a greeting. Apparently, he was sitting next to Shin during the freshmen welcoming ceremony. "Mine''s Shin. This here is Emma, and that is Ella." Returning Isadore''s kind gesture, Shin introduced both himself and the twins that were sitting on his side. "Nice to meet you too!" Taking his seat, Isadore flashed one of the brightest smiles that the orphans had ever seen. There was no question in their minds, that if the young teen before them were to take up modelling lessons, he would be in the upper echelons of the profession within weeks. "Ermmm, Shin was it?" "Yeah?" Shin tilted his head in confusion as he saw Isadore fidgeting uncomfortably. "I know it''s rude to ask this since it''s the first time we had met, but what happened back there? Why did one of the teachers kick you in the back?" Isadore''s eyes sparkled in curiosity as he questioned Shin. "Ah, you saw that?" Groaning in displeasure, Shin rolled his eyes. At the same time, he noticed that the students that sat around him were secretly moving their ears to eavesdrop on the topic as well. "It''s nothing. We''re just acquaintances." Shin didn''t bother to elaborate. "Haha, right..." Understanding that continuing down this line of questioning was aimless, Isadore dropped his head like an abandoned puppy, causing Shin to feel as if a sharp needle had pierced through his heart. "Nevermind that then, I noticed that the three of you were together since the start, are you all acquaintances?" Taken aback by Isadore''s sudden change of topic, Shin flinched a little. "No, we''re actually cousins." It was an excuse that the orphans had come up with earlier that day. In the event that someone questioned their origins, it would be more convenient for them to explain that they were second cousins. Well, it wasn''t that far from the truth, since they were once part of the same clan. "Oh wow! To think that all three of you were accepted into Imperius Academy! You must be really talented!" "Haha, it''s nothing..." Sending out a bitter laugh, Shin shook his head. ''This boy is really nosy¡­ Maybe I should probe a little about him as well?'' Shin thought. "So Isadore, that''s enough about us, what about you? Where are you from?" "Hic! Haha, that''s a secret!" Stunned at the initial question, Isadore visibly winced away. However, after a split second, he recovered and placed his finger on his lips, indicating that he didn''t want to share his origins. ''What the hell?! You wanted to know about us, but we can''t know about you?!'' Shin cursed the young silver-haired boy that sat beside him. Yet, on the outside, his facial expressions were as placid as ever. "The Freshmen Ceremony would be commencing in a few short moments, could all unseated students find their placings and settle down immediately? I repeat the Freshmen Ceremony would be commencing in a few short moments, could all unseated students find their placings and settle down immediately?" Before Shin had the opportunity to retort, Vice-Principal Hirda''s voice echoed through the hall, instructing the students to find their seating positions so that the ceremony could begin ''Whatever, I''ll just ask him next time...'' Chapter 215 Orientation Week 3 The Freshmen Ceremony was structured into three parts. Firstly, Principal Erudito would welcome the freshmen and give a brief speech about the academy. Following that, the freshmen student representative would take the stage to give a short address, and then finally, the students would be dismissed as orientation week would formally begin. The freshmen would be given a tour by their upperclassmen of the entire campus, the dormitories that they were staying at, and would be briefed about the culture around the school throughout the week. Naturally, since it was the first time the students had entered the academy, there was a need to allocate some time for them to get accustomed to their environment. "Now, please join me in welcoming the Principal of Imperius Academy, his honourable Erudito." Once every student found their seat, Vice-Principal Hirda formally began the freshmen ceremony by introducing the leader of the most excellent school in the Himmel Empire. Bringing their hands together, the auditorium broke into thunderous applause as the thin bronzed-face man made his way up the steps of the stage. "Looks like the Principal is really popular..." Ella was amazed by the response that Principal Erudito had received. Shin observed his surroundings and was similarly flabbergasted by the reactions that his fellow freshmen had. Even though he knew that Principal Erudito was a Spirit Emperor, due to his grovelling at Lady Seph''s feet, Shin had unknowingly treated him with less esteem. "Yeah, it really is surprising." In the stories that Shin had heard, opening ceremonies such as this one were typically a tedious affair with many of the attendees ignoring the person giving the speech altogether. Yet, during Principal Erudito''s turn to speak, the students'' eyes were sparkling with excitement. Some of them were even shivering in anticipation, as they waited for the Spirit Emperor to speak. ''Looks like I really should reassess my view of the teachers here...'' Shin made a mental note. Of the three academics that he had met from Imperius Academy, two of them were total maniacs, with Mychael leading the charge as the resident scoundrel. Speaking of the tanned man, he was sitting at the very end of the stage, alongside dozens of teachers of all shapes and sizes. For a brief moment, tanned scoundrel met eyes with Shin, prompting him to flash a sly smile in response. Feeling a shiver run down his spine, Shin opted to leave his gaze from Mychael to examine his future teachers. There was a bulky man that seemed closer to an ogre as compared to a human. There was also a bespectacled scholarly woman in her sixties that gave the impression of a stern professor. With such an array of colourful characters, Shin was confident that the road ahead of him would be an eventful one. "Good morning! Freshmen of the new class, parents and fellow colleagues! I''m Principal Erudito, and today I have the privilege of welcoming the class of freshmen. All of you here are talents that would one day shake the nation, and I feel honoured that you have chosen us to be your education partner for the coming six years. I''ll try to keep my speech as short as possible, so please bear with me for just a few minutes." "*CLAP!* *CLAP!* *CLAP!* *CLAP!* *CLAP!* *CLAP!*." Principal Erudito''s first few words were met with yet another thunderous applause. It was only stopped after the Spirit Emperor raised his hands. "Imperius Academy is undoubtedly one of the Empire''s top schools, but its success doesn''t stem from the facilities that we have or the brilliant staff that we hire. It comes from the sole desire to foster our students the best of their talents! Over your school semester, you will face many challenges, sometimes it might even seem too hard for you to overcome. Nonetheless, I believe in your resilience as the Empire''s top talents, and I have trust that all of you will complete the six years without dropping out." "With that out of the way, let me introduce the faculty that would be responsible for the first years. You will be attending many of their classes so it would be helpful if you could kindly remember their faces." Principal Erudito uttered a playful joke, drawing giggles from many in the hall. "There''s Rank 62 Spirit King Mychael Dryttimria. Mychael stand up please." In one fluid motion, the tanned lanky man stood up from his seat in a proper fashion. His back fully straightened and his poise was as appropriate as could be, forcing Shin to drop his jaw in confusion. ''Who''s that?!'' Shin couldn''t believe his eyes. In just a split second, the scoundrel that he was all too familiar with had turned into a seasoned soldier that knew all the appropriate mannerisms befitting that of an educator that taught in the illustrious Imperius Academy. "Mychael will be in charge of teaching first-year courses pertaining to close-ranged combat. As a former colonel in the army, he has been battle-hardened for years and is one of the best fighters that reside in Imperius Academy. I''m sure he will teach you faithfully on what it means to become one of the strongest fighters there is." At Principal Erudito''s words, Mychael took one fine bow, reaping in breaths of admiration in the process. "Hey, Shin! Isn''t that teacher the one who kicked you just now?" The silver-haired teen sitting beside Shin, Isadore questioned in a curious light. ''Tsssk, why is this guy so nosy?'' Shin mentally blasted Isadore but kept his serene face intact. "I''m sure you''re mistaken." "Huh? But I..." "Isadore, I have never met that person in my life." Shin was still in denial. There was no way that Mychael would look so prim when he was just a foul-mouthed scoundrel. "The next teacher I will introduce is Madam Warulee Leylesron. She''s a Rank 66 Spirit King that specialises in the healing arts. She is the leader of the auxiliary department and would be helping those in the auxiliary course with any troubles that they have. Of course, if those from the combat course would wish to ask anything, I''m sure Warulee would be more than happy to answer your queries." Principal Erudito pointed to the bespectacled scholarly woman, forcing her to put on an amicable smile. Following that, the bronzed-faced man continued to introduce the faculty members one by one. In just a few short moments, Shin had learned all the names of his future teachers and had firmly etched the memory of their faces into his mind. "Alright, as I promised, I''ll end my speech here. Once again, I thank all of you for choosing Imperius Academy. If you should face any problems, feel free to find Vice-Principal Hirda or me in the Principal''s office, and with that, I''ll hand over the stage to our next speaker, the freshmen representative." As the Principal closed his speech, the room broke into a standing ovation, as both students and parents alike applauded the Spirit Emperor. The applause lasted for half a minute as the podium that stood high on the stage remained empty. However, the moment the next speaker step foot onto the scaffold, a chilling silence descended upon Adelcuth Hall. "As expected she came to Imperius Academy..." After a brief moment, soft whispers began to break out from the crowd "Arghhh, how could our son get the valedictorian seat if she is attending his year! This is a scam!" A distressed mother complained to her husband. "Honey, there''s nothing we can do about it¡­ Her talent only comes around once every generation. I''m sure our son can get the salutatorian seat." "Still! Why did the Immortals above send this girl here this year?!" The conversation between the couple caught the attention of Shin, who had lost interest after the Principal''s seat and was busy building sandcastles in the air. "Why''s there such a commotion?" Shin muttered to himself, not expecting an answer. However, since the busybody, Isadore was seated next to him, the young teen received a stunned reply. "You don''t recognise who she is?" Isadore sucked in his breath and watched Shin and the twins with a strange gaze. "If you have lived in the Capital, there''s no way you wouldn''t have heard of her!" "No, we''re not locals. We just came here for school." Emma gently replied. "Oh, no wonder! But still, her fame transcends the Capital, and I was certain that the majority of the Empire knows of the Witch in the South." "She''s the Witch in the South?!" At this point, Shin hurriedly exclaimed. Snapping his head towards the stage, the young teen carefully observed the young teenage girl whose fame surpassed that of many Spirit Kings at such a tender age. Standing at 1.6 metres tall, a young black-haired girl was gracefully walking through the stage and was on her way to the podium where Principal Erudito once stood. She had an hourglass waist, and her complexion boasted an immaculate vanilla hue. Her gorgeous red eyes that shone like rubies of the highest quality flickered in the indoor light, giving her a sense of mystique that was unrecordable by pen and paper. With every step that she took, the crowd felt as if a trail of flowers had bloomed in her wake, causing the majority of them to hold their breaths. As she took her place at the centre of the podium, the young girl adroitly adjusted her jet black hair that was free from any unwanted strands and tucked it firmly behind her ears. In full view of the audience, Shin could now clearly see her exquisite features. Since Lady Seph had reverted back to her younger appearance, Shin had become numb whenever he met a woman of great beauty, as none of them was comparable to the face that he got to see on a daily basis. Yet, as he laid eyes on the gorgeous black-haired beauty, Shin could only gape in awe. Her aristocratic nose and heart-shaped face that seemed to be as small as a fist stood out the most to the young teen as they were the most perfect features that he had ever seen. Even though she was at the age where puberty hit, the young girl''s face was void of any pimples or blemishes and remained as clean as a glass cup. Every time she smiled, her beguiling creamy-white teeth would stun the audience, forcing even the most happily married fathers in the assembly to blush. Her features were so otherworldly that even a sculptor lacked the imagination to chisel a mould in her image. "So you have heard of her!" Isadore proudly asserted. "The Witch of the South, Kanari Saniela. Also known as the Himmel Empire''s future goddess. Born by the Duchess of Highgarden, Kanari was just fourteen when she condensed her Spirit Core, making her one of the youngest Spirit Users in history to do so." "What?! She''s already at the Spirit Core Realm?!" Ella was unable to hide her shock. Even Shin, who was a freak of nature that had awakened a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon, was only at Rank 18. Yet, the black-haired girl that was currently standing on stage had already reached the Spirit Core Realm. "Exactly! Her talent is so terrifying that many common folks in the Kori Federation labelled her as the Witch in the South. Many hypothesise that she would one day become a Spirit Saint, and perhaps even reach the heavens to become the twentieth Spirit Immortal. Due to her immense potential, the Imperial Family had actually placed a large number of resources into grooming her to become a future powerhouse that could defend the nation from the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic. In fact, some say that she has more influence compared to the Royal Princes and Princesses." ''Hoho, this guy is like a handy encyclopedia when it comes to affairs in the Capital huh...'' Shin mentally thought. Almost instantaneously, the value of the silver-haired androgynous male sitting beside him had risen dramatically. ''I could use him to teach us about everything in the Empire.'' "T-That''s crazy¡­ To think that someone like that exists..." Emma muttered out, her voice quivering with every word. Back on Frie Mountain, she believed that Shin and Ariel were perhaps the best talents that the world had ever seen. However, now that she had entered the famous academy, she finally understood that there was always a mountain higher. "Good morning my fellow freshmen! First and foremost, I must thank Principal Erudito and the kind members of the faculty for preparing such a wonderful event for all of us." As Kanari opened her mouth, a sonorous voice, as sweet as the best honey that nature could provide, echoed through the spacious hall, making the spectators fall into a trance-like state. "I am elated to share this morning with all of you, as we begin on our first steps together as freshmen of Imperius Academy. As students, we are here to learn from the best of the best and to better ourselves so that we could become the finest talents that the world has ever seen. As such, I urge you, my fellow freshmen, to keep an open mind as we continue on our learning journey. For our instructors that are all too wise, I hope you would be patient with us as we take our baby steps through the year, and catch us whenever we fall." ''The Witch of the South huh? As expected of Imperius Academy. Alongside the Freak of the Dundlewoods, they are talents that are rarely seen. Not to mention, there are many other strong freshmen this year¡­ Looks like getting the top position would be harder than I thought...'' Shin fell into deep thought as Kanari continued with her speech. All these while, even though he had lacked the combat training needed for someone in the combatant path, Shin always thought that with his superior cultivation level, he could somehow manage to get by. Yet, there stood someone who was much more talented than he was when it came to cultivation. ''To get the benefits of first place, I must become stronger as soon as possible!'' Imperius Academy adopted a meritocracy system when it came to training their students. Those who were exemplary in that year would get various rewards such as one-on-one training sessions, valuable training herbs such as medicinal pills, and even a personal cultivation chamber that was so dense with elemental Spirits that it would even make a Spirit Core cultivator drunk with mana. However, to gain access to the best rewards, the only way was to reach the first place in the cohort. With a competitive gaze, Shin acutely stared at Kanari as she concluded her speech. All around him, the fanatics, especially males, were all cheering and whistling, as she waved goodbye and left the stage. ''I won''t lose!'' Shin obstinately declared as the opening ceremony came to a close. Chapter 216 Orientation Week 4 "Isadore! You''re in the adjacent room?!" Shin exclaimed as he addresses the silver-haired boy who bore a giddy smile that stood next to him. After the opening ceremony, Shin and the twins were separated as the boys and girls were divided and led by seniors of their gender. The seniors were all helpful as they introduced the freshmen to the various facilities that they were about to frequent. The classrooms, the cafeteria, the training hall, the resource hall. Everything that the campus had to offer, the senior would introduce to Shin and the other freshmen. All in all, the tour lasted for a good six hours, due to the sheer size of the campus. There were also many rules and regulations that the seniors had to impart onto the freshmen. Some were more common, such as students of the opposite gender were not allowed to stay in each other''s dorms. Others were somewhat weird, such as the rule that no one was allowed to cross into some areas after dark. During the tour, Isadore stuck to Shin like glue and bombarded him with questions, much to the black-haired youth''s annoyance. However, now that they had entered the dormitory, Shin finally understood why Isadore was so friendly from the first instant that they met. "You didn''t know? The way the seating arrangements that are planned in Adelcuth Hall are organised in a way that those sitting next to you would be your ''buddy'' of some sorts. That''s why we had been assigned to the same seating row, orientation group and are even in adjacent rooms." Isadore gave Shin an incredulous look as if questioning how could someone be so ignorant about the culture of Imperius Academy. "Anyway, we would probably be together for the next six years as well! So please treat me well, partner!" ''Ahhh¡­ So that''s why he hasn''t left my side since the beginning¡­ To think that the Academy would do things this way...'' Shin rubbed his clear chin in thought. "How could I treat you well when you''re not willing to tell me anything about yourself?" Shin mockingly answered the silver-haired boy. "Hiii! Haha, that''s such a nice joke, Shin! Alright, we really should check our rooms!" Evading the question once more, Isadore disappeared from Shin''s sight and quickly made his way into the room next door. "That guy is bizarre¡­ Whatever, it''s not like I want him knowing all my secrets as well." Shin shrugged his shoulders and turned the steel door knob that stood before him. Even before the freshmen were brought to their rooms, their luggage had been delivered to the dorms, and all that they needed to do was unpack their belongings and settle down. The regular dorm rooms that Imperius Academy provides are all rather uniform. A simple woollen bed with a warm, cosy blanket and a fluffy pillow were provided for the student''s sleeping needs. For studying, there''s a classic wooden desk and a nightstand with four drawers. Finally, a minimalist closet was also provided for the students to place their uniforms and casual wear. Even though Imperius Academy was the first choice many children of aristocrats and influential government officials, they were all treated the same when they first enter the illustrious institution. The faculty didn''t believe in giving any one child preferential treatment based on their background. Instead, everything was based on merit. If the student were able to get first place in their year, they would be given a choice to upgrade their rooms to one that was more befitting of their status. While Shin peered around in the empty room, he was once again reminded that everything had begun from ground zero for him. In the past, he just would follow his superior''s orders, whether it was the Instructor or the First Elder. Even when he went to Chilyoja Waypoint, he followed Lady Seph''s instructions and became the youngest healer the world has ever seen; but now, everything has changed for him. Shin was now capable of making his own decisions and was doing precisely that. However, with no guidance came a lack of direction. To forge his own path, he had to be well-learned and had to make sure that there would be no errors in his cultivation. "Everything starts from here. In six years, I will become the strongest Spirit User there is! When that happens, I will return to the Frie Mountain with my head held high. And then, I''ll see you again..." Clenching the amethyst necklace, Shin asserted his vow once more. They say time was the greatest healer of wounds and yet, every time he thought of the scarlet-haired girl that had so tragically perished, Shin felt the pain amplify itself all over again. In fact, the main contributor that kept the young boy pushing through his tireless training was Ariel. "*Knock!* *Knock!*." At this moment, two loud thuds could be heard from Shin''s bedroom door. "Shin? Do you want to get some dinner?" Isadore''s voice echoed in from the hallway. As the first day of orientation week came to a close, the seniors had left the freshmen to do whatever they wanted. Whether it was training or settling into their new environment, the freshmen had the luxury of doing anything they wished to. "Yeah, I''ll be out in a minute," Shin replied the youth. Either way, Shin had promised the twins that he would be meeting them for dinner in the cafeteria the moment they separated. Finishing placing his last garments in the closet, Shin slowly made his way to his door. ~~~ Imperius Academy. The Main Cafeteria. Imperius Academy contained multiple communal areas that students could enjoy a fantastic meal. In fact, each student dormitory included a small mess hall so that students didn''t have to leave the comfort of their homes. However, that became an issue when students of the opposite gender want to meet for a meal. Thus, to circumvent this issue, Shin and the twins all planned to meet up in the Main Cafeteria where they were all allowed to enter. The Main Cafeteria, as its names suggest, is the biggest congregation of food stalls that contained the most extensive variety of cuisines in the entire campus. There were noodle stalls, roasted meat stalls, a bakery, and a plethora of other stores that sold some of the rarest cuisines in the Empire. Naturally, to cater to such a vast diversity of food items, the Main Cafeteria was one of the most enormous buildings on campus. If Shin were to make a comparison, he would say that the Main Cafeteria was as big as the Mayor''s Office back at Chilyoja Waypoint. "Shin! Shin! We''re over here!" While Shin was getting overwhelmed by the sheer size of the building, an adorable feminine voice called out to him. "Emma! Wow, it took me quite some time to find you guys." Shin addressed the purple-haired girl that had come forward to receive him. Behind her, Ella was happily waving her hands while sitting on a four-person table. "Isadore, you''re here as well?" "Haha, am I unwelcomed?" "No! Not at all! In fact, the more, the merrier!" Emma flashed a brilliant smile as she held Shin by his hands and brought him to the table. "Wow, I didn''t think the first person amongst us to get a friend would be Shin!" When the trio reached the table, Ella cracked a sly joke. "Isadore, even though Shin might be a real knucklehead, I hope that you would get along with him in the future." "No worries! I''ll definitely take care of him in the future!" "You guys¡­ Am I some sort of child?" Shin sneered at the conversation that Ella and Isadore had. "Whatever, so how was it on your side? Did you run into any troubles?" The main reason why Shin wanted to meet up with the twins for dinner was to ensure that they had settled down without any disturbances. After all, they were all undocumented orphans that had no relation to anyone in the Capital. Not to mention, they were surrounded by aristocrats and children of wealthy individuals that all bore humongous egos. Shin had even heard stories that discrimination between the classes was rampant in the Capital and had warned the twins multiple times to never state their origins. "None whatsoever. In fact, everyone that we had met was so nice! They introduced us to many places and told us many things!" That''s why when Shin heard Ella''s reply, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. In truth, he didn''t want the twins to join Imperius Academy and had even tried convincing them to pursue a career path that didn''t involve any danger. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, Shin was unable to persuade them and had no choice by to respect their decision. "I ordered some minced meat noodles from that stall. Ermmm, Isadore, I didn''t order your share..." Emma shot the silver-haired boy a remorseful look as if she had caused him a huge injustice. "No, no! I really should buy my own food! Alright, I''ll be right back!" Promptly moving to the array of food stores in front of the table, Isadore proceeded to order his dinner. "Now that the hindrance is out of the way, how was the experience really?" Shin softly whispered to the twins. From the start of the freshmen ceremony till now, the silver-haired boy had never been more than five metres away from Shin, making him theorise that he had some ulterior motives for sticking to Shin like glue. "Haha, to call him a hindrance is a stretch, Shin! But yeah, nothing really happened!" Emma promptly replied. "I was even given a pretty hairpin from one of our seniors! See!" Emma handed over a butterfly-shaped hair fastener that contained some quartz as decorations. Even though to a peasant, a hairpin of this magnitude was at least a week''s worth of salary, to a wealthy daughter, it was like taking a hair off a bison''s fur. "That''s nice of her. But still, remember to be cautious. We can''t let anyone find out about our relationship with Lady Seph. Once that happens, I''m pretty sure chaos would ensue. Not only in the campus but outside in the Capital as well." "We know! Don''t worry!" "HEY!!! STOP RIGHT THERE!!!" While the trio was happily conversing, a thunderous voice boomed through the cafeteria, causing the bustling food hall to freeze into silence. Turning their attention to the direction of the voice, Shin saw a fat and pudgy young teen, pointing his index finger at yet another male teen. "You! I heard that you defeated five Spirit Core cultivators last year! Freak of the Dundlewoods!!!" ''Freak of the Dundlewoods?! He''s here?'' Shin immediately turned his attention to the young teenager that the fat freshman was pointing to. Wearing a stoic expression that was unable to be read, the reddish-brown haired male was merely staring into blank space. Even though he was fifteen this year, he was no more than 150 centimetres tall and seemed to be much younger than his actual age. The light tan that covered his entire body indicated that he had spent hours if not days in the sun prior to coming to the academy. When Shin first laid eyes on the young teen, he thought that there was no way that such a harmless-looking creature could take down five Spirit Core individuals by himself. "Why do people like to call me a freak? I don''t get it..." Lazily retorting the fat student that was shouting at him, the young brown-skinned boy waved his hands, hoping that his aggressor would leave him alone. "Haha, are you looking down on me?! Fine! Let me teach you a lesson about knowing your place!" Stamping his two feet on the ground, the massive youth summoned out a phantom of a rhinoceros, as his muscles that were covered in fat swelled up significantly. "He''s summoning out his Spirit here?! Is that even allowed?!" Shin exclaimed unconsciously. "Of course it is." An unlikely answer came from Shin''s right side, as Isadore, who had disappeared previously, made his way back to the table. "Woah! You scared me!" "Haha, sorry about that. Anyway, in Imperius Academy, fighting is allowed. No... Rather, it''s encouraged that students spar among themselves. As long as there is minimal property damage and both parties don''t take it too far, anyone can fight anyone at any given time." Shin was amazed by this factual tidbit that Isadore had just given him. "What is this? Some lawless zone?" "You could say so¡­ That''s the true nature of Imperius Academy." Letting out a huge sigh, Isadore continued on explaining with a helpless expression. "That guy there is Danroy Frithron. He''s the son of a famous colonel in the army. Naturally, since he''s trained to be the strongest, he believes that he can dominate his competition in the academy. In the past, he had even taken down a Spirit Core fighter by himself. Thus, the fact that the Freak of the Dundlewoods took down five felt extremely insulting to his legacy. He''s most probably challenging the freak because he wants some vindication of his might." ''Wow¡­ He really knows a lot¡­'' Shin was amazed by Isadore''s extensive knowledge bank once more. ''I wonder where he comes from¡­ Whatever, I should just leave some stones unturned¡­ Let''s just see how the Freak of the Dundlewoods fight.'' "Hah¡­ Why are you so stubborn? Can''t you leave me alone?" Clearly not excited in the slightest for a fight, the brownish-red haired boy shook his head in disapproval. "Come on! Fight me like a man!" Not wishing to waste a single moment, Danroy crouched down into a kneeling position before charging forward like a rabid animal. A grey light created a form of a lunging rhinoceros head and encompassed the obese teenager, allowing him to move at a speed that even Shin couldn''t trace accurately with his eyes. "Why did I even agree to enter this school¡­ I was so happy in the forest..." A defeated sigh escaped the lips of the young teen as he merely raised his right hand. Almost instantly, a gorgeous, divine tree phantom enveloped the youth as the humidity in the room shot up rapidly. Closing his fist, the Freak of the Dundlewoods summoned out hundreds of vines that intertwined with Danroy''s body, instantly forcing him to release his Spirit. "T-This! My mana is being sealed?!" "Hah¡­ As I said, you should have left me alone..." Flicking his finger in the air, the petite young boy sent a thick vine and viciously struck at the back of Danroy''s neck, instantly knocking him out. "He¡­ Knocked out Danroy in less than five seconds?!" Isadore exclaimed in shock. Danroy Frithron was by no means a weak individual. Even though he talked a big game, he usually has the power to back that talk up. Yet, when facing a teen that seemed to be much weaker than himself, the famous rhinoceros wonder kid was done in within seconds. "I really shouldn''t have come here..." Once his work was done, the Freak of the Dundlewoods released his Spirit and walked away from all the curious eyes that were on him. "Shin¡­ Where the hell have we stepped into?" Ella watched the fight with widened eyes. The Witch in the South and the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Both of them were the same age as Shin and the twins, but yet, they were far superior. "..." Shin''s gaze traced the brownish-red haired boy as he left the canteen to get away from the situation. ''Compared to the other freshmen, Shin you''re still too weak...'' Principal Erudito''s words repeated themselves once more in Shin''s head, and it had become increasingly apparent that the black-haired youth was still too weak to be facing any of the other freshmen. In fact, Shin was unsure if he could take on Danroy''s charge head-on, let alone the Freak of the Dundlewoods. "Let''s just finish our meal..." With no words to spare, Shin suggested that the group finish the minced meat noodles that had started to gone cold. During that dinner, no one uttered a single word. Chapter 217 The School Year Begins 1 The commotion surrounding the Main Cafeteria quietened down as quickly as it was brought up. Danroy Frithron was carried out by his friends while the Freak of the Dundlewoods disappeared from sight. The most surprising aspect of the short battle was that there were no consequences that fell upon the two youths. Neither of them was punished or even reprimanded for summoning out their Spirits in a public setting. The only outcome that had come out was the fact that the Freak of the Dundlewoods had solidified his place as one of the top contenders for first place among the entire cohort. The following few days of the orientation week was rather uneventful. Shin and the twins had confirmed their school lesson schedule and were delivered the relevant resources by the faculty. Since they were in the combat course, over eighty per cent of their modules all centred around practical combat, such as basic hand-to-hand fighting techniques. Naturally, since the twins had awakened the Ice Bow Spirits, they had a mandatory class about long-ranged combat, something that Shin had lacked in his timetable. However, the one thing that they all had in common was the water-elemental cultivation class. Being the studious information sponge that he was, Shin had spent orientation week reading through every single textbook given to him so that he could prepare himself for the school year ahead. Compared to learning the complexities about the healing path, the freshmen literature was something that Shin could easily ace with one of his eyes closed. Thus, five days into the orientation week, the black-haired youth had already memorised all the theoretical aspects of his course to an expert degree. In fact, Shin was confident that he would be able to score full marks on any test that the academy might throw at him. Yet, the young prodigy still wasn''t satisfied. During the first day of orientation week, he had witnessed two of the strongest freshmen in his year and became well aware of the vast disparity that existed between them. Even though Shin was at Rank 18, he was still much weaker compared to those monsters that dominated anyone who was placed before them. Every night, he would take laps around his dormitory and cultivate without rest, just so that he could have a slight edge when the school year starts. And now that he had mastered the academic side of the curriculum, he could focus all of his efforts into improving his physical state. The twins, on the other hand, didn''t take such a hardcore approach. Perhaps it was because they were beautiful girls, there were many students, boys and girls alike, that wished to befriend them. Emma''s soft and feminine allure made her seem to be extremely approachable while Ella''s sharp and robust demeanour gave the impression that she was a dependable person. In just a matter of one week, the twins had already befriended everyone in their dorm and were acquaintances with a large portion of the boys. With Shin being cropped up in his room, he barely was able to make any friends, with Isadore being his only contact due to how close their rooms were. While the rest of the freshmen, including Isadore, had formed many close bonds and social cliques, Shin was left alone because of his antisocial first week. Which leads to the situation of the first class of the school year¡­ ''Arghhh, I shouldn''t have stayed in my room last week!!!'' Shin mentally screamed out as he sat in the corner of the room of his homeroom class. Although each student had differing classes to attend, all pupils had a homeroom class in their curriculum, which was typically the first lesson of the week. There, students could take some time to communicate with their homeroom teacher about their troubles in studies and simply discuss the matters around the school. For some odd reason, all of Shin''s acquaintances were in a separate class, leaving Shin to deal with the sea of freshmen that had already created their own social groups. Not to mention¡­ ''Why am I in the same homeroom class as so many famous individuals?!'' Glancing around the spacious study hall, Shin could spot many recognisable faces. Firstly, there was the all too famous Freak of the Dundlewoods, who had already found a comfortable location to nap his hours away. His eyes were shut tight, and he was far away from any of the other students, just like Shin, hinting to the fact that he was not part of any group yet as well. Secondly, there was a brawny tall man, who seemed nothing like a fifteen-year-old sitting at the back of the class with a group of adolescent boys flocking his desk, making them look like servants attending their young master. His chiselled face that seemed to lack even the slightest bit of fat and the muscles that were bulging out from his way too tight robes made him look incredibly fit and robust. Naturally, with the walking encyclopedia that was Isadore constantly narrating by his side, Shin had come to recognise all the famous faces that graced the freshmen year. The sinewy, sunburnt man was the eldest son of Lieutenant General Mathias, one of the top military personnel in the country. Coming from a lineage of generals, Suji Lasgeor was by far, the latest talent in the Lasgeor family. The next prominent individual in the room was the youthful and cheery girl that was bouncing from clique to clique. Her pure white hair that differed from the norm, made her stand out from the crowd and her rosy cheeks made the girl a joy to be around. Once again, through the helpful encyclopedia, which for some reason happened to enter the same homeroom class as the twins, Shin was immediately able to discern her identity. Daughter of the affluent Terlus Zedcris, Elrin Zedcris was literally born with a silver spoon in her mouth, with her first taste of milk being fed to her using a Mythic Armament that was shaped like a spoon. Using the blessing that had been granted to her, she cultivated at an exponential rate once she awakened her Spirit, and had become one of the most talented children amongst the new generation of Spirit Users. Finally, there was the black-haired and ruby-coloured eyes beauty that all the males in the Empire lusted for. The Witch of the South, Kanari Saniela, was sitting within a horde of students that hoped to etch their names firmly into her memory. Her friendly smile that was unlike her status made Kanari seem much more approachable as compared to a regular aristocrat. ''Did they gather all of the most prominent figures into one class?!'' Shin felt an immense headache forming in the depths of his brain. In fact, the regular students that didn''t have monikers given to them were not small fry. Eavesdropping on their conversations, Shin could determine that many of them were children of nobility or talented individuals that the academy had scouted. And just when Shin thought that his school life had begun with a despondent start... "Alright maggots! Take your seats, I''m going to start the lesson!" Entering the room with a miserable yet irritable face, a tanned lanky man grimaced while bellowing out. ''Arghhh, fuck! Of course, that asshole is my homeroom teacher!'' Shin felt his headache intensifying as he recognised the scoundrel that stood at the front of the room. With ''honourable'' intentions, Principal Erudito had assigned Mychael, who had been teaching Shin for the past four months to become the young man''s homeroom teacher. Naturally, there was some pushback by the faculty of having Mychael mentor such a distinguished group of students, but it was all hushed by the bronzed-face scholar. "..." The moment Mychael entered the room, the entire class fell into silence. Many of the students were squinting their eyes in discontent, and even the infamous Witch of the South couldn''t hide her displeasure. Evidently, the scoundrel''s reputation precedes himself. "So you sons of bitches are part of this year''s Star Class huh¡­" Mychael gave a brief scan of the room and identified all of the famous names in the class. The elegant but slack jawed Witch of the South, the hefty-sized behemoth Suji Lasgeor, the adorable creature that was named the Freak of the Dundlewoods and even perhaps the most prosperous daughter in the entire Capital. All of those individuals were people that would go on to do big things for the Empire. Yet, Mychael''s undivided attention lay on the black-haired youth that had managed to drag him down from the position of the Chief Instructor of the fourth-years to homeroom teacher of the notorious bunch of freshmen. "To start off, some introductions are required. My name is Mychael Dryttimria! I will be your homeroom teacher for the next six years¡­ Unfortunately..." Spitting out a mouthful of saliva, the tanned skin scoundrel scowled in annoyance. "As many of you know, the homeroom classes for each year follows a hierarchical structure. The ones who barely passed the entrance requirements are assigned to the common classes. Those that are above average would be allotted to the Elite Classes, while those who are the top talents of the cohort are brought to this class¡­ The Star Class." ''I didn''t know that!'' Shin mentally retorted. Now he was finally aware of why he was surrounded by the best of the best in the academy. "Members of the Star Class are expected to become some of the best figures the Empire has ever seen. Many of your alumni had made a mark for themselves in the illustrious history of the Himmel Empire. Some have become exemplary warriors in the battlefield that tear through battalion after battalion." While Mychael said those words, he shot an annoyed look at Shin''s direction. "Some have gone on to become generals that could lead an army into a thousand victories." This time, he fervently stared Suji down. "Some have even become great powerhouses that defend the Empire from their foes." Changing his sights to the sleeping Freak of the Dundlewoods, Mychael let out one final sigh. "And some¡­ Have reached a threshold that no mere Spirit User could pass... They became Spirit Saints." Stopping his speech in the direction of Kanari''s seat, Mychael forced the usually amicable black-haired beauty to jerk slightly. "So I hope that you guys live up to your reputation as those in the Star Class. If you are not up to par, at the end of each year, someone from the Elite Class might take your place. For your own benefit, I hope that you don''t become complacent because of your current talents. Imperius Academy houses some of the best talents that the Empire has. Just one slip-up and your status as a member of the Star Class would be in serious jeopardy." Ending his sermon with a bitter warning, the lanky man sat on the teacher''s table and started his next topic for the day. "Self-introductions! Since all of you are going to become classmates for the next year, the least you could do is remember everyone''s name. When I call out your name, stand up and give a short introduction of yourself." "Teacher! What do you mean by short introduction?" A curious student raised her hand to ask. "Hmmm, how about this? State your name, which course you''re in, and obviously..." At that moment, Mychael shot a sinister smile down Shin''s direction, sending a cold shiver to run down the black-haired youth''s spine. "What cultivation level you''re currently at." ''That asshole!'' Shin mentally cursed the scoundrel vehemently when he heard his words. In Imperius Academy, the strong were targeted, and the weak were preyed on. Even though Shin had one of the highest cultivation levels in the room, he was undoubtedly weaker than many of the combat-oriented Spirit Users. Especially after witnessing the ''fight'' between the Freak of the Dundlewoods and Danroy, Shin didn''t want a horde of fame-hungry freshmen, trying to obtain a win over him when he was still too weak. "Of course, don''t you dare lie. I know all of your cultivation levels so I''ll call you out." Not giving Shin even a semblance of hope, Mychael wore a malevolent grin, as he waited for the black-haired youth the self-destruct so that he could have his petty vengeance. ''Arghhh!!! This fucker will be the death of me!'' Chapter 218 The School Year Begins 2 "My name is Alan Sherman, I am the third son of the Sherman Fiefdom in the east! I am in the auxiliary course, and I''m currently at Rank 14." An average-looking teenager clearly properly introduced himself, showing the aristocratic training that he had been receiving since he was younger. ''Yet another Rank 14? Seems like the minimum standard for a student to enter into the Star Class is Rank 14...'' Shin theorised after hearing the third classmate introduce himself. Imperius Academy prided itself for having a meritocratic system in play, and the best way to sort the freshmen was according to their cultivation levels. Of course, cultivation levels were not the main determining factor for a student''s placing in a better class. Once the year was over, there will be many students from the Star Class dropping into the Elite Classes and many talented students from the Elite Classes rising into the Star Class. ''But honestly¡­ So many Rank 14 fifteen-year-olds congregated in one place is quite the anomaly¡­ Imperius Academy really is something else.'' Shin was once again shell-shocked by the talents that surrounded him. In the regular cultivation world outside of the academy, just one Rank 14 fifteen-year-old would be hailed as a wonder kid and would be given all the resources that his or her family could possibly obtain. Yet, there were thirty plus students here that had all passed that threshold. "Next person¡­ Danroy Frithron!" While Shin was lost in thought, over half of the class had already introduced themselves in an orderly manner, and Mychael called out the next name. Pushing his wooden chair backwards while he stood up, a pudgy teenager, who had dark rings surrounding his eyes, aggressively glared at the brownish-red haired boy that was sleeping in one corner. Danroy Frithron, after he got thoroughly smashed by the Freak of the Dundlewoods, was forced to eat his humiliation and had barely slept a wink since the first day of orientation. "My name is Danroy Frithron! My father is Colonel Nathan Frithron! The Hero of the battle for Kaelriel! I am in the combat course, and I am at Rank 15! One day, I''ll become the strongest general that the Empire has ever seen! Mark my words, I have already defeated a Spirit Core cultivator in an open battle! Furthermore..." "Oh, shut the fuck up!" Unable to tolerate Danroy''s constant yapping Mychael threw a piece of chalk that was infused with his mana. To the view of the rest of the class, a white light that travelled faster than the human eye could follow whizzed through the room and landed straight in the middle of Danroy''s eyebrows. "Owowow..." Immediately squatting down in pain, the pudgy youth rubbed his forehead while the rest of his friends turned a blind eye to his ordeal. Even the ''leader'' of his group, Suji Lasgeor, didn''t care that his childhood friend had been assaulted by his homeroom teacher. In fact, he was secretly snickering at the plight of the overly-confident Danroy. Since young, their families had been extraordinarily close and Suji and Danroy had been bosom pals essentially since they were conceived in the womb. With their talents being somewhat similar, Danroy believed that he was Suji''s lifetime rival and the two had always competed on who had the better cultivation level. Naturally, with Suji''s family being the more prominent of the two, the muscular teen that didn''t seem to fit in with the freshmen always had the slight edge due to the immense amount of resources that were devoted to him. "Listen, brats!!! I asked for an introduction, not some long-winded commander''s speech! If any of you fuckers follow that piglet''s example, I won''t be courteous! Do you understand me?!" "Yes, sir!" Immediately turning into military mode, the students promptly replied Mychael. "Good, next!" Ignoring the scowling Danroy, who was still rolling on the floor, Mychael called out the next name. Bit by bit, the students introduced themselves, giving Shin the necessary information he needed about the Star Class. And soon, it became increasingly clear the youth that Mychael''s order of name-calling had a logic to it. He was going from the student who had the lowest cultivation level to the student with the highest. The overwhelming majority of those in the Star Class were all at Rank 14. Some talented few, such as Danroy Frithron had reached Rank 15 and Mychael had yet to call out those that were above Rank 15. Soon, only five individuals were left. The students in the Star Class were not morons. After they deciphered the code, they immediately turned their attention to the remaining five. Among them, four were known faces with a rich background account in the investigative books that were sold on the black market. However, there was just one black-haired boy, whose azure eyes resembled that of an ancient lake, that remained as an enigma. With that, Shin became a focal point of attention for the entire class, without him even doing anything. ''There goes my plans to lay low for the first year...'' Shin sighed mentally as he menacingly stared at the gloating Mychael. He knew that he would eventually be put into the spotlight as he was aiming for the top place in the cohort, but he didn''t expect it to be so soon. Shin had planned to slowly build up his strength over the year, and when the finals came around, he would unleash all of his might; but due to the frivolous tanned skin scoundrel, Shin had to prematurely throw away those plans. "Elrin Zedcris. You''re up!" Unfortunately for Shin, Mychael hardly cared about his feelings. All the scoundrel wanted was revenge for having his beloved Mimi taken away from him just as he was about to enter heaven. "Hi, there! My name is Elrin Zedcris! Some of you may know me as the Silver Spoon!" The cheerful white-haired girl stood up and shamelessly referred to herself by her nickname. "I''m currently in the auxiliary course and my cultivation is at Rank 16. My father is Terlus Zedcris, owner of the Zedcris Conglomerate. So, if you need anything, feel free to go to any of our family''s shops! I''ll offer you a discounted price since you guys are my precious classmates!" Somewhere along her introduction, Elrin had added a sales pitch, so that caused many of the students in the room to drop their jaws. Getting a discount from Zedcris was notoriously difficult, and yet, Elrin was offering a deal for all of the students in the Star Class. "Of course, our beloved and mighty teacher is also entitled to a discount!" Striking the final blow, the tactician that was Elrin adorably winked at Mychael. "Hoho¡­ I see that you have a bright future ahead of yourself young lass¡­ I''m sure that you would go on to do great things with the Star Class." Nodding his head in approval, the tanned-skin scoundrel praised the white-haired girl, causing the rest of the class to roll their eyes in annoyance. In the end, everything boiled down to money for the infamous Mychael Dryttimria. "Hmmm, next is¡­ Suji Lasgeor! Introduce yourself!" Once Mychael called out the next name, soft murmurs broke out within the class. "That black-haired boy has a higher cultivation level than the Silver Spoon and the Son of War?!" "Who the hell is this guy? Why haven''t we heard of him?" "Black hair with azure coloured eyes¡­ Were there any noble houses with those characteristics?" "Not that I know off¡­ Maybe he''s a monstrously talented commoner?" Many of the students had begun to speculate where Shin had come from as a large portion of the stares in the room landed on the young teen, who was trying his hardest to stay aloof. At that point, even the famous individuals in the class had started to search the recesses of their memory to find clues of Shin''s prospective identity. Even the tranquil Witch of the South, Kanari Saniela, couldn''t help but send an inquisitive gaze down the black-haired youth''s direction. ''Oh my god¡­ What did I do to deserve this?!'' Although his exterior remained placid, Shin''s mindset was currently at a mess. "My name is Suji Lasgeor¡­ I come from the Lasgeor family, I''m in the combat course, and I''m in the Rank 16 Spirit Apostle Realm..." Succinctly stating the main points, the muscular man cooly sat down and folded his arms. ''That''s it?! Speak for a while longer! Give me some more time for me to prepare my heart!'' Shin mentally screamed out. "Okay. Next is¡­ Shizen Dundlewoods. Wait, seriously? You named yourself after the Dundlewoods?" For the first time ever, Mychael revealed the Freak of the Dundlewoods real name. Squinting his eyes to ensure that he read the name right, the tanned man shook his head in disapproval before realising that the petite teen was still fast asleep. "Such a pain¡­ HEY FREAK!!! WAKE UP!!!" Channelling his mana into his voice box, Mychael''s bellow caused the ground the shake and forced many of students to cover their ears. Instantly jerking the young boy awake, Shizen Dundlewood sat up straight as a transparent line of drool dripped from his mouth and onto the ground. "Wha¡­ What?" Confused about what had happened, the reddish-brown haired boy turned his head left and right, hoping to get some answers about why he was so rudely awakened. "Hey, Shizen. Introduce yourself. Tell the class your name, course and cultivation level." "Ahhh! It''s the ape that poops on the ground!" "Who are you calling an ape? HARGH?! Want to gain another lump on your head you asshole?!" Oddly enough, Mychael didn''t deny the fact that he had defecated in an uncultured manner, leaving many of the students hard at work, trying to hide their chortles. "The ape is mean¡­ Whatever¡­ My name is Shizen Dundlewoods! I''m in the combat course, and I''m currently at Rank 17! That''s all! Can I go back to sleep now?" "Shut it! No more sleeping in my class! Just because I was kind to you doesn''t mean you can abuse my compassion!" "What?!" Shizen screamed out in indignation as he puffed his cheeks out like a frenzied squirrel. "..." Shin was utterly speechless at the interaction that Mychael had shared with the so-called Freak of the Dundlewoods. Unlike his mighty and insurmountable demeanour that he possessed when he floored Danroy with one hit, Shizen''s current behaviour seemed to resemble that of a spoilt child. ''But as expected¡­ The number of students in the Star Class that are in the combat course is astonishing.'' Shin observed. Of all the students that had introduced themselves, only a third were in the auxiliary course. The rest were all hardcore members of the combat course. Worried that the competition would be too fierce, Shin bit his lip in contemplation. While he was still trying to wrap his head around the Shizen situation, he felt many stares landing on his body as Shin quickly realised that he had become the centre of attention. With the majority of the class already introducing themselves, there were only two individuals left. The illustrious Witch of the South, whose face and name was recognisable all around the Empire, and the unknown black-haired boy that no one had heard about. "His cultivation level is even higher than the Freak of the Dundlewoods?!" One whisper by a student was caught by Shin''s ear. Initially, everyone in the academy assumed that the top two positions of the cohort would be going to the Freak of the Dundlewoods and the Witch of the South. After all, their names were the most famous and their deeds were known by many in the Empire. Yet, there was a mysterious black-haired boy that surpassed the Freak and could perhaps challenge for the throne that the Kanari was expected to sit on. "Now for the next person..." Mychael flashed a sinister grin as he stared deep into Shin''s soul. When their eyes met, Shin felt that he could read the tanned-skin scoundrel''s thoughts and vice-versa. ''You asshole! You set me up!'' ''Serves you right! Let me give you hell!'' Naturally, the two didn''t possess a Mind-elemental Spirit that could connect their thoughts, but somehow, Shin and Mychael were able to communicate telepathically. "Shin Iofiel! Stand up and introduce yourself!" Shin and the other orphans lacked any last names due to the nature of their departure from the Frie Clan. Furthermore, they couldn''t use their real last names, Awter, in fear that the Black Masks would identify their identity and launch yet another attempt to kidnap them. Therefore, Lady Seph came up with an idea. Although the orphans couldn''t take her last name, as it was way too famous and anyone with half a brain would recognise it, Lady Seph would give them a made-up last name that didn''t exist anywhere in the database of the Empire. Therefore, Shin was given the surname of Iofiel, named after the Iofiel Angel that Lady Seph possesses. Even though her last name was well known, not many people would be able to recognise the name of the Iofiel Angel unless they were hardcore Lady Seph fans. ''Looks like I can''t hide it anymore...'' Sighing internally, Shin stood up and firmly returned the stares of the numerous curious students. Among them, the white-haired beauty, Elrin Zedcris, watched on with an earnest stare. Suji Lasgeor, the block of muscles, squinted his eyes in preparation for his future competition. The Freak of the Dundlewoods, Shizen Dundlewoods yawned out loud and the Empire''s number one beauty, Kanari Saniela was intrigued by the prospect of someone her age reaching her cultivation level. "My name is Shin Iofiel. I am a commoner that has the privilege to enter the combat course, and I''m..." Shin unknowingly paused mid-sentence. Not because he was hoping for a dramatic effect, but it because the words were truly stuck in his throat. He knew that once he let the cat out of the bag, a mountain of troubles would just pile up for him. "I''m Rank 18..." "*Gasp!*." The class uniformly drew a breath sharply as Shin revealed his cultivation level. "He''s really stronger than the Freak of the Dundlewoods?!" "Well, at least he still hasn''t formed his Spirit Core. Otherwise, Kanari would be in for a tough fight." Various voices, some shocked, some relieved, were echoing throughout the classroom as a small commotion began. "Okay! Settle down! There''s still one more person that has yet to introduce herself!" Clapping his hands to quieten down the class, Mychael shot a triumphant look at Shin, as if he had just avenged his entire family''s murder. "Kanari, you know what to do." After Shin''s introduction, Mychael lost interest and opted to finish the homeroom session in one go. "Good day, my fellow classmates. My name is Kanari Saniela. I''m the eldest daughter of the Duchess of Highgarden I am attending the combat course. By the good fortunes granted to me by my family, I have reached the Spirit Core Realm and am currently at Rank 21. I might be lacking, but I hope to have a wonderful year alongside all of you." Giving an elegant bow that made many of the boys blush, the Witch of the South concluded her introduction, and gracefully took her seat. "Alright, you maggots! Now that you know your classmates, I hope that you can get along well! In the future, during the interclass competitions, knowing your classmates'' strengths and weaknesses will earn you a significant advantage! Okay, homeroom''s over! Go fuck off to your next class!" Stepping out of the room as quickly as he came in, Mychael left Shin alone in the room with a pack of curious gazes. ''What am I to do with this situation.'' Chapter 219 The School Year Begins 3 News of the Star Class having a new talented student, that had been under the radar of all investigative journalists, spread around the school like a wildfire in a dry forest. In just the first two hours after Shin''s introduction, the entire campus had heard of the mysterious black-haired, azure-coloured eyes boy, who had already reached Rank 18 and had surpassed the Silver Spoon, Son of War and the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Furthermore, since Shin was extremely close to entering the Spirit Core Realm, many began to speculate that the new wonder kid would threaten the Witch of the South''s throne as the number one student among the monster generation of freshmen. "Where did this Shin Iofiel come from?! Why haven''t we heard of him?" One student from Elite Class A thought out loud. "They say that he''s a commoner that Principal Erudito picked up, and he has never made himself known before entering the academy. That''s why no one has ever heard of him." "No wonder¡­ Hey, do you think that he''s capable of challenging Kanari for the top spot in the academy?" "Impossible! Kanari is the goddess of the Himmel Empire! With all the resources given to her by the Highgarden Duchy, there''s no way that any commoner could possibly hope to keep up with her cultivation level!" Many students started to talk among themselves as the news about Shin became more and more widespread. In fact, a cursory sketch of Shin''s features had already begun to hit the black market, showing the efficiency of the information peddlers in Imperius Academy. "Emma¡­ Looks like Shin is already famous..." While the whole cohort was in chaos, two purple-haired youthful girls were watching the entire ordeal with a tinge of helplessness. Even though they had expected their brother to become the talk of the school, they didn''t expect it to come this early. "There''s no helping it. Shin''s cultivation level is something that all students would be wary of¡­ I''m just worried about the fight challenges that might come his way in the future." Emma shook her head in angst. Shin was strong, there was no question about that. However, compared to the monsters such as Shizen Dundlewoods or Suji Lasgeor, who had been training in the combatant path since they were born, Shin was still much too inferior. "Ella! Emma! You didn''t tell me that Shin was currently at Rank 18!" Just as they were lost in their conversation, a frantic voice called out to the twins. Standing right before them, a silver-haired boy, that seemed to be playing with the borderline of the genders due to his androgynous features, puffed his cheeks in anger as he addressed the two young girls. Isadore had prided himself with being one of the best information gatherers in the academy. Before he entered the school, the young boy had done his research on nearly every notable figure that might be of importance. Yet, he was ignorant of the fact that his very own ''buddy'' was ranked number two in the entire freshmen year. "You''re angry about that?" Ella raised her left eyebrow in shock as she stared down the silver-haired boy. "Of course I am! Arghhh, whatever... At least I know now. So, I''m expecting that Shin''s quite the prodigious talent huh? I really wonder where the three of you came from..." Being in Elite Class A, every single one of the students here were at Rank 13, with a few exceptions. Thus, when the twins and Isadore were placed in the same class, it came as quite a surprise to all of them. Even though they had met one another on the first day, they never would have expected that they were all in the Rank 13 Spirit Apostle Realm. "Why don''t you tell us about yourself before you try and probe into our lives, Isadore?" Ella sharply retorted. Just like how the orphans didn''t want to reveal too much about themselves, the silver-haired boy had the same intentions. Up till this day, the twins and Shin knew next to nothing about Isadore. They didn''t know where he came from, what Spirit he possessed or even whether he was truly a male. To the orphans, Isadore was just an enigma that they could only marvel in wonder every time they met him. "Haha, you quite the jester, Ella! Fine, fine I get it! I''ll just let sleeping dogs lie..." Realising that he couldn''t gain any new information from the twins, Isadore promptly retreated, leaving the twins alone with one another once more. "That guy¡­ Hah¡­ Whatever, he''s not doing us any harm..." Ella scoffed. "I''m worried about Shin though¡­ Should we check in on him?" Emma suggested to her beloved sister. "Honestly, there''s not much that we could do anyway. The people that would challenge him are all more powerful than us..." "But still!" "I know. We should at least be there..." Even though Ella seemed to be nonchalant about Shin''s predicament, her tapping feet and shivering shoulders suggested otherwise. When Emma noticed the physiological changes that her twin sister was going through, a warm smile crept up her face. "Hehehe! Ella, you''re so adorable!" Bringing her sister''s flushed face into her bosom, Emma played with her ponytail. "H-Hey! Emma! Let go of me!" "Not gonna!~." "Emma!" ~~~ While the twins were happily enjoying each other''s company, their fellow orphan, Shin was currently producing buckets of cold sweat as he was sitting through his lesson regarding spiritual tools. At the very front of the class, a bespectacled man, possibly in his early thirties, had written a large amount of information on the blackboard. Since it was an introductory class, the professor had intended to teach the most basic material that he had. However, that, in turn, meant that the students had the luxury of letting their minds wander due to how simplistic the topic was. And when they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted, they all turned their attention to the black-haired youth that had caused a significant uproar in the academy. "Is that him?" "Yeah, it is!" "He looks rather refined for a commoner!" Just like before, Shin was seated all alone in one corner, due to his unwillingness to socialise during the orientation week. Yet, even though he had no one to talk to, everyone in the classroom was talking about him. As much as Shin wished to focus on the intriguing class that taught its students about how to use spiritual tools, it was kind of hard to give all his attention to the professor that was hard at work when there were dozens of eyes glued onto his body. "Spiritual tools are everywhere in the modern world. By directly supplying the tools with mana produced from the Spirit User, the..." For some reason, the bespectacled professor remained oblivious to the fact that he had lost the attention of half of his class and continued on his rudimentary explanation about his subject. "Spiritual tools are divided into several grades. Elementary-grade, intermediate-grade, expert-grade, unique-grade, legendary-grade, mythic-grade and finally, immortal-grade. Each grade is determined by who crafted the tool, what utility it provides and a plethora of other reasons." The main reason why Shin had chosen this course as one of his core subjects, was precisely due to the fact that it could teach him how to utilise spiritual tools or in his case, spiritual armaments that could bolster his effectiveness in battle. After training with Mychael for the past four months, Shin came to realise that for him to breach the gap between himself and the other monsters in the freshmen year, he must come to accept the fact that he had to use spiritual armaments that could boost his attack power. As its name suggests, spiritual armaments were weapons of war that dramatically enhances the Spirit User''s capability in battle, whether it was mana regeneration, an increase in attack power or an impregnable defence that no spiritual ability could penetrate. In fact, the whole reason why Enfen Frie was able to fight off Malgen from the Black Masks was precisely due to her Mythic Armament that she had bought from one of the country''s most excellent craftsmen. For many Spirit Users that were combat oriented, using spiritual armaments was common, and the fact that Shin lacked any experience using them placed him at a severe disadvantage. Although Shin had studied extensively about the subject, even before the academic year began, he was still lacking in practical knowledge and hoped to learn directly from the best teachers that the Empire has to offer. Yet, he was unable to focus in class due to the various gazes sent his way. In fact, from the other side of the room, Shin could see that the notorious Witch of the South was also staring him down. ''God damn it!!! It''s all that asshole''s fault! Maybe I should tell Principal Erudito about every single curse Mychael had said about him.'' Shin hatched a sinister plot to bring down the tanned scoundrel that had placed him in this predicament. "I know many of you are interested in the spiritual tools due to how potent spiritual armaments are. However, there''s more to spiritual tools than weapons of war. For instance, Spirit Immortal Hippocrates once used his acupuncture needle set to heal thousands of terminally ill patients in one go. Additionally, the Blacksmiths Alliance would pay good money for a refined welding hammer." Further explaining that his class wouldn''t be focusing on just spiritual armaments, the professor made sure that his class was crystal clear about his teaching methods. ''So that explains why there are so little people interested in this class...'' Shin looked around the lecture hall and was unable to spot the numerous famous faces that were present in the Star Class. Other than the Witch of the South, Kanari Saniela, there was no one else that Shin could recognise in this class. Suji and Danroy, who were more interested in strengthening their own Spirits, disdained the usage of spiritual armaments as they felt that it would dull their raw combat abilities. Shizen Dundlewoods was probably not interested in a class where so much brain power was required and Elrin Zedcris most likely already had a heap of Mythic Armaments lying at home. "Any questions?" Before he finished his lecture, the professor hoped to engage his students to the best of his ability. "Professor Quinn?" Shin raised his hands to ask the only question that plagued him since he had finished all the readings required for the module. "Yes? Ermmm, Shin Iofiel right?" "Yeah¡­ That''s me." Shin apprehensively watched as his surroundings started to become rowdier. Although he hated to be in the limelight, Shin still wanted to receive an answer to his query. "What''s your question?" "Professor Quinn¡­ Where does one obtain spiritual tools in the campus?" Shin boldly asked. The young teen''s initial plan was to learn as much as he could about using spiritual armaments before running to the commercial district in the Capital to order a blacksmith to forge something for his own personal use. However, after Mychael forced him to reveal his cultivation level, Shin was forced to make a drastic change of plans. "Hmmm, that''s actually an excellent question." Rubbing his chin, the bespectacled man praised Shin''s inquiry. "Typically, first years are not allowed to acquire a spiritual tool, but there are some exceptional cases¡­ How about this? I will reward an elementary-grade spirit tool to whoever scores the highest for my mid-year test!" Imperius Academy follows a meritocratic system where the best students were given the best rewards. Following that tradition, Professor Quinn opted to give his class an incentive to work harder. "Oh! The black-haired genius has sweet-talked the professor!" One student exclaimed under his breath. "What kind of Spirit does he has?! To mind-bend the teacher''s thoughts?!" Another speculated on the nature of Shin''s Spirit. Evidently, now that a new celebrity had been birthed, the numerous students wanted to find out as much information as they possibly could about Shin. ''What sweet-talk?! All I did was ask a question?!'' Shin felt wronged by all of his classmates'' speculations and unwillingly dropped his head to hide his facial expression. As the bell rung signalling the end of the morning classes, Shin waited for his classmates to leave the room before he made his escape and rendezvous with the twins. Unfortunately, fate wouldn''t leave him alone that easily. "Hello, classmate Shin. Could you spare some time to eat lunch with me?" At that moment, a sweet honeyed voice, that seemed to come straight from the heavens itself, called out to Shin while he had his head laid out on the table. "K-Kanari Saniela?!" Glancing up, Shin was greeted by a gorgeous black-haired beauty, whose charm surpassed that of his Master in her younger appearance. The Witch of the South, someone that Shin had never crossed in his life, was currently wearing a friendly smile as she asked for a little bit of his time. "Kanari is asking the black-haired genius out?! The number one and number two in the school are going to clash?!" One of the students exclaimed. "There can''t be two tigers in one cave after all! Perhaps we get to see Kanari fight on the first day of school!" ''Oh shut the hell up you commentators!'' Shin mentally screamed out in his head. "Why are you asking me?" "There''s something I want to confirm. I would appreciate it if you would accept..." Realising that the direct approach won''t work on Shin, the black-haired goddess switched her tactics and was honest about her intentions. "I see¡­ Fine, there''s something I want to know as well." Shin stood up from his chair and stared the young woman straight in the eyes. Even though they were of different genders, Shin was merely two centimetres taller than Kanari, making eye contact between the two much more natural. Taken aback about how forefront Shin was being, Kanari slightly jerked backwards. It has been a long time since anyone had dared to stare her straight in the eyes, causing her curiosity for Shin to peak to another level. "Thank you for accepting. If you would follow me." Without beating around the bush, Kanari turned her heels and headed out of the room with Shin following close behind. Her gentle smile that would charm even the most celibate of monks frightened the young boy as he felt that it made her thoughts a complete enigma. ''Whatever¡­ I must find out how she trained that quickly to become a Spirit Core cultivator.'' The only reason why Shin agreed to the meeting was because he wished to find out the secrets to Kanari''s might. Even though he might be inviting himself into a trap, Shin still felt that it was worth the shot. As the two good-looking teens disappeared down the hallway, the word that the number one and two of the academy were going to have a standoff spread throughout the campus, forcing everyone to be up in arms as they searched high and low for Shin and Kanari. Chapter 220 The School Year Begins 4 Shin followed Kanari all the way from the bustling classrooms that held the spirited younglings of the academy to an empty lot that seemed to be removed from the rest of the campus. Although there had been people that attempted to tail the duo, in hopes to witness the epic clash that they had expected, they were all shaken off by the irregular movements of the Witch in the South, leaving Shin to believe that Kanari had majored in eluding stalkers prior to entering the academy. After ten minutes, the gorgeous young girl made her way into a remote part of the campus where not many people knew about. Pushing open numerous aged wooden doors, Kanari led Shin into a magnificent abandoned auditorium, that hadn''t seen the touch of human life for decades. At the centre of the theatre, there was a single oak tree, that towered over all that ventured near it. Spreading up high towards the ceiling, the tree emitted an invisible essence that made Shin''s jaw drop in awe. With every breath that he took, Shin could feel his mind clearing and the mental pressure that he had mounted on himself the months after Ariel''s death had somewhat alleviated itself. ''Ariel...'' Losing himself to the comfort that had enveloped his entire soul, Shin felt a single tear drip down his porcelain clear face as he begun to become sentimental. ''I hope you''re doing fine...'' "Oh, I''m sorry! I forgot to warn you about the effects of this place! The essence produced by the Soul Tree will force you into a state of mental ambiguity!" While Shin was happily embracing his emotions, Kanari''s concerned voice echoed through the recesses of his brain, snapping him out of his stupor and back into reality. "It''s alright¡­ Thank you for bringing me here¡­ It really helped me." Shin gave his gratitude to the alluring beauty, even though he was well aware that it wasn''t her intention to help him. "..." Kanari stared at the young teen with a queer stare. Her bright and adorable eyes were opened up wide as she pondered on the hidden meanings behind Shin''s words. "What is this mystical tree? How could it affect my emotions that much?" Unaware that he was being treated like a research specimen, Shin questioned the black-haired beauty. "It is a rare Soul Tree. Found in the canyon where the Tree of Illusions remains hidden, it feeds on the immense spiritual power that one of the Empyrean Wonders of the World emits out, making it one of the most potent saplings in the world. It was donated to Imperius Academy by the Highgarden Duchy many years ago for research and has remained out of reach from the regular student." Kanari patiently explained. "The Empyrean Wonders of the World?" Shin tilted his head after hearing the unfamiliar term. "Hmmm? You haven''t heard of them?!" The young girl was shocked that Shin lacked the knowledge of something that was so widely known. "That''s shocking¡­ Are you really part of Spion?" "Spion? What''s that?" Once again, Shin was taken aback by the new term that Kanari had said. "Wait¡­ You weren''t sent by my mother to monitor me?! You''re really just some talented student that the Principal had picked up?!" This time, it was Kanari''s turn to get surprised. All this while, she had worked under the impression that Shin was a covert operative sent by her mother, the Duchess of Highgarden to keep watch over her. After all, Rank 18 Spirit Apostles that were just fifteen years of age didn''t fall from the sky. "I have no idea what you''re talking about. I''m just a regular student that came to Imperius Academy to further my studies." "Ah¡­ I messed up..." A bead of nervous sweat dripped down her forehead as she realised her blunder. She had jumped to conclusions too quickly and had dragged an innocent student into her matters. ''Whatever¡­ Since he''s a genius level Spirit User, perhaps having him as an ally might give me some benefits later on.'' Always willing to see the brighter side in life, Kanari shook her head in denial. "Ermmm, was that your business with me? You thought that I was sent to monitor you?" Shin awkwardly questioned the black-haired beauty, who was in the midst of trying to diminish her headache. "Yeah¡­ I apologise, I shouldn''t have called you here without proper investigations¡­ It''s just tiring, you know¡­" With a despondent sigh, Kanari stared at the ceiling as Shin started to see an invisible baggage being weighed upon her shoulders. Evidently, the young girl had many troubles that weren''t apparent at first glance. "Well, whatever¡­ I can''t undo stupidity. Since we got that cleared up, maybe we could form a friendship. It''s not every day that we get to find someone that''s of similar cultivation level." Kanari was right. In the natural cultivation world, Spirit Users that were fifteen years of age were all Spirit Practitioners, and only the best of the bunch would be able to make it into the Spirit Apostle Realm. And even that was a rarity. Yet, Shin had reached the peak of Rank 18 while Kanari had already formed her Spirit Core! Both of them were immense talents that any organisation on the face of this Earth would love to get their hands on. "I see¡­ Could you answer my questions first though? I''m just a country bumpkin, and I lack the common sense that someone from the Capital might have." "Haha, to call yourself a country bumpkin when you''re at Rank 18 and had entered the prestigious Imperius Academy is a bit of a reach don''t you think? Whatever, as a bit of good faith, I''ll answer one of your questions. However, if you want to ask more, I would need payment." "What do you mean?" "A tooth for a tooth. I can''t just answer your questions for free right? If you ask me one question, I get to ask you one as well. Oh, the first query you have would be free though!" Using her experience as an aristocrat, Kanari tried to gain Shin''s trust with her equivalent exchange method. Like many students in the academy, Kanari''s goal was to form valuable friendships that could last even after she graduated and building a bond with Shin, who was certain to become one of the most treasured talents that the Empire would want to nurture, only seemed to have merits for the young lady. "That sounds fair¡­ Okay, here''s my first question." Shin thought about the terms for a short while before promptly agreeing to it. "How did you become a Spirit Core cultivator at your age?" Of all the questions that Shin was curious of, the most pressing one was how the hell did Kanari train to form her Spirit Core at such a young age. As someone who sought to grow stronger, it was a novel concept. "Hmmm? That''s your question?" Kanari eyelids twitched slightly as she let out an inaudible gasp. Evidently, she had never expected that Shin would be so straightforward when asking her a question. "To be honest, there''s not much to tell. I had awoken a powerful Spirit that was baptised by a natural phenomenon. Ever since then, my cultivation has been smooth sailing, with many of my mentors teaching me the proper way to cultivate. Before I knew it, I had already reached the peak of Rank 19 and could condense my Spirit Core." Kanari patiently explained her experience. ''So there''s not much difference as compared to me? Perhaps it might be just the environmental factors...'' Shin hypothesised. As one of the most talented individuals in the Capital, Kanari had access to some of the most spiritually dense areas that the world had to offer. Furthermore, the number of genius teachers and spiritually rich resources might have also played a factor in her immense growth. ''Looks like I really have to gain the number one position if I want to have similar resources given to me...'' "My next question is about that Soul Tree that you were talking about. What are the Empyrean Wonders of the World? What is the Tree of Illusions?" Shin asked the next question that plagued his mind. "You do know that''s more than one question?" Kanari playfully teased the youth. "T-that!" "Haha, I''m just pulling your leg. I''ll answer those questions, but I hope that you would be honest when I ask you my question. Where to begin?" Kanari captivatingly tilted her head. If Shin hadn''t been ''trained'' by Lady Seph''s beauty, even he might have had his heart moved by the Adonis that lay before him. "The Empyrean Wonders of the World are mysterious natural creations that produce large amounts of spiritual energies. Each Empyrean Wonder generates an inexplicable phenomenon that baffles scholars till this day. For instance, the Tree of Illusions is an Empyrean Wonder that creates an endless mist that messes with any living being''s consciousness. Even though we know that it is in the Illusory Canyon, no one can pinpoint its exact location as accounts differ from person to person. Previously, a Spirit Saint wished to uproot the Empyrean Wonder once and for all and charged headfirst into the canyon. Unfortunately, he was trapped in the canyon for decades, and eventually, perished due to his madness." "You''re saying that the Tree of Illusions managed to kill a Spirit Saint?!" Shin exclaimed in horror. Spirit Saints were the apex of the cultivation world, and just one of them were capable of taking on millions at one go. Yet, an esteemed Spirit Saint perished to an immobile tree? "Exactly. That''s why the Empyrean Wonders of the World are so revered. Of course, not all of them are harmful to cultivators. The Celestial River that the Lantis Republic possess is one example. It baptises many of their Spirits and allows the Spirit Users of the republic to become many times stronger. Additionally, the annual Northern Lights of the Kori Federation alleviates the cultivator''s soul into another dimension, greatly improving their comprehension abilities. Also..." Kanari explained the variety of Empyrean Wonders that were known to man in comprehensively, helping Shin broaden his horizons. ''There''s still so much I don''t know...'' Shin was absolutely floored with his new-found knowledge. He had read hundreds, if not thousands of books during his days in Chilyoja Waypoint, and yet, there was still so many things that he was utterly ignorant about. After all, he had only spent time in three places. Frie Mountain, Chilyoja Waypoint and Aldrich''s Keep, all of which were congregated in one location. To call him a country bumpkin was an understatement. Shin was basically equivalent to that of a frog in the well. "I see¡­ So what does the Soul Tree here have to do with the Tree of Illusions?" Looking up at the giant oak tree that seemed to discharge a glorious essence, Shin couldn''t help but ask. "The Soul Trees are just watered-down versions of the Tree of Illusions. They were normal trees in the beginning, but after being baptised by the spiritual energy that the Tree of Illusions emitted, they evolved into transcendental objects that could play with a person''s mind. Thankfully, they are not capable of forcing a human into insanity, and the most that could do was give off a comfortable feeling." "No wonder¡­" Shin nodded his head in agreement. The feeling that he had gotten from the Soul Tree was a gentle one, and he didn''t believe that the mystical plant could have been malevolent in nature. "Anyway, that''s enough questions from you. Now it''s my turn!" With a smile that could charm a million men, Kanari took one step forward, forcing Shin to unconsciously cower backwards. ''She''s not as aloof as she first let on...'' Shin was stunned by how Kanari was behaving. During the opening ceremony, all that Shin could see was a black-haired, composed girl that seemed to transcend the masses. Yet, when he had a one-on-one interaction with her, Kanari was much more child-like than Shin had expected. "Who are you?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "Don''t try to act dumb! There''s no way there would be a Rank 18 Spirit Apostle that came from nowhere! I know all of the famous children our age in the Capital, and I had never even heard of you! Don''t you think that''s unusual?!" Kanari explained her logic in a high-pitched voice. "Ah¡­ There''s really nothing to tell¡­ I''m just a commoner that was picked up with my cousins by Principal Erudito." "Cousins? Oh, you mean Ella and Emma Iofiel?" "What? You know of them?" Shin widened his eyes in surprise. "Of course. I always investigate those who I want to join my team. That''s why when I looked further into your data, I''m stunned to find out that there was nothing there! No prior residence. No connections to any organisation, and the worst of all, no family to trace back to. It''s as if you never existed until you came to the Capital." ''She knows that much?! That means she knew about my cultivation level even before the school began huh? That''s why she thought that I was sent by her mother...'' Shin theorised. "So I''ll ask you one final time¡­ Who are you?" Squinting her eyes, Kanari further pushed her line of questioning. ''Should I tell her? But I don''t know anything about her intentions?'' For a second there, Shin was tempted to spill the beans about everything. However, after a brief moment of careful deliberation, the young teen opted to conceal as much as he possibly could. "I am what the information says I am. I was a commoner who had worked hard in cultivating and managed to reach the Rank 18 Realm. Word of my accomplishments had reached the ears of Principal Erudito, and he had offered me a scholarship in the academy, alongside my close cousins. There''s really nothing much to tell. The reason why you never heard of me is due to my willingness to stay low key." "..." Kanari coldly stared at the young boy. She felt that there was definitely more than meets the eye when it came to Shin but she couldn''t fault him without any evidence. "Whatever. I''ll just naively believe you for now. Anyway, I apologise for mixing you up with someone from the Spion. If you have any troubles, you can feel free to approach me! I am always welcoming of great talents!" Knowing that the conversation would lead to nowhere, Kanari decided that it was best for them to go their separate ways for the moment. "Thank you for your offer." Bowing his head in respect, Shin promptly exited the room, leaving the black-haired beauty alone with the Soul Tree that towered over the auditorium. [Mistress. Was it wise to just leave him alone like that?] A deep and suppressed voice echoed through the chambers the moment that Kanari was completely alone. As someone who was slated to be the future Spirit Saint of the Himmel Empire, there was no way that she would be left unguarded when meeting with an unfamiliar person. "Yeah, he''s not going to budge. I really thought that Spion sent him, what a blunder..." Kanari rubbed the temples of her forehead as she worried about how she was going to report her mistake to her mother. [Should I investigate further?] "Yes, please. I''m actually quite curious about his background. Why would he be so secretive about it? Why did Principal Erudito not mention him during the meeting that we had? How could a commoner cultivate till Rank 18? There are too many things that don''t make sense..." [Affirmative. I''ll send someone to gather information.] As the voice said those words, silence returned to the auditorium. Kanari stared at the gorgeous Soul Tree that stood behind her as she let out a deep sigh. "Shin Iofiel¡­ Who the hell are you?" Chapter 221 The First Combat Session 1 "Shin! I heard that Kanari sought you out! Are you alright?!" Emma called out in worry after watching Shin despondently walk towards their table. After retreating from the auditorium that housed the Soul Tree, Shin returned to a secluded restaurant where the twins were waiting. After the incident where the fat aristocrat, Danroy, got mauled by Shizen Dundlewoods, the trio decided that it was best to keep out of the public eye. Thus, the twins began searching for remote locations where they could meet up and not get disturbed by the constant commotion that was always happening in the school. Thankfully, they managed to find a little-known restaurant that was positioned in an obscure part of the campus. "It''s nothing. She just mistook me for someone else." Shin bitterly smiled as he stroked on Emma''s silky purple hair, indicating that everything was fine. "That''s odd¡­ How could she have mistaken you for someone else? We never even visited the Capital once!" Ella thought out loud. "There''s nothing to it. Since I was a talented Spirit User, she assumed that I was sent by her mother to monitor her. Of course, I properly explained to her that I wasn''t." "I see¡­ Nonetheless, your solitary meeting with Kanari has caused endless amounts of turmoil around the school. There are even rumours that the two of you were going to duke it out to see who reigned supreme." Ella filled the young boy in about the news that had been circulating around the academy. "Urghhh¡­ I think I''m going to get a headache!" Since he was still in the elementary stages of the fighter path, Shin was hesitant to become a celebrity in the academy. After all, he didn''t want hot-blooded fighters such as Danroy to come up and challenge him when he was still rather weak. "Hahhh¡­ I''m really not looking forward to the later classes in the day..." Shin sighed in agony as he recalled his class schedule. In the morning, he had classes that were leaning towards the theoretical side of the curriculum. However, once afternoon classes began, he would be faced with the challenge of taking on practical subjects such as close-ranged combat and wartime combat. "Shin..." Emma lovingly rubbed her hands on his head to console the youth. "You can do it!" "That really doesn''t help..." Just as he was considering about playing hooky, the school bell rang, indicating that the hour-long lunch break was finally over. "Time to face my fate I guess..." ~~~ Imperius Academy. Training Courtyard One. Being a school that had extremely close ties to the Imperial Courts and the military that defended the Himmel Empire lands, Imperius Academy has multiple facilities that would prepare their students for the real-life training grounds that a military personnel might face. A concrete platform that was about hundred metres in length and breath stood before the students in training, filled to the brim with training dummies, steel army-issued weapons, and a plethora of other devices that could only be found in the barracks of the Imperial Military. As part of the combatant course, all students must take a module on close-ranged combat, even those who specialised in long-ranged fights, such as Ella and Emma. After all, if an opponent somehow manages to breach the vanguard, those at the back must act as the final line of defence. Finally, finding a group that he could be part of, Shin huddled up as close as he could to the twins. Throughout the morning, he had been isolated in one corner with his fellow classmates afraid to come close. Thus, having a clique that he could be open with was a breath of fresh air. Of course, not everything was going smooth sailing for the despondent youth. "Good afternoon, you maggots! I would say that it''s nice to meet you, but unfortunately, I don''t really like your faces!" Mychael, who was the foremost specialist when it comes to close-quarters combat, was the head coach of the class, much to the students'' dismay. "For those in the Star Class, you know who I am. But for those from the other classes, let me introduce myself once more!" The tanned man tapped his chest in pride as he addressed the fifty-odd students. "My name is Mychael, and I''ll be your combat instructor for this class! My philosophy for teaching is straightforward. I''ll grill you as hard as I grilled my battalion back in my day! If you think you can''t handle it, don''t bother crying to your parents. All you need to do is drop out of my class!" Before Mychael began his class, he made sure that every student present was aware of his teaching methods. The sole reason why he could be so crude and violent was primarily due to his reputation as one of the best instructors the academy has to offer. Out of ten students that came to his class, nine of them would record remarkable accomplishments later on in their combat life. Thus, even if the students were to complain about the abuse they received to their parents, it would fall on deaf ears. "For the first lesson, I will be assessing where all of you are in your combat skills. For that, I''ll be using the standard training golem that the army uses." Pointing his thumb backwards, Mychael directed the students'' attention to the inanimate block golem that sat in the middle of the courtyard. "I don''t like to waste time, so if anyone wants to volunteer, please step forward now." Being ambitious teenagers, many of the students eagerly stepped forward to be assessed first. After all, leaving a good first impression was vital to their cause. Among the teenagers that stood forward, there was a pudgy young teen, whose posture exuded that of extreme confidence. Standing next to him, a tall and muscular teen also left the same impression. "Danroy and Suji¡­ They''re the experts at close-ranged combat!" One of the aristocratic students remarked. Danroy Frithron and Suji Lasgeor were celebrities even before they entered Imperius Academy. Being part of notable military families the two young boys were slated to become some of the armies best officials. With the resources that were given to them by their affluent families, the two of them had cultivated their Spirits and combat powers into an astonishing degree. In fact, regular Spirit Core cultivators would even have trouble taking them on in a one-on-one battle. "As expected the two of you came up¡­ Whatever, I''ll assess the two of you first." Mychael rolled his eyes with a tinge of nonchalance as he observed the two young teens. As descendants of heroic and well-known families, Danroy and Suji had a certain pride ingrained into their veins. They would only allow themselves to set the standard for the rest of the group and not the other way round. "Suji! I''ll go first! I have to regain some of my dignity!" Danroy declared with a raging roar. After he got floored by the Freak of the Dundlewoods, there had been rumours circulating around that the famed Rhinoceros wonder kid was all bark and no bite, further rubbing salt in Danroy''s wound. Fortunately, Shizen was in another combat class. Otherwise, there was no guessing what the obese boy would do next. "Go knock yourself out..." Suji replied with a bored expression on his face. "Hehe¡­ Let me blow off some steam!" With one high leap, Danroy flew through the air and landed five metres in front of the sleeping block golem. The moment it sensed that an enemy was near, its empty eye sockets lit up with a crimson light as the training golem finally awoken from its slumber. "Try not to get yourself injured~" Mychael blew the dust off his fingernails as he cautioned the pudgy youth. Well, it was not like Danroy would take that into account. "HAAAAHHH!!!" Screaming out in a frenzy, Danroy''s muscles began to swell, as his veins began to show all over his body. A grey phantom of a rhinoceros head enveloped the Danroy as the golem got up from its seated position and menacingly stared at its opponent. The air seemingly distorted around the pudgy teen, making Danroy look somewhat illusory. Anticipating the attack from Danroy, the stone golem readied itself into a defensive posture. It had one of its knees bent to the ground, and it curled itself up into a shape of a ball. Not willing to lose to a mere contraption, Danroy congregated all of his mana into the phantom that surrounded him as the rhinoceros head became more and more realistic. "Screw off!!!" With one fluid movement, Danroy charged forward like a raging bull and the five-metre distance that separated him from the golem was closed in within half a second. "What the hell?!" Shin blurted out under his breath. Compared to the time when he faced Shizen, Danroy was much quicker. "So he was holding back before..." Unable to adequately defend itself, the training golem flew backwards like a broken doll and collapsed on the floor with all of its limbs sprawled out in the shape of a star. Fortunately, it lacked any pain reactors if not, it would have most definitely been rolling around in agony. "I didn''t manage to pierce it? Looks like this golem is stronger than the normal ones used in the military..." Instead of feeling vindicated for his actions, Danroy was stunned by the quality of the rock golem. Typically, his Rhinoceros Blitz would utterly decimate a regular training golem that lacked any true defensive mechanisms. However, it seemed that the academy had invested heavily in altering the golems so that it would act as a useful punching bag. "Let me try again!" Since his rhinoceros phantom head was unable to take down the golem, Danroy opted for a more brutal approach. Enhancing his body multiple times using mana strengthening, Danroy charged forward as his entire being glowed in a greyish light. What transpired next could only be described as a schoolyard bully manhandling an innocent child. The stone golem was unable to fight back due to its slow movements, and oddly enough, for a teen of his weight, Danroy was as agile as a butterfly, allowing him to evade any egregious attacks that could potentially harm his body. Punches and kicks landed square on the golem''s body while it couldn''t use any of its counter moves on Danroy. "He''s really skilled..." Shin was amazed by the pudgy youth''s performance. None of his movements was wasted as Danroy danced around the golem, like a figure skater gliding through the ice. To the layman''s eye, Danroy seemed to be unable to damage the golem, but to the skilled students in the courtyard, they could tell that if any of the obese youth''s attacks landed on them, they would be spending at least a week in the infirmary. "Even with that much weight, he could move like that¡­" Ella was also dumbfounded by the scene that played out before her. "Alright, that''s enough! You shouldn''t try to break the golem. The Principal made sure to upgrade its defences so that it could take much more punishment." Clapping his hands twice, Mychael stepped in between Danroy and the training golem and ended the fight. "But I can still continue!" "You''re here to get assessed by me, not to fight it to the death! Shut up and return to the class." "Tsssk..." Unable to refute Mychael''s claim, Danroy clicked his tongue and unwillingly left the platform that he was on. "Suji, come up! It''s your turn!" Mychael briefly checked the condition of the golem before calling out the next person. Suji, who had been meditating to regulate his blood pressure before the fight, gingerly opened his eyes and stared at the stone golem that Danroy had just manhandled. Realising that it posed no threat to himself, the muscular teen let out a bitter sigh and slowly stepped forward, causing the onlookers to shiver with excitement. "The Son of War is taking the stage!" "Hehe, we can finally see the rumoured Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in the flesh!" ''Purple Dragon Crescent Blade? That''s the name of his Spirit?'' Overhearing one of his classmate''s words, Shin wandered about the properties of Suji''s Spirit. Since it was a blade, did it have elemental properties? What kind of abilities did it possess? Fortunately, he didn''t have to wait long to get his answer. Crackles of thunder could be heard on the campus grounds, even though the sky was entirely clear and bright. As Suji gathered his mana onto his hands, coils of lightning shrouded the muscular teen, like they were purple serpents that feasted on the flesh of their unsuspecting prey. Just as Shin was about to scream out in horror, Suji raised his hands to the heavens and muttered the ominous words: "Come to me." A bolt of thunder descended from the firmament above and struck the youth who acted as a lightning rod. However, instead of getting instantly fried, Suji emerged completely unscathed, as even his robes were unblemished by the electrical discharge. Though, there was one significant change¡­ In his hands, a purple sabre that was connected to an elongated metal pole had appeared, with a single carving of a dragon flowing from the end of polearm to the blade itself. Ever so often, a slight electrical discharge would spark out from the weapon and enter the concrete floor underneath it. Almost two metres long, the Guandao seemed to weigh over fifty kilograms, making one wonder how could Suji handle it with ease. "Teacher, I''ll break it." A man of few words, Suji succinctly stated his intentions and asked for permission to run wild with his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in hand. "Go ahead. I''m not paying for it anyway." Mychael replied with a very Mychael-like answer. "Thank you." Adopting an offensive stance, with his two hands on the Guandao and with its blade pointed at the golem, Suji allowed mana to seep from his body into the weapon that defined him. The carving of the majestic purple dragon lit up as countless lightning bolts were discharged from the shaft of the polearm. Once his preparations were ready, Suji leapt into the air like an Immortal ascending into the heavens. "Fall." Descending upon the Earth at a speed that no one could follow, Suji simply did one slash upon the golem''s body, instantly short-circuiting its cognitive functions. However, he wasn''t done there. The Purple Dragon Crescent Blade continued its momentum and broke through the concrete platform, breaking anything within a thirty-metre radius. The remnant lightning flowed through the ground and ravaged the outer sections of the platform, forcing the students to promptly retreat, lest the debris being released accidentally hit them. "This is like..." "A meteor crash!" Ella finished Emma''s sentence as the orphans were caught in disarray. As the dust settled, Shin managed to get a closer view of the young monster and the state of the golem. Rendered immobile by the impact, the training golem had bits of electricity sparkling out from its body. Suji, on the other hand, was completely spotless, and the most terrifying thing was, his placid expression indicated that the savagery that he had just displayed was second nature to him. "So that''s the might of the Son of War..." Shin unconsciously muttered out. Even though Suji Lasgeor might be two ranks lower than Shin, his combat ability far outstrips the black-haired teen and any notion that Shin could take him on was utterly ludicrous. As he watched a livid Mychael scolded the nonchalant youth for causing him to have to clean up his mess, Shin was reminded of how much further he had to train for the number one spot in the academy. Chapter 222 The First Combat Session 2 The first combat session of Mychael''s fell into disarray due to Suji Lasgeor''s vicious attack, forcing the class to be delayed by a few minutes while the tanned instructor did his best to clean up the area. In fact, Mychael required the help of many of his students, in order to restore the training courtyard as quickly as possible. After ten long minutes, when most of the debris had been picked up, did the lesson continue. "Fucking hell! Those of you who have destructive abilities like this asshole over here, tell me immediately! I don''t want to fucking clean this shit up again!" Smacking the brown-haired Suji, Mychael warned the rest of the class. The young fifteen-year-olds looked at each other for a brief moment before shaking their heads in denial. Although many of them were confident in their abilities, none of them possessed the destructive capabilities that the Son of War had. "Suji, you bloody show-off. You just had to use that attack from the get-go huh?" As the muscular teen returned to the crowd, his close childhood friend, Danroy, scoffed at his behaviour. "We have to set the standard, Dan." Suji folded his arms and gave a brief answer. "Hmph! I know that! It''s just frustrating that you immediately immobilised that golem while I couldn''t even do anything to it..." Biting his dried up lips, a small amount of crimson liquid flowed out from Danroy''s mouth and dripped onto the floor. "Pure devastation is not your forte. You should know that¡­ There are times where I envy your defensive capabilities." Suji raised his eyebrows and consoled the despondent teen. Danroy''s Spirit was the Terrestrial Rhinoceros, and it possessed an immense hide that could even defend against the jaws of the Celestial Dragon. Cultivating the Terrestrial Rhinoceros meant that the Spirit User had to forgo some offensive capabilities due to the slow nature of the Spirit. Nonetheless, Danroy had managed to train his Spirit in both fields and was rather competent with his offensive abilities. Of course, his defensive ability still ranks among the top in the academy as even Suji''s Purple Dragon Crescent Blade would have significant difficulties in breaking Danroy''s defences. "Easy for you to say! Look! Everyone here is mesmerised by your attack! Urggh, I really hate that side of you..." Pulling his hair in irritation, Danroy scolded his close friend. "Like I said¡­ We have to set the standard. Ever since you lost to the Freak, people have been doubting the might of our families." "Tsskkk, don''t remind me of that asshole! He just caught me off guard! The next time we fight, I''ll be sure to impale through that midget body!" The moment Suji brought up Shizen Dundlewoods, Danroy felt his boil begin to boil, and an intense hate enveloped his consciousness. "Don''t¡­ Your Spirit is a poor match for his. I told you that multiple times." "I know¡­ I know..." Rolling his eyes, Danroy didn''t pay too much heed to his bosom pal''s advice and had begun to scheme his next encounter with the Freak of the Dundlewoods. While the two friends were busy talking in their own world, Mychael had started to access a number of the remaining class. Some of them displayed exceptional talent and were able to force the stone golem to go on the defensive, while others were only able to barely evade the golem''s attacks. However, none of them was able to force the automaton to its knees, like Danroy and Suji before them. "Next up¡­ Ella Iofiel!" After fifteen minutes, Mychael finally called up one of the trio''s names. "Ella! Good luck!" "Ella, you can do it!" To Shin''s surprise, some of the surrounding students, mostly girls, came forward to encourage the purple-haired girl. At one corner, numerous boys were also interested in cheering for the alluring young girl but were too self-conscious to make the first move. Evidently, the twins'' socialising efforts during orientation week had paid off, and they were rather well-known and well-liked among the freshmen cohort. "Ermmm, teacher!" Before Mychael could formally begin the session, Ella raised her hands with a question. "What is it?" "Could you let me perform the assessment alongside my sister? We have matching Spirits and cultivate in a matching cultivation technique that boosts both our capabilities in battle. If we fought together, we could bring out much more to show you!" Ella informed Mychael of the Crystal Toxotai Mantra and how the twins were a better fighting force together. "Hmmm, I don''t see why not¡­ Emma Iofiel! Do you share the same thoughts as your sister?" "A-Ah¡­ Yes!" "Then what are you waiting for?! Get the fuck up here!" Reprimanding the short-haired girl, Mychael forced Emma to scurry up the steps. Standing fifteen metres away from the stone golem, Ella raised three of her fingers up, indicating for Emma to get into her position. To keep up with Shin''s gruesome training schedule, the twins had formulated numerous combination positions and had trained in each of them extensively. They had a plan for dealing with multiple enemies, a strategy for dealing with a single enemy, and a method for covering a retreat path. Currently, the position that they were adopting was for a single enemy that could potentially be much stronger than themselves. Once she read the signal, with one leap, Emma retreated a further five metres. Congregating their mana, the temperature surrounding the twins began to dip slightly, as two crystalline bows appeared within their hands. A frosty aura enveloped the two captivating girls as their mana output reached its peak. Nocking their ice arrows using their dominant hands, the twins nodded their heads to each other, signifying that they were ready to begin. "Once you''re ready, you may start." Mychael indifferently said. "Emma!" Releasing her fully drawn arrow, Ella initiated the battle while calling out for her sister. Heeding her cry, Emma jumped up ten metres into the air to gain a better vantage point. Scanning the golem, Emma immediately identified the joints that were vulnerable to attack and fired her arrow straight at it. Meanwhile, on the ground, Ella was rapidly creating ice arrows at a blinding speed and firing them indiscriminately at the same time. Being hit multiple times by Ella''s arrows, the stone golem''s body started to freeze as bits of frost could be seen forming on its stone abdomen. However, since it was well-built, the golem could withstand the chill that Ella''s ice arrows brought. Unfortunately, its opponent was not limited to the ponytailed girl that was on the ground. "*Whooosh!!!*." Emma''s long-distance shot sliced through the air and landed straight on the right elbow joint of the golem, instantly freezing it and therefore, taking out the right hand in battle. "Nice shot!" Ella exclaimed and pounced forward. Her Ice Bow began to glow in a dazzling light as a chilling mist was emitted out from its two limbs. From the centre of the bow, where the arrow rest lay, a ball of white light formed as more and more mana was being pumped into the Bow Spirit. "Icicle Barrage!!!" Ella screamed out as she closed her distance. Dozens, if not hundreds of small but knifelike chunks of ice flew out from the Ice Bow and rapidly struck the automaton, forcing it to take a few steps backwards. Although her attack might be deadly for a regular Spirit User, to the defence oriented stone golem, enduring the barrage was as simple as raising its hands. Dancing about the training golem, Ella continued on her relentless assault as she circled around the automaton thrice before it got annoyed and launched a massive fist at the young girl. Gasps of horror filled the mouths of the spectators as they expected Ella to become a pile of meat paste after that blow. Yet, only Shin and Emma remained unmoved that their fellow sibling was about to get viciously mauled. At that moment, an illusory chain of light connected Ella, who was about to get pummeled and Emma, who was flying high up in the sky, defying all the laws of gravity in the process. High amounts of mana were being transferred from Emma''s body to her sister via the chain, instantly strengthening the young girl''s physique multiple times over. "*Crystal Body!*." Crossing her arms together, Ella took the jab from the stone golem straight on and was pushed back by the impact. Even though she was driven back, her body remained entirely intact, and it seemed that the heavy fist of the golem didn''t even manage to faze Ella as she continued on her agile assault. "A shared ability?! Those two managed to do that?!" One of the students bellowed out in utter shock. A shared ability, as its name suggests was a spiritual technique that two or more Spirit Users could create to boost their overall effectiveness. However, to perform such a feat, the Spirit Users must have compatible Spirits, cultivations and a plethora of other variables, before they could even attempt to create such a bizarre ability. Fortunately for the twins, they had been training from the start to do just that. Using the Crystal Toxotai Mantra as a base, the twins were able to link their souls and in extension, their Spirits. Following that, they studied the mantra to the letter and with the assistance from the experts in the Frie Clan, the twins were able to create a famed shared ability, that was rarely seen in the cultivation world. "Emma! It''s your turn!" Ella shouted out to her younger sister, who was descending onto the earth like a holy valkyrie. Although Ella could continue her barrage on the stone golem, there would come a time where even she would run out of mana. "Yes!" Creating yet another ice arrow, Emma shut her left eye as she pointed her bow straight at the training golem. The nocked arrowed started to shine in a radiant light, as the temperature surrounding her dipped drastically. Mana flowed from the depths of her soul and into the crystal ice bow that Emma had in her hands. "Freeze for me, Permafrost Arrows!!!" Emma shot the bright bolt of light in her hands and it raced straight at the training golem that was distracted by Ella''s constant bombardment. While Emma was in the sky, she wasn''t simply spectating her sister''s actions. Being the markswoman of the two, Emma was finding the weak spots of the golem such as the vulnerable right joint that she had just fired. All in all, after observing the training automaton for a few seconds, Emma had narrowed down her targets to eight parts of the golem''s body. "Split!" As Emma hollered out her command, the single bolt of frosty light divided itself into eight parts and darted straight at the targets that Emma had singled out earlier on. As expected, the arrows easily pierced through the stone body of the golem as it began to freeze from the inside. In less than three seconds, the training golem that was unable to withstand the external assault from Ella, and the internal permafrost arrows from Emma, collapsed. For the second time this afternoon, the indomitable stone automaton that was said to be able to endure relentless punishments, felled to a bunch of freshmen. Jumping next to each other to celebrate, Ella and Emma embraced each other as the remnants of ice fell from the sky, making it seem like a rain of crystals were enveloping the twins. "Fairies¡­ Those two are fairies..." One of the female students who adored the twins unconsciously blurted out. "You''re right¡­ They are fairies..." A male student shared his compatriot''s sentiment. Unbeknownst to Shin and the twins, a new fandom had been founded on that day. The Fairies of the Hail. That would be the names that the twins would be referred to in future. With her dexterous footwork and vicious assault, the ponytailed fairy that wouldn''t bow down even to the toughest of attacks. The Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter, Ella. With her mighty strikes and eagle-eyed vision, the gentle short-haired girl that could explode into a potent force that could fall even the most resilient enemies. The Glacial Fairy Markswoman, Emma. Those two names would be forever etched into the history books of Imperius Academy, and bards would be singing the tales of their exploits for years to come. Of course, the two of them just didn''t know it yet... "Hey! This is a close-combat class! Why the hell are you flaunting your long-range powers here?!" Mychael moved forward to the twins and reprimanded them heavily. "Save that for your long-range combat class!" "Sorry!" Emma timidly apologised, while Ella simply bowed her head. ''What the hell?! These girls are most definitely Star Class material¡­ Where the hell did the Iofiels come from? That bastard Shin and now these two young girls...'' Even though on the surface Mychael was furious, deep down, he was appalled about the talents that the trio displayed. He hadn''t even heard of the Iofiel family before and yet, the three Iofiels he knew were all talented enough to reach the Star Class of Imperius Academy. ''Whatever, I shouldn''t care too much...'' "Next¡­ Shin Iofiel! You''re up!" Mychael called up the next name, and almost instantaneously, a commotion broke out among the crowd. "Shin Iofiel! Rank number two in the school! It''s finally his turn!" One excited student muttered. "Iofiel? Is he related to our fairies?" "Yeah! I heard that they were cousins." "What?! A family of talented Spirit Users? How come we never heard of them?!" Numerous discussions were being shared between the students as the heard the infamous name being called. Even though Shin''s cultivation level had only been revealed earlier in the day, almost the entire freshmen cohort had heard of the Rank 18 black-haired boy that outranked the Silver Spoon, the Son of War and the Freak of the Dundlewoods. "He''s next¡­ That mysterious Shin Iofiel." Danroy casually remarked as he watched Shin step up the platform. "Yeah¡­ I wonder what surprises he has for us." Suji, like many of his fellow classmates, was curious about the combat ability of Shin. After all, no one really knew where the young teen came from and wanted to gather as much information as they possibly could about their competition. "Hopefully he doesn''t disappoint..." Chapter 223 The First Combat Session 3 Shin walked to the middle of the training courtyard platform with the gazes of over fifty students all glued onto his body. Excluding the monster that was Kanari, who had already condensed her Spirit Core, Shin was the only freshman who had reached Rank 18. Shizen Dundlewoods, who was widely considered to be the strongest fifteen-year-old after Kanari, was still one rank short of Shin''s current cultivation level, and the Son of War was only at Rank 16. Outranking numerous famous individuals, it was no wonder that the unknown name of Shin Iofiel resonated with so many students. Before the black-haired teen turned his attention to face the training golem though, he sent one final glare at the asshole that had caused his dilemma. The tanned scoundrel, however, cared nought of Shin''s feelings. He had already meted out his revenge by exposing Shin''s cultivation level to the public. Hence Mychael believed that the two had cut it even. Naturally, Shin didn''t feel the same way. "You asshole¡­ Why did I even ask for your help back in the cave?" Shin had mixed feelings when it came to Mychael. Even though the tanned-skin man had helped him tremendously by teaching him how to use mana strengthening, Mychael was also the cause of many of his recent headaches. From bullying him during training to disclosing Shin''s cultivation level to the rest of the school. Many things had occurred that made Shin want to rip Mychael''s smug face of his body. "Too bad~" Shrugging his shoulders, Mychael quickly lost interest in the black-haired boy and brought out yet another stone golem. In his first lesson of the semester, Mychael''s class had already ruined two training golems, something that was unprecedented in for students in their first semester. Although he was sure to get an earful from Principal Erudito, the tanned scoundrel didn''t really care about that. "Urgghhh, I hate you..." Growling in displeasure, Shin walked forward towards the fresh stone golem and waited for the signal. Sensing that there was someone in front of it, the training automaton''s hollow eye sockets turned red as it powered up. Since it was made to become a punching bag, the golem would not react unless it was attacked first, thus giving Shin all the time in the world to prepare himself. ''I probably won''t do as well as the rest so I should just focus on hitting it with Mychael''s techniques...'' Shin arranged his fight plan in his head and began to take deep breaths in to calm himself down. A crisp and refreshing aura started to envelop the young teen as Shin circulated his mana within his body. After observing how the training golem behaved in battle, the young teen knew that none of his created water tendrils or spheres would be able to pierce through its defences. Furthermore, since it was a mechanical object, he couldn''t use his drugged water to immobilise the golem. Adding to the fact that the class that he was attending was a close-ranged combat lesson, Shin felt that there was no need to show off every single weapon in his arsenal. ''Bone strengthening¡­ Done¡­ Muscle strengthening¡­ Done...'' Peering deep into his body, Shin moved his mana about and ensured that the necessary steps of mana strengthening were completed. Since he was merely circulating his mana, there was no need for him to summon out The Sovereign Koi, lest it causes an uproar in the crowd. ''The final step...'' Once the initial steps had been undertaken, Shin coated his body in a thin layer of cerulean light, as if a jelly glaze had been smothered all over. Only after three solid seconds, did Shin complete his preparations. "Now!" Sending some of his spiritual energy into his calves, Shin executed a martial art that Mychael had recorded down in his education ''manual'' that allows a fighter to close the distance between himself and his enemy. Shin''s ankles started to become illusory as he made a beeline towards the stone golem. "Lightning Swallow Steps!" Moving erratically to divert the training golem''s attention, Shin instantly reached the feet of his enemy. To the outsider''s eye, the young teen seemed to have used a rudimentary movement technique crudely to close the distance, however, when Mychael saw how Shin used his techniques, his jaw dropped in astonishment. ''I didn''t even teach him that martial art and yet he learnt it?!'' Mychael had only taught Shin for five lessons and he had only managed to teach the black-haired teen the basics of the basics. Despite that, using the unreadable manual that Mychael had written when he was drunk one day, Shin managed to somehow catch the crux of the technique and even learnt it by himself. ''Who the fuck is this kid?! How could he learn all of that by himself?! Don''t tell me he was pulling my leg this entire time and his master is actually a martial art genius?'' Shin''s comprehension ability made Mychael doubt his own sanity as he convinced himself that the young teen actually had a top martial arts expert within his household. "Seismic Step!" Unaware that he had generated waves of doubt in Mychael''s mind, Shin continued on his assault on the training golem. Stomping his right foot aggressively on the automaton, Shin attempted to fall his foe, but it was to no avail. As if it was annoyed by the young teen''s attempt, the stone golem used the back of its hand to swat Shin away from its body. Fortunately, using the Lightning Swallow Steps technique, Shin was able to evade the backhand by the strand of a hair. "Harggh!!!" Sending a knee to the golem''s abdomen, Shin continued on his fruitless attack on the automaton, causing the spectators to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "He''s surprisingly..." "Average?" "What? Is that the combat ability of the number two freshman?" Many voices of doubt were raised by the crowd. After the spectacular show from Danroy, Suji and the twins, the bar had risen to an unattainable degree. Therefore, even though Shin wasn''t doing poorly, to the eyes of his fellow classmates, the young teen was a huge disappointment. Ever so often, Shin would graze the stone golem with his clenched fists, but that was about it. Of course, Shin wasn''t aiming to impress his peers. While the rest of the class looked at this session as a way to show off their talents, Shin had other plans. His goal was clear from the very start. Shin would perform all of the techniques that he had learnt from Mychael so that later on during the combat class, the tanned-skin scoundrel would be able to point out his drawbacks and help him refine his techniques. Therefore, his performance was for the eyes of one person and one person only. ''That brat¡­ How could he use my great Seismic Combination that way?! He''s basically opening himself up to a flurry of counter-attacks!!!'' And evidently, Shin''s plan was working. Mentally, Mychael was already picking out all of the mistakes that the young boy had made and was preparing himself to reprimand Shin once his session was over. "What do you think Dan?" While Shin was barely landing hits on the golem, Suji furrowed his brows and asked his childhood friend about his impressions in a low tone. "He''s boring¡­ When I heard that he was already at Rank 18, I thought that he would make a good fight; but if that''s the extent of his abilities, I could decimate him with one or two blows." Danroy rolled his eyes in contempt. Just thinking that he was ranked lower than that black-haired teen that was hardly up to par, made Danroy scowl in annoyance. "You''re right¡­ Perhaps he''s one of those people that is great with cultivation but morbid in real fights..." Suji theorised. "Hmph! If that''s the case, we don''t have to worry about him. His position as number two would be gone before the year is over. The people that we have to worry about are the Silver Spoon and that asshole Shizen..." Danroy gritted his teeth as he recalled the brown-haired boy that had humiliated him a week ago. "You''re forgetting ''her''..." "If you honestly think that you can beat ''her'' during our time in Imperius Academy, you''re just outright delusional. No one could come close to her position as the valedictorian of the cohort." "To be the best, we have to beat the best. I''m sure you know of all the rewards granted to the number one rank each year. Some of the benefits are hard to find, even with the influence of both our families combined." Suji reminded the pudgy young teen. "I know¡­ That''s why it''s frustrating... Why were we born in the same year as that monster?" Rubbing his head in a grievance, Danroy lamented the fact that the competition this year was much more intense than the years prior. "How feeble¡­ With that kind of mindset, how can you expect to accomplish great things?" Suji admonished his childhood friend with a demeaning tone. "Shut it! I''m plenty strong right now! And I''ll only get stronger in the years to come! It''s just that some things are not worth fighting for. You should know when you''re outmatched. That''s also an essential skill in war." Unlike his haughty behaviour before, Danroy seemed to resemble an old sage that had gone through thousands of battles. "..." Suji squinted his eyes and stared down the pudgy teen that stood next to him. "I''m not going to argue over this again¡­ Let''s just watch the remainder of our classmates'' assessments." While the two old pals were having a philosophical debate, Shin''s assessment had concluded with him not able to even force the training golem to move a single step backwards. Angered by Shin''s boorish implementation of his techniques, Mychael swiftly went over and demanded him to stay back after class, so that he could rectify Shin''s mistakes, which was precisely what Shin had hoped for him to do. Following that, the remainder of the students came forward to finish their assessment. As expected, there were no other freshmen who were able to topple the training golem, but there were some standout performances. Once the class concluded, news that the mysterious black-haired Rank 18 Spirit Apostle was not as powerful as once thought, spread through the campus like wildfire, ending the desire to find out more about Shin. In its place, the new tale of the Fairies of the Hail dominated the academy rumour boards. ~~~ Himmel Empire. The Capital. Lady Seph''s Residence. "I wonder how Shin, Ella and Emma are doing..." A longing voice called out for the trio that had moved straight into the dormitory rooms of Imperius Academy. Lia, who had already become the household ''mother'' of the mansion, was looking out of the kitchen window in the direction that her siblings had moved to. "I''m sure that they''re doing fine. After all, they are much more mature now." Ryner replied in a cold voice. Having returned from a long hunt with his group, the young adult was fatigued to the point of collapse. Sprawled out on the table, Ryner was waiting for Lia to finish her cooking so that he could have an early dinner. "Still, they are in an unfamiliar place, all alone by themselves¡­ How could I not be worried?" "They can take care of themselves. I mean, if Shin could bounce back from that incident, there''s nothing that he can''t face..." "You have a point..." As Lia remembered the event that had changed their lives forever, she couldn''t help but release a huge sigh. They say that time was the greatest healer, and yet, the agony that they felt was as painful as if those events happened yesterday. "I really hope that Shin doesn''t push himself too far." "He knows his limits..." "Talking about my disciple?" While they were having a casual conversation, an adenoidal voice interrupted the duo. "L-Lady Seph!" Realising who had entered the room, Ryner stood up from his slouched position and greeted the gorgeous blonde woman. Lia, who was stir-frying a pan of vegetables, did the same maneuver. "Lady Seph! It''s rare to see you out from your study room¡­ Is something the matter?" "No, it''s just I felt something weird¡­ It''s alright now. What are we having for dinner?" After a brief glance out of the window, Lady Seph shook her head to indicate that nothing was wrong and questioned about the menu. "Ah! We''re having venison cooked in black bean sauce and stir-fried chilli vegetables! If you would like, I could prepare a side of cold noodles for you?" Remembering that Lady Seph loved to eat cold noodles, Lia offered to cook one portion for her. "That sounds delightful¡­ Your skills in the kitchen are steadily approaching those of the chefs in the Imperial Kitchen, my dear. Perhaps you could open up a restaurant in the future." "Thank you for your praise!" "Haha, don''t mention it. Alright, once dinner is made, you know where to find me." Just as quickly as she appeared, Lady Seph returned back to her study room where she did the bulk of her research. "It''s rare to see Lady Seph outside¡­ Did something happen?" Now that the beauty that was almost two centuries old was gone, Ryner could finally relax. "Not sure¡­ Hehe, she complimented me though." "Look at you, getting giddy over some praise." "You''re just jealous¡­ I''m sure you would want a Spirit Venerate to praise your hunting skills as well." "S-Shut it!" Blushing furiously at her comments, Ryner got up from his chair and headed towards the dining table, in preparation for the meal ahead. ~~~ In the dark corners of the forest, where Lady Seph''s residence lay, two dark-robed individuals were thoroughly drenched in their own sweat as their eyes hinted of the horrific experience that they had just encountered. "T-T-That was close!" One of the covert operatives exclaimed. "To think that an expert was hiding in this remote location. Judging from the spiritual pressure, that expert must have at least been a Spirit Emperor!" "I thought that this would be a simple mission of reconnaissance! We almost lost our lives there!" "Anyway¡­ We have to report this to the missus. Actually, we might have to report it to madam as well! That boy that the missus asked us to investigate, his backing isn''t light!" Fearing that their young mistress was about to do something untoward towards the boy, the operatives rushed through the forest to return with the news as soon as they possibly could. Chapter 224 Learning A Different Path 1 "Urggh, so tired..." Falling onto his warm and cosy bed, Shin relaxed his tensed up muscles as he sunk deeper and deeper into the soothing mattress that was under him. The beds in the Imperius Academy dormitories weren''t made for royals, but for the fatigued Shin, the cushion was possibly the best that he had ever experienced. "So many troubles for the first day of school..." Recalling the events that had transpired throughout the day, Shin felt like a hurricane had just wreaked havoc all over his body. After school had ended, he had received dozens of fight challenges by hot-blooded youths that wanted to earn a win over the second-ranked freshman in the school. Naturally, since he didn''t want to stir up any troubles, Shin found ways to evade the challenges and somehow managed to return to his dorm. "It''s all that asshole''s fault!!!" Cursing the tanned scoundrel that had forced this predicament onto him, Shin kicked his cushioned bed like a swimmer doing the flutter kicks. "No¡­ It''s my fault¡­ If I was stronger, I could just whack them down with one fist. Just like the Freak..." Coming to a strange revelation, Shin felt the blood being drained from his face as a tinge of despondence enveloped his entire being. After Shizen Dundlewoods took down Danroy, there had been no other challenges from the study body. If Shin could do just that, the challenges would undoubtedly stop, but the problem was, the young teen wasn''t confident of beating anyone in the cohort. Turning his torso around, the Shin grabbed the amethyst necklace that was lying on his chest and deeply gazed into it. "If Ariel were here, she would have most likely slammed the rest of them flat the moment they challenged her¡­ Hehe¡­ Her confused face, when no one dared to take her on, was so adorable..." Shin giggled when he recalled the face of the young Amazonian girl that never backed down from a fight. "Hah¡­ Ariel¡­ I miss you." Glancing up heavenward, Shin felt a wave of comfort embrace his weary body. Due to the chaotic first day that he had, the young boy needed a relaxing rest to invigorate his mental state. However¡­ "Hey! Shin! Are you in?!" An annoying voice echoed through the door as loud thuds could be heard from the outside. "Tskkkk, that Isadore¡­ Why is he being so annoying?!" Flinging his blanket away from his body, the bedraggled youth stormed towards the door, reluctantly leaving his snuggled state behind. "What?!" "Oh, you are in¡­" Since the door snapped open rapidly, Isadore jolted backwards in shock. "Why didn''t you tell me you were Rank 18?! After how much information I gave you?!" "Well, you didn''t ask..." Shin lied with an annoyed expression. The truth was, he wasn''t planning on telling anyone about his cultivation level, at least until year''s end. After all, he was gunning for first place, and by that time, it would be imperative for him to reveal that he was one of the academy''s top students. "Still! You should have told me! I''m your ''buddy'', remember?" The silver-haired boy puffed his cheeks like an upset hamster and protested Shin''s lack of trust. "I never agreed to that term." "Hmph! Say what you will, but I am unquestionably your ''buddy''! Whatever, we can talk about that next time. The most pressing issue at hand is how are you going to manage the constant threats to your life." Changing the topic, Isadore invited himself into the room of Shin''s and found a comfy place on the messy bed. "You know about that?" Shin asked. The major issue that he had was the fact that there were legions of passionate teens that wanted to prove themselves. "Who told you?" "Your cousins, of course!" "Those blabbermouths..." Shin glared out of the window into the direction of the female''s dorm. "Whatever, you can help me with that?" "Of course! If you tell me everything, I can help to disseminate information to the masses so that people won''t bother you anymore! Don''t underestimate the power of an information network! I guarantee you that I would end all letters of challenge by the end of the week!" With his chest pushed out, Isadore declared. "I see¡­ Fine, I''ll tell you¡­ What do you want to know?" "Well, just the basic stuff. Where you''re from, how did you come to study at Imperius Academy¡­ Oh! The most important one is your meeting with Kanari! There''s a lot of speculation out there that you''re part of Kanari''s secret entourage!" "What?! That''s utter bullshit!" "That''s why you need to tell me everything so that I can help you!" Flashing one of the most annoyingly brilliant smiles that Shin had ever seen from a boy, Isadore offered his assistance. "There''s really nothing to it. I was a commoner from the remote west, and Principal Erudito somehow managed to hear of my cultivation level. That''s why he invited me over to study at Imperius Academy. Of course, seeing that my two cousins were talented as well, he brought them over too. As for my meeting with Miss Kanari, she had mistaken me as someone that her mother had sent to monitor her. That''s really it." Shin succinctly explained while keeping a poker face. Of course, there was no way that he would spill everything to someone that he had recently met, so he sprinkled some lies around the truth. "Hmmm, Kanari really thought that you''re part of Spion?" "Yeah¡­ Hey, why are you so interested in Miss Kanari? Are you her secret admirer or something?" Shin speculated. Over the orientation week, he had interacted with Isadore multiple times. During those times, the silver-haired teen had brought up the name of the beauty dozens of times, making it seem like he was an obsessed stalker. However, instead of being amused, Isadore scowled with a disgruntled expression. "Huh? There''s no way that''s possible! Kanari''s..." Realising that he was about to say something that he couldn''t take back, Isadore used both of his hands to cover his mouth as his eyes widened. "No¡­ It''s nothing. Anyway, I can help you with the challenges, but you will owe me a favour! How''s that?" "It''s not like I have a choice do I?" With his poor connections and lacklustre combat ability, it would take a long time for Shin to pull himself out of the pit that Mychael had dug for him. "No extreme stuff though..." "Don''t worry! I''m not that kind of person! Okay, I''ll get right to it! By the time tomorrow ends, I''m sure that there won''t be any more challenges sent your way!" Finishing what he had to say, Isadore bolted out of Shin''s room and disappeared down the hallways to god knows where. ''Come to think of it, how the hell did he know about Spion¡­ I didn''t tell him that¡­ This Isadore¡­ He''s really a mystery...'' Shaking his head, Shin returned back to the comfort of his bed, where he could finally enter the Garden of Hypnos to rest his tired body. ~~~ As the lunar being in the sky descended and its solar brother took its place, the second day of the school term began. Shin, who had already woken up before the sun rose, was busy running laps around his dorm, careful not to get spotted by anyone who could recognise him. Imperius Academy boasted hundreds of facilities such as public gyms to training rooms and cultivation chambers. Most of the time, the students could use the facilities for free, making it a hotspot for the student body. Naturally, since Shin was trying to avoid the hot-blooded youths that were gunning for his spot, he had to avoid those areas as if they were infested with rats. "Shin, you''re late!" Ella''s angered voice hollered out at the black-haired teen who was sauntering into the restaurant where they were supposed to meet. "I had to take some detours¡­ Even though the campus is so huge, I can still meet some hard-headed assholes who are out to claim my flesh..." "Yeah, Ella, you shouldn''t reprimand him!" Emma came to Shin''s defence. "Just because you''re in a bad mood, doesn''t mean you should pick on Shin!" "Bad mood? What happened?" Sensing that something was wrong, Shin queried. "Tch¡­ Shin, I knew you would be famous in the academy¡­ After all, you''re you..." Not staring Shin in the eye, Ella''s shoulders trembled while her entire being seemed to faze out of existence. "But! Why are we the famous ones?! Why are there so many crazy guys standing outside of my dorm, waiting for me to come out?! It doesn''t make any sense!!!" "Huh?" Shin was baffled by Ella''s mournful cry. "Haha, let me explain..." Coming to his assistance, Emma wore a bitter smile as she explained. "When we woke up this morning, we were greeted at our dormitory''s door by a line of young boys, claiming to be our loyal servants¡­ No matter how much we pushed, they still wouldn''t leave us be¡­ Only after one of the teachers intervened did we manage to escape from them..." "What?" "Apparently, the word about our performance yesterday had gotten out¡­ Now we''re some sort of ice fairy twins..." "Pfft!!!" Unable to hold back his laughter, Shin blew out all of the air in his mouth crudely. "I mean, I can sort of get Emma being a fairy, but how could someone like you, whose as rough as a sheet of granite, claim to become a fairy?!" "Shut it! It''s not like I like that name either! And honestly, are you one to laugh, mister terminally ill?" Sharply coming up with her own retort, Ella shot down the youth''s laughter. "What do you mean?" "There''s a rumour going around that you were a talented Spirit User back in the day. However, one fateful morning, an unknown terminal ailment that crippled your physical powers changed your cultivation course forever. That''s why even though your cultivation is high, your physical combat ability is rather low." Ella repeated the whispers that she had heard about Shin. "However, not deterred by the setback, you fought back hard. Pitying your state, Principal Erudito took you in and decided to nurture you from scratch. Really, this is the stuff that only a depressed novelist could write." "What?! Who the hell spun that¡­ Wait..." Shin recalled the words of Isadore the night prior and instantly deduced who was behind all the baseless rumours. "That brat¡­ I really shouldn''t have sought his help..." "Well, isn''t that good? At least you don''t have to worry about people challenging you all the time now!" Always the optimistic person, Emma clapped his hands and consoled the distraught youth. "That doesn''t make me feel any better!!!" ~~~ While Shin and the twins were enjoying their morning breakfast, an elegant young girl was sipping her fragrant tea from the pure white ceramic cup while enjoying a healthy assortment of decadent breakfast items. Her stunning pure black hair that flowed gorgeously like a rainbow entering a leprechaun''s gold pot made her seem otherworldly, and her ruby-like eyes supplemented her beauty. Beside her, a young woman, who was dressed in a full butler robe, was attending to her mistress'' every need, and currently, she was recounting a report sent by her subordinates. "There''s a Spirit Emperor guarding his house?" "No, young mistress. The assessment is that the expert in that house is at least a Spirit Emperor. For all we know, the expert might be a Spirit Venerate or a Spirit Saint." "Well, we can cross out Spirit Saint for now¡­ There are only so many on the continent, and I know the locations of almost all of them. But the possibility of the expert being a reclusive Spirit Venerate that wanted to hermit themselves from the world is quite high..." Kanari frowned while she thought. "What are the other things that you have found out?" "Shin Iofiel and the Iofiel household does not exist anywhere in the Capital. Judging from the rumours that were being spread in the academy, there are claims that he''s from the west and was just a mere commoner that was noticed by Principal Erudito. Of course, we need time to investigate further..." Bowing her head, the butler apologised for the lack of information. "Do you honestly think that a commoner would have a Spirit Venerate guarding his home?" Kanari raised her doubts. "Of course not." "Hah¡­ The more we find out, the more baffling that boy becomes. Whatever, try to investigate further but don''t touch Shin''s registered home anymore! We don''t need to agitate an expert just for the sake of my curiosity." Kanari ordered. "Yes!" The butler bowed her head once more, however this time, she raised her eyes in confusion as she asked: "Pardon my rudeness, but why is mistress so adamant about knowing more about the boy?" Kanari took one sip of her tea before letting out a bitter sigh. Using her lustrous ruby eyes, the young girl earnestly stared at her servant of fifteen years, causing the butler to unconsciously take one step backwards. "You don''t understand¡­ I need talented people that can assist me when I inherit the Duchy of Highgarden. Right now, all of the political entities around me have swooped up every available talent, leaving scraps behind. Of course, I have my own ways of getting more capable people, but none of them would be as talented as someone who could reach Rank 18 at the age of fifteen." Turning her head around, Kanari observed the Soul Tree that towered over her. Recalling the day where Shin first experienced the power of the tree and the tear that he had shed, the young girl felt a tinge of despondency. "Why am I adamant about knowing more about the boy? Because if I don''t, others will. Trust me, to cultivate to Rank 18 at our age is no easy feat. I bet that his history would be rather remarkable." Chapter 225 Learning A Different Path 2 Shin''s second day in school got off to a swelling start. After the commotion surrounding him yesterday, the young teen opted to go low key when commuting from class to class. However, due to Isadore''s valiant efforts, the number of challenges had dropped significantly, and there were even some of his fellow freshmen who consoled Shin with a tear in their eyes. Although he had much fewer troubles, Shin couldn''t help but have mixed feelings about Isadore''s methods. ''Whatever, it''s not like he''s hurting me or anything...'' Shin decided to see the brighter side of the situation. Now that people were essentially treating him as a handicapped person, Shin could now focus on learning as much as he could from the numerous professors in the academy. Attending the spiritual tools class that was headed by Professor Quinn, Shin was currently in the midst of learning how to utilise a spiritual tool. An elementary-grade spiritual armament that was forged in the shape of a hammer lay on his desk. On its head, many crude cravings that hinted that it was created by a novice, were crammed all about. "The first lesson of utilising spiritual tools is how well you can transfer your mana into said tools. In front of you is a special hammer that has been specifically designed for the purpose of education. Once successfully infused with your mana, the hammerhead becomes twice as heavy, like so." Professor Quinn picked up the crass hammer and allowed a little bit of his mana to seep into the tool. Almost instantly, the hammer started to shine in a dim light. Diverting his attention to the watermelon that sat next to the hammer, the professor slammed the cheap weapon into the poor fruit, clobbering it into a thousand pieces. "Of course, you don''t have to smash the watermelon if you don''t want to, but it would be good for you to experience the change in the weight." Leaving the hammer on the table, Professor Quinn released his mana, returning the blunt weapon to its original weight. "Now, you try it." As expected, the class was divided into two main groups. Those who already had the experience of mana infusion, and those that didn''t. Kanari, who had exposure to an array of spiritual tools from the moment she could walk, could effortlessly infuse the mana in the hammer. Naturally, due to her elegant disposition, she chose not to behave in the boorish act of smashing a watermelon into smithereens, lest it tarnishes her prim and proper image. For those in the other camp, those that were not exposed to the art of mana infusion, they had much more trouble as it was an entirely foreign concept to them. Shin, being trained in the art of healing for almost is entire cultivation life, had no idea on how he should begin. Lady Seph was an originalist and disdained the use of healing tools as she felt that it would dull the healer''s ability to treat a patient. Thus, Shin had basically zero experience in the craft. ''How do I release my mana into the hammer?'' Shin was confused. No matter how much mana he let out, it would all get dissipated into the air, instead of making its way into the tool that was in his hands. ''What about this way?'' Not willing to give up, he attempted multiple methods, but it was all for nought. Professor Quinn, who was making his rounds through the class, noticed that the youth was having a little trouble and headed towards Shin. "How''s it going?" "Professor! No, it''s hard. No matter how hard I try, I can''t seem to move my mana into the hammer..." Shin sadly replied. "Haha, it''s a common issue. Most Spirit Users don''t consider the possibility of moving mana out of their bodies. The majority of the time, they congregate their mana inside of their bodies and cast their abilities. It''s alright. All it takes is just some practise." Professor Quinn consoled the despondent youth with a few words of encouragement. "Okay come, let''s take this from the top. Every human body consists of thousands of tiny holes called pores that release sweat and spiritual energy. I''m sure you know of them." "Of course." Being a certified healer, there was no way that Shin wouldn''t know of something that rudimentary. "The only way you can manipulate mana outside of your body is to release them through those pores. However, since they are so small and hard to sense, many Spirit Users have problems when they first try to release mana. Since it''s your first time learning this art, let me guide you through the process." Gently grabbing Shin''s wrist, Professor Quinn attempted to take a hands-on approach in leading the youth. ''Why is there such a disparity between teachers in this school?! On one side, there''s that scoundrel Mychael, and on the other, there''s the angel Professor Quinn?!'' Shin hollered out in his mind. Almost brought to tears, the young boy shook his head to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts and decided to focus on the one-on-one lesson that Professor Quinn was giving him. "Close your eyes and sense the flow of mana. I''ll use my spiritual energy to try and guide you." Professor Quinn''s Spirit was an auxiliary one, and it gave Shin a refreshing feeling when the professor''s mana entered his body. With his eyes closed, Shin could accurately visualise what was going on in his body. The mana, which had been kept within the hardened skin of his, was now trying to rush out the palms of his right hand and into the hammer that he was holding. Shin''s eyes jerked open at the unfamiliar sensation, and he had even unconsciously fought back against Professor Quinn''s mana. "Don''t panic. The amount of mana leaving your body is negligible. It''s only because it''s the first time that you''re doing this that it feels uncomfortable but after a few more times doing this, you''ll get used to it." Professor Quinn reassured the youth. "What''s more important is that you remember this feeling, this sensation of mana infusion. Try to focus." "Okay..." Closing his eyes once more, Shin did his best to comprehend what was going on, so that he could repeat it in the future. The mana that left Shin''s body was immediately sucked up by the spiritual tool in his hand, and the hammer began to glow in a bright cerulean light. Feeling the weight in his hands becoming heavier, Shin unintentionally lowered his hands to accommodate the added burden on his arms. However, instead of feeling fatigued, Shin felt a wave of excitement burst through his entire being as he had successfully achieved what he sought out to do. "Congratulations, you have completed your first mana infusion!" Professor Quinn praised the boy. "Thank you." "Alright, now you try on your own. Release your grip on the hammer, and the weight will automatically revert back to its original state." "Okay..." Doing as the professor said, Shin felt his mana being sucked back into his body as the glow that the hammer was emitting diminished. "Do you remember the sensation?" Professor Quinn asked. "I think so..." Staring at his palm for a few seconds, Shin closed his eyes once more and attempted to follow the exact same steps that the Professor had demonstrated to him. Initially, the mana that had easily flowed out from his pores due to Professor Quinn''s guidance had been abruptly stopped at the ends of Shin''s thickened skin. However, the youth was undeterred as he pressed forward with his attempt. After the third attempt, Shin finally managed to send out mana from his pores but was unable to direct it to the spirit tool. After the sixth attempt, the spirit tool began to light up, but since Shin only sent a little bit of the required mana, the hammer''s function didn''t activate, and it remained at the same weight. Finally, after the tenth try¡­ "I did it!" Shin exclaimed in joy. Looking down at the spiritual tool in his hands, the weight being burdened on his arm had clearly doubled, and the same cerulean light appeared as well. "Y-Yeah¡­ You did..." A bead of nervous sweat dripped down Professor Quinn''s forehead as he watched how Shin expertly learned the foreign concept in just a few minutes. Typically, for someone that has never learnt mana infusion before, it would take them at the very least, a full week of hard practice to even grasp the concept. In fact, once Shin failed for the last time, Professor Quinn would repeat a speech that he had prepared for all students that took his class for the first time without any prior knowledge of the subject. Yet, Shin had comprehended the concept many times faster than the average person, rendering the speech that he prepared obsolete. "You''re a fast learner huh?" "No! It''s the professor''s guidance that helped me! If not for your demonstration, I would probably never learn it this quickly!" Shin denied Professor Quinn''s words by praising his superb teaching skills. ''Then why did the other students fail when you succeeded?! Now I know why this boy is already at Rank 18...'' Professor Quinn retorted mentally but kept his poker face intact. "Ermmm, professor¡­ I have a question, but I''m not sure if it''s proper to ask." "Hmmm? What is it?" "Is there any spirit armaments in the shape of a needle? Perhaps if there''s a spare in the academy, I would like to practice on them." Shin asked. After discovering the existence of weapons such as spirit armaments, the young teen had formulated a theoretical path that he could take to improve his combat ability. As a healer, he was knowledgeable of multiple weaknesses of the human body. Furthermore, he had some cursory knowledge about acupuncture and how to immobilise a human in the quickest way possible. Therefore, if he had an array of spirit-infused needles, Shin was confident that he would be able to bridge the gap between himself and monsters such as the Son of War or the Freak of the Dundlewoods. "There are. But, I can''t just give them to you. You have to earn them. As I mentioned before, if you score the best during the mid-year tests, the reward would be an elementary-grade spiritual tool." "I see¡­ No, that''s right, I should work for the reward. Professor, I''ll definitely achieve the best score during the mid-year tests!" Determined to gain the reward, Shin resolutely stared at the teacher with all that he had. "Hoho¡­ I look forward to your achievements..." Tapping the shoulder of the young boy, Professor Quinn took Shin''s words with a grain of salt before going on to tend to another student that was having troubles. ~~~ One week has passed since the school had begun and Shin was slowly getting accustomed to academy life. Every morning, he would wake up before the sun rose and put on his training gear to do his daily laps and exercise sets. Once he was done, he would meet up with the twins for an early breakfast before school began to communicate about what was occurring in their lives. Oddly enough, the ones who were the busiest were the twins, as they had to deal with hordes of fans stalking up their door. Fortunately, due to the strict policies that separated the boys from the girls, the twins were able to hide behind some of the sternest teachers in the Empire and had even created a good relationship with many of the academy''s most talented female upperclassmen. Finishing their breakfast, they would go through the school day and learn as much as they possibly could. For Shin, the school curriculum was both heaven and hell. During the best parts, he would learn from the best of the best about topics that he actually enjoyed to learn. For instance, the spiritual tools class was a prime example. On the other hand, he would also have to go through the dreaded combat class, where Mychael would bully him during training sessions. Of course, the only reason why Shin hasn''t dropped out of Mychael''s class was due to the fact that he was learning a lot from him in regards to close quarters combat abilities. Finally, when school was over, Shin would focus on his cultivation sessions as he was preparing to breakthrough to the next realm. "Hah¡­ I''m so tired..." Moaning in agony, Ella complained to her partners that were sharing the same dining table that she was. "My condolences. Well, you''ve done well¡­ Even though I''m not in the elite class, I still hear whispers about how much your fandom has been bothering you." Shin sipped on his cup of Oolong tea while he consoled the tired purple-haired girl. "Haha, it really has been quite troublesome to move around..." Emma bitterly added on, her deep eyebags that resembled that of a panda betrayed the lack of sleep that she was getting. Although Ella got the bulk of the fandom, multiple boys wished to hit on Emma as well. In the academy, the twins were ranked among the top ten most beautiful freshmen girls, making their lives a living hell. Since many of the other girls in the ranking were aristocrats with a popular following, the number of boys that would bother them was quite minimal. For instance, no boy in their right mind would hit on Kanari as her security detail would ensure that he wouldn''t live to see another day. Thus, when a pair of gorgeous girls with a commoner background came along, they instantly garnered the attention of all the thirsty boys in the academy. "Not only that, they even made us the representatives of our class! Why the hell would we want that?! I don''t want to fight in the end-of-year competitions!" Ella complained yet again. "But won''t you have the chance to get more resources? That''s the ideal position to be in." Shin argued. To be entirely honest, even though he was the second-ranked in his class, he was unsure if he would be given a slot to participate in the end-of-year competitions that boasted significant rewards for the winners. "Why don''t you take our place then? I would swap with you in a heartbeat!" "Not in your class, can''t do that." "Arghhh!!! So many troubles..." Sprawling out on the table once more, Ella knocked her forehead gently in an attempt to rid herself of the headache that had been plaguing her. "Don''t worry, I''m sure that the hype would die down soon¡­ Anyway, we got to go soon. Class is about to begin." Standing up from his seat, Shin returned his tray to the restaurant owner and gestured for the twins to follow suit. "Recently, you have been pissing me off quite a bit, Shin..." "Haha, sorry about that then!" "Urggh, whatever¡­ Just pray that I don''t meet you during any of our training sessions! I won''t go easy on you!" Loudly declaring her intentions to Shin, Ella screamed out before racing towards her class. "Sorry about that, she''s just a little stressed out." Emma came forward and apologised. "Yeah, I won''t take it to heart." "Hehe, this reminds me of the good old times. Back on Frie Mountain¡­ The two of you could never get on terms." "Well, some things never change. Anyway, we really should get going. If there''s no pressing issue, you shouldn''t force yourselves to meet up with me every day. We can just communicate in school." "Hmmm, that sounds alright¡­ Okay, I''ll tell that to Ella. I''ll see you soon." Emma said her goodbyes before chasing after Ella, who had long disappeared into the horizon. Chapter 226 Shizen Dundlewoods Taking a stroll down towards his first class of the day, Shin was cautiously observing the surrounding students that were in his vicinity. With many of them being freshmen, they were not as focused on improving themselves as compared to their upperclassmen and instead, they were busy trying to forge relationships. There was no segregation between aristocrat or commoners as those who were able to enter the prestigious Imperius Academy were all the best of the best. In fact, many aristocrats were more welcoming towards commoners as it was much easier to bond with them as compared to their blueblood brethren. Forming cliques and friendships, the freshmen were all laughing away as they explored the campus before school began. Some of the students had already become couples and were flirting in the scenic gardens of the academy. For Shin, having relationships like that was a burden. His sole purpose of coming to Imperius Academy was to become stronger so that he could face the Black Masks and his defected elder brother. Anything else that would hinder his goal had to be cut off. ''I still have a little time before class begins¡­ What should I do?'' Shin wondered. Well, the benefit and disadvantage of having no friends meant that he had a lot of time for himself. Typically, he would either study or self-train, but otherwise, Shin would just be staring into blank space, with nothing else better to do. Wandering around the area, Shin found an isolated greenhouse that was free from student activity. Within the verdant garden, there was a plethora of gorgeous flora and a wide variety of alluring butterflies that flapped their wings about. It was one of the most relaxing places on the campus that Shin had ever seen. Shin opted to take a step back and recharge his tensed up mental state. From the moment he entered the academy, it had been setback after setback. Furthermore, Shin had been holed up in his room or training area, doing his best to become the strongest person that he possibly could. However, even the most studious individuals needed a break, lest they got burned out. Carefully interacting with the exotic and fragrant flowers that the academy boasted, Shin emptied his mind. ''It''s really has been a while since I took a proper rest¡­'' Shin plucked one flower from the gorgeous flower bed at his feet and dived his nose straight into the petals. "Hey, don''t damage the plants. They''ll get angry." Suddenly, a tenor voice resonated from Shin''s side, forcing him to jump back in shock. Sitting a mere three metres away, a young brownish-red haired boy, whose entire being seemed to have blended in with the oak tree behind him, was lazily staring at Shin, while rendering out a light warning. By the state of his ruffled hair and dreary eyes, it was evident that the boy had been sleeping just seconds before Shin had arrived, but even in his dishellved state, there was no way that Shin wouldn''t recognise that distinct face. ''Freak of the Dundlewoods!'' Shin widened his eyes. The young boy sitting just a few metres away was possibly one of the strongest students in the freshmen cohort, and his fame far outstrips Shin''s. With just one move, he managed to take down a charging Danroy, who was also considered to be one of the best, solidifying his spot at the top of the food chain. "Shizen Dundlewoods¡­ I didn''t expect to see you here." "Hmmm? You know my name? Who are you?" Surprised that the person that he had just met knew of him, the young boy tilted his head in confusion. ''He doesn''t remember me? Wow, looks he''s really as carefree as the rumours say.'' Shin thought out while recalling all the details about Shizen Dundlewoods from the recesses of his memory. There was not much information about the Freak before he entered the academy. The only thing that Shin knew was that Shizen had once taken out five Spirit Core cultivators all by himself, making him a dangerous individual to cross. "I''m in your homeroom class, my name is Shin Iofiel." "My homeroom class? Oh, the class with that ape as my teacher¡­ Whatever... That means you''re my classmate right?" After a brief moment of thought, the young boy jumped to his feet and walked over to Shin. Even though he was perhaps the shortest student on campus, with every step that he took, Shin felt like there was a colossal monster heading in his direction. "Hmmm, that''s odd¡­ You have such a cool aura. It''s rather refreshing¡­ Hey, could you summon out your Spirit for me to see?" Making a sudden request, Shizen watched the black-haired youth with eager eyes. Usually, Shizen would never pay attention in class as he felt that there was nothing for him to learn. As a result, the young boy never got to talk to any of his classmates as over half of the time, he would be fast asleep on his desk. Therefore, just like Shin, Shizen didn''t have any friends to hang out with, making him a loner as well. "What do you intend to do?" Shin asked apprehensively. "No, it''s just¡­ I don''t know¡­ I feel like something good would happen..." Shizen was unable to articulate his reasoning and was vague in his explanation. Just like a toddler asking for something from their parents. Ever since he was born, the young boy had been living off his instincts and thus far, it had proved to be immensely helpful in his life. Therefore, whenever his instincts started to tingle, Shizen would act upon it without caring about the consequences and currently, his instincts were screaming out to him. ''Summon out my Spirit? Such a queer request¡­ Could he have possibly recognised the aura of The Sovereign Koi?'' Shin theorised. ''No¡­ From what I''ve heard, the Freak was a hermit in the Dundlewoods and had next to no contact with the outside world. There''s no way that he could recognise my spirit.'' Using his trusty informant, Shin managed to scour some basic information about the young boy that stood before him. "Fine¡­ But if you want me to show my Spirit to you, you would have to show me yours as well." Shin agreed on the terms that he got to examine the famed Spirit that took down five Spirit Core cultivators. "Done!" Being the straightforward boy that he was, Shizen immediately agreed. "Alright..." Closing his eyes, Shin began to congregate his mana into his outstretched palms. A deep cerulean colour shone from the depths of his body as droplets of water started condensing on the glass surface of the greenhouse. Within seconds, The Sovereign Koi, which had been lying dormant within Shin''s body, made its appearance once more. "Ohhhhh!!! So that''s why I felt that aura from you!" Observing the summoned fish with jubilant eyes, Shizen buzzed about in joy. His overly enthusiastic vigour made Shin, and The Sovereign Koi unconsciously shiver back in fear. "Ermmm, I summoned out my Spirit, so it''s your turn." "Haha, don''t worry!" Raising his hands up heavenward, Shizen summoned out a phantom of a divine tree that measured over five metres in height. The bark was as solid as could be and the variegated leaves made it seem otherworldly to all spectators. Even though there was no malicious intent directed at Shin, the black-haired youth unconsciously took a few steps back, as he knew what the tree was capable of accomplishing. The Adivinar Tree. One of the rarest Spirit ever recorded in the cultivation world. With an inherent ability to seal any type of mana that it touches, a Spirit User that awakened the Adivinar Tree was a nightmare to fight against, especially, if its opponent was a Spirit User that relied on mana strengthening. With just one accidental contact, the Adivinar Tree could seal the entire fighter''s body, rendering it useless in battle. "I knew it! Your fish Spirit is one of the strongest water elemental Spirits I have ever seen! I can feel it in the air, my Spirit is calling out for yours! As someone who uses a Plant-Spirit, your Spirit is one that complements mine greatly!" Screaming out with an excited cry, the Freak of the Dundlewoods jumped up and down like an excited young child. "Hey, hey! Could you try to pour some water onto my Spirit?" ''Urgh¡­ So he sees me as a watering hose...'' Shin finally understood why Shizen was so excited to see The Sovereign Koi, even though he clearly didn''t recognise it. ''Whatever, let''s see what happens.'' Shin easily created a globe of mana-filled water and levitated it in the air. "How do you want me to do it?" "Just pour it onto my body!" "Huh?" Shin looked at Shizen like he was a deranged mental patient that escaped from his hospital ward. Classes were just about to begin and yet, Shizen was asking for an early morning shower that would drench his uniform. "Go ahead! Don''t worry about it!" "Okay..." Dropping the water sphere onto Shizen''s body, Shin grimaced as he watched the boy who famed as one of the strongest in the academy, closing his eyes and taking it all in like a person getting a luxurious massage. "Hahahaha! This is perfect! Your water is really perfect!" Shizen excitedly jumped. A dim, earthern light began to absorb all of the created water into the young boy''s body, instantly drying him up in the process. ''Hoho, now that''s a peculiar ability...'' Shin was stunned by the events that followed. Shizen''s uniform, which should have been as wet as a drowned rat, had been utterly dried up as if Shin''s created downpour didn''t happen at all. The Adivinar Tree phantom started to glow in a bright golden hue as long vines began to dance about in euphoria. Its owner, Shizen Dundlewoods, was also in a similar state, forcing Shin and The Sovereign Koi to cower back in disgust. ''Looks like something not''s right in his head.'' Initially, Shin was in awe at Shizen''s ability and to a certain extent, envied his amazing powers. Yet, after watching how abnormal the boy was, Shin decided that there was nothing worth coveting. "Shin, right?" "Y-yeah?" "Be my friend!" "Huh?" "If you''re my friend, you would feed me that sweet water every day right? So you should become my friend!" With some flawed logic, Shizen extended a hand of friendship to the stunned youth. "Haha, that''s a nice joke, Mister Shizen." "I''m not joking! Your juice is the best I have ever tasted! From now on, I want to drink it every single day!" The Freak of the Dundlewoods was really living up to his name by pressing Shin with misleading terms that would make any girls who loved some guy-on-guy action blush. ''This guy! Why is he so weird?!'' Shin hollered out mentally. Shin had seen his fair share of weirdos, but Shizen had undoubtedly topped the list. ''I should make a tactical retreat for now...'' "Class is starting soon¡­ I must leave now." "Wait! You haven''t agreed to." "Bye!" With hurried steps, Shin fled the greenhouse and ran towards his next class. Unfortunately, the deed has already been done, and Shin''s visage had been burnt deeply into Shizen''s mind. "Hmmm, why did he run? Whatever, since he''s my classmate, I should be able to see him soon..." Shrugging his shoulders, Shizen returned back to his original position under the oak tree and continued on with his nap, not caring about the fact that his next class was in a few minutes. Chapter 227 A Tempting Offer 1 Once Shin escaped from the greenhouse that Shizen was happily taking a nap in, the young teen ran straight to his first lesson of the day, the class about world history. Even though Imperius Academy was a strictly practical school, where students were expected to perfect their craft, the curriculum still placed a minor emphasis on students learning some theoretical studies. Mandatory subjects such as etiquette training, world history and basic mathematics were universal for first-year students, no matter which academic course they belonged to. Fortunately for Shin, learning from books was his forte and he had long memorised or mastered the entire subject during his self-study session in orientation week. Hence, Shin had the luxury to rest his mind or to reflect on his training regimen for the day. "Shin, you''re daydreaming again!" An exasperated cry called out to the young black-haired boy who was letting his mind wander. Turning to his side, Shin''s eyes twitched as he watched Isadore penning down notes at a breakneck rate. Theory classes such as world history didn''t separate the students according to their courses. In fact, they ensured that theory classes were a significant component of how students bonded together and formed lasting connections. After all, Imperius Academy was where all the elite children gathered, and mingling about was highly encouraged. "Sorry, I was just thinking about other things..." "I know that you want to focus on your combat skills, but if you don''t do well in theory classes, you won''t be able to move up a grade!" "Oh, that won''t happen. I guarantee it." Shin assuredly replied. The one thing that he was most confident about was his ability to learn and take tests. During his time learning to be a healer, Lady Seph had given him at least one test a week, and Shin had always aced them. Taking topics such as world history was a piece of cake for him. "Such confidence¡­ Well, it''s not like I would care about your grades." Isadore smiled and continued on his note taking. Thinking that the young boy was as hardworking as can be, Shin snuck a peek at the notes that Isadore had taken. However, to his utter surprise, the silver-haired youth wasn''t writing anything about world history. Instead, he was logging down details about famous freshmen in the cohort. "And you dare to reprimand me¡­ You aren''t paying attention to class as well!" "As much as I don''t like to brag, I''m actually a master at world history. After all, it had been drilled into my brain since I was young!" "What do you mean by that?" Thinking that he had found a link to Isadore''s past, Shin probed further. Only aristocrats and members of first-rate clans would bother to school their child about the world history. "No, it''s nothing¡­ Anyway, in the morning, you had met with the Freak by yourself. How was the encounter?" Doing what he does best, Isadore switched the topic away from himself by diverting Shin''s attention elsewhere. "You''ve heard of that?!" Shin was genuinely surprised. The encounter with Shizen literally happened less than an hour ago. Yet, Isadore''s connections somehow managed to gather that information. "As much as I would like to praise my information network, I just happened to be there when I saw you talking to the Freak. There''s nothing more to it." "Oh, so you just ''happened'' to be there..." Shin rolled his eyes and replied in a sarcastic tone. "Right! I happened to be there!" "..." "..." For a full ten seconds, Shin intensely stared into Isadore''s eyes, hoping to find any signs of deceit. Naturally, with Isadore''s poor poker face, Shin could instantly tell that him being there when Shin was interacting with Shizen was no mere coincidence, but he ultimately let it slide since arguing about it seems like a waste of time. "Whatever¡­ I didn''t do anything though. All we did was chat a little, and then we parted ways." "Hmmm¡­ I''ll take your word for it then. On a more important note, are you going to the upperclassmen demonstration this weekend?" Isadore brought up an important event that was coming up. "Of course. I want to witness the calibre that our famed seniors have reached." Every start of the school year, the winners of the inter-class competitions would gather together to put on a show of might to welcome the new cohort of freshmen. Using their potent powers, they would spar with each other or the teachers of the faculty. Naturally, since it was a big event, almost every single freshmen would do anything that they could to get front row seats. "Hoho, I never thought that the introverted Shin would want to leave the confines of his room." Isadore lightly teased the youth. "Yeah¡­" "Why don''t we go together? There haven''t been too many opportunities for us to hang out. Don''t worry, I can guarantee us a good view of the event." "Do I really have a choice? Either way, you would drag me along when the day comes." After interacting with Isadore for an extended period, Shin could more or less guess what the silver-haired boy''s next actions would be. If he couldn''t get Shin to agree to something, he would turn his attention to the twins, and since Shin would respect the twins'' wishes, he would undoubtedly accept Isadore''s terms. "Haha, that''s true." While the two young boys were conversing, the teacher that was standing in front of the whiteboard went on and on about the history of the empire. Even though there were many aspects of the module that was common sense, Shin learnt some valuable information after flipping through the textbooks that were given to him. For instance, the Himmel Empire''s Imperial Family was considered to be the strongest reigning monarchy in the history of mankind. Throughout the long river of time, countless powerful families had risen and fallen. Some of them had established their own kingdoms or empires, but they had all fallen within a few generations. Yet, the Himmel Empire''s Imperials had continued their reign for tens of thousands of years and had weathered every tribulation that was sent straight at them. Furthermore, in recent years, they had solidified their position as a dominant power that could stand alongside superpowers such as the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic. The Lantis Republic consists of eight ancient clans that ultimately formed into one entity while the Kori Federation was essentially a conglomerate of family clans and martial sects that gathered under one banner. However, using just their bloodline and the numerous clans that decided to serve under them, the Imperials of the Himmel Empire could stand toe to toe with those giants without a significant disadvantage. ''I really wonder what allows the Himmel Empire to remain as one of the three superpowers.'' Shin wondered. On paper, the Himmel Empire was perhaps the weakest among the three superpowers. In the ocean, the Lantis Republic was unparalleled, and no navy could come close to beating them. With hundreds of Rank 70 Spirit Emperors that specialised in manipulating the terrain around them, they could effortlessly sink any naval forces that sailed their way and no entity from the Terre Continent in their right minds, would ever covet the bountiful lands of the Lantis Archipelago. The Kori Federation, on the other hand, contained a wide variety of fighting forces. From sects that specialised in the way of the sword to clans with rare Spirit Users that controlled the elements of Mind, Light and Darkness. In fact, there were even rumours that a Spirit User had also awakened a Spirit with the rare element of Time, which had only occurred a few times in the long history of the human race. Naturally, the Himmel Empire had their own strengths, but when Shin compared them to the other two superpowers, the young man couldn''t help but feel that the Himmel Empire, the place where he grew up in his entire life, was somewhat lacking. Of course, there were still many things that Shin didn''t know about the sovereign nation, and his view was somewhat limited. As the lecturer continued on rambling on about the heroic exploits of the predecessors of the Himmel Empire, Shin felt the strong urge to fall asleep as he was not being taught about anything related to the textbook. However, when he turned to look at the boy at the adjacent seat, Shin could see Isadore''s eyes light up as he attentively listened to the teacher''s propaganda words. ''I really don''t know a thing about this guy¡­'' Isadore was an enigma towards Shin. Even a blind person could tell that the silver-haired boy was hiding something, but since Shin lacked even a single ally to help him gather information, there was nothing that he could do to probe into Isadore''s background. ''Whatever, it''s not like he''s doing me any harm.'' Fighting the impulse to immediately shut his eyes and wander off into Lalaland, Shin pretended to pay attention to class while waiting for the bell to ring. ~~~ Himmel Empire. The Capital. Lady Seph''s Residence. After Lady Seph bought the unused mansion and renovated it to her liking, the seasoned healer left the day-to-day activities of the estate to the orphans who were living there for free. Cleaning the house, watering the plants in the garden, and all sorts of household chores were handed to the orphans to manage. Unfortunately, due to the sheer size of the estate, they could only clean so much before they would eventually get tired. Often times, the orphans would get lost in the residence due to how spacious it was. However, for today, the villa that seemed to be boundless had turned into a suffocating space, especially for the orphans. Sitting up properly in the main hall, all of the orphans were gathered in one place with dozens of bodyguards surrounding them. Each one of the bodyguards was standing up straight with their arms behind their backs as the observed the orphans every movement. Naturally, there was no danger to the orphans'' lives, but it was still rather unpleasant to have tens of eyes constantly watching them. "Senior¡­ How much longer do we have to stay here?" Ryner carefully asked the effeminate man that was sitting at the main chair. With grey eyebrows and rather defined wrinkles, the man was without question one of the oldest people that Ryner had ever seen. His shiny pointed hat and luxurious articles of clothing indicated that he was someone of significant influence, and judging on how he could command the bodyguards that surrounded him with a wave of a hand, it would seem that the man controlled the orphans'' lives as well. "Oh dear¡­ Are you getting restless? Well, that''s understandable, since you have been copped up here for quite some time..." Fanning himself using a hand fan made out of crane feathers, the effeminate man sympathised with the orphans'' predicament. "I''m sorry, but it seems like our master still needs more time to talk to Lady Seph. How about this, if you''re feeling stuffed up, why not got to the garden? Men!!!" Waving two of his fingers twice, the man summoned the bodyguards standing behind him, hinting that even if the orphans left the main hall, they would still be tailed by the numerous men that they wanted to escape. "On second thought, I''m good..." "Are you sure, we should be here for a while more." "..." Ryner was speechless. A few minutes ago, a procession of over a hundred men knocked on the main gate of the residence, hoping to seek an audience with the owner of the house. Naturally, with the limited forces that they had, the only thing that they could do was allow the hundreds of men inside, while Lady Seph met with the bigwig. For their own safety, Lady Seph had allowed Bingbing to stay with the orphans while she dealt with the person that barged into her house. Sitting upright on the lap of Elyse, Bingbing observed the numerous guards that were surrounding her with ardent curiosity, causing many of them to shiver in fear as their sweat glands started to malfunction. ''Urghhh, who the hell came here?!'' Ryner mentally screamed out, and his sentiment was shared amongst all of the other orphans. Meanwhile, in the deep part of the mansion, where Lady Seph''s office lay¡­ "Hoho, to think that you would personally come to welcome me to the Capital. I''m not sure if I''m flattered or amused that the sovereign of the nation has so much free time on his hands." Lady Seph mockingly said as she stared intensely into the bright green eyes of the man sitting directly opposite her. "Haha, surely you jest. I too wish that there''s less work for me to do, but unfortunately, running a country isn''t as straightforward as it sounds." Taking a sip of the Oolong tea that Lady Seph had personally brewed, the middle-aged man face brightened up as he lauded the drink in his hands. "As expected of you, the tea here is excellent. Perhaps I should send someone to learn tea brewing from you." "Shut it, Tenno. I know that you''re not here to sample my tea. Since you''re here, I''m assuming that those assholes in the Imperial Courts know of my return." "No. I made sure that it wouldn''t happen. Even today''s expedition out of the Imperial Palace was kept under wraps. So don''t worry. None of them would bother you. Well, not that you need any protection in the first place..." Tenno raised his eyebrows as carefully returned the teacup in his hands to its saucer. "Not only have you promoted to the Spirit Venerate realm, but your connections in the Capital are also rather frightening. No minister or elder in their right mind would dare to cross you now." "What about your ancestors?" "... Let''s not talk about them." Carefully manoeuvring away from the subject, Tenno cupped his hands together and leaned forward. "I''m here to talk about you and Empire¡­ Return to us, Senior Seraphim. I will give you an advisory position in the Imperial Courts and reinstate you as Imperial Physician. Of course, those are all titles in name, you don''t have to do any actual work. You can continue doing whatever research you want, and the Imperial Family would shoulder all of the costs." "You know that it''s not going to happen, Tenno." Without even taking a second to consider, Lady Seph sharply declined the Emperor''s terms. "I''m not going to rejoin your stupid government after everything that it has done!" "I understand¡­ But you have to consider it from my perspective. I can''t just let a Spirit Venerate, who has a feud against the Imperial Courts, run unchecked in my own backyard. Furthermore, the news of your return would eventually spread to those in the Imperial Courts. I can''t keep it a secret forever. When that happens, even if you don''t care about your own life, what would happen to your disciple who¡­" "[You dare talk about my disciple!]" Finally opening Pandora''s Box, Tenno crossed the line when he mentioned Shin. Enraged by his threats, Lady Seph unleashed one of her spiritual abilities as an ethereal voice pressured the Emperor. In that instant, Tenno felt as if an ocean had appeared over his head, and it was only through great difficulty that he managed to resist the force that was pushing his body down. "As I said. I come in peace. And a battle against you is the last thing that I want. If you join us, not only would those benefits come to you, I would also give your disciple the best resources the Empire has to offer. I know that he was from the Awter Clan and had awakened The Sovereign Koi. With my connections, I can bring him to the Lantis Republic to get baptised by the Celestial River, something that you can''t offer to him even with your status as a Divine Healer!" "You..." Releasing her mana, Lady Seph stared deeply at the Emperor. "Please consider this proposal that I have, Senior Seraphim¡­ You have watched me grow up and had even backed my ascension of the throne! You infinite grace to the Imperial Family is something that I will never forget! Therefore, I don''t want to be the one to chase you out of my country!" Bowing his head down, Tenno did something that no Monarch in their right mind would do, lower his head to someone else. "Tenno¡­ No, I still can''t do that." "Senior Seraphim!!!" "But! I promise to never lay my hands on the Imperial Courts. That''s something that I have no interest in. I swear, as a citizen of the Himmel Empire, I will never do anything that would harm my country. Is that fair for you?" Lady Seph addressed the central issue of the Emperor''s visit. "That¡­ Fine, I''ll take it for now." The higher a Spirit User climbs, the more likely it was for them to honour their word. "Just leave my disciple and me alone. I won''t even bother coming out in the open." For Lady Seph, research and taking care of Shin were still the most paramount activities in her life. She genuinely lacked any interest in exacting vengeance against the Imperial Courts. "Of course, if you dare to harm even a single strand of hair from Shin, I''ll send all of you to the depths of hell." "I see¡­ Fine, I''ll relay that to my ministers¡­" Standing up from his seat, the Emperor walked towards the exit and turned the doorknob. However, before he left, he addressed the esteemed healer one last time. "Oh, Senior Seraphim..." "What is it?" "It''s nice to see you again. Do visit the Imperial Palace if you have some time. I''m sure everyone there would be thrilled to meet you once more." "I''ll consider it..." ---------------------------------------- Hi! I have a short announcement to make. By the time you see this chapter, I should be gone vacationing from 17-22, and I''m not sure whether I would get internet. So forgive me if I don''t answer any of your messages during this time. Don''t worry, I have scheduled the chapters to release on time for RoyalRoad and Webnovel. Oh, and a pro tip... Since Patreon doesn''t have a good way for me to schedule and release my content, I have mass released the six chapters there. So those who subscribe to me right after you read this message, you would get a bonus +6 chapters for your tier. For instance, the lowest tier would get access to 7 additional chapters instantly while the highest tier would get 16 chapters! So do support me on Patreon! XD Disclaimer: This is a one-time thing. Please don''t misunderstand that I''m changing the rewards for the tiers. It''s just that I mass released the six chapters right away since I won''t have internet overseas. Chapter 228 A Tempting Offer 2 Unlike their fellow family members back in Lady Seph''s residence, Shin was having a rather uneventful day. After his theory lessons, he would get hounded by Mychael in close-combat class, and cultivation class was simply learning how to meditate, something that Shin was already an expert in. The only thing that interested him was the spiritual tools module, but there were no lessons today. Of course, for someone of Shin''s position, even if he goes out of his way to avoid troubles, disturbances would always find a way to come to him. "Mister Shin Iofiel, would you accompany me for a brief moment?" Just as school ended and Shin was taking a stroll back to his dorm room, a prim and proper female butler stopped him in his tracks. In her mid-twenties, the butler boasted a healthy youthful look, and her dark eyes eluded any information about her true identity. Although she seemed to be rather young, Shin felt a sense of dread similar to that when he faced the Instructor. Even without her summoning out her spiritual pressure, Shin could tell that the butler was an expert in her craft. "You''re..." "I''m here under orders from my young mistress, her grace, Kanari Saniela. Don''t worry, we don''t have any bad intentions for inviting you over." Bowing courteously, the butler reaffirmed that she didn''t have any intentions of harming the young black-haired teen. ''Her again? What does she want?'' Shin exasperatedly exclaimed in his mind. "May I ask why she wishes to see me?" "It''s not proper for me to divulge the intentions of my mistress. However, you don''t have to worry. This visit would only bring benefits to you, I guarantee that." The butler continued with her pressing as if she wouldn''t take no for an answer. ''Kanari Saniela again¡­ Honestly, I want to remain as low key as possible but having her on my side could reap me some benefits...'' Shin took a few seconds to think about the butler''s words. Even though he was somewhat apprehensive to meet with the greatest genius in the Himmel Empire once more, he ultimately relented, as he felt that the benefits far outweighed the demerits. "Looks like you''ve made up your mind. Follow me." Catching the minute change in his expression, the butler pivoted her feet and led the young boy down the familiar route to the hidden auditorium. The walk over was an awkward one, with the butler refusing to answer any of Shin''s questions. Eventually, after realising that he was unable to move the butler, Shin shut his mouth and conserved his energy for the meeting ahead. Stepping into the abandoned hall, Shin felt a wave of emotion rush through his mind once more. The refreshing sensation that he had felt when he had first visited this area pulsated within the depths of Shin''s soul, albeit in a lighter manner than before. Sitting on the crystal table that was a few metres away from the prominent Soul Tree, a young girl, whose beauty could only be described as divine, was sipping on a cup of tea, while calmly staring into space. Her angelic face that transcended all regular appearances and her delicate movements hinted her noble background. Turning her head slightly, the young girl noticed the two newcomers and her reddened lips curled up slightly. "Mister Shin! You have arrived!" Exclaiming in a soft voice, Kanari laid down her teacup. Shin noticed that unlike the first time they interacted, Kanari''s tone had a tinge of respect as if she were addressing a fellow noble instead of a commoner. "I have been waiting for you." "Good day to you too, Miss Kanari¡­ I wonder why you have called me here yet again?" "Haha, we''ll get to that later. Please, take a seat." Gesturing for her peer to sit opposite of her, the young girl jubilantly poured him a cup of her tea. "It''s Pu''er Tea. I hope you don''t mind it." "Thank you, but I''m not thirsty." "Oh, that''s a shame..." A sour pout emerged from the lovely lips of the young girl as she put on a dejected expression. If it were a typical male, they would undoubtedly feel a prick in their heart for causing such a pretty girl to go through such stress. Unfortunately, Shin was no regular man. With his heart already buried together with Ariel, and his standard for beauty raised significantly after spending an exorbitant amount of time with his Master, Shin was basically immune to Kanari''s charms. Shin stared vigilantly at Kanari, hoping that she would take the first move and state her intentions for calling him over. However, even after a full minute, the only thing that was shared between them was silence. Kanari was busy cooling the hot tea down with her puckered lips and totally ignored Shin. "Miss Kanari¡­ If there''s nothing of importance, would you excuse me? I have some matters to attend to." "Mister Shin!" Just as Shin was about to leave, Kanari raised her voice slightly. "What is it?" "You know¡­ I''m a talented individual." "Huh?" Shin dropped his jaw after hearing Kanari''s self-praise. It was one thing if everyone called you a genius, but if you address yourself as a rare talent, it would have come across as being smug and arrogant. "From the day I was born, I was destined to become the greatest. I was born to a High Duchess that controlled over a million human lives, and I was first in line to inherit that Duchy. I was given the best resources to administer my Spirit, and I had some of the best teachers that the entire world had to offer." Instead of getting to the point, Kanari went off on a tangent and began to narrate her backstory. "When I awakened my Spirit, I triggered a natural phenomenon, and my world became even more hectic. Thousands, if not tens of thousands of people gathered to congratulate me. The best resources that I received since I was young, they doubled. The best teachers, they improved. I was even given the right to visit the Imperial Palace whenever I wanted, something that not even Dukes or Counts had the right to." "..." Shin silently listened on to the young girl''s ramblings without moving a muscle. It was a rare chance for him to find out how Kanari formed her Spirit Core so quickly, so he didn''t dare to interrupt. "Do you know the term there''s always a mountain higher? The funny thing was, I had always been the highest mountain. Whenever I compared myself to my peers, even if I didn''t want to be overly confident, my talent far surpassed theirs. The only one who came close was Suji but even he was five ranks lower than me." With a lonely sigh, Kanari displayed her despondence. To be at the top of the world, came solitude. Even though everyone was gunning for her spot, with just a mere wave of her hand, Kanari could sweep her competition easily. "So I have been searching. Searching for the higher mountain so that I wouldn''t be the sole trailblazer. However, I have never found someone that was more talented than me. Those who were had already made their mark on history. Amongst the younger generation, no one even came close to my talent. That is, until today..." Lifting her gaze from her teacup to meet eyes with Shin, Kanari gave a wry grin. "I would have never had expected that I was in the presence of the youngest healer in history. You did well to conceal yourself." "You!" Shin abruptly stood up, sending the chair that he was sitting on tumbling in the opposite direction. This was the first time that Shin had lost control over himself since he entered the Capital. He had a good reason to hide his identity and yet, Kanari managed to figure out who he was within one week. "How much do you know?" "Quite a bit actually. Your real name isn''t Shin Iofiel. You were an orphaned child that was picked up by the Frie Clan. For some reason, you managed to get apprenticed to the illustrious Lady Seph, and in a shocking turn, you learned ''Heal'' when you were just thirteen! Attending in the battle for Aldrich''s Keep, you are an experienced healer with hours in the battlefield, and your healing is equal to that of an intermediate healer." Kanari narrated everything that she had heard from the investigation report she asked for. "To be honest, when I learnt all of this, I was absolutely floored. Even though you are three ranks lower than me, you''re way more talented. Not to mention, you weren''t given the kind of resources that I had, but have twice the amount of achievements. In fact, not many military men in the Capital have half of your accomplishments. If the world knows of your existence, all the major powers will rush to get you for themselves." Kanari gave a high assessment of Shin''s worth. "What do you want?" Shin got to the crux of the issue. For Kanari to conduct such a thorough investigation into his background, there must have been something that the young aristocrat wanted from him. "How straightforward of you¡­ Well, it''s not like I dislike that attribute in a person..." Kanari got up her seat and walked towards the Soul Tree that stood behind her. Walking up the steps until she was elevated from Shin''s vision, the young beauty did a gracious twirl and flashed one of the most brilliant smiles that Shin had ever seen. "Join me, Shin! I can promise you resources that you could never imagine, and I will help you achieve all of your goals! Stand by me as we charge forward and create history!" Kanari determinedly exclaimed. The Himmel Empire''s future goddess and the youngest healer in history. If the two of them joined forces, every single entity in the Empire would be put on red alert. ''I see¡­ She wants to recruit me...'' Finally understanding why he was the focus of Kanari''s investigations, Shin let out a mental sigh. As tempting as it was to accept her offer, Shin could not grant the idealistic girl''s wishes. "I''m sorry, but I can''t do that..." "Why not?! We can become one of the strongest forces in the Empire within a few decades, and you would undoubtedly serve as a top official in the future!" "No, I''m flattered by your offer. I really am. But I have abandoned the healing path long ago. I cannot give you what you seek from me. Now, I''m training to become the strongest warrior that I could possibly be. That''s why I''m not in the auxiliary course instead." Shin explained himself. "Furthermore, my goals lie elsewhere, not within the borders of the Empire." Shin''s fight with the Black Mask syndicate was not limited to the lands of the Himmel Empire. The Black Mask syndicate, led by the elusive Allfather, had legions all over the world. To take down Junius, to finish the Allfather that had caused him so much pain, Shin would have to keep his freedom. He couldn''t be burdened by entering the world of politics that even his Master warned him to steer clear off. "Why would you do that?! Aren''t you the youngest healer in history?! Why would you squander your talent?! If you continued down this path, you would unquestionably make your mark on history!!!" "I have my reasons¡­ I hope that you wouldn''t probe too much, Miss Kanari..." Kanari stared silently at the black-haired boy who was wearing a helpless expression. Recalling something that she had read in the document presented to her, the young girl lowered her shoulders and heaved out a deep breath. "Is it because of Ariel?" "You!!! How do you know that name?!" Shin cried out at the top of his lungs. His voice becoming hurried as his blood pressure began to rise. The veins on his neck started to show, and the pearly white face of his had been dyed red with agitation. Ariel was Shin''s Achilles heel. The moment someone mentioned her, Shin would flip out in anger as the chaotic memories returned to his consciousness. "I-I investigated..." Stunned by the adverse effect of her words, Kanari took one step backwards and unconsciously raised her hands. "No¡­ I lost control over myself¡­ I apologise..." After watching the black-haired beauty''s frightened face, Shin realised the blunder that he had made and immediately made an effort to calm himself. "I''m sorry, but I can''t accept your good graces. I have to leave now. Good day to you, Miss Kanari." Taking this opportunity to exit the auditorium, Shin left Kanari alone and slack-jawed. "Should I chase after him, young mistress?" The butler that led Shin over to the abandoned hall moved up to support Kanari. "No¡­ We should leave him alone for now. To think that he would have such a drastic reaction¡­" If Kanari was entirely honest, she barely knew anything about Ariel and only threw out her name as a means to convince him to join her crusade. Naturally, since she didn''t understand how much the deceased Ariel meant to Shin, she miscalculated and paid for her mistake. "Let''s wait a few weeks for him to calm down. Make sure that no one else approaches him for an alliance. If any aristocratic family sends an envoy to him, let me know immediately!" "Understood, young mistress." Kanari barked orders at her butler while taking the time to reassess where she had gone wrong. There was no way that Kanari was going to give up on securing a partnership with possibly the most talented genius that she had ever seen. ''Looks like the investigation wasn''t comprehensive enough¡­ But, I can''t bring out the top-tier investigators by myself!!! Should I tell mother about him?'' Kanari started to formulate plans so that she could secure an alliance with Shin. ''Whatever, I should let nature run its course for now...'' Chapter 229 Showing Off 1 "Urghhh, I really didn''t expect for someone to find out about me so quickly." After retreating from the auditorium, Shin sought refuge in his dormitory room in distress. To protect the fact that Lady Seph had returned to the Capital, the young boy had been trying to lay low. Unfortunately, there was no way someone like him would go unnoticed for long. He just didn''t expect it to occur that swiftly. "The only thing that I can do now is to avoid that girl like the plague¡­ Hah, her connections sure are frightening. To think that she even found out about Ariel..." Recalling the moment his beloved''s name fell out of Kanari''s mouth, Shin felt a wave of despondence envelop his soul. It has been over half a year since that fateful incident. Yet, the pain of losing Ariel was still fresh in his mind. "Tch, I must be more discrete from now on. Any more slip-ups and she might be able to find out everything about me." Taking off his shirt, Shin held up the flawed amethyst necklace as he let his mind wander off. "Hah¡­ The only way for me to become stronger right now is to promote to the Spirit Core realm. Once I condense my Spirit Core, I will be able to learn a Spiritual Body Enhancement skill." Shin''s current plan for entering the path of the fighter was to train his mana strengthening to a significant degree before attempting to comprehend his own Spiritual Body Enhancement. Like Mychael and Ines, Shin would attempt to merge The Sovereign Koi with his own physical body to boost his attributes tenfold. That was the only way that he could contest with the other monsters in his cohort. "Kanari, Shizen, Suji, and Danroy¡­ All these guys are all freaks that could easily beat me in my current state. No, even Emma and Ella would be able to take me out easily if they went all out against me¡­ I really need to get some information about all of their fighting styles..." Shin thought out loud. Eventually, due to the meritocratic system of Imperius Academy, there would come a time where all students in the cohort would vie for the top spot. Since Shin was far weaker than the average combat-oriented student, he had to analyse all of his opponents'' fighting styles to figure out counter strategies to take them out. For instance, if he were to face any of the twins, Shin would do anything in his ability to close the distance, so that the fight could go to melee combat, in which he had a higher likelihood of winning. However, for the analysis to begin, Shin required information, something that he didn''t have. "Perhaps I should ask Isadore¡­ No, the more pressing issue now is to increase my cultivation." Sitting upright on his bed, Shin closed his eyes and started to chant the Celestial Water Mantra once more. No matter how much preparation he made or how many devious plans he formulates, it would all be useless if he wasn''t strong enough. To reach the top, he had to become a cultivator in the Spirit Core realm within the first year of his studies, else Shin would be unable to keep up with the competition. ~~~ The second week of the academic term passed rather smoothly for the young teen as the many hot-blooded youths that aimed for his neck had all but dissipated after hearing the false rumours about Shin. After all, no one found delight in bullying the weak, something that Isadore had made the black-haired youth seem to be. Of course, that worked out well in Shin''s favour as he was given a much-needed rest to concentrate on his studies and cultivation. After Kanari sought him out earlier in the week, she realised that she had overstepped her boundaries and allowed Shin to roam unhindered. Naturally, there were many times where Shin felt as if there were many eyes glued onto him but he didn''t dare to overthink it. As the weekend came, the entire campus was buzzing about with great fervour as a momentous event took centre stage. It was finally time for the upperclassmen experts to show their talents. Just like the orientation week, the upperclassmen demonstration was an annual event where the best talents of the previous year would showcase their abilities to help trigger the freshmen''s drive to work hard. Selecting only the best of the best, Imperius Academy would elect two representatives from each year to participate in an exhibition match. Of course, since it was not a fight to the death, there were some rules in place to prevent severe injuries, but nonetheless, it would be an entertaining watch for the hopeful freshmen. The exhibition matches, just like any other fighting bouts, would occur in Lucha Amphitheatre, the biggest stadium in all of the academies. With a seating capacity of over ten thousand, the Lucha Amphitheatre was the ultimate place for festivities as all of Imperius Academy''s most prominent events were hosted there, and the upperclassmen demonstration was no different. Crowds upon crowds of students, commoners and aristocrats alike, piled up against each other as they tried to gain the best seats in the stadium. Since the Lucha Amphitheatre was free for anyone to access, the only factor determining the seats that one got, was their drive to queue up early in the day before the gates open. "There''s quite a lot of people here huh?" As Shin turned back to observe the queue, he noticed over a thousand young boys and girls gathering while waiting for their turn to enter the building. "Of course! Everyone in the school wants to see the best of the best duke it out!" Isadore excitedly replied. "Our seniors that are participating in the exhibition matches are some of the most famous youths in the entire Empire! Especially, the fourth and sixth years! The sixth years are sending out their valedictorian and salutatorian to fight, and they are both in the later stages of the Spirit Core realm!" "I was wondering why there were so many people here¡­ So that''s the reason huh?" Ella lightly fanned herself to cool her body down. Standing in the blistering heat for hours had started to take a toll on the ice-element user. "So we''re lucky that we came early right?" Emma attempted to lighten the mood with an encouraging smile. Unfortunately, none of those present had the mind to humour the young girl. "Yeah¡­ Can''t we just get our seats first? Why must we stand out in this heat?" Shin protested. Shin and the twins were all water-elemental Spirit Users, and they didn''t really feel well with a scorching sun shining brightly over their heads. "Those are the rules¡­ Imagine if we just let anyone walk in and out of the auditorium without any facilitation from the faculty. It would be akin to a pandemonium! So the gates only open one hour before the event begins. That is the ironclad rule!" "You know, for someone who doesn''t like giving out information about himself, you sure know a lot about other matters, Isadore..." Shin squinted his eyes and scanned the silver-haired boy with an inquisitive glance. "Hey, can''t you just reveal something about yourself? Some a small fraction of it?" "Hmmm, what do you want to know?" "How about¡­ What''s your Spirit?" Shin shot with a straightforward question that Isadore could not wiggle himself out of. "Oh, that''s easy! I use a Spear Spirit." Instead of beating around the bush, Isadore replied to Shin''s question candidly, stunning both Shin and the twins. It was the first time that Isadore had ever revealed anything about himself to them. "I-I see..." Clearly not expecting Isadore''s answer, Shin''s eyebrows twitched slightly as he struggled to find the next words to say. Fortunately, he didn''t have to think for long as a metallic clank pierced through the air and a low creaking sound echoed shortly after. The gates to the Lucha Amphitheatre had finally been opened. "Quickly! Let''s find the best seats!" Like a gushing river pouring out of a broken dam, the students marched in droves into the stadium, as they all hoped to snatch the best seats in the building. "We shouldn''t contest with those maniacs that want to get the first level. To be honest, the rows on the second level give a much clearer view of the fight. Come, I''ll lead you there." Isadore waved his hands as he gestured for the orphans to follow. "Okay..." While the students, ranging from freshmen to sixth-year seniors all hurried through the opened gates, the contestants that were selected for the exhibition match were all gathered in a glass box up high in the amphitheatre. Varying in their sizes, some of the contestants were lean and terrifying looking while others had soft expressions that made them seem like harmless teenagers. Of course, the actual reality was, the teenagers gathered in the glass box were the best talents in their cohort, with the futures all but secured for them. "You think Kanari would come?" One of the fourth year males questioned his partner. His eyes were focused on the crowd as he attempted to catch even a glimpse of the ethereal beauty that everyone knew about. "You''re still head over heels for her?" Exasperated by how smitten his partner was, the other fourth-year male, exclaimed out in shock. "Just give it up dude. No matter how much you have progressed, you still won''t be worth anything to her eyes. From the rumours that I''ve heard, she''s already at Rank 21! And she''s only fifteen-years-old! You''re eighteen and only two ranks higher than her!" The young boy tried to dissuade his partner once more from traversing on the path that wouldn''t bear any fruit. Even though it seemed like he was putting down his partner, not many Spirit Users are able to reach Rank 23 by the age of eighteen. Junius, who was considered a rare talent by most, had barely formed his Spirit Core at the age of eighteen years old. Most Spirit Users, wouldn''t even reach the Spirit Core realm until they were in their late twenties. If the fourth-year boy who was smitten with Kanari was to go out on the dating market, hundreds of eligible females would queue up to be his partner. Yet, due to his one-sided love for the unattainable, the boy had rejected all female advances as he focused on improving himself so that Kanari would spare him a second glance. "Charles¡­ If I could simply do as you say, I would have. Unfortunately, the one thing that keeps driving me to push myself is the opportunity to stand by her side." "You''re a fool, Fred¡­ No matter what you do, Kanari won''t reciprocate your feelings. We had this conversation many times, why can''t you understand?" As an aristocrat, Charles had more information about Kanari''s life than Fred could ever have. The young girl had no plans for romance, and her family was incredibly supportive of her choice. After all, when Kanari breaks through the first mortal barrier at Rank 40 and becomes a Spirit Spectre, her lifespan would double, and she would have all the time in the world to find a suitable mate to bear children with. Furthermore, since she was the heir of the Highgarden Duchy, her husband would have to marry into her family, which meant that Kanari had full control over who she wanted as her significant other. Thus far, Kanari has not shown any signs of interest in the opposite gender and had never been caught out on a scandal. Training day in and day out to become the strongest Spirit User of the Empire, Kanari simply didn''t have the luxury to fall in love like a regular girl of her age. "But there''s always a chance. Charles, until my final breath, I will do my best to become someone worthy of standing next to Kanari¡­ And the first step is to etch my valiant figure deep into the recesses of her mind. So I''ll have to trouble you if she does show up..." Wearing a sinister smile, Fred sent a shiver down his partner''s spine with his cold remarks. "Fine, fine¡­ But you owe me okay! I don''t want to get beaten up in front of thousands of people for no compensation!" "I wouldn''t even mind being your slave for a month if you agree to take the beating." "Hey! You said it! Someone bring a contract signed in blood! Someone bring a contract signed in blood!" "Haha, you fool..." Lightly chiding his partner, Fred redirected his attention to the booming crowd. It has been over a year since he last saw Kanari. Remembering the first time he met the majestic angel of beauty, Fred felt his entire being tremor in agitation. ''Soon¡­ I''ll see you again...'' ~~~ The upperclassmen demonstration was a simple affair. Once everyone was seated, a host would facilitate the event through narration and would invite all of the fighters of the expedition matches up onto the stage. The first pair to be called up were the representatives of the second-year seniors. A referee, who was typically an academy instructor, would serve as the arbiter for the match and would preside over all decisions in the ring. "Angie Allen and Lyanna Craig. Please step up into the ring." Without waiting any longer, the host used his microphone to call down the two contestants for the first expedition match of the day. Two young girls, who were no older than sixteen, flew down from the glass box that stood high above ground level and landed square on the concrete platform, coming into full view of the spectators. One of the girls was small and petite, barely reaching 1.6 metres in height. Her thin robes and streamlined posture, made her seem like a devious assassin, that required the robes for her quick and agile movements. On the other hand, the other girl was giving off the exact opposite impression. Donned in fully bronze armour, the young girl was as muscular as any other testosterone filled man in the gym, and every step that she took made the earth below her, scream out in fear. "Angie Allen. Spirit, Dual Tempest Scimitars. Cultivation level, Rank 18." Cupping her hands together, the petite girl projected her voice in a way that someone of her physique had no business doing. "Lyanna Craig. Spirit, Avalanche Cleaver. Cultivation level, Rank 18." Not willing to lose out to her competitor, the muscular second-year girl did the same introduction. "The highest ranked cultivator in the second year is only at Rank 18?" One of the freshmen murmured out. "Our batch is clearly better!" As young cultivators, trying to compare themselves to the previous batch was understandable. After all, who didn''t want to be part of the greatest generation in Imperius Academy''s history? Even Shin was slightly taken aback. The strongest second-year actually shared the same cultivation level as himself? Unfortunately, they were about to get a rude awakening. "Begin!" Once the referee commenced the battle, the two young girls summoned out their Spirits in a blink of an eye and Lyanna was the one who fired the first shot. "HARGHHH!!!" In her hands a colossal axe, that was around the size of an average teenager slammed itself straight into the concrete floor, splitting the platform into two almost instantaneously. If it were any of the freshmen, they would have unquestionably been affected by the impact and would have been blown back tens of metres. However, her opponent was not some ignorant child. With her two scimitars in hand, Angie took to the skies and evaded the attack altogether. Her one leap had propelled her twenty metres into the air as it seemed that gravity had no effect on Angie''s momentum. "HIYAAA!!!" Sending a ridiculous amount of mana into her Avalanche Cleaver that was stuck onto the floor, Lyanna screamed as she broke the platform into multiple small boulders that were at most half a metre in diameter, and launched them straight into the air using her second spiritual ability. "Tsskk!!!" Up in the air, Angie clicked her tongue in annoyance. Lyanna had no intentions of warming up to the fight. She was going straight for the climax. "Come to me!" A grey light congregated on the ankles of Angie''s feet as two miniature cyclones formed. Before the relentless boulder assault was about to rip through the young girl''s delicate flesh, Angie kicked into blank space, but amazingly, her body moved in the opposite direction, as if there was a wall in mid-air. Using that technique over and over, Angie was able to evade all of the deadly boulders. "Dance of the Valkyrie!" Lyanna grinned as she watched her friend use her trump card so early on in the battle. By utilising the cyclones on her ankles, Angie could infinitely stay airborne and change her direction at will. Furthermore, her speed would match that of flying Spirit Beasts, making her far too agile to get hit. "Stupid Ly! You want to kill me?!" Angie screamed out from the skies. "Come at me An! You won''t be able to win if you keep dodging!" Tightening her grip on her Avalanche Cleaver, Lyanna turned one round and forced the boulders in the sky to form into a tornado that would relentlessly aim for Angie''s head. "Hmph! You forced me!" In a fit of rage, the young girl that was flying joined her two scimitars together and sent the vast majority of her mana into her next attack. Putting the handles of the swords on her waist, Angie started to whirl like a spinning top and soon, a vicious ring of wind, that could slice through metal as if it were butter, formed. "Tempest Ring!!!" Sending her attack straight at Lyanna on the floor, the new ability turned all of the flying boulders around her into dust, as Angie descended onto the earth. Since she was too slow to evade, the only thing that Lyanna could do was to block the oncoming storm that was headed her way. Swinging her Avalanche Cleaver like a madwoman, the young girl met the Tempest Ring straight on and only after much difficulty, did she manage to disperse the crazy attack. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­ That''s better!" Lyanna praised her friend''s efforts with a thumbs up. "Shut it! I almost died there!" Angie angrily retorted. "I had faith that you would evade them all." "HAVING FAITH DOES NOT JUSTIFY WHAT YOU DID!!!" While the two bosom friends were busy quarrelling about their ''cordial'' spar, the freshmen who were spectating all had their jaws dropped onto the floor. Even though the two seniors of theirs were only one year older than themselves, they fought as if they were long-time experts, instead of cultivators in the Spirit Apostle realm. "They''re crazy..." "God damn it¡­ How did they become so strong? It''s as if we''re watching two Spirit Core cultivators fight out there!" None of the freshmen now held their seniors in contempt. So what if they weren''t in the Spirit Core realm like Kanari was? Their might suggested that they could easily take on a Spirit Core cultivator or two with ease. As the fight began to get heated up, Shin was there trying to analyse which moves were most suited for him to adopt. ''Hmmm, that evasion technique is spectacular! I wonder if I can get the same results with my created water¡­ I need to test it further.'' The whole reason why Shin came to the demonstration in the first place, was to learn from the best, and fortunately, he was a first-hand spectator to one of the greatest sparring sessions that Imperius Academy had to offer. Rubbing his smooth chin, the young boy continued on his evaluation, unaware of the major changes that the day was about to bring him... Chapter 230 Showing Off 2 The fight between Angie and Lyanna from the second-years went on for five solid minutes with Angie failing to pierce through her brutish friend''s defences and Lyanna missing all of her flying boulders. Ultimately, after both of them had expended their mana reserves, the referee called a stop to the fight and declared it to be a draw. After all, it was just an exhibition match. There was no need to decide a clear winner. "Stupid! Stupid Ly! Why did you have to try so hard from the very beginning! We could have just shown some flashy moves, and the freshmen would already be impressed!" As the teachers hurriedly attempted to fix the messed up platform, Angie raised her voice in protest against her long-time friend. "If I held back, how would I have brought out the best in you? I''m sure you weren''t even thinking about bringing out the Dance of the Valkyrie." Lyanna sharply quipped as she removed the straps on her armour. "Of course I wasn''t! It''s just a battle for the show! There''s no need to go all out!" "That''s the problem! We must put on a good performance so that our juniors have something to emulate! With your wishy-washy attitude, that won''t happen, and the majority of them would grow up thinking that they''re better than us!" "Urghhh, I can''t argue with that¡­ But honestly, this year''s cohort is terrifying..." Angie quietened down as she stared deeply into the spectator seats. "The Witch of the South is already at Rank 21, while there are four cultivators at Rank 16 and above¡­ The Freak of the Dundlewoods, Son of War, Silver Spoon and even the mysterious black-haired boy that is at our cultivation level¡­ How were all of these talents born in the same year?" Any of those geniuses that Angie had mentioned could have easily taken the valedictorian place. When Angie and Lyanna first joined the academy, they were both at Rank 15 and back then, they were considered as outstanding geniuses. Yet, compared to the elites in the first-years, they weren''t up to par. "We should be thanking our lucky stars that they weren''t born one year earlier¡­ Otherwise, our spots at the top would have been in serious jeopardy." Lyanna reaffirmed Angie''s statement as she wiped her sweating forehead with a hot wet towel. "Especially that girl..." Pointing to a breathtaking black-haired Adonis that was sitting high up in the amphitheatre, Lyanna eyes burned with a red-hot passion, as her blood started to boil. "Against Kanari, we would have surely lost. In fact, I''m not sure if we could beat her even if both of us joined forces." "She''s that strong? I mean I know that she''s already in the Spirit Core realm, but we have one year of training in the academy!" "That doesn''t mean anything¡­ I had witnessed her fight just once. Back when she was twelve years old. Kanari had just promoted into the Spirit Apostle realm and her mother, the Duchess of Highgarden, held an event to celebrate." Lyanna narrated her experience to her commoner friend. "Hundreds of nobles gathered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Empire''s future goddess. There were even some aristocrats that came with the intention of betrothing their sons to Kanari. However, the main event wasn''t what anyone expected¡­ Instead of having a regular meet and greet, Kanari appeared in full combat attire and accepted challenges from any cultivator at was around her age in the audience." "She did that?! At the age of twelve?" Angie exclaimed in horror. Nobles hosting an event to show off their might was a common occurrence. However, Kanari had just awakened her Spirit two years prior and had the audacity to challenge a room filled with the best talents in the Empire. "Exactly, her intentions were clear. She wanted to exert her dominance against her peers. She wanted to cement her legacy as the top genius in her generation." Clenching her fists, Lyanna''s face began to pale. "What followed next was a scene that I would never forget for the rest of my life¡­ Smashing down Spirit Apostle after Spirit Apostle, Kanari defeated seven challengers in less than ten minutes, and she soon got bored. Deciding that those coming up were too weak, she changed her terms¡­ Kanari would only accept cultivators that were in the Spirit Core realm." "WHAT?!" Angie hollered out like a maddened woman. For a twelve-year-old girl to take on opponents that were in the Spirit Core realm was an utterly ridiculous concept. "That was my exact reaction¡­ I legitimately thought that the Duchess of Highgarden had a few screws loose in her head. Why else would she allow her successor to take such a risk? However, I was the one who was ignorant¡­ Kanari defied all expectations and completely decimated a young twenty-year-old aristocrat in the Spirit Core realm with ease. It wasn''t even a contest..." Lyanna''s body shivered in fear as he recollected the night where Kanari made her name known worldwide. "She''s that strong?" Absolutely floored by the concept, Angie fell back onto her chair and curiously stared at the black-haired beauty that was innocently seated a distance away. Her exterior appearance seemed to be rather virtuous, and Kanari didn''t seem to be the kind to even harm a fly, but as the saying goes¡­ Appearances are often deceptive. "Yeah¡­ That''s why I''m looking forward to her performance this year. Three years ago, she could easily take on a Spirit Core cultivator¡­ Now that she has condensed her Spirit Core, one could only imagine what kind of heights she had reached..." ~~~ After the second-year pair exhibition match, the next duo up were the third-years, and the match was just as entertaining as the second-years. The two seniors in the third-year had already formed their Spirit Cores, and it was the first time that Shin was exposed to how spiritual pressure could be used in an even fight. Although it was not as flashy as the previous match, Shin learnt a great deal from the two Spirit Core cultivators. ''That''s an interesting method of fighting¡­ I really have to reach the Spirit Core realm soon to try it out...'' For Shin, who was two ranks away from the Spirit Core realm, he had to learn the various methods that a Spirit Core cultivator would use in battle. ''There are five matches today¡­ Next would be the fourth-years. I wonder what heights they would have reached...'' Meanwhile, the fourth-years that Shin was referring to were intensely staring in one direction, one of them more engrossed than the other. "There she is, Charles!!! She''s really here!" Fred exclaimed in glee after spotting the girl that had been plaguing his dreams on a nightly basis. The young man''s fascination over Kanari grew to an exponential level as he once again laid eyes on the ethereal beauty. "She''s grown much prettier..." "Hah¡­ Looks like I have to take a beating from you huh?" Sighing deeply, Charles shut his eyes in despondency as he blurted out those words. However, when no reply came back, the youth raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Wow, you''re not even going to listen to me? Yeap, I''ve lost him." Wholly enthralled by Kanari''s charm, Fred placed his face on the glass window, hoping to get a more unobstructed view of the goddess of beauty. "Hey, we''re up next! So if I were you, I would start preparing myself..." "Yeah, I can''t show my bad side to her!" Motivated by his partner''s words, Fred sprung into action and immediately went to put on his combatant gear. To impress Kanari, the eighteen-year-old must do everything in his power in the coming fight. Otherwise, he would be relegated to the side, just like the thousands of other suitors that Kanari had. "Fred Newton and Charles Castillo! Please step up into the ring!" The exhibition match of the third-years was less destructive than the fight between Angie and Lyanna, quickening the cleaning process of the aftermath. In just a few minutes, it was already time for the fourth-years to make their appearance. "It''s finally time for the fourth-year representatives to take the stage..." "Oh? Is there something special about them?" Shin turned to Isadore and asked. It was something that the young teen had learnt over the past two weeks. When in doubt, seek Isadore. The self-declared walking encyclopedia had possibly all the answers when it came to any student in the academy. "The two that are coming up in the ring are quite famous in the Capital. Charles Castillo is the son to one of the richest Counts in the Empire, and he frequently rubs shoulders with the Imperial Family. Considered to be one of the best auxiliary Spirit Users in the younger generation, Charles has been sought after by all of the top schools in the Capital, with some of them promising him the best resources that they had to offer. Therefore, it caused some controversy when he finally decided to attend Imperius." Isadore gave a brief background narration of Charles'' life. "The other guy, Fred Newton, is the current valedictorian of the fourth-years. Just like you, he was a gifted commoner that was scouted by some of the faculty members. When he first came into the academy, he was already at Rank 16, something that was unprecedented at the time. Naturally, with such a high value on his head, many students aimed to dethrone him from the number one spot, but they all failed when they met with his deadly iron fists." "I see¡­" "Fred Newton is also quite infamous in the Capital. Due to his immense talent, hundreds of organisations sought him out and offered massive packages for him to join them. The Imperial Military, the Mercenary Guild, and even aristocratic families looking for a talented Spirit User to join their ranks. However, he turned them all down." "Why?" "You see¡­ Fred is what you call a classic lovebird. He has sights for only one organisation, and he will not settle for another." Isadore winked at the young teen as he whispered in a soft voice. "Fred only has one choice in his mind, and that is the Highgarden Duchy." "Hoho¡­ So he''s aiming for the ''queen'' huh?" Ella sharply retorted. "Exactly! Initially, the Highgarden Duchy was elated that such a talented individual was actively trying to join their armies. However, when they heard his demands, they were dumbstruck¡­ Fred didn''t want riches or fame. The only thing that he wanted was Kanari''s hand in marriage." ''Wow, so there are people that are desperate to join Miss Kanari''s forces¡­ Looks like I turned down quite a big shot.'' Thinking back to the moment where he declined Kanari''s invitation, a wry smile crept up Shin''s face. "That''s absurd! Does his head live in the clouds? Why would anyone accept such a ludicrous condition?" Being a fellow female celebrity that was chased around by egomaniacal boys, Ella felt angry on Kanari''s behalf. "That was the exact same reaction that the Highgarden Duchy had. Appalled by his terms, they barred him from ever stepping foot onto their lands and threw out his application altogether. When Kanari first heard of Fred, she was immediately disgusted and vowed to never interact with him. But that didn''t stop him from trying to get close to her. Every few months, there would be a new tale of how the devoted romantic tried to woo the untouchable queen. However, all of his efforts were useless as Kanari wouldn''t even spare him a second glance. Rumour has it that he has been rejected thirty-seven times to date. It''s honestly a tragic story if you go into the details..." "Wow¡­ He''s really committed huh?" Emma was amazed by the grit that Fred possessed. "Well, that''s the magic that the Witch in the South has¡­ With her bloodline, heritage, beauty and talent, the number of men that want to pursue her is immeasurable. Fred is not the only person that sought her out. It''s just that he''s the most famous one." "What drives him to be so crazy?" Shin shook his head at the stupidity of the eighteen-year-old that couldn''t take rejection. Kanari clearly had no intentions of even humouring his love, yet Fred still persisted. "I don''t know... Love, I guess? Not that I know of it." Isadore shrugged his shoulders as he revealed that he lacked the experience to understand Fred''s mindset. "Love, huh?" Shin only loved one girl in his entire life, and his feelings weren''t one-sided like how Fred''s relationship with Kanari was. Over the years, Ariel and Shin had a mutual understanding of each other''s feelings but were too afraid to make the first move, and when they were ready to take the next step¡­ ''Perhaps I''m a little like this Fred¡­ We''re both chasing the impossible...'' Shin mentally sighed. Both of them were chasing an ideal. Shin wanted to ascend to the Immortal Dimension, in hopes of reuniting with his deceased lover, while Fred wished to gain the love of someone who was unmistakably out of his league and despised him. However, it was clear that Shin''s situation was much more tragic. ''Haha, now I kind of feel like rooting for him...'' Unlike Ella who felt utterly repulsed at Fred, Shin felt a slight connection with the crazy youth, making him look forward to the performance that the fourth-year is about to bring. Chapter 231 Showing Off 3 "Hey! Kanari! Your lover is up next!" An excited feminine cry howled out from the top of the stadium seats, where the number of empty seats far outnumbered the number of occupied ones. The Lucha Amphitheatre had a capacity of over ten thousand, way above the number of students and teachers currently in the academy. Hence, even though the upperclassmen demonstration was one of the most popular events of the year, there were still many empty seats. Being celebrities that would have been mobbed the moment they arrived, Kanari and Elrin deliberately arrived late and chose the most remote locations of the stadium to sit. Naturally, seeing as one was the future goddess of the Empire and the other was the sweetheart daughter of one of the wealthiest man in the entire world, the two young girls had hidden security guards surrounding them to keep irritating individuals out of their sights. "Stop it with your jokes, Elrin! You know how much I hate talking about him!" Kanari crossed her arms in displeasure and sharply replied to her friend. The two had been acquaintances since they were very young. The Duchess of Highgarden was a regular customer of the Zedcris Conglomerate, and Terlus Zedcris knew how vital it was to keep an influential individual like the Duchess by his side. Since his daughter, Elrin was the same age as Kanari, Terlus had encouraged the two to become playmates from a very young age, essentially creating a bond that would last a lifetime between them. "Hehe, it''s just that amusing! Since Fred is so persistent, why don''t you just accept him? He''s talented, he''s good-looking and last but not least, I''m sure he would never cheat on you? Isn''t he the complete package?" Elrin couldn''t pass on the opportunity to tease her childhood friend. "The tale of the devoted romantic is so famous that many of my father''s employees have heard of him! Especially the unmarried female clerks, they all dream to have a zealous man such as Fred..." With her hands attached together, Elrin imitated the expression of a lovestruck maiden who dreamt of having a prince on a white horse, carry her into the sunset. Used to Elrin''s constant teasing, Kanari rolled her eyes in annoyance. "If you like him so much, why don''t you marry him?" "Haha, even if I wanted to, he wouldn''t even spare me a second glance. Don''t you know, my father actually invited him to join our company, but he turned it down in a heartbeat. What to do? His heart only beats for one person~." Elrin sang in a sonorous tune. "You¡­ Whatever¡­ I really don''t understand why he''s so adamant. If he weren''t aiming to marry me, I would have loved to have him join my forces. However, every time I tell him that, he doesn''t listen and claims that he will work hard to become a better man for me¡­ What does that have to do with anything?" It was a dilemma that plagued Kanari. On one side, she wanted to add a young and loyal talent to her forces, but to do so would mean that she would be sacrificing her freedom to love. Kanari''s mother gave her full control over who she wanted to marry and would never force her to swear her eternity to someone that she didn''t love. "Haha, that does sound like something he would do¡­ Honestly, why don''t you just humour him for a bit? Go on a few dates with him and then decided if the two of you are really unsuitable?" Elrin offered up a suggestion to Kanari''s predicament. "If it was as simple as that, I might have gone on one date with him¡­ But that Fred is utterly serious. If I gave him a chance to date me, he would propose on the very same day! I''m sure of that!" "Wow¡­ He''s really madly in love with you... So what is it about him that you don''t like? Is it his background as a commoner?" Elrin put her index finger on her chin and thought out loud. Fred was undoubtedly a good catch. The only real ''flaw'' that he had was his lacklustre upbringing. "You know I don''t care about that¡­ My father was a commoner as well, and he still managed to marry my mother." One of the main reasons why Kanari''s mother, the current Duchess of Highgarden, gave her daughter complete autonomy of her love life was because of her own experiences growing up. When Kanari''s mother was a teenager, she fell in love with a commoner from her Duchy and swore to marry him after two years of dating. Naturally, that didn''t sit well with her conservative parents, who hated the fact that their daughter didn''t want to marry a man of an equivalent status. Throughout the early years of their relationship, Kanari''s parents had gone through hell as the amount of hate and negativity being thrown their way almost tore them apart. However, the pair of lovebirds eventually managed to pull through and write their own happy ending. Not wanting her children to go through the same unhappiness that she did, the Duchess of Highgarden swore to never get involved with her children''s love life and gave them full control of whoever they wanted to date. "Then what is it?" "Honestly¡­ He''s just not my type." "Pfffffttt!!! That''s the reason?! That''s the reason why you rejected him thirty-seven times?!" Thousands of saliva droplets flew from Elrin''s mouth, unbecoming of a daughter from High Society, as her shoulder''s trembled and her entire body convulsed. A piercing laughter reverberated through the stadium, causing numerous eyes to fall upon the duo. "Calm down would you?!" "W-Wha-hahaha! Y-You actually just rejected him based on his looks?!" "Not just his looks!!! His entire being just somehow makes me feel uncomfortable." "Oh wow, so it''s on a molecular level!!!" "No¡­ I mean, sure he''s good looking and all¡­ But the way he presents himself, the way he asked for my hand in marriage in exchange for his services, and finally I just can''t get over the fact that he looks like he''s in his thirties when he''s just a teenager¡­ Anyway, he''s just not what I''m looking for in a partner!" Kanari listed all of the reasons why she didn''t accept Fred''s confession. In fact, she had many more reasons to dislike the eighteen-year-old, but she didn''t bother to list everything out. "HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Laughing until tears formed in the corners of her eyes, Elrin felt a pulsating pain coming from her abdomen. "God, I can''t stop laughing!" "Just leave it be alright? If I were to marry someone, I must at least find the person attractive right? However, whenever I look at Fred, I feel a sense of dread and my instincts are to immediately turn in the other direction." "STOP!!! Y-You''re going to kill me!" Already rolling on the floor due to excessive laughter, Elrin begged for Kanari to stop her explanation. Her dead serious expression only served to make the content even funnier, and if Kanari continued to bash on Fred, Elrin feared that she would be the first person in her family to laugh to death. ~~~ "What are they doing?" While Shin was expectantly waiting for the match to begin, a thunderous laughter bellowed down from the top seats, breaking his concentration. In the most remote seats in the stadium, Kanari and Elrin were having a cordial conversation, in fact, one might say that they were too chummy. Elrin was bellowing out loud, while Kanari was wearing an expression of genuine concern. "Kanari and Elrin huh? I didn''t know that they were that close." Emma thought out loud. "You know them?" "A little... We talked to them a few times, Elrin especially. She''s possibly one of the friendliest girls in the entire academy." Emma replied to Shin. Elrin had the blood of a merchant, and her inherent nature was to surround herself with capable people. In fact, in just a few weeks since school began, Elrin already had the most extensive information network as she befriended nearly every female in the school. From her fellow classmates to her high-strung teachers. She didn''t even spare the janitors and lunch ladies. Naturally, she had some connections with her male counterparts, but her network with the females was indisputably the best in the academy. Hence, it came as no surprise that the Silver Spoon had sought out the Fairies of the Hail to form a budding friendship. "I see¡­ Well, just be careful not to be dragged into any more troubles alright?" Shin gave a light warning to the twins before turning his attention back into the ring. The two contestants had already taken their places and were waiting for the referee to initiate the start of the battle. "Fred Newton. Spirit, Iron Titan. Cultivation Level, Rank 23." Cupping his hands together, Fred greeted the referee and his opponent and said the standard phrase before a duel between Spirit Users could begin. "Charles Castillo. Spirit, Shobo Flute. Cultivation Level, Rank 22." Following Fred''s lead, Charles did the same movements and bowed down to his opponent. "A combat-oriented Spirit User taking on an auxiliary one¡­ Won''t it be completely one-sided?" Shin asked Isadore. "In normal circumstances, that would be the case¡­ But Charles is no normal auxiliary Spirit User." "What do you mean?" "You''ll find out in a little bit." Not willing to elaborate further, Isadore wore a bright smile as he fell back on his chair in preparation to watch the show. "Ready? Begin!!!" Once the referee signalled the start of the match, Fred immediately summoned out the phantom of the Iron Titan and directly sent a large amount of mana to strengthen his body. Within one second, Fred''s muscles swelled up at an exponential rate his tanned skin started to turn into a metallic grey shade as the Iron Titan merged with his expanded body. "Spiritual Body Enhancement!" Shin exclaimed in jubilance. His goal for coming to the demonstration was precisely to watch his seniors use a Spiritual Body Enhancement so that he could learn more about the infamous ability. "Exactly¡­ That''s a Spiritual Body Enhancement." Isadore confirmed Shin''s observation with his own commentary. "Learning it is rather difficult, and most combat Spirit Users wait until they break through during their Rank 30 or Rank 40 promotion when they have gathered enough experience. However, Fred managed to do so when he promoted into the Spirit Core realm." "Did he learn it with ease?" "Hardly! From my sources, he trained hard for thirty days straight without sleep and, without any access to human life, in preparation for his promotion. Well, it did pay off in the end though¡­ He managed to learn the infamous Spiritual Body Enhancement." Fred''s body shone with a greyish light as the ground below him showed signs of breaking down. Now that his entire body was made of metal, his weight nearly increased tenfold, making all of his hits all the more deadly. "My turn..." Although he was unwilling to fight, Charles still held his end of the bargain and summoned out a luminous ivory white flute that bore ancient markings that resembled that of musical notes. "Be careful, Charles..." After giving a light warning, Fred kicked off the ground and accelerated at a pace that was unlike someone his size. From Charles'' perspective, it was as if a cannonball had been fired straight at him. "I know." Immediately bringing his Shobo Flute to his mouth, Charles began to play a resonant tune that calmed the nerves of all who were spectating. Only those who had formed their Spirit Cores would be able to resist the melodious song, as the others were caught in a tipsy trance. Of course, the one that the chorus was directed at, bore the full brunt of the attack. "DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!" Chimes like those from resonant bells sounded out from the inside of Fred''s body immediately bringing the charging metal man to a halt. Since he was entirely made out of metal, once the music entered Fred''s ears, the vibrations caused by Charles'' spiritual ability would wreak havoc inside of Fred''s body. "HARGGGGHHH!!!" Using sheer willpower, Fred overcame the pain that made his ears bleed and charged forwards once again. Throwing a straight punch at Charles'' face, Fred aimed to end the battle immediately, so that he could impress the black-haired beauty that was watching from the stands. Unfortunately, Charles felt that it wasn''t the time yet and masterfully evaded the strike using a footwork martial art. "That technique! Isn''t it Mychael''s Lightning Swallow Steps?!" Shin shouted out. He was all too familiar with that maneuver as Shin had personally deciphered it from the illegible text that Mychael had handed down to him. "Yeah¡­ Before he was sent to teach our batch, Instructor Mychael was the combat teacher of their cohort. Hence, even the auxiliary students had learnt many of Mychael''s personal combat skills." Isadore confirmed Shin''s suspicions. Watching as Charles easily moved from one end of the ring to the other, Shin was genuinely awestruck at how efficient the Lightning Swallow Steps were in the hands of an expert. Whenever he watched Mychael perform that martial technique, all that Shin could see was a patch of blur as the scoundrel always moved too quickly. Yet, when Charles used it, the Lightning Swallow Steps seemed to be a divine ability that could dodge basically any forms of attack. However, there was no way that Charles could run forever. After a few seconds of evading Fred''s relentless assault, Charles was finally forced to a corner and could only watch as a flying fist came his way. Placing his flute into his mouth once more, Charles played a different song, and this time, a translucent bubble enveloped his body and provided the ultimate defence against the deadly iron fist. "Hey! Why are you making it so difficult for me to beat you?!" Now that they were rather close, Fred could finally communicate with his friend. "Don''t tell me you want to impress Kanari too!" "Don''t be so paranoid you asshole! If I lose with one punch, wouldn''t it be obvious that we fixed the match? That, in contrast, would plummet your impression in Kanari''s mind!" "That makes sense¡­ But I don''t want to keep going at this forever!" "Fine¡­ Just come at me with your strongest attack. It would form a dust cloud right? I can at least take that opportunity to fake that I''m hurt." "Sounds good!" Leaping backwards, Fred gathered all of his remaining mana to form one final attack. ''Tch, the things I do for a brother...'' As he watched Fred''s fierce expression, Charles immediately started to regret his decision. The young man in front of him only had eyes to impress his crush, not caring in the slightest that his actions would harm a good friend. ''Whatever, I still owe him from before, so I guess we''re even...'' Even though it seemed like he was at peace with his decision, Charles was desperately playing his Song of Defence, hoping that the oncoming attack would graze him, but little does he know, that Fred would never miss if it were in front of Kanari. Launching himself into the air, Fred summoned out the phantom of the Iron Titan, eclipsing the sun in the process. Although the phantom had no means of attacking anything in the material world, it still served as a good intimidation tool, and apparently, it was working. Shaking like an autumn leaf being blown by the wind, Charles cursed his fate as he watched the descending fist of his good friend land right on top of his bubble barrier, shattering it instantly. Thankfully, Fred still held a little semblance of reasoning and missed his friend by the strand of the hair. His punch hitting the ground, Fred generated a minor earthquake as the entire ring broke into a thousand pieces as dust and dirt flew everywhere. Taking advantage of the mayhem, Charles found a nice, warm corner and pretended that he had fainted, giving all the credit to Fred. "T-The winner is¡­ Fred Newton!!!" As the referee announced the winner, the crowd began to break out into cheers, celebrating the champion of such a spectacular match. Raising a triumphant fist towards the sky, Fred intensely stared at Kanari, as if asking if she was impressed by his performance. "Hmph! Such a show-off..." However, his actions had the opposite effect and just made Kanari dislike him even more. Chapter 232 More Special Treatment?! 1 The match between the two juggernauts of the fourth-years ended with a colossal bang, spreading excitement all throughout the stadium. Young boys were cheering in vigour while girls were idolising the immense strength that Fred had displayed. However, among the hyped-up crowd, there were some unimpressed individuals. "Urgh, to think that the match ended in that fashion..." Isadore exclaimed in disgust. "Charles clearly threw that match¡­ He could put up way more of a fight than that!" "Charles held back?" Shin raised his eyebrows in surprise. From what he could see, Fred had overpowered his opponent, especially in the latter half of the bout. The attack where he leapt into the air and dived down like a meteorite looked unavoidable from Shin''s perspective. "Of course! He only used two of his abilities! If he had used his third one, who knows where the match would lead to!" Isadore acted as if he was a gambler who had just lost a major bet and pouted in frustration. "I bet the match was fixed so that Fred could win and impress Kanari!" "Wouldn''t that be too much of a stretch? No matter how much he wants to woo Miss Kanari, why would he fix an exhibition match?" "If only it were that simple¡­" Isadore folded his arms and tilted his head upwards to look at the black-haired beauty that was seated at the very top of the stadium. With her lips pursed, one could tell that she wasn''t impressed in the slightest about Fred''s performance. "Whatever, it''s just an exhibition match¡­" The commotion caused by the two fourth-years began to die down as the arena was being cleaned up rapidly for the final two bouts between the fifth and final year seniors. While Fred and Charles left the ring, Shin probed Isadore about the upcoming contestants. "For the fifth and sixth years, are there any one of them who broke through to the Spirit Adept realm?" "No there isn''t¡­ Honestly, it''s quite rare for a Spirit User to graduate from Imperius Academy as a Spirit Adept. There have been instances, but they usually occur once every decade. Since the only criteria for someone to graduate from the academy are to reach the Spirit Core realm and pass all of the required examinations, many of the seniors tend to focus on other disciplines once they reach the Spirit Core realm, temporarily slowing down their cultivation progress." Isadore gave a succinct explanation. "Of course, our cohort might be a little different. Kanari is already in the Spirit Core realm and in the next six years, it is almost a certainty that she would breakthrough into the Spirit Adept realm. The real question is, could she shed her mortality to become a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre once she graduates and writes her name in history as the first student at Imperius Academy to do so?" "I mean, even for someone of Miss Kanari''s calibre, there''s no way that she could become a Spirit Spectre at the age of twenty-one..." Shin retorted Isadore''s claims. The reason why advancing to the Spirit Spectre realm was considered to be one of the greatest challenges a cultivator would face in their lifetimes, was due to the immense difficulty need to shed the mortal body and to merge their Spirits with their souls. A significant amount of comprehension ability and experience would be needed for the Spirit User to perform such a feat and typically most cultivators breakthrough in their thirties to forties. For Kanari to challenge it when she had considerably less time to learn seemed absurd to say the least. "Hey, she broke through into the Spirit Core realm in five years. What makes you say she can''t reach the Spirit Spectre realm in six?" Since awakening her Spirit when she was ten, Kanari took five years to gain twenty-one ranks. If that point was considered, advancing the twenty more ranks in six years didn''t seem like a stretch. "T-that!" "Well, it''s not like I don''t understand your thoughts. Having someone as talented as her towering over our cohort could be a blessing and a curse..." Isadore took one deep sigh and gazed deeply in the direction of Kanari. "Whatever, the match is about to begin. Let''s not talk about that." ''Looks like the connection between Kanari and Isadore is more complicated than I thought...'' Shin speculated. Initially, he held his suspicions that Isadore was an influential child of a noble that had made it into the circle of High Society. Unfortunately, after some cursory digging, Shin and the twins found no evidence that Isadore was an aristocrat. In fact, many nobles didn''t even know of the silver-haired boy''s existence until Shin brought him up. ''I''ll have to investigate a little further...'' Putting his thoughts aside, Shin opted to concentrate on the matches ahead and come back to the issue at a later time. ~~~ Darkness soon descended on the bustling Lucha Amphitheatre as the dazzling sun above disappeared past the horizon and the chilling winds of the night took over. A blanket of milky sparkles danced in the heavens overhead and made the half-moon above seem obsolete compared to their majesty. Hours had passed since the exhibition matches had come to a close and Shin had long retreated to the safety of his dormitory room. Although the fight challenges had ceased, his striking black hair was known campus-wide, and many still came up to pester him. Especially since they found out that he was related to the Fairies of the Hail, countless thirsty young boys would come up to him, hoping that Shin could introduce them to the twins. Thus, now that he finally had some peace and quiet, Shin was able to thoroughly reflect on his experiences today. From spectating the myriad of abilities that his seniors possessed, the young teen started to gain a better understanding of the path he had to take. Initially, he was just aiming to condense his Spirit Core and learn the Spiritual Body Enhancement technique in the process. However, after watching how his seniors fought, Shin had gained a different perspective. From watching Angie use her Dance of the Valkyrie, Shin had conceptualised a technique that allowed him to change directions in the air. From watching the third-years fight, he had learnt about how spiritual pressure could be utilised in a fight. From watching Fred summon out his Iron Titan and how he implemented Spiritual Body Enhancement to a significant degree, Shin realised the best way to use a Body Enhancement. From watching Charles dance around the ring using the Lightning Swallow Steps, Shin was enlightened of the importance of training a martial skill. Finally, for the final two fights that he had witnessed, Shin was once again humbled by how much talent there really was in the Empire. The fifth and sixth years were all in the Spirit Core realm, and their abilities were jaw-droppingly magnificent. If not for the mana barrier that the teachers had created, Lucha Amphitheatre would have been destroyed multiple times over. Especially the fight between the sixth years. The battle between valedictorian and salutatorian of the sixth years was basically unwatchable as they appeared as blurs the majority of the match. In less than ten seconds, the entire arena was blown into smithereens, and the ground beneath them seem to have gone through a violent natural disaster. Even though Shin couldn''t learn anything from the match since it was at a much higher level than he was, he found a new drive to emulate the success of his seniors and immediately went back to cultivate. His eyes closed and his body seated in a lotus position, Shin was carefully meditating while chanting out verses from the Celestial Water Mantra. Even though Shin trailed behind regarding his combat prowess, the young boy was confident of his cultivation rate. Since he first started cultivating, Shin had never had an issue when it came to cultivation and to him, it was as easy as drinking water. The Sovereign Koi swam about jubilantly while Shin was supplying it endless amounts of mana. Deep inside his spiritual body, Shin''s own Celestial Lake had expanded to three times its original size and the mana that he could draw out from it had exponentially increased. However, it was still not done growing. With Shin absorbing the surrounding spiritual energies, the lake was about to expand yet again. A cerulean light started emitting out from his body as the spiritual energies in the room got denser and denser. Condensation of water droplets could be seen forming on the windows of his room as it became more and more humid. Puddles of water could be seen rising from the floorboards as the water elements became the most predominant element in the chamber, sending the adorable little cerulean Koi in Shin''s hands to break into a celebratory dance. ''I''m breaking through...'' Shin was well-aware of what was happening. He had been hovering at the peak of Rank 18 for quite some time now, and after witnessing the events that had occurred in the afternoon, he was finally ready to take the next step. However, his actions didn''t go unnoticed. "Principal! Someone is breaking through!" "I know, I''m not dull. I can feel the changes in the atmosphere¡­ Which idiot is it? Haven''t they heard of the cultivation chambers?" Sitting in his desk, a bronzed-face man was cursing the moron who was breaking through in the middle of the night. Even though a student promoting one rank wasn''t a big deal and most of those with weaker cultivations won''t be able to notice, for Spirit Lords, Kings and Emperors like the teachers in the faculty, they could sense the changes in the environment with ease, and often times, it would be a nuisance to them. Hence, the academy allowed students to use a cultivation chamber whenever they attempted to break through, as it wouldn''t affect the atmosphere as much. "It''s coming from the freshmen boys'' dormitory, so he possibly hasn''t been shown the cultivation chambers. Nonetheless, are you going to visit him?" "Huh? Who is breaking through?" "We can''t confirm it, but it is most probably Shin Iofiel." "Him?!" Principal Erudito immediately stood up from his desk in shock. "Urggh, of course, it would be him¡­ Hah, he''s really such a troublemaker¡­ I''m going ahead, call Mychael to meet me outside of his dorm. Oh, and tell the rest of the faculty that I have it under control. I don''t want too much trouble." Opening up his window, Principal Erudito flew straight towards Shin''s dorm room, leaving his secretary behind to deal with the aftermath. ~~~ "Phew¡­ That was close..." Shin raised his hands up as he carefully observed his body''s condition. Breaking through to a higher rank was almost routine for Shin by this point. Since awakening his Spirit five years ago, Shin had averaged advancing three to four ranks a year. Thus, he knew exactly how he should manage the dense spiritual energy that he had released over his breakthrough phase. "Bring in all of the spiritual energy and convert it into mana..." The Sovereign Koi started to dance with joy as Shin''s body became an endless black hole that absorbed the surrounding mana ad infinitum. If the prior turbulence that happened were akin to a raging storm in the high seas, Shin''s current state would resemble that of a serene lake, untouched by even the slightest ripple. "I''m finally Rank 19¡­ Just one more rank before I can condense my Spirit Core!!!" Crossing the hurdle from a Spirit Apostle to a Spirit Core practitioner was one that many Spirit Users dream of crossing one day. Yet, here Shin was tackling the task when he was merely fifteen years of age. "*Bang!* *Bang!*." As he was lost in his thoughts, two loud knocks on the door could be heard, immediately snapping Shin out from his trance. Turning his attention to the clock on his nightstand, Shin was appalled to find out that someone was at his doorstep at nine in the night! "Who is it?" "Shin, it''s me. Principal Erudito." "Principal!!!" Jumping out from his bed, Shin left behind the drenched sheets and bolted to the door. "Good evening. How may I help you?" With a nervous smile, Shin welcomed his late night visitor as his door gingerly creaked open. Principal Erudito was wearing a stoic expression which gave the young teen no idea about what he was truly thinking about. For a brief moment, the bronzed-face scholar turned his attention to the mess that was behind of Shin. Due to the spiritual energies being released by the youth during his cultivation, his room was in a shambles as if a storm had blown through the area. Puddles of dirtied water and furniture moved to be slightly disordered, if one did not know of the details, one might assume that Shin was a slob that didn''t care if he was living in a slump. "Shin, you just broke through right? Are you Rank 19 now?" "H-How did you know?!" Shin''s eyes quivered, and his legs moved backwards. He had literally just broken through a few minutes earlier and yet, the Principal already knew of that fact. "Senior Erudito! I''m here." Before the Principal could give Shin an answer, panting could be heard from the other side of the doorway as a tanned scoundrel darted towards Shin''s room. "M-Mychael! You''re here too?" "Tch..." However, instead of replying to his student, Mychael clicked his tongue and quietly watched the expression of his superior. "Let''s talk inside¡­ Here''s not the place to discuss this." Observing that numerous boys were starting to leave their rooms to check what the commotion was about, Principal Erudito quietly walked into Shin''s room and urged Shin and Mychael to follow him in. "Oh boy..." As a teacher of Imperius Academy for decades, Mychael could sort of guess what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, poor little Shin was kept in the dark, unsure if he had done something wrong or not. ''Whatever, I''ll just find out...'' Closing the door to keep the curious eyes out, Shin retreated back into the room, ready to accept whatever fate lies in store for him... Chapter 233 More Special Treatment?! 2 "Shin, have you always been cultivating in your room?" Finding a suitable spot to sit, Principal Erudito asked the black-haired youth a simple question. "Yes¡­ I have?" Unsure of why the bronzed-face scholar asked such an obvious question, Shin tilted his head in confusion. As he watched Shin''s confused and innocent face, Principal Erudito heaved a deep sigh. "Hah¡­ No wonder¡­ Mychael!!! You haven''t told him of the cultivation chambers yet right?!" "How would I know that he would advance this quickly? Furthermore, usually, students would report to us whenever they were about to advance a rank!" "But you didn''t explain it to him right?! How important it was to inform the teachers whenever students made progress in their cultivations!!!" "Wasn''t it common sense?" "Urgh, you''re going to be the death of me..." Rubbing the temples on his forehead, Principal Erudito tried to quell the headache that he was getting. Mychael was an excellent instructor of the martial arts, there was no denying that fact. Of all the students that he taught, nine of ten of them would develop skills on par to those of seasoned warriors in the military. However, his skills as a homeroom teacher were horrendous. He hardly cared for the welfare of his students and lacked the patience to guide them in the classroom. Initially, based on his achievements, Mychael could have easily been made into the head of a department. Yet, due to his lacklustre interpersonal skills, Principal Erudito was hesitant to give such an important post to Mychael. Hence, he had placed Mychael as the form teacher of the Star Class to help him build his teaching experience. Of course, that had backfired spectacularly. "Because of your negligence, now there''s a good chance that the entire academy would know of Shin''s advancement! If he had broken through in a cultivation chamber instead, there wouldn''t be this issue!" "I can''t deny that¡­" "Sorry to interrupt, but did I do anything wrong?" Still unclear about what had happened Shin cautiously asked the distraught Principal. The bronzed-face scholar turned his attention to the black-haired youth, and his eyes started to shimmer. Even though he wanted to severely reprimand Shin, deep down, he knew that the young boy did nothing wrong. "No¡­ You did well to advance to Rank 19. In fact, I''m stunned at how you can achieve that much. It''s just the manner in which you had accomplished it. If you had come to a teacher, we would have guided you through your breakthrough and would even reserve a cultivation chamber so that you could attempt to advance in peace." "I see..." "However, since you''ve already advanced there''s no use crying over spilt milk¡­ First of all, congratulations on your advancement!!!" "Ah¡­ Thank you..." "But honestly, next time you attempt to advance, please notify your teachers. If you break through in your own room, all of those with significant cultivations in the campus would be alerted, and it might pose as a nuisance." Principal Erudito warned Shin about repeating the reckless feat once more. "Okay..." "Alright, now that you''re at Rank 19¡­ Shin, do you have a spiritual ability in mind when you condense your Spirit Core?" In Imperius Academy, it was imperative for a mentor to be assigned to a student who had just advanced to Rank 19. Typically, either a teacher or a competent senior would serve as the mentor, but due to Shin''s peculiar circumstances, Principal Erudito was willing to step in, just to ensure that the young boy didn''t go off a stray path. "Yeah¡­ Since I''m trying to become a fighter, I want to learn a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability!" Shin hurriedly replied. "A Spiritual Body Enhancement ability..." Hearing Shin''s words, Principal Erudito turned his attention to the tanned scoundrel who was scratching his head in one corner. Of all the people in the academy, Mychael was perhaps the most adept to teach a Spirit User how to learn a Spirit Body Enhancement ability. "What? I''m not going to teach this fu-, brat okay?" Almost swearing before his superior, Mychael quickly changed his speech halfway. The last time he agreed to teach Shin, he got yanked out from the heavenly brothel of his choice and had a portion of his pay taken out. The scoundrel didn''t want to go through that experience again. "What choice do you have?! You are his homeroom teacher, and you were the one who didn''t inform him about the importance of breaking through!!! Take some god damn responsibility!!!" "Tchhh, I knew that it would come to this..." "Honestly, I don''t think that I should let you teach Shin after your blunder but..." Falling into thought, Principal Erudito weighed the pros and cons in his mind. "You know what? You will mentor him until he promotes into the Spirit Core realm and Warulee would oversee everything." "What?! Why her?!" Mychael immediately protested. ''Madam Warulee? Isn''t she the head of the auxiliary department?'' Shin started to recall the moment where Principal Erudito introduced everyone in the faculty to the freshmen during the welcoming ceremony. The bespectacled scholarly woman was introduced as a Spirit King that specialised in the healing arts, and Shin''s first impression of her was that she was remarkably similar to the Headmistress that was back on Frie Mountain. "Since you don''t know how to properly guide a student, you would need someone to supervise you. It''s for your own good¡­ Do you honestly want to be stuck as a measly combat instructor your entire life, Mychael?!" "Urgh..." With just one sentence, Principal Erudito landed a fatal blow on his subordinate''s subconsciousness. "Shin, I hope you don''t mind having Mychael as your mentor. As much as he''s a failure in life, he''s actually quite competent with his Spiritual Body Enhancement. I''m sure you''re aware of that." "Yeah..." If it weren''t for Mychael''s tutelage, Shin wouldn''t have been able to master mana strengthening. Therefore, as much as he disliked the scoundrel that only cared for money, Shin agreed that it was best for him to get taught by Mychael. Furthermore, since they had a history together, it would be much easier to get into the groove of training. "At the same time, Madam Warulee Leylesron would be ensuring that Mychael doesn''t overstep his boundaries. So you don''t have to worry a thing. As compensation, the academy would be sure to provide you with the best resources you might require." "Thank you..." Unsure of the right reaction to display, Shin simply bowed his head in gratitude. "Haha, don''t mention it. We should be the ones apologising since this idiot over here didn''t inform you about the rules of the academy. Speaking of which, you don''t have any intentions of using a hereditary opuscule to promote right?" "No¡­ Master said that it would be best if I could learn a spiritual ability by myself." "That''s right. Here at Imperius Academy, we recommend that our students do the same. Even though it might be tempting to take a fast way out, eventually after using a couple of hereditary opuscules, your cultivation might be stifled, and your comprehension ability would diminish." Principal Erudito explained. "Furthermore, the usage of a hereditary opuscule wouldn''t be entirely optimised to your Spirit. For instance, if you used a hereditary opuscule created by Mychael, there would be a high chance that your Spiritual Body Enhancement technique would highly resemble his own. Hence, it is best if you could comprehend it using your own means. Of course, Mychael here would guide you accordingly." "I understand." "Haha, that''s good¡­ Now that this is settled, I''ll return back now. Shin, I wish you the best in your cultivations." Leaving Shin and Mychael alone in the room, Principal Erudito exited the boy''s dorm and returned back to his office. "Hey, brat¡­ Do you specialise in curses? How is it that every time I''m involved with you, something bad happens to me?" Clearly in an irritable mood, Mychael lightly chided the youth. "Not my fault¡­ I didn''t even notice I was about to break through. It just happened while I was cultivating." It was true with most of the times that Shin had advanced. Never facing a single bottleneck when it came to cultivation, most of the time, the young boy would experience a breakthrough when he was simply meditating. "God damn it, now you''re showing off! Urgh, what have I done in my past life to deserve meeting you?" "You don''t have to look too far. Just reflect on the deeds in your current life, and you''ll know why you are having such an unlucky streak." "Y-You!!! You''re getting cheekier and cheekier aren''t you?!" Mychael stomped his feet in annoyance as he went into a fit of wrath. "Whatever, I don''t care anymore¡­ Since you''re going to learn about Spiritual Body Enhancement, I''m going to drill you hard!!! I don''t care if you go off crying to your master, you hear me!" "Yeah, yeah¡­ I heard that speech before." Shin brushed off Mychael''s threats and proceeded to tidy his room. "Oh, if you''re done here, could you leave? I need to prepare to go to bed." "Y-You!!! ARGHHH, I fucking hate your guts!!!" With a furious roar, Mychael stormed out of the room, leaving Shin alone in his room once more. "They''re finally gone..." Falling onto his bed, Shin felt a wave of fatigue envelop his entire being. Keeping up with all of the chaos that had been happening throughout this long day had really taken its toll. "I''m one step closer, Ariel..." Grabbing the amethyst necklace that was strapped around his neck, Shin said his thoughts out loud. To achieve his goals, becoming stronger was a necessity. To defeat Junius, to take down the mighty Allfather that stood behind the Black Masks, and finally, to potentially meet Ariel once more. Entering the Spirit Core realm would take him one step closer to accomplishing his objectives. "I hope to see you soon..." ~~~ Himmel Empire. ?????????? In a remote ravine where civilisation had yet to touch, a small community of brick houses lay hidden from the Empire''s eyes. Even though the small cave town seemed isolated from the outside world, its infrastructure rivalled that of many structures in the modern Capital. In fact, to a certain extent, the city was much more advanced, with hundreds of Spirit Beasts living in harmony with the densely populated metropolis. "*HUUUUUMMMMM!!!*." All throughout the city, a low and sonorous chant echoed through the empty streets as if a religious procession had enveloped the entire town. The townsfolk, which were usually tending to their own matters, had all gathered near the centre of the city, where the one and only temple lay. A dark enshrined statue, that depicted a man with no facial features, towered over the entire house of worship. The sculpture''s arms were spread out like the wings of an eagle as if it was insinuating the endless amounts of love the man had for his people. "The Allfather is great! The Allfather is great!" Down on the ground floor, the zealots of the town were chanting maniacally. Some of them were draped in all black robes, to glorify the colour that the Allfather had chosen for them. "Do you think he''s going to be okay?" While the rest of the town was busy singing the praises of their leader, a concerned young girl, had her hands joined together as she anxiously watched the chamber that stood before her, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person inside. "Don''t worry, Shia. The blessing of the Allfather is great and would do no harm to Junius." Vellan tapped on Shia''s shoulders to reassure her of the youth''s safety. "But, no one under Rank 30 had ever received a blessing from the Allfather! What if Junius'' body can''t withstand the might of the Allfather?!" "You don''t have to worry. Junius is a tough kid. I''m sure that he would be able to pull through whatever challenges that lie in his path..." As if to reaffirm his point, the doors of the chambers that Junius had once disappeared into jerked wide open, revealing a tall, viridian haired man whose body had been stripped down bare. A black, syrupy liquid fell from the crown of his head and dripped endlessly onto the ground beneath him, creating a blackened trail behind him. "Junius!!!" Shia exclaimed in jubilation. Spreading the towel that she had in her hands, the young woman rushed over to cover Junius'' exposed body and wipe off the residue liquid that was stuck onto him. Half a year had passed since the events of Frie Mountain, and Junius was now nineteen years of age and had reached the end of his growing years. However, due to excessive physical training, the young man''s physique had transformed to that akin to a God of Myth. Throughout his entire body, not an ounce of fat could be seen and his perfectly chiselled body would put the imaginations of the best sculptors to shame. "How do you feel?" Vellan hurriedly asked the most pressing question. "Perfect..." Junius raised his arms in wonder. "I feel as if, I had been entirely reborn¡­ My mana is overflowing and my strength... Must have doubled!!!" Forming his Spirit Core long ago, the only thing that Junius had lacked was time to cultivate to the next stage. However, Vellan offered a shortcut. If Junius were baptised by the powers of the invincible Allfather, his progression would exponentially increase, allowing him to grow into the potent force that the Black Mask syndicate was looking for. "Good!!! Praise the Allfather!" "Yeah¡­ Hold on..." Clenching his fists, Junius shut his eyes and allowed the newly found mana of his to congregate into his arm, and the next moment, he summoned out his Azure Water Sword. However, instead of its usual bright blue hue, Junius'' Spirit had been dyed in a deep obsidian black, giving quite a menacing look. "J-J-Junius! Your sword!!!" Shia couldn''t help but remark the changes that Junius'' Spirit had underwent. "T-That!!! HAHAHAHA!!! My brother! Junius had succeeded you! Junius had succeeded you!" "Exactly¡­ I finally did it. I inherited the Black Sword that my father wielded." Intensifying the grip on the sword handle, Junius knuckles began to turn white as crimson blood dripped down his lean and muscular arms. Although he had never had a chance to spend time with his father, from the stories that Vellan and Shia told him, Junius somehow felt a lasting connection with his deceased father. "With this sword in hand, I can finally grow stronger¡­ Once I do, I''ll wreak havoc in the Frie Clan, and I''ll reunite all of us once again..." Like Shin, Junius had found a goal to work towards. Once he became stronger, he would exact vengeance on the Frie Clan once more and would bring back the happy days where the orphans all played together. "Yeah, I know you will." Shia locked her arms around Junius'' and lay on his shoulders. After the night where she comforted him, the two had grown attached to one another. Initially, Junius was apprehensive about seeing Shia when his heart was still with Lily, but being the uptight person that he was, Junius knew that he had to take responsibility for the night where he took advantage of Shia. "Shia¡­ One day¡­ I''ll bring back Shin and the others. That way, we can all live happily ever after." "Yeah¡­ Only when the young master is with us, would the Awter Clan be complete." "I know¡­ I''ll definitely bring Shin and the rest back!!!" Chapter 234 More Special Treatment?! 3 Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperius Academy. Auxiliary Department Head''s Office. "Hargh?! Why should I supervise that troublemaker Mychael as he teaches one student?! Isn''t that absurd?!" A crazed cry echoed through the building forcing the numerous staff members outside to close their ears in frustration. "Erudito, I''m swamped with work! I can''t just go around babysitting others!" "I know, I know. But this is for the greater good! Imagine a world where Mychael can manage his own students well? Won''t there be fewer reports for you to access?" The bronzed-face man argued. "Erudito¡­ You better give me a good reason why I should listen to that ludicrous request, else I would shove your head up this bookshelf!" "Okay, okay! Don''t say such jokes with a straight face! It''s scary!" "I never meant it as a joke..." "..." Madam Warulee Leylesron was a Rank 66 Spirit King that was most possibly, the third most important figure in the academy after Principal Erudito and Vice-Principal Hirda. Being the head of an entire course, the bespectacled scholar had her hands in nearly every region of the campus. From designing curriculums to managing student affairs, there was no shortage of instances where Madam Warulee''s expertise was required. "Recently, a student had broken through to Rank 19, and soon, he would be preparing to learn his third spiritual skill. Coincidentally, he wants to learn a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability, and Mychael is undoubtedly the best man for the job." "Hoho, was it that moron that advanced in the middle of the night?" Recalling the incident where the atmosphere changed a little due to Shin''s breakthrough, Madam Warulee cocked her head in annoyance. "Anyway, what does that have to do with me? I''m not responsible for anyone in the combat course. Furthermore, if he''s learning about Spiritual Body Enhancements, I''m the wrong person to ask!" "Yeah, but I can''t trust Mychael to efficiently guide Shin through Rank 19!!! He needs to have an external supervisor to guide him as well!!!" "And you picked me? Of all the members of the faculty?" "Exactly! So would you do it?" Finally seeing a glimmer of hope, Principal Erudito hoped to convince the aged scholar. "Shut it, Erudito. I have heaps of documents to read. Go find yourself a professional babysitter instead." Ignoring her superior''s pleas, the bespectacled woman waved her hands and asked Principal Erudito to leave while returning back to the piles of papers on her desk. ''Urgh, I really didn''t want to say this¡­'' Realising that it was impossible to convince the head of the auxiliary department now, Principal Erudito had to rely on the card that he didn''t want to pull. "What if I told you that he''s background his special?" "We at Imperius Academy don''t care about our students'' status. No matter if they are a commoner or an aristocrat, we will treat them the same." Madam Warulee replied while penning word on her daily ledger. "I''m not talking about his status, but his talents. Our meritocratic system values the best students, and I''m certain that Shin would one day write his name in our history books! More so than Kanari!" "... You have my attention." Slapping her documents shut, the middle-aged woman adjusted her glasses and carefully observed the bronzed-face man in front of her. "Tell me how this boy would surpass Kanari, who is most possibly the most talented student that our academy has ever had." "Hah¡­ First of all, like Kanari, he''s a freshman. However, unlike her, he wasn''t bathed in resources. Secondly, his comprehension ability is perhaps the best of anyone that I had ever seen. And..." Principal Erudito was about to tell the disturbing tale of him losing to Shin in a one-on-one battle but decided not to so that he could save a little of his image. "And what?" "What if I told you that he''s the youngest healer in history?" "WHAT?!" Madam Warulee was a teacher that specialised in the healing arts. At Imperius Academy, there were many junior apprentices in the auxiliary course that were training hard to become healers. In fact, the majority of the students that were training to be healers could only learn ''Heal'' after they left the academy. Yet, Shin had already mastered the healing arts even before he entered the school. "He learnt ''Heal'' when he was just thirteen. Furthermore, he had comprehended it in his own manner, making the ability unique to him." Principal Erudito promptly explained. "He''s also a registered healer with the Healer''s Association and has the skills of an Intermediate Healer." "Then why the hell is he in the combat course?! If he joined the auxiliary course, the boy would undoubtedly become the valedictorian!!!" Madam Warulee was absolutely stunned, and rightfully so. The healing path was arguably one of the hardest track that a Spirit User could tread on. Not only must the Spirit User have the right elements for the path, but their cultivations and comprehension ability also had to be top-notch. The majority of healers learnt the illustrious ''Heal'' ability when they were entering the Spirit Adept realm, and only the most talented apprentices could learn it when they formed their Spirit Core. Lady Seph was one such example. Therefore, for a Spirit Apostle to learn ''Heal'' was entirely unheard of. "He has his reasons¡­ My point is, the boy''s comprehension and cultivation talents are on par with Kanari''s, in fact, it may even surpass hers. If we develop him the right way, he would be an unstoppable force of nature! I''m sure that he would be able to become a Spirit Venerate or a Spirit Saint easily! But we need to help him build a good foundation when he''s still young!!!" "..." A moment of silence descended upon the two as Madam Warulee started to fall deep into thought. "I understand. I''ll help him. But I want you to tell me everything! His history, his Spirit¡­ Who taught him the healing arts? Why did he abandon the craft altogether, and finally¡­ I want you to allow me to poach him to my course." Madam Warulee was no idiot. A talent like Shin would only come around once in a lifetime. If she could get the boy under her tutelage, she was sure that she could develop him into a major power that would be able to walk the continent unhindered. "That''s not up for you to decide. Shin is adamant about staying on the path of the fighter." "I can be very convincing." ''Hmmm? If Warulee manages to bring Shin back to the healing path, wouldn''t Venerate Seraphim be thrilled?'' Principal Erudito hypothesised. If he was able to get into the good books of Lady Seph by bringing her disciple back to the path that he abandoned, wouldn''t it be beneficial for himself? "Fine, you can try to persuade him, but don''t be too excessive. If he doesn''t want to join the auxiliary course, I don''t want you to force him." "Don''t worry, I always respect my student''s wishes! Now, spill everything that you know." "You do know that I''m still your superior right? What''s with that demanding tone?" "Shut it! Quickly, tell me more about this youngest healer in history!!!" "Fine..." Understanding that he had no power here, Principal Erudito sat the excited woman down and started to narrate everything that he knew. And yes, the fact that he lost to Shin in a challenge came out, giving Madam Warulee a good laugh and a reaffirmed will to bring the genius youth into her course. ~~~ A week after the upperclassmen demonstration matches, Shin had returned to his daily routine with the young teen doubling up on his cultivation. After he promoted, Mychael returned to his room once more to inform Shin that on the weekends, he would be receiving special classes with the tanned scoundrel all the way until he condensed his Spirit Core. Unfortunately, news of his advancement to Rank 19 somehow managed to spread, and soon the letters of challenge soon returned. Initially, many people thought that Shin was just a lucky boy that managed to somehow reach Rank 18 before he entered the academy. However, now that he was only one step away from forming his Spirit Core, many people started to take him much more seriously. Even among the elites in the Star Class. Before, he was only bothered by Kanari and Shizen. Kanari wanted Shin''s talent as the youngest healer in history while Shizen disturbed Shin for the sole reason of wanting to drink the water he created. Funnily enough, since the two were the most antisocial boys in the entire class, they had formed a weird friendship, and during classes where they were together, the duo would always pair up. Of course, now that Shin was now at Rank 19, the other elites started trying to figure out his existence. Suji and Danroy, who didn''t see the youth as much of a threat, started to pay attention to his every move. Although Shin''s martial arts skills were horrendous compared to their own, if the black-haired youth condensed his Spirit Core before year''s end, there was a good chance that he would retain his number two spot. Navigating through all the troubles that he had, Shin somehow managed to make it to Saturday, where his first external lesson with Mychael would commence. "Hoho, you''re already here?" In the hours before dawn, where the nocturnal creatures were still on the prowl, a young black-haired teen was already stretching and warming his body up. "Of course. You told me to meet at six, but I know that you wouldn''t let me hear the end of it if I was even a second late. So I just came here early to stretch my muscles." Shin explained. "Well, you would need it¡­ I''m going to drill you real hard unt-" "Shut it, Mychael!" Before the tanned scoundrel could complete his sentence, an annoyed cry echoed from the other side of the hallway. "Hmmm?" Turning his head, Shin noticed a middle-aged woman dressed in a pure white robe walking in his direction. Brushing her leathery fingers on the metal railings, the bespectacled lady wore a stern expression that would put even Face of Yama to shame. "Waru¡­ You''re really here." "Of course! I can''t have you mess up the boy''s training!" With an outraged cry, the middle-aged woman pulled the ear of Mychael and heavily chided him. "Good morning, Madam Warulee." Careful not to get on the wrong side of the strict course head, Shin gingerly greeted the woman. "Good morning to you too, Shin Iofiel. I''ve heard of your talents from Principal Erudito, and I must say, I''m deeply impressed! To reach Rank 19 at such a tender age is really an incredible feat! Although I don''t like how Mychael is the one who is responsible for your class, I''ll do my best to reign him in. So you don''t have to worry." "Okay..." "Oh, but first things first, let me explain how the classes would go alright? Right now, we are in the faculty''s private training area. Typically, only staff members and authorised personnel are allowed into this facility, but since you are attending special lessons, an exception has been made for you." Madam Warulee explained. "Mychael would be in charge of teaching you, while I would be in charge of your welfare. The academy will provide a significant amount of resources so that you could advance into the Spirit Core realm with ease. Please keep in mind that this is a temporary thing. Once you condense your Spirit Core, we will not give you any of these resources anymore. Well, that is, unless you have gathered enough merit. After all, if we splurge this many resources on one student, the school would go bankrupt within a month." Bringing Shin to a nearby table, Madam Warulee started to introduce all of the benefits that Shin would be given. Rare food items that stored mana and boosted a Spirit Users strength. A weekly medicinal bath made with the best herbs that could improve one''s cultivation. A personalised cultivation chamber filled to the brim with water elements. Unlimited access to the restricted area of the library, which houses some of the most valuable manuals in the continent. And a plethora of other benefits was introduced to Shin, forcing the boy to drop his jaw in awe. ''If I had all of these resources every day of the year, wouldn''t I already be a Spirit Immortal?!'' Shin joked in his mind. Imperius Academy was unquestionably the best educational institution in the Empire. With that many resources, it was no wonder that so many powerful individuals were an alumnus of this school. "Could I ask something?" "Please do." With a gentle smile, Madam Warulee replied to the young boy. "Does the valedictorian of each year have access to this many resources?" "Haha, of course not! The valedictorian has much more resources given to them! That''s how a meritocratic system works! The best resources are reserved for the best individuals!" Madam Warulee rectified Shin''s misunderstanding. "What?! The valedictorian gets much more?!" "Of course! Otherwise, why is that seat so valued among all students?! Many things can be found in Imperius Academy that can''t be found elsewhere. So work hard child¡­ If you want to reap the benefits of being a valedictorian, you must become the best in the cohort." "Thank you, Madam Warulee..." Taking her advice to heart, Shin fell deep into thought. ''Looks like I really have to get the number one spot¡­ That''s the only way that I could grow quickly!'' Chapter 235 An Unavoidable Fate 1 "Summon out your Spirit, you fuc-, I mean just do it." Before he could curse, Mychael felt a chilling aura towering behind him, and immediately retracted his statement. "I need to examine your Spirit before I can give you tips right?" "Okay..." Closing his eyes, Shin cupped his two hands together and congregated his mana. Summoning out The Sovereign Koi once more, Shin allowed the adorable little fish to swim about in the air. ''Hoho, so he really does possess The Sovereign Koi...'' Madam Warulee sighed in amazement. Even though she had been given a full detailed report about Shin''s background, it was better to confirm the facts with her own eyes. ''Sovereign Koi Spirit Users had historically been kept in the Longyu Clan and yet, here is one that was born and raised in our Himmel Empire¡­ If we raise him well, would the Lantis Republic come and cause problems?'' Being one of the Eight Scions of Water, Spirit Users that awaken the Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi, were always located in the fertile lands of the Lantis Archipelago. A location where the water elements thrived, it was every water elemental Spirit User''s dream to cultivate in the Lantis Republic. Not to mention the eight ancient clans that ran the country loved to keep a monopoly of Spirit Users who had awakened Spirits with the water element. If they ever found out of Shin''s monstrous existence, there was no doubt in Madam Warulee''s mind that they would do anything in their power to bring Shin to their country. ''Well, that''s a problem for another time. I really want to see how much this kid can grow.'' Madam Warulee was a born educator. In life, nothing gave her as much satisfaction as seeing her students grow to become competent individuals in their own respective fields. Bending his waist downwards, Mychael carefully observed the petite cerulean Koi. "Your Spirit is The Sovereign Koi, right?" "Yeah." Nodding his head in approval, the tanned man started his explanation once more. "As one of the Eight Scions of Water, The Sovereign Koi is probably one of the best water elemental Spirits there is. But that could be a blessing and a curse when you create your Spiritual Body Enhancement. First of all, in a water-rich environment, you would be practically invincible. With the scales and gills that you would gain, your movement in and around water would give you a significant advantage during battle. However, in a dried-up place such as a desert, your Spiritual Body Enhancement effectiveness would be halved." While listing the pros and cons of The Sovereign Koi, Mychael gave Shin his honest assessment. "In my opinion, you have two options before you. Either you go all in and rely on your innate talents to boost your attack power to the limits, or you go for a more balanced build, where you can fight in any location. The choice is yours." Before Mychael could begin designing a regimen for Shin to train, he needed to know what was Shin''s choice. ''To go all in for my strength or to choose a more balanced build?'' Shin thought to himself. ''If I choose a more balanced route, I would be able to fight in all terrains, but I would lose a significant amount of power¡­ To beat Junius, to beat those other monsters in my year, I can''t afford to do so.'' From the beginning, there would only be one answer for the young black-haired boy. The entire reason why he came to Imperius Academy in the first place was to become stronger. If he had a better way to increase his strength, why wouldn''t he take that option? Additionally¡­ ''If the terrain doesn''t suit my Spirit, can''t I just adjust the environment to my liking?'' With Shin''s first ability, he could simply generate water until it was suitable for him to fight. Snapping open his eyes, Shin gave Mychael a resolute stare as he said: "I''ll do it. I''ll take the stronger path." "Haha, I knew that you would do that! Come with me! Ah, Waru you can stay here." "Don''t be ridiculous! Where are you bringing him?" "To his training ground of course!" With a sinister smile, Mychael led the duo out of private training facility. After following the tanned scoundrel for a significant period, Madam Warulee and Shin were brought out of academy grounds and deep into the Thaishu mountain range. It wasn''t long until they were greeted by a pristine and subterranean lake. With a gorgeous teardrop-silver hue, the immense freshwater basin shimmered in the rising sun giving the area a rather angelic presence. "The Eminence of the Lake should train in a lake of course!" Mychael cheerfully exclaimed. "Hmmm, for someone of your standard, that''s actually a good plan." Madam Warulee agreed with the tanned scoundrel for once. For a Spirit that was a descendant of the Celestial Water Dragon, training in such close proximity to such a breathtaking reservoir of water could really help improve Shin''s overall cultivation. "To fully comprehend and master Spiritual Body Enhancement, you must be attuned to your Spirit''s natural habitat. For instance, when learning the Spiritual Body Enhancement for my Spirit, the Espigado Crocodile, I spent weeks lying on river banks, trying to imitate how a crocodile would behave in the wild." "Wait¡­ Don''t tell me you want me to practice for hours underwater?! I will die if that happens!" With Shin''s intellect, he could immediately tell where the conversation was going and immediately raised his voice in protest. "No, that''s not the case at all. I don''t want you to practice underwater for hours¡­ I want you to practice underwater for DAYS!!!" Mychael laughed out loud like a stereotypical villain that had cornered the protagonist of the story. "Don''t worry. I won''t let you drown. All you need to do is stay in the lake until I''m satisfied. Oh, it would be better if you could swim around like a fish. That would DEFINITELY improve your chances of learning an epic Spiritual Body Enhancement ability!" ''He''s trying to get back at me...'' After spending a significant amount of time interacting with Mychael, Shin had begun to pick up some of the tanned scoundrel''s signature mannerisms. If Mychael specifically enunciates a particular word, it meant that he was passively trying to mess with Shin. "Madam Warulee, is this really the right way to train in Spiritual Body Enhancements?" Knowing that he was being played, the young teen turned to the only hope that he had left. Unfortunately¡­ "Environmental mimicry is a common training method, Shin. Even I use it to teach my students sometimes." "I see..." Dropping his eyes down in disappointment, the young boy glared at the man that caused him so much harm. ''Hehehe, you mess with me, I mess with you!'' ''How the hell did I mess with you?!'' ''I don''t care! Ever since I met you, there has been nothing but trouble! Don''t worry, the training regimen I have for you is bulletproof! Even that asshole Waru wouldn''t be able to argue with my means!'' Shin and Mychael exchanged words without even blinking an eye. Oddly enough, the two had somehow developed a ''telepathic'' communication line, even though they weren''t Mind element users. "Alright! Let''s get to training! Go jump into the water!" "..." Unable to speak up in rebuttal, Shin simply squinted his eyes in frustration and disrobed himself to get into the cold morning lake. ~~~ "*Achoo!*. Urghhh, I''m going to die..." Falling down onto his homeroom desk, Shin rubbed his reddened nose with a tissue to wipe off the residue mucus that was spilling out. During Mychael''s special lessons in the weekend, Shin would stay in the middle of the lake, where the water would reach his chest, for hours each time. To allow the youth to form a stronger connection to his Spirit, Mychael and Madam Warulee would watch Shin as he cultivated and exercised in the frosty lake, and as a result, the young teen had contracted a minor cold. "Shin? Are you okay?" While the black-haired youth was suffering, a short boy, who didn''t seem to be fifteen years of age, walked towards Shin''s table with a concerned expression. "Shizen? Yeah¡­ I just got sick over the weekend. Don''t worry, I have taken the medication. I should get better later in the day." After his short encounter with the Freak of the Dundlewoods, Shin had formed a good friendship with the short and innocent boy. He had even found out most of Shizen''s background throughout their conversations. Shizen Dundlewoods was an orphan who was raised in the Dundlewoods, a lush forest north of the Capital, by a tribe of nomads. When he awakened his Adivinar Tree Spirit, he had instantly become the idol of worship by the villagers and was given the best treatment, equivalent to that of the village head. Shizen''s talent for cultivation became apparent at a young age as he flew the ranks with ease and eventually, he comprehended his own spiritual ability when he promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm. One day, an expedition from the Kori Federation happened to make their way to the nomadic village, and for some reason, they decided that it would be a good idea to utterly decimate the area, harming both the nomads and the sacred lands of the Dundlewoods. Naturally, that wasn''t something that Shizen could tolerate. In one fell swoop, the young Spirit Apostle took on all of the experts in the expedition sent by the Kori Federation, which primarily consisted of Spirit Core cultivators, and cleared them out with little difficulty. Of course, that incident caused Shizen''s name to spread far and wide throughout both the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire and had even given the moniker of the Freak of the Dundlewoods. "Hmmm? Shin is sick? Do you need my help?" "Haha, thanks for your kind thoughts, but honestly, I''m fine." While the two teenagers were conversing, the majority of the Star Class had their eyes glued on the duo. Being two of the most prominent names in the entire academy, everyone believed that the two had formed an alliance when in actual fact, they were just friends. Kanari, who had invited Shin to join her twice, was particularly dissatisfied. She had reached out to both Shin and Shizen to join her crew. However, it had always ended in failure, and yet, the two of them had gone off to form their own alliance with one another. "Kanari, you''re staring at Shin and Shizen a lot these days. Has one of them struck your fancy?" From the black-haired beauty''s side, a cheerful voice chimed in. "You know that it''s not like that, Elrin¡­" "Haha, I know... I mean who wouldn''t be interested when the number two and three of our cohort had formed an alliance." "We don''t know that they did yet¡­ Speculation isn''t a good habit to have, Elrin." "Well, guessing from how chummy they are behaving, there''s a high possibility of that happening!" Elrin doubled down on her hypothesis. "Hmph!!!" From the other side of the room, a derisive snort could be heard as a pudgy boy abruptly stood up from his desk. Danroy, who had a bad relationship with Shizen, to begin with, had started to see Shin as a despicable enemy in his path. By his side, a sinewy, muscular man was also eying Shin with a dirty look. Suji had a different reason to dislike the black-haired youth. The moment Shin advanced to Rank 19, he had unknowingly put pressure on the other students in his course, as he could be the first person in the cohort, after Kanari, to reach the Spirit Core realm. Initially, Suji wanted to be the one to hold that title, but with Shin already so close to Rank 20, it would take a miracle for him to catch up. Thus, without knowing, Shin had made half of the elites in the Star Class, his enemy. ''Urgh, what a mess...'' Chapter 236 An Unavoidable Fate 2 "Hey! Shin Iofiel!" While homeroom had yet to start, an impassioned voice boomed through the classroom and ended up in Shin''s ears. "Hmmm?" Turning his head around, Shin was greeted by a short and lanky youth, whose bulging belly would make even the laughing Buddha cry in shame. Moving forward at a rapid pace, Danroy quickly made his way to Shin''s desk and slammed the base of his wrists on the table. "Danroy¡­ Is something the matter?" "Hmph! I heard that you actually made it to Rank 19! You must be quite strong then!" The obese youth called him out. "I''ll admit, I misjudged you after I saw your poor performance in the close combat class! I, Danroy Frithron, love to ''make friends'' with talented individuals. After school, meet me at this location! Let''s get to know each other better." Throwing a sealed envelope down on Shin''s desk, Danroy turned to Shizen who was standing beside him and scowled in annoyance. As much as he wanted to exact vengeance on the Freak that had manhandled him before, Danroy knew that it wasn''t the time. When he grew stronger, Danroy would be sure to challenge Shizen once more, to reclaim his lost pride. "Danroy has given Shin a letter of challenge!" "I knew this would happen! Damn it, did Danroy say where the bout is going to occur? I want to go see it!" Students in the Star Class broke into chatter once the pudgy young teen had thrown down the gauntlet. Every year, disputes among the elites of the batch were sure to happen. After all, they were all fighting against each other for a better spot in the rankings. Therefore, when Danroy finally challenged Shin to a one-on-one battle, it instantly became the talk of the class. ''Urghhh, I didn''t want this to happen this quickly...'' Shin mentally sighed. Over the past few weeks, the young teen had received countless letters of challenge, and for the most part, he could simply ignore them as they were sent by hot-blooded freshmen that wanted to have their names announced to the campus by beating the number two first year. However, a challenge by Danroy was different. Being part of Suji''s social clique and an elite at Rank 15, if Shin rejected the challenge, people would think that he was a scaredy cat that scurries away at the slightest inkling of danger. ''I knew this day would come¡­ Well, at least Danroy had the decency to not publicise the location...'' A bitter smile crept up Shin''s lips as he gingerly opened up the envelope. Etching down the location firmly into his mind, the youth kept the piece of paper in his jacket to prevent the spectators from peeking in. "Who was he?" Shizen asked with a face full of innocence. "You forgot?! Don''t you remember fighting a boy in the canteen during orientation week?!" "Oh, that was him?" "Wow, you really do live in your own world..." Shin shook his head in wonder. Shizen was a classic airhead where he would only do the things that he wants, whenever he wants. Not to mention, he won''t remember issues about people that he wasn''t interested in. Fighting against Danroy in the Main Cafeteria during the orientation week was simply something not that significant to the young boy. "Hmmm, is he going to trouble you? Do you need my help?" Shizen questioned. After being ''fed'' Shin''s special created water, the young teen had grown attached to the black-haired youth. In fact, there were often times were Shin would overlap the image of Bingbing with Shizen. "No, this is something that I must handle by myself¡­ Although it would be good for you to stand by the sidelines just in case anything happens." Shin was no fool. There was no way that he was going into the lion''s den alone. He needed to bring strong reinforcements lest a crazy fight breaks out and Shin gets ganged up by Danroy and his clique. "Okay then! Oh, and could you..." Shizen rubbed his hands excitedly in anticipation for Shin''s next move. "Yeah, yeah¡­ Here!"Shin threw over an empty gourd filled with the mana-rich water that he had created, forcing Shizen to wear one of the most disgusting smiles that the Shin had ever witnessed. "Hehe¡­ Thanks¡­ I''ll sure to be there!!!" Rushing back towards his seat, Shizen took one big gulp of the pure liquid, immediately intoxicating himself in the process. Falling down on his chair as if all his bones were removed from his body, Shizen ripped out a loud and disgusting burp before entering a comatose state. ''He''s really a happy-go-lucky guy...'' Shin couldn''t count the number of times he felt this way about the short reddish-brown haired boy. ''Nevermind him, what''s more, important now is to focus on the upcoming fight with Danroy...'' Taking out a notebook from his leather bag, Shin turned to the page where he recorded all of the information about Danroy Frithron. Facing Danroy was an unavoidable fate for the young youth, hence using his faithful ''encyclopedia,'' Shin recorded all of the information he needed to know about Danroy. ''Danroy''s Spirit is the Bangeo Rhinoceros. With a hide that not even Suji''s Purple Dragon Crescent Blade could penetrate, the Spirit is considered to be one of the strongest defensive beast Spirits in the Empire. Danroy is Rank 15 with two spiritual abilities and a plethora of martial arts skills. His first spiritual ability is to create a barrier in the form of a Rhinoceros head and his second is to charge forward at a blinding speed...'' Shin quickly read out all of the details that he had recorded. ''His defence is his strongest suit¡­ Which means that my paralysing liquid or attack water wouldn''t be able to reach his toes¡­ Not to mention, his martial art skills surpass mine! Is there nothing that I can do to him?!'' Shin was agonising over the possible ways to fight against Danroy. Since he was still weak, Shin didn''t plan on defeating Danroy at all. After all, once he condensed his Spirit Core, the youth would have a much better arsenal to deal with the combat-oriented monster. However, Shin also couldn''t put on a poor performance. If he was aiming to be the best, he couldn''t be deterred by the overwhelming strength that Danroy possessed. Spending the rest of the day worrying about the battle, Shin barely paid attention to the classes that he had while he kept trying to develop strategies to deal with Danroy. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he looked, he was unable to find a loophole in the pudgy youth''s defences. Eventually, the promised time arrived¡­ "*Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!*." The chimes of campus bells echoed through the school grounds, bringing heaven''s joy to the students who joyfully skipped out of their classrooms. For many, the time after school was a jubilant period where students could join co-curricular activities and hang out with their best mates. However, for Shin, it was as if hell had crept onto earth for him. "Shin? You don''t have to do this if you don''t want to." A worried voice soothed the frantic boy''s soul as she gently tapped on his shoulders. After hearing about the incident where Danroy challenged Shin, the twins immediately rushed to support their sibling in his time of need. "Don''t worry, Emma. If I don''t do this now, Danroy will continue to harass me, and the consequences might be even worse..." Stroking on the gorgeous purple hair of Emma, Shin reassured her that he knew what he was doing. "Furthermore, I won''t overreach my abilities. If I feel that my life is in danger, I could simply throw in the towel." "Shin''s right... To rise to the top, he has to take down all competition in his way." Ella chimed in from the side. "..." Shizen, on the other hand, was observing the trio''s interactions. Since coming to the academy, the Freak of the Dundlewoods had barely made any friends and watching the relationship between the orphans made him feel a little lonely. "Shin, are these two your friends?" "To be exact, they''re my cousins." "Your cousins? I see¡­ What is it like? Having a family?" "!!!" Shin and the twins instantly stopped their tracks and widened their eyes at Shizen''s casual sentence. Being orphans themselves, they had wondered the exact same thing since they were young. After finding out the truth about the Frie and Awter Clan, the orphans couldn''t help but fantasise a world where they still had their parents and a world where everyone was still around. Junius, Lily, Ryner, Lia, Shin, Ella, Emma, Max, Elyse, Fionn and Jacob. Of the eleven orphans, only nine remain, with most of them already split up to their own fields. Taking a look around, Shin met eyes with the twins. Recalling the good times where they would all play together on Frie Mountain, a warm feeling started to form within their hearts. So what if they didn''t have parents? They did have a beautiful family. "It''s amazing..." "Is that so?" Shizen dropped his head in sorrow. Growing up, he never felt the warmth of human interaction. Before he was ten, the young boy was adopted by a nomadic tribe for the simple reason of having a good servant around, that could wash their clothes and dispose of their defecations. However, when he awakened his Spirit, Shizen was instantly treated like a god and was revered by all who surrounded him. Never experiencing the love of a family, the young boy didn''t understand what the orphans were talking about, making him feel a little hollow inside. "Cheer up! I''m sure you would find a family one day!" Sensing that something was off, Emma embraced the young boy from behind and gently consoled Shizen. "Haha, yeah..." Tapping on Emma''s milky soft hand, Shizen let out a deep sigh. As they were talking to each other, the entourage finally made their way to an isolated training ground, where no student life was present. To prevent the hundreds of curious eyes, Danroy had chosen a "We''re here..." Shin announced. "Hey! What took you so long?" An excited cry called out to the group as a silver-haired boy ran over to greet Shin. Being a self-declared leader of the best information network in campus, Isadore couldn''t miss out on a big event where two of the best elites were going to clash. "We''re not late¡­ You''re the one whose early. Honestly, how do you even move about that quickly?" "I have my ways. Anyway, since I got here, I thought that I would do some reconnaissance for you. Danroy is only joined by Suji, so the probability of this being an ambush is quite low." "That''s great..." One of the greatest worry that Shin had was that Danroy would send legions of his minions to wreck him to shreds. After all, no one knew if Danroy wanted revenge against Shizen and decided to take it out on Shin instead. Therefore, Shin gathered some of his closest friends in the school to protect him just in case something of that nature happens. "But there''s something else you need to know." "What is it?" "Kanari and Elrin are inside as well." "WHAT?!" Ella hollered out in shock. No matter how mighty they were, if four of the top elites in the school ganged up against them, they would end up as meat pastes in just a few seconds. "You don''t have to worry too much though¡­ It seems that they are not partnering up. Kanari just wants to watch the match. For some reason, she has taken quite a bit of interest in you, Shin..." Isadore sent a queer look straight at the black-haired boy. "It must be your imagination..." Shin quickly averted his eyes and avoided answering Isadore''s question. There was no way that he could tell the blabbermouth that Kanari was gunning for his talent as the world''s youngest healer. "Hmmm¡­ Whatever. If you''re prepared, we can go in. I''m really looking forward to your performance!" "You''re right¡­ I can''t put this off any longer¡­ Let''s go." Controlling his emotions to the best that he could, Shin steeled his nerves and resolutely entered the building. Chapter 237 An Unavoidable Fate 3 "Hoho, you''re really here. I was worried that you wouldn''t show up." Inside of the isolated training yard, a miffed Danroy was sitting on top of a small boulder in the middle of the field. Watching as five individuals walked through the entrance, the pudgy youth was slightly taken aback. Especially when he noticed a certain reddish-brown haired boy that seemed way too short to be a fifteen-year-old. "And I see you brought reinforcements. What are you sending someone else to do your battles for you?" "Of course not. I just needed to take precautions, you know..." Shin replied to Danroy while taking off his jacket. Scanning the vicinity, he saw three other individuals other than Danroy inside of the facility. Suji was leaning his back against the wall at a far corner, merely observing the faces of Shin and the party that he brought. At the other corner, two of the academy''s, scratch that, the Capital''s most desired beauties were sitting together on a bench with eager eyes. "Hmph! I''m offended that you think that low of me! I would never use my influence to beat down one person." As a treasured son of one of the most prideful military families in the nation, Danroy disdained the thought of bullying the weak. Not to mention, if he did gang up on Shin, his father''s name would be dragged through the mud, which was the last thing that Danroy would want to see. "I apologise. I just needed to be sure." "Whatever! Shin Iofiel! I challenge you to a duel! Do you accept?" Danroy declared his intentions with his chest puffed up. "Honestly I don''t see the benefit for you¡­ Why are you so adamant about beating me?" "So that I''ll prove my superiority! Shut the crap, do you accept or not!" "Since I''m already here, what else could the answer be?" Dropping his head in disappointment that he failed to convince Danroy to withdraw his challenge, Shin sighed deeply. "Good! Watch carefully, Freak of the Dundlewoods! I''ll show you the true extent of my powers!" Danroy screamed out at the dreary-eyed young boy as if he had already won the match. "Again¡­ Why do people call me a freak?" While Shin was busy preparing to face the obese teen in front of him the spectators all held their own thoughts about the situation. ''Who is that?'' Suji raised his eyebrows in confusion. He was instantly able to recognise Shizen and the twins, due to their new found fame. However, as he carefully examined the silver-haired boy with androgynous features, Suji''s mind drew a blank. Since he was together with the talented bunch that was Shin and his party, there was no way that Isadore was an ordinary freshman. Kanari, on the other hand, was completely surprised by the little boy''s presence in Shin''s entourage. ''What the hell are you doing there, Isadore?! Weren''t you supposed to lie low?'' Her furious gaze met with Isadore''s innocent one, forcing him to flash a gullible smile before turning back to face Shin. ''Arghh! He''s going to be the death of me¡­ Hmph, wait till I tell on you, see who would be laughing then!'' "It''s starting, Kanari!" Elrin excitedly tapped on her bosom friend''s shoulders. "Arghhh, I should have bought some popcorn! Who do you think would win?" "Elrin, show some decorum. No matter how excited you are, you''re still the daughter of Terlus Zedcris. You should learn to control your emotions." "Blah, blah, blah¡­ I don''t want to hear that from the girl who dragged me over here to watch the match with you." "Don''t twist the facts. You were the one who insisted on following me..." Kanari shook her head in disapproval. Earlier in the day, when she found out that Danroy had challenged Shin to a match, her first actions were to find out where the bout was being held. Eavesdropping on her conversation, Elrin found the prospect of watching a fight between two of the academy''s best talents intriguing and pestered Kanari to let her tag along. "Hehe, you say that, but your eyes were telling me otherwise! You didn''t want to be alone to watch the match since it would be awkward!" "... I don''t have a response for that." "So, are you finally going to tell me the reason why you''re so interested in this black-haired mystery boy?" Abruptly changing the subject, Elrin gazed deeply into Kanari''s eyes. As her childhood friend, Elrin knew most of Kanari''s behavioural habits and the majority of the time, she would remain aloof to her the matters of her peers. Yet, for the sake of Shin, the young girl had gone out of her way to convince Danroy to let her spectate the match. "No comment..." "Oh, come on! There''s definitely more than that!" "Leave it be, Elrin..." Kanari turned her head away from the white-haired girl that was pestering her and focused on the two boys down on the field. "Danroy Frithron. Spirit, Bangeo Rhinoceros. Cultivation level, Rank 15. Please advise me." Following the rules of a proper duel, Danroy cupped his hands together and bowed down to the black-haired youth. Almost instantly, the pudgy teenager glowed in a radiant light as the air around him became distorted. The spiritual energy being released from his springy fats had altered the space of the facility as a phantom of a Rhinoceros head enveloped Danroy''s entire body. It was his first ability and the one that would cause the most headaches to any foe that the young teen would meet. The all-encompassing, defensive ability that could even block Suji''s destructive blade. The Dome of the Rhinoceros. ''He''s really going to go all out¡­'' Shin mentally sighed. Danroy was using the match against Shin to make a statement. Danroy wanted to show Shizen and the rest of the elites in this chamber that he was one of the top dogs to beat. ''You see me as a stepping stone, but I''m not pushover you asshole!'' "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Sovereign Koi. Cultivation level, Rank 19. Please advise me." Not willing to be outdone, Shin instantly summoned out the adorable little cerulean Koi and generated eight globes of water with his first ability. Opening the gourds, Shin created two more spheres, one made out of the paralysing agent that he personally brewed, and the other would contain Shin''s own Healing Water. If Danroy was going to go all out, so was he. "The Sovereign Koi?!" As members of High Society, all of those present recognised the famed Spirit instantaneously and collectively dropped their jaws. Shin had kept his Spirit a secret, and not many on the campus knew what Spirit the mysterious black-haired genius had awakened, and who could blame him? The Sovereign Koi was one of the world''s most famous Spirits. So much so that Kanari, Suji, Elrin and Danroy didn''t dare to believe that what they were seeing was a reality. Even Isadore was utterly floored by the revelation. ''How could it be?! Wasn''t he from the west of the Empire?'' Kanari was starting to doubt all of the information that she had acquired over the past few weeks. ''No, that can''t be! If he''s from the Longyu Clan, there is no way that Principal Erudito would let him in! What the hell?! The information doesn''t add up!'' "I see¡­ So that''s why you were so interested in Shin..." From her side, Elrin''s amused voice echoed in Kanari''s ear. "Hehe, a fifteen-year-old Rank 19 Spirit Apostle, who had awakened The Sovereign Koi¡­ Any organisation''s dream hire..." ''Crap!'' Kanari widened her eyes in horror. Elrin and Kanari shared a deep relationship where they could hang out, and if any of them were in trouble, the other would do anything in their power to bail them out. However, that was the extent of their relationship. Ultimately, Elrin belonged to the Zedcris Conglomerate, and Kanari was the heir of Highgarden Duchy. Between them, a struggle to find the best talents to join their ranks existed, and the outgoing Elrin was much more successful in that department, as compared to her reserved friend. Now that Elrin had discovered Shin''s talent, there was no question in Kanari''s mind that the white-haired girl would attempt to use her charms to bring Shin into her organisation. "So you were hiding such a vital secret from me¡­ I''m kind of hurt." "... Shut up, Elrin." "Hehe¡­ I wonder what other secrets you are keeping from me?" "..." Kanari kept her mouth entirely shut. If Elrin found out more about Shin, there was no question that she would use the billions of gold in her father''s vault to rope the young genius into joining the Zedcris Conglomerate. "Sovereign Koi?! Are you from the Lantis Republic?!" While Kanari was busy trying to fend off Elrin''s inquisition for information about Shin, Danroy was taking a more direct approach. "No, I''m not¡­ That I can assure you. I was born and raised as a Himmel Empire citizen." "That''s impossible! The Sovereign Koi is-" "DAN!!!" Before he could finish his sentence, Suji impassioned roar reverberated through the spacious training yard. "He was handpicked by Principal Erudito. If he really were a spy, that man would know." "But!" "It''s fine¡­ I trust in the Principal. Not to mention, if he really was here to screw the Empire over, I''ll wring his neck myself!" Suji hollered out a threat, sending a cold shiver down Shin''s spine. Taking one hard look that the impassioned Suji, Shin could visually see the muscular man''s patriotism shining out from his soul. ''Thankfully, I don''t have any ties to the Lantis Republic¡­ Otherwise, I think that Suji might really kill me!'' "If you say so..." Danroy unwillingly agreed with Suji''s statement and returned his focus onto Shin. "Whatever, the point of the duel still remains the same. It doesn''t matter if you have that famed Spirit or not." Bending his waist, Danroy got into a kneeling position and was prepared to launch himself forward. "Are you ready?" Hearing the obese boy''s words, Shin moved his ten water spheres into their ideal locations. The orb made out of his healing water was placed firmly behind his back while the drugged water orb was hovering by his side. "I am now." "Good!" Kicking off from his position, Danroy charged forward at a blinding speed, the horn on his Rhinoceros head viciously thirsting for the scrumptious flesh of Shin''s. "Lightning Swallow Steps!" Using Mychael''s signature martial art technique, Shin evaded the oncoming assault by the strand of a hair. To be entirely honest, Shin wasn''t even able to see the charging Rhinoceros horn. However, with a cursory understanding of Danroy''s fighting habits, he was able to make an assumption of how the obese boy was going to approach the battle. Once he evaded the phantom head of the Bangeo Rhinoceros, Shin probed Danroy''s defences by creating eight water drills. The moment the water drills reached Danroy, the pudgy youth increased his mana output, and the Bangeo Rhinoceros head shone in a radiant light once more, instantly dissipating the attack. Undeterred by his failure, Shin shot hundreds of water bullets at Danroy, hoping to find even the slightest flaw in his defence. Aiming at the eyes, mouth and nose of the phantom head, Shin hoped that even one of his bullets could break through. Unfortunately, the protection that Danroy had was akin to that of an impregnable fortress. "So annoying..." From Danroy''s perspective, it was as if he was in a car and his windshield had been drizzled by a relentless downpour, hindering his vision in the process. "Screw off!" Lunging forward in the general direction of Shin, Danroy broke the platform below him and caused the facility to shake in terror. ''I can''t dodge that!'' The attack was too fast for Shin''s eyes to track. Crossing his arms together, Shin mana strengthened his body to the absolute limit as he prepared to brace for impact. Almost instantly, Shin saw a bright light flash before his eyes, and before he knew it, he was flying up high in the air. On his abdomen, a piercing pain could be felt as Shin tasted iron in his mouth. "Shin!!!" Emma cried out in horror. Like a broken ragdoll, Shin did dozens of somersaults in the air before viciously colliding on the ground. However, instead of staying down, the youth used his Healing Water to immediately tend to the wounds. Standing up like an undead zombie, Shin spat out the heap of blood that had gathered in his mouth and assumed yet another combat stance. "You''re sturdier than I thought¡­" Danroy applauded the youth for resisting his attack. He did not hold back that time, and that charge was something that he had done to take down a Spirit Core cultivator. Yet, Shin was able to stand up from that relatively unscathed. ''He used ''Heal'' that quickly?!'' Unlike Danroy, who lacked the insight to comprehend how Shin survived his blow, Kanari was absolutely stunned. Even Elrin and Suji, who lacked information about the youth, knew that Shin had done something spectacular. ''I can''t let Danroy harm him too much¡­ If Shin breaks something that can''t be repaired, that would be disastrous.'' Kanari made the courageous decision to intervene should matters go south. "Again!" Clasping his hands together, Shin merged his orbs of water together to create a dome of protection around him. Danroy''s charge was simply too fast and evading was near impossible. The only thing that Shin could do was create layers of protection and hope for an opening to show itself so that he could counterattack. "It''s useless! My Bangeo Rhinoceros can rip that weak defence easily!" Once more, Danroy bolted forward and utterly decimated Shin''s defence, sending the black-haired boy flying in the air once more. However, for the second time in the row, Shin stood up from the life-threatening assault and readied himself for another. "You really are stubborn..." Danroy let out a deep sigh before bending his knees once more. "Since you''re not going to admit defeat, let me break you until you beg for defeat!" Chapter 238 Elrin Zedcris 1 Fifteen minutes had passed since the match between Shin and Danroy had begun. Well, to call it a match would be a stretch. The only thing that had happened was Shin being thrown into the air multiple times by the raging bull that was Danroy. The young teen''s entire body had bruises all over, and over a hundred beads of blood were dripping down his head. Even though Shin had a cheat ability that could regenerate his wounds, but ultimately, it was unsustainable in the long term, and the boy''s body had already started to break down from within. However, that did not deter Shin from getting up each time. "You''re really resilient, you know that? How the hell are you able to get up after each pounding?!" Danroy exclaimed out in horror. He had fought many of the best fighters in the military, and some of them had even condensed their Spirit Cores. Yet, he had never seen anyone who could take on his deadly attacks head-on so many times. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" At this point, Shin''s head wasn''t even thinking clearly. If he had a sober mind, the youth would undoubtedly have given up by now. Was it due to his broken consciousness? Or was it because of his stubbornness? Perhaps it was a combination of the two? Whichever was the case, Shin was only acting on instinct at this point, and his consciousness was pushing him to keep standing up. "Shin..." Ella and Emma clenched their fists in agony. As much as they wanted to rush forward to support Shin, as long as the black-haired youth had not given up, they didn''t have the right to do such a deed. Danroy kept his hands in his pocket as he watched Shin stumbled about in place. In his current state, even a gentle summer breeze would sweep the boy off his feet. Yet, each time he fell, no matter how hard the impact was, Shin would get up once more. With a perplexed expression, the obese youth observed the faces of the spectators. Suji was wearing a deep frown, his youthful face started to show signs of wrinkles as he watched how his childhood friend was tossing Shin in the air as if he were a stir-fried dish. The twins and Isadore were all breathing heavily with their nostrils flared up, while Shizen was biting his nails in nervousness. Finally, Kanari and Elrin in the corner were just flashing a ghastly smile, one of the likes that would make any man''s skin crawl. Even though their expressions seemed amicable, Danroy felt as if a thousand daggers were piercing through his skin. Turning his attention back to Shin, and carefully observing his sorry state, Danroy finally realised why he was getting those queer looks. From their perspective, they were witnessing a schoolyard bully picking on a poor little boy that had no means to resist the bully''s beatings. Thus, even though Danroy had obviously won, he had lost the moral high ground when he continued to repeatedly beat Shin down. "This is getting boring¡­ Let''s just end this here..." Switching to damage control mode, Danroy released his Spirit and the phantom of the Rhinoceros head immediately dissipated into nothingness. "There''s no point in continuing this¡­ Let''s just call it a draw and let''s end this." Even though Danroy had come out as the clear victor, he was amazed by Shin''s perseverance and decided to take pity on the youth. "Shin!!!" The moment Danroy declared that the duel ended, Shin fell to his knees and vomited out a mouthful of blood. No matter how good his healing abilities were, there was no way that he would come out unharmed after Danroy wrangled him like a ragdoll. Emma and Ella ran forward instantly with teary eyes, praying to the Immortals above that the youth had not sustained any lasting injuries. "What a waste of time¡­" Even after beating Shin to a pulp, Danroy didn''t feel like he had accomplished anything and walked towards the exit, where Suji was waiting for him. "Suji, let''s go. He''s just a nobody that doesn''t deserve that second position, as we suspected. There''s no need to feel threatened by him." "Do you honestly think so?" "Huh?" Confused by Suji''s succinct reply, Danroy halted his footsteps. "What do you mean by that?" "No¡­ It''s nothing. Let''s go." Unwilling to spell everything out for his dense childhood friend, Suji took one final look at Shin, who was unconscious on the floor, before turning to leave the training yard, with Danroy following close behind. "..." While Shin''s entourage was doing their best to figure out if their friend was about to die, one particular eagle-eyed white-haired girl was rubbing her chin in amazement. As the daughter of one of the most influential men on the planet, Elrin had been exposed to nearly every extraordinary spiritual ability there was. Although she had recognised how Shin was able to keep standing up from the life-threatening attacks that Danroy launched, she didn''t dare to confirm her hypothesis. "That¡­ Was Heal right?" "..." "Kanari, you know that you can''t fool me! That was clearly Heal! Shin, that guy, he''s a healer?!" Unlike her previous playful demeanour, Elrin was now frantic. "Fifteen years of age, Rank 19, The Sovereign Koi¡­ And now a healer?! Who the hell is this guy? Kanari, you know his identity right?!" "No comment..." "Don''t no comment me! Whatever, with my father''s connections, I can investigate everything within a few days anyway." "... I saw him first." Kanari raised a protest with a feeble voice. In fact, she didn''t even dare to look Elrin in the eye. "That''s not how competition works, Kanari..." Elrin rolled her eyes in annoyance. Now that she knows how valuable Shin was, Elrin finally understood why Kanari placed so much importance on the black-haired youth. "Who the hell is this guy? Shin Iofiel, how come he wasn''t famous before? How could I have never heard his name before? Wait a second¡­ Shin Iofiel¡­ Iofiel¡­ Iofiel Angel¡­ Don''t tell me!!!" Coming to a shocking revelation, cold sweat began to pour out from her gorgeous forehead, and her teeth began to chatter. Like a broken robot, Elrin pivoted her head to look at her bosom friend. "Is it?" "... Unfortunately, it is¡­ He''s HER disciple." Kanari knew that she had lost. Elrin was the last person on earth that Kanari wanted to reveal the secret to, but unfortunately, she was unable to keep it under wraps. "!!!" Falling out of the bench, Elrin''s jaw dropped as her eyes quivered in excitement and reverence. "Hahaha, and you didn''t want to tell me?! What kind of friend are you?!" "If I told you, you would do everything that you could to poach him over¡­ Can''t you just concede him to me? You already have heaps of talented individuals over at the Zedcris Headquarters. I still have not recruited a single talent!" "That''s because you''re too picky, Kanari. It''s not my fault! Well, if he wasn''t Lady Seph''s disciple, I might have ceded him to you, but now..." Elrin jumped to her feet and rubbed her hands in excitement. "Well, before we can bring him over to either one of our sides, we should really treat his injuries. *Clap!* *Clap!*." After Elrin brought her hands together twice, three dark silhouettes dropped from the ceiling and surrounded the white-haired girl. "Bring out the Snow Owls, we have to rush him to the Zedrcis building nearby. Oh, and tell those in the store to bring out Healer Escfortin. We need him as soon as possible." Elrin barked out orders to her subordinates before turning to Kanari. "I''m going to take him to the Zedcris building so that he can tend to his wounds. I''m sure that''s okay with you?" "I''m going with you!" "..." Taken aback by Kanari''s sudden fervour, Elrin took one step back and shot her bosom friend a queer look. Although she knew that Kanari only had the intention to bring Shin into her forces, it was the first time that the aloof beauty had ever shown that much concern for a person of the opposite gender. "Wow, you really are dedicated to bringing him in¡­ But unfortunately, he''s going to join my forces." "Don''t be sure of that too soon..." ~~~ "Shin¡­ Shin..." "Hmmm?" After getting knocked out cold by Danroy, Shin felt himself getting pulled into a cold and dark world where nothing but blackness existed. While he was in a deep comatose state, a familiar voice called out to him, soothing his entire soul in the process. "Shin¡­ Shin¡­ Are you awake?" "This voice¡­ Ariel?! Ariel are you there?!" In the bleak world where nothing existed, Shin was greeted by the voice of his deceased loved one. Opening his ''eyes,'' an Amazonian scarlet-haired girl, who was no more than fifteen years of age, was standing right in front of Shin. In a gorgeous red robe with beautiful embroidery of flaming trees, Ariel let out a gentle smile as she slowly approached Shin. The freckles on her face were still as adorable as ever, and her dazzling smile forced Shin''s heart to tighten like it never did before. Even though she wasn''t the prettiest girl in the world, to Shin, Ariel had always been the most beautiful creature that had ever lived. "Ariel! Ariel! I''ve missed you! Ariel! Ariel!" Pulling the scarlet-haired girl into his embrace, Shin let out a bucket full of tears fall from his eyes. "Why¡­ Why were you so foolish?! Why did you go?!" "I''m here now..." "Ariel! I''ll never let you go! I''ll never let you go ever again!" "I know..." Staying in the warmth of each other''s embrace, Shin treasured every second of the reunion. "But I have to go." "What?!" Opening his teary ''eyes'' once more, Shin started to see the image of Ariel blur as her beautiful smile turned in to a frightful grimace. All of a sudden, an ice spear, the size of a lamppost, pierced through the tender flesh of the poor girl, bringing back the nightmares that Shin had been having for the past half a year. "ARIEL!!!! NO!!!!" The darkened world collapsed almost instantly as Shin jerked dreadfully awake. The clean robes that he had changed to had been drenched with gallons of his own sweat, and his entire body was trembling in fear. "Shin? Shin? Are you okay?" From his side, a concerned feminine voice, other than that of Ariel''s called out to him, bringing his consciousness back to reality. Gently pivoting his head, Shin was greeted by an ethereal beauty, who had her ruby-coloured eyes opened up wide as if they were saucers and her brows rose in concern. Kanari''s acne-free face edged closer to Shin as she tried to ascertain the condition of the distraught boy, who seemed to be out of sorts, even though he was thrust awake. "I''m¡­ I''m fine¡­ I just¡­ Had a bad dream, that''s all..." Finally coming to his senses, Shin rubbed the temples of his forehead and attempted to calm himself down. Ever since Ariel''s death, Shin had been accumulating stress, and due to his never-ending training regimen, he never had the time to properly sleep. Furthermore, he knew that if he fell asleep, the nightmares of that night would return to haunt him. Thus, Shin would frequently try to avoid entering into a state of deep sleep. So when Danroy finally knocked him out of his senses, all of the stress that he had kept bottled up overflowed like a broken dam and the nightmare of that fateful night returned to the forefront of Shin''s consciousness. "I''m fine now¡­ What happened?" "The match between Danroy and you ended in a draw. However, you fainted immediately afterwards, so Elrin used her connections to bring you to a healing facility outside of the academy. That''s where you are right now." "I see¡­ I ''drew'' with Danroy huh?" Even though he wasn''t lucid for half the fight, Shin could tell that Danroy took pity on him and self-declared the match a draw. "What a shame..." "Ermmm, I''m sorry, but now that you''re awake, could you release my hand now?" "What?!" Looking down at his arm, Shin realised that he had been holding the hand of Kanari''s this entire time. When he was dreaming about Ariel, the desperate youth must have had sought out the warmth of human contact and grabbed the nearest thing to it. "Ah! I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to!" "No, it''s fine¡­ I know that you weren''t aware¡­" A compassionate smile crept up Kanari''s lips as she rubbed on her freed hand. During Shin''s nightmare, he had gripped on Kanari''s hand the entire time, causing her milky white complexion to turn purple. ''To cause him this much distress¡­ This Ariel must have meant the world to him...'' Kanari thought to herself. During Shin''s deep sleep, he had blurted out Ariel''s name multiple times, and each time he said her name, it was filled with tenderness and love, proving how much the youth truly missed her. "Anyway, since you''re awake, let me call the rest back. They''re out there exploring the building." "Ah¡­ Thanks..." "No problem. Just rest for now." Gracefully walking out of the ward that Shin was kept in, Kanari went to look for his friends. "What a blunder¡­ Thankfully, there were no witnesses, if not, I''m sure all of the boys would try to murder me..." Kanari was the divine goddess and the idol of the majority of the male population in the academy. If word got out that Shin had held her hand, the number of vengeful boys that would come knocking on his door would far surpass the number of challenges that he was getting now. "Hah¡­ It''s been over half a year, and yet, I still can''t forget that night..." Shin shook his head and deeply stared at the clean ceiling above him and allowed his mind to wander. "Ariel, I miss you..." Chapter 239 Elrin Zedcris 2 "Shin! Are you feeling okay?!" Five minutes after Kanari left the room, a horde of concerned young teenagers ran into the ward, all desperate to find out how the young teen was faring. "I''m fine¡­ Just tired that''s all. You don''t have to worry about me, Emma." "Are you sure?" Emma lightly patted on the bandages that were wrapped around Shin''s chest, careful not to apply excessive force to the injured boy''s body. "You were unconscious for four full hours! There''s no way that you''re completely fine." "No, really¡­ I know my body the best. The injuries that I sustained can be healed within a few days." "Is that so?" Thinking back on the beating that Shin had received under Danroy, Emma honestly questioned Shin''s self-diagnosis. "The boy''s right, young lass." Before Shin could reassure Emma once more, an old voice echoed through the spacious ward snapping all of the students'' attention towards the door. An elderly man, possibly in his late seventies, entered into the room with a dazed expression. Seeing the white-haired man, the teenagers in the room opened a clear path for him, so that he could quickly reach the side of Shin''s bed. "Shin, this is Registrar Escfortin. He was the one that treated you." Elrin cheerfully introduced the elderly man to the injured youth in bed. "Registrar?!" As a former healer, there was no way that Shin wasn''t familiar with that term. One level above a Senior Healer, a Registrar, typically was responsible for one entire region and had the authority to command and withdraw medical troops from any battlefield. Other than the Elder and Divine Healers at the headquarters of the Healer''s Association, a Registrar was possibly the highest rank of physicians that a regular person might meet in their lifetimes. "Thank you for taking the time to treat me!" Shin attempted to get out of bed so that he could formally express his thanks. However, the aged man instantly appeared next to the youth and gently pushed him back up. "Don''t get up, boy. Even though there are no life-threatening injuries, you still need to rest. Speaking of which, let me examine you once more..." Registrar Escfortin placed his right palm on Shin''s chest and sent a large amount of mana into his body. Relaxing his body, the young teen closed his eyes and allowed the Registrar''s mana to flow effortlessly through. Shin was all too familiar with this procedure. The elderly man was simply scanning and examining the condition that Shin was in. "Hmmm¡­ Peculiar¡­ This is peculiar indeed..." "What is?" "Boy, have you taken any treasured herb? Or perhaps have your body enhanced by external means?" Instead of giving his honest assessment, Registrar Escfortin asked Shin a series of questions. "No, I haven''t?" "Then that''s odd¡­ How are you able to heal that quickly?!" The elderly man exclaimed. "When you first came here, your body was in shambles. Although there was no threat to your life, you at least needed a few days to completely recuperate from that mess. Yet, you''re almost ninety per cent healed up! Don''t you think that''s peculiar?" "..." Hearing the Registrar''s assessment, Shin thought back on the incidents that had defined his first six months in the Capital. By training every single day, and using his Healing Water frequently on his body to mend his broken wounds, Shin''s body must have grown accustomed to the rapid healing process and had adapted accordingly. Furthermore, with the overpowered ability, Heal, in his arsenal, Shin''s body might automatically apply continuous treatment even without Shin''s knowledge. Now that he was reflecting about it, Shin realised that after every training session, his recovery period had shortened significantly since he first began his spartan-like workouts. ''What? Am I some sort of unkillable machine now?'' Shin mentally joked. "No, I just have grown accustomed to getting hurt I guess?" "Hmmm, I''ll just take it as that. However, let me do one final probe if that''s okay with you?" "No, of course! Please do!" Shin spread his arms open like an eagle so that the elderly man could complete his duties. "It''s nice that you''re so understanding. Looks like Elrin has found yet another gem." "Hehe, you''re making me blush, Registrar." The white-haired girl cheekily grinned before sending a playful glance at the black-haired beauty that had been at Shin''s side this entire time. No words had to be shared between the two, but they clearly understood each other''s intentions. Ignoring the silent war between the two proud daughters of the heavens, Registrar Escfortin summoned out a golden needle that possessed a carving of an immortal python of myth. Gently poking Shin''s chest, the elderly man sent a torrent of mana down his patient''s way as he cast one of his strongest healing spiritual abilities. "*Resplendent Harmony!*." A divine light shone from the depths of Registrar Escfortin''s soul and instantly soothed the ailments that Shin was suffering from. The elderly man had used this ability on Shin the moment he arrived and was doing once more to check how much his patient has recovered in the few hours since Shin was first treated. "Really peculiar¡­ Your body is a piece of work! So much so that I want to bring you back to conduct experiments on." "..." Suddenly, Shin felt as if he was a piece of meat and the sickbed was his chopping board. ''Why are all top healers so weird when it comes to experiments?'' Lady Seph frequently carried the same expression that Registrar Escfortin would right now. Whenever an exciting research topic or subject would reach their path, they would do their best to examine every detail of it, sometimes even disregarding the feelings of those involved entirely. "Registrar! You can''t harm him!" Elrin retorted with puffed cheeks. "I know, I know¡­ I don''t want to get fired by Terlus after all. Alright, if there are any other issues, Elrin, you know where to find me." "Hehe! Thanks for coming! You''re the best!" "Don''t mention it..." Waving his hands, the elderly man dismissed Elrin''s praise before promptly exiting the ward, leaving the teenagers behind to mingle with each other. Relieved that Shin was ultimately fine, the twins took a step back and observed the vibe of the room. For some reason two of the most influential freshmen in the entire school were accompanying Shin, even though they barely interacted with the black-haired youth. Kanari was adamant not to leave Shin''s side, as if she were a lion protected her prized prey from the pack of hyenas that surrounded her. Or in this case, the one. "Shin, I do believe that we weren''t formally introduced to each other. My name is Elrin." Not willing to wait any longer, Elrin struck first by extending a handshake to Shin. "I hope that you would forgive me for not intervening in the duel earlier." "No, I was the one who was stubborn. I should have thrown in the towel when I had the chance. Besides, I have yet to thank you for bringing me here to get treated." "That''s nothing. To get into the good graces with the number two freshman in the year, it was a small price to pay." Elrin used her years of experience as a merchant''s daughter to charm the youth, causing Kanari to frown in displeasure. "If you need any assistance, whether it be school related or otherwise, please feel free to contact me! I can help you with anything that you need!" "... Thank you?" Shin was confused with Elrin''s sudden generosity. School had begun weeks ago, and this was the first time that the white-haired girl had ever approached him of her own volition. "Hehe, no problem! I''m always open to having an additional friend to rely on. So please rely on me, okay?" The one thing that Elrin excelled at that Kanari couldn''t hope to match, was her interpersonal skills. Instead of directly telling Shin what she wanted from him, the white-haired girl opted to first form a cordial relationship with the youth. After a few more interactions, where they had opened up to each other a little more, then she would strike like a falcon diving for its prey. "For now, you should take this time to rest here. The Eastern Zedcris building has fantastic facilities for you to enjoy! I have already informed the faculty of your injuries so that you could take the day off." "No! It''s fine¡­ I just need to rest for a bit, and I can return back to the pink of health! I can attend school tomorrow." "Are you sure?" "Definitely. Please, bring me back!" Elrin rubbed her chin and fell deep into thought. Taking to account Shin''s wishes as well as Registrar Escfortin''s opinion about the matter, the young girl finally relented. "Fine¡­ I''ll take you back before midnight. However, you are to rest here for the time being! Actually, why don''t I wheelchair you around the facility?" "Ah¡­ You don''t have to..." "No! It''s settled! Wait here! Let me get the wheelchair! Oh, and I could call over the other two of your friends that aren''t here yet." Shizen and Isadore were currently out exploring the vast building, that contained over twenty stories worth of items. Shizen especially. As a hermit that has never explored anything outside of the Dundlewoods, everything that was foreign to him was a marvel that had to be investigated. "She sure is a hyper person..." Ella remarked with a raised eyebrow. "Hehe, well Elrin is a nice person!" Emma giggled. "..." While the twins were praising the white-haired girl to the seventh heaven, Kanari had furrowed brows as she stared blankly into the air. Evidently, she wasn''t too pleased that Elrin had taken a march over her, even though she had clearly realised Shin''s potential first. "Miss Kanari¡­ I have yet to thank you." "Hmmm?" "No¡­ How do I put this? Didn''t you accompany me when I was unconscious? It really helped me." Having been through hell once more, it was helpful to have a helping hand nearby to catch him when he woke up. If he had awoken to this unfamiliar place, there was no doubt in Shin''s mind that he would have gotten a panic attack. Not willing to elaborate the details of the nightmare that he just had, Shin sent the black-haired beauty an earnest gaze, one of the likes that resembled that of an adorable puppy. "Thank you for helping me." "Ah¡­ Don''t mention it." Due to Shin''s ''suprise attack,'' the ethereal beauty was tongue-tied for words for a moment. However, she did manage to mutter out a few words. "Miss Kanari. I''m sorry for being so rude back then. I was just taken aback that''s all." Recalling the time where Shin simply ran away from Kanari, the boy felt abashed by his actions and felt the need to rectify his mistakes. "If possible, I hope to form a friendly relationship with you as well. It''s just I really don''t have any plans on joining any sort of organisation." "No¡­ I understand that I was too hasty back then. I too want to form friendly relations with you." Kanari reflected as well. Even though she did not know everything about Shin and had yet to form a good relationship with the boy, the black-haired beauty had decided to rush things, forcing Shin to cower away for the longest time. "No hard feelings?" "Of course!" Shin accepted Kanari''s handshake with a sparkling smile on his face. "Oh, but I definitely want the Fairies of the Hail on my side." Taking the opportunity to tease the twins that stood alongside Shin, Kanari showed her most chummy expression since arriving at Imperius Academy. "Miss Kanari! You know we hate that name!" "Hahahaha!" Loud laughter bellowed through the empty hallways of the ward as Shin and the twins had added a new friend to their clique. It was the start of the formation of one of the most legendary teams in history, but of course, none of them knew about that just yet. Chapter 240 Elrin Zedcris 3 "Shin! Look at all of these items!" Emma''s excited cry rung in the ears of the wheelchair-bound youth who was being pushed around by her twin sister. Soon after Shin made his peace with Kanari, Elrin rushed in together with Shizen and Isadore with a chic metallic wheelchair, that was present to ferry overly sick patients around the ward. Although he protested heavily about getting onto the vehicle, after watching Emma plead him with the teary eyes that she had mastered throughout her life, Shin relented and allowed himself to play the role of a disabled person for the day. Exploring the twenty-storey tall building, Shin was absolutely gobsmacked by the number of facilities and precious items that the architecture contained. Firstly, they had a modern ward, fully equipped with some of the best tools that a healer needed to rehabilitate a patient back to the pink of health. Next, numerous shops sold precious gems, gorgeous dresses that were fastidiously sewn together and even a smithy that forged spiritual tools up to the unique grade. Finally, there were multiple cultivation chambers and valuable materials that aided in a Spirit User''s cultivation path. "Yeah¡­ Miss Elrin? Why are there so many items like this here?" Shin was baffled. The Eastern region of the Capital primarily contained of educational institutions and yet, the Zedcris Conglomerate had actually invested this many resources into this remote building. "My father''s business has shops all over the Capital, and often times, moving resources and manpower could be a chore since the centre is so far away from remote locations like this one. So my father decided to build five buildings in each of the regions. That way, we would have easy access to all parts of the Capital." Elrin explained in a monotone voice. "Furthermore, the resources here pale in comparison to those that we have in our headquarters, so I don''t see the issue of having them here?" ''Ah¡­ A rich person''s view is completely different from ours...'' When Shin first came to the Capital, he knew that some of the wealthiest individuals in the world resided in this famed location. However, now that he was exposed to Elrin''s worldview, the young teen was once again reminded of the huge disparity that existed between the rich and the poor. ''Ah, since I''m here...'' "Miss Elrin, may I be so bold as to ask for a favour?" "Please, just call me Elrin! What do you need?" The white-haired girl beamed delightfully when she heard that Shin needed something from her. To bring Shin closer and closer to her side, she needed to show that she was willing to provide sufficient backing to the talented youth. "I need to craft some spiritual tools¡­ Is it possible to commission some of your blacksmiths to do the job? I can provide the gold upfront if need be." "You want to make spiritual tools? Hmmm, what kind are you looking for?" "Just some elementary-grade acupuncture needles..." Shin explained succinctly. Ever since he took Professor Quinn''s class, the young teen had formulated numerous plans to use spiritual tools in his battles. From the start of his life, Shin had never been adept at using deadly weapons such as swords or bows. The only artefacts that he was accustomed to using were the acupuncture needles that he used in some of his early treatments. As an intermediate healer that had delved deep into the healing arts, Shin had a precise knowledge about all of the body''s weak points and which positions would do the most damage to a Spirit User. Furthermore, he had heard stories where Immortal Hippocrates himself, was able to take down armies with his acupuncture needles in his hands. If Shin could train the same way, it would be a potent weapon to add to his growing arsenal. "Haha, that''s easy! Don''t worry, I''ll help you get some! Are there any size requirements?" "Something along the lines of this." While being pushed around the ward, Shin had picked up a set of needles that best resembled the set that he was accustomed to. "It should be made of a material that isn''t easily contaminated as well." "Alright! I''ll get someone to do that! Let''s make it expert-grade while we''re at it!" "No! I don''t need it to be that high of a grade! It''s just for academic purposes only!" "Hehe, don''t sweat about it! Our smiths don''t even take commissions to craft elementary-grade spiritual tools anyway. If I told them to craft such a low grade, they would think that I was insulting their expertise!" "But¡­ I might not have enough gold to pay for an expert-grade..." Shin frowned as he weakly replied. A large portion of his money had been spent on Mychael''s lessons, and the average price of an expert-grade spiritual tool was at least ten gold per item, something that Shin could never afford. Furthermore, he was ordering a custom made a set which goes for a much more exorbitant price. If he really went ahead with the order, he would be paying at the very least, twenty gold ingots! "Don''t worry about the price! I will cover all of it!" "How could I do that?!" "Haha, the last thing that you need to worry about with me is money, Shin! So don''t worry about it! Just think of it as a token of friendship from me to you!" "I can''t possibly accept such an expensive token!" "Just give it up, Shin..." Kanari sighed deeply as she tapped on the boy''s shoulders. "To Elrin, a few gold ingots is nothing but a drop in the ocean of her wealth. Uncle Terlus pampers her heavily, and she could really spend money as if it were water." "Hey! That''s rude of you! I''m quite frugal okay?" Rolling her eyes at Elrin''s blatant lie, Kanari continued. "So just accept her grace. It really is nothing to her." "I¡­ No, I can''t accept such a generous gift. When the commission is over, please send me the invoice, Miss Elrin! I promise I would reimburse you, no matter how long it takes." "Hoh¡­ So you''re actually quite the serious guy¡­" Elrin flashed an inquisitive gaze at the young teen. Bit by bit, she was learning more about Shin. Naturally, once her investigation team returns with all the information of the young genius, she would make her move to bring Shin onto her team. However, for now, she would humour the young black-haired boy in whatever methods that she could. "Fine, I''ll do just that. Come, let''s explore more of the facility shall we?" Although Elrin said so, she had no intentions of letting Shin anywhere near a receipt. Based on her cursory understanding of the youth, there was no way that he would allow a debt to remain unsettled. The longer Elrin dragged out the issue, the more leverage she would have when the time came to formally invite him into the Zedcris organisation. "Hey, Shin! They sell this delicious beverage here!" Shizen ran over with a wooden mug of black carbonated liquid. His mouth was covered with foam, and the childlike innocence of the Freak shone through his usually aloof facade. "It''s almost as good as your taste!" "!!!" At Shizen''s words, all of the girls snapped their heads towards Shin, who was nervously sweating in his wheelchair. "It''s a misunderstanding! He just means that..." "Ahhh, speaking of which, I''m out! Shin! Please pour me a refill!" Taking out the specially prepared gourd that Shin had prepared for him, Shizen asked Shin for more water, even though the boy didn''t have a single inkling of a bottle with him. Naturally, this deepened the misunderstandings of the confused onlookers. "Shin, you..." Ella raised her hands off the bars of Shin''s wheelchair in disgust and took one step back. "Shin, I didn''t know that your relationship with Shizen had reached that far..." Emma sobbed fake tears as she fell onto the floor. "So it''s like that¡­ No wonder he could look me in the eye." Kanari muttered under her breath. Initially, she was puzzled as to how a boy of her age could talk to her as equals instead of getting all jittery and awkward. However, with the new evidence, she finally understood why. "You guys are seriously misunderstanding something?!" "Shin! Quickly! I want more!" "Shut it! You''re making things worse!" "Hahaha, looks like it''s going to get more lively in the future!" Elrin let out a jubilant smile as she stepped back and allowed the carnage to play out by itself. ~~~ News of Shin''s match with Danroy ending in a draw spread like a plague throughout the campus, and the tale of the powerful undying body of Shin''s struck fear into the minds of the boys that wanted to challenge him. And it came as no surprise who was the one that spread the news. A joint effort by Isadore and Elrin, the two leaders of the greatest freshmen information networks. Soon, the letters of challenge ceased to come Shin''s way, and the boy could continue on with his own daily routines. However, now that he had formed new friends, Shin''s after class activities had taken a one hundred and eighty degree turn from his usual routine of sitting alone and cultivating. Every afternoon, there would be at least one person accompanying him during his studies. Especially after many from his group found out what an academic whiz he was. Shizen, who was a dunce at anything theoretical, would pester Shin daily to help teach him his homework. Even Isadore and Kanari, who were in the top percentage of students who could score well, could only marvel at Shin''s superior knowledge. Surprisingly, Elrin wasn''t that proficient at studying as well. Well, even without supervision, she could score in the upper bracket of the cohort, but to ace each test was every student''s goal. Thus, she had somehow phased into Shin''s group as well. To Shin''s surprise, the expert-grade acupuncture needles were delivered to his doorstep within three days since he first asked for it, showing how efficient the Zedcris Conglomerate was. As expected, Elrin refused to produce an invoice for the young teen, causing him to feel restless for accepting such a generous gift. Taking out all of the remaining money he had, Shin offered to pay just a little for the expensive spiritual tools, but even that was adamantly refused by Elrin. Unable to convince the white-haired girl to accept his money, the only thing that Shin could do was thank Elrin and promise her that he would repay her one day. While his weekdays had brightened up exponentially, Shin''s weekends were a trip back to hell as he attended the special lessons that Mychael and Madam Warulee had prepared for him. Spending over ten hours a day training in the pristine lake just a few kilometres outside of the academy, Shin would be practising his martial skills while getting accustomed to his environment. In just a few days since he first started his training, the boy had already mastered the art of swimming, something that had eluded him all this time. He could also hold his breath for much longer when he first started. Now, he was already onto the next step, strengthening his body using the environment as a factor. "Hey¡­ Mychael. Has he always been this way?" Carefully observing Shin, who was meditating in the middle of the lake with his eyes closed, Madam Warulee wore an incredulous expression and questioned the tanned scoundrel that had experience with teaching the young boy. "Yeah¡­ Amazing isn''t it? All you need to do is to teach him the right way once, and he''ll figure out the rest himself. There''s no need for extra guidance." "What an absurd comprehension ability! Honestly, he''s wasted on the combat course!" Bellowing out in anger, Madam Warulee protested the young teen''s academic path. If he was in the auxiliary course, there was no doubt in her mind that Shin could master everything that her curriculum has to offer. "Take it up to him¡­ It''s not like I forced him into my class." "You think I haven''t tried?! That boy is just so determined to stay in the combat course! Urgh, what a headache¡­" Madam Warulee had enticed him with multiple benefits in hopes to bring Shin over to her course. However, whenever that was being brought up, the young boy would simply brush it off and continue on with his cultivation. "Whatever¡­ Let''s just see how far he can go. What do you think? What kind of Spiritual Body Enhancement would he create?" "Not sure. At this point, I think he knows more about Spiritual Body Enhancements than me. How the hell he read up all those books in less than a week is beyond me." With access to the restricted area of the library, Shin had extensively studied the literature about condensing a Spirit Core and the variations of Spiritual Body Enhancements, in preparation for his inevitable ascension. "We''ll see..." ~~~ PS: For those who don''t remember the currency system, twenty gold ingots would be about $200,000 in real life. Oh, and the drink that Shizen has is the Terre Continent''s version of my favourite drink. Diet Coke!!! Also, I would be releasing the artwork I have on Lady Seph, Ariel and Shin on the coming days on Patreon, so patrons, please check your feed daily! Chapter 241 The Spirit Core Realm 1 Like the Celestial River that dawned down from the mountains of the Lantis Archipelago, time flowed by in the blink of an eye and two months had passed since the duel between Shin and Danroy. Since the Capital of the Himmel Empire was located close to the equator, seasons were an unknown term to the affluent individuals residing here and the weather remained blistering hot and humid all year round. However, ever so often, a glorious downpour would fall from the heavens, giving the sweaty men and women a sense of relief as they relished in the slight dip in temperature. Which was what was happening at this very moment. In the rare moments where the Capital experiences heavy rain, students of the academy were all holed up in their own sheltered spaces, enjoying the cool weekend air. Almost a quarter of the academic year has gone, and the freshmen had already been integrated into the daily routines of the campus, with many joining clubs that the upperclassmen had created. Of course, co-circular activities like that bore no interest to Shin and his group as they went about their lives trying to further their own agendas. Shin and the twins continued on their relentless training to become strong enough to fight against the Black Mask syndicate once more and bring Junius to justice. Shizen was simply trying to live his life as carefree as possible while savouring the sweet nectar that was Shin''s created water. In fact, just last week, the happy-go-lucky boy, who never seemed to train or cultivate, had somehow broken through into Rank 18, stunning Shin and the rest of the group. Apparently, with his blessed Spirit and the divine water that was baptising it on a daily basis, Shizen didn''t even need to cultivate. Just by staying alive, Shizen was able to advance through the ranks with next to no effort. Kanari was in the same boat as Shizen. All her life, she had been accustomed to flying through the ranks and this year wasn''t the year that she would slow down, especially when the competition in the freshmen cohort was so fierce. Shin was already fast approaching the Spirit Core realm, and once he promoted, Shin could possibly catch up to her in months. Thus, she doubled down on her training throughout the two months where Shin was still stuck at Rank 19 hoping to further her lead. Already making it to Rank 22, the Goddess of the Academy cemented her position as the top dog in the food chain. The twins weren''t too far behind in their cultivation efforts either. Although they didn''t have it as effortless as Shizen did, Ella and Emma had both advanced into Rank 14, meaning that they had reached the base threshold for entering the Star Class. Unfortunately, if they were quicker by a few months, they would have entered into the same homeroom class as Shin and the rest of the group, but now, they had to wait till next year to see if they could make it into the famed class. Seeing that all of her friends had made significant strides in their cultivations, Elrin, for the first time in her life, felt threatened by the prospect of losing out. She had always been easy-going when it came to her training, but when she saw how aggressive her competition was, the white-haired girl started to cram her studies as well. Although she didn''t manage to advance, the young girl had already reached the peak of Rank 16 and was waiting for a sudden epiphany to help her cross the final barrier. Finally, there was Shin. For the past two months, he had been training arduously every single day. On the weekday mornings, he would attend school and do his due diligence as a student. However, when school was over, Shin would go into overdrive mode. Learning from his mistakes, the young boy would do experiments and create new techniques that could take on the monsters in his year, such as Suji and Danroy. Practising his martial arts techniques till he could master them and learning new techniques from the martial arts book repository that contained some of the Empire''s best fighting systems. For instance, he had found a manual that shown him the best ways to use hidden weapons, such as the expert-grade acupuncture needles that were given to him by Elrin. Taking a straw dummy from the training yard, Shin tirelessly practised his craft. He had even combined the Lightning Swallow Steps to the technique to improve his chances of immobilising his target. The first time he tried it, it resulted in a colossal failure that ended with his ankles being broken. The next time he tried it, he didn''t even make it to the edge of the straw dummy before falling flat on his face. Finally, after hundreds, if not thousands of repeated attempts, Shin finally got the hang of the technique and had added a potent skill into his arsenal. Unlike his difficult path of self-cultivation, his training sessions with Mychael and Madam Warulee went exceedingly well. Every session, Mychael would train the youth, albeit in a crass manner, to become the best physical martial artist that he possible could become. Through the tanned scoundrel''s excessive exercises, which sometimes borderline on the inhumane, Shin had developed a deep connection with The Sovereign Koi and was fast approaching the peak of Rank 19. Furthermore, with Madam Warulee in charge of Shin''s welfare, the youth had been given some of the top resources that the academy had to offer. From medicinal baths to a personalised cultivation chamber, that was rich with water elements that had been migrated from the lake, Shin was on the fast track to reach the Spirit Core realm. An average student of Imperius Academy would enter the Spirit Core realm during their fifth or final year, while a talented one would attempt to condense their Spirit Core in their third or fourth year. Yet, here Shin was, three months into his freshman academic term, already ready to make the leap. "I''ve heard that Shin Iofiel is about to attempt to break through into the Spirit Core realm during the weekend!" One of the gossipmongers of the freshman batch said to another. "That quick?! Didn''t he just promote to Rank 19?" "I know right?! That Shin is another freak of nature man! Although there has been no official announcement, the faculty members are somehow getting jittery. I see teachers going entering Shin''s personal cultivation chambers quite frequently now! He should be attempting to condense his Spirit Core any moment now!" "Ahhhh, damn it! When will I ever get a personal cultivation chamber?" "If you reach Rank 19, one would be assigned to you!" "And how many years would that take?! God damn it, why are there so many geniuses in our cohort?!" Smashing his hand on the table, the freshman cursed his sour fate, unaware of the group that was seated just a few tables away. "Shin looks like you''re the talk of the town yet again." Isadore sipped on his apple juice as he commented on Shin''s current predicament. "Well, it''s false though. I wonder who is spreading those rumours huh?" Shin glared at the silver-haired boy as if he were his worst enemy. "Hey, don''t spout nonsense. I don''t give out false information. Only things that I find to be genuine would be disseminated into the public." "How very noble of you." "Why, thank you!" "Boys, could you two not bicker every single time? It''s getting a little annoying..." Ella retorted with a deep frown. Since Shin and Isadore were ''buddies,'' the two of them spent the most time together, even more than how much time Shin spent with the twins. There were even times where Isadore would sleep over in Shin''s dorm room, just to ''deepen'' their relationship. "Hehehe, Ella you should just let them be! They''re having fun!" Emma did her trademarked giggle while soothing the irritable mood that her sister was in. "Hah¡­ Honestly though, Shin¡­ Are you going to attempt to condense your Spirit Core this weekend?" "No, not yet. I haven''t reached the peak of Rank 19, and the Spiritual Body Enhancement ability that I wanted to learn hasn''t been optimised yet." "You''ve been training for this long, and you''re not satisfied yet?!" Ella jerked her head back in shock. "It has only been two months, Ella¡­ I''m comprehending a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability that would stick with me for the rest of my life. Of course, I''m going to be thorough." Having been through only one promotion, Shin knew how scary it was to enter his Spiritual Body unprepared. With one erroneous step, his entire cultivation path would go astray, forcing Shin to destroy the months of hard work that he had prepared for this final step. "Hmmm, that sounds fair. Either way, before you break through into the Spirit Core realm, make sure to inform us!" "Fine, fine¡­ Oh, speaking of cultivation, I think I''ll go do some now!" Shin took a glance at the towering clocktower at the centre of the academy and decided that it was time to train. "I''ll see you guys around?" "Yeah, go do your thing." Emma warmly replied. If Ella was the nagging mother that won''t leave Shin alone, Emma was the loving aunt that pampered Shin and soothed his soul. "Alright, bye!" Taking one final bite of his lunch, the black-haired teen hurriedly kept his tray and ran towards his private cultivation chamber. "Hmph! Must he be so rushed? We barely even had fifteen minutes with him." "You know how he is Ella¡­ Always pushing himself one step further¡­" "Honestly, he should take some time off. Too much training can''t be good for him either!" "..." Isadore silently watched the twins interact with squinted eyes. There was a question that had been bugging him since he first met with Shin and he was unsure if he should bring it up to the youth. Therefore¡­ "Hey, Ella¡­ Emma¡­ Why is Shin so hurried all the time?" "What do you mean?" "He''s a genius cultivator. Everyone knows that. Yet, every time I see him, he''s never content. He always tries to push himself one step farther even though he is talented enough. I don''t understand what drives him to be so crazy." "Ah¡­ That..." Understanding where the silver-haired boy was coming from, the twins dropped their head as a depressing memory surfaced from the depths of their minds. "You see¡­ Shin is chasing a shadow. Two shadows to be precise. And they are currently miles ahead of him. He feels that if he doesn''t work hard, there would be no way for him to reach them in his lifetime." "Not just that." Cutting in on Ella''s explanation, Emma''s eyes shifted from side to side as her pearly white teeth dug deep into her lower lip. "He''s also being chased by a monster. A monster that haunts his nightmares and would consume him the moment he lets his mind rest. Thus, he has to keep this face-paced lifestyle, else he would be devoured by the monster." Although the twins left out the details, they conveyed the gist of what drives Shin to such lengths. "So whether he succeeds or fails, we have to be there to catch him. That''s why we''re here." Shaking their heads, the twins stood up from the table to signify the end of the conversation. "We should get going..." "..." Isadore used his tongue to wet the parched lips of his as he watched the girls leave the area. Evidently, there was a much more complicated tale that they were withholding from him, but since they didn''t want to share it, Isadore didn''t feel the need to press them. "Every family has their own sets of skeletons in the closet huh¡­ Well, it''s not like I want them finding out anything about my identity either...''" Isadore thought out loud. "Whatever, I guess I''ll find out eventually..." Chapter 242 The Spirit Core Realm 2 Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperius Academy. Shin''s personal cultivation chamber. Imperius Academy was a multi-faceted institution that boasted some of the Empire''s best facilities for students to use. From spacious and well-equipped training yards to cultivation chambers that was filled to the brim with dense spiritual energies. The school allowed many of its most deserving students to take advantage of these facilities for their own gains, letting them grow exponentially in the process. And that was precisely what Shin was doing. When Madam Warulee found out of Shin''s affinity to the water element, the third most powerful figure in the academy personally authorised the usage of the academy''s densest water elemental cultivation chambers for Shin. Made with an aether crystal that had been gestating at the bottom of the ocean for hundreds if not thousands of years, the chambers that Shin had been staying in was one of the best places for a Spirit User who awakened a water elemental Spirit to cultivate. In fact, there were many influential figureheads in the Himmel Empire that would pay good money just for their children to gain access to the famed cultivation chambers. Unfortunately, since it was a facility that was only reserved for the usage for talented students of the academy, no one outside of the student body had ever gone near to it. Sitting on top of his meditation mat, Shin was absorbing the surrounding water elements at an exceedingly fast pace as he chanted the Celestial Water Mantra. Following the young teen since he first awakened The Sovereign Koi, the Celestial Water Mantra has always been Shin''s sole method of comprehending his Spirit and how to grow it. Although it was far too profound compared to the regular cultivation manuals of the modern day, the young boy had been able to interpret the mantra according to his own comprehension ability and thus far, it had served him well. Reaching Rank 19 in just over five years, Shin could proudly say that he has written his name in history as one of the most talented geniuses of the Himmel Empire. However, he was not satisfied. With a hunger to grow stronger, grow faster, so that he could bring Junius and the Black Masks to justice. So that he could protect the ones he held most dear. So that he could chase Yggdrasil and meet the one that he loved the most once more¡­ Shin had to live the extreme existence and push himself farther and farther down this path. ''I can become stronger!'' Shin hollered out in his mind. Taking out a replenishment pill that Madam Warulee had prepared for him, Shin continued to persevere on, even though it was his fifth consecutive hour repeating the Celestial Water Mantra. The Sovereign Koi, which had been circling around Shin''s hands, stopped abruptly as it shot a look of concern for its owner. Its reflective eyes showed a tinge of worry as it flapped its tail fin so that it could reach the nose bridge of Shin''s face. Currently, Shin was at a critical juncture. Even though he was wholly aware of the transformation in his body, his Spirit could clearly tell that something wasn''t right with the boy. His Spiritual Body had grown exponentially as the unfiltered water elemental energy flowed in like a raging current, contaminating Shin''s mana reserve in the process. To combat this phenomenon, The Sovereign Koi diverted all of its focus to cleaning up all of the excess energies that were running amok within Shin and purifying it so that the youth would be able to reap the benefits of his cultivation sessions. And to reap he did¡­ A warm and pleasant sensation crept up the boy abdomen as he felt a surge of mana fill his entire spiritual being. In fact, there were even small amounts of mana creeping out from his pores due to the amount of excess inside of him. Heaving out a huge sigh, a puff of mist flowed out from Shin''s lungs and dissipated into the dense spiritually rich environment. A luminous cerulean aura started to form around the youth''s body, as The Sovereign Koi celebrated its accomplishments. Finally, Shin was at the peak of Rank 19. "Two months¡­ At long last, I have reached this stage..." Shin raised his right arm towards his eye level as he carefully observed the mana-rich aura that he was giving off. During this two months where Madam Warulee would shower him with resources, Shin made full use of the opportunity to absorb as much knowledge and supplies as he possibly could. Training every day while taking advantage of the medicinal baths and tremendous resources such as mana-infused food items, the young teen wouldn''t waste a single second in his attempt to grow faster. And thankfully, the hard work that he had put in, has finally paid off. "With this amount of mana, I wonder how well my Spirit Core would turn out." Shin wondered. Overflowing with an ungodly amount of spiritual energy, the youth felt like he was on top of the world. If he were to compare it, his current state could store at least a hundred times more mana than when he promoted to the Spirit Apostle realm. Once he condensed everything into one small little Spirit Core, Shin couldn''t help but wonder how powerful he would become. "But before I could do that¡­ I need to figure out how my Spiritual Body Enhancement would be like..." Shin got out of his cold meditation mat and slowly walked towards the table, filled with manuals that he had burrowed out from the library. Ever since he first decided to learn a Spiritual Body Enhancement as his third spiritual ability, Shin had studied on the topic extensively, so much so that he could recite the manuals from cover to cover by now. However, the youth also loved to re-read his books, just in case he could interpret the words differently. "Spirit Users that create a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability with their fish Spirits would gain streamlined scales and gills that enable them to breathe underwater¡­ If I go down that route, won''t I look like a Spirit Beast instead?" Shin thought out loud. Noticing the adorable cerulean Koi that was swimming about in the air around him, the black-haired youth addressed it with a mocking tone. "Hey, would you like it if I became more like you?" "..." Unaware of what its owner was trying to convey to it, The Sovereign Koi spun one round while its reflective eyes shone in a confused light. "What am I doing? Trying to ask my Spirit for advice?" Shin leaned back on his chair as he muttered out in a self-deprecating tone. "Spiritual Body Enhancement huh?" After two months of extensive practice and studying, Shin would be lying if he said that he didn''t have an idea of what he wanted his third spiritual ability to be like. In fact, he was almost certain that he wanted to take that route. However, since Shin was chasing perfection, the young boy couldn''t help but wonder if there was a better method for him. The ability that he would learn would stick to him until the very end of his life and if it wasn''t suited for him, wouldn''t that be a huge waste of assets? "Ariel, what would you do in a time like this?" Shin dropped his shoulders as he released a huge sigh. Staring up to the ceiling, the young boy directly addressed his deceased lover, hoping to get some sort of divine intervention from her. "What is the most important aspect for me? Is it power? Is it defence? What is it that I want to pursue?" The black-haired teen hunched his back as he contemplated his future path. Ever since that night, he had been faithfully pursuing strength so that he could achieve the new goals that he had set for himself. However, he had no clue on which path would give him the most satisfaction and would best allow him to pursue his objectives. And then, the image of Ariel''s demise was bitterly brought to the forefront of his subconscious. "That''s right¡­ If I were faster... If I had more awareness¡­ I could have saved her." Shin suddenly came to a revelation. The Sovereign Koi was an all-rounder Spirit that lacked any powerful explosive properties like Suji''s Purple Dragon Crescent Blade or Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros, which relied on its overwhelmingly potent defensive capabilities. However, one thing that The Sovereign Koi had over the rest of the Spirit that Shin had seen was its mobility in water. Being one of the most powerful water Spirits there was, The Sovereign Koi was basically a god when fighting in water, with it being able to control its surroundings and move and crazy speeds. If Shin wanted to go down the path of a fighter, adding a speed-oriented Spiritual Body Enhancement ability would be the best thing to do. "If I were faster huh¡­ That''s right! All of my combat abilities rely on speed anyway!" Shin exclaimed. His deathly acupuncture needle technique and the seismic martial art combination that Mychael had taught him all relied on Shin being faster than his opponent. The best way for him to improve on his combat abilities was to improve on his agility and speed. "Not to mention, if I meet someone that I can''t defeat outside, like Danroy or Suji, I could probably just run!" The moment he came to this palpable revelation, Shin immediately started to flip through the manuals on Spiritual Body Enhancements that emphasised on speed. Thankfully, with his superior comprehension ability, Shin was able to figure out all of the intricate details that he needed to know. "Looks like I''m going to enter the Spirit Core realm this weekend after all..." Shin laughed to himself as he recalled the conversation that he had overheard between the two gossip mongers earlier that day. As it turned out, their wild speculation was about to become a reality. ~~~ "To think that the brat would reach this stage in less than three months¡­ Honestly, what''s up with this year''s cohort?" Mychael complained with a despondent frown. When Shin stepped into the peak of Rank 19, he immediately informed all the relevant personnel that he was about to attempt to condense his Spirit Core. He quickly briefed the twins as well as the two teachers that were mentoring him. During these two months, Mychael had been faithfully carrying out the task of Shin''s mentor and had taught the youth everything that he needed to know about the Spirit Core realm. However, never in the tanned scoundrel''s wildest dreams did he think that Shin could reach the final step this swiftly. "You should be grateful. Our academy would gain so many legends after this year''s batch graduate." Madam Warulee, who was walking alongside the stunned middle-aged man, adjusted her glasses that was falling off her nose bridge. "Besides, weren''t you complaining that he was taking up so much of your time? Now that he''s going to condense his Spirit Core, you should be grateful!" "I can''t argue with that¡­ No, what am I talking about, that''s good news! I can finally go and see Mimi again." "Urghhh, you''re disgusting..." "Haha! Say what you will! I can finally enter paradise again!" While the two illustrious teachers were bickering, they finally saw Shin''s cultivation chambers in the distance. Standing in front of it was two young purple haired girls who were prancing around in circles. Even though Shin now had a relatively large group of friends, he opted to keep the affair private, only telling the twins and the teachers that helped him. If he told Elrin or Kanari, there was no doubt in his mind that they would bring over gifts worth thousands of gold to help him break through, and if he told Shizen or Isadore, the only thing that they could do was tell the rest of the world. Thus, only four individuals were present for Shin''s promotion into the Spirit Core realm. "Mychael! Madam Warulee!" Noticing the arrival of the two teachers, Shin''s face lit up, and he sauntered towards them. "Are there any issues with your current state?" Madam Warulee cautiously asked. Shin was a wonder boy of the freshmen cohort. There was no way that she would want him to come to any sort of harm. "None whatsoever. In fact, I feel better than I ever had before!" "Good¡­ Then we can proceed today. After you condense your Spirit Core, make sure you take one of these mana replenishment pills. Also, take some time to absorb the water elemental energies around you! Also..." Madam Warulee went on and on with instructions for the youth, even though he had been through them multiple times before. "You confident?" While the bespectacled scholar was busy nagging Shin off, Mychael stood across him with his arms folded and said two words. Over the few months that they had met, Shin and the tanned scoundrel had their differences. In fact, they weren''t the best of pals now either. However, when it came to the real stuff, not many words had to be shared between the two. "Of course!" "Hmph! Talk is cheap! Go ahead and do it! Then I''ll believe you." "Haha, I know..." Nodding his head, Shin took the resources from Madam Warulee''s hand and entered the private cultivation chambers once more. As the doors of the room closed, the twins gritted their teeth in anxiety. Since the chambers blocked out all forms of mana signatures, the only way that people outside would know of Shin''s result, was when the doors opened again. "Good luck, Shin..." A soft mutter sounded out from the four individuals. No one knew who said those words, but it was the shared sentiment between all of them. ~~~ Happy new year! Haha, it has been quite a ride since I started writing Spirit Immortal about eight months ago¡­ I could say more, but let''s leave it till author''s thoughts at the end of the book shall we? Also, I started a website! Thanks to my amazing patrons, I had hit my first two goals within two months! Crazy huh? So as promised in my goals, I will be creating a website to act as a temple for everything Spirit Immortal related. Glossary, character introductions, artwork, maps, everything that Spirit Immortal needs, I will try to add there. Do note that the website is still a work in progress so there might be some places that haven''t been completed. Nonetheless, you can visit the site to view the awesome artwork I have on Lady Seph, Ariel and Shin! Link is down below! PS: Off adblock so that I can get the few cents off advertising, hehehe. https://linodofictions.com/artwork/ Chapter 243 The Spirit Core Realm 3 "It''s finally time." Shin sat alone in the meditation mat as he ate a mana-rich fruit that had been prepared for him by Madam Warulee. Promoting a realm was much more different as compared to regular cultivation. Most of the time, the session would take hours and sometimes, days depending on how complicated the procedure was. Condensing a Spirit Core was one of the most disgustingly difficult barriers that a Spirit User would face due to how arduous the process was. Often times, the Spirit Apostle that was attempting to promote would fail multiple times before they could get it right. And a significant reason why was how foreign the concept of a Spirit Core was for a regular human. To condense a Spirit Core, one must fully reduce their entire Spiritual Body into a small sphere, the size of a pill, and allow their Spirit to fuse with it. With no prior experience, it was tough for a normal human to perform such a feat. "Hah¡­" Shin heaved out a deep sigh as he fell deep into meditation. Summoning out The Sovereign Koi, the youth sought to enter his Spiritual Body once more, so that he could begin the process of condensing his Spirit Core. Deep inside his consciousness, Shin was once again greeted by the vast expansive lake, that was glittered by the reflection of the heavenly stars above. Falling down onto the flat, unmoving surface of the basin, Shin took one hard look around him. The lake had increased exponentially in size since his last visit. The pungent smell of the ocean filled the lungs of the young boy as he slowly explored the gorgeous lake. Taking a look down, Shin could see hundreds of marine life swimming about without a care in the world, and they were wholly ignorant that their divine god had returned to bathe them in a new power. "I really love coming here..." Shin smiled in joy. It was the first time in a long while that he stopped everything to truly soak in the grandeur of his surroundings. "But that''s not what I''m here for." Forcing himself to walk forward, Shin immediately found three floating crystal obelisks in the centre of the vast lake, each marked with their own unique hue. The first one was filled with cerulean runes that gave off a gentle aura, one that soothes the soul of anyone who touches it. On the other hand, the second obelisk shone in a majestic aura, with rich, luminous golden runes that resembled that of Lady Seph''s handwriting. Oddly enough, there was a thin radiant string, that seemed to be weaved by the Immortals themselves, wrapping itself on the second obelisk, giving it a somewhat mystical air. Finally, the last one was merely an empty piece of rock that lacked any decorations. Floating in mid-air like the rest of the obelisks, the final structure seemed to beckon to the young black-haired teen. Instinctively, Shin knew what the third obelisk was. For him to promote to the Spirit Core realm and learn a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability, Shin had to interact with it. With three leaps, Shin propelled himself from his location and landed right in front of the third crystal obelisk. Scanning the structure, Shin placed his hand on the dull crystal as The Sovereign Koi started to circle around it. "Come to think of it, this would be my first time doing this independently..." Shin had entered his Spiritual Body just twice before. The first time was when the Shrine Maiden awakened his Spirit by sending her mana straight into his body, and the second time was with the help of Lady Seph''s hereditary opuscule. Furthermore, this was the first time in his life where he freely chose the path in which he would take. There was no one telling him what to do, nor were there anyone trying to affect his decision. He alone was responsible for the next step that he was taking. "Hey, Sovereign Koi. Thank you for staying with me through it all." "..." Although he knew that talking to his Spirit was utterly ludicrous, Shin still felt the need to thank the adorable little fish, that was wholly unaware of what was going on. "And watch over me as I continue down this path." Gently stroking the scaly exterior of The Sovereign Koi, Shin scraped a single loose scale from its body and slammed it into the crystal obelisk. "Let''s go!" The next moment, a radiant light shone from the bottom of the lake as Shin''s mana started to overflow. Shin was the sovereign, the absolute hegemon of his Spiritual Body. Inside of his consciousness, anything that he wishes to happen, will happen. The incandescent light spread all throughout the lake until the skies above were blinded by its grandeur and soon, the entire world inside his subconscious started to collapse. Of course, since Shin was concentrating on the obelisk in front of him, he was unaware that the sky was falling down and the tidal waves that were crashing all around him. The scale that he had picked out from The Sovereign Koi melted into the crystal obelisk turning it oceanic blue in colour. A ripple of light spread from the position where Shin''s palm was at and pulsated through the structure, giving it the vibrant life that it lacked. Realising that it was a critical juncture in his breakthrough, Shin closed his eyes and started to chant the Celestial Water Mantra, while visualising the skill that he wished to obtain. From the bottom of the lake, numerous shadow creatures surfaced and began to levitate in the sky as it watched their owner attempt to enter into a new realm. A soulful melody that was rejoicing the return of the king filled the air of the vast lake temporarily halted the breakdown of the entire area. As time flowed by, more and more ripples of light pulsated out from Shin''s palm and into the empty obelisk before him. Soon, the wide crystal shrunk to half its original size and it took on a more slender form. While that was happening, Shin had completed his visualisation of the technique and was sending all of his thoughts straight to the inanimate obelisk before him. "*Pik* *Pik* *Pik*." Fishy scales, mostly resembling that of The Sovereign Koi''s, grew out from the crystal obelisk, turning it cerulean in colour instantly. However, unlike the first obelisk, this third one emitted out a ferocious and resilient aura, causing any lifeform that came into contact with it to kneel down in fear. At the same time, the celestial stars in the heavens above came crashing down, creating a vortex of dense energy, halting the collapse of Shin''s Spiritual Body. A lengthy scaly serpentine body, which seemed long enough to wrap around the entire planet multiple times over, graced the vault of heaven, as its head tilted down to observe the young teen desperately trying to create his third ability. Its talon-like teeth that each matched the size of a small house were in full view as it opened up its jaw, letting a transcendent mist flow out its body in the form of a breath. The crystalline eyes that struck fear in any creature it held beholden to, had dilated extensively as if it was looking at something it loved more than anything in the world. While Shin was wholly unaware of the heavenly affair, the creatures that lived in the lake all bowed their heads down with respect as they welcomed the arrival of the colossal creature. However, when The Sovereign Koi saw the beast, it simply smiled at flapped its fins in excitement, as if it were welcoming an old friend. "*Bling!*." Finally finishing up his visualisation, Shin allowed his consciousness to fall deeper and deeper into the abyss as his instincts took over. His eyes still closed, the youth raised his right hand and arched his fingers as if he were holding a ball. Although he wasn''t aware of his actions, his subtle gesture had caused all of the creatures surrounding him to nod in approval. Knowing that its duty had been accomplished, the colossal creature flew up into the vortex and dissipated into nothingness. At the same time, the massive beasts that were levitating in the air returned back to the lake, leaving only Shin and The Sovereign Koi alone in the complete white world. With the beasts gone, the collapse of Shin''s Spiritual Body could continue and space distorted rapidly. The water in the lake, the obelisks surrounding him and even the celestial sky above. They all broke down and condensed themselves into a small ball within the right outreached palm of Shin''s. Gaining control of his awareness once more, Shin opened his eyes and was stunned at the developments that had happened. The world that was created by his Spiritual Body had collapsed entirely and was now in the midst of being compressed into a miniature sphere, all while he spectated. Even though there was destruction all around, it didn''t affect the youth in the slightest, and it was as if he was watching a movie. While he was lost for words, the last bit of the world finally collapsed and a fully condensed Spirit Core was now in the midst of Shin''s hands. "So this is my Spirit Core..." Shin was absolutely blown away. The Spirit Core was a pure cerulean marble that was transparent enough so that the world within it could be seen perfectly. Peering deep within, Shin could see the vast, gorgeous lake that was once inside of his Spiritual Body and the three crystal obelisks that represented his three spiritual abilities. "Haha¡­ I did it¡­ I''m in the Spirit Core realm..." Shin muttered to himself in disbelief. He blankly stared at the exquisite bead within his hands, his mind completely empty as he lost his ability to speak. Only after a few minutes, did his system reboot itself as he realised the gravity of his achievement. "I really did it! I condensed my Spirit Core! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I DID IT!!!" The Sovereign Koi, which had been silently waiting at Shin''s side all this while, finally let out a bitter smile as it swam happily towards the Spirit Core in Shin''s hands. Currently, Shin was still stuck in his sub-consciousness and had not made it back to the material realm. To allow the boy to do so, there was one final step that had to be taken¡­ "..." The Sovereign Koi circled around the dazzling bead in jubilation as it rejoiced with Shin. However, when its excitement died down, The Sovereign Koi flapped its tailfin at the youth before letting out one final smile. "Huh?" "*SWWWIIIIIIII!!!*." When the cerulean Koi finally merged with the Spirit Core, a radiant light blinded the black-haired teen as his consciousness was snapped back into reality, and he was returned to his cold and empty cultivation chambers. "I''m back? Wait!" Closing his eyes, the youth dug deep into his body to confirm that he had really succeeded and thankfully, at the very ends of his abdomen, Shin was able to find the exact same crystal bead that he had once held in his hand. "It''s there¡­ Thankfully it''s still there!" Shin heaved a sigh of relief as he patted himself on the chest. He had succeeded and had done so exceedingly well. "Hahaha, let me test my third spiritual ability!" Closing his eyes, Shin congregated his mana all over his body in the same manner in which he performs his mana strengthening. However, this time, he was casting a spiritual ability rather than a mere improvement of muscle or bone. Almost instantaneously, thin cerulean scales grew out from Shin''s skin, making him look like a merman of myth. Lightly shuffling his feet, Shin felt his entire body slamming into the walls of the chambers, even though he had only intended to move a few steps. "Hahaha! I really am faster!" Shin laughed out loud in euphoria. If Ella saw the youth in his current state, she would most definitely call him a lunatic for being so queer after hitting his head, but Shin didn''t care about that. He had accomplished his goal and didn''t mind indulging in some insanity. "Right Madam Warulee told me to absorb as much elemental energy as soon as I condense my Spirit Core. Guess I should do that now..." Popping the mana replenishment pill into his mouth, Shin released his Spiritual Body Enhancement and returned back to his cultivation. After spending so much mana condensing his Spirit Core, the current Shin was like a bottomless black hole that sucked in all forms of elemental energy into his newly formed Spirit Core. Furthermore, with his promotion in cultivation realm, Shin was now able to absorb the environment''s spiritual energy at a much faster rate than before. Thus, the young teen took his time to slowly refine the spiritual energies that were entering his body in order to convert it to mana that could replenish his Spirit Core. ~~~ "Is he going to come out soon?" Outside of the cultivation chambers, Emma worriedly asked the tanned scoundrel that was tapping his feet with his arms folded in akimbo. "He''s been inside for six hours!" "Lass, promoting to the Spirit Core realm is a much more difficult task than you think. It''s not as simple as cultivation on your own and advancing by one rank." Mychael snapped back in annoyance. However, there was a little fear in his voice as he could help but worry for the student he had spent so much of his time teaching. "Mychael''s right. Furthermore, even if he fails to promote today, he can still try another time again. So you don''t have to worry child..." Madam Warulee tenderly consoled the anxious Emma. "I know that, but..." Emma dropped her head and bit her lip in worry. Shin had taken so much time, and yet, there was no sign of movement from the isolated cultivation chambers. "I understand how you feel¡­ But you have to be patient alright? Have faith in your cousin." "*VRRRRR!!!*." The moment Madam Warulee said those words, a low rumble could be heard as the doors of the stone room before them started to tremble. As the door opened up, the dense spiritual energy from the inside of the chambers gushed out like a relentless torrent, forcing the twins to take a few steps backwards while raising their arms to protect their faces. The two Rank 60 Spirit Kings, on the other hand, dropped their jaws in utter astonishment as the black-haired boy from within, confidently straddled out from his deep slumber. "Shin!!!" The twins recovered from the initial burst of energy and ran straight at the teenage boy. "How are you feeling?!" Emma asked with a face full of worry. "Don''t worry¡­ I''ve never been better!" "That''s good." "So, did you succeed?" Ella cautiously asked. "What do you think?" With a confident smile, Shin circled his mana within and allowed a thin cerulean aura to flow out from his pores. Suddenly, a slight pressure weighed down on the four individuals within his vicinity. Although it wasn''t strong enough to impair their movement, the pressure was heavy enough that it was noticeable, even to the Spirit Kings standing farther away. "The ability to release spiritual pressure?! Shin, you really succeeded!!!" Emma threw her body forward and gave her sibling a firm embrace. "Hehe, congrats!" Ella rubbed her nose in excitement as well and applauded the youth for his achievement. "Thanks¡­ But this is the first step for me¡­ For us..." "Yeah, we know..." While the three siblings were merrily celebrating, Mychael and Madam Warulee, who was standing a good distance away, were utterly shell-shocked by Shin''s advancement. "Hey, Waru¡­ Has there ever been a time in our academy''s history where there had been two Spirit Core realm fifteen-year-olds?" "Never¡­ Heck, when in our history was there one freshman in the Spirit Core realm?! Yet now we have two?!" "Is this a precursor of what''s to come? Is there going to be a war against hell and the heavens sent down two angels to protect us?" Mychael hypothesised. "You sure are imaginative¡­ But, yeah¡­ That doesn''t sound too far-fetched." Watching as the twins took turns to embrace the black-haired youth, the two seasoned teachers felt like they were witnessing the birth of a new legend that would rock the Terre Continent and all who inhabit it. Chapter 244 Adapting To Changes 1 The Lantis Republic. High Elder Council Assembly. In the complete darkness of night, where all denizens of the continent were soundly asleep in their own comfy abodes, dozens of honourable men and women had congregated into one spot in complete obscurity of their own subjects. The chambers boasted high ceilings that dwarfed any human in the room and contained gorgeous stone pillars that were carved with intricate imageries of Spirit Beasts and cultivators. The building was designed in the shape of an octagon, with each wall donned with its own majestic flag, each with its own gigantic symbol. None of the flags was bigger than the others, embodying the complete equality between each entity that the flags represented. On one of the banners, an enormous whale, that seemed to have been swallowed whole by the Gods and regurgitated out was spun in a circle with a vast ocean of blue laid out behind it. It was the emblem for the Jingyu Clan, the clan that possessed the Monarch of the Oceans, The Colossal Leviathan. The next banner contained a gorgeous white snake that was slithering all over its rich brown background. The Shenshe Clan, whose members all awakened the Champion of the Swamp, The Divine King Serpent, proudly wore that ensign on all of their articles of clothing. Adjacent to the Shenshe Clan''s emblem, a dark humanoid, boasting an octopus head and devilish wings, remained curled up in a ball while its tail and numerous tentacles spitting out of its body filled the backdrop of the dark blue flag. The Zhangyu Clan, who all held the ability to summon out the Terror of the Seas, The Abominable Cthulhu, were the proud owners of the banner. On the next wall, a seven-headed dragon with four muscular limbs was roaring in all directions within the compounds of its greenish-blue flag. Of course, the ensign was depicting the Spirit of the Qilong Clan, the clan that possess the Majesty of the Rivers, The Seven-Headed Hydra. Following that, the banner of the Meijing Clan, which depicts a bewitching pink whale with a drill attached to its head, was in full view of those in the chambers. The Beauty of the Arctic, The Enigmatic Narwhal, was the Spirit that those from the Meijing Clan would awaken. Next, there was a completely black turtle symbol that had its mouth opened so wide that anything could figuratively fit into its meaty body. Surrounding it, there were hundreds of crashing waves that decorated the flag, representing the massive powers that the turtle possessed. The Heigui Clan, which possessed the Devourer of Tides, The Obsidian Xuanwu, were the proud owners of this banner. Laid out high next to the Heigui Clan''s pennant, there was a lengthy silver fish that was lying in the middle of a light purple background. Unlike the other banners, it contained numerous fluffy clouds that were strange to have for a clan based in water. Its aloof expression and casual nature made it seem like it was much less intimidating compared to the other banners inside of the chambers. The Emperor of the Lagoon, The Heavenly Sturgeon which was depicted in the flag, was possessed by those from the Xunyu Clan. Finally, the last banner depicted a small little cerulean Koi, that was surrounded by an entire ethereal lake of colours. Although its illustration seemed to be the least threatening of the eight, no one dared to look down on the Longyu Clan that held the flag up high on their clan grounds. The Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi was by far, one of the most infamous water elemental Spirits there were. Many of their cultivators had gone on to become some of the greatest Spirit Saints that the Terre Continent has ever seen and a huge reason why the eight ancient clans banded together to form a republic was precisely due to the direct manipulation of those from the Longyu Clan. Jingyu, Shenshe, Zhangyu, Qilong, Meijing, Heigui, Xunyu, Longyu. These were the names of the eight clans that ran the Lantis Republic. Each one of the clans possessed a heap of Rank 70 Spirit Emperors and Rank 80 Spirit Venerates. Furthermore, there were even living ancestors of the clans that had reached the Spirit Saint realm and were all in their own isolated islands on the Lantis Archipelago. "Has everyone gathered?" One of the toughened men in the room inquisitively asked. "All High Elders that have registered their attendance have arrived." The secretary-like woman standing in the corner checked her list one final time before replying an affirmative. Bowing her head down, she shuffled her feet back and exited the room, allowing the monthly High Elder Council to begin. "First order of business. The Kori Federation have sent their delegates over. Due to the rising tensions between the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire, both of their governments had sent ships filled to the brim with gold, hoping to buy our alliance." An elderly woman, who was sitting at the chair position of the roundtable, kicked-off the meeting. "Have they really? Honestly, when would they learn? We''re a neutral party, there''s no way that we would get into the business of those on the Terre Continent." "Haha, this is not the first time that they have tried it, so why bother? Either way, we''re getting free benefits." "Hmph! That little gold can''t be considered as a benefit! Whatever just treat the delegates the same way we did the Himmel Empire''s envoy." "I concur. We shouldn''t waste our resources fighting in someone else''s war." "Is that the consensus of the caucus?" The Chairwoman asked. "Aye!!!" A resounding vote echoed through the chambers. The High Elder Council was the place where all major decisions, domestic or foreign, were brought up, discussed and implemented. The position of High Elder was only awarded to those who possessed a significant cultivation level, had done meritorious deeds and was a critical asset to the Lantis Republic. Furthermore, the title was not limited to those from the eight ancient clans, and anyone within the Lantis Archipelago was entitled to a shot at the title. Though the clans took the overwhelming majority anyway. "If that''s the case..." Lifting up her wooden gavel, the Chairwoman slammed it twice onto the table causing two loud knocks to echo through the chambers. The scribe sitting in the far corner was speedily jolting down all of the notes and decisions made by the council. "On to the next issue at hand¡­ A few days ago, a certain undulation had been observed in the Western Skies." "What do you mean?" One of the High Elders questioned. "It was very minute, and our preliminary scour can''t confirm its exact identity¡­ But there''s a high chance that someone bearing the Mark of the Celestial Dragon had appeared on the Terre Continent." "What?! That''s quite unusual¡­ Was there any other descendants living on that landmass?" The High Elder rubbed his rugged chin as he started to fall deep into thought. The Mark of the Celestial Dragon was an oddity that only appeared in a handful of Spirit Users that bore any of the Eight Scions of Water. Cultivators with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon were essentially children of water. Anytime they absorbed spiritual energy, they would convert it into mana at twice the regular rate and their comprehension ability when it came to water was something that no conventional Spirit User could hope to touch. "We can''t confirm it, but we have sent scouts to triangulate the exact location in which the undulation was first sensed. Hopefully, the Spirit User shows off their Spirit more, so that we could finally track down his or her location. Either way, if it really is true, we could gain yet another cultivator with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon during this generation." "This makes it the ninth cultivator living that has the mark right? That''s unusual..." The Mark of the Celestial Dragon was a rare occurrence, even by the eight ancient clans long history. Each generation, there would be at most three Spirit Users that contained the mark. Yet, there were nine of them during this generation. "Well, it''s good news for us! We can continue to strengthen ourselves while the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation are at loggerheads!" "That''s true..." "With that being said, we still haven''t completely investigated so just keep this news as an afterthought. When we have more information, I will bring it up to the council again." The Chairwoman knocked down her gavel once to stop the chatter in the room. "Yeah, you do that." "Great! Let''s move on..." The High Elder Council convenes once every month, which meant that numerous issues had to be resolved. Hence, the council couldn''t stay on one topic for an extended period of time. The meeting continued on into the deep recesses of the night, only ending when the sun finally came up, hinting the dawn of a new day. ~~~ Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperius Academy. Breaking through into the Spirit Core realm was a rather quiet affair for Shin. Since he had broken through within the compounds of his personal cultivation chamber, the only one who knew that he was even attempting to make the leap were the twins, Mychael, Madam Warulee and Principal Erudito. Naturally, there was no way that Shin could keep his promotion under wraps for too long, and people would start to get suspicious after finding out that he had stopped getting lessons from Mychael and his benefits for helping him advance into the Spirit Core realm had been revoked. Nonetheless, Shin hoped to enjoy the calm before the inevitable storm. Thus, he opted against telling anyone. It has been a week since he had condensed his Spirit Core and the young boy was still in the midst of adjusting his physical state. Unlike regular cultivation, advancing from one realm to the other gave a significant boost to a Spirit User''s physique and overall resistance to the environment. For instance, before, Shin would be hard pressed to open his eyes while sprinting forward at full speeds with his mana enhanced body. However, in the Spirit Core realm, Shin could easily observe his surroundings while keeping up his newly improved speed. The second change that he had to get used to was how reliant the Spirit Core realm was on absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy. In fact, most times, cultivators that had condensed their Spirit Cores could live off meditation and absorbing spiritual energies alone for weeks at a time. Of course, that, in turn, meant that Shin had to get accustomed to doing nothing but cultivating for hours and hours, which required great mental fortitude to pull off. The third and final change that Shin had to be overly conscious about was his skill in manipulating his Spiritual Body Enhancement, the spiritual ability that he had trained for months to acquire. Like he had wished for, Shin''s Spiritual Body Enhancement focused on speed, and he had adapted all his abilities and techniques accordingly. Although his scaly exterior provided a little bit of defence, compared to the defence-oriented Spirit of Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros, it was practically negligible. However, it was never Shin''s intention to go big on defence. To master the current abilities that he possessed so that he could protect the ones he loved, the best way to better himself, was with exponential speed. Furthermore, being the Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi''s mobility in fluids was amongst the top in recorded history. Hence, in his Spiritual Body Enhancement state, Shin could move over ten times his original speed, and his motor functions were heightened accordingly; but, that was both a blessing and a curse for the youth. During the first few days of his adjustments, Shin slammed his head straight into many hard objects that stood in his way, due to his poor manoeuvrability. Only after the fourth day, did Shin started to see some progress with his Spiritual Body Enhancement, and by the end of the week, he was already capable of avoiding obstacles that were in his immediate vicinity. When Ella and Emma come over to help Shin with his training, on the first day, the only thing that he could do was slam his abdomen straight at Ella''s petite body. However, after days of arduous practice, Shin was finally able to dodge some of the girl''s deadly arrows. With practice, Shin believes that he could be able to completely master the ability and would be able to take it to a higher stage as he challenges the monsters in his year. The first opponent that he would have to beat was the one that he had suffered the most bitter defeat to, Danroy Fritron. Being the one with the lowest cultivation level among the monsters, Shin believed that Danroy was the best starting point for his renewal as a top-tier contender for the valedictorian spot. Following that, he had to beat Shizen Dundlewoods, who had long became attached to the black-haired youth. Although he seemed to be silly most of the time, in battle, Shizen was an absolute nightmare to fight against, especially for someone of Shin''s forte. None of his water attacks would work on the Adivinar Tree, and once Shizen sealed Shin''s mana, he was essentially a sitting duck for the youth to bully. To triumph over Shizen, Shin had formulated numerous strategies that targeted the boy''s weakness. Of course, it was still in the theoretical phase and had yet to be tested, but nonetheless, it was an excellent first step. The next opponent that Shin had to face the powerhouse juggernaut that was Suji Lasgeor. Suji''s barbaric image of him wielding the Purple Crescent Dragon Sabre was still fresh in Shin''s mind, and the young boy didn''t know of how he was going to deal with the vicious lightning strikes that Suji could call down from the heavens. Adding to the fact that Shin''s Sovereign Koi was weak against the lightning element, Suji was perhaps Shin''s greatest foe in getting the valedictorian spot. Finally, there were the two ethereal beauties that the entire Capital knows about. Ruling out Elrin for the moment, Kanari was by far the overwhelming favourite to gain the number one position. Already at Rank 22, her Spirit Core had matured significantly, and her combat powers were second to none in the academy. In fact, Kanari could take the valedictorian spot from the second and third years easily if she was given a chance. "So many opponents, so little time..." Shin sighed out loud. Without knowing it, over a third of the academic year had passed and there were only a few months left before the final examinations and ranking. For his exams, Shin wasn''t overly worried as based on his preliminary test scores, he was confident that he could take the top spot. However, when it came to the practical assessments, Shin was still somewhat concerned. At the end of the year, all students would compete in a tournament-style competition to determine who would reign supreme. Of course, it wasn''t the only factor as a combat-oriented battle would disadvantage those from the auxiliary course, but the tournament still carried a heavy weightage of the final results. "Even after promoting to the Spirit Core realm, I can''t relax¡­" Shin furrowed his brows in displeasure. Condensing his Spirit Core during his freshman year was a great accomplishment. However, his competition was just too tight. If he loosened up just a little bit, he was bound to lose his position as the salutatorian, let alone fighting for the valedictorian spot. Taking out his notes that contained information about all of the talented individuals in his year, Shin started to ransack his brain on ideas on how he would take each one of them down in a one-on-one combat situation. Chapter 245 Adapting To Changes 2 As the mid-year tests and assessments drew ever closer, the entire study body had switched from their merry, happy-go-lucky mode, into their cramming phase. Freshmen would rush to get notes from their upperclassmen while bookings of training rooms had been filled up for days as students did their last-minute practices. Of course, for the studious students like Shin, they didn''t have to worry about their slots as they had reserved the rooms months in advance. In the middle of the mayhem that had fallen upon the cohort, one small group of students were studying in tranquillity in their own remote corner, where they were unhindered by the chaos that surrounded them. "Shin, are you going to train with Mychael tomorrow?" Elrin looked up from her notebook and questioned the black-haired youth. Over the three months, Elrin, Kanari, Shizen and Isadore had slowly been integrated into the orphan''s clique, and often times, they could be seen studying together in their own isolated area. A significant reason why that was the case was due to Shin''s superior comprehension and teaching abilities. Practically memorising the entire curriculum, Shin could easily score full marks on any paper that the faculty would set, something that both Kanari and Elrin envied heavily. "Yeah, sort of." Shin continued penning down his notes while issuing a blatant lie. After promoting to the Spirit Core realm, all resources and training personnel that had been assigned to him had been revoked, meaning that Shin wasn''t entitled to any more privileges from the school. However, since he didn''t want his promotion to become common knowledge, Shin and the twins decided to keep the facade that he was still at Rank 19. "That''s a shame, I wanted to invite you to dinner with my father. You know he''s a busy man, and it''s rare that he has time to dine with us." "Haha, I''m honoured. But I have to put my training first. I''m sorry." "Hmph! You''re no fun~" Elrin bit her lip and turned her head round in indignation. Although she seemed to be hurt by Shin''s denial, everyone present at the table knew that it was a ploy. Every week, Elrin would tempt Shin with offers to join the Zedcris Conglomerate, even going as far to bring in her father for her tactics. However, Shin was never moved and had politely declined each time, so much so that even the usually patient and methodical Elrin was starting to feel frustrated. Kanari, on the other hand, knew that the situation regarding Shin couldn''t be rushed. After spending a significant amount of resources, she had unearthed every single detail of Shin''s life. From his early beginnings as an orphan in the Frie Clan, to the time where he showed off his talent in the Battle for Aldrich''s Keep. And yes, she had found out that he was one of the few remaining descendants of the Awter Clan and the fateful night where¡­ After finding out everything about Shin, Kanari was absolutely floored. She finally understood the reason why he chose to abandon the path of the healer and why he was so committed to gaining power at the fastest rate that he could. Compared to herself, who had led a sheltered life where everything was given to her, Shin had to fight tooth and nail for his path and had clawed his way to the very top. Thus, Kanari knew that she was dancing with the real deal. If she could gain his trust and bring him over to her camp, there was no doubt in Kanari''s mind that Shin would become her most vital asset in the future. Hence, she had been taking it slow when it came to interacting with Shin. Kanari feared that if she were too hasty, she would instead scare off the youth like she did the first time she attempted to bring him over. Thinking that she was playing a game of fishing, Kanari knew that she had to be patient. During these three months, she had been slowly figuring out what Shin desired and had been showing off her best sides to Shin and the twins, whom which he called family. Looking out for them when they needed her assistance, Kanari was determined to become a staple figure within their lives, so that Shin would one day turn to her when he was in the most need. Therefore, whenever she saw how crudely Elrin was treating the whole situation, Kanari couldn''t help but scoff in distaste. "Elrin, stop bothering us while we''re studying. Furthermore, you should focus more on your studies as well." "Who the hell could keep up with you monsters? Believe it or not, getting an average of eighty-seven out of a hundred is a good score for others! How you got all of your subjects above ninety is beyond me!" "So you should study more. Being content with eighties isn''t good enough." "What are you?! My parent?!" Elrin exploded. "Don''t worry, Elrin. Your scores are still better than mine." Shizen drowsily comforted the hysteric youth. "I don''t care about that!!!" Kanari, Isadore and the twins had all scored well during the preliminary examinations, with less than three of their subjects falling below a ninety. Well, Shizen was on the borderline of failing due to his lazy nature, but there was no issue there as his practical test scores would be more than enough to cover the deficit that he would be leaving. Kanari even had an average of ninety-five, something that was unprecedented in the illustrious Imperius Academy, that set their papers much harder as compared to the national standard. However, there was one more monster that towered over Kanari''s score. Shin had scored full marks for most of his papers with his only two ninety-nines coming from open-ended examinations where the marking was subjective. Nonetheless, he had done the impossible and had nearly scored full marks for all of the preliminary tests, something that students could only dream about. Before, rumours were circulating about the nature of Kanari and Shin''s relationship, as they were often spotted together. There was even a time where Fred from the fourth years ran down to Shin''s dorm to demand an explanation. However, when the results of the preliminary examinations came out, everything became crystal clear. Everyone had expected Kanari to come out on top, but it was Shin who had the best scores. Furthermore, Kanari was only four points below Shin''s outrageous score. It quickly became evident that Kanari was always with the genius youth, just so that they could mutually benefit from studying with each other. "Speaking of tests, now that the prelim papers are done, soon it would be time for the mid-year physical assessments right?" At Elrin''s sudden change of topic, Shin''s body jerked slightly in surprise. The white-haired maiden was right. A few weeks from now, it would be time for the mid-year practicals, where students had to show off how much they had grown over the past half-year. Naturally, with the structure of the tests, the fact that Shin had condensed his Spirit Core would come to light, and it wouldn''t be long before everyone would be gunning for his head once more. ''That''s right¡­ I have to improve on my martial art techniques...'' Shin fell deep into thought and realised that he didn''t have the luxury to be sitting around studying with the bunch of his friends. He had to completely adapt to the changes in his body before the onslaught began. "Pardon me, I have to excuse myself for now." "Where are you going?" "To train." With a succinct reply to Elrin''s question, Shin kept his books into his carry-on before walking back to his dorm. ~~~ Imperius Academy had always been one of the most tranquil areas in the entire empire, with very little commercial activity or military exercises in the vicinity, unlike the other regions of the Capital. However, on this day, the entire area surrounding Imperius Academy was bustling as students rushed from building to building, just to get tested or to spectate their friends as they underwent the extensive practical tests. The assessment when it came to practical tests was rather simple. First, the students would take on a training golem, under the supervision of a teacher. Secondly, if the teacher deemed it to be necessary, they themselves would personally feel the wrath of the student''s abilities. For the Mychael''s class, there were more than a hundred spectators as they wished to view the skillsets of the prominent figures in the level. Suji and Danroy were two of the most talented combat-oriented freshmen and who could forget the Fairies of the Hail, who had dazzled the academy with their frosty dance of ice? Some onlookers were here for Shin as well, but they were definitely in the minority for this session. "Why the hell does the academy allow people to spectate our tests?! It''s demeaning!!!" Ella grabbed her head while agonising over the numerous banners that were waving from the side of the training yard. Apparently, their fan club had brought dozens of young students into the facility, just to cheer for the success of their two idols. "They say that it''s to help weaker students look to their stronger peers as examples¡­ Honestly, it''s a stupid rule, but I can''t change it anyway..." Shin was also frustrated that there were hundreds of onlookers. Peering into the crowd, he could definitely see Kanari and Elrin sitting at one corner, hoping to see the full extent of his abilities. "Urghhh, don''t they have their own assessments to attend?! How can they stay here for this long?!" "The faculty purposely made sure that there would be very little overlaps, so apparently that''s fine." "!!!" Resigning to her fate, Ella threw her head backwards while lying deeper and deeper into her chair. "Alright!!! Everyone settle down!!! The mid-year practical for combat class C is about to begin!!! All you fuckers better keep quiet while the tests are commencing. Otherwise, I''ll wring your heads myself!" As the clock struck noon, a rough voice bellowed out from the corridor, as a tanned middle-aged man made his way to the centre of the arena. Seeing the scoundrel make his appearance, the entire training yard quietened down, so much so that if a pin was dropped, there was no doubt that it would be the loudest noise in the facility. "I''m sure all of you are familiar with the format by now. When you assholes come up, you must take on the training golem, like how you brats did during the first session. If I think that more assessment is required, you would have to face me. The pattern would continue until the very last student." Mychael crudely explained the rules before taking out a list. "Shin Iofiel! You''re up first!" Hollering out Shin''s name, Mychael flashed a sinister smile. In the entire academy, only a handful of people knew that Shin had condensed his Spirit Core, and unfortunately for Shin, Mychael was one of them. "Hah¡­ I knew he would do this." At this point, Shin was screwed over by Mychael so many times that he grew numb. Either way, the truth would come out today, so he might as well get it over with. "Shin, good luck!" Emma grabbed the youth''s hand to give him some support. "Yeah, thanks." Stepping forward until he was at the centre of the ring, Shin was stopped by Mychael''s tanned and lean hand. "Brat, destroy the golem while you''re at it, would you? I need to get back at Waru." "What makes you think I would do your bidding?" "Doesn''t matter. If you don''t destroy it, but Suji or Danroy do, I would be forced to give them bonus marks, don''t you think?" "Tch, how did you even pass your teaching exam?!" Unwilling to accept that Mychael was his direct instructor, Shin bit his lip in frustration as he walked forward to face the unmoving golem. Like before, the automation wouldn''t move unless Shin attacked first. "Fine, I''ll just end it with one move!!!" Closing his eyes, Shin spread his mana out from the transparent marble that lay deep within the compounds of his abdomen. Feeling his entire body strengthening instantly, Shin unconsciously let out a slight pressure that weighed upon every soul within his vicinity. "This is!!!" Hundreds of gasps sounded out in recognition as they all accurately identified the nature of the pressure. "What the hell?! He condensed his Spirit Core?! Did he tell you about that, Kanari?!" Elrin''s impassioned shout echoed from the stands. "No¡­ Not at all." Kanari''s face turned pale as a sheet while she carefully observed Shin in a meditative state. All this time, she had believed that she was the sole Spirit Core cultivator coming into the mid-year tests. Yet, she was proved dastardly wrong by Shin current display. "No wonder he was so secretive these past few weeks! He had bloody condensed his Spirit Core! Looks like your number one spot is in serious danger huh?" Elrin teased the ethereal beauty, but it was to no avail. Kanari was, at the moment, enthralled by Shin''s momentous demonstration. Knowing the boy''s full backstory, Kanari could fully respect the amount of effort and suffering Shin had to go through to get to his current point. Ignoring the commotion that was happening around him, Shin opened his eyes and felt his physical body changing rapidly. Fishy cerulean scales covered his entire body, and his muscles began to condense into a leaner state. His vision rapidly improved as his perception of the world drastically changed. Now, he was in an enhanced state that no Spirit Apostle could hope to compare to. Sensing that it was in danger, the training golem stood up clumsily in preparation to receive the oncoming attack. However, it was too late. After being schooled by the golem the first time he faced it, Shin had investigated all of the weak points that the automation possessed and knew the exact place that he had to aim to rapidly take down the golem. In less than two seconds, Shin had disappeared from his original position and had reappeared right in front of the training golem. Immediately moving to immobilise the threat, the automation flung its rocky hands at Shin, hoping to crush him under its body. However, there was no way that a training golem, designed to take hits from fifteen-year-old Spirit Apostles, could match the overwhelming agility of Shin''s speed-oriented Spiritual Body Enhancement ability. "Soul-Piercing Fist!" Shin released a heavy punch towards the core of the training golem, immediately shutting off its mana supply and thus, defeating it once and for all. Turning around, Shin cancelled his Spiritual Body Enhancement and returned to his normal state. Walking nonchalantly back to Mychael, Shin tried to turn a blind eye to the hundreds of dropped jaws in the arena. Chapter 246 Mid-Year Practicals 1 "He''s¡­ In the Spirit Core realm?!" One of the surprised students shouted out. "No way¡­ He was just advanced to Rank 19 a few months ago! There''s no way that he could condense his Spirit Core that quickly!" "But there was no denying that pressure! And his ability¡­ That was clearly a Spiritual Body Enhancement!!!" Echoes of shock and agitation reverberated through the training yard once Shin comfortably took down the training golem. All of the students present knew how tough the training golem was and it how much effort it took to completely immobilise the automation. In fact, the majority of them knew that Shin had failed to even topple the golem even once during his first training session. Yet, the black-haired youth had completely surpassed their expectations and defeated his foe in one blow. "Suji¡­ He actually did it..." Danroy''s voice quivered as he watched on bitterly, addressing his childhood friend in the process. "That son of a bitch promoted that quickly..." "..." With his arms still folded in akimbo, Suji bit his lip, supposedly in annoyance, that someone else other than Kanari had reached the Spirit Core realm before him. Before Suji came to Imperius Academy, the two most talented cultivators at his age were Kanari and himself. Although Kanari was still far ahead of the muscular scion of the Lasgeor family, people were still calling him a genius that was unlucky to have been born in the same generation as Kanari. Yet, a few months before his enrolment, the name the Freak of the Dundlewoods came into the public ears and people were buzzing over him, somewhat dwarfing Suji''s name. And now, there was another monstrous prodigy that even surpassed Shizen, further pushing Suji''s name down the ranks. "Hmph! So what if he condensed his Spirit Core?! There''s no way that he could catch up to our combat abilities." Danroy scoffed at the black-haired youth. He had challenged Shin to a duel before and knew how measly his combat abilities were in comparison to his own. Thus, even though Shin had condensed his Spirit Core, the obese youth didn''t see any threats for the time being. "Hold up¡­ I believe that Mychael would ask to face him. That way we can further analyse his skillsets." Unlike Danroy, Suji was keeping a clear mind. Even if Shin was clearly inferior to them, they still needed to understand how much he had grown. "Whatever..." "Hmmm, your Soul-Piercing Fist has certainly improved, but it''s still too telegraphed. If you fought someone of equal speed, you''re essentially fucked." While the surroundings were going wild over Shin''s display of might, Mychael was the only one who was critically analysing Shin''s flaws. "Well, it has been a while since we trained. Come at me! I will personally see how much you have grown!" Mychael rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arm which was filled with gorilla-like hair. As much as he denies it, the tanned scoundrel had grown rather attached to his prodigious student, and he couldn''t pass up on the opportunity to monitor his growth. Given that they hadn''t been having any private sessions for the following few weeks since Shin condensed his Spirit Core, Mychael was itching to find out how much Shin had improved. "..." Shin observed his surroundings and the oblivious man in front of him. Now that he had the entire crowd''s attention firmly affixed on him, Shin had to be extremely careful about revealing all of his tricks. Right now, over the past few months, Shin had been experimenting and developing new fighting styles that could neutralise many of the enemies that he would have to face. Hence, he must be wary about revealing his cards. "Come at me." Mychael bent his upper body forward and raised his palm to give a confrontational gesture. "Hah, I have no choice, do I?" Shin opened his mouth to let out a significant sigh before congregating his mana once more. Almost instantaneously, fishy scales grew out from his body and covered him in a luminous shine that made him seem like a merman of myth. There was no need for additional talk. Having done this routine multiple times in the past, Shin kicked forward and accelerated at a blinding speed that only a few in the training yard could follow. Knowing that his attacks were going to be blocked anyway, Shin opted to be more conservative in his actions and merely threw a light knee at Mychael''s beautiful face. Typically, the tanned teacher would play along and allow Shin to send weak attacks his way. However, for today, Mychael was taking none of that. "ARGH!!!" Before Shin could even come two metres closer, Mychael sped forward with a vengeance and countered the boy''s attack with a palm strike to his abdomen. Shin rolled in the opposite direction like a cartwheel as he felt his entire body aching in agony. If not for The Sovereign Koi scales and his mana strengthening, Shin would most definitely have taken a one-way ticket to the infirmary. "Don''t come at me with those fucking weak attacks! Show me how much you have improved you asshole!" The veins on Mychael''s forehead began to show as he hollered out. "Tsskkk, you''re really pissing me off now..." Shin rubbed his back as he got up from the heavy blow that he had just received. "Fine! Don''t blame me if I knock out any of your corroded teeth!" To the ordinary bystander, straight after Shin said those words, his entire being disappeared from view, leaving a puff of smoke in the air. The next second, a thunderous clap was heard as Mychael raised his right hand in a boxing position, and to everyone''s surprise, a black-haired merman had the heel of his left leg firmly attached to Mychael''s defence. "He¡­ teleported?" "No! He just moved insanely fast! What the hell? How could a Spirit Core cultivator reach those kinds of speeds?" One of the spectators who had a superior vision corrected his friend''s misunderstanding. Shin''s Spiritual Body Enhancement focused on improving his overall speed and agility. In fact, his pace had matched or even surpassed the second-year salutatorian, Angie Allen, who specialised in speed and agility. If Shin was within the compounds of a water body, his speed could easily double, however, unfortunately for the youth, he had to make do with fighting on land for now. Kicking himself out from Mychael''s reach, Shin started to perform the standard seismic combination that the tanned scoundrel was renowned for. However, unlike its normal state, Shin had drastically sped up the martial art, so that there would be no room for counterattacks. Enhancing his body using mana strengthening, Mychael took those hits head on, just to measure how hard Shin''s hits were. Dozens of punches and kicks were being unleashed in a short period of time, utterly captivating the audience, the majority of whom were unable to keep up with Shin''s monstrous speeds. Naturally, those who were the most talented had the vision to perceive what was going on, but it was a tough task, even for them. Not willing to show everything that he had conceived, Shin stuck to the basics that he had already demonstrated earlier on in the year. He had perfected the martial arts movements that Mychael had imparted onto him and was already integrating it so that it best suits his speed-oriented body type. However, since he was still in his nascent stage of assimilating the techniques, there were many glaring flaws that Mychael could exploit. Ever so often, the tanned scoundrel would land a clean hit to show where Shin had left himself wide open, giving the boy a chance to rectify his mistakes. When Shin got hit, he would stop for a while to think about what he had done wrong, and once he had figured that out, he would stand up and use another angle to attack Mychael. Soon, the both of them would forget that they were in the middle of an assessment and they reverted back to the days where Mychael would beat the shit out of Shin to help improve his combat abilities. What ensued was an entertaining match of a young teenage boy challenging a master of martial arts, and even though Shin was getting schooled, witnessing how he got up, dusted himself and continued on his assault, was a treat for the eyes of the spectators. "He''s¡­ Really fast." Suji muttered under his breath. Shin had completely surpassed his expectations. Initially, the muscular youth thought that if Shin promoted to the Spirit Core realm, he would take a whole different path and focused on improving his skills with Spirit Armaments. However, Shin defied all logic and went for the Spiritual Body Enhancement path, something unique to cultivators that awakened beast-type Spirits. "Hmph! So what if he''s fast? His hits look kind of weak for someone in the Spirit Core realm." Danroy shook his meaty round head in disapproval, his voice showing a little tinge of envy. As a fighter that awakened a beast-type Spirit, Danroy was also aiming to obtain a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability when he condensed his Spirit Core. Thus, seeing as how Shin was one step ahead of him, Danroy couldn''t help but feel irritated. "All I need to do is on my defences, and he won''t be able to touch a single hair on my body." "You''re right¡­ No matter how fast he is, he can''t pierce through your defence with attacks like that..." Suji rubbed his chin as he analysed what lay before him. Although Shin''s attacks weren''t weak per se, they weren''t anything worth noting as well. "In my case, all I need to do is wreathe myself in coils of lightning and fire thunderbolts at him¡­" "Exactly! So what if he''s in the Spirit Core realm?! We took down multiple Spirit Core realm cultivators before! Hmph, we could easily snatch the salutatorian seat from him." "Let''s not get too cocky¡­ He has shown that he''s capable of great growth over the first half of the year. He came in at Rank 18, and now he had already condensed his Spirit Core. Who knows, maybe in a couple of months, he would surpass every single one of our expectations and become someone capable of taking us down." "You''re overthinking it again, Suji..." Although Danroy dismissed Suji''s ominous warning, deep in the recesses of his mind, a seed of doubt had been planted about Shin''s future prospects. Danroy had defeated Shin once before, rather comfortably as well. If Shin somehow grew at a rate that would enable him to surpass Danroy, wouldn''t that mean that the obese youth had failed to improve? "Nonetheless, we should be more cautious with him¡­ We still have half a year before the final tournaments¡­" "... I understand." While the two aristocrat childhood friends were busy discussing Shin''s future prospects, the person in question was currently on his final bout. Spending a tremendous amount of mana maintaining his Spiritual Body Enhancement, Shin''s movements had begun to turn sluggish, and he couldn''t sustain his explosive speed. That was Shin''s biggest weakness for the moment. Since he had just promoted into the Spirit Core realm, he wasn''t capable of feeding his mana thirsty ability for an extended period of time. In less than ten minutes, his mana reserves would start to run dry, and Shin would be forced into his weakened state. "Out of stamina already?!" Mychael hollered out with his corroded teeth in full view. "I''m¡­ Fine..." "There''s no way that condition is fine¡­ Urgh, whatever, I''ll just give you your marks. Just leave." Mychael waved his hands as he lost interest in pushing Shin to the limit. No, he had already fulfilled his objective of testing how much Shin had progressed since they last met. Thus, there was no point in continuing this farce any longer. "How kind of you." Shin bit the tip of his tongue to freshen up his mind and spat out the residue blood. Turning his attention to the crowd with opened mouths, the black-haired boy felt his cranium throb. He had done well to hide the majority of his combat ability, but still, everyone knew that he had condensed his Spirit Core and was proficient in close-quarter combat. Flashbacks of the first time he came into the limelight surfaced from the recesses of his mind, and he mentally prepared himself to receive those letter of challenges once more. However, this time, he won''t be running away from them anymore. This time... He would face them head-on. ''Bring it on, you fuckers!'' Chapter 247 Mid-Year Practicals 2 The next few hours were extremely mundane as the students following Shin put on a lacklustre performance, and to be honest, who could blame them? Other than Kanari, yet another Spirit Core practitioner had been revealed, and he was in the very same class as themselves! Due to that fact, many of them were suffering from a mild case of inferiority complex and developed a slight performance issue. Often times, the training golem would smash the students'' Spirit straight back into their bodies while they were nervously trying to do their best. Naturally, some freshmen were wholly unaffected by Shin''s superb display. Suji and Danroy took Shin''s performance as fuel to produce even more excellent results. Using his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, Suji slammed the golem into a hundred pieces yet again, sending coils of lightning crashing around the field, generating a carnage only seen from natural disasters. Suji''s message was crystal clear. Even though Shin had condensed his Spirit Core before him, that didn''t mean that the black-haired youth was superior to him. Danroy also didn''t disappoint. Earlier in the year, he was unable to thoroughly destroy the training automation and was forced to swallow up his pride. However, this time, he used the full powers of his Bangeo Rhinoceros to smash a hole straight through the chest of the golem, forcing it to immediately go out of commission. Finally, the twins were the next highlights of combat class C. Having dozens of their fans show up to cheer them on, Ella and Emma got into the ring with abashed faces. As expected, they began to show why they were famed as the Faries of the Hail. The Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter, Ella, started to rapidly fire her icicle barrage at a speed that not even Shin could easily evade, while the Glacial Fairy Markswoman, Emma, was giving long-range support from the back lines. In just a few moments, the training golem was unable to take anymore onslaught and eventually, turned off by itself. During Mychael''s session, four training automatons, which had been wired to sustain vast amounts of damage, had been wholly whacked out of commission by a bunch of freshmen in his class. Of course, Madam Warulee, who was in charge of logistics, was absolutely livid when she heard about that fact, and demanded that Mychael''s class should get banned from ever using the training golems ever again. "It sure is getting crowded," Shin complained while being sandwiched between the two purple-haired twins. After finishing their mid-year practicals, the trio promptly escaped from the area, lest they got mobbed by the sea of curious gazes. Unfortunately, their next destination was filled with even more meddlesome onlookers. "Well, it is Kanari''s turn to get assessed. Everyone in the school, from teachers to upperclassmen, would want to catch a glimpse of her combat abilities. I mean that''s why we''re here too." "I know that¡­" Shin sighed in indignation. Currently, the trio were in yet another training yard where a bunch of training automation were lying in wait at the centre of the flat arena. Just like how people were allowed to spectate Shin and the twins assessments, they could also enter into other student''s evaluations to act as a bystander. Crashing in on the mid-year practical test for combat class A, the trio eagerly waited for the event. "Kanari''s Spirit¡­ We finally get to see it in action." Shin bit his lip in anticipation. Even though Kanari and himself were friends, the ethereal black-haired beauty never once summoned out her Spirit in front of him. The only information that he had about Kanari''s Spirit was just hearsay from the twins and the blabbermouth Isadore. "Yeah¡­ Now that she''s at the peak of Rank 22, many people would want to see how much she has grown as well." Ella added onto Shin''s point with squinted eyes. Down at one corner, Kanari and Elrin were isolated from the group as they mentally prepared themselves to take the assessment. At the centre of the ring, there was a tall and well-built man, who seemed to be a model straight out from a teacher''s magazine, was presently trying to do a head count. "Hmmm, that seems about right. Alright, students! The mid-year practical for combat class A is about to begin! When I call your name, you must come straight up to challenge the training golem. If I deem it to be necessary, I will assess you myself." The teacher shouted out while holding up his name list. "The first person¡­ Casie Navin, please step up." A thin and timid looking girl got up from her seat and slowly walked towards the centre of the ring, trying her best to block out the fact that there were hundreds of eyes prying into her very soul. Although all of the spectators weren''t here for her, it still affected the poor girl tremendously. "I almost feel bad for the rest of the group¡­ Everyone''s here to see Kanari in action, and yet, her innocent classmates are the ones that are suffering..." Emma sympathised with the young girl, who was currently at the centre of attention. "There''s no helping it¡­ Kanari is by far the most popular girl in the academy, scratch that, she''s the most popular girl in the entire Capital. There is no doubt that there would be hundreds of people trying to view her powers." "..." While the three orphans were conversing, numerous students went onto the stage and did their best to take down the training golem. Unfortunately, the pressure from the surroundings proved too tremulous for some of them, and they underperformed. Although the crowd could pity the students, ultimately, they were here for one reason only¡­ "Kanari Saniela! Please step up." As the teacher called out the young teenage girl''s name, the crowd broke out in commotion, some spectators even rose up in complete jubilation. The time that they had waited for had finally arrived. Heaving out a huge sigh, Kanari shook her head as she used her silky smooth hands to dust her skirt. Sashaying down the aisle like a runway model, the black-haired beauty immediately became the prime focus of everyone in the training facility. The young boys seated at the aisle started to blush as Kanari brushed past them, while the girls were enthralled by her heavenly grace. Reaching the middle of the arena, Kanari moved her eyes that sparkled like rubies towards her teacher, signalling that she was ready to begin her assessment. "Do your best¡­ Is what I want to say, but please hold back so that you don''t destroy the golem. I don''t want to get chewed by Madam Warulee..." The man advised the black-haired beauty. However, Kanari was currently zoned out. Taking one peek into the crowd, she noticed a pair of azure eyes that was fixed onto her body, forcing her to recall a bitter memory. ''Shin¡­ He grew so strong in just a few months¡­ What have I been doing?'' Kanari thought. Having witnessed the black-haired boy''s spectacular display earlier on in the day, Kanari fell into a state of reflection. Throughout the years, she had been mindlessly chasing perfection, with no apparent goal in sight. Due to her immense talent and resources, Kanari had towered over those in her generation, and there has never been a time where she felt inferior to anyone. Yet, everything changed after she befriended Shin. Shin wasn''t given the same love and attention that Kanari had received since she was young. Being an orphan in the Frie Clan, he didn''t have access to the same amount of resources as well. However, his drive was far higher than her own. Working as hard as a horse, Shin persisted on forging his own path and trained day in, day out, so that he could accomplish his goals. There were even days where she personally witnessed how hard the boy worked in his cultivation and physical training, and how he would torture himself to improve. Even though Shin had already made history to become the youngest healer that the world had ever seen, in pursuit of his goals, he was able to forgo the fame and fortune that would follow him if he revealed himself to the world. For the first time in her life, Kanari felt that she was¡­ inferior. Shin was weaker as compared her. Less experienced in combat as compared to her. But nonetheless, he was superior to her. ''I have been too overconfident. There''s always a mountain higher¡­ Mother, I finally found my mountain.'' Clenching her fist, the young girl released a slight spiritual pressure as the mana within her body circulated out of her Spirit Core. An ivory white light shone from the depths of her Spirit Core as her body started to metamorph. ''So I''ll prove to you, Shin! That I will be a leader that''s worth following!'' A pillar of white light erupted from the bottom of Kanari''s feet, engulfing the entire beauty up, obscuring her from the vision of the audience. The moment the pillar of light emerged, the teacher standing close by immediately jumped back to evade the oncoming surge of spiritual energy. Bewitched by the gorgeous luminescence, the audience immediately fell into a tranquil state, as if a gentle brush had been stroking at their souls. After a few seconds, all of the spiritual energy being released by Kanari congregated into her body, as nine glorious fluffy tails materialised at the back of the young girl''s body. Each one of the ivory-coloured tails moved independently as if they had a mind on their own. On the crown of her head, two sharp-pointed ears grew out, and they twitched lightly whenever the gentle breeze caressed them. Kanari''s ruby-coloured eyes had become more defined as it started to glow in an ominous light, spellbinding any human that gazed upon them. Moving down to her hands, the young girl''s fingernails had turned into razor-sharp claws that could lacerate any sort of flesh that it came into contact with. Finishing her Spiritual Body Enhancement, Kanari raised up her right hand until it hit her chest. All of a sudden, a pale blue flame appeared within the palm of her hand and divided itself into three balls of fire that circled around Kanari''s body. Taking one step forward, a robust mystical gale propelled the lightweight girl off from the ground and sent her flying towards the automation standing not far away from her. "That''s!" Ella dropped her jaw as she cried out. "That''s Kanari''s Spirit¡­ The Kumiho..." Shin blurted out with his eyes widened as well. "Governing over three elements, Wind, Fire and Mind, the Kumiho is one of the most special Spirits to ever hit the records of human history. Its versatility means that the Kumiho is by far, one of the most all-rounded Spirits to ever exist." "Three elements?!" "Exactly. The Kumiho possesses a multitude of inherent abilities that would essentially label it as a cheat among cheats. Firstly, anyone that lays their eyes on those pupils would be charmed unless they have the willpower to resist that enchantment. That very ability is why Kanari is called the Witch in the South by those from the Kori Federation." Shin explained all of the information that he sucked out from Isadore about Kanari''s Spirit. "Secondly, the Kumiho can summon out deadly balls of fire, each one with the capability of melting even the toughest of metal. And finally, the Kumiho can also manipulate the wind to their liking." "That''s¡­ absurd." Hearing the facts about Kanari that she didn''t know, Ella couldn''t find the words to describe her shock. "No wonder everyone is crazy over Kanari''s future potential¡­ Her Spirit is stupidly strong!" "I know¡­ Governing over multiple elements is a rarity among all Spirits, and yet, the Kumiho possesses three of them." Even though Shin was the one narrating the facts, he still couldn''t believe the words that came out from his mouth. However, the ethereal beauty on the field was definitely showing off her dominion over the three elements. Flying in the air, Kanari sent one of her three blue flames straight onto the ground right underneath her, forming a fiery pale blue blaze in the process. Sensing that it was in danger, the training golem rebooted itself and promptly retreated, however, there was no way that Kanari would let that happen. Waving her outermost tail at the blaze, Kanari sent a shockwave of air, instantly spreading the blue fire towards the escaping automation, encompassing it in flames in the process. "Hoho¡­ Was that not enough?" Kanari smirked as she watched the training golem struggle to get the flames off it. Apparently, her first attack wasn''t capable of destroying the automation in one go. "I guess¡­ It''s time for the debut of my third spiritual ability." When Kanari awakened the Kumiho, she was granted three inherent abilities due to her control over the three elements. Charm, Foxfire, and Gale Control. During her promotion to the Spirit Apostle realm, Kanari learnt how to use Spiritual Body Enhancement. However, her third spiritual ability has never been publicly released before. After all, she had only recently condensed her Spirit Core, and there were no events for her to showcase the ability. Leaving her body to float in the air, Kanari''s nine tails erratically moved as the mana spreading out from her pores distorted the air around her. Those that were inside of the training yard suddenly felt a drastic dip in temperature as a swooshing gale terrorised the facility. Turning their eyes skywards, they could see a faint celestial object forming behind the levitating young girl, making her seem like an immortal descending from the heavens. Naturally, everything that they were witnessing was an optical illusion created by the Kumiho''s discharge of mana, making it appear as if a moon had appeared indoors. However, knowing that it was a phantasm didn''t take away how intimidating it looked. As the moon behind Kanari become more and more dazzling, the young girl pointed her finger at the poor automation, which was still trying to rid itself of the pale blue flames that were stuck onto its body. When her mana reached its peak, Kanari simply said two words. "Lunar Beam." The moon behind the black-haired beauty instantly turned into a vicious ray of radiant light and crashed down onto the platform. Unable to outrun the speed of light, the only thing that the golem could do was to raise its hands in indignation as it was incinerated into fine dust by the concentrated mana beam. "..." Silence dominated the field soon after. All around the arena, no one could believe what they had just witnessed. Even the teachers with a significantly higher cultivation level couldn''t fully comprehend what had just happened. Kanari''s Lunar Beam was a combination of all of the three elements that she controlled. Using fire and wind, Kanari concentrated all of the heat into one point while using her mind element, she could create an illusion that the moon had appeared behind her, intimidating her enemies in the process. Falling down from the air, Kanari released her Spiritual Body Enhancement and reverted back to her regular state. Walking down leisurely towards the teacher who had dropped both his grading sheet and jaw, the black-haired beauty enquired with a monotone voice. "Teacher, are we done?" "A-Ah¡­ Yeah! You don''t need to be further assessed by me!" The man stuttered as he replied the girl who was almost a third his age. After that crazy attack, only a lunatic would be willing to get into the ring with Kanari. "So that''s the full might of the Witch of the South¡­" Shin thought out loud. "Yeah¡­ Kanari is insanely overpowered." Emma unconsciously responded. "How is anyone able to steal the valedictorian spot away from her?!" "..." Mindlessly staring down at the black-haired girl''s visage, Shin suddenly met eyes with Kanari. Putting on a radiant smile, the goddess-like girl shot an arrow into the hearts of all those that laid eyes on her. However, to Shin, Kanari''s subtle gesture had a particular hidden meaning that only he could decipher. Kanari had always been vocal about how she wished to recruit him under her wing, and her display of might was to show him how reliable she was as a partner. If he became her subordinate, Kanari would use the power that she had shown here to aid him in whatever goals he wished to accomplish. ''She''s¡­ Really determined huh?'' Shin mentally sighed. ''I guess I''ll have to take her offer a little more seriously next time...'' Chapter 248 Rewards For Excellence 1 As the mid-year practicals came to a close, the predominant news that dominated the academy gossipmongers'' ears were the two tales of the most excellent freshmen. Coming out of nowhere, the mysterious black-haired boy condensed his Spirit Core and learnt a Spiritual Body Enhancement ability in the process. After nearly half a year of training, Shin had turned from an empty target that everyone thought was a pushover, to a real imminent threat for one of the top positions. The second prevalent news that had been disseminated into the public was the fact that Kanari Saniela, the Witch in the South, had finally revealed her enigmatic third spiritual ability. Creating a concentrated mana beam that could incinerate even the enhanced training golem, Kanari''s battle prowess had undoubtedly risen tremendously. Some were even saying that she could easily defeat the majority of fifth and sixth years now. The news of the two Spirit Core freshmen breaking it into the scene was not limited within the compounds of Imperius Academy. Many members of High Society all paid careful attention to the happenings of the institution. In fact, the very same day that Shin revealed his promotion, hundreds of letters by large organisations were sent to him, giving him tantalising offers to join them. Some of them even included riches that were worth over a hundred gold ingots, if Shin exclusively joined their ranks. Naturally, the youth turned them down in a heartbeat. His primary goal was to grow stronger and combat the Black Mask syndicate, something that he couldn''t do if he were tied down by bonds to an organisation that he had no interest in serving. Furthermore, none of the offers even came close to what Kanari and Elrin could give him. Of course, mixed into the pile of letters were challenges that hot-blooded freshmen, predominantly teenage boys, had extended to him. If it were before, Shin would have ignored the messages and turtled up in one corner, hoping that no one would be able to find him. However, now that he had condensed his Spirit Core and drastically improved his combat abilities, Shin had to confidence to take on anyone that stood in his path. Accepting numerous challenges, Shin beat down over a dozen of those who came forward to confront him in less than a week, earning him the nickname of the black-haired tyrant. After being personally trained by Mychael for many months, dealing with some run off the mill students that wanted to gain fame from challenging him was basically a walk in the park for Shin. With his superior speed and reflexes, all Shin needed to do was outmanoeuvre his opponent until he could land the finishing blow. After Shin''s ''week of malevolence,'' the letter of challenges had ceased and the entire freshmen cohort had formed a new found respect for their current salutation. Random students would come up to Shin, hoping to establish a lasting friendship with the youth, while others would stare at him from afar, fearful of even meeting eyes with the black-haired boy. Additionally, since Shin and Kanari were part of the same clique, many believed that crossing the youth would mean getting into the bad books of the Witch of the South. Speaking of the two prodigious freshmen, they were currently attending the spiritual tools class that was headed by Professor Quinn, the only class that the two of them shared. Without the interference of the meddling Elrin or Shizen, who stuck to Shin like glue, the pair could often have their best conversations during the class. "Shin, how are your results?" Sitting right beside the youth, Kanari flashed a pleasant smile while she held her own test transcript in her hands. "Here, have a look." "Hah¡­ Full marks again?! How''s that possible?!" The moment she saw the three digits on Shin''s paper, Kanari''s grin quickly turned into a glower of distraught. "I worked so hard on this test as well¡­" "How much did you get?" Shin peered over to the paper in Kanari''s hand, curious to find out what she had received. "A ninety-seven..." "Well, that''s a great score as well." "But I didn''t beat you! I thought that I could at least beat you in the one subject I''m the most knowledgeable in! Honestly, I just don''t know how you do it! How did you know the answer to question twenty-four?! I have never even heard of that concept!" "Yeah, that question was tough. However, if you understand the base theory of..." "Just shut it¡­ I don''t want to hear that from someone who scored full marks." Before Shin could explain his thought process, the black-haired beauty cut him off with a sny comment before returning to wallow in grief. Naturally, she wasn''t that heart-broken, and her show was all in good fun. "Haha, yeah." Shin laughed off Kanari''s act as he kept his paper in his bag. Since he had scored the maximum amount of points, there was no need for him to check if there were any errors. "But with this, I can finally get my reward..." "Hmmm? What do you mean?" Kanari raised her head almost instantly. "Professor Quinn promised that the person who scored the highest in the tests would get an elementary-grade spiritual tool, and I intend to claim my reward." "..." Kanari stared at the youth in silence for a while before squinting her eyes in confusion. "Didn''t Elrin already give you a set of expert-grade spirit armaments? Do you really need an elementary-grade one?" "Yes, I do. Don''t you know that the tournaments at the end of the year only allows elementary-grade spirit armaments to be used?" Although spirit armaments were legal to be used during the tournaments held at year''s end, Imperius Academy imposed numerous rules to prohibit wealthier students from gaining a technical advantage. Firstly, the number of spirit armaments were severely limited and secondly, the grade cannot surpass the elementary level. "Oh, right¡­ Hoho, so you''re planning to use some needles to take me down?" Kanari hypothesised. "No, that''s impossible. Before I could even reach you, your Lunar Beam would obliterate me." "Haha, who knows? Perhaps your abnormal head would really come up with an idea to defeat me?" After witnessing Kanari''s full might, Shin went into overdrive mode, hoping to find out the best way that he could defeat the genius beauty. However, every time he tried to formulate a plan, the mind-boggling techniques of Kanari would surface in his mind, forcing him to draw a blank. Kanari was clearly way stronger than Shin. If Shin used his water to attack her, she could simply wave her Kumiho tail to send a tempest gale to block his assault. If he shot his spirit armaments at her, Kanari could just use her Foxfire to obstruct the damage. If Shin wanted to go into close-quarter combat, Kanari''s superior martial arts would utterly decimate him within minutes. Not only that, using her spiritual pressure and charm ability, Shin would be severely disadvantaged throughout the battle. Finally, Kanari had the infamous Lunar Beam that was capable to completely incinerating an enhanced training golem, something that Shin couldn''t even hope to achieve. To put it simply, Kanari was way too strong for Shin to best in his current state. "I wish it was that simple¡­" "Hehe, now I''m kind of looking forward to the year''s end." Giggling in joy, Kanari teased the youth one final time before a thin hand tapped on the desk of the duo. "Professor Quinn?" Shin raised his gaze to be greeted by the tall man that headed the class. "Hah¡­ You know, the two of you should be mindful of your surroundings..." "Huh?" Taking Professor Quinn''s advice, Shin and Kanari took one hard look around only to find out that they had become the centre of attention. All of their male classmates were currently glaring at Shin with an incensed expression while their female counterparts were happily giggling away. Kanari, in the eyes of the common folk, was an unobtainable beauty that lived in a dimension of her own. "I know that the two of you are currently the top two students in my class, but that doesn''t mean that you can go off into your own world..." Letting out a dismal sigh, the tall man stood up straight and shook his head. After the preliminary tests, he had purposefully set the mid-year test at a much harder level. However, to his utter surprise, Shin had scored full marks with Kanari not that far behind with only three marks deducted. In contrast, the third place in his class could just score a seventy-four, something that was amiable in his opinion. "Ah, we apologise!" Being the prim and proper noble that she was, Kanari bowed down in remorse, and she used her elbow to nudge Shin to do the same. "I''m sorry..." "No, it''s fine. Just be more careful in the future." Professor Quinn let the two of them off with a warning before raising his brows rapidly, as if he had remembered something important. "Right, Shin. Please come to my office after class. I have something for you." "A-Ah, yes! Thank you!" "Hey, hey. Hold your horses, boy. I haven''t given it to you yet¡­" Seeing the black-haired boy''s eyes light up, Professor Quinn smiled and walked down the aisle, back to his table to resume the class. "Look at you, so excited to receive that reward." "Haha, you''re right¡­ I should learn to control my emotions..." "That''s not what I meant¡­ Ah, whatever." Just as she was about to continue the conversation, Kanari suddenly remembered why she was reprimanded in the first place and diverted her attention back to the front of the class. ''Of course, I''m excited¡­ I can''t wait to test out the Divine Needle Binding technique using those weapons...'' Shin bit his lip to contain his elation. ''I really hope they suit that technique...'' ~~~ Imperius Academy. Training Yard Four. The current time was half-past eight, and darkness had long befallen upon the acclaimed institution. Since the mid-year tests and practicals were over, the students all felt a sense of relief as they had weathered through the first significant hurdle of the academic year. Many of them had gone out to party and relax while others had taken this opportunity to return home instead of being stifled in one corner of the campus. However, while everyone else was out enjoying themselves, a sinewy, muscular teenage boy, who seemed nothing like a fifteen-year-old, was currently doing swinging his Guandao about, sending thunderbolts flying everywhere in the process. With a forehead full of sweat, the young man was swinging the two-metre-long weapon as if it were made out of rubber. Slamming the blade straight into the boulders that lay dormant on the concrete floor, Suji ensured that everything that stood in his way was pulverised into a pulp and the hundreds of lightning coils that enveloped him enabled him to do just that. "Suji, you''re still at it?" While the youth was in the middle of training, a pudgy teenager walked into the training facility with a jar filled with fried chicken. "Everyone''s outside enjoying themselves, you should take it easy." "Dan¡­ How could I?" When Suji saw his childhood friend edging in closer, he lowered down his Purple Dragon Crescent Sabre and took a deep breath. "What do you mean?" "Can''t you listen? Ever since the mid-year practicals, the only thing that I can hear is the news of Kanari and Shin!" Suji exclaimed. "No matter where I go, the only news that people are talking about is how talented the two of them are! How they would monopolise the top two positions as long as they are in our year!" As someone who was aiming for the top, Suji couldn''t stand the fact that his name wasn''t up there on a pedestal, and he wasn''t even considered among the top rankers. "Suji¡­ You know that you''re as good as any of them, so why put yourself through this self-harm?" "Dan¡­ You should know how I feel better than anyone else. Our families pride and dignity are on the line. I always thought that the only person that I had to surpass was Kanari, yet, this Shin came out of nowhere and took the limelight away from me!" As he gritted his teeth, a crackle of thunder shot through the facility, destroying an innocent boulder sitting in the distance. Suji could stand losing out to Kanari since she had been established as the top dog to beat. However, there was no way that Suji could stand staying under a nobody. "Suji..." "Don''t try and convince me otherwise, Dan¡­ The only way that I can swallow this belly of hate is to sweat it out. Leave me alone for now..." Danroy took one final look at his broken friend before heaving out a deep sigh. "Fine¡­ Just don''t overwork yourself. I''ll leave some fried chicken here, just in case you get hungry from training." The muscular youth watched as Danroy walked further and further away from the grounds and out the exit. "Shin Iofiel, huh¡­ Let''s see how good you really are at year''s end..." Tightening his grip around the Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, Suji continued on his deranged sets, blocking out any distractions that might have plagued his consciousness. Chapter 249 Rewards For Excellence 2 Imperius Academy''s academic year was split into two significant segments. The first half of the year was for students to learn as much as they possibly could from their classes and they would be graded on their progress with the mid-year practicals and tests. After which, the students are entitled to a one month break, where they could return home to their families and friends. The second half of the year follows a similar pattern, but there was more emphasis on self-learning. Although classes would still resume, students were given much more free time to explore their options and enter into a state of self-discovery. While the academy had become rather empty since students had readily left the vicinity, a particular black-haired youth was in the midst of attacking straw dummies that stood innocently in his path. In his hand, numerous silver needles, that seemed to be as thick as a strand of hair, remained, were dancing about as the boy twirled his fingers. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Again!" Shin wiped off the sweat on his forehead before sending yet another surge of mana to his feet. Dashing forward, Shin felt his hair being pulled back as he made a beeline and swept all of the straw dummies at a blinding rate. "Damn! I failed again..." Shin chided himself and dragged his body to observe his work. On the straw dummies, there were hundreds of red markers that acted as targets for where the acupuncture points would be for the average human. However, instead of having all of his needles firmly fixed into those vulnerable spots, over a third of Shin''s spirit armaments had missed their mark, which was an overwhelming failure to the perfectionist. The Divine Needle Binding technique was an art developed by ancient physicians to protect themselves from assailants that were aiming for their life. When Shin first discovered the tome in the forbidden zone of the library, he was absolutely awestruck. For the martial art to work, the user had to have extensive knowledge about all of the acupuncture points on the body, and how to exploit them. Additionally, the Divine Needle Binding would only work if the needles were inserted in the correct order. Of course, due to the nature of the technique, it requires a great deal of speed and precision to pull off. However, if the martial art were executed to perfection, the martial artist would be capable of dealing with cultivators at a much higher realm, something that intrigued Shin greatly. Due to the immense difficulty of the technique, Shin had spent most of his time trying to perfect his precision, often forgetting about the time during his practices. "Let''s go again..." "Hey, Shin!" However, this time, there was a rude alarm coming to wake him up from his stupor. "Hmmm?" Stopping in his tracks, Shin pivoted his head around, only to see a middle-aged, bespectacled lady walking straight in his direction. "Madam Warulee! What are you doing here?" During his time training to condense his Spirit Core, Madam Warulee had been one of the two pillars of support that he had received alongside the unreliable Mychael. Being in charge of the auxiliary course, the woman had tried multiple times to draw the youth to her side, using the temptations of new resources and private cultivation chambers. Unfortunately, Shin had a clear mind on what his goal was. Eventually, Madam Warulee stopped being so adamant about bringing him over, but she would still occasionally try to poach Shin to her course. "Well, for one, the training yard had been closed for over an hour now, so you''re actually overstaying your session." "Oh! Is that so?! I''m so sorry! I didn''t realise!" "But that''s not the main reason why I''m here..." The bespectacled woman bit her lip as if she were trying to contain jubilation that would burst forth at any moment. "I''m just an escort for a far more important person..." "Huh? What do you me-" Before Shin could probe any further, he felt a hard impact on his chest, forcing his body to fall back rapidly toward the ground. Raising his head, Shin turned his attention to the source of the pain and to his surprise, a petite furball was gnawing on his sweaty shirt. Its tail was wagging back and forth rapidly, as its eyes started to wet. "YIP YIP YIP!!!" "Bingbing?! Why are you here?" Evidently recognising the creature that he had spent so much time with, Shin sat back up and patted the snowy white gerbil''s fur. "Yipyip~ Yip! Yip! Yip!" "Yes, yes¡­ I missed you too!" "Yipyipyipyipyip!!!" Bingbing continued on her rant all while her claws edged deeper into Shin''s robes. However, after a while, it took a deep breath before continuing on with her raves. "YIP!!! YIP!!! YIP!!!" "Okay, that''s enough..." While Shin was still firmly pinned onto the floor, an adenoidal voice accompanied a heavenly arm that promptly descended from the heavens and detached the Kamaitachi from his chest, forcing the poor beast to wiggle about in the air. Now that he was freed from the clutches of the snowy white gerbil, Shin was able to get a clear view of his saviour. A divine beauty, with luscious, blonde hair that resembled that of the purest of gold, was lightly chiding Bingbing with a helpless smile. Donning on a pearly white robe that seemed to be untouched by even a single speck of dirt, the woman bent her waist down until she was in a squatting position before letting out her nasal voice once more. "How long are you going to stay there, Shin?" "Master?! What are you doing here?!" Jumping to his feet, Shin quickly gave a bow to Lady Seph, whom he hadn''t seen in such a long time. "Don''t mind me~ I just came to visit my unfilial disciple who didn''t even bother to inform me about how he had promoted into the Spirit Core realm." "I''m sorry¡­ It''s just I had been so preoccupied and..." Shin choked on his words as he realised his wrongdoings. Although he had been busy with his training, the fact that Shin didn''t even bother to send a message to Lady Seph and the other orphans was a severe misdeed on his part. "Haha, there''s no need to be THAT flustered my child..." Changing up her wronged expression, Lady Seph flashed a gentle and womanly smile before bringing Shin''s head into her bosom. "How have you been? Has the academy been treating you well?" Stunned by the sudden development, Shin widened his eyes while trying his best to compose himself. Naturally, he wasn''t the only one who was frozen. Madam Warulee, who had heard rumours about how unsociable Lady Seph truly was, had her mouth hung so wide open that an apple could fit through. Being comforted by the familiar scent, Shin felt that his entire soul was soothed. Even though he was an orphan, the closest thing to family that he currently had was precisely the woman who was embracing him tightly. In fact, based on all of the sacrifices that Lady Seph had given him, Shin wouldn''t mind if she became his real mother. "I''m fine..." "That''s good..." Shin didn''t tell her of all of the struggles that he had been through. How much agonising nights he had trained or how much suffering that he had endured. After all, it wasn''t her burden to bear. After a minute of relishing in the heavenly beauty''s embrace, Shin opened his eyes in revelation. "Master! Can you really come out in the open? Wouldn''t those from the Imperial Courts track you down?" Shin cried out. One of the primary reasons why Shin tried his best to keep his healer background under wraps was to hide the fact that Lady Seph had returned to the Capital. As her disciple, he knew how much the blonde beauty hated the Imperial Courts and how she wished to be hidden from them. "Don''t worry child. That issue has already been settled. The courts won''t disturb me anymore." "Is that so..." Although he was sceptical, Shin opted not to press any further. No matter how close they were, there was a limit to what the black-haired youth could ask his master. "I see that you have been training?" Letting go of the sweaty youth, Lady Seph''s blue eyes shone in curiosity as she observed the straw dummies on the field. Immediately noticing the red markers that Shin had placed on the acupuncture points of the strawmen. "A needle technique huh?" Being a Divine Healer, there was no way that Lady Seph wouldn''t recognise what Shin was trying to accomplish. "What technique are you trying out?" "The Divine Needle Binding." "Hmmm, that''s not a bad start¡­ The Divine Needle Binding is a hard technique to execute, but if done right, it would be a good defence tool for you. Furthermore, with your knowledge about how the acupuncture points work, I''m sure it would be easy for you to learn the technique." "Yeah, I got the gist of how it works, but I can''t quite seem to implement it accurately." "That''s because you''re trying too hard to be precise! With all needle techniques, what you need is awareness! No matter how good you are at striking the dummies, a real opponent wouldn''t just stand there and let you hit them. You need to feel, not think. Come, let me show you." Lady Seph rolled up her sleeves and took off a handful of acupuncture needles from Shin''s hands. Closing her eyes, the Spirit Venerate generate a dominant aura as the needles in her hands started to glow in a golden light. Succeeding in her mana infusion, Lady Seph continued to close her eyes as she sauntered forward into the straw dummies ahead of her. Throughout her advance, the woman never once allowed her eyes to impair her judgement, and within a span of one second, all of the needles in her hand disappeared into the straw flesh of the figures before her. "Master! You know how to perform the Divine Needle Binding?!" Shin was appalled. He had never once seen Lady Seph use a martial art technique, and he simply assumed that she was a pure healer throughout. "I''m a researcher. I like to know things. Needle binding arts had been in the annals of the Healer''s Association for a long time, and I naturally picked up some of them for fun." Unlike Shin''s motivation, Lady Seph''s were a lot purer. "Come, it has been a while since I last taught you. Let''s reminisce on the past since we''re here." "You''re right¡­ It has been a while..." With a bright smile, Shin stepped forward with Bingbing on his shoulders, ready to receive his favourite mentor''s tutelage once more. "Ermmm, you do know that the facility is closed right..." Madam Warulee muttered under her breath, unwilling to directly tell the pair of that fact. "Whatever, it''s not every day that I get to witness a Spirit Venerate and a Tier 8 Spirit Beast interact with a Spirit Core practitioner..." Resigning to her fate as an overtime employee, the middle-aged woman watched as the Shin trained alongside Lady Seph and Bingbing deep into the night. ~~~ Okay, I have never done this so forgive me for doing so now. There had been comments about how the story has been dragging on, so I took a long hard look at myself and the book, only to realise that it has been a bit long. The reason why I wanted book five to be a little long is that it was transitioning from Act 1 to Act 2. With so many new characters and locations being introduced, I wanted to be thorough in the explanations. How the relationships between each character will be and how Shin was going to change from the weak healer that he was to the powerhouse that he would become. So essentially, the book seems to be dragging because I tried to include all those aspects, albeit in a clunky manner. What I''m trying to say is¡­ The next few chapters would be the ones that you guys have been waiting for all this time. The tournament arc is next on Drago---, Spirit Immortal! Chapter 250 The Challenge Ahead Imperius Academy. Five Months Later. Time flowed by as if it were gushing down a river torrent. Even though the Capital didn''t experience any drastic changes to its seasons, as the year came to a close, the monsoon caught up with the citizens of the land. Torrential downpours from the heavens graced the everyday lives of the residents, forcing those with weaker bodies to stay in the comfort of their own abodes, sipping on hot chocolate and tea to pass the time. Thunder boomed, and lightning crackled. The pitter-patter sound bites of the pouring rain crashing upon their windows become a familiar melody for the students at Imperius Academy. For those who disliked the constant rain, it was a nightmare. However, for a particular black-haired boy whose Spirit thrived under the water elements, it was as if heaven had descended upon the barren earth. Sitting cross-legged in the cultivation chamber that he had booked, Shin was in the process of reciting his favourite cultivation mantra. With the change of weather, the water elements danced in euphoria as it became the predominant element in the area. Taking advantage of this, Shin spent all of his credits in getting private cultivation chambers just so that he could absorb as much water elements as he could. Since he had scored rather highly during his mid-year tests and practicals, the boy could afford to spend a considerable amount of his accumulated credits. Shin was in a deep stupor when all of a sudden, a subtle alarm that resembled that of a cicada''s chirping, sounded off inside of the chamber. "Mmmm¡­ Time''s up huh?" Opening his azure blue eyes, Shin opened his mouth and allowed a sigh that turned into a cold mist to escape. Although there was no winter in the Capital, Shin had purposefully lowered the temperature of the chamber so that it was more conducive for his cultivation needs. Getting up from his stone cold bed, Shin walked over to the shower room that was provided in chambers to wipe off the immense amounts of sweat that had been amassing since he entered into deep cultivation. After cleaning his face, Shin took one hard look at himself in the mirror. Now that he had entered into the late stages of puberty, his height had grown to its maximum, and he was now standing at 1.78 metres tall. Shin''s pitch black hair had been expertly trimmed by Emma so that it wouldn''t impede his vision nor would make him look like an unkempt person. His azure eyes that seemed to hide the expansive lake that slept deep within his Spirit Core shone in an intelligent light, giving Shin a sense of mystique that was not common for teenagers his age. Due to his extensive training, the black-haired boy was toned down, and there was no wasted fat on his lean body. Since he wasn''t aiming to bulk up, the youth retained his slender figure that helped with increasing his speed. Shin''s long chiselled face that was untouched by even a single blemish had been sanded down as all of the excess fat left his body. From the day that he first revealed that he had condensed his Spirit Core, many of the academy''s eyes were glued onto him. That included some of the campus young teenage girls. After he revealed himself, the letters of challenges slowly turned into confession letters by dozens of maidens that desired to be with a suave and talented youth. Even though he lacked the background, Shin''s handsome appearance and overwhelming strength resonated with many girls that were seeking a future spouse in the academy. Almost becoming the most desired boy in the campus, Shin had to open hundreds of letters from girls that professed their love for him. Naturally, he rejected them all. Heartlessly, if one might add. Shin had no interest in getting into a relationship, but his aloof and cold attitude towards them had backfired severely, as his hard-to-get personality somehow triggered a switch with some of his admirers. It even got to the point where some girls would come to him in the middle of the day and confess in the middle of a public hallway. Rubbing his sharp chin, the youth examined the bags that hung deep under his azure eyes and let out a melancholic sigh. "I haven''t been getting enough sleep..." Shin thought out loud. "I should stop with the cultivation for now. It''s not like I could improve any further before the tournament anyway." During these past few months, Shin had trained rigorously in preparation for the tournament at year''s end. Surpassing everyone''s expectations, after he condensed his Spirit Core, Shin had also advanced a rank and was currently at Rank 21. Considering his lack of resources, it was a surprise to many that he was able to consolidate his cultivation that quickly to promote. In a few more weeks, the tournament that decides the official hierarchy of the academy would commence, and everyone was desperately trying to improve their overall powers. Of course, Shin was not exempted from the anxiety of competing, thus explaining the deep dark rings that lay under his eyes. Donning on a new pair of robes, the young teen promptly headed to the exit, where he was greeted by sheets of rain that blanketed the sky and his vision. Thankfully, Imperius Academy prepared for all types of weathers and built numerous sheltered walkways for the students to move from area to area. Otherwise, Shin would have to have his new clothes drenched yet again. "Shin, you''re finally out!" While the young boy was admiring the billions of water droplets that fell to the ground, a heavenly voice sounded out from his right. An ethereal black-haired young girl, whose beauty could cause even the most celibate of monks to come out of hibernation, stood up from a stone bench under a pavilion nearby and ambled towards Shin. "Kanari? Why are you here?" "We were just looking for you so that we could eat dinner! The rest are already waiting at the usual place." The girl laughed with a radiant smile. Having interacted with Shin for so long, Kanari had become accustomed to the boy''s hardcore training regimen. Guessing that he would be hungry after his long session of cultivation, Kanari came to fetch Shin as well as assist him in the checking out of the room. "Ah, thanks for telling me¡­ I really could use a bite." Shin chuckled as he felt a primal hunger rumbling throughout his abdomen. "Haha, you always forget about food when you''re cultivating!" "I can''t help it. The tournaments are up next, and that would decide our fates. I heard that the rewards for the top three of our year had been raised significantly." Shin revealed the reason why he had been spending hours each day training like a madman. Since this year''s freshmen cohort had so many talented individuals, each with the capability of taking the valedictorian seat of any other year, Imperius Academy had raised the stakes, and the rewards for the top ten seats had been increased exponentially. Of course, the little donations from the Duchy of Highgarden and the Zedcris Conglomerate helped in their raising of resources, but that wasn''t something that was publicised yet. "Yeah, after all, there are two freshmen in the Spirit Core realm." Kanari right eye playfully winked at Shin. "You''re right¡­ The lass that''s already at Rank 24 is bound to get the valedictorian seat is bound to get all the best rewards right?" "Hey, it''s not my fault that you advance so slowly!" "Urgh..." Shin rolled his eyes as Kanari''s teasing. Even though Shin was rather fast in his cultivation, Kanari was way quicker, and she had recently advanced into Rank 24. Of course, the resources that her parents provided her were crucial to her sailing through the ranks, but her effort was a driving factor as well. Not willing to lose out to Shin, the young girl cultivated at the same pace as the black-haired youth, hoping to at least maintain her lead. "Shizen is also at Rank 19, so if you don''t hurry up, perhaps he might overtake you?" Kanari reminded the youth that one of his closest friends was also about to catch up. "That lazy blob? I doubt so. He wouldn''t even have the dedication to condense his Spirit Core before the tournaments begin." "Haha, yeah! He doesn''t seem like the type to work hard at all. But wouldn''t it be interesting to have three freshmen at the Spirit Core realm? I bet the faculty would be stumped for words if that ever happens!" Kanari jokes. The Imperius Academy curriculum had been designed in a way that freshmen who first enter the campus would be between Rank 10 to Rank 14. Yet, in this year alone, some geniuses entered at Rank 18 and Kanari had even enrolled while she was in the Spirit Core realm! If even Shizen condensed his Spirit Core, the upper management of the academy might be forced to revise their entire syllabus just to accommodate those monsters. "Honestly, I''m more concerned about Suji and Danroy¡­ They are the most significant threats in my way..." Shin thought out loud. Suji Lasgeor, living up to his Son of War moniker, had gone from Rank 16 to Rank 19, catching up to Shizen''s cultivation level with ease. His martial arts techniques had advanced even further, and there was also a time where he effortlessly sparred with a fifth-year senior to a draw, garnering him even more fame that he had before. Danroy Frithron, on the other hand, had similarly advanced three ranks, reaching Rank 18. Using his Bangeo Rhinoceros, the youth had continued to showcase his might by his actions, knocking down his competition bit by bit. Even though the two of them hadn''t been openly aggressive towards Shin, every time they crossed paths, the black-haired boy could sense the hostility in their eyes. Should they meet during the tournaments, Shin had no doubt that they would go all out to decimate him under their feet. "Really? What about me? Am I not a threat in your path to the number one spot?" Kanari pouted. "Stop it with your overacted play, Kanari. You know that no one in our cohort could possibly hope to beat you." After lightly sparring with the black-haired beauty numerous times, Shin knew that he had no chance of beating Kanari, at least for the time being. No matter what tactics he employed, the girl would just counter it with ease with her Kumiho form. Thus, he had given up on attaining the valedictorian spot this year and settled for retaining his salutatorian one. "Hehe, who knows? Perhaps you have something up your sleeve that I haven''t seen yet." "Yeah, as if I could finish an overpowered person like you." "Well, let''s leave it as that..." As they conversed, the duo finally reached the usual diner where their clique typically ate their meals. Pushing open the rusted metal doors, a sonorous chime rang through the entire room alerting those inside of the new arrivals. "Shin! Kanari! Over here!" As the entered the room, one hyper voice bellowed from across the room. Elrin, who had stood up to show the duo of her location, waved her hands rapidly. Shrugging their shoulders, the pair walked over to the table where all of their friends were waiting. "Shin, you''re finally here!" Isadore flashed a playful smile while slurping down his glass of milkshake. "Yeah, sorry for being late." "No, it''s fine!" Emma consoled the youth while signalling to the owner that it was okay to bring out Shin''s food. "So, how''s the cultivation?" "I think I''m stopping for now¡­ The tournament is coming soon, and I don''t want to overwork myself before the first match." "That sounds logical, you have been crazily cultivating ever since the weather had changed." Ella came in with an assertion. "You should be mindful of your health as well." Ella, Emma and Isadore were all at Rank 17 after almost a year of training. Although they weren''t quite at the level of the monstrous prodigies such as Shin and Kanari, they were still talented in their own right and were currently in the upper echelons of the cohort. If it progressed smoothly, by next year, all three of them would be sent to the Star Class to study alongside the rest of the clique. "*Zzzzz!*" While Shin was catching up with the rest of the group, a resonant snore could be heard from the side of the table. Peering forward, the youth could see one of his best friends lying dead on the bench, unaware that Shin had arrived. "Shizen is sleeping again?" "Don''t mind him. He just ate over half a kilogram of salad and drank that fizzy drink that Elrin bought for him. He''s probably out of commission for the next hour or so." Ella explained while pursing her lips. Evidently, it wasn''t the first time that she was forced to take care of the slothful youth. "Sure..." Taking their seats, Kanari and Shin waited for the food to arrive while the group continued to discuss the upcoming tournaments that would decide the fate of their futures. Chapter 251 The Tournament Begins 1 Imperius Academy. Lucha Amphitheatre. As the year quickly came to a close, students from all over the academy heaved a massive sigh of relief as their final tests and assessments concluded. Some were agonising over their poor results, while others were celebrating the fact that they had survived the year. However, even though there was a myriad of emotions at play, a sense of anticipation could be felt lingering in the air. Since the academic year was almost over, that meant that there was still one final event that the school has yet to have. The year-end tournaments. Having students from all walks of life compete in the year-end tournament was something that the upper management Imperius Academy highly recommended. To determine who was the absolute strongest in the institution, and to provide entertaining matches for the masses, the institution would spend a significant amount of time planning the year-end tournament, making it an event on par to those projected in the Colosseum. "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Echoes of drumbeats reverberated through the still air as the Lucha Amphitheatre was filled to the brim with boisterous spectators. Students from the event committee were busy hammering down on the animal hide drums that were twice the size of a regular human, putting on a performance in preparation for the opening ceremony. Even though the year-end tournaments of Imperius Academy was a highly sought after event, only students and invited guests were allowed into the campus to witness the grandeur of the stage. "It sure is getting loud..." Shizen complained with a drowsy expression. As someone who hated long-form activities, the reddish-brown haired boy loved to stay indoors and nap. A much different activity compared to what he was doing now, seated under the blistering hot morning sun while enduring the high humidity. "Just bear with it for a while. Soon it would be our turn after all..." Shin despondently replied the petite boy. The year-end tournaments start off with the first-years competing and end with the sixth-years closing the whole event. Naturally, due to the sheer number of students that were going to participate in the event, the Lucha Amphitheatre was split into sixteen areas where the students could compete with one another. Furthermore, there was a sophisticated seeding system in play where the top thirty-two seeds would never face each other in the early rounds of the tournament. Once the first elimination round was concluded, the next knockout stage would commence, and the cycle would repeat itself all the way until the final round, where the seeded system wouldn''t matter as matches would be decided through a lottery. Therefore, for Shin, who was currently the number two seed, there was no need to panic in the early stages of the knockout stages. Nonetheless, that didn''t stop him from being anxious. Gripping the amethyst pendant that hung around his neck, Shin tried to find comfort while trying to ease his heartbeat. "Ariel, give me strength..." "Ariel? Who is that?" Hearing the unfamiliar name, Shizen cocked his head in confusion as he watched his partner. "No, it''s nothing¡­ Let''s watch the opening ceremony." "..." Although he wanted to probe even further, being someone who lived off his instincts, Shizen''s gut feeling was telling him to cease all questioning into the matter, causing him to unwillingly focus his interest elsewhere. "The VIP stands look well ventilated¡­ Why can''t we go there?" Staring high up into the stands, Shizen noticed that the VIP stands, which were created for the Principal, the faculty and esteemed guests, had been well sheltered from the universal and resplendent sun. "We aren''t important people, Shizen. We''re just students." "I want to stay in a cool, ventilated area!" "Honestly, I don''t know how you survived for so long on this earth..." Shin raised his brow as he let out a dismal sigh. "Here, give me your flask. I''ll give you a refill..." "Yay! You''re the best, Shin!" Pushing the special bottle that Elrin had given him straight to Shin''s chest, Shizen broke out into a beaming smile, as if his earlier melancholy was a lie. Once Shin unwillingly topped him up, the young boy fell to his seat as he gulped down the nectar from the heavens as if he were a baby savouring his mother''s milk. While he left Shizen to continue on relishing in bliss, Shin turned his gaze upwards and tried his hardest to peer into the VIP stands. Unfortunately, even with his improved eyesight, there seemed to be something obscuring his vision and Shin couldn''t get a clear look at everyone who was inside. ''Perhaps it''s some enchantment that denies vision?'' Shin theorised. It made sense that Principal Erudito would want to protect the identities of the esteemed guests that the academy had invited. After all, some of them might be the institution''s top donors, or they could be influential figureheads in society. ''I wonder if Master is there?'' Shin thought to himself before turning his attention back to the centre stage. Even though he was curious, the more important task at hand was to focus on his oncoming fight, which could occur at any moment once the opening ceremony had concluded. ~~~ "Bingbing, do you think he saw us?" "Yip! Yip!" A young blonde woman was conversing with her pet gerbil at the moment where Shin raised his eyes to the VIP booth. Unbeknownst to the boy, he had actually met the gaze of Lady Seph while he was blindly examining the elusive stand, causing the Spirit Venerate to jerk slightly in shock. "Nah, it must have been a coincidence." Lady Seph denied her own assumption as she adjusted the crystal earrings that she had bought specifically for this occasion. Not one to dress up for functions of High Society, Lady Seph was uncomfortable with the high heels and tight white robes that Principal Erudito had chosen for her. Adjusting the black fur sleeves, the heavenly beauty found a seat that was nearest to the transparent window and made herself comfortable. In the past, whenever she was invited to events such as these, Lady Seph would immediately become the guest of honour and many people would rush to shake her hand. However, since her promotion to the Spirit Venerate realm, her gorgeous looks had been restored, and not many members here could recognise her, and she was perfectly fine with that. For today, she was just a mere spectator, acting like a proud parent who wanted to see the spectacular performance of her child. Of course, for someone as famous as Lady Seph, there was bound to be one or two meddlesome individuals that had the capability of identifying her. "Venerate Seraphim! It has been a long time." "Hmmm?" Turning her back to the origin of the voice, Lady Seph was greeted by the sight of a black-haired woman, who seemed to be in her late thirties, sashaying her way to Lady Seph''s position. Donned in a full ebony coloured conservative dress, the woman smiled with an amiable disposition, wearing the standard politician''s expression throughout her face. Her woollen shawl covered her entire neck, hiding the milky and tender flesh within. On her left hand, a gorgeous wedding ring lay on her fourth finger, and she did well to constantly flash it in the eyes of whoever she met. Taking a seat next to the blonde beauty, the woman gestured for her two bodyguards to stand further away, so that she could have a nice private conversation with Lady Seph. "Duchess of Highgarden¡­ Fancy seeing you here." Lady Seph scoffed mentally in her mind but did well to hide her discontent about finding someone who apparently knew of her identity. Furthermore, judging as to how the Duchess called her ''Venerate,'' Lady Seph could guess that the noble had done some digging about her current circumstances. Kanari''s mother, the Duchess of Highgarden, was perhaps one of the most feared individuals in the Himmel Empire outside of the Imperial family. Governing over an entire Duchy, the woman attained her Spirit Venerate status when she was just eighty years old, making her one of the youngest Spirit Venerates alive. Her benevolent rule was aided by her commoner husband''s sharp mind, making the Highgarden Duchy one of the wealthiest lands the Himmel Empire has ever seen. Being powerful in both cultivation and influence, not many people would dare to cross the Duchess of Highgarden, and many even kept a safe distance away from her, lest they stepped on her dragon''s tail. However, Lady Seph wasn''t one to cower away from a threat. "My daughter is attending this year''s freshmen cohort as well. So I''m here to support her." ''As well? So she knows about the relationship between Shin and me?'' Lady Seph was taken aback by how much the Duchess truly knew, but kept her stoic expression lest it served as a weak point for the cunning fox of a noblewoman to exploit. "So I''ve heard¡­ You must be very proud, having such a talented daughter like Kanari." "Haha, she does make me grin in my sleep every once in a while, but I''m nowhere close to your level¡­ Gaining the favour of one of the most outstanding talents the world has ever seen." ''I knew it! She knows about Shin!'' Lady Seph screamed out mentally. "You..." "There''s no need to be startled. My daughter has told me everything about him." "Your daughter?" Lady Seph was confused. Although it made sense for the Duchess of Highgarden to order an extensive investigation of Lady Seph''s background, what did her daughter have to do with anything related to Shin? "Yeah, she had made friends with your disciple, and they often spend time together to train." The Duchess explained everything that she knew to the perplexed blonde beauty. "Venerate Seraphim, I know that you hate to meddle in politics and I have a general idea on why you have sent your disciple to Imperius Academy. However, you should know that you can''t shelter him forever. There will come a day where his talent would be broadcasted to the world and legions of organisations would come to poach him." "..." "So, I implore you. When the day comes, please don''t try to dissuade him from joining our Duchy." Finally getting to the gist of why she came over to greet Lady Seph, the Duchess of Highgarden stared deep into the eyes of Lady Seph, flashing her gorgeous pair of ruby-like eyes in the process. "If he denies my daughter''s invitation himself, so be it. However, if he gets influenced by the shadow of someone else''s past grievances, wouldn''t that be unfair for my daughter?" "You..." "That''s all I have to say, Venerate Seraphim. I think that you know what I mean." Bowing her head down to the blonde beauty, the Duchess of Highgarden stunned every spectator in the room. To think that the notorious noblewoman would be lowering her head to an unknown blonde beauty. Being members of High Society, the spectators'' minds immediately went into overdrive to figure out the identity of the enigmatic woman who was just conversing with the Duchess. Factoring her appearance and the Kamaitachi that was on her lap, it didn''t take long for the spectators to recognise who the blonde beauty truly was. "Ah, looks like I have caused a mess¡­ Please pardon me." Realising her blunder, the Duchess stood up and was prepared to return to her designated chair. However, before she could leave, Lady Seph''s annoyed voice halted her movements. "Wait! How much do you actually know?" "Enough for me to make a move." Flashing a haughty smile, the Duchess of Highgarden left the area, leaving a stumped Lady Seph behind to ponder over the meaning of her words. ''Tch, she got me good...'' Lady Seph clicked her tongue in irritation. ''That''s why I hate dealing with crafty nobles! Urghh, it''s all Shin''s fault!!! The next time I meet him, I should grill him about his relationship with Kanari!'' As she made that assertion, Shin felt a cold shiver run down his spine, something that he hadn''t felt in a long time. ''What was that?'' Shin asked himself. ''I guess I am getting rather nervous...'' Now that the opening ceremony had concluded, the first contestants were called up to the stage, and the first bout had finally commenced. For the early stages, the first matches were all ten minutes long, with a winner being decided via knockout, decision or one student throwing in the towel. Of course, during the later parts of the competition, the rules would be altered accordingly, but for now, those were the only three ways that a student could advance in the tournament. "Next matches, Lydia Abbott versus Miguel May. Marc Stegen versus Jeanne Darren..." As the first matches came to a close, the announcer started to call the names of the next thirty-two contestants that were supposed to participate in the following matches. "Shin Iofiel versus Edgar Pollen!" "It''s my turn already?!" Shin gasped under his breath. He hasn''t had enough time to mentally prepare himself yet. "Oh, it''s your turn, Shin?" Once he heard his friend''s name being called up, Shizen immediately snapped out of his dazed state. "Good luck out there!" "Haha, yeah..." Jumping to his feet, the black-haired youth sauntered forward as a jittery feeling enveloped his whole body. Cold sweat began to form on his palms, and his feet began to wobble. Climbing up onto the stage, where the referee was waiting for him, Shin tried his best to hide his anxiety, but unfortunately, with hundreds of eyes staring down at him, it only served to amplify the tension that he had built up for himself. It was at this moment where he grasped the amethyst necklace that hung around him, allowing himself to give him some semblance of security in the midst of a foreign environment. ''Ariel, give me strength...'' ~~~~ O.o something has changed? I wonder what it is... Chapter 252 The Tournament Begins 2 "He''s going on." Danroy commentated to his good friend Suji, who was in the midst of meditating. "Shin Iofiel is next." "..." Opening one of his eyes, the sinewy youth gazed diverted his attention to the arena beneath him. "Good, we can see how much he has grown since then." "I doubt it would be much. He just advanced by one rank since the mid-year practicals. I bet he had struck a bottleneck." "..." Not willing to chime in on his childhood friend''s silly delusions, Suji sat up straight and prepared himself to enjoy the match. ~~~ On the other side of the amphitheatre, two purple haired twins were joined by their trusted androgynous friend, Isadore as they watched Shin walk up to the arena. "Shin''s up next? So quickly?" "I guess he''s unlucky. To be one of the first few to step up..." Isadore smacked his lips in frustration. "However, at least we get to watch an entertaining match at the very start!" "I hope he does well..." Emma bit her lip as she watched on with uneasy eyes. ~~~ "Elrin, look! Shin''s going on!" Kanari tapped on her bosom friend''s shoulder once she saw that Shin was coming onto the stage. "Hehe, he has been rather elusive for the past two months. Now we get to finally see how much he has grown." The white-haired girl replied enthusiastically. As the tournaments drew closer and closer, Shin had been avoiding training directly with Kanari, Elrin or Shizen, lest they faced each other in the tournament. With the time that he spent secluded, Shin had come up with multiple strategies to take down each one of the dangerous opponents of his cohort, and he wasn''t going to risk showing it early on. Furthermore, with so many people gunning for his rank, it was imperative that he hid some of his best techniques to prevent others from creating countermeasures. "It''s still the early rounds so I doubt we would see too much¡­ But I''m still excited to see what he has in store." "Kanari¡­ You..." "Hmmm? What is it?" "No, it''s nothing. It''s probably my imagination anyway." "... You''re weird..." Raising her eyebrows at Elrin''s cryptic words, the black-haired beauty diverted her attention back to the stage where the match was about to begin. ~~~ The thunderous echoes of the crowd seemed to have quietened down in Shin''s consciousness as he comforted himself with the memory of his deceased lover. Every single time he was about to plunge into something he was uncomfortable with, the simple thought of ''What would Ariel do?'' was sufficient enough to calm his nerves. Opening his eyes, Shin felt the jitters that plunged him into darkness just moments before, had disappeared as his grasp on the amethyst pendant ceded. "Are the two of you ready?" Standing at centre stage, Shin watched as his opponent flailed his arms about. Unlike Shin, his opponent, Edgar, was just an average combat course student. Hovering above Rank 15, he was nowhere near the level of Shin. However, that didn''t stop the youth from trying to best the second seed in the tournament. "I''m ready!" Edgar hollered out. "Likewise..." Realising that he couldn''t draw this out any longer, Shin took one final deep breath before correcting his posture. Pushing one of his feet forward, Shin raised his arms into a combat stance before introducing himself before the duel begins. "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Sovereign Koi. Cultivation level, Rank 21. Please advise me." "Edgar Pollen. Spirit, Gorga Claws. Cultivation level, Rank 15. Please advise me." Following his cue, Shin''s opponent gathered his mana and summoned out two gloves with fingertips so sharp that would put the Gargoyle''s to shame. Bearing out the claws that he possessed, Edgar waited patiently for the referee to signal the start of the match. However, on the other side of the stage, Shin had yet to summon out The Sovereign Koi, causing spectators to squint in confusion. "Why are you not summoning out your Spirit?" Edgar enquired. "I can''t show all my cards this early on. I''m sorry." "Y-You!" Even though Shin was being sincere when he apologised, all Edgar could think was how condescending the black-haired youth was being. "You will live to regret those words!!!" Fueled by the anger to prove himself, Edgar''s mana output spiked, and air around him began to distort. Based on the fury in his eyes, the youth had taken Shin''s words personally, and he couldn''t wait to rip Shin apart, limb from limb, like a rabid beast. "I didn''t mean it offensively though..." Shin muttered to himself, to avoid triggering Edgar even further. "Whatever, you''ll see in a bit." Now that both contestants had stated their intent to battle, the referee took one final glance at the two of them before starting the countdown. "Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ Let the match begin!" "ARGHHHH!!!!" Pouncing forward with a delirious roar, Edgar bent his fingers into a shape of a claw and went straight for the unmoving Shin''s pale white neck. With the wind at his command, Edgar could close in the distance at a blinding speed, and within two seconds, he was already close to ending the fight with one hit. "GO TO HELL!!!!" "How about no?" Grinning in mischief, Shin resembled as if he were a prankster that had successfully baited his victim. Glowing in a cerulean light, Shin coated himself in a dense mana enhancement aura, and his right hand started to blur. After training for over a year, Shin had become a master at mana strengthening at it practically took him less than an instant to fully power up. "BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!" Four deafening sonic booms reverberated through the arena forcing those at the front rows to cover their ears in fear. Only after three seconds did the spectators dare to open their eyes to observe what had transpired. To their absolute horror, Edgar, who seemed to be about to wring Shin''s head out from his neck, was lying unconscious on the floor with foam bubbling out his mouth. In the boy''s eye sockets, only a patch of white could be seen as he spasmed out of control. Fearing the worst, the referee stopped the match and immediately ran forward, hoping to save Edgar''s life before it falls into the abyss. "What¡­ Just happened?" One of the spectators cried out. Having closed her eyes, she had missed her chance to witness one of the fastest matches the academy has ever seen. "The black-haired tyrant struck again! That''s what happened!" Her friend bellowed out in reply. Even though he had kept his eyes wide open throughout the match, he was unable to comprehend the level of skill that Shin had displayed, and could only give a vague, but honestly, redundant assessment. "That brat¡­ He changed my seismic steps to a seismic fist?!" While the common folk in the audience couldn''t tell what was happening, Mychael, who was the absolute close-combat expert in the school, could fully analyse Shin''s brutal hits, especially since it was an evolution of his very own martial arts. "Since when could he do that?!" Overhearing Mychael''s honest commentary, Madam Warulee hung her mouth open in absolute shock. "You''re saying that you didn''t teach him that move and he developed it by himself?! Wait¡­ That makes sense." "What do you mean?" "Couldn''t you tell? Shin could take down his opponent that easily as he struck four of the Eight Greater Meridians!" "Wait, that was what happened?!" Mychael thought back to the moment where Shin unleashed his four punches that were illusory to the amateur eye. Since it was that blindingly quick, not many people could follow his movements, but for someone of Mychael''s calibre, it was second nature to him. "You''re right! God damn it, he changed my techniques to be more effective than it was before?! That fucker¡­ I don''t know how I feel about this..." The tanned scoundrel hung his head down as he fell back into his chair. Remembering the first day he met Shin, where the black-haired boy didn''t have the slightest inkling of how martial arts worked, Mychael felt a sense of gloom envelop his entire being. "He has grown so quickly since that time..." "That boy''s crazy! He stuck four of the greater meridians at the precise order so that he could temporarily paralyse his opponent! It''s a genius move that can only be applied to those who are slower and weaker than him." The Eight Greater Meridians were pressure points in the body that governed how spiritual energies flowed through a cultivator. Once struck with sufficient force in the correct order, a martial artist could send his opponent''s mana flow to spiral out of control, effectively paralysing the unfortunate foe. "No, the seismic combination has a unique property¡­ It doesn''t rely on how much force the martial artist possesses, but how much mana he produces per hit. Thus, even if the opponent is quick enough to dodge, the mana being released could travel through the air and hit his target with the same amount of force. So it can also be used against much faster targets." "What?! Are you serious?!" Being wholly unaware of how potent Mychael''s created abilities were, Madam Warulee started to reconsider how dangerous Shin''s newly found combat skills were. "Yeah, that''s why of the seismic combination, I had only developed seismic step. Since the ability manifests itself as a surge of mana, it is much easier to direct it in one direction only, such as a stomp. Using it as a fist technique was useless in my opinion since I had much better punching techniques, but judging from how Shin used it, perhaps the seismic combination should add a fist component to it." "Hoho, so he developed it in a way that shocks the close combat prodigy huh?" Madam Warulee couldn''t pass on the opportunity to tease the tanned scoundrel. "Looks like the teacher has become the student!" "Yeah, yeah. Blab all you want Waru. He''s still MY student." Mychael rubbed in on the fact that Shin had denied Madam Warulee''s tempting offers to join the auxiliary course dozens of times. "Y-You!!! Argh, whatever..." Rolling her eyes, the middle-aged woman abruptly attempted to change the subject. "Honestly this year really has some monsters¡­ I''m thinking if we should revise the rules for the tournament for the following years so that these kinds of one-sided matches could be avoided." "You''re right¡­ For someone of Shin''s calibre, taking on opponents like Edgar might be a little too easy..." Glancing at the faces of the terrified freshmen in the crowd, Mychael prayed for the fates of those weaker students who were about to face the geniuses of their years. ~~~ "Elrin, did you see that?!" Kanari hollered out at the top of her lungs in pure excitement. "Shin really has grown to become crazy strong." "Haha, you''re right¡­ However, why are you celebrating? Him being strong would mean that you have a greater risk of losing your valedictorian seat right?" Elrin asked in confusion. "Well, it also means that once he joins my Duchy, we would have gained a tremendous ally. So there''s no demerit even if he manages to somehow beats me." "What makes you so confident that he would join you? The last I checked, he turned down both of our offers." "Hehe, don''t worry! I''m sure he would make the right choice when the time comes~" Beaming in delight, Kanari joyfully flutter kicked her legs as her ruby-like eyes dilated. Witnessing the larger than life actions of her bosom friend, Elrin squinted her eyes as she fell deep into thought. ''Kanari, you¡­ I don''t know if you noticed this, but every time you mention Shin, your eyes would sparkle in a light I have never seen you display before...'' Elrin recalled the recent weeks where the black-haired beauty would stick to Shin like glue. ''Hah, maybe I''m overthinking it¡­ There''s no way, right?'' Letting out a dismal sigh, Elrin shook her head to rid herself of her wild conspiracy theories and returned to spectating the other matches that were currently ongoing. Chapter 253 The Tournament Begins 3 "Wh-hat¡­ Just happened?" After two minutes of being collapsed on the floor, Edgar, the young teen that Shin had knocked out with four blindingly fast punches, regained his consciousness and rubbed his head to quell the overwhelming pain that was piercing through his entire body. "There you have it, senior. I told you that he would be fine after a while." From the side, Shin''s gentle voice echoed through Edgar''s eardrums. "Give him a few more minutes, and the four blocked meridians would recover, and he would be as good as new." "You''re right¡­ Sorry for doubting you before." "No, it''s fine. I know that you were just doing your job." After knocking out his opponent, the referee almost disqualified Shin for using excessive force in a friendly bout. Although the academy promoted fights, it had to be within reason. If Shin had intentionally murdered or landed a long-lasting injury on his opponent, the referee would have been forced to disqualify him from participating in the following competitions, and Shin might have been suspended from the institution. Thankfully, Shin was well aware of what he was doing and hadn''t lost control for a single second, only using enough force to temporarily paralyse Edgar. "Am I free to go?" Now that Edgar was examined, and it was determined that Shin didn''t break any rules, the black-haired boy asked if he may be excused. "O-Of course! I wish you luck in your battles ahead." "Thank you..." Jumping down from the arena, Shin cautiously raised his head only to find out that the entire audience in the Lucha Amphitheatre had their eyes fixed onto his lean body. Even the adjacent matches had been stopped just so that they could spectate what had happened. ''Hah¡­ I knew this would happen...'' Shin sighed mentally as he tried his best to ignore the gazes. As someone who only sought to self-improve himself, he didn''t want to have the overwhelming fame that some of his compatriots had. All he wanted to do was to do well in the tournament so that his place as the salutatorian would be secured. Bending down his neck so that his face was obscured, Shin quickly returned backstage, where he would be hidden from the hundreds of stares. "That asshole¡­ He actually..." From the audience stands, a pudgy young boy was biting his nails in anxiousness. Beads of fat sweats dripped down his rounded face, and a mouthful of saliva flowed down his throat, moving his Adam''s apple in the process. "I told you that he would be dangerous..." Suji bit the bottom of his lip as he chided his childhood friend. "Since you were the one who challenged him earlier on in the year, I''m sure he would be looking for a rematch, Dan." "I know..." Danroy thought back on the beating that he had rendered onto Shin, back when he thought that the black-haired youth was a pushover. "Hmph! So what if he became faster?! He still can''t penetrate my defences! What''s the worst that he could do?!" Even though the obese youth was putting on a dauntless front, it was all a facade. His kneecaps had begun to tremble slightly, and a churning fear started to swell up in his stomach. ''To think that brat could make it this far in less than a year...'' Danroy was terrified. He, alongside Suji, was among the top talents of the current generation. Yet, here came this irrelevant black-haired country bumpkin who trumped all of their progression speeds to become one of the most potent powerhouses in the freshmen year. ''If he was given the full six years, what would he become?!'' "Nonetheless, so what if you really get him in battle? To be the best, you have to beat the best." Suji ''reassured'' Danroy, but his kind words fell on deaf ear. ''Hmph! Easy for you to say¡­ You''re not the one that pissed off a monster!'' Danroy screamed out in his mind. "Haha, yeah..." "Don''t worry too much about it, Dan. We should just focus on our matches first." ~~~ Unaware of the myriad of emotions that he had put Danroy through, Shin was still in the middle of hiding himself from the public. Every so often, a stare of reverence would be shot his way as he walked down his lonely path, making Shin wish that he could dig a hole that he could hide in. "Shin! Over here!" Just as he was about to make a run for it, an excited shout caught the attention of the black-haired boy. Pivoting his body, Shin could see a silver-haired young boy running in his direction. "Isadore? Are you going up next?" Shin enquired. "Yeap! They called my name straight after you exited the main stage. By the way, you did spectacularly! I didn''t expect that you were that strong!" "No, I still have a long way to go. It''s still the beginning of the tournament." "Haha! Don''t be so humble! Based on my trusted sources, I''ve heard that there are many members from the VIP stands that want to recruit you after this tournament is over!" Isadore beamed in delight as he revealed the information that he had just gathered. "... Isadore. I have meant to ask you, but how are you getting all this information?" Shin finally worded out his concerns. From the first time that he met the androgynous youth, a seed of doubt had been planted in Shin''s mind about the true identity of Isadore. To garner so many secrets about the members of High Society, one had to at least have a foot in the door of the aristocratic life. Yet, no matter how much he asked around, no one had ever heard of Isadore''s name or family. Only Kanari acted a little suspicious as she avoided the topic, but otherwise, all leads regarding Isadore led to a dead end. "Hmmm, I''ll tell you in the future. Now''s not the time." "What do you mean now''s not the¡­ Ah, he left." Before he could double down on Isadore''s answer, the silver-haired boy had already made his way to the centre stage, where his match was about to begin. "Wait, now that I think of it, I have never seen Isadore fight with his Spirit before?" Shin pushed back his head as he thought back to the numerous occasions where he interacted with his close friend. Out of his entire clique, Isadore''s Spirit was the only one that Shin didn''t know. Although he knew it was a spear, Shin had never witnessed the silver-haired youth use it before. "I guess now''s finally the time where I can see him in action." Instead of returning to his audience seat, Shin opted to stay right backstage, where he got a perfect view of Isadore''s arena. "Are the two of you ready?" Isadore''s referee raised his hands and gestured for the two students to prepare themselves. His opponent, a combat course student, summoned out a vicious, bloody sabre, that seemed to be capable of cleaving through boulders with ease. Isadore, on the other hand, just closed his eyes as a cool breeze brushed past the arena. From the depths of his soul, a garish resplendent light dazzled the audience as an elongated metal pole appeared on the palms of his right hand. The pole was rather thin for a weapon, and it contained a devastatingly sharp metallic blade at the very tip. However, unlike the typical spear, Isadore''s Spirit also possessed a thick metal chain, which seemed potent enough to seal the heavens, binding the upper half of his weapon. Every so often, the chains of the spear would vibrate as if it was holding back a monster from escaping its grasp, hinting that there was something more to Isadore''s Spirit than being a standard weapon meant for poking his enemies. "THAT!!!" Standing up from her window seat, Lady Seph''s hollered out as her voice rapidly turned nasal. Her lower jaw had dropped so far down that her full set of teeth were on prime display, sending those that sat around her to wiggle out in fear. Rapidly throwing her head backwards, the blonde beauty sought out Principal Erudito, who was seated right next to the Duchess of Highgarden. The bronze-faced scholar raised his eyebrows and jerked back as he watched the regal goddess fly in his direction, all while the black-haired beauty beside him tried her best to stifle the giggling that was surging out. "Someone from this generation awakened THAT Spirit?!" Lady Seph grabbed the collars of Principal Erudito shirt and started wringing away. Many of the onlookers, who had guessed Lady Seph''s identity, were shocked that the ethereal beauty had begun to chide the bronze-faced man in such a violent manner. "Venerate Seraphim¡­ Please¡­ Let¡­ Go..." Principal Eruditio pleaded with Lady Seph, but it was to no avail. Evidently, the appearance of Isadore''s Spirit had turned on the woman''s switch, and she was in the middle of a hysterical fit. "Venerate Seraphim, do calm yourself." At this moment, the Duchess of Highgarden came to Principal Erudito''s rescue by sending forth a minor wave of mental alteration, soothing the frantic Lady Seph''s nerves immediately. "We are in public, there shouldn''t be a need for this display." "... Duchess¡­ You knew of this?" "Of course! However, not everyone in High Society knows of that child''s existence, or what his birth means for the Empire, thus I urge you to calm down." Kanari''s mother slightly lifted her head in a rapid motion to show how many confused eyes were currently staring at the three of them. "Tch! Eru, I will need you to explain it to me later!" Releasing the struggling scholar from her grip, Lady Seph stomped her way back to her seat to continue on spectating the rest of the match. "Haha, looks like her explosive personality hasn''t changed one bit huh?" Once Lady Seph was out of sight, the Duchess of Highgarden joked lightly as she helped Principal Erudito, who had collapsed on the floor, up to his chair. "Even though she had reverted back to her youthful looks, she''s still the same Lady Seph that we all know and love." "Yeah, it was a blunder to forget to tell her about Isadore..." "Well, she would find out about him anyway. From what I''ve heard, someone has made Isadore into Shin''s buddy." Severely doubting the sincerity of Principal Erudito words, Kanari''s mother flashed a playful smile. "Haha, you knew about that?" Behaving like a child who got caught for pulling off something naughty, the scholar rubbed his nose in embarrassment. "Of course, who do you think I am?" "Well, I thought that it would be great if Isadore could befriend Shin, the boy would have second thoughts if the choice came for him to betray our nation. Of course, I told Isadore about Shin''s talents, so that he would act accordingly. Surprisingly, Isadore is rather mature for someone of his age." "He has been trained by the Imperial ancestor after all. There''s no way that he would be as childish as a typical fifteen-year-old." "You think? He still carries around that ludicrous dream of obtaining the best information network the world has ever seen though?" "Ah, right¡­ I''m sure he would grow out of that phase soon." "Haha, I hope so..." ~~~ While the VIP stands were thrown into a commotion from Lady Seph''s actions, Isadore''s match had just begun, and his opponent had rushed forward with the intent to conclude the match with one hit. The speed of the boy increased bit by bit as the red-coloured sabre moved in an arc towards the unguarded Isadore. "Honestly, hasn''t anyone learnt from Shin''s earlier match?" Isadore sighed as he swung his spear horizontally and parried the oncoming blade. With his right side wide open, Isadore''s opponent felt a bone-shattering pain hit his shoulder blade as the silver-haired youth launched a hard-hitting kick. "ARGGHHH!!!" Enduring the pain that pulsated through his body, the sabre-wielding teen turned one full circle while grasping his blade, forcing Isadore to hop back a few steps. Thinking that it was his opportunity to strike once, more, the teen switched the sabre to his left hand since his right shoulder had been dislocated. This time, he was more cautious in his approach, moving conservatively to prevent showing a big opening that Isadore could exploit. Nonetheless, with one hand out of play, Isadore could effectively toy around with his opponent using his superior martial arts. Parrying every strike that came his way, Isadore would feint a spear thrust but would change his attack to a pole swing halfway through, just to mess with his foe. All the while, it seemed like Isadore had the capability of ending the match right away, but for some reason, the youth wanted to hold back his punches. "Hoho, Isadore''s martial arts is far better than I thought," Shin muttered to himself. Even though he had known the youth for a year, Shin had never once seen Isadore train. "But I can''t tell how good he really is..." Now that Shin had trained under Mychael for an extended period, he had developed an eye for analysing martial arts, even if it was a system that he was wholly unfamiliar with. Therefore, he could tell that Isadore was holding back a considerable chunk of his true might. Thus far, the only thing that Isadore had revealed was that he had a good foundation of footwork and counterattacks. "Well, you can''t hide everything forever, Isadore¡­" On Isadore''s end, his opponent''s movements had become extremely sluggish, and the silver-haired spear master had the opening to dislocate yet another shoulder. However, just as he was about to exploit the weakness that he had saw, the red-coloured sabre in his opponent''s hands burst into a ball of flames and halted Isadore''s advance. "*Fire Burst!!!*." "Tch! It''s useless!" Instead of defending with his own spiritual ability, Isadore evaded by hopping back at three times his earlier speed, stunning everyone who was spectating him. "He''s actually that fast?" Shin was taken aback. "You''re not getting away! *Fire Blade!*." The sabre-wielding youth realised that he had a chance to take down Isadore and coated his cleaver with a burning flame. Charging forward blindly once more, the youth jumped high in the air and with his sabre in hand, he attempted to burn Isadore into a crisp. However, unfortunately for the youth, Isadore sped forward to the other end of the ring in less than a second, shocking the spectators once more. "He got even faster?!" This time even Shin couldn''t hold back his exclamation. Even though Shin was as swift as can be, Isadore wasn''t too shabby either. "I can''t let this play out any longer..." With his spear in hand, Isadore dashed forward to his opponent who was still in the process of recovering. Sensing that danger was fast approaching, the youth swung his sabre in last-minute desperation, hoping to deter Isadore from landing the final blow. Unfortunately, his blade was too slow for the trained eyes of his opponent. Swinging his spear shaft, Isadore knocked the flaming sabre out of his foe''s hands and viciously performed a roundhouse kick at the teen''s left side, dislocating his shoulder in the process and effectively ending the match. With both hands out of commission, the referee was forced to stop the match. "Isadore..." Watching as his silver-haired friend, who lacked all of the physical attributes of a warrior, mow down on an unwitting opponent, Shin couldn''t help but evaluate his opinion on Isadore. "Looks like there''s one more person that I have to look out for in this tournament..." Chapter 254 The Tournament Begins 4 After Isadore''s masterful display of might, the first rounds of competitions concluded without much happening. For the established monsters of the cohort, such as Kanari and Suji, their opponents simply threw in the towel before the match even began. Danroy''s opponent was knocked unconscious in a similar manner that Shin had employed while the twins had to take down their perverted male opponents, who took joy in having the twins trample over them. Of course, not everyone was let off easy. Just like Shin, Shizen was forced to fight an overly ambitious youth, that wished to prove herself to the world by defeating the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Unfortunately, Shizen had no intentions of losing in the early rounds. With one stroke of his hand, the reddish-brown haired boy knocked out his opponent and had even sent him flying tens of metres in the opposite direction. One might argue that facing a drowsy Shizen was more dangerous than facing his best friend, the Spirit Core cultivator, Shin. After all, at least the black-haired tyrant could pull his punches. Shizen, on the other hand, would treat each opponent he faced the same way. Whether it was a Rank 11 weak cultivator or a Rank 31 Spirit Adept, the nature boy would use his Adivinar Tree Spirit to completely decimate his foe. As the first round of the tournament came to a close, an hour-long break was given so that the remaining freshmen participating could recuperate for the next round. Taking advantage of the rest period, Shin met up with the rest of his clique for an early lunch. "Shin, you were spectacular down there!" An excited cry echoed through the hallways, as a white-haired maiden leaned in on the boy as she praised him. "Why did you have to hide the fact that you had grown so much?!" "Elrin, mind your distance, we''re in a public area." Before the Zedcris heiress had the chance to listen to Shin''s answer, Kanari''s commanding claw held the temples of Elrin''s head and pulled her away from the black-haired boy''s body. "Eyyy~ You''re no fun, Kanari." Elrin puffed out her cheeks and sulked. "Haha, it''s fine Kanari..." "See! Even Shin says that it''s fine!" "That''s not the point..." Putting her palm on her face, Kanari let out a helpless sigh. "Either way, you really surprised us there, Shin. To think that you advanced that much." "No, I''m still far from reaching your level." Shin denied Kanari''s claims with a bitter smile. If he were frank, with his added training, the black-haired youth was confident of beating everyone else in his level. Yes, even Danroy, Suji and Shizen, who seemed unbeatable to Shin just a few months prior. However, whenever he attempted to formulate a strategy to beat Kanari, he would always draw a blank. "Hehe, let''s not talk about that. There''s no guarantee that we would face each other later on after all." "Perhaps, but if we do somehow meet on the field, please go easy on me." "I''ll try~" Cheerfully teasing Shin, Kanari laughed. "Shin Iofiel..." All of a sudden, a lethargic voice beckoned from a distance, forcing Shin and Kanari to abruptly end their conversation. Stepping forward with enormous strides, a tall, sinewy youth approached the group, his face as tranquil as can be. "Suji Lasgeor?" Raising his brows at the sudden visit of one of Suji, Shin straightened his back unconsciously. "Do you need something from me?" "..." Staying mum for a couple of seconds, Shin could tell that Suji had a topic that wasn''t easy to bring up. Especially with Kanari and Elrin standing so close by. However, after a short while, he finally mustered up his courage. "I need a favour from you¡­ You know your friend, the silver-haired boy that''s always with you?" "Yeah, what about him?" "I need to meet him. Please pass on the message." "Huh?" Shin was stumped. Why would Suji ask Shin if he could arrange a meeting with Isadore? "I don''t understand why you need me to..." "Wait!" Kanari jumped in between the two teenage boys to stop their conversation. "Choose your words wisely Suji¡­ I''m not warning you as a fellow student of Imperius Academy but as the heiress of the Highgarden Duchy." "Kanari..." Gritting his teeth, the tanned, muscular man tried his best to hide his displeasure. Although he was desperate to meet Isadore, he couldn''t do it in a manner that offends Kanari or the Highgarden Duchy. His family held considerable influence in the Capital. However, it was nowhere close to the amount of power that the Duchess of Highgarden wields. "Tch, fine..." Suji clicked his tongue in annoyance and proceeded to walk past the group with an upset expression. However, before he left, he did decide to leave a message for the black-haired youth that performed so exemplary well today. "Shin Iofiel¡­ I do hope that we could meet each other in the tournament." Taken aback by Suji''s sudden declaration, Shin struggled to find the words to respond. "Yeah¡­ Me too." "That''s good." Finishing his business, the muscular teen disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind a confused Shin. "Kanari, what just happened?" "It''s better that you don''t ask, Shin¡­" Clearly irritated by Suji''s sudden actions, Kanari stomped in the other direction, creating an aura that screamed out ''Don''t bother me anymore.'' ''Isadore, what other secrets do you have on you?!'' Shin mentally protested. The androgynous silver-haired boy had many peculiarities about his existence. However, now that both Kanari and Suji, two scions of influential families had clashed because of him, Shin couldn''t help but wonder what dastardly important secret was Isadore hiding. ''I''ll be sure to grill him about it later...'' ~~~ The hour-long break came and went as quickly as a salmon swimming through a river. Shin only had the chance to procure a sausage bun before the first freshmen contestants were called up to the stage, forcing him to chug down his light meal. Inside the arena, the first matches had already begun with Ella being one of the main participants. Living up to her name, the Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter, Ella, sent a flurry of icicles to her opponent''s path, completely immobilising him from launching any counterattacks. Even though the twins were stronger together, on their own, they were still a potent force. After a solid two minutes of constant bombardment, Ella''s opponent could hold it no longer and collapsed out of mana exhaustion. It wasn''t long after Ella''s match that Shin''s name was called yet again. However, instead of having faced a hot-blooded teen that wished to make a name for themselves, Shin''s opponent forfeited the match, fearing that he would share the same fate that Edgar Pollen did. Naturally, Shin was pleased with that result as well. The whole reason why he opted to defeat his first opponent in an overwhelming manner was precisely to scare off his future adversaries. Many of the monsters of Shin''s year experienced the same result. Not willing to become punching bags, the opponents of Kanari, Shizen, Suji and Danroy, all threw in the towel before the match even begun. Especially after seeing Shin, Shizen and Danroy fight in the first round, no one dared to test themselves against the prodigies that ruled their cohort. Of course, the majority of fights still proceeded as initially planned and Isadore, who had put on a masterful display of martial arts just earlier that day, had to go against yet another fiery youth. Fortunately, Isadore''s martial abilities were far superior to his opponent''s, and he made short work of the boy. However, one thing that stood out in Shin''s mind was how little Isadore had shown. For one, the silver-haired boy never used any spiritual abilities, only sticking to the hardcore physical martial arts. In fact, Shin didn''t even have a clue about the elemental affinity of Isadore''s Spirit! Starting to feel that his buddy was more and more mysterious than he first thought, Shin, shook his head and stared at the two beauties at were seated to his side. Elrin and Kanari were both members of High Society, and they were privy to classified information that no commoners could ever hope to get their hands on. Evidently, both of them knew what Isadore''s true identity was, but they never divulged the information they had on their hands. Every time Shin would probe them about Isadore, they would promptly change the subject, ignoring the boy''s queries altogether. "Hmmm? What is it?" Noticing that Shin was staring at her, Elrin beamed in delight. "No, it''s nothing." "Hehe, you''re weird." Laughing off Shin''s gaze, the white-haired maiden continued to observe the arena. For Elrin, since she was in the auxiliary course, she didn''t have to participate in the tournament and could happily spectate the entire competition with comfort. After all, it would be unfair to pit the combat course students, who had been training in the path of a warrior for their entire life, against their weaker counterparts in a tournament style competition. The second round ended much faster than the first round, and it wasn''t long until the third round started. The third round was the final stage before the last thirty-two were determined. From there, the brackets for each match would be revealed, and the contestants would gain knowledge on their potential opponents. At this stage, the seed system would be thrown out, and the competition would now rely on a random draw. Thus, there was a good chance that Shin could face one of the strongest opponents in the level early on in the tournament. "Next match, Shin Iofiel versus Vidrine Annery!" As the third round formally began, the announcer called out Shin''s name, alongside another student from the Star Class. Vidrine Annery was a lean and athletic girl, who possessed a mace blessed with the earth elements. Being a commoner, Vidrine took the hard way into Imperius Academy as she worked tirelessly to obtain a scholarship. With her mediocre Spirit, the aspect that made her stand out from the crowd was her overwhelming skill in martial arts and her work ethic that would even exhaust the life out of a horse. "Vidrine is a hard match¡­ Will you be okay, Shin?" Kanari queried. "Honestly, I didn''t expect to face someone this skilled in the third rounds¡­ But nonetheless, I can''t be intimidated by every adversary that I face. Otherwise, how would I retain the salutatorian seat?" "You''re right!" Kanari smirked in delight at Shin''s resolve. "Do be careful though. Vidrine might only be at Rank 17, but her attacks are brutal. Try not to get hit by her mace." "I''m not even planning on getting hit!" Jumping down to the corridor that led to the arena, Shin reassured his friends that he would be cautious. "Wait for my good news!" ~~~ "Black-haired tyrant is coming on." "He''s on so early again¡­ I wonder what surprises he has in store for us." "Do you think that his opponent would give up just like his previous one?" "No, Vidrine is not the type to not put up a fight! I''m sure she would struggle to the very end." While walking towards the stage, where the referee and a young girl were waiting for his arrival, Shin could overhear the murmurs from the crowd. Sighing despondently at how accurate their assessment of Vidrine was, the boy put on a bitter smile. "Shin, I didn''t expect to meet you so early on in the arena." Now that they were standing face to face, Vidrine had the chance to properly address the black-haired youth that she shared the same classroom with. "It''s a shame really¡­ Facing such a tough opponent before the round of thirty-two." "Since I''m so tough, why don''t you concede then?" Shin lightly joked. "Haha! I could say the same to you! Would you do me a favour and throw in the towel?" "Hah¡­ It really was a pointless endeavour, wasn''t it?" Shaking his head, Shin readied his stance and prepared to summon out his Spirit. Shin''s sudden action stunned the onlookers and even his opponent. In his first match against Edgar, the black-haired boy didn''t break a sweat, and he managed to utterly decimate his foe in one move. "Hoho, are you taking our match that seriously? I''m honoured." "I''m just being real. There''s no way that I could take you down by fighting passively." Shin held tremendous respect for Vidrine. From her backstory to her overall might, there was no way that Shin would look down on the commoner just because she was a few ranks lower than him. "HAHAHA!!! You''re right! We really should all be real!" Bellowing out in laughter, Vidrine wiped the tears off her eyes. Raising her hands, a dense light congregated within her grasp as an ancient mace, filled to the brim with earthen elements, dominated the ring. "Let''s enjoy this match shall we?" Even though Vidrine knew that she was probably going to lose this match, she still wished to fight to her heart''s content. "Are the two of you ready?" Looking at the two participants, the referee lifted his hands up in the air and hollered out: "Let the match begin!" Chapter 255 The Tournament Begins 5 The moment the referee called the start of the match, Shin immediately cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement on his arms and legs bringing out hundreds of cerulean scales in the process. At the same time, Shin congregated his mana into his four limbs to complete his mana strengthening and effectively give himself a double layer of protection. With his preparation completed in less than a second, Shin''s two legs started to blur to the outside eye as the air around him seemed to distort. A rich cerulean aura spilled out from his limbs as he disappeared from view, leaving behind a line of dust and a gush of rapidly flowing wind. "BANG!!!" Expecting a hit to come from behind, Vidrine flung her mace a hundred and eighty degrees backwards and felt a thunderous collision that shook her bones to the very core. Thankfully, she had used her own form of mana strengthening to protect herself, but nonetheless, the vibrations that came from Shin''s outreached fist really took her by surprise, and the sentiments were mutual. ''Tch, she anticipated that I would aim for the back of her neck and blocked the Soul-Piercing fist with her mace that efficiently?!'' Shin clicked his tongue and kicked off the mace to open up the distance. ''She does live up to her name as a martial arts expert!!!'' What Shin feared the most when fighting Vidrine were her martial arts that were amongst the best in the cohort. Even though she probably wasn''t able to keep track of Shin when he performed the Lightning Swallow Steps, her years of battle experience could vaguely tell where he would end up, and she immediately moved to protect that area. ''But that surprise attack won''t work twice¡­'' Watching as the earthen mace lit up in a dense aura, Shin sighed as his one and only chance to end the match quickly dissipated into nothingness. Vidrine now had the freedom to sit back and make Shin bring the battle to her. Furthermore, with her first spiritual ability that creates a small force field around her, breaking through her defences would become twice as hard. ''Let''s try this again!'' Speeding forward once more, Shin seemed to have broken through the sound barrier as only afterimages of his figure remained. Reappearing once more right in front of the girl, Shin pivoted his left ankle as his right leg flung forward at a mesmeric speed. "Whipping the Crocodile''s Tail!" Shin''s leg glowed in a deep oceanic blue light as it broke through the yellow barrier surrounding Vidrine. However, before it could land on his intended target, an ancient mace halted Shin''s attack once more, but this time, it was a full-blown strike by the girl instead of a standard defensive pose. Equally sharing the full brunt of the attacks, both Shin and Vidrine flew back a few metres. Shin, being the one with the higher endurance, had little trouble getting up from the blow and readied his posture once more. Vidrine, on the other hand, was much slower in recovering, creating an opening that the black-haired tyrant could exploit. Dashing forwards once more, Shin took one second to launch yet another phantom kick that defied the laws of physics. This time, since she was unprepared, Vidrine could only poorly defend herself by raising her mace. Flying off like a kite that had its string cut, the lean girl felt her world spin as the sharp whistling of the wind entered her eardrums. Only after being airborne for two seconds, did she feel her back hit the concrete ground. Being the warrior that she was, Vidrine got up from the impact and acted as if she wasn''t impeded by the strike. Unfortunately, her consciousness started to whirl, and the Star Class student was forced to summon out yet another barrier to give her a little time to regain her bearings. Shin saw this as an opportunity to strike and bolted with all his might. Reaching the top speed that he could, the black-haired boy broke through the yellow barrier with a shoulder thrust and used his right index finger to strike Vidrine''s acupoints in rapid succession while she was still in a daze. "!!!!" The lean warrior felt a surge of electric shocks run through her body as her limbs stopped moving. Opening her mouth, Vidrine would attempt to scream, but no sound escaped through her vocal cords. Confused at what was happening, the girl desperately tried to move her frozen body, but the only thing that she saw was the soft tremors that her limbs produced. "It''s useless¡­ I sealed your movements by piercing through your acupoints." While she was scared stiffness by the unknown occurrence that her body was experiencing, a soothing voice beckoned to her from the side. Although she was unable to move her body, Vidrine''s eyes were largely unencumbered. Glaring at the only person who knew what was going on to her, Vidrine shot a look that demanded an explanation for her current plight. "Don''t look at me like that. You won''t be in any harm. I''ll free you once the referee concludes the match." With a playful smile, Shin turned to the stunned teacher at one remote corner of the ring. "Please, senior. Announce the outcome of the match." "A-Ah, yes! Winner, Shin Iofiel!!!" Once the referee hollered out those words, the audience broke out in hysteria. "What the hell just happened?!" "I don''t know!!! I couldn''t even follow their movements for half the match!!!" For the majority of those present, Shin''s match with Vidrine was just a plethora of blurred movements and gusts of wind. After all, they were just students and Shin''s top speed could match that of Rank 30 Spirit Adepts. "Sealing an opponent using his knowledge of acupoints¡­ That brat has really grown to be quite the dangerous individual huh?" Up in the VIP stands, Principal Erudito muttered out in shock. Unlike his first performance against Edgar, the technique that Shin had shown was at a much higher level. Anyone with a little bit of knowledge of the Twelve Lesser Meridians and the Eight Greater Meridians could hypothetically knock down an opponent in the same manner that Shin had done to Edgar. However, the move that Shin had employed on Vidrine was much more clinical, and even the most experienced of healers would have trouble using in open battle. To perform a feat like Shin, one had to have the relevant knowledge of all the two thousand acupoints in the human body, and how each acupoint related to one another. Not only that, when executing the technique, the user must be extremely cautious not to use excessive force, lest the acupoints get entirely destroyed. Moreover, in a battle, no enemy would simply stand there and allow the practitioner to perform such a clinical manoeuvre. When all these factors were combined, it proved to be overwhelmingly difficult for any martial artist to efficiently perform the art. Thus, there weren''t many fighters that would employ this technique. However, that didn''t deter Shin from learning and eventually mastering it. "..." By the bronze-faced scholar''s side, the Duchess of Highgarden was wearing a stoic expression that seemed to be frozen in time. ''Kanari, oh Kanari¡­ Now I know why you''re so obsessed with this boy...'' Thinking back to the numerous times that her daughter pleaded for help to recruit Shin into the Duchy, the black-haired woman mentally sighed as she cooled herself with a feathered hand fan. ''He learnt this much martial arts in just one year¡­ If he was given the time, what heights could he possibly reach?!'' While the audience was busy deliberating on what had just happened, Shin released his Spiritual Body Enhancement and forced the divine cerulean scales on his body to fade away. Walking towards the immobilised Vidrine, Shin put on an apologetic face as he raised his fingers once more. "Alright, I''ll free you now," Shin assured the girl. Hitting the same exact spots, Shin freed the blocked acupoints, and Vidrine collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily to get oxygen pumping to her brain. "Y-you¡­ What the heck was that?!" "I just bound your movements for a while. You weren''t in any danger you know?" "No, I mean¡­ What the hell?!" Still in shock, Vidrine couldn''t find the words to express herself and could only viciously glare at the black-haired youth. "Just relax and breathe. It will take some time for you to get back to normal." Shin knelt down and tapped the girl on her back, monitoring her symptoms throughout. Although in theory, there should be no after effects after releasing a bound acupoint, every human body reacts to situations differently. Patiently watching Vidrine recover, Shin made sure that there were no adverse effects for at least two minutes. "God damn it¡­ I really lost that convincingly huh?" A mist of sadness escaped through Vidrine''s mouth as she pieced together the entire fight like a puzzle piece. "No, you gave me a hard fight. I was worried for some moments there you know." "Don''t bullshit me, Shin! I know for a fact that you were holding back!" "..." As much as he wished to deny her claims, Shin knew that if he continued to act modest, Vidrine would undoubtedly get more aggravated. Furthermore, in the later stages of the tournament, Shin would surely be forced to show all of his cards, and if he lied right now, he might lose a friend in Vidrine, who was a classmate that he admired greatly. Therefore, the boy just kept quiet. "Ah, this is depressing¡­" Now that she had ample of rest, Vidrine got up from the ground and sauntered off the ring, but before she could disappear from sight, the lean warrior hollered out: "Hey, Shin!" "Hmmm?" "I won''t forgive you if you don''t get into the finals alright?!" "Haha, I''ll try..." ~~~ "Acupuncture techniques? That''s a rare martial art that he had developed." Spectating from the stand, Suji rubbed his chiselled chin as he carefully analysed the martial art that Shin had executed. Even though he wasn''t trained in the healing arts, being born into a combat-oriented household, Suji had some basic understanding about the Two Thousand Points, Twelve Lesser Meridians, and Eight Greater Meridians of the human body. "It''s going to be a potent skill if it lands. We have to be careful..." True to his Son of War moniker, Suji carefully analysed the dangers that Shin''s newly demonstrated ability possessed. "Yeah..." Danroy, who looked like a broken toy in a workshop, merely nodded his head, not really listening to the insights that his childhood friend was giving him. ''He became so strong¡­'' Danroy reflected on the first time he had ever challenged the black-haired youth. Back then, using his Bangeo Rhinoceros, the obese boy could easily toy with Shin as if he was a ragdoll. However, after witnessing Shin''s power up, he wasn''t so sure that he could win in a straight up battle. ''Suji became so strong... Kanari became so strong¡­ And now this guy?'' Danroy entire soul trembled at the thought of being the only person left behind in the race for the top. From birth, the young teen had always been compared to his counterpart, Suji. Since the Son of War''s name was so resonant in many people''s minds, Danroy had always had to play second fiddle to Suji. However, even though he was relegated to the side, Danroy never lost faith in his own abilities, and he had consistently kept pace with his friend''s cultivation and combat level. However, as he grew older, Danroy got exposed to other prodigies of the Empire and realised how short-sighted he truly was. When he first met Kanari, Danroy was absolutely overwhelmed by her presence. Being the fastest in their generation to reach the Spirit Apostle realm, Kanari was in a league of her own. Her Kumiho Spirit was an absolute cheat that allowed her to manipulate three elements while her combat abilities far surpassed anything that was in Danroy''s arsenal. Not to mention, Kanari''s cultivation speed was untouchable, permanently sealing her position as the top dog in the golden generation. And Danroy was okay with that. Chasing Suji was hard enough, but now he had to aim even higher at an unobtainable target? He would much rather sit in one corner and chug chicken wings down his throat. As much as his family tried to push him to be the best in the generation, some hurdles were too high for him to jump over. So what if he was below Suji and Kanari? In his mind, claiming third place wasn''t that bad. Nonetheless, deep inside the recesses of his mind, Danroy always felt a sense of inferiority, and he couldn''t quite place his finger on why. And then, came the arrival of the Freak of the Dundlewoods, Shizen. Months before the start of the academic year, the entire Capital had been buzzing about the appearance of yet another wonder kid, further relegating Danroy''s name down into the mud. Not happy about the sudden shift, Danroy decided to confront Shizen early on in the year, so that he could put things back into order. Unfortunately, the outcome of that duel didn''t turn out as he expected and Danroy''s name got downgraded even further. However, he could take the defeat on his chin, and he trained even harder so that once the rematch against Shizen came about, Danroy could finally right the wrong that he had committed. But before that could happen, yet another name became prominent as Shin topped the interest board when he advanced into Rank 19. Once again, Danroy was unsatisfied that yet another competitor had appeared and sought to stop Shin in his tracks. This time, the battle went swimmingly well for him. Smashing Shin bit by bit, Danroy had dominated the match and stamped his position as someone superior. However, time was a bitch to the youth. Fast forward to the end of the year, Shin had condensed his Spirit Core and had advanced his martial arts to a level that Danroy could never hope to reach. Kanari had skipped forward multiple steps and reached Rank 24, Suji and Shizen had achieved Rank 19 and were one step away from condensing their own Spirit Cores, and Elrin had secured the top seat in the auxiliary course. And where was Danroy? Other than promoting to Rank 18, there were no significant achievements to his name. His battle technique had remained stagnant, and his name was long forgotten by the public. The gossips that filled the town were the news of the advancements ofBlack-Haired Tyrant or the Witch in the South. Sometimes, Danroy''s name would be mentioned, but it was always in the form of an afterthought. The fate that he dreaded the most had finally come into fruition. No longer within the top five talents in his generation, Danroy had been relegated from number two to god knows what number, and it was of no fault of his own. The talent pool in his cohort was just too powerful. But of course, the obsessive aristocrat didn''t see it that way. ''What have I been doing?'' Chapter 256 The Tournament Begins 6 As the first day and the early rounds of the tournament came to a close, the freshmen were let out of Lucha Amphitheatre and were given four days of rest so that their upperclassmen could have their turns to compete. All of the levels, save the sixth-years since they were about to graduate, had the chance to participate in the year-end tournaments, allowing the freshmen to fully observe what their seniors were capable of. Naturally, those that didn''t wish to join in the action were given free time to do whatever they pleased, and Shin opted to take the break as a chance to prepare himself for the round of thirty-two. The moment the early rounds were over, Madam Warulee, alongside her trusted staff, had computed all of the results and had generated the final matchups for the elimination rounds. Fortunately for Shin, his friends, Kanari, Shizen, Isadore and the twins were placed in the eastern bracket, which meant that he didn''t have to worry about fighting them for the time being. However, in his own bracket, the western bracket, there were intimidating foes that Shin had to be wary about. Based on how the bracket was structured, if Shin won all his matches, he would eventually be pitted against Danroy in the quarterfinals and Suji in the semifinals, both of which were tough matches for Shin to overcome. Danroy had beaten him once before while Suji was the absolute combat master of the cohort, second only to Kanari. If Shin wished to retain his salutatorian seat or fight the winner of the eastern bracket for the valedictorian seat, he needed to win every single match in the tournament. Naturally, since his future matches were made public, Shin further investigated into his opponents'' strengths and weaknesses. To reach the finals, he needed to win four matches. In the round of thirty-two Shin was taking on a member from the elite class, who possessed a beast-type Spirit. Judging from the information that Isadore had given him, even though his first opponent was skilled, it wasn''t anything that Shin couldn''t handle. From the round of sixteen matches, however, that was when the matches started to get tricky. Judging from the draw, there was a high chance that he would face one of the best sword maidens in his cohort. Natasha Aldana, being born to a family of swordmasters, was perhaps the most skilled swordswoman in the freshmen year. Rumour has it that even before she had awakened her Spirit, she was hugging a sword to sleep every single day. Tales of her dazzling swordplay that would blind her foes echoed through the ears of anyone who knew a little bit about her, and the silver light that her sword emitted, that resembled that of stardust falling from the velvety night sky, earned her the nickname of the Starlight Blade. To fight against Natasha would be a challenge in its own right, but if he succeeded, there were still two monsters waiting for Shin in the quarter and semifinals. "As much as I wanted to save my Divine Needle Binding for Suji, if I faced Natasha, I would probably be forced to use it." Shin raised the elementary-grade needles that Professor Quinn had given to him as he planned out the best methods to defeat the sword maiden. Regarding martial arts, Natasha was clearly superior, and with her Starlight Katana that could cut through buildings as if it were butter, Shin was at a severe disadvantage at close quarters combat. His best chance of defeating Natasha was to overwhelm her with his blinding speeds and perhaps send long-range attacks using his acupuncture needles. However, that was easier done than said. At Rank 17, Natasha was only four ranks lower than Shin, and her mana strengthening was perhaps on par with his own. With over fifteen years of swordsmanship training under her belt, Natasha could easily track Shin''s movements with her trained eye and deflecting projectiles with her katana was just second nature to her. Nonetheless, Shin was excited to face the infamous Starlight Blade, and it wasn''t because she was a pretty face. It was because of Junius. "The next time I face him, what lengths would he have reached with his Azure Water Blade?" Shin pondered. "Would he be as strong as Natasha? Or would he be an entity that''s far superior to the Starlight Blade?" In the future, Shin was confident that he would cross paths with his once beloved elder brother once more. At that point, there was no question that Junius would have grown exponentially in power. If Shin wished to knock some sense into the bastard that was his elder brother, Shin needed to know how to deal with even the most skilful of swordsmen, and defeating Natasha was an excellent first step. "Natasha''s swordplay is quick and light. Using her light elements, she ensures that her opponent doesn''t see her sword for the majority of her attacks. So it would be a question of how well I can evade her swordplay huh?" As Shin read out the notes he had on Natasha, the boy started to analyse her style and formulate the best possible approach to take the Starlight Blade down. Fully engrossed into his studies, the black-haired boy continued on into the thick of the night, hoping to find the best answer to deal with the adept sword maiden. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" As the clock struck midnight, three loud bangs echoed through his dorm room, breaking the youth out of his concentration. "A visitor at this time?" Shin tightly shut his book and put down his pen. Opening the door to his room, he stuck his head out to check who had arrived at this ungodly hour. However, the moment a gap opened up, a furry white creature pounced into the room and slammed the black-haired boy straight down onto the floor. "Hah¡­ Bingbing, you really need to stop doing that you know. One day you could get him hurt." "Master! You''re here!" Shin exclaimed in delight. During the second half of the year, where he had much more freedom to do as he liked and not attend classes, Shin often took trips back to Lady Seph''s mansion, just to catch up with his beloved master and family members. Since Lady Seph didn''t want to bring too much of a commotion to herself, she often locked herself up in her personal abode, spending her days researching and working on her cultivation. Thus, it was rare to see her out in the open like she currently was. "Aren''t you supposed to study the tablets that were left behind by Spirit Immortal Dream? What are you doing here, at the academy?" Shin enquired. The last time he visited the mansion, Shin was denied entry to Lady Seph''s laboratory as the blonde beauty was fully submerged into investigating the relics of the famous Mind-Elemental Spirit Immortal. "Can''t I support my beloved disciple as he tried his best to win in a tournament?" "You were watching?!" Shin jerked in shock as his eyes sparkled. "Of course! From the start to the end!" Lady Seph beamed as she closed the door behind her and helped Shin get back onto his feet. Resting both her hands on Shin''s shoulders, Lady Seph recalled the two matches that Shin had fought in and how much suffering he must have had to endure to get to that point. Bringing the black-haired boy firmly into her embrace, Lady Seph comforted Shin while giving out a rare praise. "You did exceedingly well, my child..." "Master..." Bowing his head down, Shin felt a wave of reassurance fill his entire body. A warm feeling nuzzled in the middle of his heart as his eyes started to mist. Throughout his tenure in the academy, Shin had worked hard from day to night. Whether it was studying, cultivation or simply training his martial arts, Shin never slacked off for one moment. However, even the most resilient of warriors would get tired, and even the toughest of men needed the comfort of home. The duo remained in each other''s embrace for a solid minute, before Shin let go of the blonde beauty. "Master! Can you really come out in the open? Won''t there be people from High Society that recognise you?!" "A little too late for that, Shin. I''m guessing everyone in High Society knows that I have returned..." With a bitter smile, Lady Seph scratched her face as if she was a child that had been caught doing a misdeed. "What?! Have they caused any troubles for you?!" "No¡­ Tenshin was firm about that ruling. So, in the near future, I doubt that there would be any more disturbances." "Tenshin?" Hearing the unfamiliar name, Shin cocked his head in confusion. "Oh, right. You don''t know him. Tenshin is the current Himmel Empire''s Sovereign Emperor." "WHAT?!?!?!" Shin raised his voice unknowingly, causing the room to vibrate minutely. Only after he screamed out, did he realise his volume and covered his mouth immediately. "The Emperor met you?" "Yeah, I didn''t tell you? We brokered out a deal where I don''t bother him, and he will protect me from the Imperial Courts." "I see¡­ So that''s why you''re comfortable with coming out in the open..." Shin rubbed his chin while petting Bingbing, who had found a cosy spot on his lap. "Right, Shin. I have a question to ask you." "What is it?" "Are you familiar with Kanari Saniela, the heiress of the Highgarden Duchy?" "Yeah, what about her?" "What''s your relationship with her?" "Huh?" Confused that Lady Seph was asking such a weird question, Shin furrowed his brows in confusion. "I''ve met the Duchess of Highgarden you see¡­ She said that her daughter, Kanari, has tried to recruit you. She also said that they two of you frequently hang out together." "Ah, right¡­ Kanari has invited me to join her Duchy many times. But I always turned her down. After all, we didn''t come to Imperius Academy to get into politics." Shin proceeded to explain everything that had happened since he first came into the institution. From the first time that Kanari met, to how Elrin joined in the fun. "So for now, we are just friends that hang out to study and exchange notes. Kanari has even given me pointers on how to improve my martial arts, and I give her tips on how to study for the exams." "I see¡­" Lady Seph gazed into the distance, unsure if she should carry on the conversation. As much as she wished to protect Shin from the dangers of the world, the boy was growing up at an exponential rate, and there will come a time where she could no longer keep him under her wing. "Master?" Sensing that something was wrong, Shin leaned forward, his eyes shining with an inquisitive light. "What''s wrong?" "Hah¡­ Shin, please listen." Tapping on the thigh of the black-haired boy, Lady Seph let out a deep sigh as she resigned herself to tell Shin everything. "Shin, remember the day when I asked you to attend Imperius Academy?" "Yeah? What about it?" "Actually, there''s another reason why I needed you to come to the Capital. Even though I hated the politics of this place, I knew that it was the only option if I wished to protect you." Lady Seph bit her lip as she remembered the day where Aldrich''s Keep fell. Back then, Commander Alwig had warned her that once the Lantis Republic finds out of Shin''s existence, they were sure to do everything in their power to reclaim the boy. "You have the blood of the Longyu Clan flowing in you. There''s no doubt about it, since Longyu Yuan, the founder of the Awter Clan, was exiled by the Lantis Republic." Bringing out a manual from her purse, Lady Seph flipped through the pages until she found a particular page, that had been marked with a blue sticker. "Initially, I thought that having you sheltered under the Capital''s umbrella would be the best protection from the advances of the Lantis Republic. However, as I delved deeper into the history of the Eight Scions of Water, I realised that I had made a huge oversight..." "..." Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he listened to his master attentively. "Shin¡­ Your Spirit isn''t just a mere Sovereign Koi¡­ Your Spirit bears the Mark of the Celestial Dragon!" Lady Seph handed the manual over to Shin so that he could read all of her findings himself. "Spirit Users that possess the Mark of the Celestial Dragon are essentially children of water themselves. Their comprehension ability is absurd, they cultivate at a shocking rate and when baptised by the Celestial River, their powers would at least double or triple." Lady Seph gave a brief summary as Shin carefully flipped through the pages. "Also, they are perhaps the most valuable assets that the Lantis Republic possess. In fact, the Spirit Saint that presides over the Longyu Clan is a cultivator that had awakened the Mark of the Celestial Dragon!" "..." Unaware of how he was going to process this new information, Shin kept silent as Lady Seph continued on rambling. "When those Elders in the Lantis Republic discover your existence, not only would they send their forces over to try and claim you, but they might even threaten to wage war on the Himmel Empire to procure your powers!" "Master¡­ What are you getting at?" "Shin¡­ Right now, you have a few options ahead of you. Firstly, you could stay at Imperius Academy to finish your training. Once you''re done, you MUST join one of the major powers in the Empire, such as the Imperial Family or the Duchy of Highgarden, to gain an entity that would protect you..." "But weren''t you against the politics of the Capital?!" Shin rebutted. "Yes, I am¡­ But there''s no other way. Unless you would want to simply join the Lantis Republic. However, I would highly recommend you do otherwise." "Why?" "Just like the Himmel Empire, the Lantis Republic has its own share of politics, one of the likes that I have no jurisdiction in. If you stayed in the Himmel Empire, if you were to run into any troubles, I could at least use my influence to protect you. However, I have no power in the Lantis Republic!" Lady Seph explained herself. "Not to mention, if you defect over to another member of the three superpowers, the Himmel Empire would be sure to blacklist you!" "Master..." Shin was taken aback. While he was innocently taking advantage of the resources of Imperius Academy, Lady Seph was doing her best to protect him from the shadows. ''To think that she had planned that far ahead for me...'' "There''s also one final option. Is that you abandon your current path, and I''ll hide you in the Healer''s Association. No matter how desperately they want you, there''s no way that the Lantis Republic would risk attacking a neutral entity and gain the ire of the other two superpowers." Laying down all of the possible paths that Shin could take from here on out, Lady Seph sat down and waited for her disciple''s decision. "So¡­ What say you?" Chapter 257 The Tournament Begins 7 ''Master¡­ To think that there was so much going on behind the scenes...'' Shin thought to himself. ''If I continue on this path, I would eventually cross swords with the Lantis Republic as well. If I join the Lantis Republic, I would be labelled a traitor, and if I followed Master to the Healer''s Association, I would give up on chasing Junius and bringing the Black Mask syndicate to justice...'' Shin found the logical conclusions for each one of the options that Lady Seph had laid out for him. His mind racing at a thousand kilometres per second, Shin tried his best to find the optimal solution to his current predicament. Unfortunately, even with his knowledgeable mind, the prodigy was still unable to figure out the best path to take. ''Three paths¡­ All of which leads to unhappy endings¡­'' Shin lay his head back onto the wall while lifting his right hand off Bingbing''s fur. Grasping the amethyst necklace once more, the black-haired teen recalled the face of his now deceased lover. ''Ariel, what would you have me do?'' Every time Shin was caught at a significant crossroad, he would consult the memory of the scarlet-haired Amazonian girl. Always headstrong and dauntless, Ariel would never yield to anyone or anything. ''That''s right¡­ There''s no need for me to choose any of those godforsaken paths¡­ I am my own trailblazer! I forge my own path!'' Coming to a revelation, Shin opened his eyes and stared at the blonde beauty sitting in front of him. ''I can''t rely on Master for everything! To accomplish my goals, I have to become stronger on my own terms!'' "So, what''s your choice, Shin?" Sensing that her beloved disciple had come up with an answer, Lady Seph probed the boy once more. "Master, I reject all of those paths. I know that you want the best for me, but I can''t allow myself to go down a road that someone else has planned for me any longer!" Prior to the events on Frie Mountain, Shin had been living a life that others had laid out for him. If he chose any one of those options, Shin would be sent back into the same spiral that he had longed to escape from, with others dictating how he should live his life. No longer wanting to be a puppet that had no control over itself, Shin decided to make a fourth option for himself. "Firstly, I can''t join the Imperial Family or the Imperial Courts. Even though I can''t remember anything about the Awter Clan, I can''t condone the acts of the entity that supported the massacre of my brethren." Shin resolutely declared. "I will use Imperius Academy to grow my strengths, but I will never allow the Himmel Empire to affect my goals." "For the second option, I doubt that it would be a good idea to enter the Lantis Republic blindly. Yes, I might gain the best benefits if I joined their ranks, but the backlash that the Himmel Empire could give me would be unbearable as well." Shin continued to reason, and Lady Seph continued to listen attentively. "Finally, to turtle up in the Healer''s Association¡­ Master, you and I both know that I can''t do that¡­ I have to grow strong enough to beat Junius and take down the Black Masks syndicate! Also..." Dropping his eyes, Shin remained silent as the churning sounds of teeth grinding softly murmured out of his mouth. "Enough¡­ I understand..." Lady Seph stopped Shin from blurting out the words that had caught his tongue. Being his Master for more than five years, she clearly knew how hard it was to voice out his true feelings. "But something must be done. Otherwise, your future in the Empire would be perilous." "I know¡­ So I have to become a mighty independent cultivator, that no one can ever influence. Once I reach the Spirit Spectre realm, I would have my own means to roam the continent!" Shin laid down his future insights to the blonde beauty. "For now, I will complete my six years of education at Imperius Academy. During that time, I will individually forge relationships with major entities such as the Highgarden Duchy and the Zedcris Conglomerate. Once I graduate, I will definitely have enough clout to protect myself!!!" "Shin..." Lady Seph took in a deep breath as she stared deeply into the eyes of her disciple. In the time that she had left him alone, not only has he grown physically, but mentally, he was as level-headed as a sage. "Fine, I accept your answer. For now, that is..." "I understand¡­" "Also, you''re forgetting something! You don''t have to handle everything by yourself. Once the year-end tournament is over, I''ll publically announce that I have taken you under my wing. That would at least deter some of the more pesky offers that you''re getting right now." "Master, you don''t have to do that! I..." Worried that his problems were about to cause Lady Seph a mountain-load of trouble, Shin moved to deter the blonde Spirit Venerate from going down that path. However, before he could even attempt to persuade her, Lady Seph raised her hands to stop the boy. "Shin! What do you call me?" "Huh?" "I''m asking you, what do you call me?" "Master?" "Exactly! So are you telling me that a master should just sit back and watch as her disciple gets plunged into the abyss?!" Lady Seph refuted Shin. "A master for a day, a master for life! Don''t you get this principle? Listen here, my child. I will always be here for you¡­ Always..." "Master..." Shin dropped his head once more and felt the same fuzzy feeling that beat through his entire being. Even with the threat of fighting against all of the forces in the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic, Lady Seph still decided to support Shin no matter what. Not knowing how to repay her, Shin fell to his knees and banged his forehead onto his dormitory room''s floor. "Master¡­ I have been unfilial." "Haha, there''s no need to be that melodramatic!" Accepting the black-haired youth''s kowtow, Lady Seph picked Shin up and rested him on his bed. "Your master, I, have considerable influence and power you know. It''s not like I''m putting myself in danger or anything." "Thank you, master..." Not knowing how else to display his gratitude, Shin gripped the heavenly hands of Lady Seph. "Alright, let''s not talk about that for now. What''s more pressing is the future matches that you have. Come, tell me all the plans that you have formulated. I''ll help you review it." Abruptly changing the topic, Lady Seph kept the manual that she had handed over to Shin so that they could discuss the future matches that Shin was about to face. Their discussion continued on for hours and hours, as the prodigy laid down all of the information that he had acquired and how he was planning to exploit his opponents'' weaknesses. Only when the pitch-black sky of the night turned into the pale-blue sky of dawn, did the ethereal blonde beauty leave Shin alone and returned to whence she came. ~~~ Imperius Academy. Lucha Amphitheatre. After the full five days filled with action-packed matches of the early rounds had come to a close, it was finally time for the highly anticipated round of thirty-two. Each bout was now an elimination match where even the first and second seeded players could meet in the early stages of the tournament. However, luckily for Shin, for the freshmen years, Kanari and Shin were in different brackets, and they would only meet in the finals if both of them won all their matches. "There''s much more spectators now..." Shin remarked as he observed the packed stadium. "Of course! Now that each year has been narrowed down to the final thirty-two, there are many more students who are freed up to spectate! Furthermore, for our year, we have so many talents that could easily match the second or third years! Having these many spectators is kind of expected..." Isadore explained with a radiant expression. "You''re right¡­" Unable to refute the silver-haired boy''s logic, Shin furrowed his brows in disappointment. Shin loathed being the centre of attention and having thousands of eyes glued to him while he fought was often a distraction to the boy. "By the way, are you prepared for your match?" Looking at Isadore, who was happily humming while kicking his legs, Shin couldn''t help but wonder if he practised at all. "Hmmm¡­ You could say so? Either way, if I won my match today, I won''t be able to go past the next round." "That''s right¡­" Thinking back to the way the bracket was structured, Shin finally knew why Isadore was so carefree. If he won his first match, in the round of sixteen, Isadore would be facing off against the monster who was the absolute favourite to win this entire competition. "My condolences..." Shin wore a mournful expression as if he was attending a funeral of a close friend. "It''s fine! I didn''t really want to progress too far anyway. Top sixteen is fine! At least my place in the Star Class next year is secured!" "I see..." While Shin admired Isadore''s optimistic attitude, his mind was in a deep despondent state. ''If I win all of my matches, I''ll eventually have to fight Kanari¡­ But¡­ How the hell am I going to beat her?!'' Shin was a meticulous planner. Gathering all the information that he possibly could on his opponents, Shin had hatched hundreds of plots that would help him triumph over the next four matches. However, in the finals, if he were to face Kanari, the youth had no clue on how he was going to beat the black-haired beauty. Such was the strength of the Witch in the South. All of his moves would be countered by Kanari and his greatest asset, his speed, was rendered useless by the Gale Control that the Kumiho granted to the girl. ''I''ll worry about Kanari after I reach the finals! What''s more pressing is that I beat Natasha, Danroy and Suji first!'' Just as Shin was lost in his own world, the distinct pitch of trumpets being horned echoed through the packed amphitheatre, forcing the boisterous audience to quieten down immediately. Flags were raised as the band started to play the Imperius Academy anthem, prompting all of the students to stand in respect. Midway through the song, a tall and imposing figure sauntered out of the VIP stands and out onto the terrace where everyone in the stadium could see him. Bronze-faced and relatively lean, the man was donned in a dashing beige scholar robe that gave him an aura of an intellectual. On his left hand, an opulent golden staff, which had an ornament of a dragon''s head biting on a brilliant jade orb, shone with every step, striking fear to those who laid their eyes onto it. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the finals of the year-end tournament!" The moment the school''s anthem ceased, Principal Erudito''s voice boomed out into the crowd. "For those who are participating in today''s freshmen round of thirty-two, you have done well to come this far! It brings joy to my heart that so many of you are performing so well! In the future, I am certain that many of you would leave your mark in history as some of the best cultivators the Empire has ever seen!" Smiling down upon his students, Principal Erudito praised the freshmen. "Once this event ends, I''m sure that some of you would be euphoric over your results, while others might be disappointed¡­ However, I want to remind all of you, that your journey is just beginning! Don''t let your victories overwhelm you, but don''t let one defeat get you down! Rise above the challenges that lie ahead of you and eventually¡­ All of you will forge your own paths to become legends!!!" "Ooooooohhhhh!!!" Thunderous cheers from the crowd reverberated the amphitheatre, shaking the ground in the process. Satisfied by the reception of the audience, Principal Erudito smiled broadly as he slammed the base of his staff on the floor. "Alright then¡­ Let the games begin!" Chapter 258 Starlight As Bright As Day 1 "The first match! Suji Lasgeor versus Lassara Paul. Those whose names are called, please step into the arena." From the upper part of the stands, an announcer broadcasted the names of those who were participating in the first match, prompting a tall, sinewy teenager to get up from his seat. "Suji''s up first?" Shin remarked. Being the fourth seed in the tournament, any match that Suji was involved in was guaranteed to be an entertaining one. With his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, and superior Guandao martial arts, Suji was the strongest weapon-type Spirit wielder in the first years. "Yeah¡­ But the match is going to be one-sided. Lassara is only at Rank 16, a far cry from Suji''s Rank 19. Not to mention, her combat abilities pale in comparison to Suji''s vicious style. If I were her, I would just throw in the towel¡­" Isadore chimed in. "I agree¡­ Nonetheless, she should at least give it a try. To grow as a cultivator, there is a need to be pitted against the best." "... Shin, you''re way too optimistic. Whatever, let''s just hope that Suji controls himself." While the two friends were speculating on how the fight would play out, Suji and Lassara had made it into the arena and were waiting for the referee''s instructions to start the match. However, before the umpire had to chance to say anything, the tanned teenager addressed his opponent. "Miss Lassara. I suggest you concede." "Hargh?! Why would you say so?!" "I am much better than you. There''s no question about it. No matter how hard you try, the outcome would be the same." Folding his arms, Suji cautioned Lassara with a stern expression. Although his words seemed absurd, his face was telling the girl that he was dead serious. "You''re full of shit, you know that?" Apparently unhappy that Suji had undermined her abilities, Lassara summoned out her Spirit and entered into her combative stance. In her left hand, a charcoal black flower, whose petals hid the delicate yellow stigma in the middle, emitted a burning scent that filled the lungs of those within fifteen metres of it. "Lassara uses the darkness element?!" Shin was stunned. Cultivators who possessed Spirits that possesses the darkness element were rare in the Himmel Empire. In fact, it was the first time that Shin had witnessed the darkness element firsthand. "That''s right. She awakened the Ebony Mandala. Potent in its ability to bind and impede its opponent, it is a powerful darkness Spirit. If it were any other opponent, Lassara could have given them a run for their money. Unfortunately, she''s facing Suji..." "Hah¡­ Why must you be so stubborn?" Suji sighed and raised his right hand. Coils of purple lightning congregated around his body as his mana output surged, distorting the air around him in the process. Almost instantaneously, a Guandao, that was almost two-metres in length appeared in the teenager''s hands. Effortlessly placing it over his shoulder, Suji stepped into position and declared his intention to duel. "Suji Lasgeor. Spirit, the Purple Dragon Crescent Blade. Cultivation level, Rank 19. Please advise me." "Lassara Paul. Spirit, Ebony Mandala. Cultivation level, Rank 16. Please advise me!" A dark mist started to envelop the young girl, filling the air with a deep sense of dread. The Ebony Mandala in her hands spewed out a thick smoke of ash and blackness that flowed to the floor like a descending waterfall. In just a few moments, the area around her had been filled with a blanket of blackened mist, barring the path of those who sought to go near her. "It''s useless, Miss Lassara..." Evidently, Suji knew of the dangers that the mist created. However, he still opted to casually approach the girl. Coils of purple lightning enveloped the youth and generated an electric field that burnt Lassara''s measly protection away. A primal fear overwhelmed Lassara''s consciousness as she took numerous steps back, to move away from the approaching threat. ''Tskkk, what am I doing?! I can beat him!'' Realising her folly, Lassara raised her Ebony Mandala and congregated her mana in preparation for her next spiritual ability. "*Abyssal Vines!!!*." From the depths of the dark smoke, thorny void vines sprung out and viciously sped towards the tall, sinewy youth. This time, Suji couldn''t rely on his electrical field to protect him. Dense amounts of mana gathered at the ankles of his feet as his figure became illusory. The Abyssal Vines, which would have ripped an average youth to shreds by now, all missed their mark, only striking empty air. "What a peculiar foot technique!" Shin gasped. Each time the Abyssal Vines seemed to have locked down its target, Suji would turn into a lightning bolt and evade the attack altogether. "Damn it! Why won''t you hit him?!" Lassara hollered out in frustration. Spending a large amount of mana, the young girl summoned out forty Abyssal Vines at once and sent them all towards the muscular youth. Unfortunately, that excessive manoeuvre was exactly what Suji was waiting for. "Mind your head." Speeding forward with his Guandao in hand, Suji disappeared from sight and reappeared right in front of the poor girl. Using the other end of his polearm, Suji wreathed his weapon with a wicked thunderbolt and sent it straight down at Lassara''s head. With no means of defending herself, the young girl raised her hands and Ebony Mandala up above her head, hoping to mitigate some of the damage. However, instead of feeling her arms being crushed, a throbbing pain could be felt on her abdomen, as a thick meaty leg extended itself and sent her flying metres away. Taking advantage of her moment of weakness, Suji sped forward and landed the final strike that would knock Lassara out cold, effectively ending the match. From start to finish, Suji''s match with Lassara only took thirty seconds, making it one of the fastest match times ever recorded in the round of thirty-two. Although he had beaten his opponent, Suji felt nothing, as if he had just performed a routine task. Staring up into the crowd, his eyes met that of a certain black-haired youth, stunning the later in the process. A mischievous smile crept up the muscular teen''s face as the referee announced the winner of the match with an excited cry. "Suji¡­ He''s like a different person now..." Isadore remarked from the side. Having seen the Son of War''s battle powers earlier on in the year, the silver-haired boy clearly knew how much power Suji held. In fact, he had accurately predicted that Suji would sail through his match with Lassara. However, for Suji to defeat Lassara in thirty seconds? It was evident that the muscular youth wasn''t slacking around for the past year. ''He''s challenging me...'' Shin thought to himself. Throughout the battle, the only thing that Suji had shown was his overwhelming speed and defensive lightning field. Both of which were good skills to have when dealing with Shin. ''Hmph! So what if you have grown as well? I''ll be sure to beat you anyway!!!'' Shin mentally declared, as his grip on his pants tightened. Looking at his friend, Isadore could clearly see that Shin had been riled up over Suji''s expert display. Dropping his head down, the youth bit his lip as wild thoughts circled around his mind. Isadore had personally witnessed the hundreds of hours that Shin had spent training and knew how much the boy wanted to improve. Although Isadore didn''t understand what was pushing Shin to go that far, he could still admire how driven the boy was. To him, Shin was his first friend since coming to the academy, and the silver-haired boy felt an obligation to help the hardworking youth. ''That''s right¡­ Shin is working hard to become the best in the academy. As a friend, shouldn''t I help him achieve that goal?'' Isadore mentally declared. Unaware that the silver-haired boy seated beside him had made a resolute statement, Shin continued on spectating as Suji left the arena with an air of superiority enveloping him. ~~~ After Suji''s majestic display of might, the round of thirty-two started to get much more heated up as the contestants felt the added drive to prove themselves. During the next ten matches, Isadore, Danroy, Ella and Emma all headed down for their own respective matches. As anticipated, Isadore and Danroy wholly outclassed their opponents within five minutes, and both of them advanced smoothly into the next round. Likewise, Emma got lucky with her opponent and managed to somehow pull off a win. However, that fight was an extremely close one. Using her superior long-distance marksmanship, Emma could keep her adversary, who was a close-combatant at bay, without much risk. Nonetheless, Imperius Academy was filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Only after a prolonged ten-minute bout did Emma manage to mow down her opponent. Unlike her twin sister, Ella didn''t manage to overcome her opponent and was sadly eliminated in the round of thirty-two. Unfortunately for her, Ella''s opponent was a poor match-up for her abilities. Using a solid Greatshield that could withstand every single icicle that came out from her bow, Ella''s adversary ended the fight in two minutes after he found an opening and slammed into her with a mighty shield thrust. While the ponytailed adolescent girl was being comforted by her younger sister, the announcer hollered out the words that turned the heads of the entire audience: "Next match! Shin Iofiel versus Frankie Matthews. Contestants, please come onto the stage!" "The Black-Haired Tyrant in up next!" "Finally! We get to see him in action once more!" The crowd broke out into a commotion at the announcement of Shin''s name, and who could blame them? After Shin fought twice in the early rounds, the young boy had quickly become the audience''s favourite. Yes, Kanari and Suji had dedicated fanbases that knew how powerful the already were, but Shin had mostly come out of nowhere. It was only during this one year where he entered the academy did he gain a little bit of prominence. Some even speculated that only Shin had the potential to beat Kanari in the tournament. "Hah¡­ I can never get used to this..." Sighing that he was the centre of attention once more, Shin tried to cover his face as he entered the arena. On the other side of the ring, a young brown-haired youth, who seemed to be slightly overweight, walked in with an unbreakable demeanour. "Shin Iofiel¡­ Looks like the crowd favours you to win this match huh?" Frankie scowled. "I can''t control how they feel." Shin tried to abate the youth''s ire. From his investigations, Frankie was an arrogant individual who came from an overly domineering noble family. The fact that the audience all thought that Shin would definitely win would most definitely make his blue blood boil in a fury. "Nonetheless, that''s the truth¡­ I wonder what they would all feel when I crush you to the ground, huh?" With clenched fists, Frankie summoned out an enormous phantom of a fire bear. The ground shook as the youth took two steps closer to the centre of the ring, forcing Shin to shift his centre of gravity by slightly bending his knees. "Frankie Matthews! Spirit, Glehphimi Bear! Cultivation level, Rank 16. Please advise me!" ''I knew it¡­ The chants are annoying him...'' Shin rubbed the temples of his forehead as he mentally sighed. ''Whatever, I''ll just take my time to find an opening.'' Based on Shin''s original plan, he was to take Frankie by surprise while he was still calm to strike down his weak points. However, now that youth was enraged, Shin had to alter his approach slightly. "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Sovereign Koi. Cultivation level, Rank 21. Please advise me." Shin stated his intention to duel while summoning out The Sovereign Koi. As the adorable cerulean Koi merged with his body, Shin skin started to grow out streamlined scales that bolstered his movement speed. "Are the contestants ready? If so, let the match begin!!!" The referee hollered out. "ARGGHHH!!!" The moment the match began, Frankie released a dense amount of mana, creating a flaming circle that surrounded him. The fire flickered with a desire to roast anything that dared to cross its path. "HAHAHA!!! As long as I''m on the ground, I can continually create this *Fire Circle!*With my flaming protection, no matter how fast you are, you won''t be able to land a single finger on me, Shin Iofiel!" Bellowing out in laughter, Frankie graciously explained how his ability worked, much to the surprise of Shin. ''Why do these idiots like to explain their own abilities mid-battle? It doesn''t make any sense...'' Shin thought to himself. ''Whatever, I shouldn''t be complaining.'' Raising his right palm, Shin created a humongous sphere of water and threw it straight at Frankie''s fire protection, immediately extinguishing it and creating a dense white fog that hindered the noble''s vision. "W-What?!" Before Frankie''s mind could compute what was happening, he felt a tight grip circling around his right wrist. "Since you''re SO invincible on the ground, why don''t we dance in the sky?" With all his might, Shin hurled Frankie dozens of metres into the air, and like a broken ragdoll, Frankie could only flail his arms about with no means of defending himself. As he glanced down at the dense mist below him, Frankie could see a tunnel emerging out and the black-haired boy, who should have been standing there on the ground, was nowhere to be seen. "Soul-Piercing Fist!" At that moment, Frankie felt an excruciating pain, pulsating through his body forcing him to let out a blood-curdling scream. Shin, who had launched himself upwards with a well-timed jump, had launched a vicious uppercut to his opponent''s stomach, breaking through the youth''s mana strengthening just like that. While Frankie was still airborne, Shin turned his hip and struck with a hard-hitting heel kick, sending the youth falling straight to the ground. Those two hits were sufficient to seal Frankie''s fate as the loser. Knocked out cold, the referee had to immediately stop the match, just so that he could check the health of the fiery youth. Naturally, Frankie was fine. With months of practice, Shin was an expert at controlling his attacks and only struck with enough force to immobilise the youth. "W-Winner, Shin Iofiel!" Once the winner of the match was announced, the whole audience broke out into a roaring cheer. "As expected of the Black-Haired Tyrant! His matches do not disappoint!" "At this point, only Kanari or Suji would be a match for him!" "Based on the bracket, he will face both of them if he wins all his fights! Oh boy, I can''t wait for the semifinals and finals!!!" In an ardent fervour, the entire crowd started to speculate on the future as Shin seemed to gain dozens of fans each time he performed. Naturally, that wasn''t limited to the student body. Many of the VIP guests were all desperate to get on the good books of this new talented youth, who didn''t appear to have any affiliation with any major organisations. "That boy never ceases to impress huh?" Seated next to Lady Seph, the Duchess of Highgarden said out loud. "Furthermore, he hasn''t shown his all, hasn''t he?" "Duchess, I am just as clueless as you are." Lady Seph snorted in annoyance. "Haha, of course, of course!" Not believing the blonde beauty''s words for a second, the Duchess laughed along. "Really, I wonder how much more he''s hiding. If he shows even more strength, perhaps he would be a match for my daughter?" "..." Not willing to give out any more information, Lady Seph sat down quietly as she watched her precious disciple bask in the limelight. ''Shin, you better knock out Kanari''s teeth in the final! I really wonder what kind of face this bitch would make once you defeat her beloved daughter!!!'' Chapter 259 Starlight As Bright As Day 2 Moments after Shin manhandled Frankie, the stage had been cleaned up to allow the rest of the matches to proceed as planned. Kanari won her bout with ease, and likewise, Natasha Aldana, the Starlight Blade, had little trouble in taking out her opponent. Finally, the match that Shizen had turned out to be a one-sided beatdown. The Freak of the Dundlewoods, lived up to his name, as no one managed to crack the code to breaking free of his mana-draining vines. Once exposed to the Adivinar Tree''s powers, Shizen''s opponent could only gape in awe while allowing himself to get flung around the arena. When all of the sixteen matches were concluded, Lucha Amphitheatre was emptied so that the staff would have ample time to prepare for the next round. Taking advantage of this break, the audience and contestants all hurried to buy refreshments from the vendors surrounding the stadium. While the vast majority of the crowd were busy purchasing goodies, hidden in one corner of the amphitheatre, one small group of teenagers were surrounding a purple-hair ponytailed girl, trying to comfort her throughout. "Cheer up, Ella! Getting into the top thirty-two isn''t that bad!" The bob-haired girl, who boasted the same exact features as Ella, tried her best to cheer her sister up. "That''s easy for you to say¡­ You''re already in the top sixteen, alongside Shin and the others." "It was just luck! If I had to face your opponent, I would have definitely lost!" "Still! You advanced, and I didn''t! Of our group, only I didn''t make it into the top sixteen¡­ Even Isadore made it in, and he never trains!" "Hey! Who said I don''t train?!" Isadore''s protested. However, it went unnoticed as all of their group''s attention were focused on the young ponytailed girl. "Ella, don''t beat yourself up too hard. Reaching the top thirty-two basically guaranteed your spot in the Star Class next year. You should be proud of yourself!" Kanari chimed in as well, hoping to console her friend. "Tskkk... If I were more careful, I would have beaten the crap out of that shield pervert¡­ Arghh, so frustrating!!!" Ella slapped the floor in angst, resisting the urge to pull out all of her hair in the process. "Here, Ella. Have some sweets. It might help calm your nerves." At the side of the sobbing girl, Shin handed over some delectable candy that he had purchased from a nearby vendor. It was Shin''s modus operandi for calming any of the other orphans, starting from the time where he stayed at Chilyoja Waypoint. "Do you think that I''m still a child?!" Ella hollered out in annoyance. However, her actions didn''t match her words as she hastily snatched the candy away from Shin''s hand and popped it into her mouth. "Hehehe!" Greatly amused by her sister''s actions, Emma chuckled in joy. "Shin, you really know how to calm Ella down!" "We did grow up together after all..." The black-haired boy stroked the purple hair of Emma as he replied. As his fingers scratched the crown of the girl''s head, Shin abruptly stopped his actions as he started to realise an oddity. "Is something bothering you? You''re trembling a little." "Ah¡­ You noticed." Emma wore a bitter smile as she shook her head. "I''m just nervous about the next match¡­ My opponent is a bad match for me, and I fear that I might lose in just a few seconds." "You don''t have to worry about that, Emma. Safety is the most important. If you feel like you can''t handle the pressure, you could simply withdraw. After all, getting to the top sixteen is good enough." Shin consoled the girl, reassuring Emma that it was okay to give in. "No, I can handle it!" A warm affection crept up the depths of Emma''s heart as she purred at Shin''s touch. Ever since they left the mountain, Shin had stepped up to become one of the most reliable pillars for the orphans to lean on. "I''m more worried about your future fights. If you beat Natasha, you still have Danroy and Suji to prepare for. Are you sure you can handle it?" "Of course I can! I''ll be sure to win all my matches to the final!" "Hehe, of course, you will!" While the duo was happily spending some sibling time bonding, at the other corner of the group, Kanari''s gorgeous face creased a little as she witnessed how cheery the pair were. Her eyebrows flinching while her crossed arms twitched, Kanari''s pale white complexion seemed to have turned green with envy. "Why, are you jealous?" Noticing the change in her friend''s expression, Elrin mischievously whispered into the ethereal beauty''s ear. "Whatever are you talking about?" Kanari scoffed. "No, it''s nothing~" Elrin shrugged her shoulders and whistled merrily. "By the way, if all goes well, you will face Shin in the finals. How are you going to deal with him?" "What do you mean, how am I going to deal with him? I will fight him with my all of course!!! It doesn''t matter that I want to recruit him to my Duchy. After all, some of the rewards of the valedictorian seat are far too alluring to pass up." "Hehehe, I thought so¡­ Just had to check!" Elrin stuck her tongue out as the midday bell rung, signalling for the students to return back to the arena. ~~~ As the stadium was filled up once more, the order of the remaining eight matches had been posted on the billboard. In the western bracket, there was Danroy Frithron versus Widmann Adams. Shin Iofiel versus Natasha Aldana. Suji Lasgeor versus Biiro Daniels, and Lorraine Grimley versus Jamie Young. Of the four matches, the most anticipated draw was the bout that Shin was in. Facing against the Starlight Blade, it was perhaps the closest matchup that the Black-Haired Tyrant had been given thus far. As for the other matches in the western bracket. Danroy and Suji were expected to walk over their opponents while the odds favoured Lorraine Grimley to take a close win over her opponent. In the eastern bracket, the four matches that were Kanari Saniela versus Isadore, Emma Iofiel versus Emmanuel Wensan. Shizen Dundlewoods versus Miguel Thornton, and Sonya Harding versus Melanie Lyfrithe. Compared to the western bracket, the eastern bracket had less entertaining draws as there was a clear winner for each bout. In fact, people were already saying that the finals for the eastern bracket would be Kanari against Shizen, as they were much more skilled than their adversaries. Starting off with the first match of the western bracket, Danroy was called up to fight against Wildmann Adams, a commoner from the Star Class that awakened a superior beast-type Spirit. Hovering at Rank 16, Wildmann seemed to be a close match for Danroy, who was at Rank 18, however, due to his overwhelming defensive capabilities, the obese youth was able to effortlessly defend himself from the onslaught of his opponent. Ending the match in five minutes, Danroy sent Wildmann flying when the frolicking youth spent all his mana trying to break through the phantom of the Bangeo Rhinoceros. "Hey, don''t you feel that Danroy seems a little off?" Shin whispered to Isadore, who was enjoying his own candy as if he were unaffected by the fact that he was about to face Kanari in just a few more hours. "What do you mean?" "Typically, Danroy would be much more dynamic in his attacks, always charging forward with a certain type of vigour, but in that earlier match, he looked lifeless and lethargic. That''s not his usual style..." As someone who analysed his opponent''s battle techniques to the letter, Shin was instantly able to figure out that something was wrong with Danroy. "You sure notice the weirdest things¡­ Maybe he was just testing a new method of attack?" Isadore hypothesised. "Well, that passive style won him the match, so I''m guessing it worked well for him?" ''Hmmm¡­ I don''t know, something seems off¡­'' Shin scratched his chin, unsure of what was bothering him. Since he had fallen under the hands of Danroy once before, Shin had studied the boy extensively, and believed that he knew everything about the obese youth''s fighting style. ''Whatever, I have more important things to tend to now¡­'' Turning his attention to the billboard, Shin got to his feet in preparation for the inevitable announcement. "The next match! Shin Iofiel versus Natasha Aldana! Contestants, please step into the arena!" "Shin, good luck!" Isadore cheered the youth on from the side. "Thanks..." Jumping down onto the hallway, Shin grabbed the pendant in around his neck to calm his nerves. Up till now, he had been taking on adversaries that he had total confidence in beating. However, the next few matches were all against opponents that could be classified as super talents. No matter how hard he prepared for them, there was always a degree of uncertainty when facing against adversaries of their calibre. Walking into the arena that had been revamped to deal with additional stress, Shin carefully observed the referee and the young girl coming out from the other corner. Her short brown hair had been tied into a bun, to prevent any disturbances during her fast-moving strikes and her combat attire had been tightly fitted to improve movement. "Shin Iofiel¡­ I have been looking forward to our match." As the two contestants reached the centre of the ring, Natasha opened her mouth to address her adversary. "Yeah, me too." Shin raised his right hand forward and bent his waist to assume his official combat stance. Taking out three of his silver acupuncture needles that he received from Professor Erudito, Shin circulated his mana and said: "I hope that we have a good match." "Hoho, spiritual tools? That''s new... You''re using them for the match?" "Of course, why else would I show it to you?" Although the usage of spiritual tools was not banned, to ensure fairness, contestants could only use the elementary-grade, and before each fight, they had to show all of the tools that they intended to use to both the referee and their opponent. These restrictions would often deter students from using spiritual tools, but that didn''t stop Shin from bringing his trusted needles. Smiling at how seriously Shin was taking the bout, Natasha congregated her mana and summoned out a thin katana that emitted a mystical aura, distorting the air around it. If one were to look closer, they would see heaps of celestial stars beaming out from the thin aura. Of course, the katana''s aura wasn''t the main attraction of the audience. The blade itself was so divinely sharp that no one would question if it was able to cut through the fabric of space and time. Naturally, Shin knew of that fact, and he knew that his scales weren''t a good enough protection from the celestial sword. Thus, he had to rely on the acupuncture needles to act as an added protection. "Could you do me a favour and try not to kill me with that blade?" Shin joked as his Spirit Core shone in a cerulean light, covering his skin with thousands of fish scales. For the first time in the competition, Shin had activated his full Spiritual Body Enhancement. That was how dangerous the Starlight Blade was. "Surely, you jest!" Placing her katana down to her waist, Natasha assumed a traditional Iaido position as she announced her intention to duel: "Natasha Aldana! Spirit, Starlight Katana! Cultivation level, Rank 17. Please advise me!" "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Sovereign Koi. Cultivation level, Rank 21. Please advise me." Likewise, Shin stated his attention to duel and heightened his spatial consciousness to the maximum. For the first time in the tournament, the youth was about to unleash his full potential against an opponent. "Let the match begin!!!" The moment the referee hollered out those words, Shin dashed forward, hoping to probe the reaction speed of Natasha. Shuffling his feet, Shin''s form became illusory to the layman''s eye as he performed his signature Lightning Swallow Steps. Taught to him by Mychael, Shin had further refined it to suit his explosive speed, and his acceleration was easily the top amongst the freshmen. Thus, in less than a second, he had easily entered the striking range of Natasha and just as he was about to land the first blow, a primal terror crept up the boy''s spine. Still in a fast forward momentum, Shin''s mind raced at light speed, as his eyes watered and hairs started to stand. Somewhere deep inside of him, his instincts were screaming out to him to get as far away as possible. A thunderous clap could be heard as Shin retreated at a far superior speed leaving a trail of dust and smoke at his wake. "*Zzzsssttt!!!*" A sharp, piercing sound echoed through the amphitheatre and broke the eardrums of those who stood closest to the arena. Natasha, who was in an Iaido stance before, had unleashed her blade with a deadly slash that no student could trace. Even Kanari, who had ample experience with fighting swordsmen, couldn''t see the trajectory that the sword had taken. "Phew..." Heaving out a sigh of relief, Shin praised himself for escaping the wrath of Natasha''s blade in time. However, almost instantly Shin felt a slight breeze hit his sweaty skin, prompting him to glance downwards. To his utter surprise, his combat robes had a lengthy tear, exposing his ripped body to the entire world to see. ''What?! When did she?!'' Shin cried out. Shin was confident that he had left the striking zone on time, and yet, Natasha had landed a clean hit without him knowing. Returning his gaze back to the brown-haired girl, who had assumed an Iaido stance once more, Shin dropped his jaw as his mind began to theorise what really happened in that half second. ''She must have a technique to extend her blade reach. Tsskk, she was tough before, and now you''re telling me she was hiding more?!'' With a mischievous smile, Natasha stayed in her defensive stance, unmoving. She knew that her speed draw was unparalleled in the academy and anyone within her range would be devastatingly diced to shreds by her Starlight Katana. Thus, there was no reason to be overly aggressive. ''Looks like there''s a change in plans¡­ I can''t hide anything for the next two matches¡­ She''s much better than Danroy or Suji!!!'' Chapter 260 Starlight As Bright As Day 3 As the match between Shin and Natasha was still ongoing, two brooding figures furrowed their brows the moment the young girl displayed her true might. Suji, who was widely considered to be the best weapon-type Spirit User in the freshmen year, was highly disturbed by how much Natasha had grown, and he posed a question to his partner. "Dan¡­ Are you capable of blocking that slash?" "T-That¡­ I''m not sure..." Danroy''s voice slightly quivered as his throat contracted out of fear. Even though the obese youth claimed that he was uncertain, both Suji and he knew that Natasha''s strike was sufficient to break through both their defences as if it were made of butter. "Yet another emergent talent¡­ How many more are you hiding, Imperius Academy?!" Suji''s grip on his pants tightened while spectating the odd phenomenon. Ever since he entered the school, talents that were rarely seen in decades seemed to have been popping out one after another. Initially, Kanari and Suji shared a duopoly to the claim of best in the generation. Yet, now there were more than five prodigies that could potentially threaten Kanari''s throne. "Tsskkk, let''s see how this plays out. The winner of this match would face us after all..." "..." Hearing Suji''s words, Danroy just kept silent. Although the sinewy youth didn''t think too much before uttering that statement, as a long-time friend of his, Danroy could piece together his childhood friend''s innermost thoughts. ''Suji¡­ In your eyes, I''m probably not as worthy to fight you as compared to those two down there right?'' Danroy pondered. Feeling a wave of despondency crash into his very soul, the obese youth dropped his head down wistfully. ''And you might be right¡­ Against those two, I''m probably nothing...'' ~~~ The atmosphere in the stadium started to get more and more heated after Shin and Natasha''s first exchange. Even though their movements were too swift for the naked eye, just spectating the particle effects and the aftermath of the split second bout made the audience''s eyes glitter with wonder. Through his earlier probe, Shin had learnt how dangerous it was to charge headfirst into the attacking range of Natasha''s Starlight Katana. Even though his overall speed was much faster than the young girl''s, Shin still couldn''t evade that one quickdraw ability. ''I can''t carelessly attack her! That one move is capable of ending me immediately!'' Shin cautioned himself. With Natasha on the defensive and Shin trying to find a potential weakness from afar, the two stared at one another for almost ten seconds without moving. In the heat of a battle such as this one, just one mistake would prove to be fatal. Thus, even though it looked like Shin was merely standing still, in his head, he was calculating the hundreds of potential outcomes. ''It looks like she''s going to wait until I make the first move¡­ Hmph! Did you really think that I will play into your game?!'' Shin scoffed at Natasha''s ignorance and summoned out three spheres of water. One of the water globes turned itself into eight rings that enveloped the black-haired youth, acting as a buffer for any rogue sword slashes that might end up in his area, while the other two turned into thousands of water droplets that floated in the air. ''Let''s see how you handle this!!!'' Throwing his hand down, Shin threw the thousands upon thousands of tiny water balls at the swordmaiden, creating a horizontal rain that was unaffected by gravity. "*Celestial Aura!!!*." Instead of moving from her position, Natasha released the tremendous amounts of mana stored in her Starlight Katana and created a defensive field that easily evaporated the raindrops that entered her striking zone. With every disappearing water sphere, it seemed that Shin''s long-ranged attempt had failed spectacularly, and just when the swordmaiden was feeling confident of her defence, a giant shadow darkened the sky above. Sensing danger, Natasha immediately glanced upwards, ready to take on the oncoming threat. However, what greeted her was a torrential whirlpool, made out of a dense liquid that emulated the shape of the milky way, spinning rapidly above her head. Crashing down at an astonishing speed, there was no way that Natasha''s Celestial Aura could evaporate that much water in time. Using her signature foot technique, Natasha left her Iaido stance and moved tens of metres away, evading the oncoming whirlpool. Naturally, the onslaught was part of Shin''s master plan to force the swordmaiden to leave her deadly quick draw stance, and now that her fastest attack was out of the picture, Shin jumped at a blinding speed. Her battle instincts tingling, Natasha pivoted her body in the direction of Shin''s oncoming attack and the moment she saw a lean shadow speeding towards her, the swordmaiden swung her sword from her awkward position. Caught off guard by her reflexes, Shin immediately coated himself with a glove of water and only barely managed to slap the blade away. Somersaulting once to regain her stance, Natasha swung horizontally through pure instinct, forcing her attacker to retreat once more using the Lightning Swallow Steps. ''Her movement speed is slow, but her sword is so damn quick!!!'' Shin hollered out mentally. His speed was clearly superior to Natasha''s, but he still couldn''t find an opening to exploit. On the other side of the arena, the Starlight Blade was evidently having some troubles composing herself as well. ''He broke my Iaido stance just like that?! Since when could he control water like that?!'' When Shin first came to the academy, he was cautious not to let any of his techniques leak. Thus, the student body only knew that he had promoted into the Spirit Core realm and had a knack for close-combat martial arts. Not many people knew that Shin could create and control water as he pleased, sending Natasha''s plan of solely relying on her quick draw to disarray. ''I can''t remain on the defensive! If he could continually generate gallons of water, I would just be a sitting duck!'' Switching up her plans, Natasha changed into a different stance. Her Starlight Katana shone in a celestial light as she raised her sword up with both her hands firmly attached to the hilt. "The First Waltz! Entering the Cosmos!" With a shout, Natasha sped forward, catching Shin off guard immediately. Moving in a beeline to confuse her enemy, the swordmaiden left afterimages of herself as she traversed the stage, showing off the full effect of her foot technique. Only after reaching five metres away from Shin, did the girl changed her stance to an offensive one. Natasha''s katana started to become illusory as the starlight it emitted obscured the boy''s vision. Sending a slash at the boy''s general direction, Natasha gritted her teeth as she felt her mana being drained from her body. A crescent energy blade shot out of the tip of her katana and sped forward at light speed, giving Shin no time to evade. Forced into a corner, Shin sent his water sphere before him and defended against the energy blade. However, that wasn''t enough. Immediately evaporating the water globe, Natasha''s sword light flashed forward, thirsting for the sweet, succulent flesh that Shin possessed. As a last ditch effort to protect himself, Shin threw out three of his mana enhanced needles to mitigate the strike. "*Bsssttt!!!*." Echoes of his needles being evaporated into dust sounded in Shin''s ears as the energy blade dissipated right before his eyes. His heart beating a thousand kilometres per second, Shin rubbed the cold sweat off his forehead, feeling relieved that he had escaped the Grim Reaper once more. ''That must be her second spiritual ability, Astral Slash!'' Shin reached deep into the recesses of his memory to recall Natasha''s spiritual abilities. ''Although it seems to be capable of slicing anything it comes into contact with, it looks like it has a certain range before it disappears. Perhaps ten metres?'' Immediately analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the swordmaiden''s new attack, Shin made a mental note to run whenever the signature starlight flows out of Natasha''s katana. ''Okay, let''s try this then!'' Keeping out of the Astral Slash''s range, Shin jumped high into the air and found two obvious meridian points on Natasha''s body. Picking out two more needles from his arsenal, Shin mana enhanced them and shot them both at the girl. ''Hmph! Such a telegraphed attack won''t work on me!'' Natasha sneered as she effortlessly sliced one of the flying needles and allowed the other to land straight on the ground beneath her. However, the moment she took down those two needles, a sense of dread towered over her, and the swordmaiden immediately took a defensive Iaido stance once more. Up in the air, Shin had released his spiritual pressure, and at the same time, his right fist glowed with a cerulean light. Coating his right hand with a layer of water, Shin gathered a significant portion of his mana into that one point, intending on finishing the fight with that one move. ''Hmph! You underestimate me, Shin Iofiel!!!'' Laughing off Shin''s foolish attempt, Natasha congregated her mana into her Starlight Katana and waited for the boy to enter her reach. In her Iaido stance, the girl could reach a draw speed that Shin could never hope to match. Once he reached her zone, Natasha would simply slice off the boy''s arm, making him wish that he had never belittled her in the first place. Taking the plunge, Shin''s body descended at an astonishing speed, as if he was unafraid of getting hit by Natasha''s light speed sword. Still in her Iaido stance, a sinister grin crept up the young girl''s face as she realised that she was about to defeat her opponent in the next move. Natasha''s grip on her katana''s hilt strengthened as her sword began to glimmer in a gorgeous light. The stars that lay hidden in her Celestial Aura twinkled in joy as the mana being supplied to the sword overwhelmingly increased. ''Five¡­ Four¡­'' Natasha predicted the trajectory of Shin''s descent with an expectant gaze and counted down the time to impact in her head. Looking at the unchanging face of the black-haired boy, Natasha could practically taste victory. ''Three¡­ Two...'' As Shin descended faster and faster, Natasha had to alter her counting speed slightly. Nonetheless, the fact still remained that once Shin entered her range, the young swordmaiden would have free reigns to claim his arm as her own. ''ONE!!!'' The moment Shin''s extended fist entered into her zone, Natasha''s right arm muscles flinched as she attempted to draw her blade from the Iaido stance. However, as she was midway through the attack, the young girl felt that something was amiss. ''W-What?'' Natasha''s entire world started to turn dizzy, and the mana that she had supplied to her Starlight Blade had been cut off. Her control over her body was sent into chaos as the backlash from her mana being thrown back into her spiritual body pumped her blood in the wrong direction. Before she could attempt to diagnose the problem, Shin''s fist was already in striking distance, and there was no way that the youth was going to pass up on this golden opportunity. "Soul-Piercing Fist!!!" Shin''s extended his arm and struck with all his might. Watching as the fist that she sought to cut off just seconds earlier etched ever closer to her body, Natasha could only use her Starlight Blade to defend herself meekly. "BOOOOOMMM!!!" A thunderous echo reverberated through Lucha Amphitheatre, breaking the eardrums of those who sat on the front row. Shin''s fist had collided with Natasha''s sword and had sent the poor swordmaiden flying dozens of metres away. Like a broken toy, Natasha rolled on the ground for a few seconds before finally collapsing on the stadium. A sweaty mist sizzled out from Shin''s knuckles while he attempted to recover his bearings. Even though he had landed the overwhelmingly superior strike. Natasha still managed to somehow evaporate all of his water protection and defend her vital organs from any significant harm. ''Just how skilled can one get?!'' Shin was in complete shock. Even in that disadvantaged position and given less than half a second to react, Natasha could still protect herself. Watching as the girl struggled to get to her feet, Shin dropped his jaw in wonder. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ W-What was that?" The swordmaiden''s right hand quivered uncontrollably, and her legs barely kept her standing. Panting heavily to get rid of the excess heat in her body, the young girl tasted iron in her mouth as a red liquid dripped out from the corner of her lips. After facing the backlash from her mana spiralling out of control, it took a while for Natasha to regain her bearings and attempt to figure out what went wrong. Now that she had some time to herself, Natasha could thoroughly inspect her shaking body. Sensing a sharp pain at the back of her calf, the swordmaiden glanced down to see a sharp silver needle poking into her body. Recognising it as the pin that she allowed to stick to the ground, suddenly, everything made sense to Natasha. ''So that''s how he disrupted my mana flow! He must have the ability to remotely control those needles!!!'' Natasha theorised. "Natasha!" While the young girl was still in the midst of recovering, Shin''s youthful voice echoed out from across the stadium. "Just give in¡­ You''re clearly in no shape to compete anymore. Your right arm is broken, you mana circulation is out of control, and my Divine Needle Binding doesn''t come out that easily!" Shin cautioned the swordmaiden from digging further down the rabbit hole. Although she managed to defend herself, a large portion of her right arm bones had been shattered, and her internal mana flow was still in disarray. No matter how tough Natasha was, there was no need to risk her life over a school competition. If she gave in now, Shin would undoubtedly give her the first aid that she so desperately needed. ''Divine Needle Binding? Is that why I get lightheaded every time I try to touch that silver needle?'' Natasha speculated. A typical needle strike would be simple to resolve, as simply plucking it out would be sufficient. However, with the Divine Needle Binding technique, each time Shin''s victim tried to even go near the needle, their mind would turn muddied, rendering them incapable of removing the binding on their own. Furthermore, if someone other than Shin tried to use their mana to remove the needles, the victim being pinned would enter a threshold of pain rarely felt by the human body. "Natasha! There''s no need to risk your life! Just throw in the towel!" Unwilling to attack a handicapped opponent, Shin warned the swordmaiden once more. As much as he wanted to win, there was no way that Shin would finish off a weakened foe that was unable to fight back. "Hahaha..." Natasha giggled slightly at the boy''s words. Her face turning purple as her fingers placed a firm grip on the silver needle that blocked one of her meridians. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Using laughter as a tool to mask the pain and faint sensation that pulsated through her body, Natasha hollered out: "Shin Iofiel!!! A warrior never backs down from a good fight! Throw in the towel?! Never say something that foolish again!!!" Tidal waves of dizziness came crashing into the girl''s consciousness as she yanked out the needle from her calf, stunning Shin and everyone in the audience. "ARRRRRGGHHH!!!!" The moment she pulled out the needle an ungodly agony electrified Natasha''s entire being causing her to yell out in pain. Beating the concrete floor until her hands bled, tears spewed out from Natasha''s eye ducts as she rolled around, hoping that the pain would stop. Many in the audience couldn''t bear to see the sight of Natasha suffering and quickly moved their gaze away. Even Shin, the perpetrator of Natasha''s suffering, started to tremble. Only after twenty seconds, did the young swordmaiden manage to stand up from the damage that she had sustained. "Well then¡­ Shall we continue?" Chapter 261 Starlight As Bright As Day 4 "Well then, shall we continue?" Natasha''s words echoed themselves in Shin''s mind. Instead of getting into his combat stance, the black-haired boy quietly stood there with an opened mouth. Although he didn''t have much experience with using the Divine Needle Binding technique, based on the books that he had read, no sane individual would be able to retain their wits after they pulled out the acupuncture needle that was disrupting their mana flow. ''And they called me a zombie that never gives up¡­ If I''m undead, then what is she?!'' Shin argued. The swordmaiden that stood in front of the boy, seemingly unaffected by the pain that the silver needle had inflicted onto her body, had the blood of a true warrior flowing through her veins. Natasha wasn''t one to give up just because of one setback. In fact, she would come back stronger and more resilient than ever before. Deeply sighing, Shin closed his eyes and shook his head. "Natasha¡­ I fully understand your resolve now. Forgive me for insulting you earlier." "HAHAHA!!! Come at me! Let''s enjoy this fight!!!" Bellowing out in laughter, Natasha moved her Starlight Katana from her right hand to her left side. With her dominant hand broken, the swordmaiden was unable to perform the most reliable move in her arsenal, the quick draw, and had to rely on her footwork and overall martial arts. "I won''t hold back just because you''re injured..." Taking out three new needles from his robes, Shin summoned out five water spheres, ready to hit the girl with everything that he had. "Just what I wanted!!!" Natasha cried out, jumping forward at the same time. Space distorted as the Starlight Katana in her hands emitted out its signature Celestial Aura and the mana being released from her body made Shin question if she had already condensed her Spirit Core. ''How the hell did she get more aggressive?!'' Evading the first slash, Shin used the Lightning Swallow Steps to slowly back away from the onslaught of sword light that blinded the average spectator. As much as he wished to exploit Natasha''s now weakened right hand, each time Shin attempted to move to the side, a blinding light descended onto the area where he wished to go, forcing the boy to retreat further back. "The Second Waltz! The Blanket of Shooting Stars!!!" Natasha hollered out. After awakening her Starlight Katana, the young Natasha, who had held a sword even before she could walk, used her extensive knowledge to develop her own set of sword techniques that were catered to her heavenly weapon. Making full use of the innate Celestial Aura that the Starlight Katana possessed, the swordmaiden ensured that her enemies would be blinded each time she swung her sword, giving rise to a deadly technique that gave the illusion of millions of shooting stars descending from the heavens. ''I can''t break through?!'' Shin was appalled. Even though he had the superior speed, he still couldn''t find an opening to exploit. ''Tsskkk, I can''t stay here forever!!!'' From his peripheral vision, the young boy could tell that he was about to be pushed out of the ring if he continued to back off. Sending a significant amount of mana into his thighs, Shin sprung out from his location and flew high up into the skies above. At the same time, he created another vortex of liquid destruction to cover his escape route. Once he was out of the impact distance, Shin waved his hands and sent the whirlpool crashing down on the young swordmaiden. "HARGHHH!!!" Screaming out in passion, Natasha''s Starlight Katana released a torrent of mana as an Astral Slash flowed out from its blade tip, instantly evaporating the descending attack. As the water created by Shin turned to mist, an ethereal atmosphere descended upon the arena. Falling to the other corner of the ring, Shin gathered his mana once more to create five larger water spheres that orbited around him like they were planets. Adding the fact that he had a full body of scales and three silver needles that could take down any foe in a matter of seconds, Shin looked like a descended immortal, here to inflict judgement on the mortals that crossed him. Emerging from the mist, the opposite atmosphere was felt from Natasha. Bruised and bloodied from her earlier exchange with Shin, the tenacious swordmaiden was furiously panting while firmly grasping her Starlight Katana with her left hand. Even though she had been beaten down and outclassed, Natasha never gave up. The fire in her eyes still burnt zealously and the stars in circled around in her sword sparkled even brighter than it did before. "Are the two of them really freshmen?" No one knew who asked that question. Be it average students, the elites, or those in the VIP stands, everyone was in awe at the spectacle that both Shin and Natasha were bringing. "Round of sixteen?! This is a match in the round of sixteen?! I doubt that we can even beat one of them?!" The second-year valedictorian, Lyanna grabbed the wrist of her compatriot, Angie as she commentated on the match. "Angie¡­ What the hell are we witnessing?!" "I don''t know¡­ They are just one year below us¡­ Yet how the hell did they grow so strong?!" The petite girl couldn''t fathom how Shin and Natasha grew to be that powerful. Back when they were competing in their own freshmen year-end tournament, there wasn''t even a single match that could compare to what was happening right now. "..." On the other side of the stadium, both Suji and Danroy, who were eventually going to face the winner of this match, both wore solemn expressions. "They¡­ are... strong..." Suji bit his lip as he enunciated each word of his statement. "And you''re going to face the winner of this match next..." "Yeah..." Danroy clenched his fists while he replied. As much as he hated to admit it, Danroy knew that he was inferior to the both of them, making him extensively worried about his next match. Of course, not all of the audience was shocked at the current turn of events. Lady Seph, who had been formulating strategies with Shin days before, was happily sipping on her tea while enjoying the stunned faces of those in the VIP lounge. Even the ordinarily unreadable face of the Duchess of Highgarden that smiled twenty-four hours of the day had changed into a stoic one. Evidently, she had been taken aback by Shin''s performance. "Venerate Seraphim¡­ Your disciple is quite the piece of work huh?" "Thank you. I have raised him well." "But aren''t you a little too relaxed?" The Duchess questioned the blonde beauty''s nonchalance. "From what I see, the daughter from the Aldana family is a little too skilled at martial arts, and your disciple has yet to break through her movements?" "Don''t worry about that. Shin will find a way¡­ He always does..." "I see..." The Duchess marvelled at how much faith Lady Seph had in her precious disciple. ''Well, let''s see how much more you can surprise me, little one...'' ~~~ Now that he had reached the later stages of the battle, Shin''s mind blocked out any thoughts of his surroundings as his vision only focused on the swordmaiden that stood at the other corner of the arena. Shin had even forgotten that he was fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals as his mind furiously calculated all of the variables for his next successful attack. ''A long-range attack like the whirlpool vortex would be evaporated by Natasha''s Astral Slash while close-combat is completely neutralised by her superior sword arts. Hell, how is she able to move after sustaining those injuries?!'' Wholly disturbed at how the young swordmaiden was able to resist defeat, Shin gritted his teeth. ''I should be the one driving her to the corner, but her movements are way too sharp! Tskkk, the only thing that I can do is go head to head with her, and hope she leaves an opening.'' Shin opted to use his superior speed to his advantage and evade the oncoming onslaught that was expected to occur. ''Let''s open with this!'' Opening up his palm, Shin turned two of the water orbs around him into twenty tendrils with a human fist for a tip. Slamming all of the tendrils concurrently at Natasha''s location, Shin hoped to move the young swordmaiden from her original position. Judging by how powerful Natasha''s strikes were, even after being injured externally and internally, Shin had decided to tire the girl down using a combination of long-range and close-combat attacks. Once her mana had been thoroughly depleted, Shin would then swoop in for the finishing move. Unfortunately, there was no way that Natasha would play into the cunning boy''s pace. "*Zsssstttt!!!*." Sending an Astral Slash, the size of a tidal wave crashing at the twenty water tendrils, Natasha immediately evaporated the weak attacks. Leaping off her feet, the Celestial Aura surrounding the Starlight Katana shone brightly as her figure became illusory. "The First Waltz! Entering the Cosmos!!!" Natasha closed in the distance between Shin and her as quickly as a falcon diving down for its prey, slicing and dicing any of the remnant tendrils that were in her path. Although Shin was caught off guard by Natasha''s aggression, the young boy kept his calm and sent a palm strike, coated with a glove of water, straight at the swordmaiden. Through pure instinct, Natasha parried the oncoming attack using her left arm, leaving her weakened right side unguarded for a brief moment. ''NOW!!!'' Thinking that it was his chance, Shin turned half a round to allow the silver needles in his right hand to exploit the weakness that he had found. However, instead of landing his hits, Shin realised that something was amiss mid-turn. From the corner of his eyes, he could see a brilliant downpour of heavenly light akin to that of a meteor shower. ''Shit!!!'' Panicking, Shin used his Lightning Swallow Steps to evade the onslaught of strikes and just barely managed to get out of range. However, as he stumbled, a celestial sword light came flashing in his direction. ''Astral Slash again?! How many of those can she shoot?'' Jumping back until he was ten metres away, Shin watched while the salient light dissipated into nothingness. ''Thankfully, I calculated its range beforehand!'' Before he could even complete lauding his earlier self, Natasha took advantage of Shin''s shock and sped forward once more with her first sword technique. Only when she was within striking distance did she swing her Starlight Katana once more. "The Second Waltz! The Blanket of Shooting Stars!!!" ''Tskkk, it won''t work on me again!!!'' Experiencing the technique before, Shin immediately pounced up into the sky, to completely neutralise the swordplay that blinded its opponent. However, Shin''s aerial evasion was precisely what Natasha had hoped for. Abruptly stopping her charge, Natasha switched stances once more, this time, she one-handed the Starlight Katana in the opposite direction and crouched down like a ninja. Now that Shin was in the sky, he had no means of using his superior speed to evade Natasha''s strikes. The swordmaiden congregated her mana once more and launched herself heavenward as if she were a rocket entering the stratosphere. The Starlight Katana in her hands began glimmering as the mana being supplied to it doubled in quantity. Spinning three times, Natasha positioned herself right above the airborne Shin and hollered out her final move, hoping to end the match right there and then. "The Third Waltz! STARFALL!!!!!!!!!!!" Combining her Astral Slash with the strongest aerial strike that she had, Natasha created a patch of dark space and stars, even though the sun was still shining radiantly up high in the empyrean above. All of her prior moves, feints and techniques, had all boiled down to this final moment. If she landed her sword, Shin would undoubtedly be sent to the hospital, in search of emergency aid. However, if she missed, the swordmaiden would be utterly depleted of her mana, essentially becoming a sitting duck for Shin to toy with. "..." While watching the celestial phenomenon that Natasha had created, Shin''s eyes glistened in awe as he felt a tremendous amount of respect and marvel for his opponent. Being someone who trained tirelessly to become strong, Shin knew that for Natasha to reach this level, a considerable amount of sacrifice was necessary. ''It''s a pity¡­ If you faced another foe, perhaps you would have gone all the way to the semifinals¡­ Unfortunately, you''ve met me in this round.'' Shin shook his head as he watched the descending swordlight edge closer and closer to his body. ''It''s my win, Natasha!!!'' "BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!" A thunderous blast broke through the grounds of the arena, instantly shredding the added enchantments that had been applied to it. Thick black soot rose from the impact crater and remnants of the mana used flowed out into the air, distorting the vision of the square instantly. The referee who was supposed to adjudicate the match had long retreated into a safe location and was therefore unable to accurately determine what had happened, sending the audience into disarray. "What the hell?! Did you see who won?!" "I don''t know! Everything went blurry for a moment there!" "Tch, you''re useless!!!" Of course, it wasn''t just the regular students who were confused, even elites like Kanari and Suji had no idea what transpired in that millisecond. Only the eagle-eyed spectators in the VIP stands knew who the winner of the match was. As the smoke began to clear, the first person that came to view was a panting Natasha. Her forehead sweating and eyes dilated, the young swordmaiden could barely keep her wits as she used her Starlight Katana as a walking stick to prevent herself from falling. Only after a brief two seconds that she used to regain her breath, did Natasha click her tongue in annoyance. ''I¡­ missed?'' When she used her big finishing move, instead of hitting the soft flesh of Shin, Natasha''s sword sliced through empty space, and her Astral Slash was sent flying into the ground. ''How did he dodge while in the air?! It doesn''t make any sense!!!'' Raising her head, the swordmaiden saw a black-haired boy, whose entire skin had been turned into scales, sauntering towards her. In his hands, eight silver needles reflected the gleaming sunlight, briefly blinding the young girl for a moment. "H-ho¡­ H-how?" Barely able to speak, Natasha tried her best to question the youth. "Let''s just say, a magician never reveals his tricks." Shin''s legs turned illusory as he performed his signature Lightning Swallow Steps for the final time. Instantly appearing behind the weakened swordmaiden, Shin inserted all of the eight silver acupuncture needles into Natasha''s greater meridians, completing the Divine Needle Binding technique. "Sorry, just stand still for a bit¡­ I can''t have you pulling any more tricks." The Divine Needle Binding was potent enough to disrupt Natasha''s mana when only one needle was inserted into her body. Now that the technique was fully executed, the swordmaiden was in a state of complete paralysis. Her mana flow fully sealed and her movements barred like an encased butterfly, there was nothing that Natasha could do to fight back. "Senior¡­ Please announce the winner of this match!" Shin screamed out to the teacher that had flown far away from the arena. "A-ah¡­ Yes! Winner, Shin Iofiel!!!" ~~~~~ From now on, Author''s Thoughts will be placed at the end of the chapter, since in-built system only allows for 500 characters. Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 262 The Final Eight 1 The moment the referee roared out Shin as the winner of the match, the faces of the entire audience had turned blank. Even though they had expected a close bout with the Black-Haired Tyrant somehow pulling out a win, never in their wildest dreams did they think that they were about to witness one of the greatest tournament fights that had ever occurred on Imperius Academy grounds. A deathly silence hung over Lucha Amphitheatre while Shin carefully pulled out the silver needles that sealed Natasha''s movements. Being the executioner of the Divine Needle Binding technique, only Shin knew how to safely release the swordmaiden from her shackles. "You''re free now. If you feel any discomfort in the following days, feel free to approach me. I''ll do my best to treat you." Shin gently warned Natasha. Even though there shouldn''t be any adverse side effects, it was better to be safe than sorry. If Shin had ruined the prodigy swordmaiden''s future just because of this one match, he would be prickled with a pang of severe guilt for the rest of his life. "No, I don''t feel any pain¡­ Just really tired..." Natasha swept her hand as she tried to quell the wave of dizziness that impeded her mind, and who could blame her? After breaking her dominant arm, feeling the backlash of mana, bombarded with numerous water whirlpools and eventually, depleting her mana till there was very little remaining, it was a miracle that Natasha could remain conscious of this long. "Honestly, what are you made off? How could you last for that long in battle?" While Shin did a preliminary check on Natasha''s body, the young boy enquired about the swordmaiden''s resilience. "I could say the same about you. Not many have faced my waltz and walked out unscathed, you know?" Natasha giggled, combating her urge to faint. "But I have to thank you for that fight¡­ I needed something like that to reignite my passion for growing. Recently, it has become rather boring." As the top swordmaster in her generation, there weren''t many adversaries that could bring Natasha to the brink. In that fight with Shin, the swordmaiden learnt multiple flaws in her techniques and was exposed to a whole other side of a battle. While she favoured overwhelming her opponent with flamboyant strikes that utterly destroyed their will to live, Shin''s combat techniques were a lot more calculating. From the sheer versatility of his attacks to analysing how his opponent would react to certain situations. In fact, the whole reason why Natasha lost the fight was because she let her guard down for one second and allowed Shin''s flying needle to pierced through her greater meridian on her thigh. There was so much that she could learn from the bout that she had with Shin, and after a session of proper reflection, the swordmaiden would be sure to up her game. "Is it common for those from the Aldana household to thank the person that beat them in battle?" Shin merrily jokes. "Haha, no! But it is common courtesy to ask for a rematch!!! Give me some time! I will definitely train hard enough so that the next time we fight, I won''t be the one that''s lying on the ground!!!" Natasha declared, her face beaming with delight. Even though she was the loser, the young girl didn''t give up hope and remained optimistic about her chances to beat Shin in the future. ''A stronger Starlight Blade? Do you really want me to die, Natasha?!'' Shin mentally hollered out. The bout with her nearly pulled out everything that he had, something that he had hoped to reserve for his following matches against Danroy or Suji. If the swordmaiden grew even more mighty, there was a high chance that Shin would be beaten to the ground in a few seconds flat. Of course, there was no way that Shin would voice out that opinion. "Fine, I''ll be waiting..." "Hahaha, now that''s the warrior spirit! Ah, by the way¡­ I''m just going to take a little nap¡­ My head is spinning like mad..." "By all means, Natasha. Thank you for the match." Shin smiled as he watched the young girl fall deeper into the Garden of Hypnos. Before he could call on the referee to bring the injured Natasha back to an infirmary, the reality of the situation hit him like a baseball bat. Throughout the battle, he had spent all of his brain cells thinking about how he was to overcome the adversary that was Natasha. However, now that it was accomplished, the Shin was given the freedom to reflect on what had happened. ''I beat Natasha¡­ I''m in the final eight?'' Shin raised his hands in exhilaration. Why did he spend hundreds of hours training tirelessly? Wasn''t because of this precise moment? ''I''m two matches away from the finals! I''m two matches away from the final!!!'' Reverting back to his childlike self, Shin resisted the urge to hop around the arena. Turning his gaze to the audience, the youth met eyes with a particular pair of teenage boys. One was moderately obese with full cheeks, akin to that of a squirrel, while the other was a muscular, well-built boy, who seemed nothing like a fifteen, sixteen-year-old. Both of them were frowning while spectating the entire match, as they now knew what was to come. ''Danroy¡­ Suji¡­ You guys are next!!!'' Shin declared. ''Danroy, I will show you how much I have grown since the last time you manhandled me!!!'' There was no need for words. Even though they were separated by a great distance, Shin''s intense feelings resonated with the two youths. Earlier on in the year, they had thought of the boy as an insignificant threat that they could squash at any moment. However, recent events had proved that Shin was far from a country bumpkin that knew nothing of the world. "Dan¡­ You have to win." Suji scoffed at Shin''s declaration of war and angrily jumped out of his seat, leaving his childhood friend alone in the stands. ''Yeah¡­ Easier said than done...'' Danroy dropped his head and felt a tingling cold manifest all over his body. If someone poured a bucket of iced water onto his chest, Danroy was certain that he wouldn''t feel a thing, that''s how much melancholy he was facing at the moment. In just a few days, the quarterfinals would start, and he would have to face Shin in the ring. However, after a performance like that, even Danroy was tempted to call it quits even before his match with the Black-Haired Tyrant had begun. ''Whatever¡­ I''ll just take it as it comes...'' Despondently watching as Shin helped the medics to carry Natasha out, Danroy felt as if he were pricked by a thousand needles, as he thought of his next match with the monster. ~~~ The match between Shin and Natasha sent shockwaves throughout the academy and was quickly being referred to as the match of the year. From Shin''s expert display of precision to Natasha''s swordplay, which was indisputably the best set of sword arts ever showcased in the academy, each aspect of the bout was a feast for the eyes. The names of the Starlight Blade and the Black-Haired Tyrant started to become more dominant as even final year seniors were beginning to pay attention, catapulting the two of them to the top of the fame hierarchy. And it was still just the second match in the round of sixteen!!! With the audience hyped up for the rest of the afternoon, many of the spectators hoped to witness an even more stellar match. Unfortunately, the opposite rang true for the most part. In the western bracket, the two remaining matches were Suji Lasgeor versus Biiro Daniels and Lorraine Grimley versus Jamie Young. Suji took the easy win, as everyone expected, by smashing his opponent''s spiritual abilities to pieces. His Purple Dragon Crescent Blade showed its hegemony at the top of the weapon-type Spirit food chain through its excessive use of lightning and thunder, bringing fear to all those who witnessed its splendour. For the final match in the western bracket, Lorraine Grimley versus Jamie Young, the two opponents were much more equal in might, giving rise to a tense bout where Lorraine barely got the win. Nonetheless, it wasn''t able to beat the level of entertainment that the Shin-Natasha match brought. In the eastern bracket, Kanari was automatically sent straight to the quarterfinals due to Isadore forfeiting the match right before it started. The next match, Emma Iofiel versus Emmanuel Wensan, was a tough contested fight. Although Emma had shown heart in the battle and had tried her hardest for ten minutes straight, the young sniper ultimately fell to the overwhelming physical powers of Emmanuel, eliminating her at the round of sixteen. Straight after the purple-haired girl''s match, Kanari immediately ran to comfort her and jokingly swore to exact vengeance for Emma once she faced Emmanuel in the quarterfinals, bringing out a couple of laughs from the distraught girl. Of course, when Emmanuel overheard that statement, cold sweat began to drip down his back and eventually, his shirt got drenched as if he were campaigning through a rainforest experiencing a torrential downpour. The final two matches in the eastern bracket were the most underwhelming ones. For the Shizen Dundlewoods versus Miguel Thornton match, there literally nothing that Miguel could have done to defeat the nature boy''s Adivinar Tree. In fact, a large portion of the bout, Shizen was just standing there and letting Miguel pound down on his defences. However, it was to no avail. After two minutes, Shizen got bored and ended the match through a combination of binding and hammering his opponent with his created roots, until Miguel eventually fell unconscious. As for the Sonya Harding versus Melanie Lyfrithe match, there was not much to say. The two contestants did their best and fought to their heart''s content. Being fellow members of the Star Class, the two had clashed multiple times before, and they were even sparring partners for a large portion of the academic year. Therefore, they were perhaps the most equal matchup in the entire round of sixteen. Only after twenty minutes of hard grinding, did Melanie beat her partner, to claim the final spot in the top eight. Danroy, Shin, Suji, Lorraine, Kanari, Emmanuel, Shizen and Melanie. These were the eight names that would go on to the quarterfinals of the year-end tournament. Naturally, with them being so high up in the rankings, they were bound to receive a tremendous amount of resources as rewards for their excellence. However, there was a considerable disparity between the prizes given out to the top eight as compared to the top three. The third place of the entire cohort, inclusive of those from the auxiliary course, would be granted a personal cultivation chamber for three months, hundreds of medicinal pills to enhance one''s body, unlimited access to the forbidden section of the library for two months; and finally, they were given the privilege to ask for private tutoring sessions from any member of the faculty. For the salutatorian spot, their personal cultivation chambers were granted for half a year instead of three months. In addition, alongside the medicinal pills, the salutatorian had the right to request for one precious treasure resource that would enhance their cultivation level, regardless of the rarity. As for their access to the forbidden books, hidden to the public eye, the salutatorian had the right to read any books that he or she wanted for four months. Furthermore, when asking for tutoring sessions, the salutatorian could even ask members from the administration, such as Principal Erudito or Vice-Principal Hirda to be their mentors. And last but not least, the valedictorian. The most coveted spot in the entire cohort. Being the valedictorian would guarantee resources and services that would even make Princes of the Empire drool with envy. For one full year, the valedictorian would be given the right to stay in their own personal cultivation chambers, and unlimited access to whichever forbidden zone they pleased. For their own cultivation resources, they were given the right to choose three precious treasure resources from the Academy vault, which housed some of the most valuable spiritual herbs and pills that weren''t available on the marketplace. Additionally, they could request for a Spirit Venerate Elder, who was affiliated with Imperius academy, to come and give personal lessons. However, the most potent privilege that the valedictorian was granted isn''t any of the resource mentioned above, but the right to alter one part of the academy to their liking. For instance, should Shin claim the valedictorian spot, he had the right to ask the academy to create an artificial lake, where The Sovereign Koi thrived the most, in whichever location he chose. Naturally, this privilege was the driving force for many of the students in the academy to aim for the valedictorian spot, and every one of those in the final eight was aiming for that very right. As day turned to night, the heat of the tournament had died down, and students had all retreated to their humble abodes to recharge. For Shin and the other final eight contestants, their next match was about a week from now. Thus they were given ample time to prepare for their final matches. While the black-haired youth was diving deeper and deeper into his mattress, a soft knock on the door snapped the tired eyes of Shin''s wide open. "Shin, do you have a moment?" Isadore''s voice sounded out from the hallway, beckoning for Shin to open the door. "What is it?" Shin rubbed his eyes and shook off his fatigue as he gingerly opened the door. "Hmmm? Why are you in combat attire?" Scanning the petite body of the silver-haired boy, Shin immediately noticed that something was amiss. At a darkened hour such as this one, most students had already changed into something more comfortable to prepare for bed. Yet, there Isadore stood, with a formal combat attire that had been ironed so finely that Shin was sure that an emergency had occurred. "I have to talk to you¡­ Can you spare an hour?" "Sure, come on in." "No, we have to go somewhere with fewer ears and eyes¡­ The dormitories aren''t necessarily the best place to discuss what I''m about to say..." Isadore lowered his voice while leaning in on the tired youth. "I have gained access to a training facility, we can talk there." "..." Shin was sceptical about Isadore''s cryptic tone but still decided to trust him for now. "Alright, give me a moment. Let me change and get my stuff." "I''ll be at training yard seven..." Instead of explaining himself, Isadore turned his back and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Shin with a few simple words. "What''s wrong with him?" Shin pondered. He had known the silver-haired boy for about a year now, but he had never once seen Isadore acting this queer. "Whatever, I''ll find out soon anyway..." Donning on his formal training attire, Shin grabbed his trusted backpack and sauntered out into the darkness of the academy night. ~~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 263 The Final Eight 2 The world darkened as the gibbous moon hung high up in the celestial heavens. Even though it had been raining over these couple of days, the sky was void of clouds, bringing the enormous patch of heavenly stars into view. While the rest of the student population were tucked in and ready to go to bed, Shin and Isadore were staring at one another in an empty training yard, as if unaware of how late it was. "How did you get permission to enter here? Madam Warulee is quite strict about the opening hours of this facility." Shin enquired. Based on his personal experience, the administration of the academy rarely bent the rules for any student, regardless of their background. "I have my methods¡­ But that''s not the point..." Isadore shook his head as he walked to the centre of the training yard. His posture flinching slightly, the young boy seemed apprehensive to bring up the topic that he truly wanted to discuss. "What''s the matter?" "Shin¡­ Do you consider me as your friend?" "Huh?" Taken aback by the sudden question, Shin furrowed his brows. "What are you going on about? Are you high?" "Just answer the question, Shin! Am I your friend?!" "..." Shin folded his arms as he watched the silver-haired boy exploded with fervour. Even though he didn''t know what was going on in Isadore''s mind, Shin sensed that his reply must be sincere and without any falsehood. Otherwise, something terrible might occur. Reflecting on the past year, Shin thought back to the numerous moments where he and Isadore interacted. From the first day of the orientation week to the times where Isadore shared the intelligence that his ''vast information network'' had unearthed, Shin recollected all those moments. Even the simple times where they would bicker back and forth about the smallest of issues. Thinking back, if Isadore wasn''t there, Shin felt that his life would have been much more grey. "Don''t ask that kind of idiotic question, Isadore. If we aren''t friends then what are we?" Shin retorted, pissed off that the silver-haired boy would even suggest otherwise. "Shin¡­ You''re right. Looks like Principal Erudito was correct about you..." Hearing the black-haired youth''s answer, Isadore smiled bitterly to himself. "Shin, since we''re friends, I have a present for you." Bringing out his right hand, the air began to distort as mana flowed out of the young boy''s pores. Being a Spirit Apostle, there was no way that Isadore could produce spiritual pressure, but for some reason, Shin felt his skin crawl and his spine tingle the moment the petite boy''s mana hit the air. "Isadore, you..." Words failed to escape Shin''s mouth as he watched one of his best friends in the academy seemingly change into a different person. Although his outward appearance remained unchanged, the atmosphere around Isadore was screaming out in fear, as if it was trying to escape an indomitable warrior that mowed down his enemies with impunity. In a brilliant silver flash, a divine spear, whose tip appeared to be capable of ripping open the firmament, manifested itself in Isadore''s hands. Right beneath the spear tip, a thick metallic chain, made out of a mystical material that could bind anything that it encased, tremored slightly. Although he had seen the Spirit once before, Shin never had a close look at how Isadore''s spear really looked like. Initially, he thought that it was a regular weapon-type Spirit with some peculiarities, but now that Shin had a closer look, he could tell that Isadore''s Spirit was anything but ordinary. "Shin, as you may have guessed. I''m not a commoner that has no ties to High Society. However, neither am I a prevalent part of the aristocratic circle. In fact, there are very few people who know that I exist." "What do you mean?" "I can''t divulge too much for now¡­ However, you have to trust me on this." Isadore shook his head as he recalled the hardships that he had to go through as a child. How alone he was in that dark and desolate place. Nonetheless, that time had long past. Now, he had friends and had forged lasting relationships that would last for a lifetime. "Although I''m not publicly known, I have learnt much about High Society during my years growing up. Including the Lasgeor martial arts." Disappearing from Shin''s sight, Isadore bolted forward with his spear over his shoulders. Instantly breaching the distance between them in less than a blink of an eye, Isadore slammed down his spear in a huge arc, stunning the unprepared Shin in the process. ''Shit!'' Shin cursed as he executed the Lightning Swallow Steps, barely dodging Isadore''s strike in the process. Naturally, with its target missing, Isadore''s spear slammed into the concrete ground sending dust and granite flying in all directions as he created an impact crater. "What the hell?! Are you trying to kill me?!" Shin furiously reprimanded Isadore. "Of course not! I knew that you would dodge that strike with ease." "..." Rendered speechless by Isadore''s retort, Shin squinted his eyes in anger. Also, he was absolutely appalled at how skilled the silver-haired boy really was. ''How the hell is he able to move that fast?! He''s way faster than Natasha!!'' "By the way, that strike is one of the Lasgeor family''s signature moves. The Tiger leaps across the Great Wall. Do well to remember it, I assume that Suji would use that move as an opening." "How do you know all of this? Don''t tell me you''re..." "Before you speculate, no, I''m not part of the Lasgeor family, nor am I the descendant of any aristocratic families. My roots lie much deeper in the Empire''s history..." Cryptically dropping some hints about his heritage, Isadore changed his expression and kept his mouth shut, hinting that he wasn''t going to reveal anything more. ''Deeper in the Empire''s history? Could Isadore be an Imperial?!'' Shin hypothesised. ''No, that doesn''t make sense. All of the Princes and Princess are publically known! Furthermore, the Imperial Bloodline is easily identifiable through their emerald coloured eyes and smooth flowing hair akin to that of a Dragon''s Beard, both of which are things that Isadore lacks!!!'' "Are you a..." "I''m sorry, Shin. I can''t tell you more than I already have. Eventually, I might be able to explain everything to you, but now''s not the time¡­ What''s more pressing is that you learn all of Suji and Danroy''s martial arts, so that you will have some sort of idea on how to counter them!" Abruptly changing the subject, Isadore increased the amount of mana being supplied to his spear, forcing Shin to unconsciously step back. "Ready yourself, I''m going to double my speed." "You what?!" Shin widened his eyes in horror. Isadore was already way faster than the majority of the elites in the cohort. Yet, he was saying that he could increase it even further? "Ready yourself. I''ll show you all of the martial arts that Suji had mastered." "Tch! Fine!" Summoning out The Sovereign Koi, Shin covered himself in cerulean coloured scales and assumed his standard battle stance. "Show me what you''ve got!!!" ~~~ "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah..." Three hours had passed since Shin first stepped into the training yard to meet with Isadore and currently, the young black-haired teen was sprawled out on all fours, trying his hardest to catch his breath. On the other side of the field, a totally pristine Isadore, who appeared to have next to no sweat glands, stood with a jubilant expression. His combat attire lacked any signs of creases while his gorgeous silver-hair remained intact, wholly unaffected by the rampant smashing that he had performed just moments prior. "I have shown you all of the moves that Suji might use in your fight. So, what do you think?" Isadore questioned the youth who was fatigued beyond belief. "How the hell are you able to stand after moving that frantically?! To think that you have been hiding the fact that you''re a martial arts master!!!" Instead of replying Isadore''s question, Shin hollered out in anger. During the three hour period where Isadore ''trained'' him, the boy was outclassed in both martial arts and speed. Even though Shin had condensed his Spirit Core and had made an active effort to increase his overall agility and speed, Shin couldn''t even land a single hit on Isadore''s body. Seismic combination? Neutralised. Divine Needle Binding? Evaded. Soul-Piercing Fist? Parried. Each and every one of his martial arts wasn''t effective on the silver-haired youth, and eventually, Shin was unable to bear the strain no longer as he ran out of stamina. Isadore, on the other hand, was in the pink of health and even had the energy to lecture the boy about the strengths and weakness of the Lasgeor martial arts that he had shown. "Well, you never did ask if I was one." "It''s not like you would tell me anyway!" "Haha, you''re right. Anyways, now that I have taught you about the Lasgeor family martial arts, I''ll tell you how to beat Danroy as well." Spinning his spear casually, Isadore walked forward to help Shin to his feet. "Ah, there''s no need for that. I can handle Danroy on my own." "Hmmm?" Isadore raised his eyebrows at the boy''s words. "You do know that arrogance is the key to failure right?" "Hahaha, I''m well aware of that. But I''m not arrogant, just confident." Turning his back, Shin hurried to his backpack and brought out a thick manual which was creased and yellowed. Flipping through the book, Shin reached a particular page and handed it over to Isadore. "Here, have a look." "T-This is!" It only took one glance at the contents of the page for Isadore to drop his jaw in amazement. In the manual, Shin had recorded a considerable amount of details about Danroy''s fighting style, the Bangeo Rhinoceros known strengths and weaknesses, and even little stuff like what habits does Danroy have when fighting. Additionally, there were multiple strategies and counters that Shin had devised using the knowledge that he had. ''So much information¡­ Some of which are things that I don''t even know about?!'' Isadore was floored. "How did you acquire this much information?" "A combination of research and experience. Remember the bout I had with Danroy earlier on in the year where I got handled like a ragdoll?" "Yeah..." "After I figured out that I couldn''t beat him, I did some tests and probing, hoping to find issues with Danroy''s form, fighting habits, or anything that I could use when I inevitably have to face him again. I wasn''t just letting him beat me down for no reason you know?" Shin explained everything. "Don''t worry about my match with Danroy. There''s only one outcome for that match, and that is my victory." "..." Isadore kept silent as he read through all of the notes that Shin had taken down once more. ''He gathered all of this information while he was being shoved about?! What an absolute monster! No wonder he became so powerful in just one year!'' Isadore had been training in martial arts for his entire life. From a young age, he was exposed to the cream of the crop and had only been training with those who were much stronger than him. However, none of them even came close to the potential that Shin had shown. His innate comprehension ability and instincts for battle were unheard off, at least for the young Isadore. ''If he had been training in the combatant path like I was, what heights could he have reached?!'' The silver-haired boy couldn''t help but wonder. "Shin, what are your plans for the upcoming week? How are you going to train to fight Danroy and Suji?" "Hmmm, I was planning on doing the usual training, what about it?" "Let me in on that. I''ll use the Lasgeor family martial arts to prepare you for your bout with Suji. As for Danroy, I''m sure that you can handle that yourself." "Isadore¡­ Thank you." Unsure of how he could repay the youth, Shin simply offered his gratitude. "Haha, don''t mention it. If you really want to thank me, go out there and win!" "I''ll do my best¡­" ~~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 264 Danroy Frithron 1 Lucha Amphitheatre. The Quarterfinals. A week had passed since the round of sixteen for the freshmen cohort ended. Following that, the year two to year five seniors all competed in their own respective round of sixteen matches, bringing together some of the most entertaining matchups for the entire student body to enjoy. Naturally, for those who made it to the finals, such as Shin and Danroy, they were all focused on their own respective matches and were unable to spectate any of those matches. Speaking of Shin, the young black-haired boy had been spending almost all of his time analysing and learning about Suji''s martial arts from Isadore. To his utter surprise, not only did Isadore know every single one of the Lasgeor family''s moves, but the silver-haired spearmaster was also proficient in hundreds, if not thousands of other styles. Showing off dozens of potential moves that Suji might employ during his bout, Isadore displayed how much of a master he really was. In fact, Shin even hypothesised that Isadore was as knowledgeable as Mychael, a Spirit King who had decades of experience under his belt. Like a sponge, Shin absorbed all of the information that was handed down to him, and within two days, he had learnt everything there was to know about the martial arts that Suji might employ. With an added confidence, he turned his sights to a much bigger prey¡­ The indomitable hurdle that no freshmen could ever hope to cross. The Witch in the South, Kanari Saniela. Unfortunately, even after consulting Isadore, Shin was unable to get a straight answer on how he could potentially defeat the most talented figure that the Himmel Empire had produced. Isadore told Shin that Kanari was not only proficient in the martial arts employed by the Duchy of Highgarden, but also hundreds of other styles that suited her Kumiho fighting style, so much so that even he didn''t know what martial arts she would use. Furthermore, she rarely relied on her close-combat powers to decimate her opponent. Just by using her three innate abilities, the majority of her foes would grovel at her feet, begging for her to spare their lives. Getting the new information about Kanari, Shin felt a throbbing headache pulsating through his mind. As much as he wished to claim the valedictorian spot, with Kanari in his way, there was possibly no chance of him ever getting that sweet position. Ultimately, Shin decided to focus on the two matches ahead of him before he fully commits to fighting Kanari. "BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!" Echoes of heavy drum beats resonated throughout the stadium, as the morning birds chirped merrily in tune. Since there were twenty matches in the quarterfinals event, it was split into two days with freshmen, second, and third-year matches being contested on the first day, and the fourth and fifth years would have their matches on the second. After the two days, the semifinals would be held on its own day, since there were only ten matches left and the overall finals would be held two days from then. The quarterfinals of the year-end tournament would begin at eight o'' clock sharp, with the freshmen taking the stage first. However, even though there was over an hour until the stipulated time, Lucha Amphitheatre was already filled to the brim, as everyone in the academy eagerly awaited the first match of the day. Why? "Shin Iofiel versus Danroy Frithron! Place your odds here!" A bookie hollered out from the foot of the stands, hoping to get some of the audience''s'' attention. "I can''t wait for the match to start! I''ve heard that there was bad blood between the two." One sixth-year senior gossiped. "What are you talking about?" "Earlier on in the year, Danroy challenged the Black-Haired Tyrant when he barely knew any martial arts, because he was jealous about Shin''s cultivation level or something. In the end, Danroy mauled the Black-Haired Tyrant as if he was a broken doll." "There was such an incident? Wow, Danroy must be regretting it now huh? Now that he''s so powerful, the Black-Haired Tyrant would love to right that wrong huh?" "Exactly!!! Also, I''ve heard that Suji Lasgeor, the Son of War, apparently challenged the Black-Haired Tyrant as well. After all, Suji is in the same camp as Danroy." "And if the Black-Haired Tyrant defeats Danroy and Suji wins his own match, they would be facing one another?! Haha, what is this some kind of drama?" "That''s why everyone is so interested in this match!!!" The gossipmongers among the sixth years joyfully chattered away as the opening match drew ever closer. Back in the contestants resting area, Shin was sitting alone while grasping on the amethyst pendant. Earlier on in the tournament, he had waves of nervousness, that numbed his entire body whenever he thought of the hundreds of eyes that were monitoring his every move. However, after a handful of bouts, Shin had grown accustomed to the bizarre atmosphere, and all that remained was his determination to win. "Shin, how are you feeling?" While he was in the middle of his prayers, a mystical voice, one akin to that of an angel''s feather, called out to Shin. "Kanari? I''m doing fine¡­" Shin greeted the divine beauty with a friendly smile. Even though they were competitors, the two tried their best to block that fact out as they interacted without awkwardness. "Hehe, then that''s good." Brushing her skirt, Kanari took the seat next to Shin. "A penny for your thoughts?" "There''s nothing much to say¡­ I''m just looking forward to my match with Danroy, that''s all." Shin succinctly replied. At the other corner of the contestant''s resting area, an obese youth was dazed out, staring into space like a lifeless machine. Seated next to him was a sinewy, tanned youth, whose aura screamed confidence, unlike his fellow compatriot, who seemed downcast. "Hmmm, are you confident?" "Of course I am¡­ I have been preparing for this match for nearly an entire year..." "Haha, I see! I see! I''m looking forward to your match then!" Just as the pair were about to continue on with their ramblings, a loud horn reverberated through the arena, sending shockwaves all around the stadium. The audience members all quietened down as they eagerly waited for the horns to end. After one excruciating minute, the music dimmed down as an announcer stepped out to the podium, bringing smiles to the spectators'' faces. "It''s starting..." Shin tightened his grip on his hand and took one final glimpse at Danroy. "I''ll finally get to redeem myself." "Students of Imperius Academy, members of the faculty, and esteemed guests! WELCOME TO THE QUARTERFINALS!!!" The female announcer beamed in delight and screamed out with great energy. "OHHHHH!!!" The hyped up crowd all cheered in response. Even though it was early in the morning, the vigour that the spectators showed far exceeded anything that the announcer has ever seen. It was as if all of them had won the lottery and were jumping about in celebration. "The year-end tournament brings together the best of the combat-course, and all of the remaining contestants have fought tooth and nail for their spot in the final eight. They are the best that Imperius Academy has to offer, ergo they are the best in the entire Himmel Empire!!!" "OHHHHHH!!!" "That''s right, the matchups that will proceed are filled to the brim with talent, so much so that I''m bubbling with anticipation, just like you guys! Hehe~" The female announcer continued to hype up the crowd, before proceeding to more official information. "For the first segment of the quarterfinals, the freshmen cohort would be competing first. Shall I introduce you to the first four matches?" "YEAAAHHHH!!!" "Hehe~ I thought so! Firstly, in the western bracket! We have the first match of the day AND the first match of the year-end tournament QUARTERFINALS!!! The second seed of the tournament would be facing the fifth seed! It is a matchup that everyone here so desperately wants to see¡­ Shin Iofiel VERSUS Danroy Frithron!!!" At that moment, the crowd exploded as the images of Shin and Danroy appeared on the screen. While the audience was being goaded by the energetic female announcer, a teacher entered into the contestant''s resting area to call out to both Shin and Danroy. "Shin Iofiel, Danroy Frithron, please follow me. We have to reach the gates before the introductions are concluded." "I understand." Standing up from his position, Shin walked over to the teacher. "Kanari, I''m going." "Yeah, good luck!" "Thanks..." As the two contestants gathered behind the teacher, Shin analysed the obese youth standing next to him, hoping to find any flaws that could bring merit to the fight. To his utter surprise, Danroy was completely different from what he expected. His posture was poor, his demeanour screamed out in lethargy, and everything seemed kind of odd. ''Did something happen to him? Or is he acting this way to force me to drop my guard?'' Shin theorised. In his memory, Danroy was always the indomitable one, and wouldn''t allow himself to degrade to this point, even after a terrifying defeat. In fact, based on Danroy''s character, he would have undoubtedly jeered or taunted Shin as they were heading towards the arena. Casually walking until the light at the other end of the tunnel was seen, Shin was lost in his thoughts, hoping to figure out what had gone wrong with Danroy. Unfortunately, even after searching through his extensive memory archives that were overloaded with random Danroy facts, Shin couldn''t find anything of note. Eventually¡­ "Now, let us welcome out our first contestants shall we?" The distinct voice of the female announcer reverberated itself through Shin''s ears, snapping his consciousness back to reality. Taking a glimpse around, Shin found himself right in front of a giant metallic gate. ''Tssskkk, there''s no time to be daydreaming! I have to focus.'' Shin slapped his cheeks as the gates opened up, revealing the hundreds of filled seat in the Lucha Amphitheatre. In the quarterfinals, everything was dialled up to eleven. The protective barrier for the audience stands had been improved dramatically, especially after the match between Shin and Natasha showed how dangerous this current batch of freshmen was. The arena had been expanded to twice its original size and was made out of much sturdier material. It had also been enchanted numerous times to withstand damage that the freshmen might put onto it. Finally, instead of one referee adjudicating the match, there were two highly trained teachers and four assistant medics at each corner of the ring, just in case of an emergency and the match had to be forcibly stopped. Walking to the middle of the arena, Shin took in a deep breath and held the pendant that he loved so dearly. ''Ariel, give me strength...'' "Alright, both of you! Please state your intent to duel, and we can start with the match." The head referee stepped before Shin and Danroy, instructing them to do as he said. "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Sovereign Koi. Cultivation Level, Rank 21. Please advise me!" With a resolute expression, Shin bent down in a squat and readied himself in the combat stance that he had personally devised for the match against Danroy. Already picturing the battle a thousand times in his mind, Shin knew of all the possibilities that Danroy might employ. With his crouched position, Shin would be able to react accordingly to any of the moves that the obese youth might make. On the other side of the ring, Danroy stood there unmoving. His eyes had turned dim as he struggled to mutter out his intent to duel: "Danroy Frithron. Spirit, Bangeo Rhinoceros. Cultivation Level, Rank 18..." The referee took one final look at the two boys before slapping his hands together. "Are the both of you ready? If so, LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!" Within that instant, Shin summoned out his Spirit and immediately cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement, covering his skin full of fishy cerulean scales that glistened in the morning sun. At the same time, the youth created eight orbs of water, all the size of an overgrown watermelon, and allowed it to orbit around his body. On Danroy''s end, an earthen light shone out from the depths of his body as an esoteric phantom of a Rhinoceros head enveloped him, protecting him from any harm that might come his way. If Danroy were in his usual state of mind, he would have unquestionably charged forward with a vengeance, sending a path of destruction in his wake. However, the young obese youth wasn''t completely lucid right now and just opted to stay put. ''So he''s going for a defensive strategy huh? Not unexpected!'' A wry smile crept up Shin''s mouth as he circulated his mana to execute his plan. Three of the eight water spheres turned dozens of cones that rapidly oscillated like drills and forcibly shot themselves straight at the stationary youth. At the same time, Shin jumped towards the left side of Danroy, and out of his peripheral vision. Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh The rapidly swirling cones crashed upon Danroy''s defence, trying their best to break through the thick Rhinoceros head. Unfortunately, the obese youth''s shields were too hard to crack, and Shin''s created water had little effect on the protection that Danroy had cast. Instantly disintegrating into a million water droplets, Shin''s first attack turned out to be utterly useless. However, that was what Shin had expected in the first place. "HARGH!!!" Within a split second of his water cones dissipating, Shin launched appeared right next to Danroy, and two of his other orbs turned into vicious animal claws that thirsted for human flesh. "Why is he trying to attack Danroy from the side? Doesn''t he know how tough the phantom barrier Danroy summoned out is?" One person from the crowd thought out loud. "Perhaps he''s trying to wear it down?" Another spectator wondered. As the onlookers expected Shin to miserably fail his second attack, an astonishing scene occurred. The Bangeo Rhinoceros phantom, which should have been invincible in its defence, had a hole torn apart at the back of its ear, stunning everyone around, including the caster of the spiritual ability. "WHAT?!" For the first time today, Danroy changed his expression as he exclaimed in horror. Through sheer instinct, the obese youth mana strengthened himself, in a last-minute effort to protect himself from the oncoming onslaught, and boy did it come. Shin''s agility and speed propelled him straight towards the defending youth, giving him the chance to execute his Divine Needle Binding technique. Bringing out one silver acupuncture needle, Shin precisely aimed for the Du Mai meridian, hoping to end the match once and for all. However, to his complete surprise, Danroy''s mana strengthening technique was far superior to the average joe''s. Instead of piercing through flesh like it always did, the silver needle bent on impact, rendering it useless from then on. ''How the-?!'' Shin was stunned. His greatest asset to ending the fight quickly was essentially worthless against the obese youth. ''Tchhh!!! Looks like targeting the acupoints and meridians of Danroy won''t work!'' Gathering his mana, Shin launched a strong roundhouse kick towards the crown of Danroy''s head, trying to force a concussion. Sent flying dozens of metres, Danroy felt his head spin as he huddled up in a ball like an armadillo. With his mana strengthening, there was no need for him to worry too much about getting hit on his exterior. Rolling on the ground for three seconds, Danroy eventually stopped, giving him a split second to recover. ''Wait!!!'' However, there was no way that Shin would let his opponent rest when he had the upper hand. An abnormal fear, ones of the likes that was encoded in his genes, forced Danroy to hastily get to his feet. To his horror, Shin was already just half a metre away from him, with his feet raised high as he prepared to execute a deadly stomp. Being the warrior that he was, Danroy knew that the oncoming attack wasn''t one that he could withstand, like a timid mouse, the youth jumped away with a frantic expression, letting Shin''s heel descend upon the arena. "BBBBOOOOOMMMMM!!!!" A thunderous echo reverberated through the entire stadium as Shin''s heel broke through the enchanted defences of the reinforced ring, creating an impact crater the size of a vast puddle of water. ''That¡­ If that stomp were to land on my head, I would be a dead man!'' Danroy assessed the potency of Shin''s attack. After over a year of intensive training, Shin had perfected and even added enhancements to Mychael''s Seismic Step, and now, it was the boy''s greatest offensive attack. Not only was it powerful enough to destroy structures, but it was also capable of decimating regular expert-grade Spirit Armaments. ''How? How did he grow so strong in just one year?!'' Danroy angrily cried out in his mind. When they first met in battle, Danroy had the capability of destroying the boy with just one finger. Yet, here he was, running around from Shin, unable to lay a finger on him! ''How¡­ How did I get to this point?'' ~~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 265 Danroy Frithron 2 Danroy Frithron''s father, Nathan Frithron, was one of the most distinguished rising stars in the Empire''s recent history. Born to a father who was just a mere officer in the army, Nathan Frithron barely had any clout when he was young. Nonetheless, his talent for combat and cultivation quickly became apparent, and when he was fifteen years old, he managed to secure a spot in the prestigious Imperius Academy. There, the young Nathan Frithron took advantage of the resources that were given to him and deepened his cultivation at an astonishing rate, dominating the rankings in the process. However, his biggest windfall for attending Imperius Academy wasn''t his growth to become one of the top rankers, but his lasting friendship with the scion of the Lasgeor family, Suji''s father and the current patriarch of the military family, Gaji Lasgeor. Joining the Lasgeor family''s ranks after his tenure in the academy was over, Nathan developed himself even further so that he would become a tremendous asset for the ancient family. Naturally, the elders in the Lasgeor family quickly took note and brought him to the forefront of their forces, allowing him to gain valuable life and battle experiences. At the same time, Nathan became best friends with Gaji Lasgeor, and they started to trust each other, sometimes even more than they trusted their own kin. In fact, it was Gaji who had introduced Nathan to his wife. Years had gone by, and Nathan soon became an indispensable force for the Lasgeor family. Up till that point, Nathan had always been a subordinate and remained as a Captain in the Imperial Military. However, that all changed during the Battle for Kaelriel. Holding off a fort from an army of attackers, Nathan Frithron utilised the Bangeo Rhinoceros to the best of his ability, decimating fighter after fighter. Unfortunately, the gridlock lasted for days until it came to the point where he was down to his last hundred men. Unwilling to surrender, Nathan jumped down the fort, and single handedly stopped wave after wave of enemies. Having focused on defence, the Bangeo Rhinoceros Spirit could last for hours with its barrier up, giving his men a chance to launch an aerial assault on their enemies. Eventually, after a full day of bloodshed, the battle finally came to an end, with Nathan successfully driving back his enemies. Tales of the victory spread insanely quick around the Capital and almost overnight, Nathan had become a household name. The Hero of the Battle for Kaelriel, they called him. Instantly, the Imperial Military bestowed upon to him a medal of honour and an immediate promotion of two ranks, while the Emperor personally commended Nathan and granted him a nobility title. Elated that one of their subordinates had gained influence in the Empire, the Lasgeor family once again pumped resources into Nathan Frithron and his family, giving him riches that one could only dream of. If all went well, Nathan was guaranteed to become a general or at the very least, something equivalent during his lifetime, bringing his value as a rising star way up. Nathan Frithron''s story was that could only be heard in fables. Something that the Frithron family took great pride in, even Danroy, his only son. As the old adage goes, a tiger father would not beget a dog son. From the day that Danroy was born, nothing short of greatness was expected from the young boy. Training daily with the new heir of the Lasgeor family, Suji, Danroy was expected to emulate his father''s success, and live up to his bloodline as the descendant of a hero. Frequently rubbing shoulders with members of High Society, Danroy had grown up listening to his father''s tales of bravery, and how expectant everyone was for his future. Thus, the young boy soaked all of that information in, and a seed of faith had been planted in his mind. ''One day, I''ll surpass my father! I''ll become the greatest warrior the Himmel Empire has ever seen, and I will become the Chief General of the Army!!!'' Danroy''s dream was simple. Become the strongest. That really was it. Years had passed, and the dream that he had created when he was a child still held true. Of course, with his goal to become the strongest, there were multiple complications when people of higher talent showed up. Firstly, there was the Witch in the South, Kanari. When Kanari burst into the scene, the whole world started to call her the greatest genius that the Empire ever had. The praises that Danroy got begun to diminish as everyone''s attention was affixed on the black-haired girl, whose power was strong enough to dominate her competition for years to come. Well, there were whispers whenever Suji or Danroy did something significant, but it was nothing compared to the buzz that was generated whenever Kanari did something. Following Kanari, there was the Silver Spoon, Elrin Zedcris. Elrin became a household name not because she was the sweetheart of the magnate Terlus Zedcris, but due to her overwhelming talent in management and talent scouring. Not to mention, her Spirit was perhaps the top auxiliary Spirit of her generation. At a tender age of eleven, Elrin had gained the favour of High Society and had created ties with the major heirs and heiress of the Empire. Some of them had already joined her camp, while others, such as Kanari, formed close alliances with her. With her position as an heiress of the biggest conglomerate in the Capital, Elrin''s future was as bright as the morning sun. One by one, talents rose, further pushing Danroy''s name downwards in the pecking order. Shizen, Shin, Natasha, Ella, Emma¡­ And of course, who could forget the biggest shadow caster of them all? From his childhood years, Danroy had not only been pursuing the legacy that his father had made, but also a particular youth that had always been one step ahead of him. No matter what Danroy had accomplished, Suji would always be in front. Cultivation levels, martial arts, resources, recognition¡­ The list was endless. Sometimes, since he was overshadowed that much, Danroy would be referred to as Suji''s carry-on, or sidekick. And that didn''t sit well with the youth. Training harder and harder, Danroy hoped to escape the shadow that both his father and Suji had cast on him. Becoming Rank 15 in five years? Check. Mastering mana strengthening until his body became as hard as steel? Check. Defeating Spirit Core cultivators when he was just at the Spirit Apostle realm? Check. However, no matter what he did, Danroy was never enough. Kanari, Suji, Elrin, Shizen, Shin¡­ All these talents continued to overshadow him, so much so that he felt like he was constantly drowning. Nonetheless, he continued to persevere. Unfortunately, just having the desire and work ethic wasn''t enough. Just being studious wasn''t enough! Just being talented wasn''t enough! It wasn''t long until the world had forgotten his name. Even in his fight against Shin, Danroy was just a pebble that the Black-Haired Tyrant had to topple so that he could springboard himself for a showdown against Suji. So that left one question to linger in Danroy''s mind¡­ ''How did I get to this point?'' ~~~ "Hey, what''s going on? I thought that Danroy was much stronger than this?" One audience member cried out. "Yeah, the Black-Haired Tyrant is just unloading onto him, and Danroy is just acting like a punching bag¡­ Honestly, he''s kind of disappointing..." "Tch, if I knew that Danroy was this weak, I wouldn''t have bet for him to win!" One disgruntled spectator spat out. Currently, in the arena at the centre of Lucha Amphitheatre, a fight, which could only be described as a mauling, was taking place. After Danroy got taken off guard by Shin''s ripping off his barrier, the obese youth had yet to regain his wits as the black-haired boy kept pounding onto his meaty body. Punches, kicks, palm strikes, hip thrusts, elbow uppercuts, high knees. There was no shortage of moves in Shin''s arsenal. With Shin''s superior speed, Danroy wasn''t given the opportunity to summon out his phantom barrier once more and was forced to defend with his mana strengthened body. Naturally, for moves that were too powerful to protect against, Danroy had to evade. Otherwise, the match was just a beatdown. "Dan! What the hell are you doing?!" Suji bit his lip while his muscles twitched silently. Resisting the urge to fly down and protect his long-time friend, Suji felt his mind heat up like a blazing hot sun on a summer''s day. "Come on! Fight back!" "Shin''s going to win..." At the other side of the stadium, Isadore was seated alongside Elrin and the twins, and watched the one-sided match with great enthusiasm, alongside everyone else. "Danroy has no means of recovering, and even though he''s protecting himself with mana strengthening, eventually his body won''t be able to take the toll, and he will fall." "Yeah¡­ I didn''t expect for the match to be THAT one-sided..." Elrin remarked. "Hmph! Serves him right for injuring Shin before! Karma''s a bitch right?" Ella added on with furrowed brows. Evidently, she still hadn''t forgiven Danroy for the beatdown that he had ushered onto Shin. Meanwhile, on the field, Shin was keeping up the intensity, not giving Danroy a single chance to recover. After all, if he summoned out the phantom of the Bangeo Rhinoceros, it would be much harder to gain the upper hand once more. However, there was something vital that was bothering Shin. ''I knew it! Something is wrong with Danroy! He''s not even attempting to fight back! Is he throwing the match?!'' At this point, the match has been ongoing for about three minutes and ever since Shin broke through Danroy''s barrier, the obese youth had been taking hits as if he were a meat bag. Typically, if a person were getting trampled on, there would be some hint of resistance, or at least a minute struggle. Yet, Danroy didn''t even show the slightest inkling of fighting back. It was as if, he wanted to get punched to death. ''Tch! If you don''t want to fight, why are you letting me pummel you?! Just surrender already!!!'' Sending three fast kicks, one each at Danroy''s thigh, hip and head, Shin sent the youth flying once more. ''Since you don''t want to give in¡­ I''ll just have to force you!!!'' With Danroy in the air, Shin bent his body and congregated his mana into his fists and legs. Of all his martial arts, the Seismic Combination was still the most potent, and therefore, he opted to use it so that he could end this dragged out match. ''I''m sorry, I''ll treat you if you get any injuries!!!'' His preparations ready, Shin bolted forward at a blinding speed and used all of his consciousness to focus on the eight greater meridians of his target''s body. Even though he couldn''t insert any of his silver needles into Danroy''s toughened skin, if he applied a tremendous amount of force, perhaps he would be able to temporarily disable the obese youth. ''Wh¡­ What am I doing? How did I get to this place¡­ Why am I¡­ so weak?'' In the midst of spinning around in the air, the young boy cried out mentally. He was the heir of a hero! He was supposed to become the mightiest general the world has ever seen! Yet, why was he getting mauled by this black-haired boy that came out of nowhere? ''I''m weak¡­ Suji¡­ Father¡­ Is this why you never cared about me? Is this my fate? To live in someone else''s shadow?'' Danroy thought to himself, as the world slowed down in his mind. Danroy was always the side-character in someone else''s story. When he was with Nathan, Danroy was his father''s son. When he was with Suji, Danroy was the Lasgeor heir''s friend. He was never a protagonist. He was just¡­ a disposable cast member¡­ As he came to that revelation, a brilliant light, akin to that of sunshine of a new day, dawned upon his heart and illuminated itself out from his spiritual body. His Spirit convulsed as his mind began to clear. The pain that he felt all but dissipated as his body infinitely strengthened. ''NO!!! Fuck all of that!!! If this is my fate, then I reject it! I''m not going to live in someone''s shadow. I live my own life! I...'' At that moment, in the physical world, Shin''s mana-infused fist was about to land on Danroy''s first greater meridian. However, just before it reached the boy''s body, a thick earthen barrier formed, defending Danroy from the oncoming attack. "What the?!" Shin cried out. "ZZZZZSSSTTTT!!!" A dizzying hum echoed out of Danroy''s body as the mana he released nearly quadrupled in amount. Unsure of what to expect, Shin leapt a dozen metres back, leaving Danroy completely unhindered to complete his ability. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Screaming out like a primal beast kept in a cage, Danroy''s body started to glow as the phantom of the Bangeo Rhinoceros made its appearance once more. However, it didn''t end there. Instead of having just the head protecting him, Danroy had summoned out the full body of the Bangeo Rhinoceros, sending shockwaves all around the stadium, especially in the VIP stands. "A full-incarnate summon?! He had achieved that?!" "Even his father had to reach the Spirit Spectre realm before he could accomplish that feat!" While the other members in the booth were marvelling over Danroy''s accomplishment, Lady Seph, started to bite her fingernail in anxiety. As a Spirit Venerate that had walked the earth for almost two centuries, there was no way she didn''t understand what it meant for Danroy to have achieved a full-incarnate summon. "Shin¡­ Things are going to get a little tricky for you now..." His eyes glowing in a glorious light, Danroy felt power welling up in his veins as mana flowed out of his body to strengthen the fully cast phantom. The earth elements danced with joy while the air around the Bangeo Rhinoceros distorted. "Tsmmm, hmmm..." Danroy inhaled and exhaled deeply, taking in all of his powers as he examined his own body state. Opening his eyes, he glanced down at the shocked Shin, and a wry smile crept up his face, and who could blame him? Just when everyone thought that he was done, Danroy rose from the ashes and broke through, as if he were a dying phoenix. Now that he held the upper hand, Danroy knew that it was time to compensate Shin for his ''kind hospitality.'' "I have let you run amok for far too long¡­ It''s time for me to return the favour." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 266 Danroy Frithron 3 ''What the?! He got a power-up?!'' Shin dropped his jaw as he watched the fully summoned Bangeo Rhinoceros snort out a mist of vapour from its illusory nose. Shin had investigated Danroy for months and never had heard that the youth was capable of such a tremendous feat. ''Calm down, let''s just calmly re-evaluate the situation...'' Shin quelled his racing mind as he thought of the possible reasons for Danroy''s drastic change. ''Initially, Danroy was only capable of summoning out the head, but now, he has the capability to bring out the whole animal. Not to mention, the amount of mana being released by him is crazy! There''s no way that he could supply that form with Rank 18 Spirit Apostle mana...'' Taking one hard look at Danroy, who was right smack in the middle of the Bangeo Rhinoceros cranium, Shin used his brilliant mind to quickly find holes in Danroy''s new power-up. ''Adding to the fact that I had punched his thick, fat body for so long¡­ There''s no way that this match would last for much longer...'' Shin was right. A full-incarnate summon was one of the mightiest moves someone like Danroy could employ. With it out, the youth was perhaps in the most transcendent defensive fort that existed in Imperius Academy. Even with a legendary-grade spirit armament, it would be somewhat tricky to bypass Danroy''s defence. However, with great power, came a great cost. When Danroy summoned out the Bangeo Rhinoceros head, the mana flow out of his body was like a leaky faucet. It might have been irritating, but it wasn''t anything that Danroy couldn''t handle. On the other hand, with the full-incarnate summon, Danroy''s mana flow was similar to that of a waterfall trying to escape out of a paltry tap. Even though it gave him tremendous amounts of power, it wasn''t a sustainable ability for a mere Spirit Apostle. ''I''ll just wait for a bit before I fight back...'' Doing the smart thing, Shin jumped all the way to the end of the arena, hoping that Danroy would exhaust himself. Unfortunately, there was no way the obese youth would simply let Shin escape. "HARGHHHH!!!" Roaring out like a pent up lion that had been kept in a cage for aeons, Danroy bolstered up all of his might and charged forward. The apex horn on his Bangeo Rhinoceros head gleamed in a vicious light as it wanted nothing but to feast on Shin''s tender flesh. ''His speed increased?!'' Shin was alarmed. Using the Lightning Swallow Steps, the youth circled around Danroy and created twelve orbs of water once more as an added defence. Naturally, that didn''t sit well with the enraged Danroy. "Fuck you!!!" Taking an about turn, Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros charged once again and destroyed Shin''s mediocre defences as if they were paper blocks being ripped to shreds. However, thanks to Shin''s agility, he was able to dodge the oncoming onslaught. "The tables have turned¡­ The Black-Haired Tyrant is being pushed back!" One spectator cheered. "Finally, we get to see some action! Do you think the Black-Haired Tyrant can fight his way out of this?" "Unsure¡­ Haha, anyways¡­ Danroy sure is a piece of work. Allowing himself to get beat down only to explode with such power at the last minute. Only someone of his calibre could pull off something like that." Initially, when Shin was mowing down on Danroy like the broken doll that he was, the audience were all jeering the obese youth. However, when Danroy switched gears and fought back with a vigour that was never seen before, the song of the birdies changed in favour of the Frithron household heir. "Shin..." While others were thoroughly enjoying the twist and turns of the match, Shin''s closest friends weren''t all that thrilled. Ella and Emma were biting their nails in anxiety while Isadore''s face turned grim. Bearing the knowledge that he has, the silver-haired youth knew how difficult it was to fight against a full-incarnate summon. ''Tch, he''s becoming aggressive again! Change of plans!'' Shin had long expected Danroy to be extraordinarily combative. After all, that was his nature. However, after pummeling the passive obese youth for some time, Shin sort of forgotten that side of Danroy. ''Time to go on the defensive!'' Shin crouched down while one of his water spheres broke into two, covering both his feet in the process. His senses heightened, Shin''s eyes were fixed on Danroy, who was safely tucked inside of his full-incarnate summon. The moment that Danroy acted, Shin would make his move. And thankfully, Danroy took the bait. "DIE!!!" Thinking that he had Shin cornered, Danroy charged at the unmoving youth, who was like a sitting duck. The Bangeo Rhinoceros horn shone in an earthen light as the pebbles on the floor vibrated violently around it. In a bright flash, the Bangeo Rhinoceros blitzed through space and once again tried to end Shin''s petty life. However, Shin was long prepared. "Hiyaa!!!" Leaping twenty metres into the air, Shin easily evaded the horn of the incarnate and continued to float upwards until gravity caught up to his momentum. "You think escaping to the air is the solution?! You''re done now!!!" Danroy bellowed out in laughter and brought his attention heavenward. Locking down on the levitating Shin, Danroy launched himself as if he were a cannonball being fired. The air trembled as the spiritual energies of the world cried out. This was Danroy''s strongest attack yet. If it hit Shin, which it seemed like it would, death would be the least of the boy''s concerns. "Shin!" The twins cried out in horror but were unable to lift a single finger to help the youth. Even if they summoned out their Ice Bows and unleash a flurry of attacks to Danroy''s ascending body, the barrier protecting the arena would block all of their arrows as if they were a summer''s breeze. "Damn it!" On the other hand, the teacher refereeing the match had summoned out his own Spirit and was ready to save Shin should Danroy''s vicious attack hit. Naturally, the medics on standby also feared the worst. "DIE SHIN!!!!" Danroy continued to move upwards at a speed that would even make falcon''s cry. Bit by bit, millisecond by millisecond. Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros horn was edging closer to its prey. With nowhere to run, the only thing that Shin could do was huddled up in a ball to protect his internal organs, and pray that he wouldn''t die from the impact. Or so it would seem¡­ "*Plop* *Plop*." Right before Danroy''s attack could land on Shin, two aqueous melodies echoed out, launching Shin dozens of metres to the side in an instant. With no target in sight, Danroy felt his Bangeo Rhinoceros being propelled high up into the sky as if he were a rocket trying to break through the atmosphere. "How in the-?!" Danroy was stunned. He thought that he had the winning strike but as it turned out, he was just taken for a ride, and he wasn''t the only one who was taken aback. "The Black-Haired Tyrant he..." "... changed directions mid-air?" "He learnt to fly?! That can''t be! Only those at the Spirit Spectre realm can learn to fly! How the hell did he do it?!" Hundreds in the audience cried out, unaware of how it was possible for Shin to accomplish flight while he was still in the Spirit Core realm. "That bastard¡­ So that was how he evaded my finishing blow..." Natasha Aldana, the Starlight Blade, smiled wryly as she watched Shin slice through the air like a fish back in the water. In her bout with the youth, Natasha had launched an all-out attack, similar to what Danroy had done, while Shin was still levitating in the air. Unfortunately, the boy somehow managed to evade at the last second, even though there was no way for him to do so. Well, no way unless he could fly... Seated not so far away from her the two top students in the second-year cohort both had dropped jaws while they watched Shin spin through the air. "Hey, Angie¡­ Isn''t that your Dance of the Valkyrie? The spiritual ability that allows you to fly?!" Lyanna slapped her friend''s lap and asked with a voice that was on the border of screaming. "T-T-T-T-That! How is that possible?! It took me so long to learn that technique! H-H-H-He copied it?! No way!!!" Angie stuttered. "T-The principle is the same, but instead of using air as I did, he used his created water. Oh my lord, so he could use his created water that way!!!" Shin''s ability to fly was exceedingly simple. First, he would envelop his feet with an orb of his created water. Next, Shin would cover himself with mana strengthening and his spiritual body enhancement, so that his feet were toughened up to its maximum. Finally, while he was in the air, he would explode the orbs in his feet, giving himself enough thrust to move wherever he wished. It was a concept that he had taken from watching Angie and Lyanna fight during their exhibition match at the beginning of the year. Adding in a few improvements, Shin had made the ability his own. "What? So that''s how he did it¡­ Tch, what a monster." Lyanna grumbled. "Now the match is over..." "What do you mean?" "If Shin can remain in the air perpetually, there''s no way that Danroy could reach him. With no way of fighting Shin, the only thing that Danroy can do is stare into the skies while his mana runs out." Lyanna explained with a despondent sigh. "As much as I hate to admit it, Shin is on another level compared to us¡­ Hah, why is the world so unfair? To bring monsters like Shin and Kanari into our lives?" "*Gulp!*." Angie swallowed a mouthful of saliva, trying her best to recover from the shock that she had been administered. "At least they were born a year under us¡­" "Yeah..." As the two second-year honour students were thanking their lucky stars that Shin wasn''t in their year, the person in question was still happily in the skies, careful not to descend. ''Now''s a question of how long Danroy can hold out¡­ Judging from his facial expression, he should be out of mana soon.'' Shin watched as Danroy''s face turned crimson, whether it be from anger or mana exhaustion. ''I should give him a little push...'' Shin knew that it would be bad for him to just stay in the sky while Danroy furiously glared at him from the ground. If they waited too long, the referee might even be tempted to call it a draw, as controversial as it might be. Therefore, Shin knew that he had to do something. Raising his hands, Shin created gallons of water and congregated them into two humongous spheres that were easily the size of a small apartment. Waving his hands, the youth rapidly spun the two orbs until a torrential current was created, one that could even drag several oxen to their deaths. ''While you struggle to keep maintaining that form, I''ll just tire you to death!!!'' Sending one of the rapidly spinning whirlpools down onto Danroy''s full-incarnate summon, Shin smiled as he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Even though Danroy''s current state was nothing short of invincible, it didn''t mean anything if he couldn''t land a single blow on Shin. Furthermore, while Danroy''s mana pool was being eaten up at an exponential rate, Shin could continuously produce water orbs as if they were spit. "BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!" Deafening claps broke the eardrums of many spectators as the whirlpool crashed violently against Danroy''s summon. However, when it came to the Bangeo Rhinoceros, that measly attack was no different to a raindrop. Shin''s ability to create and manipulate water came with little mana cost, but that, in turn, meant that it wasn''t as potent as conventional spiritual abilities. No matter how much he hit Danroy, the youth would continue to move unharmed. ''Let''s see how long you can last then!!!'' ~~~ Shin''s bombardment continued on for two minutes straight. Bringing out tendrils, spears and even, more whirlpools, Shin mowed down upon the arena until it was flooded to a grown man''s chest. If an outsider were to see Lucha Amphitheatre in its current state, they would think that the stadium was an indoor pool instead of a fighting arena. At this point, the Bangeo Rhinoceros had started to turn illusory while its source, Danroy, was heavily panting within his barrier. Shin, on the other hand, was in the pink of health. Even though he had been continuously attacking Danroy, he still had at least half of his mana left. "Danroy¡­ Give in. There''s no point in continuing this anymore!" Shin screamed out unwilling to continue on this farce. "We both know that you''re at your breaking point! Do you want to die of mana exhaustion?!" Shin wanted to win, but he didn''t want to kill his opponent doing so. If Danroy continued on fighting, complete mana exhaustion was a real and imminent threat, given how mana thirsty a full-incarnate summon was. "Hah¡­ Hah..." Danroy continued to pant. Shin''s words were unable to reach him, with his mind foggy and body trembling. Any moment now, Danroy would collapse as his consciousness was waning. If nothing were done, he would collapse the moment his mana pool hits zero. ''Tch, he''s not fully lucid so he can''t surrender¡­ And based on the rules, the referee can''t intervene unless there''s an obvious threat to his life.'' As much as Shin wanted to end the match, it wasn''t in his means to do so. ''I guess I have to get creative!'' Closing his eyes, Shin gathered his mana into his right leg and allowed his body to fall from the skies. After bombarding the full-incarnate summon for a while, Shin had located the potential weak spots. Now, with the summon at its most vulnerable point, Shin should be able to break open the barrier and send a finishing blow Danroy''s way. Diving down like an eagle striking its prey, Shin aimed straight for the Bangeo Rhinoceros neck. Sensing danger, the delirious Danroy looked up and boosted his Spirit''s defence instinctively. That, in turn, made his mind even more muddled, blurring his vision entirely. "Time to end this! Seismic Step!!!" Shin hollered out as he broke through the defensive barrier with the strongest seismic step that he had ever used. "*Crack!*." Feeling some of his leg bones being broken, Shin gritted his teeth and endured the pain. The earthen barrier that Danroy had created started to crumble like broken glass, and eventually, the force that Shin''s seismic step managed to bring managed to break the impregnable full-incarnate summon. Once he was through, Shin used the Dance of the Valkyrie to get close to Danroy and executed the Divine Needle Binding, sealing all of Danroy''s mana flow in the process. Without mana, the full-incarnate summon immediately disappeared, and Danroy''s static body to fall into the flooded arena. Naturally, with his enemy movements sealed, there was no need for Shin to bear anymore animosity to Danroy, and he immediately moved to catch the youth. As the person who created this pool, Shin had free reign over every single water droplet that existed there. Allowing Danroy''s body to float while he sat right by his fallen competitor, Shin meekly called out to the referee. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Senior¡­ Announce it." "..." The referee stared at the two youths for a brief moment before deeply sighing to himself. The match that they had shown far exceeded anything at the freshmen level. Heck, it might even be superior to the majority of fifth or sixth-years battles. So it begged the question, why the hell were they still in the academy and not out making a name for themselves on a much bigger stage? "What''s the matter?" "No¡­ It''s nothing¡­" Shaking his head, the referee smiled as he flew closer towards the two youths floating about in the arena. Inhaling deeply, the referee prepared his announcement with the loudest voice that he could possibly muster: "The winner of this match, Shin Iofiel!!!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 267 Suji Lasgeor 1 "ORYAHHHHH!!!" Cheers of hysteria reverberated throughout the entire arena as Shin completed his redemption story with a bang. After losing to Danroy, badly if one might add, Shin never lost faith and trained diligently day by day, all in the hopes of righting the wrong that had been inflicted onto him. And on this day, he had accomplished his task. In just one year, Shin had changed from the weak country bumpkin, who nobody had known off, to the protagonist that had bested his enemy. Even in annals of Imperius Academy''s history, it was hard to find a student like Shin. Celebrating the fact that they were witnessing the birth of a legend, the audience continued to roar out in passion. "Hah¡­ Hah..." Shin panted heavily like a dog while the referee ordered the opening of the floodgates to drain the indoor pool that was created. Releasing his Spiritual Body Enhancement, Shin returned to his human skin and gently walked towards the paralysed Danroy. Due to Shin''s Divine Needle Binding, the outpour of mana from Danroy''s body had ceased, and his condition was stabilising. Nevertheless, the physical and mental exhaustion that Danroy had suppressed was now gushing out, blurring his vision and consciousness. He did, however, still had the minute capability of identifying Shin''s figure as he approached his motionless body. "Tsmmm¡­ Hmmm..." Shin took deep breaths to regulate his pulsating heartbeat and administered ''Heal'' upon his broken leg. Having used the ability thousands, if not tens of thousands of times by now, Shin was capable of self-healing his internal injuries, without summoning out the Sovereign Koi or using his ''Healing Water.'' At the same time, he carefully pulled out the silver acupuncture needles piercing through Danroy''s meridians returning the youth''s motor functions back to him. "HIIII, HAAA..." Danroy sharply inhaled as his brain worked overtime to provide the oxygen that he sorely needed. Taking one look around him, the fallen youth saw Shin and the referee doing their best to tend to his body. Taking another glance, Danroy saw the hundreds of eyes staring right at him, and even though he might be delirious, he swore that they all looked at him with disdain. ''I failed¡­ Even at my very peak, my very best, I''m not enough...'' A teardrop fell from the corner of Danroy''s eye while waves of fatigue and sadness crashed upon his fading consciousness. He had done his best, yet he was still in the shadow of someone else. Turning his head, Danroy looked at the opponent that defeated him and observed his facial features. In his mind, Danroy had fought Shin hundreds of times, however, only at this moment did it occur to him¡­ He had never honestly looked the youth right in the eyes. When the academic year started, Shin was just a nobody that could be ignored. When Danroy fought Shin, he was a useless opponent that he could squash at any time. When Shin showed the world that he could become strong, Danroy didn''t dare to look the boy eye to eye. Thus, at this very moment, it was the first time that Danroy had ever ''seen'' Shin. Shin''s eyes were a clear as the skies of spring, and his face was so symmetrical that it was almost mystifying. His entire head was drenched in water, which made his pure black hair shimmer in the morning sun. All of the features that he had, given the youth a charisma that was rarely seen in boys his age. However, the most damning thing, the part of Shin that intrigued Danroy the most, was his mysterious gaze. At times, it would be compassionate. At times, it would display wisdom that rivalled that of ancient sages. At times, it would show a passionate drive that would put the most motivated fighters to shame. Taking one good look at Shin, Danroy felt a sense of dread. Some people were worth emulating and pushing towards, but then, there were some who had reached a level that was so high, it was unattainable for mere mortals. Imagine. Danroy had trained his entire life, thinking that he was one of the best in his country, heck the best in his generation, but after encountering Shin, the youth had given up all hope of ever catching up to that monster. It made the Frithron family heir wonder¡­ What was all his effort for? Becoming the strongest? That was just an absurdity with people like Shin around. "Shin..." Weakly opening his mouth, Danroy''s voice escaped his chapped throat. "Just rest for a while. The mana depleted from your body would take a while to recover and..." Before Shin could continue, he felt a firm force grasping onto his left wrist. Before he was whisked away to the infirmary, Danroy had to get his overflowing emotions out of his chest. "Tell me, Shin¡­ Am I weak?" "Huh?" Shin jerked back and incredulously stared at Danroy. He had no idea what prompted that line of thought and immediately taken offence with the ludicrous concept. "Danroy, if you are weak, then what was I doing for the past year, trying to chase a weakling?" "You¡­ chase¡­ me?" For the first time since meeting Shin, Danroy was in utter disbelief. He had thought that he would be chasing Shin''s strength for the rest of his life, but as it turned out, Shin had been chasing him! "Of course! Ever since that defeat that you bestowed onto me, I have been training to become stronger, with you as my target! Thus, I forbid you from thinking that you''re weak! Hmph, if that happens, what would that make me?" "..." Danroy dropped his jaw as he stared right into the azure eyes, which seemed to house a celestial lake within its iris. There were no falsehoods in Shin''s words. He was genuinely enraged that Danroy would even harbour such a ridiculous notion. "You chase me¡­ Haha¡­ I chase you¡­ Hahahaha!!! Fuck me, this is just utter nonsense!" Covering his eyes, Danroy started to bellow out in laughter. At the same time, his mind was thoroughly reflecting on his actions. What was he doing, trying to get out of someone else''s shadow? What did his father, Suji, Kanari, Elrin, Shizen or Shin have to do with his legacy? The answer that Shin had given him changed his mindset, the direction of his entire life altogether. All these games, these rankings, they were all bullshit. What truly matters in the heart, is that Danroy lives for himself. Not escaping someone else''s shadow, but to make his own shadows, his own mark in the history of the Himmel Empire. "HAHAHAHAHA!!! Thank you, Shin! Thank you!!!" With the burden off his chest, Danroy felt his consciousness slip from his fingers, as he finally collapsed on the stretcher the medics had brought. While Danroy was being wheeled off, Shin watched on with a perplexed expression. ''Is it some kind of tradition to thank the person that beats you in a tournament? Natasha did it, and now Danroy¡­ The Himmel Empire is full of weird customs huh?'' A peculiar misunderstanding was being formed in Shin''s mind while the world boisterously cheered all around him. Shin''s matches had been nothing short of entertaining. Be it the one-sided beatdown that he inflicted onto Edgar during the first rounds or the evenly matched bouts with Natasha and Danroy, Shin had quickly gained the audience''s love. Many of them were even betting that he could beat Suji and Kanari to become the overall winner of the tournament. Of course, not all the spectators shared the same view. Watching from the contestants resting area, Suji was doing his best to withhold his emotions, gritting his teeth while following the movements of his paralysed childhood friend. Suji loathed the fact that he was powerless to help Danroy, who he assumed was in critical condition, and his blood boiled when he saw Shin basking in the winner''s glory. ''Now¡­ This is personal¡­ Shin Iofiel, I will end your rise!!!'' Suji had already despised Shin for taking the limelight away from him, but now with the case of Danroy? Suji was in a full-blown anger fit. If Shin didn''t walk away maimed in his future bout, then he wouldn''t have given Danroy justice. "Wow, that was one heck of a FIRST match won''t all of you agree? However, the excitement isn''t over yet! We still have three more matches in the freshmen quarterfinals to contest!" Just at that moment, the female announcer sweetly merrily chirped through the broadcast system. "Next match, Suji Lasgeor versus Lorraine Grimley! Would the two contestants please get ready?" It was hard to believe, but Shin''s match with Danroy was just the opening bout for the quarterfinals. With such an entertaining opening act, it would be tough for the next few matches to match the intensity that Shin and Danroy had brought. Nevertheless, Suji was going to try. Since Shin had concluded his match, he was free for the day, and he could freely choose to return to the contestants resting area or spectate from the audience stands. Judging by how the spectators had reacted to him beating Danroy, Shin decided to go with the former. "Shin!" As he entered into the cosy chamber, the triumphant teen was greeted by a tender smile from the Empire''s most transcendent beauty. "Good work out there! To beat Danroy when he awakened a full-incarnate summon is quite a feat." "Thank you, Kanari¡­ It was a hard fight." Shin sighed as he checked his right leg for any lasting scars that might impede his future battles. Fortunately, Shin had acted quick, and his self-healing ability repaired the bones early. Otherwise, he might have been forced to enter the semifinals with a handicap. "It was entertaining though!" Kanari beamed. "Also, I have a bone to pick with you! To think that you were hiding so many abilities from me! We have known each other for almost a year now, don''t you think I''m trustworthy enough?!" "Haha, stop with the act, Kanari. I couldn''t show you all my techniques because we''re competitors." Shin laughed off Kanari''s pouty face. At that moment, he noticed Shizen, who was usually fighting off drowsiness, crouching at one corner. His pursed lip and ashen face insinuated that he had taken a tremendous mental blow. "What''s the matter with Shizen?" Shin asked Kanari. "Ah, don''t mind him¡­ When you created the indoor pool, Shizen wanted to run out into the field and drink up all of the water with his Adivinar Tree. So he was held back by the teachers, and when the referee ordered the draining of the arena, he actually started to cry in indignation." Kanari giggled as she recounted the earlier scenario to the stunned black-haired youth. "Cheer him up would you? Only your ''juice'' can do the trick!" "Y-Y-You!" Shin jumped back and pointed at Kanari with fear. Whenever anyone in their clique used the word juice, Shin would cringe as if a billion ants were crawling underneath his skin and his friends were well aware of that fact. "Don''t give me that face! You''re the one that he wants." "Tch, fine..." Shin dropped his shoulders and dragged his feet over to Shizen. Tapping on his shoulder, Shin locked eyes with the misty-eyed fifteen-year-old who was acting like he was five. "Give me your flask¡­ I''ll refill it." "Shin!" As if he were a lost lamb that found its shepherd, Shizen jumped into Shin''s embrace and lovingly snuggled on his chest, much to the dismay of the youth, and the amusement of the other competitors in the resting area. ''Hah¡­ What did I do to deserve this?'' Shin questioned his life decisions as he created an orb of water to fill the empty flask up to the brim, at the same time, the drums signifying the start of a battle boomed out, prompting Shin to glance out the window. "Suji is fighting Lorraine¡­ I wonder how long can Lorraine hold up against Suji?" Kanari pondered out loud. Almost everyone who knew anything about the match knew that it was a one-sided battle. Suji, who was already known as the Son of War, had little competitors in his generation. On the other hand, even though Lorraine was part of the Star Class, her combat ability barely allowed her to enter into the quarterfinals. The two opponents were on different spectrums altogether. "She should be able to hold on for a while. I''m sure she would give in when defeat seems imminent." Shin theorised. As the referee brought down his hand to signify the start of the match, Suji brought out his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade as well as thousands of lightning coils, turning the arena into an electric field almost instantaneously. Without holding back anything, Suji shot to the skies and congregated his mana into the Guandao in his hands. "*Bzzttt!* *Bzzttt!*." Suji''s blade gleamed with tremendous force, and the mana being released made even some Spirit Core cultivators sweat in apprehension. Once his attack was prepared, Suji descended like a devilish thunderbolt and aimed right square at Lorraine''s body. However, the young woman wasn''t a pushover that Suji could end with one hit. Using all of her leg strength, Lorraine leapt over a dozen metres back, hoping to escape the impact crater of Suji''s attack. Fortunately, she had done just that. Suji''s ''Heavenly Punishment,'' smashed through the numerous enchantments of the arena, causing the stadium to tremble as if a magnitude five earthquake had struck the premise. Angered that Lorraine had evaded his blow, Suji amped up his mana supply and the coils of lightning enveloping him only intensified further. Lost in his rage, Suji went on a frenzy, forcing Lorraine to scurry about like a timid mouse. His speed increasing and blows exacerbated, Suji continued on his deadly assault, until eventually¡­ "I got you now, you bitch..." Grasping Lorraine by her throat, Suji raised the girl and attempted to choke her to death. The lightning coils enveloping him continued to rage on, rendering any of Lorraine''s struggles useless. Since she couldn''t bring out the words, Lorraine couldn''t surrender by herself, and after a few seconds, the referee was forced to end the match, lest Suji truly killed the girl in the ring. The moment the match ended, Suji dropped Lorraine as if she were a butchered animal hanging from its hook and returned his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade into his spiritual body. Looking up into the stands, Suji met eyes with Shin, who was in the comfort of the contestant''s resting area. His mouth and nose weren''t moving, but his dilated pupils, which burned in an intense rage, did all the talking for him. "Shin¡­ That''s your opponent for the semifinals¡­ Be very careful." Kanari gracefully sauntered over and cautioned the youth. "I know..." ~~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 268 Suji Lasgeor 2 Suji''s dominant victory over Lorraine had decided the first set of semifinalists for the year-end competition, and people were already starting to go wild with theories on who would win. Shin''s meteoric ascent to the top had been eye-opening but was it enough to strike down the boy known as the Son of War? It was hard to tell. Shin''s close combat martial arts, Divine Needle Binding and water manipulation abilities were all a joy to behold, but Suji''s years of training wasn''t to be stifled either. Being a Spirit Apostle, Suji possessed two extremely potent spiritual abilities. The first ability, the one he awakened alongside his Spirit, was the innate talent to summon out coils of lightning, to coat his body or anything else. Typically, he would use the innate ability to create an electric field that deterred any enemies from entering his vicinity, or he would coat his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in thousands of lightning coils. Suji''s second spiritual ability, Heavenly Punishment, imitates the infuriated God of Thunder and brings down a tremendous lightning bolt that uses about ten per cent of his total mana pool. Heavenly Punishment was perhaps the strongest pure offence spiritual ability among all of the freshmen''s attacks, second only to Kanari''s Lunar Beam. However, Suji''s powers don''t stop there. Armed with the comprehensive knowledge of Lasgeor family martial arts, Suji was capable of besting many of the Empire''s best warriors, and his muscular yet compact build allowed him to hit like a tiger but move like a swan. Adding the fact that he had been in hundreds of real-life battles since he was born, Suji Lasgeor truly lived up to his moniker, the Son of War. Thus, even though Shin had the higher cultivation level, there was no guarantee that Shin would walk out of the match unharmed. In fact, there was a very high chance that Shin would be injured, due to how incompatible their Spirits were. If Shin relied on his water abilities, such as coating his body in an armour of water, the lightning being sent his way would electrocute him in a heartbeat. If he threw his whirlpools or water spheres at Suji, they would be neutralised by the sinewy youth''s electric field. While Shin was still revising his potential plans to fight against the juggernaut that was Suji, the matches in the eastern bracket had begun. Kanari Saniela versus Emmanuel Wensan and Shizen Dundlewoods versus Melanie Lyfrithe. It didn''t take a genius to figure out which match was the more popular one. Kanari was at Rank 24, and her spiritual abilities were unquestionably the top in the cohort. Scratch that, she was the top in the entire academy. If Kanari were to compete against the year six valedictorian, who was already in the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm, many believed that Kanari would stream roll over her opponent. Facing against Emmanuel Wensan? It was such a mismatch that it was almost laughable. Up till this point, Kanari had barely competed since the majority of her opponents just conceded without starting the fight. However, Emmanuel, who was a noble that managed to enter the Star Class, wouldn''t back down for the honour of his family''s name. And well¡­ The results were expected. Kanari merged with the Kumiho to complete her spiritual body enhancement and knocked Emmanuel out in ten seconds, not even giving him a chance to cast his own spiritual abilities. At the end of the match, Kanari glanced at Emma, who was knocked out in the round of sixteen by Emmanuel and gave her a playful wink. Kanari''s friendship with the twins had deepened over the year, and it had gotten to a point where the three of them would plan sleepovers just to hang out and gossip. Thus, when Emma was defeated by Emmanuel, there was no way that Kanari would take that lying down. Speaking of long-time friends, Shin''s ''favourite'' buddy, Shizen, was in the final match of the quarterfinals. Facing against a cultivator that had awakened the fire element, Shizen was under the most pressure that he had ever been in the tournament. Since he awakened a plant-type Spirit, Melanie Lyfrithe''s Inferno Chainblade was perhaps his greatest enemy. The roots and vines that he created were slashed and burned, prohibiting him from using his most potent ability, mana sealing. After two minutes of blows leading to nowhere, Shizen finally lost his temper and decided to end the match immediately. Using his second spiritual ability, the very same one that took down five Spirit Core cultivators, Shizen''s Adivinar Tree glowed as thousands of razor sharp leaves fell from its crown. Oscillating at blinding speeds, Shizen flooded the field with his aptly named ability, Leaves of the Dundlewoods, and ensured that Melanie''s life was a living hell. Even though her Inferno Chainblade was strong enough to cut down dozens of those spinning petals of death at a time, Shizen''s seemingly endless assault finally got to the girl, and she was forced to surrender after thirty seconds. With Melanie''s surrender, the matches for the semifinals had been decided. Shin Iofiel versus Suji Lasgeor, and Kanari Saniela versus Shizen Dundlewoods. The contest of the second and fourth seed alongside the first and third seed. One couldn''t hope for a better semifinals draw entertainment wise. While the world was buzzing, excited to watch the second and third-year matches, a particular tanned sinewy youth was seated in a pure white room, which was void of even the smallest speck of dust, watching the slumbering, plump face of his childhood friend. Straight after his commanding performance against Lorraine, Suji didn''t care to greet the dozens of acquaintances that crowded at the exit but rushed directly to the infirmary that housed the injured Danroy. After consulting with the Chief Physician, Suji gained a vital understanding of his bosom friend''s current state. Mana exhaustion and minor external injuries had caused Danroy to lose all consciousness and enter into a coma. Even though there was no threat to his life, it would take the youth a few days to awake from his slumber as his body healed itself. Considering the fact that Danroy almost allowed his body to get drained of all his mana, the obese youth was lucky. If not for Shin''s interference, and the immediate emergency care, there was a high chance that Danroy could have been crippled for his entire life. Of course, Suji didn''t care about the details. What mattered to him the most, was the fact that Danroy was lying on this bed while Shin happily skipped around the contestant''s resting area, relatively unharmed. Due to the nature of their Spirits, Suji was always the one that got injured while Danroy was always the one that tended to his needs. Back when they were kids, Suji had even broken his entire back once and had to be bedridden for a month. Danroy, being the good friend that he was, brought nutrition packages and accompanied Suji for hours each day, recounting stories from the outside, keeping the disabled boy entertained. However, when the tables were turned, and Suji was the one who needed to care for Danroy, he found out that there was next to nothing that he could do. Bellowing hate, one that rivalled that from the pits of Doom Volcano, erupted from his gut as the figure of the boy who caused Danroy to be in such harm flickered through his mind. Even though the main reason why Danroy had entered such a vulnerable state was due to his own carelessness, Suji didn''t care for that. The only thing that the muscular teen wanted to do was to wring Shin''s head off his cursed body so that he could enact vengeance for his longtime friend. ''Shin Iofiel¡­ Just you wait...'' Suji gritted his teeth and took one final look at Danroy''s peaceful face. His fight with Lorraine wasn''t enough for him to blow off steam. Suji needed to release all of his bottled up anger, lest it consumed him. ''I''ll make sure he pays for your condition, Dan!!!'' ~~~ The quarterfinals quickly came to a close, with the seniors performing as they usually do. After years of spending time together, the seniors in Imperius Academy all had a general idea of what their opponents would bring to the table. Naturally, there were some notable entertaining matches, but those were few and far between. Mostly, due to the pressure of the semifinals looming over his head, Shin had focused on his bout with the Son of War and had spent a significant amount of his time training with Isadore. For some reason, Isadore''s speed and strength far surpassed any of the martial artists Shin''s age, and training with the silver-haired youth gave Shin tremendous gains. Plotting out all of the possible combinations that Suji would use and how to counterattack each strike, Shin had completed his analysis down to the letter. Nonetheless, that didn''t mean that it would be an easy fight. In fact, based on how many natural counters Suji had to Shin''s Spirit, anyone with a cursory understanding of how Spirits worked would favour the Son of War any hour of the week. "Shin, judging from the electric fields that Suji had generated during his match with Lorraine, I doubt your silver acupuncture needles would be able to penetrate his defence." Isadore cautioned. "I know¡­ If I could use the needles that Elrin had gifted me, perhaps I would have a chance, but with these elementary-grade needles, nothing would come of it even if I threw it perfectly." Shin took out the silver needles that Professor Quinn had gifted him and whirled them around his fingers. "Also, I can''t carelessly flood the arena with water. His lightning attribute counters most of my abilities, and judging from how unaffected he is when in contact with those deadly coils of lightning, he must have some sort of resistance to it." "Yeah, that''s a common trait in the Lasgeor family." Isadore nodded. "Their tolerance towards lightning is second to none. So throwing balls of water towards Suji would probably only serve to irritate him." "Hah¡­ I guess I can only rely on that technique..." "Hoho, you have a plan?" Isadore laughed as he drank out from his flask. "I do¡­ It''s foolish and dangerous. But if I manage to execute it, I will win." Shin stared at the ceiling as his body trembled. He wanted to win, but was he willing to pay the cost? "Oh? Tell me about it..." ~~~ Imperius Academy. Lucha Amphitheatre. The Semifinals. Two days had passed since the highly contested quarterfinals. The elation in the air had yet to die down, and it was time for another set of entertaining matches. Usually, the most anticipated matches of the semifinals were always the fourth and fifth-year bouts. After all, majority of those who fought in the higher years were all in the Rank 30 Spirit Adept stage, and many wished to spectate the best of the best compete. However, this year was a little more special. Everyone in the audience, students and VIP guest alike, were all here to watch the rise of the freshmen. Yes, Kanari''s presence was a driving motivator. Any fights that include the infamous Witch in the South was a fight that hundreds of thousands would pay to see, but Kanari wasn''t the only draw. Shin''s ascent to the precipice of the cohort was also one of the driving attractions. From his humble beginnings as a commoner that Principal Erudito had picked up, to claiming one of the most coveted positions in the academy, everyone wanted to see how far Shin could go. Would he continue on his unstoppable winning streak and go on to challenge the Goddess of the Empire? Or would he cave in under pressure and lose to the mighty Son of War? Everyone, young or old, wanted to see how his story panned out. And well, they didn''t have to wait long. Shin and Suji''s match was the opener for the semifinals, something that greatly excited the crowd. Historically, the main events were the matches that the fifth year competed in. Thus, the freshmen had to compete first. Of course, now the main event was the freshmen matches, that worked out in the spectators'' favour. Walking into the arena, Shin took one look at the tanned, sinewy youth. Thinking back to the first time that he met Suji, Shin mentally sighed. At the start of the year, he firmly believed that it would take him time to catch up with the monsters in his cohort. Be it Danroy, Shizen, Suji or Kanari. All of them were names that he looked up to, and hoped to emulate. However, in that one year, he had grown, and his mindset had shifted. Some of them he had bested, some of them he had befriended, and without knowing, instead of looking up to the monsters in the cohort, Shin had joined their ranks and became a monster. People were praising him, some were even treating him as a role model. Although it was a breath of fresh air, it forced Shin to come to a revelation. Chasing the best in the academy, Shin had lost sight on the real reason why he came here in the first place. He wanted to become strong, but for what reason? Wasn''t it so that he could protect his family, and to bring Junius and the Black Mask syndicate to justice? So why was he spending so much time chasing those monsters in the academy, when his goals lay elsewhere? ''After this competition¡­ After I win¡­ I will change my strategy! I must strengthen my influence over the world as well as my own personal power. That way, I won''t fear the Black Masks, I won''t fear the Lantis Republic, and I won''t cower to the might of the Himmel Empire!'' Moving forward until he was at the centre of the arena, Shin heightened all his senses and assumed his planned battle stance. Against someone like Suji, Shin couldn''t afford to slack off. Likewise, Suji had his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade raised high in the air. To him, this was a match of redemption and vengeance. Both contestants had their own reason to win, and both contestants firmly believed that they would win. Their eyes burned in a red hot passion as the referee standing between them raised his hands with great fervour. Like him, the audience were biting their nails and held back their shaking thighs. "If the two contestants are ready, LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 269 Suji Lasgeor 3 "HARGHHHH!!!" The moment the match began Suji leapt forward with his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in hand, as thousands of lightning coils enveloped its edge. The Guandao swung in a huge arc, slicing the air and drastically shaking its surroundings. ''Tiger Leaps across the Great Wall! Isadore was right about Suji opening with this move!'' Shin grinned and coated his left foot with a tremendous amount of mana. After seeing this move dozens of times in the training yard, Shin knew exactly how to deal with Suji''s potent attack. Pivoting his ankle, Shin quickly shuffled to the side using his Lightning Swallow Steps and found the sole weakness of the massive attack. When Suji was flying in the air, his left side was left heavily unguarded, giving rise to a golden opportunity for Shin to counter. Mana strengthened and enhanced by The Sovereign Koi''s scales, Shin''s leg contained an astounding amount of force, and the boy wasn''t shy to use it. "Whipping the Crocodile''s Tail!" Shin abruptly turned his body and extended his coiled up thigh like it were a serpent striking its prey. The roundhouse kick landed right at Suji''s left ribs, sending the skilled martial artist flying in the opposite direction. Suji''s body tumbled through the arena, like a cartwheel set on the loose, and only stopped after the youth slammed the blade of his Guandao firmly onto the floor. Nonetheless, the damage was done, both physically and mentally. ''What?! How did he counter Tiger Leaps across the Great Wall?!'' Suji mentally exclaimed. In his entire life, this opening movement of his had always been avoided, since no one was crazy enough to counter it. ''Tch, if that move doesn''t work, how about this?!'' Turning the Purple Dragon Crescent Blade until it was hanging over his back, Suji crouched down and assumed a different battle stance. To be safe, he created dozens of lightning coils and formed an electric field to act as the first line of defence. Following that, he increased his mana strengthening to the limit, especially at the areas surround his eight greater and twelve lesser meridians. Knowing that Shin could end a match using the Divine Needle Binding alone, Suji had to take additional precautions. With his preparations complete, Suji acted like a bull and dashed forward with all his might, leaving a trail of lightning in his wake. Closing in at a blinding speed, Suji saw that Shin was merely standing there as if he were unaware of the raging blitz that was headed his way, which gave Suji an opening to end the match right there and then. The Guandao in his hands spun around in two smaller circles to gain momentum before its final swing, which contained his strongest offensive martial art. "DIIIIEEEE!!!" Suji hollered out as the sabre edge continued straight at the pristine white neck of Shin''s. However, just as the move before, Shin found its weakness almost immediately and dropped his body at the precise moment, opening Suji''s vulnerable body to a potent counter-attack. Shin targeted the greater meridian located on Suji''s chest using his outreached leg while taking out one silver needle to pierce through the descending youth''s meridian located on his calf. In that one move, Suji had opened himself up to two strikes from Shin without even realising it. Fortunately for the Son of War, his lightning field barred any metallic objects from harming him, rendering Shin''s attempt to seal his calf meridian obsolete. However, unfortunately for Suji, his lightning field didn''t protect him from Shin''s heel strike. Striking the location where Suji''s chest meridian was, Shin''s altered seismic kick, sent shockwaves pulsating through Suji''s body, but it wasn''t sufficient to seal the meridian altogether. Choking on his breath, Suji withstood the pain as his face turned crimson. Countered again, Suji flew backwards in a similar manner as before, making the audience feel like they were experiencing deja vu. "The Son of War''s martial arts are being neutralised?!" "Black-Haired Tyrant''s combat techniques surpasses that of the Lasgeor family''s?! How''s that possible?!" It wasn''t just the students who were stunned, but also the majority of the VIPs. Being part of High Society, they all knew how dangerous the Lasgeor family martial arts were. The Lasgeor family came from a lineage that was no strangers to warfare, and they had perfected their polearms martial arts to an exceptional degree. One might even argue that it was the best in the Empire. Yet, Shin was capable of countering two of Suji''s techniques with relative ease. Of course, Shin couldn''t take all the credit. It was Isadore who had shown him the techniques and had even pointed out how to neutralise each strike so that he could lead into a counter-attack. All of Shin''s counters were moves that Isadore had personally analysed and gifted upon the black-haired youth. If he were frank, Shin didn''t believe that the counters that Isadore developed would work against a true-blood Lasgeor. After all, Suji had years of experience perfecting his craft. However, based on the effectiveness of the first two moves, Shin realised that his worries were unfounded. In fact¡­ ''Why is Suji so much slower than Isadore?'' Shin pondered to himself. When he was training with Isadore, the Lasgeor family martial arts were much more potent, and one false calculation would spell the end of Shin''s happy life. In comparison, Suji''s movements were much less refined and sluggish. Even though the Son of War''s physical power was there and his lightning coils posed an ever-dangerous threat, compared to Isadore''s spear arts which had almost no flaws, it was akin to heaven and earth. During training, Shin would only land his counters one out of four times, but against Suji, Shin believed that he could counter his moves as long as he could see them. On the other side of the arena, Suji was trying his best to comprehend what had just happened. ''Once might have been luck, but two consecutive times?!'' Suji was in absolute shock. In all his years practising the Lasgeor martial arts, there has never been case where he was countered so badly twice in a row. ''Looks like fighting with martial arts won''t get me anywhere¡­ Damn it! I''ll electrocute you to death then!!!'' Realising that martial arts weren''t going to work, Suji amped up his lightning field to the maximum as the mana flowing out of his body far outmatched that of a regular Rank 19 Spirit Apostle. The stage trembled as the heavens began to darken. Pitter patter, pitter patter¡­ Dark, effervescent clouds dominated the skies above as the sweet nectar of rain filled the vicinity. Crying out at the battle below, a tropical drizzle dipped down from the heavens, wetting Lucha Amphitheatre instantaneously. Was it because of Suji''s discharge of lightning elements, or was it because of Shin''s Sovereign Koi? Or perhaps it was a combination of the two? Nonetheless, having it rain in the middle of Shin and Suji''s match was quite fitting. A clash between the Son of Lightning and the Child of Water. "Shin, I''m impressed that you have made it this far." Now that the essence of the battle had shifted, Suji relaxed his posture as he walked towards Shin with his lightning covered body. "..." Shin didn''t dare to drop his guard down for even one second. Creating three spheres of water, the black-haired youth changed his stance in preparation for the expected onslaught. "You have come from being a complete nobody to becoming one of the academy''s most elite fighters. I must admit, as a warrior, I admire how far you have come." Suji continued to move forward. Even though it seemed like the Son of War was filled with openings, Shin knew that the electric field he created would dissolve any of the attacks that he had and entering Suji''s target area without a plan was a terrible idea. Furthermore, since he was trained in dealing with the Lasgeor martial arts, it was best to wait for Suji to launch a telegraphed and colossal attack, so that Shin had the best chance to counter. Hence, he allowed the tanned, muscular teen to continue on rambling. "Unfortunately, the world is a cruel place. A place where the strong eats the weak, and a place where the weak submits to the strong." Closing his eyes, Suji felt his mana surge as the electric coils surrounding him intensified. Driven by the desire to prove himself, driven by the desire to avenge his friend, driven by the desire to become the best¡­ Suji decided to lay down all of his cards. "Hence, to prove that I''m not the weak one, I''ll have you grovel at my feet!!!" The moment he reached the centre of the arena, Suji opened his arms wide and released all of his lightning coils, allowing them to wreak havoc all over. The enchanted stage, which should have been sturdy enough to withstand the damage from Spirit Core cultivators, started to rip apart as bits of debris flew all over. To escape the carnage, Shin leapt into the skies and used the Dance of the Valkyrie to remain airborne. With the three water spheres orbiting around him, Shin glanced down at the decimated arena, and a nervous mouthful of saliva gulped down his throat. Rather than looking like a standard square where students could showcase their abilities, Lucha Amphitheatre had turned into a nesting ground of lightning, where only maniacs who didn''t care about their lives would even consider stepping foot on the arena. Like a lightning rod, Suji continued to conduct electricity at an astonishing rate and showed no signs of slowing down. The amount of mana being released was so tremendous that it made Shin question if Suji was truly someone at the Spirit Apostle realm. ''Looks like I can''t let this continue on further¡­ It''s time...'' Shin thought back to the conversation that he had with Isadore as they were training and knew that he had no choice but to implement the risky plan he formulated. Shin raised his hands above his head and merged the three water spheres together, forming a colossal sized one as a result. Treating it like a basketball, Shin threw the gigantic orb straight to the sparkling Suji. "You underestimate me, Shin Iofiel!!!" Suji furrowed his brows as a vein popped in his forehead. Slashing his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, Suji instantly dispersed the humongous orb of water, allowing it to fall down to the ground around him. At the same time, dozens of lightning coils flowed out from his body and conducted themselves onto the slippery floor, creating an electrified surface that would fry a normal human being within seconds. However, Shin''s attack wasn''t done. Immediately after Suji sliced through the water sphere, Shin threw all of his silver acupuncture needles at the compromised youth. Thinking that the grey clouds and continuous downpour would mask his needle throw, Shin hoped to end the match by piercing through Suji''s greater and lesser meridians all at once. Unfortunately, Suji''s electric field proved to be too potent. Instead of piercing its targets, Shin''s silver needles all dropped onto the electrified pool of water beneath Suji, leaving the sinewy youth completely unharmed. "If you think that lazy attack could work on me, you''re completely mistaken, you asshole!!!" Angered that Shin launched such a predictable assault, Suji congregated his mana once more and leapt high into the air, where Shin was waiting. Stunned by Suji''s new approach, Shin exploded the orb of water on his left feet to propel himself in the opposite direction, hoping to evade Suji''s telegraphed attack. However, just as Shin thought that he was in the clear, the leaping Suji suddenly changed directions midair and directed his bloodthirsty Guandao at the black-haired youth''s neck. ''Tch, he can fly as well?!'' Shin spat on in shock. With little time to think, Shin somersaulted in the air and performed the Dance of the Valkyrie to the best of his abilities. Noticing the change, Suji adjusted as well and kicked the air in pursuit of Shin. Swinging the Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in a huge arc, Suji attempted to end the match with that one final attack. "BAAANNNNNGGGG!!!!" A thunderous clap reverberated out, sending out ripples in the fabric of spacetime. Knowing that there was no escape, Shin used the strongest kick he had to meet Suji''s Guandao head on. The resulting force pushed the lightweight higher into the air, while Suji came crashing towards the ground. Spinning like a tabletop for three seconds, Shin reached a height of over fifty metres above the stadium, before he could stabilise himself. In the midst of the pouring rain, Shin felt his body trembling as the water elements that surrounded him rushed inwards, providing the youth with the mana and vigour that he needed to recover. On the ground, Suji basked in the electrified pool underneath his feet as flashes of lightning fell from the firmament above. Even though he had spent a significant amount of mana, Suji still had plenty left in the tank to fool around with. "Wh-what¡­ Are we watching?" A student spectator unknowingly mouthed out. The battle between Shin and Suji was on such a high level that many among the audience didn''t believe what they were witnessing. Even some from the VIP stands couldn''t comprehend how two students were able to reach such a level at their tender age. It wasn''t a match between two fifteen-year-old freshmen, but a war between two Gods... ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 270 Suji Lasgeor 4 After taking a moment to regain his bearings and clear his mind, Shin resolutely stared down at the arena, where Suji was lying in wait. The fact that Suji could fight in the air came as a surprise to Shin, but now that he had peace and quiet, the black-haired youth now had the freedom to analyse the new technique. ''Based on his movements, Suji probably can only change directions three times in the air.'' Shin thoroughly reflected on the sinewy youth''s aerial combat. ''Removing his final move, where he would change directions to return to the ground, Suji can only chase me twice in the air. That gives me an opening to strike!'' Raising his hands, Shin created dozens of water tendrils as he slowly dropped towards the arena. As much as he wished to battle on the ground, Suji''s electrified pool made it impossible for Shin to hold any kind of advantage. Which meant that Shin only had one option if he wanted to fight Suji. ''I must force him into aerial combat!!!'' Utilising the cover of the pouring rain, Shin fired all of his water tendrils towards the ground, hoping to bring Suji up into the air, and for the most part, the Son of War took that challenge head-on. Unafraid of Shin''s aerial dominance, Suji spun his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade and leapt straight at the black-haired youth. Thunder clapped as Suji''s body seemingly turned into a bolt of electric current. Charging into the skies, Suji swung his Guandao at Shin. His senses heightened, Shin exploded the water orb that was on his ankles and flew hastily in the other direction. With his blade hitting empty space, Suji somersaulted once and kicked the air, changing his trajectory to give chase to Shin. Eager to test his theory, Shin evaded the attack once more and allowed Suji to pursue him in the air. As expected, after his second directional change, Suji was forced to kick the air and fall back to the ground, giving Shin the opportunity to attack. While the Son of War was falling to the earth, Shin exploded both water orbs on his ankles and rapidly descended alongside Suji, as if he were a falcon diving for its prey. Sensing danger, Suji twisted his body mid-air to face the oncoming threat. Regrettably, he was just a tad too late. "HARGHHH!!!" Shin hollered out as he punched through the electric field protecting Suji. Landing his punch right at the Du Mai meridian, Shin''s mana-infused blow pierced through the tight defences that Suji had put up, forcing the youth to cough out a mouthful of blood. However, Suji wasn''t the only one who got injured from that short exchange. To attack the tiger, one had to brave its claws. The lightning coils that surrounded Suji flowed effortlessly through Shin''s extended hand and shocked many parts of the black-haired youth''s internal organs. Fortunately, with his added resistances and self-healing abilities, Shin was able to emerge from that attack relatively unscathed. However, if he were to continually challenge Suji''s electrical field, there will come a time where his body won''t be able to handle the stress anymore. ''I can''t prolong this battle!'' Shin cried out mentally. Since aimlessly shooting water spheres wouldn''t do anything to the Son of War, Shin had to resort to high powered exchanges where he sacrificed his body just to inflict enough damage onto Suji. As much as he wanted to protect his skin from turning into a dried pigskin, it was a price that Shin was willing to pay. Plop! Plop! Plop! Shin used the Dance of the Valkyrie to rapidly switch directions midair, trying to gain a better position while Suji was still recovering from the shock that Shin''s punch had caused him. Finding an opening, Shin spun down rapidly, allowing his heel to gain a substantial amount of momentum for a finishing blow. "ARGGHHHH!!!" Before Shin could even get near to Suji, the tanned, sinewy youth raised his hands and allow a thunderbolt to flow out from his body, hoping to turn Shin into a fried chicken in the process. Forced to call off his attack, Shin created a water wall and connected it to the flooded arena, sending the current straight towards the floor. Leaping up once more, Shin danced about in the air like a ballerina and only stopped until he had reached an acceptable distance away from Suji. The war between the two prodigies came to a standstill after that brief exchange, giving them some time to recover and replan their the next approach. ''I still have to tire him down so that the mana strengthening around his meridians are weakened¡­ Tch, how much mana does this monster have?!'' With Suji''s constant discharge of electrical currents and Shin''s relentless pounding, one would assume that the tanned youth should be out of gas by now. However, no matter how many times he attacked Suji, the Son of War never tired. It was as if his mana reserves were as bottomless as the ocean itself. Of course, the truth was, Suji was already starting to feel the strain. He had hoped to end the match within the first twenty odd moves. After all, his forte lay in the explosiveness of his attacks. Unfortunately, Shin was a slippery one. Countering his martial arts, flying around in the air to avoid the electrified pool, and even figuring out his three directional change restriction in the air. All of his moves that were capable of ending a match quickly had all been neutralised, and he had less than half his mana remaining. ''I can''t even let go of my electric field since he can easily attack my meridians then!'' Suji tapped on his body to find the Du Mai meridian that Shin had attacked. Although he had been mildly shocked by the damage, his mana flow wasn''t sealed, and neither was it causing any significant after effects to his movements. ''This fight can''t go on for too much longer!!!'' Suji resolved himself to end the match quickly, even if it meant putting himself in even more risky scenarios. And thus, a bitter struggle soon ensued. Fueled by his desire to end the bout, Suji''s attacks started to get more and more ferocious. His Purple Dragon Crescent Blade swung about in the air while Shin carefully evaded each one of his strikes. Every so often, Shin would land a clean hit onto Suji''s meridian points, but that in turn gave Suji the opportunity to brutally maul Shin''s extended limbs. Bit by bit, the battle wore down the two geniuses. Tasting the bitter flavour of iron in his mouth, Suji would remind himself of his motivations and how desperately he needed to win. The adrenaline pumped into his brain nullified the pain of Shin''s hits, giving the Son of War a clear mind to launch vicious attacks, that pierced through Shin''s scaly flesh. As good as he was at evading hits, whenever Shin committed to an attack, he was leaving a significant part of himself unguarded. Suji capitalised on the gap and sliced through the tender meat of Shin''s body, giving rise to countless cuts and bruises. Thankfully, with his superior agility, Shin could dodge the life-threatening blows, but it was generally by the margin of the width of a hair. "BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!" The violent aerial exchange lasted for a good two minutes, mixing the stench of blood amidst the torrential monsoon rain. During that short period, Shin and Suji exchanged fists dozens if not hundreds of times. Each palm strike was meticulously backed up by a series of feints and mind games, and each brutal attack was struck with the intent to cripple. Shin dealt with Suji''s thunderbolts by employing water walls that diverted the electric charge elsewhere while the Son of War neutralised Shin''s aerial superiority with a combination of well-timed attacks. Hundreds of precise cuts appeared on Shin''s scaly skin, and his vision had started to get impaired. Even though his self-healing body was sufficient to deal with the deeper injuries, the severe loss of blood wasn''t something that he could replenish that easily. Suji wasn''t having a good time either. Shin''s constant bombardment on his meridians severely depleted his mana strengthening, and it wasn''t long until a breakthrough occurred. On the surface, the two-minute exchange was an equal one. Each contestant was feeling the other up, hoping that he would make a mistake that would end the match. However, deep down, they both knew who held the upper hand. ''This black-haired asshole! How many more water walls can he create?!'' Suji was appalled. The Son of War, who seemingly had an infinite supply of mana, was now running low on fuel and has less than twenty percent of his mana left. On the other hand, Shin still had a significant portion of spiritual energy, due to his Spirit Core, which could rapidly convert the water elements around him into mana, and conservative fighting style. Of course, he was quickly losing blood, and his consciousness was escaping him bit by bit, but Suji wasn''t able to tell. If the equivalent exchange continued on further, Suji would eventually suffer the same fate as his childhood friend. Defeat through mana depletion. ''Time for an all or nothing attack!!!'' Suji''s face turned red as he jumped up a hundred metres into the air in the blink of an eye. Shin feel a chill run down his spine as the tanned youth continued to propel himself higher and higher into the clouds. He had heard of this attack from Isadore. Suji''s ultimate finisher and the only attack that couldn''t be parried or evaded. Adding to the fact that his senses were diminishing, Shin could only defend and hope for the best. ''No! This is an opportunity! To end this match once and for all!'' Always the optimist, Shin decided to implement the final stage of his plan. If Suji executed his finisher, the Son of War would immediately become vulnerable due to the excessive mana flowing out from his body. Dropping down until he was two metres above the electrified water surface of the arena, Shin created ten water spheres and congregated them into one unified, humongous lance. Oscillating his hands, Shin willed for the lance to spin rapidly, as if it were a whirlpool that sunk fishermen boats to the very depths of the ocean. The heavens above darkened even further as the Son of War reached the precipice of the firmament. His mana surged exponentially as all the lightning elements in the vicinity danced with joy. Raindrops fell from the heavens as thunder clapped, bringing a sense of dread to those living on the surface level. Suji''s Purple Dragon Crescent Blade was exceptional, even among all of the Spirits awakened by the Himmel Empire nobility. The amount of electricity it could generate was staggering, and its explosiveness was ranked among the best in the Empire. Coupled with the Lasgeor lineage, where only the mightiest of warriors were born, Suji''s all-out attack could rival that of ordinary Spirit Adept cultivators. If not for Kanari creating the Lunar Beam, Suji''s Heavenly Punishment would undeniably rank as the best pure offensive ability in their generation. Furthermore, the Heavenly Punishment that Suji was executing combined the remainder of his mana and the inescapable technique that the Lasgeor family had created. It would take a miracle for Shin to get out of the move completely unharmed. "With this blade¡­ I SHALL REIGN SUPREME!!!" Suji hollered out. The heavens split in two while the raindrops falling down distorted. Turning into a bolt of lightning, Suji fell straight towards the ground, where Shin was lying in wait with his gigantic lance spun even faster, hoping to mitigate the Son of War''s all-out attack. ''This is the final move!!!'' "BWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" The Purple Dragon Crescent Blade heavily collided with the rapidly spinning water lance, splitting it in two like the tale of the Red Sea. Losing a significant amount of his momentum after the initial contact, Suji''s figure could be seen emerging out from the lightning bolt, but he had no intentions of slowing down. The Guandao in his hands continued to descend at a blinding speed, so much so that even Shin couldn''t see the youth''s visage until it was too late. Hurriedly bringing some of his created water to form a wall, Shin hoped for some last minute protection, but alas¡­ Suji''s strike proved to be too mighty. "BANNNNGGGG!!!!" Piercing through Shin''s chest, Suji continued to dive down until both of them were pinned to the ground. An impact crater, the size of a dining table, formed underneath Shin''s collapsed body, forcing the poor black-haired youth to open his mouth in horror as fresh crimson blood flowed out. "SHIN!!!!" The twins cried out in terror from the stands. For the first time in their lives, they had witnessed the fall of their beloved family member. Kanari and Shizen, who was waiting in the contestants'' resting area, also cried out in fear, not knowing if Shin was able to get out from the match alive. "That fucking!!!" In the VIP seats, Lady Seph had a similar experience. Watching her beloved disciple fall to the hands of Suji brought out a primal rage that she thought she had buried over the years. If she were given the opportunity, Lady Seph swore that she would tear apart the good-for-nothing tanned bastard, limb from limb. And well, she was just about to do just that. Leaping out from her seat, Lady Seph swung her hands and broke the window glass, in preparation to rescue Shin and murder Suji in the process. However, before she could act any further, Lady Seph felt a firm grip on her wrist as a tranquil voice started to advise her. "Venerate Seraphim, I wouldn''t do that if I were you." "FUCK YOU, BITCH!!! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" Screaming at the Duchess of Highgarden, Lady Seph raised her spiritual pressure output, choking many of the weaker VIP guests in the area. Naturally, being a Spirit Venerate herself, the Duchess was mostly unaffected and continued on her explanation. "Have a look at your disciple, before you ruin his golden chance to win!" "HUH?!" Turning her attention to the ring, Lady Seph saw her precious disciple, who had a Guandao firmly lodged into his chest, grabbing the weapon that impaled him as dozens of electrified floating needles spun about in the air. Finally realising what Shin was trying to accomplish, Lady Seph''s anger mildly diminished and the spiritual pressure being released instantly dissipated. "Shin¡­ You bloody moron..." ~~~ ''Hah¡­ Hah¡­ I won...'' Suji cheekily grinned as he glanced down at the fallen Black-Haired Tyrant at his feet. Shin''s meteoric rise to the top, had finally been stopped, and Suji will reclaim his rightful place. ''One down¡­ One to go!'' Thinking that it was finally over, Suji set his sights on the final hurdle in his path to becoming the strongest. "*Cough!* *Cough!*." Almost half a litre of blood escaped Shin''s body, as the feeble youth tried his best to hold onto Suji''s Guandao. His body riddled with scars and the colossal amount of blood being lost should have crippled the youth by now. However, Shin somehow still managed to muster up his strength for one final struggle. "Not dead yet?" Suji scoffed. "I must admit, you''re tough¡­ But just lie still as a loser should!" "Who¡­ said¡­ I¡­ lost?" "Hargh?!" "You''re¡­ the¡­ one¡­ who¡­ lost!!!" "You fuc-!!!" Before Suji could react to Shin''s words, he lost all control over his body. The mana that used to flow freely had been cut off, and all of his motor abilities had been sunk into the high seas. The only thing that Suji could do was to quiver his pupils in horror, as his mind spun, hoping to find out the cause of his paralysis. With its mana source gone, the Purple Crescent Dragon Blade faded into nothingness, giving Shin a chance to tend to his own injuries. At this point, he didn''t care if his secret of a being healer was revealed. Creating an orb of healing water, Shin covered the enormous scar on his chest. At the same time, he used some of the remnant needles to stop the flow of bleeding. Tumbling as he got up, Shin limped towards the encumbered Son of War, who still had no clue about what had happened. Smiling, Shin leaned his weight on Suji''s shoulder as he pushed the silver acupuncture needle at Suji''s Du Mai meridian, deeper into his meaty flesh. "Now, the Divine Needle Binding is complete..." ''This! Don''t tell me, he dropped all of his silver needles earlier on the match just for this moment?!'' Suji cried out mentally. At the time, the Son of War thought that Shin was underestimating him and didn''t pay too much attention to the needles on the floor. However, now that he could reflect on that time, Shin''s previous attack to the needle throw, the water sphere toss, was just to coat the needles with his created water, so that he could control them later on. ''Everything else was just a diversion, to hope that I lose my mana strengthening and electric field! How far did he plan ahead?!'' Suji couldn''t believe how thorough Shin was with his planning. Not only had his martial arts been neutralised, but every single move that he did was in accordance with Shin''s master plan. From the start, Suji never held any chance to win. "Senior¡­ Please, anno-, *cough* *cough,* the¡­ match..." Now that Suji had been bound, it was clear to everyone who had won the match. In the battle of the Gods, there could only be one victor, and it was time for him to reap the rewards. "Winner, SHIN IOFIEL!!!" ~~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 271 Kanari Saniela 1 "He¡­ won¡­ The Black-Haired Tyrant had bested the Son of War!!!" A particularly excited audience member hollered out. After the referee had announced the conclusion of the match, Lucha Amphitheatre entered into a brief state of silence. For one, they were overwhelmed by the gorgeous display of might that both contestants had shown and had yet to recover from the stimulating match. However, what truly shocked them all was the manner in which Shin had taken down Suji. Putting his body in harm''s way, Shin ensured that he created an opening where the Son of War couldn''t defend himself. Using the silver acupuncture needles, that he had fired just dozens of moves prior, the Black-Haired Tyrant sealed all of Suji''s movements, thus ending the match in his favour. The level of foresight and courage needed to execute such a fearless task was a rare attribute to find, even amongst seasoned war veterans that had braved a thousand battles. Yet, Shin who was not even sixteen years of age dared to pull off such a risky stunt. Of course, now that the youth had reaped the rewards of his dangerous play, it was time for him to face the risk. "Hah¡­ Hah..." Shin panted heavily as he got onto one knee. Shin''s vision started to become blurry as the world spun around him. He could heal all he wanted, but there were no healing spells that could quickly replenish that blood he lost. Furthermore, there were the remnant electric currents that were running amok within his consciousness. The fact that he could even stand just seconds before was perhaps a miracle that couldn''t be explained through conventional medical science. However, now that he had won, Shin could finally ease his heart as his entire world blacked out. "Shin!!!" All of his friends cried out from the respective locations. Although Shin had been trying to heal the massive laceration on his chest, the fact remained that he was still severely injured and was in pressing need of emergency treatment. "BAAANNNNGGG!!!" Unable to spectate any longer, Lady Seph broke through the barrier that enveloped the entirety of Lucha Amphitheatre with the wave of her hand and turned into a beam of light. Not wasting any time, the blonde beauty released the Iofiel Angel and cast the strongest healing ability that she had. Lady Seph''s sudden appearance came as a shock to all of the audience members, especially those from the auxiliary department. An angel was one of the rarest Spirits a cultivator could awaken and the mana being supplied from the newly arrived blonde bombshell was enough to suffocate even the Spirit Lord teachers that remained near the arena. "A Spirit Venerate! That woman must be a Spirit Venerate! The spiritual energy that surrounds her is immense!!!" "Wait¡­ Why does that angel look so familiar?" "That¡­ Looks like a mural I''ve seen in Yara Pass." Angel bearing the light element... Spirit Venerate¡­ Mural from Yara pass¡­ Shin IOFIEL¡­ It didn''t take long for some of the most perceptive audience members to figure out what was happening. Furthermore, Shin had already publicly shown his ability to heal. It didn''t take a genius to figure out that there was a relationship between Shin and one of the most famous living healers of the Himmel Empire. "You bloody idiot¡­ I know that you wanted to win, but was it worth getting this messed up over it?!" Lady Seph chided the sleeping black-haired youth. The world gaped in awe as Lady Seph''s divine light entered Shin''s body instantly patching up all of its scars and exterior injuries. It wasn''t long until a perfectly intact body, freed of any impurities or blood, was lay bare on the floor. Unfortunately, as mystical as Lady Seph''s healing abilities were, she wasn''t able to replenish the boy''s lost blood in an instant. For now, with his life out of danger, Lady Seph had to move him into a facility where she could slowly nourish him back to the pink of health. Picking up the youth in a princess carry, the blonde beauty slowly walked away, with the intent of flying straight back home, where she held the best materials to rejuvenate the fainted youth. "W-Wait, V-Venerate!" However, before she could leave the vicinity, the medics in the area weakly called for Lady Seph to stop. "What?!" Angered, Lady Seph screamed out with a popped vein. She wanted nothing to do with the academy anymore. What mattered most to her was bringing Shin back for further treatments. "T-That¡­ Student Shin has sealed student Suji with the Divine Needle Binding. If we carelessly touch him, student Suji would possibly..." It was the curse of the Divine Needle Binding technique. If someone other than the executioner of the technique carelessly removed the needles, the victim would experience a pain that would be equivalent to the worst torture that humanity could develop. Of course, if someone at a much higher cultivation level than Shin, with sufficient knowledge of the Divine Needle Binding, were to act, the pain that Suji would feel could be minimised. With Shin out cold, there was only one person present that could free Suji from his shackles, but unfortunately for him... "And why the fuck should I care about that?" "B-B-But!" "Go and ask someone else, you idiots! I have no interest in that boy!" Lady Seph scoffed and glared at the paralysed Suji. Only capable of moving his eyes, Suji shook in fear as Lady Seph''s spiritual pressure mounted by itself, in response to her increasing hatred for Suji. "Tsk, what a waste of time! *Whoooooooosh!*." Instead of wasting time killing an immobilised student, Lady Seph would much rather spend her time treating Shin. Launching herself into the air, the blonde beauty turned into a beam of resplendent light as she darted back to her abode. There, she would have the resources to completely patch up the injured youth. "Venerate Seraphim has left with the boy huh?" Up in the VIP stands, the Duchess of Highgarden giggled and turned her head towards Principal Erudito. "I wonder how you''re going to explain all of this to Gaji?" "Your Excellency, there''s no need to worry. I will personally inform the Lasgeor patriarch about his son''s defeat." The bronze-faced man reluctantly replied. Since it has come down to this, there was no need to hide Shin''s relationship with Lady Seph anymore. Glancing at Vice-Principal Hirda, Principal Erudito gestured for her to get ready for the mountain of bureaucracy work that was headed their way. As much as she hated that more paperwork was imminent, Vice-Principal Hirda nodded her head and rushed out of the arena to begin the procedures that they had set into place. "Well, judging from that boy''s injuries, I reckon it would take him a few days to fully recover. That would disqualify him from the finals, no?" The Duchess of Highgarden finally revealed the reason for her sinister smile. With Shin out of the picture, Kanari would undoubtedly be crowned the winner of the year-end tournaments. "I wouldn''t be so sure of that, Your Excellency¡­ She still has one match to contest before she could reach the finals." "Do you honestly think that she would lose against the Freak of the Dundlewoods?" "That remains to be seen..." "Hoho, you sure have some faith with the boy that you had picked up." The Duchess laughed. "However, you forget one thing..." "What is it, Your Excellency?" Turning her head down towards the arena, where dozens of staff members were scrambling to fix the broken down ring, as well as the dispersed barrier that Lady Seph had shattered, the Duchess stretched her arms as she walked over to Principal Erudito. "My daughter is the greatest genius the world has ever seen¡­ There''s no way she would let her match be the second best in the academy''s history." ~~~ "..." Thirty minutes had passed since the spectacular match between Shin and Suji had ended. Working ceaselessly to fix the mess that remained, the staff members had mostly repaired all of the broken down pieces. It took a while, but the other semifinals of the year-end tournament could finally commence. Walking up to the stage, Kanari and Shizen both moved with clenched fists and gritted teeth. Shin was a dear friend to both of them and the fact that they weren''t by his side to mend his broken body was killing them inside. Nonetheless, they had to put aside those thoughts for the moment so that they could contend for the final spot in the finals. Even though they were part of the same clique, Kanari and Shizen shared a somewhat distant relationship. Naturally, Kanari wished to recruit the monstrous genius that was Shizen into her camp, but each time she tried, the brown-haired youth would play the fool and divert the topic altogether. To Shizen, the only one that mattered in the clique was Shin. Sometimes, he would have an amicable exchange with Elrin, since she always brought the dark fuzzy addicting liquid that her company produces, but otherwise, Shizen would always remain aloof. Kanari knew of that fact. She also knew how little Shizen truly wished to do battle. However, now that they were on the ground about to face one another, the usually laid back youth was now burning in a red hot passion. The resolute glare in his eyes would stun any of his acquaintances, and the spiritual energy being spilt out from his pores would suffocate any normal Spirit Apostles that came near. ''Well, who can blame him? After witnessing a match like that, it would take a Pope to remain calm...'' Kanari sighed to herself. Initially, she didn''t want to use all of her power in the fight. After all, Kanari didn''t want to harm Shizen, and she wouldn''t want all of her secrets to be exposed. However, after seeing how hard Shin struggled to win, Kanari couldn''t bear to hold back. "Let the match¡­. BEGIN!!!" The referee swung down his raised hand, signifying the start of the match. Instantly, Shizen summoned out the Adivinar Tree and created thousands of vines, hoping to make the arena into his domain. At the same time, he cast the Leaves of the Dundlewoods, dominating the ground and air. Kanari smiled and merged with the Kumiho Spirit that slept deep within her soul. Nine luscious tails emerged from the top of her petite butt, and three gorgeously pale blue flaming balls orbited the girl rapidly making her visage seem divine. Her nails sharpened to an extraordinary degree, it wouldn''t be strange if Kanari decided to use them as weapons to maul her enemy limb from limb. Furthermore, with her newly added fox ears and enhanced sight, smell and hearing, Kanari could trump any cultivator that came within five metres of her. Unfortunately, Kanari wouldn''t get the chance to utilise her innate physical advantage against Shizen. The roots, vines and leaves that he created continued to increase at a rapid pace, not caring in the least that Kanari had cast her spiritual body enhancement. It would take a couple of seconds before Shizen launched the first strike. "VFFFFFFF!!!" In response to Shizen''s crude attack, Kanari dropped one of her foxfires onto the floor and allowed it to form a ring around her. Waving her tails in a unified manner, Kanari fanned the flames using her gale control, rendering the attack sent by the Adivinar Tree obsolete. Not ten seconds had passed since the start of the match, and the arena had been split into two fronts. One, a serene and organic environment, filled to the brim with roots, vines and leaves, while the other, had become a purgatory of blue flames, strong enough to melt even the toughest of metals. Unlike the match before it, which constituted of a plethora of martial arts, Shizen and Kanari favoured fighting with their control over the environment. "Tsk!" Shizen clicked his tongue after his first attack failed. Not relenting, the brown-haired youth continually brought out heaps of vines and leaves, hoping to breach the defences of Kanari''s fire field. While most of the attacks were instantly incinerated, there were some that somehow managed to reach Kanari, but they were slapped away by Kanari''s superior strength. However, as time passed, those one in a million strikes started to become more common, raising the eyebrows of the young girl. ''His innate ability allows him to absorb mana, is that what''s happening?'' Kanari hypothesised. Although it seemed like a stretch, judging from Shizen increased power and glowing body, that was the only viable reason that Kanari could think of. Furthermore, that light that Shizen was emitting instantly sent a wave of nostalgia to Kanari''s mind. ''He¡­ Reached the peak of Rank 19¡­ Wow, looks like the academy will have its third Spirit Core freshmen huh?'' Kanari smiled as she observed the youth. Through this match, Shizen had found the means to grow yet another step. Now that he was the peak of Rank 19, the moment he left the arena, Principal Erudito would be sure to shower him with attention, just so Shizen could form his Spirit Core. ''However, you''re still too green, Shizen!!!'' Jumping up high into the air, Kanari''s mana output peaked as the illusion of a moon appeared behind her. The instant the audience saw this sight, they all grasped the edges of their seat in preparation to witness the strongest offensive move among the entire student population. Since the mid-year practicals, people had been spreading the news of the destructive capabilities of Kanari''s Lunar Beam. However, no matter how grandeur the description given by the eyewitnesses were, it was still the best to watch the ability with their own eyes. "..." As someone who lived based on his instincts, Shizen could sense how dangerous the oncoming attack was. Waving his arms, Shizen created thousands of vines and shot them heavenward, hoping to interrupt Kanari''s cast. Additionally, with Kanari gone, he claimed the other half of the arena as his own and hid among the vines and roots. ''Hmph! Do you honestly think that would work?!'' Kanari created three more foxfires and used one to burn down the vines that were head towards her. At the same time, she threw the remaining two towards the ground and hoped to torch the forest-like ground in the process. However, instead of burning it all to cinders, the pale blue fires got absorbed as razor-sharp leaves emerged from the undergrowth. ''Shizen¡­ You really are irritating¡­'' A wry smile crept up Kanari''s face as she continued to supply mana to prepare her Lunar Beam. Shizen''s plan was simple, hide until it was safe to come out. In normal circumstances, it was a wise strategy. Unfortunately, he had met the monster that was Kanari. ''Your tactic would work if there was only one Lunar Beam¡­ However, what if there were five?!'' Spreading her five fingers, Kanari created four more ''moons'' dropping the jaws of everyone in the audience. In fact, she had even shocked her own biological mother, who was comfortably seated in the VIP stands. "F-Five..." "... Lunar Beams?!?!?!" The mana being supplied to the skies above made it seem as if gravity had gone bonkers and decided to butcher everyone on the ground. Kanari''s ruby eyes glistened in a glow of terror as her image begun to turn more and more savage. To maintain the ungodly amounts of mana she was outputting, Kanari had melded with the Kumiho Spirit even more than before, forcing her to revert back into a more primal state. "Descend!" "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A deafening blow, incomparable to anything that came before it, shook the stadium. The last-minute enchantments that had been placed by the staff members had been utterly decimated while the poorly made barrier was at the brink of collapsing. The referee, who should have been adjudicating the match, had retreated to a safe place, far from the terror that Kanari had unleashed upon the land. To burn¡­ No, the Lunar Beams skipped the process of burning and instantly evaporated the entire arena, revealing the youth, who had his shirt burnt to cinders, lying still on the floor. Controlling the air around her, Kanari dove straight to the ground with astonishing speed and straightened her palm so that her claws at her fingertips were in full view. Stopping the chop just centimetres above Shizen''s throat, Kanari smiled. "I''ve found you~." "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Kanari, you''re really untouchable huh?" Shizen sighed bitterly. After Shin''s fight, he thought that it would be best for him to go all out, and hope that he could somehow wrestle a win away from the Witch in the South. However, Kanari was at the apex for a reason. "Do you want to continue?" "Don''t be stupid, who would fight you after that display?!" Shizen scoffed at Kanari''s suggestion and raised his hand to alert the referee. "I surrender!" "Wise choice." Kanari withdrew her hand and released her spiritual body enhancement. Leaning down, the girl helped Shizen to get to his feet. "I''m worried about Shin¡­" While stumbling, the brown-haired youth muttered out his worry. "I know, I am too¡­ Let''s visit him after this." "You know where he is?!" "I have an idea¡­ However, it would be best for you to behave before his master. Venerate Seraphim can instantly paralyse any one of us." "Yeah, I felt it just now¡­ That woman¡­ Scary..." Shizen shivered as he recalled the tremendous spiritual pressure that Lady Seph had released. "Haha! What a perfect description of her!" As the semifinals came to an end, Kanari felt her friendship with Shizen deepen as they bonded over their fear of a particular blonde woman... ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 272 Kanari Saniela 2 The freshmen semifinals came to a satisfying close, with both matches being a contender for match of the year. Shin and Suji tactical game of chess where one move was backed up by a thousand others gave the audience a glimpse of how high-ranked cultivators would fight when they were evenly matched, while Kanari''s dominance further cemented her legacy as one of the greatest talents of the generation. Nonetheless, while the matches were tantalising to watch, the blowback caused by Shin''s spectacular display had sent shockwaves all around the nation. Fifteen years old. Awakened The Sovereign Koi. Healer by the age of thirteen. Disciple of Venerate Seraphim. Defeated Natasha Aldana, Danroy Frithron and Suji Lasgeor. All these were nouns granted towards the young black-haired youth. Nothing was spared as the entire Empire''s investigative powers were used to dig up every detail about Shin. All of a sudden, Shin was the hottest topic in town. Hordes of delegates from Duchies and top organisations flooded Imperius Academy, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy known as the Black-Haired Tyrant. However, Shin had been sent to an undisclosed location, and a gag order had been placed by Principal Erudito, the Duchess of Highgarden, and to everyone''s surprise, the reigning Emperor, to prevent the location of Lady Seph''s abode from leaking. As much as they wished to form relations with the new talent, who was said to have rivalled Kanari''s, the delegates were forced to bite their tongue and reluctantly retreat. The Lasgeor family, who found their son bound with the dreadful Divine Needle Binding technique, was forced to swallow their indignation as the brought over a Registrar to remove the shackles that Shin had placed onto Suji. After admiring the exquisite style of Shin''s technique for a minute, the plump Registrar knocked Suji unconscious and proceeded to unbind the youth from his terror. It was a shameful event for the Lasgeor family. Not only did their heir lose an all-out battle with a boy of his similar age, but he was also bound to the extent that an expert had to be called in. Suji''s mother, the Lasgeor family''s madame, was evidently enraged. She swore to tear the perpetrator of her son''s suffering, limb from limb, while the calm patriarch sat quietly on his throne. "Gaji! I say we bring our forces and force that bitch to hand over the devil spawn! We can''t waver, lest the world thinks that we''re a bunch of weaklings!" Suji''s mother angrily screamed out. "Shut it, my love¡­ Our opponent is a Spirit Venerate¡­ Not to mention, the boy who put Suji in this condition is now the Empire''s new rising star." Gaji folded his arms, showing off all of his densely packed muscles. "So what if she''s a Spirit Venerate?! Your grandfather is also one! Furthermore, she''s just a healer while the ancestor is a pure fighter! We can do this!" "My love, you''re blinded by your hate. Think rationally for once, would you? Do you honestly think that grandfather would move for such a petty reason?" "If I can gain an audience, I''m sure I can convince him! We can''t let the harm done by Suji go unanswered!!!" Suji''s mother face had turned vermillion as her speech rose by three octaves. Her fangs were in full view and the reddened eyes that spent hours misting up about her son''s condition had clouded her vision and judgement. "I have heard enough! Suji''s not dead, and based on eyewitness accounts, the fight was completely impartial. Additionally, Suji had severely injured the black-haired boy while he was going down. At least, even till the very end, he had shown dignity." Gaji revealed a rare smile as he brushed the unconscious youth''s hair. "If he can''t have the face to handle one defeat, how can I trust him to serve our motherland?" "Tsskkk, if you put it that way, how can I refute you Gaji?" The middle-aged woman clicked her tongue and sat on the bed that Suji was lying on. With loving eyes, the mother gently caressed her son''s face. "Hah¡­ He''s grown up so well." "Yeah¡­ The burden of being the Lasgeor family heir, the burden of being my son must have driven him to extremes..." Gaji frowned as he recollected his own youth. Back then, the stress weighed down on him by the elders and his own immediate family had pushed him to the brink. It was only after he matured many years later that he started to gain control over his emotional state. "It''s a phase that he would have to learn to deal with. There''s nothing wrong with losing, it''s what he does after that will define him." Gaji got off his son''s bed and straightened his back. Almost instantly, his eyes glistened in a fierce light, and the calm, fatherly figure that he had displayed all but disappeared. "Where are you going?" Suji''s mother enquired. She had been with her husband for decades now. She knew all of the expressions that Gaji had and could instantly tell that the Lasgeor family head had switched gears. Instead of the image of the loving patriarch that everyone knows, Gaji had put on his most solemn face. Yes, it was rare, but Suji''s mother had seen that face before. It was the face of Gaji before he went to war. "Even though we can''t do anything to him, I can at least see his face right? The face of the boy that put my son in bed." Not willing to continue this conversation, Gaji stomped out of his son''s room leaving his wife to tend to the needs of their unconscious son. "Hmph! You scolded me, but you''re no better! Stupid overprotective father!" Even though Suji''s mother was chiding her husband behind his back, her expression didn''t match her words as the brightest smile crept up her cheeks. ~~~ Himmel Empire. Lady Seph''s Abode. Two Days Later. Once the final match of the semifinals had been determined, it was time to announce the contestants that would compete in the coveted Grand Finals. For the second to fifth years, there were not many surprises. Those who did well in the past continued to push past their limits and performed exemplary. For instance, in the second years, Angie Allen and Lyanna Craig, who were the top two students in their cohort, had made it all the way to the finals and were contesting for the second time this year. Taking out all of the predictable matchups, the one that truly stood out the public was the finals for the freshmen. Kanari Saniela versus Shin Iofiel. One was already an established name in the Empire. Her powers were considered to be the best in her generation, and everyone believed that she was untouchable. However, the appearance of a certain black-haired boy flipped that notion altogether. Not only was he at the Spirit Core realm, but he had developed a plethora of his own techniques to take on monsters such as Natasha, Danroy and Suji. Furthermore, he was also a registered healer from the Healer''s Association, and he had prior experience in a great battle in the form of Aldrich''s Keep. On paper, Kanari''s abilities seemed to tower over Shin''s. However, when all of the factors were taken into account, the Black-Haired Tyrant trumped over Kanari''s accomplishments a hundred times over. Hence, everyone was eager to witness the final that pitted the two one in a million genius against each other. Would the Witch in the South keep her throne and reign supreme? Or could the Black-Haired Tyrant pull out an upset to oust the queen? Everyone was on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, that dream wouldn''t come to pass. At least, for the moment. The battle with Suji had literally sucked the blood out of Shin''s system, and the youth wasn''t in any condition to compete with his full strength. It would take days for the lost blood to be replenished to an optimal condition, even with Shin''s absurd self-healing body working at maximum capacity. Therefore, even though he wished to contest for the valedictorian position, Shin decided to sit out this year. Fighting against Kanari when he wasn''t a hundred per cent was a formula for a one-way ticket to hell, and furthermore, keeping the salutatorian seat was enough for the youth Since Shin had withdrawn from the competition, Kanari was automatically crowned champion as she won via no contest. It was perhaps, the most anti-climatic finals in Imperius Academy history. During the freshmen coronation ceremony, Kanari stood in her natural habitat, at the centre of the stage, basking in the limelight that everyone had shone onto her. From a tender age, Kanari had been climatised to the neon lights that would follow her around like glue, thus standing on a stage with thousands of eyes watching her didn''t sour her mood at all. In fact, she was letting her mind wander while the ceremony was still ongoing. ''Do I really deserve the valedictorian spot?'' Kanari thought to herself. Her grades were exemplary while her combat abilities were in a realm of itself. There was no doubt that she had the capabilities of claiming the most coveted position in the entire academy. However, if she were to compare herself to Shin, Kanari could help but feel inferior. Being part of his group, she had personally seen how studious and crazy Shin was in improving himself. So much so, that he managed to grow from a person that Danroy could toy with, to a warrior that bested three of the academy''s best freshmen. Just based on that fact alone, Shin should be the one wearing her crown. Kanari thought back to the time where she claimed to Shin that the Highgarden Duchy was the boy''s best bet to achieve his hopes and dreams. However, based on Shin''s growth, it wouldn''t be surprising if he surpassed her within the next five years. Heck, give him a few decades and Kanari was sure that his name would tower over the Highgarden Duchy. ''To become a leader that is worthy of having Shin, I can''t continue down this path. I have been too laid-back, I have been too sheltered.'' Kanari clenched the gold medal that had been bestowed upon her by Principal Erudito. Her knuckles were shaking so hard that it had started to turn white. ''I have to grow¡­ If I want to obtain Shin, I must become the strongest leader the world has ever seen!'' Kanari declared. ''However, first things first¡­ I have to learn more about him. The Awter Clan, the Frie Clan, Ariel Frie¡­ I must know everything!'' "Miss Kanari¡­ We meet again." A calm and husky voice interrupted the girl''s train of thoughts, forcing her to jerk slightly. "I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to startle you." The voice hurriedly turned worried as he apologised to the ethereal beauty. "Fred Newton¡­ What do you want?" Recognising the face that tried to woo her thirty-seven times, Kanari frowned and sharply called him out. "Miss Kanari, you sure like to cut to the chase..." Fred smiled brilliantly as he tried to close in the distance. However, just as he was able to smell the sweet fragrance that came out from the girl, killing intent, one of the likes that could suffocate him to death, came from the stands. Turning his head, the Rank 27 Spirit Core fourth-year caught eyes with a tall dark-haired woman, who was dressed in a butler''s attire. She wore a neutral expression, but something in Frank''s gut told him that if he moved just an inch closer, his entire body would be ripped to shreds. "Haha¡­ Could you ask your guardian to quell her bloodlust?" A bead of sweat dripped down Fred''s forehead as he reluctantly took one step back. "... State your business, Fred Newton." "No, it''s nothing¡­ I just wanted to congratulate you as a fellow victor." Seeing that Kanari had no ideas on calling off her guardian''s pressure, Fred tried his best to regain his placid expression. "Also, I was wondering if you were free this weekend? To celebrate our victories, that is..." All this while, Fred has never forgotten about Kanari. Even after a multitude of rejections, the youth still remained hopeful. Hopeful that his conviction would somehow move the Ice Queen. Alas, if only it were that simple. "Fred¡­ You know, I think I owe you an apology..." "Hmmm? Why do you need to apologise?" "Each time I rejected you, I have always harboured a seed of faith. Your talent is indisputably one of the best in the younger generation, so I had always hoped that you would come to your senses, and join my camp without that ridiculous request. So even though I rejected you, I did so half-heartedly. Perhaps, that''s the reason why you keep thinking that you have a chance." Kanari sighed. "But I''m done playing around. Fred Newton. I will never be in a relationship with you, ever. I hope you received this message loud and clear." For the thirty-eight time, Kanari rejected Fred. The words that Kanari spouted surely entered into Fred''s mind. Turning as pale as a sheet, the tall man stood rooted to the ground, and his eyes started to mist. His brain moved at the speed of light, hoping to find a reason for Kanari''s sudden change of heart. ''Is my love over? Just like this? No! That can''t be! I have done everything right! I have worked hard, I have shown my loyalty! So something must have happened to Kanari! Why would she change? Why would she change?! WHY WOULD SHE CHANGE?!'' All of a sudden, it clicked. The image of a particular black-haired youth, who had spent a tremendous amount of time with Kanari, came to the forefront of Fred''s mind. "It''s that bastard, Shin right?" "Huh?" "You¡­ Never acted this way before! It must be that bastard that keeps clinging onto you! You can''t trust him Kanari! People like him are only there to use your influence! He doesn''t care about you! You must wake up, Kanari!" Lost in his fantasies, Fred attempted to grab Kanari by the shoulders but was immediately stopped as the female butler appeared in between them, stunning everyone watching the ceremony. "I''ve decided¡­ Fred, you are a threat to my safety. The next time you come within ten metres of me, I will have your head roll." Kanari immediately got off the podium and brisk-walked to safety. In truth, after hearing all of his derogatory words against Shin, Kanari wanted to execute him right there and then. Unfortunately, she didn''t have the authority to kill whoever she pleased. "Principal Erudito, I advise that you keep him under surveillance. If he dares to harm even a single strand of hair on Shin, I''ll take it up to you." Kanari didn''t leave before giving the highest authority in the academy a stern warning. There wasn''t a need to explain anything since the Principal had been eavesdropping the entire time. Staring deeply into the ruby coloured eyes of Kanari''s, the bronze-faced scholar sighed and replied as such: "Will do." "Good." Almost instantly, Kanari disappeared from the view of the audience as she hurried backstage. After the ceremony, she was bringing all of Shin''s friends to visit the recuperating youth. Thus she didn''t want to be late. Principal Erudito turned his head to glance at the curled up Fred, who was mumbling sweet nothings to himself. Looking up at the audience, he could see heaps of reporters running off their respective communication devices, hoping to spread Fred''s misfortune to the entire world as quickly as possible. Finally, he thought of the black-haired youth who was still in possession of his master. All these factors combined forced a helpless sigh to flow out his mouth. "What a mess..." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 273 Kanari Saniela 3 Himmel Empire. Lady Seph''s Estate. As the monsoon season came to its peak, the torrential rain that fell from the heavens became more and more commonplace and often times, it would rain for over twelve hours each day. No matter where you were in the Capital, there was no running away from nature. Fortunately, many loved the stormy weather. Rain gives them an excuse to stay indoors and snuggle up in bed, something that Shin used to love doing. However, after being bedridden for two days, even he started to get bored stiff. "Master is such a worrywart¡­ I can move just fine!" Shin grumbled to himself. After being rescued by Lady Seph, Shin was forced to eat over five meals a day, take ten blood-nourishment pills, and for some reason, he was given a crimson liquid to consume that seemed suspiciously like blood. Furthermore, he was forced to lie still in bed without much to do. When he brought up his concerns, it was immediately struck down by the blonde beauty. "What do you mean, I''m still in a weak state? I can move just fine right?" Sighing the black-haired boy hopped to his feet, only to find that his legs turned wobbly. Struggling to stand upright, the youth wiggled his body like an acrobat, hoping to regain his balance. It was only after twenty seconds of ''dancing,'' did he finally fall back onto his bed with a thud. "Okay¡­ Maybe not that fine..." "Hey, Shin! You tried to walk again right?!" While he was recovering from his stumble, an infuriated voice echoed down from the hallways as a shadowy figure edged closer to his door. A bead of cold sweat flowed down his forehead as Shin started to brace himself for the scolding that he was going to get. "Elyse! Let me explain! I was trying to get myself a cup of tea, and..." "I told you, if you want anything, just call for me! I will come immediately to help you." Slamming open the door, a sapphire-colour haired girl stormed in with puffed cheeks, akin to that of a squirrel who was hiding its nuts. Wearing an apron that was stained with a variety of sauces and oils, it was evident that the girl had just emerged from the kitchen. Even though Elyse was two years younger than Shin, she had hit puberty earlier this year and was no longer the innocent young girl that clung to the black-haired boy at every turn. She had grown in height and was already at 1.5 metres, even though she was only thirteen years old. Due to the nature of her wind-elemental Spirit, Elyse boasted a lean body that contained the minimum amount of fat, so that she could move with great agility. Learning to fend for herself, Elyse had reached the Spirit Apostle realm and was fast pushing Rank 11. Since her goal was to enter Imperius Academy, the girl had long reached the minimum threshold required, and only had to wait one more year to be accepted. However, for the past two days, the blooming girl had put aside her intense training regimen, to become Shin''s exclusive nurse. "Sorry..." Always weak against Elyse, Shin dropped his head and apologised. "Shin, you have to learn to rely on me! Your body is still not fully recovered, so you shouldn''t think about moving!" "Are you going to treat me as a cripple from now on?" "At least until Lady Seph says its okay for you to move on your own." "What?! If Master says never, then wouldn''t I have to stay here for eternity?!" "Oh~. That''s actually not so bad..." "..." "..." The two teenagers stared at each other silently for almost ten seconds. However, unable to bear it no longer, Shin was the first one to burst out into laughter. "Pfffft, hahaha! What are we doing?" "Hehe, it''s been a while since we did one of those plays." Elyse giggled back. "Alright, your dinner is almost ready. By the way, you have some guests. Fionn is bringing them in now." "Guests? Are they Emma and Ella?" Shin thought to himself before making an educated guess. The only people who knew where Shin was outside of Lady Seph''s abode were the twins. "Yeah¡­ And the brought back some friends." Elyse smiled and peeked out the door. "I''ve heard that there were two pretty girls along with them." ''Pretty girls? They must be Kanari and Elrin...'' Shin thought of the clique that he always hung out with and could roughly guess who his guests were. "How many people are there?" "Don''t know¡­ I was only told that you had guests and there were pretty girls." Elyse shrugged her shoulders. "You know, you never told me anything about your friends in school¡­ I wonder what they''re like?" "You''ll be surprised..." Shin laughed as he sat upright on his bed. It wouldn''t take long for the group to reach his resting area, so he did his best to look perfectly fine. As anticipated, two minutes later, a variety of shadows came walking down the hallway and entered the room. At the helm of the group, was a short thirteen-year-old girl, who seemed to be slightly tomboyish. Just like Elyse, Fionn had just entered puberty and was in the midst of growing. However, unlike her peer, Fionn had developed condensed muscles that made her resemble a warrior from the Amazon. "Shin, I brought your guests." While she spoke in an apathetic manner, Fionn''s eyes were trembling as she pointed her thumb to the side, confusing Elyse on what had tripped her up. However, the moment Shin''s guests came into view, the sapphire-colour haired girl dropped her jaw in awe. Excluding the familiar faces of the twins, Elyse eyes nearly popped out of her sockets after observing the other members of the group. There was a brown-haired boy, who seemed to be no older than herself. The moment he saw Shin, his eyes begun to mist and he ran straight to the bed without caring of the reprecussions. Behind him, a silver-haired boy, whose features would rival that of any celebrity woman, helplessly shook his head. In his hands, he held a basket of luxurious items, such as the best grade of abalone and body nourishment food items. Although Elyse had minimal experience in shopping, even she knew with one glance that the articles in the basket would cost anyone a fortune. Standing next to the silver-haired boy, a white-haired girl donned in the most extravagant robes giggled and continued her way inside the room. Instructing the boy beside her to put the basket down with care, it didn''t take an idiot to guess who was the one who purchased that extravagant care package. However, the true perpetrator of Elyse and Fionn''s shock was the young maiden standing at the very back. Her ruby eyes that mesmerised all who gazed into them shone brilliantly with the dim lights of the room. The black haired that flowed down to her bum was free from any entanglements or dirt that it made one question how could a fighter like her condition her hair to such perfection? Kanari was never one to wear makeup, as her natural beauty was potent enough to fall even the most devoted of men. However, on this day, the girl''s face was dabbed in rouge, and her lips were highlighted with a dark lip balm. Wearing a pure white dress that emphasised on her figure, the girl was perhaps, the most beautiful she had ever been. "So pretty..." Elyse unknowingly blurted out. Initially, after being conditioned by Lady Seph''s heavenly looks, Elyse thought that no one on planet earth could rival the Spirit Venerate''s beauty. However, on this day, she was proven drastically wrong. Her imagination had been lacking. The girl in front of her wasn''t a human, but a descended goddess here to stir up the hearts of all living creatures that saw her. "You must be Elyse¡­ Emma has told me much about you." Glancing down at the thirteen-year-old, Kanari smiled radiantly and offered her hand. "I''m Kanari Saniela, Shin''s classmate." "A-Ah, yes! My name is Elyse! A pleasure to meet you!" "The pleasure is mine." Kanari shook the trembling hand of Elyse with a raised eyebrow. She didn''t understand why Elyse was being so apprehensive to meeting her for the first time. Nonetheless, every single one of the orphans was vital in her quest to bring Shin over to her camp, so Kanari was determined to make a good first impression. "Shin! Are you alright?" While Kanari was dealing with the tongue-tied Elyse, the rest of the group had gathered around Shin''s bed, with Shizen bawling his eyes out. "Relax guys, I''m fine," Shin reassured the group with a wry smile. "I just lost a little blood. It''ll take some time for me to completely recuperate, but otherwise, I''m completely healthy." "You were too brash, Shin..." Isadore folded his arms and lay on a nearby pillar. Among the clique, only he knew of Shin''s plan to deal with Suji. "I told you that it was a stupid idea in the first place." "But it worked! I won the match, so all is good!" "That''s not the point..." Isadore slapped his forehead. "By the way, I heard that the Lasgeor family head wanted to visit you¡­ Have you received him yet?" "How did you know about that?" Shin widened his eyes. Gaji Lasgeor''s visit was not widely spread, and yet, the silver-haired youth somehow managed to obtain that information. "So, have you met him?" "Yeah¡­ He was peculiar..." Shin dropped his head and recalled the night where Gaji Lasgeor entered Lady Seph''s abode. Initially, Shin was scared stiff that the man wanted to seek revenge for Suji. However, the Lasgeor family head quietly stood there for ten seconds and carefully examined Shin from head to toe. After which, he just left. "Hmmm, well at least you don''t have to worry about the Lasgeor or Frithron family. I''ve heard that when Danroy awakened, he convinced his father not to stir up any trouble with you or the academy." "Is that so?" Shin rubbed his chin as he thought back on the chubby youth he had beaten. "Shin~ Open wide~." As if irritated that Shin was only talking to Isadore, Elrin removed the skin of a blood lychee she had brought and inched it closer to the disabled youth''s mouth. "I''ve heard you needed some nourishment, so I bought some of the best fruits and edibles on the market." "Thank you, Elrin." Shin moved towards the edge of the bed and fitted the entire fruit in his mouth. "By the way, how are things in the academy now?" "Hectic¡­ Do you know during the coronation ceremony, Kanari was-!" Before Elrin could continue, Kanari slapped her childhood friend''s head down. "Kanari?" "It''s nothing of importance..." "I see¡­ Oh, speaking of the coronation ceremony, I''d nearly forgot! Congratulations on winning the year-end tournament! It''s a pity that I didn''t manage to compete with you." Shin smiled. "Now you''re definitely going to become the valedictorian!" "Hah¡­ You still did better academically though..." It was true. At the end of the year, Shin scored almost 990 points in his cumulative score, while Kanari only had 968. If not for the year-end tournaments, Shin would have been destined to become the freshmen''s valedictorian. "Haha, yeah¡­ I''ll do better next year though! Don''t get too comfortable with the view at the top!" Shin joked. "... Shin, I have something to talk to you about." "What is it?" "I have a new offer on the table. For you to join the Highgarden Duchy that is." Although Kanari didn''t want to bother Shin while he''s in the midst of recuperating, it was imperative that he heard her offer. With all the noise being spread in the Capital right now, it wasn''t strange for all the large-scale organisations to target the genius boy, for better or for worse. Thus, Kanari opted to act as swiftly as possible. "..." Shin''s squinted his eyes. "Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" "Since you''re holed up here, you don''t understand the chaos that''s going on in High Society. A talented youth like you, who is unaffiliated with any organisations other than the Healer''s Association is an asset that everyone wants to get their hands on. However, there are also those with more sinister motives..." "I see¡­ So you''re trying to recruit me for my protection?" "I can''t deny that I have ulterior motives as well. I need you to bolster my forces in Highgarden, you see." Kanari pleasantly revealed her true intentions. "I''m assuming that Elrin also has an offer from the Zedcris Conglomerate?" "Ding, ding, ding! You''re so smart!" Elrin adorably stuck out her tongue. "..." Shin sat there in silence for a brief moment. Thinking back to the past year, Shin reflected on all of his experiences. His world was turned upside down after the Black Masks syndicate kidnapped him and revealed the truth of his birth. His mind had been sent to turmoil by the loss of Ariel, Lily and Linus back on Frie Mountain. His life path had changed as he stepped foot onto the Capital, forcing him to start from ground zero. And now¡­ He was about to traverse yet another crossroad. "I reject all of your offers." "Shin!" Kanari raised her voice in angst and was prepared to use any means necessary to convince the youth to join her ranks. However, before she could rebut, the youth raised his hands. "I have a counter offer..." Shin smiled. He could no longer let anyone else dictate his life. From now on, he was calling the shots. "I''m thinking of forming my own organisation... Do you want to join?" ~~~ End of Book 5 ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Alan McBrayer, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, Innos, James Nagy, Jeroen Haver, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Patrick C, Philip Wasserman, Phill barr, Sam, Seadrake, Story Seeker, Trevor OBryan, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, Patrick Brown, Ronnie Rivers, Sam, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Ziko Rogers Chapter 274 End of Book 5 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: I will be taking a one week break and will resume posting on 11th Feb 2019. It''s a longer break than usual because of Chinese New Year, and well the length of this volume, haha. Hi, Linodo here! How did you feel about my latest book? Haha, I''m joking. Based on the comments, this might be the most disliked book that I had ever written, so yay to that? But honestly, halfway through the book, I reflected on my actions and I believe that some parts may have dragged on for too long. I originally wrote it this way as I felt that there was a need to develop the new characters, relationships, established rules, locations, etc¡­ However, I''m a changed Linodo and I realise that the readers want to read the most important parts of the story, not all the details about the trials and tribulations that Shin had to overcome to get to that point! Furthermore, I need to figure out how to do time jumps for efficiently so please be patient with me on that. Look, everything here is a work in progress and I hope by the end of the novel, I would become a sage in the art of writing. Okay, this was something that I didn''t want to address and I have kept quiet about for quite some time. However, this issue has been bottling up in me and I really need to get this off my chest. I don''t want this to come off as a rant as I honestly hate creators who do so, but this is getting a little too out of hand for me. When I first developed the story of Spirit Immortal, I did so with a firm beginning and end in mind. I, like many of you, was bored with the constant rehashing of arcs that other cultivation novels had, and I swore that my work would be different. Hence, I avoided all the typical cliched storylines and wrote my own arcs and characters. Believe it or not, the story thus far has been written as I originally planned several months ago. Shin was to become a healer at the end of Book 1 and when Ariel died in Book 4, he would be pushed off that path. However, when I first wrote that Shin was to become a healer, many people hated me for doing so. I got comments like "Fuck you, author, what were you thinking?" and "A healer? So that''s why this novel is shit." But you know what? I took it on the chin and continued on the same story I had originally planned because I knew that was the right way. I alone knew everything about this story and when I wrote the entire saga out, I believed that people would understand. Then when I wrote that Shin was abandoning the healer path (as per the original plan), the comments were "Could he return back to the healing path?" or "Why is he going for the path of a fighter?" Do you see what I''m getting at? Look, I''m not hating on the commenters that say that. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I enjoy that you guys write to me. Yes, I even enjoy the hateful comments as it shows that people are interested enough to hate on my work. After all, one hateful comment is still better than no comments. However, this is getting out of hand, even for me. As much as I hate to sound condescending, there''s a reason why I placed Shin on the healing path in the first place and there is a reason why he abandoned it for the fighter path. There is also a reason for all the plot developments as he progresses on the fighter path. It might not be apparent now, but in the later acts, you will understand why I had made all those decisions. You see, I subscribe to the idea that everything in the novel builds up to the ending. For my message and story to be as good as it is, I have to build up everything up to the ending. I had littered bits and pieces about the ending throughout this story and I hope that when it comes down to it everything would make sense. Oh my god, that sounded vague, but I can''t elaborate anymore if not I would spoil my own story! You see the bind that I''m in?! I could easily be like arrogant young master comes and wants to fuck Ariel/Emma/Elyse so Shin has to save them. Or Shin wins every competition he comes under, or he goes to an auction to win an item to have all the masters in the world chase after him, or¡­ I could go on¡­ Perhaps I''m overreacting, and the number of people that like my story far surpasses those that dislike it. After all, I have so many wonderful Patrons that allow me to continue writing, and the number of followers keeps increasing by the day (which I''m still mind blown about). Nonetheless, I read somewhere that it wasn''t good to have all of your grievances bottled up lest it eats you alive, so here I am, ranting to you guys since no one else in real life knows that I''m a writer. I''m so sorry for ranting. I know it looks like I''m an immature boy that can''t handle criticism, but yeah... I just needed to get this off my chest. I''m still dedicated to delivering the best Spirit Immortal that I can to all of you guys, so I don''t mind the criticism as it helps me improve. However, I''m sticking to my original plot from day one, because I love the entire story too much to simply give up on it. See you in the next book! Chapter 275 A Fresh Start 1 "Y-Your own organisation?!" Kanari couldn''t believe what she was hearing. She had come here to headhunt Shin into the Highgarden Duchy, but there he was trying to poach her! "Do you even have any clue about what you''re saying?!" Kanari was visibly shaken and with good reason. The Himmel Empire has stood for thousands of years, and the majority of the alliances had been set in stone. Family clans that had been serving since the Empire''s formation had been granted nobility status and had ruled over the lands for thousands of years. The trade routes and commerce of the superpower had also been long determined, and wise merchants had monopolised everything that exists. Simply put, there was no space for a new organisation to topple the foundations in which the Empire was built on. "I''m well aware. It''s an arduous route, and I know not many would take me seriously¡­ But this is my choice, my path." Shin deeply exhaled and resolutely gazed at his fellow friends. "This organisation that I''m building, is necessary for me to achieve my goals." "Hoho, explain..." Elrin, who had been cheerfully teasing the youth, suddenly had a drastic change of expression. Even though she considered Shin to be a good friend of hers, the fact that he wished to form a new organisation instead of joining an existing one, truly rattled her feathers. "Have you heard of the Black Masks syndicate?" "Shin!" Before he could elaborate, Ella raised her voice in protest. "It''s fine¡­ For them to hear me out, they must know of my past." "..." Stunned speechless, Ella bit her lip as her entire body trembled. To the orphans, the issue regarding the Black Masks syndicate was a sensitive one, as just mentioning their name brings out memories that they wished to forget. On the other hand, the four teenagers that came to visit opened up their ears in anticipation. Shin wasn''t one to share his past and most profound emotions. Thus it was a rare chance to learn more about their friend. The Black Masks syndicate was an emerging influence in the Himmel Empire. Not only were they mass recruiting vile criminals, but they had also orchestrated some of the worst deeds in the Empire''s recent history. For instance, the fall of Aldrich''s Keep was widely known to be the actions of the Black Masks syndicate. When Aldrich''s Keep fell, the Healer''s Association and the Himmel Empire called for an emergency convention where the leaders of the major powers met. They wished to discuss the threat of the Black Masks syndicate as well as the power of their enigmatic hegemon that ruled from the shadows. The talks went fine. However, it quickly became apparent that the powers other than the Himmel Empire and Healer''s Association didn''t care much about the new threat. After all, the Black Masks syndicate had mainly only affected the Himmel Empire, and they hadn''t made their way north or eastwards. With that, even though the Black Masks had caused a massive storm at the time, the commotion quickly died down with no powers willing to take any drastic actions. Since there was a period of peace, some in the Himmel Empire''s own government started to doubt their Emperor''s claim that the Allfather was a menace that had to be taken down. Hence, the moment Shin brought up the name of the Black Masks, the four teenagers were unsure of what to expect. "My true goal for coming to the Capital. The true reason why I switched from the Healer''s path to the path of a warrior, and the reason why I''m setting up this organisation of mine¡­ Is because of the Black Masks." Shin sat at the edge of the bed and began to narrate everything. From his humble beginnings as an orphan in the Frie Clan, to how he got recruited into Lady Seph''s tutelage. He told them about his eldest brother, Junius. He told them about the Awter Clan, the conflict that the two clans had entered, and eventually, the massacre that ensued. Throughout his entire account, the orphans pursed their lips while trying their best to hold back tears. Even though Shin was merely narrating the events, those who had lived through them couldn''t help but feel despondent. Kanari, Elrin, Isadore and Shizen all furrowed their brows and dropped their heads. No one truly knew what they were thinking but based on the brooding atmosphere that they were emitting, even a dunce could figure out that their emotions were in disarray. The four had been interacting with Shin and the twins for almost a year now, and they considered them as their best friends. Yet, they knew nothing of the suffering that the trio had gone through. "When the Black Masks attacked Frie Mountain when Junius ordered the fatal strike that killed Ariel¡­ I was lost. I¡­ wanted to die." Shin''s fingernails dug deep into his palms as fresh blood flowed out. "But, I can''t¡­ To protect my family, to ensure that nothing of that sort ever happens again, I must grow stronger." "Shin..." Elyse''s palms shivered as she sat next to the forlorn youth. Putting her hands on top of Shin''s the girl comforted her elder brother, and placed her head on his shoulders. "It''s fine..." Shin tapped Elyse''s hands and shook his head. After taking a deep breath to regain his composure, Shin resolutely stared at his visitors. "To achieve my goals, I''m planning to create my own organisation. It will be an establishment with the firm goal of neutralising the threat of the Black Masks." "..." Silence descended upon the room as everyone did their best to digest the new information that was sprung onto them. Everything now made sense. Why was Shin training so desperately even though he was one of the most talented individuals in the academy? Why did he abandon the lucrative healing path to start from scratch as a warrior? Among the four individuals in the room, three of them had lived sheltered lives, and while Shizen had it rough, the mental traumas that he had incurred were nowhere close to the levels that Shin had experienced. In fact, the brown-haired boy now understood why he felt a sense of kindred with Shin. With both of them being orphans, they had a somewhat similar starting point. Elrin and Isadore kept their mouths shut as they couldn''t fathom the amount of pain that Shin had just described. They had been sheltered their entire lives. Gifted with an abundance of resources and the luxury of staying in the Capital for an extended period of time, the affluent children couldn''t even begin to imagine the physical and psychological pains that Shin and the orphans had been through. And then, there was Kanari. The black-haired ethereal beauty was the first to discover Shin''s talents and had always been vocal about recruiting the boy into the Duchy. Unfortunately, time and time again, Shin had turned her down, and if she were completely honest, it had gotten on her nerves some of the times. Biting down her lower lip until she tasted iron, Kanari started to realise how much of a fool she was. ''Once again, he proves that I''m inferior...'' Recruiting Shin? How laughable. She didn''t even have half the life experiences that the boy had been through and she was the heiress of the Highgarden Duchy! Compared to Shin, Kanari was way to inferior. "Sorry, Shin¡­" Unable to handle the silence, Kanari''s mouth unknowingly spat out words. "I was blind..." "There''s no need to apologise. I understand that all of you have your own troubles as well." "Still, there''s no way that we can leave our families to join your organisation, you should know that right?" Elrin interrupted. As much as she felt heartbroken after hearing Shin''s story, some things could never be done. She was the heiress of the Zedcris Conglomerate while Kanari would inherit the Highgarden Duchy eventually. Shizen was a talent that every major organisation would love to get their hands on and Isadore¡­ Has both his hands tied. "I know, I wasn''t planning on having you guys join officially. Furthermore, I''m not going to create the organisation formally until I graduate from Imperius Academy." Shin wryly smiled. The majority of his friends were monsters of their generation, and thousands of establishments could provide better resources for any of them. Additionally, in the case of Kanari and Elrin, they couldn''t hope to leave their own respective houses to benefit another. "So what are you proposing?" "A coalition!" Shin declared at Elrin''s prompt. "You scratch my back, I scratch yours. The organisation¡­ Or should I say troop that I''m planning to make would become hunters that track and crush any Black Masks operations. However, our activities don''t have to be limited to just that! If the Highgarden Duchy or the Zedcris Conglomerate wishes for it, we can become exclusive partners where I would work for you in whatever matters you want!" "So, you would be a mercenary?" "Something along those lines, I guess? However, the top priority of the organisation would be to hunt the Black Masks. Be it covertly or otherwise." "And you could do that with your current powers?" Elrin raised her brows. Although her words sounded harsh, it was the merchant inside of her that was speaking. To negotiate the best deal for her company, the white-haired girl needed to know of the limits that Shin could reach. "I know¡­ I''m weak now, be it in influence or personal might. Thus, I won''t create the organisation until after I graduate. By then, I''ll definitely cultivate to the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm, and I''ll at least have a stable influence on the grand stage." "That''s a big claim..." Elrin chuckled. No one in the history of Imperius Academy had reached Rank 40 while they were still schooling. Although Kanari was expected to be the first, it was still just an estimate. To reach the Spirit Spectre realm, to cross the first barrier of humanity, before the age of twenty-one, was something few in history could ever hope to accomplish. "I will do it! No¡­ I have to do it! That''s the only way for me to avenge Ariel and knock sense into Junius!" Shin was well aware of his limitations. So what if he was talented? He had no background, no influence, and worst of all, he was still weak. If he were given a hundred years, perhaps he would be able to ascend to the ranks of a Spirit Saint, but that was a reach. The current Shin was no stronger than a housefly, compared to the giants of the cultivation world, let alone the mighty Allfather. "Graduate? So you''re going to make use of Imperius Academy''s resources to grow while hiding under its umbrella¡­ That''s actually not that bad of an idea." Elrin rubbed her chin as she contemplated on the gravity of Shin''s words. Since he was still studying, Shin could hide the fact that he wasn''t going to join any of the Capital''s organisations, and he could continue to familiarise himself with the Empire''s customs and forge lasting relationships with many prominent institutions. Shin was currently at the end of his first year, and he could spend five more studying. Five years wasn''t a long period of time, but it wasn''t short either. In the six years since awakening his Spirit, Shin had promoted to Rank 21 and had learnt a variety of techniques including the coveted ''heal'' ability. Furthermore, his mind would only mature over the years, and the experience he accumulated would boost his cultivation methods even further. It wasn''t out of the realm of possibility that Shin could cross the first threshold of humanity and promote to the Spirit Spectre realm. "Shin¡­ Is that your final decision?" All of a sudden, the quiet Kanari raised her hand and spoke out. Her voice was as chilly as the winter winds of the upper north itself. "Yes, that is my final decision." "I see¡­ I understand your drive, but I hope you would understand mine." "Huh?" Shin slowly backed away as he felt a drastic change in Kanari''s disposition. Even though they had been in the same clique for about a year now, this was the first time he had felt a sense of dread from Kanari. "I won''t give up on you." Kanari succinctly replied. "You have your plans, I have mine. For now, I will accept your drive, but I hope that you wouldn''t discount mine. During the next five years, I will continue to convince you that the Highgarden Duchy is the right place to be." "Hoho, that''s your plan?" "As I said, I won''t give up." Kanari beamed. She had just made up her mind to bring Shin to her side through any means possible. There was no way that she would back down on that now. Taking resolute steps forward, Kanari reached the edge of Shin''s bed and firmly grasped his two hands, much to the surprise of the others in the room. "I will help you achieve your goals, so help me achieve mine." "..." For a moment there, Shin''s heart wavered. He even thought that Kanari had used her innate charm ability to bewitch him to do her bidding. However, after sensing no rise in spiritual power, Shin realised that he was just overwhelmed by Kanari''s sincerity. "I see, your resolve against mine huh?" "Exactly. Let''s see who will crumble first!" "*Cough!* *Cough!*, are you forgetting about my offer as well?! I won''t allow you to do that, Shin!" Sensing that the mood had changed, Elrin butted in with a sharp cry, forcing the pair to separate their hands with abashed faces. "Of course not! Haha, what are we doing arguing about something that far off? Come, tell me stories about the academy! What happened at the coronation ceremony?" "Haha, you asked the perfect question!!! You see, Fred confessed to Kanari for the thirty-eight time!" "Elrin!" Kanari raised her voice in an exasperated manner. It was an issue that she wished to bury firmly into the annals of history, but there was no way that Elrin wouldn''t take this opportunity to tease her childhood friend. "Fred did?! Wow, he sure is devoted." "But she turned him down yet again! In public no less!" "Elrin¡­ One more word from your mouth, and I''ll sever your head from your body!" "Eeek! Save me, Shin!" As Kanari raised her mana to create a Kumiho claw on her right hand, Elrin sensed a tremendous threat to her life and jumped towards the only safe place in the room, behind Shin. "Hahahaha, forgive her Kanari, for she had sinned." "I''ll deliver her from evil..." "Eeek! Saveeee meeee~." "HAHAHAHA!!!" Their group teased one another like they usually did, bringing a warmth that was sorely lacking from Shin''s life. Bellowing out in laughter, the young black-haired boy couldn''t help but wonder what surprises would this group bring in the future. ~~~ I''M BACK!!! How have you all been? It seems like forever since we last talked, haha! Throughout the Lunar New Year, I have been visiting houses and catching up on lost time with friends so that''s a plus for me! I hope that you all had a pleasant week as well! Alright, I have good news for all of you! My Patrons over at Patreon already know of this since last week, but I released the tier reward change I had planned for my $500 goal a little early, and the advanced chapters over at Patreon had been reworked. Tier 1: One chapter ahead would be increased to Two. Tier 2: Three chapters ahead would be increased to Four. Tier 3: Five chapters ahead would be increased to Eight. Tier 4: Ten chapters ahead would be increased to Fifteen. Thus, at the lowest tier for $2 a month, you will get a bonus of two advanced chapters and at the highest tier of $20 a month, you will be able to get fifteen chapters in advance!!! So do consider subscribing to my Patreon! Furthermore, I have released the first ever short story for Spirit Immortal, A Valentine''s Story, early for all my Patrons!!! Of course, I will be releasing it exclusively on my website on the fourteenth itself so do look out for it in the future. With the start of the new book, Book 6: Foundations of the Future, I hope to further expand the Spirit Immortal universe as well as setting my vision of the story into stone. So yeah, I''m going to end it with thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting me and my story, Spirit Immortal!!! Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 276 A Fresh Start 2 Kori Federation. A Certain Temple Obscured In The Woods. Himmel, Kori, and Lantis. These were the names of the three superpowers that kept the world in check. After aeons of constant strife, it was decided that the remaining powers banded together to form their own alliances, and to keep the peace, all three of the superpowers signed a peace treaty to never ignite a world war ever again. Countless bodies were slain during each war that humanity had waged, and the dense rivers of blood seeped into the grounds to lay the foundation for future generations. The atrocities that were done in the war were so barbaric, so inhuman that just mentioning some of them would make one sick to the stomach. Therefore, it was imperative that humans never engaged in such hostilities ever again. Alas, time was a bitch. The endless years of peace had made humans forget how brutal how ghastly the effects of war were. The millions of bodies that lay deep underground had all been forgotten as the dark side of human nature begun to creep out once more. Skirmishes around the borders of the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation became more and more commonplace, and the total damages incurred on both sides had only increased over the years. Even though the final bullet that would ignite a full-scale war on both fronts has never been fired, many experts theorised that it wasn''t long before it would. A dark-robed figure entered into an isolated forest, where little to no human settlements were around. Each time she took a step, the crackles of dead leaves echoed through the eerie woods, further intensifying how spooky the night was. Unlike the neighbours down south, the Kori Federation was surrounded by an abundance of harsh climates. From dry deserts to burnt human skin to a crisp, to snowy mountains that never experienced the warmth of sunlight, it was a miracle that any regular human could withstand the harsh conditions of the federation. However, with adversity, came power. Climatised by their environments, the clans had long become accustomed to the sufferings that their surroundings had enforced onto them, and had even found ways to trump the deadly sandstorms or blizzards that plague their area. The forest that the woman was sauntering in held the same principle. Littered to the brim with deadly Spirit Beasts, some of which were mighty enough to take on Rank 70 Spirit Emperors, the man had to be extremely cautious with every step she took. Although she had the power to completely decimate regular Spirit Beasts, she was still powerless against those who reigned in the jungle. Ensuring that he didn''t stray from the path, the dark-robed woman quickly made her way to an abandoned temple. Decrepit and full of verdant life growing from each crack, the settlement didn''t seem capable of housing human life. In fact, without any proper maintenance, the temple would have easily crumbled if a torrential downpour decided to flood the area. "Mademoiselle, we have been expecting you." The moment the dark-robed figure entered the temple, a tall man, whose face had been hidden by a thick obsidian mask, welcomed the woman. "I didn''t know the syndicate now specialised in sweet-talking? Calling an old woman like me Mademoiselle..." The dark-robed figure removed her hood revealing a middle-aged woman, who had just started to form wrinkles on rosy cheeks. Her hazel eyes shone in an intelligent light as her smile brilliantly shown her pearly white teeth. If she were in her prime, it was inevitable that thousands of men would have fallen for her charms. "Forgive me, I meant no offence." "Don''t worry about it. Haha, I used to hold the entire town''s most influential men at the palms of my hands, but the moment my appearance changed just a little bit, they went for the newcomer that has absolutely no skill in bed." The woman mocked. "Whatever, it was just a tale of the past¡­ I''m assuming that the meeting has yet to start?" "We are just short of a few more people¡­ The night is still young." "I know, I know¡­ I shouldn''t have come so early then." The woman waved her hands and stepped foot deeper into the temple. Escorted by the Black Mask, the woman was led to an underground chamber that housed an enormous round table. "Cyphia! You actually came?!" The moment the woman entered the stone chambers, a bellowing laugh entered her attentive ears. Crossing her arms, the dark-robed woman squinted her eyes at the herculean man that called out to her. Seated on one of the comfortable chairs, the man waved at the woman with a scintillating smile. Wearing a single tank top, the man''s bulging muscles burst forth as nothing was left to the imagination. Bald and well-shaven, the alpha male''s body was a textbook definition of a muscle-head. However, what caught Cyphia''s attention wasn''t his chiselled body that would make the Gods cry out in shame, but the large star mark that covered his left eye. "Star Face¡­ It''s been a while." "It really has been! Are you still working at the brothel downtown?" "What do you think? Is someone my age worth anything in a man''s eyes?" "Hahahaha!!! In my eyes, you can easily go for a hundred more years! You know, some men would pay a premium for that!" Star Face rubbed his index finger and thumb with a disgusting expression that forced Cyphia to unconsciously take a step back. "Don''t announce your dirty fetishes for the world to hear, Star Face. Even if you gave me a million gold, I wouldn''t lay on a bed with you!" "Hahaha, don''t be so quick to judge! I''m sure my techniques could easily best the old fogeys that you normally fool around with." "Star Face, stop teasing her. We''re here on official business." Before Cyphia could retort, an ally came from the most unlikely of locations. Seated next to the sturdy hulk of a man, a brown-haired woman, possibly in her late-thirties, stopped her business partner from harassing Cyphia anymore. "Fine, fine..." Star Face rolled his eyes and laughed heartily. "Sorry for the offence, Cyphia¡­ I was just fooling around. Take a seat, our employer will be here soon." Star Face was a renowned mercenary who had reached Rank 37 all on his own. Since the peace treaty that barred the three superpowers from fighting was signed, the Kori Federation had to get creative with how they instigated conflict. Instead of marching their troops to contest with the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic, they made use of proxy wars where they controlled smaller states. However, there was no way that weaker powers had the military force needed. Therefore, the mercenary trend was born. Random cultivators, who had little to no backings, banded together and took on jobs that placed them on the frontlines of any battlefields, in exchange for a good sum of money. One of the rising stars of the mercenary industry was a muscular man that goes by the name of Star Face. A veteran of a thousand battles, Star Face had been fighting in skirmishes since he was fifteen years of age. For the right price, the renowned mercenary would brave the dangers of war, and his services weren''t limited to legitimate organisations either. Delving into the underground market, Star Face had fought for revolutionaries, prostitute rings, intelligence agencies, and his latest employer¡­ The Black Masks syndicate. "Hmph!" Cyphia snorted out in derision and took her place on the round table. At this point, there were only a few empty seats left, so she hurried took the closest one that was as far away from Star Face as possible. ''To think that they had summoned so many of us¡­ This time''s job must be big...'' Cyphia lit up a cigar and carefully observed her surroundings. She had done jobs for the syndicate many times before. However, this was the first time she had seen so many prominent faces gathered in one location. Fifteen minutes passed, and the remaining guests had finally gathered. With the table filled, the concrete gates that led to the bottom of the temple firmly opened, revealing four figures. Three of them were wearing Black Masks, the staple of their organisation, while the other was just a handsome young man, with prime viridian hair. "Hoho, since when did the syndicate hire pretty boys?" Cyphia mocked while carefully observing the newcomer. Initially, she thought that the young man was an old cultivator that had made himself look youthful again. However, after a little probing, she could tell that the viridian-haired man was just in the Spirit Core realm. Her mind ran wild on the possible uses the young man had for the syndicate. Perhaps he was a reward for the middle-aged ladies to enjoy after their hard work? The viridian-haired man had looks that would even make Princes shy away in inferiority. His chiselled body and prominent features instantly caught the eyes of the women who worked in the underground. Often times, they had to sleep with disgusting men to further their agenda. A handsome man like him would definitely be a breath of fresh air. "Don''t be rude, Junius here is a messenger from our branch in the Himmel Empire." The foremost Black Mask waved his hands to quiet down the room. "Even though he''s still at Rank 26, the moment he promotes to the Spirit Adept realm, he would be granted the Shudra mask. Do treat him well." "Hoho, a future talent that already joined the Black Masks huh? What a shame..." Cyphia shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, now that everyone has gathered, let''s get into business. Star Face, have you secured the shipments?" The Kshatriya took his rightful seat and wasted no time. "Of course, you don''t pay me for nothing." The burly man laughed once more. "I can deliver it within a week if you wish for it." "No, leave it. Those are the supplies for your next mission, make sure that they are stored safe and sound." "Already done!" "Don''t be complacent, this job that I''m giving out won''t be an easy one¡­ We might be antagonising one of the Master Sects of the Kori Federation this time." "Hoho..." The moment the Kshatriya mentioned the Master Sects, Star Face whistled out in amazement. The Kori Federation was unlike their two major superpowers. The Himmel Empire had an established line of Imperials that shared the blood of a Spirit Immortal while the Lantis Republic relied on the Eight Ancient Clans of Water. The Kori Federation didn''t have any of that. With thousands of family clans, martial sects and ruffian villages, the Kori Federation allowed each one of the recognised entities to rule over a domain. These entities were called the Houses of Kori. To enter the Houses of Kori, one must at least have a Rank 50 Spirit Lord governing over them, and they must have at least have a connection with the land that they stood on. Due to the low entry requirements, there were at least a thousand Houses of Kori, and each one had a place in the House of Commons, which governs over the minor laws of the country. Above the Houses of Kori, were the Core States. Entering this class was much more stringent. Firstly, they were limited to a hundred states and only established Houses, with hundreds of years of history, or significant economic power could firmly remain within the Core States. The Core States votes on vital issues that pertain to the country and wields the authority to mobilise troops for protection of their borders. However, the real power that runs the Kori Federation wasn''t the Houses of Kori or the Core States, but the Master Sects. Each Master Sect contains at least one Rank 80 Spirit Venerate, and a select few of them have the untouchable Spirit Saints that could dominate the entire nation. Currently, the Kori Federation consists of thirty such Master Sects, and they congregate in the Grand Council to determine the macro issues of the country. If war was declared, it must have been done inside the walls of the High Council. "Are you sure that we can afford to offend those from the Master Sects?" Star Face switched off his flippant attitude. "We are just agents for hire. We won''t be able to do much firepower if a Spirit Lord or King shows up." "That''s why we have to be discrete¡­ The Kori Federation still doesn''t see the Black Masks syndicate as a threat, so we have the element of surprise in our hands." The Kshatriya assured the worried Star Face. "Of course, we won''t shy away from your pay¡­ If the mission is successful, we will pay you ten times the usual amount." "T-Ten times!" All of a sudden, Star Face stood up and slammed his two palms on the round table, crushing it almost instantly. "That''s right. After this mission, I expect that you all would need to lie low for a while. So through the Allfather''s magnanimity, we will ensure that you lead the best of lives." The Kshatriya''s words resonated with those on the round table, as a greedy smile crept up their faces. The Black Masks paid exceptionally well, and now that they were multiplying it tenfold, it wasn''t a stretch to claim that they could retire right there and then. "We thank the Allfather for his grace." Even though those present weren''t religiously attached to the enigmatic Allfather, they knew that it pleased their employers everytime they praised their leader. "Of course, the Allfather is great. Alright, let''s get right into business. Junius here would be briefing you on the details." The Kshatriya gestured for the viridian-haired man to step forward and lead the explanations. As if he were waiting for this moment, Junius brought out a map and laid it out on the table. At the same time, the assistants at the back brought out the same exact map and gave a copy to each one of those present in the stone chambers. A devilish smile appeared on the lips of the young man, one that would stir the hearts of any female to do his bidding, and sure enough, the middle-aged ladies in the room had the widest of ears for what he was about to say. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this meeting. I know how valuable your time is so I won''t proceed to waste it." Junius had just one goal for coming this far out north, and he wasn''t going to screw it up. "Our target for this mission is¡­ Mort Bay!!!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 277 A Fresh Start 3 Himmel Empire. Imperius Academy. Two weeks had passed since the end of the finals, and Imperius Academy was preparing to close for the year-end break. Although it was harder this year, the faculty had finally tabulated the final scores for all the students and had ranked them accordingly. The first hundred rankers of each year would be displayed on the public noticeboard, and the one who topped the ranks would be crowned the valedictorian. As anticipated, for the freshmen year, Rank 1 firmly went to Kanari. However, the scores between the first and second place weren''t as far as a gap as everyone thought. Kanari did the second best when it came to academic subjects, while her practical scores were a cut above the rest. Furthermore, with her being crowned as the freshmen champion, people thought that she would tower over her competition. However, the gap between the valedictorian and salutatorian was only by twenty points. Shin''s excellent results in the theoretical side boosted his overall score massively, and his top tier performances in the practical fields made him a real contender for the valedictorian spot. If Shin had won the year-end finals, there was no doubt that he would tower over Kanari''s score. Third place came as a surprise to everyone. Elrin Zedcris, whose academic scores was only capable of just scrapping it to the top twenty, had blown away her competition in the auxiliary department. Her practical scores were almost perfect, and all the contests that she had entered had seen her being crowned the champion. If she had performed a little better academically, even Shin''s salutatorian seat would have been in serious jeopardy. The fourth place came as no surprise. Suji Lasgeor, who went deep into the semifinals, firmly cemented his position at the top, while an auxiliary course boy by the name of Hikim Khan sealed the top five up. Shizen, even though his practical marks were off the charts, his academic performance was rather lacklustre. However, he still managed to make it into the top twenty alongside Ella, Emma and Isadore. Danroy made it to eighth place, and Natasha Aldana was ranked eleventh. Looking at the final rankings, the twins and Isadore would most definitely make it into the Star Class next year, bringing the entire clique together. Since the rankings were announced, it was time for the winners to reap their rewards. While the top rankers were given their own respective rewards by the faculty, Principal Erudito called for Elrin, Shin and Kanari so that he could bestow their rewards personally. "Elrin, congratulations on achieving third place! Your father must be really proud!" Inside of the brightly lit Principal''s Office, a bronze-faced man was beaming with a smile that reached both ends of his ears. After Lady Seph saved Shin in front of the entire world, the academy had been sent into disarray. Hundreds of letters piled in from High Society, demanding to gain new information about Shin. It was only through the joint forces of the Highgarden Duchy, Zedcris Conglomerate and the Emperor himself, did the letters cease. "Hehe, maybe~." Elrin chuckled as she stepped forward. "As the third place, you are granted a personal cultivation chamber for three months, a few hundred medicinal pills, unlimited access to the forbidden section of the library for three months and the privilege to ask for private tutoring sessions. How would you like to proceed?" "I relinquish the medicinal pills and my privilege for an extended stay in the cultivation chambers!" Elrin instantly replied. As the heiress of a merchant, it was in her blood to bargain the best deal for herself. Since she had virtually unlimited resources and guidance in her personal life, the only thing that interested her was the access to her own cultivation chambers. "I knew you would say that..." Principal Erudito laughed. "I''ll give you access to it for a year. Are there any requirements?" "A spacious chamber that is dense with light elements, please! If possible, could you add a pure gemstone that contains light spiritual essence? My Spirit could really use that." Elrin''s Spirit, the Rosary of Eternity, was a treasure-type auxiliary Spirit that uses light elements. Created out of four thousand and ninety-six priceless rounded beads, Elrin''s Rosary of Eternity was one of the rarest Spirits in the world. With the innate ability to boost or bind anyone that the white-haired girl prayed over, the Rosary of Eternity was perhaps the strongest auxiliary Spirit in the academy. "Sure, but I''m not going to spend too much money on it¡­ After all, you will remodel the place either way." "Oops¡­ Busted~." Elrin stuck her tongue out like the mischievous kitten that she was. With the amount of money she had, she could turn a pauper''s house to a celestial palace overnight. "You little brat¡­ Anyway, I''ll give it to you for a year. Next¡­ Shin!" Principal Erudito turned his attention away from the white-haired girl and glanced at the youthful boy standing next to her. His body was void of any scratches, and it was hard to believe that he had sustained a life-threatening wound just two weeks prior. "Are you feeling better?" "Hmmm? Ah, yes! Master had ensured that I made a full recovery!" "That''s good¡­ Although I admire your drive to win, the next time you fight, you shouldn''t put your body through that much trauma. You may have gotten away with it once, but you won''t be lucky every time." Principal Erudito gave Shin a firm warning. If the youth continued on his reckless fighting style, eventually, it would get him killed. "I will heed your advice..." Shin bitterly smiled and replied the bronze-faced scholar. "That''s good¡­" Principal Erudito nodded his head and continued on with his next line of business. "As the salutatorian, you get a personal cultivation chamber for six months, access to the forbidden section of the library for four months, a few hundred medicinal pills, the right to ask any faculty member to teach you and finally, a precious treasure resource from our vault. Are you going to accept all of them?" "Yes!" There was no need for doubt. Shin''s sole goal throughout his freshmen year was to gain the best resources that Imperius Academy has to offer. All of the rewards granted to the salutatorian were in line with everything that he sought for thus, there was no need to turn down any of them. "Good, for your personal cultivation chambers, I''ll just give you the same one that you used when you were attempting to condense your Spirit Core. Later on, I''ll bring you and Kanari to the vault. There, you can take your time to choose whichever item you want." "Thank you, Principal!" Shin couldn''t help but grin. He had trained tirelessly over the past year, and now, it was finally time for him to reap the rewards. "Lastly, Kanari..." Turning to the last person in the lineup, Principal Erudito raised his hands and smiled. Of all the students in this cohort, Kanari was undoubtedly the strongest. Whenever Principal Erudito looks at the ethereal beauty, he doesn''t see a student that needs to be nurtured, but a powerhouse that had the potential to become the next Spirit Immortal. "For one year, you will be given access to your own cultivation chambers, unlimited access to whichever forbidden zone you wish to enter, hundreds of medicinal pills, the right to invite a Spirit Venerate to mentor you, three precious treasure resources from the vault, and finally¡­ The privilege to alter one part of the academy as you please¡­ Do you accept all of your rewards?" "With pleasure..." Kanari closed her eyes and bowed down in gratitude. "Good! We can discuss the details of your alteration later! For now, let me bring you two to the vault!" "Principal? What about me?" Feeling left out, Elrin did her best puppy eyes in hopes of moving the old man. It wasn''t well-known, but the Imperius Academy vault housed tonnes of precious treasures that weren''t available in the marketplace. Not even Elrin, with the influence of her father, could get hands on some of the items hidden deep inside the academy''s vault. "What about you? If you become either one of the top two next year, perhaps I would take you there myself." "Hmph! Meanie!" Immediately pouting her lips, Elrin changed expressions faster than a professional actor, stunning the scholar. Shin and Kanari, who had gotten used to their friend''s antics, just sighed and placed their palms on their foreheads. "Haha, don''t be that sad! Once you leave the room, Hirda will personally guide you to Tsucai Mountain and allow you to choose any of the free chambers available. How about that?" "You said it! I''m going straight for the biggest one!" "Haha, go ahead!" Bellowing out in laughter, Principal Erudito tapped on Shin and Kanari''s shoulders and gestured for them to follow. Walking shoulder to shoulder, Shin turned his attention to the black-haired beauty and whispered: "Do you know anything about what we can find in the vault?" "Hmmm? You''ve been here for a year, and you don''t know about the precious resources that Imperius Academy holds?" Kanari shot Shin an incredulous look. Given his history of investigating everything, it seemed weird that the boy didn''t know of any resources in the vault. "I''ve asked Isadore, but he didn''t tell me anything!" "Wow¡­ I''ll reprimand him later." Kanari scoffed as she thought of the silver-haired boy that always hung out with them. "Anyway, the Imperius Academy vault houses some of the world''s most precious materials. From hereditary opuscules from Spirit Venerates to divine consumables that enhance a cultivator''s foundation. Some of the most valuable items in the vault include a ruby ground down from a phoenix feather and a mythic-grade herb that increases a cultivator''s perception level for twenty-four hours." Kanari patiently explained. "Of course, even though they are rare, they aren''t as useful to those above the Spirit Spectre realm. Otherwise, even the Imperial Family would wreak havoc in the academy just to get to the vault." "I see..." Shin started to fantasise about the numerous treasures that he was about to encounter. "I wonder what treasures are best for me?" "Well, if nothing catches your eye, you could always join the Highgarden Duchy! I promise you, I will ensure that you get all the resources that you could possibly imagine!" "Give me a break, Kanari..." Shin let out a dry chuckle as the pair were led further underground. The Imperius Academy vault wasn''t safeguarded by any guards or Spirit Beasts, and the path towards it was quite straightforward. However, even though there seemed like there was a lack of security if anyone other than Principal Erudito walked through the pathway, thousands, if not millions of traps would be set off, instantly decimating any trespasser. Staying as close to Principal Erudito as possible, Shin and Kanari kept their backs straightened and heightened their senses to observe the nearby walls. After all, neither of them wished to get mauled by the traps that plagued the area. "We''re here." It wasn''t long until a pure white door, that stretched from the base of the corridor to the high ceilings above, came into view. The gate resembled a portal to the heavens above, and the golden carvings on it brought out a sense of majesty that forced the two Spirit Core cultivators to go weak in their knees. "Don''t be afraid, as long as you don''t forcibly attack it, the gate won''t harm you." Principal Erudito assured the duo that it was absolutely safe. Naturally, that didn''t help in curbing their fear at all. "Hold still, let me open it." The bronze-faced man took out a golden key and injected a tremendous amount of mana into the spiritual tool. Carefully, Principal Erudito inserted the key into the sole opening the door had. All of a sudden, metallic echoes of mechanisms clicking reverberated through the hallway, as the ground started to quake. Before the two students had the chance to back away, Principal Erudito cautioned them authoritatively. "Don''t retreat! The vault might think that you''re a threat and incinerate you!" Instantly staying rooted to the ground, Shin and Kanari unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva before watching the gigantic door creak open. White mist escaped from the interior of the vault as a brush of cold air gushed on their faces. Removing the golden key from its keyhole, Principal Erudito beamed and allowed the doors to swing inwards, revealing the ostentatious items within. "Wow..." Shin gaped in awe. Even Kanari, who had ample experiences dealing with precious materials, had been struck speechless at the sheer quantity of luxuries that was sealed behind those doors. Towers upon towers of encased artefacts, brightly shining hereditary opuscules, precious herbs sealed in a vacuum container to prevent decay. To call it an overkill was an understatement. No academic institution in the entire Empire could even hope to match ten per cent of the opulence shown in the Imperius Academy''s vault. "Take your time to browse through the area! There are basic introductions to most of the items here, but feel free to ask me anything!" Once the two had stepped foot into the vault, Principal Erudito tapped the huge doors and allowed them to close. Some of the precious resources in the room were susceptible to contamination. Hence it was essential to ensure that the vault stayed as clean as possible. "Are we allowed to summon out our Spirits here?" Shin questioned. "Summon your Spirits? Hmmm, that''s fine, but don''t use any spiritual abilities! Also, don''t allow your Spirits to go within a metre of any item!" As much as he didn''t like the notion of using Spirits to sniff around the precious vault, Principal Erudito acquiesced to the youth''s request. "Thank you!" Shin congregated his mana into his right hand and summoned out the adorable cerulean Koi. The instant The Sovereign Koi made its entrance, its eyes widened with extreme joy, and it twirled around like a dog chasing its tail. Being surrounded by that much elemental energy and such dense mana made the Spirit giddy, and it couldn''t wait to start exploring. Likewise, Kanari smiled and brought out her Spirit, the Kumiho. Just like The Sovereign Koi, the Kumiho was as small as a rat, but it still retained all of its most prominent features. Its nine tails moved erratically as it tilted its head in wonder at the fish in Shin''s hands. Dropping its lower jaw, a string of saliva dripped out from the Kumiho''s mouth and its eyes flashed with a predatory light. Sensing danger, The Sovereign Koi immediately hid behind Shin to prevent the Kumiho from finding it, forcing the fox to throw a hissy fit. Kanari laughed and stroked on her Spirits adorable head, before leaving in the opposite direction. "Hahaha, come out! She''s already gone!" Shin couldn''t believe how The Sovereign Koi behaved after meeting the Kumiho for the first time. "Come! Help me find something good!" "..." The whole reason why Shin asked if he could summon out his Spirit was due to the high amounts of perception The Sovereign Koi possessed. If it found something it favoured, it was definitely an item that would benefit Shin. Five minutes passed¡­ There was no reaction. Fifteen minutes passed¡­ Shin decided to change his approach and allowed The Sovereign Koi to roam a little more freely. Still no reaction. An hour had gone by¡­ Kanari had chosen two of the three items that she was entitled to, but Shin has yet to even single out one item. Soon, the black-haired youth started to get restless. Even though Principal Erudito didn''t set a time limit, there was still an invisible pressure hanging at the top of his head. However, no matter how hard he looked and how close he let The Sovereign Koi roam to the luxurious items in the vault, there was still no reaction. "Whatever, if you can''t find anything within the next five minutes, I''ll just get that herb which strengthens my sensitivity to water elements." Shin chided the fish that was swimming about in the air. As if threatened by its master''s words, The Sovereign Koi let out a tiny amount of mana into the atmosphere, stunning Shin and Principal Erudito in the process. "Hey, Shin! I told you no spiritual abilities!" The bronze-faced man hollered out. "I''m sorry! I just lost control for a bi-..." However, just as Shin was about to apologise for his actions, a primal attraction enveloped his entire being as he suddenly felt a connection to something within the vault. "W-What?" Shin''s heart palpitated, and cold sweat flowed out from his forehead. Without knowing, his feet propelled him forward, as the attraction grew ever stronger. "Shin? Hey, Shin!" Confused as to why the youth was behaving so strangely, Principal Erudito got off his feet and followed Shin closely. It only took a minute for the youth to find the object that caused his soul to tremble. In his hands, The Sovereign Koi let out a triumphant look as it wiggled about in pure excitement. Shin, on the other hand, was still trying to hold back his overflowing emotions as he stared into the glass case that secured the item that lay within. A charred thorn, akin to that of a mammoth''s tusk, remained dormant, void of any spiritual fluctuations or mana signatures. Compared to the grandeur of the other artefacts in the room, the thorn was rather lacklustre in stature, but deep down, Shin knew that this unassuming thorn was perhaps the most valuable object in the entire vault. "What¡­ What is that?" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 278 A Fresh Start 4 "What¡­ What is that?" Shin''s question didn''t go unheard. Principal Erudito, who was just about to reprimand Shin for using his spiritual abilities in the vault, halted his steps and carefully examined the object. Even though he was the highest authority in the academy, the institution had been constructed long before he was born and there were many items in the vault that he barely knew about. Of course, if it were the most valuable items, Principal Erudito would instantly be able to recognise them, but evidently, the charred thorn that Shin was interested in wasn''t in that category. "Hmmm, I''ve seen it multiple times in the vault, but no one actually found anything interesting about it¡­ From the description, it says that it was taken from a claw of an ancient beast. Nothing else is written on it though?" "A claw? You mean this was a fingernail of a beast? What tier was it? Tier 8 or 9? Or perhaps it was a Primordial Beast?" Shin rapidly asked. "Unsure..." Unfortunately, Principal Erudito didn''t know the answer. Over the years, the vault had accumulated hundreds of thousands of precious materials and eventually, it was hard to keep track of every single item in it. "However, even if it was from a high levelled beast, its age must have eroded any benefits that one could get from it, you should find something else." ''Time has eroded it? Then why does my heart beat so fast when I get near it?'' Shin didn''t believe the Principal''s words. There was no spiritual or elemental energy coming out from the charred thorn, but Shin felt an overwhelming mental connection with the nail that was almost half a metre long. Biting down his lower lip, the black-haired youth considered turning away to get one of the other precious resources that guaranteed an improvement. However, his gut feeling was screaming at him to claim the charred thorn as his own. "I''ll take it." "You''ll take what?" Not willing to believe his ears, Principal Erudito raised his eyebrows and stared incredulously at the youth. Only a few each year got to enter the Imperius Academy vaults, and yet, Shin was squandering his chance by claiming a useless item that had been sitting in the vault for decades? "I''ll take the thorn." "... Fine, I''ll get it out for you." As much as he wished to dissuade Shin, the moment Principal Erudito glanced into the passionate eyes of the youth that wouldn''t take no for an answer, the bronze-faced man knew that Shin wouldn''t change his mind. "Here, I hope you would find some good use for it." Unlocking the glass case, Principal Erudito held the charred thorn with both of his hands and passed it over to Shin. "Thank you!" Shin received his reward with open arms. Although there the charred thorn lacked any mana or elemental energy, the black-haired youth somehow felt a primal connection to the thorn. On the other side of the vault, Kanari had long chosen her three rewards. A rare mind-elemental gem that boosts the cultivator''s connection to the mind elements around her. A tail feather of a Tier 7 Firebird that had been made into a consumable pill, and finally, the beak of a Tier 7 Hippogryph, which could significantly boost a cultivators control over wind elements. Compared to the dull thorn that Shin had picked, Kanari seemed to have the better windfall. "What''s so special about that thorn?" Confused as to why the black-haired youth chose the charred thorn instead of any of the thousand items inside the vault, Kanari questioned Shin. "I don''t know!" "You don''t know? Then why did you choose it?" "It''s hard to explain¡­ I have to bring it back to examine it thoroughly first." "I see¡­" Although she wasn''t wholly convinced, Kanari had complete faith that Shin knew what was best for himself. After all, during the year, the boy had proved time and time again that he wasn''t one to ignorantly do something. The moment Principal Erudito sealed the vault doors, he led the pair towards Tsucai mountain, so that he could show them to their personal cultivation chambers and hand over the keys. While on the mountain, they saw Elrin ordering a heap of black-robed men to carry valuable mana-rich items into the chambers, must to the dismay of Vice-Principal Hirda. Watching as Elrin continued to fluster the Spirit Emperor, Shin and Kanari let out a playful giggle and begun to decorate their chambers as well. ~~~ "Mnnnn..." A low humming sound bounced from wall to wall as a deep blue, cerulean light enveloped the stone cultivation chambers. For Shin, it didn''t take him too long to fix up his own cultivation chambers. Since he had access to the same exact room many months ago, Shin was extremely familiar with the chamber''s layout. Fortunately, after he finished using the chamber, there had been no other occupants, and the only thing he needed to clean up was the residue dust. Immediately after cleaning, Shin sat down on the stone bed and lifted up the charred thorn he received from Principal Erudito. Enveloping it in a dense water sphere, Shin sent a significant amount of mana towards the charred thorn, hoping to unravel the mysteries within. Every so often, The Sovereign Koi would do a twirl in the air and would send another surge of spiritual energy at the charred thorn. "Nothing is happening?" After five minutes of constant mana supply, the charred thorn remained intact, and there were no signs of any change. Shin felt like he was scrubbing a diamond that had been purified thousands of times over, and there was nothing else he could do. "That can''t be¡­ So what was the feeling that I experienced?" Shin was confused. Of all the precious items in the vault, he chose the unsuspecting blackened thorn that no one thought was valuable. However, based on The Sovereign Koi''s reaction as well the mysterious connection he felt, Shin, knew that the charred thorn was definitely something that benefited him. "Maybe I''m doing it wrong?" Shin changed his approach. Instead of using his created water to ''clean'' the thorn, he partially cast his spiritual body enhancement and allowed his right hand to be filled with deep cerulean scale. Grabbing onto the thorn, Shin attempted to scrub the blackened parts of the nail, in hopes of revealing the treasure within. Unfortunately, the charred coating was too durable. Unfazed by the hurdle, Shin continued experimenting on the charred thorn. He tried to drill through the coating using his created water, he tried casting heal on the thorn, he had even attempted scrubbing The Sovereign Koi on it, forcing it to wiggle about in protest. However, no matter what he tried, the charred thorn remained unchanged. "Hmmm¡­ Maybe my cultivation level is still too weak to break through the coating¡­ I''ll bring it to Master later in the week to investigate." Since Shin wasn''t able to crack the code, the youth decided not to overthink about it. "Still, I''m constantly amazed by the dense water elements in this chamber." The Himmel Empire wasn''t the dominant force when it came to water-elemental Spirits. Yet, they managed to create an optimal cultivation chamber for Shin slowly train in. If Shin trained in the cultivation chamber, he would reap twice the rewards with half the effort. Closing his eyes, Shin felt the water elements seep deep into his pores, and he began to chant the Celestial Water Mantra. From the start of his cultivation journey, the Celestial Water Mantra had been his trusted ally, and he used it religiously. Even though it was cryptic and hard to understand, Shin had used it time and time again to increase his understandings of water and the power of his Spirit. Memorising the manual from cover to cover, Shin could recite any part of the mantra at the snap of a finger, and he chose a chapter that best suited his current cultivation needs. "..." Unbeknownst to Shin, the moment he started to chant, the dense water elements in his cultivation chamber begun to tremble violently and the lights emitted out from The Sovereign Koi was twice as bright as usual. The stagnant charred thorn that remained on the table, finally showed signs of change as it shook slightly. Suddenly, the thorn flew forward as if it was an electromagnet being switched on and hit Shin straight in the face, forcing him to abruptly open his eyes. "What the?!" Pulling the charred thorn off his body, Shin rubbed his nose and took some time to regain his bearings. Sensing that something was off, he held the half a metre long thorn up high and carefully examined it once more. "You didn''t move just now, what changed?" Shin reflected on his past actions. Initially, no matter what means he tried, Shin just wasn''t capable of triggering a response from the charred thorn. "Was it the Celestial Water Mantra?" Allowing The Sovereign Koi to hover over the charred thorn, Shin injected his mana into the nail of the ancient beast and chanted his trusted mantra once more. As if in response to his mana, the charred thorn began to throb in excitement. All of a sudden, Shin felt as if a live, beating heart had been placed onto his palms. "It''s working!" Thrilled that he finally got a response, Shin continued pumping mana into the charred thorn, all while reciting the Celestial Water Mantra. Bit by bit, the thorn pulsated harder and harder, until eventually¡­ "*Kkkkrrrrttt!!!*." A small crack broke through the thick charred thorn releasing a torrent of dense spiritual energy that blinded Shin almost instantly. The black-haired youth immediately retracted his mana and sought to escape from the terrorising light that seemed capable of vanquishing him in a millisecond. However, as fast as he may be, there was no way that Shin could outrun the speed of light. Failing to escape the dense spiritual light, Shin braced himself for impact. Like a mother''s touch, the compact light embraced the young boy, and then... The world went black¡­ ~~~ "This is..." Opening his eyes, Shin tried his best to identify where he was. Unfortunately, the only thing that existed around him was a patch of eternal darkness. "This is like the spiritual awakening ceremony all over again!" Shin got goosebumps as he flashbacked to the first time he interacted with his Spirit Body. Similar to this instant, Shin was thrown into a world of darkness, and he was forced to find the elusive Sovereign Koi, who was playing hard to get at the time. "Maybe I have to do the same to get out of this place?" There were a thousand questions that plagued Shin''s mind. What was the true identity of the charred thorn? Why was he sent to yet another spiritual realm? However, the most pressing question he had was how to get out. Fortunately, unlike the spirit awakening ceremony, he wasn''t alone in this world. The Sovereign Koi swam around Shin, jubilantly pointing at the youth''s left side, prompting him to follow it. With nowhere to go, the youth opted to follow the wishes of his Spirit. Since he wasn''t wandering about aimlessly, it didn''t take long to find his objective. "It really was here..." Shin muttered out in amazement. Inside of the dark, barren universe that Shin was sent to, he found a brightly shining puddle, which was a metre in diameter. With each step that he took, the puddle rippled out in joy as if it had been waiting for this moment its entire life. However, the moment Shin right before it, the puddle immediately calmed, revealing the scene that lay within it. "This is¡­ A memory?" Shin hypothesised. The movie that was being played in the first-person perspective of a flying creature as it rapidly zipped through the heavens. Crossing mountain ranges within a blink of an eye, Shin estimated that the creature had the capability of traversing continents as it wished, making it a true sovereign of the skies. "*BOOOOOMMMMM!!!*." It didn''t take long for the flying creature to reach its destination. The five-kilometre high volcano violently erupted, sending thick billowing ash clouds into the firmament above. From the ashes, a fiery god descended. Covered in molten lava, the humanoid Spirit Beast towered over any mountain that stood before it and each step it took sent tornadoes flying all over the continent. Opening its smelting red mouth, the Ifrit-like being spat out a river of flames, forcing the flying creature to ascend high up into the skies. Raising up its claw, the creature defied the god by congregating its mana to create a solid beam of light that pierced through the head of the flaming giant. Unfortunately, the God of Fire was capable of regenerating its body instantly. Attacking the flying creature with the heat of a billion suns, the volcanic giant created an ocean of flames, capable of incinerating the entire Capital within seconds. In response, the flying creature roared heavenwards and summoned a torrential downpour in hopes of quelling the flames below it. Once more, it raised its claw, allowing the sharp nails on it to glow in a radiant brilliance. Beams of spectre light rapidly shot down at the flaming God, each one capable of inflicting a thousand kilometres of damage. However, it was all for nought as the Ifrit reached out and grabbed the claw in the flying creatures hand. Almost instantly, the nail that was responsible for damaging the Fire God had been charred, and it fell off the creature''s body, ending the memory altogether. "T-That¡­ Was the memory of the charred thorn?!" Before Shin had a chance to react, the puddle forcibly sucked the youth in and brought him back to the material realm. Panting out while his robes were soaked to the bone with sweat, Shin attempted to quell his mental state. What level were the two Spirit Beasts in that memory? Tier 9? Primordial Beasts? Or perhaps even higher? Shin didn''t know. However, what he did know is the fact that any one of them was capable of decimating the entire Himmel Empire if it wished to. "This charred thorn actually contains the memory of an ancient mighty beast''s attack!" Shin felt his heart beating wildly as he contemplated on the uses of the charred thorn. "What I lacked during the year-end competition was a powerful ability that could finish my enemies¡­ Natasha has her Starfall attack, Suji has the Heavenly Punishment, and Kanari has Lunar Beam¡­ If I could even release a fraction of the power shown in the memory, I will be able to reign supreme over anyone!!!" Figuring out the route that he had to take, Shin held on to the charred thorn as if it were his baby. "I will become stronger!!!" ~~~ HAPPY VALENTINE''S DAY!!! To all you lovebirds with a date on this day, I wish you all the best, but for the other loners like me, I have written a short story starring Shin and Ariel. I have posted it on my website, so if you are interested, do check it out. The link is right here! https://linodofictions.com/2019/02/13/a-valentines-story/ I hope that this story would add some flavour to this otherwise mundane day. Do tell me what you think of the SS, and perhaps, leave some suggestions on what I should write on next time! ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 279 Urgent News 1 Imperius Academy. Three months later. Year 812, the Month of February. As the freshmen year came to a close and the sophomore year began, Shin and the other high rankers started to get accustomed to their new lavish lifestyles. For Elrin and Kanari, the addition of new resources was something that they were used to, but having it all at their fingertips in the academy made their second year a hell of a lot more different. With authority to move items to and fro from their houses, the pair of wealthy scions benefited tremendously. On the other hand, Shin was unsure of how he was going to ration all the wealth that had been bestowed upon him. Of the hundreds of medicinal pills that Principal Erudito had delivered, the youth gave over half of it to his fellow orphans, especially to Elyse and Fionn. They were busy mugging out at home and had very little professional guidance. Thus, as an elder brother, giving them some resources was the least that he should do. However, the two younglings back home weren''t the sole recipients of Shin''s grace. Shin had given a large portion of his medicinal pills to the twins, in hopes of increasing their firepower. In fact, he even wanted to loan them the use of his private cultivation chambers, until he was severely reprimanded by Vice-Principal Hirda for going against academy policies. The cultivation chambers were among the best resources that the academy had to offer and they were only awarded to those with outstanding merit. Case in point, Shin managed to claw his way out from Rank 21 and advanced by two ranks throughout three months! An unprecedented feat that not even Kanari could have accomplished! Although he had used all the remaining medicinal pills he had to soar through the ranks, the fact still remained that his water-elemental chambers assisted him throughout his ascent. Entering the sophomore year, Shin and the rest of the clique were somewhat numb to the entire academic process. For one, the twins and Isadore had joined the Star Class bringing the whole group together. Secondly, since they had perhaps the greatest assortment of talents gathered in one area. Shin was a genius when it came to books and mentoring his fellow friends wasn''t an issue. Isadore had revealed his prodigious skills in the martial arts, which meant that he could easily mend any flaws in his comrades'' combat ability; and finally, Kanari, who was the perfect all-rounder, could help boost any imperfections in Shin or Isadore teachings. Throughout the three months, it wasn''t only Shin, Kanari and Elrin who got the best out of the arrangement. Shizen, who had reached the pinnacle of Rank 19 back during his match with Kanari, instantly condensed his Spirit Core and even self-created his own spiritual ability. The twins had advanced a rank while Isadore had reached the peak of his realm. Even Suji and Danroy had made huge gains as well. With the weight of his shoulders, Danroy started to become more carefree, and his cultivation progress exploded. He was now keeping pace with Suji, someone that he had been chasing his entire life. Determined not to be overtaken, at the turn of the new year, Suji hurriedly condensed his Spirit Core making him the fourth person in Shin''s cohort to do just that. Typically, students would condense their Spirit Cores in their third and fourth years, while some talented few would do so during the end of their sophomore year. However, before Shin''s second-year had even begun, there were already four Spirit Core cultivators trotting the academy grounds. In fact, based on how fast Danroy and Elrin were progressing, it wouldn''t be strange if two more popped up before February was over. "Ahhhh, so tired¡­ I don''t want to study anymore..." An indolent voice cried out. Seated at the usual restaurant, a brown-haired youth groaned as his head fell onto the thick books on the table before him. "Shizen, if you don''t study, it would be hard for you to keep your ranking at the top! Do you want to drop out from the Star class that badly?" Shin chided his friend. "I don''t want to study anymore! I can''t stand the indoors anymore! I want to bask out in the sunlight!" "What are you a plant?" "Well, that''s not too far from the truth..." Throwing a tantrum like a spoilt brat, Shizen kicked the legs of his chair and dropped his pen. "If I said I was a tree, would you let me out?" "Not in a million years¡­ Come on, just one more chapter!" Shin continued on his draconian teaching methods. However, whenever there was a stick, there was also a carrot. "Also, I''ll give you one gallon extra this week." "Erggkkk! You really know how to play with my heartstrings, Shin..." Shizen grasped his chest to prevent his heart from jumping out. "Fine¡­ Just one more chapter!" Watching this whole interaction, the other member of the group giggled. Her radiant smile that blossomed was capable of charming anyone who witnessed it. "You have Shizen tamed quite well, sire Shin¡­ Care to teach me your ways?" "It''s not like you aren''t a black belt at manipulating others, Kanari¡­ I see what you did to Emma! You hypnotised her to divulge information about me!" "Ara, was I busted?" Kanari giggled with a face full of innocence. "Hehe, eventually I would have you join the Highgarden Duchy, so there''s no issue in me gaining some information!" "There is to me!" The arguments between Shin and Kanari had become so commonplace that it had turned boring to those who spectated them on a daily basis. Shizen rolled his eyes and continued doing his homework, like a child waiting for his parents to stop fighting. Fortunately, his saviour was fast approaching. "Shin! You''re here!" The bells on the door rung as a silver-haired boy forcibly pushed it open. Flushed to his ears, the youth bolted towards the table and grabbed his buddy by the wrist. "Can I borrow you for one second?!" "S-Sure¡­ What''s the emergency?" "Yeah, Isadore. Did something happen?" Kanari backed up Shin''s question with a confused face. Of the entire clique, Kanari knew Isadore the longest, and she couldn''t recall the last time that the youth had been so flustered. "I''ll explain to you later¡­ Shin, let''s move outside for one moment." Isadore smoothly lied and led the black-haired boy out of the diner and into the grassy fields outside. "What happened?" "Shin¡­ Imperius Academy is going to have a joint training session with the Imperial Military later this month. All of the year fours and above are invited to attend." "Yeah, I''ve heard of that." It wasn''t a secret that Imperius Academy had ties to the military and the Imperial Family. In fact, the sole reason why Imperius Academy had prospered for so long was precisely because of that connection. A vast majority of graduates from the institution had continued on their careers as thriving soldiers or government officials. Thus, to ensure that the future generation was as competent as possible, the military would often hold joint training sessions or military exercises to give them a cursory taste of life outside civilisation. "Then have you heard about the purpose of the joint training session?" "Of course not. We''re just sophomores, remember?" Shin knew that entering Imperius Academy meant that he would eventually be roped into some military activities, but he didn''t have to worry about it until he was a fourth-year student. "Oh, then you would want to hear this..." A wry smile crept up the face of Isadore as he inched closer to the youth. Ensuring that his voice was as soft as possible, the silver-haired boy whispered into his buddy''s ear: "They found clues of a Black Mask operation." "What?!" Shin was unable to hide his surprise. His pulse started to rapidly spin, and he grabbed his friend by his shoulders. "Is this real?!" "Eighty per cent certain..." Isadore didn''t lie about how legitimate his source was. "However, from the information that I''ve got, the whole reason why the military is moving with students from Imperius Academy is due to the neutral location. They can''t launch a full-scale military exercise, but if they used the joint training session as a guise, the authorities would have the freedom to investigate further." "Where exactly is this location?" Shin inquired. Knowing that he got Shin on the hook, Isadore smiled and replied. "It used to be called the most progressive nation the world has ever seen. However, now it''s simply called the Land of Dreams." "The Land of Dreams? Spirit Immortal Dream''s country?!" The tale of Spirit Immortal Dream was well-known to everyone in the mortal realm. Especially since it was such a recent event. Only five hundred years had passed since the last Spirit Immortal shed her humanity to break through the heavens and the tragedy of how she annihilated her entire country'' population with one move was a familiar folktale told in every household. "What do the Black Masks want to achieve in the Land of Dreams?" "Unsure, but the Land of Dreams is now a neutral territory where many of the three superpowers households meet to trade and socialise. If they are trying to make ground there, it is unlikely that they would send any of their strongest forces to the area." "What are you trying to tell me, Isadore?" "Alright, I won''t beat around the bush anymore¡­ I know that you have a vested interest in chasing down the Black Masks so that you can bring Junius to justice, and I know you want to start an organisation to hunt them down after you graduate..." Isadore smiled and finally got to the crux of the issue. "Do you want to expedite your plan a little early and join the expedition?" "..." Shin closed his eyes and threw his head back. He would be lying if he said that he wasn''t tempted. It was the first time he heard of any news about the Black Masks syndicate since the battle on Frie Mountain. Even if the joint training session didn''t bear any fruit, it was still a valuable first step towards his goal. "Before I answer your question¡­ What do you want from me?" "I just told you, I want you to join the expedition!" "No, there must be another motive! You don''t simply come and give me information about the Black Masks without expecting anything in return! What do you really want, Isadore?" Shin made his point. Even an imbecile could tell that the information that Isadore possessed was top-tier intelligence that wasn''t readily available for the mere foot soldier. If he passed it on to Shin, there was definitely a price that Isadore wanted. "Hah¡­ I can''t fool you." The silver-haired youth shrugged his shoulders. "I''ve been thinking about that day a lot¡­ The day where you confessed everything to us." "..." "You see, I have been caged almost my entire life. I have never been outside of the Capital, and I never had any peers as you had in Junius or Ariel. Your story, your happiness, your grief¡­ For some reason, it seemed so distant to me. Yet, it was something I yearned for." Isadore placed his hands behind his back and poured his heart out. "I want to help you achieve your dreams, Shin. Just imagine, an organisation with you as the leader, and me as the Chief of Intelligence. If we include the assistance that Kanari and Elrin would bring, what heights could we possibly reach? I want to find out!" "So you''re using me as an experiment to figure out your life?" Shin knew next to nothing about Isadore''s past. The silver-haired youth had always been an enigma, a puzzle that couldn''t be solved. However, with Isadore''s heartfelt confession, Shin started to piece together what the youth truly wanted. "You could say so¡­ I want to break the chains and soar in the air, and perhaps you are the key for me to do just that..." "I see..." Shin moved closer to his buddy and held both his shoulders firmly. "I accept your resolve, Isadore!" "You mean..." "Yeah¡­ Let''s go to the Land of Dreams!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 280 Urgent News 2 "You want to join the training exercise with the military?" An adenoidal voice shrieked out, forcing Shin to cover his ears in agony. "Master, there was a lead that a Black Mask operation was being hatched in the area! If I want to confront them, this is an excellent first step!" Unfazed by his Master''s wrath, Shin tried his best to convince her. "Furthermore, I''ll merely be part of the supply lines, I won''t really be in the thick of the actions." "That''s not my issue, you brat! The military is a vile organisation! I thought I made it crystal clear to you!" "I know that, and I haven''t forgotten it!" Shin knew that his master was going to have an adverse reaction to his decision to aid the military. Thus, he was prepared to convince her with all he had. "However, if I simply remained holed up in the academy for six years, there would be no room for me to grow. Even you said it before! Reading ten thousand books isn''t as good as travelling ten thousand miles! If I want to combat the Black Masks, I can''t just stay in the academy for six years!" "..." Now that Shin was putting words in her mouth, Lady Seph had no significant counter. She had always feared the day where Shin would join the politics of the nation and tread down the path she hated the most. "Must it really be with the military?" "Master¡­ I understand your difficulties. So I have a proposal." Sensing that the blonde beauty was softening up, Shin opted to land the final blow. "Either way, I wasn''t invited to join the expedition since I''m still a sophomore. However, I will be attending as an assistant to a teacher who was in charge of guarding the supplies. Technically speaking, I''m not directly involved in the joint military training, and there will be minimal interactions with the soldiers from the Imperial Army." For Shin and Isadore to sneak into the joint training exercise as sophomores, they had to find a legitimate reason. Thankfully, through the silver-haired boy''s excellent connections, they found one in the supply lines, where there was a severe deficit in manpower. Under the guise of ''assisting their teachers,'' Shin and Isadore would be given a way to sneak out of the camp and investigate on the Black Masks syndicate all on their own. "I''m still not entirely sold..." Seated in her chair, Lady Seph furrowed her brows and took a large gulp of her tea. "Tell me the details of this so-called ''clue'' you got about the Black Mask operation." Shin smiled. He could tell that the odds were now tipped to his favour. Recounting his entire conversation with Isadore, the black-haired youth patiently explained all that he knew. He had even told Lady Seph about how resourceful Isadore was. "Isadore¡­ That''s the name of the silver-haired spear brat right..." "Yeah! He''s my neighbour in the dorms. We have been hanging out since orientation week." "Figures¡­ To think that Eru had linked the two of you together..." Lady Seph continued to drink her tea while her mind wandered back to the year-end tournament. The first time she lay eyes on Isadore''s Spirit, she knew that there would be a major upheaval in the Empire. As much as she hated the Imperial Courts and the military, she had nothing against the Imperial Lineage, as well as the Imperial Ancestor that stood behind Isadore. "Well, if you got information from him, it should be legitimate." "Master? You know of Isadore''s background?" Shin couldn''t believe his ears. Isadore was an enigma. He didn''t look particularly fit, but he was undoubtedly the best martial artist in his generation. Although he denied being part of High Society, he had ties to Kanari as well as an information network that could rival the Imperial Family''s intelligence agency, Spion. His Spirit was a deadly spear, but yet, there didn''t seem to be any elements emitted from it nor has he shown any sort of spiritual ability. In all, Isadore had always been secretive about his origins, and often times, Shin would hypothesise that his good friend was merely a ghost. "Hmmm, I guess I could tell you, but don''t go spreading it..." Lady Seph shut the drapes and lowered her voice. "I don''t want that leather-faced asshole to come looking for me after all." "..." Shin unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva and leaned in close. He had been with Lady Seph for almost six years now, and there were very few moments where she would appear this serious. "Where to begin? The Himmel Empire has a long history, that dates back to the years of the warring states. Back then, conflicts were rife, and clans or sects would rise and fall at the snap of a finger." The blonde woman tapped her fingers on her desk and brought out a piece of paper. Reverting to her historian mode, Shin''s Master drew a simple map of the ancient Terre Continent to aid in her explanations. "One of the most prominent family clans in the ancient world was one called the Himmel Tribe. As the name suggests, the Himmel Tribe were the ancestors of the men and women we call the Imperials today. The descendants of the Himmel Tribe were all valiant warriors, with many of them easily attaining Spirit Emperor status through sheer will." "Eventually, one of the mightiest ancestors of the Himmel Tribe broke through the final barrier of humanity during the Day of Spirits and ascended into the Immortal Realm, allowing more and more spiritual energy to seep into the Terre Continent. It was a cause for a worldwide celebration, but well¡­ The ones who benefited the most from the ascension of the Himmel Tribe ancestor was none other than the Himmel Tribe itself." "You see, a few years after the ancestor ascended, a few newborns of the tribe suddenly awakened a new type of variant Spirit. Initially, due to the mutation of their genes, the children were deemed as cursed, as they didn''t bolster the same features that their brethren had. Although they were shunned, they weren''t really prosecuted and were given the same basic training that their peers had. However, it quickly became clear that the Spirit they wielded were much more different than it seemed." At this point, Lady Seph heightened her senses to ensure that no one was eavesdropping on the conversation. From this point on, everything that she was going to divulge to Shin was exceptionally classified, and she just had to be sure that the location was secure. "The children who awakened their mutated Spirit had no elemental energy, and neither did it follow any of the conventional methods of cultivation. It even lacked the most basic concept of all Spirits¡­ It was unable to create spiritual abilities..." "WHAT?!" Shin gasped. "You mean they can''t promote above the Spirit Practitioner realm?!" For a cultivator to promote from the Spirit Practitioner realm to the Spirit Apostle realm, they had to learn a spiritual ability, either through a hereditary opuscule or comprehending one themselves. It was a well-known fact of the cultivation world. "No, they can promote, but they can''t or rather, they don''t need to learn a spiritual ability to advance. They only need to cultivate as per usual, and they can advance all the way to the Spirit Saint realm if they are talented enough." "What a preposterous Spirit..." Shin cried out. "No, Shin¡­ It isn''t preposterous, it''s absolutely frightening..." Lady Seph shivered and felt her throat dry up. Emptying the teacup that stood before her, the blonde beauty deeply inhaled as a dreadful memory surfaced. "That Spirit is the sole reason why the Himmel Tribe had transformed into the Himmel Empire." "What do you mean?" "In the war to end all wars, thousands of family clans, martial sects and ancient organisations fell. However, the Himmel Tribe continued on fighting till the end and had even gained enough power to reign supreme over the south. While the Kori Federation held the power of thousands of tribes, and the Lantis Republic relied on the bloodline of the Eight Scions of Water, the Himmel Empire alone was formed with the descendants of the Himmel Tribe at its core¡­ Why do you think that''s the case?" "That..." In truth, this was a question that boggled Shin as well. How could the Himmel Empire still remain as a superpower that could contest against the combined might of thousands of clans? "It''s precisely because of the Spirit that your friend had awakened¡­ The Spirit of Himmel." "That''s the name of the spear he wields? The Spirit of Himmel?" Shin exclaimed. "Mmmm..." Lady Seph nodded. "In the Imperial Family, there are currently two cultivators that awakened the Spirit of Himmel. Your friend Isadore is one of them¡­ While the other is the current true Hegemon of the Himmel Empire. The Imperial Ancestor." ''To think that Isadore had such a background!'' Shin mentally screamed out. He thought back to the many times that he chided Isadore and ''playfully'' screamed at him. If those incidents were being monitored, Shin would have committed Lese Majeste without even knowing about it! "Few Spirit Saints are residing in the Himmel Empire, but the Imperial Ancestor is undoubtedly the strongest among them. In fact, to a certain degree, he might even be the most powerful Spirit Saint in the world. Even though he had washed his hands off the issues of the mortal realm, if it comes to raising an heir that had awakened the Spirit of Himmel, there''s no way that leathery-faced bastard wouldn''t interfere." "That''s why your friend''s position is a little special. The Himmel Empire could lose of few Imperials, and to a certain extent, they could even lose the current Sovereign Emperor, Tenno, if it really needed to. However, there was no way that they would sacrifice Isadore." "You''re saying that Isadore is more important than the current Emperor?!" "Of course! His Spirit is one that would be the eternal shield of the Empire! Although that leathery-faced bastard is near invincible, even he can''t outswim the river of time. The day he dies, is the day that the other two powers start thinking about an invasion. After all, his Spirit of Himmel was capable of taking on an army of millions with ease. Hence, he would raise Isadore as if he were a treasured-being. If you''re going with Isadore to the Land of Dreams, make sure to keep close to him! I reckon that there would at least be a thousand guards watching his every move. You would be safe with him near." "Master, are you saying that I can leave for the Land of Dreams!" "A-Ah?" Shin recognised the nuance in her speech and realised that she had subconsciously given him the green light. Caught off guard, Lady Seph could only stutter as she realised that she had been checkmated. "Tch, even though I hate the military and the Imperial Courts, I have nothing against the Imperial Family and their dastardly ancestor¡­ Fine, you can go! But no helping those bastards, you here me! I don''t want to hear a tale of MY disciple laying a single finger to heal or assist those in the military! If you see some officer dying before you, just end his suffering! Don''t use MY healing abilities to treat them! You hear me?!" "Hehe, Master you''re the best!" Shin giggled and teased the blushing blonde beauty. "You little brat¡­ Go brew me some Oolong tea first! I need to quell this belly of fire!!!" "Haha, of course!" The sweet aroma of tea leaves being boiled filled the humble office of the Spirit Venerate as Shin''s hands moved on instinct. Even though it has been a while since he brewed tea, his body still remembered the precise steps that had been ingrained into him over the years. "By the way, Master¡­ What''s so special about the Spirit of Himmel? Why is it capable of taking down an army of millions?" Finishing the final step, Shin elegantly poured the tea into a warmed-up cup. "You really want to know?" Lady Seph grinned. "Well then, take a seat first cause the answer would shock you to your core!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 281 The Land Of Dreams 1 Imperius Academy, also known as the Imperial Military Academy, is an age-old institution with ties to both the royal family as well as the military of the Himmel Empire. In exchange for the numerous benefits that the Imperials bestow onto it, Imperius Academy trains young geniuses and prepares them to become great men and women of the Empire. However, there was also a need to instil a sense of patriotism into their young minds. Thus, to kill two birds with one stone, Imperius Academy would partner with the military for some joint training sessions. Although these training sessions only occur once a year, it was mandatory for all fourth-years and above to attend, and many of them treat it as a field trip that lasted for a few weeks. In particular, since this year''s joint training session was held outside of the Himmel Empire, the students attending were exhilarated, and who could blame them? The Land of Dreams was a legendary location that boasted a considerable amount of history. It was the birthplace of aether production, the area where the nineteenth Spirit Immortal resided a significant portion of her life in, and also, the place where the worst massacre in human history was conducted. Once a proud nation that could have easily contested with the three major superpowers, the current Land of Dreams was now reduced to a popular tourist destination where neutral parties met to discuss political affairs. In fact, there were already students in the academy that had planned out their tour route in the famed grounds. However, Shin and Isadore weren''t there to sightsee. To trace the Black Mask syndicate, Shin had come with the intention of investigating more about the whereabouts of Junius, and if he were frank, just foiling whatever plans the Black Masks had was sufficient in his eyes. He might be weak now, but at the very least, he could get one foot in the door when it came to hunting down his enemies. As the day of reckoning drew closer, the fourth to sixth years all felt a wave of bubbling excitement, especially the newly initiated fourth years. Although a typical joint training exercise had little to no risks, it was still a fresh experience for the eighteen-year-olds, who had mostly been living in the Capital their entire lives. Naturally, there were some that didn''t like that they were forced away from the academy, as they preferred to stay in the comfort of their own homes, but those people were few and far between. Even Shin, who didn''t feel any loyalty to the Himmel Empire, could sense their burning patriotism. "I never have seen so many students gather since the year-end tournaments..." Shin muttered out in awe. The joint training exercise would bring the entire cohort of fourth to sixth years to train with a renowned experienced battalion. The training would include military drills, lessons on surviving in the wilderness, how to disseminate information, and a plethora of other skills that would be useful for the student''s future career. "It can''t be helped, the joint training session is mandatory after all..." Isadore calmly replied. Being sophomores, Shin and Isadore had no business attending the training. It was only through Isadore''s deep connections that the duo somehow managed to secure their positions in the supply lines. Walking through the bustling crowd, the silver-haired boy carefully observed the faces of their peers. A scene where a year five senior was bidding farewell to his year three girlfriend made it seem like he was witnessing a soap opera while the fiery elation of some seniors made it appear like they were heading for war. "Shin, have you considered what we''re going to do in the Land of Dreams?" Isadore sighed and questioned his dear buddy. However, when no answer came back, the youth turned to Shin only to find the black-haired youth building sandcastles in the air. "Shin?" "Hmmm? Sorry, I zoned out there. What did you say?" "..." Isadore furrowed his brows. "Is something bothering you? Ever since you came back from your Master''s house, you have always been in a daze. Are you worried about the safety of the trip?" "No, no. Nothing like that. I''m fine now." Shin smiled. "What was your question?" The silver-haired youth folded his arms and carefully examined his friend''s expression. As much as he wished to dig deeper, his curiosity was a non-issue compared to the task at hand. "I asked, have you considered what we''re going to do in the Land of Dreams." "Right..." Shin nodded and took out his notebook. Flipping the pages until he found a black marking, the youth handed the manual over to Isadore and begun to explain. "Based on the information that you gave me, the Black Masks'' operation is within the Land of Dreams, and there are signs that it would be going down in the east right?" Shin confirmed his intelligence. Although he had no idea how Isadore gained his information, it has rarely been inaccurate. Taking out a pencil, he circled the first itinerary item on the list. Typically, a joint training exercise would be two weeks long. However, due to the added distance, it had been extended to a month. "For the first week, we must follow the supply lines to the heart of the Land of Dreams. No matter how urgently we want to find the Black Masks, we can''t escape bureaucracy. Let the adults do the talking while we climatise ourselves to the new environment." "Hoho, you''re thinking of going on a holiday for the first week?" A happy grin crept up the face of Isadore as he teased his good friend. "Well, Master said that since I''m going to the Land of Dreams, I should visit one place." "What is it?" "Spirit Immortal Dream''s abandoned laboratory." After the collapse of the great nation, the majority of the city had fallen into ruin. Nonetheless, the fallen country was still a great attraction. Many conspiracy theorists flocked to the decrepit land, in hopes of cracking the code that was Spirit Immortal Dream. Why did the youngest Spirit Immortal in history, widely regarded to be the most prodigious human that ever lived, annihilate the country that she had worked so hard to build? What was the vile research that the ministers uncovered in her laboratory that led to all of them rebelling against their founder? Were there any answers left in the run-down nation? The questions that plagued the amateur investigators just happened to be the greatest mystery of modern history, and to be completely honest, even some Spirit Saints on the continent wanted to know the answers. Hence, instead of fighting a war to gain control over the Land of Dreams, the three superpowers decided to share the grounds equally and allowed anyone who was interested in its history to carefully investigate as they pleased. In her youth, Lady Seph was fascinated with the tales of Spirit Immortals, and two of her greatest inspirations were Spirit Immortal Hippocrates and Spirit Immortal Dream. Both of them led drastically different lives, but in the end, they grasped eternity and entered the Immortal realm above. Back in the day, the young Lady Seph had once visited the personal laboratory of Spirit Immortal Dream, in hopes of unravelling some of the mysteries that plagued her as well as the rest of the world. Unfortunately, she was too awestruck by the remnants of the infamous Immortal, that had been turned into a museum, to do much digging. "Ah, that place¡­ Yeah, it''s a hotspot for tourists though." "I guess so¡­ But isn''t it intriguing?" Shin playfully beamed. "The workplace of a Spirit Immortal, not to mention the most talented one in history?" "If you put it that way, I''ll also get pumped up..." Isadore nodded his head. "Alright, for the first week, we''ll take it easy. What about the remaining three weeks?" "The remaining three weeks, the joint training session would commence, and we would simply be ''guarding'' the supplies. So there''s plenty of time for us to sneak out to explore. Based on your information, I have circled our thirteen places of interest in the Land of Dreams." Flipping to the next page, Shin revealed a map that he had hidden within the pages of his notebook. Unfolding it, the black-haired youth pointed out the places where he deemed suspicious. "We could investigate each location one by one. With our speeds, we should be able to cover all of the hotspots within the three weeks." Shin excitedly explained. "Unless you have any more intelligence that could change our plan." "So far, there hasn''t been any more details¡­ What I do know is the Black Masks wouldn''t be acting alone this time. Instead, they might hire mercenaries from the Kori Federation or the Himmel Empire to do their bidding." "Why is that?" The black-haired youth took the notebook out of Isadore''s hands and securely kept it in his bag. "Won''t it be safer if they used their own men?" "Yes and no¡­ If they never got caught, then yes it would be safer. But the Land of Dreams is a popular diplomatic location with thousands of tourists entering each day. To move in daylight, it wouldn''t be wise to parade their wealth of Spirit Adepts to Spirit Emperors. Furthermore, if mercenaries were the ones doing the deed, there would be less suspicion onto them." The Black Masks syndicate was a powerful criminal organisation that only brought in the best rogue cultivators that the world had to offer. Although they had an entire class of oppressed cultivators that would do the bidding of any of their superiors, they weren''t all that suitable for covert missions. Hence, to move in the light, there was a need to acquire outside help. "That makes sense..." "Of course, it is not definite. We might search the entire Land of Dreams and find nothing. Also, even if we did find a Black Mask, I doubt we would have the capability of taking them down." "You''re right¡­" Shin hunched forward and rested his face on his joined fingers. To even don the primary infamous mask, one had to be at least at the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm. Shin was only in the Spirit Core realm, and Isadore was just a Spirit Apostle. If they pooled their strength together, they might have the chance to defeat one Shudra, but what if there was more than one of them? It would be suicide. Yet, Shin was still determined to investigate more about the Black Masks. If he could even convince one of them to reveal some details about Junius or the remnants of the Awter Clan, he would be content. "Alright, students! Get into your lines! We are about to head out now!" At the very head of the mass group, a suave teacher, who looked like he was in his forties, bellowed out for the students to get prepared. In the distance, echoing sounds of hooves and wheels grinding could be heard as the ground started to tremble. If it was this sensation, it could only mean one thing. "The brigade that would be travelling with us have arrived huh?" Shin narrowed his eyes. Before he gained permission to leave the Capital, he promised Lady Seph that he wouldn''t engage with anyone from the military. Even though it was easier said than done, Shin had no intention of breaking that promise. "Let''s go visit the teacher that would be chaperoning us. I hope you have picked a good teacher. If we get someone like Mychael, I''ll be sure to run your head through the ground." Shin threatened. "Haha, don''t worry, I''m sure that you''ll be satisfied! By the way, how did Shizen and the rest take the news?" "Of me leaving?" "What else?" "As you would expect, all of them asked to join. Even Kanari made quite a big fuss." Recalling back to the first time he told them about his short ''expedition,'' Shin let out a bitter smile. "It took a lot of convincing for me to calm them down..." "Haha, I wish I was there!" Isadore beamed. "Too bad I had to prepare everything at the back-end..." When the silver-haired youth first brought the issue up to Principal Erudito, it pleased the bronze-faced man greatly. Shin was a rather touchy subject for the principal. Based on his deal with Lady Seph, he was not to coerce the boy to join any military or political activities. However, Shin''s talent would unquestionably make him a great cultivator in the future, and should he defect to another nation, the consequences might be dire. Therefore, if Shin voluntarily joins the military exercise, perhaps it might instil a little bit of patriotism into his young heart. Well, there was no way that the boy in question would allow it to happen though. "That''s not important now" Shin glanced upwards to see the hordes of students forming lines in front of their supervisors. If the duo continued to talk, there was a good chance that they would be left behind. "Let''s hurry!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 282 The Land Of Dreams 2 Rushing towards the heart of the supply line group, Shin was stunned to find a middle-aged, bespectacled woman tapping her feet while checking her pocket watch every few seconds. The wrinkles on her face had gotten much more prominent since the last Shin had met her, and it was evident that she didn''t have the most relaxing of months. "Isadore..." Shin glared at his silver-haired friend. "You didn''t think to tell me that the person who would be chaperoning us is the Auxiliary Department Head?" "Ara, is there a problem? I didn''t think that the two of you had any deep relationships?" Isadore innocently cocked his head. Even though he knew that the two were familiar with one another, the silver-haired youth didn''t think that they were on bad terms. "Is it a problem?" "No, not necessarily..." Shin closed his eyes and brushed his friend''s shoulders. Madam Warulee was an integral part in his ascension to the Spirit Core realm, but she was also a significant cause for a number of his headaches. Throughout the months where he was recused, the middle-aged woman continuously attempted to poach him into the auxiliary course. Even though she had the best of intentions, Shin couldn''t help but shirk away each time he saw her face. "Shin! Isadore! You''re late!" While the black-haired youth was busy recollecting the numerous instances where Madam Warulee dangled a piece of meat above his face, hoping that the prodigious youth would take the bait, an enraged cry sounded out. "Sorry, we got lost." Isadore placed his palms together and smoothly lied. "Won''t happen again!" "Tch, you better!" A vein popped in Madam Warulee''s forehead as she chided the duo. "Do you know how much administrative work I had to do to bring the two of you into the supply lines?!" "Sorry, sorry!" Once again, Isadore rubbed his hands as if he were a sinner looking for penance. Fortunately, the god that he was praying to was magnanimous and just spewed out a warning. "The two of you, get in the carriage. Don''t even think about leaving my sights!" Madam Warulee lightly tapped the heads of the two students and pointed back into the metallic vehicle. Although Imperius Academy was loaded, there was no way that they could purchase hundreds of Aether Cars to transport their students. Not to mention, the Land of Dreams was only a few days away by horse. "Yes, madam!" Isadore playfully saluted before opening the brown carriage door. However, before he could get on the steps to find a comfortable position, the smile on his face froze. Eyes widened, the silver-haired boy seemingly became a statue as his grip tightened on the handlebar. "What''s wrong?" Peering into the vehicle, Shin was curious at the object that stunned his good buddy. "W-What?!" The moment Shin laid eyes on the interior of the carriage, his jaw dropped so wide that an apple was able to fit. It lacked any sort of opulence and barely had any cushions. The gigantic window that allowed its passengers to enjoy the view while providing ample ventilation was a plus, but otherwise, the carriage was exceedingly simple. However, what tripped the duo wasn''t the comfort level of their ride, but the person that they were riding with. "Yahoo~ I came!" A white-haired girl beamed at the two young boys with the most pleasant smiles that Shin had ever seen. Instead of her usual extravagant clothing, the girl was dressed in a grey sweatshirt and baggy pants. For the first time, the wealthiest daughter in the Empire was looking more like a pauper than an heiress. "Elrin, what are you doing here?!" Shin was the first to recover his wits and raised his voice. "Why can''t I come? You''re planning something fun, and you''re trying to leave me out? That''s not fair!" Elrin pouted like a squirrel and protested. "Also, I don''t really want to keep staying in the Capital. It gets boring after sixteen years, you know?" Unlike her appearance, Elrin''s birthday was in the middle of January, making her the ''eldest'' of their clique. Shin knew of her birthday due to the huge party she threw and how she continually teased Kanari about being her junior. "I''m going to treat this trip as a vacation for my sixteenth birthday so don''t mind me~." Elrin teased the youths. Stunned speechless, Shin and Isadore stared at each other and attempted a telepathically communicate. ''What''s going on?!'' ''The hell I know! How did she even get onto the same carriage as us?'' Isadore had to pull all of the strings that he had to secure a place in the joint training exercise. Yet, there Elrin was, with the most disgustingly sweet smile. "Money is a great thing you know?" As if she was capable of reading their minds, Elrin interjected with a mischievous tone. "All I needed to do was offer the military and academy all of the food and drinks they needed, and they could bat one eye to make me a ''special'' guest!" "..." The duo''s squinted their eyes as they failed to think of words to say. ''So much for treating all students equally!'' Shin cursed. Money made the world go round. As much as Imperius Academy boasted that they didn''t give preferential treatment to those from High Society, only a fool would reject free rations that would cut down their expenditure by half. "Boys, we are about to depart..." A flat voice notified them from behind. "Please take your positions in the carriage, we can''t waste anymore time." "Y-Yes, madam!" Shin pushed Isadore into the vehicle before jumping in himself. Since their luggage was placed in another compartment, they had all the room in the world to enjoy their journey, but the two boys huddled up next to Elrin. "What do you want?" Shin was the first to speak. "Hmmm, nothing much. I just want to do what you guys were planning to do!" Elrin jokes. "I know that your journey to the Land of Dreams isn''t solely for the ''experience!'' I want in!" To avoid stressing out his friends and family, Shin purposely obscured the real reason why he was attending the joint training exercise with the military. If they knew about the Black Mask operation, even Kanari would drop everything that she had to assist Shin in his endeavours. Truth to be told, Shin was quite proud that he managed to convince his friends. Unfortunately, not everyone bought into his deceitful lies. "You¡­ How much do you know?" Isadore continued to ask. "Just that this training exercise is kind of fishy." Sensing the shift in tone, Elrin dropped her playful visage and lowered her volume. "Typically, a joint training exercise would always be in Himmel territory, and it would be no longer than two weeks. However, this time, they are going to the Land of Dreams, and it was extended to a month! Honestly, even if you didn''t join the expedition, I would have sent someone to investigate about this exercise anyway." "Well, you''re not wrong¡­" Isadore dryly smiled and fell back onto his seat. Giving Shin a helpless look, the silver-haired boy mentally stated his intentions, eliciting a firm nod from his buddy. Now that she had already boarded their carriage, they might as well rope the white-haired girl into the fray. Isadore took his position opposite of Elrin and pulled out the map that Shin had handed him. At the same time, the convoy of over a hundred carriages started to move, indicating the beginning of their journey towards the Land of Dreams. Carefully taking his time to explain every single detail, Isadore filled Elrin in about the suspected Black Mask operations, their use of mercenaries, how the Himmel Empire was using the guise of the training exercise to investigate further about the notorious syndicate, and how the duo were planning to move once inside the Land of Dreams. All the while, the white-haired girl had her right hand on her chin as she did her best to absorb all of this explosive information. Due to her father''s work, she was one of the few children in the Empire that knew of Isadore''s true identity. If it was intelligence that came from his mouth, there was a good chance that it was accurate. "Hoho, you were hiding something this interesting from me?" Elrin sneered. "I''d always thought that I was the secret-keeper¡­ To think that Shin had one-upped me this round..." "Elrin, although we don''t know what to expect, there is still a certain amount of risk involved in us meddling about. You should stay in camp while we search the areas for clues." Shin warned. Elrin was from the auxiliary course, and she was weaker than both Shin or Isadore physically. If they dragged her around, they would be forced to guard the white-haired girl against foes that were undoubtedly more powerful than them. "Stay at home while the boys go out to play? No way!" Naturally, Shin''s words struck a nerve within the young girl''s body. "I have plenty of methods to protect myself, alright!" Opening her briefcase, Elrin showcased all of the Spirit Tools that she had brought. From life-saving talismans to speed boots that enhanced her fleeing capabilities, the tools that she possessed were potent enough to defend against Rank 40 Spirit Spectres with ease. Naturally, she also had a plethora of hidden Spirit Tools that she wouldn''t arrogantly display that could deal with much more skilled cultivators. "Hah¡­ Elrin, we''re not playing alright! We might get injured!" "Shin¡­ You know, I have been sheltered all my life..." Ignoring the youth''s threats, the young girl sighed and started to recount her own life story. "I thought that I had plenty of life experiences for someone my age. I frequently participate in High Society events, I planned and managed some of the stalls in the company, also I have personally made contacts with plenty of high-ranking officials, all on my own." "..." The duo kept mum as the white-haired girl boasted about her accomplishments. "However, when I heard your story, Ella and Emma''s stories¡­ I realised how little I actually ''lived.'' I never stepped foot outside of the Capital, I had never been to a battlefield, and I never had experienced what it''s like to lose someone." The minute Elrin told her story, Shin turned his head to look at the silver-haired boy. He had heard a similar story before. A caged bird trying to find its wings. Evidently, for many protected children of High Society, it was a common problem. They yearned for adventure and to live a life filled with ups and downs. Too much comfort had bored them senseless. They didn''t want to be caged anymore. "So what if we get injured?! At least we can learn how to deal with adverse situations! I''m tired of learning theoretical knowledge that may or may not apply! I want to be in the frontlines, fighting for what I think is right!" Elrin grasped the smooth hands of the black-haired boy that sat next to her and looked at him with teary eyes. "Don''t you want to form a coalition to take on the Black Masks? I''m sure you wouldn''t want someone like me, who don''t have any experience in battle, assisting you right?" And there was the culprit¡­ Shin''s persuasive speech after he was severely injured by Suji had moved the two sheltered kids. For the first time in their lives, they had the option to break free from what was expected from them. In time, Isadore and Elrin believed that Shin would become a powerhouse that would change the nation, and they wanted to be part of the revolution. "Looks like it''s checkmate, Shin..." Isadore shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. The moment Elrin brought up Shin''s sermon, there was no going back. "Just let her follow, I''m sure she''s more than capable of protecting herself. Furthermore, it''s not like we''re engaging any enemies anyway..." "You¡­ Arghhh, how am I going to explain it to Uncle Terlus if you get injured!" Shin thought back to the nice man that treated him well the first time they had met. "Whatever, safety''s first! If I say we run, we run, alright!" "Yay! Shin''s the best!" Elrin locked her two hands around the youth''s neck and snuggled on his chest like a domestic cat. Irritated, the black-haired teen, peeled the girl off his body and placed her firmly on the seat next to him. Looking out at the window, Shin couldn''t help but notice that the convoy had long left the academy and was on its way to the Capital''s border. "Elrin, we''re going to go through our entire plan once more. If you find anything wanting or if you feel that we''re going on the wrong path, feel free to voice your opinion." "Hehe, sure!" Pointing to the map once more, Shin hoped to get another person''s opinion on the plan of his. Soon an engaging conversation between three of the academy''s top talents ensued. Sometimes, Elrin would add in a new detail that neither Shin nor Isadore had seen before, and other times, the white-haired girl would be enlightened by the new material given to her. In the end, the trio passed the time while profoundly thinking about how they were about to thwart whatever operation the Black Masks had in store. ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 283 The Land Of Dreams 3 The Land of Dreams. ??????? A barren expanse, a soulless plain, a divine heritage. All of these were descriptions that aptly fitted the famed Land of Dreams. It didn''t have any resources, nor did it have any prominent civilizations that thrived there. Yet, just a mere five hundred years ago, this small land had made history and came close to toppling the fragile balance of the three major superpowers. Once a powerhouse in the international stage, many of the gorgeous buildings that stood had been reduced to rubble. Returned back to mother nature, not many would venture into the numerous ruins that were littered all around the country. "That fucking Himmel Empire¡­ Why must they come and ruin all the fun?!" An exasperated cry echoed out in the emptiness of the land. "Now we can''t proceed as planned!" Inside of an abandoned, destroyed house, a few figures were gathered about in the dining area, each one with their own expression. Cyphia, the top courtesan had a nervous face while Star Face had rid himself of the disgustingly bright smile that he was known for. On the other side of the room, a handsome viridian haired boy stood behind a Black Mask who bore the mark of a crescent moon. His look was placid, and no one could really tell what he was thinking. "On the surface, it looks like they''re only conducting a joint training exercise, but the timing is too coincidental..." The Kshatriya''s flat voice sounded out. "Ever since the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, the Himmel Empire has been keeping an eye on all of our operations. It would be safe to assume that information about this one had been compromised." "We have a rat?" Cyphia treaded dangerous waters with her annoyed tone. "We can''t be sure¡­ That''s why I asked only the two of you to join us today. We checked the both of you, and you''re clean." Junius came out with his own explanation. "You investigated us behind our backs?" Star Face raised his eyebrows. Instead of feeling angry that someone came snooping in his backdoor, he was surprised that the Black Masks had infiltrated his defences that easily. "I hope you won''t take offence¡­ We had to be a hundred percent sure." Junius smiled as he bowed. Evidently, he didn''t feel guilty at all that he invaded someone else''s privacy. "No, I understand¡­ That''s how criminal syndicates worked after all..." The corners of Star Face''s mouth twitched as he addressed the boy who was at least a decade younger than him. For some reason, it seemed like the viridian-haired youth held more power than the Kshatriya that sat before him. "So now what? Are we going to give up on the operation?" "Of course not! We can proceed as planned. Based on our intelligence, the joint training session would only last a month. During that time, we can just lie low, and slow our progress down." "Won''t it be safer to not proceed at all during that one month?" Cyphia added. She was just a frail Spirit Adept and had minimal experience in close combat. If a fight truly broke out against the military of the Himmel Empire, she had serious doubts on whether she could protect herself. "That''s a good idea, Cyphia, but after some consideration, we can''t simply halt all operations in the area, especially at Mort Bay." Junius patiently explained. "Even if we don''t do anything, traces of our operation would still remain. Thus, what we need to do is cover our tracks so much so that not even the most sensitive nose would know what''s up." "So this month would be clean-up?" Star Face interjected. His strong arms were in full view as he folded them lazily. "That''s right, senior. However, that''s not all. We would lie low, but that doesn''t mean we won''t be doing anything at all. Our organisation hopes that the two of you could go undercover in the main hub of the Land of Dreams, just to monitor everything that''s happening in the city." "Hoho¡­ And risk our lives for your cause?" Star Face narrowed his eyes. As a mercenary, he had done some of the most atrocious deeds back in his day. However, there was a line that he would never cross when undertaking a job, and that was risking his own life. As much as he liked money, what good was gold when he couldn''t be alive to spend it. "I would hope not! We still need your expertise in the years to come!" Sensing that the conversation was going the wrong way, Junius raised his hands to explain. "All we need you to do is listen to the whispers in the Land of Dreams. Being a mercenary and a woman of the night, I''m sure you would get to the heart of society much easier than any of the Black Masks. We don''t need you to fight anyone, let alone risk your lives. That I assure you." "... You have a glib tongue, has anyone told you that?" Cyphia chuckled and smiled at Junius. "I don''t think so¡­ We all play with the cards we have." "Hehe, I''m starting to like you more and more!" Turning to the muscular man that sat beside her, Cyphia tried to understand what was going on in his head. "Star Face, what say you?" "Senior Kshatriya¡­ Is that the will of the syndicate?" Instead of giving a direct reply, Star Face addressed the most influential person in the room, who had been awfully quiet during the entire exchange. "Junius speaks for all of us." "I see¡­ I accept this new mission of yours for one additional condition. When you find the rat, give their portion of pay to me." In the end, it all boiled down to the money. "That''s all? Hmmm, that should be fine." The Kshatriya replied. "I assume that Miss Cyphia would want the same?" Instantly turning solemn, the lady of the night considered all of her options. She was already given a share that could make nobles drool in envy, and a pay rise would essentially mean that she could retire and spend the rest of her life in luxury. "Star Face¡­ Share?" "Share." "Good, so it''s decided!" The Kshatriya clapped his hands at the start of the new union. However, almost instantly, his voice turned cold as he leaned in on the table. "The Black Masks has spent a significant amount of resources in this operation¡­ I hope there would be no more birds that sing." "Don''t worry about that, senior¡­" The two Spirit Adepts gulped down a mouthful of saliva and bowed to the Black Mask in the room, before taking their leave. "Junius¡­ What do you think? Can we trust them?" Once they were left all alone, the Kshatriya turned and addressed the viridian-haired youth that stood behind him. "Trust? Of course not. There''s no one in this world that you can trust a hundred per cent. However, I believe in the personalities. Based on intelligence, Cyphia has been looking for a way out from the underground, while Star Face is a money-nabbing whore that takes almost any job that paid the right amount of price." Junius carefully explained why he called only the two of them here today. "With the amount of gold we are putting on the table, they would fight tooth and nail for us. Furthermore, if they do get caught, we could just silence them." "I share your sentiments." The Kshatriya rubbed the bottom of his chin. After a while, he stood up and tapped the young adult on his shoulder with praise. "Look at how far you''ve come¡­ I''m sure your father would have been very proud." "Thank you, senior..." Junius bowed down. The Kshatriya was a close friend of his father''s, and the moment Junius stepped foot onto the Kori Federation, he had been looking after him as if he were his own nephew. "Go and have a nice long rest. We still don''t know the true intentions of the Himmel Empire so we can''t be too complacent. I will need you to work harder from tomorrow onwards." "Of course, senior!" ~~~ The Land of Dreams. The Main Hub. "*Badok!* *Badok!*." The heavy footsteps of horse hooves shook the ground as the entire brigade slowly came to a halt. Moving out from the Himmel Empire, the students of Imperius Academy, as well as the military men that chaperoned them, all found a sweet spot to set up camp. Having gained permission from the government of the Land of Dreams beforehand, the brigade could quickly simulate an experience akin to that of marching in a real war. The year four, five and six seniors all hurriedly moved about with the instruction of their military seniors. Men lifted heavy loads about while women helped to construct the areas. Already delegated to their own positions, many students helped out to the best of their ability. As much as the joint training exercise was packaged as a vacation trip, only those who had braved through it before knew that it was anything but a walk in the park. While their seniors were suffering, Shin, Isadore and Elrin were on the carriage that led straight to the heart of the Land of Dreams. Since they were ''officially'' assisting the head of the auxiliary department, who happened to be Chief Logistics Officer for Imperius Academy in the expedition, they had to follow Madam Warulee into the central hub where she would shake hands and rub shoulders with the elite in the Main Hub. "*Eeeeekkkk!*." The enormous metallic gates creaked opened as passageway towards the Main Hub was revealed. With their identities, there was no need for excessive procedures at the checkpoint. All that Madam Warulee needed to do was show her permit to enter and they were already through. "So this is the Land of Dreams..." Shin gaped in awe as he stared out of the window. He had seen many affluent cities in his time at the Capital. In fact, since he was friends with Elrin, he had even seen the most expensive of properties. However, the buildings in the Main Hub let out a particular type of charm, giving it a sense of mystique that was uncommon for an urban environment. Unlike the hundreds of ruins littered about the country, the Main Hub had been rebuilt with the help of the three superpowers, making it one of the most modern cities in the world. High-rises which were rare to find in the Capital seemed to be the common theme here. The roads were expertly built with each path strictly designated for pedestrian, commerce, and government use respectively. Breathing in the crisp and fresh air, Shin felt his mind fall into a state of peace. Even though the hustle and bustle of the crowd were annoying, the black-haired youth felt that the Main Hub seemed to be an excellent place for him to live in. "Yeap, the Land of Dreams¡­ I only read about it in the history books. I didn''t expect for it to be so clean..." Elrin rested her forehead on the window and observed her surroundings. Everyone knew of the tragedy that fell upon the Land of Dreams five centuries ago, so it was fair to assume that the Main Hub would have been reduced to a pile of rubble. "It''s quite a nice place right?" Madam Warulee smiled. "However, do try to behave yourselves inside of these walls. Since its a neutral location, any sort of conflict is prohibited within its walls. So just remember to keep your hands to yourselves." "Of course, why would we want to stir up any trouble? We''re here to assist you!" Shin laughed. Madam Warulee rolled her eyes. "Do you honestly think that I would believe that bullshit cover story you told? I know that you have some motive for coming on the joint training exercise, but I won''t bother you too much¡­ As long as you don''t bring trouble to me, my eyes would be looking the other way." "..." The faces of the three youths froze. Looks like their chaperone had long had her suspicions. "Alright, so what are you going to do? I don''t really need to bring you to see the Premier of the region, so I''ll let you have some free time. I assume you already have the money." Shooting a glance at the white-haired girl whose family had enough money to buy the entire country three times over, Madam Warulee let out a despondent sigh. "We will be visiting Spirit Immortal Dream''s personal laboratory¡­ Other than that, we have no plans." "Ha! Like I''ll believe that. But well, if you''re going to the personal lab, you should go west. I''ll let the driver know. Once he drops me off at the Premier''s mansion, he''ll bring you there." "Madam Warulee¡­ Thank you." Shin smiled and offered his gratitude. "Hmph!" The middle-aged woman snorted but didn''t continue on her speech. However, based on her agilely tapping feet, one could assume that she was in a good mood. Even though she had failed to poach Shin over to her course, befriending him was a great alternative. Not only was he the disciple of the famed Venerate Seraphim, but if he grew up well, he would undoubtedly become one of the best Spirit Users in the world. "Don''t mention it. Just remember to buy me some souvenirs from that old place. Also, be back within three hours! I don''t want to be waiting for too long!" "Yes, Madam!" ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 284 Dexsot Teinost!!! 1 Ever since the demise of the country, the Land of Dreams had become a hotspot for tourism and commerce. Why? Conveniently, the now rebuilt country was located in the middle of all three superpowers, and the allure of Spirit Immortal Dream''s legacy easily captivated millions who made the pilgrimage here. Depending on who you asked, Spirit Immortal Dream was a legend or a monster. On one hand, she was the most prodigious Spirit User the world had ever seen. Discovering Aether, advancing technology by hundreds of years and even making a name for all mind-elemental cultivators out there. However, the ethereal woman was also responsible for the worst genocide in living memory. For reasons still unknown to man, she wiped out her entire country in less than a fraction of a second. Love her or hate her, everyone could admit that the Spirit Immortal was an integral part of history, and till this day, there are thousands of wannabe detectives trying to unravel the mystery that was Spirit Immortal Dream. "We''re here..." After dropping off Madam Warulee at the Premier''s house, the carriage continued on moving west until a humongous red Shinto gate was seen. Opening the door, the trio could have a good look at the path which led deep into the field before them. Vendors were outside selling souvenirs in shops, and hundreds of tourists were browsing through their merchandise. At the foot of the Shinto gates, two white ticket stands were selling entrance permits, while the path towards the historical landmark was blocked by dozens of gentries and armed Spirit Users. Even though Shin couldn''t tell the cultivation levels of the guards, just by their intimidating presence and distinct battle scars, he could tell that they were trained professionals that would maul anyone who dared to break the rules of the landmark. "Shin, I''ll buy us the tickets. You go wait at the entrance. Isadore, come with me." Elrin hopped off the carriage and casually sauntered towards the ticket stands. Evidently, she wasn''t overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the tourist hotspot. Taking in a deep breath, the youth walked cautiously towards the large Shinto gate. ''So this was where a Spirit Immortal once resided...'' He attempted to go within one metre of the gentry to get a closer look but was stopped by the glare of a burly guard. There was no need for words. If he tried to jump the barrier, Shin had no doubt that his head would roll. Thus, he stepped back and observed the golden plaque at the top of the Shinto gate. "No touching any items that are labelled. Listen to the guards at all times. Do not break anything in the heritage site..." Mumbling out all of the regulations that were written on the plaque, a wry smile crept up Shin''s face. "Those rules are quite straightforward¡­ I wonder how many idiots actually tried to break them?" Spirit Immortal Dream was a legend, and it goes without saying that many idolised her. Stealing some of the items in the place that she had once resided in would be an allure that was hard to resist. While Shin thought about the fools who tried to overstep their boundaries, a young girl handed out a small pamphlet containing information about the heritage site to him. ''Spirit Immortal Dream was researcher through and through. After founding her country, she left all mortal matters behind and focused solely on her projects in her personal laboratory. Never leaving even for parties thrown in her honour, the Spirit Immortal stayed in this location for the remainder of her life. Some say that her cultivation had brought a cluster of mind-elements into the personal laboratory, making it a special haven for all mind-elemental cultivators¡­'' Shin read the details in the pamphlet in his mind. ''Perhaps it would be beneficial for Kanari to come and cultivate here for a while...'' Shin thought about his good friend that possessed the ability to control three elements. Places where mind elements thrived, were a rarity not just in the Himmel Empire, but the entire continent as a whole. ''The heritage site had been preserved and rebuilt to imitate how Spirit Immortal Dream lived in her heyday. From her favourite spot under a shady tree to her bedroom that contained the bare amount of living materials.'' After reading through the brochure, Shin closed his eyes as his desire to learn more about the enigmatic Spirit Immortal intensified. "Urghhh, why did you have to follow me?" "Bwahahaha! Why are you so cruel? I too wish to see the relics left behind by Spirit Immortal Dream." While the youth was deep in thought, a bellowing laugh broke his concentration. Turning around, the teen saw a middle-aged couple, walking straight towards the Shinto gate with their tickets in hand. The woman was rubbing her wrinkled forehead while trying her best from exploding out in anger. Even though she was wearing modest clothes, one could tell that she boasted a spectacular figure unlike many females her age. Standing next to her, a goliath of a man beamed in delight. Over two metres tall, the man was undoubtedly one of the most striking men in the vicinity. Dressed in an airy robe that showed a significant amount of his tanned skin, the man fully epitomised the image of a tourist enjoying his vacation to the fullest. Of course, there was one oddity with his choice of clothing. ''Why is he wearing an eyepatch?'' Shin wondered. A huge black cloth covered his left eye, making him more distinct from the crowd than ever before. Shin assumed that the man wished to hide whatever happened to the left side of its face but instead, it drew curious eyes more than ever before. "Just shut it¡­ Don''t stay too close to me inside. I don''t want others to think that we''re an item." "You''re too cruel!" The burly man faked his tears at the venomous words of his partner. "You toyed with my heart, and that''s what I get in return?" "Shut it, St-... Steve! Stop disturbing the public!" The woman chided the man. Naturally, the couple that Shin was observing were precisely the famed mercenaries that the Black Masks had hired. Entering into the Main Hub, Star Face and Cyphia had to play the role of a couple spending some vacationing time. They weren''t the most covert of people, but their jobs in the Main Hub was quite simple. Liaison with some of their friends and listen to the whispers of the night. However, that, in turn, brought out some new problems. If the two of them stayed in their rooms all day and only moved at night, it would raise a little suspicion from the intelligence agency that was continually monitoring the citizens in the hub. Therefore, they had to act like they were a real couple that was thoroughly enjoying their vacation. "Hehe, don''t be shy! We''re here to enjoy ourselves! Come, let''s see what the famed Spirit Immortal Dream has in store for us!" Putting his muscular arm around Cyphia''s shoulders, Star Face dragged the poor woman straight to the gentry, much to her reluctance to be touched. "Ah, pardon me." Unaware of the black-haired youth that stood before him, the tall man accidentally bumped into Shin while he was dragging his partner along. "No, it''s fine..." Shin shook his head as he examined the colossal man before him. Unlike the guards that stood in front of the gate, the man''s presence was much more amiable, and he seemed to be an approachable dude. However, the moment Shin made contact with the man, he could tell that his friendly demeanour was just a front. ''A Spirit Adept perhaps?'' Shin theorised. Although he wasn''t perfect at judging a person''s cultivation level, he could roughly guess how powerful the eyepatch-wearing man was. ''As expected, this place is like another Capital! Hordes of crouching tigers, hidden dragons everywhere!'' "Excuse me." Lightly bowing his head down, the burly man continued to drag his unwilling partner pass the gentry and into the heritage site to sightsee. "Shin! We''ve got the tickets! I''d even got a discount!" At that moment, Elrin happily skipped towards the stunned youth. Behind her, Isadore was rubbing his head in agony after witnessing the white-haired girl''s amazing bartering skills. Getting three tickets for the price of two, Elrin fully showcased her merchant blood. "Wow, that''s great!" Shin praised the girl while taking hold of his ticket. "However, we should get going¡­ We have to be back at the Premier''s office in three hours." "Hmph! You''re such a spoilsport! Fine, let''s enter!" After lightly protesting a bit, Elrin smiled and continued on into the gentry. Showing off their tickets, the youths entered the area without any issues and had complete freedom of where they wished to go. Even though the heritage site provided paid tours, they were often very restrictive, making it impossible for them to leave on time. Thus, the trio had to figure out the place all on their own. "I think that we only have time for a few locations so let''s go to the most interesting ones first!" Elrin suggested. "Here, we should go see the personal laboratory! I''ve heard many good things about it! Furthermore, it contains the remnant words that Spirit Immortal Dream had left behind." "The Mystery of the Dream right..." Isadore frowned. "Yeah, I too want to see those two words." "What are you talking about?" Of the three, only Shin wasn''t informed of the legendary words that stumped historians for ages. "Oh, you don''t know?" The white-haired girl tilted her head. "They are perhaps the most famous words in the entire world though... Nevermind, you''ll see it when we get there!" Taking hold of Shin and Isadore''s hands, Elrin dragged the two straight towards the heart of the area, where the Spirit Immortal Dream''s personal laboratory was. While they were exploring the path, Shin carefully observed his surroundings. If the site had been preserved and replicated in the same state as it was five centuries ago, the flora, the architecture and the intricate details were all things that Spirit Immortal Dream greatly admired. With all those details in mind, Shin could infer what kind of person Spirit Immortal Dream truly was. As the old adage goes, to honestly know a person, look to their surroundings. Simplistic in nature, but bold in execution. That was the common theme that Shin had gotten from the well-preserved heritage site. All of a sudden, Shin felt himself being pulled deeper and deeper into the enigma that was Spirit Immortal Dream. It didn''t take long for the trio to reach their first destination. Thankfully, the day was still early, and there were very little tourists queuing up to enter the famed laboratory. After fifteen minutes, the three youths finally managed to step foot into the well-lit room. Damp and humid, a jaded aroma filled the noses of Shin and his friends. The chambers were vast with dozens of workbenches all tightly packed next to one another. Although the contents of the room had been emptied out, Shin could imagine towers of paperwork and experimental flasks littered all over the abandoned workshop. In some sense, Shin was placing Spirit Immortal Dream on the same level as his Master. Cultivators who were obsessed with chasing the arcane arts and unravelling the mysteries of the world, Lady Seph and Spirit Immortal Dream were two peas in a pod. Walking through the designated pathway, the trio made sure not to overstep their boundaries lest a guard came to ''escort'' them out. When they first entered the ancient laboratory, they were overwhelmed by the historical significance of the place. However, as time flew by, Shin and the rest started to get bored of seeing the same things over and over again. "Couldn''t they at least showed some of the research papers that Spirit Immortal Dream was working on?" Elrin complained. "It''s all empty! I don''t want to see emptied tables!" "What can we do¡­ Spirit Immortal Dream ascended five centuries ago. Any relics that she left behind had all been stored safely or sold to the highest bidder." The silver-haired boy walking next to Elrin explained. Still, Isadore was as disappointed as she was. "I guess we can just get our money''s worth from looking at her final words." "You two had been talking about the two words for quite some time¡­ Could you at least give me a little backstory?" Shin frowned and protested. He didn''t like to be the only one kept in the dark. "Haha, you''re right¡­" Isadore giggled and slowed his footsteps. Matching his pace, Shin and Elrin opened up their ears to listen to the silver-haired boy''s explanation. "Shin, are you familiar with what Spirit Immortal Dream was researching on? Her lifelong goal?" Shin was stunned at the sudden question. He knew that the woman was a researcher that studied multiple disciplines. Spirit Immortal Dream discovered aether, brought the world into a new technological age and even founded her own country. However, those accomplishments were not her ultimate goals. "If I were to guess¡­ Maybe finding out a way to ascend to the Immortal Realm without entering Rank 100?" "That''s right! She was researching the way to immortality without breaking through Rank 100. Based on her theory, once someone enters the Immortal Realm, there would be no turning back. That''s why there had been no contact from the Spirit Immortals that ascended. Hence, Spirit Immortal Dream''s lifelong goal was to find a passageway towards the Immortal Realm, so that commoners would have a chance to ascend as well." Isadore happily explained. "However, the concept was too incomprehensible that even she wasn''t able to crack the code. She did, however, leave behind her laboratory which housed the last two words she carved before ascending." "You can''t mean..." Finally understanding where Isadore was coming from, Shin widened his eyes in horror. Just on cue, the trio finally arrived at the final destination of the laboratory. The true place that all pilgrims journeyed to see. On one wall, Shin could see a gorgeous painting that depicted an eternal beauty, with silky white hair that flowed to her back and crystal white eyes that made her seem ghostly. Her icy expression gave her an air of aloofness and superiority that was commonly seen in members of High Society, while the diamond tiara on her small head made anyone who dared to look at it directly, fall into a state of eternal slumber. "Exactly!" Isadore felt his blood pumping as he looked at the adjacent wall. On it, two words which had been carved with extreme finesse graced all who witnessed it. "The two words that Spirit Immortal Dream had left behind may give the key to cracking the eternal code. Commonly known as the Mystery of the Dream, should one decipher this mysterious code, they would be one step closer to immortality!" At this point, even Shin could stop his heart from palpitating rapidly. He too wished to ascend into the Immortal Realm, in search of Yggdrasil. Taking one step closer, Shin widened his eyes, not wanting to miss a single letter on the wall in front of him. His pulse increased as a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. Finally, after gathering his bearings for a bit, the youth decisively read out the two letters on the wall. [Dexsot Teinost...] ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 285 Dexsot Teinost!!! 2 "Dexsot Teinost?" Shin stared at the wall with a burning passion, hoping to figure out the truth behind the Spirit Immortal last words. Unfortunately, as he continued on observing those letters, Shin felt his mind spin. Wallowing grief, devastating frustration, and maniacal anger. Shin became overwhelmed with emotions that weren''t his. His vision blurred and he was forced to take a step back. Dropping his head, the youth avoided directly staring at the two words that were delicately carved into the wall. Continuously panting out while he slowly regained his senses, Shin could tell that his friends were in a similar state. "First time?" A calm and deep voice beckoned out to the teens. After a minute of heaving out in agony, Shin somehow managed to get his emotions in check before looking up at the behemoth figure that had come to their aid. ''The couple from the entrance?'' Shin instantly recognised the two individuals. "Yeah, it''s our first time here." Star Face smiled and helped the struggling youth to stand up straight. "You should have come with a guide then. Everyone knows that the words Spirit Immortal Dream carved carried some of her spiritual intent. Without significant mental resistance or a high enough cultivation level, glaring straight at it is like entering a staring contest with the sun! You can never win!" "Thank you for your advice, senior. We were just curious about the Mystery of the Dream, and didn''t care about the consequences." At that moment, Isadore had also regained his wits and showed his gratitude. "Buahahaha, I like you! You have guts!" Bellowing out in laughter, the burly man immediately became the centre of attention, much to his partner''s displeasure. "Wow, you have become more popular than the mysterious writings on the wall¡­ Sta-... Steve, that''s quite the accomplishment!" The middle-aged woman placed her palm on her face as she helped Elrin to regain her posture. "Thank you, senior..." "Don''t mention it." Cyphia laughed as she gently stroked Elrin''s hair. "Just as Steve said, the Mystery of the Dream can''t be viewed for too long if you''re not strong enough. Even though it has been in existence for five centuries, it still carries a minute amount of a Spirit Immortal''s will. Regular cultivators don''t stand a chance against it. Even we don''t dare to look at it for more than a minute." Spirit Immortal Dream was a rare mind-elemental user. Be it intentionally or accidentally, the ethereal woman had left a trace amount of her mana into the two words she carved before her ascension. In the beginning, when the Mystery of the Dream was first discovered, even Spirit Emperors would have trouble staring straight at those two words as their minds would break. However, as time flowed by, much of the mind-elemental energies had been dispersed, and now even normal Spirit Practitioners had the chance to view the two words. Naturally, they would experience a severe headache after looking at it for more than two seconds, but at least they were able to view the famed last words of a Spirit Immortal. "To think that her powers still live on five hundred years after her ascension..." Shin dropped his jaw. "Spirit Immortals are really something out of human comprehension huh?" "That''s right! Spirit Immortal Dream was ahead of her time!" Cyphia''s eyes sparkled in delight when she heard Shin praise her idol. "Independent in her beliefs, Spirit Immortal Dream charged forward with all her ideas, becoming the greatest cultivator of all time! It''s a pity that her reign was so short-lived¡­" "..." Sensing that something was amiss, Shin opted to change the flow of the conversation. "Seniors, thank you for your assistance. Judging from how knowledgable you two are, perhaps you could tell us more about the Mystery of the Dream?" "Oh, a curious mind I see!" Cyphia clapped her hands in glee. Her approval ratings for the black-haired youth soared higher and higher the more she interacted with him. Compared to the blob of muscle that followed her around, Shin''s fresh face was a joy to the eyes. "The Mystery of the Dream contains two words. [Dexsot Teinost]. You can look at the plaque at the side there to carefully examine them." With a jubilant smile, Cyphia brought the trio towards the bronze plate that was constructed just for the tourists. "The administration that controls this heritage site knew that not many could withstand the pain of looking at the original Mystery of the Dream, so they wrote the words down on this bronze plaque." Shin, Elrin and Isadore all crowded together around the small metal plate and carefully analysed each letter. Taking millisecond glances at the original carvings on the wall, the trio could tell that the words on the plaque had been replicated in the exact same order so much so that the handwriting was indistinguishable from one another. "Many historians, researchers, code-breakers all tried their hand at deciphering the Mystery of the Dream. Unfortunately, they weren''t even capable of comprehending a single word, let alone two. In the end, they just concluded that the words [Dexsot Teinost] were part of the language of the Immortals." Cyphia scoffed at the futile attempts of the world. "How could anyone even hope to comprehend what Spirit Immortal Dream was thinking? Her divine powers made her invincible in the mortal realm, and her superior intellect makes us look like snails in comparison!" "Senior, are you a fan of the Spirit Immortal?" Shin couldn''t help but ask. "Yeah¡­ You could say so..." Caught off guard, Cyphia''s face flushed as she realised that she had been rambling on about her idol in front of three teenagers that she barely knew. "Buahahaha! What a filthy lie, Cy!" Adding salt to the wound, Star Face bellowed out once more, but this time, tears were forming in his eyes. He had finally laughed too hard and was unable to control his body functions. "Calling her a fan is too kind! She''s more of a fanatic, an enthusiast or a radical! If I''m not wrong, this is her twentieth time visiting the Mystery of the Dream, and she..." "Shut it, Sta-... Steve! One more word from your mouth and I''ll hang you from the window!" Her face fully vermillion, the middle-aged woman choked on her words. "Fine, fine! I''ll stop teasing you!" Watching the wondrous interaction between the two couples, the hearts of Shin and his friends warmed. They assumed that it was a squabble between a married couple and thought nothing much of it. "Alright, we have to get going now! Don''t try to stare at the Mystery of the Dream anymore!" Using her elbow to nudge the burly man''s ribs, Cyphia turned around and briskly walked to the exit. Waving a helpless goodbye, the towering man bitterly smiled and tried his best to keep up with the woman''s rapid pace. "Hmmm, what a strange couple." Elrin laughed. "Well, at least they gave us some advice¡­ I now know why Master wanted me to come here in person." Shin glanced at the two words carved on the wall for one second before averting his gaze once more. ''Spirit Immortal Dream truly was powerful¡­ Her mana still remains in a carving of hers to this very day. If I want to chase Yggdrasil, does that mean I have to attain a power that is similar to hers?'' The black-haired teen wondered. Over the past year, Shin had grown complacent. His talents dwarfed many in his area that he started to see himself as an elite. However, when it came to the true juggernauts of the real world, Shin was just a guppy in the vast ocean. His ultimate goal wasn''t to beat Shizen, Suji or Kanari, but to defeat Junius and bring the Black Masks to justice. Furthermore, he also had the near impossible ambition to become the twentieth Spirit Immortal. Shin couldn''t take it easy and relax just because of a few wins in the small stage. "Yeah, even her residue mana was able to strike fear into our hearts¡­ What if she herself was standing right in front of us?" Elrin thought out loud. "We would be dead for sure¡­ Look at that painting." Beside her, the silver-haired youth sighed and pointed to the portrait of the beautiful woman. "The diamond tiara on her head is called the Crown of Destiny. Legend has it that anyone who given caught the slightest glimpse of the crown would be sent to eternal damnation. No one in this entire world could ever hope to match the might of the Spirit Immortal." "Not even the Imperial Ancestor?" Elrin mischievously joked. However, her mindless statement raised the eyebrows of both her companions. After a brief moment of awkward silence, Isadore heaved out a deep sigh. "The Imperial Ancestor would probably die in one hit." "Spirit Immortal Dream¡­ One day, I will become as powerful as her." Shin silently declared. Although he was muttering under his breath, his two friends could roughly make out the ludicrous statement he had just made. It was an absurd claim to make, but no one could fault him for having the drive. "Well, one step at a time. We still have to resolve the issue we have at hand." The silver-haired youth smiled in encouragement. "You''re right¡­ There are more pressing issues at hand." Shin returned his friend''s kind gesture and headed straight for the exit. "Change of plans. We won''t be resting for the first week¡­ We need to treasure every moment we have." Coming to Spirit Immortal Dream''s personal laboratory first was an excellent choice. The flicker of passion that had been pushing him reignited, giving the youth an added drive to pursue his dreams. "That''s more like the Shin I know..." Isadore grinned and followed the footsteps of his buddy. Trailing behind, Elrin was also undergoing a certain form of mental metamorphosis. Humbled by the power displayed from a few letters on the wall, the white-haired girl was in a state of deep contemplation. Fortunately, when Shin pulled her hand, her feet would move just fine. Dragging the girl out of the laboratory, the trio exited the heritage site and returned to their carriage which whisked them back to the Premier''s office. ~~~ The Land of Dreams. Imperial Military Temporary Camp. The joint training exercise that Shin was participating in was held in a foreign land, which meant that there were many restrictions placed on the brigade that marched on here. Firstly, they were only allowed to do activities that had little impact on their environment. Secondly, they were unable to move within fifty kilometres of the Main Hub. Thirdly, a team of observers would be monitoring their every move. With that many constraints on the training session, it made one question why the Himmel Empire would conduct the exercise here in the first place. Nonetheless, the Empire remained adamant on working with the restraints placed onto them and continued on with their yearly training exercise. Since they were barred from using excessive force, the students would be undergoing harsh drills that taught them how to behave in a unit, as well as some survival skills. While the year four, five and sixes were toiling out in the mud, the trio that followed Madam Warulee were sipping on hot tea in the supply line encampments. Flipping through pages of ledgers, the three teens assisted their chaperone with checking the accounts, deep into the heart of the night. "Shin! I thought you wanted to start investigating the Black Masks immediately! Why are we wasting time here?" Unable to handle the stress anymore, Elrin burst out in anger, sending the papers she had in her hand up into the air. "We can''t just abandon our posts on the first day. Furthermore, the workload that was given to us could be easily completed in a day or two, if we work hard enough. After which, we would have all the time in the world to begin our hunt." Shin continued on working as if he had expected his dear friend to scream out. "Urghhh, sometimes I hate that I can''t reason with you..." "We can''t let down Madam Warulee after all¡­ She had done us a great favour for bringing us here. The least we could do is ease her burden just a little bit." The black-haired boy explained. "Also, could you pick up those documents? I don''t want to misplace them later on." "Y-You!" Elrin''s eyes turned red, and her nostrils flared up. She was the exalted heiress of the Zedcris Conglomerate and yet, she was reduced the job of a mere bookkeeper."I shouldn''t have joined this stupid expedition!" "Hehe, you''ll get used to it." Isadore laughed at the misfortune of the white-haired girl. Unfortunately, his smile was soon going to be wiped out from his face. "Isadore, could you get those books on the shelves please?" "... Shin, didn''t you say that those were for tomorrow?" "What are you talking about? It''s already ''tomorrow!''" Shin pointed to the clock that had its minute hand past midnight. Realising what the black-haired youth meant, a nervous bead of sweat flowed down Isadore''s head. "Shin¡­ What about sleep?" "The quicker we finish, the quicker we get to go on our missions." "You¡­ monster..." As the night deepened, two exasperated screams could be heard from the tents of the supply chain. A random student, who just happened to be crossing by on his way to the restroom, thought that there was a ghost tormenting the poor souls in the tents, and shivered his way back to his room. From then on, the legend of the book phantom that plagued innocents at night was born... ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 286 Hunting For Clues 1 Two days had passed since Shin switched on his academic mode and after forty-eight arduous hours, he had finally completed the tasks that Madam Warulee had bestowed onto him. Barely sleeping a wink during this period, Shin worked like a machine, flipping through ledgers at the speed of light. Madam Warulee had expected the trio to complete the tasks that were handed down to them within two weeks, and the fact that Shin took two days would definitely shock her socks off. ''Finally, it''s all done! Now I can focus on tracking the Black Masks down!'' Shin let out a triumphant smile and stood up to stretch. ''How long has it been since I left this chair?'' When Shin was in the zone, there was nothing that could break him out of it. Shin reached out to the plate of rations that was placed on his table only to realise that it had gone utterly cold. ''I must have been at it for hours¡­ Well, at least I completed everything.'' Turning his attention to the opposite side of the table, Shin saw his two friends busily snoozing away on the table, and a warm smile crept up the lips of his face. Although they didn''t have to, Elrin and Isadore still stayed on to help Shin finish up the paperwork. Naturally, the black-haired youth did the bulk of the work, but the help from his friends significantly boosted his efficiency. Shin moved to the side of the sleeping beauties and gently tapped their heads. "Wake up! You can go rest now!" "Urghhh, just give me another minute!" Isadore was the first to wake. With drool running down his mouth, he pushed the annoying hand on his head away. "Zzzz..." On the other hand, Elrin was as still as a log. The bags under her eyes started to darken, and her delicate eyelids were fluttering. From his prior experience with Ariel, the young girl was in a state of deep sleep and forcibly waking her up might result in him getting some unwanted injuries. "I''ll just leave a note here then..." Defeated, Shin took a piece of paper to write a simple message that he was going to his bunk to sleep and they should do the same. Stretching out his hands up high, Shin walked out of the tent a fatigued boy and couldn''t wait to return back to his room. Glancing up at the blue evening sky, Shin took a whiff of the sweet fragrance of nature that was rarely found in an industrialised city like the Capital or the Main Hub. Back when he was on Frie Mountain or Chilyoja Waypoint, the aromatic scent was omnipresent. Thus, it took some time to get used to life without it. Thankfully, field trips like this one could bring him closer and closer to nature, rekindling his love for the outdoors. ''Now that I think about it, I had never been to an ocean before?'' Shin thought to himself. He was in possession of The Sovereign Koi, one of the Eight Scions of Water and yet, he had never been to the one place where the water elements dominated, the ocean. One''s environment plays a key role when cultivating. For instance, when Ariel awakened the Lava Warhammer, she was given a beautiful chamber that was just a few hundred metres away from the crater of Frie Mountain. Even Shizen, who awakened a tree Spirit in a forest, had the optimal environment to cultivate from young. Although Shin had encountered a few bodies of water, he had never utilised the greatest one of them all. ''There''s a place on the map that links to the sea¡­ Perhaps I could go there and cultivate for a few hours.'' To get to the ocean, Shin had to travel eastwards where the Lantis Republic lay. Thus, the next best option that he had was to go for the small seas that were littered all about the continent. Thankfully, there was a tiny sea located in the Land of Dreams that connected itself to the more massive oceans, giving Shin a chance to feel the water elements all for himself. "Shin Iofiel..." At that moment, a deep voice, filled with ominous anger, broke the youth''s concentration. Turning his attention to the source, Shin noticed a tall and lanky man, who looked no older than twenty, walking in his direction. The black-haired youth squinted his eyes and searched his memory to identify the new entrant. Based on his uniform and badge, the man should be a fifth-year student at Iofiel Academy, and Shin could tell that he had seen him before. However, he just couldn''t put his finger on when¡­ "Senior? You are?" "Fred Newton! Year five!" Folding his arms, the man softly grumbled out. Finally recognising the senior, Shin''s eyes widened, and he unconsciously took a step back. Fred Newton was the infamous lovebird that got rejected by Kanari thirty-eight times. Due to his recent outburst at the year-end tournament coronation ceremony, the youth had been laying low to keep out of trouble. Furthermore, Principal Erudito had dispatched a counseller and an observer to ensure that Fred didn''t do anything that was out of line. And everything went well for the past three months. However, when word got out that Shin was joining the training exercise, a burning desire to confront the black-haired youth ignited in Fred''s heart. "Senior Fred? Can I help you?" Shin tried his best to keep a neutral expression. When Shin was still in the sick bed, Kanari had warned him that Fred had misunderstood their relationship and he might eventually cause a little trouble with him. Thus, Shin had been avoiding the areas where his seniors congregated to prevent any form of conflict. In spite of that, Shin had actually forgotten that the joint training session was the best place for Fred to strike. "I just want to chat a little. Mind if we switched locations?" Fred tried his best to remain calm, but the malice in his voice was extremely noticeable. "Why can''t we talk here?" Shin cautiously took a few steps back, but that only made the angered bull in front of him more irate. "Where there are witnesses?" "Don''t worry, Shin Iofiel. I just want to talk..." Like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt, Fred''s face turned crimson as the corners of his mouth twitched. "Here is too inconvenient..." "..." "..." Both sides had reached an impasse. Fred wanted to confront Shin about his relationship with Kanari while Shin just wished to go back to his bed. Shin could try walking away, but based on the fifth-year senior''s body language, he seriously doubted that it was an option. Thus, the two simply stared at one another awkwardly. "Is there a problem here?" Thankfully, Shin''s saviour came in the form of a wandering military officer who wore a pure white robe. Initially, Shin had some questions of how the man was dressed, but he quickly threw them out the window as he needed all the help he could get. "Senior, we were just chatting. Could you not interfere?" However, before Shin could get a word out, Fred sharply addressed the military officer. ''Ah, this monster! He''s seriously trying to kill me!'' Shin hollered out mentally. If he followed Fred, he was a hundred per cent sure that he would come back with at least one broken limb. Putting on his best puppy eyes, Shin looked at the military officer, hoping that he would save him from the predicament that he was in. However, as the two met eyes, a vague sense of familiarity hit both of them at the same time. "Shin? Is that you?" "Senior Escred?" Shin combed through his memories back when he was at Aldrich''s Keep. The familiar hazel-coloured hair and the sharp, handsome features of the white-robed man were hard to forget. "Senior Escred! What are you doing here?!" Back when Shin was accompanying Lady Seph to Aldrich''s Keep, he had met a horde of different servicemen and women, but the one the spent the most time with was undoubtedly the Chief Healer of the Keep. Senior Healer Escred. "Haha, Shin! It''s really you! Wow, you have grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you!" Now that they were reunited, Escred put on the biggest smile he had in ages. Moving to Shin''s side, the hazel-haired man gave him a firm embrace and gently grabbed the teen''s head. "Before you were only up to my chest! Now, you''re almost as tall as me!" "I still can grow, Senior Escred..." "Still calling me senior¡­ What did I say about that? Hmmm?" Escred playfully glared at the youth. "Ah, sorry about that¡­ Old habits die hard, Brother Escred!" "That''s better!" The senior healer beamed. However, at that moment, he remembered the uncomfortable atmosphere that Shin and Fred had shared just moments earlier. Leaning in close, the healer whispered: "Do you want me to get rid of him?" Realising what the healer meant, Shin nodded his head in reply. "Yes, please..." "Done." Escred smiled and turned to the stunned Fred. "Junior, judging from your uniform, you aren''t part of the supply line, am I right?" "T-That! I just want to have a conversation with my fellow schoolmate! There''s nothing wrong with that!" Ignoring Fred''s logical response, Escred walked over and tapped the youth''s shoulders. "It''s getting late junior¡­ I''m sure you don''t want to miss your curfew." "Senior!" "I''m sure you don''t want me to call your commanding officer here?" Escred let out a light warning. "Move along, junior." "Tsk!" In a fury, Fred stomped his feet and hatefully glared at the black-haired youth that stood nearby. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Shin to have an associate in the army. Promptly tromping away, Fred left the area, allowing Shin to breathe a sigh of relief. "Who was that? Do you guys have an enmity?" Escred asked curiously. "No, just some misunderstandings¡­ Thank you, Brother Escred." "Haha, don''t mention it! It''s hard to see a familiar face here nowadays! I''m glad to see you again!" Escred laughed and slapped Shin on his back. "Now that I mentioned it, what brings you here? How come you''re wearing the uniform of Imperius Academy? There are so many questions I have for you!" "It''s a long story..." Shin bitterly laughed. Although he wished to return to his bed to enter the Garden of Hypnos, it seemed rude to brush off a long-time friend, especially after Escred had just helped Shin resolve a crisis. "Could we discuss it at the mess hall? I have yet to eat dinner." "Ah, how rude of me! Of course, of course!" Escred laughed and did a roundabout turn. "By the way, why are you here? Weren''t you going to stay at Aldrich''s Keep?" Hearing the youth''s words, Escred immediately dropped his head and a dark cloud formed over him. "I wish it were that simple¡­ After Aldrich''s Keep fell, the Imperial Courts pumped a huge amount of resources to defend that place. The walls had been rebuilt, the defences had been enhanced, and worst of all¡­ They changed the commanding units." "What do you mean?" "To bolster the strength of the western regions, the military sent the Fifth and Thirteenth Armies to man the grounds. That was a welcoming change since the West really was weaker compared to the other regions. The problem is their commanding officer¡­ Field Marshal Egarsha!" A hapless sigh escaped Escred mouth as he remembered the fierce new commander. "Field Marshal Egarsha is a renowned Rank 84 Spirit Venerate that was tough on excellence. She believed that those who survived on Aldrich''s Keep were failures and Aldrich''s Keep only fell because those working there didn''t experience any real hardship before. Honestly, who could blame her? Other than a few purges, the soldiers at the Keep didn''t face any serious threat. I mean before the fall, Aldrich''s Keep was known for its invincibility after all..." "So what happened?" "She did some¡­ Let''s say ''restructuring...'' Sacking almost everyone who was under Commander Alwig, Field Marshal Egarsha changed all of the key individuals in the Keep to her men. Bit by bit, the faces that I saw on a daily basis changed and eventually, even my position as Chief Healer was gone¡­ I mean, her guy was a Registrar! I couldn''t compete with that right?" "..." Shin went speechless. Based on his seniority, Escred was just one rank below of a Registrar. However, that gap was an insurmountable mountain to climb for many. Only one out of a few thousand Senior Healers would even get a chance to be promoted into a Registrar, which made them the most elite healers one could get on the market. For Field Marshal Egarsha to get one to exclusively serve her was a feat in itself. "I could have stayed, but what''s the point? I don''t even know anyone there. So I decided to resign and return to the Capital to join the Second Army. At least, the pay here is better, and I got a promotion as well." Escred pointed to his sewn-on rank on his white robes which indicated that he was a Major. "The work here is more tedious, but it''s safer. Sometimes I get to join training exercises such as this one, so all is good." "Brother Escred..." Shin could see the grief in the Healer''s eyes when he recounted about how he was sacked. He loved being on the frontlines to use his powers for the good of his fallen brothers. Yet, he had been sent to the back. Doomed to spend the rest of his days behind a desk. "Alright, that''s enough about me! What about you, why are you in Imperius Academy?" "Haha, didn''t you tell me to diversify my influence? That I shouldn''t stay in the Frie Clan and put all my eggs in one basket?" "Urghh¡­ Come to think of it, I did say that..." The healer lightly coughed as he thought back to the days back at Aldrich''s Keep. "Come to think of it, where''s the red-haired lass that followed you around? Is she here with you at the academy, or is she waiting back on Frie Mountain?" "!!!" Shin froze. Due to the innocent question that Escred had asked, Shin felt his blood go cold as the most unpleasant memories of his life resurfaced once more. A sharp pain, akin to that of a thousand needle pricks, was aimed at his heart and he found himself gasping for air. However, his right hand unconsciously reached out for the amethyst pendant around his neck, and the soothing coolness of the crystal instantly calmed his heartbeat. "Shin?" "No¡­ It''s nothing¡­ Yeah, she''s waiting for me alright¡­ I can''t wait to see her again." "Tch, you bloody lovebirds..." Not knowing that he had forced Shin to recall a painful memory, Escred laughed the matter off while continuing to tease the youth. "You better don''t make her wait long! A girl like her would get tonnes of suitors once she grows up." "I know¡­ I''ll go see her soon." Half-joking, Shin entered the mess hall with the hazel-haired man as they continued to catch up about their lives. ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 287 Hunting For Clues 2 A day had passed since Shin, Elrin and Isadore had completed the paperwork given to them by Madam Warulee, and the trio was finally ready to begin their covert mission. Knowing that his friends had burnt the midnight oil for him, Shin decided to give them a full day of rest to recover and recharge their batteries for the following weeks ahead, which lead them to day five of the joint training exercise. "Have the both of you slept well?" At the side gate of the encampment, a black-haired youth was busy adjusting his backpack of supplies while addressing the two similar aged teens that had just arrived. "It''s alright¡­ The beds were awful though..." Elrin complained while dragging her feet. She had been used to sleeping on luxurious cushions all her life, and to switch to bunk beds that rarely had any support for the back was a great culture shock moment for her. Fortunately, since she was dead-ass tired from Shin overworking her, she could hibernate for twelve hours straight, in preparation for this morning''s mission. "Really? They''re better than sleeping on the cold-hard ground though." Isadore teased the white-haired girl. "Shut it, Isadore! If you like the ground so much, why don''t you camp there for the rest of the month!" "Guys, don''t argue. You''re attracting some unwanted attention." Shin acted as the mediator and got between the two youths. Hearing Shin''s words, Elrin took a good look around and flushed deeply. "Alright, we should go over the plan now. The first place we''re checking is this abandoned ruins just ten kilometres north of here. Although it seems moronic to have a base so close to an encampment, there might be some leftover clues." "How many sites are we going to check today?" Isadore asked. With more than three weeks to investigate thirteen sites, the trio had to operate on a tight schedule. "One a day¡­ That''s the ideal. We can''t get too complacent. Safety is the most paramount after all." Shin cautioned his group. "We''re strictly investigating the site, not engaging enemies. The best scenario is finding nothing but leftover documents or clues about the Black Masks. I''m sure all of you know how to hide your spiritual presence?" Imperius Academy offers a mandatory survival class for all students that teaches them how to hide their spiritual presence, identify which foods are suitable for consumption and much more. Being honour students from the Star Class, the trio had long mastered the craft. "Of course!" "Naturally!" "Good! When we''re about a kilometre away from the site, we will have to proceed with caution. If there is any form of activity, we must prepare to retreat. After all, we can''t handle anyone above the Spirit Core realm." Shin smiled and turned his gaze to Elrin. "If you need help in escaping, feel free to call me out. I''ll carry you." "Haha, thanks but no thanks!" Elrin stuck out her tongue as she raised her leather boots that had numerous strange engravings on them. "With these Frigate Boots, I can move up to twenty-times my normal speed! Watch!" Bending her knees, Elrin supplied a small amount of her mana into the footwear, making it glow in a grey light. In an instant, the white-haired girl leapt once and was propelled over twenty metres forward, stunning both Shin and Isadore in the process. "See? I won''t be a deadweight! No, in fact, are you sure you can keep up with my speed?" "..." Shin was unable to find a rebuttal. "Made with the prime leather of a Tier 6 Frigate Eagle, the Frigate Boots allows me to move at a quickened pace for six hours until my mana goes dry! I can easily make the ten kilometre trip in less than an hour! If you want one, I can sell it to you at a discounted price! Comfortable, easy to carry and nice to look at, it is perhaps the best speed boots on the market!" Elrin laughed as her merchant instincts began to show. "Elrin¡­ You don''t have to show off that much..." Shin let out a helpless sigh. He had been worried about the white-haired girl''s pace, but as it turned out, the combat-course students were the ones at a disadvantage. Walking towards the gate, Shin showed the guard an emblem with a major''s rank carved into it, forcing the trooper to click his boots and salute. After reminiscing about the past with Healer Escred, Shin found out that the Major was the commanding officer in charge of the supply lines, which meant that he was technically the military''s equivalent of Madam Warulee. With both their highest command wrapped under his thumb, Shin had near immunity in the encampment, and his irregular movements to and fro from the camp wouldn''t raise any suspicion. "Wow, where did you get that?" Isadore asked with a raised eyebrow. Both he and Elrin had connections to high command, but it would be weird if they used a high-ranking commander''s badge to get through basic checkpoints. "An acquaintance of mine from Aldrich''s Keep happened to be our commanding officer." "Such a coincidence?" "Don''t give me that look! I was shocked too!" Shin defended himself. "Many soldiers got retrenched after the fall of Aldrich''s Keep, and some of them made their way into the Second Army. In fact, other than the commanding officer, I''ve seen some familiar faces as well." "Hmmm¡­ That''s why field work is important. You get to have all these connections..." Isadore thought out loud. Shin had only entered one major military engagement in his life, and he had already made a lifelong relationship with some men in the army. If he had attended even more military-related exercises, Isadore was confident that he would have thousands of ''acquaintances'' by now. "I''m not interested in serving the Imperial Army. I thought I made it quite clear." The black-haired youth protested. His hate for the Imperial Army and the Imperial Courts were definite, and there was no way that he would serve them ever again. "Haha, yeah!" Quickly brushing past the question, Isadore did his full set of warm ups as he prepared for the early morning jog. For Shin and Isadore, they could use mana strengthening to smoothly traverse the ten-kilometre distance with ease. "Alright, since our first destination is close, we should be back for lunch if we''re quick! Let''s go!" Likewise, Shin stretched his body lightly before jumping off his feet to run north. Following his lead, Isadore and Elrin matched his speed as the zoomed past the breezy fields at an astonishing pace. For an average well-built athlete, they would take around an hour to finish ten kilometres, and that was at maximum speed consistently. However, as cultivators, the trio could use their spiritual energy to move that distance without breaking a sweat. Of course, if they were Spirit Spectres, they could have easily flown towards the location in less than ten minutes, but they weren''t that capable yet. Half an hour later¡­ "Guys, stop!" Realising that their destination was near, Shin planted his feet on the ground and raised his right hand. "We''re about a kilometre away from the ruins. Conceal your mana. We''re walking the rest of the distance." "Sure thing~." Elrin pleasantly replied. In the distance, the group could see the decrepit remnants of a building. Lost to time, the construction had been reclaimed by nature as verdant life grew from all of its corners. Careful not to stun any residents if there were any, Shin circled around the ruins once and was extremely cautious not to let anyone notice his presence. He had even used his superior senses to check for any signs of cultivators in the building. Only after another half hour of searching, did the youth finally ease his heart and dared to enter the ruins. "It should be clear. Let''s search for anything that might be useful..." The ruins were exceedingly plain. Just like any form of broken down buildings, there wasn''t anything to be seen. All of the paint had faded away, and any possible treasures that it had were most likely looted already. If not for the labels on the map, Shin would have never found this place, let alone mark it down to be suspicious. Combing through the area for an hour, the trio couldn''t find anything that remotely resembled anything from the Black Mask syndicate. "Looks like the first location is empty..." Isadore disappointingly muttered. "Well, it''s not like we were expecting anything much from here in the first place. It is the closest location to our encampment. If there were anything, we would have struck the jackpot." The black-haired youth sighed. "Let''s find Elrin and call it a day." "Ermmm, Shin? Isadore? Could you come here? Please?" Hearing a little nervousness in the white-haired girl''s voice, Shin immediately sprung to his feet. "Did she find something?" Dashing towards Elrin''s direction, Shin and Isadore started to get their hopes up. Jumping across low broken walls and sliding under collapsed ceilings, the two youths finally reached the white-haired girl, who was cautiously backing away from something. "Elrin, what''s going¡­ Wait, what the hell?" Following his friend''s line of sight, Shin understood why Elrin was so apprehensive. Isadore, who was just a tad bit slower than Shin, also caught an eyeful of the creature that was crouching five metres away from them. At over three metres long, a spotted feline Spirit Beast was baring its fangs as a slight spiritual pressure mounted on the trio''s bodies. Behind it, five baby cubs were covered in a sticky liquid, hinting that they had just come out from their mother''s womb. "A Rosegor Jaguar. A fully grown adult would be a Tier 3 Spirit Beast." Shin instantly recognised the creature that lay before them and begun to educate his friends. "A variant elemental type that uses mud, it is extremely protective of its young¡­ To think we found one that had just given birth." "A Tier 3 Spirit Beast, which means that it''s as strong as a Spirit Core cultivator right? We can take it on." Immediately switching to fight mode, Isadore''s eyes shone with a fierce glint. "Wait, wait, wait! I was the one who trespassed on its territory! I don''t think that we should kill it?! Why don''t we flee?" Elrin''s kind-heart showed, and she tried to persuade Shin and Isadore to retreat. "As much as I would love to move away without a fight, her maternal instincts have started to kick in. Look." The black-haired boy gestured for Elrin to take a closer look at the Rosegor Jaguar. Already turning the ground below it to mud, the feline creature had its fur erect as its razor-sharp claws and fangs were on full display. If any of them made a sudden movement, there was no doubt in Shin''s mind that the Spirit Beast would maul them to shreds. "T-That!" Elrin immediately felt guilty. She didn''t want to murder a Spirit Beast that had just given birth to a litter of adorable cubs. "Shin, can you knock it unconscious if its movements were sealed?" "..." The black-haired teen gave his friend an incredulous look before reverting his sights back to the Rosegor Jaguar that was ready to pounce at any moment. "I can try." "That''s all I wanted to hear¡­ Buy me five seconds and don''t kill it!" Elrin brought her hands together in prayer as mana started to congregate in the middle of her palms. Seeing how the human girl in front of her had begun her attack, the Rosegor Jaguar entered a feral state and roared in a fury. From its mouth, a small mud orb shot out like a regurgitated ball of fur and flew straight at the three intruders. Instantly casting his spiritual body enhancement, Shin''s skin turned cerulean in colour as thousands of fishy scales covered him up. Uncorking two of the three gourds on his belt, Shin released his regular created water and the water mixed with a paralysing agent. During the year-end tournaments, he was barred from using this concoction against his opponents. Fortunately, the wild fields didn''t have those ridiculous rules to bind him. Forming a water wall to protect Elrin while she was praying, Shin watched as the mud ball dissolved in the air. Turning his paralysing water into mini bullets, the black-haired teen shot them at the frantic Spirit Beast. Sensing that its life would be in peril if it took any of those hits directly, the Rosegor Jaguar coated itself in a layer of mud, allowing the yellow liquid to flow down its body without touching its skin. "Smart move..." The youth praised the Spirit Beasts quick thinking. From his peripheral vision, Shin could see Isadore summoning out his trusted spear, which glistened in a divine light. Leaping forward at a rapid speed, Isadore spun his weapon like a general in the forefront of a battle and swung the blunt end at the Rosegor Jaguar''s head. Instead of taking the blow head-on this time, the Spirit Beast masterfully evaded, as if it wasn''t weakened from childbirth. Its eyes emitted a spiritual presence as five mud crescent blades formed, forcing Isadore to retreat as quickly as he charged forward. "I''m ready!" Just when Shin thought that the battle was about to get complicated, Elrin''s excited cry reverberated through the empty ruins. A holy light radiated out of the white-haired girl''s soul, making her resemble a high priestess that had successfully compelled a goddess to descend. In her hands, a perfectly symmetrical symbol of infinity was glistening as it reflected the morning sun rays that dazzled from the heavens above. On each side of the infinity symbol, a row of shiny pearls fell to the ground and completed multiple twirls until they met each other to form a perfect circle. ''The Rosary of Eternity¡­ I never thought I would get to see it in combat...'' Shin''s heart palpitated wildly. He had heard numerous rumours about the enigmatic Rosary of Eternity that dominated the auxiliary course, and it was the first time he had seen it in person. ''Let''s see what she''s got!'' Shin took one step back and allowed Elrin to do her magic. "Split!" Hollering out one word, Elrin''s four thousand and ninety-six pearls scattered through the air and created a temporary domain of light. "Boost!" A faint pillar of warm spiritual energy enveloped both Shin and Isadore, who were caught inside her domain. All of a sudden, the two combatants felt a certain sense of vigour that was inexplicable through ordinary words. It was as if their bodies had turned lighter and their internal system had been entirely detoxified. ''Elrin''s innate ability, Sacramental Boost!'' Shin cried out mentally. The white-haired girl''s first spiritual ability, Sacramental Boost, was the primary reason why she was able to dominate her cohort. Giving her targeted allies an all-around ten percent boost, Elrin was able to become the best support Spirit User in her generation. Naturally, since her first spiritual ability wasn''t a specialised one like ''Heal,'' if she didn''t add more potent skills in the future, Elrin''s throne at the top of the auxiliary department would eventually be taken away from her. However, at the moment, no one in her age group could come close to her abilities as a support in the battlefield. "Now, Bind!!!" In the blink of an eye, Elrin cast her second spiritual ability. Playing a support role was tough, especially in a battlefield where almost everyone would aim to take down the cornerstone of their enemies first. Thus, Elrin came up with a method to protect herself and assist her partners at the same time. Through her ''Bind'' ability, Elrin was able to seal the movements of her target for a certain period, depending on how weakened they were; and since the Rosegor Jaguar had just gone through childbirth, Elrin could bridge the cultivation level gap between them to confine it for a few seconds. "Shin!!! NOW!!!" "Gotcha!" As if waiting for this moment, Shin leapt forward and reached the exhausted Spirit Beast almost instantaneously. Not willing to give away the advantage that Elrin had given him, the youth aimed at the only weak spot that he knew about the Rosegor Jaguar, the back of its head. Landing a perfect chop, effortlessly knocked the immobilised Spirit Beast out cold. "Wow, with Elrin''s help we really have a significant advantage huh?" Shin thought out loud. For the first time in his life, he felt grateful that a support-class cultivator was on his side. Without Elrin, even though Shin was confident of taking the Rosegor Jaguar down, he would have ultimately killed the Spirit Beast to protect himself. However, with the assistance of Elrin, he was able to dispatch the Tier 3 Spirit Beast with relative ease. Now that the threat was neutralised, the white-haired maiden recalled the Rosary of Eternity and headed straight for the litter of helpless cubs. "Hah¡­ I''m sorry, little ones. Just wait for your mom to wake up alright?" "Eekkk! Eekkk! Eekkk!" Without knowing what was going on, the poor cubs were wailing in fear and confusion. The warmth of their mother was gone, and they were helpless on their own. "They might be hungry?" Isadore interjected. "Shin, could you push the mother over?" "What am I, a coolie?" Shin scoffed as he created two water arms to gently push the unconscious Spirit Beast over. Rolling the feline to its side, Shin allowed the cubs to go near the Rosegor Jaguar''s nipples, to have their early lunch. "That''s the most that we can do. The Spirit Beast will awaken in a few minutes, so we should leave now." "That''s right..." Elrin looked a little dejected. The adorable faces of the jaguar cubs made her swoon a little, and she was rather getting attached to them. "Let''s leave before she wakes up then." "Haha, don''t be that way! I''m sure you can buy as many pets as you want back in the Capital!" "My father doesn''t like to keep pets in the house! It''s rather annoying you know!" "Hoho, I thought Uncle Terlus would have spoiled you rotten..." Shin raised an eyebrow at the shocking declaration. "Well, he doesn''t always, okay! Hmph! Once I come of age and move out, I''ll definitely buy a thousand pets!!!" Hearing Elrin''s words made Shin recall a book that he read about how middle-aged spinsters liked to surround themselves with pets to ease their loneliness. Thinking about that, a mental image of Elrin in her fifties, living alone in an enormous mansion immediately came to Shin''s mind. ''No, no, no, no, no! What am I thinking! There''s no way that Elrin would become like that¡­ Would she?'' As the trio returned back to the encampment empty-handed, the only thing that was on Shin''s mind, was how to find a suitable partner for his good friend to spend the rest of her life with. ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 288 Hunting For Clues 3 A week had passed since Shin and his group started their hunt for information on the Black Masks. Using careful precision planning, the trio had juggled their duties in the supply lines and taking time off to explore for clues. Through the help of their trusted chaperone and Major in the military, the group had the most carefree life among all of the students in the encampment. Moving through zones that were usually forbidden, Shin was able to smoothly escape the barracks or resupply himself with provisions. Throughout the week, Shin, Isadore and Elrin visited five out of the thirteen locations that they found suspicious. Unfortunately, every single one of their searches thus far had yielded fruitless results. They had even gone to one of the furthest locations marked on the map, which was more than a hundred kilometres away but were unable to find even a single clue about the Black Masks. Though they still had eight more locations to scour, even Shin couldn''t help but think that it would be a useless endeavour. Nonetheless, since they had come all the way to the Land of Dreams, the group didn''t want to waste this opportunity. In her free time, Elrin moved to find out all of the significant players that influenced the enigmatic nation and which merchants were the best business partners for the Zedcris Conglomerate. Eventually, the family business would be handed down to her and Elrin must have a firm understanding of how the global economic climate worked. On the other hand, Isadore would spend his downtime observing how the military worked from the bottom. From analysing the martial art drills that were passed on from the instructors to thoroughly understanding how the hierarchy worked. The silver-haired youth would often chat with some of the troopers that were barely even Spirit Apostles to perceive how the lower-class lived. Often times, when Shin had nothing to do, he would sit in on Isadore''s random chats as well. There were even instances where he would come across a face that he had met on Aldrich''s Keep, and he would start conversing with them for hours. Shin''s hate of the military was directly rubbed off from his Master, Lady Seph. However, as he interacted with the men on the ground, his resentment begun to dissipate as he started to see the everyday military men as normal human beings that were just trying to make a living. Naturally, the same couldn''t be said for the heads of state that had no regard on the well-being of their men, but Shin wasn''t interested in delving deeper into that rabbit hole. Under no circumstances could Shin imagine himself volunteering for the army, but he had nothing against the ordinary soldier that joined the military. Unknowingly, the youth''s short stay in the joint training exercise had opened his eyes slightly to the reality of what it really was like to become a soldier for the Himmel Empire. As a new day dawned on the encampment, the azure blue sky was accompanied by the chilling mist that morning brought. Where regular people were stilled comfortably tucked in bed, Shin and Isadore could be seen sitting in on the daily physical training, monitoring the fitness levels of the soldiers from the side. Continuously repeating the same movements over and over, the military men were training their bodies to be in optimal conditions in the event of a devastating battle. Watching on with marvel in his eyes, Shin commented to his friend: "How are they not bored of doing the same things every morning?" As much as he was a training junkie, Shin would never continuously repeat the same exercise thousands of times, to prevent himself from losing his mind. Yet, the soldiers that were participating in the morning exercise had been doing the exact same routine as they always did, not bothered in the slightest. "The soldiers here aren''t cultivators from any significant background, and they don''t have any specific training requirements. Thus, the army teaches them these few martial art skills to protect themselves." Isadore patiently explained, his face turning sour as he deeply stared at the dozens of men in the field. "Of course, these are the basics of the basics, and if they advance through the ranks, they would be treated better, but otherwise¡­ This is their life." "This is their life, huh?" Shin tucked his knees into his chest as he realised how fortunate he truly was. In an alternate reality, where the Frie Clan never picked up the orphans and left them to fend for themselves, would he be in the soldiers'' position? ''In the end, everyone plays with the cards they are given at birth¡­ I am lucky that I have a better hand than most¡­ So I really should treasure it...'' The black-haired youth mentally firmed his resolve to grow even faster. "By the way, where are you thinking of going today?" With a bitter smile, Isadore changed the topic. "If it''s far, we will have to wake Elrin up a little early." "Hah¡­ It''s not that far¡­ Isadore, would you let me be selfish today?" "What do you mean?" The silver-haired boy asked. "Among the thirteen locations, there''s one that I really want to visit. Not because of the possibility of encountering a Black Mask clue, but because of my own selfish cultivation reasons." "Hoho..." Isadore grinned. "You see, I never visited a sea before, let alone an ocean¡­ As someone who awakened The Sovereign Koi, that''s preposterous, don''t you think?" "You mean..." Finally realising where Shin wished to go next, Isadore made an inquisitive gesture. "Yeah..." Shin slapped his thighs and got to his feet. Beaming with a resolute expression, Shin took in a deep breath as he savoured the scent of the fragrant morning dew. "Let''s go to Mort Bay today!" ~~~ The Land Of Dreams. The Kori Federation Embassy. When Spirit Immortal Dream annihilated her entire country''s population and ascended to the heavens above, she left behind an empty plot of land that was located on prime soil. However, as much as the three superpowers were tempted to take over that area for themselves, no one wanted to launch a war to claim a cursed land. Hence, they came up with a compromise. Firstly, a Main Hub would be constructed where the Capital of the Land of Dreams once stood. There, all forms of diplomacy would be conducted as their diplomats would congregate to negotiate on how to rule the area. Secondly, all known resources of the land would be divided equally among the three, and any treasures that were unearthed would remain the sole proprietary of the discoverer. Finally, each and every prime area would be sold to the highest bidder among the three. Through the bidding system, the Himmel Empire claimed thirty-five percent of the land, with the majority of them being areas that were on the outskirts of their border. The Lantis Republic claimed almost all of the coastlines and ports, which amounted to twenty percent of the fallen nation. As for the Kori Federation, they took the largest piece and claimed the remainder, making them the de facto ''majority shareholder'' of the Land of Dreams. Of course, since the Kori Federation was formed out of hundreds of organisations, there was no shortage of internal disputes on who got to claim the mineral-abundant region for themselves. Of course, those from the Master Sects got the most say on how the resources were distributed, but there was one Master Sect that got particularly rowdy about handling the matter of the Land of Dreams for themselves. "Highness Jimga, we have been expecting you." Inside of the intricately decorated embassy, a suave middle-aged man, dressed in an ivory-coloured robe, strolled in with an entourage of younger disciples. On his back, he carried a sheathed war sword that was about eighty centimetres long, and the teenagers that followed him had similar blades as well. Each one of them looking fiercer than the other, only the middle-aged man at the front of the group seemed to be unable to harm a fly. In fact, if not for the glaring sword on his back, one might assume that he was a peace-loving scholar. The moment the receptionist saw the new entrants, he immediately dropped his pen and gave the senior a deep bow. At the same time, from his position, he could carefully observe the infamous jade piece that hung from the white-robed swordsman belt. With a symbol of the crescent moon and two dazzling stars carved onto it, the swordmaster was bearing the emblem of perhaps the most famous sword faction in the entire world. The Dalgeom Sect. Accepting anyone that awakened a sword Spirit, the Dalgeom Sect was one of the thirty Master Sects of the Kori Federation and their sword martial skills was feared throughout the entire world. Legend has it that during the war to end all wars, a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor from the Dalgeom Sect once fought two Spirit Venerates to a standstill, using nothing but the sect''s legacy swordplay, the Dance of the Moon. Consisting of more than a hundred thousand living disciples, and with two Spirit Venerates guarding its helm, there was no question that the Dalgeom Sect was a force that could voice its opinion on the international stage. "Mmmm..." The white-robed man indifferently responded to the receptionist warm welcome before turning to his students. "You can disperse now. This next meeting will take some time. Go enjoy yourself on the streets." "Yes, Master!!!" The students replied in unison with a respectful bow. "Lead the way." The swordmaster didn''t bother with any pleasantries as he ordered the receptionist to take him to his destination. "Yes, Highness Jimga!" Unwilling to cross the mighty cultivator that could easily behead him with one stroke, the receptionist quickly showed the white-robed man up the stairs and into an isolated chamber where his host awaited. "Hmmm?" As the doors to the chambers slid open, the two individuals inside let out a low murmur. However, the moment they saw the white-robed swordmaster, their faces broke out into smiles. "Jimga! You''re finally here!" "Pardon my tardiness." The white-robed swordmaster returned their kind gestures with a bitter smile. "I was caught up with some issues." "Haha, you can say that again! We''ve been waiting for you for ages!" The female member groaned. At her side, a plain sheathed sword was laid out on the table, ready for her to draw at any moment. Likewise, the other two men in the room all had their swords kept safely near them, so that they could defend themselves should the need arises. "She''s joking. We''ve only been here for twenty minutes." "Senior Brother Wangu! Must you really be such a spoilsport?!" "Yeunghi¡­ It''s not good to lie. Your nose will grow." "Are you treating me like a child?!" The female swordmaiden cried out. Taking a seat on the nearest empty chair, the white-robed swordmaster made himself comfortable before turning to the receptionist to the door. "You may excuse yourself." "Understood, Highness Jimga." Rapidly turning his feet around, the receptionist gently sealed the door before shuffling away. "What did you do to that poor boy? He''s terrified of you." The female swordmaiden laughed. "Nothing, Jimga''s reputation precedes him, that''s all." "Surely, you jest, Senior Brother Wangu." Even though he denied his senior brother''s claim, deep down, the swordmaster named Jimga knew that his notoriety was the reason for the receptionist''s apprehension. "We can discuss my exploits outside at length later on. What''s important are the sect matters." "There it is! The infamous no-bullshit Jimga!" Yeunghi giggled. Her playful demeanour forced the eldest of the bunch to send a karate chop to her head. "Jimga is right. We have to settle the matters regarding the Lantis Republic and Himmel Empire." Senior Brother Wangu sighed. As much as he wished to enjoy his time out of the sect, he had to focus on his mission at hand. "Did the representative from the empire tell you why they''re performing their joint training exercise in the Land of Dreams?" "No, they''re still tight-lipped." Jimga shook his head. "They''re still trying to feed us the bullshit story about investigating about the Black Masks¡­ Hmph! That criminal organisation is their problem! Why would they come to our shores and threaten us! I''m sure that the Himmel Empire is gearing up for an impending battle with us, so they''re doing this ''training exercise'' in preparation for that!" "Black Masks, huh..." Senior Brother Wangu stroked his grey beard. "That name is being thrown around quite a bit lately¡­ The Healer''s Association Saint Althea, and the Himmel Empire''s Sovereign Emperor, Tenno, have been saying that the Black Masks are a threat that has to be neutralised..." "Utter bull in my opinion." Jimga venomously spat out. "They''re trying to pull the wool over our eyes. A leader stronger than a Spirit Saint? If that were true, our entire continent would have been plunged into chaos." "Hmmm, you''re right..." Even though the Himmel Empire and the Healer''s Association had been rather vocal about the Black Masks, the rest of the world treated their words as a joke. They all thought that it was a false claim brought up by the Himmel Empire to mask their more nefarious desires. "If that''s the case, we can only observe the Himmel Empire''s encampment for now¡­ I assume that you have eyes on them?" "Naturally! My disciples have been monitoring them in shifts." "Good¡­ Alright, let''s get to the real issue at hand." Senior Brother Wangu turned to the woman seated next to him and nodded his head. "How''s Mort Bay?" "The Lantis Republic has kept true to their promise. They removed their men from the area quite swiftly. Well, not like there were many, to begin with..." The swordmaiden shrugged her shoulders. "Our disciples can move in within the next few months. However, trying to change the bay into a pier would prove to be quite the challenge. It''s mostly made of slippery cliffs after all." "Even if it''s difficult, we have to do it. Once Mort Bay has been transformed, we would have a direct route through the Land of Dreams, giving us another passage to transport supplies to our sect!" With the Lantis Republic in control of most of the ports and coasts in the Land of Dreams, it would be troublesome for the Dalgeom Sect to covertly transport valuables to and fro the Kori Federation. Hence, they made the tough decision to purchase Mort Bay from the hands of the Lantis Republic. "It might be a tedious task, but we will reap the rewards in the long run!" "I know, I know..." The swordmaiden chuckled at the seriousness of her senior brother before turning to glance out of the window. The playfulness that she had displayed earlier had disappeared, and in its place, a serious poise manifested itself. "I will ensure that nothing happens under my watch..." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 289 Hunting For Clues 4 Pitter Patter. Pitter Patter. Bright, sweet raindrops fell in the millions unto the rocky surfaces of the coastline, turning the beautiful morning into a patch of grey skies. Thousands of pulsating ripples formed on the surface of the deep bay water as the entrance to the attached seas were rife with massive waves which rose and fell in rhythm. Effervescence arose to the already choppy waters, making the bay a completely uninhabitable arena for all life forms to be in. For cultivators like Isadore and Elrin, who were land creatures through and through, being near the bay was akin to that of braving armageddon. Fearing that they may accidentally slip on one of the lubricated rocks, the duo moved as far away from the edge as possible. While his friends were apprehensive about even standing close to the dangerous waters, Shin was utterly in awe. A child of water, the black-haired youth was susceptible to water elements, and as he was facing a bay that led to the sea, Shin''s face flushed in pure joy. All his life, Shin had been cooped up on land. Frie Mountain. Chilyoja Waypoint. Aldrich''s Keep. The Capital. None of them was close to any large bodies of water. Yes, he had visited a few lakes and rivers in his day, but he had never had an intimate experience with the true divinity of water¡­ Shin had never been to the ocean. Although the bay may not have been a good substitute for the great beyond, it gave the youth a glimpse into how the elements would be like in the deep blue. And it was intoxicating. Almost at the very same moment that Shin first caught sight of the bay, The Sovereign Koi made its appearance and circled about in jubilation. According to legends, the Lady of Water, who was the first cultivator to ever contract with a water Spirit, gave birth to eight children. Besides her, they were the absolute royalty of water elements. Hence, it came as no surprise that the Eight Scions of Water loved to frolic around the oceans. "Shin, it''s dangerous over there! Come back!" Elrin beckoned to her friend from the safety of a nearby tree. "..." Unfortunately for Elrin, her words fell on deaf ear. Sheets of grey raindrops fell from the heavens, blurring the image of Shin and his jubilant Spirit. Staring deep into the azure abyss, Shin felt his soul being compelled to dive down. A call from the beyond, as one might call it. However, before he could take the final plunge, Shin recalled the true reason why he came to Mort Bay. ''What am I doing? I should be looking for clues! I shouldn''t be distracted!'' Shin mentally chided himself. He was the one that wanted to combat the Black Masks, and yet, he had allowed his mind to wander off track. With a face full of reluctance, Shin leapt back from the steep cliff and returned to his worried friends. "Sorry, I got lost in the moment." "No, it''s understandable." Instead of blaming Shin, Isadore let out a weak smile. "As someone who awakened The Sovereign Koi, I''m sure the call from the oceans is something that''s hard to resist." "Yeah..." Shin bit his lip as his eyes turned muddied. "I have a selfish request¡­ Once we clear this area, could you spare me one or two hours? I want to try cultivating here." "Sure thing! Are you fine with that Elrin?" Isadore asked the last remaining member. "Hmmm, I guess that''s okay¡­ But help us find some sort of shelter first! I don''t want to be standing here in the pouring rain for too long!" The girl playfully smiled before showing an indignant reaction. Although all three of them had donned on a raincoat that had been enchanted, it was still an uncomfortable feeling to stay unsheltered in the pouring deluge. "Okay!" After a horde of misses without the slightest clue about the Black Masks, Shin and the group unconsciously believed that they won''t be able to find out anything from Mort Bay. Nonetheless, they still proceeded with caution. From their intelligence, Mort Bay was under Lantis Republic rule. However, due to its turbulent weather and uninhabitable terrain, it was largely neglected, with the Lantis Republic only devoting a squadron of less than a dozen men to guard the bay. If the Black Masks wished to smuggle anything into the Land of Dreams, Mort Bay was perhaps the best location to execute their plans. Thus, even if the place looked to be completely barren, Shin knew that he had to be vigilant. With their mana signatures concealed, the group cautiously scoured through the entire area. Thankfully, it wasn''t long until they came across their first find. "A watch-house¡­ It must be from the Lantis Republic." "It looks completely empty though¡­ Even the door is unlocked." Isadore and Shin shared their opinion. The house was made out of aged brick that had already formed irreversible cracks. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, there was no light from the interior, and adding to the fact that the door was unlocked, it was safe to assume that they had stumbled upon a deserted structure. "Elrin, your sensitivity to mana is the highest. Could you do a probe?" Shin looked back at his friend. "What am I, a metal detector?" The girl teased. "You know that''s not the case." Shin giggled. "If there''s no one inhabiting that area, you would obtain the shelter that you wanted." "Yeah, yeah..." After a light back and forth, the white-haired girl finally closed her eyes and carefully probed the abandoned watch-house. In her hands, a spiritual tool that was shaped in the shape of a compass gleamed in a faint light as the mana being supplied to it intensified. Only after a few gruelling minutes, did Elrin stop her probe. "There''s nothing there. Not even residue mana signatures." "That''s good. We can use that as a temporary base while we wait for the rain to stop." Taking off his backpack, Isadore promptly marched into the deserted building to hide from the rain. As much as they wished to continue their search, the poor visibility made it doubly hard for them to conduct a comprehensive examination. As the trio settled, Shin and Isadore brushed the watch-house for clues. Unfortunately, the cold building had been completely emptied out. The walls had been scrubbed clean, and the rooms had been drained of its contents. Surprisingly, there weren''t many cobwebs in the area, and the structure hasn''t been wholly returned to nature. "It must have been abandoned quite recently¡­ Unless someone came to clean it." Shin muttered out. "Either way, we can stay here for a while¡­ It looks like the rain won''t stop anytime soon. The two of you should take a break and eat something." The trio had left their encampment at about eight in the morning. Since they took about three hours to get to Mort Bay, they could rest and eat an early lunch. Of course, Shin wasn''t about to put himself into that equation. "Hoho, you''re really obsessed with the sea huh?" "I''m sorry, guys¡­" Shin let out a bitter laugh at how his friends managed to see right through him. Since they weren''t able to conduct a search, Shin wanted to take this opportunity to quell his curiosity. "Give me an hour or two! I''ll be right back!" "What are we to do with you?" Isadore shook his head while he watched the disappearing image of his friend. "..." At the other corner of the abandoned house, Elrin had her eyes focused on the silver-haired youth. Now that the two were alone, she could finally speak of matters that had been bothering her for quite some time. "Isadore¡­ May I ask you a few questions?" "Shoot." "Why are you helping Shin?" "What do you mean?" Isadore played the fool. He knew what the girl was implying, but he just didn''t dare to admit it so openly yet. "What''s wrong with me helping a good friend?" "Isadore¡­ No, Highness Isadore." Immediately changing her posture, the young girl lost the tone of playfulness that she was renowned for. "You should know better than anyone that Shin has a unique position in the Himmel Empire. He''s a citizen of the Empire, and yet he''s a descendant of the Lantis Republic. He''s a disciple of Lady Seph, and at the same time, he''s the heir of the denounced Awter Clan. With so many contradictions to his name, High Society is at a loss of how they should manage him." Elrin''s tone turned respectful. "For Kanari and I, we want him to join our organisations because we value his future potential. That''s clear for all to see. However, your position must be completely neutral. The hidden spear of the Empire must remain in the shadows, not engaging in any form of politics. I''m sure the Imperial Ancestor has taught you that." "That''s the problem..." A dark resonance flowed out of Isadore''s vocal cords, stunning the words out of the eloquent Elrin. Raising his right hand, the silver-haired youth summoned out his trusted spear and stroked the thick chains on its shaft with despondent eyes. "I didn''t choose this life. I don''t want to be shackled to the same fate as my predecessors. I want to be my own person. I want to live out my own dreams." Elrin shuddered. If Isadore''s words were to get out, the upper echelons of High Society would be thrown into absolute turmoil. "Highness Isadore, what is your dream then?" "To lead the world''s finest information network! One that surpasses Spion!" The youth declared without hesitation. "And for some reason, I feel that helping Shin would be the way for me to claim that dream." "You believe in him that much?" "Hehe, aren''t you on the same boat?" "..." Elrin closed her mouth. "Unknowingly, both of us had become attached to Shin¡­ Even Kanari is caught under his spell. Of course, the one that is attached to Shin the most is Shizen!" Isadore laughed. "When I look at Shin, I can''t help but imagine seeing the next Hero that would define his generation. I''m sure you feel the same." "Hah¡­ There''s no beating your eyesight, Highness Isadore." Elrin raised her hands in defeat. "Forget that I ever asked that stupid question then." Elrin took out a ration bar from Shin''s backpack and munched happily on it. With the big question out of the way, the white-haired scion could finally rest easy and make way for idle talk. "If you don''t mind, could you tell me more about the Imperial Palace?" "Hey, hey¡­ That''s classified!" "Hmph, you''re so stingy! Whatever, I''ll find out for myself then!" ~~~ While his partners were busy bickering, Shin was standing on top of a steep rocky cliff, overseeing the entirety of Mort Bay. In his hands, The Sovereign Koi was spinning around in circles, like a dog chasing its tail in excitement. The corners of his lips rose in anticipation as the mana within his body started to bubble out. "Eight Scions of Water¡­ Mark of the Celestial Dragon¡­ All these titles don''t matter to me." Shin whispered. The entirety of his soul felt refreshed as the water elements desperately rushed into his body. Unconsciously, the youth cast his spiritual body enhancement and allowed his skin to be covered with thick cerulean scales. "All that matters¡­ Is that I belong here." Turning into a merman, Shin felt his connection with mother ocean deepen. At the same time, The Sovereign Koi returned into his body with a poof and further boosted the youth''s sensitivity to the water elements that surrounded him. Deep within his soul, Shin could hear hisses of temptation, as if they were whispers of the devil. And finally¡­ He jumped. Diving down into the bay below, Shin entered the water with a big splash. Like a fish that returned to the sea, Shin felt like he had arrived at his rightful home. His eyes pierced through the darkness of the basin, allowing him to have a firm glimpse of all the ocean life in the area. Fishes, squids, crabs and even Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes swam about the basin freely. A world that he had never imagined. Oddly enough, he didn''t have any trouble moving about, and he had no trouble breathing even though he was a few metres below the surface. Diving further down, Shin felt the pressure mounting on his body. However, he didn''t care about that. He wanted to explore the alien environment, he wanted to know more about the ocean. It was only after descending until the light dimmed completely, did the youth stop. ''This is the lake¡­ This is the sea¡­ This is the ocean¡­ This is water...'' Shin mentally chanted verses from the Celestial Water Mantra. At this depth, the water elements that surrounded him were immense, giving him the perfect opportunity to cultivate. Greedily absorbing all of the water elements that he could, Shin felt his entire being heat up. His skin flushed red, and his blood started to boil. In his Spirit Core, a vortex of energy emerged and sucked in all of the spiritual energy that Shin was supplying it. Bit by bit, Shin''s mana reserves increased. On the exterior, Shin used the water pressure that surrounded him to mould his body into a more perfect shape. Shin already boasted a slender figure, but with the added pressure, he could cast it into a more streamlined shape. Allowing the mana to seep into his bones, Shin''s entire essence was being reforged, until eventually¡­ "BOOOOMMM!!!" His mana burst forth like an explosion, and his body rapidly ascended to the surface. Using the momentum of the eruption, Shin leapt out of the bay water and landed right on the cliff where he jumped off. Opening his eyes, Shin summoned out The Sovereign Koi, who was in a jovial, celebratory mode. "Just like that, I advanced..." Shin sighed. Based on that one cultivation session, the youth had leapt from Rank 23 to Rank 24. Naturally, there was a reason why his advancement this time proceeded with relative ease. It was his first time near the ocean. That was truly it. Slowly, as he became more accustomed to the water elements that the ocean emitted, his rate of improvement would start to normalise. "The environment really is essential when it comes to cultivation¡­ When I get back to the academy, I must find a way to cultivate near the ocean..." Reluctantly, Shin took a step away from the cliff. As much as he wished to cultivate here all day, he had a more important task to accomplish. "I''ll be back here soon..." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read advanced chapters!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 290 Mort Bay 1 Bolting back towards the abandoned cottage that he had left Isadore and Elrin in, Shin finally got his mind in order and began to focus on finding clues in his surroundings. Based on the map that Isadore had given him, Mort Bay was only a hot spot due to its remote location making it a possible region for syndicate activity. The Black Masks were an elusive organisation that had its roots in the Himmel Empire, and it seemed like their prime objective was to destabilise the peaceful structure of the three superpowers. Always the frontrunner to shake the foundations of society, the Black Masks were a unique organisation that cared neither for riches or notoriety and now that they have begun to play some sort of influence on the international scale, the syndicate was looking to expand their operations. ''After the Battle of Aldrich''s Keep, when it was revealed that they contained the firepower of at least two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, the Black Masks have kept a low key in the Himmel Empire¡­ So why are they suddenly moving into Kori Federation territory?'' Shin scratched his cheek as he pondered on the actions of the mysterious organisation. ''I can understand the motivations of Junius and Vellan¡­ The remnants of the Awter Clan would love to take revenge on Frie Mountain and reunite the orphans with them¡­ But what about the other members of the Black Masks? What about the Allfather? What is their true goal?'' No matter how hard he thought about it, Shin couldn''t comprehend why the Black Masks behaved as they did. Based on the intelligence reports that Isadore had obtained, the Black Masks had no particular modus operandi for their attacks. Additionally, they almost specifically targeted government organisations or military structures in an effort to perform as much terror as they possibly could. ''To understand how Junius and the Awter Clan remnants work, I must first understand the Allfather¡­ That mana I felt when Junius'' father exploded in front of me¡­ Was that truly the Allfather''s mana?'' Shin pondered as he landed right in front of the concrete building that housed his two friends. Turning up to the overcast sky, Shin smiled at how the rain died down, giving the trio the opportunity to finally explore Mort Bay to its fullest. "Isadore, Elrin?" "Yeah?" Entering the small and humid house, Shin caught eyes with the two inhabitants. Being left alone for a full hour, the duo were bored out of their minds. They had even resorted in playing a children''s game using pebbles to pass the time. It was particularly torturing, especially for the playful Elrin. Fortunately, Shin made his entrance at the right time, bringing a bright smile to both Isadore and Elrin''s faces. "I''m back. Sorry for the delay." "No worries, I know how alluring the ocean might have been." Isadore stretched himself as he stood up, sending a compassionate gaze at his friend''s direction. On the other hand, Elrin was somewhat miffed that Shin had left them alone for a full hour. Adorably pouting her face, the white-haired girl puckered her lips and sent a baleful complaint at the youth: "Yeah, took you long enough!~" "I''m sorry! I''ll make it up to you back at camp! Anyway, did you notice any irregularities during your stay?" "Not necessarily..." Isadore thought back on the hour he spent. "There wasn''t any special occurrences. We did, however, hear some howling in the distance." "Wolves huh? Do you think that they were Spirit Beasts?" "Hard to say¡­ Honestly, I didn''t feel any mana signatures in the area. Of course, my senses are limited to a few hundred metres, so that doesn''t mean much." Isadore shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile. "I see that the rain has begun to slow, looks like it''s the perfect chance for us to move, huh?" "Finally, we get to leave this depressing hut!" Elrin happily rejoiced. Taking out her compass-shaped spirit tool, the young girl prepared herself for the search ahead. "Conceal your mana first, Elrin!" "Hehe, oops!" At Shin''s timely warning, the young girl made sure to put forth the appropriate measures before starting her reconnaissance. With her spirit tool in hand, Elrin was able to unveil suspicious locations within a kilometre radius, making her the best search tool for the squad. "Hmmm¡­ There''s nothing here¡­ Perhaps we should go further north?" "Okay." Succinctly agreeing to Elrin''s suggestion, Shin led the march up north. His senses heightened, the youth made sure to scan his entire surroundings, in hopes of finding a clue. "By the way, did you get any gains from your cultivation session?" While Elrin had her eyes closed in search for rogue mana signatures, Isadore started to make some small talk. "Yeah, I advanced a rank. I''m now at Rank 24." "Wow! That''s awesome!" Isadore was genuinely impressed. He might be superior when it came to martial arts or searching for information, but when it came to cultivation, there was no way that Isadore could match up to Shin or Kanari. "Wait, does that mean you get to fly up the ranks if you cultivate near the ocean?" "Maybe¡­ But it won''t last forever. Once I get normalised to the environment, I won''t be able to get the short bursts of cultivation that I had just experienced." "Nonetheless, it''s still amazing! If you continue at this rate, you would be able to catch up to Kanari by the end of year six!" Isadore always thought that Kanari''s throne at the top of the cultivation world wouldn''t be challenged by anyone from her own generation. However, with Shin''s monstrous advancement rate, it wouldn''t be surprising if Kanari was overthrown in just a few years. "That''s not possible. You and I both know how hard Kanari works now. If I want to overtake her in cultivation, I would need a thousand times the amount of resources and time." "But you do not deny that it''s possible?" "..." A wry smile crept up Shin''s face as he heard Isadore''s claim. If he were frank, Shin had thought about the possibility of taking Kanari''s throne as the most talented Spirit User in the world by hurriedly advancing his cultivation. However, as he sat down to really think about it, Shin was appalled that he had such a childish notion. With bigger dreams to chase and harder opponents to face, Shin could care less if Kanari retained her spot as the most talented cultivator of her generation. What mattered the most to him was how he was going to achieve his most pressing goals. "I have no plans on doing that. We have so much to do before I can launch my own organisation. Chasing Kanari''s records can be left to someone else." "Wow, such a noble way of thinking..." Isadore rolled his eyes at Shin''s mature speech. It was during times like this that the sixteen-year-old aspects of the team were on full display. "Guys, as much as I would like to listen to the rest of the conversation..." While the two boys were merrily talking among themselves, Elrin shook her head with a sombre expression. "We finally got a hit." "A hit? You found something suspicious?" After numerous failed searches, Shin had almost given up on finding anything substantial. Hence, when Elrin reported that something was amiss, the young boy felt his adrenaline pumping as his throat started to dry. "Yeah, look!" Elrin pointed towards a cave that was almost a kilometre away. At this distance, the most that they could see was blurred images, making it hard to determine if there was any human activity or not. "I feel a few mana signatures coming from the interior¡­ Eight, nine, no I can feel over a dozen human mana signatures!" "That many?" Shin unconsciously swallowed his saliva. Although they were the elites of Imperius Academy, Shin was only in the Spirit Core realm while Isadore and Elrin were at the upper end of the Spirit Apostle realm. Even they would have an issue facing that many opponents at once. "What do you think is the average cultivation level of those inside?" "I don''t know¡­ Some are weaker, and some are immensely powerful¡­ I think there might be a Spirit Adept inside as well..." Elrin speculated as she tightened her hold on the compass spirit tool. "This is definitely suspicious¡­ Why would there be so many powerful individuals in such a remote location?" "Either way, we definitely can''t carelessly approach. If we alarm them, we won''t be able to return to the encampment to seek for help." Isadore chimed in. "That''s right. Remember our objectives! We won''t face them unless it''s absolutely necessary! Alright, let''s move until we get a better view of the cave. Elrin, if they make any sudden movements, tell us right away! We can''t risk anything!" Shin barked out his orders. "Yes, sire~." Taking baby steps towards the cavern, Shin and his friends made sure that there was an appropriate escape path should things go south. It wasn''t until they were five hundred metres away from the cave, did the trio stop in their advance. "There''s movement." Elrin cautioned the rest. "It''s slight, but they''re slowly moving out of the cave¡­ We have to be careful." "Right, if they have come to search for us, I will give the signal to run." The tense atmosphere continued on to build as the trio huddled up together. Feeling the heartbeats quicken, the youths did their best to calm their nerves as beads of sweat rolled down their cheeks. Tap Tap Tap Tap While the trio was busy trying their best to hide their presence, three individuals sauntered out of the cave with a carefree expression, their faces free of doubt or worry. Once they exited the damp cave, Shin''s eyes widened in absolute horror. It wasn''t because they had any deformities or anything of the sort. The reason why Shin was terrified was that he recognised every single one of the individuals that emerged out from the cave. The towering middle-aged man and the black-robed woman, who was just out of her prime years, were two fresh faces within Shin''s mind. Back at Spirit Immortal Dream''s old laboratory, he was assisted by a couple when he stared too long at the Mystery of the Dream. Initially, he thought nothing much of the couple and was glad that they were there to help him when he got tipsy. Yet, there they were in the most suspicious area of the Land of Dreams. Furthermore, they were currently being led by the one person that Shin wished to fight the most¡­ "Junius..." With gritted teeth, Shin held back his rage as his nails dug deeper into the mud. That rich viridian hair and prominent facial features that were hard to forget was on full display as he basked under the after-rain sun. Even though they were over five hundred metres away, all Shin needed was one look to identify the man that he had spent his entire childhood with. "That''s Junius?!" Elrin muttered under her breath. Next to her, Isadore was wearing a complex expression as he closed in on Shin''s body, preparing to restrain the youth should he lose control. "Don''t worry¡­ I''m fine..." Sensing his partners'' nervousness, Shin took a step back and quelled his vengeful heart. If he were to go crazy, he would not only put his own life at risk, but the safety of his two friends would be compromised as well. "I''m in control." "Okay¡­ But to think that we would run into Junius here¡­ Looks like we''ve hit the jackpot." "Yeah. Junius'' involvement in Mort Bay all but guarantees that the Black Masks are planning something big here. We will need to inform the higher-ups in the encampment." "Hmmm, are we not going to observe anymore?" Elrin turned to Shin with a confused face. "I thought the whole reason why you''re trying to track down the Black Masks is to find Junius'' location. Right now, we have him! If we strike, we could possibly take him into custody, so that he can atone for his sins!" "No..." Shin shook his head. "Now''s not the time. The couple that''s with him are both Spirit Adepts, and Junius is no pushover either. Among us orphans, he was the strongest fighter and now that he had been trained by the Black Masks, our chances of winning is virtually zero." "I see..." Elrin hung her head. Back when Shin poured out his heart and described in detail about the ordeals he faced back on Frie Mountain, the young girl wanted to order a siege on every Black Mask location to wipe out the evil that had caused her friend so much hurt. One could only imagine how much restraint it took for Shin to wipe out his desire to charge forward and confront the weasel that ordered the attack which claimed Ariel''s life. "We have to retreat now! Before we alarm them that this location is compromised!" Shin softly commanded. "We''ll return with reinforcements!" "Shin..." Feeling the same way that Elrin did, Isadore was amazed at how rational his buddy''s thinking was. If it were him, he would most definitely order an all-out assault on the cave primarily out of spite. "You''re right¡­ Let''s go." As the trio slowly retreated under cover of the bushes, Shin took one final look at his brother that had betrayed him. Shin knew that this was probably the best opportunity to apprehend Junius and accomplish one of the goals that he had set for himself. After all, no one knew if Junius would visit Mort Bay ever again. However, for the greater good, Shin had to place his personal feelings aside. With a low growl, Shin cut the bottom of his palms as his nails started to dig deeper and deeper into his flesh. ''Junius¡­ I''ll get you soon, just you wait!!!'' ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 291 Mort Bay 2 "..." While the duo behind him was bickering over the smallest of issues, Junius had gone quiet as an uneasy feeling crept up his spine. Unknowingly, the young man looked around him for signs of any movement. His paranoia caused his companions to feel unsettled as well. "Is something the matter?" Star Face asked while pushing Cyphia''s face away. "No¡­ It''s nothing. It must have been my imagination." Unable to figure out the cause of his earlier jitters, Junius dismissed it altogether and focused on the more pressing matter at hand. "With Mort Bay now vacated, we can begin phase two of the operation. You two will play a much bigger role during this phase." "I know, I know..." Star Face laughed. "Speaking of our roles, in the mercenary circle, rumours are circulating that the Dalgeom Sect is looking for manpower. They might be hastening their plans to secure Mort Bay." "Now that''s a problem..." Hearing the news, Junius frowned in distraught. "With the Himmel Empire conducting a training exercise, we had kept a low profile thus far, slowing our progress to build a route from the sea to the Kori Federation. We''re in no way prepared to face the Dalgeom Sect..." "Exactly! So what do you propose we do?" Cyphia, who had been quiet until now, spoke out in unrest. "Both of us have no means of defending against the experts from Dalgeom Sect. Should they find us, I''m sure our heads would roll." "Don''t worry. We don''t need you to fight in the frontlines¡­ Just follow the plan, and you''ll be fine. There''s no need for them to suspect anything yet." Hearing the viridian-haired young man feeling so confident, a warm feeling crept up Cyphia''s hardened heart. For better or worse, Junius contained a specific type of charisma that helped soothe his allies uneasiness that wasn''t commonly found in people his age. ''I had my doubts, but this boy is the real deal¡­ If he were to lead the younger generation of the Black Mask syndicate, I''m sure that in a few years, the three superpowers would tremble at the sound of his name.'' Currently, there weren''t many Spirit Emperors or Spirit Venerates that aligned themselves with the Black Masks. The only true firepower that they had was the mysterious leader, that seemed capable of surpassing Spirit Saints, and the multitude of Spirit Beasts that somehow followed his orders. However, no matter how powerful the upper brass was if the Black Masks wished for longevity throughout the years, they had to invest in their fresh blood. Just a few weeks back, Junius had advanced into the Spirit Adept realm and had finally earned his Shudra mask, making him the first cultivator in his early twenties to receive the coveted mask. Should his upward trajectory continue, Junius would undoubtedly become one of the greatest assets that the Black Masks would want to groom. "That''s good..." Star Face eased his tense face before recalling something vital. "By the way, have you guys caught the rat yet? The one that leaked information to the Himmel Empire?" No matter how hard they worked, everything would go down the drain if the informant that was hiding in the shadows decided to spoil their fun. "We have. You don''t have to worry about that matter anymore. They have been properly disposed of." Junius indifferently replied. "Naturally, as per our agreement, their share would be appropriately distributed to the both of you. Of course, you two must hold up your end of the bargain to get paid." "Hahaha! That''s music to my ears! Don''t worry! We will complete the job flawlessly!" Star Face bragged. At his side, Cyphia was wearing a similar expression. Once they completed their roles, they would be swimming in gold for the rest of their lives. At this point, they wanted to finish the job as desperately as the Black Masks. "Then I shall continue to put my faith in you¡­ Alright, I have pressing matters to attend to. Would you please excuse me." Junius gave a simple bow before fading into the background. Having trained with the Black Masks for a couple of years, the young man was proficient in moving from the shadows and concealing his presence. Even Star Face, who was a seasoned veteran of a hundred battles, had trouble finding the direction in which Junius had disappeared into. "Phew, now that that''s done, Cyphia we should return to the main hub." Once Junius was out of sight, Star Face''s playful visage returned and pushed out his elbow to offer to escort his partner. "Urghhh, stop doing that..." Not thrilled at the burly man''s actions, Cyphia rolled her eyes before returning to the cave. "We should make ample preparations before returning there. I''ve heard that Sword Tyrant Jimga had entered the Land of Dreams. Should he or anyone from the Dalgeom Sect find out our ties to Mort Bay¡­ Our heads will roll." "Hehe, you''re too uptight! Didn''t Junius say that we aren''t in any danger?" "And you completely trust the boy?" At Cyphia''s sny remark, Star Face went silent. Although his smile was frozen, based on his deadpan eyes, the middle-aged woman could tell how unsettled he was when it came to Junius. "Cyphia¡­ You don''t have to worry. I have made preparations on my end to escape should anything go awry. Since we go way back, I wouldn''t mind you entering my protection." Star Face replied with a deepened voice. "Hoho, at what cost?" "For you¡­ Half." The moment she heard her partner''s words, Cyphia scoffed in derision. "Hah! Why don''t you ask for my four limbs as well? Dream on! I''m perfectly capable of protecting myself!" "It''s your call..." The lanky man tilted his head and walked further into the cave. "But I should warn you, we''re facing the Dalgeom Sect. A true monarch of the Kori Federation. Once the Black Masks are done with us, they would throw us to the side like the vagabonds that we are. Without their protection, we would perish within a snap of a finger. Ultimately, the only people that can protect us is ourselves." "T-That! Yeah¡­ I know." Cyphia was a woman of the night. She had no family and no true comrades. Even her trusted customers that once fawned over her as if they were a moth attracted to a flame had long left Cyphia as she grew old and wrinkled. Granted, she had her own connections that could shelter her, but none of them would agree to help her if they found out that their enemy was one of the Master Sects of the country. "And can you really protect me if I join your team?" "I guarantee it." "Hah¡­ Give me some time..." "Good." ~~~ The Land of Dreams. Imperius Academy Encampment. As the training exercise passed its halfway point, the excitement that the students had first came with slowly turned into dread as they missed the comfort of their luxury homes. There were some that even tried to skip on training only to be severely punished by the military leaders in charge. Fortunately for Shin, Isadore and Elrin, they were exempted from the harsh military drills that were enforced onto their seniors. Nonetheless, due to their constant movement, the trio shared the same fatigue as many from their camp. Typically, after searching each location, Shin and the rest would collapse onto their bed to ease their throbbing thighs and blistered feet. However, this time, their destination was far different from the cosy atmosphere of the bunks. "Madam Warulee, we have an issue." Walking straight into the tent that housed the auxiliary department head''s office, Shin immediately voiced out his concern. "What''s wrong?" The woman adjusted her spectacles as she examined the three younglings that had disturbed her peaceful hour. Drenched to the bone with rainwater and sweat, the trio looked like they had gone through a warzone to return home safely. "Senior, we know that the training exercise is a front to hide the fact that the Imperial Army was ordered to investigate into the Black Masks operations." How did you know that? Was the question that Madam Warulee wanted to ask. However, after examining Isadore''s blank expression, she could guess where the leak came from. With a bitter sigh, the middle-aged woman controlled her twitching lips as she chided a particular bronze-faced scholar in her mind. "What of it?" "Over the past few weeks, we have been doing the same thing. Trying to find out more about the Black Masks. And we finally found out what their objective is..." Shin hurriedly took out his map and pointed straight at Mort Bay. "We found activity at this location. Furthermore, we saw a known member of the Black Masks here! Although we have no clue on what''s going on there, we know that their objective is definitely at Mort Bay!" "..." Madam Warulee fell silent. With furrowed brows, the woman glared at the trio that had barged into their office. If it were any other students, she would have instantly given them an earful and brushed their claims off as a ludicrous claim. However, the three students before her were all beyond ordinary. One was the heir of the biggest conglomerate in the Empire, another was a talent that would shake his generation, and finally, the last one was an entity that even she didn''t dare to cross. Feeling that the ball wasn''t in her court, Madam Warulee decided to bring in foreign influence. "Come with me." Hastily standing up from her desk, Madam Warulee led the three youths into the heart of the encampment where the chief command lay. Being a military encampment, Shin and the other''s had to follow the Imperial Army''s rules. Deferring to the highest authority in the land was perhaps the best option for Shin to take. Walking into the central command tent, Shin was greeted by a plethora of military personnel sorting papers and attending meetings. Even though it was just a training exercise, the men and women in the tent were working as if it were wartime, showing great discipline that was hardly found in ordinary organisations. "Shin! What brings you here?" Encroaching deeper into the heart of central command, Shin was approached by a familiar face. Seeing the insignia sewed onto his shoulder, many surrounding soldiers saluted the man as he walked. "Brother Escred¡­ It''s a long story." Shin could feel the piercing gazes of Madam Warulee, Isadore and Elrin on his body, forcing him to turn the other way. "Madam Warulee is leading us to meet the commanding officer here." "Colonel Tychris?" Escred exclaimed. For a bunch of students to request, a meeting with the colonel was no mean feat. "Yes, Major Escred. We apologise for the suddenness, but this is urgent." Madam Warulee backed up Shin''s claim. "Sure, I''ll go inform him. Follow me." With the help of a Major on their side, the group managed to move past security quite smoothly, and it wasn''t long until they got their audience with the highest commander in the encampment. Donned in his full military uniform, the smartly-dressed man stopped his paperwork and raised his heads in confusion. "Major Escred, Madam Warulee? Is something wrong?" "Colonel, we have gained some new information about the Black Masks." Not wasting any time, Madam Warulee cut to the chase. "My students here had unearthed the fact that Mort Bay is being targeted by the Black Masks." "Hold up¡­ What are you talking about? Why do three unaffiliated students know about our investigation?" "It''s complicated." "Simplify it then." "..." A tense silence descended upon the office as the Colonel glared menacingly at Madam Warulee. From his perspective, the investigation into the Black Mask syndicate operations was top secret, and any leaked details were tantamount to treason. Madam Warulee was in a bind as well. She didn''t plan to inform the trio that tagged along, about the Black Masks, but they managed to figure out about it anyway. Before a bloodbath could ensue, the prime culprit for the current predicament finally spoke out. "Colonel, sir. If you may let me, I can explain everything." Shin stepped out from his position and gave the military man a resolute stare. Colonel Tychris tilted his head to look at Madam Warulee and Escred who had brought Shin over to his office. Seeing both of them nod indifferently, the seasoned officer shook his head and finally acquiesced. "Alright, speak." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 292 Mort Bay 3 Colonel Tychris fervently listened to Shin''s explanation, detailing everything that had occurred up till this point. Although Shin left out key details, such as Isadore''s true identity and how he obtained the information that the Black Masks were at the Land of Dreams, he described as much as he could divulge. From how he was taken by the Black Masks a few years ago, to how he conducted the investigation from the shadows. Of course, with Elrin''s identity as the Zedcris Conglomerate heir and his own status as Lady Seph''s disciple, Shin was able to convince the Colonel that his claims weren''t just a student''s fantasy ramble. "The reason why you''re so sure that the Black Masks are at Mort Bay is due to this Junius boy?" Colonel Tychris rubbed the bridge of his nose as he weakly asked. "Yes! I''m positive that Junius has joined the Black Masks! That''s why we have to act quickly and secure Mort Bay!" As much as it seemed implausible, Shin held on to the hope that Junius would stay still on Mort Bay. After watching Ariel die before his eyes, Shin swore to bring his delusional brother to justice and right now, there was a prime clue about Junius whereabouts. It took Shin all he had to leave Mort Bay when he saw Junius pronouncing about right before his eyes, and there was no way he would let this chance slip. Feeling the boy''s agitation, Colonel Tychris frowned in displeasure. He could tell that Shin was acting on his emotions and the personal vendetta of his was in the driver''s seat of his rationality. "As much as I would like to help you, Mort Bay is out of our jurisdiction." "What do you mean?! Wasn''t this training exercise a front to covertly investigate the Black Masks?!" Shin''s voice started to tremble. He could tell where this conversation was going by the tone of Colonel Tychris words. "We can''t let them escape! Right now, they don''t know we''re onto them, making this the perfect opportunity to launch a surprise assault!" "Shin Iofiel! You''re out of line!" Colonel Tychris slammed his palms on his desk and stood up in a fury. "As long as you''re under my encampment, you''re to obey my commands! I don''t care whatever background you have, over here, my words are the law!" Stunned by the calm man''s shift in attitude, Shin took a step back. His eyes trembled as a sick feeling enveloped his chest. Thinking back to his earlier actions, Shin realised that he did sound a little condescending. "My apologies, Colonel¡­ I was speaking from a low place. It won''t happen again." After a brief session of reflection, Shin bowed down in remorse. "Ha¡­ It''s not I don''t understand how you feel." Now that Shin had taken a step back, the ball was in Colonel Tychris'' court. Even he didn''t want to thoroughly offend someone of Shin''s background. "Based on the story you told me, this Junius had murdered your loved ones. I can understand your desire to seek justice. However, I''m really in no position to help you." "What do you mean?" "As you may expect, we have had our own investigations into the matter of the Black Masks. We sought assistance from the superpowers present in the Land of Dreams, and for the most part, they have been cooperative. However, many organisations don''t want us sniffing in their backyard. The Dalgeom Sect is the perfect example." "The Dalgeom Sect? What do they have to do with this?" Madam Warulee''s eyebrows were raised as she heard the foreign name. "They''re the Kori Federation''s current representative present in the Land of Dreams." Colonel Tychris'' face immediately turned sour as he recollected the bitter exchange he had with Sword Tyrant Jimga. "We were warned not to even land a single foot into their territory, and it just so happens that Mort Bay is within those forbidden areas." "I thought Mort Bay was the property of the Lantis Republic?" Elrin exclaimed. "You''re right¡­ It WAS." The colonel opened his drawer and took hold of a tightly bound piece of parchment. Untying the knot, Colonel Tychris revealed the letter and passed it around. "The Dalgeom Sect bought it off the Lantis Republic recently. It is now a part of the Kori Federation." "I see..." Shin was finally able to connect the dots. When he first arrived at Mort Bay, he was surprised that it was rather void of human activity, given that there was an abandoned safehouse that had clearly been occupied recently. "That''s why the Black Masks are moving in on Mort Bay! It is the most unguarded area in the Land of Dreams now! They must be planning to move something into the Land of Dreams, and they''re using Mort Bay as a landing point." Hearing Shin''s words, everyone in the room gasped. His conjecture was the most plausible answer for the Black Masks mysterious appearance in the Land of Dreams. "Colonel, we must move in and secure the area! Given the Black Masks'' resources, god knows what they are capable of moving into the country! I was there when Aldrich''s Keep fell! If they move a Tier 9 Spirit Beast like the Colossal Treant or the Chimaera, the entire area will fall into ruin!!!" Shin warned the colonel. The memory of the death and destruction at Aldrich''s Keep came into his mind. The last thing that Shin wanted was a repeat of history, and he was sure that the colonel felt the same way. "..." Unsure of how he was to process this information, Colonel Tychris sat down despondently on his chair. His orders were crystal clear. Train the students from Imperius Academy first, and investigate cautiously in the shadows. Additionally, he may be a colonel, but he had no authorisation to start a dispute with a member of the Master Sects from the Kori Federation. Turning to the one man who could validate Shin''s claim, the colonel questioned the chestnut-coloured hair healer. "Major Escred, you were there when Aldrich''s Keep fell, what do you think? Are the Black Masks going to attack the Land of Dreams?" "Sire, like you, this is my first time hearing about this threat from Mort Bay." Escred turned to Shin with a little reproach, as if blaming the youth for not keeping him in the loop. "However, I trust my little brother here. If he believes that the Black Masks are attacking from Mort Bay, then I do too." "I see¡­" Colonel Tychris weighed the pros and cons in his mind. If the threat were real, he would be saving thousands of lives if he marched into Mort Bay. However, if he found nothing, a major dispute between the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation would arise. After a full minute of contemplation, the commander finally found his answer. "No, I still can''t do it." "Colonel!!!" "I will refer this new information to my higher-ups. At the same time, I''ll notify my contact in the Dalgeom Sect about this new threat. I will also ready a battalion to move at a moment''s notice. However, we can''t enter Mort Bay." The Imperial Army had a strict hierarchy. Colonel Tychris'' orders had been clear from day one, and it would take a significant overhaul from the upper brass to overturn those orders. Furthermore, the issue with the Dalgeom Sect was a delicate matter. Should it be handled carelessly, the dispute might escalate into a full-on conflict, which would, in turn, lead to a pointless war. A war with the Kori Federation was the last thing that the Himmel Empire needed, and thus, Colonel Tychris decided to move with the Empire''s best interests in mind. "Colonel! This is a..." "My decision is final, Shin Iofiel." The military man raised his left hand to interrupt the indignant Shin. "Additionally, I advise that the three of you remain on the premise." "Are you threatening to ground us?" Elrin menacingly growled. "Not threatening, ordering." Colonel Tychris lips twitched. "You''re not officially part of the training exercise, so I can''t mandate you to do any work, but as long as you''re within my encampment, I can bar you from leaving. Don''t worry, all of your daily needs and amenities will remain the same. Just sit back and relax for the rest of the week." "My father won''t be pleased." The white-haired girl decided to name-drop her father as a threat. "Do what you must. However, my decision is final." Taking large steps towards the exit, Colonel Tychris turned the doorknob of his office''s door. "Now, would you excuse me. I have pressing matters to attend to." "... Thank you for your time, Colonel." Shin grumbled as he stomped out the door. Following his lead, Isadore and Elrin left the room, all while scowling at the colonel the entire time. "Couldn''t you have handled it better? They do have some influence behind them." Madam Warulee sighed as she passed by the commander. "Perhaps. But I have faith in my decision." The colonel shrugged his shoulders. "If I were you, I would reign them in. They might be influential in the future, but they''re still too immature. Not everything revolves around them. The sooner they understand that harsh fact, the better." "... I''ll take your advice into consideration." As the room reverted back to its peaceful state, Colonel Tychris turned to the only other person left in his office. "Major Escred." "Yes, sire!" "Tell me about the boy." The colonel placed his hands behind his back and slowly approached the healer. Even though he wasn''t emitting any spiritual pressure, Escred felt as if a dense fog had blurred his vision and it only became muddier with each step that the colonel took. Escred was by no means short. In fact, he was above average in height. However, at that moment, where the colonel was staring down on him, and the only thing that Escred could see was his flared nostrils, the healer felt so small. "Tell me everything you know about Shin Iofiel..." ~~~ "Damn it!" An exasperated cry echoed out from a remote corner of the encampment. Shin, who was accompanied by his two friends, were currently venting their frustration out on a couple of straw dummies that were used for their seniors'' target practice. Dust and dirt flew as the straw dummies started to get flattened by the rabid blows that Shin was inflicting upon it. Initially, Isadore and Elrin were egging him on, as they shared the same resentment that he did. However, the angst slowly turned into concern after ten minutes. They had known Shin for over a year, and they knew he wasn''t one to wear his heart on his sleeve. For him to have that much anger meant that Shin had suffered a tremendous emotional blow. "Shin! Slow down! You''re going to hurt yourself!" Isadore advised. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCKKK!!!" Punching the dummy until its head flew off, Shin finally ceased his relentless strikes. However, without a target to blow off steam on, the youth had to resort to the most primal thing a human could do. Shouting. "Isadore¡­ We had him! We fucking had him! Junius was standing just a few hundred metres away from me, and I let him go! I fucking let him go!!!" "You did the right thing¡­ If we went for him right there, we would have lost our lives." "What''s the point?! I came back here for reinforcements, and all I get is supervision! No wonder Master hates the army!" "Shin..." Isadore knew that there was nothing that he could do to console his friend. Knowing his backstory, the silver-haired youth couldn''t even begin to imagine the grief that Shin was going through. One of the foremost goals that he had, one of the reasons why he trained so desperately to grow stronger in the academy, was to bring Junius to justice. Yet, he squandered the opportunity with faith that the military would help him, only to have it squashed all over his face. "I fucking hate this..." Finally collapsing onto the floor, Shin closed his eyes in an attempt to quell his vengeful heart. However, no matter how hard he tried, the image of Junius ordering the attack on Ariel''s life kept emerging, allowing the cauldron of hate that was burning inside of him to be infinitely charged. "Shin¡­ We will find him. It may not be today, but I swear we will." Elrin crouched next to Shin and tried her best to console him. "Remember, we are forming an alliance to chase the Black Masks. Your paths will inevitably cross." "..." Shin remained silent. His screaming and violent phase had passed. Bottling up his hatred, Shin''s mind ran at a thousand kilometres an hour. ''I can''t just stay here until we get back! I have to do something!'' Just as the trio was rolling in the mud, a fourth voice emerged from the shadows. "Shin Iofiel, are you free to talk?" At the mere sound of his voice, Shin''s muscles twitched. While Isadore and Elrin needed visual identification, Shin was able to recognise that deep and annoying voice anywhere on this earth. Throughout the weeks that he stayed in the encampment, a particular fifth-year senior kept seeking him out in hopes of resolving his unrequited love. "Fred Newton¡­ What do you want?" "Oh, are you finally willing to talk?" Shin had been avoiding Fred as if he were the plague due to how bothersome the issue was. Fred thought that Shin had seduced Kanari, and wished to settle the score. However, Shin had done no such thing and didn''t want to get beaten up for no good reason. Nonetheless, in this time of anger, a fight didn''t sound too bad to the Rank 24 Spirit Core cultivator. "Yes¡­ Let''s talk." ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 293 The Most Devoted Lovebird In The World? 1 "Fight me, Shin Iofiel! And if I win, you must leave Kanari alone!" Fred Newton bellowed out. Ever since that final rejection at the podium, Kanari had been avoiding the fifth-year as if he were the most repulsive creature that ever existed. Each time Fred tried to approach, a black-suited butler would emerge from the shadows, stopping whatever advance he planned. However, even after getting mauled numerous times by Kanari''s female bodyguard, Fred never gave up. Braving through the broken bones and torn tendons, the devoted lovebird would rise from the ashes to try again. Yet, no matter how much he displayed his dedication, Kanari never gave him the time of day. Over the past few months, Fred tried to approach Kanari over twenty times to no avail. He was so tenacious that even Kanari''s butler felt terrible for breaking his body twenty times. Unfortunately, the girl remained adamant on her viewpoint. Kanari had rejected Fred for the final time, and she was exceptionally clear that she wouldn''t consider him even if he were the last man on earth. Nonetheless, Fred wasn''t one to give up on the one girl he loved. Convinced that Shin was the virus that had corrupted his pure-hearted Kanari, Fred decided to move to get rid of the cancer. In his mind, if Shin were out of the equation, he would be given a second lease of life when it came to wooing the ice queen. "I can''t do that. Kanari is her own person, and she''s hanging out with me on her own free will. I can''t decide that for her." "Just stay far away from her!!! Without your influence, Kanari''s eyes would be opened!!!" Blinded in his own desires, Fred couldn''t see his own faults and blamed everything that happened on Shin. "If you didn''t exist, Kanari would have definitely chosen me by now!!!" "You''re unredeemable..." Elrin scowled in disgust. When she heard the stories of how passionate Fred was, she thought that it was cute for a boy to carry that much devotion for one girl. However, now that she was up close and personal with him, the white-haired girl felt utterly repulsed by Fred. While Elrin had her mental image of Fred utterly shattered, Shin was still writhing in anger over the incident in the colonel''s office. Just like before, Shin was unable to change the mind of the person in question, making him feel utterly pissed at the whole situation. He had befriended Kanari, and they shared a mutual relationship of trust. Additionally, he had never seen the girl as a romantic partner before. Thus, when Kanari''s brutal rejection of Fred had nothing to do with Shin. Yet, here he was, facing the unreasonable fifth-year with floss in his brain. His fists clenched, Shin held back the urge to punch a hole through Fred''s head. "I have never bothered you. In fact, I make strides in my schedule to avoid you. But time and time again, you come with these ridiculous accusations. If you want to fight, fine! I''ll beat some sense into your tiny little brain." Shin bent his waist and assumed his standard combat position. Instantly casting his spiritual body enhancement, the youth became covered in scales as his spiritual energy spiked through the roof. Usually, Shin would never enter a fight in which he knew nothing about the enemy. However, Shin''s mind wasn''t functioning as per usual. After allowing Junius to escape before his eyes and facing the injustice in the colonel''s tent, the youth''s rationality was clouded with the primal desire to break something. In this case, the target of his wrath was Fred''s face. "Since you won''t agree to my terms, I''ll beat you until you accept!!!" Finally getting what he came for, Fred too summoned out his Spirit. His fleshy body glowed in an argent hue while the phantom of an Iron Titan appeared behind his back. Spreading his arms out wide like an eagle, Fred allowed himself to get enveloped by the power of the Iron Titan as his skin turned metallic. His muscles swelled up increasing his overall body shape by fifty percent. "Is this okay?" As she saw how menacing the fifth-year senior looked, Elrin pulled the sleeves of Isadore with worry. "Fred is already at Rank 29 and is on the precipice of advancing into the Spirit Adept realm. Shin might be talented but can he really bridge the five rank gap?" "Not sure." Truth to be told, Isadore was also uneasy that Shin so readily accepted Fred''s challenge. No matter how rotten he was, Fred was the fifth-year valedictorian, as well as a rising star in the Himmel Empire. Before the golden generation, his name was the one that resonated the most in Imperius Academy. Facing him wouldn''t be a walk in the park. "Go get Madam Warulee, just in case¡­ I''ll stay here and assist Shin if he gets into trouble." "Got it." Elrin hurriedly ran away from the training site to seek out the head of the auxiliary department. As much as she believed in Shin''s strength, Fred was no mere pauper from the street. He was the fifth-years'' current valedictorian for two years running, and his martial skills were among the top in the academy. Not to mention, he was Rank 29 while Shin was only Rank 24. "I have waited for this day for a long time! Once I beat you down, Kanari will undoubtedly see who is better suited for her!" "How absurd..." Shin scoffed. When he fought in the year-end tournaments, Shin almost always had a plan tailored for each one of his opponents. For the toughest ones, he had even investigated numerous facts about their fighting styles, preferred movements and basically anything under the sun that could assist him in formulating a plan. However, now that he was corrupted with anger, Shin could care less about having an elaborate plan. The only thing he wanted to do was beat the shit out of the senior that stood before him. "HARGH!!!" Shin executed the Lightning Swallow Steps and closed in the distance in the blink of an eye. Pivoting his ankle, the black-haired youth sent a scorpion tail kick straight to the abdomen of the fortified Fred. His feet clad with incredible amounts of mana, Shin hoped to at least shake his opponent''s balance and catch him off guard. With his superior speed and martial skills, he would then follow up with a combo meant to break bones, and in the process, teach the insolent Fred a lesson. Unfortunately¡­ "What the?!" Shin exclaimed as a tingling pain crept up his lower body. Instead of sending Fred flying, Shin was the one who felt the full impact of his massive strike. Completely covered with iron skin, the muscular Fred was reinforced entirely as if he were a fortress. Kicking an iron wall didn''t cut it. Shin felt like he was a rodent that had attacked an immovable rampart. After having his entire being broken down by Kanari''s bodyguard time and time again, Fred was immune to weak attacks by those around his cultivation level. In fact, Fred was confident that his defence had surpassed that of his seniors, making him the greatest defence-oriented student in the academy. He was even optimistic of taking Kanari''s Lunar Beam head on without any repercussions. "My turn." In Shin''s moment of weakness, Fred capitalised and grabbed the boy by his ankles. Treating Shin as if he were a caveman''s club, Fred slammed the boy onto the ground, forming a crater beneath him with every hit. "Fuck you!!!" Shin cursed as he created a water sphere to cushion his fall. With his scales, Shin was able to lube up his entire body, enabling him to slip out of Fred''s tight grasp. Instantly retreating a dozen metres, Shin felt his head spin. ''Damn it, I might be slightly concussed...'' Shin lamented his earlier folly. What was he thinking? Diving headfirst at the Iron Titan without a plan? ''Tch, his defences are much better than Danroy''s!'' "Stop daydreaming!" Seeing that Shin was crouched down and unmoving, Fred charged forward and launched a high knee towards the youth''s face. Gritting his teeth, Shin was forced to make a last minute escape. ''This asshole¡­ I''m going to neuter him for Kanari!!!'' Shin swore to take Fred down with a vengeance. Leaping forward, Shin executed the seismic combination that he had further perfected since the year-end tournament. With his superior speed, Shin was able to thoroughly blindside Fred with his movements, allowing him to land almost all of his hits onto the iron man''s body. However, no matter how hard he launched his attacks, Fred''s body remained unmoved. In fact, even his expression was frozen. "You done?" Fred brushed off Shin''s attack as if he were an adult playing with a toddler. Stomping his feet onto the ground, the fifth-year generated a light tremor that shook the training grounds, destabilising Shin''s balance in the process. ''How is his defence that powerful?!'' Shin couldn''t comprehend how Fred grew to be so durable. The hits that he landed weren''t soft. An average Spirit Core cultivator would have made ten stops to the infirmary after taking Shin''s attacks head-on, and yet, Fred stood there as if nothing had happened. ''Divine Binding Needles wouldn''t work, martial arts don''t work, and my created water attacks definitely don''t possess enough firepower to break through his defences...'' Shin thought back on all his moves and could only wallow in despair as he realised how powerless he was against a foe like Fred. ''As expected, I need a crazily potent offensive ability like the one in the memory of the charred thorn. Otherwise, I will be left behind!'' Further driven to work towards his new ability, Shin cracked his knuckles. ''Whatever, I''ll just pound him down and see what happens.'' Unlike the year-end tournaments, Shin didn''t need to win the fight against Fred. In fact, if not for his belly of hate, Shin wouldn''t have accepted the challenge anyway. Thus, he could just continuously launch strike after strike on Fred''s body, in hopes of releasing his built-up stress. "BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!" Accelerating to his top speed, Shin tried out every martial art he had in the book. Soul-Piercing Fist, Seismic Step, Fluttering Elbow, Crocodile Whips its Tail. Everything that Shin had learnt over his freshmen year, he unleashed onto the iron body of Fred''s. Since Fred claimed that he had no weak spots, Shin tested that assertion with a scientific curiosity. He aimed for the meridians of Fred, known weak points of the body, and even his manhood. No, Shin doubled down his attacks at Fred''s crotch. Three out of ten hits that Shin launched were all aimed at Fred''s family jewels, and they weren''t mere light punches or kicks. Shin would often use his most powerful martial arts on that forbidden area, so much so that even Isadore, who was on the side of Shin, started to look away with trembling lips. ''So his balls are really made out of iron?! They''re even tougher than the other parts of his body!!!'' Shin spat out mentally. Typically, a kick to the manhood would send a fighter out of commission. However, for some godforsaken reason, Fred had actually managed to strengthen his most vulnerable point until it became as hard as diamond. "You know¡­ Even I feel ashamed if you keep targeting my crotch..." Although there was no pain, Fred''s entire face twitched in discomfort. "..." Shin remained silent. As he anticipated, all of his hits only served to slightly dirty Fred''s body. The fifth-year senior''s defence was too potent for his weak strikes. Catching Shin''s right foot with his thighs as it landed once more on his crotch, Fred gave a dirty smile. "If you''re done trying to take me down, let me return the favour." For the first time since the battle commenced, Fred moved from his position. Grasping both his hands together, Fred raised his hands up high in the air as a tremendous amount of mana enveloped his knuckles. A metallic screech echoed out into the field, forcing Shin wince in fear. "HARGHHH!!!" Fred unleashed his strongest offensive ability to date, in hopes of crippling Shin entirely. Unfortunately for him, Shin sensed the overwhelming danger and utilised the Dance of the Valkyrie to escape from Fred''s hold to fly up high into the sky. ''Fuck, I almost died there!'' Shin felt his heart racing at the speed of light. His body turned cold as he imagined the possible outcome of getting hit by that attack. Only after a brief moment of reflection, did Shin dare to look down onto the devastation caused by Fred''s attack. The bumpy terrain of training area had been flattened as a humongous crater, one the size of an elephant was left behind. At its centre, a man made of iron glared furiously at the sky. On the ground, Fred was near invincible in his generation. However, when it came to aerial and underwater combat, he was akin to deadweight. "What''s going on here?!" Before the fight could progress any further, Madam Warulee''s aggravated voice rung in the students'' ears. Behind her, Elrin, as well as some curious onlookers who were alarmed that an explosion had occurred in the backyard, came running as well. "We were just having a friendly sparring session, Madam." Fred tried to explain. "In what universe does a friendly spar result in the total devastation of the area?" Madam Warulee screamed. "Don''t you know that we''re not on Himmel Empire soil? Both of your actions are out of line!!!" Descending from the sky. Shin released his spiritual body enhancement and reluctantly approached the angered middle-aged woman. "I''m sorry, Madam Warulee¡­" "Tskkk, a simple apology won''t cut it! Both of you, in my office now!!!" As he watched Madam Warulee stomp away in anger, Shin heaved out a despondent sigh. ''What a bloody mess...'' ~~~ Support me on Patreon to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.patreon.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 294 The Most Devoted Lovebird In The World? 2 The sky darkened on the fabled Land of Dreams, bringing a close to the hustle and bustle of their cities, and allowing its residents to have a long deep rest. Being further up in the north, the Land of Dreams had a cold and relaxing night, making it the ideal place for a pleasant, snug slumber. Unfortunately, while the others were happily tucked in, Shin and Fred were standing still right in front of the auxiliary department''s head office, awaiting his punishment. "Honestly, if you could just let me breathe for one minute, that would be nice..." Madam Warulee had her face on her palm as she haplessly looked at the two individuals she had called in, particularly the black-haired one. She had just resolved an incident involving Shin and was glad that the whole episode was over. However, before she could even get a moment''s rest, the youth started a fight that resulted in total devastation of a training area. It was as if Shin''s speciality wasn''t being a healer or a genius student, but a troublemaker that had no equal. "I''m sorry¡­ It''s just." "No buts! I don''t care about any excuse you make. Do you know how much I have to do later on to quell the colonel''s inquiry?" Before Shin could even make his defence, Madam Warulee raised her hand in distress. "After your earlier actions, I don''t know how he''s going to react..." "I''m sorry..." Thinking back on it, Shin understood that he had gone too far. He shouldn''t have started a conflict right after he was grounded. Nonetheless, he was in a fit of rage, and being rational was the least priority of his. "What can I do to make this right?" "Now you want to make amends?!" Madam Warulee raised her eyebrows. Showing remorse was a good thing, and she couldn''t fault someone who had realised that he had erred. "Honestly, if we were on Imperius Academy grounds, you would have been let off with a suspension. However, we''re with the military, and in the Land of Dreams to boot! Your punishment is dependent on the colonel''s discretion. Fred, your punishment is as well..." "..." Fred remained silent. From the first instant that he stepped foot into the office, he had been as mute as a fish. It was as if he didn''t care about what would happen to him. "Hah¡­ Right now, I''ll mete out my own ''punishment'' and try to intercede for you in front of the colonel. I hope that it would be enough. Otherwise..." Pessimistic about the chances that Shin and Fred had, Madam Warulee let out a melancholic sigh. "Pray to the Immortals above that the colonel is lenient." "I understand..." Shin hung his head down as he replied. "For now, I order the both of you to clean up the mess you made. No sleeping until the entire training area is returned to the way it was before. That way, the colonel would get to how repentant you two are." Madam Warulee planned for Shin and Fred to show their remorse through their actions. Naturally, their punishments wouldn''t be limited to just that, but it was a good bargaining chip to reduce their sentence. "Also, no more arguments between you two!!!" "Yes, madam." In the first place, Shin didn''t care at all about Fred. If not for his unstable frame of mind, he would have continued to ignore the fifth-year senior. With his mind now cleared, there was no way that he would instigate another bout with the lovestruck powerhouse. "Fred?" "... I understand." "Good! Remember, no sleeping until the area is thoroughly cleaned up!" As she reminded the duo of their punishment once more, Madam Warulee hurriedly paid a visit to the colonel, leaving Shin and Fred to silently walk back to the scene of the crime. "..." "..." An awkward silence descended upon the pair as they picked up shovels to clean the area. Never on speaking terms anyway, Shin had no idea of how to interact with Fred. While Shin held no blatant hostilities to Fred, the same couldn''t be said the other way round. Assuming that his pure and gorgeous Kanari had been corrupted by Shin''s charms, Fred always saw the youth as an enemy. Even before the brutal rejection back at the year-end tournaments, the fifth-year had a strong disdain for Shin, who regularly hung out with Kanari, despite being a member of the opposite gender. ''Should I try to resolve our misunderstandings?'' Shin wondered as he finished cleaning one part of the training area. Based on Fred''s devoted character, he won''t stop harbouring a grudge against Shin just because Madam Warulee mandated it. If Shin wanted Fred to get off his back, he had to ensure that he changed Fred''s misconception about the nature of his relationship with Kanari. "Senior¡­ Could you spare a moment to talk?" Shin fired the first bullet. "..." Continuously shovelling away, Fred didn''t even spare Shin a single glance. However, the black-haired youth remained undeterred. "It''s about Kanari." "I have nothing to say to you over here. When we return to the academy, I''ll settle everything." ''What do you mean by settle?!'' Shin screamed inwardly. The grudge that Fred was more profound than he anticipated. If Shin left it unsettled, there was no doubt in his mind that his life would be in danger the moment they returned to the Himmel Empire. "Hear me out, senior." Shin desperately attempted to stay calm, but he was unable to stop the rapid twitching of his eyelids. "Kanari and I don''t have that kind of relationship. We are really just friends that study together." "..." For a moment there, Fred stopped his movements. However, he soon continued his clean-up duty, thoroughly ignoring Shin''s claim. "I''m serious, senior!!! I don''t have any feelings for Kanari, and I doubt that she has any feelings for me!" Shin continued on his explanation. "The reason why we always hang out together is due to the mutual benefit that we get. I get to teach Kanari on some academic issues that she''s unclear about, and she advises me on how to proceed with my martial arts training or cultivation. That''s the full extent of our relationship." Of course, there was the issue that Kanari wanted to recruit Shin into the Highgarden Duchy, but Shin opted to leave that detail out. "I don''t believe you." For the first time since the earlier fight, Fred finally spoke his mind. "Kanari was always benevolent and compassionate. Even though she rejected me multiple times before, she had never done so in such a clear-cut method. Deep down, I know that she had an inkling of attraction towards me! If all went as planned, I would have her in my grasp within the few years I have with her in Imperius Academy!" Hearing the fifth-year senior''s outburst, Shin finally comprehended the full extent of Fred''s delusion. Kanari had rejected Fred dozens of times, but the lovebird remained hopeful that things would change. He truly believed that his devotion would move Kanari into accepting his love so that they could live happily ever after. Well, he couldn''t be entirely blamed for harbouring such thoughts. Each time Kanari rejected Fred, she had done so politely, and in a manner which suggests that she didn''t want to burn all the connections, she had with the youth. No matter how depraved Fred was, he was still considered a rising star in the Himmel Empire, which made Kanari hopeful that he would come to his senses and join the Highgarden Duchy without that ridiculous clause. Bottling up her disgust for Fred, Kanari had almost always rejected the youth with a gorgeous smile that could bring the downfall of a nation, which caused the opposite effect of what she wanted. With each rejection, Fred''s love for the black-haired beauty grew. Her ruby eyes would haunt his dreams, and her perfect features were subject to his every fantasy. Instead of reflecting on his actions, Fred became more and more obsessed. If Kanari had given an explicit rejection from the start, perhaps Fred''s maniac desire would have been killed in its crib. Unfortunately, by the time she realised that fact, it was too late. "Senior, I understand that you have deep feelings for Kanari. But if it''s not meant to be, why are you pushing so hard?" Shin finally said the words that no one dared to. "What do you know about love?! My love for Kanari is as boundless as the sky, as luminescent as the moon! I would do anything for her! Even if it means taking my own life!" In a red-hot fervour, Fred began to rant. "She''s mine! Kanari''s mine! I know everything about her! Her favourite food, her favourite songs, how she loves to walk in the park, how often she smiles, the things she hates, the things he loves! Everything!!!" Admitting that he had stalked the girl arduously, Fred continued on his rant, much to Shin''s dismay. ''Kanari! You really need to increase your security!'' Shin got sidetracked as he worried about his friend''s personal safety. "Love, huh?" Shin thought back on Fred''s words. What did he know about love? He had once had someone he held dear, but he didn''t dare to act on it until it was too late. Like Fred, he would do anything to see that freckled smile once more, even if it meant chasing the impossible and becoming the next Spirit Immortal of the world. "Senior, let me tell you a story..." "Hmmm?" His curiosity piqued, Fred halted his passionate rant. "Before I came to the academy... Before I even decided to go on the path of the fighter¡­ I had a childhood friend." Shin''s facial expression froze as he recollected the early days on Fried Mountain. "We played together, trained together, and did almost everything together. She was violent, and always wore her heart on her sleeve. She was stubborn and unreasonable. Whenever she wanted something, she would be determined to obtain it, no matter what it cost her." "..." Sensing a shift in Shin''s demeanour, Fred frowned. The black-haired youth seemed so distant, so despondent¡­ So small¡­ "We grew up happily. She wasn''t good with words, so she resorted to her fists. She wasn''t smart at all, but she was the wisest girl I had ever known. She had skeletons in her closet, but she always smiled as if she was fine." Shin''s eyes started to mist as he recalled the time on the rooftop of the Mushinkei, where she told him everything about her parents, and how she wished to chase Yggdrasil to meet them once more. "As we grew up, we found ourselves physically apart. Nonetheless, she always made an effort to find me. She always made sure that she was there when I fell. Even though she was kilometres away, I was always on her mind..." "..." Shin lamented the fact that he was so dense back then. He hated the fact that even though Ariel was there for her, he was never present for her. If he had a chance to do it over, Shin would undoubtedly be more proactive in his desires. He would never have allowed her to leave without making more beautiful memories with her. He would most definitely have made her happy throughout. "When we lost, we grieved. When we won, we laughed. The days I had with her were the happiest and the saddest of my life. However, there was one thing that was constant¡­ She was always there for me." Unable to hold back anymore, a teardrop fell from his eyes. His voice trembling, Shin could barely make out the words he wanted to say. "When I am with her, my heart is full. No¡­ My heart is full even without her by my side." "What happened to her?" Fred finally asked. He knew that it was a stupid question. Based on how emotional Shin was, it wasn''t hard to guess what had happened. "Gone..." Shin took out a handkerchief and wiped his face. "Don''t you get it, Fred? My heart only had one space, for one girl¡­ I can''t accommodate another. Even if the world''s most gorgeous women threw themselves at me, I only have eyes for one person." "I see..." Fred nodded. He finally understood why Shin was so adamant about his relationship with Kanari. He was a kindred spirit. No, in fact¡­ "I misunderstood. You''re more devoted than me." At the very least, Fred was chasing someone that was currently alive. Shin was doing the impossible, chasing someone that had already passed. "I wouldn''t put it that way, but yeah¡­ I only care about one girl. I don''t care if she''s living or dead. I will see her again." "..." Fred kept silent for a full minute, digesting all of the new information that he obtained. With Shin''s heartfelt confession, Fred knew that he was telling the truth about Kanari. Their relationship was plainly for mutual benefits. "Okay, I''ll believe you." While the duo was having a heart-to-heart talk, another pair was eavesdropping in on their conversation from a safe distance. Even though they were normally out of range to listen in, their superior cultivation levels enabled them to hear just fine. "What do you think, Colonel?" "..." The military man was speechless. He had come with the intention of severely reprimanding and punishing the youths that dared to disobey his strict orders. However, after hearing Shin''s passionate speech, his bellowing rage mellowed down and was replaced with tender sympathy. He even understood why Shin was so boorish when he reported about Mort Bay. If Junius indeed murdered the person that he had loved so much, it was understandable for him to have such an adverse reaction. "Do as you please¡­ I won''t mete out the punishment." "Thank you, Colonel!" Seeing that she had managed to get Shin and Fred off the hook, Madam Warulee mentally celebrated. At the very least, the two won''t be subject to military punishments. ''Shin Iofiel¡­ You''re really something else.'' Colonel Tychris smiled. ''Whatever, I''ll speed up the reporting for Mort Bay to the higher-ups¡­ Hopefully, you will get a satisfactory answer within the coming days.'' ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 295 Harbinger Of Chaos 1 Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperial Army Headquarters. Two days had passed since Shin returned to the encampment. Although he had brought back valuable information, there was no movement from those who were inside the military camp. Colonel Tychris had sent telegrams back to the Capital with the hope of getting an order to march upon Mort Bay. Alas, it was easier said than done. When the message was received, the military high command went into turmoil. Few in the upper brass knew of the real mission that Colonel Tychris and his brigade were sent to do. Therefore, when the news broke that the Black Masks may be planning a landing mission on Mort Bay, many didn''t take the news happily. "The joint training session at the Land of Dreams was a disguise to investigate into a Black Mask operation?! Why is it that this is my first time hearing about this?" A sinewy man slapped his hand on the table as he bellowed out in anger. To discuss on what was the right course of actions to take, all of the available top brass of the Imperial Army gathered. One false step could start the fuse on a potential war with the Kori Federation, which meant that everything had to be treated with due diligence. "Brigadier General Lasgeor, we had to be discrete about the operation. Furthermore, we made additional efforts not to implicate the children of Imperius Academy." One of the commanding officers calmly replied. "Not to mention, they are under strict orders not to enter direct combat." "Nonetheless, you still placed minors at risk." Colonel Frithron, who had remained silent behind of Gaji, finally spoke out. Even though his son, Danroy, wasn''t part of the excursion, who knew if the military would give out a similar order in the future. Just the thought of having his son fight in a place where he couldn''t reach, made the seasoned colonel shiver. "I can''t condone your logic, so I''ll be lodging a formal complaint to the Imperial Courts." "Do what you must, but right now, we have more pressing matters to attend to." The head commander coldly brushed away Colonel Nathan Frithron''s protest. "The Black Masks are headed towards Mort Bay. Colonel Tychris had informed the Sword Tyrant Jimga of their actions, but it seems that they are still under the impression that we''re lying to them for our own benefit. Instead of fortifying Mort Bay, they have increased the surveillance on our brigade at the Land of Dreams." "Classic Dalgeom Sect shenanigans." Another general lit up his cigar and puffed out a cloud of smoke. "They''re always thinking that we''re trying to one-up them." "No matter what, they''re still part of the Master Sects. If we show an openly aggressive attitude, the Kori Federation would undoubtedly think that we''re targeting them. One thing leads to another, and we''re in open war. That''s the situation that everyone doesn''t want to see." Gaji interjected. Even though he was pissed that the high command actually used students as a diversion, to be part of the upper brass, he had to have a certain degree of rationality. "Why don''t we pull back the brigade in the Land of Dreams? As a measure of good faith to the Dalgeom Sect?" Another general suggested. "Not yet¡­ The brigade can stay in the Land of Dreams for another week or so based on our agreement, so it''s best that we make full use of it. If the sources are correct and the Black Masks are planning an invasion by the sea, we need an emergency response team near the Main Hub, so that we can evacuate our citizens in the area." The commander argued. "Of course, there''s no guarantee that the Black Masks would strike within that week, so we have to create a new task force that can move at a moment''s notice. I suggest using a division from the Second Army. What do you think?" "A division?! If we march that many troops into the Land of Dreams, what would the other two superpowers think?" Gaji hollered out. "Additionally, can we really trust the information about Mort Bay, what if we''re all wrong? Won''t moving that many troops to the border pose as a blatant sign of aggression?" Whispers broke out between all of the men in the command room. They were all veteran fighters that knew what precedes violence. If the information was accurate and the Black Masks had indeed planned an invasion via Mort Bay, then it was all good. However, if there were no invasion, the world would assume that the Himmel Empire wanted to launch a full takeover of the Land of Dreams, bringing condemnation from all fronts. "The information we have is accurate. I assure you that." Not willing to divulge where he got the data, the commander sharply retorted. "Let me remind you, each passing moment we stay here indecisive, is an opportunity for the Black Masks to advance their plans." "..." The commanding officers all started to talk among themselves. They had notified the Dalgeom Sect about the impending doom, and yet that Master Sect firmly believed that the Imperial Army was out to sabotage their plans. "Let''s do it..." The General of the Second Army sighed. Of all the men present, he was the one with the highest authority. "Order Colonel Tychris'' brigade to stand down and cease all activities. We will gather a division from my army, at the same time, we should inform the Lantis Republic to observe the sea routes towards Mort Bay. If we declare all of our intentions beforehand, we would at the very least prevent alarming our allies." "Bringing in the Lantis Republic as well..." The commander frowned. With their actions, the world might experience yet another conflict. Did they really want to bring in another superpower into the mess? "That sounds much more logical..." However, not everybody shared the commander''s concerns. Gaji and Nathan both nodded their heads, agreeing with the Second Army''s General. "Good. Let''s run this by the Imperial Courts then." ~~~ ?????????? "Damn it! Those Himmel bastards!!!" A scornful cry echoed through the darkness of night, scaring away all of the nocturnal animals that came out to play. "We were almost there!!!" A Black Mask commander, wearing the ensign of a golden tree, was busy venting out his frustrations. Before him, a legion of Black Masks had their hands behind their backs with nervousness. Even though their eyes were hidden, based on their trembling, one could tell that they weren''t in the most comfortable of positions. However, there was just one individual that dared to brave the wrath of their mighty leader. "Sir Brahmin, our plan has not failed yet!" A viridian-haired handsome youth stood forward. "Junius! You''re our liaison with the mercenaries! How have you not caught wind of this sooner?!" Immediately trying to pin the blame onto anyone, the emotional Brahmin glared at the young man that dared to stand in his path. "With all due respect, Sir Brahmin¡­ Nobody could have anticipated them discovering Mort Bay so quickly." Although Junius'' words seemed calm, internally, he was baffled. He was sure that they weeded out all of the bad apples from the bunch, making their information flow airtight. Not to mention, they made extra precautions to never reveal their position. Yet, a day ago, the information network of the Black Masks caught wind that the Himmel Empire was planning to move a division to the border of the Land of Dreams, potentially compromising their overall operation. "Tskkk, I know..." The Brahmin clicked his tongue and fell onto his chair. "However, we can''t just leave it at that. We need to find a way to complete this mission!" The Mort Bay landing was a direct order by the Allfather, making it impossible to abandon. After lying low for a couple of years, the invasion of the Land of the Dreams would be the comeback that the Black Masks sorely needed. Furthermore, they needed to move the thousands of Spirit Beasts that they had into the Kori Federation so that they could begin their operations in the land. "Sir Brahmin, if I may interject..." Junius cautiously spoke. "Speak!" "The reason why we have been this slow is due to our commitment of being discrete. Now that we have lost the element of surprise, why don''t we just go at it head-on?" Junius let out a sinister grin. "The infrastructure we had built in Mort Bay has been completed. The path towards the Kori Federation had been cleared by the Dalgeom Sect. All that''s left is the movement of our forces." "What are you getting at, Junius?" The Brahmin tapped on his chair impatiently. "Remember how well our attack on Aldrich''s Keep worked?" Junius took in a deep breath as his eyes began to shine with evil. Those who knew him started to back off slowly while the Brahmin in front of him unconsciously gulped. Even though Junius was at a much lower cultivation level, the Brahmin felt a little apprehension when dealing with this maniacal youth. "Let''s bring in Tier 9 Spirit Beasts again..." ~~~ The Land of Dreams. Imperius Academy Encampment. Three days later. In a blink of an eye, the month-long joint training session that Imperius Academy had participated in was nearly at its end. For the students in the encampment, their hell was finally over, and they could return to the safety of their homes. Many who had significant others waiting for them back in the Capital hurriedly wrote letters informing their loved ones of the date of their return. Some even had their bags fully packed up, eagerly waiting for the day in which the order to march home came. While others were celebrating the end of the joint training exercise, three individuals all wore solemn faces. Shin, Elrin and Isadore, the three sophomores that had gone out of their way to enter the joint training session, was about to leave the Land of Dreams empty-handed. Isadore had to pull all of his resources and connections to get the spots he wanted. Elrin had to convince her overprotective father that it was a good idea to come, and worst of all¡­ Shin had to see Junius, the person he wanted to capture the most, escape right before his eyes. It was no wonder that the trio was gloomy about their whole situation. "In a few more days, we will be returning to the academy..." Elrin was the first to break the silence. "I know..." Shin sighed. Since they were grounded, the trio had no viable means of investigating the Black Masks anymore. They spent their days rotting away in the cabins where they were confined, praying for a miracle to occur. "By now, Junius must have escaped far away from Mort Bay¡­ I probably won''t be able to meet him again." "Don''t say that..." Isadore sat next to his friend and tapped his bony shoulders. "There will always be another chance. Justice will prevail." "Justice, huh?" Shin muttered to himself. ''I wonder which God or Immortal is in charge of that in the heavens above? Whoever they are, they''re doing a terrible job.'' Shin cursed the deities that lived in the realm above the sky. If justice were real, Junius and the Allfather would have been brought in a thousand times over by now. "Yeah, Shin. There''s always next time." Unaware of the negative feelings that Shin was currently experiencing, Elrin gave the youth a warm smile. "At least we have taken the first step in the fight against the Black Masks. Since you have found the information about Mort Bay, the upper brass has been moving to combat the issue." Shin''s dream was to start an organisation that could combat the Black Mask syndicate. For that to happen, Shin had to show that he had the resources and the expertise to trace or fight against the mighty crime organisation. With this win in the bag for him, Shin was one step closer to realising his ultimate goal. "Maybe¡­ But I still can''t wash away the bitter taste in my mouth..." Shin grumbled. "We could have done much more, if not for the Imperial Army''s way of doing things..." "I know. Next time, we''ll be more prepared." Isadore repeated his consolation words as if he were a broken record.Unfortunately, at this point in time, no words were able to reach Shin. "When we get back, why don''t I treat you to a..." "DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!" Before Isadore could complete his sentence, a loud siren rung through the encampment. "What''s going on?" Shin abruptly stood from his chair and ran out of his tent. Likewise, Elrin and Isadore entered into a combative state and followed him straight out. At the sound of the sirens, the seasoned soldiers all ran to their positions like a well-oiled machine, while the students were all caught in a state of disarray. However, even though they were confused, they showed that their training didn''t go to waste by forming rows, waiting for the next course of action. "Shin! Elrin! Isadore! There you are!" A few minutes after the first siren rang, a panting middle-aged, bespectacled woman came running in the trio''s direction. Bending down to take a deep breath, Madam Warulee''s eyes quivered with worry. "We have to evacuate immediately!!!" "What''s going on?" "A beast horde! There''s a beast horde entering the Main Hub!" Madam Warulee explained. "The brigade was ordered to facilitate the quick evacuation of all civilians and students in the area! We can''t remain here anymore!" "What?!" Hearing the worried woman''s words, Shin immediately got flashbacks to the time where he lived in Aldrich''s Keep. Based on the modus operandi of the Black Masks, the beast horde was just the beginning. They would send high-level executives from their bases to tie down the leaders in the Main Hub, all while the beasts below wreak havoc all over the place, and if it really was a repeat of Aldrich''s Keep¡­ "Was there a laser?! Or any signs of a Tier 9 Spirit Beast?!" Shin frantically questioned. "Laser? Tier 9? What are you talking about?" "Tch, Madam Warulee! Let me meet the Colonel, please! I have information about how the Black Masks might operate from now on!" "..." Madam Warulee hesitated. Her mission was the safe withdrawal of Shin and his friends from the Land of Dreams. Was it truly right to bring him into the thick of the action once more? "Please, Madam Warulee! I can help identify the Black Masks actions! Also, I know where their base at Mort Bay is at! We can help in this fight! Do you want the Land of Dreams to suffer the same fate as Aldrich''s Keep?!" Shin kept on convincing the reluctant woman. "Fine, fine! Follow me..." Doing a silent victory pose, Shin felt his heart pumping louder as he finally gained a cause to fight once more. ''Junius¡­ Just you wait!!!'' ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Jorge, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 296 Harbinger Of Chaos 2 As the siren intensified, the soldiers in the encampment begun to move at a far more rapid pace. Tents were dismantled within seconds and carriages were loaded in a blink of an eye. Following their military seniors'' lead, the fourth, fifth and sixth years of Imperius Academy all assisted in the clean-up, as the commanders of the encampment prepared to evacuate their men. Of course, the panic that ensued wasn''t limited to just the brigade. A few kilometres away, many from the Main Hub were also in turmoil. Businesses that had been operating there for centuries without any peril began packing up their stuff, while the embassies in the Main Hub were contemplating on the best course of actions. Even though they had a sufficient defence force, no one knew how powerful the beast horde that was headed their way was. Additionally, they had never experienced a threat for the past hundred odd years. Some feared for the worst and immediately evacuated, while others treated it as a passing wind that would die down within the next few days. However, one thing was for sure. The once peaceful Land of Dreams was now in a state of turbulence. "All men to their stations! Prepare to evacuate everyone in the encampment immediately! Priority goes to the students from Imperius Academy! I don''t want any single one of the students harmed, do you hear me?!" An imposing voice bellowed through the barracks, forcing the drivers of the carriages to click their boots together and issue a solemn salute. "Colonel Tychris, the logistics department is all packed up and ready to move!" A Major wearing healer''s robes came forward to report his situation. "Just give the order, and we can escort the students back home!" "Major Escred¡­ Good, your department is the fastest to get back to me. Letting you join my brigade is the best decision I''ve made recently." "I''m just doing my job, sire!" Escred gave the man a firm salute. "Yeah, good job¡­" The Colonel frowned as he rubbed the temples of his forehead. "But still, what''s this thing about a beast horde?! Where the hell did this attack come from?" "I think you know, sire..." Escred bitterly smiled. "Shin said that the Black Masks had secured Mort Bay. They must have sped up their operations after finding out about our movements back home. After all, having a beast horde attack first reeks of Black Mask!" "Major Escred¡­ Now that you mentioned it, you were there when Aldrich''s Keep fell. What do you think will happen next?" "Unclear, sire." Escred despondently dropped his head. "I was there on Aldrich''s Keep, but I was the Chief Healer. I couldn''t leave my post, and all that I saw were the casualties piling into my tent. Even though I was there, I was too preoccupied to care what was going on outside." Healer Escred clenched his fists. Each time he remembered that day, the day where thousands of bodies flowed into his camp, he couldn''t help but feel powerless. "Then is it true..." Before he dared to ask his final question, Colonel Tychris looked far into the distance, not willing to show his trembling face to his subordinate. However, even without looking at his face, Escred could tell that his superior was genuinely shaken. "Is it true that they used Tier 9 Spirit Beasts?" "Yes¡­ I was inside my tent the entire time, but when the Gargantuan Treant broke through our walls¡­ Colonel, we have no chance of winning if that monster appears." "I see..." Colonel Tychris gathered himself together. His mission was to protect his brigade and the students that came with it. He couldn''t lose himself in fear. "Tell everyone to double up their speed. I want to return to the Himmel Empire by the end of the day." Even without carefully examining the troops, one could tell that they were already moving at the fastest pace that they could. However, the Colonel wanted them to double their speed even further. If it were a normal situation, Escred would call his superior out for being unreasonable, but this wasn''t any common predicament. "I''ll relay that down." Giving the Colonel one more salute, Escred made an about turn and was ready to send out the orders. However, before he could even make the first step, he saw a group of younglings being accompanied by a tall, middle-aged woman, marching in their direction. "Shin?" "Hmmm?" Colonel Tychris raised his eyebrows as he carefully observed the silhouettes of the four individuals headed his way. ''Ah, it''s the troublemaker again...'' The military man cursed inwardly. All of his interactions with Shin had been nothing but trouble, and deep down, the Colonel wanted nothing to do with the young man. "Colonel Tychris! I have something to report!" Madam Warulee cried out. "There''s nothing to talk about. We''re all going back to the Capital, and I suggest that the four of you finish your preparations. We''re leaving within the hour." "Wait!!!" Shin knew that he was out of line to call out the Colonel by himself, but in this situation, he couldn''t care less about proprietary. "I can help in fighting the Black Masks! We have information about where their base is, and I can also point out two of their operatives in the Land of Dreams!" "And what good will that do to me?" Colonel Tychris bellowed out. "We are to retreat back home, not face the oncoming threat! This conversation ends here, we''re heading back now." "Colonel!" Shin was absolutely frantic. It was finally his chance to show how useful he could be in the fight against the Black Masks, but due to the Colonel''s stubbornness, his efforts were about to be washed down the drain. "I was there when Aldrich''s Keep fell! I was in the Uncharted Wilderness when the deadly laser blasted through the defences of the Guardian Rock! I personally saw the attacks by the beast horde and the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts!" Shin was throwing all sorts of reasons at the Colonel, hoping that just one of them would resonate with the inflexible military commander. "I also know where the Black Masks are operating at Mort Bay! Please, I can help!" "NO!!!" Unable to bear the annoyance anymore, Colonel Tychris hollered out. His veins started to show on his fair skin as his nostrils flared up in anger. "Do you honestly understand what you''re trying to accomplish?! You''re trying to jeopardise the safety of my brigade, as well as the safety of your school mates!!! So what if you know everything about the Black Masks?! My job is to bring all of you back safely, and that''s final!!!" "Colonel, I...!" "Shut up! One more word from you and I''ll..." "Hold on, Colonel." Before the military man could make his firm refusal, a tranquil voice came out from the side. Stunned by the newcomer, Shin, Elrin and Isadore all unconsciously grouped together. The man who emerged out from the darkness wore a full ivory-coloured robe and had his long flowing hair tied together like a bun. At his back, a handle of a sword could be seen poking out his shoulder, which seemed out of place, given his scholarly demeanour. On his waist, an emblem bearing the mark of the crescent moon with two dazzling stars carved onto it hung loosely, jingled with every step that he took. "Sword Tyrant Jimga¡­ I thought I told you to stay in my tent?" Colonel Tychris was displeased that his ''guest'' had strolled out of his bounds. "You do know that not following orders in my camp could lead to disastrous results." "Forgive me, Colonel. It''s just quite hard to remain in a tent when it was being dismantled." The Dalgeom Sect Spirit Emperor jokes. With all the chaos that was happening around them, no one had informed the men responsible for taking down the tents that an esteemed guest was seated right inside of the Colonel office. "I see¡­ I apologise for my subordinate''s lack of sense. When we return, I''ll make sure to punish them accordingly." "Don''t worry about that. I understand the hardships of managing thousands of men, especially in a time of peril such as this." Sword Tyrant Jimga chuckled. "There''s no need to bother about the mistakes made by frantic soldiers." "I''m glad that you feel that way..." Sensing that the Dalgeom Sect Spirit Emperor was about to request for something ludicrous, Colonel Tychris opted to chase him out as soon as possible. "I apologise for the commotion, but as you can see we''re currently swamped with work. I won''t be able to continue our fruitful conversation anymore, I hope you won''t take offence." "Haha, no worries! Thank you for hosting me at such short notice." Sword Tyrant Jimga''s face was smiling, and he seemed like an amiable person all around. However, internally, Colonel Tychris'' heart was pumping like mad. He just hoped that the man would leave his encampment without demanding anything. "Alright, I won''t see you out!" "Wait¡­ Colonel, as I was waiting for you to end your conversation, I happened to overhear something interesting..." ''There it is!'' The military commander felt his soul leave his body as the ivory-robed man raised his hand. With a sinister smile, Jimga turned towards the black-haired boy that was hidden behind Madam Warulee and Escred. "One of your students actually managed to find the base at Mort Bay? That''s quite an impressive feat. Would you mind if I borrowed him for a while?" "No way!" Madam Warulee cried out in horror. "Shin is part of the Imperius Academy, and plays no part in the military! You can''t just ask for him to assist you in our own operations!" "Don''t be that guarded." Sword Tyrant Jimga continued putting on a gentle smile. However, those who have heard of the numerous tales where he annihilated his enemies cold-heartedly, knew that he wasn''t the type to negotiate peacefully. "I have no intentions of using him for any sort of combat. I just want him to be our guide. You see, the issue of the Black Masks had caused my junior sister to have quite the headache. If she were to eliminate the base at Mort Bay, with her mood lightened, I''m sure my junior sister would be willing to give a hefty reward for this Spirit Core boy here." "Impossible! There''s no way that we can hand Shin over to you!" "Hoho, your name is Shin, huh?" Sword Tyrant Jimga decided to ignore the babbling bitch that stood before of Shin and addressed him directly. "How about it? Guide us to the base at Mort Bay, and we''ll reward you accordingly. Not that bad of a deal right?" "Did you not hear what I said?! We''re not..." "I believe that I wasn''t talking to you?" Almost instantaneously, a heavy pressure began to mount upon Madam Warulee, forcing her to release her own spiritual energy to combat the bone-breaking burden that was on her body. Although they were both Spirit Emperor''s, Madam Warulee was a pure auxiliary cultivator, while Sword Tyrant Jimga was a master at combat. Even though they were almost equal for now, it won''t take long before the Dalgeom Sect''s Spirit Emperor break through the woman''s defences. "Senior, please stop." Shin took one step in front of Madam Warulee and asked Jimga to halt his aggression. "I can consider your terms. However, you must give me an hour to decide." Releasing the spiritual pressure on Madam Warulee, Jimga whistled while impressed. "Hoho, so you do have some guts. Alright, let''s negotiate. Why should I give you an hour?" "I need some time to decide the terms. Also, I need to ensure that my own safety is secured." "Fair enough. One hour. That''s all I can wait for." Amused that a little child like Shin dared to stand in his way, Sword Tyrant Jimga gave the boy a shot. However¡­ "Oh, you should do well to remember. If you take this opportunity to run, I''ll hunt you down. My men are observing the encampment from the outside, so there''s nowhere that you can hide." "I''m offended that you think that little of me." "Hoho?" When? When was the last time a Spirit Core cultivator spoke up to him? The Sword Tyrant couldn''t remember. Even other Spirit Emperor''s walk on eggshells when they interacted with him and yet, the boy was fearless. Was it bravery? Madness? Or was it confidence? ''This boy really is amusing¡­'' Smiling from ear to ear, Sword Tyrant Jimga felt a bubbling excitement rise up from his core. Watching the black-haired youth walk away from him and into a hidden area with his friends and seniors, the Spirit Emperor couldn''t help but ask. "Boy, what''s your name? In full." "Shin Iofiel." "Shin Iofiel, huh¡­ I''ll remember that name..." With that, Sword Tyrant watched as Shin disappeared into the obscured region as he mentally started the countdown for the hour. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 297 Harbinger Of Chaos 3 The Land of Dreams. Mort Bay. For the first time since its fall, the Land of Dreams entered into a state of national emergency as the beast horde that seemingly appeared out of nowhere marched menacingly towards the Main Hub. Businessmen scurried alongside their families, while diplomats all convened to discuss the best course of action. While the pandamonium was beginning to unravel itself, the source of all the mayhem, Mort Bay was relatively tranquil. Due to the lack of vigilance, the Black Masks and their operatives working there had full control over the entire bay, allowing their risky operation to continue on without any interference. Initially, many among them feared that the high volume of Spirit Beasts coming from the oceans would draw the attention from the Lantis Republic''s navy or the Kori Federation''s spies. However, the Black Masks had something up their sleeves. "To think that they have vehicles that could travel underwater..." Star Face lauded his employers. As a paid mercenary, he, alongside Cyphia weren''t given much information about the enigmatic syndicate that they worked for. He didn''t even know where the Black Masks got that many resources to do the deeds. The only thing that they knew about the organisation was what they had been shown. "Yeah¡­ Honestly, if they had this much power, why did they even bother hiring us?" Cyphia grumbled. Even though she was effectively getting paid to do nothing, it wasn''t a good feeling at all to get relegated to the side. "I can answer that." "J-Junius!" Taken aback by the viridian-haired youth''s sudden appearance, Cyphia felt her heart skip a beat as she unconsciously took a few steps back. Being someone from the Black Masks, Cyphia didn''t know what Junius would do now that he had heard her derogatory curse against his organisation. On the other hand, Star Face, who had been carefully monitoring his surroundings, raised his brows as he observed the young man closing in. ''How did he appear so close to us without me knowing?!'' Star Face was in awe. For someone of Junius'' age to acquire a stealth ability that could even slip under his radar was the feat. "Don''t worry, I don''t particularly like being a blabbermouth. However, when you sing, make sure that there''s no one around first, lest you embarrass yourself again." Seeing how shaken Cyphia was, Junius gave out a wry smile and winked at the middle-aged woman. "Y-Yeah..." Cyphia flushed in shame, something that was rare for a woman of her experience. Taking one look at the middle-aged woman that somehow reverted back to being a maiden, Star Face let out one massive sigh before changing the topic. "Junius, would you mind telling us why you hired us? If you had so much power, our expertise is completely unneeded." "Right..." Expecting his question, Junius turned to the burly man, who was almost twice his size. "You see, we didn''t expect for the situation to reach this stage. The underwater crafts was a technology that we wished to hide until a later stage of our plan. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, we were forced to bring it out a little early." "Later stages?" Seeing that it was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Black Masks and their ultimate objective, Star Face listened in with great interest. "That''s right. We are only in the middle of Stage One of the Grand Plan. The underwater crafts were meant to be shown in Stage Three." Junius cryptically explained. Although he had a favourable impression about the two individuals before him, they weren''t part of the Black Masks after all. "If not for the Himmel Empire interfering, we would have gone with the original plan, using mercenaries as proxies while working from the shadows. After all, moving thousands upon thousands of Spirit Beasts into the Kori Federation was no easy task. Brute forcing our way through like what we''re doing now is the last resort." "I see..." Star Face bitterly replied. "However, now that our jobs are made redundant, will we get paid the same?" "Of course! Keeping a good relationship with those that we work with is imperative for the Black Masks after all!" Junius joyfully smiled. If not for witnessing his conniving deeds, Star Face would have thought that the young man was genuinely looking out for him. "Also, we plan to hire you in the future, so you''ll definitely get paid accordingly." "That''s good to hear..." "However, there''s one more thing that I need you two to do." "..." As he anticipated, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Now that their original tasks had been terminated, Junius planned to use the pair for another assignment. "While we''re making this much noise, I''m sure that there will be pests that will come and disturb us. All you need to do is keep a lookout for them and inform us when they get near. Simple, right?" "You asshole..." Star Face narrowed his eyes and cursed the young man before him. "There would be Spirit Lords, Spirit Kings or even Spirit Emperors that would be arriving! And you want us to stand in their way?! Isn''t it akin to a suicide mission." "No, no. You''re overthinking it." Junius took the insults with a smile and walked closer to the cliff edge, overseeing the entire sea in the process. "They won''t care about dealing with you, because..." AWOWOWOWOWOWOWO!!! A deafening shriek, one of the likes that Star Face had never heard before, wailed out from the ocean, forcing everyone who stood at the bay to crouch down in agony. Even the Brahmins, who were in charge of the whole operation had dropped to the floor while covering their ears. The sky darkened as hundred-metre tall waves crashed into the bay, levelling thousands of trees in the process. The ground shook while all who stayed on Mort Bay struggled to stay away from the carnage. Sharp, piercing winds sliced through the area accompanied by dozens of thunderbolts that raged down from the heavens above. Lying flat on the floor, a force field enveloped Junius, Star Face and Cyphia, protecting them from the natural disasters that were occurring all around them. From the depths of the ocean, a meandering shadow slithered up to the surface, creating a bulge of water as it emerged. As the chaos died down, Star Face and Cyphia finally were able to have a closer look at the colossal creature that now lay claim to the bay. Its marine blue scales glistened as droplets of water dripped down its serpentine body, making the monster look semi-divine. Opening its jaws, a breath made out of hot steam flowed out as if it were smoking a cigar. However, instead of getting all foggy, bay started to melt once in contact with the steam. The creature''s dark yellow eyes that seemed to be capable of turning any human to stone rolled around its sockets as it lazily examined its surroundings. To the beast, whose head was the size of an entire town, the humans down on the bay didn''t pose a single threat to it. However, it still kept a lookout for any powerful individuals on the horizon. With every turn of its head, the beast''s refined beard with flow against the wind, ignoring the laws of nature itself. Only after a full minute, did the Spirit Beast realise that there were no enemies for it to take care of. Losing interest, the beast returned back into the depths of the bay, waiting for a worthy opponent to arrive and threaten its throne. Once the monster had disappeared, Junius turned to the two mercenaries and gave a smile that none of them would ever forget. "You don''t have to worry about any Spirit Emperors¡­ Ao will take care of them." ~~~ "Shin! Are you out of your mind?!" Back at the encampment, Madam Warulee was engulfed with rage as she chided the black-haired boy that was seated silently at the side. "You want to move with the Dalgeom Sect?! Not to mention, the Sword Tyrant Jimga?! Do you even know who that man is?!" "Yeah¡­" Sword Tyrant Jimga''s name was well-known, even by those from the Himmel Empire. A Spirit Emperor that dealt with enemies with one stroke of his blade, Jimga was considered to be the most powerful Spirit Emperor in the Dalgeom Sect, which by extension meant that he was one of the strongest Spirit Emperors in the world. However, Shin was unfazed by the monikers that were given to that foreign man. Right now, his priority was dealing with the Black Masks, even if it meant siding with the Kori Federation. "Madam Warulee, I know that it would be selfish to ask this of you, but could you accompany me to Mort Bay? We''re there as guides, so I doubt that the Dalgeom Sect would do anything to us." "You!!!" Infuriated by Shin''s lack of sense, the woman slammed her fists on the wall. Evidently, she had been pampering the boy too much. "Let''s say I agree to guard you, if the Sword Tyrant wished to kill us, he would do so with relative ease! I can tell you this, if he wished to silence us, just one stroke would be sufficient!" "I know¡­ That''s why we should leave our defences to the two guards that Elrin and Isadore brought." Shin playfully smiled as he looked at his stunned friends. "... You noticed?" Isadore was speechless while Elrin had a blank face. "No, I can''t sense them. But I''m sure that there''s no way your guardians would leave your side in a foreign land." As Shin said those words, two shadows appeared behind his two friends, confirming his suspicions. At the side of Isadore, a full dark-robed man, who could only be identified by his sparkling brown eyes, looked at Shin with a tinge of curiosity. He had been protecting Isadore ever since they left the Empire, and this was the first time that Shin had actively called out for him. In the other corner, Elrin was now guarded by a grey-bearded butler who wore formal attire, making one question how he could maintain such a tidy appearance all this time. When he first revealed himself, Shin raised in eyebrows in complete surprise. He had seen this butler once before. "Senior Reginald? Uncle Terlus really spoils you, huh?" Shin''s eyes were now hopeful. Reginald was the Zedcris household''s head butler as well as Terlus Zedcris'' best bodyguard. As a Rank 78 Spirit Emperor, Reginald was undoubtedly one of the mightest protectors one could hope for. Usually, Reginald would be in charge of mending the household matters or defending his employer from any harm. However, the moment Elrin stepped out of the Capital, Reginald was ordered by Terlus to protect the girl at all cost. "Master Shin, I''m impressed by your deduction skills." Giving the youth one respectful bow, Reginald praised the boy''s amazing abilities. "However, I can''t recommend bringing the lady into enemy territory." Nothing was surprising about the butler''s rejection. His job was to protect Elrin, not bring her headfirst into the action. However, before Shin could even rebut, a teary voice came from the white-haired girl. "Uncle Reg! Shin and I are a team! If he''s going to Mort Bay, I''m going as well! Am I supposed to abandon my friend?" "Hah¡­ I knew you would say that." Shrugging his shoulders, Reginald quickly let go of his train of thoughts and helplessly informed the youth. "But as you know, I have to protect the lady. If things go south, I will escape with her first." "Fair enough." Shin offered the butler a firm handshake. After sealing the deal with one party, Shin moved on to the other. "Isadore?" "There''s nothing to be discussed. I''m going." "... I knew I could count on you." Other than the orphans, Isadore was the one that Shin was closest to. There wasn''t a need for unnecessary words. "Madam Warulee. We need to combat the threat of the Black Masks. I''ll just be showing the way for the Dalgeom Sect. Once we''re done, I promise to retreat immediately." Shin stared at the middle-aged woman with adamant eyes. To him, taking down the Black Masks was vital. It didn''t matter if he used his own hands or if he borrowed someone else''s sword. "You brat..." Madam Warulee grumbled. Even though she hated how Shin was handling things, there was no way that she could abandon him in the Land of Dreams. Firstly, Shin was under her direct supervision, and if something happened to him, her name would unquestionably be dragged through the mud. Additionally, Shin was the sole disciple of Lady Seph. Just thinking about the consequences of leaving Shin alone and returning to a fuming Spirit Venerate made Madam Warulee tremble. "FINE FINE!!! Bloody hell, now I understand why Mychael hates interacting with you! You''re the devil!" "Hehe, thanks for the compliment." With his safety settled, Shin confidently walked back into the room where the Sword Tyrant was waiting. The moment Shin returned with two additional Spirit Emperors, Jimga raised his eyebrows in confusion but opted not to say anything for now. "Have you already decided, Shin Iofiel? You still have forty more minutes, you know?" "That''s unnecessary. I''m sure you don''t want to have your time wasted anymore." "Hmmm, well that''s fine with me. So what''s your decision?" Jimga asked, even though he could guess the answer. "Just to confirm, you said that you will give me a reward for showing the way, am I right?" ''He''s going straight for that? What a greedy fellow.'' Jimga laughed inwardly. "What of it?" "I''ll just tell you what reward I want first." Shin took a deep breath in. Although he could ask for anything from the Dalgeom Sect, he ultimately chose a reward for the greater good. "Hoho, and if we don''t accept, you''ll not follow me?" Jimga smiled as an uneasy tension descended upon the room. The three Spirit Emperors on Shin''s side slowly changed their stances in preparation for an all-out brawl. Fortunately, Shin had no intention of forcing a fight. "Not at all. I''ll follow you no matter what." Shin waved his hands. "Furthermore, the reward I want is more of a request, so you don''t really have to grant it." ''A request?'' The Sword Tyrant was baffled. As a Spirit Core cultivator, Shin could have asked for an array of resources that could boost his cultivation. Yet, the only thing Shin wanted was to give a request to him. "Senior, I know that the Kori Federation is not sold on the idea of the Black Masks, and they still think that the Himmel Empire is trying to pin the blame onto an invisible enemy. However, the threat of the Black Masks is very real. I have personally witnessed how powerful their organisation is. The only thing that I ask of you is to help convince the other Master Sects that the Black Masks are an existential threat." Giving the man a deep bow, Shin bit his lip, praying that the Sword Tyrant would listen to his plea. "That''s all you want? The destruction of the Black Masks?" "No¡­ That''s the ONLY thing I want!" Shin replied the Sword Tyrant with a resolute stare. ''That gaze of his¡­ I see... He has a bone to pick with the Black Masks huh?'' Jimga had seen that look hundreds, no, thousands of times before. It was the look of a man on the path of vengeance and a man who will do anything to achieve his goal. ''Well, since it''s just a request, I''ll humour him then.'' "Granted. When I return to the sect, I''ll relay it to my Master." "Thank you, senior!!!" And thus, Shin had taken another step to his ultimate goal. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 298 Harbinger Of Chaos 4 "Good, now that you''re ready... Let''s depart." Sword Tyrant Jimga let out a joyful smile as he puckered his lips together with two of his fingers in his mouth. Emitting out a sharp whistle, Jimga waited as a dozen figures flew out from the forest and made their way into the encampment. Sensing the flying creatures, the soldiers in the encampment prepared for an aerial assault and readied their weapons to fire at the beasts. Fortunately, Colonel Tychris caught on to the identity of the newcomers and ordered his men to stand down in time. "Gryphons?" Shin mused as he accurately recognised the mounts that ferried the disciples of the Dalgeom Sect. Bearing the head and wings of an eagle, with a body and tail of a lion, the Tier 5 Spirit Beasts were terrors of the sky. Ordinarily, to subdue even one of them, an entire squadron had to be mobilised, and yet, there were a dozen of them flying about at this very moment. "REEEEEE!!!" While the flock of Gryphons were cautiously landing inside of the camp, a piercing cry burst out from the outer regions of the firmament as a shadowy figure descended at blinding speeds. In a blink of an eye, the shadow soon turned into a massive creature that broke its fall with giant flaps of its golden wings, sending shockwaves all around the encampment. Even though the creature dived down like a comet, it managed to land gracefully on the ground right next to the Sword Tyrant, allowing Shin to get a clear view of the monster. Just like its companions, the Spirit Beast had an eagle''s head with a lion''s body. However, unlike the measly Tier 5 Spirit Beasts, this Gryphon was over twice their size and boasted an array of golden and grey feathers, giving it a rather regal appearance. For Shin, who was just at the Spirit Core realm, just looking at the monster sent shivers down his spine. ''Tier 6? No, Tier 7?'' Shin tried to guess the cultivation level of the Spirit Beast that was snuggling its head on Jimga''s body, completely unlike its threatening demeanour. ''Whatever its tier, its impressive that the Dalgeom Sect could get this many high-levelled Spirit Beasts to act as mounts.'' Although Lady Seph had Bingbing, a Tier 8 Kamaitachi, the snowy-white gerbil was more like a family member or valued mascot. However, the Gryphons gathered by the Dalgeom Sect served one purpose and one purpose only, to act as mounts for their esteemed disciples. Not many family clans in the Himmel Empire could afford such a luxury. "We''ll go there by Gryphons. They move much faster than any cultivator, and we won''t have to waste our mana flying." Jimga explained while stroking the fur of his mount. "Shin, you''ll ride with me, as for the others¡­ Improvise a little." "..." The three Spirit Emperors with Shin were rendered speechless. The Sword Tyrant actually expected them to share a Gryphon with his disciples, some of which weren''t even Spirit Lords yet! After a brief heated exchange, it was decided that three of the Dalgeom Sect''s disciples would cede their mounts, allowing the three Spirit Emperors to control one Gryphon each. Elrin rode with Reginald, Isadore was being accompanied by his own bodyguard, while Madam Warulee had the comfort of riding by herself. Initially, she wanted Shin to join her, but Jimga was adamant that the youth was behind him at all times. However, since no one knew if the Sword Tyrant would ride off with Shin, a compromise was made that Madam Warulee''s mount would fly next to Jimga''s at all times. "Hmmm?" As the group was preparing to depart, Jimga ears twitched as he heard a familiar sound. Turning to the skies above, he could see two more descending Gryphons, each as grand as his own golden one. "Senior Brother Wangu, Junior Sister Yeunghi?" "Jimga! We''ve heard your whistle! Have you found something?" A frantic woman got off her Gryphon and ran towards the smartly-dressed man. "Yeah, a breakthrough. This kid here claims that he knows where the Black Masks base is at Mort Bay." Jimga tapped on Shin''s shoulder and displayed the youth for his fellow sect mates to see. "Really?! He knows where those bastards are?!" The woman, who seemed to be in her early thirties, hurriedly looked at Shin with expectant eyes. When Yeunghi first came to the Land of Dreams, she had been focusing on dealing with the Lantis Republic as well as building the route from the Kori Federation. Not paying more attention to Mort Bay was her oversight and she had resented herself for letting the situation degrade till this point. Hence, among those from the Sect, Yeunghi was the one that wanted to see the Black Masks burn the most. "Apparently he got into a huge fight with his commander because he wanted to attack the Black Masks." Jimga had a favourable opinion on the young Shin, who was confident enough to talk back to Colonel Tychris as well as himself, even though he was at a far lower cultivation level. "Not to mention he has his own request for us." "What is it?" The man that came with Yeunghi calmly asked. "Senior Brother Wangu¡­ He wishes for us to convince the other Master Sects that the Black Masks are a real threat that has to be dealt with." "That''s all?" Wangu had the same reaction that Jimga initially did. Given how the Black Masks played them for a fool, the Dalgeom Sect wouldn''t let them off lightly anyway. For a child to request for something that odd was completely baffling for the eldest brother of the bunch. Shin gave two firm nods to answer the Spirit Emperor''s query. "I request that you bring the Black Masks to justice. That''s my wish." "If that''s all you want, then sure..." Wangu wanted to ask a follow-up question. However, he was stopped by a hurried junior sister of his. "Less talking, more moving!" Yeunghi exclaimed. "Boy, ride with me. My mount is much faster than that warhorse of Jimga''s." "I can''t¡­ I have to stay close to my guardian..." "Geez, then your guardian can hop on as well! Don''t be so wishy-washy! Time is of the essence! Let''s go demolish the Black Masks right away!" At the swordmaiden''s fervour, both Shin and Madam Warulee were taken aback. A wry smile crept up Shin''s face as he thought back on how scary Sword Tyrant Jimga was. Compared to her senior brother, this Yeunghi swordmaiden was much more approachable. ''Now that''s a person that I can work with.'' Shin did his best to contain his laughter. The straightforward nature of Yeunghi reminded him of the clingy Shizen, which greatly amused the youth. "I would much prefer that plan as well." Shin turned to Jimga while grasping the hand of Madam Warulee. That way, it looked like he was just a feeble Spirit Core cultivator that needed the protection from his guardian. "Fine¡­" Jimga rolled his eyes and mounted the golden Gryphon behind him. However, before he flew off, the Spirit Emperor''s eye lit up, as if remembering something significant. "Oh, one word of advice though¡­ On Junior Sister''s mount, try your best to hold on. If not, you''ll die." "... Noted." "Hehe, happy flying. Shin Iofiel." ~~~ The Land of Dreams. The Main Hub. While Shin flew off from the Imperius Academy encampment, back in the only commercial hub of the Land of Dreams, numerous defences were being fortified as soldiers worked overtime to help secure the borders. After Spirit Immortal Dream massacred all of her countrymen, the barren land had been slowly developed back into a thriving metropolis, thanks to the combined efforts of the three superpowers. Although it was a neutral zone, the three superpowers all pooled in some troops and resources to help the inhabitants to ward off any possible attacks. The walls were raised as sentries begun to patrol the barricades. For the more vulnerable members of society, such as the children and the elderly, they were safely tucked inside of the numerous shelters built inside of the Main Hub, as the able able-bodied men and women got to work. "Reporting to the Premier!" A trooper brought a scroll towards the Chief Executive of the entire Main Hub, and read its contents out loud. "Our scouts have counted ten thousand Spirit Beasts marching from the east. The strongest Spirit Beast that we can observe is a Tier 5 War Monkey. Estimated time of arrival, thirty-six hours.." "Thirty-six hours, huh? That''s not a lot of time..." The Premier stroked his beard and deeply frowned. Turning to his second-in-command, the elderly man asked. "How much longer do we need to adequately prepare our defences?" "We''re on pace to finish it by the end of the day!" "Good. Make sure that there are no slip-ups. Facing ten thousand Spirit Beasts is unprecedented territory for our town, so there''s bound to be some mistakes made by our men. Hence, I want to you personally check every nook and cranny of the barricades. I don''t want the Land of Dreams to fall again." "Yes, sire!!!" "Is there something else?" Seeing that the messenger wasn''t done with his scrolls, the Premier edged his subordinate to continue. "Y-Yes! The Himmel Empire had prepared a division from the Second Army, and they''re ready to march into the border. However, fearing diplomatic actions, the Imperial Army has made a formal request for you to declare the need for foreign aid." "The need for foreign aid? It''s been a while since I last heard that term." Remembering some matters of yesteryear, the Premier gave out a nostalgic smile. However, it didn''t take long for the elderly man to come back into reality. Taking out a piece of parchment, the Premier wrote a few words and notarized it with his office''s seal. "Permission granted. Deliver this to the division commander. Tell them to hurry in." As much as the Himmel Empire wanted to help, in the end, the Land of Dreams was still an independent nation that had a neutral stance. If the Empire carelessly brought in troops, the other two superpowers might see it as a hostile takeover of the country, which was illegal under international law. Hence, it was imperative that the highest authority in the land, the Premier, declare the need for foreign aid, giving the army a legitimate reason to cross the border. The messenger received the scroll with great care as if his life depended on it. After all, once delivered to the Himmel Empire, the chances of the Main Hub surviving this ordeal would increase exponentially. "Is it truly wise? Bringing in thousands of military men from the Himmel Empire?" As he watched the messenger scurry away, the second-in-command narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "The timing is too perfect. A beast horde shows up, and a division had been prepared at the border¡­ Perhaps..." "Your imagination is running wild." Killing his subordinate''s line of thought in its crib, the Premier stood up and stared down at the barricades. Seeing how hard his men worked to reinforce the walls, the Premier heaved out a deep sigh. "Right now, we need all the help that we can get. The less blood that we shed, the better." "I understand..." "Don''t look so gloomy! We''ll definitely survive this predicament! Once we do, we will come out stronger than ever-!" "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!" The ground shook violently as the ominous winds started tunnelling down upon the Main Hub. From the horizon, a tsunami of Spirit Beasts congregated together and charged blindly towards the underprepared parts of the barricade walls. Once they saw the tides of death crashing straight at them, the soldiers of the Main Hub scrambled to assume their positions as they braced for impact. "Tch, they''re here already..." The Premier clicked his tongue and rose up high into the sky. As a Rank 63 Spirit King, as well as one of the few elites in the Main Hub, he had to be the first to enter battle, but first¡­ "Calling for all cultivators above the Spirit Spectre realm!!! The threat of the beast horde has finally arrived! If we don''t do anything, our city will become overrun by the vile creatures that plague this earth! To combat this bitter fate, I implore all of you to unite as we combat this menace, and free the Land of Dreams from danger once and for all!" The Main Hub consisted of multiple independent organisations, each one with their own agendas and assets to protect. Naturally, those who swore allegiance to the Premier had all ascended to the skies, in preparation for an all-out assault on the beast horde. However, the rest had no obligation to assist the Premier in defending the area. Typically, to move all these money-minded residents, the Premier would put up a hefty sum as a reward, but in this limited time-frame, there was nothing that the elderly man could offer up. Hence, the only thing that the elderly man could do was plead. Fortunately for him, dozens of shining lights, akin to that of dazzling starlight, jumped out from the ground and surrounded the Premier. Over fifty cultivators, who were above the Spirit Spectre realm, gathered in the skies above the Main Hub, all determined to give their all to save this land. Himmel Empire, Kori Federation, Lantis Republic¡­ It mattered nought. All of these Spirit Users were men and women that had gained something from the Land of Dreams and were now unified to combat the common enemy. "Thank you..." Overwhelmed with emotions, the Premier joyfully thanked the cultivators that had embraced his rallying call. With such a potent force, the elderly man felt like he could take on the world. "Alright..." Releasing a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure, the Premier felt his body changing as he summoned out his very own Spirit. Staring down the wild beast horde that was edging closer and closer by the second, the elderly man roared out: "LET''S GIVE THEM HELL!!!" ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 299 What Have They Done? 1 The experts flew out of the Main Hub and summoned out their Spirits in preparation to maul the beast horde that was charging upon their town. Being Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings, the cultivators in the air emitted a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure, forcing many of the civilians on the ground to drop to their knees. Even the battle-hardened warriors that defended the walls of the Main Hub had trouble keeping their senses together with the turbulent mana overhead. "The Premier is leading a force to wipe out our enemies!!!" One officer roared out in delight. "Y-Yeah! With the Premier here, our safety is all but assured! There''s no way a mere beast horde can topple us!!!" Catching on quick, another soldier let out a war cry, hoping to bolster the morale of those around him. "So what if there are ten thousand beasts?! We will weather this storm!!!" "OHHHH!!!!" Hundreds of soldiers raised their weapons, uplifting their downcast mood. "The Premier will reign supreme!!!" With a newly found desire to protect their city, the soldiers worked twice as hard as they prepared to fix the holes in the semi-built barricades. The Premier had led some powerful cultivators to thin the numbers of the beast horde, there was only so much a handful of people could do. Eventually, the beast horde will claw their way into the walls, threatening the thousands of innocent civilians living in the Main Hub. "Boom!!! Boom!!! Boom!!!" Raining down terror from the skies, the elites of the Main Hub cast every spiritual ability that they had, completely decimating tens of Spirit Beasts with each strike. Angered by the constant bombardment, the stronger Spirit Beasts took to the skies so that they could punish the humans that were murdering their brethren. However, due to the Premier''s excellent defences, none of the Tier 5 Spirit Beasts could make it past ten metres. "Keep it up! We have only just begun! To completely clear them out, we need to keep this pace for at least an hour!" The Premier estimated. "Once you run out of mana, retreat back into the walls! Take a potion from my office if you have to! If we die, the Main Hub dies! Remember that!" Continuously barking out orders as he sliced down each War Monkey that flew into his path, the Premier tried to keep his subordinate''s morale high. However, while he was putting on an expression of a valiant warrior that would do anything to protect his home, inwardly the Premier was cursing the entire situation. ''Tch, there''s so many of them¡­ Who the hell could be responsible for manufacturing such a large-scale attack on us? And for what purpose?'' The Land of Dreams had its fair share of natural disasters. Earthquakes, tornadoes and floods were frequent for the equatorial nation. However, the one natural disaster it always lacked was the threat of a beast horde. Surrounded by all fronts by the three major superpowers, there was no way that ten thousand Spirit Beasts could have moved unnoticed. Of course, if he knew how the Black Masks operated, the Premier wouldn''t have been so surprised. ''Whoever that asshole is, once the town is secure, I''ll find you and tear you apart myself!'' "P-Premier! Another bunch is coming from the east!" "What?! They had reinforcements?! This day really has just begun, huh?" The Premier spat out as he gazed into the horizon. Just as his second in command reported, over a thousand shadows had appeared and were slowly marching in their direction. Anticipating yet another thousand beasts, the Premier gritted his teeth and was ready to fly over and intercept their movements, however, as he got a closer look, his draw dropped in astonishment. "Humans?" "An army? No, could they even be called a military force?" The Premier''s second-in-command flew next to him and carefully observed the newcomers. Donned in wretched attire, the humans that bore just the faintest bit of mana, trudged like zombies towards the beast horde. A faint dark mist that was barely visible to the naked eye rose up from the humans'' heads, filling the air with a sense of dread and melancholy. Their eyes glazed over, the men and women among their ranks looked as if they were possessed as they followed the few warriors that had their faces hidden behind a dark mask. "The Black Masks¡­ So they''re behind everything." The Premier frowned. "I''ve heard stories about them, about how they brainwash weakened members of society to do their bidding. I never expected to see it firsthand." "They even brought a thousand Dalits to attack us! What is it that the Black Masks want?!" "Unclear¡­ However, now that they have shown their hand, we can expect a tough battle ahead. Look! Some of the Black Masks that are leading the Dalits are emitting a crazy amount of pressure." The Premier''s face turned dark as he observed his opponents. Based on his intel, the Black Masks that bore the mark of the golden tree were all Brahmins that were at least at the Rank 60 Spirit King realm; and currently, there were three of them staring him down. "Those assholes..." A raging fire ignited within the heart of the Premier subordinate. They had been peacefully minding their own business and had mostly stayed out of international politics. Yet, the Black Masks still sought to burn them to the ground. "Fine, then! If it''s a fight they want, then it''s a fight they''ll get! Let me be the first person to..." Sclliinnnggg!!! Before he could conclude his declaration, the Spirit King fell silent. Wondering what had happened, the Premier turned back to his subordinate, only to find a pair of lifeless eyes staring back at him. After a brief period of time, the Spirit King''s head rolled off the top of his body and fell cleanly onto the floor. "What the hell?!" The Premier immediately leapt back in horror. "How did he just die like that?!" "ARGHHH!!!" "HELP!!!" His subordinate wasn''t the only one to lose his life. Almost instantaneously, dozens of heads flew out from their bodies, reducing the elites number in half. Stunned by the sudden change of events, the Spirit Lords and Kings, who would generally remain unfazed even when facing the toughest of enemies, panicked as they guarded themselves against the invisible threat. "What''s going on?!" To get a better idea of what was happening, the Premier tried to ascend even higher into the sky. However, before he could even rise a single metre, he felt his entire body locked into place as thin silver threads bound him together. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Grkkkttt!!! As if to answer his query, the earth cracked in fervour. From the largest opening, a silken cocoon emerged and emitted a terrifying mana surge that froze any being that was near it. Badum Badum The cocoon throbbed like a beating heart and released even more spiritual energy. The Spirit Beast horde halted their steps and immediately dropped into a submissive pose, completely forgetting their original purpose for attacking the town. As for the Black Masks that were acting as reinforcements, they all ran backwards. It didn''t matter if they were a high and mighty Brahmin or a lowly Dalit that had an unstable cultivation base, in the face of absolute power, they were all poultry waiting to be slaughtered. Badum Badum Badum The throbbing continued to intensify as bulges formed, hinting that whatever inside was about to break free from its constraints to make its way into the open world. Grkkkttt!!! Grkkkttt!!! Grkkkttt!!! First, small cracks formed on the outer shell of the cocoon, and within seconds, a pale white human hand burst forth from the interior. Bit by bit, the creature within the cocoon unravelled itself as it shook off the warm slime that coated its body. The Premier widened his eyes in horror as he finally recognised the identity of the monster that had slain half of his men. An effeminate woman, whose entire torso was unhealthily pale, raised her hands to clean her purple hair that had been coated with slime. Fully naked, the Premier could clearly see the curvaceous figure that would tickle the lust of any men. However, the elderly man didn''t feel any sexual attraction to the woman. Why? Because she wasn''t human. With eight eyes that were as black as the night and a lower body of an eight-legged purple spider, the creature stretched its arms out wide, as if it had just awoken from a long nap. The sharp ends of its purple legs sunk deep into the muddied floor with every step that she took, greatly annoying the ghastly Spirit Beast. To combat that issue, the spider-woman created a web of silver threads in the air, and comfortably rested itself at its centre. "Oh god¡­ An Arachne!!!" Bearing the upper torso of a woman and the lower body of a spider, the Arachne was the queen of all spiders. There was no spider-type Spirit Beast that was greater than it. Almost exclusively found in the Uncharted Wilderness, the Arachne was a Tier 9 Spirit Beast that never wandered out of its base alone. A monarch of the Arachnid species, the Arachne had no need to intrude into human territory. However, on the few occasions that it did, hell became a place on earth. "T-Tier 9!!!" "We''ve got to run! RUN AWAY YOU FOOLS!!!" The moment the Arachne made its appearance, every elite in the Main Hub had lost all hope of defending their land. Against a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, they were basically ants waiting to be stomped on. Amused that the humans actually thought that they were capable of escaping, the Arachne let out a playful smile before creating a thousand more silver threads. With one wave of her hand, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast executed all of the elites in the sky and brought back their heads as if they were her trophies. "A-Arachne! Why are you doing this?" "..." The Premier had a face full of tears as he roared out at the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. At its level of intelligence, the Arachne was able to understand and speak in the human tongue with ease. Before he left this world, the elderly man needed to know the reason why he, alongside his subordinates, were being massacred by the Spirit Beast. "Hungry~." Instead of giving him a concrete answer, the Arachne opened its mouth wider than an alligator''s jaw and swallowed a deceased Spirit King''s head whole. "Mmmm, that''s good~." "ARACHNE!!! ANSWER ME!!! WHY DID YOU KI..." "Annoying~." Beheading the insolent human that dared to disturb its meal, the Arachne wiped out the final member of the elite force and continued to mow down the fifty-over heads that it had collected. After slumbering for so long, it was famished. Finishing the head buffet in under a minute, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast grieved at the lack of food. "H-Highness Murasaki..." At that very moment, a Brahmin walked next to the irritable monster, with jelly legs. Even though they were on the same side if the Arachne wished to kill him for the fun of it, no one would be able to save him. "What are your plans for the forces inside of the town?" "Forces~ More heads~?!" "Y-Yes, Highness! There are thousands of heads for you to feast on inside of the town! The Allfather specifically asked for us to clean up the town¡­" "The Allfather ordered that~? Okay, I''ll kill them all~." Like a cheerful little girl, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast beamed in delight and brought her hands towards the crack in the ground. A torrential mana surge flowed down into the dark crevice. All of a sudden, the earth trembled in fear as thousands upon thousands of low-tiered spider beasts made their way to the surface quadrupling the overall force sent by the Black Masks. Retreating back in horror, the Brahmin gulped down a mouthful of saliva. For the first time since he joined the syndicate, the Black Mask found himself rooting for the enemy team. "My children~. Bring me more food~!!!" Obeying Murasaki''s order, the thousands of spider Spirit Beasts crawled straight towards the Main Hub, in the hopes of pleasing their master. And to please they did. It didn''t matter whether you were a Spirit King or a Spirit Practitioner. A mighty warrior or a feeble young child. To the spiders, if it moved, it was a head that could be presented to their queen. In less than an hour, the entirety of the Main Hub had been wiped clean. For the second time in the Land of Dream''s history, their entire population had been utterly massacred. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 300 What Have They Done? 2 "Loot all materials! I want this place to be cleaned up within six hours! If I see any extra materials lying around, all of your heads will roll!" With the Main Hub cleansed of its inhabitants, the Black Masks could finally begin the next stage of their operations. Fearing for their lives, the Dalits ran into all of the empty stores and continuously pillaged out weapons, food, and other rare materials. Being a neutral zone as well as a commercial haven, the Main Hub of the Land of Dreams contained a plethora of valuables that could be sold for a steep price on the market. Once the entire town had been thoroughly looted, the syndicate could get back a little bit of the money and resources they spent on this costly operation. "Sir Brahmin! We have raided the embassies of the three superpowers as well as the Premier''s office!" While the Brahmin was busy barking orders at the lowly Dalits, a Shudra saluted his superior and brought him some good news. "We are in the process of moving the documents to the convoy!" "Good! Once these idiots clear the area, we will depart for the Kori Federation immediately!!!" Beaming with joy, the Brahmin carefully tread through the blood-stained roads, that was littered with decapitated bodies. The Arachne that had led the one-sided slaughter despised consuming anything other than a human''s head. Hence, to please their mother, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s minions did their best to murder their prey with its head intact. As for the humans'' worthless bodies, they were treated like trash that had to be disposed of. "Still, I can''t get over how Her Highness Murasaki deals with her prey..." A Shudra looked at the thousands of bodies on the floor and spat out in contempt. They may be on the same side, but the Black Masks had a strained relationship with the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts that the Allfather commanded. Being Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, and the closest beings to the Allfather, they were treated like royalty inside the Black Mask syndicate. If any of the Noble Beasts wished to eat any one of its members, be it Brahmin or otherwise, no one would bat an eye. In fact, other members of the syndicate might even capture their former friend and present them on a silver platter, just to butter up to the dominant beasts. Additionally, many of the Noble Beasts had their own disdain for humanity. Barring the peace-loving Gargantuan Treant, Midori, the rest of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts treated mankind as their playthings. Akai the Chimaera sought out powerful cultivators to sharpen his claws, Ao the World Serpent thought of humans as ants that weren''t worth speaking to, and finally, the Arachne Murasaki only wanted to taste as many human heads as possible. Each one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts had their own quirks, and no one from the Black Masks could even hope to contest against them. After all, they were the Allfather''s greatest strengths. "Careful¡­ If Her Highness hears that, she would have you decapitated as well." The head Brahmin of the operation warned his subordinate. He shared the same disgust that his underling had, but he would never voice it out in a million years. "She''s treating herself to a free-flow buffet outside of the town as we speak. I''m sure she would be too occupied with stuffing her face instead of bothering about some gossip." "Suit yourself. I won''t come to your defence if she does take your head off." The Brahmin shrugged his shoulders. He had already warned his aide. If he didn''t want to listen, there was nothing else that he could do. "Alright, continue to loot the area. We only have six hours. Our estimates say that the Himmel Empire would bring in an entire division tomorrow. By that time, we should be one foot into Kori Federation territory." "Yes, Sir Brahmin!!!" ~~~ The once peaceful and serene Main Hub had finally been taken by the Black Masks. Spirit Beasts feasted on the human remains littered all around the ground while the Shudras overworked the Dalits to load as many resources as they could into their carriages. Thousands dead and an entire region overrun. By far, this was the most brutal action that the Black Mask syndicate had ever done. If this heinous deed didn''t put them on the international scale, then nothing would. With the massacre of the Land of Dreams, the first stage of the Allfather''s Grand Plan had finally been concluded as the Black Masks announced themselves as a power that could threaten the fragile balance of the three superpowers. While the hundreds of Dalits were busy following orders, one fragile middle-aged man broke free from the hustle and bustle, limping his way towards the most famous place in the region. The Black Masks made use of the impoverished to form an entire army of worthless throwaways that could act as disposable slaves for their cause, and thus, one missing Dalit didn''t cause any form of commotion. The Dalit''s pupils had dilated fully as a dark mist flowed out from his pores. Clearly injured from an earlier exchange, the middle-aged man was riddled with diseases and physical traumas from yesteryears. Even if he hadn''t joined the Black Masks, his days would have been numbered, and he would have rotted away in one corner. However, his eyes were resolute. Step by step, the man forced his way through the barricades as he finally reached his destination. Staring upon the two prominent words on the wall, the middle-aged man let out a wry smile. "What have they done?" The man laughed to himself. "The greatest enigma that the world has ever seen, and they relegate it into a tourist attraction. Dream, the inheritors of this world sure are a stupid bunch." The man turned to the gorgeous portrait of the Spirit Immortal and monologed. There was no one here to listen to his rants, but he still ranted nonetheless. "Well, it''s not like I''m any better. Five hundred years have passed, and I still don''t understand the words that you''ve left behind..." The man chuckled in self-deprecation. He called others fools when he himself wasn''t capable of comprehending the Mystery of the Dream. "Not to worry. Once my mission is completed, I''ll have all the time in the world to think about it." After spending one full hour talking to himself while staring at the two enigmatic words, the man finally shook his head and gave the portrait of Spirit Immortal Dream one hard look. Painted by the best artists of her time, the painting captured all of the minute details that the Spirit Immortal boasted. An enthralling beauty that spearheaded her way into the history books. A pure researcher that advanced mankind thousands of years through her discoveries and inventions. A benevolent woman that looked out for the common folk. And finally¡­ The murderer that annihilated millions in a blink of an eye. From that one picture, the man could see all the sides of the ascended Spirit Immortal. "Dream¡­ Oh, Dream..." With those final words, the man dissipated in a puff of smoke, bringing peace and quiet back to the chambers of the Spirit Immortal. ~~~ Unaware of the tragedy that had struck the Main Hub, Shin was whizzing through the skies on the back of the Gryphon that belonged to Dalgeom Sect''s Swordmaiden Yeunghi. Moving at speeds that could only be described as blindingly quick, Shin felt a little motion sick. Only a minute had passed since Madam Warulee, and he got onto the mount, and they were already doing their best to hold back their hurls. If the Gryphon continued with its pace, Shin was sure that he would barf his guts out. "Senior! P-Please slow down!" Shin begged the Spirit Emperor. "Hmmm? Ah, right! You''re only in the Spirit Core realm. My bad..." Yeunghi tapped on her mount''s neck, ordering it to half its speed. However, even at half its maximum speed, Yeunghi''s Gryphon was still able to cruise at a much faster pace than a regular one. "I can''t slow her down anymore. Just endure it for now. We should be reaching Mort Bay in a few minutes." ''That fast?!'' Shin was impressed. When they first travelled to the eastern front, Shin, Isadore and Elrin needed a full morning''s trek. Yet, with this flying mount, they could arrive at Mort Bay within minutes. "I''ve been meaning to ask you, how did you find the base? When news first broke that a beast horde was coming, I flew to Mort Bay to find if there were any abnormalities. In fact, over the past month, I have been there at least twice." The Swordmaiden asked. "How is it that you''re able to find out where their base was, while I couldn''t?" "With all due respect, senior, but did you hide your presence as you approached the area?" "Hmmm, now that you mention it... I didn''t really bother." "That might be why. We covertly investigated while you never imagined that a base of the Black Masks was parked right under your nose." Shin theorised. For a member of the Kori Federation that didn''t believe that the Black Masks were a threat, the Swordmaiden must have thought that the location was secure after the Lantis Republic handed it over. "So that''s why¡­ God damn it, I''m really making blunder after blunder." Yeunghi''s face turned red as she blamed herself. The Swordmaiden had never been fantastic at logistics or administrative duties. Her forte was with the sword, not the pen. Thus, some oversight was expected. ''I must resolve this issue! I''ve troubled my senior brothers long enough! I can''t keep letting them clean up after me!'' Yeunghi mentally declared. "Senior, I have a bold request. I''m not sure if you would grant it." Now that the speed of the Gryphon had slowed down, Shin was finally able to form thoughts other than falling to his death. "If we meet a viridian-haired young man, could you leave him to me? I have some unsettled business with him." "Hoho, an enemy of yours?" Yeunghi glanced over her shoulder and observed the black-haired boy. "Yes¡­ You could say so." Shin bit his lower lip. As much as he loathed Junius, he didn''t want the youth to die in the hands of others. If possible, Shin would want to capture Junius to make him atone for his sins, not perish under the sword of a foreign power. "I must be the one who brings him down." "I don''t see the issue with that. My beef is with the assholes that ruined my Mort Bay. If you want that boy, you can have him." "Thank you, senior..." Shin sincerely thanked the swordmaiden with a radiant smile. "No problem." True to Yeunghi''s estimates, within a few minutes, Shin could already see the familiar sea that he had trained in and the humble hut that Isadore and Elrin had stayed in. "We''re here." Yeunghi pulled the reins of her mount, abruptly halting the Gryphon mid-air. Taking a cursory glance of the bay, she tried to find the base with her naked eye. However, just like the last time she visited, there was nothing suspicious about the area. "Tell me, where''s the base." "Give me a moment..." There was no need for the Spirit Emperor to inform him. Shin''s eyes were already darting about, as he dug deep into his memory. ''North of the hut¡­ North of the hut...'' Shin traced back his steps of that day and firmly landed his gaze upon an unsuspecting opening. Using his index finger, Shin pointed out the location of the base. "There it is." "Good. Stay here." Yeunghi floated up from her mount and unsheathed her favoured weapon. Shin was stunned when he first laid eyes on the mysterious blade. Instead of being made by the standard opaque metal, the blade was completely blue and allowed light to pass through it. Seemingly made out of pure ice, the weapon looked like it would break at any given moment. "Durandal?! So she''s the Dalgeom Sect''s Pixie?!" Madam Warulee finally recognised the woman that had ferried them to Mort Bay. The Mythic-grade weapon, Durandal, was a legacy item that was passed down from generation to generation to the cultivator that was most proficient in the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, one of the main swordplay legacies that were being taught in the Dalgeom Sect. Twenty years ago, the world was shocked when an unknown swordmaiden from the Dalgeom Sect had actually bested the previous owner of the Durandal, despite being a whole realm beneath her. Tilted to become the future hope of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Yeunghi inherited Durandal with a smile on her face. Due to her swift movements and inclination to pull pranks on her opponents mid-battle, Yeunghi was given the nickname ''Pixie'', and for the most part, she had been faithful to her name. Advancing through the ranks at an unprecedented rate, Yeunghi soon became one of the most indispensable assets of the Dalgeom Sect, all while causing headaches for the Sect Elders through her mischievous nature. However, on this day, not a single hint of playfulness could be sensed from the Spirit Emperor. Summoning out her own sword Spirit, Yeunghi immediately merged her Spirit with Durandal, giving the Mythic-grade Spirit Armament a menacing glow. "She can combine her Spirit with her weapon?" Shin exclaimed. "Yeah¡­ Its a technique that''s hard to master, and extremely risky to use." Madam Warulee helped to answer all of Shin''s doubts. "One minor miscalculation and the Spirit and the weapon would be severely damaged. Hence there are not many who dare to use this technique. However, once executed to perfection..." There was no need for Madam Warulee to continue her explanation. As they say, actions speak louder than words. Yeunghi raised her weapon high up into the sky and released a torrential amount of mana. Glowing in a frosty light, Durandal emitted a freezing mist, as if it was excited to finally be unleashed. "GO TO HELL!!!" The Spirit Emperor cursed and swung Durandal in one smooth motion. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!! Breaking through any and all defences that the base had, Yeunghi thoroughly collapsed the cavern, freezing bits and pieces of it in the process. Parts of rocky seas had turned into an ice rink while cliffs had been obliterated. Who cared about negotiations? It was better to burn the burrows down to lure out the rabbits. "Wow¡­ She really is hot-headed." Shin raised his hands to cover his face. If not, the ice bite from the cold mist would have blinded him. "Thankfully, she''s not our enemy..." "Yeah..." Even Madam Warulee, a Spirit Emperor, was glad. In some aspects, the Pixie was much more terrifying than the Sword Tyrant. "We should retreat further back. From now on, we''re not needed in this fight." "Right..." Shin nodded in agreement as the duo left the Gryphon behind and flew to a much safer location. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 301 Welcome! ... To Hell! 1 Shin gasped as he watched the tranquillity being ripped out of Mort Bay. Yeunghi''s one swing of the sword had sent ripples of frozen ice flying all around the basin, annihilating all wildlife that once thrived there. Naturally, the pitiful lives of plants and animals matter nought to the livid Spirit Emperor. A vein popped in her forehead as she roared out in angst. "Black Masks! I know that you''re here! Come out and meet your fate!" "..." Shin was speechless. In this world, strength really was the law of the jungle. When he first came to Mort Bay and discovered Junius talking to the two mercenaries, the only reason why he didn''t act was due to his mediocre strength. If Yeunghi was with him, Junius might have already been in his custody. "Are the members of the Dalgeom Sect this boorish?" A cordial voice echoed out from the devastated ruins, bringing a smile to the Pixie''s face. Shin''s intelligence was legitimate! There really was an enemy hiding right under her nose. The pieces of debris that broke off from the initial impact flew up high in the sky as a number of Black Masks emerged from the ruins. Although the vast majority of them were the lowest tier, Shudras, there were some big fish mixed inside of the pond. "Two Brahmins, five Kshatriyas and ten Vaishyas..." Shin immediately identified the Black Masks ranks from the patterns on their masks. "Not to mention, there are at least a dozen Shudras, and god knows how many are still hiding¡­ Even if Senior Yeunghi was the strongest Spirit Emperor in the world, there''s no way that she could face that many opponents at once." "I concur, but who said that she was alone?" A resonant voice responded to Shin. From a distance, the remainder of the Dalgeom Sect, alongside Isadore and Elrin, had finally arrived that the desolate bay. Lifted up by their Spirit Emperor bodyguards, Shin''s two friends floated to his location while the members of the Dalgeom Sect prepared for battle. The Sword Tyrant, Jimga, as well as his disciples, unsheathed their swords as they approached the Pixie. "You did well, Shin Iofiel." Jimga praised the youth that was being carried by Madam Warulee. "Your intelligence helped us to weed out the dastardly Black Masks. For that, you have my thanks. You may return now." As much as he would like to chat even more with the strange and talented boy, Jimga had to join his Sect in eradicating the enemy. "That''s it? We came all the way just to get a thank you?" Once the members of the Dalgeom Sect were out of range, Elrin protested under her breath. "No, at the very least, we get to witness a high-level battle between the two forces. That way we get intelligence about both the Black Mask syndicate and the Dalgeom Sect. Was this your plan Shin?" Isadore hypothesised. "The Dalgeom Sect was a bonus¡­ I''m only interested in seeing the Black Masks fight." Shin didn''t even bother to hide his motives from his friend. "Also, Junius might be inside of that bunch, so we can''t leave yet. I made Senior Yeunghi promise that if he appears, she will let me deal with him." "Right..." Isadore mumbled but didn''t say anything further. Giving his undivided attention to the two forces that were about to clash, the silver-haired youth folded his arms in great interest. Even as someone of his privilege, witnessing a high-level fight was rare. "Black Masks! If you surrender now, I can spare your lives!" Yeunghi barked down at the villains. To her, this warning was just a standard procedure. The only thing that she wanted to do right now was to maim her enemies limb from limb. "Kakaka, the lady is misguided. Why should we surrender?" One Brahmin chuckled. "Has your brain gone to rot?" Yeunghi snorted in derision. "We have three Spirit Emperors while you have none. We can wipe you out in the blink of an eye. However, that can be avoided if you surrender." "You truly are a fool..." The other Brahmin scoffed at the Pixie''s remark. "Attacking the forces of the Allfather without knowing your place in the world." Yeunghi''s eyebrows twitched at how demeaning the Black Masks were. In her mind, the men that lay in her path were already as good as dead. Pumping up her mana, the swordmaiden raised Durandal up high with a tightened grip. "I take it that negotiations have failed?" "There wasn''t one, to begin with." "Good. Then go to hell." "No¡­ You''re the one that''s welcome..." Although the Brahmin''s face was hidden behind the thick mask, Shin could tell that the man was letting out a sinister smile. "You''re the ones that welcomed¡­ To hell!!!" AWOWOWOWOWOWOWO!!! A thunderous clap pierced through the heavens and the seas trembled in fear. Tsunamis that buried the coast rose from the bay and threatened to decimate all that stood near the coast. Even Shin and his group, who were way back in the backlines, felt fear as the waves came crashing down onto the forest. A colossal tower of serpentine flesh emerged out from the deep Mort Bay, sending water sprouts spiralling all around it. Opening its jaw, a tremendous amount of mist descended upon the bay, giving the beast an ethereal look that would make poets go wild with imagination. "A World Serpent?!" Yeunghi bellowed out in fear. She had expected to come to Mort Bay and utterly annihilate all the Black Masks that stood in her way. Yet, before her lay a Tier 9 Spirit Beast that was rare to find, even if one scoured through the entire Uncharted Wilderness. "Tskkk, all of you, retreat now!" If Yeunghi could recognise the menace, so could her senior brothers. Jimga and Wangu ordered their disciples to immediately fall back while they moved forward to protect their junior sister. "Junior Sister Yeunghi! Come to your senses! We have to run away!" What was a World Serpent? Legend has it that in an age immemorial, the God of Serpents, J?rmungandr, once had an affair with a mortal snake, and had three children with her. To avoid bringing shame to his family in the Immortal Realm, J?rmungandr banished his three mortal children into the lands below, allowing them to set up their own dominions. His first child, the Amphiptere, used its wings to rule the skies. His second child, the Basilisk, used its petrifying stare to rule the earth. And finally, his youngest child, the one who inherited the most of his blood, found itself bound to the oceans, due to its infinite growing capacity. The accounts varied since Serpent of the Oceans was so elusive, but sailors claimed that the colossal beast gets bigger every year, and once it reaches its full length, it would have enough skin to completely coil around the world, thus giving it its name¡­ The World Serpent. "That''s not an enemy we can face! We have to move now!" While the Dalgeom Sect members were busy confronting the Black Masks, Madam Warulee had already made preparations to escape. The Spirit Emperors didn''t even consult Shin, Elrin or Isadore. Once the World Serpent made its appearance, they tightened their grip over the three younglings and flew away at the top speed that they could manage. ''World Serpent?! The Black Masks has that monster under its control?!'' Shin was absolutely appalled. Even he, as someone who had been cropped up on land for the entirety of his life, knew about that ancient beast. Even though it was technically a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, many considered to be as difficult to handle as a Primordial Beast. If it destroyed an entire town, no one in the whole continent would dare challenge it for revenge. After all, it stood at the apex of the cultivation world, and even Spirit Saints wouldn''t dare face it head-on. ''Run as far as possible!'' That was the only thought in Madam Warulee''s head. The World Serpent''s enemies were the members of the Dalgeom Sect. Thus it allowed Shin''s group to scurry away in peace. However, the same couldn''t be said about the disciples that were attempting to get on their Gryphons. VOOOOOOOOMMM!!! Creating a hurricane that disrupted the air space around Mort Bay, the World Serpent wiped out the few disciples that were attempting to run, leaving behind the three Spirit Emperors that moved against the Black Masks. The Dalgeom Sect''s Pixie, who had braved thousands of battles, felt her soul leave her body the moment the Tier 9 Spirit Beast wiped out her fellow companions. With just a thought, the World Serpent could annihilate the elites of her sect, just like that. "Yeunghi! Run!" "I know!" The swordmaiden swung Durandal at the rapid winds that barred her escape in a frenzy. Her years of battle experience kicked in as her brain went into auto-pilot. Now wasn''t the time to mourn her loss or grieve over her mistakes, escaping the menace that was the World Serpent was of top priority. Alas, if only it were that simple¡­ BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! Heavenly thunder boomed with divine lightning crashing down. Each time the Spirit Emperors tried to move further inland, a stormy wind dragged them back to the ocean as thunderbolts halted their movements. Wangu, the most experienced of the Dalgeom Sect members, combined his Spirit with his mythic-grade sword and warned his juniors with a hectic face. "We can''t get near to the bay! The World Serpent is unable to come on land! Once we reach a certain threshold, it won''t chase us anymore!!!" "Screw you, Black Masks! How the hell did you tame the World Serpent?!" At the same time, Jimga cursed the enemies that he came to fight, only to realise that they too weren''t immune to the devastation caused by the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Almost all of the Shudras were dragged into the ocean, while the higher levelled Black Masks were doing their utmost best to avoid being collateral damage. ''Shit looks like even they can''t control it!'' Jimga was relieved yet concerned at the same time. If the Black Masks had some reign over the hell that was being unleashed, perhaps they could have negotiated a truce. However, from the looks of it, the World Serpent was moving of its own accord, not bound by any human control. "If we can''t run, let''s fight..." "What?! Are you crazy Jimga?!" Wangu cried out. "That''s the WORLD SERPENT! Even if the Sect Master were here, he would be forced to call for backup. There''s no way that we can beat it!" "At least we can distract it! We''re the Dalgeom Sect! Our offensive abilities are second to none! Even if we can''t kill it, if we take out its eyes, we might have a real chance of escape." The Sword Tyrant reasoned. "Right now, we''re just sitting ducks, waiting to get shot at!" "Jimga..." As much as Wangu disliked the idea of fighting a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, one that was more ancient than the Sect itself, he had to admit that his junior brother was making a whole lot of sense. "Also¡­ If we do perish, at least it would be at the hands of a worthy opponent." The Sword Tyrant smiled. A battle junkie like him loved to seek out formidable foes that he could bring down, and each head that he collected was a trophy for his cabinet. If they don''t make it out alive, at the very least, they would have gone toe-to-toe with one of the earth''s mightiest beings. Hence, even though his mind was telling him to run away, his heart was telling him to stay and fight. Hearing his junior''s words, Wangu put on an incredulous expression before turning greatly amused. That was right, true to his name, this junior brother of his was the Sword Tyrant! There was no way that he would back away from a challenge especially when it was one of this scale. "Hahaha!!! You''re right! We''re the Dalgeom Sect! There''s nothing that we can''t overcome!!!" "Senior Brother Wangu..." "Change of plans! Yeunghi, you try to freeze the waters. Jimga and I will take on the World Serpent head on! Once we blind its eyes, we would immediately retreat!" Just like old times, the eldest Spirit Emperor formulated a game plan and relayed it to his juniors. "Also¡­ I forbid you to die. The two of you are the most talented individuals in our clan. We can''t afford to lose you!" "Understood!" The three Spirit Emperors stopped resisting the winds that were blowing them back to the bay and spiked their mana release. The mythic-grade spirit armaments that were in their hands glowed in an astonishing fervour as if they were warriors ready to march into war. It was finally time for the three Spirit Emperors to take on an untouchable sovereign of the land, the World Serpent. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 302 Welcome! ... To Hell! 2 SSSSSTTTTTTTT!!! Frosty white light rained down from the skies as the Dalgeom Sect''s Pixie continuously swung Durandal in a frenzy. A master of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Yeunghi could easily summon the ice elements to do her bidding, even though they were a rare variant of the water element. Doing her best to completely glaciate the raging waves, the Spirit Emperor felt a significant amount of mana leave her body. BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! Unfortunately for the Pixie, there was no way the World Serpent would simply let her freeze its domain. Summoning out waves of torrential mana, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast tore up any ice chunks that formed on the bay by creating tornadoes and tsunamis with its mind. Furthermore, to prevent the water from freezing again, the World Serpent breathed out a dense fog of warm mist, drastically increasing the bay''s temperature. "Senior Brothers! You have to stop it!" Yeunghi screamed out with clenched teeth. Swinging Durandal as rapidly as she could, Yeunghi attempted to break through the fog, but the opened mouth of the World Serpent made it impossible. "Got it!" Jimga closed his eyes and started to chant like a holy monk. At that moment, particles of pure white light emitted out from every pore in his body and begun to congregate behind the Sword Tyrant. Confused on what the human before it was doing, the World Serpent, Ao, shut its mouth and diverted all of his attention on the insignificant ant that was releasing a tremendous amount of mana for no apparent reason. However, when the holy light behind Jimga began to take shape, Ao''s expression turned into one of understanding. A humongous giant, one that was three times the height of the tallest cliff in Mort Bay, came into being and pointed its sword straight at the Spirit Beast. Seemingly made out of clay, the giant was fully armoured with a divinely sharp sword in its grasp. With a valiant battle cry, the giant sliced the air, instantly dissipating the cyclones and tsunamis that were threatening the land. Bemused by its new opponent, the World Serpent created over a million water tendrils and attempted to bind the sword-wielding giant. However, instead of trapping the titan, the water tendrils it formed passed right through it, allowing it to launch yet another attack on the World Serpent. CLINNNKKK!!! It was common sense to take advantage of your opponent when their guard had been dropped. However, what if there was no need to guard in the first place? The transcendental blade, which seemed capable for slicing even diamond itself, had failed to cut through the thick hide of the Tier 9 Spirit Beast and was repelled with relative ease. Rather than kicking an iron board, the action that the giant took was akin to poking an elephant with a toothpick. It might have tickled the beast, but other than that, the attack did nothing. "Just how strong is that beast''s defence?!" Wangu had his jaw dropped as he witnessed his junior brother''s avatar fail an attack for the first time. At Rank 70, when a cultivator had accumulated a lifetime of experiences with his or her Spirit and concentrated more mana than humanly possible, they would gain the chance to create an avatar for one of their spiritual abilities. Granted, it was a hard ability to learn, but once successfully pulled off, it would become a cultivator''s greatest asset. The cultivator''s avatar would gain all of the abilities that they had and in some circumstances, surpass what the spirit user could typically do physically. Furthermore, the avatar could be enlargened at will, making it the perfect tool to combat colossal Spirit Beasts such as the World Serpent that could infinitely grow. If not for the slight decrement in the effectiveness of the spiritual abilities launched by the avatar or the massive toll it takes on the mana reserves, all cultivators would learn how to create an avatar at Rank 70. Although Wangu was shocked that the World Serpent managed to effortlessly deflect Jimga''s avatar, he had no time to remain still. Immediately after Jimga''s attack failed, Wangu launched his own assault, particularly aiming for the beast''s eyes. Dancing about in the air, the Spirit Emperor appeared between the eyes of the World Serpent in a millisecond and swung his mythic-grade sword with all his might. Unlike his two juniors, who were legacy owners of their own school of swordplay, Wangu followed the main line that was taught to every disciple of the Dalgeom Sect. Awakening just a mere iron sword that had no specialities, the roughened veteran had to work twice as hard to the top of the sect as compared to his two juniors, who were talented beyond their years. If Jimga''s sword was barbaric and tyrannical, while Yeunghi''s sword was swift and frosty, the style that Wangu had followed was the most balanced swordplay of the Dalgeom''s Sect. Never overextending but never too meek to strike back. It was said that one''s style of swordplay reflected a cultivator''s real character, and Wangu was the epitome of that quote. Since he didn''t have the flashiness and explosive power that his peers possessed, Wangu had to think long and hard over his opponent''s strengths and weaknesses before committing to an attack. Assuming that the World Serpent had a weak point in between its eyes, the senior brother of the Dalgeom Sect unleashed his greatest offensive ability. "HARRRRGHHH!!!" An illusion that consisted of a hundred thousand brightly lit blades formed behind the man, blinding the World Serpent for a moment. However, instead of randomly attacking with the hundred thousand swords, Wangu combined them all into the mythic-grade weapon that he personally purchased through his years of painful savings and growled as he let out a devastating slash. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Feeling his sword dig deep into the World Serpent''s face, Wangu pumped his fist in victory as he heard the deafening cry. At the same time, many more frosty light bolts descended from the sky freezing the entirety of Mort Bay. "Senior Brother Wangu! Dodge!!!" Not to be outdone, Jimga used his avatar and launched yet another strike. This time, he had placed twice the amount of mana into strengthening his blade and was able to force the World Serpent to fall backwards. Through the combination of the three Spirit Emperor''s actions, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast was forced to eat its first setback in centuries. "Now that''s it''s stunned, let''s leave!!!" Wangu barked at his juniors as they turned away from the colossal creature. However, before they could return to their terrified gryphons, an angered howl summoned out twenty more tornadoes. A crushing pressure descended upon the lands, and the skies turned ashen. Thunderbolts flashed as a torrential downpour, one that seemed capable of flooding the entire eastern region, barred the path to retreat. Even though Jimga should be able to slice through the natural disasters with his avatar, there was no way that the World Serpent would stand still as he prepared the attack. "This is¡­ Tier 9?" Yeunghi had given up all hope. As a Spirit Emperor, she had faced numerous Tier 7 and 8 Spirit Beasts. She had even witnessed the elders in the sect corner a Tier 9 before. However, none of those Spirit Beasts came close to the World Serpent''s level. "Are you sure that it is not a Primordial?! How can a Tier 9 possess such might?!" "No¡­ Yeunghi you''re right." Wangu gulped with a helpless expression. "The World Serpent must have evolved into a Primordial Beast¡­ If not, it must at very least be at the precipice of evolution." ''A Primordial Beast being controlled by a criminal syndicate?! How ludicrous is that?!'' Wangu didn''t comprehend how the Black Masks could tame a monster such as a World Serpent. Taking one good look at the glowing eyes of Ao, the Spirit Emperor felt as if death was staring him right in the eyes. Following that, he turned to examine his two genius juniors. One of them was shaking with fear, while the other was hiding his anxiety with a resolute expression, one that shows his will to die. ''Hah¡­ If I let these two perish, I''m sure the elders would scold me.'' Making up his mind, Wangu made one final silly joke before splitting his Spirit away from the mythic-grade weapon he possessed. "Yeunghi, take this." Wangu tossed the spirit armament to the dismayed junior sister of his. "Deliver it to my master will you?" "Senior Brother Wangu, this..." "Don''t tell me you''re planning to!" It didn''t take an idiot to figure out what the Spirit Emperor was planning to do next. Both Jimga and Yeunghi tried to voice their protests, but Wangu had already made up his mind. "Better one than three. If I use up everything that I have, I can buy you a few seconds. During that time, I can''t help you. So make sure you use good of that opportunity." Wangu cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck as if he were going for a late evening jog. "I can''t agree to that bullshit! Leave no man behind, that''s our motto!" Jimga hollered out. "What good would it do to abandon our comrade?!" "You''ll get to live!" Wangu barked, shaking the Sword Tyrant to his core. "The two of you are wielders of your school''s legacy, it''s not up to you to decide where you die! If you want to enter the afterlife, do so after your legacies are lost!" Hearing Wangu''s words, the duo immediately came to their senses and stared at the swords in their hands. "This is an order! Leave now! It looks like the World Serpent has finished its preparations!" In the middle of Mort Bay, the colossal snake had created yet another hurricane, and dozens of water sprouts approached the land from the oceans. The waves turned even more turbulent and the mana being released only increased by the second. If they waited any longer, the window of opportunity would close forever trapping the Spirit Emperors from ever escaping. "Oh, and take Eggy with you..." Wangu turned and looked at the gryphon that had been with him since his youth. Even though they were kilometres away, their hearts were joined through an invisible connection, and there was no need for any words. Eggy wished to stay with Wangu to the bitter end while Wangu wished for Eggy to live the remainder of its life in happiness. "She doesn''t deserve this end." "Understood..." Jimga bit his lower lip as he did his best to stop the tears from overflowing. "Yeunghi, tell this to my master." Unlike her senior brother, Yeunghi''s eyes had turned misty, and her snot was already running out from her nose. A rather repulsive sight for a Spirit Emperor of her calibre, but there was nothing that she could do about her gushing emotions. "Tell this to her¡­ Bitch, now you owe me." A playful smile crept up the face of Wangu as he looked at his two juniors for the final time. Pouring out an immense amount of mana into his Spirit, Wangu created over a billion swords and charged forward with blinding speed. Facing a Tier 9 Spirit Beast that was on the threshold of breaking through to the highest realm known to mortals, was an idiotic move. Nonetheless, Wangu took it, for the future of his sect. Blocked by the billion swords, the World Serpent was unable to get a clear view of the retreating Spirit Emperors at the back and was forced to deal with the immediate threat. Roaring out a shockwave, Ao broke half of the golden swords that Wangu created, greatly diminishing the Spirit Emperor''s all-out attack. Undeterred by his failure, Wangu continued flying forward and sliced the high-pressured winds with his sword. Hundreds of water tendrils flowed out from the bay and destroyed two-thirds of the remaining swords, however, it was unable to slow the Spirit Emperor down. Angered by the insolence that Wangu was showing, the World Serpent created a giant tsunami, one that was ten times the height of the tallest cliff in the bay. However, instead of retreating, Wangu changed his manoeuvre into a spinning drill that pierced through anything in his path. In the process of drilling a hole through the ravaging tsunami, all of the billion blades that Wangu had created turned into dust as he was left with his one, true sword. ''Come to think of it, you have never let me down...'' Wangu laughed as he looked at the regular iron sword, that lacked any form of opulence. During his Spirit Awakening Ceremony, the ten-year-old Wangu despaired when he found out that he had woken up a normal spirit that lacked any potential, such as the Eight Scions of Water. However, even though he hadn''t got the result he wanted, Wangu still trained tirelessly to chase his dream of becoming a swordmaster. Without any proper guidance, the young Spirit Practitioner worked his way through the insults and tunnelled through the darkest of days. Even when he got accepted into the Dalgeom Sect, and everyone told him that he wouldn''t amount to anything, Wangu continued to persevere. And eventually, he became a Spirit Emperor. Through all his hard work, all his pain and suffering, the one that always accompanied him was this trusted iron sword of his. Never rusting, never giving up. Just like its master, the iron sword was a symbol of determination. ''Sorry that we have to end like this. If a Spirit can reincarnate, I hope you meet a better master. One that could help you reach your full potential.'' Wangu mentally chuckled as he talked to his sword. Seeing as how his juniors had made a safe escape, the Spirit Emperor smiled and turned to the World Serpent, who seemed to have a peaceful expression. "Hey! Hey, World Serpent! I know that you can understand me!" Since he was going to die anyway, he might as well learn something new before he passed. "Why do you relegate yourself to another''s bidding? You''re a sovereign, a god of the world! There''s no need for you to serve some second-rate criminal syndicate!" Wangu asked a flurry of questions, but all he got was a curious stare from Ao. [You¡­ Let them go?] For the first time since arriving, the World Serpent spoke. Its voice was neither masculine nor feminine. It was deep but yet, at moments felt light. It was the first time that Wangu had heard this kind of tone, making him feel somewhat light-headed. [Sacrificing one''s life for another¡­ A rare trait. How peculiar indeed.] "What''s so rare about caring for a comrade?" [Indeed¡­ It''s not rare, but not many would give their own life. I''m no expert in facial recognition, but I''m confident that there''s no blood connection between the three of you. To give your life for someone not in your family... Humans are a weird bunch.] Wangu dropped his jaw at the World Serpent''s sudden shift in character. The once stoic Spirit Beast was now as talkative a roadside cabbage seller. [A pity¡­ If not for the Allfather''s orders, I would have loved to let you live. Your side needs more characters like you. Otherwise, you will lose.] "W-What? What do you mean?!" [A pity¡­ Truly a pity. The least that I can do is give you an honourable death. Out of respect, I won''t chase the two that you gave your life to protect. Take it as my gift to a valiant warrior.] All of a sudden, time stood still. The storm raging overhead had stopped while the overcast skies that created endless amounts of thunder and lightning ceased. Opening its mouth, Ao created a giant mass of white light generated by an ungodly amount of mana. Without wasting a beat, the World Serpent spat the sphere up into the air making sky brighter than the brightest of day. "T-This is..." Dazzled by the change in nature, the only thing that Wangu saw was a dense patch of white. His skin burned as every pore in his body became overwhelmed with spiritual energy. Bit by bit, the Spirit Emperor could feel his body being disintegrated as the ball of light edged closer to his body. That was the final thing that Wangu could see. White light covering the entirety of his vision and from then on¡­ It was eternal darkness. ~~~ Support me on ******* to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p https://www.*******.com/Linodo Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 303 Confrontation 1 "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ I think we''re out of that monster''s range..." Madam Warulee heavily panted as she glanced over the shoulder to see that the bay was no longer in sight. "My god! A Tier 9 Spirit Beast! I had always thought that the rumours were overstated, but the Black Masks really have monsters like that in their possession." "It really was a close call." Reginald, who was still holding on to Elrin, unconsciously gulped in fear. Just moments ago, they felt a tremendous mana surge, and a blinding light flashed from the east as if the sun had descended upon the Earth. Through his assessment, there was no way that any Spirit Emperor could have survived that attack, not to mention the three dumbos that they were protecting. "Lady Elrin, when we get back to the Capital, I will advise the master not to let you out anymore. For your first expedition in a foreign land, you met the World Serpent¡­ If we let you out anymore, perhaps you might even encounter a Primordial Beast." "What?! Uncle Reg, it''s not my fault that a Tier 9 Spirit Beast came out! No one expected that!" Elrin heavily protested her butler''s claim. If her father decided to tighten the security around her, she wouldn''t be able to join the future adventures that Shin would plan. "My apologies, Lady Elrin. My job is to protect you from harm. Hence, I can''t advise that you risk your life ever again." Reginald ignored his young lady''s bawling and turned to the youth responsible for bringing Elrin out. "I''m sure you understand, Master Shin." Shin furrowed his brows before heaving out a deep sigh. "Of course. Elrin''s safety is paramount. I won''t ask her to join me in the near future." "... That''s good to hear." Reginald''s lips twitched as he heard Shin emphasise the term ''near'' future. Apparently, the youth hasn''t given up on roping Elrin into his ranks. As for the last remaining Spirit Emperor that was guarding Isadore, he remained silent and continued to observe his surroundings. If there were any sign of danger, the guard would immediately retreat back to the Capital with Isadore at his top speed. With his stealth and speed abilities, it would take him less than an hour to reach the city gates, but Isadore wasn''t ready to abandon his friends in a foreign land. "We should continue to move. There''s no telling whether the Black Masks have any more Tier 9 Spirit Beasts that could move inland. Madam Warulee, are you able to continue flying back to the Capital?" Isadore asked the panting bespectacled woman. "Give me a moment, please..." Unlike Reginald that the Spirit Emperor shrouded in a dark robe, Madam Warulee wasn''t a pure combatant. Her expertise lay in the auxiliary department and thus, her flying technique wasn''t as refined. Thus, when she escaped with all that she had, the Spirit Emperor expended much more mana that she needed to, sending her spiritual body into disarray. She needed a few minutes to catch her breath and stabilise her frantic mana. "Hmmm?" "What is it?" At that moment, the dark-robed Spirit Emperor found a peculiarity on the ground and let out a soft grunt. Being the closest to his guard, Isadore was able to catch the curious groan. "There''s a pair of Spirit Adepts staring at us from down there." The guard pointed towards a dense part of the forest and informed Isadore and the rest about the two pair of eyes observing there. "Spirit Adept? Hmmm¡­ Oh! Shin, look at that!" Isadore followed his guard''s finger and found two familiar faces down in the bushes. "We saw them with Junius the other day!" "What?!" Shin exclaimed in shock and diverted all his attention to the couple that was staring at them. Forgetting all about the fear that the World Serpent had inflicted upon them, Shin was now entirely focused on nabbing the two to interrogate them about Junius. "Spirit Adepts¡­ We can handle them." "Shin! We''re to return to the Capital! We can''t waste any more time dilly-dallying in the Land of Dreams!" Madam Warulee cautioned the youth about the risks of taking on an opponent when they were already on the run. Unfortunately, her advice ran out of Shin''s ears as easily as it got in. Apprehending Junius was his lifelong goal, and anything that could get him closer to nabbing the traitor of the orphans was something worth pursuing. "Don''t worry, it won''t take long." Shin released himself from Madam Warulee''s hold and used the Dance of the Valkyrie to descend upon the two Spirit Adepts. Even though he was in the Spirit Core realm, he had the utmost confidence that he could handle the two mercenaries. Furthermore, if life was in danger, there was no way that Madam Warulee would sit on the sidelines. "This brat! He''s going to be the death of me; I tell you, the death of me!!!" As expected, the bespectacled woman was livid. When she first met Shin, Madam Warulee would have done anything in her power to bring him into her auxiliary course. However, after this expedition out of the academy, she swore to herself that she would never get involved in Shin''s actions ever again. "Reginald..." "I know what you want to say, Lady Elrin." Before his master could even voice her opinion, the butler put on a stern face and rejected anything that she was about to suggest. "No more wilful requests. At most, we can watch him from a distance. However, the moment I find a threat, we are to fly back." "Tch¡­ Fine..." Elrin clicked her tongue and looked at her only ally left in the group. Isadore shrugged his shoulders in a helpless expression and turned to his guard to whisper a few words. "I''ll go assist Shin." No matter how talented Shin was, taking on two Spirit Adepts at the same time was a stretch. With Isadore''s backing, at the very least Shin''s safety would be secured. "They found us..." Star Face''s expression turned grim as he saw the flying youth that was headed his way. "Shit! Shit! SHIT!!!" Cyphia didn''t have the same serenity that her partner had. Judging by how their opponents were able to fly, they must have at least reached the Spirit Spectre realm, a level that neither she nor Star Face could challenge. "What are you doing, we have to run! The Black Masks only told us to inform them when we saw an enemy headed their way! We''ve already done that, so let''s leave!" When Star Face and Cyphia saw the horde gryphons charging towards Mort Bay, they snapped the communication device to inform the Black Masks of the imminent threat and immediately hid in a place far away from the coast. Even though they were under the syndicate''s payroll, there was no way that either of the mercenaries would risk their lives for that dreadful organisation. "And do you think they would let us go?" Grabbing hold of Cyphia''s wrist, Star Face''s eyes twitched as he readied himself for battle. "Even if we run, they will probably catch up in a blink of an eye. I''m sure you felt it¡­ That massive surge of spiritual energy..." "What about it?" "If my guess is correct, these people are fleeing from the devastation caused by the syndicate, and they probably have incurred some losses." Star Face started to theorise about the true identity of the assailants that were up high in the air. "Once they figure out that we''re linked to the Black Masks, we would be arrested and placed into isolation chambers where we will be tortured for information. Best case scenario, they kill us after they''re done with the torture. Worst case¡­ We''ll be tortured for the rest of our lives as they pin the blame of the downfall of Mort Bay on us." Cyphia''s face paled when she heard Star Face explain his logic. All she wanted to do was get a little bit of gold so that she could escape her miserable fate as a woman of the night. Yet, if she got caught here, her life would be void?! "W-What are we going to do?" "That''s if they find out that we''re linked to the Black Masks¡­ Just follow my lead." Star Face put on his most natural smile and prepared to welcome the oncoming guest. As someone who had negotiated with many high-ranking figures in his day, the mercenary knew precisely how to cheese his way through this tough situation. Firstly, he would feign ignorance about knowing anything about the Black Masks. Secondly, he would claim that he was a hunter that was commissioned to bring down a rogue Spirit Beast that was terrorising a nearby village, and finally, if push comes to shove, he would offer gold in exchange for his smooth departure. In a normal circumstance, his tactic would have a good chance of working. Unfortunately, he ran into an unknown variable. ''Wait! Didn''t we meet this kid at the Mystery of the Dream?!'' As Shin closed in onto the duo, Star Face managed to get a clear view of the flying youth. ''He''s a Spirit Spectre?! No, that can''t be! He couldn''t resist the Mystery of the Dream, there''s no way that he''s a realm above us!'' In the cultivation world, barring a few exceptions, only those who had shed their mortality for the first time to become a Spirit Spectre could move unhindered in the sky. It was a well-known fact. Hence, when Star Face saw the youth flying straight towards him, he couldn''t help but imagine the worst. "Mister, could you spare a few moments to talk?" Shin landed right before the pair and readied himself for combat. Although he was here to ask about Junius, Shin anticipated some pushback from the two Spirit Adepts. "Boy, I never thought that I would see you again under these circumstances." Star Face grinned confidently and stood in front of his shaking partner. Shin squinted his eyes and carefully observed the well-built man. With his eyepatch gone, Shin could clearly see the star-shaped mark that covered his entire left eye. A striking appearance that would turn heads wherever he went, the muscular man must have been a famous figure back in the day. ''What''s with his face? Is that why he wore an eyepatch inside of the Main Hub?'' Shin thought to himself. ''Whatever, that''s not important.'' "I too didn''t expect that you worked for the Black Masks." "!!!" Hearing Shin''s words, both Star Face and Cyphia felt a chill run down their spine as sirens rang inside of their brains. Never in a thousand years did they expect their connection to the Black Masks to be revealed so easily. "What are you talking about? What Black Masks?" Star Face did his best to give a neutral smile, but the tone in his voice was unable to hide the shock that he had just received. "Don''t play dumb with me. I saw you two meeting with Junius!" Shin immediately retorted, drawing a chilling glare from the veteran mercenary. ''To think that he even knows about Junius! Looks like we can''t bluff him through conventional methods.'' Star Face opted to change his approach. "Boy¡­ Who are you? What organisation do you hail from?" The colossal man hid his hands behind his back and gestured to Cyphia. Once things went south, they were to run with everything that they''ve got. "I come from the Himmel Empire, but that''s not the issue. Tell me, where''s Junius! Judging from your mana signatures, you haven''t been touched by the Allfather, so there''s no need for you to cover up for the syndicate!" ''Himmel Empire? Were they chasing the Black Masks? Even if they were, why would they send such a young kid? He even knows about Junius and the Allfather!'' The more Star Face thought about the issue, the more questions he got. However, the most critical thing was¡­ ''I can''t let them capture me back into the Himmel Empire!'' If he was being chased by law enforcement from the Land of Dreams, he could pay his way to freedom. If he was captured by the Kori Federation, he could use his connections to get a reduced sentence. However, he had absolutely no influence in the Himmel Empire. Once he was imprisoned there, Star Face was confident that he would never see the light of day. "We have to run." Star Face whispered to Cyphia at a volume that Shin couldn''t hope to pick up. However, just as they were about to make a run for it, Isadore and his guard landed in the opposite direction and blocked their path of retreat. "Mister, don''t make me repeat myself..." Shin''s eyes turned muddied as he completely enveloped himself in cerulean scales. At the same time, dozens of water spheres formed and circled the Spirit Core cultivator. Even though he was evidently a realm weaker than Star Face or Cyphia, the pair had goosebumps all over their body as they watched the youth close in on their position. "Where is Junius?!" ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 304 Confrontation 2 ''This brat, who does he think he is?!'' Star Face cursed out mentally. Shin''s haughty attitude made the veteran mercenary frown in disdain. If not for the other cultivators that were still flying in the air, Star Face would have pounced on the black-haired boy and taught him a lesson about respecting one''s elders. Of course, Shin didn''t care what the muscular man thought. His mind was currently filled with fantasies about snatching Junius back to the west where he would atone for his crimes by kneeling at the graves of Ariel, Lily and Linus. For the past two years, Shin had been training hard just so that he could gain the power to chase Junius down and defeat the Black Mask syndicate. There was no way that Shin was going to let go of such a golden opportunity to achieve his goals. However, even after showing off his abilities, the mercenary remained silent at Shin''s threat. Turning crimson in rage, Shin increased his mana output and used the fullest extent of his spiritual pressure as he hollered out one final time. "Mister! Where. Is. Junius!!!" "..." All of a sudden, Star Face had a flash of understanding. ''I see¡­ The brat has a blood feud against Junius, that''s why he''s so adamant.'' In his long years as a hired gun, Star Face had seen many that were like Shin. Locked up in the cycle of revenge, the vengeful would turn into a different person once their target was involved. He had even taken jobs where he had to apprehend a victim of revenge just so that his customer could torture them to oblivion. Usually, Star Face wouldn''t care about the safety of his employer. So long as he was paid the right amount of gold, the mercenary would do anything in his power to please his customer. Nonetheless, the issue regarding the Black Masks was a different issue. Based on how Junius and his superiors treated the rats in the beginning, Star Face could tell that this criminal syndicate was one that he couldn''t cross. Even if he didn''t care for his own life, he had his own brother-in-arms back in the Kori Federation, not to mention the family that he had to care for. If he gave up information about Junius that led to his capture, there was no way that the Black Masks would simply let it slide. "I don''t know who you''re talking about! I have never met a single Junius in my life!" "Fine! Since you''re not going to talk, let''s see how you will fare in a rotten cell!" Angered that Star Face had continued to lie, Shin leapt forward and changed his water spheres into a dozen water hands. At Rank 24, it seemed to be suicide going straight at two Rank 30 Spirit Adepts. However, that was only true if Shin was a normal Spirit Core cultivator. Banging on an arsenal of tricks and an array of martial arts, the youth could transcend his level and challenge those that would typically crush him in one fist. ''He''s underestimating me, this asshole.'' Star Face was insulted that a mere Spirit Core cultivator dared to think that he could best him in battle. ''Fine then, if it''s a fight you want, then it''s a fight you''ll get!!!'' Bellowing out in a primal roar, Star Face felt invigorated by the mana surge in his body. Instantly reinforcing himself with mana strengthening, the battle-hardened mercenary raised his right hand and summoned out a stellar war axe that was easily the size of a ten-year-old child. There were no unique ornaments on the grey weapon and at times, it looked a little rusted. However, the fierce glint that was prevalent in its entire blade made any seasoned warrior cower in fear. ''A weapon-type Spirit User?'' Shin may have been engulfed by rage, but his motor functions were still perfectly functional. No, one might argue that his thought processes had been heightened due to the increased adrenaline in his system. Theorising on the possible martial art movements and spiritual abilities that Star Face might have, Shin came up with a cursory battle plan. Halting his steps, Shin turned the dozen water hands that were following him into thousands of water droplets. Rotating his wrist, he created a spin to all of the tiny beads of water in the air and sent them whizzing at the bulky warrior. At the same time, he took out two needles from the expert-grade needle set that Elrin had gifted to him. Without the restriction of only using elementary-grade spirit tools in battle, Shin could finally test his true mastery over the Divine Needle Binding technique. Holding the two silver needles between his fingers, Shin caressed the blunt end of the needles as he felt the intricate dragon carving that the Zedcris Congolomerate''s artisans had designed. When Shin first saw the expert-grade acupuncture needles, he was taken aback at how well-designed the spirit tools were. Each time he pumped a little bit of mana into the artefacts, the eyes of the silver dragon would light up in jubilation, as it was woken up from a long hibernation and was ready to drink the blood of its enemies. Aptly named the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles, these were the most valuable weapons in Shin''s arsenal and had the best piercing ability of any attack that Shin could muster. ''Let''s hit the Dumai and Renmai points...'' Shin carefully observed where two of Star Face''s meridian points were and sent the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles flying, under cover of the thousands of water droplets. If his attack were successful, half of the circulation in Star Face''s body would be sent into haywire, allowing Shin to safely capture him for questioning. Unfortunately¡­ CLINK!!! CLINK!!! Instead of piercing through the thick hide of Star Face as it should have, one of the needles bounced off the man''s thick hide while the other barely made it one-centimetre deep. Nonetheless, all of Shin''s Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles were coated with a nerve agent that he had developed alongside Lady Seph, and just that one prick was able to send a slight amount of the nerve agent into the veins of the warrior. "ARRRGHHH!!!" Star Face wallowed in agony. Even though he had received a small amount, the potency of the nerve agent that Shin had developed was capable of paralysing an elephant if it was given the full dosage. Immediately pulling out the needle that was connected to his Renmai point, Star Face continued to grunt out. "Tsk, Star Face!" Not willing to die in this decrepit land, Cyphia immediately moved to protect the only hope she had left. Summoning out a purple plant, the woman released a potent fragrance that instantly empowered the struggling man as he felt himself gaining a tremendous amount of vigour. "To think that I would experience the effects of your invigoration outside of the bedroom..." With his mind now cleared, the seasoned mercenary turned to his partner and gave a warm smile. "Thank you, Cyphia." "Thank me later! Let''s focus on getting out of this pickle!" Cyphia had no patience for Star Face''s jokes. Gritting her teeth, the woman created two fragrances from her purple plant in hopes of giving Star Face the slightest bit of support. As someone who had been living in the brothels all her life, she had used all of her talents in raising her skills as a woman of the night, and that includes learning spiritual abilities that would aid in her customer''s delight. Each fragrance that her purple plant produced had a specific function in boosting anyone in her vicinity. Unfortunately, only two were suitable for this situation. "I have boosted your vigour and heightened your senses! Make sure you use this opportunity!" Cyphia relayed what her two fragrances done with a hurried voice. At the same time, she released her own spiritual pressure upon Shin and the silver-haired boy that was barring their escape route with his guard. "Thanks!" Star Face grinned and took inhaled in all of the air that he possibly could. Just as Cyphia had explained, the mercenary felt his entire body being transformed. He could ''see'' the world much clearer, and his body felt entirely reborn. Star Face was confident that even if he were hit by that nerve agent that Shin had created, he would unquestionably be able to endure the dizziness and continue fighting without much hindrance. "HARGH!!!" Now that he had been empowered, Star Face took the fight to Shin. Closing in the distance in a blink of an eye, the warrior swung his war axe with a vengeance, slicing the air and crushing the ground. Utilising the Lightning Swallow Steps, Shin evaded most of the onslaught that the warrior was putting on him. Although Star Face didn''t have any mentors growing up, he had spent his entire life on the battlefield. His martial arts may not have been the most polished, but it was practical. Never overextending or underutilising his power, the mercenary broke the earth as he thirsted for Shin''s blood. If not for Shin''s superior speed and expert use of his created water, the youth would have taken a dozen trips to hell by now. ''I can''t retaliate!'' Shin was shaken. Each time he thought he saw an opening, Star Face would use his superior senses to evade the attack and launch a counterattack within a millisecond. Not to mention, even if Shin was able to hit Star Face, his defence and boosted endurance would enable him to keep going until he reached the tender flesh of Shin''s body. Honestly, what did Shin expect? He was facing a Spirit Adept, a warrior that was a full realm ahead of him. Shin may have been a genius, but Star Face had years of experience on top of his superior cultivation level. "HARGHHHH!!!" After Shin had dodged twenty swings from Star Face, the mercenary finally snapped and released a torrent of mana into his war axe. All of a sudden, Shin felt like the weapon in the Spirit Adept''s arm had become a weapon of the Titans, used to smite gods from their lofty thrones. ''Danger!'' That was all Shin could think of. Instantly creating a water sphere on his ankles, Shin used the Dance of the Valkyrie to propel himself into the air, and it was fortunate that he did. BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!! As the war axe hit the ground, a deafening blast broke down the soft earth beneath Star Face as the ground caved in. The rumbling of the surface sent shockwaves around the forest, alarming animals that were kilometres away. When the smoke and dust settled, a devastating crater could be seen, forcing Shin to swallow a mouthful of nervous saliva. If he had been a second later, his body would have been in the middle of that menacing pit that Star Face had created. Star Face had no proper tutelage, and almost all of his spiritual abilities were learnt via hereditary opuscules that he could purchase on the market. Unfortunately for him, the best abilities were almost always never sold, and even if they were, they were auctioned for an exorbitant price that he could never hope to match. Hence, the majority of Star Face''s spiritual abilities were all standard and widely regarded as weak. However, the veteran mercenary didn''t believe in weakness. If used efficiently, even a raindrop could break a rock. The spiritual ability that he had just used was one that merely increased the weight of his weapon. A simple ability that no genius from any significant power would cast a second glance at. Yet, Star Face trained that ability to its maximum potential, and now he was able to create craters with that simple ability that everyone disdained. "Hoho, that man is not that bad." Reginald smiled and stroked his grey beard as he spectated the match. "Uncle Reg! Why haven''t you assisted Shin yet?!" Seeing her bodyguard behaving that carefree when her friend was in danger greatly annoyed the young Elrin. "With your ability, we could easily catch that man!" "Of course we could, but why should I do that?" Reginald stroked the hair of the young girl that he had watched grow up. "Can''t you see that Warulee and the guard that Isadore has aren''t doing anything as well?" "... Why is that?" The aged butler smiled and continued to enlighten Elrin. "Master Shin has been too brash. I believe he feels that he''s invincible since three Spirit Emperors are accompanying him and so he could do whatever he wants. I mean, which Spirit Core cultivator in his right mind would have challenged two Spirit Adepts at the same time?" If he were frank, Reginald felt that Shin had overstepped his boundaries and was extremely displeased with him. The three Spirit Emperors were here to protect them, not serve Shin in capturing criminals. Hence, they didn''t bother to help Shin in the fight at all. Perhaps Madam Warulee would save Shin if his life was threatened, but neither Reginald nor the Spirit Emperor that was behind Isadore had any plans to interfere with Shin''s business. Since he alone had picked that fight, he alone should end it. Of course, Reginald was under a huge misunderstanding. He made the assumption that Shin was taking advantage of the Spirit Emperors to advance his cause and he was of a sound mind when he challenged Star Face to a fight, but that couldn''t be further from the truth. In his rage¡­ In his desire to catch Junius¡­ Shin didn''t care about any of that. The only thing that he wanted to do was catch Star Face and make him spill the beans about everything. To put it simply¡­ Shin was currently in an unstable mental state. ''Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!!! How am I going to defeat this asshole?!'' The black-haired youth remained flying in the air as he contemplated on the best move to make. None of his attacks was working, and Star Face had gained the upper hand in all of their exchanges. Even his expert-grade Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles that were coated with a nerve agent posed no threat to the massive man. ''If I had that ability that the thorn had, maybe I could have won...'' Shin despaired as he remembered the potent one-shot strike that he had witnessed in the memory of the charred thorn. ''Whatever, let''s just try something else! I can''t let him get away!!!'' On the other side of the battlefield, Star Face was grinning in delight. For some reason, the strong-looking individuals that were surrounding them didn''t show any signs of interfering with the match. If he played his cards right, there was a high likelihood that he could escape at the end of this exchange. ''Not matter what, I can''t let him bring me back to the Himmel Empire! Even death would be more desired than spending the rest of my life rotting in a jail cell!'' With neither sides willing to budge, the final showdown between Shin and Star Face had reached its climax. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 305 Confrontation 3 Adamant to apprehend the man, Shin created hundreds of water spheres, something that he couldn''t have managed just months prior. During his cultivation session at Mort Bay, elevating one cultivation level was a bonus. The real reward that Shin had gotten was an advanced understanding of how he could utilise the innate ability that he had awakened alongside his Spirit. The ability to create and manipulate water. At a much lower mana cost, Shin could now create twice the amount of water than he usually could. Furthermore, he was able to manipulate his created water with surgical precision, giving him a dexterity that wasn''t commonly found with broad abilities such as his own. From the safety of the skies, Shin threw down the hundreds of water orbs, hoping to engulf Star Face in a water dome and cut off his air supply. Stunned that a Spirit Core cultivator could display such ferocity, Star Face gaped in awe. However, instead of staying still and allowing Shin to completely bind him, his years of battle experience showed as he leapt skillfully away from the water orbs. Star Face''s movements weren''t as refined as Shin, Isadore or Suji, but it was still capable of evading Shin''s constant bombardment. ''Tskkk! He''s too fast!'' Shin cursed out in angst. Of all the tactics that he had, this was the only one that had a chance to completely capture Star Face. If the bombardment strategy didn''t work, he had no other methods of bringing Star Face down. On the other side, Star Face was still in the midst of quelling his heartbeat. Shin''s bombardment was annoying to deal with at first, but after a brief period of analysis, a pattern could be observed. Making use of this new information, the veteran fighter spun his war axe using the chain at its end and waited for his prime opening. ''The brat has this odd ability to remain flying in the air, and from the looks of it, he can move at rapid speeds as well. However, he''s not a Spirit Spectre yet, so he''s not relying on the spiritual power around him, but the exploding water orbs on his ankles.'' Star Face accurately depicted how Shin''s Dance of the Valkyrie worked. ''If I want to hit him, I must wait until both water orbs have exploded, then I''ll use that chance to shoot him down from the skies.'' That was the prime weakness of the Dance of the Valkyrie. If Shin didn''t have a water orb on his ankles, he wouldn''t be able to fly. However, the window in which a sphere explodes and reforms were extremely narrow. In less than half a second, Shin could create a brand new orb and detonate it at the same time. ''At least that movement follows a rhythm¡­ One, two, three. One, two, three.'' Star Face continued to observe Shin for a long time. He had one opportunity to strike Shin down. Just like a hunter aiming to shoot down a bird, should he miss, Shin would just fly even higher and out of his range. ''Reduce the weight of the axe...'' As his mana entered his war axe, the weapon begun to spin at a much faster rate and an upward draft could be felt from a distance. ''One, two, three¡­ One, two, three¡­ One, two¡­ NOW!!!'' WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Finding the best possible opening, Star Face threw his war axe with all his might and the weapon whizzed heavenwards at a blinding speed. ''Increase the weight, and¡­ EXPAND!!!'' An earthen light moved from the ends of Star Face''s palm illuminated the heavy weapon that was now airborne. Instantaneously, the war axe enlarged at an astonishing rate until it was five times its original size. For Shin, who still thought that he had the upper hand, it was a rude awakening. He had just exploded his water orb on his ankles, and it hadn''t returned to its optimal state yet. With nowhere to run, Shin was essentially a sitting duck that was waiting for death. ''FUC...'' Before he could even finish his curse mentally, the war axe violently collided with Shin''s torso, sending the youth flying dozens of metres back. With his mouth opened, a thick chunk of red liquid was being pushed as the war axe dug deeper into Shin''s flesh. Taking advantage that his prime opponent had been neutralised, Star Face leapt towards Cyphia in one movement and grabbed her left arm. "We have to leave. Boost me." "Y-Yes!" Cyphia created the two fragrances once more, allowing Star Face to ignore the fatigue that he had accumulated. However, just as the two were about to make their run for it, a terrifying pressure descended upon them. "..." Gritting his teeth, Star Face turned towards the scholarly woman that was slowly sauntering towards them. Madam Warulee, who had no intention of protecting Shin during his risky manoeuvre, was finally ready to throw her hat into the ring. "You''ve gone too far¡­" As a Spirit Emperor, the only thing that Madam Warulee needed to do to bind the two mercenaries was to release her overwhelming spiritual pressure. "Just pray that he''s okay, otherwise¡­ Your lives would be forfeit." ''What gone too far?! It was that asshole that pushed us to the wall!!!'' Star Face was indignant. Shin was the one that started this whole incident. All he did was retaliate in kind. Furthermore, if they had such a powerful figure inside of the group, why did the Spirit Core brat come forward to fight him? While Star Face was having trouble breathing as well as cussing the black-haired boy that kept interfering with him, Cyphia was already on her knees, with tears and snot dirtying her entire face. In the presence of such spiritual pressure, the poor woman of the night finally broke. She had partnered with the Black Masks just to gain a better life for herself, not to lose it against a Spirit Emperor. "Madam Warulee¡­ I''m fine..." ''What?!'' Hearing the familiar voice in the distance, Star Face dropped his jaw. Walking out from the bushes, Shin reappeared before the burly mercenary. His shirt was torn apart while bits of twigs and dirt fell off his body. However, other than the ragged appearance that he had, Shin looked largely unscathed by Star Face''s vicious attack. His bloodied abdomen had all but recovered plus his skin tone was as healthy as can be. ''Is he a zombie?!'' Star Face screamed inwardly. The strike that he hit Shin with wasn''t a light one. In fact, he was confident that any Spirit Adept that took that it would have instantly been knocked out of commission. There was no way that a Spirit Core cultivator like Shin could have walked out of that hit without any injuries. Of course, Star Face was missing one piece of the puzzle. Shin definitely was injured, hell he had sustained a fatal blow. However, using his healing water and upgraded fleshy body that was used to recovering from injuries, Shin could treat himself to the pink of health within seconds. ''Damn it¡­ I used too much mana to treat myself. That fucker actually tried to kill me!'' Naturally, such a supernatural ability came at an extravagant cost. Drained of more than half his mana, Shin was still shaken from that ordeal. Feeling as if a thousand needles had deflated his entire being, the youth limped forward weakly. However, even though he was physically drained, mentally his eye was still on the prize. "Mister, just tell me everything you know about the Black Masks and Junius..." Shin bit the tip of his tongue to regain a certain amount of focus and cautioned the two mercenaries before him. "Return with me to the Himmel Empire!" "..." Star Face gripped the end of his war axe and turned to the remaining people that surrounded him. If the scholarly woman was a Spirit Emperor, did that mean that the rest of the elders in the group were Spirit Emperors as well? If so, there was no way that Star Face or Cyphia could resist them. "Star Face¡­ Let''s just follow them." At that moment, a frightened plea echoed in the burly man''s ears. Cyphia, who was all high and mighty the first time they met for the mission, was currently shaking like a leaf. Star Face had even caught the scent of a rich ammonia vapour that was commonly found in restrooms. There was no questioning it, Cyphia would talk. ''She''s going to be a squealer...'' Star Face closed his eyes in agony. As someone who understood how the Black Masks criminal syndicate works, he knew what would happen if they confessed to everything. Cyphia didn''t have any kin to worry about; thus she had a certain degree of freedom to do as she pleased. However, if Star Face talked, the Black Masks would unquestionably exact vengeance through annihilating his band of brothers and the family he had back home. Countless thoughts ran through Star Face''s mind as he theorised on the possible endings that he had. After fifteen seconds, the mercenary finally made up his mind, and a remorseful smile crept up his face. ''I''m sorry Cyphia¡­ This is the only way.'' "Sure, let''s surrender." Star Face tapped the shoulders of his partner to reassure her and helped her to her feet. "We''re in this together." "Thank you, Star Face!" Cyphia beamed in joy. She had been suffering for the entirety of the mission. These few days were the most stressful period of her life. Even though she had failed the mission, at the very least, she would get a new lease of life in a foreign land. With the burden off her shoulders, Cyphia instantly felt a few kilograms lighter as she happily turned to the Spirit Emperor that barred her path. "We will follow you back! We will also give you all the information that we have! However, you must promise us asylum and protection! Also..." Before Cyphia could finish listing out her demands, Star Face''s gorilla-like hands grabbed hold of her head and chin in a tight grip. CRACCCKKKKK In one swift movement, Star Face twisted his partner''s neck as if he were butchering a chicken. The action was too sudden and unexpected that none of the Spirit Emperors had the chance to act. Shin dropped his jaw in horror while he watched the toughened Spirit Adept murder his own partner before his eyes. ''I''m sorry, Cyphia¡­ I never hated you.'' Dropping the lifeless body of the middle-aged woman down on the floor, Star Face prayed for Cyphia to find peace in his heart with a remorseful frown. Although the period that they had spent together was short, it was still some of the most fun days that he had in recent memory. ''This is for the best.'' "Why? Why did you do that?" Shin shook in anger, his eyes turned red as he watched the motionless body of the dead woman. If she were severely injured, Shin could have at least attempted to heal her. However, judging on how loose the woman''s head was, it was an instant death that could never be treated. "Wasn''t she your partner?! How could you do such an evil thing?!" For a moment there, Shin saw a little bit of Junius inside of Star Face. To obtain his desires, he would kill his former allies. Taking out the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles, Shin prepared himself to apprehend Star Face once more. Such a vile person could never be left alone. "She is my partner¡­ And you caused her death." "What?!" Shin cried out in a red-hot fury. "You''re the one who snapped her neck viciously! You''re the one who didn''t give her a fighting chance at life! You''re the one who..." "AND WHO''S THE ONE THAT FORCED ME TO KILL HER?!" Star Face grimaced. A droplet of desolation rolled down his cheeks as he stepped towards Shin. "We were fine until you came along! We didn''t bother you at all! Why did you come? Why did you have to mess up everything?! It''s your fault that she died!!! And also..." Star Face clenched his fist and placed the war axe onto his neck, stunning all of those who saw his queer movements. "I shall curse you, brat! Even in death, I will continue to haunt your dreams! Remember these names, Cyphia Dandrea and Garland Mull!!! These are the names of the ones you murdered today!!!" For the first time, Star Face revealed his name. ''Lala¡­ Sorry, I''m leaving first.'' Garland Mull cried out mentally. Before Shin could even think of a reply, the war axe sliced through his muscular neck and instantly beheaded the mercenary. Without even a second thought, Star Face had taken his own life. With Star Face''s demise, silence descended upon the chilling woods. No one, not the Spirit Emperor''s nor the two children of high society knew what to say. It was the first time that they have seen a man with the resolve to plunge himself into the depths of hell instead of clinging onto life. However, the quietest of them all was a particular black-haired youth. "Shin..." Isadore''s voice trembled in concern as he approached his buddy. "Let''s go." However, instead of acknowledging the issue, Shin turned his face around to hide his expression. At that moment, no one could tell what he was thinking. After a brief period of time, Shin slowly walked towards Madam Warulee and pulled on her sleeves. "We should return..." "Y-Yeah..." Madam Warulee''s mouth twitched as she fumbled on her words. Grabbing hold of the youth, she took to the skies and begun flying straight back to camp. Throughout the entire flight, Shin dropped his head down so that no one could catch his face. However, as Isadore was zooming through the skies, he could swear that he saw crystalline beads of endless sorrow dripping down from the heavens, even though the sky was as clear as can be... ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 306 Retaliation 1 It didn''t take long for the annihilation of the entire Main Hub to enter the ears of the upper echelons of the three superpowers. Taking advantage of the inadequate protection that the town had, the Black Masks had gathered a significant force, consisting of an estimated three hundred thousand Spirit Beasts and marched through the Land of Dreams. However, the most astonishing fact wasn''t the fall of the Main Hub, but how the Black Masks had solicited the help of two additional Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, different from the ones that they used to bring down Aldrich''s Keep. The downfall of the Land of Dreams sent shockwaves all throughout the modern world, and the leaders of the three superpowers went into panic mode. Traditionally, the Land of Dreams had served as a neutral zone where talks between the three superpowers could take place and remained as a symbol of world peace. Riddled with horrific events, such as the first great war that almost annihilated mankind to the grand massacre that Spirit Immortal Dream had inflicted onto her own people, the Land of Dreams served to remind the world how terrible conflicts could devolve into. Yet, the symbol of peace, the monument that every soul in the world looked up to, was no utterly decimated once more. And who was responsible for the devastation that had befallen onto the innocents of the Land of Dreams? The Black Masks. One whisper became two. Two whispers became four, and soon, the whole world knew of the names of the Black Masks and the Allfather. After the news broke that the Main Hub had fallen, the Kori Federation''s Dalgeom Sect had waged war on the Black Masks as they sought revenge for their fallen brother, Spirit Emperor Wangu. It soon became apparent that not only did the Allfather possess a massive talent pool of fallen criminals, but also a total of four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts in his command. In response to the overwhelming threat, the Himmel Empire had dispatched their entire Second Army which contained a hundred and fifty thousand troops, to reclaim the Land of Dreams from the barbaric Spirit Beasts that roamed the land. It was the most massive military operation since the formation of the three superpowers. Typically, such a significant military operation near their borders would be heavily protested by the Kori Federation. However, instead of voicing out their distress, the Kori Federation sent fifty thousand troops as well. The Black Masks syndicate had gone too far in their actions this time, and now, two of the mightiest powers the world has ever seen was going to retaliate. The troops marched in search of any clues of the Black Masks and their dastardly Spirit Beasts. The Himmel Empire had even sent a total of three Spirit Venerates, while the Kori Federation had sent two, both of which were from the Dalgeom Sect which had lost a prized brother of theirs. Even the neutral organisation, the Healer''s Association, had sent out two Elder Healers led by the infamous Divine Healer, Lady Seph, to help facilitate in the destruction of the Black Masks from the Land of Dreams. It was without a doubt, the greatest force ever assembled in recent history. Six Spirit Venerates, fifteen Spirit Emperors, dozens of Spirit Kings and Spirit Lords, and up to two hundred thousand soldiers. It was a force that would even make the Lantis Republic sweat, let alone a mere criminal syndicate. Why was there such a drastic retaliation? Because of the massacre in the Main Hub¡­ "H-How?" Stepping through the blood-filled streets of the Main Hub, Shin covered his mouth as he found support through lying on the nearby pillar. However, even with the added support, Shin couldn''t muster up the strength to remain standing. Falling to his knees, the youth closed his eyes in terror. "Bllleugghhhh!!!" Just a few metres away, Elrin was busy emptying out her guts at the horrific sight. Her eyes filled with tears, the young, sheltered lady was unable to take the gruesome sight of war, no¡­ She was unable to stand the morbid actions of the Black Masks. "..." Unlike the younger generation, the three Spirit Emperors were more immune to the horrendous spectacle. However, even they couldn''t hide the disgust and anger that they felt. Reginald clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles became white, while Madam Warulee bit on her lower lip till it bled. Only the black-robed guard of Isadore managed to keep his body functions in check, but the fiery glint in his eyes betrayed the fury that he felt. And who could blame them? On the once bustling pavements of the Main Hub, heaps and heaps of headless bodies were littered all over. Based on how there were footprints and freshly inflicted holes all over the corpses, one could guess how little the Black Masks cared about the people that they murdered. Men, women, children, elderly. Not a single soul was spared. Even in the roughest periods of war, no humane organisation on the face of the earth would desecrate a fallen victim''s body. Yet, almost all of the bodies here had been brutally beheaded, seemingly as if they were brought back to display on a trophy cabinet. "Black Masks¡­ How cruel." Words couldn''t describe the feelings of those present. Cruel was a benign term while inhumane was too soft. To accurately describe how much hate and disgust Shin, Isadore, Elrin, and the Spirit Emperors felt, one had to invent a whole new lexicon. "These are the enemies that the world face. This is the act of the Black Masks, the Allfather, and..." Shin grimly spoke out, his face ashen as his eyes burned in endless hate. "This is the act that Junius endorsed¡­" "..." "Seniors, I have a bold request¡­ Give me some time, let me stay here and murder any remnants of the Black Masks! Even one day is enough!" From a distance, Shin caught sight of some remaining Spirit Beasts that seemed to be left behind by the horde. Taking advantage of the situation, the beasts stayed behind to feast on the buffet of fresh bodies, that still had a little bit of warmth. Unfortunately, their decision to dine alone would ultimately lead to their demise. With nothing to vent his frustration, his overwhelming hate on, Shin feared that he would incur nightmares should he return to the academy. "Please! This is my final request!" "..." The Spirit Emperors looked at each other, confused as to whether they should listen to the boy''s request. If they were asked this very same question just an hour prior, they would have most definitely turned the youth down and fly them back into Himmel Empire borders. However, no one could remain unmoved after witnessing such a barbaric act against life. In fact, they were even thinking of entering the fray themselves, just to enact the slightest bit of revenge upon the monsters that had caused this carnage. At that moment, a green-faced Elrin bolstered up her resolve as well as she turned towards her Spirit Emperor bodyguard. "Uncle Reg¡­ I want to join Shin! I can''t¡­ Let this go without doing anything!" "Senior, I too can''t overlook the actions of the Black Masks." Isadore chimed in as well. In his hands, a resplendent spear, that was capable of mauling down even the toughest of enemies, was shining brilliantly under the afternoon sun. "I''m going to kill every single one of them." "..." Like a shadow that followed its master, the black-robed guard simply nodded his head and disappeared into the darkness. Although he wasn''t physically present, no one doubted that he would reappear once Isadore was in danger. "Hah¡­ What choice do I have?" Finally yielding to Elrin''s plea, Reginald gently stroked the young girl''s hair. If he had brought her back like that, the butler feared that a knob of despair would be tightened in the young girl''s heart. Hence, he decided to go along with the trio''s selfishness. "Support your friends all you want. I''ll be protecting you." "Madam Warulee?" Two down, one to go. Shin turned to the remaining Spirit Emperor and sought her approval. "Argh, you''re really the most troublesome student I ever had! When we go back, stay the hell away from me, you understand?!" Madam Warulee snapped but eventually gave her consent. Although she seemed indignant to help Shin, her flared nostrils and eyes full of hatred towards the Spirit Beasts stated her intention otherwise. "Thank you..." With the consent of the Spirit Emperors, Shin immediately leapt forward to a nearby Spirit Beast with a vengeance. Casting a full spiritual body enhancement, Shin''s skin turned into a rich cerulean scaly surface, reflecting the glaring light from the empyrean sun, making him seem like a knight in shining armour, riding into battle. Behind him, Isadore also sped forward with his majestic spear in hand. A close-combat expert, the silver-haired youth was capable of mauling down any Tier 1 or 2 Spirit Beast with a flick of his wrist. For him, the vanguard of any assault was the place to be. Not to be outdone by her peers, Elrin summoned out the Rosary of Eternity and immediately used her Frigate Boots and launched herself dozens of metres forward. At the same time, she began to chant her very own cultivation mantra to help circulate the flow of mana within her petite body. Splitting the rosary up, Elrin sent a few of her pearls towards Shin and Isadore, forming two holy crowns of gorgeous pearls above their heads. "In the name of the holy priestess of eternity, bless my allies so that they gain the strength to smite the evil that plagues the earth! *Sacramental Boost*!!!" Resplendent light flowed from Elrin''s spiritual body into the floating crowns as the symbol of eternity glowed in a divine splendour. At that moment, Shin and Isadore felt a wave of vigour empowering every aspect of their bodies. Unlike the numerous fragrances that Cyphia''s purple plant produced, Elrin''s Sacramental Boost was capable of giving an all-around enhancement. From heightened senses to increased mana recovery. It was basically the best spiritual ability for any vanguard warrior that had to be in the thick of the battle. "ARGHHHH!!!" Shin hollered out, bringing out all of the bottled out wrath and hate that he had. Junius had escaped under his very nose yet again¡­ He brought the members of the Dalgeom Sect to Mort Bay, only to be chased away by the terror that was the World Serpent. On the way home, he met the couple that colluded with Junius, and he moved to take them back for questioning. However, instead of giving him information about Junius, Star Face had murdered his own companion and took his own life right before Shin''s eyes. Worst of all, Star Face had pinned their deaths on Shin''s persistence of the truth. Finally, when he returned to the Main Hub, Shin saw the thousands of dead bodies that had their heads brutally severed. Bit by bit, Shin felt his heart break into a million pieces, and he just wished to let it all out the old fashioned way¡­ In a primal rage¡­ "ARGHHHHH!!!!!!" Shin didn''t even bother using his created water or his Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles. Using his bare hands, Shin ripped through the ten-odd Spirit Beast pack like a barbarian. One beast saw the imminent threat and bared its fangs at the youth. The Tier 2 Spirit Beast immediately charged forward to counter Shin. "DIE YOU FUCKER!!!" Instead of planning an optimal path to victory like he usually would, Shin grabbed the jaws of the Spirit Beast like a berserker and utilised all of his strength to rip the beast''s mouth in two. Typically, he wouldn''t have the raw power to perform such a feat. However, a combination of Elrin''s Sacramental Boost and the innate anger that pushed him past his limits enabled him to turn into a bloody marauder that crushed everything in his path. Shin looked down at his two hands that had been pierced by the sharp fangs of the beast and snorted in disdain. Instantly casting heal, Shin felt a slight itch on the opened holes of his palms and watched as his body reverted back to its optimal state. ''I will kill everything!!!'' Steam gushed out from his every pore, bringing Shin to a level that was hardly attainable, even by warriors that braved a thousand battles. Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!!! KILLLLLLLLL!!!!!!! His mind was now focused on one thing, murdering every single enemy that stood with the Black Masks. Ignoring his pain. Ignoring his grief. Everything in Shin''s mind was focused on just one thing¡­ The complete annihilation of the Black Masks. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 307 Retaliation 2 "Shin..." Elrin cried out in worry. During her year-long interactions with Shin, the youth had always kept a cool and calm mind. There has never been an instance where he lost himself in despair or anger, and even if he were emotionally unsound, Shin would always hide his mental state. Yet, right in front of her, the youth was now drunk in a pit of fury. Barbaric, that was the only way to describe Shin as he was. Gone was the wise sage that never resorted to brute force. Using his own two hands, the berserk young boy charged through the beast pack and clawed his way to the centre. After punching his hardened fist into a beast''s gut, Shin felt something peculiar. He felt a familiar sensation, one that was uncommonly found in the stomach of a Spirit Beast. ''This is?'' Feeling confused, Shin pulled out the strange object with one swift motion. "No¡­ No way..." Shin''s eyes quivered in anguish once the object came into full view. It had been partially digested, and bits of its flesh had already been corroded. However, Shin clearly recognised the object that he had pulled out from the Spirit Beast''s stomach¡­ Pale as a sheet, while being slightly longer than a twig¡­ Shin had pulled out a dead child''s hand¡­ "Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!!" Shin immediately threw the hand to a side and washed his own hand with his created water. Adding fuel to the flames, Shin''s anger spiked tenfold. ''Black Masks! Junius, this is the organisation that you joined! This is the organisation that the Awter Clan joined!!! An organisation that kills innocent for their own gains!'' Shin cursed the face that he associated with the Black Masks. Not even a child was spared! "ARGHHH!!!" Digging down further and further into the hell that was eternal hate, Shin used his seismic step on the next beast that charged straight at him and continued to wreak havoc among the beast pack. At his side, Isadore sensed the shift in Shin''s conduct and the massive outpour of emotions from the depths of his friend''s soul. Gritting his teeth, Isadore swung his majestic spear and sliced through the Tier 1 Spirit Beast before him. Crimson, warm blood spewed out and stained his pristine grey robes, but he didn''t dare to stop. Based on how Shin was acting, he would only stop once the beast pack was thoroughly annihilated. Isadore didn''t want his friend to continue on rampaging like a brute and thinned down the numbers as best as he could. "I suppose¡­ Master Shin, hasn''t killed anyone yet..." Watching as Shin vented out his frustrations, Reginald stroked his beard with a melancholic sigh. "It''s always novel to watch how a man behaves after he claims his first life." "Uncle Reg? What do you mean?" "Lady Elrin, can''t you tell by the way he''s behaving? Master Shin''s mental condition can''t be described as optimal right now." Reginald patiently explained to the young girl. "The mercenary killed his partner and then committed suicide. After which, he pinned the blame on Master Shin. Based on how he''s reacting, Master Shin must have never killed anyone before." "I see..." Elrin nodded in comprehension. She had never taken a life before and couldn''t understand what Shin was going through, but seeing how crazed it had made the youth, it was apparent that Shin would never be the same. "Is there a way to help him?" "Time." Reginald succinctly replied. "Letting him vent out on the Spirit Beasts is a good idea as well, but ultimately, time is the best healer. Should he continue down the cultivation path, Master Shin would definitely meet enemies much worse than the mercenary we''ve just met. Sometimes, the people that he would be forced to kill are good samaritans as well. At that point, the guilt that he would experience would far surpass what he''s feeling right now." Reginald closed his eyes as he remembered the first time he claimed a life. It was during his escort guard days where merchants would hire him to guard their trading caravans. Bandits were rife back then, and an unguarded convoy was basically a sitting duck for the criminals at large. No matter how cold-blooded a killer was, he would always remember his first kill with great detail, and the same rule applies to all cultivators. In the cultivation world, where the strongest reigned supreme, murders and deaths were a common occurrence. In fact, Reginald was willing to bet that anyone above the Spirit Spectre realm has slain a few enemies, even if they were auxiliary cultivators. For instance, Lady Seph, who was widely regarded to be one of the most dominant healers alive, had tainted her life-saving hands with blood before. Elrin''s eyes turned misty. As much as she hated to admit it, she was still a small fish in the cultivation world. Not only had she never been in an actual battle before, she had never had the burden of claiming another''s life. How heavy was it? The white-haired sheltered girl questioned herself. How heavy was another person''s soul? ''If Kanari were here, she would know what to do...'' For the first time, Elrin felt inferior to her bosom childhood friend. As they say, every rose has its thorn. Being the heir to the Highgarden Duchy, it wouldn''t be shocking if Kanari had already taken a few lives in her ''training'' to be the best. Furthermore, Elrin knew that Kanari had participated in multiple battles before, albeit as a spectator. Compared to her lack of experience, Kanari was the far superior candidate to console and support Shin in his time of darkness. Evidently, the young girl wasn''t the only one that was conflicted. Isadore, who had been at Shin''s side the entire time, carefully observed his buddy''s reactions. In this day and age, where war was an afterthought, young children like them never had to worry about claiming another''s life. Yet, before Shin had turned sixteen, he had directly caused the deaths of two individuals, just for the sake of advancing his cause. Was Shin capable of dealing with the trauma? That was Isadore''s burning question. BBRRTTT!!! BRRTTT!!! BRRTTTT!!! As the last beast fell in Shin''s hands, a loud siren bellowed out from the horizon. The ground shook in tremulous fear, bringing all movement to a halt. The three Spirit Emperor''s perked up their ears and brought up their guard. If the Black Masks had returned with yet another beast horde, they would immediately grab hold of the youths and fly back to the Empire at top speed. Thankfully, their caution was unwarranted as the familiar sigil of the Imperial Army came into view. "The Empire sent the entire Second Army?" Reginald raised his brows. He had expected the Himmel Empire to act, but to send an entire army was unheard of in the modern age. "Looks like things are escalating faster than I thought." "The Second Army? Shouldn''t they be permanently stationed at the northern border?" Madam Warulee exclaimed in shock. The Himmel Empire military consists of approximately twenty-two armies, each one ranked by their importance and overall might. If the First Army was responsible for protecting the Capital as well as the Imperial Family, the Second Army was directly accountable for the most volatile land in the nation, the northern border. Throughout the years, even though there had been no wars, the relationship between the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation had been deteriorating rapidly. Skirmishes between the two superpowers were bound to occur and the ones to react to the threats by the Kori Federation were the courageous Second Army. "If the Second Army is deployed, it must mean that the Kori Federation had agreed to that movement. Otherwise, there''s no way the military elders would have moved the entire army." Reginald gave his two cents. Turning to the three youths that he was supposed to protect, the butler continued: "We should stay here and tell them our story. If we run now, the scouts may think that we''re the enemy." "... Yeah, let''s do that..." Shin was in no mood to quibble. Dropping the dead carcass head in his hands, Shin moved closer towards Madam Warulee. ''He''s still emotionally shaken...'' Taking one look at the despondent youth, the scholarly woman sighed. Over the past few days, he had been experiencing ordeal after ordeal. What he needed now was a nice long rest. ''Hopefully, the military won''t make our lives difficult...'' ~~~ A few hours had passed since the Second Army''s arrival at the Main Hub. Once the green light was given to march into the Land of Dreams, the soldiers of the Second Army wasted no time and desperately moved to secure the region, hoping to find any survivors amongst the carnage. Some of the military men and women had relatives that were present in the Land of Dreams, and they prayed to the Immortals above that their families would be safe. Alas, the world wasn''t that kind. As they marched into the Main Hub and witnessed the horrendous deeds of the Black Masks, the battle-hardened warriors of the Second Army felt sick to their stomach. Many fell to their knees and cried out in terror while those who had seen a thousand battles turned to one corner and retched out uncontrollably. They had seen evil before. The Second Army soldiers had seen death and destruction before. However, never in their lives had they seen such a heinous scene. Beheaded bodies of warriors, elderly, children, pregnant women, were littered all over the town with corroded body parts split from their corpses. On the unmoving bodies of the victims, dirtied footprints and disdained bruise marks crisscrossed their fallen figures, hinting the lack of humane care that the winners of the battle had. With most of the victims'' bodies wrecked out of recognition, it became increasingly apparent that identifying the fallen to give peace of mind to their families was a near impossible task. Nonetheless, it was a necessary evil. Gritting their teeth while holding back their rage, the warriors of the Second Army quickly quelled their burning hate and solemnly gathered the bodies of the fallen. They had come too late, and now, the least that they could do was give the victims of the Main Hub a proper burial. "Field Marshal, the ''survivors'' are here to see you." At the centre of the town square, a two-metre tall giant was overseeing the entire burial operation. With an ashen face, the colossal man was alone building sandcastles in the air until his subordinate''s voice brought him back to reality. Turning towards the six individuals that were waiting behind the officer, the giant opened his green eyes and stared intensely into the survivors'' souls. ''Ridan Bitterdawn¡­ The Spirit Venerate that has supreme command of the Second Army...'' Isadore recognised the man in an instant. One of the few Spirit Venerates that swore fealty to the Imperial bloodline, Field Marshal Bitterdawn was THE sword of the Himmel Empire. Perhaps the strongest combat Spirit Venerate in the Himmel Empire, Ridan Bitterdawn''s presence in the Land of Dreams shows how serious the upper echelons were treating the threat of the Black Masks. Initially, the Field Marshal was taken aback when he saw a certain silver-haired boy in the group. However, he quickly composed himself and didn''t allow his emotions to show. "Survivors, huh? Did you witness how the Main Hub fell?" "No, sire. We arrived here just a few moments prior as well..." Madam Warulee nominated herself as the group''s spokesperson and recounted their experience. "When we arrived, the buildings had already been raided, and the people had already been..." Madam Warulee couldn''t find the right word to describe the carnage that had befallen upon the residents of the Main Hub. Thus, she merely kept silent. "We were part of the Imperius Academy training exercise. You can verify it with your men." The Field Marshal eyes flashed with understanding. "Imperius Academy? I see, so why didn''t you return with the rest of the group?" "We were tasked by the Dalgeom Sect to lead them to the Black Mask''s base in Mort Bay. You see..." Bit by bit, Madam Warulee told everything that she knew to the Spirit Venerate. Lying was utterly pointless. Given his overwhelming insight and might, it was useless to lie to the Field Marshal. Furthermore, the Second Army''s intelligence unit would be more than capable of finding out everything that they needed. It was best to be completely candid about everything. "This kid here came out to investigate the Black Masks on his own, and actually found their base?" With a raised eyebrow, the Field Marshal turned to Shin, who still had his head down. "Yes, sire. He has a history with the Black Masks you see¡­" Madam Warulee knew that she had to be careful with her words. Should the Field Marshal suspect Shin of being a spy, the consequences would be dire. "His family was murdered by the Black Masks. Thus he was adamant about taking them on." "A reckless tale." "..." Shin''s mouth twitched slightly, but he didn''t bother to retort. Bringing his head up, Shin''s eyes resolutely met the Field Marshal''s. As much pain as this expedition had given him, Shin didn''t think that he was wrong in his actions. ''Hoho, what an adorable kid...'' Field Marshal Bitterdawn lauded Shin''s guts to look him in the eye. However, his praise for the kid was primarily that. Just dumb bravery that all hot-blooded youths were expected to have. "As much as I would love to send you back to the Empire, you will need to remain in our custody for further questioning. Especially since you have witnessed the World Serpent. We need all the information that we can get." The Field Marshal smiled and shooed his guests away. For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 308 Retaliation 3 The questioning of the group lasted for no more than two hours. Pulling out as much information as they possibly could, the Second Army Chief Intelligence Officer decided to keep the six individuals in a basic tent for holding while they continued to fix up the decrepit town hub. Naturally, Madam Warulee wanted to protest the queer arrangement, but she was silenced by the officer''s haughty stare. In times of crisis, the military''s words were law. Should she go against the arrangement set down by the Second Army, martial law might apply and getting out of this situation would be ten times more tricky. Pacing back and forth within the empty tent, Madam Warulee complained with an exasperated tone. "How could you hold us without any repercussions?! When we return to the Capital, I''m going to lodge a severe complaint against that bloody officer! What was his name again?" "Lieutenant Colonel Hames." Elrin supplied her teacher with the answer. "That''s right, Lieutenant Colonel Hames! Who does he think he is?!" "Hehe, Madam Warulee! You sound like a spoilt noble brat!" "Hargh?!" "Nothing, nothing!" Ignoring the theatre that Elrin and her teacher were putting on, Shin was brooding by himself in one corner. Over the past twenty-four hours, too many things had happened to him. From witnessing the might of the Dalgeom Sect''s Pixie to experiencing how potent a World Serpent really was. Furthermore, his dedication to nab Junius had directly caused the deaths of two Spirit Adepts, even though he had no intention of killing. And to add a cherry on top¡­ He witnessed the true manifestation of the Black Masks plans through the fall of the Main Hub. ''Was I wrong to chase Junius?'' Shin was having his own doubts about all of his actions thus far. He had trained extensively to reach a state where he could gain power that would be effective in the war against the Black Masks. Yet, in his first battle against the Black Masks, due to his selfishness, he had taken two lives away from the earth. Although he had not killed them with his own hands, there was no question that if Shin had left them alone, Star Face and Cyphia would be walking merrily home right now. ''No¡­ They were working for the Black Masks¡­ They were working for an evil organisation¡­ If I didn''t stop them, someone else would¡­ Someone else would...'' Without a doubt, the Black Masks were the vilest criminal syndicate in the world. Just one look at their deeds in the Main Hub was enough to solidify that claim. However, it didn''t change the fact that Shin had just caused two human lives to be eternally voided. ''I''m not in the wrong¡­ They are in the wrong. They are in the wrong...'' Like a broken tape recorder, Shin continued to mumble to himself. When he was mauling down the remnant Spirit Beasts that were feasting on the dead bodies of the Black Masks victims, Shin had dug himself deeper and deeper into the valley of hate. To forget his guilt of causing the deaths of Star Face and Cyphia, Shin had to place all of his mental functions on another object¡­ And that was getting rid of as many Spirit Beasts as he can. ''Cyphia Dandrea and Garland Mull¡­ Cyphia Dandrea and Garland Mull...'' Shin burnt those two names into his memory. Just like Gawil Jefferson, the Watkin Murderer that had died before Shin''s eyes, the names of the two mercenaries soon found their way to the deepest parts of the young man''s mind. "Why the hell did you lock my disciple up?! Are you retarded?!" At that moment, a familiar adenoidal voice could be heard in the distance. Shin''s sensitive ears perked up in amazement as he was brought back into the material realm. "Venerate! They are currently under our custody! You can''t just barge in like that! We have to follow the right protocols..." "Bullshit! I don''t care about your stupid military rules! I''m bringing him out, and that''s the last of that! Ridan can go cry by himself if he has a problem!" "Venerate!" The flaps of the tent''s entrance fluttered wildly as an ethereal blonde beauty barged into the room. Seeing the familiar face, the Spirit Emperors in the tent all backed away with a bitter smile. The Spirit Venerate''s temper was infamous to all who knew her name. If they crossed her the wrong way, they knew that they would be in for a lot of trouble. "Master?!" Shin''s face brightened up for the first time this week. As they say, a familiar face would light up even the darkest of nights. "What are you doing here?" "I came to find you, of course!" Lady Seph sneered. "Bloody hell! Ridan actually dared to detain my disciple! That idiot sure has wool for a brain!" "Yip yip!" A snowy white gerbil climbed out from the cleavage of the gorgeous woman and immediately flew towards the young black-haired youth. Like a dog that hadn''t met its owner for months, the gerbil whipped her tail back and forth in joy and snuggled its snout right at Shin''s neck. "Bingbing¡­ I missed you too." Rubbing himself in the familiar scent, Shin felt his frantically beating heart calm down. "Yip yip yip!!!" "I know, I know. I will stay a little bit longer this time..." Shin continued to pet the Tier 8 Spirit Beast. Watching the scene where Shin playfully toyed with the Kamaitachi, many of the cultivators in the tent dropped their jaws, especially the military men. A Kamaitachi was notorious for being a vicious Spirit Beast that could easily rival a Spirit Emperor in might. Their deadly claws and frosty spiritual abilities made them Spirit Beasts that dominate their food chain, even though their natural size was relatively small. While those that came with Imperius Academy were just shocked that Shin could control a Tier 8 Spirit Beast, those from the military had a much different thought. "Didn''t the project get scrapped? How can there be a Kamaitachi that''s so tame?" "I don''t know¡­ I''ve heard that the experiment was a significant failure and there was a huge loss of life. That''s why the Imperial Courts scrapped the project altogether." Two officers whispered to one another. When the Lieutenant Colonel overheard their conversation, he glared back at them with disdain in his eyes, bringing shivers down the officers'' spines. Immediately shutting their mouths, the officers abruptly stood up straight like two marching dolls. Unfortunately, the damage was already done. ''Project? Imperial Courts?'' Shin repeated the officers'' conversation back in his head. On the other hand, Lady Seph ignored the nosy military men and grabbed her student by his wrists. "Let''s go. I''m bringing you back to the house." "Venerate! They are under military confinement! You have to wait until..." Before Lieutenant Colonel Hames could give out a retort, an immense pressure, one of the likes he had never felt before, descended upon his body. For the first time in his life, the Spirit King fell to his knees. Each and every bone in his skeletal system cracked under the strain as he attempted to resist the overwhelming waterfall of spiritual pressure that was increasing by the second. Forcing himself to look up, the Lieutenant Colonel saw both the ethereal beauty and her pet emitting out a celestial aura. Not only was he being attacked by a Rank 82 Spirit Venerate''s presence, but the Tier 8 Kamaitachi reverted back to its primal state as well. In the face of domineering power, the Spirit King seemingly forgot how to breathe as he found himself reaching for his neck. ''I''m going to die...'' That was the only thought that Lieutenant Colonel Hames could muster out. "Venerate Seraphim, you shouldn''t scare the juniors too much." A thick, resonant voice descended down from the heavens and immediately alleviated the pressure off of the Lieutenant Colonel. Grabbing hold of the ankles of the burly man that entered the tent, Lieutenant Colonel Hames showed an unsightly scene. His eyes all teared up while his nose was covered with snot. If an outsider came in at this very instant, he wouldn''t have guessed that the slob of a mess was a Spirit King that had fought faithfully for the Himmel Empire''s Second Army all his life. "Ridan, are you going to interfere with my actions?" Lady Seph looked that Field Marshal with contempt in her eyes. She hated both the Imperial Courts and the military. The Spirit Venerate that stood before her was a manifestation of both organisations. Not only did he lead one of the greatest armies in the Himmel Empire, but he also had a seat in the Imperial Courts where he could make substantial legislative decisions. Hence, it wasn''t a surprise that Lady Seph was bitter towards the brawny man. "Not at all." Ridan Bitterdawn smiled. Moving his eyes between Shin and Lady Seph, the Spirit Venerate did his best to mask his true thoughts. "If I had known that your esteemed disciple was here, I would have notified you immediately. After all, the assistance from the Healer''s Association is much needed in these dire times." "Ha, Ha, Ha¡­ Such sophistry." Lady Seph clapped her hands sarcastically. Among all of the Spirit Venerates in the country, without a doubt, Lady Seph was the most influential. The number of people and organisations that owed her favours was as vast as the ocean itself. Thus, no one, not even His Majesty himself, dared to offend the woman unless it was a last resort. Shin''s identity as Lady Seph''s sole disciple was a well-known fact among the members of High Society, especially after his spectacular display in the year-end tournaments. Hence, there was no way that the Field Marshal wouldn''t have known about Shin''s true identity. "Whatever, I''m not here to debate you. Are you letting me through or not?" Not one to mince her words, Lady Seph declared her intent to leave, regardless of the Field Marshal''s permission. Readying her Iofiel Angel, Lady Seph prepared herself for war. Even though she was clearly no match for the combat-oriented Spirit Venerate Ridan, there was no way that Lady Seph would abandon Shin in a god-forsaken military facility. Likewise, Bingbing enlarged herself and emitted a massive amount of spiritual pressure. If Lady Seph decided to fight the Field Marshal before her, the frosty gerbil would do its best to support her. "..." Field Marshal Ridan furrowed his brows at the open hostility that Lady Seph was displaying. The Divine Healer''s disdain for the Imperial Courts and the military was well-known, but he didn''t think that it had reached the extent where reconciliation would be non negotiable. ''Looks like that incident is still fresh in her mind¡­ Even after all these years.'' Ridan Bitterdawn sighed in his heart. Lady Seph was once a great asset that the Himmel Empire had. Not only was she the most famous healer in the modern world, but the divine woman had also mentored countless important figureheads in their cultivation. His Majesty, Tenno, was one notable example. The current Frie Clan Master, Enfen Frie, was another. During her days as the Imperial Physician, Lady Seph had made herself an indispensable figure, whether it was her healing expertise or her advanced research, her work was felt in all levels of society. Yet, the Imperial Courts had to screw it up by messing with her through that horrendous experiment. With all the bridges burnt, all trust that Lady Seph had for the military had evaporated entirely, urging her to completely ignore the army''s protocol. "Of course, my lady..." Ultimately giving in to the near two hundred-year-old senior, Field Marshal Ridan bowed down and opened the path for Lady Seph to leave. "However, please remember your promise. We will begin hunting the Black Masks within the next few days, and your presence will be beneficial for us." "..." Lady Seph totally ignored the Field Marshal and led Shin out of the tent. Bingbing quickly pumped mana into her body and fattened up tenfold, allowing the master and disciple duo to mount her. "Bingbing, fly back home." "Yip yip!~" Excited that it could finally spend time with Shin back at Lady Seph''s residence, the furry white gerbil lifted itself up high in the air and sped through the skies. "Listen here, Shin! When you get back home, you''re not to leave the house for a full week! I''m grounding you for disobeying my orders! You understand me?!" "Yeah..." Shin rubbed his face on the familiar back of his master as he hugged her from behind. The nostalgic scent and warmth that came out from Lady Seph soothed his frantic self. "I''ll leave Bingbing back home for your protection, so you''re not to leave the house! Even if that stupid Eru ask you to return back to the academy, you tell him to screw off, you understand me?!" "Yeah..." Tightening his grip on the nagging slender woman, Shin''s face became wet as his tears flowed out of his eyes and stained the robes of his master. So much pain¡­ So much¡­ Pain¡­ Shin had been putting on a tough front before his comrades. He had to¡­ He was the one that wanted to create an organisation that dealt with the Black Masks. If they saw him being set back by one ordeal, not to mention during his first expedition out, they would think that he''s just a kid with big dreams that didn''t have the means to achieve his goals. "Also, you need to be wary of¡­ Shin?" Sensing that something was wrong, Lady Seph glanced over her shoulder and watched the scalp of her precious disciple. "Did something happen?" Shin couldn''t tell her¡­ Shin couldn''t tell her that him moving against Junius had caused the deaths of two mercenaries. He couldn''t tell her that Star Face cursed him in his deathbed. He couldn''t tell her that he saw thousands of decapitated bodies and pulled out a child''s hand from the body of a Spirit Beast. He¡­ Couldn''t worry his master that cared so much about him. He had let her down too many times already¡­ He couldn''t let her down again. "Just let me stay like this for a while¡­ Sorry, Master. Just let me..." Shin tried his best to contain his sobbing voice, but some of it slipped through, prompting Lady Seph to look at the boy with immense worry. "What happened?" "Master, please¡­ Just let me stay like this." "Okay." Turning her body completely, Lady Seph welcomed Shin into her arms and gently stroked his back. Shin sunk deeper and deeper into her bosom and was finally unable to control his emotions. With nobody to witness him, Shin let loose his bottled grief, guilt, and hate, wailing out to his heart''s content. All the while, a motherly embrace comforted him, not willing to ever let him go again... ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 309 Underestimation 1 The first war between the Black Masks syndicate and the three superpowers took the world by storm. Initially being a name only known the Himmel Empire, now all residents in the Terre Continent had learned of the notorious name. Commanding an army of Dalits, hundreds of highly skilled cultivators, over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts with four of which surpassing the legendary Tier 9, the Black Masks instantly became a household name. Their morbid actions in the Land of Dreams resonated with every living soul. What if the Black Masks targeted their city next? Would we end up like the residents of the Main Hub? Everyone soon woke up with fear in their hearts. To combat their fear, brave men and women would willingly assist the authorities on every ounce of information that they had about the Black Masks. A Spirit Beast pack that came from the Land of Dreams? Reported. A suspicious gathering of a few dark-robed individuals? Reported. A rustle in the bushes? Reported. The actions of the Black Masks had triggered a wave of paranoia, especially among villagers that were near the Land of Dreams. The Kori Federation, the Himmel Empire, and seemingly the entire Terre Continent firmly going all-out against the Black Mask syndicate, no one would argue that it was the beginning of the end. However, the major powers got complacent. They underestimated the Black Masks true potential. Yes, the notoriety of the Black Masks made them out to be public enemy number one. But the fame had also proved itself to be a great recruitment campaign. Any criminal that had been persecuted by the establishment now saw the Black Masks as a place of refuge. Not only did they award high performing individuals with newly found power and fame, but they also boasted a plethora of Spirit Beasts, some of which were capable of taking on an entire army giving them a certain degree of protection. To those that were considered to be outlaws in the modern age, the Black Mask headquarters was basically heaven on earth. Criminals weren''t the only people that were attracted by the immense might of the Black Masks though. Fallen nobles that had lost everything in a territorial war. Impoverished paupers that had no other place to go. Denounced cultivators that had been expelled from the clans or sects. Thrill seekers that were bored of their mundane lives. And even rogue cultivators that were willing to go for a new challenge. People from all walks of life flocked to find the elusive Black Masks just so they could volunteer for a war that they didn''t start. "When was the last time we saw so many applicants?" A logistics officer scratched his head and joked to his fellow comrade. "Never¡­" The junior Shudra slapped the papers in his hand in amusement. "I thought that the attack on the Land of Dreams would have made people more repulsed¡­ To think that it just attracted more weirdos." "Hehe, don''t call them weirdos. If they''re weird, then what are we?" "Knights of the strange?" "HA HA! That''s quite an accurate assessment!" Scribbling down on the paper before him, the logistics officer slammed his pen down and walked over to his colleague. The office that they worked in had no windows and was best described as a cell. However, luxurious furniture filled the backdrop of the vast centre, making it quite conducive for working. Since no light could pass through, the officer couldn''t tell whether it was day or night and had to gulp down his morning coffee to keep his eyes open. "The Allfather''s move this time is brilliant! We managed to wreck that dastardly Land of Dreams while showing the entire world that no place is safe from the Black Masks'' wrath! Also, we managed to trigger this wave of recruitment. With this Phase one of the Grand Plan is complete. No, since we got all the Spirit Beasts in the Kori Federation, we should be halfway through Phase two?" "Hahaha! I really want to look at the faces of the Himmel Imperial Army! What kind of expression will those arrogant bastards make when they finally realise how powerful our organisation really is?!" The Shudra backed his friend''s claim with a maniacal smile. Like many that joined the Black Masks, the Shudra had a vendetta against the tyrannical Himmel Empire. Just because he wasn''t born into the right family and wasn''t ''talented,'' they tossed him aside like he was cannon fodder. However, with the blessings of the Allfather, the Shudra had been reborn. With his newly added power, the Shudra felt like he was capable of taking on those Imperial bastards that treated him as a disposable tool. The logistics officer smiled and allowed his colleague to gloat. The Black Masks rarely scored a win against those they sought to destroy, hence it was understandable that his friend would be agitated. "All hail the Allfather!" "All hail the Allfather!" A metallic clink could be heard as the two comrades brought their cups together. "Well¡­ I''m not sure if the Allfather deserves all the credit on this one." "Hoho, what do you mean?" "Haven''t you heard?" The Shudra looked at his colleague in shock. "The idea for the siege on the Land of Dreams was suggested by a new recruit that''s barely twenty years of age! He detailed which one of the Noble Beasts should have participated, how many troops were needed, and even which route was the best to take into the Kori Federation! He''s quite the hot topic!" Junius'' credit didn''t get swept under the rug. When he first thought of the plan to use the noble beasts, it was merely an idea that had no substance. However, the more Junius thought about it, the more he realised that it was the best path to take. Hence, to help convince the Allfather, Junius had to piece together an elaborate plan, from the logistics of the operation, to how the Spirit Beasts would move into the Kori Federation. After pitching it to a high-ranking Brahmin who had direct contact with the Allfather, to his complete surprise, the Allfather praised the idea and even given Junius a commanding position during the operation. Always one to rise to the occasion, Junius took this opportunity and ran with it. He planned for Murasaki the Arachne, to clear out the Main Hub, while Ao the World Serpent would secure the path for the underwater crafts that ferried the hundred thousand Spirit Beasts to move unhindered. Junius also scouted for the most covert possible location that the beast horde can move under the shadows, while also planning decoy points for their enemies to destroy. Sacrificing a portion of the Black Masks army as well as ten thousand Spirit Beasts, the young tactician had all but guaranteed the safe passage of the beast horde, allowing the Allfather''s plans to advance smoothly to Phase two. Already being recognised by the Allfather was a feat in itself. However, Junius'' careful planning and superior foresight had basically turned him into a rockstar within the Black Masks overnight. Not to mention, he was one of the youngest ever cultivator to gain the coveted Black Mask, making him a rare talent even by the criminal syndicate''s standards. "His fame is already rivalling that of the Crimson Flower and the Drake of Despair! If he continues to move at this pace, I''m sure he will become a figurehead for the syndicate in the near future!" "Such praise is rare from you..." The logistics officer rubbed his chin and thought deeply about the new rising talent. "That boy must be the real deal¡­ Don''t tell me, you''re trying to enter his faction?" "Perhaps! A leader of his smarts is rare in this organisation, where the majority are just uncouth outlaws." The Shudra sneered when he recalled his own faction''s leader. "If we join his faction when he''s young, we can gain his trust much easier!" The logistics officer rested his index finger on his chin and seriously thought about his prospects. Although the Black Masks seemed to be unified under the Allfather, faction and tribal mentality still existed. Many had joined the Black Masks as a group, such a Vellan and the remnant members of the Awter Clan. Some even joined existing factions that had powerful Brahmins to lead the charge. Like any other organisation in history, there were some internal conflicts between the major factions, and for the most part, the Allfather allowed the camps to fight. As long as they remember that they are serving the greater cause of the Black Masks and no lasting damage was done, the Allfather had no issue at them going at each other''s throats. Nonetheless, the internal conflicts had caused many neutrals in the syndicate to choose sides. While Junius'' faction was somewhat in its infancy, there were still some high-levelled cultivators within its ranks. Not to mention, there was the rising star that was Junius, who was bound to become a general in the future. Switching to his side early on wasn''t that bad of an idea. "What was his name again? The boy that made plans to conquer the Land of Dreams?" Sinking deeper into Mephistopheles temptations, the logistics officer edged in closer. "Hehe, I knew you''d be interested!" The Shudra smiled and leaned in closer to his colleague. "Due to his accomplishments, he was given a moniker by all who knew of his exploits! Similar to that of the Crimson Flower! They now call him..." Pausing for dramatic effect, the Shudra face was now inches away from his friend''s ears. "They now call him, the Awter Blade! The sword that carves the path for the Allfather!" ~~~ "Junius? Junius? Are you alright?" Unaware that he had become the target of two egotistical maniacs, the viridian-haired youth was going about his typical day as a newly-inducted Shudra. However, unlike most days, he wasn''t out on the field or slogging away behind a desk formulating plans. Junius was currently following one of the top Brahmins in the syndicate down an opulent path. The Black Masks had always been a secret and mysterious organisation. To achieve this, they didn''t live in extravagant palaces and instead stayed in underground caverns where the light could barely reach. Sometimes, they would even set up camp in the desolate wilderness, where no one would ever achieve in their lifetimes. Junius was no exemption to that rule. Ever since he began living with the Black Masks, Junius had been moving from bunker to bunker with little to no contact with the outside world. The food that he ate was normally stale, and the apartments that he stayed in barely had any amenities. Of course, there was the odd day where he could leave the grey buildings behind when he went to a populated area for a mission, but they were few and far between. Hence, when he was first led to this palace that was filled to the brim with luxury, Junius didn''t know what to feel. If the Constable Headquarters back at Chilyoja Waypoint was a booming hub, then the palace was a divine network of busy connections working overtime to complete their objectives. Just the size of one hall was equivalent to that of a hundred Mushinkeis and the thousands of statues, paintings, murals and sculptures that decorated the area could easily bankrupt the average tycoon. "No, I''m just a little bit overwhelmed..." Junius shook his head with his jaw dropped. "So this¡­ Is the true headquarters of our organisation..." The Brahmin nodded as pride filled his chest. "That''s right! Normally, only Brahmins and trusted members of the syndicate get to enter this area. Over ninety per cent of the Black Masks don''t even know that this place exists! Honestly, I''m a little jealous of you, young Junius..." Teasing Junius with a mischievous grin, the Brahmin nudged on the young man''s shoulder playfully. "Please¡­ Not only are you more handsome and powerful, but you''re also one of the only Spirit Emperors in the organisation! How could I even compare to you?" "HAHAHA!!! So that''s the glib tongue that made the innocent Shia go to her knees!!!" The Brahmin slapped Junius on his back with praise. The more he looked at the youth, the more he liked him. Not only did he have a good head on his shoulders, but Junius was also one of the most talented juniors among the new recruits. Give him two decades, and the Brahmin was sure that Junius would be able to attain the final mask that was coveted by all in the syndicate. "Senior, your praise is too painful to bear..." "You''d better get used to it! Once you greet the Allfather, more praise will be coming your way!" Junius wasn''t in the headquarters of the most wanted organisation in the world for a sightseeing tour. Once the plan to utterly decimate the Land of Dreams worked, Junius was summoned by the Allfather himself, shocking the foundations of the entire syndicate. There had never been a case where the Allfather personally demanded the presence of a mere Rank 30 Spirit Adept. "Speaking of the Allfather..." Junius suddenly got butterflies in his stomach. "Am I really going to meet him face to face?" "Of course not!" The Brahmin immediately denied the young man''s claim. "Not even I had met him in person before. In truth, the only beings that might have direct contact with the Allfather would be the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts!" "So, how am I going to meet him?" Junius was confused. Wasn''t he supposed to have an audience with the Allfather? How could they meet if they didn''t see one another face-to-face? "Well¡­ It''s better for you to see it. I can''t really put it into words... That experience..." "Okay..." Not sure how to feel, Junius raised his brows and continued to follow the Brahmin. No matter what he''s going to see, there''s one thing that''s for certain. Junius'' destiny will be tremendously altered through that one visit that he will have with the mighty Allfather. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 310 Underestimation 2 At the end of the overly decorated hallway, the path was barred by a massive gate, one that was as big as the wall itself. Junius felt his throat contract with each step he took. His pupils dilated and hands shaky, Junius had to go out of his way to calm his beating heart through pounding his own chest. When the Brahmins saw the action of the young man, he happily smiled. ''Ah, I remember the first time I entered these chambers¡­ I was feeling the exact same way.'' Just like Junius, the Brahmin had never felt more nervous in his life when meeting the Allfather for the first time. Rumours had it that the Allfather was a descended immortal that had the ability to destroy every living being in the world. Against such an existence, no cultivator, whether they were a Spirit Emperor or a Spirit Practitioner, could retain their wits. Fortunately, the Allfather was gracious and never showed the full extent of his powers when meeting with his subordinates. In fact, no one even knew where his actual body was. However, one thing was for sure. In the minds of the Black Masks, the Allfather was the strongest being in the entire world. "Junius, prepare yourself. We''re entering." "Yes¡­ Senior¡­" Even though Junius had said that he was ready, his heart was far from prepared. His eyes quivered when the humongous gate creaked open, and a ray of warm light illuminated his face. An ethereal mist bellowed out of the room and covered the hallway, making the path into the chambers seemingly dreamlike. [Enter...] A sonorous voice reverberated through the minds of Junius and the Brahmin, compelling their feet to involuntarily lead them into the chambers. Junius didn''t resist the magnetic pull, no rather, he had no choice but to follow the voice''s orders. Keeping his head up, Junius observed the dome-like interior of the chambers with a face of wonder. Unlike the dark and gloomy atmosphere that all Black Mask buildings had, the chambers that he was summoned to was well-lit with many stained glasses with gorgeous drawings on all of them. The second thing that caught his eye was the fully white ceramic floor that was untainted by even the slightest blemish. The flooring was so clean that Junius felt like he was unworthy of walking through it in fear of dirtying the sacred area. However, there was no way that he couldn''t advance. Steeling his mind, the young man puffed his chest up and turned his eyes straight ahead. And then, he saw it. Darkness. Pure eternal darkness. "That is..." [My child¡­ Don''t be afraid.] The same resonant voice played itself inside of Junius'' mind as something deep within him rose up and calmed the nerves of the terrified boy. At the same time, his vision cleared and Junius was able to fully observe the mysterious object that lay in the middle of the chambers. "A dark sphere?" Junius unknowingly worded out. That''s right. Before him, a sphere made out of shadowy dark energy pulsated like a human heartbeat. Easily reaching the size of an adult elephant, the dark sphere was emitting out a mystical aura and a tremendous amount of mana. If Junius didn''t know better, he would assume that the mysterious object before him was an unknown Spirit Beast. [That''s right, Junius. The Dark Sphere that you see before you is a manifestation of one of my spiritual abilities. I can split my consciousness into multiple parts and place them into these Dark Spheres scattered all over the continent. Of course, the one before you is the very first Dark Sphere that I created, so it''s a little more powerful than the others...] Thousands of questions ran through the young man''s mind after hearing the Allfather''s explanation. Why was the normally elusive Allfather being so talkative? What is the full extent of the Dark Spheres that he could create? How could he split his consciousness that easily? However, there was only one question that truly bothered him among all else. One that brought him to the verge of tears. "Mighty Allfather¡­ You know of my name?" Immediately falling to his knees, Junius asked the gigantic Dark Sphere. [Junius, what do you call me?] Stunned by the sudden question, Junius stuttered a little before he could find the words. "Almighty Allfather..." [That''s right! I''m the father of all my children! And which father forgets the name of his own child?] "!!!" Junius eyes turned misty, and he made a solemn declaration. "I vow to serve the Allfather with everything that I''ve got! I will serve you till the day I die!" The Dark Sphere remained silent for a brief period of time before finally bursting out in sweet laughter. His heart filled with pride, the Brahmin too renewed his vow before the Allfather. The majority of the Black Masks were all misfits that were cast away by their own respective establishments. It was the Allfather who had taken them in and nurtured them. Yes, he needed them to further his own agenda, but he had also given the resources to help his subordinates attain their dreams. For instance, when the time came for the Awter Clan to enact its revenge on the Frie Clan, the Allfather had provided them with professionals and a large number of Spirit Beasts. And his benevolence didn''t stop there. When the operation to take over Frie Mountain failed, the Allfather didn''t blame the Awter Clan for his losses. Instead, he promised Vellan that if a better opportunity showed itself, he would give the green light once more for another assault on the Frie Clan. [I accept your vows! Haha, what a great day! Junius, come to me.] "???" Although he didn''t know what the Allfather wanted from him, Junius still got to his feet and approached the Black Sphere. [Your performance has greatly pleased me! Not only did you manage to smoothly move the Beast horde into the Kori Federation, but you have also allowed me to experience something that I wasn''t able to in a long time! For this, I shall bestow unto you three rewards!] Not waiting for Junius to reply, a black mist flowed out from the Dark Sphere and intruded into Junius'' body through every pore that he had. Knowing that the mist would never harm him, Junius surrendered himself to the Allfather''s power, bringing out great transformations in his spiritual body. "This is?" [I have doubled my mana inside of you. I intended to give you more, but your body is still too weak. Thus, I seeped a large portion of my mana into your bones, strengthening your physique as a whole. Now, your cultivation path should be much smoother.] Whenever a cultivator in the Black Masks reached the Spirit Adept realm, they would be baptised with the Allfather''s mana, giving them an all-around boost in their powers. In some instances, with the Allfather''s blessing, a Black Mask would be able to fight against someone that was a full realm above them. When Junius first got baptised, he wasn''t even at the Spirit Adept realm yet. However, through sheer willpower, the youth managed to pull through the entire ordeal and had essentially become a Phoenix that had gone through a whole-body rebirth. His cultivation rate instantly improved and his physical capabilities shot through the roof. And that was with a small portion of the Allfather''s mana residing inside of his body. Now that he had double the amount of the Allfather''s mana, Junius was confident that he could break through the first shackles of mortality and enter the Spirit Spectre realm within the next few years. "Allfather, your grace is too heavy for me to accept!" [Now, now. Don''t be too hasty! I still have two more rewards for you!] Just improving his cultivation rate was the best present that Junius could possibly hope for. Yet, the Allfather was not done. He still has many more gifts to give. [Your mind is exemplary! I personally saw the plans that you drew up for the beast horde, and they''re among the most comprehensive that I''ve ever seen! Junius! Our syndicate has many brutes that are capable of taking down armies by themselves. However, to take down a nation, we will need talents like you to rise to the occasion. Therefore, I''m appointing you in charge of planning out one of the twelve bases in the Kori Federation! If you do a good job, I''ll nominate you as the Chief Supervisor of future moving operations in the north!] The Allfather was praising Junius endlessly as if he were the most valuable treasure that he had. The Brahmin that accompanied Junius in had his jaw dropped as he heard his exalted leader''s words, or rather the abundance of it. From his own experiences, the Allfather was never a blabbermouth, and almost all interactions with his subordinates didn''t last more than five sentences. Yet, Junius managed to make the Allfather sing like a bird, bringing much envy to the old Brahmin''s bitter heart. "A leadership position?! Allfather! I''m not worthy of such a high task!" Junius immediately dropped his head in fear. Most of the leadership positions were assigned to Brahmins or at times, capable Kshatriyas. Never in the history of the Black Masks had a fresh-faced Shudra, who was relatively unknown, been given such a demanding assignment. If Junius were to accept the Allfather''s mission, he would be directly in charge of a number of subordinates who were all stronger than himself. Even if he had the right ideas for the base, getting those egotistical seniors to obey his orders is a task by itself. [Are you questioning my decision?] The Dark Sphere replied with a brooding tone. At that very instant, Junius felt like he had been doused with a bucket of arctic ice and flusteredly refuted the Allfather''s claim. "I-I-I wouldn''t dare!!! I''m just afraid that I''m not the right person to suit the task and I''m afraid of disappointing you, my liege!!!" Junius thought he saw his life flash before his eyes when the Allfather chided him. Of all the entities in the world, the last person he wanted to piss off was the mighty being that led his organisation. [My eyes are never wrong. You are a talent, and I''m not one to let geniuses rot. I know what you''re worried about, so I''ll permit Vellan to assist you in the building of the base. That way, you will be able to reign in those that underestimate you.] Junius eyes widened when the Allfather hit the nail on the head. If that was omniscient, then Junius didn''t know what was. "Oh, great Allfather! Your graciousness is as boundless as the sky! I will do my best to live up to your expectations!" Since everything was planned out for him, the only thing that Junius could do was oblige to the Allfather''s arrangements. [That''s enough of that. Caring for my children is the least that I could do.] The Dark Sphere pulsated like a living heart as it replied the shocked youth. However, it wasn''t done. [I had three gifts for you, Junius. Now that you have accepted the first two, I shall give you the final one. Honestly, I think that you would prefer the last gift more than the other two combined.] ''A gift better than the other two?!'' Both Junius and the Brahmin were unable to hide their surprise. The Allfather had given Junius a power boost as well as an authority boost. Looking back at the history of rewards that the Allfather had bestowed upon to others, Junius'' was by far the most extravagant. Yet, there was still another reward that trumped both of them? [It''s something that''s dear to your heart. It''s something that you want to know more than anything else in the world.] If the Black Sphere were a physical person, it would have been mischievously smiling like an imp by now. [Hey, Junius¡­ Do you want to know Shin''s location?] ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 311 Underestimation 3 BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! Thunderous claps echoed through the barren valleys of the Land of Dreams as an orangey hue carpeted the azure sky. Wildfires the size of entire towns enveloped the woods that surrounded the young valley, killing any living beings that dared to call it home. "Ma''am! The attack has been successful! All Spirit Beasts within the valley have been terminated!" An officer ran over to the commander and gave him a firm salute. "We have spotted some men retreating from the vicinity, and a trail has been sent!" "Good! Do not rest until the last Black Mask is captured! We still have thousands more Spirit Beasts to blow up!" The commander applauded the officer''s report with a valiant smile. Ever since the tragedy in the Main Hub, every single soldier in the Second Army had chased after the Black Masks with a vengeance. No one wanted a repeat of the tragedy. Treating the criminal syndicate as cancer that had to be removed, the Himmel Empire''s Second Army charged forward with everything that they had. Should even one portion of the Spirit Beasts roam free, tremendous damage would have been inflicted upon the innocents of the land, and no warrior could sleep well knowing that their families might be in harm''s way. Cultivators that had massive wide-area destructive abilities were sent to the front lines to thoroughly eliminate any Spirit Beasts that they came across. Not even caring about the destruction of the environment, the Second Army slashed and burned their way into the borders of the Kori Federation. It has been two weeks since the beginning of the war against the Black Masks, and the Himmel Empire had taken down at least ten thousand Spirit Beasts in the most savage slaughter in recent history. Throughout their advance, the Second Army managed to capture a few prisoners from the Black Mask syndicate, even though they were mostly low-levelled Dalits that followed the Allfather religiously. However, their operation wasn''t without its rewards. While the majority of those they rounded up were small fish, there were a few whales that weren''t able to hide from the net. Capturing some Kshatriyas and even one Brahmin during their hack and slash, the Second Army was hoping to gruesomely interrogate their captives as hard as they possibly could, to gain any new information about how the syndicate operated. Unfortunately, almost all of the Black Masks that were in the Shudra level or above had a portion of the Allfather''s mana hidden within them, and since they would rather die than to betray their benefactor, every single one of the high-level captives chose to self detonate. The phenomena had caused quite a conundrum for the upper echelons of the Second Army. If they were fighting in a conventional war, the Second Army would have multiple methods of interrogating their prisoners. For one, they could torture their captives till the brink of collapse, or they could promise immunity and gifts for those that were willing to talk. However, before the Second Army could even attempt even one of those tactics, the Allfather''s mana within the Black Masks all detonated, bringing their lives to an abrupt halt. "Lieutenant General Myron! Urgent news! We found the main cluster!" While the head commander was busy reading her reports, a scout officer rushed into the tent and repeated the contents of the note that he was holding. "Initial estimates say that the cluster has at least ten thousand Spirit Beasts, and it could possibly be double the amount!" "Is that true?!" Slamming her palms on the table, Lieutenant General Myron screamed out in jubilation. As the commander of the top field corps in the Second Army, Lieutenant General Myron was a legend of the land. Spending over a hundred years of her life in the military, to call her a veteran would be an understatement. Capable of leading a field corps of fifty thousand soldiers was the least outstanding of her abilities. Some say that if she reached the Spirit Venerate realm, she would be a real contender for the Field Marshal position that had been dominated by Ridan Bitterdawn for the past dozens of years. Hence, her deployment almost guaranteed the success of the whole operation. Over the past two weeks, the Second Army and the Kori Federation''s forces launched a joint assault on the Black Masks in the Land of Dreams. Those from the Himmel Empire was responsible for clearing out the south and east of the Land of Dreams while the Kori Federation secured their borders. Based on early intelligence, the joint force believed that the bulk of the Black Masks'' might be congregated in the west of the Land of Dreams. Hence, with forces closing in on both ends, the joint force believed that they would be able to completely wipe out the threat of the Black Masks in a two-way pincer attack. And on paper, the strategy seemed to be working. "We are waiting for the confirmation on the Kori Federation''s side, but we estimate it to be at least seventy percent accurate!" Lieutenant General Myron knitted her brows and fell back on her chair "Seventy, huh¡­ That''s a bit lower than I expected. If we overcommit there, we might lose out on striking the main force. Does the Field Marshal know?" The Second Army had been annihilating every single trace of the Black Masks that they had come across. Nonetheless, the hits were mainly small clusters of Spirit Beasts that were left behind by the horde. To put it simply, the Second Army had only taken out the crusts of the pizza. If they wanted a sweet victory, they had to go for the meat. "Yes, ma''am! I have sent my fastest rider to relay the news to him back at the Main Hub! He should be receiving the news right about now!" ''That''s too slow¡­ If we wait any longer, the horde might move¡­'' Biting on her nails, the Lieutenant General felt her mind race at the speed of light. ''It''s a high risk, high reward play to go for the cluster now. If there are about twenty thousand Spirit Beasts, sending out thirty thousand men should be sufficient. If I leave the remaining twenty thousand here to react to changes, we should be fine.'' "Where''s Colonel Tychris?!" "He''s in the rear. Should I call for him?" "Yes, tell him to bring over the reports of all the ammunition that we have. Also, order the first and second division to go on standby. The third division will remain in the camp while we pursue the beast horde." Hearing the Lieutenant General''s words, the intelligence officer dropped his jaw. Even if Myron was known to be a decisive commander, taking such an immediate approach without consulting the Field Marshal was rash, to say the least. "Are we going for them with the men we have?" Myron''s mouth twitched in annoyance. "Are you doubting my orders, Major?" "N-No! I wouldn''t dare! My apologies!!!" Immediately dropping his head in fear, the officer immediately retreated to execute his superior''s orders. Even if he had his doubts, defying a Lieutenant General''s orders, not to mention one that had a near perfect track record, was akin to throwing his career away. ''Hah¡­ Well, it''s not like I don''t get your doubts¡­ There isn''t enough information to legitimately launch an attack.'' Only when the Lieutenant General was alone in her tent, did she drop her facade and glanced up at the ceiling. It wasn''t proper protocol to launch such a large scale operation without the consent of the Field Marshal. Furthermore, the intelligence that was gathered had a number of holes in it. It was much wiser to wait a day or two before launching an assault on the unknown grounds. However... ''But something''s telling me that this is the right move.'' Lieutenant General Myron wasn''t a rookie in the military. She naturally knew of all the right procedures to follow. Nonetheless, at times, following the protocol wasn''t the best course of action. Whenever her intuition spiked, Lieutenant General Myron would almost always comply, even if it meant getting in trouble with the higher-ups. ''Let''s just hope that I''m right...'' ~~~~ Once the orders were set in stone, it didn''t take long for the field corps to gather and march upon the foreign land. Taking thirty thousand men and advancing them through rough and unfamiliar terrain was a hurdle that no mere commander could accomplish. Not to mention, they had to do it covertly to avoid alarming the men that led the beast horde. However, the Lieutenant General wasn''t a run-off-the-mill commander. A task like this was merely child''s play to her, and the thirty thousand soldiers reached their destination in a mere six hours. "Ma''am! All men are in their positions! We''re ready to move at your order!" A colonel came and reported. "We have sights on the beasts! Looks like your bet had paid off." The colonel smiled as he was once again impressed by the aptitude that his commander had when it came to the battlefield. "..." Myron ignored the blatant compliment and continued to stare at the beast horde with suspicious eyes. Even though she had called the right move, she couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling that she had in her chest. Her intuition was screaming at her that something was amiss, but she just couldn''t put her finger on what it was. "Yeah¡­ Prepare the long-range attacks. We are going to blast them with all that we have." "Yes, ma''am!!!" Happily skipping back to his division, the colonel ordered his men to prepare to attack. Since they had a superior vision and positioning, the plan was exceedingly simple. The cultivators with large-scale spiritual abilities would send everything that they had flying at the poor souls in the region and the archers would support them with long-range attacks. Once the cultivators'' mana has been depleted, the infantry and ground troops would charge forward and eliminate or capture any survivors. It was a strategy with proven effects and a relatively high success rate. Lieutenant General Myron had even used this move with excellent results in the past. However, something just wasn''t the same¡­ ''Whatever, I''ll personally deal with it when the time comes.'' Instead of scurrying behind the main lines as all commanders do, Myron summoned out her battle staff and brought out a wave of resplendent light. Being a master at close-quarter combat, the Lieutenant General was fully expecting to take on the leader of the beast horde, be it a Tier 9 Spirit Beast or a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate. She may be a realm below them, but the veteran fighter was confident of taking on almost any foe that may come her way. "Ma''am! We''re ready to fire!" "..." Myron took one final look at the beast horde, which seemed oblivious to the overwhelming spiritual energy that was being gathered overhead. Repeating what they always did, the beasts remained calm even in the face of certain death. "Tsk, FIRE!!!" Releasing the flare that she had prepared for this very moment, Myron ordered the complete annihilation of the beast horde. BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!! Just like the scene in the valley, crimson light overflowed the terrain, striking fear in military men''s hearts. No matter how powerful a cultivator was, there was no way that they could remain unfazed by the combined attacks of thousands of Spirit Users. Instantly incinerating the field, there was no doubt in the soldiers'' minds that they had given a massive blow to their dastardly enemies. Well, only the lower-ranked soldiers thought this way. For those with higher cultivation levels, their eagle eyes widened in complete shock. "This is!" Myron finally understood why she had an uneasy feeling all the while. "STOP!!! STOP!!! Stop the bombardment!" Myron barked out her orders and raised her golden battle staff. "My knights! Gather before me!" Calling for her own personal elite force to congregate at her location, Myron waited for the bombardment to halt before flying straight at the beast horde. "Ma''am¡­ This is..." "Yeah¡­ We''ve been duped." The Lieutenant General''s face turned grim as she observed the ''Spirit Beasts'' that were all around her. Unaffected by the destructive force that her field corps had delivered upon them, the ''Spirit Beasts'' continued on their business. Some were sleeping in the shade, some were licking their own genitals, and some were rolling about like a sloth. When Myron attempted to touch one of the ''Spirit Beasts'', her hand slipped right through, stunning everyone of her knights. "These are all holograms..." Myron explained weakly. "To think that the Black Masks had this capability! If they have this technique, they''re sure to elude us with every turn from now on!" "Ma''am¡­ Look at that." Following the finger of her trusted knight, Myron found a deep crevice that led to a tunnel that disappeared into the darkness. Even a moron could guess what that crevice meant. "We''re too late¡­ They already escaped." Myron dug her nails deep into her palms. "I want this location to be secured by the hour! Go back and inform the Field Marshal of this incident! Also, find out what''s causing this illusion!" "Yes, Ma''am!!!" After giving a firm salute, the knights quickly dispersed to carry out their superior''s orders, leaving Myron entirely alone with the deep crevice. ''Black Masks¡­ We have underestimated you too much...'' ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 312 Salvation 1 Himmel Empire. The Capital. Lady Seph''s abode. The skies were blue, and the air was fresh in the tranquil Capital. When the news of the Land of Dreams massacre came to the ears of the citizens in the Capital, a nervous panic ensued. The Land of Dreams wasn''t that far away from the Capital, and many residents considered abandoning their homes for a safer location down south. It took the Imperial Guards and the First Army a great deal of effort to calm the uneasiness in the air, bringing the Capital back to its normal state. By now, the war against the Black Masks was already two weeks in and each day, a new article reporting the victory of the Second Army would be published, restoring faith in the restless citizens'' minds. So what if the Black Masks had four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts? The Himmel Empire boasted one of the most potent military force the world has ever seen. Not to mention, there was a plethora of Rank 80 Spirit Venerates participating in the expedition, including the infamous Lady Seph, who could consistently heal any injured soldier within seconds. While the entire world was still revolving, a certain black-haired boy remained stationary in his own room. After returning home on Bingbing''s back, Shin had locked himself up in self-punishment. Reflecting on many of his actions back in the Land of Dreams, he could only describe himself in one word¡­ He was a brat. Not only did he push others to do his bidding, but he had also endangered the lives of his precious friends, all in the pursuit of nabbing Junius. Additionally, Shin thought that he was high and mighty as he believed that he was the only person with information about the Black Masks when the Himmel Empire evidently had its sources. Finally¡­ Shin felt his blood run cold as he thought of the most disgusting thing he did in the Land of Dreams. He had caused the lives of two people to be void¡­ And for what cause? Just because he wanted to bring Junius to justice? Just because he wanted to take down the Black Masks for everything that they had done to him and Ariel? "I want to kill myself¡­" Shin hugged his knees and thought out loud. The bedding below him was hot while the food that Elyse had prepared for him had gone cold. Lady Seph had only barred Shin from leaving her mansion for a week, and the full-time student was expected to return to class a few days ago. However, due to his unstable frame of mind, Shin had opted not to hurry back to school. Instead, he had been spending his days brooding to himself. Of course, that was great news for the snowy white gerbil that wished to stock up on her Shin reserves, but even Bingbing got worried after seeing Shin cooped up in one corner for hours on end. Digging her nose deeper into Shin''s lap, Bingbing did her best to cheer the boy up. Giving a rare smile, Shin scratched on the gerbil''s head, causing it to purr in comfort. "Are you trying to cheer me up?" "Yip Yip!!!" "I know, I know¡­ I have been quite moody these past few days..." Shin sighed and threw his back down on his bed. "I just¡­ Don''t know what I''m doing anymore..." Shin was lost. His vision for the future was a driven one, where his organisation would chase justice for those who were wronged by the Black Masks. Shin wanted to create a world where tragedies like Aldrich Keep and Frie Mountain wouldn''t be repeated. Yet, when he chose to chase justice, he had taken away two lives. How heavy was a person''s life? Shin didn''t know. All of Star Face and Cyphia''s acquaintances, friends and family would never know how they passed. Even if they did, they would never be able to get their loved ones back. Just because of Shin''s stubbornness to gain the truth, he had caused others to suffer. Was it truly worth it? "Yip yip yip..." Not knowing how to console the young man, the only thing that she could do was stay by Shin''s side to ensure that he didn''t do anything rash. Of course, the snowy white gerbil wasn''t the only one who was worried about the youth. "Lia¡­ Shin didn''t come out from his room today?" Ryner, who had just came back from his hunt, put down his gear and questioned the homemaker. "Looks like he''s getting worse..." "Yeah¡­" Lia scratched her supple cheeks with a frown. Now that she was seventeen-years-old, Lia had long reached the peak of her growth. She wasn''t a divine beauty like Lady Seph, or Kanari was, but she could still hold her head up high whenever she did her grocery shopping. Her friendly demeanour and easy-to-approach expression made her a popular girl within her district. Even though she wasn''t that capable in combat, her cultivation progressed smoothly alongside her homemaking skills. Using her Cyan Hyacinth to aid in her cooking, cleaning and the overall management of the mansion, Lia was now an indispensable part of Lady Seph''s abode. In fact, the esteemed Spirit Venerate had even begun teaching her how to manage her own finances as well as micro-managing every detail of the house. Furthermore, homemaking wasn''t the only talent that Lia had. Almost all of the orphans opened their hearts to her, and she would often give spectacular advice. Even Ryner and Jacob, who were ordinarily distant to the rest of the orphans, pour their hearts out as they sought for advice. All in all, Lia had become the central figurehead of the orphans, the glue that stuck them all together to be precise. However, even the wise grandmother side of her was hopeless to deal with Shin''s situation. "He''s still not telling you what happened in the Land of Dreams?" Lia pivoted her head left and right in denial. "No¡­ I have my guesses, but for the large part, I''m kept in the dark. Isadore and Elrin had visited many times, but whenever they conversed, I wasn''t allowed in." "Whatever happened there, must be big¡­ I had never seen Shin this way since Ariel''s death." Ryner''s eyes flashed with concern. As the eldest of the bunch, Ryner felt worthless as he always seemed to rely on Shin. Back on Frie Mountain, when Junius and Lily were still with them, Ryner could act as a lone wolf since those two siblings of his were so reliable. However, now that they were gone, Ryner felt that he should be the one to step up and fill their shoes. Unfortunately, Ryner wasn''t able to give the value that Shin was able to. Not only did Shin bring the orphans out of the dangerous Frie Mountain, but he had also even provided them with free lodging and protection. Additionally, Shin also went out of his way to allow the orphans to live a life of relative freedom. Ryner was able to choose the life of a hunter. Max was flourishing as a rookie store clerk and was able to land an apprenticeship with the boss of his company. Elyse and Fionn had sharpened their blades and were ready to take the entrance exam for Imperius Academy soon while the youngest of the bunch, Jacob, had studied hard enough to enter a prestigious institution that focused on the development of science. If not for Shin''s connection to Lady Seph, as well as his insistence for the orphans to live uncaged lives, all of their choices wouldn''t have been possible. Hence, when Shin had returned home depressed, every single orphan was dedicated to being there to support him. "Yeah¡­ No, it might be even worse." Lia added on. "When Ariel died, at least he had the drive to keep training. Now, he doesn''t even move out of his room. What in the world happened in the Land of Dreams?" The more that Lia thought about it, the more questions she had. Throughout the two weeks of Shin''s return, she had been asking around. However, Isadore and Elrin were both tight-lipped while Lady Seph wasn''t even home. Lia had even tried to ask Bingbing even though she wasn''t fluent in the language of yip. Also, since Shin was that emotional, she didn''t want to excessively pester him. Thus, she was at an impasse. "Sister Lia! Sister Lia! Kanari has arrived!" Fortunately, Lia''s saviour was just around the corner. Running down the hallway, Fionn quickly informed the arrival of one of Shin''s best friends in the academy. Being a member of the Highgarden Duchy, the amount of intelligence that the black-haired beauty had easily trumped anything that the orphans could possibly fathom. If there were someone that could give them a rough idea of what happened to Shin, it would be Kanari. "Where is she?" "Elyse is bringing her in. She wants to meet with Shin." ''As expected, she knows something.'' Lia bit down on her fingernails and got off her chair. "Let me meet her first. I want to ask her a few questions." "And what would that be?" Before Fionn could rush over to the entrance, a melodious voice entered the Main Hall where the orphans were having their own discussions. A ruby-eyed young enchantress, who was accompanied by a black-robed female butler, came forward with a radiant smile on her face, sending shivers down the orphans'' spines. ''No matter how many times I see her, I cease to get impressed.'' Lia sighed mentally. Being a female of a similar age, Lia felt inferior whenever she looked at the gorgeous young girl. Her face was divine, and her proportions were so perfect that it was borderline unfair. Additionally, she was the heir of the affluent Highgarden Duchy and was widely considered to be the most talented cultivator of her generation. Lia was no slob, but if she compared herself to Kanari, she might as well be one. Kanari was God''s favoured child, and possibly no girl could possibly hope to compare to her. In any normal circumstance, Lia wouldn''t have the opportunity to talk face-to-face with such a superstar. However, thankfully there was a rising star within their midst that allowed her to do just that. "Kanari, I''ll cut to the chase. Do you know what happened to Shin?" Lia calmed her nerves and shot a direct question at Kanari. "Hmmm? You don''t know?" Kanari was genuinely shocked by Lia''s question. She assumed that the first people that Shin would confide in was the orphans, due to their long history with one another. "No¡­ He''s been locking himself up in his room for the past two weeks. He hasn''t told us anything." Although Kanari didn''t mean to sound condescending, to Lia it surely felt that way. "Please Kanari, could you tell us?" "..." The young girl placed her index finger on her chin and pondered if she should open her mouth. However, eventually, Kanari gave up and regrettably shook her head. "I''m sorry, it''s not my story to tell. Let me meet with Shin. Maybe I can get him to come to his senses." If Shin didn''t tell the orphans about the ordeal in the Land of Dreams, then neither should Kanari. Hearing the ethereal beauty''s words, Lia dropped her head in shame. She wanted to help Shin in with every means that she had, but now, she had to rely on an outsider''s help. "Okay¡­" With a face full of reluctance, Lia brought the girl and her butler towards the isolated room. Gesturing for her attendant to stay outside, Kanari prepared herself to face the downcast friend of hers. "Please, help him get on his feet." Lia tapped Kanari''s shoulders with a face full of concern. Shin had never been in such a predicament in his life. Even though Lia didn''t know the exact details, she knew that it must have been a serious incident. "He can''t stay like this forever..." "..." Kanari was impressed by the bonds that the orphans shared. Even without knowing what happened, Lia, Ryner, Elyse and Fionn were committed to staying by the boy''s side. If Max and Jacob were here, they would have felt the same way as well. "I''ll try my best." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 313 Salvation 2 "Shin? Can I come in?" Kanari knocked on the door with the softest voice that she could breathe out. "Kanari?" A baffled voice came from the other end. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Kanari steadied herself for the insurmountable task that she had to accomplish. When she first discovered of Shin''s plan to enter the Land of Dreams, Kanari was appalled by the entire idea. If it were up to her, she would have forced Shin to stay out of harm''s way until he joined the Highgarden Duchy formally. However, being the supportive friend that she was, Kanari was forced to smile as she waved a reluctant goodbye. After recognising his overwhelming talent, Kanari knew that she had to be patient in poaching the youth over to her side. Besides, they had to spend almost five more years together in the academy, which gave Kanari plenty of time to work with the stubborn boy. Thus, one could imagine her horror when she discovered that her bosom friend, Elrin, had managed to sneak out of the Capital alongside Shin in his crazy adventure. Initially, Kanari wanted to chase after the group as well, but every single aide around her advised her otherwise. Yes, Shin was an essential asset for her goals. However, there was no way that Kanari should put her own life at risk just for the sake of scoring a few points in Shin''s book. With no other moves to make, the only thing that Kanari could do was wait patiently for the return of Shin, all while pleasing the boisterous Shizen and mentoring the twins in their studies. In the beginning, Kanari was restless that Elrin would be spending a full month with Shin without her supervision, but being the optimist that she was, she saw an opportunity to bridge the academic gap that she had with the prodigious youth. After a few adjustments to her daily routine, Kanari soon became satisfied with her own advancements and couldn''t wait to see the look on Shin''s face when she beats him in the upcoming tests. Regrettably, that image wasn''t to pass. When the news broke that the Land of Dreams was being overrun by the Black Masks, Kanari felt her heart sink. Doubly so when she found out that the Black Masks had sent out two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts to blitz their way through the Land of Dreams. Immediately sending out her family''s intelligence officers, Kanari hoped that she would give the youth an added layer of protection. She knew that Isadore and Elrin would have their own protection detail, but to the best of her knowledge, Shin was mostly unguarded. Should anything happen to him, he was as good as dead against a Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Thankfully, the worst case scenario never happened, and Shin was brought back to the Captial safely by Lady Seph. However, instead of returning back to the campus, Shin remained cooped up in his Master''s large mansion, unwilling to come into contact with the outside world. Confused by the sudden shift in his behaviour, Kanari asked around, and it was only by chaining Elrin down to a chair that she finally unearthed every single detail of their trip. ''I have to be delicate¡­ Based on what Elrin said, Shin''s insistence on catching Junius had caused the deaths of the pair named Cyphia Dandrea and Garland Mull. Furthermore, Garland cursed Shin as he took his own life. If I''m not careful, this incident will become a mental demon that he would never overcome.'' Kanari took a deep breath in and placed on her most neutral expression as the doors swung open. "Kanari? What are you doing here?" "I can''t visit my friend?" Kanari tilted her head cutely. "Don''t worry, I''m here to deliver some notes. You''ve been out of the academy for almost a month and a half! I''m sure that you would want to see some of my homework." Professionally delivering the excuse she thought off before coming to the mansion, Kanari raised the hamper in her hands, revealing a pair of notebooks. "Also, I brought some snacks. You must have been sick of eating stale military food during your stay in the Land of Dreams. These highland grapes were freshly plucked yesterday. I''m sure it will suit your taste buds." "You didn''t have to..." Shin smiled bitterly and showed his friend into the room. Taking the hamper and placing it down on a nearby table, Shin took out one grape and popped it into his mouth. "You''re right, it tastes sweet." "Hehe, I''m glad you liked it." Kanari carefully examined the contents of the lonesome room and heaved out a huge sigh. The Shin that she knew was a methodical and organised guy. No matter the situation, he would always clean up after himself, never leaving himself in a pile of mess. Yet, with just one cursory look, Kanari could tell that the young boy didn''t bother with the chores during his two weeks alone. Clothes were thrown into one corner, bedsheets were so wrinkled that it wouldn''t be surprising if bugs lived in them, and finally, a potent musky stench of sweat tormented the empty room, so much so that Kanari was tempted to cover her nose. "Shin, so how have you been?" Finding a comfy seat on a wooden stool nearby, Kanari turned to Shin and asked. "You''ve been quite hard to reach you know. I wanted to visit you sooner, but Lady Seph placed the strict ban of no visitors for one week. That really troubled Principal Erudito you know that?" "Master did so?" The black-haired boy jumped in shock. He was wondering why no one from the academy came to bother him even though he had been essentially skipping school for two weeks. As it turned out, Lady Seph had really gone and threatened the bronzed-face scholar. "She really didn''t have to..." Shin took the notes that Kanari had painstakingly written down for him and flipped through the pages. "Wow, you really advanced quite a bit in your studies¡­ This material is for third years." "What? You already read the third year syllabus?" "Yeah. I would be gone for over a month you know. So before I left, I read up as much as I possibly could and finished the second year syllabus. During the times where I was free in the Land of Dreams, I would read some minor notes on the third year syllabus." "And here I thought that I would have caught up to you." Kanari made an indignant face. Of course, she was acting that all hope was lost and Shin saw right through her. After a few moments, the two burst out laughing. "Hah¡­ Thank you, Kanari." Shin broke the ice. "Thank me for what?" "Since you''re here, I''m guessing you already knew what happened in the Land of Dreams. Even if Elrin and Isadore remained mum, you would probably send Spion to gather intelligence." Shin accurately guessed the purpose of Kanari''s visit. "..." Kanari''s lips twitched as she observed the young boy who was seated on his bed. Sighing deeply, the girl moved to the hamper and took out a small cheese wheel, placing it on the saucer that she prepared. Slicing two pieces out of the gigantic wheel, Kanari took one big bite while she offered the other to Shin. "Eat. It''s one of the best products that the Highgarden Duchy has to offer." "..." Shin was unsure where his friend was getting at, but he still obliged. "Kanari¡­ I know that it''s pointless to ask at this point, but how much do you know?" "I know that you found out that Mort Bay was where the Black Masks were striking. I know that you had narrowly escaped the notorious World Serpent, and..." Kanari paused, unsure if it was in her place to mutter out those words. "You know that I killed someone?" Shin completed the blanks with a wry smile. "Yeah..." Kanari gritted her teeth. But it''s not your fault! The man was a bad guy for teaming up with the Black Masks! Also, he killed himself! You didn''t kill him! Those words were on the tip of Kanari''s tongue, but she couldn''t bring herself to say those words. She knew that any consolation that she could give would merely be paper over the cracks. What she needed to do was to help Shin live with the deaths of the two mercenaries. "Are you here to laugh at my pathetic state?" "Of course not!" The ethereal beauty got the shock of her life. She was here to comfort him, not make fun of him! She would be in serious trouble if the boy misunderstood her kind intentions. "Shin¡­" Kanari moved from her chair and joined Shin on his bed. "Was this your first time killing someone?" The despondent youth flinched at Kanari''s sudden question. "Yeah¡­ What about you, Kanari? Have you taken another''s life before?" "I¡­ have¡­" "???" Shin abruptly turned his head to look at the black-haired girl. As the heiress of the Highgarden Duchy, Shin assumed that Kanari would be similar to Elrin and lived her days as a sheltered scion. Of course, his assumption was nowhere near reality. "It happened when I first entered the Spirit Apostle realm¡­ When my talent had become widely known, and no one questioned my right to take over the Duchy, my mother started to train me and taught me everything I needed to know about how about the roles and responsibilities as a Duchess." "..." "In the beginning, it was simple actions such as how to manage the harvests and how to socialise in High Society." Kanari''s eyes turned gloomy as she recalled her early days. "However, after a while, I learnt the true pains of being a noble¡­" "What happened?" "As a noble, you are responsible for everything that happens on your turf. If there''s a natural disaster, you have to be there to aid those suffering. If there''s a deficit in the harvest, you must find a solution to brave through the winter. Also¡­" Kanari''s eyes quivered as she feared to reveal her next words. After all these years, she thought that she had gotten over it, but some scars just never heal. "If someone does a crime, you have to be the one to mete out the punishment¡­" "You mean!" Shin exclaimed as he realised what Kanari had gone through. "Yeah¡­ When I was thirteen, my mother made me execute someone who was on death row." "How¡­" "Could she?" Kanari finished the boy''s sentence. "My father said the same thing. But if I were to inherit the Duchy, it was an inevitable deed." Kanari didn''t blame her mother at all. In fact, she was thankful for experiencing such a deed when she was that young. At the very least, if she honestly got into danger, Kanari would have the mental fortitude to really kill someone. "As the lord of the land, there''s no way that I can keep my hands clean. Yes, I can hire executioners to do the deed, but that''s just passing the responsibility to someone else. Eventually, all the blood that sheds on my territory belongs to me." "Kanari¡­" For the first time, Shin saw a side to Kanari that he had never seen before. The amiable young girl had a vicious side to her. "You really are a noble." "Thanks for that." Kanari smilingly replied. "Shin, there are times where you would have to kill your enemies. Your emotions don''t matter. If I didn''t kill the inmate on death row, he would have found a chance to escape and do more heinous deeds. The same logic applies the two mercenaries that committed suicide before you. They had helped the Black Masks to murder all those innocent lives in the Land of Dreams. If you didn''t stop them, they would have continued to do evil." "..." Shin bit his lip. He understood what Kanari was getting at, he really did. However, it didn''t change the pain in his heart. "How? How did you manage to forget this pain?!" Finally breaking down, Shin wailed out in agony. He had heard numerous stories of soldiers breaking down after claiming their first life, and currently, he was on the verge of doing the exact same thing. Kanari placed her left arm over Shin''s neck while her right hand pulled the boy''s waist closer to her. "You don''t¡­ You will never forget your first kill. You just have to learn to live with the pain and swear to remain convicted to your cause. That''s the only thing you can do." Kanari''s eyes started to mist as she saw how feeble her friend had become. "For now¡­ You can just cry it out." "Arghh!!! ARGHHHHH!!!" Bawling his eyes out, Shin sunk deeper and deeper into Kanari''s embrace, drenching her linen robes. Right now, he wasn''t the young genius that shook the nation, and neither was he the brave soul that wished to combat the Black Masks. Right now, he was just a boy seeking salvation... ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 314 Towards A New Tomorrow The Himmel Empire. The Capital. The Emperor''s Audience Chambers. The war between the Black Masks and the two superpowers closed out as quickly as it came to the scenes. After Lieutenant General Myron''s raid on the illusory beast horde, the forces of the Black Masks seemingly vanished overnight. Although the Second Army and the forces of the Kori Federation had taken down a combined total of twenty thousand Spirit Beasts, the leading pack of the group had disappeared into the burrows that were dug for their escape. Three weeks after the collapse of the Main Hub, both the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation ceased any military actions on the land, temporarily ending the war between them and the Black Masks. On the surface level, the two superpowers had won. Killing twenty thousand Spirit Beasts as well as forcing the Black Masks to go into hiding, if it were any normal circumstance, a victor would have been long decided. However, the Black Masks and the Allfather had made it evident that they were no mere foe. With more than four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts in their grasp, the Black Masks was easily the strongest organisation other than the three superpowers. Taking out twenty thousand Spirit Beasts was just pulling a hair out of a bison''s body. Estimates vary, but some experts were saying that the Black Masks could have moved as many as a million Spirit Beasts into the Kori Federation, based on the tunnel system that was left behind by the syndicate. Thus, to combat the rising threat of the Black Masks, a secretive meeting had been convened¡­ "Your Majesty. The communications have been set up. Everything is in order." A purple robed eunuch bowed down with the elegance that had been hard-wired into his veins as he informed the golden-robed man seated on his throne. "Once you give the order, we will be connected with the leaders of the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic." "Mmmm." His Royal Majesty, Tenno, nodded. Stroking his straightened beard, the regal man checked himself in the silver mirror that his maidservant was holding. The two individuals that he was about to meet were leaders of the modern world. As a representative of his own country, even the slightest blemish might be reflected poorly in their eyes. "Your Majesty, everything is in order." The Imperial Groomer checked the Emperor one final time before giving the thumbs up. "Good. Leave me." Tenno dismissed his subjects, leaving only his most trusted eunuchs behind. For matters of the state, the fewer ears around, the better. "Connect me through." Krrrttt. Krrrttttt. Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttttt. The two Cikai Mirrors before the Emperor showed signs of static before stabilising into two prim images. On the left mirror, a gorgeous woman dressed in a full marine robe with beautiful proportions that would make even the most experienced courtesan jealous. Her silky smooth grey hair was tied into a bun and held in place by a jade hairpin with a whale''s head, which allowed everyone to observe her small face. Whenever Tenno saw this woman, he couldn''t help but get taken aback by her crystalline green eyes that were uncommon for people from the continent. On the right, a similarly good-looking young man was seated on an elevated throne. If they were going by looks, the man in the right Cikai Mirror would undoubtedly be the youngest. However, that couldn''t be farther from the truth. The man dressed in all white was without a doubt, the oldest among the three gathered. However, when he advanced into the Spirit Venerate realm, he chose to take the image of his sixteen-year-old self, due to the pleasant memories that he had when he was at that age. ''There they are¡­ The leaders of the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic...'' Tenno sighed mentally to himself. They were called ''leaders'' but how much power do they really have? Just like how the Himmel Empire separated power between the Imperial Family and the Imperial Courts, the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic had a firm separation of power as well. In the Kori Federation, the Master Sects were the ones calling the shots, and the government men were simply figureheads that did their bidding. The Lantis Republic had the same fate. Power was divided almost equally amongst the Eight Ancient Clans of Water. While the woman in the mirror was also a member of one of those clans, she didn''t have the authority to make decisions for all eight clans. Nonetheless, they were still important figures in their own right. The woman was the nominated Chancellor of the Lantis Republic, and her name was as famous as the Lantis Republic itself. During the War of the Oceans, the woman had used her Colossal Leviathan to wreak havoc among the Spirit Beasts of the ocean. Additionally, her naval exploits were legendary, to say the least. No matter which navy she led, she would thoroughly defeat any enemy, further cementing the Lantis Republic''s claim to having the most invincible navy that the world had ever seen. Through her exploits, many gave her a fitting nickname. One that still strikes fear to the Admirals of both the Himmel and Kori Navy. The Immortal of the Ocean, Jingyu Shenxian. "Your Majesty, it''s been a while." Shenxian broke the silence with a warm greeting. "How are your children?" "They''re doing fine, thank you. How about yours?" The Imperial Emperor thanked the Chancellor and added his own statement within. "Still the same. Many of them had already grown to adulthood, so I don''t really have to worry about them." "I see..." Tenno nodded in agreement. His very own children that had reached adulthood had already left the palace and ruled over their own territory. Very rarely would one of his adult children visit him, and he had to rely on that one bubbly young girl who still remained in the palace to keep him company. Turning towards the right Cikai Mirror, Tenno gave the man a nod of acknowledgement and didn''t bother with any small talk. It was no secret that the Kori Federation was on bad terms with the Himmel Empire. If not for the Black Masks threatening to destabilise civilisation as they knew it, the two wouldn''t even bother to meet. However, as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. For the time being, the two superpowers could set aside their differences to combat the existential threat. "Your Majesty, let''s not waste any more time. We all know why this meeting had been called." The man frowned and folded his arms. "The Black Masks. How are we going to murder them all?" "Straight to the point as always, Prime Minister Duncan." Tenno straightened his back. Though the two leaders were technically on the same level, their experience levels were like night and day. Prime Minister Duncan Sephron had been holding his position for over forty years, and no one in the entire Federation dared to question his abilities. Not only was he the face of the government, but he was also part of the most senior Master Sect that had a Spirit Saint in its midst. Some say that the only reason why the Master Sects cared about the government at all was due to the Prime Minister''s voice constantly nagging in their ears. Hence, he was well-liked by his fellow peers as well as the general public. On the other hand, the Himmel Empire hated his guts. Part of the faction that wished to stir up trouble with their neighbours down south, Prime Minister Duncan had always been a thorn in the Emperor''s side. Fortunately, his viciousness was now targeted at another entity, giving Tenno some breathing room to hopefully mend relations. "Your Majesty. You should know that Wangu from the Dalgeom Sect had fallen to the barbaric hands of that criminal syndicate. All I want is justice for my fellow countryman as soon as possible." "My condolences." Tenno showed signs of grief in his consolation. If the residents of the Land of Dreams were the biggest victims of the Black Masks, then the Kori Federation was undoubtedly the second biggest. Not only did the Black Masks bring in an absurd number of Spirit Beasts into their territory, but they had also lost a valuable asset in Wangu. The Spirit Emperor of the Dalgeom Sect was not only one of the most prominent figures of his generation, but he was also one of the most likeable people in the Kori Federation. His honest and hardworking ethic brought him a fame that was unprecedented by a Spirit Emperor. Born with an average Spirit, Wangu worked his way to the top through blood, sweat and tears, amidst all of the criticism that told him that he was wasting his time. Even the Prime Minister, who had lived for over three hundred years, could appreciate such a character. If there were more people like Wangu in the Kori Federation, they would have unquestionably taken over the entire continent by now. Thus, when the news came back that he sacrificed his life for the escape of his two junior disciples, federation as the whole immediately got enraged. "Thank you, but Wangu''s soul can never rest in peace unless we eradicate that criminal syndicate that doesn''t know its place!" The Prime Minister''s face turned crimson as he became more and more agitated. "I understand. That''s why I have called for this meeting to take place." Tenno agreed with the Prime Minister''s claim. "We are currently at a disadvantage. The Black Masks are being led by a mysterious leader that''s easily at the Spirit Saint or Primordial Beast realm, and he has a variety of Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. For now, we know that he has four of them, but who knows the true number of Spirit Beasts that he really has? Not to mention, he is able to control beast hordes in the hundreds of thousands. Also, he has gathered all the outlaws and paupers into his organisation. The amount of power that the Black Masks have is unprecedented in the history of all criminal syndicates." "..." "..." The two leaders kept silent. Up till this point, they are in agreement. The Black Masks are a threat that must be eradicated. The problem was¡­ How? "This matter is complicated, and it will take much more than this meeting to find an answer. Thus, this is my proposal." Tenno calmed himself down as he continued to read off the script that he had prepared for this very moment. He had to deliver his message with resolution so that he could convince the two leaders that his proposal is the best course of action for all parties involved. "I propose we¡­ No, let''s hold a global summit." ~~~~ The Uncharted Wildnerness. ?????????????????. In a far and distant land, where no humans had ever tread before, there lay a tremendous palace that was easily as large as the Himmel Empire''s own Imperial Palace. Surrounding by tall verdant trees that reached for the stars, the palace was obscured from any surveillance units that roamed the skies. Unlike the forest that surrounded it, the huge dwelling was free from any forms of flora or fauna, as not even an ant could trespass into its white porcelain floor. On any typical day, the palace would be completely serene, making it the perfect place for meditation or self-reflection. However, its tranquil state had been broken by the constant shuffling of feet by men trying their best to hurry to the Main Hall. For the first time since its inception, the Allfather had gathered the majority of the Black Masks forces in one location, making all of the attendees sparkle up with anticipation. Could they be finally meeting their esteemed leader face-to-face? Or was there an even more tremendous event that was going to occur? No one really knew. Over a thousand men and women, all donned in obsidian black robes, knelt down in wait before the pristine white altar. Leading the thousand Black Masks, were a plethora of Brahmins who were all in the Rank 60 Spirit King realm at the very least. Yes, the Black Masks had lost a few warriors during the purge from both the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation, but the free advertising that they had gotten from every newspaper on the planet made their recruitment figures skyrocket. Initially, high-ranked cultivators feared that entering the Black Masks would have given them a one-way ticket to hell. However, now that they knew of the four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts that were in the Allfather''s possessions, all their apprehensions washed away, and they willingly threw themselves into the embrace of the Allfather. With over a hundred cultivators recruited that were over Rank 50, the Black Masks had only strengthened itself after the collapse of the Main Hub, easily making them into the fourth superpower of the world. Of course, a significant reason why the Black Masks gave themselves that assessment was due to the powers of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts that served their almighty leader faithfully. Turning into their humanoid versions, the nine Tier 9 Spirit Beasts stood right behind the white altar allowing all of the Black Masks present to witness their figures. Even though they had transformed themselves into humanoids, they weren''t able to hide the tremendous pressure and dread that they unconsciously release just by existing. "Rarara, the Allfather is late." The red-haired man yawned out his thoughts. Just like his beast state, Akai had a face full of hair, resembling that of a lion''s mane. Additionally, the green serpent tail of his had shrunk and coiled around his lean body. "Akai¡­ Rude..." The Gargantuan Treant replied to his partner. Since the treant was already considered a humanoid, the only thing that it needed to do was to shrink itself to a normal man''s height, just so that it could fit within the compounds of the Main Hall. "That''s right, Akai! You shouldn''t question the Allfather!" Murasaki disputed Akai''s complaint. For Murasaki, fitting into the Main Hall wasn''t that much of a trouble. However, to avoid garnering too much attention, she transformed her lower body into that of a normal human woman. "The Allfather is the wisest person that ever lived!" "Weren''t you just complaining about how he never assigned you to any missions because of your tendency to eat everything?" A blue-haired man teased Murasaki from the side. "You''re just defending him because you let you eat those humans." "Ao! How could you question my faith?! Let me tell you this, no one is more loyal to the Allfather..." "Yeah, yeah. Save it for later." The handsome man grinned and halted Murasaki from continuing. Taking one cursory glance at the crowd, Ao couldn''t help but feel proud for the Allfather''s accomplishments. "The Black Masks are finally turning into his vision¡­ Looks like his promise to us will come to fruition, after all." "Nene, brother Ao! Did you doubt the Allfather''s words?" At that moment, a pink-haired young girl pulled on the blue-haired gentleman''s sleeves and asked with an innocent stare. Of course, every single one of the Noble Beasts knew that the girl was far from innocent. If they said the wrong words, she would become the devil''s incarnate and threaten their very existence. "In the beginning, yes." Fortunately, Ao was no pushover. Among the Nine Nobles under the Allfather, he was among the strongest. There was no need to fear the menace that was this little pink-haired girl. "But you have to understand this, Momo. The promise that he had given to us was so far-fetched back then that no one could have believed him. It''s only after centuries of preparations that these results could have been produced." "Hmmm, I don''t understand it!" Momo adorably cried out. "Nenene, you''re not thinking of undermining the Allfather again right?" "Of course not." "Then I''m good! I don''t have to kill brother Ao!" Momo said those dangerous things with a beaming smile. "Haha, I''m glad." While Ao and Momo had their own little play, two similar eyes glanced over with frustration. A golden-haired woman and a silver-haired man, both with features so identical that the uninitiated could easily have confused themselves over who was who, stared at the young pink-haired girl that showed such blind devotion to the Allfather. ''We can''t go against Momo, Kin. She''s the Allfather''s pet.'' Sensing that his twin sister was about to erupt, the silver-haired man telepathically sent a message. ''I know¡­ Tsk, that''s why I didn''t want to join this stupid meeting! Just seeing her acting so innocent makes my heart retch.'' Kin sent back. ''Gin, once we''re done here, fly me back as quickly as possible. I can''t stand another second with this bitch.'' ''Yes, yes.'' With his sister now calmed down, Gin could finally return back to focusing on the event. "Shiro, now that I think about it, how was the clean-up? Did you manage to fool those idiots from the Himmel Empire?" While Kin and Gin were agonising over something else, Murasaki turned to a white-haired young boy, who was appropriately dressed as a child. "Easy!" Shiro said that one word and turned around in triumph. There was no need for any explanations from then on. The Noble Beasts all knew of how powerful Shiro was. If he said that the mission was easy, then it must have been an overwhelming success. "Silence. The Allfather is about to come on." Finally, a deep and booming voice echoed through the Main Hall, bringing all chatter to an abrupt halt. Once they heard that voice, the Tier 9 Spirit Beasts immediately shut their mouths and bowed their heads. Being primal beings, the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts had always tried to compare themselves to one another. In fact, they had even created a ranking system where their ranks kept fluctuating each time they competed. Rank number two had also changed multiple times throughout the centuries, with either Ao or Momo taking that coveted spot. However, the number one position had remained unchanged since the inception of the Nine Nobles. Standing at over two metres tall, the black-haired human that was emitting a tremendous amount of pressure was the insurmountable mountain that no Tier 9 Spirit Beast could ever hope to climb. Why was that? Kuro was the first Spirit Beast to ever join the Allfather, and he was the only Primordial Spirit Beast in the Nine Nobles. Just seconds after Kuro''s declaration, a chilling wind descended upon the Main Hall as a wave of Black Energy congregated on top of the white altar. A Dark Sphere soon came into view, and the Allfather''s mana within the Black Masks gathered begun to bubble up with excitement. [Welcome, my children! I hope that you''re doing well.] A resonant voice sounded within the eardrums of those present, bringing them into a state of pure euphoria. "Allfather! I finally hear your voice!" "Oh, Allfather! Blessed Allfather that has come to smite the evil of the world!" Crazed fanatics cried out in joy as they praised their almighty leader. Many people thought of the Black Masks as an organisation that did heinous deeds for their own benefit. However, in truth, it was a cult. A cult where they worshipped one god, the Allfather. [I hear your love, and I graciously accept it. I have gathered all of you here for one reason, and one reason only. We have won! Phase one of the Grand Scheme is complete!] "OOOOOOOOAAAAAYYYAHHHH!!!!!!" The hundreds of Black Masks screamed in excitement. For those that had newly joined the organisation during the mass recruitment wave, they looked around with a puzzled expression. They had only joined the Black Masks for the benefits and had no idea what the Grand Scheme was. [We have moved our forces into the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation! Furthermore, we have also secured a remote island base near the Lantis Republic. Bit by bit, the dream that I had envisioned is finally becoming a reality, and I have all of you to thank!] "IT''S AN HONOUR TO SERVE YOU, ALLFATHER!!!" The Black Masks all replied in unison. [I know that. That''s why I brought all of you here. To reward the valiant¡­ And punish the deceitful.] "???" Before the Allfather could give a proper explanation, an endless black mist flowed out of the Dark Sphere and targeted specific individuals in the crowd. Many of whom were part of the new recruits that had joined in recent days. "I¡­ C-Can''t breathe!" "Mercy, Allfather!!! Mercy!!!" All of the men and women that were targeted by the black mist fell to the ground in suffering, much to the surprise of those around them. [Spies and traitors are common in other organisations. But they will never be common in the Black Masks.] The Allfather knew that the wave of mass recruitment was a prime chance for spies to slip into their midst. Hence, he made sure that there were thorough investigations on every soul that stepped foot into his base. If there were any suspicion that the new recruits were an operative sent by the three superpowers or any rival criminal syndicates, the Allfather would do everything in his power to eradicate them. In less than a minute, all those who were targeted by the black mist breathed their last and fell soullessly onto the ground. It didn''t matter if the person was a Rank 60 Spirit King or a Rank 30 Spirit Adept. Every single person that was exposed to the black mist fell like flies, showing the extent of the Allfather''s powers. "The Allfather is wise! The Allfather is wise!!!" [Now, that the meddlesome people have been dealt with, it''s time to reward all of you who stand.] "!!!" Every single soul in the chambers felt their entire soul leap out in joy. Their hard work had finally paid off. Senpai had finally noticed them! [I shall give you all a new surge of my very own mana. Take it as a second baptism if you will. Once you are blessed with my mana, I''m sure that you will be able to forge your own path into the precipice of the cultivation world!] "YES, ALLFATHER!!!" A second dark mist emerged from the Dark Sphere, thoroughly enveloping the entire hall. Feeling a surge of energy entering into their bodies, the Black Masks all fell on one knee as they fought off the pain of the new baptism. They knew that if they survived this temporary pain, they would be reborn anew. [Good, then let us march! Use your power for the sake of anarchy! Use your power for the sake of your aspirations! Use this power for me, and the entirety of the Black Masks! But most importantly...] Hearing the Allfather''s words, the Nine Nobles finally knelt down on both knees and dropped their heads as low as they possibly could. It was finally time for the centuries of preparation to bear its fruits. It was finally time for the Grand Scheme to be fulfilled. [Use your power for the Great War ahead!!!] ~~~~ End of Book 6 ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 315 End of Book 6 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: I will be taking a break from 22nd March to 1st April. The same routine as always I guess. Hi guys! How have you been? We have come to the end of yet another book, and unlike the other times, I don''t have much to say this time, lol. So I''ll try to keep this as short as possible. As some of you may have realised, Webnovel censored the word P A T R E O N, so all my links to the P-site had been blanked out. And before any of you think that I''m going to rant about it, I''m going to cut you off and say I support their decision to censor the P-site. Look, they are a company that needs to earn money, and I''m using their platform to promote my novel. They have every right to block the P-site if the want more authors to join their Premium, and I don''t blame them for that. Yeah, it might be annoying to move around it, but I''ll get by. It''s not like they''re trying to remove my novel away from the platform. Being a web novelist of this genre, there''s really only two options that you can go to. Royalroad is one, but the big player is actually Webnovel. According to Alexa.com, a website that tracks website traffic, Royalroad is ranked 15,168 globally, while Webnovel is ranked 3,183 (as of writing this author''s thoughts). So not only is Webnovel the site with the better traffic, but it also has a method to boost readership, and that is to post daily. Using the algorithm, the daily updates feed will feature the novels that post every day, which is why I have maintained this gruelling schedule of writing every single day. So yeah, they may have censored the P-site, but Webnovel has given me a wider readership and boosted my overall readership, which I''m grateful for. Now, some might ask. Why not join the Premium program then? Won''t all your troubles be solved? I would be lying if I said I never considered it. After all, with all the controversy the P-site is having plus the constant technical issues for no apparent reason, I have considered just biting the forbidden apple. However, I would never go Premium for two simple reasons. One, I didn''t want my work to be liable to another organisation. You see, I''m already working for a boss and writing Spirit Immortal is my escape from real life. I want to have the luxury to do whatever I want with it. If I feel like writing Spirit Immortal no longer becomes fun, and instead it becomes a chore, I will stop it entirely. Secondly, I quite dislike the Premium system where only the first hundred-odd chapters would be free while the remainder would be locked behind a paywall. Back before Webnovel became this way, I really enjoyed reading through hundreds of chapters and having the latest ten chapters locked. Something like the Wuxiaworld VIP system I guess (which is why I started a P-site with that structure in mind). I''m pretty sure many of you feel the same way. In a perfect world, I would love to give you all the chapters for free. After all, I want the story of Spirit Immortal to spread to as many readers as possible. However, the world ain''t perfect man. I have to justify spending hours of my time every day to write this novel and passion isn''t enough. As they say in my country, what is passion? Is it edible? Each hour that I spend writing Spirit Immortal is an hour not spent improving my work skills or taking another job, or enjoying life as it is. Thus, I have to implement some sort of paywall to earn money. That''s the only way I can bring myself to continue writing the novel, and to create a P-site is the lesser of the two evils I guess? I sound like I''m berating Webnovel, but I''m really thankful that it has created such a great platform for budding web novelists. No other site in the world can offer what they have, and to give you some perspective, I shall give you the numbers. I started posting Spirit Immortal on Royalroad on 24th April 2018 and am currently sitting at over 600 followers with 700k views. I posted Spirit Immortal on Webnovel on 29th June 2018, and I have over 5000 readers with over 2 million views. Also, they once placed me on the trending originals page even though they didn''t have to. Not to mention the countless of times they featured me on daily. As much as I loved the freedom that Royalroad had given me, they never once featured me on trending, which is kind of disappointing since I have been posting almost every day. Also, the rating system in Royalroad is kind of annoying. I once dropped 500 ranks due to one 0.5 rating, and after a huge number of 4 or 5-star ratings, it dropped heavily once more due to another 0.5 rating. So now I just ignore ratings altogether and I do the same for almost every novel I read on Royalroad. Wait, how did I get into this tangent again? Oh right, I was talking about Webnovel''s censorship of the P-site. If you really want to support me and read additional content, you can find my P-site link on my website, let''s pray Webnovel doesn''t censor that as well. Hey, if you like Spirit Immortal, my subscribers (not sure if Patrons would be censored as well), can get up to FIFTEEN chapters in advance! Also, during this break that I''m going to have, I will be posting two additional SS so that the page wouldn''t be stagnant for an extended period of time. Linodo? Didn''t you say that this author''s thoughts would be short? Yeah, yeah. Me a liar. Alright, see ya in a week! ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 316 Invitation 1 Himmel Empire. Imperius Academy. A full week had passed since the Second Army retreated from the Land of Dreams and the public was now in the midst of cooling down from the overwhelming heat of the short conflict. Although life in the Capital wasn''t that affected, many citizens were already gearing up for war and had holed up in the safety of their own abodes. However, now that the conflict has ended the majority of those who went into hiding came out of their burrows and resumed with their regular lives. The students of Imperius Academy were no exception. Some of the more hot-blooded youths had mentally prepared themselves to be drafted into the military where they would repel the menace that was the Black Masks. If not for the overall ban that Principal Erudito made, perhaps half the school would become desolate as all of the students would have enlisted. Fortunately, after the Second Army retreated and declared that the war was temporarily suspended, the rowdy students continued to their mundane lives of cultivation and study. Nonetheless, the trigger had been fired. The massacre in the Main Hub had instantly become the most well-known story in recent history and millions of people begun to condemn and despise the Black Masks. The elder generation couldn''t wait to rip the Allfather and his goons limb from limb, while the younger generation couldn''t wait to grow up and do the exact same thing. For better or for worse, the students in Imperius Academy doubled their efforts in cultivation, particularly in increasing their combat skills. To destroy the Black Masks, they needed to become the most elite force the world has ever seen. Even though it had brought him joy that his students were working hard, Principal Erudito didn''t know how to feel now that over half of the academy were working towards the goal of war. Unlike those greenhorns, Principal Erudito had experienced first hand how terrible the flames of war were. The constant bloodshed, seeing how their comrades fall before their eyes¡­ These were all aspects of war that was unsuited for a child''s eyes. Principal Erudito would have much rather his students complete their studies before choosing to enter the military track. That way, he could at the very least trained some students to become scholars or researchers that were stored in the back. "The atmosphere in the school has changed..." Shin mumbled to himself. The gym had almost always been empty, was now filled to the brim and squeezing into it was near impossible. Common walkways which were generally used by couples to stroll had turned into running tracks with dozens of students running past one another. Even the air in the classrooms was different. A typical day in class was quite laid-back. The teacher would teach leisurely while the students would listen in without a care in the world. In fact, some students might even take a nap due to the relaxed environment that Imperius Academy had created. However, now that the news of the Main Hub had broken, almost all of the teenagers in the academy had a burning fire in their eyes. "It has been this way since they found out about the Land of Dreams." Kanari helped to fill in the blanks. Shin had been away for quite some time, after all. "The seniors have it the worst. They were there at the Land of Dreams, but they weren''t able to help those innocent men, women and children. I''ve heard that some of them had even dropped out of school to volunteer in the Second Army." "Quite the patriotic bunch, huh?" Shin sighed. Even if his seniors were there, what could they have done? When Shin toured the massacred town, he saw thousands of decapitated corpses. Whoever or whatever had done the deed, wasn''t stoppable by just a few hot-headed teenagers. "Honestly, they should just stay in school. War is ruthless..." "Yeah..." Kanari agreed with the young boy''s claim. "Speaking of which, you''re the only one who survived both Aldrich''s Keep and the Land of Dreams right? Wouldn''t that make you the most experienced military man in the academy?" Shin raised his eyebrow at Kanari''s quib. "Don''t joke around, Kanari. I''ll never join the army." "Well, it''s the truth that you''re more experienced than anyone here. Perhaps you could lead a seminar talking about your experiences against the Black Masks. I''m sure that it''ll sell out." Shin rolled his eyes and decided to ignore the talkative black-haired girl. Ever since that day where they cried their hearts out in Shin''s room, Kanari had been sticking to the boy like glue. Of course, it was nowhere near the realm of Shizen, who had literally embraced Shin for almost an hour crying out about his ''water source,'' but it wasn''t far-fetched to claim that they meet each other for hours every day. Kanari would bring notes and goodies to Shin''s home, hoping to rehabilitate him out of his room. Never liking the feeling of owing someone, Shin swore that he would repay Kanari someday, which was something that greatly delighted the ethereal beauty but caused a great deal of frustrations for Elrin. If Elrin and Kanari were racing to get Shin''s signature to join their organisations, Kanari would be leading by leaps and bounds. Of course, since Shin wasn''t joining any of them, the race was almost entirely useless, but there was no doubt that Shin and Kanari shared the closer relationship now. "The Black Masks¡­ I wonder how they even got their strength in the first place." Kanari wondered out loud. "The Allfather is powerful, and they have at least four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts in their midst. God knows how much more they''re hiding from us." "Yeah, I also thought it didn''t make sense," Shin replied with a hapless expression. "When Junius'' father targeted me, he released a torrent of black mana, which I could only assume is the Allfather''s. All I felt back then was a dread of life and a bubbling desire for accomplishment." "What does that even mean?" "Honestly, I can''t say..." Shin shook his head. He couldn''t really put the feeling that he had into words due to how foreign it felt. "The Allfather seemingly came out of nowhere. How is it possible that an entity like him could remain in the shadows for so long?" "You''re right¡­ If there was someone as powerful as him, there should be some indication throughout the years. It doesn''t make sense for no one to know of his might. Especially since he amassed over four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts." Kanari added her own opinions with a frown. The Allfather had a might equivalent to that of a Spirit Saint, an entity whose numbers were so scarce in the modern world that the number could be counted with the fingers of two hands. Yet, not only has he evaded detection, but he had also amassed a considerable following, one that could match some of the greater organisations of the world. "One thing''s for sure¡­ The Black Masks, the Allfather, Junius¡­ They must all be brought to justice." Shin gritted his teeth as his eyes flashed with determination. When Kanari consoled him and told him that it was imperative to stay true to his goal, Shin had renewed his soul. Now more than ever before, Shin felt a strong responsibility to take on the Black Masks and bring justice for all those poor victims that were massacred by them. "I wholeheartedly agree." Kanari beamed in delight when she saw the resolute expression that Shin had. Just days before, the boy''s eyes had no light and he could hardly muster up the strength to leave his bed. It was through her intervention that Shin managed to get up onto his feet, and she couldn''t be more proud. "Let''s go meet the rest. Shizen has been bothering me over the past month, so I''m glad that you finally returned. Now that he gets to drink your ''juice,'' he has finally stopped pestering me!" "Urgghh..." Shin cringed at the forbidden word, forcing Kanari to burst into laughter. ''If only these days could continue on forever...'' Kanari thought as she pulled the reluctant Shin straight towards the regular meeting point of their group. ~~~~ After school, before Shin could find his way back into his cultivation chambers, a summon had come to his doorstep. Principal Erudito had called for Shin, Kanari and Elrin to see him in his office, much to the surprise of the three youths. Even though they weren''t sure of what was going to happen, the three still gathered together and visited the bronzed-faced scholar''s office. "Principal Erudito? This is Shin." "Come in." Creaking the heavy wooden doors open, Shin was stunned to see the three faces that waited for them in the office. Principal Erudito was seated at his desk as he usually was, but his prominent face had been deflated, possibly due to the high amount of stress and pressure that he was under. On his left, the second-in-command, Vice-Principal Hirda was similarly fatigued. Countless sleepless nights and the overwhelming workload had taken its toll on the ordinarily resilient Spirit Emperor. However, what truly shocked Shin wasn''t the state of the two highest authorities in the academy, but the presence of the third figure. "Master! What are you doing here?" Shin had seen Lady Seph only a handful of times after she left him in the mansion. Being a Divine Healer that was stationed in the Himmel Empire, she was the best-suited person to assist the Second Army in the fight against the Black Masks. Even though she hated the Imperial Army, Lady Seph couldn''t let the Black Masks run rampant, especially after finding out about the massacre in the Land of Dreams. Being a fangirl of Spirit Immortal Dream, Lady Seph couldn''t stand it when the Black Masks desecrated the holy land just to further their agendas. Hence, calling a temporary truce, the Spirit Venerate broke her rule of assisting the military in hopes of thoroughly eradicating the Black Masks. Alas... "The Black Masks have already escaped. No one knows where their beast horde has disappeared to in the Kori Federation. We have already lost the first battle." Lady Seph bit her lip in annoyance. She had joined hands with her enemy to destroy the greater evil, and yet, it was all for nought. "The joint operation to take out the Black Masks have temporarily been put to a halt." "I see¡­" Shin took a deep breath in and thought about the repercussions for the failure. Now that the Black Masks have over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts in the Kori Federation, Shin was almost sure that the tragedies of Aldrich''s Keep, Frie Mountain and the Land of Dreams would continue to repeat itself. The question was, was there anything that could be done to prevent such a calamity? "Don''t worry, the three superpowers have finally woke up." Guessing the cause of Shin''s frown, Lady Seph assured his concerns. "The three superpowers are planning a global summit, where they will bring in all the major powers in the world. Representatives from the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic would all be attending. Not to mention the Healer''s Association would be dispatching a senior team as well. Mercenary Guild, Blacksmith''s League, and many more. It''s going to be the biggest summit in modern history!" At Lady Seph''s words, even Kanari and Elrin were shocked. They knew that something big was just about the horizon, but they never expected it to reach this degree. Looks like the Black Masks have finally stepped on the wrong toes this time. Even if they had four Primordial Beasts instead of Tier 9, there was no way that they could resist the full retaliation of the entire world. "So why are we called here?" Kanari finally got to the crux of the issue. "In a place where all the major powers are gathered, they would all like to flex some of their muscles." Lady Seph explained. "However, they can''t go head to head after all. There will be Spirit Venerates and Spirit Emperors leading the talks, and having them compete in a friendly competition would spell catastrophe for the environment." "Are you saying that..." Shin widened his eyes as he realised what his Master was getting at. "That''s right. Almost all of the powers attending would bring their brightest disciples to compete while they finalise the talks. Not only would they give the younger generation a chance to experience what it''s like to attend a diplomatic meeting, but they could also show how good their tutelage really is." Lady Seph let out a wry smile and mischievously stared at the top three ranked of their year. "So how about it? Do you want to attend the summit?" ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 317 Invitation 2 "We can do that?" Shin nearly fell down in shock. Based on what Lady Seph had described, the global summit would undoubtedly become one of the most monumental moments in human history. Not only were the three superpowers sending representatives there, but there was also bigwig organisations such as the Healer''s Association and the Mercenary Guild attending as well. Bards will sing eternal songs about how the Black Masks brought the world together, and newspapers all over the world would go crazy in their coverage. Even if he were a mere attendant in the summit, Shin would feel proud to be part of such a historical moment. "Of course you can!" Lady Seph beamed and replied. "While we can ignore the other organisations, the three superpowers would definitely bring the best members of the younger generation! The Imperial Family would be sending out notices to all of you soon, so Kanari and Elrin, I''m sure you''ll learn about it from your parents. I''m just informing you a little early." The two girls nodded. For such a big event to occur, there was no way that their names wouldn''t be put into the fray. In fact, they were glad to be part of history as well. The problem was¡­ "Aren''t we just sixteen? Aren''t there more suitable candidates to represent the country?" Kanari questioned. For those that were considered in the ''younger generation,'' they had to be below twenty-five years of age. In human years, twenty-five was quite a significant age. Many regular humans would have settled down and would have a family by twenty-five. However, for cultivators, a twenty-five-year-old was basically a child who has yet to hit puberty. In the eyes of the top cultivators, if a youngling wasn''t in the Spirit Adept realm by twenty-five, they basically had no chance of reaching the Spirit Emperor or Spirit Venerate realm. If a member of the younger generation had broken through their first barrier of mortality and entered into the Spirit Spectre realm, then there would be multiple heads turned. Even though both Kanari and Shin were on pace to reach the Spirit Spectre realm before they turned twenty-one, they were still just sixteen-years-old. They weren''t that arrogant to think that they could thoroughly beat the elites from the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic, who had either reached the Spirit Adept or Spectre realm. "Of course, there are. That''s why you''ll just be attending, not leading." Principal Erudito finally opened his mouth. "Kanari, I don''t mean to be rude, but your name is not only well-known in the Empire. Both the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic have heard of the Witch in the South, the Empire''s top prodigy. If you don''t attend, people would be sure to talk." "..." Kanari couldn''t come up with a rebuttal. "Elrin, you too. Your Rosary of Eternity is perhaps one of the most sought after auxiliary Spirits in the world. When you participate in the summit, I''m sure that you''ll almost immediately become the centre of attention." "Hehe~." Elrin blushed at the principal''s high praise. Even if she weren''t invited, the merchant blood in her would be pushing her to go anyway. A chance to network with the highest level of each superpower was one that came only once in a lifetime. If she wished to inherit her father''s business, it was vital that she joined the summit. And finally, there was Shin¡­ He may be famous in the Empire, but his meteoric rise meant that there weren''t many entities outside of the Empire that knew of his existence. Perhaps in a few years, the name Shin Iofiel, the Black-Haired Tyrant would resonate in the continent, but for now, there was no real need for Shin to expose himself on the international stage. Nonetheless, the reason why Shin was invited, the reason why Lady Seph pushed the boy to attend, was due to one prime reason. "Shin, you''re not going there to show your talents, and neither are you going there to become the poster boy of the Himmel Empire. Shin, I''m sending you there for one reason only..." Lady Seph took over the explanation. "Shin, I want you to learn more about the Lantis Republic, and if possible, I want you to form a bond with some of those from the younger generation that would be attending." "Huh?" Shin''s eyes twitched in confusion. He didn''t understand why his master was putting forth such a weird idea. The surprise wasn''t limited to Shin, even Kanari and Elrin had their jaws dropped. "It''s not just you that I''m sending. I''m sending Ella and Emma as well. Their presence there should be beneficial for them as well." "Wait! I don''t understand! Why must I bond with those from the Lantis Republic? And why should Ella and Emma attend? They''re just Spirit Apostles!" Shin protested. Based on what Kanari had just said, there would be a plethora of teenagers and young adults ranging from the Spirit Core realm to the Spirit Spectre realm. Against those monsters, the twins didn''t stand a chance. "As I said, you''re not there to become the poster boy of the Himmel Empire. You''re there to make your presence known to the Lantis Republic." "What?" "Shin, I''m sure you have heard of the Celestial River, one of the Empyrean Wonders of the World?" Hearing the familiar term, Shin turned to Kanari. Back when they first met, Kanari had pulled him into her personal auditorium, which housed the Soul Tree, a watered-down version of the Tree of Illusions. There, she mistakenly thought that he was part of Spion and wished to expose him. However, when it was revealed that Shin was really just a talented student that was brought in to the academy, Kanari allowed him to ask her a few questions. That was when he learnt all about the Empyrean Wonders of the World. "Yes..." "Then do you know that the Lantis Republic uses it to baptise every single cultivator in the country the awaken either one of the Eight Scions of Water?" "..." Shin immediately turned speechless. He had once heard that the Celestial River was an Empyrean Wonder that had always resided in the Lantis Archipelago, and it had been used to help boost the powers of the Spirit Users, but he always assumed that it was only a slight improvement. After all, the best way to cultivate was to rely on himself. External help may give a small growth in the short-term, however, in the long-run, the cultivator that muscled his way through to the top would definitely become a much more powerful Spirit User. "What about it?" Lady Seph scoffed that the nonchalant attitude that Shin was taking. "What about it? It''s everything! The Lantis Republic almost exclusively uses the Celestial River for its own people! For those with the Eight Scions of Water, it''s even more drastic! There are even rumours that some cultivators that were baptised by the Celestial River, could see their Spirit undergo an evolution!" "What?!" At Lady Seph''s rant, the entire room froze. It was common knowledge that once a cultivator undergoes the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, they would reach into their spiritual body to grab hold of the little Spirit that lay dormant within. For the most part, the Spirit that a cultivator awakens would remain unchanged for the rest of their lives. Yes, some spiritual abilities might change the structure of the Spirit. For instance, Junius'' Pierce ability was able to change the length of his Azure Water Blade. However, the base Spirit would almost always remain the same. A Spirit Evolution goes against that basic rule. Not only would the base structure of the Spirit change when it underwent an evolution, but it would also almost always be strengthened multiple folds. That being said, a Spirit Evolution was perhaps the rarest occurrence that could ever happen to a cultivator. In fact, the number of Spirit Saints that the world had produced would far outnumber the number of cultivators with evolved Spirits. That was how rare the phenomenon was. "Is that true, Venerate Seraphim?" Being the inquisitive scholar that she was, Vice-Principal Hirda pressed the blonde beauty in fear. If the Lantis Republic could use their Celestial River to forcibly trigger a Spirit Evolution, then wouldn''t that mean that the aquatic neighbour of theirs would have an endless supply of superhumans? "Don''t worry, those cases are rare. However, it is a fact that there were some Spirit Users that have undergone a Spirit Evolution during their baptism. The current Spirit Saint Matriarch of the Longyu Clan is the best example." "You mean the Golden Sovereign Koi wasn''t a mutation, but an evolution?!" It was Principal Erudito''s turn to be surprised. All these years he had been told that one of the most feared Spirits in the world was a mutated Spirit. If it really was an evolution that was triggered by the Celestial River, god knows if there would be more Golden Sovereign Kois in the world. "Golden Sovereign Koi?" Being part of the younger generation, Shin wasn''t familiar with the exploits of the infamous being that terrorised the world during her heyday as a Spirit Emperor or a Spirit Venerate. Fortunately, many in the room did remember. "The Golden Sovereign Koi, the unique Spirit owned by Spirit Saint Longyu Tian, is the most feared Spirit in the entire Lantis Republic." Vice-Principal Hirda gulped as she recollected all of the exploits that Longyu Tian had accomplished. However, there was one battle that came to mind. The one campaign that made her name synonymous with overwhelming power. "Once, during the War of the Seas, Longyu Tian annihilated a million Spirit Beasts using the Golden Sovereign Koi¡­ And she did so in just ten minutes..." "..." Shin couldn''t find the words to express his shock. Killing off a million Spirit Beasts was a feat in itself, but Longyu Tian actually managed to do so in the time taken to boil a kettle of tea! Calling it overbearing would be too conservative. "Venerate Seraphim¡­ I have to confirm. Did Longyu Tian have a regular Sovereign Koi before her Spirit Evolution?" Principal Erudito already knew the answer, but he didn''t want to accept the terrible fact. "Yes¡­" Lady Seph sighed. She was in the same state as them when she first heard the news. However, after much digging, the researcher knew that her worst fears were unfounded. "I know what you''re fearing. Don''t worry, from what I know, Longyu Tian''s Spirit Evolution was pure luck. If the Lantis Republic could manufacture Spirit Evolutions that could change the element of the Spirit, neither the Himmel Empire nor the Kori Federation would be able to survive their aggression." Only after Lady Seph''s reassurance did the two Spirit Emperors breathe a sigh of relief. Just imagining an army of Golden Sovereign Kois was sufficient to send shivers down a Spirit Saint''s spine. "Change of element?" Kanari''s ears picked up an important detail. "That''s right. After Longyu Tian''s Sovereign Koi got baptised by the Celestial River, it changed entirely. Not only did its colour change, it even changed its element. So it can''t really be called a Scion of Water, I guess?" Lady Seph joked. ''To think that the element attribute could also be changed during Spirit Evolution!'' Shin kept marvelling at the new things that he was learning day by day. "Then what element did it change into?" "What else but the dreaded Time-element..." "TIME?!" The three teenagers hollered out. Elrin had even spat out a bit of her saliva onto the desk. And honestly, who could blame them? In all of history, there had only been five recorded instances where a Spirit User contracted with the Space or Time element. "Yes, that exact time-element¡­ The only reason why she was able to kill off that many Spirit Beasts was due to her time-slowing ability. In my opinion, she is perhaps the most dangerous Spirit Saint in the entire world. Just imagine, if she''s able to slow her own ageing process, Longyu Tian would have the capability of breaking the world record for longest living Spirit Saint! Of all the Spirit Saints that are currently alive, perhaps she has the best chance of transcending the heavens and grasping immortality!" "Time-element..." Shin thought out loud. The young boy had many regrets in his life, and he had almost always thought of what he would do if he had the power to control time. There were hundreds of things that he would have loved to do, but the most important one was definitely to¡­ ''If I could reverse time, maybe! Just maybe! I could revive Ariel!!!'' Shin fantasized about the desire he wanted the most. "That''s why you have to attend the Summit, Shin! Even if it''s a 0.01% chance of triggering a Spirit Evolution, it''s still a chance that you must take. Furthermore, you have the M..." Before Lady Seph could say ''Mark of the Celestial Dragon,'' she remembered where she was. Although Shin trusted Kanari and Elrin, Lady Seph sure as hell didn''t. The fewer people who knew of Shin''s potential, the better. "You have overwhelming talent with the Sovereign Koi. If you befriend those from the Longyu Clan who are attending, I''m sure you will get a chance at baptism." "I understand!" Shin merrily replied. Even if he didn''t get a Spirit Evolution through the baptism, his Sovereign Koi would gain an overall boost, which was already worth the trip. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 318 Those Who Are Attending 1 "Master, where would the Summit be held?" After convincing Shin that he absolutely had to attend the upcoming event, Lady Seph sat the trio down and begun elaborating on the details. "The Land of Dreams. First, there will be a memorial for those who perished in the Main Hub. All participating members would have to pay their respects during the burial. Of course, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you to return there." The blonde beauty looked over at Shin and Elrin. Being the first people to witness the bloodshed left behind by the Arachne, Lady Seph was afraid that the duo would have a mental trauma if they were brought back to the Main Hub. It had taken Kanari a great deal of effort to help coax the young boy out of hiding, and she wasn''t willing to let him go through that again. "Master, I''m fine." Shin glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the black-haired beauty. "The only thing that I could do is to live with the pain and swear to remain convicted to my cause. If I can''t return to that place, how could I ever hope to fight against the Black Masks?" "..." Kanari blushed as she heard her speech being regurgitated out of Shin''s mouth. Although it was good advice at the time, hearing it first-hand from another person did make it a little embarrassing. "Don''t worry, Lady Seph! I can manage!" Likewise, Elrin wasn''t going to let just one setback drag her down. "That''s good." Lady Seph smiled. "Once the memorial is over, the Summit will formally begin. Based on early planning, the first week of the Summit would be to discuss the matters regarding the Black Masks. It may be extended if discussions go awry, but that probably won''t happen. During that week, you must make use of the opportunity and befriend those from the Lantis Republic. Preferably those from the Longyu Clan. Do you understand, Shin?" "Yes!" The black-haired boy immediately acknowledged his master''s words. "Lady Seph..." Always the sharp whip, Kanari started to pick out the most pressing questions that she had. "What about security? If there are so many important individuals attending, won''t it be a prime target for the Black Masks?" To kill the body, the most effective method was to aim for the head. If the Black Masks really wanted to destroy the allied forces of the three superpowers, Healer''s Association, Mercenary Guild and the Blacksmith''s League in its crib, the best way was to take out the leaders that were attending the Summit. "Ah, you don''t have to worry about that." Lady Seph snickered at Kanari''s comment. "On that day, the Summit would be the safest place on earth. No, perhaps it would be the safest place that had ever existed!" "Venerate Seraphim? What do you mean?" Principal Erudito questioned. "Each one of the superpowers will be sending out a Spirit Saint each to protect their members! Not to mention, my master is also coming! Although I can''t confirm this, whispers tell me that both Spirit Saints from the Mercenary Guild and the Blacksmith''s League are also considering to attend. Just imagine, six Spirit Saints gathered at one location! And the best bit of all¡­ The Blacksmith''s League is bringing out Deus Citadel." "DEUS CITADEL?!" At that term, everyone in the Principal''s Office cried out with excitement. If the Celestial River was an Empyrean Wonder that was formed by nature, then Deus Citadel was an Empyrean Wonder made by man. Perhaps the most famous man-made structure that had ever existed, Deus Citadel was the masterpiece of the Blacksmith''s League that took almost a thousand years to blueprint and build. So what made this structure so honoured and hard to create? It was the only fortress in the world that flew in the sky. Generations of human ingenuity had paved the way for the formation of the flying fortress. Not only was it the only mobile war acropolis to ever exist, but it also held hundreds of destructive cannons that could incinerate an entire city within a matter of minutes. Protected by the most defensive energy barrier in the world, it would take a Spirit Saint a thousand strikes to break through into the Citadel, and by then, the thousands of defensive mechanisms that were built into the fortress would have honed in on any intruders that dared to step foot into the flying fort. Lastly, if there were four, potentially six Spirit Saints present during the Summit, it would be indeed the most secure location that had ever existed. Even if the remaining Spirit Saints on the continent used their all to barge into the Summit, they would be wholly annihilated. Once they heard that the Deus Citadel was the host location, Principal Erudito and Vice-Principal Hirda looked over at the three youths with envy. As scholars, they loved to bear witness to the marvels of the world, and Deus Citadel was undoubtedly at the top of their list. However, the flying structure was rarely seen in public as it was always hidden by the Blacksmith''s League. After all, due to the overwhelming price that it took to build the structure, there was no way that the Blacksmith''s League would let anything happen to it. Nonetheless, drastic times calls for drastic measures. "Six Spirit Saints¡­ Deus Citadel..." Shin was getting dizzy just by thinking about the scale of the Summit. However, Lady Seph wasn''t done surprising her protege just yet... "The brother of Tenno, Prince Koshaku will be leading the group, as well as heading the negotiations for the Himmel Empire. The Imperial Eunuch Gonggong and Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn will be serving as his escorts. Also, some Spirit Emperors are being sent as well. Eru, if you apply now, perhaps you would have a chance of getting in?" "Please stop jesting, Venerate." As much as he may be tempted, Principal Erudito had to manage an entire school. Entering the Summit would definitely be an eye-opener, but he had more pressing responsibilities to tend to. "That''s a shame. I could use more familiar faces, instead of those bastards sent out by the Imperial Courts." Making a regretful expression, Lady Seph continued to run down the details of the Summit. "For you three, the matters of the leading group don''t matter. Since you''re part of the younger generation, you will be mingling with those in your age group. However, you must be cautious. Even though they''re young, those guys are just like you. Monsters of their generation." "..." Shin gulped. Kanari was the most talented cultivator of her generation, securing her position as the top dog to beat. However, that was only limited to the Himmel Empire. The Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic all had their own prodigies. They might not be quite at Kanari''s level, but they were pretty darn close. Furthermore, Shin would be among the youngest cultivators that would be attending. Against those twenty-five-year-olds who were in the Spirit Spectre realm, he was clearly the inferior party. "I don''t care what Kanari and Elrin do, but Shin¡­ I need you to keep a low-profile. The only people that you should focus on are the members of the Lantis Republic. Also, Kanari. Do look out for Shin. The person leading the younger generation this time should be the Young Drake Duke." "Urgh¡­ I expected as much." Kanari made a sound that was uncommon for a lady of her status. The young Drake Duke was¡­ Special. As an heir to a Duchy that was in no way inferior to Kanari''s Highgarden Duchy, the young Drake Duke was without a doubt one of the most important figures in the Himmel Empire. Going through the same kind of gruelling training that Kanari did, the twenty-five-year-old man had just advanced into the Spirit Spectre realm a few months ago, solidifying his spot as a talent among talents. A male version of Kanari, that was the description that Shin had given the young Duke. However, compared Kanari, the young Drake Duke had a nine-year head start, allowing him to amass a huge following, especially among the members of the younger generation. In fact, a primary reason why Kanari was so desperate to get Shin on her side was precisely because of how dominant the man''s clout was. Although Shin was calling the young Drake Duke the male version of Kanari, the truth was quite the opposite. In the eyes of the world, Kanari was the female version of the young Duke. Yes, Kanari was the better cultivator, but when it came to influence or the number of backers that they had, she was far inferior. "I will need you to get Shin as far away from that deceitful brat. I''m sure he''ll try to poach Shin over with some underhanded tactics." "Haha, I concur." For the first time ever, Kanari and Lady Seph were on the exact same wavelength. "Don''t worry, I won''t let him get anywhere near Shin. If he even tries to touch a single hair on Shin''s body, I''ll turn him into a meat paste with my Lunar Beam." "Hoho..." Lady Seph stared at the black-haired beauty with admiration. Now that their interests were aligned, she began to see Kanari in a new light. "That''s good, but your imagination is far too lacking. You should sit him down on a chair of torture and peel off his skin bit by bit. That way he would feel the most pain before his death." "A-As expected from the master! I was too short-sighted!" Bonded by their desire to protect Shin, the two beauties went off on a tangent about how best to punish the young Drake Duke. Not sure if they were joking or not, Shin looked out of the window and blocked out the gruesome sentences that his Master and Kanari were spouting out. ''The Summit¡­ This will be the first major step to defeat the Black Masks.'' All of a sudden a childlike excitement bubbled up to the surface of Shin''s heart as he looked forward to the event that was happening just a few weeks from now¡­ ~~~~ The Lantis Republic. Holy Island of Saints. Bssshhhh. Bssshhhh. Bssshhhh The sound of waves flowing up the shoreline that was uncommon for the inland inhabitants of the Capital dominated the atmosphere of the extensive archipelago. Squabbling seagulls flew overhead while hermit crabs dug burrows deep into the sandy coast to evade detection. Draped in a golden shine, the ocean shimmered in glee as it reflected the immense light emitted by the fiery wheel in the sky. Unlike their two superpower counterparts, the Lantis Republic didn''t share the burdens of staying on the Terre Continent. As children of Water, they were completely content with living their lives surrounded by the ocean. Bearing the mightiest naval force the world has ever seen, the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation wouldn''t even dare to contest with the Lantis Republic for their land. While the sun was still gleaming at full blast, in a remote part of the archipelago, a mysterious island that was shrouded in a dense fog, was experiencing the summer as if it were winter. The temperature of the place was so cold that a warm breath could instantly create a massive cloud. Yet, in such a cold environment, there were still four individuals who could bask out in the pavilion overseeing the ocean. "The Summit is before us, and the High Elder Council has requested one of us to attend as an escort." A muscular man brought up the pressing topic at hand to his brethren. "Now which one of us should go?" "Is there really a need for a Spirit Saint to attend? It sounds like a pain." The green-robed woman to his right heaved out a deep sigh. Her eagle-shaped nose and mesmerising eyes made her stand out even amongst the most outstanding individuals. It wasn''t as if she was the most enchanting woman the world had ever seen, but her strange appearance was indeed one that would turn heads. "Didn''t you hear about how the Black Masks used a World Serpent? I thought that as a member of the Shenshe Clan, you would be the most compelled to go." The elderly man wearing a black turtle''s shell on his back chided the woman. Her Spirit, the Champion of the Swamp, The Divine King Serpent, was perhaps the top snake-type Spirit that existed. To her, the World Serpent was certainly an opportunity to improve her overall cultivation. "Hmph, I''ve personally met with all three of the legendary snake beasts. Amphiptere, Basilisk and World Serpent. None of them was even close to reaching the Primordial stage even after thousands of years living on this earth. Even if I did meet the World Serpent once more, the most he could do was provide raw materials for my juniors. He wouldn''t even be able to raise my cultivation by one rank!" The Spirit Saint complained. At their level, they would have washed their hands off mortal affairs and were wholly focused on becoming the next Spirit Immortal. Each second that they wasted on their juniors was time lost in cultivation. Hence, it was normal for the Shenshe Spirit Saint to feel annoyed about their current predicament. "Now, now. The Black Masks aren''t just some run-of-the-mill criminal syndicate. Only a Spirit Saint or Primordial Beast would be capable of recruiting four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts." The muscular man brought the conversation back on track. "We''re just there to act as escorts. We aren''t even supposed to listen in on the meeting." "Hah¡­ That rule is quite annoying." The elderly turtle-backed man sighed. To reign in the power of Spirit Saints, the first ever international convention stated that no Spirit Saints were allowed to take an active role in international politics. For most Spirit Saints, that was a good thing. After all, they were given more time to focus on their own cultivations. However, there were some who quite disliked the rule. For instance, those that had given up on chasing the Immortal Realm and had decided to have more of an impact on the world before they faded into dust. "I concur¡­ Just treat it as a vacation where you''ll get to catch up with some friends I guess. Althea from the Healer''s Association and Thor from the Blacksmith''s League have confirmed their attendance." The muscular man scratched his cheek as he tried to convince his brethren. Turning to the sole person that hadn''t opened her mouth yet, the man tilted his head and asked: "Tian¡­ You have been silent for a while. What are your thoughts?" The black-haired woman that had her eyes shut the entire time finally twitched. She had been sitting still like a statue as if she was one with nature. Only after hearing her name did she falter as her concentration broke. Her eyelids lifted up, revealing the gleaming golden balls that hid within her face. However, after a brief moment, the golden eyes slowly lost its lustre as it reverted back to its original azure hue. "You used your future sight?" All three Spirit Saints knew how the black-haired woman''s abilities worked. "What did you see?" "You three don''t have to argue anymore." A slovenly voice climbed out of the woman''s mouth as she stood up from her seat. "I''ll go." ~~~~ Haha! April''s Fools! You thought that there would only be one chapter today?! nOpE! There''s THREE!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! All jokes aside, I had some complaints about coming back with only one chapter at the beginning of Book 6, so yeah. Triple release only for today. Oh, and my two short stories that I''ve wrote for my Patrons, are now live on my website. I''ll link it below: https://linodofictions.com/table-of-contents/ Do read the two short stories. I think that you''ll like them, especially the one about Lady Seph''s past. Technically, you are given five chapters today, if you include the two SS. So, please stop spamming mass release in the comments! I''m trying okay, but it''s hard!!! If you really want more chapters, consider pledging on *******! Fifteen chapters ahead you know! You''ll really love it, I promise. Alright, happy April''s Fools!!! ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 319 Those Who Are Attending 2 The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Long ago, in an era before the first humans roamed the land, the landmasses of the world were split into multiple continents. Separated by the great bodies of oceans that spanned thousands of kilometres wide, the lifeforms of each region had little chance of ever interacting with each other. However, over millions of years of tectonic movement and catastrophic natural disasters, the vast array of landmasses found a way to stitch itself together, forming the Terre Continent that paved the way for humans to come to being. Nonetheless, not everything from the ancient age had been moulded into the immense continent. A series of islands managed to break free from the tectonic movements and soon became the sole archipelago of the entire world. Of the hundreds of islands that floated away from the main body of the Terre Continent, there were nine which had been the most prominent. Sizes and resources varied from island to island, but there was only one enclave that took the crown as the largest landmass outside of the Terre Continent, and that was the Lantis Republic''s Celestial Island. Rumoured to be the former resting ground of the revered Celestial Dragon, the first travellers that landed on the shores of the island held the region with high esteem, almost to the point of fanatical worship, and that wasn''t the only reason why the enclave was so prized. Boasting an array of mountains, valleys, rivers and even a rainforest, Celestial Island without question the most valuable region that the Lantis Republic had. It was estimated to be about a quarter of the size of the Uncharted Wilderness, and it countless of precious resources that boosted civilisation to greater heights. When the Eight Ancient Clans of Water first came to the archipelago, they each claimed one of the nine main islands but had serious questions on what they should do with the most valuable one. In the beginning, they split Celestial Island into nine equal parts. However, it soon became apparent that it was utterly useless. Greed soon took over the minds of the leaders, and they waged war just to claim another inch into their brother''s land. It took them thousands of years to finally realise their folly and eventually, the Eight Ancient Clans merged to form the Lantis Republic, which Celestial Island becoming the main island where the government, universities, commercial hubs, and entertainment complex all reside. Currently, the home to over a hundred million residents, Celestial Island was the most densely populated region in the entire world, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life made it increasingly apparent. The day-star hung over the empyrean sky, bringing forth resplendent rays of sunshine onto the merry Celestial Island. Sounds of men clinking their glasses together to chug down a pint of beer dominated the bustling isles, while the foodies inhaled mouthfuls of decadent noodles down their throat. "Ying''er, have you heard about the upcoming Summit?" Amid the busy noodle restaurant, a young man was looking at his partner with an inquisitive gaze. The sky-blue haired girl didn''t even pivot her head to look at the boy as she answered. "What about it?" "Are you going?" The boy bit his lip in frustration. Even though he knew the answer, he couldn''t help but feel powerless about the outcome. "Of course. My Meijing Clan lacks any talented enough cultivators to represent us on the international stage. Although I have some sisters and brothers that are already in the Spirit Adept realm, they just barely made it before twenty-five. If they went, the Meijing Clan would become a laughing stock of the world." Meijing Bingying moved her mouth in annoyance as she thought about the lack of talent in her clan''s younger generation. Among the Eight Ancient Clans, a specific hierarchy existed. The four top entities were the Jingyu Clan, Shenshe Clan, Heigui Clan and the Longyu Clan. Each one of these clans had a Spirit Saint seated at the top, and the Jingyu Clan even had many talents in the upper brass of the government. As compared to the big four, the Meijing Clan''s influence had been slowly eroding throughout the years. They didn''t have any Spirit Saints, their Spirit Venerate count was becoming smaller and smaller, and worst of all, the talent pool in the younger generation had become increasingly thin. If nothing was done, perhaps in a few decades, the Eight Ancient Clans could be narrowed down to seven. Fortunately, the heavens didn''t abandon the Meijing Clan. Just before demise was imminent, a baby girl was born. Using her tremendous comprehension ability, the young girl bulldozed through the clan''s records and became the youngest cultivator in the history of their clan to break through into the Spirit Spectre realm. Some knew her as Meijing Bingying. However, the world knew her as the Pearl in the East. "Do you think that I stand a chance in attending?" "Don''t be stupid Huanyuan! Those who are participating in the Summit are the best of the best! Qilong Hu, Jingyu Taiyi, Longyu Linji! Those monsters are all going! Even your Clan''s own Xunyu Feifei is going! Huanyuan, you''re already twenty-five, and you''re not even in the Spirit Adept realm yet! Do you honestly think that you could contend against them?" Meijing Bingying chided Xunyu Huanyuan. "I..." The man could only swallow his words back. His family and Bingying''s family had a long history, spanning back to the days before the Lantis Republic was formed. Hence, even though they were from different clans, the two had been playing together since their childhood. In fact, the only reason why Huanyuan could even invite the notorious Pearl of the East out for dinner was due to their childhood relations. "Don''t beat yourself up too much. Your talent is good and compared to the general public, you''re already a genius." As his long-time friend, Bingying could tell what was troubling him. He was twenty-five-years-old and was only at Rank 29. Of course, if he were a commoner, he would be an unpolished gem that would have garnered everyone''s attention. However, as a member of the Eight Ancient Clans, being stuck at Rank 29 even when he had the resources of his family backing him was completely unacceptable. At best, Huanyuan would be an average cultivator in the clan. "You don''t have to console me. I know what my prospects are." Huanyuan sighed. He had already given up on furthering his cultivation to the maximum and was now focused on learning how to manage his family''s business. Nonetheless, it still hurts when he realised that he could never stand beside the woman he loved. "Just stay safe. The Black Masks destroyed the Land of Dreams once, I''m sure they could do it again." "Haha, you don''t have to worry about that!" Meijing Bingying laughed off her friend''s warning. "If the Black Masks are really that stupid to strike again, the Saint of Time will decimate them completely!" "The Saint of Time is going?!" Xunyu Huanyuan cried out. Thankfully, the duo had chosen to eat in a private room. Otherwise, the other diners would have definitely looked weirdly at the man''s agitated appearance. "That''s right! If it''s the Saint of Time, even a thousand Tier 9 Spirit Beasts won''t be able to touch a single hair on our bodies." Longyu Tian may not be the Spirit Saint with the highest cultivation among her peers, and neither did she have the most destructive abilities. However, her survivability was perhaps the best among all the Spirit Saints in the world. Having the capability of slowing down time, if there was any form of danger, Longyu Tian could gather up all of the members from the Lantis Republic and forcibly eject them back into the safety of the archipelago. "I''ve also heard that Senior Zhangyu Yaoguai is representing us in the talks." "The head of the Zhangyu Clan is going?!" "Yeah¡­ That''s how seriously they''re taking this matter of the Black Masks." Meijing Bingying bit on her lip to control the overwhelming anger that was bubbling out from the pits of her stomach. "Usually, a minister or a vice-head would be attending, yet Senior Zhangyu Yaoguai has been nominated to lead the talks." To dispatch a Clan Head was no laughing matter. Even though Zhangyu Yaoguai was a Rank 85 Spirit Venerate, his protection was still increasingly important. After all, should he die on foreign land, the Zhangyu Clan would fall into turmoil almost instantly. Thus, to protect the Clan Head, there would be eight Spirit Venerates, one from each clan, serving as Zhangyu Yaoguai''s personal bodyguards. "That''s amazing¡­ History is really about to be made huh?" ''Lantis, Himmel and Kori¡­ They''re all finally coming together to face one common enemy. Is this God''s plan?'' Meijing Bingying thought to herself. There was never an instance in history where all of humanity was united. Yet, the Summit that was just in a few weeks did precisely that. ''I wonder what else I would see there?'' ~~~~ The Kori Federation. The Sahara Desert. Millions of years ago, when the Terre Continent first came to be. Thousands of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes plagued the land, making it completely uninhabitable for living beings to thrive. Fortunately, as the dust settled, the world began to cool down, and climates stabilised, bringing about flourishing regions, in which the Kori Federation in the north commanded the most diverse set of. At the upper side of the Kori Federation, some lands never saw the end of snow. Near the south, there were bountiful grasslands and forests. In the east, there were coastal cities where it rained nearly three-quarters of the year. And finally, in the west, they had the best natural barrier against the Spirit Beasts of the Uncharted Wilderness. The vast and dry Sahara Desert. Almost uninhabitable for a normal life, the Sahara desert had become a complete wasteland. Even though many Spirit Beasts were well-equipped to deal with the immense heat, the vast majority would succumb to the pressure and die out almost instantaneously. Fortunately, humans were an adaptable bunch. Where most animals found death and destruction, ancient men found opportunity. The Tuareg Sect, one part of the Master Sects of the Kori Federation, had their ancestry from the antiquated nomadic tribes of old and had been thriving in this barren desert for millennia. Many of them had even reached the Spirit Venerate realm, in a place where life was hard and resources were scarce, and a significant reason why was due to how well the Tuareg Sect disciplined their next generation. To survive in such a harsh environment, it takes a specific type of warrior. One that never gives up in the face of adversity and one that always look out from their common man. There was a saying in the Kori Federation. You could mess with the toughest Spirit Beast in the world, but never ever cross the line with a member from the Tuareg Sect. Their ferociousness was legendary, and they would not stop until they had gotten their justice. "Venerate Ammon. Lukman is seeking an audience." In a transcendental palace that was an uncommon sight in a barren sand wasteland, a tanned man was enjoying his imported grapes with a gorgeous woman by his side when a maid came in and broke the atmosphere. "He''s here already? I thought I had just asked for him this morning." Thankfully, the man wasn''t that disturbed that someone broke his luxurious fancy time. "Yes, he had heard about the Summit long before you called for him and he rode day and night to come to the palace." "Haha! That does sound like him! Alright, bring him to the audience chambers! I''ll be there in a minute" The tanned man dismissed the woman that was in his arms and quickly found a change of clothes. Although he was a Spirit Venerate, the young man that was seeking an audience with him was the future of the Tuareg Sect. Not only did he trigger a natural phenomenon when he first awakened his Spirit, but he was also the youngest person to complete the Trial of Sand, Trial of Desert, and Trial of Mirage. At the age of twenty-three, Lukman surpassed everyone''s expectations and broke through the first barrier of mortality, and entered the Spirit Spectre realm. If Spirit Venerate Ammon was the present of the Tuareg Sect, then Lukman was the future. If the young man continued to progress at this rate, he would most likely become the very first Spirit Saint in the Sect''s history, bringing them to the top of the Master Sects of the Federation. "Lukman greets the Venerate!" As Ammon entered into the audience hall with his sapphire robes, he was greeted by a tall brown-skinned young man. His jet black hair and sculptured facial tone made all of the maids take a second glance before returning back to attend their master. However, no matter how hard they tried to look away, they would still take short glimpses at handsome youth who was said to be the future of their people. "Haha, dispense with the formalities! I think that I''ve told you that before!" "I can''t do that. My family is indebted to your graciousness. Giving you the proper respect is the least that I could do." "Fine, fine!" The more he looked at the man, the more Ammon found himself liking him. Not only was he a talent to be nurtured, but it was also evident that Lukman was in his faction, and his loyalty still remained strong even after all these years. "Come, take a seat! I have bought some of the finest wines from Sunfall Valley. I''m sure that you''ll find them quite delicious." "Venerate is too kind." Lukman took a seat opposite of Ammon and enjoyed the wine that the maid had poured for him. "It is indeed delicious." "See? My taste buds don''t lie!" After a series of back and forths, the two Tuareg Sect members finally got to the meat of their meeting. "Venerate, about the Summit..." "Yeah, the council had said that each Master Sect was only allowed to send one Spirit Emperor or higher, and five of the most talented members from the younger generation. That''s to prevent congesting the entire Summit." Ammon nonchalantly explained. Compared to the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic, the Kori Federation had approximately thirty Master Sects. If each one of them had an unlimited number of slots, they would end up flooding the entire Summit, which would look bad on them diplomatically. "Just to confirm¡­ Am I?" "Of course you are! Lukman, you''re the most talented cultivator in the sect! If you''re not attending, who else could?" Hearing the Venerate''s confirmation, Lukman was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. As a lifetime warrior, what he strove towards was becoming as strong as he possibly could. For him to accomplish that, Lukman had to face the best of the best, and he had already risen to the top of the food chain within the Sahara Desert. Occasionally, he had a chance to spar with talents from the other Master Sects, but they were merely light skirmishes. Thus, when Lukman first heard of the international Summit, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. Instead of travelling to individually challenge geniuses from other nations, they were now all gathered at one spot! "It''s good that you''re pumped up about it, but let me warn you." Seeing how elated this talented junior of his was, Ammon decided to douse his excitement with a little bit of truth water. "Almost all of those attending are monsters among monsters. Just like you, there will be cultivators that had reached the Spirit Spectre realm before twenty-five. If you underestimate them even just by the slightest bit, it will come back to haunt you." "I understand, Venerate." Lukman bowed his head at Ammon before gulping down the entirety of his wine cup. Now that he had finished his objective, it was time to return back to training. Standing up from the chair, the black-haired man walked towards the exit. However, before he left, Lukman turned his head over his shoulder and left the Spirit Venerate with some parting words. "Nonetheless, I will prove to the world that the Tuareg Sect is the strongest!" ~~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 320 Those Who Are Attending 3 Kori Federation. Thirteen Sword Mountain Range. Dalgeom Sect. The tragedy of the Land of Dreams had many repercussions in the modern world. First of all, thousands of innocent lives had been utterly cleaned out from the face of the earth, and no one questioned that the prime victims of the Black Masks were men, women and children of the Main Hub. However, if there ever was a claim on the number two victim, the Dalgeom Sect had pretty good odds. Not only did they lose one of their most pivotal Spirit Emperors, but they had also allowed the Black Masks to march over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts into their lands, through the route that they had initially been developed to connect the ocean to the Federation. Seething with rage, the entirety of the Dalgeom Sect immediately denounced all deeds of the Black Masks and swore vengeance on anything that was even remotely related to the criminal syndicate. Being the first voice to demand an international summit so that all three superpowers could set aside their differences to deal with the Black Masks, the Dalgeom Sect was in the commanding seat of the negotiations. One might think that the other Master Sects would protest the Dalgeom Sect for having such a pivotal role, but that wasn''t entirely the case. Other than a few dissenting voices, the vast majority of the Kori Federation kept silent as they allowed the Dalgeom Sect to move the Federation''s armies into the Land of Dreams, and the prime reason why was the extensive history that the sword clan had. Just as the Lantis Republic that had a hierarchy describing the overall strength and influence of each clan, the Kori Federation had a pecking order as well. For a Core State to promote itself into a Master Sect, it must have at least a hundred years of experience governing their land, and it must also produce at least one Spirit Venerate. Furthermore, unlike the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic, a Master Sect actually had a chance of losing their position if there was a better Core State out there. With competition so harsh, the internal politics of the Federation was on a whole other level compared to the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic. Nonetheless, there had only been five Master Sects that had managed to retain their position since the founding of the Kori Federation. Dragon Tiger''s Gate, the Shaolin Sect, the Emei Church, the Khan Tribe, and the Dalgeom Sect. Collectively, all of these Master Sects were called the original five. All five of these Master Sects had one thing in common, they didn''t rely on bloodlines to rule over the masses and instead, passed down generations of martial arts and cultivation techniques to the most talented. It didn''t matter if you were born in the Master Sect or not. Anyone who had a decent amount of talent would be recruited into these five Master Sects, regardless of they were an aristocrat or a pauper. A layman that had no prior experience or background could theoretically work his way up the ladder to eventually become the leader of the Sect. Of course, each one of the Original Five had their own strict requirements. The Dragon Tiger''s Gate focused on cultivators with high elemental affinities that fit their cultivation techniques. With very particular martial arts that had been passed down and perfected since the ancient age, Dragon Tiger''s Gate had almost always produced Spirit Users that could evenly fight with cultivators that were a realm higher. The Shaolin Sect, on the other hand, focused on gathering cultivators with the right mindset that could cultivate their arts. The history of the Shaolin Sect could be traced back to the time before the first Spirit Immortal ascended, making it the oldest organisation living today. With such an extensive history, naturally, many salient icons had come out from the sect, and the most prominent one was the Spirit Immortal Buddha. Focusing on finding peace and harmony in the world, the Shaolin Sect would often scout for cultivators that could handle the abnormal cultivation creed that they followed. Third on the list of the Original Five, the Emei Church was an oddity among the Master Sects. Only recruiting women into their ranks, the Emei Church believed in equipping young girls and adult women to be strong enough to face the world by themselves. Back in the days where girls were treated as second-class citizens in the world, the founder of the Emei Church had been tormented by all of the men around her. Swearing to herself to never remain that powerless, the founder had worked her way up to the Spirit Saint realm and created a sanctuary where all females could reside safely in. Inventing an array of cultivation techniques that could only be used by women, the founder of the Emei Church left the world with an oath to never allow another girl to experience what she had gone through, which her followers had abided to a fanatical degree. Now, the Emei Church had over twenty million followers, with many reaching the Spirit Emperor or Venerate realm. The next on the list was the Khan Tribe. From an outsider''s point of view, the Khan Tribe did have aspects of a family tribe, where their power was handed down to those with the superior bloodlines. However, that couldn''t be farther away from the truth. Vicious and cold-blooded killers, the Khan Tribe only listened to strength alone. If you had superior cultivation to any of the men or women who were part of the original bloodline, the Khan Tribe wanted you to be in charge of their entire sect. Just like the Shaolin Sect, the Khan Tribe recruited cultivators based on their mindsets. However, instead of focusing on those who promoted peace and harmony, the Khan Tribe only let in Spirit Users who were barbaric and power-hungry in nature. Finally, there was the Dalgeom Sect. The only organisation in the Kori Federation that passed down sword legacies, the Dalgeom Sect had extremely stringent standards, when it came to recruitment. Since the Sect focused on teaching from their thirteen main branches of sword legacies, they had to find cultivators which fit each legacy''s requirements. Of course, they had the standardised sword faction, where any Spirit User who had a decent amount of talent with the sword could join. Wangu was one good example. However, the main power of the Dalgeom Sect wasn''t the number of sword cultivators that they had, but the devastating sword legacies that focused around their Mythic-grade Spirit Swords. For instance, the Pixie of the Sect, Yeunghi could only use Durandal because of her ice-elemental sword spirit, which was a real shame since the ice-element was a rare variant of the water-element. If the talent pool for the Ice Fairy Sword Dance weren''t so small, perhaps it would have become one of the dominant mountains in the Thirteen Sword Mountain Range. "Junior sister¡­ May I come in?" Jimga knocked on the stone door of Yeunghi''s cultivation chamber with dozens of men and women from the Ice Fairy Sword Dance faction nervously looking over. "Yeah..." Hearing the woman''s monotone reply, everyone outside breathed a massive sigh of relief. Yeunghi had been unresponsive for a significant period of time, and it had begun to worry those from the faction. Based on what they had heard, it was Yeunghi''s incompetence that had led to the incident in Mort Bay, and some feared that she might have taken her own life in guilt. Fortunately, that wasn''t the case. With Yeunghi''s confirmation, Jimga showed himself into the chambers, only to be blasted by a massive surge of frosty mana. Seated in a lotus position, Yeunghi had Durandal gently placed on both her hands as she chanted out with great fervour. After a few moments, the great mana died down and eventually, the Pixie of the Dalgeom Sect finally opened her eyes. "Senior brother Jimga... What are you doing here?" "Your faction was worried that something may have happened to you, so they called me over. However, from the looks of it..." Jimga turned his head to look around the cultivation chamber. Thick, dense layers of ice had covered the entire room while deep sword scars with terrifying sword intent that could easily paralyse anyone below the Spirit Spectre realm were criss crossed all over the place. Was this really the actions of someone who was about to take their own life out of guilt? Jimga highly doubted. "You don''t seem to be depressed. You even advanced one cultivation rank!" "How could I be depressed?" Yeunghi kept Durandal in her scabbard and slowly walked towards Jimga. "What would that accomplish? Senior brother Wangu had died for our sakes, even though he clearly didn''t have to. If I allowed myself to wallow in grief, how could I ever face him!" Yeunghi clenched her fists as she declared. "To let him rest in peace, I must eradicate the World Serpent and the organisation that it calls home!" Seeing his junior disciple so full of life, Jimga smiled and gave a firm nod. There wasn''t time to despair. What they had to do now was to beat the Allfather and the Black Masks down to the ground, and make them wish that they had never declared war on the Dalgeom Sect in the first place. "It''s good that you feel that way!" Now that Jimga had confirmed Yeunghi''s safety, he moved on to his next business. "The Elders of the Clan had decided that we should participate in the upcoming Summit. After all, we are among the only ones that actually met the World Serpent and fought with the Black Masks. However, if you''re in the middle of an intense cultivation session, I can persuade them otherwise." "Are you kidding?!" Yeunghi wiped off the sweat on her forehead with a nearby towel and retorted her senior brother''s claim. "I want to be there to tell the heroic deeds of senior brother Wangu to the world! Also, if anyone thinks that the Black Masks shouldn''t be fought, I''ll be the one to personally knock them out!" "Haha, just pretend that I didn''t say that then! So do you have any recommendations on who from your faction should attend?" "I don''t care about the others, but Haeun must be there!" Yeunghi made a firm declaration. "Haeun? Isn''t she just twenty-years-old? I''m sure she hasn''t reached the Spirit Adept realm yet too?" Jimga dug into his memory until a curly-layered haired girl came to mind. Although she was talented, it wasn''t to the point where Jimga could recall her in an instant. "Isn''t there the twenty-four-year-old wonder boy Manyoung or the prodigious twenty-five-year-old Spirit Spectre Youngsoon? Aren''t they more suited to represent the Ice Fairy Sword Dance?" Jimga was confused. The Kori Federation had limited the number of members each Master Sect could send out to prevent congesting the Summit. Even though the Dalgeom Sect was playing the central role in the discussions, and they could bring a little more than the designated number, it wasn''t by much. Hence, there was a serious discussion on which genius they could pick to represent them on the international stage. While the other factions were choosing juniors that had already reached the Spirit Spectre realm, Yeunghi had placed her bets on a relatively unknown figure who wasn''t even in the Spirit Adept realm yet. "As wielders of sword legacies, you do know that cultivation isn''t everything right?" "You can''t mean..." "That''s right! Of the twenty-five major moves of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Haeun has mastered thirteen. At her age, I was only able to execute eight of them to perfection." Yeunghi puffed out her chest as if she were a proud mother talking about the accomplishments of her offspring. "If all goes well, she would be the successor of Durandal! Furthermore, she''s already at Rank 29. If I''m not wrong, she''s nearing the peak as well. Perhaps through that meeting, she would be able to gain inspiration and finally break through into Rank 30!" "If you''re that adamant, then I won''t try to persuade you otherwise..." Jimga left the cultivation chambers and gave the nervous onlookers a thumbs up. They had been worrying for their legacy holder for days now and seeing the triumphant face of Jimga''s had taken a weight off their heavy hearts. ''The gears have already begun to spin. The world is now unified to take on the menace that is the Black Masks.'' Lighting up a cigarette, Jimga found himself unconsciously walking towards Wangu''s grave. Just a few days prior, the Dalgeom Sect had performed the Spirit Emperor''s burial rites, something that had never been done over the past hundreds of years. Almost every single soul in the Thirteen Sword Mountain Range came to pay their respects. Even those outside of the Dalgeom Sect had found time to attend, showing how important that unsuspecting Spirit Emperor was. Yet, such an influential figure had been wiped clean off the face of the earth, just like that... "Senior brother Wangu¡­ Rest assured, I will make sure that the Black Masks pay for what they did to you..." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 321 A New Land Of Dreams 1 The Himmel Empire. The Capital. Imperial Court Auditorium. Three weeks had passed since the Summit was first announced to the entire world. For the most part, those unaffected by the Summit continued on with their daily lives without much hindrance, the news was a shocker, but for the regular citizens of the Empire, it was just a passing thought that would often be brought up by the nosy neighbour who claimed to be an authority in the world of politics. On the other hand, for those involved in the Summit, it was a different story. Major newspaper outlets had sent convoys of their best journalists to set up camp outside of the Land of Dreams, while shrewd merchants found opportunities to set up shop in the now desolate area. Of course, it wasn''t just the newspaper companies and the merchants who had their hands red-hot with activity. The Imperial Family and the Imperial Courts were finalising the documents that they were going to present at the Summit, with Prince Koshaku sharpening his negotiation techniques using Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn as a practice partner. It wasn''t as if the Prince was that bad at negotiations either. However, when the Imperial Family had heard that the Lantis Republic was sending out the ''Iron Tongue,'' Zhangyu Yaoguai, even the confident prince couldn''t help but feel worried about his presentation skills. While the Prince was busy rehearsing his speech, the Imperial Eunuch, Gonggong was put in charge of managing the logistics of the trip. When the Imperial Courts heard that the Kori Federation was sending at least a hundred and fifty men to the Summit, they had pushed Gonggong to scout out all of the most talented individuals from the younger generation. Thanks to that order, even cultivators who were under the age of twenty, such as Shizen, Suji, Danroy and Natasha were all invited to attend the Summit. Hence, when the day of reckoning arrived, Shin managed to spot multiple familiar faces as he observed the packed auditorium. In fact, nearly his entire academy''s clique had been gathered together to attend the Summit, with Isadore being the sole exception. It wasn''t that Isadore lacked in talent compared to the others. If he were compared to the other members when it came to pure martial art skills, Isadore would undoubtedly be placed at the top. However, those who knew of his true identity understood that there was no way his existence could be revealed to the world before he had matured. "Shin! Emma! Ella! You''re finally here!" As Shin and the twins were strolling through the auditorium, Elrin''s bubbly voice came from a packed group of aristocrats as the white-haired girl somehow managed to break through. "What took you so long?" "Wasn''t the meeting time at noon? There''s still two hours left!" Ella protested. Unlike the rest of the group, the three orphans were living in a remote part of the mountains. It took them some time to pack and travel towards the central part of the Capital, where the Imperial Courts were located. Nonetheless, Shin and the twins still rushed over as early as they possibly could, and had managed to reach the meeting point two hours before the stipulated time. Yet, Elrin was still questioning their tardiness. "Everyone knows that we should meet at least four hours in advance when it comes to events such as this! Some people have been waiting here since three in the morning you know!" Elrin continued to tease Ella. "T-Three?! How dedicated..." It wasn''t just Ella who was surprised. Shin and Emma similarly had their jaws dropped. No matter how excited a person was, it didn''t make sense to meet a full nine hours early. "Hehe, that''s the ABCs of socialising in High Society for you. The event isn''t an integral part. It''s time you spend talking with everyone in the room that sets you apart." Elrin let her years of being an experienced merchant show. "If you want your name to be known by everyone in the world, you must first build connections with the right people. Fortunately, everyone that''s attending the Summit will be the cream of the crop! Just talking to a handful of them would easily boost your name multiple-fold! Come, you should join me." Before the three orphans could be swayed into the dark side, a descending fist bumped Elrin on the head, forcing the girl to crouch down in agony. "Don''t corrupt them. Weren''t you there when Lady Seph told us that they had to keep a low profile?" Kanari came to the rescue of Shin and the twins with a stern frown on her face. She had been given a mission by Lady Seph, and that was to prevent Shin from being sugar-talked into another association as well as helping the trio gain some connections with those from the Lantis Republic. Thus, there was no way that she would stand by and watch as Elrin potentially jeopardize her mission. "Kanari¡­ Why always my head? Can''t you target something else for once?" "Ara? I thought that me hitting your head could help you fix that loony mindset of yours." Kanari cleaned her knuckles as she threatened to land another blow. While she always retained a prim and proper demeanour to anyone she met, against her bosom childhood friend, Kanari could let loose a little bit of her pent-up stress. "Hah¡­ Fine, fine!" Elrin smiled and raised her hands in defeat. "You win, alright!" "Oh, you don''t have to be that exaggerated." Kanari beamed and turned to the three High Society virgins. While she didn''t agree with Shin or the twins mingling around with the wrong kind of company, there was still some truth to Elrin''s words. To avoid embarrassing themselves when it came to the ABCs of High Society, Kanari should teach the trio about the basics. However, before she could do that... "Shizen! Come here!" Kanari gestured for the lethargic petite boy, who was desperately trying to keep his eyes wide open. Over the past month and a half where Shin, Elrin and Isadore were gone, Kanari had spent the majority of her time interacting with the twins and Shizen. The twins were relatively simple to manage. As long as Kanari said the right words and gave the right gifts, it wasn''t that hard to get on their good side. However, Shizen was a whole different ball game. He had little desires and almost always felt the need to laze around under the sun. Other than the created water that Shin had produced for him, the young boy seemed to be indifferent to any kinds of luxury that Kanari could have provided for him. It took Kanari a great deal of effort to finally pull Shizen over to her side. Of course, if Shin wanted Shizen to join his organisation, Kanari wouldn''t force the matter and would find a compromise where the Freak of the Dundlewoods could use his services exclusively for both the Highgarden Duchy and Shin''s organisation. However, for now, Shizen could be considered as someone from Kanari''s faction. "So tired..." Shizen moaned in fatigue and nearly collapsed on the floor. "Don''t worry, you''ll get to sleep in the caravan later on. For now, I think that I should point out all of the famous individuals in the room. So that you won''t misidentify them later on." "Thanks, Kanari!" Hearing his friend''s words, Shin felt as if holy water had been poured onto his skin. He was just worried about what to do with the overwhelming number of faces here. If someone came to him and he didn''t recognise them, wouldn''t that lead to an awkward situation? "Don''t mention it. Alright, look over there." Kanari pointed to a group of gaudy aristocrats that were busy gulping down glasses of wine while merrily chatting away. "That''s Earl Garcia and his friends. They have been climbing up the ladder for quite some time now, and many go to them for financial advice." Bit by bit, Kanari introduced Shin to everyone in the auditorium from the safety of a hidden corner. Nobles, military men, merchants¡­ Anyone who had a decent name for themselves in the Empire, Kanari would inform Shin about their looks and accomplishments. Even though Shin wasn''t here to network with those from the Himmel Empire, it was still an excellent asset to know everyone''s name. Finally, as Kanari was finally coming to the end of her introductions, a blonde-haired young man walked into the auditorium, instantly silencing the entire chambers. Donned in a majestic red parka, the young man was escorted by a mixture of guards and young talents. Each guard had put on heavy black armour, and with every step that they took, a dense aura of immense power seeped out from their bones. It didn''t take a genius to guess that those guards were among the best of the best and were at the very least in the Spirit King realm. Not to be outdone by the security detail, the young talents that followed the man were all emitting out a dangerous aura. The six men and women following the young blonde man glanced around the room with bored expressions, as if there was nothing worth investing their time in. While some nobles got annoyed by their nonchalance, they didn''t dare to voice out their opinions. Why? Because those young men and women were clearly superior. "You don''t have to introduce that guy¡­ I know him." Shin didn''t need Kanari''s introductions to recognise the ostentatious man. As long as you''re a resident in the Capital, you would have seen that man''s face before. However, not many had seen him in person, that''s all. "The Young Drake Duke. That''s your rival right?" "Yeah..." Kanari bitterly replied. Rival wasn''t the right term for the relationship that they had. To call them rivals, would imply that the two were on equal standing grounds, but that was not the case. Yes, they were both heirs to valuable Duchies, and they were both talented cultivators. Nonetheless, the Young Drake Duke had amassed such a massive following that it wasn''t even funny anymore. If all went his way, by the time the two super geniuses inherited their Duchies, the Young Drake Duke would have controlled over half of the talents that were born in their generation. "The Young Drake Duke, Eikyo. He''s the one that you have to be the most careful of. If you''re trying to meet up with those from the Longyu Clan, he''s the one that would get in your way the most." "Yeah, Master warned me." Shin nodded. Recollecting the time where he first announced himself to the Empire through his efforts during the Year-End tournaments, the Young Drake Duke, Eikyo, had actually sent him numerous invitations before. However, just as he treated the invitation just like the other letters that he received. After politely declining the offer, Shin proceeded to dump the letters in the trash can. "He''s the most dangerous one..." "What an apt description." Kanari nodded and turned back her glare on the blonde super genius. "Even though he has that much power and influence, he''s always searching for more. Eikyo had even stolen one of my most trusted advisors from me once." Revealing her bitter history with the Young Drake Duke, Kanari warned Shin of the dangers with interacting with such a selfish man. "Haha, looks like your feud with Eikyo is still ongoing huh?" A soft whisper entered into the ears of the young group, forcing them to jump in fright. Abruptly turning around, Shin and the group found a wrinkled old man, who was just barely 1.7 metres tall, smiling straight at them. Wearing a grey-coloured haori, the elderly man looked like a regular beggar that had wandered into the wrong side of town. Shin''s knee-jerk reaction was to punch the old man in the face for appearing so suddenly, but he controlled himself as he remembered where he currently was. Furthermore, there was the most pressing question of all¡­ ''How the hell did he appear behind us without us knowing?!'' Shin and Kanari were both Spirit Core cultivators, and their senses were far above the average person. For someone to travel under their radar and reappear that close behind them, he must have been an expert. "Elder Firebird?!" Just as Shin initially was, Kanari had readied her combat mentality to take down the man who had appeared out of nowhere. However, after one second of examination, Kanari''s uneasiness soon turned into pure jubilation. "You didn''t tell me that you''re the one that''s joining the expedition!" "Haha, I was also chosen at the last minute." The elderly man replied. "If I had known earlier, I definitely would have informed your mother." The elderly man conversed with Kanari informally, as if they were grandfather and granddaughter, stunning Shin, Shizen and the twins. Had there ever been a time where Kanari had been so relaxed among someone from the older generation? They highly doubted. However, unlike the four clueless commoners, Elrin clearly had an adverse reaction. Recognising the elderly man, the white-haired girl finally regained her wits and greeted the strange old man. "S-S-Saint F-Firebird! It''s an honour to finally meet you! M-My name is Elrin Zedcris!" Even the seasoned merchant in Elrin couldn''t stop her from stuttering when meeting such a mighty individual. "Saint?! That means!!!" Hearing Elrin''s explosion, Shin turned wide-eyed towards the unsuspecting old man, who seemed incapable of even harming a housefly. "That''s right! Let me introduce you two!" Kanari stood before the two with a beaming smile and said: "Shin¡­ This is Elder Firebird. One of the few mighty Spirit Saints of the Empire." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 322 A New Land Of Dreams 2 ''Spirit Saint?!'' Shin took one hard look at the poorly dressed old man with great interest. In his entire life, Shin had only met with a Spirit Saint once, and that was Lady Seph''s Master, Saint Althea. Throughout his years in the Capital, Shin had his fair share of social events where he met multiple influential individuals. Some were Spirit Emperors that specialised in research, while others were hardliner government officials that got to power due to their overwhelming cultivation levels. On some rare instances, he would have caught glimpses with some Spirit Venerates, such as the incident where he butted heads with Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn. However, other than that, the majority of cultivators that he often met were around the Spirit Spectre realm. Thus, when Kanari had introduced the elderly man as a Spirit Saint, Shin''s mind couldn''t connect the dots. From what he had heard, the Spirit Saints of the Himmel Empire were an aloof bunch, with many of them having their own palaces and could easily force the government to listen to their orders. There was even one infamous incident where a Spirit Saint asked for a forest to be built in the Capital, as his own personal cultivation ground, and the Imperial Courts actually obliged. In Shin''s mind, Spirit Saints were often whimsical and had a few screws loose up in their brains. However, there was no denying their overwhelming capabilities. If a Spirit Saint wanted Shin dead, they could just spend a little bit of mana, and he would be crushed into a meat paste within a fraction of a second. "Shin Iofiel greets the esteemed Saint!!!" Not taking any chances, Shin bowed down to the poorly dressed elder. Likewise, the other Imperius Academy students that were standing next to him followed suit. "Please, I''m just an old escort. There''s no need to be so uptight." Saint Firebird put on his most friendly smile and allowed the young children to dispense with the formalities. While he wasn''t emitting any form of pressure and wasn''t threatening in the slightest, Shin and his friends couldn''t help but feel nervous when they were in his presence. "Thank you for your generosity." At that moment, many in the auditorium finally noticed the arrival of the most important figure in the entire expedition. With revering gazes, the members of High Society felt a magnetic pull towards the unsuspecting old man but were stopped by the same nervousness that Shin and his friends felt. Compared to a regular person, a Spirit Saint was on a different spectrum of existence. One would insult the Sovereign Emperor of the Himmel Empire before they would dare to speak a single negative word about a Spirit Saint. Many in the room had been in High Society for decades but had never even caught a glimpse of a Spirit Saint, due to how rarely they came out in public. A connection with a Spirit Saint was essentially a golden ticket to High Society heaven. In fact, if a Spirit Saint just shook someone''s hand, that very same person would be on the front pages of every major newspaper publication the next day. Therefore, with power-hungry eyes, the men and women in the room begun to gravitate towards the grey-robed old man. Unfortunately¡­ "Please step away, this area is forbidden." Dozens of black-dressed guards appeared from the shadows and barred the path of towards Saint Firebird. Seeing the terrifying faces of the guards, the majority backed away. If the Spirit Saint didn''t want to be disturbed, then there was no way that the regular man would dare trespass into his territory. Nonetheless, some thick-skinned individuals wouldn''t take it lying down. "What do you mean forbidden?! This is the Imperial Court''s Auditorium! How could some areas be blocked?!" "That''s right! This is an open area! We should be able to move as we please!" Trying to haggle with the guards of Spion that had appeared, some aristocrats desperately tried to break through the barrier just to get noticed by the esteemed Spirit Saint. To them, this was an opportunity that was too good to just pass up. If the Spirit Saint just remembered their name, it would be enough to boost their entire careers multiple-fold. "It sure is getting rowdy here¡­ Let''s change locations." Annoyed by the incessant disturbance, Saint Firebird gestured for Kanari and the rest to follow him while he walked towards the nearby exit. "Tskkk!!! Isn''t he showing blatant favouritism here?!" After Saint Firebird left with Kanari, the entire auditorium finally quietened down. Unable to hold it anymore, a woman from the Young Drake Duke''s entourage finally let out an angered remark, though she kept her volume to its minimum. "There''s nothing we can do¡­ Saint Firebird has always been a friend of the Highgarden Duchy, and he had taken a liking towards Kanari." The blonde-haired young man shook his head. "Eikyo! Don''t you feel a little wronged?! You had been toiling out for years, and the Spirit Saints of the Empire didn''t even bother to grant you a single audience! Yet, that girl was just born into the right family with the right Spirit, and she''s able to get a Spirit Saint''s endorsement! That''s too unfair!" "..." While the rest of the group kept silent, they too felt that their young master should have been the one to get a Spirit Saint''s approval. Everyone who joined his faction knew how hard he worked to get to the top. How many hours he had spent in producing resources so that he could upkeep his promises to the numerous followers that he had. If anyone had to receive a Spirit Saint''s endorsement, it should have been him! "It doesn''t matter. Saint Firebird isn''t the only Spirit Saint in the Empire after all..." While he muttered out those words, deep down, the Young Drake Duke''s heart was bleeding. If the government were the wheels that the country spinning, it was the Spirit Saints that provided the wheel in the first place. Without the Spirit Saints standing over the country, the two other superpowers would have barged into the Empire and looted everything that the country had. Therefore, it was imperative that the Himmel Empire kept their Spirit Saints happy, and to a certain extent, the four Saints were even above the law. As someone who was seeking to become a major powerhouse in the future, the Young Drake Duke needed to coax a Spirit Saint to endorse him, or at the very least, meet with him. Unfortunately, all his efforts thus far had proven to be fruitless. All of the Spirit Saints in the Empire had seemingly washed their hands off the matters of the mortal world and were wholly focused on advancing their own cultivations. Hence, for Eikyo, who had no relations to any of the Spirit Saints, it was a tall hurdle for him to cross. The first and most important Spirit Saint, the Imperial Ancestor, would never place his endorsements on anyone other than the Imperial Family, and Saint Firebird clearly favoured Kanari over anyone else. Which meant that Eikyo had to focus on the other two Spirit Saints. Unluckily for him, both Spirit Saints had been in seclusion for more than a decade and wouldn''t even leave their abodes if the Imperial Courts asked for them. Without the endorsement of a Spirit Saint, the Young Duke Drake could only grit his teeth and invest in the most talented individuals of his generation, hoping that just one of them would break through into the coveted realm, boosting his overall influence in the future. ''If only I was born with a legendary Spirit like the Kumiho...'' The primary reason why Saint Firebird favoured Kanari over everyone else in the Empire was her outstanding Spirit. Just like the black-haired beauty, Saint Firebird had awakened a legendary Spirit known as the Phoenix. Both the Kumiho and the Phoenix used fires in their fights, and their status as a legendary beast was undisputed throughout the modern world. When Saint Firebird first heard that Kanari had awakened the Kumiho, he had personally reached to the Highgarden Duchy, just so that he could impart a few pointers. Being one of few cultivators that had actually awakened a legendary beast, Saint Firebird felt that he had an obligation to guide Kanari so that she could reach her fullest potential. However, to his complete surprise, Kanari had surpassed all his expectations and had become one of the most promising cultivators in recent history. Advancing through the ranks at an alarming rate, Kanari broke records and performed deeds that even made his old heart race. Although Saint Firebird didn''t have the ability to predict the future, he could tell that Kanari would undoubtedly become a Spirit Saint if nurtured correctly. Furthermore, by his estimates, Kanari even stood a chance of crossing the final barrier and attaining immortality for herself. At this point, Saint Firebird''s stone-hardened heart that had been eroded through the years of constant disappointment had finally been revitalised. So what if he didn''t become a Spirit Immortal? Being the teacher of the next Spirit Immortal didn''t sound too bad. When he finally realised this fact, Saint Firebird had accepted Kanari as his disciple and had announced to the world that he was endorsing the young girl as her mentor. ''Well, there''s no helping it¡­ Either way, Kanari''s still way far behind when it comes to overall influence.'' Eikyo pat himself on the back as he looked back on all of his accomplishments and how much Kanari needed to even hope of equalling his influence. Hiding his bitter heart, the Young Drake Duke put on the brightest smile that he could possibly make and went around greeting the hundreds of members gathered here. ~~~~ After causing a commotion in the main auditorium of the Imperial Courts, Saint Firebird had led Kanari, Shin, Elrin, Shizen, Ella and Emma into a private indoor garden that was hidden from the public view. Taking a seat on the principal chair of the pavilion, the grey-robed man poured himself a cup of tea as he enjoyed the lush greenery. "Kanari, take a seat. Your friends as well." Hurriedly abiding by the Spirit Saint''s orders, Shin and his friends all rushed to the nearby bench, while Kanari took the main chair that was directly opposite of Saint Firebird. "Elder Firebird? Is something the matter?" "Hmmm? Can''t I catch up with my precious disciple?" "No! Of course, you can! In fact, you should meet me more often!" Kanari immediately turned on her honey tongue. "It''s just that it''s rare for you to call me out in the open." Like most Spirit Saints, Elder Firebird had to keep his hands away from the affairs of the mortal world, and that included getting involved with politics. Hence, although he had endorsed Kanari, Elder Firebird had always kept his distance from her whenever they were under scrutiny. "That''s true, but this time it''s different." Saint Firebird emptied his cup of tea with one gulp. "You''re going to the Summit with Eikyo, who is in the Spirit Spectre realm and has a heap of Spirit Spectres and Spirit Adepts amongst his ranks. On the other hand, you''re only bringing some Spirit Core and Spirit Apostles there. Compared to them, your side does look rather weak, so I decided to give you a boost before you depart." "Elder¡­ Thank you." Kanari felt her heart warm up at how the elderly man looked out for her. "However, there''s no need to worry. Our side is in no way inferior to theirs! Give us a few years, and we''ll definitely surpass all of their cultivation levels!" "Hoho?" Saint Firebird stroked his hairless chin in amusement. Turning to the black-haired boy who had his butt clenched just two metres away, the Spirit Saint gestured for Shin to stand up. "Boy. You''re Shin Iofiel right?" "Y-Yes, Saint!!!" "Sixteen years of age. Already at Rank 24. The youngest healer in history as well as the only person to participate in the Fall of Aldrich''s Keep, the Disaster of Frie Mountain and the Massacre of the Land of Dreams. Quite the resume you have." "..." Shin felt his blood run cold as the world blanked out. He didn''t expect that a Spirit Saint would be so knowledgeable about his own exploits. "Thank you for your praise." "I appreciate talent when I see it." Saint Firebird suddenly looked at Kanari. "Also, I''ve heard that you haven''t formally joined Kanari''s faction¡­ What''s stopping you? Are you just trying to use her for your own convenience?" Hearing the elder''s words, Shin vision blurred as he frantically tried to find an excuse. Based on how they interacted, Shin could tell that Kanari held a unique position in the Spirit Saint''s heart. If he gave an unsatisfactory answer, perhaps his head would roll right then and there. "I¡­ Can''t commit to her cause." After deliberating on it for a while, Shin decided to just go with his most truthful answer. "I appreciate everything that Kanari has done for me. I really do, and I swear that I''ll repay her through any means that I can. However, I have a more pressing dream to pursue, and joining her faction formally would just slow that down." "Hoho..." "Shin..." Kanari looked at her friend with warm eyes. Nonetheless, the loneliness that she felt couldn''t be hidden, and Shin felt her apprehension through her gaze. "Sorry, Kanari. I promise to help you whenever you''re in need. However, the Black Masks are my number one priority." Shin apologised to Kanari before turning back to the grey-robed elder. "Saint, to answer your question, no I''m not using Kanari for my own convenience. If she needs help, I will be the first one to rush to her side. This I can swear." "..." Saint Firebird evaluated the young boy once more. After a brief period of awkward silence, the elder burst out in laughter. "HAHAHA!!! Perfect! Looks like Kanari''s eyes hasn''t decayed just yet!" The Spirit Saint slapped Shin in the back as if he were giving his stamp of approval. "Please look out for Kanari from now on!" After affirming Shin''s true intentions, Saint Firebird made a little bit of small talk before the juniors had to leave for the auditorium, where the convoy was waiting. While he was alone in the empty garden, a blonde beauty emerged from the shadows and bowed down to the elderly man. "Thank you, Firebird¡­ It means a lot to me." "Don''t mention it, Seraphim." The grey-robed man walked over to Lady Seph with a smile on his face. "I scratch your back, you scratch mine right? You helped me all those years ago, so it''s only natural that I return the favour." "Nevertheless, I still have to thank you." Lady Seph had thrown away her haughty attitude and respectfully bowed down to the grey-robed elder. "Haha! But honestly, that disciple of yours is quite the earnest character. It has been years since someone dared to talk back to me." "Well, he is MY disciple." Lady Seph shrugged her shoulders. For her, Shin was a source of great pride. Any praise that he received brought her an endless amount of joy. "Haha, really... Like master like student..." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 323 A New Land Of Dreams 3 "T-That was nerve-wracking..." Shin did his best to quell his beating heart. When Saint Firebird asked if he was using Kanari just for the sake of his own convenience, Shin felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been doused all over his body. Even though the Spirit Saint didn''t let out even a single ounce of mana, just his mere presence alone was capable of scaring the youth out of his wits. "Elder Firebird isn''t normally like that..." Kanari tapped on her friend''s shoulder with a comforting smile. "He''s just concerned about me. Also, it looks like he likes you! So all is good, right?" Kanari was the first one in the Capital to figure out Shin''s potential and actively scout him. Hence, now that young boy, who was relatively unknown just a year back had gotten recognition from a Spirit Saint, Kanari felt as if her eye for talent had been validated. Shin''s mouth twitched as he observed the black-haired beauty''s brightly-lit face. It was because of her that he was pulled out of the crowd to face the intimidating Spirit Saint. "Yeah, at least he likes me..." Ignoring the annoying happy expression that Kanari had, the group returned to the auditorium where the briefing had begun. Since everyone was immersed with the speaker on the podium, Shin''s return went relatively unnoticed. Finding a remote spot in the corner, Shin ardently listened in to the briefing, hoping to pick up any details that he possibly could. "That''s Imperial Eunuch Gonggong." While Shin was wholly focused on the rundown, Kanari helped the twins and Shizen identify the lavishly dressed speaker. Just as his title suggests, Imperial Eunuch Gonggong was the prime assistant to His Majesty, Tenno. Not only was he responsible for the logistics of the entire Imperial Palace, but he was also responsible for planning out the Sovereign Emperor''s daily life. Who he met, how he travelled, what he eats¡­ Anything that was related to Tenno''s life, the Imperial Eunuch had to know about. Not to mention, Gonggong was a Spirit Venerate that specialised in speed, making him the best last resort card that the Emperor could play in times of peril. There was no doubt in anyone''s mind that the Imperial Eunuch was a crucial part of the Imperial Emperor''s life. Yet, here he was diverting his attention away from his job, and planning the logistics for the Himmel Empire convoy. "On the first day, we will be visiting the monument that had been built for those who were massacred in the Land of Dreams." The Imperial Eunuch read out the schedule from a yellow parchment. "Food and refreshments would be provided throughout the entire event. Once everyone has paid their respects, we will be headed towards Deus Citadel, which will be stationed nearby. We are arriving on the last day, so the members of the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic would already be waiting for us in the Citadel. Expect to be ogled." The feminine man joked sarcastically. "Remember not to stray away from the group before we enter Deus Citadel. On the night that we arrive, the barriers of the Citadel would be fortified, and no one would be allowed to enter or leave. If you''re outside during that time, your trip there would have been wasted." The crowd gulped. "The following day, the Summit will formally begin. Prince Koshaku, as well as a few delegates from the Imperial Courts will be leading the talks. As for the rest, you will have free time for about a week to socialise around. However, you must be wary. We might be allying with the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic for now, but no one knows what would happen ten, twenty years from now." Gonggong reminded the members in the auditorium to keep their behaviour in check. "Also, if we find out that you have leaked any information to the other superpowers, the Himmel Empire will charge you in court for espionage. So do be careful with the people that you meet." Gonggong smiled as he saw the anxious faces of the crowd. There were many here who were super talents and had an inflated ego. To keep them all in check, he had to employ some scare tactics. Now that he had given them the stick, it was time to offer up the carrot. "Once the week-long talks are over, some entertainment would be needed. Members from the younger generation! That would be your job!" "..." Gonggong''s words placed question marks on everyone''s face, particularly those from the younger generation. "Each organisation attending the Summit would want to show off the talent that they have nurtured. You will be required to show off your skills, in whichever format you choose. Some try to lift heavy weights while others just display their beautiful martial arts. However, the most common method is naturally the exhibition match." Gonggong''s expression turned impish. No matter how old one got, the competitive essence in a cultivator''s heart would never diminish. "On this regard, whoever shows the best performance during the exhibition match would be rewarded accordingly by the Emperor. If you beat every single one of your peers from the other two superpowers, I will make sure that His Majesty hears of your magnificent deeds!" "AAAAAAHHHH!!!" The crowd cheered out in sheer joy. Gonggong had borrowed some tactics from his military counterparts and boosted the morale of those attending the Summit. So what if the Himmel Empire was allied with the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic? They had to show the world that the Himmel Empire''s talents weren''t pushovers to be trifled with. "What a moving speech." As Gonggong returned backstage, a suave green-eyed man applauded the eunuch with a satisfied smile. "Now we have a bunch of motivated, hot-blooded kids in our ranks. Facing those from the other superpowers wouldn''t be that much of a challenge." Recognising the man, Gonggong immediately bowed down in respect. In the entire Empire, there was only one bloodline that possessed such beautiful emerald-green eyes which screamed of majesty. "Your Highness, I was just doing my job." "And I''m praising you for being so good at it." "Thank you for your praise." Gonggong simply smiled and let the matter go. If a member of the Imperial Family expressed admiration for any ordinary commoner, that would have been the highlight of that plebian''s life. However, Gonggong had become immune to such praise. In fact, many Imperials wanted him to praise them instead! "Highness Koshaku. Looks like Gonggong isn''t really that impressed by your flattery." A two-metre tall giant mysteriously emerged from the shadows and teased the middle-aged royal. "If you want to surpass the Iron Tongue, you should practice on Gonggong more." "Field Marshal, you''re going to make me blush. How could I ever compare to the Iron Tongue?" "You guys..." Prince Koshaku narrowed his eyes as he thought about the overwhelming task that lay before him. The Lantis Republic was one thing, but he had to convince the Kori Federation, the Mercenary Guild and the Blacksmith''s League to supply enough resources to fight off the Black Masks. Due to the massacre in the Land of Dreams, getting them to agree to an alliance wouldn''t be that difficult. However, the challenge lay in the degree of help that the superpowers were willing to provide. Would the Lantis Republic send troops inland? Would the Blacksmith''s League provide Mythic-grade Spirit Armaments? Would the Kori Federation allow the Himmel Empire to march troops into their territory? All of these were talking points that had to be sorted out during the Summit, and unfortunately for Prince Koshaku, the other powers weren''t going to play nice. From the Lantis Republic sending out the ''Iron Tongue,'' Zhangyu Yaoguai, to the Blacksmith''s League bringing in the sole Immortal-Grade fortress in the world to act as the host site for the Summit. Every single power attending the Summit was bringing their all to the table. "Honestly, I''m more worried about the exhibition matches that the younger generation have to go through..." Seeing that the two Spirit Venerates were just teasing him, Prince Koshaku quickly changed the topic. "Among the leaders of the younger generation, Eikyo does look the most promising, and the talents among his ranks are geniuses among geniuses. However, compared to the monsters that the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic have..." "You''re right." Gonggong agreed with Prince Koshaku. "I''ve read through the names of those who are representing the two other superpowers. Compared to them, our side looks rather¡­ Lacklustre." It was a statement that no executive in the government should ever utter out. Acknowledging the Himmel Empire''s inferiority, Gonggong bit his lip. "If only Kanari were a few years older¡­ Based on her current trajectory, she has the chance to break through into the Spirit Spectre realm before she reaches twenty-one! Compared to the Tuareg Sect''s Lukman, or the Meijing Clan''s Pearl in the East, Kanari is far superior! It''s a shame that she''s only sixteen..." "..." An awkward silence descended upon the trio. Becoming a Spirit Spectre was tough. Becoming a Spirit Spectre before the age of twenty-five was near impossible. However, due to advancements in cultivation techniques and a considerable surplus in resources, there were a handful of prodigious young cultivators in that were able to cross the first barrier of mortality. Labelled as Luminaries, those that transcend into the Spirit Spectre realm before the age of twenty-five would have their entire lives heavily scrutinised as reaching that level at such a tender age meant that their future prospects would be set. After all, the Luminaries were almost as rare as Spirit Saints, and they had a high likelihood of becoming Spirit Saints themselves. To put it in perspective of how rare Luminaries were, including the Young Drake Duke, Eikyo, the Himmel Empire only had six of them. While Kanari and Shin were on pace to becoming Luminaries, it would still take them a few years to reach the standard that the current Luminaries had. For instance, the Kori Federation''s Lukman and the Lantis Republic Meijing Bingying had both transcended their mortalities when they were just twenty-three. Now that two years had passed, they must have advanced multiple ranks. So much so that the Luminaries of the Himmel Empire could never hope to match up. "Hah¡­ That''s fine. We can take a loss every now and then." Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn chimed in. In his mind, the Himmel Empire''s younger generation had already lost. He didn''t even fathom the possibility that they were able to triumph against the monsters that were being sent out from the other superpowers. "The significance of the Summit isn''t the performance of the younger generation after all. The most important aspect is to completely eradicate the Black Masks from the face of the earth." "Agreed." Gonggong nodded with a neutral smile on his face. "Let''s just hope that they would surprise us during the exhibition matches." Prince Koshaku prayed for a miracle as he prepared to enter his aether car that would finally bring them towards the new Land of Dreams. ~~~~ The Land of Dreams. One Day Later. Straight after the briefing that Imperial Eunuch Gonggong gave, the participants of the Summit were all filtered into their aether cars that would ferry them towards their destination. While it was expensive to send a convoy of over a hundred aether cars just to shuttle a few men across the border, to boast to the other superpowers of the Himmel Empire''s wealth, such opulence was necessary. "To think that we''re back here so soon..." Elrin muttered out with a dejected sigh as she glanced out of the car. "Yeah¡­ It seems like we were here just yesterday." Shin sighed as well. "To think that over a month had passed." Of everyone in his group, only Elrin and he had participated in the training exercise in the Land of Dreams. While Isadore was also present, the silver-haired boy wasn''t allowed to attend the Summit. The official reason that was given for his absence was that he lacked the cultivation level to even act as a squire. However, those who knew of his true identity understood that there the Himmel Empire wouldn''t risk sending Isadore into the jaws of international politics. "Elrin! Tell us more about your time here with Shin." Emma, who was bored after the long journey, opted to engage in some gossip, even though the subject in question was seated directly opposite her. "Hehe, you really want to know? That would be one gold!" "Urghhh, so stingy..." While the girls were busy blabbing, Shin''s attention was wholly focused on the reconstructed landscape of the Land of Dreams. ''Let''s hope that things don''t go as bad as they did before...'' ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 324 Deus Citadel 1 Walking down the familiar path of the Land of Dreams, Shin felt as if he was transported back in time. Before the Black Masks completely had their way with the unfortunate city, the Main Hub was a bustling metropolis with thousands of smiling faces going about their everyday lives. Vendors would push their carts and sold sugary refreshments for the masses while rickshaw drivers would offer their ferrying service. However, now that the original residents of the Main Hub had been thoroughly wiped clean from the face of the earth, the town seemed rather empty in comparison. Nonetheless, due to the tremendous amount of coverage that was given towards the international Summit, legions of reporters, merchants, and even ordinary bystanders had flocked to the empty Land of Dreams, making it almost as compact as it originally was. "There are so many people here¡­" Elrin whistled in wonder. She had personally witnessed the desolation, the pure death that the Black Masks had left in its wake. Yet, now there were thousands of men and women roaming the streets of the Main Hub. "Makes you wonder if a massacre really happened here." "Elrin¡­ You and I both know that it happened¡­ You shouldn''t joke about it." Shin lightly chided the white-haired girl. They were both one of the first people present to witness the necrosis of the Land of Dreams. "I''m not joking. Just surprised that''s all." Elrin stuck her tongue out in an adorable manner. "Also, I need to take my mind off the constant stares." With a brilliant smile, Elrin lightly moved her head to point to the side of the road. Currently, Shin was part of the procession that the Himmel Empire had sent to the Land of Dreams. Their first order of business was to pay respects to the fallen of the Main Hub at the monument that was erected at the centre of the city. Hence, they were forced to parade through the crowded streets where hundreds of journalists, merchants and even regular civilians gathered. "Look! That''s the Young Drake Duke, Eikyo!" One female spectator that travelled from the Himmel Empire exclaimed. When he heard his name being called, Eikyo turned to the woman and gave a gentle wave. Almost instantly, the young girl cried out in great fervour. "Tsk¡­ Show-off." Kanari muttered under her breath. Kanari''s advisor had been poached by the suave young man through his superficial charms, making her feel extremely aggravated whenever she saw him using it on someone else. However, her anger wasn''t able to last for long¡­ "Isn''t that Kanari?! The Witch in the south?" One man quickly identified the black-haired beauty among the hundred-odd cortege that the Himmel Empire had sent. "Holy shit! You''re right! Black-hair with ruby-coloured eyes and a beauty that was otherworldly! It can only be Kanari Saniela!" Another onlooker agreed with the man''s conjecture. "To think I would get to witness the beauty of the Witch in the South first-hand! The arduous trip here is well worth it!!!" At that moment, all of the spectators that had gathered to witness the Himmel Empire''s procession had diverted their attention to the gorgeous young woman, whose face had turned entirely vermillion. She was just blaming Eikyo for using his looks to charm others, yet she was the one under the microscope from the entire public! Stifling their laughter, Shin and the rest of the group did their best to keep a straight face as they closed in on the monument. Six granite pillars, each representing one of the major powers that were attending the Summit towered over the rebuilt Main Hub. The Himmel Empire, Kori Federation, Lantis Republic, Blacksmith''s League, Mercenary Guild and the Healer''s Association all claimed one of the pillars with their own crests, marking the first time that all of the major powers had come together in unity. In memory of those who had fallen, every single resident''s name that had perished in the massacre had their names engraved on the six pillars, and it had become preserved with a thick layer of mana coating. Never eroding, never degrading, the names will be forever protected, so long as the monument stands. The Blacksmith''s League, who were the ones responsible for constructing the monument, had taken it one step further as well. Should the monoliths be ever placed in danger, a tremendous energy barrier would deploy out automatically, protecting the monument from any form of danger. Stepping forward to pay his respects, Shin marvelled at how sophisticated the structures given with the little time that the Blacksmith''s League had to construct them. When Spirit Immortal Dream terminated the lives of the millions of her country, the remnant engineers and scientists all banded together with an older organisation that had a history of metal-working to form the Blacksmith''s League. The Blacksmith''s League functioned more like an association where talented craftsmen from all over the world could join without leaving their country''s affiliation, allowing them to grow with relatively little political influence. Hence, throughout the years, the Blacksmith''s League had grown to become the most technologically advanced entity in the entire world. No other organisation in the world could possibly hope to contend with the technological ingenuity that the Blacksmith''s League had. Not only did they create the infamous Deus Citadel, but the majority of all modern weapons were also being produced and sold by them. They were even the only entity that could create the highest tier of Spirit Tools, the Immortal-grade. "So pretty..." Emma commented. "You''re right. It really is quite gorgeous." Shin ruffled the poor girl''s short hair. For the first time, he began to really comprehend how significant the Summit really was. The three superpowers were finally ready to set aside their differences for the sake of battling the menace that was the Black Masks. There was never an instant in the entire history of mankind where all powers of the world stood together on one side. ''The Land of Dreams? This place should be renamed as the Land of New Beginnings.'' Shin smirked. The Black Masks had burnt the city down, but it had risen from the ashes to become the location that birthed the alliance of the world''s nations. Looking at the thousands of names that were engraved onto the six pillars, Shin felt a burning surge of desire rise up from the pit of his stomach. ''I swear that I''ll avenge all of you!!!'' The Himmel Empire procession continued to pay their respects amidst the constant stares of the onlookers. While some reporters and commoners came just to see the men and women of the convoy, there were some peculiar faces mixed within the spectators. "The Himmel Empire is finally here." One tall, well-groomed man muttered out. Donned in a pale-blue vestment, the man appeared to have a posh background, which made it strange for him to appear within the crowd of peasants. "I wonder which ones are talented¡­ Junior Sister Bingying do you know anything?" "My guess is as good as yours, Senior Brother Taiyi..." Meijing Bingying bitterly replied. The procession from the Lantis Republic had arrived just two days before, and they had already settled down in Deus Citadel. Since the Summit couldn''t formally begin until all parties were present, the younger members from the Lantis Republic decided to go incognito and explore the Land of Dreams as well as spy on the procession sent by the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire. Yesterday, when the Kori Federation arrived, Jingyu Taiyi had done the same thing and dragged his peers down to the monument, much to the dismay of Meijing Bingying. Unlike the standard dignified behaviour that the members of the Jingyu Clan usually displayed, Jingyu Taiyi was somewhat childlike in nature and loved to break the rules for his own entertainment. "Hmmm, that girl right there! The pretty one currently putting her flower down! Don''t you think that she''s strong?" Taiyi ignored the annoyed expression that Meijing Bingying had and pointed straight at Kanari. "What makes you think so?" "Well, she''s pretty like you! So that means she must be strong right?" "Just how did you even come to that conclusion..." Meijing Bingying rubbed the area above her eyebrows to quell the headache that her senior was giving her. While her cultivation level was superior to Jingyu Taiyi, the youth was considered to be the frontrunner to inherit the Jingyu Clan in the future. Perhaps the strongest among the Eight Clans of Water, Meijing Bingying had to ensure that she maintained a good relationship with this scion, no matter how screwed up his head was. "Hehe, all pretty girls are strong! That''s the rule!" Jingyu Taiyi smiled so hard that Meijing Bingying could see his molars. "Although I don''t want to further your misunderstandings, you''re right for this instance." The young girl frowned. "That''s Kanari Saniela, the Witch in the South. She''s considered to be the most talented cultivator in the entire Himmel Empire." "See? You did know something!" "No, I don''t know much. I only recognise her because her features are so well-known. In fact, it''s weird for you to not know her." Meijing Bingying shot Taiyi a strange look as if asking how could he know so little about someone as renowned as Kanari. "The heiress of the Highgarden Duchy, the girl reached the Spirit Apostle realm when she''s just twelve-years-old. Not only that, during her introduction to High Society, the girl challenged Spirit Core fighters and trumped them every single time." "That amazing?" Jingyu Taiyi snapped his head back to the black-haired girl with awe in his eyes. "Yeah¡­ If not for her young age, Kanari Saniela would have undoubtedly attained the Luminary status. Right now, she''s only sixteen, and they say that she''s on track to become a Spirit Spectre before the age of twenty-one. Honestly, she''s a freak." Meijing Bingying gave her brutally honest opinion. "In my opinion, she''s not only the most talented cultivator in the Himmel Empire but also the most talented cultivator of our generation." "Wow, you actually rate her so highly!" "If you paid attention to the world''s news, perhaps you would feel the same way..." Meijing Bingying sighed at her senior''s ignorance. Now that he had pointed out Kanari from the crowd, the young woman''s eyes were now firmly affixed on Kanari''s slender body that would ignite ire from any woman that existed on the planet. However, after a brief period of observation, Meijing Bingying found her gaze moving towards another target. ''Hmmm? That boy...'' "Is there something wrong?" "Senior Brother Taiyi¡­ Look at the boy standing next to Kanari." Although he was confused at the sudden change of topic, Jingyu Taiyi obliged and focused his attention on the black-haired boy that was talking heartily with the ethereal beauty. While he had a charm of his own, there wasn''t anything visually special about the lean youth. "What about him?" "Don''t you think that he looks awfully similar to Junior Brother Linji?" "Now that you mention it..." Jingyu Taiyi''s smile disappeared as he fell deep into thought. A combination of black hair and azure eyes was extremely rare, especially among the citizens of the Himmel Empire. Perhaps, there was only one bloodline guaranteed that their descendants shared that exact physical attribute¡­ "He really does look like Junior Brother Linji. Rather, he looks more like the younger version of the Longyu Clan Master." "You''re right¡­ The resemblance is uncanny..." Meijing Bingying felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her cranium as Taiyi pointed out how similar Shin looked as compared to the current Longyu Clan Master. If she didn''t know better, Bingying would have assumed that Shin was the Clan Master''s illegitimate son! ''A member of the Longyu Clan in the Himmel Empire? There''s no way¡­ Wait! Maybe it''s that!'' As if coming to some sort of revelation, Meijing Bingying nearly screamed out in terror. From what she had heard, any bloodline that the Longyu Clan had outside of the Republic had been wiped clean! ''Should I tell Linji?'' Meijing Bingying considered the possibility of informing the Longyu Clan about her hypothesis. ''No¡­ It''s not confirmed. If it turns out to be false, it would just be alarming the Longyu Clan for nothing.'' After a short mental debate with herself, Meijing Bingying opted to look the other way. For now, there was too little information for her act. ''Either way, we will meet him in the Citadel. That would give me more time to gather information about him.'' Although Bingying didn''t even know the name of the black-haired boy, he had somehow made his way onto her list of people to investigate. ''Let''s just pray that I''m wrong and it''s just a coincidence...'' ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, David Moran, Felix Sch?ntag, Fullmoon, gerbil, Innos, James Nagy, Jordan Gaslonde, Keith Kindall, Marwin33, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Neal Ohara, Philip Wasserman, Raphael Chantigny, Phill barr, Sam, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Fredrik Andersson, john bardsley, M.G. Porombka, Magic Wafflez, G Bowz, Jonathan Harper, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Travis Lauda, Henry Ajum, Reggie, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 325 Deus Citadel 2 The memorial went on for another three hours. Each member of the procession all laid down flowers and prayed for the victims to find peace in the afterlife, as they swore to seek vengeance for those who perished. As if feeling their grief, the heavens above turned grey in sorrow, and heavy teardrops coated the monuments with a gorgeous monsoon hue. "Even the Immortals above are showing their sorrow." Kanari smiled. Turning to the forlorn youth who was staring straight at the sky, Kanari grabbed hold of his hand and proceeded to comfort him. "We will win. We will make the Black Masks pay for everything that they have done, Shin!" "Yeah..." There wasn''t any need for Kanari to convince him. Even if the Summit weren''t held, Shin would have continued to chase down the Black Masks for his own gain. Junius hasn''t paid for his crimes after all. "Let''s move," Gonggong ordered. At the moment, there were five Spirit Venerates present in the procession, but none of them dared to question Gonggong''s authority as the leader of the group. Even Spirit Saint Firebird kept a reasonable distance, blending into the surroundings as if he really was a beggar on the streets. The sea of onlookers split into two, allowing the Himmel Empire''s group to march straight east and out of the Main Hub entirely. To prevent themselves from getting wet, Shin and his friends opened up their umbrellas. Fortunately, it wasn''t needed for long... "Wow¡­ That..." After walking for fifteen minutes, the procession sent by the Himmel Empire had finally reached its destination. The fortress where history would be made. Thick heavy metal chains with each one of its links bearing the size of a small house, rose from the underground and latched on firmly onto the vast land mass that somehow managed to defy the laws of gravity. Almost as massive as the Main Hub itself, the levitating island had hundreds, if not thousands of gun ports where long metallic cannons pointed straight at the ground. Of course, it wasn''t just that its underside was fortified. Engulfing the entire island, a concrete barricade armed to its teeth with cannons and sentry posts protected the outskirts of the fortress, while floating air mines defended its skies. From Shin''s position, he could only see the tall walls and the overwhelming number of mortars that the citadel possessed. While he couldn''t observe the interior of the fortress, he could see a towering needle-like structure reaching for the heavens above. "It looks like a spinning top," Elrin commented. "You''re right. It does resemble a spinning top." Emma giggled at how uncanny the resemblance was. "With that skyscraper in the centre and its wide base, it really does look like a toy that you would sell in your shops." "Hah! I wish I could buy the Deus Citadel!" Elrin''s mind started to race a million miles a second just to figure out if she could even hope of purchasing the famed Immortal-grade fortress. However, after a brief moment of consideration, the young girl shook her head in helplessness. "Even if the Blacksmith''s League was looking to sell, I doubt anyone has the financial capability to buy. I''ve heard that it requires over a hundred million gold ingots to operate Deus Citadel for one year! That''s why the Blacksmith''s League rarely takes it out to play." "O-One h-hundred million?" Ella stuttered when she heard that amount. Lady Seph had given them one gold ingot per month, which would have already placed them at the top one percent of every earner in the Capital. Yet, even if she had saved all of her earnings, it would take her over a hundred million months to operate Deus Citadel for just one year! "Yeah¡­ If the Blacksmith''s League truly wants to sell Deus Citadel, it would be upwards of a trillion gold ingots. Even if the Himmel Empire empty out their entire treasury, they wouldn''t be able to cough out that crazy amount." "A trillion gold ingots¡­ Is there even enough gold in the world to create that amount?" "God knows." Elrin shrugged her shoulders. "However, since my Terlus Conglomerate has one or two billion gold ingots sitting in the bank, I guess there should be enough." "..." Once again, Shin and the twins were reminded that they were in the presence of the richest girl in the entire Empire. Often times, due to how informally Elrin would act around them, it became easy to forget. "Just ignore her." Kanari smiled bitterly as she looked at her fellow classmates. Even though she was the heir of the Highgarden Duchy, there was no way that she could hope to match the riches that Elrin had. In fact, she remembered the time where they both participated in a high-level auction, and Elrin claimed almost all of the items at a record price without batting an eye. "You shouldn''t look at money through her lens. It''ll just depress you." Ella and Emma nodded furiously. As they reached the first metallic chain that anchored Deus Citadel and prevented it from floating to oblivion, a group of ambassadors from the Blacksmith''s League stood in wait. Leading them, a stunted middle-aged man with a rugged beard opened his arms in joy just as the Himmel Empire procession was about to reach his shores. "Welcome, esteemed guests! Welcome to Deus Citadel!" The short man exclaimed. While his face seemed amiable, a faint ghastly pressure could be felt, especially among those who were below the Spirit King realm. ''A Spirit Emperor!'' After facing countless of Spirit Emperors, Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, Shin seemed to have garnered an acute sense for the cultivation levels of those far superior to him. Hence, even though he was meeting the man for the first time in his life, Shin could accurately deduce how powerful he was. ''Not just that¡­ Those behind him are Spirit Emperors as well!'' Shin nearly gasped out loud. Since when were Spirit Emperors at such a high supply? The Frie Clan only had three Spirit Emperors in their midst, and they were able to dominate over their region! ''Only in this international Summit would so many Spirit Emperors act as doormen...'' "My name is Gabul, and I will be your guide for the day." Gabul gave a respectful bow. While he may be a Spirit Emperor, the procession that was sent by the Himmel Empire contained a mixture of potent Spirit Venerates as well as a transcendental Spirit Saint. Not to mention, they probably had a vast number of Spirit Emperors as well. "Thank you, Gabul." The leader of the procession, Prince Koshaku gave his gratitude. "No, it''s my honour to serve you, your highness." The middle-aged man got up and pointed to the silver disk that was right behind him. "As much as I would love to chat, I''m sure that you are tired. Let us enter the Citadel first. Everyone, get onto this platform in batches and hold on tight. We will be lifting you into the Citadel." "That entire silver platform is a lift?" Shin muttered out in wonder. That unsuspecting metallic circle that was nearly as thin as a paper sheet had the capability of hosting dozens of people up into the Citadel? "Only the Blacksmith''s League could possibly think of such a contraption." Lady Seph, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, answered Shin''s question. "Yip yip!" Bingbing jumped into Shin''s embrace and buried herself deep into his dark blue robes, ignoring the boy''s complete surprise. After being separated from Shin for such a long time, Bingbing needed to refuel her Shin reserves. "Master?! Where did you go?" When they first came into the Land of Dreams, Lady Seph left the group without any prior warning, prompting Shin and the rest to worry about her safety. "Sorry, I had to settle some things with the Healer''s Association..." Lady Seph sighed as she recalled her earlier interactions with her former comrades. "Althea has brought some meddlesome creatures, and they''re already waiting up in the Citadel. Honestly, why did she have to bring them all?" ''Them all?'' Shin wondered who his master could be talking about. Lady Seph wasn''t one to become stressed over meeting some old friends, yet she was feeling reluctant to even step foot onto the Citadel because of those mysterious people. "Whatever, it''s just for one or two weeks. Remember our plan Shin! Keep a low profile and befriend those from the Lantis Republic. Although I can''t be there to protect you all the time due to my commitments, Bingbing will stay by your side." "Yip yip!" Lady Seph gave the snowy white gerbil her favourite assignment. To sleep and eat in Shin''s embrace, while keeping an eye out for any potential threats. "Also, I''ve got some good news for you. It looks like the Lantis Republic had sent Longyu Tian to act as their Spirit Saint protector." "What?!" Everyone in the group, including the ordinarily nonchalant Shizen cried out with stunned expressions. "That''s right. They actually sent the Saint of Time to protect them." Lady Seph smiled in delight. "While her presence is a nightmare for the other organisations, it''s a great opportunity for you. No matter how many friends you make in the Lantis Republic, it still can''t beat having the support from a Spirit Saint, not to mention the one that everyone fears the most." "..." "Shin, Longyu Tian bears the Sovereign Koi, the same Spirit as you. Also, I have heard rumours that she personally knew Longyu Yuan, the progenitor of the Awter Clan. If you get to opportunity to meet her, your chances of gaining access to the Celestial River will increase exponentially!" Lady Seph was as excited as a child entering a carnival ride for the first time in her life. Only Shin and she knew about the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. If Shin truly managed to gain an opportunity to baptise his Sovereign Koi, the sky was the limit to how much Shin could grow. Who knows? Maybe Shin could even trigger a Spirit Evolution and transform his Spirit into the legendary Golden Sovereign Koi that Longyu Tian possessed? "Next batch, please get on!" While Shin and Lady Seph were busy fantasising on the possible prospects of his Spirit, it was finally their turn to get on the silver elevator. Huddling together, Shin''s group was joined by the Young Drake Duke and his fellow cronies. Kanari turned her head in defiance while the young men and women that followed Eikyo snarled at Shin. All while their leader put forth a disgustingly fake smile. ''Thankfully, he still hasn''t approached me¡­'' Shin breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of action from the Young Drake Duke. He wasn''t particularly adept with social interactions in High Society, and he didn''t know of the best way to turn the blonde man down without completely souring their relationship. Luckily for Shin, Eikyo didn''t seem to be particularly interested in poaching yet another talent from Kanari''s grasp. Mmmonn Mmmonn Mmmonn An energy barrier surrounded the silver lift, enclosing those within as if they were a hamster in a ball. Almost instantaneously, the elevator mystically boosted itself from the floor and flew straight towards the floating island. "Wow..." For the thousandth time today, Shin gaped in wonder. As the silver platform climbed over the soaring barricades, the Himmel Empire members could finally witness the grandeur of Deus Citadel. Heaps of golden and silver towers were littered across the land, so much so that it blinded the eyes of Shin and his friends. For protection, tamed Spirit Beasts guarded the skies, while hundreds of stone golems patrolled the streets of the holy city. To accommodate the new residents that were here temporarily, dozens of armoury shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities were set up. It truly was an Elysium of the skies. However, the most prominent object that Shin saw wasn''t any of the elaborate shops that had been set up, but the enlarged arena that was built on the outskirts of the Citadel. Its purpose? Well, wasn''t that clear? ''So this is where the exhibition matches would be held...'' While Shin wasn''t going to participate in those matches, it didn''t stop his heart from palpitating frantically. In just a week, the most talented cultivators in the world were going to duke it out in the ring, making it the most magnificent showcase of spiritual abilities of modern history. Journalists had to pay upwards of ten thousand gold ingots just to gain a seat to witness the fights, yet Shin had a front-row seat for free! For a moment, Shin had even forgotten his primary objective for coming to the Summit. Who in the younger generation was the mightiest of them all? Was it someone from the Himmel Empire? The Kori Federation? Or was it the Lantis Republic? The child inside of Shin wanted to know. ''Just one more week¡­ One more week until the exhibition matches!!!'' ~~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 326 Deus Citadel 3 The fiery red ball in the sky soon disappeared into the horizon as darkness descended upon the heavenly flying fortress. Bits of celestial sparkles glistened on the land, bringing divine light to the dull world that was enveloped by the dark. At such a late hour, most civilians would have tucked themselves to sleep in preparation for the day ahead. Fortunately, for those who were inhabiting Deus Citadel, gleaming city lights filled the sparkling streets of the fortress allowing the city to seem as bright as it was in the day. After arriving at Deus Citadel, the Himmel Empire''s procession was escorted to their temporary lodgings at the inner region of the city. Through their guide, Gabul, Shin found out that Deus Citadel was not only the world''s only flying fortress, but it was also one of the Blacksmith''s League greatest forges! Whenever it was not flying around as a military base, the fort would be parked in a hidden location where the top engineers and blacksmiths would congregate and plan out future masterpieces. Deus Citadel was split into three major regions, each with its own unique function. The outskirts of the fortress were primarily used for defence. Cannons, Spirit Armaments, Combat Golems, tamed Spirit Beast and ferocious guards were all centred around this area. When Shin first heard of all the defence mechanisms that had been put into play, his jaw dropped in complete shock. Over-excessive wasn''t even a sufficient term to describe the layer upon layer of defences that Deus Citadel possessed. Based on Gabul''s explanation, even a Spirit Saint using their all would be unsuccessful in infiltrating the famed fortress. Moving deeper into the Citadel, the inner region was a place of opulence and luxury. Most members of the Blacksmith''s League that had access to Deus Citadel were high up in the brass. Taking care of their most prized affiliates was an imperative task for the Blacksmith''s League, and thus, they went above and beyond to make the inner regions as comfortable as humanly possible. Of course, extravagance wasn''t the only function that the inner regions had. It also serves as a vault for some of the Blacksmith''s League''s best inventions. Fortunately for those attending the Summit, many prized possessions were open for sale, in commemoration of the historical event. Like a puppy that lusted for its mother''s milk, Elrin drooled while she readied her premium purchasing card that was issued to everyone. If not for the welcome banquet that was being held straight after they arrived, she would have rushed down to the shops and bought clean everything. "Hah¡­ As much as I hate to move away from a social function, couldn''t they have at least opened one shop here?" Elrin placed both her hands down on the white laced bar stand and sighed with sorrow. "Can''t you just wait for a day?" Shin wore an incredulous expression as he chided the young white-haired girl. "You don''t understand, Shin! A sale from the Blacksmith''s League is on a whole other level! Unique-grade Spirit Armaments are the lowest quality! I''ve even heard rumours that they''re going to sell over fifty mythic-grade items, and to satisfy the Spirit Saints, three immortal-grade Spirit Armaments are going to be sold! Where on earth will you ever find someone who is going to sell an immortal-grade Spirit Armament?!" At Elrin''s outburst, Shin took a step back with his hands up high in the air. "I get it, I get it." While he understood why Elrin was so attached to the idea of buying as many quality Spirit Armaments as she possibly could, Shin just wasn''t as emotionally attached. He had only limited himself to ten gold ingots to spend throughout the duration of the Summit, which was barely enough to purchase one unique-grade Spirit Armament. Compared to Elrin, who had a bottomless amount of cash, Shin just couldn''t find the excitement to participate in the hardcore shopping. Shin''s true mission lay elsewhere... "Where are the members of the Lantis Republic?" Shin wondered out loud. Almost directly after the Himmel Empire''s procession settled down in their own rooms, they were called to attend the welcome banquet that the Blacksmith''s League has thrown in honour of the Summit. Donned in their High Society attire, Shin''s group entered the gorgeous ballroom that seemed large enough for a thousand men and women to dance freely in. Shin wore a full black tuxedo with an inner white shirt and a cute little bowtie, his standard garments for any fancy functions that he was called to. On the other hand, Elrin had put on her floral Maxi Dress. Although she was already sixteen, her short stature and baby face had often caused confusion with many who met her. However, instead of feeling down about that fact, Elrin decided to use her child-like appearance to her advantage. With her Maxi Dress on, Elrin seemed to have aged back two years, which would work in her favour when socialising with older men. Nine out of ten times, the men would underestimate Elrin and allow her to get away with much more than a normal woman. Sometimes, she could even cut the price of the item she desired to purchase by half, just through the magic of her looks. "I don''t know¡­ So far I only met those from the Mercenary Guild and Blacksmith''s League. Look! One of them even gave me a discount coupon for their store!" "... How the hell did you do that? The banquet hasn''t even begun..." "Hehe! Skills!" Holding up a victory sign, Elrin''s sorrowful face instantly brightened up. "Whatever..." Shin could only marvel at how capable his dear friend was at socialising. "By the way, where''s Kanari, Emma and Ella? Didn''t you come from the same hallway?" "It looked like Emma and Ella had problems getting into their dresses. So Kanari stayed to help them. What about you? What happened to Shizen?" "What do you think?" Recalling the young boy that collapsed straight on his bed and refused to join them during the banquet, Shin let out a bitter smile. "We lost him early. All of that travelling had tired him out. Also, he firmly resisted the notion of wearing a tuxedo. Says it''s too constricting." "That sounds about right." Elrin adorably giggled. "Oh, speak of the devil! Look, there they are!" Following Elrin''s pointed finger, Shin saw a horde of young men gathering around three youthful ladies. Two of them bore the exact same features, bar the small mole on the face of the short-haired girl. Nonetheless, since this was a social event, the two decided to wear different coloured dresses to help others differentiate them. Emma wore a bright green wrap dress while Ella put on a pale blue spaghetti-strap gown. While their intentions were innocent, the huge contrast between the two girls had thrust them into the centre of attention. Emma''s virtuous charm was highlighted as she nervously brushed her hair. Nonetheless, Emma still did her best to smile to the crowd, making her look like an angel that was displaced from the heavens. On the flip side, Ella''s tied up hair and spaghetti-strap dress allowed her slender neck to come into full view. Almost always scowling, the young men that surrounded her felt their hearts being constricted by a foreign force as a certain feeling awakened within them. If Ella were to explode in anger, they would most definitely fall to the ground in satisfaction and beg her to continue humiliating them. And of course, who could forget the diamond among the jewels? The flower that stood heads and shoulders above the lowly vines of the garden. "Wow..." Shin nearly whistled at the spectacular sight of his bosom friend walking down the aisle, surrounded by the dozens of men that followed her. Putting on a white Sleeveless Flare Dress that stretched all the way to her knees, Kanari''s attire was considered to be on the conservative side. Yet, there was no denying that she was the magnet that attracted all the eyes in the room. Her jet black hair that was free of any lumps flowed down to her hourglass waist, and her ruby-coloured eyes sparkled in the bright yellow lights of the ballroom. "Please excuse us." Noticing that Shin and Elrin were staring in her direction, Kanari immediately bowed down to the bunch of young males that surrounded her and pulled the twins away. "Sorry for the delay. We were caught up in the crowd." "No, it''s fine." Shin shook his head with sympathy. ''It must be hard living Kanari''s life¡­ I can''t imagine getting scrutinised to that degree!'' "This dress is really uncomfortable..." Ella complained as she adjusted the tight fit around her bosom. It was her first time in a cocktail dress, and she wasn''t accustomed to its measurements. Being an archer that needed to move at an accelerated pace, Ella was used to flexible attire. "Hehe, it takes some getting used to." Emma wasn''t that comfortable either. "If you had an appropriate tailor, any dress could be made cosy." A jovial voice broke into the conversation uninvited, forcing Shin and the rest to abruptly turn their heads. From just a few metres away, a suave blonde young man sauntered forward with a glass of champagne in his hands. Behind him, two similarly alluring young women and one particularly valiant-looking young man followed his lead and smiled at the group. "Senior Eikyo¡­ Is something the matter?" Kanari forced herself to put a happy face as she observed the Young Drake Duke. "Kanari, there''s no need to be that tense." Eikyo took one glass from a nearby table and offered it to the ethereal beauty. "You''re turning sixteen this year right? Take this drink. It''ll loosen you up." "Thanks for your offer, but I''m good." Kanari did her best not to burst out in rage at how Eikyo talked down to her. Offering her a drink? It sounded more like he was demeaning her for just barely turning old enough to consume alcohol. "That''s a shame¡­ This champagne is quite the delight. The Blacksmith''s League really knows how to choose their drinks." Eikyo''s eyebrows dropped as he got turned down by Kanari. However, almost instantly, his expression returned back to normal and he lifted the glass towards the boy standing next to her. "How about you, Shin Iofiel? You''ve already turned down my invitation once, I''m sure you could take this drink?" Now that the focus was on him, Shin was suddenly put on the spot. Eikyo and Kanari both stared at him. One with a neutral expression and the other with a ''you better don''t betray me'' face. Shrugging his shoulders, Shin went with the safest answer that he could come up with. "It''s not my birthday yet, so I''m still underage." "..." Eikyo''s outreached hand jolted. After a moment of silence, the Young Drake Duke finally broke out in laughter. "HAHAHA!!! Underage, you say! Spectacular answer!" Eikyo laughed so hard that tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. "Now you make me want you more and more." "..." It wasn''t just Shin who couldn''t find the words to rebut, even Kanari didn''t know what to say to the boisterous young man. "Shin Iofiel, one day you will see. The best option for you to achieve your dreams is through my Duchy!" Seeing that Kanari''s facial expression had turned red and her teeth were beginning to grind, Eikyo decided to retreat for now. However, before he left, he gave Shin one yellow piece of parchment. "Here, go to this tailor and get a few dresses for the Twin Fairies of the Hail. That one''s on me." Eikyo waved goodbye and returned back to socialising on his own turf. "He actually had the nerve to approach you right under my nose..." Kanari clenched her fists in anger until her knuckles turned white. Even though the two had been competing ever since Kanari first introduced herself into High Society, Eikyo had never taken such a brazen approach before. "Don''t worry, Kanari. I won''t join him." Shin comforted the young girl who was just about to burst into flames. "Even if I were to join an organisation, it would be yours." "Hah¡­ I know. It''s just frustrating that''s all." At Shin''s words, Kanari''s mental state cooled down a little. She had already lost a friend to that bastard who kept poaching talents relentlessly. If Kanari had lost Shin to him as well, she would have entered into a mental breakdown. Thump Thump Thump More and more people piled into the ballroom, and soon almost all of the tables were filled. Himmel Empire, Kori Federation, Lantis Republic, Mercenary Guild, Healer''s Association, and the Blacksmith''s League. All of the quintessential figures, young and old, attending the Summit had congregated into one spot, marking the beginning of the welcome banquet. "Ladies and gentlemen. If you may all take your seats." When the crowd had finally settled down, a lanky, well-shaved man came onto the stage and amplified his voice with his mana. Shin may not be well-versed with the faces of all the important figures attending the Summit, but even he recognised the matured man that had biceps the size of his face. In fact, who wouldn''t when a picture of his face was plastered all over Deus Citadel, with his title engraved firmly at the bottom of each frame. ''The President of the Blacksmith''s League, Ingram Ragnar.'' Shin thought out as the man continued to address the crowd. "Today marks an important day in the world''s history. All six forces that make the earth spin round have set aside their differences and gathered together for the first time. Never before in human history had this alliance been made! However, never before has the world seen evil like the Black Masks!" Ingram raised his hands in the air like a theatre actor. "The massacre of the Land of Dreams will never be forgotten! Those that had perished will never be forgotten!" Ramping up his speech, Ingram''s face turned crimson as his voice was raised by three octaves. "My fellow brothers and sisters! As the first day of the negotiations begins, I implore you to remember the thousands of innocents that perished to the evil monsters. I implore you to remember the millions of lives that had been affected by the Black Masks, and I implore you to remember the true significance of this day. The day where differences were put aside to fight for the greater good! Behold!" On Ingram''s cue, an energy beam shot out from the sole skyscraper of Deus Citadel and turned into a pale blue barrier that enveloped the entire flying fortress. Since they were informed of this phenomenon ahead of time, no one in the ballroom panicked as much. They did, however, admired the beauty of the advanced technology that Deus Citadel boasted. "Ladies and gentlemen¡­ Welcome to the Summit." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 327 The Summit Begins 1 Once Ingram had finished his speech, the crowd broke into thunderous applause. Members from the Blacksmith''s League gave a standing ovation for their illustrious President, whistling at cheering at the grandeur of the kingly man. "What a bold speech." Lady Seph chuckled from Shin''s side. She had come in a little late to avoid the annoying social gathering before the banquet began, and as a result, she had been thoroughly enjoying her evening thus far. Now that she had heard the President of the Blacksmith''s League speak, her day peaked even further. "What do you mean, Master?" The blonde beauty shook her head. "The Summit hasn''t even begun, and nothing has been set in stone. Yet, Ingram dared to make all of those declarations as if they were absolute. Any hopes of them pulling out from the Summit would have been flushed down the drains. If I were leading the talks for any of the organisations, I''d probably be fuming." If Ingram had said those words behind closed doors, the representatives from the major superpowers could have issued an immediate rebuttal if the terms didn''t favour their country. However, now that he had implored them in public, especially before the talented younger generation that each superpower had brought, it would reflect poorly on the representatives should they decided to pull out any support. "Set aside their differences for the greater good. What an excellent quote." Lady Seph pivoted her head left and right to observe the riled up youths in the ballroom. If the leaders of any superpower dared to back out now, they would undoubtedly receive a substantial amount of backlash from those hot-blooded youngsters. "Tying their hands even before the first day of negotiations. What a beautiful move." To win a game of chess, one didn''t have to just play with the pieces on the board, but their opponent''s mindset as well. If Ingram Ragnar''s speech could be analysed in terms of the age-old game, it would be akin to provoking his opponent with a sudden insult before the game had commenced, destabilising their entire game plan in the process. "Listen, Shin. These are the types of people that you will encounter as you climb up the ladder. Calculative monsters that would do anything to get a win. Fortunately, Ingram is on our side and wishes to annihilate the Black Masks as well. If he were against us, I highly doubt that the Summit would have proceeded so smoothly." Shin nodded in agreement. "So we have to thank the lucky stars that there are some good people left in the world." "A good person? I think you''re misunderstanding something here, Shin." Lady Seph folded her arms. "Ingram isn''t kind-hearted in the slightest. I would even argue that he has the heart of a demon." "Hmmm? So why is he supporting the Summit?" If the President of the Blacksmith''s League wasn''t an altruistic human being, why would he have offered Deus Citadel, which required a tonne of resources to operate, as a location where all the superpowers could congregate? "Just stop and think about it. If the whole world goes to war, who benefits the most? Who stands the most to gain financially?" After thinking about it for a brief moment, Shin came up with an answer. "The one who manufactures the weapons?" "Exactly! The Blacksmith''s League are the only force in the entire world that can mass produce high-quality Spirit Armaments and weapons of war! Also, since they don''t have any armies to send out, they have no military forces to lose, as compared to the forces from the three superpowers. In the end, a war with the Black Masks would only yield endless amounts of gold for the Blacksmith''s League, and they don''t lose anything. That''s why Ingram has gone above and beyond in the planning of the Summit, even going as far as spending his own money to construct a monument for the victims of the Land of Dreams." "..." Shin instantly turned speechless. Thankfully, he had a sage of world politics at his side. Otherwise, he would have naively believed that the President of the Blacksmith''s League really possessed a noble soul "Either way, whatever Ingram does has no implications on your objectives for the Summit. Look over there." Ignoring the middle-aged man who was basking in the limelight on stage, Lady Seph pointed towards the Lantis Republic tables. "That''s Zhangyu Yaoguai." Following Lady Seph''s finger, Shin could see a sturdy matured man with a face of steel. His darkened face hung a fierce frown, making him resemble a pissed-off lion that was ready to unleash its wrath upon any that dared to tread its path. Compared to the many Spirit Emperors or Spirit Venerates that he had seen, Shin was confident that the man possessed the most hideous face, and was perhaps the ugliest human that existed within the compounds of the ballroom. "Although he looks atrocious, that man is the Master of the Zhangyu Clan, and a Spirit Venerate that possesses one of the Eight Scions of Water, the Abominable Cthulhu." Lady Seph explained. "I don''t know him personally, but Zhangyu Yaoguai''s fame as the stern Iron-Tongue is legendary. If you somehow encounter him while you''re mixing with those from the Lantis Republic, just walk away. He isn''t someone that you can deal with." "Understood." "Speaking of those who you can mix with, do you see the twelve youngsters seated just one table away?" Shin''s eyes landed on the assortment of young adults that were happily sipping on their champagne. At the head of the table, there was a chiselled young man that boasted a rich turquoise hair. Dressed in a black and white Changshan that possessed multiple golden pins and luxurious embroidery, it didn''t take a genius to figure out that he came from a rather affluent background. The same went with the other young men and women that were seated on his table. All of them wore ostentatious clothing and possessed a certain regal air that was blinding at first glance. There was even a young girl among them that had a beauty rivalling that of Kanari, something that was rare to find even if one scoured the entire Empire. "All twelve of them are Luminaries." "All of them?!" Shin exclaimed in horror. Excluding the future talents that could become Luminaries in the future, such as Kanari and himself, the Himmel Empire only had seven Luminaries among their ranks. Yet, the Lantis Republic nearly had double that amount. "There''s no need to be that shocked. The Kori Federation had brought over fourteen Luminaries as well." Lady Seph nonchalantly explained. From her position, a Luminary was a glorified title that was given to outstanding youths. There have been countless times in history where a Luminary would fall from grace, and perhaps only one in ten of them would make it all the way to become a Spirit Venerate. For her, their status as Luminaries wasn''t important. What''s vital was... "Those twelve are the ones that you need to befriend. The one seated at the head of the table is Qilong Hu, the heir of the Qilong Clan. Among all of those from the younger generation that are gathered today, he has the highest cultivation, at Rank 43." "Rank 43¡­" "If you can befriend him, that will be the best. He has the influence to sway those in the Lantis Republic to allow you to participate in the Celestial Baptism." Lady Seph pointed out the best person for Shin to work with. "Of course, he''s the safest one to work on since he''s probably the nominal leader of the Lantis Republic''s younger generation, but if you can''t approach him, the other eleven aren''t bad choices." Lady Seph began to introduce the twelve Luminaries one by one. "The girl that''s seated next to Qilong Hu is Xunyu Feifei. She possesses the Heavenly Sturgeon, the closest relative that the Sovereign Koi has among the Eight Scions of Water. From what I''ve heard, she''s quite a docile figure, so you should be able to approach her with relative ease. The man to her right, on the other hand, you shouldn''t bother talking to him." "Why is that?" Glancing at the gentle-looking youth that seemed way younger than twenty-five, Shin assumed that he would be an easy target to befriend. "He may be a talented Luminary, but he doesn''t have the background." Lady Seph brutally explained. "As you know, not all members of the Lantis Republic are from the Eight Ancient Clans. Many cultivators simply possess a water-elemental Spirit. While they aren''t technically discriminated against, only those who have either one of the Eight Scions of Water would be able to inherit important posts. Even if you bring him entirely over to your side, there''s no guarantee that he would be able to influence the Elders to accept you in." "Is that so..." "Don''t worry, Shin. I will try to influence those Spirit Venerates as well, but you have to do your part. Other than Qilong Hu and Xunyu Feifei, there''s still Jingyu Taiyi, the wonder child of the Jingyu Clan, Meijing Bingying, the famed Pearl in the East and finally, the Longyu Clan''s very own Longyu Linji." Lady Seph pointed all of them out in a blink of an eye. "Of the twelve, these are the five that has the most influence over their Clans. Jingyu Taiyi is the frontrunner in the race to inherit the Jingyu Clan. If you can''t win over Qilong Hu, he should be the second best bet for you. Meijing Bingying is not a bad choice either. To put it simply, she''s the Lantis Republic''s version of Kanari." "What about the last one? Longyu Linji?" Shin couldn''t help but notice that Lady Seph left out the sole Luminary of the Longyu Clan. If Shin wanted to obtain the acknowledgement of the Lantis Republic, shouldn''t he start with the Longyu Clan? "I¡­ Don''t know enough about him." Immediately turning sour, the blonde beauty furrowed her brows and squinted at the young man. "While I know that he''s a Luminary, not much is known about his character and overall ambitions. Since he''s someone from the main branch of the Longyu Clan, it might be worthwhile to befriend him but don''t stress on it too much. God knows how he''ll react if he finds out that you exist." Longyu Linji was perhaps the most talented youth from the Longyu Clan, and he has stayed King for many years now. If Shin, a sixteen-year-old Rank 24 cultivator with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, makes himself known, then Linji''s domination at the top would finally be toppled. If he had a malicious personality, it wouldn''t be strange to find Shin poisoned on his bed the very next morning. "I understand." Shin burnt the faces of the five Luminaries into his memory. When the new day arrives, the younger generation would have the freedom to move around and mingle while the representatives from each superpower congregate in one room to discuss the alliance. ''Qilong Hu, Xunyu Feifei, Jingyu Taiyi, Meijing Bingying, and Longyu Linji...'' Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva. His future prospects of attaining a Celestial Baptism rests on how he interacted with those five individuals. Meanwhile, on the Lantis Republic table, the Luminaries had no idea that they had become the target of a particular black-haired boy. "What a pompous speech." Qilong Hu applauded the Blacksmith''s League''s President for daring to come up with such a self-righteous sermon. "I wonder how Master Yaoguai will react to him." "Possibly in anger." Xunyu Feifei was all smiles as she replied the man seated next to her. "Master Yaoguai isn''t one to spare his opponents after all." "Honestly, what''s the point of trying so hard?" Qilong Hu sighed. "The terms that the High Elder Council has decided on can''t be changed." While the Lantis Republic had agreed to attend the Summit, they had already decided on the number of resources that they were willing to allocate for the war against the Black Masks. Coming here was just a formality and an excuse to buy up some of the best weapons that the Blacksmith''s League has to offer. "They can''t possibly know that." Meijing Bingying interjected with a frown. "Haha, Junior Sister Bingying is right!" Jingyu Taiyi heartily laughed along. "Let''s just enjoy our stay here!" "Hmph! Aren''t you enjoying it a little too much? I''ve heard that you went down to spy on those from the Himmel Empire!" Qilong Hu chided the happy-go-lucky figure who didn''t know his place. "Try not to think of the guards that protect you! Right now, the Land of Dreams is littered with Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates. Just one false step and you could have been kidnapped or killed!" "Sorry~." Jingyu Taiyi stuck his tongue out, clearly indicating that he wasn''t genuinely repentant. "Urgh¡­ Junior Sister Bingying, talk some sense into him." "..." "Junior Sister Bingying?" When the expected reply didn''t come, Qilong Hu turned to the gorgeous young lady once more, only to see her staring at Longyu Linji, as if she were examining a specimen. "Hmmm? Ah, I''m sorry I zoned out a little." "Okay..." Instead of continuing his question, Qilong Hu decided to continued scolding Jingyu Taiyi, giving Bingying the freedom that she needed. ''The resemblance is truly terrifying...'' After finding Shin in the crowd, Meijing Bingying''s gaze alternated between the two throughout the entire banquet. Eyes, hair, skin tone, nose height. If someone pulled them together and introduced them as cousins, no one would have doubted that claim for one second. ''I have to investigate even further¡­ If I''m right, and that boy is a remnant of the Awter Clan, there''s a high chance that he has the bloodline from the main branch of the Longyu Clan!'' ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 328 The Summit Begins 2 Land of Dreams. Deus Citadel. Apex Of The Citadel. The First Day Of The Summit. As the luminescent moon descended into the darkness of the night, a brimming orange hue arose from the horizons. Like a baby that had awoken from its sleep, the artistic golden sun scaled up the dark patch of the sky, bringing along its milky white cloud friends to grace this beautiful morning. White, fluffy birds hovered above the Citadel as cicadas chirped in blissful delight basking in the grandeur of first light. "What a beautiful day." Prince Koshaku remarked as he took one final sip of his breakfast coffee. Handing the silver goblet over to his attendant, the brother of the Imperial Emperor adjusted his attire before heading out of the open-window dining hall. Even though Spirit Venerates weren''t known to have physical defects, the handsome matured man had two dark rings hanging below his eyes, hinting that he had barely slept a wink. "I concur. Isn''t it the perfect day for an alliance to be made?" Gonggong, who had been by the Prince''s side since last night, wore a brilliant smile, one almost as bright as the sun itself. "Who knows? Perhaps there will be no need for a full week of negotiations. Maybe the terms can be agreed on within the hour." "Don''t joke about that, Gonggong." Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn chided the Imperial Eunuch. "While the Healer''s Association and the Blacksmith''s League are on our side, the Lantis Republic and Mercenary Guild are still seated on their fence. After all, they weren''t at all affected by the Black Masks." The Field Marshal explained. "Also, the Kori Federation may seem to be on our side, but we were, after all, enemies until just recently. Even if they do provide the resources and troops, they''ll definitely try to undercut us in the deal. No matter how it pans out, I''m sure that it''ll become an uphill battle for us." "Thanks for the encouragement, Ridan." Prince Koshaku snorted. Walking down the hallways, the representatives from the Himmel Empire were led by guides from the Blacksmith''s League straight towards the central chambers where the negotiations were being held. Deus Citadel was split into three major sections. The outskirts and inner regions were well-known, and almost everyone attending the Summit had access to these two sections. However, the third and final region, the Apex, was strictly prohibited grounds. On regular days, only those with the ''Elder'' position in the Blacksmith''s League would have access to this final region. Home to the control room, the barrier chamber and one of the three Exalted Forges in the whole world, the Apex of Deus Citadel was perhaps the most guarded place in the entire continent. Nonetheless, Ingram had decided to open up the Apex for the negotiations that would shape the future of the world. Climbing into the golden elevator, the Himmel Empire representatives gaped in wonder as the lift brought them up the dazzling skyscraper, giving them a marvellous view of the world below of Deus Citadel. After a minute had passed, the golden elevator finally came to a halt as it reached the highest floor of the building. At this height, the true beauty of the world was put on full display. Glancing out of the windows, Prince Koshaku could observe those at the ground as if he were an elementary school child doing his research on how ants moved. Looking even further, the experienced royal could even see the nearby Main Hub as well as the monuments that they had just been to yesterday. "What a beautiful city¡­ Do you think that we can build something like this in the Empire?" Prince Koshaku thought out loud. "While it may not be possible for us to fully replicate Deus Citadel, we can most certainly construct skyscrapers like the Apex." A minister replied to the Royal Prince. "If Your Highness desires it, I can propose it to the Ministry of Development." "Yeah, do that." Of all the items that he had seen thus far, the hundred-storey tower that broke through the skyline had impressed him the most. If the Himmel Empire could manufacture a structure that was even half as tall as the Apex, it would undoubtedly become the grandest building that they had ever constructed. Taking just one moment to relax, Prince Koshaku finally steeled his nerves and walked down the hallways, to the place where the future of the world laid. "The representatives from the Himmel Empire!" The moment Prince Koshaku entered into the negotiation chamber, a member of the Blacksmith''s League announced their arrival with a dignified tone. The negotiation chamber was one of opulence. Beautifully moulded sculptures of past heroes that the Blacksmith''s League surrounded every corner of the spherical alcove and gorgeously hand-sewn banners decorated the pristine white marble walls. At the side of the room, huge glass windows allowed vast amounts of natural sunlight to illuminate the chamber, letting those inside feel as if they were at the top of the world. At the centre of the spherical chamber, Prince Koshaku could see an enormous round table, one that was easily the size of two large elephants placed together. Like a pizza, the round table was split into six equal slices, with five of the regions all occupied by tough-looking bureaucrats that were sent by each one of their organisations. Being part of the government as well as the chief representative for foreign affairs, Prince Koshaku could easily identify all of the men and women gathered in this room. "Prince Koshaku! Please, take a seat!" The President of the Blacksmith''s League, Ingram Ragnar, welcomed the Royal Highness with open arms and pointed him to the Himmel Empire''s designated seats. "Now that the Himmel Empire''s representatives are present, we can now begin the discussions!" Once Prince Koshaku and his subordinates had settled down, Ingram formally commenced the negotiations. There was no need to waste any more time. "As you all know, the Black Masks are a criminal syndicate that has seemingly appeared out of nowhere with their beginnings coming from the Himmel Empire. Not much is known about how and when they came to be, but records show that the term Black Masks have been around for about fifty-odd years." Ingram read out the report that had been handed to him by the Himmel Empire''s intelligence agency. "In the beginning, the Black Masks only had a handful of Shudras, with most of their workforce consisting of low-levelled Dalits, that barely had any cultivation. The majority of them were simple thieves and ruffians that did petty crimes, and they weren''t that much of a threat. However, about a decade ago, their name became more and more prominent, with Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings joining their force. Until recently, we had assumed that the Black Masks had no more than a handful of powerful figures since only Rank 30 Shudras would commit crimes with Rank 40 Vaishyas occasionally supervising them. Unfortunately, that isn''t the case anymore." Ingram placed down the report and looked to Prince Koshaku to continue. "That''s right. The Black Masks aren''t the run-of-the-mill criminal syndicate that we thought they were." The Royal Prince added. "They have control over Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, as well as hundreds of thousands of lower beasts. Through the incidents at Aldrich''s Keep, Frie Mountain, and the Land of Dreams, the Black Masks has shown what they really are. A vile organisation that massacres their way to get what they want. For us to win this war with the least amount of casualties, we have to throw everything that we can at them!" Many nodded in agreement at Prince Koshaku''s statement. However, there were also many who wore a grim face. "We all agree that we have to fight the Black Masks, that''s the whole purpose of the Summit." Zhangyu Yaoguai from the Lantis Republic answered the Prince''s declaration. "The question is, how are we going to fight the war? From what I understand, the Black Masks have evaded all of your investigations thus far. You had even allowed them to escape from your retaliation force just a few weeks back!" "We underestimated the Black Masks too much back then." Prince Koshaku bit his lip. Lieutenant General Myron''s failure to deter the Spirit Beasts invasion into Kori Federation territory was a tremendous defeat for the Imperial Army, and bringing it up again made the Royal Prince''s face turn red in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "They have an ability that could even make a large-scale illusion, one of the likes that could only be seen in myths!" "I''ve heard of that." A well-groomed red-haired man seated on the side of the Healer''s Association remarked. While he seemed to be a vigorous young man at the pinnacle of his health, if one gazed into his eyes, they would see a bottomless well of wisdom and insight. "It''s hard to believe that something could create an entire illusory army for that long a time. No Spirit User in the world could possibly pull off that feat." "Association Head Raphael. You''re completely right." Prince Koshaku nodded in agreement. "We may not know of the cause, but we have our speculations, and if we''re correct, the Allfather has at least one more Tier 9 Spirit Beast in his control." "..." There were no voices of dissent at that hypothesis. At this point, no one dared to underestimate the Black Masks anymore. "To answer your question, Clan Master Zhangyu, we may not know where the main force of the Black Masks is, but we have to take the first step! Thus, I propose that we make a central intelligence force to help investigate the whereabouts of the Black Masks. Next, the three superpowers are to standby at least ten per cent of their military troops for random deployment." "Just hold on for one second!" Zhangyu Yaoguai raised his hand to interrupt the man. "From what I gather, the Black Masks are unique to your Terre Continent, right? Why should the Lantis Republic send forces inland to fight?" "Didn''t you just read the reports? The Black Masks have at least five Tier 9 Spirit Beasts!" Prince Koshaku cried out. "They even have the World Serpent at their back and call! This is a war that goes beyond the Terre Continent! The Lantis Archipelago will also be detrimentally affected!" "That we understand." The Clan Master of the Zhangyu Clan didn''t deny the threat of the Black Masks. "However, our army just isn''t equipped for a war on land. As you may know, our military force is nearly entirely comprised of our navy. None of our brave soldiers are trained to fight inland. In fact, we might even be deadweight that would slow you down." "..." None of the superpowers present had a decent rebuttal. It was well-known that the Lantis Republic had the most dominant navy of all time. On water, they were practically Poseidon incarnates that would destroy any force that dared to even challenge its authority. However, compared to their navy, the Lantis Republic''s land forces was nothing but abysmal. "Still, there''s no way that we won''t provide any support for the fight against the Black Masks. We will patrol the oceans and terminate any sea routes that the Black Masks may use. If need be, we will provide resources and aid once they are required. Lastly, for good measure, we will send ten thousand of our most elite force to participate in your crusade." The Lantis Republic''s stance was simple. ''Leave the oceans to us, anything that happens on land is your problem.'' Yes, what the Black Masks did was unforgivable, and they would rain down hell upon the criminal syndicate if they were given a chance. However, there was no need for them to send ten per cent of their military force inland, especially since there were few benefits for them to protect another''s property. "Master Yaoguai¡­ Is that really the stance of the High Elder Council." At this moment, the Kori Federation''s representative finally spoke out. "Deputy Prime Minister Venus. I am the representative of the Lantis Republic." "I see¡­ What a shame." The stunning brunette woman, who was as beautiful as her name suggests, let out a despondent sigh. In truth, both the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation had expected this sort of reply from the Lantis Republic. Always pushing a neutral stance, the island nations never liked meddling with the inhabitants of the Terre Continent. While they enjoyed trading with them, the Lantis Republic would never go out of their way to interfere with the affairs of the continent. They were rather content with the assets that they had now, and wouldn''t do anything to jeopardise it. "Ten thousand troops..." Prince Koshaku scowled. Even with a hundred thousand soldiers, the Himmel Empire wasn''t able to do much against the forces of the Black Masks. What could the Lantis Republic''s measly amount ever hope to accomplish? "Just to inform you, we suspect that the Allfather''s dominion is in the Uncharted Wilderness. If they sailed west, they would be able to utterly decimate your eastern flanks." "Like I said, the Lantis Republic will take care of any naval battles. If you somehow find intelligence of a million Spirit Beasts sailing on the oceans, we will send a million troops to destroy them." ''As if it were that simple!'' Prince Koshaku cried out mentally. Looking at Zhangyu Yaoguai now, the royal prince couldn''t help but see his former self reflected on him. When the Black Masks first took down Aldrich''s Keep, while he was startled, Prince Koshaku didn''t think too much of it. Their military was among the strongest that the world has ever seen and in the back of his head, he still viewed the Black Masks as a paltry criminal syndicate that somehow got lucky. However, each time they underestimated the Black Masks, the Himmel Empire had been firmly bitten in the ass. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. In light of recent events, the Himmel Empire would never treat the Black Masks the same way ever again. "Ten thousand is too little." Prince Koshaku''s help came from an unexpected source. The Kori Federation''s Deputy Prime Minister, who had been at odds with the Himmel Empire for the longest time, decided to put her hat in the ring. "Our Kori Federation is willing to put a million troops on standby. The Master Sects will also be providing two Spirit Emperors each. Ten thousand troops? Hmph, your ten thousand would merely be a drop in the bucket of water. A useless drop at that." Almost instantly, the temperature of the room dropped. Let alone a pin, if a feather fell onto the floor, the impact could be clearly heard by the nervous men and women in the room. ''Ah¡­ I forgot how acidic Venus'' mouth was.'' Prince Koshaku laughed internally. While the leading representatives from each superpower in the room were intimidating males with battle-hardened faces and towering statures, the Kori Federation had deployed a pleasant-looking woman. It wasn''t because they wished to honey trap the male representatives, it was purely because that Deputy Prime Minister of theirs was absolutely the most perfect person for the job. "Hoho¡­ So what do you suggest then?" Zhangyu Yaoguai''s eyelids twitched as he replied. He may be called the Iron Tongue, but he was no match for the potent acid that corrodes even the diamond to dust. Now that the gloves were off, there was no going back. Putting her elbows on the table, the Deputy Prime Minister let out a gentle smile, one that was utterly unlike her character. At that simple movement, many in the room unconsciously gulped a mouthful of saliva. "Let''s talk numbers." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 329 The Summit Begins 3 "The Deputy Prime Minister really is something else..." Jimga muttered under his breath so that only Yeunghi, who was beside him, could hear him. "She''s just as the rumours say..." Yeunghi smiled in reply. While they didn''t have any beef with the Lantis Republic, it still felt great to have someone from their nation put that smug Zhangyu Yaoguai''s face in its place. "Look at the members from the Lantis Republic. They''re absolutely tongue-tied." "..." At that moment, the Spirit Venerate Elder that was seated next to the Deputy Prime Minister turned back and glared at the two gossip mongers. Feeling a chill run down their spine, Jimga and Yeunghi immediately closed their mouths and faded into the background as they should. As the only Spirit Emperors that had survived the attack by the World Serpent, the two Dalgeom Sect disciples were an integral part in the negotiation tactics that the Kori Federation would use. Hence, their presence at the negotiation table was essential. Nonetheless, they were still only disciples of the Dalgeom Sect and weren''t qualified to claim a chair on the round table. "You want us to commit five hundred thousand troops?!" Holding back his explosive anger, Zhangyu Yaoguai glared at the venom-mouthed woman, hoping that he had misheard Venus'' claim. "What''s the big deal? Five hundred thousand isn''t that much compared to the entire size of your military. Also, you''re basically on standby, so you don''t have to commit too much." Venus explained it as if it were a simple matter of fact. "You have about ten million soldiers, I''m sure you could at least deploy five per cent of them." "And where would those troops come from?" Zhangyu Yaoguai retorted. Yes, they had a robust and active army with staggering numbers, but they weren''t all seated on their ass doing nothing. Many had been deployed to strategic military bases while others had to quell the raging Spirit Beasts that terrorised the entire ocean. Essentially, if the Lantis Republic wanted to cough up five hundred thousand troops, they had to weaken many of their current forces, which could, in turn, lead to an invasion by any of the two superpowers. "That''s not my problem to solve." Venus frowned in displeasure. They were fighting a tremendous force that possessed an ungodly amount of Spirit Beasts and was growing by the day. Yet, the Lantis Republic was reluctant to even commit a small percentage of their overall army. "All you need to do is cover the oceans as well as our eastern front. The Kori Federation will handle the northern areas, while the Himmel Empire would take care of the southern region. As for the Uncharted Wilderness, once we find the base of the Allfather, I expect that the three superpowers would unite and launch a major invasion. We can discuss that matter at a later date." "You wish to invade the Uncharted Wilderness?!" The Lantis Republic''s representative was unable to control his anger anymore and slammed his hands on the table. While his actions were out of line, the other representatives all shared his frame of mind. There was a reason why the Uncharted Wilderness was still uninhabited by human civilisation. Taking up about a third of the continent, the Uncharted Wilderness held an untold amount of riches and resources that could have been claimed for human consumption. Thus, throughout the long history of mankind, armies had sent campaign after campaign to conquer the obscured region, but they all failed quite miserably. Once, an ancient civilisation that possessed over ten Spirit Saints tried to bulldoze their way into the Uncharted Wilderness. With the most advanced army of their time, the ancient dominion believed that they could accomplish what their ancestors could only dream about, and entirely surmount the final frontier of mankind. Led by the legion of Spirit Saints that they had, the civilisation led the most extensive military campaign on the Uncharted Wilderness to date. The result? Eighty per cent of their entire force had been utterly wiped out with over half of the Spirit Saints losing their lives or being fatally wounded. In the end, unable to recuperate from the devastating loss, the civilisation crumbled and became a footnote for the history books. Once bitten, twice shy. Humanity had learnt about the terrors of the Uncharted Wilderness the hard way, and up till this day, no armies had dared to march into the mystical land, for fear of complete annihilation. "The Uncharted Wilderness is home to billions if not trillions of Spirit Beasts! Furthermore, god knows how many Tier 9 or Primordial Spirit Beasts inhabit that land! Launching an invasion into the Uncharted Wilderness? Are you insane?!" Zhangyu Yaoguai spewed out what everyone was thinking. While they wished to eradicate the Black Masks, all of the superpowers simply wanted to fight off lingering threats within their borders. If the Allfather decides to pull back his armies into the Uncharted Wilderness, that would be the biggest win for the alliance. There was no way that any of them would be willing to tread into that treacherous territory, that was known for eradicating armies. "That''s the only way that we can defeat the Black Masks." Venus ignored the stunned faces and crossed her arms. "We have overlooked the Black Masks and their leader for far too long. Each time we thought that we had the upper hand, they would pull out another trick from their arsenal. When they took down Aldrich''s Keep, the world ignored them. When they fought their way into Frie Mountain, the world ignored them. Now that they had waged a blatant war against us by killing the entire population of the Land of Dreams, are we supposed to ignore them again?" "..." "Yes, I''ll admit. We know nothing of the Black Masks. Who the Allfather is? Where are their bases? How are they able to reside in the Uncharted Wilderness? What is their true military might? Everything is just a patch of blur to us. However, it''s safe to assume that the Black Masks knows everything about us. Not only did they recruit Spirit Emperors from all three of our nations, but they had also operated in the shadows for this long of a time. So why would an organisation, which had been obscured for the longest time, make itself known in such a flamboyant manner?" Putting the question to her fellow representatives, Venus allowed a brief moment of silence to sit in the room. "They were biding their time¡­" Raphael, the leader of the Healer''s Association, muttered out in shock. "Now that their preparations are complete, they can finally show their faces to the world." "That''s right!" Venus nodded in agreement. "While we don''t know anything about the Allfather, what we do know through the Divine Healer Seraphim''s report, is that he''s at least on the level of a Spirit Saint. Just imagine it, a Spirit Saint that has never made his existence known! Do you think that he would be so brash to unite the three superpowers against him when he''s unprepared for a fight?" "..." The room went silent. If Venus'' conjecture was correct, then what the Allfather had shown thus far must be only the tip of the iceberg. With countless of years operating in the dark, the Black Masks must have garnered an incredible amount of intelligence from the superpowers of the world and perhaps have even planted an unspeakable amount of spies. "Who exactly is this Allfather?" The representative from the Mercenary Guild finally opened his mouth. Built like a brick wall, the tremendous colossus of a man barely fit in the extravagant chair of the round table. Whenever he moved his arms, one could see the boulder-sized biceps of his contract as they struggled to break free of the restraining white shirt that he wore. "Guild Master Xerxes, that''s a question for all of us to find out." The Deputy Prime Minister replied. "For that, I would require your expertise. None of us has the reach and information expertise that the Mercenary Guild possesses. If we want to delve deeper and investigate everything about the Black Masks, we need your information network." "About that." Prince Koshaku realised that the Deputy Prime Minister had been calling the shots for a while, and decided to break the flow of the Kori Federation before they became the nominal leader of the alliance. "I propose that we create a central intelligence agency, one specific to the Black Masks. If we each superpower has its own unique intelligence units, it would be detrimental for the dispersion of information." "I concur. Withholding information from the members of the alliance will only serve to do more harm than good." Raphael nodded. "Aye. The Blacksmith''s League can''t help you with gathering intelligence, but we can provide the communication tools." Ingram added on. "That''s fine with the Lantis Republic." Zhangyu Yaoguai had no objections. The main issue that the Lantis Republic had was the deployment of manpower. For something as trivial as providing resources for intelligence, they were more than happy to oblige. "It can be done..." Xerxes stroked his hairless chin in agreement. "We will need to set up some facilities to accommodate the new units, but otherwise, it''s a fantastic idea!" For the first time, everyone in the Summit agreed on something. Well, almost everyone¡­ "Oh ho? Mighty blood of the Himmel Clan, and who would lead this intelligence unit?" Venus turned her acidic tongue towards Prince Koshaku. ''Tskkk, I''m next huh?'' The Royal clicked his tongue. It wasn''t a secret that the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire didn''t get along. After all, they occupied the same continent and had been vying with one another for total dominance for centuries. While the peace treaty signed those many years back had barred any all-out wars from occurring, tensions still remained between the two superpowers. In fact, this was the first time that the two nations had sent delegates to meet one another in a neutral land. If not for the appearance of the Black Masks, the Kori Federation would have never considered an alliance with the Himmel Empire. "Our Empire''s Ridan Bitterdawn." Prince Koshaku bit the bullet and tapped on the muscular man that had never left his side. "He''s the first Spirit Venerate in our military to encounter the aftermath of the Black Masks. With his track record as the Field Marshal of our Second Army, I believe that there''s no one more suited for this job." Ridan Bitterdawn stood up from his chair and allowed the members of the round table to examine him, all while Prince Koshaku wore a proud smile as if he were a salesman making a pitch of his company''s most exceptional product. However, Venus wasn''t convinced. "Isn''t he the failure that allowed the Black Masks to escape? And into our territory?" "Failure is the mother of success, Deputy Prime Minister." Ridan placed his right palm on his chest. "I swear that I''ll never allow the Black Masks to run rampant anymore!" "Touching stuff, but you''re still failed nonetheless." Venus scoffed. "How can I entrust the safety of my nation on someone that allowed over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts into my borders? I would rather let my pet hamster lead the intelligence agency than entrust it to your hands." "..." Ridan was forced to eat the insults of Venus while the rest of the room did their utmost best to stifle their laughter. Those from the Kori Federation had it the worst. They were practically biting on the tip of their tongues to prevent a spit from spilling out from their puckered lips. "I propose that I personally lead this intelligence agency." Venus pulled out the unexpected stunt and nominated herself for the position. "I believe that I''m the most senior and qualified for the role. I don''t mind sharing the position with Guild Master Xerxes or whoever he appoints, but definitely not that bulldog that you have, Your Highness." "You..." Prince Koshaku wanted to rip that venomous tongue out of the slender woman. However, knowing that his actions wouldn''t accomplish anything, the Imperial took a deep breath to quell his raised blood pressure. Getting angry was precisely what Venus wanted him to do. If he explodes, Prince Koshaku would just be falling deeper and deeper into the trap that she laid out. "Let''s start from the beginning..." With his nerves calmed, Prince Koshaku decided to restart the negotiations. Even if Ridan didn''t get the position, he couldn''t allow the Kori Federation to dictate the entire conference. Alas, today was not his day. OHMMMMMMMMMM "W-What was that?" A terrifying aura emitted out from the residential areas, forcing everyone in the room to halt their discussions. For Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates that were gathered in this room, there wasn''t much that could shock them. Yet, even though they were at the Apex of the Citadel, which had been fortified thousands of times, that dreadful aura still managed to permeate through their very souls. "An enemy attack?" Ingram had that outlandish thought for a brief moment but immediately dismissed it. Deus Citadel was the most secure location in the entire world. There was no way that an outside attack could have made its way inside. Internal attacks, however... "R-Reporting!!! All six Spirit Saints have gathered and are on the verge of fighting!!!" A Spirit Emperor from the Blacksmith''s League broke all protocol and barged into the room with the urgent news. "T-The six Spirit Saints that are in the Citadel had gathered!!!" "WHAT?!" Ingram lost his nerve and slammed his fists on the round table. Spirit Saints stood at the absolute peak of the cultivation world. Just one of them was capable of taking a million men with relative ease. If all six of them decided to go into open combat inside of the Citadel, pandemonium would be the lightest word to describe the aftermath. "Saint Geom too?" The members of the Dalgeom Sect looked at one another with confusion in their eyes. The other Spirit Saints aside, they knew how peace-loving their patriarch was. For him to interfere with the other Spirit Saints, something major must have happened. ''This aura¡­'' Prince Koshaku furrowed his brows. He evidently recognised the dreadful aura that had just been released, even if it were mixed with something foreign. ''Why would Saint Firebird act?'' The representatives in the negotiation chamber had many questions and had no choice but to prematurely end the conference. A fight between the six Spirit Saints had to be avoided at all costs, even if it meant ending the Summit at once. ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 330 Time Slows Down 1 Turning back the clock a few hours, the day had just begun on Deus Citadel, and the members from each organisation were just getting out of bed. Stretching out his tense muscles, Shin breathed in a big mouthful of fresh morning air, as the refreshing breeze flowed onto his supple white skin. Rubbing off the weariness that had mounted on him throughout the night, the black-haired boy took ten five minutes to completely rejuvenate himself. Snore¡­ Snore¡­ As he opened the window and allowed the sweet nectar of morning dew to fill his humid room, a soft nasal snore could be heard from the adjacent bed. Since the sun was still just rising up from the horizon, the skies were still relatively dark and being the late-riser that he was, Shizen was enjoying his hibernation with an opened mouth and a satisfied smile. ''It''s like he''s not even aware that we''re in a different country...'' Shin giggled to himself. While everyone was tensed up about the Summit, Shizen could barely muster up the power to give a damn. If not for Kanari promising him a reward for participating, Shin really doubted that Shizen would even bother to follow them to the Land of Dreams. "Yip yip?" Bingbing, who had been nicely snoozing away on Shin''s bed, felt the sudden lack of warmth and got up herself. Clawing on the bed sheets, the Kamaitachi finally realised that Shin had left for the showers and waited for him at the washroom entrance. "Bingbing, you''re awake too?" After putting on a change of clothes, the youth dried his hair and allowed the snowy white gerbil to rest in his bosom like she always did. In the land where experts were as vast as the stars in the night sky, Lady Seph had ordered Bingbing to stay by Shin''s side at all costs. "Yip yip!" "Yeah, it''s finally the first day of the Summit. I can''t let this chance go to waste." Shin stroked the Kamaitachi on her head lovingly. "Master said that she''ll help me, but I can''t just sit back and do nothing. Every second count." "Yip yip yip!" "Hehe, I know that you''ll protect me." Taking one final look at the sleeping beauty, Shin jolted down a few details saying that he was gone shopping and placed the note on the nightstand next to Shizen. "Sleep tight." Leaving the room, Shin was greeted by an extravagant hallway that was filled to the brim with an ungodly amount of lights. Even though it was still dark outside, Shin had a clear vision of everything inside the hotel, something that was rare even in the luxurious Capital. ''This place is really well-built...'' Shin thought to himself. During the tour of the Citadel yesterday, Shin was introduced to many places as well as the mechanics that made each zone tick. For instance, the lights that were turned on twenty-four hours of the day were being powered by an innovation from the Blacksmith''s League called a fusion reactor. While they were vague in their explanation, the guide claimed that at the core of a citadel, there existed a tremendous device that generated vast amounts of energy that powered all of the electricity, energy barriers, active defence mechanisms, humanoid automatons, and basically everything in Deus Citadel. While the reactor acted as an energy device, due to the immense heat being generated from the device, it also doubled as a forge that could melt any form of metal. Hundreds of masterpieces had been created using the Exalted Forge that lay under the Apex of the Citadel, some of them even earning the title of an Immortal-grade Spirit Armament. ''Immortal-grade Spirit Armaments¡­ Just how much would one cost?'' Shin thought back on the news that Elrin had told him where three of those fabled items would be up for sale during the duration of the Summit. A unique-grade Spirit Armament could easily fetch a price of ten gold ingots, an amount that could equal an average middle-class family''s yearly income. Legendary and Mythic grades had broke records, reaching amounts that not even an affluent family clan could possibly hope to attain. So what about the highest quality of Spirit Tools? What exorbitant price could those items possibly reach? ''Hah¡­ Maybe I should free up a day to follow Elrin around.'' Thinking about the young white-haired girl who had turned into an obsessed shopaholic, Shin sighed. He may have a clear objective for coming to Deus Citadel, but learning a little more about the world of Spirit Armaments wouldn''t hurt at all. However, for now, Shin had a more pressing matter to attend to. ''Qilong Hu. Age, twenty-six. Rank 43 Spirit Spectre. A Luminary from the Qilong Clan that had awakened the Seven-Headed Hydra.'' Shin read out the report that was handed over to him by Lady Seph religiously. Now that he was on his way to the Lantis Republic''s abode, Shin had to figure out the best method to interact with those distinguished youngsters and learning all of their characteristics was the most essential part. ''Meijing Bingying. Age, twenty-four. Rank 42 Spirit Spectre. Known as the Pearl in the East, she is considered to be the best Ice-Elemental Spirit User of her generation. With her Enigmatic Narwhal, she had once frozen dozens of Tier 5 Spirit Beasts without breaking a sweat. Wow¡­ If the Himmel Empire has the Witch in the South, the Lantis Republic has the Pearl in the East huh?'' Reading through each one of the five Luminaries biographies, Shin formulated a plan to approach every one of them. And it wasn''t long until he found himself right at the base of the Lantis Republic''s designated hotel. For some odd reason, the security didn''t even bother checking his identification or why his purpose for entering the hotel and just allowed him to waltz in. ''It''s still early. They probably won''t come down this early.'' The sun may have already climbed out of its slumber to warm the skies and those who inhabited the earth, but it was still rather early for anyone to actively participate in any form of activities, especially since the shops wouldn''t open for another hour or so. ''Let''s just wait in the courtyard. If I see them, I''ll approach them.'' Shin''s strategy was exceedingly simple. Ambush the five Luminaries if he sees them. It may seem like a rudimentary idea, but even if he fails to form a connection, his face would at the very least be remembered by them. Flipping through the notebook that Lady Seph had handed down to him, Shin continued to analyse the details of the Luminaries hoping to find a talking point to latch onto. An hour passed, no one came down from their rooms. Two hours passed, still, no one came down from their rooms. Three hours passed, Shin became so bored that he thought the garden gnomes in the courtyard had come to life. ''What''s going on? Why is there no one coming down?'' Shin looked up at the sky. The blazing star had risen up high, indicating that it was halfway to noon. Yet, there was no activity from the members of the Lantis Republic. In fact, even the guards seemed to be part of an infinite loop. "Took you long enough to notice." "!!!" Stunned by the sudden voice next to his ear, Shin jumped and entered into his combat stance. Likewise, Bingbing jumped out from the young boy''s clothes and mounted her mana, creating an ice spiked dome that enveloped Shin. "Oh, there''s no need to be that surprised." The voice laughed as if she were a child playing a prank on her parents. A golden raindrop fell on the ice dome and instantly melted the solid defence that Bingbing had made. Her senses heightened, Bingbing prepared herself for war. Expanding to the size of a wild bear, Bingbing circled her tail around Shin''s waist and was ready to fly off into the horizon. "What a splendid relationship you have with this Kamaitachi!" The voice exclaimed, seemingly surprised that a Tier 8 Spirit Beast was actually ready to defend Shin to the death. "However, I can''t let this chance slip, can I?" Once again a golden raindrop fell from the heavens and landed right under Shin and Bingbing. A brilliant auriferous ring soon expanded out of the dense mana bead and created a field inside of the vast courtyard. "Just like that. Time. Slows. Down." Bingbing, who had been ready to pounce at any moment, immediately froze in place. No, it wasn''t just Bingbing who was suspended. The birds in the air all halted mid-flight, and the insects that inhabited the yard had stopped moving. "Bingbing!!!" Only Shin had retained his freedom of movement. While he was surprised by the sudden change of events, the youth still readied his combat stance to face the owner of the mysterious voice. "Child, there''s no need to fear." From the heavens above, an immense glimmer of light descended onto the earth, right before Shin''s eyes. A celestial mist flowed out from the light, revealing a divinely beautiful woman. Her luscious black hair that flowed to her back was free of any impurities, and her gorgeous smile highlighted her pristine azure eyes that shimmered like a pure lake in the middle of the night. Donned in a sublime white dress, the woman appeared to be rather priestly as Shin swore that he could see a transparent halo forming above her head. "I just slowed time down in this Sanctuary of mine. Your Kamaitachi won''t be affected in the slightest." The woman calmed Shin down by assuring that Bingbing wasn''t in any form of danger. He had his guesses on who could have possibly performed such a superhuman feat, but the woman''s short answer had all but confirmed his speculations. "Greetings, Saint Longyu Tian!!!" Shin bowed down in respect. There was only one entity in the entire world that could affect time and space to this degree, and her name was as famous as the Sovereign Emperor of the Himmel Empire. "..." The gorgeous woman didn''t even flinch after hearing her name from the young boy''s mouth. Instead, she continued to observe the boy as if she were a scientist looking at a rare specimen. "You know, I didn''t want to come to the Summit at all." Longyu Tian chuckled to herself. "Meeting all of these meddlesome people, escorting the annoying juniors of mine that desperately keep trying to strike a conversation¡­ I could have easily spent that time to cultivate or test out new techniques of mine." The Spirit Saint monologued to herself, expressing her disdain for the Summit. "It was on a pure whim that I used my Future Sight to look at what could happen at this Summit. Of the thousands of possible futures that could have occurred, I saw a particular someone in over ninety per cent of them. With jet black hair and azure-coloured eyes, I initially thought that he was someone from my very own bloodline." Longyu Tian began to ramble. "However, when I checked the faces of everyone in the clan, I couldn''t find one that resembled the boy. Nonetheless, it was still an interesting fact that this boy kept reappearing in my visions even when I kept using Future Sight, so I agreed to come and look for him myself. But you know what really stunned me?" "..." "I have seen the future many times now. Whether it was the imminent death of a junior of mine or the precipice of a natural disaster, I have seen it all. There were only a few cases where my Future Sight had failed to see anything, and they had always concerned those who have equal or stronger cultivations to me. Yet, this boy, who was nothing but a Spirit Core cultivator, once I''ve met him in my visions, everything else becomes a blur." Longyu Tian walked over to Shin with a peculiar gaze. She had never encountered a situation where she couldn''t see the future of a junior. Shin took a step back as the woman closed the distance. Even though he knew that the woman wouldn''t harm him, Shin couldn''t help but feel constricted by her immense presence. "So, let me ask you this, boy." Unfortunately, running from a Spirit Saint was practically impossible. Creating an invisible wall with her control over space, Longyu Tian finally asked the question that had been bothering her for over a month. "Who are you?" ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 331 Time Slows Down 2 "Who are you?" That one question halted all sounds in the vibrant courtyard. His heart racing at a million kilometres an hour, Shin''s face turned red, and a thousand beads of sweat dripped down his body, drenching his entire back in the process. Longyu Tian''s expression had become deadpan, and all kindness in her eyes had vanished entirely. If Shin lied in his answer, he was confident that the Spirit Saint would make appropriate measures to make him regret his actions. Steeling his nerves, Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva before raising his right palm up to his chest. "Instead of telling you, it would be faster to show you, who I am..." "Hoho..." Shin closed his eyes and looked deep down into his Spirit Core. A cerulean light began to congregate from the depths of his soul as a scaly figure formed within his outreached palm. In an instant, the adorable Sovereign Koi reappeared in the material realm with a face full of playfulness and delight. After six years of training, the Sovereign Koi had doubled its original size and was now equivalent to that of a common trout. Its scales now had a tinge of golden and silver hue, intensifying its overall cerulean colour multiple folds. Jiggling about in the air and flapping its fins, the Sovereign Koi turned to look at the black-haired woman in front of Shin with a glance of confusion. It felt some familiarity, but it couldn''t understand why¡­ "N-No way!!!" For the first time since she showed herself, Longyu Tian turned as pale as a sheet, completely blowing apart her aloof front that she had put on for Shin. Almost instantaneously, the Spirit Saint''s eyes turned golden, and she intensely examined the cerulean Sovereign Koi in Shin''s hands. Her swift actions had made Shin, and his Spirit jerk back in shock, but her immense grip pulled the pair back into her midst. Shin and the Spirit Saint''s faces were now inches away from each other, so much so that a stray warm breath would tingle their eyelids in a coy manner. While Shin was being perturbed by such an unnecessary distraction, Longyu Tian''s golden eyes permeated through every scale of the Sovereign Koi''s body, making it feel extremely jittery in the process. Not willing to waste this chance, Longyu Tian''s body emitted out a golden light as a tremendous shadowy body began to form behind her. The figure was twice as large as a fully-grown adult tiger, but it had the flexibility to coil itself around the Spirit Saint as if it were a python enveloping its prey. Just like that, the Golden Sovereign Koi, the most infamous Spirit in the entire Lantis Republic, had made its appearance in the Land of Dreams. Its four whiskers acted like an insects feelers and gently caressed the Sovereign Koi within Shin''s hands, and a dazzling celestial light shone from its forehead onto the Shin''s Spirit. From an outsider''s perspective, it was as if a mother fish had been reunited with its long lost child. Of course, the reality was far more sinister. Bearing the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, and being a Rank 90 Spirit, the Golden Sovereign Koi was attempting to mark its dominance over the newborn Spirit, just like it always did. Whenever it revealed its power, all Spirits that were below its cultivation level would bow in reverence, as if they were subjects to its kingdom. However, instead of feeling oppressed, the Sovereign Koi levitating above Shin''s palms revealed a delighted smile, seemingly refreshed by the wave of energy that was being supplied in its direction. "T-This can''t be!!!" Longyu Tian nearly fell to the floor. Her eyes were shining with a mixture of fear and angst¡­ And perhaps even a little glee. After becoming a Spirit Saint, she had washed her hands off any mortal matters, and there was little that could ever hope to faze her. Yet, at this point in time, she was acting as if she were a little girl in a candy shop. "Sovereign Koi!!! And a power to resist my Mark!!! That''s why I couldn''t see past you!!! That''s why I was compelled to come and meet you!!!" Tightening her grip over Shin''s wrist, Longyu Tian slowly pulled the boy closer to herself, treating Shin like the most precious treasure in the whole world. "You have the Mark of the Celestial Dragon as well!!!" "..." Against that intense fervour, Shin could only nod, not disagreeing with what the Spirit Saint had said. Realising her folly, Longyu Tian released her hold on Shin and coughed twice in embarrassment. For a Spirit Saint to act in such an absurd manner, not to mention to a person that she had just met, it was unbecoming of her status. Nonetheless, Longyu Tian couldn''t contain her excitement and was smiling from ear to ear. "Child, what''s your name?" All this while, Longyu Tian had yet to ask the most critical question. "Shin..." The black-haired boy''s mouth twitched from side to side as if he were fighting some sort of internal battle. However, the conflict within him concluded in less than a second before he finally revealed his last name. "My name is Shin¡­ Awter." Not Iofiel, but Awter. That was Shin''s real name that only a select few knew. "Awter?!" Once again, Longyu Tian nearly dropped her jaw to the floor. "Awter¡­ No that makes sense! To think that there was someone that survived that dreadful massacre..." As the strongest and most influential cultivator of the Longyu Clan, Longyu Tian obviously knew the history that the Awter and Longyu Clan had. Sixteen years ago, when the Awter Clan was on the verge of extinction, the Longyu Clan had actually readied its arms to assist their distant kin. If not for the overwhelming opposition from the seven other ancient clans, as well as the threat of imminent war with the Himmel Empire, the Longyu Clan would have thoroughly annihilated the Frie Clan for killing off their brethren. Her face turning tender, Longyu Tian brought Shin into her chest and started to comfort the boy. The earlier distance that she had built had all but crumbled down as she finally comprehended the blood ties that they had. "Shin, tell me¡­ How have you lived your life?" There were so many questions that Longyu Tian wanted to ask from Shin, but she had decided to learn more about the background of this young boy. "I¡­ Have no recollection of the Awter Clan..." Shin pushed the shoulders of the Spirit Saint away from his body and began to recount his life. "I was raised by the Frie Clan as an orphan. I didn''t know about the battle between the two clans until just recently." Shin opened up everything. The relationship he shared with the First Elder and the Instructor. How the orphans were ostracised in the Frie Clan by the Second Elder''s faction. The incident where the First Elder nearly tore the Clan apart due to the Second Elder''s assassination attempt on Shin. Being sent to Chilyoja Waypoint to become a healer under Lady Seph. His relationship with Junius and how he was ultimately corrupted to join the Black Masks alongside Vellan and the other remnants of the Frie Clan. Finally, Shin told the Spirit Saint the darkest part of his history. The moment where the Black Masks killed off Ariel and destroyed the hopes and dreams of Shin entirely. "Shin..." Longyu Tian listened in, attentively. The boy in front her was barely sixteen-years-old, and yet he had the life experience that would trump any regular adult. "You have suffered." Longyu Tian brought the boy into her arms once more. This time, Shin didn''t resist. Although they had just met for the first time, there was a certain familiarity in her scent. He couldn''t describe it. It was as if a long lost puzzle piece that had been missing in his life had finally been filled. Shin snuggled in the woman''s embrace for ages before coming to his wits. Pushing the Spirit Saint away, the youth blushed in bashfulness and bowed down at a ninety-degree angle. "I''m sorry." "Don''t be." Longyu Tian assured the youth. In fact, she didn''t mind if Shin stayed in her arms for the remainder of the Summit. "I had met Longyu Yuan, your great-grandfather, once when I was just a mere child. He was rebellious and obstinate and would do anything to get his way. Ultimately, his character had led to his expulsion and renouncement of his family name, but his children bore no sin. If only the Elders of the Longyu Clan back then weren''t that headstrong¡­ Perhaps this whole tragedy, your tragedy, could have been avoided." Longyu Tian felt sorry for Shin as well as the deceased individuals of the Awter Clan. While they bore the bloodline of the Longyu Clan, they didn''t possess any formal ties to the Lantis Republic. Thus, it was almost impossible for the Longyu Clan to justify their involvement in the Himmel Empire. If the older generation weren''t that stubborn, the Awter Clan would have been absorbed back into the Longyu Clan ages ago, preventing the dreadful massacre that had led to Shin becoming an orphan. "Could you¡­ Turn back time?" Shin meekly asked. As impossible as it may sound, the young boy had a flicker of hope that the Spirit Saint could perform a miracle. "The past is the past..." Longyu Tian shook her head. She may be the Spirit Saint of time, but even she had no abilities that could rewind the clock. "Time is like the Celestial River. An ever flowing entity that can never be resisted. You could place a rock in it, or even build a dam to slow it down, but the only thing that you can never do is reverse its flow." The Spirit Saint sighed. Time reversal was something that she had once considered when she triggered her Spirit Evolution. If she could master the art, she would be able to save all of her beloved family and friends that had perished over the years. However, as she grew older and her comprehension over the element began to mature, Longyu Tian started to understand how naive she was. She could affect the present and even influence the future through her sights, but the past could never be changed. "I see..." The wish that Shin had shattered. Here he was, hoping that Longyu Tian could resurrect Ariel and those who passed from the dead. Alas, there was a reason why miracles were called impossible feats. "I''m sorry, Shin." Longyu Tian could tell how much he loved this Ariel girl from the Frie Clan, just by how broken down, the boy looked just moments prior. She too had felt the pain of losing her loved one to the annals of time, and the Spirit Saint knew that there was only one remedy for the pain that Shin was feeling. For Shin to get over Ariel''s death, there was only one thing that he could do, and funnily enough, it was to wait for the time to pass. ''No¡­ I still have one other hope! If I reach the Immortal Realm, there''s a chance to find Yggdrasil!!!'' Reaffirming his desire to become the next Spirit Immortal, Shin''s gloomy expression changed to one of immense ambition. "Saint Longyu Tian¡­ I have actually come here with a motive in mind." "Please, don''t be so informal." The woman gently smiled and stroked the young boy''s hair. Shin was a descendant of the Longyu Clan as well as a bearer of the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. There was no need for Shin to treat her so distantly. "Call me Aunt Tian." "No, how could I?!" Calling a Spirit Saint his aunt? Only those with a death wish would do such a thing. "Saint Longyu Tian. I have a bold request, and I know that it''s presumptuous of me to ask..." Shin immediately went onto his knees and kowtowed to the black-haired woman. Yes, it was unsightly, but for him to accomplish his dreams, Shin had to take this drastic step. Even if he had to climb the highest mountain and dive to the deepest depths of the ocean, Shin must convince the Spirit Saint to agree to his request. "Please, let me get baptised by the Celestial River!" "Okay." "Huh?" Shin stood stupefied. Did Longyu Tian just agree to his request? Just like that? "Shin¡­ You share my blood, and you have the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Of course, you deserve to get baptised!" Longyu Tian smiled. Nonetheless, there was one caveat to her swift approval. "Come¡­ Let us return¡­ Let us return to your rightful home." Longyu Tian was ready to pounce and fly off with Shin, ignoring the Summit and the procession from the Lantis Republic altogether. "Let us return to Longyu Reef." ~~~~ Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 332 Time Slows Down 3 Shin nearly jumped out of his skin the moment he heard those ominous words. Longyu Tian was wearing a radiant smile that could do no harm, and yet, Shin felt as if the walls have started to cave in. The Spirit Saint wasn''t joking around. She was ready to bring Shin back to Longyu Reef, even if it meant abandoning the entire Summit. "Saint Longyu Tian¡­ Could you elaborate on what you mean by returning?" Shin resisted all while fidgeting nervously from his spot. He knew the answer, but Shin wanted to have a verbal confirmation. "What''s there to elaborate?" Longyu Tian chuckled. "Rejoin the Longyu Clan! Abandon the Himmel Empire and everyone in it! If you want, I can arrange someone to pick up your fellow brethren that are residing in the Capital. Come! Let us return to your rightful home!" "Saint Longyu Tian¡­ I can''t just desert the Himmel Empire." As much as he hated the Imperial Courts and being used as a pawn in their game, Shin had been born and raised in the Empire. He had formed everlasting relationships with many residents of the land. Kanari, Isadore, Shizen, Elrin. Shin had become best friends with those youngsters who had their entire life intertwined with the fate of the Himmel Empire. Shin also felt a firm connection to the mentors that had guided him throughout his learning journey in the academy. The sleazy bastard, Mychael. The bronze-faced scholar, Principal Erudito. And even the persistent yet compassionate head of the auxiliary department Madam Warulee. Shin owed a debt of gratitude to those in the Academy. Not to mention, one of the most important people in his life, Lady Seph, was a blood citizen of the Empire. She may have had her differences with the nation, but she would never do anything to betray her motherland. If the word had gotten out that Lady Seph''s sole disciple had defected to the Lantis Republic, one could imagine the catastrophic hit to her status. "Why not?" "I have obligations to fulfil¡­ Friends and family that I want to protect!" Shin gritted his teeth as he replied. "Furthermore, I have no relations to the Lantis Republic!" "Nonsense!" The Spirit Saint scoffed. "You are a blood member of the Longyu Clan and a bearer of the Mark of the Celestial Dragon! Your relationship with the Lantis Republic is much deeper than anyone else in the archipelago." Shin couldn''t have known how important the Mark of the Celestial Dragon was to the Lantis Republic. Among the millions in the Lantis Republic, there were only eight individuals that possessed the infamous mark. While some didn''t live up to their expectations, over half of them had become superpowers of their own. Longyu Tian, the Saint of Time, was the finest example. Even among the Luminaries that were present at the Summit, two of them had awakened Spirits with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Now that a ninth bearer had awakened, not to mention it was a young cultivator with the Sovereign Koi, there was no way that Longyu Tian would let Shin slip out of her fingers. "I..." "There''s no need to debate." The Spirit Saint snappingly shut down all avenues of conversation. "You''re still young, so you can''t understand. Wait a minute¡­ Young¡­ Shin, how old are you?" Longyu Tian couldn''t believe that she hadn''t asked that question yet. She had been so swept up in Shin''s story that she had even forgotten to enquire the boy''s age and cultivation level. "I''m turning sixteen in September." "What?!" A wretched cry broke out in the empty courtyard. "Sixteen?! How can this be?! Aren''t you in the Spirit Core realm?" "Yeah¡­ I''m Rank 24." "..." Longyu Tian dropped her jaw. Her eyelids twitching while her pigmentation lightened instantly. Shin didn''t get any formal training from the Lantis Republic, and he was never baptised by the Celestial River. Yet, he had managed to accomplish what few before him ever did. To advance to Rank 24 in six years, meant that he averaged four ranks per year. Exceptional talents in the cultivation world would be capable of promoting two ranks a year, while geniuses could go one step further and bulldoze their way at three ranks a year, and that was the rate that most Luminaries would follow. However, Shin had entirely thrown the rules of the cultivation world out of the window and broke through as he pleased, reaching Rank 24 halfway through his sixteenth year. ''He reached Rank 24 without the Longyu Clan''s guidance, and the baptism of the Celestial River?!'' Previously, Longyu Tian wanted to bring Shin over just because of his ties with the Awter Clan and his Mark of the Celestial Dragon. However, this fresh news was a game changer. If Shin were telling the truth, then the boy would be the most exceptional talent that the Lantis Republic could ever hope to have. ''He also mentioned something about being a healer? Oh god, what have we done?! We had almost ruined the life of this monstrous genius!!!'' Longyu Tian thanked her lucky stars that Shin wasn''t part of the unfortunate victims of the Frie Clan massacre. In her eyes, Shin''s value had skyrocketed to the point where no entity could compare. If he was born within the compounds of the Lantis Republic, Shin would have been treated like a King and would unquestionably be the most guarded figure in the nation. "Shin. We''re leaving." "W-What?" The Spirit Saint could wait no longer. Her stone-cold heart, which had been in sleeping ever since she took the first step to divinity, began to beat wildly for the first time in decades. After centuries of living, there wasn''t much that could surprise or excite her. However, Shin''s immense talent and his capability for growth was something that surpasses common sense. Shin was the perfect package. Tremendous cultivation talent. Comprehension ability was second to none. And even the problem that most geniuses had, possessing a feeble mental fortitude, was void in Shin. After going through setback after setback, the youth was clearly someone who didn''t shy away from adversity. He always bounced back with the desire to improve and move at a much faster pace. It was fortunate that Shin had delivered himself right to her doorstep. Judging by how loosely the Himmel Empire had treated Shin, one could assume that they didn''t comprehend the full extent of Shin''s potential. There was no doubt in Longyu Tian''s mind, that once he was groomed by the Lantis Republic and herself, the adolescent boy would become the most powerful Spirit User of the modern era. "Don''t worry. I''ll arrange everything. The first thing that we need to do is to bring you back to the Lantis Republic." "Wait! I can''t just leave! The Summit isn''t over yet!" "Yes, you can." Longyu Tian struck down his protest. "As long as I''m here, you are free to go anywhere." Longyu Tian undid her time restriction field, and all movement was restored into the world. Bingbing, who had been seemingly frozen in place, was confused for a split second before gaining control over her bearings. Seeing Longyu Tian standing so close to her beloved Shin, Bingbing pounced on the black-haired woman, only to be stopped mid-air by the Spirit Saint''s trademark spatial control. "Let us go." "P-Please! W-Wait!" The Spirit Saint grabbed the boy by his wrists and nearly launched herself in the air. However, before she could even reach a few centimetres above the ground, five gleaming lights darted into the skies and barred her escape out of Deus Citadel. "Saint of Time, what''s with the ruckus?" A coarse voice entered the eardrums of Shin and the Spirit Saint, bringing their full focus to the bright azure sky. Clad in coils of lightning, a towering two-metre-tall man descended from the heavens as if he were a God of Thunder gracing the mortal realm with his presence. His browned face that had been marinated by the years of exposure to soot was covered with a thick black beard. Folding his arms in akimbo, Shin could clearly see the popped veins of his enormous biceps. Chiselled to the bone, there wasn''t a single ounce of fat in the man''s body. Fortunately, he had to be dressed in appropriate attire, and he had to hide his rock solid body. Otherwise, Shin would have lost any confidence of a man that he had. "Saint Thor, this matter doesn''t concern you." "Oh, I beg to differ. You had cast your own time abilities in Deus Citadel... In my domain." Saint Thor sneered. When he first felt a Spirit Saint''s aura being released, the man was under the impression that a threat had been placed inside of his priceless artefact. "You owe me an explanation." "No..." The elderly red-robed man who had arrived with Saint Thor shook his head. "You owe us an explanation. Why are you grabbing one of our Empire''s juniors?" Initially, Saint Firebird had flown over with a curious mind. What could have caused the Saint of Time to break the unspoken rules of the Summit? Furthermore, if there really were a threat to the Citadel, an additional helping hand would be much required. However, once he arrived, he saw Longyu Tian grasping on the hands of his Empire''s own Shin Iofiel. While he had no attachments to the black-haired youth, his favoured disciple, Kanari, shared a close relationship with Shin. She had even asked for the Spirit Saint to protect Shin should anything go awry. "Your Empire''s junior?" Longyu Tian snorted in derision. Based on Shin''s accounts, the Himmel Empire didn''t care the slightest about how the boy lived his life. "I don''t know what you''re getting at, but he''s part of the Longyu Clan now. Saint Thor, if you may, please lower that annoying energy field. It''ll impede my return back to the Lantis Republic." "..." All five Spirit Saints in the air frowned. Longyu Tian was about to abandon the entire Summit just to bring Shin back to the Lantis Republic? "Shin, what happened? How did you even get into this situation?" "Saint Althea..." The Healer Association''s Spirit Saint landed just three metres away from Shin and the Saint of Time, with confusion in her eyes. The first ever Spirit Saint that Shin had ever met was precisely this gorgeous looking woman who didn''t seem capable of ageing a day. "Shin, you know her?" Even Longyu Tian was taken aback by the Saint Althea''s friendly attitude. "Of course, I know him! He''s my Grand-Disciple!" Before Shin could even muster out a word, Althea puffed out her chest and declared in pride. Shin may have abandoned the path of the healer, but he still retained his Healer''s License and continued to share a Master-Disciple bond with the Divine Healer, Lady Seraphim. If Shin was ever in peril, there was no way that the Spirit Saint of the Healer''s Association would merely look the other way. "Saint of Time, could you care to release my Grand-Disciple? Before I get really angry?" "Grand-Disciple?" Among the Spirit Saints gathered, only Saint Firebird had an inkling about the relationship shared between Shin and Saint Althea. "I can''t do that." While she was momentarily stunned, Longyu Tian shook her head and affirmed her stance. "This is an internal matter. Shin shares my blood, and I''m taking him back to Longyu Reef right this instant." "So what if he shares your blood?" Saint Firebird walked forward with bloodthirst in his eyes. He could tell that the Saint from the Lantis Republic wasn''t willing to listen to reason and was going to do anything to get her way. "He''s a member of our Empire''s procession. Trying to kidnap him is tantamount to waging war against our nation." "War?" Longyu Tian laughed. "Do you honestly think that you could win in a battle against me?" The Golden Sovereign Koi encircled the Saint of Time once before turning to stare at the five Spirit Saints. There was a reason why Longyu Tian was the most feared Spirit Saint of the Lantis Republic, and that was because of the unorthodox Spirit that she possessed. Even in a one against two situation, there was no doubt in Longyu Tian''s mind that she would triumph. "..." "I''m taking Shin away, and that''s final." Day one of the Summit. The most monumental event in modern history. All of the world superpowers had gathered with the notion of protecting the peace of the mortal realm, and yet¡­ It was placed into jeopardy by a certain black-haired boy. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 333 A Saintly Affair 1 "..." "..." The deadlock between Longyu Tian and the five Spirit Saints continued for a brief period of time. For those unaffiliated in the matter, their curious stroll had turned into a matter of total pandemonium if handled poorly. Nonetheless, something had to be done to end this silent predicament. "Saint of Time, let''s just all go back to ground zero." A feminine voice came from an unlikely source. The Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint, Saint Atossa, floated down from skies like a fairy. Her short chestnut hair made her seem slightly tomboyish in comparison to her soothing tone, and her worn-down robes didn''t resemble that of someone who stood at the top of the world. "You''re trying to return back with this boy over here, but he''s part of the Himmel Empire, and he is Saint Althea''s Grand-Disciple." "I don''t know about those two." Longyu Tian shrugged her shoulders. "But Shin right here is undisputably someone from my bloodline." "Now that''s a problem..." The woman frowned. "Judging from his expression and reactions, the boy doesn''t seem that keen on following you back. Forgot all the politics, don''t you think that forcibly taking someone against his will is in firm violation with the human rights act that was agreed on millennia ago?" Being one of the few that had no vested interest in Shin, Saint Atossa was able to view the situation with a neutral lens. She could tell that the boy in Longyu Tian''s grasp wasn''t that thrilled about being forced back to the Lantis Republic. "I think all of you are misunderstanding something..." Fed up by the constant nagging, Longyu Tian''s left hand began to glow. "I don''t need to ask for any of your permissions. I''m just informing you of my decision." "I see..." Saint Firebird sighed deeply. He hadn''t expected that the predicament to escalate that quickly, but either way, he couldn''t just let Longyu Tian scoot away with Shin. Ignoring his commitment to Kanari, if Saint Firebird allowed the woman to pull Shin, a prominent member of the Himmel Empire''s procession, away, how would it reflect upon the image of his nation? "Since words don''t work, perhaps a fist would." A blazing phantom of a Phoenix graced the skies of Deus Citadel, barring any path of retreat for the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Saint. "Saint of Time. I suggest you free my Grand-Disciple right this instant." Likewise, Saint Althea bared her clenched knuckles with a snarl. She may not be as combat capable as the Firebird or Longyu Tian, but she was still a Spirit Saint. Just her added pressure alone was enough to force the Saint of Time to reconsider her actions. "Looks like we have reached an impasse." The Saint of Time chuckled. "I have always wondered what it would be like to cross swords with you, Saint Firebird." "What a coincidence. I was feeling the same way." The atmosphere heavy, tension so thick that one could cut it with a knife. Saint Firebird remained flying in the air with his Phoenix Spirit levitating behind him. Five tremendous solar orbs oscillated around the elderly man as if they were the moons to his planet. On the ground, Saint Althea stood ready to pounce and pinch away Shin from the hands of the obstinate Saint of Time. A holy light permeated through her veins and her skinny body that didn''t seem capable of hurting a fly was now on the verge of erupting with tremendous power. "ENOUGH!!!" Just as the three Saints were about to collide, a thunderous shout boomed through the land, and a bolt of lightning flashed down from the skies. In the crater formed by the strike, a towering man separated the two forces with a heavy runic hammer in his hands. "Saint Thor..." "Where the hell do you think you are?!" The hulk of a man shouted out. "You''re in my house, so you follow my rules! And I prohibit any form of fighting that would destroy my Citadel." As anticipated, the Saint of the Blacksmith''s League would never allow a fight between Spirit Saints to occur on his turf, especially on the supremely expensive Deus Citadel. He might be confident about how sturdy his construction was, but there was no guarantee that the fabled flying fortress could withstand the devastation that three Spirit Saints could cause. "I concur." The final Spirit Saint that hadn''t said a word since he came finally spoke out. A terrifying glint sparkled out from the man''s scabbard as he unsheathed his sword. "The Kori Federation has no ball in this fight, but I can''t just stand by as you ruin the Summit. For us¡­ For the Dalgeom Sect¡­ This Summit must be a success. Stay your hand, Saint of Time." "... To think that you had even brought out the Samingeom." Longyu Tian squinted her eyes. She was confident of taking on Saint Firebird and Saint Althea together. After all, her objective was to bring Shin back to Longyu Reef. However, once Saint Geom got into the fray, her confidence plummeted down like a sperm whale''s dive. If the threat of one of the most offensive Spirit Saints in the world wasn''t enough, Saint Geom had even brought out the Samingeom. The only Immortal-Grade sword that existed in the Kori Federation. With that sword in hand, none of Longyu Tian''s time manoeuvring abilities would work, and the chance of her making out with Shin was virtually zero. "We can still talk this over, Saint of Time." In all honesty, Saint Geom didn''t mind if the saints from the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic fought it out. There was only merit to be found if their enemies challenged one another for sovereignty. If that were under ordinary circumstances that are. The most pressing matter in Saint Geom''s mind was the success of the Summit and to avenge his Sect''s fallen, Wangu. "..." Longyu Tian looked to her right. Saint Althea was ready to jump in at the speed of light to rescue Shin. She looked to the skies. Saint Firebird was burning the heavens. Her front? Saint Thor and Saint Geom had pointed their weapons straight at her gullet. And finally, to her back, Saint Atossa stood with a patient smile. Recognising her defeat, Longyu Tian groaned. Even the illustrious Saint of Time would have no chance of beating five Spirit Saints all at once. "Fine..." The Saint released her hold on Shin, enabling Lady Althea to snatch the boy away with a snap. Since the Saint of Time had taken the first step back, all of the Spirit Saint lowered their weapons and breathed a sigh of relief. At the very least, Pandemonium had been avoided. "Shin, are you hurt anywhere?" "No, I''m fine." Shin shook his head that the concerned question. His face was beet red with embarrassment. Shin had thought that his innocent trip to the Lantis Republic''s hotel would have led to him meeting one of the Luminaries. Little did he know that his naive mindset would have caused such a major upheaval. "Yip yip yip!" Now freed from her restraints, Bingbing leapt into Shin''s arms and cried out in remorse. She had one job during the Summit, and she had failed it miserably. Seeing the tearful Kamaitachi, Shin let out a peaceful smile and comforted the snowy white gerbil. "There, there. It''s not your fault." "Yip yip!" "I know. Don''t worry, I''m fine now." While Shin was busy comforting the poor snowy white gerbil, the six Spirit Saints continued their stand-off in an eerie atmosphere. Longyu Tian hasn''t given up on bringing Shin back to the Lantis Republic, and Saint Firebird wasn''t going to budge on his stance. "Let''s find a place to talk shall we?" Now that the threat of destruction was gone, Saint Thor retracted his electric hammer and decided to play the host as he should. "No, here is fine." Longyu Tian snappingly replied. Snapping her fingers one large stone table broke free from the compounds of the hotel lounge and floated into the middle of the courtyard. At the same time, six chairs flew from the top of the building and surrounded all corners of the round table. "Your control over space is quite the eye-opener." Saint Atossa whistled. As Spirit Saints, they all had the innate ability to lock down and control space to a certain extent. However, only Longyu Tian could manipulate the world with such laser-like precision. "..." The Saint of Time didn''t bother to reply. "Let''s just begin the negotiations, shall we?" Taking her seat, Longyu Tian gestured for the other Spirit Saints to follow suit. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Unfortunately for her, the commotion that the Spirit Saints had caused had attracted some annoying flies. "Saint Thor!!!" The first to land on the scene was the head of the Blacksmith''s League, Ingram. Behind him, the legions of important individuals from each superpower followed closely, with anxious expressions on their face. "Senior Firebird, what happened?" Prince Koshaku turned to his Empire''s own Spirit Saint for answers. For Saint Firebird to act, there had to be a legitimate reason. "It''s complicated¡­" The answer was too long to convey, and thus, Saint Firebird decided to give a non-answer for now. "We might be in for a battle with the Lantis Republic." "What?!" "As I said it''s complicated. For now, you should remain on standby." He did, however, leave the Royal with an order. "Us saints will handle the matter for now. You should continue the Summit as per usual." "... Understood." While he was sceptical, Prince Koshaku still bowed his head in respect. At the corner of his eye, he could spy an unsuspecting black-haired boy, who seemed to be out of place in a congregation of the world''s top powers. ''What is that kid doing here?'' Prince Koshaku could vaguely remember Shin from the journey, but his interactions with him were so minimal that the Prince''s memory of him was somewhat hazy. Furthermore, Prince Koshaku wasn''t the only one who noticed the boy. "Shin? What''s he doing here?" Jimga from the Dalgeom Sect wondered out loud. "Don''t know..." Yeunghi replied with a similarly stunned face. "Something''s amiss. How could a Spirit Core boy be caught in the storm between Spirit Saints?" Jimga and Yeunghi were whispering at a volume akin to that of a gentle breeze in the summer sun. However, the sharp ears of their highest senior managed to pick up their conversation. "Jimga, Yeunghi¡­ You know of this boy?" "S-Saint Geom!!!" The two Spirit Emperors straightened their backs like a tree the moment that nostalgic voice entered their ears. "So¡­ How do you know of this boy?" "W-We met him during our mission in the Land of Dreams. He was investigating the movement of the Black Masks as well and managed to find their base. He was the one that assisted us in finding the base that the Black Masks had in Mort Bay." "Hmmm, how interesting..." Saint Geom had thought that Shin was wholly unrelated to him, and it was a matter for the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic to settle for themselves. Yet, for some odd reason, the red strings of fate had tied Shin and the Dalgeom Sect together. With this, Shin has established a relationship with four out of the six Spirit Saints present. ''A boy with a fate so thick that it involves four Spirit Saints¡­ Who is he exactly?'' His interest piqued, Saint Geom turned his back to the members of the Kori Federation and took a remaining empty chair. "Return. There''s no need for you to meddle in the affairs of the Saints." "Senior Geom?!" The lead representative from the Kori Federation, Deputy Prime Minister Venus, let out a startled cry. It was uncharacteristic for the Spirit Saint to ignore the pleas of his brethren to tend to the matters of others. It wasn''t just the Deputy Prime Minister that had her socks blown off, Prince Koshaku, President Ingram, Guild Leader Xerxes, Divine Healer Raphael, and even the hard-headed Zhangyu Yaoguai had been dismissed in a similar fashion. No, Zhangyu Yaoguai wasn''t even spared a second glance by Longyu Tian. The order that he received was plain and simple. Don''t interfere. With all of the interfering bugs gone, only seven people remained in the empty courtyard of the luxurious hotel. The first-ever assembly of the Saints had formally begun. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 334 A Saintly Affair 2 As the representatives from each one of the superpowers dispersed back to the Apex of the Citadel, the Saints remained stationed in their own respective seats as a force field covered their vicinity. Now that peace and quiet had been restored to the land, the Saints could finally settle their differences without their bothersome juniors. In the midst of the saintly affair, Shin was standing just two metres behind Saint Althea and Saint Firebird. Being the person responsible for damaging the trust between the Spirit Saints, it was only natural that the boy stayed behind while Longyu Tian settled her differences with the Himmel Empire. "Let''s not beat around the bush, shall we?" The black-haired woman scoffed as her sparkling azure eyes glistened in murderous intent. "I''m taking Shin back to the Lantis Republic after the Summit. Where he belongs." "Saint of Time, please calm down." The owner of Deus Citadel played the mediator, albeit in a clunky fashion. "If you take such a combative stance, negotiations would break down even before it begins." "..." Longyu Tian didn''t say a word. Her beef was with the Himmel Empire, not some outsider. Staring, no, glaring straight at Saint Firebird, the Matriarch from the Longyu Clan waited for some sort of counter. "As I mentioned before, Shin is part of our Empire. Not to mention, a future talent that could be groomed to represent our nation. If we just hand him over as you demand, doesn''t it undermine the Himmel Empire''s sovereign power?" "Hmph! Since when did you care about mortal affairs, Saint Firebird?" Spirit Saints weren''t known to be particularly empathetic towards the matters of the common man. They had lived for centuries and already had their fair share of drama during their younger days. The majority of Spirit Saints would much rather cultivate their hardest to cross the final barrier of mortality or enjoy their last days drinking mead while playing with their descendants. Saint Firebird was one such cultivator. In his heyday, the flaming Spirit Saint was a feared strike force for the Himmel Empire and had once razed countless of his nation''s foes without mercy. However, now that he had reached his third century, the man couldn''t care less about politics or international relations. So long as he could live his remaining days in peace, he was content. "I have no obligation to answer that question." Saint Firebird sneered, completely unlike his stoic character. "Either way, I can''t hand over Shin to you." "..." "..." The two Spirit Saints continued to go back and forth, not willing to budge a single inch. "Saint Firebird¡­ Saint of Time¡­ May I interject?" The handsome looking middle-aged swordsman raised his hands, bringing all of the Saints attention onto himself. "The two of you have been going back and forth about that boy there, but we have yet to hear from the person himself. Shouldn''t his intentions be noted before we proceed?" "Saint Geom has a point." The Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint placed both her elbows on the table and rested her supremely light head on her hands. "We can''t just decide someone else''s fate for him, can we?" "..." Longyu Tian and Saint Firebird closed their mouths. The reasoning was sound. They weren''t talking about an inanimate object that could be passed around with no repercussions. They were discussing the destiny of a living, breathing human being. If Shin wanted to leave for the Lantis Republic, who was Saint Firebird to stop him? If Shin didn''t want to betray the Himmel Empire, who was Saint Longyu Tian to force him? The six Spirit Saints turned to the young boy, whose face had turned flustered at the sudden attention. One Spirit Saint was already a nightmare, imagine having six of the top entities in the world staring straight at you. Shin felt as if his supple skin was pierced by a thousand pine needles. "Shin, was it?" Saint Geom asked. "Y-Yes, Saint!" "Tell us¡­ What do you want?" "..." Momentarily stunned, Shin contemplated on the best words to put forth. If he outright rejected Longyu Tian''s demand, he may lose the only chance he had to get baptised by the Celestial River. If he came out in support for the Saint of Time, he would be branded as a traitor by the Himmel Empire. ''What would Ariel do?'' The youth grasped on the amethyst pendant around his neck. Whenever he was feeling low or felt like he had no path forward, Shin would always consult the ghost of the one he loved the most. ''What I would do? Of course, I would take everything!'' Shin was brought back in time, as he heard the nostalgic voice. Back in the Frie Clan, Ariel was known as the little tyrant, who did everything to get her way. If there were any obstacles in her way, Ariel would just leapfrog over the hurdle, as if it were natural. ''Take everything huh?'' "I¡­ Can''t leave the Himmel Empire." "Hmph!" Saint Firebird beamed as he threw his chin up in pride. If even Shin was on his side, Longyu Tian had no claim to bring the youth over to the Lantis Republic. Folding his arms, the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Saint was ready to put the arrogant Saint of Time in her place. Unfortunately for him, Shin wasn''t done speaking. "But, I can''t pass on the opportunity to get baptised by the Celestial River." Shin raised his right hand and summoned out his Sovereign Koi in front of all those Saints. "Hoho..." The remaining Saints gasped in wonder. From that one action, Saint Thor, Geom, and Atossa could somewhat guess the twisted relationship Shin shared with the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. "I''m a born citizen of the Himmel Empire, and I can''t betray my motherland. But I have to get stronger! Stronger so that I can take on the Black Masks and bring justice to that vile organisation!" Shin laid out his truth. "I''m still far too weak¡­ I know that I''m just a drop of water in the vast ocean of the combined forces, but I too want to contribute! The Black Masks must be stopped, and I want to play a part in the fight!" That was his answer. It was an exceedingly selfish notion. Trying to remain part of the Himmel Empire while having one foot into the Lantis Republic. Nonetheless, it was the only solution, the only answer that Shin could possibly come up with. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" A bellowing laugh boomed out. Saint Thor, who was wholly unrelated to the issue at hand, couldn''t hold back his emotions as tears of laughter trickled down his face. "Boy, you sure are greedy! You want the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic to both bow to you?! HAHAHA, what an amazing thought!!!" Thor had lived for the better part of two centuries, and this was the first time he had seen a Spirit Core cultivator asking for two of the world''s greatest superpowers to bend to his will. Arrogance wasn''t the right word to describe the youth. It was more along the lines of absolute lunacy. "Shin, I don''t think that''s the right way to go..." Saint Firebird frowned. He had thought that Kanari''s friend would stick with the Empire through thick and thin. Yet, Shin had gone and made such an outlandish remark. "I-I..." In any normal circumstance, Shin wouldn''t be afraid to speak his mind. However, he was in the presence of the most powerful beings of the cultivation world. Naturally, he had to think twice for every sentence. "I''m sorry, Saint Firebird. I might sound ungrateful, but ultimately, I have to be selfish." Clenching his fists, Shin gritted his teeth as he spewed out the words he had ought to swallow. "I live for myself, not the Empire. I must become strong, not for the Empire, but for my own sake." "Phew..." Saint Atossa whistled as the plot thickened. As a bystander, she had no say in the affairs of the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. Nonetheless, the Mercenary Guild Matriarch was impressed that Shin actually had the guts to go against the wishes of two Spirit Saints. "Hahaha! My god, Shin! You''re starting to resemble more and more like your Master!!!" Lady Althea broke out in laughter. "Saint Althea?" "Ah, you guys don''t know! This boy''s master is none other than my prized brat, Seraphim!" "No wonder..." A flash of understanding was shared among all the Spirit Saints. If Shin''s master was that infamous brazen Divine Healer, then his behaviour made a tonne of sense. Saint Geom turned to Shin with the most dazzling smile on his face. Through Jimga and Yeunghi, the Dalgeom Sect had connected a string of fate with the young boy, and the Spirit Saint grew more curious about his destiny. "Saint of Time, how do you respond?" "My stance remains firm." Longyu Tian showed off her domineering personality as her opinion hasn''t shifted in the slightest. She still firmly believed that Shin should abandon the Himmel Empire and be raised by her to become the Longyu Clan''s next beacon of hope. "However, I understand the difficulties that he''s under. Saint Firebird! Let''s negotiate a deal." "What do you propose?" "Give us Shin. Don''t label him as a traitor and allow him a free passage back into the Empire, as and when he desires. In return, the Lantis Republic will comply with whatever demands you have during the Summit." "..." While his facial expressions hardened at the first part of Longyu Tian''s reply, when he heard the following section, Saint Firebird instantly turned speechless. "You would go that far?" "I never jest." "Do you even have the authority to command Zhangyu Yaoguai and overturn the High Elder Assembly''s orders?" "No, I don''t." Longyu Tian shook her head. Spirit Saints weren''t allowed to partake in affairs of the mortal realm. That was an indisputable fact. Nonetheless, it mattered nought for the fabled Saint of Time. "I don''t have the authority, but I can make my own." "Haha, as tyrannical as ever, I see." Saint Thor laughed. Among all of the Spirit Saints present, Thor was the one who knew Longyu Tian the best. On the surface, she may look like a reasonable and kind person, but there was a reason why she was the most feared Spirit User of her generation. "Saint Thor, I would prefer it if you don''t slander my name." "My bad, my bad." "So, Saint Firebird? What say you?" Longyu Tian was willing to move the entire Lantis Republic''s military just to obtain Shin for the Longyu Clan, and now the ball was in Saint Firebird''s court. Should he accept the terms, they would have access to the entire Lantis Republic''s forces in the upcoming war. However, at the same time, he would be breaking the promise he had with his beloved Kanari. Alternating his gaze between the black-haired youth and Longyu Tian, Saint Firebird weighed the pros and cons in his mind before finally coming to a painful decision. "Give me some time to discuss with my juniors..." "Good." Hearing his response, the Saint of Time let out a brilliant smile. Those words from the grey-robed elder were enough to seal the deal between the two. "I''ll wait for your good news." Longyu Tian got off her seat and walked in the direction of her hotel. As she was passing, the Spirit Saint took one final look at Shin before letting out a whisper that only he could hear. "Shin, wait for a bit. I''ll definitely reunite you with your real family." And with that, the Spirit Saint vanished into thin air. "She was the one who caused this mayhem, and she casually waltzed away." Saint Thor threw his arms up above his head and bellowed out in a disjointed laugh. "She hasn''t changed one bit, that Saint of Time." "That''s just her nature." Saint Atossa added on. "But for her to go so far for you¡­ Boy, what else are you hiding from us?" "Don''t scare my precious Grand-Disciple! He''s not for sale." Saint Althea jumped from her seat and pulled Shin away from the predatory eyes of the Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint. "Honestly, all of us had to gather for this one kid. Don''t you think that we deserve answers?" "No, you don''t." Saint Firebird slapped his hand on the table and abruptly got to his feet. "This is a matter between the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. I apologise for inconveniencing all of you, but I would hope that you refrain from meddling. Shin, we''re leaving." Saint Firebird grasped Shin by the wrists and immediately dashed up into the sky. Lady Althea gave a curtsy and flew off in the same direction. "Ah, they left." Saint Atossa jeered. She wanted to learn more about the enigmatic youth, but Saint Firebird didn''t even give her the slightest opportunity. "Shin, huh?" While the boy had already left, the three Spirit Saints that remained had their minds firmly set on that particular name. Shin had nearly ripped the entire Summit apart before it could even conclude its first day, possibly etching his name in the history books for the rest of eternity... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 335 An Overnight Star 1 The congregation of the Saints had set off supernova after supernova of rumours and whispers, bringing Deus Citadel to a complete standstill. Six Spirit Saints had gathered together at the Lantis Republic''s hotel, and a fight between the Saints nearly ensued. The Summit had to be prematurely stopped as all the nation''s representatives rushed to prevent all hell from breaking loose. Fortunately, tragedy had been mostly avoided through preliminary negotiations, and the world began to slow down. Day turned to night and the first day of the Summit had ended with a controversial bang. As details of the Spirit Saints brawl surfaced, the hundreds of talents on Deus Citadel began to whisper a particular name. "Who is this Shin? Why did the Saint of Time pick a fight with the Himmel Empire because of him?" "Your guess is as good as mine." In a posh restaurant where some of the most scrumptious food was found, a group of young Kori Federation members were cutting on their lamb chops while stuffing their mouths with the most excellent wine the flying fortress could provide. Being just youngsters that accompanied the leaders of their factions, the boys and girls in the procession were just ornaments that had to look pretty until they were needed. With all the free time in the world, the younger members had the luxury to shop and gossip all they could. Some had even made connections with those from the other superpowers. Naturally, many preferred to stay in the clique, such as the group chewing on their favourite lamb meat. "Senior Lukman, what do you think?" "..." A charming brown-skinned man dropped his fork and turned to the boy. "From what I understand, he''s just a Spirit Core practitioner right?" The boy nodded. "That''s what the rumours say." "Then I have no interest in him." The Luminary from the Tuareg Sect continued chowing down on his dinner as he lost all interest in the conversation. He was already a Rank 42 Spirit Spectre, and his objective for joining the Summit was to challenge other Spirit Spectres for supremacy. The matters of Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic mattered little to him. "Haha, Senior Lukman really is straightforward." "Instead of worrying about others, why don''t you try to better yourselves?" Lukman sneered. "All of you are in the later part of your twenties, and have yet to reach the Spirit Spectre realm." "Well, not all of us can compare to you Luminaries." Another voice bitterly replied. "That''s the mindset of weaklings." "Hmph! You talk a big game, Lukman." The group from the Kori Federation consisted of a mixture of talents from the Master Sects. Lukman may be from the indomitable Tuareg Sect, but at the moment, he was the minority voice. "Compared to that boy named Shin, you''re actually quite the inferior product. You belittle him as a Spirit Core practitioner, but did you know that he''s only sixteen? How old were you when you condensed your Spirit Core, huh?" "Hoh¡­ He''s sixteen?" The brown-skinned man''s ears perked up in excitement. As a fighter who always sought a challenge, taking down a Spirit Core cultivator didn''t sound that appealing to him. However, if the person was a talent that managed to reach the Spirit Core stage when he was just sixteen, it was a different issue. "Tell me more¡­ About this Shin." ~~~~ The Land of Dreams. Deus Citadel. Himmel Empire''s Lodgings. With the entire flying fortress swept up in utter chaos, the Himmel Empire representatives had turtled back into their own appointed rooms. They were at the centre of this whole conflict, and it was in their vested interest to lay low for the time being. That was especially true for the black-haired boy who was caught in the centre of this hurricane. "Shin! Do you know how much of a commotion you had caused?!" Kanari paced back and forth in Shin and Shizen''s shared room. Veins popping and eyes twitching, the young beauty lost all of her elegance as her anger forced her to drop all forms of formalities. "I¡­ Didn''t think that it would cause that much of a stir." Shin meekly replied. "Y-You!" Kanari pointed her finger at the negative boy, before throwing it up in the air as she lost all hope. "No, you weren''t at fault¡­ No one could have expected that the Saint of Time would have behaved in that manner." "It really is a shocker..." Elrin hopped on Shin''s bed and embraced a nearby pillow. "I''d always thought that Spirit Saints would be lofty beings that never intervene in anything related to us mortals. Yet, the Saint of Time had actually started a fight with Saint Firebird just for your sake." "For the record, I never intended to meet the Saint of Time." Shin recollected his experience with Longyu Tian, only to feel a cold shiver run down his spine. "I only wanted to meet a Luminary." "You went fishing for a guppy, but ended up with a shark." Elrin kicked flutter kicked on the bed with a wry smile. "If only I had your luck." "Elrin!" "Yeah, yeah." The white-haired girl shrugged her shoulders as she got chided by Kanari. "Did Saint Firebird say anything to you?" Shin cautiously asked. Shin had undermined the Spirit Saint''s authority when he said he wanted to get baptised by the Celestial River. If Saint Firebird had held a grudge, it would take Shin a thousand cleansings to get back in the elderly man''s good books. "I haven''t met him..." Kanari shook her head grimly. Based on Shin''s account, the Spirit Saint was seriously deliberating on whether he should facilitate a trade between the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic according to Longyu Tian''s terms. "If it goes through¡­ If Saint Firebird really accepts the deal made by the Saint of Time¡­ Shin would have to move to the Lantis Republic right?" Shizen, who had remained silent the entire time, finally raised his thoughts. His brilliantly coloured pupils dilated as he hugged his knees closer to his chest. "Shin, must you go?" "..." For a moment there, Shin didn''t know how to respond. Shin fell back on his chair and heaved out a despondent sigh. He had no idea about what was going to happen from now. The past twenty-four hours had flashed by as if it were a fleeting memory. Shin came to the Summit hoping to get a chance at baptism, but he hasn''t considered the repercussions of his actions. Could he really abandon the Himmel Empire for the Lantis Republic? "I¡­ Have to go." Shin swallowed a mouthful of saliva. "Not only for the baptism, but the Lantis Republic is the home for everything related to the Sovereign Koi. How to cultivate. How to improve my combat ability. How to¡­ Become stronger. If I really want to fight the Black Masks, going to the Lantis Republic is the fastest way." "But I don''t want you to go." Shizen held back his tears. "Don''t be like that..." Shin moved over to the nature boy and embraced him. "It''s not like I''ll be gone for good. Also, nothing is confirmed yet." "Shin..." Kanari smiled miserly. She wanted to beg him to reconsider. She would do anything to get him to stay. Looking at his face of uncertainty, Kanari knew that just a few words could shake the foundations of his decision. However, she couldn''t bring herself to say the words. ''I can''t be selfish¡­ Shin''s ultimate goal was never to join me. He never once showed the desire to stay loyal to the Himmel Empire. The only thing that drives him is...'' Kanari felt envious. Envious of the orphans. Envious of the shadow of an elder brother that he kept chasing, and¡­ Envious of the girl that motivated him to take one step further. To Shin, Kanari was perhaps a good friend that he would turn to in terms of need and vice versa. However, compared to the ones who shaped his life and dreams, she was still just a forgettable face among the crowd. ''What should I do?'' ~~~~ ''What should I do?'' Lady Seph was biting her nails as her mind raced at a thousand miles an hour. While the youngsters had their respective gatherings, the older generation had similarly crowded into one room for a late-night conference. The subject? What else but the young boy who had caused a stir in the Citadel? "That''s the gist of the Saint of Time''s proposal..." Saint Firebird raised his teacup as he finished relaying the Lantis Republic''s stance onto the representatives gathered in his room. "If we hand over Shin, they will comply to our every demand? That sounds too far-fetched don''t you think?" Gonggong pinched his nose as he cried foul play. "It''s the truth. Honestly, I found it hard to believe at first, but the Saint of Time isn''t one to tell a lie." "It really sounds too good to be true." Prince Koshaku rubbed the temples of his forehead. He recalled the earlier negotiations where Zhangyu Yaoguai struck down all of the Himmel Empire''s requests. As they anticipated, the Lantis Republic was the steepest hurdle to cross, and with that infamous Zhangyu Clan head leading the talks, Prince Koshaku had basically written them off entirely. "What''s so special about Shin?" Ridan Bitterdawn was confused. There has never been an instance where a Spirit Saint would enter politics just to claim a Spirit Core cultivator for their own. "I believe Venerate Seraphim would have a better insight." Saint Firebird turned to the only person in the room that knew Shin personally and the key to unravelling the mystery of Longyu Tian''s actions. "Saint Firebird, before I give you an answer. Have you made up your mind about the deal?" "... It is a particularly lucrative offer." The elderly man didn''t confirm nor deny his intentions. At face value, there was nothing but benefits for the Empire. If they handed Shin over to the Lantis Republic, they would gain the full force of another superpower''s military, which would drastically reduce the potential casualties on their side. "Then let me tell you this. No matter what you do, the Himmel Empire must never release their hold on Shin." "Are you letting your feelings decide what''s best for the Empire?!" A junior minister raised his voice. Everyone knew that Lady Seph held a significant degree of affection for her beloved disciple. "Partly." The blonde woman admitted her bias. "But that''s not all. I was the one who sent Shin to befriend those from the Lantis Republic." "So why are you against the Lantis Republic claiming Shin?" "Because it''s suspicious that Longyu Tian had personally moved for the sake of Shin." Lady Seph frowned. "I had sent Shin to the Lantis Republic''s hotel, hoping that he would befriend a member of the younger generation that could help him get baptised. Yet, it was Longyu Tian that first discovered him. Also, her actions afterwards are unprecedented in the history of mankind. No matter how talented Shin was, in what universe would a Spirit Saint move for the sake of one Spirit Core cultivator?" "..." Saint Firebird furrowed his brows. He had to admit, Lady Seph was making a tonne of sense. "Longyu Tian must know something, something about the true nature of Shin''s Spirit to force her to act that way. If she''s willing to sacrifice the entire Lantis Republic''s military for the sake of Shin, there must be a compelling reason for her to do so." "The true nature of Shin''s Spirit?" Prince Koshaku repeated. "Have you ever heard of the Mark of the Celestial Dragon?" "Vaguely." Saint Firebird nodded. "Those who awakened any of the Eight Scions of Water would have a chance of earning that legendary mark. However, other than becoming a little more powerful than the average cultivator, is there really any benefit of that mark?" "If there isn''t, why did Longyu Tian act in that dubious manner?" "..." "Saint Firebird, I''m not suggesting that we don''t take the Lantis Republic''s proposal. After all, it may be a win-win scenario for all of us." Lady Seph was still hopeful that Shin could get baptised in the Celestial River. If he had to leave the Himmel Empire, so be it. However, the boy had to be protected by forces other than the Lantis Republic. If the Longyu Clan had any nefarious intentions when it came to the boy, the Himmel Empire must have a hand to intervene. "All I''m suggesting you do is to proceed with caution. Investigate into Longyu Tian''s intentions, and don''t relinquish Shin''s citizenship. That way, the Lantis Republic won''t be able to publicly harm him." "Koshaku¡­ What do you think?" Ultimately, Saint Firebird wasn''t the one in charge of deciding political affairs. Yes, he held a significant amount of influence, but the actual decision maker here was the brother of the Sovereign Emperor. "We¡­ Should be cautious." Prince Koshaku took a few moments to think before coming to a decision. Evidently, he was also sceptical about Longyu Tian''s true motives. "How do you plan we proceed, Venerate Seraphim?" As the old adage goes, an elder''s advice was better than reading a thousand books. "Here''s my suggestion..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 336 An Overnight Star 2 Deus Citadel. Day 2 of the Summit. A new day dawned on the Land of Dreams. The commotion from yesterday''s Spirit Saint dispute had found itself carried forward into day two as the buzz among the representatives of each superpower only intensified. News of the boy named Shin had begun to surface, and the gossip machines spun wildly to relay his information to those who wanted it. Before long, everyone in the Summit knew who the boy was, how he looked, what Spirit he owned, how old he was¡­ And the list went on. Furthermore, it wasn''t only the younger generation that was interested in the news of the black-haired boy... "I apologise for yesterday''s situation." Talking to his fellow compatriots at the Apex of the Citadel, Ingram bowed his head in regret. Although he wasn''t the primary cause of the mayhem, as the host, he should have done a better job in planning contingencies if the Spirit Saints were to fight. Prince Koshaku nodded. Deputy Prime Minister Venus frowned. Xerxes from the Mercenary Guild grimaced, while Raphael from the Healer''s Association couldn''t find the words. Only Clan Master Zhangyu Yaoguai had an ashen face, one that hinted his lack of sleep and overall compounding stress. "While we had to abruptly end yesterday''s conversation, I''m sure that we had enough rest to continue it today." Ingram opened his arms out wide with a brilliant smile. Fortunately, the Summit has yet to end, and everything was still on the table for discussion. "Clan Master Zhangyu, why don''t you get the ball rolling?" "..." Scratching on the surface of his forehead, the Clan Master fought off his headache by downing his hot cup of tea. "The Lantis Republic will commit two hundred thousand troops for the cause." "What?" Ingram unconsciously spewed out his real thoughts. Just yesterday, Zhangyu Yaoguai was adamant on using only ten thousand of his elites, yet, the number the Lantis Republic was willing to provide increased twenty-fold in just one night. "We will handle everything in the east as well. If there are any missions regarding the Black Masks in our region, we will bear the full cost. The two hundred thousand troops that we will provide can go inland, but I recommend you use them sparingly. After all, they are former navy officials and aren''t that capable when it comes to land combat." Zhangyu Yaoguai bitterly replied. It wasn''t the outcome that he wanted, but it was a necessary evil for the betterment of his nation. ''Even Zhangyu Yaoguai is willing to move his position?!'' Prince Koshaku couldn''t believe his ears. It was understandable that Longyu Tian would want to bring Shin into the Lantis Republic. He bore the blood of the Longyu Clan and could quite easily raise the reputation of the ancient clan once he matured. However, there was no benefit for the Zhangyu Clan to bring him in. In fact, Zhangyu Yaoguai should be against the deal with every fibre of his body. Not only would his actions here strengthen the Longyu Clan, but it would also send hundreds if not thousands of his own men into battle. It was a lose-lose situation for the iron-faced man. ''Something is really not right¡­ If Zhangyu Yaoguai is willing to change his stance for the sake of procuring Shin as well, there must be something more to the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Something that the Lantis Republic isn''t telling us.'' "Of course, we won''t be doing so for free." The representative from the Lantis Republic folded his arms. "The Himmel Empire must relinquish their hold on Shin Awter and promise to never hold any relations to him anymore. Additionally, they must not brand him a traitor or ban him from entering their country. Only when these conditions are met, will we provide our military." "..." The room went silent. The rumours were true. For the sake of one child, the Spirit Saint from the Lantis Republic waged a battle against the combined forces of the Himmel Empire and the Healer''s Association. ''Venerate Seraphim was right¡­ We have to investigate the true nature of Shin''s Spirit before we hand him over.'' "Clan Master Zhangyu, thank you for your reconsideration." Prince Koshaku bowed down. "We have heard the Lantis Republic''s stance, but we can''t just give the boy over right now." "You!" The hideous man slammed his fist on the table. No matter how anyone looked at it, the Lantis Republic was making a substantial concession. By just giving up one Spirit Core cultivator, the Alliance between the three superpowers would gain a tremendous amount of military might. Even the Venus from the Kori Federation begun to look at Prince Koshaku funny after he denied the deal that she would have accepted in a heartbeat. "Please don''t misunderstand. We''re not saying that Shin Awter wouldn''t be handed over to the Lantis Republic. In our Empire, he goes by the name of Shin Iofiel and is currently studying under Imperius Academy. Currently, he is a sophomore and is among the best in his class." "What does that have to do with anything?" "We wish for him to complete his schooling before he goes to the Lantis Republic formally. Of course, we''re not barring him from entering your island nation during his schooling period." "Hmph! Such idiocy!" Zhangyu Yaoguai couldn''t control his rage and began to curse loudly, forgetting that he was in the presence of high-levelled dignitaries. "The Lantis Republic will adhere to those terms if you surrender Shin Awter immediately. Otherwise, our earlier agreement stands. We will give you ten thousand men, and this time, they will be from the bottom of the barrel." Presenting a take it or leave it case stance, Zhangyu Yaoguai fell back on his chair, indicating that all conversation was over. The Lantis Republic wasn''t going to budge again. They wanted Shin, and they wanted him now. "Guild Leader Ingram¡­ It looks like the Lantis Republic has made its view quite clear. Why don''t we discuss other matters in the meantime?" The passive Raphael knew that any further discussion regarding this issue today would be akin to beating a dead horse. Time would be much better spent negotiating the logistics and attack plans of the Alliance. "That''s a good idea. Let''s move on then. We will get back to this issue later on in the week." Ingram also figured out that it was best for the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic to settle their affairs on their own. At the moment, there were much more pressing matters to conclude. ~~~~ A few days have passed since Shin was nearly kidnapped to the Lantis Republic. On the highest level of the Summit, negotiations had been going smoothly, and the Alliance Force was on the precipice of completion. The Himmel Empire and Kori Federation had finally settled on their respective compromises and had cited out all of the logistics and manpower they needed. For the Mercenary Guild and Healer''s Association, they were satisfied with the terms handed to them as their elites were given high-levelled positions with well-paying jobs. Not to mention, they had their own say in whichever operations they were a part of, giving them full authority over their livelihood. The biggest winner of all was the Blacksmith''s League, which had brokered a massive sale with the newly formed Alliance. Thousands upon thousands of weapons and armours were ordered, allowing them to rake in an ungodly amount of wealth in the process. Ingram was basically grinning from ear to ear as he signed the agreement and had been in an uplifted mood ever since. So much so, that it wouldn''t be strange if he broke into a dance for no apparent reason. However, while the negotiations were going swimmingly, there still remained the elephant in the room. The Lantis Republic barely budged a single millimetre since and remained mostly quiet during all discussions. For them, Shin was non-negotiable. They would only listen to the Himmel Empire after their terms were met and the boy was surrendered in whole. What the Lantis Republic didn''t know was the more they doubled down on Shin''s matter, the more suspicious the Himmel Empire felt. They were hoping that with time, the Elder Council and the Spirit Saints back in the Lantis Republic would talk some sense into Longyu Tian. Yet, to their utter surprise, the Lantis Republic had thrown their support for the Saint of Time''s decision and even changed their deal. If Shin weren''t handed over, the Lantis Republic would formally pull out from the Alliance, bringing the whole worldwide peace dream to an end. The spectators of the whole fiasco could only rub their heads with shock. As much as they wanted the Lantis Republic to join their fight against the Black Masks, if the Himmel Empire wasn''t willing to relinquish their hold on Shin, there was nothing that they could do. Now, the daily discussions at the Apex of the Citadel had turned into screaming matches between Prince Koshaku and Zhangyu Yaoguai. Knowing that the Summit won''t end until the two superpowers came up with a compromise, Ingram suggested that the friendly matches between the younger generation be pushed up so that there would be more time for them to think about their situation and bicker. "Finally, something good will happen." Zhangyu Yaoguai cracked his neck as he entered the temporary arena that had been set up at the outskirts of the Citadel. Under his eyes, two deep dark rings that resembled the soot of a chimney hung deep while his roughened skin had somehow got even drier. It was well-known that Spirit Venerates were invulnerable to physical ailments. However, just one look at Zhangyu Yaoguai would force the history books to change that opinion drastically. "Listen. I don''t care about the Kori Federation, but you have to beat up those assholes from the Himmel Empire as soon as you meet them!" Addressing the dozens of twenty-year-olds, Zhangyu Yaoguai barked his orders loud and language. "Don''t worry about killing them! Their superiors will intervene if they''re about to die! What I want you to do is humiliate them! Humiliate them until they wouldn''t dare to show their heads up high!!!" "Yes, sir!!!" The young men and women replied in unison. No matter their identity, they were all subservient to the Eight Clans of Water, and Clan Master Zhangyu was at the top of the food chain. Regardless of their feelings, they had to obey the man''s orders. "Good! I''ll be cheering for you in the audience." With those parting words, Zhangyu Yaoguai disappeared from their sights, leaving them alone to prepare for the ''friendly'' matches. "Hah¡­ To think that someone who awakened the Mark of the Celestial Dragon had appeared outside the republic..." Qilong Hu, the leader of the Lantis Republic''s younger generation, finally spoke his mind when their senior was gone. "Junior Brother Taiyi, Junior Sister Bingying. How does it feel? Now the two of you aren''t the only ones." "Hehe, isn''t that nice?" Jingyu Taiyi rubbed on his nose. "Now we have one more person that can attempt the Trial of the Celestial River!" Meijing Bingying nodded. The girl had her suspicions when she first saw Shin at the memorial, but never in her wildest dreams did she think that it would be right. The way she saw it, the more people who attempted the Trial of the Celestial River, the more likely it was for the prophecy to come true. "Hopefully our investment into procuring him won''t be wasted..." Longyu Linji coldly replied. The Lantis Republic was doing everything in its power to bring Shin over to their side, and not everybody agreed with their elders'' decision. Heck, even Zhangyu Yaoguai wasn''t that thrilled to offer up his armies for the sake of one boy. "Now, now. Even if he doesn''t succeed, the boy''s still a Rank 24 Spirit Core cultivator at sixteen! If the Longyu Clan trains him well, he would undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with!" "Whatever..." Longyu Linji didn''t seem thrilled that his clan''s power would be increased. In fact, his azure eyes hid a little disdain for the youth that he had never met. "Don''t be that way!" Xunyu Feifei hugged the dark-robed young man from behind. "If all goes well, Shin would become your junior¡­ Our junior! We should work hard to receive and integrate him into our culture!" "Yeah, yeah..." Longyu Linji brushed the happy-go-lucky attitude of the Luminary that embraced him and brushed her hands off his shoulders. "Before that, we have something more pressing to do." "You''re right..." Dropping their playful demeanour, the Luminaries from the Lantis Republic all turned sombre. In just a few moments, their names will be called, and they would represent their country on the biggest stage there was. There was no monetary or physical benefit for winning their upcoming matches. It wasn''t even an official bout that would determine who was more powerful. It was only an exhibition match. However, their nation''s pride and honour. For them, the friendly matches were tantamount to war. "Let''s show them which country is the strongest!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 337 The World Watches 1 "So it''s beginning..." Shin muttered under his breath as he watched the arena fill up by the second. Adjusting his brown hooded jacket so that no one could spot him, Shin carefully examined the faces of everyone who walked past him, hoping that no one could identify him from the crowd. "Shin, we didn''t have to come you know?" Shizen kicked his feet in discomfort. To accompany Shin, the nature boy had to wear some dreadfully uncomfortable clothes, something that greatly contrasted his traditional baggy robes. The petite young boy had a point. At this moment in time, Shin was being watched by the entire world, and it seemed rather unwise to enter a facility where everyone was out to catch a glimpse of him. Nonetheless, the allure of watching some of the world''s most prodigious Luminaries clash was too enticing. Merely hearing the results wasn''t enough. Many journalists paid a king''s ransom just to get a seat in the arena and Shin had to wait patiently at home? There was no way that the boy''s young heart would tolerate that. Hence, Shin made sure to disguise himself well and snuck out into an obscure part of the stands to watch the battles unfold. Since Kanari and Elrin were too eye-catching, the only person that could hope to accompany the excited youth was Shizen who had missed out on the Welcome Banquet. "Shizen! Those competing are among the top of their generation. Geniuses that could reach Rank 40 before the age of twenty-five. Even if we watch one match, it would be sufficient for us to boost our comprehension levels!" Shin explained. There was a reason why entering the Spirit Spectre stage was called shedding the first barrier of mortality. Anyone below the Spirit Spectre stage was considered to be mortals that were as feeble as a baby. Not only were they impervious to regular illness such as the common cold, but they were also weak enough to die from a sufficient blow to the head. Spirit Spectres were a different breed altogether. Those that managed to transcend the first barrier of mortality would see their lifespan double, their immunities to the regular ailments rise and had the capability to utilise the spiritual energies of the land to an exceptional degree. Their innate ability to fly was a consequence of that effect. However, once a cultivator reaches the Spirit Spectre realm, cultivation becomes almost ten times more difficult. A talent might somehow be able to manage one rank a year, but as they slowly progress up the cultivation ladder, eventually, they would reach a bottleneck where just moving up one rank would be akin to surmounting the highest mountain of the Terre Continent. That''s why Luminaries were so highly sought after in the modern cultivation world. If someone was able to break through into Rank 40 before they turned twenty-five, they had much more time to cultivate to the apex, and perhaps do the impossible and cross into the heavens above. Additionally, even if they didn''t reach the fabled heights of their predecessors, at the very least, the Luminaries were capable of achieving the Spirit Emperor or Venerate realm, making them talents to keep an eye out on. "Yeah, yeah..." Shizen rolled his eyes. If only Shin gave that much energy to producing his favourite drink. Though, he had to admit that spectating some of the best of the best were rather interesting for his young mind. "They''re coming out!" A gasp could be heard from an audience member. Three platoons of neatly organised young men and women marched out from the bottom of the stands and paraded themselves into the centre of the arena. Each flank was segregated into five rows each to show order, and even though they weren''t militaristic in nature, the youngsters were all oozing with an intimidating might. Many spectators held their breath as they witnessed the confidence from the representatives of the three superpowers. They didn''t believe that they were inferior in the slightest, and each fateful step demonstrated that in droves. "Are the Blacksmith League, Mercenary Guild and Healer''s Association not sending anyone out?" Shizen questioned naively. "You silly..." Shin harrumphed at the ignorance of his good friend. "Who do you think makes up those three organisations? People from the three superpowers! It''s not like they don''t want to send anyone out, but they don''t have anyone to represent them! For instance, while I hold a Healer''s License, I technically belong to the Himmel Empire. Before I''m obligated to help the Healer''s Association, I would have to serve my nation first." "Hmmm? But don''t they have people serving their organisations?" "Yes. At some point in time, those joining either one of those organisations must relinquish their respective citizenships. However, they usually do so during the later stages of their lives. It''s rare for someone from the younger generation to abandon their nation to join a lower organisation that can''t give the same amount of benefits as either one of the superpowers. Of course, those born into the organisations don''t have the luxury to choose." "I see..." Shizen stroked his hairless chin in enlightenment. "That''s not the important part¡­ Look at the contestants for the exhibition matches!" Shin took out his notebook and began to introduce the numerous talents that were about to compete. "There is probably nowhere else in the history of the world where thirty-three Luminaries have gathered!" The Himmel Empire had gathered seven Luminaries, the Lantis Republic had twelve, while the Kori Federation had a record-breaking eight. It was perhaps the most glorious line-up anywhere in the continent right now. It was rare to even see one Luminary fight, and yet there were thirty-three of them contesting for the honour of their nations. "Shizen, you should pay attention to how they fight! You''ll definitely gain some insights that would aid in your cultivation! Especially from watching those Luminaries with plant-type Spirits." Shin advised. The bosom friend of his was never one to open a book and study. Living only by his instinct, the best way that Shizen could grow was through visually learning moves from cultivators much more superior than himself. As for Shin, he really wished to witness the might of the Luminaries from the Lantis Republic, in particular, the ones from the Eight Ancient Clans. He had been training blindly when it came to the Celestial Water Mantra. For the first time, he was able to witness the right way of using the dreadful cultivation technique that was unique to the Eight Scions of Water. After a few moments of basking in the limelight, the contestants retreated to their designated waiting pavilions as the stage was being set. The rules for the exhibition match was considerably simple. It was not a round-robin format, nor was it an elimination tournament. The exhibition match followed an old-school method, discontinued to this very day. The call-out system. Each contestant gets a chance to name anyone they wanted to challenge, and the nominee had to choose whether he wished to agree. Yes, it was a barbaric system, but since there was no one being crowned ''champion,'' this format was followed to ensure that the most competitive and exciting matches were held for the visual pleasure of the audience. In theory, the most powerful cultivator from the Himmel Empire could face the most powerful from the Lantis Republic in the first round. But where''s the fun in that? "Greetings, glorified dignitaries and fellow comrades!" A gaudy looking man stepped foot on the arena with a face of tranquillity. Looking no older than thirty, the young man cupped his hands together and bowed to the executives seated at the top of the arena. All of the lead representatives from each superpower was present. With the Alliance agreement being inches away from being signed, the majority of them were cordial with one another. Even the cold and distant Deputy Prime Minister Venus had shown a rare smile every now and then as she made small talk with her fellow compatriots. Naturally, the relationship between Prince Koshaku and Zhangyu Yaoguai was still estranged, but otherwise, the atmosphere in the VIP area was rather jovial. "My name is Abraham Banks from the Blacksmith''s League! A Rank 35 Spirit Adept, and I have been tasked with fighting in the opening match!" As anticipated the Blacksmith''s League didn''t have any potent talents in their midst. They could only send out Abraham Banks as a sacrificial lamb to get things kicking. "For my first challenge¡­ I give out an open invitation! Anyone who dares to join me in battle, come down and test your might!" Issuing a challenge for anyone who wished to confront him, Abraham Banks waved his arms in the air like a chimp looking for attention. He didn''t care if a weakling or divine being came down onto the platform. Just by offering his services as the opening meat bag, he was already guaranteed a one-year apprenticeship with one of the League''s greatest blacksmiths. It didn''t matter if he won or lost this fight. He just had to fight. "Let me test your strength..." A chilling voice entered the eardrums of the young man. An auburn-haired young man, who had two adorable dimples on each side of his face walked into the arena with a face full of passion. To fight in the opening match of the Summit was an honour that no man or woman could pass up, and there was actually a tonne of hands being raised. However, only one man dared to saunter into the ring without being asked. "That man¡­ He''s from the Nine Suns Clan..." An audience member instantly recognised the man. Hearing that name, Shin''s brain immediately went into overdrive as he recalled the details of the Nine Suns Sect from the Kori Federation. "Haha, looks like we''re in for a treat." Shin couldn''t contain his excitement. His fingers were trembling and eyes glistening. "The very first match would have someone from the Nine Suns Clan..." "What''s that?" "Shizen¡­ The cultivation world is full of wonders and mysteries. However, they were all grounded by a system. Awaken a Spirit, cultivate until to reach the peak of your realm and breakthrough by learning a spiritual ability. Almost all of the cultivators in the world follow this system, barring a few exceptions..." "You can''t mean?" "That''s right¡­ The descendants of the Nine Suns Clan follow a different path. One so unique that it has become the subject of wonder. Whenever a member of the Nine Suns Clan participates in the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony, they will all receive the same Spirit. The Yang Flame. An inextinguishable fire whose innate ability raises its owner''s senses, physical capabilities, agility, mental fortitude, regenerative abilities, fire elemental powers, and overall mana output." Shin grasped the bottom of his bench as he explained. "Isn''t that too strong? How can a Spirit have that many innate abilities?" "That''s the problem¡­ It''s too strong." Shin sighed bitterly. "During their early years, the members from the Nine Suns Clan are unparalleled. When they advance to Rank 10, the Yang Flame will condense into a Yang Sun, using their Nine Suns Divine Technique. When that happens, no one in the continent could ever hope to match them while they are below the Spirit Spectre stage. However, with such power, there came a major drawback. They weren''t able to promote by learning any new spiritual abilities." "What?!" Shin didn''t mind the interruption and paused for a moment before he continued. "That''s right. Each time they advanced a realm, the only difference that they would experience is the improvement of their innate abilities and an increment of one more sun into their Spiritual Body. But that''s not all. There''s a reason why they''re called the Nine Suns Clan. Each time they advanced a realm, another sun would be added to their powers. The cycle would continue until they reached the ninth sun..." "What happens then?" Shizen asked. "Nothing." The black-haired boy sighed grimly. "That''s the limit of the Nine Suns Clan. The price they pay for having overwhelming strength in the mortal world is the complete abandonment of the Immortal Realm. The upper limit for all members from the Nine Suns Clan is the level of the Spirit Saint. No higher." Was it a blessing, or a curse? Below the Spirit Spectre realm, those from the Nine Suns Clan were virtually unbeatable. However, as they climbed through the ranks, slowly the other Spirits that weren''t as restricted as their own could gain terrifyingly powerful abilities that the Yang Sun couldn''t hope to challenge. Yes, those from the Nine Suns Clan that reached the Spirit Emperor or Spirit Venerate stage were unkillable machines that could regenerate any limb and organ in their body as long as they weren''t mortally wounded. Yes, Spirit Saints from the Nine Suns Clan could challenge any other Spirit Saints if they had the battle wits to outsmart their opponents. However, the fundamental problem was still laid bare. They were ripped from the most basic goal to strive towards immortality, something inborn for all mortals. While others in his clan had resigned to their fates, Lorian didn''t believe that the nine suns were his limit. He foolishly chased the impossible dream. The dream that he could create a tenth sun to transcend his mortal flesh. To prove that dream, Lorian worked twice as hard as anyone who came before him. Breezing through the ranks, the young man became the beacon of hope for the Nine Suns Clan which was struggling to maintain their position as a member of the Master Sects. While he wasn''t a Luminary, he was extremely close to one in talent, and if all went well, Lorian would smoothly cultivate his way to the top. "Lorian Yang from the Nine Suns Clan. Rank 37. Spirit, the Yang Sun. Please advise." Cupping his fists together, the auburn-haired young man brought out three spectacularly orange fire spheres that resembled that of an ever-burning star. The fire elements leapt up with joy as the temperature around the man peaked to the highest it has ever been. "Against you¡­ I can''t hold back." Abraham Banks spread out his ten fingers, allowing two compact hammers to enter his grasp. He was hoping for some weakling to bite the bait that he had thrown, but instead, a shark had ripped it out from his line. To fight against a member of the Nine Suns Clan, not to mention the absolute monster that was Lorian Yang¡­ Abraham Banks was seriously considering if that one-year apprenticeship was worth it. "Either way, it''ll end in a moment!" Propelling himself out straight towards his foe, Abraham Banks lunged with all that he had. From the audience stands, it looked like a barbarian ape had leapt out from the forest and was ready pulverise the meat that stood in its path. While the attack appeared to be unavoidable from Shin and Shizen''s perspective to Lorian, the man was moving so slowly that it was almost hilarious. The most essential benefit of having the Yang Sun as his Spirit was his increased perception and physical enhancements that no mana strengthening could ever hope to replicate. In a blink of an eye, no, in the time taken to flash a light, Lorian Yang evaded the oncoming strike with a simple footwork technique and landed a brutal uppercut at Abraham''s thorax. Flying up twenty metres in the air, the poor blacksmith fainted in the air before knowing what had hit him and had forced a senior from the Blacksmith''s League to rescue him from the downward fall. An Elder Healer that joined Raphael in the expedition immediately came to Abraham''s rescue as if he knew the outcome beforehand. "He was only two ranks higher than Abraham¡­ How is there this kind of difference?!" One journalist from the audience gulped at the quick conclusion to the first match. "You idiot! Don''t you know that the Nine Suns Clan are unparalleled under the Spirit Spectre realm? This result is to be expected." "But it was too fast! For him to have such speed and power¡­ Don''t tell me he has reached the level of a Luminary!" "Don''t be ridiculous¡­ Actually, that might not seem that far-fetched..." A fellow reporter wanted to deny that claim, but he found himself agreeing to it the more he recalled the overpowering figure of Lorian. "He''s strong..." Shizen gaped in awe. He wasn''t able to follow a single movement that Lorian took. Shin was also in a similar boat. While he managed to catch some static in the air, Shin couldn''t tell how Abraham found himself flying. ''His speed¡­ It''s staggering!'' Shin hasn''t seen anyone who could move that quickly since Mychael, and the perverted old man was already a Spirit Emperor. Yet, Shin couldn''t track Lorian''s speed, who was not even in the Spirit Spectre realm. ''If he''s the opening dish¡­ What other monsters are there?!'' Shin felt himself bubbling with anticipation. Lorian wasn''t even a Luminary, and he had shown such dominance. When the top talents entered the fray, what kind of crazy matches would be exhibited? ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 338 The World Watches 2 There was no need for referees or judges for the matches on the platform. If someone''s life were ever in danger, anyone from the dozens of Spirit Emperors in the crowd would jump in, and for who adjudicates the match¡­ Was there any soul better than the six Spirit Saints seated at the precipice of the arena? "Saint Geom, that youngster of yours is looking bright!" Saint Thor beamed as he congratulated the Kori Federation''s Spirit Saint. "A Spirit Adept like him shouldn''t be able to execute such expertise! He might even be strong enough to challenge a Rank 50 Spirit Lord!" The speed that Lorian Yang had shown wasn''t normal. While the Yang Sun''s innate abilities could significantly enhance its owner''s physical strength and agility, there were some limitations. Yet, when Lorian ended the match with one punch, the man seemed to be unaffected by whatever chains that bound his cultivation realm. "I can''t take the credit for his growth." The Dalgeom Sect figurehead smiled bitterly. "The Nine Suns Clan has invested heavily into Lorian. Fortunately, the boy didn''t disappoint." "Hehe, don''t you think I don''t know how the Dalgeom Sect has been helping them from the shadows." The bearded ruffian carelessly spoke of top secret information as if it were a matter of fact. "A Master Sect helping another Master Sect stay in power. How incredibly noble." "If it''s beneficial for both of us, I don''t see why not. Also, I''d thought you had abandoned all notions of dealing with mortal affairs." "I did! Just repeating what a little birdie has told me." "..." Saint Geom sighed a turned his head away, hinting that it was the end of this conversation. They were Spirit Saints, and their hands had long been removed from mortal affairs. Many called that restriction a gift, but in truth, it was a curse laid down upon the mighty from the masses. A Spirit Saint could move the oceans and break down the earth to its primordial state. Their power over space made them capable of restraining all who were beneath their level, making them the absolute monarchs of the world. In the ancient war that nearly wiped out all of humanity, the Spirit Saints were the prime reason why the population dropped to almost ten percent of what it used to be. No one could run or hide from the wrath of the Spirit Saints. Annihilating cities just for the fun of it, Spirit Saints were no worse than a horde of Spirit Beasts. Taking whatever they wanted while never suffering the consequences of their actions. In the modern day, no Spirit Saint was allowed to meddle with mortal affairs for precisely this reason. Nonetheless, that law wasn''t really sufficient to stop the godly beings from exerting their dominance over the world. Longyu Tian''s adamant move to take Shin back to the Lantis Republic was one such example. "Speaking of which, do you know the reason why the Saint of Time is willing to break that unspoken rule for the sake of one child?" Saint Thor changed the subject while lowering his volume. Longyu Tian and Saint Firebird were just a few seats away, and he didn''t want others telling him off about gossiping. "My guess is as good as yours." Saint Geom shook his head. "What a shame! It''s too bad that the boy isn''t participating in the matches. Perhaps we would get an inkling as to why if he did." "It is a shame..." The elderly swordsman stroked his beard and turned his gaze to an obscured part of the audience stands. The ends of his lips slowly crept upwards to his ears as he thought of something playful. "Really¡­ A shame." ~~~~ Lorian Yang felt vindicated. At the grandest stage of the world, the young man had shown his absolute dominance. It was as if all the long years of training, all the trials and tribulations that he had brave through, had boiled down to this moment. The world''s most elite had gathered, and his story would be told for decades to come. The first man to win an exhibition match in the Summit. What a glorious ring to his name! But that wasn''t enough. To be the best, he had to beat the best. "I thank Abraham Banks for his challenge!" Lorian bowed to the crowd and most importantly, to the man being carried out on a stretcher. He had proven himself by beating a Rank 35 Spirit Adept in less than five seconds, and now, it was time to kick it up a notch. "For my challenge, I call upon the Crimson Ghost from the Himmel Empire!" "Going straight for the head¡­ Just as one would expect from him." Jimga laughed from his seat. "The Nine Suns Clan heir is quite ambitious." Yeunghi, who was seated next to her Senior Brother, giggled as well. The Crimson Ghost was the Himmel Empire''s top Luminary. Serving under Young Drake Duke, Eikyo, the Crimson Ghost had long written himself into the history books by becoming one of the youngest citizens to ever get knighted by the Imperial Emperor. At a tender age of twenty-five, the young man had reached Rank 42, just shy of Qilong Hu and Lukman''s Rank 43. As the most powerful Luminary of the Himmel Empire, it wasn''t strange for his name to be called multiple times by hot-blooded challengers. "Ah, youth." Jimga ceased his laughter and composed himself. For a Spirit Adept to challenge a Spirit Spectre in the second match, the Summit exhibition matches were really living up to its name. "I wonder how the Crimson Ghost would respond." It didn''t take long for the Dalgeom Sect''s mighty swordsmaster to get his answer. A chiselled, suave warrior got up from his makeshift chair and showed himself to the public. His hair dyed in a bloody hue, the terrifying man shot Lorian a devastating sharp gaze. The Nine Suns Clan heir didn''t bat a single eyelid at the intimidation and continued to wait for his answer patiently. "I refuse." A man of few words, the Crimson Ghost succinctly made his point and returned to his seat, much to the surprise of everyone present. "Did he say¡­ refuse?" "What the hell? And here I thought that a Luminary would take the stage!" Numerous reporters grumbled to themselves. They were all here to witness the clash of the Titans, and the Crimson Ghost had denied them of that chance! "You did well..." Eikyo supported his subordinate amidst the boos from the crowd. "Fighting him will just tire you out. Save your energy for the big fights." "I know..." The Crimson Ghost didn''t say anything more. The Himmel Empire''s situation was quite catastrophic. They had enemies from both sides, and they were severely outnumbered. Compared to the Lantis Republic''s twelve Luminaries and the Kori Federation''s fourteen, the Himmel Empire only had seven members that were above Rank 40. Of course, they had to be smart with who they fought! "That''s disappointing..." Lorian Yang''s view of the Himmel Empire dropped by dozens of points instantly. He had shown his capabilities of challenging a Spirit Spectre and yet, the Crimson Ghost had just scurried away from the fight. "Since that''s the case, I can''t force you¡­ Next, I challenge the Lantis Republic''s Tempest Hydra, Qilong Hu!!!" Lorian Yang had the centre stage and could call out whoever he wished. However, the warrior spirit in him would only allow the best of the best to kick him out from the arena. Hearing his name being called, Qilong Hu let out a wry smile. Lorian was really going for the top cultivators from each superpower, without a care about his own inferiority. As foolish as it may sound, Qilong Hu quite admired the bravery that Lorian had shown. "I accept!" Launching himself straight into the platform, the Rank 43 Spirit Spectre removed his coat, revealing his boulder-like biceps that would make any bodybuilder cry with shame. "A Luminary is taking the stage?! Not to mention the Tempest Hydra!!!" The audience instantly cheered. Typically, the best matches were saved for last, but the most powerful member from the Lantis Republic had graced the stage in the second match! "The Tempest Hydra, Qilong Hu..." Shin opened his eyes out wide as he was tempted to find a pair of binoculars to use. His objective for coming to the stadium despite the apparent threat to his life was due to his incessant desire to learn more about the Lantis Republic''s ways. Qilong Hu may not have been from his clan, but he still possessed one of the Eight Scions of Water, the Majesty of the Rivers, the Seven-Headed Hydra. Just observing this one match would bring a tonne of insights to his own cultivation. "You¡­ accepted?" "What''s wrong? Wasn''t that the outcome you were hoping for?" "No, no. Of course, I wanted you to come down. I just didn''t expect that you would agree to fight that easily." Lorian Yang controlled his shock by pinching his underarm. It wasn''t strange for Luminaries to reject his challenge. They were a realm above Lorian, and there was no actual benefit for stepping in the ring with him. If they won, people would say that it was a matter of fact and they were bullying Lorian. If they lost, people would claim that they weren''t strong enough to take down a Spirit Adept, and they didn''t deserve their title. Hence, when Lorian extended his challenge, he had expected some resistance, not an instant acceptance from Qilong Hu''s part. "Haha, well you''ve got your wish! I hope you cherish it well." Qilong Hu''s face turned serious as he said those words. Inch by inch, the body of the tightly knit together man rose to the sky, ignoring the laws of gravity altogether. Like a deity exerting his dominance, Qilong Hu released a deadly spiritual pressure that weighed down on the body of Lorian Yang. Recognising his failure, the Nine Suns Clan heir immediately summoned out his three suns to relieve the world-ending weights that could have crushed his bones. There were no referees which meant that there was no signal to begin the match. The contestants would decide when to make the first move, and when they wanted to end it. Smiling, Qilong Hu opened his arms out wide as his mana peaked to an extreme degree. Behind him, a figure of a seven-headed snake began to form. Each head was coloured uniformly with a silver scaly texture while they connected themselves to a long medusa tail. Floating in the air, the thin argent tail of the Hydra whipped against the concrete floor, instantly shattering a mark that was visible for anyone within a kilometre range. "As a sign of respect, I shall throw you everything that I have¡­ Let''s hope that you''re strong enough to receive it." Qilong Hu allowed his body to be covered in serpentine scales as the seven snake heads behind him roared in anticipation. ''Danger!'' That was all Lorian thought. His heart wanted him to propel onwards, but his instincts pushed himself back. Lorian had to have some distance away before he could challenge the first inevitable blow. Alas, it was too late. The eyes of the Hydra''s heads glowed in a shining light as the sky turned heavy. Pit pit pit One drop, two drops, three¡­ Weighty raindrops fell from the heavens bringing Lorian''s retreat to an abrupt halt. A chilling wind descended upon Lorian''s location as he felt an updraft that couldn''t be generated by nature. The ring of the arena, which should have been flooded, turned bone dry as the beads of water rose up into the air. The falling rain collided with the water droplets that were being sent upwards, generating mini-explosions in the air. One would liken the phenomena to being similar to fireworks, you know, without the fire. ''This is! Domain!'' Lorian cursed. There was only one explanation for such a strange occurrence. Qilong Hu was a domain user and had altered the ring to his advantage. ''Tskkk, fighting in his domain is basically throwing the match away! There''s only one way to take down this annoying ability.'' Lorian may not have the capabilities to learn a spiritual ability, but he sure as hell knew about them, not to mention the numerous ways to counter those pesky abilities. ''Take out the domain user before he can use it to its greatest effect!'' Not wasting any more time, Lorian ignored his instincts and spiked his mana output to his four limbs. Advancing at a speed unnoticeable to the naked eye, Lorian found himself airborne and just five metres away from punching the living daylight out of Qilong Hu''s body. With his superior speed and agility, time seemed to have slowed down for Lorian as he propelled himself further and further into the striking distance of his opponent. However, just as he raised his fist to knock Qilong Hu out clean, three of the Hydra heads opened their mouths as a small water orb spun rapidly in their throats. All of Lorian''s instincts screamed at him to run, but it was far too late. Three water jets sliced through the air and melted a hole through Lorian as if it were a laser beam passing through butter. "AAAAAARGHHHH!!!" Coughing out a mouthful of blood, Lorian plummeted to the floor like an asteroid, sending shockwaves all around the stadium. From the centre of the sky, Qilong Hu glanced down at his opponent, hoping to see some life out of the tenacious Nine Suns Clan heir. "Was that all that you had?" "Urghhh!!! ARRGHHH!!! H-Hell¡­ No..." Continuously retching out buckets of blood, Lorian brought his palms together and began to meditate. In an official match, Qilong Hu would have taken advantage of this moment of weakness to seal the win. However, there was no meaning in striking a man when he was down during a friendly spar. Furthermore, he wanted to observe the remarkable abilities of the Nine Sun Divine Technique. "ARGHHHH!!!" Lorian screamed in agony. His entire battle-wear stained with blood and sweat, the warrior focused his three suns on the three entry wounds that the water jets had given him. In just ten seconds, the supposedly life-threatening lacerations had all but closed, leaving behind no hint that the body had been damaged. Qilong Hu whistled in admiration. That self-regenerative ability of the Nine Suns Clan was a sight to behold, even for someone of his calibre. Taking a few more seconds to slow his heart rate and regain his composure, Lorian finally opened his eyes once more and stared heavenward at the deity that seemed untouchable at the moment. Just one hit from Qilong Hu was sufficient to send him to a near coma. Prolonging this fight was ill-advisable. Yet, Lorian continued to walk forward. To become the best, he had to defeat the best. "Let''s continue." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 339 The World Watches 3 Lorian Yang ignored the searing pain from his lower torso. Lorian Yang didn''t care about the fact that he had been blown away in one hit. Lorian Yang bit his lip as he watched the world turn greyer and greyer as Qilong Hu''s domain had been completed. There was no winning this match. He knew that. Just from that one exchange, it was evident that Qilong Hu was on a whole other level. Lorian had fought other Spirit Spectres before. His seniors in his clan, the training partners that the Dalgeom Sect had sent to hone his skills, and even a handful of Luminaries from the Kori Federation. While he was able to beat or draw with some of them, he had equally tasted crushing defeats. There was one man, in particular, that could overwhelm him in a matter of seconds. And Qilong Hu was of the same calibre of that man. So what was it? What was it that pushed him forward? What was it that allowed him to get up when all seemed lost? Lorian Yang didn''t really know¡­ However, he did realise one thing. Lorian knew that he had to push on. The three radiant suns that oscillated around his body began to glow with great fervour as if they had reached the peak of their maturity. Hot, white steam rose up from his athletic body as he evaporated the raindrops the moment they fell upon him. He had no big finishing move like Kanari''s Lunar Beam, and neither did he have a solution to deal with the domain that seemed to be thickening by the second. Nonetheless, Lorian Yang will continue to push with all his might. To struggle to be the greatest. SWIIIIISSSSHHHHH Disappearing from his original position, Lorian took less than a blink of an eye to speed behind Qilong Hu, in an attempt to injure the levitating Spirit Spectre. However, as anticipated, the Seven-Headed Hydra wouldn''t allow its master to get hurt while it was around. Whipping its tail once more, the boulder-sized beast cleared that air behind Qilong Hu by creating a miniature storm, saving the well-built man from a mountain of hurt. ''Spiritual Manifestation! I knew that something was amiss!'' Under normal circumstances, a Spirit was unable to interact with the material world through physical touch. They were capable of creating world-changing alterations through the usage of their mana and control over the spiritual energies that surrounded them, but they were incapable of touching any form of matter in their astral state. However, there was one sole exception. A Spirit User could decide to learn Spiritual Manifestation in which for a temporary time, their Spirit would be able to interact with the world around it, and potentially aid their masters in whichever goal he or she wishes to pursue. In this case, Qilong Hu was using the Seven-Headed Hydra to act as his defensive barrier while he expertly dominated the arena. "Spiritual Manifestation and Spiritual Body Enhancement at the same time?!" It wasn''t just Lorian who was stunned by his opponent''s show of force, even Shin had to rub his eyes to make himself believe that he wasn''t dreaming. "There''s also a domain¡­ Qilong Hu is really strong." It wasn''t shocking that the top Luminary from the Lantis Republic would be powerful. However, as the old adage goes, seeing was believing. Shin thought that Lorian Yang would at the very least, give some sort of competition to his opponents after the first battle. Yet, the Nine Suns Clan heir was unable to land a single blow on Qilong Hu. "My turn." Now that his preparations were ready, it was finally time for Qilong Hu to shine. BAMMM BAMMM BAMMM A collision between the raindrops in the air intensified drastically, bringing about thousands more water droplets and it continued to go on and one until they became finer than a grain of sand. If anyone felt the touch of one of these droplets, they would barely be able to feel anything. However, what if there were billions of them? Lorian was about to find out. "Tempest." Qilong Hu spread out his five fingers on his right hand and almost instantaneously, Lorian felt his world go grey. The domain that Qilong Hu had created showed its true colours for the first time. Billions upon billions of raindrops targeted the tenacious youth as if they were homed in bullets and had forced Lorian to endlessly guard, with no mode of retaliation. Taking advantage of his weakened state, Qilong Hu used his Seven-Headed Hydra to shoot out water jets as they did before, drilling even more holes in Lorian Yang''s body. Overkill¡­ Was an understatement to describe what was happening in the arena. Lorian Yang was fast. Perhaps faster than any of the Luminaries present. However, he couldn''t outrun billions of raindrops and rapidly firing water jets. The dampened floor turned crimson as a vast amount of life fluids flooded the arena. Only after ten seconds of continuous onslaught, was Qilong Hu satisfied. Releasing his domain''s hold on Lorian, the Spirit Spectre waited to see a response from his motionless opponent. Fortunately, while Lorian wasn''t capable of moving a finger, his three suns were still burning bright. Bit by bit, the wounds sustained by the young man closed, bringing a smile to Qilong Hu''s face. "Hah¡­ Hah..." "Looks like you aren''t dead yet." If it were anyone else, Qilong Hu was certain that he would have succumbed to his wounds and at the very least, pass out in agony. Thankfully, Lorian Yang wasn''t the average man. "Do you still want to continue?" While he had ceased his assault, Qilong Hu still had his domain, Spiritual Manifestation and Spiritual Body Enhancement riled up. At any given time, he would have the capabilities of continuing his attacks. "I¡­ Forfeit..." As much as he wished to continue, Lorian swallowed down his pride and said the dreadful words. If it were a battle to the death, there was no way that the valiant soul in him would throw in the towel. However, the arena was just an exhibition match to showcase each one of the superpowers'' best talents. There was no need to get even more beat up than he already was. "You fought well." Now that the match was over, Qilong Hu released all of his spiritual abilities and reverted back to his normal human state. Walking over to Lorian, the colossal man helped his fallen opponent to his feet with a strong hand. "You can stand proud. You''d forced me to use all of my spiritual abilities to take you down." "Non¡­ sense..." Still gasping for air, Lorian spat out in protest. It was hardly a contest. Just like how he decimated Abraham Banks before, Qilong Hu had squashed Lorian as if he were a housefly. "That''s the truth. If I didn''t use my domain from the start, perhaps I would have been in your position. After all, I can''t match your speed." "Th¡­ Thanks..." The ending of the second bout was just as beautiful as the match itself. Instead of looking down on his opponent, Qilong Hu nobly helped him Lorian up to his feet and exchange words of praise for the steadfast warrior. That show of compassion was directly in line with the message of the Summit, and the Alliance that the superpowers were striving towards. Even if they had their differences, at the end of the day, the two were champions that would do their nation proud. "What a match!" One of the audience members screamed out. "If only my father were alive to see this." "Haha, the Nine Suns Clan heir is really a work of art! Thankfully, the Tempest Hydra agreed to fight. Otherwise, we would have been robbed of this epic match!" Another spectator agreed. The audience was enthralled by how powerful each competitor was. "Hmph! Why did the Crimson Ghost reject that fight! Is he a coward?" "That''s right! Lorian Yang challenged him first, and he declined! We''re fortunate that the Tempest Hydra had a much bigger heart!" The songs of praise soon turned into deceitful scorns for the Himmel Empire and their leading Luminary. "Don''t take their words to heart. What you did was right." Eikyo gently tapped his subordinate on the shoulder as he flinched slightly at the words of disdain. "I know..." Up in the highest stands, Zhangyu Yaoguai''s iron face flashed a rare smile. He had ordered the youngsters to humiliate the Himmel Empire, and Qilong Hu''s first move had done so spectacularly. Not only did he show that the Lantis Republic had the bigger disposition in accepting the lesser match, but the Tempest Hydra had stamped his dominance on the international stage by displaying his overwhelming power. If he were the leader of the Himmel Empire, Zhangyu Yaoguai would be livid by now. Sneaking a glimpse at Prince Koshaku, the head of the Zhangyu Clan couldn''t help but raise his chin in superiority, and the haughty stare didn''t go unnoticed. ''Tskkk¡­ Giving me that look. If Kanari was a few years older, do you think that we would swallow this bitter pill?'' Prince Koshaku knew that the Crimson Ghost''s idea was correct. They had fewer Luminaries and lacked sufficient manpower to deal with the terrifying talents that the other two superpowers had. Hence, they had to do their best to conserve their energies for the real fights. Nonetheless, it didn''t hide the fact that they felt the sting of the degrading words. "Honoured dignitaries¡­ I have shown my all. Please relieve me as I forfeit my right to continue my challenge." Instead of continuing to challenge others, Qilong Hu opted to return back to his seat. If he were to stay on stage, the Tempest Hydra would be forced to call out opponents that were worthy of his challenge, and if he were candid, there were only two others that would prove a decent challenge. Lukman from the Tuareg Sect and the Crimson Ghost from the Himmel Empire. As everyone would expect, for two leading talents of each superpower to collide, that could only be the main event. If Qilong Hu challenged Lukman or the Crimson Ghost, no other matches that follow would be able to compare. "In my place, I nominate my nation''s Zheng Kieren to take the stage." "Permission granted." Ingram, the Blacksmith''s League President and the Chief Judicator for the exhibition matches, granted his wish. "Who''s that?" A journalist from the Himmel Empire asked his compatriot from the Lantis Republic. "Zheng Kieren is a prodigy that had been brought into the Qilong Clan as a retainer. While he wasn''t talented enough to become a Luminary, he did manage to reach Rank 33 when he was twenty-five. Qilong Hu is probably doing the boy a favour by letting him show his talents on the biggest stage there is." "Wow, what a compassionate guy. Looking out for his junior." The two reporters were once again amazed by Qilong Hu''s chivalrous attitude. In the eyes of the common man, the stock price of the Lantis Republic had skyrocketed while the Himmel Empire was akin to a pile of mud. "What a marvellous move played by Qilong Hu..." Kanari frowned from her executive seat. "Now, we look like the lesser nation." While Shin had to hide in the shadows, the four girls from Imperius Academy didn''t have to act so secretly. They could openly view the exhibition matches from the private booth that was provided for those from the Himmel Empire. "Does it really affect the Himmel Empire that much?" Elrin was confused. From her perspective, it was strategic for the Crimson Ghost to deny Lorian Yang of the chance to challenge him. After all, if random Spirit Adepts kept calling out the Luminaries, soon the Himmel Empire''s forces would be exhausted beyond repair. "On the surface, it doesn''t really matter. However, the Lantis Republic is playing a game of perception with the rest of the world. They want to show that they have the moral high ground and when the time comes to decide Shin''s fate, they would have the support of the masses behind their backs." "Isn''t that too far-fetched? This is just a friendly exhibition match!" Ella exclaimed. "You don''t understand." Kanari sighed. "Just wait and see. If nothing is done, the public perception of the Himmel Empire will go further down the drains. Hah¡­ If only we were just a little bit older..." In Imperius Academy, there were a handful of talents that were on the path to attain their Luminary status. Suji, Danroy, Elrin, Shizen, Isadore, Ella, Emma. Not to mention the two monsters that were Shin and Kanari. If they were all twenty-five, there was no doubt in Kanari''s mind that the Himmel Empire would give the other nations a run for their money. "Let''s just watch on and hope for the best." Kanari made the grim statement before returning her gaze back to the arena down below. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 340 The World Watches 4 Zheng Kieren was over the moon. He was born from a lower-class family where he had to struggle for the large part of his younger life. Food was hard to come by, and it was tough for his commoner father to retain a job for six months at a time. Yes, his family were cultivators, but his father was barely a Rank 13 Spirit Apostle while his mother had been stagnant in the Spirit Practitioner realm. In the Lantis Republic where individual power determined one''s social status, there was basically no upward trajectory for his impoverished family. However, Zheng Kieren''s father never gave up hope. He worked three to four jobs at a time to help raise money for his family, just so that his children could make something out of themselves, to live a life that he never could. Watching his father torture himself day in and day out, trudging to work even when his body was beaten down and malnourished, pained Zheng Kieren''s heart. When Zheng Kieren underwent the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony, he managed to obtain a mediocre Spirit which no one thought could amount to anything. Even the Priest who conducted the ceremony suggested that he gave in to his fate to work as a coolie for the rest of his life. Nonetheless, Zheng Kieren didn''t give up hope. He strived tirelessly, never resting for more than six hours a day. With the help of his relentless father, Zheng Kieren was able to rise to the top of his neighbourhood, and then to his district, and then to his region. Eventually, word got out that there was a rising talent that had smashed his competition and the Qilong Clan soon took notice. From there on, the trajectory of Zheng Kieren''s path had skyrocketed exponentially, and he was soon a prominent retainer of the Qilong Clan. Finishing mission after mission, Zheng Kieren had proven himself worthy of joining the Lantis Republic in their trip to the Summit, an honour that even youngsters from the direct bloodline of the Eight Ancient Clans would fail to get. And it all started, with a dream by his now deceased father. ''If only you were here to see this...'' Staring up the stage, Zheng Kieren held his head up high. He wasn''t representing the Qilong Clan, and neither was he representing the Lantis Republic. Zheng Kieren was embodying the hopes and dreams of his father, and he wasn''t going to disappoint. "I challenge Brahmadhvaja Kittichat from the Kori Federation!" Proudly declaring his intent, Zheng Kieren turned to the Shaolin Sect delegates and called out one of their own. It was a strategy that Qilong Hu had helped Zheng Kieren implement. On the grandest stage, there was, no one wanted to be a loser. Among all of the competitors in the arena, Zheng Kieren''s abilities best countered those from the Shaolin Sect. "Amitabha. I humbly accept the comrade''s challenge." A sonorous voice echoed out from the stands as an average-looking young man walked out with his two palms clasped together. Removing the thick black prayer beads from his neck, the young man dressed in a standard orange uttarasanga, made an unhurried beeline to the ring. His skin was as beige as could be, and his features weren''t that prominent. If Zheng Kieren passed the man on the street, he wouldn''t spare him a second glance. Yet, he was a representative of THAT Shaolin Sect. There were thirty Master Sects, a hundred Core States, and over a thousand House of Koris. Yet, the Shaolin Sect was by far the most well-known of all the entities in the Kori Federation. For one, they had the longest history, one that equalled that from the Eight Ancient Clans. Furthermore, they were also the one sect that accepted any disciples, regardless of their nationality or prior background. While the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic had banned the Shaolin Sect from opening any monasteries in their country, they didn''t prohibit any of their citizens to formally join the acclaimed Sect. Legend has it that the Shaolin Sect was the birthplace of martial arts. All martial techniques, be it Shin''s Lightning Swallow Steps or Divine Needle Binding, could find their roots in the martial arts of the Shaolin Sect. Additionally, with their focus on peace and harmony, the Shaolin Sect barely fought outside of defending themselves. Against someone from that illustrious sect, it was only natural that Zheng Kieren would politely greet him. "Brahmadhvaja Kittichat. I have long heard of your distinguished name." Zheng Kieren bowed in respect. To become a monk of the Shaolin Sect wasn''t an easy feat. One had to renounce all worldly desires and align with the stringent regulations of the peace-loving sect. "Amitabha. I''m humbled." The monk just smiled. "I look forward to our exchange." Not willing to waste any more time, Kittichat bent his knees and took a deep breath in. A golden light began to emit from his core as he pushed his two palms forward. In a blink of an eye, the air surrounding his hands became replaced with a two-metre-long staff, with two splits equidistant from one another. "Brahmadhvaja Kittichat. Rank 32 Spirit Adept. Spirit, the Golden Three-Section Staff. Please advise me." "Zheng Kieren. Rank 33 Spirit Adept. Spirit, the Whaler''s Harpoon. Please advise me." Zheng Kieren summoned out his own Spirit in response. The main reason why he called out Brahmadhvaja Kittichat instead of anyone else in the Kori Federation roster, was precisely due to the differences in their Spirits. One was a three-section staff that focused on irregular movement and deadly wound up attacks while the other was a harpoon that could pierce through even the toughest of defences. If he played his cards well, Zheng Kieren could easily disrupt Kittichat''s flow for the easy win. "HARGHHH!!!" Zheng Kieren coated his harpoon with a miniature whirlpool and dashed straight at his opponent. The Shaolin Sect heavily focused on passing down the martial arts that had been honed to perfection. However, in turn, it meant that the Shaolin monks'' individual spiritual abilities were lacking as compared to their compatriots. Homing in on that weakness, Zheng Kieren attempted to end the match with on stroke. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn''t just going to hand him the match¡­ CLINK!!! The tip of Zheng Kieren''s harpoon collided straight into an invisible barrier, dissipating the whirlpool it created in an instant. Stunned that he hadn''t drawn blood, Zheng Kieren hopped backwards in preparation for the next strike. Alas, it wasn''t to be. Swirling the three-section staff irregularly, Kittichat had created a golden force field that took the shape of a hefty, divine bell. Each time an end of his three-section staff spun around, a gleaming golden light flashed by the golden bell. His pupils dilated, Zheng Kieren felt a sense of dread as he unquestionably recognised this spiritual ability. "To stay like a nail. To be as heavy as a mountain. To be as hard as iron. That is the way of the Golden Bell Shield." Kittichat chanted as if he were reciting scripture to Buddha. "Jin Zhong Zhao!!!" ''Tsk¡­ I didn''t hear about him learning this technique!'' Zheng Kieren cursed in his head. He had thought that he researched all there was to know about his foe. He hadn''t expected that Kittichat was hiding such a potent ability. ''It''s going to be a little troublesome to pierce through that defence...'' The Golden Bell Shield was one of the leading martial spiritual abilities that were passed down in the Shaolin Sect. Alongside the Varja Body and the Iron Shirt, the Golden Bell Shield spiritual ability was one of the most prominent defensive spiritual abilities that the Shaolin Sect possessed. In the past, a Shaolin Abbot that had reached the Spirit Saint stage had once used those three abilities to reign as the invincible. Nothing could enter his defences, and he had virtually no weaknesses. "The Shaolin Sect has someone that inherited the Golden Bell Shield already?!" Prince Koshaku jumped out of his seat and turned his head to the representatives from the Kori Federation. There, a withered and decrepit old man donned in humble garbs brought his hands together in prayer and replied with a wide smile on his face: "Amitabha, he may be immature now, but yes, Kittichat is on the path of our ancestor." "..." The audience in the upper chambers went silent. They all knew how frightening the celebrated Abbot was. If Brahmadhvaja Kittichat was truly emulating the path of that Shaolin ancestor, it wouldn''t be strange for the Shaolin Sect to gain yet another invincible in a few more decades. "Congratulations, Abbot Phassakorn." Prince Koshaku was the first to applause the High Abbot. Following his lead, the numerous distinguished guests did the same, putting on a false face of happiness for the Shaolin Sect. "It''s all heaven''s will." Abbot Phassakorn bowed down and said no more. Kittichat''s identity being revealed that early on came as a surprise for the jaded monk, but it was an inevitability anyway. With the alliance being formed, it was helpful for Kittichat to make his name known to the world. Unaware of the commotion in the stands, Zheng Kieren was wrecking his brains on the best course of action that he should take. Fighting head on against that terrifying spiritual ability was idiocy at its finest. However, fortunately for Zheng Kieren, the Golden Bell Shield that Kittichat had created was still in its nascent stages, and it looked rather faint. Lacking its full golden lustre, Zheng Kieren knew that there was a chance for him to pierce through that legendary defence. "BREAK!!!" A phantom of the harpoon-wielding man appeared behind of the Shaolin Monk as Zheng Kieren launched a frontal assault. Completing his pincer attack. Forced to defend on both ends, Kittichat whirled his three-section staff to completely delete the phantom out of existence before sending the other section of his staff to slap Zheng Kieren. The Golden Bell Shield that surrounded Kittichat roared in defiance as its light brightened to a dazzling degree. "He''s spending too much mana." Shizen frowned. Even from up in the stands, the nature boy could feel his skin crawl. The spiritual energy being released by that unsuspecting monk was horrifying, to say the least. Shizen knew that there was no way that Kittichat could continue to sustain such a massive ability for long. "He''ll lose if he continues to fight this way." "What if he''s not fighting to win?" Shin laughed. "What do you mean?" "That Shaolin monk must have understood that he was being targetted due to his inferior skills, and poor compatibility to Zheng Kieren. Accepting that he would be defeated, the Shaolin monk is probably trying to showcase all of his abilities to at least lose in the grandest way possible." Shin deduced. "I see¡­ How incredibly complicated." "Haha, that''s the nature of this competition. No one is entering the ring to win. They''re fighting for their backings'' honour. In this case, the monk would probably lose, but at the very least, he wouldn''t be tainting the Shaolin Sect''s honour." As if to prove his hypothesis, after dozens of phantom blows and deadly strikes coated with whirlpools, Zheng Kieren''s harpoon finally tasted the sweet flesh of Kittichat. "Amitabha. Comrade, you are strong..." His defence broken, there wasn''t any point in continuing this match. Nonetheless, Brahmadhvaja Kittichat had already proven that he was a talent to watch through his display of the notorious Golden Bell Shield. "You too." Taking a cursory glance at the crowd, Zheng Kieren found that the majority of their eyes were focused on that humble-looking Shaolin monk instead of himself, the victor. The winner of the third match would be recorded as Zheng Kieren, but the history books would remember it as the time that Brahmadhvaja Kittichat announced himself to the world. ''Is this what it feels to win the battle, but to lose the war?'' Shaking the useless thoughts away from his head, Zheng Kieren bowed in respect to his opponent as a healer rushed to mend the monk''s wounds. ''Whatever, let''s just challenge more opponents...'' So what if he had lost his fame to Kittichat? Zheng Kieren has the luxury of staying in the arena until he was defeated or exhausted. Now that he had one win under his belt, he should at the very least, try to extend his record... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 341 Maidens Take The Stage 1 The matches that continued after Zheng Kieren''s match with Brahmadhvaja Kittichat were quite lacklustre. Yes, compared to the average matches that one could find in colosseums all around the continent, they were much more entertaining, but thus far, there wasn''t anything that could top the first three matches. Zheng Kieren capped out after two bouts as he faced mana exhaustion after a ten-minute spar with his second opponent. The matches that followed were all just regular rounds between Spirit Adepts with nothing particularly breathtaking to note. Up till this point, only one Luminary had taken the stage. To let the others shine, none of the Spirit Spectres in each of the camps volunteered to jump into the ring, and no one was stupid enough to call out the mind-bending talents. Thus, while matches were being fought on stage, many in the audience weren''t particularly paying attention to the fights. They were all waiting for that first shot, that one domino that would trigger the influx of Luminaries onto the stage. The air was tense, and everyone was on the edge of their seat. They were getting sick of watching Spirit Adepts fight. They wanted to see the best of the best duke it out inside of the arena. "Ahhh, this is so boring!" Jingyu Taiyi yawned with tears in his eyes. "I want to see the real fights! I want to see our Luminaries fight against the others!" "Senior Brother Taiyi. You shouldn''t raise your volume like that." Meijing Bingying held back the urge to facepalm. She had been babysitting this senior brother of hers for far too long. Honestly, if she were given a choice, the Pearl in the East would have long jumped over a bridge than to care for the immature man child any longer. "The walls have ears. Even if you think that no one can hear you, the Spirit Saints sure can." "Haha, they won''t bother to listen in on my rants!" Jingyu Taiyi rubbed his nose. "Furthermore, I''m just telling the truth. Aren''t we all here to see Luminaries beat up other Luminaries?" "Hah..." The sky-blue haired maiden heaved out a deep sigh. ''Huanyuan¡­ What should I do with this brat of a man?'' Bingying mentally called out for her childhood friend back in the Republic as her expression turned hapless. Noticing the change, Jingyu Taiyi somehow misunderstood his Junior Sister''s intentions and released a sinister smile. Seeing that face, Meijing Bingying felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Whenever Jingyu Taiyi showed that expression, he would definitely follow it up with a deed of mischief, one of the likes that would be unbearable for the young woman to deal with. "Hehe~ I knew it! You''re bored as well, right?" "No-- wait..." "Don''t worry! I''ll handle it!" Jingyu Taiyi got up from his seat and jumped straight into the arena that had just been cleaned up from the prior match. His explosive action was too sudden for anyone to react and before anyone could realise, Jingyu Taiyi was already at the centre of the arena. "What''s that idiot doing?" Qilong Hu immediately got up, his nostrils flared and brows knitted together. The Lantis Republic were following a stringent game plan to humiliate the Himmel Empire and prove their superiority, and for the most part, their plan had been working. Qilong Hu had proven that the Lantis Republic were more open-minded through his actions against Lorian Yang, while their Spirit Adepts had won the majority of their fights. Everything was going swimmingly well and yet, Jingyu Taiyi was about to ruin it all by acting on his own interests. Furthermore, it wasn''t like he could publicly reign the young man in. Jingyu Taiyi was the frontrunner to inherit the Jinyu Clan, as well as a bearer of the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. If anything, Jingyu Taiyi was the one that could order Qilong Hu, not vice versa. "Greetings honoured dignitaries, comrades, and fellow friends!" Taking a flamboyant approach to his introduction, Jingyu Taiyi bowed to the crowd while tip-toeing like a ballet dancer. While the audience was shocked at the sudden movement of that Luminary, none of the organisers moved to pull him off the stage. In fact, Ingram and the other representatives were intrigued that a young Luminary had come onto the stage of his own accord. "My name is Jingyu Taiyi. A Spirit Spectre from the Lantis Republic. While I thank the competitors that had come onto the stage to entertain us beforehand, why don''t we start ramping it up a little?" "Hoho¡­ And how do you propose that?" Ingram cheekily grinned from his chair and asked the haughty youngster. Even under the pressure of dozens of Spirit Emperors, Venerates and the six illustrious Spirit Saints, Jingyu Taiyi still kept a straight face. "We all know why we''re here. To watch Luminaries from each nation compete. So let''s just cut to the chase and bring out the big guns." "Are you volunteering yourself?" "Of course not! I''m sure all of you have heard of the Pearl in the East and the Flower of the North!" Hearing her name being called, Meijing Bingying felt the blood drain from her body. A disdainful premonition, once that shook her soul to its very core, enveloped the young woman as she could somewhat guess what that dreadful trickster was about to propose. "Two beauties from two nations. We all know that they''re equally gorgeous, but do we know who is stronger?" Jingyu Taiyi spoke the words that everyone wanted to hear. "Why don''t we find out?" "ORRRYAHHHH!!!" The crowd showed what they thought of Jingyu Taiyi''s suggestion through their actions. Breaking out into cheers and applause, the thousand-odd audience cried out in joy at the potential clash between the beauties. If the Himmel Empire had the Witch in the South and the Lantis Republic had the Pearl in the East, the Kori Federation had its own variation of their country''s top female talent. A disciple of the infamous Emei Church, the Flower of the North was a Luminary that strictly followed the teachings of the female-only organisation. Her impeccable poise and breathtaking features made her the target of envy for her female counterparts while also making her an idol in the eyes of the thirsty men of the world. "Sierra Glynrel. What do you think of this junior''s suggestion?" While Ingram was inspired by Jingyu Taiyi''s words, he couldn''t force the Flower of the North to compete in a fight that she didn''t wish to partake in. Nonetheless, a battle between the young ladies would definitely be a showstopper, and he couldn''t pass on the opportunity to make the fights more entertaining. "I accept the comrade''s proposal." A heavenly voice echoed through the stadium, silencing the chanting crowd immediately. Stepping out of her nation''s tent, a young lady pulled off the translucent veil that hid her face, revealing an impeccable complexion that was void of any blemishes. At 1.8-metres tall, the woman was definitely at an above average height, but no one thought of her as unattractive. In fact, it was quite the contrary. Men gasped in awe while women grunted in displeasure as she catwalked confidently to the very centre of the arena. Perhaps because she was oblivious of her superior beauty, the lady ignored the dropped jaws and gazed straight at the sky-blue haired girl that would be her opponent. ''That asshole really went and done it!!!'' Meijing Bingying cursed her Senior Brother with a vengeance. Thinking that he had done an excellent job and unaware of the undying hate that Meijing Bingying was feeling, Jingyu Taiyi flashed a raised thumb and a triumphant smile, as if he were asking the woman to praise him for his efforts. ''Urghhh!!! That''s it! I''m not going to babysit him anymore! Father! So what if he''s the heir to the Jingyu Clan?! He''s too much, I say. Too much!'' Meijing Bingying was literally pinching herself to restrain the overflowing of her real emotions. She got onto the stage with a similar amount of cheers, but unlike her opponent, Bingying wasn''t particularly thrilled to be sparring this early on. "Pearl in the East. We finally meet." Sierra Glynrel tied up her brown hair into a ponytail, unintentionally giving the audience a full view of her supple white nape. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Flower of the North." Meijing Bingying wiped her mouth to control the incessant twitching had been triggered by her intense rage against Jingyu Taiyi. "Two of the three beauties are finally going to clash! Oh, finally we get to see a great match." One journalist exclaimed. "Ah, it''s a shame that the Witch in the South is too young¡­ If she''s already a Luminary, we can decide who''s the best once and for all!" "Hmmm, who knows? Maybe they could organise a handicap match? The Witch in the South is at the Spirit Core realm after all. She would still be able to put up a great fight!" Kanari''s ears jerked at the journalist''s suggestion. Going against a Spirit Spectre? Kanari wouldn''t be that stupid. Even if there was a handicap, there was a reason why people claimed that crossing into the Spirit Spectre realm was akin to shedding the first barrier of mortality. Those in the Spirit Spectre realm were essentially a different type of human, down to their last molecule. Able to innately fly and control the spiritual energies and elements around them at an astonishing degree, it was almost impossible for a Spirit Core cultivator to triumph over a Spirit Spectre. "Hehe, they''re talking about you." Emma teased her friend with an impish smile. "Looks like the Witch in the South has some ardent fans." "Emma! You know how much I hate that moniker! Who on earth would want to be called a witch?" "Witches are strong though?" Ella joined in the fun. "If I could attain power strong enough to defeat my foes, I would gladly be called a witch." "That''s right! You two really get it!" Elrin didn''t want to give away her position as the number one teaser of Kanari and chimed in as well. "Let me tell you a story of how a fan once tried to get Kanari to sign her name as the Witch in the South!" "Alright! That''s enough talk for one day!" Kanari silenced her friends before things got too out of hand. "Look, the match is about to begin." Jingyu Taiyi had long vacated the ring and retreated to the safety of his tent. If not for the thousands of distinguished eyes surrounding her, Meijing Bingying would have been tempted to raise a middle finger to curse him on his way out. No, a curse wasn''t enough. Meijing Bingying wanted to condemn the youth to hell for putting her in this predicament. ''Sierra Glynrel from the Emei Church. She''s not an easy opponent. Rank 41 and a master at both her spiritual and martial abilities, the win isn''t guaranteed...'' Meijing Bingying recalled all the information that she had on the infamous Flower of the North. Not only was she a skilled Spirit User, but Sierra Glynrel had also inherited a martial legacy from the Emei Church. Able to fight at close, medium, and long-range, the Flower of the North was the most well-rounded Luminary in the Kori Federation, almost equalling Lukman from the Tuareg Sect in overall combat power. "Sierra Glynrel. Rank 41. Spirit, the Iordral Lotus. Please advise me." The Flower of the North made the first move. Raising her left palm, a pink glassy lotus crept into the world, emitting a stunning fragrance that would bewitch the average soul. Each petal was as beautiful as can be, and the light that passed through it hinted that a yellow core was shining deep within. In her other hand, a jagged black dagger slipped out from her sleeves. While it was unsuspecting at the start, the more it revealed itself to the world, the more afraid the elements became. A terrifying aura, one entirely unlike her earlier showing, manifested itself and forced Meijing Bingying to talk an unconscious step backwards. Her left hand held life and joy. Her right hand held death and destruction. Sierra Glynrel epitomised that every rose has its thorns. The Spiritual Armament in her right hand flashed darker and darker with each passing second, ready to strike at a moment''s notice. Apparently, Jingyu Taiyi''s suggestion to find out which beauty would reign supreme had struck a chord with the Flower of the North. Sierra Glynrel was really about to hit with everything that he had, just to prove that she was indeed the most powerful beauty of her generation. ''Tsk, what a chore...'' Resigning to her fate, Meijing Bingying let out a despondent sigh. What else could she do? It was an unavoidable fight, so why bother grasping on straws? "Meijing Bingying. Rank 42. Spirit, the Enigmatic Narwhal. Please advise me..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 342 Maidens Take The Stage 2 "Another Lantis Republic Luminary has taken the stage," Shizen called out from his stands. "Shin, you should be thrilled." "Yeah..." Shin mindlessly gave a reply. Through watching Qilong Hu compete, youngling had gained a new perspective on how he should proceed with his cultivation. Shin used to assume that the best way to use his Spiritual Body Enhancement was to outmanoeuvre his opponents through superior speed. However, Qilong Hu showed that resorting to hand-to-hand combat wasn''t the only way. Qilong Hu''s expert use of domains and masterful play in controlling his Spirit allowed him to keep Lorian Yang, a Spirit User whose speed was far superior to anyone else in the Summit, at bay. Even if Shin was at the Spirit Spectre realm, there was no way that he could tread the needle and break through Qilong Hu''s domination of the field. And all of those insights were from one match. What would he see from Meijing Bingying? The one called the Pearl in the East and the most talented cultivator from the Lantis Republic? Shin was eager to find out. "Shizen, you should be thrilled as well. The Flower of the North also possesses a deadly plant-type Spirit. The insights that you will gain is enormous." "Ah¡­ She does look strong." Shizen rubbed his hairless chin with an inquisitive look on his face. He had seen many powerful plant-type Spirit Users when Principal Erudito first brought him into the Himmel Empire. Shizen had even sparred with a handful of Spirit Spectres and Spirit Lords in an attempt to further his understandings of his Spirit, and among those he fought, the Flower of the North seemed, by far, the most dangerous. "Looks like we''ll both benefit from this match." Shin laughed and continued to spectate the match. What he didn''t know was¡­ In the same manner in which he was watching the match, someone was fervently gazing in his direction. ~~~~ Meijing Bingying had rubbed off the unpleasant feelings that she had for her dreadful senior brother who did whatever he wanted and proceeded to focus her full attention at the beauty from the Emei Church. A phantom of a gorgeous white narwhal appeared right above of the girl''s head as her eyes began to glisten in an icy hue. Unsheathing her sword, Meijing Bingying sent a large amount of mana into the Spirit Armament to coat in a misty wreath. "Your sword looks well-built..." Sierra Glynrel initially felt shocked. However, it didn''t take long for her to regain her wits. "Your dagger as well." Meijing Bingying scoffed. "From the looks of it, just one hit from it would result in catastrophic results, am I right?" "Hehe¡­ Just don''t get hit from it." Neither confirming or denying her opponent''s claim, Sierra Glynrel levitated into the air and intensified the mana supply to her Iordral Lotus. "Let''s begin the match, shall we?" Not giving Meijing Bingying a chance to reply, the Flower of the North released a cloud of green smoke, which immediately proliferated itself multiple times until half the arena was covered. Curious but cautious, Bingying created an icicle and launched it straight into the smog, only to find it melt into oblivion within a fraction of a second. ''Dangerous!'' The Pearl in the East immediately countered with her own drastic actions. The sword in her hand shone brilliantly as more and more icy mist flowed out from its core. As the mist collided with the green smog, the two neutralised each other as chunks of ice fell onto the floor. That was the nature of the Spectral Reaver blade. By adding in ice-elemental spiritual energy into it, the Spectral Reaver would generate a mist capable of freezing all beings, living or not, within a matter of seconds. ''Merge.'' At the same time, Meijing Bingying cast her own Spiritual Body Enhancement. A pale white horn that was shaped in a drill rose up from the centre of her forehead, while her skin turned even more white than it already was. In fact, if someone described her as a phantasma that had somehow manage to manifest itself in the physical realm, no one would doubt them. Obscured in her green smog, Sierra couldn''t help but release a smile. ''That''s right, Pearl in the East¡­ Show me what you''ve got.'' With a snap of her finger, seven petals fell from the lotus in her left hand and manifested themselves into beautifully crafted clones of herself. They had the same stoic expression, as well as the same dark dagger in their right hands. Still high up in the skies, Sierra floated backwards until she was out of reach from any range attacks. It was finally time to begin her assault. ''Strike.'' The seven clones immediately got into a formation, each one releasing their own form of mana. Each one shimmering like a luminous star, the seven clones created an outline of a boiling pot on a stove. Through the thick green smog, Meijing Bingying could see the glistening lights as if she were gazing up in the night sky. ''The Big Dipper Formation!'' Wasting no time, the experienced maiden leapt back like a frog and immediately cast her most defensive ability. The tip of her single horn shone with great light as a giant wall of ice blasted itself into the air and separated her from the eventual death from the skies. BOOOOOOOMMMM!!! A thunderous roar broke through the eardrums of those present, requiring the force field that was protecting the audience to increase its protection. The ice wall that Meijing Bingying had created crumbled into pieces and seven clones that had lost over ninety per cent of their mana jumped down to challenge the girl in close combat. "She can use the Big Dipper Formation all on her own¡­ I guess that''s to be expected from an Emei Church Luminary." Jimga mumbled to himself. The Big Dipper Formation was a speciality martial art formation of the Emei Church. Using seven disciples, the Emei Church could launch a deadly one-off attack that could melt through even the toughest of defences. Not to mention, the scale of the attack was solely dependent on the casters'' spiritual level. If seven Spirit Venerates from the Emei Sect had gathered together to execute the Big Dipper Formation, even the Lantis Republic''s Obsidian Xuanwu''s defences would be melted down in a blink of an eye. "The Meijing Clan girl isn''t one to be underestimated either." Yeunghi eyes were shaking as she watched Bingying single-handedly deal with the seven clones that were thirsting for her flesh. The swordplay that she had displayed far surpassed the average swordmaiden''s as was basically on par with her own Ice Fairy Sword Dance. If Bingying weren''t part of the Lantis Republic, Yeunghi would be scrambling to sign her into her faction. Changing her gaze from the arena to the audience members, Yeunghi caught sight of a young simple-looking girl who was grasping her sheathed sword in excitement. Her eyes flashed a hint of insight, and if not for the young man holding her back, Yeunghi was confident that the girl would rush onto the stage to test out her new moves. "Look, Haeun is getting motivated. Perhaps when all of the matches are done and dusted, we could ask the Meijing girl to give Haeun some pointers." "You know that it''s impossible." Jimga sighed at the ludicrous idea. Why would a Luminary from the Lantis Republic make time to spar with a Rank 29 Spirit Core cultivator? "You''ll never know if you try..." Yeunghi smiled. She knew how outlandish the idea sounded, but for the sake of the development of Haeun, it was worth a shot. While the two swordmasters from the Dalgeom Sect were fantasising over potentially fixing a match against Haeun and Bingying, the sky-blue haired maiden had just cut down the final clone that Sierra had sent to test her. Up till this point, the two beauties had only been feeling one another out. However, with the final blow that Bingying and landed, that was all about to change. Nine petals spun out from the Iordral Lotus that was in Sierra''s hands and orbited around the arena like the planets moving around the sun. Bnnngg Bnnnggg Bnnnggg!!! The nine petals released an ominous sound, bringing the world to a standstill. Charging¡­ Charging¡­ The petals continued to shine brighter and brighter, blinding the lowly peasants at the bottom within seconds. BANNNGGGG!!!! Without warning, one of the nine petals burst into a ball of light and thick deadly energy beams, sped to the ground at a speed that was incapable of tracking by the human eye. Sensing danger, Meijing Bingying subconsciously dodged the falling petal strike and watched as the floor beneath her melted at the impact. At the same time, more clones created by Sierra launched themselves out of the thick green smog, forcing Bingying to go beyond her physical limits for the first time in the match. ''Tskkk, so many pesky attacks.'' From the skies, eight floating petals could explode at any moment. On the ground, a cloud of thick green smoke that could melt any entity that walked into it and hid the deadly clones which wielded a copy of the deadly obsidian dagger. With no other option, Bingying was forced to play her trump card. ''There''s no other choice.'' Stabbing the Spectral Reaver blade into the concrete floor of the arena, Bingying summoned out all of her mana to cast the one ability that she had hoped to save in case she had to face Lukman from the Kori Federation or the Crimson Ghost from the Himmel Empire. Nonetheless, now that she was forced into a corner, there was no other choice than to execute this ability. A phantom of the Enigmatic Narwhal made out of blue celestial particles jumped out from the depths of her soul and splashed into the ground like it was a whale jumping out of the ocean in the middle of the deep blue sea. The particles being released from the impact spread out like wildfire, freezing anything that it had come in contact with. "Another domain?! Do domain users grow on trees in the Lantis Republic?!" One journalist cried out in horror. Qilong Hu had just demonstrated his ability to control his surroundings through his superior rain domain, and now, Meijing Bingying was displaying her own version of the legendary spiritual ability. Not caring about the constant talk, Bingying allowed the blue particles to spread out as wide as they possibly could and in less than three seconds, the entire field had turned into an artic landfill. ''Hoho¡­ Now that''s a problem¡­'' Still obscured in the thick green smog, Sierra Glynrel let out a sigh of praise. Domain users were rare for a reason. To alter their surroundings as they deem fit while enhancing their own spiritual powers was a heaven-defying act. For Spirit Users to learn such a technique, not only must their comprehension levels be off the charts, but their mana reserves must be colossal as compared to the average joe. Hence, it was typical for Rank 60 Spirit Kings and above to learn a domain as their next spiritual ability, not a mere Rank 40 Spirit Spectre. To put it in perspective, the Kori Federation had fourteen Luminaries participating in the Summit. Of the fourteen of them, only one of them had learnt to create a domain. Yet, the Lantis Republic had shown two talents capable of such a feat. ''Why don''t you get out from that smoke!!!'' Meijing Bingying was oblivious to the high praise that her opponent had for her and created dozens of ice spears from her control over the ice field. Threatened by the icy hail of spears, Sierra Glynrel was forced to defend herself using the petals being created by her Iordral Lotus. At the same time, the domain formed by Bingying allowed her to generate twice the amount of frost mist, at half the resource cost. In just a brief five seconds, the green smog was eaten up by Bingying domain, bringing the Flower of the North''s sultry body, that was drenched to the bone by sweat, to full view. "The tables have turned..." Yeunghi started to find herself rooting for the Meijing Clan heir rather than her own country''s Flower of the North. "How will Sierra escape from this situation?" "You know that lass..." On the other hand, Jimga wasn''t really that concerned. He knew how resilient those from the Emei Church really were, and as their representative, there was no way that Sierra would give in without a fight. "She will come up with a solution." Meijing Bingying reversed the entire battle situation with the flick of her wrist and the cast of a domain. Generating chunks of ice and propelling them at high speeds, the Pearl in the East kept Sierra constantly moving, to prevent any form of counterattack. ''How long can she resist?'' Bingying wondered. While the situation seemed to be advantageous for the young woman, keeping the domain up and running was taxing. In just a few short minutes, Bingying would be forced to release the domain or risk the danger of bringing herself to total mana exhaustion. Thus, she had to finish the match as quickly as she could. However, Sierra was tricky. Her Emei Shadowless Steps enabled her to move at phantom speeds, and each time an ice spear seemed to pierce into her flesh, Sierra immediately turned into a petal and reformed herself as if she were an illusionist. ''As expected of the Pearl in the East¡­ She''s much stronger than anyone else in the Church!'' Sierra compared her opponent to her fellow maidens. She had always dominated the rankings since joining the Church and other than Lukman, there was no one else in the Kori Federation that could match up to her abilities. ''I''m glad I came to the Summit¡­ Thank you, Pearl in the East. Thank you for existing¡­ And thank you¡­ For becoming prey to my blade!!!'' Only by facing tough opponents would Sierra improve. If she could squash her foes with one slash of her blade, what was the point in training? Sierra broke open the plastered-on seal on the black dagger, allowing a black mist to flow out from its core. Almost instantly, the veins on her right hand began to pop as the redness inside of Sierra''s body turned charcoal black. ''Power¡­ This¡­ Is¡­ POWER!!!'' The pure and chaste Lotus in her left hand trembled in fear at the foreign power but eventually allowed itself to be corrupted through the will of its master. A changed woman, Sierra sped forward at thrice her original speed and reappeared right behind of Bingying. ''Hmph! Do you think your Spirit Armament is the only one capable of raising your strength?!'' Bingying scoffed at the ignorance of Sierra. The Spectral Reaver released a torrent of icy mist, and with a swing of her arm, the air behind of Bingying immediately turned into a colossal iceberg. Unfortunately, the ''Sierra'' that had attacked Bingying had long turned into a petal. ''Another one of the Emei Church''s mimicry! Shit! Where is she now?'' Bingying looked around frantically. Losing sight of your opponent during a bout was tantamount to throwing the match. She heightened her senses, but all she got was the lingering scent of petals and a dreadful feeling of fear for not knowing what was going to happen next. In desperation, she turned to her allies in the Lantis Republic''s tent, hoping to get some clues. However, what Bingying had found had horrified her to her core. ''A-b-o-v-e?'' Reading the lips of Jingyu Taiyi, Bingying finally understood where Sierra had disappeared to. Alas, it was too late. The moment she glanced upwards, a deathly cold blade could be seen just inches away from her eye. There was nowhere to run. No way to dodge. The only thing that Bingying could do was to accept her fate as the loser and pray that she wouldn''t die from the exchange. Closing her eyes in prayer, the young woman shivered in fear as the blade continued to descend. CCCLLLIINNNNKKKK!!! However, the collision that she had anticipated to happen didn''t come to pass. As she opened her eyes, Bingying could see a wrinkled hand grasping the black dagger by the tip of her long fingernails. "Sierra¡­ You tried to kill her, didn''t you?" An aged voice echoed into Bingying''s ears. "Master! I..." "What did I tell you about using that power? Are you trying to break the commandments laid down by the Emei Church?" "No! Master, I would never! I¡­ Got carried away." Releasing her hold on the dagger, Sierra immediately knelt down, shivering. It was said that the Flower of the North was by far the most valiant female warrior of the Terre Continent, and even death couldn''t bring her to her knees. Yet, that very same brave soul was now begging with tears in her eyes. "Carried away¡­ That just shows your immaturity. Twenty-five-years old and yet you let your emotions decide your actions. When we get back, I''ll have to properly discipline you. Go! Return to your place!" "Y-Yes, Master!" The old woman sealed the dagger with her own spiritual signature and kept it in her pocket before turning to the stunned Pearl in the East. Putting on her most maternal smile, the woman helped Bingying to her feet. "My apologies. My disciple has broken the rules and used a power far superior to the level of a Spirit Spectre. The win is yours." "A-Ah?" "I applaud your strength. Sierra would only use that power if she felt threatened. Nonetheless, she shouldn''t have done it. I understand that just a mere apology wouldn''t suffice, so I''ll send some gifts your way after the Summit. I hope that you would forgive our Church." Unable to properly formulate words since she had just escaped from a near-death experience, Bingying simply nodded unknowingly. "Wonderful! Ingram, our Kori Federation forfeits the match!" "If the Cardinal says so..." The first match between the beauties of the world ended with a no contest win for Meijing Bingying. While the history books and newspapers would laud her as the reigning top beauty of the world, only those who spectated the match would truly understand the intricacies behind the whole fight... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 343 Maidens Take The Stage 3 "Haeun, that was quite the match right?" A Dalgeom Sect male disciple tapped the mesmerised girl on the shoulder. "..." After witnessing the frantic exchange between Sierra Glynrel and Meijing Bingying, the whole crowd went silent for a bit. In the beginning, the Flower of the North seemed to have the undisputable advantage, with her array of martial arts from the Emei Church and her expertise over the Iordral Lotus. However, in just a blink of an eye, the Pearl in the East reversed that situation by creating her own domain, stunning everyone who was spectating. Finally, when the final whistle was blown, Sierra was about to land the killing blow and was abruptly stopped by her very own master. The first fight between the Luminaries had ended in a dramatic fashion, just what the crowd had hoped for. Through that one exchange, many talented cultivators from the younger generation had become inspired as they finally have a role model to work towards. And Lee Haeun from the Dalgeom Sect was no exception. "Haeun! Wait, what are you doing?!" Ignoring the pestering bee that had been babysitting her for the past few hours, Haeun leapt into the arena, slipping past all of the security guards that had their minds momentarily taken out from their souls since witnessing that epic match. Before they could react, Haeun had long made her way into the ring where Meijing Bingying was still busy catching her breath. "Senior! Please, listen to my one request!" Haeun didn''t care about the uproar that was in the background, nor did she hear the exasperated voice of her faction''s leader, Yeunghi. Haeun''s eyes were firmly affixed on the gorgeous sky-blue haired woman. Normally soft-spoken, Haeun wasn''t familiar with the appropriate tone to use in a public setting. Almost biting her tongue, the young girl composed herself through light repeated taps on her chest. At this moment, Haeun had one objective, and if she screwed it over, she would regret it for the rest of her life. "Please, senior! Please, spar with me for one round!" Haeun could feel it. She was on the precipice of a breakthrough. Stagnant at Rank 29 for the past few months now, the young swordmaiden had been desperately searching for a clue. A hint of how she could escape the rut that she was in. As a potential legacy inheritor of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance faction, Haeun couldn''t be continuously stuck in the same place. She couldn''t let down the hopes of her seniors and of her faction''s current legacy holder, Yeunghi. "Your match¡­ Your swordplay¡­ Made me inspired! If I can spar with you for just one round, I''m sure that I''ll break through Rank 29 and reach even greater heights! Please! Let me spar with you!" Almost at the point of falling to her knees, Haeun bowed her head, hoping that Bingying would grant that one request of hers. ''What the hell is this lass talking about?'' Looking at the curly-layered haired girl, Bingying raised her left eyebrow while turning back to her camp to seek for answers. She had never seen Haeun in her life and yet, she was asking for a sparring session? Hoping that one of her friends would have the answer, Bingying caught eyes with a particular trickster, who had a sinister smile plastered all over his face. "Ladies and gentlemen! Now that we have seen the two great beauties from the Kori Federation and our Lantis Republic fight, don''t you think that it''s time for the Southern beauty from the Himmel Empire to make her debut?" Further playing into his role as a circus host, Jingyu Taiyi jumped into the arena and addressed the entire crowd, whispering the sweet nothings that they all hoped to hear. Kanari visibly jolted as her name was mentioned without warning and a sense of dread engulfed her entire being. "Alas, isn''t it tragic? The Witch in the South isn''t old enough, nor is she at a sufficient cultivation level to challenge my Junior Sister. However, this lass here¡­ She''s at Rank 29 while the Witch in the South is at Rank 27! Aren''t they perfectly aligned to spar with each other?" "Yeah! That makes sense!" "If Kanari Saniela can''t fight with other Luminaries, why can''t she fight someone of an equivalent cultivation level?" Blinded by their desire to see Kanari compete, the audience quickly agreed to Jingyu Taiyi''s wild claim, disregarding how unnatural the match would seem. The VIPs were no exception. While taken aback at the sudden suggestion, after a moment of consideration, many started to open up to that idea. ''If Kanari shows her strength, at least we can show that the Himmel Empire has up and coming talents that haven''t matured yet.'' Prince Koshaku pondered to himself. Kanari''s young age and insufficient cultivation level had been a thorn in the Imperial''s side since first coming to the Summit. Why did the Himmel Empire have to turn the other cheek when being berated by others? Why did the Crimson Ghost decline Lorian Yang''s challenge? Wasn''t it precisely because of how lacking their talent pool was? "Gonggong¡­ What do you think?" "Your Highness, I think that it''s an excellent idea!" The Imperial Eunuch pinched his nose to freshen up and replied with a beaming smile. "Kanari would be able to showcase her talent, and no one else would dare to undermine our country''s talent. Honestly, that Jingyu Taiyi is a godsend." "Mnnnmmm¡­ I agree." Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn didn''t have any objections. If anything, he wanted Kanari to take the stage and beat the crap out of her opponent. "I see¡­ Go and tell Kanari our decision." Prince Koshaku laid down a succinct order to his minister. Gonggong added on with an ominous warning. "The Duchess wouldn''t be that thrilled that we used Kanari though." "We''ll deal with it when it happens." The Imperial Prince turned his gaze towards Zhangyu Yaoguai, who had a similarly flared expression. Evidently, Jingyu Taiyi''s suggestion wasn''t part of the original plan. "Right now, we have to reclaim the high ground from the Lantis Republic and that''s the only way that we can proceed." ~~~~~ ''Urghhh, why the hell do I have to be implicated?!'' After the Imperial Edict came knocking on her door, Kanari knew that her fate was sealed. She only wished to enjoy the numerous matches between the Luminaries of the world. Kanari didn''t want to be dragged into the centre of a match that had no connection to her. Unfortunately for Kanari, she was the only one that shared that sentiment. Almost the entire crowd was cheering for the famed Witch in the South, for this was her first public appearance. They had heard numerous stories of how she down Spirit Core cultivators when she was just a child and how she dominated her cohort by advancing to Rank 27 at the tender age of sixteen. However, seeing was believing after all. Stepping onto the ring, Kanari dropped her shoulders as she watched Haeun unsheathe a white, frosty sword from her scabbard. "Sorry. I never thought that I had to fight you." Lee Haeun issued a heartfelt apology. She had only wanted to advance in her skills, not to entangle someone else in her mess. "They say that if I beat you, I''ll get to train with the Pearl in the East." "You..." Kanari didn''t know what to say. Should she chastise the young girl for chasing to improve herself? No, if Kanari were in her shoes, she would have probably done the same thing. Just not in such an open manner. "Whatever¡­ Let''s just get this over with." The Summit was a place for exhibition matches after all. Since the world wanted to see her skills, Kanari would display it all at full mast. Instantly merging with the Kumiho, nine fluffy tails grew out from the bottom of Kanari''s waist as two erect ears crept up the crown of her head. Raising her two arms out wide, the fox girl created three pale blue flames that rotated themselves around her petite body. At the same time, a dense spiritual pressure was released from the depths of her soul. "There it is! The Triple Elemental Spirit, Kumiho!" "We finally get to see it in person!" "My god¡­ She''s so beautiful¡­ A celestial! Is she a celestial?!" "Pull yourself together!!! We have to document this for our citizens back home to read!!!" The crowd got into an immediate uproar after witnessing the nine tails of Kanari. The Kumiho was a unique entity, even in the upper echelons of the cultivation world. While there had been multiple dual-elemental Spirits roaming about in this bizarre world, nothing could even come close to the Kumiho''s triple threat of Fire, Air and Mind. "..." The crowd may have been impressed, but Haeun wasn''t really into the hype. For her, it was much more useful to challenge Meijing Bingying and her Spectral Reaver sword then to share an exchange with possibly the most talented cultivator of her entire generation. Nonetheless, it was a match that she couldn''t bear to lose. "Apologies¡­ I have to get this over and done with..." Closing her eyes, Haeun allowed luminous spectres of light to congregate before her face forming a small little humanoid creature. The creature had a pair of adorable pixie wings that sprinkled a speck of chilling dust with every flutter. Ignoring the stares that it got, the immature fairy fell into Haeun''s white sword with a plop, bringing a particular type of life and vigour into the inanimate sword. ''Merging her Spirit with her Spirit Armament¡­ This is going to be annoying.'' Kanari readied her combat stance as the three pale blue flames intensified with each passing second. "Lee Haeun. Rank 29. Spirit, the Nykur Fairy. Please advise me." "Kanari Saniela¡­ Rank 27. Spirit, the Kumiho. Please advise me." ~~~~~ "Shin¡­ Kanari is taking the stage!" Shizen excitedly tapped on the shoulders of his partner. "I know, I have eyes." The black-haired youth replied with a mouthful of salt. The situation has evolved in a manner that could only be described as unpredictable. Everyone had anticipated that the fights would continue to escalate slowly with the thirty-three Luminaries taking the stage at the final moment. When that happens, the Summit will come to a close, and everyone would leave the Land of Dreams satisfied with their gains. Yet, the last two fights had defied convention and threw the expectations of the audience into a chaotic whirlwind. Firstly, the two beauties of the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic encountered each other at least twenty matches too early, resulting in the Flower of the North nearly killing off the Pearl in the East. Following that match, Lee Haeun from the Dalgeom Sect rushed onto the stage and demanded a spar with Meijing Bingying, and was only given the right to do so if she beat the Witch in the South in open combat. While the matches were unexpected, no one could argue that it wasn''t welcomed. Judging from the reactions of the audience, having Kanari and Haeun compete would trump anything that the Luminaries could provide. It was as if all the standard rules had been thrown out of the window, and it was now a free for all where anything could happen. At that moment, Shin could feel a burning gaze that permeated through his veins and targeted his very soul. Tracing the unpleasant feeling, the boy met eyes with a brown-skinned young man, who was seated firmly in the Kori Federation''s camp. ''Lukman from the Tuareg Sect...'' Shin recognised the infamous face. Qilong Hu from the Lantis Republic. The Crimson Ghost from the Himmel Empire. And finally, Lukman from the Kori Federation. These were the three Luminaries that led the charge for each of their nations. They were all at Rank 43 and were all considered to be the cream of the crop. There was no question that the main event of the exhibition matches would somehow include the three of them. And yet, one of the protagonists of the show was glaring straight at Shin''s direction. ''Does he recognise me?'' Shin did his best to keep a stoic expression. He was still in disguise and was hidden from the public eye. If he played dumb, then perhaps Lukman would look away. Fortunately, the menace from the Tuareg Sect gave a sly laugh, before returning his gaze to the match that was about to happen. Now that crisis was averted, Shin could finally breathe easy as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead. ''Tskkk, I hope that I won''t get implicated somehow...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 344 Maidens Take The Stage 4 Lee Haeun raised her sword high and oscillated it once. Clink! Clink! Clink! Whenever her pure white sword moved forty-five degrees, a phantom of itself was left behind, and the particles slowly congregated into three ice swords above her head. Like a gentle maiden seeking a walk in the summer breeze, Lee Haeun gracefully executed her sword techniques as if she were a swan dancing on the water. "Dance, my blades." Each elegant step that the young girl took released a torrent of white pixie dust which shrouded her silken slim ankles. The three blades at the top of her head each flew at Kanari with their own unique attacks. The first one moved in a wide arc to execute a slash, the second one darted forward like an arrow as a piercing strike, and the last blade swivelled erratically, slicing and dicing the air as if it were eradicating weeds in a garden. Meanwhile, Haeun didn''t stay stagnant. The handed down Spirit Blade in her hand shone with resplendence bringing forth a chilling temperature akin to that of the arctic circle. She knew that the Witch in the South was a menace to be reckoned with and to beat her, Haeun had to throw everything that she had. ''Hah¡­ What''s the point of this?'' Kanari immediately waved one of her tails to create a stormy gale that pushed the swords back without even looking at them. At the same time, one of the three blue flames fell onto the floor, allowing her to create a zone of scorched earth, barring any movement towards her. ''Tsk¡­ Meddlesome.'' Lee Haeun leapt into the skies like a leopard and rotated her body to keep herself airborne. Barely evading the flaming ground, the Dalgeom Sect disciple jumped over Kanari''s head and immediately re-established herself right behind the black-haired girl. BOOOOOOMMMM!!! Kanari wasn''t a slouch though. Predicting the trajectory of Haeun''s movements, Kanari spun one of her flames at an untraceable speed and landed it accurately at the spot where her opponent landed. A deafening explosion tore through the crisp warm air, enveloping the swordmaiden in a ball of flames. "Is she dead?" One spectator remarked. The detonation of her blue flame sent shockwaves through the arena. It wasn''t strange to think that Haeun wouldn''t have survived that attack. "Do you honestly think that a Spirit Core cultivator from the Dalgeom Sect would go down that easily?" Another scoffed at his fellow spectator''s ignorance. As if to prove his point, a gleaming light burst forth from the engulfed flames, revealing a pristine young woman, who had her lips pursed as if she was mildly pissed off. Bringing her blade up to her cheek, Haeun closed her eye and allowed the mana to flow through her and into the white blade in her hands. The sword twinkled as the same fairy dust began to flow out from its cold, sinister blade and fell to the ground. Each sprinkle of dust froze the ground beneath Haeun, each blooming into a gorgeous tiny flower. Bit by bit, the desolate concrete floor had turned into a flower garden of ice and frost. ''Icy Dust!!!'' Utilising the Dalgeom Sect''s movement technique, Haeun closed in the distance between Kanari and herself within the blink of an eye. Forced to defend herself, Kanari used her transformed fox nails to clash with the oncoming slash. However, as her hands approached the blade, Kanari could feel a tingling pain in her finger joints. ''Frostbite!'' Immediately determining the cause, Kanari coated her right hand with a blue flame to melt away the ice flowers that were forming on her fingers. At the same time, her ruby eyes turned vampiric, and Kanari used her Mind Elemental Charm ability to mesmerise Haeun for a brief moment while she jumped to safety. ''That dust that she creates¡­ It freezes anything that''s within a few metres of it!'' Kanari deduced. ''As much as I hate to do this¡­ I have to end it before it gets too dangerous.'' Initially, Kanari thought that she could feel Haeun out for a few moves before she got serious. Unfortunately, the tight movements and deadly strikes that the Dalgeom Sect''s disciple was generating were anything but light. Kanari had to finish the match before Haeun ends her. BANNNGGG!!! Kanari mana strengthened her body to the absolute limit before racing forward at breakneck speeds. Trained by Saint Firebird, the young girl knew how to fight at the level of a martial arts master while utilising the pale blue flames that the Kumiho could generate. Coating her hands with fire, Kanari melted away the icy dust as smoothly as flicking her fingers. Haeun was sharp. After being temporarily bewitched by Kanari''s ''Charm,'' the swordmaiden knocked herself into concentration and barely evaded the flaming fist by the breadth of a hair. From there, a full-on brawl ensued. Haeun used her Ice Fairy Sword Dance. Kanari applied the martial arts that had been handed down to her by dozens of experts that the Highgarden Duchy had hired for her. The two clashed violently, and each time a hit collided, the crowd would shake as their faces flushed with excitement. Earlier on, the match between the Luminaries was thrilling in their own right, but many couldn''t follow the movements of Bingying, Sierra or Qilong Hu. Even Lorian Yang''s match was difficult to follow if they weren''t at the very least a Spirit Spectre. Hence, the match between the two Spirit Core cultivators was a breath of fresh air. They could clearly see the punches and dodges. The sweet sweat that dropped down from the girl''s hair and onto the floor. Each grunt and shout that the maidens cried out. And most importantly, the movements and martial arts that the two prodigies had. "Kanari really is the perfect being..." Shizen dropped his face and frowned. "She''s good at studying, has good looks, was born into a mighty background, powerful with her spiritual abilities and now¡­ She''s capable of going toe to toe with a martial arts expert? The Immortals above are really biased..." Shizen had fought with Kanari back in the semi-finals of the Year-End Tournaments. Back then, Kanari used a mixture of spiritual abilities to overwhelm Shizen in every aspect possible, but now, she was only using martial arts to push back Haeun, who was a pure sword master. "Haha, she does have her weaknesses though..." Shin laughed at the nature boy''s words. Kanari was perfect. So much so that there was basically no one that didn''t envy her. However, because of that envy, because of that distance that she had with the common man, Kanari was inept in all sorts of social interactions. Always seated on the pedestal, the world from her eyes was much different than Shin''s or any others. There was basically no one that could be her equal, let alone surpass her. For that reason, she didn''t have the social capabilities of an average person. An excellent example of how socially inept Kanari was, was the first time she met with Shin. Forcing her ideas to build a connection, Kanari had almost ruined a cordial relationship and almost lost any hope of winning Shin over. If not her mending Shin''s wounds when he lost to Danroy for the first time, it would have been almost impossible for the downtrodden youth to open up, even just a little bit, to Kanari. ''No one''s perfect in the world...'' Shin knew a side of Kanari that the world didn''t. In fact, Kanari herself might be unaware of her blatant flaws. Nonetheless, Shin wasn''t going to leave her side just because of some social flaws that Kanari had. The boy had long begun to see Kanari as a good friend of his, who is earnest in her intention, but morbidly poor in her actions. Just as he needs social help from the orphans back home, his friends in the academy, and his beloved master, Shin wanted to be a pillar of support for Kanari as well. BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! The duel between Kanari and Haeun had finally reached its climax. Haeun was utterly outmatched when it came to martial arts and had continuously been defending herself with a high guard. Kanari kept pushing and pushing, ignoring the blisters that started to form on her soft, silky hands. Victory was just an inch in sight. She couldn''t slip up now. ''How is she so fast?!'' Haeun cried out mentally. She had fought with multiple swordmaidens in her young twenty-year-old life, but she had never fought a peer that could push her to the brink of collapse that smoothly. Of the twenty-five major moves of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Haeun has mastered thirteen, more than anyone of her age. She had towered through many sword masters from her sect just by using the thirteen major moves, and yet, Haeun hadn''t been able to break through Kanari''s guard! While Kanari''s additional nine limbs helped in interrupting Haeun''s swordplay flow, it didn''t make sense that the swordmaiden had to be forced on the defensive for that long of a time. Each time Haeun felt that she could break through and land a clean hit on Kanari''s body, a furry white Kumiho tail would slap her sword away with no remorse. Furthermore, it didn''t help that Kanari''s agility and speed were slightly more advanced as compared to her own. ''I''m going to lose?'' Haeun feared the worst. The condition that Jingyu Taiyi had laid down for her to get a match with the Pearl in the East was to beat Kanari in an open match. Yet, not only was she nowhere close to bringing Kanari down, she hadn''t been able to land a single blow on the fox lady that was hunting her down. ''If not for those erratic tails, I would have¡­ Erratic?'' Watching Kanari''s nine tails move in whichever manner they pleased, Haeun began to have an epiphany. Each tail wagged by itself as if they had a mind on its own. However, if one observed carefully enough, a pattern would emerge. It seemed as if they were individual limbs that defended and attacked as they pleased, but in truth, they all shared one collective brain. Kanari''s brain. They all moved thoughtlessly, just as how a human would control the hands to swap a fly out of the air without any prior thought. That was the secret of the nine tails, and also¡­ ''The fourteenth stance! Snowflakes in the Sky!'' The fairy dust being released from Haeun''s blade turned into gorgeous, crystalline snowflakes and they all floated up against gravity, glimmering with a vicious sword intent. Like Kanari''s tails, the snowflakes all moved erratically, instantly opening up the space that had been constrained by Kanari abilities. "W-What?!" Kanari bit the lower part of her lip and jumped back. ''Danger.'' That was all that she could tell. If she continued fighting in the same manner, there was no doubt in her mind that Haeun would gain the upper hand. ''I can''t just use martial arts anymore¡­ Tsk, I didn''t want to use Lunar Beam, but looks like I have no choice.'' Kanari unwillingly decided to use her ace in the hole. It would spend a tonne of mana, but to finish the match, the exhaustion would be well worth it. However, before she could continue to execute the finishing blow, Haeun sat down, ignoring the cries from the crowd, and started to meditate. The Nykur Fairy escaped out of the pure white sword and floated up into the sky with pure jubilation written across its small face. "She''s¡­ Breaking through?" Prince Koshaku rubbed his eyes as he couldn''t believe what he was witnessing. Instead of finishing the match, Haeun actually just¡­ Sat down?! "Yeunghi..." Deputy Prime Minister Venus wasn''t that thrilled as well. "Your faction''s disciple sure is a piece of work." "M-My apologies, your honour! I''ll be sure to discipline her when we get back!" "No¡­ It''s fine." Fortunately, the Deputy Prime Minister didn''t want to make a big commotion about a mere junior. "She''s putting her cultivation first. That''s an admirable aspect of a Spirit User. However, please make sure that this kind of scenario won''t repeat itself ever again." "Y-Yes! Your Honour!" ''ARGHHHH!!! This Haeun! Can''t you just breakthrough a little bit later?!'' While Yeunghi was chiding her protege mentally, deep down in her heart, the swordmaiden was secretly jumping for joy. Learning fourteen out of the twenty-five moves that the Ice Fairy Sword Dance had at her age was no mean feat. Yeunghi herself had only mastered eight when she was just twenty-years-old. Without an opponent to fight, Kanari had released her Spiritual Body Enhancement while frowning in displeasure the entire time. ''You pulled me down here just so that you could break through to Rank 30?! You sure have some nerve...'' If Haeun were part of the Himmel Empire, Kanari would be sure to punish her with all of the resources that she had. Fortunately for the swordmaiden, the Highgarden Duchy didn''t have any jurisdiction in the Kori Federation. Clap¡­ Clap¡­ Clap¡­ Just as Kanari was about to leave the arena and return back to her seat, she was stopped by the sonorous harmony of two hands meeting each other, again and again. "What a wonderful match between Spirit Core cultivators!" A tanned man commended the valiant efforts of Kanari and Haeun as he beamed from ear to ear. "Lukman¡­ What are you doing down there?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus looked down at the Luminary, who should have been patiently waiting his turn to fight. "Your Honour, don''t you think that it''s unfair for only Spirit Adepts and Spirit Spectres to participate in the exhibition matches?" Unfazed by the pressure that his superior was exuding, Lukman followed in the footsteps of Jingyu Taiyi and opened his arms out wide. "There are plenty of Spirit Core cultivators that are capable of sharing the stage with us. These two ladies are the finest of examples!" "What are you getting at, boy?" The Blacksmith League President, Ingram, questioned Lukman. "Let''s all be honest here. Other than the Witch in the South, aren''t we all looking forward to seeing another Spirit Core practitioner take the stage? The boy that has been on the tip of everyone''s tongue for the past couple of days?" "Don''t tell me..." Through his words, one could infer what Lukman was planning to do. Qilong Hu''s match with Lorian Yang had proven that a Spirit User with higher cultivation could easily face someone of lower stature. Zheng Kieren''s match with Brahmadhvaja Kittichat had shown that not one person in the Summit could be underestimated. And finally, the straw that broke the camel''s back, Kanari''s match with Haeun had broken the unwritten rules of the exhibition match that only Spirit Adepts and above could compete. All of these factors had laid the groundwork for Lukman''s final plan. Now that these matches have been contested, no one could question Lukman''s decision anymore. Pointing up high into the audience stands, the tanned man singled out the one person that everyone was talking about. The one person that could bring the Summit to its knees. And¡­ The only person that Lukman wanted to face. "I challenge Shin Awter to a match!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 345 Chapter 30: Lukman 1 ''He wants to challenge me?!'' Shin''s mind went blank. Thousands of eyes had traced Lukman''s finger, and they managed to find the unsuspecting youth that was hidden in plain sight. "That''s Shin Awter? The boy behind all of the Summit''s recent mayhem?!" "He actually dares to show up here?" Whispers of shock and confusion echoed among the hyped-up audience. They were all here for the Summit and were all up-to-date with current events. While five of the six entities present had already signed agreements to join in the Alliance against the Black Masks, only the Lantis Republic refused to participate in any further negotiations until their terms where met. And their terms were exceedingly simple. Hand over Shin Awter, or there would be no deal. Thus, Shin had instantly become an overnight sensation. Journalists and intelligence agencies from each entity alike would dig up anything that they could about the young boy. His features, his habits, his martial arts, his spiritual abilities, his favourite foods¡­ Nothing was left to the imagination. "Brat¡­ What the hell are you getting at?!" A booming voice reverberated through the stadium, bringing all commotion to a halt. Longyu Tian, who had been quiet this entire time, had unleashed her wrath in the protection of her prized jewel. "Saint of Time, I didn''t mean to offend." Lukman bowed down at a ninety-degree angle as nervous beads of sweat flowed down from his forehead. He may be brazen, but there was no way that he wouldn''t fear one of the mightiest beings of the world. Lukman''s talent didn''t matter at all. If Longyu Tian wanted to obliterate the youth, all she needed to do was snap her fingers in disgust. Hence, the tanned young man had to choose his words wisely. "As many of us know, the Lantis Republic is trying to claim Shin Awter as their own. However, what we don''t know, is how talented said boy is. Doesn''t the world deserve to know about Shin''s true powers?" "Brat, are you trying to question our decision?" A simple threat. Yet, those few words were sufficient to force the entire audience to enter into a mental breakdown. Prince Koshaku, Lady Seph, Deputy Prime Minister Venus, President Ingram, Guild Leader Xerxes, Zhangyu Yaoguai, and Divine Healer Raphael were all perspiring heavily as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown onto their bodies. No one could escape the wrath of a Spirit Saint, and they had already written Lukman off as a dead man. "Now, now. We shouldn''t jump to conclusions." Fortunately for the Tuareg Sect member, the Kori Federation''s Spirit Saint had his back. Saint Geom calmed Longyu Tian and offered his two cents on the matter. "What Lukman''s saying is correct. We haven''t been able to witness the full grandeur of Shin''s battle powers. Don''t you think that it''ll be good for the Lantis Republic to see what they''re getting first?" "Saint Geom¡­ What are you saying?" "Don''t you think that it''s unfair for the Lantis Republic to not know what they''re fighting for." The aged swordsman gestured to the younger generation from the Republic. Some were confused, others weren''t all that sure about what they were fighting for. All they knew that it was imperative for them to follow their superiors orders, even if they didn''t understand the full gravity of the situation. "You can''t let them feel uncertain about their beliefs¡­ Furthermore, wouldn''t it be interesting to watch the boy use all of his abilities?" Saint Geom whispered sweet nothings into Longyu Tian''s ear. Up till this point, she had only heard of Shin speak of his abilities. The Saint of Time had never actually witnessed him fight firsthand. "Esteemed Saint of Time, I''m not saying that we have a spar according to the rules of the exhibition matches." To give one final push, Lukman raised his voice with a proposal. "I will only use one spiritual ability, while Shin Awter would get to use everything at his disposal. Furthermore, I would ban myself from using martial arts too! I won''t even use spiritual pressure to weaken him!" Lukman came prepared. He already knew that a Spirit Spectre challenging a Spirit Core cultivator was ludicrous. Thus, the Tuareg Sect''s Luminary had placed all sorts of restrictions on himself. "If I break any of those restrictions, you can punish me with everything that you have!" Once more bowing to the Spirit Saints, Lukman begged for a fight with Shin, stunning everyone in the audience. "Why is he so adamant about challenging Shin?" Saint Althea, Lady Seph''s master and Shin''s grandmaster, murmured to herself. "Is there something that we''re missing?" "..." Saint Firebird didn''t say anything. He was supposed to protect the members from the Himmel Empire, but even he was moved by Lukman''s desire to challenge the youth. Additionally, Saint Firebird also wanted to see Shin in action. The world was thrown into turmoil because of him, it only made sense that Shin showed the world what he had. "You¡­" Longyu Tian wanted to rebut. However, she knew that Saint Geom had a point. When she first brought it up that she wanted to make a deal where the Himmel Empire would surrender Shin in exchange for the armies of the Lantis Republic, there was harsh pushback from Zhangyu Yaoguai and the ministers from her nation. In fact, the Grand Council back home was also split in their decision. While they understood that cultivators with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon were essential for the prophecy, they didn''t think that it was an even trade. Some even thought that it was a sinister plot concocted by Longyu Tian to strengthen the Longyu Clan while weakening the other seven clans. Even the Luminaries of the Lantis Republic had harboured the same thoughts. ''Looks like Shin really has to show them what he''s got...'' As much as she didn''t want her long-lost family member to suffer, Longyu Tian didn''t really have much of a choice. Perhaps after the bout, the Himmel Empire would finally decide to relinquish their hold over the youth. "Fine¡­" Acquiescing, Longyu Tian fell onto her chair and heaved out a deep sigh. All while Shin watched in horror. ''Those assholes¡­ They didn''t even ask me how I felt!!!'' Shin wanted to scream out loud at the top of his lungs. They arbitrarily decided his fate without even asking a single word from him! Now, he had to fight against a Spirit Spectre!!! ''God damn it! God damn it!!!'' Shin cursed his own fate as two Spirit Emperors descended upon his comfy seat. It was crystal clear what they intended to do. "Please follow us." "Good luck!" Shizen hid his face while flashing a thumbs up at Shin. Running away from one Spirit Emperor was impossible, let alone two. Even if Shizen wanted to assist his friend ins escaping, they wouldn''t even be able to move a single step away from the Spirit Emperors. Shin reluctantly got up from his seat and was ''escorted'' to the centre of the fabled arena. The Summit stage was a place of honour and a location where all youths in the world hoped to stand on. Performing in front of six Spirit Saints and all of the dignitaries of the entire world? That was a dream for any cultivator, be it young or old. However, Shin didn''t care for such a vision. ''Why is that bloody Lukman challenging me?! What did I do to offend him?!'' Shin tried to dig through his memory drive, hoping to get a hint of why the tanned man would want to bring him to the stage, instead of Qilong Hu or the Crimson Ghost. However, the more he thought about it, the more questions arose. ''Whatever¡­ I''ll find out in just a bit...'' Giving in to his fate, Shin allowed the Spirit Emperors to drag him all the way to the centre stage, where thousands of eyes were waiting for his masterful performance¡­ ??? "We finally get to witness Shin Awter fight firsthand." Jingyu Taiyi''s face flushed red, and his pulse increased rapidly. As much as he was a troublemaker, it never occurred in his mind to drag down Shin to the arena. "I wonder what sights he would show us." "He''s a bearer of the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, just like you and Junior Sister Bingying." Qilong Hu replied. "There''s no way that he''ll be weak." "I''ve heard that he''s a healer and a fighter at the same time." Xunyu Feifei added on with her own findings. "Not to mention, he can create and manipulate water in any way that he likes. Isn''t that like the rarest ability in our nation?" It came as no surprise that the Lantis Republic would praise the spiritual ability to create and control water. Their entire mythos relies on water as a resource and those who are experts in it were greatly treasured in the country. Even if the cultivator weren''t part of the Eight Clans of Water, they would still receive VIP treatment that would be reserved for distinguished individuals. "However, he hasn''t been training in our ways. Is he really that special?" Longyu Linji scoffed. Whenever Shin''s name would be brought up, Linji would like an unpleasant hurricane had formed in the pits of his stomach. He was the Luminary from the Longyu Clan, and yet, everyone was raving over this new talent that wasn''t even part of the Lantis Republic. "Doesn''t that make him even more special?" Meijing Bingying furrowed her brows in thought. "Just imagine. He never had any formal education in the Celestial Water Mantra, has been living inland his entire life where the water elements are weaker and had never been baptised by theCelestial River. Yet, he had reached Rank 24 at the age of sixteen? That''s sooner than anyone of us!" "You''re right..." Qilong Hu''s face turned grim. "If he was brought into the Lantis Republic, what heights could he possibly attain?" It wasn''t that Shin hadn''t been exposed to the best resources. Lady Seph had ensured that the development of her disciple had gone as smoothly as possible. Nonetheless, the Lantis Republic could offer far more to the young boy of water than any entity could. That''s why Lady Seph was so adamant that Shin made friends with the Luminaries of the Lantis Republic during the Summit. Of course, the blonde healer never expected that Longyu Tian''s desire to obtain Shin would be that strong. "Hehe, let''s just watch him then." Jingyu Taiyi was enjoying every minute of the recent exhibition matches. "He''s going to be our junior anyway, so let''s examine him!" ??? Not everyone was enjoying the current situation like Jingyu Taiyi was though. Shin felt as if a tremendous weight had been placed upon his shoulders as he did his best to ignore the countless of gazes in his direction. Right in front of him, a tanned young man, who was by in any sense of the word, devastatingly handsome, greeted the black-haired boy with a charming smile. "Shin Awter¡­ We finally meet." "I''m sorry?" Shin didn''t understand why Lukman was so desperate to challenge him to a fight. He could understand if it was someone from the Lantis Republic, but the Tuareg Sect had no relation to Shin whatsoever. "Haha, you must be confused. Why I called you out..." Lukman chuckled. "Let me show you." VRRTTTTT!!! Lukman stomped his foot on the ground, sending a rumbling shockwave throughout the arena. VRRRRTTTTTT!!!!! The rumblings got louder and louder. Shin almost fell over as the earthquake got stronger and stronger. BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! The concrete ground around Lukman caved in rapidly bringing out fine granular particles which were light and reddish yellow in colour. The particles congregated together to create rapidly spinning tendrils that oscillated around Lukman before bowing in reverence as if the tanned man was an Imperial of their castle. No, he was royalty. The sole royal of his element. Just as with every Luminary, Lukman had a moniker that was attached to his name. One that was befitting of his abilities and worthy of describing him. Shin swallowed a gulp of air before he unconsciously repeated that name. The name that all Luminaries feared. "Lukman Ramal¡­ The Prince of Sand." "Shin Awter. Your control over water, over my control over sand! Let''s see who wins!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 346 Lukman 2 Lukman was ecstatic. He had come to the Summit in search of the perfect challenge for himself. A son of nobody, the young man, had to work his way up the Tuareg Sect, taking on setback after setback. He was belittled for his background, disdained for his talent, and spat on by his seniors. However, Lukman never gave in to the threats. He stormed his way up the hierarchy, conquering all that stood before his path. Bullies? They were bullied back. Betrayers? They were cut out from his life in a brutal fashion. His competition? All gone through his own headstrong efforts. Lukman had clawed his way to the top of the food chain and had reigned supreme since getting there. There were none in the Tuareg Sect that could challenge his dominance and few in the Kori Federation could even stand a chance against him. However, things were lonely at the top. Lukman wanted to develop new techniques, but all of the Spirit Spectres or Spirit Lords had their own responsibilities in the workforce. Many had children, sometimes even grandchildren. They didn''t want to fight against a junior that could embarrass them in front of their descendants. Hence, Lukman had been avoided like the plague by his fellow compatriots, leaving him to hunt Spirit Beasts in the hopes of increasing his strength. So why was Lukman so dominant? Why was he capable of clearing the Trial of Sand, Trial of Desert, and Trial of Mirage all before he hit twenty-five? Why was Lukman considered to be the Tuareg Sect''s first Spirit Saint hopeful? It was because of his innate ability and the Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon. The ability to create and manipulate sand. Lukman was a monster, and he knew how creative his innate spiritual ability was. Hence, when he found out that Shin Awter, the boy that had grasped the attention of every soul in the Summit, possessed the same type of ability, Lukman leapt for joy. Finding with someone with a similar spiritual ability was rare in its own right, and those that could create and manipulate their individual elements were even rarer. "Shin Awter! Show me what you''ve got!" True to his word, Lukman was only going to use his first spiritual ability to spar with Shin. Pillars of sand flew out from the ground and oscillated around the tanned young man, making the arena seem like a scene straight out from a sandstorm. ''He creates and manipulates sand?!'' Shin raised his eyebrow all while hiding the shock in his heart. All this time, Shin had been living under the assumption that he was the only person that could create and manipulate his element. If he had known that Lukman existing, perhaps Shin would have ran to the Kori Federation in search of advice. ''Whatever, at least I can learn from him now!'' Finally pumped up to do battle, Shin summoned out the Sovereign Koi, forcing the audience to release an audible gasp. "He really does have the Sovereign Koi¡­ However, what''s so special about it?" The eagle-eyed members of the crowd all tried to find any discrepancies that Shin''s Sovereign Koi had. The Longyu Clan had hundreds of cultivators that had awakened the Sovereign Koi. While not every bloodline member was able to awaken the famed Spirit, a good majority of them had done so in spectacular fashion, triggering natural phenomenons each time. It may be beneficial for the Lantis Republic to obtain Shin from the Himmel Empire, but everyone was confused about the lengths that Longyu Tian was willing to go for this child that she barely knew. Shin brought out the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles and held them within the gaps of his fingers. At the same time, he cast his own Spiritual Body Enhancement and created eight water spheres that orbited around him. Against a Spirit Spectre, albeit in a handicapped state, Shin couldn''t afford to pull any punches. SPLLATTT!!! SPLLATTT!!! SPLLATTT!!! To feel out Lukman''s power, Shin split three water spheres into thousands of water droplets and created a horizontal rain. Without even batting an eye, Lukman built a wall of sand between him and Shin, blocking the futile attempt with ease. BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! Shin coated his ankles with water and executed the Dance of the Valkyrie to gain the upper hand. Seeing a Spirit Core cultivator fly in the air came as a shock to Lukman and the rest of the audience, but they quickly calmed down after analysing the boy''s movements for a bit. "He''s using his control over water to fly¡­ That''s incredible." Meijing Bingying smiled bitterly. Everyone knew that once a cultivator crosses the first barrier of humanity, they would become capable of soaring unhindered in the skies. Yet, Shin didn''t bother to wait for his time to come. He used his control over water to self-create his ability to fly, long before the Spirit Spectre stage. ''Good! That''s what I wanted from you, Shin Awter!'' Lukman laughed mentally. He had never thought of using his control over sand to move in the skies like Shin could. It was precisely because of this creativity that Lukman wanted to challenge Shin to a match. ''Let''s see how you handle this!'' Turning the entire arena into a sandy desert, Lukman created dozens of human arms that sped upwards to grab the pesky flying youth and bury him into the ground. Somersaulting and spinning around to evade the constant threats, Shin was forced to retreat higher and higher into the air. Lukman had limited himself to only using one ability, and thus, he couldn''t personally chase Shin who was almost fifty metres up. What he could do, however, was to send those enormous sand hands to hunt Shin down. But soon¡­ That wasn''t enough. ''He''s too quick¡­ Hah, I''ll have to add something else to the equation.'' Lukman raised both his arms upwards, and twelve pillars of sand rushed to the heavens above, far surpassing the speed that Shin could outrun. The twelve pillars migrated the acres of sand up into the sky until an aerial desert was formed right above Shin''s head. ''Holy shit!!!'' Shin cried out. As fast as he was, there was no way that Shin could avoid over a hundred tonnes of sand crashing down onto his body. The two water orbs on his feet exploded in fright and propelled Shin all the way down to the sandy ground. In preparation for the impact, Shin congregated all of his water orbs into a spiralling barrier of water. That was his only hope of surviving that avalanche of endless sand. ''And it all¡­ Falls¡­ Down!!!'' Lukman snapped his finger, bringing the entire levitating desert crashing down upon the arena. PVVVTTTTT!!!! Shin''s barrier managed to hold for a good three seconds before the succumbing to the weight of the pressure, and hundreds of tonnes of sand brought Shin flat on his stomach. If not for his Spiritual Body Enhancement, Shin would have long perished to the immense pressure on his bones. Speaking of which¡­ ''God damn it¡­ I think I fractured something.'' Shin knew his body more than anyone else. Casting heal to mend some of his broken bones, the boy clawed his way to the surface with a provoked face. ''I know that you''re a Spirit Spectre, but must you really have thrown an entire fucking desert on my face?! Come on!!! There''s a limit to bullying isn''t there?!'' Shin wasn''t fighting to win. How could he? Lukman was a Spirit Spectre, not to mention a Luminary that topped the Kori Federation''s entire generation! It would take an Immortal''s miracle for Shin to somehow pull out a win. However, he couldn''t put on a bad showing either. The only thing that he could do was to do his best and lose honourably. ''And how can I lose honourably if you throw fucking deserts at me?!'' Unaware of the hate that he''s getting, Lukman chuckled, elated that Shin had survived that humongous strike. The battle was just starting. It would be boring if Shin fell at such a rudimentary attack. ''However, I can''t have you jumping up in the air again...'' Wiggling his fingers, Lukman brought up billions of sand particles to create a foggy mist that hovered twenty metres above the arena. Picking up a nearby rock, Lukman threw the solid object straight into the fog, in Shin''s presence. SLLLLICKKKK!!! The moment the rock made itself known to the mist, thousands of sands particles turned into razor-sharp blades that sliced the pebble into a pile of gravel, hinting the sinister fate that would await Shin should he dare to fly up into the skies again. ''That asshole...'' Shin was being played by Lukman. The Spirit Spectre had shown that he was capable of ending Shin whenever he felt like it. ''Still¡­ His control over sand is impressive. To think that he can create a desert and a mist like that with just his innate ability.'' "Shin Awter. Let''s not waste any time on trickery. You fight me, I fight you. Let''s keep it plain and simple." "You..." Shin was tempted to growl at Lukman. Usually, when Shin fought, he would analyse his opponents and outsmart them using a combination of trickery and superior control of the battlefield. However, Lukman didn''t fight that way. The tanned Tuareg Sect Luminary loved to face battle head-on. Lukman would overpower his opponent with his combination of attacks, and never liked to run away. Nowhere was this disparity more evident than with how the two prodigies used their innate abilities. Shin uses his creation and manipulation of water to outmanoeuvre his opponents, through a combination of wits and deceit. He loved to sit back in safety, waiting for the perfect opportunity to land the fatal blow. On the other hand, Lukman used his creativity to dominate everything around him. Be it creating dozens of unbreakable tendrils or forming a desert on top of everything, Lukman would face his foes head-on, never relenting and backing away. ''Tskkk¡­ I''m forced to play his game.'' Shin had no other choice but to play into Lukman''s hands. Since he couldn''t fight his typical way, Shin decided to improvise. ''Let''s try hitting his meridians!'' Shin leapt forward with the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles, hoping to find an opening to exploit. ''Lightning Swallow Steps!'' Shin evaded the countless of sand tendrils with the footwork technique that Mychael had imparted onto him. Though a rogue tendril would slip through his defences every now and then, Shin would brush off the injury through his own healing water, and continue his onslaught forward. "His healing ability is at the very least in the intermediate level..." Raphael from the Healer''s Association almost dropped his jaw. He had first heard of his fellow Divine Healer''s disciple, back when Saint Althea returned from Chilyoja Waypoint. Thirteen-years-old and already a healer? That sounded too good to be true. It was only after Shin came to the Healer''s Association to get his license, did Raphael finally acknowledge his inferiority in choosing disciples. Furthermore, in the three years since Shin claimed his license, he had further increased his capabilities, promoting from an elementary healer to an intermediate one. It has to be said, on average, it took a healer decades to improve just one rank. Yet, Shin broke all expectations and made it to the intermediate level all within the span of a few years. "If he had continued on the Healing Path, would he have reached my level within twenty years?" Raphael couldn''t help but wonder. A genius like Shin only comes once every blue moon. If not for the tragedy that had struck him, perhaps the Healer''s Association would have been looking at their next Divine Healer. "He should have stuck to the healing path..." Mercenary Guild Leader Xerxes overheard Raphael''s monologue and added his two cents to the matter. "He''s far too inferior in combat skills than he is healing. I mean look! He hasn''t even landed a single hit on Lukman, and he had to heal himself five times already! Such a waste of talent!" ''Heal'' was supposed to be a rare and taxing spiritual ability, one that couldn''t be cast multiple times in a short period. Yet, Shin had done so five times in short succession. It may have eluded the eyes of the regular onlooker, but the Spirit Emperors and above could clearly see the boy''s overwhelming talent in the healing arts. Even Saint Longyu Tian felt a little despondent in her heart. "Guild Leader Xerxes, you shouldn''t question another''s path. After all, you''re not the one walking it." Prince Koshaku spoke out in defence of his country''s talent. "Hmph! What good is it to walk his own path when it''s clearly a dead end?" "How do you know that it''s a dead end?" Lady Seph, who had been quietly observing her disciple''s actions, finally broke out from her silence. Turning to the dozens of Spirit Venerates seated at her area, the blonde beauty puffed out her chest in pride as she spoke gloriously about her sole disciple. "Shin''s path is his to walk alone, and he will obtain his dreams! I know that he''ll accomplish it!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 347 Lukman 3 ''I can''t move forward!'' Shin was caught in a bind. Each time he pushed onward, a deadly sand tendril would slap violently upon his body, breaking bones and tearing muscles. Shin''s control over water paled in comparison to Lukman''s ability to manipulate sand, and the young boy thought that the only way that he could potentially give the Luminary a setback, was to seal his movements using the Divine Needle Binding. However, Lukman wasn''t playing around. The entire field was his domain. He could create spears and arrows out sand to pierce through any attack. He could defend himself by producing pillars of sand and dozens of sand dunes. Finally, he could dominate Shin''s movements by sending sand tendrils to force the boy to dance. Incapable of landing a single hit on Lukman, Shin had become a laughing stock to everyone in the audience. This was the Spirit Core cultivator that the Lantis Republic was willing to wage war for? He was called the Black-Haired Tyrant? There was nothing tyrannical about his current efforts. Even the Kori Federation''s Lee Haeun was much more superior to the black-haired boy. "Shin¡­" Kanari brought her hands together in prayer, hoping that Shin would somehow survive his desperate situation. Shizen, Elrin, and the twins were in a similar state. They knew that Shin couldn''t win. What they hoped for, was for the boy to make it out unharmed. ''God damn it! Just one more push!'' Shin was cornered. He can''t move from above due to the sand mist that Lukman had created overhead. He can''t flank from behind, as the sand tendrils all seemed to have a mind of their own and tracked him wherever he went. Thus, he only had one option. To charge from the front, regardless of the damage that he would sustain from that reckless movement. CRRACCKKKK!!! Disregarding the sand tendrils that were upon his body, Shin barged forward, taking blow after blow. Horrible black bruises formed instantly while his body disjointed in directions that weren''t possible for a normal human. If not for Shin''s instant recovery, the young boy would have been laying in the infirmary ten times over by now. ''Closer¡­ I''m closer...'' Lukman stood still as if advertising for strikes to land on his body. The sand tendrils continued to manifest themselves breaking the body of the tenacious Shin with every passing moment. But Shin didn''t care. His eye was on the prize. If he could land a hit on Lukman''s Dumai Meridian, all of his efforts would have been well worth it. ''A few more steps...'' Now that he didn''t care about the state of his body, Shin could make significant progress, and he soon found himself just a few metres away from Lukman''s stationary figure. Twenty metres became ten. Ten metres became five. Five metres became three. Until finally... ''Take this!'' Shin flung a Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needle straight at Lukman. His Divine Needle Binding technique was his only hope now. Locating the Dumai Meridian with pinpoint accuracy, Shin hoped that his final attack would connect, somewhat salvaging this one-sided match. However, instead of hearing the much-anticipated groan, Lukman''s voice rang in his ears. "What''s wrong with you?" The Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needle halted in mid-air, caught by the sand particles that flew around the tanned young man. Lukman''s earlier enthusiasm that could rival an excited dog''s day in the park had diminished entirely, leaving his face in a deep frown. "What''s this bullshit?" Lukman spat out. "You have the greatest ability of all time. Why aren''t you using it?" "Huh?" "You can create and manipulate water! An element that''s everywhere in this vast world! There''s water in the air, inside the ground, the oceans, the trees, the mountains! You have the best element there is to create and manipulate! Why are you using martial arts instead of using that gift?!" Lukman wasn''t just disappointed. He was livid. The Sandman had anticipated that Shin''s ability would far surpass his own when it came to creativity. After all, water was everywhere while sand was not. However, instead of showing off that ability, Shin had squandered it and went for a route that made no sense to Lukman. "How¡­ You! Hah..." A myriad of emotions overwhelmed the tanned man. Was it grief that such a gift was wasted on a useless individual? Or was it a disappointment that no one could become his equal anymore? Perhaps it was a mixture of the two¡­ Nonetheless, Lukman had given up any hope of digging up more of Shin''s strength. "This whole match was a waste of time¡­" ''A waste of time?! You were the one that brought me in here'' Shin cried out. He didn''t want to fight! It was Lukman who forced it upon him. However, instead of getting angry, Shin began to reflect on the words that the Sandman had just said. ''Water is in the air, ground, oceans, trees and mountains? The best element to create and manipulate?'' Shin thought hard about the nature of his first spiritual ability. He then recalled the first time Junius and Lily heard of his ability. Shocked to the core, Junius said this: ''You may not see it now Shin, but in the future, you would understand that this first spiritual ability of yours, may as well be your strongest.'' At first, he didn''t think much of it. Shin thought that his first spiritual ability would be one that offered support to the other spiritual abilities that he possessed. However, watching Lukman create deserts, mists that slice hard rock into debris, manipulate dozens of sand tendrils¡­ ''There must be something more to this spiritual ability...'' Shin brought out the Sovereign Koi, enabling it to swim around in the palm of his hands. Pumping more and more mana into the adorable little cerulean Koi, Shin felt something snap within the depths of his mind. As if something had finally connected. Remembering all of the abilities that Lukman had generated during their short bout, Shin understood something. Something that no one but Lukman could have taught him. The true nature of his first spiritual ability. ''In this world¡­ I am the Sovereign!'' Shin''s azure eyes began to glisten bringing forth an aura that was noble in its exterior, yet gentle within. The Sovereign Koi flapped its fins in euphoria and turned its body to face the tanned man that had threatened its master for far too long. It knew. Its master was now capable of beating the annoying brown man. ''Something has changed?'' Lukman raised his eyebrows. Shin had stopped moving after hearing his words and dropped his head. Initially, the Luminary from the Tuareg Sect took it as a sign of defeat. However, after he raised his hand to summon out the Sovereign Koi, a feeling of uneasiness enveloped Lukman''s entire being. ''I must be imagining it...'' Snapping his fingers, Lukman created ten more tendrils to strike the immobile Shin. There was no point in continuing this futile match that he could learn nothing. ''I''m sorry¡­ You''re were just too much of a disappointment, Shin Awter.'' Snapping his fingers one more time, Lukman sent the tendrils crashing onto Shin''s body, hoping to knock the boy unconscious, thus ending the bout. But what happened next blew his mind¡­ BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! The sand tendrils all burst from its middle, ending the attack in its infancy. In its place, a spiralling water current flowed out and began to connect with one another, forming an unstoppable whirlpool which rotated around Shin. Snapping his fingers in the same exact manner that Lukman did, Shin rose the vortex above his head and brought down dozens of water tendrils, mirroring the sand tendrils that Lukman had. ''What the-?!'' The sudden development had not only left Lukman stunned, but the entire audience, including Shin''s own master, Lady Seph, all had hanging jaws. "You were right..." Shin snickered as he slowly raised his head. Badum¡­ Badum¡­ Lukman''s heart rate, which had been slowed due to the disappointment that Shin had offered him, started to become audible to the tanned young man once more. "I had been blind. I wasted my potential. It really was bullshit." Shin''s voice was soft, but it was just loud enough for Lukman to hear. Badum¡­ Badum¡­ Badum... Each passing note resonated with Lukman''s accelerating heartbeat, as if they were playing a symphony together. Lukman''s ears began to heat up as a fire lit within his reddening face. "But now, I understand..." Shin''s face slowly moved higher and higher, until his eyes were in full view. Lukman held his breath as he saw the luminous azure gleam, one that was potentially as bright as a full moon at the peak of the winter solstice. "Now¡­ I finally see." BADUM¡­ BADUM¡­ BADUM¡­ BADUM¡­ Lukman''s wish had finally come to pass! The reason he called out Shin while he was just a mere Spirit Core cultivator had finally made sense! "Let''s restart this fight, shall we?" ??? "Let''s restart this fight, shall we?" Shin''s friendly invitation echoed itself within the depths of Lukman''s heart. The audience mattered nought. The fight mattered nought. The Kori Federation, Tuareg Sect, his reason for coming to the Summit, matter nought. He was now fighting the best of the best. "Haha! You look kind of different! But I can''t tell what changed! Care to explain how do you plan on beating me?" "Why don''t you test it out?" Shin replied with a haughty smile. "Fine, then!" Lukman unleashed the full wrath of his Spirit. Peaking his mana, the tanned young man created a colossal Sand Pyramid with his manipulation ability. His plan? Crush the boy with that one strike. "Let''s see how you counter th-..." At the same time that Lukman created his Sand Pyramid, Shin raised his arms in the exact same movement. Almost instantly, an exact replica of Lukman''s Sand Pyramid manifested itself. However, instead of being made of sand, it was created by Shin''s very own water. "You!" "Hmph!" Shin threw the Water Pyramid at Lukman''s Sand Pyramid, forcing both structures to collapse into a pile of mud. The audience went silent. No one had the words to describe what was happening. Or rather, no one wanted to believe what was happening. "Did he just..." "... Copy Lukman''s technique?" It was blatantly obvious to outline what had happened. Shin created a Water Pyramid to counter Lukman''s just milliseconds after observing it. However, no one dared to believe that someone which such a spectacular gift existed. "So this is the result of his superior comprehension abilities..." Lady Seph placed her hand on her forehead and fell back on her chair. Shin''s best quality wasn''t his work ethic, and neither was it his superior talent. What truly sets him apart, the aspect of himself that propelled him to become the youngest healer in history was his alien-like comprehension capabilities. "Seraphim¡­ What''s going on?" Prince Koshaku, the one leading the negotiations about the handover of Shin, didn''t understand what was happening. "Just see for yourself." Lady Seph chuckled. "Observe the boy that the Lantis Republic was willing to start a war for!" Shin felt like he could do anything. His eyes were looking at Lukman, but his mind was ''seeing'' so many things. How Lukman was controlling that many grains of sand. How Lukman was spreading his mana so thinly while manipulating the desert beneath him, the sandy mist above him and the tendrils that attacked Shin. How Lukman was¡­ Behaving like the Prince of Sand. ''I understand it! I understand everything!!!'' Shin was beyond ecstatic. He saw how Lukman created and manipulated sand with so little effort, and he felt disdain at how he controlled his own water. It was all so inefficient. Lukman''s way was much better! So¡­ ''Why not copy it?'' Shin created water tendrils in the same manner that Lukman did and slapped the sand out from the ground. At the same time, he altered half of the arena into a pristine little lake, through the manipulation of the air, land and the Sovereign Koi''s own mana. It took so much less spiritual energy that Shin was pissed off that he had followed his own way of doing things for almost six years. "Hahaha!!! That''s it, Shin Awter! That''s what I wanted from you!" Waving his arms, Lukman created hundreds of sand spears, some of the likes that would rival military-issued weapons crafted by professional blacksmiths. Alas, that was a mistake. Reflecting the exact same movements, Shin created an equal amount of water spears, and he did it in such a convincing way that Lukman felt like he was looking in a mirror. "You copied it again?! HAHAHAHA!!! WHAT ARE YOUR LIMITS?!" "Don''t know." Shin shrugged his shoulders. "Care to help me test it out?" "WITH PLEASURE!!!" Lukman''s blood continued to pump. Never had he encountered such a freak before. How far could he push Shin? How much more could the boy copy? The Prince of Sand wanted an answer. The spears neutralised themselves and Lukman created dozens of golems made from sand. They were rather clumsy and could collapse at any moment, but they were capable of beating a fully grown adult any time of the week. Shin saw that skill once and copied it yet again. From the surface of the lake, dozens of water golems rose up, and they immediately went charging at the sand golems. Once the golems had disintegrated into a pile of mud, Lukman created more sand tendrils, this time, there was a delicately crafted weapon at the tip of each of them. Shin, doing what he did best, imitated them again. The tendrils crossed paths and collapsed once more. The pattern continued itself for over one minute. Lukman would create something, Shin would replicate it, and the two will collide. "Hahaha!!! What about this?! ''Shapes''!" Snapping his fingers in quick succession, the Prince of Sand conceived of intricate shapes, some of which took Lukman years of painstakingly trial and error to image and create. There was a thick Pyramid that was stitched together through weaves of sand threads that would increase the durability of the object infinitely. There was also a tower with a pointed tip that could explode into thousands of strands that would infiltrate any defence that it came across. All of these structures had to be imaged, understood and constructed all within Lukman''s mind, and it had taken him years to achieve this level of proficiency. The result? Shin copied them all. The tightly knitted Pyramid. The gargantuan tower. All of the structures that the Prince of Sand created, Shin had obtained it all through a single glance. "You''re absolutely crazy!" The ''shapes'' collided with one another, turning the sandy and watery arena, into a mud fill that was suited for swamp alligators. "This floor is unsuited for battle¡­ ''Sand Tsunami''!" "I concur!" Mirroring Lukman''s ability once more, Shin created a wave the size of the tallest building in Imperius Academy. The mist overhead had long become irrelevant when Lukman was forced to concentrate his everything onto Shin, allowing the two elemental freaks of nature to contest against one another without the fear of hitting a ceiling. Looking down at the mayhem that they had caused, Lukman laughed in absolute joy. Finally¡­ Finally, there was someone other than himself at the top! "Shin Awter! I now acknowledge you as someone worthy of duelling against me!" Lukman congregated his mana into one point in his hands and instantly brought out a shimmering silver cup. The cup was decorated with five gorgeous rubies, reminiscent to that of a dying sun. All this time, Lukman has yet to summon out his Spirit. Why? He simply didn''t have to. Until now... "Lukman Ramal! Rank 43! Spirit, the Bayda Grail! Please advise me!!!" "That''s right. We haven''t introduced ourselves." Shin bitterly sighed. Taking a glance up into the crowd, Shin met eyes with a particular blonde beauty. Everyone was holding their breaths while spectating the match, but only one person had a serene and proud gaze. It was her disciple that was shining brighter than anything that existed! How could she hold back her smile? She was the one that believed in him and given him everything when nothing remained. It was only right for Shin to do something for her. "Shin Iofiel. Rank 24. Spirit, the Sovereign Koi. Please advise me." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 348 Comprehension 1 "Iofiel? Isn''t your last name Awter?" "It was..." Shin laughed. "However, now it''s Iofiel. I would like to be called by that name." "Haha, fine! Shin Iofiel! Let me see how far you can go!" Lukman cried out. Thus far, there hasn''t been anyone that impressed Lukman as much as the black-haired freak standing right in front of him. Bringing forth all of his power, Lukman pressed forward with absolute glee. "W-What''s¡­ G-Going on?" Meijing Bingying crystal clear eyes hadn''t blinked for almost a minute. The Pearl in the East didn''t want to miss a single detail of the match. However, although she was ''seeing'' it, Bingying couldn''t understand it one bit. "How is Shin able to copy Lukman''s skills that quickly?! Have they met before?" That was the only logical answer. Shin had been training for years with the Prince of Sand, and they were currently putting on a play for the audience. That was the only way that all of this made sense! "You know that isn''t true..." Qilong Hu rubbed his chin, all while hiding his grim expression. "One''s from the Kori Federation, the other is from the Himmel Empire. Shin was even getting thrashed around by Lukman just a few moments ago. The boy, he¡­" Qilong Hu didn''t want to finish his sentence. No, none of the Luminaries in the Lantis Republic wanted to finish that sentence. If they did, they would all accept that they were inferior to the young boy, who hadn''t spent a single second in the domain of the Lantis Archipelago! "Tsk¡­ I knew that I disliked him for some reason." Longyu Linji spat out venomously. As much as he didn''t want to admit it, once Shin took the Longyu name, his position in the clan would be kicked down a notch, as all of their resources would be poured into the young sixteen-year-old. "Isn''t that amazing?!" Only Jingyu Taiyi kept a positive outlook and was hopping around in joy. "His control over water, his comprehension abilities that defy logic! Shin might be the Scion of Water that fulfils that age-old prophecy!!!" "That''s right..." Xunyu Feifei nodded her head at Taiyi''s hypothesis. "I finally understand why Saint Longyu Tian was so adamant on obtaining him¡­ Even if he''s not the one, Shin would undoubtedly become a Spirit Saint if nurtured correctly! Sacrificing a few armies for the sake of a future Spirit Saint? That''s definitely worth the trade!" Before the fight, the Luminaries of the Lantis Republic were mostly seated on the fence. They didn''t understand why their blessed Saint of Time would be willing to wage war just for the sake of one child. However, after seeing Shin display his monstrous abilities, none of them dared to question the wisdom of their Spirit Saint anymore. And the sentiment wasn''t just shared among the juniors. "Saint of Time, oh Saint of Time. So this is what you saw in the boy!" Saint Thor from the Blacksmith''s League cried out in a mixture of apprehension and horror. Shin''s display wasn''t just shocking for those with weaker cultivations, but even the battle-hardened Spirit Saints, who had years of experience in watching the rise and fall of talents, couldn''t believe what they were seeing. "Hahahaha! As expected of my Grand-Disciple!" Saint Althea laughed merrily along. She had long known that Shin was a rare talent that defied all logic, but this? This was something else entirely. "..." Saint Firebird kept his silence while alternating his gaze between Shin and Longyu Tian. If he had accepted the Saint of Time''s terms, would he be handing over a potential Spirit Saint to a competing nation? ''We¡­ Can''t let Shin fall into the Lantis Republic hands...'' Saint Firebird thought to himself. A Spirit Saint was on an entirely different scale than any other entity in the world. In terms of value, Spirit Venerates and even armies a million strong pales in comparison to what a Spirit Saint could offer to a country. Be it military deterrence or overall combat powers, Spirit Saints were at the top of the food chain. They could move oceans and destroy mountains with just a thought, making them the most desirable force that any country would like to obtain. However, due to how difficult it was to advance to Rank 90, there was a limited supply of Spirit Saints in the world. That''s why Luminaries were so treasured. Being the best of the best in their generation, they had the most significant chance of becoming Spirit Saints, but even then, perhaps only one in a hundred Luminaries would make the leap. On the other hand, Shin was unique. Rank 24 at sixteen. Youngest healer in history. Has the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Capable of beating Suji and Danroy after one year of combat training. And now¡­ He had shown a comprehension prowess that had no equal. It wasn''t a question of if he could become a Spirit Saint. For Shin, it was a question of when would he break through that final barrier and move into near godhood. ''He might even be capable of becoming the next Spirit Immortal¡­ My god, we nearly gave up such a talent for some military might?! Kanari really has a good eye for talent!'' Saint Firebird was now wholly on the Shin hype train. Meanwhile, the Saint of Time tightened her grip over her two chair handles, doing her best to subdue the urge to kidnap Shin right this moment. ''Just how many more surprises are you going to give me, Shin!!!'' The fight between Shin and Lukman had finally reached its climax. Lukman had created thousands of sand tendrils and Shin had done the same. Due to the methods of the Prince of Sand, Shin now knew how to efficiently divide his mana so that he wouldn''t expend it all within the first few minutes. The creation and destruction of each structure continued on for almost two minutes, giving Shin the insight to learn dozens of combinations through that one exchange. "How about this?! ''Mist''!" Lukman executed the most difficult technique in his arsenal. The technique that had barred Shin''s movement in the air just moments prior. SSSSTTTTTT!!! The desert beneath his feet released millions of sand particles into the air, forming a terrifying hallucinatory mist that obscured Shin''s vision of the Sandman. ''Those sand particles¡­ They''re not being controlled individually. They''re injected with a minute trace of mana through that aura that he''s creating.'' Shin analysed the ability in an instant. ''I would have to create that aura to execute that mist ability, huh?'' Figuring out what he had to do, Shin replicated the aura once, and for the first time, the black-haired boy failed in the first try. ''It''s harder than I thought¡­ Maybe it''s this way?'' The second time he tried, Shin failed again. However, this time, he had understood his folly. ''What am I doing? Sand isn''t water! I can''t just use water droplets to create mist! I have to split the droplets into vapour. How do I do that?'' Shin brought out one water droplet and played around with it like it was a ping-pong ball. He tried spinning, splitting and crashing the water droplet, but it all ended in more water droplets forming. And that was when he figured something out. ''Speeding it up makes it hotter, and it evaporates?'' Shin experimented on the water droplet once more, and to his absolute delight, Shin had finally produced vapour out of his created water. ''Now I can generate mist!'' SSSSTTTTT!!! The lake beneath Shin began to emit out a thin white mist, which slowly accumulated into a thick cloudy fog, similar to that of Lukman''s own ability. However, there was one stark difference¡­ Shin''s ability could produce true mist, while Lukman''s was just an imitation. ''Hmmm, what happens if I add ''heal'' to this mist?'' Shin scientific mind took over, and a dim cerulean-gold light glimmered out of his body and affected the fog that surrounded him. Immediately, the numerous cuts and bruises on Shin''s skin began to dissipate, and his mind became more and more lucid. "W-What?!" Raphael jumped out of his seat screaming out in horror after witnessing Shin''s deed. And he wasn''t the only one. All the leaders of the six organisations heading the Summit were on their feet. Shin copying Lukman''s abilities were shocking enough, but now, he was improving on them? All while fighting in an intense battle with a Spirit Spectre? The Spirit Emperors, Spirit Venerates and Spirit Saints were literally speechless. Slackjawed, Raphael pointed his shaking index finger at the boy, turning to his fellow Divine Healer in the process. "Seraphim¡­ What''s going on? How is he able to create ''Healing Mist'' without even promoting a level?!" Raphael was on the verge of screaming hysterically. ''Healing Mist'' was a well-known spiritual ability that all Water-Elemental Healers would love to learn. Its mass healing potential was tremendous and a godsend during times of war. Just imagine. A battle where their allies were coated in ''Healing Mist'' while their enemies weren''t. Wasn''t that the perfect scenario for a colossal victory? "Shin''s ''Healing Water'' is something he comprehended himself. Since he can create mist using his created water, naturally he could create ''Healing Mist'' without promoting." Lady Seph explained as if it were a matter of fact. However, deep down she was shocked as well. Going by that logic, could Shin replicate her own spiritual ability, ''Divine Rain?'' The very same spiritual ability that made her famous as the defender of Yara Pass? "T-That''s¡­ Insane..." Prince Koshaku gasped. It was as if with every passing second, the Himmel Empire finally began to realise what a gem they had, and how stupid they were to even use him as a bargaining chip. "HAHAHA!!! You even copied that?!" The Prince of Sand was at his utmost limit. He had shown Shin almost fifty per cent of his own creations, and he had replicated them all perfectly. Lukman felt like he was staring down a bottomless chasm. No matter how much he threw it, Lukman couldn''t fathom how deep it was. BBBBMMMM!!!!!!! However, instead of the usual reply, Shin ignored Lukman. Closing his eyes, the boy opened his palms and rested them horizontally from his body, as if he were seeking guidance from a deity. The ''Healing Mist'' dissipated and in its place, a rapidly swirling orb of water was spinning overhead. Unlike the normal water spheres that Shin usually created, this orb was emitting a bright white light, all while thousands of luminous water droplets oscillated it. "Hahahaha!!! What? Are you bored with copying my techniques? Now you''re making up your own?!" Shin didn''t reply. His eyes had been shut tight, and his mana was spiking at an incredible pace. Many in the audience couldn''t comprehend what Shin was attempting. However, those from the Himmel Empire shook violently as their hearts nearly stopped. Particularly those who came from Imperius Academy¡­ "That''s! Kanari''s Lunar Beam!" Elrin cried out in horror. The black-haired beauty was in a similar state. That structure, that mana signature, those movements. It was as if she was looking at a version of herself take the field once more. Her most powerful attack. The spiritual ability that allowed her to reign supreme in her generation was now being replicated by Shin''s very own first spiritual ability. "No¡­ There are some differences! That''s not Lunar Beam!" Being the one who created that ability, Kanari knew that what Shin was attempting wasn''t a one-for-one recreation. Instead, it was a variant that was unique to himself. The water droplets around the gigantic ''moon'' twinkled like sparkling stars in the night sky as more mana was being provided to their aqueous structure. When he was finally ready, Shin snapped his fingers, bursting the humongous water orb, and sending a torrent of water meteorites straight at the Prince of Sand. BAMMMM!!! BAAAMMMM!!! BAAAMMMM!!! Lukman created multiple sand dunes to protect himself, but it was barely enough to withstand the first wave of attacks. The sandy mist that he formed melted away at first contact with the water meteor shower, leaving Lukman to deal with the attack with his own body. For the first time in almost five years, Lukman was sent backwards in a fight. "Lukman!" The Kori Federation Luminaries all cried out in angst. Lukman has never been knocked back ever since making himself known to the nation. Even against Rank 50 Spirit Lords, the Prince of Sand would never let himself be pushed back and would rather die than let himself fall to his knees. Yet, the Sandman was now lying on his back after taking a hit by a Rank 24 sixteen-year-old. "Good¡­ GOOD!!!" Leaping onto his feet with a kick-up, Lukman wiped the drop of blood that was flowing down the side of his mouth. Evidently, that meteor shower that Shin had just performed had caused some significant internal injuries. "Shin Iofiel! You are the best opponent I have faced in years!!! For that, let me show you why I''m called the Prince of Sand!!!" Lukman spiked his mana, bringing his entire half of the arena into a sand maelstrom. The first ruby in the Bayda Grail glimmered brighter than any star that existed as numerous shadowy figures began to form behind him. "Let me show you, my Beasts of the Desert!!!" "No, you won''t." BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!! A cold and detached voice echoed out in the stadium, instantly terminating everything that lay inside of the arena. Lukman''s created desert? Gone. Shin''s created lake? Gone. The residue mud from each clash? Gone. All that remained was the concrete floor and three figures who blankly stared at one another. "Deputy Prime Minister! What are you doing?!" Recognising the person who stopped the fight, Lukman nearly committed treason by screaming at his country''s second top executive. "Lukman¡­ You¡­ were going to teach him everything." "What do you...!" Hearing Deputy Prime Minister Venus'' words, the Prince of Sand finally understood his folly. Shin wasn''t a compatriot from the Kori Federation. Instead, he was a child from the Lantis Republic and a disciple of someone from the Himmel Empire. He shared no allegiance to the Kori Federation and yet, Lukman was about to teach him everything that he knew. So what if they were temporarily allies? The Kori Federation had no interest in training another nation''s supergenius that could somehow bite them in the butt in the future. "Deputy Prime Minister¡­ I..." "It''s okay, Lukman¡­ People don''t think well in the heat of the moment. However, this match ends now." "I¡­ understand..." While he was dissatisfied with how the bout ended, Lukman still adhered to Venus'' orders. "Shin Iofiel¡­ Let''s settle the match next time!" Leaving the arena unwillingly, Lukman took his place among his fellow companions. "Shin Iofiel, huh?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus stopped and observed the young black-haired boy. If they were out in a barren land where there were no witnesses, Venus would have been tempted to eradicate this talent from the face of the world. After all, if future Shin decided to bare his fangs at the Kori Federation, there won''t be many that could handle his wrath. "I''ll remember your name." Leaping out of the arena, Venus left Shin all alone to bask in the limelight. Fear, elation, shock, desperation. These were the prevalent emotions in the eyes of the audience. Who could have imagined that Shin would be so dominant in a field where Lukman was expected to win. Yes, the Prince of Sand was forced to only use one spiritual ability, but didn''t Shin do the same as well? Now that Shin''s adrenaline had subsided, he could clearly feel the thousands of eyes that he had ignored during the match. If possible, the young boy would have killed to find a hole where he could hide in. ''A-Ah¡­ This is a problem...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 349 Comprehension 2 Almost immediately after Deputy Prime Minister Venus interrupted the match, Saint Firebird dived down onto the platform and grabbed Shin by his collar. "We''re leaving..." The Spirit Saint didn''t elaborate any further and flew straight back into Himmel Empire hotel. There was no need to remain spectating any more matches. What he had got out of Shin today was more than enough to change his stance about handing the boy over to the Lantis Republic. "Koshaku, come with me." "Y-Yes, sir!" Saint Firebird ordered the royal in a flat tone. If anyone other than a Spirit Saint had dared to rudely call out to a member of the Imperial Family in that manner, they would have been tried for Leste Majeste a thousand times over. However, instead of complaining, Prince Koshaku abandoned his seat in the stadium and flew into the heavens, alongside his Spirit Saint. "Saint of Time. They''re gone with your prize." The Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint, Saint Atossa taunted the unaging beauty with a sneer. "It doesn''t matter." Longyu Tian replied. Her tone was flat, and her face was hidden so that no one could see her expression. Shin had been taken away by Saint Firebird, but she didn''t feel the need to chase or monitor the Himmel Empire. After all¡­ "Shin will return home with me." Longyu Tian laughed. Her eyes shone golden for a little while before returning back to its original hue. "That''s his destiny." ??? "..." The moment Shin left with Saint Firebird and Prince Koshaku, the entire stadium had fallen into an awkward silence. Many couldn''t believe that something that bizarre had just occurred and were on the midst of breaking down in cold sweat. They had mocked Shin, belittled him and called him undeserving of the Lantis Republic''s sacrifice. However, now¡­ No one dared to laugh at the young genius. "Ella, Emma¡­ What just happened?" Elrin had to confirm with the two closest people that Shin had in his life. She had been together with Shin for over a year now, and though he had shown signs of genius, it has never been to such an extreme degree. "I¡­ Don''t know..." Ella muttered out, holding back her cry. Was that really Shin? The same Shin that had to be kicked out of bed every morning, and the Shin that avoided training for the better part of his childhood? "Shin has always been talented, but I''d never seen him like that..." Even Emma, who was considered to be the top three people in Shin''s circle, couldn''t bring out the words to describe her brother. "Shin has¡­ finally allowed himself to be free." The answer that Elrin sought didn''t come from the twins. Kanari who had been silent for a significant portion of the bout finally muttered out under her breath. "What do you mean?" "Shin never wanted to be a fighter," Kanari explained as if she had been with the boy this entire time. "He''s analytical in nature and peace-loving. If someone offends him, he would just look the other way in sloth. Never confrontational. However, after the death of Ariel and the betrayal of Junius, Shin felt that the path of the fighter was the only way forward. In the process, he had locked himself in a cage. A cage where only he had the key, but he didn''t wish to open it." Kanari looked at the sky. Her shoulders dropped and back hunched, the ethereal beauty lacked the posture that was befitting her title. However, she cared little for appearances now. "Shin''s strengths lay in his control and his superior intellect. Even when he chose to become a fighter, he had learnt the weaknesses of the human body and sought to exploit them instead of overpowering his opponent. How stupid¡­ He had thought of becoming a fighter, but no one can hide their true nature." Kanari sighed. She had gathered a tremendous amount of intelligence of the boy named Shin. She had seen aspects of the boy where he himself wasn''t aware of. "His fights in childhood. His loss in the Land of Dreams. Star Face''s death¡­ And finally, the fight against the Prince of Sand. All of his life experiences had accumulated in this moment, where he finally¡­ Set himself free. He''s now no longer bound by his own constraints. Shin has finally¡­ Ascended..." As she said those words, Kanari''s voice cracked in sorrow. She knew. Shin was now in another plane of existence. It may seem like she''s ahead for now, but Kanari knew¡­ Kanari knew that Shin was now too far to reach. ''Nonetheless, I will keep climbing! No matter how far you fly, I will fly right up with you¡­ To stand by your side!'' Kanari made a quiet resolution in her heart. Her fellow noble from the Himmel Empire wasn''t that thrilled with Shin''s display though. The Young Drake Duke, Eikyo, was gritting his teeth while suppressing the urge to kick his entire table into a pile of dust. ''Why is it¡­ WHY DOES KANARI ALWAYS GET THE GOOD STUFF?!'' Eikyo''s face seemed serene, but mentally, he was screaming with everything that he had. Kanari had the looks, the backing, the money, and the talent to make her the dominant force in the Himmel Empire. She even had a bloody Spirit Saint as her master! Now, Kanari had even nailed herself a supergenius that had a talent that was comparable to her own. Keep in mind, Kanari was slated to become the hope of the Himmel Empire, and Shin was on par with her! ''Fuck, fuck, FUCK!!!'' Eikyo kept cursing out in his mind. As much as he would like to rant it out, he was still in the middle of the Himmel Empire''s tent and had to maintain his prim and proper exterior. "Augustus¡­ Go down and challenge Qilong Hu." "Eikyo?" "The exhibition matches aren''t over yet right? We have to regain some of our honour. So make sure you win. Otherwise, your supply for the year would be cut." The Young Drake Duke ordered his loyal subject, the Crimson Ghost, Augustus, to reclaim the stage, and to paint it in his colours. He didn''t care if the other side wasn''t prepared. Eikyo just wished to gain some prestige for his own camp. "I understand..." As much as he didn''t want to take the stage straight after that spectacular performance, Augustus felt like he had no choice but to oblige. Jumping out of the Himmel Empire tent, the Crimson Ghost landed on the platform as if he were a swan gliding on a lake, bringing the chattering audience to complete silence. His eyes closed, Augustus brought out a tremendous amount of mana as an immense pressure began to mount on the shoulders of those present in the arena. As a Rank 43 Spirit Spectre, the Crimson Ghost could easily overpower most of the men and women that were spectating him. If not for the energy barrier that was protecting the audience, the majority of them would have already have been forced to gravel on the floor. Red light, one akin to that of the freshest of human blood, shone out from the depths of Augustus'' heart, as a two-metre-long pole began to congregate in the palms of his hands. Like the famous painting ''The Blood of the Martyrs,'' the two-metre-pole absorbed the energy from the pool of blood that was below Augustus, somewhat bringing life to the inanimate object. The pole in Augustus'' hands continued to pulsate until it finally took its final form. An argent metallic tip grew out from the front-end of the pole-arm, and strands of blood ignited to create crimson hair at the bottom of the spear-tip. Ancient runic symbols were engraved on the exterior of the spear giving the Weapon-Spirit a sense of quality that was unlike normal spears in the marketplace. Pointing his Crimson Spirit at the Lantis Republic''s top Luminary, Augustus declared: "I, Augustus Dodnand, challenge Qilong Hu to a friendly spar!" The crowd had yet to recover from their shock from that earlier match and were slow to react. However, after a few seconds had passed, cheers of enthusiasm rung out from the stands, shaking the stadium in absolute glee. "The Crimson Ghost had challenged the Tempest Hydra!" "Finally! A match between the two top Luminaries of the world!" Everyone in the arena had paid a good amount of gold to witness the Clash of the Titans. An hour ago, the fight between the two would have been the main event. However, now that Shin and Lukman had fought, any other bout would merely be the icing on the cake. And Eikyo could feel that clearly. He even saw journalists rushing out of the stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of the future superstar that had been kidnapped back to his quarters. ''Tskkk! Weren''t all of you cheering for the two Luminaries to fight? Why are some of you leaving the stadium?!'' The Young Drake Duke wanted the world to know of his subordinate''s power. He wanted the world to know that the Crimson Ghost of the Himmel Empire was serving under his name! Why were the journalists leaving even before watching his match?! ''Whatever, Augustus will defeat Qilong Hu anyway!'' Alas, the world didn''t bend to the rules of Eikyo. "I apologise, but I have to decline your invitation for a spar." Eikyo didn''t get the answer that he sought from Qilong Hu. Bowing down in remorse, the Tempest Hydra from the Lantis Republic politely turned down the Crimson Ghost''s challenge. "I have just gotten word that we have to return back to our hotel. My sincerest apologies, Crimson Ghost. Perhaps another day." It wasn''t just Qilong Hu who got the memo, all of the Lantis Republic''s representatives were called by Longyu Tian and Zhangyu Yaoguai to cease all participation in the exhibition matches, and were to return back to their own compounds. After Shin''s revelation to the world, there needed to be an emergency meeting by the upper brass. The Himmel Empire was most definitely going to change its terms, and the Lantis Republic had to have a plan for countering it. No one was in the mood to spectate matches by some juniors! "..." The Crimson Ghost didn''t answer. He could only stand alone in the middle of the arena while the Lantis Republic''s representatives all disappeared from sight. With one corner of the superpower triangle gone, the Himmel Empire could only challenge the Kori Federation, who similarly didn''t have any plans on continuing the exhibition matches. Especially since Lukman had already taken the stage and ''lost'' miserably to Shin. Their top dog had already fallen in battle, who else dared to step foot in the arena with the Crimson Ghost? The host of the entire event, President Ingram, sighed as he realised that the situation has gotten out of his control. With no one willing to spar anymore, there was no point in continuing the exhibition matches. "Since there have been some complications, I hereby announce that the exhibition matches are over!" President Ingram announced. "Deus Citadel will open its barriers at the end of the week. During your wait, you can continue to shop in the city. Thank you for participating and making the Summit a success!" Through that final announcement, President Ingram had closed the Summit with a bitter smile. While there was the issue of the Lantis Republic''s involvement in the Alliance, most of the pressing matters had been settled through their earlier discussions. In truth, the Blacksmith''s League would be more than happy to let their visitors leave Deus Citadel should they choose to. However, judging by how the journalists and various representatives from each power reacted to Shin''s display, one could conclude that the Summit was far from over. ''Damn it! Not again!'' Eikyo really couldn''t keep his rage bottled up anymore and smashed the head of his armrest into dust. "Eikyo?" One of the Young Duke Prince''s female subordinates came forward, concerned over Eikyo''s sudden display of fury. "Leave me!" Storming out of the Himmel Empire''s tent, Eikyo made his way back to his own abode, with no one capable of reading his thoughts... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 350 Comprehension 3 The Land of Dreams. Deus Citadel. The top floor of the Himmel Empire''s Hotel. Amidst the chaos and turmoil that was splashing outside, the top brass of the Himmel Empire''s procession were all hunched on their seats, with doom and gloom hanging over their heads like a wired thread. Once Saint Firebird had brought Shin back to his apartment, the esteemed Spirit Saint just stared out into the distance, hiding any and all thoughts that may have come into his mind. At the other corner of the room, Prince Koshaku was observing the black-haired boy who was nervously twiddling with his thumbs. He was currently in the presence of a Spirit Saint and a Spirit Venerate who he had almost no relations with. If they somehow felt angered by his actions, the two giants of the cultivation world could snap him out of existence, and no one would have noticed. Hence, to somewhat appease their anger, Shin remained silent and wore a blank expression, hoping that nothing bad could possibly happen to him. BANG! BANG! BANG! Three loud thuds echoed through the room, Prince Koshaku and Shin''s attention to the door. Saint Firebird didn''t bother to turn around as if he already knew who had arrived. "Saint Firebird! It''s us!" A familiar adenoidal voice rung in the ears of the room''s inhabitants, instantly brightening Shin''s face. "Koshaku, let them in." "Yes, sir!" The Imperial acted as if he were a doorman for the Spirit Saint and promptly unlocked the chains that barred entry to the room. Two gorgeously dressed beauties sauntered in, not caring in the slightest about the royal blood that stood before them. "Saint Althea. Venerate Seraphim. Did you know about this?" Saint Firebird finally allowed himself to leave his thoughts and turned around to address his new guests. There was no need to elaborate on what the man was referring to. Saint Althea placed her finger on her chin before replying a negative. "I had only met Shin a couple of times when I visited Seraphim. Though I knew he was a talent, I didn''t realise that his comprehension abilities had reached this degree. If you really want to know the details, you should ask Seraphim." "I''d told you that you shouldn''t have considered handing Shin over to the Lantis Republic." On the other hand, the angelic blonde woman puffed her chest out in pride. "Shin''s best trait has always been his comprehension abilities. Otherwise, how could he have possibly made history by becoming the youngest healer in history? You guys were the weird ones, thinking that it would be beneficial for the nation to sacrifice Shin." "..." Neither Saint Firebird nor Prince Koshaku could find the words to rebut. If the deadlock had continued any further, the Himmel Empire would have honestly considered the Lantis Republic''s proposal and surrendered Shin for the prospects of gaining a military might of a hundred thousand men. "The Lantis Republic won''t sit idly by as well." Prince Koshaku thought from a diplomat''s perspective. "Shin''s masterful display would only serve to confirm the Lantis Republic''s desire to obtain him, and they would be more adamant on their position. If we negotiate with them now, I will bet that they would be more hard on their terms. Hah¡­ What are we to do?" "Hmph! If you had considered my original proposal, things wouldn''t have deteriorated to this stage so quickly!" Lady Seph harrumphed and walked over to Shin, allowing Bingbing to jump from her bosom and onto the young boy''s body. "Proposal?" Shin had question marks floating all over his head. "I planned for them to make an exception and negotiate the first ever dual-citizenship between two nations for you. But some people were just too stubborn to even fathom that possibility!" "A dual-citizenship has never been done before Venerate Seraphim!" Prince Koshaku hollered out in protest. The three superpowers, the Kori Federation in the North, the Himmel Empire in the South and the Lantis Republic in the East, had been caught in a constant power struggle ever since the balance was first formed. Betrayals were frequent and each nation had spy operatives ingrained into the fabric of their opposing countries. Even inter-country marriages. While they were common, it was imperative that either the husband or the wife renounce their citizenship for the marriage to become legitimate. Otherwise, they would be persecuted under the court of law and perhaps serve a jail sentence that could last decades. In the age where none of the nations fully trusted one another and were adamant in keeping their culture and values to themselves, dual citizenships weren''t even an afterthought for the major superpowers. Thus, instead of considering Lady Seph''s suggestion, the Himmel Empire procession had just tossed it out of the window and had leaned towards surrendering the boy for the ''greater good.'' Of course, now that they felt differently, it was a little hard to backtrack from their original position. "That''s the only option if you want to keep Shin in the Himmel Empire. You should know how stubborn the Saint of Time is..." Lady Seph turned to Saint Firebird. He was the one who knew Longyu Tian the most, and there was no way that the Saint of Time would just let the Himmel Empire retract their offer to give Shin up. If need be, Longyu Tian will sneak into the Himmel Empire when they''re not looking and abduct Shin for herself. "What should we do?" Prince Koshaku dropped onto his chair and rubbed his the temples of his forehead. He had just come to the Land of Dreams, thinking that his biggest obstacle would be the negotiations about the military might that each nation would send out. The Imperial was prepared to tackle the challenge of determining the fate of a Spirit Core cultivator! "I say we call the Lantis Republic for a private negotiation. This time, no falsehoods and barriers. All of us will sit down together. Saint Firebird, Saint Longyu Tian, Clan Master Zhangyu Yaoguai, Prince Koshaku, and¡­ Shin and me." Lady Seph clenched her fists. This was a decision that would affect the fate of her precious disciple. She had to be exceedingly cautious. "All of us must negotiate with the intent of letting Shin obtain a dual-citizenship. That''s the only way that we can conclude this mess." "I concur..." Saint Firebird heaved out a deep sigh. He knew that the situation was no longer in the ball court of the Himmel Empire. They wanted to keep Shin, and the Lantis Republic wanted to take him. Furthermore, Longyu Tian made it crystal clear that if the Himmel Empire didn''t comply, the Lantis Republic wouldn''t hesitate to wage war on their nation. "A dual-citizenship it is then..." Saint Firebird acquiesced on behalf of the entire Himmel Empire. "Koshaku¡­ Let''s call the Lantis Republic representatives for a meeting." ??? A few hours had passed since Shin had made his talents known through his fight with Lukman. The entire Deus Citadel was still shaking in turbulence in the aftermath of the battle as everyone had the name Shin Iofiel at the tip of their tongues. Restaurants surrounding the Himmel Empire''s hotel were beaming with life as hundreds of journalists, and regular onlookers hoped to catch a glimpse of the new world superstar. It was safe to say that Shin''s prestige has now surpassed that of a typical Luminary and people were now seeing him as a future Spirit Saint. Thus, when the news broke that the Himmel Empire had called for the representatives of the Lantis Republic to come for a private meeting, the entire town went into a frenzy once more. What was the Himmel Empire''s decision? Were they going to let Shin leave? Or were they going to retract their promise to the Lantis Republic? The world wanted answers. And it wasn''t just the journalists who were pumped up. Representatives from the Kori Federation, Healer''s Association, Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild were all eager to press their ears against the walls in hopes of getting the latest leaks. Unfortunately, the Himmel Empire was cautious in their actions. Inviting the Lantis Republic''s representatives into their facility, Prince Koshaku had men surrounding the courtyard that barred entry or peeking into their discussion. Additionally, Saint Firebird requested the Saint of Time to cast her own sanctuary to envelop the few that were vital to the discussions. It was paramount that no leaks could slip out the cracks before the deal was finalised. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Prince Koshaku led the talks, just as any lead negotiator should. On the side of the Himmel Empire, there was Saint Firebird, Lady Seph, the Imperial Eunuch Gonggong, Field Marshal Ridan Bitterdawn, himself and of course, the man of the hour, Shin Iofiel. The Lantis Republic matched that star-studded line-up with their own talents. Saint Longyu Tian sat in the leading chair with Zhangyu Yaoguai in the adjacent seat. Behind them, a plethora of trusted Spirit Venerates that served as advisors and bodyguards for the representatives remained standing in a semi-combative stance. Should things go awry, the Spirit Venerates would strike with everything that they have and if possible, kidnap Shin and bring him back to Longyu Reef. "I understand that we have had our differences, but the Summit is a place where new bonds are forged." Prince Koshaku used his most salesman-like face to deliver that cringe-worthy speech. Unfortunately for him, the Lantis Republic representatives weren''t buying it. "Cut to the chase, Your Highness. We don''t have all day." Zhangyu Yaoguai grimaced, somehow making his hideous face even more ugly. "Have you accepted our deal or not?" The earlier offer that the Lantis Republic still stood. In return for a hundred thousand troops to combat the Black Masks, the Himmel Empire must surrender all rights they had over Shin. "Haha, the Clan Master sure is direct. Fine! Let''s not beat around the bush. The Himmel Empire can''t accept that deal." "Hmph!" Zhangyu Yaoguai snorted, but he wasn''t surprised or angry. He knew that the Himmel Empire wouldn''t cave in, especially after the match that Shin and Lukman had. However, before the Iron-Faced man could come up with a counter, Prince Koshaku raised his right hand, halting any form of rebuttal. "However, we do have a counter-offer that would appeal to both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic." "Hoho¡­ Let''s hear it." "As we all know¡­ Shin Iofiel here has displayed tremendous talent and would most probably go far in his cultivation life. If nurtured correctly, the boy would most definitely go on to become a Spirit Saint. So it makes sense that both nations wouldn''t want to relinquish their hold over Shin. Hence, we have come up with a solution." Prince Koshaku raised two fingers in the shape of a V and continued with his explanation. "Dual-citizenships. Shin will retain his Himmel Empire nationality as well as getting the Lantis Republic one." "... Are you mad?" Zhangyu Yaoguai sat in silence for a while before a vein popped in his forehead. "Why should we allow him to have an association with the Himmel Empire?!" "Because it brings the best benefits for you." An adenoidal voice broke the flow of the discussion. Lady Seph knew that Prince Koshaku wasn''t capable of touching the Iron-Faced man when it came to negotiations. Thus, she decided to interject. "Explain." "Shin has lived his entire life in the Himmel Empire. He is accustomed to its culture, its ways and may even feel more attached to the Empire than he would ever to the Lantis Republic. That''s a fact that you could never change by forcing him to stay within your borders." Lady Seph had been with Shin since he was just ten-years-old. If she didn''t understand the boy, no one could. "Yes, the Lantis Republic could help him accomplish his cultivation goals. Your Celestial River baptism, the resources that you have¡­ They are all catered to improve the Sovereign Koi in his hands. However, there''s something that the Himmel Empire can provide to Shin that the Lantis Republic can''t." "What''s that?" "The dream to combat and eradicate the Black Masks from the face of this earth." "!!!" Shin''s ears perked up as he heard his master''s claims. "The Lantis Republic is content with staying on the archipelago where the Black Mask''s reach is the thinnest. However, Shin wants to directly combat the Black Masks. To fight his corrupted brother and bring him to justice. To defeat the Allfather that brought down his family and friends. And finally, to become strong enough to chase Yggdrasil. These are things that the Lantis Republic could never offer to Shin. Let me ask you this¡­ Are you certain that you could hold back a rebellious Shin that would feel contempt for your nation with every passing moment?" "..." Zhangyu Yaoguai fell silent. Lady Seph was right. Shin would hate to live in such a confined environment. Where he thrived was at the frontlines, in direct combat with the Black Masks. "How do you propose this dual-citizenship then?" Longyu Tian asked the crucial question. "Five years!" Spreading her fingers out wide, Lady Seph declared with a triumphant gaze. "Shin would stay in the Himmel Empire for five more years! By then, the war against the Black Masks would have reached its conclusion! After that, Shin would move to your Lantis Republic for five years. He will alternate between the two nations that way. Furthermore, he is not to participate in any wars that would result in him hurting either the Lantis Republic or the Himmel Empire." "So you''re saying we share him?" "Exactly!" "..." Longyu Tian fell deep into thought. As much as she wanted the Longyu Clan to monopolise the boy, Lady Seph had brought up some great points. She didn''t want Shin to live unhappily in the Lantis Republic. After all, he had suffered enough. "Fine. However, we have some conditions." The Saint of Time sighed. "Firstly, Shin''s baptism will be pushed back until he''s with our country and he''s not allowed to speak of anything about our cultivation ways to any of you. Should that happen, the Lantis Republic reserves the right to keep him all for ourselves." "Agreed!" Saint Firebird answered snappingly. "Next, Shin must be accompanied by people that I send. They will help him with his cultivation and aid him whenever he needs to. You also cannot prohibit any communications or resources that I would share with Shin." "I take it that we can monitor them when they''re on our grounds." "Within permissible limits. We can iron out the details at a later date." "... We agree." As much as Saint Firebird didn''t like how the Himmel Empire would essentially be opening their doors for potential espionage, he still nodded his head, albeit apprehensively. "Finally, and this is the most important part..." An impish smile crept up Longyu Tian''s mouth, bringing chills down Shin''s adolescent spine. "If Shin has a child, he or she must be raised in the Lantis Republic." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 351 The Way Forward 1 "Child?" Lady Seph furrowed her brows in displeasure while Shin''s face furiously blushed. "Shin''s still a child! Why are you even discussing this matter now?" "Ara? You haven''t planned his future?" The Saint of Time was mildly surprised. She assumed that the Himmel Empire would have one or two girls lined up for Shin to procreate and leave a line of spectacular genes for themselves. Fortunately for Longyu Tian, Lady Seph hadn''t planned that far. ''If that''s the case, should I plant some Longyu Clan girls by his side? Judging from Shin''s story, he has lost his first love and has yet to recover. If I can use someone to capture his heart, won''t he leave the Himmel Empire of his own accord? Would Ying''er be suitable? No, she''s almost twenty-five¡­ Wait does Shin like older or younger girls?'' The Saint of Time. A Spirit Saint that had washed her hands off all mortal affairs. A Saint that would even spit in the Himmel Empire''s Emperor''s face if she really wanted to. That very same lofty Spirit Saint was now planning the sex life of a mere Spirit Core cultivator. "Saint of Time¡­ That''s a condition that I''m not willing to accept." Saint Firebird instantly saw through the conniving Spirit Saint''s plan. If Shin had children and had to raise them in the Lantis Republic, it would make sense for him to stay in the nation for extended periods. Once his children got assimilated into the culture and life of the Lantis Republic, Shin would become more attached to the archipelago rather than the Terre Continent. Eventually, the little patriotism that he had for the Himmel Empire would vanish, and Shin would ultimately become a Spirit Saint that lives and breathes for the Lantis Republic. "If Shin were to have any children, it should be on Himmel Empire grounds." A vein popped in Longyu Tian''s forehead. She had laid down straightforward terms, and yet the Himmel Empire wasn''t willing to accept. "And why would I let you do that? The Lantis Republic has the best resources to offer when it comes to raising a Scion of Water! Shin''s children would be well-served in our country." "What makes you think that a child of Shin''s would awaken the Sovereign Koi?" Saint Firebird replied with fervour. "Let''s say he mates with our Empire''s Kanari, won''t his children awaken something else other than the Sovereign Koi?" "..." Shin''s face continued to flush. His lips pursed and eyes quivering, the young boy couldn''t take it anymore. Why the hell were two Spirit Saints arguing about his sex life?! "I''m sorry, can I say something?" Shin meekly raised his hands. As much as he wanted to look away from the angry stares that were sent his direction, the boy felt like he needed to get a word in, or else the misunderstanding between the two Spirit Saints would continue to intensify. "I don''t plan on getting married or having children. My main focus is to concentrate on the Black Masks and obtaining immortality." It wasn''t strange for Spirit Users to remain celibate all their life in the pursuit of greatness. The monks from the Shaolin Temple were the best examples of that. They abstain from almost all of the world''s greatest pleasures and continue to become Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates regularly. Thus, it wasn''t strange for Shin to want to pursue that path. Unfortunately, the two Spirit Saints had different plans for him. "Shin. I know that you''re still heartbroken over the loss of Ariel, but your future is important. Having a family is an essential part of being alive. To have the urge to protect the child you create, to leave the world in a better state than it was so that their future is secure, that is an essential desire that would aid in your cultivation as well." Longyu Tian sweetly explained. "You don''t have to rush into a relationship right now. Just wait until you''re in the Lantis Republic. I''ll explain everything to you then." "Hey! I said I didn''t agree with the last condition!" "Instead of arbitrarily deciding my disciple''s own freedom to procreate," Lady Seph did her best to hold back her anger, tightening her fists and biting down on her lower lip didn''t work though. Her voice was thick, and each word was enunciated. "Let Shin decided on his own personal life. We don''t have any right to decide any of this for him!" "Lady Seph has a point." Prince Koshaku spoke out in protest as well. For the Himmel Empire, the ideal situation was for Shin to marry someone of considerable lineage and to leave children behind where the Himmel Empire could use to tie him down. However, ultimately, it was up for Shin to decide. "The boy has the freedom to choose whoever he wants to settle down with. History has shown that forcing someone into love or marriage typically leads to undesirable consequences. Furthermore, he''s just sixteen. Let''s just wait until he''s in the Spirit Spectre stage before we bring this matter up again." "Hmmm¡­ Whatever." Longyu Tian shrugged her shoulders as if she had given in to the demands. However, god knows what diabolical plan she had concocted up in the depths of her soul. "I agree with the terms that have been laid out. The Lantis Republic will provide a hundred thousand troops as promised, and we will participate in whatever activities that pertain to the Black Masks. The Grand Council did want me to tell you this though. If you''re trying to attack the Black Masks through the ocean route into the Uncharted Wilderness, the Lantis Republic won''t comply. It''s far too dangerous after all." "Finally, we agree on something." Seeing the light that was at the end of the tunnel, Prince Koshaku beamed happily and walked over to the Lantis Republic representatives. Extending out his right hand, the Royal hoped to end the fortnight-long standoff with a smile. "For now, let us seal the negotiations with a verbal agreement. Peace?" "..." Zhangyu Yaoguai waited for Longyu Tian to give the signal before he stood up and accepted the handshake. "Peace." "Good! We have finally reached a true milestone in human history!" Through this handshake, the Summit truly came to a close. The Lantis Republic, the Himmel Empire, the Kori Federation. The triad of superpowers that dominated the lands had finally merged to form an Alliance that would take on the Black Masks. The following hours became the most hectic time in the history of the Summit. Now that the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic had finally sought peace, there was now a bunch of paperwork to be completed. Leaders from the Kori Federation, Blacksmith''s League, Mercenary Guild and Healer''s Association all gathered together to iron out the details of the agreement and finally sign the first ever Alliance treaty. A shared intelligence agency had been formed and was headed by the Guild Leader of the Mercenary Guild. A central weapon and armoury hub was created by the Blacksmith''s League to help facilitate the distribution of ammunition to combat the Black Masks. The Healer''s Association was also given permission to open up Healing Wards in any strategic locations that would expedite the recovery of the fallen soldiers. And finally, a strategic council was formed where each entity got a vote each to decide on future operations, and the same representatives that participated in the Summit were all offered a seat on the table. Things moved so quickly that no one slept a wink as the contracts were drafted and completed in the middle of the night. There was a slight hiccup in the process when it came to choosing a figurehead to represent the Alliance as none of the trio of superpowers were willing to abscond that seat. However, when the Spirit Saints found out about the issue, they directly ordered the most neutral person for the job, the Healer''s Association Head, Raphael, to claim the seat as the top person for the Alliance. The commotion continued on through the bright moonlight and into the dawn of a new day as if signifying the advent of a new beginning for mankind. Just like his seniors, Shin had barely slept as he spun around on his bed for the entire night. He had got what he wanted. A chance for baptism in the Celestial River and a dual-citizenship with both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. However, it didn''t come with no cost. The attention that he drew to himself in the process would never go away, even if he jumped into the Celestial River to wipe himself clean of his sins. Excluding the screaming fanatical zealots that were wailing outside, within the Himmel Empire''s procession, there were already many who treated him differently. Whenever he walked out of his room, stares from the Luminaries and various talents would sting through his skin, forcing Shin to hide his face in shame. Eikyo, the Young Drake Duke, had even snorted in derision as if he were looking at the worst filth that ever existed when he happened to walk past Shin during breakfast. Before, Shin could easily have walked over to random members of the Himmel Empire and strike a cordial conversation with him. Now, whenever he walked into the room, the whole crowd would turn silent and their hearty laughter would turn to whispers of apprehension. Fortunately for Shin, his immediate clique didn''t treat him too differently after his bout with Lukman. Ignoring Ella and Emma, who would stick to Shin no matter what kind of monster he had become, Kanari, Elrin and Shizen all treated the boy the same. If anything, they were thrilled that Shin had shown such a spectacular sight. Elrin once again extended an offer to Shin, hoping that he would join the Zedcris Conglomerate as a future esteemed guest. The Zedcris Conglomerate may be one of the wealthiest merchant companies in the world, but even they couldn''t afford to invite a Spirit Saint to guard over their riches. However, if Shin matured into a Spirit Saint right before her very eyes, when Elrin eventually takes over her father''s business, she would be able to expand the Zedcris Conglomerate in ways that her father never could. Shizen was likewise thrilled that his friend had grown once more in power. However, that was mostly because for some reason, Shin''s ''juice'' became much sweeter than it was before, bringing out hearts in the Freak of the Dundlewood''s pupils whenever he laid eyes on his favourite black-haired boy. Finally, Kanari just puffed out her chest in pride. She was the one that first approached Shin out of everyone in the academy and now that he had become even more of a star than herself, Kanari couldn''t be happier. After breakfast, Shin had taken some time to stroll in the courtyard of his hotel, alongside his academy friends. Since he wasn''t allowed to leave the premise of the Himmel Empire, Shin could only admire the beauty of the floating Citadel from the lush flower garden in his backyard. "I never thought that the Summit would end this way..." A piece of Shin''s soul flowed out of his mouth as he hunched his back forward on the stone bench at the centre of the courtyard. "I just wanted to get baptised by the Celestial River..." "Haha! Don''t get depressed! At least you got your wish!" Elrin laughed off the young boy''s depression. "Look at the bright side! You are the first person to get dual-citizenship in the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic! No one else in history has ever gotten that privilege!" Based on what Longyu Tian and Lady Seph had told him, Shin would be treated as an honoured member of both nations, and wouldn''t be discriminated against when it came to bestowing merit or owning land. In fact, they encouraged Shin to buy a property within the countries so that he had an anchor to the nations. Furthermore, the Lantis Republic, or more specifically, the Longyu Clan, seemed willing to splurge on the youth''s cultivation and had already started to prepare mentors and resources to tutor him when he arrives at Longyu Reef five years from now. Five years seemed to be along time for a youngster like Shin, who had only lived over three times that amount, but for Longyu Tian, five years was akin to a blink of an eye. During that time, she would make sure to prepare the best facilities and resources that the clan could possibly cough up in the hopes of making Shin into the future Spirit Saint of the Longyu Clan. "Hah¡­ It really has been a wild ride." Kanari shook her head. The Summit was supposed to be a casual affair for the youngsters, as they were only here to be spectators. Yet, Shin and Kanari were forced to take centre stage among the Rank 40 Luminaries. "Speaking of which, Shin! How different do you feel? After the match against Lukman?" Kanari questioned. "It''s weird..." Shin bitterly smiled and summoned out the Sovereign Koi. At the same time, a ball of water instantly formed. Moving his fingers about erratically, Shin manipulated the ball to change into a pyramid. And then to a miniature-sized tower. He even changed it a sharp needle that replicated his Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles. "The system that I had grown up learning is no longer the same. Lukman''s methods were far superior and I just¡­ copied it. However, I don''t really understand how I should proceed from here." Ignoring the mayhem concerning his citizenship, the most significant change to Shin''s life was his control over his innate spiritual ability. Lukman had shown him a better path and Shin was clueless as to how he was going to proceed from there. "If only I get to meet with the Prince of Sand once more..." After being shown Lukman''s expertise, Shin started to realise how lacking he really was. He really wanted to spend a little more time with the notorious Sandman, in hopes of improving his overall ability. Even if it''s just by a sliver of a percent. "If you want to meet him, why not ask?" Kanari giggled. "In the Summit, there are thousands of people queuing up just to catch a glimpse of you. If you invite Lukman, I''m sure that he''ll agree to meet you." "You think?" Tempted by Kanari''s sweet whispers, Shin perked his head up, his face brightening immensely. "Of course! Just say the word, and I''ll get it done." "... Fine. Then I''ll have to bother you Kanari." "Hehe, don''t mention it!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 352 The Way Forward 2 Kanari''s connections weren''t something that could be trifled with. After Shin had shown his intent to meet with the Prince of Sand once more, a messenger had been dispatched in less than fifteen minutes that the reply came in about half an hour. Lukman was elated that Shin had sought him out and immediately accepted the invitation. Shin didn''t even have to wait till lunchtime before the tanned, handsome man came walking into the Himmel Empire''s hotel, much to the surprise of the hundreds of reporters outside. "Shin Iofiel¡­ I didn''t expect that you would seek me out this quickly." A wide smile arced upwards on Lukman''s face. Gone was the tough and nonchalant attitude that he had when he first entered the Citadel. Right now, Lukman looked like a proud brother who was willing to listen to his younger sibling''s woes. Shin''s friends had long retreated to give the duo some privacy, but their suspicious actions had unwillingly drawn a crowd. Many of the Himmel Empire''s representatives all stood at the side, out of view from Shin and Lukman, to observe the interactions between the two. "Thank you for accepting my invitation on such short notice." Shin immediately welcomed his guest by pouring a cup of tea under the shade of the garden''s pavilion. After hearing that the Prince of Sand was about to arrive, the young boy showcased his tea brewing skills to it''s fullest effect as he brought out the best Oolong Tea that was normally reserved for the tastebuds of his master. "I just wanted to confirm something with you." "Speak." Lukman was from the Tuareg Sect that hailed from the Sahara Desert. They weren''t known for beating around the bush. "How did you learn how to manipulate sand in that manner?" In respect of Lukman''s heritage, Shin was forthcoming with his questions. "I had awakened my innate spiritual ability almost six years ago, and I didn''t even have half the creativity that you had displayed. I could only make those inefficient water spheres that were so easily destroyed by your sand. I don''t understand... How is there such a huge disparity between you and me, even though we had technically awakened the same spiritual ability?" "..." Lukman looked at Shin as if he were a strange animal. In truth, the Sandman had wondered the exact same thing. After yesterday''s display, Shin''s comprehension abilities weren''t to be questioned. If he could copy Lukman''s abilities after seeing them just once, there wasn''t any reason that Shin wouldn''t have learnt how to create and manipulate water on his own. In fact, he should be far superior to Lukman! "Tell me, Shin. Have you conducted any research on your own? On how to utilise your ability?" "I did read some books about it..." "That''s not what I meant!" Lukman exclaimed, his smile vanishing in the process. "Have you personally went to places where water was the most prevalent? Lakes, rivers, seas and oceans?" "A few times..." Shin recollected the occasions where he visited large bodies of water. There was the time where he visited an artificial lake near Imperius Academy for his training and the time where he visited Mort Bay. These two were the only opportunities he had to experience what it was like to be part of water. "I see¡­ Therein lays the problem." Enlightened, Lukman nodded. "Shin, I had lived in the Sahara Desert my entire life. There was a lack of water. A constant heat that melts your face, and a plethora of sandstorms and desert Spirit Beasts that roamed the land." "Yeah?" Shin was confused as to why Lukman was bringing up where he was raised. "Yes, it was a hard life, but I would never switch the place that I was brought up in. Why? Because it was how I developed all of my techniques." Snapping his fingers, Lukman created a gourd full of sand and swivelled it within the palm of his hands. Some moments, it was a simple ball. Hard, firm and never caving to the slightest bit of pressure. Other moments, it was a thread. Light, pliable and all so flexible. It could easily wrap around a toothpick and retain its immense strength to lift up an elephant. "I didn''t develop my techniques all by my own you know?" Lukman laughed. "I personally saw how sand formed. How it moved in the wind. How it changed when affected by temperature. How it creates natural disasters that could destroy hundred-year-old buildings. How it created sand dunes and other structures. When I combated sand-type Spirit Beasts, I learnt how they interacted with the desert. What are the limits that sand could reach? All of these factors were key in me becoming the Prince of Sand that sits before you today." "I see¡­ So because I was landlocked my entire life, I wasn''t able to fully comprehend how water works?" "Precisely." Lukman laughed. "After living in the desert for so long, I became accustomed feeling and manipulating sand. However, when I ventured out of the Sahara, I realised that I was extremely weak without the presence of my element. Fortunately for me, due to my upbringing, I had obtained a keen sensitivity for sand particles that surround me. So..." Pointing his finger to a nearby stone, Lukman sent a surge of mana towards the poor rock, instantly turning it into a pile of sand. "I started to comprehend how to alter the world to suit my needs." "Wow..." The black-haired boy gaped in awe. While he could create his own water, Shin couldn''t convert his surroundings into pure water like how Lukman did. He was still far off from developing that kind of sensitivity. "Technically, you could do the same." Lukman continued to advise the boy. "However, I won''t teach you the method. Otherwise, the Deputy Prime Minister would rip my head off." "Haha, so you''re going to leave me hanging?" "That''s exactly what I was ordered to do!" Lukman chuckled. He enjoyed his time with Shin, though it was somewhat brief. If they were both from the Kori Federation, Lukman would have most definitely spewed out everything that he knew in the hopes of training Shin to match him someday. "I can tell you this though." The Prince of Sand leaned forward, keeping a finger on top of his lips while lowering his voice. "What you''re lacking isn''t tutelage, but imagination." "Imagination?" "That''s right! Our innate ability is special. There aren''t many that have obtained that spiritual ability, thus there aren''t many mentors out there that can teach us using traditional methods. The only thing that we can do is to observe what surrounds us and emulate from their examples. In your case, you should look into submerging yourself in the ocean or watching water-type Spirit Beasts fight. You''d be surprised at how much you can learn by watching two Spirit Beasts flaunt their abilities. They are much closer to nature than we are, after all." Lukman''s elder brother instincts kicked in and he began to illuminate the way forward for his poor junior. "You may have copied my techniques, but do note that those aren''t uniquely yours. It may seem efficient to you now, however, sand isn''t water. In the long run, you would have to develop a system that fits your created water and only then, will you truly become the master of your innate spiritual ability." ''No wonder...'' Shin''s face brightened up as if he was a thirsty vagrant that had finally seen the light. He had experienced what Lukman was describing a few times before. When he first arrived at Mort Bay, Shin felt a constant calling to jump into the ocean and was even tempted to stay there indefinitely to train. Furthermore, when he copied Lukman''s ''Mist'' ability, Shin felt that it was subpar and unsuitable for his own spiritual ability. ''I''m far too inexperienced for this¡­ Just like Lukman said, I need to experience water all on my own!'' Making the mental note to move even closer to the ocean for his cultivation, Shin clenched his fists. "Mmmm¡­ This tea is delicious!" Lukman chugged down the cup of Oolong tea before him and released a satisfied gasp. "If you want to, I can mail you a kilogram of tea leaves when I get back to the Empire." Shin beamed. There were two things about himself that he was the proudest of. His comprehension ability and tea-brewing technique. Even Lady Seph had admitted that no one else she knew could come close to Shin''s expertise when it came to preparing tea. "That''s the least I could do to compensate you." "Haha! I''ll take you up on that offer then!" The Prince of Sand accepted Shin''s refill and gulped down another mouthful. "Honestly, you should come to visit the Tuareg Sect sometime soon. I''m sure my people would be delighted to face a talent like you!" ''Is fighting all that he can ever think off?'' Raising his eyebrow, Shin chuckled at how straightforward Lukman was. The Prince of Sand was a battle-junkie through and through. And it seemed that the Tuareg Sect where he came from had the same ideals. "Didn''t you say that I should remain in places where water is the most abundant? Why are you asking me to go into the middle of a desert then?" "Hmmm¡­ Fair point. However, once you''re accustomed to living among the oceans, you should really experience life in a place where water is the most scarce." Lukman stood up, ready to return back to his hotel room. Before he leaves though, the brown-skinned man wanted to leave Shin with a final word of advice. "Look at me. I create and manipulate the sand-element, but there are only a few places where sand is abundant. When I first left the Sahara Desert, I had to dig deep to find places where sand existed, and that in turn had allowed me to learn my most powerful technique." Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ A slight tremor shook the ground around Shin and Lukman as the grassy lawn slowly degenerated into a hole of sand. It was very subtle so no one in the hotel could feel it. Controlling a bit of the sand that was beneath him, Lukman created a luxurious throne, one fit for the royals of the Himmel Empire''s Imperial Family to sit on. Unlike most of Lukman''s created structures, the throne didn''t crumble even when the weight of a fully grown adult male was forced onto it, even though there wasn''t any mana supplied to it. "I can now break down earth to create sand." "Wow..." "Don''t wow me." Lukman snickered. "Your water-element is omnipresent in this world. The earth, the trees, the air, the mountains¡­ Everything in this world has to live with water. Even humans consist of mostly water. If you can break through the spiritual barriers and mana that flows through each cultivators'' veins, you could even manipulate their blood and bend them to your will. Frankly, I''m quite jealous of how many options you have." The Prince of Sand pouted his lips and flicked Shin''s forehead with his finger. There was a reason why Lukman was so desperate to fight Shin in the exhibition battles. He wanted to see how creative Shin could be and potentially learn a thing or two from the Waterboy. Unfortunately, the contrary had occurred, and Shin had almost sucked Lukman dry of all his techniques. "Alright. If there''s nothing else, I should leave." Turning around, Lukman could see countless eyes gazing in their direction. Once they realised that the Prince of Sand was observing them, they awkwardly averted their ogling and hid behind the pillars of the building. "I hope that the next time we meet, you would be much stronger than you are now. Then, we can have a proper duel to determine who''s better! Prince of Water." "A-Ah!" Leaving just as quickly as he arrived, Lukman disappeared out of the reception area and proceeded to return back to his country''s procession. Ultimately, the Prince of Sand was an outsider intruding on the Himmel Empire''s property. There was no way that he could stay with Shin for too long. "How was it?" With Lukman gone, Kanari and friends could finally approach Shin once more. "It went well." Shin just smiled. Lukman didn''t have to explain that much to him. In fact, Shin was sure that the Kori Federation''s Luminary would definitely get into trouble for visiting him on a whim. Nonetheless, the handsome tanned man still went against his Deputy Prime Minister''s orders just to help a fellow cultivator for his woes. For that, Shin was grateful. "I finally know how I should proceed¡­ I now know the way forward. Thank you, Kanari." "I see..." Kanari dropped her face. No one could see her expression. What she was feeling at that moment? What she was planning on doing in the future? No one knew. However, after a few seconds, the pretty young girl raised her head with a brilliant smile, one so dazzling that it would make the moon seem like a dim firefly. "Hehe, I''m glad!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 353 The Way Forward 3 The Uncharted Wilderness. ??????????? Pitter Patter¡­ Pitter Patter¡­ Blackness. That was the prevalent colour that draped the night stormy sky. There was no moon to illuminate the way, and there were no stars for dreamers to let their fantasies go wild. The only source of light that filled the heavens above were the constant thunderbolts that crackled down upon the earth as if unleashing the wrath of a Divine Immortal. Chilling cold winds swept through the densely packed forest, rustling the leaves of the tall, lanky trees while heavy raindrops splashed onto the canopies and if not for the deep, dense soil that absorbed all of the moisture from the rain, the area would have been flooded by now. Amidst the torrential downpour that silenced anything else that dared to breathe a sound, a colossal stone castle stood firm, hiding under cover of darkness and obscured by a fog of grey mist. Shielded by the wet weather, the bricked walls of the castle boasted countless explosive cannons and hundreds of bright lights that brightened its surroundings. Unaffected the cold winds, the interior of the Acropolis was as warm as can be. A tale as old as time itself, each castle hid its own secrets. If an average dweller were to chance upon this majestic structure, they would undoubtedly have questions for its inhabitants. Unfortunately, those numbers were few and far between, and if someone happened to stumble across the castle, it was almost inevitable that they would never live to see another day. Kusu Kusu Kusu Kusu The sonorous echo of a pen scribing upon a piece of yellow parchment reverberated through the empty hallways of this fort of stone. While the lights were all entirely on, it didn''t mean that there were thousands of men and women staying within this luxury in a dump. In fact, it was on the contrary. There were only a few dozen members currently inhabiting the glorious castle and over half of them were out running errands. Naturally, many servants were tending to the day-to-day operations of the enormous castle, but for the most part, the masters weren''t home half of the time. However, that didn''t mean that the masters didn''t need to come home for rest¡­ Tap Tap Tap Light footsteps approached the furious pen-writing echoes. A bright young woman, who was no more than thirty years of age, carried a tray of light refreshments consisting of a combination of tea, cakes and bread. Seeing as the door was slightly ajar, the young woman gently creaked open the door with the heel of her foot, revealing an aged stone chamber with shelves upon shelves of thick tomes. Placing down the tray of refreshments on a nearby lampstand, the lady turned her attention to the centre of the spacious chamber. A suave young man, who had vibrant viridian-coloured hair, was seemingly unaware that a full-grown woman had barged into his holy sanctum without warning. Continuously scribbling down the notes that he had to complete, the young man''s head never looked up for one second. ''Hehe¡­ His serious face sure is mesmerising...'' The young woman thought to herself. She had seen that face almost every day when she woke up from bed, but nothing could beat the raw emotion that bubbled up from her chest when she was observing her man do what he did best. ''As much as I would like to savour this moment, he should eat something.'' "Junius! Junius!" "Hmmm? Oh, Shia? What''s up?" Junius lifted his head up for one moment to identify the newcomer and continued to write immediately after. "Hey! Don''t go back to writing! I came here to deliver your late night snack!" "Alright, leave it there. I''ll eat later." Shia placed both her hands on her waist and leaned in immediately towards Junius'' face. Their foreheads touching, the focused young man had been pried away from his work and was forced to deal with the lass standing before his eyes. "You always say that, but in the end, you''ll not touch it at all! Do you know how many times I had to throw away perfectly good food that had turned cold and gathered a colony of ants?" Shia chided Junius on his eating habits. "Also, you have been working for almost six hours straight since dinner! Can''t you spare a few moments? Is your work really that urgent?" "Shia, I..." "No buts!" Hushing Junius before he could even get a word in, Shia grabbed the man by the hand and led him towards the sofa that had doubled as a single bed for the hard-working Awter member. "Have some tea and relax. Work can wait." Unable to win against his woman, Junius just sighed and allowed Shia to handle the rest. The light-blue haired lady poured Junius a cup of tea and placed the chiffon cake that had been liberally dusted with powdered sugar, right in front of the handsome young man. At the same time, she circled around the sofa and placed her slender hands onto the toughened shoulders of Junius. Finding the points that she was all too familiar with, Shia pressed down as if her life depended on it. Junius'' shoulders were as hard as a stone, and it was challenging to release the tension that had been built up from constant physical training, cultivation, desk work and missions. Nonetheless, Shia still adamantly pursued the task of being Junius'' personal masseuse. "I''ve told you, Shia. There''s no need to massage me every day." "That''s the least that I should do." Shia rejected Junius'' claim and continued to press down with the tip of her thumbs. "You had given us, the survivors of the Awter Clan so much. Senior Vellan''s promotion, dozens of Black Masks joining our banner, and even this castle. All of this was because of you." "I didn''t do much. Senior Vellan was the one that..." "Junius, please." The woman lifted her right hand and covered her lover''s mouth. "We have lived under the Allfather''s umbrella much longer than you did. We know how the Black Masks act when it comes to rewards and punishments. If not for your contributions in the Land of Dreams, we would still be living in that cave, scrapping maggots off our beds and chasing rats away." A few months ago, the Allfather had decreed that Junius was to plan out one of the twelve bases in the Kori Federation, instantly catapulting him into the upper echelons of the Black Mask Syndicate, even though he was just a Spirit Adept. Many sneered and jeered the young man, but Junius persisted through the criticism and with the help of Vellan, the base that everyone thought would be a failure, was on track to become the first completion of the Kori Federation. Pleased with the result, the Allfather bestowed upon the remnants of the Awter Clan a personal mansion within the Uncharted Wilderness. A prestige that was only granted to the Black Masks'' most trusted members. While Junius couldn''t take all the credit for the win, there was no doubt in everybody''s minds that the young prodigy was the major reason for the Allfather''s grace. "I did it all¡­ For the family." "I know you did." Shia slipped her hands down from Junius'' shoulders as she leaned in comfortably. Her bosom touching the man''s head, Shia tucked her falling her behind her ear and latched on to the warmth of Junius. "For that, we''re grateful. Although Captain and many others aren''t here to enjoy this luxury, I''m sure that they would be proud of your accomplishments." "No¡­ I haven''t done anything yet." Junius grasped the soft, gentle hands of Shia. "I don''t even have the faintest idea of how I can bring Shin and the others to our side. He''s still surrounded by Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates in the heart of the Himmel Empire'' Capital. Though I have established some communications with the underground there, they aren''t enough for me to establish a connection with Shin!" Junius spat out in anger. He had spent a fortune to create a network within the Capital, but as it turns out, the central hub of any superpower wasn''t that easy to infiltrate. Other than obtaining some reports from the newspapers, Junius barely had any information about how to get to Shin or any of the other orphans. "One step at a time." Shia consoled her man by rubbing on his chest. "I believe that with your persistence, the Young Master would be sure to come around." "You think?" "I know." Shia looked sideways and locked eyes with the handsome young man. Though she was nine years older than him, Shia had always retained her youthful looks, and now, it seemed that Junius was the older of the pair. His sharp, chiselled chin and valiant, eagle-shaped eyes made him stand above the pack as compared to other men his age. However, at this very moment, the impassioned tiger had been tamed, and he was just a cute little boy before and hungry lioness. "Sometimes, I forget that you''re older than me." "Hey! What''s that supposed to mean?!" "A compliment! A compliment!" Laughing at the puffed squirrel cheeks of his partner, Junius gulped down an entire cup of tea as the fatigue that had bottled up finally hit him like a truck. Unfortunately, just before he could lay down to sleep, a third foreign voice disrupted the peace in the stone chambers. "Urgh¡­ The atmosphere is so sweet that it''s sickening..." "S-Senior Ao?!" Recognising the voice, Junius immediately hopped onto his feet and turned his body towards the opened window pane. There wasn''t a need to visually see the intruder. Saluting like a soldier, Junius waited for the man to accept his address. "Dispense the formalities. We aren''t that kind of organisation." The blue-haired man scoffed at Junius'' sincere bow. Closing the window that he had used to infiltrate the castle, the tall, handsome man moved deeper into the office and claimed his place on the opposite side of Junius'' sofa. "W-What brings you here, Senior Ao?" Junius wasn''t one to trip on his own words. However, when one of the Black Masks most influential executives was addressing him, the young man couldn''t help but get tongue-tied. Furthermore, it didn''t help that Ao was a peak Tier 9 Spirit Beast that could effortlessly destroy his entire castle within a fraction of a second. "Don''t be so uptight." Ao waved his hands and sat back. In his human form, the Spirit Beast didn''t look all that different from a normal man. He could fit on sofas, he could use his five senses like a human could and he could even mimic the way a human speaks. Of course, if Ao really wanted to, he could easily unleash the tremendous mana that was stored within his angular and lean body, demolishing anything within a hundred metre radius. Nonetheless, right now, the World Serpent was nothing more than a messenger. "The Allfather has some news to dispatch to you. I''m just here to deliver the message." "The Allfather asked you to personally give me a message?!" Junius immediately knelt down. To members of the Black Masks, the Allfather''s word was akin to that of an Imperial Decree. No, it far surpassed the words of any Emperor. If the Allfather asked for the Black Masks to throw away their lives for his sake, they would willingly jump into a pit of fire, no questions asked. "No, he asked me to deliver the news to everyone working on the Kori Federation bases. You''re the only one that I personally took the time to visit. The rest are being informed via a proxy." "I-I''m honoured..." Junius bowed once again. "Don''t mention it. Furthermore, some news is better told in person rather than with a mere soulless puppet." "???" Unsure of what the World Serpent meant, Junius shot Ao a curious look. Nonetheless, since it wasn''t in his place to raise questions so brazenly, the young man could only wait patiently for the explanation. "Let''s just cut to the chase. The Allfather wants you to limit the number of hands working at the bases to fifty. Also, you are to lay low for the time being. Any operations that may result in the exposure of the base must be delayed." "What''s going on?" "The three superpowers have moved faster than we''ve thought. They had already signed an Alliance and have already found three of the twelve bases in the Kori Federation. They''re preparing various operations to wipe those bases clean as we speak." Ao gritted his teeth. As a Spirit Beast, he didn''t have any good dealings with human cultivators from the three superpowers. "We can''t risk putting any of our other bases at risk. As much as I want to wreck the humans with a never-ending tempest, we''re still rather weak as compared to the forces of the Alliance. Any head-on confrontation now would only result in us wasting decades of hard work." "They had already moved that quickly?!" Junius immediately realised the gravity of the situation. Based on their forecasts, the Alliance had a fifty percent chance of forming and the earliest estimates of them signing the treaty would take at least a year! Yet, the feat was accomplished in less than two months! "That''s right. So we have to be exceedingly cautious, else our efforts would go down the drain." Ao explained. "Don''t worry, your base is out of their radar, so it''s safe. At least for now." "I understand!" Junius clicked his heels together and gave the World Serpent a salute. "I''ll execute the Allfather''s orders to the best of my ability!" "Good!" Ao clapped. Just like everyone else in the syndicate, Ao was always watching the meteoric rise of Junius. Thus far, the wonder boy had never failed a mission, and his cultivation standards were top notch and were comparable to that of the human Luminaries. If groomed correctly, perhaps one day, Junius would get to stand on the podium alongside the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. "One more thing that you should know¡­" "What is it?" Junius tilted his head in confusion. "The boy that you and your family had been chasing. Shin, was it?" "Yes?" Junius and Shia''s heart palpitated wildly. The entire focus for the remnants of the Awter Clan was the reclaim Shin and avenge their fallen brethren. Was Ao going to tell them some good news? Was the Allfather ready to green-light another operation to reclaim Shin and the rest of the orphans? "The Allfather has laid down the order..." Ao took a deep breath in before thoughtfully staring at the two younglings. "Give up on him." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 354 The Way Forward 4 ''Give up on him?'' Junius'' mind went blank. This entire time, he had served the Allfather under the impression that he could rescue Shin from the clutches of Lady Seph, and bring him back to his real home. A home with the Awter Clan. "Pardon for my insolence, but may I ask why?" For the members of the Awter Clan, they can''t just be told to give up on Shin. His existence was the glue that kept them together. By bringing him to their side, the Awter Clan would have the chance of resurrected from the ashes, and the children that he had would become the bloodline that would overthrow the Frie Clan and the Himmel Empire. They can''t just give up on Shin! "You have been busy with your base and rightfully so. The Allfather''s orders are supersedes anything else after all." Ao started off with a word of praise to help ease up the tension. "However, that single-mindedness has made you ignorant of worldly affairs. During the recent Summit that was held on Deus Citadel, the most prominent name that came out of the floating fortress wasn''t the Saint of Time, and neither was it the Sword Saint Geom. There was one name that shook the world and turned everyone''s heads. And that was your younger brother, Shin." "What?!" Junius resisted the urge to grab the World Serpent by the collar of his shirt. What had Shin got to do with the Summit? Wasn''t he with Lady Seph in the Capital? "I know it sounds hard to believe, but as it turns out, Shin had been scouted by the Lantis Republic''s Saint of Time. Something about having the same bloodline as her own ancient clan. Because of that, a fight began between Saint Firebird from the Himmel Empire and the Saint of Time. Unfortunately for us, the two Saints didn''t cut each other down." Nothing would delight the Black Masks more than if the two superpowers killed each other off. That way, there would be fewer interferences with their future plans. Pity, that didn''t happen. "After that, Shin showed why he was the most sought after talent in the entire world by beating a Rank 43 Luminary from the Tuareg Sect. Those who witnessed the match says that it was the most thrilling bout they had even laid eyes on. Something about copying techniques the moment it was executed. The reports were a little unclear, but that was the gist of it. After our investigators return, we would be sure to get the bigger picture of what happened in the Summit." Hearing the news of his younger brother for the first time since god knows how long had made Junius somewhat sentimental. He had always known that Shin was an exceptional talent, but for him to beat a Rank 43 Luminary was something else entirely. Even if there were two of Junius, there was no guarantee that he could take down a Spirit Spectre. Such was the difference between the two realms. Based on the information Junius had gathered, Shin should still be in the Spirit Core realm. Yet, he was able to defeat a Spirit Spectre? How ludicrous was that? ''Hehe, looks like I''m getting left behind...'' Junius chuckled. He wasn''t jealous that Shin had surpassed him. Instead, he was elated. Before he was a member of the Black Mask, Junius was an elder brother and a proud guardian of the youth. Junius had seen Shin grow from an infant to a teenager and was even an integral part of his training. Their ways may have parted for now, but that didn''t mean that Junius had stopped caring for Shin. In fact, it was the contrary. No matter what he did in the Black Masks, no matter how heinous the deed, Junius had done it to reunite the orphans. ''I wonder what he''s doing now¡­ How much has he grown? Is he eating well?'' Junius pondered to himself before remembering the World Serpent''s words. ''Now''s not the time to be reminiscing!'' "W-What¡­ Are the plans the Allfather have for Shin?" Junius mustered up all that he had to ask that crucial question. The Allfather had ordered the Awter Clan to stop looking for Shin. Did it mean that the Black Masks wanted to kill the cancerous tumour before it could grow even further? If they wanted to kill Shin for his talent, Junius would immediately question his allegiances and would most likely defect from the Black Masks. "Hmmm, to be honest, I''m not sure." Ao frowned and stroked his chin. "When the Allfather learnt of the news, I was there with him. He said something very¡­ Peculiar." "W-W-What did he say?" The viridian-haired young man was shaking like a leaf. "He called your friend¡­ Interesting..." ''Interesting?! The Allfather had taken notice of Shin?!'' Junius cried out mentally. Never in the history of the Black Masks had the Allfather placed such emphasis on a single individual outside of his organisation. Did it spell a tragedy? Or a blessing? Junius just had to know. "Not to worry. Based on his actions, I don''t think that the Allfather wants to eradicate the young boy. He probably thinks that Shin should remain on his path and a move to the Black Masks would be detrimental for his development." ''The Allfather cares about Shin''s development?!'' Junius and Shia opened their eyes wide. Why was it that the enemy cared how strong Shin would become? Shouldn''t he kill off the menace before it gets too strong? "Ah, right. You still don''t understand what the Allfather really wants right." Ao laughed at his folly. Not everyone was privy to this knowledge and yet he had just run his mouth. "Isn''t it to launch a Great War so that he could rule the world?" "Pffftt!!! Where did you get that idea from?!" The World Serpent spat out his saliva. The members of the Black Masks were zealous fanatics that obeyed their master''s every will. Yet, they had misunderstood the Allfather to this extent! "Was I mistaken?" "Hahaha! You''ve got the first part right! The Allfather indeed wishes to launch a Great War where he would raze the pretty stone palaces of men and annihilate half of the human population! However, he doesn''t want to rule anything! Heck, he doesn''t even care if any of us sits on the throne!" "So¡­ What is it that the Allfather wants?" "Hehe... You really want to know?" The World Serpent regained control over his convulsing body and leaned in closer to the pair. Gulping down a mouthful of air, Junius and Shia held their breath as they quietly waited for Ao to reveal the secret¡­ The mystery behind the Allfather''s intentions. "Come¡­ Let me tell you a story¡­ A story of a young boy with big dreams..." ??? Two weeks had passed since the mayhem at Deus Citadel. All representatives from the three superpowers had returned to their respective nations each one bringing good news to the leaders of their country. The trip to the Land of Dreams wasn''t a waste! The Alliance that many said was doomed to fail, had finally been formed, with each nation producing sufficient manpower and resources to combat the Black Masks. The first major hurdle that the Alliance was faced with was the demolition of three Black Masks'' bases within the Kori Federation. Not knowing if their intelligence was exposed, the Alliance moved quickly and gathered a division of ten thousand men each to strike at the heart of the three bases. Regrettably, when the Generals arrived at the scene, a large portion of the Black Masks forces had already been relocated, and the Alliance was forced to grit their teeth and gather the remnant scraps. They did, however, kill about a thousand Spirit Beasts and captured a handful of Shudras. Sent to interrogation units that were formed by the Mercenary Guild, the Shudras were grilled for information about their organisation and the enigmatic Allfather. However, instead of giving in to the torture, the numerous Shudras all claimed their own lives, showing how committed they were to their mysterious leader. The investigators weren''t even able to gather a single useful detail about the Black Masks. Which begged a few questions: Who was the Allfather? What is the purpose of the Black Masks and what was their plan for bringing the world to chaos? How did the Allfather get so powerful? How many forces do the Black Masks really have? Where are the remaining Black Masks'' bases? These were the five most pressing questions that the Alliance had to answer. As the old adage goes, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. Right now, the Alliance knew of their own might but were entirely in the dark about anything related to the Black Masks. Thus, the first order of action that the new Alliance Leader had made was to launch a full-scale investigation, using a combination of the Mercenary Guild''s information network and the central intelligence agency that was formed by the Alliance. Of course, none of those issues mattered to Shin and his fellow friends, who had long retreated back to Imperius Academy. After the hectic few weeks that he had at the Summit, all Shin wanted to do was sit back in his cultivation chamber and reflect on all of his experiences. Ohmmnnnn¡­ Seated in a lotus position, Shin was meditating serenely while emitting a tremendous amount of mana. Coloured as a profound cerulean aura, the spiritual energies that seeped out of his pores made the entire stone chambers into a densely packed ocean within a room. If an ordinary Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner were to stumble into the room, he or she would most definitely suffocate on the immense pressure, bringing their lives to an early stoppage. ''Omnipresent¡­ Water is omnipresent. It is in the air, the ground, the oceans, the mountains, the trees, the canyons...'' Chanting the familiar line from the Celestial Water Mantra, Shin continued to deepen his understanding about his Spirit. For the most part, his cultivation has progressed after beating Lukman in a one-on-one battle. While he hasn''t advanced a rank yet, the aura that he could create had been purified, making it a spectacular ''ocean'' for the Sovereign Koi to swim within. Being stuck in his chambers for almost five hours, Shin finally decided that it was enough. Halting his chants, Shin opened his eyes, feeling as refreshed as can be. Jumping off the stone bed, the black-haired youth stretched his tense muscles from sitting down too long and breathed it the hot air of humidity and sweat. "Bleurgh¡­ It smells disgusting in here." Shin dry-heaved. To create the most optimal environment for cultivators, Imperius Academy had ensured that the cultivation chambers were entirely sealed, with little chance for spiritual energies to get in or out. However, as a result, the nauseating stench of sweat and body odour would accumulate over the hours. "Let''s get out of here." Taking a clean white cloth from the nearby drawer, Shin wiped himself while opening the door for airing. Taking a glance up at the sky, Shin was greeted by a blazing hot sun that was at the peak of the firmament. "It''s already noon? Time really flies when I''m cultivating." After releasing all of the knots that had built up in his muscles, Shin headed to the signature location that his clique had always gathered at for lunch. Walking down the familiar path, Shin marvelled at the quiet pathways and never-ending serenity. Closing his eyes, the boy could hear the soft chirping of summer bird and splashing of water from the nearby fountain. Such tranquillity was hard found ever since the world learnt of his name. Whenever he moved out in the open, hordes of journalists and influential figures would flock in his direction, hoping to catch a conversation with the new wonder boy. "Hah¡­ Imperius Academy is really the best..." Shin sighed deeply to himself. If possible, Shin wanted to stay within campus grounds forever to cultivate. Alas, Imperius Academy was too far inland. For the foreseeable future, Shin had to travel to nearby water sources for his studies into the world of water. "Shin! Shin! You''re finally out!" Just as the black-haired boy was busy admiring the scenery, a familiar adolescent voice called out to him with great fervour. "Isadore? What happened?" After returning to the Himmel Empire, the first person to welcome Shin back was the absent silver-haired androgynous boy, who had been held back from attending the Summit due to personal reasons. The face that Isadore had shown Shin and Kanari when they came back was something that perhaps none of them would ever forget for the rest of their lives. But that was a story for another time. Isadore''s face was flushed. Evidently, something significant must have happened. "Remember how the Saint of Time had told you that she''ll be sending people to monitor you?" "Yeah?" "They had finally arrived!" Isadore cried out. Shin had been cultivating peacefully. Thus there was no way that he would have known. There was no way that he would have known of the tremendous commotion the Lantis Republic''s caravan had made when the barged into Imperius Academy. "What?!" "They''re waiting for you at the quadrangle outside!" "Got it!" Shin understood the urgency of the matter and immediately followed Isadore out. The cultivation chambers were located in a remote part of Imperius Academy, and not many people had access to the luxurious rooms. Only the top three students from each year, as well as a plethora of staffers from the institution, had free reign to move to and fro into the cultivation chambers. Nonetheless, the quadrangle outside of the cultivation chambers wasn''t that private. Packed to the brim with an endless amount of curious students, the courtyard was now the most cramped place within the entire academy. "Woah¡­ There are so many people." Shin gaped. He knew he had the spotlight on him right now, but what he was witnessing was on a whole other level. "And whose fault is that?" From the corner of the entrance, Kanari came out with a slightly miffed expression. Initially, she was the one that wanted Shin to join her faction and had spent a considerable amount of resources and time garnering his respect. Now that he had shown himself to the world, the world as a whole now wants a piece of him for themselves. "Why''re you in such a bad mood?" Isadore asked. "Hmph!" Kanari rolled her eyes and didn''t answer. Fortunately, her nemesis was right there to sabotage her. "Hehe, the Lantis Republic actually brought a pretty girl along to accompany Shin, of course, she''s pissed." Elrin chuckled as if she were a sinister rat. "Why don''t you go see for yourself?" Pushing Shin from the back, Elrin gave the young boy the first nudge as he revealed himself to the dozens of Lantis Republic members. While there were some who were confused in the beginning, one particularly familiar face came forward with a dazzling smile. "Shin Iofiel, we meet again." A sky-blue haired maiden took centre-stage, beaming in delight at their quick reunion. "Senior Meijing Bingying..." While he was momentarily stunned, Shin somehow managed to find his manners and returned the greetings. ''To think that Saint Longyu Tian would send the Pearl in the East to be my guardian!'' Before Shin left Deus Citadel, Longyu Tian had actually left him with a few words. She said that a procession consisting of a few esteemed members from the Lantis Republic would personally come over and act as his guardian and mentor until the five-year agreement was up. It was a godsend since Shin literally knew nothing about the Lantis Republic''s culture and cultivation techniques. Having a mentor was a good move on Longyu Tian''s part. However, little did Shin expect that the Saint of Time would dispatch their most famous Luminary to look over him. "This here is Xunyu Huanyuan. He''ll be my assistant during our stay here." Meijing Bingying gestured to the tall man beside her, and he similarly gave a bow. ''A member of the Xunyu Clan as well?'' For Shin to be more comfortable with his foreign guests, Longyu Tian had deliberately sent talents that were similar in age to Shin. Although they were eight years older than Shin, their maturity as crucial members of their respective clans would play an essential role in preparing Shin for his eventual arrival on Longyu Reef. "There are others that would be on their way soon. The Saint of Time has dispatched a Spirit Venerate Elder to look after you should the Himmel Empire have second thoughts." "I see..." Truth to be told, Shin didn''t know how to feel about his current status as a dignified citizen of both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. Nonetheless, for now, he could only go with the flow. "Oh, I almost forgot." Remembering something important, Meijing Bingying took out a ornate chest from the centre of her wagon. Decorated and sealed with extravagant charms and talismans, one could tell that the contents from the chest were far from ordinary. "This is!" "That''s right. The Saint of Time has agreed to your request and had sent the item here." Meijing Bingying chuckled. For the next five years, the young Luminary was going to act as his guardian and mentor. Thus, it brought her joy that Shin could further improve under her tutelage. "Hehe¡­ I look forward to what you''re going to accomplish once you assimilate with this item..." Beaming with a gorgeously charming smile, Meijing Bingying looked forward to the next five years. The five years where Shin would be properly trained in the ways of the Lantis Republic. ~~~ End of Book 7 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 355 End of Book 7 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: I will be taking a break from the eighth to the thirteenth of May. It''s a shorter break than usual since the book is quite short. So yeah, see you in five days. Yoyoyo! Pondayo! How have you all been! I''ve been doing great, thank you very much! Alright, first things first, the reason why this book is short is because of the contents of the story. I only wanted to write something about the Summit, since it was such an integral part of the overall storyline. The joining of the three superpowers and the rise of the Black Masks signifies the second act of Spirit Immortal. Furthermore, it has finally set the tone for future books where the Black Masks gets to take centre stage, instead of academy rivals or competition between nations. There''s one vital aspect of Book 7 that I wanted to get across to you guys though. And that is the existence of Lukman. When Shin first awakened his innate spiritual ability, the power to create and manipulate water, it was set that he would learn from a sand-wielding counterpart in a later book. That''s why Shin hasn''t been experimenting with his first spiritual ability for all this time. He just wasn''t shown the way just yet. Of course, that''s all going to change, and in Book 8, I finally get to write him as the badass that I''d always imagined he''ll be. So don''t worry, the pace of the story will speed up now. I know I''ve made that promise many times before, but this time, it really is the case. Everything will now revolve around Shin''s potential and strengthening as a character. Also, Shin''s meeting with Longyu Tian and the Luminaries from the Lantis Republic. That was a key focal point of the book that I''ve wanted to highlight. I''m sure many of you have guessed it by now, in fact, some had already figured it out since he awakened the Sovereign Koi, but Shin''s Spirit isn''t as innocent as it seems¡­ Stay tuned to find out! Oh, and Book 7 is also a homage to many Wuxia shows/comic books that I''d read/watched growing up. The most obvious one would be Jin Yong''s books and a comic book that my uncle follows and reads to me sometimes, ''Oriental Heroes.'' Also known as, Long Hu Men or Dragon Tiger Gate. I''m not sure if any of you had caught on, so I''ll explain it one by one. The first one would be the names of the five main Master Sects of the Kori Federation. Dragon Tiger Gate, Shaolin Temple, Emei Church. These three were homages to the Wuxia background that I''ve read, while the other two, Khan Tribe and Dalgeom Sect, are mostly my own creations. Yes, yes, Khan is part of the Mongolian lore, but let''s not get into that just yet. There''s bigger fish to fry. In many popular Wuxia fictions, the Shaolin Sect and Emei Sect were two prominent organisations. Shaolin Sect always had upright and moral men, while the Emei Sect only admitted women into their ranks. The martial arts that they used, like Brahmadhvaja Kittichat, are mostly taken from the fictions that I''ve read. For instance, Golden Bell Shield, Varja Body and the Iron Shirt technique are all Shaolin Sect''s martial arts. Lorian Yang''s Yang Sun Spirit is actually a play on Xiao Hu from ''Oriental Heroes'' and Xiao Hu''s Jiu Yang Shen Gong, which literally translates to Nine Suns Divine Technique. Just like Xiao Hu, Lorian Yang creates nine suns around him, which gives him superhuman strength, regeneration and ''Qi.'' So I tried playing around with the Wuxia techniques that I know and were in awe in and placed them into this novel. Hoped you enjoyed them! Yes, yes. I know I hadn''t added in popular martial arts like the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, Yijingjing, the Palm of Buddha and so on and so forth. But honestly, do you guys really want to read a never-ending tournament where Luminaries from each nation showcased all of their moves? The whole point of the tournament was to create an atmosphere where Shin and Lukman could spar so that Shin could learn how to manipulate water from him! Alright, I''m so pumped up to continue writing Book 8! Let me spoil something for you. The ending of Book 8 was something that I''ve planned long ago. Even before I came up with the name Spirit Immortal or when I conceived of Shin and Ariel! How, you ask? Why don''t you read and find out? See you in the next book! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to FIFTEEN CHAPTERS ahead!!! :p Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Bob, David Moran, ElJako98, Felix Sch?ntag, Garrett, gerbil, Giannis Konstadopoulos, Innos, Keith Kindall, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael Garfein, Patrick C, Phill barr, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Travis Lauda, Tervor OBryan, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, M.G. Porombka, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, Jonathan Harper, Reggie, David Gonzalez, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rodgers Chapter 356 Four Years 1 The Kori Federation. The Outskirts of Hurring City. Four Years Later. Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp The echoes of wild birds floated through the entire canyons while the pin-drop silence remained within the vast shrubbery. At this time in the season, the leaves were all dry this far up north, and the air was crisp. A perfect opportunity for an arsonist to wreak havoc and disturb the peace that dominated Huuring City. Fortunately for their inhabitants, there were regular patrols made to commissioned mercenaries hired to look out for danger. Kusu Kusu Kusu Crackling of leaves dominated the forest bed as heavy footsteps left their marks. Sensing danger, many of the feathery creatures rustled out of the trees, leaving behind hordes of feathers in their wake. Following the lights shone from the cracks in the canopy, the group of fifteen carelessly patrolled the area, as if they were here on an afternoon hike. "Careful, Latina! Don''t hit your head on that branch I''d just passed!" A lanky man glanced over his shoulder and cautioned one of his subordinates. Why did he specifically call out that one person? The reason was quite simple actually. "Sure thing, boss!" A chirpy high-pitched voice replied. Speeding through the forest floor as if she was lighter than a feather, a young petite girl, who was no more than 1.3 metres, wiped the sweat off her forehead using the cloth from her arm sleeves while holding a nocked arrow on a light bow. The girl was definitely at the age where she should have been schooling, and yet, she was out in the open, patrolling the outskirts of the famed mercenary town, Huuring City. Her originally supple hands had begun to show blisters due to her continued usage of a bow, and the vibrant brown hair was unkempt and knotted up, entirely unlike a girl of her age. "Are you tired? We can take a break if you want." A middle-aged woman, who was dressed in full boar leather and lightweight clothes to help facilitate movement in a jungle, tapped Latina on her shoulders. "No, I''m fine!" Cried the young girl. "We still have three more hours for the patrol! I can endure!" "Haha! That''s the Spirit!" Another mercenary remarked. "She''s a fighter this one. What makes you think that a mere patrol mission would slow her down?" "Gendry! She''s still a child!" The woman reminded her partner. "A child that''s already a Spirit Practitioner!" Waving his fat arms, Gendry laughed heartily. "Worry not, there''s nothing to see in the woods anyway! We have been on patrol many times, and we had never seen a single soul before!" "You do understand that the Alliance is at war with the Black Masks right? We can never be too careful!" The woman argued. "If the Black Masks started a fire in these woods during the dry season, won''t we have to evacuate the entire Huuring City?! It makes sense to take additional precautions!" "Psshhh, Natalie¡­ Don''t kid yourself. We''re only here to train the kid and get some money at the same time. Else, why would you take this low-ranked commission?" "It''s still important work, Gendry!" "Yeah, yeah." Understanding that the discussion was going nowhere, the bulky man turned around and split off from the group. "Wait, where are you going?!" "To pee! What? You want to smell my cock?" "Gendry¡­ Language." Latina may be a mercenary in training, but she was still a child. Hearing his subordinate mutter out such coarse language in front of her had forced the leader of the group to growl out. "I know! Tsk¡­ That girl really ruins everything." Kicking on a nearby branch, the fatso stormed his way into a remote location out of sight so that he could relieve his business. "Don''t mind him, Latina. He''s just muddle-headed since we didn''t get the commission we wanted." The mercenary named Natalie crouched down and stroked the hair of her protege. "Remember, no matter how low the job, money is still money. The patrol commission is tedious and time-consuming, not to mention it requires quite a bit of stamina to hike through the woods for eight-hour shifts. However, it''s still the best paying commission for its rank. When you''re older and get to lead your own mercenary group, remember to take advantage of it." "Aunt Natalie¡­ Why does the patrol mission pay so much?" Latina questioned. "I can answer that." The group leader turned back and took a seat on a nearby log. "Everyone take five. We have to wait for that bastard to come back anyway." "Hahaha." Hearing their bosses orders, the mercenary group immediately dropped their bags and stretched out their fatigue. They had been hiking in a forest for five hours with minimal breaks after all. "Now, where was I?" "Uncle Gary, you were talking about why patrol mission paid that much!" Latina reminded the boss. "Ah, right! Where to begin¡­ I''m sure you know of the war between the Alliance and the Black Masks right?" Latina nodded excitedly. "Well, to call it a war would be a stretch. It''s more of a cat and mouse game where the cat carries all of the ammunition, and the mouse has to operate within the shadows. The Alliance feels that the Black Masks, as well as their leader, the Allfather, have to be destroyed at all costs. However, the Black Masks are a slippery bunch. Not only have they eluded capture for the entire four years, but they had also never given up more than ten men each time a successful raid was conducted. In the end, due to the extravagant cost, it took to maintain the resource flow of the Alliance, their central command was forced to slow down the operations." "They have given up on the war?" Latina''s chestnut-brown eyes brightened. "Far from it." Gary laughed. "They realised that they were approaching the situation all wrong. Sending military troops to fight an unseen enemy? Soldiers were meant to be fighting in a war, in open combat where the strongest prevailed. So, they shifted their focus from using armies to using small and mobile forces that had the power of a thousand knights, all compact into a dozen-strong unit." "Did it change anything?" "Course it did! Their change of approach had increased the success rate of their operations increased from one percent to ten! What do you think?" "If that''s the case, why haven''t the Black Masks been eradicated yet?!" Latina exclaimed. "As I mentioned before, the Black Masks are a slippery bunch. The may have been driven to a corner, but everyone knows what cornered rats do¡­ They become fiercer than any lions in existence." Gary waved his finger, sighing. "The Black Masks began to raze towns during the dry weather, to keep the Alliance busy. They destroyed dams during rainy weather. They kill innocent men and women in villages. Kidnap children of influential figures and execute them. Just everything an evil organisation would do, they imagined it into reality. The Black Masks are losing, and they know it. So they have to keep the Alliance at bay while they regrouped. Honestly, I don''t even know what their goals are for committing so many heinous deeds." Natalie added on with a weary expression. "That''s why these patrol missions are so important. They ensure that no Black Mask could ever set a major city ablaze. Hah¡­ Why can''t Gendry understand? Always going for the ''big'' job, not knowing that the biggest job is the one that we''re doing." Enlightened, Latina dropped her head. She had been a mercenary for less than a year. Thus far, she had only been doing low-levelled commissions that barely paid a dime. However, collecting herbs and helping others find their lost pet wasn''t enough to help Latina chase her real goal. Hence, with gritted teeth, she joined Gary''s mercenary troop and did the menial jobs that others didn''t want to. ''If only the Black Masks didn''t exist¡­'' Latina held back her rage by clenching her fists and hiding her face. "By the way, where''s Gendry? Does he really piss that lo-?" "HEEEEELLLLPPP!!!" All of a sudden, a grievous yelp echoed through the forest, forcing the mercenary troop to immediately spring to their feet. "That voice! Isn''t that Gendry?" Natalie cried. "That idiot! Everyone, pick up your arms! Natalie, you stay with Latina and observe from a distance. If something bad happens, run back and report to the Guild!" Picking up his battle axe, Gary jumped forward with the rest of this men, hoping to save Gendry before it was too late. Chasing down the footsteps of their comrade in peril, the mercenary troop soon travelled over twenty metres and saw a blob of fat lying on the ground as a dark-robed individual laid his feet over it. Gendry was rolling about in the mud that was mixed with yellow fluid, unaware that he was swimming in his pee. Begging and flailing his arms about, the poor mercenary begged for release, but that only served to intensify his assailant''s rage. "Let go of him!" Gary barked. His trusted battle axe was raised up high in the air, thirsty for the fresh blood of the wretched Black Masks. The Black Mask standing on top of Gendry didn''t move an inch. Raising the sharp end of his scepter, the black-robed man pierced through his victim''s throat, ending the helpless struggle of Gendry''s. Turning to his subordinates, the Black Mask revealed the green snake pattern in the middle of his mask. "A Vaishya!" The most knowledgeable of the bunch, Natalie, instantly informed the rest. "Shit! It''s a Vaishya! Gary, we can''t deal with a Spirit Spectre!" "Tsk¡­ I know!" Gary''s Moon Mercenary troop was a small one. Let alone a Spirit Spectre, they only had five Rank 30 Spirit Adepts, of which only three of whom are present. If all fourteen of them pooled their might together, perhaps they may be able to push off the Vaishya, but from the shadows, five other Shudras made their existence known, alongside a small group of vicious Spirit Beasts and mindless Dalits. Not only were they outclassed, but outnumbered as well. This was a fight that they were bound to lose. PIIIIIIIII!!! BBBSSTTT!!! Releasing out a flare of distress that was given to all patrol teams, Gary immediately made plans to run out of the forest. "Everyone retreat!" Noticing that the intruders were about to leave, the Vaishya pointed his scepter at the mercenaries as a brilliant light shone from the depths of the gorgeous emerald at its tip. A crimson flame crept out of the scepter and created a circle of fire around the full-robed Vaishya. The orange tongues spread out as if the world was their turf and quickly incinerated a nearby dried-up tree. Now that they had been noticed, there was no need for secrecy anymore. "Kill them all." BOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! The Shudras and Spirit Beast immediately leapt into action. To complete their mission, to please the Allfather, they had to eradicate the pests that were standing in their way. "Tskkk! Natalie, take Latina and run! We''ll cover your tracks!" Gary hollered out. Summoning out his Spirit, the mercenary troop leader held his ground and hacked violently like a barbarian, hoping to create even the slightest modicum of space for the pair to retreat. "Got it! Latina, run!" Since they were a reasonable distance away in the first place, Natalie and Latina managed to avoid the initial onslaught and began to speed away at rapid speeds. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Nonetheless, the mercenary troop had been hiking for more than five hours now. Their shirts were sticky with sweat, and their muscles were sore from the climbing they had done. It would be weird if they had ample amounts of stamina left. "Latina, are you alright?!" "Don''t worry! I can still run!" Ignoring the pain in her legs, Latina leapt from tree to tree. She had to live. Latina didn''t want to die just yet! "ARGHHHH!!!" From a distance, the faint wails of agony echoed through the forest. One of the bear-type Spirit Beasts had lifted a comrade from the mercenary troop and hurled him straight into a tree, splitting his spine in half. "Damn it!" Natalie cried out. Turning their heads over their shoulders, the pair could see the very same bear Spirit Beast charging at their location. If nothing were done, their fates would be similar to that of their fallen comrades. "Latina, you run! I''ll cover you!" The middle-aged woman summoned out a sword and stopped running. "Aunt Natalie!" The young twelve-year-old girl cried out. "I can''t just leave you!" "You must! Go to safety! Reinforcements should be arriving soon!" Since they had released the flare, Huuring City would have immediately dispatched a response team. Natalie was betting on that force to save Latina''s life. "B-But..." "GO!!!" Angered by the girl''s hesitance, Natalie kicked Latina on her bum, propelling her five metres forward. However, unbeknownst to Natalie, there was an unpleasant surprise waiting in ambush in that very same direction. ROOOOOAAARRR!!! Yet another bear emerged from the bushes and charged straight at Latina. Its jaws wide open, the bear was looking forward to feast on the supple young flesh of the girl. With its superior mana and divinely sharp claws, there was no way for Latina to survive just one hit from the Spirit Beast. "LATINA! NOOO!!!" Natalie wanted to rush forward to save Latina, but she was way too far. The claws from the beast was already a few centimetres away from the poor young girl, and the only thing that Natalie could do was to witness the girl she swore to protect, get mauled before her very eyes. Swoooosshhh!!! Natalie''s eyes didn''t leave Latina for a single moment. Thus, she didn''t notice the blurry white image speeding past her face and landing straight between the eyes of the terrifying bear. The life from the Spirit Beast''s eyes faded out of existence as it collapsed backwards, leaving Latina completely unharmed. ''A-Ah...'' Pale as a sheet, the twelve-year-old girl shivered uncontrollably. She had just cheated death! "Latina! Latina! Are you okay?!" Natalie jumped down and embraced the girl. "I-I''m¡­ Fine..." "Thank god!" Natalie buried the girl''s head deeper into her breasts. At the same time, she observed the white figure that sprung out of the deceased bear''s forehead. ''An arrow? No¡­ That''s an icicle?'' Observing the white crystalline projectile that made the bear seem like a unicorn, Natalie quickly deduced its owner''s identity. ''An ice-elemental bow user? Was there such an existence in Huuring City?'' "Nice shot, Emma!" A youthful voice cheered from a distance. The leaves from the forest bed spiralled out of control as a figure moved towards them at tremendous speed. Even with Natalie''s Rank 33 cultivation, she couldn''t observe the man before he was standing right in front of her. Draped in full-grey scholarly robes, the young man didn''t seem to be a native to the boorish Huuring City. The gorgeous azure eyes that glistened even under darkness reminded Natalie and Latina of the heavens above, while his well-groomed jet-black hair made him look like a Divine Protector sent to save the pair from peril. Though his pants were pristine, the young man didn''t mind kneeling down in the mud to meet the eye level of the two ladies. With a brilliant smile, one of the likes that Latina would never forget, the man said: "Sorry for being late. I''m Shin Iofiel. We''re here to save you." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 357 Four Years 2 ''Shin¡­ Iofiel?'' Latina repeated that name in her heart. Still shook from the near-death experience that she had, the girl barely had the capabilities to form words as her mouth continued to tremble. ''What''s this young man doing here?'' Meanwhile, the experienced Natalie held on to a sound mind as she carefully observed Shin, still deciding whether he was a friend or foe. ''I''ve never seen this person before in Huuring City. Also, he looks no older than twenty! How''s he able to move at such staggering speeds?'' "Miss? Are you hurt anywhere?" Shin didn''t know what to do. He had rushed over once spotting the signal of distress fired by Gary and was just moments away from witnessing the death of a poor little girl. Fortunately, Emma the markswoman had sniped the bear out of existence. Otherwise, even with Shin''s top speed, Latina would have been split in half by now. "No, thank you for sav-... WATCH OUT!!!" Before Natalie could continue probing about the true identity of their saviour, she saw the remnant bear charging straight to Shin''s back. Natalie had forgotten that there were two bears present due to her concern for Latina''s safety. "Hmmm?" Instead of being worried, Shin just raised his eyebrows and turned around. Thinking that their saviour was just about to be hacked in half before her eyes, Natalie covered Latina, in hopes of sparing her from that gruesome scene. However, the impact that she had anticipated to happen didn''t occur. "You can open your eyes now." Shin''s soothing voice awakened the pair from their slumber. Natalie first looked around and saw that the young man before her was utterly pristine. There wasn''t even a crease on his shirt. That dreadful bear, on the other hand, had suffered the same fate as its compatriot. ''Another arrow through the head?! Is this guy an archer? No, but he''s not carrying a bow!'' A series of questions emerged in Natalie''s mind, and fortunately, her answers were going to be answered soon. A bunch of youngsters, all no older than twenty, jumped forward from a distance. Four young women, each more stunning than the other, made a soft landing near the deceased bear as if they were here to claim their hunting prize. Following their movements, two young men, one was still as short as a hobbit while the other had grown to resemble a handsome silver-haired elf, landed next to Shin and extended a helping hand to Natalie and Latina. "Emma, nice shooting!" Shin praised his sister. "Hehe, shouldn''t you say as expected of the Glacial Fairy Markswoman?" Elrin, who had barely grown five centimetres in the past four years, chuckled as she teased her bosom pal. Blushing immediately, Emma flailed her arms about, still holding her Ice Bow in one hand and an icicle arrow in another. "Elrin! Why do you like to embarrass me before new people we meet?!" "Because your reactions warrant it." No one in the group disagreed. Emma might already be twenty this year, but she was without a doubt, the most comical to watch when flustered. Once, a hopeful male student from Imperius Academy had attempted to court her, but all he got was dancing Emma who had accidentally bitten her tongue due to her agitation. "Mou¡­ Why don''t you ever tease Ella for her name! The Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter is embarrassing too!" "Hey, why are you trying to pull me down with you?!" A chill shivered down Ella''s spine as she looked at the sinister expression of their resident trickster. During their entire stay at Imperius Academy, Elrin was never one to spare the sword. If she saw an opportunity to tease her friends, you could bet to the High Gods that she would capitalise on it. "Are the three of you forgetting something?" The black-haired maiden, stuck between the three knuckleheads rubbed the temples of her forehead. They were here to rescue others, not banter among themselves. Walking towards Natalie and Latina, Kanari put on her political smile and charmingly greeted the distraught duo. ''So pretty.'' Latina thought to herself. Huuring City was a place where mercenaries gathered. The restaurants, shophouses, Guild Houses and even the entire street were filled with ruffians that had to fight with their fists to earn a living. A pale and sweet-looking lady like the black-haired beauty like Kanari would be hard to find in such an environment. "Sorry about my friends. If it''s not too hard to ask, could you explain why a distress flare was being fired?" "That''s right! Gary! You have to save Gary! We were attacked! The Black Masks had come to burn the forest down!" Remembering the urgent situation that they were in, Natalie cried out in angst. There was no time to ask any questions, they had to save Gary! "Black Masks!" Shin stood upright. "Where are they?" "A few hundred metres that way! You have to be careful they have a Vaishya there! Also, they have a handful of other forces that are supporting him! Please help Gary!" It seemed weird to seek help from a bunch of kids who were about twenty-years-old. However, for the delirious Natalie, that appeared to be the only option. "Understood. Shizen, you keep the pair safe with your Adivinar Tree." Shin barked his orders at the little hobbit who had the best defences and manoeuvrability in a forest. "The rest of you¡­ Let''s do our jobs." "Hehe, I thought you''d never ask." Kanari chuckled. Speeding away, the group left Shizen to take care of Natalie and Latina. The pair had mostly recovered from their shock and were finally able to piece together what had just happened. While Latina was relieved that reinforcements had arrived, Natalie quickly realised her folly and grabbed Shizen on his shoulders. "We have to go get more reinforcements! They have a Spirit Spectre expert among their ranks! Your friends won''t be able to deal with that!" "Hmmm~. Didn''t you say that there was only one Spirit Spectre?" Shizen lazily yawned. "Only a Spirit Spectre? Do you even know what a Spirit Spectre is?" Fumes funnelled out of Natalie''s ears. Cultivation was tough. Especially when it came to overcoming mortality barriers at Rank 40 and Rank 80. Among the entire human population, perhaps only one percent of all cultivators would make it past that elusive stage. Even she had been stuck at Rank 33 for almost five years, without any hope of advancing! Yet, this young boy who wasn''t even twenty dared to undermine a Spirit Spectre? "I do..." Shizen hated conversations with nagging women. Ella was enough of a nagger herself, and he had gained enough experience on how to appropriately deal with such a situation. And that was, to tell the truth. "But if there''s only one Spirit Spectre there''s no need to worry." "Why''s that?!" "The six that went to save your friends, they''re all Rank 30 Spirit Adepts. And..." Shizen laughed. During the past four years, their group hasn''t been messing around. All of their cultivations were raised to the Spirit Adept realm, and their skills had been honed to an exceptional degree. In fact, Principal Erudito was also at a loss of what Imperius Academy could continue to offer them. If they truly wished for it, their clique could begin working anywhere in the Capital, and thousands of organisations would race for their signatures. Of course, for the two leading their little group, that wasn''t really an option. Why? "The two most talented cultivators in the world are leading them. What Spirit Spectre could possibly hope to beat them?" ??? It took Shin and the rest less than two minutes to reach the scene of the carnage. Over twenty-odd trees were already on fire and the number continued to rise by the second. Heaps of bodies were laid in the open, both from the Moon Mercenaries and the Black Masks alike. "ARGHHH!!! YOU ASSHOLES!!!" Gary, whose body was riddled with burns and cuts, flung his trusty battle-axe to hack through a wolf-type Spirit Beast for the final time before falling to his knees. He had expended too much mana and stamina. "Elrin!" Kanari called out her friend as she turned into her Kumiho form. Likewise, Isadore bent down his knees, summoning out a silver-spear that had been chained at its end. "Got it!" There was no need for any words. Elrin brought out her Rosary of Eternity and began to pray. The very next instant, two beads split off from her Spirit and merged into Kanari and Isadore. A holy light shone from the depths of their hearts as Elrin shared her Sacramental Boost with the pair. Swooooshhh!!! Swoooooosshhh!!! Swooooshhh!!! Kanari and Isadore moved at supersonic speeds, blindsiding the Black Masks and grabbed the five remaining survivors of the Moon Mercenaries. They were in and out in less than five seconds, bringing the entire battlefield into an abrupt halt. "Hmmm?" The Vaishya looked at his unwelcome visitors curiously. That speed that Kanari and Isadore had just executed went beyond the limits of what a normal Spirit Adept could do. In fact, perhaps only Rank 50 Spirit Lords could reach such speeds. "Cough¡­ Cough¡­ What happened?" "You must be senior Gary. We''re here to respond to your distress call." Shin answered on behalf of the group. "Cough¡­ Cough¡­ I see. Reinforcements have finally arrived." Gary dropped his shoulders and fell tumbling to the ground floor. He had a mesh of fatigue, agony, anguish and fear swelling up brick by brick upon his heart. Now that he was rescued, there was no need to put up a facade anymore. However, before he fell into Wonderland for his rest, there was one thing he needs to confirm. "Natalie¡­ Latina¡­ Are they safe?" "If you''re talking about the lady and the young girl, yes. They''re in safe hands." "Ah¡­ I''m glad." Gary dropped his head on the leafy floor as his mind entirely blacked out. "Will he be alright?" The kind-hearted Emma asked. "His wounds are quite fatal. If left untreated, he would probably pass away within the hour." Shin took one look and could accurately prescribe the fallen mercenary''s condition. "But luckily for him, there''s a healer right here." A white mist flowed out from Shin''s pores and covered the five injured souls that lay behind him. Regular fog would have long dispersed out into the air, but the mist that Shin had created remained firmly attached to the unmoving bodies as if it were a cloud blanket. At the same time, a golden light flashed within the soothing ''cloud,'' resembling that of a lightning storm in the middle of the night. "They should be alright now," Shin remarked, never leaving his eyes off the danger in front of them. "One Vaishya, four Shudras, ten Dalits, and twenty-two Spirit Beasts. Looks like we''re heavily outnumbered." "Since when has that stopped us?" Isadore jokes. During their ''expedition'' out of the Himmel Empire, how many perilous situations had they already faced when combating the Black Masks. In comparison to those times, their current predicament was just a hiking trip gone wrong. "Haha, you''re right! Ella, Emma, can you mow down the Spirit Beasts?" "Hmph! That''s easy!" Ella''s bow shone in bright white light, while Emma simply nocked her arrow and aimed at the furthest Spirit Beast. "Kanari, Isadore. Can you keep the Shudras busy?" "Consider it done!" Isadore swung his spear about, not fearing that he was about to face four Spirit Adepts. Of course, he has the backup of the world''s most dominant female cultivator, but that didn''t diminish the fact that he was brave. Possibly. "Shin, I can''t use my fire and wind abilities, else I''ll burn the forest down even quicker," Kanari stated her limitations straight on. "I know. Let me deal with the fire and that Vaishya bastard that has been spewing it out non-stop." "You have a plan?" "Already executed." Shin winked. From the moment that he arrived and saw the burning trees, Shin had already formulated a plan to stop the Vaishya. "Don''t worry, I''ll stop the fire." "Alright." If Shin said that he''ll stop the fire, it meant that the fire was as good as gone. Kanari could now focus her entire skillset to stopping the Shudras. "Elrin. Support us as usual. Everyone¡­ LET''S GO!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 358 Four Years 3 ''What''s going on?'' The Vaishya was confused. He was given the most comfortable mission that a Vaishya could accept. Take on a few men and burn down a forest. Compared to the suicide mission that his fellow comrades had to take, this was by far the least risky. All he needed to do was to use his Enkindled Scepter to torch the forest and kill anyone who got in his way. The mission didn''t even require him to attack a Spirit Lord or anyone more powerful than himself. Arson. It sounded complicated, but in truth, it was the most straightforward crime to commit. Especially during the dry season where it hardly rained. Being a fire-elemental Spirit User, the Vaishya had set numerous forests ablaze for the Black Mask syndicate, and on paper, this mission that he was doing right now should have been no harder. ''So why¡­ Why are my forces getting mauled down so quickly?!'' The twins'' spiritual combinations had been refined to a tee. Ella with her Icicle Barrage and Emma with her excellent marksmanship. Each arrow that leaves Emma''s bow would result in a kill, making her the most proficient sniper that the Vaishya has ever seen. How was she able to accomplish such a perfect ratio? Watching her ponytailed sister would provide the answer. Ella would weaken the Spirit Beasts through her constant bombardment. Her speed was as rapid like an engine''s as dozens of icicles flew out from her bow per second. Ella''s arrows may not be able to pierce through an ordinary Spirit Beast''s hide, but it would sure as hell hurt. Furthermore, to blind her opponents, the sharpshooter executed her third spiritual ability. Splitting her icicles into frosty, fairy dust, Ella could temporarily disrupt the Spirit Beasts'' vision, allowing Emma to land the fatal headshot. On the side of Kanari and Isadore, they too managed to keep their foes at bay with superior speed and power. Shudras were strong. They had to be at least in the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm with ample of combat experience outside. Nonetheless, facing the two top martial artists in Imperius Academy was a stretch, even for them. Furthermore, Kanari and Isadore were being assisted. On their wrists and ankles, five beautiful pearls circulated around each joint, supplying a tremendous amount of mana and support. With the help of Elrin''s third spiritual ability, ''False Armament.'' Kanari and Isadore were able to move with much more speed and power. One punch from Kanari was equivalent to that of a dozen elephants charging, while one kick from Shizen could propel him hundreds of metres in an instant. There was no comparison. Before the Shudras could even execute their spiritual abilities, Kanari and Isadore would have already sliced through their throats. Thus, they were forced to keep defending, even though they outnumbered their foes. As for the mindless Dalits that had next to no spiritual power, they were all blown away almost instantly as they charged in on Kanari and Isadore. The men that he had relied upon to completely decimate the Moon Mercenaries were now being annihilated before his very eyes. The Vaishya had intended to continue incinerating the area, as per his mission and leave immediately when the forest was beyond saving. However, he wasn''t even five percent complete before Shin, and his friends showed up. ''Tskkk! What should I do? I can''t fight those assholes and wait for their reinforcements to arrive. Huuring City might be small, but they have a few Spirit Lords and Kings within their grounds. If even one of them shows, that would be the end of my mission!'' The Vaishya contemplated on the best move to take. He had a mission to finish! Though he might be able to take down all of those brats, it would lead to disastrous results for him! ''No choice! Time to burn it all to cinders!'' Ignoring the risk to his life, the Vaishya attempted to burn a part of his Spirit''s Essence to cast the strongest fire spiritual ability that he had. The ruby in his scepter turned into a dying sun that was about to go supernova, forcing every single soul to turn their attention to the Vaishya. "Shin!" Kanari cried out. The mana that the Vaishya gathered was unusual. If detonated, perhaps the entire battlefield would be wiped out. "I know!" Replied the youngster. Snapping his fingers, a hundred water spears formed above the Vaishya''s head and sped down relentlessly, disrupting the cast altogether. The water spears were as sharp as any standard weapon used in the Himmel Empire''s military, and yet, it was unable to pierce through the first layer of skin that the Vaishya had. ''A Spirit Spectre''s body really is built differently.'' Shin thought to himself. If he were hit by that strike without any mana strengthening, it would undoubtedly end in him taking a few trips to the hospital. ''I need to find a way to weaken him...'' "You..." A low-pitched growl echoed itself into Shin''s ears. While his cast was interrupted, the person himself was mostly unharmed. In fact, he was extremely agitated. Isadore, Ella and Emma all instantly felt an immense pressure weighing down their shoulders, bringing the posture further and further down. Even Shin, who was the best of the lot, couldn''t help but bow to release some of the pressure. There was, however, one person who was utterly immune to the Vaishya''s powers. "Brat¡­ How are you not affected?!" The Vaishya barked at Kanari, whose face was as bright as a pearl, without a single drop of sweat. "Take a guess..." Not wasting her breath anymore, Kanari released her own spiritual pressure, one that could almost match the Vaishya''s. Though there was a distinct difference, Kanari''s pressure seemed fractured and mostly incomplete. It couldn''t overcome the Black Mask''s spiritual pressure, but it was pretty darn close. "You''re at Rank 39?!" Immediately deducing Kanari''s spiritual rank, the Black Mask bellowed out in complete horror. Judging from her appearance, Kanari was no more than twenty. A twenty-year-old who had reached the peak of the Spirit Adept realm?! Who on earth was this young girl? "Hmph!" Strengthened by Elrin''s ''False Armaments'' as well as her ''Sacramental Boost,'' there was no need for Kanari to fear the Vaishya. Kicking the floor, Kanari propelled herself right in front of the Vaishya and landed a straight jab. Flung backwards like a ragdoll, the Black Mask coughed out while regaining himself in the air. ''The hell?! A few more of those fists, and I''ll be a goner! Who the hell are these freaks?!'' Plop... Plop... Plop¡­ While the Vaishya was busying thinking about the brats'' identities, he felt a wet sensation hit the top of his head. His hair, which should have been as dry as a bone, started to become moist as more and more drops fell on his head. ''No¡­ way...'' Turning his head to the sky, the Vaishya finally noticed that the clear blue hue that had dominated the dry season was now completely covered by grey clouds. The few droplets of rain turned into a slight drizzle. The drizzle quickly turned into a steady rainfall until eventually¡­ An entire deluge of water flooded the burning forest, instantly sating the fire god''s wrath and preventing Huuring City from being burnt down. "Rain¡­ Right now?" The Black Mask couldn''t believe his own eyes. The one nemesis that he couldn''t control, the weather, had bitten him in the ass. "Is it the fate that I fail today?" "There''s no such thing as an invisible fate." Shin walked forward with a haughty smile. The Vaishya was mentally preoccupied, and Shin had to keep him that way until Kanari and the rest fully incapacitate his subordinates. "Are you saying that¡­ You created this rain?" "Of course!" Shin exclaimed. "Look at the skies above Huuring City! Do you see clouds?" Seeing that Shin''s words were valid, the Vaishya felt like he was about to have a mental breakdown. "N-No¡­ No way¡­ You can even control the weather?! Are you God?!" "God? I wish." Shin laughed. If he were God, Shin would have long resurrected Ariel and see her smile one more time. "I knew that putting down a fire that could spread quickly, as long as you''re supplying even more flames, would be difficult. Hence, I decided to borrow a hand from mother nature herself. I created loads of water overhead and evaporated them into vapour. Additionally, I found all of the remnant moisture in the air, trees and ground to rise it all to the clouds. It took some time, but with my little push, an artificial rain can be created within the region, taking out the fire and you with it." "You created rain that way..." "Vaishya. Give up. You can''t beat us. And even if you could, there are hundreds of experts rushing over as we speak to claim your head. Surrender now, and you will be able to live a happy in life in prison. So long as you speak about the Black Masks and the Allfather of course." Shin''s whispers were akin to a jug of wine for a vagrant in the desert who was starved of water for a month. If the Vaishya were part of any other criminal organisation, Shin would have gained crucial information about his leader. Alas, the Allfather''s connection was too deep. "I¡­ Can''t lose. The Black Masks will reign forever! The Allfather will demolish all of you! You don''t know what''s coming! You don''t know what''s coming!" Reverting back to his fanatical state, the Vaishya prepared to take down Shin, even if it meant throwing his life away. He had already failed the mission assigned to him by the Allfather. There was no point in returning anymore. "You just have to things the hard way!" Shin roared. Waving his hands, the young man created another hundred water weapons. Spears, swords, hooks, halberds, chains. They were all military-grade arms that could be used to equip soldiers. "Let''s take you back to the Alliance Headquarters!" "Hmph! I''ll like to see you try!" The Vaishya harrumphed and swung his scepter around once, creating a vortex of fire that torched the water weapons out of existence. ''Tskkk, this Vaishya really is annoying.'' "Kanari! Isadore! Are you guys done?!" "Just finished!" Knocking out the final Shudra, Kanari leapt to Shin''s direction, leaving Isadore to deal with the bindings. "The two of us should be able to take him down. Ella! Emma! Help Isadore in restraining the fallen!" "Right!" "Elrin, boost me!" "Yeap! Don''t prolong the fight!" Casting ''Sacramental Boost'' and ''False Armament'' on Shin, Elrin did her best to keep the mana supply going. While her auxiliary Spirit was among the top of its class, the mana expenditure it took was tremendous. The most that she could support Kanari and Shin was about two minutes. "Don''t worry..." Shin went into his left breast pocket and took out ten Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles. Throwing them into the air, Shin kept the needles levitating through the water droplets surrounding him, and created a water spear in the process. He wasn''t playing around, Shin was ready to finish the Vaishya once and for all. "It''ll be over in a moment." "ARGHHH!!!" The Black Mask summoned out a flaming whip from the ruby core of his spectre. Flying up until he broke through the canopy, the Vaishya made his last-ditch attempt to burn down the forest, even though the flames were already being extinguished by the rain that Shin had created. "Let''s go!" Shin executed a modified version of the Dance of the Valkyrie, chasing the Black Mask down. Kanari did the same with her gale control. Though they weren''t Spirit Spectres yet, there was no way that they would lose to a mere Vaishya when it came to flying. "DIE!!! DIE!!! DIE!!!" Lost in his wrath, the Vaishya indiscriminately swung his flaming whip around, in hopes of bringing as much carnage as he possibly could. However, mother nature''s powers were too tremendous. A dazzling fire would start on one tree, and it might burn it down, but it would never torch the entire forest as long as the rain continues to fall. "Pitiful soul..." How many times has Kanari and Shin seen this scene? Failing their mission, with no way of escape, the Black Masks would become suicidal. They would turn into rapid beasts that only served to spread darkness and destruction disregarding all forms of human life. "Let''s end his suffering." "Yeah..." Replied Shin. He knew that there was only one ending for a Black Mask that had lost his mind. "I''ll open him up, and you cast Lunar Beam to obliterate him." The Prince of Water snapped his fingers, and twenty pillars of water enveloped the trio, creating a field where the Vaishya couldn''t escape from. At the same time, a water sphere formed above his head as a Celestial Light began to transfer from Shin''s body into the ball of water. Each drop that flowed out from the ball was quickly infused with cerulean spiritual energy, making them seem like shooting stars in the night sky. ''Flow-Style Technique¡­ Meteor Shower!'' Shin snapped his fingers and sent the numerous droplets of water flying straight at the maniacal Vaishya. BOOOMMM!!! BOOOMMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! Hundreds of collisions connected with the Black Mask, ending his onslaught on the pitiful forest and bringing his full attention to the two foes that were flying near him. The Vaishya swung his flaming scepter down, created a crescent moon fire fang that sped rapidly towards Shin, evaporating any of the ''meteors'' that were in the vicinity. ''Shape-Style Technique¡­ Cage of Sorrows.'' After dodging the fire strike, Shin turned his wrists and created a hundred water tendrils from the pillars surrounding them. The tendrils relentlessly chased after the Vaishya in the hopes of binding him for eternity. "ARRRGGHHHH!!!" Like a mad beast, the Black Mask roared out as the gem within his scepter shone out in a radiant light. Once more, he created fire orb around him and detonated it, immediately evaporating all tendrils that were upon his body. However, that wasn''t the last of his troubles. With a gap opened, Shin merged with the Sovereign Koi to trigger his Spiritual Body Enhancement state and closed in the distance at a pace similar to that of Isadore''s. Raising a high knee to the face, the young man managed to temporarily stun his opponent, giving a vital opportunity for his floating Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles to strike. Swiissshh!!! Swiiiissshh!!! Swiiishhhh!!! The needles whistled through the wind and landed on all of the Spirit Spectre''s meridians, sealing the mana flow and instantly turning the Enkindled Scepter into a pile of nothing. Sealed with nowhere to go, the Vaishya was open to the most deadly attack that Kanari had to offer. "HAARRGHHH!!" Kanari''s face turned red as her veins began to show. An illusion of a moon appeared under the overcast sky, and the air around her became distorted. The temperature rose rapidly and the raindrops that fell instantly evaporated back up to the clouds, in fear of what''s to come. Kanari''s ruby-coloured eyes became more and more brilliant with every passing second, as her entire focus was now locked onto the Vaishya that was free falling onto the forest floor. It was time to end it all. "LUNAR BEAM!!!" ??? WELCOME TO BOOK 8!!! Hehe, I have released three chapters today and I have some good news for all of you~. I have updated my ******* page so that all Tier Four members would get to read TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS AHEAD!!! That''s six more than before!!! Some of the tier rewards are revised as well so that for every dollar you pledge, you get access to one additional chapter. So the structure would look something like this. Tier One gets two additional chapters, Tier Two will get five, Tier Three will get ten and Tier Four gets twenty-one. I made the last one twenty-one since it would be three weeks exact. So yeah, do consider pledging. You would also get access to special polls, early access to new artwork or short stories and all those other benefits that are on the side. Alright, then. I''m off for now! Happy Monday! Hope you have a fantastic week ahead! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 359 Four Years 4 BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! Kanari''s Lunar Beam brought fire and ashes on the forest floor, triggering a minor earthquake tremor in the process. The leaves and the muddied floor had been thoroughly incinerated, and piping hot steam that could melt down gold smoked high up into the skies. Their enemy defeated, Kanari and Shin could finally descend from the canopies, and rejoin their group in securing the location. "Is he still alive?" Emma thought out loud. Kanari''s Lunar Beam was one of their most destructive attacks. The temperatures reached within that ray of light could match that of a volcano''s magma and the force being exerted could break through any Aegis that the world possessed. Nonetheless, a Spirit Spectre wasn''t one to be underestimated. After a full minute, the steam began to clear as the rain continued to fall, revealing a fully intact body. His robes had been burnt off, and his body had been charred, but the Vaishya could still moan in agony while rolling on the floor. "Even Kanari''s Lunar Beam didn''t kill him?" Elrin gasped. It has been a while since they had fought an opponent that could fully withstand the wrath of the deadly attack. Not to mention, Shin had sealed all his meridians using the Yellow-Eyed Dragon Needles. It was a miracle for his body to withstand turning into a pile of ash. Alas, that Varja-like body of his could no longer protect him as that one Lunar Beam had emptied out all of his mana. "All¡­ father¡­ All¡­ father..." The Vaishya had long lost all motor functions and had ceased to remain as a human. With his spiritual energies drained and body fatigued, the Black Mask had turned into a mindless Dalit, that could only crawl in hopes of bringing down his opponent. Even if Shin and his group healed him and brought him back to Alliance Headquarters, there was no way that the Vaishya would last to give any information about the Black Masks. "Such a pitiful soul." Unable to take it any longer, Shin snapped his fingers and created a water spear that pierced through the Vaishya''s heart, bringing his miserable life to a tragic end. "May you find peace." Shin closed his eyes for a moment to give a silent prayer. His comrades did the same thing. The Vaishya may have conspired to kill their lives, but he was just a lamb that had lost its way. He and the captured Dalits were no different. The Allfather manipulated every single Black Mask to do his bidding and commit nefarious deeds under his umbrella. "Hah¡­ How many lives have to be lost before the Black Masks are eradicated?" Falling on her bum, Elrin asked the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to. Each Black Mask that they kill was originally a free man or woman. If not for the circumstances of their lives, they wouldn''t have turned to the Black Masks and neither would they have lost their lives in such an unjust manner. "We just have to take things one step at a time." Isadore cracked his shoulders and released his spear. "Deus Citadel wasn''t built overnight. We have laid down the foundations over these four years, and the rope is tightening around the Black Masks'' necks. Soon, we will taste victory." For someone of his heritage, it would bring him the greatest joy if the Black Masks were finally wiped out. The Kori Federation weren''t the only victims of the Black Masks. During these four years, attacks had been recorded within the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic alike. Small towns wiped out. Villages displaced from the constant threat of beast hordes. And the most significant event of all, yet another Purge had been led by the Black Masks to demolish Aldrich''s Keep. With more than a hundred thousand beasts, the Black Masks led a horde equivalent to that of the one that wreaked havoc on the Keep so many years ago. Perhaps the Black Masks thought that with the Guardian Rock gone, they would be able to steamroll through effortlessly. Hence, they didn''t even send the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts to barge their way through the rebuilt walls. That was a mistake. Field Marshall Egarsha led the Fifth and Thirteenth Armies with machine-like precision, completely deflecting the beast horde before it even got a kilometre before the walls. If only numbers counted, the second Battle for Aldrich''s Keep would be the most devastating defeat of the Black Masks since they announced themselves to the world. Nonetheless, the war came at a cost. Of thousands of the valiant men and women guarding Aldrich''s Keep, about a tenth of their forces were either mortally wounded or had already departed to meet with the Grim Reaper. Being a member of the Imperial Family, as well as a proud citizen of the Himmel Empire, it was a hard pill for Isadore to swallow. In fact, none of the Himmel Empire citizens took the news well. Students from all academic institutions dropped out and immediately signed-on into the military, while the common folk spent a massive amount of resources on building new weapons and armours for their brave soldiers fighting on the frontlines. Even the Imperial Family had decreed that over twenty percent of income that the crown generates would be funnelled into the military, a practice that was rarely executed. The Lantis Republic also had its fair share of troubles. Two years after the Alliance was formed, a fleet of Black Masks launched a naval raid on one of their defensive islands to the east. Commanding over ten thousand oceanic Spirit Beasts, the Black Masks nearly got their victory. Fortunately, the Republic''s Navy was able to send reinforcements in the nick of time and repelled the vile creatures and eradicating any Black Mask ship that they had come across. With each nefarious deed that the Black Masks had committed, the Alliance grew stronger and stronger. The agreed number of troops at the Summit had been overturned, and now, over a million soldiers were pledged to the war. It had finally reached the stage where politics did not matter to any of the three superpowers. They just wanted the Black Masks eradicated and the Allfather''s head risen on a pike. "See? I told you that the battle was over!" While the group was busy cleaning up and arranging the surviving members of the Black Masks for the authorities, a familiar lazy voice called them out. Shizen, who had been protecting Latina and Natalie this entire time, had brought the pair straight to the crime scene. "Shizen! Why did you bring them here?!" Ella hollered out at the top of her lungs. If the battle hadn''t been over, the Vaishya might have aimed the two unfortunate bystanders, changing the tide of the entire battlefield. "After Kanari''s flashy Lunar Beam, that lady begged to march over." The short brown-haired man pointed the finger at Natalie, placing all of the blame on her. "I told her that it was unnecessary, but she wouldn''t believe me. So, I brought her here to see for herself. Also, since Kanari had fired Lunar Beam, that means that the fight is won, no?" Shizen''s absolute faith in Kanari''s abilities was the main factor for his decision to shut Natalie up by bringing her back to the scene. "You''re such a dolt," cried Ella. Once they returned to their inn, she would be sure to lecture Shizen once more. "Wow¡­ They really did it." Natalie couldn''t believe her eyes. The Vaishya, alongside his minions, was a force that trampled over the Moon Mercenaries and could most probably require a combined effort of three mercenary troops to completely knock down. Yet, these six brats managed to effortlessly defeat the Spirit Spectre as well as restrain the remnants without suffering a single injury. "Where''s Uncle Gary?" Latina asked Elrin, who was the nearest person to her. The leader of the Moon Mercenaries was her benefactor. He took her in when there was nowhere else for her to go. Latina needed to know if he was still among the living. "Right there." A wide grin crept up Elrin''s face as she led Latina towards the unconscious five men laid just a few metres away. Latina was unable to hold back the tears and immediately knelt down in sorrow. If not for Gary wanting to train her as a mercenary by taking this job, they wouldn''t be lying still in the cold ground. "Will they be okay?" Natalie questioned. "They''re fine." Her answer came from an unexpected place. Shin walked forward with confidence, bringing a dazzling wide smile. "Their injuries are quite serious, but they''re out of the danger zone. You may bring them to a healer at Huuring City to further their treatment, but the most important thing is that they get some deserved rest. However, your other friends..." Shin dropped his eyes. They had identified the corpses and placed them together in a straight line. Eight of the fifteen that came on the patrol mission had passed on into the netherworld, further increasing the casualty count of the Black Masks. "No, it''s alright..." When Natalie ran away with Latina by her side, she already knew that not all of her comrades in arms would return back alive. Having five of them survive was already a godsend. She shouldn''t ask for more. "Thank you, young heroes." Once Gary''s health was confirmed, the middle-aged woman immediately bowed down to Shin and his six friends. If not for their prompt arrival, both Latina and she would have perished, and an untamable forest fire would have threatened the lives of the thousands of residents in Huuring City. "How can we ever repay you?" "There''s no need for that." Kanari chuckled. They were wealthier than any mercenary and had almost everything that they ever needed within their fingertips. They were only present to combat the Black Masks, and saving others from peril was an added bonus. At that very moment, shouts from the reinforcements dispatched by Huuring City could be heard from a distance. Hundreds of mercenaries had banded together in response to the distress flare and were just inches away from arriving. "Wait, there''s one thing." Remembering something vital, Shin tapped his right fist over his left palm. There was a reason why their group had left the Himmel Empire to venture this far north. It wasn''t for a sightseeing trip, and neither was it for a hiking trip. They had a mission. While they had the firepower and resources to complete the mission, they lacked an essential piece of the puzzle. "Please, request anything! It''s the least that I could do to repay you!" "Ah, it''s really nothing serious." Overwhelmed by the outpour of emotion from Natalie, Shin took a step back, drawing giggles from the rest of his team. After all this time, the young man still hasn''t gotten used to the reverent gazes that were sent his way. "We need a local guide for the area. Could you introduce us to one?" ??? Up in the rainy skies, where the sun couldn''t reach, and the ground couldn''t touch, three silhouettes appeared atop the grey clouds, silently watching over Shin''s group with curious eyes. There was no malice in their observation, rather they were quite warm as if they were watching their young child grow up before their very eyes. "He''s improved." Meijing Bingying, who had been acting as Shin''s guardian and teacher for the past four years, cracked a triumphant smirk. "Using evaporation to trick the heavens to rain. Perhaps only someone like Shin could consider and execute this skill." Xunyu Huanyuan similarly had a smile on his face. However, there also was a tinge of envy when he watched Shin effortlessly take on a Spirit Spectre. "Children with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon really are different. His growth over the past four years has been staggering, and he''s not even baptised yet! What a monster." At twenty-nine years old, Xunyu Huanyuan had reached the realm of a Rank 36 Spirit Adept. A feat worthy of praise as less than one percent of the world''s population would ever reach that height. However, Shin was only twenty and was already at Rank 37, one rank higher than himself! "That''s right¡­ It''s December, so there''s precisely one year left until the deadline is up¡­ When he''s home and baptised by the Celestial River, I wonder what heights could he possibly reach?" Meijing Bingying added. "Elder Baobiao, what do you think?" The Pearl in the East questioned the wrinkled old man floating beside her. A chin full of white long dragon hair and dashing eyebrows that had been tainted grey, the elderly man smiled along. A portion of his hair was tied into a bun while the rest were set free to flow to his butt. While he seemed to be carefree, Bingying and Huanyuan knew of the ferocity that the elder had. Champion over thousands of battles, the man has eaten more salt than they did rice. His opinion of Shin would prove to be most insightful for the pair. "Hohoho~ Lass, if I may be upfront. He will surpass both Jingyu Taiyi and you. I''ve never seen someone so apt at using the water element." There was nothing but praises for Shin from Elder Baobiao. "I''m confused though. Why didn''t he use his fourth spiritual ability to deal with the Vaishya? From what I''ve heard, he could easily kill a regular Spirit Spectre with that ability." "Hah¡­ There''s actually a limit to that ability." Bingying sighed. "His body is still too immature, and his mana pool isn''t deep enough. He may be able to kill the Vaishya in one strike, but it''ll come at a cost that his young physique may not be capable of withstanding. It''ll only be safe to use if he crossed the first barrier of mortality and advanced to the Spirit Spectre realm." "I see¡­" "You won''t have to worry though! Just give it another year." The Pearl in the East giggled sinisterly. "I promise you. As the mentor of Shin Iofiel, I''ll make him into a Spirit Spectre before he leaves for the Archipelago¡­ I swear it." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 360 The Mission 1 The sudden downpour that saved Huuring City from the intense forest fire quickly came to a stop within thirty minutes. By that time, hundreds of mercenaries had rushed into the woods in hopes of saving the Moon Mercenaries from their miserable plight. Skilled warriors, ranging from Rank 30 Spirit Adepts to Rank 50 Spirit Lords were all dispatched out. If there were indeed a Black Mask attack, the interim force would be more than capable of neutralising the threat while the rain put out the fire. However, instead of getting the ferocious battle that they were all anticipating, the mercenaries were stunned when Shin and his group greeted them graciously. Ever since the signal flare was fired, Huuring City had virtually gone into lockdown mode, in preparation of the war to come. If there were a beast horde, their walls would repel them. If it were a forest fire, their firefighters would quell the orange tongues before it came too close. Yet, with the arrival of Shin''s group, all of their preparations were for nought and the tension that hadn''t been released still lingered on in the air. Which had led to this moment, where Shin and his friends were sent to the City Manager''s office, to explain their purpose for arriving at Huuring City and to give a report about the happenings in the forest. Shin, Kanari, Isadore, Elrin, Shizen, Ella and Emma were all seated on one side of a couch, with the leaders of Huuring City staring straight at them from the other. They may be Himmel Empire bigwigs, but the group were now in the Kori Federation. They had to be cautious of what they said, lest they got charged on another country''s rules. "So¡­ What brings the Witch in the South and the Black-Haired Tyrant this far north?" A bald husky man, whose muscles seemed to be sculptured on by a veteran stonemason, got the ball rolling with the first question. "Oh? You''ve heard of us?" Kanari replied, half-impressed that someone so far away from home could recognise them that quickly. "Two black-haired youths. One with rose-ruby eyes that would mesmerise any who stared into it, while the other kept an azure sky within his pupils. Talented beyond their years and capable of taking down a Vaishya as well as prevent a forest fire from spreading. If you aren''t the Witch in the South and the Black-Haired Tyrant, I would be quite taken aback." The City Manager folded his arms in akimbo. The events of the Summit were well-documented and well-spread. Perhaps a common fishmonger wouldn''t know of the two names, but there was no way that a Rank 60 Spirit King City Manager would be ignorant to the names of Kanari and Shin. "That hastens the discussions then." When it came to diplomatic affairs, Kanari always took the driver''s seat. In battle, Shin may be their nominal leader. However, Kanari''s experience as the heir of Highgarden Duchy made her the most suitable negotiator among the group. "We were travelling north and just happened to stop by Huuring City. On the way into town, we saw a distress flare and thought to check it out. That''s when we saw the Moon Mercenaries getting attacked." After spending some time with Natalie and Latina, their group gained a cursory understanding of the Moon Mercenaries had how they ended up in such a plight. Kanari explained everything as transparent and concisely as she possibly could, bringing the leaders up to speed. There was nothing much to hide after all. "I see..." The City Manager nodded while scratching his head. "First of all, I thank you for saving one of our mercenary troops and preventing a forest fire from devastating Huuring City. If not for your prompt arrival, the casualty count would unquestionably be much higher." Placing both his palms on his thighs, the City Manager dropped down in a respectful bow. He was at three times the youngster''s age, but he wasn''t beneath paying his respects when respect was due. "Please, raise your head, City Manager." The black-haired beauty lifted her left palm regally. "We were just doing what any sensible person would do. Our fight against the Black Masks transcends nations and borders. There''s no way that we could sit still while innocent lives get murdered right before our eyes." "Thank you, young heroes." The City Manager had changed his tone when addressing Kanari and the rest. While they were at a temporary truce, the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation were still enemies at heart. The survivors of Huuring City may be dispatched in a future conflict where the two nations fought. Nonetheless, the Himmel Empire youngsters didn''t care about that fact and still saved them like they were their own citizens. That was a noble deed in itself. "However, if I may be so rude..." After giving praise and thanks to the group, the City Manager''s voice instantly sunk by three octaves. "You have yet to answer my first question. What are you doing this far north?" "..." Yes, Huuring City owed a debt of gratitude towards Shin''s group. Nonetheless, their names were too dazzling, and their reputations preceded them. If the Witch in the South and the Black-Haired Tyrant, the two most talented cultivators of their generation were on an expedition into the Kori Federation, there must be a motive. As a proud member of the Kori Federation, the City Manager had to ascertain whether their purpose here was nefarious or not. "Please don''t worry about that too much." Knowing that fact, Kanari simply smiled the tension off and continued her speech. "We''re here on a mission for the Alliance. The Himmel Empire has no part in our journey north. In fact, the Master Sect controlling this region is aware of our presence here." Taking out a rolled-up scroll, Kanari untied the bindings and handed it over to the City Manager. "Here''s the proof that we''re here with permission." The City Manager and his aides all sped through the document, carefully examining the details of each word. At the bottom, there were two significant seals, one from the Alliance Chief, and another from the Kori Federation''s Prime Minister Office. As a government official, the City Manager breathed a sigh of relief after recognising the paperwork. At the very least, the youngsters before them were trustworthy, and there was no need to start a needless conflict. "Sorry about my insolence!" "No, no. You''re just doing your job." Kanari assured the City Manager. If she were in his position, the future Duchess would have probably reacted the same way if say the Flower of the North trespassed on her Duchy. "You don''t have to worry. We would probably stay in town for less than a fortnight. After instructions are passed down from headquarters, we will be on our way." "May I ask what important mission have the Alliance given you?" "My apologies, that''s top secret." Kanari''s expression didn''t change. Over the past few months where they had been travelling, the group has come across numerous double-crossers that had leaked sensitive information to the Black Masks for a quick buck. To protect the nature of their mission, Kanari decided to keep the City Manager out of the loop for now. "I see..." The leader of Huuring City didn''t care that his question was being sharply refused. Matching Kanari''s expression with a smile of his own, the City Manager changed the conversation before it went awry. "We have arranged some accommodations for you as well as a thank-you feast. That''s the least that we could do for the ones that saved our city." "I apologise, but that''s a kindness we can''t accept. We have already booked an inn at a remote corner of the town and are rather fatigued from fighting the Vaishya and his minions.." Fearing that traps may have been laid out by the City Manager, Kanari politely rejected his offer. They were on a mission far from home. It was better to be safe than sorry. "If there''s anything you need from us, feel free to send a message. There might be some remnant Black Masks on the loose, after all." "..." This time, it was the City Manager''s turn to be speechless. Compared to Kanari''s experience in diplomacy, the country bumpkin leader was just a frog at the bottom of the well. Kanari decided how the conversation started and how it ended. There was no way for the City Manager to dispute her words when they were supported with facts. "If you would excuse us, we need to have some rest." "Y-yeah..." The leaders of Huuring City could only watch with their jaws dropped as Kanari, and the group left the cramped room and headed back to their own abodes. They wanted to stop them, but honestly, who dared to call out the Witch in the South? Though she was only twenty-years-old, she was almost in the Spirit Spectre realm and had the backing of the entire Highgarden Duchy behind her. Furthermore, a Spirit Saint was her direct mentor! Only a fool would dare to go against her wills. "City Manager, what are we going to do about them?" A trusted aide questioned. "What else can we do? Their paperwork is legitimate." The husky man shrugged his shoulders while pouting his lips. "We can''t move against them. We can''t get them drunk to get information about their mission. We can''t even monitor them too closely." "What do you mean?" "Do you honestly think that those seven geniuses aren''t accompanied by some of the world''s greatest bodyguards?" The City Manager scoffed at his subordinate''s ignorance. "I may be a Spirit King, but from what I''ve heard, the Black-Haired Tyrant would always move with a Spirit Venerate watching close by, and the Witch in the South has a few shadow guards by her side at all times. Although I don''t know the identity of the other kids, the fact that they''re all in the Spirit Adept realm at twenty means that they''re talents that must be protected at all costs. If we dared to move against them, those experts in the shadows would rip out souls from our bodies before we could even touch their shoes." "So what do we do?" The aide held back his fear. "Nothing¡­ They said that they''re only staying in Huuring City for a few weeks, so we let them do just that. Perhaps send some people to watch them, but whatever you do, DON''T antagonise them. They might only be Spirit Adepts, but for them to take down a Vaishya, a few Shudras and a significant amount of Dalits and Spirit Beasts, they must have some trump card. Also, please oh, please, warn those idiots on the street not to touch them!" The City Manager cautioned, hiding the angst within his voice. Huuring City consisted of many ruffians and crass individuals, due to their mercenary nature. Once they see the beauty of Kanari, Elrin, Ella and Emma, the City Manager was sure that a significant incident would occur. In fact, it wasn''t just the girls that would be in danger. Shin, Isadore and Shizen were all prim-looking, with hardly a single blemish on their bodies, nothing like an average person in the town. Some powerful ladies quite enjoyed the taste of a young man and could hire some mercenaries to drag them into their lair. If anyone of those lawless idiots attempted the move on that group of seven, there was no doubt in the City Manager''s mind that carnage would soon follow and perhaps dozens of lives would be lost. "I understand! I''ll relay the message to the Oligarchs in the city." "Not just them! Warn those drunken tavern dwellers as well!" The City Manager could imagine it now. A funeral procession for a faceless drunkard that tried to get lucky with Kanari. "I don''t care how you do it! Huuring City must be peaceful for the two weeks that the group are in town! Double law enforcement patrols if you must! Please, just¡­ Don''t give them a reason to burn our town to ashes!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 361 The Mission 2 Taking off from the City Manager''s office, Shin and his group promptly returned to their remote inn, far from the commotion of the main streets. They wanted to have a little bit of peace and quiet instead of participating in the ruckus of Huuring City. And boy was it rowdy. The Moon Mercenaries were a middle-class troop that boasted five Rank 30 Spirit Adepts. Their names were prominent within the compounds of Huuring City and the fact that less than half of them survived the onslaught had caused major uproars within the taverns of the town. Furthermore, news that a prodigious group of seven outsiders had extinguished the forest fire and defeated the Vaishya and his minions, spread in the form of word and song. Rumour has it that four of them were great beauties, each worthy to sit on the throne of an Empress, while the three boys were charming hunks that inspired a woman''s every fantasy. Everyone wanted to meet the seven that saved their town, and maybe try to get lucky with one of the foreigners. Alas, Shin and his group weren''t interested in merrymaking while on the job. Kicking their feet back the seven youngsters gathered before a fireplace in their inn, warming their soles and massaging their thighs while sipping on hot chocolate and tea. The abode that they were staying in was quite small with few visitors even tracing the halls. Therefore, Shin and his friends could afford to be a little brazen as they lounged in the common area, talking about anything under the sun. "That City Manager sure is rude." Shizen threw his arms over his head and reprimanded that bulky man that they had just seen. "We saved his town, and he immediately treats us like the enemy? It really doesn''t pay to be a good person!" "You can''t blame him. Everyone is uptight about the war, and trust isn''t something that''s easily given this far north." The walking encyclopedia, Isadore, began to explain the culture of the area. "Huuring City is a few kilometres inland from the northern-eastern coast. Here, the lands are infertile, and the weather quite inhospitable for human civilisation. You know, with the frequent forest fires and the avalanche climate during winter. The only reason why Huuring City exists is to act as a warning bell for the Kori Federation, should the Lantis Republic wish to invade. Thus, it''s not uncommon for the mercenaries here to doubt the words of someone like us." "I see..." Shizen was wondering why the welcome that they got had been lacklustre compared to the other towns they visited. "Whatever, we''re not here to stay anyway. After we chase down the last trace of Junius, we''re going back to the Himmel Empire right?" "That''s right. This mission is the last one. Once we''re done, the Alliance will send someone to pick us home." Shin''s azure eyes glimmered under the orange light of the fireplace, as he replied an affirmative. It all began just a few months ago. Shin and his clique were already Year Five students and had long obtained the necessary requirements to graduate. The lecturers had been sucked of all their knowledge, and half of the instructors in the academy had begun losing to the many from the ''Golden Generation.'' Shin, Kanari, Isadore, Natasha and Suji had reigned supreme in the martial arts field. There was even a case where Shin and Isadore joined forces to defeat Mychael, the rat-faced bastard in open combat where spiritual abilities were banned. Believe it or not, Shin''s compatriots fared even better. Elrin dominated the auxiliary department with her Rosary of Eternity while the twins beat several instructors in an archery competition. Shizen fared poorly when it came to grades, however, his control over the Adivinar Tree allowed him to retain his position among the top ten ranks. Thus, with all these talents popping up left and right, a problem arose. How could the academy continue to teach the youths within the compounds of their walls? Studying more books or vigorously training them with physical exercises would only serve to add water into an overflowing bucket. There wasn''t much that Imperius Academy could continue to impart onto their ''Golden Generation.'' With that, a suggestion was made to Principal Erudito from the Alliance. It didn''t make sense that with so many students dropping out of the military to serve in the war, the most talented students were banned from even touching on foreign soil, and were instead locked up in a cage to practice the same doctrines over and over. The Alliance suggested that Imperius Academy cease all curriculum for the Fifth and Sixth years so that they could participate in the war for half a year. They would form cells of five to ten members of their liking, and they would be issued missions accordingly to their skill level. The students would experience what it was like in the frontlines of a war, the academy would be rid of their lack of tutelage problem, and the Alliance would gain much-needed help from the various talents of the academy. It was a win-win situation for all of them. As anticipated, the greats all gathered around, with Shin forming a team with his immediate clique, and Suji building a team with his dear friend Danroy as well as a plethora of talented individuals from the Star Class. While the Year Five and Sixes were all assigned missions, only the two top teams, which were Shin''s and Suji''s, had the right to choose whichever assignment they wanted. Safety wasn''t that much of a concern since all of them had tremendous backings and powerful cultivators would protect them from the shadows, only intervening if their lives were in peril. For Shin, that only meant one thing. He would continue to chase Junius down to fulfil the first of his goals, and he had taken any mission that had even an inkling of Junius'' name. And honestly, it wasn''t all that hard. The Black Masks may be elusive in nature, but there were many things that the Alliance could find out about them. For instance, there was an entire database of who had joined or could potentially join the Black Masks, and they were tracked worldwide. Aptly called the Blacklist, members of the Black Masks that have their names in the database were considered to be terrorists with a hefty bounty placed on all of their heads. Junius was a significant name on the Blacklist. Although he was only twenty-four-years-old, he was already a Spirit Spectre and a major name within the syndicate. His faction consists of at least four Rank 60 Brahmins, and it was recently discovered that he played a large role in the tragedy of the Land of Dreams. Junius also has a hand in the developments of bases within the Kori Federation, and intelligence quotes him as one of the most influential Black Masks within the syndicate. Named with a reward of a hundred gold ingots on the Blacklist, there were countless of mercenaries, rogue militias, and Alliance members that were gunning for his head. And Shin''s group was one of them. Chasing traces of Junius all over the Kori Federation, they had overcome dozens of perilous situations. Towering through over a thousand Spirit Beasts to get past a canyon. Storming a Black Mask base with only the seven of them. And bringing down three Vaishyas at once that had accidentally come across them during their travels. With each battle, the group had grown more and more powerful, and it showed with how easily they dispatched the Vaishya that attempted to burn down Huuring City. Nonetheless, the constant travels had taken a little toll on their bodies. Yes, Shin was present to heal any wounds that they sustained, but with the mental fatigue mounting, what they needed was a month-long rest back home. "Yippee!!! We finally don''t have to keep walking!" Shizen cheered. "Do you really have to celebrate that much?" Ella mumbled. She quite enjoyed the adventures that they had embarked on, taking on Black Mask after Black Mask. Sightseeing gorgeous places that were only heard about in books. If possible, she wanted to prolong their expedition out of the Himmel Empire for just a little bit. "You do know that your final year at Imperius Academy would only be studying." "W-What?!" Shizen had two great fears in his life. Shin running out of his special water to give him, and well¡­ Writing on a piece of paper for hours at a time. "Urgh¡­ You study for me!" "That''s absurd!" "Hehehehe~" Emma grinned merrily. "Ella''s always so close to Shizen! I''m starting to get jealous!" "Hey, Emma! What do you mean by that! Why would I care about this brat?!" "Hahahaha!!!" The group laughed heartily, ignoring the warm gaze that the innkeeper and barmaid were shooting at them. They probably thought that this was the formation of a new mercenary troop and they were sharing their woes over the fire. Such a sight was common for a small tavern in Huuring City. "There''s only one year left huh..." Isadore threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. They were tired of the constant strife and the number of battles that they had to endure, but for the most part, those battles would serve as happy memories for the future. However, in just a year, Shin would be departing for the Lantis Republic, where they won''t have any chance to make new memories. "Don''t be that way." Shin tapped his buddy on the shoulders. Over the years, in Shin''s heart, Isadore had grown from the annoying little brat that pesters him at any given moment, to a trusted comrade that he would trust his life with. "We still can meet each other when you visit the Republic. Furthermore, I won''t be dwelling on the archipelago for the entire time! If there''s a chance, I''ll take a mission where we get to meet one another!" "Psshhh! Who wants to visit you? I have an information network to create!" "You still haven''t given up on that dream?" Kanari interjected. Of the group, she was the one that was most familiar with Isadore''s family situation. It would be a shocker if the Himmel Empire''s Ancestor allowed his sole inheritor to lead some information network that has no hope of forming. "Hmph! Just watch me!" Isadore furrowed his brows adorably, lowering his crystal-clear forehead. In the four years, the androgynous youth had turned into a gorgeous looking man. Shin may be the more famous one, but Isadore was the one that received the most love letters, from both females and males alike. Reminiscent of a silver-haired fabled elf, the group had teased him continuously for his looks that were no way inferior to that of Kanari''s. "Hah¡­ The Lantis Republic, huh?" Shin allowed his friends to banter on as he swirled his goblet around. He had reached Rank 37. He had evolved his first spiritual ability to match that of Lukman''s in the Summit. And now, he has created a devastating trump card in his fourth spiritual ability which had solved his firepower issue. Honestly, at this point, he had no clue on how else he could grow. While the Lantis Republic may have the answers, Shin wasn''t really looking forward to his five-year stay there. "Let''s not look that far into the future just yet." Kanari emptied her goblet in one swoop, revealing her enticing supple neck. Now that she had four additional years in the bag, the girl grew from a young girl to a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. If she could turn head four years ago when she was just sixteen, at twenty, their heads would spin out of their spines and follow the black-haired Adonis wherever she might go. While it was a blessing to possess such great beauty within the Capital, outside, it was just a magnet for crass drunkards and conceited noblemen or merchants. They all thought that they could possess that beauty for themselves and had attempted to woo Kanari over, regardless if it were legal or not. Shin couldn''t count the number of times he had to fight random men because they wanted a piece of Kanari. "We should take things one step at a time. For now, the most pressing issue is to deal with Junius. I''ve arranged for that lady that we''ve just saved, Natalie from the Moon Mercenaries, to meet us tomorrow. She says that she has the perfect guide to lead us to the Crypt of the First Men." "Are you sure that Junius would build a base in somewhere that famous?" Shin asked. The Crypt of the First Men was once the burial chambers for the first major civilisation that the world had. After millions of years of constant strife, three Spirit Saints gathered the surviving population of mankind and created one central government under their rule. They had even jointly broken through the limits of a human and became Spirit Immortals together. Though the Crypts of the First Men had long become rubble and their tales had long turned into myths, there were still various archaeologists that ventured there to study the ancient civilisation, and that location was still visited by hardcore tourists that didn''t mind the arduous journey. "The intelligence said that there were sightings of Black Masks under Junius'' control, though the Alliance hasn''t given us the green light to go ahead yet." "I see. Well, let''s just hope that it''s not a dead end like the rest of the leads were." Shin helped Kanari refill her goblet while the group waited for the arrival of their new guide. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 362 Finding A Guide 1 "Latina, I told you to stay home, didn''t I?" An exasperated voice bellowed out on the wide pathways of Huuring City. A middle-aged woman, who had thick brown hair with tinges of grey within, pointed her finger straight at a poor little lass, who stood still and took the scolding. "You need rest! Return back to base right this moment!" "Aunt Natalie! I''m fine, really!" Latina didn''t flinch. She had been scolded many times before, and she would always reply with ''Sorry, I won''t do it again,'' or ''Sorry, I have learnt my lesson.'' However, this time, she was adamant on following Natalie to meet the young heroes that had saved her life. "I didn''t even suffer a single scar! Look, I''m in the pink of health! I don''t need to lay in bed!" "That''s not the point!" The brunette rolled her eyes. "You were almost killed yesterday! There''s no way that you''re mentally stable! Take some time off and lay in bed! You have to sleep!" "Do you really think that I can close my eyes after that experience?!" "!!!" Natalie swallowed her words. She hadn''t considered that aspect. Latina was still a child, twelve to be exact. She may have some months of mercenary experience under her belt, but girls her age should be enjoying life indoors and studying studiously in a local school. After nearly being torn apart by the bear-type Spirit Beast, Latina was sure to be haunted by nightmares of the worst kinds for the next few days. "Hahaha! Come on, Natalie! Just let the girl follow us!" A third voice snickered, bringing both the ladies attention onto his thin body. His cheeks caved in, the man was as gaunt-looking as a ghost, with a few deep scars riddled over his chin and forehead. Donning on loose garments that seemed capable of falling off his neck bone at any given moment, the man gave a dirty smile, squeezing out all of the oils from his pimples. "Winfred, this doesn''t concern you." "I doubt it. You hired me to serve as your guide to the Crypt of the First Men, and I get to decide who I want to bring to meet these valiant heroes." Winfred winked at Latina. "Her desire to meet with the young foreigners is as strong as mine. You shouldn''t be one to deny the girl of her eagerness, right?" "Urghhh, fine¡­" As much as Natalie wanted to handcuff Latina and strap her to her bed, they were already halfway there to the inn where Shin and the others were resting. After getting her life and the lives her comrades saved by the seven youths, Natalie wanted to fulfil her promise to them as soon as she possibly could. Hence, once returning to Huuring City, the seasoned mercenary instantly travelled to Winfred''s abode and hired him as a guide for the group. Among the numerous guides in Huuring City, Winfred was the most experienced in leading people to the Crypts of the First Men. Being a Spirit Adept guide, his services were among the most expensive in the city, but Natalie didn''t care about that. A debt left unpaid is a debt that would haunt her for life. Thus, she had to bring Winfred to the group as soon as she could. Alas, that was a mistake. "Senior Natalie, what a pleasure to meet you again." As the group of three approached the inn, Shin and the rest of the Imperius Academy students were already waiting outside, seated on the stone benches in the middle of the afternoon breeze. "Young heroes!" Shuffling her feet forwards, the matured lady bowed her head. At the same time, Winfred, who had been wearing a happy smile the entire time had long dropped his jaw. His pupils were shaky, and he smacked his lips trying desperately to hold back the scream of joy that was on the edge of his throat. ''She''s way more beautiful than I imagined,'' thought Winfred. He had seen many girls over his fifty years on this earth, and the sweet beauty right in front of him completely takes the cake. Not to mention, three others would easily claim the top spots of most gorgeous women in Huuring City. They were clean and had an air of dignity surrounding them, entirely unlike the coarse broads that they had here in this god-forsaken town. That aura, that untouchable aspect that the girls had, just made him want to defile them even more. The shock on the man''s face quickly turned into a neutral grin as Winfred moved the muscles in his mouth to control his desires. Every fibre in his being was screaming for Winfred to jump forward like a lusty leopard, stripping the girl bare as she wailed helplessly while he fucked the living shits out of her. Winfred was part of the upper-class in Huuring City. Anything that he wanted, he could get. Women, money or territory. The man had it all. Though, it was only at the level of what a man could get in a rural town where the population barely exceeded ten thousand. If Winfred left the city, he would be a nobody, if he stayed, he would have to continuously lavish in the same luxuries that he had gotten bored of years ago. Therefore, one could imagine Winfred''s delight when he heard that the Witch in the South had personally visited their town, accompanied only by a group of Spirit Adepts. If he could at the very least savour the taste of an untouchable fruit, Winfred would willingly give his life to the Immortal above. But he lacked a plan to meet the youngsters. The group had skipped the banquet that was thrown in their name and instantly went missing to the public eye. Just as he was drawn back to ground zero, Natalie had appeared like an angel descending from the heavens and had brought news that they were looking for a guide to bring them to the Crypt of the First Men, a perfect opportunity for the lustful demon to strike. Thus, Winfred hatched a plan. He would hire some of the city''s best mercenaries to knock them unconscious during their travels, and he would get to spend a few rounds with Kanari as per the rest of the mercenaries. A win-win situation for him and his good pals. Unfortunately, things don''t always work as planned. "I have brought the guide as I promised." Wholly unaware of the plot, Natalie thought that she had done a good deed by bringing Winfred immediately after Shin requested for a guide. "Greetings, my humble name is Winfred. It''s an honour to finally meet the young heroes that had saved Huuring City." The dirty old man offered a handshake to the nearest person, which just happened to be the black-haired beauty that he sought to mount. However, instead of accepting the said handshake, Kanari just narrowed her eyes. "Winfred is the best guide in Huuring City! His knowledge of the region around the Crypt of the First Men is second to none! I''m sure that his services as a guide would prove most useful in your quest!" "I see. I didn''t know that hiring a guide in Huuring City meant bringing an entire mercenary troop." Shin replied. His face was beaming the entire way, not flinching in the slightest. "What do you mean?" Stunned by the response, the middle-aged lady looked at the young man oddly. She still believed that Winfred had left his home alone. "What a liar!" Isadore was more quick to action. Instead of wasting any more of their saliva, the silver-haired man raised his spear straight at the trio that had just arrived. "W-What are you doing?!" The female mercenary cried out. She had come all this way from the city centre and yet, these young heroes that had saved her life yesterday were now pointing a weapon in their direction. "You came with a dozen men, all exuding malicious intent that could be felt all the way from the city! What''s the meaning of this?!" Isadore hollered back, the spear in his hands glistening under the radiant sun. "WHAT?!" Natalie screamed out. She had brought a dozen men? Where were they? Natalie had only told Winfred that she was coming to the tavern where the young heroes were staying. ''Wait does that mean...'' Her widened eyes slowly showed comprehension as she immediately turned to Winfred. If Natalie had waited a few days for her senses to recover, perhaps she could sense the shadows that had been trailing behind them for the good part of an hour. If Natalie had contained her excitement and impatience to please Shin and the others, perhaps she would have thought twice about hiring Winfred. But she didn''t. "WINFRED!!! What have you done?!" Hugging Latina, the Moon Mercenary treaded to the side. "I didn''t expect that your senses were that keen." Since there was no longer a need to keep up the pretence, Winfred showed his true colours. A dozen men sprinted forward from their hiding grounds and immediately took place next to their employer. "We can do this the easy way. Give us the women, and there''ll be no blood. If you prefer the hard way, well¡­" Brimming with insatiable lust, the mercenaries all summoned out their Spirits. Of the twelve men that gathered, all of them were Rank 30 Spirit Adepts, and if Winfred were included, it would be a thirteen versus seven battle. Yes, stories floated about that the seven heroes had defeated a Spirit Spectre, but Winfred didn''t believe it for the most part. Even if they killed a Vaishya, Winfred amounted that to luck or possibly a successful sneak attack. Against these odds, Winfred would be fucking Kanari in no time. "WINFRED!!!" Natalie was livid. Her benefactors had given her a task to hire the best guide in town, and she had actually invited a pack of wolves into their humble abode. Pushing Latina towards the inn, the middle-aged woman summoned out her trusted sword and stood in front of the youths. "Young heroes, run away! I will try to hold them back for a few moments! Please, just run away!" It was her fault for bringing Winfred in the first place. Natalie would rather pay with her life than to allow her benefactors to get into any sort of harm. "Hahaha! It''s useless! What can you possibly do to stop all of us, Natalie! When I''m done with the beauties, I''ll go for that young lass you have! Though I''m not into children, there''s a first time for everything!" Winfred didn''t care anymore. He was about to violate many rules, and once the City Manager gets wind of this, he would arrest and possibly behead all of them for raping the distinguished guests. Since Winfred was already going to be a wanted man, he might as well enjoy his time as a free man. "YOU FUCKER!!!" Natalie immediately charged into battle, ignoring the fact that she was outnumbered. However, just before her blade could reach within two metres of the thirteen hooligans, a force pulled her straight back, roughly landing her next to Latina. "You stay there. We''re not just down with you yet." Shin spat out while dispersing the water hand that grabbed Natalie. "Young hero! I-...!" "Enough!" Isadore pointed his spear at Natalie''s neck. While they still didn''t believe in the Moon Mercenary just yet, they didn''t want her to pass on that quickly either. "Just sit still, we''ll deal with you later." All of the seven summoned out their Spirits and a torrent of spiritual pressure towered upon their opponents. It wasn''t the first time that others had lusted over their flesh. They had gotten into countless fights during their travels, and it had become so cliche that they had started to get bored with the routine. It was just in another''s day of work for them. However, this time, Shin knew that they needed something more than just beating the crap out of those hot-blooded ruffians that only thinks with their crotch. "Guys, stand down." The black-haired boy lazily said. "I''ll take them all by myself." "You sure?" Kanari raised her brows and questioned back. "That''s the only way that those idiots down there would learn." Shin pointed to the city centre as he said those words. Though their stay in Huuring City was short, trouble seemed to follow them wherever they went. Fighting thirteen Spirit Adepts wasn''t just a boast of might, but it was also the only way to send a message to prospective assholes that dared to aim them in the future. "Alright then." The seven all released their Spirits and stood back. There was not a single shred of doubt or a single voice of concern from their mouths. "Just don''t destroy the place." "No promises." Shin allowed the Sovereign Koi to float over his head as he took small steps towards his foes. Over the four years, the little cerulean Koi had become not so little anymore. With a length capable of wrapping itself around Shin''s round face, the fish Spirit flapped its fins joyously as if it were about to participate in a never-ending barbeque buffet. "Just you? You sure are conceited, he~ro!!!" Winfred attempted to land the first strike by charging forward with his dagger Spirit. All that stood before him and the sensuous flesh of Kanari''s was this black-haired young man. He wanted a taste of that woman as soon as he could! However¡­ BVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! From Shin''s feet, a rapid current, one equivalent to that of a newly broken dam, gushed out straight at Winfred, forcing him, as well as his compatriots to take a hit and flow downstream, twenty metres away from the inn. Confused as to what hit them, the Spirit Adepts all heightened their senses to the maximum as they left the line of fire of the river that Shin had just created. Before they could make heads or tails of what happened, a sonorous voice entered their eardrums, increasing their heartbeat per second by a significant margin. "I''m not a hero." Shin''s eyes glowed in a majestic azure hue while the water-elements danced in pure joy. It may be the dry season in Huuring City, but Shin raised the humidity to that of a monsoon, bringing sweat back to the mercenaries faces. They didn''t understand it. They outnumbered him thirteen to one, and yet, the mercenaries still felt fear when facing this boy was almost half their age. Shin raised his hands and continued to create water from the rocks and soil that lay beneath him. It came all so effortless to him. If Shin wanted a river, he would make one. If he wanted a lake, he would create two. Soon, the entire area in front of the inn had become flooded, as if a hurricane had just struck this barren landscape. Now that his preparations were complete, it was time for Shin to mete out the punishment. "I''m just a tyrant that fights for what I protect." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 363 Finding A Guide 2 "CITY MANAGER! CITY MANAGER! We have an emergency!" In the not-so-peaceful chambers of Huuring City''s top executive, a worried cry echoed through the hallways as a harried young man, whose face had been burnt red by sweat and fatigue, rushed into the room with a small yellow note which was crudely folded. "What now?!" The City Manager thrust his scroll down on the table and leaned back on his chair. After the arrival of the Imperius Academy heroes, there had been mayhem all over the town as many demanded to meet with the famed prodigies. Particularly the Oligarchs that ran the city. Though they were influential in Huuring City, compared to Kanari, who was a future Duchess, and Shin who could be considered as an heir of the Longyu Clan, they were far too inferior. Thus, it made sense for them to gain a few connections with the talents that were only in town for a couple of weeks. Nonetheless, the City Manager was a tactful person. He knew that the seven youngsters wanted nothing to do with the ruffians in town, and had denied any sort of contact with Shin and the others. However, that didn''t stop the hopefuls from trying. Just this morning, a major Oligarch rushed down to his office and offered ten gold ingots in exchange for a meeting with the seven heroes. The City Manager already had enough on his plate, he didn''t want to future complicate his life. "Didn''t I tell you not to bother me if it''s nothing to do with the seven heroes?" "But¡­ The news is from the observation team you dispatched! They said that a group of thirteen Spirit Adepts led by Guide Winfred Elipaul has begun an assault on the young heroes!" "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" The City Manager slammed both his palms on the desk and grabbed the collars of his attendant. "Didn''t I lay down the rules that no one was to disturb them?! Wasn''t that order sent down to everyone in the city! Didn''t Winfred get the memo?!" "I believe he did, sire. It''s just..." The subordinate went quiet. This was Huuring City. A roughened town in the remote regions of the Kori Federation. Here, not many cared about rules and regulations. They did things based on their desires and were mostly free to do so. So what if the City Manager told them not to touch the young seven heroes? There were definitely brazen outlaws that didn''t care about the reputation of the town. ''Winfred Elipaul¡­ On the surface, that man might seem prim and proper, but deep down, he''s just a lustful demon that would do anything to fuck the prettiest thing that moves. I bet that in Winfred''s mind, as long as he gets to **** the Witch in the South, he would die a happy man.'' The City Manager instantly deduced the man''s plan. ''But to think that he''ll act so quickly! Whatever, I must first settle this before this becomes an international affair!'' "Send all the experts in the building towards the inn that the seven heroes are staying at! I''ll head there first and see what I can do!" Immediately speeding out of his small chambers, the City Manager flew at top speeds, hoping to reach the inn before something terrible happens. ''Please, let me reach there in time!'' ??? Turning back the clock a few minutes, the black-haired boy and the Sovereign Koi floating overhead were staring straight at the disgusting foes that dared to trespass on their territory. Now that this entire field was filled with water, there was no need for Shin to fear facing multiple enemies at once. One step. Two steps. Three¡­ Shin took small baby steps towards the thirteen assailants that didn''t know better, each time exuding out a faint cerulean aura that slowly accumulated to create an indomitable field. Bits of silver water droplets that had been infused by Shin''s mana floated all around him while tendrils formed from the flood beneath their feet. Though he was facing thirteen Spirit Adepts at the same time, Shin didn''t feel agitated or nervous in the slightest. In fact, his face was as serene as someone who was going out for an afternoon stroll in the park. "Tskkk! Such arrogance! You think that your sneak attack will work against us again?" Winfred conceded that Shin had dealt a blow to the thirteen of them, but he didn''t think that it''ll happen twice. The ghastly scoundrel was too blinded by his lust to give a proper assessment of his foe''s power, and with flared nostrils, he ordered his men to gun Shin down. Particles of fire, water, earth, lightning and wind elements sped through the air as the mercenaries fired upon Shin''s young flesh. If it meant that they had to get through Shin to claim the beauties for themselves, the dirty old men would do anything in their power to forcibly relocate the boy. However, just before the rain of elements tore Shin''s body limb from limb, an incredibly high wave of water brushed past the young man, bringing the fruitless attack to a halt. "Let''s try something out¡­ Flow-Style Technique, Mines of the Ocean." Shin raised his palm and almost instantly, dozens of spiralling whirlpools appeared beneath the thirteen Spirit Adepts. Feeling danger, they wanted to immediately jump into safety in the air, but the suction force was too great and its appearance too sudden. Before they freed just one foot, it was far too late. "Detonate." BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOMMMM!!! BOOOOOMMMM!!! BOOOOMMMM!!! The earth trembled in fear as the flood water above it quaked violently. The Spirit Adepts felt their skin rupturing and saw crimson red within the waters that surrounded them. Looking down, they noticed that their sealed legs were now riddled with bruises and scratches as if they had just walked through a veritable minefield. "Hmmm, the mines aren''t strong enough to break through your Spirit Adept bodies huh? Well, that''s to be expected." Shin sighed. His first spiritual ability may be versatile, but it had its limitations. Compared to someone who actually learnt the Mines of the Ocean as a spiritual ability, Shin''s version had much less firepower. "Let''s try this then, Shape-Style Technique, Spears of Sparta." Shin snapped his fingers, and a significant portion of the water on the ground all flowed into the air and split into a thousand different silver raindrops. Slowly clenching his outreached palm, Shin forged the water droplets mid-air, and soon, the silver raindrops became ornate silver spears, each with their own distinct characteristics. One had a serpent''s tongue as a tip, another had three blades sticking out the top, and the pattern continued. However, the spears all had one thing in common, they were all sharp enough to rip through the thickest hide of crocodiles or bears with one thrust. "Go!" SSSSWWTTT!!! SSSSSWWTTTT!!! SSSSWWTTTT!!! The Spears of Sparta tore through the wind and whistled their way towards the thirteen troublemakers. Angered that they were still being undermined, the Spirit Adepts displayed all of their spiritual abilities to melt down or evade the oncoming onslaught. Someone created a fire shield that managed to block the spears that charged ruthlessly at them, while someone else kicked a giant boulder out from the solid rock under them. While most of them got out unscathed, there were some that weren''t so lucky. The Spears of Sparta lived up to their names by piercing through two of the thirteen lustful demons, sending out wails of agony in all directions. Shin had explicitly aimed for the legs that had been weakened by his prior attack, Mines of the Ocean, which significantly lessened the difficulty of him breaking through the Spirit Adepts'' defences. Now that he had his spears lodged into them, Shin raised his fists up in triumph and controlled the two spears in their thighs to be reduced back into the droplet of silver water. Snapping his fingers, the Prince of Water rapidly rotated the silver raindrops to create a spinning disk within the legs of the two mercenaries. And then¡­ "ARGHHHHH!!!!" The two Spirit Adepts faces got splattered with thousands of crimson beads as their entire thighs got ripped out of their body. Unable to bear the pain, the two fell to the ground as tears fell out of their closed eyes. Watching as their two comrades fell, the remaining mercenaries felt their bodies turn cold. It all happened so quickly. They were barely able to comprehend what Shin had just done, and two of their brethren had already been amputated. "Hmph! Two down!" Shin harrumphed and instantly cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement as well as his various mana strengthenings. He had fought many vile Spirit Adepts in his life, and he knew that after first blood was drawn, the battle would evolve into its next stage rather rapidly. "DAMN YOU!!!" A close comrade of the two fallen charged forward, squirting ink out of his squid-type Spirit. At the same time, he created several water jets that aimed straight at Shin''s throat, hoping to end the battle with one move. "You honestly want to compete with me when it comes to water?" The black-haired young man scoffed. Shin had spent a good part of these four years observing and learning how water is used in combat. He wrote notes as two Tier 6 water-elemental Spirit Beasts fought right before his very eyes. He experienced dozens of natural disasters, from floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and whirlpools. And this mercenary wished to challenge him as a water-elemental Spirit User? Shin was barely able to hold in his laughter. A few water tendrils easily parried the water jets and absorbed the squid ink, bringing Shin face-to-face with his assailant. Since the mercenary had committed his all to that one attack, the force that propelled him forward had no halt button. Taking advantage of his continuous trajectory, Shin created a water pyramid, one of the likes that would make the ancient pharaohs cry in shame. Kneaded together with an endless amount of water threads and sealed by tremendous mana, Shin trapped the squid Spirit User, leaving him there until he was at the brink of drowning. "Shape-Style Technique, Pyramid Prison. Stay there for a while, yeah?" Three down, ten to go. The battle hadn''t even lasted for a minute, and Shin had shaved down the numbers with relative ease. While Winfred was still recovering from the shock that he had received from the Mines of the Ocean, three of the best combatants in the group swung their spear, sword and hammer respectively, hoping to cave the boy''s body in with superior martial arts might. The mercenaries thought that Shin was a specialist in mid-range combat, and there was no way that he could defeat them if they were within arms reach. Alas, they were far too short-sighted. "How crude¡­" Shin used Mychael''s Lightning Swallow Steps to great effect, leaving after-images just before his opponents could land a hit on his body. Though he had trained extensively in improving his water-elemental skills, Shin didn''t dare to slob on the close-combat training that Mychael had ingrained into his veins throughout his first and second year in the academy. It had even come to a point where Shin was able to defeat Mychael in pure martial arts when it came to agility and footwork. Compared to the top martial arts instructor in Imperius Academy, the mercenaries movements looked like three slobs that were trying to reach for the nearest beer jug. "Even my younger sisters fight better than you lot!" That was true. After Elyse and Fionn joined the academy, the two youngsters had become rising stars of their own right. They rose to the Star Class with ease, and the young and timid Elyse had become an absolute assassin with her Cinereous Cyclone Dagger. Her tracking and stealth skills that could trick even Shin had propelled her to the top three students within her cohort. Fionn wasn''t that shabby either. The Reaper''s Scythe that she awakened turned out to be a top-tier Spirit if trained the right way. Due to her close relationship with Shin, the orphan was given special treatment within Imperius Academy, and a specialized instructor was hired by the Himmel Empire to train the girl to become the best cultivator that she could possibly become. While the two girls took vastly different paths, they had one thing in common. And that was their martial arts that would easily trump the rancid movements that the mercenaries were currently displaying. In just ten moves, Shin had already analysed and determined all of the weaknesses of his three assailants'' and created dozens of water needles to exploit said vulnerabilities. In just two seconds, Shin had sealed all the meridians of the three mercenaries and landed the knockout blow with his Seismic Combinations. "Six down, seven to go." Shin cracked his knuckles to release some of the stress that his fists had sustained. ''W-What''s going on?'' Winfred began to question everything that he was seeing. He must be dreaming right now. How else could one twenty-year-old Spirit Adept deal with thirteen veteran mercenaries so quickly? ''M-Monster!!! I have to run away!!!'' As a mercenary, he had been in many life-or-death scenarios in his entire life. However, this youngster that always seem to possess an inquisitive gaze that dared deep into his soul terrified his entire being at a molecular level. There was no point in continuing this battle. They had lost half of their men while the seven heroes still had all of theirs completely intact. It was a fight that Winfred was bound to lose. ''I can''t move my legs?! What''s go-..., !!!'' Due to the adrenaline pumping to his head, Winfred didn''t notice that his entire feet had been covered in a layer of thick ice. Likewise, many of his compatriots suffered the same fate. They only felt the chill from the permafrost when it was too late. "Ah¡­ It took me over ten seconds, huh?" Instead of celebrating on his victory, Shin shook his head, disappointed that his water took this long to turn into ice. "I''m still far-off from Sister Bingying. Well, I guess that''s my limit for now." Shin was a water-elemental user, and while he could somewhat feel the ice-elements in the air, the young cultivator wasn''t proficient enough to bend them to his will like how bonafide ice-elemental Spirit Users could. Instead, Shin used the same theory that allowed him to change water to a mist by doing the inverse and slowing down the water molecules within his own created water so that the heat was lost and it changed its structure. ''We were being played? All this while, we were just guinea pigs for him to test his skills? God damn it! I need to run! He''ll kill us all!!!'' "Sorry but please don''t try to run." Before Winfred could even thaw the ice off his feet, Shin''s languid voice stopped all movements by the mercenaries. There was neither urgency nor excitement in his eyes. Hydraulic chains with bayonet tips, jumped out from the flood water, barring the path of retreat for the mercenaries. They had taken the trouble of coming all the way to this remote inn, the least that Shin could do was give some top-class ''hospitality.'' Hundreds of water-made weapons dominated the skies as spiralling orbs of death, that could detonate at any given moment, oscillated around the seven remaining assailants. At the same time, thousands of water silver bullets levitated around the young man as a heavenly mist formed behind of him. Remembering that there was a twelve-year-old behind of him, Shin created that mist so that the gruesome scene that he was planning out in his mind wouldn''t haunt the dreams of that young child. However, for the mercenaries, Shin didn''t care what horrors they experienced. Brimming with a harrowing smile that would remain in their nightmares for years to come, Shin''s jovial voice echoed out once more: "I still have many techniques I want to try out. If you run, who''s going to be my test dummy?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 364 Finding A Guide 3 ''Mist? Where did that mist come from?'' Natalie looked to the six remaining young heroes for that answer. Just moments ago, Shin was putting on a masterful display by beating down six Spirit Adepts within a few minutes, something that would be hard-pressed for even the top mercenaries in Huuring City. While she and her protege, Latina, were marvelling over that spectacular sight, an ethereal mist hindered their vision, giving her the impression that a foreign attacker was here to split Shin off from the group. "Don''t worry about that, Shin created the mist." Sensing the trepidation in her eyes, Kanari re-assured Natalie with an upbeat tone. Although they weren''t that worried about Shin facing thirteen opponents all on his own, one couldn''t be too sure. After all, one of the Spirit Adepts might pull out a move that would stun him which would force the group to assist him. However, once Shin himself had created the mist, it meant that the battle was as good as over. "H-He created that?!" The seasoned mercenary was taken aback once more. Over the past few minutes, Shin had shown a plethora of ''spiritual abilities,'' each more unique than the other. As a Rank 37 Spirit Adept, Shin should only possess four spiritual abilities, but he had far surpassed that number. Natalie had never seen a scene that peculiar before. "You should worry about yourself first." Isadore, who still didn''t wholly trust the lady that brought Winfred to their doorstep, scoffed as he placed down his spear. Now that Shin had clearly told them not to interfere, the group could finally slowly interrogate their captive. "Tell us, why did you bring that rat here? Are you part of his plan as well?" "N-No! Far from it!" Natalie waved her hands around. Why would she be part of such a vile scheme? These seven heroes had saved her Moon Mercenaries! They were her benefactors! It has never crossed her mind to betray them for some gold. "Winfred really is the best guide to the Crypts of the First Men. His expertise laid in that region and many travellers here seek him out when they needed directions. Sure, he was greedy, but I''ve never heard of him trying to claim women as a barbarian would. Perhaps..." "Perhaps what?" "Perhaps he got tempted when he heard that the Witch in the South was in the city..." Natalie''s eyes shuffled from Kanari''s symmetrically perfect face and her exceptional proportions. Let alone a depraved man, even Natalie had the urge to rip open Kanari''s robes to witness how a goddess actually looks like. "Your beauty is well-known throughout the world¡­ So that''s why he had lost his senses and hatched this despicable plot¡­ I''m really innocent!!! I can swear that I had no idea of this plan!!!" The sides of Kanari''s mouth flinched as the three young maidens behind her stifled their chuckles. Over the past few months, it was true that Kanari''s beauty, which was target of envy for many girls in the Capital, had turned into a demerit. Many ruffians would eye her like a candy that had to be eaten, and the number of times they had to fight off lechers far surpassed that to the number of Black Masks that they had faced. Natalie immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness. The group from Imperius Academy had placed their faith in the woman, and she had brought in a wolf into their den. It was justifiable that they lacked a single shred of trust in the woman. "Please, I wouldn''t have brought you harm! I was just misguided in my trust of Winfred!" "Kanari, why don''t you use your Mind Flame?" Taking deep breaths in to quell her laughter, Elrin suggested a solution for their problems. "Mind Flame?" Natalie and Latina titled her heads at the unfamiliar name. "What''s that?" "Hmmm, it may not work on a Spirit Adept at full health that easily though¡­ Wait, since you have no guilty conscience, you wouldn''t mind if I used a spiritual ability on you to search for the truth, right?" Kanari asked. "Naturally! I didn''t play any part in their hateful plan!" To regain their trust, the only thing that Natalie could do was to beat her chest and agree to whatever conditions that they had. "Good." The black-haired maiden closed her eyes and raised her right hand up into the sky. Her five fingers spread into a claw, Kanari felt her body turn heavy as mana flowed out from her Spirit Core and into the single point between her fingers. Her face may seem serene, but deep down, she was fighting severe sleepiness that would envelop her brain at any given moment. All of a sudden, a green spark lit up in the middle of her palm and slowly grew into a ball of fire. Entirely unlike her innate foxfire, the fiery green sun in her hands didn''t increase the temperature of her surroundings, and neither did it invoke fear in the hears of her enemies. Instead, there was a light feeling of ease, where the holder of fire would seem twice as charming and ever-so-friendly to whoever witnessed those emerald embers. "Look into this fire and don''t resist." "What do you mean?" "Just do it." Kanari didn''t really want to bother with the explanations. First, they had to decide if the woman was trustworthy. "Okay..." Natalie didn''t know what the young heroes were planning, but they didn''t seem to be the kind to wreck her life for the sake of vengeance. Furthermore, if they really wanted to punish her, they wouldn''t go about using such a roundabout manner. Following Kanari''s instructions, Natalie stared straight into the green flame. For the first few seconds nothing much happened. She just felt like she was just looking into a gorgeous oddity. However, as time went by, the middle-aged woman felt her vision turn blurry as a wave of fatigue hit over her consciousness. Slowly, Natalie knew that something was up and her instinctual reaction was to use her mana to purge out the foreign force within her body. Though at that very moment, Kanari''s sombre voice rang itself again within Natalie''s cognisance, saying the same exact words as before, this time, in a seemingly divine voice that came from the heavens. "Do not resist..." ''I¡­ Must¡­ not¡­ Resist...'' Natalie allowed Kanari''s power to fully take control over her mind, and just like that, Natalie''s consciousness had begun its forced slumber. That was the nature of Kanari''s fourth spiritual ability, Mind Flame. Combining both her fire and mind elements, the owner of the Kumiho could delve deep into the consciousness of her victims to either destroy the brain from within or to manipulate them to bend to her will. Natalie''s pupils turned grey as her head hung down. In this vulnerable state, even a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner would be able to break through her innate defences and deal a mortal wound to the Spirit Adept. Of course, none of the Imperius Academy students would dare to do anything untoward to her, and they just asked the questions that they wanted to know. "Did you have any part in Winfred''s plan?" Isadore asked. "No." A languid voice chimed out of Natalie''s throat. Hearing the woman''s firm denial, Latina heaved a sigh of relief. She knew that her trusted Aunt Natalie wasn''t the type of person to sell someone out. Puffing her cheeks and pushing up her chest, the young girl beamed in delight as the questioning continued for a while longer. "Have you ever, or will you ever sell our information to benefit yourself?" "No." "Have you told anyone else other than Winfred that we''re going to the Crypts of the First Men?" "No." "Finally¡­ Do you have any malicious intent towards us?" "No." Checking all of the boxes, the six Spirit Adepts were finally able to rest easy. Natalie was legitimate. Once under Kanari''s spell, all of the hypnotised was compelled to speak the truth. There have been no exceptions thus far, and it seemed unlikely that Natalie would be able to resist the power of Kanari''s Mind Flame. Ending the green fireball in her hands, Kanari relinquished her control over the middle-aged woman and assisted her body while it lost all strength in its limbs. "Is Aunt Natalie going to be alright?!" Seeing her mentor collapse under her own weight, Latina cried out in worry. "She''s going to be fine." Now that they were able to fully trust the pair, Kanari smiled as she stroked the soft hair of Latina''s. "Your aunt will wake up in a short while. It takes some time for the spell to wash off and for her consciousness to regain control. Sorry that we doubted you two, we just had to be sure." Being good-looking young men and women who wore robes as if they were travelling merchants or nobles, there was no end of troubles when they traversed into the Kori Federation. They trusted no one other than themselves and treated every soul that tried to get near to them with a certain distant attitude. Fortunately, Natalie had dared to prove herself as a trustworthy ally by allowing Kanari to mess around with her mind. "Looks like Shin is about to finish up as well." Ella saw that the mist that obscured their vision was thinning and noted that change to the rest. Who won the one versus thirteen? Was there even a need to ask that question? As the mist dissipated into nothingness, the group of seven plus Latina could witness the full aftermath of Shin''s ''experimentation.'' A few men, who were short of a few limbs, were rolling about in the dirt in agony, clutching the little stumps on their bodies, praying to any god to end their sufferings. Some other mercenaries had been knocked out cold, not figuratively, but literally by the ice that Shin had created. There was even one man who was riddled with bruises and cuts as if he had just survived a bombing attempt that failed to end his life. In fact, his eyes told the world that he was better off dead than alive. And finally, there was Winfred. Impaled by four ice spears, the lowlife maggot was raised into the air by a water cross. In his right hand, there was one final ice spear, this one sharper than most of the others that Shin had ever created. It was his speciality weapon, one that he would only bring to life when sparring with Isadore. Mimicking the Spirit of Himmel that Isadore wielded, the spear was almost unbreakable once formed, and only Shin could melt it back to its original liquid state. "Shape-Style Technique, Spear of Aiglos¡­ If I pierce this through your heart, you will perish within a fraction of a second, so please be truthful..." Shin pointed his perfect ice weapon at the left side of Winfred, not at all triumphant over his win against the thirteen mercenaries. "Let me ask you this question. Are you the sole mastermind behind this attack? Was there anyone else that instigated you to do this?" "Please¡­ Spare me¡­ I don''t¡­ Want to¡­ Die..." Gasping for air, the only thing that Winfred could do was beg for forgiveness. They had been thoroughly beaten. The only move that he could play was to tactically retreat and wait for a chance to strike again when they''re down. Being prominent figures that barely knew the rules of the jungle, Winfred hoped to pander to Shin''s soft-heartedness by appearing as if he were a renewed man that bore no threat to Shin and the rest. "So no one instigated you for the attack?" "No¡­ One¡­ I''m sorry! PPPLLLLLEEASSSEEE! Spare me!" His voice regaining its volume, Winfred continued to beg while pinned on the cross. "I''ll do anything! I''m so sorry for coveting the women, please be merciful!" "Last question¡­ Do you have any malicious intent towards us?" "I..." Winfred smiled inwardly. This conversation would only lead to Shin freeing him from his chains, which meant that there was a chance for him to plot his revenge. Since thirteen Spirit Adepts didn''t work, how about thirteen Spirit Spectres? Yes, it would empty his bank account, but for the sake of tasting Kanari, what was some meagre wealth? However, just before he could give his entirely fabricated answer, a green light overcame his vision as a wave of darkness enveloped his entire being. "I¡­ I DO!!! I''ll seize all of the women that you have, and I''m going to wear them like a hat! Once you''re headed to the Crypts, I''ll spend all of my money to hire Spirit Spectres to kill all of you! I''ll fuck the Witch in the South all day long and I''ll-!" "That''s enough, Kanari!" Shin''s voice thundered out, immediately bringing the blabbering mouth to an abrupt halt. Even after being defeated in such a manner, Winfred had shown no signs of repentance. Hearing the soft footsteps of the future Duchess, Shin glanced over his shoulder and asked just one thing. "Are you out of his head?" "That''s right." Kanari nodded. She had long released the power of the Mind Flame and had left the rest to Shin. "Do your thing." "Right." Heaving in a deep breath, Shin closed his eyes, as if he were asking for forgiveness in a cathedral booth. Eyelashes trembling while the sides of his mouth twitched, Shin steeled his drive to commit to his next act. When his eyes opened, Shin had reverted back to his indomitable state, one that wouldn''t be moved by any oceans or mountains. A conqueror that never falters for the sake of his people. "I''m sorry." Spinning the Spear of Aiglos into a javelin stance, Shin stepped forward and plunged all his weight into the tip of the halberd, which effortlessly pierced through the heart of the impaled Winfred. That was Shin''s last mercy to the incorrigible old man. He gave Winfred a painless death while he was still recovering from the hypnosis. Seeing the ruthlessness of the young man, the remaining mercenaries all uniformly defecated in their pants. They too had participated in the attack. Did that mean that Shin would claim their lives next? Fortunately, the fate of their employer wasn''t their burden to carry. "The rest of you were pulled into this asshole''s plan, so I''ll give you this mercy. You can leave with your lives. However, the next time you bother us, you would be breathing your last." Shin gave his final warning before pulling out the Spear of Aiglos out of Winfred''s motionless body. There was no need for endless killings. The mastermind was dead, and the message had been sent. Looking into the distance, the black-haired young man squinted his eyes as he located several oddities within the bushes or trees. Shin wasn''t naive. The moment he began to fight Winfred, dozens of eyes started to congregate in the shadows, in hopes of watching the Prince of Water or the Witch in the South fight in battle. However, that didn''t bother Shin one bit. Giving out an impish smile towards the numerous gazes all around him, the youth released his Spirit, allowing everything to return to water. Shin didn''t say a single word, but his message was received loud and clear. ''If you dare to mess with us, this will be your fate.'' There was no need to elaborate. Turning around, Shin headed back into the inn, where he would sit lazily about with his trusted group of friends, ignoring the emotions that he had just given to his spectators. "City Manager¡­ What did we just see?" Among those spectators, was the highest authority in the land. Upon hearing of Winfred''s actions, the City Manager flew at the fastest speed he could, in hopes of rescuing Shin and his friends from the miserable fates that he had imagined. Who knew? It wasn''t the seven young heroes that needed rescuing, but their assailants that boldly tried to disturb their peace. "That''s¡­ The Black-Haired Tyrant and the Prince of Water..." The City Manager couldn''t stop his hands from trembling. How long was it? How long was it since he felt so much excitement?! ''I''ve heard rumours, but to think that he''s at this level¡­'' Initially, the City Manager was exhilarated that Shin had displayed such an overwhelming might. However, as he looked around and felt the presence of the Oligarchs of the town, his mind began to spiral with assumptions. ''For Winfred to be that brazen, he must have had a backer. I don''t doubt that it was he was the sole mastermind behind the attacks, but there must be someone powerful behind him that enables him to take such an audacious approach.'' The City Manager wondered. ''Looks like I have to investigate this case a little further.'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 365 Finding A Guide 4 The group of seven didn''t even bother to clean up the mangled bodies littered all about the floor as they returned to the comfort of their remote wooden inn. The innkeeper and the barmaid witnessed how Shin quickly displaced thirteen opponents and began to stray far away. They would take small peeks at the group, but neither of them actually dared to move forward with a question. They may be uneducated, but they weren''t dumb. Since Shin was that powerful, there was no way for them to protect the inn if he really wanted to destroy it. Furthermore, it didn''t seem like he was out to make any further troubles for them. Thus, they remained silent on the issue as the group sat down with the two ladies that had travelled this far to meet them. "Once again, I''m sorry for all the troubles that I''ve caused! Please, punish me as you see fit!" Natalie never once met the eye-levels of the seven young heroes. She was still in immense remorse after falling for Winfred''s trick. Though Shin had handled the danger expertly, Natalie had still brought a plague into the peaceful lives of her benefactors, and she felt that she needed to be punished accordingly. "We have confirmed that you have no ill intent. We understand that you were tricked as well." Emma smiled and moved from her side of the sofa to Natalie and Latina''s. Placing her hands on top of the shivering middle-aged woman, the peace-loving young girl became an angel in the Moon Mercenaries eyes as she wiped off Natalie''s tears with her own silken handkerchief. "Don''t worry, we don''t blame you." "Thank you! Thank you!" Latina watched over her aunt with warmth in her heart. The Young Heroes really lived up to their names. Even though Natalie was the one who led Winfred here, they didn''t reproach her and neither did they demand anything from her, although they had every right to. ''If it''s them, maybe...'' Latina thought about her one true wish. It was difficult to accomplish since she had no other kin in the world, but if it were these noble heroes, perhaps she didn''t need to wish upon a star every night. ''But I can''t just demand this from them¡­ I must have something to offer them. If I can do something for them, perhaps then they would listen to my request.'' Latina pondered on what she could possibly offer the young heroes. If they owed her a debt, there was a higher likelihood that Shin and the others would agree to help her. Alas, what could the young mercenary possibly offer these valiant paladins? Wealth? They had plenty of that. Power? They were much stronger than the majority of Huuring City. There was almost nothing that Latina could offer them! Unless¡­ "So, Lady Natalie. Do you have any other recommendations? Preferably someone that wouldn''t try to **** us in our sleep?" Shin asked the crucial question. No matter how they disliked the city, they still needed a guide to the Crypt of the First Men. Although they had a general sense of where the area was, without a proper escort to show them the way, their mission would become at least ten times more challenging. "T-That..." Natalie''s eyes shuffled left and right, uneasy that her answer would only serve to disappoint her benefactors even further. "I''m sorry¡­ Winfred was by far the leading guide to the Estrella Region. He had brought countless expeditions for archaeologists hoping to visit the site, and there''s no one equal to him in expertise when it comes to that plot of land. Please give me some time to ask around, I''m sure to find someone for you!" ''Estrella Region?!'' Latina''s stubby ears jerked at the familiar name. Her eyes widened as her face beamed out in joy. She had finally found her golden ticket! "H-Heroes¡­ M-May I suggest something?!" The twelve-year-old barely held her own when she attempted to talk to Shin and the others. "Hmmm? What is it?" Being the kindest one out of them all, as well as the only one with a maternal-like look, Emma stroked Latina on her head to quell her nerves. Oddly enough, the young brown-haired girl really had her tone simmered down after that godly touch. "I''m¡­ I''m from the Estrella Region! Before I became a mercenary, I lived in a small village in the west of the region. I-I may be inexperienced, but my father had taught me how to move around the region when he taught me how to hunt! I can be your guide!" "You?" The group collectively looked at the petite little girl, who was barely strong enough to fully pull her bowstring. It was weird that a young maiden like her was even out doing the rough work of a mercenary. "Are you sure that you can lead us to the Crypt of the First Men." "I¡­ Don''t know what that means..." The girl''s face immediately flushed red while pouting out in embarrassment. It wasn''t that she wanted to wait until the last moment to reveal that she was from the Estrella Region, Latina just wasn''t able to follow the conversation since the group used unfamiliar terms. "Haha, don''t worry. The place we want to go¡­ Hmmm, it''s like a graveyard for people who had died thousands of years ago?" Shin explained in simpler terms. "AH!!! The Ancient Graveyard! Yes, my father used to tell me to stay away from that area!" Instantly remembering that wretched place where no children were allowed to venture near, the young girl hollered out in absolute glee as she lightly hopped in place. "I don''t have the knowledge of the interior, but I definitely know how to get there! Also, I''m familiar with all the remote places within the Estrella Region! If you need to move around the Ancient Graveyard, I can show you around." "Oh ho..." Elrin kicked her legs up in amusement. In all of their travels, there has never been a twelve-year-old girl that had such a passion for helping them in their mission. "Little girl, I''m sure there''s a price for your said services right?" "H-How could I dare?!" The young mercenary tried to hide her agitation, but that slight hesitation in her speech had given it all away. Bearing the full brunt of the brilliant, teasing smiles that the seven young heroes had, Latina finally looked away to rub out the redness in her cheeks. "B-B-But! I-If I guide you to and back from the Estrella Region, could I ask for just one request? R-Really just one!" "I see..." The white-haired merchant heir rubbed her chin in mischief. Latina''s appearance had come at the perfect time. Elrin had gotten bored of teasing the same reactions out of Emma and Ella over and over. Some fresh blood was needed to quell her impish desires. "What do you want? Money? A house? Or maybe a kiss from one of the Prince Charmings here?" "Elrin! She''s a child!" Kanari slapped her bosom friend in angst. "Don''t be shy, just say it. We honour our word. If you indeed guide us to the right place, we''ll reward you accordingly." "Hah..." Latina heaved a sigh of relief. The seven young heroes were precisely as trustworthy as she first thought. Clenching her fists firmly on her ragged pants, the girl held back the tears that had fallen so many times before. Latina swore that she would be strong, she swore that she would become the world''s greatest mercenary. This was just the beginning of her journey. Latina couldn''t falter now. "I¡­ Just want to find my father. That''s it. If you can find him, that''s good. If you can''t, it''s fine." "He left you?" Shin asked. "I¡­ Don''t know." Latina shook her head. "It has been a long time since I last met him. He only stayed home for about three months a year and usually returns on my birthday month to stay home and teach me about the world before he left for his job. However, on my ninth birthday, he never came back." Latina bit down on her lips to prevent the tears from dropping again. "I don''t know what happened to him. I don''t know whether he''s alive or dead. I don''t know whether he had gotten sick of me since my mother died, or whether he has a family outside or not." Looking up at the seven heroes, with a stare that would put any brave warrior''s to shame, Latina showed her resolve through her words. "But I want to know. No, I need to know. That way¡­" Though she wasn''t articulate enough to express herself, the words that Latina wanted to convey had reached the hearts of all who were present. ''She just wants closure, huh?'' Shin sighed in his heart. For the next chapter to begin, one had to finish the previous one. Judging from her sooted face and roughened hands that would match that of a sailor''s, Shin could tell that life has been harsh to the young girl. Latina must have faced countless hardships to get to this point, and she lacked the luxuries that Shin and the rest had grown up in. If not for the Moon Mercenaries, perhaps she would be begging for scraps like the next beggar. "Alright." The leader of the group stood up and took two steps towards the young girl, who was busy trying to stop her tears. For a moment there, Latina took two steps back in fright. She had seen how powerful Shin was and how easy it would be to kill her. Nonetheless, after a slight pause, the girl collected herself and raised her eyes to look up at the 1.8 meters tall, suave young man. "We accept your proposal. You bring us to the Crypt of the First Men, and we''ll find your father. If he''s alive, we''ll bring him right here to you. If he''s dead, we''ll take you to his burial grounds. I promise you!" Shin offered a handshake to Latina. "Thank you, young heroes¡­ Thank you!!!" Words couldn''t express how delighted Latina was. Finally unable to control the dam, the young girl sobbed out everything that she was holding back as she embraced the warm palms of Shin''s. Natalie gave out a radiant smile from the side as a tear fell out from the corner of her eye. She had seen Latina suffer day and night over the disappearance of her father. Finally, there was a ray of light at the end of the tunnel for the young girl. "So, do you want to describe how your father looks like? I can send people out to look for him immediately if you want to." "That can''t be done, young hero." Natalie''s hoarse voice halted Latina from continuing any further. "The Mercenary''s Code states that a job should only be paid once it''s completed or at the very least partially completed. If you find Latina''s father without confirming that she will indeed take you to the Crypt of the First Men, that will go against our code." "That''s right! Young hero, I can''t accept payment without completing the job! If not my mercenary''s licence would be revoked and I won''t be able to take on commissions anymore!" Latina interjected as well. While Huuring City was quite a lawless place, there wasn''t any need for Natalie and Latian to give others the ammunition to shoot them in the stomach. The Moon Mercenaries were one of the most honourable troops in the town, and their reputation of being clean was what brought them the big jobs. Just one smudge on the perfect record would discredit the entire troop altogether. "Haha, fine then! I''ll wait till we return!" Shin laughed heartily. After all, there was no hurry. They still needed to wait for instructions to fly in from the Alliance Headquarters before they could make their moves. "Also, since we''re partners now, please stop calling us young hero this, young hero that! We''re just normal cultivators like you two. Please, call us by our names. Mine''s Shin, by the way." "A-Ah!" Taking hold of Shin''s hands once more, Latina blushed as she realised that she hadn''t even introduced herself to the group. "My name''s Latina! Pleased to be your acqertince?" "Acquaintance?" "A-Ah!!! I messed up again..." "HAHAHAHA!!!" Merry laughter filled the warm and comfy lodge, bringing joy to the cold hearts of the seven youngsters from Imperius Academy. For the time being, they had accepted yet another party member. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 366 Two Weeks 1 The Kori Federation. Huuring City. The Outskirts Of The City. Huuring City. A remote mercenary den at the corner of the Kori Federation filled to the brim with roughened men that hadn''t seen modern civilisation in many years. Though the town itself was governed by Kori Federation officials, the real owners of Huuring City hid in the shadows, controlling the mercenary requests and food logistics within the safety of their abodes. Many citizens of the town would have heard of their names, but it was rare for any of them to encounter any of the elusive leaders. Wielding power not inferior to that of the City Manager, the Oligarchs stayed in hiding, enjoying the wealth and luxuries that flowed their way. Though many would self-proclaim themselves as Oligarchs, the City Manager only recognises three to be the true rulers of the land. Formerly honourable mercenaries that followed the code laid down by the Mercenary Guild, the Oligarchs immediately jumped ship when they found out how lavishly they could live if they turned themselves into tyrants. Due to their advanced cultivation levels and the Kori Federation''s lack of care to the region, these Oligarchs unleashed their domineering wrath by seizing the trade routes and food supplies of the common folk. Equalling the City Manager in power and influence, there was little that the local government could do against the Oligarchs. As beings that held that much power over the social and economic fabric of the city, the three Oligarchs were continually competing against one another, hoping to kick the other out of business with a sinister move. However, the circumstances worked against them on this particular day as they were forced to conduct an emergency meeting, right at the outskirts of the city where an abandoned mansion laid dry. Surrounded by thistles, the worn-down building emitted a pungent musty smell, and the mould that had eaten into the wooden pillars of the mansion had turned brown without the moisture of the monsoon. Ugly mites crept dangerously into the ceilings of the abandoned home while rats squirmed about into the broken walls which allowed the radiant moonlight of the spooky night to flow in. Was this estate a heap of trash? Yes. Was it the best place for the three Oligarchs to meet covertly? Most definitely. No one would have expected that the three wealthiest people in Huuring City would dare to meet in such a decrepit location, which made it the best place for them to discuss recent matters that may affect the future of their business. "So¡­ We were all there when Shin Iofiel, the Prince of Water acted." A thin and lean old man placed both his elbows on the ebony table before him. There was no need for small talk among these old friends. Depending on their situations, they could either be enemies or allies, and it has been this way for over twenty years. Fortunately for the safety of the Oligarchs, they were all on the same page today. "What do you think?" "His powers far surpass that of a Spirit Adept. Heck, I doubt there''s any Spirit Spectre in my camp that could defeat him in a one-on-one¡­ What the fuck did the Himmel Empire feed him?" Another man replied, closing his fists as he thought back on the gruesome scene. In Huuring City, there were only four Rank 60 Spirit Kings, and they were all at the apex of the mercenary town. They had a little more Spirit Lords, but it was really only a sparse amount. If they had to send a Rank 50 Spirit Lord to definitely secure a win against Shin, what did that say about the boy''s talents? "I don''t fucking know." The bony old man raised his volume a little. "But that''s not the important part. Isaac, Lindsay. Do you have any clues about what they''re planning to do in Huuring City? Are they here to fight us?" The elderly man, Oligarch Timmy, needed to know if Shin was their enemy. If the group of seven were here to clean up the town, the Oligarchs'' heads would be the first ones on the chopping block. "How the fuck would I know!" Oligarch Isaac panicked as well. "I didn''t even hear that the Black-Haired Tyrant had left the Himmel Empire! Wasn''t he supposed to stay in school? Why is he even all the way up here?" "Lindsay?" Seeing that there were no leads on Oligarch Isaac''s side, Timmy turned to the final person in the room. A scrawny woman in her sixties, whose eyes were as bright as the luminous moon outside, pulled out her ivory hairpin that held her half-black, half-white hair together. Dropping her wrinkled face, the woman closed her eyes and pursed her lips as if she were thoroughly reflecting on the decisions she made in her life. "Winfred¡­ He was working under me." "WHAT?!" Isaac slammed his right palm on the table. "Since when? I''ve never heard him mention that he fights under your banner." "Naturally. It was a secret partnership, after all." Lindsay sighed. She had thought that keeping one of Huuring City''s top guides under her payroll would reap her endless benefits, and for the better part of a decade, the amount of business that Winfred had brought in was definitely worth her investment. However, if she could turn back time, the female Oligarch would unquestionably murder the man before he had a chance to offend the Black-Haired Tyrant. "Winfred told me that he was going on an expedition and I might have to bail him out of jail later on. I''d thought that it was a simple heist or something. Who could have guessed he..." Though Lindsay was his backer, that didn''t mean that she was privy to all of Winfred''s plans. Only on rare occasions would the Oligarch bring the scoundrel up for questioning. Otherwise, Winfred was given the ticket to commit to his deed first and report later. "Did Winfred tell you anything about the Black-Haired Tyrant and the Witch in the South''s motives for coming here?" "No¡­ He did mention that he would be gone from town for a while though. Perhaps the group is really staying here for a short period and their destination is elsewhere." "That''s enough for me." Isaac stood up from the conference table and breathed out in relief. If Shin wasn''t here to destroy their monopolies, that was enough. Immediately making plans to slow down his businesses so that the group wouldn''t target him, the Oligarch cracked his knuckles and went for the door. "Where are you going, Isaac?" Oligarch Timmy asked. "Winfred is Linsay''s problem. If the Black-Haired Tyrant wants vengeance, he will go for her first. So long as we lay low during his stay Timmy, you and I would weather this rocky storm and emerge out the other side unscathed. I can''t say the same for you though, Lindsay." "What a delightful eulogy." Oligarch Linsay scoffed at her compatriot''s derisive tone. "Let me warn you, Isaac. If they come for me, they''ll definitely want to come to you. From what I can tell, these youngsters have a sense of justice that would give Judge Bao a run for his money. The disgusting deeds that you and your troop have done far surpass anything I had ever achieved. If they get me, I wonder how they''ll feel if I tell them about the incident at Radlett Valley." "Y-You fucker!" It took all that Isaac had to stop himself from strangling the woman right there and then. How many sins had he committed that would give him the death sentence ten times over? It was only because of his Oligarch status that the local law enforcement would look the other way. However, if the Black-Haired Tyrant called one of his Spirit Emperor or Spirit Venerate friends, Isaac''s life would be as good as over. "We''re weathering this storm together, Isaac." Lindsay lazily glanced over her shoulder. "If he takes down one Oligarch, he''ll take down the rest. We must stick together." "Her logic is sound, Isaac." Oligarch Timmy wore a face of disapproval, but ultimately he ruled in favour of the sixty-year-old woman. "We don''t have to overreact that quickly though. It''s not confirmed that the seven young heroes would want to deal with us! If we lay low, maybe nothing else would happen!" "Yup! That''s what you should do!" "Who''s there?!" The three Oligarchs all summoned out their Spirits in a hurry once they heard that fourth jovial voice. They had soundproofed and guarded the basement level of this abandoned mansion with a few Rank 50 Spirit Lords. In theory, the conference chambers should have been secured. Alas, they were dealing with forces that were a little too powerful to control. "Don''t worry about me, I''m just here to see if you guys are about to do the right thing." A gorgeous maiden emerged from the shadows, alongside an elder and a common-looking man, whom one might describe as a steward. They didn''t bear any arms, and neither did they summon out their Spirits. If not for their surroundings, one might imagine that they were here on a relaxing picnic. "Who are you?" "Before I answer your question¡­ Elder Baobiao." The decently-dressed senior took one step forward and unleashed an ungodly spiritual pressure, one that forced the three Oligarchs straight onto their knees. It was as if the laws of gravity were switched and now the soil beneath them and turned into their skies. ''W-What¡­ immense spiritual pressure!'' Isaac cried mentally. He had seen many experts in his days as a mercenary, and none of them had ever unleashed such terror into his soul before. ''Spirit Venerate! He must be a Spirit Venerate!'' "Keep your Spirits, and then we can talk." Elder Baobiao''s voice echoed within their consciousness, compelling them to surrender themselves completely. They were just Rank 60 Spirit Kings. Compared to a Spirit Venerate that had transcended his mortality twice, the Oligarchs were equivalent to mere houseflies. Retracting their Spirits, the three Oligarchs convulsed violently on the ground until the pressure was taken off of them. After being given a short period to recover, the Oligarchs got onto their feet and immediately bowed down to their intruders. "Thank you senior for your leniency!!!" "Mmmmnnn." Elder Baobiao nodded his head and took his place at the corner of the room. He was just a bodyguard and couldn''t really bother to deal with some hooligans of the common land. "Good evening, Oligarchs. My name is Meijing Bingying, Shin Iofiel''s close sister." The gorgeous young woman introduced herself with a beaming smile. Once they had heard that name, a flash of understanding was shared among the Oligarchs. "So you''re the Pearl in the East?" "Oh, you''ve heard of me?" "It would be a miracle if we hadn''t." Oligarch Lindsay sneered. While they were part of the Kori Federation, Huuring City had much more interactions with citizens from the Lantis Republic, due to their close proximity to the ocean. It wouldn''t be a stretch to say that the residents of Huuring City knew more about the Eight Clans of Water than their own Master Sects. "So what brings you here? Holy Maiden of the Meijing Clan?" "You see, my little brother, Shin, is currently on an expedition north to gain some experience. As you all know by now, Shin doesn''t really need much help when it came to defending himself in open battle, but he''s still quite green when it comes to defending against underhanded attacks." Meijing Bingying took a seat on the table, revealing all of her gorgeous curves to the two men before her. "We originally would just observe him in the shadows and would only move to save him if his life was in danger. But that filthy man that tried to attack them earlier today gave me an unpleasant feeling." The Pearl in the East casually dropped the bombshell that they had been protecting Shin for all this time without his knowledge. "So I investigated about his background, and I somehow managed to get the information that one of the Oligarchs had backed that ugly scoundrel. Fortunately, the three of you planned to convene here tonight, which saved me the time to interrogate you one by one." ''She got all that information in one day?!'' The Oligarchs uniformly screamed out in their minds. Even their top informants wouldn''t work that efficiently. "Well, now that I know you three are not a threat to my little brother, I can rest easy." Meijing Bingying smiled. She had overheard their entire conversation; thus there was no need for the Oligarchs to hide anything. "Just remain hiding until we leave, and I promise that nothing will happen to your businesses. We''re not here to jeopardise anyone''s living. Ah, also if it isn''t too inconvenient, could you take care of any potential flies that might disturb Shin''s peace? We don''t want to complicate our stay." "We¡­ Okay, we accept." Timmy begrudingly muttered out. Did the Oligarchs even have a choice? Meijing Bingying had a bloody Spirit Venerate with her and god knows how many forces she could call upon from the Lantis Republic. If they really wanted to resist her orders, the Oligarchs would cease to exist with a snap of Bingying''s fingers. "That''s good! Alright, we shall leave the three of you to finish your meeting. I hope that we wouldn''t have to shed blood the next time we meet." Her business concluded, Bingying knocked opened the door and left the chambers alongside Elder Baobiao and Xunyu Huanyuan, who was just there to look menacing, though he failed miserably at it. "The Pearl in the East as well¡­ Huuring City has become a hotspot of draconic talents, huh?" Oligarch Isaac slammed his fists against the wall. They had been used to calling the shots, and now some foreigner was here to tell them what to do? "You''ve heard her Isaac. We just have to lay low." "I know, I know¡­ Tsk, if it wasn''t for that idiot that thinks with his crotch, would we have his conversation?" "Curse all you want, Winfred''s dead now." Lindsay dropped her shoulders, relieved that her life had at least been spared. "To atone, I''ll dispatch the men to keep the peace." "You think that you hadn''t caused enough trouble?! I''ll protect the seven brats in the city! You just return back to endorsing rapists that would kill all of our companies!" "Now, now. we shouldn''t be arguing." Oligarch Timmy acted as the mediator and brought the two back together. "Since we''re all here now, let''s pool our resources together. If we work hand-in-hand, Huuring City would undoubtedly become the safest place on the planet for the Black-Haired Tyrant." "Hmph! Whatever..." Just like that, through the efforts of the three Oligarchs and the City Manager, Shin and his group were protected even more than they were in the Capital. They just didn''t know it yet... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 367 Two Weeks 2 CLLLIIINKKK!!! CLLLIIINKKK!!! CLLLIIINKKK!!! Metallic clanks under the harmonious morning light, breaking the peace of the humble and remote inn on the edge of Huuring City. Seated right outside of the tranquil abode, three young maidens were joyfully eating their breakfast on the wooden table and bench that had been provided for them, all while spectating the two young men that were thoroughly drenched in sweat. Wielding their own respective spears, Shin and Isadore swung violently at each other as if they were mortal enemies on the battlefield. Each time their spears collided, a heavenly ring would reverberate itself through the crisp daybreak air while a missed strike would result in a crater being formed on the ground. Aiming for Isadore''s weak points, Shin struck hard with the Spear of Aiglos, hoping to stain his vision with the warm crimson liquid of his bosom friend. However, at the last moment, Isadore spun his Spirit of Himmel around and landed a decisive blow upon Shin''s abdomen using the blunt resonant end of his spear. That one hit pushed Shin five metres in the opposite direction and forced him to his knees. The young man coughed out almost all of the air stored in his lungs for a brief moment before closing his eyes, allowing a vibrant golden-cerulean light to envelop his body. In just a few seconds, the colour on Shin''s face turned back to normal as his eyes shone with an even brighter radiance than before. Spinning the ice spear in his hand, Shin pointed the tip at Isadore before screaming out: "Again!" "Come at me!" Isadore smiled and changed his stance. Over the four years, Shin had been trained in a plethora of martial arts by Mychael. By now, the young man was already a master at close-quarters combat, and his fist techniques and footwork were sufficient to give Kanari a run for her money. However, Shin wasn''t satisfied with just close-combat techniques. If it ever came down to a brawl against Junius, who was a master at swordplay, Shin''s fists and legs would unquestionably fall short. Therefore, there was a need for Shin to branch out into weapon arts. Fortunately for Shin, he was friends with the top spearmaster in all of Imperius Academy, heck, Isadore''s skills were good enough to teach at the said institution. Due to the nature of his Spirit, the young silver-haired friend of Shin''s was unable to learn spiritual abilities as he promoted. To cater to that deficit, Isadore had been trained extensively with mana strengthening and spearmanship, so much so that he was capable of beating Mychael if no spiritual abilities were allowed. His speed and agility were the highest among the seven heroes, and his brute strength wasn''t something to be scoffed at either. Up till this day, Shin had never triumphed over Isadore when it came to a martial arts bout, and their ''trainings'' were essentially him taking a beating from his young friend. Though Shin was capable of absorbing techniques like a sponge, Isadore''s movements and skills were like a bottomless chasm. Whenever Shin thought that he had learnt it all, Isadore would come up with a whole different move, sending all of his prior training into haywire. The sonorous clanks continued to stun the airwaves of the remote inn, with each swing of the spear bringing endless amounts of backwind with it. If one were to somehow wander into the field without seeing the two training with all that they had, one would imagine that a typhoon was threatening the lives of everyone who dared to tread near. Kanari herself had to use her gale control to prevent the shockwaves from hitting their tables and knocking out the bacon and eggs on their plate. "Y-Young hero Kanari¡­" A soft voice called out from the corner of the table, bringing Kanari, Ella and Emma''s attention to the side. Latina and Natalie, who had just arrived from their base to visit the seven youngsters, nearly dropped down the baskets that they were holding once they saw Shin and Isadore going at it like they were about to kill each other. "Why are they fighting? D-Did something go wrong?" Latina''s voice trembled a little as she asked her question. "Ah, they''re just training. Don''t worry about them," replied Kanari. "That''s training?!" Natalie has seen many people fight throughout her forty years of existence. She had seen people spar and had seen many perish on the battlefield. The way that Shin and Isadore were fighting was highly reminiscent to that of two gladiators duking it out for their honour in a life-or-death match. Entirely unlike a regular training session. "Hehe, surprised?" Emma giggled showing the cute little mole at the side of her nose. "Don''t worry, they''ve been sparring like that since forever. They won''t get hurt. Also, even if they did, Shin would just heal them up in the blink of an eye." "Huh..." At this point, Natalie was done getting surprised at everything the young heroes could do. If they said that they had the capability of flying up to the moon and back, the middle-aged mercenary would probably believe them. "Phew..." Latina breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to the gorgeous short-haired Emma. Of the seven young heroes, Latina felt the most ease when beside Emma, who had long become the group''s resident angel. "Aunt Natalie and I have baked you some bread. I hope you wouldn''t mind trying them." "Ara. Thank you, Latina." With just one smile, Emma had washed all of the young girl''s anxiousness away. Chomping down on the warm grub that their guests had provided, the three girls deliberated on whether they should stop Shin and Isadore''s training. However, just as they were about to brainstorm their options, Natalie''s calm and collected voice echoed out in their minds. "Hmmm, I didn''t think that the Black-Haired Tyrant was a martial arts master as well¡­ Honestly, is there anything he can''t do?" "Hoho¡­ Senior Natalie. In your opinion, how good is Shin as compared to the average mercenary in the city?" Kanari questioned. "He''s absolutely head above shoulders among the spearmasters in town. There is no comparison" There was no need for further thought. Natalie has fought almost all of the notable mercenaries in town, and she knew the skills of each one of them. Martial arts to them was just a fruitless endeavour when they could settle their disputes with brute force. "If he enters into any competition that Huuring City organises, Young Hero Shin is bound to defeat anyone who dares to challenge him." As she said those words, Natalie instantly frowned and turned her attention to Isadore. ''However, that silver-haired boy¡­ Who the hell is he? If Young Hero Shin is capable of attaining the championship, what about that monster whose pushing him down with pure weapon arts alone?'' Shin''s movements were swift, decisive and most importantly of all, absolutely monster-like. If Natalie took a few dozen hits, she was sure that her hands would be fractured. Yet, Isadore could easily parry the strikes and counter with his own superior movements that were almost twice as fast and deadly as Shin''s. No matter how many times Shin broke through Isadore''s ''guard,'' the silver-haired elf-like boy always had a solution to counter him. ''I knew it! The seven heroes are all behemoths in human form!!!'' Natalie made a mental note to not cross any of the youngsters. Maybe the kind-hearted Emma was a fire-breathing dragon in disguise. "You seem quite knowledgeable on the martial arts of the mercenaries," said Ella. "Are you a martial artist yourself?" "Hehe! Aunt Natalie is by far the best swordswoman in the city!" It wasn''t fitting for Natalie to boast about her own skill so Latina did it in her place. "Many mercenaries pay Aunt Natalie to train them when it came to swordsmanship! She''s definitely a top martial artist!" "Oh ho. I didn''t expect that you had such a reputation." The ponytailed archer beamed in delight. Natalie and Latina were both participating in their next mission as guides so hearing that the aged mercenary was actually a hidden martial arts expert came as a pleasant surprise for the group. "No, my skill is still far from capable..." Natalie visibly flushed red. Yes, she was the best swordsmaiden in town, but compared to Shin and Isadore, she might as well be a bottom-levelled apprentice. ''Tsk! Latina! Why are you shooting your mouth for? Are you trying to kill me?'' The mercenary shot a menacing glare at her protege, only to be met with an innocent smile. Latina just wanted to boast about her mentor to the young heroes and had intended no malice. Thus, no matter how angry Natalie was at her, the matured lady couldn''t bring herself to punish the lass. "Oh, you''re a swordmaster?" All of a sudden, a familiar voice sounded out behind of Natalie, bringing forced chills down her spine. Under normal circumstances, Natalie would be delighted to hear that young man''s whispers. However, at this very moment, Shin''s voice was akin to that of the Grim Reaper''s call. "S-Somewhat..." Just as Natalie had anticipated, Shin''s entirely reddened chiselled body stood behind her, drenched to the bone with sweet, sticky sweat. Seeing that their morning session had concluded, Kanari leapt onto her feet and handed out a chilled wet towel onto Shin''s outreached hands while Isadore chugged down a bottle of water all by himself. "Hmmm, if it''s not too much to ask, could we spar for a little while?" Natalie froze as the young man wiped down his face. "I need more experience when it comes to dealing with swordmasters, you see. None of my friends has awakened a sword Spirit as well." It was Natalie''s bad luck that she had awakened a sword Spirit. If it were any other weapon-type Spirit, Shin would most likely leave the woman alone as it was bad manners to ask a guest for a sparring session. Unfortunately, Shin was on a mission that could potentially lead him to Junius. He wanted to be prepared on every level and learning how to deal with a swordmaster was an essential part of his training. Back on Frie Mountain, Junius was already a spectacular talent, one capable of bringing the Instructor to awe time after time. It has already been over seven years since Junius had joined the Black Masks, and given his talent with the sword, it wouldn''t be surprising if Junius was capable of beating some of the Empire''s best swordsmen. "I¡­ Sure..." Natalie was tempted to flat-out refuse the boy, but she remembered the debt that she owed to Shin and the young heroes. Shin had saved their lives twice. Once in the forest and another when Winfred stormed over. If she ignored this small request, Natalie wouldn''t know how to face herself later on. "Don''t worry, we don''t have to go hard." Noticing her anxiety, Shin chuckled and proceeded to reassure her. "Just treat it like you''re training any normal disciple of yours." "Alright..." Shin picked up the Spear of Aiglos while Natalie summoned out her own sword Spirit. There was a slight sharp lustre to each swing of the blade, bringing Shin to whistle in amazement. "That''s a fine sword Spirit." "Thank you. It''s called the Egarda Rapier." "Fine Spirit." Shin praised the mercenary''s blade and took his stance immediately after. Though he had spent over thirty minutes hard-sparring with Isadore, the young man still had plenty of vigour to spare. Turning on his most sombre expression, Shin felt the dirt of the earth creep up on his feet as he dug his soles deeper into the ground. "I''m coming." CLIIINKKK!!!! Shin kicked himself forward and swung his spear in a huge arc. Since it was a predictable trajectory, Natalie could easily anticipate the attack and had parried it with relative ease. As promised, Shin was starting very lightly. The bout continued for about fifteen moves until the two parties were more or less warmed up to one another''s movements. "I''m increasing the pace." Through that brief exchange, Shin could roughly estimate what were Natalie''s speed and power levels and adjusted his own movements accordingly. They were exchanging ideas on their skills, so there was no need for mana strengthening or excessive physical power. Shin wanted to know what were the limits of Natalie''s swordsmanship and that was what he was going to do. The strikes shared between the two increased rapidly as the Spear of Aiglos collided with Natalie''s Egarda Rapier a hundred times per minute. Now, Natalie was fully displaying her skills as the best swordsmaiden in Huuring City through her barrage of thrusts, swings and hacks. In just a few short moments, Shin already felt the pressure mounting on his muscles. ''Hoho¡­ She''s not bad!'' Shin was genuinely impressed. The last time a swordsmaster had forced him into a corner was back in Imperius Academy where the Starlight Blade, Natasha Aldana, had sparred with him. Though Natalie wasn''t quite at the prodigious swordmaiden''s level, she was still a rather effective swordmaster. "Go! Aunt Natalie! You can do it!" Latina''s cheers thundered through the air, brimming the middle-aged lady with hope. "HIYAHHH!!!" Natalie landed a strong overhead slash on Shin''s spear instantly pushing the youth back a few metres. Though he had sustained the first ''defeat'' of the sparring session, Shin was far from disappointed. If anything, he was delighted that he had gained a swordmaster that was capable of sharpening his techniques. "Alright let''s stop here!" Sensing that this battle was about to evolve into yet another all-out brawl, Kanari moved to halt the match. Once in between the two fighters, Kanari turned to Natalie and gave a playful wink. The mercenary had proven her worth to the group and made her disciple feel pride after that one strike. There was no need to continue the bout even further. "Shin, you''ve yet to eat breakfast. You can''t keep pushing yourself on an empty stomach right? Come, senior Natalie! You should eat as well." "But..." "No buts! You can continue your sparring session tomorrow. Right now, you''re disrespectful towards our guests." Kanari chided the youth, who had long dropped his spear in shame. "Right¡­ Sorry about that senior Natalie." "No, it''s fine. I''m glad that I can have that match with you. Feel free to ask me for a sparring session anytime." Happy that the bout ended before Shin had a chance to really show his talents, Natalie gave a secret thumbs up to Kanari, who replied with a simple smile. "Really? I''ll take you up on that offer!" Shin delightedly agreed and turned towards the table where Ella was chewing on a piece of bread in bliss. "Haha! Let me have a piece of that!" "Hey! Go get your own!" Once again, the mornings of the seven young heroes began with relative joy and ease, as if they were completely oblivious of the arduous mission that laid ahead of them... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 368 Girls Talk 1 Many people ask the seven young heroes. How do you spend your days? Are you constantly fighting against the forces of the Black Masks? Do any of you take rests on such an arduous adventure? Is it hard to be consistently moving so far away from home? While some of the worries that their compatriots had were warranted, for the most part, Shin, Kanari and the others were just chilling around. Whether it was merrily chatting on the road or it was staying in a warm and remote inn, days like this were far more common than the death-defying times where they had to fight hundreds of Spirit Beasts or challenge Rank 40 Vaishyas to a battle to the end. Most of the time, Shin would spar with either Isadore in spear arts or Kanari in hand-to-hand combat. Elrin would often shop alone to understand the foreign markets and investigate on plausible strategies for the Zedcris Conglomerate to break into the Kori Federation. The twins would treat the downtime during their missions as a way to enjoy their lives with Shin and their fellow friends. And this all happens all when Shizen would hibernate like a bear, regardless if there were an apocalypse happening outside. While waiting for the raven to be sent, Shin would constantly temper himself in various ways. In the mornings, he would spar with either Isadore or Natalie in weapon arts. For close-combat, he was among the top two in Imperius Academy, and any further training would merely be putting water into an overflowing cup. When afternoon came, Shin would spend some time with his friends, be it accompanying Elrin shopping or just chatting with Kanari, Isadore and the twins. Their time together was limited, so Shin wanted to make the best use of it. Finally, when the evening came, Shin would practice the cultivation arts that Meijing Bingying had imparted onto him during her stay in the Himmel Empire. At the moment, Shin was stuck trying to improve on his control of ice, which was about a hundred times harder for him since he wasn''t technically an ice-elemental user. Therefore, even though it was a rather ordinary day for most, Shin had his schedule packed to the minute. Even if the rest of his group slacked off, Shin sure as hell didn''t dare to. "Shin''s still cultivating?" Ella dried her unbound hair with a thick towel while a sweet honey nectar scent filled the room that she had entered. Dressed in nothing but her underwear, the girl quickly put on a bathrobe before walking over to Kanari, Elrin and Emma who were staring out of the window and keeping watch on the black-haired young man seated in the centre of the field outside the inn. "It''s almost eleven! He should be done hours ago!" Ella was the last one in the showers. Walking into the room that they all shared, Ella felt like she had entered into a garden of roses. Now that they were already twenty-years-old, the young girls had morphed into gorgeous young women who were on the brink of their prime. While their bosoms had ballooned up in size, they weren''t considered that large either. On average, all four of the girls wore C-cup bras, with Emma leading the pack by breaking into the D-realm. On the contrary, her twin sister proved that genetics wasn''t the only key in determining how big one could get by stagnating in the B-realm, which was an excellent inside joke shared only among the four maidens. Elrin and Emma wore matching half-length chest cloths and small hot pants while Kanari had put on her spaghetti strap pink silken garments, each one unsuitable for the public''s eyes. Especially for Kanari. She was a jaw-dropping beauty back when she was just a teenager, and now that she had blossomed into a breathtakingly gorgeous woman, it should be a crime for her to be revealing that much skin. Her proportions were perfect and her tender, lychee-like complexion made any woman cry out in envy. There was minimal excess fat on Kanari''s arms and thighs, which made one wonder if she felt cold wearing this little on a windy night like this one. "That''s right¡­ He''s training far longer than he should have." Kanari lowered her voice while biting on her late night fruit. "Should we call him up?" "No, let''s not disturb his cultivation," replied Elrin. "Let''s take this time to have our own girl''s talk! It''s rare that all four of us are awake and in the same spot at once!" "And whose fault is that?" Kanari scoffed. In theory, the four young maidens should have hours under their belt with one another since they had been travelling for months now. However, due to an array of factors, mainly Elrin leaving the group for shopping and Kanari''s close proximity to Shin for training or otherwise, the four rarely had a chance to sit down and relaxedly talk about life. "Hehe~ What''s important is that we''re all here now!" Elrin chuckled. "So, first things first! Emma! Who do you like? The floor is yours!" "Me?" Emma jerked at the sudden question. For a moment there, she really was startled and desperately searched her brain for an answer. Her finger on the bottom of her chin, the young maiden grimaced for a bit before shaking her head. "No one comes to mind actually¡­" "No one?! Not even a crush?" The mischievous prankster continued to push on. Elrin herself had been attracted to various men and probably ten times more guys had asked her out. It wasn''t strange for a twenty-year-old girl like Emma, who was among the top ''idols'' in the school, to have a small crush. "I¡­ Don''t know." Emma really had no one in mind. It wasn''t as if she had been banned from dating or there weren''t boys around her. Heck, back in the academy, she received at least one love letter per week. There were even some nobles that wanted to set up a marriage interview with her for their sons. Fortunately, Lady Seph killed all of those ideas in the crib. "I just never thought of anyone that way I guess? I don''t know what to tell you." "Hmmm..." While suspicious at first, Elrin eventually believed the young maiden''s words. Why? "Well, that''s to be expected. With such a superhuman-like elder brother, I doubt any man could even compare." The white-haired girl glanced down at the nucleus of their team, who was oblivious that the four girls were talking about him in their night garments. "Maybe?" Emma thought back on her life and could understand where Elrin was coming from. Though they weren''t blood-related, Shin treated all of his fellow orphans with tender care and put all of their needs above his own. When Ryner''s hunting group needed additional resources to expand, Shin invested a considerable portion of his savings in helping his eldest brother, not caring about his own material needs. When Elyse and Fionn first came into the academy, he spent a full month guiding them about the school and providing connections for them to improve their cultivations. In fact, Shin was the primary reason why Fionn got a personal instructor to mentor her. It was the same for Max and Jacob as well. Not wanting to enter the path of the fighter, Max and Jacob respectively went for their own fields. Max wanted to become a merchant while Jacob wished to become a scholar that researched anything under the sun. Shin begged Elrin to accept Max into her company while he paid for Jacob''s tuition in the Ernst Institution, the top school for budding scientists and researchers. Shin''s deeds for the orphans were nothing short of extraordinary. With such a perfect elder brother next to her, it was hard for Emma to look at the rest of the male students in Imperius Academy as immature boys. At the very least, the guys that wanted to date her should be half as excellent as Shin, but in Emma''s eyes, none of them met the mark. "Tsk, so boring." Seeing as there was nothing to tease Emma for, Elrin turned to her next target. "What about you, Ella? How are things going between you and Shizen?" "HARGH?! Why would things be going well with that lazy slob?!" Just as Elrin had anticipated, Ella had a huge reaction, greatly amusing the rest within the room. "But you spend so much time lecturing him! Also, aren''t you the one who keeps waking him up in bed? So romantic..." The jester behaved as if she was jealous and puckered her lips. "He''s a bloody sloth! I can''t let him be or else he''ll rot somewhere!" Ella protested. Among the orphans, she was the one that was closest in personality to the deceased Lily. If she saw incompetence or laziness, the girl would be sure to call it out. In a sense, Ella was like a nagging mother, just that she didn''t have any kids yet. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for the young maiden, the group had a twenty-year-old child that would ''occasionally'' wet his bed. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that." Elrin chuckled. As they say, the more a husband and wife bicker, the better their relationship. Among the entire group, Ella and Shizen had the most arguments, and it was like they were two planets orbiting around one another. Neither could function without the other around. "H-Hey! What does that mean?! Emma! You understand right?" "Hehe, may the two of you grow grey hair together! I''m rooting for you, sis!" "Emmmmaaa!!!" The laughter of the four girls grew louder with each passing moment. It was nice to have a change of pace every once in a while. Kanari was a future Duchess of the Empire while Elrin was to succeed her father in running his business. These two were as distant to the common folk as the sun was to earth. Nonetheless, they were still young maidens. Having silly conversations and talking about the people that they liked were simple luxuries that weren''t afforded to them when they were younger. It was only after meeting Ella and Emma did the two highborns get to experience such joy. "What about you Elrin? You tease us every time, but we never get to hear about the men you''ve dated!" By far, the girl with the most dating experience was that particular imp that took pleasure in torturing her friends. "Urgh¡­ Don''t talk about them. All the men that I''ve gone out with, I ended our relationships within one or two dates." Thinking back to the numerous times her father had introduced her to a promising young man the young girl grimaced. "They''re either after my money or my father''s influence. There are so many gold diggers in this world that it''s disgusting." Being the richest single lady in the Empire, the number of prospective suitors that Elrin had was in no way inferior to Kanari. Some nobles would even pay Elrin''s father good business deals just to get a date with the young maiden. Never one to turn down a good deal, Elrin would accept the invitations to be a pretty little lady for one night and the chance to hopefully meet the prince of her dreams. However, all of her dates thus far had all been utter disappointments. They weren''t even good at hiding their money-hungry faces. "Haha¡­ You have it tough." Emma brushed the soft snow-like hair of Elrin''s with a maternal smile. If Ella was the nagging mother, then Emma was the loving grandmother. Always a kind shoulder to lie upon, many saw Emma as the saint of the group. Even on their journeys, children would tend to rely on the warm touch of the young maiden more than any others in the group. "Ah¡­ This is nice." Elrin chuckled and turned to the last remaining person in the room that she hadn''t asked. "So¡­ What about you Kanari? Has there been any progress?" The question that Elrin asked Kanari was vastly different to that Ella and Emma. They didn''t need to know if Kanari had any crushes or if she had her eye on someone. Why? Because they already knew the answer. "What do you think?" The ethereal beauty released a gasp of despondence as her eyes shifted down to the young man seated alone in the complete darkness of night. They had known one another for almost five years, and Kanari had long realised that her affections for Shin weren''t that of regular friends. There were days where Kanari looked at how tenderly Shin treated the amethyst locket around his neck, and her heart would ache as if a wizardly grasp had taken hold of her chest. Whenever he smiled, Kanari could see a garden of flowers bloom behind of his stupidly handsome face. Whenever he grieved, Kanari wished for nothing but to be right there with him. Whenever he stared into nothingness, Kanari wanted to grab his hand and lean her head on his steady shoulders. It was painful. Loving someone that was right there with her and yet, so distant¡­ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 369 Girls Talk 2 "Ella... Emma¡­ If you don''t mind me probing. Could you tell me stories about Ariel and Shin? Just a little would do." The gorgeous girl was perhaps the most chased after maiden in the Empire. If Kanari wanted a date, all she needed to do was pick out one of the ten thousand suitors that she had, and they would escort her in a heartbeat. Yet, this divine goddess that had legions of men gravelling at her feet was currently at a loss on how she could attract the boy she loved. "Ermmm¡­ I..." Almost spitting out her late-night tea, Ella''s face turned vermillion while her eyes shifted between Kanari and her twin sister Emma. They all knew of Kanari''s feelings, and for the most part, they knew that it was time for Shin to move on from Ariel. The girl had been dead for almost half a decade now, and Shin still had the same lingering feelings that he had since the day that Ariel passed. However, Ella wasn''t sure if telling Kanari about Shin and Ariel was that good of an idea. On the other hand, Emma just kept her happy smile. Placing her hands on the window pane as they looked down on Shin meditating, the gentle girl leaned her head against the side of the window and twirled her fingers around the curtains. "Where to begin¡­ Can you imagine a time where Shin wasn''t this hardworking? He would sleep for hours on end, sometimes we even needed to drag him out of bed due to his tardiness. He would complain about all forms of training. When there are practices, he would just stay in a corner and rot. Just a textbook definition of a slob." "That''s¡­ hard to believe." The Shin that Kanari and Elrin knew would spend hours upon hours honing his martial arts for cultivation techniques. If the lecturers or instructors didn''t teach him in class, he would hound them afterwards for a clear answer. Most of the times, Shin would be late for some of their meetings, but it wasn''t because he overslept. There were days that he would be so lost in his cultivation or combat training that Shin would just forget about the time and continue on practising until he was satisfied. That Shin, the Shin that never gives in during training, was actually a slob? That was a pill that Kanari and Elrin were unwilling to swallow. "That''s right. Hehe, Sister Ariel was the same though." Emma chuckled. Looking back, the two really were a pair of mandarin ducks. They both loved to oversleep. They both hated excessive training. There were even days where the two of them would sneak out on a tryst to steal kitchen food for themselves. Back on Frie Mountain, the two were near inseparable once together. Yes, there was the odd arguments. Well, they would continuously bicker on what they wanted to do. But for the most part, if there were Ariel, Shin wouldn''t be treading far behind. "The two of them were combat partners since young. Since Sister Ariel had enormous strength for someone her age, there was no one her age more suited to become her training partner. Even back then, Shin''s comprehension talent was quite obvious to anybody. Whenever he was taught an evasion technique, he would learn it within a day." A tender smile crept up Emma''s face when she thought back on the many happy moments they had on Frie Mountain. Yes, the ending they had with the Frie Clan was anything but cordial. In fact, if any of the orphans dared to step back into the clan, perhaps their heads would roll, courtesy of the Second Elder. Nonetheless, they couldn''t deny that some of their happiest days were right there on that wretched mountain. The orphans loved the Instructor, and he loved them. There were days were the First Elder would fly down from his abode to listen in on the woes of the children, all while Ariel played around with the rest of the orphans. Though they weren''t given the same treatment as those from the main bloodline, their resources far outstripped that of regular common folk or even a mercenary or a low-end merchant. It wasn''t a perfect life, but it was far from torturous. "In the beginning, Sister Ariel and Shin didn''t know about their feelings, but we all knew that they were going to end up together." The smile on Emma''s face slowly dissipated as she thought on the girl that passed. "We had even placed bets on how long it would take for them to officially start dating. Whoever wins gets all the meal tickets for the canteen." Now that Emma had started to open up, Ella decided to join in as well. "To us, Sister Ariel was a ray of light. You see, back on the mountain, there were many youngsters from the main bloodline that looked down upon us. They would spit in our direction, tell us to move away and even, at times, challenge us to a duel so that they could beat us up. Although it was so easy for Sister Ariel to replicate their behaviour, she didn''t. In fact, there were many times where Sister Ariel would stand up for us and beat the crap out of anyone who dared to offend any of us, even if it meant getting in trouble for it." "..." Kanari and Elrin didn''t know Ariel. All they knew were some information reports saying that she was the First Elder''s sole granddaughter and that she awakened a Spirit that triggered a natural phenomenon. At her peak, Ariel was able to match Shin''s cultivation speed, something that no one else in Imperius Academy, other than Kanari, could do. However, words on paper were dead. Nothing could beat the verbal accounts that the twins had on Ariel. "Ariel seems to be a noble figure." It was because of these stories that Kanari couldn''t bring herself to dislike the deceased girl that had claimed a hold on Shin''s fragile heart. From the valiant stories of how she stood up to the main bloodline for the orphans to how she jumped in front of Elyse to save her life. Almost all of the tales that Kanari had heard about Ariel were all stories that could be written in any hero''s fables. "Hehe~. Far from it." Emma giggled. "Sister Ariel was selfish at times. She never let anyone touch her food. Whenever there''s a joint training session in the morning, Sister Ariel would sleep with her eyes open, ignoring the instructions of the teacher. She loathed reading and writing. If things could be settled with her fists, Sister Ariel would be the first one to jump into battle. Hot-headed and brash, Sister Ariel she¡­ Hic¡­ Excuse me." That merry smile, that joyful banter soon turned into despair as Emma couldn''t bring herself to badmouth the girl anymore. Shuffling her feet to a corner, the young maiden took out a handkerchief and rubbed the corners of her eyes, bringing a bit of balance back to her agitated self. Shin wasn''t the only one affected by Ariel''s death. The twins, Lia, Ryner, Elyse, Fionn, Max and Jacob. They were all good friends of the scarlet-haired Amazonian. In a certain sense, they were all indebted to the girl''s kindness. Her death may not have affected them as profoundly as it did to Shin, but they would still grieve nonetheless. "You don''t have to continue if you don''t want to..." The last thing that Kanari wanted was for her friends to be mentally unstable. If discussing Ariel would force them to remember the dark side of their past, Kanari would rather not go down further this rabbit hole. "No, I want to." Taking some time to gather her emotions, Emma sat back down on her bed and turned to Ella. "I have discussed this matter with Ella, and we both agree that it should be time for Shin to move on. Sister Ariel''s not coming back. No matter how much we believe in miracles, there hasn''t been a single instance where resurrection succeeds. We have to face this pain and grow from it. Shin has to do the same." "That''s right..." Ella tied up her ponytail and changed into a matching nightgown to Kanari''s. "Shin still believes that there''s a chance for him to meet Ariel if he attains immortality and chases Yggdrasil. A pipe dream, but it''s still a miracle that he wants to believe in." "Emma¡­ Ella..." "Honestly, for us, Kanari¡­ You''re probably the best person that Shin could end up with. In the beginning, we were sceptical about your dealings with us. Why would the world''s top beauty, who had everything that the world could possibly offer, befriend us? Was there an ulterior motive for your friendship? Were you even trustworthy?" Ella laid down all of their misgivings about the black-haired maiden when she first approached them. "Well, I sort of did. I wanted Shin to join my faction and..." "Don''t lie to yourself, Kanari." Elrin, who had been silent for a while, finally raised her voice. Her snowy white hair glistened as beads of shower water fell from the top. Taking her place at the window, Elrin alternated her gaze between Kanari and Shin downstairs, speaking out the truth that she had observed since day one. "From the start, there was this faint attraction that you had for Shin. I was there, and I saw your face back in freshman year. You didn''t want Shin for his talent, you wanted Shin for his person." "I..." "There''s no shame in admitting your interests in Shin. I''m sure countless female students in the academy were much more forefront with their feelings than you." That was true. After Shin''s spectacular battle at the Summit, he had dethroned Kanari as the person who got the most love letters from anybody. Some of the confessions he received were so raunchy that it could have been turned into an erotica novel. Unfortunately for the young maidens, and a small minority of young men, Shizen included, Shin, didn''t care about those letters and just carried on living his life. As of today, Shin was driven by two primary goals, and it hadn''t changed since the tragedy of the Frie Clan. Shin wanted to gain power, not for his self-betterment, but to nab Junius and the rest of the Black Masks that had caused so much harm, and to attain immortality, something that hadn''t been done since Spirit Immortal Dream. Yes, both of them were tall tasks, but Shin was up for the challenge. Thus, even though he had enough power to blow away thirteen Spirit Adepts with ease, Shin wasn''t satisfied just yet. He would train tirelessly into the night if it meant that he could raise his cultivation by one percent. "I''m just worried¡­ If Shin continues at this pace, he''ll lose all meaning in his life, and he won''t find happiness." Emma stated her point. "Of all the girls around him, Kanari, I think you''re the most suited to stand next to Shin." There was a high chance that both Shin and Kanari would break through into Rank 80, extending their lifespans for to at least four hundred years. Shin was still twenty, with a long road ahead of him. The last thing that Emma and Ella wanted for the boy was him to be unhappy for the remaining three hundred and eighty years of his life. If Shin could find happiness with Kanari, the twins would be content. "Thank you..." Holding in her jubilant cry, the Kanari dropped her head to hide her face. To have the endorsement of the twins, who were important family members of Shin''s, meant the world to the young maiden. "However, how do I attract him? Should I become more like Ariel?" "No, definitely not!" Ella cried out. "No matter what you do, you can''t become a substitute for Ariel! That''s the worst plan you can possibly think off!" "I-I see¡­ So what should I do? Nothing I''ve tried thus far has worked." It wasn''t the first time Kanari had sought advice for her love troubles. Back in the Empire, her mother had given her a full manual on tips and tricks to make a guy fall in love. She had even beaten down her pride and begged Elrin for some tricks, seeing that she had the most ''experience'' with guys. However, none of the methods that she employed had worked, and Shin still saw her as a good friend on par with Isadore or Shizen. "Hehe, do you really think that your efforts were useless?" Emma grinned in the same way that Elrin would. The resemblance was so uncanny that Kanari even felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "I don''t think that you''d noticed, but Shin treats you differently than he treats Elrin or us." "You think?" "Ah, you didn''t notice." The other twin chuckled as well. "Shin trusts you more than anyone of us. Whenever he needs assistance, you''re the first one he calls. He always places you near him during a battle and protects you the most if you''re injured. If he needs advice, you''re the first one he talks to." "Now that you mentioned it..." Kanari fell into thought. Just as the twins had said, Shin really did trust Kanari, way more than the others in the group. "I think that everything that you''re doing will pay off soon enough. Shin may not see you as a love interest now, but he definitely treats you better than a regular friend. Heck, he treats you better than he treats us! Ariel''s death was tragic, so he''ll need time to recover from that shock. However, if you keep staying by his side, and maybe be a little more aggressive in your actions, Shin would be forced to answer to your feelings!" "M-More aggressive?! H-How do I do that?" Kanari was an expert in many things. Cultivation? Top of her class. Martial arts? Beaten everyone who dared to trump her. Studying? Second only to the freak that was Shin. Diplomacy? Perhaps among the best of her generation. However, when it came to love affairs, Kanari was a painful virgin in every sense of the word. "Ah, I can teach you that!" Elrin jumped in with a lascivious snicker. "First, when Shin finishes his sparring session with Isadore, you offer to wipe his face with the towel. Take that opportunity to brush his hair and gently touch his face. Make sure that he can feel your supple touch and warm breath on his skin. Next, if you''re feeling daring, you could ''accidentally'' slip the towel under his shirt, and use it as an excuse to rub his chest." "R-R-Rub his chest?!" "That''s right! Do you want to progress? This is progress!" "Elrin¡­ Where do you get those ideas?" Ella probed. "''The Happiness of the Imperial Maid and her Prince''. An excellent read for first-timers of the erotic universe. If you really want to learn more, I can loan you my copy!" Elrin flushed in excitement as she reached in for the book in her luggage. During their long journey, the group needed some light entertainment to pass the time. For Shin, that was training. For Elrin, that was ''researching'' the literature that was popular in the Kori Federation. "Don''t you think that we''re a little too young to read fictions like those?" "Nonsense! We''re already twenty! At our age, some girls are already married with two children! It''s weird that you girls aren''t interested in this masterpiece anyway!" That was the weakness of being sheltered children. Kanari and the twins weren''t exposed to the popular culture that was prevalent among maidens their age. "Come let me show you the genius of erotica novels! You will unquestionably obtain Shin''s heart if you follow these few steps laid down in the book." "Or get yourself arrested." Ella scoffed. She knew how fanatical Elrin would become when exposed to erotica fiction. It was as if she turned into another person that only lived and breathed such indecent content. "Hmmm? What did you say, oh Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter?" "Nothing..." Ella rolled her eyes and immediately exited the room. She had been caught up in Elrin''s antics before, and Ella knew what would happen if she stuck around. "I''ll go call Shin up, the rest of you¡­ Enjoy." And with that, Kanari and Emma sat down with the erotica master as they unravelled the art of seduction. Whether it would be useful on Shin or not, only time would tell. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 370 Girls Talk 3 The seven heroes of Imperius Academy had been passing their days in Huuring City with relative peace. After the whole fiasco with Winfred, there had been zero incidents where a stray vagrant would wander into their inn seeking to end their lives a little early. Possibly the word got out, or there were other forces in play, Shin''s group had yet to see another soul other than the innkeeper, that homely barmaid, a number of the inn''s residents and the members of the Moon Mercenaries. As promised, Natalie and Latina kept their involvement with the seven heroes a secret and only the leader of the Moon Mercenaries, Gary knew that the pair had accepted a commission to assist the group. Everyday, Natalie would bring Latina to the inn with a basket full of treats. One as a thank you for saving their lives back in the forest, and secondly, it was an excellent way for the pair to break into the social group through small talk. Furthermore, after Shin had found out about Natalie''s swordsmanship skills, the young man would pester the middle-aged woman for a light sparring round, just to improve his skills a little bit. In Natalie''s mind, it was a win-win scenario. Though she had to taste the disgusting flavour of the mud whenever Shin knocked her down, it was all worth it if she could gain the connections of these young heroes. Perhaps, if they were feeling generous, the group might even invest in the Moon Mercenaries or give Latina the proper schooling she deserves. Therefore, no matter rain or shine, Natalie would drag Latina out of her bed early in the morning to bake some treats just for the young heroes, which meant that the two mercenaries had spent a tremendous amount of time around Shin and the others. And today was no different. It had almost been a week since the seven heroes first arrived at Huuring City and they showed no signs of leaving. Day by day, the group would continue on with their own activities, oblivious to the happenings of the outside world. Shin and Isadore would often spar, sharpening their spear techniques. Shizen would sleep for half the day and would only arise for food and his forced cultivation sessions with Ella. Kanari and Emma would train alongside one another. Even though it was mostly Kanari mentoring Emma in cultivation in the beginning, after that girl''s talk that they had, it had turned into researching the holy bible that was ''The Happiness of the Imperial Maid and her Prince''. Finally, Elrin would continue her competition analysis through window shopping and would often spend hours in her room formulating plans on how the Zedcris Conglomerate could break into the market. Each one of the youngsters had their own plans on how to spend their day. For the most part, Shin would just train with Isadore or Kanari, but neither of them were free today. During times like these, Shin would just revert back to his old habits and would spend his free time experimenting on his manipulation of water, as well as a firm review of his cultivation techniques. When Meijing Bingying first came to the Himmel Empire, she was appalled to see how poorly Shin had cultivated all this time. Yes, he was practising the Celestial Water Mantra, the cultivation technique that was essential to all Scions of Water, but the methods that Shin had used were so backwards that Bingying nearly jumped up in fright. It was fortunate that he was only halfway through into Rank 40, which gave Bingying plenty of time to rectify Shin''s errors before he passed the first barrier of mortality. Though the ''cleaning'' of Shin''s cultivation technique took some time, the talented youth still managed to advance rapidly, keeping pace with Kanari''s own breakneck speed. Kanari was now at Rank 39 while Shin was firmly grounded at Rank 37. By next year, when both of them turned twenty-one, it was expected that they would set become some of the youngest cultivators to ever break through into the Spirit Spectre realm. Nonetheless, even though they had the best cultivations of anyone in their generation, that didn''t give Shin or Kanari a pass to be lazy. In fact, it was the contrary. The prime reason why both of them were far superior to their peers, was their willingness to keep working hard even though they were light years ahead of their competition. Furthermore, since the two of them were always competing against one another, Shin and Kanari had formed a sort of friendly rivalry akin to that of Suji and Danroy back home. Ohmmmmmnnnnnnnnn¡­ Seated in a lotus position, Shin remained alone in the centre of the rocky terrain behind the inn. His eyes closed, the young cultivator was image-training all of his moves, hoping to find any deficiencies that he could improve on. While Shin could hone his martial arts through extensive sparrings, no one around him could help improve his control over water. The sole person who could train him was located thousands of kilometres away, and even if Shin did pay a visit to him, there was no guarantee that he would obtain the permission needed to impart Shin his skills. ''How do I increase my firepower with my water bombs or mines?'' Shin thought to himself. Ever since he first left the Empire for this adventure, Shin had encountered dozens of Spirit Adepts and a few Spirit Spectres. While his martial arts, control over the battlefield and overall combat skills were capable of overpowering any opponent, when it came to raw burst power, Shin would almost always rely on Kanari''s Lunar Beam, which was capable of obliterating a boulder within a fraction of a second. Shin recalled the fight with the Vaishya in the forest and the mob of hooligans that attempted to seize Kanari for themselves. His water explosions or bullets were mostly ineffective against the outer coating of his opponents. And honestly, that was to be expected. Once a cultivator awakens a Spirit and begins to cultivate mana, they would obtain a faint layer of protection that would strengthen with every rank advancement. By the time a cultivator breaks through into the Spirit Adept realm, their muscles would be as sturdy as a steel cage while their mana coating would be resistant to multiple sudden impacts, such as a light explosions. That coating wasn''t limited to the physical realm either. Mentally, there were many things that another Spirit User could do to harm a fellow cultivator. Kanari''s innate charm ability and fourth spiritual ability, the Mind Flame, were the perfect examples. Typically, the stronger the cultivator, the harder it was to bypass their natural defences. That''s why even Lady Seph, who was a Spirit Venerate that stayed the entirety of her life indoors, had the defences equal to that of the famed Shaolin Monks, even though she hadn''t spent a single second training her body. ''I can''t just use my fourth spiritual ability just yet¡­ Sister Bingying says that it''s way too dangerous. However, I can''t keep relying on Kanari''s Lunar Beam for firepower.'' Shin was caught in a unique predicament. He had long identified his lack of firepower and had moved to rectify it by learning that fourth spiritual ability through the help of Meijing Bingying and that ''gift'' from Saint Longyu Tian. However, as fate would put it, that ability was too powerful for the weak mortal body of Shin''s. If he used it, there was a good chance that his innards would be blown to bits or his entire mana network would malfunction within seconds. Only by promoting to the Spirit Spectre realm would there be a better chance of Shin handling the recoil from that ability, which meant that his firepower problem still remained. ''How am I to improve my firepower then? Add more mana? No there''s no way that it''ll work¡­ Maybe adding downdraft to my Mines of the Ocean? No, then the rotation would go haywire...'' Shin continued to think about the possible ways that he could improve his techniques all while he was seated alone on top of a large boulder. Being such an evident figure in that rough terrain, Shin was basically a beacon for anyone that came near to the inn. Particularly one adorable little girl, who had brought over a basket of freshly baked bread. "Latina?" It wasn''t hard for Shin to notice the young girl. The crisp aroma of toasted rye buns combined with the immature footsteps of novice sneaker gave Latina away. Shin got out of his meditative pose and jumped down from the boulder. "I hope that I''m not disturbing your training, young hero." "No, you''re not. Oh, and please stop calling me that. Shin or Brother Shin is fine." No matter how many times he got shot with that reverent gaze, Shin could never get accustomed to people praising his name. Shin felt way more comfortable if people could let their hair down and treat him like an average person. "T-Then, B-Brother Shin!" Latina exclaimed as if she had obtained a major privilege. Words shot out from her mouth like a rapid sharpshooter as Latina''s speech matched her anxiousness. "Aunt Natalie told me to hand over some rye buns, but you weren''t in the inn. So I came searching for you outside, and I saw you seated on a boulder. I thought that you were observing the scenery, but you were actually training, so I thought that I would leave, but you found me out so quickly. And..." "Haha, slow down, Latina. There''s no need to rush." Shin stroked the smooth, silky hair of the young lass. After meeting with the thirteen-year-old, the maidens in the group, mainly Elrin, were appalled at Latina''s coarse state. Her skin had numerous blisters, and her hair was as oily as a fish''s skin. It didn''t take them much deliberation for the young women to bring Latina into their showers to give her a complete makeover. "I''m sorry¡­Brother Shin." "Hehe, now that''s better." The black-haired youth took out one bun from the basket and happily gnawed into it. "Wow, this is really good! Did you make it?" "Aunt Natalie helped me..." Abashed, the young girl tried to hide her flushed face, but it was to no avail. Shin had long put on a teasing grin, something that had been rubbed off onto him by the trickster Elrin. "I''m glad you liked it..." "Haha, help me finish this Latina! I''ve eaten my breakfast already so I can''t overeat." "Alright!" The pair took their place on top of the boulder, enjoying the beautiful warm rays from the morning sun all while munching down on freshly baked rye buns. While finishing his first piece of bread, Shin looked over to the petite body of Latina''s. She was thin and lacked any sufficient muscles. Her size was equivalent to that of a baby bear cub, and Shin knew that even the slightest of impact from his spear would crumble her existence with ease. So a question emerged in the youth''s mind. "Latina¡­ If you don''t mind me asking, how did you get into the employment of the Moon Mercenaries?" "Hmmm?" "No, I''m just curious. I''m sure that there are other jobs than being a mercenary. The commissions that the Mercenary Guild hands out are tough and demanding. Wouldn''t it be better if you become a baker?" "Ah¡­ That..." Latina stopped her chomps and placed her rye bun on her lap. "You see, in Huuring City, there''s only one way for a cultivator to advance. You can''t rely on the schools in the area since they''re all corrupt, and the merchants would much rather sell your labour than to train you. So I had no choice but to get into the mercenary business a little early. Thankfully, my father knew Aunt Natalie, so I had an easy way into the Moon Mercenaries. Normally, for a novice to enter a mid-levelled troop, they had to at least condense their Spirit Core." "I see..." Shin nodded. It may seem harsh for a girl like Latina to be hustling at such a young age, but such was the true nature of the world. Some people have it easy, while others were just dealt a bad hand at birth. Not every child had the choice to remain in school. "Hey, Latina! What''s your Spirit?" "Hmmm? It''s a Sunflower. Why do you ask?" "Oh ho? A flower-type huh?" Shin stroked his hairless chin. "Shizen has a plant-type Spirit, so maybe you could ask him for some notes to improve your cultivation." "Really?! I can do that?!" The girl nearly jumped down from the boulder due to her agitation. Just like Shin, Latina wished to become more powerful so that she could fend for herself. It was a pity that she lacked any resources to do just that. "Of course! If he doesn''t agree, just come to me! I''ll set him straight for you!" "N-No! You don''t have to do that for me, Brother Shin! I don''t want to be the cause of an argument between..." Latina wanted to continue, but she soon noticed the mischievous grin that was plastered onto Shin''s face. Finally understanding that she was being teased, the girl pouted her lips and protested: "Brother Shin! You''re just as mean as Young Hero Elrin!" "Hahaha! Sorry, sorry. You just resemble my younger sister back home! She used to be so lovable like you. Now she''s all tough and serious. I kind of miss that Elyse¡­ Hmmm?" Before Shin could continue joking around, a sharp cry could be heard from the distance. Jumping up to his feet, Shin raised his right arm up high allowing a black raven to land on his wrists. "What''s going on?" Latina asked. "Ah¡­" After taking out the note attached to the feet of the bird, Shin released the bird into the air. At the same time, he unfolded that small piece of parchment and read the note carefully multiple times. Only after he confirmed its contents, did Shin reveal a radiant smile. "The mission has arrived." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 371 The Estrella Region 1 The inn that Shin and the group had stayed in lacked any proper meeting rooms or conference tables. With no other choice, the seven young heroes, as well as the two ladies from the Moon Mercenaries, all gathered in Kanari and Elrin''s room, which boasted the most space among the four rooms that they had booked. The girls all took their positions on the beds, while Isadore and Shizen took a seat on the chairs that they had brought in. Only Shin remained standing as he read out the note in his hands. "Alliance Headquarters has confirmed the suspicious movements around the Crypts of the First Men that they had seen as Black Mask activity. Through an extensive networking search, they had come to the conclusion that there was a high possibility that the base of the Blade of Death, Junius, is located around that area. All units near the Crypts of the First Men are to investigate with caution." Shin summarised the message. "Around that area? Does that mean he''s not inside the Crypts of the First Men?" The sharp ears of Isadore picked something up. "Inconclusive." Shin shook his head. "We have the green light to enter the Crypts at our discretion, but it would be better if we searched the area around it. Fortunately, our guide here is quite familiar with the area." "I-I will do my best!" The thirteen-year-old stood up straight and hollered out her intentions. "Of course!" Shin smiled and rubbed Latina''s soft hair once more. After Elyse had grown, the youth had no one left to pet and Latina''s arrival into the group was a welcome change. "Our orders are to investigate and not engage. Once we map out the area with potential hotspots, we are to send the blueprints back to Headquarters where they would dispatch the White Knights to demolish the base." "The White Knights are coming?!" Hearing that heroic name, Natalie''s eyes sparkled in absolute delight. The war against the Black Masks had been prolonged for almost four years now. Countless lives had been lost, and families were torn apart by the vile deeds of the Black Masks. For the public, their wretched syndicate''s name had become synonymous with death and devastation. However, as the war lengthened, one other name popped up. It''s organisation''s name had become a full counter to the Black Masks and had turned into a symbol of hope in the darkest hour. And that was the White Knights. A unique existence formed by the Alliance of the six superpowers, the White Knights, consists of multiple teams of superagents, each led by at least one Rank 60 Spirt King. Tasked with the neutralising any threats that the Black Masks posed, the White Knights annihilates any Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas or Shudras in their path. They were the aces of the Alliance, and the general public would always hail them as heroes whenever they met the White Knights, and Natalie was no exception. "If we find out the location of the base in the Estrella Region, yes." Shin succinctly replied. "We may be strong, but there''s no way we could overcome an entire Black Mask stronghold. Especially one where Junius is located." "I see..." Natalie held in her excitement as she thought back on Shin''s words. It was the first time she had ever taken an assignment issued by someone from the Alliance. Furthermore, she was escorting Latina to protect her. The seasoned mercenary needed to learn more details about the mission. "You called him the Blade of Death earlier on. What''s that about?" "Junius? Right..." The young man dropped down the note and closed his eyes. The air around him turned serious while the twins, who were seated adjacently to Natalie and Latina, both released sad frowns. After composing himself for a bit, Shin reached into his bag and took out a thin black paperback manual. Flipping to a bookmarked page, the young man recited: "Junius Awter, also known as the Blade of Death. Though he''s only a Spirit Spectre, the Vaishya has proven his worth by planning many successful operations for the Black Masks. Ruthless and decisive, Junius has killed hundreds with his Obsidian Water Blade. Many of those who spectated his methods claim that it only takes Junius one shot to kill his victims. A highly wanted criminal with a hundred gold ingots to his name, the Blade of Death is an enemy that has to be apprehended at all costs." Once he was done, Shin slapped the manual shut and took a deep breath in. For the two Moon Mercenaries, they didn''t know the history that Shin shared with Junius, but the others all held in anger, careful not to agitate the young man even more. "We''re going up against such a dangerous individual?!" Natalie muttered under her breath. She wasn''t that afraid of losing her life to aid her benefactors. However, should anything happen to Latina, there was no way that Natalie would be able to live with herself. "Ah, don''t worry. Our job is to investigate, not engage. If there''s any sign of danger, getting the two of you safety would be our primary concern." Shin reassured the middle-aged lady. "No matter what, our actions reflect on the Alliance. There''s no way that we will allow innocent bystanders to perish under our watch." "I see..." Hearing Shin''s confirmation, Natalie was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "Do you need any horses or carriages for the trip? I can provide some from my troop." "That would be helpful." The youth nodded. Usually, the group would either travel on foot or pay to hitch a ride with travelling merchants. However, with a young thirteen-year-old directing their way, it would be quite inconvenient for them to use either of those options. It would be much safer if they had their own caravan. "The Estrella Region is west of Huuring City, and it takes about a day to get there on horseback. For safety reasons, we will be moving a little slow so we should expect to get there in two days. Once there, we are to delve deep into suspicious territory, as labelled from the map shown here." Shin tossed out the map that he had prepared for such an occasion. "We will circle around the Crypts of the First Men, covering as much ground as we possibly can. There will be other teams investigating as well, so we don''t have to worry about reinforcements. Should we encounter any trouble, fire out any of these flares and help will arrive." Kanari handed out the flares that were prepared beforehand. Though they would be travelling as a unit the majority of the time, there was no such thing as absolutes in this world. Should even one of them get separated from the pack, these distress signals would prove to be handy. "Any other questions?" Though Shin had asked everyone, his question was directed only at the two ladies from the Moon Mercenaries. By this time, the group had been accustomed to briefings like this. They only needed to follow Shin''s instructions, and everything would be fine. "How long would we be gone?" Natalie asked. "Estimated time of completion ranges from a week and a month. If there''s nothing in the Estrella Region, we would be back within the week. If there really is a Black Mask base there, well there''s no telling how long we would stay there." From their experience, the missions handed down from the Alliance were usually hit or miss. Just like a mystery box, without opening the wrappers, there was no telling what would happen. "Alright¡­ I''ll relay that to my comrades." "Good! We''ll gather at the town''s entrance early Monday morning. From there, it''s a straight journey west." With two claps, Shin ended the meeting with a charming smile. "Oh, and senior Natalie, I hope you wouldn''t mind us borrowing Latina tonight." "Hmmm? Is something wrong?" "No, since the mission may turn perilous, I figured that it would be helpful if we helped train Latina so that she could fend for herself. Shizen and I would be analysing her Spirit to figure out some of the best cultivation methods for her so we''ll need a little time. If you would allow us that is." Shin worded out the sentence as if it wasn''t a big deal. However, the moment Natalie heard his ideas for Latina, she felt a sudden blow to the head, as if someone had really attacked her with a mace. Why was Latina still using a bow and arrow instead of fighting with her own Spirit? Wasn''t it because there was no one among the Moon Mercenaries that could effectively mentor her? Even if they did manage to teach her something, it would be cultivation techniques that even vagrants would turn a blind eye towards. Now that Shin and Shizen were offering their assistance to train the young girl, how could Natalie possibly refuse? "Y-Yes! Of course, I would allow that!" Hiding her jubilant expression, Natalie brought Latina into her hands and forced both their heads to bow. "Please teach her as you will!" "Haha! There''s no need to be that animated!" The youth immediately pulled up the shoulders of the two ladies. For Shin, it didn''t matter if he spent some hours mentoring Latina. Either way, he had to wait until all their preparations were complete. However, it was a different story for the thirteen-year-old girl. Shin''s few hours of tutoring would be a thousand times better than the three years she had practising under useless cultivation techniques. Surrounded by the tender smiles of the seven heroes, Latina felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart as she felt her eyes watering up. At that moment, she really felt that God had sent his guardian angels to answer her prayers. Prayers that she''d thought were fruitless. Wiping her face with the silk handkerchief that Elrin had gifted her, Latina looked straight at the black-haired young man and declared with all that she had. "P-Please take care of me!" ??? The Kori Federation. The Estrella Region. Deep under the Crypts of the First Men. Long ago, in a time long before the formation of the three superpowers. A time where the world''s most ancient organisation, the Shaolin Temple was just in its infancy, there existed a great civilisation. After millennia of constant wars where bodies would pile up higher than the tallest peaks and blood would flow more rapidly than the most turbulent of currents, three Rank 99 Spirit Saints brought the shattered remnants of humanity to create one single entity. Ruled by those absolute monarchs, the daily battles had turned into friendly neighbourhood arguments. The mournings of loved ones had turned into celebrations of new births. Children knew nothing about the terrors of war, and young men grew deep into their twilight years, never fearing about perishing on the battlefield. It truly was the dawn after a long night for mankind. Pleased with their achievements, the three Spirit Saints all ascended on the Day of Spirits, bringing hope and light to the ancient civilisation. Even though the name of said civilisation had long faded to dust and their structures reduced to rubble, the deeds of the three Spirit Immortals were still resonant in the ears of modern society as thousands still made the pilgrims to their memorial. Alas, not all archaic structures of the relic civilisation were preserved. The Crypts of the First Men, a burial tomb for the most influential people among the ancient country, had been allowed to erode into nothingness. The terrain had been turned into a mangrove after years of neglect, and it takes over five hours to traverse on foot from the nearest settlement. With most of its architecture broken down with swamp vines dominating the region, only the most dedicated of archaeologists would make the trip into the crocodile-infested land area. Of course, being such remote and poorly visited location, the Crypts of the First Men had also turned into a popular hotspot for criminals to stay. "Vaishya! Vaishya! Urgent news!" Hidden deep within the darkness of the catacombs, there was a small facility that could store no more than ten men. There were no windows, and neither were there any elegant finishings. Just a few standard tables and bookshelves. In fact, if one didn''t know better, they would have mistaken the enclosure as a jailor''s cell. Nonetheless, for the purpose of the facility, these bare necessities were sufficient. "What is it?" A flat voice replied the concerned Black Mask who was running in with a report. "Vaishya Sanbert has failed his mission of burning down Huuring City! We suspect that a team of White Knights may have wandered into the area!" "Sanbert?" The young face seated in the centre of the chambers raised his eyebrows at the sudden news. Putting his pen down, the Vaishya slid back into his chair and raised his gaze to the brown, dampened ceilings. "Up till now, he hasn''t failed a single arson mission¡­ There must have been some complications. Have there been any sightings of White Knights?" "Not exactly... But there have been some whispers about some young heroes that saved the peace of Huuring City. Perhaps they were the ones that stopped Vaishya Sanbert." "Young heroes?" It wasn''t rare for experts to look younger than they really are, especially if they broke through into the Spirit Spectre realm rather early in their lives. "Just in case, raise the defence readiness condition to level three. Reduce the number of Spirit Beasts in the base by half and get ready to evacuate on my order. We''re almost done with our task here anyway, we can afford to lose some firepower." "Understood!" The Shudra saluted the viridian-haired man that was still seated on his chair. His face was void of any emotion. There wasn''t any fear or anxiety in his soul and if there was, his voice did well in hiding them. "What do we do about the killers of Vaishya Sanbert?" Taking one deep breath, the Vaishya got off his desk and reached for his black coat. At the same time, a dense dark fog congregated in his opened palm, slowly taking the form of a solid obsidian mask with a green snake embroidered on its forehead. Placing the mask on top of his cranium, the Vaishya stood ever so close to his subordinate, immediately forcing a visible gulp from the Black Mask. Like a veteran commander descended from the high heavens, Junius took one step out of the chambers and declared: "Let me deal with them..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 372 The Estrella Region 2 Baddduuukkk¡­ Baddduuukkk¡­ Baddduuukkk¡­ Baddduuukkk¡­ Loud rumblings of horse hooves dominated the toughened earth of the region undergoing the harshest dry season that it had in recent history. Following the path that had been laid out before them, the impressive steeds weren''t too hurried, and neither were they too sluggish. The horses galloped at a pace that was much faster than the average human while their riders were careful not to cause too many disturbances that would attract the wrong types of attention. Consisting of one steel carriage and eight of the finest stallions of Huuring City, the convoy was set up in a diamond formation, with two horses pulling the sole wagon, three leading the pack, two keeping track of the flanks, and one treading behind to protect the rear. Naturally, as the ''leader'' and the map bearer of the team, Shin sat in the forefront position with Kanari and Emma trodding right behind him. The flanks were covered by Natalie and Ella, while Isadore manned the rear with a lazy expression. Meanwhile, seated inside of the carriage, Shizen, Elrin and Latina acted as the guards of their supplies. Whenever they were moving as a unit, the seven young heroes had used this formation as their preferred way to protect themselves from any imminent threats. Not to mention, this diamond arrangement has proven itself helpful in the past when fighting off any attackers that may ensnare them. "Hmmm, we should be arriving soon." During such extended periods of movement, there were occasions where the team would be bantering excitedly, but there were also times where the convoy would experience a pin-drop silence. Now that the group had been on the road for almost two days, fatigue had begun to pile up, and the majority of them were too lazy to open their mouths. Fortunately, they had an effective leader that would verbally communicate key aspects to them when they arise. "Any signs of trouble? Ella, Isadore?" Shin asked the two most observant members of his group. Due to their respective training, Ella was the most sensitive to sound while Isadore was highly aware of his immediate surroundings. Whenever they were on the road, those two were responsible for lookouts and giving the warning siren if danger approaches. "None at all." Isadore hollered out from the back. "Nothing on my side. The bushes have been clean." Ella did the same. "Alright, then. The map says that once we take a left up ahead, we would be lead into a straight road into the Estrella Region." Shin pulled the reins on his horse and slowed down the pace of the entire convoy. It was imperative that they didn''t stop the movements of the caravan, lest an ambush lay in wait. "Latina, what do you think?" "Ah, that map is outdated." The main guide of the group immediately denied Shin''s suggestion and pointed in the opposite direction. "When I came to Huuring City, that route had been blocked by a landslide. Since there wasn''t anyone here that was powerful enough to clean up the roads, no one did anything to it." "A landslide? Emma, could you confirm that?" "Alright." The bob-haired young maiden immediately summoned out her Ice Bow and a reflective, glacial crystal, formed in her free hand. Unlike her regular arrows, the projectile that Emma created was much thicker and possessed a certain kind of observative light to it. Nocking the shaft and pulling her bowstring entirely, Emma aimed it at a wide arc as a substantial amount of mana filled her biceps and into the arrow. Pheeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! The arrow sliced through the air and almost instantly disappeared out of the sights of the group. Watching the projectile fly at a pace that would far surpass even the Federation''s best bowmen, Natalie dropped her jaw once again. Instead of an arrow, the icicle that Emma had released seemed to be a homing missile that would take down any target it had its eye on. While the middle-aged mercenary was still stunned, the rest of the group all turned to Emma without acknowledging that accomplishment. Instead, their eyes were fixated on yet another arrow that Emma had created. Curious, Natalie and Latine too moved forward and peaked over the markswoman''s shoulder. "That is!" Natalie gasped. Reflected inside of the permafrost arrow, images of the road ahead were being flashed at rapid speeds. If they were a soaring falcon in the sky, perhaps that would be their view. "Scouring Arrow. One of Emma''s abilities that allows us to scan the area around us." Elrin, who was in the carriage alongside Latina and Shizen, explained to Natalie. "As long as the Scouring Arrow exists, Emma would be able to view the scenery around it. Quite a handy tool to be honest." As Elrin continued to describe the ability, the moving pictures came to a halt as the arrow Emma had fired reached its destination. Thick, massive boulders alongside vast amounts of undergrowth dominated the land, and the brick road leading to the blockade had been heavily fractured. Just as Latina had said, the path was impeded by the remnants of a landslide, making it near impossible for the caravan to pass through. "Hehe, looks like we''ve chosen the right guide." Shin praised the young girl before folding the map in his hands. "Now that we''re in the Estrella Region, it would be better if Latina leads the way. After all, the maps that we have a pitifully drawn¡­ So, what do you suggest we do, Latina?" "Ermmm¡­ Ah¡­" Instantly becoming the centre of attention, Latina fumbled on her words. Before, the group heavily relied upon maps that were purchased at Huuring City to move into Estrella territory. Unfortunately, there were no good maps about the Estrella Region, due to it being a poorly visited area. Thus, this was the time for their hired guide to shine. "Hah..." Latina composed herself with a few deep breaths before looking straight to the right. "We can take the route to my old village. It''s a few hours hike from the Ancient Graveyard so we could use it as a place to stay. It''ll take a few additional hours, but we should be able to reach before nightfall if we hurry." "Your old village?" The young man immediately fell into thought. "How many people are living in the village?" "Not many," Latina replied. "When the war first broke out, many villagers feared that their homes would be the next targets of the Black Masks, so they fled to the bigger cities, myself included. The only ones that remain are those that can''t leave behind their family''s ancestor hall or had no interest in travelling to better shores." "I see¡­ Guys, what do you think?" "That sounds like a great idea!" Shizen exclaimed from Latina''s side. "All this moving around has made my brain go fuzzy. It''s better if we had a base to return to." "I concur!" Ella supported the boy''s suggestion. "While I agree that we should have a fixed camp to keep our resources..." However, Kanari wasn''t all that thrilled about that idea. She scratched the itch around her left shoulder blade and started laid down her arguments. "If the Black Masks really have a base near the Crypts of the First Men, I would imagine that they have that settlement under surveillance. If we stay there, wouldn''t we be advertising that we were on their tail?" "Ah¡­ I hadn''t thought of that." Ella instantly changed her mind. "We''re trying to investigate the potential bases that the Black Masks might have in the region. We shouldn''t be too open about our actions." "Kanari''s right. We shouldn''t stay in that village. However, Shizen''s also right to say that we need a base to plant our supplies and act as a return point for all of us¡­ So Latina, can you think of places, possibly an abandoned outpost or something, where there''s no human contact?" Watching Shin ponder over the choices he had, Natalie couldn''t help but feel impressed. How many young mercenaries in Huuring City had the insight to consider all factors as well as communicate this effectively with the members of his troop? For the seasoned mercenary, observing Shin was like watching the leader of the Moon Mercenaries, Gary in action. "Hmmm¡­ There is one!" Taking a moment to think back on her childhood home, Latina found the perfect location for the group. "My father used to own a warehouse deep in the woods, a few hours hike from my home. After he disappeared, there was no one left to maintain it, so it has been left to rot. Maybe we could use that?" "Great idea!" Shin snapped his fingers. Being an abandoned warehouse, it would most probably be overlooked by the Black Masks, and it would also serve as an excellent place to park their carriages and horses. "So how do we get there?" "It''s a little high up on a mountain, so I''m not sure if our horses can move there..." Latina lowered her voice and dropped her head. "Don''t worry about that! With Shizen here, we can cross any terrain with ease!" "Hey! There''s no way I could create a bridge all the way up to a mountain!" The short young man cried out in horror after realising Shin''s intentions. Shizen''s Adivinar Tree was capable of calling vines and clearing unsatisfactory terrain. Whenever they were in a tough situation, it was the Freak of the Dundlewoods powers that proved to be the most valuable. "Don''t worry! I''ll be giving you water constantly throughout!~" Shin clenched his fist and hollered out a firm declaration. "That won''t be enough!" "Why are you complaining?" Ella, who was riding ride next to the carriage, scoffed in derision as she looked down on the hobbit-like man. "These are the only times where you''re useful! You should gratefully offer your services!" "Hey!" "Hahahaha!!!" The group all uniformly laughed as the two Moon Mercenaries watched on in envy. Latina was in awe that the seven young heroes, who seemed untouchable at first glance, were behaving just like any standard group. Cracking jokes while on the road, it reminded Latina of how the Moon Mercenaries treated one another. On the other hand, Natalie was gobsmacked at how resourceful each one of them was. Though they were all powerful fighters, the group each possessed amazing secondary skills that aided tremendously in their expedition. Emma was capable of scouting crazy distances. Shizen could alter the terrain as he wished. Elrin had the resources to buy anything that the group needed. Ella and Isadore had amazing senses to pick up on any movements around them. Kanari had the insight to analyse any situation. And finally, the glue that kept them all together, Shin possessed superior planning and management skills that wouldn''t be inferior to any top mercenary leader. If they dropped out of the Alliance tomorrow, Natalie was sure that they would make amazing mercenaries and would most definitely reach the highest rank a mercenary troop could hope to achieve. "So it''s decided then!" Shin clapped his hands and turned over to Latina. "Just show us the way to your father''s warehouse. We''ll handle the rest." "Okay!" ??? The sun sank lower from the skies as the light of day was drained by the endless horizons, giving way to the velvety darkness of night. Crickets chirped merrily while the nightly wolves howled in bliss. In just a few hours, the entire world would be engulfed by the dark, and without any light from human settlements, the roads were far too dangerous for any to tread on. Fortunately for Shin''s group, it didn''t take them too long to reach their destination. Stepping into the brick warehouse, Shin and the rest all felt a chilling cold creep up their senses. They were being watched by dozens of crows and bats that had claimed this place as their own, and they quite disliked the visitors that had came to disturb their peace. Nonetheless, this abandoned warehouse was the group''s only hope for sleeping under a roof tonight, and thus, Kanari used her foxfire to scare away the annoying pests inside. At the same time, Elrin reached into her bag and threw numerous gumballs in the air. As the gums stuck on the pillars and ceilings of their new abode, they began to glow like the moon overhead, bringing ample amounts of light into the dilapidated building. The first thing that caught Shin''s attention was the rusted tools on each table and the many wooden carvings that were littered all over the floor. Some had eroded back to nature, while others remained intact, untouched by time itself. "Are those made by your father?" Shin asked the only person present that knew of the warehouse''s background. "Yes. He created carvings as a past-time hobby. This used to be his workshop." Recounting the happy memories that she had back in the day, Latina dropped her head in despondency. Shin noticed the young girl''s change and rubbed her silky soft head. "Don''t worry. Once the mission is complete, I promise, we will find your father." "Thank you..." "No problem!" Shin smiled and allowed Latina to reminisce on her own. For now, he had more important issues to deal with. "Alright! All of you take some time to settle down! Tomorrow, our hunt for the Black Masks begins!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 373 The Estrella Region 3 "Take a left here and walk straight! We''ll reach the Merry Waterfall then!" A high-pitched excited cry echoed through the rocky terrain of a small and hidden valley, bringing life to the godforsaken landscape. Five throbbing footsteps crackled on the vast numbers of pebbles and gravel on the earthen floor as vultures circled high above in the skies, hoping for an early meal this beautiful morning. A checkered brown rattlesnake slithered its way out of the cracks between the trenches to identify its unwelcomed guests only to get washed away by a foreign river current. Wiping his forehead off of any sweat, Isadore turned to the sole person that knew the terrain. When Shin first stepped foot into the valley where snakes and tarantulas roamed freely, he immediately scooped the young thirteen-year-old onto his back lest any mishaps were to happen. Furthermore, it was an excellent method of physical training, something he lacked severely when on the road. "Latina, are you sure there''s a waterfall after this valley? It''s so dry out here!" "I''m positive! Back in the village, there was a tradition for all of us to celebrate the Day of Spirits at the Merry Waterfall! It''s where I awakened my Spirit!" Latina retaliated with her chin up high in the air. If it came to the Estrella Region, she was far superior compared to the seven young heroes. "If the Black Masks were to choose a remote location to hide their bases, the deep cave behind the waterfall would be a great choice for them!" For the past few days now, Latina had been guiding the group to significant hotspots that were mostly untouched by humans that could serve as excellent places for the Black Masks to hide their bases. While Elrin, Shizen and Ella stayed behind to guard the horses and supplies, the remainder of the group all travelled in hopes of catching a glimpse of Black Mask activity. Unfortunately, all of their searches thus far were fruitless as all they got were the defecation of wild animals and a tonne of sweaty clothes. "If you say so..." Isadore rolled his eyes and continued to move forward. It wasn''t that unusual for the team to be lethargic. They had been on the prowl for almost a week now without much success. Even the most dedicated Alliance members would turn listless after this many failures. The young mercenary raised her right index finger to retort, but the words she wanted to say remained unspoken. She was just a guide, it wasn''t appropriate for her to argue with her clients. Hence, Latina was forced to eat her words and return to pushing her weight on Shin''s shoulders, which didn''t go unnoticed by the lean young man. "Don''t mind him. He''s just tired." Shin''s voice was as sweet as the summer''s nectar while he pushed her up his back to adjust his posture. "Once we''re done with the remaining few places you mentioned, we''ll explore the Crypts of the First Men. At that time, you wouldn''t have to come, and if need be, I''ll arrange for someone to take you back to Huuring City." "Brother Shin..." Latina tightened her grip around the toned white neck of Shin''s as she breathed into his ear. "I just feel so useless. You hired me to be a guide, and I haven''t been doing my job! There''s not a sign of Black Masks even after I brought you to all those places!" "Hehe, your job is to be a guide of the Estrella Region! There''s no need to stress yourself out!" The youth continued to console the distraught girl. During these past few days that he had spent with Latina, Shin was reminded of the good old days where he had fun petting Elyse and Emma, back when they were as adorable as puppies. Now that they were in their late teens, it proved rather tricky to cuddle or piggyback his younger sisters. Apparently, they were too ''grown-up'' for such activities. "I¡­ Nevermind..." Nestling deeper into Shin''s back, Latina just remained silent. She felt so worthless. The seven young heroes, Shin especially, had done so many things for her that it was impossible to pay them back for their grace. They had saved her life twice, gave her beautiful showers and had even taught her the basics of cultivation. They had done so much for her but the one thing that she could do for Shin and the others, Latina had royally screwed it up. Though it wasn''t by any fault of her own, Latina still felt inconsequential and wanted to dig herself a hole to bury into. SSSSSSSSTTTTTT After a few minutes, a faint humming sound resonated through the crisp summer air, resembling that of a colony of bees buzzing about from a distance. The intense heat that Shin and the other''s felt started to dissipate as the wind turned moist while the fragrance of diluted flowers filled their noses. To find the source of that delicate noise, the group rounded the corner as per Latina''s directions and was greeted with a whirring waterfall. An unusual sight for a dried up valley, the thirty-metre tall waterfall flowed violently down into the vast oceanic blue basin beneath it, splashing thousands of water droplets into the air and soaking any critter that dared to roam near it. The bright sun sent rays of dreamy brilliance, turning the ever-flowing waterfall into a glistening cataract of divine silvery light and at the same time, bringing a little joy to the heavy shoulders of the group. "Wow, there really was a waterfall in this land..." The silver-haired elf-like man gaped in awe. However, at the same time, Isadore dropped his shoulders. At first glance, there wasn''t any signs of the Black Masks. There wasn''t even the signature mana imprint that was found in most of the syndicate''s bases. Most likely, this location was a bust as well. "Latina, you said that there was a cave inside the waterfall?" "A-Ah yes!" Surprised that Isadore had addressed her so abruptly, Latina fumbled on her words before pointing straight at the stone path that started from the bottom of the waterfall and sliced through the interior of the rocky cliff in one swipe. "During the Day of Spirits, the High Priest would ask us to walk through on that path where you start as a human and walk out as a Spirit User. The Merry Waterfall was a sacred ground for our small village, but once everyone left for a bigger city, it had been left alone." "Hmmmm¡­ Though it''s highly unlikely for the Black Masks to have a base there, it wouldn''t be a stretch if it was used for other purposes." Isadore thought out loud to himself. "I''ll go look inside for clues. The rest of you stay here and rest for a bit." Leaving the group to enjoy the rustling rapids, Isadore leapt headfirst onto the path and cautiously walked into the waterfall, disappearing from everyone''s sight. "Alright, you heard the man." Shin clapped his hands and immediately dropped to his bum. After hiking up and down for the better part of the morning, even he felt a slight strain on his blistered feet. "Let''s take a thirty-minute break. After this, we should return to base to plan our advancement in the Crypts of the First Men." "Honestly, I didn''t think that this mission would be a dead end as well." Kanari dropped next to Shin and threw her head back. They had been on multiple missions, and there had been many times where they wouldn''t find anything on the Black Masks. However, for the final mission that was assigned to them, Kanari''s gut feeling told her that it would be a hit. "Looks like our legendary journey has come to an anticlimactic end." "Hey, hey! We still haven''t searched the Crypts of the First Men!" Her partner retorted. "This mission is far from over." Though Shin had said that, deep in his heart, the young man couldn''t help but feel the same way. He had learnt many things from his adventures with his best friends. How to lead a team. How to live effectively outdoors. How to track people without the help of others. How to fight in a large group. All of these were important aspects of this journey that would stay with him for a lifetime. However, the most crucial lesson that Shin had learnt was that no matter how one cuts it, peace was always better than chaos and sometimes, the epic tales of heroes were often overhyped. So what if he didn''t find any clues about Junius? In his adventures, he had often witnessed the aftermath of a Black Masks siege. The ones that genuinely suffer weren''t the members of the Alliance or the White Knights that were dispatched to deal with the enemies, but the thousands of innocent civilians that just wanted to go about their daily lives. Sometimes, an annoying mission was much better than a torturous one where hundreds were expected to perish. "Of course it isn''t over!" Kanari chuckled and moved behind Shin. Laying both her silky hands on the young man''s tense shoulders, the ethereal beauty immediately located his Myofascial trigger points and placed an adequate amount of force into her thumbs, bringing out audible moans of pain with a slight tinge of comfort. "Hey, Emma..." Natalie, who had been observing the entire group for the past few days, finally gave in to her curiosities and turned to the bob-haired maiden who was watching the two''s interactions with a warm gaze. "What''s going on with those two? Are they an item?" "No, they''re not." "Really?" The middle-aged mercenary twitched the corners of her lips while tilting her head at Shin and Kanari. Natalie had attempted to figure out the relationship dynamics of the seven young heroes ever since she first met them. From what she could observe, all seven of them were terrific friends with Shin being the actual glue that kept them all together. However, as she delved deeper into their relationships, the more confused Natalie became. Ella and Shizen had some dependency issues which resembled that of a mother and son rather than a couple. Isadore was a lone wolf that was friendly with everyone and seemed to possess a brother-sister-like relationship with Kanari. Emma was the calm and benevolent saint that listened to everyone''s woes, while Elrin was the resident joker that did everything her way. And then, finally, there were the two ''leaders'' that continued to confuse Natalie till this day. Evidently, the entire group respected both Shin and Kanari judging by how well they listened to both their orders. In fact, Natalie initially thought that Kanari was the leader of the group until they were on the road. As much as they were good friends, it was odd for a group such as their own to have two alphas. Back in Huuring City, if there were two ''leaders'' in a mercenary troop, there were bound to be significant issues, and the troop wouldn''t even last a single year. Yet, the seven heroes were as cordial as can be, with Shin and Kanari having the closest relationship from what Natalie could see. If they were husband and wife, then the relationship dynamics would make sense, but it was undeniable that they were far from that stage. Shin would at times distanced himself from the young maiden that any man would love to touch and at other times, he would place on his trust on her shoulders. It was a weird sight to behold for the unmarried Natalie, and she didn''t know what to make of it. Nonetheless, it wasn''t her business to stick her nose in the affairs of her benefactors, so Natalie just remained silent on the issue. So long as Latina and the seven heroes were safe, the middle-aged mercenary was content. Speaking of safe¡­ "Kanari¡­ Did you feel that?" While enjoying the massage of the most sought after woman in the Himmel Empire, the hairs on Shin''s arms began to rise, and a chill ran through his entire being. "Yeah, I did." Stopping her elegant flowing hands, Kanari immediately cast her Spiritual Body Enhancement and merged with her Kumiho. The snowy white ears on top of her head fluttered as she began to commit a more thorough scan of the area. At the same time, Isadore had jumped out of the gushing waterfall with his spear summoned and eyes sharpened. "Guys, there''s trouble," said the silver-haired young man. "There''s some carcasses of Spirit Beasts and remnant skeletons of Dalits. The Black Masks have been here." "Kanari?" "There''s some movement two kilometres from here. I can''t confirm if it''s wild animals or humans." The fox lady grimly stated her findings. "Damn it!" Almost instantly, Shin created a lengthy water spear which slowly changed its state within a few seconds. Bringing out his favoured Spear of Aiglos, the young man barked out his orders while preparing for an inevitable clash. "Kanari! Emma! The two of you aid Natalie in bringing Latina out of here! If there really are Black Masks, fire the flare! Isadore, you stay with me as we slowly cover their retreat! On my mark, we run!" It was better to be safe than sorry. In a situation where the enemy was unseen, it was better for the group to just retreat blindly, rather than to allow an ambush that might encircle and eradicate them. "What fine senses you have." Alas, their observation skills came a little too late. By the time Shin had finished his orders, several dark shadows had emerged and surrounded the six individuals. Of the ten shadows, three remained floating in the air, indicating that they were at least in the Spirit Spectre stage. Staring straight at the youngsters that tread into their territory, the Black Masks pointed their weapons at the group. Their leader, a Spirit Spectre who wielded a two-metre-long hiltless odachi, levitated down to the ground and spoke out in relative tranquillity: "It''s fortunate that you have noticed us too late. Otherwise, chasing you would be a pain in the ass. Oh, killers of Sanbert." The Vaishya''s voice was soft but firm. Strong but youthful. It was a voice that had tortured thousands of victims, but for one member of the group, that voice created a thunderstorm within the depths of his mind as he senselessly turned his back around. Their eyes locked and the world seemed to come to a standstill. Nothing else mattered in Shin''s mind at this moment. Everything that he had trained for suffered for has boiled down to this one moment. The moment where he reunited with the one person he loathed the most in the world. The moment where he would give justice to those that perished at Frie Mountain that fateful day. "Junius..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 374 The Darkness And The Light 1 "Huh?" Seeing that his identity was so effortlessly revealed by the young man before him, Junius furrowed his brows. Slowly releasing his mana, the Vaishya dropped down from the skies and landed just five metres away from the huddled-up group. At the same time, Junius removed the dark mask that covered his appearance allowing everyone present to observe his young, healthy face. Draped in a pitch-black battle robe that was tightly fitted to highlight his entire curves, the young man in his prime looked like a herald for the King of Hell that was sent to the surface to seduce any who got in his way. At twenty-four, Junius'' features had been fully matured but he also lacked a single freckle or wrinkle that would show his age. His rich viridian hair flowed down to the bottom of his neck while his fringe hid the prominent eyebrows that would be the envy of any man. Completely lean and angular, the young man didn''t have a single ounce of excess fat on his body and his physique was in no way inferior to Shin''s. In fact, due to his superior height, Junius was way more dashing and well-proportioned. Everyone in the group gasped as they watched the young man pace closer towards them. For Natalie and Latina, they had anticipated a much more ruffian look from a Black Mask Vaishya. Thus Junius'' prim and scholarly appearance took them by surprise. On the other hand, Kanari and Isadore were carefully examining the viridian-haired man. They had heard many stories about Junius during their five years of friendship with Shin and the twins, and they had painted their own pictures of the menacing traitor that had caused the deaths of Ariel and many of the orphans'' loved ones. However, the more they looked at Junius'' well-toned face and charming expression, the more they couldn''t understand how such an unthreatening young man could have caused that much grief and destruction. And finally, there were the two orphans among the group. Emma raised her Ice Bow and nocked an arrow immediately, pointing it straight at Junius without caring about her past ties. While the surrounding Black Masks were prepared to defend their leader, Junius raised his left hand up in the air, ordering his men to stand down. At this moment, there was only one face in his mind. Nothing in the world mattered now. Junius'' eyes glistened as they watched over the tall black-haired young man that stood at the forefront of the group. He had clear-blue azure eyes, one that reflected an entire lake within its pupils. His body was fit, and his complexion was pinkish in health. Over the past few years, he had grown tremendously. Gone was the short and clingy boy that wiped his snot over Junius'' shirt whenever he wanted. Gone was the timid young kid that never wished to hike hours for training. However, one thing remained constant, even with the years of change, the years where Junius wasn''t there with him. His adamant face, the expression that showed that he would never give in. That still remained and that emotion was now directed firmly straight in Junius'' direction. "Shin..." "Junius." The two greeted each other. They were only separated by a distance of five metres, but they felt as if they were standing right in front of each other. How many times has it been? How many times have they had this exchange in their childhood? "You''ve grown..." Not knowing the words to say, Junius just blurted the first thing that came to his mind. "And you''ve haven''t changed a bit." Shin spun the Spear of Aiglos around and entered into a semi-combative stance. As much as he wished to take Junius into custody right now, his group was severely outnumbered and possibly outmatched. Furthermore, they had to protect Latina and Natalie, two innocent bystanders that had nothing to do with his dispute with Junius. Thus, the most critical thing for Shin was to help his friends safely retreat, and then he could take all the time in the world to apprehend the villain before his eyes. "Emma, you''ve grown as well." "Brother Junius..." Still pointing her Ice Bow straight at her fallen brother, Emma desperately tried to control the myriad of emotions that were welling up in her chest. She hated Junius, but she couldn''t bring herself to harm him. After all, they were once close family. Fortunately, Emma didn''t have to make that soul-wrenching decision. "You have made quite a name for yourself, Junius. You took the Awter name and committed all sorts of atrocities with it. Are you not ashamed?" "Shin..." The gravel under Junius'' feet trembled as he took one step further into Shin''s range. "I did everything for the family! I just want us all to live happily without any fear of oppression!" "Even if it means killing thousands of innocent lives?!" "You don''t understand, Shin! The survivors of the Awter Clan are all living in peace under the Allfather''s protection! You''ve met Shia! There are dozens like her back in our camp! We can live in peace with our family, Shin! You can live in peace with YOUR real family!!!" "YOU KILLED ARIEL!!!" The thunderous shout silenced the crowded cataract, leaving only the splashing sound of a waterfall crashing into a basin. Shin had his spear raised while his head hung down. His shoulders shaking like a leaf, while gorgeous clandestine beads dripped to the floor from his face. No one could see Shin''s face, but they could tell that the boy was far from just shaken. "Brother Shin..." Latina placed both her hands together like a nun and watched the turmoil that Shin was undergoing from afar. The Shin that she knew was indomitable and never allowed his emotions to take control of his actions. However, right now, that very same hero, the person that had saved her twice and had given her a lifeline to hang onto, was now in a state of complete disarray. "You¡­ killed Ariel..." Shin choked on his words, desperately trying to stop the sobbing from interfering with his speech. Alas, Shin was way too emotional to revert back to normal. "You killed Ariel¡­ You killed Sister Lily¡­ You killed Linus¡­ You turned the First Elder against us! You forced the Instructor to force us out with tears in his eyes! It''s because of you that I wasn''t allowed to give her a farewell¡­ YOU EVEN KILLED LILY, YOUR LOVED ONE!!! How could you say anything about the family?! You''re the one that took our family away from us!!!" "Shin..." Junius nearly dropped his weapon to run forward to give his younger brother an embrace. Unfortunately, a silver-haired young man, wielding a pernicious spear of his own, blocked the path to Shin as if he were a gatekeeper to the world''s most precious treasure. "Shin, how are you holding up?" Isadore questioned. No matter how touching the reunion, the group was currently under a tremendous threat. Surrounded on all fronts by three Rank 40 Spirit Spectres and seven Rank 30 Spirit Adepts. If they had their full force with them, perhaps this predicament wouldn''t be that much of an issue. However, they currently had four out of seven members. Furthermore, they had two pieces of baggage that were called Latina and Natalie. Isadore couldn''t afford for Shin to lose himself at this precarious moment. "I''m fine..." Isadore''s sharp and sonorous voice awakened the fogged mind of Shin''s, and the young man wiped his wet face with the sleeves of his robes. "Isadore, take the rest and run. Junius is my burden to carry." Isadore nearly shat his pants when he heard his friend''s declaration. "Shin! They have three Spirit Spectres! No matter how powerful you are, there''s no way you can take on three Spirit Spectres and seven Spirit Adepts!" A Spirit Spectre was vastly different than a Spirit Adept. For one, after crossing the first barrier of mortality, they had double the lifespan and mana than that of a Spirit Adept. Additionally, once at that level, they had the power to control the elements around them with half the effort. Though Shin was talented enough to take on that deficit and defeat a Spirit Spectre one-on-one, there was no way that he could handle three of them at the same time. "I may not be able to beat them, but I can hold them off!" A deep, intense fire burned within the depths of Shin''s soul. Any fatigue that he once had dissipated into nothingness and his blood continued to boil in intense rage. "Once you''re safe, fire the flares! I''ll make my retreat then!" "I''m not going to let you fight them alone!" Isadore continued to persuade the young man. "I''m not alone..." Shin pinned down the Spear of Aiglos on the soften soil ground and closed his eyes with his two hands raised. Almost instantly, the temperature of the surroundings began to drop rapidly as gallons of water formed seemingly out of nothingness. Twisting and turning his hands, Shin used the created water to form numerous humanoid water golems, each rather coarse in its design. Moving about like the training golems that Imperius Academy possesses, the water creatures surrounded the group as if they were bodyguards protecting their most valuable asset. "Shape-Style Technique, Army of Water. I can use the golems to hold them off and to protect your retreat. Once you''re safe, I can use my mist to escape." Shin explained his plan and grabbed his bosom friend''s right arm. Soon, a foggy mist formed behind of the two, hiding the remaining members of the group from the sights of the Black Masks. "Isadore, please. We can''t let Latina die. Not on my watch." "Shin, you..." The silver-haired man turned back and stared at the two Moon Mercenaries that were hired to be their guides. They were wholly innocent parties, and it wouldn''t sit right with Shin should anything happen to them. "Fine! I''ll bring them to safety! However, I''m coming straight back to help you! Don''t die until then!" Isadore jumped back and left Shin alone to deal with the Black Masks. At the same time, some of Shin''s water golems retreated to protect the escape of his friends. Seeing that Shin was left alone, the Black Masks surrounding the group attempted the move against the young man, only to be stopped by Junius once more. "Vaishya Junius¡­ They were the ones who killed Sanbert" One Shudra complained. "If you dare to touch one hair on him, all of your guts will be ripped from your throats and fed to my dogs!!!" Junius pointed his Spirit Armament odachi at the Black Mask who didn''t know his place. Forced back to being a spectator, the Shudra hung his head down and shuffled his feet aside, leaving Shin to execute whatever skills that he had. ''You''ve grown...'' The lips on Junius'' face arched upwards as he watched Shin''s created water being generated in bulk. Before, Shin was only capable of creating small water spheres that could barely harm a soul. Now, he able to create a mini army all for himself. ''I''m sure Vellan and Shia would be delighted to see you again. Hah¡­ Allfather, forgive me for going against your will.'' The World Serpent, Ao had once ordered Junius to give up on acquiring Shin and the orphans. However, how could he? The only reason why the Vellan and the others had joined the Black Masks in the first place was the revival of the Awter Clan, and Shin was a pivotal piece to complete the clan''s resurrection. If Junius could bring Shin back and indoctrinate him into the syndicate, everything that he had been fighting for would have been worth it. "Kanari, let''s move. Shin will hold them off." While the Black Masks were arguing amongst themselves, Isadore took this chance to relay Shin''s message to the team. "Are you crazy?! There''s no way that he''ll win against this many Spirit Spectres!" "Don''t worry! From what I can see, Junius doesn''t want to kill him." Isadore calmed the girl down and turned his attention to the Latina and Natalie. "Once we get those two to safety and fire the flare, we can return to save him. You know Shin and his tenacity. He won''t go down that easily." "Tskkk¡­ Fine!" Kanari clicked her tongue and grabbed Latina by her waist. With her Spiritual Body Enhancement, Kanari''s speed was in no way inferior to that of a Spirit Spectre. "We''re leaving!" Not willing to waste any time, Kanari launched herself straight back into the valley in hopes of finding a suitable place to dump the two handicaps that they had. Likewise, Isadore and Emma used the cover of Shin''s created mist to run far away from their enemies. Initially, the Black Masks wanted to give chase, but they were once again stopped by Junius'' raised hand. "Ignore them," said Junius. The crystals in his eyes glistened in a jubilant light as he watched over the sole black-haired man that stood just a few metres away from him. Oh, how long has he dreamed of this day? Once Shin was returned to the Awter Clan, their revenge would be half complete. Before, he was banned from approaching Shin due to his secure location and the Allfather''s orders. However, now that Shin had delivered himself to his doorstep, how could Junius possibly squander this opportunity? Like a fanatic that had finally obtained his prized possession, Junius released a disgustingly sweet smile. He pointed his odachi straight at Shin and ordered out with the most domineering tone that he had. "Take him." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 375 The Darkness And The Light 2 Though the Black Masks were reluctant to let major witnesses go, they still had to obey the orders of their immediate superior. The seven Shudras all summoned out their Spirits while the two Vaishyas levitating in the sky circled around Shin to complete the entrapment. Flickers of flame, water, earth, lightning and wind spiralled all about the surroundings, bringing an intense spiritual energy spike that made the elements dance. The seven Shudras all possessed intense Spirits that were baptised with the Allfather''s enigmatic mana, and they were ready to bear their all into capturing the young man who stood alone before them. Shin watched as the Black Masks continued their preparations with an analytical gaze. If he were only against the seven Shudras, Shin was confident that he was capable of defeating them all. However, there were the two Vaishyas that were flying right behind him and the top talent Junius was holding his front. Shin had to be careful in his assault. But first, he had to buy some time. "Junius! Surrender yourself!!!" Hollering out at the top of his lungs, Shin pointed the Spear of Aiglos straight at the viridian-haired young man. "You still can redeem yourself of your sins! Leave the Black Masks and follow me back to the Alliance! Don''t you want to pay your respects to Sister Lily?!" Shin attempted to play the dead lover card, in hopes of rattling Junius'' nerves. Of all the orphans, Shin was most familiar with Junius. He knew how much his brother loved Lily and how it devastating it might have been for Junius to kill her with his own hands. If he could somehow persuade Junius to surrender and turn over a new leaf, perhaps this entire fight could be wholly avoided. Alas, his words were just a fruitless endeavour. "Lily is dead. Nothing can change that." Junius coldly replied. His eyes were void of emotion as if he hardly cared about the dead woman that he had spent all of his childhood loving. "Shin, no matter what you do, the dead can''t come back to life. What''s important is for us to live in the present and live happily for the future of our family! Come with me, Shin! I don''t want to hurt you anymore!" Junius lowered the two-metre-long odachi in his right and raised his left hand as a welcoming gesture. In his mind, there was still hope for the orphans to live happily ever after under the umbrella of the Black Masks. Junius would be the sole breadwinner and bear the full brunt of the Allfather''s orders, but at the very least, the orphans and the Awter Clan would be safe from the dangers of the world. Many didn''t understand the depth of the Allfather''s resources and how powerful the esteemed figure was, but Junius sure does. On the surface, the Black Masks seemed to be at the end of their ropes and were on the brink of being eradicated. However, for those who knew of the real plan that the Allfather had concocted, they knew that the Black Masks were winning. It may have been a rather peaceful four years for the Alliance and the inhabitants of the land, but once the Allfather plays his hand, there was only one word for the carnage that follows. Pandemonium. "Come with me, Shin! I can shelter you from the dangers of the world! I can convince the Allfather to not use the orphans and you in his master plan! I can save you!!!" "Vaishya Junius!!!" At that moment, a levitating Vaishya screamed out at the emotional youth. Realising what he had done, Junius bit the bottom of his lip and looked straight back at his subordinate. "You''ve said too much!" "Don''t worry. As long as we bring Shin back, we can tell him everything!" ''Use me?'' Shin''s ear picked up on a minute detail that Junius had accidentally let slip. Till this day, the Alliance has yet to determine the Allfather''s true identity and his motivations for causing that much pain and suffering. However, from the looks of it, Junius was privy to some classified information that the Alliance sorely needed. ''Urghhh!!! If not for that meddling asshole, I would have learnt something about the Allfather!'' "Shin! Come with us!" "As tempting as that offer sounds..." Taking a cursory glance around, Shin could see that the Black Masks surrounding him were done with talking. They were ready to take the leap to capture him with everything that they had. Scoffing, thousands of deep cerulean fish scales covered the pigment of the young man as his mana spiked exponentially. At the same time, a dense spiritual pressure mounted on the shoulders of the Black Masks while the water golems started to move into a formation that protected Shin from the menaces. "I must decline." "Shin! You just don''t understand!!! Please just..." "Vaishya Junius! That''s enough!" Unable to bear it anymore, the Spirit Spectre in the air jumped straight from the air and cast his own Spiritual Body Enhancement. Expanding into three times his original size, the Vaishya held Junius'' shoulder and declared with a serious tone. He could tell that Shin was just playing with Junius, knowing that the man would never harm him. Hence, Junius had to be taken off the driver''s seat. "You just hang back and relax. I''ll help you capture this brat." "Alright¡­ But you can''t harm him! Just immobilise him!!!" "I got it." The Vaishya cracked his knuckles and stretched his ape-like body to release the stress in his muscles. In his heyday, he had participated in multiple wars and had thundered through hundreds of battles. Capturing a twenty-year-old Spirit Adept? That mission was well below his pay grade. "Men, encircle him!" "YES, SIR!!!" Instantly, the Shudras closed in on Shin like snakes locking onto their prey. They didn''t have an elaborate plan. There was seven of them and one of Shin. How hard could it be to take him down? BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! However, just before they could even halve their distance, the water golems all rushed forward and slammed their fists onto the Black Masks bodies. At the same time, Shin summoned out tidal waves of his created water and formed numerous tendrils that mimicked that of an angry octopus, in an effort to increase the difficulty to get to him. Raising one hand to the heavens, Shin brought up gallons of water from the surface and formed hundreds of sharp spears. Whizzing them straight at the Shudras that charged at him, Shin ensured that the Black Masks weren''t able to get within twenty-metres of him as he continued to waste time for his fellow comrades to escape. "Wow, you''re tough for a Spirit Adept." The Vaishya that took Junius'' place issued out a rare word of praise for the young man who repelled his forces. Though, the goodwill that the Vaishya had didn''t last for long. He clenched his fists and created a small whirlwind around his right arm. The tornado was made out of black dust and had a grim, menacing feel to each spin. Taking his stance, the Spirit Spectre released all of his spiritual pressure, which stunned Shin for a split second. "Unfortunately¡­ I have to take you in so you might feel a little pain." Charging forward with all his might, the Vaishya blew away all of the water golems that were in his way and in a blink of an eye, his fist was right before Shin''s nose. Shocked, Shin executed the first thing that came to his mind. He spun the Spear of Aiglos around and defended the tornado punch in hopes of minimising the damage he would sustain. BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!! A deafening blast reverberated through the waterfall basin, sending a shockwave that would disturb any creature that was within a kilometre radius. Flung backwards by the Vaishya''s violent fist, Shin struggled to keep his two feet on the ground. He could feel his biceps screaming at him to let go of the Spear of Aiglos, and his blood was pumping like a motor engine after that one strike from the monkey man. ''What the hell?! He hits way harder than Isadore?!'' Shin screamed out mentally while simultaneously casting heal on his injured parts. If that one punch, which Shin had blocked, had caused that much damage to his arms, imagine what would have happened if the Vaishya had landed a clean hit. Shin wanted to take a few seconds to recover from the shocking monstrous strength that his opponent possessed, but unfortunately, not everyone would give him that luxury. Just moments after he finished treating his sore muscles, a dark shadow emerged from the top of Shin. ''Shit!'' Shin cursed his own folly and spun around twice to get out of the way. However, he was just a tad too late. The Vaishya had descended down like a meteorite and crashed violently onto the slippery floor. His tornado-clad legs created an explosion-like event, where a thunderous shockwave blew apart everything in its way, friend or foe alike. Shin managed to get in the clear of direct contact, but he wasn''t immune to the aftermath that came quickly after. Spinning around like a tumbleweed, Shin managed to diminish most of the damage that he may have sustained through pure acrobatics and somehow managed to escape out of the deadly tornado blow with light bruises and scratches. However, the same couldn''t be said about his opponent. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Beads of thick crimson liquid fell from the sturdy, toned body of the Vaishya and started to stain the puddled ground. There wasn''t any pain and neither was there any shock. Just standing still, the Vaishya moved his shaken hands to touch the source of his laceration. ''What''s... this?'' Feeling up his own chest, the Spirit Spectre could see a deep wound that stretched from his left rib down to his furry nipple. It wasn''t a wound that he would die from, but it would damn well impede his movements. Turning to the sole person that could have caused said injury, the Vaishya noticed that the tip of Shin''s Spear of Aiglos had a similar crimson liquid dripping from its top. ''He managed to damage me from that situation?!'' The Black Mask cried out mentally. That hit was completely unexpected and definitely hard to prepare for. Yet, Shin somehow managed to aim for his heart while rolling out to safety. If Shin''s Spear just moved a little inch to the top... "Tsk¡­ Susan! Heal me!" The third and final Vaishya jumped down from her position and slapped her palms on the wound of the Black Mask. A black liquid covered her hands as mana flowed into the cut, closing it for good and bringing the monkey man to the pink of health. "Craig, how could you be so careless?" "Easy for you to say. You weren''t even facing him!" Vaishya Craig complained his face turning red in anger, or maybe embarrassment for losing in an exchange with a younger foe. However, after cooling his head for a while, the Black Mask instead stood tall and faced the recovering Shin. "Susan... It looks like Junius'' ''little brother'' is the real deal. I can''t face him without your support." "That bad?" "Honestly, if Junius weren''t that emotional, he would have made quick work of this brat. However, I doubt that he''s in any position to fight now." Craig looked back at his boss, who had fumes spewing out his ears as he looked livid that his subordinate had nearly injured his dear brother. "We have to take down that brat quickly, and for that, I need your support." "Say no more." Vaishya Susan closed her eyes, and a torrent of spiritual energy erupted into the air. Her surroundings began to distort, and all Shin could see was a phantom of a dark figure. Though she was obscured by mana waves, Shin could somewhat make out the solid object that emerged from the depths of her chest. ''Temporal Chains¡­ I''d never thought that I would get to see it in person.'' Being a healer, the youngest ever in history, in fact, Shin knew the majority of spiritual abilities that a healer could learn. Like most spiritual abilities, healing skills were classified based on their rarity, difficulty of mastery, and overall potency. Among those skills, Temporal Chains was listed as one of the rarest abilities one could find in a healer. It wasn''t because it was hard to learn, and neither was there a stringent criterion needed before a healer could learn that skill. So why was it rare to find? It was because it was a masochistic spiritual ability. Whoever is on the opposite end of the Temporal Chains would receive aid as if a healer was standing right next to them. Whenever they were injured, the healer could cast their recovery abilities without any impediment. Whenever they needed mana, the healer could supply their own to the fighter. And finally, the side effect that truly repelled all healers from that wretched ability, whatever pain and suffering the fighter received, the healer would share half of it without any questions. Yes, the effects of Temporal Chains was tremendous, but the consequences of using it weren''t meek either. Hence, most healers would stray far away from that godforsaken spiritual ability. However, the Black Masks weren''t most people. With Susan supplying mana and healing straight to Craig''s monkey-like body, there were essentially two Spirit Spectres facing Shin at this very moment. Black whirlwinds swirled around the four limbs of Vaishya Craig as the seven Spirit Adepts all drew far away into safety. They knew that once their superior was at this state, there was no way for them to butt in unless they wished to get hurt. It wasn''t just the Shudras that felt fear for the immense power beating down on their skins. For a brief moment there, Shin was contemplating surrender to avoid getting pulverised by the enormous menace that was Craig. ''God damn it! How long more until you guys fire the flare?!'' Shin cursed at his comrades while looking up into the skies. By now, the group should have reached safety, and backup should be fast arriving. No matter how much he wished to escape, he couldn''t risk the lives of Latina and Natalie. ''Whatever, I guess I have to continue to hold on for just a bit longer!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 376 The Darkness And The Light 3 BAMMM!!! BAMMMM!!! BAMMMM!!!! Booming, resonant shockwaves detonated themselves through the once serene Merry Waterfall as billions of dust particles dominated the air. The flat and rocky terrain of the basin had been littered with dozens of craters that could have only been caused by a meteor shower. At the centre of the carnage, there was one four-metre tall giant gorilla that had all his four limbs coated in black whirlwinds. From his back, a large metallic chain extended out and linked him to a floating Vaishya that was monitoring the surroundings from a safe distance. Each time the ape-man received a plethora of cuts or bruises, the chain would light up, and a torrent of mana would instantly rejuvenate the bulked monster, clearing any injuries that he may have sustained. Standing just a few metres away from the Vaishya, one black-haired young man stood tall with his trusted ice spear in his hands. His hair was ruffled and face covered with dust and sweat, Shin continued to hold his own against the boosted Spirit Spectre. It was hard enough to fight a Vaishya on his own, but now that he had the support of an auxiliary Spirit Spectre as well¡­ Defeating the monkey man was akin to climbing the tallest peak with all his hands tied to an ox. Nonetheless, the young man still managed to hold out. Though Vaishya Craig had the superior power, speed, agility and spiritual energies, Shin had his trusted first ability. Using a mixture of water tendrils, water weapons, water bombs, water golems and even healing mist, Shin was able to stop his opponent from landing a fatal blow for five minutes now. He had even injured the Vaishya multiple times as well. If not for his ally''s Temporal Chains, Shin was confident that the gorilla in front of him would have collapsed ten times over by now. It wasn''t just Shin who was frustrated. Vaishya Craig had to place his hand up to his face to prevent his jaw from dropping and teeth from gnawing out in anger. If someone had told him that he would be hard-pressed to take down a Spirit Adept with the assistance of Susan this morning, the Craig would have laughed it off and slapped that idiot so hard that he wouldn''t be able to see the light of tomorrow. Yet, before the Vaishya, there was an enigma of the world. By now, any Spirit Adept would have collapsed after experiencing the joint might of Craig and Susan. However, Shin didn''t comply with the standard rules of the cultivation world. In fact, there were even times where Craig NEEDED Susan''s assistance. ''What a monster¡­ I have been trying to take him out for the past five minutes, and he had almost claimed my life seven times.'' Thinking back to the close shaves that he had when facing Shin''s Spear of Aiglos, the Vaishya furrowed his brows and tapped his whole body. When in his Spiritual Body Enhancement state, his defence quadruples as his hide and skin thickened rapidly using mana strengthening. However, even with that added defence, Shin was still capable of piercing through his flesh and threatening his vital organs. Furthermore, with each passing minute, the young man was getting more accurate with his strikes. It was as if¡­ ''It''s as if he had examined my martial arts and movements in that brief five minutes to come up with counters!'' Craig theorised. To offset getting fully read, the Vaishya had ordered the seven Shudras to gang up on Shin to wear down his endurance and mana reserves. However, sending Spirit Adepts to take on Shin was akin to feeding lambs to a hungry wolf. In just mere seconds, Shin had managed to paralyse three Shudras and slapped away the rest with his water tendrils. Though he was a Rank 37 Spirit Adept himself, the way that Shin fights was in no way inferior to a Spirit Spectre. Heck, he was even giving Craig, a veteran Vaishya that had been fighting against the odds all his life, trouble in landing a single blow. ''Junius¡­ What the hell did you feed your younger brother?!'' Turning over his shoulder, Craig saw his boss watching over the bout with a soft glitter in his eyes. Not only was Junius emotional over seeing Shin again after all these years, but he was also engulfed in a wave of nostalgia. Back on Frie Mountain, Shin wasn''t this powerful and neither was he so resourceful. In the years where Junius hadn''t seen him, the young man had grown into a powerhouse that could easily fight back the majority of his forces. How could Junius not feel emotional? ''He''s totally out of it¡­ Fuck! If he unleashed his wrath, I''m sure we could dispatch this brat easily!'' The Vaishya thought back on the numerous times where Junius decimated his foes with his Obsidian Water Sword and the Legendary-Grade Odachi that was handed to him by the Allfather. Screw Rank 50 Kshatriyas, if Junius were at his best, Craig would undoubtedly choose the water swordsman to be his partner in crime. ''Whatever¡­ Since it has come to this, I''ll blow that brat up with an all-out assault!!!'' The monkey man steeled his nerves to execute the most violent ability that he had. At the same time, Shin was still taking a breather all while remaining as vigilant as he possibly could. After dozens of exchanges with the storm ape, Shin felt a warm heat hiding behind his ears as each throb of his heart resonated through his entire being. Each pore in his body opened up, and his five senses were heightened exponentially. The adrenaline rushing to his head, Shin could see the world in a much clearer light. Craig was standing ten metres in front of him while the Healer Vaishya was levitating high up in the air. Behind him, there were the remaining four Shudras blocking his path to retreat all while Junius watched over the entire battle. It wasn''t an optimal position to be in, but Shin felt that in his current state, anything was possible. ''I defeated three Shudras already¡­ I have to take down the four remaining ones before I can comfortably make my escape.'' Shin had long planned on his next course of actions once the flare was fired. With his first spiritual ability, the young man was capable of controlling his surroundings and dealing with multiple enemies at once. Of course, it was helpful that none of the Black Masks was allowed to overly harm him due to Junius'' orders as well. ''The flare¡­ Damn it, did they encounter some sort of problem? Or did I miss it?'' wondered Shin. For Kanari and Isadore, the two fastest members of the group, getting Latina to safety wasn''t that difficult of a task. Yet, even after five minutes, there hasn''t been any indication that they had promptly escaped. ''Shit¡­ Could it be that there are other Black Masks in the region? Urgh¡­ There are too many variables to consider. If I don''t see the flare within the next two to three minutes, I should just make a run for it.'' Shin considered all of his options. While it may seem that he had the upper hand, even he knew that defeating the three Spirit Spectres would be a tall task. Craig was still in the pink of health with Susan supporting him with a seemingly endless supply of mana. Not to mention, the big baddie of them all, Junius, had yet to act. Shin''s mana wasn''t infinite. If he wanted to escape, Shin needed to do it quickly before fatigue and mana exhaustion takes over. ZZZZSSSTTTT!!! ''Huh?!'' During his brief moment of contemplation, Vaishya Craig had bent down on one knee, summoning out an entire hurricane of black wind to congregate in his location. The trees surrounding the waterfall were all uprooted by the sudden downdraft, and thousands of rocks and pebbles rose from their slumber to join in the fun. The wind elements danced about in joy as the mini-typhoon grew larger and larger until the Black Mask was hidden from sight. The hairs on Shin''s arms stood erect and pointed themselves in the opposite direction as if they were in fear of the tremendous mana being released from the tornado torrent. ''Danger!'' That was all that Shin''s consciousness could think off. In a panic, Shin sent all of his mana into his legs and executed the Lightning Swallow Steps, in hopes of avoiding the carnage that was about to ensue. Unfortunately, the Black Masks had anticipated his movements. All of a sudden, a darkness chain rushed out from Vaishya Susan''s body and wrapped itself firmly on the ankles of Shin. ''FUCK!!!'' Sending numerous water spears onto the chain, Shin hoped to break through the bindings. He had even used the Spear of Aiglos multiple times, but it was to no avail. No matter how much he attacked the metallic chains, it completely remained unscathed by Shin''s desperate attempts. And then¡­ The world turned black. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!! Vaishya Craig released the hurricane that he had been gathering and the storm tornado sped violently at the Shin who was stuck. Swept off his feet, the young man was flung into the cyclone, and his senses were sent into disarray. Not knowing where was the ground, Shin struggled to make sense of his surroundings as uprooted trees and boulders flew dangerously past him. The blackened wind made his eyes completely useless, and the rapidly whizzing of the wind rendered his superior hearing obsolete. The only thing that Shin could do to defend himself was to create a water bubble surrounding his body and hope for the best. The darkness tornado curved once before crashing straight into Merry Waterfall, completely decimating the gorgeous natural wonder. Instantly, half of the cliff had been broken apart as the water gushing down from the top rapidly sped down as if it were a broken dam. In just that half minute, the waterfall had turned into a flattened lake with piles of debris covering its surface. "CRAIG!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!!" A crazed scream echoed through the valley as a tall young man jumped right in front of the lake. Junius, who had been sidelined by his subordinates, finally moved after he watched Shin get swept up by the immense dark tornado. Pointing his sword straight at Vaishya Craig''s throat, Junius threatened to end the life of his reckless underling for disobeying his orders. "Junius. You wanted me to incapacitate that brat, and I used the fastest method I had." Craig coldly replied. "If he''s injured, we can just ask Susan to heal him right up. There''s no harm done." "YOU FUCKER!!!" Junius lost his cool and pressed the odachi deeper into the monkey man''s skin. Though Craig had been boosted by his Spiritual Body Enhancement and superior mana strengthening, Junius'' blade sunk in as effortlessly as a heated knife through butter. If Junius were to place a little more strength, Craig''s head would have unquestionably be sliced right open. "Junius! Craig is right!" The final Vaishya, Susan, flew down and held on to Junius'' arm, holding back her enraged superior from ending the life of her comrade. "Your younger brother was too powerful. That was the only way that we could have immobilised him! If we had prolonged the bout, he would most definitely prove too slippery to catch! Furthermore, we shouldn''t waste any more time quarrelling. Every second we waste is a second that could be used to dig your brother out from the gravel." "..." Junius wanted to retort, but his mind was way too muddled by his worry for Shin''s safety. Pulling his odachi away from the monkey man''s neck, Junius sheathed the blade and barked out his orders: "Pull Shin out from the debris right now!!! If anything were to happen to him, Craig your head will be the first to roll!" ??? Tsttt¡­ Tsttt¡­ Tsttt¡­ Deep within the ruined waterfall, the only sound that could be heard was the faint tapping of gravel rolling down the top. Surrounded by darkness, Shin was covered by tonnes upon tonnes of fallen boulders and remnant dripping water. ''Urgh¡­ My head hurts...'' Shin groaned. On his body, there were hundreds of small cuts and bruises, and it aches all over. There wasn''t any natural light, so Shin had to improvise by summoning out The Sovereign Koi to act as his torchlight. Swirling around Shin''s wrists, the divine fish looked around in confusion only to see its owner lying about while rubbing his forehead. ''What a crazy attack¡­ If not for my ''Aegis Bubble'', I''m sure I would be knocked out by now.'' Shin thought to himself. Allowing a cerulean-gold light to flow from The Sovereign Koi to his body, Shin felt his pains get washed away as if they were mud. ''Those assholes... If the ''Shard'' didn''t have so many drawbacks, I would have blasted them all away by now!'' The young man created multiple water tendrils to move immediate boulders away from him. At the same time, Shin heightened his senses to observe his surroundings. ''As expected, those idiots are trying to pull me out from the rubble. Ah¡­ Looks like there''s no way of avoiding them for my escape huh?'' Though he had been blasted with a force capable enough to destroy an entire waterfall, Shin was mostly unhurt. In the end, his objective was to leave this place not to face the Black Masks head on. ''I guess the rest should have reached safety by now¡­ It''s probably time to leave.'' Shin picked up the Spear of Aiglos beside him and readied himself for the great escape. It wouldn''t be easy. Three Spirit Spectres and four Spirit Adepts. Each one baptised by the Allfather''s mana to become bloodthirsty villains that would bat an eye when it came to injuring their foes. Fortunately, Shin had a distinct advantage. The element of surprise. They didn''t know that Shin was in a perfect condition and may have let their guards down. Once he sees an opening, Shin would bolt forward with everything that he''d got using his Dance of the Valkyrie, not giving them any chance to react. ''So now¡­ Let''s play the waiting game.'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 377 The Darkness And The Light 4 Crack¡­ Crack¡­ Crack¡­ Crumbles of rock and dust fell from the ruins of the waterfall as the Shudras continued to dig in deeper into the wreckage. At the very forefront of the excavation, a viridian-haired princely young man was leading the charge by craving open the boulders that stood in his way with his elongated sword. Each swing that he executed sliced through the thick blockage and it seemed as if he was practising his calligraphy instead of leading a rescue mission. At his side, four relentless Shudras did their best to keep up with their boss'' pace and continued to pick up the floating pieces of rock that he discharged. Meanwhile, the culprit of the entire fiasco, Vaishya Craig, had used his Storm Ape Spirit to good use by pounding through the rubble with his monster-like hands. "Have you found any signs of him?!" Junius shouted. "N-Not yet, sire!" One Shudra replied. "Fucking useless! Keep looking!!!" Lost in his worry for Shin, Junius had turned to berating and demeaning his subordinates, a deed that he would have rarely done before. And that behaviour didn''t go unnoticed by the Black Masks. Now walking on eggshells when it came to Junius, the Shudras had kept their heads low while they whispered to one another and they weren''t the only ones. Craig and Susan, who had been digging just a few metres away, let out deep sighs as they watched their boss turn into a different person. "That younger brother of his really means a lot to Junius huh?" Craig remarked. Even he felt guilty after watching the handsome young man grimace for that long. "I don''t know all the details, but one of the main reasons why Junius had joined the Black Masks in the first place is to reunite his entire family. Of that family, he was the closest to his younger brother. It''s understandable that he''s worried about that boy''s safety." Susan explained. After a while, her face of concern slowly changed in one of reprimand. "Did you really have to bring down an entire waterfall to knock him out? Couldn''t you have just slammed him into the ground?" "Perhaps. But I was too in the moment." The monkey man admitted his blunder. "It''s that brat''s fault though. If he had just accepted his fate, I wouldn''t have to be that violent." Craig thought back to the seven times where Shin almost claimed his life and shuddered as a chill ran down his spine. Junius may have blamed him, but using that attack was the only way of beating Shin down quickly and efficiently. Yes, Shin may suffer a few abrasions and might be concussed for a few days, but that was the best way for Craig to complete Junius'' orders. "Hey¡­ Don''t you think that Junius is different? Normally, he wouldn''t bat an eye if hundreds were massacred before him. Yet, for the sake of this brat, he suddenly turns into mister goody pants. Also, he let those witnesses go! I swear if they come back with White Knights, wouldn''t we all be screwed?" "What are you suggesting, Craig?" The monkey man checked that Junius was still busy digging a hole in the rubble before leaning into his partner''s ears. With a hushed voice, Craig whispered the diabolical plan that he had just hatched. "We should end that brat before he becomes too much of a thorn in our flesh. If we find him, I''ll land the killing strike. One second is all I need. As long as you stop Junius for one second, I can give that brat a painless death." "Junius will kill you!" Susan gasped and threw her head forward. "You saw how much he cares his little brother! If you kill him, Junius would be sure to send you through a thousand tortures. He''ll cut your flesh a thousand times, castrate you, burn you, pull your fingernails out¡­ Are you sure you want to take that risk?!" "If it means that the old Junius would come back, sure!" Craig didn''t mind being subjected to the vilest of tortures that the Black Masks possessed. "We can''t let this brat affect his decision making. Junius has a perfect record in the syndicate thus far, and if this fucking rascal comes into the equation, I''m afraid that everything would go downhill from here. To protect our faction, killing that brat is the only option!" "You..." Susan pointed the finger at the gorilla before realising that he made a tonne of sense. Junius was acting differently from his ruthless self. He had let Kanari, Isadore, Emma, Natalie and Latina go, even though they were crucial witnesses that could compromise their base''s location. Furthermore, Junius was rescuing someone from the Alliance, who he would generally considered the ''enemy,'' as they spoke. All of these factors weren''t standard Junius behaviour, and Shin had just shown himself back into Junius'' life. Just imagine, if Shin was brought back into the syndicate. Wouldn''t that spell the end of the Awter Faction? "Fine, I''ll hold him back for a second¡­" Susan finally acquiesced. "At least make it painless." "Yes, ma''am!" The excavation for Shin''s injured body continued for almost ten minutes after. The deeper the Black Masks went, the more frustrated Junius had become. Shin wasn''t showing up even though they had tunnelled through seventy percent of the rubble. That attack from Craig wasn''t a light one. If Shin wasn''t treated immediately, there was a high likelihood that the young man would have perished right then and there. ''Shin¡­ You have to be alright!!!'' Junius had just been reunited with his younger brother. Yet, just moments after their reunion, Shin was now buried under thousands of boulders, and his fate was uncertain. ''If you perish¡­ How am I going to explain to Shia and Senior Vellan?! How can I face my father?! How can I...'' Junius continued to plummet through the debris all while letting his thoughts run wild. The speed of his odachi swings became faster and faster in hopes of finding the single source of light within the darkness of the ruined waterfall. All that he wished for was the safety of his one brother that he loved the most. ''Come on¡­ Come on¡­ Huh?'' After slicing open just one more boulder, Junius noticed a strange oddity. Some of the water droplets that were raining down from the top of the wreckage were currently levitating in the air, defying all the rules of gravity. Initially, there were only a few water droplets making its way into the sky. However, as time progressed, two became four. Four became eight. Eight became sixteen. Until eventually¡­ BAMMMMMMMMM!!! A hydro pump of immense water pressure broke free from the debris, knocking Junius and the Shudras that stood next to him, straight into the lake underneath the rubble. The ruined waterfall turned cerulean for that brief moment as a scaly silhouette broke through while every single Black Mask were stunned by the suddenness of the explosion. Dozens of water golems jumped straight at the nearby foes while swirling water spheres were left behind in the trail. Taking advantage of the confusion, a light mist began to form, blocking the figure''s retreat to safety. "DAMN IT!!! EVERYONE CHASE!!!" Junius quickly recovered and barked out his orders. He knew that he had been taken for a ride by Shin''s craftiness. "Susan! Aide me!" There was one person that couldn''t be happier about Shin''s retreat. Coating his four limbs with dark whirlwinds once more, the ripped man barged straight out of the waterfall to give chase to the speeding young man. Each punch he fired tore through the water golems as if they were logs barring an oxen''s charge. The water spheres that Shin had left behind detonated when Craig came close to them, but the monkey man didn''t care. Braving through the pain, Craig continued in his assault on the runaway Shin, who had barely made it out fifty metres. ''Fuck! He''s quick!'' Shin cursed. Using his Dance of the Valkyrie, Shin could match the speed of a fully matured cheetah, and not many were capable of catching up to him. Not to mention, he had placed numerous hindrances that would at the very least slow his pursuers down by a few milliseconds. However, Craig wasn''t any mere hunter. He had the speed of the wind behind his back and possessed superior flying abilities due to his Spirit Spectre nature. There was no way that Shin could outrun him in a race. ''How about this?!'' Spinning his hands around, Shin created dozens of spears and water bombs that would impede anyone who chased him. At the intensity of the chase, Shin didn''t have the luxury to slowly form intricate structures. He could only revert back to the most basic figures from his memory. Alas, that brashness came at a price. VVOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!! Craig extended his fist, creating yet another tornado strike that destroyed any obstacles that came into his path. Now that he didn''t have any restrictions, the monkey man didn''t have any qualms about using his full power for every strike. ''Tsk, this asshole really is annoying!!!'' Shin clicked his tongue and continued his retreat. Vaishya Craig really was the worst matchup for the youth. Though they were somewhat equal when it came to martial arts, the monkey man had the edge with his powers of the storm. Shin''s created water or ice would be blown to shreds by Craig''s tornado punches. Even his trusted mist that was his get-out-of-jail-free card was rendered obsolete by the amount of wind that the Storm Ape could create. Shin managed to traverse a full three kilometres before the Vaishya managed to catch up with his retreating ass. Evidently, Shin''s Dance of the Valkyrie was still inferior to a Spirit Spectre''s flying ability, particularly one that the wind elements smile upon. Shin resigned that he wasn''t able to leave without putting some sort of fight and spun the Spear of Aiglos around. A disgustingly hateful smile crept up the corners of Craig''s face as he watched the young black-haired man slow down. His eyes turned crimson, and face began to flush. All of his muscles swelled up as a tremendous amount of mana spewed out from his purple veins, releasing out a tonne of killing intent. The black metallic chain on his back shone even more brilliantly forcing his immediate surrounding to become a little distorted as a colossal amount of mana flowed from Susan''s body into the monkey man. He wasn''t striking to incapacitate. Craig was going for the kill. Noticing the change, Shin immediately went on the defensive. A transparent bubble with honeycomb sheets enveloped his entire body, and the Spear of Aiglos was sent forward as a buffer. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The deadly clash finally occurred. Shin could only see a speeding fist, one that was quickly the size of an entire watermelon. This tornado fist continues to dig in deeper into the bubble, created a dent that nearly reached the centre of his face. Without even looking at the state of his protection, Shin knew that the fist would soon collide with his body. He turned the Spear of Aiglos and held it in a javelin position, waiting for the perfect time to release the spear with all his might. POP!!! The bubble protecting Shin broke into a million particles, giving the Prince of Water the signal to strike. The tip of the Spear of Aiglos collided violently with Craig''s black whirlwind coated fist, sending shockwaves all around the decrepit valley. The impact sent both parties flying in opposite directions. Shin to the ground while Craig whirled into the air. ''That asshole! He tried to kill me!'' Shin exclaimed. Up till now, the Vaishya had never released a fatal blow, fearing that his strike would end the life of his boss'' beloved younger brother. However, that last jab was far from pulling his punches. If that hit had connected with Shin, his life would have undeniably been forfeit. His options were limited now. Craig could outrun him. Junius could reach him at any moment now. And there wasn''t any help in sight. If Shin wanted to survive, he had to do something drastic. ''I didn''t want to use this¡­ But it looks like there''s no other choice!!!'' Watching as the levitating Vaishya regained his bearings and the wound on his right hand healed, Shin had to go to his trump card. He closed his eyes and opened all of his pores. The surrounding water elements all smiled with joy and danced their way towards the young man. Shin held his left hand over his right and closed it tightly. All of his mana flowed from his core, mind and body, into that small point that he had created. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A sharp, resonant cry, one highly resembling that of a siren''s wail, echoed through the valley, bringing the entire world to a standstill. From his clasped fingers, a bright, divine radiance akin to that of heaven''s gate opening itself, illuminated the whole area, striking fear in any who saw its light. ''What''s that?'' Craig thought to himself. The amount of mana that Shin was releasing far surpassed that of a Spirit Adept and was marginally into the realm of a Spirit Lord. As he descended to the ground, the Vaishya felt his entire skin crawl as a primal instinct awakened within his consciousness. He didn''t want to move closer, but his body was inching forward anyway. It was as if the light had a magnetic effect that would awe any life form. ''So pretty¡­ So powerful...'' Craig felt his head spin, and his world collapsed as the light got brighter and brighter. The Sovereign Koi around Shin spun around in circles, excited that it could finally execute this deadly attack once more. Alas, it was not its day. SLLLLINNGGG!!! Before Shin could continue charging his strike, a gorgeous sword descended from the heavens like a shooting star and impaled itself into the ground before of Shin. A misty wreath of icy cold smog froze the moist soil within seconds and the shock that Shin sustained forced him to release his hold over the object in his hands. ''The Spectral Reaver Blade?! Does that mean?!'' Confirming his hypothesis, a dainty figure flew down like a fairy and landed right before the icy blade. Not ageing even a single day since he last met her, Shin watched on as the young woman pulled out her sword and turned to him with a devastatingly beautiful smile. That smile was one that thousands of young men and women in the Lantis Republic would love to witness, but Shin had seen it thousands of times before, and it meant one thing¡­ The heavenly maiden was absolutely livid. "Sister Bingying..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 378 See You Again 1 "Sister Bingying..." Shin called out the woman''s name. At the same time, two other figures descended alongside the young maiden and surrounded the floored Shin. One of them had summoned out his Heavenly Sturgeon Spirit to threaten the Vaishya from taking one further step while the other, an elderly man that Shin had never met before, simply stood there with an inquisitive glint in his eye. Though, Shin didn''t care about that. He called out the woman that stood before him once more. However, the sky-blue haired maiden didn''t bother to reply. She looked forward at the Vaishya and wholly ignored the young man that was sprawled on the floor. So, Shin decided to try again. "Sister Bingying? Sister Bingying?!" "Oh, you still treat me as a sister huh?" The maiden finally responded to Shin after some pushing. "And here I''d thought that you''ve forgotten how to listen to my advice. Did I not tell you about the repercussions of using the shard?!" "Ah¡­ I..." Shin scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. He had been warned many times about the dangers of using his fourth spiritual ability. Shin had even felt the devastation once before when he had first assimilated with the precious relic to learn that deadly ability. Back then, Shin was instantly sent to the hospital and only with the constant care of Lady Seph, and a plethora of other healers did he somewhat recover. However, even then it took him almost three months to fully regain control over his mana circuits and spiritual energies. And that was when the shard was at its weakest! Now that Shin had progressed rapidly from Rank 30 to Rank 37, his mana pool was much more profound, and the shard had assimilated even more into his Spiritual Body. If Shin had used his fourth ability right now, in the middle of nowhere where the nearest medical facility was thousands of kilometres away, the damage done to his body would be unfathomable. "Sorry about that¡­" Shin apologetically bowed his head and shifted his gaze away. Though Meijing Bingying was tough on his training, he knew that she wanted the best for him. "Sister Bingying, what are you even doing here anyway?! I''d thought that you had returned to the Lantis republic?!" "Wow, you sure are dense. Did you honestly think that the Alliance would allow you to partake on such a dangerous expedition alone? Even if the Himmel Empire would, there''s no way the Lantis Republic or Saint Longyu Tian would allow you to move about unguarded. We have been tailing you and your friends from the start." The Pearl in the East didn''t bother to hide her stalking mission. "Wait! You mean that all those times that we were in danger..." "That''s right. We were watching all of it. We had orders to not show our presence unless your life was in danger, so we didn''t do anything. After all, you had to gain some life and combat experiences on the road." "Wait!!! What about the time that we almost lost our lives taking on that Black Mask base?! Or the time we almost got mauled to shreds by Tier 5 Spirit Beasts?!" "Didn''t you say almost?" Meijing Bingying grimaced and used her middle finger to flick the boy''s forehead. "If you really were to perish, Elder Baobiao here would have used all of his might to rescue you." "Elder Baobiao?" Shin turned to the wizened wrinkled gentleman that was draped in full grey robes. He didn''t look intimidating at all, and there wasn''t even a whiff of spiritual energy being released from the man. However, Shin knew to never judge a book by its cover. Most experts didn''t like to show their powers unless it was absolutely necessary and the man before him was most likely in the same camp. "That''s right. He''s a Spirit Venerate specially dispatched to look after you. Now, do you understand why the Alliance had kept your bodyguard services under wraps?" "I see..." If Shin and his team knew that there was a Spirit Venerate continually monitoring and protecting them at their every move, there was no doubt that they would become infinitely more reckless and their little expedition wouldn''t give them the life experience needed to survive in the pugilist world. Heck, they probably wouldn''t even have cared about finding resources themselves. They would have just resorted to using the Spirit Venerate that was travelling with them all the time. While the Alliance agreed that Shin was a talent that needed to be protected, they didn''t want him to be pampered. The same went with the other geniuses that were in his group. Kanari and Elrin thought that they were stripped clean of their guards and had to survive solely with their own might. That forced them to become more independent with their actions and more cautious with their plannings. Nonetheless, if there really were a risk to their lives, their protectors would rush out from the shadows and pull them straight into safety. "We can discuss those irrelevant topics later. What''s more important now is..." Meijing Bingying swung the sword that was wreathed with frosty mist straight at the Vaishya that floated in the air as a torrent of mana dominated her surroundings. Instantaneously, the entire rocky terrain had been replaced with arctic ice that not even molten lava could melt down, all while ice spears congregated themselves around the maiden. "Is that we deal with that asshole who tried to kill my younger brother!" At that moment, the Pearl in the East was fully unleashed. A blue phantom shaped like a narwhal appeared above her head and split into numerous particles that twinkled through the arena like starlight falling from the heavens. The temperature of the summer valley dipped drastically as Meijing Bingying''s domain stretched far and wide, covering everything it touched with ice and hail. The Spectral Reaver sword glimmered like a misty gem, bringing forth even more frost to the already glacial land. Jumping straight into combat, Bingying swung the sword horizontally at Vaishya Craig at a speed that was no way inferior to his own. Still stunned by the sudden appearance of the three Lantis Republic bodyguards, the monkey man was slow to react and could only harden his skin with mana and hope for the best. CRRRKKKTKTTTTTT!!! Unfortunately, today wasn''t his day. The Spectral Reaver Blade effortlessly tore through the flesh of the gigantic gorilla. Crimson blood that flowed out spontaneously bloomed into gorgeous red crystals, denying any sort of immediate treatment that Vaishya Susan could provide. Tortured by the agony, Craig couldn''t notice that the Spectral Reaver Blade had made its round and was now on its way back to behead the shaken up man. And when he did see the beautiful sword edge reaching his forehead, it was a tad too late. CLLLANNKKK!!! "Hoho¡­ So you finally decide to make your move, huh? Blade of Death?" Before Bingying could execute her foe, a secondary odachi appeared out of nowhere and blocked the Spectral Reaver blade. At the end of its hilt, a viridian-haired young man, who had his face dropped so that no one could observe his expression, held firm against the Pearl in the East''s assault. The spiritual properties of the Spectral Reaver Blade were incapable of freezing the well-built sword that possessed its own form of mana protection, and the two Legendary-Grade Spiritual Armaments were evenly matched. "Who the hell are you and why are you interfering with my family''s business?!" An exasperated cry, one so low that it could have been mistaken as a baby''s wail, echoed itself through the brains of those present. "Your family? Don''t make me laugh!" Bingying pushed the young man away with one angry swing, sending ice particles straight at the Black Mask. However, the gem on Junius'' odachi released an energy pulse that blocked all forces that dared to come near to him and his side escaped mostly unscathed. "You killed people that you claim were your family! Did you honestly think that we''ll hand Shin straight into your hands?!" "What do you know?! You''re just a fucking outsider!" "Hmph! An outsider? Let me tell you this! I''m more blood related to Shin than you could ever dream of being! You and your father are just a strays that the Awter Clan picked up! Now you even wag your tail to another master! Did you honestly think that we''ll just let Shin run to your hands?" Meijing Bingying continued her assault on Junius, but all her blows and words were being parried at breakneck speeds. Each time the Pearl in the East swung her sword, Junius met it with an equal amount of force. Each stab, slash, hack or swing, were effortlessly pushed to a side and Bingying couldn''t find a way through to Junius'' flesh. She felt as if she was fighting against an ever flowing river. No matter how many times she struck, there wouldn''t be any disruption in the water body. ''His swordplay is better than mine?!'' The Pearl in the East became slightly agitated as she admitted her inferiority. When it came to sword arts, Meijing Bingying felt that her skills were capable of threatening some disciples of the undisputable hegemon of all swordplay, the Dalgeom Sect. However, she was currently facing troubles even dealing with one mere Vaishya. After dozens of exchanges, it became increasingly evident that Bingying''s skills weren''t capable of leaving a single dent of Junius'' defences. Hopping away to safety, the young maiden turned to her own spiritual abilities and summoned out a torrent of ice particles in hopes of freezing the young man. However, the gem of Junius'' odachi shone once more and created a force field that blocked all of Bingying''s ice particles. "What an amazing weapon you have¡­ I take it that''s the Blade of Death." "Don''t be foolish..." Junius scoffed at the maiden before pointing his odachi straight at her once more. "If I showed you the Blade of Death, you''ll be dead by now." "How scary..." Meijing Bingying rolled her eyes. "As much as I would like to sample that threat. I can''t afford to play with you much longer. You see, there''s a bounty on your head and my little brother here would love to see you being brought to justice. So the fun and games are over. Elder Baobiao! Please restrain him!!!" "Sure thing." At that moment, a dense spiritual pressure mounted on all of the Black Masks'' bodies as they were forced straight onto the floor. The Shudras had all their limbs sprawled out on all fours while the Vaishyas were on their knees, desperate to keep their heads afloat. The unsuspecting old man, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally made his move. Each one of the Black Masks felt as if a thousand boulders had been mounted onto their bodies, cracking each bone and straining every muscle that they had. They were at the end of their ropes. A Spirit Venerate had them locked down, and there was no one else present to assist them in their escape. Dark, ethereal matter dropped from their face masks, blanketing the valley floor with black smoke as if signalling their final stand against the monolith force that stood in their way. "Surrender, and no one will die!" Elder Baobiao said those cliched words. Honestly, if it were up to him, he would have executed all of the Black Masks present to honour some of their dead victims. Now that he was part of the Alliance, the Spirit Venerate had to abide by the rules laid down by the organisation. Unconsciously, the Spirit Venerate had somewhat lessened the pressure, allowing that one Vaishya to creep up to his feet. Bit by bit, Junius took significant strides to stand up against the elderly man who was capable of wrecking his entire cultivation with a flick of his wrist. All of his veins were showing, and his calm and collected face was overwritten with an agonised one. "Let¡­ me¡­ tell¡­ you¡­ this..." Junius enunciated each word with difficulty, pushing through the immense pressure that the Spirit Venerate had mounted on his flesh. "The Black Masks¡­ NEVER SURRENDERS!!!" BZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! An electric flash grazed through the skies, bringing forth the wrath of the thunder gods with it. Heavy winds torrented through the horizons, creating a deadly hurricane that devastated the valley. The tempest uprooted everything that remained in the valley, be it trees, boulders or even the canyon itself. Endless amounts of rainwater splashed down from the heavens blurring all line of sight for the Alliance members, and the torrential wind began to carry all the Black Masks away from the dangerous Spirit Venerate. "WAIT!!! JUNIUS!!!" Shin hollered out. He was this close to nabbing the youth and achieving his first objective. Yet, the young man was currently being whisked away at rapid speeds. "Stay inside my barrier!!!" Elder Baobiao grabbed Shin by the nape of his neck and threw him back into the turtle energy shell that he had created. Against winds like this, a Spirit Adept such as Shin had no chance of holding his ground and was sure to be swept updraft. Hopelessly watching as Junius and his cronies were whisked away to safety, Shin saw the lips of Junius move, wording out every feeling that he had for the youth. ''I''ll find you...'' And just like that, Junius and his subordinates disappeared into the horizon, leaving Shin and the members from the Lantis Republic clueless on what had just transpired. Elder Baobiao slowly allowed his barrier to fade away and pivoted his head around. Earlier, the entire group were standing in a dry and decrepit valley, filled with endless amounts of rock and moss. However, after the deadly storm, all that remained were the dust of the gravel, and the wild valley had turned into a vast plateau. "To create such a phenomenon¡­ They must be at least assisted by a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate or a Tier 9 Spirit Beast." Elder Baobiao deduced. "No matter. We have already sounded the horn. The White Knights are on their way." Though she was mildly miffed that she wasn''t able to arrest Junius, Meijing Bingying still kept her hopes high. "We can encircle the Crypts of the First Men before dusk. They have nowhere to hide¡­ Don''t worry Shin, we''ll catch him and make him pay for his sins." "Thank you..." Though he answered, Shin was still building sandcastles in the air. His mind placed the words of the fleeing Vaishya on repeat. Their last meeting was over six years ago, but Shin still remembered that face as if it were yesterday. And most importantly¡­ Shin remembered the reason why he so religiously pursued Junius up till the point of breaking his flesh in training and undergoing years of endless torture to strengthen himself. ''Junius¡­ I''ll make sure you pay for killing Ariel!!!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 379 See You Again 2 Just moments after the hurricane swept through the Estrella Region and devastated all flora and fauna that thrived within its borders, hundreds of experts from the Alliance rode in on their Pegasus and Gryphons, bringing forth a line of divine light and hope to the decrepit land. For Meijing Bingying and Elder Baobiao, calling for help from the Alliance was as easy as blowing a whistle. In less than six hours, the entire region had been surrounded by hordes of Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings, with a handful of Spirit Emperors leading the charge. Once the Alliance had gotten wind that Junius, as well as a possible Tier 9 Spirit Beast,was residing inside of the Crypts of the First Men, they had dispatched all of their fastest riders to surround the area to prevent the Black Masks from escaping to safety. Simultaneously, they had ordered a full-on march of a few thousand troops to encircle the Estrella Region with four groups of White Knights overseeing the whole operation. For the Alliance, Shin''s discovery was potentially the most significant blow to the Black Masks since the war against them had begun. If they could nab one of the executives in the syndicate that had planned the massacre in the Land of Dreams, the Alliance would gain their first real win in this war. Therefore, they didn''t want to mess it up. Pouring all sorts of resources to keep their caged rat trapped, by the end of the day, there was already an encampment set up just outside of the Ancient Graveyard, with the entire Estrella Region cordoned off from the public. The cries of the tamed Spirit Beasts thundered through the crudely made tents as the luminescence of the full moon shone down on the encampment. Shin and his few Lantis Republic mates were reporting straight to the commander about their encounter with Junius and had recounted the might of the hurricane which helped them to escape. "Elder Baobiao¡­ Even you couldn''t stop them from running?" Seated at the opposite end of the tea table, a sombre tone called out to the elderly man. Donned in a resplendent golden armour, the matured woman who seemed to be at the peak of her prime cautiously questioned the Spirit Venerate. "I could have, but if I did, these youngsters here would have been blown away as well." Elder Baobiao lazily replied. "My job here is a guard not to arrest Black Masks. When it came down to it, I chose the safety of these kids over taking hold of those criminals. I hope that''s not an issue." "How could I blame you?" The woman shook her head while looking at the two younglings seated to his left and right. One was considered to be the most peerless female cultivator in the Lantis Republic and was already an accomplished name in the cultivation world. The other was perhaps the most prodigal cultivator in the world, so much so that two of the world''s superpowers nearly waged war against one another for his signature. If she were in his shoes, the White Knight would have unquestionably prioritised their safety over nabbing a few Black Masks. "These are just procedures. After a few more questions, you''ll be free to go." The woman tapped on the desk twice before crossing out some of the irrelevant queries that would only serve to waste time. After turning the pages once or twice, the lady commander looked at the black-haired young man, deciding to conclude their meeting with a few short queries. "Shin Iofiel. Your mission for scouting the Estrella Region has proven to be a success. You have eliminated most of the places that we never knew existed and had circled down the potential Black Mask retreat routes. The headquarters would be pleased." "I can''t take all the credit. I had an amazing team and had assistance from a fantastic guide." Shin shook his head and listed the names of his friends and the young thirteen-year-old that had shown him the way. "So I''ve heard." The White Knight nodded her head. "Nonetheless, your contributions would be recorded accordingly, and the Alliance would reward you handsomely. If we really catch Junius and whatever else the Black Masks are hiding, we would take one step closer to ending this long-drawn war." Hearing that he would be rewarded didn''t really put a smile on Shin''s face. Instead, his eyes dropped, and his lips began to twitch, prompting the commander to examine the young man once more. "Is there something wrong?" "May I be forefront?" "Sure, go ahead." "I don''t want to be rewarded handsomely. All I want is to be there when the Alliance arrests Junius once and for all." Shin declared, his posture as straight as can be. Shin had been chasing after Junius for the better part of six years. He had trained tirelessly to improve himself so that he could personally nab his fallen brother and bring him to justice. Now that Junius had been cornered, there was no way that Shin would squander this chance. "Please! I can work as a porter or a cleaner. Just let me be there when Junius is finally brought to justice!!!" "..." The White Knight furrowed her brows and seriously considered letting the boy join their final assault. No one knew how fortified the Crypts of the First Men were. Though they had raided dozens of Black Masks bases, they had never infiltrated one where a leading executive stayed. Not to mention, there was still the mysterious force that created the hurricane just moments prior. To call the mission risky was an understatement and having young geniuses such as Shin partake in such an endeavour could be catastrophic. However, as someone who had lost some of her loved ones in the war against the Black Masks, the White Knight Commander could understand a little of Shin''s frustrations. "We can''t let you join the main force¡­ But I''ll tell you what. When the fighting begins, I''m sure that the Black Masks would send thousands of Spirit Beasts to overwhelm our forces. You can join the backlines to help us thin out the numbers. Once it''s safe, I''ll give you a few minutes to talk to the Blade of Death before he gets moved to Alliance headquarters." "Deal!!!" Shin immediately agreed. He feared that the Alliance would instantly send him home now that his mission of scouting the area was over. Fortunately, the White Knight Commander was emphatic to his drive and gave him a minor role. At long last, his six years of training, pouring out blood, sweat and tears, could come to a conclusion with Junius'' capture. The golden-armoured lady smiled and folded the papers before her. "That''s all for now. Once reinforcements arrive, we will begin out assault on the Crypts of the First Men. All of you should take a well-deserved rest." "Thank you, ma''am!!!" Shin saluted the commander while Meijing Bingying and Elder Baobiao snickered. Leaving the tent with the red-faced young man who had seemed to have finished a marathon, the sky-blue haired maiden turned around and pulled on the youth''s ear. "Hoho, you sure have some guts. Getting into a war when we''re sent specifically to protect you." Meijing Bingying jokingly chided the young man. "I didn''t mean to! I just..." "Haha! Ying''er. You know that Shin doesn''t mean it that way." Xunyu Huanyuan grabbed the girl''s hand and assisted Shin. "He''s just excited that he''ll get to catch Junius." "Hah, I know that Huanyuan! Can''t you just let me tease this fool for a few seconds?" Bingying chuckled and slapped her partner''s hand away. Dusting off her blouse, the young maiden lightly tapped the side of the Shin. "This is your last mission with the Alliance. After which, you''ll be returning to Imperius Academy for your final year with the Himmel Empire. What are your plans?" "My plans?" "Yeap. There''s only a year left in the contract before you''ll formally join the Lantis Republic. Honestly, if it were up to me, I''ll carry you straight to the archipelago right now. You''ve learnt everything that you possibly could in the Himmel Empire. Your relationships within High Society is also solid. There''s almost nothing left in the Empire for you to accomplish. If you return there, you''ll only be wasting that final year. If you wish for it, I could pull some strings to have you on a trip east tomorrow!" "Sister Bingying, are you telling me to cut short my obligations with the Empire?" "Not telling, advising." The Pearl in the East tapped the forehead of the youth. "Ultimately, you''re the one that''s in charge of your destiny. I can''t force you to do anything against your will. However, I would like you to think long and hard about your current situation. You''re the Prince of Water! There''s so much more for you to accomplish in the Lantis Republic!" "Sister Bingying¡­ I..." "Hush." The beautiful maiden placed her delicate index finger on Shin''s lips, barring him from speaking another word. "Before you give me an answer, I want you to ask yourself these few questions. What ties you down to the Himmel Empire? Why are you reluctant to leave? Wouldn''t the Lantis Republic be a better choice for you? Ask yourself those questions, and at the end of the mission, we can talk. For now..." Meijing Bingying looked up with an impish smile, prompting Shin to follow her gaze all the same. Behind them, Kanari, Isadore and the rest of the group had been gathered in one spot. Their faces were universally the same. All of them wore worried expressions as they eyed down the black-haired youth that had remained behind to stall the Black Masks. Sensing that it was her cue to leave, Bingying moved her index finger from Shin''s lips and flicked him on his nose. "I''ll return you to your friends." "Thanks..." Shin scratched the back of his head and turned to the group. Emma had her cheeks inflated like a chipmunk, and her eyes had been reddened like a tomato. It was evident that the girl had been crying her heart out just moments ago. And it wasn''t just the saintly-like girl that was in the worst of state. Elrin, Ella and Shizen all hid sniffles while Isadore had furrowed brows and a frustrated grimace. Only Kanari''s face was hidden as her head was bolted down and her hair covered her expression. For the first time, Shin didn''t know what to say to his friends. He had just placed them through a wealth of hurt and worry. It would be strange for him to just act as if nothing had happened. Taking shaky steps towards his friends, Shin forced down a mouthful of saliva, his mind browsing through infinite possible scenarios to open the conversation. Alas, his preparations would all turn out to be absolutely useless. Not caring about the boy''s inner turmoil, Kanari charged forward and struck Shin with her entire body. It wasn''t a deadly strike that would damage Shin in any measure of the word, and neither was it a soft blow that he could simply brush off. Kanari had run straight into the young man''s embrace, enveloping her entire body with his. With their distance being effectively zero, Shin could smell the soft fragrance of the ethereal beauty. Though they had been out the entire day and there wasn''t any opportunity for the maiden to take a shower, she still smelt of roses and daisies which made Shin question his own scent. After a brief second, Shin could feel something warm dripping in on his chest through his shirt. It was hard not to hear the soft hiccups when the two were this close together. Kanari''s hands crept up to Shin''s neck and tugged on it softly, pushing the young man''s head closer towards her hidden mouth. At that moment, a soft voice, or perhaps a faint plea, echoed itself into his left ear: "Never¡­ do that again." "I¡­ promise." There was nothing that Shin could have done at this point. Placing his right hand over her back head and left on her silky soft back, Shin allowed Kanari to seek comfort in his embrace all while the rest of the team watched on, grinning from ear to ear throughout. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 380 See You Again 3 By the way, thanks to my amazing Patrons, I have another image! This time, for Kanari! Visit the link below to see her! Also, if you want to have early access to artwork and SS, do consider joining my *******! https://linodofictions.com/artwork/ ??? After the tearful reunion that Shin and Kanari shared, the rest of the members took turns to grill the youth on his experience with the Black Masks. Specifically about his interactions with the treacherous Junius. Isadore and Emma, who were present when the brothers were reunited, had the most questions of them all. When they separated, did Junius attempt to take Shin''s life? Did Junius reveal any information about the Black Masks or the Allfather? Why was there an immense hurricane that decimated the land before they could return to assist Shin in his escape? How did Meijing Bingying appear in this desolate wilderness, where no one could ever hope to find without a guide? One by one, Shin answered all of their questions faithfully. During their adventures, the team had learnt to be open and truthful with one another. One thing that made their teamwork gel so well was their willingness to be candid with their communications and that trait was the most evident when it came to Shin. Being their leader as well as the glue that sticks them all together, Shin shared almost everything that he knew or felt with the group and answered all of their questions, no matter how uncomfortable it made him feel. Shin was the nucleus of the cell. If the team didn''t trust him, the entire structure would begin to crumble to pieces. Therefore, it didn''t bother Shin that he had to take almost an hour off his resting time to untangle all of the queries that the team had. At times, the group would gasp at major revelations such as the fact that Meijing Bingying had been tailing them for their entire mission. Other times, they would turn as pale as a sheet as Shin recounted his close shaves with death. However, most times, they were infuriated at traitor that worked for the dark side and at their ineptness to protect Shin when it mattered the most. Isadore especially. He had promised that he would return to rescue Shin, but in the end, when the hurricane came and decimated the valley, Isadore could only watch in horror and pray for the best for his bosom friend. "As much as I dislike the fact that there had been a Spirit Venerate from the Lantis Republic tailing us all this while, we have to thank our lucky stars that they were there." Isadore stroked his chin and replied lethargically. "If you had used your fourth spiritual ability out here, there''s no doubt that you''ll permanently damage your mana circuits. Meijing Bingying did well to stop you before you could use it." "That''s right¡­ Hah, it really is a shame." Shin sighed. "I spent all those resources to assimilate the shard into my Spiritual Body, and I find out that I can''t use it unless I''m in the Spirit Spectre realm. If I had full control over that ability, blasting away, that stupid monkey Vaishya would be a piece of cake!" "That''s just a testament to how powerful the shard really is." Isadore was there when Shin had first conceptualised of learning the ability and was even present when he promoted into the Spirit Adept realm and bore witness to the devastation it had caused. That wasn''t a spiritual ability that belonged in Shin''s mortal body. Yes, it possessed a ridiculous damage output, but the cost was way too severe for a Spirit Adept to handle. "Anyway, I''m glad that you''re fine. However, I hope there won''t be a next time." "I know... I know..." Shin looked down at Kanari, who hadn''t left his side for a single second and let out a huge sigh. After her tearful embrace, the young maiden simply stood by, as silent as a picture. She didn''t show any sign of emotion after her face was wiped clean by Emma''s handkerchief. It was as if she had been turned into a statue that only moved when Shin looked at her. ''Those eyes of hers¡­ She''s...'' Shin had only seen that look once before. It was an appearance that had brought him endless amounts of joy in the past, and it was also the one that haunted his dreams at night. Kanari''s eyes never left Shin''s. They were interlocked for a long time before the fair maiden finally turned face slightly to the left. Though he wasn''t a mind reader, based on her rapid change of expressions, Shin could tell that Kanari was going through a storm of inner turmoil. However, that unrest didn''t last for long. Taking two deep breaths, the girl finally made up her mind and turned back to Shin with a determined look on her face. "Shin. May I borrow a few minutes of your time?" "A-Ah¡­ Sure..." "Good. I''ll meet you at the south wing of the camp at midnight." Saying her piece, the ethereal beauty left under the moonlight and headed straight back to her tent. Watching the whole debacle unfold, Elrin chuckled for a few seconds before skipping merrily away, interlocking her arms with her dear friend''s. What they said to one another was a mystery to all, but based on the imp''s dastardly laugh and Kanari''s flushed face, it wasn''t that hard to deduce what had happened. "Shin, since you''re okay, I''ll wait for you in my tent! Tell me the good news later!" The hobbit-like Shizen took this tumultuous time to make his escape, where he would be silenced by the comfy bed that the Alliance had placed out for them. "W-We should leave too! I''m sure Young Hero Shin needs his rest!" Natalie exclaimed. The two Moon Mercenaries were only carry-ons that served as guides for the seven young heroes. It wasn''t appropriate for them to remain hanging around when the youths were dealing with their own relationship troubles. "Brother Shin, I''m glad that you''re fine! We''ll talk again tomorrow!" Latina, who was still wholly innocent about relationship affairs, waved a happy goodbye to her benefactor while being dragged away by her mentor. That leaves behind Isadore, Emma and Ella to watch over Shin as he dropped his hands like a defeated boxer. The twins walked over to their brother and sat him down on a stray haystack. With one beautiful maiden on both his sides and his flowery appearance, it looked as if Shin was a playboy that toyed with the hearts of innocent young girls. Well, in this situation, that wasn''t that far from the case¡­ "Shin, you know that Kanari is..." Isadore shuffled his eyes back and forth before cautiously proceeding with his warning. "I know¡­ I''m not blind." The black-haired young man brought both his hands up to his temples and rubbed them. Over the past few months, Kanari''s behaviour became increasingly¡­ Different. She would tend to spend more time training with Shin. The young maiden had even attempted to learn how to bake cookies with Latina to please the boy''s taste buds. Imagine that. A future Duchess entering the kitchen for the first time. And it was all for the sake of one man. "You know¡­ Kanari is not messing around." Ella leaned in and continued. "She''s not pushed by anyone to do this. The Himmel Empire and her mom has given her full autonomy to determine who she would want to partner with. Also, she has been deliberating about this for years now. It''s not some sort of puppy love that would fade away." "Shin, I know that you still have Sister Ariel in your mind. But, I don''t want you to remain single for the rest of your life." Emma gently grabbed Shin''s rested hand and intertwined her fingers with his. "All of us. Ryner, Lia, Ella, Elyse, Fionn, Max, Jacob and I. We''re eternally grateful for what you''ve done for us. However, we''re now independent and can take care of ourselves. All we wish for is for you to be happy." ''If only it were that simple...'' Shin could tell that his friends meant well. He really could. Nonetheless, the matters of the heart weren''t that easily resolved. Shin liked Kanari. She was sweet, loyal and always there for the youth when he needed it most. Yet, there was this boulder weighing down on him that he could never absolve. Perhaps there was only one way for him to release himself from the chains that bound him, but it would take a miracle to pull that off. "Shin¡­ I''ve known Kanari the longest among all of you, and I can tell you this." Isadore knelt down before the haystack and stared Shin right in his eyes. "She has never been into a guy before. Not like this. At her lofty position, men would climb mountains just to be in her presence. Her suitors include a list of princes, nobles, actors, scions of wealthy families. Yet, there was not one person that could impress her. So Shin¡­ Though I can''t force you to be with her, at the very least, please consider it. I don''t want her heart to break." "I¡­ understand." Shin nodded and stood up from his position. There was still an hour or two till midnight. He still had ample time to consider his options. "Don''t worry, Isadore. No matter what happens, I promise I won''t hurt her." "That''s good..." The elf-like suave man tapped Shin''s chest with his fist and gave out a genuinely happy smile. "So, I''ll wait for the good news in our tent." "Don''t count on it." Shin chuckled. Taking off into the darkness, the young man kicked on numerous pebbles while grasping the amethyst pendant that had become his signature item. If the owner of his necklace were still alive, the choice would have been as clear as day. Unfortunately, the girl has been absent from his life for almost six years now. The clear choice had become increasingly muddled. ''Ariel¡­ What would you have done?'' ??? Kori Federation. The Estrella Region. The White Knights Encampment. Midnight. Stuck in under the blanket of stars and a ravishing full moon that bore more beauty than the rest of the milky droplets in the sky combined, the temporary campsite that the Alliance had put up still remained as busy as ever. Though it was already deep into the night, hundreds of torches dominated the tents warming up the cold and breezy night. Well, not that any of the soldiers present needed any additional heat. Their excitement for finally laying siege on the Black Masks was magnetic as more and more warriors gathered around the campfire to speak of the deeds they would do if they got their hands around the necks of those murderers. Many were still too caught up in their anticipation and could hardly sleep a wink, and that wasn''t limited to the foot soldiers. Even the high commanders couldn''t wait till daybreak arrived. And then, there was Shin. Though he was the one that led the Alliance to this location, the dominant thing in his mind wasn''t tomorrow''s expedition, and neither was it how he would interrogate Junius, the brother who betrayed him. The one thing on his mind was the anticipation for meeting the one maiden that called him here. ''She''s late?'' Shin checked his pocket watch. It was fifteen minutes past midnight, and the young maiden was still a no show. Though he didn''t mind the wait, it was uncharacteristic for Kanari to miss an appointment that she made. Especially by a fifteen-minute margin. ''Did something happen?'' The youth couldn''t help but wonder. Just as he was about to make a swift turn back into his own canvas, Shin could hear soft, delicate footsteps from a distance. Turning around, Shin immediately froze in his place. His eyes dilated, and his throat began to dry. Even in this chilly night, Shin''s back instantly got drenched with heavy sweat and beads of nervous fluid flowed down from the top of his head. The culprit for his extreme change of physique? A stunning maiden wrapped up in a tight white kimono with floral imprints. Her originally white face had been further dusted with rouge with a hint of pink to perk up her gorgeously-placed cheekbones. The maiden had even gone one step further to tie up her hair into a traditional bun to showcase her small face and delicious-looking neck. As she approached him, a pungent aroma of scented roses and morning dew enveloped all of Shin''s senses, bringing all his thoughts to an abrupt halt. Satisfied by the boy''s reaction, Kanari brushed a strand of hair over her ear and stopped just a few centimetres away from him. "Sorry, did you wait long?" Kanari apologetically asked. "N-No¡­ It''s fine..." Shin was so caught up in the girl''s appearance that he had forgotten that she was late. "Good¡­ Come, there''s a place I want you to see." Not willing to waste any more time, the maiden grabbed hold of Shin''s wrist and led him straight down the path that she had planned. Kanari used the two hours she had to push a complete makeover. First, she washed off her sweat and placed on some strong perfume. With the help of Elrin and the twins, Kanari was able to put on the most gorgeous piece of clothing that she could find. At the same time, the girls helped her to put on her make-up to enhance her beauty such that no man could resist her charms. As the saying goes, love is war. To win a battle, one had to have the proper armour and weapons. With her trusted ''artillery'' on her side, the chances of Kanari succeeding would be significantly amplified. It didn''t take the pair five minutes for Kanari to reach her destination. An enormous plateau, void of any forestry or rocks. Just an exquisite night sky with billions of stars and planets as their witness. Watching as Kanari gaze up into the heavens, Shin couldn''t help but mutter: "Beautiful..." Even Shin was unsure of what he was referring to. The starry skies were a scene to behold but adding on the enchantress of a woman that Kanari was, Shin just felt like he had borne witness to the most picturesque moment in human history. "Shin¡­" With her hands behind her back and her face still pointed up high, Kanari addressed the only person with her on this beautiful night. "Yes?" "We have known one another for almost five years now, right?" "Yeah." "I remember the first time we''ve met. I thought that you were part of Spion and you thought that I was there to harm you." "Yeah." "Remember how we reconciled after your fight with Danroy? At Elrin''s place? That was a memorable night." "Yeah..." Shin could only mindlessly reply as he heard the girl go on and on about their interactions. They were, no doubt, highs and lows in their relationship, but they had always remained to be the best of friends. Yet, after tonight, their relationship could only go one of two ways. They would never have this cordial talk like regular friends ever again. After a few minutes, Kanari finally mustered up the courage and turned to the young man that was standing right behind her. She knew that this step she was going to take would have a high likelihood of failure, but Kanari couldn''t lie to herself anymore. "Shin¡­ I think you know why I have called you here. Why I have dressed up for the sake of this occasion." "Kanari..." "Shin! I like you!" The young maiden screamed out with all of her heart. "I don''t want to be friends anymore! I don''t want to keep standing by your side and never being able to touch you the way I want! I hate watching you feel so sad! I want to be there with you in happy times and in sadness! I want to be there when you laugh, mourn and cry! I don''t want to be just a friend anymore!!!" Kanari poured out everything that she had bottled up. She knew Shin''s history. The reason why he fought so hard, the reason why he never gave up chasing Junius. Wasn''t it just for one person? "I know I could never hope to replace her! But please!!! I just want to be with you..." The incident where Shin nearly lost his life had opened her eyes. Kanari didn''t want to waste any more time being friends. Their time on this earth was limited. Just as how Shin lost Ariel before he could confess, Kanari didn''t know if the same would happen to her. "Kanari¡­ I..." Shin swallowed his saliva and stared straight at the ethereal beauty. He had come up with hundreds of strategies before this meeting, but they all faded to dust as he watched the girl he once called his friend burst out in emotion. Thus, he could only speak the first thing that came to mind. "I''m¡­ sorry¡­ I can''t give you an answer right now." The boy bowed down sorrowfully. He knew how much courage Kanari took to come up here and confess. Yet, he was taking the cowardly way out. "W-Why? Why is that?" "I¡­ like you too." Shin couldn''t deny that the way he felt for Kanari wasn''t that of normal friends anymore. It was reminiscent of the early stages of his relationship with Ariel, just that there were a lot fewer bruises and injuries. "I like the way you smile at me. I like it when we accidentally touch our fingers. I like how hard you work at your social skills even though you''re terrible at it." "So why? Why can''t you give me an answer?" "BECAUSE I LOVE ARIEL MORE!!!" Shin dropped his head and screamed out. "Six years have passed. Six years, and I still get dreams about going on a date with her. I still remember the first time our lips touched. I still pray each and every day that I get to touch her adorable freckles once more, and¡­ I still remember the day that she perished." The boy instantly looked a hundred times more defeated than he did facing the Black Masks. Shin tightened his face to prevent the tears from flowing, but his eyes couldn''t help it. Taking some time to wipe his face, Shin continued to look Kanari in the eye. "Is it worth it?" Kanari moved forward and grabbed Shin by his head. Kanari was a head shorter than Shin, so the posture that they were in was slightly uncomfortable, but the Adonis didn''t care. Pulling him into her embrace, Kanari whispered her thoughts. "To suffer so much? To wallow in grief and heartache?" Shin took some time to regain himself and calmed himself down with deep breaths. Grasping Kanari by her shoulders, Shin pushed himself up and watched the tearful eyes of the beauty. ''They''re both so red...'' Shin thought. Perhaps it was their similar points that attracted Shin to Kanari. Nonetheless, that wasn''t the issue. Touching on Kanari''s supple skin, Shin smacked his lips and exhaled slowly. Was it worth to suffer that much? Shin didn''t know. However, he did know this... "I''ll know when I see her again." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 381 A New Dawn, A New Day 1 "See her again? You''re still hanging on to the hope that Yggdrasil exists?" The pair sat down under the starry patch of sky with Kanari''s hand firmly on top of Shin''s. She knew that the youth was at his most vulnerable state and needed comfort to stay afloat. Kanari wished that she could do more for her mourning loved one, but ultimately, the only thing that she could do was to be there for him. "Yeah..." Shin dropped his head and closed his eyes. Everyone on earth knew that Yggdrasil was a myth that has never been proven. A central well in the Immortal Realm that housed all of the dead souls of all living things? If one looked at the matter objectively, they would be able to point out the fallacies of that claim. Not to mention, there hasn''t been any Spirit Immortals that returned from the Immortal Realm to help validate the existence of Yggdrasil, and the tale had only been passed down through the ages by desperate men and women that had lost their loved ones. Shin heard the myth of Yggdrasil from Ariel, who had lost her parents in the war while Ariel heard it from the First Elder, who wanted to give her a little hope. Just like that the tale of Yggdrasil had been passed down from generations long past, without any evidence to prove it exists. Nonetheless, it was the hope that kept Shin pushing on. "Kanari¡­ I''ll be honest with you." Shin moved his fingers to intertwine Kanari''s with his. "I don''t know if Yggdrasil exists. I don''t know what would happen when I reach the Immortal Realm either. What happens after death¡­ What if I hustle all my life¡­ Go through years of blood, sweat and tears¡­ And when I finally enter the Immortal Realm, only to find out that Yggdrasil doesn''t exist. Only to find out that I can never feel the touch of Ariel anymore¡­ I''m terrified." Right now, Shin wasn''t the indomitable Prince of Water that struck fear in any of his opponents'' hearts. Right now, Shin was just a boy who had lost love and was afraid of never finding it again. His heart rate skyrocketed, and chills started to form all over his body. Shin didn''t feel secure. For the better part of his teenage years, Shin firmly held on to the belief that Yggdrasil exists and once he became a Spirit Immortal, he would get to see her gorgeous freckled smile once more. However, deep in the recesses of his mind, there was a prickling thought that Shin had buried down unconsciously. ''What if Yggdrasil was that? Just a legend?'' It was a petrifying thought, one that haunted his nightmares and terrorised every fibre of his being. Shin wanted to see Ariel again. Not just because he loved her, but he wanted closure as well. Due to how abruptly Ariel had passed, Shin had never confessed his love for her. All these years, he had been thinking about what could have been if he wasn''t so wishy-washy in the past and had sealed the deal with a confession. How would their relationship progress? If Ariel was alive today, could they have already been engaged or better still, married? "They say that time is the best healer, but I still remember her touch like it was yesterday. Every time I make a decision, I feel that she''s right here next to me, watching my every move." Shin grabbed hold of his amethyst necklace and hung it up high in the air as he leaned down on the rocky ground. "So yes¡­ I have to believe that there''s an afterlife. I have to believe that Yggdrasil exists. That''s the only way that I can remain sane." "..." Kanari watched as Shin continued to pour out his feelings. Her eyebrows were raised high while she hugged her knees deep into her chest. As it stood now, there was no way that Kanari would be capable of digging into Shin''s heart and claim his number one position. That title was still firmly held by Ariel, and it seemed to be immovable. Being someone that was attracted to Shin, Kanari had been observing the youth from the sidelines for many years now. She had often seen Shin consult that gorgeously flawed pendant multiple times. Kanari knew how much Shin treasured the amethyst necklace and each time she saw him pour that much love, love that she knew she wouldn''t get, the maiden couldn''t help but feel jealous. "I''m sorry, Kanari. I do need to get my act together. I know that it''s a selfish thing to ask you to wait for me to get my emotions in order, but I do need time." "You''re right¡­ Shin, you are selfish." Kanari agreed with Shin for the first time. Knowing that he had let her down, Shin sat up and removed his hand away from Kanari''s with guilt. As he was, Shin didn''t deserve the beauty''s affection. However, before he could continue on with his speech, Shin felt his entire weight being pushed down by something massive. Falling onto the floor once more, the young man felt his wrists being pinned down and his four limbs could barely move. Shin looked up and saw an ethereally breathtaking face, just inches away from the bridge of his nose. At this distance, he could see the deep red pupils of Kanari''s that shone brighter than any blood rubies in this world. "W-W-What are you doing?" Shin tripped on his words as he held back his shock. Kanari was currently mounting him like a horse, and their faces were so close that just the slightest of movements would force their lips to touch. "Since you''re selfish, I''m gonna be selfish too. I''m not going to wait for an answer. I can''t afford to. You said that you liked me and that''s enough." Kanari smiled. "I may not be your number one. Not now, not ever. But you are my number one, and I''m not letting you go. You can chase Yggdrasil all you want in the Immortal Realm. However, in the mortal realm, I''m going to do whatever it takes to make you look in my direction." Without waiting for an answer, Kanari released the constraint on her neck and fell down straight onto Shin''s chapped lips. Her eyes closed, Kanari let her primal instincts take over, ignoring the dazed look on Shin''s face. Before Shin could wake his mind from its confusion, Kanari had already grabbed hold of the young man''s neck and forced it into place. The pungent aroma of scented roses filled all of his sensory organs, but Shin could hardly enjoy it. All of his consciousness was focused on the soft touch that dominated his lips and the slithery tongue that invaded his mouth. In the beginning, Kanari''s teeth collided multiple times with Shin''s lower lips, showing her lack of experience in this matter. But that didn''t stop Kanari from trying. Bit by bit, Shin could taste the sweet nectar of her lipstick, laced with the raw zest of a maiden''s kiss. Kanari''s tongue swirled around, unguided and unsure of what to do and her shaking mouth sent tremors all around her nervous system. With his thoughts short circuited, Shin forgotten about all his earlier troubles and allowed himself to get lost in this moment. His hands freed, Shin moved them up Kanari''s thighs, up till her back and finally landed on the nape of her neck. Bending it into the appropriate position, Shin took over the kiss with his own skills. Kanari felt her tongue being evoked from its territorial dominance as it was forced back into her own mouth. At this moment, Kanari knew that she was being kissed back. The pressure on her neck aided Shin in finding the perfect point to trigger her senses, evoking a pleasure that Kanari had never known she was capable of feeling. After a full minute, the pair finally regained their reasoning as their primal urges sank down. Releasing her hold on Shin, Kanari reluctantly parted ways with the handsome young man''s delectable mouth, leaving behind a sultry string of sweet, transparent saliva. Being on the bottom, Shin''s mouth was dripping with endless amounts of seductive liquids, which had sent a cupid''s arrow into Kanari''s beating heart. Her dream man was lying right under her, hot and wet. She was tempted to go in for one more, but Kanari resisted her urges against the wishes of every molecule in her body. "That''s my answer. I won''t give up." The ethereal beauty jumped out from her mounted position and rapidly made haste away from the gorgeous blanket of stars, leaving behind a shell-shocked Shin who had all his limbs sprawled out. Sitting up and straightening his back, Shin watched as Kanari bolted away back into the encampment where her three girlfriends were awaiting the good news. As the girl disappeared from view, Shin''s mental functions slowly begun to come online and almost immediately, his face turned as red as a tomato and steam began to flow from the top of his head. ''What¡­ Just happened?'' Shin knew what happened, obviously. But he didn''t want to admit it. Shin threw his head onto the granite floor and gazed upon the stars. What did he think of? Well, there wasn''t really a need to voice that out¡­ ??? ''ARGHHHH!!! WHAT DID I DO?! WHAT DID I DO?!'' After Kanari had left Shin alone in the romantic location that Elrin had specifically picked out for her confession, the girl ran away as fast as her legs could bring her. She had planned this confession up in her head hundreds of times. If it went well, she would hug him, and they would begin to date. If it didn''t go well, Kanari would just try to salvage their friendship while burying her undying love for the man. Never in her wildest dreams would she have planned to savour her first kiss with Shin amidst the stars. ''SO EMBARRASSING!!! SO EMBARRASSING!!! SO EMBARRASSING!!! SO EMBARRASSING!!!'' Kanari held her puffy and reddened face with both her hands. Though it was still in the thick of the night and the temperatures were cold enough to warrant winter clothes, Kanari felt as if she had just walked out of a sauna. Sweet heavenly sweat fell from her top and stained the rouge that had explicitly been put on her by Elrin. ''I forced a kiss on him!!! What if he thinks that I''m a pervert?!'' Kanari questioned herself. She didn''t know what happened. After her confession, everything seemed to pass by like a movie. The girl that kissed Shin wasn''t her. At least, it wasn''t the logical part of her brain. ''Wait¡­ But he kissed me back, so maybe he doesn''t feel that way.'' The young maiden vividly remembered the scrumptious taste of Shin''s seductive tongue. The way it moved in her mouth, the way she got electrified with each swirl. Then, the image of Shin lying beneath her resurfaced in her mind. Shin''s lean and thick neck. The heavy breaths that he took, expanding and contracting his broad chest. The musky aroma of a man after a hard day''s work. All of those sensual details towered over her consciousness, forcing her to shake her head as her face turned redder and redder. Without knowing, Kanari was already a stone''s throw distance away from her tent, where Elrin, Ella and Emma were waiting for her with great fervour. She was reluctant to walk in. Not because Shin had rejected her confession and had asked her to wait, but because of her whorish deed that still tingled her heartstrings and fed her guilty conscience. ''It felt good though...'' The imp within her made itself known as she remembered every second of that life-altering experience. If she had a time machine, Kanari would unquestionably return back to savour those delicious lips once again. ''No¡­ If I can earn his heart, I would get to do that anytime I want!'' The young maiden looked at the bright side of things. Why be so hungover on the past when she could make countless more memories in the future. If Shin were to become her lover, they would get to experience that kiss thousands of times again. They might even take it one step further¡­ ''Yeah! So what if I was rejected? I still have a lot of time!!!'' The young maiden looked at the bright side of things and pumped her fist high in the air. Both Shin and her were expected to enter the Spirit Venerate realm, breaking the two barriers of mortality with ease and quadrupling their lifespans. That meant that they had about four hundred years on this earth together. Kanari didn''t believe that she wouldn''t be able to move Shin''s heart in four hundred years. ''One step at a time...'' Kanari thought. She had already taken the first step in the marathon. In the long haul, Kanari believed that she would obtain her objective. However, before that arduous journey begins, she still had one significant hurdle to cross. And that was the lit up tent in front of her with three feminine silhouettes that were prancing back and forth. ''Now¡­ How do I explain this to those three busybodies...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 382 A New Dawn, A New Day 2 The Kori Federation. The Estrella Region. Deep under the Crypts of the First Men. A day has passed since Shin had encountered the forces of Junius and the Black Masks. The fully illuminated moon descended down from the heavens, bringing forth an orangey glow from the horizon. Morning birds awakened from their slumber and chirped like alarm clocks to alert the residents of the world about the new dawn while the chilling cold of the night was replaced by a soft ray of sunshine. Though, not everyone was capable of feeling the glorious start of the new day. Buried deep within the Crypts of the First Men, dozens of shadowy figures scrambled about, hoping to grab as many documents that they could lay their hands on. With the base exposed, there was no need to stay at risk anymore. Ordered by their higher-ups to burn and dispose of any sensitive information in the base, the Black Masks were sent into immediate disarray. Vaishyas were screaming at Shudras and Shudras were beating up Dalits for being slow to act. It was a vicious cycle of violence and terror. Amidst all the chaos, there was one broad-shouldered young man seated at the centre of the entire base. He placed both his hands into a prayer atop his knees as he watched the violence unfold. Downtrodden and broken, the young man sighed endlessly and dropped his head each time a new conflict arises. "A penny for your thoughts?" While Junius was wallowing in grief, a monotone voice sounded out from his side. From the corner of his eyes, Junius could spot a two-metre tall giant of a man, who still boasted spectacular proportions for his height, amble straight in his direction. "Senior Ao¡­ I''ve failed the organisation¡­ I failed the Allfather..." Junius continued to beat himself up while he watched the base get turned into a wasteland. "If I had heeded your advice¡­ If I had given up on Shin¡­ This base wouldn''t have been compromised. I wouldn''t have to force you to act, and we wouldn''t have to give up everything that we had built here over the past few months." "Well, it''s great that you understand that." The World Serpent that served under the Allfather''s banner, Ao, sat right next to Junius, taking one more sip from his wine gourd. "I told you that you should have given up on your younger brother and you went against my orders. No, you went against the Allfather''s orders. That''s a crime punishable by death." "I know¡­ And I accept whatever punishment the Allfather would bestow onto me." Junius wasn''t afraid of the heinous deeds that the Allfather might put him through. Ever since he joined the Black Mask syndicate, the Allfather had been nothing but benevolent to him and the remnant members of the Awter Clan. They were given luxurious accommodations, protection from anyone that wished to hunt them down and even resources to further their cultivations. Yet, Junius had let the Allfather down by pursuing Shin, instead of eradicating every single soul that tread in his path. "Despite my misgivings, I hope that you''ll spare the members from my family. They''re wholly innocent in this affair." Junius begged. In his mind, he was already a dead man walking. He failed such an important task that was handed to him by the Allfather himself. It would be strange if he were let off leniently. "You''re really a family-oriented man." The World Serpent laughed, after which he chugged down all of the remaining wine in his gourd. "But you don''t have to worry. You have a chance to redeem yourself in the Allfather''s eyes." "What do you mean?" The sides of Ao''s lips crept up sinisterly. The World Serpent threw the wine gourd straight onto the floor sending shards of ceramic flying all about. Bending his index finger down to the earth, the blue-haired man explained: "We release the thing hiding under here. Then, we massacre any White Knights that dare to enter." "We can''t do that!!!" Stunned by the Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s suggestion, Junius jumped. "We can only do that when Phase Four formally starts! We can''t just arbitrarily decide to release the artefact without the Allfather''s permission!!!" Being an executive that knew of all the plans that the Black Masks were about to take, Junius understood how important it was to keep the artefact hidden beneath the Crypt of the First Men a secret for as long as they possibly could. Junius couldn''t just use it because he was cornered like a rat and if it were destroyed before Phase Four begins, how could he ever face the Allfather again? "Don''t you think that it''s the perfect scenario?" The World Serpent didn''t care about going over the Allfather''s orders. "We have never tested it before and allowing those White Knights to barge into it while we stand guard is the perfect plan to test its effectiveness!!! Furthermore, the Estrella Region isn''t really that densely populated, so even if we release the artefact a little ahead of schedule, it wouldn''t bother the Allfather that much!" "You want to use it as a test dummy for the Grand Scheme?! Wouldn''t exposing the artefact at this stage cause more harm than good?!" Junius continued to counter Ao''s argument. "You really are a worrywart! Fine, let''s go consult the Allfather then! There''s an orb in the adjacent room, right? If we get his permission, I''m immediately releasing the artefact!" "Wait! Even if we did release the artefact! We don''t have enough Spirit Beasts to populate it! I''ve sent half our forces away! There''s not enough firepower to deal with the hundreds of White Knights outside!!!" "Have you forgotten what I am?" The handsome man scoffed, forcing Junius to swallow a mouthful of saliva. "I''m the World Serpent! All I need to do is to enter the oceans for a few hours, and I can easily gather a few thousand Spirit Beasts! I can march them all from the coast and populate the entire artefact!" "Senior Ao..." Junius wanted to stop the World Serpent from continuing with this desperate plan, but ultimately, a Nine-Coloured Noble Beast far surpassed Junius'' rank. If Ao wished to continue down this path, Junius could only watch it unfold from afar. "If you''re doing this to help me, I don''t need it. I understand that I had fucked up, and I will accept all the responsibility. You don''t have to mitigate the damage for me." It wasn''t the first day that Junius had interacted with the World Serpent. He knew that Ao wasn''t the type to do excessive deeds for the sake of others. Especially for the sake of another human. The World Serpent loved to observe interactions between people, but that was just to sate his curiosity. "Well, I''m not only doing this to help you. I''m doing it because I''m genuinely interested." Ao admitted his biases. "That artefact is a relic from the age of Spirit Immortal Dream. No one has ever seen it in action and many doubt the potency of its power. Though the Allfather is adamant of its capabilities, I can''t help but feel sceptical. Whether Phase Four succeeds is based on those artefacts, so wouldn''t it be natural for us to test it out?" "I guess so..." "Don''t sweat it!" The World Serpent slapped Junius'' back to encourage him. "Also¡­ Who knows? Perhaps in the mayhem, a certain black-haired youth would get separated from his protectors, and a certain viridian-haired man would get the opportunity to confront him again." "That!!!" With that one sentence, Junius immediately threw away all his earlier worries and fears. If he could get one step closer to regaining Shin back for the Awter Clan, Junius would do anything that he possibly could. Finally acquiescing, Junius stood up from his brooding position and walked over the next room with Ao following close behind. "Alright¡­ I''ll set up the orb..." ??? Just like the Black Masks, the members from the Alliance were all at the tip of their form as they prepared to launch their deadly operation. The White Knight Commander had ordered all of her forces to ready their positions once dawn arrived. Reinforcements from the Alliance came in by the hundreds every hour as every available personnel near the Estrella Region were called in to assist in the assault. However, even though the encampment was as hectic as could be, the seven young heroes had next to nothing to do. Oddly enough, the busiest person among the group was the unsuspecting Latina, who had served as an advisory guide on where the Black Masks might make their escape. It was strange to watch a young thirteen-year-old guide Rank 50 Spirit Lords as if she were their superior, but with the guided assistance of Shin and Natalie, Latina was performing exceptionally well. "Brother Shin, there''s another forested path into the Ancient Graveyard over there. I''m not sure if that''s a good enough escape route." Looking at the map from a macro perspective, Latina pointed out one final path that the Black Masks may use. "Hmmm? Ah, right!" Shin, who had been dazed for a significant portion of the briefing, suddenly jerked himself into focus and followed Latina''s delicate fingers once more. "All potential paths have to be marked. If it''s forested, that means that the Black Mask might use it even more since they get to travel under cover of the canopies. Good job, Latina." "Hehe, thanks!" The young girl sweetly smiled. Finally, she was able to prove herself useful to her benefactor! "Mister Shin. This information is absolutely essential for the operation. Thank you for taking the time to point the paths out for us." The White Knight Commander reviewed the marked positions on the map and instantly issued out a word of praise. "You shouldn''t be thanking me. Latina is the one that''s helping you." "Of course. Thank you, Miss Latina. Because of your contributions, we would get to minimise the damage that our forces might incur. How could we ever repay you?" The commander bowed down to the young girl, forcing Latina to turn flustered as she waved her hands up high in the air. "N-No! It''s my pleasure to be of assistance to the White Knights!" "Don''t worry. I''m sure the Alliance would be happy to compensate for the services of this young and talented girl, right?" Shin laughed and grabbed hold of Latina''s shoulders. "She''s currently looking for a good mentor that could aid her in her cultivation. Though she had a slow start, Latina has been on the field ever since she was nine. Not only is she a good hunter, but she''s also a brilliant young girl. I''m sure that there tonnes of schools that would love to admit her." Hearing Shin''s words of praise, Latina and Natalie all widened their eyes. Latina in shock and Natalie in comprehension. Shin was trying to advocate for Latina to join a top cultivation school instead of wasting her life in a crass and hopeless town such as Huuring City. The middle-aged mentor of Latina''s had to bite her lower lip to prevent herself from screaming out in joy and immediately grabbed the girl''s head and forced it downwards. "Yes! Latina is a great talent! She''s really good at everything! She''s obedient, she''s smart and most importantly of all, she''s willing to work hard! I''m sure that Latina would be a great fit in whichever organisation she goes to!" Natalie continued to sell the strong points of her protege, in hopes of persuading the White Knight before her. "Hmmm¡­ I can see that¡­ Alright! I''ll write a letter of recommendation to the Alliance! I''m sure that the Kori Federation would make sure that a talent such as Miss Latina wouldn''t be squandered!" "Thank you!!! Thank you so much, senior!!!" Natalie almost burst out in joy when she heard the White Knight Commander give her word. Her immediate concern was Latina''s future, and if she managed to land a position in any of the top Master Sects, Natalie would be able to die a happy mentor. "No worries. Okay, I must be going now. Mister Shin, I''ll see you in the operation later?" "Yeah. I wouldn''t miss it for the world." Shin laughed and moved to aside, allowing the White Knights to leave the tent and head back to their duties. A battle was just about to unfold, it wasn''t appropriate for them to spend too much time in one location. Fortunately, for Shin and the rest, they could afford that luxury. "Ah, Senior Natalie. I hope you didn''t mind me recommending Latina without consulting you. It just seemed like the perfect opportunity for her to gain a powerful backer." "How could I blame you?!" Natalie waved her arms and increased her pitch. "I''m more delighted than anything! How could we ever repay you for what you''ve done for us?" "There''s no need for that. Latina''s assistance was essential for us." The young man moved forward and pet Latina''s brown hair. "I''m just fulfilling my end of the bargain. Once this whole battle ends, I''ll send someone to look for your father. Just treat this favour as a little bit of interest." "Thank you, Brother Shin!!!" Latina chuckled and jumped into Shin''s arms. "No worries. For now, all you two have to do is rest in the encampment and wait for the battle to blow over. As much as I would love to return you to Huuring City right this instant, it''s too dangerous to move outside now. If there are any issues with the accommodations, you let us know. We''ll rectify it." Shin removed the koala bear that was sticking to his chest and sat her down back on her bed. However, just before the boy could leave to adhere to his duties, three figures sauntered into the canvas, stunning Shin in his place. "Kanari..." "Shin..." The two youths eyes met for the first time since they parted yesterday. Both of their minds instantly wandered to the glorious patch of the night sky as they shared a special moment. Kanari looked straight at the lips of the young man while Shin watched the blushing face of the beautiful maiden. Though they didn''t plan for it, the atmosphere immediately turned pinkish to the onlookers as even a middle-aged woman such as Natalie began to feel the strains of heartburn. "Excuse me." Coming to his senses, Shin coughed twice and walked out of the tent with half his face covered. How should he react? Shin really had no clue. Hence, even if it meant that he would avoid Kanari for the rest of the day until he figured it out, Shin would undoubtedly do so. "Shin, hey, Shin!" Ella called out to her brother, but Shin thoroughly ignored her. Bolting away from the tent faster than a speeding arrow, Shin ran to god knows where leaving the females to talk within the abode. "Didn''t you say that you chickened out and didn''t confess? Why is he acting so strange?" Emma turned to Kanari with a raised eyebrow. When the pure maiden returned last night, she had a long talk with her female friends, in which she lied out of her teeth. Why? Because of that impish white-haired brat that had a mouth looser than a granny''s panties. "Well¡­ Something did happen..." Unable to hide it anymore, Kanari meekly dropped her face and turned around, drawing all sorts of suspicion from the gang. "We kissed..." "Sorry, what was that?" Since Kanari muffled her words, Emma had to inch closer to her mouth. "We kissed..." "What?" "WE KISSED ALRIGHT!" Kanari burst out and covered her face with her palms. "Stop making me repeat it!" "You guys what?!" Emma and Ella screamed out. Half in shock and half in joy. Even Natalie and Latine couldn''t hide their stunned faces. "You kissed?! Why did you lie, then?!" "Cause it''s so embarrassing..." Kanari continued to hide her reddened face. As Natalie watched the gorgeous black-haired beauty, who was also known as the Witch in the South, the middle-aged mercenary felt as if she was swindled her entire life. There was no way that this adorable creature was the same person that terrorised dozens of foes with her dominant viciousness. Nevertheless, the twins weren''t done with their questioning. Creeping in closer with the most disgusting grins on their faces, the two identical faces showed their teeth like wolves going in for the kill. "So you guys kissed huh¡­ Tell us more about it..." At that moment, Kanari regretted everything and questioned all of her life choices. As it turned out, telling the truth to the twins were as dangerous as telling it to that nasty imp that had terrorised her all her life... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 383 A New Dawn, A New Day 3 The White Knight Encampment. A place where the elites of the Alliance gathered to plan their siege against the Black Masks that had been cornered within the Crypts of the First Men. Hundreds of soldiers moved in unison as their drill master barked out commands while dozens of officers scrambled to ensure that everything was in order. It was a place where the best of the best congregated, focused on the task at hand. However, in the midst of all of the elites, there was one black-haired young man, walking about absent-minded, as if he wasn''t meant to be there in the first place. ''Hah¡­ What the hell am I doing?! I just ran away like that!!!'' Shin was still thinking about the moment he meant Kanari once more. After the kiss, Shin barely slept a wink as he was kept up all night thinking about the possible scenarios he would encounter. Was he to act like nothing had happened between them? What was the protocol for a situation such as this? What happens now that Kanari had shown her aggressiveness? Could they revert back to regular friends and share cordial conversations without bringing up that matter? All of these questions ran rampant in Shin''s mind, and no matter how long or hard he thought about them, the youth couldn''t come up with an answer. Hence, when Shin saw Kanari again this morning, he instantly blanked out and made a beeline to the exit. Looking around, Shin found himself in unfamiliar territory as he just wandered about, with no destination in mind. He had just made an escape with an empty brain. "Shin? Hey, isn''t that Shin?!" Just as the youth was about to turn around back to his tent, a croaky voice sounded out from his back, prompting Shin to turn around. In just a split second, Shin''s dazed state turned into one of shock as he saw a pudgy being headed in his direction. Though he wasn''t as tall as Shin, the young man was still a little above the average height for someone his age and his rounded face that resembled a boar hadn''t changed one bit. "Danroy? What are you doing here?" The sides of Shin''s mouth crept up at the pleasant surprise. With open arms, Shin approached Danroy and gave his classmate a firm hug. "I''d thought that you been dispatched to another region?" "We were! However, there were some last minute hiccups, so we were moved to the east as well. Then this happened, and we were called here by our superiors. We just arrived early this morning." Danroy explained. Ever since their teams were being commissioned by the Alliance to deal with the Black Masks, the two classmates had never met for months. "By the way, good job on finding the base. I heard that the Blade of Death is located there! If we get to nab him, we''ll unquestionably deal a heavy blow to the Black Masks." "Yeah..." Shin smiled and didn''t say a word. Not many knew of his personal history, and Shin wasn''t that interested in sharing it anyway. "Well, I have to go now¡­ Oh yeah! Do you want to meet the rest?" Recalling his task, Danroy slapped his forehead and made a hundred-eighty turn. "I''m bringing them the news of our dispatchment. I''m sure Suji and Natasha would be delighted to see you again!" "I doubt that Suji would really be that happy, though..." Shin bitterly laughed. Though the two had reconciled long ago, they weren''t exactly the best of friends. Nonetheless, right now, Shin didn''t really want to return back to his team due to how awkward it would be. "But sure, I have some time to kill. I''ll follow you back." "Great! Come this way!" Just like that, Danroy led his classmate straight to his tent. Over the years, the Star Class of the Golden Generation had produced world-class talents that would be certain to go on and dominate their field. Taking the seven freaks out of the equation, Danroy and Suji had both effortlessly made it into the Spirit Adept realm as well. Not only that, since they were from military families, they had participated in a handful of battles that their parents had led, bringing them ample of experience out on the field. Their teammate, Natasha Aldana, wasn''t one to be overlooked either. In her five years in the academy, she had wrung all of the swordsmanship instructors clean and had become a legendary swordmaiden whose skill could only be matched by few in the academy. There was even a time where she volunteered to attend an exchange programme with the best sword school in the entire world, the Dalgeom Sect and dominated the majority of her competition. Although she wasn''t skilled enough to defeat the top one percent of legacy disciples there, Natasha still did enough to turn heads within the Kori Federation. Finally, Danroy and Suji had recruited a handful of the top talents within the Star Class to complete their cell. Just like Shin''s group, theirs was exclusively comprised of Spirit Adepts only, making them the only two teams from Imperius Academy to have such a potent force. If the two groups teamed up during the assault into the Crypts of the First Men, there was no question that any Black Masks forces that would storm their way would be ruthlessly cut down. "Guys! Look what I''ve brought! The Prince of Water!!!" Pulling Shin straight into the tent where his teammates were resting in. Almost instantaneously, all of the youngsters in the room stood up with opened jaws and widened mouths. Especially those that had little interactions with Shin back in the academy. "S-Shin Iofiel!!!" One student exclaimed. "H-How, are you doing?" "I''m fine, thank you very much." Shin smiled back and extended a handshake. Just as how many treated him as a celebrity when they met him, there were hundreds of students within Imperius Academy that did the same. Since Shin had always hung out with Kanari, Elrin, Shizen and Isadore, many saw him as an untouchable figure. After the whole debacle at the Summit, Shin''s name began to spread far and wide, making him the most prominent youngster, even surpassing the Witch in the South, Kanari Saniela. Some worshipped him, many respected him. Thus, it wasn''t strange for some members of Danroy''s team to get tongue-tied when facing the celebrity that brought the world to heel. "Shin! Long time no see!" "Natasha! You look well!" At that moment, a young maiden of medium build skipped forward with a brimming smile on her face. Other than his immediate clique, Shin was most friendly with Danroy and Natasha. They all recognised one another as superior talents and would often spar to gain some insights on how they should improve. In fact, Shin had once solicited Natasha''s help to train against a top swordsman in preparation for facing Junius. Well, there was no need to elaborate on how well that went¡­ "Hehe! Thanks!" Natasha chuckled. Though, after a while, the young maiden''s expression changed as she leaned in and lowered her volume. "Hey, I heard that you''ve gone against the Blade of Death! How was he? Was he a good swordsman?" "Yeah..." Shin remembered how Meijing Bingying, who was a master swordsmaiden in her own right, lost to the rapidly flowing blade of Junius''. Furthermore, Junius wasn''t even using his own Spirit and was just wielding an external weapon. One could only imagine how proficient he would become when he draws the Blade of Death. "He''s better than Sister Bingying." "Better than the Pearl in the East?! Hehe, now I''m really itching to meet him..." Being the battle junkie that she was, Natasha was always in search of a new challenge. Just thinking about being in a battle to the death with the infamous Vaishya sent shivers down her spine. "Shin Iofiel." While Natasha was caught in her fantasies, a towering figure stomped out from his bed and made his way over. Every step that he took was as massive as an elephant''s hoof, and the atmosphere around him instantly became heavy. Standing at over 1.9 metres tall, the sinewy man was easily the tallest person in the tent. His sculpted body and thick biceps that were strong enough to pulverise a rock with one flex were aspects that made him stand out from the crowd. However, even though he had all of those physical attributes that would dominate any other man, Shin had once bested him in battle, convincingly if one might add. "Suji Lasgeor. Long time no see." "Yeah, long time..." After that loss in their very first year at the academy, Suji has never once made a comeback to the year-end tournaments. Most of the time, he would be dispatched by his family to war against the Black Masks. In the words of his father: ''Why join that juvenile competition when you get to temper yourself in the real world.'' Thus, the long-awaited rematch between the Black-Haired Tyrant and the Son of War never came for Imperius Academy. With Suji being Rank 33 and Shin being Rank 37, there was no doubt in everyone''s mind that a rematch would unquestionably become the most legendary bout in the academy''s history. Nonetheless, circumstances had kept them apart, and they had yet to even spar once since their battle in their freshmen year. "Alright, the welcome is over! Come, let me tell you about our dispatchment." Sensing the tense atmosphere, Danroy came between the two with a wide smile. "Due to the nature of the operation, we''re mostly sent to the edges of the Crypts to clean up any Spirit Beasts that may escape. The siege will begin at noon, and we''re to be in our positions at eleven sharp. Shin, what would your team be doing?" "We''re assigned the same mission." There wasn''t a need to lie. Eventually, the two teams would meet one another on the battlefield anyway. "We''re to thin out the numbers of the Black Masks." "That''s great!" Hearing the news, Danroy burst out in joy. His plump face lit up, and fats began to jiggle. "We should join forces! Show the White Knights what the Imperius Academy students are made off!" "That''s a great idea!" Natasha added. After all, in a foreign land, it was gratifying to have some familiar companionship. "If we fight together, there''s no Black Mask that could possibly beat us in combat!!!" Shin thought about it for a brief moment with his index finger rested firmly on his chin, before slowly moving his head up and down. "I agree. However, I can''t speak for the rest of my teammates. Though, I doubt that they would have a problem with us working together. After all, the more hands we have, the better our chance of leaving the battle uninjured." It wasn''t a question of whether they would win against the Black Masks or not. Shin was confident that the raid would prove successful given the amount of firepower the White Knights and the Alliance had brought to the table. However, in every battle, there was bound to be casualties and fatalities. With so many of his treasured friends and family participating in the raid, it seemed wise to bolster his own forces by merging with another unit. "So it''s agreed! Haha, what a joyous day!" Danroy raised his hands in absolute euphoria. Not only did he run into an old friend, but they were finally able to fight alongside each other, something unthinkable during their first year. "When the mission starts, I''m sure that we''ll have a lot of fun." "That''s right." Hearing the agreement, Suji let out a rare smile and raised his hand to meet Shin''s. "Let''s see who has the better team. Yours or mine." ''Hah¡­ He''s still as competitive as ever.'' Shin sighed mentally and returned the gesture with his own handshake. Suji didn''t care about winning any money or material gains. What the muscular young man wanted the most was honour and vindication from being beaten once. When he was in this state, no matter how many Spirit Beasts the Black Masks sent his way, Suji would just mow them all down with his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade. "Alright, then. We''ll meet on the battlefield." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 384 The Dawn Breaks... The early noon sky, draped with gorgeous sky blues and milky white clouds towered over the heavens, bringing endless radiant light to the lonesome lands below. Blades of grass swished from side to side while heavy winds whistled past the canyons. The birds sang in unison as the cicadas jumped merrily from leaf to leaf. It was the perfect summer day for a nice picnic under the sun. Or the ideal time to launch a raid that would end in vast amounts of death and destruction. Standing by around the Crypts of the First Men, the White Knights and soldiers from the Alliance ensured that the region was so secure that not even a mouse could escape. There was Rank 50 Spirit Lords stationed at every corner and Rank 60 Spirit Kings were evenly distributed to react to any form of trouble. Thousands of seasoned warriors placed on their heavy equipment and wielded their sharpened weapons in wait of the eventual battle that would ensue. Members from the Kori Federation held the north and west of the crypts. Lantis Republic Alliance members held the east. And finally, Himmel Empire members were dispatched to guard the south. Though they were all battle-ready, those on the outskirts of the crypts were to prevent an escape, instead of directly confronting the Black Masks that laid within. The actual force of the expeditions were the heroic White Knights that possessed a few Spirit Kings and Spirit Lords in their cell. Like a released arrow, the White Knights were to barge straight into the dilapidated crypts and smoke out any Black Masks that laid within. They were also in charge of seizing any documents that may pertain to the Allfather and the Black Masks'' plan. It was a high achievement to accomplish, but that was their bread and butter. The White Knights were all professionals, specially trained to take down Black Masks at astonishing rates. However, that left the forces outside with a unique dilemma. Shin, his group and Suji''s own cell were stationed in the south, to help clean up anything that comes out from the crypts. But how could they clean up anything if nothing appears? Their adrenaline was pumping, and their faces were left battle-hungry, yet for a good half hour now, there hasn''t been any movements from the crypts, even though the White Knights had entered ages ago. As youngsters with an incessant drive to perform, the two teams began to feel rather listless. "It''s taking them quite some time..." Isadore complained while taking a seat on a nearby boulder. In his hand, a makeshift Spiritual Armament Spear that he had ''stolen'' from the encampment. Though the Spirit of Himmel was a rather unknown Spirit and only nerds that studied Spirits would be able to identify it, it didn''t make sense for Isadore to advertise his Spirit in such an open battle. "I wonder if they made it to the core." "I doubt it," replied Shin. His eyes never left the exit of the tomb, carefully scrutinising every detail. The first thing that he could see was the high and broken gates. Pillars were halved with green moss growing all around its cracks, while the ceilings had long been devastated by the erosion of time. Watching the worn down rocks that fell from the ancient structure made Shin feel like he was looking through the monocle of time. "The Crypts of the First Men has existed since the first major civilisation of human history. It''s hundreds of thousands of years old. I''m sure that there many broken down pathways and hidden chambers that the Black Masks must have used to prevent anyone from finding them. Breaking through those blockades while being wary of traps must have taken them some time." Shin explained his rationale. "That makes sense." The silver-haired young man agreed. Isadore then turned around to observe his surroundings and the young men and women that surrounded them. As usual, the seven young heroes were banded together, each one covering the other''s position. However, unlike typical days, Kanari wasn''t standing in the frontlines alongside Shin or Isadore. Instead, she was far back with the three other girls, who usually protected the rear. Ella and Emma were chuckling while whispering gossip into Elrin''s ears, forcing Kanari''s face to endlessly turn more crimson. If she was like a tomato before, now her complexion was akin to that of a boiled octopus. Anymore and Isadore would suspect that the girl would explode in embarrassment. On the other hand, Shizen was still resting under the shade, waiting for his time to arrive and wholly ignorant of the circumstances that surrounded him. "Did something happen between you and Kanari? Why isn''t she standing with us as usual?" Isadore mindlessly asked. "N-nothing happened..." At his bosom friend''s sudden words, Shin blushed and looked away, drawing even more suspicion from Isadore. "Oh, I highly doubt that." The young man glanced over his shoulder, only to see Kanari''s flustered eyes circling between Shin and the three young maidens that were grinning from ear to ear. Only a fool would believe that nothing had happened between the two. However, since Shin wasn''t willing to open up that can of worms, there was nothing that Isadore could do. ''Well, I can always ask Emma later.'' Isadore thought to himself before tuning out all of the gossips in his head and changing the subject to something more relevant to their current situation. At the corner of his eye, Isadore spotted another group of young cultivators, each more stunning than the last. Although they weren''t as diverse and powerful as the seven young heroes, that group wasn''t one to be scoffed with. "It''s surprising to see Suji, Danroy and Natasha here." "I know. I''d thought that they went further west, and in the end, they still ended up fighting with us." Shin turned around to meet Suji in the eye once more. "Oh, by the way, we should go easy on the clearing to conserve our energies. We shouldn''t be wasting too much mana in the early fights." "Is that so¡­" Isadore could read Shin like a book. Just by the constant shuffling of his eyes and increased speed of his speech, the silver-haired elf-like man knew that his friend had harboured different thoughts. "Don''t kid me, Shin. What''s your real reason?" "Hah¡­ Suji laid down a one-sided bet with me. He wants the two groups to compete to see who does the most damage to the Black Masks." The young man dropped his shoulders and recounted his prior experience with Suji. "Honestly, all I want is to be better friends with everyone. I don''t want to have enemies surrounding me!" "Well, I wouldn''t exactly consider Suji, an enemy." Isadore turned to the sinewy young man, who had his entire pupils dilated while he glared in Shin''s directions. His grip on the Purple Dragon Crescent Blade increased exponentially as coils of lightning flowed about, menacingly obliterating the poor pebbles beneath his feet. Suji couldn''t wait for the assault to begin so that he''ll have the opportunity to finally prove his worth. "Okay, maybe he''s a little hostile, but you shouldn''t be too bothered. There''s nothing that the Lasgeor Family can do to you so I wouldn''t be worried." "Hah¡­ Perhaps." Shin shrugged and turned his attention back to the dark crevice that leads deep into the Crypts of the First Men. Over the past twenty-four hours, he had been bombarded with new distractions that had altered him from the path he had initially been started on. Why was he here? Why did he train so hard and take missions in such perilous locations? Wasn''t it just for this moment? ''Just a few more hours before Junius falls under the White Knights grasp¡­ When that happens, I''ll be sure to bring him to your grave, Sister Lily!!!'' That was the promise that Shin had made to his deceased sister and Junius ex-lover. Once Junius was brought to justice, Shin would bring him to the graves of those he killed and make him account for his sins. Though Shin wasn''t sure if Frie Mountain was willing to accept him in, he too wanted to visit Ariel''s and those who had fallen in the Black Masks vengeance, to make Junius account for his sins. Pushing out all of the distractions that had muddled his head for the past few hours, Shin composed himself and observed as the White Knights continued their descent into the Crypts of the First Men. Maybe, just maybe¡­ Junius would retreat in his direction, giving Shin the perfect opportunity to arrest his brother all for himself. However, the time never came. First, it was an hour. Next, it was two. And before he knew it, Shin had been on standby for over three hours. The troops on the outside were starting to become restless, and clanking of metal grinding against one another could be heard. "They''re still not out?" Isadore continued to wonder. By now, even if there weren''t any success, a messenger would be sent to the surface to communicate their progress. Yet, there wasn''t a single soul in sight. "Do you think something might have happened to them?" "There are over forty individuals inside of the Crypts, with their weakest member being a Rank 50 Spirit Lord and their strongest being a bunch of Spirit Emperors. There aren''t many forces in the world that could match that kind of firepower. Even if there was, there''s no way that they could trap that many White Knights inside of the structure." Shin explained. "They''re probably fighting hard and cleaning up as we speak." "I understand the logic but..." DDDDDDDDDDTTTTTTTKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!! Before Isadore could complete his sentence, a tremendously loud tremor dominated the land, shaking anything and everything that set foot on the earth. The initial explosion was at an intensity not inferior to that of a Primordial Lion''s Roar, sending shockwaves tunnelling throughout the empty land. Fortunately, there weren''t any trees nearby, else the entire troop would be forced to evade the falling flora while looking out for any escaping enemies. Shin''s eyes never left the dark passage of the crypts. He knew that in this brief moment of mayhem, the Black Masks would be sure to exploit the break in the Alliance''s defences to make an escape. Just as he anticipated, many shadows being to form within the depths of the crypt and galloped their way out of the exit. "READY YOURSELVES!!!" Shin barked. Creating the Spear of Aiglos again, Shin summoned out numerous water golems to help facilitate in the capture of the retreating Black Masks. At his orders, the seven young heroes all summoned out their Spirits and got into the battle positions. Even the lazy Shizen had his Adivinar Tree brought out, ready to pounce at any given moment. "Wait¡­ Isn''t that the Commander?!" Before Shin could charge forward, Isadore''s superior eyes picked up a golden glint in the darkness. Holding his hand up, Isadore continued to observe the shadows as they continued their ascent into the light only to scream out at the end. "It''s the White Knights! They''re retreating!!!" "They are?!" Taking into account Isadore''s words, Shin lowered the Spear of Aiglos and jumped forward to receive the White Knights. The brave men and women that had led the charge down into the crypts were now covered in vast amounts of dust, fading the lustre of their metallic armours. Many had been lightly wounded with numerous bruises while some had their body crisscrossed with deep wounds. "Commander! What happened?! Why are you running away?!" "Change of plans! Everyone must regroup! Relay the order! Everyone leaves right now! There''s something down there that''s going to destroy the area!" The golden-armoured White Knight barked, all while holding onto an ally that had fallen. "This place isn''t safe anymore! Retreat now!!!" The Commander left her comrade with a nearby medic and wanted to immediately fly to the other three flanks, in hopes of saving as many of her soldiers as she could. However, before she could even lift her two feet out of the ground, another tremor thundered through the lands as cracks formed from the deep trenches of the region. At the same time, a flying messenger bolted forward from the east, bearing important news. "Commander! The eastern front is getting sieged by thousands of oceanic Spirit Beasts!!!" The officer hollered out. "The Lantis Republic forces requests for assistance!" "Damn it!!! Retreat! Tell them all to retreat! I''ll be right there to assist them in a moment!!!" DDDDDDDDDDTTTTTTTKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!! Another earthquake torrented through the lands and forced hundreds of soldiers onto their knees. Billions of sand particles dominated the airways and continued to wreak havoc among the thousands of troops. Crackles of immense thunder and endless lightning bolts dominated the skies as an enormous updraft crossed the terrain. Immediately seeking cover, Shin and the other seven heroes watched in horror as the earth beneath the crypts split in two. The rocky surface of the tombs soon got turned into dust as the structures that stood for thousands of years fell into oblivion. Forced to continually retreat, Shin and the Alliance members couldn''t stop the carnage as dozens of their comrades fell into the opened chasm. "ALL TO SAFETY!!! NOW!!!" The Commander continued to scream at the top of her lungs. There was no possible way to retreat in an orderly manner now. Soldiers disregarded their training and scrambled straight to safety like gazelles stampeding in the Serengeti. It took the land a full three minutes to calm down as the winds slowed and the earth came to a halt. By some miracle, over ninety percent of the Alliance''s forces had survived the sudden explosion of nature and were now gazing down into a deep dark ravine that resembled that of an endless void. "Is it over?" Shin thought out loud. From the safety of his group, Shin peered deep into the chasm below. There wasn''t any spiritual energy and neither was there any life. There was nothing but darkness and dread. ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A low resonant ring sounded through every living being''s soul, forcing every single spectator to retreat kilometres away from the broken hole that was once the Crypts of the First Men. Sensing danger, Meijing Bingying, Xunyu Huanyuan and Elder Baobiao immediately emerged from their hidden location and gathered Shin and his mates into a barrier that the Spirit Venerate created. An immense turtle shell enveloped the youths as a colossal structure emerged from the depths of the void, unintentionally creating a sandstorm that blinded the Alliance''s forces. When the dust settled, all of the Alliance''s eyes were firmly attached to that completely blackened construction that dominated the airspace of the region. Towering over at almost a kilometre in height, the colossal tower was shaped like an inverted pin. Sharp at the bottom, blunt at the top. Coils of dark lightning circled the tower with its ends coated in a magnificent obsidian energy barrier. The thousands of oceanic Spirit Beasts all ignored the cries of the fallen and jumped straight into an opening in the tower, instantly disappearing within its chambers. "What''s¡­ that?!" Elrin screamed. And who could blame her? Even the golden armoured White Knight Commander wished to holler out with everything that she had. No one has ever experienced such a phenomenon before, and they were still unclear if it was capable of harming them. Shin was no exception. However, instead of feeling fear and angst, the young man was feeling anger and frustration. ''Was this what you were referring to, Junius?! Is this the trump card that the Allfather and the Black Masks have?!'' Shin was screaming internally. He had thought that Junius would be in his hands by the end of the day and that the White Knights were more than sufficient to take on the Black Masks that he had trapped. Yet, that was far from the case. With this tower in their hands, it was now the Black Masks that had the upper hand. Shin had worked hard to get close to Junius. He had spent thousands of man-hours. Years of blood, sweat and tears. Just to get close to Junius and to get him to answer for his crimes. Yet, when Shin was so close to the finish line. When Junius was just a hand''s reach away... Just like that¡­ The dawn¡­ The light that he had worked so hard to grow¡­ Just vanished. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 385 ... And The Darkness Arrives "What''s that?!" Shin watched the infinitely tall tower hover in place as everything that was surrounding it came to a standstill. No one dared to move a single finger lest the structure suddenly attacked them. The golden-armoured Commander had to pinch her own two legs from running off in the opposite direction to help her eastern counterparts fight off the invasion from the oceanic Spirit Beasts. Each time Shin moved, he swore that he could feel a pair of eyes staring right at him, even though the dark tower had no windows and no doors. Though, at the foot of the tower, there was one oddly vast entrance, wide enough to cater an entire army marching through with ease. Watching as the Spirit Beasts poured into the foreign structure like water from a running tap filling a beaker, Shin turned to the only person who wasn''t fazed by the dark tower. In fact, he was biting his fingernails with his brows knitted together. "Elder Baobiao! Do you know what''s that?" "..." The elderly man with a dragon''s white beard dropped his gaze for a brief moment. However, after contemplating it for a while, the elderly man finally heaved out a deep sigh before saying: "Although I can''t be sure, that seems to resemble that of an artefact from the age of Spirit Immortal Dream called the Payirci." "The Payirci?" Even Meijing Bingying joined in the mix. Everyone wanted to know what was that structure that the Black Masks had so many gathered around the Spirit Venerate. "What''s that?" "To be honest, I''m not an expert on that subject..." Elder Baobiao shook his head as well. Nonetheless, the elderly man still decided to spill as much as he possibly could, in hopes of pulling up the morale of the troop. "Legend has it that the Payirci is an artefact conceived by Spirit Immortal Dream, long before she ascended into the heavens. She wanted to create the perfect environment where young cultivators could train without the dangers of war. So she created a blueprint that uses Aether to charge a floating tower made from precious metals that could house thousands of Spirit Beasts at one go. In theory, it could even create new ''fake'' Spirit Beasts that could regenerate once killed. However, it was always in the blueprint phase. No one actually went out to make such an expensive structure." "A training field?" Meijing Bingying remarked. "That''s right. The Payirci was initially conceptualised to be a simple training field. However, what''s before us now isn''t any mere safe haven for cultivators to train..." Elder Baobiao looked up at the kilometre-long tower, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. "That structure is a place for thousands to die. The Allfather and the Black Masks must have modified the master plans. I don''t know how they did it since the plans were destroyed when Spirit Immortal Dream ascended, but what''s before us is definitely a variant of the Payirci that I had heard legends about in my youth." "A Payirci..." Shin took one step forward to examine the magnificent obsidian tower once more. Hovering a few metres above ground level, if Shin wanted to, he could easily make his way through the suspiciously large entrance, which seemed to welcome anyone regardless of their size. "Wait! Elder Baobiao! Didn''t you say that it could potentially create new Spirit Beasts that would regenerate even if they were killed?" "That''s right." The Spirit Venerate grimly agreed. "However, that was just in theory, and there was no proof to validate that claim. If there really was a structure that could infinitely produce Spirit Beasts, wouldn''t the world be claimed by the Black Masks just like that?" As Elder Baobiao said those words, Shin remembered what Junius had said to him yesterday, when he believed that Shin would fall under his own palms. ''Come with me, Shin! I can shelter you from the dangers of the world! I can convince the Allfather to not use the orphans and you in his master plan! I can save you!!!'' Thinking back to his fallen brother''s words, Shin began to connect the dots. If the Allfather wanted to send the world into ruin, creating an infinite amount of Spirit Beasts was most definitely the way to go. Right now, the most pressing disadvantage that the Black Masks had was their numbers. They may have a handful of Spirit Beasts, but any good army would be capable of mowing down their numbers in open combat. No matter how powerful the Allfather and the Black Masks were, they couldn''t outmatch the combined might of the three superpowers. However, if they had an infinite supply of Spirit Beasts¡­ "Something''s amiss..." Shin''s mind started to wander, hoping to find hints in his memory that would help him solve the enigma that was the Allfather. Yet, no matter how much he thought about it, Shin was still unable to come up with a suitable answer. "Elder Baobiao! Is it possible for you to land a strike on the tower?" At that moment, the White Knight Commander came forward with a resonant cry. "If you could destroy its defences, we would have a much better time trying to invade the structure!" The White Knights wouldn''t give in, even after this unknown variable had popped up. Since they had the assistance of a Spirit Venerate, perhaps they could weaken the Payirci enough so that a ground invasion became viable. After all, the majority of Spirit Beasts that came from the ocean and the remaining Black Masks in the area were all congregated in that one spot. If Elder Baobiao could destroy even half of its defences, it would deal a heavy blow to the Black Masks within. "Child, my speciality is defence, not offence." As a member of the Heigui Clan, who awakened the Obsidian Xuanwu, Elder Baobiao wasn''t known for being particularly potent with his offensive power. When it came to protecting himself and others, there wasn''t many Spirit Venerates that could hold a candle to him. However, the opposite was also true. When it came to offence, his power wasn''t capable of touching the toes of many of his peers. "My own power might not be sufficient to take it down." "Please! We need as much firepower as we can get! Your Xuanwu''s Yawn should provide enough damage to take it down." "Hoho, you even know of my Xuanwu''s Yawn?" Elder Baobiao stroked his beard, genuinely shocked that someone had knowledge of his own powers. He had kept a rather low profile in the Lantis Republic and the days of him roaming about in the world had become ancient news. "That''s right! Please, Elder Baobiao!" The White Knight Commander begged. Though she was a Spirit Emperor and had her own arsenal of abilities, a Spirit Venerate that had crossed his mortality twice would vastly outstrip her when it came to mana regeneration and spiritual energy manipulation. Even if he wasn''t the most powerful offensive Spirit Venerate, Elder Baobiao could still out damage her with ease. "Fine¡­ All of you get back." Finally relenting, the Spirit Venerate walked five metres ahead of everyone and unleashed an even greater barrier to protect those behind him. The attack that he was about to unleash held tremendous amounts of power and without ample protection, those below the Spirit Spectre realm would unquestionably get blown back by the after effects. Gathering a dense amount of spiritual energy, a phantom of a serpent''s head started to form. As Elder Baobiao continue to congregate his mana unhindered, a colossal figure bolted out from the end of the serpent''s head. One obsidian shell with four meaty legs descended upon the earth bringing fear and dread to those who witnessed it. Shin, Kanari as a host of other Spirit Adepts felt the need to bend the knee in respect of the divine being''s arrival, while those with lesser willpower had already grovelled on the floor. "Sister Bingying¡­ That is..." "An avatar. A spiritual ability that only those with the mana pool of a Spirit Emperor could manage." The Pearl in the East explained. "Using his Obsidian Xuanwu Avatar, Elder Baobiao could increase his offence and defence tenfold, as well as use his avatar to physically attack his enemies. Watch and learn Shin. When you''re about to reach the Spirit Emperor realm, I''m sure the elders in the Republic would be teaching you this ability." "Okay..." Keeping silent as the Obsidian Xuanwu Avatar continued to grow in size, Shin could feel his entire soul being awed by every single particle that was released by the avatar. The elements all around were singing in joy as the spiritual energies of the world rushed into Elder Baobiao''s body as if he were a whirlpool of death that sucked anything and everything into his grasp. At its peak, the Obsidian Xuanwu Avatar finally took its ultimate shape. A complete twenty-metre giant with thick muscles and a near-impregnable shell. Its elongated serpent''s neck and dragon-like head were so realistic that Shin almost felt the need to turn in the other direction to bolt away. Though he had never seen a real Xuanwu before, Shin had no doubt that the avatar would give the mythical beast a run for its money. Ignoring the stares that were directed at him, Elder Baobiao raised his two arms straight at the Payirci, leading the head of the avatar to point in the same direction. The sharp jaws of the Xuanwu immediately dropped, bringing forth a deep ball of light that congregated into that single point. The mana being supplied to it was so formidable that many outside of the barrier that Elder Baobiao had created found it hard to breathe. However, the Spirit Venerate didn''t care what others felt. He had one task, and he was about to complete it. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! A low ringing buzz reverberated through the decrepit land as the ball of light within the Obsidian Xuanwu Avatar became more massive with every passing second. Soon, concentrated mana sphere became too heavy for the avatar to bear and Elder Baobiao unleashed it with a vengeance. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! From Shin''s perspective, the ball of light raced towards the tower at a blinding speed and in just a split second, the entire sphere detonated as it touched the obsidian barrier of the Payirci. The explosion doubled in size with every passing second, and it was akin to seeing a second sun appear within the rocky plains. Blinded by the light, Shin and those within the barrier all turned around to help their sockets recover, though some continued to gaze upon the dazzling explosion, not willing to miss a single thing. ''What an ability!!!'' Shin screamed out mentally. In all his years'' training in the Capital, he had never seen a Spirit Venerate go all out. Yes, he had seen Lady Seph use her miraculous healing abilities thousands, if not millions of times, but since his master didn''t possess any potent offensive abilities, his view on Spirit Venerates'' attacks was severely limited. Until now that is¡­ The explosion caused by the Xuanwu''s Yawn sent shockwaves all about the region, so much so that Latina and Natalie back in base camp could feel the rumbles of the earth. Large amounts of dust and dirt flew rampant in the land, blocking the view of everyone who stood near the Payirci. However, for those with superior eyesight, looking past the clouds was as simple as squinting their eyes. "N-No¡­ way..." Isadore dropped his jaw while glancing through the dust particles. Bit by bit, the air began to clear, revealing a completely intact black tower, pristine as can be, wholly unfazed by the momentous attack that Elder Baobiao had dealt with it. "How is that possible?!" "..." The Spirit Venerate furrowed his brows and released the avatar that he had created. He didn''t hold back one bit. That Xuanwu''s Yawn was the best attack that he could create, and yet, the Payirci didn''t even have a single crack on its body. "What is that thing made of?!" "Guys! Look!" As if it was angered that someone had attempted to destroy it, the Payirci shook violently, and dark, foggy smoke bellowed out from the wide entrances at its bottom. The smoke continued on for a long while before the already wide openings increased in size even further. From the darkness of the Payirci, thousands of shadows jumped out in complete fury and charged straight for the Alliance forces that surrounded them. "Spirit Beasts?! No, there''s something different about them!!!" Shin''s pupils began to dilate as he watched the monsters barge their way towards them. Instead of being an assortment of colours, they were all dyed the same unanimous black. Their eyes had turned completely red, and it was as if they were hypnotised by hell''s demons. They weren''t the ordinary Spirit Beasts that roamed the land. They were something much more sinister¡­ "All men, retreat back to base to regroup! Help your peers to run back! Engage to protect!" Knowing that they had lost, the White Knight Commander ordered everyone to return back to recalibrate their strengths and even call for reinforcements if need be. At the same time, she flew straight to the eastern front, whose forces seemed to have been punished the most by the oceanic Spirit Beast invasion. "Guys, you heard her!" At that moment, Shin forgot whatever woes that he had. Kanari''s kiss? Junius'' triumph? Suji''s bet? All of that didn''t matter now. What''s important was that they helped whoever was in need to escape the onslaught of the dark Spirit Beasts. Hearing his command, all of the seven young heroes summoned out their Spirits and entered their battle stances. Even Kanari, who had been avoiding Shin like the plague since this morning, threw away her embarrassment and flew forward to stand side-by-side with her leader, where she should have been this entire time. "Alright then¡­ Let''s do this!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 386 Payirci 1 Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Thousands of darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts bolted forth from the depths of the Payirci, plaguing the land as if it were a virus that couldn''t be cured. The brave men and women from the Alliance forces all stood their ground as they helped those who were injured the most to safety. The White Knight Commander had long moved to assist the eastern front alongside her trusted officers, all with the intent of helping the retreat. Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes inched closer to the frontlines, baring their fangs and ferocious weapons. Serpentine water beasts with dark acidic poison dripping from their opened mouths threatened to erode any that stood in their paths. Fishlike beasts glissaded in the air as if they were still in the high seas and released tremendous amounts of water in their wake. And it wasn''t just oceanic Spirit Beasts that had joined the fray. Wolves, bears, tigers, eagles, falcons, rhinoceros, elephants¡­ Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes emerged from the depths of the Payirci and contaminated the land before them. Brave soldiers held their ground with the goal of protecting the innocents of the land. So how could Shin and his friends sit by and spectate? Their Spirits summoned and their mana spiked, the seven young heroes targeted all of the foreign Spirit Beasts. "Elrin! Protect yourself!" "Right!!!" The first thing a team must always do before entering a fight was to protect their auxiliary Spirit User, even if it meant weakening the vanguard. Everyone with a little bit of common sense knew that. However, Elrin didn''t like being part of the convention. Going against all expectations set by the auxiliary department and Madam Warulee, the white-haired young heiress created her own protection ability when promoting into the Spirit Adept realm. The Rosary of Eternity split itself into hundreds of little pearls, each brimming with its own unique resplendent light. The hundreds of pearls oscillated around Elrin for a few times, as if they were comets orbiting around the sun before finally settling down in their own respective locations. Elrin''s clenched fist abruptly opened up sending out almost a quarter of the young maiden''s mana out from her body and into the pearls that levitated around her. Like a star chart, one pearl released a beam of light connecting it to another. That beam that entered the adjacent pearl split into four and continued to link another four sets of pearls. Following that pattern, the beam of light continued to spread until a figure could be seen from afar. Enveloped by endless light, Elrin closed her eyes and allowed the figure to take its full shape. In just a few seconds, the hundreds of beads faded into nothingness as a translucent armoured knight encased Elrin within its chest plate. With an armour strong enough to defend against the harshest of winds and fiercest of attacks, the champion stood strong with a translucent spirit shield at hand, ready to protect its mistress from any harm. "Eternity Paladin!!!" Elrin shouted her abilities name to complete the cast. With her protection in order, the maiden turned to her comrades, who were likewise ready to begin the fight. "Which one of you needs my support?!" "There''s no need for ''False Armaments!'' Just give us ''Sacramental Boost!'' and we should be fine!" Shin barked. Just like Elrin, the Prince of Water had started his own preparations to deal with the menace that was headed their way. With his arms raised, Shin created hundreds of water spears, each with their own unique shapes and sharpness. When Elrin sent a bead over from her Rosary of Eternity and cast ''Sacramental Boost,'' Shin instantly felt capable of mass producing even more water spears, far surpassing the usual amount that he would normally create. The twins weren''t slacking off either. Using the Crystal Toxotai Mantra, the pair of identical sisters merged their two bodies with an illusory chain of light. Their bodies now glistened with a diamond-like lustre while ice-elements floated all around them in complete euphoria. "Crystal Body!" The twins proclaimed. They were long-range archers that had no need for standing on the frontlines. However, with Ella''s ferociousness and Emma''s pinpoint accuracy, the two were often left unguarded with nothing to protect them. Hence, they heavily invested in improving their shared ability to further increase their effectiveness in battle. Shizen with his Adivinar Tree created thousands of vines and roots, dyeing the entire region around him in his own colours. Being the centre of the team''s formation, Shizen was responsible for assisting the vanguard in their assault and pulling them back if they overextended their advance. Shizen''s Adivinar Tree also served as a protector of the backlines which proved useful when swatting away pesky flies that attempted to encircle the group. Isadore was rather meek compared to the rest of the team. Since he couldn''t summon out the Spirit of Himmel in front of that many spectators, the silver-haired elf-man was relegated to using the Spirit Armament spear he could find. Standing in the front lines alongside Shin, Isadore was ready to pounce at a moment''s notice. And finally, there was Kanari. In her full Spiritual Body Enhancement form, the foxy maiden''s nine fluffy tails wagged rapidly while the blue flame ball orbited around her. Her elongated nails and ruby-red eyes glistened in the late afternoon sun with the gales behind her back. Flushed red from excitement, the young maiden seemed to have turned into a primal beast that would maul anything that came in her path. Baring her fangs, the Kumiho girl leapt straight forward and charged straight at the enemies. BOOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOMMM!!! Thunderous echoes broke the atmosphere of the rocky plains with unfathomable amounts of spiritual energies pouring from each direction. Kanari''s early attack obliterated the first handful of Spirit Beasts that were flying straight at the troops, giving the green light for the soldiers to begin their strike. Supporting the young maiden out in the field, Shin fired all of his Spears of Sparta, instantly narrowing down the numbers within Kanari''s reach. Ella supported Kanari''s charge with her own form of justice. Thousands of icicles flowed out from Ella''s Ice Bow sliced through numerous Spirit Beasts, weakening them tremendously for Kanari to finish them off. Emma too assisted the Witch in the South through her expert aim, penetrating the skulls of Tier 3 Spirit Beasts before they could even come close to dealing any damage to Kanari. Showing off why they were called the Glacial Fairy Markswoman and the Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter, the twins continued their relentless assault all while supporting the main damage dealer of the group. Almost every time Shin looked at Kanari, there was a pale blue flame within her palms and each time she swung it, the land would implode sending her foes straight into the abyss. Using her foxfire and gale control, Kanari was able to create a wall of blue inferno, blocking a good portion of the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts from every tasting the flesh of the wounded soldiers. "Change of plans! All of us are to support Kanari!" Shin watched as the maiden continued to wreak havoc as if she were playing with her own dollhouse. There was no point in sticking to their wait-and-see policy. If Kanari was popping off, the team had to support her in any way that they could. "Elrin! Cast ''False Armament on Kanari and Isadore! Shizen, protect our flanks! Isadore, let''s go in and join the fun!" Wielding the Spear of Aiglos, Shin hopped in straight into the wall of flames where Kanari lay in wait, alongside his trusted partner. Forty glittering pearls shot forward from Elrin''s direction and encircled the wrists and ankles of the two main vanguards while Shin went in alone and landed right behind Kanari''s back. She had just executed two octopus that tried to entangle them with her tentacles and didn''t notice the arrival of the black-haired man, which startled her for a second. However, after feeling the warmth from Shin''s back, the young maiden instantly felt rejuvenated. "Shin..." "Not now, Kanari!" Sensing that her tension had died down, Shin immediately raised her voice. "We''re still in the middle of a battle! We can''t lose focus!" "R-Right! Focus!" Kanari hyped herself up by pumping her two fists up. However, even after Elrin had granted her False Armaments, the young girl didn''t seem willing to leave the comfort of Shin''s broad and manly back. Glancing over his shoulder, Shin did his best to stifle his laughter when he saw the puffed up adorable face of Kanari''s. Nonetheless, they were still in the middle of a battle, so... "Kanari¡­ I know that things are awkward between us, but after this whole battle is over, could we take some time to talk? Maybe in private without any pesky eyes?" Shin didn''t mean anything by inviting her for a tryst, however, the young maiden completely took it the wrong way. Kanari''s face instantly thought back to yesterday night, where the pair was all alone under the grandeur of the night sky and the sweet taste of a man''s tongue in her mouth. Did Shin want another rendezvous like that? Of course not. But a woman could only dream¡­ "Okay..." "Good! I''ll support you! Go crazy with your fire!" Wholly unaware that he had ignited a new fuse, Shin smiled and spun the Spear of Aiglos around, creating dozens of shapes to assist the maiden in her onslaught. A hail of water bullets slammed down onto the Spirit Beasts that were just inches away from him while Shin created floating water disks for Kanari to step on if needed. Leaving the flaming field, the pair bolted forward with everything that they had. Blue flames circled around Kanari with every turn that she made while Shin covered her openings with water tendrils and crazy amounts of created weapons. For good measure, Shin had also summoned out an army of water golems to form a line that blocks any Spirit Beasts from moving deeper into the retreating Alliance forces. Kanari attacks, Shin covers. That was the harmonious dance that the two had concocted. Anything on the ground was swept away by the deadly flames of the Kumiho. Anything in the skies was being devastated by the weapons that Shin created or the constant bombardment that he had placed them into. The perfect waltz by the Witch in the South and the Prince of Water. That was the consensus shared by those who witnessed the two fight. Any Spirit Beast that was below Tier 4 stood no chance against the combined might of the two prodigies. However, that didn''t mean that absolutely no Spirit Beast could damage the pair. Seemingly angered that its comrades had fallen like flies, a Tier 4 savage tiger pounced forward with the intent to kill. Its roar was heard far and wide, making it quite hard to miss. Before Shin or Kanari had the chance to react to the menace, a silver flash sped past their peripheral vision and encountered the tiger head on. Isadore kicked the tiger on its chin, spinning it one round before it landed on its belly. The force that propelled him forward continued to move the lightweight youth forward and gave Isadore the speed needed to do a complete backspin to give himself the advantageous position. With yet another roar, the crazed tiger opened its jaws to release a fearsome orange fire, which ignited and sped straight at Isadore with a vengeance. Not willing to become a beast''s barbeque, Isadore spun thrice and landed on his feet right next to the tiger. His spear sliced through the thick flesh of the Spirit Beast twice in those spins, giving rise for Isadore to land yet another blow. Alas, a Tier 4 Spirit Beast was much different as compared to its weaker counterparts. With one leap the tiger retreated almost a hundred metres, allowing the dark matter that encompassed it to heal its broken tendons and mend its bones. However, Isadore wasn''t about to let it go just like that. Chasing down the tiger, the silver-haired boy exchanged blows with the beast when it was still healing, slicing and dicing any claws or fangs that got in his way. In the end, Isadore''s spearmanship and overall physical boost proved too much for the Tier 4 Spirit Beast to bear. With one final thrust, Isadore pierced through the tiger''s skull and extinguished the light within the beast''s eyes. "You guys have to be more careful about dealing with Tier Fours!!! They aren''t the typically beast that you can just sweep away!" Isadore chided the duo after his masterful display. "Just handle the weaker ones! I''ll push back any Tier Fours or Fives that might come!" "Thanks! You''re a lifesaver!" Shin replied amidst a wide smile. The seven young heroes didn''t only consist of Shin and Kanari. Every one of them were monsters that would dominate their own fields and Isadore was no exception. Even in the backlines, Shizen was clearing Spirit Beasts as if they were dominoes that could be toppled by his Adivinar Tree. Vines and razor-sharp leaves bound all Spirit Beasts within the land all while two archers executed them without any mercy. ''Junius¡­ Oh, Junius...'' Shin looked up at the Payirci that stretched for almost a kilometre in length. Even though there were no windows, Shin knew that Junius was watching down on him, observing his every move. ''You''d thought that you had ended us¡­ However, this is far from over¡­ We''re only just beginning...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 387 Payirci 2 Shin and Kanari continued to dominate the battlefield with all of their teammates covering for their weaknesses. Whenever a Tier 4 Spirit Beast showed up, Isadore made sure that he was the first man to intercept it. When they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the horde, Ella would immobilise the beasts using her superior icy dust control ability while Emma went in for the kill. At the very backlines, Shizen was using his vines and razor leaves to keep any monsters from encircling the two geniuses and was always on the lookout for potential dangers with a vine on standby to pull them out if need be. And who could forget the masterful support that Elrin was providing to the pair? Her Sacramental Boost enabled Kanari and Shin to continue blasting skills left and right without care for their mana pool. Furthermore, with her False Armaments, Kanari and Isadore were able to outmanoeuvre any foe that came into their view due to their increased speed and power. Standing to the side, various figures were watching the seven young heroes move with absolute mastery, and some even gaped in awe as they forgot that they were on a battlefield. One of them being a familiar obese young man, who should have been focusing on defeating the opponents that he had. "They really have grown to complement each other," Danroy remarked within his Bangeo Rhinoceros Phantom. Danroy''s fats jiggled with every movement he made and the abrupt turn he did to his comrades didn''t help in that sight. "Don''t you think that they''re more powerful than before as well?" "..." Suji remained silent with his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in his hands. Though they were competitors, the sinewy young man had to admit that their teamwork was perhaps far superior as compared to their own team''s. However, since he had a bet with Shin, there was no way that he would verbally admit that. "Kanari really is a monster..." Hacking down yet another Spirit Beast that came into her path, Natasha turned around and almost dropped her jaw that her classmate''s absolute powers. As time went by, it became increasingly evident that the seven young heroes were doing everything that they could to supplement Kanari in her brutal never-ending assault and that the Kumiho girl was the focal point of the team''s dominance. "Shin''s no slob, either." Danroy continued with his own observation. "How the hell is he able to use water when Kanari is spewing fire all around the battlefield?! It makes no sense!!!" Any four-year-old knew that water and fire don''t mix. In theory, if Shin were to use his created water alongside Kanari''s Foxfire, the two would cancel each other out, rendering all of their attacks obsolete. Yet, the Prince of Water was somehow able to not only keep the blue flames burning but to also aid Kanari in any move that she made. It defied all logic, but Shin had managed to do it with relative ease and to significant effect. "It just goes to show how talented the two are..." Natasha made that thoughtless comment. After five years sharing the same classroom with Shin and Kanari, the swordmaiden had long accepted her inferiority and had given up on ever competing against them. Unfortunately, those wouldn''t move on, no matter how many years would pass. Suji swung his trusted Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, sending thunderbolts flying all about. Mana spewed out from the core of his body as the blue lightning became more and more violent, congregating underneath the groin of the muscular young man. The lightning bolts continued to gather until a dim shape took form. Suji''s two feet rose above the ground, and it wasn''t because he was floating, but an electric equine creature was now right beneath his bum, bolting its two feet up in the air like a prized stallion ready to jump into war. "Hmph! I''m going in!" The muscleman derisively said those words as he turned into a purple flash. Charged up like a lightning rod, Suji rode into battle with his fourth spiritual ability and proceeded to slice through anything that stood in his path. The purple coils of lightning continuously disintegrated the souls of the Spirit Beasts with each swing of Suji''s Guandao, bringing the death toll of the beast to an all-time high. Due to the thunder mare that he was riding, Suji was able to cover much more ground as compared to Shin and Kanari, allowing him to reach the absolute centre of the horde to wreak havoc at heart. Noticing the commotion, Shin and Kanari turned to see what the ruckus was about. What greeted them was the superior black eyes of the Son of War. Suji never admitted that he was inferior and he wanted everyone to know that. Their interaction lasted for barely two seconds before the muscular man rode off with even more murderous intent, hacking and slicing anything that moved within his peripheral. "Someone''s in a bad mood." The Witch in the South giggled. "You talk as if this doesn''t concern you." Shin wasn''t that amused by Kanari''s sny laugh. "You do know that he sees you as a rival to surpass as well, right?" "He likes you more, though!" "That''s definitely not the case!" "That so is!" Shin and Kanari argued over that small detail while mayhem continued to unravel all around them. The Alliance forces were pulling back bit by bit. However, able-bodied warriors continued to stay back to help the weaker members retreat as well as kill a few hundred Spirit Beasts to thin down their numbers. Fortunately, with the assistance of the White Knights and the elite volunteer teams, the withdrawal of the troops was going much smoother than the commander expected. "Hey! We''re in the middle of a battle here!" Before their debate could turn into flirting, Isadore screamed out while jumping back with a dead hare Spirit Beast impaled on his spear. "Focus a little!" "Right! Sorry!" The pair immediately apologised, stifling their laughter in the process. Just as Isadore had said, they were way too casual, so Kanari decided to take it up a notch. "Shin, cover me." The young maiden closed her eyes and gathered all of her mana into one point. The pale blue flames that surrounded her began to burn even brighter, and Kanari''s gales fanned the sapphire inferno to ignite even more of her foes. Sensing that something was up, the Spirit Beasts all turned their attention to the stationary Kumiho girl. Talons, fangs, horns, claws. An assortment of vicious tools was head Kanari''s way in the hopes of killing off the menace from its source. However, instead of drawing blood, all those weapons that the Spirit Beasts had turned into mush as they came into contact with the honeycomb barrier that Shin had created. "Oh no, you don''t!" Shin ridiculed the darkness-imbued beasts and created hundreds of water bullets to deter them from coming close to the young maiden before she could finish her cast. Crimson beads splattered all over the Aegis Bubble, and dust flew all over the place. Kanari was efficient in her attacks, but Shin wasn''t one to be looked down upon either. His attacks were basically poison to any Tier 2 Spirit Beast or lower and Tier 3 Spirit Beasts would perish with a little bit of concentrated effort from the youth. In just a few moments, Shin had cleared the area in front of him, enabling Kanari to execute her ability. Her mana spiked, Kanari finally opened her eyes, revealing those gorgeous blood-red ruby pupils that she had. The aura that Kanari emitted struck fear in any Spirit Beasts weaker than her and complete anger in those that were equal or mightier than her. However, a common consensus was felt among the Spirit Beasts¡­ The woman had to be eliminated at all costs. Alas, it was too late. An illusion of a full luminescent moon appeared right in front of Kanari, sending forth tremendous amounts of spiritual pressure and forcing the most ferocious of beasts to go tame in their legs. The temperature rose drastically with each passing second and soon, heat waves strong enough to give a regular human a stroke dominated the field in front of the illusory moon. The Spirit Beasts ran in terror, but their boiling blood made it somewhat challenging to make it anywhere near safety. And finally, Kanari said those fateful words¡­ "Lunar Beam!!!" BBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!! Fiery radiation melted anything, and everything within Kanari''s path as the Lunar Beam danced past the beasts as if nothing was there. In an instant, dozens of beasts were incinerated into ashes, never to see the light of day ever again. Pale blue foxfire left in the wake of the beam continued to spread out and igniting the remaining Spirit Beasts that Lunar Beam had just barely missed. It was carnage. However, it was carnage that the Alliance forces sorely needed. "ORRYAHHHHH!!!" Seasoned warriors that witnessed Kanari''s deadly attack howled out in a battle-cry, washing away any fatigue that they had accumulated. The adrenaline pumping to their heads, the soldiers continued to fight and thin down the drastic numbers of the beasts, all while facilitating the retreat of their allies. And it wasn''t just the Alliance members that were amped up. Suji''s group and an array of other contracted teams raised their weapons and burst into the horde. It didn''t matter if they were a Rank 12 Spirit Apostle or a Rank 58 Spirit Lord. They had all but forgotten their exhaustion and were on the brink of pledging their lives to the cause. Amidst all of the commotion, Kanari stood still, silent. The gorgeous pale blue flames that encircled her continued to flicker in the orange afternoon glow. Whistles of eerie winds brushed past her supple white skin and swayed her nine tails from side to side. Finding it odd that the young maiden had halted in the middle of a battle, Shin jumped back and approached her from her front. "Kanari? What''s wrong?" "Shin..." The Kumiho woman took several deep breaths in expanding and compressing her rich bosom drastically. Kanari''s ruby eyes blossomed with a spectacular crimson radiance while the blue foxfire balls around her continued to oscillate in absolute joy. "I feel¡­ So different¡­ So powerful..." "Different? Powerful?" The Prince of Water furrowed his brows and observed the movements of the black-haired maiden. On the surface, there was nothing different about her. Kanari still exuded the same beauty as she always did and there wasn''t anything odd about her movements. Thus, whatever was bothering her had to be internal. "Wait¡­ Could it be?!" It didn''t take long for Shin to connect the dots. Stepping forward to hold her hand, the youth sent his spiritual sense into the young maiden''s body, only to feel a pleasant throbbing sensation emitted straight out from Kanari''s core. "Kanari! You''re breaking through!" Shin gasped. The Witch in the South was long stuck at Rank 39, and it has been a few months since she had made any progress in her cultivation. Nonetheless, neither the maiden nor her teachers were frustrated by the lack of improvements. Crossing the first barrier of mortality was tough and the bridge between Rank 39 and Rank 40 was much wider as compared to Rank 38 and 39. Yet, here Kanari was, reaching the peak of Rank 39 and ready to take the first leap to double her lifespan. "I am? I am!" The maiden examined herself and leapt up in absolute joy. The Highgarden Duchy had been preparing for this moment for almost her entire life. Saint Firebird, the Duchess of Highgarden, as well as an assortment of the best mentors and meisters had been planning her eventual rise to the Spirit Spectre realm. Kanari had always dreamed that she would be surrounded by the best resources, the most spectacular chambers and the highest authorities in the land to facilitate her ascension. However, right now, there was only one thought in her mind. "Great! When we get back to base, I''m immediately going to attempt my breakthrough!" "You what?!" Shin hollered out in absolute fear. Crossing the first barrier of mortality was a deed that needed ample planning and real-time support. One false move and Kanari''s cultivation base might be severely wounded, crippling any chance that she had to become a Spirit Spectre. She had to be extremely cautious with her ascension, and yet, the Witch in the South wanted to do so in such a remote land? "You can''t! You should return to the Himmel Empire and make your attempt there! It''s far too dangerous here!" "I won''t leave you to deal with Junius alone you know." Kanari knew that Shin wouldn''t leave the Payirci alone, especially when Junius was hiding deep inside of it with god knows how many forces. "I''ll breakthrough into the Spirit Spectre realm right here, and we''ll take him on together." "Kanari!" "That''s enough, Shin! Don''t you trust me?" "I do¡­ But this is another matter altogether! If something were to happen to you..." The Black-Haired Tyrant didn''t dare to complete his sentence. Meekly dropping his head, Shin held on to Kanari''s hand and placed a cap on his emotions. BRRRTTTTTT!!!!!! At that moment, a resonant horn bellowed through the field, signalling all units to retreat to safety immediately. The injured and the fallen had been moved. There was no reason to stay in this infested land anymore. "Let''s discuss this later..." Shin held the wrists of Kanari and jumped back with her in his hands. It wasn''t the time nor the place to talk about breaking into Rank 40. What''s more important was for them to retreat back to safety, away from the seemingly endless waves of darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 388 Payirci 3 The Kori Federation. Estrella Region. White Knight Encampment. Evening fell on the cold and desolate rocky terrain of the region. The blistering heat of the sun had ebbed into a comforting warmth. The shadows were now twice in length as compared to their casters, and the brightly lit sky had been replaced with a grey patch of clouds and fog. If one looked carefully, they would be able to see the mischievous twinkling stars that were hidden behind the overcast twilight. It was the perfect weather to cosy up indoors with family members and friends, singing hymns about stories passed down from generation to generation. However, not all who shared the velvety dim skies felt the same way. "Hurry! Bring the wounded to the healer''s tent! Don''t you dare drop any of them!" Officers barked out orders desperately at their soldiers, forcing the men and women to double up their efforts. Stretchers filled with unconscious warriors were being ferried from station to station, all while the troopers did their best to facilitate the healers in the camp. Some soldiers had a hole blown through their innards while others had lost an entire limb. White-robed healers all scurried from place to place as they did their best to treat as many injured as they possibly could. While the fallen were wailing and screaming, the White Knight Commander, who had just been freed of her immediate duties, rushed into the opened tent and gazed straight at the wounded laid on white sheets. Seeing her entrance, a middle-aged man with greys coming out from the side of his head immediately put down his charts and rushed to give his superior a bow. "What''s the damage?" Asked the commander. "We are fortunate." Luckily for the White Knight leader, the healer brought good news. "There''s only a few dozen who are in desperate need of attention. The rest have suffered minor abrasions and bruises that could be healed within a few days. No fatalities have been brought to my attention." "That''s good..." The commander heaved a sigh of relief as her tensed-up shoulders dropped. There was now one weight off her chest. "Your decision to move the troops back immediately was wise. If not for your quick thinking, there''s no telling how many would have died out in the field." "Don''t pander me." The commander replied. She wasn''t that fond of compliments, especially when she had made a blunder that may have cost her the entire army provided to her by the Alliance. "Oh, but I was telling the truth." The Senior Healer chuckled. "People talk. I know that the Black Mask having that structure was completely unexpected. It takes a wise leader to know when to pull back and when to advance. Your speedy reactions had resulted in many lives being saved, and I must thank you for that." "Alright, alright..." Unable to take the earnest praise, the golden-armoured commander blushed a little before coughing dryly once. She knew when she was beaten. Now that she had confirmed the situation with her own eyes, it was best for her to retreat back to her quarters. There were other pressing matters to handle."When the treatments are done, report straight to me in my office." "Wait, commander!" Before the White Knight could even take one foot out of the door, the Senior Healer raised his voice, breaking the chorus of the wails within the tent. "Yes?" "Just now¡­ The Prince of Water paid us a visit. He helped us heal the lightly wounded, giving the other healers more freedom to take on the harder tasks." ''Him again?'' The Commander grabbed her chin and thought about the black-haired young man that had begged her to join the vanguard of the invasion force. "What about it?" "I''m not sure if I should say this but¡­ If you''re considering another assault on the Black Masks, I would suggest that you have the boy in the frontlines." Boldly giving his opinion about the war efforts, the Senior Healer gazed straight into the commander''s eyes, never faltering in the slightest. "The Prince of Water''s ''Healing Mist'' is the real deal and his skill is equivalent to that of an Intermediate Healer. I''m not sure if you know this, but ''Healing Mist'' is one of the best auxiliary skills for armies to have during a battle. If you could utilise him correctly, the number of men or women entering this tent would be massively minimised." "Hoh¡­ But wouldn''t that leave you guys without a job?" With a sly smile, the commander jested. "HA HA!!! If it meant that no more valiant warriors would fall on the battlefield, I''d wear that unemployment badge with honour!!!" The Senior Healer bellowed out, his oily face opened up with all sorts of expressions in the meantime. "Don''t worry about the battles. We''re not even sure if the Alliance would allow us to battle that monstrous thing levitating in the air yet." "But if there is one¡­ A battle... Promise me that you''ll at least consider that option." The White Knight Commander cocked her head back and drowsily rolled her eyes. She knew how honourable the Senior Healer was and she knew that everything he would do was for the betterment of the troops. If he had suggested that Shin should join the vanguard, the least that she could do was to consider that as an option. "Sure thing." Smiling, the commander left the white tent and sashayed back to her own abode, where hundreds of other matters had been piling up on her desk. Though it was technically a defeat for her forces, no one in the camp blamed her. Who could have expected that the Black Masks would hold such a malicious trump card that was still unknown to human society? Before the commander could even make an entrance into her shelter, the seasoned warrior could sense a few figures pacing up and down within the canvas. Judging by their spiritual energies, they were mostly top-notch authorities that could easily outstrip her in power. ''Hah¡­ This day just keeps giving, huh?'' Composing herself, the commander took enormous strides into her own room, revealing her face to the rude guests that had made their way into her quarters. "Commander!" Her guests all stood straight and watched as the woman stepped into the tent. Oddly enough, there was only one person that didn''t bother to stand and had his butt firmly attached to the comfortable oak chair. Though, his rude behaviour to the master of the abode wasn''t reprimanded. In fact, the commander went out of her way to bow down to the venerable old man who seemed too lazy to move. "Elder Baobiao." "Commander." The two exchanged short greetings before the woman took her place on the throne behind the desk. For the Spirit Venerate to personally visit her even though he had a mission of protecting Shin from harm, it meant that the issue was far greater than she could have imagined. There was no need for further pleasantries. It was time to get into the crux of the matter. "Bring out the Cikai Mirror." Elder Baobiao ordered. As if practised thousands of times before, the man behind of the Spirit Venerate brought a reflective glass straight from an opened chest and placed it in front of the entire congregation. Kkkkkktttttt!!!! Static dominated the Cikai Mirror for a full ten seconds before a prim figure started to form within its glass. Within the communication tool, a prim and proper red-haired man appeared. His pursed pink lips echoed the tense atmosphere that was in the residence of the White Knights and his strikingly sharp eyes pierced through the soul of any that looked straight at him. "Alliance Head!!!" Seeing the familiar handsome face, the golden-armoured commander stood up from her seat and gave a solemn bow. Raphael, the Alliance Head who happens to run the Healer''s Association at the same time, waved his arms like a regal monarch, turning all the dropped heads to jovial smiles. "Be at ease. We have pressing matters to discuss." When it came to the war against the Black Masks, Raphael was the figurehead that made most of the decisions. There was literally, no one in a higher authoritative position as compared to the Divine Healer that was giving the assemblage an audience. "Yes, Sir!!!" The juniors in the room all heeded the man''s advice and returned to their respective places. All except that one elderly man with the dragon''s beard. "Raphael, how caught up are you?" "Not much." The Alliance Head scratched the undersides of his chin while pulling up the scroll that had been sent to him. On it, there were many words, but they were barely able to fill up a quarter of the pristine cloth. "The information the transmission sent was rather vague, but I can tell that it''s serious." "Do forgive us! We have been swamped since we got back! We could only send a rushed transmission." The White Knight Commander immediately apologised for their lack of professionalism. "No matter, if you don''t know anything, I''ll explain it to you." Elder Baobiao straightened his rested head to look Raphael through the Cikai Mirror in the eye. "I suspect that the Black Masks had obtained the technologies left behind by Spirit Immortal Dream. The Payirci is something that had only been theorised in the blueprint stage, and yet, there''s one such relic present under the Crypts of the First Men!" "How dangerous is it?" "Very." Elder Baobiao''s eyes never wavered. He looked at the Alliance Head straight in the eye like a fierce beast that needed its prey. "It housed a tremendous amount of spiritual energies, one that would match any Spirit Saint. It summoned out heaps of Spirit Beasts that would have enveloped the entire army if not for this lass quick thinking and command. And worst of it could withstand my Xuanwu''s Yawn." "..." "Let me tell you this. If that structure really is the Payirci of legend, the Black Masks would theoretically have an infinite supply of Spirit Beasts, and their reign of terror would continue on for decades!" The Spirit Venerate gave his two cents with a cry. "I understand the implications¡­" Raphael folded his arms and crossed his right leg over his left thigh. Now that the message had been relayed to him in full, there had to be a plan to resist the Black Masks. "So, how do you propose we proceed from here?" "First of all, we need more White Knight Elites in the region. If possible, bring in ten times the amount of soldiers we have now. I can help assist from the Lantis Republic''s side, but I would need the Kori Federation to send in some capable Spirit Lords and Kings as well." "Done." It wasn''t hard for the Alliance Head to decree such a simple matter. They needed to eradicate the Black Masks, and the three superpowers wouldn''t disagree about taking out a potential Spirit Beast generator before it was too late. "Next, I would need someone knowledgeable about the relics of Spirit Immortal Dream, perhaps someone from the Blacksmith''s League, to examine the structure and help to confirm if it truly is a legendary Payirci. If it is, we would need to be educated on how to stop it." "That would prove a little tricky..." The red-haired man dropped his head into thought while he pondered about that request. Relics from Spirit Immortal Dream''s time weren''t that extensively studied since most of it was lost or destroyed. Nonetheless, there were still some fanatics that may have gotten their hands on the blueprints of a Payirci. "I can try to spread the word, but I can''t give you any promises that I''ll find anyone suitable within the week." "Your word is good enough." Elder Baobiao bowed in gratitude. He knew how difficult of a task it was and didn''t pressure Raphael on that matter. The next issue that he had, on the other hand¡­ "Finally, and this is probably the hardest request that I''ll ask you..." The old man stroked his beard and massaged his wrinkles. Elder Baobiao didn''t know if he should even bring this up since it was a near impossible task. Nevertheless, time was ticking. Every passing minute was a minute that the Black Masks could use to bolster their forces within the Payirci. Swallowing his saliva, the Spirit Venerate said those fateful words: "We need to get a Spirit Saint to act. Could you invite one over?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 389 Payirci 4 "A Spirit Saint?!" Raphael bottled down his urge to scream as he glared at the elderly man. Spirit Saints were the lifeblood of every superpower. They maintained the delicate balance of this world and were revered by whichever organisation they chose to reside in. Being lofty beings that aimed to progress their cultivations to the next stage to potentially become the next Spirit Immortal, they had washed their hands off any mortal affairs and were rarely present in any army. After all, should one of them perish, accidentally or otherwise, the organisation that they supported would be sent into complete disarray, and opportunistic forces would take advantage to capitalise on their moment of weakness. Sending a Spirit Saint on a mission to deal with an unknown structure that may or may not have the power to kill them? Even if a Spirit Saint obliges, no superpower in their right mind will allow their ultimate card to risk themselves. "And why can''t you ask a Spirit Saint from the Lantis Republic to act?" "The Saints on our island don''t possess the same raw firepower of those from the Himmel Empire or Kori Federation." Naturally, Elder Baobiao had a comeback. "Remember how the Payirci remained unfazed even after taking my Xuanwu''s Yawn? We need a Spirit Saint that could far surpass my single target ability to deal out endless amounts of destruction to the structure. Only someone like Saint Geom from the Kori Federation or Saint Firebird from the Himmel Empire could dish out that kind of damage." A blatant lie, of course. The Lantis Republic had four Spirit Saints. Though their raw damage output wasn''t able to beat that of the most offensive-oriented Spirit Saint of their times, they weren''t too shabby with their attacks either. In fact, the Saint of Time, Longyu Tian, even had a raw damage ability that could trump majority of Spirit Saints at her level. So why did Elder Baobiao lie? Wasn''t that answer obvious? ''That sneaky fox¡­ He wants to borrow another''s sword to test the whetstone...'' Raphael had to pinch himself on the thigh to prevent any change of expression. If Elder Baobiao had got what he wanted, another Spirit Saint would become the test dummy for attacking a Payirci. If the structure fell, great! One less problem to avoid. If the structure stood firm and released a counter-attack that killed the Spirit Saint, also great! For the Lantis Republic that is. One less Spirit Saint to worry about after the war was all over. All this without having to risk a single Spirit Saint from the Lantis Republic. "There''s no way that I can promise that." Inside the Cikai Mirror, the figure of Raphael shaking his head was reflected back onto everyone present in the room. "Requesting a Spirit Saint to do battle is outside of my job scope. Nonetheless, the alleged Payirci does pose as a problem if your Xuanwu''s Yawn can''t take it down. How about this? I pledge to bring this up to the council where all of the leaders gather. We will unquestionably pick one of the best offensive-oriented Spirit Venerate to join the assault. Who knows, perhaps one of the Spirit Saints from either country might ''volunteer'' to attack that oddity." Raphael pursed his lips and controlled the slight twitch in his left eye. As much as he wanted to flat out refuse Elder Baobiao''s request, the Alliance Head knew the importance of testing the limits of the new foreign object. If its defences were strong enough to withstand the blow of Elder Baobiao''s Xuanwu''s Yawn, perhaps only the mighty Spirit Saints could damage the Payirci. "That''s fine with me." The elderly man nodded and didn''t say another word. His business was now over with Raphael. There wasn''t a need to communicate anymore with the Alliance Head who may interfere with the only mission he was dispatched for. Noticing the shift in tone, the White Knight Commander coughed twice and took charge of the meeting. "Alliance Head! What are your orders now?" "Commander Martha." The red-haired man scratched his nose as a beaming smile crept up his two cheeks. "I''ve heard many compliments about your quick thinking and masterful decision-making. You have saved the Alliance thousands of troops today. The Terre Continent and the Lantis Archipelago are forever in your debt." "I was just doing my job!" The golden-armoured knight brought her right hand straight to her heart and saluted the Alliance Head. "Nevertheless, your achievements have been duly recorded, and after this battle is over, I''ll make sure that you''re rewarded accordingly." "Thank you, Sir!!!" Her head bowed, the commander hid her grinning face from the rest of those in the meeting. Martha may have been in the military since she was a young teen, but praise from a direct superior was a deed that would never get old in her books. "Good, I believe that you''ll continue to serve the realm greatly. However, as much as I would like to pull your troops to give you a well-deserved rest, we still need your presence there until reinforcements arrive. Right now, you have two important objectives. One, to scout out any information you may obtain from the supposed Payirci. Secondly, the Alliance needs your forces to contain the structure, keep any Spirit Beasts from pouring out and threatening any of the nearby towns or villages. Could you manage that?" "As you command!" The White Knight trembled as she replied in her loudest voice. "Thank you, Commander Martha. I''ll be in touch about the state of the reinforcements. Good work, I''ll see you soon." With that, Raphael ended the transmission abruptly to tend to other matters. Namely gathering enough forces to act as reinforcements as well as searching for a person that was knowledgable about Spirit Immortal Dream''s relics. "Alright Commander Martha, if you may excuse me." His business concluded, Elder Baobiao took off from his chair to return to his main job in the Estrella Region. Though Meijing Bingying and Xunyu Huanyuan were already guarding Shin within the secure encampment, it didn''t mean that the youth was completely safe from danger, especially since there was a psychotic maniac that wished to abduct him no matter the cost. "Ah, Elder Baobiao! Thank you for your assistance back there!" However, before he left, the Commander quickly stood up as she remembered the deeds of the elder. He didn''t need to listen to the White Knight''s request, but he did anyway. At the very least, Martha owed him a word of thanks. "No worries, commander. Attacking the Payirci benefitted both the Alliance and myself. I just hope that the information gained would help end this godforsaken war before it harms anyone else." "That¡­ I agree..." Elder Baobiao didn''t look back. Reaching the flaps of the tent, his entire visage turned blurry with each passing moment until eventually, the Spirit Venerate turned to nothingness. Though, that disappearance didn''t surprise the assemblage inside the White Knight''s quarters. Many took their leave with a humble bow while some stayed on. The soft creaks of metal on metal annoyed the Commander''s ears as the armoured officers surrounded her desk in a semicircle shape, awaiting Martha''s strict orders. "One problem fades away, another presents itself. How fun." The woman sneered with her back fallen on the chair. "Well, you heard the Alliance Head. We''re all going to contain the Payirci. Are the watchpoints still up and running?" "Yes, Ma''am!" One soldier enthusiastically replied. "How many able-bodied warriors do we have?" "Nine thousand Alliance forces. If we include the elite teams that had been dispatched, perhaps ten." ''The elite teams, huh?'' The White Knight thought back to the conversation she shared with the Senior Healer. If Shin''s talents were used on the battlefield, she could potentially minimise the number of casualties that she might sustain. It was a tempting thought, and if she weren''t limited by the diplomacy, perhaps she would pen the order into a paper. ''No, we shouldn''t involve Elder Baobiao further.'' Pinning her brows together until wrinkles started to show, the commander was reminded of the somewhat tense conversation that the Alliance Head and Spirit Venerate had. Yes, Shin''s team would be a great asset, but his involvement in any future battles would prove detrimental when it came to dealing with the Lantis Republic''s guards. "Leave the elite teams. We''ll do the two missions with the White Knights and the Alliance''s Army. The first order of business, containment! I want no Spirit Beasts to roam free from the structure. If you see any beasts, kill them immediately! Disperse the men to all the watchpoints. Leave a thousand in camp. Once more details present itself, I''ll lay down the next order." "Yes, Ma''am!!!" ??? The Kori Federation. Estrella Region. Former Grounds Of The Crypts Of The First Men. The Peak Of The Payirci. The chilling twilight soon faded into black, leaving behind nothing but a blanket of stars graced by the waxing gibbous moon. Moist air tickled the sensitive skins of the sleeping creatures of the land, sending a chilling cold to creep into the organs. Most animals crept deep into their burrows and sought refuge from the dip in temperature. Roars were replaced with yawns, and for the most part, it was a peaceful night. However, not all locations under the heavenly sky were equal. Standing up straight with his arms behind his back, a tall, lean man watched the earth from his lofty position. Surrounding the terrain around him were hundreds of shadowy creatures that patrolled the land like watchdogs. Some were colossal in size while others were barely big enough to outweigh a rabbit. It truly was an odd sight to behold, Spirit Beasts moving as they were told, but the man hardly cared about that. His gaze was plastered to the distant campfires that bellowed out smoke and light, even in this darkest of hours. "A penny for your thoughts?" A toneless voice spoke out from the man''s side. It was the same sound that had whispered sweet temptations to him earlier this morning, so there wasn''t a need for the man to turn around to confirm the speaker''s identity. Nonetheless, out of respect, he did just that. "Senior Ao." Just as Junius had anticipated, the World Serpent had walked over with a gourd of wine in hand. Although Tier 9 Spirit Beasts weren''t supposed to get drunk, Junius could see a slight tinge of red from Ao''s face while his footsteps were askew. An act, of course. But the man chose to play along. "You shouldn''t be drinking this much when we''re stuck in the middle of our enemies." Junius pulled out the ceramic gourd from the World Serpent''s hand and corked it. It was treasonous for a mere Vaishya to order around a Nine Coloured Noble Beast, but the World Serpent didn''t mind it one bit. His disgustingly wicked smile that had irked Junius to his core resurfaced as his wavering hips came to a halt. "Just a little bit of celebration! The White Knights had no idea what hit them! You should have seen their faces when the Spirit Venerate failed to even leave a mark on it!" Ao declared while pulling the gourd back to his hands. "You know it was kind of desperate. If we didn''t use the Payirci and the Alliance had found it before it was activated, could you imagine our future loses?" "We''re still going to lose it!" Junius snapped back. "Once activated, the Payirci will continue to stay in place until it loses mana or someone clears it! It was meant to be used in a later phase, and we had just ruined it all for the Allfather!" Being an executive, Junius knew almost everything that the Allfather had planned for the Black Masks and the world. This structure that they were standing on was meant for a much later time when the resources that the Black Masks had were more matured due to the war. Yet, because Junius was in a state of peril, the Allfather had agreed to green light the operation. Of course, the sweet tongue of Ao played a massive role in changing the Allfather''s decision, but that only served to piss Junius more. The World Serpent bent his neck and narrowed his eyes. Their gazes matched, Junius and Ao stared at one another for a full ten seconds before the Spirit Beast finally broke out in a peal of hearty laughter. "HAHAHA!!! You''d almost got me there!" "What''s so funny?!" Now Junius was genuinely annoyed. "I know why you''re really angry! You''re not angry because we activated the Payirci. You''re really angry cause it didn''t bring you your brother!" "Y-You!" Junius nearly forgotten that he was talking to a superior and almost threw a straight jab at the suave man. Fortunately, he was able to stop himself in time. Punching a Tier 9 Spirit Beast that could move the oceans and bend the seas wasn''t really the greatest of ideas. "You really love him, huh? How many years has it been? Five? Six? You have achieved so much with the syndicate, and yet you still want to bring him into your arms." "What''s wrong with that?!" The young man hollered. His nostrils flared, and pupils dilated. If there were a King of Wrath, Junius would bear a perfect resemblance. "What''s wrong with bringing my family back together?!" "Nothing! I''m just amused!" The World Serpent wiped the tears off his face when the bellowing body came to a halt. "Ah, humans. So sentimental about everything." Leaving it at that, Ao uncorked the wine gourd and took massive chugs. Pivoting the balls of his feet, the blue-haired man made his way to the exit with massive steps. "Where are you going?" "To prepare for a war of course! As per your orders!" Jesting around like a clown, the World Serpent leaned his back against the wall. "Oh, by the way, you have to prepare yourself. I estimate that it would take a week or two for the Alliance to finally crack the code and move in to clear the tower and we must be gone by that time. My job is to escort you away so if you''re going to take your brother¡­ Better do it quickly." Not even waiting for an answer, the handsome man disappeared from Junius'' sights, making him question if the World Serpent was just a figment of his own imagination. "You don''t have to tell me that..." The Vaishya''s nails dug deep into the grains of his robe. Once again, his eyes turned to the beautiful campfires, reminiscent to that of a setting sun that had disappeared into the horizon. Among those brilliant lights, there lay his target. Junius just didn''t know which. "I''ll settle this soon." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 390 Kanari And Shin 1 A day has passed since the White Knights'' failure to seize Junius and his cronies in the Crypts of the First Men. Men and women had retreated back to base to recover from their fatigue and mostly shock about the revelation of the mystifying floating tower that continued to spawn monsters from its core. Many had their heads in the mud and cared little about gossip, but this news would turn even the most dedicated dutyaholic''s head. Whispers from soldiers that had watched up close and personal the rise of the floating tower lit up the breakfast table while logistics officers listened in with great fervour. The handsome deeds of their commander were also noted and praised endlessly, keeping the morale high when it was needed the most. Though, not everyone had shared the joyous atmosphere being exuded from each tent. Detached from the military, Shin and his team were having their own breakfast in their own abodes. It was a quiet affair in the spacious brown tent, entirely unlike the hustle and bustle of the outside life. Four beautiful maidens and three handsome chaps sliced through their thick pork cutlets with their military rationed utensils and bit hard into the dry piece of meat. "Damn, it''s too tough!" Shizen complained while pulling the slice of pork that he had away. "It''s times like this that I miss the academy. So what if I have to study? At least they would serve delicious meals!" "Just bear with it." A ponytailed maiden chopped Shizen''s crown lightly and gave a small reprimand, which was odd for someone who was quick to punish the immature boy. Ella''s eyes shifted from person to person as she did her best to retain the awkward silence. The entire group were eating on a rectangular dining table. On one side, there was Kanari. Her poise was as elegant as ever, which made one wonder why there was such a stark difference between the noble lady from Highgarden and the heiress of the Zedcris Conglomerate who was right next to her. On the other side of the table, a black-haired young man was slowly slicing the pork chop on his plate crudely as if he had forgotten how etiquette works. Isadore nervously shifted his eyes from the young man to the beautiful maiden and heaved out a deep sigh. Earlier this morning, the two youngsters had carried on their argument from the battlefield and had dragged the entire team into it. Shizen was busy snoring away, so he wasn''t part of the conversation, but otherwise, the other four individuals in their cell had been pulled together for the debate. During their bickering, the four innocent parties were forced to pick sides. Elrin being Elrin, she chose to stand with her long-time friend. Isadore opted to go the more logical route and chose to stand with Shin while the twins remained on the fence. It was a monumental task to promote to the Spirit Spectre realm. There was no guarantee of the cultivator''s safety or their success. Thus, traditionally, there would be hordes of resources being dumped into the Spirit User during their attempt. The best chambers. The most prodigious mentors. And most importantly, the safest of environments for them to advance unhindered. Yet, Kanari had made up her mind to throw all of those factors out of the window, stubbornly deciding to promote right here in the middle of desolate nowhere. Yes, she had made contact with Spion to bring in some guards to watch over her advancement and yes, the Highgarden Duchy had immediately dispatched a Spirit Venerate over to watch over her. However, it was a fact that Kanari was taking a risk here. "Yeah, Shizen. Just bear with it. Once the battle is over, I''ll treat you to as many sweet and sour pork ribs from Paradise Inn." Wholly unaffected by the tension in the air and the glares that Shin was sending her, Kanari chuckled merrily and continued to feast. "Damn it, Kanari!" A loud thud thundered within the tent, and the breakfast came to a rude halt. Shin''s two wrists were slammed on the table, and his bum was raised up high. The young man face flushed red, and his appetite had diminished rapidly. "Why can''t you just listen?!" "Shin, shouting at the dining table is quite unbecoming." The maiden slowly responded, unfazed by the animosity that was being poured her way. "Screw manners!" Surprisingly, Shin was the one most perturbed by Kanari''s affairs, so much so that he would lose all sense of decorum. "Advancing to the Spirit Spectre realm isn''t a joking matter! You should immediately return to the Himmel Empire and be attended by experts from your Duchy!" "We have been through this many times, Shin. I have been preparing for this moment ever since I had awakened my Spirit. I know what spiritual ability that I''m going to learn, and I have been educated on the matter hundreds of times. It doesn''t matter if I''m going to do it surrounded by the best resources or if I''m going to do it alone in a cave somewhere. I will become a Spirit Spectre no matter where I attempt to cross the first barrier of mortality." "It doesn''t change the fact that you''re taking a risk by advancing it here instead of back home!" Shin continued to make his case. "If that''s what you''re worried about, Elder Kikyo is coming to watch over my attempt. You know her, she''s a Spirit Venerate and an auxiliary cultivator that specialises in spiritual recovery. With Elder Kikyo around, I wouldn''t be in any danger, even if I fail the attempt. Which mind you is highly unlikely. Also, it is well-known that a cultivator should attempt to break through the first barrier of mortality as soon as they possibly could when they reached the peak Rank 39. That momentum is important. Returning back to the Himmel Empire would just waste my current inspiration, and the chances of me failing would be much higher." "..." Biting the bottom of his lip, Shin unwavering gaze met with Kanari''s once more. Was this what it was like when an unstoppable force met with an immovable object? They were both adamant in their beliefs and shared valid points. However, being friends for five long years had taught Shin a thing or two about Kanari''s facade, and he could read her like an open book. He knew the real reason why the maiden was so reluctant to return in this desperate time, even though it was the smart thing to do. "Everyone, please leave the two of us alone for a while..." A silent cry. No, a desperate plea came out of Shin''s mouth. "R-Right..." Emma was the first to get up. Tugging on Elrin''s sleeves, the purple-haired maiden pulled the scion far away from Kanari''s side. Ella did the same for Shizen. Unlike the rest of the group, he still had a full appetite and wanted to continue chugging down pork chops no matter how bad they tasted. However, Ella wouldn''t give him that luxury. Shuffling out of the tent like sheep being herded out, the five youngsters averted their eyes while keeping their heads down. Only Isadore had the guts to tap Shin on the shoulder once and break a smile before leaving his breakfast behind. Silence. Was what Shin had expected after his friends had left the room. However, since they were in the middle of a bustling encampment in the middle of a war, the outside was far from silent. Shadows of army men and women dashed outside loud metallic clanks of boots thundered through the thin tent. It wasn''t exactly the most conducive place to have a private conversation, but Shin opted to make due. "It''s because of me, isn''t it?" His head glued on the wooden table, Shin muttered out. A slight tremble could be heard amid his voice, one that was weak enough to be toppled by a slight touch. "..." Kanari didn''t answer. There was no need to beat around the bush. After that night where she confirmed her feelings, Kanari decided to be more honest with herself¡­ and Shin. Everything that she said earlier was truths that she honestly believed in, but none of them was the prime reason for her decision to stay in the Estrella Region. Deep down, Kanari knew that it was the wise decision to return to the Himmel Empire and to be surrounded by the people she trusted the most with her cultivation. However, the girl couldn''t do it. "I know that you want to be here as I confront Junius. I know that you want to rush your advancement to bolster our team''s fighting powers." Hitting the nail on the head, Shin watched as Kanari''s shoulder flinched a little. It was a quirk of hers that had followed Kanari since her childhood. Whenever the maiden was caught in a lie, her shoulders would move in that exact same manner. Only those who really knew Kanari could have caught on to that slight movement and Shin was one of the few. "I know all that! And I''m telling you I don''t need it! Your safety is still the most important thing for our team! Should anything happen to you during your advancement, how am I to account to your parents? What could I possibly say to Saint Firebird?" "You don''t have to worry about that!" Kanari retorted. "I can take good care of myself! Also, do you really have that little faith in me? My cultivation is higher than yours, and I have been trained since I could walk! I will advance to the Spirit Spectre realm without the help of anyone, and I''ll do it right here!" "That''s not the point!" The young man stood up, wiped the smooth temples of his head. Of course he trusted in Kanari! Heck, Shin was even confident that the maiden would breakthrough in record time, becoming the world''s youngest Spirit Spectre in the modern era. But that wasn''t his main draw. Shin couldn''t stand the thought of potentially losing Kanari because she rushed her advancement for his sake. Sashaying his body to Kanari''s adjacent seat, Shin sat down and grabbed the slender wrists of the maiden. "We can''t lose you..." A missile shot through Kanari''s heart when she heard those soft and tender words. Shin''s eyes were tearing up, and the grip on her hands was tightening with every passing second. It was a frightening thought. Losing a loved one. Shin had been through that ordeal once before, and he would never hope to feel that low ever again. No matter how talented Kanari was. No matter how many analysts project that she''s going to become a Spirit Saint. There was still that 0.01% chance of her failing. If that happened in a barren landscape where the nearest major city was hundreds of kilometres away, Shin didn''t know if he could live with himself. "Shin, I..." "You don''t have to worry about us. Just return back to the Capital and go with the plan that your mother has prepared. Rest well and emerge as the Spirit Spectre that you were always destined to become. Just¡­ Don''t risk it all for me..." The maiden''s ruby eyes dilated beautifully while her fingers weaved together with Shin''s. She could feel how genuine the boy was. Kanari''s face blushed, and her heart rate sped up like sprinter taking off. Tempted by the boy''s sweet whispers, Kanari wanted to relent and give in right there an there. However, her memory caught something sinister in Shin''s moving speech. "But... you''re staying right?" "T-That!" Immediately, Shin''s expression began to crumble. There was a way for Kanari to completely give up on advancing in the Estrella Region. There was a way for the stubborn girl to follow Spion back to the Himmel Empire where it was completely safe for her to advance. It was just that Shin didn''t want to entertain that idea. Not today, not ever. So what was that miraculous move? For Shin to move back to the Himmel Empire with her. "I¡­ can''t leave, Kanari." Shin couldn''t bring himself to abandon one of his life''s two goals just to force Kanari back to the Himmel Empire. Junius was right there. Shin had seen the traitor with his own two eyes. If he were to leave right now, there were three endings that Shin could foresee. Either Junius gets captured by the Alliance and gets thrown into a dungeon somewhere that Shin could never enter. Or Junius could escape with the help of the Black Masks, sending all of the efforts that Shin had spent to waste. And then, there was the most disastrous ending. If Junius died on the battlefield, where Shin wasn''t there to confront him one final time¡­ All of his efforts would have been for nought. The years he trained outside of Frie Mountain, totally wasted. Leaving the Estrella Region was a luxury he couldn''t afford. He needed to be there, to be present so that he could lure Junius out into the open to be punished by the wrath of the Alliance. "I know¡­ And that''s why I''m staying." Kanari brought her nose close to Shin''s filling his nostrils with all of her morning perfume. It was strange, the young girl shouldn''t have the time to shower and yet she always smelt spectacular. Peering into the gorgeous crimson eyes of the maiden, Shin felt a mouthful of saliva run down his throat as he visibly backed away. "I won''t abandon you, Shin¡­ Not now, not ever..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 391 Kanari And Shin 2 "Why won''t she listen?!" An exasperated cry echoed through the stable of the encampment. Brown mud littered with dirt all around flew up into the air while a young man continued to rampage about with his two feet. It was an odd sight. A handsome stud that was playing in the mud, uncaring about how many stains he got on his luxurious robes. Peering eyes of stablemen glanced over the walls surrounding the youth, but they were met with a piercing gaze from a silver-haired Eflin. Isadore watched the spectators back away and made sure that their location was secure. With that, his shoulders dropped, and his eyes dimmed. Grabbing hold of his angered friend, Isadore handed over a flask of iced tea that he had prepared just for this moment. "Here, have a drink. It''ll cool you down." Isadore said. "Hah..." Shin snatched the flask out of his good friend''s hand. After all that talking, his throat really was starting to dry. Placing the vial vertically from his throat, Shin downed the entire iced tea within seconds, quenching his thirst. Lost for words, the young man fell on a nearby haystack with a soft thud and threw his head back. "Isadore, you''d known Kanari the longest. Is there a way to change her mind?" Clinging onto his last straws, Shin sought help from his silver-haired friend. "Yes, there is." Not changing his expression one bit, Isadore flattened his tone and replied like a robot. "It''s a surefire method that would return her to the Himmel Empire in a heartbeat." "Really?! Spit it out!" "You promise to marry her if she listens to your request." "Pffttt!!!" Almost regurgitating the iced tea that Isadore had offered him, Shin''s head snapped forward with a crack, and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. He was appalled that Isadore had even suggested such a deed. Sending a death scowl, the young man rubbed the sides of his ears and retaliated. "Don''t ever joke about that Isadore! You know how serious this matter is!" "I wasn''t entirely joking, though?" Not fazed by Shin''s glare, Isadore''s neck bent slightly, giving him an angle to stare back at his friend. He could now see the twitching right eye that Shin had hidden. It was an obvious tell and Shin knew that. A flying palm emerged and slapped Shin right on the cheeks to prevent Isadore from reading his expressions anymore. "I don''t really understand it¡­ Kanari likes you, and it''s quite obvious that your feelings for her aren''t that platonic. Especially after that kiss that the two of you shared. You know, Shin. We-..." "H-Hold on one minute!" The young man raised his hands to stop Isadore from continuing. "H-How, did you know that we kissed?! I didn''t tell you that!" For the first time in years, Isadore shot Shin the look that he was talking to an idiot. Cheekbones raised and lips pursed, the young elf-man squinted his eyes and shook his head as if he was watching a dog attempt to clean up after itself. "People talk, Shin. Everyone among us knows. Even the two Moon Mercenaries that you brought along knows of that hot kiss you shared with Kanari under the precious moon." "W-What?!" It had only been two days since that emotional night, and its happenings had already become common knowledge? There were only two parties present during that kiss and Shin was sure that he didn''t reveal anything to his friends. Which meant that the leak could have only come from one person¡­ ''Damn it, Kanari! Why did you have to go and tell everyone else?!'' It was no secret that the girls in their team were much more into gossip than the guys. If Shin wanted to tell everyone something, he would often use Elrin as a loudspeaker to convey his message. So, Kanari was definitely not wise in telling the girls about the details of their tryst. Well, not that it matters now. "Forget that! It''s not important for now!" "You''re the one that brought it up..." Isadore mumbled, only to be met by Shin''s death glare once more. Exhaling deeply, the young man shrugged his shoulders and watched as Shin attempted to wipe clean the conversation using his crude tactics. "What''s more important is for us to figure out a way to return Kanari to the Himmel Empire so that she can advance into the Spirit Spectre realm safely. The problem is, she won''t return if I stay. And I can''t leave since I need to be here to apprehend Junius." It really was a conundrum that tore Shin apart internally. On the one hand, he could save a friend and a partner from risks that she didn''t have to take. However, if he obliged and left the Estrella Region, his one and only chance to bring Junius to justice, which was one of his two goals, would just evaporate into nothingness. "Isadore, we have to think of a solution!" "This seems like a love problem, and honestly, I don''t think that I''m that qualified to give you advice." Leaning his back against the stable walls, Isadore positioned his head, downwards towards the young man. Though he had lived twenty-odd years, Isadore has never been in a loving relationship. He didn''t understand why there were so many complexities in the issue. If one looked at the situation in a logical manner, all Kanari needed to do was to bury her stubbornness and return to the Himmel Empire. That way, Shin gets to stay, and Kanari wouldn''t have to take any risks. A win-win situation for all. But, love didn''t care about rationality. It made sensible people turn foolish and prodigies, stupid. Kanari was examining her advancement with rose-coloured lenses, and her mind didn''t want to consider any other options. "Arghhh, what should I do?!" Not getting the answer that he wanted, Shin brought both his hands up to his temple and rubbed them rapidly. A wry smile crept up Isadore''s face when he watched the young man so torn on what he should do. His amusement wasn''t left unnoticed. Shin''s fingers crept down onto his chin and supported his toned head up once more. "What''s so funny?" "No¡­ It''s just rare to see you in this state. You must like Kanari much more than I thought you did." Isadore chuckled. "Well, I may not be a love expert, but I do know someone in our age group that have much more experience in relationships compared to you and I. Fortunately, he''s right here in this encampment." "Really? Who is he?" For a moment there, Shin''s eyes sparkled into life. A stark contrast to his earlier wavering expressions. "He should be here any moment now¡­ I called him over just a few minutes ago¡­ Ah, there he is!" Isadore stepped out of the remote corner and looked into the crowd. In preparation for Shin''s consultation, the budding information agent turned to the only people that could give ample advice on love affairs. Finding his face from the densely packed assembly, Isadore flailed his arms wildly to attract their attention. ''Danroy and Suji?'' Shin''s brows were raised when the two familiar faces presented themselves. One was as round as an enlarged ball while the other was so muscular that veteran soldiers were stealing gazes at the guns he hid beneath his thin robes. They were two contrasting specimens of men, but Shin was always under the impression that neither of them had any relationships. Thus, he was stunned that Isadore had even suggested that they gave him advice. "Isadore? Are you sure about this?" "Of course I am!" The elf-like man smiled, his face beaming with a noble light. "He may not look like it, but Danroy is quite the heartthrob. Ever since he came into the academy, Danroy has had a grand total of eleven girlfriends and has been on dates with dozens of women." "Wait, what?!" It really was hard to believe. Shin had never seen the young man with any girls, and he had never heard of any rumours of Danroy being attached. "That''s right. It''s quite unknown since Danroy doesn''t date any of the academy''s girls. He always goes for single noble ladies in High Society, and they normally keep their liaisons secret, to prevent any spread of scandals. High Society relationships normally would become newsworthy events, after all." Most relationships that Danroy started were always kept under wraps with a tight lid. Since if word got out that the Frithron family heir was dating a noble young lady, articles would be written about a possible betrothal and their families would be forced to respond. Yet, Isadore seemed to have gained vital information even with the added protection that Danroy had enforced. ''Sometimes I forget that Isadore''s a freak when it comes to information gathering...'' During times like this, Shin always wondered how much dirt does Isadore really have on him. Well, it wasn''t as if there was much for Shin to hide, but he couldn''t help but feel curious. However, that was a question to be answered at another time. "Yo, Shin!" Danroy started off with a friendly greeting, while Suji stayed quiet with his arms akimbo. "What''s the urgent help that you need?" They were told that Shin was in a bind, and their insightful knowledge was vital in breaking his problem. Being the amiable man that he was, Danroy immediately accepted Isadore''s plea and dragged Suji along in the hopes of bettering the two''s relationship. "Shin was just having love troubles and needs your advice." Their answer came from an unexpected place. Isadore unleashed the impish smile that he had learnt from Elrin as he readied himself to watch the show. It was a shame that popcorn wasn''t readily available in this land. "Oh, scandalous!" No matter how highborn they were, gossip would always tantalise the souls of young men and women. Danroy rubbed his palms together with his knuckles like a ma?tre d'' and leaned in with a smile. On the other hand, Suji was less than amused. "You called us out here into these manure filled stables just to discuss love matters?" The muscle man sneered and dropped both his arms. He had better ways to spend his time, and he wasn''t about to waste precious time in the middle of a war to tend to another man''s relationship problems. "Come on, Suji! It''ll just take a few minutes!" Danroy knew that Suji''s opinion of Shin was far from cordial, but he still wanted the two to get along. "You can just stand there and listen! You don''t even have to give your opinion!" "Hmph! Whatever! Just make it quick, Dan. We need to train." The Son of War turned his back to the wall and rested there with his eyes closed. He had plans with Danroy so he couldn''t really leave outright. Danroy chuckled and turned back to Shin with a playful grin. His eyebrows wiggled up and down as he asked the first question on his mind: "So¡­ Who is the lucky girl?" "Let''s¡­ Just call her Girl A." "Eh, what''s the fun in that?!" Danroy protested for a while before silencing himself. He was about to get Shin into uncharted territory. Danroy didn''t want to scare Shin away before he spilt the beans. Furthermore, he had his guesses on who Shin could possibly be referring to. And so, the four young men stood alone in the narrow paths of the stable, all while Shin poured out his emotions. To save his embarrassment, Shin omitted specific details that would have exposed Kanari''s identity to Danroy and Suji. Nonetheless, he continued to explain the gist of the situation. "I see¡­ You want her to think for herself and to not put her own needs above your own, but she''s adamant of pushing forward, even though it might harm her in the long run." Danroy stroked the smooth rounded chin of his and puckered his lips like a fish. "That''s right¡­ And I can''t just abandon my goal just because of her obstinacy. I had been chasing this goal all of my adult life. I''m so close¡­ If she thought about this logically, everything would be fine! But she''s too unyielding!" Shin was this close to screaming. It was so frustrating. If everyone had a sound mind, it made sense for Kanari to leave while Shin stayed. Alas, feelings almost always clouded judgement. "Wow, it sounds like you have yourself a devoted one," Danroy remarked. "So¡­ What do you think I should do? Continue to convince her?" "I doubt it would work. Whenever girls start to believe in something, they tend to stick to it for a long time." Speaking from experience, the love guru continually shook his head. "I say you wait it out and come back to the situation again when things have died down and the heat of the moment is gone." "I can''t do that!" Shin cried. "T-There''s some sort of time-limit to it. I don''t have the luxury to wait until things cool off." "Ah, now that''s a problem..." Going back to the drawing board, Danroy thought of the best methods he used to deal with troublesome women. "Maybe try and talk things out with her female friends? Use them as a tool to help your cause. Normally, her friends'' words would have a much stronger pull as compared to yours." "That''s¡­ impossible." Once again, Shin shook his head. Kanari''s friends were his as well. Elrin had thrown her support straight behind Kanari while the twins were caught on the fence. Shin also didn''t want to complicate their relationship and didn''t wish for the seven friends to have a falling out over a matter shared between Kanari and himself. "Can''t do that again? Hah..." Danroy sighed. "I think that you''re looking at it the wrong way." Before the pudgy youth could make another suggestion, a towering voice boomed from the side, drawing Shin''s eyes away from Danroy and to his stationary friend who had his eyes closed. "Suji! What would you suggest?!" Danroy released an excited cry. Finally, the sinewy young man seemed interested in helping Shin. "From what I understand, the girl won''t change her mind. She aims to help you achieve that goal that you had been chasing, and she would never let herself come in between that. Even if you chose to abandon your goal, she''d most likely persuade you otherwise." Suji spoke from his heart. "Just give it up. There''s nothing you can do in times like this." "But¡­ I can''t just let her risk herself!" "Oh, grow a pair, would you?!" Scratching his tanned skin, the young man walked forward and stared Shin in his eyes. "If you think that she''s taking a risk, be there for her! Become the man that she loves and comfort her! Do everything that you possibly can to make sure that the risk is mitigated. She''s sacrificing something for you, so you should reciprocate the feelings! Be a man!" "T-That..." Shin choked on his words. Kanari has done so much for him, but what has he done for her? Essentially nothing. "Hmph!" Suji scoffed and stormed off the other way. He had said his piece, there was no point in staying. Caught in the middle of all this, Danroy let out a dry cough before turning to chase Suji down. However, before he left, the young man did leave Shin with one word of encouragement. "You know, you should listen to Suji''s advice. He knows better than me. After all, Suji has been engaged for almost fifteen years." "What?!" It was the first time Shin had heard that Suji was betrothed. He had always assumed that they were all bachelors since no women were surrounding them. "Yeah, Suji''s quite experienced in these matters and his wife-to-be is a real firecracker. So he''s probably faced this problem before." Danroy chuckled. "Anyway, it was a pleasure to be of use to you. I hope you work things out with Kanari soon!" "Thanks¡­ WAIT!!! How did you¡­!" "Ah, I got to go! See you later!" With that, Danroy waved his hand and sped far away to chase after the speeding Suji. Stunned by those last words that the fat man had left him, Shin''s outreached hand fell in horror. Throughout their entire conversation, Shin hadn''t mentioned Kanari even once. He had even tried so desperately to keep her identity a secret. But it was all for nothing. Turning to his bosom friend for help, all that Shin could see were shrugged shoulders and a slanted gaze. "Like I said¡­ People talk." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 392 Kanari And Shin 3 Five days have passed since the Payirci made its appearance in the Estrella Region. True to his world, Alliance Head Raphael had dispatched an additional fifty thousand strong warriors from all corners of the region to join Commander Martha and her White Knights. Not only that, the three superpowers had all volunteered to send a dozen Spirit Emperors each to combat the foreign structure. In just five days, the Alliance Head had fulfilled, no surpassed Elder Baobiao''s first request. Other than the major cities, there was nowhere on Planet Earth that a more elite force existed. Raphael was quick to accomplish the second request that Elder Baobiao had too. Scouring through the name lists of all who had studied the relics of Spirit Immortal Dream, the Alliance Head swiftly identified the best man for the job, and he was a name that many were familiar with... The President of the Blacksmith''s League, Ingram Ragnar. Initially, the Alliance Head was reluctant to bring this affair towards one of the leading figures in world politics as well as a prized Spirit Venerate that could prove to be vital in developing future weapons. However, while Raphael was brooding in his office, Ingram had gotten wind of the Payirci''s appearance and stormed into the Alliance Head''s chambers demanding that he be dispatched. The allure of learning something from the era of Spirit Immortal Dream had a magnetic appeal that attracted any who sought to innovate the world into a brighter tomorrow. A Payirci, just like many of the relics of Spirit Immortal Dream, were long thought to be lost forever and enthusiasts had given up on ever seeing one in person. Nonetheless, some persevered through the ages, bearing the hope that one such relic would emerge from the shadows and take the world by storm. After all, they were talking about the most prodigious cultivator that had roamed the earth. Her innovations broke common sense, and her words were scribed into paper and resold for thousands of gold ingots. The woman that introduced Aether to the world and shocked everyone by creating a nation that rivalled that of the three superpowers. Spirit Immortal Dream was both a legend and an enigma. If Ingram could just lay his hands on one completed blueprint that the immortal had left behind, the Blacksmith''s League would be able to create new structures that would change the dynamics of the world. So just like that, Raphael had secured two of the three requests that Elder Baobiao had. On the other hand, the last request was far from being completed. Just as he promised, the Alliance Head had brought Elder Baobiao''s suggestion to the council, and it was met with expected backlash. No entity in the world would want to involve a Spirit Saint unless it was absolutely necessary. There were even some choice words headed to the Lantis Republic for even suggesting such a manoeuvre. Days passed, and it became increasingly clear that a decision had to made before the Black Masks moved to destroy the Alliance forces. In a hurry, each one of the three superpowers nominated one pure attack-based Spirit Venerate from their ranks to join the fray. They would all take turns to take down the Payirci with their most powerful spiritual abilities. With strikes that could utterly obliterate countries with a single flash, if the three Spirit Venerates weren''t able to take down the Payirci from the outside, perhaps there was no possible way for the structure to be downed. Of course, the Alliance forces on the ground weren''t idle during the past five days either. Securing the perimeter around the Payirci, the White Knights noticed something strange about the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts. Unlike normal wild creatures, they weren''t allowed to roam past ten kilometres of the Payirci. Furthermore, they all marched in unison, much like a trained army rather than a savage beast horde and no matter how many beasts the Alliance killed, hundreds would pop up once more as if nothing happened. After continuous investigations, the White Knights learnt that the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts weren''t really living creatures at all. They were shadows. Copies of their original self. No matter how many perished, others would form from their residue light and take their place. On the surface, that fact sounded horrible for the Alliance as it essentially meant that the Black Masks could infinitely create Spirit Beasts with no repercussions. Alas, creating a life outside of the cycle of samsara was never that easy. The darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts were much weaker than their original self, and a Tier 4 was barely as powerful as a full-fledged Tier 3 with years of experience under its belt. And here''s the kicker. The ten-kilometre radius that the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts were limited to wasn''t some elaborate tactics to outsmart the Alliance forces, but a necessity to keep the beasts alive. If the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts strayed ten kilometres away from the Payirci, they would suffer the same fate as any shadow that strayed too far away from its caster. It would fade into nothingness, never to exist in the material realm anymore. That discovery shook the entire Alliance. They had finally found a weakness to exploit. And thus, the inspiration for the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts was found. Umbras. Just like their names suggest, Umbras relies on the Payirci to exist. Take down the Payirci, you send the Umbras into oblivion. Bit by bit, the mystery of the Payirci began to unravel. Ingram had arrived in the region and marvelled at the sight of the beautiful structure. Based on his knowledge, the Payirci was a tool developed to train the citizens of Spirit Immortal Dream''s country to become as combat-ready as they possibly could. Though the Black Masks had modified it, the core concept was still the same. Running on a significant amount of Aether, the Payirci was a battery that was bound to run out eventually. Thus, the Alliance had two options. First, they could wait down the timer and watch as the Payirci turns into a hopeless pile of garbage. But there were a few problems with that choice. No one knew how long the structure will last. A week? A month? A year? There was no specified time estimate since no one had encountered a Payirci before. Next, by the time the Alliance waited for the structure''s energy tank to run empty, the Black Masks hiding inside would have long escaped. Or they could go the other route. Based on Ingram''s research, the Payirci, just like any other object of that scale, always had a core. Reach the core, and the Alliance would be able to shut down the floating tower from the inside. It was much riskier since no one knew what dangers lay within the Payirci. Nevertheless, it was a risk worth taking. Should the Payirci fall, the Alliance would learn many details of the Black Masks, things that were never known in the four long years since the war had begun. What was the Allfather''s plan? What ties did the Allfather have to Spirit Immortal Dream? How were the Black Masks able to procure this much resources to bring the three superpowers to heel? Why did the Black Masks massacre the Land of Dreams using a Tier 9 Spirit Beast? There were so many unanswered questions, and the Payirci held the answers. However, the Alliance weren''t brash youths that would barge into every situation without a plan. Taking their time to craft a method of attack using all of the information that was readily available to them, the military strategists in the Alliance carefully plotted out their next move. How many forces were to attack the tower? What to do if the structure collapses? How to minimise the casualty count while ensuring the highest rate of success? These were all factors considered in the elaborate plan of the Alliance. And among the chaos of the encampment, there were a select few that had their attention wholly detached from the entire situation. After learning that Kanari had reached the peak of Rank 39 and was about to cross the first barrier of mortality, Shin requested that their team withdraw from any operations until further notice. Naturally, Shin would love to be there for the final battle where Junius was finally apprehended, but that wasn''t of paramount importance right now. Five days had passed, and the reinforcements sent by the Himmel Empire had long arrived. Initially, when the Duchess of Highgarden heard that Kanari was about to advance into the Spirit Spectre realm in a foreign land, the noblewoman almost wanted to kick her feet out from her throne to drag the young lady back to the Capital. However, after dozens of arguments through the Cikai Mirror, the Duchess finally relented and had sent a congregation of the best resources and personnel to facilitate Kanari''s ascension. Among them, Spirit Venerate Kikyo, as well as a plethora of other well-known auxiliary Spirit Users, was on deck to protect Kanari should things go south. The Duchess had even requested a Registrar to watch over Kanari''s ascension. Adding together the precious materials like a one-of-a-kind Phoenix feather and the Holy Water from the Spring of Eden, there was no possible way for Kanari to be harmed even if she failed her attempt. Through the power of the Highgarden Duchy''s connection, Kanari was able to pull some strings in the encampment and allow her to set up a makeshift cultivation chamber in a cave just a few hundred metres away. There, members of Spion worked overtime to make the environment as conducive as possible for Kanari to break through the first barrier of mortality. Crystals imbued with high amounts of Fire, Wind and Mind elemental energies were being littered all over the cave, giving Kanari the added bonus she needed. One might ask how were the cogs falling into place so rapidly? Well, that''s because the Duchess of Highgarden had long prepared for such a scenario. When Kanari first departed on that long journey north, she was already at Rank 38. It wasn''t a stretch for her to breakthrough twice on the road and challenge the first barrier of mortality. In the event that Kanari was forced to attempt her promotion in a remote land, Spion would hand deliver the hundreds of priceless resources to her doorstep and the experts that the Duchess had hired would be immediately dispatched to Kanari''s location. And that was precisely what happened. Treading through the rocky path, a young man pulled his heavy thighs while observing the Highgarden guards that stood watch over the cave. Ever since their last meeting, Kanari had holed herself inside of her new cultivation chambers, in preparation for the eventual breakthrough. Due to how busy she was, Kanari wasn''t able to entertain any guests and Shin was no exception. Though there was a silver lining. Their time apart had allowed both parties to thoroughly reflect on their actions. One might say that they needed these five days to cool down and self-evaluate themselves. So why was today special? Why was Shin being summoned up into Kanari''s private chambers that no Alliance member was allowed to step foot on? Well, the answer was simple¡­ Today was the day that Kanari attempted to break into the Spirit Spectre realm. Kanari''s groundwork was solid. Being the top cultivator of her generation wasn''t just because of luck. Many factors played into her rapid growth. Years of hard work. Two decades of careful planning. All lead to this moment. Kanari was more than prepared. As she said, it didn''t matter if she attempted to breakthrough in a remote cave or in the best facilities that the Capital could provide. Kanari was confident that she could become a Spirit Spectre. And even if she failed, experts were surrounding her that would save her and minimise the damage that Kanari might sustain. Weaving up the rocky terrain, the young man was soon greeted by a five-metre tall Shinto Gate. An odd sight for something this far north. Shin squinted his eyes before a twirling wind blew his short fringe up into the air and blinded him temporarily. Before he knew it, Shin felt an ominous presence behind him, forcing him to spin around rapidly in fear. "Hoho¡­ Isn''t it the Prince of Water? The man that made me travel this far north!" A stentorian voice boomed, shaking the nerves of Shin''s eardrums. Recovering from the sonorous echo within his mind, the young man looked up at the woman that caused him that much grief. Green eyes and lilac hair. That was the first colours that Shin saw of the lady dressed like a Shrine Maiden. She wasn''t a beauty, but she wasn''t a butch either. Looking at the petite, frail looking body, Shin wondered how she was able to release such a deafening sound from those small lungs of hers. "You must be Venerate Kikyo. It''s a pleasure to finally meet you." Shin ignored her comments of mockery and extended out a handshake. "Well, the pleasure ain''t mine." The woman pushed her chest out and slapped the boy''s hand away. Evidently, she wasn''t happy with the arrangement and wanted to vent out a little. However, Kikyo soon realised that it was too immature to bully a Spirit Adept that was many times younger than her and turned around. "Kanari''s going to start her attempt at noon. Her other friends have left so you''re the last one up. You have exactly an hour! Don''t take too long!" Shin watched as the Spirit Venerate disappears out of his sight and into the rocky terrain, perhaps to a place where she could monitor the surroundings to protect Kanari from any other harm. As promised, Shin gets to spend a little time with Kanari before she prepares herself for the attempt to cross the first barrier of mortality. ''Hah¡­ Well, here goes.'' Composing himself with one deep breath, Shin dropped his shoulders and walked straight into the well-lit cave, where the young maiden awaits... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 393 Kanari And Shin 4 The entrance to the cave was narrow and wrapped with verdant ivy. Unlike the blistering heat of the outside, there was a smooth, moist cooling effect in its interior and Shin instantly felt rejuvenated as the cold fog touched his pores. Entrenched in nature, the cave was supposedly void of light as not even the slightest of sun rays could reach its core. However, contrary to Shin''s expectations, the cave was beaming with light as thousands of small luminous marbles stuck on every corner of the structure. Each advancing step he took, Shin''s skin began to crawl and his spine wildly tingled. The musty air filled with earthen goodness enveloped every membrane of his expanded lungs, and the soft droplets of cave water calmed his tense nerves. Though it wasn''t the atmosphere that the cave naturally gave off that gave him sensations that would rock his entire body, it was the abundance of prosperous spiritual energies that permeated through his every pore and infiltrated his Spirit Core. ''Such spiritual density!'' Shin cried out internally. He had his fair share of cultivation chambers back in the academy. Once, Principal Erudito had even brought over a ten-thousand-year-old fossil that was found deep in the ocean to aid in Shin''s cultivation. However, the young man was confident that this cave was far more spiritually dense than anything that he had ever encountered. And he wasn''t even at the core yet! ''The Highgarden Duchy really pulled out everything for this...'' Now, Shin felt terrible for forcing the Duchess to send this many resources to the north. No matter how much she tried to spin her reasons, everyone knew that Kanari was attempting to cross the first barrier of mortality in the Estrella Region only because Shin wouldn''t return. For the first time ever, Shin apologised to the gorgeous unaging lady in his mind before making the final steps down the pavement and into the door of light that lay at the end of the corridor. The bright, radiant light consisting of each colour of a rainbow burnt the virgin eyes of the young man as he finally emerged out of the pathway. What greeted the boy was a humongous dome that spanned almost twenty metres high. Littered all around its grey dampened walls, thousands of mana crystals, each storing record amounts of elemental energies, beamed with everything that they had. And it wasn''t just the walls that were perfect. On the ground, rows of precious materials, each expensive enough to feed a peasant family for a year, decorated the otherwise mundane cave floor. For a cultivator like Shin, the resources kept in this cave were so tempting that he could organise a heist for the sake of taking just a percentage of it. ''Sometimes¡­ I tend to forget that Kanari is a rich girl too...'' Shin scoffed at his inferior mindset. Walking into the light, Shin noticed a bulky mattress, one large enough to bed a family of eleven, tucked silently in one corner. Three chromatic crystals enveloped the bed in the shape of a triangle, each one bearing their own unique powers. The red one emitted an explosive heat, that soaked through the veins of any that crossed its path. The green one brought out a sharp aura with a cooling effect that spread throughout one''s bones. And finally, the grey crystal blurred the visions of any that dared to tread too close to its centre all while radiating out an emotional brilliance that saturated one''s soul. Shin watched each one of the crystals and nodded approvingly. It really was a cultivation chamber fit for a High Noble. His mind freed, the young man turned his attention to the final being that completed the extravagantly distinguished room. A young maiden, dressed in a pure white priestess robe, sat in the centre of her feathered mattress, eyes closed and legs crossed. Mediating, her ample bosom rose and fell as elemental energies from the crystals flowed into her slender body. When Shin walked closer, he could hear soft chants, akin to that of a monk''s prayer, echoing out of Kanari''s mouth. Was she cultivating? No way. Kanari had been cultivating for a decade, each day murmuring the same mantra over and over again. Kanari was doing something similar to any sportsmen who went on a tournament. The maiden was practising something routine just so that she was prepared for the final stretch. Nonetheless, feeling another''s presence in her own personal chambers forced Kanari to break her train of thought and halting her chants. Opening up her gorgeous ruby eyes, the maiden turned to the black-haired boy, who had unknowingly reached the side of her bed. Flashing a smile, Kanari felt her bones crack as she straightened her back to address her visitor. "Shin, you''re here." "Yes, I''m here." Shin wryly chuckled. Though they had a minor quarrel and hadn''t seen one another for almost five days, Kanari acted as if nothing had happened. Her mind was focused on the task at hand, which was something that Shin greatly admired in a cultivator. Extending his palm to the edge of the mattress, Shin asked politely. "May I?" "Please!" The smile on Kanari''s lips grew even larger as she stood up from the centre and shuffled herself towards the corner. Both now seated on the soft bed that the Duchess of Highgarden had prepared, Kanari nestled right next to Shin and was tempted to go in for a hug. However, being the prim and proper lady that she was raised to be, the young maiden held back her urges and coughed twice. "I thought that you wouldn''t come. You were so against me advancing here." "To be clear, I''m still not convinced that you should." The edges of Shin''s mouth twitched. "Ah, I see..." Not expecting the answer she wanted, Kanari dipped her head slightly. Shin watched that subtle movement and heaved out a deep sigh. Bringing forth his hand, the young man stroked the luscious black hair of Kanari''s all while lowering his tone to sound as comforting as he possibly could. "But, I can''t really say anything when you''d brought an entire royal procession here, can I?" The young man raised his hands, defeated. "Spirit Venerates, Registrars, Phoenix feathers, Elemental Crystals... If I were to deny you now, I''d be the dumb one." Shin just took one glance around and was once again blown away. Even an Imperial Prince wouldn''t have the capability to afford such extravagance for his ascension into the Spirit Spectre realm. "That''s right! You don''t have to worry! I''ll definitely cross the first barrier of mortality in one try! I have absolute confidence in myself!" Kanari puffed her chest out in pride. Sometimes, boasting would make someone seem pretentious. Yet, when Kanari bragged about her own talent, Shin could feel that she thoroughly trusted herself. Then again, who wouldn''t? Kanari''s achievements spoke for themselves. Fastest cultivator to reach the Spirit Apostle, Core and Adept realm in the past hundred years. Youngest Spirit Apostle to take down a deluge of Spirit Core cultivators. The most dominating elemental user that created the ''Mind Flame,'' a spiritual ability that could hypnotise the consciousness of any that had lower cultivations. If Kanari didn''t become a Spirit Spectre in one try, that would be the real travesty. Nonetheless, Shin still felt guilty that Kanari was about to take a risk that she shouldn''t have to. "You''re¡­ really going to do it huh?" A feeble voice crept out of Shin. "Are¡­ You going to try to persuade me again?" "No¡­ Not this time." Over the past five days, Shin had plenty of time to think. As the day crept closer and closer, his mindset had taken a one-eighty, and Shin had given up on trying to send Kanari back to the Himmel Empire, where her chances of ascension might be higher. Breaking through into a higher realm required a variety of factors. A spiritual ability to create was one. A firm cultivation base was another. However, those were just secondary factors at best. There was one variable that had to be set in stone for a cultivator to succeed in their promotion. And that was to have an unwavering mind. Kanari was about to face the first barrier of mortality, a bottleneck that was near unbreachable for a vast majority of the population. She knew that, and so did the Duchess of Highgarden. Why else would she prepare this many resources for Kanari to splurge? However, everything that Kanari had prepared, everything that the young maiden had struggled so hard for¡­ It would all be for nought if the girl didn''t have a resolute determination to succeed. So, if Shin continued to mistrust her... If Shin continued to let Kanari down¡­ Perhaps it would just be detrimental to all. Putting his personal feelings aside, Shin had decided to wholeheartedly support Kanari through this monumental time in her life, no matter how uneasy he felt. Shin''s roughened palms stroked over Kanari''s supple white hands, gripping it in its entirety. "I trust you, Kanari. I''m here to tell you that." The young man leaned in, bringing the lychee-like arms of the maiden closer to his lips. Kanari''s face had instantly turned hot as her face became as red as a rambutan. "You''re the most prodigious cultivator I know. I''m confident that you''ll break through into the Spirit Spectre realm, taking one more step into immortality." "T-Thank you for that..." Flustered, Kanari pulled her hands away, albeit unwillingly. She wanted to reach back in, but that would seem too vain for a lady of her stature to do. Thus, she waited. "Kanari¡­ Do you remember our promise?" Unaware of the turbulence in Kanari''s heart, Shin''s mouth twisted into a frown as he sat upright on the bed. "What promise?" "The one where I said I would never belong to another organisation other than yours." A tale long passed. Back in the day, when Shin first came to the Capital and was relatively unknown, Kanari had cut a deal with him. If Shin wanted to be shielded by any organisations, the Highgarden Duchy must be the first one he considers. In the present day, those terms were obviously void, due to his affiliation with the Lantis Republic. Oblivious to why Shin had brought that promise up, Kanari cocked her head to the side while shooting the man an inquisitive gaze. "What about it?" "I think¡­ I can make you another promise. One that supersedes that one." With hurried breaths, the young man quelled his rapidly beating heart while swallowing down a mouthful of saliva. "What is it?" Kanari sensed that there was something wrong with Shin. It was as if this decision of his was about to alter his life forever. "Kanari¡­ I promise you this. No, to you, I give this oath!" Not backing out now, Shin looked the gorgeous maiden straight in her eyes. Kanari''s watched as his azure-lake eyes glistened wetly all while her body throbbed with every passing moment. "In this life, in the mortal realm. I will not belong to any other. I love Ariel, I still do, and I will always chase Yggdrasil to see her again! But I don''t want to lose you either! I know that this decision of mine is selfish and it might not be what you want to hear, but nevertheless, I will promise you this!" Shin didn''t falter one bit. Yes, this answer was to give the girl peace of mind as she advanced, but it was also part of Shin''s own self-acceptance by confessing to his own feelings. "I will not love another, Kanari. Not in this life. This is my oath¡­ to you." "!!!" A silent cry. That was Shin''s answer for his heartfelt confession. Kanari''s shoulders trembled while her ruby eyes dropped sweet, translucent nectar down on her cheeks. To call it a sudden confession would be an understatement. Kanari had expected that Shin would try to convince her once more to return home and yet he came up with this curveball that brought sent her emotions into disarray. "Say¡­ Say that again." Kanari didn''t even have control over her five senses. That''s how shaken she was. She had waited almost five years for those words. Five long years of painful waiting. Sitting at the corner while Shin yearned for his deceased partner, clenching on to the last relic she left him. Kanari had turned down stud after stud, heir after heir, genius after genius, just to wait for Shin. And finally¡­ Finally, her patience paid off. "Kanari, I love you." "Hiccc!!!" A sharp cry, far above the octaves reached by human speech, pierced through Shin''s ears as the maiden jerked back abruptly. It was hard for her to remain composed after the man she held so dear said those magical three words. "Hey, Shin¡­ You love me, right? And today is the day that I break through the first barrier of mortality right?" Kanari held the lid on her emotions from bursting forth as she tried so hard to retain her pure appearance. "Yeah?" Confused as to why she was asking those questions, Shin widened his eyes, sending the two prominent brows of his up high. "So¡­ Can I be selfish? Just once more?" "Hmmm? What do yo-!!!" Before he could even complete his sentence, Shin felt his neck being pulled straight onto the bed as if he was a magnet being sucked down. Touched by the angel''s hand, Shin felt the nape of his neck being constricted by ten long fingers. It was a heavenly touch, completely unlike a murderer''s grasp. The pungent aroma of rose-scented lipstick crept up the opened nostrils of the young man and brought a tingling sensation down his spine. "Just once more¡­" Kanari''s switch was flipped. Gone were the proper upbringings that her parents had drilled into her. The only thing on her mind was to replicate that memorable night that still gave her happy fantasies in the middle of her dreams. There was no room for discussion. The ethereal beauty was going in for the kill. Shin''s heart beat faster and faster as Kanari''s hands pulled Shin''s face closer to her own. Shin knew that if he kissed Kanari once more, those emotions that he had kept buried, those primal urges that he hid when he kissed Kanari back, would come pouring out like a broken dam. He wanted to stop. But which man could say no to that enchanting white face with rich garnet lips? Kanari took advantage of that brief moment of weakness and dropped the head of the man she loved, squarely on the tip of her lips. There was no resistance. Kanari''s tongue invaded Shin''s like a sea serpent, wiggling and twisting about in the motion of the waves. It squirmed, it pulsated, it pleased. Tasting the sweet nectar of a maiden''s tongue stunned the youth, as all of his senses were ripped clean from its rational faculties. Kanari wasn''t a prodigy for nothing.After that one experience that she had, Kanari had dreamt of this moment every night. She had even ''borrowed'' Elrin''s stash of books for reference. All that, for the next kiss that may share with Shin. It took Shin ten seconds before he finally understood what was going on. His body laid upon hers on the gigantic bed, Shin saw a tender loving woman right under his chest, trying to get the most of her interaction with him. How shameful must it be? For a girl to initiate the loving kiss not once, but twice. Yet, Shin just sat back and took advantage of her feelings. Even now, Kanari was leading the kiss with everything that she had. No¡­ Something had to change. Removing himself from Kanari''s Medusa hold, Shin pushed his body up, both hands on each side of the maiden''s head. An erotic silver string connected the two mouths that had been slugging at one another, and the pair soon found themselves in a reverse position than they did six moons ago. Before Kanari was on top and now, Shin had taken hold of that place all for himself. The beautiful young woman felt reluctant that the kiss was that brief, but she couldn''t force something on Shin that many times. If he didn''t want to make out, it wasn''t wise for Kanari to pressure him into doing it once more. Just as Kanari was about to sit up and apologise, she felt a tremendous push strain down on her neck. Shin opened the holy vault with his own distinct key, slipping down sacred liquids from above. Kanari''s eyes went wide, but Shin didn''t care. Forceful and dominant, the alpha male within the man awoke from his slumber and took hold of the woman beneath him. Like their tongues, Kanari and Shin''s bodies intertwined, as if they were two snakes performed a coital dance. Once wasn''t enough. Twisting about until they were deeper into the bed, Shin released his hold on Kanari''s mouth to catch a quick breather and replenish his saliva. Second time''s the charm. While Kanari was still dazed, Shin went in for round two without any permission. This time, he already knew which pleasure points triggered Kanari the most. Attacking them with his dolphin-slippery tongue, Shin sent waves of tremors that could be felt at every corner of Kanari''s body, bringing forth a swimming giddiness that couldn''t be controlled. Kanari felt that she was on cloud nine. She forgot that she was about to break through into the Spirit Spectre realm. No, Kanari had even forgotten that they were in the middle of the battlefield. Throwing all caution into the wind, the young maiden locked her legs on Shin''s waist breaking all sorts of modesty codes. But Kanari didn''t care. It was her moment. Kanari feared that Shin would leave and bring all of the feelings away, so she held onto him with dear life. And well, Kanari got her wish. Though, not in the way that she anticipated. Awakening something even more primal in Shin''s veins, the young man got up once more and looked straight into her ruby eyes. Was he done? Definitely not. Shin went in for the fourth, the fifth. Each minor kiss fell specks onto Kanari cheeks and neck, while the major kisses lifted both their yearnings for one another. For Kanari, it was as if angels were singing hallelujah at the side, celebrating her victory in the battleground called love. The pair continued their waltz of kisses. Sultry, mucilaginous fluids dripped out from their mouths and stained the sheets of the luxurious mattress beneath them. Unrelenting in his attacks, Shin continued on dominating Kanari''s uvula like the tyrant he was. Many times, Kanari would choke on their amalgamation of saliva, but every time, she would just swallow it and acted as if nothing happened. The funny part was, she didn''t even do it knowingly. The primordial woman in her was screaming out actions, and Kanari''s body obeyed. Alas, all good things had to come to an end. Playing around for almost ten minutes, Shin felt the lust and desire within him die down, as his logical brain took over. Kanari was just about to take on the most significant obstacle in her life thus far¡­ Shin should really let her prepare. Splitting off from the maiden on the bed, Shin sat up in hopes of having one final proper conversation. However, Kanari didn''t like their sudden separation. Jumping into his chest, the young woman nestled happily, rubbing her cheeks on his neck, longing for another kiss. A wry smile crept up Shin''s face while he stroked the smooth and long hair of the woman. "I have to go." "B-But!" "We can continue this another time." Kanari tried to protest but was shut down by Shin''s authoritative finger. "What''s more important is that you cross the first barrier of mortality and ascend into the Spirit Spectre realm. When that''s done¡­ I''ll be there for you again." "Hehe..." The maiden smiled. It wasn''t a dream. She wasn''t about to wake up horrified that everything had been just an illusion. Once Kanari ascended, Shin would be waiting right there, with the best present that she could ever receive. Kanari allowed her soft head to fall lightly onto Shin''s chest, whiffing up the manly musk that he emitted. "Right now¡­ I feel like I can do anything!" "That''s right!" Shin pushed the girl''s shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You''re Kanari Saniela, the Witch of the South and the future Duchess of Highgarden! You''re sure to succeed!" "..." It was dreamy. To have someone having this much faith in her. Kanari was dazed for a moment but recovered quickly after. "Right. Shin! The next time we meet! I''ll be in the Spirit Spectre realm! And when I do that..." Kanari went on all fours and crawled slowly until their noses were close to touching. But she didn''t stop there. Kanari''s soft and tender lips reached the side of Shin''s ear, and a faint whisper echoed through his cochlea. "I will collect my prize." With that, Kanari separated from Shin, bearing the smile of a mischievous imp. For a moment there, Shin really felt that his life was in peril. Though, it was just a figment of his imagination. Or was it? ''Oh¡­ What have I done?'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 394 I Am Ascending 1 The time, high noon. The place, deep inside of the Estrella Region. After Shin and Kanari performed their own unique version of a coital dance, the young man made his way out of the narrow cave and went down to the viewing party that was at the foot of the hill. There, the seven young heroes, as well as a mixture of prominent spectators such as Suji''s group and a few White Knights, waited patiently as the young maiden made her final preparations. Ascending into the Spirit Spectre realm wasn''t a sight that many got to see often. Whenever a cultivator made their attempt, they would be sure to invite hundreds of their closest friends and family, to watch over them in their success. And this situation wasn''t that different. Kanari may not be in the Himmel Empire where she could draw in thousands of eyes to congratulate her, but there were still many in the region that wished to witness history being made. Even Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates from the Alliance forces were curious and freed an hour of their busy schedule to watch the girl make her attempt. When it came to Kanari''s promotion into the Spirit Spectre realm, no one doubted that she would succeed. What they were interested in was her new spiritual ability, and how dominant she would be in the next realm. The flaps of the makeshift pavilion fluttered wildly with the immense wind while the spectators waited patiently for the good or bad news. The three maidens from Shin''s group all huddled up together, their eyes never leaving the entrance of Kanari''s cave. Shizen and Isadore were less concerned. Oddly enough, it was the two guys of the team that had the most faith in Kanari''s success. Isadore has known Kanari ever since he could walk and he knew what made her tick. Crossing the first barrier of mortality was a tall task, but for a monstrous genius like her, it was basically a walk in the park. Shizen felt the same way. Being the Freak of the Dundlewoods, the young man''s instincts were much more acute as compared to the ordinary cultivator. Shizen knew that Kanari was something special, a talent that was probably second to his favourite Shin. It was his honest opinion that if Kanari couldn''t make it into the Spirit Spectre realm, then perhaps no one could. Finally, there was Shin. His expression was placid. Not overly zealous about the prospects of Kanari failing, but if one peered deep into his eyes, they could see a fragment of worry in the man''s soul. There was no such thing as an absolute in this world. Yes, Kanari was a genius. Yes, she had been preparing for this moment ever since she awakened her Spirit. However, no matter how much one is prepared, one could not predict the future. With folded arms, Shin waited. There were dozens of men and women surrounding, each one more distinguished than the other. The heirs of the Lasgeor, Frithron and Aldana families sat on their wooden chairs and gave out the odd yawn, bored with the state of nothingness that was happening at the foot of the hill. Standing next to them, the high lords of the Himmel Empire that had been sent over as reinforcements stood by, merrily engaging in High Society socialising. Even the White Knight Commander, who should have been swamped with paperwork and planning for the eventual raid of the Payirci, was happily downing goblets of fine wine that had been sent over from the Highgarden Duchy. Those bystanders treated Kanari''s attempt to break through as an event to kick back and relax, just as they did other functions. It made Shin''s heart, ache in disgust. Here he was, worrying about the possible consequences should Kanari failed, yet there were random people wining and dining, watching the show that was about to unfold. ''You have to make it...'' A half hour has passed since Shin left the cultivation chambers. Taking into account how much time it took for Spirit Venerate Kikyo and the plethora of Registrars and Meisters to settle down within the cave, Kanari should be in the midst of her attempt. To protect the girl, the Highgarden operatives sealed the exit with a high-levelled talisman and guarded it with two Spirit Kings. Furthermore, a spiritual barrier formed of Venerate Kikyo''s own mana prevented any spiritual energies from escaping or infiltrating the chambers, keeping the spectators completely in the dark about the happenings within. "How long does it normally take for someone to promote into the Spirit Spectre realm?" Emma scratched the bottom of her chin and asked Elrin. "It depends on the cultivator. Sometimes it would take an hour while sometimes it would take a day. There really isn''t a clear answer," replied Elrin. "A day? It can take that long?" Ella interjected with her own worry. Just like Shin, the twins were worried about Kanari''s safety more than anything. It didn''t matter if she failed or not. The most paramount concern for them was for Kanari to emerge out from the ashes unscathed. "That''s right. And there is no correlation between how talented the Spirit User is and the time it takes for he or she to advance." The knowledgeable heiress continued to narrate off her own experience. "I''ve seen geniuses take forty full hours to advance while run-off-the-mill cultivators take just five. It really depends on a variety of factors so I can''t give you an answer on how long it would take for Kanari to emerge from her chambers." "I see..." Emma nodded her head. "I just hope that she''s alright." "You guys really don''t have to worry! The Highgarden Duchess had been preparing for this moment for Kanari''s entire cultivation life! She even got Venerate Kikyo, the best auxiliary Spirit User in the Capital, to serve as Kanari''s protector. Honestly, I''m even jealous that she gets such treatment. My father has been inviting Venerate Kikyo to watch over my own ascension, but she has turned it down every time!" Pouting her lips, Elrin dropped back on her chair and continued to glare at the sealed entrance. Her eyes brimming with a passionate green fire, completely exposing her envy for the Highgarden heiress. "Is she really that impressive? Venerate Kikyo?" For the first time since sitting down, Shin turned over his shoulder and asked the white-haired maiden. He had just met the Spirit Venerate once on his way up to visit Kanari, and his first impressions of her weren''t all that good. "Of course she is!" Offended that Shin would even question her abilities, Elrin proceeded to educate the ignorant youth of Venerate Kikyo''s marvellous abilities. "Her control over a cultivator''s spiritual state is second to none! The Imperial Family even solicit her services during the Day of Spirits to awaken the Spirits of the royal descendants! Many request her services and are willing to pay a hefty sum to watch over their children attempt to cross the first barrier of mortality, but she always declines!" "Is that so¡­ So why did she agree to help Kanari?" "That''s what I want to know!" Elrin pulled her hair, her throat hoarse from her raised voice. "I would do anything to get her to watch over me as I attempt to promote to the Spirit Spectre realm!" "Do you have that little faith in yourself?" Suji, who had been listening in on the group''s conversation, chimed in with a raised chin and puffed chest. "As a cultivator that aims to be the best, you mustn''t doubt your own capabilities, even for a fraction of a second. Kanari shouldn''t have hired a protector if she really believed in her own abilities..." "..." Kanari''s six comrades had their faces turn into frowns after hearing Suji''s harsh words. They wanted to rebuke the man, but they knew it would only fuel needless strife, something that they didn''t need to have at this moment. "Suji!!!" Luckily for them, an exasperated cry screeched out on their behalf as a flabby arm covered the muscle man''s running mouth. "Sorry about that, Suji''s just bitter that Kanari has reached the Spirit Spectre realm before him. Don''t mind him." The brows on the sinewy face combined as Suji''s eyes shifted to the side and glared at his fat bosom friend. He felt betrayed that Danroy was taking another''s side and wanted to argue his case. Sadly, the chunky youth wasn''t interested in hearing it. Danroy pulled Suji out from his seat and moved out of sight to give the six youths some space. "Hah¡­ Suji really is a competitive bastard." Natasha the swordmaiden, sighed. "I apologise for my teammate''s disrespect." "It really is getting annoying." Elrin folded her arms and struck back venomously. "Can''t he just accept that Kanari and Shin are just better than him already? Must he hold on to that hopeless dream?" "Haha¡­ Right..." With a nervous laugh, Natasha ended the conversation, cursing Suji''s inelegance throughout mentally. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Just as the Elrin was about to bring up a new topic of conversation, the rocky ground of the hillside began to tremble slightly, shaking the cultivators off their bums and into high vigilance. Though they were celebrating Kanari''s attempt to enter into the Spirit Spectre realm, they were still in the middle of a war. A terrible one at that. If the Black Masks had taken advantage of this time to launch a surprise attack, they had to be prepared to defend. All of the top cultivators expanded their spiritual sense, hoping to investigate the cause of the minor earthquake. However, after a few seconds, they all universally broke out into a beaming smile. "Senior Baobiao! What''s going on?" Shin ran to the only Spirit Venerate that he could freely talk to. Right now, Kanari was in the midst of breaking through into the Spirit Spectre realm. If it really was an enemy attack, Shin would break every bone in his body, just to make sure that Kanari remained safe. "Hehe, child there''s no need to worry." The dragon-bearded man cackled. Releasing one of his wrinkled fingers from his right hand, Elder Baobiao pointed straight at the sky above the low hanging peak. "Look!" All of the juniors'' eyes followed the finger and soon, audible gasps followed. Right above the cave where Kanari had claimed for herself, an aurora borealis coloured red, green and grey, graced the midday sky. It was an odd sight. A divine natural light beaming itself against the radiance of the sun. But no one could look away. No one wanted to. Though they didn''t understand how the aurora borealis formed, one could guess its origin. "Don''t tell me..." A bubbling excitement fizzled up from the pits of his stomach as Shin stepped forward into the light. Due to Venerate Kikyo''s barrier, there weren''t any fluctuations in spiritual energies. Even the top Spirit Venerates seated below the cave could pry into the isolated cultivation chambers. Thus, they waited. Patiently? Definitely not. All of the spectators left their seats and hurried forward out of the shade. They wanted to be closer to the cave and witness the grandeur of the successful ascendant. They wanted to be the first to congratulate the indomitable maiden that would unquestionably write her name in legend. They wanted to see how the Witch in the South was as a Spirit Spectre¡­ And well, they didn''t have to wait for long. Minutes after the beautiful lights graced the skies, the talisman at the centre of the cave''s entrance unfurled and crumpled itself into a ball. Its restriction lost, the boulder blocking the exit rolled open, with a little help from the Spirit Kings guarding it. The barrier surrounding the cave opened holes in itself like a honeycomb and eventually broke down into pieces, leaving nothing behind. For the more sensitive cultivators in the viewing part, they could tell that the elemental energies within the cave had been entirely sucked dry. "They''re coming out." Elder Baobiao remarked. As if on cue, a few shadows emerged from the darkness, each one with their own unique expressions. Venerate Kikyo''s green eyes glistened, with a little pride in her smile. The acclaimed Registrar''s wrinkled face was free of any sweat or oils as if he had just sat back and done nothing for the entire time. A female bodyguard, who donned on a butler''s uniform like many who came before her, walked into the sunlight with her flat palm above her eyebrows. Though Shin had never seen the others, that guard was one that he was familiar with. Being Kanari''s personal attendant, there was no way that the butler would leave her mistress unguarded. Thus, her exit from the cave meant one thing¡­ "Kanari..." Emerging out like a mermaid from the depths of the ocean, the maiden displayed herself for all to see. Her white priestess gown had been slightly drenched with a little sweat, sticking itself to certain parts of her body. The weak-willed men drooled as they watched the decanter-shaped waist move from side to side while the women awed at the picture-perfect figure that they hoped to achieve. Her every step seemed to bloom a garden of flowers in her wake, and her playful actions of tucking her ink-black hair behind her ear made the barren cave look like a runway. ''She looks younger...'' Shin thought. The youth had spent hundreds of hours next to Kanari, and he was familiar with nearly every wrinkle, every mark and every blemish that the maiden had. However, after emerging from the cavern, Shin felt like Kanari had morphed into a different being. Her face was a little smaller, her figure seemed to become more toned than before and finally, there was a mystifying air to her every step. Kanari absorbed the gazes of everyone present and chuckled. There were many eyes, but there was only one pair that she genuinely cared about. Not wasting any more time, the maiden decided to give the spectators what they were waiting for. Spreading her arms out wide, Kanari released a tremendous spiritual pressure, one that forced those below the Spirit Spectre realm to grimace in discomfort as they heavily resisted the urge to bend their knees. There wasn''t any malice in her actions, though. It was just purely a side-effect of the spiritual energies being poured out from her soul. Gorgeous Aurora lights embellished the air around Kanari and spread out far and wide. Each light contained elemental greatness, and just by feeling it brush over their skins, the spectators felt as if a thousand ants were crawling up their bodies. "A domain..." One voice broke out from the crowd. They were amazed but not shocked. Kanari was the Witch in the South after all. If anyone were to learn a domain as their fifth spiritual ability, it would be her. Nonetheless, it was still a breathtaking sight. A twenty-year-old Spirit Spectre with a domain. Perhaps one of the greatest achievements made by a cultivator over the past hundred years. Ignoring all of the banter, Kanari gazed down upon the world, only to lock eyes with the man she wanted to see the most. The lights from her auroras brightened up her face to an astonishing degree, making her seem almost divine. Kanari smiled. Now, everything has fallen into place.She was now a Spirit Spectre with a domain ability. The Highgarden Duchy had also sent an array of skilled Spirit Users to assist in the charge against the Payirci. Now, it was time to finally act against Junius and untie one knot in her loved one''s heart. ''You gave me your oath, so I''ll give you mine¡­ Shin, I''ll definitely bring Junius to justice!!!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 395 I Am Ascending 2 The Kori Federation. The Estrella Region. Junius'' Payirci. Junius was standing at the very precipice of the floating tower, binging down columns of written reports brought forth by his loyal subordinates. Though he was known as the Blade of Death and an assassin of the night, Junius'' primary role was that of a trained officer. It didn''t matter if they were an organisation in the dark or the light. No man could escape paperwork as they climbed up the corporate ladder. During times like these, Junius actually wished that he wasn''t the outstanding executive that he was. Just as he read the last of the documents, yet another Shudra climbed up the tower with another pile of reports from their scouts. "Vaishya Junius! These are last night''s scouting reports!" The Shudra said. "Right. Leave them there." He wanted to frown and scream, but Junius kept his cool. Pointing to the adjacent desk using his feathered pen, Junius finished signing that last document before standing up for a stretch. He had been seated for the entire night now. If Junius were back home, Shia would have offered to release all of the stress from his tensed up body. Physically and mentally. Alas, he was almost an entire continent away from the Uncharted Wilderness... "Tell me. Has there been any attempts by the Alliance to attack us?" Watching the sunrise from the peak of his tower, Junius sipped on a goblet of wine and casually asked. "Not yet! Though, there have been some movements by their Commander to push into the ten-kilometre radius. Some scouts even predict that their attack would come within the next few days!" "That sounds about right..." It was within Ao''s calculations that the Alliance would figure out the trick of the Payirci in about a week. The Alliance now had almost ten times the firepower than they did before. They had recruited Spirit Venerates and Spirit Emperors, alongside a standing army that would decimate any of the Black Masks'' forces. Losing to them was inevitable. Though, if one looked at it through the lens of the Allfather and the ultimate plan that he had, what the Black Masks had accomplished here wouldn''t be a loss, but a resounding win. "We''ll stick to the original plan. Once the Alliance forces march in, we will withdraw all of the Umbras into the Payirci. Then, we''ll escape using the route that Senior Ao had created for us. Remember! Your safety is the most paramount! Don''t go risking your lives for a tower that we''d already abandoned!" "Yes, sir!" The Shudra clicked his boots and gave a firm salute. His zealous face brimming with patriotic light. Junius'' eyes dilated as his subordinate disappeared from sight and returned back to completing his mundane tasks. The die had been cast, and it was time for the final minutes of the game. Everything had been set in stone. Whether Junius would emerge victorious from this conflict would solely depend on the actions of his younger brother. "Shin¡­ Oh, Shin¡­ Please take the bait..." The Vaishya begged as he watched the sun awake from its slumber. It was a new dawn, but whether the light was shining in the Alliance''s or the Black Masks'' favour, only time would tell¡­ ??? Sunk deep into the luxurious feathered bed that was meant for a family of eleven, Shin counted the jagged grey rocks, wrapped with verdant plant life above his head. Those majestic crystals that lit up the entire chambers had dimmed drastically in quality, and they were now as bright as a broken firefly. In spite of that, there was still enough light to make the dome-shaped cave a comfy place for rest and a romantic tryst. Five, six, seven¡­ Shin''s pastime hobby turned wearisome a few minutes after he started it and thus he turned to the only person that could end his misery. "Ermmm¡­ Mistress Kanari?" Shin pivoted his head to his right, where a young maiden was lying comfortably on his extended arm. The rubies within her pupils beamed brighter than any of the dimmed crystals that were hanging overhead. Like a spoilt kitten, Kanari purred at her name being called as she tunnelled out of Shin''s armpits and touched the weighty neck of the young man. Moving her lips close, Kanari laid down a small peck, leaving a little red mark on the neck that she loved so much. ''She really loves kisses...'' Shin thought. They had been making out for hours now, and yet, the maiden still wasn''t satisfied. "What is it, Master Shin?" Kanari played along with a blissful smile. They were both lightly robed, so Kanari could gawk over the toned chest muscles that Shin had trained all his life. She was tempted to continue touching them, but Kanari could tell by his expression that Shin wasn''t in the mood. "How much longer must we keep this up?" Shin asked. "We have been here for a few hours now, and I think that people would be suspicious if I don''t return soon." "But I''m not done claiming my prize!" Kanari pouted and complained. After Kanari''s successful promotion into the Spirit Spectre realm, many came over to congratulate her on her success. There was even a feast prepared for her by the men and women from the Highgarden Duchy, where almost all of the esteemed members in the camp attended, even if it was for a short while. Many prominent faces lined up to shake Kanari''s hands, and some even brought extravagant gifts to applaud her achievement. While those presents were great, there was only one true prize that Kanari had her eye on. When the dust had settled, Kanari handed Shin a note, asking him to visit her chambers early in the morning, a few hours before the sun rose and when the misty cold still remained. From then on, the two had shared the bed, cuddling and kissing as many couples did on their honeymoon period when everything was seen through rose-coloured lenses. However, even the most dedicated connoisseur would get bored after tasting the same thing over and over. Their bodies had been intertwined for almost four hours, and Shin had enjoyed his fill. Kanari, on the other hand, was still unsatisfied and she continued to cling onto the man as if she were a koala bear. "I know, I know. But I really have to leave soon. Me being alone with you is already a stain on your reputation. If word gets out..." "So what?" Kanari didn''t care one bit. She had been chasing Shin for almost five years. Now that she finally obtained him, there was no way she''s letting him go that easily. "Let them talk! It''s not like it''ll bother me anyway!" ''But it would bother me!'' Shin retorted mentally. Kanari was by far, the most sought after maiden in the Himmel Empire. The list of her potential suitors was as long as the World Serpent itself, and each one of them possessed tremendous amounts of power and influence. Even without being in a relationship with Kanari, Shin had been getting threats from nearly every organisation under the sun. Just imagine if the news broke that the pair had been cuddling and kissing for hours on a bed. The whole world would be sent into an uproar, and a bounty would be placed on his head, one that wasn''t inferior to that of Junius''. Oh, and who could forget Fred? That devoted lovebird that nearly killed Shin when he and Kanari were still friends? How would Fred react? Shin didn''t even want to think about it. Kanari was still in a delirious mood after Shin''s confession, and the man couldn''t bring himself to throw cold water at her. Thus, he remained silent. Recalibrating, he thought of a different approach that would appeal to the young maiden. "Let''s just ignore that for now. The Commander said that there may be a plan to attack the Payirci today, so we ought to be prepared." "Really?" For the first time, Kanari''s eyes sparkled at something that wasn''t Shin-related. Climbing up the man''s chest, Kanari pushed herself closer to Shin as her right thigh released its hold over Shin''s waist. As she rose from the bed, a flowery fragrance followed and filled the lungs of the man lying beneath her. "Tell me more." Kanari had been busy planning her promotion into the Spirit Spectre realm for the past five days and hadn''t caught up on the happenings in the encampment. And boy, were there developments. The investigation into the Payirci continued to push out new information by the hour. Its internal structure, how sturdy was it, the amount of Umbras it could potentially create before it maxed out¡­ All of these were mysteries that had been unravelled. The three offence-oriented Spirit Venerates from each superpower had taken turns to test the toughness of the Payirci. The lights from their savage attacks sent the world into disarray. Each time they struck, the terrain changed. From rocky contours to open flat land. From flat ground into a lake of clear liquid. From a lake to nothing but dust and smoke. Everything changed in the godforsaken area. Everything, but the Payirci itself. It was a defeat for the entire Alliance. How were they supposed to beat an artefact that could reflect the best attacks in the three superpowers? Not even the Imperial Castle in the Himmel Empire could bolster such an effective defence. So what could the Alliance do? Well, luckily for them, they possessed a maniac in the Blacksmith''s League President, Ingram Ragnar when it came to relics from Spirit Immortal Dream. Searching through his own personal research library, Ingram had brought forth an idea of how the Payirci''s blueprint may look like. It may have been modified by the Black Masks, but there was no doubt in Ingram''s mind that the Payirci still possessed the base features that it was intended for. Ingram toyed with the Umbras and sent scouts to test his hypotheses during the brief period that he had. Some were debunked, while the majority of his theories were confirmed. The Payirci behaved much like a dungeon from folklore, where the heroes party had to dive down deeper and deeper to reach the dungeon core. Though, in the case of the Payirci, it was the other way round. Spirit Immortal Dream was known for her fixation of opposites after all. It was just a theory for now, but Ingram believed that to clear the Payirci, one had to ascend the tower and reach its peak, breaking down the final obstacle and claim their prize. At outlandish thought, many said. Some even questioned the Blacksmith''s League President''s motives. Maybe he just wanted the Alliance to keep the Payirci intact so that he could replicate it in the future. But as time went by, the evidence brought back by the White Knight scouts confirmed a large chunk of Ingram''s speculations. Soon, the operation to contain the Payirci had evolved into a mission to conquer it. Commander Martha had sent small teams of White Knights to test the waters by barging into the first level of the Payirci, and they had managed to ascend the tower, bit by bit. As more information began to surface, the Alliance had gained confidence in their plan. They readied their weapons and drew up new plans each day. Learning from their earlier mistakes, they had even made contingency plans should things go south within the Payirci. Now, even if the entire structure came crashing down when they were inside, the Alliance knew how to escape unscathed. "I see¡­ So are they planning to carry out the operation today?" Kanari asked. "Unclear. That''s why we have to return back to camp! Your ascension yesterday had boosted the morale of all the soldiers in the camp. So it wouldn''t be that hard to believe if the Commander wanted to carry the momentum forward and lead the Alliance to victory." "That makes sense." The maiden fell into thought. For a slight sliver of a second, Shin could see the rational Kanari that he adored return back from her slumber. However, as Shin got up from the bed, the right side of his robes fell from his lean shoulders, giving Kanari a full view of his right nipple and broad chest. At that moment, the logical Kanari faded into oblivion as the love-drunk Kanari took her place once more. "Just one more hour!" Hearts could be seen in the maiden''s pupils as she dunked the man down on the bed once more. It was hopeless. Shin should be thanking his lucky stars that Kanari''s noble modesty was keeping her from going all the way. Otherwise, based on how needy Kanari was when her switch was flipped, perhaps it would take just a few weeks before a mini-Shin would be baked in the oven... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 396 I Am Ascending 3 The skies were as blue as can be, bearing white milky clouds which resembled that of cotton candy. Some clouds were so large that it covered half of a man''s vision, blocking out the blazing white sphere above. Make no mistake, the sun may be covered by clouds, but its light continued to stun the world into submission on this early summer morning. Birds flew up from their nests, decorating the skies with a little bit of life. Their chirps acted as sonorous songs that told the time. Which was convenient for the army assembled right before the Payirci. It was two hours after mid-noon. Thousands of men had left their positions in the encampment and their watchtowers to join in the march. Commander Martha had pushed into the ten-kilometre radius and sent legions of warriors to push back the Umbras. As she had envisioned, the combined might of the Alliance forces were too much for the weak Spirit Beasts to bear and they drove all the way back to within a two-kilometre radius of the floating tower. Tasting victory, her men continued to mow down every Umbra that they saw, no matter how small or large it was. Riding in on their Pegasus, the White Knights rained down havoc from above, while the foot soldiers thinned out the numbers accordingly. There was nothing that the Black Masks could do. Even if they wished to assist the Umbras, the elite White Knights flying above would swoop down and decimate their forces within minutes. They couldn''t even use the World Serpent''s power to resist the attacks, as at least five Spirit Venerates were waiting outside, courtesy of the Alliance and the Highgarden Duchy. Essentially, for the Black Masks, the only thing that they could do was to wait for the Alliance to barge into the Payirci and hope for the best. But Commander Martha wasn''t going to give the criminal syndicate that mercy. After pushing the Umbras back into an acceptable range, she ordered her forces to hold their grounds and to quickly create makeshift forts that could hold up against an impromptu siege. They had the advantage when it came to their numbers and quality of forces. What the Black Masks had the edge in was the unpredictability of the Payirci. Thus, Commander Martha had made the wise decision not to play with the Black Masks in their game. Yes, it was imperative for the White Knights to launch an attack to ascend the Payirci, but they didn''t have to rush it. By creating a temporary fort surrounding the floating tower, the army could take their time to replenish resources while killing as many Umbras as they possibly could while small elite teams of White Knights scouted the foreign structure. There was no need for Commander Martha to put all her eggs in one basket. She could afford to wait it out. Furthermore, having her soldiers kill hordes of Umbras was good for combat training. Shin and his team were watching warriors slice down a menacing swarm of killer dog-sized bees from the safety of the earthen fort with approving expressions. The forts behaved like walls of a prison that kept the Umbras and Black Masks in, enabling the ''jailors'' to bring down their prisoners numbers through brute force alone. Standing right by them, numerous archers and long-range ballistae fired out deadly projectiles to assist in the ground troops'' defence. Elemental energies kept the warm summer morning cool and breezy as each explosion sent shockwaves throughout the reinforced forts. Legions of warriors dropped down from their positions to replace those who had been fatigued while dozens of arrows whizzed by. It was common practice for the soldiers to attack in waves. That way, those who had been in the frontlines could have a chance to replenish their strengths while the pressure being mounted on the Umbras continued to pile on. Though not everyone shared Commander Martha''s sentiment. At the centre of the beast horde, a sinewy young man rode his lightning mare into battle, burning the flesh of all of the Umbras. Shin didn''t even understand how their blackened skin could get even more charred, but Suji showed him that anything was possible when the lightning element was involved. Each swing of his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade sent thunderbolts flying all over the battleground, and each time his prized stallion rode into a pack of Umbras, their skins would moult while their eyes would melt. It was almost fitting. The Son of War riding a lightning horse raining down terror wherever he went. Now, Shin understood why the Lasgeor family was known for only their military exploits. The Purple Dragon Crescent Blade was unquestionably most suited for riding into the battlefield. The only question was, how long could Suji keep this up? He had been swinging and hacking for almost a half hour now, and there were no signs of him slipping up. Furthermore, his auxiliary teammates were supplying him with mana while Danroy and Natasha protected his flanks. It was as if Suji could continue on for hours without tiring, something rare to see for someone of his mana pool and flashy techniques. "When is he going to stop." Shizen made a complaint, his smooth and silky complexion riddled with wrinkles as he frowned. "We''re supposed to take his place, but he just keeps on going!" Just like the soldiers before them, the seven young heroes were assigned to replace their classmates when they were exhausted. Due to a certain maiden''s clinginess, the team had arrived at the battlegrounds a little later than their compatriots, forcing them to play second fiddle and watch Suji wreak havoc on the floor. Though, Kanari wasn''t feeling any regret. If anything she was giddily whispering intricate details to her fellow young maidens at a corner, bringing all of their faces into a tomato blush. Usually, Shin only had to deal with the reverent gazes that were shot his way from the regular soldiers of the army. Now, he also had to resist the urge to smack those three coltish smiles that the other girls had. It was a challenge, yes, but Shin ultimately tuned them out as he huddled up with Isadore and Shizen, all while seeking the counsel of Meijing Bingying, Xunyu Huanyuan and Elder Baobiao. "What are Commander Martha''s plans for the afternoon?" Shin asked. Xunyu Huanyuan opened up a notebook and flipped to the page he bookmarked. "The Alliance will build thick walls to keep the Umbras in. At the same time, all units are to push the Spirit Beasts back into the Payirci. Quite a simple plan if you ask me." The young man repeated what he read, word-for-word. "Nonetheless, it''s quite impressive for the Alliance to build so many forts in this little time. Now, all that''s left is for us to push the Umbras back into the Payirci." "Why don''t the Spirit Emperors and Venerates strike?" From the corner of his eye, Shin could see a variety of well-dressed men and women, folding their arms and watching the battle unfold. They all possessed a certain air of dignity, one that could only be obtained through years of hard work and experience. Whether it was Spirit Venerate Kikyo or Commander Martha, they were all-powerful beings that could effortlessly bring thousands of Spirit Beasts to heel. "They''re saving their strength." Meijing Bingying interjected. "Once the Umbras are pushed in, those above the Spirit King realm would pool their powers together in the hopes of crashing down the Payirci with one strike. It might prove fruitless, but Commander Martha believes that it''s worth a shot." The cold maiden raised her head to stare at the floating tower. Before, she believed that the Black Masks were a problem for the Terre Continent to handle. Yes, there have been some attempts by the syndicate to invade the Lantis Archipelago, but the inferior galleys and piss-poor oceanic beasts were no match for the greatest navy the world has ever seen. However, Bingying''s opinion changed when the Payirci was introduced to the world. Not many people knew of this in the present day, but the Lantis Republic had once invested in Spirit Immortal Dream when she had created her own country. As a once in a million years genius, the ideas that Spirit Immortal Dream had were as maniacal as they were fantastical. She spoke of floating towers that could house an infinite amount of Spirit Beasts, resounding lasers that could obliterate the strongest of walls within a matter of seconds and even creating an energy source that could power a billion homes from now until the end of time. At the time, they seemed to be the crazy ramblings of a mad scientist, but after Spirit Immortal Dream had proven herself time and time again, the Lantis Republic decided to become her first investor. Before Spirit Immortal Dream went crazy and murdered all of her people, that transaction paid off massively for the Lantis Republic. First, all of their vessels had been upgraded into a more modern fleet. Now powered by aether, their ships didn''t need to rely on the rocky waves and unpredictable winds anymore. They were even equipped with state-of-the-art cannons and harpoons. There were even talks of making a submersible ship that could move unnoticed by the human eye. Through Spirit Immortal Dream''s help, the Lantis Republic had undeniably solidified their place as the world''s top navy. So those in the Lantis Republic, particularly those belonging to the Eight Ancient Clans, knew how miraculous artefacts that Spirit Immortal Dream designed are. The Payirci was once an outlandish concept that Spirit Immortal Dream had. Yet, the Black Masks had made it into reality. Now, even those in the Lantis Republic should be panicking. Who knew what other artefacts the Black Masks and the Allfather had in store? "Shin, let''s attack them!" The adrenaline flowed to Meijing Bingying''s head. She didn''t want to be relegated to the sidelines anymore. Her place was down there, in the middle of the battlefield. "But our orders are to replace Suji when he comes back!" The young man rebutted, his eyes shifting from Commander Martha''s position and his own. "Are you her subordinate?" A loud response came flying back. "You''re an heir of the great Longyu Clan! The Prince of Water and the Black-Haired Tyrant! If you really want to fight, just go down there and wipe the floor with those bird-brained monsters!" ''Aren''t you giving me an order as well?!'' Shin debunked Meijing Bingying''s word mentally as his brows arched downwards. ''But she makes a good point¡­ Suji has been going at it for quite some time now, and his mana pool should be exhausted soon. Forcing him to come back up is not an option, so I guess assisting him would be the next best thing.'' Shin stretched his right shoulder and got onto the platform of the fort. A wry smile crept up Isadore''s face when he saw that resolute expression of his friend''s. How many times has the elfen man seen that? There was no need to share words. Just like Shin, Isadore got up onto the same platform with a loaned spear. Before anyone could ask him what his plan was, the young man took the leap of faith, stunning Meijing Bingying and his fellow companions that were still chattering away. Isadore followed suit right after. They were about thirty metres up from the ground, but the young heroes didn''t care about breaking bones or wounding flesh. Shin created two water bubbles to act as a cushion for their descent while dozens of spiralling water spheres, laced with a silver hue graced the dry air of the battlefield. "Flow-Style Technique, Arcane River." As Shin made his landing, the water spheres turned into voids that vomited out gallons of astral water, cleaning up the crimson-red waterlogged soil and replacing it with the tears of the divine goddess. The sudden appearance of a river filled with angelic sparkles confused every being on the ground, friend and foe alike. But that didn''t stop Shin from casting his next ability. Using the mana-infused water he splattered around, the Prince of Water created dozens of water golems with swords and hammers as hands. At the same time, in various locations littered behind the Alliance forces vanguard, small pools of healing water dug deep into the ground. It took some time, but the water began to boil and released a foggy mist which rejuvenated all that stood near it, bringing back their lost strength and power and allowing the valiant warriors to fight yet another battle. Not stopping there, Shin spread his arm out wide, creating a thick spear of water, which gradually crystallised into something much more sinister looking. Spinning the Spear of Aiglos around like a windmill, the temperature surrounding Shin dipped drastically as the water-elements began to heed his call. Hundreds of ice arrows appeared overhead and dashed out immediately, piercing any Umbras that tried to push forward in resistance. The side of Meijing Bingying''s lips crept upwards when she watched her teachings being placed into practical use. Unsheathing her Spectral Reaver Blade, the young maiden laughed as she leapt down to assist her mentee. Finally coming to their senses, the rest of Shin''s team followed suit with their own Spirits being called out. Kanari merged with her Kumiho while Ella and Shizen dropped down together on vines, creating their own unique duo combination. Only Elrin and Emma stood back because their high vantage point would prove to be much more beneficial to the team as compared to the middle of the flat rocky plains. Shin''s flashy entrance didn''t go unnoticed. Suji glanced back and snorted derisively. They should have waited back in camp, the man thought. Though he was angered, Suji didn''t dare to slack on his duties. The Guandao in his hands continued to dance and electrocute any that stood in his way. Suji really looked indomitable. His savagery was far beyond his years, and the seemingly inexhaustible mana pool continued to impress all of his peers. Nonetheless, after a half hour of endless bouts, there was bound to be a few cracks shown in his defence. For a split second, a Praying Mantis Umbra managed to thread the needle and move in close to the sinewy young man while he was busy engaging three other beasts. Suji wanted to react, but the Umbra was far too quick. A praying mantis was known for its explosive speed after all. The only thing that the muscular man could do was defend with a swing of his Guandao. SLLLLLLCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!! But the anticipated attack never landed. Before the blades of the praying mantis could reach Suji, ten vicious spears pierced through the Umbra''s body, sending flying far away from the succulent flesh of the toned young man. Shin flew forward using the Dance of the Valkyrie and landed right before his classmate''s eyes. "Are you alright?" Offering a hand, Shin asked the man. "I didn''t need your help!" Suji scoffed and slapped Shin''s hand away. Taking a few seconds to compose himself, the muscular juggernaught spun his lightning Guandao around before turning to Shin. "Our bet still stands! I''ll definitely beat more Spirit Beasts than you!" The veins in his muscles began to pop as the young man barged into battle once more. Hacking down yet another praying mantis Umbra, Suji continued to wreak havoc like a berserker on a mission. "Hehe, Suji really is quite proud." Isadore caught up and opened with an obvious observation. "So, Shin. Are you going to let him win again?" "Not this time..." Shin shook his head. Staring up at the tall levitating tower, the youth wondered if Junius was up there somewhere, glancing down at him from his lofty throne. If he did, then Shin ought to put on a show, just to lure that asshole out into the open. "I''m going to go all out..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 397 I Am Ascending 4 BAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Five whale-shaped Umbras collided onto the bloodied floor, sending out large chunks of dirt and debris flying in all directions. At the centre of the thick, weighty necks, sharp ice spears, each one bearing ends akin to that of an eagle''s talons or a leopard''s claw. The fallen Spirit Beasts had joined a legion of its dead brethren that were piled up against each other. Some of them had a fine line splitting their bodies in half, while others had a plethora of different weapons sticking out as if they were a porcupine. The thick stench of blood and mud tickled all of the soldiers'' noses, forcing them to improvise by covering their lower faces with a thin handkerchief. It wasn''t much, but it was enough to keep them going without fighting the urge to spill their guts. Though not all warriors needed that luxury. Shin continued to pierce through each and every Umbra that crossed his path. It had almost become reflex at this point. If he sensed malicious movement, Shin would circle his Spear of Aiglos and bring out thousands of ice arrows to protect himself. Meijing Bingying also joined the fray. Merging with her Enigmatic Narwhal, the frosty maiden swung her Spectral Reaver blade and danced her way through the hordes of beasts as if she was performing on an ice skating rink. Due to her sending the ice-elements into an absolute frenzy, Shin found it much easier to cool down his created water and manipulate ice. All of his regular water-shaped attacks became much more deadly when transformed into a steadier form, and Shin massacred his way through the rocky fields. Isadore wasn''t a slouch either. With Elrin''s Sacramental Boost and False Armament, the young elfin had turned into the silver flash of the battlefield. His thick thighs acted as springboards, and his slim and lean body shape facilitated his aerodynamic movements. One swing of his temporary spear pushed away a Tier 4 Spirit Beast as if they were a child''s teddy bear and each thrust he threw, tore through thick tendons and shattered massive bones. Up till this day, Shin didn''t understand how Isadore could pack such force in such a thin body, but for the moment, Shin was just glad that the spear wasn''t pointed his way. Standing just twenty metres away, a tall and sinewy young man watched as the trio damaged all of his prey without his permission. It wasn''t gratifying at all, seeing someone do better than himself. Suji was nicknamed the Son of War after all. So what if Shin was better in him in one-on-one situations? Killing enemies in a warzone was supposed to be his speciality. Ignoring the sore muscles and exhausted spiritual energies in his body, Suji swung the hefty Guandao in his hands and summoned out even more coils of lightning. His trusted stead that had turned faint before sparked back into life and neighed with pride as it stood on its hind legs. The elements continued to dance wildly as the young cultivators opened a kilometre deep into the Payirci. The veteran warriors of the field all steered clear with convivial smiles and allowed the younglings to do their thing. Ah, youth¡­ Many of them thought. They could continue on with all they had, but it would just steal the thunder away from the ''elite rookies'' that had been dispatched for their mission. Thus, they slowed their movements and preserved their strengths. Their goal was to drive the Umbras back into the Payirci. It didn''t matter who did it and how. As long as they got the job done, it was sufficient. "Is there no end to them?" Shizen complained. His Adivinar Tree released thousands of knife-like razor leaves, injuring any Spirit Beast that came near to him. Ella, who covered his back, took advantage of weakened Umbras and continuously bombarded them with icicles when they were still bleeding through every fraction of the skins. "I don''t know!" The maiden shouted back. They had been exterminating the Umbras as if they were cockroaches from a garbage box at a breakneck pace. Yet, just like the pests that they were compared to, the Spirit Beast would continue to march out of the Payirci. It was as if the levitating tower was truly an infinite well that spat out new Umbras each time a pack had perished. "Let''s push back as many as we can." Ella continued. "If we can force them all the way back into the Payirci, the Spirit Venerates can attempt to blow them all up once more!" "I think we would run out of mana before that happens!" Shizen scoffed while thousands of vines swirled around him. It has been ten minutes since they first jumped down from the forts and they had been continuously grinding down the number of Umbras since. On their side, there were about five hundred trained men and women, each one assigned to their own respective units. The vanguard had a mixture of shield bearers and lancers while the backlines consisted of competent Houyi-type archers. Auxiliary Spirit Users would continue to supplement the lost mana while healers focused on treating minor wounds so that their brave compatriots could return back to the battlefield. Controlled chaos. That would be the aptest way to describe their current situation. Speeding right in the frontlines, Shin was creating hundreds of ice weapons while hurling beasts into the air for Bingying or Isadore to finish off. Right behind them, Kanari was using her Spirit Spectre abilities to full effect. Gorgeous luminous Auroras surrounded the young maiden, and her ruby eyes glistened in the same crimson hue as the blood that flowed underneath. Fear wasn''t a known emotion in the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts mind, but even they couldn''t resist the urge to retreat when the Auroras hit them. Foxfires ran rampant as if they were grass while strong gales drew the Umbras towards Kanari as if she possessed magnetic properties. Her supple white arms flowed in a rhythmic symphony like a conductor of a concert and the pale blue flames that she created followed suit. Bouncing from Umbra to Umbra, the Foxfires incinerated the beasts to their bone. ''Her abilities have really shot up...'' Shin gaped in awe as Kanari took down a hundred Umbras in just one minute. She didn''t even have to move from her position to annihilate the enemies. Anytime a foe crept up near her, Kanari''s domain would burn all of them out of existence as the Auroras doubled her Foxfires'' effects while weakening the Umbras significantly. ''I really have to create a domain for my next spiritual ability.'' Now that Kanari had promoted, all eyes were now directed at Shin. He was at the peak of Rank 37, and it would probably take him about eight to twelve months for him to reach that final threshold. Just like the maiden, Shin had already planned what his next spiritual ability would be. Joining the ranks of Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu, Shin was preparing to create a domain ability that would bolster his water creation ability. With a domain, Shin would be capable of doubling the power, speed and spiritual denseness of his created water all while weakening all that dared to step within his path. However, that was a discussion for another time. Right now, seizing Junius from the Payirci was the highest priority. Badddukkk¡­ Badddukkk¡­ Badddukkk¡­ The ground rumbled heavily, shaking the brave warriors on the field off their feet. Spirit Spectres rose to the skies, while those who could not fly stayed close to the ground, lowering their centre of gravity to remain stable. As if their central nervous system had gone haywire, the Umbras all waywardly bolted back into the floating tower. That sudden movement stunned the Alliance members for a brief moment. They planned to force the Umbras back into the Payirci and yet, they were now willingly running back? "What are the Black Masks planning?" Commander Martha thought out loud, her eyebrows furrowed and her lip arched down into a frown. "Whatever the case, them retreating back into the tower plays right into our plans." A middle-aged man took one step forward and watched the retreat of the Umbras. He wasn''t a tall man. Not particularly striking either. If he walked in a crowd, not one soul would ever acknowledge his presence. However, Jingyu Qiang, the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerate, anything but weak. At Rank 87, he was the closest entity to a Spirit Saint that Commander Martha''s army had. "So who''s going to do it first?" Yet another man who looked no older than forty emerged from the shadows of the forts. His bald, crystal head reflected the glaring rays from the sun while his broad, muscular chest twitched out of reflex. Unlike Jingyu Qiang, the Kori Federation''s Spirit Venerate, Gundla Barak, was as striking as can be. Smacking his lips, the man stood up straight and gave a small flex to make himself look more prominent. He asked: "You? Me? Or the Duke?" "Shouldn''t I get the first try?" The final man, Duke Cyanjaw from the Himmel Empire, cracked his tensed-up neck while strolling forward. His eyes piercing, and his expression grim. Duke Cyanjaw had been sitting around for the longest, and the man wanted to stretch off the lethargy that he accumulated. "I was the first to arrive, I have the right to land the first hit." "Early bird gets the worm, huh?" It was easy to debate the man, but neither Spirit Venerates cared that much. Though they were from different countries, the trio were now fighting under the same banner. There was no point in arguing over useless matters. "You heard the man, Commander Martha. Retreat your troops." "Alright..." The White Knight Commander hid her loathing frown while blowing the whistle for her troops to withdraw. She was a seasoned warrior, a commander that was slated to become a general, a famous tactician and most importantly, the leader of the current army. Yet, even with all those credentials, Commander Martha still had to take orders from the three Spirit Venerates. Such was the nature of the cultivation world. No matter how marvellous you were at your job, those with a higher cultivation level still had the power to command you. Duke Cyanjaw didn''t bother to wait for the troops to completely withdraw. Once he saw Kanari and Suji''s team retreat, the Spirit Venerate leapt forward while two metallic gauntlets covered both his hands. Bronzed with a touch of grey, the heavy gloves bore several sharp spikes and were wrapped with earthen chains that seemed to restrict its terrene might. The man''s biceps swelled up to three times its original size while his thin robes were torn apart. Brown light flowed out from his pores and filled the area with a dense mana field. A few seconds later, a colossal bronze phantom appeared behind of Duke Cyanjaw. All of the men and women retreating came to a halt as they watched the titan, who seemed just as big as the Payirci itself, raise its mighty fist with the same gauntlets that Duke Cyanjaw had. Like a boxer, the phantom placed its leading foot forward while it prepared to release the ultimate drilling jab. Large pieces of rock and dust floated up into the skies and joined the Rinfermar Gauntlets in the charge-up, increasing the weight of the phantom punch. In just ten seconds, the strongest attack that Duke Cyanjaw had been locked and loaded, ready to wreak havoc on the poor Payirci that stood in his path. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The Spirit Venerate unleashed his wrath and launched the punch. A sonic explosion, hundreds of times louder than the strongest thunderclap, devastated the land, forcing those with weaker cultivations to fall down and cover their ears. Even Shin and his fellow Spirit Adept friends felt crimson liquids flow out from the depths of their ears. Luckily they had Shin''s healing water to treat their ruptured eardrums. Otherwise, they would have been rolling on the floor like everyone else. "Holy shit!!!" Shizen remarked. All of the land before the colossal phantom had been ripped to shreds leaving nothing but dust and dirt behind. Any poor Umbras that hadn''t made it into the Payirci had been brutally turned into black powder, and all of the elemental spirits stayed clear from the desolation that the one punch. Just from the sound being generated by that attack, thousands of mighty warriors fell. So one could imagine what ''So this is the might of a pure-offensive Spirit Venerate.'' Shin stood stupefied. Elder Baobiao''s Xuanwu''s Yawn was definitely powerful, but even that ability paled in comparison to Duke Cyanjaw''s. However¡­ "My god! It''s still standing!!!" Watching the smoke dissipate, Emma cried out in absolute horror when the Payirci remained to levitate up high in the air. The attack that Duke Cyanjaw threw, the power that could bring down any fort like a kid kicking through sandcastles, was utterly useless against the defences of the mighty Payirci. "Your Excellency, it looks like you squandered your chance." Gundla Barak from the Kori Federation floated over with a mocking smile. "Oh yeah? Why don''t you try then?!" Snorting in derision, Duke Cyanjaw released the titanic phantom and folded his arms together. "Now, now. We shouldn''t really be fighting." Jingyu Qiang smiled bitterly as he arrived next to the rivalling Spirit Venerates. "If the Payirci''s defences are capable of withstanding Duke Cyanjaw''s ''Wrath of the Rinfermar'', it should be able to hold up against both of our attacks. If we want to damage the structure, we should all combine our might." The Spirit Venerate from the Lantis Republic explained patiently. "Hmph!" Duke Cyanjaw turned around and flew straight back to the makeshift forts. He didn''t even bother to consider the neutral Jingyu Qiang''s opinion. "He¡­ Hah¡­ Has there been some bad blood between you and him?" The Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire weren''t exactly the best of buds before. With Gundla Barak being from Dragon Tiger Gate and Duke Cyanjaw being the owner of a prominent Duchy, it wasn''t surprising for the two Spirit Venerates to have locked horns in the past. "A tale long passed." Gundla Barak turned his head, unwilling to narrate a story that occurred decades ago. Right now, they had a bigger fish to fry. "I''m going to strike. If you want to join in, do it quickly." Just like Duke Cyanjaw before him, Venerate Gundla Barak summoned out a phantom as well. However, instead of taking the shape of a humanoid phantom, it was muscular, lanky Goldhorn Elk. More robust than any steed in existence, the Goldhorn Elk was covered with halcyon fur, and its two antlers were shining like a white gold lunar branch. Standing up on its two hind legs, the Goldhorn Elk congregated all the light elements around it into a concentrated sphere, ready unleash heaven''s wrath on the floating tower before it. Sighing, Jingyu Qiang brought out an avatar of his Spirit, the Colossal Leviathan. It had a long serpentine body with thick squid-like appendages twirling all about. Its beady black eyes glowed ferociously, and sharpened shark''s teeth glistened while it brought the fury of the oceans with it. Water split out from the Colossal Leviathan''s mouth while thousands of ultramarine particles congregated within the opened jaws of the avatar. "Three..." Gundla Barak begun the countdown. "Two..." Jingyu Qiang continued it. The light within both their Spirits increased exponentially, like a beam waiting to be released. "One!!!" BBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! At the final second, both of them released their abilities and sent two calamitous beams, each a thousand times more potent that Kanari''s Lunar Beam, crashing into the Payirci''s body. Any structure in the world, barring Deus Citadel, would have collapsed under the joint powers of the two prominent Spirit Venerates. However, everything that the Alliance forces had learnt thus far was about to be thrown out of the window. "H-How is it still standing?" Shin choked on his words. How could a Payirci sustain such massive defensive capabilities? The two Spirit Venerates frowned. Even their combined attacks were unable to even place a mark on the relic that the Black Masks had made. Jingyu Qiang bit the bottom of his lips and turned towards the bald man that floated beside him. Now that their initial plan had failed, they were forced to resort to their backup one. "Looks like we have to ascend the tower..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 398 I Am Ascending 5 After a full day of fighting and killings, Commander Martha had ordered all of the Alliance''s troops to pull back behind the walls that they had built and gave the brave warriors a well-deserved rest. Also, they needed to fortify the area surrounding the Payirci, lest more Umbras flowed out. Spearmen and archers, each standing five metres apart, stood watch with vigilant eyes, careful to observe even the slightest movement on the battlefield. Today proved to be a massive victory for the Alliance members. They pushed into the ten-kilometre radius of the Payirci and had forced all of the darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts back into the crypts where they were formed. Yet, no one had the stomach to celebrate. In fact, it was the contrary. The Payirci''s ability to resist three consecutive Spirit Venerates attacks had placed a damper onto the triumphant mood that the army had. Some began to wonder if the Payirci was truly an invincible structure. So naturally, worried whispers started to spread. What if the Payirci could never be destroyed and the Umbras that they defeated just came back stronger than ever? That was all the soldiers could think about. They had scored a major victory today, but what if tomorrow comes and there were even more Umbras, wouldn''t they be back to square one? And the sentiment wasn''t unique to the Alliance members. Shin and Suji''s team gathered around the campfire, all with dropped arms and cautious eyes. They were protected by hundreds of powerful Spirit Users, some were even the top dogs in the cultivation world. However, none of them felt completely safe. If Shin had the choice, he would rather be in the fields watching the Payirci at all moments in case of an enemy onslaught. "What a crazy day." Shizen threw his head back while warming up his cold hands near the campfire. The waxing gibbous moon was starting to take refuge up high in the darkening skies while the sun had utterly disappeared from view. Lacking the warmth of the indoors, the only thing that the young men and women could do was to stay close to a fire and cuddle up in their fur blankets. "You can say that again!" Elrin continued. She was draped in a polar bear''s thick fur coat and was holding on to a heated cup of cocoa. Her small sips tickled the ears of her friends who resisted the urge to look to her in envy. Why? Because of the indomitable grey-haired butler standing right next to her. When Kanari made plans to advance right here in the Estrella Region, all of the ''hidden experts'' that were sent to protect the seven young heroes saw no need to continue their facade. Everyone knew of Meijing Bingying, Xunyu Huanyuan and Elder Baobiao, but no one really knew who was protecting the rest. Kanari''s guards were the first to make themselves known. Members of Spion, including the trusted female steward that the maiden trusted with her life, came forward to help Kanari with her advancement. Elrin and Isadore''s guardians were next. As it turned out, Elrin knew of her stalkers due to how overprotective her father was, and had often interacted with them throughout the trip. The times where Elrin went out on her small ''shopping missions'' were actually an excuse for the white-haired girl to report her situation verbally to the guards that followed her religiously. Isadore''s watcher was more benign. Covered in entire black robes, no one could see his or her face. They were soft-spoken and only replied with nods or head shakes. As for the remaining three young heroes, Shizen, Emma and Ella, they weren''t assigned a guard per se, which highly annoyed the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Principal Erudito had spent so much gold to get the boy into his academy and didn''t even bother to send someone to protect him? Shizen was looking forward to returning so that he could give the bronzed-face man a firm earful. It really was a cold evening. Shin didn''t know if it was a sign of things to come, but the youth felt as if there was a hole in the back of his body. He wasn''t sure if an Umbra or worse still, a Black Mask would creep up on him while the soldiers rested. Hence, Shin wasn''t in any mood to lay with his eyes closed. "Are we going to ascend the tower with the White Knights?" A throwaway comment. No one really knew who said that but everyone fell deep into thought. In some eyes, there was fear and uncertainty. Well, that was to be expected. A Payirci was as foreign as the Uncharted Wilderness itself. The dangers of the floating tower have never been documented, and who knows how many Umbras were roaming inside? Though, for others, the mission to climb the tower was as alluring as a call to adventure. Suji and Natasha, the two battle whores, were shivering. Not because of their fear of the unknown, but because of their expectations for what resides within the Payirci. On the battlefield, they had seen Tier 3 and 4 Spirit Beasts. However, at the odd hour, there would be a Tier 5 or 6 that emerge from the shadows, forcing Spirit Lords to descend from their observation beacons to dirty their hands. If the Payirci truly was designed as a tool to train cultivators, it made sense for the tower to possess an array of Umbras, and according to the Blacksmith''s League President, there was a high likelihood that the Payirci would be divided into segments to house the Spirit Beasts. In theory, Tier 1-3 Spirit Beasts would stay in the lower levels of the tower, Tier 4-6 Spirit Beast would guard the middle section, and the strongest Spirit Beasts would stay near the core, the top of the Payirci to protect the structure from any harm. That theory was further confirmed when a team of White Knights were sent deep into the Payirci for a scouting mission. Due to their innate abilities to evade detection, the veteran team managed to climb up over half of the tower before they were forced to retreat. However, during the short time that they had inside of the Payirci, they managed to get information on how the layout of each floor worked, what Spirit Beasts could be expected and finally, what traps were in store. Naturally, with Shin and Suji''s group being talents that had to be nurtured for the future, they weren''t allowed to be the first teams to enter into the dangerous structure. Elite White Knight cells, all manned by at least one Spirit Emperor, would lead the charge with their weaker compatriots following soon after. Then, the Alliance Army would send in hundreds of troops to secure the lower floors and assist in the White Knights'' retreat if things went south. As for the youngsters that were here to gain experience¡­ Commander Martha hadn''t made a decision yet. "I think it would be better if we just laid low," Emma suggested. "We had fought enough. We''re originally here for just a scouting mission, and now we had been dragged into this full-blown conflict between the Black Masks and the Alliance. Entering the Payirci is far too dangerous now." The bob-haired maiden snuck glances at Shin, whose bright azure eyes twinkled with the light from the campfire. Emma''s motive was quite clear. She didn''t want the young man to continue chasing this path of vengeance. The last time Shin met with Junius, he was almost forced to use his fourth spiritual ability, which could potentially cripple him for the rest of his days. If not for the protection of Meijing Bingying and Elder Baobiao, there was no guessing if Shin would have been lying in a coma or not. Time and time again, Emma has seen Shin bringing self-harm to himself just to bring Junius in once and for all, and time and time again, the maiden has seen Shin coming inches away from death. "That''s a weak mindset." Suji spat out. His eyebrows slanted and his pupils burning just like that campfire before him. "We should never spare our enemies! The Black Masks have killed so many and caused so much harm! We should be honoured to fight in the frontlines, not cower away like some cowards!" "..." Emma didn''t dignify him with a response. Her worries were targetted right at Shin, not at the barking dog that played second fiddle here. "Emma¡­ We have gotten this far." Shin tightened his grip on his fingers and turned to the young maiden. "Don''t you want to see Junius brought to justice? After all that he''s done to us? After all the people he killed?" "But Shin!" "That''s the end of this discussion. If Commander Martha says that we can ascend the tower, we will." Standing up from his shaky log chair, the youth cracked his neck. The fire in his eyes was now burning as brightly as the morning sun. Though, he knew that if he remained here, the argument would evolve into the next stage. Therefore, he opted for an early retreat. "Excuse me." Shin walked away. His toned back was as firm as a rock, but everyone present could feel the myriad of complex emotions that he hid deep within. Kanari got up, ready to move to comfort her man, but a gentle hand was placed on her shoulders, bringing the maiden to an abrupt halt. "Isadore?" Kanari glanced over and saw a placid-looking silver-haired youth. His eyes were gentle and gaze warm. Shaking his head, Isadore gave Kanari a simple piece of advice. "We should really leave Shin to the twins," the boy said. "They''re the ones who know the most about Shin and Junius'' relationship. We shouldn''t get in the way of them." At the same time, Isadore turned around and gave Emma and Ella a nod, hinting that it was for them to chase after his distraught friend. Though stunned at first, the twins smiled at Isadore''s consideration and immediately made a beeline to follow their elder brother. "Right..." Kanari dropped her shoulders, falling into thought. Isadore had a point. After tomorrow''s mission, there was a high chance that Junius would be taken into custody. It was a goal that Shin had been chasing for six years now. Day in, day out, his hardcore training, the blood, sweat and tears that he expended, were all for that one moment. And as much as Shin liked Kanari, the only people who had the right to stand by his side were the ones who were there from the very beginning. "I''m going back to my tent..." Kanari said as she pulled Isadore''s hand off her shoulders. The female butler that protected her silently followed, not daring to breathe a word. Just like Shin before her, Kanari''s back seemed to be so distant, so lonely at the moment. ''Hah¡­ The two of you are really perfect for each other...'' When Isadore saw how emotional the two of them were, the elfin man heaved out a deep sigh. With the nucleus of their team all retreating, Elrin, Shizen and Isadore felt no need to remain breaking bread and roasting marshmallows at the campfire. Like dogs that had just awakened, the youngsters stretched their muscles before departing as well, leaving Suji''s team scratching their heads over what had just transpired. ??? Darkness. It was all darkness from what Shin could see. The evening vanished while the early night began. Twinkling stars began to take form beside the luminous moon, and the chirps of katydids completed the sonorous chorus of the night. However, only the sound of the insect could be heard from where Shin was standing. After the battle in the morning, the terrain had been changed as trees and boulders were demolished. If there were any remaining wildlife surrounding the Payirci, Shin would be amazed. Though his mind wouldn''t wander in that direction. Mounting himself upon the battlements, Shin watched the nightly sky surrounding the floating tower. It was completely black, and no light whatsoever was being beamed out. If Shin didn''t know better, he would have thought that the Payirci was an oddly shaped mountain. But because he knew what it was¡­ Because he knew who stood at the top of the tower¡­ Shin couldn''t keep his eyes off of it. "So you were hiding here!" Two puffing voices rung in the youth''s ears. The twins, who had been searching high and low for the young man over the past ten minutes, brisk-walked forward with reddened faces. "You sure can disappear quickly!" "Haha, sorry about that." Shin smiled. He looked at Emma, the girl who had raised her doubts about entering the Payirci. After some time to himself, Shin reflected on his actions and realised that he had been abusing the kindness of the twins for his own cause. Emma and Ella were both part of the orphans, and they both had a spectacular relationship with Junius. It made sense for them to have their reservations about fighting the man they used to call their brother. "Sorry¡­ For everything¡­ If the two of you don''t want to join in tomorrow''s mission, I can understand. I''ll just tell Sister Bingying to leave someone here to protect you while I..." "That''s not it!" Emma cried out. "I don''t want you to continue hurting yourself, Shin! We can''t afford to lose another one of our family!" The girl grabbed on Shin''s arm as tears formed at the sides of her eyes. "Things are good, aren''t they? We have settled down in the Capital, you have started a relationship with Kanari, and all of the orphans have their own respective careers now! Yes, we may have had a rough start, but now, what''s there to complain about?" "Emma..." The girl wailed out. If you looked at things from her perspective, one could understand the woes that Emma had. They had been kicked down, spat on and finally broke apart. But the orphans continued to weather through all the trials and tribulations that they had to ascend to their current status. It was all smooth sailing from now. So long as they weren''t burdened by their past and continued to look forward, the orphans would potentially lead happy lives for the rest of their days. However, it was easier said than done. Could Shin really forget the deaths of Ariel, Lily and Linus? Could Shin really forgive and forget Junius, the man who murdered his loved one right before his eyes? No¡­ He couldn''t. "Shin, Emma just fears for your life," Ella spoke out. Similarly, her eyes were bloodshot, and her speech was muffled by the tears. "You have attained so much! Just forget the past and bask in the light of your future! We don''t want to see you injured or even worse..." Dead. The one word that the twins, no the entire orphans feared. Shin has placed all of the burdens of their group onto his back. He firmly believed that it was his duty to bring Junius back to Chilyoja Waypoint and Frie Mountain to atone for his sins. But truth to be told, many of the orphans would rather their brother stay safe and sound, away from the dangers of the Black Masks. "You guys..." Shin''s mouth went dry, and the words failed to escape him. The twins were just concerned for his safety, and they didn''t want him to suffer anymore. It was tempting. To halt all actions against Junius and to live happily ever after with the orphans and Kanari. Alas, some things were just too hard to let go. "I''m sorry..." The young man brought the two crying girls into his embrace, comforting them while warming his frosted soul up. They were family. His family. But so was Ariel. So was Lily. So was Junius¡­ Shin couldn''t just give up now. Not when Junius was literally just a stone throw distance away. "I''m sorry, but¡­ I have to finish it..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 399 Junius 1 The night came and went by in a flash. Shin sat on the battlements throughout, wondering how the Payirci continued to float, even with all that weight pile up inside of it. Emma and Ella had asked him to at least get some shut-eye before the new dawn approached, but their advice had fallen on deaf ear. No, even if Shin took their advice, the youth seriously doubted in his ability to fall into the Garden of Hypnos. He was so close. They were so close to Junius. How could he sleep? So Shin continued to wait. His eyes never leaving the floating tower. At times, he would converse with the sentries that stood watch over the forts. Other times, Shin would scrutinise every corner of the Payirci, hoping to get even a single clue which might help in his final assault against it. And well, though he didn''t find anything of use, this sleepless night did prove to be fruitful as Commander Martha personally visited him to deliver the good news. Once the White Knights had secured the middle sections of the Payirci, Shin and his team were given the green light to enter the foreign structure with their guards. Many raised voices about the safety of the Payirci, but eventually, if the young geniuses wanted to grow, they had to be exposed to a certain degree of danger. Who knows? Maybe their short trip into the relic of Spirit Immortal Dream might bring more benefits than drawbacks? That added news only served to keep Shin''s young blood boiling even more and to keep his heart and soul going for more hours to come. He couldn''t wait for the dawn to approach, and he couldn''t wait to enter the Payirci. Once Junius was caught, one of his major objectives would have been fulfilled. A goal that he had worked so hard for over the past six years. Shin wasn''t going to squander this opportunity. And just as Commander Martha had said, early the next day, when the sun was still hiding under the horizon and the moon still fading away, Commander Martha had ordered a full-on assault into the Payirci. Using Cikai Mirrors, the Alliance Army was consistently able to monitor the conditions that the White Knights were facing. For the most part, the ascension up the tower was going swimmingly. There were slight hiccups where a bunch of Tier 5 and 6 Spirit Beasts would block the road the peak, but it was nothing that the White Knights couldn''t handle. After all, they were led by at least one Rank 70 Spirit Emperor and a plethora of Spirit Kings and Lords. Commander Martha watched the Cikai Mirrors furiously, hoping to catch even the slightest sign of trouble. They were still in phase one of reclaiming the Payirci, and everything had to go smoothly for the next mission to commence. Bit by bit, the White Knights within climbed through the early and middle segments of the tower and were on the precipice of reaching the final stretch. Now, the Umbras had been upgraded, with Tier 6 and 7 Spirit Beasts being the norm. The battles became more ferocious as blood started to spill on the side of the humans. Commander Martha was even tempted to order the withdrawal of her troops, just in case something unexpected happened. However, ultimately, she decided to keep her faith. It was a hard thing to watch, seeing her beloved friends and comrades getting injured through a virtual monitor. But Commander continued to grit her teeth and pray. Fortunately, after three long-drawn hours, the White Knights had already climbed up all the way to the last ten floors of the Payirci. For some reason, after the White Knights broke through the middle segments, the Umbras stopped chasing after them, giving the wounded and fatigued warriors a comfortable place to rest. Though they didn''t know why the Payirci behaved that way, Commander Martha would be damned if she didn''t take advantage of it. Finally, with the White Knights almost at the apex, it was the Alliance Army''s turn to move in. Securing the escape routes, the Alliance Army killed off any Umbras that dared to spawn and ensured that there was safe passage for the White Knights, should things go awry. She had even sent a few Spirit Kings disguised as mere foot soldiers, just in case of an enemy attack. It took the White Knights one full hour to rejuvenate their strengths and for the Alliance Army to secure the area. All while Shin watched from safety. "When are we going in?" Natasha gripped on her Starlight Katana, hopping about in place. Her fingers were tingling, and her soul bubbling out in excitement. They were promised a place in the onslaught against the Black Masks. As long as she was concerned, the sooner they got in, the better. "Soon." Danroy lazily replied. He looked around and saw Commander Martha biting on her fingernails while alternating her gaze between the Cikai Mirrors and the Payirci. It was probably a matter of time that they would be tapped in to help the Alliance Army. "Just prepare yourself. Use the restroom if you have to. Once we enter the Payirci, who knows how long we would remain inside?" "You underestimate me, Dan." The swordmaiden succinctly replied. "I was born ready to take down those scum that plagues our lands." "That''s good to hear." The fat man gave a wry smile. His team was already set. If they were to move into the Payirci right this moment, Danroy was certain that Suji and Natasha would trailblaze their way through the Umbras and take down a Black Mask or two. However, the other team that they were partnering with, on the other hand¡­ Shin was standing right in front of everyone, with the Spear of Aiglos already summoned out. Isadore and Kanari stood right by his side, and their eyes were filled with uncertainty about the things to come. Shizen and Elrin were sitting back, lazing about as per usual, while the twins hadn''t looked Shin in the eye even once now. Evidently, something went wrong last night, but Danroy didn''t know what. However, it was not his business to go in between another team, so he remained silent. Fortunately, the order that would break the silence finally came. "Commander''s orders. You''re joining the next batch of soldiers that are marching into the Payirci. You have five minutes to prepare." One officer read out the transcript that had been sent out to him and hurriedly made his way to the next area. Natasha and Suji leapt up from the comfy chairs like panthers ready to pounce. It was finally time to put their skills into action. "Let''s go," Suji commanded. There wasn''t even a need for a bathroom break or a short warmup. The team had been prepared from the very second they arose. Bolting straight towards the frontlines where the next battalion was ready to depart, the youngsters hyped themselves up for the eventual trip. Though, one pudgy young man stood behind, watching over Shin''s team with a gaze of worry. "Are you guys okay?" Danroy asked. "Yeah¡­ Just give us a minute. We''ll be there soon." Isadore replied in place of the dazed Shin. "Alright..." Elrin, Shizen, Emma and Ella all closed in the significant gaps that separated them from the vanguard trio. Even a blind man could tell that they were wary of Shin''s reactions. The man''s fists were clenched up, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, forcing out the crimson liquid of life within his body. His superhuman healing potential allowed the wounds to fade away quickly, but there were still marks on his pure white ice spear. "Shin..." Kanari wanted to say something, but Shin raised his right arm in defiance. "Six years¡­ I have waited six years for this." Shin''s voice echoed out. It was soft, but the words penetrated deep into the young heroes'' souls. They were all brave warriors, brave cultivators in their own right, but not one of them could match the heroic spirit that had been cultivating in Shin''s soul. Junius was now a cornered rat. His Payirci was just hours away from being seized, and there was no route of escape for any of the Black Masks. If they did attempt to run, the three Spirit Venerates waiting outside would decimate them before they could even count to three. So, it really was the end of an era for Junius. Today, by hook or by crook, the Blade of Death would come into the Alliance''s hands. "I have cried so much. Bled so much. Worked so much¡­ All for this moment." Shin turned around. His team visibly gulped when they saw the glistening azure pupils that lay dormant within his sockets. At this moment, they felt that Shin had undergone a considerable change. It was as if¡­ He had become a legendary hero of old. Never relenting, never wavering. Shin had his mind set on one prize and one prize only... "Junius is mine." ??? Shin entered the Payirci with his team and all of the guards that protected them. Meijing Bingying, Xunyu Huanyuan and Elder Baobiao followed Shin to defend him. Kanari had her own guards from Spion. Elrin had a few Spirit Kings brought over by the Zedcris Conglomerate while Isadore''s secret defenders all remained in the shadows. It was perhaps the most overqualified team to keep watch over the lower floors, but no one was complaining. The Spirit Lords, Kings, Emperors and even Spirit Venerate all spread out their forces while keeping watch as Shin and his team killed off as many Umbras as they possibly could. Sending the water elements into a complete frenzy, Shin decimated the moist and humid dungeon walls with his strikes. Dozens of Umbras fell with his Spears of Sparta while his Mines of the Ocean cleaned up the corpses. At certain times, it would be a one-man show due to how effective Shin was within the Payirci. Unexpected given that Kanari was the only Spirit Spectre in the group. Well, Kanari was severely limited by her ability to create fire, in fear of setting the entire cramped floors into a pit of fiery doom, so it only made sense that Shin was the one to wreak havoc throughout. Suji watched over the whole scene with a certain degree of derision, scoffing every time Shin did something massive. However, he wasn''t one to be looked down upon either. His lightning was capable of charring bodies and wiping out entire floors on his own. Just as Kanari was restricted with her fires, Suji was as well with his lightning. That was the bane of those with overwhelmingly powerful abilities. Piercing the Spear of Aiglos through the heart of another bird-like Umbra, Shin looked up at the ceiling, and his mind started to wander. ''Has the White Knights met the Black Masks yet? Have they arrested Junius already?'' And his queries weren''t limited to himself, the other brave warriors on the first floor too looked up in hopes of finishing the Payirci quickly. The best case scenario was that the Alliance arrests the Black Masks and takes them into custody while preserving this priceless relic. However, from what the Alliance knew of the Black Masks, there was no way that they would hand over the Payirci that easily. If the vanguard White Knight team managed to climb all the way up to the apex, Commander Martha had her suspicions that the Payirci would self-detonate, bringing all those inside down with them. That''s why she allowed Shin and Junius'' team to only remain on the first floor, where the exit was just a few metres away. "Guys¡­ Don''t you feel that there''s something amiss?" Shizen shuffled his fingers around his knuckles as he stepped forward, hunchbacked and fearful. "What do you mean?" "I don''t know¡­ It just feels so fuzzy now..." "Fuzzy?" Those who knew Shizen knew that he was perhaps the most acutely sensitive person in Shin''s team. The fact that he felt something was wrong, it could only mean one thing¡­ "Guys, huddle up!" Shin hollered out, keeping his Spear of Aiglos tucked in. Hearing their leader''s orders, the youngsters all halted their attacks against the Umbras and retreated to Shin''s side. Even Suji, Natasha and Danroy felt something was odd and jumped to their location. Shin then turned to the only person that could protect them, the Spirit Venerate bearing the Obsidian Xuanwu, Elder Baobiao. However, when he turned his back around, the Elder was nowhere to be seen. No, all of the guards that the youngsters had brought all seemingly disappeared in a puff of smoke. "What''s going on?!" Elrin resisted the urge to scream. "We''re probably under some sort of illusion." Being the only Mind-Element user within the team, Kanari gave out her hypothesis. "The mind elements are going haywire now¡­ It''s frightening¡­ Whoever is behind this attack must be powerful." Kanari warned while casting her Spiritual Body Enhancement. At the same time, she unleashed her Aurora domain, in hopes of protecting those who were weaker in their group. "Guys! Look!" Emma cried out, pointing her index finger straight into the distance. A semicircle door of light, highly reminiscent to that of a portal of fable, called out to those who laid their eyes on it. Shin felt himself being drawn to the unknown door as if it had a magnetic pull, though he didn''t know why. No¡­ He did know. Shin just didn''t want to admit it. "Guys, I''m going in." "Wait! That''s far too dangerous!" Emma shrieked. "We should wait here until the illusion runs out! We shouldn''t risk our lives going into something we have no clue about." "No¡­ I can feel it." Shin shook his head. "What I seek. What we seek lies through those doors." "..." There was no rebuttal. There was no need for consideration. Why would there a door leading to a mysterious place appear right on the first floor, and it only made its presence known when Shin stepped foot in the Payirci? The answer was quite evident. Shin had been chasing him for six years now. Through those doors, lay his prize. Was he about to give up? Absolutely not. "I''m going." Shin didn''t care if his friends followed him or not. He was going to fulfil his destiny and rewrite the wrongs that had been inflicted onto him so many moons ago. But alas¡­ Would Shin''s team just leave him be? Though unwilling, they all traced Shin''s footsteps into the gate of light. Even Suji, Natasha and Danroy joined in on the party. The portal led them into a chamber of pure stone and rock. There were ominous carvings on the wall and hundreds of hand-crafted sculptures, each one designed in the shape of a distinct mythical beast. Hundreds of swinging flames from the ceiling gave the dark chambers its light. The air was crisp, and the smell was mild. It was as if Shin and the group had entered a regularly maintained laboratory of a famous scientist. However, just one look at the central throne in the room would change that opinion in a heartbeat. The gravel stairway climbed eight metres high each step embedded with their own ancient hieroglyphics. At the very peak of the stairwell, an aristocratic throne made with the most luxurious of obsidian dominated the room with its presence. And that wasn''t all, at the very peak of the chambers, at a height where no man could touch, there was a massive orb of glowing plasma, embedded halfway through the walls. They were all spectacles in their own right, but the only thing that Shin''s mind was focused on was that one person seated on the throne. His viridian hair hasn''t faded one bit, and his sharp toned features were aspects that any man would die for. On his right hand, a large odachi danced its tip around the solid stone floor while the gem within its handle glistened playfully. Even now, after everything that he had been through, the man still wore a joyful expression when he laid his eyes on Shin. Though, the same couldn''t be said about Shin. Spinning the Spear of Aiglos around, Shin peaked his mana while calling out dozens of his trusted water tendrils and spheres. It was finally time¡­ It was finally, time for Shin to settle this. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 400 Junius 2 "Where did they go?!" A sharp shriek deafened the emptied first floor of the Payirci, bringing all movement to a halt. Just a second ago, Meijing Bingying could see Shin, Kanari and the rest of the youngsters grinding down as many Umbras as they possibly could. Yet, in just a blink of an eye, the Umbras, as well as the young heroes all disappeared from sight as if they weren''t even there in the first place. Bingying leapt forward with her Spectral Reaver Blade sparkling with all its icy glory. It was the fury of a Spirit Spectre that had just lost her beloved younger brother, but alas, there was nothing that Bingying could vent it on. "Illusion?" Elder Baobiao''s face arched into a deep frown. His eyebrows were knitted together, and his wrinkles became ever more prominent. He was a Spirit Venerate, a pretty good one at that. There weren''t many things that could fool his eye and yet¡­ This happened. The elderly man started to feel enraged, but there was a hint of awe in his fearful voice. "There''s someone that can create such a strong illusion among the Black Masks? My god..." "Elder Baobiao! What are we going to do?" Meijing Bingying hollered out in complete fear. Her eyes were trembling, and a seemingly bottomless pit had formed within her stomach. Their mission was to keep Shin safe until he returned to the Lantis Republic, and yet, they allowed the boy to disappear right before their eyes. Likewise, the other guards were panicking. Those that disappeared were all prodigies and talents slated to inherit the continent. Especially the guards from Spion, who needed to protect Kanari and Isadore from any form of harm. They needed to find the group as soon as possible, lest any sort of damage befalls upon them. "We find them, of course!" Elder Baobiao''s face shuffled around, giving life to an expression that he had buried away decades ago. "They mustn''t have gotten too far! Search every nook and cranny of the first floor! Huanyuan, you go out and get Jingyu Qiang here! His destructive capabilities are needed for us to break through any walls here!" "Yes, sir!" Immediately obliging, the young teen leapt straight at the exit, not wanting to waste any time. Now, every second was golden. If they were just a minute late, who knew what the consequences would be? Meijing Bingying looked at the floor where Shin used to stand, and a flurry of melancholy hit her soul. She felt as if her heart was being wrenched from her body, and her blood had run cold. Nothing must happen to Shin! ''Please be safe!'' ??? Shin, Kanari, Isadore stood together on one side, while Suji, Natasha and Danroy held the left flank. Shizen and Ella took the middle ground like they always did and Elrin and Emma stood right at the backlines. It was the standard formation for the seven young heroes, just that three additional youngsters were joining the mix. So, why were they standing in such a combative position? The answer was quite evident. Junius sat upon the obsidian throne, with the Vaishyas Craig and Susan standing by his side. At the foot of the throne, dozens of Shudras wielded their arms ready to pounce at a moment''s notice. They weren''t severely outnumbered but who knew what contraptions the Payirci would have. They did just got duped by an immense illusion that fooled a Spirit Venerate after all. Thus, Shin broke the ice. "How did you do it?" "Do what?" Junius playfully replied, his cheekbones raised and lips twitching. "Don''t play dumb! The illusion! The door! How is it that all of the White Knights, hundreds of the best men and women the Alliance has to offer! How did you fool all of them?" "Hehe¡­ Your inquisitive nature still remains the same, Shin." Junius continued to chuckle. There was no urgency in his words, and neither was there any fear. In Shin''s books, that hinted to one thing. Junius was absolutely confident of his ability to keep Shin and his team in this chamber. "It''s quite simple, actually. What do you think a Payirci is?" "..." The youth went quiet. How could he answer? Not even Commander Martha or the Blacksmith''s League President Ingram knew much of the Payirci, let alone Shin. "Haha, from that face, I can tell that you don''t know." Junius removed himself from the throne and stepped down the steps, the two Vaishyas following his every move. "Let me educate you, my precious little brother." Suji, Natasha and Danroy turned to Shin, their brain stuttering for a minute, not knowing of the words to say. Shin hadn''t bothered to explain his relationship with Junius to anyone other than his immediate circle of friends. Thus, the revelation came as a complete surprise to his classmates of five years. Shin completely ignored those stares as his eyes were still fixated on the descending Junius, who was loosely holding on to his Legendary-Grade Odachi. "Spirit Immortal Dream once had this vision. A place where war was eliminated and children would never grow up knowing what''s it like to have lost both parents to carnage. However, humans are weird creatures. We call ourselves sentient beings, but ultimately, we''re animals at heart. We have basic animalistic instincts. We hunger, we lust, we fear, we greed¡­ So no matter how much we grow as a civilisation, the world would still embroil itself with war." Junius looked up at the ceiling, his hands behind his back. Shin didn''t understand why Junius was going off on such a tangent, but he played the fool. The more he explained, the more Shin would come to understand the Black Masks and their motivations. "So Spirit Immortal Dream had this wonderful idea. What if¡­ What if there was a place where human could vent all of their primal needs. Thus, she tried to make a Utopia, a heaven on earth, you might say, where every single structure was built with the sole purpose of denying war from its borders. That was the true motivations behind the Land of Dreams. And well, there was one structure, one invention that she really needed to add so that the need to go to war would be relinquished." "The Payirci..." "Exactly." Junius smiled. "If humans had a place to fight, if they had a place to conquer, there wouldn''t be a need for them to duke it out with other humans on the battlefield. Here, everything is being controlled by the Paradise Heart. A place where humans can grow without overly risking their lives. Brave warriors won''t die and leave orphans behind. And also..." Junius snapped his fingers. A garden of flowers, each one coloured with a different hue that would attract an assortment of bees, appeared right before the group''s eyes. It was completely surreal. The bedrock that hadn''t had the slightest of cracks were now blossoming with floras. Shin looked up at the plasma orb that was embedded in the monolith wall and saw that it was glimmering twice as much as before. With squinted eyes, he looked back at Junius. "It''s a place where dreams come true." ''I see¡­ So that''s the core, the central nervous system of the Payirci¡­'' Shin thought. Looking around, he could tell that the brighter members of their group all shared the same sentiment. Junius was no fool. He knew that his blatant display would draw suspicion, but he didn''t bother to hide it anyway. In fact... "The Paradise Heart. It''s an invention that Spirit Immortal Dream never publicised. Bringing together a variety of aether rocks, she was able to force a fission reaction to create a concentrated form of plasma. It just so happens that this Payirci holds a little more mind-elements than the others, so tricking your Spirit Venerate bodyguard wasn''t as difficult as it sounds." "This one?!" Isadore jerked violently, his face as white as chalk. The grip on his spear soon faded out as his fingers spasmed, forcing him to drop the weapon entirely. "There''s more of these towers?" "Did you honestly think that the Allfather would fight against the combined might of the Alliance without the appropriate resources? Know your place, you brat." Junius scoffed and waved his hand at the silver-haired youth. His expression was completely different from the gentle and tender one he gave to Shin. "Shin, I''ll ask you one last time. Ella, Emma, you guys too... Come with me, and I''ll spare your friends. I''ll have you know, once you enter the Chambers of the Paradise Heart, there''s no escaping unless I personally let you out. So¡­ What''s it going to be?" Junius raised his extensive odachi in their air while the Black Masks following him all summoned out their Spirits. Craig had already merged with his monkey Spirit while Susan had attached her Temporal Chains onto his body. They weren''t messing around like the last time Junius met Shin at the waterfall. Shin would be lying if he said that he wasn''t tempted by the offer. After all, his friend''s were risking their lives for the sake of him. However, before Shin could even issue a response, he caught the eyes of all of his comrades. They were burning with an intense fire, ready to hop straight into battle. Even Suji, Danroy and Natasha were feeling it. It was as if they were possessed after being underestimated by a mere Vaishya. Sighing, Shin said: "Guys¡­ I''m sorry for dragging you into this." "No worries." Isadore chuckled. Now that there were no Alliance members around, Isadore could finally summon out his silver spear, without fearing that someone would recognise his Spirit. "We''ve been doing this forever after all." "The Blade of Death is mine, Shin!" Natasha, the warmongering swordmaiden screamed out, her face flushed and Starlight Blade pumped with mana. "Hmph! Who does he think he is? Spare my life?" Suji argued with disdain. "Natasha, I''m going to kill him, don''t get in my way." Shin wanted to laugh, but he knew that it wasn''t the time nor the place. He cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement and summoned out a dozen water golems as well as bringing out the healing mist for his team to rest in. At that moment, a soft touch grasped his roughened skin, bringing all his attention back to the ruby-eyed maiden that always stood by his side. "Let''s avenge Ariel," Kanari whispered. "You''re right..." Shin felt the burden on his heart being lightened. There was no need for him to shoulder everything anymore. He had comrades that he could trust now. Swinging the Spear of Aiglos around, Shin spiked his mana and brought out even more of his created water to threaten the Black Masks that stood before him. Unlike the last time he met Junius, this was a fight that he could most definitely win. "I see that you want to do things the hard way." A cloud of sadness drifted out from Junius'' mouth. He didn''t want to resort to force. If Shin were to get injured during the scuffle, how was he to answer to the Awter Clan members back home? However, if Shin wasn''t going to listen, Junius wasn''t going to hold back. "Capture my younger siblings. Kill the rest." With that order, Junius immediately jumped straight down the stairs and charged straight at Shin. The last time they met one another, Shin managed to escape due to his poor management and fluctuating emotions. However, this time, Junius was wholly focused on the goal at hand. This time¡­ He was the feared Blade of Death. Shin was barely able to ready his battle stance before Junius was already just inches away from his face. The odachi swung in a huge arc and landed right on Shin''s spear. Heavy¡­ That was all that Shin could think about. Without even knowing, his arms gave way, and the odachi completed its powerful stroke, sending Shin flying off in the other direction. "You!" Kanari was the first to react. Already in her Spiritual Body Enhancement form, she pivoted her ankles and sent a roundhouse kick flying at Junius. However, just as she was about to land a clean hit, a fist coated with a black wind came flying over. Kanari reacted quickly by changing the direction of her kick, colliding it with the bastard''s punch. "You''re fierce." Craig gave a word of praise. "Maybe we could have some fun before I send you to the nether realm." "Fuck you," Kanari spat. An intense rage burned in her heart as the Aurora domain become more prominent within the chambers. Taking one cursory look at the monkey man, Kanari knew that he was being supported by the auxiliary Vaishya that stood a few metres back. Taking on a Spirit Spectre that was being supported by another Spirit Spectre wasn''t always a good idea. So, to fight fire with fire¡­ "Elrin! Boost me!" "Here!" The white-haired maiden did her usual and sent out dozens of gorgeous pearls and gave Kanari ''Sacramental Boost'' and ''False Armaments''. At the same time, she protected herself with ''Eternity Paladin''. Shizen once again used his Adivinar Tree to its maximum potential covering the hard rock ground with fresh verdant roots and vines. "Hoh¡­ I guess I''ll need to call backup..." Junius laughed at the futile resistance and snapped his fingers once again. The Paradise Heart instantly turned dark for a moment as if an entire thunderstorm and been trapped within the compounds of the orb. The very next second, twenty blobs of dark matter fell out from the globe and reforged itself from the ground up. A three-metre-tall butterfly, imbued with the darkness element from one pile of goo and from another a five-metre-long serpent. However, the one monster that stood far and above all of the others was that one humanoid creature that wielded a one-handed axe and stood as tall as a house. Created with the legs of a horse, a body of a man and the head of a bull, the Umbra instantly forced the youngsters to take one step back to reassess their situation. "A minotaur? Tier 6?" Emma shrieked. A Tier 6 Spirit Beast was as powerful as a Rank 50 Spirit Lord. That was the rank that their Instructor back on Frie Mountain was at! Shin gritted his teeth and glared right at Junius, who still carried the smile of a jester. If the Paradise Heart could keep churning out Tier 6 Spirit Beasts like it was nothing, the young heroes were bound to lose this fight! "Like I said, Shin¡­ You''re coming with me." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 401 Junius 3 "Damn it!" Shin''s ankles left the chilling water puddle that Junius had left him in. The Spear of Aiglos turned like a windmill, giving him a little balance. Shin wanted to charge at the Minotaur before it attacked any of his comrades, but his efforts were all in vain. Dust flew down his soiled robes as a heavy wind pressure stopped any hopes Shin had of advancing. Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Junius'' slow footsteps were all that Shin could hear. The odachi in his hands had made a full swing sending out a violent gust of wind. Still bearing that smug smile, Junius continued to bar Shin''s path back to his teammates, who were facing the threat of the Black Masks and the Umbras created by the Paradise Heart. Shin was about to say something to hopefully distract Junius, but before he could get out a single word, a glimmering silver line was already right before his eyes. CLANNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKK!!! Shin was once again pushed back by the tremendous force of Junius'' strike. It was as if he were wrestling with a bear. The only thing that Shin could do was defend and pray for the best. Physically that is¡­ As Junius struck his young brother, tens of rapidly swirling orbs that Shin had left behind pounced up like straight needles, violently bending the air around it to its will. Junius noticed the change a little too late and was slow to deploy the barrier that his Legendary-Grade Odachi had, enabling some of the water pillars to collide upon his body. Junius spun around in the air like a ballerina after being hit, negating the impact that he sustained and regrouping his bearings in the air. Shin didn''t stop there. With Junius in the air, there were many more angles that he could exploit. Stretching his two arms out wide, Shin created hundreds of water spears and imbued a dense amount of mana into a destructive rotating orb. Using a simultaneous attack, Shin combined his ''Spears of Sparta'' and ''Meteor Shower'' together. ''Wow¡­ So this is how much you''ve grown.'' Junius was amused by his younger brother''s growth, but his face remained neutral. After all, the target of those gruesome attacks was none other than himself. ''However¡­ That''s not enough, Shin!'' The gem stuck inside of Junius'' odachi shone out like a diamond in sunlight, bringing out an invisible barrier that protected his flesh from Shin''s desperate attack. Those mighty strikes, the water attacks that destroyed thirteen Spirit Adepts in under five minutes, were basically beads of raindrops when they hit Junius'' shield. Shin''s lower lip started to bleed, and his eyes turned bloodshot. Those two strikes were the strongest that he had in his arsenal other than his fourth spiritual ability, and they barely made a scratch on the barrier created by the Spirit Armament. "Are you going to hide behind an artefact all day?! Where''s your pride?! Where''s your honour?! Don''t you want me? Come out and get me fair and square!!!" Shin opted to play a little mind game to coerce Junius to come out from his shell. However, all that it got was a small giggle from the part of the viridian-haired man. "Oh, Shin. Your thinking sure is adorable." The madman laughed. "Like I told you. I''m not playing around anymore. Just be a good boy and let me knock you out. When you open your eyes, you''ll be in paradise. I assure you that." Junius had eaten more salt than Shin did rice. He knew what the youth was trying to accomplish. So Junius wasn''t going to play into it. The Vaishya waved his right hand and torrent of dark spiritual energy burst forth like a tidal wave, pushing Shin back once more. ''Tskkk, change of plans!!!'' Shin immediately improvised. Generating immense amounts of water, Shin spun his hands around with the motions of a rising tide and formed a rapidly spinning whirlpool around his body. At the same time, hundreds of deadly weapons appeared overhead as water tendrils and chains lead the way to protecting his body. Shin had to reunite with his team if he wanted to have any chance to deal with Junius'' impregnable barrier and to do that, he had to create a distraction. Or in this case, multiple distractions. BANNNG!!! BANNNG!!! BANNNG!!! BANNNG!!! BANNNG!!! Hundreds of sonic booms destroyed the peace in the cold throne chambers. The humidity of the room rose rapidly as hot, white steam burst forth from the ground. A blurry figure moved through the mayhem like a rapidly speeding stead, hoping to catch a glimpse of a greener pasture. However, not all things were meant to be. Junius took notice instantly and descended to intercept Shin like a falcon diving in on its prey. Shin spun around waywardly to avoid the plunging attack and was barely able to evade the spinning odachi. Shin raised a high kick with a trail of water following him. It soon turned into a crescent blade that was as sharp as any weapon that Shin could create which managed to push Junius even farther away from his body. Using that momentum, Shin turned his left foot upwards and coated it with a dense water bubble. BAM!!! BAM!!! The globule burst with tremendous pressure, pushing Shin flying back to his teammates in a blink of an eye. "Shin! Are you okay?" Kanari was the first to reappear in Shin''s vision. Her nine tails and two fluffy ears twitched while her eyes glistened with worry. "Yeah, I''m fine¡­ How''s the Minotaur?" Shin had no time to rest. He had to bind together with his comrades to face the Black Masks altogether if they wanted to have a chance in escaping. "Isadore, Suji and Natasha are dealing with it. The rest of us are pushing down the number of Umbras and Black Masks. However, that Vaishya duo is causing us some headaches." Kanari explained, her eyes shifting to the monkey man and the masochistic healer. "I caught glimpses of your fight with Junius. It looks like his barrier is negating all of your water attacks." "Yeah¡­ Who knew that he would have such a dastardly artefact?!" Shin complained, gripping his Spear of Aiglos tightly. He had trained desperately in martial arts and his created water abilities. Yet, they were all negated by that one defensive barrier that Junius had. ''If I could use the shard, maybe...'' Shin''s mind went in an unsafe direction for a brief moment but was immediately brought back by the image of Meijing Bingying. ''No, it''s far too dangerous¡­ Damn it! If I had known better, I would have never had assimilated with that shard!'' While Shin was still recovering, yet another wave of darkness sped right at him from Junius'' direction. Kanari''s brows knitted together while her lips trembled with red hot fury. Sending out hundreds more Auroras, Kanari created a wall of blue flames, blocking out any attack that Junius sent forward. "Girl, you''re in my way." Junius spat. He didn''t know Kanari, and he most definitely didn''t care. All he wanted was for Shin to come by his side. "Move or die." "You talk a big game, though you''re just a mere mongrel of the Black Masks." Kanari wasn''t intimidated. In fact, she was livid that Junius continually attempted to knock Shin out right before her eyes. The young maiden cracked her knuckles as the glorious pearls on her wrist brought out a perfect sheen, rejuvenating Kanari from all sorts of fatigue. "Shin, let''s trade. You fought with the monkey man once, I''m sure you can deal with him again. I''ll keep Junius busy until you''re done." Everyone present knew that the top dog was Junius. His moniker as the Blade of Death was well-known throughout the Terre Continent, and it showed with the hefty bounty on his head. Kanari was taking a risk, fighting the Vaishya alone. "Fine¡­ However, take this..." Shin removed the amethyst pendant that hung around his neck. His palms were sweaty and his pupils shivering. It was a decision that tore him apart internally, but he knew that it was the best thing to do. Quickly placing the flawed jewel around Kanari''s milky white neck, Shin chanted a few words, infusing the pendant with a gold-cerulean light. "Shin, you..." "That necklace has been by my side for six years now. It has been exposed to my healing mana and has been serving as my guardian faithfully. I added my own ''heal'' into the crystal. It will protect you when you''re fighting with Junius." "But¡­ This is..." "I know..." Shin placed his index finger on Kanari''s lips. "If you somehow kill Junius, I want the pendant to be with you." He continued to smile. "Though, I do want it back so..." Shin leaned in a gave a silent whisper, one that only the two of them could hear. "Don''t die¡­" It was a wish. No, a prayer. However, only those who knew of Shin''s history understood how many emotions the man must be going through right now. "Don''t worry..." Kanari replied as a crystal bead fell from the side of her eye. Heat waves radiated out from her body while a devastating gale spun through the flat chambers. The ten fingernails that she had were transformed into monstrous claws, and her canine teeth grew."I won''t." "How touching. I guess you''re one of the girls that are aiming for my little brother''s heart, huh?" Junius scoffed at the ruby-eyed maiden. "No, I''m not..." Kanari grasped the amethyst pendant in the same manner that Shin always did. She had observed Shin for five years now. Kanari knew how much Shin treasured this necklace, and she knew what it meant to him. So for Shin to give to her, it could only mean one thing. "I''m the girl who has already won it." BANNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!! The ground shook, and air boomed when Kanari leapt into the air. Her two Kumiho claws were now coated with pale blue flames, and her Spirit Spectre soul enabled to reign in the skies with aerial dominance. The air around her begun to turn blurry as an illusion of a full moon began to form. Opening her ruby eyes, Kanari locked on all of her senses on the stationary Junius, who wore a smug face as usual. ''I''ll make you pay for hurting Shin!'' Kanari declared as she unleashed her wrath. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!! Kanari''s lunar beam connected cleanly, this time with more force than any other Lunar Beams she discharged in her life. Clouds of dense dust smoke and heaps of molten rock flew out from Junius'' location. Everyone stopped what they were doing just to watch the aftermath. Even the illustrious Black Masks, who had fought hundreds if not thousands of battles, were holding their breath. For once in their lives, Craig and Susan feared that their boss would have perished. Alas, nothing in life came that smoothly. Junius had raised his odachi in a commander''s salute, kissing the hilt and bringing out the most solid barrier that he had. His happy smile had turned into a wordless frown. The light in the odachi dimmed a little, but Junius added enough mana to supplement its loss before anyone noticed it. ''She''s dangerous.'' Junius now understood one thing. The maiden before him wasn''t a mere child that he could defeat with one stroke of his blade, but an equal that had to be taken seriously. ''Just like another Ariel¡­ Haha, Shin you really have outdone yourself.'' Junius chuckled internally. Though he didn''t let anything show on his exterior. Showing a moment of weakness in battle was the most rudimentary mistake a warrior could ever make. Junius took a deep breath in before lowering his knees and centring his body. Two hands on the hilt, the swordsman raised the blade above his head, ready to pounce like a panther. Kanari was similarly taken aback. That Lunar Beam should have at least taken off a chink in Junius'' armour and yet, the Vaishya was utterly unfazed. ''No, he''s reacting now. He''s planning to fight at close quarters.'' Kanari could tell by the shift in Junius'' stance. Though it would be in her best interests to keep firing Lunar Beams to wear the menace down, completely depleting her mana before they found a way out seemed to be a dumb thing to do. Thus, Kanari answered Junius'' gauntlet of a challenge with her own movements. Descending to the ground, Kanari''s two hands continued to burn blue. Kanari spun around twice, creating dozens of Auroras and Foxfires, which threatened to burn the entire chambers to the ground. Junius reciprocated in kind by coating himself in an aura of darkness with the help of the Allfather''s mana. Black versus Blue. It was time for the two titans to collide. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 402 The Paradise Heart 1 With Kanari gone, Shin was left to sweep up the other forces of the Black Masks. Isadore, Suji and Natasha were doing their best to keep the Tier 6 Minotaur at bay while Shizen and the twins were fighting off the spawned Umbras and the remaining Shudras. Leafy vines sprung about as icicles flew, keeping as many foes as they could at bay. Hundreds of divine beads broke out of Elrin''s Rosary of Eternity and bound as many Umbras as they could. At another corner, Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros phantom rushed through the Shudras as if they were bowling pins, thinning down their numbers even more. They were fierce, the twenty-year-olds. Although they were outnumbered, the youngsters from the Imperius Academy were capable of at least holding their ground against the full might of Junius'' forces. A rare sight indeed, but that would only hold true if the three Vaishyas were kept at bay. And that task was solely depended on Kanari and Shin. "We meet again, you fucking brat." Craig circled his arms, sending out loud resonant cracks. He had been battered black and blue by Shin once before and the humiliation he sustained never subsided. Also, it didn''t help that Junius further punished him when they got back to the Crypts of the First Men, for attempting to murder his younger brother. If not for his lack of men, Junius may have cleanly cleaved off the miscreant''s head for backstabbing him not once, but twice. "I see that your chest is well healed." Shin entered his combative stance with a witty quip. "No thanks to you." It was like pouring cold water onto an open wound. The last time they fought, Shin had heavily injured the Vaishya multiple times by targeting his broad and open chest. If not for Susan continually healing his wounds, that fight might have gone in an entirely different direction. Shin squinted his eyes as he felt the burning hostility being emitted out from Craig''s bulky body. There was resentment pulsating out from every pore of the Spirit Spectre''s body. However, there was one more emotion that Shin could feel by watching the monkey man''s expressions. And that was frustration. Most likely, Junius had laid down yet another order not to harm Shin, only to knock him out. Thus, the Vaishya was limited in his movements. ''I could use this to my advantage...'' Shin thought. Loosening the grip on his spear, the Prince of Water allowed his weapon to turn into a puddle, stunning his opponent. A fighter dropping his armament before the battle even started? What did that mean? "You..." "I''ve beaten you once before. So I don''t have to use my best weapon." Shin took a deep breath in and recreated yet another water spear, this time with a serpentine tip. Slowly, he manipulated the water molecules within the weapon to freeze it entirely. Unlike the Spear of Aiglos, this weapon wasn''t wholly coated with an icy frost. Instead, it was glazed with a mossy green, making it seem more unsuspecting. "Shape-Style Technique, Spear of Visam. I can beat you with this lesser weapon." "You fucking brat!!!" The Vaishya''s face turned red hot, and steam started to flow out from the depths of his ears. The black winds that encircled his hands like wristbands accelerated violently, ready to tear Shin apart, limb from limb. "Susan! Give me all of your boosts! I''m going all out to teach him some manners!" ''He fell for it!'' Shin cheered in his heart. He knew how impulsive Craig was after that one battle with him earlier in the month. Playing with his emotions, Shin managed to make the Vaishya erupt like a volcano. A clear mind would often make rational emotions. An angered mind, on the other hand¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! Craig sped forward like a prized stallion with the wind behind his back. He wanted to push Shin back with all his hurricane might and eventually, wring his body for all to see. Though, Shin wasn''t going to make it that easy for the Vaishya. He anticipated the violent charge, and instantly cast his ''Aegis Bubble'' and ''Arcane River'' techniques. The barrier protected Shin from the explosive wind pressure while the ethereal river slowed Craig down significantly. From the depths of the river, thousands of water droplets emerged and created a false starry sky within the chambers. It was as if the milky way had made its appearance known once more. It took less than a second for Shin''s first attack to land. ''Meteor Shower'', a variant ability that Shin created after getting some inspirations from Kanari''s Lunar Beam, violently sped down like heavy water raindrops. Sonic booms and thousands of dust clouds flew about when the attack landed, but Craig remained unfazed. His spinning whirlwinds had protected him from any harm. However, Shin''s combination wasn''t complete. Taking advantage of the Vaishya''s lack of focus, the ''Arcane River'' that laid under his ankles began to bubble, bringing forth small, minor mines that would detonate at any second. Shin wanted to cast Mines of the Ocean, but he knew that it wouldn''t damage the Spirit Spectre whatsoever. Thus, Shin improvised and used the mines to hold the Vaishya in place while he prepared to launch his newly created ability. ''Hit him! Mystic Geyser!!!'' The Arcane River congregated itself into a tremendous dense water ball and erupted with the violence of a thousand rampaging bulls. It was an attack that would rip apart armies and destroy limbs from any average Spirit Beast. Unfortunately¡­ "That''s all you got?" Emerging from the steam, Craig looked bored after being attacked multiple times by Shin''s created water. His apeman body continued to hold firm, with not a single scar or bruise in sight while the black whirlwinds spun rapidly, causing winds that sounded like dragons whistling. The Temporal Chains that were attached to Craig''s body continued to beam out mana, keeping him at maximum endurance and health. "You still think that you can beat me?" The Vaisya scoffed. "Easily." "You fucking..." A vein popped in Craig''s forehead, and he bolted forward with everything that he''s got. After being underestimated by Shin for the thousandth time, the Vaishya didn''t care about Junius'' order. He was now out for blood. In his Spiritual Body Enhancement mode, Shin likewise moved about like an agile cheetah, swerving his thickened body from side to side. The Spear of Visam spun to the back, with its hilt pointed forwards. The first punch that Craig threw missed entirely, allowing Shin to have an opening to strike the man''s chest. Not one to miss an open chance, Shin struck with everything that he had, bypassing the black whirlwinds that coated the man''s body. SLLLLIIIICCCKKKKKK!!! The serpentine tip tasted blood for the first time this battle as Shin''s swing managed to land a little slice on the bottom of Craig''s left nipple. It wasn''t a deep wound, and it only served to anger the Vaishya even further. Craig crossed his muscular arms together and unleashed even more black winds, pushing Shin''s lean body as far away as possible. The Temporal Chains stuck to his back continued to shine in radiant light and closed the wound that he had sustained just a second prior. "I told you! It''s useless!!!" Craig''s face grimaced, and his mana continued to spike. "That stung..." That hit was heavy. Shin picked himself up only to taste iron flowed out from the corner of his mouth. He hadn''t faced such a brutal attack since Mychael''s Seismic Combinations. However, instead of feeling discouraged, the young man brimmed a bright smile. A bright golden-cerulean light emerged from his core and healed all of his injuries in a jiffy, just like how Susan did for Craig. "But I''ve tasted worse." "How fucking arrogant! I''m going to teach you a lesson on behalf of your brother!" Shin pointed the Spear of Visam down and bent his knees. A dozen water spheres orbited around him like they were moons to his sun and his ankles were covered with similarly dense orbs. Shin smiled. "I would like to see you try." The battle waged on. Blood spilt and skin tore as the two apex predators continued to trade blows. Shin had analysed and studied Craig''s martial arts extensively and was able to exploit the weaknesses that he had with relative ease. On the other hand, the Vaishya''s explosive power and dark whirlwinds hammered Shin down with pure brute force. It was like watching a gladiator fight a tactician. Craig would use his overwhelming might to land brutal strikes on Shin while the young Prince of Water would use smart movements and planned timed attacks to wear the Vaishya down. And to wear down, he did. After a few minutes, Craig felt that his punches had turned sluggish and his muscles were tensing up. Everything seemed to turn into fantasy through the vision of Craig, and his eyes were glazing over. ''What''s going on?'' The Vaishya wondered. His mind had always been centred on demolishing Shin, and yet, everything had just turned blurry. Though, it wasn''t just Craig that felt the burns of battle. Shin was shivering as well. His healing abilities were top-notched for someone his age and his body has grown accustomed to repetitive breakdowns. However, taking the full might of a boosted Spirit Spectre while trying to trade blows with him proved to be too much, even for a prodigy like Shin. ''But it''s all worth it.'' Shin laughed internally, desperately trying to stop his trembling hands. Continuously casting heal, Shin looked over at Craig, the arch on his lips creeping up in pure bliss. His crude plan had actually worked! ''I''m...'' Before Craig could figure out what happened to him, he collapsed onto one knee, fighting off the throbbing aches that pulsated through his entire body. His veins were now on full view as they turned purple in colour and his inflated muscles had finally contracted. The fur on his body disappeared as Craig returned to his human form. His tongue was twisting, and his eyes inflamed. There was no denying it, the Vaishya was down and incapable of battling anymore. "Craig!" Susan immediately flew down and placed her rough palms on Craig''s chest. There weren''t any visible injuries since she had healed them all so it could only mean one thing. "He poisoned you!" Susan gasped. They weren''t told that Shin held any capabilities of using poison! ''P-Poison?'' The man couldn''t talk, but he could hear and think. Instantly, his mind wandered back to the mossy green spear that Shin had called a lesser weapon. If one had a level-head, would one really think that Shin would use a weaker weapon to battle a Spirit Spectre? No matter how arrogant he may be, Shin wasn''t a fool. ''H-He tricked me!'' There was no way that the Spear of Visam was a lesser weapon. Yes, it may have less durability than the indestructible Spear of Aiglos, and it may be blunter due to its unique shape. However, the Spear of Visam was Shin''s specialised poison weapon laced with a toxin that was capable of killing ten adult elephants within a matter of minutes. It was a testament to Craig''s resilience that he was able to last this long, but just like how the sun always sets, once poisoned, there was only one destination for the doomed Vaishya. "Damn it! Stay with me, Craig! I''m going to try to detoxify you now! Don''t-!" Susan was unable to complete her sentence before she felt something protruding out of her left breast. At the same time, Craig felt something intruding his left nipple. Looking down, the pair of Spirit Spectres saw a green pole connecting their bodies, and not in a good way. Shin had taken advantage of their confusion and launched a final thrust, piercing both their hearts in one strike. "Never leave your back open to the enemy. Didn''t Junius or the Allfather teach you that?" Shin scoffed as he added more force to the inserted spear. He instantly willed for the Spear of Visam to melt, injecting the Vaishyas with even more deadly poison. Now, there was literally no hope for the Spirit Spectres to leave alive. Even if Lady Seph were here, the only thing that she could do was ease their suffering before they headed for the afterlife. "Craig¡­ I..." Being one with the weaker constitution, Susan was the one who closed her eyes first. Falling into the embrace of the bulky man, the female Vaishya took the final plunge into the darkness. Craig was unable to work out any rebuttal. He had lost and in a convincing manner. Shin outplayed him, outsmarted him, used his emotions against him and finally, systematically decimated him all. Even if he were to rewind time and do it all again, Craig was sure that Shin would kill him all the same. "..." The Vaishya had kept his eyes open, but he couldn''t see anymore. His organs were failing, and his mind was in an absolute mess. The punctured heart had stopped pumping, and his mind was in shambles. There were no more words that could be formed from his mind or mouth and all that was left was¡­ Total darkness. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 403 The Paradise Heart 2 Shin didn''t have the time to think about the two Spirit Spectres he killed. Whether he wanted to bask in the glory of beating two Vaishyas or taking a timeout to catch a breath, Shin was ripped from any options as the Umbras continued to attack relentlessly. The Tier 6 Minotaur was being kept at bay, but just barely, by the valiant efforts of the three weapon-type Spirit Adepts. All while the twin Ice Fairies and the Freak of the Dundlewoods killed off the weaker Umbras while Elrin gave her support. A stream of water spiked up from the floor and slowly chilled into a gorgeously deadly spear, with an indestructible tip. Shin brought out three orbs of water, each one densely packed with high quantities of his mana and spun them around his body. He was battered and blue, but that wasn''t an excuse to stop swinging his weapon. There was still a fight to be won, and it had to be done quickly. The youngsters weren''t invincible or more importantly, they weren''t immune to fatigue. If the battle waged on for an hour longer, there would be no geniuses from the Imperius Academy anymore. "How are you holding up?" Shin jumped with the Spear of Aiglos in his hand, aiding Isadore''s front in pushing the Minotaur back. "Not good." The silver-haired elfin grimly replied. "It may be an Umbra, but a Minotaur is still a Tier 6 Spirit Beast. We don''t have the firepower to completely annihilate it. And it doesn''t help that all of its injuries are being healed by that stupid core in the centre of the throne." Isadore''s eyes shifted to the intolerable object that continued to pulsate with plasma within its core. "It regenerates using the Paradise Heart?" "Paradise my ass! It''s more like a hellish nightmare!" The young man spat, his pale white face reddened by the blood vessels being popped within his body. "Have you tried attacking the Paradise Heart directly? To cut the Umbra from its core?" "You think I haven''t tried?! The Minotaur is far too agile and powerful! Not to mention, there are countless more Umbras blocking our path forward! Any attacks that we throw at the core would just be negated or rendered ineffective through excessive defences!" Isadore recounted his experience with the Paradise Heart. Simply put, reaching the Paradise Heart was easier said than done. "..." Shin squinted. He knew that it would be hard to take on the Paradise Heart when there were so many defences mounted to protect it. After all, it was the nucleus of the Payirci. They may have bypassed the hardest hurdles, which was finding the chambers and bypassing the thousands of trials and tribulations one would typically have to make to reach this stage, but it didn''t mean that their job of taking it down was easy. "How about this? You and I will hold back the Minotaur for a few seconds. Let Suji and Natasha ready their strongest attacks to strike at the Paradise Heart. Their pure offensive spiritual abilities are stronger than any of ours." Shin suggested. Isadore agreed that Shin''s plan was a great one, but once he caught sight of his friend''s hands trembling, the young man replied with his own rebuttal. "Are you sure that you''re up for the task? I don''t think that you can sustain a fight with a Minotaur after killing two Vaishyas." "It doesn''t matter." The black-haired boy shook his head. His expression was placid, and his emotions were calm. Shin''s body may be failing him, but it didn''t stop his resolve. "If we don''t do this, we''re all going to lose anyway. So we might as well try it." "Hah¡­ There''s my leader." It was hard to dispute with Shin when he brings forth his most heroic front. "I''ll take its upper body, you try and damage its bottom. I''ll relay your plan to Natasha and Suji." Isadore flew through the dusty air with his massive spear in hand, piercing through any attacks that the Minotaur threw at him. The young elf-like boy was like a speedy bunny, hopping from platform to platform. Whispers flowed out of his mouth to the two other young prodigies, and they all turned to look at Shin. Natasha immediately nodded and leapt backwards, out of range of the powerful Tier 6 Spirit Beast. Suji, on the other hand, wore an unwilling expression. However, even he knew that it wasn''t the time nor place to be nitpicking. His Purple Dragon Crescent Blade sparked into life with coils of purple lightning giving rise to a draconic roar that could only be heard by the clap of the heavens. "Elrin! Boost us!" Shin yelled. There was no time for elaborate explanations, so the youth showed his intent through his actions. Gallons of mana-imbued water were being generated by Shin, creating a flash flood within the compounds of the chamber. Shin licked his lips while he felt the effects of Sacramental Boost rejuvenate his weakened body. Isadore felt the same. However, Elrin had gone one step further by giving him ''False Armament'' as well. The already agile boy had turned more nimble than a cat, speeding through the upper body of the Minotaur as if he were a roach that could never be brushed off. Likewise, Shin got to work with the lower part of the Tier 6 Spirit Beast. Tens of water tendrils emerged from the Arcane River that Shin had cast, attempting to bind the Minotaur in its place. At the same time, two rapidly spinning whirlpools sealed the beast''s movements like a bear trap, giving the two spearmasters a little time to play around while Suji and Natasha readied their ultimate moves. Rapid movements and excellent spearmanship sliced through the thick flesh and the hide of the Spirit Beast, splashing crimson blood all about the chilling cold floor. Shin chuckled internally. Looks like the high-tiered Umbras weren''t just a chunk of cold dark mana like the weaker ones that Shin fought earlier on. Fortunately for them, it meant that the Payirci had a limited supply of Tier 6 Spirit Beasts and above, limiting the Paradise Heart''s capability to create any more of them. The Minotaur roared. Rather than being bound, the Spirit Beast was pissed off. He kicked the restraints that sealed his movements in one fell swoop and strengthened itself using more darkness mana that was being released by the Paradise Heart. Shin knew that Isadore''s quick attacks weren''t enough to curb the anger that the Minotaur had, so he willed for twenty-three water pillars to enclose the Spirit Beast. ''Shape-Style Technique, Cage of Sorrows!'' Shin declared while hundreds of water tendrils sped out from the pillars and slapped the Minotaur on its face. Isadore used Shin''s created water as platforms to launch himself in haphazard directions. The Umbra continued to bellow out in anger, swinging its one-handed axe around like a maniac, hoping to land even one hit on the pesky silver-haired ant that spun wildly around him. Isadore smiled. His movements weren''t sluggish in the slightest bit and in some areas, far surpassed that of Minotaur. Somersaulting like a circus acrobat, Isadore continued to taunt the Umbra while Shin viciously attacked the bottom half of the Minotaur. Though, their playful act wasn''t going to last for long. OOOOORRRRRRRRYAHHHHH!!! The Minotaur roared out once more, this time displacing all of its mana into its voice. The Cage of Sorrows enveloping the Spirit Beast was instantly destroyed, giving Isadore next to no place to stand on. Before the young man could react, the flying knee of the Umbra had already reached just three metres away from Isadore. Knowing that there was nothing that he could do, Isadore spun his spear around to hopefully block the impact using his shaft, but he knew that the impact by the Tier 6 Spirit Beast would break his bones. SWOOOOSHHH!!! Fortunately for him, before the knee of the Minotaur broke through his defences, a leafy vine encircled the youth at his waist, pulling him far away from the skies and into the safety of the verdant roots that had covered the concrete ground. "Thanks, Shizen! You saved me!" Isadore declared his gratitude. "No problem! We''re almost done with the Shudras and Umbras on our side anyway." Shizen replied, slightly arching his head in the opposite direction. Danroy, Ella and Emma lived up to their names as prodigies of Imperius Academy by bringing down as many foes as they possibly could, given the limited time that they had. Bodies of fallen Umbras disappeared while Shudras struggled to stand after the whippings that the youngsters had given them. Of course, the main reason why the Black Masks were fighting a losing battle was due to the impact that the Freak of the Dundlewoods and the Heiress of the Zedcris Conglomerate had. Their supportive abilities, especially Shizen''s ability to control the battlefield using his Adivinar Tree''s mana-draining vines, continued to deplete the forces of the Black Masks, and at the same time, ensure the safety of his comrades. Not to mention, Danroy had the defensive capabilities rivalling that of a seasoned shield-bearing Paladin Tank and managed to defend against hundreds of attacks that flowed their way. "Suji! Natasha! Are you done?!" Shin barked out. They needed to attack the Paradise Heart and to do it quickly before the Minotaur regained its bearings. "YES!!!" Both of them screamed back, their Spirit glowing with massive amounts of mana, ready to launch at any given time. "Go now! I''ll blind the Minotaur!" Shin was now facing the Tier 6 Spirit Beast alone. However, he didn''t give in. Instead, he brought out everything that he had. Hundreds of water spears, thousands of water bubbles and millions of arcane raindrops, all to displace the Minotaur for a few added seconds. Against other Spirit Adepts and perhaps a small minority of Spirit Spectres, Shin''s attacks may have some effect. However, against the Tier 6 Minotaur whose might be equal to that of the Instructor''s, Shin couldn''t even pierce through its hide. The water spears he created faded into oblivion and his strongest water-created attack, Meteor Shower, was nothing more than raindrops to the Minotaur. Shin was unfazed. He leapt up into the air, forcing the Tier 6 Spirit Beast''s eyes to focus straight at him. Learning from the deceased Craig, Shin coated the Spear of Aiglos with spiralling water. Holding his favoured Spear like a javelin, the Prince of Water aimed right between the two blackened pupils that the Minotaur had, hoping that it was a weak point that he could exploit. PPPPSSSTTTTT!!! There wasn''t any yelping or moans like Shin anticipated. Instead, the Minotaur remained utterly intact, unstained by even the slightest of blemishes. His attack was useless. Physically that is. Though, it had already served its purpose. BZZZZTTTTT!!! Suji and Natasha took advantage of the brief moment that the Minotaur looked away to throw everything that they had accumulated for the past few seconds, straight at the Paradise Heart. A luminous crescent charged out from Natasha''s Starlight Blade, and Suji launched a tremendous concentrated beam of lightning. Both attacks were the best that the two Spirit Adepts could accomplish and were nearly as lethal as Kanari''s own Lunar Beam. ''Hit it!'' Shin thought, his fingers trembling in anticipation. They needed to destroy the Paradise Heart if they wanted any hope of escaping from the chambers. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! A loud clamour, one not inferior to that of a thunderstorm, stunned the inhabitants of the chamber, forcing them to stop their fighting. Thick dust and smoke gushed out from the top of the obsidian throne, keeping the Paradise Heart out of sight at all times. It was somewhat jarring, having to wait for the dust to settle before the young heroes could get their answer. However, after a few seconds, the group got their revelation¡­ Instead of witnessing the shattered shards of the Paradise Heart, all they saw was a dense force field, one that defied all common sense, blocking the prized nucleus of the Payirci. At its centre, a two-metre-long hiltless odachi and a glittering jewel shone brightly. And finally, a viridian-haired young man stood in silence, basking in the limelight and the gasps that were being issued out by the youngsters. "Junius?" Shin jolted. He turned back and saw Kanari flying straight at him with a deep frown. Evidently, she was pissed off that Junius had taken off just like that. "You alright?" Shin asked the young maiden. "Yeah, I''m fine." Kanari nodded. "Sorry, I wasn''t able to hold him back. He just disappeared from my vision. I wasn''t able to track him." "No, all that matters is that you''re safe." Shin comforted Kanari by stroking her head twice. Though he didn''t do it for long. There was still a menace that had to be taken care of. "You guys are quite the annoying bunch." Junius declared within his barrier. "I look away for just one second, and you kill my two subordinates and attempt to take out the Paradise Heart. I really can''t catch a break." "Hmph! If you had the balls, you''d face us without hiding behind that barrier!" Natasha hollered back, her Starlight Katana continuously swinging in the air. "Oh, I have every intention to." The Vaishya snorted. He spun his odachi around once and sent a tremendous amount of mana into its jewel. Piercing the blade through the top of the throne, Junius allowed the Paradise Heart to be enveloped by the protection of the barrier, all while a small hole enabled him to walk out unobstructed. Closing his eyes, Junius raised his right hand into the air. Darkness congregated within the palms of his outreached hand, creating a thin obsidian hiltless katana. An ominous dark aura pulsated out of the blade while Junius himself seemingly grew more powerful. For the first time since the parted six years ago, Shin was laying his eyes on his elder brother''s Spirit once more. Junius''s smug expression was replaced with burning fury. Junius had been playing nice and had even toyed with the idea of giving the youngsters salvation lest Shin hates when he drags the Awter Clan heir back. However, all of that had been thrown out of the window. Junius was now no longer the kind elder brother that thought of the wellbeing of Shin. Junius was now¡­ The Blade of Death. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 404 The Paradise Heart 3 Junius stood high up before the throne, looking down on the young men and women like they were peasants and he was their king. The hiltless water blade in his hand pulsated dark matter out, sending out an ominous aura of death and destruction with every passing minute. The Shudras were all laid out on the floor, groaning and moaning with broken limbs while the Umbras slowly faded out of existence. Now, the only two threats that the ten young geniuses had was the Tier 6 Minotaur and the man known as the Blade of Death. After fighting the Minotaur for the past few minutes, they knew a great deal about the Spirit Beast that could rival a Spirit Lord. On the other hand, no one really knew how Junius fought with the Obsidian Water Blade. "Shin, you have known him the longest. What are the abilities that he possesses?" Huddled up together, the young heroes whispered under their breath, waiting for Junius to make the first move. The young man shook his head grimly. "I can''t tell you everything. I only know that his Spirit used to be called the Azure Water Blade and his first two abilities are basic ones such as Pierce and Elemental Ring. After Junius had joined the Black Masks, his Spirit had turned black, and I know nothing of his new abilities." "So there''s a gap in your knowledge." Suji frowned. Since Junius was now a Spirit Spectre, it meant that he had five spiritual abilities and Shin had only identified two. Not knowing the other three could prove fatal, especially since Junius had a reputation of murdering any that he came across. "Whatever, if he has Pierce and Elemental Ring as his primary abilities, we should be able to figure out a workaround." "Hmph! Let me test him then!" Natasha scoffed and leapt forward with her Starlight Katana beaming at maximum capacity. She cast her Celestial Aura and moved her weapon to fit her first movements, ''the First Waltz, Entering the Cosmos''.Oddly enough, the Minotaur did nothing to stop the swordmaiden. Natasha was now five metres away from Junius, and her Spirit was raging to land a final strike on his succulent flesh. However¡­ CLINK!!! The Starlight Katana hadn''t tasted blood, but water. Hardened black water in the shape of a sword that is. Though the wielder of the Obsidian Water Blade wasn''t the man she hoped to battle, but a dark phantom that bore no face. It did, however, was moulded in the same chiselled shape as the person who Natasha had hoped to fight. "Sword Partner?!" The heiress of a line of swordmasters gasped. Natasha had seen her fair share of the world, travelling to the top sword organisation in the world and learning anything that she could about the way of a swordmaiden. It could be said that she lived and breathed by the sword. So there was no way in hell that she would mistake one of the most popular and esteemed spiritual abilities known to the world. "He learned Sword Partner?!" It wasn''t just Natasha who was taken aback. Even Isadore, the intelligence guru couldn''t help but scream. "What''s that?" Shin quickly asked. "Sword Partner¡­ An ability that creates a complete replica of the swordmaster''s body. All movements, skills and martial arts are being perfectly cloned to make the most ultimate partner to aid in a swordmaster''s battle." Isadore explained. "A swordmaster must become a saint in his craft before even attempting to create this ability, else it would just prove to be a useless dummy. It''s a high-risk, high-reward spiritual ability to learn, and not many swordmasters would even attempt to create it." "So Junius creating it means..." "He''s a cut above the rest." The silver-haired youth continued. "He''s probably a better swordsman than any of our school instructors." "..." Shin was rendered mute by his friend''s response. Imperius Academy instructors are the cream of the crop, and there weren''t many that could top their expertise. Yet, none of them could create Sword Partner, especially as a mere Spirit Spectre. The Starlight Blade was taken aback by Junius sudden increase in power, but her frown quickly turned into a happy smile. Her blood was boiling, and her face was flushed. She had fought her fair share of sword prodigies in her day, and none of them had even come close to creating Sword Partner. The last time she witnessed the spiritual ability was through her third uncle, who had broken into the Rank 60 Spirit King realm. And thus, she fought. All of her swordplay, all of her Starlight Waltz, were being pushed to the absolute limit by the shadowy figure with the same sword that Junius had possessed. Natasha relentlessly went on the assault. Her attacks were brutal and fierce, sharp, but never barbaric. All of her movements were planned to the millisecond, and her reactions were honed tirelessly for the better part of two decades. However, all of her training didn''t matter. The Starlight Waltz that she was so confident in, the dance that she had been reliant on for all of her battles seemed to be useless against Junius'' swordplay. If Natasha were to describe it, it was like trying to cut through a calm and pristine lake. Her swings would get parried like they were a child''s punch. Her thrusts would be dodged effortlessly, and her odd movements were read so flawlessly and adapted to within a fraction of a second that Natasha felt that there was no point in executing her perfected dance. The Sword Partner of Junius was on the defensive, so there wasn''t any need to showcase his flamboyant attacks. However, just his defensive prowess was capable of putting Natasha through a lifetime''s worth of inferiority complex. "Natasha¡­ Is losing in sword arts?" Suji muttered under his breath, careful not to let his emotions show. Likewise, Danroy was trying hard not to disparage Natasha''s skills. They were her teammates, so they knew how powerful the Aldana sword arts were. Even if they weren''t as good as the Dalgeom Sect''s legacy arts, the Aldana swordplay was in the upper echelons of the world''s best sword arts. "We should support her." Elrin gulped. They had been watching the fight play out without even giving Natasha any assistance. It was time for them to change that dynamic. "No, you shan''t." A cold voice from hell disrupted their peace. Junius looked down at the lowly peasants with a frosty gaze with his Obsidian Water Blade pointed down at them. "You shall die now." WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!! Without warning, the Obsidian Water Blade turned illusory, and the next moment, Elrin''s Eternity Paladin had faded into nothingness, and her petite body had fallen to the ground, her right hand clutching her abdomen. Gushing crimson fluids flowed out en masse as her face turned as pale as a sheet. Large beads of sweat dripped down her face while a maniacal groan echoed through the empty chambers. "ELRIN!!!" Shin immediately pounced into action. A dense cerulean water stream jumped out from the floor and covered the deadly wound that she had sustained. Those with a less trained eye were unable to make out what had happened. However, Ella and Isadore''s faces were trembling, a mixture of awe and fear was seen in their eyes. "He used ''Pierce?'' That was ''Pierce?!''" Isadore could barely hold back his scream. What Junius did was quite simple. He extended his Spirit to pierce through Elrin''s stomach. So if it was that simple, how come no one could defend against it? Well, that was the problem. No one could. The speed in which Junius unleashed ''Pierce'' was unheard of, even for Isadore. Only two members of the group saw the attack, and they could do nothing to react to it, let alone stop it. "Danroy! Shield us! Natasha! Come back!" Isadore ignored any chain of command and barked out his orders. The swordmaiden knew of the severity of the situation and immediately obliged. Natasha leapt down the stairwell with all that she had, hoping to close in the distance within two seconds. She moved at breakneck speeds for a Spirit Adept, but even that wasn''t enough to stop the Blade of Death. "Oh, I don''t think so." Junius turned his wrist and sent out yet another ''Pierce''. The attack flew through the air at a speed that no eye could follow. The nine youngsters standing at the foot of the staircase could only watch in horror as their comrade''s chest gets viciously pierced by the elongated Obsidian Water Sword. Shizen instantly brought out his vines to grab the falling swordmaiden while Danroy so angrily cast his Bangeo Rhinoceros Head to protect the team. Shin now had two victims to treat, and he intended to do so with all of his might. The water stream that was healing Elrin soon turned into two as he embraced Natasha was his own healing powers. "How is his ''Pierce'' so fast?" Suji cried out. "It''s his innate spiritual ability," Shin replied. "That''s the spiritual ability that he awakened with his Azure Water Blade, and it''s also the ability that he''s the most proficient with. He must have trained it to perfection." Even a drop of water could split a rock, given enough time and perseverance. For Junius'' ''Pierce'' to reach speeds that none of the young heroes could react to, the Vaishya must have trained it tirelessly throughout the years. ''If he had aimed for the head or heart¡­ No wonder he''s nicknamed the Blade of Death.'' Many had claimed to witness Junius fight, but none of those who had seen the Obsidian Water Blade had lived to tell the tale. Why? Because Junius would kill them before they even got the chance to reflect on their folly. "Danroy! Keep the Bangeo Rhinoceros head up! Suji, Kanari! Fire your spiritual abilities from the inside! Ella! Emma! You two do the same! No matter what you do, DO NOT go outside of Danroy''s protection!" Shin hollered out his orders and continued to heal the two injured girls. Their heads were filled with sweat, and their guts were bleeding out. Shin had to continuously treat them, and even the slightest of distractions would prove to be fatal. Junius watched the mayhem unfold inside of Danroy''s Bangeo Rhinoceros phantom, his shoulders dropped and nose inflamed. "And you think that a mere phantom could protect you?" Once more, Junius willed his Obsidian Water Sword to stretch out. The tip of the blade burst through at blinding speeds once more, slicing apart the seemingly impregnable protection that Danroy had cast. Just like his two comrades, the obese youth fell down, clutching centre of his chest in complete agony. "Ah, I missed¡­ I was aiming for his heart¡­ Looks like that barrier did have some use." Junius jokes, but no one could hear him. Their eyes were all concentrated on the falling fat man, who had so bravely stood at the frontlines in hopes of protecting his friends. All the eyes except for one pair. Shin knew that Junius wasn''t going to end his assault just there and Shin started to monitor the wrists of the Vaishya. Since he couldn''t move fast enough to outrun the speed of ''Pierce'', Shin had to guess who Junius'' next target was from the motion of his hands. Just as he anticipated, Junius had moved on to his next target. The tip of the Obsidian Water Blade was now directed at Shizen, who was still in a daze, unsure of what he should do. Before Junius could strike, Shin''s ankles turned illusory as he executed the Lightning Swallow Steps, moving as fast as he could before the blade extended itself. Whhhhhhhhhooooooooshhhhhhhhhhh!!! Once more, Junius executed ''Pierce.'' The blade moved faster than the speed of sound, viciously trying to find its target. However, just before it claimed Shizen''s head for its own, Shin''s enhanced body had already made its way to protect his friend, forcing the Obsidian Water Blade to stop just inches away from Shin''s heart. "Shin..." Junius'' hot head cooled. No matter how angry he was, there was no way that he would claim his own younger brother''s life. The Obsidian Water Blade burst into a million water droplets, leaving Shin and Shizen completely intact. "Fuck you, Junius." Shin spat, bringing out a dense fog that covered all of his comrades. He needed to block the vision of Junius while healing the three fallen individuals. Luckily for him, his ''Healing Mist'' could tick both those boxes. Junius was helpless. Within the fog, he couldn''t identify which shadow was Shin''s or the twins. If he randomly shot into the mist, Junius could potentially murder yet another one of his family members, something that he would much rather avoid. So, while the Vaishya was desperately looking for an answer, it gave the youngsters a much-needed break to regroup and plan out their next course of actions. "I say we attack him all at once!" Suji suggested. "We can overwhelm him with our numbers! Kanari you can use Lunar Beam to cover our charge!" "That''s stupid," Isadore interjected. "Have you forgotten the Minotaur and his Sword Partner that''s protecting him? Even if we could ignore those monsters, Junius'' ''Pierce'' is far too dangerous to charge into. We can''t defend it, and we can''t avoid it! Charging in is tantamount to suicide!" "So what do you suggest we do?! Stay here and let him murder us one by one?!" "..." Shin had been silently treating his three injured friends. Watching Suji disagree with Isadore made him realise one thing. All of this was his fault. The blood and pain had opened a can of worms that he had sealed deep in the recesses of his memories. If not for him, the Awter Clan wouldn''t have attacked Frie Mountain so recklessly, and Junius wouldn''t have ordered the attack on the Second Elder abode. If not for him, the Frie Clan may still have their prized geniuses alive and kicking. If not for him, Ariel may still roam this earth¡­ Kanari, Isadore, Shizen, Elrin, Suji, Danroy and Natasha. They were all innocent parties in this mess. A mess that Shin himself has created. If Junius gets his way, these seven would be lying in a pool of their own blood while Shin and the twins would awake in a faraway place, bound by the Black Masks for the rest of their lives. That wasn''t a fate that Shin wanted. Not for his friends and not for himself. So, he decided. "Guys, I''ll stop Junius." Shin declared as the opened wound on Danroy finally closed up. He had finally healed the three who were injured and was ready to take the final plunge for the team. "I''ll ignite the shard." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 405 The Light That Consumes The Darkness 1 The Himmel Empire. Imperius Academy. Two Years Ago. Something about the raven''s chilling call unsettled Meijing Bingying to the core. It was late into the afternoon, and the gorgeous golden sun had started its descent into the abyss, giving rise to the cold winds that were common during autumn. Not a stranger to the cold, Meijing Bingying denied her Xunyu Huanyuan''s suggestion to put on a thick overcoat. Her expression remained the same as she watched the sealed doors religiously as if she were a nun praying at an altar. The handsome young man smiled and took a seat next to his childhood friend, offering some company for the perturbed maiden. "Do you think that he''ll succeed?" "I don''t know," Bingying replied. "We took every precaution that we possibly could. Saint Longyu Tian had even personally visited Shin twice to confirm his status. We double-checked, triple-checked, quadruple-checked that the numbers add up. There''s a Divine Healer by his side, constantly monitoring him and joint resources from the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic had been poured into his cultivation. Everything should be set up for him to succeed." "But it''s still a risk." Huanyuan didn''t want to be the guy that pours cold water, but there was no helping it. What Shin was attempting has been done only a handful of times before. The number of failures far exceeded the number of successes. "Assimilating with a shard from a Tier 9 Azure Dragon''s claws and using it as a fragment to create his own spiritual ability. Not even Spirit Saints would have the balls to play with that idea, and Shin wants to learn it at Rank 30? Only those with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon would have that kind of courage." Xunyu Huanyuan''s tone hid a little mockery, but it also contained a considerable amount of respect. Shin was a genius, no one could dispute that. His advancements in cultivation were second only to Kanari. After being exposed to Lukman''s control over sand, Shin had created a plethora of his own techniques, some surpassing the Prince of Sand''s powers. His martial arts were among the top in his cohort, and his comprehension ability would trump over anyone. Yet, Shin wasn''t satisfied. Even if he progressed at his standard rate, Shin would undoubtedly become one of the top cultivators in the entire world. However, instead of being the boring bookworm that followed every instruction to a tee, Shin opted to take a risk that many viewed as entirely unnecessary. Shin once picked up a charred thorn from the Imperius Academy''s vault as his reward for reaching the top three in his cohort. During a session of self-cultivation, Shin was sunk into the memory of the thorn and witnessed a legendary battle between two ancient beasts. One was a flying dragon that could summon torrential rain with a single roar. The other was a God of the Inferos, bringing hell onto the earth. When the two beasts collided, the heavens shook while the ground roared. When Shin approached the Spirit Adept realm, it became increasingly apparent that he lacked enough firepower to brute force his way through battles. Shin''s first spiritual ability gave him the versatility and capabilities to adapt to any situation. Shin''s second spiritual ability allowed him to sustain himself in prolonged battles while his third spiritual ability gave him the power to stand toe-to-toe with any human foe. However, Shin lacked a crucial piece of the puzzle. An ultimate ability that would sweep anything that stood in his way. So, Shin decided that he had to create an ability, similar to the one he witnessed in the memory of the charred thorn. To do that, he needed the assistance of a creature that was similar to the flying dragon in the memory. Luckily, there was one residing as a Guardian Beast within the Lantis Republic. It wasn''t easy, but Saint Longyu Tian managed to procure a shard from the Azure Dragon''s claws and gifted it to Shin for assimilation. "If Shin''s wants to assimilate with the Azure Dragon''s shard, who are we to stop it?" Meijing Bingying sighed. Her two arms hugged her knees closer to her chest, despondent that there was nothing that she could do to assist Shin. Bingying was assigned to Shin on the whims of the Saint of Time. Initially, she didn''t look favourably on the youth and only planned to use him as a tool to strengthen the Meijing Clan''s position in the Republic. However, after spending some time mentoring the young man, Bingying cringed at her earlier folly. Shin was a hardworking young man whose eyes never faltered away from self-betterment. Shin was far superior compared to the jester Jingyu Taiyi or herself, making her question her position as someone who had possessed the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Bingying''s reluctance soon turned into a willingness to help Shin succeed in every endeavour that he pursued. And yet, Bingying was hopeless to help Shin. "We can only sit here and pray for the best." A gloomy cloud escaped her petite mouth. She looked up and saw many of Shin''s closest friends in a similar state. The orphans had all gathered and sat alongside Shin''s clique. Some were grasping onto one another''s hands, hoping for the best and not the worst to happen. "We can only believe in him..." Minutes turned into hours. Shin had been attempting his breakthrough to the Spirit Adept realm since first light, and it was almost time for the moon to rise. Inside, Lady Seph, Principal Erudito and Madam Warulee were watching his every movement, careful to halt the process if things were to go awry. IIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! All of a sudden, before the night finally fell, a sharp, resonant cry, one highly resembling that of a siren''s wail, broke the peace of the evening and pushed the spectators off their butts. "What''s that sound?!" Bingying cried. Shin was in the middle of the most crucial period of his life. He was vulnerable and weak. There mustn''t be any outside distractions that could potentially disrupt his peace and Bingying would curb anyone or anything that dared to approach Shin. However¡­ "It''s coming from the inside of the chambers!" Her partner quickly answered, his fingers pointed straight at the sealed door where Shin was resting. "Did he succeed?" Bingying''s lips curved upwards. They had been waiting for hours now, skipping two meals in the process. Has their patience finally paid off? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Yes¡­ Yes, it did. The roof of the cultivation chambers broke apart instantly. Blinding white light burnt the eyes of those nearby, dropping their bodies like flies. Pieces of enhanced stone rained down from the heavens while a dense smoke cloud bellowed out. "What''s going on?!" Meijing Bingying cried out. The explosion was one of the likes that she had never witnessed before. Peering into the broken down chambers, Bingying saw Shin lying flat on the ground, his veins popping and his complexion purple. Lady Seph was barking out orders while desperately casting her best healing abilities to bring Shin back from the brink of self-destruction. Madam Warulee was aiding the angered Divine Healer with everything that she had while Principal Erudito, whose bronzed face was covered with dark soot and smoke, was staring blankly to the north. And who could blame him? When Meijing Bingying saw the aftermath of the explosion, she dropped her jaws as all of her emotions ran wild. The Imperius Academy cultivation chambers were located on a remote part of Mount Tsucai and part of the mountain range that defined the illustrious institution. Each peak was a symbol of pride for the academy, each one serving their own unique functions. They were all renowned worldwide. And now¡­ One of them had a wide gaping hole through it. ??? "You''re going to ignite the shard?!" Kanari immediately cried out. Her firm Kumiho claws grabbed onto Shin''s wrists, not letting go for even the slightest of resistance. "Don''t you remember what happened the last time you ignited it? You were nearly crippled! You can''t risk it anymore!" "I''m well aware, but I still have to do it." Shin raised up his hands from Danroy''s bare chest, revealing a completely intact young man with not a scar in sight. His quick thinking and exceptional healing ability had brought the three wounded youngsters out of the brink, and they just needed some time to recuperate their strength. Natasha was barely coming to while Elrin and Danroy were perhaps in the weakest moments of their lives. If they sustained yet another injury, the Grim Reaper himself would personally pay a visit and claim their lives. "We have to destroy the Minotaur, Junius'' Sword Partner, Junius himself and the barrier he created just to get to the Paradise Heart. Do you honestly think that we could do all of that without incurred some casualties?" Shin posed the question. All of the young heroes dropped their heads and scratched their chins. From what they had seen, Junius wasn''t a mere Vaishya. Heck, not even Rank 50 Spirit Lords had that kind of explosive powers. Using brute force wasn''t the way to go, especially since three of their comrades had already been taken out. Shin knew that his friends were going to protest, but his mind was already made up. There was only one method for them to escape from the chambers, and that was for Shin to risk his life. No matter how one puts it, the primary reason for their predicament was Junius'' fascination with Shin. "I''m going to ignite the shard. Its raw power should be sufficient to take down the barrier and the Paradise Heart in one strike." "Shin! It''s too-!" "I KNOW!!!" Shin screamed, silencing Kanari''s protest. From the side, Kanari could see Shin''s fingers trembling. The Black-Haired Tyrant wasn''t immune to fear. He knew the drawbacks of the shard more clearly than anyone on the face of the earth. He was afraid. Afraid that his entire cultivation would be broken down into pieces if he ignited the shard. However, there was one thing he feared more than destroying his own body. The thing he feared the most¡­ Was losing someone just like he lost Ariel. "Cover me." There was no need for continuous banter. The more they hesitated, the more time Junius had to regroup and figure out his next course of action. Shin had to act now. Shin''s right hand covered his left as if he were holding on to the most precious jewel the world has ever seen. All of his remaining mana flowed out like an open tap and climbed its way through Shin''s veins and into his two covered palms. His azure eyes started to shine like an aquamarine gem on a beautiful night, and the water elements surrounding him were sucked into the cracks of his fingers as if they were being pulled into a black hole. Kanari wanted to stop Shin, but Isadore''s outreached hand halted her advance. Looking over her shoulders, she could see trickling tears flowing down Isadore''s eyes as he bit down hard on his bottom lip. "Shin''s right¡­ That''s the only option we have." "But!" "If you really care for him," Isadore pushed the maiden further back and assumed a combat position facing the throne and the Paradise Heart. "Cover for him and follow up with Lunar Beam to finish the job." IIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The familiar siren''s call echoed out through the chambers. Stones on the floor started to levitate, and the moisture dipped rapidly. The healing mist that Shin had cast faded and in its place, a blinding light which screamed out danger. Junius, who had been waiting patiently for his targets to leave the mist, stood rooted like a tree, unsure of what was currently happening. In Shin''s hands, a light that wasn''t inferior to the full blast of the sun beamed out, ready to unleash hell on anything that stood in its way. Kanari shook her head once and steeled her mind. Leaping behind Shin, Kanari created an illusion of a celestial moon with countless stars illuminating its grandeur. The illusion mesmerised but more importantly, confused. Junius was unable to pinpoint the right place to strike while Shin''s attack continued to charge up. And then, it happened¡­ Opening his eyes, Shin raised up his right hand, revealing a thin white shard. It was barely the size of a gold ingot. Small and fragile, the shard looked like a fractured dragon''s scale that couldn''t harm a single soul. However, hidden within the petite body of the shard, there was an unfathomable amount of mana, one of the likes that could never be seen in a Spirit Adept. Shin felt his arms sinking. The shard was more massive than anything he had ever carried, and the skin on his palms was starting to burn. His mana circuits were on the brink of eruption due to the pressure being weighed in on them and that in turn caused Shin''s body to scream out in agony. Shin was tempted to release the spiritual ability, never to cast it due to the pain that pulsated throughout his soul. However, he couldn''t do that when all of his comrade''s lives depended on that one strike. And so, he said the one word that he dreaded the most now. "Ignite." The world of darkness, the Chambers of the Paradise Heart, that controlled the Payirci¡­ Was now consumed with light. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 406 The Light That Consumes The Darkness 2 A disgusting taste of mud and gravel filled Junius'' taste buds. There was even a hint of iron, a taste that he was most familiar with, mixed inside of his mouth. Junius'' trembling eyelids flickered up and down as he got up from the rubble and filth that covered his body. He sat down. A pungent earthy smell dominated the air and filled Junius'' lungs, which were aching wildly. ''W-What¡­ Just happened.'' Like a patient who was in shock, Junius felt a little amnesiac. He couldn''t remember what he was doing just moments prior, and neither could he understand why he was on the ground. The Obsidian Water Blade that he summoned had retreated back into his body, seemingly in fear of something much more terrifying than itself, and his two-metre-long odachi was sprawled out just a few metres away. Its gem had lost a tremendous amount of its lustre, leaving only a tainted mark of half-assed mana. ''I was¡­ I was fighting Shin.'' Slowly, the images started to flow back into his memory. ''I was fighting Shin, and I wounded two¡­ No three people¡­ Then he created some mist to hide in. After that...'' Junius continued to piece together what transpired, all while punching his cranium to quell the devastating headache he was experiencing. ''Then¡­ A white light? Was it light? Light burst out from the mist and pierced through the Minotaur and the barrier, hitting the Paradise Heart... THE PARADISE HEART!!!'' Junius eyes bulged out, and he turned around amidst the ashes and rubble. It was all coming back to him. The final seconds that led to the eventual attack that blurred out the visions in his mind. He turned around once and found nothing. Those wobbly legs of his were unable to support his weight and Junius fell down repeatedly. Though, he didn''t lose faith. Junius kept pushing through the dust, hoping to find the one thing that he was tasked to protect by the Allfather. He lacked any mana, and his mind wasn''t in any shape to make rational decisions. Nonetheless, Junius continued to search. And then¡­ He saw it. "No¡­" A rare word of fear, mixed with a dose of denial flowed out of Junius'' mouth. The Paradise Heart. The plasma orb that controlled the entire Payirci, the floating tower that resisted four Spirit Venerates attacks and created heaps of Umbras for the Alliance Army to fight and conquer, had been shattered beyond recognition. Broken shards from the sphere landed all about the floors of the chambers while none of the mana being stored within remained intact. The Umbras, including the Tier 6 Minotaur, had faded out of existence and returned back into the abyss, where it belonged. Shin''s one attack, a beam strike from a Spirit Adept, had taken down one of the most enigmatic structures of the modern world and brought the Black Masks to its knees. Junius didn''t have the mental capacity to fathom such a strike. He continued to kneel, his gaze never leaving the fractured remains of the Paradise Heart. All of a sudden, a crack formed on the reinforced ceiling of the chambers before a tall silhouette dived down like a falcon. The blue-haired man took one look around before finding the person responsible for guarding this room and instantly teleported to him, grabbing him up with one tug. "Junius! What happened?!" Ao, the World Serpent, cried out, his calm face distorted into one of shock. He had been tasked with holding off the entire Alliance before they could climb up the Payirci and find the hidden and reinforced room that housed the Paradise Heart. It was a perfect plan. Junius could capture his younger siblings while the Alliance would go bonkers and take more risks in the hopes of reclaiming the young geniuses. Yet, never in his wildest dreams would Ao expect the Paradise Heart to be destroyed from within. Now that there was no protection, all of the Spirit Venerates were soon alerted to the presence of the once-secret chambers, and the Alliance would be here at any second now. "Shin¡­ He destroyed the Paradise Heart." "He what?!" Ao dropped Junius. "What do you mean, he destroyed the Paradise Heart?! Weren''t you protecting it?!" "I-I-I don''t know..." Junius was just as clueless as the World Serpent. Rattled and bruised, there was no way for the Vaishya to coherently voice out his thoughts. Ao understood that and turned Junius'' body around and gave him a princess carry. "We''re leaving!" "B-But¡­ Shin!" "You''re still trying to care for your younger brother?! Even at a time like this?!" The World Serpent was just a few sentences away from killing Junius once and for all, to atone for his crimes. His single-mindedness was an admirable trait when it was used to better the syndicate that is. However, that devotion had now turned to bite the Black Masks in the ass. "Leave him! He destroyed the Payirci, he made you fail your mission twice, and he''s not willing to leave with you! Why are you still so stubborn?!" Junius hung his head down, unsure of how to reply the Noble Beast. Shin has done nothing but make Junius suffer in the Black Masks syndicate. Junius'' first failure in the organisation was due to Shin. His second failure was likewise due to Shin. Junius now had to face the wrath of the Allfather for destroying a Payirci ahead of schedule. Why? Because of Shin. However, Junius still kept his chin high. His goal never faltered, and his eyes were always on the prize. So why was he so stubborn? "Because he''s my brother..." Junius replied, still battered and blue. It would be in Ao''s best interest to drop Junius right now and smash his head like an egg. However, instead of doing that, the World Serpent just sighed, shaking his head in complete frustration. "Fucking humans..." The Tier 9 Spirit Beast cursed and turned his back away from the exit. If he rushed, Ao could potentially nab Shin before the Spirit Venerates rushed in. Furthermore, Shin was just lying down still, in the middle of his sobbing comrades, that lacked the power to resist the World Serpent''s attacks. He could do this. Alas, what could go wrong, would go wrong. Before Ao could make his final approach, a golden string pierced out of Shin''s Spirit Core, while dense amounts of golden spiritual energies torrented out like an everflowing river. The golden string wrapped Shin up in a cocoon while its other half rapidly spun around, creating an effeminate humanoid shape. A dense spiritual pressure descended upon those inside the now-decrepit chambers, forcing all to halt their actions instantly. For both the Black Masks and the youngsters seated around Shin, they were on high alert. No one knew the identity of the golden string, and it may as well be yet another enemy. However, just a few seconds later, a familiar adenoidal voice reassured Shin''s comrades to drop their arms. "Stupid boy..." A golden ghost bearing the facial features of Lady Seph stood on the stone cold concrete ground. Her translucent body stroked the broad forehead of her disciple as mana continued to pour into the young boy, rejuvenating all of his split mana circuits and fried internal organs. ''A Spirit Venerate? How could a Spirit Venerate come out from a child''s body?'' Ao was intrigued. He had never heard of such an amazing spiritual ability, even with his long years roaming through the earth. "Lady Seph?! How did that bitch get here?!" Junius was the first one to recognise the face that stole Shin from the Awter Clan. Lady Seph''s golden phantom twitched its brows and stood up with a death glare that could kill a thousand warriors. Releasing all of the spiritual pressure that she had, Lady Seph''s mouth moved once. [Silence!] Sending out her intent, Lady Seph forced Junius'' mouth to be sealed tight. It has been a while since she used her Words of the Angel. For some odd reason, Lady Seph remembered that the first time she ever used that ability in front of Shin was to cure Junius'' crippled legs. In hindsight, after living through the past ten years, it would have been wiser to have just let the young man remain a cripple for the rest of his life. "..." Though the World Serpent wasn''t under the effects of the Words of the Angel, Ao remained silent as well. He couldn''t comprehend how a Spirit Venerate could rise up from a Spirit Adept''s body and retain all of her abilities with no loss of efficiency. The World Serpent wanted to inquire, but he wasn''t given the luxury. Before Ao could even open his mouth, the four Spirit Venerates that had been desperately searching for the missing youths finally found their way into the broken down chambers. Elder Baobiao instantly jumped down and cast a defensive barrier while the three Spirit Venerates sent by the Alliance, Jingyu Qiang, Gundla Barak and Duke Cyanjaw, raised their Spirits in preparations to fight against the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. "Looks like your brother is well-defended, Junius." Ao shrugged his shoulders. He could attempt to steal Shin away from the five Spirit Venerates that defended him, but then Junius would be exposed instantly, and that was a risk that he absolutely couldn''t take. "Sorry about that, we''ll just have to go." "..." Junius wanted to protest, but his mouth was tied shut. All he could do was flail his hands around like a spoilt baby. "Where do you think you''re going?!" Shouted Duke Cyanjaw, his Rinfermar Gauntlets beaming with tremendous anger. His two feet barged forward like a bear''s charge, ready to claim some blood. Ao wasn''t amused though. The two crystal clear pupils of his glowed with reptilian wrath as a dense spiritual pressure descended upon the masses. The Spirit Venerates instantly halted their steps, and Elder Baobiao had even intensified his barrier, protecting the poor youngsters from any harm. ''A Peak Tier 9 Spirit Beast!'' All of them uniformly decided. Such a vile presence could only be present in a Spirit Beast that bathes in death and destruction. Not to mention, the two ominous vertical pupils that Ao had are dead giveaways that he wasn''t human. If the Spirit Venerates wanted to act, with all the debris falling down from the crumbling Payirci, the death toll to the Alliance Army that was retreating would be catastrophic. "Let us meet again." No one knew who the World Serpent was talking to. Before they could clarify anything, a torrential gush of hurricane wind pushed all the Spirit Venerates away, giving Ao the perfect opportunity to escape with Junius in his arms. "Fuck!" Gundla Barak from the Kori Federation cursed out, kicking his heel into the broken down platform. The Blade of Death, one of the primary causes for the tragedy in the Land of Dreams and the person responsible for orchestrating the most humiliating defeat in the Kori Federation, had just waltzed away scot-free. "Fuck indeed..." Duke Cyanjaw hung his mouth down, and his eyes were enlargened as long as they could stretch. "What was that monster? Did the Black Masks have such a powerful beast under its command?" "That must have been the World Serpent." Jingyu Qiang, the Spirit Venerate from the Lantis Republic replied. "It was responsible for the murder of the Dalgeom Sect''s Spirit Emperor Wangu. There have been reports that it was on the verge of becoming a Primordial Beast. Our Saint from the Shenshe Clan has been chasing it down, but it has always eluded her. To think that it has been acting as the guardian of the Blade of Death..." "The World Serpent¡­" The two Spirit Venerates thought to themselves and paced closer to the escape hole which Ao used. They were tempted to give chase, but ever since the Paradise Heart had been destroyed, the Payirci that the Black Masks used had started to crumble. Saving the remaining Alliance troops was of paramount importance at this juncture. And of course¡­ "Shin! Shin!" The Spirit Venerates witnessed the collapsed Prince of Water, who was still being treated by the phantom of his teacher. Kanari and the twin''s tears continued to fall while they touched the cold face of their loved one, desperately trying to bring some warmth with their touch. "Is Shin going to be okay?" Kanari asked the blonde healer, her tears still flowing down like a waterfall. Lady Seph''s phantom looked at the crying maiden, her eyes sparkling with a distinct interest. Kanari has never shown such an outpour of emotions before. Something must have happened in their journeys, the two-century-year-old woman thought. "Don''t worry. I have been researching how to treat Shin''s injuries by the shard''s backlash the moment after he used it the first time. I know how to treat him, but it''ll take time, and preferably a more conducive environment." Lady Seph looked around the tower that was being broken down and scoffed in derision. This was hardly a place for healing! "Right! We should get the injured out of here!" Elder Baobiao agreed. At this point, he was praying for Saint Longyu Tian''s leniency when meting out his eventual punishment for failing to protect Shin. "Yes..." Jingyu Qiang looked at the escape hole and turned back to the unconscious Prince of Water. It was evident which task had a higher priority. "Let''s return." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 407 The Light That Consumes The Darkness 3 The Land Of Dreams. The Alliance Headquarters. Four years have passed since the terrible tragedy had fallen upon the Land of Dreams. During that time, thousands of brave men and women were tasked with the job of cleaning up the blood-filled streets that were littered with headless bodies and broken limbs. The stench of death and gore lingered on their clothes for days while the mental trauma they sustained from joining the clean-up crew lasted for years and will last for the rest of their lives. It was an abominable job. Playing the role of an undertaker for a city that was massacred. However, that was precisely what the newly-formed Alliance needed. A lease of new life built on the foundations of the horrendous tragedy that shook the world. The once broken down streets of the Land of Dreams were now replaced with reinforced buildings, some placed together with mana-infused concrete and steel. Though it wasn''t as populated as it was before, the Land of Dreams was now home to ten thousand Alliance members, each one more important than the other. Divine Healer Raphael, who had temporarily stepped down as the Healer Associations'' top dog to serve as the Alliance Head, moved his entire residence into the newly built Alliance Headquarters. His move sparked new life in the Alliance, and it showed that the union of the three superpowers wasn''t built on a house of cards. Usually, Raphael would get up every morning at the same exact time and handle his administrative duties for ten hours straight. However, in recent days, his resting schedule had gone completely haywire, and he barely slept a wink. As a Divine Healer, Raphael was capable of treating himself to look as refreshed as he always was, and he could handle the physical burdens that he placed on himself. Mentally, well, that was a different story. Rubbing his creased forehead, Raphael looked into the five Cikai Mirrors placed before him with substantial trepidation. Not because the Alliance Head was fearful of the five figures being displayed on the mirrors, but because he wasn''t sure how he was going to deliver the news. "Thank you all for agreeing to meet on such short notice. As you know, we have been swamped over here, and your prompt assistance is much appreciated." "No, we should be the ones apologising. Leaving all of the hard work to you." Prince Koshaku replied, his eyes filled with warm empathy. Raphael wasn''t keen on taking the job, but since he was the most neutral and the most respected representative among all of the candidates, the Divine Healer was pushed into the position. "Being the Alliance Head is tough, and you have done it exceptionally well." Venus, the Kori Federation''s Deputy Prime Minister, nodded in agreement. "We cannot thank you enough for your service during this darkest of times." "Thank you." Raphael wasn''t really moved by the compliments. He had walked a billion kilometres and read a billion more books. Trying to butter up to him wasn''t going to work. Furthermore, there was a more pressing matter to attend to. "I don''t want to waste any of your precious time, so I''ll just jump straight into it." Raphael took a deep breath before holding up the scroll that he prepared. "After the first Payirci had appeared in the Estrella Region, dozens more have started to emerge. Everywhere from the Sahara Desert, to the Southern Glaciers. From the Lantis Seas to the Himmel Peaks. All in all, we have confirmed a total of ninety-seven Payircis with many more potential locations being marked. Some emerged in locations without human civilisations while others burst forth in the heart of major towns." Pandemonium. That was what Junius had warned Shin of. Now that the first Payirci had been revealed, the Black Masks no longer had the need to hide the next phase of the plan. Throughout the years, the missions that the Black Masks had to build new bases inside of the three superpowers were actually a front to transfer Payircis deep underground and transfer Spirit Beasts into it to make endless amounts of Umbras. "How many civilians were affected?" Zhangyu Yaoguai folded his arms and asked the crucial question. The appearance of the Payircis didn''t go well for any of the three superpowers. Even the Lantis Republic, who had the least amount of land and were mostly well-protected by the targeted attacks of the Black Masks, had hundreds of their villages displaced. Raphael''s face tightened. It was the one statistic that he didn''t want to bring up. Nonetheless, he was the Alliance Head, and it was his responsibility to report such matters. "We estimate that five thousand populated areas have been compromised. The number of refugees that would have to move immediately is upwards of ten million. Injuries are numbered in the millions and..." Raphael blinked and took a sip of his water. "There are five hundred thousand confirmed deaths. The number is still rising." "I see..." Zhangyu Yaoguai dropped his two arms, his lips quivering like a leaf. He had anticipated a high toll, but not in those numbers. Five hundred thousand¡­ That was the highest death tally of any war in recent memory. "The deaths were mostly caused by the Umbras that ran out into the civilian population. Another significant reason was how unprepared we were. In the mayhem, people fought with each other to run away from the Payirci, in hopes of reaching safer shores. Before we could reach out to help them, they had mostly perished..." Raphael continued to read out from the report, his eyes hiding a murderous intent that went against all of his ethics as a healer. "Don''t beat yourself up, Raphael." Deputy Prime Minister Venus said. "No one could have anticipated that the Black Masks would have technologies such as the Payirci at their disposal. The Allfather was just too many steps ahead of us." "I know¡­ And that''s why he has to be stopped!" Raphael crumpled the scroll and threw it away. "Also, I had enough of this political bullshit! We call ourselves an Alliance, and yet, none of you are fully committed to the cause!" The Alliance Head turned the discussion towards the representatives of the three superpowers. It was utterly unlike the calm and composed red-haired man to burst out in an uproar, but Raphael could no longer hold back his anger. His anger towards the Black Masks, his anger towards his own incompetence and¡­ His anger towards the other five entities in the Alliance. "Those five hundred thousand are citizens of YOUR countries! Their blood flows on YOUR land! We can''t be holding back and squabbling between us while our opponent is united and this powerful! We have been looking at the Black Masks as a bug that needs to be crushed, but history has shown us time and time again that the Allfather is a threat EQUAL to us!!!" The Divine Healer slammed his palms on the ebony desk that he had, creating a thunderous echo. "We need to stop holding back! Even now, all of you are hiding in the comfort of your homes while we''re moving from place to place, desperately praying for one more soul to be saved!" "Raphael, we..." "I''m not done!" The Alliance Head still had many grievances in his heart. Perhaps it was due to his love of life. A lifetime healer, Raphael knew how heavy the weight of life was. Now, five hundred thousand souls had been reaped. There was no way that he could stand it lying down. "We have been trumped by the Payircis this time and who knows? Next time the Black Masks might come up with a new contraption that would stun us all, killing even more lives! If we want to stop this from happening anymore, all of us have to invest everything that we have! All the armies, navies, weaponry and armadas!" "..." The five representatives went silent. It wasn''t just the three superpowers that were at fault. The Blacksmith''s League continued to prioritise profit while the Mercenary Guild never sent out their best men for any missions, fearing that they would lose them all. "I understand..." Zhanyu Yaoguai was the first to cave in. The Lantis Republic was perhaps the worst corner of the Alliance. They only provided a few thousand men and limited supplies compared to the Himmel Empire or the Kori Federation, and they refused to use their navy soldiers as a force. They had always viewed the Black Masks as a problem that the inhabitants of the Terre Continent had to deal with and that they could turtle up in their Lantis Archipelago with little to no repercussions. However, the Allfather saw to that when he brought up dozens of Payircis in their land. "I will talk to the High Council. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure that their answer is satisfactory." The Zhangyu Clan head cancelled the transmission, seemingly to attend to the most pressing matter at hand. "The Master Sects will respond to your plea, Raphael." Deputy Prime Minister Venus did the same. Prince Koshaku sighed as well. "The Emperor and the Imperial Courts will make a decision today. I''m sorry about the hurt we''ve caused." "We will assist you with anything that you need, Alliance Head" Guild Master Xerxes replied. "And so will we," said President Ingram, his greedy eyes replaced with a ferocious glint. "The Blacksmith''s League will increase our production tenfold to cater to the new entrants of the Alliance Military." "Thank you¡­" As the transmissions on the Cikai Mirror ceased, Raphael was left all alone in his lofty chambers. Outside, hundreds of men and women were running about like frightened bunnies, desperately trying to complete their tasks. Every single minute, there was a new report being flown in, and every single hour there was a new request for reinforcements. The Alliance didn''t have that many hands or resources to deal with them all. Fortunately, Raphael has managed to wake up his fellow partners, and they were now scrambling to add more manpower. However, that didn''t solve the most basic question that everyone had... ''Allfather¡­ Just what the hell are you?'' ??? There was hardly any light under Shin''s closed eyelids. It wasn''t cold, but neither was it extremely warm or snug. The first sense that Shin regained was his hearing. There was a low buzzing noise mixed with the sweet chirps of sunshine birds. Am I dreaming? Shin thought. Then, he regained his sense of touch. Feeling the warm sun rays flashing on his skin, the young man squirmed around as soft cotton friction rubbed against his back. ''I''m on a bed?'' Shin continued to deduce his surroundings. His sense of smell was the next to kick in. Shin''s nostrils expanded, taking in whiffs of rosemary and lavender. Dropping his jaw, the tip of Shin''s tongue started to taste the pleasant air of the chambers he was kept in. It was at the perfect temperature, and there were even hints of medicinal plants being burned in incense burners. Slowly but surely, Shin regained himself. His body was still sore all over, and each movement he made was in aching agony. But finally, Shin managed to open up his eyes. A familiar plain grey ceiling. That was the first thing that Shin saw. He was still a little dazed, so it took him a while to pivot his head to the side. All of his belongings, his favourite plants, paintings that were given to him, his elaborate bookshelf. They were all within reach from the soft bed that he was laid upon. ''I''m¡­ In my room?'' Shin flinched. ''Wasn''t I in the Kori Federation? The Estrella Region? How am I here?'' Shin continued to wonder. Just like any patient who awoke after being shocked, the young man was trying to piece together all of the details that led to him being bound to his bed. Fortunately, he didn''t have to think for long. Looking down, Shin could see a thin scalp with luscious black flowing hair coming out from the centre. His hands were just inches away from the anonymous head, and just the slightest tug on the sheets would alert the girl of Shin''s awakening. Thus¡­ "Mnmmm? Shin?" Kanari awoke from her slumber, her movements as sluggish as can be. Taking a while to comprehend the situation, the young maiden jumped up, her eyes now fully awake. "Shin?! SHIN!!! You''re finally awake!!!" Kanari leapt forward and stroked Shin''s face. "K¡­ Ka¡­ Kanari?" Shin tried to mouth out words, but his body was way too weak to string a full sentence. "Shin! Thank the heavens, you''re fine!" The maiden cried. "H¡­ How¡­ Long..." "How long were you asleep?" Kanari didn''t want Shin to torture himself, so she completed his sentence for him. "You were in a coma for two full weeks! We brought you all the way back to the Himmel Empire for your treatment!" ''Two weeks?!'' Shin inwardly cried. That was the longest he had ever been sleeping. No wonder his body felt so heavy. "Wait here! Let me go get Lady Seph! She''ll explain everything!" The young maiden bolted out of the room with everything that she had, leaving Shin alone to stare at the walls. That morning¡­ The news spread that the Prince of Water, the man who bravely took down a Payirci without minding the risks to his life, had finally awoken from his long coma. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 408 A New Promise "There really is no place like home..." A calm and refreshed voice sounded out in the gorgeous courtyard of Lady Seph''s abode. The sweet, pulpy aroma of flowers tickled Shin''s nose, prompting the sides of his lips to curl upwards with glee. Lying back on the wooden wheelchair that had been brought to him, the young man pivoted his head back and closed his eyes, basking in the afternoon glow. "The weather really is perfect for a stroll," Kanari replied, her face smiling as brightly as the sun. "Looks like you woke up at the perfect timing." "Haha, I''m known for my exceptional timing after all." Shin joked. Lady Seph had a habit of growing lush gardens to grow her favourite tea leaves or medicinal herbs for experimentation. Though it wasn''t her intention, the beautiful gardens served as an excellent therapeutic ground for wounded warriors and broken men. Shin sat comfortably on his wheelchair, assisted by the gorgeous beauty who hand-fed him everything, much to his embarrassment. Fortunately, there weren''t many strangers around to witness Shin''s shame. "It really is a shame¡­" The disabled man breathed out deeply, deflating his chest and dropping his shoulders. Shin had ignited the Shard of the Azure Dragon even though his body clearly wasn''t ready to. All of his mana circuits were fried, and his internal organs were severely damaged. His muscles had been stretched to their absolute limit while his bones felt the strain of the backlash by collapsing inwardly. And that was with Lady Seph''s blessing protecting him at all times. Shin was unaware of it, but the Golden String of Fate that his master had cast had been modified to protect him if he were to ignite the Shard of the Azure Dragon once again. In theory, once Shin used his fourth spiritual ability, Lady Seph''s Golden String of Fate would mitigate all of the damage, leaving Shin''s body completely intact. Regrettably, the power of the shard was too potent, even for Lady Seph''s top tier healing and blessings. Even after all of the protections, Shin''s body still got fried inside and out. It took Lady Seph one full week of endless nourishment and rejuvenation to get his body into proper shape. To facilitate her treatments, Lady Seph induced Shin into a coma, where the bodily functions were the least active. That''s why Shin took a full two weeks to awaken from the damage. The internal organs were simple for Lady Seph to deal with. It was the broken down mana circuits that proved to be challenging for the Divine Healer. Repairing each strand was as tricky as trying to thread a needle the size of a single cell. And thousands of failing mana circuits within Shin''s body were in desperate need of repair. Luckily, it was an operation that the Divine Healer had anticipated and prepared after the first time Shin ignited the shard. "You should be thanking the lucky stars that you''re still alive and not a cripple." Kanari heard Shin''s groan and chided him immediately. "Haha, yeah." Shin scratched the back of his head. Kanari was right. Shin had gotten off lightly for using the shard. Through Lady Seph''s continuous efforts, Shin was able to preserve his cultivation level, and the only thing he needed to do was to lay low for a month, not use any of his spiritual abilities and cultivate cautiously every single day to speed up the recovery process. "Still¡­ It''s a shame that Junius had escaped¡­ I really wanted to bring him in." Shin hung his head down, staring straight at the flourishing fig tree. Once again, he was that close to achieving one of his two dreams. But fate was always on Junius'' side. No matter how many times Shin had gotten close, the viridian-haired elder brother of his always found a path out. "You''ll have plenty of chances in the future." Kanari leaned in, her moist breath touching the earlobes of Shin, sending happy shivers down his spine. Her two milky soft hands dropped down from the wheelchair handles, and her bosom rubbed the back of Shin''s head. "Right now, you just have to rest up and recover as soon as possible." Kanari''s face soon turned a little impish. "A full month of rejuvenation. Looks like I will have a head-start in our final year at Imperius Academy. This time, I''ll beat you in academics!" It was hard to remember after their epic adventures, but the pair were still students studying at the prestigious Imperius Academy. They were on in the fifth year and were soon reaching their final academic semester. "You''re still not satisfied?" Shin chuckled with a raised brow. He was amused at how long Kanari kept this grudge. "You''re already the valedictorian for five consecutive years. Now that you''re already a Spirit Spectre, the sixth year valedictorian is sure to be yours. Who cares about some stupid academic score?" "That''s easy for you to say! You took claimed the top academic spot every single time! Especially two years ago, you-!" "Beat you by one point. I know, I know." The wheelchair-bound youth wobbled his head. Back then, a commotion was caused when Shin''s undisputed throne was being challenged by Kanari''s excellence. They were neck-in-neck and were setting record after record. In the end, Shin outscored the studious maiden by one point at a combined weighted score of nine-hundred and eighty-two out of a thousand. Till this day, that failure kept ringing in Kanari''s mind, and she seemingly won''t let it go. Shin sighed while his eyes dilated. He was having fun for the most part, but the experience in the Estrella Region had put his life into perspective. Well, not just the Estrella Region. His entire journey out of the Capital had impacted him significantly and he started to look at things with a different viewpoint. Kanari and Shin were geniuses. Aristocrats sucked up to them, and plebeians sang their praises. Even now, the tale of how the Prince of Water so bravely took down a Payirci, knowing the potential repercussions of his actions were being spread far and wide, repeated as drinking stories at populated taverns. However, those who knew the real story understood that Shin was backed into a wall, with no other options left. Also, so what if they were geniuses within the safety of the Capital? Didn''t Junius almost massacre them all with relative ease? It had become a topic of reflection, ever since Shin woke up from his coma. Studying at Imperius Academy was great, and all, but theoretical knowledge was useless until it was tested out. Shin''s one expedition out into the wildlands was as useful as the five years he stayed in the Capital, toiling endlessly day by day. And that wasn''t just limited to Shin. Kanari was expected to enter the Spirit Spectre realm when she was in Year Six, and yet, the maiden broke through the second barrier of mortality in a foreign land, where danger lurked at every corner. As the old adage goes, walking a thousand miles was far superior to reading a hundred books. These few months where Shin had gone adventuring with his friends had enabled him to grow so much, which begged the question. What was he doing? Remaining here in the Himmel Empire. Imperius Academy was great. Shin had learned so much about the world from staying in the best academic institution that the Himmel Empire could provide, and he had sucked clean all the martial arts that he could from Mychael. Not only that, he had formed unbreakable bonds with some of the most influential teenagers of High Society and befriended hundreds of promising talents that were bound to rise up the ranks in the future. So¡­ What''s left for him in the Himmel Empire? "What are you thinking about?" Kanari nuzzled her nose on Shin''s neck and before long, she noticed that the youth was staring deep into space. "I¡­ Think that I should leave for the Lantis Republic a little early." The young man breathed out his true thoughts. "Oh..." Kanari blinked twice. Her hands moved away from her lover''s broad chest as she turned to the front of the wheelchair and crouched on the ground. "Why do you think that?" "Experience." Shin succinctly replied. "Or the lack of it, to be precise." His left hand grabbed Kanari''s hand and stroked the warm skin of the maiden. "I¡­ No, we lack experience. We have been kept in this bubble where people applaud our names and try to kiss our asses every time we walk by. However, in the real world, in the war against the Black Masks¡­ How many times have we been close to death?" "But we were always against stronger opponents! Among members of our age, we''re really the best!" "Do you think that argument would work in the middle of a battleground?" Shin didn''t look at it that way. So what if they were better than their peers? There were Spirit Venerates, Spirit Saints. Tier 9 and Primordial Spirit Beasts lurking at every corner. Against those behemoths, Shin''s genius didn''t matter. "Also, Junius himself is just four years older than us. Yet, he managed to make us heel." Kanari felt her hands being tightened as her dainty fingers were beginning to be squashed. "Kanari, we can''t stagnate anymore. I can''t stagnate anymore. It''s not a matter of just catching up to Junius now. We''re in the big leagues. From now on, Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings would be our staple targets. We can''t just hide under the fact that we''re younger and show some promise. We need to grow right now and quick." The news of the Payircis devastating the lands of the three superpowers had spread far and wide. Even Shin, who was mostly isolated from the outside world to recuperate his strength, had heard of the disastrous numbers. It sickened Shin to the core. The fact that the Black Masks were still terrorising the land with overwhelming amounts of Payircis and killing thousands of innocents at the snap of their fingers. Shin wanted to fight them, but the youth was still far too weak. "I¡­ I don''t want you to go..." Kanari closed her eyes and repeated a mental prayer. Her face was turning cold and the vigour that she once had diminished. Kanari knew that Shin''s departure was inevitable and she wanted to at least keep it out of her mind for an additional year. They had just gotten into a relationship, bypassing the endless amounts of hurdles that weighed on Shin''s heart. Heck, their relationship wasn''t even on stable ground. Kanari wanted to build their love slowly in the next year, giving her at least some memories before Shin left for five years. However, deep down, Kanari knew that Shin moving to the Lantis Republic would be the best course of action for the budding youth. There, he would be baptised by the Celestial River and would be trained by the best water-elemental Spirit Users that exist. In fact, the sooner Shin left for the Lantis Republic, the better. "Kanari, I understand¡­ I too, don''t want to separate from you." Shin wasn''t able to stand on his two feet, so he dragged the young girl down onto his lap, where he gently stroked on her hourglass waist. "That''s why I have a proposal. It''s quite selfish of me to even bring this up, but I have to." "Hmmm?" Adorably tilting her head, Kanari raised her brows in confusion. Shin took one deep breath before hollering out at the top of his lungs: "I¡­ Want you to move to the Lantis Republic with me!" "What?" The declaration was too sudden. So sudden that Kanari didn''t have the appropriate face to respond to Shin. "A-Ah¡­ Y-you, see..." Shin realised his folly, and his face turned red from ear-to-ear. "Sister Bingying was sent as an observer from the Lantis Republic, right? So, I thought maybe we could do the same with you. Maybe with the rest as well. I mean¡­ I don''t want to be all alone in a foreign land with no one I know, right? So, erm¡­ What I mean is..." "Hehe¡­ I know what you mean." Watching Shin all flustered triggered a switch in Kanari''s maiden heart. Her sultry lips silenced Shin''s with a flurry of tongue attacks, all while she lavished in her position on top of the youth''s lap. Kanari left the kiss with a thin silver strand of seductive fluid. Her face beaming, Kanari said: "You want me to stay with you for another five years, right?" "..." Shin rolled his eyes. There was no winning against the future Duchess of Highgarden. "Yeah¡­ That''s exactly it. I know that it''s a selfish thing for me to ask, and you have to discuss this with your parents and Saint Firebird. Not only that, we would have to trouble a Spirit Venerate to act as your bodyguard, and..." "Hush..." The foxy girl placed her index finger over Shin''s lips. She had heard enough. "I will try to convince my parents. Don''t worry! I''ll make sure they understand the importance of having someone from the Himmel Empire by your side! No, I''ll make sure that I''m by your side! Who knows how many flings you would have in the Lantis Republic?!" "Do you trust me that little?" A soft chuckled tickled the maiden''s ears. Just like Kanari, Shin''s switch had been turned on, and he tucked the girl down from his lap and closer to his torso. His left hand on her back and his right hand stroking her neck, Shin whispered. "I promised you that I''m exclusively yours in the mortal realm. Don''t you forget that." "Hehe¡­ I won''t." Everything was perfect. Once Shin took that one month to recover, he would set sail to the Lantis Archipelago, where he would train to become a dozen times stronger. With Kanari by his side, there wouldn''t be any loneliness or dread for the foreign land. He would undergo the baptism of the Celestial River, breakthrough into the Spirit Spectre realm, and become strong enough to participate in the Payirci raids to save the world from the Black Masks. "Excuse me, Mistress Kanari. You have guests." All of a sudden, the familiar female butler of Kanari''s climbed out of the shadows. The two in-heat teenagers were instantly snapped out of their stupor, and Kanari leapt out of Shin''s wheelchair, slapping her robes while dry-coughing to hide her reddened face. "O-Okay. Shin, stay here for a while. I''ll go and receive them." Since Shin was bound to his chair, Kanari was the one that fled the garden, leaving him alone in the awkward air to deal with the female butler. They say that silence kills. A minute has passed, and the woman barely blinked while retaining her deadly stare on the young man. Shin flinched twice before finally caving in. "How¡­ How long have you''ve been watching?" "From the beginning." ''A voyeur?'' Shin cried internally, even though he knew that it wasn''t the case. At that moment, Shin wanted to find a hole to hide his entire body in, not that it would help since the butler could just wring him out. And so, Shin waited patiently for five minutes in terrifying silence, until Kanari returned with two familiar faces. "Latina! Natalie! You''re here!" The two ladies from the Moon Mercenaries in Huuring City waddled through the narrow pathways of the mansion and made their way in front of Shin. "Young hero Shin, I''m glad that you''re recovering." Natalie was the first to bow. Latina, on the other hand, broke all forms of propriety and jumped right towards the disabled young man. "Are you okay, Brother Shin?" "Yeah, I never felt better!" A lie, of course. Shin just didn''t want to worry the young girl too much. "I just need to rest up for a while. Anyway, don''t you live in Huuring City? Did you take the long trip here just to see me?" "No. We were brought here with you." Natalie corrected Shin''s misunderstandings. "The Alliance said that we were pivotal in finding the Payirci and uncovering the plot of the Black Masks, so they''re offering us a new life in the Himmel Empire. I would get a job in the Alliance, while Latina would go through proper schooling. As much as I like the mercenary lifestyle, ultimately a safe place, away from those dreadful things, would be best suited for Latina''s development." The middle-aged woman gently laughed while her hands continuously touched Latina''s hair. Her gaze was soothing and motherly. It reminded Shin of Lady Seph''s own touch. ''She really cares for Latina¡­'' Shin thought. It was rare to have someone love a child that wasn''t their own flesh and blood this much. "Right! Latina, I almost forgot! I promised that I would find your father!" Speaking of flesh and blood, Shin remembered his deal with the petite mercenary. "Thank goodness¡­ You remembered..." Latina covered her soft chest, breathing out a sigh of relief. She was worried that Shin would have forgotten and reneged on his promise. "Of course, I would! Ah, come to think of it, I never asked for his name." Latina smiled. "My father''s name is Garland Mull! And honestly, he''s quite hard to miss. My father has a large star mark covering his left eye! He also goes by the name of Star Face! Have you heard of him?" ~~~ End of Book 8 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 409 End of Book 8 & Authors Thoughts PS: Before we start this, do note that this author''s thoughts is my longest yet. There''s a lot to explain and I tried to be concise, but it still ended up being this long. If you don''t have time, I''m sure you could skip it, but there are a tonne of important points I wrote here. So yeah, read at your own discretion. Oh, and I''ll be taking a break for one week. I''ll resume posting on the 8th of July! WHATSUP!!! Linodo here! Did you enjoy the end of ACT TWO?! Yeap! The end of book 8 marks the end of Act II. Wow, how fast did time fly? I had begun writing Spirit Immortal over a year ago and I would have never imagined that we would have reached this stage. I''d always thought that I would drop the novel since I had other obligations and I would be lying if I didn''t say I was tempted to for many parts of my short author life. But here we all are! One year since I first wrote my first word for Spirit Immortal. Round of applause for me!!! Hehe~ Before I get into the theme of Act II and whatever, there''s something I want to ask all of you¡­ HOW WAS THE CLIFFHANGER?! Hehe, were you shocked? Remember at the end of Book 7 I said something about the ending of Book 8 being something I planned long ago? Even before I came to write down Shin or Ariel? Yeah, so what I was referring to was the ULTIMATE CLIFFHANGER that I had planned. Latina''s father is actually STAR FACE! The same Star Face that was Shin''s first official kill!!! I wanted to write an arc where the main character, who had been broken down so many times throughout the story, finally picks himself up, becomes a monster with his skills, gets the girl and is almost ''invincible'' in the story. Only to be destroyed by a little girl, who was weaker than paper, just by a simple sentence. Not an enemy stronger than himself, not by someone smarter than himself. The person that would cause Shin the most pain, would be a simple girl, who had no power, money, intelligence whatsoever. And all with one line. I actually read the comments that people had speculated about Latina being Star Face''s daughter which honestly shocked me. I didn''t expect some of you guys to catch on that early on. I had even purposely written Latina''s age to switch between twelve in the early book and thirteen in the later parts of the book to mess with your heads. Since Star Face disappeared four years ago when Latina was nine, she would be thirteen when Shin met her. Nonetheless, kudos to you smartlings for figuring it out. You deserve a cookie! Rewind the clock a few years, back when I still read dozens of Wuxia novels a day from Wuxiaworld, Volarenovels and Gravitytales. No, you could even go further back to when I read exclusively Japanese web novels using Novelupdates. The days of Baka-Tsuki, Japtem and Yoraikun. Whenever I saw a protagonist kill off a random ''cannon fodder,'' I had always kept this thought in the back of my mind: ''Hey, doesn''t that guy/gal have a family? How could you just kill him off so easily like that?'' You see, humans are complex. Yes, there are evil people and many of them deserve death, but for the most part, not everyone should be killed off with a snap of someone else''s finger. They had an entire backstory, maybe a wife or two, and most importantly, killing someone is quite a tall deed to ask from a normal human being. Of course, as I continued down the path of an author, I''ve learnt that no one cares about a random nobody''s that only served to show how strong the protagonist is. So I tried to add my own form of cannon fodder in this book. Remember Winfred at the start of the book? His motivations were so paper thin that I nearly wanted to write him as a lustful pampered noble boy. However, Shin needed someone retarded to help show the audience, you guys, how much he had grown since the time skip. So I created him and killed him. At the snap of my fingers. But I really hated it. When I read Winfred back to myself, I thought to myself: ''Fuck, is there really someone that stupid to think with their crotch and go against two well-known geniuses? Could I add something more? Should I create a tragic backstory? Maybe he didn''t want to **** Kanari really and was serving someone higher?'' However, as many of you have read the comments in earlier chapters, people were telling me not to go in depth in writing side-characters or cannon fodder that no one would remember. Some have even accused me of using it to lengthen the novel. In certain aspects, writing more about the world surrounding Shin does help me with the word count, but that''s not the main draw. I write more about the side characters, I write more about the world, to hopefully make the Spirit Immortal universe a more vibrant place. Take Gawil Jefferson, the Watkin Murderer in Book 2 for example. His purpose was to help an innocent ten-year-old Shin learn more about the world outside of Frie Mountain and to understand that the world isn''t always black or white. Danroy, Suji and even Kanari to a certain extent in Book 5. They were there to help show that the universe around Shin doesn''t revolve solely around him. Danroy, though privileged by any measure of the word, has been dealing with his own set of issues. Suji and Kanari were no exception. Kanari''s arc begun as her being this perfect superhuman that everyone likes. However, as the world begins to thicken, you''ll peek behind the curtains only to see a flawed human being, just like how every person in this world is. And thus, it leads me to the theme of Act II. Growth. Or to be more precise, how growth affects someone and what lengths would one go for growth? Let me ask you this question. I just want you to pause whatever you''re doing and think long and hard about this¡­ Shin in chapter one and Shin now... Is he the same Shin? Of course, he isn''t! Shin in chapter one is a lazy slob that doesn''t even wake up in the mornings. He hates working out, he never takes initiative¡­ Wow, he really sounds like the current me¡­ Anyway, that''s not the point! When I wrote him that way, I''m sure many hated how lazy and weak he was. Shin always was the damsel in distress and he wasn''t really ''likeable.'' However, there''s a reason why I wrote him that way. One word. Growth. I got bored of reading reincarnated geniuses who were perfect from day one. I wanted to write a main character that was flawed, lazy and idiotic. However, over the books, Shin''s power as well as his character, has grown tremendously. Of course, I had to add potential in him so that the readers, you guys, would be interested to see his future, so I added hints of his talents all throughout the early books. In Book 1, Shin was first introduced. He was lazy with a little character. Sometimes he was whiny, sometimes he was stupid. Most importantly of all, he lacked imagination. Learning about his own ability, Shin could only think of making water spheres with it. No direction in life with no clue on how he was to progress. In Book 2, Shin became a healer. His character back then was non-confrontational and he would never stand up for himself, needing Ariel or the Instructor to pick up in his stead. So his early relationships with Lady Seph were rather one-sided and a healer was the best route for him back then. In Book 3, Shin continued on one the healing path and was brought to Aldrich''s Keep. There, he failed to save his very first patient, Ronlen. That taught him that life was fragile and he learned to love his immediate family even more. In Book 4, this was where his character makes the most growth. Shin learns of Junius'' disappearance and goes ballistic. After learning the value of life, he despised the Elders in the Frie Clan for ignoring Junius and cuts off contact, searching for Junius all by himself. Later in the book, he learns about the truth of the Frie and Awter Clan and his mind is sent in a disarray. Shin now hates the Frie Clan, but he doesn''t know where to direct his hate to because of how detached he was to the Awter Clan. Then, of course, the dreaded Ariel''s death. Shin became devastated by the death and it changed the course of his life, quite literally like nothing that happened before. In Book 5, Shin attended the academy while leaving behind Frie Mountain with two new objectives. Bringing Junius to justice, and becoming a Spirit Immortal. The now lazy Shin had turned into a hard-working monster that would bleed from all of his pores if it meant improving himself. And he also met the new characters that would help shape him in future arcs. In Book 6, Shin goes to the Land of Dreams in pursuit of Junius and killed his first person, Star Face. That placed him on a trajectory of no return. Now, to pursue his dreams and to grow, Shin was willing to claim another soul. In Book 7, Shin was brought to the Summit. There he learnt to be confident in himself and it could be seen where he stood up to the Spirit Saints and fought ardently in the battle with Lukman. Finally, in Book 8, I finally get to write the ''perfect Shin'' that everyone has been asking for. His abilities have now matured and he would dominate almost anyone that dared to step in the ring with him. He''s now nothing like the Book 1 Shin. Shin would kill if need be and has done so multiple times, shown when he killed Winfred, Craig and Susan without thinking about the blood being shed. Book 8 Shin would do everything ''perfectly.'' He would fight for what he wants to protect and isn''t stupid enough to fight Junius when he was outnumbered and outmatched. But then¡­ Even though Shin was so overpowered, even though he was perfect¡­ He couldn''t escape his own mistakes. Now that he learnt that he killed Latina''s father, how would Shin continue to grow in the next book? Would he be discouraged to kill to grow anymore? He wanted to execute Junius with his own hands, but is that the case anymore? There are so many more points where Shin can grow and I''m not done developing this character. Heck, I''m not even done developing this world and it has been over 800,000 words! I said the theme of Act II is growth, and that''s a partial lie. Growth has happened and will continue to happen throughout this entire novel. To keep it as short as I possibly could, I had skimmed through a lot of details so I hope that you''ll interpret it for yourselves. Things like Kanari''s love arc, Junius'' yandere arc, the introduction of the Payirci¡­ There are so many things that I would love to discuss but this post is really getting too long. It''s already at the length of my average chapter! Oh, but before I leave, I will give you the title of the next book, to add on to the ultimate cliffhanger that I made. The next book would be titled, ''The Celestial River.'' So take that as you will. Thank you for supporting Spirit Immortal! I love ya faces! And I''ll see you next week! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 410 The Oath That Couldnst Be Fulfilled "W-What¡­ What did you say?" Shin sat up straight as if he was paralysed from the neck up. Blood drained from his face, and his complexion turned as pale as a sheet. Shin''s brain froze up, and pupils dilated. The three ladies in the garden blinked, perplexed that hearing Latina''s father''s name had caused Shin to be suspended in time. So, Latina asked: "Is there something wrong, Brother Shin?" The young girl was tempted to feel the forehead of the youth but ultimately held back. "Are you still feeling sick?" "No¡­ I''m¡­ I''m fine..." Shin shook his head as if in denial. "Please¡­ Tell me what your father''s name was again?" "Ah, his name is Garland Mull! I''m Latina Mull! He was a mercenary that disappeared four years ago¡­" Latina dropped her eyes while her face tightened. "I don''t know why he abandoned me, and I''m not sure if he really cares about me anymore¡­ But I do want some closure. Whether he''s alive or dead. I want to know so that I can get on with my life." That was Latina''s wish, and Shin''s promise to her. In exchange for bringing the seven young heroes around the Estrella Region, Shin would help Latina find her father, who had disappeared many years back. Back then, Shin felt that it was irresponsible for a mercenary to leave his child alone for months at a time, not to mention, leaving her for good. He had even theorised that Latina''s father had been one of the many casualties in the war against the Black Masks. Well, it looks like Shin wasn''t wrong after all. "S-Star¡­ F-Face..." Disjointed words sprung out of the wheelchair-bound youth''s mouth, and Kanari was worried that he was having a stroke. Reaching out, she asked: "What''s wrong, Shin? Do you need to lie down?" "Yeah, we can come back another time." Natalie was the first to propose a change of plans. "The matter with Latina''s father can wait. Garland has been gone for four years now. Waiting a few more days won''t change the outcome." "No¡­ I..." Shin knew of Star Face''s fate. He was personally there when the mercenary killed himself and his partner Cyphia. But there was one caveat¡­ Shin was the one that forced them to die. He should tell Latina. No, he must. But each time he tried to talk, the words failed to roll out his tongue. Shin''s heart felt like it was about to burst, and his face was beet red with fear and anxiety. Cold sweat dripped out from his pores even though he wasn''t physically active. This was a foreign feeling to Shin. His vocal cords closed and his lips started to dry. Heaving out large breaths, the young man turned asthmatic in a matter of seconds and was on the verge of collapsing "Shin! What''s going on?" Kanari cried out. She didn''t understand why Shin was behaving in this manner. "Young hero, are you feeling alright?!" "Brother Shin! What happened?!" Latina and Natalie both rushed forward, their voices overlapping with one another. At that moment, Shin saw a horrifying vision. Latina''s small and harmless body had turned into a monstrous figure, one that was no weaker than the Payirci. It was akin to staring into death''s bottomless pit itself. Shin wanted no part of it anymore. "Please¡­ Just leave me for a while¡­" begged Shin. "Er¡­ Ah, Claudia! Please escort the two of them to the waiting room." The first one to react was Kanari. She asked her butler to move the two mercenaries to another place while she rolled Shin''s wheelchair away. Something was amiss. The young man never acted in this manner before. Latina and Natalie blinked and ultimately followed the guiding hand far away from the lush garden, giving Shin some needed time to gather his thoughts. He stared up into the vast infinite blue sky, his eyes glistening along with the suns potent rays. "Garland Mull¡­ Star Face¡­ Four years¡­ Mercenary¡­ I should have seen the link ages ago..." "What''s wrong?" Kanari heard Shin''s soft mutter and crouched down right before him. Shin sighed. There was no point in hiding it. "Latina''s father¡­ Star Face¡­ He was the one I forced into suicide four years back in the Land of Dreams." "Latina''s father is what?!" An exasperated cry, no an agitated scream turned the garden upside down. Kanari''s face and dropped jaws were frozen in place. She didn''t know how to react to Shin''s statement. Then, she recalled the day where she came to Shin''s room to deliver a care package. Back then, Shin did recount his experience where two mercenaries that had allied with the Black Masks took their own lives and blamed Shin for their deaths. Kanari had even opened up about the first time she killed another soul, just to ease Shin''s tensed heart. "They¡­ She..." Pointing the finger to the exit, Kanari was rendered into the same state as Shin. How vast was this world? Billions of acres and billions of people. So why? Why was Latina''s father Star Face? Couldn''t the heavens have picked a random sellsword that perished in a faraway land? Why was it Star Face? "I¡­ Have to tell her..." a weak voice blurted out. Shin was shivering from head to toe, and his eyes could barely see. He didn''t want to break the news. Shin didn''t want to tell Latina that the big brother she could depend on, the one that brought her all the way out from Huuring City, was the same person that killed her father. Furthermore, Shin didn''t want to face the truth. He robbed Latina of a happy life. He was the reason why Latina had to leave her village and work tirelessly as a mercenary. He was the one that took Latina''s father away from her, and it was a mistake that could never be remedied. "Shin..." "I¡­ must tell her..." That was his promise to Latina. It was his oath that had to be fulfilled. What was worse? Keeping Latina in the dark forever only to have her find out by other means? Even if Shin did manage to lie to Latina, there was no lying to himself. The guilt that he buried would continue to eat into his heart, and every time he saw Latina in the future with a clueless face, Shin would feel the urge to bang his head against the wall. "Ask them to come back..." Weakly¡­ Sadly¡­ Shin requested. He didn''t want to do this, but he had to. "Shin, we can always sort this out later. Take some time to recov-" "No, this cannot wait!" Shin screamed, jerking Kanari''s head back a few centimetres. "If we wait, I might be tempted to lie. I must tell her the truth. I must tell her everything now..." It was enticing. Lying from his teeth to save himself the guilt and embarrassment that was to come. However, Shin knew that it wasn''t the right thing to do. The soft footsteps of Latina creaked the bamboo floor, waking Shin up from his dazed state. It was fully lit in the lush garden, but Shin felt like night had arrived. Latina was a hundred and fifty centimetres tall. Her new garments were luxurious, probably a generous gift from Elrin to doll her up as she made herself known in the Capital. She was gaunt and her complexion a little haggard. Though she had been eating well for the past few weeks, a couple of good meals a day couldn''t change a poorly nourished body overnight. Latina didn''t have everything in the Moon Mercenaries. Even less before Natalie found her and brought her in. Money was tight, and the food wasn''t clean. Huuring City was hardly a place to raise a child. Nonetheless, Latina persevered. She persevered and survived. But why was she put into that position in the first place? Wasn''t it because of the disappearance of her father? So what if Shin gave Latina a better life, a life that she could have never dreamt before? He still robbed her of the one kin she had in the world. "Latina¡­ Sit down. I have something to tell you." Shin''s fingers were still trembling. His face was ghostly pale, and his teeth were holding back its chattering. "W-What is it?" Latina could tell that something was amiss. Shin''s gaze towards her had turned from one of affection to one of pure fear. She felt like Shin was a rabbit begging not to be killed before a dinner table. Kanari had the same expression. Both her eyes were closed and her fists, clenched. She couldn''t bear to see the aftermath of Shin''s decision. "Latina¡­ Your father¡­ Star Face¡­ He''s dead." "Oh." A straightforward answer. That was the only response that Latina could give Shin. If Latina was honest with herself, she half-anticipated that her father had passed on. Star Face may have been a bad parent who was almost always absent, but he had always come back for that few months to spend some time with her. He had even placed living expenses in her hands before leaving for extended periods. "So¡­ My father is actually dead..." Not knowing why Latina''s eyes started to mist. Her vision was blurred, and her throat dried up. There were thousands of thoughts going into Latina''s mind at this moment. Memories of her father teaching her how to start a fire, the first time he brought home a wild boar for cooking, and the time he wailed when her mother died. Back then, Latina really felt that it was her father and her against the world. Now¡­ She was all alone. ''No, I have been alone¡­ I have been alone since father disappeared.'' Latina teared up. Though she wasn''t about to let her emotions take control of her. She was now thirteen-years-old. She had been hustling in the ''real world'' for four years now. Latina knew how to handle herself. However, Shin was just about to break the girl''s composure with another truth bomb. "There is one more thing." Shin gulped. With all eyes on him, he couldn''t back out now. "I was the one who killed him. I killed Star Face, your father." "!!!" Latina and Natalie stopped their movements as if they had been suspended in time. They both knew Star Face personally and didn''t understand how he could have gotten embroiled in a situation that would pit him against the Prince of Water, one of the most accoladed youths of modern times. Also¡­ They didn''t understand why Shin would have possibly killed him. "W-What¡­ W-What do you mean?" Instantly, Latina became more distant. At least in the eyes of Shin. Her posture changed, and her expression stiffened up. There was a little trepidation in Latina''s gaze, and she hunched towards her left, hoping to gain some distance between Shin and herself. "Your father¡­ Garland Mull. Worked with the Black Masks and was partly responsible for the massacre in the Land of Dreams. I was in the Land of Dreams chasing Junius, the Blade of Death and I saw him interacting with your father. So I tried to detain him for questioning but..." Shin inhaled once, his shoulders tightening. "He chose to die right before my eyes. Star Face¡­ Took his own life. He would rather perish than surrender." "M-My father¡­ worked with the Black Masks?! He was responsible for the massacre in the Land of Dreams?" Latina let out a repetitive cry. She had no idea how she should react. "You¡­ saw him die?" "I couldn''t stop it even if I wanted to." Silence. What a strong word that was. Shin like his soul was being consumed by the quiet atmosphere as Latina looked down onto the grassy patch of land under her. Kanari and Natalie stood by, silent as well. This was a matter between Shin and Latina, it wasn''t their place to jump in. "Can I¡­ visit his grave?" Latina looked up, her eyes wholly bloodshot and thick gelatinous fluids flowed down from her nose. "..." This time, it was Shin''s turn to be speechless. There was no grave for Star Face. In fact, due to the threat of the World Serpent back then, Shin didn''t have to luxury to reclaim the bodies for cremation. Most likely, the corpses had been consumed by wild animals and had long decomposed back into the soil. "You didn''t even bury him?" That one sentence broke Shin. That stare of derision. Those trembling lips. Those flared-up nostrils. It was a scene that Shin would never forget. "Latina, I..." "No¡­ I''m sorry." The young girl stood up. She couldn''t look Shin in the eye anymore. Turning her head around, Latina cried out. "I have to go." There wasn''t a goodbye. She didn''t even call out Shin''s name. Latina just left. She didn''t care that she was in another person''s house. Latina ran and ran until she was out of sight. Shin felt his soul sink deeper, and his heart break into a million pieces. The hurt, the pain that he was sustaining¡­ It must be ten times worse for Latina. ''I¡­ What have I done?'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, Chapter 411 Forgiveness 1 Latina''s quick movements were unexpected, even for Natalie, who had known her since she was barely able to walk. Shin''s revelation was too much for her poor heart to bear. Latina respected Shin, adored him and adulated him almost. He was the Prince of Water, the eternal shining knight that was sent to bring down the darkness and to bring her out from the shithole that she was in. However, Shin was also the man who killed Latina''s father. How was she supposed to react? Swear to avenge her father? The protection detail around Shin would never let that happen. Forgive her father''s murderer? Latina wasn''t nearly as composed or mature enough to even fathom that possibility. So, what could she do? Nothing¡­ That was her conclusion. Running away was a good start. Latina wanted nothing to do with Shin anymore. She needed to find a place to settle and compose herself, preferably in a place where Shin couldn''t reach. It was an innocent and naive mindset, but what else could she do? Latina was a thirteen-year-old in a foreign land, with no support to back her up. She had Natalie, the one person who cared for her, but even the seasoned mercenary was subjected to the whims of the Himmel Empire and the Alliance, who were deeply tied with Shin. "Young hero Shin..." Natalie closed her eyes. She didn''t want to believe it. Star Face was a good friend of hers. They shared drinks together and fought on the battlefield multiple times. They may not be related by blood, but their bonds were thicker than any brother-sister relationship. Her eyes began to sweat as she desperately tried to hold back her wrath. No matter what, Shin was an influential figure in the Himmel Empire. Natalie couldn''t bear the consequences of crossing him. "Is it true?" "Senior Natalie, I..." "DON''T CALL ME THAT!!!" Natalie thought that she was calm, but it was hard. Standing next to the person who killed a man, she considered her friend and the father of her most precious protege. She wanted to place both her hands around Shin''s neck, but Kanari and her butler, Claudia, were staring her down. "I''m sorry¡­ I..." "No, I understand." Shin sat still, not moving a single muscle. He deserved all the reprimand that Natalie and Latina had. If he were standing next to Junius, who had murdered Ariel, Lily and Linus right before his eyes, Shin would possibly react more negatively. Nonetheless, that didn''t stop his heart from sinking. He wasn''t used to being the bad guy. Many people hated him, but they were mostly just jealous of his talents and position. Additionally, there wasn''t any legitimate reason for someone to burn with rage when it comes to Shin. This matter, on the other hand, was a completely different ballpark. Shin killed Latina''s father, murdered Natalie''s friend. They had every right to seethe from their teeth and ready their arms to get revenge. It was something that Shin couldn''t stand. "Please¡­ I..." The last few words couldn''t roll out his tongue. I had to kill him. He was part of the Black Masks. Star Face was colluding with the villains. All those were undeniable facts, but the underlying truth still remained. Shin was the one who killed Star Face and his companion, Cyphia. So what if Star Face was terrible? Shin still killed him. Natalie asked why... She wondered why... She wondered why... Why was it Shin who killed Star Face? And she couldn''t come up with an answer. So, just like Latina before her, Natalie did the only thing that she could do. "Excuse me." She ran away. Natalie was a veteran. She had embraced comrades as they breathed their last and she kissed death on the nose multiple times while on missions. However, she had never had to cope with the death of a friend without having the ability to scream at his killer. Natalie could curse privately. She could pray to the heavens that Shin would get his own form of retribution. But she couldn''t scold him out in public, right at his face. In fact, due to Shin''s lofty position, Natalie might have to bend down to him and praise the youth like everyone else. It was a thought that she couldn''t stand. So, she could barely imagine what was going through Latina''s head. Shin''s eyelids twitched rapidly. No one stopped Natalie from running out of the verdant garden in chase of her pupil, and no one would. The young man, who was still stuck in a wheelchair,tapped his two fingers on the armrest, as his chest started to hurt. It felt like a bottomless void had opened up, and nothing could ever fill it up. What could he say? What should he say? How was he going to interact with the two ladies in the future? He killed Star Face¡­ He killed Star Face¡­ Shin felt his two hands turn heavy. Rotating his palms, Shin started to see visions of fresh crimson liquid staining his two hands. The memories of all the dead men and women he massacred began to emerge in his mind. Craig and Susan. The two Vaishyas that he had pierced the Spear of Visam through and left to die were the first to come to mind. Their petrified faces, ashen white dyed with mossy green poison. They weren''t even an afterthought for Shin. He killed them and immediately went on to combat the rest in their fight. What if they were like Star Face? What if Craig and Susan had children hiding deep somewhere and they won''t have the chance to meet their parents anymore? What if¡­ Shin caused another Latina to become orphaned? Not just them. Winfred from Huuring City. Shin killed him too. Winfred tried to murder them and **** Kanari. He deserved to die. But what if he had a child as well? Was there yet another Latina? Slowly, all of the faces that Shin had killed throughout his time started to surface. They say after the first kill, the job gets easier. And to a certain extent, it did. Shin didn''t feel the same amount of guilt when killing another person. However, nothing gets bottled up forever. Like an opened floodgate, all of their faces. Their expressions as they died. The look of horror they shot Shin. Some had begged for their lives, while others just accepted death willingly. However, Shin still killed them all without mercy. He killed, no he murdered them all. Shin thought that he was merciful by giving them a quick death, but honestly, what was merciful about death at all? Some of the people he killed were unidentifiable, due to the Black Masks that hid their faces. Still, the toll of their death continued to weigh on Shin''s weak hands. What if they had families? What if they had friends that couldn''t bear to see them go? Shin didn''t even bury half of those he killed, perhaps more since the majority of them were Black Masks who self-detonated or Dalits that had lost their minds. ''I shall curse you, brat! Even in death, I will continue to haunt your dreams! Remember these names, Cyphia Dandrea and Garland Mull!!! These are the names of the ones you murdered today!!!'' Those were the final words of Star Face, Latina''s father. Shin couldn''t even bear to repeat those words back to the poor little girl, who was wholly innocent in this entire ordeal. Shin told Latina that he was responsible for her father''s death, but there was no way that he was going to tell her Star Face''s final words. Death¡­ Death¡­ Death¡­ Death was nothing but¡­ A toll for the living. Shin no longer could bear the psychological burden on his two arms. There was nothing sane about his killings. He thought that they were just, but they weren''t. Eventually, the lush garden turned blur, and his head started to drop. The worried voices of Kanari and Claudia could be heard, but they were slowly being silenced. It was mortifying. Reality that is. So¡­ Shin retreated to the world of dreams. ??? Four hours had passed since Latina and Natalie stormed out of Lady Seph''s abode. The late afternoon turned into a dark blanket of sky. The moon was a crescent, thin and sharp as a blade of a knife. The howling of the rapid mountain winds pushed the glass windows of the mansion, shaking the narrow openings, creating a horrible atmosphere for one to catch some shut-eye. Nonetheless, Shin still slept. Laid still on his comfy bed, Shin barely moved a muscle after passing out in the gardens. Dozens of prominent men and women gathered in the vast mansion, the moment they heard the news. The Prince of Water, the hero that sacrificed his own body to take down a Payirci, had actually passed out once again? Many members of High Society rushed back to Lady Seph''s abode with gifts, but the majority were weeded out by the Spirit Venerate herself. Shin had no need for fair-weather acquaintances. "Is he still sleeping?" Principal Erudito asked. He was one of the few that were allowed to pass through the gates of the mansion. "Yes¡­ Yes, he is," replied Kanari. She was the only one who was present when the young man fainted and had been nursing him ever since. After giving her hourly report, Kanari would return to Shin''s bedside. "He hasn''t reacted once to my calls. Lady Seph said that there''s nothing wrong with his body, so it must be solely psychological. There''s nothing that we can do." Ale mugs slammed on the table as the dozens of esteemed cultivators cursed their helplessness. They had gathered here with gifts to nourish the body, but who could have guessed that Shin suffered a blow to the soul. There wasn''t any chicken soup that could heal that. Only the man himself could heal his wretched mind. "..." Meijing Bingying and the members from the Lantis Republic remained silent. Just like Kanari and Lady Seph, they wanted to be there for the youth, assisting him in any health-related issues. Shin was a talent with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon and a potential Spirit Saint in the making. Nothing bad must come of the boy. "You said that the cause of his coma is two mercenaries?" Bingying tapped her feet, ready to vent out at the ladies that caused her brother that much pain. "Please do not do anything to them." Kanari saw the dangerous glint in Bingying''s eyes and immediately went into damage control. "They''re innocent¡­ What happened to Shin is just¡­ Pure bad luck. If you harm them, Shin would never forgive you. No, he might even sustain an even larger blow." Finding out that he had killed Latina''s father was already a life-altering punch to the gut. If Shin found out that his friends had targeted Latina to get revenge for him¡­ Just thinking about the consequences gave Kanari the shivers. "... Fine, I''ll abstain." Bingying raised both her hands up in surrender. Everyone here had Shin''s best interests in mind. There was no need to overtly argue. Kanari watched as the Pearl in the East bite on her long fingernails. She''s nervous, Kanari thought. Just like herself, Bingying cared deeply for Shin. In the four years they spent together, the Witch of the South and the Pearl in the East didn''t get along much. Kanari saw Bingying as a person that had come to take Shin away, and that wasn''t disputable. When their term as students of Imperius Academy came to an end, Shin would be leaving with Bingying to the Lantis Republic for five long years. It was a time that Kanari dreaded. However, now that Shin had proposed that they went together, the young maiden''s mindset did a one-eighty turn. "Senior Bingying¡­ I do have something to discuss with you." "What is it?" "I think¡­ Shin should move to the Lantis Republic after he''s recovered from his wounds." Kanari dropped the bombshell that stunned everyone in the audience hall. The orphans, Principal Erudito, the seven young heroes and even the members of the Lantis Republic. Only Lady Seph, who sat quietly on the middle seat of the chambers, watched on with sparkling interest. "What makes you say that?" "Before he collapsed¡­ Shin told me that he had the idea to leave." Kanari was brutally honest. "Shin told me that he wanted to grow, and staying in the Himmel Empire has stagnated that growth. He wanted to become strong enough to face Spirit Lords and Kings. He wanted to become more powerful than anyone in his generation. Also..." The young maiden gulped twice. "I think that it''s good for him to have a new place to rebuild his life." "..." The room went silent. Though everyone didn''t know the details, they did know that Shin''s life had been tragic in the Himmel Empire. "There are so many bad memories in the Himmel Empire for Shin. Moving to a new place might help reset his life and give him a more conducive place to develop." That was Kanari''s true feelings. "That''s really big of you..." For the first time, Bingying walked towards Kanari and gave her a firm embrace. The two great beauties had never interacted in this manner before. "I know how much you like him, and I know about¡­ Your relationship. So, it''s courageous of you to give him up for the greater good." "Give him up? What are you talking about?" Kanari pushed the sky-blue haired beauty away, wrinkling her forehead in the process. Likewise, everyone else in the chambers shared the same confused expression. After two seconds, Kanari understood that there had been some sort of misunderstanding, so she smiled. "Ah, I should have started out with this¡­ I''m coming with him to the Lantis Republic." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 412 Forgiveness 2 "You want to follow him to the Lantis Republic?!" Bingying couldn''t hold back her scream, and she wasn''t the only one. Everyone else in the audience hall gasped at the ludicrous notion. Kanari was the heir to the Highgarden Duchy. Some even regarded her as the future of the Himmel Empire. After all, the Imperial Ancestor hiding in the Royal Palace wasn''t immortal. Eventually, his last light would flicker away, giving the other two superpowers the incentive to strike the Empire. For safety, many in High Society looked to their future prospects, and Kanari was by far the most promising. A Spirit Spectre before she hit twenty-one. A rare prodigy with control over three elements. Valedictorian of Imperius Academy for five consecutive years, even with Shin, whom many regarded to be the most valuable youngster of his generation, hot on her heels. Kanari was by no means inferior to Shin and her value to the Himmel Empire couldn''t be accounted for with gold or silver. So, why would anyone send her away? To a rivalling superpower no less. "Yes, I do," replied Kanari. "Shin told me to follow him there, so I will." For a moment there, Kanari blurted out her true feelings. However, after blushing and coughing twice, the young maiden elaborated. "I mean, just like how the Lantis Republic sent you, the Himmel Empire should send someone to monitor Shin, right? By far, I''m the best choice. I''m sure the Imperial Courts would agree with that." "You..." Bingying didn''t have the words to rebut Kanari. She was right. If the Lantis Republic could send someone to keep an eye on Shin, the Himmel Empire could do the same. However, having a girl that Shin was already romantically involved in, accompany him to a place where Longyu Tian had already set up numerous honey traps to keep him tied to the Longyu Clan, didn''t seem smart. "Hahaha! You''re absolutely right!" Lady Seph bellowed out in laughter. Looks like her disciple was quite the heartthrob, to be able to force Kanari to her knees and to be completely smitten with him. "Shin needs to have someone to keep him company in the Lantis Republic. So, I should be given free rein to travel there as well, right?" "Wait, Lady Seph?!" The Pearl in the East immediately waved her hands in fright. Kanari joining was one thing, but if the temperamental Spirit Venerate were to join Shin in his adventures, there was no telling what damage the Lantis Republic might sustain. Her intricate demands and overbearing attitude that didn''t care about the face of others was a nightmare for the Himmel Empire, let alone the Lantis Republic. "What''s the matter? Can''t I follow my disciple around?" Bingying felt the pressure of Lady Seph''s stare, forcing her to gulp a mouthful of saliva. "O-Of course you can. However, w-we should inform the High Council first..." The Pearl in the East, one of the most influential figures of her generation, now had to hide behind the administration that ran the entire Lantis Republic. "Yeah, you do that. Oh, I''m going to bring the rest of Shin''s family and some of my subordinates along, so do account for that. Also, I want to have a five-acre mansion, preferably away from the cities. It would be good if there are a laboratory and a library to help with my research too. I''ll hand you a list later on." Kanari''s declaration had opened the floodgates for Lady Seph to lay down her demands. The Divine Healer didn''t feel anything for the Himmel Empire anyway. So long as Shin is safe and she could continue with her research, Lady Seph was capable of settling anywhere. "..." What was Bingying supposed to say? Decline the Divine Healer, the woman who Shin treated like a mother? Begrudgingly, the young Lantis Republic maiden laid down her hands and retreated back to her chair. She couldn''t stand in the limelight anymore. God knows how many more demands would come up from the audience hall. Tap! Tap! Tap! Fortunately, she didn''t have to wait for long. Big hurried steps echoed throughout the hallways. A teenage girl, who looked no older than eighteen, jumped out into the open, wiping away the sweat off her bright face. Elyse had grown tremendously throughout the five years in the Capital. She tied up her sapphire hair in a spade ponytail, giving some ventilation to her thin and delicate neck. She lacked the substantial chest that some of her peers had, but she made up for it with her streamlined body, which made it great for her to use her favoured wind-dagger Spirit. Though, at this moment, it allowed her to traverse great distances to act as a messenger. "Brother Shin woke up!" Elyse hollered, bringing everyone to their feet. "How is he?" Lady Seph was the first to ask. "Barely awake¡­ He''s still rather dazed." The young teenager dropped her eyes, not wanting to meet the eyelines of anyone in the chambers. They were waiting for the good news that Shin would be okay. Alas, good news doesn''t come that often. Shin was awake, but he wasn''t of sound mind. How could he be? The visitors all let out a collective sigh. Many wanted to move into the private quarters to inspect the young man. However, Lady Seph wasn''t about to crowd her disciple''s room when he needed to rest. "All of you stay here." The blonde healer waved her hands, silencing the crowd. Especially Kanari, who had both her hands tied up in prayer, displaying the same moppy eyes as an abandoned puppy. Nonetheless, Lady Seph remained firm on her decision. "I''ll check on him alone." Lady Seph pivoted her heels and sped rapidly down the hallways. Every second count. Who knew if Shin were to enter a coma yet again. There was pin-drop silence in the audience hall. Bitter smiles and shaking lips dominated the faces of the visitors, giving an air of awkwardness rarely found anywhere in the Empire. The bronzed-face scholar was the first to break the ice. "Since Shin has come out from his coma, I think it would be best for us to leave." Principal Erudito looked back at Madam Warulee and Vice-Principal Hirda, seeking some assistance to make an elegant retreat. "That''s right. Please give him our regards." Vice-Principal Hirda carried the basket of rare fruits and handed it over to Kanari, who was still biting her nails out of worry. "A small token¡­ Also..." The middle-aged woman leaned in and breathed into the maiden''s ear. "I hope that you''ll at least graduate from the academy. We can arrange a special ceremony for the few of you." "That¡­ Thank you." Kanari''s eyes widened for a bit, before finally settling down with a glimpse of warmth. Truth to be told, there wasn''t anything left for Imperius Academy to teach the two geniuses. Spending their final year in the institution would just serve as a buffer period where the pair would flirt before Shin left. Though, knowing Shin and his desire to take down the Black Masks, it was highly doubtful that the Black-Haired Tyrant would stay still for a full year. The ravens of the night cried out while the delegation from Imperius Academy made their departure. It was a serene night with no clouds in sight. Rarely has there been a full blanket of stars in the Capital, where light in the night was rampant. ''Perhaps it was a sign of good things to come'', Hirda thought. ''Nah, I shouldn''t get ahead of myself. Let''s just hope that Shin comes out of this ordeal a more complete man¡­'' ??? "Shin! Shin!" Unlike the tranquillity of the night, Shin''s personal chamber was a loud chicken coop with one squawking woman sending deafening shrieks in his direction. Broken out of his sleepiness, Shin''s vision started to clear, and the world turned coherent. The gorgeously laid-out flowers and the beautiful face of a blonde, white-robed lady came into view. "M-Ma-Master?" Shin spoke his first words since awakening. "Shin! You''re finally responding!" A loud thud echoed inside of Shin''s dazed head as Lady Seph pulled Shin into her embrace. When they first met, Shin was far smaller than Lady Seph. His head barely reached the top of her waist, while his lean body was far from capable of dealing with her hugs. Now, Shin was about half a head taller than Lady Seph, as it was the blonde beauty''s turn to be injured by their hugs. Though it was an emotional moment, Lady Seph still remained professional and checked every corner of Shin''s iron-clad body. Every single muscle molecule was tested and her spiritual sense pierced through all facets of his immune system and mana circuits. Taking a moment to examine the young Adonis, Lady Seph finally let out a massive sigh of relief, when she found out that there was nothing malfunctioning internally. So, here comes the primary problem. The Divine Healer had to deal with the mental wound that Shin had sustained. "How are you feeling?" They had been through thick and thin. Lady Seph was there when Shin had been kicked out from Frie Mountain and when Junius sent out the order to murder Ariel. Lady Seph had been there when Shin was at his best, and when he was at his lowest. She knew what to expect because she had been in this situation before. Also, what good was a Divine Healer if she couldn''t even treat psychological wounds? "Master¡­ I¡­ Killed Latina''s father." Shin didn''t even bother to lie. He just confessed to everything straight away. "So I''ve heard." Lady Seph shuffled her soft buttocks closer and pulled Shin''s head onto her shoulders. "However, that''s just bad luck. Killing someone in the cultivation world is just the norm. Whenever there''s a winner, there will always be a loser. If you didn''t kill Latina''s father, he would have gone on to kill many more people. Worse still, what if he killed someone close to you, just like Junius did Ariel? You did the right thing that day. You shouldn''t blame yourself." "..." Those comforting words didn''t affect Shin in the slightest. He sat there, not crying. It felt like an empty hole had just opened up in his chest, and that emptiness couldn''t be filled. Neither by emotions or by comfort. "You know¡­ I''ve heard stories about her father from Latina." Tapping his fingers on the soft silken bed, Shin went on a tangent, perking Lady Seph''s ears up. "He had a hobby of crafting wood figurines. They would often go to the barn where Latina would watch him take a blade and turn a log into a man. He liked to eat wild boar meat. No, it was Latina who liked the gamey taste of wild boar. So, he would dive deep into the forest to hopefully find just one wild boar to cook for dinner. Sometimes, he would even come home after ten, when the sun is out and the cold of the night settles in. To fulfil his daughter''s request, the man would continue to hunt even when visibility is low." "What a silly man." Lady Seph laughed. "Silly man¡­ Perhaps that''s what you would call any father. Maybe mine was like that as well..." The corners of Shin''s lips crept up as well. He was raised without a father, without a mother. So he didn''t understand how parents reacted to their children. Were they all loving? Or were they indifferent? Shin didn''t know. "I grew up without parents, Latina grew up with one. He may have been gone for over half a year at a time, but he still loved and cared for her. Star Face¡­ No, Garland Mull. He was a proud father. A loving father¡­ And now, he''s a pile of bones decomposing somewhere that I can''t even locate." "Shin, it''s-" "I KNOW!!!" A cry. Or a plea for help? Shin didn''t know anymore. "I know all that! You think I hadn''t considered it?! Garland Mull had blood on his hands! If not for his assistance, perhaps the tragedy in the Land of Dreams would never have happened! If I let him go, thousands more may have died! Thousands of faces, each one with their own families, their own friends, their own hobbies! THOUSANDS! But right now, there''s just one face that matters to me..." Shin was broken. He didn''t know what to do. Latina''s crying face was plastered into his subconsciousness like a glued-on poster. No matter how hard he tried, the vision still remained. Craig, Susan, Winfred¡­ How many more of those he killed now had orphaned children because of him? How many more had to suffer because he killed without thinking? Shin didn''t know. Shin didn''t want to know. Because¡­ As he was right now¡­ ''I just want forgiveness...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 413 Forgiveness 3 The master-disciple pair sat alone in silence. The sheets under Shin began to turn moist as bitter beads of liquid water dripped out from his eyes. It wasn''t supposed to be like this. Shin was meant to take down the Black Masks, apprehend Junius and defeat the Allfather once and for all. Shin didn''t want to change the world. He didn''t want to become a hero. He didn''t even want all of the attention he was getting. Shin just wanted to avenge Ariel and protect those who were close to him. Is that so wrong? Why must the world punish him so? Lady Seph watched Shin self-deprecate himself. In the past, she had consoled him in the same manner when Ariel passed. It took Shin many years to pick himself up. Time managed to numb the pain a little, and when everything seemed to be going well for him, reality had to come hit him like a horse cart. Lady Seph wasn''t really a fighter and rarely was she ever called to the battlefield. The number of enemies she had slain could be counted with the fingers of her hands, and even then, it had affected her healer-heart tragically. Compared to Shin, Lady Seph had a far less body count. Thus, the Spirit Venerate couldn''t even begin to imagine how painful it must be, to carry the cross of a dozen souls when he was just twenty. Still, she couldn''t just sit back and do nothing. Shin felt his backhand being stroked, and the warmth of Lady Seph''s spiritual energy filled him up. "Shin, have I told you about the theory of evolution?" "You didn''t¡­ But I know of it," replied Shin. He wasn''t an ace student for nothing. Almost every book in Imperius Library had been flipped through, and every scroll scrutinised. Shin knew of things that most university undergraduates didn''t and could potentially challenge some of the postgraduates. Lady Seph smiled. "The theory of evolution states that all living beings, be it the birds or the bees. Humans or Spirit Beasts. They are all by-products of nature''s selection. Each gene had been specifically modified to create a perfect being for their time. Their genes would be passed down from generation to generation, keeping the best aspects for themselves while phasing out the worst. So a bird that possesses a gene to grow wings would pass that gene down to the next generation, and from there the next generation would continue to mutate based on the environment that they are in." "Uh huh..." The edges of Shin''s lips twitched. He didn''t understand why his master was bringing up the theory of evolution at this juncture, but he still listened in carefully. "This process has been happening for millions, no billions of years. Even before humans first walked the earth. Billions of years, Shin. Animals, no¡­ Any form of organisms. They have been struggling to evolve into higher beings for billions of years. Evolution¡­ This process is inherently ruthless and in some sense, completely fascinating. If you look at the world through the lens of an evolutionist, suddenly many things start to make sense." The researcher mind of Lady Seph took over as she continued to narrate her story. "To evolve, all organisms have the innate drive to leave behind progeny. That''s why humans have the desire to have sex. Humans exist to make other humans. They fight wars because they want to become better. They develop new tools because they want to improve their standard of living. And¡­ They kill because they need to grow." "..." Shin listened on, his fingers digging deep into his cotton pyjamas. "You might say that it''s barbaric. Killing another human that is. Yet, no one bats an eye when a lion murders a competitor''s cubs. Since we have become civilised, murder and harming another has become taboo, as it should be. After all, how could humans thrive in a community if we were to kill and pillage our neighbours? However, because of that, many start to forget that humans are still animals. We''re just as barbaric as a lion or a chimp if not more so since we''re standing at the apex. It is rooted in our blood. There''s no denying that." The blonde woman looked Shin in the eye, her blue eyes reflecting off Shin''s azure ones. "You killing Star Face was the right choice. He was a menace to the fabric of society and more importantly, he was a threat to you. Humans make so many rules to govern themselves. Thou shall not murder, thou shall not steal, thou shall not ****¡­ However, in the theory of evolution, there''s one rule that really matters. Survival of the fittest." "You''re saying that..." Shin finally opened his mouth after Lady Seph concluded. "Me killing Star Face was meant to be? It was for me to grow and evolve?" "Probably, yes." Lady Seph nodded, her hands not leaving the youth for a single second. She needed one more push to get Shin out from this hurdle, and the life-long scientist was ready to make the leap. "The grief you''re feeling now¡­ The sadness that you have been feeling¡­ The sense of loss that dominates your mind¡­ Overcome it and evolve. In this journey called life, in the grand chase to reach immortality, there will be losers and winners. If you live, you win. If you die, you lose. It''s as simple as that." "But this pain¡­ It''s unbearable..." Shin continued to resist. The void in his heart seemed to be bottomless. Sometimes, when he thought about Latina''s crying face, Shin felt the urge to stab himself through his chest so that he could make it up to her. If not for all of the unfinished business that he had, he may as well be tempted to do just that. "I understand how you feel. But pain is just a remedy for growth. You killed Latina''s father. The only thing that you can do is apologise to her and move on from there. No matter what you do, you can''t rewrite the past. What matters most is how are you going to grow from here. What can you do to become better, to enter the next stage of your evolution." "Next¡­ Next stage of my evolution?" "That''s right." Lady Seph stood up and knelt down in front of him. She took Shin''s hands and closed them into fists. Raising up the left one, she said: "Are you going to wallow in grief forever?" Then she dropped it down while snorting. Taking Shin''s other hand, Lady Seph smiled brilliantly. "Or are you going to improve yourself so that you''ll never feel this way ever again? It''s your choice, Shin." "..." Shin stared at his two clenched fists. Both hands had blood on their hands, yet the right seemed so much more alluring than the left. ''What I want to do?'' Shin started to think. He thought of the people he murdered. Craig, Susan, Winfred, Star Face, Cyphia¡­ All of the Dalits he so mercifully killed to rid them of the Allfather''s brainwash. All of the enemies that tried to kill him during their journey north. Then¡­ He saw the faces of those he loved. His master, Lady Seph. Emma, Ella, Elyse¡­ All of the orphans. Isadore, Shizen, Elrin¡­ Sister Bingying, Brother Huanyuan¡­ Finally, the gorgeous black-haired girl that stood by him through thick and thin. ''I can''t change the past¡­ But I can write my future. I killed so many. I killed Latina''s father. That''s unchangeable. This pain will never go away, so I must grow with it, I must evolve with it. I must become better...'' Shin continued to stare at his two hands extensively. They were still heavy with blood and death. Shin didn''t know how he was able to lift them up at all. But slowly, his right hand started to become lighter. His left descended slowly, like a sinking ship that had just broken its hull. It was getting heavier and heavier until finally¡­ THUD. It slammed down on the bed. Lady Seph smiled and grabbed the right fist with both her hands. "That''s right, Shin. You have to evolve." "Thank you, Master." The gaping hole in Shin''s heart wasn''t filled. How could it be? He was still suffering from the fact that he killed an innocent girl''s father, sending her on a life of suffering. However, he did know how to make it right. "I have to meet Latina..." ??? Latina never liked cold rainy nights. The pitter patter of beads from heaven mixed with the deafening crackles of thunder made the chambers more lonely that it should be. Drawing a heart in the condensed glass window, Latina thought of her father. Latina remembered the old days where her father would lull her to sleep whenever the lightning bolt of Zeus blazed down from the skies. Garland was rough and didn''t know how to calm a child. All his years doing mercenary work didn''t help in childcare after all. Nonetheless, he still attempted to calm his daughter down. Garland''s wife, Latina''s mother, died early on, leaving the coarse sellsword as a single parent. Garland didn''t have any other skills so he had to continue on being a mercenary, earning as much money as he possibly could to hire a full-time nanny as well as pay for the expenses around the house. This meant that he had to leave Latina alone for months at a time. When she was younger, kids around the block teased Latina for never having a parent at home, which in turn caused her to carry a certain amount of distaste for her father''s constant absence. To make matters worse, when Garland returned home, he would bring his mercenary friends over, heavily noise polluting her comfortable home. So, Latina had mixed feelings towards her father. On the one hand, Latina hated him for causing her so much hurt in her childhood. On the other hand, she had countless sweet memories of her father taking care of her. Teaching her how to fish. Hunting a wild boar just because she asked for it. Carving out a wood figurine of her mother and himself just so she could have a little company when he was gone. They were all precious moments that Latina would treasure for the rest of her life. She''d always thought that one day, when she was older, Garland would at least stay home at let her take care of him. Though now¡­ It was just a dream that could never be fulfilled. "Latina, are you still awake?" Two knocks heated up the dimmed chambers, snapping Latina out of her trance-like state. A familiar voice, one that had got her through some of her darkest times, sounded out from the other side of the door. "Yes..." "Latina..." Natalie was hesitant to continue after hearing the young girl''s lethargic voice, but she couldn''t back out now. "Shin is here to see you." The middle-aged mercenary no longer referred to Shin as ''Young Hero.'' In her eyes, the boy was undeserving of the title. "..." A bit lip and a silent cry. Latina wanted to scream, but she held back. "Tell him to go away. I don''t want to see him." "That''s what I said to him, but he''s insisting..." Natalie knew how Latina felt more than anyone. She tried to chase Shin away and even wanted to punch him in his perfect teeth. However, this was serious. "He says that he has something to tell you about Garland. And¡­ He has something to say about our future." "..." The two ladies were solely dependent on Shin''s good graces. Yes, they have assisted the Alliance to find the Black Mask base and accumulated a certain amount of merit. However, if Shin wished to evict them back to Huuring City, not one voice of opposition would come to their help. The luxurious inn that they were put into, the job that was promised to Natalie, the schooling that Latina was supposed to receive. If Shin wanted to, he could rid them all of their luxuries with just a word. Unwillingly, Latina left the comfort of her duvet and dragged her feet down the stairs of the inn. The two ladies were staying on the second level, and Shin would most likely meet them in the common room. Natalie escorted Latina down, her body never swaying a metre away from the girl. Right now, the thirteen-year-old could only count on Natalie to survive, and she didn''t want to betray that trust. "Let''s go meet him¡­ The man who killed my father..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 414 Forgiveness 4 It took them less than a minute to reach the common room. It was a lavish chamber with a single oval ebony table. A decapitated head of a prized forest deer hung atop the warm and cosy fireplace, giving some light to this dark and gloomy night. Glistening goblets of silver were placed on each seat, and dark purple wine was prepared in a completely transparent glass decanter. There was even an adjacent jug that held sweetened orange juice. It truly was an inn for the rich, Natalie thought. Though her mind didn''t wander that far off. There was one man seated in the middle of the oval table, his face pale as winter and his cheeks retracted like a gaunt vagrant. When the heavy oak doors squeaked open, Shin raised his head, breaking away from his train of thought. He spoke: "Latina." No one prompted him to stand up, but he did anyway. Shin took one step, and Latina visibly flinched. Understanding his place, the youth halted. ''She''s wearing the same face¡­ The same face she did earlier today...'' The young man sighed inwardly. He knew that it was a tall task to get the girl to forgive him, so he wasn''t going to try. Shin at least hoped that Latina would calm down a little to look at things from his perspective. Alas, life wasn''t that easy. "Latina, thank you for meeting me." "..." The young girl had no intention of speaking. She took a seat at the furthest chair possible and looked down on the wooden grains of the table. Latina agreed to the meeting because of their precarious situation. Otherwise, she would rather stare into a bottomless abyss than to spend another second with her father''s killer. "Latina¡­ I..." "Mister Shin, please get to the point." Natalie abruptly interrupted. "It''s late, and Latina needs to get some rest. I hope that this won''t take long." "I see..." Shin took a deep breath in and alternated his gaze between the two ladies. They had been so clingy before. Their eyes were typically filled with so much respect and reverence. Now¡­ There was nothing but emptiness. "Alright, I''ll just cut to the chase..." Shin stood up. Both the ladies heightened their nerve as their self-defence systems went into red alert. If Shin wanted to kill them to silence them, there was virtually nothing that they could do. Though Natalie would be the first to stand in front of the blade, hoping to save Latina''s life. Shin''s nostrils opened up while heaving out a deep breath. He knew that this action of theirs was warranted. He just wasn''t accustomed to getting this much distrust, especially from a former friend of his. Actions spoke louder than words. So, Shin ignored the tension in the room and broke it all down by bending his waist ninety degrees, giving the two ladies a solemn bow. Taken aback, Latina and Natalie''s minds short circuited, forcing them to come to a complete standstill. "I''M SORRY!!!" There was nothing else that Shin could do to make amends. The pain that he had caused Latina by taking her father away from her could never be sent away. He could give her all the gold in the world, all the resources that he had, all the connections he obtained, but it still wouldn''t erase the fact that Shin killed Latina''s father. "I know that you will never forgive me. I know that you might hate me forever. I know that you might want to seek vengeance on me in the future. And¡­ I know that there''s nothing that I can do. Still, for my own selfishness, I want you to know that I''m truly sorry." Shin wiped out any excuse that he had and just gave a sincere, remorseful apology. "..." Latina remained silent. So did Natalie. Shin was the one that murdered Star Face, but from the short time that they spent together on the road in the Estrella Region, the pair knew that Shin was coming from a genuine place. "I understand if you don''t want to stay in the Himmel Empire anymore, and I won''t force you to. If you want to move back to the Kori Federation, please let me cover your expenses. If you still want to learn from the best, please inform anyone of the Alliance members. I''ll make sure that they''ll accommodate you. If you want to remain in the Capital, I''ll make sure that I''ll never appear in your sights again. I won''t ask for your forgiveness¡­ I wouldn''t dare. But at least give me the chance to make some reparations..." That was all that Shin asked for. Star Face was complicit in the Black Masks'' schemes, there was no doubt about that. Even if Shin weren''t there, the man would probably have been hunted down, and Latina would have to be on the run for life. Nonetheless, that didn''t matter in the victim''s eyes. Shin robbed Latina of her father¡­ The least he could do was give some support to ease her future life. The girl looked down on the wood grain table. Her expression hidden from view. Natalie looked down at Latina and could sense that something was wrong. Her shoulders were shuddering, and her two hands rubbed against her arms as if she was in the shivering cold. "Why..." A feeble voice broke the silence. There was a tinge of wetness in her tone and a nasal sound to back it up. "Why did it have to be you?" Latina looked up, her face drenched with salty tears that stained her entire cheeks. When Shin saw the girl''s crying face, he could feel his heart being shattered in two. It was highly reminiscent to that of Shin''s own state when Ariel passed on right before his eyes. "There are so many people in the Alliance¡­ So many stronger warriors¡­ So many talented geniuses¡­ So why? WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU?" Latina slammed her palms on the table and rose up from her seat. The splat that sounded out was no softer than the thunder roars outside of the luxurious inn, bringing out a little bit of worry for Shin and Natalie. But Latina didn''t care. She didn''t even feel the pain of the slam. "If it wasn''t you, I could hate the man with all of my heart! If it wasn''t you, I could freely curse and swear at my father''s killer! If it wasn''t you¡­ If¡­ If it wasn''t you..." Latina''s heart was heavy. So heavy in fact that she felt her chest contract and her breathing hindered. Latina knew Shin. She adored him. She knew that the young hero was a good guy. She knew that he would do anything to get rid of the Black Masks. Latina and Natalie were indebted to Shin. When the Vaishya tried to burn Huuring City to the ground and kill every single one of the Moon Mercenaries, Shin was the one who saved them. When Winfred turned on Natalie and even threatened to **** Latina, Shin single-handedly decimated them. When Junius first attacked the group at the Merry Waterfall, Shin stayed back to allow the rest of them to escape. Not to mention, he had even supported them to lead a better life, away from the constant mercenary strife of Huuring City. Shin gave them lodgings, gave Natalie a new job, allowed Latina to use his connections to get into a good school¡­ And that was without knowing about Latina''s parentage. In any normal circumstance, the girl would be grovelling at the man''s feet, praising his name daily, which she did at first. Latina gave Shin an adulation that she wouldn''t even have given her father or any religious god. So¡­ Why? Shin was supposed to be her knight in shining armour. The man that would rid her from her suffering? So why was he the one that''s causing her to suffer the most now? Shin pursed his lips and squeezed his fists. Trying to hold back his tears, the man replied: "Latina¡­ I''m sorry." There was nothing else that Shin could say. He could apologise once, twice, even a million times, but the past could never be rewritten. The most Shin could do was to make Latina''s future as bright as he possibly could. Taking out the briefcase that he had brought over from his home, Shin clicked opened the seals, revealing all of its shiny contents. Over a hundred gold ingots, each one shone spectacularly as if they were fresh out from the bank, blinded the two ladies that sat directly opposite of him. "This is the most that I could cough up. I''m not trying to say that Senior Garland Mull''s life is only valued at this much, but this is everything that I have." Shin was afraid that it would look like he was trying to make amends by directly paying them off, so he had to make it clear from the get-go. "You may not forgive me, and that''s fine. However, take this money and start life anew. It could be in the Himmel Empire, it could be elsewhere. I won''t inquire. Just¡­ Live on..." Shin truly wished for Latina and Natalie to find happiness, wherever it may be. If it meant that he was to go bankrupt because of that, so be it. Alas¡­ Latina didn''t look at it that way. "I¡­ Can''t accept your money." "Latina!" "I''m sorry..." The girl continued to cry. "I just can''t accept the gold. You saved us many times before, and have been providing for us ever since. If I also take the money¡­ Would that mean that my father''s life could be traded for some benefits?" Latina was already indebted to Shin. If she continued to just take everything that he offered, Latina didn''t know how she was going to answer to her deceased father. "Please¡­ Just send us to the Kori Federation. Let Aunt Natalie have a job there. We''ll survive." "..." The two stared at each other. One wanted to make amends while the other didn''t want to have anything to do with him. They were both broken down and wrecked to pieces emotionally, and perhaps neither of them were thinking clearly. Nonetheless, they had to get over this hurdle. Shin was the first to cave. "Alright¡­ I''ll let you do that." He locked the briefcase slowly and walked closer towards the pair, who visibly backed away with caution. Natalie unconsciously moved in front of Latina, like she was mother hen protecting her child. Shin sighed. He could tell that the duo was highly guarded against him and they couldn''t be at ease as long as he remained in the room. "Someone will be in touch with you. Tell them all of your demands, and they''ll do their best to fulfil them." Shin dropped his shoulders as he passed Latina. The girl was still sobbing, and her face was filled with drool and mucus. Shin wanted to offer a handkerchief, but his hand couldn''t reach into his pocket. Would they even accept his good graces anymore? Taking one final look at Latina, Shin cried out for the last time, his voice being strained by the thick node that compressed his throat: "I''m sorry¡­ And take care." That would be Shin''s final words to Latina. After he left, they would probably never meet again. Shin would move to the Lantis Republic while Latina would likely follow Natalie to a secluded region in the Kori Federation to hide from the flames of war. The world was vast. If Latina really wanted to hide from Shin, it would take a tremendous amount of resources for the man to figure out where she would go. So, Shin didn''t care. The moment he stepped out of the fancy inn, Shin was greeted by howling torrential winds. Raindrops continued to fall in massive sheets, splashing water all around. Kanari stood under the portico of the building, holding on to a folded bamboo umbrella. Shin smiled. Finally, with Latina and Natalie out of sight, the man could release his poker face. Large beads of sweat dripped down his face, and his knees got weak as he collapsed under the pressure of his own weight. Kanari moved to catch him, supporting the weakened man with her narrow shoulders. Shin was in no shape to move about actively. Even earlier this morning, he was wheelchair-bound and needed external help. Still, against everyone''s protest, he wanted to meet Latina as soon as possible to right the wrong he committed. "She declined?" "Partially..." The fragile youth replied. "She''s willing to let us help her relocate, she rejected the gold though." Shin handed the briefcase over to Kanari, allowing her to feel its weight. "It doesn''t matter now¡­ Financial matters don''t matter as long as we give them a comfortable place to live." "That''s good." Kanari opened her umbrella and brought Shin closer to her body so that they were both covered. It was a three-metre walk towards their carriage, and Kanari didn''t want Shin to get further damaged. Shin glanced over his shoulder and watched the entrance of the inn. For the first time in his entire life, he was the bad guy in someone else''s story. It was painful¡­ But it was a pain that would help him learn and eventually¡­ Evolve. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 415 Shin Iofiel 1 Shin woke alone. The slick flicker of candlelight illuminated the grey brick ceiling above his head, enabling him to observe the chambers as it was. The thick aroma of burning sandalwood filled the boy''s lungs, making his stay in bed much more pleasant. His body felt heavy, and his neck was sore. Looking out of the bedside window, Shin saw the blanket of stars slowly disappear as the sky turned blue. It was almost time for daybreak and Shin''s early-rising body knew it. On a regular day, he would be up by now to warm up for his morning exercise. However, his body was far too weak, and his mana circuits had just started his recovery process. Even if Shin wanted to train, his constitution wouldn''t allow him to. "It hurts..." Shin sat up, shoulders stiff and everything. Circling his neck in a clockwise rotation, the youth started to wake his muscles up from their hibernation. Shin yawned and stretched, blood pumping everywhere. His pale white face brightened up after getting plenty of rest from his slumber. A week ago, after confronting Latina for the final time, Shin returned home and immediately collapsed on his bed. He had just awoken from a coma, and his body wasn''t accustomed to staying awake, primarily due to the mental stress he sustained. So Shin continued to sleep, this time in a controlled manner. Kanari and the rest of his friends returned back to their homes to tend to their own matters. After all, they couldn''t just stay at Shin''s bedside forever. The orphans took rotating shifts to care for their wounded brother. Lia was still in charge of cooking and household chores, so she was exempt, but the rest took time off from their jobs or school to stay by Shin''s side. Ryner took a rain check from his hunting job, Max had to leave his apprenticeship with his merchant master while the rest had to halt their studies. Elyse and Fionn, who were students at Imperius Academy, were lucky as the school was on break, so all they needed to do was cancel their study plans for the holidays. Jacob didn''t get off lightly, though. The National Research Institute where he was attending was in the middle of their academic term. It took Lady Seph to pull some strings so that the youngster could spend some time with his older brother. It may be an inconvenience for now, but every single orphan gladly accepted it, and not just because they wanted to keep their brother safe. It might be Shin''s final month in the Himmel Empire. Once he goes to the Lantis Republic, they wouldn''t see one another for five years, barring some unique occasions. The orphans had never been divided in such a manner before. They have spent almost two decades playing together, being five years apart was just unbearable. Even Elyse, who tried to rid herself of her tendency to cuddle up with Shin since she turned sixteen, reverted back to her old state and stayed by the youth''s side for hours at a time, completely throwing away her tough facade as a master assassin. Back on the mountain, the only three orphans that Shin was closest to were Junius, Emma and Elyse. There was a high chance that Emma would be accompanying Shin, alongside Ella and Kanari, to the Lantis Republic and Elyse couldn''t go due to her schooling at Imperius Academy. So naturally, the young maiden would attempt to spend as much time as she could. Shin really was living the life. Lying still in bed while others cooked for him, cleaned his clothes, fed him, showered him and tended to his every need. However, there was one problem¡­ The perfect life really was dull. Shin wasn''t allowed to move by himself. He couldn''t train, he couldn''t practice his spiritual abilities and worse of all, everyone kept telling him to sleep. So his daily routine would be to eat, shit, sleep and repeat. For a workaholic like Shin, that just wasn''t an appealing option. So, he turned all his energy to reading books, more specifically, the word-for-word copy of the Celestial Water Mantra that Meijing Bingying had brought overby the orders of Longyu Tian. Shin had been basing his cultivation off the worn-down transcript of the mantra that was stored in the Frie Clan''s Athenaeum. It was brown with mould and had weak papyrus that would have been torn with a simple tug. It had its merits, though. Due to the lack of explanations available, Shin had to interpret the Celestial Water Mantra with his own comprehension power, which was his strongest suit. Shin had looked at the cultivation technique with his own unique lens, giving him a base perspective that was exclusive to himself. However, no matter how smart he was, Shin couldn''t beat thousands of years of wisdom. When Meijing Bingying first brought the Lantis Republic''s version of the Celestial Water Mantra over for Shin, the youth wondered if he was looking at the same copy. Yes, the words were somewhat the same, but there was an extended manual attached to the transcript explaining what each line meant and the numerous ways one could interpret them. It was jaw-dropping for Shin. One of the reasons why he progressed this much over the four years since Bingying''s arrival was precisely due to this copy of the Celestial Water Mantra. Through it, Shin learnt how to control water, what states it was usually in, how to make the elements bend to his will, learn to imitate the techniques of other Spirit Beasts, turning water to ice¡­ So many of his now signature moves were acquired via this method. However, something seemed to be missing. Shin eased his burning muscle aches and sat on his bed in a lotus position. He took out the old Celestial Water Mantra that he had been referring to since the day he began cultivation. Flipping through the two texts, Shin compared word for word. There were some differing paragraphs due to mistranslation, and some sentences from the Lantis Republic''s version were absent in Shin''s older one. By all metrics, the Celestial Water Mantra Shin had been cultivating in during the earlier parts of his Spirit User years was inferior. On a technical level that is¡­ All of his most devastating memories came when he was still under this system. The Second Elder trying to assassinate him on Frie Mountain and the First Elder being unable to do anything to him... Gawil Jefferson almost killing him in Chilyoja Waypoint¡­ The fall of Aldrich''s Keep and his first patient, Ronlen''s, death in his arms. And finally, the tragedy that claimed the lives of Ariel, Lily and Linus. They all happened when Shin was under this mantra. Whenever Shin''s heart went into turmoil, whenever he felt like everything was lost, Shin would revert back to the Celestial Water Mantra to keep his heart at peace¡­ "Heart¡­" The young man muttered under his breath. "That''s what''s missing in this new version." Shin raised the Lantis Republic''s copy and exhaled deeply. The version that Meijing Bingying had brought over was way too technical. They contained the wisdom of many sages that came before him, and that was the true crux behind why Shin felt so stagnant when practising from this mantra. Regurgitated wisdom isn''t true wisdom. Comprehending what someone else had understood didn''t make the mantra unique to him. It was like a test taker learning from past-year exam questions to prepare for their own exams. Yes, they would have a higher chance of passing or even acing the next exam, but they lacked the fundamentals that allowed them to comprehend the subject matter at hand. Shin was in a similar state. He had the technical expertise of high-levelled Spirit Users that came before him, some even Spirit Saints that were hailed as far superior geniuses. However, no matter how much he learnt from this textbook, Shin was never going to become a cultivator that was unique to himself. The old manual was read by his heart, not his mind. Why did he use the mantra to become a healer? Because Lady Seph showed him that healing others would bring him the most happiness. Why did Shin go on the fighter path? Because Ariel had died and he realised his own weaknesses. Why did Shin assimilate with the Shard of the Azure Dragon? Because he wanted to become strong enough to take down Junius. So¡­ In the end, what really mattered? "I have to¡­ Follow where my heart dictates. I have to be true to myself." Shin chanted the mantra from chapter five. Right now, he was on yet another crossroad. Finding out that Latina''s father was Star Face really put him in his place. The fighter path, the path that he sought out so much¡­ It led to death and destruction. Every death is a life lost and¡­ How heavy was a soul? How valuable the person was when he or she was alive? Who would be impacted if their life was so brutally taken away? Shin didn''t know. "My heart¡­ What my heart is telling me¡­ What do I want to do?" Shin thought long and hard over this question for the past week. Latina had left the Capital with Natalie, silently to a place far away. Shin would possibly never see her again in his lifetime. But it doesn''t change the fact that he had changed her life forever. Shin didn''t want to make a new Latina. He didn''t want to kill random men and women, not knowing if others would be affected by their absence. His eyes sparkled in azure light, mana boiling up to the surface. Shin chanted. All of his meridians and mana circuits were still recovering from using the shard against the Paradise Heart, and Shin was barred from using any spiritual abilities for at least a month. However, he was still allowed to cultivate and get some mana flowing through his broken down body, and Shin had done so religiously. Falling into a trance-like state, Shin felt all of his soreness being washed away while his consciousness fell into the abyss. His mouth continued to chant without him knowing and his body radiated a royal cerulean light. The world around Shin started to change, as well. The temperature dipped dramatically as all of the water elements started to flow straight into Shin''s body. It was as if the man had become a black hole that sucked in any spiritual energy that surrounded him. Shin''s private chambers were laced with high-density mana crystals, courtesy of the Lantis Republic and the advocating voice that was Meijing Bingying. She argued that for Shin to make a faster recovery, his environment should be filled with water elements. Since they couldn''t physically move him to the Lantis Archipelago yet, placing mana crystals was the second-best option. It truly was a stroke of luck for the youth. Shin''s heart had been tested throughout the decade he was a cultivator. Life has thrown him so many obstacles, and Shin barely scraped through every single one of them. Each hurdle he passed was a blockade that tampered with Shin''s heart, making it stronger every single day. He was raised up on a pedestal and thrown violently to the ground. Tasted sweetness that few could ever have and was given bitterness that no one should ever taste. Bit by bit, through those trials and tribulations, Shin began to find out who he truly was, what he really wanted. And now¡­ Ohmnnnn¡­ The chant continued on. Shin''s chambers shook, alerting everyone else who stayed adjacent. The spiritual energies in Lady Seph''s mansion were being depleted rapidly, at a rate none of them had ever experienced before. Shin''s body was like a hungry hippo. It didn''t care about anything but its own hunger and thirst for more spiritual energy. His body glowed in all its cerulean grandeur while a menacing pressure descended upon the room. Lady Seph, who had been sleeping soundly thus far, abruptly opened her eyes and looked in the direction of Shin''s room. She quickly put on a cardigan to hide her nightgown and flew out of her room like a lightning sparrow. The Spirit Venerate wasn''t the only one who was alerted. Even the weaker orphans ran towards Shin''s room, fearing the worst. However, what they saw stunned them all entirely. The young Rank 37 Spirit Adept, who wasn''t capable of using any form of spiritual abilities, was now levitating off his bed, greedily sucking in all of the spiritual energy that he could. Lady Seph knew of this phenomenon, but she didn''t want to believe it. "Is he¡­ Breaking through in the Spirit Spectre realm?" Lady Seph''s eyes flickered, both in shock and awe. Levitating was a unique ability to anyone who was Spirit Spectre and up. Their bodies had passed the first threshold of mortality and were now more attuned with nature. However, Shin was still at Rank 37. How could he trigger the process to enter the Spirit Spectre realm when he was three ranks short? "Quick! Call everyone here! That brat from the Lantis Republic, Eru, and even that Highgarden lass. Tell them to bring as many water elemental crystals that they have!" Lady Seph barked orders that the orphans, who had just started to gather. "Max, you work at the Zedcris Conglomerate, right?" "Y-yeah!" The stunned bob-haired boy replied, slurring his words. Lady Seph threw a card in the boy''s face. "Purchase as many crystals as you can! Get that Elrin girl to help you if you must! Time is of the essence! Hurry up! Your brother is about to become a Spirit Spectre!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 416 Shin Iofiel 2 Four hours later¡­ Once the news had spread that Shin was attempting to break through the first barrier of mortality, the entire Capital was engulfed in a wave of frenzy. Well, at least the members from High Society were. Anything related to the top geniuses was closely monitored by every single spy from every intelligence agency. News about Shin and Kanari particularly, if they were credible, could go for an exorbitant amount of gold. One was the youngest Spirit Spectre in the Himmel Empire while the other was a genius that was close to the Spirit Spectre realm even though he was barely twenty. And well¡­ All that was about to change. The first to arrive on Lady Seph''s mansion was the crew from Imperius Academy. Principal Erudito flew straight from his office, not even informing Vice-Principal Hirda or Madam Warulee about Shin''s historic attempt. Unfortunately, he had to come empty-handed. No matter how rich they were, Imperius Academy was still bound to their own students. They couldn''t just willy-nilly take out resources from their prized vault. The next few to arrive was Elrin and her delegation from the Zedcris Conglomerate. Their arrival was the one that Lady Seph was anticipating the most. Once notified of the situation by Max, the entire company staff went into overdrive and procured as many water-elemental mana crystals as they could. Elrin''s father even took some materials from his own collection to supply Shin in his advancement. If not for his own administrative work, Terlus would have loved to personally witness the Rank 37 Spirit Adept breakthrough into the next realm. Once present, Lady Seph barked out orders on how to reinforce Shin''s paltry chambers. She created a golden barrier that would protect all spiritual energies from escaping. Dozens of workers from the Conglomerate also helped in building the perfect closed environment for a Spirit Adept to ascend. They couldn''t move Shin to a better location, so they brought the better location to him. Meijing Bingying and Kanari''s group were the final ones to enter the abode, right when the construction was about to be completed. Xunyu Huanyuan had carried over a ten-kilogram dense mana crystal on his back. The sealed box that was hiding its appearance pulsated vibrantly like it was sealing an ocean within. Kanari''s gift wasn''t too shabby either. A fossilised scale from a Tier 7 Rainbow Arapaima. It may not be a pure water-elemental mana crystal, but it was an item that could release vast amounts of spiritual energy once unsealed. No one was comparing who brought the better gift. They all had one question in their minds. "How could he trigger the process to enter into the Spirit Spectre realm this early?" Bingying was the first to fire out the question. Lady Seph had been preoccupied with building a containment area until now, so everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. Now that she''s finished, the congregation could finally pursue the truth. Seated in the courtyard outside of Shin''s renovated room, all of the boy''s visitors looked at the blonde healer Shin called his master. No one knew of Shin''s condition better than Lady Seph. "I¡­ can''t be certain..." Her voice shaky, Lady Seph answered. "I have my suspicions¡­ There have been some precedents where a Spirit User would skip ranks to breakthrough into the next realm, but each cultivator had their own unique circumstances." She looked to Principal Erudito next. "Eru, am I right?" Now holding the hot potato, the scholar took in a deep breath. "Yes, you are. The last recorded cultivator to skip ranks is Aloth Zorge, a cultivator that lived two thousand years ago. He was at Rank 38 and was preparing to breakthrough into the Spirit Spectre realm. Back then, he was under a significant amount of pressure to succeed quickly, and by some miracle, Aloth Zorge triggered the process to advance. Many speculated that it was sheer willpower that enabled him to do that. The records even state that his constitution was basically that of a Rank 39 Spirit Adept already, so there was no issue when it comes to backlash." "So nothing happened to him?" Kanari asked, her face full of unease. "Yes. The records state that he lived to a ripe old age of two-hundred and four." Principal Erudito quickly replied. "He never had the talent to advance past the second barrier of mortality, so he remained in the Spirit Emperor realm. Many didn''t think anything about it, and it was written down as a fluke or an oddity in human history." "That man bypassed Rank 39, only one rank¡­" Bingying frowned. "Shin is attempting to cross two ranks at once, bypassing Rank 38 and 39 entirely. Has that been done before?" "It has," the scholar said. "Let alone two ranks, some history books even claim that cultivators of old crossed five ranks at a time. Of course, many of them aren''t really credible since the records are so old, many of them hearsay, but there have been cases in more modern times where cultivators bypassed two or three ranks. Oddly enough, those situations most frequently arrive at the Spirit Adept or Spirit Emperor stage, when they attempt to cross the barrier of mortalities." "So Shin''s not in any danger?" Kanari''s eyes sparkled beautifully for the first time since coming here. Alas, nothing was perfect. Principal Erudito shook his head. "Uncertain. Like Venerate Seraphim had said, all these situations are unique. Aloth Zorge managed to skip past one rank because he was under desperate circumstances, at least that was the theory. Other accounts claim that the environment plays a part. Some even claim that it''s the Immortals playing their hand. No one really knows why this phenomenon occurs. And worse of all..." The scholar closed his mouth, shifting his eyes between all those present. Principal Erudito questioned whether he should divulge what he knew for a moment there but ultimately decided to tell the truth. "If I were candid, there have been cases where cultivators cripple themselves for rushing their advancements. Some have even resulted in deaths." "!!!" Silent gasps dominated the courtyard. Women brought their hands to their mouths, their eyes flickering with fright, while men bit down hard on their lips. What would happen if Shin passed away because of this attempt? What would they do? "That''s why I can''t be certain." The scholar continued. "Bypassing ranks is so rare that hardly anyone tries to keep accurate documentation. We can''t refer to past accounts because they simply aren''t there. Just like Shin''s current situation, a sudden jump happens without any warning, which means that we would most definitely not understand why he triggered the attempt to cross the first barrier of mortality." "So¡­ What can we do now?" Weakly, Bingying asked. Principal Erudito didn''t know how to reply to that question. They had already boosted all of the spiritual energy in the area, allowing Shin''s black hole of a Spirit Core to hungrily absorb as much mana as it could. They already had Lady Seph, a Divine Healer watching over Shin''s movements, ready to treat him should things go south. So honestly, there was only one thing left that they could do. "Pray," he cried. "Pray and believe in Shin''s own capabilities." ??? Shin''s consciousness woke up in the most unlikely place. Both his palms were touching a wet surface. No, his entire back was wet from the ground. Shin sat up and pivoted his neck around. Oddly enough, the fatigue he felt had been thoroughly wiped clean, and his movements were no longer sluggish. Though, it didn''t take long for Shin to understand why. "I''m inside of my Spiritual Body again..." Shin recognised this place. Standing on top of the deep lake, Shin''s soft footsteps caused massive ripples to form on the tranquil surface. The Sovereign Koi swam about rapidly in bliss, as if happy that its master had returned back to his rightful castle after a long time in the material realm. Shin lifted the adorable little creature in his palms and chuckled. Over here, his heart was truly in peace. See, the pristine lake didn''t have any of the bullshit that the outside world had. Shin could forget about Junius, he could forget about the Black Masks. There was no fighting, no politics, no pressure from outside eyes. No one had any expectations of him, and nothing would come to harm him. Over here, Shin could be rid of all troubles and was free to do whatever he wanted. ''How good would it be to permanently move to this dazzling lake and live the rest of my life without any conflict?'' That thought flashed by. Shin sat on it for a moment, before laughing out loud. "Yeah, right¡­ As if that could happen." Lamenting his folly, Shin turned his attention up into the skies, where the milky way galaxy was replaced with a tyrannical celestial scar. It was pulsating out an array of colours like a live heartbeat, visually marvelling any that laid their eyes on it. The last time Shin visited, he asked Bingying of the scar''s identity and why it had appeared within his spiritual body. And he got his answer. "The Mark of the Celestial Dragon..." Shin gaped once again. Shin didn''t know this, but when he condensed his Spirit Core, the Celestial Dragon made its appearance within the boy''s soul and left its mark on the astral sky. Due to this mark, Longyu Tian had almost kidnapped him back to Longyu Reef, and the Lantis Republic was willing to start a war for the youth to get to their country. "It really is beautiful..." Shin thought out loud, slightly stunned by the majesty of the scar. His mind promptly snapped back, though. "If I''m here in my spiritual body¡­ It must mean one thing." Shin jumped up and looked around. Shin''s eyes shifted all around the vast lake and quickly found the objects that he was looking for. Four floating crystal obelisks floated in the centre of the lake, each dyed in their own unique colour. The first one was cerulean, matching everything that the Sovereign Koi in his hand had. The aura it possessed was gentle and kind. Anyone who went near it would be tempted to sleep under its protection as their instincts knew that the obelisk would never hurt them. The second one was doused in golden runes and emitted a potent holy power that matched that of Shin''s master''s. It had a thin heavenly string weaving about, adding more radiant energy to the majestic obelisk. The third one was rather odd. Instead of the same gentleness that the other two had, this obelisk was emitting out tremendous amounts of bloodthirst and was menacing to anyone''s eyes. Coated in thick Sovereign Koi scales, the obelisk was akin to that of a war machine. And then¡­ Shin''s eyes landed on the final obelisk. It was a diamond monolith that encased the familiar Shard of the Azure Dragon. Inside of the diamond, a never-ending tempest raged on, sending coils of white mana lightning flying about. If not for its coating, Shin was confident that the shard would collapse his entire spiritual body within seconds. The sides of Shin''s lip crept up into a smile. Still in the air, the young man leapt across the serene lake like a flamingo dancing across the water surface. He landed right in front of the four obelisks and soon, the shining bead in the middle of the monoliths came to view. Beaming out a water-elemental radiance, Shin felt his body melt when he approached the spectacular pearl. Then, he noticed a single oddity in his Spirit Core. "It really is cracking..." The boy furrowed his brows when he saw the chinks in the luminous pearl. Shin knew that him entering his Spiritual Body meant that he was on the verge of breaking through into the Spirit Spectre realm. He had studied the first barrier of mortality extensively, after all. Why was advancing to the Spirit Spectre realm considered to be that challenging? It was due to the dangerous process that is required. The Spirit Core that Shin had so masterfully condensed would be smashed into smithereens, and his Spiritual Body would be on the verge of collapse. To complete the process, Shin had to reforge the scattered energies into a Spectre Soul, basically creating another container for his Spiritual Body and everything that it contained. The four, going five, obelisks, the gigantic lake that was bound to increase in size until he was a peak Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, and everything else that remained. Crossing the first barrier of mortality usually began when a cultivator had more mana in his Spirit Core than it could contain. That frequently occurs when the Spirit Adept was at the peak of Rank 39 when his mana reserves were at their peak. However, breaking a Spirit Core wasn''t easy. Some Spirit Adepts, even talented ones, might take a few tries to land a crack in their Spirit Core. Shin had the opposite problem. His Spirit Core was already breaking as if the mana inside couldn''t wait to get out! Shin wasn''t fully prepared to create his Spectre Soul, and he couldn''t stop now since the process was already initiated. Once there was a fracture in the Spirit Core and mana was already pouring out, there was nothing that Shin could do to stop it. The Sovereign Koi looked on in absolute glee. There was no concern in its big fishy eyes, and it wanted Shin to quickly get it over and done with. And oddly enough¡­ Shin felt the same way. Shin had been worrying about this moment ever since he entered the Spirit Adept realm. He read books, listened to the masters, studied everything that he needed extensively about the subject matter. But ultimately, it wasn''t those preparations that he relied on that gave him faith. "I know what spiritual ability I want... I know what kind of cultivator I want to be... I know what Spirit Spectre I will be..." Ktttt¡­ Kttt¡­ Kttt... Shin took one step into the gap between the four pillars and slowly advanced to his Spirit Core. The single tear in its smooth surface became two. The next step that Shin took, the Spirit Core cracked even more. Until eventually, its entire surface had become broken glass, and just one gentle touch would be sufficient to blow it up entirely. Shin smiled. He wasn''t afraid, neither was he worried. Everything moved according to his desires. And so, Shin reached out. His strong right index finger, toned from his daily spear-wielding was now a centimetre away from the Spirit Core. It was shaking. Not from fear, but excitement. Soon, he was going to take one more step to immortality. Crack!!! That was all Shin heard, and then¡­ The world turned into light. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 417 Shin Iofiel 3 Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The earth surrounding Shin''s chambers shook violently, shaking many off balance, even from a seated position. The air started to thin as the water elemental energy poured into the enclosed chambers. Xunyu Huanyuan, who was the most attuned to the water element, felt breathless at the phenomenon. Even Meijing Bingying and the orphans who had awakened water-elemental Spirits could feel the effects of Shin''s advancement. "Can¡­ Can a Spirit Adept hold that much mana?" Huanyuan cautiously asked. The amount of spiritual energy that had been sucked in was colossal. If the elemental density of the courtyard was that of a humid rainforest before, now it was as bare as a dry desert in the middle of a hot summer day. They were sure that if they released their own mana into the atmosphere, it would be gobbled down by Shin''s power-hungry body, leaving nothing for themselves. "Even the ice-elements are being sucked into this frenzy..." The Pearl in the East remarked, softly. She couldn''t believe what she was witnessing. "What on earth is Shin doing in there?" Just like before, only Lady Seph and a handful of experts were allowed into the chambers, where Shin remained floating in the air. Initially, the Spirit Venerate wanted to continually monitor her disciple using her own mana, but she instantly scrapped that idea when her spiritual energy just became an early morning snack for the youth. They were now just as hopeless as the spectators outside. "How are the mana crystals faring?" The blonde healer roared. Principal Erudito took one look at the six walls that sealed Shin in. The originally glistening gems of the ocean were now void of any light, turning back into common ores that miners would throw away in contempt. "All depleted!!! Should we get more?!" "No, it''s useless!" Lady Seph scrutinised Shin. Right now, the boy was in a state of complete metamorphosis. He lacked mana, so his body automatically sucked up the spiritual energy in the area. No matter how many mana crystals they brought over, Shin''s body would still attempt to empty the atmosphere, sucking it clean of any energy. "We just have to stand by and assist him if he sustains any injuries. I''ll slowly supply him healing mana. Just follow my lead." Yes, they were worried about Shin, but his current situation was extremely peculiar. No one knew what could cause an adverse reaction, so they had to be exceedingly cautious. Giving him too much mana might place a strain on his weakened body, while not doing anything could potentially derail his entire cultivation, breaking down everything that Shin had worked so hard to achieve. And so¡­ The waiting game began. ??? Shin''s consciousness was clearing up rapidly. As the world turned white, Shin braced himself out of reflex. Though, he soon recognised his silliness. Within his own Spiritual Body, Shin was king. Nothing would actively come out to hurt him. Opening his eyes, Shin was greeted with a spectacular sight. The world had turned entirely white. The natural lake that he loved was gone and the Mark of the Celestial Dragon that dominated the skies disappeared. It was like he had entered a fluffy white cloud, where nothing but heaven''s dust remained. Shin took one step. There was no reaction from the ground. Or more importantly, was there a ground? Shin couldn''t tell. The world was white all over. He could feel any spiritual energy, and he couldn''t comprehend where he was. However, there was one silver lining. The Sovereign Koi circled around the young man like a joyous puppy. It flapped its adorable fins and snuggled up on Shin''s meaty neck. Even among all of this uncertainty, his Spirit still retained its flippant attitude. Shin smiled, and he turned to his right. Shin didn''t know where he was, but there seemed to be a magnetic force pulling him to the side. And he was right to follow his instincts. The world Shin knew off may be gone, but the four crystal obelisks still remained. They were glowing in the same manner as before, unfazed by the chaos that roamed around them. The Sovereign Koi spun around the shafts happily, seemingly directing Shin into the space between them. As Shin slowly walked in, he thought of the spiritual abilities he had. Standing next to the very first obelisk, Shin saw a phantom of the Sovereign Koi. It was about the same size as the monolith that it enveloped, making it far more massive than the Sovereign Koi in Shin''s hands. Not that size mattered though. Shin''s first ability, the innate ability to create and manipulate water, was one that had aided him tremendously throughout the years, especially in recent times. After being ''mentored'' by Lukman, Shin now knew how potent his first spiritual ability was and had taken it to new heights, rarely seen before. However, this crystal obelisk was the only one that he had no part in creating. Turning his attention to the second one, Shin placed his hands firmly on its surface. ''Heal...'' Shin had learned this ability after spending two to three years under Lady Seph''s tutelage. Initially, he was forced into the healing path by the First Elder and the Frie Clan. Despite that, Shin had really come to appreciate his time as a healer. He''d met with Lady Seph, perhaps the most important person in his life at the moment. Shin had gone on so many adventures and help so many people when he was actively on the healing path. Slowly, a phantom of Lady Seph appeared behind the crystal obelisk. With a gentle smile plastered on her face, the phantom looked at Shin with loving eyes. Shin circled around and looked at the third obelisk. After the loss of Ariel, Shin had been devastated. He hated the world and how useless he really was. Shin loathed the healing path as no matter how much he tried to treat his fallen loved one, the girl would never wake up from her eternal slumber. So, he defected to the path of the warrior. To protect his loved ones, to bring Junius to justice, Shin thought that the fighter''s path was the only option he had. Shin trained under Mychael tirelessly and continuously honed his body techniques and martial arts until they were among the top in the academy. He wanted to fight more, so he created his Spiritual Body Enhancement, enabling him to stand toe to toe with monsters like Natasha, Danroy and Suji. Why? Because he never wanted to feel isolated, he never wanted to see someone close to him die again. Soon a red humanoid phantom took shape behind the obelisk. It was a familiar face, one that Shin had never thought that he would see again. The girl wasn''t that pretty. Her freckles still as defined as before. But Shin still saw her as the apple of his eye. "Ariel..." The youth weakly muttered. If she was still alive, how different would Shin''s life be? Ariel''s phantom wore a bold look, one reminiscent to that of a warrior preparing for war. That was what Shin had aimed to become. An indomitable force that never settled when it comes to the safety of his loved ones. Shin admired the young maiden''s face for a short while before turning away. The phantom before him was just a hologram created by his memories. It wasn''t the real Ariel. Finally, his gaze landed on the fourth obelisk. It was barely withstanding the pressure being emitted out from the Shard of the Azure Dragon. Though Shin wasn''t afraid. In fact, he was excited to experiment on the shard once he breaks through into the Spirit Spectre realm. Just imagine all of the variations he could create if he merged it with his water techniques. Just like the three before it, a phantom began to congregate behind the obelisk, taking the form of a handsome young man. Its viridian hair was so striking, and its expression was so calm. Shin gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Junius..." Why did Shin need to get the shard into his arsenal? Why did Shin push himself so hard to become stronger? Wasn''t it because of this dastardly young man that haunted his nightmares? All of the spiritual abilities that he learnt. All of them. They were influenced by Shin''s desire at the time. And this time, it was no different. The originally placid world started to turn turbulent. The remnants of his Spirit Core were now rapidly flailing about as if it were the early beginnings of the universe. Then, a single crystal pillar dropped down from above, landing right in front of the young man. It was dim and dull. If placed on an auction house, no one would possibly give out a bid. However, to Shin, that crystal obelisk was perhaps the most valuable treasure he would ever have. Shin placed his hands on the monolith and chanted. The white world continued to run haywire as all of the debris fell into the calm structure, bringing out a torrent of elemental energy that Shin had never felt before. The phantoms from the other obelisks watched on with great interest, happy to welcome the new addition to the family. Shin learnt ''heal'' because of Lady Seph. He created his Spiritual Body Enhancement because of Ariel, and he assimilated with the shard to gain the power to decimate Junius. So, who was behind his next ability? Who was the driving force that pushed him to become a Spirit Spectre? Shin got his answer quite quickly. The uninteresting crystal obelisk turned azure, beaming out an acute celestial light. Just like the other monoliths, particle rose out from the structure and moulded itself into a phantom right before Shin''s very eyes. Jet-black hair that flowed down his neck and two spiritual eyes that kept a serene lake within, Shin knew this person very well. Why? Because it was himself. "Me?" The young man widened his eyes slightly before letting out a happy smile. "Right¡­ I am creating this ability for myself. I don''t want to go on a fighter path or a healer path. I want to make my own path¡­ I don''t want to kill random people in cold blood. I don''t want to create another Latina. I want..." Shin didn''t voice his spiritual ability out. He closed his eyes and started to pray. The crystal obelisk became more defined by the second and the white world slowly brought back more colour. All of the broken fragments of his Spirit Core were now coming back together as Shin''s Spectre Soul took shape. He didn''t know it, but Shin''s outer body was also undergoing tremendous reforms, changing his mortality entirely. Skin and muscles tore off his body while the Spectre Soul took the dominant position. Shin''s high regeneration rate helped in recreating his body. His complexion turned much more radiant, and all of the impurities that laid within were seethed out in droves. The mana circuits that had been crippled were now wholly replaced, and Shin''s entire body had undergone a complete metamorphosis. Now that his Spirit Core had been shattered and was replaced by a nascent Spectre Soul, Shin''s mana had been lifted to another level altogether. He was no longer beholden to the physical limits of a normal human being. In essence, the youth was no longer what he used to be. The white world now had a vast lake, one much wider than the one in Shin''s Spiritual Body. The water was as deep as any ocean and the mana being supplied far exceeded anything Shin had ever felt before. Snowflakes swirled from the dark sky, and the azure light from the lake rose to meet them. The five crystal obelisks now shot out laser beams of different colours, right into the skies above. The Mark of the Celestial Dragon returned, this time twice as great as before. Beating slowly like a real human''s heart, Shin swore that the mark looked like a butterfly inside of a cocoon, ready to burst free into the world. Though, all of that didn''t matter. The Sovereign Koi spun around in pure joy, flapping its fins at the now strengthened youth. Shin was no longer limited by the human fleshy body anymore. Now¡­ He was a Spirit Spectre. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 418 Tying Up Loose Ends 1 Shin''s eyelids rapidly flickered. He was in a trance-like state all this while, so all of his five senses had been cut off. However, as Shin slowly awakened, he started to hear worried cries. "Shin¡­ Shin..." The first few calls were soft like a mother''s lullaby. "Shin¡­ Shin¡­ Shin!" The next few, not so much. "Shin! Shin! SHIN!!!" Finally, after hollering out for a few minutes, Lady Seph''s roars had got into the youth''s consciousness, and his eyes immediately slammed open. He observed the room. Lady Seph was standing right in front of him, her tense face finally dropping down as a sigh of relief flowed out her opened mouth. Principal Erudito had the same relaxed expression. They had been watching over Shin for almost six hours now. Whenever Shin twitched, the experts in the room would flinch along with him. Whenever he exhaled and continued to meditate, they would watch on with nervous eyes, careful not to miss anything out. Now that the youth was finally awake, they could all release their fears and drop their alertness entirely. Lady Seph was the first to talk to the young man. Placing her hand on his forehead, the blonde healer sat by his side examined spoke directly into his ears. "Shin, are you alright?" "Master..." The boy''s voice was low and monotonous. He was still dazed from coming out of his Spectre Soul and needed some time to adjust to the material world. "Yeah..." "Thank god!" Lady Seph brought her disciple into her embrace when she heard those words. They couldn''t confirm if Shin was adversely affected by the sudden leap into the Spirit Spectre realm, especially since it happened so suddenly. The Divine Healer had checked all facets of the boy''s cultivation. His mana circuits had been fully healed. The Spirit Core that he once had was now converted into a thriving Spectre Soul, with mana deep enough to drown droves of Spirit Adepts and, most importantly, the youth''s beaten up constitution had recovered entirely. So, Lady Seph had to check the final component of Shin''s health. And that was his mental state. Fortunately, there were no issues there, as well. "Can you speak?" "Yeah..." Slowly, but surely, Shin was getting accustomed to his new body. The fogginess in his mind had dissipated, and his eyes started to glint with a light of comprehension. Everything now seemed so clear to him. All of the colours of the world, hairs on the flowers inside of his chambers, even the grains of wood at the faraway doors. They were all so clear. The potent aroma of sandalwood was now ten times more defined. His ears could now hear all of the clamouring outside of the sealed room, and each time he opened his mouth, the youth could taste the wetness of his surroundings. Finally, as Shin touched his master''s soft skin, he started to feel everything inside of her. He could feel the blood being pumped through her veins and the pulsating of her heart, all through his pinky touch. Perhaps it was due to his entire body being reconstructed but, Shin''s five senses were now in another realm altogether. No¡­ His six senses were now in another realm. Shin''s spiritual sense was heightened beyond belief, and he could ''see'' all the way to Imperius Academy. Shin could ''feel'' the water elements, or rather, the lack of water elements in the atmosphere much more acutely. Shin could tell distinctly that his body was far different than before. The mana flow inside of him was so smooth and defined that Shin thought that he was in another person''s body. ''A Spirit Spectre¡­ No wonder it''s called passing the first barrier of mortality...'' "Shin! How did you trigger the ascension into the Spirit Spectre realm?" Now that the boy had finally woke up, Lady Seph asked the crucial question. "You were at the peak of Rank 37! Logically speaking, it should have taken you a few more months, perhaps even a year to promote! How did you do it?" Shin thought about it for a moment before laughing bitterly. "I¡­ Did it accidentally?" "What?!" "I don''t know..." Shin scratched his cheeks. "I was in the middle of my daily cultivation, and I suddenly thought of the Spirit Spectre I wanted to become." "The Spirit Spectre you wanted to become?" Lady Seph wanted to push further, but she saw the look of apprehension in the boy''s eyes. He was sending awkward glances at Principal Erudito and the other experts in the room, unsure of whether he should divulge such personal matter in front of others that he wasn''t that close to. The Spirit Venerate wasn''t dense. Immediately after seeing Shin''s uneasy look, the blonde beauty turned around. "Eru. Thank you for your assistance. Could you inform the rest outside that Shin''s out of danger? It would be unpleasant to keep them anxious, after all." "Ah, of course!" Principal Erudtio smiled. "Congratulations on your promotion, Shin! I''ll see you in a bit." Cultivation was a private matter. Naturally, the Spirit Emperor wouldn''t mind being phased out. The rest of the experts in the room did the same. With jubilant smiles, they unsealed the chamber doors and exited the room one by one, until only Lady Seph remained. "So, what happened?" "Master¡­ Have you met the children of those you killed?" Shin started off with a question. "No..." To begin with, Lady Seph hadn''t killed many in her long years as a healer. After all, her job was to save lives, not end them. Shin''s eyelids eased up, and his shoulders dropped. "That day, when I forced Star Face into suicide, I had changed Latina''s life forever. So, I started to wonder¡­ How many of those I killed had children? Had families that loved and cared for them?" "Shin¡­ Like I said..." "No, master. I understand." Shin interrupted. "My perspective has shifted after some reflection." The young man continued, looking at his two transformed hands. Initially, all he could see was blood and death. Now, Shin saw a radiant light, each one beaming out tremendous amounts of hope. "It doesn''t matter if I did it out of justice and righteousness. The fact remains that I still killed them. The lives of those who were my enemies." Shin didn''t think that his actions weren''t warranted. As Lady Seph had explained to him, if he didn''t kill Star Face, someone else from the Alliance would. Eventually, for aiding the vilest criminal syndicate in modern history, the mercenary would have to face the music. The same goes for all those that came at him. Craig and Susan were Vaishyas, ranking members of the Black Masks. If Shin didn''t kill them, the White Knights would. Winfred, the lustful demon that tried to **** Kanari and kill off the rest of the group, eventually, his lust would consume him, and others would hunt him down for vengeance. In this world, every action would trigger a reaction. If you were evil, justice would arrive. That was what Shin had thought. However, when Shin''s saw Latina''s tearful face, the one with hate and fear hidden in her very eyes, he started to question himself. What was evil? What was justice? For Shin, evil was the Black Masks, and by extension, Star Face had sinned for helping them orchestrate the worst massacre in modern history. So justice had been dealt when the man paid for his sins with the ultimate price. On the other hand, Latina didn''t care about those complicated issues. Star Face was her father, and he was a loving one at that. When Shin had killed the mercenary, Latina''s life had been sent into a downward spiral. For Latina, Shin killing her father was the evil deed. Yet, she couldn''t enact her justice and could only retreat far away, hiding with the only kin she had left. "Master, I don''t want to be an executioner based on my own values of justice," said Shin, his face a little saddened. "A person''s life¡­ It''s not just weighed by how heavy his or her soul is. It''s also about who would be affected if they''re gone. I can''t be the one enacting that warped form of justice. So, I created my fifth spiritual ability¡­ That way, I''ll never be an executioner again." "Your spiritual ability? What is it?" Lady Seph''s interest was piqued. Since Shin had so abruptly advanced, there wasn''t any time for him to discuss what kind of spiritual ability he wanted or what would be most suited for him. "Hmmm, maybe we could go out? My ability wouldn''t really affect you, master." To accurately show his ability, he needed the assistance of a few guinea pigs. Now that he had promoted to the Spirit Spectre realm, Shin''s entire body had been reforged, and the injuries he sustained from igniting the shard had dissipated into nothingness. He could walk on his two feet easily, and if he wanted to, Shin could roam happily in the skies, dominating the world as he wished. Though, that wasn''t important right now. The clamours from outside got noisier and noisier, and when Shin finally opened the doors for his chambers, everyone screamed out in joy. The white light of day had switched to the red amber of the evening. Shin had been attempting his advance for nearly half a day after all. Elyse was the first to burst forth from the crowd, jumping into the embrace of the young man. "Shin! We were so worried!" Elyse cried out as snot dripped out of her petite nostrils. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I''m fine..." Shin smiled. He then turned to all the familiar faces that had come to visit him. Kanari and Elrin breathed out in relief, holding their chest to quell their anxious hearts. Shizen was tempted to jump in, but Ella''s fingers were pulling him back. Isadore smiled, proud that his bosom friend had finally made his advancement. Meijing Bingying, Xunyu Huanyuan and the rest of the representatives from the Lantis Republic were likewise relieved that the young man had made it through intact. All of his close friends and family were here, and that really warmed the youth''s heart. "Shin! Thank god!" Kanari went over and bravely held the man''s hand. She wanted to keep a low-profile, but by now, everyone knew of their budding relationship, so no one had any choice words. "You really have a habit of worrying us this past few days!" "Sorry about that..." Shyly, Shin scratched his head. "But it''s okay. Everything''s fine now. Look! My body is as healthy as ever! Actually more so!" The man flexed his biceps jokingly. Kanari observed the young man. His height had increased slightly, and his white skin was now as unblemished as jade itself. The two azure pupils that he hid sparkled like the most pristine lakes of Highgarden and his oval face had become more toned. However, the most distinct change that Shin had was his overall demeanour. Now, Shin seemed more dominant¡­ More confident¡­ Which made him all the more attractive. "Yeah..." Kanari replied. "So¡­ What''s your spiritual ability?" Everyone was curious. What kind of spiritual ability would the Prince of Water come up with? "Ah, right! Could those below the Spirit Spectre realm please take a seat?" Shin jumped down the steps and entered the courtyard outside his room. In essence, what he wanted to do was for the orphans and some of the seven young heroes to gain some support. Although they were unsure of what Shin was trying to do, they still obliged willingly. Shin took a deep breath in and began to meditate. His body slowly radiating out an azure light, while dense water elements rose out from Shin''s body. The temperature dropped drastically, and all the moisture that had been lost in the mansion were now slowly being returned to it. Then¡­ Shin unleashed it. Like the stars from the milky way, an azure nebula burst forth from Shin''s body, filling the entire courtyard with dense mana particles. Those below the Spirit Spectre realm instantly felt breathless while those above that realm tried to contain their afflicted smiles. Shin''s fifth spiritual ability, like everyone expected, was a domain one. However, the boy wasn''t done¡­ "My fifth spiritual ability is a domain one, and its property is..." An impish smile crept up the face of the young man, and he raised his right hand. Joining his middle finger and thumb together, Shin concentrated on every single soul in his domain and unleashed the hell he kept within. SNAP!!! As his fingers rubbed passed each other, everyone beneath Rank 40 lost consciousness. Their eyes turned white, and their bodies fell to the ground, like broken dolls that had their strings being cut. And it wasn''t just those below the Spirit Spectre realm who were affected. Even Meijing Bingying and Kanari, who were geniuses of their realms, felt dizziness unlike any they had ever felt. Only those at a much higher realm, like Principal Erudito, Elder Baobiao and Lady Seph, were wholly unaffected. Shin looked over his shoulder and smiled. "That''s my fifth spiritual ability, Master." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 419 Tying Up Loose Ends 2 "W-What¡­ What did you do?" Everyone present was shocked, but Principal Erudito was the first to mouth out his concerns. Among those that fainted, many of them were his students. Especially for Isadore and Elrin. If anything were to happen to them, the bronzed-face scholar wouldn''t know how to deal with the aftermath from their parents. Wholly uninterested in the Principal''s worry, Shin quelled down the beautiful particles floating about in his domain and calmly replied: "I made them all sleep. Don''t worry, they''ll be up any second now." As if on cue, the first downed man started to wake. Isadore, probably the one with the most robust constitution of them all, flickered his eyelids and moved his fingers. He rose from the ground with barely any strength in his muscles. Noticing his friend''s struggle, Shin ran forward and supported the androgynous man''s chest. "Y-You¡­ What the hell?" Isadore cursed, his face slightly annoyed. Who could blame him? His consciousness was just robbed from him without any prior warning, and if not for Shin asking them to remain seated, they would most definitely have collapsed under the pressure of their own weight, risking head injuries. "Haha, sorry about that..." Shin bitterly laughed. "It''s my first time casting this ability, so I couldn''t tell you about its properties, lest you take measures to resist it. I''ll treat you later, just name the place." The Prince of Water offered up an apology in the form of food. "Yado Inn¡­ Buffet-style..." Isadore instantly went for the most expensive compensation he could think off. Yado Inn was a high-class restaurant where just one dish cost as much as ten silver coins. If Isadore wanted to go all-you-can-eat, Shin would easily be down a gold ingot or more. "Buffet-style? That''s a bit..." "Hmmm?!" Shin didn''t want to cross his friend any more than he did, so he acquiesced. "Alright, alright! buffet-style it is!" Rubbing the back of his ear, Shin left the youth to calm down and regain his senses and tended to the next person who had fainted. Bit by bit, the Spirit Adepts came to be. Even the weaker Spirit Core and Spirit Apostle orphans were starting to awake from their slumber. Only Shizen remained sprawled out on all fours like a sloth, snoring away in absolute bliss. Shin placed the hobbit-like young man under the shade of a tree and walked over to the stunned adults. His domain was still active, and there was no sign of mana exhaustion from Shin''s part. It was as if he was wholly attuned to the ability already and it seemed like he could keep it going perpetually. "This is my fifth spiritual ability, the Domain of Dreams," Shin said, puffing his chest out full of pride. "My domain focuses on absorbing and easing out water elements or any elements related to water to my own benefit. So instead of being solely run by my mana, the domain would absorb the elements surrounding me and manipulate it to benefit my own abilities." "Wait¡­ So how did you make them fall asleep?" Meijing Bingying had hundreds of questions. However, the most pressing one was to unravel how Shin performed that astonishing feat. "How does controlling the elements relate to knocking others out." Shin smiled. "It''s quite simple, actually. All human beings are made out of water. Your organs, your veins¡­ There are so many things in a human body that consists of water and by extension, water elements. So, as long as you''re in my domain, and your cultivation level is lower than mine, I can mess with the blood flow a little bit." Shin rubbed his index finger over his thumb like a shrewd merchant. Audible gasps sounded out from the crowd, shocked that the youth could actually come up with such a vile technique. Even Lady Seph, who was a connoisseur of spiritual abilities, was astounded at her disciple''s ingenuity. Though, Shin wasn''t done with his explanation. "By cutting off the blood flow to the brain, I can force my opponents to fall asleep inside of my domain or at the very least, weaken them enough so that I could capture them." Shin clenched his fists as his eyes started to mist. Those that knew of his recent ordeals knew that this spiritual ability was a reflection of his current state of mind. Now, he didn''t have to kill the mindless Dalits or the crazed Shudras of the Black Masks. With this ability, Shin could capture them without harming anyone. "Wait¡­ You said that it can only be used on those weaker than you? So how is your domain going to deal with stronger opponents?" Meijing Bingying placed her finger on her dainty chin and asked. Being someone embroiled with Shin''s cultivation, the young maiden was worried that Shin had undercut himself. "Sister Bingying, you don''t have to worry about that as well." Shin chuckled. Moving his fingers like he was playing a piece on the piano, Shin instantly created a stream of flowing water, which wrapped around him like a serpentine creature. Those that knew of Shin''s ability to create water raised their brows a little bit. His actions seemed a little fast, and definitely much more seamless as compared to before. "If there''s an opponent stronger than me who can resist my Domain of Dreams..." Shin turned his right hand rapidly, pushing the stream forward like a cobra released from its coil. In less than a second, the water stream wrapped around Meijing Bingying and turned solid white, with endless amounts of frost being emitted out. The Pearl in the East widened her eyes, raising her hands to meet the scythe of ice that enveloped her. ''It used to take him ten seconds to freeze his water¡­ Now it''s instantaneous?!'' The maiden marvelled at Shin''s increased aptitude. "Against foes that can resist my Domain of Dreams, I''ll beat them down the old-fashioned way." Shin jokes. "My domain consists of any type of water elements, be it ice or steam. As long as my mana remains, I can increase my water manipulation ability exponentially. So¡­ What do you think?" It was a rhetorical question. Shin knew that his fifth spiritual ability was mighty and perhaps the best suited for his needs. He had questioned himself: ''What kind of Spirit Spectre would I want to be? Do I want to continue killing people in the path of a fighter? Or do I revert back to a healer that wasn''t strong enough to protect those I loved?'' Those were the two paths that Shin thought he had. However, it quickly became apparent that Shin had a third option. To become a Spirit Spectre that defied all expectations. To not resort to killing anymore. To¡­ Prevent cases like Latina from ever popping out once again. It really was a win-win spiritual ability, one fit for sovereigns of the craft. "It''s perfect..." Bingying answered while she snapped the ice scythe in two. "Shin, you really are a box of surprises. I''m sure the Saint of Time would be delighted to see your progress." "The Saint of Time..." Shin thought back to the black-haired lady that almost kidnapped him back to the Lantis Republic and heaved out a deep sigh. Although there was still a year left in the agreement that the two superpowers had when it came to Shin, the youth felt like it was finally time to broaden his horizons. So, the Imperial Courts of the Himmel Empire and the High Council of the Lantis Republic had come to a compromise. In two months, Shin would be handed to the Lantis Republic and would be bringing along a few of his trusted allies from the Himmel Empire. Lady Seph would be bringing her entire research laboratory over. Ella and Emma, who were the same age as Shin and about to graduate from Imperius Academy, were the only pair from the orphans that were tagging along. The rest of the orphans all had their own respective responsibilities in the Capital and couldn''t just leave willy-nilly. Even among the seven young heroes, the clique that were inseparable for five years now, had to be split apart. For obvious reasons, Isadore couldn''t depart from the Himmel Empire to enter the heart of an enemy nation. Although Elrin could accompany Shin to the Lantis Republic, she couldn''t stay there for long and would have to alternate between the two superpower countries. As the heir of the Zedcris Conglomerate, there were still many things that she needed to learn, and Uncle Terlus would never stand to see his daughter missing for five long years. Shizen''s case was a little strange. Being a drifter, the hobbit-like didn''t know what he wanted to do. Just like a tree, he would prefer to stagnate in a corner, far away from conflict and pain. Principal Erudito wanted to groom the young genius to become his successor, but anyone with a pair of eyes could tell that the brown-haired man wasn''t emotionally ready. So, Shizen was allowed to accompany Shin into the Lantis Republic to further temper himself. However, after a year or two, the Himmel Empire would recall him back to train him or at least help the man figure out what he could do in the grand scheme of things. And finally, Kanari¡­ The ruby-eyed beauty was the successor of the Highgarden Duchy and unquestionably one of the most important youngsters of her generation. Not only would she inherit one of the wealthiest lands in the Empire, but Kanari was one of the two members in the younger generation that was estimated to become a Spirit Saint. It would be madness to send her to an enemy nation. However, her relationship with the other genius of her generation changed everything. If Kanari could tie Shin down to the Himmel Empire, even if it were just a little bit¡­ And even if Shin decides to eventually favour the Lantis Republic, if Kanari were to bear a child with Shin''s seed, the pedigree in the child''s blood would far outstrip anything that Kanari could accomplish as the Duchess of Highgarden. So the Imperial Courts were extremely optimistic about sending the young maiden alongside Shin to their rivalling nation. Of course, they were prepared to send a Spirit Venerate or two to protect Kanari as well as monitor the progression of Shin''s growth, just as the Lantis Republic did. "Sister Bingying¡­ How long more until the Lantis Republic requires my presence?" The sudden question threw everyone off for a beat. However, after a few seconds to settle herself, the Pearl in the East replied, her face seemingly excited. "One month, maybe two? It all depends on your health. Definitely, the High Council would be pleased if you decide to depart immediately. If you really want to, we can leave within the week. After all, now that you''re a Spirit Spectre, the sooner you get your baptism, the better." A predominant reason why Shin wanted to enter the Lantis Republic was due to his own downfalls as a Spirit User of one of the Eight Scions of Water. He had heard wonderful things about the Celestial River baptisms and was looking forward to experiencing it himself. However... Shin looked around. The unsettled faces of his friends and family, the apprehensive look in his teacher''s eyes and even the slight reluctance of Kanari by his side. Leaving for the Lantis Republic was a paramount decision. Even if he wanted to go immediately, those that he loved still had to tie up some loose ends. "No¡­ Let''s set it for a month." Shin said, giving light to all of those downcast faces. "Not to mention¡­ I still have some unfinished business in the Empire to tend to..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 420 Tying Up Loose Ends 3 The Uncharted Wilderness. ????????????????????? Many questioned how the seasons worked in the Uncharted Wilderness. Did it rain all year long like tropical rainforests that never died? Or do the Spirit Beast inhabiting the land roam happily, adapting to the heat of summer and the chill of winter? The answer? Well, it depends. The Uncharted Wilderness may be mystical, but it wasn''t immune to nature. Often times, the northern and southern poles of the unexplored land would experience heavy snowfalls all throughout the year, barring a few exceptions. Howling wind, akin to that of chilling cries of wraiths, dominated the frosty white land. Massive blizzards continued to pile on by the day while hails of ice dropped like spears. It wasn''t a place where life could thrive, and yet, if one were to squint, they would see billowing smoke and vibrant amber light in the distance. Amidst these inhumane weather, there was a colossal castle, protected by the devastating environment by a tremendous barrier of light. Snow foxes leapt out from their burrows interested in testing the effectiveness of the thin layer of protection, only to be melted away within seconds. It was quite bizarre. The structure stood there as if conjured from a fairy tale of princes and princesses, its strong and brick walls holding firm while its inhabitants nestled safely away from the adverse weather. Just like its exterior, the inside of the castle was overly magnificent. There were glass chandeliers and towering sculptures that could only be crafted by some of the world''s best stone masons. Decadent cutlery and fine grape wine, which shouldn''t survive such drastic temperatures, decorated the dining tables making it much more luxurious that it should have been. It was paradise¡­ At least that was what Junius had thought. [Junius, you have failed me.] An authoritative voice echoed out in the basement of the castle, where two men stood side by side. Junius'' eyes were looking at his shoes while both his hands were tied behind his back. The World Serpent, Ao, kept his face neutral, not showing any emotion whatsoever. He may be a jester at times, but in front of the Black Sphere that dictated his organisation''s every move, Ao would always display the dignity of a Nine-Coloured Noble Beast. "It''s all my fault, Allfather! Please punish me as you fit!" The viridian-haired young man instantly dropped to his knees, kowtowing to the orb of darkness. He didn''t even bother to prepare a defence. Junius had failed the Allfather, and there was no point in coming up with excuses. [Your mistake this time is quite significant, Junius¡­] The voice continued. [Not only did you force us to move to implement Phase Four immediately, but we also had to lose one of our Payircis prematurely. It was even a rare Mind-Element Payirci¡­ You do know that we only have four of them left, right? And all for what? A younger brother that doesn''t even want to follow you home?] "Allfather! Please punish me!" Junius remained to kneel. Even a blind person could tell that the Vaishya had messed up. [Junius¡­ It really is a shame...] The Allfather sighed. [You have contributed so much to the Black Masks. You''re smart, talented and even capable of handling things that Brahmins would struggle with. However, you do have one drawback, and that is your undying love for your family...] Hearing that, Junius felt his heart dive deeper into his chest. How was the Allfather going to punish him? Even if he were to be sentenced to death, Junius would feel no fear. However, if the Allfather wanted to kill Shin or Shia or anyone in the Awter Clan¡­ Just the thought of it brought the man to his knees and tears to his eyes. Then, there was silence. The Allfather didn''t say anything, Junius didn''t dare to open his mouth, and Ao stood there without any care in the world. Eventually, someone had to break the knife-cutting tension, so finally, the Darkness Sphere said: [Junius, based on your contributions thus far, I can waive the death sentence. However, you cannot go unpunished. The Black Masks are an organisation where merit is rewarded, and failure is penalised. So, I give you this sentence. Two hundred kilometres from here, there is a rocky canyon. There, one of the Empyrean Wonders of the World, the Tree of Illusions, lay hibernating. I want you to go in alone and get seeds from a Soul Tree, a lesser version of the Empyrean Wonder and report back to me.] Junius jolted his head up and stared at the orb. He couldn''t believe his ears. ''That''s¡­ all?'' [I see that you don''t understand the true nature of the Tree of Illusions...] The Allfather mused, mildly entertained by Junius'' confusion. [Ao, explain it to him.] "Ha!" The World Serpent bowed before turning to the stunned youth. "The Tree of Illusions is an Empyrean Wonder that uses the Mind-Element, stronger than anything else in the world. No one had ever seen it before because anyone who got near, no matter how mighty they were, would go mad instantly. Many Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts, the strongest entities in the world, have attempted to find the Tree of Illusions but they almost always never came back." A flash of understanding flickered through Junius'' eyes as he turned back to the Black Sphere in the centre of the chambers. He was being sent on a suicide mission... [I''m not asking you to find the Tree of Illusions, but its watered down cousins, the Soul Trees. Nonetheless, it still is a dangerous mission, so take it as a method of tempering yourself.] The Allfather nonchalantly said. [Only those with a prime heart and unwavering desires would overcome the temptation to fall into madness. Should you prove yourself to be worthy, the Tree of Illusions will reward you accordingly. I hope you wouldn''t let me down, Junius.] "Ha! I live and die by the Allfather''s grace!" Junius replied with great fervour. At the very least, he wasn''t going to be sent on a mission to eradicate Shin. As the youngster left the room, Ao''s serene expression finally fell through. Turning to the Black Sphere, the World Serpent said: "Allfather." With Junius gone from the chambers, the Black Sphere pulsated twice before turning into a puff of dark smoke. The atmosphere instantly became sinister and grim, as if Mistress Death herself had descended upon the mortal plains. The black smog condensed slowly until eventually, a hooded humanoid figure took shape. The man''s face was covered in dark smoke so no one could truly see his face and his four limbs that protruded out of his robes were wrapped in jet-black bandages. Ao''s lips curved upwards as he folded his arms in akimbo. If any of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, particularly Momo, saw this haughty attitude, the World Serpent would be hunted down to the end of the world. Still, the blue-haired man didn''t care. "You''re really pampering him," Ao said, his tone wasn''t strained at all. It was as if he was talking to a friend than a superior. "Sending him to the Canyon of Illusions as punishment¡­ It looks like you''re trying to train him, rather than penalise him." "You''re one to talk¡­ The face you had when you rescued him from the Payirci¡­ I didn''t know a hundred thousand-year-old beast like you could possess such feelings for a human." The Allfather in his Umbral Human form chuckled. "Tskkk¡­ Your omniscience is really getting on my nerves." "Keke, all powers come at a price." Placing his hands behind his back, the Allfather looked to the exit. "We''re short of manpower. Or to be more precise, we lack talent. Junius is a rare talent that can be groomed for us in the future. We can''t go throwing our best gems away because of one or two mistakes that they make. An army that kills its best officers would never become a wholesome army." "Just say that you like the kid." The World Serpent scoffed, pouting his lips and furrowing his brows. The Allfather gave such a long-winded explanation when it all boils down to one simple fact. "Well, I would be lying if I said I didn''t." The hooded man said. "Either way, we still have to punish him. Keep an eye on him, would you? If he dies, so be it. But if he succeeds..."The Allfather pushed his hood down before turning back into the Orb of Darkness. [If he gets the seeds, let him run this region. Let him develop it according to the plans for Phase Five.] The World Serpent was taken back for a moment. Letting a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre run an entire region when most Brahmins didn''t have that luxury? Even nepotism had its limits. Still, Ao obliged. "Will do." [Good¡­] The pulsating in the Dark Sphere slowly faded away, and the Allfather''s voice could no longer be heard in the remote castle dungeons. ''Junius. Oh, Junius.'' Hiding his wicked smile, Ao slowly ascended the stairs, cracking his hands in the process. ''Will you be a phoenix that rises from the ashes? Or another footnote in the long history of mankind? I can''t wait to find out...'' ??? The Himmel Empire. Highgarden Duchy. Days passed since Shin broke through into the Spirit Spectre realm. The affair didn''t generate much of a buzz. Regular citizens continued on with their lives, pushing on one day at a time. High Society, on the other hand, was thrown into an absolute frenzy. Right after Kanari had promoted into the Spirit Spectre realm in the Estrella Region, Shin quickly spectacularly followed suit. He skipped two ranks and instantly triggered the attempt to bypass the first barrier of mortality. While many would stagnate at the peak of Rank 39 for extended periods of time, Shin decided to break all sorts of conventions and enter the Spirit Spectre realm directly. For those that knew how difficult it was, for those who were still struggling at Rank 39¡­ It was a direct slap in their face. Naturally, Shin didn''t care about what others felt. As long as they weren''t bothering him or the ones he loved, there was no need to mind the fingers of envy. That was the general approach that Shin had once he reached the Spirit Spectre realm. So, it made his current jittery state, dressed up in a luxurious tuxedo and polished crocodile shoes, all the more entertaining to watch. Seated next to him was a bewitching young maiden. Her shining black hair was kept up in a Gibson Tuck, held together by an emerald jade hairpin. Lightly painted with rouge, the young maiden''s face bloomed in brilliant red radiance, which complemented her breathy crimson silk robes. Stifling a laugh, Kanari placed her hands over Shin''s and said: "Relax, you''ve met my parents before! You know how they are!" "Yeah, I''ve met them, but never in this context!" Shin couldn''t hide his nervousness. Just like any other child, Kanari was the love of the Highgarden Duchess and Duke. There were even plans for Kanari to initiate the inheritance process once she graduated from Imperius Academy, Yet, because of Shin, the husband and wife wouldn''t get to meet their cherished child for almost five years. No parent, no matter how understanding, would be pleased with that fact. "Hehe, don''t worry about it!" Unlike Shin, Kanari was having fun, witnessing this whole ordeal pan out. Placing her chin on the man''s shoulders, Kanari whispered into his ear. "If they really object, we can just elope. Find a place where no one knows us and live out our lives forever after as farmers. Don''t you think that''s kind of romantic?" "It could be..." Shin''s tense face eased up a little. Wouldn''t it be perfect if everything could be forgotten? If all of the suffering and pain he sustained never existed? The massacre of the Awter Clan, the Black Masks, all of the deaths in the world¡­ If Shin could just let it all slide and live the rest of his life tending to cows, how good would that be? However¡­ "But that''s just a pipe dream. You know that right, Kanari?" "Yeah." Locking her hands through the gap in Shin''s arms, the young maiden nuzzled her nose on Shin''s lean biceps. "We still have so much to accomplish, so much to finish..." "Right¡­" Shin shrugged Kanari away to free his right arm. Then, he wrapped it around the young girl''s thin shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "By the way, before we leave for the Lantis Republic, I want to make one more stop. This time, a little west." "... Ariel, right?" It didn''t take Kanari much time to guess Shin''s motives. "And Lily, yes." Shin didn''t deny it. "I have been avoiding this issue for five years now. Before, when I was without power and influence, the Frie Clan would never accept me to step foot on their mountain. Now that I''ve got both, perhaps their minds would have changed." After the death of Ariel, the orphans'' strongest ally, the First Elder, had turned heel on them and barred them from ever coming back. Five years had passed since then. Although Shin didn''t know what exactly happened after they left the west, he had heard some whispers. "I won''t ask you to accompany me, but I hope that you''ll understand my decision." "..." Kanari didn''t look all that thrilled. How could she be? The man she loved was about to return to the place where his one true love resided. Still, Kanari wasn''t the type of girl that would restrict Shin''s movements. Sighing, she replied: "No, I should follow you. I want to see the place where you grew up. The places you stayed, the people that influenced you growing up¡­ Everything. Also¡­ I think that I should at least pay my respects to Ariel." Kanari felt terrible for ''stealing'' Shin away. The young man had been devoted to Ariel for years now and was still determined to become a Spirit Immortal just to meet the deceased girl one more time. It was perhaps the most touching love story that Kanari had ever heard. However, Kanari couldn''t lie to her own feelings. She wanted to be with Shin, so she chased him. It was as simple as that. "Kanari¡­ Thank you..." Shin held onto the maiden''s hands and stared right into her ruby-coloured eyes. Kanari did the same. Their eyes interlocked, a magnetic force started to pull their two lips together bit by bit. They had forgotten their motives for coming to this resplendent room in the first place. All that they could think of were their two marvellous faces. Unfortunately, before they could reach the final stretch... "*Ahem!*." A dry cough brought the pair out of their trance and quickly separated their two faces. A gorgeous black-haired lady, accompanied by one of the suavest gentlemen that Shin had ever laid his eyes on, entered into the chambers. The woman had an impish smile, with her four fingers covering her mouth. On the other hand, the man wore an expression of steel, his muscles bulging out from his tuxedo with a tinge of wrath. Almost kissing the girl just seconds before her family entered the room? It really was the worst way to meet a girl''s parents... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 421 Tying Up Loose Ends 4 Shin and Kanari sat on one side of the rectangular oak table while the handsome couple, who didn''t seem to be a day above forty, sat on the other. Cold sweat fell from the top of Shin''s cranium as he stared at the giant man that was seated directly opposite from him. The teacups on the table had remained untouched, even though Kanari and her mother were already merrily sipping through them, ready to watch the show unfold. See, Shin wasn''t nervous meeting the Duchess of Highgarden. Based on his previous interactions with her, the youth knew that Kanari''s mother was a carefree spirit among those that she was close with and there were even a few times that the lady would joke about Shin and Kanari tying the knot. So the true fight was between Shin and Kanari''s father, who as an overprotective dad from day one. Everyone knew of the love story behind the two. Kanari''s grandparents, the current Duchess'' parents, didn''t like that she was in a loving relationship with a lowborn child, with no sort of pedigree, that she met by coincidence in Imperius Academy. To break that union, the Duchess'' parents would arrange all kinds of marriage interviews and would even pressure Kanari''s father to break up with the Duchess, else his entire family would be relocated. Of course, as Kanari''s grandparents would learn the hard way, the more one tried to force someone into doing something, the harder the person would push back. The current Duchess attempted to elope with Kanari''s father and even attacked a potential suitor for attempting to hold her hand. It really was a mess. Eventually, after the Duchess climbed up the ranks of the Luminaries to become a talent worthy of the role, her parents started to ease their oppositions. The current Duke of Highgarden was no pushover either. To prove to the world that he was worthy of his wife''s devotion, the man worked hard, studying politics, agriculture, military tactics, administration¡­ Basically, anything that would aid in developing the Highgarden Duchy, Kanari''s father would study. And his efforts paid off. Every single plan that he proposed had advanced the Duchy tenfold and in the modern day, the Highgarden Duchy was one of the most productive and influential lands in the entire Himmel Empire. If the Duchess of Highgarden was the face of the Duchy, then her husband was the brains. The Duke may only be a Rank 68 Spirit King, but in terms of value, his presence was just as crucial as the Duchess, if not more so. Therefore, Shin still had to pay him the utmost respect. "Your Excellency, I...!" "Just leave it." The Duke replied with a booming tone, forcing Shin to quiet down almost immediately. It was understandable. No father would be amused to see their cherished daughter, a product of their own flesh and blood, getting frisky with another man. It was just a few years back that Kanari was the love of his life. Remembering the days where the adorable little creature would climb on his back and he would tell stories by her bed to lull her to sleep¡­ It was complete bliss. Yet, this black-haired bastard here thinks that he can swoop in and take Kanari all for himself? The Duke wasn''t just going to let it slide. "Shin Iofiel¡­ The heir of the fallen Awter Clan and a descendant of the fabled Longyu Clan. Orphaned, you worked your way up in the Frie Clan and managed to convince Venerate Seraphim to make you her disciple. Breaking all sorts of records, you became the youngest healer in history and pushed your limits by the day. At the age of fifteen, you were already condensing your Spirit Core. At eighteen, you made it into the Spirit Adept realm, merging with a Tier 8 Spirit Beast''s nail in the process. Finally, against all the odds, you skipped two ranks and passed the first barrier of mortality, becoming the second youngest Spirit Spectre in the Himmel Empire." The Duke repeated the highlights of Shin''s life from memory, bringing a tinge of red to the young man''s face. "On paper, you''re perhaps the most suited to date my daughter. No, you''re the only person in the younger generation who could possibly match her. Not to mention, the feelings seem mutual." "Hehe~." Sticking her tongue out, Kanari teased the two uptight men, only to receive a deathly glare from her father. It wasn''t the time or the place to be comical. "Your achievements are quite extraordinary, however..." The man folded his arms and looked straight into Shin''s azure eyes. "I don''t like you." "Father!" Kanari jumped to her feet and was ready to rebut, only to be halted by the Duke''s heavy hand. "Kanari, sit down and don''t interrupt. This matter is of utmost importance." The fair maiden could feel the tension build up as Shin stood his ground, unfazed by the Duke''s sudden turn. Kanari cried out, "But!" "Kanari!" The Duke raised his voice, something he rarely did in the past. Forced to drop down back on her chair, Kanari bit down on her lower lip and turned to the boy seated next to her. She had crossed so many hurdles to develop her relationship with Shin to this point. Yet, her greatest obstacle actually came from within. "Your Excellency¡­ May I ask why you dislike me?" Shin asked. "Is it my background? Or was it something that I''d done?" "No, nothing of that sort." Kanari''s father shook his head. He was a commoner himself, and a product of a touching love story that will be retold for generations to come. It would be hypocritical of him to mind his daughter''s boyfriend''s upbringing. "It isn''t something that you''ve done, but the things you haven''t done¡­ For my daughter." "..." Confused, the young man slightly tilted his head. "Kanari she¡­ She''s a noble soul. She''s kind and gentle. Sometimes boorish, but never violent. Kanari''s also very emotional. However, because she''s the heir of Highgarden, she has to always wear a facade. High Society could be a mess for a young child after all." Gone was the wise sage that was known to be the Duke of Highgarden. Right now, the man before Shin was a loving father who wanted nothing but the best for his child. "So when Kanari met you, someone whom she could drop all of her shields for and be a young girl again, I was actually quite glad. All of the men that approached her were either opportunistic nobles or wealthy families, or lustful men that only sought her outer beauty. Only you treated her as a bosom friend that she could confide in. When Megumi suggested years back that she was planning to set the two of you up, I didn''t have any objections." Looking sideways, the Duke held the Duchess'' hands. Thus far, the man''s explanations contradicted the statement that he dislikes Shin, so the duo seated opposite him had question marks floating out from their heads. "However, your actions in the past few months have really started to get on my nerves!" Slamming his fist on the table, the Duke bellowed out. "All this while, you knew that Kanari had feelings for you and yet you pushed back. When she was going to promote to the Spirit Spectre realm, you refused to come back, forcing her to attempt the first barrier of mortality in some foreign land. Even now! You''re asking her to follow you to the Lantis Republic for five years! How selfish can you be?!" Continually spewing out his grievances, the Duke laid everything out on the table. And it was a good thing that he did. Shin really hadn''t thought of that. In their relationship, it seemed like Kanari was the only one putting out the sacrifices. The only thing that Shin did was receive the girl''s goodwill and barely gave anything back. "Father, I did all of those things willingly!" Kanari interjected, placing her hands over Shin''s. "I never asked for anything from Shin!" "That''s the entire problem! You''ve done so much for him, and what has he done for you?!" "T-That..." The maiden instantly turned tongue-tied. From an outsider''s perspective, their relationship did seem to be lopsided. "Your Excellency..." Shin, who had been quiet all this time, finally raised his head. "I understand if you feel that I''m not worthy for your daughter. I have been foolish all this time after all. However, please. Give me a chance to make it right. In the next five years, I''ll prove that I''m a man worthy of Kanari''s devotion. I swear by it." Shin''s declaration brought hearts into Kanari''s pupils and took the suave man by surprise. Even the immovable Duchess of Highgarden felt like Shin was as charming as her husband. Ever since Shin reached the Spirit Spectre realm, the man seemed to have undergone a metamorphosis. Now, he wasn''t as wishy-washy as compared to the past. If Shin had something on his chest, he would voice it out. "Actions speak louder than words. From now on, I''ll be sure to be the best possible man for Kanari. Please watch over me." Shin bowed down in utmost respect. "..." The Duke was speechless. He had anticipated Shin to skirt around the topic and eventually break down. Yet, Shin wasn''t about to play by his rules. "Fine¡­ I''ll observe what happens from now on¡­ If I ever find out that you''ve made Kanari unhappy..." "I''ll deliver my head to you myself!" Shin once again took the initiative, stunning the dominant Duke. Kanari''s mother mused at her husband''s ineptitude in dealing with the young man. Fortunately, Shin wasn''t in an opposing faction''s camp, else the Highgarden Duchy would fail miserably. "Alright, alright! Let''s not talk about that for now." The Duchess of Highgarden clapped her hands as she giggled. "Let''s switch to a lighter topic! Children!" The sudden shift instantly reddened the two youngsters'' faces. ''How''s that a lighter topic?!'' Kanari and Shin thought. They were only twenty-years-old and were just about to reach the prime of their lives. Their bodies had fully matured and were ready to move on to the next stage of adulthood. However, due to an array of circumstances, the two of them didn''t want to cross the final step. "I''m not sure how the arrangement in the Lantis Republic would work, but I would like your first child to be named Saniela so that we can raise him or her to inherit the Duchy." The Duchess continued, not caring about the embarrassment that the two youths had. "Ermmm, Your Excellency¡­" Shin raised his hands meekly, his eyes desperately averting Kanari''s. "We decided that we should postpone that kind of talk until the five years time limit is up. Both Kanari and I want to concentrate on our cultivations and the Black Masks." "Nonsense! We should be discussing this matter now!" That hesitance sparked fury in the Duchess'' heart. "Spirit Spectres who had passed the first barrier of mortality have a harder time conceiving as compared to normal humans! Because of my low fertility rate, I had Kanari when I was sixty-years-old¡­ Do you really want to become a parent at that age? I say you start spending nights together right now when you''re both young and vigorous!" A mother asking her daughter''s boyfriend to have sex with her daughter¡­ How was Shin supposed to react to that? "Please ignore her." At this point, even the Duke couldn''t stand his wife''s shenanigans. "I''ll only tolerate you bedding Kanari on the day you consummate your marriage." Oh, the father was no better. They barely started their relationship, and they were already talking about marriage. "Father! Waiting for marriage is a little too long, don''t you think? I mean¡­ Sure, we have to take it slow¡­ But it doesn''t have to be THAT slow right..." And the daughter finished Shin off with her own self-detonation. Realising her folly, Kanari turned away and burrowed her face into her chest, not daring to look Shin in the eye anymore. Then only one question remained on Shin''s mind for the rest of the session. ''How the hell did the Highgarden Duchy survive this long?'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 422 Tying Up Loose Ends 5 The Himmel Empire. Imperial Army Headquarters. Officer Cadet School. The morning had dawned clear and cold. The headquarters of the most powerful military base in the Himmel Empire was just a few kilometres south of the equator, meaning that the soldiers here could train all year long, without worrying about the intense summer heat or the chilling winter cold. It was a heaven for the top officers in the land, and hell for the new recruits that aim to rise through the ranks. Even before day broke, thousands of shirtless men and lightly robed women did their rounds, running kilometres every day and performing an array of intense exercise routines. Oddly enough, there weren''t any ranking instructors spurring them to torture themselves physically. Hiding a burning fire in their eyes, the new recruits flew through all of their exercises with astonishing efficiency, really highlighting their cream of the crop status. Of course, not every soldier was hard at work in the early mornings. One uniformed young man sat in a remote tentage, far away from the daily hustle. His brown attire consisted of a dozen badges, each one shinier than the other. His thinned out hollow cheeks were concaved enough that a small coin could be stuck within its gaps and his tall stature that would dominate every single man he came across seemed so small at the moment. "You''re saying¡­ Kanari''s has begun a relationship with Shin Iofiel..." The man fingers trembled as his elbows collapsed on the table. "Yes, and she''s going to accompany him to the Lantis Republic..." Charles couldn''t look his distraught friend in the eye. "Fred¡­ Just give it up. She never wanted to be with you in the first place." The young aristocrat placed a cup of water right in front of the bulky officer, hoping to ease some of his tension. After Fred Newton, the most devoted lovebird in the Himmel Empire graduated from Imperius Academy, he turned down any and all offers from the dozens of noble houses and wealthy families that wanted to solicit his talents. Fred never gave up on Kanari, and the thought of being separated from her for the rest of his life shattered his heart into a million pieces. Yes, after her first year in the academy, Kanari claimed that if Fred ever approached her, she would take appropriate actions to cripple his cultivation. But that didn''t mean that the man couldn''t admire her from afar. So, to stay as close to the maiden as he possibly could, Fred took the best job that was close to Imperius Academy. Enlisting in the Imperial Army. Being a rare talent who graduated from one of the most prestigious institutions in the nation, Fred''s military career went exceedingly well. When he enlisted, Fred was instantly given the rank of a Second Lieutenant, and in the years since, the man had risen to the position of a Captain, making him one of the fastest rising commissioned officers in the army. However, that wasn''t the man''s goal at all. Often times, Fred would make up excuses to return to the school, just to catch his monthly dose of Kanari. Even after everything he''d been through, Fred still remained loyal to the woman that strayed further away by the day. However, now that she was finally in a relationship with someone else¡­ "That fucker¡­ THAT FUCKER!!!" Erupting like a volcano, Fred slapped the cup before his hands straight onto the ground, sending shards flying all over the remote tent. His base was a training ground for prospective officers and Fred was just filling the role of an instructor. Thus, there weren''t many people around to witness his fit of rage. "I should have killed him back then! I SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM!!!" It took two hands to clap, yet Fred was only blaming the black-haired boy, not the beauty that haunted his dreams. Not done with his destructive tendencies, Fred slammed the table under him into smithereens and stomped his way to the exit. Charles grabbed his friend''s wrist, stopping him from doing anything rash. "Where are you going?" "To kill that asshole!" Fred replied the veins on his forehead popped and his face all red. "I''m done playing passively! I''ll kill him and get Kanari, by any means necessary!" "And how would you do that?" The young noble played the voice of reason. "Shin is surrounded by at least two Spirit Venerates, one a Divine Healer, another an expert in defence. Both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic are going to shelter him no matter what, and he probably has dozens of experts watching over him at every turn! Also¡­" Charles gulped. "As he is right now¡­ Shin Iofiel might be more powerful than you." "Hargh?!" "I''m not joking! You know how powerful he became after the Summit four years ago! Now, he''d even broken through into the Spirit Spectre realm, matching your own cultivation level! God knows how much more powerful the Prince of Water has become with his fifth spiritual ability¡­ Against his Spirit, Fred¡­ Your Spirit is just a terrible matchup." Fred was a warrior through and through. His Iron Giant Spirit was powerful, no doubt, but the man had focused on going down the body enhancement path. If Shin were to sit back and spam water attacks his way, Fred would be downed in a matter of seconds. "So¡­ Are you telling me to sit back and do nothing?!" "Not nothing..." Charles sighed. Glancing over his shoulder to confirm that there weren''t any shadows lurking or any spies watching them, the aristocrat stepped closer into Fred''s comfort zone. "What if I told you that you could achieve everything you ever wanted. Shin would disappear from the world and Kanari would stay in your arms from now till the end of time." "How would I do that?" Intrigued, Fred raised his brows and lowered his voice. He could tell that Charles wanted this matter to be kept under wraps. "Before I tell you how, I need you to commit." The handsome young man placed his finger on his lips. "Are you sure of your commitment, are you desperate in your desire and¡­ Will you swear yourself into secrecy?" Fred scoffed. "Is there a need to question that? You should know me by now. If you can get me Kanari, I''ll do anything that you want." "Right!" Charles smiled, his eyes closed, hiding its evil glint. "I do know you. So, I can trust you with this." The man reached into his robes and took out an object wrapped in a luxurious cloth. Fred could tell that the object had been treated with the utmost respect. ''It''s light,'' he thought. Judging from its size, the object seemed to be wearable, and as Fred slowly unwrapped his present, his jaw dropped so wide that an apple could fit inside his mouth. Why? What Charles had handed him¡­ What his long term friend of over half a decade had given him¡­ Was the one thing that the Alliance had been trying to fight off over the past four years. It was the object that Fred had trained his officers to hate and kill. It was a Black Mask. "Y-You..." "Yes, Fred. I am part of the Black Masks..." Charles confirmed his friend''s suspicions. Just like many of the superpowers had feared, the Allfather had an influence that spanned further than anyone could have anticipated. Aristocrats like Charles, who was said to be the lifeblood of the Himmel Empire, had even defected to the criminal syndicate. "Join us, Fred! Pledge your soul to the Allfather, and he''ll grant you with power the likes of which you''d never felt before! And also¡­ He''ll give you the power to take Kanari for yourself." "..." Never has Fred''s mind been more clear. All his adult life, he had only one goal. Bringing Kanari to his side. He had tried being the nice guy. He''d sent flowers, turned down all sorts of advances from other women. Fred had even respected her wishes to stay as far away from her as possible, while he attempted to reforge their sour relations. However, nothing he did had worked. Kanari still went into the arms of another. "So¡­ What''s your answer?" "Do I even have a choice?" Fred caressed the Black Mask in his left hand and held it firmly in his right. Even if he wanted to run away to report to his higher-ups, the Iron Man was confident that Charles would have killed him by then. Fred''s two hands kept the Black Mask close to his chest. "How do I join?" ??? The Himmel Empire. Chilyoja Waypoint. Spring in the west of the Empire was always warm and cosy. Even with the comfort of the aether car, Shin preferred to roll down the windows to experience the crisp air of nature, which never failed to calm his nerves. Over the past few days, Shin had been doing much more travelling then he was used to. From emptying his wallet in Yado Inn while Shizen and Isadore chomped down everything they could lay their hands on to visiting the Highgarden Duchy to settle the issue regarding Kanari. So, it was a nice change of pace to just sit back and relax, while others chauffeured him around. Feeling a squirming life form on his lap, Shin looked down at the sleeping beauty that seemed incessant on staying in the Garden of Hypnos for the rest of time. Kanari was in complete bliss, enjoying the rare lap pillow that Shin had given her. Her pouted lips and inflated cheeks tempted Shin to tease Kanari awake. Alas, since they weren''t alone in the car, Shin held back his mischief. Bingbing snuggled on the youth''s shoulders as well. Snot bubbles expanded and contracted from her nose while she slept comfortably throughout the journey. Being separated from the young man for almost half a year, the snowy white gerbil decided to spend as much time as it physically could with the boy. Fortunately for the Tier 8 Kamaitachi, Lady Seph had ordered her to stay next to Shin in the foreseeable future, especially as they moved to the Lantis Republic where everything was foreign. "Master," Shin called the blonde woman, who was still in the middle of reading her latest research topic. Lady Seph didn''t bother to lift up her head as she flipped to the next page and replied: "What is it?" "Is this the first time you''ve been back to Chilyoja Waypoint since we left?" Lady Seph''s fingers stopped for a brief moment, as she glanced up at the young man. However, she quickly lost focus and looked down at her book once more. "No, I''ve been back twice. Once to handle some issues regarding the succession of Yakkyoku Clinic and another time because I wanted to check on your sister''s grave. What about it?" "No, I''d just thought that you seemed awfully casual about returning there." Shin smiled. Before Shin met Lady Seph, the woman lived in secret for decades, hiding under the broken down hut that was the old Yakkyoku Clinic. One would think that the Spirit Venerate would feel a little sentimental about returning, just like Shin, but she was as calm as a summer sea. "There''s nothing to be excited about," said Lady Seph. "It''s just a place that I stayed in for a while, that''s all." "Haha, yeah..." Shin''s thoughts of Chilyoja Waypoint was far different. After being chased out of Frie Mountain, that small town with a population of less than ten thousand was the place he called home. Some of his best childhood memories were from that modest place. Chilyoja Waypoint and Frie Mountain were both places he cherished dearly in his heart. So¡­ He had to visit them both before he left the Himmel Empire. "Venerate Seraphim, we''re almost there." The driver turned over his shoulder and informed the passengers. A bubbling joy crept up the Shin''s heart as he hung his head out of the window like an excited puppy. High stone walls, polished down till the stone glistened, stood firmly in the distance. Powerful sentries kept watch from the battlements while thousands of cheval de frise surrounded the walls, guarding against any cavalry or beast horde in the world. ''It changed,'' Shin thought. Chilyoja Waypoint was never this fortified in the past. However, that was before Field Marshal Egarsha took over the region. She heavily militarised the western frontier, starting with the waypoints that guarded their supply routes. Trained soldiers took over duties of constables in the town, and new defences were being built by the day. However, as Shin noticed the usual hustle and bustle outside of its Eastern Gate, where impatient merchants argued with the poor chaps who were operating their stations, the young man couldn''t help but break a smile. ''Yeap, Chilyoja Waypoint is still the same.'' Taking a deep breath in, the youth turned his attention to the south, to the place he was all too familiar with. Shin hasn''t been back for five years, how much would the mountain have changed? He wanted to find out. But more importantly¡­ ''Ariel, I have to visit you one more time...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 423 The Reaffirmed Will 1 The warm aroma of freshly baked bread tickled the nostrils of Shin and his companions. Silver trolleys were carted into the gorgeous chambers that they were escorted to, carrying out scrumptious dishes, food that wasn''t available during the journey to Chilyoja Waypoint. Shin had one loaf in his left hand, while his right firmly held on to Kanari''s. Walking down memory lane, Shin pointed around Yakkyoku Clinic, explaining to the maiden all of the stories he had within this impressive building. "Can you believe it? Before Master made herself known, this place used to be a dumpster with only one bathroom." Shin''s face beamed in nostalgia when he reached the lush garden behind the clinic. "Master used to order me around like a workhorse. I had to clean the bathroom with my spiritual ability even though I could only make water orbs!" "Hehe, that sounds like something that she''ll do." Kanari covered her mouth and let out a soft chuckle. Ever since they returned to Chilyoja Waypoint, Kanari had allowed Shin to ramble on while she listened attentively. It was rare for Shin to return back to the place he grew up in, and it also gave the maiden a little insight into the events that forged the man she loved. So, she didn''t mind being the listening ear. "Hah¡­ It really has been some time since I''ve been back here..." The young man sighed as he turned back into the atrium. Shin was only twenty years of age. However, after witnessing the changes in Chilyoja Waypoint, the young man couldn''t help but feel old. Firstly, the streets were far more ordered and clean. Before, there would be the occasional dropped faeces on the side of the roads while daily vegetable sellers would holler at the top of their lungs. Now, none of that existed. Slowly, the waypoint which no one cared about had been transformed into a miniature version of the Capital. Next, the people had aged quite terribly. Perhaps it was due to the stress of the recent beast hordes at Aldrich''s Keep, but the familiar faces that Shin had seen daily all started to get wrinkled up. Even the young boys and girls that he treated back when he was a career healer had grown up to be outstanding fighters. Finally, the infrastructure. When Lady Seph first announced herself as the owner Yakkyoku Clinic, the Mayor''s Office decided to further develop Chilyoja Waypoint into a place where injured soldiers or travellers could rest and recuperate. That fact didn''t change even after their talisman healer left. Taking back Yakkyoku Clinic, Mayor Nadeo had used the illustrious brand and added three new branches. Hundreds of talented healers were hired from the Healer''s Association, and soon, Chilyoja Waypoint''s name became synonymous with high-quality treatment. Warriors from the nearby Aldrich''s Keep would take medical vacations just to visit Yakkyoku Clinic to heal their old ailments or severe wounds, making the town one of the richest in the region. The main branch of Yakkyoku Clinic, the place where Shin had once stayed, also received considerable benefits. Three Senior Healers supervised the day-to-day while dozens of Intermediate and Novice Healers continued to treat the population of the waypoint. Expanding to twice its original size, the newly refurbished Yakkyoku Clinic was now the second biggest building inside of the small town, second only to that of the Mayor''s Office. However, there was one thing that would never change in the clinic where Lady Seph reigned supreme. Picking out a Lilyflower from the garden, Shin walked over to the simple tombstone at the very end of the garden, bringing Kanari along. When they first arrived at the waypoint, the first thing that the orphans did was visit their deceased elder sister. It was a simple ceremony where they all gathered to place down flowers and to give their respects by standing around in silence. Shin noticed the leftover flowers from this morning had been blown askew, so he knelt down and reordered them nicely for Sister Lily to enjoy. Finally, the boy placed down the Lilyflower he plucked, completing the decoration for Sister Lily''s grave once more. "Sister Lily, I''d met Junius," said Shin, his voice hiding a tinge of sadness within. "He''s already deep inside of the Black Mask Syndicate. He didn''t even flinch when I mentioned your name. Honestly, he''s no longer the Junius that we know." Shin thought back of the numerous times where Junius and Lily played happily together and were in pre-matrimonial bliss. He sighed, "If you were still alive, would he still be saveable?" There was no answer. Of course, there wouldn''t be. Shin was just talking to an engraved rock after all. However, for some reason, the youth felt his heart fall into ease. It was as if a young maiden had appeared and whispered into his consciousness that everything was going to be alright. Kanari crouched down and assisted the young man. "Shin, you okay?" "Yeah, I''m fine..." He replied, standing straight up. "You know, I never like Sister Lily growing up. She was a pain in my ear and never stopped barking orders at me. Junius was always the guy that had to pull her off my case. So, I always adored Junius. He would always stand up for me no matter what the case was¡­ Junius really was the ideal elder brother¡­ It''s really a shame..." Shin shook his head, not willing to open that can of worms. Junius had fallen to the Black Masks. There was no questioning that. Eventually, the man would be caught and forced to face the music. Whether it was by Shin or otherwise. Kanari held Shin''s hand. "I''m sure if Sister Lily were here, she would think that nabbing Junius would be the right thing to do." "Yeah, I think so too..." The pair stood silently for a minute under the warm sun. The soft breeze of the afternoon tickled their bright faces while the sweet-smelling aroma of flowers beckoned their minds into Lalaland. It really was the perfect resting place for the best elder sister that the orphans could ever ask for. "Speaking of catching the Black Masks, Kanari, do you remember my plans to create a new organisation?" "What of it?" Kanari was stunned by the sudden change of topic but still opened up her ears for the curious subject matter. Shin suggested that he would create his own organisation many years back. However, the boy hadn''t developed that plan at all in the years since. "I think I finally found out what our organisation could do." Shin had thought long and hard before coming up with his own proposition. "After the first Payirci had appeared, the Black Masks have brought out hundreds more. No matter if it was the Kori Federation, Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic, there''s always a Payirci floating nearby." "What about them?" "The Alliance are shorthanded..." Shin explained. "Instead of sending White Knights to every single Payirci to clear them all, they decided to give out commissions to the already existing mercenaries surrounding each Payirci. On paper, that seems to be an excellent idea. However, there''s one shortcoming..." The young man used his thumb and pointed to the two of them. "Many of the mercenaries hired are like Latina''s Moon Mercenaries. They lack sufficient talent to breakthrough further in the Payircis." "Are you saying that we should become mercenaries?" Kanari gasped. "Technically, yes. However, we''ll be mercenaries that specialise in dealing with the Black Masks, particularly the Payiricis that emerge all around the continent. Isadore will be our information network specialist, Elrin would be our Chief Financial Officer and Shizen¡­ He can be our mascot!" Shin suggested, smiling all the way. "Also, we can get all of the orphans involved in the organisation as well. Furthermore, since we''re only moving to deal with the Black Masks, you won''t have to commit too much and can focus on Highgarden. Don''t you think that it''s a spectacular idea?" "Hmmm¡­ Actually, that''s not too bad..." Kanari stroked her smooth chin as she contemplated the idea. Either way, they needed to grow stronger, and the Payircis was a perfect tool to hone their craft. Elyse, who had been busy settling their luggage with Fionn upstairs, walked into the gardens, where Shin and Kanari were paying their respects. "Shin¡­ It''s time for us to meet with the Mayor," the girl informed. "Also¡­ There are some unexpected guests." "Unexpected guests?" Shin raised his brows. "It''s better if you saw them for yourself." Elyse held open the door as two figures stepped in. A maroon-haired woman, who seemed no older than thirty, stepped into gardens with a little apprehension. Likewise, the bony butler that followed moved forward at a snail''s pace, careful not to stun any as he approached. When Shin saw the pair, he felt as if he were struck by a lightning bolt. Raising up his shivering finger, Shin pointed at them and said: "Sister Riko? Senior Marshall?" That''s right. The pair that Elyse had brought with her, the middle-aged butler and the sultry woman in a mandarin dress, were the two faces Shin used to see the most in Chilyoja Waypoint. After he had moved to the Mushinkei, Riko and Marshall were the only two members of the Frie Clan that Shin could meet every single day. Some of Shin''s most joyous memories of Chilyoja Waypoint came from the Mushinkei. He would often dream of the long shoulder massages Riko would give him after a hard day''s work or the simple dinner conversation with the wise and gentle Marshall. "It''s been a long time, Shin." Riko was the first to break the ice. Though, she continued to stay her distance. Back when Shin was living in the Mushinkei, the young woman would often pinch his cheeks or tease him playfully. However, things have changed after those five years. Shin was now known throughout the Empire as the Black-Haired Tyrant or the Prince of Water. He became a Spirit Spectre when he was just twenty and was powerful enough to take down the Paradise Heart of a Payirci. Compared to the old Shin, the youth''s current status was akin to that of a soaring dragon in the heavens. Even the Frie Clan''s Master, Enfen, had to be cautious with her speech around this Luminary who could break two superpowers. "..." Shin looked at the pair in silence. Riko started to sweat while Marshall wrecked his brains to come up with an appropriate response. They didn''t know why the youth looked a little annoyed. Was he going to blame them for the sins of the Frie Clan? Was he going to attack them? The pair didn''t know, and Shin''s stillness wasn''t helping. The youth bolted forward in a brisk walk, taking significant steps towards the pair. Panicking, Riko and Marshall resisted the urge to flail their arms around or retreat. If Shin wanted to hit them, the only thing that they could do was accept it. In just two seconds they accepted their fate and closed their eyes, ready for whatever punishment Shin might mete out. However¡­ "Ouuufff!" Both Riko and Marshall felt a soft touch grabbing on their necks as their breasts were squeezed against something hard. To their complete surprise, Shin had brought them tightly into his embrace. He was a head taller than Riko and a few centimetres short of Marshall. So both of them could see differing views of the youth''s face. Riko saw the ugly grimace that he had while Marshall felt the loneliness within the jet-black hair. His eyes shut, the boy said: "I missed you..." "!!!" The pair widened their eyes and felt their throats turn dry. Shin never blamed them¡­ They were always in his heart. Yes, the Frie Clan may have broken his family apart and brought him so much pain, but the memories he shared with the pair in the Mushinkei were irrelevant to that blood-sucking conflict. Riko and Marshall genuinely cared for Shin and the orphans. There was no questioning that. So, Shin could never blame the pair. Riko was the first to break. Choking on her tears, the maiden whispered lovingly into Shin''s ears: "Welcome home..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 424 The Reaffirmed Will 2 After the touching reunion in the garden, Riko and Marshall accompanied Shin up to meet with Mayor Nadeo, who was playing the role of a host for the returning orphans. They sat around the principal office of Yakkyoku Clinic, with Shin and Lady Seph leading the talks. Mayor Nadeo, Riko and Marshall sat on the opposite side of the round table, each one grinning from ear to ear. Mayor Nadeo was the first to speak. "Shin, you''ve really grown up quite a bit! Even from this remote corner of the Empire, I''ve heard about your accomplishments in the Capital. You''re really the pride of the Chilyoja Waypoint!" The man smiled. Whenever he welcomed distinguished visitors from all over the country, one of the first things that they would ask was whether Shin really spent his adolescent life. Most of the times, they would even question what Shin was like as a child. The mayor didn''t have much to do when it came to developing the young genius, but it felt good to be in a position where high-ranking officials and even nobles would grovel at his feet, just to learn a little bit more about Shin Iofiel. "It''s really nothing." Shin blushed slightly and flailed his hands in the air. He could never get used to the reverence being sent his way. "Haha, I''m sure that your parents would be really proud of your accomplishments!" Mayor Nadeo said, his face never breaking away from a smile. "Are you planning a visit to Awter Lake? If you are, I''ll be glad to escort your around." Mayor Nadeo was a long-time friend of Errol Awter, Shin''s biological father. If the tragedy of the Awter Clan had never happened, perhaps Mayor Nadeo would have been Uncle or Godfather Nadeo to Shin. Still, no one could change the past. Shin shook his head. "When we travelled here, we took a break at Awter Lake." Since he was visiting the west once more, it made sense for him to return to the place where he was born. Twenty years had passed since the Awter Clan fell. The expansive infrastructure that would match any massive family clan had been sunk into the lake, and much of the area had returned to nature. When Shin visited, there was only weeds and flowers dominating the land. Any hints of civilisation had been reduced to nothingness, and there was nothing there for Shin to reminisce about. Fortunately, there was a stone slab erected by Mayor Nadeo himself, honouring the brave and bold that perished that fateful night. So, Shin spent two hours paying his respects and mourning the deaths of the family he never knew. "I see¡­ That''s great." The middle-aged man leaned back in his chair, relaxing his shoulders somewhat. However, after a brief moment, his face quickly turned sombre as he pulled out a yellow parchment. The paper had been rolled and unfurled many times as its creases showed its age. Curious, Shin asked: "What''s that?" Mayor Nadeo sighed and handed the paper over. "The Frie Clan''s reply to your request." "!!!" Shin immediately jolted awake and received the letter with both his hands. He spread open the paper with extreme speed all while Mayor Nadeo narrated its contents for the others to hear. "They have agreed to let you visit the graves of those fallen. However, there are some limitations. You must be out in an hour, and can''t come into contact with any of the other Frie Clan members except your guides and can only bring along one guardian, in this case, Venerate Seraphim. You must not deviate away from the guide under any circumstances and..." The mayor coughed twice. "You can only spend five minutes at the graves." "That little time? How can anyone pay their respects in just five minutes?" Elyse and Fionn were the first to be outraged. Back when Junius ordered the strike, Ariel jumped in front of Elyse to protect her from the spears. Linus, the Second Elder''s grandson, did the same for Fionn. Unlike Lily, who was essentially Max''s custodian at that point, the two Frie Clan talents didn''t have to throw their lives away for the orphans. When the orphans paid their respects to Lily, they had spent a full morning picking out flowers, burning incense and kneeling at her tomb, chatting about their lives after leaving the waypoint. Five minutes just wasn''t enough to cut it. "I tried to talk some sense into them, but..." Mayor Nadeo looked Shin in the eye. "There are still some members in the Frie Clan that blame Linus and Ariel''s death on you guys. Initially, Enfen didn''t even want to consider the possibility of letting you back, since it would potentially trigger those dissidents to act against you. So, that one hour is the best that she could do. For your safety and theirs." "It''s fine." An air of despondence flowed out of Shin''s mouth as he rolled the letter back. "As long as I can see her once more, I would be satisfied." Shin didn''t notice Kanari dropping her head, hiding the bitter expression that she had. After all, who would be happy to see her loved one talking so fondly of another, even if she wasn''t in this world anymore? "When can we visit Frie Mountain?" "Anytime," replied the mayor. "All I need to do is inform them that you''re coming. If you want to, I can schedule a visit tomorrow." "Yes, let''s do that." Shin then turned to the Mushinkei pair. "Sister Riko, Senior Marshall¡­ Follow us back to Frie Mountain. There are many things that I want to ask you, but most importantly, I need you two to meet up with Senior Ines and the Instructor." Thinking back to the possible allies that Shin had in the modern Frie Clan, the young man picked out those two Spirit Lords. Even after all of the drama, the pair still stuck with the orphans and had even attended the funeral of Lily. "Yeah..." Riko chuckled as her posture relaxed tremendously. "Let''s do that..." ??? The Himmel Empire. Frie Mountain. The Main Gate. Travelling to Frie Mountain was easy. The aether car congregation raced through the newly built roads between the Frie Clan and Chilyoja Waypoint. After the Black Mask attack, Enfen Frie, the Clan Master, had made the decision to end the clan''s backward turtling policies and opened up trade with the neighbouring powers. The Frie Clan had supplied talented manpower and resources to the Imperial Army at Aldrich''s Keep, as well as opening up new trade routes so that other clans could travel easily to the remote mountain. Through her hard working ethics, Enfen had torn down the two faction split between the First and Second Elder and unified the Frie Clan under her own banner. She doubled the commerce value by increasing trade with the now dominant Chilyoja Waypoint and opened up the borders. Initially, when Shin first moved to Chilyoja Waypoint, it took him about half a day or more. Now, all it took was an early morning drive as he enjoyed the crisp air of dawn. Shin stepped off the car and stared at the nostalgic gates at the foot of the mountain. Believe it or not, the youth had only seen the entrance about half a dozen times. Twice when he left for his harvest mission, once when he was forced out of the mountain and twice when he arrived late during the Black Mask attack. Shin had lived on this mountain for ten long years, and he had only visited this gate five times. No, now it would be the sixth time. "I never thought I''ll be back here so soon..." Shin thought out loud. There was always the plan to visit Ariel''s grave once he got powerful enough so that the Frie Clan couldn''t ignore his existence. However, Shin had always thought that it would take him two or three decades to reach that stage. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that five years would be enough. "Yeah¡­ Frie Mountain¡­" Ryner, the oldest of the bunch, stared blankly at the gates. Back in the day, the young man was a brash youngster that was quick to anger and harsh words. Looking back, there were many things that Ryner wished he never done or never said. At the very least, the orphans would have experienced a few less bullying incidents when they were growing up. "This is the place we all grew up..." Lia marvelled. Entering the Capital had opened their eyes to what possibilities were there in the world, especially for Shin. He had seen buildings as tall as mountains, trees that never wither, citadels that levitated in the air, towers that spawned monsters and even Tier 9 Spirit Beasts that were as strong as any Spirit Saint. Shin had even had six Spirit Saints fight over him during the Summit! As a kid living on Frie Mountain, he had heard that Spirit Saints were indomitable beings that never mingled with the common folk. The Instructor had once told him that seeing a Spirit Saint was as rare as waiting for the blood moon. Oh, how very wrong they were. To put it simply, Shin was the frog at the bottom of the well but had now transformed into the dragon that mingles in the skies. Still, even after all of the mystical things that Shin had witnessed, he found this simple-looking mountain to be the most mystifying of them all. His eyes turned blurry as he started to see images of his past self running along the stairwell with Ariel in tow. The memory of Junius'' injury when the Second Elder sent assassins to take Shin out came to mind. Remembering all those thoughts placed a tear in the youth''s eyes. "Shin, you okay?" Kanari, who was standing right next to the boy, asked as she tightened her grip on Shin''s hands. "Yeah¡­ Just feeling a little nostalgic." Shin wiped his tears with his silk handkerchief and regained his composure. Three womanly figures were descending from the stairwell at this time, so he couldn''t show his broken side. Not yet, at least¡­ The first woman was an elderly lady who seemed advanced in her eighties. Her wrinkled face and grandmother-like smile soothed any who laid their eyes on her. The second lady wore a thin veil over her face to complement the pure white robes that she had to wear. Shin could faintly see her expression, and it wasn''t particularly friendly or hostile. Finally, standing in between the two ladies, Enfen Frie gave out her most politician-like smile. "Welcome, Master Lady Seph, Young Lady of Highgarden and..." The Frie Clan Master looked at the orphans, still grinning from ear to ear. God knows what emotion was hidden behind that impeccable mask. "Welcome back, Shin, Ryner, Lia, Ella, Emma, Max, Elyse, Fionn¡­ Jacob." Enfen listed out all of the orphan''s names, showing no sign of memory deterioration. "Thank you for allowing us to visit." Shin was the first to stand out. He wasn''t the same young man that would cower behind his master''s back anymore. He wanted to visit Frie Mountain, so he''ll be the one to do the talking. "Wow, the rumours are true..." The Chief Librarian''s eyes shone for a split second as she scanned the boy from head to toe. "You really did become a Spirit Spectre at twenty..." "..." Though the Shrine Maiden''s face was obscured, her flinching shoulders told everything that Shin needed to know. No one had anticipated Shin to become such a tremendous talent. Back when he was still a youngster, there were some hints of greatness, but no one really could predict that Shin would be the most exceptional talent of his generation. ''If we had played our cards differently¡­ Would Ariel and Shin still be part of our Clan? Would we have two super talents?'' Enfen''s poker face still remained, but her mind was in the same state as her bosom friend. ''No¡­ I shouldn''t think about that now. Shin''s in a different dimension to the Frie Clan¡­'' It was true. The Frie Clan was at best a juggernaut entity in their area. However, if they were to be compared with the clans of the Capital or the entire Alliance as a whole, their forces didn''t mean shit. Even Suji''s Lasgeor House or Natasha''s Aldana family line was a far bigger entity than the Frie Clan. Shin now had ties with the Highgarden Duchy, the Imperial Family, the Longyu Clan and was even a close friend of the Kori Federation''s Dalgeom Sect. If the man wanted to, he could just ask any of them for a favour, and the Frie Clan''s life would become hell. Mentally sighing, the woman walked towards the suave black-haired man, thinking back about the short instances she shared back with Shin when he was just a child. If she had known what he would become, Enfen would have most definitely changed how she treated him. "I apologise that we can''t give you more time to pay your respects. There is still some opposition in the Clan that don''t think you should even step foot into the clan. Five minutes is the best I can give you." "It''s okay..." Shin shook his head. What mattered the most was that he got to visit Ariel. "Please lead the way." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 425 The Reaffirmed Will 3 The courtyard rang to the song of birds and cicadas. Frie Mountain was usually a boisterous place. During the times where they were turtled in, the clansmen would frequently trade with one another, and their children would roll in the dirt, training to become the next hero that would lift their clan out of obscurity. When Shin was younger, he would often complain about how packed the courtyards were outside of the Orphan''s Lodgings. Most of the time, he would sneak away with his friends to quieter locations, to escape from the hustle and bustle of Frie Mountain. Yet, as Shin walked down memory lane, there was barely a soul in sight. Enfen noticed Shin''s confusion and softly explained: "We''ve been expecting your arrival, so I''ve ordered all of the Frie Clan members to stay within their compounds. I''d also sent multiple guards to keep those dissidents I mentioned at bay. However, there may be some outliers that hide their anger towards you, so I would suggest not straying too far from my pre-planned route." "What about the Second Elder?" Ryner stepped forward with his chest puffed out. Among all of the Frie Clan members, there was one that had caused the orphans more harm than anyone else. Who could forget the time when the Second Elder tried to take Shin''s life because he had awakened the Sovereign Koi? Or the multiple times he goaded the juniors of his factions to cause trouble for the poor youngsters that wanted to just live their lives. If there was one threat that the orphans should look out for, it was the Second Elder. "H-He..." The Frie Clan Master swallowed her words as she looked visibly shaken for the first time. Enfen hid her deep breath by turning away and soon returned back to her placid expression. "You don''t have to worry about him. He won''t cause you any trouble." "..." Ryner didn''t believe her but opted not to press any further. That brief pause in her speech suggested that something was off about the Second Elder, and it wasn''t in his place to pry. Enfen led Shin and the others straight into a gorgeous holding room. Ornate tabletops holding on to elaborate tea-sets and scrumptious snacks were laid out for the visitors to taste. Osmanthus jellies, water chestnut cakes and even luxurious candies that were rare in this region had been prepared for Shin''s group. Even though they were only here for an hour, the Frie Clan wanted to show as much hospitality as they could, possibly to butter up to the Prince of Water and the future Duchess of Highgarden. "Please wait here for a short moment." Enfen Frie smiled and showed them to their seats. "We will have to increase the security around the graveyard and prepare the necessary materials to help you pay your respects. Is there anything you need? Incense? Offerings of food?" "No, that''s fine..." Shin shook his head. The orphans did the same. They had discussed this beforehand. There was no need for traditional customs, especially since they were only given five minutes. "We just want to talk to them." The Clan Master examined Shin''s eyes. She had seen that look only a few times before. Enfen once had a love that passed, and she had seen that look in the mirror for a year since. ''I see¡­ He still has such strong feelings for Ariel¡­ Five years have passed, and he still likes that lass.'' The Clan Master thought, sighing. "Alright, please enjoy the deserts we left out for you while we prepare your visit. It should take a few minutes." Enfen turned to Lady Seph and bowed. "Master Lady Seph, I have prepared your favourite Oolong tea, exactly as you like it. I''m sure that you''ll find it satisfactory." Back in the day, Lady Seph had taught Enfen when she was still an up and coming star. Just like she was with Shin, Lady Seph had drilled many things into the poor maiden''s habits, one of which was the art of tea-brewing. Enfen may not have reached the standard of Shin or Kesyl, the young healer apprentice that Duke Mesyl had sent to Lady Seph, but she was still quite proficient. "Stupid lass." The Divine Healer chuckled and poured herself some tea, while the trio slowly left the room. However, before she left, Enfen''s brows jumped a little as four hefty presences were making their way into the holding chambers. It took her a while but eventually, the Clan Master peered back into the room and said: "Oh, and it looks like we have someone here to serve you. Come on in." Enfen opened up the wooden doors to its maximum capacity, allowing the four shadows to breeze inside. Shin and the other orphans all jumped to their feet. Who could forget that muscular build that towered over any man, woman or monster? For the first ten years of Shin''s life, his body had been trained to the limit by the monster that stood right before him. Following the training regimen that the colossal man had personally crafted, many of the orphans'' current fighting habits could be traced back to that very man. "Instructor!" They all exclaimed, majority of them wearing radiant smiles. "Kids! You''re back!!!" The Instructor leapt into the chambers, as Ines, Riko and Marshall followed his steps. The two Mushinkei employees had a head-start and entered Frie Mountain a few hours early. Then, they approached the two Frie Clan members that Shin and the orphans wanted to see the most. During their time on Frie Mountain, the Instructor and Ines had treated the children like they were their own flesh and blood. Never reneging on any promises or holding back on their resources, the two Spirit Lords protected them with all their heart. Even when Lily passed, the Instructor had begged on his knees, hoping to send off the orphan whom he saw as a daughter. Ines as well. She gave her all, stood up for the orphans when they were bullied, took on the Second Elder''s greatest asset, Bates, just to protect the younglings. Shin knew that no matter how much the Frie Clan would have changed, no matter how much they hated the orphans and wanted to see their guts spill out, the Instructor and Ines would always welcome them back with open arms. Kanari was wide-eyed at Shin''s jubilant face. It was the first time she had seen the boy so upbeat about meeting a Frie Clan member. Kanari has heard many stories of the Instructor from Shin. So she was curious to finally meet him in the flesh. "Lou, make sure to keep them happy." The Chief Librarian, who was the Instructor''s mother, ordered him with a wide smile. "We''ll be back in a short while." Saying that the three top women in the Frie Clan left the orphans alone with the Instructor and Ines, moving off to tend to ensure the safety of the cemetery. Ines squinted her eyes and observed the spiritual energies being emitted from the array of youngsters. Among the orphans, only three of them, barring Shin, had broken through into the Spirit Adept realm. Naturally, to be crowned as members of the young hero party, Ella and Emma were the ones in the Spirit Adept realm. Ryner barely managed to scrape through as well, due to his extended hunting expeditions. The rest of them were all hovering around the Spirit Core realm, with Jacob and Max trailing far behind, still stagnating at the realm of a Spirit Apostle. However, since they all had different professions to tend to, no one blamed them for being a little slow in their cultivation. Not to mention, they were still quite young and had plenty of time to play catch up once their careers were set in stone. However, two youngsters really caught her eye. The aura that they were emitting far surpassed anything that the other teenagers had, so much so that it was just a little shy of the Instructor and Ines'' own power. "Shin¡­ You really broke through into the Spirit Spectre realm?!" Ines cried. She had heard the rumours, but ultimately, seeing was believing. The Instructor snapped his head towards the youth as well. Suddenly, all of the eyes in the room were now on Shin''s body. Scratching his cheek to hide his embarrassment, the youth replied: "I had some good fortune." "My God! You really achieved that?!" The Instructor held both of Shin''s shoulders, tempted to flail him around like a doll. "Hahaha! One of you guys had actually become a Spirit Spectre at the age of twenty! HAHAHA!!! What joy!!!" It has been ages since the Instructor had ever relieved himself emotionally. When the orphans had left for the Capital, the Instructor returned back to his combative days. Taking on missions that were given by the Frie Clan, the bald muscle man had been fighting non-stop. Whether it was repelling a beast horde or hunting down hints of the Black Masks, the Instructor would never rest and would rarely return to the mountain. Why would he? There wasn''t anyone waiting for him back home. The one he loved had been torn away from him during the war with the Awter Clan. He numbed himself by training the orphans to become great warriors, treating them as if they were his own children. But they left him, chased away by the elder he chose to serve. The empty bedrooms and silent training yards that the orphans had left started to take a toll on the mental health of the Instructor. So, one could imagine the Instructor''s joy when Shin notified the Frie Clan that he was planning to visit, alongside all of the youngsters that he had trained since young. Watching a child grow was the most satisfying thing for a parent, and even though the Instructor wasn''t there for them for five years, his heart still pumped happily to see them achieve such massive growth. "I''d always knew that you would achieve big things, Shin!!!" The young man''s face softened. Gently slapping those massive bear hands away, the youth tip-toed and embraced the bulky man. "It''s good to see that you''re well, Instructor." "H-Haha¡­ Yeah¡­ I am now..." Lou was unable to hold it back any longer. His eyes and nose turned into broken dams, spilling all sorts of tears and snot onto Shin''s shoulder. The youth didn''t care. The Instructor must''ve been lonely, he thought. The faces of those within the holding room all lightened up. It was nice to see a touching reunion every now and then. It brought out the purest form of emotion there was. Shin hugged the man for half a minute before finally letting go. There were many things that he wanted to say, but it could wait. What was more important now¡­ "How''s the First Elder?" Shin asked, his smile freezing up. When they left, the orphans weren''t exactly on speaking terms with the elderly man that they once relied upon. If not for the First Elder, there wouldn''t have been an orphan division, and Shin would have likely been chased out when he was just an infant. The Instructor shook. It took him a while to give a concise answer. "He¡­ The elder he has gone into reclusive training." "Is he trying to break through into the Spirit Venerate realm?" There were a few reasons why anyone would enter reclusive cultivation training, and they were usually things that had to do with one''s cultivation. "No¡­ That''s not it..." The man shifted his eyeballs from side to side, not knowing if it was wise to give out any sensitive information about the Frie Clan''s current state, especially in front of Kanari, an outsider from the Highgarden Duchy. "Tsk, let me answer him." Ines clicked her tongue and pushed the hesitant Instructor away from Shin. "The First Elder he¡­ has lost everything that he had ever wanted. When his son and daughter-in-law died, he entered a similar state. He wanted to seal himself in, ridding himself of all mortal affairs. However, the elder still had Ariel, and he still had the orphan division to run. So he continued to do just that." "..." "In the end¡­ Ariel still passed away, and you guys were chased away by him. With nothing left to live for, the First Elder did what he wanted to do in the first place. He sealed himself up, kept forever in a meditative trance until..." Ines didn''t finish her statement, but everyone knew what the end point was for the elderly man. Essentially, the First Elder had dug himself an early grave. Spirit Emperors like himself could go for years without food or water. At his state, he could even go for decades without seeing the light of day. However, no mortal could escape mother time. Especially at his advanced age, eventually, the elder would pass away silently in the cave he settled in, never to lay his hand in the material world ever again. "The First Elder¡­ He..." The orphans couldn''t find the words. The man that they used to respect the most. The man that they once thought was invincible. The man that they revered as their benefactor and¡­ The man that had pushed them out of the mountain¡­ Was this the end of his story? To die quietly in a cave? "What about the Second Elder?" Ryner jumped out with his own query. "When I asked the Clan Master about it, she said that there was no need to worry about him. What did that mean?" "That..." The Instructor looked at his three Frie Clan members as if communicating telepathically. Then, he sighed. "She''s right¡­ The Second Elder will never cause you any troubles anymore. After Linus died right before his very eyes, the Second Elder had lost his mind. Adding on to the mental toll he had sustained through the anguish of losing his son and the guilt of trying to get another clan''s help to usurp the Clan Master, he¡­ Became retarded." "W-What..." The orphans could hardly believe their ears. The man who had caused them so much suffering throughout the years, had become mentally disabled? "Right¡­ Now, he''s permanently wheelchair-bound. He would gaze into space and would drool like an infant. We have tried all sorts of treatment, but nothing helped. In the years since Linus'' death, the Second Elder had only been regressing and regressing. His skin had withered, and his muscles had degenerated. The only thing that''s keeping him alive is his superior cultivation level." "..." Shin looked at the sadness in the Frie Clan member''s eyes. The two pillars of the clan had fallen from grace. For better or for worse, the two elders had been integral to the lives of the orphans. Yet, both of them were about to meet their end, quite anti-climatically, in fact. ''In the end¡­ There was no need to seek revenge for the Awter Clan¡­ The Frie Clan had just self-destructed by themselves.'' Shin reflected inwardly. ''Really then¡­ What was the point of all that struggle? Why did we have to suffer so much if this was the outcome? Was all of the conflicts, wounds and death really worth it?'' As Shin watched the peaceful birds chirp happily in the garden outside his holding room, he continued to ponder on the journey that both clans took and eventually¡­ Was this ending the one that they really wanted? ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 426 The Reaffirmed Will 4 The Instructor talked to the orphans for over ten minutes, sharing ordeals and experiences that had occurred to them over the six years that they have been separated. Mostly, they were talking about the happenings after the tragedy struck. They only had a few minutes to catch up before they had to move over to the graveyard. Not to mention, once they were out of Frie Mountain, the orphans and Instructor could slowly take their time to talk about all of the events that occurred in their lives. Just as promised, the Clan Master returned to the holding room after ten minutes, bringing along a dozen high-levelled guards that she could trust. They were all at least in the Spirit Lord realm, and they all looked over at the orphans with warm and encouraging eyes. Shin had even recognised some of them as part of the pro-orphan camp back in the day. At the very least, with those guards around, no random dissidents could break through into the memorial site to break Shin''s peace with Ariel. It took them less than five minutes to traverse the short distance further into the mountain. The blazing hot sun had been blocked effortlessly by a pale blue sky, filled with grey clouds. The group felt a little chill brush past their supple skin, cooling them down significantly. Shin led the pack, with Kanari and Lady Seph standing on his sides. Behind him, the orphans were being surrounded by the Instructor, Ines, Riko and Marshall. All of them held their chins down, not willing to make too much noise in the sacred place that they were visiting. Thousands of tombstones were orderly placed in the gated region, each one engraved with one name and one story. Shin glanced around cautiously and saw hundreds of men surrounding the area with their own respective weapons, ready to strike down any that dared to step foot in the cemetery without permission. ''Looks like the situation in the Frie Clan is still quite perilous¡­'' Shin thought. Five years wasn''t enough for a full reformation of an age-old clan. Many still seethed with rage at the mention of the Awter Clan, and some were stupid enough to act on that fury. Enfen may have unified a considerable portion of the Frie Clan, but there were still some rebels that protested her rule. Though it wasn''t a problem for Shin to solve. He was here for one reason and one reason only. [Here lies Ariel Frie. Year 796 - Year 810. Daughter of Arthur and Brenda Frie. A hero who had perished during the Battle for Frie Mountain. Long will she be missed.] It wasn''t long until the procession was brought to a simple tombstone. It was a white marble tablet protruding out of the ground, engraved with some of the most gorgeous golden calligraphy that Shin had ever seen. A few cushions were laid out in front of the marbled grave so that the visitors would have a place to kneel and pray to give their respects. As Shin wished, there weren''t any incense or burning furnace to offer to the dead. The only thing that the Clan Master prepared were a few flowers, each one freshly plucked from the best herb garden on the mountain. "..." Astonishingly, the first one to leave the group was Fionn. Right next to Ariel''s grave was Linus'', the grandson of the Second Elder who had thrown his life away to save the poor girl''s life. She kneeled down immediately and placed one of the prepared flowers on the top of the erected tombstone, cupping her hands together and closing her eyes. Fionn wasn''t supposed to survive that day. The attacks that flew down were inescapable. It was only due to the young man''s selfless actions that she could walk on the face of the earth. Elyse was in the same boat. Ariel didn''t have to save Elyse. She could have just stayed at the sidelines, and no one would have blamed her. However, the brave maiden threw her life away just to save someone who she shared no blood with. There was many a time when Elyse reflected on that day, blaming herself for the death of the Ariel. If it weren''t for her, Shin wouldn''t have been thrown into such spiralling despair, tormenting himself for the loss of the love of his life. Still, nothing could be changed. Elyse was the second to kneel. All that she could do now was pray that the maiden had found peace in the well of souls. "We''ll leave you be..." Enfen, the Shrine Maiden and the Chief Librarian retreated twenty metres back, allowing the orphans to spend as much private time as they wanted with the tombs. Shin stood still. Kanari wanted to spur him on, but the youth simply shook his head, gesturing for the rest to pay their respects first. He wanted to stare at the beautiful memorial silently, while only the chirps of birds echoed in the background. Shin had thought of thousands of things to say when he visited Ariel''s tomb. He wanted to share with her all his experiences in the Capital. How he learned under the foul-mouthed Mychael, trained desperately until his hands were blistered and his legs were broken. The fight with Danroy and how he picked himself up by learning needle arts, meridians and his Spiritual Body Enhancement to beat both Danroy and the Son of War. The friendships he gained in Imperius Academy. Shizen, the nature boy, and Isadore, the best friend he had after the orphans¡­ Shin also could recount the stories outside of Imperious Academy with great fervour. How he went to the Land of Dreams to chase Junius, only to witness the worst massacre in human history. Or how he attended the Summit at Deus Capital, where he met SIX Spirit Saints, the most powerful entities in the human world. How he fought Lukman to unlock all of his potential and gained the support of the Longyu Clan, especially the Saint of Time. There were even more recent stories that he could tell Ariel. He had assimilated with the Shard of the Azure Dragon, travelled all the way to the Estrella Region and fought a Payirci, the weirdest object in all of human history. Shin had even destroyed the Paradise Heart, stunning Junius and the World Serpent altogether. He also had¡­ met Latina, the daughter of the first person he had ever killed. And finally, Shin had also started a new relationship with Kanari, even though his heart was still filled with Ariel. If Ariel were to know of this, what would she have said? Would she blame him and call him a cheater? Shin didn''t know. These past five years had been filled with events that would fill four long books quickly, but it didn''t matter to Shin. All he wanted to do was spend some time with his deceased love. Shin dropped to his knees, his eyes never leaving the gorgeous name Ariel Frie. "Ariel, I''m finally back here, where I first started my journey." He lovingly caressed the engraved words on the tombstone. At the moment, only Shin had that right, and no one disputed that. The orphans, Kanari and Lady Seph all backed away, giving the youth some privacy. "How have you been? Are you still patiently waiting on the other side?" There was no answer. "You know¡­ I''m already a Spirit Spectre! Rank 40! Imagine that! It might take a while, but I''m slowly getting there. Perhaps I really can become the twenty-second Spirit Saint?" The man chuckled to himself. "..." The tomb was as silent as a moonless night. "So, how''s heaven? Have you met your parents like you wanted to? If you did, tell them I said hi! Haha, I doubt they would even know me." Shin shook his head. All of a sudden, the man flinched as if he remembered something important. Reaching into his robe, Shin pulled out the familiar amethyst pendant that he had carried around since that fateful day that Ariel perished. "Remember this? I still have it! We bought it at a random store for quite a cheap price, so it''s quite amazing that it has survived this long. And you know me, I''m not the type to handle jewellery with care." Still no answer. However, this time, Shin''s eyes were starting to mist. The strong facade that he had built up for this very moment had crumbled down like a landslide. He was unable to bear the silence anymore. Ariel was always a talkative Amazonian girl. Sometimes, she could continue yapping for hours, and there were even times when Shin begged for her to shut the hell up. Now, no matter how much he asked for a response, Shin would never get one. "I¡­ I''m¡­ strong now, Ariel!!!" Snot dripped down the boy''s face while his eyes reddened up like an apple. "I w-will¡­ I will never let anyone I love die again! Ariel, I will continue to chase Yggdrasil with you, as I promised! I will meet you once again in the Immortal Realm! I will bring back everyone I''ve ever lost! I''ll save everyone that I''ve ever killed! I''ll create a utopia for those that have suffered! Until then¡­ Please wait for me!!!" "..." It was hard¡­ Talking to a grave that could never answer you back. "Shin..." The black-haired maiden who had accompanied Shin through his darkest times in place of Ariel moved forward. She firmly grabbed onto the shaking palms of her loved one, raising the brows of every member in the Frie Clan. Evidently, they weren''t notified of the pair''s relationship as of yet. ''He''s so cold...'' The man''s hands were as chilly as ice. Whether it was from the weather or something else, Kanari didn''t know. As if to answer her call, the overcast sky crackled in thunder and lightning, as the first teardrop drained down from the heavens. Shin''s mouth twitched, and he interlocked Kanari''s fingers with his own, hinting that he was fine. Pitter patter¡­ Pitter patter¡­ Pitter patter¡­ The heavens were reacting to Shin''s overflowing emotions. At least that was what it seemed to those witnessing his interaction with the grave. They could feel the young man''s sadness permeating through their bones. Even Enfen Frie, the Spirit Emperor that dominated the Frie Clan, couldn''t help but sigh despondently. "Ariel¡­ I''m going to become the next Spirit Immortal no matter what!" The drizzle slowly turned into a torrential downpour, where thousands of silver bullets fell from the skies. The Frie Clan members immediately handed out compact umbrellas to shelter their visitors, with Lady Seph attempting to cover Shin up entirely. However, the youth was still kneeling on the floor, taking in the rain with his entire body. "Shin, we should leave..." The blonde healer whispered. Time was almost up anyway. Even if the rain didn''t start, Enfen would have still chased them out. "Just give me a few more seconds..." Shin replied, his face still firmly attached to the gravestone before him. "I want to say my final goodbyes..." "Okay..." There wasn''t much that Lady Seph could do but respect his wishes. Bingbing attempted to create an Ice Shield around the young man, only to be stopped by his gentle touch. Shin didn''t want to deface the tomb of the one he loved. Shin moved in and gently kissed the head of the tomb, caressing it as if it were his own lover. His eyes soft and gentle, the young man declared with all his heart. "Ariel, till we meet again." Shin then placed a hint of his mana signature into the tombstone, making it glow slightly with a cerulean light and seem like the soulless grave had responded to him. However, when he lifted his hands, the white marble returned to its original stable state. Sighing, Shin left the one place he wanted to remain in the Himmel Empire. Now, everything was done. It was time for the next page of his book to be written. ??? Sorry for the abrupt post! I don''t often do this, but this is a mini author''s thoughts in the middle of the book, so I hope it''s not too jarring! Firstly, I have to apologise for postponing the Lantis Republic arc for this long. The title of the book is called the Celestial River, and we''re almost twenty chapters, and Shin has yet to step foot in the Lantis Republic! Believe it or not, I wanted them to enter the Lantis Republic ten chapters in, but there were so many loose ends from the earlier arcs to resolve. I have even skipped a few to cut down the chapter count. That''s why the chapters begin with many time skips. Not to worry, though! The next chapter onwards, Shin would finally be sailing for the Lantis Republic, and I''ll try to kickstart the new arc there. Once again, sorry for the jarring post! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 427 Goodbye, Himmel Empire... The Himmel Empire. The Eastern Docks. Litong Harbour. Thunderous waves crashed onto the high rock breakwaters bordering the fortified town. Morning darkness fades, revealing the crystal clear azure sky that any sailor would pray to the sea gods for. Annoying and deafening horns from the ships were the norm for this early hour. Trade merchants from the Lantis Republic would move their goods through the designated pier spots that they were given, while officials from the Himmel Empire carefully scrutinised each shipment. Litong Harbour was perhaps the most critical land in the relationship between the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. With a population nearing five million, the pier was unquestionably one of the most densely populated areas in the entire Empire. There was at least two Rank 80 Spirit Venerates permanently stationed in the harbour, watching over the public safety of the region. Shin really liked this place. Not only was it extremely close to the ocean, but it was also a commercial hub not that inferior to that of the Capital. Shin could buy as many water-elemental crystals as he wished and could talk to sailors who experienced devastating attacks by oceanic Spirit Beasts, further enhancing his insight into the art of water. It was a pity that he could only spend two days in the area before his ship arrived. Speaking of which, the carrier that the Longyu Clan had sent over was quite the beaut. Even a hundred metres out, Shin could tell that the frigate stood heads and shoulders above its peers, at least twice the size of the next largest boat. And it had the protection to back it up. Each side of the ship was littered with heavy artillery, and mounted cannons hung down from its deck. For some reason, the Longyu Clan''s frigate also had a thin bubble layer protecting the hull. Anyone with a little bit of experience could tell that it was a mana barrier, but the problem was, Shin, didn''t understand how a frigate could possess such advanced technology. Still, he wasn''t complaining. If that was his escort, Shin could sleep soundly through the night, knowing that nothing could harm him when he was on the boat. "I guess this is it, huh?" Isadore stood at the foot of the pier, alongside many of Shin''s trusted allies throughout his life in the Himmel Empire. Shin''s luggage had long been moved up into his bunk, giving the young man some free time to say his final goodbyes. "I''d never thought that we would be separated this quickly." "Don''t say that," replied Shin. "We would likely see each other again within the coming months. No one knows what the Black Masks are doing, and I can''t just stay in the Lantis Republic forever." The youth tapped on his friend''s shoulder, reassuring him of his eventual return. "Also, I''m counting on you to create that intelligence agency that you keep dreaming about! My new organisation needs someone like you around!" "You''re right..." Still, Isadore couldn''t rub off the despondency that he was feeling. "My good friend!" The black-haired boy brought Isadore in for a bear hug, enjoying the softness of his gorgeous silver hair. Isadore was his first friend outside of the orphans. He stood by Shin through thick and thin, in his darkest hour and his most radiant ones. If not for Isadore, Shin knew that his trajectory in Imperius Academy would have been significantly different. Releasing his hold, Shin stared straight into Isadore''s eyes. "I''m depending on you to look after my brothers and sisters while I''m gone. Could you do that?" Shin was only bringing Kanari, Shizen, Ella and Emma along to the Lantis Republic and Elrin would be arriving at a later date with her father''s trading ship. The rest of the orphans were all going to stay in the Capital to continue on with their studies and jobs. Not to mention, Lady Seph and Bingying, the two pillars that kept the orphans safe, were also leaving with Shin. Although no one would be stupid enough to pick a fight with them just because Shin was gone, the youth couldn''t help but feel worried for his dear siblings. "Yeah, just leave it to me." Isadore tapped on his chest and proudly declared. "If anyone dares to mess with them, I''ll be the first to send them to hell." "Hehe, that''s good." Shin chuckled and turned to Elyse and Fionn, who was waiting patiently by Isadore''s side. "The two of you as well, listen to Isadore, alright? Once I create my organisation to hunt down Payircis, your talents would be needed. Until then, just train hard, okay?" Just like Shin and the twins, Elyse and Fionn had been training in Imperius Academy to become master fighters on the field. Their wind-elemental weapon Spirits were more geared towards assassinations and roguish fields, an aspect that was sorely missing in the seven young heroes line-up. Eventually, when Shin creates his organisation, he would want to incorporate all of the orphans in it, be it on the frontlines or the backend. "I understand!" Elyse answered back, enthusiastically. Then, for the first time in two years, Elyse bit her lip and ran into Shin''s embrace. She used to do this a lot back when she was a child. However, since she wanted to mature a little faster and become less of a burden to the brother she loved so dearly, Elyse held back her urges. Now that Shin was about to leave the Himmel Empire, the girl was finally unable to hold back anymore. "Shin¡­ Please stay safe..." The youth widened his eyes for a while before a warm smile crept up his face, his expression softening like a father embracing his daughter. "Haha, that''s my line," said Shin as he planted a kiss on Elyse''s forehead. "I''ll keep in touch. Tell me if anyone dares to bully you. Even if I have to break the Lantis Republic''s law, I''ll fly back to the Capital to teach that fucker a lesson." "You''re such an overprotective brother!" The girl gasped, only to break out in laughter a few seconds later. "But that''s what I love about you..." "Hehe, I love you too!" Elyse always had a soft spot in Shin''s heart, even back when the orphans were still struggling in Frie Mountain. If there Shin had to choose someone he loved platonically more than anyone else, it would be a tie between Elyse and Lady Seph. He continued to hug the young maiden for a long time and only released his hold of her when Ryner coughed dryly twice. "Wait your turn, Brother Ryner!" Elyse complained, only to be gently stroked by Shin''s gentle hands. "Brother Ryner, sorry for pushing all of the burdens onto you." Shin hugged the tall man, bringing out his most apologetic tone. Once he had left the Empire, Ryner would be forced to step up and tend to Lady Seph''s mansion as well as the livelihood of the orphans. Although Shin had theoretically left enough money for the youngsters to live happily for the rest of their lives, there were many things that money couldn''t solve, especially in the Capital where politics was king. In the past, Lady Seph or Shin would deflect those cumbersome matters away from the orphans'' path. Now, it all landed on the shoulders of that one man. "Don''t worry!" Ryner held onto Shin''s shoulders and lightly dusted them as if trying to take off an invisible weight. "You should rely on your elders more often! I''ll make sure that everyone is safe and sound!" "Haha, that''s very dependable of you!" The black-haired youth chortled. He continued on to say his goodbyes one-by-one, to every single person that came to send him off. The orphans, Principal Erudito, even Mychael, the man who tortured Shin the most, took the ride east to say one last goodbye. "Shin! The Captain says that we can depart anytime now!" From the top of the deck, Meijing Bingying hollered out, flailing her arms about in the air. "That''s my signal..." The youth sighed. Kanari was still saying her goodbyes to her parents, who had travelled all the way from the Highgarden Duchy to send her off. Lady Seph had already boarded the ship with Kesyl, her new apprentice that Duke Mesyl had requested the woman mentor. Shizen was still clueless about the new adventure that he was about to embark on, but still nervously waved his hand at the anxious Principal Erudito, who feared the ignorance of his apprentice. The twins were also about finished with their goodbyes and had stood behind the youth, ready to board the ship at any moment''s notice. ''The Himmel Empire¡­'' Shin thought to himself as he stared westwards into the city. This was the place where he was born and grew up. He had sweet memories in the Empire. He also had sour ones, and¡­ He also had some that he would never want to experience again. Still, one thing''s for sure¡­ The memories that Shin had in the Himmel Empire, they would stick with him like glue from this day, to the end of his days. ''Goodbye, Himmel Empire¡­ Let''s meet again soon.'' With that, the youth boarded the gigantic frigate, with all of his friends and family with him. It was time... to embark on a new adventure. ??? The Lantis Republic. High Elder Council Assembly. The High Elder Council Assembly was the most powerful session in the Lantis Republic. Representatives from all the Eight Ancient Clans of Water would attend the meeting, deciding on any and all governmental affairs. In retrospect, the High Elder Council Assembly was akin to that of the Imperial Courts of the Himmel Empire. Usually, the congregation would gather once a month. However, this was the second meeting that the council had this week. Why? "Shin Iofiel has left the Himmel Empire. It is estimated that he''ll reach the shores of Longyu Reef within three days." The leading woman seated at the top of the octagon-shaped building, read out from a report she was just handed. "So he''s finally coming, huh?" A High Elder from the Zhangyu Clan scoffed. "He should have come four years ago!" "Now, now¡­ What''s important is that he''s coming, right?" The Elder from the Jingyu Clan softened the agitated man with his soothing voice. "Anyway, since he''s about to arrive, are we going to prepare the Celestial River Trial immediately?" "Yes and no." A woman under the Shenshe banner replied, her face bare of any emotion. "It is our duty to perform the trial on any Scion that possesses the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. It has been passed down for generations, ever since the days of the Lady of Water. Nonetheless, we still have to determine the boy''s loyalty first." "Wouldn''t that be against our oath?" A timid looking young woman under the Meijing Clan banner raised her hand and asked. From her withdrawing posture, one could tell that she was a junior in the room. "Didn''t the Lady of Water decree that every single person with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon must go through the Celestial River''s Trial, no matter what their affiliation was?" There was a brief period of silence. They may be more senior than the woman who raised their hands, but facts are facts. The High Elders didn''t have the authority to bar Shin from experiencing the Trial, even if he was an enemy of the Lantis Republic. Still¡­ "You''re right, but how many times have we been disappointed by the results? Ever since the Lady of Water, not one descendant had ever overcome the Trial! Even Saint Longyu Tian, whom we had all thought would be the one to finally clear the Trial, failed! At this point, I''m pretty sure that conquering the Trial is just a myth." The Shenshe High Elder bellowed, bringing many nods on the table. "What''s wrong with just testing him out? If he''s good for the Lantis Republic great! We can allow him to take the Trial without any worry of him becoming a threat to us. However, if he''s intent on destroying the Lantis Republic¡­ We should at least take some precautions." "Agreed!" Half of the voices in the room sounded out, while the other half remained silent. Apparently, this topic was still somewhat divided within the High Council. The Chairwoman stroked her wrinkled face before hammering down her gavel. "Alright, how about this? We wait a month. The Longyu Clan will test him on his loyalties and see if he''s worth the investment. If Shin Iofiel doesn''t harbour malicious thoughts towards the Lantis Republic, we let him take the Trial. If he does have some unbecoming thoughts¡­ Let''s just give him a normal baptism. That way, we can appease the Himmel Empire and Saint Longyu Tian." "Yeah¡­ Let''s do that..." The High Elder from the Meijing Clan dropped her head, hiding her expression from anyone. ''Looks like I have to tell Bingying about the High Council''s decision¡­ Let''s just hope this Shin boy is really as good as her letters tell me...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 428 ... And Hello, Lantis Republic Shin drank down a cup of the Longyu Clan''s most exquisite wine with Kanari and Bingying by his side. They were on the deck of the gigantic warship where massive cannons with barrels large enough to fit a grown man were always on standby. It seemed odd for a man and two women to be drinking merrily on a battle frigate, but the trio didn''t care. Glances from the Longyu Clan sailors had become commonplace even if they tried to hide from the masses. Often times, some dedicated eyes would formulate excuses to walk down the corridor of the supposed ''Prince of Water,'' hoping to catch a glimpse of the man''s features. In the end, since there wasn''t much privacy, Shin opted to enjoy the calm ocean view with two beauties by his side. The dozens of gazes sent his way melted into nothingness with each passing cup of wine and the chilly breeze of the ocean. For Shin, who had been landlocked most of his life, he really enjoyed the moments he could share with the world''s largest source of water. Taking two deep breaths in, he muttered to himself: "I wonder what natural wonders would the Longyu Clan have?" Meijing Bingying smiled. "You don''t have to worry! Longyu Reef is by far the best place for a Scion with the Sovereign Koi to thrive. They have hundreds of lakes littered all throughout their vast island! I''m sure you''re cultivation rate would spike once you''re there!" Shin''s Spirit, the Sovereign Koi, went by another moniker. The Eminence of the Lake. The Longyu Clan had existed for aeons, long before the age of the three superpowers. When they had settled down on the island reef thousands of years ago, they started to build the enclave into a nesting ground for the world''s top Sovereign Koi users. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Shin would cultivate at twice the rate for half the effort. "That''s kind of unfair," Kanari pouted, with her cheeks puffed out. Usually, she would take this opportunity to go in for some skinship, but the sailors on deck prevented the maiden from extending her hand. "Now that our cultivation levels are matched and you''re moving to a place where you cultivate much faster, it would be a matter of time before you beat me soundly." "Haha, says the girl who has an endless supply of elemental crystals!" Shin chortled. One reason why Kanari could cultivate that quickly was because of her three elemental affinities. She could absorb fire, wind and mind elements, all to deepen her cultivation base. Yes, the Lantis Republic would have a disproportionate level of water elements, and her signature Foxfires would be handicapped, but it gave her an opportunity to master the other two elements. Not to mention, the Highgarden Duchess had sent a congregation to protect her daughter, consisting of one Spirit Venerate and several Spion guards. It would be easy for Kanari to get a constant supply of elemental crystals if she needed it. Meijing Bingying smiled at the interactions between Shin and Kanari. They were so honest with their feelings, something she greatly envied. If she and Huanyuan could be same¡­ ''No, what am I thinking?'' The maiden shook her head before her mind went into that direction again. To completely wreck that train of thought, Bingying added on to the conversation. "You don''t have to worry about cultivation grounds, Kanari. The Lantis Archipelago has many mana-rich areas without the water element. Some of our volcanoes are excellent examples." "Oh, you have volcanoes?" Kanari''s interest was instantly piqued. "There are thousands of islands in the Lantis Republic, of course, we would have one or two volcanoes!" Bingying beamed. "I''m sure we could find a place for you can continue to cultivate at your stupendously monstrous pace." The Pearl in the East hid her thoughts of jealousy behind that smile of hers. Bingying was in her late twenties and was already a Rank 49 Spirit Spectre. Compared to the others in her generation, Bingying was unquestionably a genius among geniuses. Among the almost billion-odd cultivators in the Lantis Republic, perhaps only fifty people under the age of thirty were Spirit Spectres, and Bingying was in the upper percentile of that elite group. However, against Shin and Kanari, Bingying could only kneel and accept her inferiority. They were already Spirit Spectres at the age of twenty. Furthermore, their abilities were strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with any Spirit Spectre or even Rank 50 Spirit Lords if they really had to. It wasn''t fair to compare them to anyone else. That couple was in a league of their own. "See? You still have the advantage!" Shin teased. "Also, your Kumiho is a mystical beast Spirit! I''m sure you''ll be able to cultivate fast anywhere you go!" "Hehe, I guess you''re right!" The calm waves continued to splash on the thick hull of the frigate. Shin quite enjoyed the sound of the ocean waves in the backdrop. It was serene and calming, especially with the company of two of the world''s most beautiful maidens. They continued to drink and chat about their future in the Lantis Republic until a fourth voice disrupted their peace. "Brother Shin!" A young teenage girl walked out from belowdecks. She was about a hundred sixty centimetres tall, a little below the average height of girls her age. Wearing a luxurious healer''s robe, the bob-haired girl looked far more accomplished than her age would suggest. "Kesyl? What''s up?" Shin replied, his eyes firmly attached to her chubby face. Apparently, she wasn''t at the age to shed off all of her baby fat. Back during his days in Yakkyoku Clinic, Shin had been working as a healer and a mentor for Kesyl, Duke Mesyl''s only daughter. After failing to perform well under Lady Seph''s apprenticeship many years back, the Duke wanted one of his children to live out his dreams to become a successful healer, one that wouldn''t be inferior to that of Lady Seph''s expertise. So, when Kesyl showed some promise and interest in the field, Duke Mesyl attempted to get Lady Seph to accept his daughter as her disciple. Unfortunately, Lady Seph didn''t have any intentions of accepting another disciple. One was more than enough, she said. Still, ever since Shin decided to pursue his own path, he felt that there was one less helper, one less tea-brewer for his favourite temperamental master. So, he persuaded Lady Seph to give Kesyl a chance. For the first few years, it worked out fine. Shin was often not at home, either living in the dorm of Imperius Academy or out on a mission to train. So it was quite handy for Kesyl to be around. She had even become a Novice Healer, learning ''Heal'' directly from Lady Seph''s methods. Although Lady Seph wouldn''t admit it, the young girl had virtually taken over Shin''s old role and was on a one-way track to becoming the blonde healer''s disciple. Shin even started calling her Junior Apprentice Sister in private. So it was apparent that Duke Mesyl would allow Kesyl would follow Lady Seph to the Lantis Republic, a place out of his jurisdiction. There was no way he would undercut the years of hard work it took for Kesyl to get to this stage. "No, I was just wondering how much longer would it take to get there," said the girl, her face becoming a little green. "I don''t think I do that well with swaying boats..." Just like many of the Himmel Empire children, Kesyl had rarely been on a ship before. For someone like her, getting sea-sick was inevitable. "Why don''t you take some medication?" Shin asked. Master has some ointments that help resolve sea-sickness. "I did, but I think that my body has become accustomed to it," Kesyl remarked. They had spent three long days on the high seas. The first day was a nightmare, especially at night when the waves were far more choppy. The teenage girl had to rely on her own healing abilities and had even doubled the potency of Lady Seph''s supposed miracle ointment. The second day went rather well for Kesyl. Perhaps it was due to her actions the day before, Kesyl was immune to the waves and enjoyed the night sky alongside all of her friends. However, as the effectiveness of the drug wore off and her body had become accustomed to the ointment, Kesyl could feel the sea-sickness starting to kick in again. "Ah, you don''t have to worry about that for long." Bingying overheard the entire conversation and smiled. "Look at that!" Everyone followed her pointed finger and saw a flock of strange birds flying. Every few seconds, one would bolt down like a falling meteorite, crashing onto the ocean below. Shin found it weird that those birds were behaving in such a strange manner, however, as if laughing at the boy''s ignorance, the bird would emerge out from the ocean with a fully intact fish in its mouth. "Those are Gannets, birds indigenous to Longyu Reef," explained Bingying. "If we''re seeing them now, we can''t be too far off our destination. I estimate that it''ll be about a few hours until we arrive." "The girl is right." "!!!" All of a sudden, a fifth voice stunned the Shin and the three maidens. Shin was the first to turn around. Almost instantly, he felt the world starting to slow as the movements of his companions became sluggish. The waves that slammed ever so often came to an abrupt halt, and the birds in the sky all remained suspended as if frozen in time. No, not as if. They were frozen in time. ''This ability!'' Shin had seen this phenomenon happen only once before. Back at the Summit, when he was waiting in the garden of the Lantis Republic''s hotel. There was only one person on planet Earth that could create such a weird phenomenon, and as he expected¡­ "Shin, it''s been a long time." When Shin turned around, there was a clear-faced woman, who boasted the same jet-black hair and azure-lake eyes as himself. Her thin brows sat beautifully above those crystal eyes, and her face was as small as Shin''s two fists. The woman gently caressed the metal railings as she approached Shin, smiling constantly. "Saint Longyu Tian!" Shin attempted to bow, but when his head bent down ten degrees, he felt an unstoppable force preventing him from going down further. It was as if a muscleman had gotten a firm grasp over his head, refusing to let go in the slightest. Eventually, the force pushed him upright, bringing him eye to eye with the Saint of Time. "There''s no need for formalities when you''re with me." Longyu Tian chuckled. "Just treat me like an aunt you always had." "H-How could I do that?!" Shin immediately protested. "Saint Longyu Tian, I..." The black-haired lady placed her index finger on the boy''s nose, stopping him from spouting any more nonsense. "That''s Aunt Tian for you. You don''t have any immediate relatives in the Longyu Clan, so let me play the role of your elder." "..." The Spirit Saint had a point. All of his relatives had passed away during the massacre of the Awter Clan. Longyu Yuan, Shin''s great-grandfather, who was initially slated to become the next Longyu Clan head, had been denounced by the clan for failing to awaken the Sovereign Koi. In spite, Longyu Yuan had barred any of his descendants from returning to the clan for casting him out. So, even though Shin was from the main bloodline, he was more like a distant relative to the hundreds of Sovereign Koi users in the clan. Longyu Tian knew that. So, to make Shin feel like his place was with the Lantis Republic, the Spirit Saint had volunteered herself to become an aunt to the boy, hoping to help him integrate a little better into the clan. "Thank you, s-saint," before Shin could continue, Longyu Tian''s glare shut the youth''s mouth, and he immediately corrected himself. "Aunt Tian." "That''s better!" Shin smiled wryly. Calling a Spirit Saint, a being that reigned supreme in the cultivation world, his aunt was quite the surreal experience. However, as adaptable as he was, the youth quickly got over it. "Aunt Tian, could you release your Time Field? Looking at my friends being frozen isn''t that pleasant of a sight." "Ah, sorry." Longyu Tian looked around her, raising her brows in thought. "I must''ve cast it unconsciously. See, it would be quite meddlesome if people saw me prancing around in public." The Spirit Saint immediately snapped her fingers, ending the Time Field and bringing movement back to the frozen men and women. "S-Saint Longyu Tian!!!" Bingying was the first one to notice the lady next to Shin. The sailors were all stunned as well. Almost in uniform, the Lantis Republic members all fell to their knees, with only Kanari and Kesyl still a little confused. From the bottom deck, Lady Seph and Kanari''s Spirit Venerate guard both rushed up after feeling the powerful undulations that the Saint of Time emitted. They were under the impression that there was an enemy attack. Only after seeing Longyu Tian standing in a relaxed manner next to Shin and the rest, could they finally breathe a sigh of relief. "Dispense on the formalities." Gone was the playful and jubilant aunt that Shin witnessed just moments prior. When she was in public, Longyu Tian was a sovereign and had to conduct herself as such. "Yes, Saint Longyu Tian!!!" The sailors hollered back in a reverent tone. They wanted to stay and gawk at the rare appearance of the top dog in their nation, but the Captain spurred them back into their positions immediately. Just as Bingying surmised, after two hours, the frigate caught the first sight of land. It was so near that Shin didn''t have to use his naval telescope to navigate the area. He could see the docks, the mountains, the bustling town with billowing smoke. Like Litong Harbour, Shin could tell that the place was well-built and designed to hold over a thousand boats, big or small. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Saint Longyu Tian, who had been chatting away with Shin and his entourage for the past few hours, jolted slightly as if a thunderbolt had struck her. With the most radiant smile Shin had ever seen her display, the Spirit Saint said: "Welcome to the Lantis Republic!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 429 The Longyu Clan 1 Short announcement before we start the chapter. I have written a new series! It''s called "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." It''s a dungeon fantasy, with magic, demons, angels... It''ll be my side project while I continue my main series, but I do have plans to make it my next work! So yeah, do check it out! I have released the first book here on Webnovel. I''ll link it below! https://www.webnovel.com/book/14392180506281105/When-the-Lilyflower-Blooms... ??? Shin landed in the harbour alongside his companions. Some of them, like Kesyl, was just relieved that they didn''t have to stay aboard the wavy ship anymore. As for the others¡­ "Wow..." Someone gasped in awe, but no one knew who. Why? Because the rest were in a similar state. The Longyu Clan''s harbour town was much more different than anything Shin or his companions had ever seen. The architecture was unique, and its streets didn''t match those that Shin was familiar with. For one, there weren''t any paths for horses or mounts to walk through. Instead, there were two large rivers separated by a metal divider. Boats ferrying goods or passengers replaced the carriages that Shin was most familiar with. The buildings were mostly wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. Unlike the traditional doors that pivot in or out, the Lantis Republic adopted sliding doors, which allowed more space for customisation. Most of the denizens of the realm wore thick fur coats over their silken robes, to combat the constant cold weather. Speaking of which, Shin found the place to be quite chilly as well. Longyu Reef was rather south of the equator, which meant that it experienced the full brunt of the four seasons, something Shin wasn''t used to. Longyu Tian noticed his slight shivering and asked warmly. "Cold?" "No, I''m fine," replied Shin while taking a deep breath in. He was a little cold, but as a Spirit Spectre, his immune system was at least a dozen times more resistant than an average human. Shin just needed some time to adapt to his new environment. Longyu Tian found this to be adorable. Chuckling, she remarked: "You don''t have to put on a tough face, even Spirit Saints like I use warm clothes, see?" The black-haired lady brought out a white fur jacket, which startled the snowy white gerbil that was nesting in Shin''s clothes. Bingbing remembered the time when Longyu Tian halted time and got in front of Shin without her knowing. If the Saint wished for it, she could add the Kamaitachi''s fur into her collection with ease. So, Bingbing dug deeper into Shin''s bosom, entirely unlike what a bodyguard Spirit Beast like her should do. "Haha, I''m not going to harm you, silly beast." The Saint of Time continued to smile. ''Is she constantly in a good mood?'' Shin wondered to himself. Ever since he first got here, Longyu Tian had constantly been laughing away, tearing down the mythical image Shin had of a Spirit Saint. The youth had always thought that a Spirit Saint was a lofty being, unhindered by the affairs of mere mortals. Yet, now that he had spent some time with one of the world''s most famous Spirit Saints, Shin couldn''t help but think that the woman was so¡­ Human. Of course, there was no way that Shin would have known that Longyu Tian wasn''t always this amiable. In fact, those in the Longyu Clan knew her as an Ice Queen, unfazed by emotions in whatever shape or form. If the current Longyu Clan Master saw the Saint of Time''s contemporary expression, how dastardly would he feel? While Shin was still deep in thought, Longyu Tian turned to the aide that had been waiting to welcome them and took out a matching black fur jacket. "By the way, here''s your coat. I hope I got the size right." It would be rude for Shin to deny the Spirit Saint''s goodwill. He slipped his hands into the sleeves of the coat and almost instantly, he could feel his blood warming up. Bingbing, the ice-elemental Kamaitachi was a little miffed that the temperature rose dramatically and slipped out of his robes and settled down on Shin''s shoulders. The coat was a little baggy for his liking, but it wasn''t too jarring that it was uncomfortable. Adding to his good looks and slightly pinkish face from the cold winds, the full ensemble of the outerwear and Spirit Beast, made Shin seem like a young prince from an exotic country. "How do I look?" Shin asked Kanari, who had been spellbound by the perfect combination. Unable to hold herself back, the maiden grabbed onto Shin''s hands with a mystifying smile. "You look like the most handsome man in the world." "Oh, stop that..." Shin blushed, as his red face turned even more charming. "..." That exchange didn''t go unnoticed. Longyu Tian, as well as the dozens of guards, sent to escort Shin back to the Longyu Clan''s headquarters, all stared curiously at the couple. Naturally, it made the atmosphere a little too awkward for Shin to bear, so he immediately shook Kanari''s hand away. Kanari was also flustered. First impressions matter, and she had just blown it by letting her emotions take over. Still, the future Duchess of Highgarden regained herself and reverted back to her elegant poise. For the first time, Longyu Tian''s eyes glazed over, and her smile disappeared. "... There are coats for all your friends as well. Hand them around. We''re moving to the River Train station next." Longyu Tian wasn''t going to mistreat her guests. Be it as it may, Kanari, Lady Seph and the rest of Sin''s entourage are representing the Himmel Empire and were essentially honoured envoys. If the Lantis Republic disregarded them, it would be tantamount to souring relations between the two nations. Still, even though Longyu Tian couldn''t outright chase them out, she could show her displeasure through hidden actions. Kanari tried on the grey silk robe that had been prepared for her only to find out that it was way too large. The sleeves were at least three times what it was supposed to be, and the baggy aspect of the coat made Kanari seem like an overweight woman, even though her proportions were one that would make the goddesses cry out in envy. Puckering her lips, the maiden whispered to Shin: "I don''t think Saint Longyu Tian likes me very much..." "Haha..." Shin didn''t know how to reply to that, so he just bitterly laughed. Longyu Tian''s objective was as clear as day. Get Shin to commit to the Longyu Clan and by extension, the Lantis Republic. That meant marrying a Longyu Clan maiden and settling down for good in Longyu Reef. Kanari''s existence was a wedge in the Spirit Saint''s plan so it was expected that she would look at Shin''s girlfriend unfavourably. Perhaps in the future, Longyu Tian would open up to having Kanari around Shin, but as it stood now, the young man doubted that the two would have any cordial exchanges in the near future. The crowds were oddly minimal, even though it seemed like a busy day at the harbour. Were the residents in Longyu Reef uninterested in Shin''s arrival? No, it was the contrary. Thousands of men and women flocked to the port hoping to catch a glimpse of the Prince of Water and the Pearl in the East. Shin was unaware of this, but cultivators that awakened the Mark of the Celestial Dragon were celebrities throughout the Lantis Republic, particularly if they were Luminaries like Shin and Bingying. Historically, those with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon would go on to become great leaders in the future. For instance, Saint Longyu Tian was once a fresh-faced junior that bore that enigmatic mark, and she went on to become one of the most dominant Spirit Saints of her time. So it was natural for the residents of Longyu Reef to become excited about Shin''s prospects. Still, it wasn''t safe to expose either Shin, Bingying, Longyu Tian or the representatives of the Himmel Empire to the thousand-strong crowd. So the guards barricaded the area for the smooth transition of the procession, allowing Shin to move through the relatively empty streets unhindered. Fifteen minutes later, Longyu Tian had led the group into a vast river, far more extensive than the ones that Shin had seen before. Rapid currents, ones faster than any that Shin had ever seen in his life, sped rapidly straight towards the north. There was a tinge of mana seeping out of the water, giving it a little bit of an artificial hue. There was no way that this river was natural, Shin thought. Then he looked around at the building that sheltered them. They were brought into a station made out of solid brick. The ceilings were about twenty metres high, and the platform was so vast that it could comfortably accommodate a herd of elephants. Just like the streets before, the Longyu Clan had made sure that no ordinary citizen could step foot into the train station, so the place was as barren as can be. However, the silent stalls and hundreds of chairs, markers and luggage area hints to Shin that this terminal was perhaps one of the busiest regions at its peak. And then¡­ There was the train. Ten metres high, ten metres wide and about a hundred metres long, the train looked like a deluxe ship instead of its standard and inefficient counterparts in the Terre Continent. Unlike the traditional trains that Shin was familiar with, this one ran on hydropower, being dragged along according to the rapidly flowing river. If not for the heavy metal stoppers anchoring the River Train in place, it would have long sped away, following the flow of the artificial river tracks. "How does a train like this work?" Emma ambled forward, her mind wholly attached to the wondrous invention. Longyu Tian smiled once more. "It uses the propulsion of the river to move forward. Additionally, the ends of the train are equipped with two densely powered aether engines, allowing it to speed up and slow down at the operator''s command. It''s the preferred choice of transport in the Lantis Republic." The Spirit Saint caressed the head of the ice-elemental markswoman. Unlike her disdain for Kanari, Longyu Tian quite enjoyed the company of the orphans, whose parents were former members of the Awter Clan anyway. She continued to elaborate lovingly. "It''s maximum speed is two hundred kilometres per hour. If we use it, we can reach the Longyu Clan Headquarters, which is about five hundred kilometres away, within three hours." "Three hours?!" Emma hollered out, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. She wasn''t the only one, though. Everyone from the Himmel Empire who had overheard their conversation was in a similar state, especially the two Spirit Venerates. They have long heard rumours of the River Train, but due to the Lantis Republic''s tendency to hermit up, none of them had ever witnessed it for themselves. Two hundred kilometres an hour¡­ That was way faster than any carriage or aether car that the Himmel Empire or the Kori Federation could rely on. To travel five hundred kilometres on the Himmel Empire roads, it would take days, several even, to traverse that great distance. Lady Seph was particularly intrigued. Even though she was a medical researcher, the Spirit Venerate could appreciate the marvellous engineering ingenuity of the Lantis Republic. At the same time, Lady Seph felt terrible for her own home country, who still hadn''t figured out how to adopt the inventions of Spirit Immortal Dream effectively. If the previous Imperial Courts had the wisdom to invest in Spirit Immortal Dream as the Lantis Republic did, would they have a River Train of their own? The interior of the River Train was just as spectacular as the outside. Crystal chandeliers hung from the top of the ceiling, bringing a blinding radiance into the otherwise dark cabins. The seats were intricately sewn together and wide enough to fit a fully grown bear. Diamond decanters were placed at the bar while fresh refreshments filled with the Lantis Republic''s most desirable sweets were being rolled out on trolleys to feed the honoured guests. "Is this paradise?" Ella muttered under her breath. Emma nodded in agreement. Evidently, this cabin was specially designed for those from the main bloodline of the Longyu Clan to use, similar to the Imperial Pegasus Carriage that only those from the Imperial Family could use. Most likely, Longyu Tian travelled to the harbour using this very same River Train. "Alright, all of you settle down!" Longyu Tian barked out. "We''re running a little late, so we have to hurry. If we delay any longer, the dinner at the headquarters will start to turn cold." She helped Shin to a seat next to her, leaving Kanari out alone. Shin wanted to sit next to the maiden, but Kanari gently shook her head. It was as if Shin could hear her thoughts being transmitted into his brain. ''Just sit with Saint Longyu Tian. We have other opportunities to be together later on.'' "..." Unwillingly, the young man let Kanari sit alongside the twins, while he stayed in his place. Shin didn''t know then, but¡­ His love life was about to reach its first rocky obstacle. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 430 The Longyu Clan 2 Just as Longyu Tian had explained, the River Train moved at a rapid speed. Shin sat on the window seat with the Spirit Saint by his side on the aisle seat. He would often gaze out of the window to see trees gushing by like darting arrows. The birds in the skies were utterly unable to keep up with the speed of the train, and Shin watched everything pass by in slow motion. They were moving so fast, but oddly enough, the vibrations on the River Train was quite smooth. Kesyl had imagined herself getting motion-sickness once again. Just staying on a cruising boat was hard enough, taking a train that travelled at two hundred kilometres per hour? The young maiden thought that her world was going to end. However, contrary to everyone''s expectations, the River Train cruised down the tracks without the standard choppy movements of a boat on the ocean. In fact, it was comparable to that of a horse carriage. Longyu Tian continued to yap like a tour guide, as she attempted to make the youth feel as comfortable as possible. They talked about the best sightseeing places in the Lantis Republic, the best foods in the archipelago, and even the hierarchical structure of the Longyu Clan. Sometimes, the Spirit Saint would ask questions about Shin''s life in the Himmel Empire, mostly the more recent happenings. They talked about how he skipped levels to trigger the first barrier of mortality, the recent tragedy of Latina¡­ Basically, anything that happened in Shin''s life, Aunt Tian wanted to know. Initially, Shin felt quite uncomfortable about divulging all of those details. To him, Longyu Tian was basically a stranger that had some goodwill to him. However, perhaps it was because of their similar black hair and azure eyes, Shin felt like he could start to open up, even if it was just a little bit. The familiarity factor really played into Longyu Tian''s favour. All his life, Shin had been around people who looked much different. Ariel, with her bright ruby eyes and striking crimson hair. Isadore with his elf-like silver hair and princely charm. Even Kanari! Though she had the same jet-black hair as Shin, just one look at their contrasting eyes was sufficient to tell that they came from different bloodlines. Longyu Tian not only boasted the same exact eyes and hair as the young man but their skin tones, jawlines and even the high bridge of their nose were precisely alike. It was the first time Shin had ever met someone that similar to himself, and it really made the Spirit Saint seem like an aunt he never had. While they were busy chatting away, talking about anything under the sun, a conductor quickly entered the luxurious and gave a simple bow. Shin could see a slight tremor in his voice and posture, prompting him to look at the man kindly. "Highness Saint, we''re reaching our destination." "Two hours, fifty-seven minutes and twenty-three seconds. That''s a little slower than I''d imagined." Longyu Tian replied, rather unamused. She was named the Saint of Time for a reason. She was sensitive to the passage of time and could even pinpoint the exact time taken for the River Train to travel to the Longyu Clan''s Headquarters. "My apologies, Highness Saint. The operator might have driven more cautiously, seeing that we have many highly honoured guests on board. I''ll make sure to register your complaint to the board." ''Does such an action really warrant a complaint?'' Shin was perplexed. Longyu Tian had said that they would arrive in about three hours and that was exactly what had happened. There weren''t any problems with the ride nor were there any irregularities. If anything, Shin and his group were pleased with the experience and the time. Yet, it didn''t count as an achievement in the eyes of the Lantis Republic. "Yeah, do that," Longyu Tian dismissed the conductor, indifferently waving her hands. She hardly cared about the livelihood of a mere train operator. What''s more important was that Shin had the best first impressions of the Longyu Clan. "So, Shin. When we reach the clan, you''ll probably be meeting Dao''er first." The Dao''er that Longyu Tian was so affectionately calling was the head of the Longyu Clan, one of the most influential figures in the entire Lantis Republic, Longyu Dao. "He''ll be giving you a basic welcome and all of the normal diplomatic procedures with your friends. When you''re done with that, they''ll bring you to a banquet so that you can enjoy all of the foods that we''ve prepared. Oh, I suggest that you go for the Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls or the Steamed Ginger Soy Fish with Pickled Cherry Tomatoes." The Saint of Time continued to list out the itinerary for the young man extending all the way to the end of the week. However, Shin could help but notice one oddity. "Aunt Tian¡­ The activities sound fun and all, but why is there no training or cultivation sessions?" Longyu Tian''s plan for Shin consists of mainly play and leisure. Sightseeing and eating. And while those activities were things that Shin could look forward to, what he wanted to do the most was absorb the teachings of the Longyu Clan, hopefully increasing his cultivation or overall combat ability. Shin''s goal was to defeat the Black Masks, Junius and the Allfather. He also wanted to create a mercenary team that specialises in conquering the Payircis, some of which were present right here in the Lantis Archipelago. And to do that, Shin needed to grow within the Lantis Republic. He wanted to learn the cultivation arts that he was so sorely missing. He wanted to spar with other Sovereign Koi users of his generation and exchange ideas on how the Spirit could be used. Cultivation sessions and sparring sessions were essential during his stay, but thus far, Longyu Tian seemed reluctant to let him jump right into the action. "You''d just arrived in the Lantis Republic! How could we let you strain yourself this soon?" Longyu Tian smilingly denounced his plea. "Just like how you don''t immediately throw a goldfish into a new fishbowl, you need some time to acclimate yourself, Shin! Take this first month as an opportunity to explore the Longyu Clan and the Lantis Republic! Get connected to your roots! We can discuss your cultivation at a later date." "..." Shin raised his finger with the intent to protest, but the words wouldn''t roll off his tongue. Longyu Tian was basically his only link in the Longyu Clan. If Shin had offended her with his continuous pressing, the youth was afraid that he would be left all alone within the Longyu Clan. So, Shin continued to sit down quietly, all while the Spirit Saint blabbed on and on about the activities that she had planned for the youth. TTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Fortunately for Shin, his ears were about to be saved by the bell. A hissing sound shook the cabin slightly as the River Train slowed down gradually. Curious, Shin gazed out of the window, only to gasp out in awe. The first thing he saw was naturally, the station that they were pulling up in. It looked just like the one in the harbour, only that it boasted a few additional luxuries such as golden clocks and numerous well-crafted sculptures of the Sovereign Koi. However, what really tripped Shin up was the enormous lake that stood right by the station. The sun-kissed lake seemed more like an ocean within an island, from what Shin could see. It was vast and serene. Just by looking at the lake, Shin could feel overwhelming amounts of water elements dancing about in complete euphoria. But, that wasn''t the main draw of the picturesque scene. What really dropped Shin''s jaw was the enormous structure at the centre of the lake. A thick brick base, possibly fortified with granite and basalt, emerged out from the lake like a pyramid, giving stability to the castles that stood above it. Speaking of the castles, there were five of them, four at each corner with one central one in the middle. Surrounded by tall stone walls with cannons pointed out, the castles were as secure as can be. The four smaller ones were about fifty metres in height, a considerable size for buildings even for nobility, but the central palace was the one that stole the show. Standing over two hundred metres tall and five hundred metres wide on both ends, Shin doubted his eyes for a moment. How could a fortress reach such tremendous heights, especially since it was floating in the middle of a lake? ''Speaking of which, the Awter Clan also build their houses in the middle of Awter Lake¡­ It looks like my great-grandfather couldn''t forget his roots, huh?'' Ignoring his confusion, Shin followed Longyu Tian and the guards that the Longyu Clan had sent towards the castle. Kanari and Bingying stood by Shin''s side, while the twins stayed attached Shizen, who had been sleeping soundly throughout his journey on the rocky boat. Lady Seph and Kesyl were treading slowly behind, admiring the foreign architecture of the Longyu Clan. "Shin¡­ This place gives me the creeps..." Shizen crept closer towards the only male friend he had in the congregation, his hands firmly attached to his waist. "Hmmm? I thought you liked the water that the Sovereign Koi makes?" "I do¡­ And I think that your created water is still the best thing in this world, but I''m seriously worried about the lack of trees or forests in the area..." Shizen said, with his pale turning green. Throughout the journey, Shizen had been monitoring the environment around him. To his complete surprise, there was a disappointing number of trees and forests around. For the boy named the Freak of the Dundlewoods, the lack of greenery was taking its toll on his psychological state. "Ah, I''ll be sure to ask them about where the forests are," Shin replied as he reached into his bag to retrieve a chilled water bottle. "Here, I poured my heart and soul into creating this batch. I''m sure it''ll be extra tasty." "Hehe, you''re the best." Shizen took the water bottle and beamed in delight. It had been some time since Shin created some of his signature ''juice,'' and it came as a perfect remedy for the sickly feeling that Shizen had. While they were talking, the congregation made significant strides in advancing into the palace. Since they were being expected, no one really stopped them for security purposes. Even if they did, Shin was being led by Saint Longyu Tian, the literal most influential person in the Longyu Clan. No one would dare to cross the Spirit Saint. So, in record time, they had been led into a throne room, where a plethora of Longyu Clan executives laid in wait. The throne room was about ten metres tall, with numerous pillars with carvings of the Sovereign Koi engraved all over. Banners consisting of an ethereal lake of colours with a small image of the Sovereign Koi were hanging all over the pillars. At the centre of the room, there was even a golden sculpture of the Sovereign Koi hanging right over the Throne of the Lake. ''Looks like the Longyu Clan is really proud of their Spirit...'' Shin was referring to them as foreigners, but in truth, the young man was more similar to them; then he would like to admit. Case in point, one look around the throne room, Shin saw dozens of men and women, each one boasting different frames. Some were bulky and muscular. Some thin and ghastly. However, the majority were lean and proportionate, while the minority were fat and oily. Nonetheless, no matter what shape they were in, they all boasted two distinct features that made Shin feel oddly at home¡­ They all possessed the same black hair and divinely azure eyes. "They all look so similar..." Evidently, Shin wasn''t the only one who felt this way. Ella, Emma, Shizen, Kanari and Lady Seph were all taken aback by the resemblance. It wasn''t just their hair and eyes that looked similar. Some of them had the same exact skin pigment, bone structure, and gorgeously symmetrical nose. And the one that really tripped them all up was¡­ The man standing at the foot of the throne. "Welcome, honoured guests from the Himmel Empire! We''ve been expecting you!" The Clan Master, Longyu Dao, spread his hands out wide and welcomed the group. His well-trimmed beard rose and fell with every smile he beamed out. When Kanari saw that charming face, her jaw dropped unconsciously. She felt that she had been transported forward in time and was looking at an older version of Shin. And it wasn''t just the Himmel Empire''s congregation that had been stunned speechless. The members of the Longyu family were also flabbergasted. No one could doubt that Shin was part of the main bloodline now. Longyu Dao walked forward and tapped the youth on his shoulder. "You must be Shin..." "Ah, it''s an honour to meet you, Longyu Clan Master!" Shin had forgotten his manners for a split second there but came to his senses rather quickly. He attempted to bow in respect but was immediately held up by Longyu Dao''s domineering hand. "You don''t have to bow to me, Shin." The Clan Master said. "Come, let me see your face..." Longyu Dao gently lifted Shin''s chin up, allowing his eyes to meet with the youth''s. It really was uncanny, thought the man. Still, he couldn''t just be staring into a young man''s eyes for too long. "Longyu Yuan, your great-grandfather, and the patriarch of the Awter Clan was my maternal uncle. That would make you my little nephew. There''s no need for such gestures among family." Family. That was the keyword that the Longyu Clan wanted to convey to Shin. Although it was the first time that Shin had met them, the Longyu Clan members wanted Shin to remember one thing¡­ That they were family. "T-Thank you..." Shin was obviously flustered. Longyu Tian was one thing, but now even another man, who looked exactly like an older version of himself, was calling Shin his nephew. It was too much strangeness in one day for Shin to endure. At their distance, Longyu Dao could visibly see the tension in Shin''s behaviour. So he released his gentle grasp and said: "You must be tired! Come, let me show you to your new quarters! We can slowly discuss the cumbersome matters during the banquet!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 431 The Longyu Clan 3 The stars in the Lantis Republic were the same as the Himmel Empire. Due to the headquarters remote location, there weren''t any man-made city lights that would cloud the gorgeous blanket of stars. Shin laid down on the grassy patch of his private veranda, gazing up with a troubled expression. After meeting with Longyu Dao, the congregation were whisked from place to place, leaving no time for rest, particularly for the star of the show. Shin had the limelight shone primely on his body from the first second he stepped foot on Longyu Reef. He was welcomed by one of the four Spirit Saints in the Lantis Republic. The streets were cleared out to grant him safe passage. He met with the highest authority on the island. He was given this luxurious apartment that somehow boasted an intricate garden even though it was fifty metres above the ground. And finally, he was treated like a Prince during the banquet the Longyu Clan had hosted. Hundreds of Longyu Clan eyes, each one bearing some resemblance to his own, were attached to his body, never willing to let go. To make matters worse, Longyu Tian had separated Shin from Kanari, Lady Seph and the others, bringing him to meet many of the Longyu Clan''s most exquisite maidens. Since Longyu Tian didn''t know whether Shin preferred younger or older women, she prepared a vast majority. They varied from sixteen to twenty-six, the ideal age range for the twenty-year-old. All of them were great beauties in their own right, and any man would dream of holding them in their arms. Unfortunately, Shin already had other ideas for his love life. It was awkward, turning down one beauty after the other, especially when the whole ballroom was looking at Shin. Eventually, even Longyu Tian turned a little frustrated and allowed the youth to have a breather. She still had five years to change Shin''s mind. There was no rush. In the end, the hectic day ended with Shin escorted to his room by Longyu Tian herself, leaving behind his companions to attend to the diplomatic matters. Shin''s chambers were in a different castle from Lady Seph and the others. In fact, there were even plans for the members of the Himmel Empire to live in a separate mansion altogether, while Shin remained firmly in the Longyu Clan Headquarters. That suggestion was struck down immediately, of course. Neither Lady Seph nor Kanari could trust that the Longyu Clan wouldn''t lock the youth inside, isolating him from the rest of the group. In the end, the Longyu Clan and the Himmel Empire delegation decided to reach a compromise. Shin would stay the first week in the Headquarters, and the rest of the time, he would live alongside Lady Seph in her mansion. However, the boy would have to follow the itinerary that the Longyu Clan had laid out, at least for the next three months. The youth sighed as he gazed up at the moon and turned to the only company he had left. "Yip, yip?" Rudely awakened from her slumber, the snowy white gerbil looked at Shin with confused eyes. Being a Tier 8 Spirit Beast that wasn''t politically motivated, the Longyu Clan allowed Lady Seph''s request to keep the Kamaitachi on Shin''s person at all times. This way, even if the Himmel Empire members weren''t present, Shin would still be well-protected. It was a win-win-win for all. Shin would be protected, Lady Seph would be assured, and Bingbing would get to stay by Shin''s side for five long years. "Bingbing, what should I do?" "Yip, yip, yip!!!" The gerbil chirped happily as if telling him that everything would be fine. "Haha, I wish that I had your optimism..." Shin bitterly smiled and laid down with Bingbing rolling on his warm chest. Since the topic was too meddlesome to mull over, Shin decided to just stare at the gorgeous stars blankly, praying that his problems would all disappear. All of a sudden, as if something had disturbed her peace, Bingbing jumped to her feet and chirped wildly at the entrance. Shin''s trance-like state was broken, and he instantly sat upright, confused. "What''s the matter?" The man turned around, only to see a gorgeous maiden with sky-blue hair leaning on one of the wooden pillars. Though her element was ice, she wore one of the warmest smiles that Shin had seen thus far. A lot of the Longyu Clan members he''d met also put on a smiling mask during their short interactions with Shin. But the youth wasn''t ignorant enough to believe that there weren''t any ulterior motives behind their facade. They were probably ordered to make the youth feel at home with some obvious benefit behind their actions. Otherwise, why would they treat a complete stranger with a familiarity only reserved for their families? Bingying, on the other hand, Shin knew that the sister that mentored him over the four years would speak to him from a genuine place. "I see that your relationship with Bingbing is still as strong as ever!" The Pearl in the East looked at the Kamaitachi, her arms folded and cheekbones raised. "Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip! Yip yip, yip!" "I know, I know! You''re the best Bing''er!" Meijing Bingying rolled her eyes in protest when she heard the Kamaitachi claiming her superiority. Shin chuckled, amused by the constant strife between woman and beast. When Bingying first met with Bingbing, the Kamaitachi was worried that the foreigner would steal her place in Shin''s heart. After all, they both had ''Bing'' in their names and were experts in the ice-element. Even though Meijing Bingying had never intended for it, she ended up competing with the gerbil and had even picked up how to speak the language of yip. However, Shin wasn''t worried about their war. At this moment, he wanted to learn more about his companion''s situation. "Sister Bingying! They allowed you to come up here? Where are the rest?" Excited, Shin jumped into the corridor, hoping to spot either Kanari or Lady Seph, but only to see a patch of darkness. "They''re not here," replied the maiden, shaking head. "The Longyu Clan is really adamant about having you alone in this place." "I''m not really alone though..." Shin''s enthusiasm was curbed, and his smile dropped. Still, he was happy to have someone familiar around him, so he put on a brave front. "Bingbing is with me, and later on, Saint Longyu Tian would move into the next apartment." "S-Saint Longyu Tian is going to live with you?!" Bingying nearly screamed. "Not with, next to." "What''s the difference?!" The maiden hollered, though she took some time to really compose herself. "Really, the Longyu Clan is pulling out all the stops, huh? I saw the line of beauties they prepared. Heck, I''m I wouldn''t be surprised if they forced one of them to become your maid or bed warmer." It was crude for Bingying to suggest such a scenario, but based on how Longyu Tian reacted, that didn''t seem too far-fetched. "Sister Bingying¡­ You know that I''m not that kind of person..." "I know, I know¡­ You''re the perfect man!" Bingying continued to pull the youth''s leg like how a normal elder sister would. Shin pouted for a while, his cheeks puffed up. However, after a few seconds, he remembered something vital. "By the way, how did you get up here?" "Well, technically I''m from the Lantis Republic. So they wouldn''t really mind me coming up to see you," explained Bingying, who had her finger on her chin. Then, she moved it straight onto Shin''s perfectly symmetrical nose. "And I actually, I came here to say goodbye." "Goodbye? Ah, right..." "Yeap, I''m going back to my home, the Meijing Artics." They had discussed this many times on the boat ride to Longyu Reef. Once they had reached Longyu Reef, Meijing Bingying and Elder Baobiao''s mission to protect and train Shin would be instantly over. Elder Baobiao had longed returned to the Heigui Enclave, and it was time for Bingying to do the same. There was one additional detail, though. "Ella¡­ Emma¡­ Are they leaving now as well?" Shin asked, his voice a little shaky. Just like how Shin was joining the Longyu Clan to learn more about how to cultivate, the twins would be following Meijing Bingying to her hometown, the place where ice-elements and Ice-type Spirit Users thrived. For the twins nicknamed the Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter and the Glacial Fairy Markswoman, it was a godsend opportunity. The ice-element was a mutated version of the water element, and it was rare to find an Ice-type Spirit User on the continent. The Meijing Clan was the oddity. They essentially had a monopoly of Ice-type Spirit Users and had thousands of years worth of history in honing the craft. It made sense for the twins to move there to better themselves. Still, it meant that they would have to leave Longyu Reef for extended periods, leaving Shin and the rest alone. "Yeah, they wanted to come, but the Longyu Clan is quite strict about who can meet you during this one week buffer period." Bingying broke the bad news. "However, there''s no need to despair. The trip from the Meijing Artics to Longyu Reef is only a few hours by boat. They can visit you anytime they want. Also, since we still have to prepare appropriate regimens for them, they''ll probably start their training in a few weeks. They''ll have another opportunity to meet you after this week is over." "This week, huh..." Shin muttered out, his voice as light as a feather. He had only spent half a day in the Longyu Clan, and Shin had met more beautiful girls his age than he''d ever done in his life. Just imagining what would happen in the next week was bringing a headache to the young man''s head. "How''s Kanari?" Shin inquired, somewhat fearful of hearing the answer. Kanari just had to sit through watching Shin getting approached by almost a hundred women. Shin couldn''t imagine that she would be thrilled by that experience. "Angry, of course," scoffed Bingying. "However, you did well in rejecting them without hesitation. Seeing that really softened her tense mood, but she couldn''t stop complaining about Longyu Tian, though. That girl really has some guts. Criticising a Spirit Saint right in the middle of her territory." "I see..." Shin closed his eyes. There was so much that he wanted to say, so much that he wanted to apologise for. However, there was no way for him to do that, physically and psychologically. "Sister Bingying, what should I do? I was the one that asked Kanari to follow me here. She left behind wealth, fame, authority, the adulation of the masses, all because of my selfish desire¡­ If this trend continues, and the Longyu Clan continues to attempt to separate us¡­ Wouldn''t it be better if Kanari never came at all?" "..." Bingying watched on silently as Shin tried to work out his relationship. ''Hah¡­ Why are you asking me for relationship advice? I can''t even get my own shit together!'' She thought. Meijing Bingying might be the most desirable maiden in the Lantis Republic, but up till now, she hasn''t decided on a fiance yet. Bingying hasn''t even cleaned up her own room yet, how could she advise someone else? Still, she had to try something to cheer up her unfortunate younger brother. "I don''t think that''s true. Speaking from a woman''s point of view, I would be maniacal if the person I loved was off in some far off land, being approached by hordes of women in a place that I couldn''t see. At least, she saw you fending off those girls. I would be livid if Huan¡­ I mean, my future spouse was to be hit on by some random girl, and I can''t see him turning them down." There was a minor slip in her reply, but Shin wasn''t really paying that much attention. "You really think so?" "I know so," Bingying reassured the youth, tapping his head in the process. "How about this? You write her a letter, and I''ll smuggle it out for you." "Really? You can do that?" Shin''s eyes glistened in joy. "Of course, I can! No matter what, I''m still the heir to the Meijing Clan. The guards from the Longyu Clan wouldn''t dare to check my body on a whim." "Great!!! You''re the best, Sister Bingying!!!" Shin instantly leapt up on his feet and dashed to his table, picking out the best parchment he had. It took him fifteen minutes to write the letter, and it was filled with some of the most disgustingly sweet words that Bingying had ever laid her eyes on. She felt that her heart was beating just by carrying it on her person. And when Kanari had received the letter, well that was a story for another time... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 432 The Longyu Clan 4 Shin''s ''orientation week'' passed by in a flash. Longyu Tian stayed by his side throughout, bringing him to various locations all around Longyu Reef. Since Shin was being ferried by a Spirit Saint, there was no need to worry about his transport. The Saint of Time could travel a thousand kilometres as if she was teleporting around. In the mornings, Shin would find himself in the legendary Longyu Lake. Then in the afternoon, he would be in Liheng Metropolis, the Capital city of Longyu Reef. Sometimes, Longyu Tian might even bring him to the principal fishing municipality, allowing him to taste some of the freshest fish that the youth had ever eaten for lunch. Finally, at night, the Spirit Saint would fly him back to the Headquarters, where she would let him party with a harem of women. It was the dream lifestyle of every man. He didn''t have to work, he could visit many new places, eat a different style of cuisine and at night, he could fuck any woman he wanted. However, Shin wasn''t having any of that. Often times, he would have to lock the door to his own room by freezing the gate, preventing any young maidens from sneaking into his bed, which happened twice already. It was the hypothetical heaven that Longyu Tian thought would familiarise Shin to the Longyu Clan and pledge his allegiance to the Republic. However, all it did was to push the boy farther away. At the end of her wits, the Spirit Saint decided to go all out in spending her final day with Shin. However, before they began their journey, Longyu Tian decided to spend some time talking with Shin. She walked into the living room of the youth''s apartment and waited for him to exit his room. It took some time since he had to unfreeze the locks, but eventually, the youth emerged out of his bedroom, wearing a comfortable, breathy robe, that was good for either exploring or training. "So, tomorrow you''re going to move out into your Master''s house. How are you feeling?" Longyu Tian asked, almost praying for Shin to jump in frustration and denounce the move. Alas, the Shin wasn''t that moved by this ''orientation week.'' He grinned from ear to ear and said: "I''m looking forward to meeting my Master and friends again. I really miss them." "I see..." Longyu Tian folded her arms together and puckered her lips. Shin''s expression was one of pure joy, something that she had never seen throughout the week-long orientation that they had. The youth was still uncomfortable around her and the Longyu Clan. "That''s it! I give up!" She flailed her arms up in the air in surrender. That sudden action stunned Shin, who had never seen this sharp-tongued side of the calm and gentle Aunt Tian. Bingbing hid further inside of Shin''s robes, fearful of what the Spirit Saint would do to Shin and her. So much for a Tier 8 Spirit Beast guard. "I''ve been trying to make you like the stay here. We''ve been to some of the best places in the Lantis Republic, everyone here reveres you, the women want to bed you, what else are you unsatisfied with?" Longyu Tian was never a devious person. She liked to be straightforward and get to the point. However, because she wanted Shin in her camp, the Spirit Saint had been wishy-washy throughout the week. However, enough was enough. Everything that she had spent on Shin had backfired on her. Each time she attempted to bring Shin over to her side, the boy kept pushing back. Eventually, it had reached the stage where he had to freeze the door to his own room, just to prevent the Longyu Clan members from entering it. "It''s not that I don''t like the Longyu Clan..." Shin muttered, his voice a little fearful about the actions the Spirit Saint may take. "The food is great, the people are kind and somehow¡­ Maybe it''s because I''m from the main bloodline, I feel a deep connection to Longyu Reef. Primally, of course." "So what''s the problem?" "I think Aunt Tian¡­ You''re misunderstanding all of my desires." Shin turned down his volume, fearful to reply to the Spirit Saint''s question. However, if he wasn''t going to be honest, there was no way that the Saint of Time could understand his position. "I¡­ Don''t care about fame, fortune or women. I never wanted to be in this position. All of these people chanting my name, fawning over me, giving all this free stuff¡­ I don''t want it! The reason why I came to the Lantis Republic is to improve my abilities!" Shin continued to holler, all while the Spirit Saint listened carefully. "The Black Masks they¡­ They have taken so much from me. My older brother, the love of my life¡­ They ripped my family in half and destroyed so many other families! I saw the devastation they left behind in the Land of Dreams! The headless bodies¡­ The river of blood¡­ The destruction they caused¡­ It''s something that will repeat itself! I have to become stronger! To defeat them and end this crazy war! That''s why I left the Himmel Empire a year early! I wanted to continue to raise my strength! I don''t need all of these luxuries!" "..." Longyu Tian watched the young man pour his heart out, his fists clenched and eyes misty. It took great courage to stand up to a Spirit Saint, especially one of Longyu Tian''s calibre. His body continued to tremble, and with his eyes closed, Shin couldn''t see what expression the Saint of Time made. However, he doubted that it would be of any good. The Saint of Time sat down on the comfy sofa in Shin''s living room and stared at the young man. Eventually, her brows fell as she sighed. "So you just want to train in the Longyu Clan? That''s all our Clan is good for?" "..." This time, it was Shin''s turn to be speechless. He couldn''t deny that he saw the Longyu Clan as a convenient tool to bolster his strength. There wasn''t any loyalty there. How could there be? Shin had barely spent enough time in the Republic. In Shin''s heart, he still saw the Himmel Empire as his real home. The Capital, Lady Seph''s mansion, Yakkyoku Clinic and¡­ Frie Mountain. He lived there all of his life. It was unreasonable for the Longyu Clan and Longyu Tian to think that Shin would change allegiances just because of some superficial luxuries. "I¡­ I can''t see the Longyu Clan as my home yet," Shin answered honestly. The only knowledge he had of the Longyu Clan was that his great-grandfather had been exiled from the clan. The other things he knew were mostly by word-of-mouth, particularly from Meijing Bingying''s mouth. Though, even her information was severely lacking since she wasn''t from the clan. "It''s hard to say how I''ll feel about the clan in the next five years, but I know one thing..." Shin looked Longyu Tian straight in the eye, the first time he''d ever done since the Spirit Saint started to question him. "Giving me all of this luxuries¡­ Sending hordes of women after me¡­ That''s not the way to buy my loyalty." "Hoho..." This was the first time in a hundred years that anyone had talked back to Longyu Tian like that.Shin''s face was cramping up, his knees were weak, arms heavy, and was ready to vomit the spaghetti for dinner last night. Still, his eyes were as bright as Longyu Lake itself. The Spirit Saint watched the young man, the boy that she called her nephew. She had tried so many things to get him to like the country, but from the looks of it, Shin wasn''t going to back out. Longyu Tian reflected on herself. Her icy heart was now beating with adrenaline, and her pupils dilated. "Shin, I''ve been underestimating you," the Spirit Saint claimed. "I''ve been treating you as a child that I need to protect when I should''ve treated you as a cultivator that''s aiming for the apex. I finally understand how to end our little ''orientation week'' now..." "..." Shin''s throat visibly rose and fell, as a mouthful of saliva dripped down it. Longyu Tian was the only supporter he honestly had in the Longyu Clan. If she wanted to denounce him and throw him away, no one in the Longyu Clan would raise their hand in protest. A Spirit Saint was just that influential. Also, no one in the entire Himmel Empire congregation could beat the Saint of Time. If she wanted to kill Shin, no one could ever hope to stop her. "Cultivate and prepare yourself¡­ In the afternoon, I''m bringing you to train..." ??? The Lantis Republic. Longyu Reef. Atoll of the Ancients. The Lantis Archipelago was never a unified nation. Ever since the Lady of Water passed away, ancient warlords and chieftains spent the next few generations claiming as much land as they possibly could. Among them, the Eight Scions of Water led their clans at the top of the food chain. To gain as much control over the Archipelago as possible, the Eight Ancient Clans fought against one another endlessly. Alliances were made, and betrayal was second nature to the warring islands. Eventually, when the great war that nearly ended all of the modern civilisation occurred almost ten thousand years back, the splintered nations all settled their differences and agreed to form three great superpowers. The warring kingdoms of the Lantis Archipelago were one of those countries. The Eight Ancient Clans had subdued any and all dissidents in the land and absorbed them into their own communities. Rogue nations were dismantled to their last bone and warlords became government officials. There weren''t many historical landmarks to remember the fallen since they were all raided aggressively by the Eight Clans of Water, but there were still a few lying around. The Atoll of the Ancients was one of those exceptions. Back in the days of the warring states, there was one island that almost everyone wanted to control, due to its strategic location. The country that controlled this island unlocked a vital trading route towards the other eight main islands, particularly the Prime Island that stood in the middle of the Lantis Republic. At the end of the warring era, when the unification of the Lantis Archipelago was formed, the Eight Ancient Clans had signed a treaty to share this island, never to tear it down in remembrance of their eternal alliance. Now, together with being one of the busiest trading ports in the entire Republic, the Atoll of the Ancients is also the chosen location for annual competitions and sparring events. It has seen the rise and fall of countless heroes, especially young ones who compete in tournaments to determine who was the best in their era. One arena, in particular, stood heads and shoulders above the rest in its history, capacity and overall historical significance. The Yingxiong Amphitheatre. Renovated multiple times, the Yingxiong Amphitheatre was the preferred location for the best events in the Lantis Republic history. It has the best gym in the entire nation, the best training facilities and the largest capacity of any stadium in the country. A hundred thousand people. Shin looked up in the stands, amazed by how vast the Yingxiong Amphitheatre was. It was perhaps the most extensive structure he had ever seen, barring the abnormal Deus Citadel. Still, he couldn''t be stunned for long. He glanced straight ahead into the front row seats, only to see over a hundred Longyu Clan members staring right at him. Some were old, some were young. Some were Spirit Practitioners and Apostles, others were Spirit Emperors and Venerates. But there was no doubt about their intentions. They all wanted to see the young Prince of Water in action. Bingbing sat down at the side, watching Shin as if she were his own personal cheerleader. However, when Longyu Tian gave her a simple glare, the Kamaitachi calmed down a little and simply chirped yip in regular time intervals. "You don''t have to worry about the spectators, they''re all from the main bloodline and will keep your abilities a secret." Longyu Tian misunderstood the worried expression that Shin was wearing. "No, I don''t really care about that..." Shin replied, his eyes still a little wavy. Either way, if he''s going to spend the next five years on Longyu Reef, his spiritual abilities would become well-known naturally. He turned the corner and saw the Clan Master, Longyu Dao, seated among the crowds. Although he was the highest authority in the Clan, Shin couldn''t differentiate him from the masses since they all looked so alike. Satisfied with his reply, Longyu Tian beamed. "So, as you have requested, I''ve rounded up some of the most talented Spirit Spectres in the Longyu Clan for you to spar with. The rest are just here to spectate. They all had awakened the Sovereign Koi, so your exchange would be quite fruitful I hope." Ten young men and women, no one exceeding their forties, stepped up onto the platform where Shin was about to perform. Among them, Shin spotted a familiar face. He had seen the youth once during the Summit, standing inside of the Lantis Republic''s Luminary stands. It was the young genius from the clan¡­ Longyu Linji. ''He kind of reminds me of Ryner...'' Maybe it was the youth''s slanted eyes and venomous scowl, Shin could see the old version of Ryner, the one that was quick to rage and violence, within Linji. Of course, it was hard to judge someone just from one exchange, so Shin shook his head to push away those thoughts. "It''s actually a good thing that you suggested to spar." Longyu Tian smiled. "Many from the main bloodline have heard what you''re capable of but never had they seen your abilities. This is a chance for you to announce yourself into the world." "Yeah¡­" Shin bitterly smiled. Yes, he was the one who asked for this opportunity, but he never expected that the whole family would come and spectate him. Still, Shin was the one who requested Longyu Tian train him, so he couldn''t be complaining. ''Take deep breaths¡­ Just like the stadium in Imperius Academy¡­ Treat it as if they aren''t there...'' Shin mentally calmed himself down. It took him ten seconds, for his shivering to stop and the timidness to dissipate. Now, he wasn''t the kind and innocent Shin Iofiel. Now¡­ He was the Black-Haired Tyrant. "Okay¡­ I''m ready..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 433 Lets Have Some Fun 1 "Okay¡­ I''m ready..." Shin''s sudden change of tone stunned the Spirit Saint for a moment, and she was brought back to the time where Shin fought on the main stage in the Summit. Those very eyes were the same ones that defeated Lukman, the person everyone thought was the dominant cultivator of his generation. Still, it wasn''t the time nor the place to be enthralled by the youth. Longyu Tian snapped her fingers, and a young thirty-year-old man heeded her call. "Good¡­ Your first opponent is Dingxuan." Just like any other member of the Longyu Clan''s main bloodline, the Longyu Dingxuan had pale azure eyes and vibrant jet-black hair. Compared to Shin, he was a little more masculine, and his skin was much more coarse, perhaps due to the wear and tear of a thousand battles. The Longyu Clan members from the stands all watched on with intrigued eyes and captivated smiles. They have heard of Shin Iofiel, the man nicknamed the Prince of Water for almost four years now. Shin''s battle powers may be well-known throughout the world, but not many got to see it in person. So, it was good that Longyu Dingxuan was the first to take the field. Dingxuan wasn''t a Luminary, but no one could question his talent. He reached the Spirit Spectre realm at twenty-eight-years-old, a phenomenal feat in its own right. Specialising in the phantom arts and neutralising his opponents, Longyu Dingxuan was among the few Spirit Spectres in the Longyu Clan that could give Shin a run for his money. Or so they thought¡­ "Why is Uncle Dingxuan fighting that random young man?" A chirpy voice, one no older than ten, sounded out from the side of the Longyu Clan Master. Longyu Dao looked down at the pretty young girl, who boasted one of the most inquisitive eyes that he had ever seen and smiled. "That''s not a random young man, Hai''er. He''s your cousin. Brother Shin." The Clan Master corrected his granddaughter''s misunderstanding. "My cousin? Brother Shin?" Longyu Hai snapped her head back, swaying the ponytail she had back and forth. With her petite size and cuteness, Longyu Dao couldn''t help but feel that the girl was a plush toy that somehow got brought to life. "If he''s my cousin, how come I''ve never seen him before?" "He was out doing some errands." There was no need to explain complicated matters to an eight-year-old. Throwing in some white lies, Longyu Dao continued to answer his granddaughter''s queries, brainwashing her a little as well. "He had been gone from the Longyu Clan for a long time¡­ But what''s important is that he''s back, and we have to make him feel like it''s home." "If that''s the case, why is Uncle Dingxuan going to bully him? Isn''t he super strong?" Longyu Hai started to feel for Shin right there and then. Her eyes sparkled, and her chubby little cheeks inflated. The young girl was feeling bad that Shin had to fight Longyu Dingxuan, someone she deemed as invincible at her young age, after finally returning back to the Longyu Clan. "You''re right! But we have to test your cousin''s abilities, right? Otherwise, how would we understand how much he''s grown?" "Ah! That''s right!" Longyu Hai tapped her right fist on her left palm as if having a flash of enlightenment. However, after a while, her dejected mood soon came back. "But Uncle Dingxuan is very strong! Do you really think it''s unfair for Brother Shin to fight him? What if he gets injured?!" "Hai''er is really kind¡­ You don''t have to worry about your elder cousin..." Longyu Dao watched in earnest as Longyu Tian got to her referee position. The bout was commencing soon, and the man didn''t want to miss a single second of it. "If anything¡­ The person you should be worried about is your Uncle Dingxuan..." "Hmmm?" The girl was confused. Wasn''t Uncle Dingxuan invincible? Nonetheless, she kept quiet and glanced back into the arena, as did many of her fellow clan members. "Summon out your Spirits!!!" Longyu Tian commanded. Shin''s opponent was the first to introduce himself. "Longyu Dingxuan. Spirit, the Sovereign Koi. Rank 42. Please advise me." There was no malice in his tone. Shin could tell that Dingxuan had a certain amount of respect towards him and wasn''t going out for the kill. ''Looks like this is going to be a genuine sparring session...'' Shin chuckled inwardly. "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, the Sovereign Koi. Rank 40. Please advise me." They both summoned out the same adorable little Sovereign Koi, though Shin''s had a slight gold and azure aura to it, unlike the typical cerulean light that a normal Sovereign Koi had. It was the first time that Shin and his Spirit saw another cultivator with the same Spirit. The Sovereign Koi in Shin''s palms twirled around in joy and tried to greet its compatriot. However, all it got was a peaceful expression. The Sovereign Koi in Longyu Dingxuan''s palms was indifferent to the one in Shin''s. ''Weird, I would have thought that other Sovereign Kois would behave as mischievously as my own...'' Shin pondered while catching small glances of his Spirit that still behaved like a child. ''Whatever, that''s not important now¡­ Let''s focus on the match!'' Even if Shin was considered the Prince of Water, he didn''t dare to look down on the Spirit Users in the Longyu Clan, particularly those from the main bloodline. They were all trained in the ''legitimate'' system, passed down for generations. Also, if the stories he''d heard from Meijing Bingying were true, all of them had been training for combat since they were in their mother''s belly. At five, they would be given daily martial arts practice. At eight, they would go on their first mission out of the Clan Headquarters. At ten, after undergoing the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, they would be trained according to their talents and affinities. At thirteen, the promising members of the Longyu Clan would be enlisted into the Clan''s personal navy, taking on Spirit Beasts and pirates to sharpen their swords. At fifteen, their training intensified tenfold. After getting baptised by the Celestial River, they would be filtered according to their talents once again, where they would join either the government, military or auxiliary tracks. At twenty, their ''training'' is complete, and they would be free to tackle the world as adults, potent in their cultivations and respective fields. It was a gruelling system for young kids to go through, but it was well worth it, based on the results that the Longyu Clan historically had. "Let the match begin!!!" Longyu Tian dropped her raised hand, and the two men instantly jumped into action. Longyu Dingxuan summoned out a phantom of the Sovereign Koi, enveloping his entire body in the same way that Danroy would. He took to the skies as well, making the phantom look like an actual fish in the water. ''He must be a defensive-oriented cultivator...'' Shin theorised. ''Against him, I can''t use my traditional martial arts or water attacks¡­ They''ll all be countered.'' Shin had fought this battle before. He couldn''t break Danroy back then, no matter how many fists he threw at the man. Adding to the fact that Dingxuan was a Spirit Spectre, there was no questioning that he had a more robust defence. Shin couldn''t use his Shape-Style, Flow-Style or hand-to-hand combat skills that he was so used to. ''Right¡­ I haven''t used this ability on an opponent yet¡­ Maybe I can try to see if it''s good against someone with a phantom defence.'' Shin had practised with this ability many times but had never fired it against a real Spirit Spectre. Luckily for him, there was one flying right above him right now. He started by waving his arms, giving his soul a radiant azure hue. Then, all of a sudden, an entire nebula of stars flowed out of his body, filling the arena with solid mana particles. The ability drew gasps, but not that much. The Longyu Clan was used to seeing cultivators with domains. As spectacular as Shin''s domain was, it was still a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre''s domain. However, Shin wasn''t done with surprising the audience just yet. He raised his hand and then¡­ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A sharp resonant cry, resembling that of a siren''s wail, burst through the air, rupturing many eardrums who stood too close to Shin. So what if a Spirit Spectre was immune to the Domain of Dreams? None of them was capable of handling the Shard of the Azure Dragon. The white thorn emerged out of Shin''s back and levitated just half a metre away from his body. Unlike before, the Shard wasn''t sending white lightning flying all over the place and the ground that the youth stood one remained completely intact. The power that once burnt Shin''s mana circuits destroyed his organs and crippled him for weeks, was now¡­ Under Shin''s full control. Dingxuan didn''t know what the shard could do. He couldn''t comprehend it. Despite that, the Spirit Spectre felt fear. Almost instinctively, Dingxuan leapt to the ground and pumped all of his mana into his defences. He didn''t care about beating Shin or chasing glory now. His primal nerves were tingling. They were warning him not to step even one step closer to the dangerous youth. ''He can now control the Shard?'' Longyu Tian raised her eyebrows, fascinated by Shin''s capabilities. They did predict that he was able to ignite the shard safely after he crossed the first barrier of mortality, but they didn''t think that he was able to control it fully. ''Still, isn''t using the shard against an opponent he just met a little overkill? Didn''t he say he wanted to train? Why is he trying to take Dingxuan out in one shot?'' Longyu Tian was right. It was overkill to use the shard against Dingxuan. However, she was misunderstanding Shin''s intentions altogether. Shin created a rapidly swirling ball of water, one faster than any tempest that the Longyu Clan could ever imagine. Then, a small amount of spiritual energy flowed out from the Shard in the form of a lightning bolt and entered the spherical planet of water that continued to grow above Shin''s head. After the partial ignition, the Shard returned back to its calm and tranquil state, as if unperturbed by the environment that surrounded it. "He mastered partial ignition?!" This time, it was Longyu Dao''s turn to scream out in shock. Shin knows that the Shard possessed overwhelming power. He used it to destroy the Paradise Heart, after all. However, there were times where the full might of the Shard wasn''t needed. Else, Shin would be spawning crater after crater with every battle he fought. So, the Prince of Water developed a new technique. Partially igniting the Shard, Shin would borrow a small amount of the Shard''s destructive capabilities and funnel it to one of his created abilities. In this case, it would be the hydro pump he was about to unleash on Dingxuan. "Senior Dingxuan, I''m attacking..." Shin warned his opponent, all while his eyes glowed with an intimidating azure hue. Shin''s five fingers spread out, unleashing the full might of the destructive sphere he created. It rushed straight at the Sovereign Koi phantom. From the viewpoint of Longyu Dingxuan, it looked like there was a water hurricane, laced with some of the deadliest mana he had ever felt, was now gushing straight at him. There was no escape. He had to face the strike head-on. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Longyu Dingxuan did the right thing. Stand his ground and enforce his phantom to the maximum degree. However, that defence that had bailed him out from so many tough situations, the protection he was so proud of¡­ Had failed him on this day. The water tempest ripped through Dingxuan''s phantom as if it was made out of paper. Flung around the water tornado, Dingxuan was slammed hard onto the wall and was knocked out cold completely. His eyeballs had retracted back into his skull, and his body fell onto the floor, moving about as if it was boneless. "..." The stadium was silent. Everyone from the main bloodline knew how powerful Longyu Dingxuan was. Heck, the other talents in the Lantis Republic all recognised the man''s power as a Spirit Spectre. However, Shin just defeated that talent¡­ In one strike. It was utterly ludicrous and truth to be told, the one who was most stunned by the results were Shin himself. He wore a blank expression with a hanging jaw. However, after five seconds, Shin''s healer instincts immediately kicked in as he flew straight to the fallen comrade and covered him with his healing water. "Crap¡­ I used too much power¡­" Shin mindlessly mumbled to himself. Admittedly, the Shard was powerful and igniting it, partially or not, was a hard feat to accomplish. Shin just happened to misjudge the amount of power needed to take down the defences of the phantom and knocked Dingxuan unconscious accidentally. It was purely unintentional. However, no one in the audience thought that that was the case. "..." The stares of the Longyu Family were piercing. They all stared at Shin as if he were a freak of nature. Though the youth didn''t know it since he was still in the midst of healing up Longyu Dingxuan... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 434 Lets Have Some Fun 2 ''Urgh¡­ What happened...'' Dingxuan''s mind asked itself as it continued to be enveloped in darkness. From a distance, there were two lines of light, each one flickering faintly. Slowly, the man''s consciousness started to stabilise, and his five senses were returned to him. "Senior Dingxuan! Senior Dingxuan!" A faint voice called out to him, and he gradually opened his eyes. There, Dingxuan saw the same black hair and azure lake eyes that he had right in front of his face. Everything was coming back to him now. He had summoned the Sovereign Koi phantom to protect him against Shin''s dangerous-looking attack. It was his most potent defensive ability and had protected him religiously throughout his career as a Lieutenant of the Longyu Navy. However, the Sovereign Koi phantom may be strong, but it wasn''t formidable enough to resist Shin''s partially ignited Shard. "Shin¡­ Iofiel?" When Dingxuan came to his senses, he unconsciously muttered the name of the youth he was supposed to spar with. Shin''s tense face instantly relaxed a little, and his shock had turned into relief. At the very least, he didn''t mortally wound someone from the clan on the first week he had been here. "Dingxuan, are you okay?" Longyu Tian walked over to the young man and checked him for any injuries. With the light returning back into his eyes, Longyu Dingxuan immediately stood up, his legs a little wobbly and limbs a little flimsy. Still, he forced himself into attention and saluted the Spirit Saint. "Yes! I''m completely fine!" The Spirit Spectre tried to put on a mean front, but Shin could tell that he was slightly concussed. He leapt right next to the man and supported Dingxuan by the shoulders. "I''m terribly sorry! I didn''t mean to knock you out like that! Please forgive me!" Shin bowed down his head to apologise for his blunder. If he had better control over his Shard ignition, only Dingxuan''s phantom would have been destroyed. It was his ineptness that caused the man to hit himself on the head. "No, I was the one who is inexperienced," replied Dingxuan, his head angled at an arc. "I wasn''t strong enough to stand on the same stage as you, that''s all. Thank you for showing me that I still have a lot to grow." The Spirit Spectre didn''t blame Shin. Whether he meant his words or not, Shin didn''t know. After all, the Longyu Clan members had been kissing his ass from the first second he got here. However, Shin did understand the concept of making amends. "I''m sorry. I owe you one. Although a favour from me might not mean much now, I promise that I''ll make it up to you." "Ah! You really don''t have to!" Longyu Dingxuan waved his hands about. His fuzzy mind was clearing up, and he could begin to think much more clearly now. It would be wrong to exploit the youth right in front of the entire family. Also, Dingxuan didn''t want to seem too vain in defeat. Still, it would be dumb to pass up such a golden opportunity to form relations with the Longyu Clan''s new hot talent. "However, if you really insist, how about you buy me lunch?" "Deal!" Shin didn''t even think twice. He slapped Dingxuan''s hand with a firm handshake, sealing their gentlemen''s agreement. Shin was here to make allies, not enemies. Gaining one more connection was in his benefit, and Longyu Dingxuan wasn''t that bad of a place to start. The cordial exchange between winner and loser warmed the hearts of the spectators, all of whom had feared that Shin might be in over his head and might be an arrogant prick that thought of others weaker than him to be inferior. Fortunately, Shin wasn''t raised to be that sort of person. The Longyu Clan Master was especially moved. He saw Shin''s expression when Dingxuan was slammed into the wall. Shin wasn''t smug or disdainful of his opponent, he was genuinely concerned over Dingxuan''s health and wanted to treat him as soon as he possibly could. ''Just as the reports say¡­ His character is quite exemplary...'' Longyu Dao stroked his gorgeous beard while reflecting on the character analysis Meijing Bingying and all of the other Lantis Republics operatives had sent over. ''So we don''t have to worry about him being a thorn in our side, character-wise at least. However, we still have to test him for his loyalty¡­ The High Elder Council is adamant in ensuring he''s at least loyal to the Longyu Clan before allowing him to go for the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. How are we going to test that?'' Longyu Dao was still bewildered on the best course of action to take. Forcing hordes of women onto Shin hadn''t worked and giving him all the fame and fortune in the world had only backfired on them. The current training exercise that they were doing was a good first step in winning Shin over, but it wasn''t enough. At least in the eyes of the High Elder Council. "Grandpa! Brother Shin is really strong, huh?!" Longyu Hai gripped on her grandfather''s hands tightly, as if she had seen the most mystical circus act ever. "He can defeat Uncle Dingxuan in one hit!" "Yeah¡­ He''s stronger than I''d ever imagined. Normal Spirit Spectre wouldn''t do it for him¡­ We''ll need to send in Rank 50 Spirit Lords if we want to have a chance to beat him." "Spirit Lords?!" Longyu Hai gasped. She was just eight-years-old and hadn''t even awakened her Spirit. Rank 50 was an abstract concept to her and yet, this young man who looked only ten years older than her, was capable of reaching that realm. "Wow¡­ If only I can become as strong as him one day..." That unconscious statement from Longyu Hai perked the Clan Master''s ears up as his eyes sparkled with enlightenment. Right, if Shin wasn''t going to be moved by traditional methods, Longyu Dao had to think outside of the box. "Hai''er, do you really want to be as strong as your Brother Shin?" "Hmmm? Of course!" The pure young girl was oblivious to her grandfather''s schemes and nodded her head profusely. "I want to help Daddy and Mummy! Grandpa as well!" "Haha, Hai''er sure is filial!" Longyu Dao bellowed out in laughter and hugged the girl''s shoulders, bringing her closer to his chest. "How about this? I will ask your Brother Shin to take you in as a squire. Either way, you''re about to take on your first mission for the clan. Let this be your mission. You''ll tend to his daily needs and aide him in his cultivation. In return, he''ll train you accordingly. What do you think?" "Ah! That sounds like a great idea!" Longyu Hai raised her hand in joy. Then, she switched her gaze to the handsome young man who was already preparing for his next fight. The Clan Master''s plan was simple. Make Shin feel attached to the Longyu Clan via his precious little granddaughter. If Longyu Hai could take a place in Shin''s heart as a cherished little sister figure, the Longyu Clan would have won. Based on Shin''s character, he wouldn''t betray the clan so long as Longyu Hai remained loyal to it. Still, it was going to be an uphill battle. No one knows if Longyu Hai could complete her ''mission'' and it was a gamble. There weren''t many spectators that were harbouring crafty thoughts though. The majority of them were still in awe that Shin was capable of taking down Longyu Dingxuan in one move. Particularly those who grew up with the young Spirit Spectre. Longyu Linji, who was the sole Luminary from the Longyu Clan, gnawed down on his teeth. ''How did he grow so much in four years?'' The young man thought. Back in the Summit, Shin showed promise, but in the end, how gifted one was didn''t matter if it didn''t translate to results. Shin delivered on his promise and was now a Spirit Spectre that could match Spirit Lords. There was no comparison between Linji and him. To make matters worse... "I think that we shouldn''t let Shin spar with the Spirit Spectres," Longyu Tian suggested. "The lot of you can disperse now. Dao''er, send some Spirit Lords down!" The Spirit Saint of the Longyu Clan casually dismissed the Spirit Spectres that were handpicked to face Shin, as if they were cannon fodder for the youth. It was a blow to their pride, especially for Linji, who was slated to become the most prodigious Longyu Clan member of his generation. He was sidelined like the other lesser beings he stepped on to reach this height. It was a shame that he couldn''t stand for. Just as he was about to challenge Shin to a duel to the death, his voice of reasoning pulled him back, warning Linji of the consequences of facing Shin in front of the Saint of Time. ''Calm yourself, Linji¡­ The time isn''t right yet,'' he warned himself as he walked up to the audience stands alongside the other Spirit Spectres. ''There are still plenty more opportunities to strike...'' Five Spirit Lords jumped down from the stands. Three men and two women. Some of them looked scholarly, while some looked as roughened up as the Instructor. However, no matter what shape or size they were in, Shin was confident of one thing¡­ ''They''re strong...'' The aura that they were emitting was suffocating, even for the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre. To combat the pressure, Shin had to cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement and Mana Strengthening, just to keep his posture upright. Smiling, the first Spirit Lord from the Longyu Clan came to the centre stage. He was holding on to a Fairfrozen harpoon. The spearmaster''s poise reminded Shin of his treasured buddy back in the Himmel Empire. Indomitable and untouchable by usual standards. "Longyu Qiangshe. Rank 54. Please advise me." Evidently, the man before Shin had studied his homework. Longyu Qiangshe knew that Shin was a spear-wielder and was an eternal student of martial arts. So, to get into the good books of Shin, Qiangshe opted to display all of the Lantis Republic''s best spear arts for the youth to see. Shin chuckled to himself and brought his Sovereign Koi back as a courtesy. A stream of water emerged out from Shin body and condensed itself into the trusty Spear of Aiglos that Shin favoured. He spun the weapon around twice before finally extending his greetings. "Shin Iofiel. Rank 40. Please advise me." "Hehe..."Longyu Qiangshe grinned. Then, he pointed his harpoon at Shin and said: "I''m attacking, prepare yourself." "..." That was all the warning that Shin got. In a split second, the Spirit Lord disappeared from his position, seemingly like a ghost. Shin couldn''t keep track of him, but his battle instincts warned him of danger from the left. CLANK!!! The two spears collided midair, sending a devastating shockwave all over the arena. Shin held on tightly, even after his biceps folded and fingers turned sore. However, his strength was no match for the far more experienced and technical Qiangshe. In but an instant, Shin was flung ten metres in the other direction, requiring a series of somersaults to break the inertia. ''Strong...'' Shin''s hands were nearly taken out by that one hit. His enhanced healing factor kicked in, giving Shin back some motor functions as he changed stance to prepare for the next hit. Once again, the Spirit Lord charged at Shin with all of his might. Shin may be a Spirit Spectre, but his earlier match showed that no one was safe from his attacks, even if they were Rank 54 Spirit Lords. So Qiangshe didn''t dare to underestimate the youth. Shin took on the massive attacks, barely parrying them. The exchange continued for twenty moves until Qiangshe finally stopped his barrage and jumped back for a breather. He had executed a full set of his most potent moves. Even for a spearmaster like Qiangshe, there was a need to rest for a few seconds. ''How is it that his strikes are so strong?'' With the load off of Shin, the youth could get to what he did best¡­ Analysis. ''His power is similar to that of the Instructor''s! And he''s a spearmaster that specialises in dexterous movements and speedy strikes. How is he hitting so hard?'' Shin''s mind immediately got to work. He pictured the moves of the Spirit Lord in his mind, deconstructing it to the slightest muscle contraction. Shin wanted to know the secret to the Spirit Lord''s limitless power. Then¡­ He saw a pattern. ''There''s a sequence! The attacks never lose their power because they move in like waves! This senior would use the momentum of his first attack to spin around and add more weight into his next attack!'' Shin unlocked the code. There was a reason why Qiangshe needed to stop and take a breather. The relentless sequence that continued to pile on from the first attack used up all of the muscles in the body to create that tsunami effect. ''Alright let me try it! If I''m not wrong, the first stance is like this...'' Shin mimicked Qiangshe''s stance, bringing time in the stadium to a halt. Everyone who recognised that famed spear art, which should have never been taught outside of the Lantis Republic, was now with hanged jaws and trembling fingers. "Is he going to execute the Infinite Tsunami Spear just from seeing it once?" One Rank 60 Spirit King in the audience gasped. "No way¡­ The Infinite Tsunami Spear needs years of practice! There''s no way that he can copy it just like that!" Another shook his head, unable to believe that the boy would execute that move. "..." Longyu Qiangshe was perhaps the most shocked one of them all. Being the spearmaster in the room, he knew how difficult it was to pull off the Infinite Tsunami Spear. Still, what Shin was imitating was precisely the first stance of that legendary technique. The Spirit Lord gulped as Shin''s distinguishable sharp voice echoed inside the stadium. "Senior Qiangshe¡­ I''m attacking." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 435 Lets Have Some Fun 3 BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! Shin''s first three attacks were easily read by Qiangshe and were blocked with relative ease. Unlike the Spirit Lord, Shin didn''t have the same explosive power or speed that he had, so Shin''s movements were somewhat slow in the eyes of the trained professional. However, it didn''t mean that Shin''s attacks were weak. Instead, just like how Qiangshe had displayed earlier on, Shin''s attacks used the momentums from its first strike to supplement more power for the next one. ''He''s really copying the Infinite Tsunami Spear!!!'' The Spirit Lord cried out internally, resisting the urge to vomit out a handful of blood. It took him years to fully master the spear art, and Shin was replicating it after seeing it once. Sure, there were some irregularities in Shin''s form, but it was still a good mimicry nonetheless. The Spear of Aiglos spun around three times, keeping the momentum from the first attack ongoing to the fourth. However, as Shin spun around once more, his left thigh started to tremble. Offftttt!!! Shin couldn''t hold the weight of the momentum anymore, and his legs gave way. The youth collapsed on the floor before he could execute the next strike, and the icy spear flew out of his hands, bouncing on the floor like a ping pong ball. Shin was bewildered. That attack was supposedly flawless. He had copied Longyu Qiangshe form by form, following the spear arts to a tee. ''My lower back isn''t strong enough to withstand the pressure of the technique?'' Shin immediately figured out the weakness in his execution. The movements were perfect. It''s just that Shin had underestimated the physical toll the Infinite Tsunami Spear would place on the user''s body. Qiangshe raised his left eyebrow as he watched the youth roll about in the dirt. It was odd for the boy to flawlessly execute the first three moves only to fail on the fourth. However, as a spearmaster who has perfected the Infinite Tsunami Spear, the Spirit Lord instantly deduced Shin''s shortcomings. He lowered his spear and headed over to Shin and offered a hand. "You alright?" "Yeah, I just feel a little pain in my lower back," Shin replied, confirming Qiangshe''s suspicions. "It''s perfectly normal. To execute the Infinite Tsunami Spear, one must use the entire body to continue to boost the momentum of the strokes. Normal spear arts don''t have this trait, you might not be used to expending energy from areas such as your lower back, neck and even stomach." "You even use the stomach muscles to perform those moves?!" Shin spat as his mind was brought into turmoil. He had never heard of a spear art that used every inch of a person''s body. "For five moves in the sequence, yes." Qiangshe smilingly replied. "If you really want to learn the Infinite Tsunami Spear, I''ll be happy to teach it to you on another day." The Spirit Lord pulled Shin up and handed over the Spear of Aiglos that had been separated from the youth. "You would! That would really help!" Shin beamed, genuinely grateful that he had gained yet another ally in the Longyu Clan. "No worries! Since we''re family, that''s the least that I can do!" Qiangshe replied, his tone friendlier this time. "If you have any problems regarding martial arts in general, you can come to me for training! I may not look like it but, I''m a mean hand-to-hand combat artist myself." The Spirit Lord boxed the air twice in jest. "Haha, I''ll take you up on that offer." Shin chuckled and gave Qiangshe a firm handshake. He had taken the training of one Spirit Lord and had secured a friendship with him. It was time to take on the other Spirit Lords. As Qiangshe retreated, one of the remaining five opponents that the Clan Master had picked out walked forward, sashaying her body to the groove of the chilly winds. "Hello! My name is Longyu Xinyi! A pleasure to meet you!" The lady said, her lips touching each ear. Longyu Qiangshe may have gotten the first blood in getting a connection with Shin, but the rest of the Spirit Lords weren''t going to stay idle. "Greetings, Senior Xinyi!" Shin cupped his hands and bowed down. "Haha, there''s no need to be that formal!" Longyu Xinyi slapped the air, giving off a tinge of aloofness to her behaviour. "You can just call me Sister Xinyi!" "That..." Shin was struck speechless. After a cultivator reaches the Spirit Spectre realm, their progress rate would drop dramatically, and each rank they gain would require at least twice or thrice the effort as compared to before. Look at Meijing Bingying. She had reached the Spirit Spectre realm at twenty-three, and even though she''s in her late twenties now, the Pearl in the East had yet to enter the Spirit Lord realm. So, even if Longyu Xinyi were a genius like Meijing Bingying, the lady would at least be in her thirties or forties. Shin didn''t know if addressing her as his ''sister'' would be the appropriate course of action. Fortunately, he didn''t have to make that decision as of yet. "My speciality is long-range combat! I''ve heard you''re good at creating and manipulating water, how about you try that on me?" The Spirit Lord pointed to herself while an enormous version of the Sovereign Koi coiled around her like a serpent. All of a sudden, an ocean of pressure mounted on Shin''s flesh and bones, pushing his knee further down onto the ground. It was the most spiritual pressure that Shin had ever felt from an opponent he had to face. Still wearing that radiant smile, the Spirit Lord declared her intent to duel. "Longyu Xinyi. Rank 59. Please advise me." ''Rank 59?! Isn''t that cheating?!'' Shin cursed inwardly. He was still Rank 40, how could he handle a Rank 59 Spirit Lord that was a half-step away from a Spirit King? Heck, Longyu Xinyi was even stronger than the Instructor, who just ten years ago, was the most powerful being that Shin could imagine. ''No¡­ I can''t think of it that way...'' Shin pumped blood into his thighs and ascended against the pressure. His entire body was aching, and his soul felt like it was being pushed down into the Nether Realm. It was painful, standing against Xinyi''s spiritual pressure. Nonetheless, Shin had to persevere. ''If I want to become stronger¡­ If I want to be the best¡­ I would have to beat the best! I can''t back out now!'' Shin screamed mentally and brought out his Domain of Dreams. Against Longyu Xinyi, Shin didn''t dare to slack off for even one millisecond. Longyu Tian watched the youth, her gorgeous lips curling upwards ever so slightly. ''Yes, that''s the resilience that a true hero needs. Even when all the odds are stacked against you, you must still fight on. If you fall, you rise again and again. Shin¡­ I knew that investing in you was the right choice.'' The bravery to continue fighting when everything seemed to be spiralling into oblivion, that''s the true mark of a cultivator that would go far and dominate the world. Never complaining about the unfairness of the world, never crying out in anger or jeopardy. Only pushing forward to continually improve oneself... That attribute could never be taught. It had to be self-learnt, and Shin had reached that stage at an age far younger than the average joe. Even without the Lantis Republic''s Celestial River baptism or the Longyu Clan''s star teachers, Shin would still go far with the Sovereign Koi and write his name in the annals of history. ''Shin¡­ You will soar up in the heavens¡­ I will ensure it...'' ??? The Lantis Republic. Longyu Reef. Lady Seph''s Personal Mansion. Shin''s sparring session went on smoothingly well. He fought five Spirit Lords and lost to all of them. For others, it may be a tremendous loss, but Shin didn''t look at it that way. Fighting in the Atoll of the Ancients was an excellent way to introduce himself to the Longyu Clan, particularly the Spirit Lords and other influential cultivators that he could learn from moving forward. Not to mention, through those sparring sessions, Shin learned some valuable lessons from each of his opponents. Since Shin was the Longyu Clan''s new golden boy, none of the Spirit Lords went all-out, honing him in the one craft that they were most proficient in. Hence, Shin didn''t need to limp back home or be bandaged up at all. Even after those five hard fights, the youth felt wholly refreshed and was just mildly fatigued. As promised, once the night came, Longyu Tian would hand Shin back to Lady Seph and the rest of the Himmel Empire congregation. He was no longer forced to stay in that apartment, which was essentially a jail, anymore. Now, Shin had the same freedom that he always had. "You still have a choice Shin," Longyu Tian gently held on to the youth''s hand, just as he was about to depart into the well-lit manor. "If you stay in the Longyu Palace, the amount of access you have to resources, teachers and gorgeous young maidens that lust for your flesh would be unparalleled. Are you sure you still want to stay in your Master''s house?" Lady Seph abode was pretty, but it was no Longyu Palace. There, all of Shin''s needs would be met and luxurious beyond his wildest dreams would be handed to him on a silver platter. If it were any other man, perhaps they would have accepted in a heartbeat. Though Shin wasn''t a materialistic person. All he wanted was to lead a happy life, alongside the ones he loved the most. As for now, the Longyu Clan wasn''t part of that equation. "No, I''m content here," Shin replied, shaking his head. Then, his eyes turned sombre, and his expression tightened. Shin dropped his torso down in a ninety-degree angle, blurting out his true feelings. "Thank you, Aunt Tian! For everything you have done for me! I''ll never forget this debt!" The Saint of Time was stunned for a bit, but she still beamed in the end, putting forth her best aunt-like smile. "Silly boy, we''re now family. No, we always were¡­ Hah, if the Clan Master back then had handled things a little differently, Longyu Yuan wouldn''t have left the clan and perhaps you would be born under the Longyu name." It really was a pity. If Shin had been a Longyu Clan member from birth, how good would that have been? "The past can never be changed..." Shin regurgitated the same words that Longyu Tian had given him, back during the Summit, bringing a smile to both their faces. "That''s right. The past can never be changed." Longyu Tian chuckled. "What we can determine¡­ Is how we''re going to write our future." The Saint of Time lifted Shin''s chin upwards and kissed the youth''s forehead. "Remember, we''re your family now. You can rely on the Longyu Clan." "Okay..." "Yip! Yip!" Bingbing chirped from inside of Shin''s robes as well, expressing her joy. Although Shin was unsure if she was cheering because of Longyu Tian''s aunt-like gesture or because she didn''t have to stay under the thumb of the Spirit Saint anymore. "Good!" Longyu Tian chuckled and then disappeared into the dark moonless night as if she was never there, to begin with. ''Hah¡­ What a week...'' Shin thought back to the seven days since he arrived. He had seen so much, visiting landmarks that no regular tourist could. His chastity was in danger, but he somehow managed to drive the dozens of girls that raided his bed away for good. And¡­ Shin fought against five Spirit Lords, each one more powerful than the last. Right now, all he wanted to do was to take a long shower and rest peacefully in the bed that Lady Seph had prepared for him. ??? Shin''s return to Lady Seph''s mansion sparked cries of joy, particularly from Shizen, who had been feeling stifled on Longyu Reef thus far. If Shin''s past week was heaven, then Shizen''s one was hell. Not only were they only limited to a few places, but they also had to be constantly under surveillance by the Lantis Republic. Although the food, amenities and scenery were all perfect, a jail was still a jail. Without any forestry nearby, Shizen felt like his brain was about to explode. Lady Seph, Kesyl, Kanari and her congregation were in the same boat. However, they were more worried about Shin as compared to anything else. Particularly Kanari. She barely slept a wink, and her smooth and unblemished face began to show signs of fatigue, with panda eyes and stress pimples forming. Just when the Himmel Empire members were about to lose it, Shin returned fully intact, embracing all of his loved ones with a healthy smile. Bit by bit, Shin had to narrate everything that happened to him throughout the week. There were an array of emotions being shared among the congregation. Anger and frustration being the main two. Still, since Shin had made the Longyu Clan promise to lessen the congregation''s restrictions, they were forced to swallow the bitter pill and be the better man. It has been four hours since he returned and the night had thickened to its darkest hour. After returning, Shin peeled off Shizen from his body and took a long shower, only to fall helplessly in bed. It couldn''t be helped. He had just fought against five Spirit Lords. It was natural to feel completely drained of energy. However, no matter how much he attempted to fall into the garden of Hypnos, Kanari''s silent and bitter face still came into his mind. After he hugged her once, Kanari remained silent throughout his explanations and immediately disappeared into her chambers once he went to shower. Shin had thought that the letter he''d sent to Meijing Bingying would be sufficient to ease the maiden''s rage, but from the looks of it, Kanari was still rather pissed off that Shin had been endlessly approached by women in a place where she couldn''t see or reach. "What can I do to make amends to her?" As he rolled about in his king-sized bed, Shin thought out loud to himself. "There is a way to make amends." All of a sudden, a heavenly voice echoed into Shin''s ears, prompting his sleepy eyelids to snap wide open. Since Shin was heavily fatigued, he didn''t notice the intruder until it was too late. His four limbs were being weighed down by an immense force, and he could barely wiggle them free. So¡­ What was the identity of the night-crawling assailant with a bear-like strength? "Shin..." The black-haired, ruby-eyed maiden that Shin was so familiar with mounted Shin as if he was a horse. Worse thing? The girl was dressed in a thin, near-translucent nightgown, where Shin could see what she was wearing underneath¡­ Absolutely nothing. All of her private parts were lightly censored by the silken nightgown that seemed to be made out of spider webs, but Shin could tell that there wasn''t any underwear protecting the maiden''s modesty. It was a dangerous situation. Too dangerous, in fact. "K-Kanari?!" Shin instantly went into panic mode. Unlike the other girls that crawled into his bed, Shin couldn''t just kick Kanari, his girlfriend, out. "I-Is something the matter?" Kanari shook her hips slightly, triggering Shin''s little one to react with intense vigour. Shin never wore any underwear to bed, so the only thing separating him from losing his chastity was a thin layer of pyjama shorts. Kanari was slightly confused when she felt that slight bump on her crotch, but soon enough, she smiled lasciviously with a tomato blush. Closing in on the youth''s ears, Kanari whispered the magic words that she would say to no one else... "Shin¡­ Let''s have sex." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 436 Lets Have Some Fun 4 "Let''s have sex." Those were the magic words every guy wanted to hear from their girlfriends. If Shin was being honest, he too had dreamt of the day where he would climb the stairs of adulthood. So what if he was a young hero, the ''Prince of Water,'' or the ''Black-Haired Tyrant''? Shin was a young man, filled with hormones and curiosity about the opposite gender. "S-S-Sex?" Shin couldn''t find the right words to reply, and could only mumble out in fear. "What''s wrong? Didn''t you have a lot of fun with those girls that kept creeping into your bed?" Kanari was smiling, but her voice was as cold as ice. "I didn''t do anything!" Shin protested for his innocence. "I chased them all out! I never did anything to them!" "Oh yeah? It''s hard to believe you when your lower body reacts this vigorously for a girl." Kanari had to hide her blush. It was embarrassing for her as well, to keep sitting on Shin''s manhood that could be felt through the fabric of his thin shorts. However, she had to stand her ground. "No! I''m only this way because I''m with you!!!" During Shin''s teenage years, his heart was too preoccupied with the loss of Ariel, and he''d never have thought about taking another lover. However, Kanari broke down those walls, brick by brick, with her determination and goodwill. In the end, she made a new nest in Shin''s heart, allowing him to feel the hormonal rush of a teenager once again. And since she possessed a unique position in Shin''s heart, the boy''s body could only physiologically react to hers, leaving them in this precarious situation. "I-Is that so..." It was Kanari''s turn to become flustered by Shin''s counterattack. "No, I''m not going to be swayed by your sweet talk anymore! I''m sure that you had at least flirted around with those girls! They''re all as pretty as me, right?!" Kanari may not have seen Shin with those girls, but she had heard stories from Meijing Bingying. A harem with a variety of maidens, some younger and purer, others older and more mature. It indeed was a buffet for Shin to choose from. Shin frowned, this time annoyed at his girlfriend''s lack of trust. "Do you really see me as such a lustful animal?" The young man took charge and pushed Kanari''s loosening hands off his wrist. Then, he sat up, meeting Kanari''s eyes in a Gemini pose. Their faces were now inches away from meeting, and Shin''s solemnity had hit Kanari with hard, cooling her carnal desires somewhat. "I''d promised you that I''m exclusively yours, do you think so lightly of me?" Shin was a little hurt about Kanari''s mistrust. Even when he was surrounded by women, the youth fought back his libido and chased every single one of them out. When that didn''t stop them, he went the additional step to freeze the locks to his door, preventing any and all night time invaders. He had done so much and yet, Kanari still doubted and blamed him. "No¡­ It''s just..." The maiden couldn''t look Shin in the eye anymore, as she glanced at the pillows. Her modest bosom rose and fell with each deep breath she took in, which forced Shin''s manhood to slightly pulsate even though he wasn''t feeling all that lustful. Fortunately, Kanari wasn''t really focused on her thighs and didn''t feel the movement. Otherwise, it would turn extremely awkward very quickly. "I accompanied you all the way here, but on the first day, you were separated from me." Kanari poured out all of her worries, her eyes slightly misty. "Then, I''d heard that Longyu Tian was trying to get a horde of girls to seduce you, all of them beauties¡­ I just¡­ I can''t imagine what would happen if someone else wins your heart! I don''t want to think about that!!!" The young maiden sobbed, her shoulders trembled with every cry. Shin took two breaths and ran his fingers down Kanari''s glossy hair, enveloping himself with more of her womanly fragrance. Shin had seen Kanari''s growth from a young fifteen-year-old that emitted innocence to a mature twenty-year-old maiden with all sorts of feminine charm. She was a virgin, Shin was sure of that, and yet, Kanari was the most sultry woman he had ever met. Now, adding to the fact that she was basically naked and crying on his bed, Shin had to burn all his mental faculties just to remain sane. "Don''t cry, Kanari¡­ I understand that it has been hard for you..." Shin whispered into her ears, filled with love and a tinge of remorse. "It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t asked you to follow me to the Republic, you wouldn''t have experienced this injustice." Shin truly felt sorry for Kanari. She was the future Duchess of Highgarden. No one in the Himmel Empire would dare tell her what to do. However, in the Lantis Republic, Kanari''s influence meant nothing. Her freedom was taken away, the number of resources she could get was far more limited and worse of all, she had to watch silently as swarms of Longyu Clan women flocked to Shin, unable to voice out any grievances in fear of the Longyu Clan''s retaliation. "No, I''m glad that you brought me here..." The girl shook her head, revealing a wet and steamy face. "If you hadn''t, I''ll probably go crazy as well. That one week away from you was hell and that was with your letter promising me that you wouldn''t touch another girl¡­ If I had to endure five years of that, I think that I wouldn''t be able to focus on anything else..." Kanari liked Shin a lot more then he realised. In fact, Kanari didn''t even know how much she longed for him until they were forcibly moved apart. They were inseparable in the Himmel Empire, after all. "If I were distracted, that would be fine. But whenever I''m alone, my mind naturally gravitates in your direction. Worse still, I couldn''t think of the good memories we had! All I could think about were the girls that Bingying mentioned!!!" "Kanari..." Shin continued to stroke the girl''s hair and eventually, her smooth back. Alas, that was a wrong move. That action had triggered her desires, and Kanari was reminded of the reason for her nighttime visit. "So I want some confirmation¡­ Confirmation that you''re my man." The maiden slapped Shin''s gentle hands away and pushed him back onto the bed, assuming the same position that they once did. She leaned in and forced a kiss on Shin. The wet and slithery tongue that Kanari kept caged was now unleashed in full force, invading Shin''s mouth like a greedy raider. At this distance, Shin could count the curled eyelashes on Kanari. The same rose aroma that dominated his body earlier on was now ravaging Shin''s nasal system, filling him with nothing but Kanari''s scent. Ten seconds in, the mental faculties that Shin had worked so hard to keep him sane, had broken down entirely. He returned from a long day and had been worrying about Kanari''s sad face throughout the earlier hours of the night, so his physical and mental state wasn''t exactly in tip-top form. Furthermore, the primal man inside of Shin was telling him to stop resisting and, in fact, was pushing him to let Kanari carry out what she came here to do. With his last barrier of defence malfunctioning, Shin''s body moved automatically, answering Kanari''s invasive tongue with his own. His two hands freed, Shin held onto her waist and neck, leaving no gaps between their perfectly streamlined bodies. Their conscious mind had taken a backseat, and their primal urges were now running the show. The crotches attached, Kanari shook her waist, and Shin thrust his hips. If not for Shin''s thin pyjamas, something may have slipped in somewhere accidentally. But it was not to be for long¡­ Kanari pushed Shin''s tongue out of her mouth and tore his silk top in half with her sharpened nails, allowing her to lovingly caress Shin''s broad chest. And she wasn''t done¡­ Like a serpent going for its prey, Kanari''s right hand slithered down from Shin''s chest and took a firm grip on his waistband. With one tug, Kanari slipped Shin''s pyjama pants down to his knees, revealing the veiny rod that all men had. Kanari couldn''t see it in the dark, but she could feel it. The right hand that pushed the pants down were now holding onto Shin''s manhood, ready to direct it to its final destination. However, that action broke Shin''s dazed state, and alarm bells rang out all over his once slumbering mental facilities. "No!" Shin cried, pushing Kanari away as he kicked the bed wildly till he reached the headboard. Shin pulled up the pants that had been dangling on his knees, and he took deep breaths to calm himself. Shin and Kanari could barely see one another in the dark, but they could somewhat make out their partner''s expressions. Shin''s eyes were shaking, and his teeth clattering. There was fear, no doubt. He''d almost past the line of no return. Kanari was shaking as well. Not of fear like Shin, but by disappointment and anxiety. "W-Why?" Kanari choked, her shoulders shaking as one of her spaghetti straps fell from her left shoulder blade. "Am I¡­ Not attractive enough?" "No, that''s not it!" Shin understood the girl''s feelings and pushed himself forward, even though his manhood was still rearing to go and nowhere close to the calm state Shin wanted it to be. He grabbed Kanari''s petite little hands and responded shyly. "You''re plenty attractive¡­ I just don''t want it to happen this way." "..." Kanari remained silent. "We''re both confused. You''re emotional because I had been gone for a while and I''m drowsy from my long day. If we do this now, I''m sure that we''ll regret it for years to come." Shin tightly held on, fearful that his decision might push Kanari further back. "We''ve only been together for less than three months. There are so many things that we have to work on. What if you don''t like me a few years later? Wouldn''t you regret doing that with me?" "There''s no way that will happen!!!" Kanari cried out. She shifted her body a little closer to Shin until their noses were almost touching. "I don''t think I can fall out of love with you. I have carried these feelings for years now, and they keep growing every single day." Shin''s face reddened at Kanari''s embarrassing speech. Still, he wanted to hold his ground. Shin knew why he was so afraid of going into the final stretch, and it didn''t do good for him to lie to himself, or Kanari in this case. Sighing, Shin answered. "I can''t do it¡­ I''m just too afraid." Shin tucked his knees into his chest, his voice turning weak. "I''m afraid that if I commit to you. If we go all the way¡­ What would happen to Ariel?" Shin was frightened of the prospect of losing Ariel in his heart. Yes, he loved Kanari, but he didn''t want to lose the love of his life. Shin just wasn''t ready to fully embrace someone other than Ariel just yet, especially after visiting her grave on Frie Mountain. However, he also liked Kanari. The amount of sacrifices that she had made for Shin is unprecedented, second only to that of Lady Seph. Thus, it was an inner turmoil that Shin could never solve. Right now, at least¡­ "I just need¡­ more time..." Shin knew it was selfish to ask this of Kanari, who had done so much for him already. His face was trembling, and his entire soul was dripping with guilt. The young maiden observed as Shin despaired to himself. After twenty seconds, Kanari sighed and brought Shin straight into her embrace. "I understand," comforted Kanari, her lustful eyes morphing into one of love. "I have waited for years now, what''s a few more?" Continuously stroking Shin''s soft hair, the maiden continued: "But I need some confirmation as well. I want to mark you as mine so that everyone else in the world knows that and no more girls would dare to look at you without thinking of me." ''She smells so comforting...'' Shin took in huge whiffs, soothing his tensed-up body. "What do you suggest?" That was a mistake. Shin''s casual remark had flipped Kanari''s switch, and a seething heat gathered in her loins. "You said that we can''t go all the way, right?" Kanari pushed Shin onto the bed, this time much gentler than she did in the beginning. In the same cowgirl position, Shin could completely see Kanari''s exposed body. That lingerie that she wore was utterly useless in hiding what it''s supposed to hide. "As long as we don''t go all the way, everything else is on the table?" "Y-Yeah..." Kanari smiled. "So¡­ Let''s have some fun." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 437 Return Of The Jester 1 Before we begin the next chapter, I understand that there have been some concerns over the erotica content as of late. So, to clarify, I was just experimenting on different themes for my novel. Writing in different tones and whatnot. There''s no need to worry, I''m over that phase now. The erotica content would mellow down. However, if you guys are interested, I''ve written a Chapter 27.5, which depicts the events between chapter 27 and 28, and released it for all my Patrons to enjoy. It doesn''t matter if you pledge $2 or $20. You''ll get to read the chapter! Also, fun fact! Book 9 is now complete on ******* for all Patrons subbing to the $20! So... If you''re reading this... Do consider pledging! It really helps a lot! Alright, enough moppy stuff! Enjoy the chapter! ??? Shin woke up topless, dazed and ghast. The sun was glaring through the glass windows, hinting to the youth that it should be close to mid-noon. The room smelled of musk mixed with a tinge of rose petals. Sweet and salty, Shin thought. Underneath him, Shin felt his pants becoming wet after all of his sweat from the night before had soaked up in the sheets. After the third hour, he had become accustomed to the sweat, so Shin remained nonchalant about it. He tugged on the white duvet, hoping to make it out on the floor. There was one problem though¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "..." There was a sleeping beauty laid right next to his arm. She grimaced slightly over the blanket tug, so Shin carefully placed the duvet back and gently stroked her hair. An unconscious purr came out of Kanari''s mouth, and her scowl turned into a smile. ''If she were this tame last night, I wouldn''t be having this headache...'' Flashes of Kanari''s wildness under the sheets gave Shin a throbbing soreness which pulsated throughout his entire body. When her switch was turned on, it really was quite obscene what she could do. It took her some time to be completely satisfied, and by that time, the dawn was fast approaching. So¡­ Shin had collapsed on the bed, catching up on the few hours of sleep that he was given. Shin pivoted his body out of the duvet and carefully landed his two feet on the carpeted floor. Red marks, resembling that of enlarged mosquito bites, dominated Shin''s upper body, and it seemed like the man had contracted a terminal illness. Of course, it was all the doing of one person, but Shin didn''t want to think of it right now. He combed through his wardrobe and picked out two layers of clothes, hoping to cover his entire body and prevent others from seeing his love bites. ''I really need to shower...'' Not only was his entire body sticky with the sweat of two people, but his manly odour had been completely enveloped by Kanari''s own aroma. The sensitive noses in the chambers, particularly Bingbing''s, would pick up on Shin''s changed scent in a flash. He took out a white towel from the cabinet and walked into his attached bathroom. The Longyu Clan, being one of the Eight Ancient Clans of Water, were extremely technologically advanced, particularly when it came to water innovations. Unlike traditional bathrooms in the Himmel Empire, the Longyu Clan, particularly the upper class, had a glass shower enclosure where thousands of holes were crafted inside the ceiling, allowing beads of hot water to trickle down, creating an indoor rain, just for bathing. Shin quite liked to shower. There was no wait time, and he could be in and out within minutes. He entered the glass enclosure, only to feel two soft jugs pressed upon his shoulder blades. "Kanari?!" Shin cried out, tempted to look back. However, he was butt-naked and based on the softness on his back, his invader was as well. "What are you doing?" "Oh, don''t be shy," Kanari stepped one foot forward, displaying her entire naked body for Shin to see. "After all we''d done, is there a need to be that surprised? I''ve seen everything of yours, and you''ve seen everything of mine." The young woman locked her arms around Shin''s neck as the warm raindrops fell from the ceiling. "Also, we''re saving water and time if we shower together." "What''s your true intention?" "Hehe, you really see right through me~" Kanari playfully stuck her tongue out and landed a kiss on Shin''s muscular chest. Stroking it slightly, her face blushed as she admired the red marks littered all over his body. "I don''t want you to be cleaning away the artwork I had worked so hard to create. I need the women of the world to see these marks." Shin rolled his eyes. "Where is the virtuous Kanari of old? I miss her so much." "Too bad! She died the day you kissed her!" Kanari smirked and landed yet another kiss on the youth''s lips. Since they were standing up, it was a little hard due to the height difference. So, Kanari separated after two seconds, much faster than the average minute-long kisses. "Get used to this Kanari¡­ She''s coming into your bed every night." ''Every night?!'' Shin cried out mentally. One night was more than enough! If Kanari were to continue what she did¡­ ''Not good¡­ My chastity is in danger!'' That morning, Shin was barely able to finish his shower with the woman who wanted a continuation of last night. Of course, his shower was all for nought. No matter how hard Shin cleaned himself, Bingbing would obviously be able to tell the difference. Also, Lady Seph had entered the bedroom during the wee hours of dawn to call Shin out for breakfast, only to see the two exhausted lovebirds snoozing away. Thus, that day''s lunch was perhaps the most unbearable feast that Shin or Kanari had to ever sit through¡­ ??? The next few days on Longyu Reef turned out to be rather mundane. After Shin had poured his heart about his plans to Longyu Tian, the Spirit Saint had left him alone, seemingly to go back to the drawing board to develop new strategies that would attract Shin to the Lantis Republic. With all that pressure off his shoulders, Shin was able to relax in Lady Seph''s mansion, reading up on all the books that the Longyu Clan had sent him. Furthermore, the five Spirit Lords that Shin had faced in the Atoll of the Ancients had also paid Shin multiple visits to teach and potentially form an everlasting bond with the new Longyu Clan golden boy. They taught him the Lantis Republic''s martial arts and shared the variety of tricks a cultivator might develop when using the Sovereign Koi. And it wasn''t limited to just the Spirit Lords. Sometimes, Spirit Emperors may even slip in for a visit, though they would be heavily watched upon by Lady Seph and the Himmel Empire guards. Shin''s second week was proceeding much smoother than he''d anticipated. After the first week of mayhem with Longyu Tian trying to tie up dozens of maidens onto his bed, Shin needed this rest period to recharge. However, not everyone in the Lady Seph mansion was feeling this way¡­ "So bored!!!" Shizen blurted out, his tongue out and eyes misty. Since he had been busy for the past two weeks, Shin hadn''t been paying attention to the woes of his friends. But for the most part, he didn''t have to. Ella and Emma were now on the Meijing Arctics, receiving their basic training in the icy arts. Lady Seph was buried in her books, learning more about the research in the Lantis Republic, particularly the resources they had about Spirit Immortal Dream. Kesyl was bitterly trying to keep up with blonde researcher''s rapid pace, tending to her needs as an attendant while squeezing out what little time she had left to train her healing arts. And Kanari¡­ Shin may not have time for Kanari in the mornings, but each waking minute he had at night was reserved for the girl''s own pleasure. So there was only one person that Shin had truly neglected. The black-haired youth chuckled and filled the jade bottle in Shizen''s hands with his created water. "Here, have some." "Yip, Yip!" Bingbing chirped happily as well, wagging her tail in joy. "Tskkk..." Shizen clicked his tongue in annoyance, but his hand still naturally gravitated towards the jade bottle. "Shin, you really don''t understand my pain, do you? There''s really nothing to do here! No trees, no forests! Heck, there are more lakes here than soil! I think I''m about to go insane!!!" Shizen chugged down his favourite juice and for a brief moment, his lips curled upwards. However, as he recalled his current predicament, Shizen dropped his smile into a frown. "I''d even started to miss Ella, that nagging witch! Am I going insane?!" Shizen was genuinely concerned over his mental health. The severe lack of forestry was taking its toll on the Freak of the Dundlewoods, and Shin knew that. Hence, the youth had come up with a plan for his treasured friend. "If there aren''t any forests around, why don''t you make one here?" Shin suggested. "There''s a big plot of land at the back that''s unused. If you used your Advindar Tree, you could plant all sorts of trees, and it''ll probably finish growing in half a year?" The nature boy''s Adivinar Tree had many properties. It could absorb mana from other Spirit Users with ease, create thousands of vines and razor leaves, and most importantly, it could create fertile land that could mystically hasten the growth of any plant life. For that very reason, Shizen was sought out by many organisations, particularly nobility or merchants who owned vast amounts of land. Unfortunately for them, Kanari had zoned in on Shizen first and signed him to the Highgarden Duchy. "Genius?" Shizen looked at Shin with reverent eyes. Right! If there weren''t any forests nearby, why can''t he just plant his own? "Hehe, that''s what they all call me," replied Shin with a cheeky smile. He held Shizen''s hand and brought the youth out to the backyard, where nothing but earth and mud existed. There, barrels of seeds were placed on carts, just waiting for someone to pry them open. "During my stay at Longyu Palace, I''d asked some of the Longyu members what kind of plants were most prevalent on Longyu Reef. Then, I''d asked some logistics officers to prepare those seeds and bring them here. It took some time, but at least they arrived today." Shin remembered Shizen''s lethargy when he came to the island filled with water. Being the only male member around his age that he could confide in, Shin didn''t want to lose Shizen this early on into their stay. Thus, when Shin had heard about the arrival of the seeds, he cancelled whatever plans he had for the day, hoping to spend some time with Shizen to begin the cultivation of his own backyard forest. "Shin..." Shizen started to become teary-eyed, and his skin began to twinkle. Without warning, the hobbit-like nature boy jumped into Shin''s arms, eyes wet and nose snotty. "Shin, I love you so much!" "There, there..." Shin grinned and stroked Shizen''s hair. Even though he was fast approaching twenty-one, the Freak of the Dundlewoods still retained his childlike innocence. "Come, let me help you plant it!" "Yeah!" Though the seeds and resources were provided to them, there was a need to plough the fields and plan out the mini-forest layout. Shin was the one who did the brainwork while Shizen did the heavy lifting. The spiritual energy left by the Adivinar Tree vines blessed the lands more than any other Deity of Agriculture could while Shin''s careful seed placement would guarantee that the trees would be evenly distributed without overly competing for resources. Also, Shin''s created water, which had been sanctified by the Sovereign Koi, one of the Eight Scions of Water, showered the lands, giving it an additional blessing to grow faster than any forest before it ever could. Shin and Shizen continued to bond throughout their agriculture woes. Since they were surrounded by women, it was nice to have some brotherhood camaraderie every once in a while. Shin could open up about details that he could never breathe about in front of Lady Seph, Longyu Tian or Kanari. Bingbing was a little rattled by Shin''s constant movement, so she leapt out from the youth''s robes and huddled up into a ball by the bank. Three hours passed since Shin had brought Shizen out into the backyard, and their progress in planting the trees was staggering. Over a third of the fields had been ploughed, seeded and watered. Furthermore, Shin got to really connect with Shizen, laughing and joking around as bosom pals would. However, happy moments do not last forever¡­ "Ah, looks like you''re having fun, Shin Iofiel..." A spirited, youthful voice broke Shin''s concentration. The gardening brothers halted their actions and glanced up at the source of the voice. A suave young man, who seemed no older than thirty, was levitating ten metres up, wearing a devilish grin. On his vibrant and affluent robes, there was the insignia of the Jingyu Clan, a rare thing to see on Longyu Reef. Though Shin wasn''t fazed. He had seen this face once before back during the Summit and Meijing Bingying had warned him multiple times about the troublemaker of the Jingyu Clan. Sighing, Shin dropped his gardening tool and called out to the intruder. "Jingyu Taiyi, it''s been a while..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 438 Return Of The Jester 2 "Jingyu Taiyi, it''s been a while..." Shin tried not to sound too listless, facing a potential heir to the current strongest clan in the Lantis Republic, but the tone of his voice naturally turned flat. It couldn''t be helped. Shin had been listening to Meijing Bingying''s ominous tales about the man she claimed to be the ''Jester of the Lantis Republic.'' They were all stories about how Jingyu Taiyi had screwed Bingying over dozens of times due to his impish nature. Furthermore, the whole reason why Kanari and Shin were dragged down into the exhibition matches against the Luminaries was because of the mischievous manoeuvrings of the young man. "Oh, you remember me?" The Luminary acted surprised while his body felt the toll of gravity, falling down onto the muddy plains. Then, he wore his most radiant smile and extended a handshake. "I''m honoured!" "Haha, yeah..." Shin accepted that hand, albeit unwillingly. Jingyu Taiyi was oblivious to the black-haired youth''s reluctance and continued his merry chat: "Shin! I can just call you Shin, right?" "Be my guest." "Alright! Shin! So how are you? Are you comfortable with life on Longyu Reef yet?" The Luminary questioned, his arms holding on to his waist. "It has been going well..." The youth tried his best to hide his lethargy, but no matter what he did, Shin''s face still contorted a little. It can''t be helped. The jester''s reputation precedes him after all. "By the way, Senior Jingyu¡­ Why are you here?" Shin wanted to have nothing to do with Taiyi, but he couldn''t just chase the man away. At the very least, he had to figure out the Luminary''s objective for intruding on his home. "Hmmm? You don''t know?" This time, it was the jester''s turn to be shocked. He licked his teeth before coming to a revelation. "Ah! Saint Longyu Tian must''ve wanted it to be a surprise! Haha, looks like I spoiled the fun!" It was blasphemy for one jester to mess up another jester''s tricks. Jingyu Taiyi was honestly devastated that he took the fun away from Longyu Tian''s pranks and rubbed his eyebrows in despondency. "What do you mean?" "The Saint told us that you wanted to train with some of the best in the Lantis Republic, so she asked us to come. Hu''er, Linji, Feifei, Ying''er and me! Ah, I shouldn''t have rushed here too quickly! I ruined her surprise for you!" "What?!" Shin dropped the sickle in his hands and leapt forward into the bank. Those five names that Taiyi had mentioned were most likely the five top Luminaries in the Lantis Republic. Qilong Hu, Longyu Linji, Xunyu Feifei, Meijing Bingying and Jingyu Taiyi. Not only were they young cultivators that reached the Spirit Spectre realm with ease, but they all possessed overwhelming backgrounds to match their power. Qilong Hu was part of the strongest family in the Qilong Clan. His grandparents were both Spirit Venerates and Elders of the clan. His father was a Rank 69 Spirit King while his mother was a Rank 72 Spirit Emperor and his siblings were all talented prodigies of their own right. In time, Qilong Hu was sure to succeed his grandparents as an Elder of the Qilong Clan, making his line perhaps to most prestigious of them all. Xunyu Feifei also had a strong heritage, arguably the best one of them all. Her father was the Xunyu Clan Master, and her direct relatives all held influential positions in the Heavenly Sturgeon''s Clan. Compared to the rest of the Luminaries, Xunyu Feifei was a bonafide princess, loved by all. Longyu Linji was a no brainer as well. Part of the main bloodline of the Longyu Clan as well as having an overachieving father, Linji was the Longyu Clan''s golden boy before Shin came into the picture. The only Luminary that Shin was familiar with, Meijing Bingying, also had a dominant background as well. She was the heir apparent to the Meijing Clan, and her talent was considered to be the best in the entire republic. Reaching the Spirit Spectre realm at twenty-three-years-old, not many could accomplish what she did. And finally, there was Jingyu Taiyi. His position was somewhat unique among the Luminaries because he was part of the Jingyu Clan, the de facto leader of the Eight Clans of Water. Not only did the Jingyu Clan have a living Spirit Saint protecting their borders, but they also had the most Spirit Venerates of them all, and the nominated Chancellor of the Lantis Republic was a member of their clan. The strongest Navy and the most advanced society, no one could question the hegemony of the Jingyu Clan. And Jingyu Taiyi was the frontrunner in the race of Clan Master. As much as the others in the Republic hated the mischievous deeds of the Taiyi, they had to grit their teeth and endure, in fear of offending the resident joker. "Hehe, don''t fret! They''re not all here yet, I''d just rushed here to meet with the famed Prince of Water." Jingyu Taiyi chortled. Then, his eyes twinkled as he remembered that Shin had been planting seeds and watering the backyard since he arrived. "Ah, but they''ll be here soon though. I hope that we didn''t interrupt your plans for the day." "No¡­ I..." Shin turned back and saw Shizen with puckered lips. Shin did clear out his entire schedule to spend some time with his bosom friend, but it looks like his plans were going to be blown out of the water. Either way, Shizen understood that Shin had his responsibilities when he came to the Lantis Republic and consoled the man. "It''s okay, I had a blast this morning." Shizen gave his most radiant smile since coming to the Lantis Republic. "Also, giving me this project to plant a forest would aide in my cultivation and overall spiritual abilities. Finally, there''s something that I can do in this godforsaken place while you''re out and about." "Shizen..." Shin breathed out of his nose and tapped his friend by the shoulders. "When I''m free, I''ll come back and help you. After all..." He leaned close enough to the hobbit-like man and whispered. "I''ll need someone to consult in..." Among the sea of women that he was surrounded in, Shizen was perhaps the only glaring light that Shin had. "Hahaha!!! Don''t worry! I''ll always be here if you need me!" "Good!" Shin slapped the youth''s hand before finally returning to the mansion with Jingyu Taiyi in the lead. "You two sure share a good relationship," the jester said. "Is he your best friend from the Himmel Empire?" Shin thought to himself for a bit, before sighing in response. "One of..."There was still one silver-haired youth, the only person that Shin could genuinely call his ''buddy.'' Unfortunately, he wasn''t able to come with Shin, due to a variety of reasons. Still, Shin thought of him frequently. ''Isadore¡­ What are you doing now?'' ??? The Himmel Empire. The Imperial Palace. The Catacombs of the Ancestors. The Imperial Palace of the Himmel Empire was many things. A home for the Emperor and the Imperial Family. A hall for the Imperial Courts to convene and discuss national affairs. The top research laboratory. The best healing facility in the entire land¡­ The list was too long to count. However, there was one function of the Imperial Palace that hadn''t been changed since the days of the first Himmel Empire Emperor. It was the Holy Site of the ancestors from the Himmel Tribe of old. Deep within the Palace, where the sun won''t reach, and the earth couldn''t see, there was a dark catacombs. Most members of the Imperial Family wouldn''t have the chance to visit this tomb in their entire life, and even the Emperor had to seek permission before he dared to step a single foot inside. But that restriction didn''t matter to Isadore. The dazzling silver-haired man who resembled that of an elf of legend, walked down the spiralling stairwell, torch in hand. The pungent earthy aroma of the catacombs filled the young man''s lungs. Spider webs were the prominent decoration of the staircase. Though there were torches hung at every metre, the absence of natural light still made the archaic steps much creepier than it should have been. Still, Isadore walked down with confidence, utterly fearless of the dark. He had been down in the catacombs hundreds of times now. Even without the torches, Isadore was confident that he could find his way down. And to go down, he did. In just two minutes, the young man reached the final level of the catacombs and also his destination for the day. The chambers Isadore stood in was about thirty metres long and five metres high. A rather substantial room for a grave. The Himmel flag hung from all corners of the chambers, and dozens of well-carved statues spruced up the place, making it feel more ancient that it should have been. When he was younger, the young Imperial was tasked with cleaning all of those ancestral sculptures and had sent many an hour speaking to them since he didn''t have many friends. Still, the purpose of his visit wasn''t to reminisce on the past. At the central end of the room, there was a giant Himmel Empire flag, or should one say, the original Himmel Tribe banner. It had been preserved in glass and was hung up high for all to see. Well, not that many people could come into the catacombs anyway. At the bottom of the original banner, there was an altar. There were some offerings placed onto it, and a stick of incense was slowly burning down. And to finish the package¡­ An elderly man was kneeling right on the mat before the shrine. "Master, I have arrived." Isadore didn''t waste any time. He bowed down to the man with reverence in his eyes. "Yes¡­ I''d sensed you," replied the man as he finished up his prayers. Boasting silver hair and green eyes, no one would doubt that the man was part of Isadore''s bloodline. The air changed when the man stood up. At least a hundred ninety centimetres tall, the elderly grandfather didn''t seem to have a single spine issue as he puffed up his broad chest. "Have you made your decision?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. Isadore shuffled his eyes up a little before reverting back to his bowed position. "Yes, I''m willing to proceed with the ritual." "Mmmnnn..." The old man muttered and turned around, allowing Isadore to catch a glimpse of his leathery face. The man that Isadore called master, the man in the deepest parts of the catacombs. He was the sole being that held absolute authority in the Himmel Empire. If the Imperial Family and the Imperial Courts were at odds, just one sentence from this man was capable of silencing both of them. He may have renounced his control over mortal affairs, but no one doubted that he could be the hidden superpower that ran the Himmel Empire from the shadows. Who was he? Who other than the Imperial Ancestor¡­ The Himmel Empire had three Spirit Saints, one shy of the Lantis Republic''s and Kori Federation''s four. However, because of the existence of the Imperial Ancestor, no high executive from the other two superpowers would ever contemplate invading the Himmel Empire Why? Because the man was widely recognised to be the strongest Spirit Saint, ergo, the strongest human being on planet earth. "Have you given up on your stupid dream?" The Imperial Ancestor inquired, his voice as dominant as can be. Regular humans, mainly descendants from the Imperial Family, would simply humour the man and agree to everything he said. After all, the Imperial Ancestor''s word was essentially law in the Himmel Empire. However, Isadore didn''t subscribe to that idea. "No, I''ll still make the best information network the world has ever seen! That''s my oath I have made since I was just six!" Isadore shouted back. "What a foolish dream..." The Imperial Ancestor scoffed. However, he didn''t bother to continue with a follow-up. Isadore and the Imperial Ancestor had this argument countless times, so much so that both of them didn''t bother to keep track. So the elderly man didn''t bother to retort his disciple anymore. What mattered the most to him, was that Isadore was willing to continue with the ritual and fulfil his destiny. "We''ll begin in fifteen minutes¡­ Pray and prepare yourself..." With that, the Imperial Ancestor returned back to the altar and went back to his kneeling position. Isadore didn''t want to argue, so he went next to the old man and knelt as well. Today was the day where his life would change forever. Those five years that he''d spent in Imperius Academy was heavenly, no doubt. He''d met with Shin, Shizen, Ella, Emma, Elrin and Kanari. They''d gone on an epic adventure. He''d experienced things that he would have never before¡­ But in the end, his destiny as the Imperial Ancestor''s successor still caught up to him. ''Shin¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I have been keeping too many secrets from you...'' In prayer, Isadore didn''t think of his ancestors or any one of those that came before him. All Isadore could think about was his bosom friend that accepted him for who he was and gave him countless precious memories. ''When you return¡­ I''ll tell you everything¡­ I swear on it!!!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 439 The True Bosses Of The Lantis Republic 1 Shin followed Jingyu Taiyi into the audience hall of Lady Seph''s mansion, where Kanari and her butler, Claudia were waiting. Lady Seph had been immersed with researching documents about the Sovereign Koi and the other Eight Scions of Water, so she decided to skip out on the meeting of the youngsters. Furthermore, she didn''t need to be present to know that her disciple would be secure. Firstly, Bingbing was now the youth''s talisman. She would follow Shin wherever he went, protecting him from any rowdy visitors that he might have. Secondly, her Golden String of Fate was still tied to the youth''s soul. If Shin was truly in trouble, Lady Seph could send a golden phantom of herself to mend the broken youth or protect him from any enemy that dared to harm him. And finally, there was one true protection that Shin had. A tall and muscular middle-aged woman, who resembled that of a female barbarian of old, was seated right next to Kanari. Her chiselled muscles were a product of envy for any bodybuilder in the world, and her toned skin tone made her seem much more suited for life in the jungle. Shin shifted his eyes whenever he saw the tall woman who made him doubt his manhood. Why? Because she was the Spirit Venerate protector sent to defend Kanari from any and all harm. Ever since that first night where Kanari performed a night raid on Shin, the Spirit Venerate had been giving Shin the queer eyes, slightly pissed off that the young mistress that she was sent to protect had been having trysts with this young man. Still, since she was only here to protect Kanari, the Spirit Venerate remained silent on the issue and swallowed down her grievances. "Senior Thea, is something the matter?" Unable to bear with the stares any longer, Shin politely questioned the Spirit Venerate. However, instead of giving Shin a straight answer, the middle-aged lady scowled and continued to fold her arms. "..." Shin was rendered utterly speechless. At the side, Kanari stifled a giggle before walking forward and whispering into his ears. "Don''t mind her, she''s a little pissed off at you." The maiden tried to console, only to raise alarm bells within Shin''s psyche. "What did I do to piss her off?" Shin whispered back, desperate to make things right. "Nothing actually?" Kanari chuckled, amused at her boyfriend''s complete fear. "The only crime you''ve committed is claiming my heart. You love thief." It was no good. Kanari was still in the seventh heaven, drunk over the past few nights she''d spent in Shin''s room. Nevertheless, even without Kanari''s assistance, Shin could roughly guess what the Spirit Venerate was pissed about. Since he was always with Kanari, by extension, Thea would have to protect the youth as well. Lady Seph''s absence was the prime example of that. The workload of guarding Kanari had doubled, and she was now supposed to protect a youth that she barely knew. Anyone else would have been pissed off, let alone an adulated Spirit Venerate. Jingyu Taiyi watched the awkward exchange, and his mind started to put two and two together. Eventually, a sinister grin began to creep up his lips. "Ah, this senior must be the mighty Spirit Venerate sent to protect Mistress Kanari. Nice to meet you! You can call me Taiyi!" The jester struck first, extending a handshake to loosen up Thea. "Thea Freifeld. Rank 82, Battle-Type Spirit Venerate." The barbarian woman responded succinctly, refusing to accept the man''s handshake "Haha, so it''s Senior Freifeld!" Jingyu Taiyi smiled, not offended in the slightest that his gesture had been rejected. "I''m sure that you''re a little rattled this far away from home. Please, if you have any issues, you''re free to visit the Jingyu Clan! We''re always pleased to be of assistance." Taiyi continued to make his case. Shin was absolutely floored at the man''s seamless transitions. Shin felt like he was watching Elrin, the master saleswoman, in action. ''I''m sure that those two would get along just fine...'' Shin thought. "I''ll take note..." The Spirit Venerate folded her arms and scoffed. What problem could they possibly have? If Kanari was ever in trouble, all Thea needed to do was grab her and fly all the way back to Highgarden. Who cares about the promise of some youngster who was barely in the Spirit Spectre realm? Jingyu Taiyi wanted to press on a little more, but a sudden undulation could be felt within the audience halls. It wasn''t limited to the jester. Shin, Kanari, Claudia, Thea and Bingbing all perked their ears up as their expression became solemn. Multiple mana sources were walking in their direction. All of them were dominating presences in their own right. If an average joe were to feel those mana densities, he would have been suffocated to death. And the most prominent one of them all was a mana signature that Shin was quite familiar with. The doors of the halls arched inwards, allowing the dozen men and women to walk in unhindered. Familiar faces such as Meijing Bingying were part of the congregation, and the other three Luminaries that Shin had to befriend had tagged along as well. Qilong Hu, Longyu Linji and Xunyu Feifei all walked gracefully into the chambers right behind the Longyu Clan Master and a number of his subordinates. And finally, Longyu Tian, the top Spirit Saint in the Clan, stood at the very tip of the crowd, smiling as she walked in with her back straightened. It really was a dominating sight to behold, in Shin''s opinion. However, among those magisterial figures, a young eight-year-old girl was hiding behind Longyu Dao, watering down the suffocating atmosphere that the assemblage had brought. "Oh? Taiyi, you''re here already?" Longyu Dao raised his brow and tapped the young man on his shoulder. "We''d thought that you''d be meeting us at Tianxing Island?" "Haha, I was just a little impatient, Clan Master Longyu." The Jester bowed. No matter how playful he was, Jingyu Taiyi wasn''t foolish enough to mess around when both the Longyu Clan''s Spirit Saint and Clan Master were present. "I''d thought that it would be nice to reunite with Junior Brother Shin," ''Junior Brother Shin?'' Shin cried out internally. ''Since when were we that close?'' "Haha, looks like we don''t have to worry about the two of you getting along!!!" Longyu Dao bellowed out as the group took their seats opposite to Shin and the rest. Kanari was seated on the right side of Shin, not willing to budge a single muscle. That lack of movement brought out the wrinkles in Longyu Tian''s forehead, but the Spirit Saint quickly got over it. For now, there were much more critical issues to attend to. After a few exchanges of pleasantries, the Saint of Time finally got into the crux of the issue. "Shin, you must be wondering why I have gathered the Luminaries up for you." Longyu Tian said in a flat tone. "Wasn''t it to train me?" Shin returned back with a question of his own. In his mind, the five Luminaries from the Lantis Republic were going to spend the rest of the day exchanging notes about the Celestial Water Mantra or have light sparring sessions. "That''s for a later time," the Spirit Saint sighed. "Actually there''s a problem that I''ve yet to tell you. A problem regarding your baptism." "Hmmm?" Shin leaned in slightly to get a better distance for him to hear. The primary reason why he had come to the Lantis Republic in the first place was to undergo the Celestial River Baptism to hopefully evolve his Spirit, just like it did to Longyu Tian''s Sovereign Koi. "You see, the deal that we had with the Himmel Empire promises that you''ll get the Celestial River Baptism. The baptism normally occurs when the cultivator is of age about ten years after they awaken their Spirits during the Day of Spirits. So the stars are actually aligned in your case, Shin." ''So what was the problem?'' Shin thought. If everything was aligned, shouldn''t he be blessed with the opportunity to be baptised? "However, since you have the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, there is actually one more thing that you could do in the Celestial River." Longyu Tian muttered while her eyes glistened with a tinge of disappointment and frustration. "You can attempt the Trial of the Celestial Dragon, a ritual that could only be performed if you have the mark." "Huh?" This was the first time that anyone from the Himmel Empire had heard that there was a trial. Who could blame them? The Lantis Republic loved to keep their national affairs a secret. Even the Celestial River Baptism was unknown to Lady Seph before she did some digging. "What''s the difference between the two?" "There''s a huge difference!" Jingyu Taiyi interjected, his arms flailing about. "Although the baptism does aide in the Spirits cultivation, those that went for the Trial would reap heavenly rewards, sometimes more than your wildest imagination!" The youth was animated, too animated in fact. However, no one from the Lantis Republic disagreed with his statement. "Senior Brother Taiyi is right, Shin." Meijing Bingying used her calm voice to soothe the room, bringing the heat down a little. "Both Senior Brother Taiyi and I were cultivators with the mark and had the opportunity to go for the trial. Using the Celestial River Trial, Senior Brother Taiyi leaped three ranks, and I jumped two. Both our elemental affinities had skyrocketed, and the amount of mana we can create is far more than our peers." Although her words could be read as a sny remark towards Qilong Hu, Longyu Linji and Xunyu Feifei, none of them took it to heart and even nodded in agreement. Xunyu Feifei, the fair maiden bearing the crest of the Heavenly Sturgeon elaborated. "Junior Sister Bingying is right. I took the baptism around the same time that she underwent the trial. Even though our cultivation levels were somewhat similar, she began to advance at a much faster pace once she finished the trial. In the end, I was unable to catch up." There was a hint of annoyance in Xunyu Feifei''s voice, but what could she do? It was Meijing Bingying who got the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, not her. "They''re right," Longyu Tian relinquished her silence. "People outside of the Lantis Republic assume that I got a variant element because of the Celestial River''s Baptism, but in truth, it was the Trial of the Celestial Dragon that aided my Spirit''s evolution." She folded her arms and stared Shin right in the eye. "Now, do you understand the importance of the trial?" "Yes¡­ Yes, I do." "Good." Longyu Tian nodded. "Now, herein lies the problem. Your deal with the Republic is to get baptised, but nowhere in the agreement does it state that the Lantis Republic must allow you to take the Trial." "T-That''s sophistry!" Kanari got agitated in Shin''s stead. Longyu Tian shot daggers at the Himmel Empire maiden that didn''t know her place, and she instantly quietened down. Sensing friction, Longyu Dao took over the conversation. "We know that, but that''s what the High Council had ordered. ''We can''t allow Shin Iofiel to take the Trial unless we can confirm his loyalty to the Republic.'' That''s the order that had been laid down. Even if the Longyu Clan is powerful, we can''t move all the other seven Clans to do our bidding." "My loyalty?" How could Shin be faithful to a nation he had barely spent a month in? Yes, the Longyu Clan and all the members within it had been quite welcoming towards the young man, but in the end, Shin had just simply spent too little time here. Longyu Tian nodded and stared at the black-haired maiden who was unconsciously peering closer into Shin''s comfort zone. "In the ideal world, you''ll marry a Longyu Clan girl, and she''ll bear your children. If that happens, the High Council would be happy to let you take as many trials as you want. However, it looks like that''s not going to happen..." For better or worse, Kanari had thwarted Longyu Tian''s plans. The reason why the Spirit Saint had been pushing as many women onto Shin in hopes of seducing him was because of this reason. "So¡­ What must I do?" Shin wanted to become stronger. Against the Black Masks, against the Allfather¡­ Against Junius¡­ He needed to have overwhelming power as Longyu Tian did. That way, he wouldn''t have to force anyone to die. He wouldn''t have to see another soul being lost on the battlefield. To do that, Shin had to attempt the trial. "That''s where we come in." Qilong Hu, who had been quiet thus far, stood up from his chair with a loud thud. The rest of the Luminaries did the same and lined up right behind him. "Shin Iofiel¡­ If you want to gain the recognition of the High Council..." Qilong Hu breathed in and expanded his thick, broad chest. "Try and defeat us!!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 440 The True Bosses Of The Lantis Republic 2 "Defeat you? Why?" Shin was confused. If the High Council wanted to test his loyalty, what did it have to do with the fighting or winning against the young Luminaries? "It''s quite a simple concept actually," Qilong Hu smiled. "If you can beat all five of us, the most talented of the younger generation, the High Council would have to look at you with a different light. They would begin to wonder, is it really worth constraining the growth of this prodigal youth, who could one day become the most powerful Spirit Saint that the Lantis Republic could have?" Shin''s exploits were all legendary, and those from the Himmel Empire widely acknowledged his power. However, the Lantis Republic was a little more sceptical. They knew that he was a genius and all, but they had never seen Shin perform firsthand. If the Prince of Water puts on a clinical performance and utterly beats the five Luminaries, Shin could sway the general public''s opinion and gradually move the position of the High Council. "I see, that does make some sense," the youth replied, his fingers stroking his chin. "But would that be enough? The High Council is worried about my loyalty, not my potential after all..." Shin had hit the nail on the head. No matter how much potential he''d shown, if Shin betrayed the Lantis Republic, it would be all for nought. "..." The entire Lantis Republic congregation fell silent. The five Luminaries all slowly backed up a step, giving the two Longyu Clan monarchs anxious gazes. A sigh escaped from Longyu Dao''s mouth. "You''re right, Shin. The High Council will never settle unless you can prove your loyalty¡­ So, there is something that you have to sacrifice as collateral." "... What is it?" Longyu Dao''s ominous tone didn''t bode well for Shin. He braced himself, curling his feet up. "The High Council suggests that Ella and Emma, your two most trusted aides, move to the Lantis Republic in perpetuity. They will stay in the Lantis Archipelago from this day to the end of their days." "What?!" Shin stood up in complete ire. Kanari was in a similar boat, just that she managed to contain herself from acting out in front of the Longyu Clan''s top executives. "How could they demand that?" "Shin, they aren''t going to be mistreated," Longyu Dao hurriedly said, hoping to calm the youth down. "They''ll live in the Meijing Arctics and train in the ice elemental arts. The best place in the world to train for them. They would be given several Lantis Republic rights, free to move anywhere they want inside of the archipelago, given the best resources that were normally reserved for cultivators from main bloodlines. They can take any job that interests them..." "But they can''t return back to the Himmel Empire!" Shin interrupted the Longyu Clan master. "You''re going to use them as hostages to force me to remain loyal to the Lantis Republic?!" The twins were innocent parties. Ella and Emma had been living in the Himmel Empire all their lives. All of their friends, acquaintances, favourite places¡­ They were all in the Himmel Empire. Shin couldn''t just force them to stay in the Lantis Republic forever. "It''s your choice to make, Shin..." Longyu Tian took over, her voice as low as can be. "Those were the two choices given out by the High Council. Either you marry a Longyu Clan girl and impregnate her, or leave one of your loved ones here as a guarantee. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be allowed to attempt the trial." That was the ultimatum handed down by the top authorities in the Lantis Republic. They were backed by the three Spirit Saints from the other clans, so there was nothing that Longyu Tian could do. Shin bit down hard on his lips. He loved the twins as if they were his true sisters. Heck, Shin believed that they were closer than blood-related siblings. He couldn''t just throw them under the cart for the sake of his own self-betterment! Kanari gently held onto the youth''s hands, bringing his restless mind back on course. Their eyes met, and Kanari let out a gentle smile. "We should discuss this with Lady Seph and the twins," she suggested. Then, the young noblewoman turned to Longyu Dao and sat up with proper poise. "How much time do we have?" The Longyu Clan master whistled. From that one exchange, he could tell that Kanari was a substantial mental pillar of support for the golden child. "We plan to have Shin fight against the five Luminaries first in front of the biggest crowd there is. We''ll book it a month from now at the Atoll of the Ancients. Hopefully, if Shin performs well enough, the High Council would change their minds, and the twins wouldn''t need to become collateral. Of course, to do that, Shin¡­ You''ll have to score an overwhelming victory against these five prodigies." Qilong Hu nodded. "... I sympathise with your predicament, Shin Iofiel. However, we won''t pull any punches. It would be a huge dishonour if we just let you win without going all out." "That''s right! Don''t think that we''ll hold back just because you''re a little cute!" Xunyu Feifei''s tone was playful, but her face was completely serious. "Hehe, I''m looking forward to meeting you in the arena!" Jingyu Taiyi smiled, his pearly white teeth displayed for all to see. Meijing Bingying snorted with an elder sister vibe, warning, "Shin¡­ It''s been a while since I last trained you. I wonder what surprises you have in store for me." "..." Only Longyu Linji remained utterly silent. His face hidden by his broody long black hair. The five great Luminaries, the top talents of their generation. No Spirit Spectre in their right mind would think that he could take on and beat all five of them. However, for Shin, it was a task that he couldn''t fail. "I understand..." Shin took a deep breath in and face the gauntlet of a challenge with resolute eyes. The Prince of Water wasn''t afraid of his foes. He had become a Spirit Spectre with a renewed will to become the best. Either way, Shin would have to face the five prodigious Luminaries sooner or later. Better to do it sooner. "Seniors¡­ I won''t hold back either..." The boy triggered a metamorphic change, and his weak and feeble expression had transformed into that of a veteran of war. The congregation from the Lantis Republic leaned back on their chairs as they felt the immense pressure coming out from the youngster. It wasn''t spiritual pressure or mana exposure. Shin was just overwhelming them with his indomitable will. ''This brat¡­ How many more surprises does he have?!'' Longyu Linji cursed out inwardly. A few years back, during the Summit in which the Alliance was formed, Shin barely had half the presence than he did now. Yet, in that short period, the young man had grown so much that he was now able to intimidate Linji who had a cultivation base of Rank 46. ''Whatever¡­ I have to endure for now¡­ When I beat him down during the battle in the Atoll, I''ll see what kind of face he dares to make then...'' No one knew of the jealous man''s wicked thoughts. They were all engrossed with the atmosphere that Shin was giving out. The little girl who sat behind Longyu Dao, in particular, was completely in awe by the Prince of Water''s presence. Her eyes were glistening, and her face was hiding a massive radiant smile. It was as if she had found her idol in life. "Ah, that reminds me! I do have one request to ask of you, Shin. I wonder if you would indulge in me?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "What is it?" Shin quickly calmed down and looked on as the Clan Master brought the young ponytailed girl out from hiding. She looked a little shy to become the focal point of everyone''s attention, but the girl took two deep breaths before staring Shin straight in the eye. "This is my granddaughter, Longyu Hai. She''s eight and a little rough around the edges, but, would you mind accepting her as your squire?" ??? "And that''s basically what happened on Longyu Reef." Meijing Bingying reflected on her recent expedition north to answer the summons of Longyu Tian and the Longyu Clan. Seated right in front of her, were two young maidens, both with luxurious purple hair. One of them had tied it into a ponytail while the other had cut her hair a little short so that it could only cover the base of her face. Their faces were completely identical, barring a tiny mole on Emma''s face. After separating from Shin, the duo had been integrating into the Meijing Clan''s environment, learning new cultivation techniques. Due to their close proximity to the equator, the pair had rarely seen snow or icy terrain. They had to rely on vast amounts of mana crystals just to remain on a similar pace with the other young heroes in Shin''s party. However, it all changed when they started to live in the Meijing Arctics. Rife with the ice elementals, Ella and Emma could feel their cultivation progress at twice the speed with half the effort. Not to mention, they learnt so much about their Ice Bows and in due time, their ascension into the Spirit Spectre realm would be much smoother than they''d first anticipated. The people here were also very welcoming of Ella and Emma. Unsurprisingly, the number of cultivators that awakened Spirits with the Ice-Element were few and far between, and any additions to their family was a cause for celebration. The resources provided to them was great as well. Being close associates of Bingying, the heir apparent of the Meijing Clan did reap some benefits. Any instructor they wanted, they received. Random Spirit Lords would stop by their abode to give useful tips, and the precious items that they could never touch were bought specially for them to use. "Living forever in the Lantis Republic..." Emma muttered out while her sister looked towards the floor. No one could tell what Ella was thinking, so Emma was the sole person that responded. "Is that why you have been treating us this well?" "Yes and no." Bingying didn''t lie. When the Longyu Clan first approached them, suggesting that the Meijing Clan should poach the twins to their side so that they could be hostages to reign Shin in, the Pearl in the East didn''t know how to feel. The Meijing Clan would gain two talented young Spirit Adepts, and they would strengthen their bond with the Longyu Clan''s golden boy since Shin cared for the orphans much more than he did the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic. It seemed to be a win-win situation for all. Except, Ella and Emma would be forever bound to the confines of the Lantis Republic. "Shin doesn''t want the two of you to sacrifice your freedom for his sake, but honestly, everyone knows that this is the fastest way for him to gain access to the Trial of the Celestial Dragon." Meijing Bingying continued to elaborate. "And why are you telling us this?" Emma saw through the maiden''s facade and knew that Bingying had an agenda. The Meijing Clan heir smiled, "I think you do know. You know me, I won''t ever mistreat the two of you. I just want you to consider the offer that the Meijing Clan is putting on the table." Bingying unrolled a list depicting all of the benefits the twins would receive should they agree to the contract. She brushed off the creases on her robes as she stood up, leaving the two sisters to have their own private talk. "In a month, Shin would be participating in a battle against all five of us. After the fight, you can have a long discussion with him on whether you''re willing to make the sacrifice." Just as the maiden was about to leave the room, Emma cried out. "Sister Bingying!" "Hmmm?" "Thank you for telling us..." No matter what, the twins were grateful for the Meijing Clan''s heir honesty. Knowing Shin, there was no way that he would tell the twins to become hostages just for some benefits, even if it meant forever stifling his growth. "You''re welcome," Bingying replied, her face brimming with hope. "Rest up. Tomorrow, we''ll be teaching you how to properly use the Crystal Toxtai Mantra." With that, the Pearl in the East finally allowed the twins to settle down and form their own thoughts. "..." Emma watched her sister, who had been silent throughout. "What are you thinking about?" "Emma..." Ella sighed dispiritedly. "We should take the deal¡­ Shin had done so much for us. He had sacrificed so much for the orphans¡­ Even without the benefits from the Lantis Republic, it''s about time that we did something for him..." "Oh, ho?" It was rare for Ella to display such affection for Shin. Since they were just toddlers, the pair had always been at loggerheads. Though their relations had eased up as they have grown older, the pair weren''t really the touchy-feely type towards one another. "What about Shizen?" "H-Huh?! Why did you bring that brat''s name up?!" The ponytailed girl tripped on her words, flustered that the nature boy''s name was tossed into the argument. "Why should I care about what he thinks?!" "Hehe, you can fool the world, but you can''t fool me!" Emma locked her arms around her twin sister''s neck and rubbed her cheek against the blushing girl''s. "I know that your feelings towards Shizen have transcended that of regular friends!" "I-I won''t dignify that with a response!" Ella leapt up to her feet and ran to the courtyard. "I''m going to train! Don''t disturb me!" "Eh?! But we''re just getting to the juicy part!" That day, the twins had a long talk. Well, it wasn''t really a talk. Just a one-sided teasing from Emma with Ella trying her best to hide her blushed face... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 441 The True Bosses Of The Lantis Republic 3 The Lantis Republic. The Atoll of the Ancients. Yingxiong Amphitheatre. One month later... Like the common cockroach, the Shin had begun to assimilate into the lifestyle and culture of the Lantis Republic. Although Longyu Tian had watered down the daily expedition tours, Shin was brought around to experience the training facilities that the Longyu Clan boasted. There were specialised lakes which were pumped rife with dense water-elemental crystals to aide in the Spirit User''s cultivation. In the east, there was an expansive library that boasted over a hundred million books and ancient scrolls, some of them depicting various ways a Sovereign Koi could cultivate. Up north, there was a myriad of gyms that trained cultivators in martial arts and weapon combat. And finally, Longyu Reef, in general, had the higher water densities that Shin had ever seen, making it the best place for the youth to train for his upcoming matches. Speaking of those matches, news quickly spread that Shin Iofiel, the Prince of Water, was about to take on the five greatest Luminaries in a series of exhibition matches. Many have heard of Shin''s illustrious name but few had seen him in person. Hence, over the past month, tickets for the matches had skyrocketed to an astronomical price and the Atoll of the Ancients were expected to be filled to the brim. Merchants, nobles, soldiers, generals, elite chefs, small business owners, mercenaries and bureaucrats¡­ They were all aching to get a ticket to witness the six Luminaries duke it out. Though, the logistics of the matches didn''t matter to Shin. All he cared about was defeating the five Luminaries to impress the High Council enough so that they''ll allow him to take the trial. Thus, he trained. Shin had already mastered a great deal of his water creation, martial arts and healing abilities, however, he was still rather inexperienced with using the Domain of Dreams and the partially ignited Shard of the Azure Dragon. Since the five Luminaries all possessed higher cultivation realms, Shin couldn''t forcibly induce them into sleep as he did with the other Spirit Adepts back in the Himmel Empire. So, the Prince of Water had to be creative in his attacks. Qilong Hu and Meijing Bingying were in the upper echelons of the Spirit Spectre realm while the lowest ranked person, Xunyu Feifei, was at Rank 47. Additionally, they weren''t like typical Spirit Spectres that Shin had faced earlier on. All of them were experts in their craft and some could even beat Rank 50 Spirit Lords soundly. Qilong Hu was the prime example. Being Rank 49, the man was basically one step into the Spirit Lord realm. Defeating him would be the pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance of Shin''s bout against the five Luminaries. As with all of Shin''s earlier fights, the youth investigated the five Luminaries thoroughly. All of their spiritual abilities, their fighting habits, their previous wins and losses¡­ Everything was sent under the microscope for Shin to dissect. And accordingly, Shin developed new variations of his abilities to deal with each and every one of them. One month wasn''t enough for Shin to completely master all of his new techniques, but he sure did his best. He had even relinquished his sleep during some periods, just to squeeze in those additional hours. And finally¡­ The day of the matches came. "How are you feeling?" Kanari gently stroked Shin''s two arms while they were alone in the changing room. Outside, the roars of the hundred thousand audiences inside of Yingxiong Amphitheatre shook the thick walls of the stadium. The rapid footsteps as men, women, families and prized individuals all increased the atmosphere of the arena. It was electric. Having a hundred thousand spectators watching you that is. Not everyone could get used to this atmosphere and Shin was no exception. He could hear the beating of the drums and the pulsation of the stadium, even from his changing room. It really brought his nerves to the edge, but fortunately, one of his pillar of supports was right there with him. "I''m good..." The youth replied, quite dazed. "It''s just, I had put the audience factor at the back of my mind. Really seeing them all present is quite¡­ Staggering..." Shin downed a gulp of water to quell his nerves, but no matter what he did, the tension in his heart never waned. Shin was never good with the adulation he received. From his first win inside of Imperius Academy to the exhibition matches in the Summit. He always felt that the attention he got was undeserved. Of course, when the bell was struck, Shin would turn into a different animal, with the killer instinct to match. However, everything before and after a match was a complete turn-off for the youth. "A hundred thousand people in the crowd can be quite terrifying..." Kanari agreed while holding her boyfriend''s hands. Earlier that hour, she had peeked out into the stands and could see oceans upon oceans of people. Some of them were regular commonfolk that had just chanced upon a ticket. However, the vast majority of them were affluent members of the government, army and the Lantis Republic''s own upper class, which meant that there were more powerful cultivators than regular people. Spirit Adepts were the average amongst the crowds as even Spirit Spectres and Lords were relegated into the common seats. So imagine having not only a hundred thousand pairs of eyes looking down at you, but over half of them were above the Spirit Spectre realm. It really was a fearful feeling for anyone within the arena. "Hah¡­ Why must they make such a big spectacle out of every bout? Can''t we just calmly spar in the middle of a lake or something?" Shin groaned as he fell down on Kanari''s lap. It was the only solace he had. The soft thighs and sweet fragrance of the young woman helped to ease the anxiety that Shin was suffering from, even if it were just a little. It was just a few more minutes before Shin had to face his first opponent, Xunyu Feifei. If he was successful in beating her, he would then have to face Longyu Linji, Jingyu Taiyi, Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu in that order. Yes, it was a marathon of a schedule, but if Shin could pull it off, he would solidify his name as the Prince of Water and possibly convince the High Council to let him take the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. "Brother Shin! Brother Shin!" An excited cry echoed into the changing room, forcing Shin to part with the comfort of Kanari''s lap. A young ponytailed girl, who looked no older than eight, excitedly held onto a basin of hot water and a rinsed towel was hanging over her shoulders. "Hai''er? What''s up?" Shin changed his grimace to a smile and warmly called the young girl. "I''m here to wipe your face!" Longyu Hai placed the basin down and rinsed the white towel she had one more time. She crept closer towards the young man. Just like Kanari, the young girl was trying to lull the nervous youth into a sense of security, in her own juvenile way of course. "Hai''er, I''d said that you don''t have to always do this..." "No! It''s my job to serve Brother Shin as a squire!" The young girl heavily protested, her two adorable hands tightening around the edges of the towel. "Or is it¡­ You don''t like me around?" ''There it is...'' Shin and Kanari smacked their heads, snorting as they saw the puppy-eyed face that Longyu Hai used. In the beginning, Shin didn''t like the idea of having a squire, particularly since Longyu Hai was the current Clan Master''s granddaughter. Also, he wasn''t quite as comfortable around young girls since the whole incident with Latina. So for the earlier parts of the month, Shin had kept his distance around Longyu Hai. However, credit where credit''s due, the little girl was unusually good at adaptation. Longyu Hai soon developed a longing and pitiful look and whenever Shin rejected her, the lassie would unleash that secret weapon to make Shin feel bad for her. Bit by bit, Shin allowed himself to open up to the young girl and had even begun to mentor her a little about his understandings about the Celestial Water Mantra. Now, Longyu Hai was basically a mascot character that followed Shin around wherever he went, helping him with random chores and whatnot. Cleaning and massaging Shin before a match was one of the few things that Longyu Hai could do, so the girl was committed to executing her duties to the best of her power. "Fine..." Shin reluctantly sighed as dropped both his hands to stick his chin up. "Yay!" Longyu Hai celebrated and peered forward, hot towel in hand. She slowly cleaned up the youth''s face, rejuvenating his pores and warming his soul. Shin had to admit, the hot towel service was kind of excellent. A minute later, the young lass kept the cooled off towel in the basin and proceeded to give Shin a back massage, something she tried to do on a daily basis. Kanari found it odd to see Longyu Hai''s dainty and petite palms trying to wrap itself around the youth''s shoulders. "Brother Shin, do you think that you can beat all five of them?!" "Oh ho? Shouldn''t a squire trust in their knight''s abilities?" Kanari found an opening to tease the young girl "Ah, of course, I trust in Brother Shin!!! Brother Shin is the strongest Spirit Spectre in the world!!! Brother Shin is the best!!!" Flustered, Longyu Hai flailed her hands about, worried that Shin would see her in a negative light for doubting his skills. "She''s just messing with you, Hai''er..." "Huh? AH!!!" Realising that she''d been pranked, the pure young girl puckered her lips and scowled at Kanari in protest. "Sister Kanari is mean..." The Witch of the South chuckled and lovingly placed her hand over the girl''s head. "Haha, sorry about that! You''re just too cute!!!" "Hmph! I''m not talking to you anymore!" "No! Don''t do that!!!" "Hahaha..." With Longyu Hai''s one visit, the mood in the changing room had turned bright and warm, lifting the spirits of the nervous youth. ''Children sure are amazing...'' Shin thought. Then, Longyu Hai''s worried words began to resurface in his mind. ''Hai''er is right¡­ I need to find ways to conserve my power for the five rounds...'' At his peak, Shin was confident that he could take down all of them. However, he had to face them all consecutively with little breaks in between. It really was a monumental task for him to accomplish, but for the sake of the twins'' freedom, Shin had to try his best. "Shin Iofiel. The first match is about to begin. If you''re ready, we''ll escort you out." A manager of Yingxiong Amphitheatre walked into the changing room with a clipboard on hand. "Yeah, I''m ready..." Shin sighed and tapped on the shoulders of the two supporters he had. "Be careful," said Kanari, the pupils in her eyes trembling a little. Kanari couldn''t be in the arena to support the man, but she was most definitely going to be right there at the side watching him. Landing a single kiss to his cheeks, the black-haired maiden sent him off with a forced smile. "And good luck!!!" "Yeah..." Shin smiled. He took one deep breath in and the anxiousness of being in a crowded arena vanished entirely. His soul was now as calm as Longyu Lake. Shin was now¡­ The Black-Haired Tyrant¡­ "I''m going..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 442 The True Bosses Of The Lantis Republic 4 Yingxiong Amphitheatre. A marvel of engineering that possesses the richest amount of history in all of the stadiums in the Lantis Republic. It stands over a hundred metres high and had a minimum capacity of a hundred thousand people. Ever since the founding of the Lantis Republic, the Yingxiong Amphitheatre had served as a sanctuary for residents to come and break away from the mundane lives that they led. It was a place where heroes were born, and legends solidified. And today, the spectators hoped that they were about to witness the rise of a new legend. The boisterous roars of the audience were deafening to any ear, and any ordinary human would be struggling to speak to their neighbour. However, for a select few, that problem was utterly redundant. "Wow, the audience sure is getting hyped!" Kesyl exclaimed, starry-eyed as she peered out the thick glass windows. As with every stadium around the world, there were public areas and more exclusive ones. If someone was a VIP or was willing to pay a premium, they could gain access to a private booth, where the walls were thickened to protect them from the noise or potential aggressors while a thick glass screen enabled them to watch the arena in all its glory. "It really is quite a festival," said Emma with interest. "I don''t think there are any amphitheatres in the Himmel Empire that could match the atmosphere of this place..." Seated in the private booth of Lady Seph, were almost every single person from the Himmel Empire congregation. Lady Seph was the de facto leader and the honoured master of Shin, so there was no way that the Longyu Clan would maltreat her. They got her the Premium Executive Box, one tier below the top booth available in Yingxiong Amphitheatre. It had all the amenities one could dream of. From private butlers to gourmet catering delivered up to her front door, there was no reason for Lady Seph to deny the Longyu Clan''s goodwill. Though not everyone was particularly thrilled with the room. "Hey, Shizen! Stop taking all the sweets! Do you want to get fat?!" Ella chided the nature boy she hadn''t seen for a month, sternly pointing her finger at the man that didn''t seem capable of growing up. "Come on! Just one more?" "No way! You have to learn to take care of your health! I can''t monitor you forever!" The ponytailed purple haired girl continued to lecture Shizen while confiscating the jar of honey cookies in his hand. "No more sweets for today!" "Hehe, Ella really gets along with Shizen!" Emma lightly teased her twin sister, but it fell on deaf''s ears. Instead, Ella just brushed it off and wiped Shizen''s sticky face with a wet towel that was provided. "They really do get along..." Kesyl had raised brows but failed to continue commenting. She was here to serve Lady Seph. Turning around to the blonde woman, Kesyl noticed that Lady Seph was staring into the distance, her face as chilling as a bone. Bingbing, who had been kicked out from Shin''s changing room, was cowering near the Spirit Venerate as if it feared that something might come and rip it to shreds. "Master Seph¡­ Is something the matter?" Although Lady Seph hadn''t accepted Kesyl as her disciple yet, she did allow the hardworking young girl to call her ''Master Seph,'' as a reward for her excellence in brewing tea and serving her. The blonde healer tilted her head up and gestured Kesyl to look directly ahead, "You see that?" Kesyl followed the gaze of Lady Seph, only to see a far more luxurious box than their own. It was at least ten times in size and boasted sweet extravagant leather thrones that just oozed out opulence. A crystal chandelier hung overhead while guards, each one seeming no weaker than a Spirit Emperor, stood by like police officers. It really was a sight to behold, there was one more thing that made the private booth stick out like a sore thumb... The people who resided in it¡­ Firstly, there was a familiar face. Her black hair and lake-like eyes continued to dazzle even when looked at from a hundred kilometres away. She rested one elbow on her armrest while her other hand was holding back her yawn. Seated to her left and right were an elderly and muscular man respectively. The man who looked to be on the precipice of his deathbed had lazy eyes and blacked brows. And even though his body seemed to be crumbling, he still insisted on carrying an immense obsidian turtle shell on his back. The brawny man on Longyu Tian''s right was perhaps the most intimidating of the four. Even while he''s seated on the throne, the man looked massive enough to tear a berserker or two in half. Finally, there was one final person among the VVIP booth that Longyu Tian was in. Seated right next to the brawny man at the very edge, was an emerald-haired lady. Her eagle-shaped nose was her most prominent feature, and her sitting look was vicious enough to scare away even the bravest of men. All four of them were heavily guarded, well-serviced and most importantly of all, they were the centre of attention of the entire crowd. Many feared to stare too long at them, fearing that they would be like Icarus, flying too high into the sun, but they just couldn''t help it. Those four were the icons that held the Lantis Republic together, the powerhouses that prevented the other two superpowers from ever invading. "They are..." "The four Spirit Saints of the Lantis Republic..." Lady Seph completed Kesyl''s statement for her. "Longyu Tian, The Saint of Time. Jingyu Han, The Saint of Oceans. Shenshe Zemin, The Saint of Poisons. Heigui Zhengkang, The Saint of Shells. These four are the pillars of the Lantis Republic¡­ To think that they''re all present here in this stadium..." It was rare to even see one Spirit Saint in public. They were well-known to be lofty beings that had washed their hands off any mortal affairs. The pact signed when World Peace was established had also stated that Spirit Saints weren''t allowed to actively seek power in the human world unless provoked, lest they destabilise the fragile balance that the world had built. So for all four of them to show up just to witness Shin battle¡­ It really was a staggering sight. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Of course, the Spirit Saints didn''t think that way. "Tian, I can''t wait to see the skills of your prized possession." Jingyu Han laughed while stroking his shaven chin. His demeanour was like an uncle ready to watch his nephew play some good football. "Really, how prodigious can he be?" Shenshe Zemin threw her head back with scepticism in her voice. "He''s just a recently promoted Spirit Spectre. Don''t you think it''s too much for him to attempt to take down five Luminaries back to back?" "Zemin''s right," replied Heigui Zhengkang. "From what I hear, you''d picked the five most powerful Luminaries to take him on as well, two of them possessing the same Mark of the Celestial Dragon as he has, including the heiress of the Meijing Clan. Are you sure that he can defeat all five of them?" The Spirit Saints'' were right to be doubtful. They knew the five Luminaries and how powerful their abilities were. If the Spirit Saints were still Spirit Spectres, even they would question their strength in beating all five of them in consecutive bouts. Longyu Tian scoffed. She stretched her back up a little before replying. "If you would allow him to take the Trial immediately, I would be glad to withdraw him from the matches." "At this point, I''m almost tempted to let him..." Jingyu Han chortled, hiding a little fierce glint in his eyes. "However, we don''t even know if he would be loyal to our Republic? Why couldn''t you just go for the five-year plan? If we used the five years to move him over to our side, I''m sure the High Council would be glad to let him go through with the trial then." "Five years is too long!" The Saint of Time protested, her nostrils flaring a little. "Shin is a once in a generation talent. I firmly believe that his Spirit has the potential for evolution, just like mine! If we waste any more time, and he cultivates into the Spirit Lord realm without taking the Trial, wouldn''t we be squandering his talent even more?" The Lantis Republic had already wasted Shin''s childhood, prepubescent and adolescence to the Himmel Empire. Although Meijing Bingying had been sent to correct some of his misconceptions about cultivating, it was far from enough. For Shin to become a Spirit Saint or more likely¡­ Breakthrough into the Spirit Immortal realm, he had to be groomed now. "Hah¡­ Your stubbornness is as amazing as usual..." Shenshe Zemin groaned while snorting. Longyu Tian was many things, but a social genius, she was not. If the Saint of Time wanted something, she would get it done, no matter what the cost. "That''s right, so you guys better uphold your promise," replied Longyu Tian. "If Shin wins all five of them, you''ll join me in convincing the High Council to allow him to take the trial." It was a secret kept among the Spirit Saints. Before the Longyu Clan suggested the matches, Longyu Tian had already brokered a deal with the other three Spirit Saints. If Shin managed to defeat all five Luminaries back-to-back, they wouldn''t object to the youth taking the trial. As powerful as the High Council was, they couldn''t do a single thing if the four Spirit Saints were in consensus. They didn''t have to support Longyu Tian, all they needed to do was to not oppose her. That way, the Saint of Time could pressure the High Council to do her bidding and open the Celestial River for Shin to enjoy in its entirety. "We know, we know..." Shenshe Zemin rolled her eyes. One of the reasons why the Spirit Saints accepted that unreasonable request was because they knew how difficult it was to beat the five Luminaries. So, if Shin managed to do the impossible, they wouldn''t mind rewarding the youth accordingly. "Oh, speak of the devil, your boy is now coming out..." The entire audience roared out in joy as the black-haired youth emerged from the tunnels and stepped foot into the two-acre arena. Donned in a breathy warlord''s robe, Shin''s focused eyes captivated those that saw him. He didn''t care about the noisy crowd or the restless men and women shouting his name, all he wanted to do, was to get the job done. Xunyu Feifei knew that. On an elevated platform just five metres above the ground, the five Luminaries observed as Shin took centre stage. Four years ago, during the Summit, they had witnessed Shin take on Lukman in a handicapped match. Now, four years later, the youth was on the same stage as them and was capable of standing toe-to-toe against them. It really was an odd feeling. Xunyu Feifei leapt down gracefully like an angel descending from the heavens. The cheers from the crowd turned even more thunderous when she took centre stage just metres away from Shin. The crown of the prettiest maiden in the Lantis Republic was given to Meijing Bingying, but that didn''t mean Xunyu Feifei had been sidelined. In fact, there were even more supporters of the Xunyu Clan''s princess now, and she was treated as a bona fide celebrity, particularly in the hearts of young men. Not that it mattered now though. In the arena, the biggest stage in the Lantis Republic. There was only one rule. Strength was king. Who would win? The five established Luminaries, the young men and women who had inspired a generation? Or the monstrous newbie that was world-renowned as the Prince of Water? There was only one way to find out. "Xunyu Feifei. Spirit, the Emperor of the Lagoon, the Heavenly Sturgeon. Rank 47 Spirit Spectre. Please advise me." Feifei smiled as a two-metre-long sturgeon was summoned out. It was jade grey, with an albino tinge towards its spine. Two whiskers shot out from its bottom, slicing apart the concrete floor that it hovered above. Shin felt his knees getting heavy by her spiritual pressure. The seven rank difference was really starting to show¡­ However, Shin remained unfazed. He took one deep breath in and instantly used his Spiritual Body Enhancements to strengthen his body. Then, the Sovereign Koi began to float around him all while his mana continued to spike. Finally, when he was all prepared, the youth heaved out one final sigh. "Shin Iofiel. Spirit, The Eminence of the Lake, The Sovereign Koi. Rank 40 Spirit Spectre. Please advise me..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 443 Luminaries! Luminaries All Around! 1 The match began without a referee''s whistle. It was an exhibition match where the rules were simple. Fight until one person gives up or was unable to continue. Shin could have planted his water mines or leapt in for a sneak attack, but it was an honourable exchange between two juggernauts of their era. It didn''t feel right to use underhanded tactics, especially when a hundred thousand of the Lantis Republic''s most influential people were watching. Shin made all of his preparations instantaneously. First, he cast the Domain of Dreams, bringing forth the dense azure lake down onto the vast arena. Then, with his improved water affinities, he created the Spear of Aiglos is a split second as well as a dozen raging currents which spun rapidly around him like Saturn''s ring. He was going against a prized Luminary from the Lantis Republic. There was no way that Shin could hold back. "Phew¡­ How scary~!" Xunyu Feifei whistled as if she were terrified. However, her face told an entirely different story. She was beaming with a radiant smile, not choked up in the slightest. "Looks like I have to go all out as well!" The Luminary chuckled, waving her arms about. The Heavenly Sturgeon multiplied by five. From Feifei''s opened palms, a gigantic bubble expanded gradually, bringing Shin''s senses into a heightened state. The bubble left the young woman''s hands and fell onto the ground, creating a clear puddle on the floor. If Shin were standing right above it, he would clearly see his reflection, something rare for even the clearest of lakes. However, Feifei wasn''t done. Swinging her hands to the side, the ''puddle'' exponentially increased in size, completely covering the field in a matter of seconds. Knowing what the attack does, Shin leapt up into the air and remained levitating. Now that he was a Spirit Spectre, he didn''t need to use the Dance of the Valkyrie to fly. "Smart move..." Xunyu Feifei let out a soft giggle, admiring the youth''s quick thinking. The arena soon became the Luminaries very own lagoon, with the water level just being ten centimetres thick. Looking down, Shin could see the reflection of the skies. It was as if the world had been mirrored from his point of view. The five sturgeons that Feifei had summoned disappeared into the reflective surface, stunning many who hadn''t seen Feifei''s ability before. "What happened?" Kesyl asked, her two hand grabbing onto her chin. "That''s Xunyu Feifei''s domain ability, the Salt Flat Lagoon..." Lady Seph, who had been helping Shin with formulating counterstrategies, explained. "The Heavenly Sturgeon creates an entire field, similar to that of a tranquil lagoon. Using that, the Xunyu lass could hide her Heavenly Sturgeon within the mirrored lagoon, making it impossible for Shin to fight on land." When Xunyu Feifei''s domain was out, Shin couldn''t risk having his feet in the water. Her Heavenly Sturgeons would be hidden in the lagoon, ready to launch a myriad of surprise attacks at her command. It was risky facing a Rank 47 Spirit face on, let alone in the dark. So, while Feifei held onto the land advantage, Shin decided to rule the skies. ''Shape-Style Technique, Spears of Sparta!!!'' Shin''s domain ability was in full effect, as hundreds of ice spears were created in a matter of seconds, something that he needed minutes to do before. Snapping his fingers, the fearful weapons dropped down like a deadly downpour, all seeking the tender flesh of Xunyu Feifei. "Not bad¡­ But not enough..." The Luminary''s friendly face turned sombre as mana filled her up to the brim. The reflective lagoon beneath her feet started to effervescence like piping hot water, and soon, thousands of bubbles were blocking Xunyu Feifei''s image. Logically, the Spears of Sparta would easily penetrate through that false defence, tearing apart Xunyu Feifei just seconds after the match had just begun. However, a miracle happened. Blop¡­ Blop¡­ Blop¡­ The bubbles, which seemed as harmless as a common fly, stopped all of the spears, bouncing them off their springy surface. The Spears of Sparta, which had been a staple in Shin''s arsenal, had been nullified just like that. "She defended that?!" Shizen knew full well of how powerful the Spears of Sparta can be. Just one odd spear was capable of piercing through hardened rock like it were paper. So how did those bubbles defend against the full might of those ice spears? "Don''t be surprised¡­ Shin isn''t fighting a random nobody..." Ella chided the nature boy''s folly and corrected his misunderstanding. She looked down at the Luminary with great interest. Even in the toughest of scenarios, the maiden had her hands behind her back, with complete faith over her own abilities. Only those with a tremendous amount of combat experience could remain that calm under peril. "They are all bona fide Luminaries, all with their own unique powers to grant them the title¡­ It will take Shin much more than the Spears of Sparta to take her down." Ella''s words were exactly what the Prince of Water was thinking about. He tightened his grip on the Spear of Aiglos and spun it around, this time summoning millions of water droplets. Shin imbued a tonne of his mana into the eccentric rain, making them shine in a deep cerulean hue. The mana output continued to spike, and even those from the stands could feel the gut-wrenching density. Only after the youth had spun his spear around for five seconds, did he feel prepared to launch his next attack. ''Flow-Style Technique, Meteor Shower!'' He screamed inwardly. Adding on the effect made by the Domain of Dreams, the thousands of water droplets resembled that of stars falling out from the night sky. This time, the bubbles were unable to keep up with the constant bombardment of the mana-imbued water droplets, leaving Xunyu Feifei completely open. If nothing were done, the young maiden would be slammed into the floor, and all her limbs would have been torn apart by Shin''s deadly attack. However, the woman was as calm as can be. In fact, she even hid a weak smile. Waving her hand up to block her face, the Luminary smiled. And then¡­ The girl disappeared. "What?!" Kesyl jumped, exclaiming in confusion. She then turned to the only person present who had the answer. "Master Seph, where did she go?!" The blonde healer looked down on the crowd before sighing, "She used the same spiritual ability that hid her five Heavenly Sturgeons. We did investigate her abilities, but it the fact that she could hide inside her domain had never come up¡­ It must be something she developed recently..." Lady Seph''s deduction was right. When Xunyu Feifei disappeared into the lagoon, almost everyone, barring some from the Xunyu Clan, dropped their jaws. "Hoho, the Xunyu Princess is quite the talent," said Heigui Zhengkang while stroking his beard. "She found a way to use an existing spiritual ability that much better. It makes me want to reflect on my own abilities as well." Shenshe Zemin scoffed and pivoted her head to look at the elderly man. "Old man¡­ At your age, I doubt that there''s much you could change." Among the four Spirit Saints, Heigui Zhengkang was, without a doubt the oldest. However, he had been stuck at Rank 93 for the longest time, never capable of passing the next threshold. "Haha, you might be right!" Heigui Zhengkang wasn''t offended by his compatriot''s words. At this stage of his life, he had seen all and done everything. The elder would never be the type to snap at just a sly remark, especially since it was the truth. Now that he was almost reaching four hundred, there wasn''t much life left in his Spirit Saint lifespan. Even if he wanted to reinvent himself, the man lacked the time. "That''s why it''s so entertaining to see the youths battle it out! To make my aged blood flow just a little more." "I agree with Senior Zhengkang..." Jingyu Han nodded and turned to the woman to his side, wearing a half-mocking smile. "Tian, what do you think? Can the Prince of Water beat the five Luminaries?" A rhetorical question. Jingyu Han, as well as the other Spirit Saints, were all anticipating Shin''s loss, either by fatigue or vicious defeat. The Saint of Time didn''t answer initially. She too was surprised by the sudden revelation that Xunyu Feifei had in store. If all the other Luminaries had a hidden card to play as well¡­ Even she was starting to doubt her faith in Shin. Longyu Tian looked at Shin, fearful that he had begun to panic at the very first round. However, what she saw utterly blew her away¡­ Then, she smiled and replied: "Shin will win. No matter how much you guys doubt him, he''ll still win!" ??? Shin didn''t know that he was being scrutinised by the four strongest beings in the entire Lantis Republic. No, he had even forgotten that a hundred thousand people were watching him. All his attention was focused on the Xunyu Clan''s heiress, or to be precise, the lagoon that she had disappeared into. ''To think that she could hide inside her domain¡­'' Shin hadn''t calculated this variable when he came up with his battle plan. His initial hope was to bombard Xunyu Feifei from the skies, retaining as much mana as he possibly could. Shin was even prepared to never ignite the Shard to conserve his energy. Alas, not everything can go as planned. ''Whatever, it''s not like I''d never been in this situation before...'' Shin snorted, while his senses heightened. When he peered down at the lagoon, there was nothing but his own reflection, as well as the images of the blue skies and white fluffy clouds. Surprisingly, there were no undulations, no matter how hard Shin looked for them. Xunyu Feifei had really perfected her ability to its highest standard. ''If you''re going to hide, I might as well force you out.'' Shin snapped his fingers, and dense water spheres started to form beside the levitating man. He controlled the water planets expertly, growing it until they were ten metres in diameter. The entire sky was now blocked, and the audience were gaping in awe. The water spheres turned heavier and heavier until eventually... BOOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOOOMMMM!!! BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! Shin released them all, violently colliding them with the arena floor. There was no need for excessive force. Just the weight of the water and the gravitational pull of the earth was capable of tearing down any well-built house within a matter of seconds. However, when the rapid currents started to settle, on odd scene had begun to unfurl. Although Xunyu Feifei''s domain was made out of water, it behaved like oil and flowed up to the top of Shin''s created water. Almost instantly, the Shin''s attack was countered, and the Luminary''s domain ability was elevated up closer to the airborne Shin. Zzzzzzzsssstttttttttt!!! Before Shin could react, the five sturgeons leapt out of hiding and launched themselves into the skies like they were dolphins. Two sturgeons arrowed up towards Shin, ready to shoot him down and disrupt his aerial dominance, while three of them coiled around one another, creating a mock cannon that radiated out massive amounts of mana. Shin was mindful of all the sturgeons and zigzagged his way into safety. For good measure, he cast his own Aegis Bubble, lest one of the attacks hit him. He somersaulted past the two Heavenly Sturgeons until they ran out of energy and fell back down. Using his domain, Shin created multiple layers of water to protect himself. Though, it was all for nought¡­ BANNNNNGGGGG!!! BANNNNNGGGGG!!! BANNNNNGGGGG!!! BANNNNNGGGGG!!! The cannon that Xunyu Feifei''s Heavenly Sturgeons created shot four dense blobs of grey light. They passed through Shin''s defences like a hot knife through butter, gunning straight for the tender flesh of the young man. Using his acrobatics, Shin managed to dodge three of the potent attacks. Unfortunately, not everything was avoidable. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!! A colossal explosion. That was what the audience got to see. One second Shin was protected in his Aegis Bubble, unafraid of anything that was spewed in his direction. The other second he was covered in a cloud of dense, thick smoke that blocked anyone from seeing his condition. "Shin!" Kanari cried out from the audience stands. Due to her relationship with Shin, the maiden was allowed at ringside, hoping to be his biggest cheerleader. So one could imagine her fear when Shin was hit head-on with one of the Luminaries most potent attacks. "Is he still alive?" A random audience member muttered. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Damn, I''d thought that it would last the five rounds..." Another added. The Prince of Water was the main attraction of this entire event, and he just lost? In the very first round? "No! Look at that!" As the smoke began to clear, the spectators were treated to a spectacular scene. Shin, whom everyone had thought to be broken, was still flying up in the sky, his arms crossed and head tucked in. The Aegis Bubble that was supposed to protect him had been utterly broken down, and his robes were ripped into shreds. Some of the scales of his Spiritual Body Enhancement were fried entirely, showing bits of bruised skin and flowing crimson blood. However, for the most part, Shin was alive and kicking. He had tanked that attack. Billowing smoke was still emitted out of his body as Shin sluggishly opened up from his defensive position. Immediately, his healing ability kicked in, patching up all of the broken bones and torn tendons. Oddly enough, he didn''t possess the aura of a loser. An impish smile crept up the corner of Shin''s lips, and his gorgeous azure eyes glistened in an intelligent light. Even in his worst situation, the youth was enjoying himself. Then, ignoring all the stares that were shot his way, Shin muttered under his breath. "Analysis¡­ complete..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 444 Luminaries! Luminaries All Around! 2 "Analysis¡­ complete¡­" Shin was in the worst state since arriving in the Lantis Republic. His entire upper torso was exposed, and his flesh had started to tear from within. His healing factor was forcing back some of the pain, but Shin still felt like his entire body was being melted. "He''s okay¡­ That''s good¡­" Kanari sighed, relieved that Shin had tanked the attack. Then, she saw the youth''s face. "Those eyes¡­ Shin realised something¡­" It was a scene that Kanari had witnessed many times before. Whenever Shin had solved something, he would wear that exact same expression, as if he were a kid in a candy shop. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The Prince of Water didn''t use any of his usual spiritual abilities. Instead, his two hands became coated in dense azure light. The Domain of Dreams helped to increase the power within Shin''s palms, making him glow in an even more Imperial light. All of a sudden, the arena started to chill. Audience members felt the air cool, and some had even breathed out puffs of smoke, similar to that of a dragon''s breath. Meijing Bingying, being the Pearl in the East, and the best Spirit Spectre with the Ice-Element, was the first to exclaim. "Is he trying to freeze Feifei''s domain?" That was the logical conclusion. If Feifei could move within her Salt Flat Lagoon unhindered, all Shin needed to do was to cancel out the domain with his own abilities. However, Shin wasn''t an Ice-Elemental user, and it wasn''t that easy to freeze an entire domain of a famed Luminary, particularly Xunyu Feifei, whose entire battle plan rested on the powers of her domain. So what was Shin really trying to do? Xunyu Feifei noticed this from her hidden location, and a wry smile crept up her face. She knew that Shin wasn''t able to crack her domain and was confident that she could wear his mana down until he would be beaten. Feifei just needed patience and time, and from the looks of it, Shin had neither. The Prince of Water dived down like a falcon, pushing his two palms onto the transparent surface. All he could see were the reflection of his chiselled body and the gorgeous blue skies, but Shin wasn''t bothered by that. As anticipated, Feifei wouldn''t let Shin freeze her entire domain without putting up a fight. The five Heavenly Sturgeons that had disappeared into the Salt Flat Lagoon made their appearance once more, attacking Shin on all fronts. The whiskers of the albino-grey sturgeons were creeping ever so close towards Shin''s tender flesh, ready to rip it into shreds. However¡­ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The familiar siren''s wail screeched out, deafening any who were within thirty metres of the youth. On his back, a white shard, illuminated by the dense mana particles of the adorable little Sovereign Koi, broke the silence of the crowd, pulsating vast amounts of spiritual energies. The Shard of the Azure Dragon was completely stable, entirely unlike the maelstrom that Shin had witnessed in his Spiritual Body just a few months prior. The lightning bolts, created of pure destructive mana, flashed by, ready to wreck any that dared to cross its path. And then¡­ "Ignite..." Shin muttered that dreadful word. BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMM!!! Five resonant explosions destroyed the Heavenly Sturgeons, leaving the skies as clear as can be. Not many had the capabilities of witnessing or comprehending what Shin had accomplished, but those who did, all had ashen faces. "His partial ignition improved this much in one month?" Longyu Dao murmured. Shin didn''t really ignite the entire Shard. If he did, half the arena would have been destroyed and the shields protecting the audience would have been utterly broken down into a million pieces. Furthermore, fully igniting the Shard would take away a considerable chunk of Shin''s mana, crippling him for the later matches. It was a conclusion that neither Shin nor the administrators of Yingxiong Amphitheatre wanted. What Shin did was far more straightforward. He released the Shard of the Azure Dragon and ignited a percentage of what it could truly unleash. Then, he split it into five thunderbolts of pure mana, inflicting an offensive attack onto the five Heavenly Sturgeons. In the end, Feifei was unable to stop the youth''s descent onto her domain surface and could only watch as Shin began to freeze a little bit of her powers. ''Hmph! You''re naive if you think that I''ll sit back and let you stop my domain!'' Xunyu Feifei cursed. She moved in her mirror dimension into a better location and wanted to summon out even more Heavenly Sturgeons to come to her aid. However, to her complete surprise, Feifei was unable to utilise the entirety of her domain and was only able to materialise two Heavenly Sturgeons instead of her usual five. ''What''s going on?!'' The Luminary questioned herself. Shin had only just begun to freeze her domain. He wasn''t Meijing Bingying. To bypass her mana and take over her domain, the youth needed much more time! So why was it that Xunyu Feifei couldn''t control her domain anymore? ''Wait! What''s that?!'' It was by sheer coincidence that the Luminary looked down. Xunyu Feifei was questioning herself, and for some reason, her eyes were drawn to the ground, or rather the lack thereof. It was all a cloud of steaming hot mist, with a spiritual energy that would suffocate any normal Spirit Practitioner. Xunyu Feifei''s domain, which had floated up to the top, was now no longer the densest object. It started to drip down as the gas began to rise. The Luminary had been focused on the airborne Shin that she failed to realise that the world beneath her had started to change drastically. Shin knew of that. He was the one that changed his water into mist after all. Adding to the fact that the domain was being frozen from the surface as well, Xunyu Feifei was losing control over her domain, and she was losing it fast. In just one expert move, Shin had taken away the Luminary''s most potent weapon away from her, defanging her and giving him the complete upper hand. ''This ass! How did this happen?!'' Xunyu Feifei had never felt this countered in her life. Even when she fought Meijing Bingying, her freezing capabilities weren''t enough to completely strip the Luminary naked. Shin was the only person that had utterly stopped her domain within seconds, and he''d only fought her once! ''Tsk, I still have one move left!!!'' If Feifei stayed in the domain, she would be forced out. Hence, the Luminary decided to launch one final counter-attack. She wasn''t just going to lose without putting on one last struggle. The two Heavenly Sturgeons joined her as she rode straight into Shin''s area. There was ice all around him, so the Princess of the Xunyu Clan had to attack from his sides. The two Heavenly Sturgeons expanded to become ten metres long each, and they all rose from what remained of the Salt Flat Lagoon like a Great White Shark jumping into the skies to kill its prey. OOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Water elements went out of control as Xunyu Feifei encroached into Shin''s dominion. Two Luminaries, each one at the peak of their powers were about to come face to face. Shin''s hands were still firmly attached to the surface of the Lagoon, while Xunyu Feifei was free to attack the Prince of Water with whatever moves she had. It really was a no brainer for the audience to guess who was about to win that exchange. Alas, they all were forced to hold their tongues. Before Feifei could even reach Shin, the Domain of Dreams automatically created a thousand water chains and weapons. Swords, spears, halberds, arrows¡­ The list went on. They were like an angered army ready to squash the intruders that dared to walk into their land. The Heavenly Sturgeons were strong. Stronger than most people would have anticipated. They could ground earth into dust and destroy infallible walls with just a bump to the head. However, even they were bound by the rules of mana. Shin''s Domain of Dreams bombarded the two Heavenly Sturgeons until nothing remained, and the female Luminary was left with nothing to protect her as she fell onto the frozen land. Xunyu Feifei looked like an immortal maiden descending from the heavens, with the remnant mana particles from her Heavenly Sturgeons glistening all around. She really didn''t look like a loser of an intense battle. The Luminary could even break a smile. She truly had been humbled in defeat. At this time, Shin had long released his hold over the ice floor and created the Spear of Aiglos, pointing it at the maiden''s neck. Yes, Xunyu Feifei could continue fighting, but was it worth it? Her domain had been shattered, her spiritual abilities were countered heavily by the Prince of Water. She was now in arm''s reach of Shin, who was a spearmaster in his own right. Not to mention, he still had his Spiritual Body Enhancement and domain on. The Xunyu Clan''s Princess could continue on fighting, but what was the point? She was already beaten down, and any more strife would just injure her. Not worth it, in her opinion. Raising her two hands up, Xunyu Feifei sighed. "Alright, I surrender." "Thank you for your leniency," Shin smiled and dropped his weapon. It was hard-fought, but now¡­ He had finally won. "OOOORRYYYYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The crowd broke into thunderous applause. It has been a while since they witnessed such an entertaining match. Shin''s attacks were completely unorthodox. Xunyu Feifei had control for the first part of the match, and her execution over her domain continued to impress. Still, it was no match for Shin''s overwhelming planning powers. "Wow, the Prince of Water really lives up to his name!" For many, it was the first time watching Shin perform. Not only was his efficient in moulding water into his own shape, but he could also even create mist and ice with relative ease. Xunyu Feifei was by no means a weak individual. However, in the latter part of the matches, the youth had dispatched her without even breaking a single sweat. "If he continues at this rate, maybe he can really defeat the five Luminaries?!" One voice remarked above the Luminary stands, forcing the four remaining talents to wear blank expressions. Meijing Bingying was naturally happy about Shin''s growth, but she couldn''t appear too jubilant. After all, the remaining three people that were seated next to her didn''t particularly like the concept of losing. Qilong Hu was the first to break the ice. "Shin, he¡­ grew this much, huh?" "Hehe, he really is a box of surprises..." Jingyu Taiyi replied smilingly. Though, if one observed really carefully, they could see a slight uneasiness within the slants of his eyes. The man was smiling, but his heart was far from happy. "..." Longyu Linji remained silent. He was the next one to face Shin after Xunyu Feifei. The young man needed to retain his composure, not to become too overwhelmed by the power that Shin had displayed. Xunyu Feifei had lost. In a rather convincing manner, as well. Typically, just one win over a Luminary was enough to make a person leap over the moon, and breakdance in the middle of nowhere. However, Shin wasn''t the average person. He jumped back to his corner, where Kanari and Longyu Hai waited for him. "Brother Shin! Here''s a towel!" The young girl faithfully executed her duties as a squire, serving Shin at any chance she got. "I also brought you a change of clothes if you need them." Shin''s robes had been torn by Xunyu Feifei''s dreadful attack. To look more presentable for the next fight, he needed to change. However, Shin didn''t really care about appearances. Shin took the towel and freshened up his face and turned to Kanari to say: "Cover me, I''d used over thirty percent of my mana. I need to recover as much as I possibly can." After unleashing his domain, creating thousands of water weapons and bombs, dousing an entire arena in water, converting water into ice and most importantly¡­ Partially igniting the Shard, Shin had used for more mana than he''d anticipated. There was still fifteen minutes until his next bout against Linji and every minute count. "Do you need a mana crystal?" Kanari asked as if knowing what procedures to follow after a match. "That would be nice..." The youth smiled and sat in a lotus position on the stone bed prepared for him. There was no time to waste. He sat down and took a deep breath in. The mana that he''d lost was rapidly coming back to him. Fifteen minutes. That was all he had. So, Shin had to treasure every second before they took the stage... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 445 Luminaries! Luminaries All Around! 3 "Not bad! Not bad at all!" Jingyu Han, the Saint of Oceans, slapped his thigh in jubilation and turned to his fellow Spirit Saint. "Tian, this youth is really quite the treasure! Instead of fighting with brute force, he analysed how the Xunyu Clan''s Princess was going to fight and created counters! He reminds me of you when you were younger, Tian!" The broad-shouldered Spirit Saint was tempted to slap the Saint of Time on the back, only to be stopped by her angered glare. Even though they were close, there were some limits to Jingyu Han''s familiarity. "Hoho, I''ve heard from Baobiao that he''s strong, but I didn''t expect that it''ll be to this extent..." Heigui Zhengkang smirked. "I can understand why you wanted to bring him over to our side so desperately." "Hah¡­ Why couldn''t he part of our Shenshe Clan?" The eagle-nosed woman sighed, a little jealous that the Longyu Clan was about to become stronger. Currently, as it stood, the Eight Ancient Clans of Water were ranked as follows. The Jingyu, Longyu, Heigui and Shenshe Clan all possessed one Spirit Saint at the helm, so they made up the top four spots. The Xunyu, Zhangyu, Qilong and Meijing Clan made up the bottom tier. Though they were all unified, some competition for resources was bound to occur and ultimately, whoever possessed the higher military strength, had more sway in the High Council. Throughout the thousands of years since the Lantis Republic was founded, the rankings had changed multiple times. This generation, the Jingyu Clan reigned supreme. The previous one, it was the Zhangyu''s. A generation prior, it was the Xunyu. The cycle would continue, and there was always one constant for each one of their eras. They all had a Spirit Saint leading them. See, it didn''t matter if any of the Clans had an overwhelming navy or a dozen-odd of the best Spirit Venerates. So long as a Spirit Saint existed in their family, their Clan would ultimately be elevated into the top four, allowing whichever Clan they came from to start their own era. Shin was a prodigy that could be groomed to become such an entity. It was apparent that the Longyu Clan would do anything in its power to keep him within their walls. Furthermore, the Saint of Time wasn''t that old either. If Shin came of age and advanced at his current pace, the Longyu Clan might potentially see two Spirit Saints living under the same roof. That was a dream for any of the Eight Ancient Clans of Water, as when that happens, they would essentially become the undeniable hegemon of the Lantis Republic, dethroning the Jingyu Clan entirely. "The Lantis Republic would be lucky to have Shin on our side..." Longyu Tian instantly deflected Shin''s growth as something that would benefit the Lantis Republic as a whole, not just the Longyu Clan. "That''s why we have to make sure he goes through the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. Who knows? Perhaps he''s the Lady of Water''s inheritor?" "Don''t spew nonsense, Tian." Heigui Zhengkang scoffed, and his eyelids twitched. "How many years has it been since the Lady of Water passed? For those thousands upon thousands of years, her inheritor has never appeared. Honestly, we''d long given up on the search." As the oldest of the bunch, the Heigui Spirit Saint was acutely aware of how many times the Lantis Republic had been burnt. "I know, I know¡­ Just spitting out hypotheticals..." Longyu Tian dismissed the notion as well. "But who knows? Maybe he''ll trigger a Spirit Evolution like me? If we have five Spirit Saints, and two of them have evolved Spirits, don''t you think that we''ll be able to finish Atlantis much faster?" The three Spirit Saints went silent. Atlantis had been a multi-generational project started during the age of Spirit Immortal Dream. There were just too many factors to consider when building the structure, and most importantly, they lacked the appropriate talented manpower. If Shin were to join in, perhaps they would be able to finish Atlantis before their generation was over. "That''s a lot of ifs, Tian..." Jingyu Han folded his arms and remarked. "What if he doesn''t live up to your expectations? What if he''s just a slightly more talented boy that would never make it to the Spirit Saint realm?" All four of them knew how hard it was to reach their acclaimed level. Many were more talented than them. Many who were more hardworking than them. They had even seen the rise and fall of many geniuses, some of them were even more talented than Shin himself. Yet, none of them had managed to reach the Spirit Saint realm. So, what made Shin that much different? "I guess you''ll need some more convincing," Longyu Tian dropped her back onto the throne and stared down on the arena. "No matter, when Shin defeats the four other Luminaries, I''m sure you''ll change your mind." "Hmph! His next opponent is someone from the Longyu Clan! I don''t think we should count that match!" Shenshe Zemin venomously spouted, her nostrils flared up. "Oh, ho? Why do you think so?" "Wouldn''t you have given the Luminary orders to go lenient on the boy?" "On the contrary..." Longyu Tian shook her head, pointing her finger down at the black-haired Luminary. "Do those eyes look like someone who had been influenced to hold their punches?" Longyu Linji sat down silently, his entire being focused on the young man that sat in meditation. Even though they were dozens of metres up, the Spirit Saints could sense an aura pushing away any that dared to roam close to the man. His eyes were dilated, and the sides of his lips were twitching quickly. The young man didn''t look like an average cultivator entering a sparring contest. He looked like a warrior prepared to go to war. "Hoh? Is there a grudge between Shin and him?" Jingyu Han mused. "Not entirely..." The Saint of Time rolled her eyes. "Linji¡­ His past is a little¡­ special..." She didn''t really want to divulge too much of the Clan''s affairs to the Spirit Saints of the other houses, so Longyu Tian opted to be cryptic. "Also, just imagine. Having climbed up to the very top, breaking down all of the opponents that stood in his way, finally reaching the apex, gaining the adoration and praise of everyone in the Clan¡­ Only to have it stripped away because of one new addition. No one would be thrilled." Humans were quite straightforward. They want to survive, and to do it in the best possible way. Just months before, all of the Longyu Clan''s resources could be poured into Longyu Linji, helping him grow to become a Spirit Venerate and possibly even a Spirit Saint. Now, they were all filtered down to Shin. Anyone in the youth''s position would have been upset, especially someone like Linji, who had worked so hard to reach the top. "So this is a battle for Linji to prove himself. He wants to beat Shin in the biggest stage that there is, showing everyone who is the top dog of his generation." Longyu Tian continued as if she the two young men fighting was of no concern to her. "You''re awfully calm..." Heigui Zhengkang noted. "If Shin falls to Linji, wouldn''t that be detrimental to you?" "It would be, but how can Shin deserve my adoration if he can''t beat the current best talent in the Longyu Clan?" Longyu Tian flashed a wry smile. "Also, it wouldn''t be fair for Linji if I told him to just pull his punches. He''s a talent to be nurtured as well." "You''re right..." Jingyu Han smacked his lips and dropped his heavy back down on the throne. The fifteen minutes that Shin had to recover was almost up. Longyu Linji''s furiousity could be felt even from their distance. When the time comes, the Spirit Saints were confident that it would be a thrilling match for all to see. ??? The Longyu Clan. Some saw the prestigious house as an idol of worship. Some saw it as an ancient household that should become a national heritage. Some even saw it as a place of refuge. For Longyu Linji, the Longyu Clan was all of that combined. From birth, he hadn''t been part of the main bloodline. His father was from a side house of the Longyu Clan while his mother was a lowborn seamstress. They didn''t have much growing up. Segregated by the upper echelons, Linji could only watch in envy from a distance as the Longyu Clan main bloodline children got some of the best benefits while he was left with scraps. Even though they had been undercut for years, Linji still idolised the Longyu Clan. Its history, the overall military might that it boasted, the Spirit Saints that reigned at the helm, Linji was fascinated by everything that they had. He swore that one day, he would become strong enough to stand side by side with the best and the brightest from the Longyu Clan, maybe even marrying into it to serve. So, one can imagine his joy when he awakened the Sovereign Koi during the Day of Spirits. The Sovereign Koi was the token Spirit of the Longyu Clan. Not everyone could awaken that Spirit, but those at the top would always possess that adorable little cerulean Koi. With that one revelation, the world had changed for Linji and his immediate family. They were brought into the main bloodline, notably Longyu Palace, to help train Linji in the ways of the Sovereign Koi. He was given valuable resources that no one from the middle or lower class could ever afford. Some of the best Spirit Lords would become his mentors, and most importantly, Linji was able to claim the Longyu name all for himself. It really was a dream come through for the young ten-year-old. However, something was missing. Even though he had awakened the Sovereign Koi, in many of the Longyu Clan''s main bloodline''s eyes, the young boy was still just an outsider that managed to luck himself into their sanctuary. There was a distance between him and the other youths in the Clan. Boys didn''t want to play with him while girls were told to keep their distance. Segregation still existed in the Clan, even with Linji awakening the Sovereign Koi. It was something that the young boy was acutely aware of. Linji knew that if he wanted to be recognised in the Longyu Clan, he had to work doubly as hard. And so he did. Every single waking hour, he had was dedicated to his own self-betterment. When the other children were playing, he was cultivating. When they attending school, he would never leave his chair during classes and was the one who took down the most notes. Over the years, the youth''s talent in cultivation became increasingly apparent, and many of the upper management started to take note. With the unique state of his Spirit, the Longyu Clan Head had even personally asked a famed Spirit Emperor to come down and mentor the youth for a few months, just like how Lady Seph taught the Frie Clan Master when she was younger. In the end, Linji became the first teenager from the Longyu Clan to attain the Luminary status in twenty years, elevating his position to even higher heights. Before, people would shun him away. Now, they couldn''t help but fawn over him. Such was the title of a Luminary. Everything that happened in the past was forgotten, and those from the main bloodline wanted him to become the poster child of the Longyu Clan. But then¡­ The Summit happened¡­ Shin Iofiel, a talent from the Himmel Empire that possessed the Sovereign Koi, announced himself on the grandest stage there was, making him an overnight sensation. Longyu Tian had almost started a war against the Himmel Empire, just to bring the youth back to the clan. It was a deed that not only shook the clan but the entire Lantis Republic as well. Bit by bit, the glory that Linji had built for himself had been thrown into the water, as Shin''s name started to ring about in the clan. Everyone wanted to meet him, even though he hadn''t stepped a single foot into the illustrious clan. When they found out that he was part of the main bloodline, as well as a direct relative to the current Clan Master, the entire Longyu Clan nearly flipped itself over. They wanted the Prince of Water so badly that they forgot the Prince that they currently had. Longyu Linji didn''t like that one bit. The young man''s footsteps were as light as a feather. There wasn''t any noise when he touched down on the arena. He watched his opponent do the same. Shin looked at Linji for about two seconds, before his eyes shifted to the remaining three Luminaries on the stands. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ''Even now, you''re not looking in my direction, huh?'' Linji sneered. Shin was planning to defeat all five Luminaries, so he wasn''t particularly willing to go all out on Linji. ''If you think that I''ll be a stepping stone for your story, you''re sorely mistaken, you brat!!!'' Linji roared internally. Onyx scales crept up his pale white skin, covering the young man''s entire body in a different colour to that of the Sovereign Koi. Dark essence flowed out from every nook and cranny of Linji''s physique and a sense of dread overwhelmed those who witnessed him. That''s right¡­ Longyu Linji wasn''t a Spirit User who awakened the Sovereign Koi. He had awakened a mutated Sovereign Koi, allowing him to gain dominion over the Water and Darkness elements. The young man tightened his wristguards and increased his overall armour and fighting capabilities. Glaring at his opponent, Longyu Linji finally muttered: "Longyu Linji. Spirit, the Twilight Sovereign Koi. Rank 47. Please advise me." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 446 The Longyu Clans Top Dog 1 Shin saw Linji armour up, eager to start the battle as soon as he could. Shin was certain that the man would attack the moment he cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement, hoping to tear him limb from limb. Shin had prepared for every Luminary he was facing, and Longyu Linji was no exception. The young man was a martial artist that used his combination of Water and Darkness elements to confuse and deter his foes. Prime weapon? Using his two fists to knock as many idiots down as quickly as he could. Against martial artists, particularly ones that could move using the Light or Darkness elements, it wouldn''t be wise for Shin to ignite the Shard or bombard him with Shape-Style Techniques as they could easily dodge them. Unfortunately for Linji, Shin was now the sweetheart of the Longyu Clan. Among all of the Luminaries, Shin had the most information about Linji. Each time he asked someone in the clan what were the young man''s abilities, Shin would get information so comprehensive that he would wonder if they did an analysis prior to him asking. Either way, it helped in Shin crafting the most efficient method of taking down Linji. Firstly, the young man relied solely on his ''Darkness Water,'' a hybrid that mixed his two elements together. All of Linji''s attacks that weren''t martial arts used this ''Darkness Water,'' either to confuse his opponent or buff himself exponentially. The fist techniques that the Luminary favoured were also detailed down to Shin, and he had been practising with Longyu Qiangshe, the Spirit Lord that specialised in martial arts. Essentially, Linji was the Luminary that Shin had prepared the most for, and so¡­ ''Let''s start it off with this!'' Shin cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement as well as bringing out the new set of Acupuncture Needles that were made specifically for his Divine Needle Binding technique. It had a silver tip, laced with some of the most potent neurotoxins that Shin could concoct. The golden dragon head as a base helped with Shin''s grip, particularly when moving around at rapid speeds which he frequently did with his Lightning Swallow Steps. Mychael''s teaching hadn''t been flushed down the toilet. Shin made sure to practice at least a few repetitions a day to keep his body warm to the techniques, and when he was training over the past few months, Shin had a quick refresher by sparring desperately with Kanari or Longyu Qiangshe. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Shin''s two feet turned illusory as the Lightning Swallow Steps were executed to its finest degree. That sudden burst ahead took Longyu Linji by surprise. The Luminary had always envisioned the match, to begin with him being the aggressor. Shin was the ''weaker'' cultivator, so it would be logical for him to leap back and attack Linji, who was a close-combat specialist, from afar using his array of long-ranged techniques. However, perhaps it was a mixture of shock and unpreparedness, Linji was a little slow to react. Furthermore, Shin had used his fastest foot technique that had surprised even Spirit Lords and Kings. In just a fraction of a second, Shin''s Golden Dragon Needles had left his fingers and flew straight for the Luminary''s meridians. SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! SLLIICKKK!! Linji reflexes were quick, so half the needles missed their mark. Alas, his miscalculation had cost him. The remaining six needles attacked six of Linji''s Prime Meridians, locking the young Luminary in place. Although the Divine Needle Binding wasn''t complete, it had still done enough to bind Linji. Each time he tried to move, Linji''s limbs would clench up in agony, and his veins would show. Naturally, the audience were shell shocked. Was the great Longyu Linji, just defeated? Just like that? It hadn''t even been ten seconds since the match began and the young man had been caught by Shin''s technique? Before anyone could call foul, Shin charged straight at Linji, his expression as ashen as stone. The Golden Dragon Needles that missed their mark all oscillated in the air, controlled by Shin''s own remote water manipulation. They rapidly charged down, hoping to lock down the remaining of Linji''s meridians and giving him the record knockout time. Many thought that it was a little overkill. Going for a follow up when his opponent was already down. But¡­ Oh, how wrong they were. BBBBBSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! Shin was just inches away from locking Linji down before the young Luminary turned into a pile of Darkness Water, completely disappearing from the view of the audience. It was as if Linji that was sealed was never the real Linji in the first place. "Tsk..." Annoyed, Shin clicked his tongue. He leapt up into the air, and an azure nebula burst out from his body, rapidly increasing the humidity of the arena. Shin also created two gigantic water spheres, each one more vast than the last. After charging them both with mana, the youth split them up, one to take the floor, the other to reign the skies. At the same time, the Spear of Aiglos reappeared in Shin''s hands, while the numerous Golden Dragon Needles whizzed about Shin''s immediate vicinity. "He really understands Linji''s abilities well..." Qilong Hu, the leader of the five Luminaries, had his right hand under his nose, covering his entire mouth. He couldn''t believe how much Shin had planned for the first five seconds of the match. Longyu Linji''s entire spiritual ability kit revolves around using a mixture of top-tier martial arts and his Darkness Water. The ability he used to escape Shin''s Divine Needle Binding was called Substitute. A simple concept. If Linji flesh was being compromised, he could transfer his Spectre Soul into a different place where his Darkness Water was. It was a mana heavy spiritual ability, and the Luminary could only use it a few times before he completely runs out of gas. Shin knew of this, so he decided to take advantage of the time where Linji was reforging his body to prepare two massive attacks. So wherever he reappeared, be it in the skies or the ground, the Luminary would be bombarded with two deadly strikes, hopefully forcing him to use Substitute once more. And five seconds had barely passed¡­ As anticipated, Linji was unable to keep hiding, and a puddle of Darkness Water began to reforge at the corner of the arena. "Harghh!!!" Shin grunted, transforming the entire bottom sphere into an Arcane River. The rapid torrents crashed violently on the puddle that Linji was reappearing from. Time continued to past as dirt and gravel began to arise. Shin observed, ready to launch yet another attack if Linji had escaped using Substitute once more. WHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Then, an odd scene occurred. The Arcane River, which should have been continuously applying pressure onto Longyu Linji, had now turned into a whirlpool. Usually, that wouldn''t be a problem for Shin. All he needed to do was to spend a little bit of mana, and his Arcane River would get back on track. However, there was one complication. SSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! From the centre of the Arcane River, dark billowing essence corrupted Shin''s mana, forcing the youth to lose all control over his own ability. Linji''s chiselled body floated up to the surface, his face red with burning hate. The Arcane River that Shin had thrown onto the Luminary had changed into a new rapidly flowing sphere made entirely of the Darkness Water that Linji was renowned for. Like a giant meatball, Linji''s new control over the Darkness Water sphere continued to grow until eventually, he was able to raise it above his head. With one punch, Linji sent the sphere flying at top speeds, ready to knock Shin down from his position. Snorting, Shin controlled the second orb of water and launched his most favoured Flow-Style technique. Under the influence of the domain, the morning blue skies turned into night for Linji as gorgeous starlight dripped down from the heavens, countering the Darkness Water Sphere that Linji had thrown. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A rattling, similar to that of a fizzy drink being opened, dominated the ears of the spectators. The two abilities had cancelled each other out, leaving nothing but beautiful sparkles behind. Adding the Domain of Dreams to the mix, it really was an ethereal sight for the eyes. Children excitedly cheered without knowing what was going on while adults were amazed that such a scene was made by two Spirit Spectres. However, the two foes weren''t able to enjoy the view. Linji never moved his eyes away from the skies, but somehow, he had managed to lose sight of Shin. The Luminary''s two brows were brought together, and his senses were heightened. He looked to the left, he looked to the right. He glanced above, he searched below. But Shin was still nowhere to be found. Which meant that there was only one place left that the Prince of Water could come from. CLANK!!! Linji shot his fist backwards, clashing against the sharp Spear of Aiglos, Shin''s weapon of choice. The young man clicked his tongue as if he was angered that someone had countered his ability. Still, Shin wasn''t deterred. The Golden Dragon Needles flew about like buzzing bees, aiding him with the assault on Linji''s body. The Luminary pivoted his feet and prepared himself for a huge roundhouse kick. It was his most significant chance since the fight began. Shin had been in control of the battle thus far, and Linji had been dancing to his tune. If Linji could land a massive hit on Shin''s relatively weaker body, the Luminary could sway the tides of battle in his favour. Alas, just as his left thigh left the ground, his instincts all screamed out like crazy, forcing the martial artist to leap back ten steps with complete fear. The Golden Dragon Needles bolted down, slicing the ground where Linji once stood. ''Hah¡­ Hah¡­ That was close!!!'' The Luminary counted his lucky stars that his roundhouse kick didn''t connect. Yes, he would have damaged Shin severely with that one kick, but what would it have cost him? TSSSSSSSSSSTTTTT!!! Shin didn''t want to give Linji even a split second to recover. Knowing that his attack had failed, Shin launched yet another, this time executing the Infinite Tsunami Spear. Being a member of the Lantis Republic, not to mention a dominating Luminary, Linji knew the strengths and weaknesses of the Infinite Tsunami Spear. It was all in the momentum. If Linji could stop Shin from gaining any momentum, the technique would fall flat, and it would leave Shin wide open for an array of counters. He even thought that Shin was being too cocky, trying to use the Lantis Republic''s martial arts against one of its top martial artists. Oh, how wrong Linji was. The Infinite Tsunami Spear continued to relentlessly attack the Luminary, all while the Golden Dragon Needle spun around in the air. Any gaps that Shin had left, the needles would bolt down to cover him. Linji tried to cover his entire arm with Darkness Water, but the domain that Shin had unleashed allowed him to create even more water to counter Linji''s own. Each exchange between the two black-haired youths ended up with Linji''s tragic loss as he was being pushed back slowly. How bad was the Luminary losing? Each time he threw one fist, he had to retract ten. All of his martial arts, which had been serving him faithfully over the years, were all being countered before Linji could even throw them. Kicks? Taken down by the Golden Dragon Needles. Punches? Sealed by Shin''s water techniques. Worst still, Shin''s Infinite Tsunami Spear was gaining momentum throughout the exchanges, making each strike more terrifying than the last. "Linji, he..." Qilong Hu couldn''t bear to watch. He wasn''t that chummy with the Longyu Clan''s Luminary, but he knew what it was like to be embarrassed on the national stage. See, Shin had detailed all of Linji''s martial arts and came up with countless of counters for them. Like a chess grandmaster, Shin had already seen the final board before the first move had even begun. From the start to the end, Shin had been holding the upper hand, pushing the Luminary to the ropes each time. It was just a pity that all of Linji''s abilities and techniques were known to Shin. If they had entered the match blind, Linji might have surprised Shin with some of his techniques and god knows who would be reigning supreme now? In the end, it was the result that mattered. Shin was on the verge of besting Linji, and that was without breaking a single sweat. In the eyes of the spectators, Linji''s value would begin to plummet, and he''ll forever remain in the shadow of the Longyu Clan''s new top dog. It was now just a matter of time... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 447 The Longyu Clans Top Dog 2 "Linji''s about to lose..." Longyu Dao folded his arms and grimly muttered out. Beside him, a gorgeous woman sat on her luxurious chair, legs crossed and head thrown back. Her grey hair was tied up into a bun with a jade whale hairpin, and her small face made her a pleasant sensation for the eyes. Though, not many would dare to underestimate her from her looks. As the Spirit Saints had washed their hands off matters human realm, the top governing official in the Lantis Republic was an elected Spirit Venerate, who would serve the nation as their Chancellor. If the High Council were the governing body of the Republic, then the Chancellor would be the face of the country. She was the one that signs bills into law, represents the Lantis Republic in foreign affairs and in times of crisis, was the martial commander of the country. That was the Chancellor, Jingyu Shenxian. "It can''t be helped¡­ Your new Prince is quite the stud," replied the Chancellor, her hands shaking the goblet of wine in her hands. "All of the moves thus far were under his calculations. Really, that young man fights in the same manner that Saint Longyu Tian does..." Back in her day, Jingyu Shenxian had been an ultimate general that ravaged the high oceans and destroyed fleet after fleet with ease. She looked no older than forty, but her actual age had exceeded three hundred, making her the same generation as Longyu Tian. Jingyu Shenxian had seen the way that Longyu Tian fights. With her cheat-like ability to peek into the future, the Saint of Time was able to counter all of her opponents'' techniques through masterful planning and precision fighting. It was highly reminiscent of what Shin was doing, just that the youth didn''t have any Time-Elemental capabilities. "No wonder your Clan''s Saint likes him so much," Jingyu Shenxian chuckled and eyed down the Longyu Clan Master. "It doesn''t matter what the Saint thinks¡­ If the High Council could just bring Shin straight into the Trial, all of this could have been avoided..." Longyu Dao had one nostril raised, and his eyes began to twitch. Evidently, he was still pissed off that they had to go through all of this hassle for a deed that was rightfully Shin''s. "Haha, you''re right." Jingyu Shenxian didn''t deny it. In fact, she felt a little sympathy for the Longyu Clan, Shin particularly. "Having him prove his loyalty is just an excuse to deter his potential Spirit Evolution as long as possible. Honestly, politics can be such a drag sometimes." Who stood the most to gain if Shin wasn''t able to take the Trial? Wasn''t it the other seven Clans who wanted to curb the influence of the Longyu Clan? The Jingyu Clan didn''t want their hegemony to be questioned, and the weaker clans didn''t want to see the Longyu Clan gain yet another Spirit Saint. Other than the Meijing Clan, who was allied with the Longyus, none of the Elders in the High Council was thrilled about the idea of Shin taking the Trial. "Even now, the Jingyu Clan is scrambling to find an excuse to postpone Shin''s eventual baptism. Hah¡­ I wish that everyone could be a little more open-minded..." As she thought about her brethren back in the Clan, Jingyu Shenxian couldn''t help but sigh heavily. She came from a military background, and her mindset was extremely straightforward. Compared to the dirty minds of the politicians, the Chancellor was just a novice. Longyu Dao shared the same sentiment as his compatriot. Sighing, he said, "Would the Eight Ancient Clans ever be truly united?" "Unless the Lady of Water resurrects from her grave, I highly doubt so," replied Jingyu Shenxian. "We have been at loggerheads since time immemorial. Even though we formed the Republic, each Clan still lives and dies by its own mantra. All of our forefathers that tried to quell the competition had all failed miserably. Perhaps, only the Celestial Dragon itself could bring the entire Republic back into one shape." The Lantis Republic had always stayed out of foreign affairs, even if it meant that they would be losing out. Why? Because of the constant strife between the Eight Clans of Water. Their warring ways were laced down in their blood as they had been battling out for generations now. Though the Lantis Republic had joined the Eight Ancient Clans together, some bad blood still remained. Why would they concern themselves with others when they were just a few conflicts away from an entire civil war? "Hah¡­ Those assholes..." "Watch yourself, Dao..." Hearing the man''s coarse language, Jingyu Shenxian frowned and offered the man a word of advice. "The Longyu Clan has been treading on thin ice ever since the Summit. The others aren''t happy that the Saint of Time had dragged us into a treaty that favoured the Longyu Clan only. The Zhangyu, Shenshe and Jingyu Clan had all began to side with one another. It''s only a matter of time before the Longyu Clan would be isolated by the rest." "..." The Clan Master didn''t reply. He looked down at the adjacent box, where the vast majority of the High Elders were seated. They were all frowning at Shin''s magnificent performance. Each time Shin pushed Linji to a corner, they would bite their nails to hold back their frustration. And when Linji gushed out from a tight spot, they clenched their fists ready to cheer the Luminary on. Evidently, they weren''t thrilled about the prospect of Shin winning. If anything, they wanted the youth to lose on the spot, so that he would be forced to sit back for five years. Longyu Dao groaned, "It really is a pity..." The match between Shin and Linji had long devolved into a one-sided brawl. Shin''s Infinite Tsunami spear was pushing the Luminary back inch by inch, and Linji was about to reach his breaking point. In terms of martial arts, Linji was superior to Shin. He hits harder, moves more fluidly and even has the better footwork. However, Shin had the assistance of his created water and the Golden Dragon Needles flying about. In the end, it was the superior numbers that Shin boasted which locked Linji in place. ''He should be making a mistake right about now...'' Shin frowned. In his plans, Linji should have lost all control twenty moves back, enabling Shin to land a fatal blow that would incapacitate the Luminary. Alas, Linji''s persistence and resilience held firm, even when he had been pushed back since the beginning of their match. Shin was the aggressor, but he couldn''t keep it up for long. The physical toll it took on the man was tremendous, and his arms and lower body began to hurt. In theory, the Infinite Tsunami Spear could last forever. However, there were many a time where theory would fail in the practical realm. Shin''s body wasn''t suited for the technique and at most, he could keep it going for a minute longer. When his momentum died, Shin needed to leap back to take a breather before he could begin his new assault. It was the perfect chance for Linji to turn the tables on the youth. The match needed to end, and it needed to end now. Shin grunted and changed the direction in which the Spear of Aiglos spun. It was a risk, changing the momentum from one side to the other, but it was a compromise that Shin was willing to take. The Golden Dragon Needles covered for him as he made the switch, but that slight change was enough for Linji to smell blood in the water. "ARGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The Luminary let out a battle-cry, jolting Shin''s shoulders back. The Darkness Water that Shin had under control was now unleashed with full fury, as Linji leapt straight forward, throwing caution into the wind. "I''M NOT GOING TO FUCKING LOSE TO YOU!!!" Linji roared. All of the resentment that he had bottled up was unleashed, and the man threw his strongest punch yet. The Golden Dragon Needles all rained down, piercing through his thick scaly skin, but that didn''t stop Linji''s attack. In fact, for some mystical reason, the punch seemed to become all the more terrifying in Shin''s eyes. With no time left, Shin spun the Spear of Aiglos around and held it straight in front of his chest. BAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!! Shin''s Infinite Tsunami Spear momentum had been broken and worst of all, the Spear of Aiglos, which should have been as tough as diamonds, had now shattered into a thousand pieces. "OOOHHHHHH!!!" The crowd got up in cheers. The first part of the bout had been dominated by Shin and Linji barely had the chance to counter. Now, it was a different story. Were they about to see a reversal in the tides? Of course, it wasn''t just Shin who had been injured. Linji''s sudden explosive attack that ignored any sort of defence allowed the Golden Dragon Needles to pierce through some of the Luminary''s meridians. Unfortunately, Shin didn''t completely seal the young man up, and Linji was able to cast his Substitute again. He was in a whole lot of pain, but Linji didn''t care. Now that Shin was on the other foot, there was a chance for him to end the brat that dared to challenge the hierarchy. Everything was thrown out of the window. Linji only had one plan. Rush Shin down until he landed a clean hit. Shin didn''t have the raw power that Linji had, and one punch would be sufficient to break the youth''s bones and pierce through his organs. But Linji needed to land that hit. Shin retreated, sending even more Golden Dragon Needles in hopes of deterring Linji''s advance. However, the Luminary was having none of that. He couldn''t care less about defence now. Linji wanted to tear the brat running away from him, limb from limb and there was nothing on earth that could stop him now. Half of the Golden Dragon Needles connected with their target and before Shin could complete the Divine Needle Binding technique, Linji cast his Substitute again. Typically, the Luminary would use that life-saving card that he had sparingly, but the man wasn''t thinking straight. As he was, Linji had transformed into a berserker that lusted for Shin''s blood. Again and again, the pattern continued. Shin ran from Linji, while the man charged forward like an angered bull, ready to destroy anything in his path. The Golden Dragon Needles all failed to bind Linji as he kept using Substitute and his Darkness Water to push forward. Eventually, the Luminary''s determination had finally paid off. "ARGHHHHHHH!!!" Linji yelled out. He was now just inches away from Shin''s body. One more hit would do it. He had expended a considerable amount of his mana, using Substitute consecutively, but he was finally here. One more hit¡­ One more hit to end Shin and show the world who was the top dog in the Longyu Clan¡­ There was no hesitation. The gauntlet on Linji''s right arm trembled in pure jubilation as he unleashed his fist. Golden Dragon Needles were sticking out of his flesh, and a dozen more were flying down, hoping to catch the Luminary before it was too late. Alas¡­ It was too late. "DIEEEE!!!" Linji screamed out his inner thoughts. He didn''t want Shin defeated, he wanted Shin dead. His fist piledrived through the air and penetrated Shin''s chest. Linji''s arm shot out from the other side as everyone in the audience gasped out in complete horror. The Prince of Water was about to be killed! The shockwave of Linji''s punch didn''t stop after piercing through Shin''s flesh. A crater formed underneath the two young Spirit Spectres, sending all sorts of dirt and earth flying about. Though no one cared about the damage. They only wanted to know if Shin was alive or not. ''I finally did it! You fucker! I''m the Longyu Clan''s Luminary! Not you!!!'' Linji cheered internally as he watched the lifeless eyes of the body he punched through. They had turned entirely white, and liquid was flowing out from its sockets. His limbs were now inanimate, dropping down on each side. Shin was completely still¡­ Too still, in fact¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ''Wait a second...'' As his adrenaline died down, Linji started to notice something odd. The liquid that was flowing down his arm wasn''t the crimson blood that every living being had. The ''corpse'' in front of him was melting quickly until eventually¡­ SPLAT!!! ''Shin'' turned into a blob of water, leaving Linji with nothing but wetness and shock. Shin wasn''t dead! What he did was something much more sinister¡­ ''He used¡­ Substitute?!'' Linji hollered out internally, unsure of what had just transpired. The ability that he was known for, the one spiritual ability that allowed him to reign supreme as a martial artist¡­ Had just been copied and executed by Shin. Linji''s mind blanked out, and so did many of the spectators. However, there was one mind that was as lucid as can be. TSSSKKTT!!! TSSSKKTT!!! TSSSKKTT!!! TSSSKKTT!!! TSSSKKTT!!! Shin reappeared behind of Linji, his fingers filled with every single Golden Dragon Needle that he could find. Without mercy, the young man took advantage of Linji''s confusion and executed his signature Divine Needle Binding, completely sealing the movements of the young Luminary. His mana exhausted and meridians sealed, there was nothing that Linji could do but stand frozen like an ice sculpture, turning into one of Shin''s prime dolls for toying with. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Shin huffed and puffed, taking two seconds to catch his breath. Up till the very last moment, the Black-Haired Tyrant didn''t dare to slack off. Only when Linji was completely immobile, did the young man finally hold up the V sign. "Sorry, but I win..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 448 The Prince And The Clown 1 Longyu Linji had both his hands up pointed up to the sky. His fingers were numb. He couldn''t feel any warmth of cold. His eyes were shot straight ahead while his four limbs failed to respond to anything. Each time a passing breeze touched his skin, a wave of electricity pulsated through the young man''s veins. Linji had been beaten¡­ Quite convincingly as well. Shin continued to pant with both his palms glued to the ground. Sweat dripping down his rapidly contracting chest, the young man took a few seconds to settle down before looking at the judicator. "Could you announce the results of the battle?" Shin tried to be as polite as he could, but the ferocity of the match still pulsated through his veins. Unknowingly, Shin showed the useless referee an expression similar to that of an angry lion educating his pride. "W-Winner! Shin Iofiel!!!" The judicator tripped on his words as he declared Shin the victor. Jumping to his feet, Shin took two deep breaths and walked over to Linji. He knew that the Luminary would fight until the very end. So, Shin had to make sure that the match was truly over before he unsealed Linji from the Divine Needle Binding. "OOOOOOOORRRRRRYYAHHHH!!!" The crowd erupted into thunderous applause for both parties. Well, mainly for Shin, who was the victor. "Did you see that?! He copied Substitute!!!" One spectator cried out, his face flushed from all of the yellings he did before. "Fucking hell! He can even copy the other Luminary''s spiritual abilities too? How can anyone beat him?!" It was a question that had been asked many times. How was Shin able to do this? Of course, what the spectators were witnessing was the best face that the young man could put forward. They couldn''t see the hundreds of failures, the thousands of hours put into crafting the person Shin was today. The suffering, pain, setbacks¡­ Everything was hidden under the Prince of Water''s exterior. But they didn''t know that. All that they saw was the celebrity that Shin had shown. It was the same for Longyu Linji. He was possibly the best martial artist among the five Luminaries. In a straight martial arts sparring session, Shin would lose ten times out of ten. Shin knew that. He also knew how much work Longyu Linji must have put in to get to his position because he too had spent thousands of hours perfecting his craft. So, even though they were fighting just moments prior, Shin still felt a tremendous amount of respect for the young Luminary. Alas, there could only be one top dog in the entire Longyu Clan. Slowly, Shin took out the Golden Dragon Needles that stuck out of Linji like a porcupine. With his meridians freed, Linji was able to breathe again. He fell to his knees, and all ten of his fingers dug into the ground. The mana circuits that had been frozen up were now intact as his spiritual energy began to stabilise. From an outsider''s perspective, it looked like Linji was finally submitting to the true Prince of the Longyu Clan. "Senior Linji, are you alright?" Shin asked, concerned that the Divine Needle Binding might have crippled the Luminary''s mana flow. "..." Linji didn''t respond. His face was hidden, staring straight at the concrete floor, while his entire body was pulsating. The noises from the crowd didn''t matter to him as all he could hear was the distinct sound of his heartbeat. After a few seconds, the Luminary finally gained the strength to look up and stare Shin in the eyes. "Y-you¡­ Used Substitute?" "Ah¡­ Yeah, I did..." Shin was taken aback by the sudden question but quickly scratched behind his ear with a reply. "I have to apologise. I have talked to many of your superiors, and they taught me how you developed Substitute. What inspirations you had, what books were available and they even showed me a recording of you using that ability. When I was coming up with a plan to counter Substitute, I accidentally comprehended the concept and tried using it myself." It really was a Shin-thing to do. Accidentally mastering something that would take others ages to do. "It''s actually quite hard. I can only use it once per battle, and even then, I never perfectly used it. I didn''t plan on using it since it was an incomplete technique, but you really forced me into a tight corner there, Senior Linji!" Shin knew the importance of keeping peace in the family. In the Frie Clan, every single day was a struggle. The First Elder would fight the Second Elder, the Instructor would challenge any bullies that came the orphans way. It was tiring. Furthermore, in the future, Linji might become a great ally to have on Shin''s side when he was trying to get something done in the Longyu Clan. Thus, even though Linji had attacked Shin with the intent to kill, the young man buried the hatchet quite quickly and extended a helping hand. "You learnt Substitute in less than one month¡­ And even used it to defeat me..." Linji threw his head back and stared at the heavens. Everything was fruitless. The battle had been won even before they stepped into the arena. Shin was just on another level. In terms of talent, comprehension ability, wits, maturity¡­ Compared to Shin, Linji was just¡­ Inferior. "HAHAHA!!! What have I been doing?!" The Luminary jeered, pressing his palms against his forehead. Fighting for who the top dog was? What lunacy! There was a reason why Longyu Tian personally dragged Shin back from the Himmel Empire. There was a reason why the Longyu Clan wanted Shin more than him. The answer was simple. Shin had always been the top dog in the Longyu Clan. Even if Shin didn''t beat Linji now, the youth was almost a decade younger than himself. Given enough time, Shin would become powerful enough to decimate anyone that stood in his path, even without prior planning. All of Longyu Linji''s hate was wholly misplaced. It was all so laughable. Concerned, Shin muttered out. "Senior Linji? Are you alright?" "HAHAHA!!!" Linji continued to laugh. Shin wondered if he had accidentally knocked a screw loose in the man''s brain and wanted to treat him, but the healers from the Lantis Republic had already rushed onto the stage with a stretcher. As much as Shin wished to help the man he had just beaten, there were still three more Luminaries to worry about. So all he could do was helplessly watch as Longyu Linji was rolled away into the medical tent, all while the hundred thousand spectators watched. "The Prince of Water actually defeated two of the Luminaries already! He even injured Linji enough to be escorted out! What a monster!" One overly frenzied audience member screamed. "Wait¡­ Didn''t they say that he hasn''t taken the Trial of the Celestial Dragon yet? My god, what would happen if he actually had a Spirit Evolution?! How powerful would he be then?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Slowly but surely, the crowd began to shift their views. Initially, they were here to have a good time, watch some Luminaries fight it out and most importantly, assess the man who was thought to become a future Spirit Saint of the Lantis Republic. The changed minds were a good thing for the Longyu Clan, who wanted to sway the general public so that the High Council would be pressured to give Shin what he was entitled to. The High Elders spectating within Yingxiong Amphitheatre weren''t at all pleased at the direction that the match had taken. They wouldn''t show it, but if possible, they would have Shin yanked out of the stadium immediately. ''Time to rest...'' Shin wasn''t thinking about all of those complicated matters. For the moment, all he wanted to do was prepare for his next match. Jingyu Taiyi was a tough opponent, not inferior to that of Xunyu Feifei or Longyu Linji. Shin needed every single ounce of mana he could recover. Not to mention, he was physically fatigued as well. The next fifteen minutes were crucial for the youth. However, just before he could step off the stage, a jubilant cry echoed through the audience as loud resonant claps halted Shin''s steps. "Bravo! Bravo! As expected of the Prince of Water!!!" Jingyu Taiyi ignored all protocol and leapt into the arena, forcing Shin to stay for a while longer. The judicator wanted to stop the Luminary from proceeding into the sacred ground, but a whisper from an Elder of the Jingyu Clan stopped him. ''Don''t interfere,'' it said. Not willing to stake his life over a poor decision, the referee took a step back and allowed the jester to do whatever he wanted. "Junior Brother Shin is truly a dragon among dragons!" Taiyi continued to pour praise after praise on the youth. "I really admire you!" Each step the joker took increased the heart rate of Shin. On the stands, Meijing Bingying was also dripping down buckets of sweat. No one knew what the young man was thinking. All they knew was, whenever Taiyi was in a playful mood, bad things would go down. Shin was getting flashbacks to the Summit, where with just one move, Jingyu Taiyi have brought Kanari and Shin to the arena, even though they were only meant to be spectators. Dealing with the clown was agonising, but Shin had to do it all the same. "You flatter me, Senior Brother Taiyi," the youth replied, trying to be as polite as possible. "I''m not!" Taiyi shot back, his lips heightened so wide that it touched his ears. "I truly am in awe of your abilities. Let''s face it! No one wants to see a long-drawn battle where we feel each other out for ten, fifteen minutes before you use those epic finishers that you had developed. SO!!! I have a proposal!" ''There it is...'' Everyone in the audience had mixed reactions. Some were amused, others were sighing with their palms attached to their heads. The famous ''I have a proposal'' by Jingyu Taiyi had been played. Whenever Taiyi shouts out those four words, things would go south rapidly. "Why don''t I use my most powerful spiritual ability and see if Junior Brother Shin can break out of it? As all of you may know, my Colossal Leviathan specialises in creating illusions! If Junior Brother Shin can break free of my illusions, I''ll take it as my loss." It was no secret that Taiyi uses illusions to battle. He was proficient in a few weapon arts and had a spiritual ability that releases vast amounts of damage to victims that fell to his mirage. However, the one true profession that Taiyi focused on was the Illusory Arts. After Jingyu Taiyi completed the Trial of the Celestial Dragon, he had awakened an additional Mind-Element to his Spirit. For the jester, who loved to joke around, it was the perfect tool. In fact, those close to him had even said that the Mind-Element was Taiyi''s true element, reflective of his inner self. And the Luminary didn''t disagree with that assessment. Shin pondered about that proposal for a bit. As crazy as it might sound, it was precisely what Shin needed. He had fought two long matches with two of the brightest Luminaries in the Lantis Republic. Escaping an illusion didn''t rely on the physical or spiritual side of a cultivator. So long as Shin had a sound mind, he would be capable of resisting Jingyu Taiyi''s powers. "That sounds great, but could I take some time to rest?" "Do you really need one?" Jingyu Taiyi raised his brow. His face was smiling, but there was a notable change in the atmosphere as if the winds of winter had set in. "Don''t worry, your body won''t be harmed in the slightest. As long as you escape my illusions, you''ll win." There must have been some discussion between Taiyi and the Jingyu Clan''s High Elders. Based on how Shin had beaten Xunyu Feifei and Longyu Linji, the young man must have researched and created countermeasures that would trump Jingyu Taiyi as well. Therefore, to increase the likelihood of Shin failing, they had to strike while the iron''s hot. Shin had just come out from an epic battle with Longyu Linji. Not only was he physically fatigued, but his mental state must have taken a significant toll as well. Shin was a healer, and his recovery rate was second to none. If they gave him fifteen minutes to rest, the youth would quickly balance his mental condition, and he would be well-prepared to execute his plan to beat Taiyi. The Jingyu Clan Elders couldn''t have that. So, they decided to throw a wrench in his plans through that odd proposal. "Just sit down¡­ I''ll cast my illusions when you''re ready..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 449 The Prince And The Clown 2 "..." Shin was absolutely speechless at Jingyu Taiyi''s wild plan. On the surface, he was taking the handicap and moral high ground, since all Shin needed to do to win was to beat Taiyi''s illusions. However, in truth, Shin was the one that''s losing out the most. Not caring about the youth''s fury, Jingyu Taiyi took out an incense stick and placed it on the mini-cauldron he prepared. "Ten minutes! You let me into your mind, and I''ll start the timer! If you can break free of my illusions within ten minutes, you win! Simple, isn''t it?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ''Like hell it is!!!'' Shin hollered out internally. His preparations for Taiyi was far different from the rest. All of his homework was investigating how to evade entering Taiyi''s illusions, not trying to escape from it. Though he had Kanari help him increase his resistance against Mind-Elemental attacks, Shin didn''t really know how Jingyu Taiyi''s illusions would affect him. Still, there were some benefits from accepting the youth''s proposal. Among the five Luminaries, the only one that Shin was unsure of beating was this grey-haired young man, who never seemed to stop smiling. Jingyu Taiyi was unlike many of the opponents that Shin had faced before as his techniques were all unorthodox. He wasn''t a pure combatant and never claimed to be one, however, once Shin was entrapped in Taiyi''s illusions, the Jingyu Luminary could unleash hell upon the poor youth''s body. In the state that Shin was in, it wasn''t a risk that he could bear to take. Shin''s shoulders dropped, and his bouncy face twitched slightly. He had to take the terms, even though it may be a trap. "Fine¡­ However, give me a minute to freshen up. I''m still quite sweaty after my match with Senior Linji." Jingyu Taiyi raised his eyebrows for a little bit before releasing a happy smile. "One minute. I''ll time you." Evidently, he didn''t think that one minute was sufficient for Shin to recover entirely before taking on his illusions. Kanari and Longyu Hai rushed onto the stage, the young squire even holding on to a bucket of warm water with a wrung towel hanging over her shoulders. If Shin walked back to his rest corner, valuable seconds would have been lost. Thus, the rest corner came to him. "Brother Shin, are you alright?!" Longyu Hai squeezed the towel and gently wiped the sweat off the man''s face. "I''m fine, just a little tired," replied the youth. The next match didn''t require the use of any mana or physical ability. All that Shin needed to do was to stabilise his mind and steel his resolve. He held onto Kanari''s petite hands, ignoring the hundred thousand pairs of eyes observing his every movement. There was a slight blush in the Highgarden Maiden''s face, but she quickly quelled down her emotions. At this moment, it was more important for her to act as a pillar of support for Shin. "Shin, are you sure you want to do this so abruptly?" "Yes, I''m sure..." The young man nodded. He looked up, only to see Jingyu''s jester grin still peering down on him. "Jingyu Taiyi is a much more troublesome opponent to fight against. I have no certainty that I could best him in a one-on-one situation. Escaping his illusions is actually the best scenario for me." "Still..." Kanari wanted to continue, but she quickly tuned that desire out. It was imperative that Shin had a clear mind when fighting against someone with the Mind-Element. "No, it''s fine¡­ Shin, just remember our training. Although I don''t know how strong his illusions are, they probably can''t hold a candle against my Mind Flame." Kanari began to gloat, drawing smiles from both of them. "We''ve practised this before. Circulate your mana into your brain. Remember, everything that you''ll be shown whether it be good or bad¡­ They''re all just fallacies. Your body still exists in the mortal realm. Your mind, organs, limbs¡­ Everything, they still exist physically. As long as you''re not seduced by the illusions and remember that one simple fact, you''ll be able to beat this clown." Kanari warned. "Right, I''ll be careful," Shin replied. The one minute that was promised to the youth flew by in before he knew it, and it was finally time for the third match of the day. "I believe in you, Brother Shin!" As they were rushed out of the arena, Longyu Hai waved an adorable goodbye, giving Shin some hope. Kanari did the same. Though their time together was short, the two girls had given Shin enough conviction to strengthen his will. Taking two deep breaths in, Shin sat down next to the incense burner and stuck his chin out. "I''m ready..." "Hehe, good." Jingyu, Taiyi nodded. He looked up into the skybox where the High Elders were, and a devilish wink was shown to the audience. Everyone could instantly tell the connection, and soon, everything started to make sense. Some knowledgeable people had even boldly given their assumptions. "So the High Council are behind this change¡­ Honestly, doesn''t it look like they''re trying too hard to force Shin out?" One Spirit Lord remarked, his brows knitted together. It was apparent that he wasn''t a fan of the High Council''s decision. "Stifling a talent''s prospects just because of politics¡­ Seriously..." Another man wanted to curse, but as they all say, the walls have ears. It may not be against the law to criticise the government. However, all of their livelihoods were dependent on the Eight Clans of Water. If they offended the High Elders from those clans, they could kiss their future prospects goodbye. Longyu Dao''s superior Spirit Venerate hearing picked up on the murmurs from the crowd. With his arms folded and feet tapping, the Longyu Clan Master wore a jubilant smile. It was what his goal in the first place. Turn the common public against the High Council. Even if Shin didn''t beat the remaining three Luminaries, he had convinced more than half of the audience that the youth should be taking the Trial. And it all began with Jingyu Taiyi''s little wink. "Haha, whose side is he on?" Jingyu Shenxian slapped her forehead, unable to hold back her laughter. No one could control the jester. The High Elders of the Jingyu Clan, who combined had over a thousand years of experience, all fell to the playful deeds of their champion. "My guess is that he finds it more entertaining if Shin takes the Trial, or he''s just creating chaos for chaos'' sake." Longyu Dao observed. "Either way, it''s good that I''d invited him to join the matches! One move from him is more useful than a thousand planned moves of mine!" "You''re right," the Chancellor slapped her right thigh and arched her back slightly forward. The match had officially begun. Shin was seated in a lotus position in the middle of the arena. Jingyu Taiyi, after his mischievous action, took centre stage as well. Twenty mirrors crept out of nowhere as a massive whale-like creature appeared right above them all. It had five scaly tendrils and a massive convex head. In its mouth, dozens of fangs hung outwards, and dense steam flowed out with each passing second. Shin was relieved that the creature flying above was just a Spirit, else, his small body would likely become a snack for the behemoth. Really, if one compared the Sovereign Koi to the colossal creature, one couldn''t be blamed for thinking that they weren''t related. Once Jingyu Taiyi had summoned out the Colossal Leviathan and executed his signature illusory ability, the Mirrors of Ithaca, the crowd universally gasped. A Spirit Spectre wasn''t supposed to possess such a domineering presence. Jingyu Shenxian mused at her junior''s ferocity. "However if you think that he''s going to hold back against Shin, I think that you''re going to be in for a surprise." Shin was likewise in awe of Taiyi''s presence. He had even found it fortunate that he wasn''t facing the man at full power. Still, there wasn''t any time for him to let his mind wander. Shin steeled himself as the mirrors glowed ever so brightly. The hundred thousand strong crowds had disappeared into the backdrop, and everything became so dazzling in a matter of seconds. Eventually¡­ Only Jingyu Taiyi''s words could be heard. "Your ten minutes¡­ Begins now!!!" Then, the world turned white¡­ ??? When Shin ''woke up'' Yingxiong Amphitheatre had disappeared. In its place, an entire lake had come into view. It was surrounded by thick, lush forest. The happy chirps of toucans were the first sound that entered Shin''s ears. Shin raised his two arms and started to check himself. All his five senses were working. He could taste the air, smell the pungent dung from the side, hear the solemn sounds of the pristine lake. Shin''s fingers were even capable of digging into the dirt, and most importantly, the illusory world was exactly identical to that of the material realm. "Where am I?" Shin thought out loud. He knew that he was in an illusion, Shin just didn''t know where Taiyi had transported him to. Oddly enough, the place looked familiar. Shin had been here before¡­ It was no surprise that those who possess the Mind-Element were capable of digging into one''s brain to dig up some of their most hidden memories. So, Taiyi may have done just that. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, and the air shook violently. Trees fell down as birds flew desperately away. The roar perked Shin''s ears up, and he gradually turned around. There was more curiosity than fear in his movements. From the depths of the forest, an enormous ten-metre silverback gorilla barged out, holding onto a chopped tree trunk. Its eyes were glowing red, and two fangs hung out from its upper mouth. It was angry, no doubt. Leaping straight at Shin, the gorilla swung the tree trunk in its hands ready to smash Shin as if he was a pesky housefly. In any other situation, Shin would have evaded rapidly, possibly casting his spiritual abilities to protect himself. However, he did none of that. His Spiritual Body Enhancement, his water abilities, his Domain of Dreams¡­ Shin didn''t do anything. In fact, he wasn''t even planning on moving a single finger. Shin closed his eyes and circulated his mana towards his brain. And then¡­ The silverback gorilla phased through the youth like a ghost passing through a wall. There was no damage to the ground or the lake. Shin''s aggressor was just like his surroundings. Just an illusion. "You''re not fooling me, Jingyu Taiyi..." Shin called out the jester''s name in full. He was in an illusion and the first step of defeating a Spirit User with the Mind-Element was to take control of his own mind. If Shin could clearly differentiate between what was real and what was false, he would break free of the illusion in no time. Shin sat down and began to meditate. He wasn''t going to fall for the clown''s tricks. Shin was going to break through the mind-bending deeds, and he was going to do it quick. There were still two more Luminaries for him to face after all. The lake continued to be peaceful. There weren''t any more interruptions like the silverback gorilla. All that Shin had left was peace and quiet, which helped him greatly in unravelling the fantasy that he was in. The earthen ground became transparent and the realistic chirps of birds and turned distorted. Shin was making groundbreaking progress. By his estimate, if he continued at this rate, he should be out within a minute. However, there was no way that Jingyu Taiyi would sit back and do nothing¡­ "Shin? Is that you?" A soft and sweet voice broke the youth''s peace. He faltered a little when he heard the voice. Shin had never met someone with that distinct tone before. However, for some primal reason, the youth felt like he needed to answer. That slight hesitation was all it took for the illusions to slip back in, making the false world even more real from Shin''s eyes. As much as the youth wanted to ignore the voice, his body failed to listen to him. Memories floated up from his subconscious and bit by bit, Shin''s walls started to crumble. And then¡­ He turned around. A breathtaking couple stood right before his eyes. The man looked like he was in his late-thirties. The jet-black hair and azure-lake eyes sparkled in the natural light. His nose was exactly the same as Shin''s, and the man''s smile brought warmth into the youth''s dense heart. The woman was a charmer as well. Her long black hair was tied up in a bun and held together with a Sovereign Koi hairpin. Her porcelain skin glistened beautifully, reflected the calm atmosphere given out by the pure lake that stood behind her. She was gorgeous, perhaps more so than Kanari in Shin''s eyes. Though the woman didn''t have the same youth as Shin''s girlfriend, she had a mature charm that could only be obtained through years of experience. There was no need for words. Shin already knew who they were. He had never seen them in person, but he had often dreamt about them. Mayor Nadeo from Chilyoja Waypoint had described the pair''s image once before. No, even earlier than that. When Shin was kidnapped by the Black Masks, Shia had told him dozens of stories about this couple. "Mom¡­ Dad..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 450 The Prince And The Clown 3 "Mom? Dad?" Shin muttered out. "Shin!" The lady rushed forward, tears welling up in her eyes. Shin was unable to resist the ''attack'', and his entire body was enveloped by the woman''s touch. Unlike the silverback gorilla, Shin felt the skin of the lady. Her sweet and calming aroma was the first thing that Shin noticed. She was a head shorter than the fully-grown Shin, so her face could fall flat on the youth''s chest. Shin felt his upper robes turn wet as snot and tears stained his body. "I missed you so¡­ so¡­ much..." Shin''s mother cried. She held the boy firmly, locking her fingers behind Shin''s back. The young man stood firm, not moving his hands in the slightest. However, the woman didn''t care. She tightened her grip on Shin and brought one hand to pat the sharp chin of the young man. "You''ve grown so much¡­ So handsome and strong..." The man standing behind the lady took two steps forward, his face grinning from ear to ear. "Cassiel, you''re choking our son! Calm yourself a little!" "Errol! How could you say that?" The lady turned around and reprimanded the man. "We haven''t seen him for such a long time! We should spend as much time as we possibly can with him!" "Haha! See, Shin! This is what it''s like to deal with your mother!" The couple continued to banter, all while Shin stood there silently. His mind was blank. The famed Black-Haired Tyrant, the young man who could think ten, twenty steps ahead, didn''t have a mental capacity to handle his current situation. Shin gazed around. Now, he finally understood why this place looked so familiar to him¡­ It was Awter Lake. The decrepit buildings that were filled with moss and dirt had been reverted back to its original state. Just like Longyu Palace, there was a considerable structure floating in the centre of Awter Lake. Dozens of watchtowers stood overhead, and hundreds of men and women walked around in peace and harmony. It really was a picture-perfect scene. It really was¡­ An image that Shin had dreamt of. Ever since he was a child, Shin had always wondered. What would it be like to have a real family? What if he wasn''t an orphan that was picked up by the Frie Clan. As he grew older and unravelled more details about his heritage, the alternate universe that he imagined slowly took shape, becoming closer and closer to his ideal. He could imagine his parent''s face, what kind of life they would have led. And each time Shin thought of it, all he could think about was a nest of joy. "What''s wrong, Shin?" Cassiel held onto the youth''s shoulders, worried about the young man''s lack of response. "Mom¡­ I wanted to see you too..." "Hmmm? Aren''t I here already?" "Yes¡­ Yes, you are..." Shin pushed the woman away from his embrace. His mind had faltered for a moment there, he had to admit, but Shin knew the true face of this world. Shin knew that it was all illusions. The alternate reality that he wanted to be real could never be real. It pained Shin to push away his mother. A person he had dreamt about and prayed so long to see. But it was the right choice. No, it was the only choice that Shin had. "I''m sorry. I want to talk to you again¡­ But not like this..." Shin shook his head and leapt backwards. Closing his eyes, the youth congregated his mana into his mind. The ''world'' that Shin was in became translucent as the handsome couple began to fade. Cassiel''s voice, her scent, her touch¡­ They were all disappearing. The dead couldn''t be revived. Everything that Shin was experiencing was just a figment of his imagination that had been exploited by Jingyu Taiyi. In the material world, the clown was beginning to feel a little frightened. Illusionists usually preyed on their victim''s emotions to keep them in a trance. Fear was a common emotion to exploit. However, when attacked by the silverback gorilla, Shin just stood there and ignored the threat altogether. Love was another vital emotion to keep illusions going. If the Illusionist could keep their victims happy in a utopian world, chances are, they would never find the exit, nor would they want to. After all, everything that they ever wanted was in that paradise. Alas, Shin had been through many trials and tribulations thus far, too many to count. He wouldn''t be so easily swayed by Taiyi''s illusions. ''Hmmm, what about this?!'' The young Luminary played around with Shin''s mind before finding the perfect chance to strike. The mind-elements around him started to become crazy, and his mana reached a whole other level. Kanari was the one most acutely aware of the Taiyi''s change. She could tell that the man was about to execute something far more sinister. ''Only two minutes have passed, and Taiyi''s already pushed to this point? That''s a first...'' Jingyu Shenxian mused, her brows raised and lips curved upwards. As one of the highest-ranking individuals in the Jingyu Clan, she knew how powerful the youth''s illusions were. Even Rank 50 Spirit Lords, if they weren''t amply prepared, would fall miserably against the young prodigy. However, Taiyi was forced to amp up his spiritual ability to the maximum within two minutes, which could only mean one thing. The youth''s mental tolerance was much higher than anyone expected. It was probably a matter of time before Shin could break free of the illusion, beating the third Luminary and taking one step closer to the Celestial River. Still, that didn''t mean that Taiyi was going to give up without a fight. The mirrors around Shin released a tremendous deathly radiance, blinding many who sat too close to the arena. In Shin''s mind, the illusory world that was crumbling became much more corporeal. His mind was firm, and he was well aware that the world surrounding him was false. However, the illusory world was still going strong. Shin was compelled to open his eyes. Taiyi''s Mind-Element had crept up further into Shin''s subconsciousness, and the youth''s mental resistance wasn''t enough to just fight it off. Brought into a new place, Shin spun around once. Awter Lake had disappeared. The bright sunny afternoon had been swapped with a blanket of stars. ''This is!'' Shin knew this place. All too well, in fact. A tall mountain, filled with man made structures that were fit for a modernised town. There were burns all over the hill as a flaming hell dominated the landscape. Beasts flew overhead, and brave men and women repelled the attacks from assailants with darkened robes. Shin¡­ He had been brought back to the time where the Black Masks attacked Frie Mountain. Just like the day itself, Frie Mountain was engulfed in panic and disorder. Countless warriors were falling like flies while the children hid with shaken legs and ashen faces. Pandemonium, that was the aptest description that Shin could think of. Everyone was fighting hard to keep the place they loved afloat, but the beasts continued to overwhelm them. And then¡­ Shin saw it. On the floor, just a few metres away from where he was standing, a young boy was bearing the same features as him. Same hair, same face, same eyes. There was one difference, though. The youth was much younger, probably a few years since puberty had hit. In the boy''s hands, a bleeding red-haired girl laid utterly still. She was sleeping in a pool of crimson blood, and her body was damaged beyond repair. The young boy kept begging for the girl to wake up and continuously provided mana to his fingertips in hopes of resuscitating her. An elderly blonde woman stood on by, shaking her head in anxiety, while a couple of youngsters continued to wail at the side. That''s right¡­ Taiyi had just brought up Shin''s most hated memory. Shin could taste the crackling of the flames, and his feet got soiled by the blood of the girl he loved. Shin''s felt his heart clench and his face tighten. Yes, he knew that it was an illusion, but it just felt so real. Unlike the encounter with his parents, Shin had lived through this event. He knew what exactly happened. How much pain and suffering he had to go through and how much time it took for him to recover. Taiyi thought that since Shin was immune to illusions using fear or love, he could at least be affected by the immense grief and sadness that he''d kept buried deep in his heart. And well¡­ Taiyi got his wish. Shin really was affected by the new illusory world that the Luminary had brought him into¡­ Just not in the way that he''d expected. "You dare..." Ariel''s death was Shin''s most feared memory. It was one he never wanted to see again but always came back to. It was perhaps the first pivotal point in his life and in a sense, it was his most precious memory. So, it also meant that Shin treasured this memory like nothing else in the world. And yet¡­ Jingyu Taiyi dared to deface it, all for a match. "YOU FUCKING DARE!!!" Shin screamed. He was still under an illusion, but Shin didn''t care anymore. Frie Mountain broke down instantly, and the image of Ariel and his younger self disappeared. The Mind-Element only affects a person''s consciousness. If one was strong enough to resist the illusions of the caster, one could permanently destroy the false world that was created. Shin broke the illusory world in half and brought them all into his Spectre Soul. The familiar five crystal obelisks levitated up high in the centre of the lake while millions of Mind-Element particles floated down like falling snow. Shin had broken free of the illusions, taking back control over his consciousness. Jingyu Taiyi''s entire body stiffened up. His extended hand was pulsating out even more energy, and his face was crumpling. Shin wasn''t just going to let Jingyu Taiyi off for touching his reverse scale. The Luminary wasn''t in control of his mana anymore and soon¡­ Neither was his consciousness. Jingyu Taiyi opened his ''eyes,'' only to find that Yingxiong Amphitheatre had wholly vanished. A primitive lake with an endless amount of starlight reflections dominated his senses. The sweet music of water, the chilling cold of the lake and the bizarre freezing touch of the surface¡­ They were all so real¡­ No, it was real. Taiyi was a master Illusionist, so he could instantly tell the difference between fantasy and reality. By some mystical ability, Shin had brought the Luminary into his Spectre Soul, without even meaning to. Shin was levitating a few metres above the five obelisks that governed his soul. With closed eyes and raised arms, the young man brought forth endless amounts of spiritual energies. There was the apparent Water-Element that controlled everything that Shin could do. There was even a tinge of Ice-Elements and Mist-Elements in the area. However, there was one thing that Taiyi couldn''t overlook. The snowy light touched Taiyi''s palms and instantly melted into his body. They had a familiar touch and scent, an element that the Luminary was more than familiar with. "Mind-Element¡­" he muttered. All of Taiyi''s mana, which had been used to create the illusory world to trap Shin, was now part of the Prince of Water''s Spectre Soul, nourishing it with every passing second. It really was a sight that one could never see, even if a million years had passed. How could someone who clearly didn''t possess the means to harvest the Mind-Element, obtain that much power from a foreign element? It didn''t make sense! And then¡­ Taiyi saw it¡­ "W-What''s t-th-hat?!" There was an enormous scar breaking the night sky in half. The mark wasn''t like a simple tear in the void. Instead, it took the characteristics of a pulsating heart. However, what really tripped Taiyi over, was just the sheer size of the object. His own Mark of the Celestial Dragon wasn''t even a tenth the size of Shin''s. Shin was still in a trance from absorbing that much mana, so he wasn''t aware of the changes in his Spectre Soul, let alone the fact that someone else had invaded it. Shin kept cultivating himself, giving himself more and more mana by the second. For the first time in his life, Taiyi felt a primal fear pushing through all his veins. He wasn''t in the mood to play the clown anymore. All he wanted to do was run away, as far as he possibly could. Alas, that wasn''t possible¡­ The scar continued to terrorise the poor Luminary. Taiyi wanted to summon out his Colossal Leviathan to protect himself, but the Scion of Water feared to come out. It was trembling and bending down. If it were a mortal, the Leviathan would be wailing like a miscreant, asking the Priest to forgive its sins. Taiyi wasn''t dumb. He played the fool a lot, but he was by far one of the most intelligent for his age. If the Colossal Leviathan feared to come out, that could only mean one thing¡­ "Celestial Dragon..." The moment Taiyi said those words, the tranquil lake broke into gigantic rogue waves and the night sky became all the more ethereal. Shin''s Spectre Soul had suddenly become a vacuum, sucking in all the foreign spiritual energies inside. That includes the poor Clown that dared to challenge the Prince''s sovereignty. "My God..." Those were Taiyi''s last words before the man''s consciousness was ripped from him, and his mana drained out entirely. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 451 The Champion Of Yingxiong Amphitheatre 1 The stick of incense continued to burn down until it was half gone. Jingyu Taiyi still remained frozen, raised hand and all. Spectators could see some particles moving out from the Luminary''s opened palm like a desert heatwave. Sweat dripped down from his face and stained the concrete floor. Taiyi was doing his best to keep Shin locked inside of his illusions, and the audience could see that clearly. Unlike the easy-going atmosphere that he boasted at the beginning of the match, Taiyi was struggling to even keep his hand up. Shin, on the other hand, was as calm as can be. It looked like he was merely meditating under normal circumstances. There wasn''t the tension of being inside a stadium filled with a hundred thousand people, and neither did he felt strained by the illusions that were messing his mind. His expression was as calm as can be, which was odd given the capabilities of Jingyu Taiyi. "Taiyi is struggling..." Jingyu Shenxian whispered, observing the face of her junior. "Does your new golden boy have some experience dealing with Mind-Elements?" Longyu Dao''s lips curled upwards, "His little girlfriend has three elements, Fire, Wind and Mind." The bearded man pointed at Kanari, who had both her hands interlocked. "If anything, she would have prepared Shin for the fight against Taiyi." "Right, the Witch in the South..." The Chancellor nodded her head. The Luminary from the Jingyu Clan continued to struggle. His face had turned completely vermillion. Veins popped, and muscles cramped. With a sigh, the lady crossed her legs. "Looks like it''s only a matter of time before Taiyi loses." "Hehe, have I convinced you that Shin should take the Trial of the Celestial Dra-" Before Longyu Dao could gloat, the entire audience gasped as thousands jumped to their feet. Jingyu Shenxian was no different. No, all of the Jingyu Clan members leapt up, some even pointed their shaky index finger. "Damn it! Stop the match!!!" A Jingyu Clan High Elder screamed, barging out from his cubicle. The barrier that barred his path opened a hole in itself, giving the old man free passage into the arena. Many other Spirit Venerates left their seats as well. Jingyu Shenxian, Longyu Dao, Lady Seph¡­ They all congregated onto the ring where the two youngsters were competing. Why? "Eeeee¡­ Rrrrr..." Jingyu Taiyi had collapsed onto the floor, his entire body convulsing in a spasm. Foam bubbled out, staining his robes with saliva and dirtying the cleaned floor. The Luminary''s whole body had lost control over itself, and the man was now a struggling patient waiting for someone to save his life. The High Elder was the first to check on him. Holding the shaking youth in place, the Spirit Venerate slapped his palm against Taiyi''s back, sending neutral mana into the body and calming the spasming muscles. At the same time, he checked on the youth''s mana reserves. "This is!" The elderly man cried out, his two eyes widened as veins popped. Taiyi''s mana pool¡­ They were entirely emptied. A Spirit Spectre that bypassed the first barrier of mortality could store crazy amounts of spiritual energy. Not only that, since their Spectre Soul has taken one step closer to nature, even by doing nothing, they could replenish mana at an astonishing rate. In theory, if the Spirit Spectre knew what he was doing, it was near impossible to empty out every single ounce of mana in his body. Yet, Jingyu Taiyi was close to that threshold. Panicking, the High Elder instantly sent a surge of spiritual energy into the young Luminary''s body. At the same time, he barked: "Prepare a room and fill it with mana crystals! Summon Elder Healer Yin Fu!" Jingyu Taiyi had climbed too high to the sun. If he didn''t bring up the illusion of Ariel, Shin wouldn''t have subconsciously pulled the man into his Spectre Soul. However, it wasn''t entirely his fault. No one could have anticipated that Shin would have the ability to absorb the Mind-Element and suck another''s mana clean. In fact, not even Shin himself knew of his capability. Targetting Shin''s mind was a bitter mistake, one that Taiyi would have to pay the consequences for. "What did he do?" Jingyu Shenxian tilted her head, puzzled. She looked straight at the young boy, who was still bearing a tranquil expression and raised both her brows. Shin wasn''t a Mind-Element user. The most that he could do was resist Jingyu Taiyi''s illusions. In the worst-case scenario, Shin would have lost to the illusions and Taiyi would have taken the match. Yet, the results were far different from what everyone was anticipating. Not only did Shin resist Jingyu Taiyi, but he countered the man by absorbing every ounce of his mana. That was unheard of, especially against someone who possessed the Mind-Element! Alas, none of the Spirit Venerates could get an answer just by guessing. They had to wait for either party to wake up, and fortunately for them¡­ "..." Shin''s eyelids flickered as his nose crunched inwards. As if he had just taken a long and nice nap, the youth took multiple deep breaths in and stretched both his hands out. That casual movement stunned the audience. He wasn''t strained by that match at all? "Shin! Shin!" Longyu Dao was the first to tap on the young boy shoulders. The lazy eyes that he had were forced to pop open. When he was fully conscious, the youth found many Spirit Venerates staring right at him. No, it wasn''t limited to those on the ground. Everyone in the stands had glued their eyes on him. Some were glaring daggers, such as those from the Jingyu Clan. They demanded answers for what the foreigner had done to their treasured son. Others were just amused and were willing to sit back and watch the show. "W-What''s going on?" Shin faltered in his speech as he asked the Spirit Venerates. "That''s our question!" The High Elder from the Jingyu Clan snapped. "What the hell did you do to Taiyi, boy?!" He was this close to taking the youth by the neck, but Shin was now heavily fortified with protection. Longyu Dao and Lady Seph stood right by his side, with many Longyu Clan Elders ready to jump in if need be. Forced to hold back, the elder swung his clenched fist down and returned back to tending Taiyi. It was Jingyu Shenxian, the Chancellor of the entire Lantis Republic, who followed up on that question. She walked forwards, calm as can be and stopped just a metre away from the recovering youth. "Shin Iofiel, could you elaborate on what just happened between you and Taiyi?" "W-What happened?" Shin had just woken up, so he didn''t grasp the gravity of the situation. To that question, Jingyu Shenxian pivoted her head back, pointing straight at the downed Luminary. He had stopped convulsing, but the jester was definitely out cold. Not only that, his body seemed to have thinned as the healthy complexion that he had was sucked out entirely. Naturally, Shin was taken aback by the condition of Taiyi. Back in the illusion, he felt hate against the man, but he never really thought of injuring him to this extent. In fact, after his rage took over, Shin was unaware of anything else that happened. Shin vaguely remembered that he was pulled into his Spectre Soul, but that was it. After that, spiritual energy kept pouring into his soul, and he entered into his cultivation mode to nourish it. So, that''s what he told the Spirit Venerates. "You broke through the illusion and began to absorb the Mind-Elements?!" Jingyu Shenxian raised her voice. Everyone else wore incredulous faces as well. It was the law of nature that a Spirit could only ingest their own elemental affinities. Water Spirits absorbed water elements, Fire Spirits absorbed fire elements¡­ That''s why Shin did so well in cultivation when he was exposed to the ocean, which was basically the world''s largest source of water elemental energy. However, if what Shin said was right, the young man would have broken the very law that governed Spirits. "I think that''s what happened¡­ I''m not sure..." Shin cringed and dropped his shoulders. He didn''t really like all the attention that was directed his way. As he peered over the Spirit Venerates, the youth caught sight of the unconscious Taiyi. Concerned, Shin asked, "I didn''t mean to harm Senior Brother Taiyi¡­ Is he going to be okay?" The Spirit Venerates, including the Jingyu Clan''s High Elder, all calmed down after Shin''s explanation at the very least, they knew that it wasn''t a deliberate ploy on Shin''s part to cripple Taiyi. "He''s quite weak now. The mana that had been drained would take some time to recover. However, his life isn''t in danger." Lady Seph spoke out, drawing all the eyes of the Spirit Venerates onto her. The woman didn''t even need to conduct an examination to accurately diagnose Jingyu Taiyi''s health. That''s right! Why did they have to call over an Elder Healer when one of the world''s best physician was in their presence. Annoyed by the dirty gazes the Jingyu Clan Elders were giving her, the Divine Healer snapped. "What?!" "Venerate Seraphim! Could you treat Taiyi?!" The old man, who seemed the closest to Jingyu Taiyi, started to beg the woman. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "As I said, there''s nothing to treat!" Lady Seph slapped the elder''s hand away. "Just leave him in a mana-rich chamber and supply him with enough spiritual energy to supplement his deficit. In time, he''ll recover all by himself." The Divine Healer scoffed. "Ah, but it''ll at least take a few days. Mana exhaustion usually puts a cultivator into a comatose state, so don''t be alarmed if he sleeps for extended periods." Typically, Lady Seph wouldn''t offer her advice to idiots that attempted to challenge Shin. However, to defuse the possible time-bomb on her disciple''s shoulders, the Divine Healer decided to bend her own rules for once. "Thank you, Venerate Seraphim!!!" The Jingyu Clan Elder bowed down in respect. Before he left, his eyes moved towards the sitting black-haired boy. The contempt in his eyes was hard to miss. Shin''s spine shivered, and he abruptly sat upright. Evidently, the High Elder still held a grudge. The Jingyu Clan wanted to stop Shin from ever reaching anywhere near the Celestial River, to prevent the Longyu Clan from gaining yet another Spirit Saint. Thus, they had navigated behind the scenes multiple times, hoping to at least delay the process. However, Shin kept bulldozing past their attempts and had shocked the Lantis Republic time and time again. He defeated two of their best Luminaries and had even brought Jingyu Taiyi, the Jingyu Clan''s brightest young talent, down on his knees. At this point, the Jingyu Clan was just fighting fate. It was in Shin''s destiny to attempt the Trial, and everyone in the Yingxiong Amphitheatre had begun to agree. "I look forward to your future, Shin Iofiel..." The High Elder sneered before flying away with Jingyu Taiyi. To the uninitiated ear, it was a friendly gesture. However, when Shin heard those words, his entire body shivered in fear. ''H-He¡­ w-won''t attack me for revenge, right?'' The young man thought, his face as pale as a sheet. No one around noticed the youth''s fear. Instead, Longyu Dao turned back to Shin and asked him a question with the most courteous tone that he had. "Shin¡­ Can you continue, or do you want to forfeit the remaining two matches?" Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Shin had two more matches lined up. The audience universally gulped. Shin had fought three hard bouts with some of the toughest Spirit Spectres there was. No one could blame the youth if he said that he wanted to go home. However, the spectators had paid good money to be here. They wanted to witness the rest of the youth''s grandeur. ''Continue, or give up?'' Shin''s eyes glistened in azure light. Did he even have the option to quit? Taking a deep breath in, the youth replied resolutely: "I''m going to continue!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 452 The Champion Of Yingxiong Amphitheatre 2 "Good!" Longyu Dao slapped the young man on the back, his chest puffed out and cheekbones raised. Only those that dared to risk it all would go far in life. "I''m sure you''re tired. Take fifteen minutes to rest up, and we can begin the next match!" The bearded man bellowed. The Spirit Venerates that surrounded Shin all wore beaming smiles as well. Shin had just beaten three Luminaries, and he showed no signs of slowing down. Prodigies were rare, but geniuses with the discipline to never give up were basically unicorns. There was no doubt in their minds that the Longyu Clan''s new golden boy would be an excellent addition to the Lantis Republic. Just before the Spirit Venerates departed, Shin held up his hand: "Wait!" he yelled. "What''s the matter?" Longyu Dao turned around. Shin looked up at the two remaining foes he had to face. One was a senior sister that had mentored him for four years, teaching him everything that he needed to know about the Celestial Water Mantra and how to cultivate. The other was a dominant Spirit Spectre, the oldest among all the Luminaries and was also given the dreadful moniker of the Tempest Hydra. He respected them both; however, his future and the fate of the twins lay in his hands. "I can fight right now!" Shin exclaimed. Sucking in his breath, the youth calmed himself down before he made his next declaration. "Also, I want to fight both of them at the same time!!!" "..." The crowd went silent. A hundred thousand people were in Yingxiong Amphitheatre, yet none of them made a single noise. Someone dropped their viewing glasses, and a metallic clank echoed through the packed stadium. It literally was pin-drop silence. "Sorry¡­ You what?" Longyu Dao had to scratch the insides of his ear. The Clan Master doubted that he heard the youth right. There was a reason why Xunyu Feifei was placed the first, and Qilong Hu was placed the last. Shin was fighting the weakest Luminary to the strongest. Despite that, at the very end, Shin wanted to face the two most prodigious Spirit Spectres that the Lantis Republic had together? No one in their right mind could fathom that! "I want to fight both of them at the same time!" Shin declared once again, his voice not faltering for a second. This move wasn''t a brash decision. He had calculated and analysed Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu''s spiritual abilities meticulously. In the end, Shin found that the most efficient way for him to win. However, it was also dependent on his state at the time. During the planning phase, he had expected to burn out sixty to seventy percent of his mana after the three rounds against Xunyu Feifei, Longyu Linji and Jingyu Taiyi. In the end, because of Taiyi''s out of left field proposal, Shin had absorbed a bunch of spiritual energy and was nearing his peak mana capacity. Essentially, Shin was in the healthiest state in his life. Based on how variant his abilities were, Shin believed that he was capable of taking down the two remaining Luminaries, even if they joined their powers. It was arrogant to think so, yes¡­ However, that was just how much faith Shin had in his own growth. "You..." Longyu Dao squinted his eyes and stared at the youth''s forehead. He even wondered if Shin had been mentally impaired by Jingyu Taiyi''s illusions, and was still in Lalaland. The Clan Master continued to peer deep into the young man''s eyes. He was looking for some hesitation or even doubt, something that most people had when going against the odds. Alas, Shin wasn''t an average person. Shin''s eyes continued to twinkle, resolute as can be. Eventually, after a good ten seconds, the Clan Master finally acquiesced. "Fine¡­ Bingying, Hu''er¡­ What do you think?" It wasn''t the man''s place to speak for the two Luminaries. Meijing Bingying leapt off her seat. Descending like a fairy from the heavens, the Spirit Spectre quickly made her way onto centre stage. Her face was smiling, but her brows were twitching uncontrollably. Shin cringed a little and had to force himself to stand in place. Knowing the Pearl in the East for four years now, Shin was acutely aware of her mannerisms. Bingying was angry¡­ Really, really angry¡­ "If Junior Brother Shin really believes that he can beat us both, why not let him try?" The maiden laughed. She couldn''t show her frustration in front of the High Elders, Spirit Saints and hundred-thousand strong crowd, so the most she could do was to be passive-aggressive about the whole fiasco. Shin gulped. Meijing Bingying hasn''t called him by the term ''junior brother'' for years now. Looks like the woman had taken the haughty challenge a little too personally. Leaping down onto the arena, the man landed right next to Meijing Bingying and put on a warm face. Qilong Hu didn''t take Shin''s challenge to heart. At most, he looked at the young man as a silly boy that thought too highly of himself. All that he needed to do was to put Shin back into his place. "If Junior Brother Shin is fine with it, who am I to decline?" The crowd all cheered out, voices booming out and cries of pure joy with fists raised high dominated the landscape. This was what they paid good money to see. The battle of the Titans. Shin had beaten three Luminaries back to back to back. It was time to see if he could defeat two of them at the same time. "Alright then..." Longyu Dao shook his head. He didn''t want Shin to bite off more than he could chew, but the wheels had already started to turn. There was no backing out now. "Do you mind if I referee? At least we can stop the match should anything go awry." The Longyu Clan Master asked the three Spirit Spectres. "We don''t mind..." Qilong Hu didn''t consult the rest. Instead, he folded his muscular arms and answered the rest of them. "It would be an honour for the Longyu Clan Master to adjudicate our match." "Good! Everyone to your positions!" Longyu Dao barked, mainly at the pesky Spirit Venerates that stood in the middle of the arena. They were about to begin the match that would determine Shin''s fate, he couldn''t allow any more hindrances. "Tian, your golden boy sure is a box of surprises!" Jingyu Han, the Saint of the Oceans, slapped his thigh and held onto his stomach. "Did you teach him your ways?!" "Don''t look at me," replied Longyu Tian. "I''m just as surprised as you are." Throughout the entire ordeal, the four Spirit Saints were no different than the rest of the audience around them. They couldn''t believe their ears when they heard Shin''s proposal. It seems that the youth had learnt a thing or two from the jester that he just defeated. "Honestly, if Shin wins the next round, I don''t see how the High Council could block his participation anymore..." Heigui Zhengkang remarked, brushing on his white dragon''s beard. "Actually, I don''t even want to see what he does at the Trial¡­ My old blood can''t take any more of this excitement." A joke, of course. However, it showed how much Shin had pumped up the desires of the jaded Spirit Saints. "If he''s able to absorb the Mind-Element¡­ Maybe there''s something to it..." Shenshe Zemin hid her mouth with a fist and blurted out unconsciously. Then, she threw her head back and sighed. No matter what the result, once Shin had matured, the Longyu Clan was certain to gain a new Spirit Saint. "Congratulations, Tian. Looks like the next era would be the Longyu Clan''s..." "Thank you..." The Saint of Time replied weakly. It would be in poor taste to gloat, but deep down, Longyu Tian thanked her past self for being so adamant on bringing Shin back to the Republic. Peering down at the arena, her eyes twinkled in absolute joy. Preparations were now readied. It was time for Shin to claim his throne as the Champion of Yingxiong Amphitheatre. ??? The young black-haired boy took one last deep breath controlling his pounding heart. This was it. This was the final battle in Yingxiong Amphitheatre. There was no need for him to hold back anymore¡­ Closing his eyes, Shin dug deep into his Spectre Soul. The mana that had been lost over the past three matches had been restored entirely. No, there was even more than Shin started with. Power permeated through all his veins and filled him up all the way to his fingertips. Puffing his chest out, the young man roared as every single pore in his body opened up, sending crazy amounts of mana into the area and then... BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Brilliant illusory lights broke free from the youth''s body, enveloping the entire arena with deep azure mana. An illusion of a full nebula engulfed the audience. Below Shin''s heels, a soft ripple spread through the calm and tranquil ground, making it seem like an entire lake had descended upon the vast stadium. Bits of white fluff trickled down from the skies, rapidly decreasing the overall temperature of the arena. Many of the weaker cultivators who laid their eyes upon the Domain instantly felt their eyelids becoming heavier. The children who didn''t possess a single shred of cultivation all succumbed to their desires and dropped upon their parent''s shoulders. The barrier that was supposed to protect the audience had failed miserably, and there was only one possible reason why¡­ "N-No w-way!" Longyu Tian jumped to her feet. The other Spirit Saints didn''t have the same adverse reaction, but they held back their yells. Not even Jingyu Han, who was a spirited individual, had the words to react to what they''d just witnessed. "Shin, he..." The Saint of Time scratched the side of her head and squinted. "Did he just use the Mind-Element?" The Domain of Dreams had undergone a serious change after the Jingyu Taiyi fight. Instead of just boosting the water elements around Shin, it now also boasted the intrinsic quality that gave it its name. Shin was now capable of using the Mind-Element, even if it was just a little bit. Milky white specks twinkled over his head while the entire celestial night sky that he created was reflected by the illusion of the lake beneath his foot. It really was a sight for the ages. "It''s faint, but there''s no doubt about it!" Heigui Zhengkang cried out. "That boy he¡­ My god, can he stop surprising me for just one second?!" It was almost a chore to continue jumping off their feet. Time and time again, someone would doubt Shin and time and time, the youth would prove them wrong. At this rate, it wouldn''t be surprising if the young prodigy really did knock the two Luminaries out in the one-versus-two match. Sssssssssssssssssttttttttttttttttttt!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Shin continued to congregate his mana, blissfully unaware of the commotion that he''d caused. Toughened azure scales appeared all over his body as he simultaneously cast his spiritual body enhancement and increased his vitality using mana strengthening. The Golden Dragon Needles whizzed on by, as dozens of water structures formed behind Shin. The Spear of Aiglos made its return, piercing through the ground in front of him. Shin''s healing mist covered his back while over a hundred weapons of all shapes and sizes covered the celestial sky of his domain. The lake beneath Shin froze over with each ripple creating over a dozen icy Lily flowers. Water tendrils twirled around the man, ready to strike like a coiled serpent. And finally¡­ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A sharp, resonant cry rang in the ears of every single soul in the Amphitheatre. Pebbles on the gravel floor rose up and splattered into dust. The familiar radiant shard reappeared above Shin''s head, creating heaps of dense mana particles and heavy spiritual pressure. The crowd went breathless, and so did the two Luminaries that were preparing to face off against Shin. Shin''s two azure eyes, each one holding the radiance of a pristine lake in the middle of a summer''s day, glistened with spiritual light. Every single weapon that he had, every martial art, spiritual ability, spiritual armament¡­ Everything that Shin had learnt was finally being utilised for the first time. Looking at the two frozen Luminaries, the youth spoke out. "Shin Iofiel¡­ Rank 40¡­ Spirit, the Sovereign Koi¡­ Please advise me..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 453 The Champion Of Yingxiong Amphitheatre 3 Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu stood rooted to the ground. Their mouths were hanging dry, and their faces turned paler than the snow created by the Domain of Dreams. The spiritual pressure being released by Shin, or to be precise, the Shard of the Azure Dragon, was immense. Even for the two prodigies, their chests began to feel tight, and their knees unconsciously bent down. ''Right¡­ In all the times I faced him, Shin has never used the shard¡­'' Meijing Bingying watched the young man who showcased every single one of his abilities. Bingying had only fought Shin in a true sparring match once, back when she first arrived in the Himmel Empire. However, since then, she had been training Shin in cultivation and using ice in battle. Though Bingying knew of every single ability that Shin had, being on the receiving end of everything in Shin''s arsenal was a first for the young maiden. Still, a match was a match. The Spectral Reaver Blade flung out of its scabbard, creating a crescent moon arc in the process. Frosty particles dripped down from the woman''s blade and feet, completely changing the landscape of the arena around her. The concrete floor had transformed into a glacial iceberg, all while the phantom of the Enigmatic Narwhal circled around Bingying. Taking notes from Shin, Bingying cast her spiritual body enhancement, and the breathtaking drill horn of the narwhal was transferred over to the beauty''s forehead. And then, when all her preparations were done, the Pearl in the East pointed her blade at Shin, slamming the phantom of her Spirit straight onto the floor. Blue particles were hurled in all directions, and the temperature around her dropped drastically. Ice pillars and sharpened spears appeared all around the Bingying, making her seem more and more powerful by the second. Qilong Hu watched Shin and Bingying unleash their domains with great interest. Looks like they were going all out from the start. "I guess it''s my turn then..." The Luminary''s biceps bulged out as serpentine scales filled every corner of his tanned skin. At the same time, the Spiritual Manifestation of the Seven-Headed Hydra appeared right behind him. The sky darkened, and weighty raindrops started to fall. The beads of water first dropped like average rain. However, in just one second, Qilong Hu twisted his wrists, and the water swirled around, like a tempest ready to rip down any sailors in its path. Three domains. One illusory, one glacial, one chaotic. Believe it or not, domains weren''t standard spiritual abilities, and it was rare for a Spirit Spectre to possess one. Yet, the audience was feasted with a sight of three domains! If one went just by looks, Qilong Hu''s massive five-metre-tall Spiritual Manifestation was the most intimidating. Its tail that slapped on the ground, creating enormous marks wasn''t a sight for the faint-hearted. Not to mention, he had his domain in full effect. Truly, the Luminary had lived up to his title as the Lantis Republic''s strongest Spirit Spectre. Meijing Bingying''s domain was terrifying, as well. Anything that dared to enter that winter land would be frozen in a split second. Her Spectral Reaver Blade was also feeling bloodthirsty. Moving around like a serpent, the sword released tremendous amounts of ethereal mist, further decreasing the surroundings to sub-zero temperatures. ''What monsters...'' The spectators all thought to themselves. At the corner, Kanari and Longyu Hai both had nails in their teeth, particularly the young girl who had lived on this earth for less than ten years. Her knees were shaky, and every molecule in her body was screaming for her to run. And Longyu Hai was well-protected by the barrier of the arena! She couldn''t imagine what it''ll be like to stand in the middle of the maelstrom of elements. "Ready..." Longyu Dao looked at the three individuals and raised his dominant hand. Being the referee, he couldn''t stop and marvel at every single ability that they unleash. Now that their preparations were complete, it was time to fight. "GO!!!" BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! The moment Longyu Dao dropped his hand, the entire amphitheatre shook. People were swept off their feet, and young children cried in fear. However, no matter what happened, none of them left their eyes off the three young geniuses. Shin was the first to strike. Dense mana thunderbolts emerged from the Shard of the Azure Dragon and combined itself with a rapidly spinning water sphere. Rapidly spinning beads of mana-infused water droplets sprung straight at the two Luminaries. After learning how to partially ignite the shard, Shin''s lack of offensive force had now been solved. The created water abilities that he had were now as deadly as any other Spirit Spectre''s spiritual abilities. Bingying was the first one to react. Ice walls were created in an instant, blocking the meteor shower''s line of sight. Shin carefully observed how once one ice wall was destroyed, another rapidly took its place. Ice was hard to create. Not only were the Ice-Element far rarer than the Water-Element, but it was much more difficult to manipulate its solid-state as well. It was a testament to Bingying''s ability that she could create ice with that much ease. Shin was capable of slowing the molecules of water down to generate ice. However, there was no way that he could compare with a bona fide Ice-Elemental master such as Bingying. Qilong Hu was no slouch either. His Tempest Domain swept away the heavy-hitting raindrops that were powered by the shard and the Spiritual Manifestation of the Seven-Headed Hydra continued to dominate his immediate vicinity. Looks like the first attack of the Prince of Water had failed terribly. ''Next is this!!!'' Shin screamed out inwardly as he leapt into the air. The water weapons that he created all charged violently at the pair on the ground, all while he swung his Spear of Aiglos around. ''You''re underestimating me, Shin!'' Bingying scoffed and waved her hand once. A hundred icy spikes revealed themselves from the blue particles surrounding the Pearl in the East and soon transformed into deadly ice spears. Who was the one that taught Shin how to create ice spears? It was Bingying herself, and Shin was trying to use her own ability against her? Laughing would be an understatement¡­ The weapons were masterfully countered by both Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu as their domains did most of the work. Of course, they could have anticipated that all of their movements were part of Shin''s master plan... The Domain of Dreams moved farther and farther away from the other two domains, giving him ample space to dominate the skies. The sun was up, blazing down its heat with all its glory. But the two Luminaries could see that fiery ball at all. All they could see was a celestial patch of milky white dots, as billions of snow and rain particles dripped down from the heavens. "His domain¡­ It grew quite big¡­" Longyu Tian thought out loud. It wasn''t particularly weird for domains to become stronger. The odd thing was, Shin hasn''t promoted or improved his cultivation in the slightest. The aura he was giving out was still that of a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre, albeit a supremely odd one. There was only one thing that changed during that morning, and that was the bout he had were he absorbed Jingyu Taiyi''s Mind-Element¡­ ''Wait¡­ Does that mean he can learn my Time-Element as well?'' Longyu Tian pondered, as her eyes sparkled with a revelation. Shin''s proficiency over the Ice-Element could be explained rationally since the Ice-Element was a mutant variation of the Water one. However, what about the Mind-Element? There was next to no correlation there! ''I''ll have to test it out after he finishes the Trial...'' Longyu Tian wasn''t even considering the possibility of Shin not taking the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. With public opinion on their side, the Saint of Time was going to bring Shin to the Celestial River and forcibly baptise him if need be. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Shin pivoted his waist, propelling his streamlined body straight into the air. The Domain of Dreams continued to fill the apex of the stadium, all while the two Luminaries watched. ''Hmph!'' Bingying scoffed at the young man''s grandiose display. Thinking that he could rule the skies right in front of the Spirit Spectre that taught him how to fly? Bingying took it as an insult. Thousands of dreamy blue particles dashed into the skies, hoping to freeze and bring the young man down. The icy power continued to fly upwards at breakneck speeds, and Shin could only hope to defend using his Aegis Bubble. Alas, before the attack landed, blue particles were viciously ripped apart by the tempest that was being raised right by her side. "Senior Hu! What are you doing?" Bingying screamed, turning around to look at the muscular man who had both his hands raised. "I''m sorry, I thought that I would attack him as well..." Qilong Hu apologised. However, just as their two domains connect, a violent explosion destroyed the western side of Bingying''s icy field. Who was the culprit? It wasn''t Shin who was supposed to be her opponent, but the never-ending hurricane that the Seven-Headed Hydra created. Bingying was livid. She cried once again, "Senior Hu!" "I-I can''t help it!!!" Overhead, when Shin saw the confusion in the pair''s interactions. ''I knew it!'' He resisted the urge to throw his fist up in celebration. Asking to fight the two Luminaries wasn''t an arrogant decision that he made, but a calculated one. Shin knew how Meijing Bingying abilities worked. After all, she was his mentor for a good four years. Also, Shin had witnessed Qilong Hu fight once before, back during the Summit. Both Meijing Bingying and Qilong Hu were dominant Spirit Spectres. In most one-on-one bouts, they would knock out their opponent with relative ease. Their crowd control, targeted one-on-one, martial arts¡­ Almost everything about their abilities screamed dominance. However, that meant that they had one fatal flaw¡­ ''I knew it! Their abilities cancel each other out!!!'' Shin cheered. No matter how much Shin thought highly of himself, there was no way that he could beat those two behemoths without putting his life on the line. He calculated and calculated throughout the years. Fortunately, he found a suitable answer to his problems. What if Shin fought the two Luminaries at the same time? They weren''t trained to fight together, and neither were their spiritual abilities compatible. One was solid ice, the other, a ravaging tempest. How could they possibly take on Shin, who had all his abilities refined drastically over the years? ''First is you!!!'' Taking advantage of this golden opportunity, Shin bent his right fingers into the claw and summoned the Shard of the Azure Dragon forward. The siren''s wail continued to deafen the ears of those surrounding the arena, as Shin pumped more and more mana into the radiant nail. The Luminaries instantly felt like an entire ocean had fallen upon their shoulders. Both their knees went weak, and their fists began to clench. Shin wasn''t going to partially ignite the Shard as he did the last time¡­ He was going to fully ignite it. "Crap! Get down!!!" Qilong Hu warned Meijing Bingying. However, there was no need for him to be that concerned over the Pearl in the East. Already scurrying away, Bingying created hundreds of ice barrier and dug herself a hole in the ground like a mole. She didn''t stop there. A thick armour of frost enveloped the young woman, bringing her defence to its absolute peak. Bingying was present when Shin first ignited the shard. She was also there when Shin ignited it to destroy the Payirci. If there were anyone in the world that feared the Shard, it would be Bingying. Alas, Qilong Hu was not that fortunate. Shin''s target from the beginning had always been the powerful man who could create that dreadful Spiritual Manifestation of the Seven-Headed Hydra. Before he could adequately prepare his defences, Shin''s fully ignited Shard, which possessed enough damage to wreck through a Paradise Heart of the Payirci, landed just a few metres away from the poor young man. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!! There was no second chance for Qilong Hu. Half the arena blew up entirely, and the debris that flew out made the stadium look like an asteroid belt. If not for the barrier created by the top engineers of the Lantis Republic, perhaps the entire audience would have been blown apart as well. Qilong Hu was sent flying. His domain ripped apart, the phantom of the Seven-Headed Hydra had been torn to shreds and most importantly, just like Jingyu Taiyi before him, the young man lost all consciousness, blacking out almost immediately. Meijing Bingying crept out of her hole, the icy armour that was protecting her had all but dissipated. The damage to her body was light due to all of the protections she possessed; still, the Pearl in the East felt a little concussed. Then, Bingying saw the unmoving body of Qilong Hu. Many regarded him as the strongest Luminary in the Lantis Republic. The mountain that couldn''t be moved. However¡­ On this day, that title had been relinquished. There was a new top dog in town. ''A fully serious Shin¡­ I never thought that it would be so terrifying...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 454 The Champion Of Yingxiong Amphitheatre 4 Qilong Hu being knocked out was a stunner for everyone watching. They''d all thought that the resilient and more tenacious Luminary would be the last one standing in the match of three domains. Unfortunately, the power of the Shard was too much to fathom. Shin even purposely missed Qilong Hu by a few metres, and that was enough to completely melt the muscular man''s defences. Longyu Dao was the quickest to react. His five right fingers opened up, creating a force field around the unconscious young man. Mana flowed out and nourished the weakened Luminary as he slowly flew out into the stands. Physicians rushed to monitor the young man''s condition, tapping his sweat-ridden forehead with concern. Fortunately, Qilong Hu wasn''t fatally wounded, and a universal sigh of relief flowed out of everyone''s mouths. Shin dropped down from the heavens, face red and sweat dripping off his shoulders. Fully igniting the Shard was a right call to take down one Luminary, but it came at an exorbitant cost. Over half of Shin''s mana had been drained out of his system, and the sudden burst of energy sent wave after wave of nausea to the young man''s consciousness. Shin had to fight off the desire to hurl with every passing second. Still, even after one Luminary had fallen, the Prince of Water couldn''t relax for a single moment. Bingying was still in the pink of health, filled with spiritual energy. The only disadvantage that she had was the shock Shin had bestowed upon her, and the conniving viper had every intention of capitalising on that weakness. The Spear of Aiglos spun around rapidly, bringing godlike amounts of water elements with each movement. The healing mist covered Shin''s advance, allowing him to block Bingying''s vision of him and heal any bruises that he may have sustained. Bingying had less than a fraction of a second to react. By the time she watched Qilong Hu being carried away, Shin''s attack was already on her doorstep. The Shard had disappeared into Shin''s body, possibly to recharge and thus, Shin''s abilities weren''t as powered as before. However, what he lacked in damage, Shin overcame with speed. Bingying was a top-tier swordswoman in her own right and could easily parry Shin''s spearmanship. However, the youth had a distinct advantage¡­ A dozen water humanoids jumped out from the healing mist, all holding onto various weapons. Some swords, some spears, some rapiers, some bow and arrows¡­ They moved much slower than Shin or Bingying, but their skill level was equivalent to that of ordinary trained soldiers in the Himmel Empire military. In a one-on-one match, Shin would most likely lose to Bingying''s overwhelming sword prowess. So, to completely turn the tides in his favour, Shin opted to use numbers to his advantage. Each water golem charged like a suicide bomber, throwing Bingying off guard. Though, there was a reason why Bingying was widely considered as the most talented young woman in the Lantis Republic. In less than a blink of an eye, the Luminary got to work. The Spectral Reaver Blade slithered through the cracks slicing and dicing as many of those pests as they could. In the beginning, the young Luminary was doing great. The water golems would be frozen by her domain, and the sword in her hand would do the rest. Icicles that fell out from the broken golems would then be used against Shin in a counterattack barrage. Alas, the young man was far too sharp. The golems that were destroyed would be instantly replaced, and more and more water attacks were generated by Shin''s overwhelming domain. Unlike Qilong Hu''s Tempest, Shin''s Domain of Dreams was much more gentle, enabling him to use it to the fullest effect inside of Bingying''s own domain. ''This can''t continue!'' Bingying, being a seasoned fighter, understood how dreadful it was for her to keep defending. Shin had the initiative from the very first strike, and in due time, the youth would dictate the pace of the match. Once that happens, none of Bingying''s counters would work. The Luminary changed tactics on the fly. Instead of tackling the water golems straight on, she leapt backwards and created tonnes of ice walls to bar Shin progress. Bingying needed to regain the initiative to dictate her own terms. However, just as she was flying back, a familiar silhouette rushed down from the crowd. The man wasn''t that handsome, and neither was he breathtakingly large. Every fibre of his being screamed ordinary. Yet, the man still dared to stand right in the middle of the two powerful Luminaries. ''Huanyuan?!'' Bingying cried inwardly. She didn''t understand why the young man, who had been sitting quietly in the audience stands, decided to rush down in the middle of the bout. Xunyu Huanyuan summoned his heavenly sturgeon and held his ground against Shin. "I won''t let you hurt Bingying anymore!!!" The man declared. Bingying and Shin were frozen for a good two seconds before an impish smile appeared on the young man''s face. Leaping high up into the air, Shin commanded his body to perform the world''s strongest falcon dive. The Spear of Aiglos continuously charged straight at Huanyuan, who was still wholly ignorant about his entire situation. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Damn it, Shin! Don''t you dare!!!" Bingying felt her blood turn cold. Everything in her mind had blanked out. The Luminary match, her relationship with Shin and even the hundred thousand spectators witnessing this entire ordeal. Right now, she wanted to save the man who had stood by her through thick and thin, never giving in even for the slightest moment. Naturally, in a match where the strongest prevailed, Shin didn''t care about any human relationship. If he could get Bingying to come out of her shell, Shin would do anything. Even if it meant severely wounding a friend of his. Bingying was too far from the duo. She regretted her choice to run that far away. So, the only thing she could do was watch as Shin''s spear ruthlessly pierced through the sweet flesh of the young man. "FUCK!!!" Bingying''s mind wholly short-circuited. Never in a million years did she think that Shin would kill Huanyuan just to win. In a fury, the woman forgot all of the fundamentals of battle. Keeping her guard up, gone. Wary of her surroundings, thrown out of the window. She had even forgotten about the match. All Bingying wanted to do, was to check on the wounded man and pray that he could be saved. Bingying''s two arms were about to hold onto the pierced young man before she felt a significant tug on her wrists and waists. Five water tendrils, which seemingly came out of nowhere, held onto the Luminary, halting her advance. Just as she was about to question everything, Shin and the impaled Huanyuan turned into mist. In its place, a sharp frosty tip was pointed right at Bingying''s throat, and just the slightest jerk would stab through her vocal cords. So who was the one at the other end of the spear? Who else but the suave Prince of Water? "W-What?" Naturally, the Pearl in the East was confused. Even the entire audience had question marks all over their heads. For a completely different reason though. "Why did Bingying run into Shin''s spear?" Murmurs broke through the crowd. All they saw was the moment Bingying jumped back to retreat, and following that, she ran straight back into Shin''s attack range and willingly allowed herself to get caught. "T-This is..." Bingying mind was still blank, naturally. The image of Huanyuan being killed was a lie? "Sister Bingying, it''s my victory!" Shin beamed, showing off his pearly white teeth. "I''m sorry for using an illusion like that on you! But I had to win this match! I hope you don''t mind!" "You¡­ used an illusion?" The Pearl in the East was absolutely floored. She knew all of Shin''s abilities and mind-bending illusions weren''t part of his arsenal. At least, not until twenty minutes ago¡­ "Sorry, it was a simple one using Brother Huanyuan, but I didn''t really think that you would have fallen for it.," the young man stuck out his tongue playfully. "At least now you know your true feelings about him! I know that you''ve been agonising over it for the past few years!" Bingying''s face instantly turned vermillion as steam shot out from both her ears, though Shin didn''t know if it was from anger or embarrassment. "You bloody brat! You actually toyed with my emotions?! Fuck, I demand a rematch!!!" "Hehe, too late! I win!" The youth declared, putting two fingers up. Shin didn''t win the five matches because he was the most powerful. All the Luminaries had better cultivation levels, and respectively, Shin could never beat them at their best trait. Shin won primarily because of the thing he loved to do most. Analysis. He knew all of the Luminaries strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly of all, he knew his own strengths and weaknesses. Maximising his talents while exploiting his opponent''s shortcomings, that was the way that Shin always did things. "He won..." One audience member coldly stated in a monotone voice. He couldn''t believe it. Five of the Lantis Republic''s top Luminaries had fallen under the hands of this young man. "Shin actually defeated them all..." "That''s bloody..." "..." Speechless. Everyone was absolutely speechless. When the fight was first announced, many anticipated Shin to defeat one or two Luminaries only to be defeated by the upper tiers. Yet, the youth went beyond all expectations and fought through into late stages. He trumped over Xunyu Feifei, outmanoeuvring her at every turn. Longyu Linji was a similar story. No matter what the Luminary tried to throw at Shin, there was a counter ready to neutralise his threat. Though they weren''t able to witness the mental mayhem in Shin''s mind during the Jingyu Taiyi battle, they did witness the aftermath. And then, the final match¡­ Shin challenged the two strongest Luminaries in the Lantis Republic only to thoroughly beat them at their own game. It really was a feast for everyone''s eyes. No one could dare object Shin''s claim to the Celestial River now. If he wasn''t suited for the Trial, who was? Longyu Dao smiled at the conclusion of the match. The Longyu Clan had planned and prepared everything. It would be a damper on their plans if Shin didn''t manage to succeed. Fortunately, Shin didn''t disappoint. He was now the undisputed Champion Of Yingxiong Amphitheatre. "Winner, Shin Iofiel!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 455 The Trial of the Celestial River 1 The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Two Days Later. Shin''s win over the five Luminaries had solidified his position as the Prince of Water. With over a hundred thousand people witnessing the youth beating five of the Republic''s best talents, there was no way that the High Council could justify blocking Shin''s Trial anymore. People chanted his name whenever they wanted. Some had even started a fan club, just like they did for Bingying or Xunyu Feifei. So, what did Shin do after becoming the best youngster and most in the entire region? He went back home to sleep. No one could honestly blame him. After hustling for a full month, analysing all five Luminaries abilities, training to counter them, mapping out possible fight endings¡­ It was about time that he got burnt out. Longyu Tian and the rest of the Longyu Clan left him alone for the next two days. Even Kanari held back, and the nightly visits stopped. Alas, the Longyu Clan knew the concept of striking while the iron''s hot. Those two days were good for Shin to recuperate, but it was also a chance for them to amply prepare the Trial. Fully booking the Celestial River, the Longyu Clan pushed for Shin''s baptism, much to the dismay of the other High Elders. In the end, due to public pressure, the consensus from the Spirit Saints and the trump card of the Longyu Clan, the High Council was forced to acquiesce. Celestial Island. The Republic''s largest island and the central hub for everything in the nation. The government, the busiest commercial district, the most populous island, home to the world''s largest navy¡­ The list could go on. However, for Shin, the island was only one place¡­ The location of the Celestial River. An empyrean wonder of the world, many historians dispute the origin of such a divine phenomenon. Lantis Republic philosophers claim that it was once the home of the Celestial Dragon, the Primordial Beast that all water-elemental originated from. Others say that it was just a chance encounter by the ancient clans that decided to use the river as their nesting ground. Nonetheless, no matter the origin, the Celestial River had an undisputable purpose. To serve as the baptism of all Scions of Water and the Trial grounds for any bearing the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. And that was what Shin was here for. Standing in the middle of the Himmel Empire''s delegation, Shin stared in awe at the colossal mountain in front of him. Clouds obscured the peak, and spiritual energies skyrocketed to the absolute limit. Shin never felt so breathless before a natural landmark in his life. He couldn''t see the Celestial River, but he could sure as hell feel it. "Nervous?" Kanari asked, her hand magnetically attracted to Shin''s. "Of course, I am..." The youth replied. Every fibre of his being screamed out in a plethora of emotions. Joy at finally achieving what he sought out to do. Excitement at experiencing the Celestial River for the first time, and most importantly¡­ Anxiety, as he did not know what''s to come. No one did actually. If Shin managed to trigger a Spirit Evolution, great! The young man would be one step closer to his dreams. However, what if he disappointed everyone and nothing happened? Kanari knew precisely how the youth was feeling. Taking two deep sighs in, she gently brushed on the youth''s hair, hoping to calm his nerves even if it was just a little. "You don''t have to worry. You won''t fail at all! I''m sure you''ll become even stronger through this Trial!" "Thank you, Kanari..." The group continued onwards, ignoring the many stares that were being shot their way. Celestial Island was the most populous place in the Lantis Republic. Naturally, when the news broke that Shin was about to attempt his Trial, many would flock out from their humble abode just to catch a glimpse of the newly ordained genius. Longyu Clan guards flocked to the perimeter and created a solid wall of trained professionals, just to prevent the youth from getting disturbed during his Trial. The congregation of Shin, Kanari, her two guards, Claudia and Thea, Lady Seph, Kesyl, Shizen and the twins were continuously led through an array of tight checkpoints, each one manned by at least one Rank 60 Spirit King. As they got deeper into the cove, even security guards with cultivations of Spirit Emperors appeared. Perhaps it was because of Shin''s Trial, but the Celestial River was one of the most guarded places in the world at the moment. It took a while, but the entire team eventually reached the final checkpoint, where all the important people laid in wait. Familiar faces such as Longyu Tian and Meijing Bingying were the first to catch Shin''s eye. They were all smiling from ear to ear, eager to watch Shin, the miracle-worker, stun them one final time. Of course, they weren''t the only ones there. The three other Spirit Saints, Jingyu Han, Shenshe Zemin and Heigui Zhengkang all sat idly, sipping on their favoured tea. If not for the hundreds of armed guards surrounding them, Shin would have thought that this was an entrance to a picnic ground. There was a beautiful brown wooden canoe waiting on the bright and tranquil waterway leading towards an open basin. Shin couldn''t see what lay beyond as there were so many guards blocking the view. Most of the High Elders, particularly those from the Longyu Clan, didn''t even notice Shin arriving and were still busy in a debate. Hence, only one person came forward to welcome the youth into the basin. "You''re finally here!" Meijing Bingying cried. She leapt forward and tapped Shin on his shoulders, checking for any specks of dust, even though that was hardly necessary. "What took you so long?!" Shin rolled his eyes, "I didn''t bring myself here, you know." "Hehe, sorry! I''m just so excited for you!" The Pearl in the East chuckled. She eyed the boy up and down, realising that something was a little off. "Nervous?" Bingying asked the same question that Kanari did. "Birds of a feather really do flock together..." Shin thought out loud for the two beauties to hear. "Of course I''m nervous! How did you feel when you''d first taken the Trial?" "Ah, don''t worry, you''ll get over it..." Bingying replied, puffing her chest out. "We''ll all be there supporting you! The Trial sounds hard and all, but in truth, it really is quite simple!" Shin''s ears perked at the new information he received. Curious, he asked: "By the way, what is the Trial of the Celestial Dragon? I''ve heard of it many times, but no one actually told me what it entails..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Bingying gasped, her eyelashes flickering about wildly. "You don''t know?!" "Regrettably..." The youth pouted. There was no need for such a big reaction, right? "Ah, maybe they wanted to brief you on the spot..." Bingying had lived most of her life in the Lantis Republic, not to mention a blood member of one of the eight ancient clans. Thus, knowledge about the Trial was just common sense to her. She smiled and patiently explained. "The Trial of the Celestial Dragon is honestly quite simple. All you need to do is to summon out your Spirit and climb the Celestial River." "... That''s it?" "That''s it!" Bingying nodded in affirmation. "Honestly, just touching the basin of the Celestial River is enough to trigger a change in any one of our Spirits. That''s the baptism that you know of. However, those with the Mark of the Celestial Dragon can attempt to climb up the river due to a prophecy that has been handed down throughout the generations!" Shin and the Himmel Empire congregation, particularly Lady Seph, opened up their ears even more. It was rare to get an insight into the secretive Lantis Republic''s lore. Fortunately, Bingying had a rather loose mouth. "What''s the prophecy?" Shin asked. Bingying gave a mischievous smile and leaned in closer, hoping to evade the sensitive ears of her seniors. Only when the coast was completely clear, did the young maiden shoot. "Legend claims that those who conquered the Celestial River would gain the inheritance of the Lady of Water, becoming the sole heir of all the Eight Ancient Clans. The Spirit User who conquers the Celestial River will be the one who would unify the eight scions of water and reign supreme as the Child of Water." "There was such a legend?" Lady Seph questioned, evidently puzzled. Even her encyclopedia of knowledge didn''t contain such an astonishing fact. "Then why isn''t it more well-known?" Bingying sighed, "Lady Seph, how old are the Eight Ancient Clans of Water?" "At least five hundred thousand years old?" Accounts varied on the history of the Eight Ancient Clans, but most historians have concurred that the Lady of Water was born in an archaic age. "That''s right. And in all those years since, guess how many cultivators actually conquered the Celestial River?" "Ermmm..." Lady Seph harrumphed. She didn''t even know the existence of the Trial, let alone who attempted or passed it. Fortunately, Bingying wasn''t here to embarrass her. "Zero..." The girl said to many gasps. "Throughout the long history of the Lantis Republic, the Eight Ancient Clans of Water, even to the time where water Spirits weren''t in the norm¡­ There hasn''t been a single person that passed the Trial of the Celestial Dragon." The girl said calmly. "In the end, after generations of failure, the superiors eventually gave up on the prophecy. Many just see the deed as a symbolic gesture. Still, the Trial can bring good things for those that attempt it! Saint Longyu Tian is the prime example! She triggered a spirit evolution that gave her the Time-Element, and she cultivated all the way to a Spirit Saint." Bingying further elaborated. "It doesn''t matter what happens, the Trial can only be beneficial for you. The question is, to what extent?" "..." Shin thought about it silently and his anxiety, like the Celestial River before him, began to wash away into oblivion. Furthermore¡­ ''So what if I don''t trigger a spirit evolution?! I can just work hard as I always do!'' Shin had always struggled in cultivation by himself. There weren''t any teachers around to tutor him in the Celestial Water Mantra, so he taught everything himself. No one forced Shin to train in one way, and he has been succeeding thus far. All that matters now is for him to take the Trial on. "Shin, it''s time," Longyu Tian walked over from the calm waterway, where hordes of High Elders remained waiting. However, the first person she looked to wasn''t the young black-haired youth, but Lady Seph and Kanari''s Spirit Venerate guard, Thea. "I apologise, from here, only Lantis Republic personnel are allowed in. No exceptions." "T-that''s!" Lady Seph raised her hand, ready to protest, but Longyu Tian''s was faster. "We can''t risk our national wonder being desecrated. It doesn''t matter how close you are to Shin, the Lantis Republic, or more importantly, the guardian of the Celestial River would never allow it." "The guardian?" The blonde healer murmured, but Longyu Tian could evidently hear her. "Unfortunately, that''s classified as well," said the Spirit Saint, her voice void of any emotion. "All you need to know is that if you enter not carrying the blood of any Scion of Water, your life would most likely be forfeit." Without any warning, Longyu Tian grabbed onto Shin''s wrist, telling him to bid his companions farewell. "Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon!" Shin exclaimed, turning to all his friends and family. "Good luck!" Shizen was the first to holler back. Kesyl was quick to follow. Lady Seph didn''t need to say anything. She had said enough yesterday and earlier this morning. All the blonde healer needed to do was sit back and wait for the good news of her disciple. "Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip!" Bingbing excitedly chirped, wishing that she could be there for the young man. Still, the Tier 8 Spirit Beast knew her place and nestled right on Lady Seph''s shoulder. "Shin, I know you can do it!" Kanari cried, like a wife bidding a sailor bon voyage. "You better do us proud, Shin!" Ella was the first to scream. Emma, seeing her sister so agitated, chuckled a little before adding her two cents. "Shin, no matter what, we still love you!" "???" The odd confessions of the twins threw Shin off for a moment, but it was already time for departure. Taking deep breaths in, the young man was pulled into a long canoe, with Bingying seated at his side. It was finally time¡­ It was finally time for the young man to tackle the Trial of the Celestial River. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 456 The Trial of the Celestial River 2 The wooden canoe gently paddled down the waterway. The pungent earthy aroma mixed with the sweet scent of the stream calmed the nerves of any man or woman seated in the longboats. Brown vines, which seemed to be untouched by time itself, hung down from the thick rocks over Shin''s head. At the end of the tunnel, there was a gorgeous light that illuminated the faces of many Spirit Venerates that led the way. It really was a breathtaking scene. Anyone facing this situation for the first time would unquestionably be spellbound. However, there was something else pressing on Shin''s mind. "Did you notice something amiss about Ella and Emma?" The young man asked Bingying. Ever since they left for the Meijing Arctics, the twins had been rather quiet and reserved. Up until the Luminary matches, the young girls didn''t disturb Shin one bit. In fact, he could even count the number of times they talked with the fingers of one hand. Bingying, being the person that led the twins into the Meijing Arctics, should know the answer. That''s what Shin thought, and he wasn''t far away from the truth. "I think that they''re just excited about your Trial?" Bingying replied with uncertainty in her tone. Now, Shin wasn''t a master at reading expressions, but he had spent enough time with the Pearl in the East that he understood her mannerisms. The young Luminary was hiding something. "What did they tell you?" Shin squinted and grabbed on the girl''s wrist, his tone as cold as can be. Shin liked Bingying but compared to the safety of the orphans, the youth would never compromise. Bingying took one look at the young man, her eyes slanted and mouth distorted. Four years ago, the young man was still a little creature that she could defeat with her eyes closed. Now, the man was strong enough to take down both Qilong Hu and her, all by himself. There was no way that the young Luminary could resist Shin''s wrath. Sighing, the girl confessed, "They told me not to say anything, at least until your Trial is over." "Don''t tell me..." "That''s right..." The girl groaned. "Why do you think that High Council so readily accepted defeat? Ella and Emma have both agreed on staying in the Lantis Republic." "What?!" Shin cried, not willing to accept the facts. "We agreed that if I won against you guys, that wouldn''t happen!" The young man was stunned and wanted to raise his voice to start a commotion. However, in these sacred grounds, even Shin knew how to mind himself. Lowering his volume to a whisper, the boy continued to irritate Bingying. "It''s more complicated than that!" Bingying argued. "Even if you won against all of us, there was no way that the High Council would agree to give you any benefits without something anchoring you to the Lantis Republic! Think about it from their shoes! What if you take the Trial, trigger a spirit evolution that makes you invincible and you decide to use that power solely for the sake of the Himmel Empire! It''s an unfair trade no matter how you cut it!" Shin staggered a little. There was logic to Bingying''s words. It didn''t make sense for the Lantis Republic to sharpen a sword that could come back and stab them. "The High Council only lost the high ground in the argument once the twins decided to commit themselves to the Meijing Clan! They know how much you love Ella and Emma. If either one of them lives happily in the Lantis Republic, you won''t brandish your spear against us!" "But! You''re ripping them of their freedom!" Shin sharply retorted. "Shin..." The Meijing Clan''s heir shook her head. "We''re not mind-benders. We didn''t force them to sign the contract. They did everything willingly. Also, we''re not mistreating them! They''ll get to train with some of the best Ice-Elemental Spirit Users there is. The resources they get aren''t inferior to that of someone from the main bloodline and most importantly¡­ They served you the chance to take the Trial of the Celestial Dragon." "T-That!" Shin was rendered speechless. Why did the twins decide to stay in the Lantis Republic? Wasn''t it because of their precious brother? "Ella and Emma aren''t children anymore, Shin..." Bingying continued. "They made their own choices as adults. The most you can do is respect them and do your best in the Trial. At least, you won''t let them down..." "They..." Shin glanced over his shoulder, really resisting the urge to swim back into the cove. Two of his closest family members had just sacrificed their freedom for him, and he didn''t even realise. ''Damn it¡­'' The youth cursed mentally. He wanted everyone to live happily ever after in his story. After all that the orphans had been through, Shin wanted them to live unhindered by war or torment. Back in the Himmel Empire, Shin had once heavily protested the admission of any orphans into Imperius Academy. Alas, so many of them denied him. Ella, Emma, Elyse and Fionn. They could have gone on to lead happy lives, perhaps get married and start of lovely warm family far away from the flames of battle. Yet, they chose to stay by his side, to carry the burden of the Awter Clan and the Black Masks that supported them. And most importantly, to become a pillar of hope for the young and distraught young man. Bingying was right. Ella and Emma weren''t children anymore, and Shin couldn''t force them to do anything. He could, however, do one thing for them¡­ And that was to become so strong that no one would ever dare to harm a single hair on their body. The wooden canoes continued to flow downstream, ignoring the tension that had been building up in Shin''s mind. As he was still examining the lives of his two sisters, the boat that he was in came to an ancient stone dock. The rocks that were holding up the pier looked to be falling apart, but by some miracle, they didn''t creak when the Spirit Venerates got off their canoe. One by one, the High Elders, Clan Masters and Spirit Saints took off, and only Shin and Bingying remained in their boat. Calmly holding the youth''s hand, Bingying said: "Come¡­ We''re here..." The air was moist, and the temperature, cooling. Being cultivators harnessing the power of the Eight Scions of Water, all the members in the Lantis Republic universally took many deep breaths in, filling their lungs with as much water elements as they possibly could. Though Shin was still feeling mad about the twins going behind his back to restrain their own freedom, just one whiff of the sweet air made the young man a little drunk as his mood rapidly improved. "Shin, summon out your Spirit." Longyu Tian walked over and dragged the young man into the front. They were all here for Shin''s Trial, it made sense that he was the star of the congregation. "Summon my Spirit?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "If you don''t show proof of your bloodline, the Guardian will rip your head cleanly from its shoulders. No exceptions." Longyu Tian explained briefly. All around her, the Lantis Republic members had all summoned out their Spirits. The Colossal Leviathan. The Divine King Serpent. The Abominable Cthulhu. The Seven-Headed Hydra. The Enigmatic Narwhal. The Obsidian Xuanwu. The Heavenly Sturgeon.The Sovereign Koi. All the Eight Scions of Water were present. For respect, every single soul in the group was forced to shrink their Spirits until they were less than fifteen centimetres tall. It was funny to see scary beings like the Abominable Cthulhu becoming as small as a girl''s plush toy, but that wasn''t important. Shin raised his right palm up and summoned out the adorable little cerulean Koi. Once it was aware of its surroundings, the Spirit in Shin''s hands flapped both its fins in complete excitement, even doing a somersault in the air. If not for its restriction to stay with Shin, the youth was sure that the Sovereign Koi would run straight forward disregarding its owner. "It''s quite cheery, huh?" Longyu Tian remarked, her Golden Sovereign Koi swimming right above her palms as well, though it was moving a little more sluggishly. From a distance, if one observed both the Spirits, they would assume that the pair were a mother-son duo. The tired mother and energetic son duo. "Sorry, it''s hard to control it..." "No need to apologise!" Longyu Tian laughed. "It''s just a curious little Spirit¡­ I really wonder if it can trigger a spirit evolution." "That would be for the best..." Shin didn''t hide his intentions. He really wanted the Sovereign Koi to become much stronger than it presently was. "Curious..." Longyu Tian continued to examine the adorable little cerulean Koi. However, she didn''t have much time to give a full analysis. Holding onto Shin''s free hand, the woman said, "Either way, stay close. Don''t be alarmed when we reach the Celestial River." "Huh?" Before Shin even had a chance to ask what she meant, the congregation had already moved forward into the light. Cave rock soon became replaced with the dazzling radiance of the morning sun. The whispers of beetles were hushed out by the ever flowing water that continued to bombard the backdrop. Ten steps later, the entire Lantis Republic side was greeted by a gorgeous porcelain water basin. Instead of having the regular colour of water, the deep lake sparkled as if the stars were twinkling within its holy site. And then¡­ Shin saw it¡­ A water basin couldn''t magically appear without a source. Leading down till the pool, there was a shimmering river flowing down from the town of the mountains. Just like the lake before it, the river was radiating a colour that Shin had never witnessed before. It was a combination of green, white, azure, yellow, auburn¡­ A dazzling sight for the eyes, no doubt. However, Shin could barely admire the Celestial River in all of its grandeur before the rocky earth began to shake. Typically, if there were an earthquake, those at the Spirit Spectre realm and above would take to the skies to stabilise their conditions. Despite that, none of the Spirit Venerates dared to lift their feet a single centimetre. The four Spirit Saints, the ones that topped every power chart in the Lantis Republic also remained rooted to the ground. Thus, youngsters such as Shin and Bingying didn''t dare to fly as well. They bent down, some even kneeling to lower their centre of gravity. That was how impactful the shaky cove was. ''What''s going on?'' Shin cried inwardly. The rest of the High Elders and Spirit Venerates were calm, but those beneath their realm felt a little apprehension. They knew what was to come, and they were scared out of their wits. ROOOOAAAARRRRRRR!!! Thunder clapped even though the sky was as bright as the angelic heavens. Shin, unable to bear it anymore, fell down onto his knees as a speedy shadow emerged from the bottom of the Celestial River basin. Shin''s face turned as white as chalk, and his entire body was screaming out in fear. The figure continued to climb out from the pool, showing off all of its azure scales in the process. The High Elders and Clan Masters all bowed their heads in reverence with cupped fists. On the other hand, the Spirit Saints simply lowered their heads just a little. Every single soul from the Lantis Republic showed their respect for the being, one way or the other. Shin, who was already kneeling, didn''t need to lower his head anymore, giving him a chance to see the mighty creature in all of its glory. Four sharp nails on its right, three on its left. The enormous beastly head of the serpentine creature breathed out a foul-scented mist, contorting many of the younger generation''s faces. Still, they didn''t dare to look away. Who would? They had heard of that mythical creature many times before; however, no one has actually come face to face with one. Taking two big gulps, Shin accurately muttered to himself: "The Azure Dragon..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 457 The Trial of the Celestial River 3 The Eight Ancient Clans of Water. They have thrived through the first age of man, the birth of the first Spirit Immortal. They had witnessed the rise and fall of multiple dynasties, some of them were so powerful that Rank 40 Spirit Spectres could only become foot soldiers in their land. So why is it that even after thousands of years, those empires fell and yet, the Eight Clans of Water thrived? Was it their isolationist policies? Or was it because of how superior they were at naval combat? No, those explanations only scratched the surface. The real reason why the Eight Ancient Clans of Water could thrive as long as they did, was because of their Guardians. Oceanic Spirit Beasts were completely unlike land ones. The ocean was vast, and there weren''t many places for them to settle down in. While some Spirit Beasts evolved so that they could migrate anywhere they wanted, for them to truly grow into powerhouses that could leave prime descendants, they needed an anchor place. That''s what the Lantis Archipelago was for. Tier 9 Spirit Beasts found refuge on the famous Lantis Republic''s islands, each one holding on to one of the eight islands. It was their breeding ground and their home. No matter what happens among the humans, the Tier 9 Spirit Beasts would fight till their dying breath to protect their home. So for mutual protection, the Eight Clans of Water all made pacts with their respective Guardian Spirit Beasts. For the Zhangyu Clan, they formed an alliance with the Kraken, a colossal octopus that easily reaches Tier 9 once matured. The Heigui Clan took care of the original Xuanwu''s descendants. The Meijing Clan is protected by an Ancient Killer Whale pod¡­ The list continues on¡­ Celestial Island, being the biggest isle in the entire archipelago, naturally had a Guardian of their own. An ancient bloodline that was as old as the Lady of Water herself. The Lantis Archipelago had experienced hundreds, no thousands, of invasion over the years. Cultivators from the Terre Continent would love to claim the Celestial River for themselves, harnessing the power of the Empyrean Wonder. Yet, no matter what they do, they will never enter the Celestial River. Why? Because of the Azure Dragons protecting it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Mmmmmm..." The enormous Dragon, who was at least thirty metres long, glanced down at its visitors. Its eyes flashed in between their hands, checking each and every one of their Spirits and bloodline. The process took a while but eventually, the intense pressure that it emitted soon dissipated into nothingness and everyone present relaxed their shoulders. It opened its mouth, and its lower jaw moved up and down. "Is it time for the baptism already?" The Azure Dragon said lazily. Every year, a new batch of youngsters would arrive ready to baptise their Spirit right under the Celestial River. The Azure Dragon yawned, thinking that it was that time of year again. "No, honoured one." Longyu Tian was the first to reply, taking one step closer to the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. She may have a higher cultivation realm, but the Azure Dragon in front of her was at least ten times her age. Not only that, it was the leader of its entire race. It would do her well to keep the Azure Dragon happy. "We have a descendant that''s about to attempt the Trial of the Celestial Dragon." "Mmmm? Trial?" The Azure Dragon''s heavy eyelids snapped wide open. It was rare for someone to attempt the Trial. Its massive head swooshed, creating a descending air current, strong enough to temper with the youth''s legs. Still, Shin tried to stand. Moving up from his kneeling position, the youth came face-to-face with the colossal creature. The Azure Dragon''s nostrils were almost as big as Shin''s head, and its long vertical pupil stared straight at the man, bringing his entire soul to heel. Just like the azure scales that it had, the Dragon''s eye colour was as blue as the ocean and as beautiful as the afternoon sky. Shin felt mesmerised just by staring into those liquid crystals that were bigger than a watermelon. "You¡­ Your aura¡­ It seems familiar¡­ It feels like my own, and yet¡­ It''s not..." The Azure Dragon stated. Longyu Tian tapped on Shin''s wrist before replying. "Honoured one¡­ The nail that you''d given up four years ago has been assimilated into this boy." She tapped on Shin''s wrist again, gesturing for him to show the Shard. Shin furiously nodded and obliged immediately. The siren''s wail that everyone was accustomed to by now echoed within the water basin. The Shard that destroyed all who stood in its path reappeared in the world, sending shivers down Bingying''s spine. She had been at the receiving end of that attack, after all¡­ The Azure Dragon raised its chin, seemingly amused by the cute little Shard. "Fascinating... To think that my nail could be used in this manner..." The Dragon raised its left hand, displaying the four scaly fingers that it had. Three sharp claws that seemed capable of tearing through flesh and breaking bones were at the end of the upper three fingers. However, the Azure Dragon''s thumb was void of any claw, just a blunt end. Four years ago, when Longyu Tian came over to request the Azure Dragon for its nail, it didn''t think anything of it. It was just like how humans felt when cutting their own hair. That useless waste was only going to be thrown into the ocean anyway. So seeing how Shin transformed its discarded claw into the Shard really took the Azure Dragon aback. "Boy! What''s your name!" "S-Shin! Honoured one!" The booming voice shook the youth to his core, and Shin immediately stood up straight to declare his name. Then, Shin remembered one vital thing, "I-I never had the chance to personally thank you for giving up your claw! Please, accept this junior''s bow!" Shin lowered his head twice. There was genuine gratitude in his gestures. How many times has he been saved by the Shard of the Azure Dragon? How much stronger has he become due to the Shard of the Azure Dragon? Shin knew that he owed a lot to the Tier 9 Spirit Beast that he''d never met and fortunately, he finally got a chance to personally thank it. "Mmmmm¡­ There''s no need to thank me..." The Azure Dragon laughed. "All I did was clip my nails a bit. It''ll grow back in a dozen years or two. You worked hard to assimilate it and use it in such a meaningful way. It''s your achievement, not mine." The more the Azure Dragon looked at Shin, the more satisfied it got. Not only did he bear the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, but Shin also had the guts to assimilate with a Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s body part. "Thank you!" Shin hurriedly responded. "Mmmm¡­ So I''m assuming that you''re the one that''s taking the Trial?" A rhetorical question of course, but it still threw Shin off guard. "Y-yes!" "Okay..." The Azure Dragon stared straight at the adorable little cerulean Koi in Shin''s hands. While the other Spirits were all wearing solemn expressions, only that playful Spirit remained restless. It wanted to rush into the pool and leap into the Celestial River as soon as it possibly could. The Sovereign Koi wasn''t even afraid of the fearsome Azure Dragon that stared right at it. "Mmmmm? A curious little critter..." Its interest piqued, the Azure Dragon flew further down until its eye covered the entirety of Shin''s right hand. Its draconic eyes blinked twice as it carefully examined the Sovereign Koi. Once again, instead of being afraid, the Sovereign Koi snapped and wiggled its body forward with its fins flailing about like a boxer. It was irritated that the Azure Dragon had blocked its view of the Celestial River. "HA HA HA!!! What''s this?!" The Dragon bellowed out in laughter, raising the tension in the Celestial River. It has been a long time since anything had treated the Dragon as a pest. "A-Ah, I''m sorry!" Shin really didn''t mean to disrespect the Azure Dragon, it was just that he didn''t have any control over the Sovereign Koi. It did whatever it wanted, whenever it felt like. Something unique only to Shin''s Spirit. "Mmmmm¡­ I''m not offended..." The Azure Dragon stopped its laughter and gazed right at the puffy cheeks of the adorable little Koi. "I quite like this one¡­ No, I like you..." The Guardian corrected itself. "I''m interested to see what you would do..." The Azure Dragon flew to the side, giving way for Shin to finally begin his Trial. "Before we begin, place your Spirit into the pool in front of you." The Guardian commanded. Shin turned around, only to see Longyu Tian, Longyu Dao and Meijing Bingying furiously nodding their heads. Bingying even had her thumbs up, acting as the youth''s personal cheerleader. After the Azure Dragon had given its approval, every single one of the Lantis Republic members moved far back, giving Shin room to act on his Trial. "How many metres do you think he''ll get?" Jingyu Han, the Saint of the Oceans, asked his fellow Spirit Saints. "A hundred?" Shenshe Zemin replied, her eyes moving to the engraved leaderboard at the side of the cavern. The Celestial River was eight-hundred and eighty-eight metres long precisely. Many have attempted to cross the threshold to inherit the Lady of Water''s legacy; unfortunately, no one has ever succeeded. Just one glance at the leaderboard and one would see the failures throughout the entire Eight Ancient Clans of Water history. Meijing Bingying and Jingyu Taiyi''s names were also engraved on the stone. Bingying reached a hundred and sixty-seven metres while Taiyi only managed a hundred and fifty-five. Among those living today only Longyu Tian managed to reach five-hundred and fifty-nine metres. However, the Lantis Republic sure had over five hundred thousand years of history. Longyu Tian was by no means the top person on the leaderboard, she wasn''t even in the top hundred. The top ranker managed to reach eight-hundred and twenty-one metres in an age long forgotten. A staggering number. However, no matter how high one climbed, they never managed to break through into the final threshold. They always fell short. Thus, it wasn''t that odd for the Spirit Saints to think the same of Shin. "A hundred? I think that''s a little low, don''t you think?" Heigui Zhengkang coughed. He didn''t share the same animosity that Shenshe Zemin had towards Longyu Tian, so his view was a little more objective. "It should be three or four hundred¡­ I doubt he can break Tian''s record." "Three hundred sounds about right," Jingyu Han agreed. "Maybe he can push four hundred? His Spirit does seem to be quite peculiar." "So what? He won''t be clearing the Celestial River anyway." Shenshe Zemin sneered. "The most likely outcome is that he inherits Tian''s Time-Element as well. God, that would be annoying. Imagine having two Saint of Times..." "Haha, that really would be quite devastating!" Jingyu Han cried. Moving a few metres to the right, Jingyu Shenxian and Longyu Dao were having a similar conversation. However, they skipped right past the record that Shin could set and were primarily discussing what enhancements he would get. "Do you think he''s Sovereign Koi could evolve into Saint Tian''s Golden one?" The Chancellor asked. "It''s highly likely..." Longyu Dao couldn''t hold back his smile. "Shin is a distant relative of Saint Tian, the blood connection is there. Also, she had told me to prepare some Time-Elemental crystals for his eventual training. I suspect that there''s a connection there." Jingyu Shenxian stroked her hairless chin and replied. "Hmmm, if that''s really true, then I would have to congratulate you a little early. Two Golden Sovereign Kois¡­ That''s a dream come true, no?" "Haha, it''s still too early to say..." The man laughed it off, but deep down, he already knew that Shin was going to succeed. Even if he didn''t get the Golden Sovereign Koi, Shin the miracle worker would come up with something special, the Longyu Clan Master knew it from his gut. Shin''s Sovereign Koi swam around in the pool absorbing all sorts of Celestial elements from the Empyrean Wonder. It radiated with immense magnificence, and its spiritual energies began to spike. However, the Sovereign Koi still wasn''t satisfied. It swam all the way to the foot of the river and took its position like a marathon runner ready to begin its race. If not for Shin commanding it not to proceed, he was sure that his Spirit would have leapt all the way up by now. Seeing this, the Azure Dragon smiled, displaying its disgustingly sharp teeth. "There''s no need to hold it back, child. You can take all the time in the world. The Trial begins whenever you take the first leap." Shin walked right next to his Spirit and looked up high into the mountains. Clouds continued to block his vision of the apex so Shin couldn''t plan his advance. It was something that he wasn''t used to, not knowing everything. Still, he had to take the leap of faith. "Hah¡­ Ready, little one?" Shin looked at the adorable little cerulean Koi that had accompanied him throughout the years. People change, people died¡­ However, that Koi remained firmly by his side, never leaving for the slightest second. "..." Obviously, the Spirit couldn''t reply to him. However, it still waved its two fins in complete happiness. "Alright then..." Shin took one final deep breath in and sat straight down on the surface of the basin. His Spectre Soul trembled as mana seeped out from each one of his pores. "Let''s do this..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 458 ??? ????????? ?????? ????? ????? Shin sat in a lotus position on the water basin. A rainbow of colours flowed out from the splashing of water drenching his robes and putting down his wavy hair. Climbing the Celestial River seemed easy enough. All Shin needed to do was to sit down and meditate, directing the Sovereign Koi as it meandered upstream. Alas, it really was that simple, why hasn''t anyone conquered the Celestial River yet? The Trial of the Celestial Dragon was straightforward. If one had the Mark of the Celestial Dragon, he or she was eligible to attempt the Trial. It didn''t matter if they were a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner or a Rank 99 Spirit Saint. The Mark was truly the only restriction. Many bearers of the Mark had attempted the Trial when they were mighty Spirit Venerates and Spirit Saints. However, cultivation levels didn''t matter in the eyes of the Celestial River. There were some Spirit Venerates that only managed to cross a few dozen metres while some innocent Spirit Practitioners could cross the hundred-metre mark with ease. Up till this day, no one could accurately determine why some did so well while others failed. Still, that didn''t stop the scholars in the Lantis Republic from collecting data. In the end, after a string of experiments, it was decided that the optimal time for a cultivator to attempt the Trial of the Celestial Dragon was just after the Spirit User had condensed their Spirit Core at Rank 20. The same went for the Celestial River Baptism. That''s why Meijing Bingying and Jingyu Taiyi had already attempted their Trials, becoming more and more attuned with their respective elements. "..." Shin raised his right hand up and gently placed the Sovereign Koi at the foot of the Celestial River. The spiritual energy of the Empyrean Wonder was immense. Just by touching the water flow, Shin could feel his hand doubling its weight by the second. On the other hand, the Sovereign Koi had free reign, and it didn''t feel the slightest bit of unease. Evidently, the Celestial River wasn''t meant for the human touch as only Spirits could swim through it. "Let''s go!" Shin muttered to himself, and his fingers set the small little Koi free. All of its fins paddled wildly tearing through the lower sections of the Empyrean Wonder with relative ease. In just a few seconds, the Sovereign Koi managed to speed through into the fifty-metre section. It was quite fast for a fish that wasn''t meant for high speeds. "Wow..." Longyu Dao heartily smacked his lips, holding back the enormous grin that was coming up. "It really might transform into a Golden Sovereign Koi!" He couldn''t wait for Shin to show his talents. Those from the Longyu Clan all cheered on the adorable little cerulean Koi while those from opposing clans simply stood there, silent as can be. The High Elders had somewhat mixed feelings when it came to the youth taking the Trial. Still, a defeat was a defeat. The only thing that they could do was suck on their thumb as they watched the young man took his first steps into greatness. At the fifty-metre point, the Celestial River''s current increased tenfold. Shin still could visibly see the Sovereign Koi, but he opted to ''feel'' it instead. Merging his consciousness into his Spectre Soul, Shin could ''see'' the world through the Sovereign Koi''s eyes. Not much was known about the link between the spiritual world and the material realm, but at this moment, Shin was the Sovereign Koi, and the Sovereign Koi was he. Shin could feel the pressure that the Sovereign Koi was under. At sixty metres, the Celestial River not only had much faster currents, but it also had increased amounts of spiritual and elemental energies. To put it in context, Shin felt like he was crushed under the pressure of five hundred elephants and the water was so thick that it seemed unusual that the Sovereign Koi could breathe at all. Despite all of the deadly currents, the Sovereign Koi remained unfazed. No, it remained as cheerful as can be. Leaping out from the Celestial River from time to time, Shin''s adorable fish behaved like a salmon, skipping part some annoying segments of the river using its torpedo jump. The Sovereign Koi definitely had the capability of swimming upstream under these currents. Alas, just like its owner, the Spirit liked to find all sorts of shortcuts in life. It didn''t take long for the Sovereign Koi to reach the hundred-metre point. If the leaderboard were to be believed, the hundred-metre point was just the bottom average among all who possessed the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. At this height, even if Shin wanted to use his eyes to guide the Sovereign Koi, the severe fog that obscured the peak sure wouldn''t let him. Entering the thick mist, the Sovereign Koi could see nothing but a patch of white in front of it. The gushing currents continued to increase rapidly, and the spiritual pressure quintupled. If the fish attempted to leap out of the water once more, it would only be leaving itself to an uncertain fate. Thus, even though it really didn''t want to, the Sovereign Koi swam vigorously, inching forward one rock at a time. The currents never seemed to cease. They gushed down, far faster than any waterfall could. Golden glimmers of stars hid the vicious intent of the Celestial River. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The never-ending stream continued to push the Sovereign Koi down as if protecting the treasure that stood at the apex. A hundred and fifty metres. Shin''s Sovereign Koi made it all the way to a hundred and fifty metres within a minute. That was the record that Jingyu Taiyi had when he attempted the Trial. A dozen more metres and Shin would be on par with Meijing Bingying. But Shin''s goal wasn''t to break even¡­ His goal was to challenge the Celestial River to his absolute limit, maximising any rewards that he could potentially get. See, Shin was under the impression that the higher one climbed, the better his rewards. And to a certain extent, Shin was right. In the modern era, Longyu Tian had climbed up to five-hundred, and fifty-nine metres and her Sovereign Koi evolved to have a new element. Shin wanted that. No, he wanted more. How many times had someone undermined him? How many times has there been doubt over his abilities? How many times has he been kicked down into the dirt? Shin knew what it was like to fail, but most importantly¡­ He knew what it was like to succeed after he failed. There were no second chances. Every person only had one shot at the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. If he failed because of his sloth or a moment of carelessness, there was nothing that Shin could do. So, he was extremely cautious with his approach. There was a little trouble in adapting to the new environment, but the Sovereign Koi quickly got over it. Eventually... "He reached two-hundred metres..." Longyu Tian was the first to mutter out. Shin was the first person after Longyu Tian to reach the two-hundred-metre point, and he was showing no signs of slowing down. Instead, the youth seemed like he was speeding up¡­ After the two-hundred-metre distance, the entire Celestial River had undergone a significant change. The pressure that kept increasing eased down a little, and the spiritual energies were oddly thinner. Shin was wary and still proceeded with caution, but his Sovereign Koi kept accelerating at a constant speed. It wasn''t afraid of anything in the world. It knew that even if the entire Celestial River were to collapse upon it, Shin would do everything in his power to save it. Which in turn, led the Sovereign Koi into the first trap of the Empyrean Wonder¡­ ''Illusions?'' Shin felt the Mind-Element running haywire around the adorable little Spirit, and his Spectre Soul was invaded by many spiritual energies. The Celestial River was known for its immense water elements. No one told Shin that it possessed a variety of other elements as well! Still, the youth adapted. He''d been trapped in many illusions before. Shin knew precisely how to escape from the trap. The lake within his Spectre Soul went absolutely berserk. Thunder boomed, and lightning flashed as waves that towered over buildings were seen all around the five crystal obelisks that Shin had. All of his mana had been taken right from the Spectre Soul all to nourish the sweet little Sovereign Koi that was racing up the Celestial River. Beating the illusions with ease, the youth managed to reach the three-hundred-metre threshold. There, a different set of challenges awaited him. Instead of targeting Shin through the Sovereign Koi, the Celestial River began to play tricks directly in his mind. All of his pent up emotions, his grievances, his hatred¡­ His loss¡­ Everything was now placed on the forefront of Shin''s consciousness. That''s right¡­ From the beginning, the Trial was never meant to test the Sovereign Koi. It was always meant to temper Shin to become the man he ought to be. Shin''s entire life flashed before his eyes. The happy yet arduous days he had on Frie Mountain. The assault by the Second Elder. The Watkin Murderer. The fall of Aldrich''s keep and the first patient he''d ever lost. The disappearance and eventual betrayal of Junius. And most importantly¡­ The loss of the one he loved the most. All of those heartbreaks in his youth, all of those failures before he moved to the Capital¡­ They were all being played back to Shin. And it didn''t end there. The first fight he had with Danroy and all the losses he had in Imperius Academy. Moving to the Land of Dreams for the first time and meeting Junius once more, only to let him slip through his fingers. The death of Star Face¡­ Meeting with Lukman¡­ And¡­ Facing Latina when everything seemed lost¡­ All of these incidents had moulded Shin into the being that he was today. So what if he had to relive them once again? Every day of his life, the youth was constantly haunted by those memories anyway. What if I did that? Why didn''t I stop him? If Shin could turn back time, there was no question that he would undo many of his mistakes. Alas, Shin wasn''t that powerful yet¡­ So what was he going to do? Sit in a corner and wail about it for the rest of his life? No¡­ He had to move on, just like the Sovereign Koi charging upstream. ''You think that''ll stop me?'' Mana spewed out from each one of Shin''s pores. The radiating azure light made Shin look like he was engulfed in flames, ready to power up to make one final move. Internally, the youth''s Spectre Soul wasn''t as calm. Gorgeous celestial light was being absorbed by the transcendent Mark that covered the heavens while the five crystal obelisks broke free from its restraints. They flew up higher and higher, taking their place among the stars. Massive shadowy figures surfaced from the depths of the lake, turning the entire ecosystem into a pandemonium. Though, they didn''t care about that. Each one of those beasts looked overwhelmingly strong, some even looked powerful enough to take on Spirit Saints. Despite that fact¡­ They all surrendered themselves to the mighty Mark, which had been continuously swallowing down endless amounts of Celestial River energies that were being sent its way. The Mark grew more significant, and the pulsating of its central part started to resemble that of a heart more and more. No one in the audience knew what was happening, but they sure did realise the massive change in Shin''s demeanour. Currently, he wasn''t the timid boy that shied away from fame. Shin''s azure eyes sparkled, as focused as they could be. The veins in his muscles popped, and the mana within his body exploded. There was no turning back now¡­ It was all or nothing¡­ "H-how far has he climbed already?!" Jingyu Shenxian, a woman renowned for her calm, had long dropped her marbles. The Sovereign Koi had stagnated at the two-hundred-metre point for a brief time before turning into a ray of light, shooting straight up into the apex. It ignored the deadly currents as if they were passing wind, dropping the jaws of any who witnessed it. Especially those who had taken the Trial before. "How''s he going so fast?" Longyu Tian wanted to wake the boy to ask what was going on, but she held back her urges. The higher that Shin could climb, the better. That''s what she thought. That''s what they all thought. However¡­ "W-W-Wait! He''d just passed the five-hundred-metre mark!!!" "W-what?!" Every single Lantis Republic member had their eyes glued to the speeding Sovereign Koi. It moved like a missile, breaking through the sound barrier and slicing past the ravaging currents like it was cutting a cake. In just a few seconds, the Sovereign Koi did what many thought unthinkable¡­ It broke Longyu Tian''s record and bypassed the six-hundred-metre mark¡­ ''I have to become stronger¡­ Stronger than anyone else¡­ Stronger than anything else in existence!!!'' The young man declared internally. He thought of Ella and Emma, who had sacrificed their freedom just to give Shin this chance. If Shin could dominate any that dared to harm his family, what could the Lantis Republic or the Himmel Empire possibly do to him? Shin didn''t care about the stunned faces that were directed his way. He didn''t even know how high he climbed up the Celestial River already. All he wanted to do¡­ Was to become the most powerful man in the world. "E-Eight¡­ E-E-Eight-hundred-met-tres..." Jingyu Shenxian gargled. Who could blame her? Even the High Elders of the Lantis Republic were feeling the same way. Members of the Longyu Clan, who had backed Shin from day one and had somewhat gotten used to the miracles he pulled off, were still unable to believe their eyes. No one in the past hundred thousand years had ever reached eight-hundred-metres. If Shin could get past the final eighty-eight metres, he would write himself into legend, becoming the first-ever cultivator to conquer the Celestial River. However, there was a reason why the Celestial River has never been conquered¡­ Once Shin''s Sovereign Koi had crossed that final threshold, the entire Empyrean Wonder transformed. Phantoms of the original Eight Scions of Water descended upon the earth, turning the river into its most turbulent state. The water splashed with the force of a thousand exploding suns and a billion tsunamis. Dense Spiritual Pressure mounted down from the peak of the mountain, tightening the chests of every single soul beneath the Spirit Venerate realm. No, scratch that¡­ Even Spirit Venerates were suffering under the new existence that had appeared at the very end of the Celestial River. A white-robed woman, boasting long black hair as Kanari did, stood at the mouth of the river, looking down on the peasant that dared to tread on her land. She wore a gentle motherly smile; however, her actions were far from affectionate. Her two hands moved like an orchestra''s conductor sending torrent after torrent of spiritual energies down the Celestial River. "The Lady Of Water?!" Longyu Tian exclaimed. All members from the Eight Scions of Water shared the same blood as this progenitor of theirs. They didn''t need to see a portrait of the Lady to know who she was. Fear pulsated through their bloodlines, and even the Spirit Saints were beginning to feel breathless at the pressure. So, one could only imagine what Shin''s Sovereign Koi was feeling. At this moment, it seemed that everything had been lost. Shin had done his best. He carried the burden all the way to the eight-hundred-metre point. There was no one else in the entire Lantis Republic that could come close. Even if Shin gave up at this point, no one could blame him, and his rewards would most likely be substantial. However¡­ ''That''s not the way I want to live my life...'' The young man declared, grabbing hold of the flawed amethyst pendant around his neck. During crossroads like these, Shin would often find himself asking just one question¡­ ''What would Ariel do?'' So what would that Amazonian red-haired girl do? Shin smiled. It was so apparent that it was almost laughable. ''I''m going to bulldoze through you all! Cultivation levels be damned!!!'' Shin mustered up all of his mana and directed it straight into the Sovereign Koi''s body. His vision began to blur, and his upright hands fell ever so slightly. Shin could literally feel his Spectre Soul being pulled out from his body, but he didn''t care. All he wanted to do, was for the Sovereign Koi to make that one final push. Scales tore off the Sovereign Koi''s skin, and its face began to peel. The torrents surrounding it continued to grow mightier, tearing off chunks of flesh with every passing second. If nothing were done, instead of triggering a spirit evolution, the Sovereign Koi would be transformed into fishbone for Shin to enjoy. In spite of the struggle, the duo still persevered¡­ A mixture of cerulean, azure, golden and grey beamed out from the Sovereign Koi''s body blinding anyone who had gotten near. Ten metres¡­ The Sovereign Koi was just ten metres away from the mouth of the Celestial River. At this distance, Shin had long surpassed the current frontrunner in the leaderboard, changing history forever. However, Shin wasn''t satisfied with that. Eight metres¡­ Those two metres that the Sovereign Koi gained were the most hard-fought battle it had encountered in its entire life. Alas, it was just about to get much harder¡­ Five metres¡­ Shin and the Sovereign Koi were literally just five metres away from their goal. The currents here were now the strongest it would ever be. Heaps of elemental energies, ranging from mental and water, bombarded Shin''s Spectre Soul like a monk beating a bell. The Celestial River was never going to let them get a free ride to the top. Shin had to fight for every single millimetre that he had. And then¡­ Plop! The Sovereign Koi, who had enough of the pain and suffering it had been through, leapt past the dragon''s gate. The Lady of Water stood there silently, flabbergasted almost. Instead of honourably pushing forward till the very last second, the Sovereign Koi decided to pull a fast one on the Celestial River. A very Shin-like thing to do, one might say. The Lady of Water had lost. Quite convincingly, in fact. Heaving out two deep sighs, the Lady of Water snapped her fingers and disappeared into a simple puddle of water which contained so much elemental energy that Shin was intoxicated just by looking at it. Instinctively, both Shin and the Sovereign Koi knew what to do. They had been taking the stick for far too long¡­ It was now time to claim their carrot¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The air shook as the heavy mist that had lasted for decades faded into nothingness. Ethereal light flowed down from the skies as if heaven''s door had been opened. Millions of celestial particles ran out from the river and continued to nourish Shin''s Sovereign Koi, which had most of its blood and scales ripped clean from its body. However, it didn''t care about that pain. Taking in the celestial magic, the Sovereign Koi turned into an immense ball of light. All of its features had begun to change. Its body elongated, and its small, adorable face had turned into a sharpened snout of terror. Everyone present held their breath, with many falling straight on the buttocks. The spiritual pressure that Shin''s Spirit produced wasn''t that great, but its shock factor was far from small. Why? GGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Because¡­ Today was the day that¡­ The Celestial Dragon Roars Again. Title for the chapter... Chapter 49: The Celestial Dragon Roars Again ~~~ End of Book 9 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 459 End of Book 9 & Authors Thoughts PS: Before we begin, I have some good news to tell you... WE DID IT!!! We''ve reached my fourth goal on ******* for getting $1000 a month! Wooohooo! That means that the one week break that''s usually scheduled for the end of every book has been lifted! So yeah¡­ Chapters continue on tomorrow. No need to wait the additional week. However, if you''re curious to find out what happens next, my ******* is twenty-one chapters ahead¡­ Just saying¡­ *Wink* *Wink* Hi, guys! It''s me again! How was the latest book? Did you like it?! I''m sure many of you actually saw this coming a mile away, but Shin''s Sovereign Koi DID EVOLVE INTO THE CELESTIAL DRAGON!!! WHAT? You never played tuber simulator? Hehe, I''m joking! That''s right. From the beginning of the story, I chose Shin''s Spirit to be a Koi mainly because of the famous Chinese proverb,"The carp has leapt through the dragon''s gate."(Liyu Tiao Long Men, ÀðÓãÌøÁúÃÅ). I saw soooo many comments that you guys guessed it, even back during the earlier books. Perhaps I made the foreshadowing a bit too obvious, haha! The reason why I chose Shin''s Spirit to be the Koi because just like the proverb, I wanted Shin''s story to be one about struggle. The final chapters talking about the Celestial River are rather short. Shin goes to the river and without much difficulty, his Sovereign Koi becomes the Celestial Dragon. Normally, a story would take a few chapters to explain the trials and tribulations about passing the river. Maybe a rock would be thrown its way or a competitor would drag it down in a race or something. However, I didn''t want it to be that way. The journey was quick in the end because of the arduous journey in front¡­ Let me explain. All of you have read Shin when he was young. Seen him grow from a child to an adult who can participate in R-rated content. You know of his journey because there are almost a million words describing it already. And I mean it literally. Once this chapter is published, Spirit Immortal would be a million words long. Amazing right? When did I ever have the time to write a million words? Lol. Either way back to my main point. Shin''s spirit evolution was quick because you guys have already seen his struggle. Day in day out, there would be a problem for him to solve. No matter what he does, there''s always something that would hold him back. Whether it was the Black Masks, Junius, Ariel or the orphans. I wanted to show the struggles of life, albeit in a flawed manner. To live is to struggle. Every single one of us is a Shin. Each second we have is a struggle against our eventual death. Just because Shin overcame the Celestial River and turn his Spirit into the Celestial Dragon, it doesn''t mean that he''s perfectly free now. There would be the next problem and the next problem and the next problem¡­ Just like life itself. Every single day, we have so many problems. This bill to pay¡­ Job quotas to meet¡­ Parents to satisfy... To live is to struggle. However, I believe that all of us, no matter who we are¡­ We can all turn from fishes to dragons. As long as we continue to persevere, work hard for our goal, devote our absolute best to what we love¡­ We can all turn into dragons. Honestly, this author''s thoughts is more of a confession to myself. See, when all of you are reading this chapter, I would have started on my new job. It''s a stable occupation, with great career growth prospects and a lovely office, but ultimately, it''s not what I love to do. I love writing, I believe you all know that by now. The stress of performing at my absolute peak for the whole day and coming back to give three to four hours a day to writing is absolutely tiring as fuck. Furthermore, the views that I''ve been getting have been dropping and there are some people just being plain mean in the comments. If you''ve been wondering why my interaction with you guys have been dipping, well, it''s because I don''t want to deal with that when I''m already tired and blue. However, I still love writing. Additionally, for some reason, my Patrons are still supporting me, which still baffles me to this day. So for all my Patrons reading this, thank you so much¡­ You mean the world to me. Without you guys, I would honestly be tempted to just drop this novel entirely. So yeah¡­ This author''s thoughts would be something like my diary. I''ll use it to look back whenever I feel like giving everything up and basically remind myself about¡­ Well, as embarrassing as it may sound¡­ Turning into a dragon. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 460 The Next Stage 1 The Uncharted Wilderness. ??????????????? The chilling winter winds howled through the lonely nights of the Uncharted Wilderness. Void of any human settlements, only wild Spirit Beasts scattered about, hiding inside of their favoured comfort zones. Snowy gerbils fell deep into their burrows while colossal bears found refuge in nice warm caves. It was the harshest weather in years. Any buildings that were built would ultimately be destroyed through the avalanches and blizzards that plagued the area. Yet, in the centre of the harshest winter ever recorded in the area, a tall castle remained standing upright, untouched by the ravaging winds. A giant purple barrier covered its outer layer, giving it tremendous protection from the outside. The snow that piled up were instantly vapourised, not even giving time for steam to rise. The castle was well-protected and camouflaged so no intruders could possibly hope to infiltrate it. The castle has many sections. A living quarters, a communication room, a training facility, a dungeon¡­ The list was endless. However, the residents of the aforementioned castle mainly populated one area. And that was the warm and opulent space, designated for their own personal use. Seated in front of a campfire, a suave blue-haired man flipped a page on his book, unmoved by the turbulent weather outside. He took one sip of his fancy wine and continued to turn down the pages. "Hmmm?" All of a sudden, both his eyebrows perked up. The man didn''t read something thrilling or anything. It was just a boring autobiography of someone long past. No¡­ It wasn''t startled by the contents of the book, but the strange undulations in the atmosphere. The blue-haired man took a second or two to analyse the strange change. However, ten seconds later¡­ BOOM!!! The man smashed the book he had on the wooden floor, breaking it through five levels. He flew straight to the window and shattered it with a kick. His body glowed blue, and his human features were now abandoned. A gigantic serpentine figure took his place as it broke through the barrier around the castle in an instant. It flew up high in the air and jolted its head westwards. Every single atom in its body was screaming. Something primal¡­ Something ancient¡­ There was something that''s tingling every drop of blood that it had. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "That is!!!" It took giant serpent a full minute to diagnose the origin of its fear. It couldn''t be¡­ At the same time, a dark mist escaped out from the broken hole in the barrier. The fog coagulated, transforming itself into a hooded figure that was dressed in pure black. The serpent couldn''t see its face, but even it could tell that the person within wasn''t amused. "Ao, did you feel it?" The shadowy figure asked. "I did..." The World Serpent answered. "It''s the birth of a new dragon¡­ A Primordial Dragon perhaps..." Serpents shared many similarities with dragons. They had the same body shape, they possessed superior elemental powers and, they were far more deadly than any other creature for their size. Legend has it that serpents were basically descendants of the original dragon. Thus, it wasn''t a stretch for Ao to sense the birth of Shin''s Celestial Dragon. The Allfather sensing it was a different story altogether. "I''m surprised that you could sense it as well..." "It''s really powerful¡­ I don''t share dragon''s blood, but even I could feel the underlying change that the world has gone through¡­ I believe that all Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts would be able to pick up on its arrival¡­" "That makes sense..." Ao agreed with his supreme leader. "Would that make a dent in our plans? We don''t know the Primordial Dragon''s affiliation and as we all know..." The World Serpent gulped as it recalled the dreadful early days of the Black Masks. Back when the Allfather was recruiting the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, he had attempted to solicit the help of an ancient Primordial Dragon that lived in the Uncharted Wilderness. Let''s just say¡­ Things didn''t go that well for the nascent organisation. "Not to worry¡­ I''ve checked¡­ It isn''t a new Primordial Beast that can match us Spirit Saints." "Huh?" Ao was surprised. If it wasn''t a Primordial Beast, then how could it trigger such a menacing change in the atmosphere? "Someone has conquered the Trial of the Celestial Dragon¡­ If I''m not wrong, what we''re feeling is the spiritual energy of the Celestial River bestowing a Spirit Evolution upon the conqueror." The Allfather added. "So this is the original Celestial Dragon''s aura? The mana of the Lady of Water?" Ao theorised, looking straight at the Allfather. "Yes, it is," the hooded shadow agreed. "However¡­ Most likely it''s the birth of a Spirit User that possesses the Celestial Dragon." That sentence rang alarm bells in Ao''s head. The Black Masks had the most comprehensive information network in the entire world, due to the Allfather''s abilities and their expansive spy infrastructure. So, they knew how many people had the Mark of the Celestial Dragon. Striking off Bingying and Taiyi, there was only one person in the entire world that could possibly fit those criteria. And it was someone that Ao knew all too well¡­ "... Shin?" "That''s right," though the hooded man couldn''t show his expression, Ao was confident that the Allfather was smiling. "Shin Iofiel, Junius'' brother, has conquered the Trial that could never be passed." "My god..." The World Serpent felt faint. Its head dropped by a few metres only to be picked up by the Allfather''s dark fog. "Junius¡­ Oh, Junius¡­ I''d thought that you were talented enough, but your brother is a monster! The Celestial Dragon¡­ Oh my god, the Celestial Dragon..." Ao was still stunned by the news and honestly, who could blame him? The World Serpent had lived of aeons, and few things could scare him. Dragons were one of them. Not to mention, the Celestial Dragon sat at the apex of their entire race. Ao had once heard from his grandfather that the Celestial Dragon, alongside the Terrestial Dragon, were two beings that fought against the Titans of old. People labelled the two dragons as a Primordial Beast, but the reality was, their powers far surpassed anything that ordinary Primordial Beasts could do. They had the power to change the stars and destroy continents. In fact, the whole reason why there was only one colossal continent remaining was due to a territorial dispute between the two dragons. In the end, it was decided that half the world would be covered in earth, while the other half would be covered in ocean. Thus, when the Lady of Water somehow managed to contract with such a being, every single Primordial Beast was shaken. It was the reckoning of the age of humans, and most ancient bloodlines were forced into the Uncharted Wilderness, where no humans could ever hope to invade. Alas, the Allfather hardly cared about the ancient lore. He raised both his hands out and cried, "It really was the right call to leave him in that environment..." The Allfather''s tone turned rather jovial, which was odd for the criminal syndicate''s ringleader. "We have now one more talent that could reach the Spirit Saint realm and assist in my plans! Though I''d never thought he would grow this quickly..." "Allfather¡­ If he really possesses the Celestial Dragon as a Spirit¡­ When he becomes a Spirit Saint..." There was no need for Ao to complete his sentence. Although her age happened five hundred thousand years ago, people still revere the Lady of Water to this very day. That was how dominant the Spirit Saint was. "Isn''t that a good thing?" Unexpectedly, the Allfather replied once again with tremendous joy. "We need him to become stronger¡­ The faster, the better¡­ I''m sick of the current status quo..." Maybe it was due to the humanoid form that the Allfather took. Now, the exalted figure, the one that led eight Tier 9 Spirit Beasts and one Primordial Beast¡­ Seemed so human¡­ He was spouting his desires with great fervour, and it was showing. "However, I see your point. The boy will become too strong for any of you to handle. In the end, all of the Payircis would fall to the youth, and in a few dozen years, he''ll become a Spirit Emperor capable of fighting against you." The scary thing about humans was how fast they grew. Shin was only twenty-years-old, and he was already in the Spirit Spectre realm. Now that he had the Celestial Dragon, he would most likely speed through the ranks once more, and by his forties or fifties, he should become a Spirit Emperor. Furthermore, the generation that Shin was part of was scary as well. Kanari was an absolute beast at cultivation. Lukman, the Prince of Sand, had already reached the Spirit Lord realm. And frighteningly enough, the Luminaries of the Lantis Republic were the most exceptional talents in a thousand years. If they were given enough time, they would all become Spirit Emperors that were capable of taking down the Black Masks'' strongest assets the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. "So¡­ I guess it''s time to move on to the next phase..." The Allfather raised his hand and declared. "Are you going to personally act?!" Ao cried, his voice shivering somewhat. "Yes..." The shadowy man replied. "Even if my lifespan continues to wane, the world needs to become stronger¡­ For my sake..." ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. The Celestial River. Shin''s transformed Celestial Dragon spun around the youth a dozen times. Occasionally, it would nudge the youth using its snout lovingly, as if asking ''Did I do alright?'' like a toddler looking for its mother''s approval. It really was quite surreal. The Celestial Dragon was a legendary beast, and yet, it was still behaving like it was a little fish. ''You really transformed into something outrageous, huh?'' Shin looked at the Celestial Dragon with a little apprehension. Although Shin wanted to trigger a Spirit Evolution, he didn''t expect the Sovereign Koi to morph into a fucking dragon. "S-Shin! W-What d-d-did y-you¡­ WHAT?!" Longyu Tian was the first to greet Shin. Unlike the High Elders and Spirit Saints around, Shin didn''t know how a Celestial Dragon looked like. He assumed that the Sovereign Koi had transformed into a lesser dragon, which meant that he was still a little nonchalant about the whole situation. "Ermmm¡­ I passed the test?" Shin innocently replied to the Spirit Saint''s question. "Mmmm¡­ I did have my suspicions, but to think that it''s really true..." The Azure Dragon took over the babbling Spirit Saint, its face going closer to Shin, or to be more precise, the Celestial Dragon that was coiled around it. "Honoured one!" Shin hurriedly arched his torso forward, showing respect to the beast that was thousands of years old. However, before his waist could extend even further, a mystical force held him back. Using its spiritual energy, the Azure Dragon was gently pushing Shin''s entire body upright. "No, child¡­ From this day forth, you don''t bow to anyone. Not a living soul in the Lantis Republic," the Azure Dragon announced. Its massive head went all the way down until its snout was touching the surface of the basin. Immediately, the dozens of men and women surrounding the Celestial River did the same. The Spirit Saints, the High Elders, even Meijing Bingying, whom Shin would consider his friend, had to kneel in front of Shin''s majesty. "Lady of Water¡­ Our race has fulfilled its oath to you..." The Azure Dragon spoke, enunciating each syllable. "Your successor has finally been born..." "..." At this point, Shin finally comprehended what was going on. For the Azure Dragon and the rest of the Lantis Republic seniors to act this way, there could only be one reason¡­ "The Lantis Republic is yours¡­ Prince of Water!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 461 The Next Stage 2 Before, the Prince of Water was just a term to describe Shin''s efficiency in his ability to manipulate water. However, the meaning behind the Azure Dragon''s words carried a different type of weight. Now, Shin was the sole inheritor of the Lady of Water, the Lantis Republic''s progenitor. The Eight Scions of Water were born from the Lady of Water, and they all possessed the same bloodline as the Celestial Dragon. No matter how diluted Shin''s blood was now, every single soul in the Lantis Republic had to agree that he was their new Prince. From this day forth, the children that Shin has could turn the Lantis Republic on its head. If he fathered a child that wasn''t part of the Eight Scions of Water, would they create their own clans? Could he use the Celestial Dragon to advance into the Spirit Immortal realm? It was all so new to the Eight Ancient Clans¡­ but also exhilarating. The prophecy was true! The Lady of Water did leave behind her legacy. It took five hundred thousand years for it to come true though¡­ Shin was still in the midst of comprehending what had happened. Every member of the Lantis Republic, including the Azure Dragon that guarded the Celestial River, was busy bowing to the young man standing on top of the water basin. Shin had seen reverent gazes before, but the shine in the Azure Dragon''s eyes wasn''t just that¡­ It was entirely looking at the Celestial Dragon as if it was their Messiah. The vast populace was mostly ignorant about the Celestial Dragon since most of its legacies were forgotten by time. However, the bloodline of the Azure Dragon would never forget. How the Celestial Dragon dominated the skies and the oceans just by its breath. How it could call up Poseidon''s minions with only one regal wave. Honestly, the Ancient Spirit Beasts were all floored when they heard that the Celestial Dragon had contracted with a human. Still, the Lady of Water was an excellent contractor, and she treated all Spirit Beasts with the respect they deserve. And it shows. If not for her wisdom, perhaps the Eight Clans of Water wouldn''t have the protection of their Guardian Spirit Beasts. Shin''s Celestial Dragon was still an infant compared to the one of old, but in due time, the Azure Dragon believed that Shin would turn into the world''s most dominant cultivator. "Mmmmm¡­ Prince of Water, please receive your subjects." The Azure Dragon cried. "No¡­ I..." Shin turned around, his eyes trembling and lips smacking against itself. How could he be calm? One second he was taking the Trial of the Celestial Dragon, the next, his Spirit was the Celestial Dragon. Not to mention, the exalted High Elders of the Clan and Spirit Saints were all kneeling in front of him. Noticing Shin''s unease, Longyu Tian offered some assistance. "I believe Shin is still a little tired from the Trial." Shin looked at the woman as if she was an angel sent down from the heavens. Longyu Tian winked discreetly, reassuring the youth just a little. "So why don''t I bring him back to Longyu Reef to rest? We''ll talk about the Celestial Dragon in a few days." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Just a second!" A voice strained through the crowd, and a wrist cupped Longyu Tian''s. Shenshe Zemin, the Saint of Poisons, was on the other side of the wristlock. "Zemin, is something the matter?" Longyu Tian smilingly brushed off the woman''s hand and placed on a mask worthy of winning every acting award there was. "Don''t what''s the matter me!" The Spirit Saint clicked her tongue. "If Shin wants to rest, he can do it here on Celestial Island! Why are you in such a rush to bring the Prince back to Longyu Reef, huh?" ''Tsk, and just a few minutes ago you were saying that Shin would only make it to a hundred metres...'' Longyu Tian wanted to curse at her longtime rival. "Shin has been living in Longyu Reef for a while now. He''s naturally more familiar with its environment. It only makes sense that he rests and recuperates there!" "No, Tian¡­ Zemin is right." A macho voice interjected between the both of them. Jingyu Han, the Saint of the Oceans, took his place right before the pair of squabbling women. "Shin does not possess the Sovereign Koi anymore. He''s no longer under the sole discretion of the Longyu Clan." His arms akimbo, the colossal man added, void of his usual humour. "The Celestial Dragon rules over all Eight Clans. We can''t have you keeping Shin all to yourself." While Longyu Tian''s actions may seem like extending a helping hand for Shin, it could also be seen as the Longyu Clan trying to hog the new Lantis Republic''s Prince. Shin''s position as the Lady of Water''s inheritor meant that he was the true heir of Celestial Island. Up till this day, the Eight Clans of Water had been arguing on how to split the most valuable plot of land in the Lantis Archipelago. Although they have decided on sharing the area, Shin now had the right to strip them bare. Furthermore, with the Celestial Dragon by his side, every single intelligent Oceanic Spirit Beast would bow to his orders, making him the undisputed Prince of the Oceans. It would do the Eight Clans well to have Shin on their good side, and fortunately for the Longyu Clan, they had a head start. However, that could all change with a snap of a finger. If the Jingyu Clan and the others decide to pool their resources together, the Longyu Clan wouldn''t be able to compare. The only advantage the Longyu Clan had was their blood relations, and even that was built on shaky foundations. Technically, Shin is the descendant of a denounced Longyu Clan member, and the remaining seven clans were definitely going to double down on that point. Longyu Dao wanted to interject, but the Clan Master was stopped a silky smooth arm. Irate, he turned to the woman that held him back, "Where''s your neutrality, Chancellor?" The man said, nostrils fuming. "I am neutral," Jingyu Shenxian replied, calm as the water basin before them. "That''s why I''m stopping you. This is one of the rare occasions where none of our opinions matter." The Chancellor pivoted her head up, showing those that were participating in the debate. The four Spirit Saints, the backbone of the entire Lantis Republic, were now in a standoff. Longyu Tian versus the world. At the corner, the Azure Dragon was already summoning its brethren, calling them to worship their new king. In the end, the Azure Dragon race only listened to the Lantis Republic due to their oath to the Lady of Water. Now that her successor has appeared, there was no need to consider the Eight Clans of Water anymore. After all, Shin''s children could potentially break the everlasting bloodline of the Eight Scions. Jingyu Shenxian and the remaining High Elders were quick to notice this. Thus, no matter how loud the four Spirit Saints were, they wouldn''t rush to interject. There were just too many variables to consider right now, and one wrong step could spell the end of their clan or the entire Lantis Republic. "Mmmm¡­ Saints of the Eight Scions¡­ There''s no need for you to argue..." The Azure Dragon took the four Spirit Saints by surprise. Heaps of azure hue brightened up the Celestial River as over a dozen dragons flew out from their deep hibernation. It really was quite intimidating for Shin, both visually and mentally. Anyone would be startled if Tier 9 Dragons suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Oddly enough, though Shin felt anxiety, he didn''t feel all too afraid that the Dragons would harm him. All of them bowed down to the Celestial Dragon that was circulating the young man, one youngster even poked its snout closer and was subject to a brutal tail whip by its mother. "Training the Spirit of the Celestial Dragon is a responsibility that has been passed down from our ancestors for years now," the Azure Dragon claimed. "The Prince of Water will stay on Celestial Island. Until his training is complete, all visitors are banned from the Celestial River." The Spirit Saints all looked at one another, baffled. The Eight Scions of Water were close to the Azure Dragon race, but their information about the Celestial Dragon was severely lacking. "Honoured one, how long would this training take?" Longyu Tian, possibly the only Spirit Saint genuinely worried for Shin, stepped forward with a bent waist. "A day, a month, a year, a century?" The Azure Dragon shook its head, not willing to give a definite answer. "It honestly depends. This is the first time we''ve trained the successor after all." Never in five hundred thousand years had someone conquered the Celestial River. It was natural for the Azure Dragon to be clueless. "A century?!" Every single soul in the area screamed. Dragons could live long lives, far longer than any human, turtle or tree. A century to them was like a year for humans. Even if Shin became a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate, his lifespan was at most four hundred years. By then, the Black Masks crisis would have been long over, and most of his family and friends would have forgotten his face if they were still alive, that is. Naturally, that didn''t sit well for the Lantis Republic members, including Shin. So, a uniform protest was raised. "Honoured one, a century is far too long! We can''t have our Prince kept in one place for a quarter of his life!" Longyu Tian argued. "That''s right, honoured one! I can''t train for a hundred years!" Shin added but was quickly rebutted by the Azure Dragon''s raised brow. "My Prince, didn''t I tell you that you bow to no one?" The dragon breathed out steam which brushed against Shin''s bright face. "I''m but your humble servant, not some honoured being. Please, just call me Zishen." "Then¡­ Zishen! If you call me your Prince, you shouldn''t hold me back for a hundred years! There are still enemies to fight outside of the Lantis Republic! I can''t stay that long!" Shin quickly adapted to his new position of power. He was now the most powerful man in the Lantis Republic. If he wanted to, Shin could take control over the entire Lantis Military and march over into the mainland with just a thought. Of course, he didn''t know that he had that power yet, and was only capable of ordering this much for now. "As you command," the Azure Dragon didn''t even put up a fight. Putting its head down, the Azure Dragon adopted a somewhat submissive pose for a Spirit Beast its size. "However, it''s also our duty to train the new Celestial Dragon¡­ How about this? Let us train you for three days first. Take it as an evaluation for us to determine how long it would take." "..." The Lantis Republic''s higher-ups all looked among themselves. It was a reasonable request. While Shin was training with the Celestial Dragons, they could iron out the details regarding Shin''s accommodation in the High Council. "Alright, honoured one. If it''s just three days, then we''ll leave the Prince in your care." Jingyu Han attempted to play the leader and speak for the rest. Longyu Tian puckered her lips, but ultimately, she decided to just leave it be. However, she did move straight to the young man. "We''ll be coming back to check on you in three days. By then, I''ll be sure to bring you some good things!" The Spirit Saint winked. "Haha, yeah..." Shin replied with a contorted smile. What should his reaction be when a Spirit Saint, who was at least two hundred years old, winks at him? "Shin..." Meijing Bingying attempted to get a word in before leaving the Celestial River. Unfortunately, she didn''t get the chance. No, not even Longyu Dao could interject, let alone a mere Spirit Spectre. Shin watched as the congregation quickly left, leaving Shin alone with the dozens of Azure Dragons. They were breathing down heavy mist, anticipating the deed that was to come. "Mmmm¡­ Prince¡­ Now that they''re gone¡­ Let me ask you this..." The Azure Dragon looked straight at the Celestial Dragon, who was adorably trying to look bigger than it currently was. "What is it?" "How much do you know about the Celestial Dragon?" Zishen asked. Shin rubbed his fingers on the base of his chin before giving a rough answer. "Not much..." the youth claimed. "Other than the fact that the Celestial Dragon is the progenitor of water, I don''t know anything else..." "Mmmm¡­ You''re right but misinformed..." Zishen twisted his body and directed Shin''s attention to the Celestial River. Placing one of his claws within the running currents, the dragon split the water, sending a gushing stream downwards in the opposite direction. A rainbow of colours took form, creating a spellbinding scene that would entrance any soul that stared deep into it. "The Celestial Dragon is most famous for its Water-Element because of the Lady of Water. However, in truth, the Celestial Dragon has dominion over several elements." "What?!" "Haven''t you noticed?" Zishen cocked its head in jest. "You''re no longer just sensitive to the water elements around. Mind-Elements, Time-Elements, Light-Elements¡­ They''re all at your fingertips now..." "Now that you mention it..." Shin thought back on the times where he could utilise the Ice and Mind-Element, even though he was clearly a Water-Element user. "Why is that?" Zishen shook his head, "The Celestial Dragon is a mysterious figure and to understand it, you must first look into its history¡­" A warm steam cloud puffed onto Shin''s face once more as the Azure Dragon laid its head flat on the floor. "And its story¡­ Is the story of the Twin Dragons that once ruled the world..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 462 The Next Stage 3 "The Twin Dragons¡­ that ruled the world?" Shin dry-heaved. He''d never heard of this story, even with his insatiable thirst for knowledge. In fact, for someone who now possessed the Celestial Dragon Spirit, he knew pitifully little about it. "That''s right," Zishen replied with all his teeth being shown. "It is a tale long passed, dating back to the origin of the world itself. Before humans ruled the lands, before the age of cultivators¡­" The Azure Dragon twisted its body once, and its serpentine torso was placed right before the startled youth. "Come, my prince. Let me take you to the shrine of the Celestial Dragon." Shin was urged onto the Azure Dragon''s back. Zishen was just as sturdy as he was big. Shin''s bum rested comfortably on the Tier 9 Spirit Beast as if it were a sofa made out of pure stone. Shin''s Celestial Dragon was a little pissed off that its master wanted to ride another instead of itself, but since it could take corporeal form, the Spirit made due by nestling close to the youth. "Mmmm¡­ Hold on tight, my prince..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Whooooooooshhh!!! The Azure Dragon took off high into the air, alongside its numerous descendants. They climbed up the Celestial River, ignoring the no-fly zone that had been set in stone since the beginning of the Eight Ancient Clans of Water. No living being other than the Azure Dragon''s bloodline had ever been to the top of the Celestial River. It was a sacred land that has been untouched for generations. Thus, when Shin arrived at the top, the first thing he saw was a bed of weeds. Stone statues that should have been guarding the shrine had deteriorated beyond belief as no single structure stood tall. Remnants of broken stone and granite were littered all over, and a few gorgeous oak trees stood on by. However, there was one single construction that remained standing, even after five hundred years without any human care. Shin took one deep breath, calming himself before he stood face-to-face with the colossal structure. The opened mouth of the original Celestial Dragon. That was what laid at the peak of the mountain. Water bearing the same colour of the Celestial River flowed out of the dead Dragon''s mouth, creating an everflowing supply of dense mana for the Empyrean Wonder. Oddly enough, Shin felt magically attracted to the skull. Perhaps it was due to the Celestial Dragon Spirit that he had. "Is this really..." Shin tried to ask, only to be greeted by Zishen''s nodding head. "Yes, my prince¡­ This is the real skull of the Celestial Dragon that passed many aeons ago..." "..." Shin didn''t doubt the Azure Dragon. Taking a few long pauses, the youth sucked in the mana-rich air of the peak. Every single element in the world, not just the water-element, was amplified to its absolute peak. It took the young man a few seconds to really calm down as he turned to the decrepit shrine that paid homage to the Lady of Water. Just like life itself, nothing in this world was ever eternal. Five hundred thousand years was long enough for the monument to fade out of memory. Shin was certain that back in its day, the Lady of Water''s shrine would have been the most spectacular marvel the world has ever seen. He cupped a mouthful of water using his hands and drank directly from the Celestial Dragon''s skull. ''Sweet...'' Shin thought to himself. "How did the original Celestial Dragon pass away?" The young man didn''t know much about the Celestial Dragon, but he did know the story of the Lady of Water. Back during the era of the first men, every single cultivator contracted with Terrestrial elements such as earth, fire, lightning or wind. The Lady of Water, who loved the oceans so much, hated the fact that she had to contract with a Spirit that didn''t have to properties of water. However, no one knew how to contract with a Water-Elemental back then. So, the young woman ventured out into the ocean, drinking nothing but seawater and eating fish she caught to survive. Alas, no human could live on sea forever. In due time, her end was nigh. Taking pity on her, the Celestial Dragon decided to form a contract with the woman, allowing her to become the first-ever Spirit User with a Water-Element. However, after that tale, stories regarding the Celestial Dragon had been cut clean. No one knew where it went or what happened to it. It was as if the mighty Celestial Dragon had just¡­ vanished. "Mmmm¡­ It died of old age..." Zishen decisively replied. "Huh?" The Azure Dragon shook its head, seemingly in agony. "Unlike humans, we Spirit Beasts have no passage into the Immortal Realm. We can live for thousands, sometimes even millions of years. However, the heavens are fair. Even if we become the most dominant beings in the world, there''s nothing we can do to beat mother time." Zishen elaborated. He looked at the skull of the deceased Dragon and felt like he was looking into his future. "When the time comes, all of us would return into the oceans. That''s the cycle of life. For the new to come, the old must go. The Celestial and Terrestrial Dragon knew that." "Terrestrial?" Shin perked his ears as a question flowed out. "Mmmm¡­ Right¡­ We have to begin from there..." The Azure Dragon quickly realised its mistake. "Long ago, when the world was still developing from a blob of spiritual energy, the first life forms were created. They possessed power surpassing Spirit Saints, and they wielded the elements as if they were part of their bodies. Their power was capable of breaking the continents in half and creating lush forests with just a breath. Mmmm¡­ They went by many names in the past, but nowadays, we just refer to them as the Titans of Old." "..." Shin listened in intensely. Not because it was related to his own circumstance, but because of his natural curiosity. "The Titans of Old were mighty beings, but they were just amalgamations of spiritual energy. They had no intelligence and fought on instinct. The residue energies that they created soon spilt into the virgin world, empowering every living thing with a little bit of their powers. Millions of years passed, and the small beings soon morphed into hungry monsters that we now know today as Primordial Beasts." Taking a pause, the Azure Dragon looked fondly towards the skull of the Celestial Dragon. "The Ancient Primordial Beasts were strong. They had sucked in power directly from the Titans of Old, and their might was unfathomable. They possessed intelligence and wit and superior breeding methods. Each generation became stronger than the last until¡­ The Dragon Race came about..." "The Dragon Race..." Shin muttered alongside the Azure Dragon. "Mmmmm¡­ The Dragon Race were mighty. They had absorbed the most spiritual energies from the Titans, and they only breed to create the best offsprings. There were no taboos in their culture. The strongest pair of Dragons would always breed, and the pattern would continue for thousands of years. That was until¡­ The Celestial and Terrestrial Dragons were born." Zishen spoke of the stories as if he was personally there to witness them. Of course, that was far from the truth. Zishen''s ancestor was a servant to the Celestial Dragon. That''s the only reason why he could obtain this much information that was unknown to the outside world. Rather, the Azure Dragon''s bloodline was the only one that remembered, since they remained relatively untouched since the Lady of Water''s era. "The Celestial and Terrestrial Dragons were abnormalities. Unlike their predecessors, they possessed the power of absorbing all elements which meant that they had one special ability¡­ The power to eat the Titans of Old." "Eat them?!" Shin screamed. He then looked straight at the Celestial Dragon Spirit coiled around his body. That adorable little cerulean Koi that accompanied for this long had morphed into something that ridiculous? "Mmmm¡­ That''s right¡­ Time was also on their side¡­ The Titans of Old, after fighting for thousands of years and losing that much of their elemental energies, were weakened. By the time the twin dragons came to be, the Titans of Old mostly stayed dormant. Basically, the Titans were dying stars waiting for their last flicker of light to burn out. So¡­ The Celestial and Terrestrial Dragon helped them." "One by one, the two Dragons fought and devoured the Titans. They may have been crippled by time, but the Titans were no pushovers. Each and every fight was gruelling, some even nearly ending the lives of the two mighty Dragons. However, in the end, the Titans of Old were no match for the hungry and young duo. While the Celestial and Terrestrial Dragons could use all the elements the world had, in the end, they began to develop preferences based on which Titans they ate." Zishen floated towards the Celestial Dragon''s skull and placed his claw within the water source. Five distinct colours flew out from Zishen''s claw and coloured the backdrop like a rainbow. "The Celestial Dragon dominated the Water, Light, Mind, Space and Time elements. On the other hand, the Terrestrial Dragon ate the Titans that possessed the Earth, Fire, Lightning, Wind and Darkness elements." "Wow..." Shin finally understood why he could sense the other elements, even back during the time of the Sovereign Koi. "To think that beings like that existed..." It was an age even before the first Spirit Immortal. An era that no one remembers. "Mmmm¡­ That''s right..." Zishen agreed. When he first heard of this story from his father, he was stunned as well. It really was a pity¡­ "Alas¡­ So what if the twin Dragons dominated the world? They still couldn''t outrun death..." The Azure Dragon heaved out a heavy mist, blinding the young man for just one moment. "Once the Celestial and Terrestrial Dragon took down the Titans of Old, they found themselves alone at the very peak. There was nothing else to hunt. They were already the strongest¡­ So, they turned against each other..." ''Just like humans, huh...'' Shin sneered inwardly. Humans, Dragons¡­ They were all the same. Greed was intrinsic in their nature. It was the same then¡­ now¡­ and possibly¡­ forevermore. "They fought for thousands of years. Their battles changed the continents and rose ocean levels. Broke the stars and melted the core. One wanted to close the world with land, the other wanted to cover it with water. It took them millions of years to settle their disputes. In the end, half the world would be enveloped with earth while the other half¡­ would become endless ocean paradise. That''s the origin of the Terre Continent and the Celestial Ocean." "What made them stop?" Shin questioned. For two of the world''s most dominant beings to cease their fighting, something significant must have happened. Zishen smiled bitterly, "Time itself¡­ After millions of years, the two mighty beings could feel their lifespans waning. The disease that plagued the Titans of Old. No, the disease that plagues all living beings, was now at the Celestial and Terrestrial Dragon''s footsteps." "I see..." "Mmmm... To ensure that their legacy lives on, the two Dragons decided on a truce. The Terrestrial Dragon decided to merge with the Terre Continent. That way, it''s spiritual energy would continue to glue the continent together as one large landmass. The Celestial Dragon took a drastically different approach..." Zishen moved its eyes away from the skull and stared straight at the floating Spirit around Shin. "W-What?" "Mmmm¡­ The Celestial Dragon contracted with the Lady of Water to preserve its Spirit¡­ Together, they created Celestial Island and the Celestial River¡­ The Lady of Water had even given birth to many children to diversify her blood¡­ All in the hopes of the Celestial Dragon''s rebirth..." Zishen smiled. "Our Azure Dragon clan must train and ensure that the Celestial Dragon''s bloodline lives on. It took five hundred thousand years but finally¡­ We''re here..." "..." Shin gulped. For the Azure Dragon clan to stand their ground for five hundred thousand years¡­ How much dedication did that need? "So, my Prince¡­ Please accept our oath of fealty!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 463 The Next Stage 4 All the Azure Dragons uniformly bowed their heads. They were mostly Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts. Their auras were capable of choking any Rank 40 Spirit Spectres, and their spiritual pressure had the force of a thousand elephants'' weight. But Shin remained unfazed by the pressure. His face was void of any sweat, and his breathing calmed instantly under the influence of the Azure Dragons. It was as if the divine beings were surrendering their entire soul to the young man''s disposal. The Celestial Dragon greedily sucked in as much spiritual energy as it could, totally disregarding Shin''s desires, all while Shin stood up with his chest puffed out. ''I guess¡­ There''s no harm in accepting them...'' Shin thought. Not only was there no harm, but there were also just endless amounts of benefits for the young man. With the Azure Dragon race on his side, Shin had at least ten times the bargaining power than he had before. All the Eight Ancient Clans of Water were now tripping over themselves to influence Shin to join their faction. So, Zishen and his family''s oath of fealty was exactly what Shin needed to protect himself. Not to mention, having the fighting power of tens of Azure Dragons was an added bonus in the war with the Black Masks. "Please rise, Senior Zishen..." Shin coughed twice and tapped on the huge draconic head in front of him. "I would be honoured to have you in my servitude." Delighted, the Azure Dragon cried: "All hail the Prince of Water!" "All hail the Prince of Water!!!" Every single dragon followed suit. "All hail the Prince of Water!!! All hail the Prince of Water!!! All hail the Prince of Water!!!" The praise soon turned into worshipping chants, and Shin''s face blushed almost instantly. Just as he was getting used to praise, the Dragons decided to kick it up a notch, basically turning him into an idol of worship. Still, there was nothing that Shin could do to stop them. The Celestial Dragon had always been an integral part of the Azure Dragon''s bloodline. Not to mention, there was one major benefit for Zishen and his family to serve Shin with all their heart¡­ "Mmmm¡­ My Prince¡­ Before we proceed with our training, I must warn you not to easily trust any other Spirit Beasts that aim to kneel at your foot." "Why is that?" The young man questioned, eyebrows raised and everything. "Mmmm¡­ The Celestial Dragon Spirit¡­ Your Spirit¡­ It''s special..." Zishen knew that he had to be as transparent as he could. The results could be catastrophic if Shin found out from another source that aims to devalue the Azure Dragon race. "Not only would your cultivation rate increase, Oceanic Spirit Beasts that surround you would also benefit from the Celestial Dragon''s aura. A hundred years of cultivation could be accomplished in one." "There''s that kind of effect as well?!" Zishen nodded, "Yes¡­ That''s how powerful the Celestial Dragon is. The spiritual energy that you radiate from now on would attract all sorts of Spirit Beasts. Some would be weaklings seeking salvation, while others would be powerhouses seeking predation." "Are you saying that..." Shin''s two hands shivered. He could tell what Zishen was trying to say next. "They''ll be coming to eat me?" "Mmmm¡­ That''s right..." The Azure Dragon nodded. "Though Primordial Beasts wouldn''t be that stupid, Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts that don''t know better would do anything in their power to consume you and take the Celestial Dragon''s aura for themselves. Our Azure Dragon race would never harm the Celestial Dragon, since its part of our bloodline oath. But there''s no guarantee when it comes to other Spirit Beasts... So, you must be exceedingly careful..." No one wanted to die, and one of the worst ways to meet the Tree of Life was to be consumed by a mightier being. Shin felt his throat drying up, and his eyes watering at just that thought. "I understand¡­ I''ll be careful..." "Good..." Zishen smiled, flashing all of his brilliant white teeth. He turned straight into the Celestial Dragon''s skull and pointed one of his three nails right towards it. "My Prince¡­ Your Spirit has just evolved, and I''m certain that you still need time to get accustomed to it. If you meditate in the skull, the memories of the Celestial Dragon will flow right into your mind, and you''ll learn how to properly cultivate your Spirit from now on¡­ It might take a long time, so there''s no need to rush. You can return to the Shrine anytime you want." Shin''s Celestial Dragon Spirit could no longer rely on the Celestial Water Mantra anymore. The young man was now sensitive to all elements in the world. Although he couldn''t properly utilise them as the Celestial Dragon once did, Shin could get some inspirations that would aid in his future cultivation progress. "As promised, I will wake you up in three days," said the Azure Dragon. There was a reason why Zishen couldn''t give a definite answer to how long Shin would be training. It was simply because he didn''t know how long it would take. The inheritance might take one day, or it might take a century. It all depended on how fast Shin could learn. "Mmmm¡­ If you have any questions at all, feel free to call upon us¡­ We will be standing by, awaiting your good news." The Azure Dragons all flew away, giving Shin enough space to breathe and explore the Shrine. However, instead of moving forward, the man stood there, dazed. Everything happened so fast¡­ One minute he was taking the Trial and the next, everyone was bowing to him. His Sovereign Koi had transformed into the Celestial Dragon, and he''d learnt the true history of the world. There was so much for him to take in¡­ ''Whatever, let''s just take it one step at a time...'' ??? The Neutral Zone. Mythpoint Reach. Over a million years had passed since the Terrestrial Dragon first created Terre Continent. Earthquakes, supervolcanoes, mega-tsunamis¡­ They all attempted to break apart the colossal landmass, all to no avail. Spirit Beasts, many as powerful as Spirit Saints themselves, celebrated their dominance by occupying as much territory as they wanted. As the age of the beasts began to wane, humans copied the deeds of their predecessors and claimed lands of their own. Civilisations rose and fell, but one thing remained constant¡­ The Terre Continent always possessed invisible borders, forged by the creatures that inhabit it. In this era, two superpowers were sharing the Terre Continent. The Kori Federation to the north, and the Himmel Empire to the south. The entire west was infested with Primordial Spirit Beasts which had been forced deep into the Uncharted Wilderness from previous generations of humans. Finally, the east was heavily guarded by the Lantis Republic''s navy. So, there really wasn''t a place for an independent country other than the three superpowers to thrive. Well, there was only one. After warring for thousands of years, the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic decided to keep within their borders and to stop with the constant killings. A Neutral Zone was set up for future discussions and to help facilitate trade between the three regions. A sort of safe haven where no conflicts and battles could arise. The Land of Dreams lay firmly inside the Neutral Zone, but it wasn''t the only famous place. Mythpoint Reach. A city that was located right in the middle of the three superpowers. It had a prime location as it was close to the eastern shores of the continent and was bordering both the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation. Its leaders were adamant in keeping their neutrality, and it hasn''t participated in any conflicts since. They kept their armies weak as a sign of submission towards their neighbouring overlords. Instead, they forged alliances with the Mercenary''s Guild, Healer''s Association and Blacksmith League. That way, Mythpoint Reach would never be looked at as a threat by the three superpowers, but an ally that was good to have around. "Ahhh¡­ So tired..." A burly guard yawned atop the tallest watchtower in the area. An orange glow kissed his face while the sky darkened rapidly. Over the horizon, the fiery ball that created life was now going into its daily hibernation, prompting the middle-aged man to feel a little more sluggish. "You''re knocking off in an hour, why the long face?" His comrade held back his sneer. "I have to stay for five more!" "Hey, I''ve been on shift for fifteen hours already! Of course, I''m tired!" The jacked man retorted, his chest muscles twitching rapidly. "Honestly, what''s the Commissioner thinking? Sixteen-hour shifts¡­ It''s not like the Black Masks would want to take over Mythpoint Reach anyway..." The war against the Black Masks had been ongoing for about five years now. There were countless skirmishes, but till this very day, there hasn''t been a single raid on Mythpoint Reach. "Hah¡­ What can we do? We''re just guards¡­" His partner agreed as he heaved out a heavy sigh. "I just hope that the war would end soon¡­ It''s such a waste of our time and resources." For those in Mythpoint Reach, the war was more of a hassle. Even though there haven''t been any conflicts near their borders, the soldiers in their limited army had to stand guard for twice the stipulated time. And since they didn''t have enough manpower, the average men and women had to work extra long hours every day. The bulky guard placed down his sabre and took a short break on the nearby chair. "I totally agree¡­ Hah, because of this stupid war, I haven''t spent enough time with my wife and kids." "Right, how are they by the way?" "Fuck, I couldn''t even tell you that! Do you know how much I''ve missed? My son''s graduation from kindergarten, the birth of my youngest daughter¡­ I don''t even know if Cici would find another man since I''m always sleeping at home¡­ God, I wish this stupid war will end soon¡­ Fuck the Black Masks! Fuck that stupid Allfather!" The guard dropped his massive back down on the chair, cursing the entity that caused this prolonged war. All he wanted to do was to stay at home and play with his children... "Nenene, what does ''fuck'' mean?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "What the-!" The two guards jumped up from their relaxed spots as a third voice entered their consciousness. A young pink-haired girl, who seemed no older than ten, sat on the railings of the twenty-metre tall watchtower. She was wearing a simple blouse and shorts. Her curious peach pupils were shining in the dying light of dusk. The two guards immediately pulled out their weapons and entered into their half-guard. The burly man was the first to bark: "Who are you!" "Me?" The young girl pointed her index finger at her chin. "I am Momo!" "Momo?" The guard echoed. "That''s right! The cute and powerful Momo! Father''s favourite child!" The girl declared. The innocence of the girl dropped the men''s caution. However, they were still unable to let go of their sabre handles just yet... "Tell us! How did you climb up this watchtower!" "Nenene! Isn''t it rude to ask a question when you haven''t answered mine?" Momo adorably frowned. Her bum left the metal bars, and her two feet landed right on the chair that the guard was resting on. "You haven''t told me what''s'' fuck'' yet!" The two guards looked at each other. They didn''t know what to do in this situation. A mysterious little girl had infiltrated into their base and was demanding to know the meaning of ''fuck.'' They were tempted to just drop their weapons and escort the girl out, but in the end, their years of training kicked in. "Listen! I''m going to warn you only once! Put your hands in the air so that I can retrain you!" The bulky guard pointed his weapon right at Momo. So what if she was a young girl? The fact that she was capable of creeping up on them was more than enough to warrant a violent response. Momo blinked twice. Not out of fear but genuine curiosity. "Nene, why are you so mean to me? I just wanted to know the meaning of ''fuck''..." The girl continued to pout. "..." There was no reply from the guards. At that moment, they felt a little guilty about pointing their weapons at a girl that wasn''t even ten yet. However, they were right to be wary... "It''s okay! I don''t need you to find out what that means!" Taking a one-eighty turn in personality, Momo beamed with one of the most radiant smiles the guards have ever seen. "Nene, do you know what happens after death?" "..." "Neither do I! So¡­ If you die and come back¡­ Could you tell me?" "What are you talking..." Before the guard could finish his sentence, his head flew out of the watchtower like a speeding bird. The bulky man was unable to comprehend what just transpired. One second, he was staring at the pink-haired girl, and the next, his comrade''s head was sent flying. "Nene, your turn!" Momo declared, and the burly man felt his world turn upside down. No, his world really was upside down. The guard''s head slipped down from his neck, and he could see his decapitated body. There was still a flash of consciousness in his eyes. ''Cici...'' His wife was the last thing that came to the man''s mind¡­ And in just a few seconds¡­ Everything turned dark. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 464 The Allfathers Next Move 1 Momo watched the two headless bodies fall to the floor and made no moves to stop it. Splatters of crimson blood made polka dots all over her clean blouse, and the stench of human flesh doused her like a perfume. Her angelic persona was tainted, but the girl didn''t care. Momo sauntered towards the two corpses as if she was strolling in a park. Her seemingly weak fingers grabbed the burly guard''s head by the hair and lifted it like a basketball. "A-Ah¡­ I sent the other guy''s head flying..." Momo sulked, her chin fell towards her chest. "Now, I only have one... No matter! There are still many more subjects in Mythpoint Reach!!!" Momo''s face brightened up for all the wrong reasons. She lifted the burly man''s decapitated body and tried to screw his head back in place. Twisting and turning, blood sprayed out from the clean slit, further staining Momo''s clothes. However, the girl didn''t care about that. She was a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, after all. Human clothes were just a mode of disguise. Momo still had many more back at her base. Once the head was reattached and no longer fell off, Momo raised her left hand and closed her eyes. Spiritual particles the size of crystals flowed out of the young girl and permeated into every fibre of the corpse''s body. Then¡­ A miracle occurred. The deceased man, who should have been void of any life, was now convulsing wildly. The body moved around like a marionette whose strings had been entangled. Flopping and hopping, it didn''t take long for the burly guard to rise from the floor. Pale and icy cold, the guard no longer possessed the attributes that determined life. It was like¡­ He had turned into the girl''s play doll forevermore... "Nenene! You died, right?!" Momo questioned the corpse. "How was it like?! Is heaven real?! Is there an everlasting moon in heaven?" "..." No reply. The corpse could undoubtedly move, but it was no longer sentient. Just a shell of what it once was. That lack of movement pissed Momo off. Her smile disappeared and in its place, a threatening frown. "Nenene! I''m talking to you! Don''t you ignore me!" Momo''s voice became louder by the second. She wanted to know if there was an afterlife and nothing could stop her in that conquest. "If you don''t reply, I''m going to kill you again!" "Momo¡­ That''s enough..." A weary voice entered Momo''s brain. A young boy, whose hair was as white as snow, flew straight up the watchtower and chided the young girl. "Nenene, Shiro! You came at the perfect time!" Momo cried in desperation. "Why does no one knows what happens after death? I keep killing and bringing them back, but they still don''t answer me!" Shiro sighed and planted the base of his palms on his forehead. "We''ve been through this multiple times¡­ Your puppet ability doesn''t bring humans back to life. They''re just lifeless golems now." "Mmnnnn~! So unfair!" Momo stomped her feet twice. If not for the motionless bodies that lay before her, it would be an adorable scene of a child throwing a tantrum. "Really¡­ It looks like only Father can tell me what happens after death! Arghhh! I can''t wait anymore! I want to know! I want to know!" "Be patient, Momo¡­" Shiro consoled the sulking girl. "Father''s plans take time. Also, you''ve already lived for fifty thousand years! Father estimates that it''ll take him a hundred years more to complete the ceremony! I''m sure you can wait that long, right?" "Hah¡­ Perhaps..." Momo shifted her eyes back and forth. She was a Spirit Beast that lived for thousands of years, but her demeanour was utterly childlike. It was a miracle that the Allfather had kept her in check for this long. Momo pouted for a good ten seconds before a flashbulb lit up in her head. "Before they died, these men kept saying ''fuck the Black Masks,'' or ''fuck the Allfather...'' Do you know what that means?" "Hmmm... The human lexicon is vast¡­ So I wouldn''t really know..." Shiro shook his head. "But since he''s talking about father, maybe they were praising him?" "Ah! I''d never thought of that!" Momo''s two eyes sparkled, but it quickly degraded into one of shame. "They were praising father, and I just killed them like that¡­ We could have let them serve the Black Masks¡­ Ah! Stupid Momo! Stupid Momo!" The pink-haired girl slapped her head, inflicting some self-punishment onto herself. Shiro bitterly smiled and dropped both of his shoulders. He gently stroked Momo''s head, acting like a tender elder brother. "You''re not stupid¡­ Look, if you really want to, you can add these two to your collection. That way, they can serve father, even in death!" "G-Genius!" The young girl dropped both her hands and looked at the single standing corpse that was right next to her. "Shiro! You''re really a genius! But¡­ They''re a little too weak to serve as my guards..." Momo was genuinely concerned about how she was to deal with the pair. All of her puppets were either made of Mithril or corpses from Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts. These two would probably die in a few hours anyway. "It''s okay! You can just leave them behind as cheerleaders!" The white-haired boy once again had the answer for the young girl''s dilemma. "I''m sure that they''ll be grateful for the netherworld!" Momo was unable to hold back anymore. She jumped into Shiro''s embrace and nuzzled her face against the young boy''s. "Nenene! Shiro''s really a genius! Hehe, I can''t wait until I tell father about these two servants! Ah!Do you think that the father would like it if I praised him with ''fuck?''" "I''m sure he would be!" Shiro smiled, not knowing what kind of misunderstanding he had placed in the young girl''s mind. "Anyway, we have to go! The rest are pushing into Mythpoint Reach already. We have to be there in a few minutes." "Okay~" Momo chirped. She jumped onto the railings with a single hop before flying straight out of the watchtower. The two new puppets she made tried to follow suit, but they were hindered by their weak spiritual power. However, the young girl didn''t bother to slow down one bit. Instead, her speed doubled as her petite body sliced through the wind. Momo and Shiro were flying at tremendous altitudes, giving them a good view of the land below. Tormented bodies, some broken in half, others smashed down into a paste, were littered all over the tranquil paths. Sometimes, the pair of Spirit Beasts could see a group of Black Masks massacring innocent traders and convoys that just happened to be venturing into Mythpoint Reach. They had the highest authority in the syndicate, and by right, every single Black Mask was supposed to bow in greeting when they meet either one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Yet, none of them did so. Drowned in their bloodlust, the Black Masks continued to murder anything that moved. There was no humanity in their actions. It didn''t matter if their prey were an elderly man or an infant child. The Black Masks'' blades would still pierce their hearts all the same. They were so far gone that none of them realised that their most senior superiors were flying overhead. In any normal circumstances, Momo would blow a fuse and murder those idiots that didn''t know propriety. So it was fortunate for the Black Masks that the Spirit Beast was in a similar delirious state. Momo was just about to meet the one that she loved the most. The dusk hastened into the night, and the radiant full moon was becoming even brighter. It was too early for stars but dark enough for the world to be enveloped in a patch of darkness. However, as the pink-haired girl edged closer towards her destination, there was a warm glow radiating out from the ground. Momo smiled and licked her lips twice. It was cold, as of any autumn night. Yet, as Momo approached the blob of light, her face started to warm up. Fiery tongues licked their way all over the grassy patches around the town, and billowing smoke rife with Satan''s ambers glorified the chilling night. Momo dropped down from a hundred metres up, her new puppets not that far behind. Mythpoint Reach was a developed metropolis. They possessed buildings that were over twenty-metres tall, well-paved roads and opened gates for ease of transport. They were a neutral town that aimed to be a hub where any citizen, be it from the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation or the Lantis Republic, could come and trade. Alas, that would prove to be their undoing. Thousands of vines and roots came out from the Gargantuan Treant''s body. It wrecked houses, broke open roads, and pierced through what little defence Mythpoint Reach had. Bodies were flung into the air, their hearts shredded with one clean blow. And they were the lucky ones¡­ Wood was now the prevalent element of the land, which could only mean one thing. "RARARARA!!! BURN!!! BURN IN HELL!!!" Akai, the Chimaera roared. Orange flames spewed out with a vengeance. Mythpoint Reach continued to burn, and the cries of help had already subsided into wails of despair. Many had already given up on their fate and were lying down in surrender. They just wanted their hell to end. Charred bodies were the most common sight around. Murasaki, the Spider Queen, closed all of her eight eyes, seemingly in disgust. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Ahhhhh, what a waste of food! Akai! Can''t you at least leave the heads?" The Arachne complained, her face void of empathy for the lives that were being ripped out from their souls. To her, humans were only food. It didn''t matter how they were killed, as long as their scrumptious brain matter was deposited into her stomach. Akai''s lion head snapped back, its mane flowing with a rich opulence. "Rarara! Go and kill them yourself then! I don''t care about what you think!" "How can I kill them if you''re already burning them to a crisp!" Murasaki screamed. A pair of twins observed from the side. Though, their attention wasn''t on the squabbling Murasaki and Akai. Neither was it on the thousands of dead bodies littered all about. They were both intensely staring at the pink-haired girl that had just made her entrance with Shiro. The golden-haired woman sent a message to her brother, telepathically. ''That bitch is here...'' Gin, the silver-haired man, turned over and replied with a small nod. ''I saw¡­ Patience, Kin. We still have a hundred years before the Allfather''s plans come into fruition. Once he leaves, we can deal with that bitch all we want...'' ''Yeah¡­ A hundred more years...'' Their teeth were grinding, and their face would give the odd twitch. Otherwise, the twins seemed completely calm at the sight of their mortal enemy. "Why are the two of you always fighting?" An exasperated voice echoed in the burning streets of Mythpoint Reach. A blue-haired suave man walked forward with a shaking head, bringing the attention of all the Tier 9 Spirit Beasts onto himself. "Today is supposed to be a joyous day! Ease up a little, would you?" "Ao!" Murasaki celebrated the man''s appearance by raising both her hands up. She wanted to leap into his arms, but the Spider Queen lacked the patience. Instead, Murasaki questioned: "If you''re here, that means..." "Yeap!" Ao smiled. "All the preparations are complete!" "HAHAHA!!! Finally! I''ve waited two hundred years for this day!" The Arachne gave a huge hurrah. "Two hundred? I''ve waited for five hundred years!" Ao snorted. "I remember the good old days where it was only the Allfather, Kuro, Shiro and me¡­ We had to suffer so hard in the Uncharted Wilderness back in the day¡­ You youngsters have it good now. Let me tell you-..." "That''s enough reminiscing for now, Ao..." Before the World Serpent could begin his long-winded tale, an authoritative voice silenced the man. Tall and muscular, a black-haired man, with a slight stubble emerged from the flames. He wore a Pokerface, and no one could tell whether he was happy or sad. However, his hands were shaking a little as he held onto a wooden box. "Kuro¡­ I was just getting to the good part..." "We can continue that conversation later..." The Primordial Beast answered with indifference. "Mythpoint Reach has been cleared out¡­ It is now time¡­" Kuro paused as he slowly unsealed the wooden box in his hands. Eternal dark mist flowed out from the crevices, tainting the air and began to pollute the world. The black fog was slow at first, but it soon became a billowing smoke, far greater than any fire could produce. There was no stopping it now. It really was time... "... for the Allfather to be summoned..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 465 The Allfathers Next Move 2 The dark mist spun rapidly, creating a vortex of eternal dread and gloom. Those that peered into the abyss felt their minds being ripped from their bodies. Not that there were many people to look at the mist in the first place. The earth was scorched, and the buildings continued to burn. Black Masks ranging from Dalits to Brahmins all rushed into the town, hoping to catch a glimpse of their glorious leader. CRKKKTTTT!!! Crackles highly reminiscent to that of burning sandalwood echoed out from the dark mist. Kuro was the first to bend the knee. His massive frame gave up all dominance for the darkness within the fog. The other Nine Coloured Noble Beasts followed suit. Momo tried desperately to keep her grin in, but her happiness was still pouring out. She couldn''t help it. Today was the day that the Allfather would announce himself to the world. That absurd power that only the Black Masks knew about was finally going to be known worldwide. The black vortex gradually slowed down, and a tall and lean figure began to take form. He was about two-metres-tall, and the four limbs that popped out from his cloaks were covered in black bandages. No one could see the man''s face, for it was covered in ashen darkness. His black hood made it so that no one could see his head shape. Whether he had any ears, nose¡­ Was the man even human? It was all hidden. However, that didn''t stop his worshipers from blindly following him. No one except Kuro could feel the Allfather''s presence. To them, it was as if the shadowy figure was just air. However, that wasn''t the case at all. The Allfather was just on another realm of existence. Mere mortals could never comprehend how powerful he was. ''It never gets old...'' Kuro chuckled inwardly. His spine was tingling, and goosebumps popped all over the place. The Allfather''s mana was intoxicating, but most importantly of all¡­ Absolutely frightening. He was a Primordial Beast capable of matching the human race''s best Spirit Saints. However, no matter how hard he fought, Kuro believed that he would never be a match for the man he called father... "Allfather¡­ The town is yours..." Kuro''s deep voice resonated like a bell. "..." The Allfather didn''t reply. His head pivoted to the west. By now, the Alliance would have been notified of the Black Masks'' invasion. Vast masses of mana were speeding right towards them, and it would take them around an hour to arrive. Mythpoint Reach was home to some of the most prominent branches of the Healer''s Association, Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild. So naturally, the leaders of these three organisations were livid, particularly Raphael. He was the Healer''s Association figurehead as well as the nominated Alliance Chief. The Alliance''s Headquarters was just a few hundred kilometres away, in the new Land of Dreams. Yet, the Black Masks had the audacity to attack Mythpoint Reach right under his nose. Minutes after he received the news, Raphael sent the distress signal, calling for at least one Spirit Saint from each superpower to come forward. Following that, he diverted half of all available warriors in Alliance Headquarters, including over a thousand White Knights, to rush towards Mythpoint Reach. If not for his role as the Alliance Head, Raphael would have loved to lead the army himself. The Allfather could acutely sense the oncoming threat approaching from the west. The Alliance''s army was coming, but what really tripped his senses were the three massive blobs of energy that were flying from beyond the Land of Dreams. ''Rank 95, 93 and 91¡­ How many years have passed and you''re still at this level?'' The Allfather spat. ''Whatever, it''s not like I had faith in you guys anyway...'' Then, the shadowy figure looked to the east. Just like the three Spirit Saints coming from the Terre Continent, a fourth spiritual signature was charging straight at him. The Allfather inhaled, and a soft whistle escaped from his puckered lips. It may have been unsightly for a supreme leader to show such laid-back move, but it fortunately for the Allfather, his face was already obscured by the dark mist he generated. ''Rank 94¡­ At least you''ve grown a little...'' Just like the three mana signatures from before, the Allfather recognised Longyu Tian''s significant spiritual power. ''Alas, you''re still too weak...'' It was an odd thing. The Allfather knew every single Spirit Saint in the world, yet none of them had an inkling on who the Allfather could be. The tremendous monster that created the world''s worst criminal syndicate. Who was he? What were his motivations? No one really knew. And yet, the Allfather knew everything there was to know about the Spirit Saints of the world. The hooded shadow levitated gradually towards the east and raised one hand up. One of his fingers wiggled about for a few seconds. No one could see the expression of the man shrouded in darkness. However, they could tell that his mood was a little upbeat. There was a connection between the Allfather and all the Black Masks that shared his mana. At this distance, there was no need for words or gestures. His subordinates all knew that the Allfather was amused. "Is something the matter?" Kuro, the highest-ranking member around, questioned their esteemed leader. The Allfather shook his head. "No, I''m just feeling the spiritual energy given out by the Celestial Dragon." The black bandages around his finger loosened slightly, giving out a dense dark mist once more. It was directionless in the beginning, but before long, the fog continued eastwards. "I was too far to feel its mana before¡­ Now that I''m closer¡­ It really deserves its title as one of the two Dragons that dominated the world." Even at his peak, the Allfather highly doubted that he could scratch the Celestial Dragon''s toes. He knew how powerful Shin could become once he matured. The Lady of Water was regarded as one of the most powerful Spirit Saints of all time after all. However, the Allfather didn''t want to do anything to harm the young man. No, the Allfather was ecstatic that Shin was growing up this fast. And fortunately for him, the Allfather held the piece that would continue to bring the young prodigy back to his doorstep. "Ao," the hooded figure called for the World Serpent. "Has Junius accomplished his task?" The blue-haired man jerked a little before returning a solemn bow. "I apologise¡­ He''s still stuck in Illusion Canyon." "..." The Allfather was a little disappointed. It has been over two months since the young man was exiled. If he could return within the next month, it could only mean one thing¡­ "Keep him alive. We can''t lose that important chip we have right now." "Even if he fails?" "Even if he fails..." The Allfather''s tone was crisp and firm. In the Allfather''s mind, Shin''s value now exceeded that of any Spirit Saint, let alone a mere Vaishya that he could kill at any moment. Kuro''s two ears twitched, and his nostrils began to flare up. He looked towards the west once, unleashing his enhanced vision that could spy a bee from a thousand kilometres away. Once he gained visual confirmation of the oncoming threat, the black-haired man reported, "Allfather¡­ They''re arriving in five minutes." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "I know," replied the shadow figure coldly. His right hand cupped his left wrist behind his back, and the familiar dark mist flowed out from his body. The Spirit Saints were about to arrive soon. If they came just a few minutes before, it would be a pain in the ass to chase them away. Alas, they were now far too late... "It has already begun..." BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The earth below Mythpoint Reach broke into pieces. Ten tall, dark figures, arose from deep within the crust and made its way to the surface. Nine of them created a nonagon shape, some of them flying high, some flying low. They were the famous Payircis that the Black Masks were now renowned for. Connected by chains of darkness that seemed corporeal and intangible at the same time, the nine Payircis created a dense invisible barrier, protecting what''s left of Mythpoint Reach. No, they weren''t protecting Mythpoint Reach¡­ What was there to protect? Decapitated bodies and burning buildings? No¡­ What they were protecting was something far more sinister¡­ The tenth tower¡­ Or was it an ever-stretching tree? Thousands of roots and a million more root hairs rose up from the base of the tower, covering everything in Mythpoint Reach. Bodies of the fallen were given no burial and instead used as fertiliser to grow the tremendous structure. Unlike Midori''s wooden abilities, these roots of darkness were completely resistant to Akai''s flames. In fact, it was absorbing much of the residue ambers that remained after the Spirit Beast''s indiscriminate arson. The tenth Payirci was at least three times bigger than the rest. It took the shape of Yggdrasil, but it was far from the Tree of Life. Death was its carbon dioxide, and despair was its oxygen. The Allfather watched as his masterpiece rose up higher and higher into the skies until it was taller than everything in the area. And then¡­ Ping! A wrinkle in the fabric of space and time rippled out from the tip of the Payirci. The barrier protecting the Allfather and every single one of his minions instantly thickened. At the same time, hundred-odd black chains burst forth from the top of the Tree of Death, charging all over the world at literal light speed. Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! The first wrinkle was just the catalyst. Payirics all over the world, be it known or obscured, now attached themselves to these illusory black chains that couldn''t be broken. The spiritual energies from the Paradise Hearts in the Payircis powered the barrier enveloping the Tree of Death, and the Allfather''s mana was likewise supplied to them. Umbras, shadow Spirit Beasts created by the Payircis, were now spawning right before the barrier. The Umbras were undying and would never weaken from mortal woes. Some Umbras were at the level of Tier 7 Spirit Beasts, or Rank 60 Spirit Lords. Others relied on their overwhelming numbers. However, one thing was for certain¡­ They were truly the most perfect guards to protect the occupied Mythpoint Reach. SSSSSSSSSSSSSKKKKKKKKKTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A crescent blade generated from pure energy disintegrated the newly spawned Umbras into particles and continued to fly towards the potent barrier. It was both sharp and vicious, holding enough power to wreck a thousand moons with one swing. Yet, the seemingly unstoppable force that melted any enemy it came across, exhausted itself once it came into contact with the Allfather''s barrier. There wasn''t a scratch on Payirci''s defence. That crescent energy blade was like a wave hitting a breakwater. "Tsk, too late, huh?" An elderly man tightened his grip on his handle and swung it down once. Saint Geom from the Kori Federation was the first to arrive. His blade had long been unsheathed from its scabbard and was waiting for the best moment to strike. Alas, if he had arrived just a few minutes earlier, Saint Geom would have found it. The old man had rushed out from the Dalgeom Sect, which was the closest place to Mythpoint Reach. Thus, he had arrived much earlier than the rest. Still, they were by no means slow. Saint Thor from the Blacksmith''s League was the next one to make his presence known. Just like Saint Geom, the Spirit Saint used his Lightning Hammer Spirit to smash a thunderbolt onto the dense barrier, only to fail miserably as well. Saint Firebird had a similar experience. Only Saint Longyu Tian, who didn''t have a potent enough offensive ability, refrained from testing the limits of the barrier, only to question the three that arrived before her. "What the hell is going on?!" The Saint of Time cried. "I wish you could tell me..." Saint Firebird folded his arms. "The Black Masks are really pushing it too far¡­ Do they really think that we''re going to stand still as they stomp on our dignity?!" Taking Mythpoint Reach was a kick in the balls for the Alliance. Not only was the town a few hundred kilometres away from Alliance Headquarters, but the city was situated right in the middle of the three superpowers. It was as if the Allfather was welcoming the Alliance to besiege him on all fronts. "Their barrier seems a little troublesome though..." Saint Geom frowned and lowered his blade. He didn''t dare to sheathe it just yet, and his fingers were still tightening on the Immortal-Grade weapon''s handle. "I have a bad feeling about this..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 466 The Most Powerful Being In The World 1 The chains connecting all the Payircis in the world continued to supply spiritual energy into the two-kilometre wide barrier. There were efforts from the Spirit Saints to strike down some of those chains, but it was to no avail. At times, it was corporeal, and whenever someone attempted to slice it into pieces, it would turn intangible. It was as if the chains had a conscious mind of their own. Even Saint Geom, with his Immortal-Grade sword, gave it a shot. However, no matter how hard he tried to break those dastardly chains, they still remained connected. "Damn it! Thor! What''s going on?!" Flames left Saint Firebird''s fingers as he roared to the only craftsman among them. "How are they able to resist material attacks?" The husky man stroked his rough beard with amusement, "They''re not from the material realm¡­ In fact, it looks more like the forbidden healing ability, the Chains of Anguish." "The one that transfers pain and suffering from one person to the other?" Saint Firebird asked. The knowledge he had about healing was far inferior to that of Raphael or Lady Seph, but even he had heard of the Chains of Anguish. "But that ability requires two living beings to cast, no?" "That''s why this is such a fascinating subject..." Saint Thor mused. "Not only are the chains unbreakable, but they''re also connected to every single Payirci in the world." His eyes shifted towards the Samingeom in Saint Geom''s hands. The Spirit Saint''s swordsmanship, paired with that legend of a weapon, could be considered to be the most powerful combination that a living Spirit Saint could unleash. Yet, no matter what he did, the new base that the Allfather created still stood tall. "With them constantly supplying spiritual energy to the barrier, there''s nothing that we can do to destroy it." "How troublesome..." Saint Longyu Tian frowned. She was in the midst of an intense argument against the High Council on how to deal with Shin. So, it really was the worst time for her. The Saint of Time didn''t want to waste too much effort in dealing with the Black Masks. "..." An invisible pressure descended upon the land, and the image of the Golden Sovereign Koi circled around the lean woman. Time-elements were colourless. No matter how much mana Longyu Tian supplied, there was never going to be a visual spectacle. However, that didn''t mean that her attack was going to be weak. "Bone to ash¡­ Ash to dust¡­" Longyu Tian murmured. Her eyes were emitting a grey aura, and the Golden Sovereign Koi rapidly expanded. Mana flowed out in droves from her pores, distorting the air around her. Her right hand was raised at one of the chains, and she bent her index and fourth fingers. The grass and trees that were in her line of sight all browned as they died off one by one. The Umbras that attempted to stop her returned back to the abyss as well. If any poor bird dared to fly in her path, the Spirit Saint''s mana would do the same to it. That''s right¡­ Longyu Tian''s spiritual ability was altering the age of anything that stood in her path. The Saint of Time was perhaps the most feared Spirit Saint among all entities in the Lantis Republic, and it wasn''t due to her raw power. Her cultivation level was at Rank 94, second only to Jingyu Han''s Rank 95. However, not even Jingyu Han wanted to pick a fight against that monster. Why? Because of her Time-Element. One of her abilities could speed up the age of the cells of anything she came into contact with. Essentially, it had given her the power to kill anyone in the world just by sending her mana to them. It was a dreadful ability that couldn''t be stopped unless the Spirit User had a strong enough tolerance for the Time-Element or they possessed a higher cultivation level than the woman. And those above Rank 94 could be counted with the fingers of one hand. KKKKRRRRTTTTTT¡­ The earth continued to die out with each passing second. Longyu Tian''s ability to advance the age of her targets weren''t just limited to lifeforms. Rock that would typically take a thousand years to grind into dust was now breaking apart with just a single touch. The grey wave lacked the splendour of Saint Geom''s epic slash, but it was just as deadly. Alas¡­ "Immune to that as well?" Longyu Tian raised her eyebrow and dropped her shaking hands. The black chains remained, even after she had sped up their age for thousands of years. "Are they truly eternal?" Saint Thor overheard the Lantis Republic''s Saint question. He spun his hammer around once before turning it into lightning dust. Dropped in posture, Saint Thor explained, "No¡­ They''re just made of pure spiritual energy. You can''t age something like that." His head turned to the far distance, carefully peering at the other end of the chain. "The only way to destroy the chains¡­ Is to defeat the Paradise Heart..." "That''s right..." "!!!" A foreign voice echoed in the Spirit Saints'' consciousness. All four of them jerked violently, picking up their battle stances once more. Saint Thor''s Lightning Hammer sparked violently with mighty thunderbolts, ones that had a million times more voltage than Suji''s. Saint Firebird summoned out his Phoenix Spirit Avatar and orange sparks that burned as brightly as the distant sun, warmed this cold autumn night. Saint Geom''s Immortal-Grade weapon was no dull looker either. His mana spiked and a gorgeous starlight glow twinkled upon the cold area. His aura sliced the falling ash that was a nanometre thick, leaving nothing in his field. Longyu Tian didn''t have intimidating visuals like the others, but her domain was already in full effect. If need be, she could slow time around her and speed up her own movements. Any attack that would hit her mortal flesh would be evaded with ease. "Four Spirit Saints ganging up on one person¡­ Haha, this must be a first..." The shadowy figure laughed, unfazed by the intense presence that the Spirit Saints were emitting. Dark mist obscured every pore of his body, so no one could visually confirm the enigmatic leader''s identity. Thus, Saint Thor asked, "Hey! Who the hell are you?!" A direct approach by a direct man. At this point, beating around the bush wasn''t going to matter anymore. The Alliance was out for the Allfather''s head, so they''d might as well be forefront about it. "The Allfather¡­ Leader of the Black Masks... Enemy of mankind¡­ Public enemy number one¡­ You call me by many names..." Surprisingly enough, the hooded figure replied with a chirpy voice. "But does it really matter who I am? Given the chance, you''ll take my head right this instant." "Of course we would!" Saint Geom stepped out with his trusted blade in hand. "You killed so many! My Sect''s Wangu¡­ Aldrich''s Keep¡­ The Land of Dreams¡­ Now, Mythpoint Reach! How many lives have you so violently ripped away! You''re the vilest being that the world has ever seen! And now¡­ It is time to bring you to justice!!!" As if on cue, the Alliance members sent by Raphael had promptly arrived. Hundreds of White Knights, mainly those that were in the Spirit King and Emperor realm, dropped right behind the four Spirit Saints. Their weapons were drawn, and Spirits unleashed, the Alliance was now looking for blood. Specifically, the blackened, dirty blood of the Allfather. "That''s the Allfather?!" One White Knight roared, his sabre raised up high. His eyes turned bloodshot as steam rushed out from each one of his pores. "You fucker! Give me back my family!!!" "Allfather?! The guy responsible for the Black Masks?!" Another White Knight raised her voice. Just like the Spirit Emperor beside her, the woman had someone she loved brutally killed by the Black Masks. Her daughter to be specific. One could only imagine the despair the Spirit Emperor felt when she saw her flesh and blood being wheelbarrowed back from a town that the Black Masks had pillaged. "I''m going to kill him!!!" "Get in line, sister!" Another White Knight screamed. Slowly, the whole crowd screamed out their intention to murder the leader of the most dreaded organisation in modern history. All of them had loved ones killed or have seen their comrades die in the battle to defeat the Black Masks. However, to kill the snake, one had to aim for the head. Up till this point, no one had ever personally met the Allfather. Today, this all changed. There were at least a hundred Rank 60 Spirit Kings and Rank 70 Spirit Emperors gathered here in Mythpoint Reach. They also had the assistance of four Spirit Saints, the most powerful beings in the world. So, the victory was all but assured... Right? The shadowy figure curiously tilted his head for a few seconds. Dark baleful mist billowed out from his obscured face. And then¡­ "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" A thunderous chortle dominated the still air of the vast fields. No one could see the Allfather''s face, but they could sure as hell witness the trembling shoulders of the cloaked man. Many had preconceived assumptions of the dastardly syndicate leader. Some imagined him as a cold-blooded murderer that enjoyed listening to the cries of those he tormented. Others thought that he wasn''t even a human at all, but a Spirit Beast that only saw humans as food. Yet, at this very moment, as the man continued to laugh uncontrollably... The Allfather seemed so¡­ mortal. "What are you laughing at?!" Saint Firebird roared. "Hahahaha! You must excuse my behaviour! It''s been some time since I''ve met someone who didn''t grovel at my feet the moment they''d seen me." The Allfather offered no explanation about how long it has been since he''d revealed himself to the outside world. However, his manner of speech was oddly outdated for the times, hinting that his origins lay further back in human history. Lost in his delight, the Allfather didn''t notice the faces of intrigue on the level-headed cultivators'' faces. Instead, he targeted those that had verbally called him out."Come! The target that you''ve longed for! The man that''s responsible for killing your loved ones! He''s standing right in front of your eyes! Come! Show me what you''ve got!" "You fucking! Underestimating us, huh?!" That taunt was all the Allfather needed. Half of the Alliance members were victims to their own vengeful minds and accepted the challenge with open arms. Their bodies whizzed passed the Spirit Saints and slammed all of the Umbras in their way. The darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts were powerful, but not strong enough to curb the will of grieving men and women. Especially when they were Spirit Kings and Emperors. Clink! Clink! Clink! Umbras were slashed down in droves, and a path to the Allfather was quickly created. The most powerful White Knights of the bunch led the charge as the four Spirit Saints sat back and watched. Elements went wild, and the spiritual energy of the area spiked at rapid rates. The White Knights were determined. Either they were going to kill the Allfather, or die trying. So¡­ The Allfather obliged¡­ "Hah¡­ Idiots exist in all eras..." BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! There wasn''t an explosion, but every single one of the cultivators present, even the four Spirit Saints, covered their ears. A spiritual pressure, one of the likes that Longyu Tian had never felt, descended upon Mythpoint Reach. Everyone under the Spirit Saint realm universally fell flat onto the ground. The pressure was so immense that bones cracking became the prevalent sound, and Spirit Kings being squashed into mush became a regular sight. Those further back didn''t experience the full brunt of the Allfather''s spiritual pressure, but it was still intense enough that they were forced to bow down to the syndicate leader''s grandeur. No one under the Allfather''s influence could string thoughts together. All they could do was desperately attempt to survive the crazy pressure that was weighing them down. However¡­ This was just the beginning¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! A second wave of pushed every single soul down and cracks formed all over the floor. Not only were the Alliance members pushed down, but the very earth that held up Mythpoint Reach also had fell victim to the Allfather. One crack turned into a crevice, the crevice morphed into a fissure. And soon¡­ The earth became an abyss... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 467 The Most Powerful Being In The World 2 ''He broke the earth just by using his spiritual pressure?!'' Longyu Tian cried mentally. She wanted to shout, but the pressure was simply too intense for her to open her mouth. And that was with her Rank 94 cultivation realm. The rest of the Spirit Kings and Emperors were all spiralling down into the abyss, pushed down by the intense pressure that the Allfather was giving out. Only the four Spirit Saints could force their bodies up, preventing themselves from the bitter fate of the White Knights. "RETREAT!!!" Saint Geom screamed for the first time in a hundred years. He''d lost his nerve, as would anyone in this situation. The Allfather didn''t need to use any of his spiritual abilities. Just his spiritual pressure alone was capable of sending hundreds of the world''s best to their doom. Heaving and hurling, the Spirit Saints did everything they could to escape past the Allfather''s sphere of influence. They enhanced their bodies, they unleashed their domains¡­ Anything¡­ In the end, after dozen-odd attempts, the four Spirit Saints were finally able to push through the vortex of despair. Saint Longyu Tian looked back at Mythpoint Reach. They had traversed two kilometres away just to reach the place where the Allfather''s spiritual pressure couldn''t affect them. All the Spirit Saints dropped their hands on their knees, as an overwhelming fear crept into their very souls. Every single Spirit King and Emperor that the Alliance had sent were now crushed into a fine dust. The White Knights, the champions of the human race that were supposed to annihilate the plague of the Black Masks, had just lost to the might of one man... "W-W-WHAT IS THAT?!" They all exclaimed. Using spiritual pressure in battle was commonplace in the majority of battles between cultivators. Once a Spirit User had formed their Spirit Core, they would unlock the ability to dominate their opponents just by the use of their presence. Shin had used it many times to slow the movements of lower-ranked opponents or just to scare them off. However, the spiritual pressure that the Allfather was emitting was in another realm altogether. Matter was air to it and breaking down the earth was as simple as lifting a finger. The Allfather didn''t even need to move a muscle, and the ground morphed into an abyss. There was no one else in the world that had that kind of power. "Spiritual pressure¡­" Saint Geom apathetically replied. "For a cultivator or a Spirit Beast to create that kind of spiritual pressure¡­ They must be at the very apex of the world..." "You can''t mean..." Longyu Tian glanced over her shoulder and studied the elderly man''s expression. There were no falsehoods in his words, and neither was his face crunching up. Saint Geom was no longer thinking about beating the Allfather, and neither was he foolish enough to raise his sword against this unknown enemy right now. Especially since... "That''s right¡­ The Allfather¡­ He''s at least Rank 99¡­ Half-step into immortality..." The elderly man''s reply rang like a resonant bell in the other three Spirit Saint''s minds. Rank 99¡­ The elusive cultivation level that all Spirit Saints hoped to reach. The Himmel Empire, Lantis Republic, Kori Federation, Healer''s Association, Blacksmith League and Mercenary Guild combined only had fourteen Spirit Saints. Of the fourteen, only two of them had reached Rank 95. That was the Kori Federation''s Saint Geom and the Lantis Republic''s Saint Jingyu Han. There was only one living being that surpassed that threshold to reach the acclaimed upper echelons of the Spirit Saint realm. And that was the Himmel Empire''s ancestor with a cultivation level of Rank 96. Known as the most powerful being in the world, the Himmel Empire''s ancestor alone held the power of two Spirit Saints. Due to the unique qualities of the Spirit of Himmel, some might argue he possessed the power of three or more Spirit Saints. Still, even for the insurmountable man, there were some limits. The Spirit Saint realm was much different than the earlier stages. A Spirit Saint needed decades, sometimes centuries of cultivation just to increase their rank by one. And the difficulty was incremental. Advancing from Rank 91 to 92 was twice as difficult as from Rank 90 to 91. Rank 92 to 93 was the same. In the end, the difficulty spike would be so immense that advancing to Rank 99 was almost impossible. That''s why, in the long history of humanity, there were only twenty-one Spirit Immortals. Only twenty-one humans, out of the million years of history that their race had ever ascended into the heavens above. "Peak Rank 99¡­" Saint Longyu Tian snapped her head back at the hooded figure. He was still casually floating atop the endless abyss. Umbras that should have been crushed were now lifted up by the Allfather''s mana. "I should''ve guessed..." Before, Longyu Tian couldn''t gauge the shadowy man''s aura at all. That was a telltale sign that the opponent was in a realm far above her own. "Rank 99?!" Saint Thor, the weakest Spirit Saint among them all, unconsciously pivoted his body away from the Allfather, ready to bolt at a moment''s notice. "How are we supposed to beat someone at Rank 99?!" "..." There was no answer. Or to be precise, there was nothing that the Spirit Saints could answer. Saint Geom was at Rank 95 and even possessed the Samingeom, the only Immortal-Grade spirit armament in the Daelgom Sect. Yet, even he felt pessimistic about his ability to defeat the Allfather. No, even if they gathered all the Spirit Saints in the world, there was no guarantee that the Allfather could be taken down. At this point, the Allfather seemingly lost interest in the four Spirit Saints. He raised both his hands up, sending a significant amount of spiritual energy into the abyss below. The chilling autumn night became even colder, and the air became ever so dense. Even though the four Spirit Saints were two kilometres away from the Allfather, they could feel the eerie effects of the dominant being. Their skin crawled, and gut turned, as the Allfather''s spiritual energy peaked. From the abyss under the ten Payiricis, flaky flames congregated from the darkness. There wasn''t any heat from the fire. In fact, it was the contrary. The blaze cooled the atmosphere just as glaciers did. The fires weren''t overwhelmingly bright, but even under the thicket of night, the flames were still visible to the naked eye. The four Spirit Saints paled. The darkness elements were now dancing around in a frenzy. The full moon that brightened the night sky was now covered with heinous black mist. Mythpoint Reach was no more¡­ With the black ceiling covering the land, the centre of the world was now firmly in the grasp of the enigmatic Allfather. "H-How..." Saint Thor felt his blood run cold. How were they supposed to fight an enemy like that? The Allfather had the ability to eclipse the entire world, the Spirit Saints were certain of that. So why? Why was he still remaining in the mortal realm?! "Allfather!!!" Saint Firebird hollered out. His eyebrows transformed into a line of fire and the Phoenix Avatar continued to flap its wings with full effect. Once his masterpiece was completed, the hooded man slowly dropped his hands and looked at the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Saint. Before, Saint Firebird was confident enough to stare straight into the darkness of the vile man. However, that all changed with the Allfather''s one move. Struggling to keep the line of sight, Saint Firebird had to force his head into place to stare right into the Allfather''s visage. "If you''re this powerful, why are you still seeking out death and destruction?!" Saint Firebird screamed. "Why don''t you ascend to the Immortal Realm and leave us alone? Why are you ignoring the Saint''s Pact? Why did you create the Black Masks and order them to perform such massacres?! What are your motives?!" "..." The Allfather didn''t reply at first. He stared at the loud Spirit Saint, amused that the man had even asked him that question. "Why should I tell you?" A succinct response. Quite haughty as a matter of fact. For the Allfather, these four Spirit Saints were just pawns on his chessboard. They were among the most powerful entities that were currently living in this world. However, the Allfather simply didn''t care. He was far more powerful than all of them combined, and he was willing to prove it. Raising his hand, the leader of the Black Masks summoned out dozens of darkness tendrils, and the blanket over his head got ten times thicker. The tendrils slapped the air wildly as they crept closer towards the Spirit Saints. Saint Geom was the first to respond. Being the Spirit Saint with the highest cultivation level, the swordsman felt a certain degree of responsibility. The Samingeom flashed with a divine radiance, as Saint Geom''s sword spirit merged with the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. At the same time, an avatar of his very same sword spirit appeared behind the elderly man. All of a sudden, the air seemingly warmed, and the atmosphere turned a little pinkish. The hellish aura that the Allfather had released was somewhat calmed by the falling peach blossom petals that fell from Saint Geom''s Sword Avatar. His form was perfect. Bent knees and leaned forward torso, the man was ready to strike the vicious darkness tendrils at any moment now. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "DISAPPEAR!!!" Saint Geom shouted. His blade flew from its scabbard, and with supreme anger, the Immortal-Grade sword obliterated them to a crisp. Alas, the Allfather wasn''t done. Using his darkness element, the supreme being summoned out millions of dark lightning bolts from the black curtain above the ten Payircis. A thunderstorm in the wild ravages of the oceans had nothing on the current scene. Mountains were flattened and woods cleared. Even the earth, which should have been immune to lightning, was now disintegrating into pieces. This time, it was Longyu Tian''s turn to react. "GET IN!!!" she cried at the top of her lungs. A pillar of golden-grey light engulfed the four Spirit Saints. At that moment, time slowed down for all four of them. They could see the lightning bolts slowly encroaching upon them, and once the thunderbolts reached the pillar, they would be rapidly slowed by the Saint of Time''s domain. "HAH!!!" Like the fable of Zeus, Saint Thor summoned out a million coils of lightning to counter the Allfather''s power. Longyu Tian''s domain, which slowed her enemies and increased the speed of her allies made it much easier for Saint Thor to aim and bring out the appropriate amount of force. And to top it all off, Saint Firebird summoned out a flaming bow and condensed a fraction of his Phoenix essence into a blazing arrow. Gone was the chilling effects of the Allfather''s mana. Saint Firebird''s fire made their surroundings feel like they were still in the midst of summer. With Longyu Tian''s buff, Saint Firebird was able to charge up the fire arrow much faster without any repercussions until finally¡­ WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! The fire arrow was released. Buffed by Saint Longyu Tian, the arrow moved at a speed ten times greater than it usually would. Even the Allfather couldn''t dodge an attack that moved at the speed of light. Without moving a muscle, the hooded figure burst into flames after experiencing the full effects of the Phoenix arrow. "Did we get him?" Saint Thor asked, careful not to overvalue their actions. "No..." The elderly swordsman, who had the highest cultivation realm among them, was the one to respond. He continued to grip onto the handle of his sword and was ready to rain down hell once more. "Not yet..." "Amusing..." The Allfather''s voice continued to resonate with complete calmness, even though he was engulfed in an intense fire. "I''d never thought I''d see the day where four Spirit Saints from the three Superpowers would work together¡­" The cloak of darkness that shrouded the Allfather was shred and his entire being transferred down into yet another body. It was as if the Allfather was a ghost. There was no physical form for the man. Or at least, his physical form wasn''t present in Mythpoint Reach. "Haha, it doesn''t matter¡­ That will all change in a few years..." The hooded man answered his own question, stifling a laugh. "For now..." Spread all five fingers on his right hand, the Allfather sent a wave of pure darkness crashing straight into the four Spirit Saints. There was no escaping the tidal wave of energy, and the four Spirit Saints were sent flying back before the Allfather''s voice rang in their heads once again. "Return from whence you came¡­ We''ll meet again..." The Allfather turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared back into the massive barrier. The four Spirit Saints looked at one another, face ghast and fingers trembling. They were all dominant cultivators in their own right, but now, they were granted mercy by just one man. It was both humiliating and humbling at the same time. "Looks like¡­ We''ll need to summon out all the Saints in the world now..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 468 The Most Powerful Being In The World 3 The Terre Continent. The Neutral Lands. The Land of Dreams. Alliance Headquarters. Midnight. Only a few hours had passed since the Allfather had unleashed his reign of terror upon the four Spirit Saints. His message sent, the Hegemon of Darkness returned into his new home, Mythpoint Reach, and settled down within the ominous-looking Tree of Death. The nine Payircis that protected the dangerous nucleus structure were each populated by one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. At the same time, the chains that connected Mythpoint Reach to all of the remaining Payircis in the world continued to strengthen themselves and no matter what methods the Alliance tried, they still remained unbreakable. These few hours were vital not only for the Black Masks but for the Alliance as well. For the first time since the war began, the Black Masks had taken the initiative. Usually, it would be the Alliance attempting to seek and destroy as many of the criminal syndicate''s bases as they possibly could. Alas, the Black Masks, particularly the upper management of the organisation, were too well-prepared. The Allfather had planned his master scheme for hundreds of years now. He had calculated every variable, detail and possible scenarios for each move on his chessboard. There was no way that the Alliance could compare with that. Thus, Raphael and the three superpowers always found themselves to be a step behind the Black Masks'' guerilla tactics. Villages would burn, and small towns were overrun by Spirit Beasts. By the time help arrived, the damage had already been done. Though there were times where the Alliance would find a handful of Black Mask bases, they had never been able to figure out the location of the Allfather¡­ Until now, that is¡­ "..." Seated on his wooden recliner, Raphael had both his elbows rested on the huge oak table in front of him that was littered with scrolls and reports. There were mountains upon mountains of documents that he had to review, and thousands more were just waiting to be wheelbarrowed in. However, none of his personal aides dared to disturb their red-haired leader at this vital time. His forehead was held up by the two clenched fists that he had, and the Spirit Venerate seemed so ghast and broken. Raphael didn''t want to speak. How could he want to? Over a hundred of the Alliance''s most powerful White Knights had been eradicated by just one being. And to rub salt to the wound, the Allfather only used his spiritual pressure to kill them. An unheard-of feat. There was no entity living today that could replicate what the Allfather did. Yet, the facts were the facts. Saint Longyu Tian sat with her legs crossed on the sofa nearby. Her teeth were busy chewing down on those elongated fingernails of hers. It has been a long time since the Spirit Saint had felt this nervous. Her worries about Shin had faded into oblivion after that one interaction with the Allfather, which says a lot about the enigmatic leader''s power. The other three Spirit Saints were in a similar boat. Saint Geom and Firebird''s faces were ashen. They leaned upon the windows of the chamber, their eyes still affixed on the distant east, where Mythpoint Reach once laid. Saint Thor was standing as well, though not stationary. He paced up and down, creaking the wooden floorboards of the Alliance Head''s office. It was annoying to listen to, but no one stopped him. How could they? The Alliance¡­ No, the three superpowers had just lost the centre of the earth to the Black Masks. It was a heavy blow not only for the Alliance but every single human living in the world. Mythpoint Reach wasn''t just a regular town for commerce and trade. It was a symbol of peace for humanity itself. War was rife in the world, and ancient civilisations rose and fell throughout human history. In the end, the founding fathers of the three superpowers decided that enough was enough, and they placed together a peace treaty that banned all war for eternity. For the Himmel Empire, the Lantis Republic and the Kori Federation to thrive, there was a need for the constant killing to stop. Hence, the peace treaty was signed, and harmony was restored to the world for a significant period of time. There would be the odd skirmishes, but since wars were banned, there weren''t any major conflicts that would rapidly kill thousands of lives. Disputes were settled diplomatically, and the Neutral Lands planned a crucial role in that process. The Neutral Lands were not only geographically ideal, but they were home to the three major organisations as well. The Healer''s Association, Mercenary Guild and Blacksmith League all had their headquarters comfortably located in the peaceful lands. Yet¡­ The Land of Dreams¡­ Mythpoint Reach¡­ They were all destroyed by the Black Masks. And the worst thing was¡­ There was nothing the Alliance could do to stop them¡­ The four Spirit Saints remained silent as the Cikai Mirrors continued to connect to the other side. The first image to appear was the familiar white-faced woman that led the Lantis Republic. She had tied her grey hair up into a bun with a whale-shaped hairpin. On the surface, the woman seemed to be dressed well, but even the mighty Jingyu Shenxian wasn''t immune to anxiety. Strands of hair stuck out, and the back of her head was slightly askew. The next image to pop up on the Cikai Mirror was a young man who looked no older than twenty. Though he looked young, those piercing eyes of his just screamed wisdom and experience, something that few leaders had. Prime Minister Duncan of the Kori Federation looked at Saint Geom through the Cikai Mirrors and gave the Dalgeom Sect''s Spirit Saint a humble bow. There were only four Spirit Saints in the Kori Federation. Even if Duncan was the Prime Minister of the biggest government in the world, he was still an infant compared to the elderly swordsman. Finally, the last person to connect to Raphael and the four Spirit Saints was a middle-aged man. His Imperial presence hasn''t waned in the slightest, and the man seemed comfortable upon his emerald throne. However, even His Majesty, Tenno, couldn''t comprehend the bitter truth that was the Allfather''s real power. "Is it true?" Prime Minister Duncan''s solemn voice broke through. It was low and moody, just like the atmosphere of the office. "Did we really just lose¡­ Mythpoint Reach?" That was the report that had been flown over to his home, rudely disturbing his sleep. It was printed in black and white, but it was just that hard to believe. Everyone in Raphael''s chambers lowered their heads. A few hours ago, the Alliance was having a typical day. Reports came from all over the globe about how one Black Mask plot was thwarted or how deep a White Knight unit had plunged into a distant Payirci. And in the span of just a few hours, the world changed drastically. Mythpoint Reach fell¡­ The Allfather had shown himself and defeated four Spirit Saints with ease¡­ and most frightening of all, the Black Masks had now created a central hub right under the Alliance''s nose. If this wasn''t a defeat, Prime Minister Duncan didn''t know what was. Longyu Tian was unable to hold back anymore and leapt out of her chair. She slammed both of her wrists upon the coffee table that held her untouched tea and cried: "The Allfather¡­ Who the hell is he? How on earth is he so powerful?!" Only the four Spirit Saints survived the onslaught of the Allfather. The White Knights that were sent to assist them, the spear that would lead the Alliance to victory¡­ Had all perished. "We lost a hundred Spirit Kings and Emperors just by his spiritual pressure alone..." Saint Firebird narrated, filling in the questions in the minds of the others. "His darkness element has reached perfection. He can condense other elements out of darkness itself¡­ He controls millions of Spirit Beasts, some of which are Tier 9 or Primordial Beast! I have never heard of someone like him¡­ Ever!" "..." Every single one of them fell silent. They were all Rank 80 Spirit Venerates or Rank 90 Spirit Saints. They stood heads and shoulders above the average cultivator and had the power to bring millions to grovel at their feet. Nonetheless, none of them possessed the power that the Allfather had. Not even the Himmel Empire''s Ancestor could break the earth and kill Spirit Emperors just by unleashing his spiritual pressure. Tenno looked straight at the red-haired man who was voted the leader of the Alliance. "What information do we have on him?" Raphael threw his head back and heaved out a deep sigh. "Not much¡­ We know that he has some links with Spirit Immortal Dream that ascended five hundred years ago but other than that, we''re completely blank." "Is he even human?" Jingyu Shenxian queried. "If he can control Spirit Beasts, wouldn''t it be more likely that the Allfather is a Primordial Beast?" "A reasonable conjecture, but it''s highly unlikely..." Raphael shook his head and replied negatively. "Why not?" "Primordial Beasts are exceedingly rare, even more so than Spirit Saints. It takes thousands of years for a Tier 9 Spirit Beast to ascend up, and to do so, they would eradicate any adversary that stands in its way, creating a huge commotion in the process." Raphael explained. "Every nation has recorded all of the Tier 9 or Primordial Beasts that live in or near their borders. Even ancient texts from fallen civilisations would speak of which Spirit Beast is most likely to become a Primordial Beast. Unfortunately, even with our extensive database, there has been no mention of a Darkness-Type Spirit Beast that was this powerful..." "I see..." The Lantis Republic''s Chancellor grabbed onto her small chin and nodded in agreement. Just as Raphael had mentioned, the Lantis Republic had recorded every single sighting of a Tier 9 or Primordial Spirit Beast. It only made sense since those monsters posed a significant threat to the prosperity of their nation. "So, you''re saying that he''s a rogue Spirit Saint that lived in Spirit Immortal Dream''s era?" Jingyu Shenxian suggested. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "That''s our best guess for now..." The Alliance Head didn''t deny that claim. "An average Spirit Venerate''s lifespan is four hundred years. With cultivation, Spirit Saints should be capable of extending it even further. Also, the level of cunning that the Allfather possess, the patience to wait until his forces were built up and ready for war¡­ It''s all too human-like..." "A Spirit Saint that went under the radar, huh?" Saint Geom, the oldest man in the chambers, fell into thought and stroked his white beard. "That does make the most sense. If he spent most of his time in hibernation or stasis, perhaps that would explain his long life." "But that doesn''t explain why he''s creating all of this mayhem!" Saint Firebird argued. "If he''s at Rank 99, why should he create a criminal syndicate and use them to spread death and destruction?! Shouldn''t he just ascend into the Immortal Realm?!" "That''s right..." Longyu Tian replied with furrowed brows. A brief silence descended upon the room until the Saint of Time finally broke the ice. "Hah, whatever the Allfather''s motives may be, it doesn''t change the fact that he''s killing us left and right. He is very well the most powerful being in the world right now. With the Spirit Beasts under his disposal as well as the criminals that he empowers, the Allfather could very well match the three superpowers on his own!" "..." A tall statement, but no one really dared to argue. "We need to tighten our defences. It is no longer a war against some terrorists, but a battle for the human race. All villagers, townsfolk, regular civilians¡­ They need to be moved into larger towns. Concentrate our defences on the bigger cities and build up our armies. We will need to replenish the White Knights as well! Please send some powerful Spirit Kings and Emperors over to the Alliance!" Gone was the timid Alliance Head that had to stammer to get things done. Now, Raphael was basically ordering the leaders of the three superpowers to do as he demands. "We have to defeat the Allfather! No matter what the cost!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 469 The Most Powerful Being In The World 4 "We have to defeat the Allfather! No matter what the cost!" Raphael''s statement resonated in the minds of others. The Allfather was far stronger than the Alliance''s wildest calculations. The Black Masks now held Mythpoint Reach and hundreds of Payircis were littered all over the Terre Continent and the Lantis Archipelago. It was a crisis that was unprecedented for modern times. So, it made sense to throw all mainstream conventions out of the window, just to combat the threat of the Black Masks. "I agree with you, Alliance Head..." Emperor Tenno didn''t deny the man''s stance. "However, you must understand that our national security is of paramount importance. The Himmel Empire will follow your suggestion for bringing remote villagers and townsfolk into our major cities. Also, we would provide all the information we have to the shared intelligence network headed by the Mercenary Guild. We will even work with the Alliance when it comes to taking down Payircis. As for replenishing the White Knights¡­ That is a deed that we cannot commit..." "Emperor Tenno is right..." Prime Minister Duncan, the man with the most experience in a government office, agreed with His Imperial Majesty. "Spirit Kings and Emperors don''t grow on trees. They''re the best of the best, and most of them are elders or heads of their respective clans. Even if we wanted to replenish the supply of White Knights, we''re simply incapable of convincing them to leave their families behind during this time of peril." "... I guessed that would be the case..." Raphael sighed, disappointed that his impassioned speech wasn''t enough to sway the opinions of the leaders. "Don''t be that despondent..." Emperor Tenno watched the red-haired man, and his heart churned in remorse. They had forced the position of the Alliance head upon Raphael, who was the most neutral leader they could find. All of the three leaders knew how hard the Raphael worked to keep the Alliance afloat. Building the White Knights, creating complicated administrations, and gathering budgeting the operations well enough without bankrupting the three superpowers. Yet, time and time again, the three superpowers weren''t able to answer to the head''s goodwill. "Though we can''t promise you Spirit Kings and Emperors, we can mobilise thirty percent of the Empire''s army for the Alliance." Emperor Tenno declared, bringing hope back to the saddened man''s eyes. Jingyu Shenxian nodded, "The Lantis Republic promises to commit fifty percent of our navy. We''ll deal with the Black Masks from the east." Mythpoint Reach was sandwiched between the Lantis Republic to the east and the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation to the west. If the Allfather and Black Masks wanted to escape, the easiest route was by the vast ocean to the east. Alas, the Lantis Republic would never make it that easy. "I swear by the blood of my clan, we will sink any Black Masks that dare to escape!" "The Kori Federation will provide ample resources as well..." Not to be outdone, Prime Minister Duncan put forth his own plans. "It''ll take some time to convince all of the Core States, but the Master Sects should be on my side¡­ Saint Geom, would you help me?" The young-looking man then looked over to the elderly swordsman who was staring out into the distance. His aged wrinkles continued to intensify, and his brows were now connected. The Samingeom was sheathed, but somehow, its legendary sharpness could be felt not only in the chamber but through the Cikai Mirrors as well. "I''ll do you one better..." Saint Geom closed his eyes for five seconds before turned about to face Raphael. "The Dalgeom Sect will move half of its swordmasters here. We''ll provide our own logistics and weaponry¡­ Also, I''ll be permanently stationed here as well." "WHAT?!" That revelation came as a surprise to everyone present in the chambers. The Dalgeom Sect was one thing, but a Spirit Saint permanently stationed in the Alliance Headquarters was utterly unheard of. "S-Saint Geom¡­" Prime Minister Duncan was the first to break the silence. The Kori Federation only had four Spirit Saints living today. Furthermore, he was the only one among them at Rank 95! Losing Saint Geom would be a significant blow to the national security of the nation. "Shouldn''t you discuss this with the other Saints first? Or even the Master Sects?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "No, my decision is final..." The elderly swordsman shook his head and turned to Saint Thor. "I suggest that the Blacksmith League, Healer Association and Mercenary Guild all gather their forces upon the Land of Dreams. We cannot underestimate the Allfather anymore. Saint Thor¡­ You, as well as Saint Althea from the Healer''s Association and Saint Atossa from the Mercenary Guild¡­ I suggest all three of you band together here in the Alliance Headquarters. That way, we wouldn''t have to worry about the Allfather killing us off one by one." Saint Geom was quick to realise that the key to beating the Allfather, who was suspected to be a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, was the other Spirit Saints of the land. Currently, all fourteen Spirit Saints were alive and kicking. However, it could all change if the Black Masks decided to target them one by one, particularly the ones not made for battle such as Saint Althea and Saint Thor. "That''s true..." The burly man stroked his unkempt beard as he considered the alternatives. Before, if someone told him that he would be cowering in fear because of one criminal syndicate, Saint Thor would have simply laughed it off, claiming it to be a big joke. However, he had experienced the Allfather''s power once before. He knew that it wasn''t a stretch for that mighty being to pull his head off clean like plucking a chicken. "If possible, bring Deus Citadel as well." Saint Geom suggested. "Four Spirit Saints AND Deus Citadel?! Are you trying to make the Land of Dreams the most impregnable place on earth?" Saint Thor joked, his expression of fear switching to one of jest. "Not just four..." A third voice interjected. Saint Firebird, who had been watching from the sidelines, decided to make his move as well. "I will fortify the Alliance Headquarters with you." This time, it was Emperor Tenno''s turn to be stunned. "Saint Firebird!" he cried, ready to stop the Spirit Saint from making that life-altering commitment. Unlike the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic who had four Spirit Saints, the Himmel Empire only had three. If Saint Firebird left, the Himmel Empire would be far more vulnerable as compared to their two neighbours. "Tenno, child¡­" The old man gazed into the Cikai Mirror, his face showing affection and wisdom beyond the years of the Imperial Emperor. "You weren''t there when the Allfather massacred a hundred Spirit Kings and Emperors with just his spiritual pressure. You weren''t there when he unleashed his wave of darkness¡­ You don''t understand what we''re up against..." Saint Firebird explained. "..." "Protecting our national security is paramount, no doubt. However, I can tell you this now. If the Allfather decides to raid the Capital tomorrow, we''ll all be wiped out¡­ The Ancestor included," said Saint Firebird grimly. Saint Geom and Saint Thor acknowledge the claim with their closed eyes and nodding heads. "We''re fighting a war that could only be won if we joined hands. The Alliance is the best first step. If we can fortify the Alliance Headquarters, at the very least, we can stand a chance." The Saint of Fire suggested. "Don''t worry, I''ll personally report my decision to the Ancestor himself." "..." Emperor Tenno was instantly rendered speechless. He was now in the same boat as Prime Minister Duncan, who could only sit back with a gaping mouth, powerless to stop the decisions of the Spirit Saints. Even though they were the leaders of their nation if the Spirit Saints wanted to leave their country, who were they to stop them? "Saint of Time? What is your decision?" Saint Geom looked over and squinted his eyes. Obviously, they wanted the Lantis Republic to station a Spirit Saint in the Alliance Headquarters as well. Six Spirit Saints were definitely better than five, and Longyu Tian''s time-element would be a worthy ally to their defences. Longyu Tian closed her eyes. Jingyu Shenxian in the Cikai Mirror did the same. They too wanted to provide as much assistance to the Alliance, especially after witnessing the Allfather''s power. It is unfortunate¡­ "I''m sorry, I can''t stay with the five of you," replied Longyu Tian after a long pause. "The Lantis Republic is currently in the midst of a massive shift. The paradigm of the Eight Ancient Clans of Water is going to change rapidly. I can''t commit my power to your aid right now." "A paradigm shift?" Saint Firebird raised his brows as his ears perked up. "I can''t discuss this now. However, I can tell you that the Lantis Republic is a mess internally right now. I definitely can''t migrate out of Longyu Reef or Celestial Island as we continue to dispute our case." Longyu Tian purposely made her reasons cryptic. She couldn''t just announce to the world that the Celestial Dragon Spirit has been reborn and Shin was now the Heir to the Lantis Republic''s Throne. The other Spirit Saints were a little sceptical, but in the end, they couldn''t force Longyu Tian to do something against her will. "Fine¡­ However, I hope that you would come running at the first sign of trouble," Saint Geom replied, his voice as low as can be. "Definitely, that I swear!" The black-haired woman hollered. "We stand united in the fight against the Allfather. For the sake of our future and the children that will inherit our land..." Longyu Tian''s mind instantly went towards Shin, who was most likely still in the midst of meditating at the Celestial Dragon''s Shrine. Once the youth descends from the Celestial River, he would most definitely spearhead the efforts to defeat the Black Masks. After all, the Black Masks and the Allfather had hurt Shin personally before. Raphael watched with watery eyes as the three superpowers finally came as one. There was no more falsehoods, no more politics, no more holding back¡­ Finally¡­ They were now united as one¡­ ??? Mythpoint Reach. The Tree of Darkness. Just as how the most venerable leaders of the human race were having their own meeting, the Black Masks were also united in one singular chamber. Surrounded by the nine Payircis, the Tree of Darkness was now the undeniable hub where all Black Masks could return to. The interior was dark and gloomy, just like the eternal patch of darkness that coated the Tree of Darkness. By all descriptions, the Tree of Darkness was just a modified Payirci. It had a Paradise Heart, multiple levels, and a horde of Umbras or Spirit Beasts. However, the Tree of Darkness was so much more than a dungeon for the Alliance to clear. It was also¡­ The throne where the Allfather sat on... The throne room at the peak of the Tree of Darkness was completely empty. The Black Masks that served under the Allfather were now building their own hospitable bases while the Umbras continued to spawn to protect the Payircis. In the corner of the chambers, was a viewing platform, only two silhouettes stood side-by-side. Of the two, only the black-haired man''s face was revealed. Kuro, the only Primordial Beast in the Allfather''s service, stood loyally by the man''s side, like a dog waiting on its owner. It was a triumphant day for the Black Masks. Not only did they decimate half of the White Knights, but they had also executed the next phase of their plans almost flawlessly. The four Spirit Saints that faced the Allfather were spared by the man''s mercy, and the Tree of Darkness was finally erected upon the Terre Continent. Everything was going great! However, the Allfather''s faithful servant was trying his best to hide the grimace on his face. "Allfather¡­ Did you really have to rush your plans by this much?" Kuro questioned. "The others might not understand, but I know that your power isn''t infinite. Using this much mana¡­ Aren''t you afraid of your lifespan?" "..." The Allfather quietly stared into the distance. He could roughly make out the Land of Dreams that laid a few hundred kilometres away. It was once the home of Spirit Immortal Dream, and now, it was the base of the first-ever Alliance that brought together the entire human race. "Allfather?" "Kuro..." The hooded man replied, sending a spine-tingling sensation down the Primordial Beast''s entire body. "Yes, Allfather!" "My time has been limited in the first place," said the man, his voice hiding a tinge of lethargy. "Humans don''t live as long as Spirit Beasts¡­ I was supposed to die the day that my liege left me. And yet, I''m still alive." The Allfather turned his attention to the starry sky, hoping to spot even an inkling of the Immortal Realm. "Allfather..." "No, it''s not the time to be sentimental..." The hooded figure shook his head. "Kuro, I''m going back into hibernation. Just as you''d said, those theatrics had cost me a year''s worth of my remaining lifespan. I don''t have much left¡­ I have to take some time to replenish my soul¡­" The Allfather sighed, "I trust that you can handle the rest?" "Leave it to me!" The black-haired man instantly kneeled. "Good..." The darkness that covered the Allfather dissipated gradually, and the man turned illusory in comparison. The dominant mana that killed a hundred White Knights and sent the four Spirit Saints running with their tails between their legs was now a mellow breeze in the air. Midnight passed, and the night thickened. The Allfather, the man that struck fear in every man, woman or children''s hearts. He was an enigma and yet¡­ He slept through the night, just like any typical human would... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 470 The Scion Of The Lantis Republic 1 The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. The Shrine of the Celestial Dragon. Chirp¡­ Chirp¡­ Chirp¡­ The vibrant orange rays of the morning sun generously warmed the cold lands of Celestial Island. Birds that woke from their slumber announced the coming of morning with their resonant vocal box as a refreshing mist soothed the soul of any who came in contact with it. It was a gentle fog, and anyone who stood within it at the foot of the Celestial River would naturally assume that it was the Empyrean Wonder doing its trick. Little did they know that it was the origin of said mist wasn''t from the legendary Celestial River, but a particular young man instead. The source of the ethereal mist was from the skull of the Celestial Dragon, situated hundreds of metres up on the mountain. However, inanimate objects, particularly one that had been dead for over five hundred thousand years, wasn''t capable of creating such phenomena. Only one being in the Shrine had the capability of creating such a dense mist¡­ and that was the handsome black-haired man seated comfortably within the Dragon''s skull. Shin had his eyes closed, and palms opened. Taking deep breaths in regular intervals, the young man circulated his mana exponentially and regulated his inner temperature with ease. Exactly three days had passed since Shin was brought up into the Shrine of the Celestial Dragon and the youth had improved by leaps and bounds. Though Shin hadn''t increased by a single rank and was still at Rank 40, the benefits he''d gained during these three days couldn''t be measured just by Spirit Ranks. On the first day, Shin was slowly getting accustomed to the Celestial Dragon''s aura. Zishen, the Azure Dragon, had suggested that the Celestial Water Mantra was now outdated for Shin''s use and he had definitely hit the nail on the head. Shin''s Celestial Dragon had a taste for all elements and was no longer restricted to just water. Of course, the youth''s water affinity still remained the highest, and the Celestial Water Mantra could help somewhat. However, Shin was utterly clueless when it came to absorbing and cultivating the other elements. That''s why the first day was so essential for the young heir. He bathed in the residual mana of the original Celestial Dragon, giving him some insights on how to proceed in the future. The Celestial Dragon''s aura seeped into his Spectre Soul, and the elements that it once dominated was being transferred over to Shin''s out Celestial Dragon Spirit. On the second day, Shin decided to change it up a little. He had been absorbing a considerable amount of insights from the skull of the Celestial Dragon, and it would take a few months for him to digest all of that information. Thus, he moved on to the next most crucial thing. Mending his physical body. Till this point, Shin had been cultivating under the umbrella of the Sovereign Koi. It was a benign and gentle Spirit. It wasn''t like the Seven-Headed Hydra or the Abominable Cthulhu that dominated the physical realm. The Sovereign Koi focused more on control over its elements and used deceit to strengthen its owner. This trait of the Sovereign Koi has served Shin well over the years; however, the Celestial Dragon was a different kind of beast. It was the Emperor of Emperors, the Hegemon of the ancient world. It wasn''t a Spirit that would slip through enemies with falsehoods. Thus, Shin had to adapt accordingly. He took ten hours to analyse the original spiritual energy of the Celestial Dragon and sought to recreate it in his body. Only when he was extremely confident, did the young man execute his most daring move to date. The spiritual energy of the Celestial Dragon seeped into every molecule of his bones, breaking and reforging them. Black impure grime flowed out from Shin''s body as filthy, black blood and escaped through his opened pores. His exterior remained the same, but the bone structure within had entered a metamorphosis unheard of in the mortal realm. Shin''s bones were strengthened tenfold and were now imbued with the mana of the Celestial Dragon. His muscles and tendons did the same. Excess fat was burned off as fuel, and his flesh became twice as dense. Before, if Shin''s body seemed to be sculptured out of marble, now it seemed as invulnerable as a diamond. Shin''s second day was spent reforging his entire body, filling it with the remnant spiritual energy of the Celestial Dragon. Time well spent in his opinion. He may not have gained any cultivation ranks from the amendment, but his body was now ten times more durable than before. Shin was confident that his hand-to-hand combat was now second to none against someone his age. Furthermore, his jade-like skin has tightened and morphed to fit the Celestial Dragon''s superior scales. He now had resistance to extreme temperatures and was capable of traversing anywhere on the world in his Spiritual Body Enhancement state. Be it the deepest trenches of the ocean or the highest altitude in the world, Shin was capable of enduring any of those harsh conditions. Which brings Shin to the third and final day¡­ Seated right within the Celestial Dragon''s skull, Shin felt unsure of what he should do next. If he wanted to continue on with formulating a new cultivation method, it would take days, months even. If he wished to practice with absorbing new elements other than water, Shin needed the advice of other practitioners, such as Longyu Tian or Kanari. Thus, in the end, the young Prince of Water decided to play with his own Spectre Soul. Shin meditated and poured as much spiritual energy from the Celestial Dragon''s skull into his body. His mana was being churned at an astonishing rate, and as a result, the original spiritual energy in Shin''s body left as mist through his pores. Bit by bit, the Sovereign Koi''s influence was being stripped away as the Celestial Dragon''s mana took over. Shin''s Spirit may have evolved, but his body sure hasn''t adapted yet. Fortunately, the Azure Dragons had the insight to bring Shin up into the Shrine immediately after his Sovereign Koi evolved, saving the youth a tonne of time when it comes to cultivation. The chilling mist descended down the mountains and tainted the world below in a thick white sheen. Though it wasn''t menacing in the slightest. Anyone who sat in the middle of Shin''s created mist would feel the effects of the Celestial Dragon and its superior mana. Even the Azure Dragons that kept watch over Shin''s progress couldn''t help but take turns to cultivate. "Mmmm¡­ It''s about time..." Zishen glanced up into the skies. The sun was already rising up high as the dawn changed into the peak of morning. Shin''s time limit was up. The Lantis Republic was expecting him to return down from the Shrine in just a few hours. "Wake him," said the Azure Dragons'' leader. It pained him to pull Shin away from his cultivation period, but a promise was a promise. Five Azure Dragons puckered their lips and unleashed a soft torrent that pushed away from the dense fog. It didn''t take long for Zishen to catch sight of Shin''s outline. He was still seated in the lotus position he assumed three days back and was in the midst of meditating. The pores on his body continued to unleash the mist, making him look like a steaming hot bun that just came out from the oven. Shin was in a deep trance, and his consciousness was in a calm and soothing state. The gentle wind from the Azure Dragons breath pushed his jet-black hair slightly back, and his pimple-less skin twitched slightly at the change. In time, the youth''s concentration was broken, and the two arms rested on his lap rose gradually. His heavy eyelids gingerly opened up, revealing the gorgeous shade of azure that hid within. No matter how much Shin had purified his body, the blood of the Longyu Clan still runs through his veins. Shin still bore the same exact features as before as his genes hardly changed. However, there was one stark difference... ''I feel so¡­ powerful...'' Shin awoke and stared blankly at his two hands. The Celestial Dragon''s spiritual energy had seeped into every fibre of his being. His flesh, bones, blood, soul¡­ Everything had been baptised by the Celestial Dragon. Not to mention, his own Spirit was now generating far more mana than he''d ever hoped to produce. On the surface, Shin hadn''t changed much, barring some added lean muscle. However, internally, the man was now a different being. Zishen flew over in the lead, his dragon eyes glistening at Shin''s drastic change. Sighing, he said, "Mmmmm, my Prince¡­ I apologise for disturbing you¡­ The three days are up..." "Yeah..." Shin continued to examine his body for a full minute. He was still a little drowsy and was shaking internally. "Thank you for waking me¡­" "Mmmmm¡­ It''s my duty..." Zishen answered with a bowed head. "Alas, I wish that you had more time to train than worry about mortal affairs." The Dragon expressed his disdain directly to his Prince. Zishen would much rather Shin spend a century absorbing the teachings of the Lady of Water and the original Celestial Dragon than to deal with the politics of the Lantis Republic. "Don''t worry, Senior Zishen..." Shin smiled and reassured the man. "Once I settle the issues down in the Republic, I''ll make the Shrine my permanent home. Speaking of which, is it okay if I bring some of my comrades up onto the mountain?" The young man questioned. If Kanari, Shizen and the twins were given the opportunity to train in this mana-rich area, Shin was certain that their unit would advance in leaps and bounds. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, you seek permission from no one..." The Azure Dragon continued his reverent speech. "You are now the heir to Celestial Island. If you so desire, you can kick out every living soul on the island for your own use." "Haha, that wouldn''t be necessary..." Shin shook his head. "I have no plans to rule over the Lantis Republic as a dictator." "Mmmm¡­ As you wish..." Zishen replied, his voice as monotone as can be. For the long-living dragon race, the affairs of the human race mattered little to them. So long as their vow to the Lady of Water was fulfilled, the Lantis Republic and the leaders of the Eight Clans of Water were free to do whatever they wanted. Looks like Shin had the same intention. ''I should descend the mountain¡­ I''m sure Master, Kanari and the rest are worried sick about me¡­'' Shin rubbed his nose in embarrassment. The three days he''d spent felt like a few minutes to him, due to the amount of information he absorbed. However, for those that loved him, not knowing his fate must have felt like torture. ''I should spend some time appeasing them...'' Shin thought of the numerous things he had to do to apologise. Lady Seph would probably ask for a heap of knowledge, which Shin was willing to readily give. Shizen would most likely ask for some of his created water. And for Kanari¡­ Shin dropped his shoulders, anticipating the fatigue he would sustain later that night. Riding on Zishen''s back, Shin''s entourage reached the familiar cove at the foot of the Celestial River. Shin conquering the river hadn''t changed the Empyrean Wonder one bit. The currents were still as strong as ever, and its spiritual energy was still overwhelming for the average joe. Shin joked around mentally, thinking about taking the Trial once again. However, he had a much bigger worry to stress about. "Shin!!!" A concerned voice echoed through the valley and snapped the young man''s attention back into reality. An ethereal young woman, who had features befitting that of a goddess, ran out from the tent that was prepared specially by the Lantis Republic. Her ruby-like eyes sparkled like the Celestial River behind of Shin as she ran forward, ignoring the tremendous presence of the Azure Dragons. Shin raised his hand to stop Zishen''s aggression and leapt down to receive the young woman. Thud! Shin felt a hammering blow to his chest. Kanari''s luscious hair was all that the man could see. Breathing out of his nostrils, Shin smiled and gently stroked the hair of the girl he loved. "Thank god you''re safe..." Kanari''s voice was muffled by Shin''s robes, but he could hear her choke a little. "Sorry..." That was all Shin could mutter out at the moment. "I made you worry..." "Yeah, you did..." "..." The sweet scenario lasted for a full minute. Every soul who stayed patiently at the foot of the mountain watched on with warm gazes. They had the option to return home and wait for Shin to descend the mountain and yet, they chose to stay within the cove. It goes to show how much they cared for the young man. "Mmmm¡­ So this is the Prince''s mate..." Zishen, the Azure Dragon, saw something else entirely. He was worried about the lineage of the Celestial Dragon and used this chance to evaluate Kanari''s hips and bosom to see if they were childbirth material. "Mmmm, the Lady of Water had eight children¡­ I wonder how many would the Prince have?" The Azure Dragon''s thoughts had gone mostly unnoticed as the couple were still entranced in their moment. It took them a while to separate, and even then, Kanari refused to let go of Shin''s hand. "So, how has everyone been?" Shin asked Kanari as they walked straight towards the camp. "Oh, right!" Kanari suddenly widened her eyes and locked her arms with Shin''s left. "There has been trouble in the Neutral Lands!!!" "What trouble?" "The Black Masks! They struck again!!! They massacred Mythpoint Reach and claimed that place for their own!" "WHAT?!" Shin almost threw his arms up in the air. "What happened?!" "I can explain that..." Lady Seph walked over, as Bingbing leapt from her shoulder to Shin''s. She was a little apprehensive about the dragons that flew around the young man in the beginning, but in due time, Bingbing''s desire to cuddle with Shin won over her fear. The blonde beauty squinted her eyes before shrugging her shoulders. "It all began a day after you evolved your Spirit..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 471 The Scion Of The Lantis Republic 2 Lady Seph explained the details of the Allfather''s attack on Mythpoint Reach. They were thousands of kilometres away from the Neutral Land and yet Lady Seph was able to receive detailed information about the Black Masks. It goes to show how severe the situation really was. Everything from the massacre of the celebrated metropolis to the true power of the Allfather. Lady Seph narrated every detail to her beloved disciple, who had been closed off from the outside world. It wasn''t just Shin who was interested in the topic. The dozens of Azure Dragons levitated about and opened up their ears. A potential Rank 99 Spirit Saint leading the Black Masks was devastating news for any living creature in the world. If the Allfather wanted to eradicate the Azure Dragons, there was nothing that the beasts could do. "They linked all the Payircis to Mythpoint Reach?!" Shin exclaimed. "That''s right," replied the blonde healer. "We don''t know how to destroy the chains of darkness just yet. However, the popular opinion is that we have to destroy their Paradise Hearts." Lady Seph explained. "It is unfortunate..." "The death of half the White Knights..." Shin continued his master''s line of thought. The White Knights were known to be the Alliance''s best weapon against the Black Masks. Whenever there was a tragedy about to unfold, the White Knights had always been a beacon of hope for the distraught masses. In more recent times, their duties had been morphed into conquering Payircis and destroying as many Paradise Hearts as they could. Consisting of Spirit Spectres to Spirit Emperors, they were the best sword that the Alliance had. Alas, the Allfather had killed half of them. "That''s right..." Lady Seph sighed. "The three superpowers are now rushing to find talents that could potentially raid the Payircis from within. However, that''s easier said than done. Everyone is more concerned over protecting their families and properties in this time of crisis¡­ You know, the usual..." "That''s undeniable..." At this point, Shin and Lady Seph were having one of their telepathically-linked conversations. They had talked about various topics before, and most times, there was no need for them to elaborate to intricately about the matters they knew about. Shin''s grip on Kanari''s hand tightened as he thought of the numerous deeds that the White Knights had accomplished. Taking down a few Payircis were among the most notable. After Shin destroyed the very first Paradise Heart, over a dozen of those floating towers had been downed with a vengeance. However, just like the cockroaches that roamed the land, once one Payirci was taken down, another one would pop up to take its place. Some in remote locations, others not so much. Shin had heard that a Payirci once showed up just ten kilometres away from the Kori Federation''s senate building. Naturally, it had been conquered in less than a week, averting a potential crisis that could have crippled the Kori Federation. ''Wait a minute¡­ Isn''t this a chance for me to build up my party?'' The White Knights losing half of its members was a tragedy, no doubt. However, it gave Shin the chance to execute the one plan that he had thought of back in Imperius Academy. Lacking the numbers, the Alliance would surely need to hire some mercenaries to raid the Payircis. Compared to those run-off-the-mill ruffians, Shin''s expertise was entirely on another level. Be it overall power or experience. Heck, he was the first person to break down a Paradise Heart! ''The problem is convincing the Lantis Republic to let me do as I please...'' Shin looked over Lady Seph and saw dozens of operatives tripping over themselves to inform the High Council. He believed that in just a few minutes, the big-shots from the Lantis Republic would soon arrive, the Spirit Saints included. Shin was currently, the Scion of the Lantis Republic. He inherited the Celestial Dragon from the Lady of Water and had the right to claim Celestial Island all for himself. There was no way that the higher-ups would risk Shin''s life. Shin was even afraid that they would shelter him like a puppy for the rest of his life. In the end, Shin''s goal didn''t lie in the Lantis Republic. He wanted to rid the world of the Allfather and bring Junius back to face the justice of killing Ariel. However, the circumstances weren''t as easy as that. There was no black and white side in this fairy tale. Now that the young man was older, he understood that there were many things that he couldn''t do. "Young Master Shin, the High Council requests your presence." A fierce-looking man saluted the young man. "If it''s fine with the young master, allow this one to escort you there." "Please," Shin succinctly replied. They were all going to meet anyway. Better to deal with it sooner than later. "Zishen, are you coming?" He glanced back at the Azure Dragon that guided him thus far. Shin knew that the Tier 9 Spirit Beast cared little about human politics, but the youth would definitely feel more assured with the Azure Dragon present. "Of course, my Prince." Acknowledging Shin question, the massive creature glowed in a dim azure light as its serpentine body started to shrink. First was its claws, then its massive head¡­ Its tail, eyes, scales¡­ Everything was being compressed down into a humanoid shape. In just over ten seconds, the Azure Dragon had morphed into a handsome man, who looked no older than forty. Barring the two dragon horns and vertical pupil in his azure eyes, the man resembled any regular human. In the back, a few of his subordinates did the same while the Tier 8 Spirit Beasts watched on in envy. "You can take a human form?" Shin tilted his head back. It was the first time he''d seen a Spirit Beast transform right before his very eyes. "Mmmm¡­ I don''t like it though..." Zishen rotated his shoulders and stretched his neck. "My dragon form is far more comfortable¡­" The Azure Dragon complained, not particularly thrilled about his current predicament. However, since it was for the safety of his new prince, Zishen had no choice but to endure. "Yip! Yip!" Bingbing chirped right into Shin''s ears. Her teeth were showing, and claws pointed directly at the azure-haired man. "Really? You can reach Tier 9 soon?" Shin questioned the adorable white gerbil. "Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip!" Bingbing continued to hop up and down in pure excitement. Those unfamiliar with her habits would be unaware of her speech. However, Shin and Lady Seph both widened their eyes. "You think that you can reach Tier 9 soon?!" Lady Seph parroted Shin. Unlike humans, it can take Spirit Beasts decades, centuries even, to advance to a single realm. She had watched Bingbing slowly climb her way to Tier 8 at breakneck speeds, possibly due to the experimentation the Himmel Empire had attempted on her body. However, for a Kamaitachi to enter Tier 9¡­ That was a monumental task that only a select few could accomplish. "Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip!" "Shin''s aura has that sort of effect?" Lady Seph switched her gaze between the white gerbil and the young man. Just like Shin before, the seasoned healer knew pitifully little about the Celestial Dragon. "I agree..." Shizen, the one most attuned with nature, scrunched up his eyes as he sniffed the atmosphere around his friend. "Something has changed¡­ Shin feels more¡­ delicious..." The young boy licked his lips with great intrigue. Somehow, Shin managed to make his aura far more delectable than it already was. Shizen was sure that his created water would be much more tasteful as well. "Shin, care to explain?" Lady Seph folded her arms. It wasn''t just the blonde healer that demanded an answer. Kanari, Ella, Emma, Shizen. They were all staring at Shin with urging eyes. The young man dropped his shoulders and looked at Zishen. The man was silent like an attending eunuch. It didn''t matter to the Azure Dragon if Shin divulged the truth or not. Right now, Zishen served the young man, and it wasn''t his place to tell Shin what to do. It was something that Shin had to get used to. He wasn''t a mere citizen anymore. Shin was the one that would inherit the Lantis Republic, and he had to behave like it. Shin sighed, "Yeah, I''ll fill you in on the way..." ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. The High Council Chambers. The High Council normally convened once a month, sometimes with lacking numbers. It was a place where the most influential elders of the nation gathered to discuss national affairs, be it foreign or domestic. They were the ones that decided how the army was being run. The distribution of commerce in the country. The planning of new development projects. Chances are, any macro-issue that the Lantis Republic faced, the High Council had their hand in it. Still, it wasn''t easy trying to gather those Spirit Venerates monthly. At their level, they were the top dogs in their clans. They had their own roles and responsibilities, both in the government and their respective families. That''s why the average High Elder only attends five of the twelve High Council meetings in a year. Yet, due to the tumultuous times, the High Council convened every day for the past three days now, and their attendance rate was an astonishing hundred percent! Shin observed the haggard faces of the High Elders. Some looked young, while others were wrinkled like a creased towel. Nonetheless, there was one thing constant among the High Elders¡­ They looked tired as hell¡­ "Young master Shin¡­ How was your stay up in the Shrine?" Jingyu Shenxian sat on the head chair, towering over the rest. However, just like her fellow elders, the Chancellor had to stand in respect for their new Scion. "Delightful," Shin replied while carefully observing the chambers. It was quite intimidating to have a dozen-odd Spirit Venerates staring right at him. He took slow breaths to calm his rapidly beating heart. ''Don''t worry, you''re on equal footing with them now,'' Shin chanted that sentence repeatedly like a mantra. It took guts to stand among the Spirit Venerates as a mere Rank 40 Spirit Spectre, and Shin was trying to artificially big himself up. "Senior Shenxian, I''ve heard of the Black Masks¡­ What is the Lantis Republic''s plan to deal with them?" Shin cut right to the chase. He could discuss the Celestial Dragon with the High Council another time. Right now, there was a need to solve the most pressing issue. "That''s¡­ We''re still in discussion..." The Chancellor faltered for a moment there, before finally replying. "The Lantis Navy has been sent to trap the seas around Mythpoint Reach. We''re planning to build a temporary harbour as well as a safe supply route for the Alliance Headquarters." "What about the Payircis?" Shin''s immediate concern was the dark floating towers that fueled energy to the Tree of Darkness that the Allfahter used. "We''re¡­ working on it..." Jingyu Shenxian looked around her immediate vicinity and saw the High Elders shaking their heads. They''ve been up for days as well, planning all sorts of logistics to help fill in the White Knight deficit. "About that¡­" Shin forced his bent neck upright and stared resolutely at the High Elders in the chambers. "I may have a solution..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 472 The Scion Of The Lantis Republic 3 "A solution?" Half of the ears in the chambers perked up. The remainder of them were a little sceptical about whether Shin could really solve the problem that plagued the High Council and the Alliance for this long. "That''s right," the youth repeated himself assuredly. "Before that, I would like to make one thing clear¡­ Senior Zishen!" Shin turned back to the azure-haired man, who stood lazily by his side. Rolling his serpentine eyes, the man walked forward with an apathetic groan. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "The Prince has decided to relinquish his claim of Celestial Island, barring the Celestial River. The Eight Clans of Water will continue their control over the island without the interference of the Prince. However, in return, the Prince hopes that any deal with the Lantis Republic be void and renegotiated. That includes his own five-year-deal and the contract his comrades had signed." "T-That..." The High Elders in the room were instantly stupefied. Shin had inherited the Celestial Dragon, which meant that he held the heir of the most bountiful land in the Republic. If the Eight Clans of Water dared to renege on their oath, the Azure Dragons and the thousands of Spirit Beasts that would flock to Shin would chase them out with boundless fury. Furthermore, even if Shin weren''t the heir, his tremendous talent would almost guarantee him a spot in the future Spirit Saints. The High Elders would be stupid to piss the young man off. Jingyu Shenxian crossed both her hand and leaned forward. She wanted to examine every wrinkle in Shin''s face, just to be sure she wasn''t missing anything. "Are you thinking about returning to the Himmel Empire?" That was the fear of the Eight Clans of Water. Shin didn''t grow up in the Lantis Republic. All of his childhood years, be it good or bad, were all spent on foreign land. If Shin brought the Celestial Dragon back to the Himmel Empire, it would be a catastrophe on the highest level. "No," Shin immediately denied that claim. "I have no intentions of abandoning the Lantis Republic." No matter what, the Lantis Republic was the place most conducive for Shin to train in. The Longyu Clan has treated him well, and most importantly, they had given him a new lease of life by letting him take the Trial. Shin wasn''t the type to return goodwill with malice. Nonetheless... "I''m afraid that the current status quo would restrict my future movements," Shin explained. "I want to have the autonomy to decide all my actions. I can''t have the Lantis Republic breathing down my neck every time I try to do something..." "You don''t want our invigilation?" One of the High Elders questioned. "Your supervision is more than welcomed, but I need to have the power to decide my own fate." Shin elaborated. "That''s why I''m proposing that we work hand-in-hand." "..." The High Council looked around, taking short glances at one another. They weren''t particularly thrilled about the idea of losing Shin. Based on his terms, the twins'' deal would also be annulled, which meant that they didn''t have anything to tie the youth to the Lantis Republic. "Young Master Shin¡­ You must understand that there would be some apprehension from our side..." Jingyu Shenxian took the lead in the negotiations. "If you just decide to run off and leave the Lantis Republic in the dirt, wouldn''t we lose our one and only heir?" "Yes, I see that," Shin wasn''t unprepared for this scenario. Just like his battles against the Luminaries, Shin had thought this through multiple times. "So, here''s the alternative¡­ I create an organisation. Its headquarters will be located right here in the Lantis Republic. Near my territory at the Celestial River to be exact. It''ll be protected by Senior Zishen and the rest of the Azure Dragons. My family would have the option to move to either my base here or the branch in the Himmel Empire. Some of them might want to form contracts with the Lantis Republic, others wouldn''t. It''s entirely up to them. However, you can''t force them to do anything. And one more thing¡­ I promise to serve a few months per year under the Lantis Republic''s flag." Shin rapid-fired all of his conditions in under a breath. It was a lot to digest, but the High Council immediately got to work. They thought carefully about each one of those demands. Most of them were quite reasonable from their point of view. However, there was one glaring question¡­ "Organisation? What kind of organisation do you want to form?" The Chancellor questioned. The young man smiled and looked back at his fellow comrades. On cue, Kanari, Shizen and the twins stepped forward, while Lady Seph and Kesyl stood at their rear. "That brings me back to the solution I was talking about earlier on," Shin chuckled. "We''re going to form a mercenary troop to combat Payircis." "A mercenary troop?" Jingyu Shenxian raised her brow. "Not just that!" Shin knew that there was a need to ''wow'' the crowd. He closed his eyes and funnelled out the mana he had in his Spectre Soul. The young man''s skin began to gleam even brighter as spiritual energy flowed out from every one of his pores. Whhhhhhhhhhhhhammmmmmmmm!!! The High Council Chambers erupted with a burst of dense elemental energy. At the same time, Shin''s Celestial Dragon leapt out with rainbows coming out from its back, decorating the world in its glorious majesty. Every single High Elder jumped off their chairs. They felt a magnetic pull from the Celestial Dragon that was barely able to coil around Shin. In due time, the Spirit would grow to ten times its current size, but that was still a long time coming. Perhaps after Shin advances into the Spirit Saint realm. "The Celestial Dragon..." One High Elder exclaimed. His cheeks flushed rosy red, and his eyes sparkled with immense joy. They had seen the Spirit just once after Shin conquered the Celestial River, and even that was just a short glimpse from afar. Now that they were standing face-to-face with the legendary Spirit, their blood started to boil in increased fervour. One had to understand how important the Celestial Dragon was to the Lantis Republic. It was part of their culture, their Spirits were all descendants of the mythical creature¡­ Heck, even their most valuable island was named after the Celestial Dragon. Just watching the gorgeous dragon spiral around the youth gave them a reason to kneel. Shin ignored the gasps and groans, unleashing his Domain of Dreams. The chambers were dyed in an array of vivid colours, bringing life into the dull stone room. Spiritual and elemental energies lifted the High Elders'' mood and their jaded bodies instantly felt rejuvenated. "This is..." They all uniformly glanced down at their bodies. Spirit Venerates weren''t that easily affected by the mana of a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre. So something foreign... Something mystical must be responsible for this change. Shin saw the look of confusion in the High Elders'' faces and beamed, "When my Sovereign Koi evolved, it changed some of my abilities as well¡­ The Domain of Dreams now has a boosting effect, and my Celestial Dragon now has a passive aura that improves one''s cultivation. Of course, for Spirit Venerates, the effect is minimal due to the cultivation rank discrepancy. However, for Spirit Spectres and lower, that is another story..." The High Elders all dropped their jaws. They were leaders of the nation, and they clearly knew what Shin''s new ability brought to the table. What would happen if the Luminaries of the Lantis Republic trained under the effects of Shin''s domain? Could they double, or triple their cultivation speed? Adding to that, they were all actively going on missions to combat the Black Masks. Conflict encourages growth. Was it possible that in ten years, all of the Luminaries would attain the Spirit King or Spirit Emperor status? An impish smile crept up Shin''s face as he looked up at the High Elders'' faces of comprehension. ''Time for the finishing blow...'' "For the next ten years, whenever I''m going to cultivate, anyone from the Lantis Republic is free to join. Ah, there should be a limit of a hundred people per session. I don''t want to overcrowd the sacred land." Shin''s words brought smiles all about. Who didn''t want their future generations to succeed? For the High Elders, if Shin could use his aura to train the younger generation, that would be more than enough. "I plan to make a mercenary troop that not only specialises in taking down Payircis, but it''ll also serve as a place for talents to come and train," the youth declared. "The Allfather and the Black Masks have been scheming for far longer than we know. We need to use everything at our disposal to combat them, and that includes increasing our overall firepower! All cultivators will have to advance at a much faster pace! However, to do so, I''ll need the help of the Alliance." Shin explained his reasoning behind breaking the agreement that the Lantis Republic had with the Himmel Empire. In the end, Shin''s loyalty didn''t lie with either one of the countries. Yes, Kanari was a future Duchess of the Himmel Empire, and he would do anything in his power to save the Highgarden Duchy from complete ruin. However, that didn''t mean that he pledged allegiance to the Himmel Empire. It was the same for the Lantis Republic. He was grateful for all the opportunities, the doors that he''d opened by being part of the maritime nation. However, Shin didn''t have the loyalty to serve the country whole-heartedly. He only had two goals in his life. Defeating the Black Masks and ascending into the Immortal Realm. Anything that helped in that process was a tool to be used, and that includes the two superpowers that kept trying to win him over. "I plan to charge an entrance fee for every person that wants to cultivate within my domain, but since the Lantis Republic has given me the opportunity to evolve my Sovereign Koi, I''ll waive the fees for the first ten years." The cunning merchant skills of Elrin rubbed off on Shin even without him knowing. "A hundred slots will be opened, and fifty would be reserved for the Lantis Republic. The rest would be distributed evenly by the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation. What do you think?" Shin looked at the crowd, cautious not to overextend. In the end, he was against one of the three superpowers. So what if he had the Celestial Dragon and the support of the Azure Dragons? If the Lantis Republic so desired, they could just kick him out entirely. The High Elders seemed to be talking telepathically. Their eyes were the only ones that moved, though their lips did tremble a little. After one gruelling minute, the Chancellor stood up from her chair and approached the young man. "Young Master Shin, it seems like we''ve been underestimating you all along..." The woman tapped on Shin''s shoulders and observed the Celestial Dragon above his head. She then looked straight at the influential group that stood behind the man. When Shin first came to the Lantis Republic, the High Council thought that he was a prospective Spirit Saint. That''s all. As it turns out, the young man was far superior to any Spirit Saint. If Shin had grown up in the Lantis Republic, how great would it have been? Sighing, Jingyu Shenxian said: "Not only are you a great cultivator, but you also possess a terrifying mind¡­ We accept your conditions..." ''Yes!'' Shin cheered mentally as he fist-bumped the air behind his back. Kanari and those from the Himmel Empire had to stifle their laughter after watching that childish display from the man. "We do have some other conditions to lay down as well¡­ Do you mind if we went through them?" Jingyu Shenxian wasn''t just going to let Shin reap all the benefits though. There were still many things that had to be discussed. "Sure, go ahead..." The discussion went on in the High Council Chambers for over three hours. They went through various terms, such as the specific number of days Shin needed to serve. Which Payircis Shin wanted to conquer. Even how many children Shin must have with Kanari or some other woman. Everything was so precise that Shin felt dizzy after the whole ordeal. And thus, the next chapter of Shin''s journey in the Lantis Republic had finally begun... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 473 The Fruits Of Labour 1 The Uncharted Wilderness. South of the Illusory Canyon. The Empyrean Wonders. The world had thousands of oddities. Spirit Beasts that could stretch for kilometres, a man-made wonder that flew unchecked in the skies, vast fields that changed seasons on a whim¡­ The list went on¡­ However, there were only a few marvels in the world that genuinely stumped researchers and philosophers throughout for thousands of years. And they were the Empyrean Wonders of the world. Natural phenomena that congregate billions of spirit particles and an ungodly amount of elemental energies. The Celestial River was one such Wonder. It possessed the remnant mana of the Celestial Dragon, a hegemon that ruled over the ancient world. Only those that possessed the Lady of Water''s bloodline were allowed to climb the Empyrean Wonder. Anyone else, be it a Spirit Practitioner or a mighty Spirit Saint would unquestionably fail. The Eternal Glacier was another Empyrean Wonder that played with the fictions of many writers. Ever since it was first founded over a hundred thousand years ago, the icy beast never melted a single drop. In fact, it had transformed everything within a ten-kilometre radius into a frosty hell with temperatures reaching far below freezing point. There were always two ends of a spectrum. While the Eternal Glacier froze the world, Mount Caldera brought fire and destruction to the gentle Earth. Existing since the time before humans roamed the Earth, this Empyrean Wonder inspired many works depicting hell. The fiery wrath of the volcano that never ceased to stop was the source of agony for those living around it. Every hundred years, the volcano would unleash the world''s greatest eruption. The ground trembled as darkness and ash spewed all over the world. Over thousands of years, humans had gotten accustomed to the sporadic destruction that Mount Caldera inflicted, and yet, hundreds die from its lava every year. Only thirteen Empyrean Wonders have been identified and were universally recognised in the global community, and almost all of them possessed extreme features that would kill the average human. Even powerful Spirit Saints weren''t immune to the devastation that an Empyrean Wonder could inflict. The Tree of Illusions was no different. Located in the world''s most dense mind-element location, the Tree of Illusions had claimed the lives of thousands who sought it out. The Empyrean Wonder''s precise location was utterly unknown. Some even say that the Empyrean Wonder was capable of moving from place to place. The Illusory Canyon where it lived was shrouded in impenetrable mist. Shin''s Domain of Dreams was powerful, but it was in no way comparable to the fog protecting the Tree of Illusions. Over the years, Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts alike had attempted to conquer the Tree of Illusions. They all wanted to bring the Empyrean Wonder out for their own benefit. Alas, almost every single try had resulted in failure. As the popular adage goes, ''You don''t find the Tree of Illusions, the Tree of Illusions finds you.'' Only those that the Tree of Illusion chooses would get to witness its majestic beauty. So, it wasn''t surprising that Ao felt restless when Junius had been lost inside for over three months now. Before, the Allfather didn''t care if Junius passed or failed the test. Getting seeds of the Soul Tree was a difficult task, no doubt. To succeed, one had to possess an unwavering desire, a certain amount of resistance to the mind-elements and most importantly¡­ tremendous luck. Some Spirit Saints might even fail this task due to how complacent they might get. Junius was just a Spirit Spectre. Unquestionably, he was a promising talent, but how many ''geniuses'' had failed throughout the years? The answer was possibly in the millions. The World Serpent knew that. He scoured through the outer layers of the Illusory Canyon, hoping to find as many clues about the young man as he could. Even the decorated Tier 9 Spirit Beast, who was this close to reaching the Primordial Beast realm, was apprehensive about entering the territory of the Empyrean Wonder. "Where the hell is that brat..." Ao continued to scan the vicinity. Now that Shin had evolved his Sovereign Koi to the Celestial Dragon, Junius'' value in the Allfather''s eyes had morphed as well. Before, if Junius died attempting the trial, the Allfather would just feel a little disappointment for losing a promising talent. Now, Junius was a great chip to play against Shin and couldn''t be lost at any cost. Thus, the World Serpent had to rescue the man, by any means necessary. "Do I really have to charge into the Illusory Canyon?" Ao frowned and tilted his head. It was the last thing he wanted to do. How many had already lost their lives in the legendary area? Still, the Allfather''s orders were absolute. Ao glared deep into the unknown mist, ready to cautiously walk in. He even summoned out a few of his serpent lackeys to test the water. However, they were almost always eradicated after slithering a few metres. In the end, Ao had to brave the waters and do it himself. Sssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttt Before the World Serpent could take the final step forward, one of his snake scouts returned from the other side of the canyon. It slithered wildly as if in a hurry to escape from a predator. Ao took one step back and listened in on the cry of his servant. "You found him?!" And it was wise for him to do just that. Ao''s prayers were heard. He didn''t have to travel into the deadly Empyrean Wonder! Once he got the coordinates from the snake, Ao flew straight up and charged at the speed of sound. It didn''t take long for the World Serpent to reach lightly forested land. Lying alone on a small patch of grass amidst the crazy number of stone-cold rock was a viridian-haired man. Closed eyes and a comfortable expression, Junius was silently sleeping. His legendary-grade sword, the Hofuku was pierced into a nearby boulder. It looked like the man had been hibernating for a long time. Yet, he was sheltered by every single hazard known to the Illusory Canyon. "Junius, Junius?" The World Serpent first tapped the man''s shoulder, before viciously shaking it to check if the man was still alive. "Hmmm..." It took Junius a good five minutes to wake from his slumber. His crystal-clear eyes gingerly opened up, and the fatigue in his body was slowly drained out. "Senior Ao?" The man said, still drowsy as hell. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Heaving a sigh of relief, the World Serpent questioned, "Junius! What happened?" He had many questions to ask, but the most pressing one was to figure out how Junius escaped the power of the Tree of Illusions. "What do you mean?" "What do you mean, what do I mean?" One was hysterical, the other delirious. It made sense that they failed to communicate. It was only after the World Serpent sent a cold jet stream flying into Junius'' face, that the man finally came to his senses. Junius watched the surroundings with deadpan interest. He had seen this environment thousands of times before, and nothing present was foreign to him. Except for the blue-haired man, that is. "Ah¡­ Right¡­ How long was I asleep?" Junius asked, his face lacking the slightest bit of concern. "How the hell would I know?!" Ao hollered. "Tell me, how did you escape the Illusory Canyon? Did you succeed in your task?" "Ah, the seeds, right?" Junius thought about it for a while before reaching into his pocket. His fingers shuffled back and forth before finally, two brown acorn-like objects were claimed. They lacked the majesty of the Soul Tree. However, when the World Serpent gazed into its stem, he could feel himself being drawn in as his mind got muddied. "Those are the seeds of the Soul Tree, alright..." Ao marvelled. He pushed away the drowsiness that overtook his subconsciousness and closed the fist of the young man. "So you succeeded¡­ Why didn''t you return straight away? You know that it has been close to three months since you''d left. We''d started accepting that the worst had happened." "I..." Junius didn''t know what to say. Three months may have passed, but to the young man, it only felt like a few weeks. In the end, he decided to recount his entire story. "I entered the Illusory Canyon and was lost immediately¡­ I wandered and wandered¡­ However, I just couldn''t find an exit. After what feels like a week, when all hope seemed lost, I began to hear a voice." Junius'' voice was as calm as can be as if he were reading off a script that wasn''t part of his life. "With nothing to lose, I followed it. There were hundreds of vines, and the mist was so thick that I couldn''t see my hands if I stretched them out. Still, for some reason, I believed in that voice and continued on¡­" Junius thought back to the time where he needed to find a path forward. There was nothing for him to rely on but that mysterious voice. "I followed and followed¡­ In the end, I reached a vast meadow that stretched for kilometres! There weren''t any rocks in sight, and the canyon just vanished before me. It really was a mystical sight..." Junius sighed. "Still, the voice continued to call out to me¡­ And so I followed. I followed until¡­ I saw a white weeping, willow tree." "A white weeping willow tree?! The Tree of Illusions!!!" Ao cried. Many claimed they saw the Tree of Illusions. Some in the form of an everlasting burning tree, some in the form of a coniferous pine tree that rained down snow¡­ Though accounts varied, researchers believed that all the forms were one that the Empyrean Wonder would take. The Tree of Illusions was a master of fooling the naked eye after all. Nevertheless, there was one form that stood out from the rest¡­ And that was the shape of a white weeping willow tree. "The Tree of Illusions gave you permission to witness it? That''s¡­ impressive!" The number of people that had seen the Tree of Illusions was in the low hundreds. And that was after hundreds of thousands of years. For Junius to be baptised by its mana¡­ It was a privilege. "Yeah," Junius shrugged off the achievement like it was nothing. For some reason, after he awoke from his slumber, the man seemed much more¡­ indifferent. "I completed the Allfather''s mission, may I return?" The viridian-haired man asked Ao. "Haha, definitely! In fact, I''m here to escort you back!" The World Serpent chortled. "Ah, I do have some news about your younger brother though! Are you interested to hear it?" Like a miserly merchant, the blue-haired man inched closer and attempted to intrigue the emotionless Junius. Alas, the man couldn''t be fazed. Junius looked up at the smiling face of the World Serpent and replied, "Not interested." "Huh?" Ao dropped his jaw at Junius'' answer. "Ara? I''d thought that you were head over heels over your brother?" Typically, the young man would pull on the Ao''s robes just to hear if Shin was doing okay. Yet, at this moment, Junius hardly cared. "Shin doesn''t want to join our side, and I doubt he''ll ever forgive me for killing Ariel¡­ So what''s the point?" Junius shook his head. "In the end, I belong to the Allfather, and he works with the Alliance. We were a family before, but now¡­ We''re just enemies that would fight till the bitter end. I can''t keep troubling my current family due to my obsession with Shin." "Enlightened?" Ao joked. "Have you gained enlightenment in the Tree of Illusions." "Hmmm, who knows?" Both of Junius'' shoulders rose close enough to touch his cheeks. "Right now, there''s only one thing that''s important to me..." The young man grabbed onto the hilt of the Hofuku with his right hand and ripped it out with one giant swing. His Obsidian Water Blade that had been corrupted by the Allfather''s mana appeared in his left, and the world trembled as his spiritual pressure was unleashed. It was nowhere near the Allfather''s mana, but it was sufficient to choke the living lights out of any mortal. "The Spirit Lord realm..." Junius had advanced once again. Not to be outdone by Shin, the Blade of Death was now at Rank 50. A feat that was rare for someone his age. Turns out¡­ His mission to the Illusory Canyon had yielded more results than some mere seeds. "I live¡­ to serve the Allfather..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 474 The Fruits Of Labour 2 The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Shin''s Manor. Three Years Later. Celestial Island was unlike the Capital of the Himmel Empire. Located north of the equator, it was one of the few places on earth that possessed perfectly aligned four seasons. Its Spring was filled with the bloom of flowers and the whistles of birds. Summer was hot but never boiling. The low humidity even made it ideal for young children to play outside without the fear of heatstroke. Autumn was beautiful. The falling leaves of the withering trees and pleasurable scent of the earthen soil would put anyone into a relaxed state. And finally, the winters of Celestial Island were as mystical as the snowy heavens themselves. It was cold enough to produce snow but not so severe that it would be unbearable to play outside. There weren''t any snowstorms on Celestial Island, probably due to the blessing the isle received by the Lady of Water. Shin quite liked this weather. Seated outside in his glorious courtyard, the young man was staring into blank space. His legs were crossed, and arms rested comfortably over his lap. Shin''s manor was built rapidly in the span of a month, right next to the famous Celestial River. It had all the amenities one could imagine. A fully built gym. Twenty bedrooms. Marbled flooring with golden pillars. A safety room with a fortified vault. A dozen guard posts protecting the area. A fully working heating and cooling system to keep the temperature ideal all year long. A garage with the newest and most robust Aether Cars. The list went on¡­ However, Shin didn''t care for such luxuries. Every day, during the one hour of free time he had, the young man would sit out in the open atop his favourite rocky boulder. Be it rain or shine. It was his favourite place in this lavish mansion. It was completely still and silent. Just what Shin needed to unwind and mentally prepare himself for the daily tasks ahead. After signing a new contract with the Lantis Republic, Shin had been swamped with work. Training the young Luminaries with his Celestial Dragon aura was just one of the many things that Shin had to do. Building a counter organisation to the Black Masks from scratch wasn''t a simple task. There were many logistical and employment problems he had to overcome. Shin also had to juggle training himself and finding time to raid Payircis with the Lantis Republic. He also had the struggle of being taken seriously. Shin was just a mere youngster with less than thirty years of experience. Yes, he may have evolved his Spirit into the Celestial Dragon, but he was still a long way off being universally accepted as a capable leader. The first year was harsh for the youth. The world was panicking due to the actions of the Allfather and had rushed to concentrate their power. Remote villagers and clans were absorbed into their nearest city, as the military protected them from the Payircis and Beast Hordes that the Black Masks possessed. There basically no room for negotiations, particularly with those that were outside of the Lantis Republic. Fortunately, there hadn''t been any movements from the Allfather ever since his drastic display of might. Holed in at Mythpoint Reach, the Black Masks bided their time. None of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts recklessly moved, and the number of Beast Hordes drastically decreased. It was almost as if, the Black Masks were looking down on the Alliance. The annoying thing was¡­ they had the capability to do just that. The force field protecting the Tree of Darkness and the nine Payircis was still going strong. Spirit Saints from all over attempted to destroy the barrier, but there wasn''t even a single crack. So, instead of focusing on the thing that couldn''t be destroyed, the Alliance switched their attention to Payircis that were supplying the barrier. Alas, that wasn''t as easy as it sounds. Ten. That was the number of Payirics the Alliance had conquered over the past three years. Due to the chains that connected the Payircis to the barrier, the Alliance had little issues finding those dastardly, levitating structures. Conquering them was a different story altogether. With far less White Knights, the Alliance had been rather conservative in their campaigns. Furthermore, the Paradise Hearts of the floating dungeons were harder to find than initially anticipated. It can take anywhere from a month to a year just to identify the core of the Payirci. Thus, the Alliance had started to use the Black Masks'' weapon to train their young blood. Young Spirit Spectres, mostly Luminaries, were brought in to hone their skills. A never-ending army of Umbras was excellent target practice for the younglings. They were able to throw everything that they had without fear of any repercussions. Mowing down as many Umbras as they could while verbally cursing the Black Masks and the Allfather. Oddly enough, the youngsters grew tremendously. More and more Luminaries exploded into the scene as the median age of Spirit Spectres became lower. Talents such as Meijing Bingying, Jingyu Taiyi, Qilong Hu broke into the Rank 50 Spirit Lord Realm while monstrous geniuses such as the Kori Federation''s Prince of Sand was closing in on Rank 60. Conflict breeds growth. And it became increasingly apparent with each passing month. Likewise, Shin''s cultivation had leapt tremendously over the three years. When he first came to the Lantis Republic, he had just entered the Spirit Spectre realm. A feat rarely accomplished by someone his age. Most people would think that one''s cultivation rate would slow down after a person crosses the first barrier of mortality. However, Shin decided to go against all conventions. Keeping pace at almost three ranks a year, Shin was now at the peak of Rank 49. Given a few more months, the young man was confident of forming his sixth spiritual ability to enter into the Spirit Lord realm. So why did the young man advance this quickly? Well, there are several factors. The most apparent reason was because of the Celestial Dragon. With its aura and ability to absorb more than one element, Shin''s cultivation rate had skyrocketed. A session of meditation could reap almost ten times the benefit as he did before. Shin had also developed a new cultivation method and no longer relied on the Celestial Water Mantra. It was tailor-made for his Spirit, revised multiple times by the scholars of the Lantis Republic and the Azure Dragon race. Also, Shin played an active role in the decimation of the Payircis within the Lantis Republic. Of the thirty of them, the nation had already destroyed the Paradise Hearts of four. The rest were long contained with naval units and ready to be raided at any moment. The young man had joined hands with the Lantis Republic to develop new methods of defeating the floating dungeons, some orthodox, others not so much. Shin had also personally participated in the raids of the Payircis. At the same time, he learnt martial arts and an array of various spiritual abilities from the Lantis Republic''s top talents. Absorbing information as if he were a sponge, Shin continued to deepen his knowledge about the world. Be it the Black Masks or the nature of the world itself, Shin could see himself maturing. That''s why he enjoyed sitting alone on top of his favourite boulder. It gave him some peace to digest everything that he''d learnt. A dense aura, coloured in an emerald, celestial hue, mixed with a tinge of azure from the oceans beamed out from every single one of Shin''s pores. His complexion was as bright as jade, and his mana was oozing out like a glorified toothpaste. Over the past three years, his entire inner body had morphed into a different beast. On the exterior, it seemed like he''d only aged a little, but inside, the man was now a bona fide master on any standard. Spirit Spectres were no longer a threat to him. His sparring partners were almost exclusively Rank 50 Spirit Lords and sometimes, Rank 60 Spirit Kings. Though Shin hadn''t grown in height, his body had turned more lean and chiselled over the years. He longer possessed the baby-face that made everyone underestimate him and was looking exactly like a seasoned general that had braved a thousand battles. "Shin, is this a bad time?" While the man was busy digesting the insights he''d gained the day before, a honeyed voice entered his subconscious. Shin''s eyes snapped open, and his domain was drawn back into his body. Though there were kilograms of snow accumulated on top of his head and shoulders, the young man didn''t feel affected at all. Shin wasn''t draped in winter clothes, simply because he liked the temperature of the freezing snow. The young man turned around as thick white snow fell from his body. A relatively tall young woman, with a fully matured bosom and a complete streamlined body, sashayed her way down the stone corridor. Her skin was as white as porcelain, and her breathtaking long hair flowed down to her waist, free of any strands. In the three years, Kanari had formally morphed from a young woman to a mature adult. Though she didn''t possess the charm of her mother quite just yet, Kanari''s appearance would snap any man''s head off their bodies if she walked by them. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ''If only she were this dignified at night...'' Shin sighed as his girlfriend took his breath away for the thousandth time. Whenever she appeared in public, Kanari would put on a flawless persona of the perfect woman. However, Shin knew that it was all a farce. A monster in the bed would be quite an understatement to describe the woman and her carnal urges. Speaking of monsters, Kanari had advanced at an even faster rate than Shin himself. Already breaking into the Rank 50 realm just a month prior, the Witch of the South broke everyone''s expectations by becoming the first Spirit Lord among Shin''s group. Shin had the Celestial Dragon and was the one providing the intense domain. So how could the young woman advance faster than Shin? Zishen seemed to have the answer. Based on his theory, Shin had been too busy micromanaging every single task in his manor. Cultivation, joining the Lantis Republic''s navy, attacking Payircis, creating an organisation that trained promising talents¡­ That all had slowed Shin''s cultivation somewhat. On the other hand, Kanari had the luxury of concentrating on her cultivation and training only. In the Lantis Republic, she didn''t have to care about diplomacy and managing the welfare of her people. The beauty could simply attend to her own training. Furthermore, she had access to the most mana-dense fluid that Shin could produce. It was a fluid that not even Shizen would dare drink. And also¡­ She was the target of Shin''s¡­ Dragon Lust¡­ It made sense that the woman could advance at a faster rate than her lover. "What is it?" The young man asked, his voice a little deeper than before. "Senior Tian is here to see you again," replied Kanari. Her expression wasn''t particularly enthusiastic. Shin looked at the girl and gently flicked her forehead, "You still can''t get it?" "Hmph! Anyone will be pissed if a woman locks their boyfriend in a room with five girls!" Kanari folded her arms together and harrumphed in frustration. "Would you be happy if I spent a night together with five guys? Come on, that''s absurd!" "Haha, alright! Alright!" Shin chuckled. His hands slithered up, Kanari thin waist and pulled her closer until they were stuck like glue. The woman didn''t blush, but her frown did abate just a little. The young man leaned in and whispered with the most sensual voice he had. "If I succeed, tonight¡­ I''ll reward you..." "You..." Kanari snorted as her face slowly turned brighter. "Hah¡­ You really have a way with words..." "Hehe, that''s almost my most valuable skill," Shin jokes. Landing a small kiss on Kanari''s lips, the young man separated from her and turned towards the corridor. "Where''s Aunt Tian?" "Same place as usual." "Alright!" Shin hopped, but not before Kanari landed a firm slap onto his buttocks. "Hey! What''s that for?!" "A slap of encouragement!" Kanari leaned in closer towards the youth and gently stroked his face. "Make sure you advance into the Spirit Lord realm today!" "Hehe, duly noted!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 475 The Fruits Of Labour 3 Shin took slow, patient steps down the familiar path of his manor. Along the corridors, there were huge murals coloured in gorgeous shades by the Lantis Republic''s best painters. Scenes depicting Shin''s early childhood in the Frie Clan, his first battle with Lukman in the Summit¡­ Finally, the scene that brought fantasies to everyone''s mind, the moment where Shin bested the Celestial River to trigger the most absurd Spirit Evolutions of all time. So many of Shin''s memories had been pulled out from the recesses of his mind and placed straight on the walls of his manor. And none of it was his doing! The manor was solely built using the money of the Lantis Republic. Initially, Shin wanted to fork out the money by getting a loan from the Highgarden Duchy, but the oceanic superpower vehemently rejected that claim. If Shin was to owe anyone money, it should be the Lantis Republic, the place where the Celestial Dragon was worshipped. Other than the training facilities, gym and library, everything else in Shin''s manor was added in by the Lantis Republic, mainly the Longyu Clan and Longyu Tian. They wanted Shin to feel as comfortable as he possibly could in this land. In some ways, they had achieved that goal. The orphans, now known as ''Shin''s Family'' by the executives of the Lantis Republic, were now first-class citizens of the superpower nation. Just like the young heir himself, they were given access to the best resources, the best teachers, and were even given luxurious accommodations wherever they went. It wasn''t just Ella and Emma, the twins known as the Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter and the Glacial Fairy Markswoman. Ryner and Lia, both water-elemental Spirit users, were assigned the best teachers the Lantis Republic could afford. Elyse and Fionn were in the final years of Imperius Academy; thus, they couldn''t just leave the Himmel Empire willy-nilly, but they were given a Royal Guard whenever they visited. Max was pampered as well. The young man was being trained as a merchant by Elrin''s Zedcris Conglomerate, and due to his relations with Shin, Max was chosen as an ambassador by Uncle Terlus himself to start a new branch in the Lantis Republic. The only one from the orphans that didn''t step foot into the Lantis Republic was Jacob, who had ties to the Himmel Empire''s government as a researcher and developer. Though, if Jacob wished to change his allegiances at any time, the Lantis Republic was willing to accept him with open arms. That was how much the High Council and the Eight Clans of Water wanted to please Shin. ''Hah¡­ I really don''t deserve all of this...'' A cold sigh escaped from Shin''s lips as he walked by the murals. In the end, he only wanted to become stronger for two reasons. The destruction of the Black Masks and his eventual ascension to the Immortal Realm. Those two opinions hadn''t changed one bit. If he could snap his fingers and swap everything out, Shin would do so in a heartbeat. Shaking his head, Shin calmed himself as he approached a familiar stone chamber. There weren''t many facilities in his mansion that he liked, but this cultivation room was one of them. It was three metres tall, ten-metres wide and twenty-metres long. Boasting an array of Aether Crystals, each one possessing dense elemental energy brought over from every corner of the globe, the cultivation chamber was the best place for any single person to train. If not for his busy schedule, Shin would most likely spend half of his waking hours within the chambers. Alas, he wasn''t here to cultivate today. The massive doors were pulled open with a smooth pulley as the gears started to churn within the door. A dense fog tickled Shin''s ankles and cooled down his rising temperature. He was feeling quite nervous about the deed to come, but at the same time, a bubbling sense of anticipation was gathering within his soul. The lights of the chambers touched his face, and all of his pores opened up. Vasts amounts of spiritual energies permeated into the youth''s body, enriching every single fibre of his being. Shin was instantly intoxicated. Water elements¡­ Mind elements¡­ Light elements¡­ Space elements¡­ and most importantly of all, the time elements flowed into his very soul. It was absolutely surreal. The rainbow of colours striking Shin''s body each time he entered. Shin could never get sick of this feeling, no matter how many times he walked into this chamber. "Shin, you''re finally here!" A familiar adenoidal voice was the first to call out to Shin. Standing at a full head shorter than the man himself, Lady Seph hopped forwards as a smile broke her face. As a Spirit Venerate, the blonde woman no longer aged on the outside. She could alter her looks to seem as young or old as she wanted. Though it didn''t matter to her, Shin quite liked Lady Seph''s motherly looked and requested that she remained that way. Also, her good looks had helped her gain many alliances with the Lantis Republic''s elites so the Divine Healer never once went back to her elderly appearance. Shin closed the stone door and answered with a raised eyebrow, "Master? You''re here as well?" "Haha, how could I miss out on my beloved disciple''s ascension?! Not to mention, you''re making history as well!!!" Lady Seph beamed. All ten of her fingers were restlessly spasming like she was playing the piano and it took all that she had to hold in her desire to break out in song and dance. "You''re about to achieve something that has never been done in the long history of the Healer''s Association! A feat that was only theorised and never brought into fruition! I wouldn''t miss it for the world!!!" "I''m beginning to think you''re looking forward to my spiritual ability rather than me breaking into the Spirit Lord realm," Shin sighed as he dropped his shoulders. "Hehe, that I won''t deny!" Lady Seph was always a direct person. She didn''t lie about her ulterior motives. "So, you''d better succeed! If you do, I''ll make sure the Althea and Raphael fast-track you to become a Divine Healer!" "Master! I hadn''t practised in years!" Shin retorted. The young man still had his Intermediate Healer''s license. However, due to the events following Ariel''s death, Shin hardly used it at all. Furthermore, his healing abilities were still incapable of matching those Senior Healers and Registrars, let alone Elder Healers. For Shin to be given the Divine Healer title after inventing a new ability¡­ That was an insult to all of their hard work. "You don''t have to be an Elder Healer to become a Divine Healer, Shin! As long as you contribute to the Healer''s Association in a significant way, the council of Elder Healers will give you that title!" Lady Seph reassured the youth. "The hereditary opuscules that you produce will be worth millions of gold ingots once you master that ability! Even if I don''t recommend you to become a Divine Healer, I''m sure Raphael would push for it anyway!" "Master..." Shin had to resist the urge to slap his own face. His Master was more excited than he was! "Seraphim, that''s enough..." Before the blonde beauty could continue even further, a soft voice echoed out from the side. Shin''s head immediately snapped in that direction, seeking salvation from the owner of that voice. Untouched by time, Longyu Tian''s appearance remained the same as it was three years ago. She didn''t grow a single wrinkle or pimple, which was surreal, to say the least. Even her rich black-hair was void of any greys that would show her actual age. "You''re embarrassing yourself." "Saint Tian, you..." Lady Seph glanced over her shoulders, betrayed by the woman''s words. Harrumphing, a sharp rebuttal was shot back, "Well, I wasn''t the one that was prancing back and forth, muttering ''where''s Shin'' for the past five minutes?" Lady Seph nonchalantly exposed the esteemed Spirit Saint. Longyu Tian''s face fumed, and steam whistled out from both her ears. "Shut it, you bloody bookworm! I doubt that you actually care about your disciple! You''re probably only here to see the world''s most powerful healing ability instead!" "Oh, ho? And you think you know Shin better than me? Me? The Master that trained him since he was ten?!" The two continued to butt heads like ferocious elks locking horns. One was a Spirit Venerate, the other a Spirit Saint. They were both dominant Spirit Users, and their words could move armies and stop governments. However, they weren''t above childish bickering. ''It''s because their personalities are too similar...'' Shin noted as he face-palmed. From the first day that they''d met, the Divine Healer and Saint of Time were like explosive firecrackers. They just couldn''t get along no matter how many times they interacted. Small issues such as who should train Shin for the day would be blown out of proportion, and they would be ready to wage war against the other if need be. And whenever they were in this state, there was only one person that could stop them. "Master, Aunt Tian¡­ I don''t think that this is the time to be fighting..." Shin got in between the two bickering women and gently separated them. "Today is supposed to be a joyous day! Let''s not ruin it!" "..." Lady Seph continued to stare daggers at the Spirit Saint, but ultimately, she agreed with Shin''s words. "Hah, Shin not only have you become stronger, but your sweet-talking has also become more and more smooth¡­ No wonder Kanari is head over heels over you," the blonde healer scoffed while folding her arms. "That I agree with Seraphim," Longyu Tian surprisingly took her opponent''s side. "You shouldn''t be learning how to talk like a sugar daddy! Pay more attention to your cultivation!" ''Weren''t the two of you at loggerheads literally just a few seconds ago?!'' Shin cursed mentally. The two just couldn''t make up their minds. Whether they were the best of friends or the most bitter rivals. "Whatever, let''s just carry on with the session, shall we?" Fortunately for all of them, Longyu Tian was more interested in what was about to come. "Shin, show me how much you''ve progressed with the Time-Element." "Ah, yes!" Before the main event could begin, the Saint of Time wanted to see how much Shin had progressed since their last session. In the three years, the young man had various mentors, each one teaching him about how to identify and absorb the different elements. While the Celestial Dragon could incorporate any elements under the sun, it did have its preferences. In sequence, they were the Water, Light, Mind, Space and Time elements. Shin didn''t need any help regarding the water elements. He''d spent fourteen years cultivating in that very element. For the others, he needed some assistance. Light was obviously taught by his very own Master. A Spirit Venerate possessing the Iofiel Angel? It didn''t get any better than that. The Mind-Element was quite tricky, though. In the Lantis Republic, the number of cultivators with the Mind-Element could be counted with the fingers of one hand. Shin couldn''t get the help of a Spirit Venerate or Saint for the Mind-Element, but he did have Kanari and Jingyu Taiyi. Often, the pair would rotate their shifts, in hopes of giving Shin as much of a varied opinion as possible. That way, using his own comprehension ability, Shin would be able to create a method to absorb the Mind-Element that was tailor-made for himself. For the remaining two, the Elements of Space and Time, they were both taught by Longyu Tian. Yes, the Saint of Time didn''t possess the capability to sense the Space-Element, but no one else could as well. At the very least, Space and Time possessed some connections to one another, so Longyu Tian could give a much better-informed opinion than anyone else in the world. But for the most part, Shin was just learning how to utilise the Time-Element from Longyu Tian. Hummmmm¡­ Shin nodded and immediately got to work. His Spectre Soul opened up like a leaky faucet enabling a dense grey aura to spill out from Shin''s body. Each passing second seemed to have transformed into a minute and not in the figurative sense. Among the three of them, a second was a minute within Shin''s domain. Locked away from the outside world, it was hard to tell. However, a bead of condensation that fell down from the roof was moving in slow-motion. And it wasn''t done. Within the domain, Longyu Tian could see the water droplet slow down until finally¡­ It came to an abrupt halt. Shin had done it. He had harvested the Time-Element well enough now... Satisfied, the Saint of Time applauded. "Alright, that''s enough!" That was the cue for Shin to release his mana. The domain rapidly entered the young man''s body as he fell straight onto the floor. Shin was heaving, desperately trying to catch his breath. That brief action wasn''t easy. It took all of his concentration and precise mana-control to pull-off, but the important thing was¡­ Shin had done it. He''d passed the test that Longyu Tian had set for him. "Good!" The black-haired woman continued to praise Shin. "It must''ve been hard, trying to manipulate the Time-Element. I can see that you''ve worked hard." "Of course, Aunt Tian!" The Saint of Time continued to smile. There was no doubt in her mind that Shin was able to succeed. Thus, she had long taken out the manual that Shin had personally devised just a few months back, in preparation for his promotion into the Spirit Lord realm. "Here, I made some revisions. If you follow them, you should be able to learn that absurd new ability that you''d come up with." "Thank you!" Shin took the blue book and hugged it in his chest like it was his most cherished baby. Finally¡­ It was time to learn¡­ ''Finally, I can learn ''Restoration''!!!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 476 Restoration 1 Restoration. Just as its name suggests, Shin''s theoretical new spiritual ability was one that restored anything to its original state. Information could never be destroyed. It didn''t matter if a piece of paper was burnt into ashes and its contents were utterly indecipherable. The information that the piece of paper existed still remained in the River of Time. In theory, those who could manipulate the Time-Element could ''read'' that information, and could potentially ''rebuild'' the destroyed object in real life. Yes, it was a challenge. Not only must one have extensive knowledge of what ''information'' is and how to read it, but they must also be adept in using the Time-Element. That''s why in mankind''s long history, no one has ever thought of creating such an absurd ability. Even if they did, they wouldn''t be capable of replicating it even if they were given a million lifetimes. Little did those scholars know that there would such a prodigy that was capable of doing just that. Shin was an expert at examining and understanding structures. That''s what he had been doing for the first half of his cultivation life. Shin could read the human body like no one else his age. He knew every nook and cranny of a person''s biology. Furthermore, his mana-sensitive nature to all elements enabled him to carefully permeate through any structure in the world. Now that he had a mastery of the Time-Element, Shin could also go deep into the River of Time to restore a person''s health his or her original state. It didn''t matter if someone had their four limbs mauled apart or their entire torso ripped cleanly in half. As long as the soul remained burning in the person''s body, Shin could restore them to their original state. In essence, that was the ability that all healers strove towards. Why bother healing an injury when you could restore it back into a state where it never happened? That''s why Lady Seph was so bubbly on this beautiful snowy day. If Shin pulled this off and learnt Restoration, he would be in possession of the world''s most coveted healing spiritual ability. When Ariel passed, and Shin decided to abandon the healing path, Lady Seph was devastated. Lady Seph loved Shin like her own child, and it was torture to see him move off the path that she so carefully placed down for him. So one could imagine her joy when Shin came to her asking to be given a refresher course in the healing path three years ago. And then, she heard that Shin was potentially about to create the most potent healing spell in existence. Over the moon would be a poor idiom to describe how Lady Seph felt. The woman wanted to give Shin a firm bear hug and kiss him all day out of pure euphoria. However, the blonde woman knew that nothing was set in stone yet. Lady Seph had to curb her kisses until the deed was done. Glancing over Shin''s shoulder, the Divine Healer read the manual that Longyu Tian had handed over to him and asked with a sustained voice, "What do you think?" "Hmmm?" The young man looked back and gazed into the gorgeous eyes of his Master. They were filled with curiosity and anticipation, much like that of a puppy''s. Shin found it hilarious that even his esteemed Master had a childish side to her. "Aunt Tian''s revisions do make a lot of sense¡­ Though I can access the River of Time, I can''t alter its flow. Also, time is so vast. It would be hard for me to accurately read the singular point that I want to restore." Shin spoke in terms that were abstract for the foreign ear. However, for the two high-levelled individuals, they simply nodded their heads in unison. "Restoration is basically rewinding the clock and turning back time," explained Longyu Tian, her arms crossed. "Even I can''t turn back time. The River of Time''s flow is everlasting and all-powerful. No mortal energies could ever hope to resist it." "So, Shin can''t learn Restoration?" Lady Seph dropped her smile for the first time since she arrived. Admittedly, the Light-Elemental User was wholly ignorant about the Time-Element. Lady Seph did read some books, but that was about it. Her experience was lacking as compared to someone who was literally called the Saint of Time. "Not necessarily..." Longyu Tian tilted her head and turned towards the black-haired young man. His eyes were speeding through the final pages of the manual, where the Saint of Time had made the most revisions. "Treat the River of Time like any flowing river. Its flow can never be stopped or reversed. It drags all matter along with its flow. It doesn''t matter if it was a fish, pebble, seaweed..." "Right..." Lady Seph listened in on the lecture with great interest. For her, any new knowledge was worth learning, regardless if she could utilise it or not. Longyu Tian kicked a nearby rock, allowing a stream of water to flow on down. Reaching up into her scalp, the woman plucked a few strands of her own hair and gently one of them into the slow-moving stream. "All objects, be it living or non-living, are subject to the River of Time''s flow. They aren''t capable of pushing against the flow and can only be pushed down helplessly" The Spirit Saint explained as the first strand of hair flowed down into the nearby drain. "There is one exception to this rule," the Saint of Time laughed. "And that is us, Time-Elemental users." She looked straight at Shin, who was in the midst of having an epiphany. Before she dropped her next strand of hair, Longyu Tian created a bubble that acted as a mould of dirt within the water. "Those that manipulate the time-elements could either slow down the flow of time..." The second strand flowed quickly down until it was near the bubble. The flow of the stream slowed, and in effect, the strand slowed as well. "Or we can speed up the flow of time." Longyu Tian popped the bubble and instead sliced down into the dirt, speeding up the stream. The third strand of hair bolted towards the drain like a rabid horse, not caring about anything in its path. "That''s the basis for most of my time-elemental abilities," the Saint of Time elaborated. "Time can never be reversed, but the objects within the River of Time can be manipulated if you have enough mastery. That''s why I''d asked Shin to practise the use of Time-Elements in his Domain of Dreams." "That''s all well and good, but how does that teach Shin about Restoration?" Lady Seph questioned in place of her disciple. "If time can only be slowed down or sped up, none of your techniques would help Shin learn Restoration right?" The Saint of Time snorted at the Divine Healer''s impatience, "You didn''t let me finish." There was still one strand of hair remaining between Longyu Tian''s fingers. Before she dropped it into the stream though, the woman picked up a nearby rock and waited for both her spectators to look straight at her. "There is one method for Shin to learn Restoration." Longyu Tian''s finger muscles relaxed, and the long piece of black hair fell slowly down into the top of the stream. Just like the ones before it, the strand quickly found itself getting manipulated by the flow of the water and was promptly dragged down into the drain. However, unlike before, Longyu Tian didn''t create a bubble or an acute angle to manipulate the flow. Instead, she waited for the hair to reach the midway point before throwing the rock right onto the thin, black, human hair, locking it in place. "Normal Spirit Users that can''t sense the time-element aren''t capable of peering into the River of Time. However, for Time-Elemental Spirit Users, we are able to create minor disturbances into the River. So, we can do this..." Longyu Tian closed her eyes for two seconds and moved her fingers around like a Witch. A small smirk crept up her lips before she gently released the rock and allowed the stream to push that strand of hair down into the drain. Placing the stone back in the same position as it was before, the Spirit Saint began to chant. Grey spiritual energy flowed out from her fingers and was absorbed by the rock. "Voila!" Like a magician, Longyu Tian lifted the rock and the exact same strand of hair, which should have been lost to the stream, had reappeared under the woman''s fingers. "I get it now..." Enlightened, Shin spoke for the first time. "You create a Restoration Point to return to!" "Bingo!" The Saint of Time touched her nose twice with a broad smile. "However, it is easier said than done. If you''re creating a Restoration Point for a simple plank of wood, perhaps you could get away with it, but what about a house? A mansion? A castle? The more complex the structure, the heavier the Restoration Point stone needs to be. My hair is light, that''s why this rock can get away with it. However, what if you''re trying to stop the movement of let''s say this sword?" Longyu Tian lifted up the nearby blade and showed its weight. There was no way that the pebble in her right hand could hold the sword down on its own. "The more complex the information is, the heavier the Restoration Point must be. So to restore a living human being''s body, it will take a crazy weight to pull it off." Longyu Tian continued. "The two of you of all people know how complicated a human''s body is. That''s why I''m a little sceptical about Shin''s ability to use Restoration as a healing spell." "..." Shin and Lady Seph remained silent. The Saint of Time spoke the truth. A human''s body was more complicated than any castle or monument. Every nerve, muscle, and cell in the human''s body was unique. And for the spiritual ability to work, Shin had to record every single one of them accurately. "It is going to be a tall hurdle to cross," Longyu Tian didn''t really look that thrilled about Shin''s success rate. "So I would advise that you think about it carefully, Shin. It''s not too late to change your mind. There are still plenty of spiritual abilities for you to learn. My Eyes of the Future allows you to witness the millions of possible futures. If you take my hereditary opuscule, I''m sure that you''ll succeed in your first try." The Spirit Saint took out a golden stone slab as the runes pulsated like a slow heartbeat. Longyu Tian had came prepared with a back-up, just in case, Shin changed his mind. "Shin¡­ What do you think?" Lady Seph''s expression immediately turned sombre. Yes, she wanted the young man to create the world''s most powerful healing spell, but the last thing she wanted to do was to hinder his path. If Shin failed learning Restoration, he had to wait until his Spectre Soul recovered before he could try again. Furthermore, based on Longyu Tian''s explanation, the spiritual ability was far more challenging to learn than she''d anticipated. "Is there even a need to ask me that question, Master?" The youth didn''t frown for a single second. There wasn''t even a trace of hesitation in his eyes. No, Shin had complete faith in himself. "Aunt Tian, thank you for worrying about me," the youth bowed. There was no need for verbal confirmation. Longyu Tian knew that the youth''s mind was made up. With a deep sigh, the woman threw the stone slab into her coat and frowned, "Hah¡­ I can''t stop you if your mind''s made up. Come!" Shin smiled. He removed his shirt and followed Longyu Tian into the nearby medicinal pool that was acted like a jacuzzi. Bubbles popped on the surface of the water as dense mana crystals were littered all over the floor. Any Spirit Lord or Spirit King would be happy to simply drink from the pool of water as it would significantly boost their overall cultivation levels. However, Shin actually dared to dip himself into the pool, submerging his body until only his head was above the water level. Longyu Tian stood at one corner of the medicinal pool while Lady Seph took her place on the other. "I''ll supply you with the Time-Elemental energy you need. Seraphim will bail you out if there are any irregularities." The Golden Sovereign Koi appeared behind Longyu Tian all while grey spiritual energies radiated out from her body. At the same time, Lady Seph was glowing blonde. Merging with the Iofiel Angel, the Spirit Venerate seemed ready to jump into a war. "Begin whenever you''re ready, Shin." Lady Seph smiled and sat on the edge of the pool with all four of her limbs pointed at her precious disciple. "We''ll be behind you all the way." "Yeah, I know." The young man couldn''t help but smile. There was no way that Shin could have reached where he is today without the help of all of his mentors. Closing his eyes, the young man began to chant the cultivation technique that he''d created. The Domain of Dreams burst forth from his soul and filled the room with its splendour. Glittery sparkles dominated the chambers, and the Celestial Dragon danced within Shin''s Spectre Soul. There was no need to summon the beast out into the material world. Shin needed it inside of his soul for the eventual ascension. His consciousness began to wane as darkness crept into his mind. Shin felt a gentle pull down into the abyss, but it was oddly warm and comforting. In the end, before he fell into his Spectre Soul, the youth hollered out at the top of his lungs. "I''ll be back!!!" ??? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 477 Restoration 2 Shin''s entire vision turned to black. The chambers disappeared, and his entire consciousness was brought into the world within his Spectre Soul. Shin''s body was floating in the air. Below him was an endless ocean, that seemed as deep as it was vast. Gone was the calm lake that soothed Shin''s entire being. Turbulent waves rose and crashed at every given juncture. In some regions, there was an endless snowstorm that created hundreds of glaciers. Other places, there was a calm river that never seemed to run out of water. Shin could even see a hurricane being formed in the distant seas a few hundred kilometres away. However, no matter what the phenomenon, it all led to the humongous ocean in the middle of the spiritual world. "It has grown quite a bit, huh?" Shin''s body floated down gently like a snowflake. The stormy ocean immediately calmed and bowed their souls to their Sovereign. At the same time, five shadows emerged from the bottom of the sea. They were about five metres tall and two metres in diameter. Each one of them pulsated in glorious colour, unique to their own ability. One azure, one golden, one cerulean, one white and destructive and finally, one as celestial as the starry night above. Naturally, they were the five crystal obelisks that depicted Shin''s current spiritual abilities. Shin leapt in between the five monuments and felt their mana pulsate through his veins. The young man has entered his inner Spiritual Body multiple times in the past, but he could never get used to the feeling of pure awe. Water creation, Heal, Spiritual Body Enhancement, the Shard of the Azure Dragon and the Domain of Dreams. All of the spiritual abilities barring his innate one were all tremendously difficult to learn. Heal required Shin to comprehend a thousand books and millions of words. Spiritual Body Enhancement could only be learnt after Shin put his body through hell, breaking countless bones and straining god knows how many muscles. The Shard of the Azure Dragon was even harder than the rest! Shin basically risked his life to assimilate with the Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s nail and additionally, he had used the memory of the charred thorn to create said ability. Only the Domain of Dreams didn''t cause Shin much trouble. However, even then, it was only because of the hardships he''d been through in the past that the Domain was so easily created. If not for the thousands of hours Shin had spent, the countless of times his heart was broken and mended, there was no way that he could ever create the Domain of Dreams. Shin beamed with pride as he looked at the five crystal obelisks. It was one of the rare times Shin felt that he was superior to everyone else. All of those obelisks were the product of his hard work, and they had all served him well in his cultivation life thus far¡­ So, why not add another to the collection? The Celestial skies above glistened, and shooting stars became the prevalent sight. Jumping out from its slumber, the Celestial Dragon emerged from the oceans below. It had grown about thirty percent over the three years and had morphed from an adorable newborn into a ferocious teenage dragon. Its teeth and claws had become more prominent. Its aura was dense enough to suffocate anyone with lacking cultivation levels. However, even though it looked like the apex predator of the entire world, on the inside, the Celestial Dragon still retained its bubbly personality from the time that it was the Sovereign Koi. Coiling around Shin, the Celestial Dragon behaved like a dog seeking its owner''s attention. If it could, the Celestial Dragon would unquestionably stick its tongue out to lick Shin''s face. Alas, its snout kept getting in the way and its short tongue was incapable of tasting the man. "Don''t play," Shin pushed the Celestial Dragon''s face away and partially freed himself from the serpent''s coil of his Spirit. "We have work to do." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The Celestial Dragon tilted its head in confusion, unsure of its owner''s meaning. So, Shin decided to tell him about his actions. His right foot was raised and stomped viciously onto the vast ocean beneath him. A broad ripple spread throughout the deep, water body and a thousand stars fell from the night sky. Elemental energies, primarily Water and Time, dominated Shin''s Spectre Soul as the mana within his body peaked. Like and overflowing cup, the ocean continued to rise. All around Shin, the ice, mist, rain, snow, water¡­ They all came to a standstill, just to accommodate the rising powers of the young man. The Celestial Dragon was no dummy. Via Shin''s actions, it could fully comprehend what its owner was trying to accomplish. Spinning around in pure bliss, the Celestial Dragon unleashed its aura and rapidly increased the spiritual energy of the ocean. It took him a few minutes, but Shin slowly got used to the change in his Spectre Soul. His right hand was raised in the shape of a claw. The stars that fell from the sky spun waywardly and followed the clenching fingers of the man. Grey-coloured snow fell as well. Bit by bit, Shin congregated and condensed the glorious objects into a blob of mana. A liquid that seemed to be made out of pure light bled out from the core of the amalgamation, and a substantial body seemed to be birthed from its innards. Shin smiled and swiped his forehead in relief. Though, since he wasn''t in the material realm, there wasn''t any sweat. "It''s finally done..." Shin cheered. Shin had been in the Spirit Spectre realm for a month or two now. He could have broken into the Spirit Lord realm anytime he wanted. However, since he wanted to learn Restoration, the youth had delayed it until he was ready. Shin gently placed his hand on the obelisk, feeling its cold and pulsating heartbeat. A welling feeling of pride surfaced onto Shin''s face. His months of hard work had finally crystallised into this very structure. All the time he worked tirelessly to absorb and use the Time-Element. The days he''d spent cultivating and learning about the River of Time and its properties. The nagging lectures that Longyu Tian unleashed upon the young man¡­ It had all boiled down to this moment. "Come to me!" Shin hollered out, his face grimacing and skin tightening. The Celestial Dragon heard his call and proceeded to coil itself around the crystal obelisk. The Time-Elements in the Spectre Soul continued to pour down as snow, melting themselves into the compact structure. Grey light beamed out from its centre, as the oceans turned turbulent once more. After Shin''s Sovereign Koi had evolved, he found himself in much more control over his spiritual body. Before the youth would faint and his soul would find ways to mend itself. However, with the Celestial Dragon by his side, Shin was now the true Hegemon of his spiritual body. He watched as the five obelisks rotated around the sixth. All of the Water-Elements receded down into the ocean as the grey Time-Element took over the skies. "Concentrate, Shin! CONCENTRATE!!!" The young man closed his eyes and began to pray extensively. He recalled the blue manual that Longyu Tian handed to him. Her explanation using the mini-stream she created was only a brief introduction of the concept. The notes that she''d handed down to Shin contained a much more detailed answer. Everything from how one creates a Restoration Point to how to manipulate the Time-Element for Restoration to work. "It''s good that I''d met Aunt Tian..." Shin chuckled to himself. Longyu Tian had really changed his life for the better. If Shin hadn''t met the Spirit Saint back in during the Summit, who knows if he would be as successful as he was today? "I''ll be sure that repay this debt in the future..." Shin wasn''t one to return kindness with malice. When the opportunity arises, Shin would be sure to compensate Longyu Tian for everything that she''d done for him; but first¡­ The man had to become strong. The ravaging seas came to a chilling halt. Like Poseidon, Shin raised his arms into the air, and the oceans were forced to obey. All the elements in Shin''s Spectre Soul, be it Water, Light, Mind, Time or Space, had seeped down into the water as a whirlpool took over the surface. At its centre, the grey crystal obelisk that Shin had just created continued to glow with immense light as the Time-Elements were sent inwardly. A minute passed, the obelisk still hadn''t changed drastically. Ten minutes went¡­ Nothing happened. An hour flew by, and again, the crystal obelisk was still mostly static. No matter how much Shin poured his mana and insights into the pillar, it still wouldn''t condense itself into a spiritual ability. Obviously, the young man started to become a little frustrated. ''Restoration'' was turning out to be the hardest spiritual ability he would attempt to learn thus far. Shin never got stuck at condensing a spiritual ability. He always was able to pass that hurdle with relative ease due to his superior comprehension and preparations. However, none of them seemed to be working for ''Restoration.'' It was a testament to how difficult the spiritual ability was to learn. "Not yet!" Shin screamed. Both his hands were now glued onto the crystal obelisk, and the world was spinning before his eyes. All of his veins were showing, and his creamy white complexion had morphed into a red tomato. Shin gritted his teeth as sweat permeated out of all his pores. His vision had turned blurry, and Shin felt a throbbing headache, akin to that of a series of tidal waves, break his brain in two. "Not yet... Not yet!!!" Shin continued to push everything he had into the crystal obelisk. The Celestial Dragon was doing the same. To help its owner, the Dragon bared all of its fangs and controlled the flow of elements around the obelisk. The world trembled with complete fear in anticipation of what was to come. The stars had fallen, and the waves of the ocean turned more and more turbulent. The world had transformed into a spectacle and yet¡­ the crystal obelisk remained stubborn. Shin was starting to get agitated. If he failed, he would be pushed down the early stages of Rank 49, and it would take him a few more months to recover from that deficit. Shin didn''t have the luxury to spend that kind of time. "Why won''t you move?!" Shin screamed at the obelisk. Mentally, he felt drained. Almost two hours had passed in his Spectre Soul, and there was still no sign of Shin succeeding. The young man was almost on the verge of giving up all hope. WHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOSSSSSH!!! The Celestial Dragon shared its owner''s frustration. It spun round and round, angered at the unmoving obelisk. There was only one thing on its mind. And that was to learn Restoration. The oceans heeded its call and waves that stood at over a hundred metres high dominated the landscape. Shadows emerged from the abyss of Shin''s Spectre Soul, each one as colossal as Zishen''s Azure Dragon form. Shin jumped back in complete fear. He''d never seen those shadows in his spiritual body before! He wasn''t sure if they were friendly or had malicious intent. Though, Shin didn''t have to wait long to find out. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! The Celestial Dragon shrieked, and shadows immediately got to work. Billions of mana particles emerged from the inside of the ocean and connected themselves into the crystal obelisk. Before Shin had the opportunity to question the world, a grey river began to flow out from the jaded structure. Filled with the Time-Element, Shin felt his soul being sucked into the new obelisk. All of a sudden, the words that Longyu Tian had imparted upon him stuck out like a sore thumb. He could now ''see'' the River of Time. Humans are innately visual creatures. No matter how much he''d read, there was no way for Shin to imagine something as complex as the River of Time. However, now that he could ''see'' it... "I don''t know who you guys are..." Shin eyeballed the shadows with a churned face. His inquisitive nature wanted to probe even further; however, there was a more pressing issue that he had to resolve first. Shown the path, Shin used everything he had at his disposal. The notes that Longyu Tian gave him, the tremendous influx of Time-Elements... Everything. And in the end... BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! The grey crystal obelisk finally... Shone with a potent, ashen light. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 478 Restoration 3 Shin''s eyes snapped open. Gone were the shadowy figures and the six crystal obelisks. He heaved and hurled, spewing filthy black grime out of his mouth. The medicinal pool that permeated through his very veins was now being contaminated by Shin''s dirty filth, forcing his two guards to quickly leap into the water. "Shin! Shin!" Lady Seph held onto the youth''s chest and carried him out into safety. Longyu Tian was no bystander either. Using her spiritual eyes, she could see that Shin''s elemental energies were at an all-time low, particularly for the Time-Element. Her left hand immediately got to work, and the Golden Sovereign Koi created a dense time force field. Longyu Tian directed all of her focus upon the young man as a radiating energy wave rippled from the edge of her fingers into Shin''s Spectre Soul. The Divine Healer did a quick examination, her fingers rapidly tapping on Shin''s forehead, chest and abdomen. Lady Seph has known Shin for thirteen years now. The number of times she treated Shin was probably in the thousands. Lady Seph knew what were the key aspects to look out for in the youth''s body. Thus, it only took her a few seconds to do a complete analysis. "Seraphim, what happened?!" Longyu Tian hollered out as she maintained the time barrier. The blonde woman sat up straight, and her thumbs continued to press down on her disciple''s forehead. "There''s nothing wrong with his physical body! In fact, it''s stronger than it was before!" "So why is he throwing up this much?! Also, what is that black grime?! That doesn''t come out of nowhere!!!" The Spirit Saint was frantic and understandably so. Shin was not only the Longyu Clan''s little genius but the Lantis Republic''s hope and future. Should anything happen to the youth, everyone in the maritime nation would turn heel against her. Lady Seph picked up a drop of said grime and gave it a big whiff. And when that wasn''t enough, she stuck out her red tongue and tasted it. "Impurities¡­ Shin purged out his impurities alongside his ascension into the Spirit Lord realm..." The Divine Healer theorised. "He''d probably did it unconsciously as well. Otherwise, he would have informed us before this session began." "So he''s succeeded?" Longyu Tian gasped. "Have your senses dulled?" The Spirit Venerate looked back at Longyu Tian, a little stunned that the acclaimed Saint of Time has failed to realise it yet. "This spiritual energy¡­ This uneasy pressure¡­ Shin''s definitely in the Spirit Lord realm now! Hehe, I knew this brat wouldn''t let me down!" Lady Seph was basically grinning from ear to ear, quite contrary to her image as a stern superwoman. However, she didn''t care. So what if people saw her pearly white teeth? Shin, her very first disciple, had now created history. "..." Longyu Tian remained silent. Her eyes continued to keep track of Shin as she waited patiently for the youth to calm himself down. His eyes were awake, but the two seasoned cultivators could tell that Shin''s consciousness was still within his Spectre Soul. It took a few minutes, but eventually, Shin''s shivering shoulders stopped, and the youth''s hurling turned into random spits. His mana was getting into a relaxed state as well, with all the Time-Element that Longyu Tian was supplying him. One hand on Lady Seph''s shoulders, Shin gradually glanced up and saw his two mentors looking down at him. "Shin! Are you alright?" Longyu Tian was the first to ask. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Yeah..." Shin was still busy trying to catch his breath. Still, he managed to force out a few words. "I''m fine..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Did you succeed?" Lady Seph leapt into the conversation as well. Shin was definitely at Rank 50. Those with sufficient cultivation levels could tell easily. However, no one knew if he truly managed to advance by creating Restoration or some other spiritual ability. Shin smiled as he looked at his impatient Master. It seemed like she was more anxious than he was! "Haha, yeah..." He replied. "Just barely." "You succeeded?! HAHAHA!!! You really succeeded?!?!" Lady Seph hopped like a bunny. Her euphoria was being displayed at maximum. Shin couldn''t remember a time where the Spirit Venerate was this animate. Even her bitter rival Longyu Tian was absolutely stumped. "You really created Restoration?! Quick, show me! Show me!" "Hey! Let your disciple rest!" Unable to bear the embarrassing scene anymore, the Saint of Time interjected with a facepalm. "He''d just undergone a drastic change! Can''t you at least wait an hour or two?" "No, Aunt Tian¡­ It''s alright..." The black-haired man stood up as his hands calmed the Spirit Saint down. "I''m completely fine, a little drained of mana maybe¡­ Master, just give me a few minutes to meditate, and I''ll demonstrate Restoration for you." "That''s my boy!" Lady Seph beamed. At the same time, Longyu Tian stood watch with the Golden Sovereign Koi fully unleashed. Like Lady Seph, she was curious about Shin''s new ability. If she could, the Spirit Saint would transfer all of her mana into Shin''s body, just to help facilitate his recovery. Bubbles of pure mana rose up from Shin''s Spectre Soul as the ocean within quickly got replenished. The Celestial Dragon immediately made its presence known by coiling around its recovering Master. Shin pores all opened up, allowing pure spiritual energy to flow into his body. It didn''t matter what element it was. It could be the Water-Element, Time-Element¡­ Heck, it could even be the Fire-Element, Shin''s polar opposite. They all fell deep into Shin''s Spectre Soul, nourishing it with every passing second. It was the new cultivation technique that Shin had devised for himself. The Hymn of Origin. In his long years studying, Shin had noticed that all cultivation techniques, no matter how different, all shared a similar trait. They all used comprehension to convert natural spirit energy into mana. It didn''t matter if it was the age-old Celestial Water Mantra or the complicated Crystal Toxotai Mantra that the twins possessed. They were all just techniques to advance one''s cultivation. Shin also realised that Spirit Beasts use a whole different method of cultivation. They didn''t care about the complexities of life and death; instead, they would just absorb mana from their surroundings as if they were breathing. As a consequence, they advance at a much slower rate than humans, and most of them have bottlenecks that could never be surpassed. There were advantages and disadvantages to both techniques. However, Shin saw an opportunity in both of them. The Celestial Dragon was the only Spirit on planet Earth that could absorb every single element. It could also convert elemental energy from one element into another. Shin understood that he was in a special position and decided to capitalise on it, the only way he knew how. Through extensive planning. In the first few months, Shin, alongside Zishen the Azure Dragon and the scholars of the Lantis Republic formulated the perfect cultivation technique of the Celestial Dragon. History claims that the Lady of Water was able to cultivate even when she was asleep. A telling tale, but after some investigations, Shin realised that there was some truth to that claim. If the Lady of Water had used the Spirit Beast method of cultivation, she could unquestionably advance at an unprecedented speed. The trial and error took many months to complete. In the end, the scholars from the Lantis Republic managed to combine the Celestial Water Mantra with a majority of the cultivation techniques for different elements. Adding in Shin''s innate ability to comprehend everything, the Hymn of Origin was finally created. Thus far, the new cultivation technique had served the youth well. In just three years, Shin had progressed rapidly at a pace of three ranks a year. A rare feat for someone who had transcended their mortality once. Now, he was even in the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm! Shin''s entire beige skin radiated with resplendent mana, all while billions of elemental particles were sucked in. The Hymn of Origin mixed the best of both worlds from the human-style and Spirit Beast-style of cultivation. If Shin wanted to fully refill his mana, all he needed was a good three hours of complete peace and quiet. In this case, he only needed enough to cast his new spiritual ability. "I''m done..." Shin cried softly. His interlocked fingers were released, and the man slowly stood up before the two women. "..." Lady Seph and Longyu Tian gulped. One was a Spirit Venerate while the other was a Spirit Saint. They stood at the apex of the world. They saw everything that the world has to offer. Primordial Beasts, dominating Spirit Saints, heinous wars that massacred thousands¡­ Yet, to them, witnessing Shin cast his new spiritual ability would be a pivotal point in their lives. They didn''t dare to blink. "First, create a Restoration Point..." Shin closed his eyes as the Celestial Dragon spun rapidly around him, chasing its own tail. His consciousness faded to black and Shin ''saw'' his body amidst the flow of a grey river. The stream was ever expansive, and the flow was too fast and strong for anyone to resist. No creature living or otherwise could possibly hope to resist the rapids of the River of Time. However, Shin was about to try. ''He'' raised his right arm up high, and a wave of Time-Elements was pulled out from his palm. At that moment, Shin''s body in the River of Time seemed to have been split in two. One remained frozen in place, and the other continued to speed down the grey, ever-flowing river. His work done, Shin dropped his astral hand and disappeared into a puff of smoke. Shin awoke in the material realm, only to see his Master and Aunt Tian looking straight at him with curious eyes. No matter how sensitive the two cultivators were, they couldn''t sense what Shin had done at all. "Did something happen?" Lady Seph questioned the Saint of Time, who was not only a Spirit Saint but the only one other than Shin that could perceive the Time-Element. "Don''t ask me," Longyu Tian shrugged her shoulders. She turned to the youth who was standing with one of his arms raised horizontally to the ground."Shin?" "..." The young man didn''t reply. Instead, his right hand moved with a terrifying viciousness. A dagger made of pure ice, infused with the Celestial Dragon''s mana was created, and in a flash, it sliced off Shin''s outstretched left arm. "SHIN!!!" Lady Seph screamed. The Iofiel Angel behind her was in a similar shock as well. Who would want to see someone they loved harmed right in front of their faces? In a hurry, the Divine Healer was readying her most potent healing ability, but a sharp cry halted her advance. "Master, stay back!" Shin cried, all while holding onto his grimace. His entire left shoulder was in agony. It was like a swarm of fire ants and found its way into his flesh and was busy feasting on his precious blood. Shin had just cut his arm off. Obviously, he would be in a hell of pain. However, the young man endured. Grey particles flowed out from the depths of his body. They seemed rather dull and weak, yet neither the Rank 83 Spirit Venerate nor the Rank 94 Spirit Saint could take their eyes off it. On the contrary, they felt drawn to the foreign power. Beads of sweat continued to drip down the poor man''s forehead, and his entire soul felt drained of its power. However, it didn''t take long until¡­ Plop! The disconnected arm¡­ The thousands of blood drops on the floor¡­ They all vanished... Or to be specific, they returned back to its original state. Shin''s body was now wholly intact, four limbs and all. It was as if¡­ he hadn''t sliced off his arm in the first place. "Phew, looks like it really works!" Shin breathed a massive sigh of relief after the successful attempt. Shin had faith in his spiritual ability, but he couldn''t be a hundred percent certain unless he saw it with his own eyes. "Shin¡­ That was Restoration?" Her eyes and fingers trembling, Lady Seph questioned the young man. "That''s right!" Shin smiled. "As it is right now, I can only create one Restoration Point, and I can only revert time for an hour before the Restoration Point gets corroded away by the River of Time. However, I should be able to increase the number of Restoration Points and how long it lasts with practice!" "An hour, huh..." Longyu Tian stroked on her hairless chin, falling into deep thought. Restoration was a powerful ability, no doubt, but it was evident that there would be some limitations. "I''m currently Rank 50 now¡­ If I reach the Spirit King realm, I should be able to increase the number of Restoration Points I can make by ten. I should also be able to extend it to six hours. Right now, I can only use it on one person at a time." Shin openly admitted his weaknesses. "I still need more practice with the Time-Element as well, so probably..." Before Shin could finish, Lady Seph silenced him with a forward grab onto his shoulders. "Hey, Shin¡­ It''s been a while since you''d served me tea in my laboratory, right?" "..." Shin''s blood froze over, and his face turned as white as snow. That chill he felt¡­ It was all too nostalgic. Lady Seph had given him that look many times, particularly when¡­ She wanted a lab rat. "Hehehe, come¡­ We have some science to do!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 479 Hunting Payircis 1 Shin''s promotion to the Spirit Lord realm mostly went unnoticed in the busy warring nations. Still, the man remained as busy as ever. Lady Seph was constantly hounding him to store ''Restoration'' in a hereditary opuscule, and the Lantis Republic gave him even more responsibilities now that he was a Spirit Lord. Adding to his current activities of producing his cultivation-improving aura and daily training, Shin didn''t have a single spare second to breathe. A week after he advanced, Shin was already on the frontlines again. The Payircis remained as dangerous as they were before, and the Alliance had made significant moves to destroy them utterly. Although only ten had fallen, it didn''t mean that the remainder of the floating towers were completely untouched. The Alliance had already identified all of them during these three years and had stationed many servicemen to guard and quarantine the area. Most of the Payircis were even fully mapped out, with dozens of scholars and engineers theorising where the Paradise Heart could be. The Lantis Republic was no different. The maritime nation was in a unique position as their land consisted of over a thousand islands. Payircis in their locations would almost certainly be atop one of their many islands, giving the world''s most professional navy an easy chance to completely surround them. Furthermore, the Eight Clans of Water were friendly with many of the Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts that lived on their islands. Not to mention, Shin now possessed the Celestial Dragon! There was nothing the Black Masks could do to protect their Payircis from certain destruction. Nevertheless, Spirit Immortal Dream''s invention wasn''t that easy to take down. Filled with ingenious contraptions and a maze that would make an ant colony look like a one-pathed road, the Payircis was still one of the most difficult structures to take out. The only way to truly destroy a Payirci was to take down the Paradise Heart due to how indestructible they were from the outside. To make matters worse, the engineers that the Black Masks had were exceedingly crafty. They''d modified the designs so that each levitating dungeon was unique. No one could find the Paradise Heart in the exact same position. They had to scour the entire Payirci and pray that they just stumble upon the path. It was a nightmare¡­ but it was a nightmare that Shin knew they had to overcome. "Shizen, what did you find?" The young man sat with his legs crossed on the black oak throne, that had two dragon heads carved on each end. Bingbing lay comfortably asleep atop of the enormous chair, enjoying the rare warmth during this cold winter afternoon. Now, Shin was royalty and had to be treated as such. Thus, even with the limited space, the encampment had, the young man and his allies were given a full military tent for themselves. A baby-faced man leapt forward, head askew and all. His brown hair significantly differed from the oceanic backdrop, and his short stature remained unchanged over the years. "We targeted the west wing¡­ Nothing..." Shizen replied with a disappointed expression. "The Paradise Heart can''t be found¡­ No, is there even a Paradise Heart in this Payirci?" The nature boy began to question the existence of the most fundamental part of the structure. "It is there," replied Shin decisively. "We''d destroyed it many times before. It''s just a little hard to find this time." He stood up from his throne and gently placed a calming palm upon the young man''s shoulders. "Don''t lose hope, Shizen¡­ You''re one of the few people that can search for the Paradise Heart. We''re all counting on you." Shin gave his signature charming smile as he cheered the hobbit on. Shizen''s Adivinar Tree had a unique property that no other Lantis Republic Spirit User could provide. It created vines that could twist and turn through narrow cracks on the wall. Not to mention, Shizen''s innate ability to absorb mana made him the most spiritual-energy sensitive cultivator in Shin''s camp. If there were anyone that could discover the hidden Paradise Heart, it would be Shizen. Shin knew that his words wouldn''t be enough, so he specially brought out a flask of his own created water, "Here! For your troubles!" The young man handed over the flask like a drug dealer would with a joint. "Hah¡­ You''re still treating me like a child," Shizen snorted and pushed the flask back into Shin''s hands, much to the shock of the latter. "I don''t always need your created water, you know? I''ve grown out of that phase!" "No way! A few days ago, you..." "Just shut it, Shin!" Shizen cried, stopping the youth from proceeding any further. His face turning beet-red, the young man took some time to calm himself. "Ahem¡­ I was just playing before! I''m not a baby that needs to be fed his milk, alright?" Shizen continued. Shin blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what he''d just heard. In the end, a tear escaped from the edges of Shin''s eyes. "Haha, looks like my boy has grown up..." "You know that I''m the same age as you, right?" Shizen retorted with a raised brow. "Hah¡­ That''s not important! We have to deal with the Payirci now!" For once, the Freak of the Dundlewoods was the level-headed guy in the room. Shin pouted. It really was odd to be on the opposite side of a nagger. Though, there was a little bit of a nostalgic feeling. Shizen''s serious face reminded him of the old days where Lily would scold him straight, with Ella looking in cheer. ''Looks like Ella''s influence is quite strong, huh?'' Shin had the wild idea to separate the two just to get the Shizen back, but he had to bury it quite quickly. Putting on his commander''s face, the young man coughed as his voice went deeper by one register. "Captain Zhangyu Jie has already mapped out the entire Payirci. We''ve been scouring the west and north of the tower, but as you know, there''s no sign of the Paradise Heart. The Lantis Paladins have been clearing up the Umbras in the east. Once they''re done, you can conduct an extensive search there. If you find the chambers that house the Paradise Heart, immediately notify me! I''ll lead an elite team inside. For now, just be on standby!" Shin flawlessly gave his orders, loud and sharp. Three years of battlefield experience had made him an excellent officer. Though he didn''t have to, Shizen clicked his boots together and gave a firm salute, possibly out of habit. He did an about-turn and was ready to leave the tent. However, the brown-haired young man failed to muster the strength to do just that. "Hmmm? Do you need anything else?" Shin cocked his head to the side. He''d known Shizen for eight coming nine years now. Just the slightest change in his expression was enough to push Shin''s brotherly instincts to the brink. "T-That..." Shizen stuttered on his first word. His eyes were shifting from side-to-side, and his voice was a little uneasy. Shin noticed the abnormality and gently pat on the guy''s shoulder. "What''s the matter?" he asked worriedly. "It''s a little hard to discuss..." Shizen twiddled his thumbs, and his toes clenched so high that they were protruding out from his shoe. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "You can tell me anything, Shizen. You know that!" Shin tapped gently on the youth''s face. He could sense the youth''s tension and decided to loosen it a little. "Is it because of Emma? Have the two of you finally decide to make it official?" Shin''s face brightened up as if he were having a eureka moment. "That''s not it!" Shizen roared back. "Tsk, how many times must I tell you that we''re not like that! She''s just a good friend¡­ No, a nagging mother! That''s right! She''s the nagging mother that I''d never had!!!" "Hehe, you don''t have to be shy! We all know that it''s all a matter of time!" Shin threw away his officer facade and waved in jest. The back and forth between the two youngsters continued. ''It was Shizen''s fault for being this adorable!'' Shin thought. The hustle and bustle had even awoken the poor, little snowy gerbil, who had been in bliss for the longest time. "Shin! This is serious!" Not willing to play anymore, Shizen stomped his foot down as Bingbing flew right onto Shin''s shoulders. She displayed her pure white fangs to threaten the nature boy but was stopped by Shin''s soft, gentle touch. "Alright, alright!" Shin exhaled through his nose, instantly calming the atmosphere. It was one of the rare abilities he had that didn''t involve cultivation. Just by switching his expression, the man could control whichever room he was part of. It didn''t matter if he was among a group of friends or an army of the world''s best soldiers. Shin''s minute movements were a treat to behold. Shizen felt a little pressure just by feeling the presence of his longtime friend. However, after shaking his head twice, the young man stood his ground. "Shin, I''m moving to the Himmel Empire in a month." "Hmmm? Didn''t you go back a few weeks ago? What''s the rush?" Shin questioned, puzzled. The new treaty Shin had with the Lantis Republic didn''t ban the movement of his friends. In fact, even the twins, who were supposed to stay locked in the Meijing Arctics, were given free rein to move between nations if need be. Under strict surveillance, of course, but at least their freedoms were guaranteed. So, it was odd for Shizen to be uptight about one move back. Unless¡­ "No, listen to me..." The nature boy gulped hard, fidgeting throughout. Still, it wasn''t right to keep Shin in the dark for too long so¡­ "I''m moving back for good." "Oh," Shin froze. It took him a good twenty seconds to regain his wits. "Why?" "I..." The words got stuck on the tip of Shizen''s tongue. He knew about Shin''s current predicament very well. Although Shin had the freedom to leave for the Himmel Empire, it would take a whole lot of diplomacy and politics. After all, he was the sole person in the Lantis Republic that possessed the Celestial Dragon. His status was equivalent to that of the Himmel Ancestor Spirit Saint. No, his worth far surpassed of the ancestor. There was no way the Lantis Republic would let him slip through their fingers. "Shin, I have to be forward with you," Shizen muttered. "My goals aren''t within the Lantis Republic." The young man deliberately averted his eyes to the side, not willing to look at Shin''s expression. Shizen knew that he was the only male friend that Shin had from the Himmel Empire. And ever since Isadore went into training, the young man didn''t possess many male bosom friends his age. Thus, it was tough for Shizen to bring this topic up. Still, he had to. "I want to live my life in peace within the Dundlewoods. I want to repay my debts to Principal Erudito and those that helped me escape from that hellhole. I want to personally visit the Tree of Illusions and experience the power of the Empyrean Wonder¡­" Shizen listed all of his demands in one breath. "I want to do all that¡­ But I can''t do them here. I enjoy training with you, Shin! I enjoy the hardships we''ve been through as well. Taking down Payircis, formulating new plans, joking around... Everything! However, I have to be honest with myself!" The room went silent. Shizen closed his eyes, not daring to see the reaction of his friend. Shin was also quiet. However, his gaze was plastered right at the young brown-haired friend of his. In the end, the young Prince simply sighed. ''That''s right¡­ Shizen has his own dreams to carry out. I can''t be selfish and keep him by my side forever...'' Shin reflected. He''d always assumed that the seven young heroes would stick together, at least during the war against the Black Masks. Alas, not everything was meant to be. Isadore was the first to leave. He was brought back into the Himmel Empire''s ancestral tomb to train. Then, it was Elrin. Though Shin and the rest had seen her a few times during the three years, she was mostly focused on the operations of the Zedcris Conglomerate. Later on, the twins became busy as well. They trained in the Meijing Clan tirelessly, regardless if it was rain or shine. In the end, the only two that remained by Shin''s side until the very end were Kanari and Shizen. One was his girlfriend, whom he saw every night. The other was his only friend, who acted almost like his sidekick. Following Shin wherever he went, Shizen served a vital role in Shin''s life. Sometimes, he worked as a consul, advising Shin on the best decision to make. Sometimes, he was the stress reliever of the youth. However, the majority of the time, Shizen was just¡­ Someone that Shin could talk to openly. It was rare to have a person like Shizen in one''s life, and the more people left Shin, the harder the young man clung onto that relationship. Alas, as with all good things, it must all come to an end. "No, Shizen¡­ You''re right..." Shin shook his head and lifted his friend''s head up. "You have your dreams to carry out. I can''t be the one that hinders you from your path." "Shin..." "No, I''m fine! Really!" The young man put on a radiant smile. "It''s not like we won''t see each other again! In the war against the Black Masks, we''ll eventually cross paths again!" Shin chuckled. "For now, let''s just conquer this Payirci! You said you''re leaving in a month, right? Once we destroy this Paradise Heart, let''s take a walk back in the garden you planted!" Shin pushed the back of Shizen out of his tent, rushing him away. "Okay..." Shizen blinked rapidly as his petite body was being pushed along. "Hehe, get back to work, you moron! The faster you find the Paradise Heart, the more time we have to banquet!" Shin continued his persuasion. "Alright¡­ I''ll catch you later then?" Shizen walked out of the tent, utterly relieved that the meeting went better than he''d thought. What he didn''t know was¡­ "Hah..." Shin heaved out a deep sigh and stared deeply into space. The flaps of his tent entrance were wavering with the winter winds, as chilling howls permeated into his base. In the end, the man turned his face from the entrance, his hands tied behind his back. In the place where no one could see¡­ A tear fell from the Prince of Water''s eye. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 480 Hunting Payircis 2 "My Prince, we have conducted an extensive search in the Eastern wing of the Payirci." A few hours after Shizen left for his duties, a commissioned officer, wearing an all-white naval uniform, barged into Shin''s tent and saluted him with great fervour. Shin was still in the midst of recovering from Shizen''s news and had dug into the mountain of reports handed down to him. However, there were limits to how much paperwork could distract the youth. Thus, the officer''s interruption came at a great time. "Any luck?" Shin asked, his fingers intertwined and supporting his heavy chin. "Ha! We tried our best, but..." The uniformed man looked right at Shin, but he didn''t dare to meet those beautiful azure eyes. The Prince of the Lantis Republic had been out here the entire day after all. "I see," the young man threw his back against his throne. Failing to find the Paradise Heart was a norm. Of all the days Shin spent in a military encampment outside of a Payirci, he''d only received the good news twice. So, Shin was no stranger to the disappointing results. It was just that¡­ It was a bad day to throw cold water onto his face. "Let me do a search," said the commander as he leapt to his feet. "My Prince!" The officer felt his heart leap out from his chest as he''d heard the words. "We can''t possibly let you into that danger zone when there are so many unknown variables! God knows what would happen!" Both hands flailing in the air, the officer stopped the youth from making a brash decision. And he had a point. Shin was once enveloped by a Payirci''s illusions, where he was forced to defend himself against the combined might of Junius, the Umbras and the other Black Masks that followed him. Shin may have escaped, but it was with great difficulty and luck. Heck, Shin was even crippled from being forced to ignite the Shard before his body was ready. So, the officer''s worry wasn''t really unfounded. "Don''t worry, I''m not stupid." Shin chuckled. "I''d already called for Senior Zishen to escort me. I''m even bringing her along." Bingbing happily chirped while enjoying herself on Shin''s shoulders. "A Tier 9 Azure Dragon and a peak Tier 8 Kamaitachi. I can bring a few guards from the military if you like. So... Do you think that I''ll be in any sort of trouble?" "No, but..." The officer shifted his eyes nervously. Yes, Shin was heavily defended. However, in the 0.00001% chance that he''s injured¡­ "Don''t worry," As if reading the officer''s mind, Shin took out a scroll from his desk and speedily wrote up an executive order. Dropping his feather pen, Shin threw the yellow parchment paper into the military man''s outreached hands. "If anyone questions you, give them this. No trouble will fall on your shoulders..." "A-Ah, yes!!!" Taking multiple bows, the officer admired the floor as the young man gradually made his way out of the tent, and into the unknown¡­ ??? Shin walked cautiously down the wide hallways of the Payircis. It was warm and moist within this dungeon, a stark contrast to the snowy weather outside. Compared to the other Payircis that Shin had been in, this one was rife with his favourite element¡­ Water. Fountains with lion heads spewing waterfalls were plastered all over the walls. There were a few rooms where the cultivators could only pass by breathing underwater. Poison chambers, icy hells¡­ Even a room of pure mist. This Payirci was, without a doubt, one of the best places for the cultivators of the Lantis Republic to train in. And for the most part, that''s what they did. The Lantis Paladins consisted of Spirit Lords, Kings and Emperors. They served as the elite contingent of the Lantis Republic, taking on menaces brought on by the Black Masks. Basically, they were the Lantis Republic''s equivalent to the White Knights of the Alliance. In fact, they were formed precisely to make up the deficit that the White Knights had left. Occasionally, the Lantis Paladins would serve the Alliance just as they did their nation. However, those jobs were few and far between. Mostly, they would tackle the threats that posed a direct threat to their sovereignty. Notable figures that were enlisted into the Lantis Paladins included big names such as Qilong Hu, Meijing Bingying, Jingyu Taiyi, Longyu Linji and Xunyu Feifei. That wasn''t all. Even prominent Spirit Emperors that were slated to become High Elders in the future were inducted into the order. Shin wasn''t part of the new contingent, but the funny thing was¡­ He had trained with all of them. Shin''s Celestial Dragon Aura was just too good to pass up. Each time he unleashed his Celestial Dragon, the cultivation rates of those that surrounded him would skyrocket. Among the Luminaries, Meijing Bingying and Jingyu Taiyi were about to reach Rank 60, almost three times faster than the regular rate. Qilong Hu was dethroned as the most powerful one among them as Meijing Bingying reached Rank 59 far faster than anyone could have anticipated. Her familiarity with Shin enabled her to reap all sorts of benefits, mainly the luxury to visit him whenever she pleased. That, in turn, boosted her cultivation rate tremendously over the three years. Not to mention, as it turns out, the Payircis was an excellent place to train as well! It was created by the evilest organisation to grace the planet. For what purpose? No one knew. However, the Alliance quickly realised that the Payircis was perhaps the best place to train Spirit Spectres, Lords and Kings. Most of the foes within the dungeon were shadowy Umbras that didn''t exceed Tier 8. Each time they were killed, they would respawn within a day or two, giving the young forces multiple chances to hone their skills. Spirit Immortal Dream''s original blueprints were to make the Payirci a place where young people could train, without the fear of war or death. So, no matter how much the Black Masks attempted to make the place a death trap, the essence of the structure remained the same. A mana-dense area with an endless horde of enemies to kill¡­ It was basically a paradise for up-and-coming Spirit Users to train. At times, Shin wanted to join in the fun as well. Unfortunately, the Lantis Republic would only allow him to enter when the place had been cleared or with the protection of at least on Spirit Venerate or Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Which wholly defeats the purpose of training. Thus, Shin could only be present to give the orders or witness the fall of the Paradise Heart. However, at this moment, Shin just wanted to blow off some steam. Zishen, the Azure Dragon was to his side, yawning and largely uninterested in the world around him. Bingbing was the same. Even in this perilous journey into the unknown, the snowy white gerbil felt comfortable resting in Shin''s warm robes. She was a little too comfortable, perhaps. They were in one of the most dangerous places in the Lantis Republic, and the Kamitaichi had the audacity to sleep. "Mmmm¡­ That little lass is quite carefree..." Zishen remarked. "Then again, there really is nothing here to look at..." The Azure Dragon in his human form was quite bored as well. Shin had dragged them into the Payirci in search of the Paradise Heart. However, if something like that were so easily found, the Lantis Navy wouldn''t have spent over two years scouring this structure. Over time, the Umbras had been cleared out, and their spawning rates had been managed by the Lantis Paladins. Traps were disabled, and every single nook and cranny has been mapped out. Effectively, the dungeon had been conquered. It was just that no one could find the core to destroy it. "Do you sense anything, Senior Zishen?" Shin questioned as he held firmly onto the Spear of Aiglos. Spirit Beasts tend to have sharper senses than humans, so it made sense for the Tier 9 Spirit Beast to find more clues than himself. "Nothing at all," the Azure Dragon replied a negative. "The Paradise Heart should be a lump of mana, and yet I don''t feel a single thing. I can sense the brats a hundred metres up and below, but I feel any colossal mana point anywhere." Zishen continued to dampen the hopes of the young man. "Maybe they''d hidden the Paradise Heart inside of a sensory-blocking fog..." Shin theorised. It didn''t make any sense for the big blob of spiritual energy to just magically disappear. "It''s almost as if it''s not within the Payirci itself," Zishen folded his arms and thoughtlessly blurted out. "Not within the Payirci itself?" The Azure Dragon''s words resonated within Shin''s mind. ''Not within the Payirci¡­ A training facility¡­ A safe place¡­ Water-elements...'' As per usual, the young Prince''s mind raced at a million kilometres an hour. All of the building blocks began to fall into place and in the end¡­ "I got it!!!" Shin cheered with a jubilant cry. Ignoring the random bodyguards that were following a few metres behind, Shin ran straight down the stairwell, his feet moving so fast that it seemed like he was walking on air. "Mmmm... Here we go again..." Zishen made a face as if he were used to the sight and promptly followed the rushed youth. With ease, the Azure Dragon traversed dozens of metres with one step as he followed his Prince out. In just a few minutes, Shin had already exited the Payirci and leapt straight down onto the oceans below. A layer of glacial ice, created by none other than the Prince himself, cushioned Shin''s rapid fall. He could have just levitated comfortably in the skies, but Shin wanted to test something out. The Celestial Dragon flew out from his Spectre Soul, and the Domain of Dreams was automatically cast. The water elements all rushed up into the domain as the oceans slowly lost their ravaging waves. When it comes to water, few could manipulate the water elements as well as Shin. He placed his fingers into the deep ocean and allowed his senses to spread. It started off small, but slowly¡­ Shin began to have ''vision'' of every single water molecule within a ten-kilometre radius. Every fish, every coral, every stone, every seaweed¡­ Nothing could escape Shin''s ''eyes.'' The entire soul of the ocean was stripped bare for Shin''s viewing pleasure. He was searching for just one trace¡­ Just one hint was enough¡­ And well¡­ "Hehe, found it..." An impish smile crept up Shin''s face. "Why am I so smart?!" The young Prince cheered himself on in pure joy. The Paradise Heart that had eluded the Lantis Republic for so long¡­ Shin had actually found it. Zishen flew down graciously and landed right next to his sovereign master. "Have you found it?" asked the Azure Dragon lazily. "Seven kilometres down at a fifty-degree angle to the south," Shin replied with confidence. "There''s a sealed cave with a peculiar lack of presence¡­ What do you think?" The old man closed his eyes and followed Shin''s directions. Just as Shin had described, there was a locked cave, sealed with a thick stone boulder. No spiritual irregularities could be found, so much so that it was borderline eerie. "Mmmm, peculiar indeed¡­" Zishen agreed with Shin''s conjecture. "My Prince, your senses have improved yet again!" "Thanks to your tutelage, of course!" Shin beamed. Dozens of officers ran out from the encampments on the nearby island and flew straight towards the young Prince. To accommodate them all, Shin increased the space of the ice platform he was on. Among those flying over, there was a familiar brown-haired young man. Shin curled lips twisted into a frown as he recalled the earlier encounter he had. It was still a little awkward to meet Shizen straight on, so... "Senior Zishen, let''s destroy the Paradise Heart," Shin commanded. Celestial scales that reflected the stars and radiated with pure spiritual energy broke out from Shin''s milky white skin and covered all corners of the youth''s body. Just like his other abilities, Shin''s Spiritual Body Enhancement had undergone a drastic change as well. The Sovereign Koi scales had been replaced with the Celestial Dragon''s and his ability to breathe underwater was basically unparalleled in the world now. Like a fish back in the water, Shin kicked the currents and propelled himself dozens of metres with one kick. Bingbing created her own breathing bubble with an ice sphere and casually returned back to sleep. The Azure Dragon bitterly smiled. In the end, no matter how much more mature he''d become. Shin was still the same Shin on the inside. "As you command, My Prince." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 481 Hunting Payircis 3 The Terre Continent. The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. The Tree of Darkness. Three years had passed since the Allfather unleashed his wrath upon the world. Payircis filled with random elemental energies were littered all over the world. Some were taken down while others stood tall, resisting the attacks of all the Alliance members. However, the most significant change in the world was undoubtedly the state of the Black Masks. Now, one would imagine that having the central base placed so blatantly in the centre of the world would result in the thinning of their forces. However, surprisingly enough, the most wanted criminal syndicate in the world had actually expanded in size. With the Allfather being quiet, the Black Masks slowly toned down their violent guerilla tactics that had caused the three superpowers significant headaches. Instead, they remained in the shadows and started a mass recruitment. The chaos that was produced by the Payircis had displaced thousands of people from their homes, creating the perfect opportunity to harvest new talent. Vagrants that were turned away by the megacities of the world had no choice but to turn to crime. An orphan might start by stealing bread to sate his hunger. From stealing, it''ll turn to robbery using force. From robbing, they''ll go to gang fights. Gang fights would escalate to banditry. And in the end¡­ The final destination for all criminals was the biggest syndicate in the world. Over the three years, the number of Dalits increased tenfold. Normal Shudras had also peaked, and more and more talents were making their way up the ladder. Just like a pyramid, the bigger the base, the more stable the structure was. Thus, the Black Masks were now stronger than ever before. And it wasn''t like the Alliance hadn''t tried to curb the Black Masks'' influence. They surrounded the Tree of Darkness and the nine Payircis surrounding it, making sure no one could enter or leave. They had also planned numerous raids to destroy the barrier protecting the home of the Allfather. However, all of their plans failed spectacularly. The Black Masks were just too resourceful. Not only did they create the most flawless barrier in history, but they had also used a plethora of Spirit Immortal Dream''s artefacts to dominate the sky, land and oceans. They possess boats that could travel underwater for significant amounts of time. They had control over flying wyverns that could reach altitudes that no one could ever hope to achieve, and finally¡­ The endless army of Umbras continued to protect their lands like dedicated soldiers. However, unlike their mortal peers, the Umbras could just respawn whenever they were killed. It was a nightmare for Raphael, who had failed to make any significant breakthroughs with his current armies. Though, it wasn''t all doom and gloom for the fledgeling Alliance. Youngsters were promoting at a staggering rate and were quickly replacing the positions of the old. Before a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre before the age of thirty was an astonishing feat. However, after the appearance of the Black Masks, the number of cultivators who reached that stage had nearly doubled. Additionally, there were monsters such as Shin and Kanari, who entered the Spirit Lord realm before twenty-five. The older generation members saw significant leaps as well. Many Spirit Kings and Emperors had passed away during the fight against the Black Masks, and that was a rude awakening call for the others. Centuries of peace had seen those in the upper realms live relatively comfortably, free from any mortal danger. Now, with the threat of the Black Masks, the world had changed drastically. Spirit Emperors, who would typically sit upon their thrones as an elder or a Clan Master, decided to get off their butts and desperately train. Governments were forced to innovate new methods, be it agriculture or pure weaponry, to deal with the Beast Hordes that the Black Masks could summon. Money was spent into the science and technology fields, led by the President of the Blacksmith''s League. They wanted to create new structures that could match the designs of Spirit Immortal Dream, or at the very least, reverse engineer the objects that the Black Masks boasted to find their weaknesses. The world seemed to be on edge. Each side, good and evil, were winding up their coils. They were building up their power, waiting for the next spark to ignite the all-out war. A lone man walked down the pathways of Mythpoint Reach. Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Tap¡­ The man''s footsteps echoed. He wasn''t unusually large, but he was tall and lean. The weight from his body was enough to turn heads around in the humongous facility. Umbras that were supposed to be on alert, simply ignored the man, while any humans who saw his mask all lowered their heads. The golden crescent moon was ever prominent, and the absurd mana that was pulsating out from his body choked the senses of those who dared come near him. The Kshatriya didn''t bother to observe the weaklings that stood by his side and continued his catwalk straight to the floating Payirci. Like its owner, this Payirci was rife with Water-Elements. However, unlike the oceanic Payirci in the Lantis Republic, this particular floating tower was filled with venomous serpents. Statues of cobra heads towered over the entrances of many doors, while numerous paths were smoked out with green fog. The man playfully picked up a pebble from the side of the road and gently threw it into the putrid green cloud. As anticipated, the small rock was unable to resist the atrocious properties of the fog and instantly melted away into black goo. "Poison akin to acid," the man remarked. "Senior Ao, is there a need to place your home in such morbid conditions?" The Kshatriya voice rang through the hallways like a resonant bell. There seemed to be no one present, but the man raised his voice all the same. He was undeterred by the dense poisonous gas and was only looking ahead, waiting for someone to answer his call. SSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A vibrant hiss came down, as if on cue, and the green fog slowly receded. At that moment, a tall figure emerged from the depths of the chambers. Blue wavy hair and boasting prominent features that would make any man cry with envy, the towering stud brushed off the green paste that stuck to his skin. "I have to be prepared, Junius." The World Serpent reached for a nearby bathrobe, to clean his sweat. Normally, he would turn into his Spirit Beast form to detoxify his body. However, since he had a guest, Ao opted to push that plan for a later hour. "That bitch from the Shenshe Clan actually tried to hunt me down. I still need a little more time before I can become a Primordial Beast. In the meantime, I have to gain more poison immunities." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Just a few months ago, the Shenshe Clan''s Spirit Saint, Shenshe Zemin, launched a search to find and destroy the World Serpent. And it wasn''t just the Spirit Saint that was out for his blood. The entire Shenshe Clan was mobilised, in the hopes of killing a serpent-type Tier 9 Spirit Beast for their own feasting. For them, the World Serpent was basically the most luxurious meal one could get to boost their cultivations. Their Spirit, the Champion of the Swamp, the Divine King Serpent, had an innate ability to create deadly venom that could erode rock and burn diamond. Ao had experienced it once before when Shenshe Zemin happened to stumble across him. Let''s just say¡­ It wasn''t a fun event for the World Serpent. "Hmmm, the Lantis Republic sure is fattening up," Junius stroked his hairless chin in amusement. "Oh, speaking of the Lantis Republic, another one of their Payircis had fallen." "Again?" Ao raised his brow. The last bit of poison was being purged from his body as sweat, and he quickly put on a new set of clothes in his signature oceanic blue colour. "That''s the second one this week. Did they figure out a new method of finding the Paradise Hearts?" "Unclear," Junius shrugged. "That''s why I''d come to visit. I was hoping that you could inform the Allfather. We need his clairvoyance during a time like this." The Kshatriya calmly asked for the Allfather''s assistance. A tall ask from someone at Rank 58, but it was a luxury that Junius could afford. Junius was the youngest Kshatriya the Black Masks had. Not only that, he was responsible for the development of the western regions and the transport of Spirit Beasts out of the Uncharted Wilderness. In essence, his role in the Black Masks was equivalent to that of an honorary general, or strategist. Junius was one of the few people that could make direct contact with one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts anytime he wanted. So, it made sense for him to request the Allfather''s assistance. Unfortunately... "No, the Allfather can''t casually move now." Ao shook his head. "At this juncture, the Allfather needs all the mana he can get. When the real war begins, he''ll need to face the Spirit Saints almost single-handedly. We can''t disturb him just because of some minor hiccups." "So what do you suggest?" "..." The World Serpent fell deep into thought. Ideally, the Allfather would provide the Black Masks with whatever information they needed. However, with that option gone, the Black Masks had to come up with some sort of improvisation. "How many Payircis are left in the Lantis Republic?" "Exactly thirteen!" Junius replied immediately as if he had a spreadsheet open in his head. "However, they''d all been discovered, and their Umbra population has been maintained. If the Lantis Republic has discovered a method to quickly find the Paradise Hearts, they would all be conquered in the span of a few days." "Mmmm¡­" The World Serpent grimaced. "The Lantis Republic has really exceeded all our estimations. Their explosive growth and superior developments¡­ Their growth in technology is unprecedented as well..." He thought back at the modified warships that exploded into life during a skirmish earlier in the year. They moved as quickly as speeding dolphins and had cannons that could match a Spirit Lord''s barrage. Furthermore, after Shin had ascended, oceanic Spirit Beasts had all turned against the Black Masks and defected straight to the new Prince''s camp. The monopoly that the criminal syndicate had on Spirit Beasts was slowly being chipped away by Shin''s new and improved Celestial Aura. "Junius, your younger brother is really going to be the death of me." "..." The viridian-haired man stayed silent. He looked somewhat disinterested about Shin''s triumphs. "If you lay down the order, I''ll dispatch a team to neutralise him myself." The World Serpent snorted, "I wish it were as simple as that. Allfather''s orders¡­ We can''t kill him. At most, we can disable or cripple him. Also, we can''t have you diving deep into the enemy base, particularly when Shin is protected by that Azure Dragon. The Black Masks aren''t some kind of suicide squad." "Okay..." Junius kept his neutral face, and no one could possibly hope to read him. Ao furrowed his brows together, and in the end, a deep sigh flowed out of his mouth. "There''s nothing that we can do. For now, let''s focus on delaying the forces of the Terre Continent. The Lantis Republic is a little too strong now. Call back half of our forces from the archipelago. Tell them to regroup and fortify our eastern front. Since we can''t beat them, let''s just protect ourselves first." The World Serpent ordered. "Ha!" Junius saluted with the most dignified poise he had. Just as he was about to leave, Ao''s mighty hand slithered onto the man''s shoulders and held Junius in place. "Wait," the blue-haired man said. The business-face of the World Serpent was washed away and replaced with a fatherly smile. "I have yet to congratulate you!" "About what?" Junius asked, slightly puzzled. "Both things!" Ao grabbed his protege by the shoulders and brought him in. "Your second baptism is all but confirmed. Soon, you''ll become a Rank 60 Brahmin! Also..." The World Serpent went into a nearby bag and pulled out a lovely wooden toy. It was a drum at the end of the stick with two small balls connected by a thread to its side. A classic craftsman toy made by humans. However, a mighty Tier 9 Spirit Beast had little use for that novelty, and there was only one reason why Ao would give Junius that gift... "Hehe, I heard about Shia! Congrats! You''re going to be a father!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 482 Hunting Payircis 4 "How did you find out?" Junius squinted as he questioned the World Serpent. It hasn''t been that long since the news broke and Ao has been stationed within Mythpoint Reach for quite some time now. It was a little odd for the beast to be informed this early on. The blue-haired man chuckled. His weighty hands slammed onto Junius'' shoulder and pressured him down a little. "Come on, how long have I known you and the Awter Clan? They tell me everything!" Ao jested. "Though I don''t know anything about what human babies are like, one of my subordinates created this toy. She said that her daughter once loved it, so I''m guessing it''ll be the same for your child!" "Thanks..." Junius gently took the toy rattle-drum and kept it in his bag. "Hehe, no need to thank me! Just treat it as a gift from Uncle Ao!" The World Serpent remarked, all of his pearly white teeth shown in full view. "So, what are you going to call your future child?" "It''s still too early," Junius toned down his voice, and the tips of his feet were pivoted towards the exit. He wanted to find a chance to escape, but his direct superior wasn''t going to let him off that easily. "Oh, come on! I''m sure that you had some ideas by now!" Ao nudged Junius'' ribs playfully. "You can tell me, I won''t spill the secret!" "It''s not like we''re trying to hide anything..." Junius sighed and rubbed the temples of his forehead. "Anyway, we should really focus on the matters at hand. If you may excuse me, I have some troops to recall now." The Black Mask bowed, ready to retreat at any moment now. Alas, the World Serpent wasn''t done. "Hold up!" Ao grabbed Junius by the wrist. "I changed my mind! We can''t have you risking your life in the Lantis Republic right now." Junius eyes flashed in panic. "Wait, Senior Ao! It''s not the first time that I''ve been sent into dangerous missions! I can handle this!" "It''s not like I distrust your ability to complete missions," Ao frowned. Gone was his uncle-like demeanour. It was now replaced with the dignity of a superior. "We just can''t lose talents during this critical conjuncture. Not to mention, you have a child on the way¡­ How about this, return to your family in the west and develop the Uncharted Wilderness like before. You''re the only one that can harvest seeds of the Soul Trees from Illusory Canyon now. We still need your expertise there." "Senior Ao!" Junius hollered, still in an angered protest. "If you think that I''ll be impaired just because I have a child on the way, I believe that you''re mistaken! I live to serve the Allfather! Shia and the rest of the Awter Clan members know that! We will be..." "Enough!" Ao''s voice boomed. An electric current ran down Junius'' spine as goosebumps stood all over his body. The World Serpent was just inches away from evolving into a Primordial Beast. There was no way that the Rank 58 Junius could resist his aura. "My decision is final. Go home and develop the area near the Tree of Illusions." "... Understood." Junius could only nod in surrender. Attaching himself to Ao had its benefits, but the demerits were there as well. With the Allfather asleep, Junius only had Ao as support. Thus, he was at the World Serpent''s mercy. If Ao wanted Junius to stand, he had to stand. If Ao wanted Junius to sit, he had to sit. That was the nature of their relationship. The World Serpent took a deep breath in, as he watched the slight grimace on the young Kshatriya. His tensed muscles relaxed just a little before a comfy hand grabbed onto Junius'' shoulders. "Junius, we all can see your faith towards the Allfather and the Black Masks. However, the best way to serve the Allfather is to remain living. You can''t do anything if you''re dead right?" Ao''s words sunk deep into Junius'' soul. Ever since he''d come out from the Illusory Canyon, Junius had been desperate to prove himself. Taking on high-risk missions, devising multiple plans as one of the leading strategists, and even personally coming to Mythpoint Reach, even though they were besieged on all sides by Alliance members. There was no question in the Black Masks'' minds that Junius had earned his spot at the top, despite his tender age. "Take a year or two to rest a little," Ao ordered. "You''ve done enough. The Allfather has told me many times that he''s pleased with your performance. However, no one can perform at their absolute peak for long periods of time. Develop the western lands while you spend some time with Shia. Pregnant women need all of the support that you can give them. Also, your future child will become a precious asset in the new world that the Allfather is about to create! You should at least spend some years with the infant!" "If that''s your wish..." Junius gave a solemn bow. In the end, he was just a subordinate to the Nine Coloured Noble Beast. There was nothing that he could do to change Ao''s mind¡­ ??? The Himmel Empire. The Imperial Palace. Cuckoo¡­ Cuckoo¡­ Sunrise. One of the most tiring time for any human to be awake. The moon was still in the backdrop, blocked by an array of grey, misty clouds. Milky stars from the heavens above disappeared as the world turned more and more orange. Fresh morning dew hit the adorable faces of the rabbits and birds that roamed freely in the Imperial Palace, waiting for the maids to prepare their breakfast. It was winter in the Lantis Republic, but the humid Imperial Palace that bordered close to the equator still experienced the heat of a never-ending summer. The air was crisp and the cool breeze of the night wholly dissipated. Anyone who trained under these circumstances would be drenched with sweat with just a hundred-metre dash. However, some people just didn''t care. Sheltered by a banyan tree, a silver-haired man swung his spear around with great ferocity. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The metallic spear created whirlwinds with every swing. Bits of glorious stardust flowed out from the elongated weapon, and each step was executed with needle-like precision. One thigh raised with another firmly attached to the floor, the young man struck his spear out once more. Beautiful illusory afterimages of the spear graced the courtyard, and the leaves that fell from the banyan tree were obliterated within seconds. The spearman wasn''t done. Channelling mana into his ankles and wrists, the man spun around twice and retreated from his original position at a speed untraceable by the human eye. The next millisecond, the silver-haired man was on the other side of the twenty-metre wide banyan tree. In his wake, thousands of cuts crisscrossed the mossy floor, showing the wide arc path he took. Once his move was completed, the spearman bent both of his knees down. One foot ahead of the other, he spun the spear until it was parallel to the ground at his waist. Mana flowed into the spear from his Spectre Soul, and a spectacular aura covered the entire field around him. HAAA!!! With a shout, the spearman unleashed a flurry of swings, created a dark, calamitous cyclone before him. A thousand, maybe ten thousand, swings were completed in the next ten seconds, destroying anything that stood in his path. Finishing his Calamitous Cyclone, the man used the momentum of that deadly attack to propel himself into the air. Spiritual energies were drained from the air, and the element didn''t matter. Earth, Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind, Light, Darkness, Mind, Space and Time. No matter what element it was, it was being drained rapidly by the mana-hungry silver spear in the spearman''s hands. Like a blender, the spear took in the elements and mixed them all into pure energy. The spear aura that the man was emitting became sharper and sharper until the world turned breathless at the sight of him. If there were anyone under the Spirit Spectre realm that was witnessing the pure energy of the spearman, they would unquestionably be dropping like flies. And in the end, like a dormant volcano that had been wound up for years, the spear erupted in absolute fury. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The entire courtyard broke in half. Literally. Stones flew everywhere as a slit divided the massive training ground in two. The banyan tree that he''d trained under was uprooted and utterly decimated while the ponds nearby had been wholly evaporated. The ground shook with immense fear, and the dust continued to billow out like ashen smoke. The spearman''s simple throw had actually created a mushroom cloud, reserved for the most devastating of explosions. If not for the barrier protecting this part of the Imperial Palace, the Imperials living here would have been rudely awakened before the sun had even graced the sky. Naturally, those who were more sensitive could roughly guess what was happening and woke up the same anyway. However, they quickly identified the cause and turned over to regain some shut-eye. They had long become used to the spearman''s training. More and more, the spearman showed off his techniques. Many were unrepeatable. He could move at a speed that was equivalent to that of breaking space with a teleport and smash with the force that generates earthquakes on the magnitude scale. The Wukong Style. Lasgeor Spearmanship. The Plum Blossom Spear. Space-Walk. So many martial arts were being displayed by the silver-haired man. His crystal-clear eyes flashed with immense understanding, and his movements flowed effortlessly. Power, speed, poise¡­ The man had it all. Up till the final strike, the spearman never ceased his endless dance. His complexion was red from being overheated, and his entire uniform was drenched with an ungodly amount of sweat. Still, the man continued to persevere. He was determined to finish this final dance, even if it meant taking his own life. The man''s spear continued to send crescent moons of pure energy out from its tip, and the dance slowly came to a close. He was so close to finishing his assessment. There was just one more hurdle in his path. Both feet on the ground, the spearman ceased everything abruptly. In¡­ Out¡­ In¡­ Out¡­ The intense heartbeat of his was being quelled somewhat by his calm and soothing breathing technique. The silver spear in his hands was now perpendicular to the ground that boasted a crater. ''Slowly¡­ Slowly¡­'' The man thought. He had to be patient. If he rushed this moment, he had to redo the entire procedure all over again. That was the last thing that the silver-haired spearman wanted. A hallucination of ten thousand valiant warriors appeared within the recesses of the spearman''s mind. Be it men or women, the army of soldiers all possessed a deadly aura of dominance around them. Whatever martial arts that they represented, they were the kings. Spear, swords, bows, fist, footwork¡­ Anything¡­ They were the king¡­ So what did that make the man who towered over them? The silver-haired spearman brought all of his mana onto the table, and a billion particles dominated the land surrounding him. The fatigue that he''d accumulated throughout the night seemingly vanished as a new pressure fell upon his shoulders. Everything boiled down to the final few moves he had left¡­ BOW!!! The first strike. A phantom spear pierced through the air, seemingly weak as compared to the spearman''s other hits. However, it was anything but soft. If anyone below the Spirit Spectre realm were to be on the receiving end of that attack, they would undoubtedly have their entire organs ripped out from their bodies, and their blood would evaporate entirely. BOOOOWWWW!!! BOOOOWWWW!!! BOOOOWWWW!!! The second attack was much the same. And so was the third and fourth one. Visually, not spectacular. However, not a single soul wanted to be standing in the middle of that attack. BOOOOOOOWWWWW!!! VVVVVVVVWWWWRRROOOWWWW!!! Spectral elements shot out like wildfire, melting everything and anything in its path. It continued on for a dozen more strikes. Each one showing more power compared to the last. They were all strikes that would kill in one shot or at the very least, mortally wound. On and on it went until the spearman finally felt his mana dwindle. Still, before he dropped, he wanted to make one final move count¡­ The spear extended out and spear aura seeped into the rocky ground. Mana left the spearman like an open tap, and the earth rumbled even louder than before. Cracks formed on the surface and dust began to rotate wildly. The spearman''s outstretched arm trembled as the weight on his spear seemingly increased a million-fold. Still, the man endured. He had to. The Art of Himmel hasn''t concluded yet. He had to hold on. And then¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The entire earth before the spearman was flung up in the same direction as his spear. The sun was blocked by the immense dust and mud rained down from the heavens. Spiritual energy continued to flow out of the man and continued to make an updraft in the land before him. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The silver-haired man fell to the floor. His body was spent. The spiritual energy that he''d spent so hard to accumulate was gone. His superior physical body that could run a thousand marathons was sore and broken. And his mind was anything but lucid. Still, the spearman couldn''t help but put on a smile. He did it. He had finally achieved his goal! "Good job, Isadore..." An elderly, leather-faced man walked over from the side. His silver hair was combed entirely back, and his wrinkled face broke out into a rare smile. "You passed the test," he continued. "You''ve become a master of ten thousand and one different styles! Congratulations on becoming the second-best martial artist in the world!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 483 The East Freezes 1 Isadore''s back was laid flat on the floor, and every fibre of his being was screaming out in pain. He panted like a dog, pumping as much oxygen as he could into his brain. The spearman had spent all of his energy to simply survive that final combination, and there wasn''t a single spot on his body that wasn''t sore. Still, Isadore smiled. He looked right at the leathery-faced man with a beaming expression. "Hah¡­ I really did it..." Isadore''s voice was weak, but oddly enough, there was a strong determination hidden within it. "Yes, you did," The Himmel Ancestor replied. "Mastering 10,001 styles would always be challenging, especially the Art of Himmel. I''m surprised you even finished learning them all before fifty!" The elderly man continued to rain down, praises on the youth. Martial arts weren''t like spiritual abilities that could be created or learnt via hereditary opuscules. Yes, one could learn the right way to punch in a single session. However, it took tens of thousands of punches for one to reach the level of a master. Fast learners could learn a martial art in a year, while slower people might take decades. Not only that, the foundations of the martial artist had to be stable for the art to work. Hence, even though there were millions of martial artists in the world, only a handful ever could hope to reach the level of a master. Shin was a prodigy, and even with his comprehension ability, he could only become a master in a few martial arts. The Lightning Swallow Steps, Divine Needle Binding and Seismic Combinations, were one of the few martial arts that Shin would dare call himself a master. In fact, adding all the martial arts he''d learned from both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic, Shin was only a master in twenty. So, for Isadore to become a master in ten thousand and one martial arts¡­ One could only imagine the determination and talent the youth must have possessed. "I remember when I was your age, I was barely at the six thousand mark." The Himmel Ancestor stroked his chin. "You can stand tall as the second-best martial artist in the world now!" "Thank you, Ancestor!!!" Isadore wanted to kowtow in respect, but his legs were far from ready. They were completed drained of energy, and he was forced to stay on the floor with all four of his limbs spread out. Isadore was in an unsightly position, but that didn''t change his drive. He pivoted his head to the side and stared the Himmel Ancestor right in the eyes. During his early years, Isadore hated his life. Every day, he was confined in a small area, forced to train tirelessly no matter if it were rain or shine. He barely had any contact with the outside world. The only friends that he had were the Royal Family and honoured children of Dukes. His daily routine was a repeat of training his physical body and honing his martial arts. Day in, day out, that was the only thing that Isadore knew. As a child, Isadore loathed his situation. He trained endlessly while the other children were free to play. He was closed off from the outside world and wasn''t able to socialise like the others. Isadore longed for connection. So, when he was seven-years-old, Isadore forcibly made a few. He started off small and brought the palace maids to his side. Being servants from a lower class, the maids had no choice but to listen to Isadore''s demands. The young boy ordered many of them to bring in books and sweets from the outside world, a move that was completely banned by the Himmel Ancestor. However, Isadore didn''t care. He longed for a connection with the world beyond the palace walls. The first time a maid brought in a tasty sweet doughnut, Isadore''s entire life changed. For the first time in his young life, he''d seen something completely foreign. The palace meals were luxurious, and all, but nothing could beat the exotic feeling of experiencing something new. Soon, Isadore became addicted. He wanted to gain more access to the outside world, but the Himmel Ancestor''s restriction on him was too tight. Thus, Isadore continued to buy new allies. First, it was the palace maids. Then, it was the eunuchs that served directly under him and his cousins. The palace guards also joined the fray. Bit by bit, Isadore created an information network with over a hundred whisperers under his command. As the young Prince grew up, he started to understand more about how the Imperial Palace worked. The one that sat on top was the Himmel Ancestor. He was the true sovereign of the land, and no one dared to question his authority. Next, surprisingly enough, was the Empress Dowager. The Imperial Emperor may have dominion over the entire Empire, but within the four walls of the palace, the Empress Dowager was king. If the Himmel Ancestor didn''t object, the Empress Dowager was free to control the palace and commit to any changes that she wanted. At the bottom of the barrel, were the Emperor and his direct descendants. The Princes, Princesses, and even the current Empress herself. They were all beneath the whims of the Himmel Ancestor and the Empress Dowager. So, it was fortunate for Isadore that his direct master was the Himmel Ancestor and the Empress Dowager was his grandaunt. Isadore realised the power of his connections and began to utilise them in creative ways. He expanded his network like a spider spinning its web, and in just five years, Isadore''s personal information network had become big enough to match Spion within the Palace. No, in many ways, it surpassed Spion. Isadore knew what rotations the guards had, the Emperor''s favourite location to rest¡­ Even scandalous details like which maid was sleeping with which guard. Everything was under Isadore''s scrutiny. It was the one luxury that Isadore could enjoy. In the life of the caged bird, the connections that he made gave Isadore a glimpse into the outside world. However, Isadore wasn''t done. He had a revelation very early on in his life. Isadore wanted to see the world, but there was only so much his two legs could carry him. Isadore could live to a thousand years old, and he would still be unable to witness every single rock, every single puddle that the beautiful world possesses. However, with an information network, Isadore could know everything and anything at the same time. Why travel a million kilometres when his web of information could do it for him? So, Isadore had a dream. A dream to create the world''s largest information agency. It was a dream that was heavily contested, particularly by the Himmel Ancestor. As far as he was concerned, Isadore was his heir. The only person that could inherit the Spirit of Himmel and dominate the Empire in his place. Whenever there was life, there would be death. No matter how powerful the Spirit Saint was, his time will come eventually. To make matters worse, those that inherit the Spirit of Himmel would be faced with a lifelong curse. A curse that made them unable to ascend into the Immortal Realm. Therefore, the Himmel Ancestor was adamant on training Isadore to become the best heir that he could possibly be. Isadore was the same. After Shin left for the Lantis Republic, Isadore realised the only way for him to achieve his dream, was to humour the Himmel Ancestor that was breathing down his neck. Instead of resisting the change, Isadore would give the Himmel Ancestor what he wanted. The young man trained ten times harder, forgoing any luxuries that he had. Learning from Shin, Isadore spent every waking hour training. Since he didn''t possess his bosom friend''s superior comprehension ability, Isadore had to put in the hours. Every waking hour that Isadore had was spent with his spear. Mastering one martial art took decades, and there were no shortcuts. Isadore had to commit his blood, sweat and tears into his art. Furthermore, there was the immense challenge he had with the Art of Himmel. If an ordinary martial art took decades to master, the Art of Himmel required at least a century of training. Alas, Isadore couldn''t wait that long. Fortunately, he had started his training as early as he could walk, and his foundations were long solid. Not to mention, he had the personal guidance of the Himmel Ancestor, the man that had been through all the trials and tribulations that Isadore was currently going through. Isadore hated the man that stood before him. However, he was also grateful for his intense tutelage. Now, barring the Himmel Ancestor, Isadore could stand toe-to-toe with any martial artist in the world. Heck, he could even defeat anyone that was within his cultivation range if he played his card right! And that was with his handicap of being able to only use one spiritual ability! Thus, even though Isadore had cursed the Himmel Ancestor many times before, he couldn''t bring himself to do that now. "Now that you''ve mastered 10,001 martial arts, you''ll be able to defend yourself against any Spirit User," the old man continued. "You truly are worthy of the Spirit of Himmel." Isadore suddenly felt a bolt of lightning flow through his body. Those words¡­ The Himmel Ancestor had never said those words before. Cautiously, Isadore picked himself up from the ground. "Now¡­ Can I unleash the Spirit Of Himmel?" Isadore asked, his voice shaking somewhat. "Mmmm, it''s time," the Himmel Ancestor replied with a radiant smile. "The 10,001 martial arts that I''d told you to master¡­ They will become the cornerstone for your Spirit of Himmel in the future." The Himmel Ancestor waved his hand out, and a slow astral mist flowed out from his palms. From the outside, it looked like the old man was creating a grey smoke line as if he were a chimney. Isadore''s entire complexion that had been reddened by his internal organs overheating was now reverting back to its original state. That wasn''t all. His emptied Spectre Soul, which should have been void of mana, was starting to burst out in radiant light. "This is..." Isadore could feel his strength returning to him. In just a few seconds, the young man was able to get back onto his feet. "We share the same type of mana. Sharing a little with you isn''t all that difficult," the leathery-faced old man replied in a low monotone. "The Spirit of Himmel¡­" The same grey light rushed out from the Himmel Ancestor and started to congregate itself into the same spear that Isadore had by his side. The upper end of the spear was bound with a thick metallic chain. Every so often, the spear would pulsate in a frenzy, as if there were a mystical beast being sealed within. "Unleashing the Spirit of Himmel at such a tender age¡­ There are some risks involved¡­ Your mana pool isn''t deep enough, and your soul might not be able to handle the tremendous weight of the ability." The Himmel Ancestor warned. "Do you still want to continue?" Isadore stared blankly at the old man. It was the first time the Himmel Ancestor had ever given him a choice when it came to training. Still, from the very start, there was only one answer to that question. ''Shin¡­ I''m still far too weak to rejoin you now...'' Isadore thought about his friend, who had shot through into the stratosphere in the three years that he was gone. No, not just him. Kanari, Shizen, Elrin, Ella and Emma. They were once a unit that was even matched with one another. Now, it was just Kanari and Shin towering over everyone else. If Isadore wanted to reunite their little group, he had to become far stronger than he was now. Isadore closed his eyes and took one deep breath in. He picked up the Spirit of Himmel that lay by his side, and resolution filled his entire soul. There was only one path for him. And that was forward. "Let''s begin." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 484 The East Freezes 2 The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Shin''s Manor. The Lantis Republic had countless of palatial buildings. From the castles of the Eight Water Clans to the government buildings that were housed right on Celestial Island. They were built by the best craftsmen and architects of their time. Enormous paradises of free-flowing fountains and angelic sculptures would fill the land, making the palaces some of the most luxurious that Shin had ever seen. However, the Lantis Republic wasn''t done. Shin''s Manor. A simple lodging for a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, it was not. Once Shin had evolved his Sovereign Koi into the Celestial Dragon, the High Council immediately ordered the construction of the Republic''s grandest palace. Over a hundred thousand gold was dedicated to the building of the structure, which lasted only a year. Although Shin had heavily resisted spending that much money on his own lodging, particularly when the Alliance was in the midst of a war with the Black Masks, he couldn''t beat the Lantis Republic''s drive and negotiators. Most of the money went into the defences and facilities of the manor. Reinforced walls laced with mana crystals protected Shin and those that lived with him from any harm. Training facilities that would make Imperius Academy''s courtyards seem like the orphan''s training room back in the Frie Clan were also built masterfully in Shin''s honour. Finally, the most crucial bit, the Lantis Republic had spent good money to create a cool brick quadrangle where Shin could administer his aura for others to train in. Which was what the youth was doing now¡­ Mmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn¡­ A low hymn resonated through the human-packed courtyard. Over two hundred people, mostly young men and women, were seated comfortably in a lotus position on top of numerous cultivation mats. There were many familiar faces among the crowd. Meijing Bingying, Qilong Hu, Xunyu Feifei, Jingyu Taiyi and Longyu Linji were all present. Those that Shin brought from the Himmel Empire were also in deep meditation. Kanari, Ella, Emma and Kesyl. And the event wasn''t just limited to Spirit Spectres and Lords. Longyu Hai, the Longyu Clan''s granddaughter who had served Shin as a squire, was also present. For Shin, those that were selected to train under his aura were all familiar faces. However, there was one stark difference from the week before. The familiar brown-haired youngster that usually sat near the front was no longer there... The cultivators were wholly ignorant of Shin''s mental state. They were all engrossed in their own situations. Some were chanting their personal cultivation mantras. Some were simply taking deep breaths in, enjoying the cold, snowy day. For the most part, they were doing whatever made them the most comfortable. However, they all had one thing in common. They were all greedily absorbing the elements that Shin was releasing. The black-haired man in the centre of the quadrangle continued to meditate, absorbing and releasing as many elements as he possibly could. Typically, a session with Shin would last two, maybe three hours. However, today, the man was pushing himself beyond his limits. Shin''s face was beet red and filled with sweat as the Celestial Dragon danced around his body. It was slightly worried for its master, but it didn''t want to interfere with his hard work. Naturally, if it reached a tipping point, the Spirit would intervene. However, Shin wasn''t there quite yet. The Domain of Dreams, imbued with the Celestial Dragon''s Aura continued to tingle the imaginations of the cultivators that surrounded them. Shin''s desire to push farther than he ever did before only served to benefit them. Their cultivation rate rose drastically as the elements danced in complete euphoria. It was a festival of spiritual energy. The spiritual density in the land was no less than that of an Empyrean Wonder. No, if you consider how Shin''s aura could cater to any type of element, it far surpassed that of any Empyrean Wonder. It truly was the best cultivation site in the world. Shin only spent two hours a week in this quadrangle, and the cultivators on the site knew that quite well. Thus, they had to make use of every opportunity that they had. "Phew..." After four gruelling hours of constantly releasing mana into the atmosphere, Shin''s entire being came to a halt. His face was flushed red, and his body was trembling with sore spots littered all over his body. The thick winter coat that kept him warm backfired as it became an internal oven that baked his innards. He disrobed and threw all of his outer coatings onto the floor, leaving only a thin, cotton shirt and a breathy pair of sweatpants. The first person to arrive was the young Longyu Hai, who was cultivating faithfully while keeping an eye out on the young man. She picked up the thrown clothes in a hurry and was ready with her signature white towel to wipe the sweat off the young man. However, before Longyu Hai could move one step further, a black-haired woman stood up from her position, her face full of worry. Knowing her place, the young girl simply smiled and took a step back. "Shin, are you okay?" Kanari rushed over and held the man by the chest. Her gentle touch calmed the accelerating heartbeat of the young Prince and the mana she provided gave Shin a chance to finally relax. "Yeah¡­" The man gingerly opened his eyes. "Hah¡­ Looks like I overextended myself today¡­ I didn''t expect how much mana could be lost..." Shin laughed off his mistake. Kanari''s tense expression eased just a little. She took a deep breath in before connecting both her middle finger and thumb together. Ignoring the gazes of the two hundred pairs of eyes, the woman gave Shin''s forehead a big flick. "Hey!" The young man protested the hit. Shin''s thick skull and superior resistance ensured that he didn''t feel that much pain from the forehead flick, but it was embarrassing to be hit in front of two hundred cultivators, many of them influential figures as well. "Shin, I understand that you''re feeling a little blue, but you can''t let that determine how you cultivate!" Kanari admonished her lover like the wife she was becoming. "It''s not like you won''t get to see Shizen again anyway!" The black-haired girl hit the nail on the head, and a sombre smile appeared on the young man''s lips. "Sorry¡­" That was the only answer the Prince could give. An apology for his brash actions. "Tsk, come here!" Kanari blinked twice at the adorable face that Shin was giving out. It was as if she was reprimanding a golden retriever puppy that understood its guilt and was only able to pout and beg for forgiveness. Kanari couldn''t be mad at him for long. Bringing Shin into her arms, the woman turned around towards the elderly butler that stood just three metres away from the podium. "Senior Zishen, you can dismiss the crowd. Also, cancel all the plans for today and tomorrow. Shin needs time to rest." "Leave it to me," Zishen naturally bowed. The crowd could only watch helplessly as the two disappeared back into their chambers with the Azure Dragon faithfully carrying out the ethereal beauty''s orders. "Kanari has really solidified her spot as the Mistress of the Manor..." Meijing Bingying giggled. The Azure Dragons took orders from no one but the bloodline of the Celestial Dragon. Thus, for Kanari to command them, it could only mean one thing. They had already recognised her as the future spouse of the master. Or more importantly¡­ The future mother to carry on the Celestial Dragon''s bloodline. "Hah¡­ The High Council must be kicking themselves in the butt now..." Qilong Hu remarked with a hapless smile. "They''d tried so many times to seduce Shin. How many girls had been thrown into his room now?" Jingyu Taiyi leapt forward with the grin of a jester. "Do you really want to know the number? I actually have a live count!" "Hmph, you''re going to just tell us anyway!" Longyu Linji joined in the fun. "Hehe, you know me so well!" The man chuckled. "Adding the few from the week-long orientation he''d spent in the Longyu Clan, they had sent a hundred and seventy-two women into his chambers alone now! Young, old, it didn''t matter. I think they drained the pool of maidens that within the Lantis Republic already. Even I would have been tempted." Jingyu Taiyi couldn''t believe that Shin resisted all those women without batting a single eyelid. Especially since he was at his peak testosterone level. "They really tried their best to seduce the lion. Alas, the lion only has eyes for one lioness..." "No¡­" Meijing Bingying shook her head. "Shin still hasn''t taken the final step with Kanari, yet..." "What?! There''s no way!" Xunyu Feifei gasped, her two hands covering her mouth. "I''d heard that they''re already sharing a chamber!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. The Luminaries were either thirty or close to thirty by now. Qilong Hu and Xunyu Feifei were even engaged while the other three had plenty of experiences with relationships. So, they weren''t strangers to talks about sex. They were all quite perplexed that the couple who were at the peak of their prime hadn''t taken the final step just yet. "Are they waiting for marriage?" Qilong Hu hypothesised. "Apparently so," Meijing Bingying quickly replied. "Hmmm, I''d never thought that Shin possessed such a traditional mindset¡­ I''d thought that he had some liberal ideas..." Jingyu Taiyi frowned as he thought back on his many conversations with the youth. "There''s a complicated history behind that..." Meijing Bingying sighed. She knew the full story about Ariel and Shin. She also knew how deeply Kanari cared for Shin. Although Bingying was rooting for Kanari, she could tell that the relationship Shin had with Ariel wasn''t shallow. Furthermore, it wasn''t her story to spread. "I''ll tell you that another time." The woman abruptly changed the topic and turned her attention to Qilong Hu, who had become her right-hand man in the Lantis Paladins. "Have you prepared the team for tomorrow?" Bingying questioned in a formal tone. Taking a cue, Qilong Hu responded with a firm salute. "Yes, Ma''am! All of the members are ready to deploy at any moment!" "Good..." The blue-haired woman nodded. "With the Payircis falling so quickly, there''s bound to be some response by the Black Masks. Whether they retreat or send in reinforcements, we have to make sure that our borders are secure. Over the next few months, we''ll be staying there for quite some time. So be prepared!" "Yes, Ma''am!!!" Bingying watched as the four Luminaries scurried out of the training courtyard to return back to say goodbye to their families. The everlasting white snow continued to drop down from the heavens, calm as can be. Was it a sign of things to come? Only time could tell... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 485 The East Freezes 3 The Lantis Sea. The Nineteenth Artificial Island. Swoooooooooooshhhhhhhh¡­ Swoooooooooooshhhhhhhh¡­ Waves as gentle as a calm, summer breeze flowed upon the beach of the island. Snow continued to fall from the heavens, filling the limited ground that the isle had. However, this enclave wasn''t like the others. Spreading ten-kilometres in diameter, the island was armed to the teeth. Cannons, fortifications, sentry towers, divinely tall fortified walls¡­ They were all present on this island. Trees were null and void within the walls of the brick, prison-like fort and the lights were pulsing out, searching for any sign of life in the dark waters. One might wonder, how could such an island form in the middle of the vast sea? The answer was quite simple actually. It was created. The Lantis Republic has always been a technological powerhouse. Ever since the last Great War, they realised how vulnerable they were from the forces of the Terre Continent. Other than the ocean, there was no natural protection from their armies. If their enemies built a significant navy, they could sail right into their Capital undetected and wreak havoc however they wished. So, the maritime nation sought to change that. They used the technologies of their time to artificially gather sand and soil to create entirely new islands to create a divide between the Terre Continent and the Lantis Archipelago. Some were used as harbours for passenger or merchant ships to dock while their contents would be checked. But for the most part, the line of islands served as military bases for the Lantis Navy. If there were any funny business at their borders, the Lantis Navy would use the artificial islands as a buffer to protect the mainland. Meijing Bingying stood silently on the tallest watchtower of the island. Her eyes were scanning the entire ocean that lay before the structure. The sun was obscured by dark, grey clouds and the scary whistling of winter winds dominated her eardrums. The sea was calm, but the sky was not. Flashes of lightning, followed by the roaring crackle of thunder broke the world in half. "You should return back to safety," a calming voice called to Meijing Bingying. Glancing over her shoulder, Bingying could see Qilong Hu walking up from the watchtower''s stairwell holding onto a thin piece of yellow parchment. "Once it rains, it''ll be hard to see through the thick sheets of grey anyway. Leave it to the experienced sentries." The man continued to persuade Bingying. "Yeah, just give me five minutes..." The Commander shook her head with a bitter smile. "I can''t just let my subordinates do all the heavy work while I sit back and relax right?" Qilong Hu raised his brow and shot the woman a confused look. "Haha, even the Rear Admiral isn''t as vigilant as you are! It''s just our first week here! You should take some time and get used to the environment." "As if it were that easy..." Bingying replied, her voice as cold as the snow that surrounded her. The Nineteenth Artificial Island was a secondary command post for the Lantis Navy. Manned by a Rank 70 Rear Admiral, three Battleship Captains and ten Commanders, the artificial island was by far the most guarded in the area. "Don''t you think that the Black Masks are being too silent? We wrecked half of their Payircis already, and have yet to do anything yet. There''s no way that those cold-blooded criminals are that kind!" "You think that they''re amassing their forces for an invasion?" Qilong Hu asked back. "Precisely¡­" The Commander nodded. "We''re long overdue for a full-on battle. The Black Masks are zealots that don''t care about life or death. They only care to serve the perverted wills of the Allfather, whatever they may be. So, we have to be prepared for any situation." History had shown how dangerous the Black Masks could be, particularly when they were executing the Allfather''s orders. Suicide attacks had become the norm with the Black Masks and their dispensable army, the Dalits, were becoming more and more drunk on power by the second. It had degraded into a situation where they would willingly jump into the ocean if it were their superior''s wish. Naturally, every single human on planet earth was disgusted by the Black Masks and their means. The three superpowers had formulated numerous strategies to prevent their people from joining that degenerate organisation, but somehow, the Black Masks were still able to grow. Therefore, the Lantis Republic had to be prepared. Or at the very least have a few thousand troops on hand just in case something goes awry. "I''ll just keep watch here for a few more minutes¡­ Just to get used to the ocean surrounding us for now." Bingying, like many trained professionals from the Lantis Republic, could identify even the slightest differences in the ocean. Whether the waves were too high or too low. Whether the temperatures were in line with the norm. So, it was quite easy for Bingying to spot problematic areas, given her high vantage point. And to find, she did... Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ All of a sudden, bubbles began to form on the surface of the distant oceans. Among the endless waves and tremendous volume of water, a few bubbles didn''t mean much. It could have been a shoal of fish swimming by or a Sperm Whale fighting a Colossal Squid, creating all sorts of disruptions. However, Bingying has spent many years on sea. She could clearly tell the difference between those bubbles and regular ones produced naturally. Zooming in, the Lantis Paladin Commander focused all of her spiritual senses upon that one patch of ocean. "Lieutenant Commander Hu, send a reconnaissance boat over! We might have something on our hands!" Bingying barked. "Yes, Ma''am!" Although Qilong Hu was a little sceptical as well, he still obliged his superior''s orders. He leapt down from the tower and floated down straight onto the northern port. At the same time, he sent a signal for his team to immediately dispatch. There was no need to send warships to scout. Instead, the man ordered his subordinates to get into a speedy recon boat, powered by the same engines that were used in Aether Cars as he watched from the safety of the shores. The boats blasted through the rapid waves and were racing towards the anomaly.All the while, Bingying looked down from her high watchtower. Often times, she would send messages back to the command centre via the sentry that was stationed here, but otherwise, the newly promoted Commander would continue to monitor the situation, ready to intervene if it was truly needed. "What is that?" The Commander thought of the various possibilities. On the inside, she hoped that her eyes were deceiving her and there wasn''t truly an enemy around. Still, her professional mind was digging up as many clues as it possibly could. The reconnaissance boat edged closer and closer towards the oddity, water spraying all over. A naval officer stood right at the edge of the ship. In his hands, a harpoon was ready to be unleashed the moment something pops out of the ocean. The other soldiers were also on alert. Their weapons out and senses heightened. Though it was just an ad-hoc mission, the professionalism of the team was top-notch. They followed all sorts of protocol when investigating an unknown element. First, they attempted to cordon the area off, preventing anything from coming in or out. Then, they sent their spiritual senses into the depths, hoping to find any sort of irregular life. Only when the coast was clear, did the operatives start to slowly intrude upon the oddity. Alas¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! A deafening blow echoed through the area as a protruding impact, akin to that of a geyser, soared towards the skies. Those that were watching the whole ordeal immediately leapt back, stunned by the sudden one-to-hundred turn of events. Endless water droplets sprayed out onto the island, turning the snowy weather into a rainy one. "T-that!" Meijing Bingying, being the farthest person away from the explosion, could see exactly what had transpired. The bubbles were calm and gentle in the beginning. However, the moment after it was quarantined, a large shadow suddenly surfaced. Before the officers on the boat could do anything, it was far too late. "Damn it!" Bingying rushed towards the communications device right by the watchtower and immediately screamed into the mechanism. "RED ALERT! RED ALERT!!! We''re under attack! I repeat! We''re under attack!" The woman continued to eye the surrounding oceans as she unsheathed the Spectral Reaver Blade. She wanted to keep the base posted about any changes to their surroundings while they were preparing to deploy more men to the oceans. And then¡­ Bingying saw it¡­ A long metallic objected, taking the form of an elongated tube, arose from the pits of the ocean. It looked like a ship, and yet it was not. It seemed to be man-made, but no one has ever witnessed a structure like that before. And most importantly¡­ There were odd ballistic arrows, with reddened tips surrounding it on all sides. The structure didn''t care about Bingying''s shock and fear. Instead, it did what it was meant to do¡­ Peeeewwwww¡­ Peeeewwwww¡­ Peeeewwwww¡­ The ballistas all took off from the submerged ship and whistled through the afternoon sky. They were propelled up to fifty metres in the air, bypassing all the walls that the artificial island had. As the potential energy wears off, all that was left was for gravity to do its work. Since the Lantis Republic wasn''t expecting any aerial raids, they hadn''t secured their air space with anti-air ranged weapons. Thus, the naval officers could only watch helplessly as the huge three-metre long red arrows fell upon the fortified base. BOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!! The entire fort trembled. Explosions became the common theme in the supposedly reinforced military facility, and the damages started to mount at a rapid rate. Though it was mostly contained in the bay area, where the ships were docked, and the central brain of the fort was fine¡­ For now that is... "W-What?" Bingying instantly lost her marbles and nearly dropped the communication device. It wasn''t just the sudden appearance of the new vehicle or the colossal damage that it had done to the Lantis Navy''s ships. There was something else that had tipped Bingying off¡­ Ssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttt!!! More and more shadows gathered to the surface, and they slowly began to reveal themselves. The same type of submersible tube, carrying the exact same weapons, made their presence known. They were besieged on all sides. There was no way to escape. Before the soldiers on the artificial island had the chance to regroup and brainstorm, a rain of red rain dazzled the glorious sky. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Bingying felt her blood run cold as she witnessed the crimson arrows whistling down right at the central base. Leaping out from the watchtower, the Pearl in the East was forced to take to the skies, while dodging as many arrows as she possibly could. The same was applied to those who were above the Spirit Spectre realm. They quickly identified the cause of the explosions and made enormous strides to evade as many of them as they could. Even if it meant abandoning the base that they were deployed to protect. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! Countless of explosions coloured the landscape, turning the snowy islands into a pit fiery red flames. The Spirit Spectres, Lords, Kings and Emperors all looked down at the artificial island, their faces as white as the snow that fell. Some flew straight at the foreign objects, hoping to take down a few of them. Alas¡­ The damage was already done. The warships that were docked at the pier were now all ruined, engulfed in flame and riddled with holes. The artificial island that was being supported by the flimsy dirt and sand that was congregated from the mainland was now on the brink of sinking. And tragically¡­ Those below the Spirit Spectre realm¡­ Those valiant soldiers that took the plunge to serve their nation faithfully¡­ Had all become victims of the deadly assault. For the first time in hundreds of years¡­ The most professional navy in the world¡­ Lost a naval battle... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 486 The East Freezes 4 Celestial Island. Jerack Port. "Hurry up with the healers! We have many injured here!!!" A scream bellowed through the crowd of curious onlookers, many of them seasoned marines of their own right. Jerack Port, just like many others on Celestial Island, was a well-equipped military base. They had a dock where over a dozen warships could be anchored, possessed numerous weaponry and a state-of-the-art medical facility. Thousands of the Lantis Navy''s most talented men and women were stationed here. The base was also protected by three Spirit Emperors, and two Senior Healers were stationed permanently here. However, even the Healers were being overwhelmed by the sheer number of casualties that were being sailed over. "Excuse me, coming through!" Shin meandered through the dense crowd, with Bingbing stationed right on his shoulders. Zishen, his Azure Dragon guard, was running close behind. Right after hearing the news, the Prince of Celestial Island leapt out from his cultivation chambers and flew straight to the harbour. A loss of this size was unprecedented in the modern era. However, Shin didn''t really care about that. He had only one worry to quell right now¡­ Eyeing down the commanding admiral, Shin flew straight towards the man with an ashen face. "Rear Admiral!" he cried. "Prince!" The middle-aged man turned around and felt his body jerk backwards. On paper, Shin may only be a lieutenant; however, his actual status was far beyond that. If push comes to shove, the young man could steal the command reigns off the Fleet Admiral of the Navy. An amazing feat, to say the least. Thus, there was no way that the Rear Admiral would dare to cross Shin, even though he was at least fifty years younger. "What brings you to Jerack Port?" "I''d heard that Sister Bingying¡­ No, Commander Meijing Bingying''s base has been compromised!" Shin went off with the small amount of information that he had. "Is she okay?" "Ah, that..." Before the Rear-Admiral could give a reply, a blue-haired figure sauntered out from the command post. Her hair was unkempt and face ghastly pale. It hadn''t even been a day, and the woman seemed like she had lost a tremendous amount of weight. "Sister Bingying!" Shin cried in relief. The woman seemed to be in a broken state, but at least she survived. Shin''s feet moved automatically, leaving the Rear Admiral behind without a salute and zigzagged his way through the crowd. Bingying had her hand firmly plastered on her forehead, trying to suppress the throbbing headache that was sending her consciousness into disarray. "Oh, Shin¡­ You''re here..." Barely able to make out the visage of the young man, Bingying weakly said his name. "Yeah, I''m here! Hold on!" Shin, being the healer he was, noticed the oddity in Bingying''s movements. He gently placed his left hand on the woman''s forehead, and a wave of spiritual energy pulsated out from his centre. Shin quickly did a simple scan, trying to find any oddities in Bingying''s physical state. Fortunately, there was nothing to be found. Bingying''s current state was completely fine. It was just her mental state that had taken the hit. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. Still, Shin sent in some healing mana just to be certain. The woman felt her entire soul being rejuvenated by the smooth, transient spiritual energy that Shin was providing. Shin didn''t have a method to mend the trauma of the mind, but he sure did have a way of making his patients feel comfortable. Which was what Bingying was feeling at this moment. "Thanks..." The Pearl in the East weakly said. "No problem," Shin didn''t mind the soft voice of Bingying. He understood how deadly of a situation she had just escaped from. Which brought Shin to his next question. "So, what happened in the Nineteenth Artificial Island?" "..." Bingying bit the lower part of her lip as her face flushed red. All of the crazy memories of the submerged vehicles soon came running back to her mind. Their reddened tips that brought forth endless death and destruction. The rapid movements that the boats possessed. The Spirit Beasts that leapt out of the water like angry salmon afterwards and completely decimated what remained of the naval base¡­ Everything came back to her at that very moment. Bingying''s face was ghastly and white. She felt fear and a tremendous amount of grief for those that were unfairly forced to depart from this world. However, her face of white quickly turned into one of complete red. Steam flowed out of her ears, and her two knuckles were clenched white. "Those fucking Black Masks¡­ They launched a surprise attack on us!" The woman cursed to the heavens. "That I know," Shin tried his best to get some information from the agitated woman. Alas, it was easier said than done. It took the collective effort of Bingbing and him to quickly bring her into a more tranquil state. "How many Black Masks were there? What did those metallic tubes look like? The Spirit Beasts¡­ What is their average rank?" Shin pressed on for answers. "Dozens, maybe even a hundred." Bingying slowly answered all of Shin''s questions, making sure that the Prince of the Lantis Republic was thoroughly informed. At the very end, she turned to the Rear-Admiral, who was standing patiently nearby. "Sir! Have the Navy figured out what the Black Masks purpose is?" The Rear Admiral stepped forward like a servant, entirely unlike what an officer of his calibre should do. Alas, he was facing the future heir of the Meijing Clan and the Prince of the entire Lantis Republic. It was a wise move from him to want to fade into the background. "After the Nineteenth Artificial Island had fallen, we''ve found thousands of abnormalities within our borders, mostly concentrated near places where the Payircis are.," the Rear Admiral reported in one breath. "Elaborate," Shin nonchalantly urged him on. Forcing back the spine-tingling sensation he was having, the Rear-Admiral took one more breath in. "Hundreds of Black Masks escaped from bases we''d never knew were there. Spirit Beasts, mostly in the upper tiers are among those that are fleeing the scene as well. We suspect that the attack on the Nineteenth Artificial Island was just to open a hole in our defences so that the forces within the Lantis Republic can retreat." "They created an escape route?" "That''s right," the Rear Admiral''s face turned incredibly grim. "Ever since the Prince has found out the method to locate the Paradise Heart, the Payircis have been falling like flies. The Black Masks probably realised that they couldn''t hold onto the structures anymore and are moving to cut their losses." "I see..." The Rear Admiral words resonated with the pair. From a tactical standpoint, knowing when to retreat and when to advance was a crucial point. The Black Masks knew that fighting in the Lantis Republic would only result in a losing battle. Thus, they opted to preserve their forces before it was too late. "Is the Navy sending warships to capture or destroy the retreating forces?" Shin asked innocently. "T-That¡­ We haven''t received any word from headquarters. All we were told was to mend the injured wounds and hold our ground for the coming days." "WHAT?!" Bingying screamed at the top of her lungs. "This is our opportunity to strike back at those bastards that claimed our soldiers'' lives. Are you telling us that we have to stand by as the Black Mask happily sail out of our waters without any resistance?!" The Black Masks were all retreating from the Lantis Archipelago, and if the Rear Admiral were right, their elite forces would be out of the Lantis Republic''s waters within a day or two. By then, it would be far too late to give chase. They had to react immediately. "Bingying, calm down..." Shin once again tried to calm the blue-haired woman down. However, that had ended up against his favour. "You agree with them?!" Bingying lashed out at the supposed Prince of the Republic, forgetting her own status. "Do you honestly think that we should let the Black Masks leave our waters Scott-free?!" "Relax, Sister Bingying¡­ I''m not saying that..." The man sighed and shook his head. "Think about it from the navy shoes. The Black Masks have employed an unknown military device capable of sinking an entire island. They were also protected by over a hundred thousand Spirit Beasts. Furthermore, who knows how many more new devices the Black Masks have hidden under the ocean? It''s normal for the Lantis Navy to be sceptical. Do you want to send more of our soldiers to die, facing an unknown threat?" Shin''s words of reason broke through Bingying''s hysterical frame of mind. She was shaken from the deaths of her subordinates, and understandably so. Thus, Bingying wasn''t capable of seeing the bigger picture. Fortunately, Shin was there to bring her back to reality. "Yeah, you''re right¡­ Sorry, I got a little bit too emotional..." Bingying replied, her entire fervour killed, and her expression downtrodden. "No, Sister Bingying¡­ You do have a point about the Black Masks..." The young Prince knew the logic behind staying out of the waters, particularly with those unknown submersible boats hidden in the depths of the ocean. However, if the Black Masks escaped utterly unharmed, the entire Lantis Republic would erupt in an uproar. The Lantis Navy had suffered their first loss in hundreds of years. Letting the Black Masks escape would only be rubbing salt on the wound. "Zishen!" "Yes, my Prince?" The Azure Dragon, now dressed as a butler, stepped forward with a radiant smile. "Summon the Fleet Admiral. I have something to discuss with him." Shin laid down the order wanting to see one of the most important commanders in the Lantis Republic without batting an eyelid. "Ah, call in some of the High Elders as well. They need to be witnesses. Due to the urgency, please tell them to reach within three hours. We need all the time we can get to prepare. If you have time, call Kanari, Master and the rest from the house as well. Bring over some of your children if you wish." "As you command," Zishen bowed once before he leapt up into the heavens above. Transforming into his original draconic state, Zishen flew at breakneck speeds towards the Capital of Celestial Island to faithfully execute Shin''s orders. "In the meantime, Rear Admiral!" "Y-Yes?" The middle-aged man unconsciously gave a salute, bringing chuckles from Bingying and the other officers that watched their interaction. However, the Rear Admiral didn''t care. He was against a man that could call the Fleet Admiral, the most powerful man in the Navy, right to his position wherever he was. There was no way that the Rear Admiral was going to cross Shin. "How many warships are in the dock?" Shin questioned. "Exactly fifteen!" "Hmmm¡­ That should be enough¡­" Shin immediately got to thinking. "Prepare all of them to depart. Five should remain in the pier lest an enemy attack comes, but the other ten must be fully manned and equipped within six hours. Try to leave out those that are below Rank 20. We can''t have them throwing their lives away for no reason." "M-My Prince, you..." The Rear Admiral fearfully reached his hand out, not willing to finish his sentence. "Are you planning on attacking the Black Masks yourself?!" Shin smiled as he turned towards the Rear Admiral. That impish look on his face was something that Bingying had seen multiple times before. She couldn''t count the number of times she lost when Shin was in that mode. Sighing, the woman supported her head while rubbing her temples. At the very least, that smile of Shin''s was now directed at the enemy and not herself. "No, I''m planning on leading the Lantis Navy to victory!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 487 Leading The Assault 1 Jerack Port. Three hours later¡­ The rustling of hurried footsteps dominated the vast concrete ground of the pier. Thousands of soldiers were carrying heaps of military equipment, be it sharpened harpoons or crates of supplies. At the same time, the ships that had been parked silently were revving up their engines. Powered by Aether Crystals, there was no thick soot flowing out from chimneys or anything. However, the deafening roars that their engines made up for its lack of activity. In just a few more hours, the warships would be fully loaded and ready to depart. Shin''s orders had been faithfully executed. The whole of Jerack Port was now noisy with activity. Well, not all of the pier. Heading underground into one of the most thickened bunkers there was, there was a group of well-dressed men and women seated comfortably on their cushioned chairs. There were some wearing decadent military uniforms. Pure white, with gold medallions littered all over their body. Some were wearing clothes that were a little more humble. For instance, an elderly woman donned on a comfy overall coat with a grey fur belt tightened around her waist. Nevertheless, no matter what attire they wore, no one could deny that they all looked as regal as the Himmel Empire''s Emperor himself. If they were placed in any room, they would unquestionably become the focal point. That was how dominant their atmosphere. Yet¡­ In the Rear Admiral chambers¡­ Those dozen-odd tigers¡­ Were nothing but side-characters. "Fleet Admiral, thank you for coming on such short notice," Shin, who was seated at the head of the table, addressed the man in the most formal attire with ease. The Fleet Admiral was in his official uniform. Dove white without a single crease in sight. Over a dozen golden badges, each one representing one of the Lantis Republic''s most difficult achievements, were proudly displayed on his chest and sleeves. His captain''s hat was even graced with a diamond anchor, the most prominent badges given to any commanding officer. "It is my pleasure to serve the Prince," the man who seemed to be near sixty, bowed in utmost reverence. "Please, order us as you please." "There''s no need for such formalities here," Shin calmly held the Fleet Admiral back. "I called you all here in such a hurry because we''re short on time. By the time the Navy complete their procedures, the Black Masks would have gained a substantial lead in their escape. We can''t let that happen." The young man declared as he pointed towards the massive map of the Lantis Sea. "From the scouts that Senior Zishen had sent out, we can keep track of the route that the Black Masks might take," Shin''s index finger found the position where the Nineteenth Artificial Island once was. At the same time, he drew a horizontal line to cross out the landmass, creating a straight route, unhindered by any obstacles. "Judging from their movements, the Black Masks have long prepared for this escape," the young man continued, his tone entirely sombre. "They have loaded all of their resources into longboats, most of them thin enough to escape a bird''s eye detection. They are also moving at a rapid pace, about thirty knots. Though they aren''t all grouped together to prevent a large-scale attack decimating them, the Black Masks are in quite a hurry to leave our waters." Shin looked over at Zishen, who affirmed his statement with a firm nod. "At this rate, the Black Masks would be back on the Terre Continent within two to three days. And we can''t just sit back and let that happen." The Fleet Admiral folded his arms together and leaned back in his seat. "My Prince, if I may be so rude¡­ There''s a reason why the Navy is holding back thus far..." "The unknown submersible ships, right?" "Precisely," the Fleet Admiral pointed his finger. "We understand that the Black Masks should be dealt with, but we can''t just send forces in without knowing what we''re up against. We can''t letany more of our brave men die for nothing." It was just as Shin had surmised. The Lantis Navy didn''t want to let the Black Masks go. They were just uncertain of facing an unknown threat. Fortunately for them, Shin had an answer for that problem... "I know¡­ That''s why I propose that I lead the assault." "What?!" One of the High Elders slammed his wrists against the table. The eardrums of those that sat next to him immediately got ruptured. Shin expected that outrage; thus, he had a rather calm expression. Still, the young man couldn''t help but dig gently into his ear. "Prince! You can''t possibly mean that?!" "My Prince, the High Elder is right..." The Fleet Admiral furiously nodded his head. "It is far too reckless for you to join the fight, particularly when there are so many unknown variables that the Black Masks have." "I didn''t make this decision on a whim," Shin sharply snapped back. "Just like you, I''d considered all of the variables. If we attack their retreating forces, we will run the risk of complete annihilation. If we don''t attack, the Black Masks will escape right in front of our eyes, tarnishing the Lantis Navy''s reputation and more importantly, we''ll be letting down the families of those that perished on the Nineteenth Artificial Island." "..." No one breathed a single word. Shin was right, and they all knew that. It really was a no-win situation for the Navy now. Unless¡­ "So there''s only one way for us to salvage this situation..." Shin closed his eyes and began to channel his mana. His black hair floated up as a dense fog of spiritual energy bearing all sorts of elements ran out from his pores. In an instant, the whole chamber was engulfed in a thick elemental nebula. "As all of you may already know, my Domain of Dreams, combined with the Celestial Dragon''s aura, has the capability to create a cultivation field no less powerful than that of any Empyrean Wonder. However, it does have another added property¡­ And that''s to attract any sort of Spirit Beasts." "Ah..." The Fleet Admiral finally understood where Shin was heading towards. One edge that the Black Masks had over the Alliance was the fact that they could manipulate Spirit Beasts to their will. Even during the onslaught on the Nineteenth Artificial Island, the Black Masks had sent multiple pods of Spirit Beasts, most of them mindless Tier 2 and 3''s, to overwhelm the defences of the Lantis Navy. No matter how advanced and powerful the Lantis Navy warships were, they weren''t capable of withstanding the more mobile and populous Spirit Beast horde that the Black Masks had. However, if Shin were to join the fray¡­ "As long as I unleash my aura in the oceans, thousands of Spirit Beasts would answer my call. At that point, we would be able to counter those submersible ships that hide deep within the waters," Shin''s suggestion rang within the minds of all the commanders. "If you''re worried about my safety, there would be Zishen, Bingbing and over a dozen Azure Dragons protecting me. For good measure, you can send a Spirit Venerate or two over. Furthermore¡­ I believe you have heard of my sixth spiritual ability..." "Restoration..." The Fleet Admiral answered immediately. "Precisely! As long as I don''t die within the first hit, I''ll be able to heal myself up. I''ll be completely fine." Shin''s ideas continued to resonate within the high command, slowly stirring them. Eventually, one of them caved. "Mmmm, that may not be that bad of an idea," said another High Elder. "If we protect the Prince well enough, those unknown enemies would be forced to surface. Then, our warships would be able to launch a true naval assault." "The Prince''s words are right¡­ Having the Spirit Beasts on our side, we can overwhelm the Black Masks..." The next High Elder nodded. One by one, the commanding officers all fell like dominoes. They desperately wanted to hit the Black Masks back for letting them suffer this dreadful humiliation, but there were just too many variables to consider. However, if Shin was around, all of those worries would evaporate instantly. Finally, even the Fleet Admiral dropped his head in a sigh. "I agree¡­ We should go with the Prince''s plan..." That was the final nail in the coffin. Once the highest command in the Navy had relented, Shin''s plan was basically set in stone. "Are there any information about the numbers they have?" "Y-yes!" The Rear Admiral, who had faded into the background even though the meeting was held in his office, walked forward with a full stack of papers. "We just received word that over a thousand of those longboats have been spotted making their way through the gap that the Nineteenth Artificial Island had left behind!" The man reported what he had faithfully. "Over a thousand¡­ That would be a problem..." The Fleet Admiral gently stroked his chin as he thought about the overwhelming logistical and military constraints that they had. "Fleet Admiral, you don''t have to worry about the numbers." Once again, Shin gave his signature impish smile. "Our objective is to sink as many of those longboats as we can. The humiliation that they inflicted upon the Lantis Navy, we''ll reciprocate it with a defeat ten times as shameful! We''ll capture all of the Black Masks that dared to attack us and wring them dry of any information they have! And most importantly¡­ We have to cripple the Allfather..." "Hmmm? How would we do that?" The Fleet Admiral questioned. "Senior Zishen has identified a few longboats that carry vast amounts of weapons and ammunition. Furthermore, some ships ferry Tier 6 and 7 Spirit Beasts that are only effective on land!" "Go for the high-value targets, huh?" "Precisely!" Shin cried. "It''ll take some time, but I believe that we can pinpoint the most threatening longboats among the fleet. While the Spirit Beasts distract the Black Masks, the Lantis Paladins will rain down terror from the skies. If need be, the warships of the Navy could strike during the mayhem as well. Yes, some of the Black Masks would escape, but at the very least, we could cripple them significantly. The last thing we want to see is a strong eastern border on the Terre Continent." "..." Everyone in the room turned silent. Some opened their mouths, wanting to retort, but nothing came out. Even they had to admit that Shin''s plan was the best one on the table. "Alright, let''s go by the Prince''s plan..." The Fleet Admiral slammed his wrists on the table and quickly got up in fervour. "I''ll gather some of the Navy''s best Spirit Emperors to guard you. Vice-Admiral Heigui Xuegang, the Spirit Venerate with the Obsidian Xuanwu would be the prime guard. Please, do not leave their sight! My Prince, we will follow your orders, but on the field, I''ll take charge of the overall operations." "Naturally," Shin didn''t dispute that. A Fleet Admiral had way more experience in naval battles as compared to his young and ignorant self. "Good," the Fleet Admiral smiled and quickly turned on the doorknob of the exit. Once they had agreed on the terms, there was only one thing left to do¡­ And that was to act on the operations. Calling upon all of his men, the Fleet Admiral gave out rapid-fire instructions, befitting that of the highest authority in the Lantis Navy. The High Elders did the same. After barking orders at many of their subordinates, they bade Shin farewell before flying back to the Capital to relay the information. At Shin''s orders, everything was coming together faster than a cheetah''s sprint. "Do you need me there with you?" Kanari walked over and held onto the young man''s hands. "No, stay with the warships¡­ When the battle starts, there would definitely be thousands of Spirit Beasts leaping out of the oceans. I''ll need you to protect the others and my route to escape." "Roger that..." Kanari gently nodded her head. One beauty down, another to go. Shin turned to the blonde woman, who had Bingbing in her warm embrace and weakly asked. "Master, I know that you don''t really like using your powers for the military. However, this is a crisis. I hope you would break your rule just this once." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting. "Don''t worry, I understand the predicament," replied the Divine Healer. "If there are any injuries near me, I''ll be sure to treat them. Taking down the Black Masks is more important..." "Hehe..." Shin chuckled. It seems that over the years she spent away from the Himmel Empire, Lady Seph''s temperament had changed for the better. At least, she wasn''t as quick to anger as before. "Ah, try to leave one of those submersible boats intact, would you? I''m kind of interested in the science behind it all!" Though¡­ Her eccentric personality was retained. Shin gave out a hapless sigh at the woman''s sudden outburst. In the end, there was only so much one could change... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 488 Leading The Assault 2 The Kori Federation. Ten kilometres east of the Uncharted Wilderness. Shizen took two deep breaths in, absorbing what scents he could from the northern atmosphere. It was cold, just like the winter winds of the Lantis Republic. This far north, although snow was rare, it was still cold enough to lower the temperature of any who dared to venture up here. Shizen was a nature boy who grew up in a rainforest. His default setting was a damp, humid environment rife with thousands of earthy aromas. Thus, coming this far north, where the canopies were replaced by coniferous trees¡­ It took Shizen some time to get used to his new reality. "Venerate Maurice, are you sure this is the right way?" Shizen cried, bringing in the attention of the old man who was just a metre ahead of him. The man was dressed in a grey robe and warmed himself up with a thick, brown bear''s coat. His sharp, chiselled face didn''t go away with his age, and his movements seemed as fine as they were a hundred years back. The Spirit Venerate looked back at the young, impatient man and showed all of his pearly white teeth with a smile. "Definitely, junior. I''ve been to the Illusory Canyon multiple times before. Although there are many ways to get there, this route is by far the best. No bandits or powerful wild Spirit Beasts are present on this uneven road. All you need to do is endure the cold for a little bit more..." "Okay..." Shizen replied, his tone showing that he was still unconvinced. It has been a few weeks since he''d last departed from the Highgarden Duchy. Before the nature boy could get to work, Shizen demanded that the primary clause in his contract be fulfilled. It has been more than five years since he''d last signed the employment contract with Kanari. The contract claimed that Shizen was to be given a ranking position within the Duchy as well as a safe environment to bolster his skills. Be it a luxurious mansion or a seasoned teacher that could match any that the Imperial Family had. However, before Shizen signed the contract, there was one clause that he wanted to fulfil no matter what. And that was to be escorted to the Illusory Canyon while he searched for the Tree of Illusions. It was Kanari''s mistake to expose Shizen to the Soul Tree back in Imperius Academy. After being bathed in that glorious mana, Shizen had become obsessed with the Tree of Illusions. The Adivinar Tree had been growing at a tremendous rate with Shin''s Celestial Dragon Aura by its side. However, that wasn''t enough for Shizen. Something was calling him to the Illusory Canyon¡­ Something primal¡­ ''I can''t keep leeching off Shin forever¡­ It''s best that I absorb the mana from the Tree of Illusions and hopefully trigger a Spirit Evolution.'' Shizen thought to himself. After watching Shin''s masterful display, the nature boy had become inspired. In his view, if he visited the Empyrean Wonder, there was a high chance of him advancing. In what manner, he didn''t know. However, that didn''t stop the young man from trying. Kanari''s mother, the Duchess of Highgarden, reluctantly allowed Shizen to make the trip into the Kori Federation. However, he had to be heavily guarded. And that''s where Venerate Maurice comes into play. A Spirit Venerate that loved his freedom, Maurice had explored every corner of the globe. Well, at least the more well-known ones. He was an expert when it comes to the Empyrean Wonders and had made tremendous strides to visit every single one of them. Among all of the high-profiled explorers in the world, Venerate Maurice''s name stands out. It was by sheer luck that the Highgarden Duchy had managed to bring him in as Shizen''s escort. The group of two continued to tread forward, not daring to lift their feet up into the skies for a single second. Although it would be time-efficient to fly, it was far too dangerous to be soaring this close to an Empyrean Wonder. Mainly since Shizen was just a mere Spirit Spectre. "Mmmm?" All of a sudden, Venerate Maurice stopped in his tracks. Shizen, who had been following closely behind, collided with the firm back of the Spirit Venerate. Rubbing his nose to ease the blood flowing into it, Shizen cried out. "Venerate Maurice! Please stop doing that!" The nature boy pouted at the Spirit Venerate''s constant abrupt actions. "Haha, sorry about that¡­ Anyway, you don''t have to worry anymore..." Venerate Maurice pointed his index finger at a distant rocky surface. A late autumn''s wind blew past the entire vicinity, and both the Spirit Users took massive steps back. The spiritual energy had spiked to astronomical proportions, and the elements were in disarray. Well, those that ran amok were mostly the mind-elements, but even Shizen''s Adivinar Tree could feel the immense pressure. The nature boy gulped once to control his breathing. The world was void of any wildlife, even though there were countless trees littered all over the place. Even Spirit Beasts were deterred from stepping one foot closer into the immense canyon. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "We''re finally here," Venerate Maurice smiled and turned to the young man that he had been escorting. "Welcome, Shizen¡­ Welcome to the Illusory Canyon!!!" ??? The Lantis Sea. Fifty kilometres west of the Nineteenth Artificial Island ruins. Whooosh¡­ Whooosh¡­ Whooosh... The constant crashing of waves against the cold, icy platform floating on the ocean reverberated through Shin''s silent skull. Nothing was surrounding him in a hundred metres. Shin stood on top of the ice floor Bingbing had created, protected by Zishen, the Azure Dragon Lord and the familiar Tier 8 snowy gerbil that had yet to evolve. And that was just Shin''s left. On his right, there was a muscular man, who seemed to be nearing his twilight years. However, if one looked at him from afar, there was no way that they could link that intimidating stature to someone who was reaching the end of his life. "Hah¡­ It''s cold..." Shin groaned as a thick translucent mist flowed out from his mouth like a dragon''s breath. The winters of the Lantis Republic were already cold enough, and now, the youth was situated on top of an entire ocean, where the temperature routinely dipped under freezing point. Even for the young man''s heightened resistances and body armour, it was too much. Therefore, Shin opted to wear the specially tailored navy officer''s uniform that Longyu Tian had painstakingly sewn. When Shin first joined the Navy, there was substantial debate on what rank he should obtain. Should he be instantly promoted to an Admiral, due to his new Royal status? Or should he start from the beginning and work his way to the top? In the end, the High Council simply decided that Shin should become an honorary Commander, the same rank that Meijing Bingying had. However, since he wasn''t under anyone, the young Prince had the free jurisdiction to do as he pleased. In honour of his promotion, Longyu Tian did something that she had never done in a hundred years. She personally sew Shin''s uniform. Since Shin was holding an honorary rank, it didn''t make sense for him to wear the same attire as the rest of the Commanders. Not to mention, he was the first of the new generation of Royalty in the Lantis Republic. Therefore, there was a need for a specialist to come in and craft his uniform. Longyu Tian volunteered to fill that gap and swore to make the best clothes that ever existed. Using her time element, she was able to fit in as many defensive abilities as she could. Additionally, Lady Seph joined in the fun. Creating golden threads using her mana, the Divine Healer single-handedly created the world''s most valuable fabric¡­ One that could regenerate itself back into shape. Thus, Shin''s uniform not only looked good, but it was also an authentic defensive armour, without the clunky metal of a knight. Longyu Tian had even considered the heat properties of the uniform. In case of a terrifying winter such as this, she created an entirely white trench coat with bits of comfy black mink fur warming his collar. Coloured in white and little bits of black, gold and blue, Shin looked like a Prince straight out of a fairy tale¡­ And some might argue he already was. "My Prince, it''s about time..." The Spirit Venerate sent by the Fleet Admiral took a few steps forward and graciously bowed to the young man. "The Fleet would be sending the signal at any moment now, please be prepared." "Thank you, Senior Heigui," Shin promptly replied. However, he didn''t even bother to turn back and acknowledge the Spirit Venerate''s existence. Why? Because Shin''s attention was fully attached to the enormous hole that had been broken through by the Black Masks. The Lantis Republic has always prided itself for having a secure border. The navies from the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation had always tried to breach the barrier created by the artificial islands they had. However, it was always to no avail. The Lantis Navy was simply far more advanced and far more potent than any other. Yet, the Black Masks had created a path outwards¡­ Shin watched as the numerous longboats stood stationary on the northern side of the Lantis Sea while the Navy''s warships took the southern. They were at a stalemate. Whoever moves first would most likely suffer the most deadly blow, so they were all waiting patiently for the perfect moment. Zishen, who had a lazy look all day, finally raised his eyebrows for once after hearing a report by his subordinate. Nodding twice, the Azure Dragon leaned in closer to Shin''s ear, whispering: "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, just as you''ve anticipated, the Black Masks had sent some of those submersible tubes towards us." "Have you sunk them?" "Obviously..." The Azure Dragon replied with a broad smile. "Lishen and Guoshen are patrolling the deeps, making sure that no more hindrances can come our way." "Send two more to assist them," Shin ordered with confidence. "Once my Domain of Dreams is unleashed, there would be some Tier 6 and 7 Spirit Beasts that would come swimming over. We''ll need more Tier 8 Azure Dragons to stop them." "Mmmm¡­ As you command..." The two wanted to discuss future scenarios but all of a sudden, a flare flew up from the grey hull of the warship nearest to Shin. Heigui Xuegang, Shin''s guard from the Lantis Republic, instantly released a torrent of green and black mana particles. An Aegis-like barrier, formed with the might of the Obsidian Xuanwu, surrounded the ice platform like a turtle shell, protecting Shin from any type of harm. Then, the man shouted: "My Prince! It''s time!" "I know!" Not expecting the signal to be fired this early, Shin''s body moved about in a fluster. However, his experience adventuring on the Terre Continent and sailing with the Lantis Navy had shown. Instantly calming down, Shin murmured his signature cultivation technique, as the elemental particles flowed out from his body in droves. Just like before, the Domain of Dreams, influenced by the Celestial Dragon''s Aura, was fully unleashed. Billions of elemental particles seeped into the dark oceans below Shin, and the temperature was raised by quite a bit. With speed incomparable to before, the Spear of Aiglos formed within Shin''s palms, and this time, it had some significant modifications. It grew by about twenty centimetres, and there were more elaborate details to its tip. A carving of a coiling dragon decorated its shaft, and the mana it stored was at least a hundred times more potent. In every single way, the Spear of Aiglos was a superior weapon than it was before. However, that wasn''t Shin''s only purpose for bringing his favoured weapon out. CLINK!!!! The Celestial Dragon Aura generated an unsettling disturbance all around the young man. The winds were far more rapid than before, and the waves were turning deadlier by the second. However, Shin unleashed all of his mana as scales formed all over his pale white skin. Now, instead of looking like a Prince, Shin seemed to become an incarnate of Poseidon himself. He slammed the bottom of his spear down, creating a huge ripple that pulsated out into the oceans. When the Emperor screams, everyone listens. Shin''s wrath had calmed the turbulent weather around him, and all eyes are now glued to his visage. However, Shin didn''t care. He could sense it¡­ The thousands, no¡­ Tens of thousands of mana signatures running in his direction. The Celestial Dragon''s eyes glowed in a menacing red, as Shin''s mana continued to peak. In one single movement, the man pointed the Spear of Aiglos towards the north. Badum¡­ Badum¡­ Shin''s heart trembled at what''s to come. He hadn''t actually attempted this technique in an open battle before. It could either go very well, or it could backfire and bite him in the ass. And fortunately¡­ VVVVRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! Thousands of Spirit Beasts jumped out from the depths of the ocean, emerging like dolphins and Great White Sharks. Majority of them were at Tier 1, while the rest were evenly split between Tier 2, 3, and 4. Only a select few reached Tier 5 and 6. However, they all had one thing in common. They were listening to the Prince of Water''s command. ''I''m¡­ Far too powerful...'' Shin''s narcissistic side came out as he watched the army of Spirit Beasts leap out of the ocean to follow his every command. He was just a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, and he could command a Spirit Beast horde just like the Allfather could. That much power in a twenty-three-year-old''s hands¡­ It would be unhealthy if there were no pride in his achievements. ''No, I can''t lose focus¡­ There''re still many people way stronger than me!'' Shin immediately curbed his enthusiasm and snapped his head back into place. Right now, the Lantis Navy was about to face its toughest battle in the war thus far. There was no time for Shin to be slacking off. ''I did my job, so Fleet Admiral¡­ Please do yours!!!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 489 Leading The Assault 3 Thousands of Spirit Beasts charged straight at the Black Masks'' longboats, creating a disruption in the water, unlike anything that they''d felt before. Many Brahmins who supervised the whole operation instantly used the Allfather''s mana in their masks to direct the oceanic Spirit Beast horde that they had to create a desperate line of defence. Evidently, they hadn''t prepared for the Lantis Republic to take a page out of their playbook. The Fleet Admiral, a champion of a thousand naval battles, could sense the unease in the Black Masks'' commanders just by their formation. Longboats carrying essential cargo were now splitting off from the group, guarded by one or two defensive ships. They knew that an extended battle could only end in one result¡­ Absolute decimation by the Lantis Navy. "Fire the cannons!!!" The Fleet Admiral barked at his subordinates, who continued to fire flares up high in the sky. The Captains of each one of the warships all dropped their binoculars and began the procedure to begin the bombardment. Everything was oiled down to perfection. From the movements of the seamen to the coordination by the officers on deck. In no time at all, the warships had begun firing right at the heart of the Black Masks'' fleet. BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!! BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!! Ashes flew from some of the longboats, created devastating downdraft currents and colossal steam and smoke. Mixed within the mayhem, a dozen mindless Dalits flew up into the skies. Their bodies had been dismembered by the blast generated by the Lantis Republic''s cannons, and burning flesh rained down onto the ocean. Some regular Shudras attempted to block those deadly attacks using their spiritual abilities, but they were all to no avail. The Lantis Navy possessed the world''s best naval weaponry, at least above the ocean. There was no way that the Black Masks'' longboats could compare. Shin''s skin contracted, and his face turned pale green. Shin could never get used to seeing the terrors of war. Although he knew that it was necessary, seeing humans being mauled was never an easy sight. ''That''s why we have to end the Allfather!!!'' Shin cursed the man that brought this much suffering into their lives. Flames riddled the snowy ocean with intense amber, as the sound of detonations covered the chilling cries of the winter winds. The Lantis Navy had claimed first blood, a stark difference from the first naval battle they had with the Black Masks. However, what comes around goes around. The Black Masks weren''t just going to sit back and let their precious cargo be annihilated, particularly after pouring this much resources into destroying the Nineteenth Artificial Island. A dark shadow emerged from the central ship of the Black Masks'' fleet and claimed the skies on his own. The cannonballs were promptly halted from advancing any further as thousands of lightning bolts graced down from the heavens, basically striking anything that dared to move before the fleet. Shin''s summoned Spirit Beasts all halted their advance. There was something deep within warning them that if they crossed just a single metre more, the dastardly thunder that killed so many of their brethren would rain down once more. Thus, the only thing that Shin and the beast horde could do was to watch the flying silhouette up high in the sky. Donned in full black chainmail, the figure looked just as intimidating as its immense shape. Shin estimated that the man was at least two metres tall and had muscles as dense as a slab of elk meat. Beautiful lightning coils circled all around the man, and a faint black fog emerged from his mask. Speaking of which, unlike the normal Shudras that manned the longboats, the dark figure boasted a far more intricate mask. A radiant golden tree, with petals seemingly falling out from its interior, continued to give the shadowy figure a sense of mystique, far surpassing any other Black Masks that lay underneath him. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "A Spirit Venerate Brahmin!" Vice-Admiral Heigui exclaimed. "It''s the first time I''ve ever seen a Brahmin in the Spirit Venerate realm..." "Yeah, the Black Masks are really multiplying," Shin replied, his voice as tired as can be. Dark memories began to surface, of the day that the crimson rose bloomed. A significant reason why the Frie Clan fell and why Shin''s world was turned upside down was due to the contributions of Brahmin Malgen. A Spirit Emperor that was recruited by the Black Masks, Brahmin Malgen had continued his reign of terror, fighting under the flag of the Allfather. Shin was confident that many other powerhouses felt the same. Be it Spirit Practitioners, Spirit Emperors or even the mighty Spirit Venerates, they all had a passive desire to just say¡­ ''Fuck society, let''s watch the world burn!'' They may have been forced into the dark side by their obscene desires that couldn''t be suppressed. Or it may have been circumstances that had pushed them to that stage. However, one thing was for sure. The Black Masks were growing¡­ And they were growing fast. The Spirit Venerate raised his right hand, and a completely empty glass bottle appeared out of nowhere. The lightning coils that surrounded him were being condensed rapidly. A thousand became a hundred. A hundred became ten. Until finally, one singular lightning bolt formed, entering the empty bottle that lay before it. "Lightning in a bottle!" Vice-Admiral Heigui''s eyes bulged out after witnessing the Spirit Venerate''s Spirit. "It''s the Ghost Corsair!!!" Just as his name suggests, the Ghost Corsair was once a pirate that roamed the oceans of the world, particularly the strait of the Lantis Sea. In his prime, the man was able to pillage countless of merchant ships and evade capture from the most professional navies the world has ever seen. That''s how the Ghost Corsair got his infamous moniker. In the end, the Lantis Navy decided that enough was enough and they sent a full Admiral''s fleet just to capture the Ghost Corsair. The battle that ensued was legendary, a tale that words couldn''t do justice. Even though his pirate crew was surrounded by over a dozen warships, the Captain managed to sink over half of them, heavily injuring some of the best naval officers the Lantis Republic had to offer. However, in the end, the constant pressure that the Admiral had placed onto the Ghost Corsair was too much¡­ In a battle that lasted for seven days and seven nights, the legendary pirate finally met his end and was sunk to the bottom of the ocean with his faithful crew. "He actually survived?" The Fleet Admiral looked up at the dark figure that was shrouded in black armour. A hundred years ago, the Ghost Corsair was a Spirit Emperor that had reigned terror upon the Lantis Sea. The Lantis Republic had thought that the menace had long been destroyed and yet, here he was. Standing tall and even more powerful than before. "No matter," the Fleet Admiral gritted his teeth. "We''d sunk you once, we can do it again!!!" Not a single warship was capable of fighting against the Ghost Corsair in open battle. A Spirit Venerate was just that powerful of an existence. Thus, the Fleet Admiral turned to one of his Admirals and barked: "Qigang, go and play around with him." "Yes, sir!!!" Admiral Su Qigang saluted his superior with a click to his boots. His entire being faded into a grey mist and reappeared up in the air. A bronze staff, decorated with images of monkeys on each end, appeared right between his two open palms. Ethereal mist dropped down from the centre of his Spirit as the Wind-Elements danced around in complete euphoria. ''A Spirit Venerate''s mana is always a treat for the atmosphere,'' Shin thought as he watched Admiral Su Qigang''s pole create a small whirlwind that continued to stir the turbulent weather. "A legendary pirate that climbed out from Davy Jones'' locker?" The Admiral scoffed. The Brahmin didn''t answer the man''s taunt, though. Instead, it looked at the Admiral with an indifference that could compare to how a human would look at an ant. It was as if the Admiral was utterly worthless in the Ghost Corsair''s eyes. And that¡­ tickled Admiral Su Qigang the wrong way. "You should have remained buried under the ocean!!!" Air currents akin to that of crescent blades, leapt out the ends of the Admiral''s staff, generating a faux tempest. Winds continued to slice through the crowds, and billions of currents stirred the oceans beneath the Spirit Venerates. Neither the Black Masks nor the Lantis Navy dared to come in between the fight of the giants. Compared to the powerhouses that were fighting it out, their ships were far too weak. The Ghost Corsair watched as grey walls of wind edged closer to his body. A cutlass made out of pure mithril and powered by a mana-dense aether crystal appeared on his left hand. The vibrant lightning in his right hand was tempted to move out of the bottle and decimate the winds that dared to approach its master. Fortunately, it didn''t have to. VVVVSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! A tidal wave the size of Frie Mountain rose between the Ghost Corsair and the Admiral. Crashing into one another, the two natural disasters cancelled each other out, leaving a deluge of pure oceanic water. Su Qigang changed his stance and focused his staff downwards. The Ghost Corsair didn''t have any water-related abilities, which could only mean one thing¡­ "Who''s that?!" The Admiral cried. Wearing the same type of armour that the Ghost Admiral had, one other Brahmin stood at the centre of the ocean, his feet gently caressing the surface of the water. Ripples spread out from the base of his soles and the black Killer Whale that surrounded him bared its deadly fangs for all to see. Shin may not recognise the man, but many in the Navy, particularly those in the upper ranks, had their jaws dropped until their thighs. "Meijing Xuenkai!!!" The Fleet Admiral screamed. Like the Ghost Corsair, Meijing Xuenkai was a criminal that had been once wanted in the Lantis Republic. Unlike the Ghost Corsair, however, the man was a menace that had been bred from the inside. Born and raised in the Meijing Clan, one of the Eight Clans of Water, Meijing Xuenkai grew up as a nobleman. Even though he''d awakened a Spirit other than the Meijing Clan''s Enigmatic Narwhal, the man still got his fair shake. Every single benefit that a prominent talent would receive, Meijing Xuenkai got. Alas, greed was a dangerous thing. Meijing Xuenkai lusted over the resources allocated towards the Meijing Clan''s heir and sought to take it for himself. He was desperate to become a Spirit Saint and assumed that once he raided the Meijing Clan of its resources, he would become the strongest being in the world. Meijing Xuenkai''s dastardly actions had caused the deaths of one Spirit Venerate and two Spirit Emperors from the Meijing Clan, a tragedy that the glorious clan had yet to recover from. Naturally, the Lantis Republic couldn''t let the incident just slide. They placed the fugitive on their most wanted list and hunted him down throughout the years. It was a long and arduous journey, but in the end, they managed to track him down about thirty years ago and had heavily injured him to the point of death. Even though the man escaped once more, the Lantis Republic had believed that his cultivation was crippled. Thus, they struck him off the most wanted list. However¡­ It looks that that was going to change. "Kekeke, Su Qigang¡­ Long time no see!" The felon chuckled with a sinister yet warm tone. It was as if he''d just visited a friend that he''d never seen in quite some time. "Xuenkai!!!" The Admiral gritted his teeth, holding back the immense rage he had for the turncoat. He didn''t even want to call the Spirit Venerate by his surname. Qigang wouldn''t give him that luxury. "How dare you show your face again?!" "If I didn''t show up, how would those bastards up top feel the effect of their actions?" The Spirit Venerate smiled, and his serpentine tongue spewed out words that triggered every high-ranking officer present. "Also, do you honestly think that you can go for the strongest Brahmin present without defeating me first? You underestimate the Black Masks far too much..." "No, I don''t think so!" A third voice entered the fray as a colossal octopus head emerged from the oceans below. Meijing Xuenkai leapt back with his Killer Whale Spirit, dodging the incoming damage. Attached to the octopus head was an even bigger torso of a human body. A flurry of tentacles swung waywardly against the winter winds, as the world started to turn a little illusory. "The Abominable Cthulhu¡­ Admiral Zhangyu Ruogang, huh?" The former Meijing Clan Spirit Venerate accurately determined the newcomer''s identity. An elderly man, draped in the familiar naval white uniform, crunched his face together into a scowl. "Xuenkai¡­ You should have stayed hidden¡­ It''s a pity..." The Abominable Cthulhu waved one of its hands, creating a giant shockwave that pushed all four Spirit Venerates away from the main battlefield. The Ghost Corsair charged up his cutlass with pure lightning energy while Meijing Xuenkai merged with his Killer Whale Spirit. Admiral Su Qigang willingly went with the flow and readied his staff with whirlwinds on each side. Admiral Zhangyu Ruogang seemed to be calm, but his internal feelings were anything but. The oceans roared in a dance of lightning, thunder and storms. Tsunamis, cyclones¡­ Natural disasters that occurred only once in a blue moon¡­ They were all present now. Four Spirit Venerates tangled up in a deadlock¡­ It really was a sight to behold. "You have given up your life once¡­ Mind doing it once more?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 490 Leading The Assault 4 Before we begin this chapter, I have commissioned my artist to draw yet another drawing. This time, there''re spoilers for the next arc, so I would open the link with discretion. By far, it''s the best drawing of Spirit Immortal in my opinion and I hope that you''ll enjoy it. I pay people to draw so that the world could seem a little more alive, rather than the dull words on the screen. So yeah, I really hope that you would like it!!! https://linodofictions.com/artwork/ ??? The battle of the Spirit Venerates continued to ravage the Lantis Sea, bringing the Lantis Navy''s fleet to a halt. They didn''t dare to move a single inch forward. Unlike the mighty Spirit Venerates, the warships of the Navy couldn''t fly and were bound to the sea. Any stray tidal wave was sufficient to sink the entire fleet. However, the Black Masks didn''t seem to have that worry. The Fleet Admiral dropped his jaw as the longboats beat the currents and sailed at full speed. The Beast Horde of the Black Masks created an impassable wall while the hundred-odd ships rushed towards the enormous gap. "No, this isn''t a time to be stunned! All men on deck! Spirit Emperors, take to the skies! Protect our fleet from the damage by the Spirit Venerates! We''re rushing the longboats!!!" As the commander-in-chief, the Fleet Admiral couldn''t leave his post in the central command. However, he could send the Lantis Navy''s most powerful individuals to protect the team. Rear Admirals rushed to the skies while officers continued to operate the boats. Long-range Spirit Users summoned out their Bow-Spirits and created a line of fire right at the longboats. Harpoon Spirit Users also made the Water-Elements dance. Among those officers, young talents like Qilong Hu, Meijing Bingying, Kanari and the twins all had their battle positions ready. The turbulent weather created by the Spirit Venerates made it near-impossible for the cannons of the Lantis Navy to be accurate. Even the best archers among them would have troubleshooting down the longboats in this type of weather. Therefore, the fleet had to close in the distance for their attacks to be effective. Shin watched as the battle for naval superiority began. The Black Masks only thought of escaping while the Lantis Navy only wanted one thing¡­ The destruction of as many boats as they could manage. On the surface, the Lantis Navy held the upper hand. Their objective was much more straightforward, after all. Therefore, the Black Masks prioritised the safety of their most valuable cargo. They placed the worthless longboats at the ends and rushed the more important boats to the front. Their victory condition had changed. Instead of leaving the Lantis Sea with every single resource that they had, the Black Masks sought to protect only the most precious few. "We can''t let them escape..." Shin thought out loud, triggering responses from Zishen and his Spirit Venerate protector. "My Prince, you promised not to leave the compounds of my barrier," said Heigui Xuegang with a sombre voice. "If you join the battle, you would only distract the Fleet Admiral." Zishen nodded and added a follow-up. "Mmmm¡­ He speaks the truth. My Prince, I can''t allow you to join such a precarious battle." The two voices of reason stopped Shin''s mind from wandering too far in the other direction. Shin had always been in fights where he was the strongest being. He would trump any of his opponents with pure domination and overall superior intelligence. However, in a battle of this scale, Shin''s single contributions were far more minute. The best thing he could do was to continue pestering the Black Masks with his oceanic beast horde. "Don''t worry, I''m not that dumb," the young man scoffed. "I''m just thinking if there are any new methods to slow the longboats down." Sending the Azure Dragons to create endless storms, was a no-go. Hurricanes and rogue waves the size of mountains would definitely hinder the escape of the Black Masks. However, the collateral damage would be too significant. The Lantis Navy was just a few kilometres away from the Black Mask''s fleet, and any change in the oceans would unquestionably affect them directly. Not to mention, no one knows how many Spirit Venerate Brahmins were hiding within the Black Masks'' fleet. A relentless storm might, in turn, serve as an excellent barrier for the criminal syndicate to make their escape. Continually sending Spirit Beasts to hinder their progress¡­ A good plan, but it wasn''t enough. Somehow, the Black Masks still had command of a potent Beast Horde, which has been pushing back Shin''s summoned Spirit Beasts steadily. Furthermore, Shin''s mana wasn''t infinite. The Domain of Dreams was a powerful ability, but it does drain Shin''s Spectre Soul as if it had an open tap. At most, he could hold it up for one or two hours. So, there was a need for the Lantis Navy to come up with an impromptu plan to at least stall the Black Masks before their most valuable resources escape. Shin''s mind instantly went into overdrive as he looked everywhere for clues. The snow that fell from the grey heavens, the bottomless ocean that lets all imagination wander, and the continuous deadlock between the four Spirit Venerates. Shin needed to come up with a solution that was within his means¡­ "Yip, yip?" Sensing his displeasure, the snowy white gerbil that rested on Shin''s shoulders licked his salty face. Bingbing wanted to cheer him up with what little ability she had, but that only served to annoy the young man. "Bingbing now''s not the time¡­ Wait! That''s it!" Shin''s eyes flashed in an understanding light as he grabbed the Kamaitachi by the stomach. Bingbing''s head adorably tilted to the left, wondering what switch had gone off in Shin''s brain this time. "Bingbing, you said that you''re on the verge of breaking through into Tier 9 right?" Shin tried to confirm with his Spirit Beast partner. "Yip, yip, yip!" Not knowing what she was getting into, Bingbing furiously chirped. "Hahaha! Excellent!" The Prince of Water slammed the Spear of Aiglos'' rear into the ice, sticking it in place for the time being. "Bingbing, do you think that you can freeze the entire surface of the ocean?" "Yip! Yip, yip, yip, yip, yip, yip!" The Kamaitachi''s eyes bulged so big that it could have easily been scooped out. Bingbing was a Tier 8 Ice-Elemental Spirit Beast. In context, she was comparable to a Meijing Clan''s Rank 70 Spirit Emperor. While she could freeze water with ease, her speciality mainly came in creating endless snowstorms and using ice as weapons. Turning an entire ocean into an arctic slab? That was still a long distance away for her capabilities. "Ah, sorry I misspoke." In his excitement, Shin didn''t consider his words all that wisely. Rephrasing, Shin spoke again. This time, his finger was pointing at the empty space where the Nineteenth Artificial Island once stood. "Could you freeze the waters over there?" "Yip, yip, yip?" The gerbil tilted her head with a look of uncertainty. Her big pearly eyes twinkled with anxiety. Not only was it hard to freeze a large chunk of the ocean, once Bingbing begins her ability, but the Black Masks would also all instantly target her. "I know it''s going to be hard¡­ However, I need your help Bingbing¡­ There''s no one else here that''s capable of doing the job," Shin gently stroked the snowy, white gerbil on her head. "Come here..." Ashen particles flowed out from the centre of his palm and Bingbing''s soul was instantly uplifted. Shin continued to chant his cultivation technique while the time-elements calmly settled in on the Kamaitachi''s soul. A bead of sweat fell down from the top of Shin''s forehead as he continuously supplied mana into the gerbil. In the end, after a full minute, Shin dropped his hand and exhaled deeply. "I''ve created a Restoration Point in your time. Now, you don''t have to worry about mana expenditure or getting any injuries." "Yip, yip, yip?!" "Yes, yes. You can go all out without worries now," Shin replied the over-enthusiastic Bingbing. "However, do be careful¡­ If you receive a life-ending blow, even Restoration wouldn''t be able to save you." "Yip, yip!" Bingbing cheered as she finally left the young man''s embrace. Gathering a large amount of elemental energy from Shin''s Celestial Dragon Aura, the Kamaitachi expanded to twenty times her original size. A little bigger than a hippopotamus, Bingbing leapt out of Heigui Xuegang''s barrier and waved her tail happily in the air. The two sides were currently engrossed in a battle where one wrong step could spell disaster for their entire fleet. Thus, no one noticed the snowy white gerbil skipping over the surface of the sea. BLLLLLLISSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! Bingbing danced with the grace of a swan and moved with the speed of a swift. White particles fell down from each one of her paws. The snowflake particles merged well with the snow that rained down from the heavens. Elegant and beautiful, Bingbing''s movements made her look like a ballerina on ice. And in essence, she was one. The Kamaitachi''s mere presence was enough to turn water into ice, and in no time at all, there was already an ice road a hundred metres long. "Sir Brahmin! Something''s rushing straight ahead!" The first one to notice the oddity was a Kshatriya lookout. He immediately turned to his direct superior to point out Bingbing''s position. "Son of a bitch¡­ They''re trying to block our escape path!" The Brahmin yelled as the veins turned red within his eyes. His shout didn''t go unnoticed. Many Black Masks within the longboats all turned their attention to that white blob of snow, which was starting to create a frozen surface before their very eyes. "We can''t let them get their way! All shooters, aim all of your weapons at the Spirit Beast!" There was little delay from the Brahmin''s orders to the execution. Cannons were redirected from the Lantis Navy''s position and aimed directly at Bingbing. Vaishyas and Kshatriyas attempted to throw as many attacks as they could at the Spirit Beast, but it was to no avail. Bingbing was far too speedy and tanky for the weaker Black Masks. Furthermore, Shin redirected half of the Beast Horde he summoned to assist Bingbing in tanking hits. In just one minute, the Kamaitachi had created a kilometre-long road of ice. And she wasn''t planning to stop there. The snowflakes that she left behind on the ice path was now spreading like wildfire. Bingbing wasn''t just trying to create a road, she was attempting to build a wall that was a dozen metres thick. Peeeeeeewwwwwwwwww¡­ Peeeeeeewwwwwwwwww¡­ Peeeeeeewwwwwwwwww... The submersible boats ascended from their depths, as if in complete fury. All of the red-tipped harpoons on their sides were instantly fired. Hundreds of explosions drizzled the new ice path with flame and ash, but for the most part, the ice wall still stood up high. Bingbing''s endless supply of mana was proving to be useful at this point. Not only could she continually run on water, evading all sorts of deadly attacks that the Black Masks threw at her, but she could also fix the patches that the submarines created. "Yes, that''s my girl!" Shin cheered with a beaming smile. He looked like a proud father watching his daughter complete a marathon for the first time. Of course, Bingbing''s age was at least three or four times his own, but the man didn''t care. Shin''s Restoration wasn''t only capable of recuperating an injured body back to the pink of health. It could also restore mana to its original state. In essence, Bingbing could continue on freezing the ocean as long as Shin possessed enough mana to cast Restoration. "Everyone distract the longboats!" The commotion didn''t just attract the Black Masks'' attention. The Fleet Admiral, alongside some of his trusted aides, sent down orders to assist the Kamaitachi. If they could force the Black Masks into a direct confrontation, the Lantis Navy would have won. And the faster the delay occurred, the more time the Navy had to destroy or capture every single longboat that the Black Masks had. So, the Navy covered for Bingbing, tanking many of the attacks that she would otherwise receive. It truly had degraded into a pandemonium. Bingbing didn''t care about the commotion she caused, she just wanted to faithfully carry out Shin''s orders. Dodging the arrows, cannonballs, spiritual abilities that were thrown at her, the Kamaitachi found herself already three-quarters done with the blockade. However, just before she was able to finish it off, alarm bells went tingling all over her senses. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Bingbing somersaulted back, dodging what was almost certain death. A chilling wave of sharpness sliced through the ocean, nearly splitting it in two. At the end of the attack, was an armoured Brahmin, donned in the same exact gear as the Ghost Corsair. However, instead of a cutlass as a weapon, he carried a two-metre-long claymore with blue flames beautifying the blade. "Damn it! Another Spirit Venerate!" Shin gritted his teeth and cursed. They were this close to completely freezing the Black Masks'' escape path, but it just had to be foiled. "Bingbing!!!" The man screamed, as his mana tugged the Kamaitachi all the way back to the safety of his barrier. With Bingbing out of the picture, all of the longboats that the Black Masks had were rushing straight at the remnant space that was left. They didn''t have time to crush Bingbing''s ice barricade and thus, they opted for the second-best option. "Yip, yip, yip..." The gerbil had dropped ears and a low head. She had failed Shin''s mission. There was no way that Bingbing would be upbeat. "Don''t worry, your safety is more important," the man replied smilingly. Shin watched as the tides of battle shifted once more. Though they hadn''t sealed up the entire ocean, at the very least, Shin and Bingbing had forced the Black Masks into a rather uncomfortable position. Now, it was all up to the Lantis Navy to capitalise on the situation... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 491 A War At Sea 1 "All through the gap that Sir Brahmin has made!" One Shudra screamed out at the top of his lungs, spurring the rest of the Black Masks back into action. The road of ice was supposed to be the nail in the coffin for the Black Masks, but the claymore-wielding Spirit Venerate gave them a ray of hope. Longboats rapidly turned and congregated into one dense area. The Fleet Admiral noticed the significant change and instantly ordered his next attack. "Everyone! Shoot at the centre of the fleet!" His jovial voice echoed through the many ships. "We have to strike now! Don''t worry about the aftershocks! Captains! Protect your ships with your life on the line!" "OOOOOORRRYYYYAHHHHH!!!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The men hollered out their war cries with their weapons flung up high. The warm-ups had been completed, it was time for the real exercise. The Lantis Navy''s warships sailed closer and closer towards the longboats that were scurrying into one area. Spirit Emperors, all wearing the rank of a Captain, rose into the sky, leaving the command of the ships to their Lieutenants. Spiritual energies rose to astronomical heights as the Captains all unleashed their Spirits, some even linking them with their own ships. See, the Lantis Navy was smart. They knew that no matter how well they built their warships, a peak expert would be capable of decimating their prized construction as if they were cutting a slice of cake. So, for the most valuable warships that they control, their Captains had to be at least in the Spirit Emperor realm. That way, the Spirit Emperors would be able to protect their warships while the vehicle of battle would rain down terror with its cannons. A deadly combination that hadn''t been stopped since its inception. Eight warships, together with their Captains protecting the skies, sailed ever closer towards the Black Masks'' fleet. They had no fear of collisions between the ships. The noses of the warships were enhanced by enriched metals that could retain an ungodly amount of spiritual energy. Most of them use their tips to ram into their enemies anyway. "Damn it! Quick, protect the cores!" One Kshatriya immediately shrieked out in fear. Thousands of Spirit Beasts moved from the rear and started to protect each side of the Black Masks'' fleet. Dolphin-shaped beasts, with fangs the size of any crocodiles, leapt out of the ocean and hurriedly swam towards the Lantis Navy. They were speedy and deadly, making them the ideal enemy to take down the annoying fleet. Splat¡­ Splat¡­ Splat¡­ The water continued to be unstable, but the dolphins didn''t care. All they wanted to do was to take down or at the very least, hinder the progression of the Lantis Navy. Alas, things weren''t that simple¡­ Peeeeeeeewwwww¡­ Peeeeeeeewwwww¡­ Peeeeeeeewwwww¡­ Arrows spun rapidly and instantly drilled holes into the bodies of the dolphins, sending them flying back. Pretty white dust, akin to that of a pixie''s remains, drizzled down the path that the arrows took, creating random blocks of ice in the middle of the ocean. Alarmed, the Spirit Beasts halted their tracks. They traced the trajectory of those icy arrows back to the furthest warship among the eight. Two young women were stationed at the nose of the ship, their feet just centimetres away from reaching the oceans. They bore the same features, barring the small mole on one of their faces. So, to differentiate themselves, one had tied her hair into a long ponytail, while the other just kept a simple bob cut. However, they did have one other similarity¡­ "Emma, you take the left, I''ll take the right." The woman with a ponytail created yet another ice arrow and nocked it onto her crystalline bow. "Hehe, roger that!" Emma gave her signature giggle before doing the same action. The twins were now Spirit Spectres. When they''d first awakened their Spirits, they were only capable of firing a few of their famed arrows. However, thirteen years down the road, the twins'' Spectre Soul was now an endless ice arrow factory. As long as there was even a sliver of mana left, the twins could create a hailstorm of arrows. Although they were at least five kilometres away from their target, Emma''s shots always found its mark. Ella, who had gone for the bombardment route rather than the accuracy one that her sister took, was creating vast amounts of icy barrages to push the Spirit Beasts away from her position. If they could protect the warships, the Lantis Republic would win. However, that was easier said than done. Realising that it was futile to show their faces, the dolphins instantly sunk underwater. Without vision, the twins wouldn''t be able to get to them. No matter how good one''s accuracy was, they couldn''t aim at an untraceable enemy. Well, that''s what the dolphins thought. Emma instantly closed her eyes. Taking in deep breaths, the woman unconsciously emitted pure ice energy into the atmosphere. The particles that Emma released soon congregated into an ethereal figure. A woman with immaculate white hair and dressed in a white peplos rose above Emma''s head. The illusory woman was blindfolded with a thick white cloth, which was strange by itself. However, the odder thing was, she carried a Windranger''s bow. How could a bowmaster shoot an arrow with looking at her target? Well, by using her other senses, of course! Emma''s vision had been swapped into an astral one. In this plane, there were no colours. Neither was there any light. The only thing that was present was the rough imagery of everything around Emma. "There¡­ There¡­ There¡­ There..." The markswoman found all of her targets, particularly the most powerful ones. Without wasting any more time, Emma rapidly fired all of her arrows. All of her arrows left a freezing mist in their wake, but that''s not the point of their flight. In no time at all, the dolphins underwater suffered the same fate as their compatriots just moments prior. Emma had tainted the sea in a vampiric crimson colour. The Spirit Beasts instantly panicked. They were hiding within the depths of the ocean, their own dominion, and yet they were being slaughtered. Many dove down even deeper, hoping to escape the wrath of the deadly markswoman. However, after a while, many of them stopped. Fear was surging them downwards but something else¡­ Something much more sinister than the primal urges of the beasts was propelling them upwards. Darkness irked out from their cores, and their eyes turned blood-red. Unable to control their thirst for power anymore, the dolphins surged up with a vengeance. The Spirit Beasts had turned from ravaging berserkers, to crazed suicide warriors. Emma was a markswoman. Her speciality was mowing down enemies that were kilometres away. Taking on a rampaging horde was something out of her skillset. Fortunately, her twin was ready to take the job. "Emma, boost me!" A tornado of spiritual energy split out from Ella''s back and found its way onto Emma''s. The Spirit Spectre rose to the skies, and her master hand pulled the thin, crystalline bowstring of her bow. Without much explanation, Emma could quickly tell what her sister''s plan was. After all, they had been training together since the day they were born. Mana flowed rapidly out of Emma''s Spectre Soul, and her consciousness quickly turned drowsy. However, since she was used to the sensation, the markswoman could still ''see'' the world clearly. Ella''s Ice Bow glowed in immense arctic light. It was as if the entire radiance of the south pole was condensed into one thin bow. Ella''s left hand was shaking rapidly as her veins began to pop. The weight of the bow filled with two Spirit Spectres'' mana had turned into a colossal weight, one that couldn''t be overcome with pure strength alone. Still, the sharpshooter persevere. Gritted teeth, sweaty palms¡­ Ella was experiencing the whole lot. One might even wonder if she was going to let go of her current stance. "Too bad..." Ella''s face turned fierce as the light within her bow exploded. The radiance was so immense that it seemed like a star had fallen upon the earth. In the end, the sharpshooter finally cast her fifth spiritual ability. "DIIIIIEEEEE!!!" The woman screamed. Thousands of ice crystals with pointed tips descended down in a hailstorm. They fell at speeds twice as fast as rain and was more akin to a meteor shower. Learning from Shin, Ella had devised a wide-ranged attack. Creating an endless amount rapidly spinning crystals, the master archer would be able to destroy anything that lay underneath her. Also, due to the unique properties of the Crystal Toxotai Mantra, Ella could be supplied with Emma''s mana, doubling the effect of her technique. POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! POP!!! The deadly icy hail broke into the waters below, killing anything that had dared to venture near their warship. Ella''s entire body was shivering as the mana left every corner of her being. It was challenging to maintain that level of performance without feeling drained. In the end, after a gruelling full minute, Ella finally stopped. The ocean had turned into a deep crimson hue as lifeless carcasses floated to the top. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ This spiritual ability really drains a lot of mana..." Ella landed right next to Emma. Her hands were holding her knees as she continued to pant heavily. Emma took out her flask of water, only for it to be snatched away by her twin. "Thanks for the assist, sis..." "Hehe, don''t mention it!" Emma cheered happily. It was a joyous occasion, beating the first horde of Spirit Beasts. However, her face rapidly shifted as the astral snow woman above her turned to face another direction. "But¡­ We''re not done yet..." The dolphins were the tip of the iceberg. Once the first wave of Spirit Beasts had been destroyed, the Black Masks sent in yet another wave. Compared to the precious cargo that they were holding, losing a hundred or even a thousand Tier 3 and 4 Spirit Beasts seemed to be a bargain. The redness of the oceans was soon replaced by the fresh waves that rippled with the Beast Horde''s advance. Spirit Beasts of all shapes and sizes, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 5 all torpedoed their way against the rough oceans. The warships fired their cannons, retaliating against the maniacal rush of the horde. Bodies up from the depths and were instantly dismembered by the explosions. However, even against the tremendous odds, the Spirit Beasts pushed on. Many had reached the warships and were preparing for boarding. Officers donned on their light armour while regular marines rushed back into safety. They instantly ran into formation with their Spirits summoned. With the warships now just a few kilometres away, the war had advanced to its next stage. Taking on the Spirit Beasts as they would pirates, the Lantis Navy began their hack and slash initiative. Blood spewed on both sides as the sea descended in chaos. While whirlwinds and ten-metre high waves were ravaging the oceans, the two sides clashed. "Tsk, back up!" Ella clicked her tongue and grabbed Emma by the arm. They were the most effective at long-range. Taking on the physically superior Spirit Beasts at close-quarters was tantamount to suicide for them. Which was why... "Hehe¡­ Now it''s my turn!" A sweet voice entered the eardrums of the young twins, as a figure dashed past them. Blue flames were traced down on the floor, and a fragrant aroma tingled the senses of anyone that the figure passed. White foxy ears and nine luscious, puffy tails differentiated the young woman from anyone else. Pale blue balls of fire spun around the woman, each one holding the explosive power of a hundred cannons. Turning her hand into a claw, the black-haired woman condensed one of the blue foxfires into a dense flame, and a mini-tornado formed right above it. Aiming her claw right at the advancing Spirit Beasts, the woman took one deep breath in before finally unleashing her rage. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! An explosion akin to that of a volcanic eruption decimated the patch of ocean that lay before Kanari. And that wasn''t the end¡­ Kanari''s flames spread out from the point of impact and created an entire field of fire right above the Lantis Sea. No one knows how the fire was able to keep burning, even though its fuel was the ocean itself. However, no one dared to breathe a word at the ethereal sight that lay before them. Swept within her domain, Kanari pivoted her arms to crack some bones. Taking many deep breaths in, the woman consistently fueled her flames with a bottomless mana reserve. Her Rank 51 Spirit Lord pressure descended upon the masses, striking fear in many of the Spirit Beasts hearts. For the Kumiho, everything was her prey. Spiritual energy, Spirit Beasts, Black Masks, submarines... They were all damned by the woman that levitated within her blue fire domain. "Now¡­ It''s time for me to let go of some steam..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 492 A War At Sea 2 Kanari''s sudden insertion into the battle caused the Spirit Beasts to flee in a forced retreat. Most of her adversaries were below the Tier 5 realm, which meant that Kanari''s flames alone were able to hold them at bay. In her Kumiho form, the woman was invincible physically as well. There''s a reason why Kanari had become a Spirit Lord faster than anyone of her age, Shin included. As the future bride of the heir, Kanari''s status in the Lantis Republic could be equivalent to that of a princess-regent. While Shin was busy with the billion-odd tasks he had to do, Kanari could reap the benefits of both the Lantis Republic and Highgarden Duchy. Training every day at a dormant volcano with a breathtaking ocean''s view, Kanari was able to absorb the Fire and Wind Element at a rate that no one could compare. Not to mention, her close proximity to Shin had also spurred her cultivation speed rapidly. A Rank 51 Spirit Lord at twenty-three. Kanari was really showing the Lantis Republic that she was the only person worthy to stand side-by-side with Shin. Whhhhhhhhhooooossshhhhhhhhh!!! Angered by Kanari''s blatant arrogance, one submarine unleashed all of its ammunition from the bottom of the ocean. The red-tipped harpoons sped through the depths and rushed right at Kanari, who seemed utterly oblivious to the threat. Yes, the Spirit Lord might be able to take down the Beast Horde, but her flames would be rendered completely ineffective when defending against an underwater threat. The Shudra captaining the submarine wore a disgusting smile, ready to watch as his harpoons rip Kanari''s flesh into a thousand little pieces. Unfortunately, they had forgotten one minor thing¡­ Swwoooooooooooooooooshhhhhh!!! A massive shadow entered the depths of the ocean, blocking the line of sight of the submarine. The trajectory of the explosive harpoons was instantly distorted as millions of bubbles hindered their path. In the end, unable to bear with the sudden change, the trump card of the submarines exploded fifty metres before it could reach Kanari. "What the?" The Shudra jaw was at his feet. He couldn''t believe the magic that had just flashed by his eyes. Before he could even question his very existence, the shadow darted down at a speed untraceable to the human eye and before he knew it¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!! A hole had been drilled into the submarine, sending gallons of salty seawater gushing in. Bubbles were all the Shudra could see as the pressure continued to mount within the submarine. There was no saving him or his crew. The Shudra gasped within the final pocket of air that he had before finally sinking down into oblivion. Finishing up her job, a burly middle-aged woman emerged from the ocean like a beluga whale. Drenched to the bone, one could clearly identify her colossal figure, which was as fit as can be. With a sigh, the woman chastised the master she served. "Mistress Kanari¡­ Please, inform me of your plans before you act¡­" "Ah, my apologies," Kanari replied with a smile that hinted her lack of remorse. "It''s just that I trust you too much Thea." "Even so, there are some situations where I can''t react fast enough..." The Spirit Venerate that was meant to be Kanari''s guard shook her head. Only Thea''s head was visible as she continued to thread the water around her. She looked to the north, where most of the longboats were located. Many of them only contained Black Masks that were Rank 40 and below while the select few with a more potent force were already embroiled in a battle with the Lantis Navy. ''Hmmm... Mistress Kanari should be capable of handling those weaklings on her own. The only problem is those pesky underwater boats...'' The elite bodyguard surmised. Over the past three years, Kanari had trained her fighting capabilities to an astounding degree. Not only had Kanari perfected her domain, but she had also learnt how to effectively combine her three innate abilities. Foxfires were powerful. Just ask the poor Shizen who had acted as Kanari''s training partner when Shin was too busy. However, what if her foxfires were condensed into a single point and amplified by an intense gale tornado? What effects could Kanari possibly show? Well, the answer was right before the Black Masks'' eyes. VVVVVVVRRRRRRRROMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Yet another condensed flame escaped from Kanari''s palm and flew viciously towards a nearby longboat. Without any protection from a Spirit Lord cultivator or higher, the poor ship could only serve as cannon fodder. An intense explosion decimated the longboat. Blue flames expanded rapidly, incinerating everything in view, and when that wasn''t enough, Kanari twisted her hand once more. The fire instantly stopped and condensed back into a small little ball. The seamen on the longboat took this opportunity to abandon ship, thinking that it was all over. Alas, the hell was only beginning. Kanari''s flames unleashed yet another explosion, breaking the hull and mast. The pattern repeated itself a dozen times until the Black Masks'' longboat was nothing but ash and char. ''Yup, nothing I can do here...'' Thea snorted and descended back into the ocean. Kanari only had one weakness, and that was underwater combat. Her flames were practically useless within the sea, and her gale control was incapable of affecting the currents like Shin could. In the end, it was up to Kanari''s bodyguard to protect her from the threat of the depths. "Fire!!!" One Kshatriya gritted his teeth and laid down the order. They were supposed to distract the Lantis Navy as long as they possibly could, and a kill onto the Prince of Water''s consort would be a good start. So, against his better judgement, the Black Mask assumed that he could take on the Princess. Wrong move. The Kumiho claws that Kanari possessed unleashed a torrent of concentrated flame energy. Blades the size of two yachts positioned side-by-side dyed the snowy grey afternoon into a merciless violet hue. Viciously, Kanari''s new claws descended down like a tiger''s paw strike. The longboat that attempted to take her down¡­ Was now split into six equal pieces, with five distinct lines made with flames separating them all See, once Shin''s fighting style had morphed over the years. At the start, he was nothing more than a healer that could spray water around. Then, in Imperius Academy, Shin learnt to fight at close-quarters. He''d even acquired Spiritual Body Enhancement, just to enhance his overall martial capabilities. However, in more recent years, Shin had changed into more of a control-based Spirit User. Instead of fighting with his spear in hand, the Prince of Water liked to dominate the battlefield like a tactician. Analysing his opponent''s every move while formulating plans to either mimic or utterly destroy them. That was Shin''s new signature style, and the Domain of Dreams was the perfect example of how he fought. So, to complement Shin''s abilities, Kanari opted to go for a more combative style. Kanari''s close-quarters combat was already top-notch, and her domain could help her dominate her opponents with relative ease. Also, her Lunar Beam and Spiritual Body Enhancement was powerful enough to make most enemies run with their tails stuck behind their legs. Thus, Kanari''s trajectory to become one of the world''s best combatants was already set in stone. All she needed to do was to refine her abilities just a little more. And that was precisely what she did. Kanari adopted Shin''s cunning mind and created a spiritual ability that morphed her foxfires into tremendous forms of energy. She could create condensed blades that were sharper than any legendary sword. Bloom a deadly flower that detonated with the force of a volcanic eruption. And possibly its most important attribute, Kanari could create layers of defence to protect her supple skin from taking any sort of impurities. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!! The Nine-Tailed woman continued to wreak havoc amongst the Black Masks'' fleet. Flames flew everywhere as Spirit Beasts began to fall in complete agony. Shudras looked to their superiors for help, but they were somewhat preoccupied with the Lantis Navy''s officers. Clashes between Spirit Kings and Emperors became all the more frequent while the warships that the Lantis Navy boasted were tearing through multiple longboats at a time. Some of the more critical cargo had already crossed the narrow waterways and were speeding farther away from the Lantis Sea. It was understandable for the Black Masks to abandon their expendable army. "Kanari should be fine¡­" Shin''s tense shoulders eased a little after watching Kanari''s spectacular one-man-show. The young maiden should be able to defend herself and the warship ferrying the twins and Lady Seph. "It''s those longboats that are the problem..." The Prince of Water''s warm gaze turned into a death glare. Shin might be a few kilometres away from the sailing longboats, but his eyes could see their contents clearly. Tier 7 Spirit Beasts that were clearly unable to fly or swim stood with gnarly scowls on the deck. Black Masks with crescent moons and emerald snakes engraved on their foreheads also stood on by. However, the most critical cargo wasn''t the powerful beings that could change the fate of a battle if they were unleashed. The most essential resource that the Black Masks were trying to save was¡­ "Mmmm, you were right, my Prince." Zishen stroked his white dragon''s beard as his wrinkled face broke into a smile. "The mana signatures of those longboats¡­ They do hide something sinister. This feeling¡­ I had only sensed it in those dastardly Payircis." "I knew it!" The youth exclaimed. "They really can move the Paradise Hearts around!" The fact that there were that many more Paradise Hearts lingering in the Lantis Republic, even when most of the Payircis were closely monitored by the Lantis Republic sent shivers down Shin''s spine. It meant that the Black Masks had plans to erect even more of those dastardly levitating towers that reaped the lives of any who dared to venture deep inside of them. ''They''re all focusing on the Lantis Navy...'' Shin sent his spiritual senses straight at the fleeing longboats. None of their protectors was looking at Shin''s direction. Their gazes were all glued towards their rear, where the warships and powerful cultivators were. Even Shin''s summoned Beast Horde was kept at bay by the Black Masks'' own Spirit Beasts. ''Perhaps I can use this...'' Unconsciously, the ends of Shin''s lips curled upwards, taking the shape of an impish smile. Zishen, who had been observing Shin for the longest time, shook his head with a sigh: "Mmmm... My Prince, what exactly are you scheming now?" "What?" "That face of yours¡­ It''s too easy to read..." the Azure Dragon said. "You''re going to try something absurd once again, right?" "What makes you say that?" Shin frowned at the lack of distrust that stupid dragon had. "Mmmm¡­ I''ve been burned too many times by that smile, My Prince." Zishen shook his head as his fingers climbed up to support his falling neck. At the side, Heigui Xuegang coughed twice and turned his gaze far away. The Spirit Venerate was a newcomer, but even he had heard of Shin''s legendary twisted smile. When the Prince grins, the world will burn. "Don''t worry, I''m not planning to leave the barrier one bit!" Shin reassured the concerned duo. He raised his left hand, and the familiar siren''s wail rang within all of their heads. Zishen watched as his former fingernail appeared right behind of Shin. Unlike the previous times Shin had ignited the Shard, it seemed far more restrained. The tempest of spiritual energy was kept within Shin''s Spectre Soul, and the mana it generated was as stable as a tranquil lake. ''I''d never tried this on a moving target, but here goes...'' Shin closed his eyes and concentrated everything that he had onto the waters right ahead of the first longboat. He ''sensed'' the flow of the ocean, the moving tides that rose and fell with every passing second. ''Concentrate¡­ On¡­ The¡­ Space...'' Shin continued to drip down sweat as his forehead turned more vermillion. The Shard wasn''t ignited to throw an immense energy surge, but instead, it was used for Shin to heighten his mana output. The ''attack'' that he was going to commit to wasn''t all that powerful. However, it was as challenging as threading a needle that was ten thousand kilometres away. The water that surrounded the first longboat glistened in starlight just a little bit. Since all the Black Masks were preoccupied with escaping, they didn''t catch the subtle difference. That would prove to be their undoing¡­ Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzssssssssssssssssssttttttttttt!!! At the peak of his power, Shin finally unleashed his spatial attack. Fifteen water lances sliced through the hull of the longboat and protruded out the other side above the deck. Seawater gushed into the ships, and before long, the Black Masks had to scramble up the boat and save their most precious cargo. Some Shudras attempted to cog the holes with their own spiritual abilities, but they were far too late. Half of the longboat had already been filled with the love of the ocean. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It was pure, unadulterated mayhem. And the cause of the catastrophe remained smiling throughout. "What?" Shin raised his brow at the twitching eyelids of Zishen and Heigui Xuegang. "Mmmm¡­ Like I said¡­ You''re fucking absurd..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 493 A War At Sea 3 "Patch the holes!!!" One Kshatriya yelled out while flailing his magnificent sword. "We can''t let the Paradise Hearts be damaged! All of you can lose your lives, but Paradise Hearts can''t have a single stain!!!" "B-But, sir!" A Shudra came forward, his eyes shaky and fingers trembling. "The ship is sinking too quickly! Even if we had a thousand shipwrights here¡­ I fear it''s far too late." The Kshatriya''s face boiled with intense rage, "What did I just say? FIX THE BLOODY HOLES!!!" A slap flew from one side to another, pushing the Shudra back over a dozen metres. "I know that the ship is beyond repair. I need you bastards to slow the sinking down, at least until Sir Brahmin concludes his battle!" The Paradise Heart was far too mana-rich for any mere Spirit Lord, King or Emperor to handle. Just grabbing onto that dense ball of energy was enough to burn the skin off anyone that dared to touch it. Only those that had transcended their mortality twice would be capable of executing such a feat. Unfortunately, the Black Masks had only sent three Spirit Venerates on this mission while they had about seven Paradise Hearts. Losing four Paradise Hearts, particularly ones that haven''t been used in a Payirci, would be a significant blow to the criminal syndicate. Not to mention, the Alliance would be sure to reverse-engineer the greatest invention of their time. It was a risk that the Black Masks weren''t ready to take on at this point in time. Luckily for the criminal syndicate, they hadn''t placed all their eggs in one basket. The seven Paradise Hearts had been separated into seven different boats, and Shin had only sunk one of them. Still, if nothing were done, the young Prince of Water would continue to take down as more and more of their Paradise Hearts. Therefore¡­ "Sir Brahmin!" The Kshatriya screamed at the descending armoured man. He was wielding a flaming claymore which burnt at intense volcanic heat. The blue fire was mesmerising as it was dangerous. If the Spirit Venerate so wished, he could melt all of the Black Masks'' faces off with just one swing of his sword. "Paradise Heart?" A man of few words, the Spirit Venerate questioned his subordinate with succinct words. "It''s fine, sir Brahmin!" The Kshatriya yelled back. "However, if nothing is done, the Paradise Heart would sink under the ocean! We''re trying to patch the holes, but the damage is too great!!!" The volume of his voice continued to increase until it was thoroughly hoarse. "Mmmm, leave it to me," replied the towering man. He sped straight into the half-broken hull and meandered his way through the flooding corridors. Whenever there was a hindered pathway, the Brahmin would simply tear a hole through the ship, not caring about the additional damage that was being left behind. For him, the Paradise Heart was far more important than the petty lives of his underlings. In no time at all, the flaming claymore pierced through a final wall, revealing a completely sealed chamber. Airtight and void of any life, it was the optimal place to keep one of the most valuable treasures that the Allfather had. It was this chamber that sealed the Paradise Heart''s immense spiritual energies. If opened, the entire Lantis Navy''s attention would be focused on the longboat, but the Brahmin didn''t care. With one stroke of his blade, the Spirit Venerate tore through the final barrier. A flurry of spiritual and elemental energy rushed straight towards the apex of the world. The Spirit Venerates, who had been preoccupied with their own tasks, instantly snapped their heads towards the supreme mana that was being released. "The Paradise Heart..." The Ghost Corsair deflected Su Qigang''s staff and turned his entire body towards the leading longboat. The Admiral, seeing that his opponent had lost focus for a brief moment, somersaulted up and committed his entire weight to the next attack. A colossal whirlwind was followed up by Su Qigang''s staff, and it seemed like the Ghost Corsair couldn''t escape the eventual trip to the hospital. However, what could go wrong will go wrong. The Ghost Corsair, angered that the Black Masks had been rendered vulnerable, decided that playtime was over. The pure lightning in the bottle coiled around like a serpent and many branches leapt out. It was as if an entire tempest''s wrath had been contained within that small condensed state. Pop! It took a few seconds, but the Ghost Corsair''s eight spiritual ability was finally completed. Why was the Ghost Corsair feared as the most powerful pirate in recent memory? Was it because of his coordinated crew that made the Lantis Navy''s teamwork seem subpar? Or was it because of his powerful ship that could tank through thousands of cannonballs? Well, those two facts did add to his legend, but they weren''t the real reason why he reigned supreme over the Lantis Sea. The reason why the Ghost Corsair was so dominant¡­ "Just die," a soft voice, mostly reserved in its delivery, rang through Su Qigang''s head. Before him, a colossal ship coiled out of pure, dense, cyan lightning, instantly ran out of the Ghost Corsair''s bottle. Though the lightning ship was at least a hundred metres away, Su Qigang could feel its heat as if it were just right in front of him. The air became so thin that no sane person would be capable of breathing within its dominion. It had finally made its return to the mortal world¡­ The Phantom''s Embrace had returned to haunt the Lantis Sea. "Damn it!" Su Qigang twisted the staff that he possessed and created a giant windshield, akin to that of a rapidly spinning turn-mill. He had given up on escaping or attacking. There was only one thing on the Admiral''s agenda now. The man had to survive. The Ghost Corsair held his cutlass up high as he continued to supply mana to the electric boat. He looked at Su Qigang''s useless attempt to protect himself and sneered, "There''s no escaping the Phantom''s Embrace. You can only face it and let the ocean gods decide whether you live¡­ Or die..." With one swing of his cutlass, the Ghost Corsair unleashed the most powerful ability of anyone present. The enormous boat that would dwarf any of the warships that the Lantis Navy had, disappeared¡­ No, it turned into a flash of light. There was literally just a nanosecond for Su Qigang to react to the attack, which was impossible even with the reflexes of a Spirit Venerate. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Electric currents decimated the oceans. The typhoons created by the Spirit Venerates were evaporated into nothingness as the world spun into a standstill. Su Qigang felt as if the clock had been rewound and he was back in the cradle enveloped by his mother''s warmth. Everything was so comfortable and nice¡­ Alas, it was just an illusion. The Phantom''s Embrace unleashed all of its terror upon the Spirit Venerate, burning him into a fine crisp. Bits of burnt skin fell off the man''s four limbs, and every single strand of hair had been evaporated into nothingness. Falling straight down without a shred of consciousness, the man was certain to be engulfed by the ocean if nothing was done. Lady Seph immediately sprung into action. Merging with the Iofiel Angel, the Divine Healer turned into a beam of light. Golden elemental energy flowed out from her pores and grabbed hold onto the burnt Admiral. "Qigang!" The Fleet Admiral rushed out from the safety of the command centre and yelled. "Venerate Seraphim! Is Qigang going to be okay?!" The golden-haired woman ignored the man''s question. She was entirely concentrated on treating the substantial damage that Su Qigang had took from the Phathom''s Embrace. Every single organ, be it external or internal, was severely burnt. It was a miracle that the man was still breathing, even with his Spirit Venerate mana. Only after a full examination did Lady Seph finally address the tall man by her side. "No, he isn''t¡­ It''s going to take more than an hour of treatment for me to stabilise his condition." Bad news, but it wasn''t the worst. Heaving a sigh of relief, the Fleet Admiral begged the Divine Healer: "Please, Venerate Seraphim! We''ll make sure to pay you handsomely!" "As I said, it''s going to take more than an hour to treat him..." Lady Seph shook her head in disappointment. "We''re in the midst of a battle now, I can''t just focus on one person." The Divine Healer slowly got up and left traces of her mana within the blackened man''s body. As much as she wanted to completely heal the Admiral, Lady Seph didn''t like the feeling of losing sight of Shin, particularly in such a tense battlefield. "Get your best healer to treat him¡­ When the battle''s over, I''ll heal him properly." The two angelic wings behind Lady Seph''s back flapped instantly, and she took the skies. Her objective was quite clear. The Divine Healer identified all of the friendlies that were injured using her high vantage point and then¡­ "All of you¡­ Rise up again..." Lady Seph''s blue eyes glimmered with a golden light. Her wings, which were originally white, was now glowing in fluorescent-halcyon, sending heaps of starlight flying straight down upon the world. It mixed with the snow and coloured the azure light of the ocean, golden. It continued to grow bigger and bigger until finally, Lady Seph said the magic words. "Let it rain..." ??? Meanwhile, on the other side of the world... "Hmmm, is it raining?" Shizen glanced up into the grey afternoon sky. The sweet smell of dew dominated the nature boy''s senses. Shizen raised his palms up, hoping to catch even a hint of water. However, no matter how long he held out his hand, Shizen couldn''t feel a single thing. "Nope," Venerate Maurice was quick to deny Shizen''s claim. "You''re just under the influence of the Mind-Elements that surround the Tree of Illusions." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Huh? Isn''t the Tree of Illusions located deep within the Illusory Canyon? How can it affect us when we''re not even inside of the Canyon yet?" Shizen continued to question the Spirit Venerate. "Correction, the Tree of Illusions isn''t located deep inside of the Illusory Canyon." "Hmmm, then where is it?" A single pout and raised eyebrows outlined the Spirit Venerate''s face. With shrugged shoulders, he elaborated. "No one knows where it really is. Due to the vast amounts of Mind-Elements that envelops it, the Tree of Illusions has the capability to morph any living being''s perception of reality, better than anything else. It could be deep within the Illusory Canyon, or it could be hiding in plain sight for all we know." "So¡­ Even if we probably won''t be able to find it?" "That''s the Tree of Illusions for you," replied the man with a wry smile. "There''s nothing in the world that possesses such a dense amount of Mind-Elements. I can show you the safe way to explore the Illusory Canyon without getting completely lost, but we''ll most likely never find the Empyrean Wonder. Legend has it that the Tree of Illusions is sentient and only those it deems worthy would be able to experience its grandeur. So don''t get your hopes up, kid..." "..." Shizen''s mouth was sewn shut. It would be regrettable if he''d travelled all the way from the Lantis Republic only to be rewarded with nothing. "Still, no one''s questioning that it''s a good place to cultivate. Particularly for a Spirit Spectre like you," Venerate Maurice chuckled and continued on with a suggestion. "I propose that you use the one month we have here wisely. Don''t overextend your boundaries. Not everyone can find the Tree of Illusions and many Spirit Saints in the past had lost their lives within the Illusory Canyon. Use this time to cultivate or something." "Right..." Shizen nodded. Though his head wasn''t totally with the Spirit Venerate. The Adivinar Tree was calling out¡­ It was lured to the mother of all trees¡­ Shizen couldn''t pinpoint where exactly, but he could tell¡­ Something deep inside of the Illusory Canyon, something so mystical that Shizen couldn''t explain it¡­ His answer¡­ The answer to Shizen''s question¡­ It was most definitely¡­ The Tree of Illusions. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 494 Overwhelmed 1 Shizen held onto his breath. Before him, a dense mist covered all signs of matter, bringing his advancement into the Illusory Canyon to a halt. Venerate Maurice was by his side, smiling down at the nature boy''s tensed-up state. He remembered the days when he first tried to explore the Illusory Canyon. That anxiety¡­ The feeling of his heart being pumped at a million kilometres an hour as cold sweat dripped down his very existence¡­ They were all present in Shizen. The only explorer to have visited ninety percent of the world''s Empyrean Wonders, Venerate Maurice knew how dangerous this current position of theirs was. Thus, he repeated his instructions: "Remember, don''t stray too far from me." "How could I?" Shizen snorted, shaking his wrists three times. Clank¡­ Clank¡­ Clank¡­ A metallic resonance echoed out into the foggy canyon. A handcuff was secured on Shizen''s left hand, and the other was on Venerate Maurice''s. Connected by a thick metal chain that measured about a metre long, the handcuffs were as heavy as a sack of rice. "Even if I tried to wander around, your overwhelming strength would pull me back in an instant!" "Don''t underestimate the Tree of Illusions, Shizen..." The Spirit Venerate''s voice lowered by two octaves in an instant. Shizen felt a cold chill run down his back, and he unconsciously clicked his boots together. It was rare for Venerate Maurice to be this serious. "We''re intruders on its turf. The moment we step into the fog, we''ll be identified by the Tree of Illusions. If it''s indifferent to our presence, we''ll be running around in circles. If it deems us as the enemy..." The Spirit Venerate didn''t complete his sentence, but even Shizen could tell that it was anything but good news. Till this day, no one has ever forcibly found the Tree of Illusions. The only ones that encountered the legendary tree were those that had been chosen. If the pair weren''t chosen by the Tree of Illusions, the only thing that they could do was breathe in the oxygen that the tree photosynthesised. "So don''t be overly complacent," the Spirit Venerate reiterated. "You might be bound to me by chains, but against the wrath of the Empyrean Wonder¡­ We''re just maggots on a rotting log waiting to be burnt." "I understand..." Shizen gulped. "Good, this place will be our camp." Walking a few metres back, Venerate Maurice created a simple campfire near a deep cave that was routinely used by travellers. The Illusory Canyon was a popular pilgrimage destination after all. It made sense for there to be a shelter or two created by the humans of old. "We''re going to spend only two hours a day exploring the outskirts of the Illusory Canyon. If you somehow got lost, come back to camp by following the smoke," Venerate Maurice''s finger pointed straight towards the soot that was billowing up into the air. "Understood..." ??? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ????????????????? ??????????????????? Pitter patter¡­ Pitter patter¡­ Pitter patter... A rhythm dominated the sounds of the ground, caused by the constant bombardment of the grey, overcast skies. The darkened pieces of wool in the heavens were wrung by the God of Rain, sending billions of water droplets flying down upon the earth. Wild animals rushed into their burrows and abodes, hoping to escape the sheets of endless water that fell like shrapnel. Winds going at a hundred kilometres an hour pushed any life back, and the trees were bent so much that it looked like they were doing the limbo. It was a disaster for the dwellers of the thick forest, particularly when it was so close to the freezing point. However, in the middle of the tempest, one single entity remained utterly unfazed. No matter how many billion drops were sent their way, the mansion located in the middle of nowhere didn''t budge a single bit. A considerable energy barrier protected the colossal home from any winds, storms or even stray debris that might come its way. Light-filled with warmth glimmered out from the mansion, making it seem rather cosy for its dangerous position. There wasn''t any snow, water or broken paths within the barrier. Everything was completely stable and fit for human life. Which made it the ideal place for life to be contained¡­ and born. "ARGGGHHH!!! ARRRRRGGGGHHH!!" The screams of a woman in pain broke the monopoly of sound that the rain had. Two men sat on the floor outside of the chambers. The brawny one, who was at least two metres tall, paced back and forth as if he were dancing the waltz. Though, there wasn''t much delight in his steps. The other man, sat back with his head leaned on the wall, his eyes were as carefree as can be. "Why is it taking so long?" The burly man stamped his feet on the floor, shaking it somewhat. "Senior Vellan, there''s no rushing childbirth," Junius said. "The most skilled midwife is already helping in Shia''s deliverance, that''s what you said right? She''ll be fine..." "Why are you the father, less worried than me?!" "I could ask the same of you," the viridian-haired man sighed. "The father isn''t worried, so why are you?" "T-That!" Vellan was forced to eat his words. "I''ve watched Shia grow since she was just this tall; naturally I''ll be worried for her safety!" The Spirit Emperor remarked, his hand placed on his knees. "You know Shia¡­ She''s not the most physically adept person¡­ Even among us survivors, her constitution is rather weak. If something happens to her..." The Awter Clan had lost too many members already. The massacre had annihilated so many of the kin. Survivors of the carnage had also been thinned down over the years. Junius'' father was one of the many casualties. Thus, it was a bittersweet occasion for the remnants of the Awter Clan. On the one hand, Vellan couldn''t wait to welcome the new life into the world. However, he also didn''t want to see Shia suffer and potentially lose her life. Thus, the next sound that graced the hallway placed a massive smile on the old man''s face. "WAAAAHHHH!!! WAAAAHHH!!! WAAAHHHH!!!" The wails of a baby reverberated through the halls of the mansion. It was deafening loud, a good sign to determine the health of a newborn. At the same time, the chippy voices of Shia and the midwife sounded out, signalling that there was only happy news to be heard. "HAHAHA!!!" Vellan chortled, slapping Junius'' back thrice. "They''re fine! They''re fine!!!" "..." Junius didn''t show the same outburst of emotion that Vellan had. Instead, he wore a sardonic frown. That slight change of expression wasn''t caught by the overenthusiastic Spirit Emperor. Still, Junius somehow managed to control himself by gently rising from the ground. Dusting off his shirt, Junius grabbed hold onto the bars of the door and pushed into the chambers. The midwife was rather obese for her age. Her chest and stomach were protruding out as if there were three boulders within her. However, oddly enough, that proved to be calming for the crying baby. Resting comfortably on her bosom, the infant who was as little as a kitten, babbling happily as it went to sleep. Seeing that the viridian-haired man had entered the room, the midwife smiled and brought the baby over. "Congratulations, the delivery was an overwhelming success! Look! It''s a boy! He''s your son!" The midwife graciously handed the sleeping infant over. With gentle arms, the young Spirit Lord held onto the baby, doing his absolute best not to wake the child. The baby had rosy cheeks that were inflated like a squirrel''s. His sweet and supple fat was layered like milk buns and the adorable four limbs attached to him randomly swerved around. His mouth opened up like a fish as small saliva bubbles were forced out. "Junius, let me see him..." A weak voice called out to the man. Shia, who had remained bed-ridden in the pile of her own blood, reached her left hand out. Over the years, Shia seemed to have aged quite a bit. Already in her thirties, wrinkles and strands of white hair had started to grow. Even after Junius had passed the first barrier of mortality, the woman stagnated at the Spirit Core realm. She wasn''t some super-genius like Shin or Junius. In the end, just like many others in the world, the woman was only a small fish in the vast ocean. However, there was one thing that she could be proud of. One achievement that would trump any of the child geniuses that dominated their realm. She was a mother and a proud one at that. "Come here, little one..." Shia watched as Junius went down to his knees, showing the supple face of their newborn. He was beautiful. Those adorable cheeks, that beautiful smile¡­ Everything that the child had, Shia wanted to pamper. It was her child. It was their child¡­ "Are you sure you can handle him?" Junius asked, his brow slightly raised. The woman had just undergone one of the most significant challenges known to humans. It wouldn''t be strange for her to simply faint out of exhaustion. "Of course I can! I''m his mother!" Shia protested. She sat up straight on the bed, despite her wobbly conditions. The midwife instantly ran over and held her by the back. Shia was shaking like a leaf. The blood-stained white towels were hampering her movements, so she kicked them away with anger. "Give him to me..." "Hah¡­ If you say so," Junius dropped his shoulders as a helpless sigh came running out of his nose. The baby gently moved into his mother''s cradle, and a peaceful smile crept up his lips. "This is it..." Shia said, her voice was as tender as a lamb. "This is what I was looking for..." "A child?" "No, his name is Errol¡­ Errol Laenar Awter¡­ Have you forgotten?" The newly ordained mother questioned. "Of course not," Junius dapped his wife''s forehead with a wet towel, cleaning up some of the remaining sweat. "If it''s a boy, we''ll name him Errol after the deceased Clan Master. If it''s a girl, Cassiel, after the madam. And his middle name will be¡­ My father''s¡­ My real surname..." "That''s right..." Shia chuckled. Apparently, Junius hadn''t forgotten this critical fact. The new mother''s smile was as radiant as can be. However, after a few seconds, her eyebrows got stitched together, and the corners of her lips curved downwards. "We''re gifting him the Awter surname¡­ Do you think that the young master would be displeased?" "..." Junius'' smile turned upside down almost instantly at the mention of the young man. The towel on Shia''s forehead stopped, while the man''s face turned grim immediately. "You should forget about Shin, the sooner, the better..." "Junius¡­ No matter how far gone he is, he''s still our young master¡­ He''s still your younger brother¡­ We should..." "Enough, Shia..." Junius stroked the woman''s sweaty hair, silencing the woman. "Let''s not talk about him today. It''s your special day, it''s Errol''s birthday¡­ We should just celebrate..." "..." There was silence in the chambers for a full minute. No one dared to breathe a single word, not even the Spirit Emperor Vellan. The only sound that could be heard was the newborn infant''s adorable snores that tickled his parents'' ears. Before anything else could happen, furious footsteps could be heard running down the hallways outside. Due to the silence, Junius was able to hear it coming from a kilometre away. "Sir Kshatriya! Sir Kshatriya!" The voice yelled. A young black-robed man stormed into the chambers, his face all red and sweaty. It looked like he had ran a full marathon just to reach the famed halls of the viridian-haired young man. "Didn''t I tell you not to disturb me?" Junius low voice grumbled out. His mood was already bad, to begin with, and yet this little asshole had come to worsen his day. "Yes, but sir! This is an emergency!" The Black Mask cried. "The Illusory Canyon¡­ There''s a smoke source coming out from its entrance!" "A smoke source?" Junius finally took an interest. "Is it a wandering pilgrim, or an explorer?" "That''s what we''d thought¡­ So, when we sent some scouts to confirm..." The Black Masks brought over a report that had been penned down on a piece of yellow parchment. "It was a short glimpse, but¡­ We''ve confirmed the identity of the intruder¡­ It''s Venerate Maurice!!!" "The explorer?" Vellan was the first to speak out. "But there shouldn''t be any reason for him to come back here, unless¡­ Has the Alliance found something about us?" "Hmmm, no matter what it may be, we can''t let a Spirit Venerate roam this close to our western base¡­" Junius stroked his chin as he formulated as many plans as he could. In the end, the man heaved a deep sigh before saying to his wife: "I''m sorry, Shia. I''ll have to trouble you with Errol for the time being." "No, I understand," the new mother returned Junius'' worry with a warm smile. "Work is more important. Also, I wouldn''t rest well, knowing that a Spirit Venerate from the Alliance is camping this close to my baby." The viridian-haired man smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "Thank you, dear. I promise I''ll keep Errol and you safe¡­ No matter the cost..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 495 Overwhelmed 2 The golden rain of light enveloped the fatigued warriors of the Lantis Navy. Injuries that required hours to patch up were healed in an instant. Tired bodies, filled with busted blood vessels and buckets of sweat were rejuvenated, giving them the power to fight another day. While the Black Masks were engulfed in terror and catastrophe, the Lantis Navy''s fallen were standing up one by one, as if they were an Immortal Army. The miracle of Yara Pass was finally being replicated. "Damn it!!!" A Shudra screamed. The blisters on his palms were already bursting, and crimson fluids coloured his black robes into a crisp. He had just cut down a marine that flung into the longboat. It was a deep slice, with flesh and blood spraying everywhere. Yet, the officer that was supposed to be struggling on the floor was now completely unharmed and ready to go for round two. The encumbered Shudra was no match for the freshened marine, and he soon suffered the same fate that many of his men did¡­ "..." The Fleet Admiral was utterly speechless. Just a few moments prior, he was seething from his teeth at Lady Seph''s reluctance to treat Su Qigang. However, the Divine Healer''s next move was extraordinary. It even made the Fleet Admiral wonder why the Lantis Republic hadn''t procured a Divine Healer of their own! "No, let''s just be grateful that she''s willing to give us her assistance¡­ The Prince really attracts freaks from all over..." The Navy''s top man secretly gave Shin a grateful mental applause. Shin''s master was a healer that was second to none. His girlfriend was a talent that could match his own and trump any within the Lantis Republic. Furthermore, all of his closest friends and family had remarkable talents of their own. Even without his status as Prince, Shin was certain to climb to the apex of the cultivation world. Speaking of the Prince¡­ He was in the midst of directing his Spirit Beasts. The Paradise Heart revelation had changed the tides of the battle. Now, the Lantis Navy were focused in on the front of the longboat fleet. Scouts were sent into the air, specifically to identify the ships that housed a Paradise Heart. Their objectives had been altered. Before, the Lantis Navy was content with destroying as many ships as they could, as vengeance for destroying the Nineteenth Artificial Island. A tooth for a tooth, one might say. However, if they could defang the beast entirely by sinking the Paradise Hearts into the ocean, it would be akin to killing two birds with one stone. "They''re getting on my nerves," the Ghost Corsair muttered. There was one Spirit Venerate down on the side of the Lantis Navy. Normally, that would demoralise the troops, giving the Black Masks a fighting chance to escape. However, the presence of Shin, as well as his master, was proving to be too difficult for the Black Masks to overwhelm. The two brown eyes within the holes of the Brahmin''s Black Mask fluttered wildly. He looked at the Lantis Navy, with their rapidly moving warships. He then looked at the longboat fleet, that was on the verge of being completely destroyed. Then¡­ The Ghost Corsair''s eyes landed on the young man down south. There was a Spirit Venerate protecting him in a shell, an elderly man with a terrifying beastly aura, the snowy white gerbil that caused the ice blockade to form and¡­ at least a dozen more Tier 8 Spirit Beasts were circling his position, protecting him from any underwater threats. What would be the best move for the Ghost Corsair? Attack the Lantis Navy, that could resurrect like an Immortal Army? Assist the Black Masks in bringing the Paradise Hearts to safety? No, it was neither of those options. Who caused the Beast Horde that neutralised their own? Who created the ice path that blocked the Black Masks'' fleet retreat out of the Lantis Navy? Who was the one that sunk the longboat carrying the Paradise Heart? Wasn''t it that annoying little brat? As long as Shin lived, the Lantis Navy would always be on the winning track. So, there was really only one move that the Ghost Corsair could do¡­ Whhooooooooooooooooooooossssssssshhhh!!! The Spirit Venerate turned into a lightning flash. The air turned dry, which was odd for a snowy day on top of the ocean. Electricity dominated the atmosphere, and the water turned static. Wielding his signature cutlass, the Ghost Corsair sliced through the air and burst forth into the southern territory, away from most of the Lantis Navy. His target was one person and one person only¡­ "Shin!" Lady Seph, being the closest to the Ghost Corsair, immediately identified the pirate''s objective. Her angel wings turned golden once more, and she turned into a blur. The Admirals of the Lantis Navy also noticed the sudden shift. Shin was the most valuable person within the battle, there was no doubt about that. If anything were to happen to Shin, most of the Admirals here would lose their heads, courtesy of Saint Longyu Tian. Therefore, even though they were all busy with their own affairs, they always kept a keen eye out on the young Prince. And now¡­ That very Prince was on the verge of danger. "All units, keep firing!!!" The Fleet Admiral roared as he turned to his Vice-Admiral. "Take reigns over the fleet for now. If the need arises, I will leave to protect the Prince." Yes, the battle against the Black Masks was important. However, Shin''s value superseded everything else. The Celestial Dragon''s Aura, his potential to become the world''s strongest Spirit Saint, the strategies he formulated¡­ And most importantly, Shin''s seed was needed to progenate the next generation of geniuses. The Lady of Water had eight children, all of whom went on to create their own family clans. The Eight Ancient Clans of water were already a dominant force in the world. If Shin''s descendants awakened even more Scions of Water, wouldn''t that make the Lantis Republic close to invincible? Naturally, the Ghost Corsair wasn''t thinking at such a macro-level. All he wanted to do was to rid the scourge that was plaguing the Black Masks. The lightning in his bottle created maelstroms with a force of a thousand thunderstorms. The cutlass in his hands became coiled with dense lightning elements, and the water surrounding him evaporated instantly. Before anyone could count to three, the man was already right before Shin and the energy barrier that Heigui Xuegang had created. BBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! The cutlass, infused with the Spirit Venerate''s dense lightning mana, slashed downwards without mercy. It was attempting to decimate Shin''s protection with one swift stroke. Coils of lightning split the ocean in two, creating a humongous void right beneath Shin. Heigui Xuegang held his hands up in the air, holding back as much of the colossal weight as he possibly could. The Obsidian Xuanwu of the Heigui Clan was known as the most defensive Spirit among the Eight Scions of Water. Its innate ability to create an outer shell was second-to-none. Some even say that at its peak, the Heigui Clan''s defence would be capable of saving the earth from a falling star. Yet, at this moment, cracks were forming within the thick shell that Heigui Xuegang had created. Blood pumped all the way to his upper arms, as the weight of the cutlass continued to push him down. Something had to be done, or Shin would be exposed. Zishen was the first to move. He forced his way out of the barrier from the back, and his humanoid body had turned entirely scaly. Slowly but surely, the lean man morphed into something far more sinister. He reverted back into his Azure Dragon form, and then¡­ ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!! The Azure Dragon Lord roared. Blood dripped down from many young officers ears, falling straight onto the floor. Immense azure light reflected out of Zishen''s scales and a dense spiritual pressure mounted on the Ghost Corsair''s shoulders. The Brahmin''s grip on his cutlass finally loosened as his body was committed into a somersault. He couldn''t be standing right in front of Shin when the Azure Dragon Lord was baring his fangs. Zishen opened his terrifying jaws as wide as he could. The water elements danced in euphoria as the oceans turned choppy. Intense azure light flowed out from the Dragon''s gullets and congregated right above his tongue. Temperatures turned from cold to hot¡­ Hot to cold¡­ A pattern emerged, where the Azure Dragon Lord''s mana would overwhelm his surroundings. Particles of light continued to gather until eventually... IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A deafening wail, akin to that of a siren''s wail, dominated the Lantis Sea. The particles in Zishen''s mouth began to shriek, and the sound of the ocean had been utterly dwarfed. Everyone''s attention was on the Azure Dragon Lord''s enlarged mouth, which was holding onto a ball made out of dense spiritual particles. Heigui Xuegang, being the Spirit Venerate closest to Zishen, immediately sensed the danger. Grabbing Shin by the hand, he screamed: "Don''t let go!!!" The Obsidian Xuanwu''s shell dove down into the ocean as more particles covered his tracks. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!! Just like Shin''s ignited shard, Zishen''s mouth released a deadly beam of pure energy, one strong enough to melt the rocks of a volcano. The Ghost Corsair wasn''t just slouching and waiting for the attack to land. Once he noticed that the beam was being charged up, he instantly brought out the Phantom''s Embrace, his most powerful spiritual ability. The ghost ship made out of lightning flashed rapidly out of his cutlass, and so viciously collided with the Azure Dragon Lord''s ultimate ability. Waves the size of buildings tormented the two opposing fleets. The attacks were far more powerful than anyone could have imagined. A million gallons of seawater had instantly been vaporized, and over half of the remaining longboats were on the verge of capsizing. The Lantis Navy didn''t fare any better. Their warships were all built to withstand the fiercest storms the world could throw them, but even they were barely able to survive. All of their weapon systems had been disabled, and their engines were about to stall forever. Shin watched the intense tempest unfold from underneath the ocean. Inside the barrier and protected by gallons of water, the young Prince was relatively unfazed by the attack. Yes, he was a little shaken up, but the warrior in him quickly stabilised his faltering mental state. "Tsk¡­ A Spirit Venerate and a Tier 9 Spirit Beast¡­ So this is what happens when two giants collide..." Shin remarked, his voice as sombre as can be. "Yeah," Heigui Xuegang nodded. "They''re probably near the peak of their realm as well¡­ I don''t think that I can defend three strikes from them..." It was high praise, given as to how dominant the Obsidian Xuanwu was when it came to defence. "..." Shin gulped as he gently threw his head back. There was no point getting in between a battle of two Spirit Venerates. Shin knew his limitations. So, he looked for opportunities to contribute elsewhere. Shin''s was about two hundred metres down, so he could essentially watch the current battlefield as if he were a strategist looking down on a chessboard. He quickly noticed that something was amiss and pointed straight towards the north. "The longboats are still moving away..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Amid the mayhem, the Lantis Republic seemed to have momentarily forgotten about the Black Masks'' fleet and the Paradise Hearts. Many longboats had been capsized, but the main few leading the pack were still fine. Ironically, it was Bingbing''s ice path that weathered the storm created by the Spirit Venerate clash. The ability that was meant to hinder the Black Masks had ended up helping them. "Yip, yip, yip! Yip! Yip!" Bingbing chirped angrily, her teeth were gnawing at the barrier of the Heigui Xuegang. "What is it, Bingbing?" Shin asked. "Yip! Yip, yip, yip, yip, yip!!!" The snowy white gerbil continued to cry. "What? You really think so?" The young man''s hands stopped moving, and his eyes shifted wildly. He couldn''t believe what the Kamaitachi had just said. "Yip! Yip, yip, yip! Yip! Yip! Yip! Yip!!! YIP!!!" Bingbing spewed out incomprehensible gibberish. Heigui Xuegang grimaced, not knowing what the Spirit Beast was trying to convey. However, Shin clearly knew. In fact, it was the best news that he''d gotten all day. "Well¡­ If you''re THAT confident, I''m sure we can try it out..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 496 Overwhelmed 3 Bingbing leapt into Shin''s outreached hands, which had been infused with a large amount of the Celestial Dragon''s mana. The Celestial Dragon coiled around Shin lovingly, all while the elements leapt around in complete joy. They were all being filtered down into Shin''s Spectre Soul and spat out as Ice-Elements for the Kamaitachi to enjoy. Bingbing closed her eyes, wagging her tail while billions of light particles entered every single pore that she possessed. Heigui Xuegang had his hands raised, blocking whatever light entered his eyes. The mana output was just too intense for the Spirit Venerate to endure. Even though Shin was still a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, the Celestial Dragon''s baptism had refined his Spirit''s spiritual energies back to its primordial state. Anyone or anything that was exposed to the light would instantly feel like their cultivation would be lifted instantaneously, and their attacks would exude twice the amount of damage. So, one could only imagine how Bingbing, the direct recipient of Shin''s mana, felt at this moment. "Yiiiiiipppppp!" The snowy white gerbil continued to chirp. Her fur was standing up uniformly, and all of her teeth were shining with the light of a thousand stars. Shin''s entire mana reserves were rapidly depleting. His fingers were desperately holding onto its shape while buckets of sweat dripped down his body. Shin knew that it was a considerable undertaking, attempting Bingbing''s request. Still, the young man deemed that it was the only method for the Lantis Navy to succeed. Bingbing largely ignored Shin''s current state. Not because she wasn''t sympathetic, but the Kamaitachi was just far too engrossed in her own affairs. It was the most critical juncture of her entire life. A single moment of hesitation could cost her everything, not to mention, the backlash that Shin would receive was immense. Thus, the Tier 8 Spirit Beast had to succeed. Bingbing''s entire being was engulfed by the Celestial Dragon''s embrace as if she were the weaker being. Her Tier 8 mana had already been at its tipping point for the longest time. Though the Kamaitachi had lived for less than a hundred years, there was something unique about Bingbing. When Lady Seph first found the colony of Kamaitachis, they were all wild but amiable creatures. They were one with nature and had the ability to draw in legions of ice-elements at will. Thus, Kamaitachis are beings that were promised Tier 8 once they matured fully. Usually, it would take centuries for a Kamaitachi to become fully grown, and the oldest of their species were almost always a few thousand years old. However, Bingbing was an oddity. Being experimented on by the Himmel Empire Laboratories, Bingbing''s parents were specifically bred to give birth to the most dominant generation of Kamaitachi. It was part of the Himmel Empire''s ultimate goal to create a force of obedient Tier 8 Spirit Beasts. Alas, it was ultimately thwarted by Lady Seph''s wrath. Still, before the Divine Healer had stormed her way into the Himmel Laboratories, the scientists had managed to genetically create their most prized possession. The theoretical most perfect Kamaitachi. With an innate mana pool twice as big as any other Kamaitachi, from birth, Bingbing was destined to be the greatest. Her growth rate was staggering, and in just a few years after she was born, the snowy white gerbil was already at Tier 5. In less than a century, Bingbing had crossed the threshold of most Spirit Beasts and broke into the Tier 8 realm. Adding Shin''s superior Celestial Dragon mana¡­ One could see the final destination of the mutated Kamaitachi. "Yip, yip, yippie..." For the first time in her life, Bingbing''s uttered a different sound. Her vocal box was evolving alongside every single fibre of her being. Increasing into half Shin''s size, Bingbing had become a ball of extraordinary light. Her shape was being moulded by her evolved soul, and the temperature within Heigui Xuegang''s barrier was rapidly decreasing. "Bingbing, you..." Shin was about to interject, but he remembered the snowy white gerbil''s current state. She couldn''t split off even a fraction of her attention, else her world would collapse. Bingbing had to complete this evolution. And to complete¡­ She did¡­ Ssssssssttttttttttttttttt!!! White smoke fell out of the ball of light, instantly freezing anything within the vicinity. That included Shin, who was the primary reason why Bingbing had triggered her evolution in the first place. Fortunately, the young man was long prepared for the outburst of energy and coated himself in his Spiritual Body Enhancement. Shin''s draconic scales protected him from any frostbite, and his superior resistances enabled the young man to remain lucid inside of the extreme temperatures. In fact, it was so cold that even the Spirit Venerate protecting Shin felt the urge to expel the ball of light from his protection entirely. Luckily, there was no need for Heigui Xuegang to pull off such a drastic action. The temperature stabilised after one full minute of changes and eventually, ''Bingbing'' emerged from her ball of light. "W-What?" Shin fell to his bum, as a mixture of shock and fatigue overwhelmed his legs. Gone was the adorable snowy white gerbil that he''d played with since childhood. Instead, a young girl, who seemed barely ten-years-old, leapt down from the frosty ball. Her snow-white skin was untarnished by even the slightest speck of dirt. Beautiful white hair, akin to that of the first snow of Christmas, flowed down to her shoulders. However, the appearance of the girl wasn''t the most surprising bit. Both her eyes were dyed in an azure hue as if there was a serene lake hidden within her soul. Shin jaw dropped to his knees. He had seen those eyes before¡­ That pair of eyes¡­ They were the spitting image of his own! "Yip, yip! I''d finally reached Tier 9!" The girl cheered, both her hands were raised high up into the sky. The girl was butt-naked, but there weren''t any private parts, hinting her lack of gender. Or rather, she wasn''t human at all; thus, there was no need for any reproductive organs. "Bingbing?" Shin cautiously enquired, even though he already knew the answer. "Yip! Shin!" The girl instantly leapt into the young man''s arms, completely oblivious to shame. She nuzzled her nose into Shin''s sweat-filled shirt, completely filling her lungs with the scent of the man. In her Spirit Beast form, it would have been a cute and heartwarming sight. However, Bingbing had now taken the shape of a fully naked girl. If any law-enforcement were to see Shin now, jail time would be the least of his concerns. "B-Bingbing! Get off me for a moment," Shin pushed the white-haired girl away. He instantly took off his outer coat and attempted to wrap Bingbing in it. However, the girl slapped the outreached hands back, adamantly refusing to wear Shin''s jacket. "Too prickly!" Bingbing complained about the black fur that irritated her skin. Her winced-up face was completely human-like that it tugged on Shin''s heartstrings just a little. "A-Ah, but you have to wear something!" Shin stamped his foot down. "It would be really bad if you went out looking like that!" "Eyyy... Yip! How about this?" Bingbing spun around once, sending snowy white particle out of her hair. They condensed over her skin and slowly formed into a white baby doll dress. With Bingbing''s new outerwear, the young girl looked more like a noble girl that had innocently got lost from her parents. "Yeah¡­ That''s better..." Honestly, Shin would rather Bingbing wear something a little less revealing in this cold weather, but he recalled that girl standing before him wasn''t really human. There was no point in going for the specifics. "How do you feel?" Shin abruptly changed the topic. "Yip yip! Never been better!" Bingbing replied cheerfully. Over the three years, the Kamaitachi had been faithfully standing by Shin''s side, guarding him against whatever dangers that might be in his way. Therefore, as a consequence, Bingbing had absorbed the Celestial Dragon''s Aura more than any other man, woman or Spirit Beast. She continuously fed on the aura, continually improving her cultivation base in the process. Bingbing was never one to rush. It was astronomically harder for a Spirit Beast to advance as compared to a regular cultivator. It took decades, centuries even, just to promote one level. Bingbing knew that she was genetically different, and not to mention, with the assistance of Shin''s Celestial Dragon, her cultivation rate was at least ten times greater than before. Therefore, the Kamaitachi bode her time. She waited and waited until finally... "Yip, yip! I made it!" The girl pointed a V sign to the skies. "I''m a full-fledged Tier 9 Spirit Beast now, yip!" "Hehe, I''m proud of you..." Shin chuckled. Even though Bingbing was now comparable to a Spirit Venerate, at her core, she was still the adorable snowy white gerbil that Shin grew up with. However, the young man''s face turned rather quickly. "I hate to ask this from you when you''ve just advanced but..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Yip, yip! Don''t worry," the girl beamed in delight, showing her full set of teeth. "I also want to beat up that asshole that tried to kill me!" Bingbing pivoted her gaze towards the surface of the ocean, where the claymore-wielding Spirit Venerate lay. "Alright..." Shin stroked Bingbing''s pure white hair, calming her down somewhat. "However, your main priority is freezing the escape path of the Black Masks! We can''t let them get away with the Paradise Hearts!" "Yip, yip, yip!" Bingbing''s cheery voice echoed within the energy field. Taking her hands off Shin, the Kamaitachi propelled herself out of the barrier and kicked herself straight towards the fleeing longboats. Some submarines caught sight of the alien creature attempting to flank them and redirected their weapons towards Bingbing. However, the man-made objects were far too slow. Bingbing was now a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, a realm beneath a legendary Primordial Beast. There was nothing that the submarines could do to stop her. In an instant, the submersible ships had been frozen up entirely, becoming deadweights that could only sink deeper and deeper into the terrifying depths. Eventually, every single one of the remaining submarines, those unidentified vehicles that had caused the Nineteenth Artificial Island to sink, had all been neutralised. "What''s going on?" One Shudra could sense that something was amiss. The waters beneath them were far too calm. Before he could escalate matters to his superiors, a colossal iceberg split his longboat into two as a speedy figure flew up high into the snowy sky. A white-haired girl, who looked no older than ten, graced the battlefield, bringing all sorts of eyes onto her body. On her back, there were two gorgeous angel wings made out of pure ice. In terms of design, it was oddly similar to the ones that Lady Seph had. "Who''s that?" "A little girl? Wait, why is her aura so inhuman?" Whispers dominated the battlefield, most of which were questions pertaining to Bingbing''s identity. None of them would have guessed that the snowy, white gerbil had metamorphosed into a completely different being. Well, there was one person that could tell¡­ "Bingbing?" Lady Seph looked at the young girl incredulously. The mana coming out from the girl was unquestionably Bingbing''s, but how had she become a young human girl? The Kamaitachi didn''t care about the views of others. She was wholly focused on the task that Shin had given her. Crystalline glitter dust fell down from both of Bingbing''s wings and gently floated down onto the turbulent oceans. Still stunned by her sudden appearance, none of the Black Masks moved to counter the young girl. The only thing that they could do was watch helplessly as Bingbing''s mana merged with the gentle falling snow¡­ "Damn it, stop her!" The claymore-wielding Brahmin was the first to realise Bingbing''s plan. He hollered out orders towards his men, hoping to delay the girl for just one second. Alas, he was just a nanosecond too slow. Bingbing''s spiritual energy had now enveloped the entire ocean, and her mana had reached its peak. For a brief moment in time, the Ice-Elements dwarfed the Water-Element, right above the Lantis Sea. There was nothing that could be done. Bingbing''s ability had been cast. And thus¡­ The oceans froze... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 497 Overwhelmed 4 The Lantis Sea continued to snow, however, unlike the moments before, there was a foreign influence within the white rain. It was something much purer than the dirty and bloody atmosphere of the battlefield. Bingbing glided down onto the frozen ocean, her body seemed as light as a feather. The ice angel wings attached to her back flapped around gently, spreading even more of her created glitter dust. The temperatures above the ocean dropped to extreme levels, and thousands of glaciers were forming rapidly. Bingbing didn''t slack on the job. She really was going to block any routes that the Black Masks'' fleet had. "..." The claymore-wielding Brahmin stepped out of his longboat, his eyes never leaving the young girl that barred their way. She was so small and looked much weaker than any of his subordinates. Yet, Bingbing had just frozen the entire ocean that lay before them. Even if the Brahmin exhausted all of his flames, it''d take ages to thaw out the mana-infused ice. By that time, the Lantis Navy would have overrun the Black Masks fleet, giving the Alliance a stellar victory. It really was a dead-end for the Black Masks. "State your name," the Brahmin raised his claymore, wreathed with pale blue flames and pointed it straight at Bingbing. He knew when the battle was lost. There was no point in dragging out this charade anymore. Once the time comes, the Black Masks'' fleet would sink to the bottom of the ocean, and the Paradise Hearts would be lost forever. The young girl''s azure eyes glistened as she folded her arms. Bingbing wasn''t a fool. She had observed humans for decades now. The Spirit Beast knew of the customs that cultivators had and what their words really meant. Thus, she could tell that the Brahmin was seeking one final duel. "Bingbing, Tier 9 Kamaitachi." "A Kamaitachi¡­ To think that my great plan would fall to a gerbil..." The Brahmin flung his head up, his eyes plastered upon the grey skies. The snow¡­ The cold¡­ The oceans¡­ Everything was against his side. He had lost convincingly. The Brahmin raised his claymore into the air, and the blue flames inside of his claymore were unleashed in a tremendous explosion. They rapidly rose up, following the laws of thermodynamics, creating a full blistering domain. Dalits, Shudras, and even Vaishyas had to run desperately away, else their entire being would have been melted. The Brahmin''s spiritual energy had created an atmosphere far hotter than that of a volcano. And he wasn''t done¡­ "No matter, I''ll just accept my punishment accordingly..." A cold and resolute voice escaped out of the Brahmin''s mouth. The flames he created congregated into seven beautiful sapphire swords. Anyone who watched the blades from afar would be caught up in its grandeur. Each one of the seven swords seemed to house a great soul, probably a heroic swordsman of old. They seemed so distant¡­ so powerful¡­ That none of the Spirit Venerates could move a single inch. All they wanted to do was to bask in the majesty of those seven swords. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Alas, all beautiful things had to have its end. The Brahmin swung his claymore once, and the sapphire swords came flying down onto their targets. Seven longboats, each one hiding one Paradise Heart each, all fell victim to the Brahmin''s deadly attack. A dance of fire spread out upon the frozen battlefield as countless of detonations rocked the land. Friendlies¡­ Enemies¡­ They were all ruthlessly charred by the immense swords that descended upon the mere mortals. "..." Bingbing''s face remained neutral, though if one looked really carefully, they could see the ends of her lips curl downwards. Her objective was to keep the Black Masks'' fleet in position and the Brahmin''s self-destructive methods aligned perfectly with that. However, the brutality of the Spirit Venerate''s actions completely turned the Kamaitachi off as an urge to rescue the poor burning mortals crept up upon Bingbing''s soul. Yes, they were the enemy, but they were still living beings too. Perhaps that was the difference between the Alliance and the Black Masks. The Alliance still saw humans as¡­ humans. To the Black Masks, humans were just¡­ expendable tools. The Paradise Hearts, as well as the Black Masks that were faithfully guarding them, turned into balls of endless fire. They had crossed the threshold of no return. Sinking down into the bottom of the ocean, neither the Black Masks nor the Alliance could ever seek its nucleus to reverse-engineer anymore. The objectives of the Brahmins, as well as the Lantis Navy, was no longer there. "My apologies for the delay..." The Spirit Venerate shook his head and stepped onto the thick ice floor that Bingbing had made. The moment the Brahmin landed onto the ice, alarm bells resonated within Bingbing''s mind. She leapt back like a fleeing frog, increasing the distance between the Brahmin and herself by at least a hundred metres. Now that she was a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, Bingbing could acutely tell how powerful the man that stood before her was. There was a bottomless flaming Venerate Soul within his body. Not to mention, the dark aura, that was shared among every single Black Mask in the vicinity, was at least a hundred time more prominent within that very Brahmin. It was as if the man housed two Venerate Souls inside of him. "My name is Seymour Fielder. Some call me the Sword Baron," the Brahmin finally introduced himself. The fire that sheathed his claymore instantly multiplied and the sapphire swords graced the skies once more. This time, there were twelve of the said blades instead of seven. "Rank 85 Spirit Venerate¡­ Please advise me..." The battle was lost. Every single Black Mask present could infer that. Thus, there was only one thing that they could do. Wipeout as many of the Lantis Navy''s strongest assets, at the very least, the assholes that had caused them to lose the battle, to begin with. "Yip! Why should I fight you?!" Bingbing opened her mouth in protest and fluttered her crystal wings. There was no point in taking on a foe that she couldn''t beat. Freezing the Lantis Sea was good enough, why should the Kamaitachi risk her life once more? "I wasn''t requesting for a duel," the Sword Baron clarified his stance. His flaming claymore was raised up high, and the mana he generated was suffocating. The entire Lantis Sea was shaking, and bits of ice were falling out of Bingbing''s created floor. "I''m just telling you the name of the person who will send you to hell!!!" Flames from purgatory ran out from the Sword Baron''s claymore, and the twelve sapphire blades rushed out in complete anger. They wanted to taste blood, Bingbing''s blood to be specific. Snowflakes that dripped within ten metres of the swords were instantly vapourised, and the soul of the ocean was being ravaged by the Brahmin''s claymore. Bingbing was quick to evade. Her crystalline wings flapped hurriedly as colossal glaciers leapt out from the icy floor, blocking as many of the Brahmin''s attacks as they possibly could. However, the Sword Baron''s wrath was far too intense. All twelve of his sapphire swords sliced through all of Bingbing''s protections and slithered right towards the Kamaitachi like serpents that had locked onto their prey. There was no way that the blades were going to miss their target. "Yip!!!" The young girl forgot the human tongue and chirped in her own language. She had just evolved into the Tier 9 realm and had used a tremendous amount of mana to freeze the Lantis Sea. Given enough time, Bingbing might be capable of taking the sapphire swords head-on. However, in her weakened state, all the Kamaitachi could do was send endless amounts of glitter dust, and pray that the deadly blades would never arrive. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Mind your head!!!" Fortunately, on this day, God was on her side. Like an angel who had heard her prayer, an elderly man leapt down from the heavens. An ultramarine harpoon sped down with the force of a thousand seaquakes. VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!! It repelled one of the sapphire swords, turning its fire into simple embers. Seven serpent heads rained down from the heavens, creating an endless tempest to disrupt the other eleven swords. Fire was extinguished, and water was vapourised. Mist hot enough to melt a human''s face off dominated the Lantis Sea creating a myriad of rainbow colours. It really was a sight to behold. It took a good minute for the chaos to die down and for the old man to reclaim his treasured harpoon. Standing right in front of Bingbing, the man dusted off his pristine, white naval uniform, all while keeping his posture cool. The first thing that Bingbing noticed were the dozens of silver and golden pins that riddled the man''s uniform. All of those bling and badges¡­ Who else could it possibly be but the Fleet Admiral himself?! "Apologies for shocking you," the Fleet Admiral said, his voice somewhat remorseful about the terrifying ordeal that Bingbing had just encountered. The Seven-Headed Hydra that he''d summoned continued to create barriers to protect the pair from the Sword Baron, all while his spiritual energy "Are you okay?" "Yip, yip! Yeah..." "Good," a sigh escaped out from the old man''s mouth. "Leave the cleaning up to the Lantis Navy. Missus, you should return back to the Prince. Your contributions in this battle have been duly noted, and I''ll ensure that we''ll repay you accordingly." "Yip, yip!" Bingbing didn''t argue. Her job was done, and it was time to return to whence she came. However, before she left, the Kamaitachi made sure to give the Brahmin that nearly killed her twice, the finger. "Haha, what a funny little lass!" Amused, the Fleet Admiral chortled out at how human-like Bingbing had become. It wasn''t just her appearance, but everything about Bingbing''s personality was like that of a regular nine-year-old kid. Well, a vulgar one at that. That laugh of the Fleet Admiral was his final for the day. Turning his attention back to the enemy, the seasoned soldier said: "Seymour Fielder¡­ It looks like the Allfather has a habit of collecting washed-up zombies into his army, huh?" "..." There wasn''t any response from the Brahmin. He stared straight at the Fleet Admiral, the strongest being within the Lantis Army. A Rank 88 Spirit Venerate, Qilong Liang was the strongest offensive-type cultivator that the Lantis Republic could field. Any stronger, and they would be stepping into Spirit Saint territory. One could say, Qilong Liang was the most powerful weapon that the Lantis Republic had at the moment. "No response?" The Fleet Admiral continued to taunt the Brahmin. "I''d never thought that I would be facing the legendary Fleet Admiral of the Lantis Navy this early on," Seymour replied. The twelve sapphire swords of his made an appearance once more, and his flaming domain spread out to even greater distances. "Shouldn''t you let me take down some of your subordinates first? The final boss should only come out at the very last moment..." The Fleet Admiral smiled. "Sorry to defy your expectations then..." The harpoon in his hands glistened in emerald light. Lightning surged, and the turbulent waves broke apart small chunks of Bingbing''s icy hell. Fire and water. There was no better waltz than that of the two Spirit Venerates. The building blocks of life were now coming together as enemies. The Fleet Admiral''s Mythic-Grade harpoon sucked in all of the mana that the Seven-Headed Hydra provided, while the Sword Baron played with the claymore that gave him his moniker. Shin gulped at the drastic change in the atmosphere. He was sensitive to most elements, and the current state of the battlefield was akin to that of warzone of the Gods. It wasn''t only the Fleet Admiral and the Sword Baron. Admiral Zhangyu Ruogang and Meijing Xuenkai''s battle was coming to a conclusion as well, sending the spiritual energies of the land into complete disarray. There was only one word to describe the Spirit Venerates that were taking the field. Overwhelming... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 498 Overwhelmed 5 The battlefield roared heavily. Lost without meaning, all of the Black Masks, including the Spirit Beasts that they controlled, barged forward with mindless fury. They had lost the Paradise Hearts, ergo they had lost their reason to be civil. The gloves were off now. The Black Masks had now reverted back to their primal form¡­ a criminal syndicate that sought to destroy anything that stood in their path. Rabid strikes, each one more frantic than the others, were thrown out from the Black Masks. After Bingbing froze the Lantis Sea, it created a stable platform for the criminal syndicate to fight on, rather than their flimsy longboats. Tier 7 Spirit Beasts that were only effective on land were now fully utilised. They charged straight out of their cages and leapt from one glacier to the other. The Lantis Navy, whose cannons had been disabled by the plethora of natural disasters, was forced to react similarly. Archers stood behind while the vanguards jumped down their ships with their weapons in hand. The clash that ensued was a deadly one. Blood splattered all over the place, corrupting the pure white ice that lay all over the Lantis Sea. On one corner, there would be a mountain of snow. At the other, there was a hill of mutilated bodies. And the carnage was happening all while the Spirit Venerates battled it out for supremacy. No one on the Black Masks cared about damaging the warships of the Lantis Navy. Even if they sunk all of them, a couple million gold ingots later, and a fresh batch would be up and running. Elite experts, on the other hand, were a little less replaceable. It took decades, centuries even, to train a fully adept cultivator. If the Black Masks could even kill half of those present, their sacrifice on this day would at least yield some results. "..." Shin watched the bloodbath occur right before his eyes. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his reinforced palms. The draconic eyes gleamed, all while hiding a fiery hate that could burn Hades itself. Shin would love to join the battlefield and mow down as many of those hateful degenerates as he possibly could. And yet¡­ he didn''t¡­ "My Prince, you mustn''t..." Heigui Xuegang''s soft voice entered the burning mind of Shin. "You can''t leave my protection." "I know!" replied Shin. "If I leave your barrier, I''ll become the focal point of attention. The Brahmins would all target the Spirit Venerates and me of the Republic, and Senior Zishen would all rush to protect me. When that happens, even more chaos will ensue." The young Prince laid down the logic, stunning his protector in the process. "I understand all of that! I know why I can''t move a muscle now! But¡­ That doesn''t stop me from having these feelings!" Shin had caused disaster time and time again from his brash actions. Looking back, he really was young and stupid. Thus, Shin swore to never endanger anyone else due to his careless actions. No matter how hard it was to watch the Black Masks kill off members of the Lantis Navy¡­ Proud, brave members that all had families¡­ Shin had to endure¡­ "It''s good that you know..." Heigui Xuegang blinked twice. Self-restraint was hard to accomplish, particularly when there were lives at stake. So, it was admirable for Shin to hold himself back all while dozens died right before his eyes. Unconsciously, the Spirit Venerate strengthened his Xuanwu shell, not giving even the slightest chance for any attack to fly through. BANG!!! Yet another Lantis naval officer fell in battle. It seemed like there was a fresh casualty literally every second now. The dragon blood within Shin boiled as every fibre of his being was calling out for him to move. However, Shin''s rational mind kept holding him back. Heigui Xuegang kept a close eye on the youth, ready to hold him back should the need arises. Fortunately, the Spirit Venerate didn''t need to resort to those drastic measures. "Shin!" A white-haired girl with crystal angel wings flew into the barrier. The young Prince''s face instantly brightened up. His two arms were raised to accept Bingbing''s hug. Unfortunately, he didn''t anticipate how powerful it would actually be. "Oooof!!!" Shin spat out a mouthful of air as Bingbing''s petite yet sturdy head crashed into his chest. Falling down to his bum, the young man felt his entire life flash before his eyes. It took him a few seconds to come back to his senses. "Bingbing¡­ You should learn how to control your strength¡­ Your Tier 9 power could have killed me..." "Yip! Sorry about that!" The little girl beamed brilliantly, showing not the slightest hint of remorse. She was just happy to reunite with Shin once more. "Yip, yip! So! I did great right? Shin, I froze the Lantis Sea, just as you''d requested!" Bingbing looked like a daughter who was seeking her father''s approval, completely unlike how an entity that was equal to that of a Spirit Venerate was supposed to act. "Yeah, you did an awesome job!" Credit where credit''s due, Bingbing''s actions did change the tides of the war, swinging it into the Lantis Navy''s favour. Everything that the Black Masks had thrown onto the battlefield had been neutralised. The submarines had all been destroyed by Zishen, Bingbing, and the Azure Dragons. The longboats were now stuck in a frozen hell that could never be thawed out. And most importantly of all¡­ The Paradise Hearts, the lifeblood of every Payirci, had been utterly destroyed. Bingbing had a role in many of those objectives, and it wasn''t even a stretch to bestow upon the Spirit Beast a badge of honour for her troubles. "Hehe..." The Kamaitachi purred in bliss, all while Shin gently stroked her head. No matter if she was in her human shape or gerbil form, Bingbing was still the spoilt pet that yearned for the young man''s warmth. Shin watched the calm little girl lovingly. Inside the barrier, it was peace and quiet. Outside the barrier, there was pandemonium. As much as Shin wanted to help, him staying out of the way was the best help that the Lantis Navy could get. Splat! Yet another brave warrior fell down on the battlefield, his head cleaved cleanly off. Even Lady Seph''s divine powers were incapable of sewing a head back together. Making a mental note to track down each and every one of the fallen''s families to give ample compensation, Shin brought Bingbing closer into his embrace. For now, all he could do was pray for the Lantis Navy to withstand the onslaught of the Black Masks and take the least amount of damage as they possibly could... ??? The Uncharted Wildnerness. The Illusory Canyon. "Bah¡­ Still nothing..." Shizen jumped out of the thick mist of illusions, gasping in a huge mouthful of air. "Hahaha, I told you! The Tree of Illusions isn''t easy to find!!!" A well-endowed man jumped out at the same time as the nature boy. On his wrists, there was a thin handcuff that was not too tight, but not loose enough for his hand to slide through. Connected by a single thick chain, there was no way that Shizen could escape the man''s control or as Venerate Maurice puts it¡­ ''protection.'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Right¡­ Could you take these off now?" Shizen grumbled as he shook his wrists. "With pleasure," the man took out a silver key and gently placed it into the lock of Shizen''s handcuffs. The young man rubbed his wrists with a happy smile. It was the first time he got some privacy over the past three hours. Within the Illusory Mist, if Shizen wanted to pee, he had to either hold it in or do it right in front of his Spirit Venerate protector. Both choices were arduous to pick from. Furthermore, when Shizen simply wanted to sit down and absorb the abundance of elements, the nagging Venerate Maurice would go on and on about his numerous adventures throughout his explorer life. Granted, some of them were quite intriguing. However, Shizen came to the Illusory Canyon with an objective in mind. He wasn''t that interested in poking his affairs into the business of others. "Urgh¡­ I''m finally free..." Shizen complained, his bum falling straight to the floor. He took a quick rest, massaging his tired limbs from all the walking that they''d done. Every single time they explored the area, they were sent packing back with nothing. They had spent over two weeks exploring the Illusory Canyon, and the Tree of Illusions was still as hidden as ever. "Tired?" The Spirit Venerate mused. "If you''re feeling tired, you could always call off this mission. Take some time to absorb the Mind-Elements here. At least you would have something for your troubles." If Shizen was completely honest, even he felt like this endeavour was turning fruitless. They had explored almost every ''safe zone'' that Venerate Maurice had identified, but the Tree of Illusions still didn''t bother to show itself. The pair did, however, find some human remains, hinting their fate should they overstay their welcome. ''Tsk¡­ Is this really the farthest I can go?!'' Shizen screamed internally. ''I joined Kanari''s faction just for the chance of meeting this bloody tree! If I go back now empty-handed¡­ I would have just wasted my entire life!!!'' Shizen was adamant about meeting the Tree of Illusions. There was something primal within his soul calling out for it. Ever since he experienced the Soul Tree in Kanari''s secret amphitheatre, the nature boy had sought out the Empyrean Wonder''s majesty. Not to mention, Shizen wanted to become stronger¡­ Strong enough to keep up with the freaks that were Shin and Kanari. Their cultivation rate was far superior to any of their companions. In a decade or two, the pair would have left Shizen in the dust. Shizen didn''t like that idea at all. He had been on the receiving end for far too long. It was time to give something back. "No, we''ll continue¡­ There are two more weeks left, right?" "... Suit yourself." Seeing that his persuasion had failed, Venerate Maurice heaved out a deep sigh before retreating back into his cave. "We''ll continue the search tomorrow¡­ For now, just take a long rest..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 499 The Weeping Willow 1 Embers from the small campfire flickered out, lightly scorching the corners of Shizen''s ankles. The brown-haired youth threw the dried twig that he''d collected into the belly of the flames, feeding it with more and more fuel. Over the past few weeks, the fire that Venerate Maurice had started was constantly put out by the chilly winds of the Illusory Canyon. Fortunately for the Spirit Venerate, Shizen''s Spirit was the Advinar Tree. It could create heaps of vines, roots and twigs to fuel the fire. Though it wasn''t its original function, it sure was useful for the explorers. The veteran was seated just three metres away, on a warm leafy bed that he''d made for himself. His eyes were closed, and fingers crossed. Each time he inhaled, vast amounts of spiritual energies rushed inwards, giving him equilibrium in his Venerate Soul. It wasn''t often that one could cultivate near an Empyrean Wonder. Even a Spirit Venerate like Maurice would capitalise on the situation. Shizen, on the other hand, had his fill for today. After exploring the safe regions of the Illusory Canyon for the fourteenth time, the young Spirit Spectre was beginning to become restless. He cultivated hard at every moment he''d got, but Shizen soon realised that with everything in life, there was a ceiling that he couldn''t just seem to cross. The nature boy was at a bottleneck, and he knew it acutely. The only way he could breakthrough was to find the bloody Tree of Illusions that refused to show itself. ''What a waste of time...'' Shizen thought to himself. He could have been in the Lantis Republic, sipping on his favourite beverage while talking about everything and nothing with his best friend. And yet, Shizen chose to travel to the other side of the world, with the hopes to chase something that probably would never show itself. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''Whatever¡­ Let''s not think about that now...'' For the nth time today, Shizen summoned out the Adivinar Tree. It was about two-metres-tall, barely taller than an average human. Its leaves were a combination of green and brown with an attribute that could only be described as agrestal. Rich, pungent smells dominated the senses of the young man, dwarfing the dry and dull scent of the rocky canyon. Shizen couldn''t absorb the spiritual energy from the Tree of Illusions, but at the very least, he could enjoy the mana-rich environment of the Illusory Canyon. Shizen reached into his bag and took out a simple porcelain flask. Uncorking it, the nature boy held the bottle over his mouth, allowing the final drop of water that it possessed to roll down his throat. ''I''m already out¡­ I should have been more conservative with drinking it...'' Shizen fell into the same trap that many youngsters did with their salary. They spent all of it before the new influx came in. Shin was now tens of thousands of kilometres away, and it would take ages for Shizen to get a new flask of his created water. "Hah¡­ I miss them¡­" The nature boy thought of the friends he''d made over the years. Shin, Kanari, Emma, Elrin, Isadore¡­ Yes, Shizen even missed Ella''s nagging. They seemed so distant, even though he''d been with them about a month back. "Hah¡­ No point crying over spilt milk..." With a sigh, Shizen dropped the flask that he held and fell into meditation once more. Even if he was too lazy to cultivate, just closing his eyes to rest was good enough. The Adivinar Tree greedily sucked in as much spiritual energy as it possibly could, all while Shizen restfully leaned back on the cave walls. Mana within Shizen''s Spectre Soul was enriched all while the young man did nothing. His mind was clear of any thoughts, and his consciousness was on the verge of entering a state of stasis. It had been a long two weeks after all. No one could blame Shizen if he wanted to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. "Hmmm?" All of a sudden, Shizen felt a sudden tug on his consciousness. His eyes were still firmly shut, and his soul was in the midst of repairing itself. There shouldn''t be any issues¡­ right? Shizen''s Spirit was resonating wildly, and his spiritual energy was being plucked bit by bit. The Adivinar Tree swayed from side to side as if an external force was urging it forward. Shizen didn''t know what was happening, but the foreign spiritual energy didn''t seem to be sinister. In fact, it was the contrary. It appeared to be willing to help Shizen to achieve his every dream. The young man''s eyes snapped open. This¡­ This was the feeling that Shizen had felt at the Soul Tree! It was the same happiness¡­ The very same enlightenment that he''d received! Shizen''s sudden movement didn''t go unnoticed. Venerate Maurice got up from his meditative pose and drearily asked the man: "What''s the matter?" "Venerate Maurice..." Shizen''s voice was soft and weak. It wasn''t that he''d suffered a physical or mental blow as his current state was basically unscathed. Shizen''s entire consciousness was now focusing on one single point¡­ "Let''s go back into the canyon..." The Spirit Venerate raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Didn''t I tell you that we''re only doing three hours a day? Just wait for tomorrow or..." Before Maurice could finish his scolding, he sensed that something was amiss with the young man. Shizen''s eyes were locked onto a single direction as if he was a hawk that gazed at its prey. There was no hostility in his eyes, neither was there desperation. All that was present was a desire to move forward. "Don''t tell me, you..." Venerate Maurice didn''t dare believe it. In his youth, he would often dream of meeting the Tree of Illusions. As a Master Explorer, he would brave unspeakable dangers just to reach his goals. Climbing ten thousand metres? Diving down into the greatest depths of the ocean? Braving the volcanic ash and molten lava of the world''s hottest place? Venerate Maurice had done all those tasks before. However, the Tree of Illusions was a different beast. No matter how hard he tried, the Empyrean Wonder refused to show itself to the Spirit Venerate. He''d scoured the area at least a hundred times over his long career, but all he had to show for it were some cursory knowledge about the safe regions. At this point, Venerate Maurice had all but given up about meeting the infamous Empyrean Wonder anymore. And yet¡­ Shizen had felt the enigmatic Wonder all by himself. "Yes, I did..." Shizen smiled affirmatively. "I felt the Tree of Illusions!" "YOU''RE KIDDING!!!" Venerate Maurice burst out in absolute joy. He held up the nature boy by the arms and shook him rapidly. However, the Spirit Venerate didn''t use too much force, as if he were afraid of breaking the gem that was Shizen Dundlewoods. "HAHAHA!!! How long has it been?! A hundred, two hundred years?! I''ve been searching for the Tree of Illusions for sooooo long!!! To think that you''ll be my lucky star!!! The heavens hadn''t abandoned me!!! HAHAHAHA!!! The heavens haven''t abandoned me!!!" Venerate Maurice was tempted to kiss Shizen, but the disgusted face of the young man pushed that urge right back into the pit of his stomach. Not willing to waste any time, the Spirit Venerate immediately placed the cuffs back on both their arms. He hadn''t forgotten his original objective. No¡­ Now that Shizen had discovered the Tree of Illusions, Venerate Maurice would spend even more care in protecting the nature boy. "Lead the way! Don''t worry about the way back. I''ll keep track." Shizen scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. Looks like he''d rekindled a flame that the Master Explorer had lost. The phantom of the Adivinar Tree floated above Shizen''s head as they slowly made their way into the thick, ethereal mist. There were no signals, nor was there any signs of life. No prominent waypoints such as big boulders or trees. Basically, the duo was walking into the Illusory Canyon blind. However, Shizen didn''t look lost for a single second. He took short but confident steps as if there was a map drawn within his brain. Connected by the chain, the nature boy led Venerate Maurice through the thick mist and in just one minute¡­ A gorgeous sight was presented to the pair of explorers. A white weeping willow tree stood silently amid the barren rock surfaces. Small patches of grass filled the land around the mystical tree and sweet nectar, akin to that of honey, entered the lungs of those who ventured near. It was said that the Tree of Illusions took many forms. It could morph into a terrifying bear that rips its enemies to shreds. Or it could transform into a vast ocean that drowns any living being that came too close. However, one thing''s for sure. When the Tree of Illusions wanted to reveal itself, it would take the shape of what it deemed most beautiful. And in this case, it was the heavenly, white weeping willow tree. "N-No way!" An exasperated cry shrieked out in the canyon. Venerate Maurice almost stumbled on his own weight. His knees felt weak, and his knees were creeping down closer and closer towards the ground. In the end, the man could take it no longer. Tears and snot dripped down all of his holes as he kneeled down to praise the Lord. "I finally did it¡­ I finally found the Tree of Illusions!!! HAHAHA!!! I am the world''s greatest explorer!!!" The outpour of emotions from Venerate Maurice significantly pushed Shizen away. Even though they were connected by a chain, the young man still had some leeway in movement. A small smirk crept up the nature boy''s smile. Though Shizen didn''t have the same amount of love for Empyrean Wonders, he did want to experience the Tree of Illusions. That was why he joined Kanari''s faction in the first place. Letting Venerate Maurice do his thing, Shizen sat right in front of the ethereal tree, taking some time to feel its bark. Everything in his Spectre Soul¡­ His Adivinar Tree¡­ They were all crying out for the Tree of Illusions. One could say that it was the mother of all nature. A concentrated form of pure spiritual energy that all trees would look towards. That''s why Shizen felt a primal calling, deep down into his veins. If Shizen could even take a portion of the Tree of Illusions, he could instantly promote into the Spirit Lord realm, traditional cultivation methods be damned. However, there was one thing that Shizen needed to do first¡­ He needed to gain the approval of the Empyrean Wonder. "It is unfortunate..." Shizen gently thought out loud. "The Tree of Illusions is the world''s most enigmatic Empyrean Wonder. The mother of all Mind-Elements, the progenitor of trees. The lifeblood of the Terre Continent¡­ Every single Earth and Mind Elemental cultivators would kill just to gain an audience with the Tree of Illusions. So¡­ How did you, a Water-Elemental Spirit User, become its champion?" Shizen turned around and for the first time since entering the Illusory Canyon, talked to someone other than Venerate Maurice. A blur in the distance quickly furled up. One dark-robed figure emerged from the mist, both his hands occupied by two swords. One was a two-metre-long hiltless Odachi with a crystal imbued at the top of its handle while the other was an obsidian blade, which had the flow of a river hidden within it. Putting his Black Masks to the side, Junius took three steps onto the Tree of Illusions territory and even ignored the Spirit Venerate that leapt to protect Shizen. "How did you know?" Junius asked the nature boy. "The Tree of Illusions told me..." There was no point in lying. "If I wanted its recognition, I must first defeat its champion." Shizen looked at the handsome viridian-haired man and let out a huge sigh. Shizen had only seen Junius once, back during the days where he''d adventured with Shin and rest. Back then, none of them could even touch Junius'' feet, and it took Shin''s ignited shard to finally push the monstrous Black Mask back. Over the years, Junius was bound to become stronger. Not to mention, he has been recognised by the Tree of Illusions. There was no guarantee that Shizen could win against Junius¡­ "I see¡­ Honestly, that plays right into my element as well..." Junius snapped his finger, and numerous shadows emerged from the mist. At the same time, a blue-haired man who boasted serpent eyes lazily walked into the region. Venerate Maurice eyes immediately landed on that unassuming man as his senses were tingling. "See¡­ I need you to die for me now¡­ So, don''t resist please?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 500 The Weeping Willow 2 Shizen and Venerate Maurice were surrounded. The Black Masks numbered in the dozens, and each one was more menacing than the next. Spiritual energies filled with random elements dominated the land as their devastating weapons were unleashed. There were at least five Spirit Adepts, three Spirit Spectres and two Spirit Lords among the Black Masks. Their spiritual pressure was enough to suffocate any regular expert, let alone a youth like Shizen. Thus, the nature boy''s protector immediately got to work. Venerate Maurice instantly brought out his Earthen Salamander Spirit and cast his own Spiritual Body Enhancement. A dense spiritual pressure countered the Black Masks'' bringing their intimidating presence into an abrupt halt. No matter how powerful they were in their respective realms, there was no way that they could take on a Spirit Venerate. "Leave that man to me..." A deep voice echoed through the valley that sent all of the Black Masks scurrying like mice. Ao took five steps forward, his soul pulsating out vast amounts of spiritual energy. At that moment, both Venerate Maurice and Shizen felt as if a mountain had collapsed upon their bodies. The World Serpent had not been idle. Over the three years, Ao continuously pushed himself closer and closer to the threshold of a Primordial Beast. At this point, his cultivation level was equivalent to that of a Rank 89 Spirit Venerate. So, unless there was a Spirit Saint present, the World Serpent could steamroll over his opponents with relative ease. Venerate Maurice gulped once as he held back the goosebumps that were rife all over his body. He held Shizen by the arm and said: "Boy, I''m going to create a distraction¡­ When I give the signal, we run..." Shizen shook his head and slanted it to the side. "No, there''s no need for that," replied the youth, utterly unfazed by the immense threat that stood before them. "What do you mean there''s no need for that?! Do you have a death wish?!" Venerate Maurice exclaimed, his face turning beet red from anger and frustration. He even had the urge to abandon this suicidal nature boy and escape by himself. It took everything that his reasonable mind had to shake off that thought as he grabbed the young man by the wrist. "The Duchess has paid me good money to ensure your safety. Even if you don''t care about your life, think about those that do!!!" Shizen looked up at the Spirit Venerate. Even though they''d only spent a few weeks together, Shizen felt that he knew Venerate Maurice well enough. They were forced together by a contract, one was an escort, the other, an escortee. On the surface, that was the only relation that they had. However, spending days and nights camping out with someone would force their true personality to show. Therefore, Shizen knew that the Spirit Venerate was a selfish man, one that would stop at anything to survive. For him to care so much about someone else, even though it might jeopardize his own safety¡­ That was a feat in itself. "Don''t worry, Senior¡­ I''m not one to throw my life away..." Shizen smiled and looked back at the weeping willow tree. "Staying here to fight against them¡­ Is the best way to survive..." WHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOSSHHHHHHHHHHH!!! As if on cue, the Tree of Illusions shone with the resplendence of a thousand suns. One of the Shudras standing nearby Junius suddenly dropped down into the hard bedrock, engulfed on all sides by the wrath of the Illusory Canyon. Another Vaishya was thrown into the air, hung by invisible chains that dropped down from the heavens. One by one, the Black Masks, barring Junius and Ao, were all being decimated by weird phenomenons that were borderline on the supernatural. Venerate Maurice dropped his jaw so wide that an apple could fit through it. At the same time, Junius and Ao were holding onto their grim expressions. With a victorious smile, Shizen snorted: "Are you really the Tree of Illusion''s champion? Did you really think that it''ll allow you to act as you please within its domain?" Shizen''s words struck a nerve with the twin sword Kshatriya. He was right. The Tree of Illusions was perhaps the most enigmatic Empyrean Wonder. It had a mind of its own and never allowed cultivators to tarnish the soil that it laid on. The only reason why Junius and Ao were able to stand within its domain was because the Tree of Illusions wished for it to be so. If they got on the bad side of the Empyrean Wonder, they would be expelled instantly. "..." Junius silently glared at the nature boy. For the Tree of Illusions to act so violently to protect Shizen¡­ That could only mean one thing. "HAHAHA!!!" Junius bellowed out in laughter, stunning the remaining three men in the region. Tears fell from his eyes, and his shoulders were trembling as if in immense pain. It took a while before Junius could fully compose himself. "Hah¡­ The Tree of Illusions sure loves to jest¡­ It hasn''t given anyone its blessing for thousands of years, and yet, it actually gave two people its recognition in quick succession? What a bloody joke..." "Junius, what should we do?" Ao turned to the viridian-haired man, seeking guidance. It was one of the rare moments where the World Serpent felt inferior to Junius. After all, the Tree of Illusions was an entity that had killed Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts in the past. Ao might be powerful, but he was nowhere near the might of the Empyrean Wonder. "It''s just as he said..." Junius stabbed the legendary-grade Odachi that the Allfather had bestowed onto him into the soil, while his Obsidian Water Blade spun one round in his left hand. Everything that he had, his spiritual pressure, his abnormal mana, all crept out into the world, bringing endless amounts of dread to the upbeat valley. "If the Tree of Illusions wants the two of us to fight, we must fight! Without any interruptions from outsiders! The winner takes all!!!" "So, what should I do?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Nothing," Junius said unenthusiastically. "Just sit back and watch the show. If you interfere with the battle, the Tree of Illusions might deem you as an enemy. Or in the worst-case scenario, it might strip me of my champion status. I have to deal with this battle myself..." "..." Unconsciously, Shizen''s Adivinar Tree grew over a dozen vines and roots, ready to strike the enraged Black Mask down. Or at the very least, protect Shizen from the menace that was Junius. Worried, Venerate Maurice leaned in closer towards Shizen and asked: "Is this how it''ll be?" "If you can''t trust me, feel free to run," Shizen said, his voice as cold as can be. "No one can fight if the Tree of Illusions doesn''t want it. Right now, it wants a gladiator match between Junius and me. We have to oblige; otherwise, our lives would be forfeit. Though both of us have been given its blessing to level the playing field, Junius is still the champion of the Empyrean Wonder. There''s no guarantee that I''ll win..." Naturally, Shizen was worried about soloing the Black Mask. He was Shin''s elder brother and an extraordinary talent in his own right. A master tactician and a cultivation genius. A Rank 50 Spirit Lord as well as a Kshatriya that received the baptism of the Allfather twice. Just one of Junius'' achievements were enough to place him as a man to watch. Taking on a person like Junius was never going to be an easy task. However, Shizen was up for it. If he wanted to become strong enough to assist Shin, strong enough to carry his weight¡­ Shizen had to overcome this hurdle. Once Shizen defeats Junius, he''ll take over as the Tree of Illusion''s champion. His cultivation, power and overall influence would increase by leaps and bounds. And most importantly¡­ ''Junius¡­ You''ve caused enough harm already! It''s about time someone took you down!!!'' Shizen gritted his teeth and steam seethed out from the gaps. He''d seen how much Shin had suffered under Junius'' shadow. Even though they only interacted once or twice since the tragedy of the Frie Clan, Junius was always on Shin''s mind. He was the one that took Ariel away, the one that joined the fallen remnants of the Awter Clan, and the one person that Shin dreamt of bringing to justice. So, as one of Shin''s best friends, wouldn''t it be fitting for Shizen to defeat Junius and send him flying towards the young Prince? The Adivinar Tree''s vines intensified, and razor-sharp spinning leaves leapt out from Shizen''s Spectre Soul. At the same time, the earth turned brown and mossy, as Shizen''s domain spread far and wide. Intense spectral light forced Junius to avert his eyes and Ao to leap back. "The Mind-Element..." Junius remarked, wincing. If he, a Water-Elemental Spirit User, had been blessed by the Tree of Illusions, why couldn''t Shizen be as well? In fact, the nature boy''s Mind-Element control looked so stable that one might be inclined to believe he was the true Tree of Illusion''s champion. ''Those days toiling with Shin and Kanari really have paid off, huh?'' Shizen remarked inwardly. All that time practising with the two monsters that had full control over the Mind-Elements had prepared Shizen for this very moment. He could sense and manipulate the spiritual energies produced by the Tree of Illusions in a far more acute manner. Shizen''s created roots and vines were now laced with an illusory coat of protection, making it hard for anyone to catch a clear view of the young man. With no time to waste, Junius leapt up into the air and placed his Obsidian Water Blade parallel to his arms. His eyes locked onto the image of Shizen and vast amounts of mana flowed from his Spectre Soul and into his blade. It gleamed and gleamed, continuously being produced with a sinister light. And then¡­ The signature ability of the Blade of Death was finally being unleashed¡­ "DIE!!!!" The Obsidian Water Blade elongated at a rate faster than the currents of River Time. No arrow, no ballista¡­ Heck, no living creature could reach those speeds without breaking some bones. A huge sonic boom clapped through the empty valley, as blood fell down from the remaining Black Masks'' ears. Junius'' innate spiritual ability, ''Pierce,'' had improved drastically over the years. Before, it could only move at half the speed of a released arrow. Now, it was moving at a hundred times that speed. Not to mention, its destructiveness, versatility¡­ Every single aspect of ''Pierce'' had been bolstered up. Shizen had no way of escaping. All of his roots were pierced through immediately, and the Adivinar tree was just another target for the Spirit Lord''s wrath. Junius watched in glee as his blade penetrated the heart of Shizen, sending rich crimson fluids flying everywhere. ''Easy¡­ Too easy perhaps...'' Junius took Shizen down way too quickly. Even if he was the superior cultivator, there was no way that a genius such as the Freak of the Dundlewoods would fall that easily. And, just as his suspicions deduced¡­ The ''Shizen'' that Junius had pierced faded into nothingness, leaving just an afterimage of the young man. Before the blade of death could react, thousands of earthen power came flying over. Roots from the Adivinar tree, thousands of rapidly spinning razor leaves and most importantly¡­ A colossal phantom of Shizen''s dominant Spirit towered over the barren land. Junius didn''t possess any spiritual abilities to quickly weed out the roots and was forced to rely on his martial arts powers. He was tempted to reach for the Hofuku, his legendary-grade Spirit Armament that produced a potent force field. However, Junius knew that once he did that, the Tree of Illusions would instantly disqualify him as its champion, since he was relying on foreign forces to meddle with the sacred duel. Somersaulting a few times, Junius struggled to find his footing for the first few seconds since the attack. That gave Shizen ample time to expand his domain and his sphere of influence. In just those few seconds, the Freak of the Dundlewoods had already created a mini-forest, one that impairs all sorts of martial artists like Junius from entering and attacking. Taking a few notes from the Prince of Water himself, Shizen looked straight at the stunned Black Mask and let out an impish smile. "Now then¡­ Shall we begin?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 501 The Weeping Willow 3 Junius'' feet had turned blurry. All of his muscles were sore, and the power in his movements had turned somewhat sluggish. Thousands of earthy vines chased him like raging serpents while numerous razor-sharp leaves rained down from the skies. When he was cornered, Junius was forced to swing his Obsidian Water Blade, creating a flowing water shield that protected him from some of the deadly attacks. However, Shizen wasn''t content with just cornering Junius. The nature boy didn''t give him a chance to breathe. The Black Mask was an expert in martial arts, particularly swordplay using his famed Spirit. Against close-combat masters, Junius was king. If he had to fight against someone who could use long-range weaponry, Junius would utilise his signature ''Pierce'' to unnerve or potentially kill his opponent. To a certain extent, Junius was able to deal with Mind-Elemental users as well. Blessed by the Tree of Illusions, Junius grasp on the Mind-Element wasn''t inferior to that of Shin and Kanari''s. In some way, he might even surpass them. However, the Blade of Death had finally met his match. Shizen was literally the worst possible enemy for Junius to face. Wherever Shizen went, the Dundlewoods followed. The nature boy liked to alter the environment he fought in to suit his own needs, and it worked wonders against Junius. Firstly, with all those roots and vines in the way, Junius had very little space to execute his signature martial arts. Secondly, the woods that Shizen created boosted all of his own abilities, all while lowering Junius'' Water-Elemental affinity. And most importantly¡­ The Freak of the Dundlewoods had begun to get used to using the spiritual energies from the Tree of Illusions. In his current state, even though Shizen was a full realm lower than Junius, all of those variables combined had made the nature boy into a threat that could completely overwhelm his opponent. Beads of sweat fell beautifully from Junius'' forehead, staining the mossy ground that Shizen had created. Veins that were prominent and red could be seen all over the man''s body as he desperately somersaulted away to safety. However, in Shizen''s domain, there was no such thing as a safe place. Once Junius had landed on the ground, a thousand more vines erupted from the dense forest, all wishing to grab a hold onto the pesky pest that flew around. Junius had once read all the reports about Shin''s friends and their abilities. He knew that Shizen''s innate spiritual ability was one that could suck in mana from whoever it comes into contact with. Thus, unless he wanted an early grave, Junius had to find ways to evade as many of those deadly vines as he possibly could. However, it was easier said than done. All this while, Junius hadn''t got a single foothold on the battle. Shizen was dictating the pace and Junius was just a mere puppet on strings. It was something that had to change¡­ The Black Mask held his Obsidian Water Blade out and spun around three times in quick succession. A trail of water was left in his wake, and a sharp sword aura was transferred from Junius'' palms. As if it were holding the Ganges River within, the water ring that Junius created continued to spin rapidly, slicing apart any and all obstacles that came in its way. In less than a second, the Spirit Lord had unleashed his second spiritual ability, mowing down half of the vines and roots that were speeding his way. "Annoying..." Junius spat. He finally got a little bit of breathing room. However, it wouldn''t last for long. Junius had brought down one wave, but that didn''t stall Shizen''s aggression. More vines were created by the Adivinar Tree, and thousands of leaves dropped down from its canopy. There wasn''t much time left before Shizen unleashed his full wrath and forcing a repeat of the dance earlier to ensue. Junius didn''t want that. No, he couldn''t afford that if he wanted to win the duel. A phantom, bearing the exact same features as Junius, quickly sped out from the Obsidian Water Blade. In its hands, there was an exact replica of the Black Masks'' Spirit, just that it seemed a little weaker than the original. Still, there was no denying its strength. The Phantom was Junius'' Sword Partner, a manifestation of the swordmaster in the Black Mask. The Sword Partner leapt furiously at Shizen''s domain of nature, cutting down as many roots as it possibly could. It wasn''t a living being, thus no matter how much Shizen tried to damage the Sword Partner, it would just regenerate back its shape. Even his innate ability to absorb mana was severely limited when the Sword Partner was capable of sending sharp sword intent to mow down its foes. This time, it was Shizen that had turned frustrated. He couldn''t give Junius even an ounce of breathing room, lest the Spirit Lord comes up with some mystical new move to tackle him. Funnily enough, Shizen''s fears weren''t unfounded. Junius really was becoming more prepared with each passing second. His Obsidian Water Blade had now elongated to two-metres in length, and countless of sword light decorated the man''s back. Adding in a tinge of Mind-Element, Junius seemed to have formed two angel wings that were as pure as a virgin maiden, greatly contrasting his black and sinister sword. The combination of light and darkness, adding to the fact that Junius was a hunk of his own right, made the scene look picturesque to anyone watching. Even the most famous painters would struggle to put Junius'' evil within a canvas. Shizen gritted his teeth and quickly turned all of his attention towards the Blade of Death. The Sword Partner would be a hassle, but dealing with its main body was far more pressing. "Fucking Junius..." The nature boy twisted his wrists and willed for dense spiritual particles to emerge from the ground. The tides were about to shift, and Shizen had to be prepared for the worst. Mind-Elements congregated all around the Freak of the Dundlewoods, and his figure morphed slightly. Being far away, all Junius could see was a blur in the mist, but for the most part, ''Shizen'' remained standing in front of him. "Hmph!" Junius snorted. He bent his knees down and pointed the Obsidian Water Blade right at his opponent. ''Pierce'' was cast instantly, breaking through the sound barrier and decimating everything in sight. Even Shizen''s figure wasn''t spared for the mauling. However, just as the last time¡­ "..." The illusion of the young man faded into nothingness, as the Mind-Elements that the Adivinar Tree had been mowed down. Junius wasn''t the Tree of Illusion''s champion for nothing. He now had the innate ability to slice through any illusions, be it from a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner or a Rank 99 Spirit Saint. All that mattered was that Junius keep a sound mind, locking in on his convictions. And right now, his only conviction was to defeat that intruder that attempted to fuck with his family. Bit by bit, Shizen''s mirage was slowly becoming undone. The roots of the Adivinar tree twisted and turned, creating even more illusions to confuse the Blade of Death. Unfortunately, Junius was no idiot. As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. There was no way that the seasoned fighter would put himself back into his earlier position. Leaping up into the skies, Junius created a dozen water rings, covering the skies in a thick liquid. Shizen''s advantage came from his close proximity to the ground. When it came to aerial combat¡­ The Freak of the Dundlewoods was no longer a dominant force that pulverises through his enemies. "DIE!!!" Junius'' sword intent transferred over to his Obsidian Water blade, sending down a flurry of deadly attacks. The Water and Mind Elements went haywire as ''Pierce'' was cast over a thousand times. Shizen''s ''body'' was created multiple times within the thick illusory mist, but it was relentlessly destroyed by Junius'' rampage. Mana was drained at a staggering rate from the nature boy, and the Mind-Elements slowly shifted their allegiances from Shizen to Junius. The pair were currently playing a game of tug and war. In the beginning, Shizen held the advantage, due to the unique nature of the Adivinar Tree. However, Junius was no pushover. His experience in the battlefield far surpassed anything that Shizen possessed. In fact, Junius might even be more battle-hardened than Shin, the Prince of Water himself. Try serving in the Black Masks, the criminal syndicate that was wanted by every major organisation in the world. Junius had seen every bad situation there was under the sun. He knew how to troubleshoot and crawl himself out from tough and sticky situations. With the tables reversed, Shizen had reached a tipping point. The Mind-Elements that was granted to him by the Tree of Illusions was slowly being eroded away. At the same time, Junius'' attacks were turning more and more vicious. Shizen was getting desperate, and thus¡­ He was forced to play his hand. Sssssssssstttttttttttttttttttt!!! Dense green smoke billowed out from the Adivinar Tree, tainting the entire Illusory Canyon in a brown hue. It was rife with earthen elements and terrestrial dust. No¡­ There was even a tinge of life within the limited smoke. There was a tinge of¡­ Life essence¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''Hoh¡­ You''re willing to burn your lifespan just to beat me down?'' Junius scoffed inwardly. For the Adivinar Tree to emit such a terrifying presence, even though Shizen was just a Spirit Spectre¡­ It could only mean one thing. The Freak of the Dundlewoods was willing to die just to win. Vines rushed out of the green smoke at twice the speed, taking in all of the spiritual energy from its surroundings. At the same time, the smoke turned into angry serpents that chased Junius down from the skies. Once again, Shizen had taken the initiative. The Mind-Elements that were lost rapidly returned to the nature boy and his attacks were three times as violent as before. Junius swordsmanship was nullified by the unique nature of Shizen''s Spirit and was forced to evade in the air like a scaredy-cat. However, Shizen''s attacks were just far too numerous and overwhelming. Just one miscalculated movement afterwards¡­ "ARGHHHH!!!" A ferocious groan echoed out in the valley. Rich crimson blood splattered down from the skies and contaminated the area. "JUNIUS!!!" Ao cried. It was the first time in years that the World Serpent had seen Junius wounded. Judging from his cry and the gallons of blood that spilled out from his guts, the injury was quite the significant one. Ao''s feet shuffled on the floor, digging deep into the sand. Ao''s body was rearing to save his protege, but the logical mind of the World Serpent stopped him. If he interfered, the Tree of Illusions could literally rip both the World Serpent and Junius limb from limb. The only thing that Ao could do was to sit tight and believe in the capabilities of the wonder kid that had stunned him time and time again... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 502 Victory And Defeat 1 Injuring Junius had taken a massive load of pressure off Shizen''s shoulders. In battle, the first one to mortally wound would always hold the advantage. Junius left hand grasped onto his grave injury, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Not only that, the Black Mask was forced to fly higher into the air, lest Shizen''s created abilities rushed forward to finish him off. Still, a veteran would always remain a veteran. Junius used his Obsidian Water Blade and sliced off a portion of his jacket. He tied his wound up with a tight grip, staining the white cloth and temporarily stopped his crimson life essence from spewing out. Shizen took this moment to regroup. Junius was still too high up in the air for the Adivinar Tree to prove any effectiveness. Furthermore, just like the Spirit Lord, the Freak of the Dundlewoods had expended a great deal of mana. Heavy pants escaped out of his mouth, and his entire robes were drenched with thick, smelly sweat. If not for the severity of the battle, Shizen would be tempted to fall to his butt and take a sweet, long rest. However, since that wasn''t possible, all the young nature boy could do was take quick breaths and absorb what little spiritual energy he could. Shizen was in poor shape, but he was nowhere near Junius'' current predicament. Mana-drained and severely wounded. If nothing was done, the Blade of Death was certain to fall this day. ''Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Damn it!!! This is getting annoying!!!'' Junius cried inwardly. As a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, the man should be capable of dispatching Shizen with relative ease. Unfortunately, just like his bosom friend, Shizen was a force that could dominate anyone above his own realm. Particularly against martial artists like Junius, who relied on close-combat and outmanoeuvring their opponents. Shizen had far too many control-type abilities that counter Junius'' strengths. The vines that absorbed mana, his domain, the Adivinar Tree phantom, thousands of flying razor leaves¡­ There were just too many abilities that neutralised Junius. So, instead of teaching the arrogant young man a lesson, it was Junius would give up first blood. ''This can''t continue anymore!!!'' Afraid of being attacked if he got too near, Junius flew up a dozen metres higher and glared down at Shizen. At this height, everything seemed to become as small as an ant. Adding on the illusory mist generated by the Tree of Illusions, and Shizen had practically camouflaged himself with the area. There was no way for Junius to strike down his wrath with pinpoint accuracy¡­ but he had to try. PEEEEEEWWWWW!!! PEEEEEEWWWWW!!! PEEEEEEWWWWW!!! PEEEEEEWWWWW!!! Countless of elongated water blades flew down from the skies, slowly eroding the mist that blocked Junius'' vision. The attacks were wild and random, but that didn''t mean that they weren''t dangerous. Each ''Pierce'' entered the bedrock underneath Shizen like a hot knife through butter. If Shizen were hit by any of those attacks, shattered bones would be the least of his concerns. So, the Freak of the Dundlewoods had to be exceedingly careful. Utilising the little martial art footwork that he possessed, Shizen was able to sidestep many of the attacks, while those that slipped through were blocked by his Adivinar Tree. This stalemate continued on for quite some time. Junius attacked from the skies while Shizen dominated the ground. The next error that they made would be their last. Thus, neither of them was willing to make that next mistake. ''The Mind-Elements are crying out...'' Junius carefully observed his surroundings as well as the Tree of Illusion''s movement. It was merely waving from side-to-side, wholly uninterested in helping its champion. However, as if it was excited, the Tree of Illusions released even more of its mana, creating a far denser field for the two cultivators to fight. ''The Mind-Elements¡­ They''re going wild...'' Shizen made the same observation. However, instead of feeling frustrated, the nature boy couldn''t help but release a beautiful smile. The Mind-Elements increasing in the area could assist Shizen in blocking Junius view even more. Right now, there was no need for the Freak of the Dundlewoods to overcommit. Junius was mortally wounded, and in just a few more minutes, the temporary bandage that he''d plastered on himself would be rendered obsolete. So all Shizen needed to do was to bide his time while recouping his lost mana. Defence was the key to winning this battle. As long as he could last for the next few minutes, Junius was bound to succumb to his injuries and finally, lose his position as the Tree of Illusion''s champion. Relying on his blessing, Shizen utilised the Mind-Elements to create a few more ''figures'' of himself. They moved around haphazardly, trying to confuse the flying Junius even more. And the funny thing was¡­ It worked. Junius'' face had turned crimson with veins being shown all over his forehead. Blood flowed out from his wound and the white cloth that held his body together had been utterly dyed red. The desperate attack from the heavens had exacerbated his injury. Junius was now living on borrowed time. His vision began to blur, and his mana was rapidly depleting. The Blade of Death had to do something and do it quick. The Black Mask''s eyes darted around, looking for an opening to launch his final struggle. The Sword Partner that he''d created charged forward into the mist, executing a plethora of deadly sword moves and clearing out the forest. Junius didn''t care if his Sword Partner''s mana was exhausted. All he needed was one opportunity to strike. The same could be said about Shizen. He could sense Junius'' urgency. At a distance, Shizen''s illusions were far more potent, and Junius couldn''t identify which was one of the ''Shizens'' was real or fake. Thus, Junius needed to come closer to the ground to land an accurate blow onto the nature boy. Shizen knew that once Junius touches the ground, it would be the most perfect moment to throw a deadly counter. One was waiting for the perfect opening to strike from the heavens. The other was waiting for the ideal moment to land a counter-attack. Both were seeking different things, but they had one similar thought¡­ ''The next move will end the duel!!!'' Shizen''s eyes never left Junius'' body for a single second. The vines from the Adivinar Tree were evenly spread around the Tree of Illusion''s domain, and his soul was acutely sucking in the spiritual energies from his surroundings. Seconds passed like a decade. Shizen could hear his own heartbeat as if they were the only sound on earth. The green smoke that Shizen had created by burning his life essence was also covering the young man''s tracks. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" With time ticking down and no options left, Junius finally struck. A threatening roar echoed through the valley as the Blade of Death fell face-first onto the ground. His dive was far faster than any falcon''s and ten times more potent than any other aerial creatures. Junius used all of his mana to strengthen his body and Obsidian Water Blade. When there were no other options available, there was only one thing that a fighter could do. Trust his body in the toughest of situations. Shizen''s Adivinar Tree automatically reacted. The vines that it created moved at breakneck speeds, covering places that Junius trajectory was expected to land. However, even with his injury, the Black Masks was ungodly fast. Years of battle experience had honed the man''s body to react to danger with a supernatural sixth sense. Even without turning his head, Junius could count the number of vines that were rushing towards him, what direction they were coming from and even their differing speed. Like a ballerina, Junius danced through the vines as if they weren''t even there. Careful not to touch any of them, the Kshatriya managed to speed through five metres of Shizen''s domain. He continuously ducked the vines, even though his body was screaming at him with every turn. If not for the bloodied cloth, that had been drenched through, no one could tell that Junius had been severely injured. ''If vines don''t work then!'' Shizen''s left arm was raised, and thousands of razor leaves gushed out from the Adivinar tree. With the leaves all positioned so close to one another, the attacks were far harder to evade. Junius slashed the air, creating a vacuum of water that sucked in the bloodthirsty leaves. Alas, that was far from enough¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Slllicckkk!!! Slllicckkk!!! Slllicckkk!!! Blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground and everything within a two-metre radius of Junius. Every single part of his body had been damaged. Cuts were riddled all over his torso, and his skin had been reddened beyond belief. However, Junius still pressed on. The Blade of Death had turned into the Blade of Tenacity. Nothing was stopping him from achieving his goal. Even if half his body were torn apart, the man would still run through the field of thorns just to defeat Shizen. In no time at all, Junius was fifteen metres away from the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Shizen panicked immediately. The green smoke that the Adivinar Tree produced had doubled in force, all while his domain grew to a staggering degree. Countless attacks hit the advancing Kshatriya, but Shizen had tried to mow down an unstoppable force. The Obsidian Water Blade moved automatically, creating a dozen water currents from Junius soul. Ten metres¡­ Junius was already ten metres away from Shizen. Every single fibre of his being was screaming out to Junius¡­ ''PLEASE STOP!!!'' It was just that painful. His body was willing to give up the fight, allowing Shizen to become the ultimate victor of the sacred duel. However, Junius'' mind was far from ready to give in just yet. Five metres¡­ At this distance, all Mind-Elements were rendered obsolete. Both Junius and Shizen were blessed by the Tree of Illusions. At this range, they were able to cancel each other abilities out. Right now, the Freak of the Dundlewoods and the Blade of Death were both stripped bare. They couldn''t rely on another''s blessing. Shin wasn''t here to boost Shizen, and neither was the Allfather''s mana capable of strengthening Junius. They were both going to fight¡­ Man on man¡­ Three metres¡­ Junius torn body was on the verge of collapse, but somehow, the man was able to push through all of the adversaries. Shizen was in no better shape. Even though he was completely clean of injuries, Shizen had just entered the strike zone of a martial arts specialist. With one clean strike, Junius was able to cleave off Shizen''s head, giving him the win indefinitely. Shizen had to use everything in his power to prevent that. The life essence that he''d burnt continued to attack Junius and the power of the Freak''s soul increased all of his vines speed. No matter how agile Junius was, there was no way that he could counter all of those deadly attacks that flew into his area. Two metres¡­ The Blade of Death was now close enough to launch one final ''Pierce,'' claiming Shizen''s heart as his own. However, there was no possible way of him doing that. The Adivinar Tree''s vines had drilled numerous holes through Junius'' body, draining him from even more crimson life essence. Even though he wasn''t of sound mind, Junius'' instincts had prevented Shizen''s attack from damaging any of his vital organs. "JUNIUS!!!" Ao screamed once more. It was painful, watching his protege get injured time and time again while he sat back and watched. Venerate Maurice, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. Shizen had won! He had trapped Junius in his vines once and for all! No matter how resilient Junius was, there was no coming back from this one. The Kshatriya had fallen. One metre¡­ The battle had come to an abrupt end. Junius was now trapped by Shizen''s domain as well as the vines that stuck out of his body like a porcupine. Panting heavily, the nature boy raised his palms, bringing the motionless body closer to him. At the same time, a dozen vines erupted from the Adivinar Tree ready to pierce through Junius'' heart. However, before Shizen ended the duel, he wanted to have one final look at the man who caused Shin so much pain. "Junius¡­ Oh, Junius¡­ Your reign of terror ends today..." Shizen wore the face of the victor. "Let me¡­ Do the deed that Shin could never do¡­ Today¡­ The Blade of Death¡­ Dies!!!" "Y-You¡­ F-F..." "I what?" Shizen allowed Junius to give his final words before he ripped the heart out of his body. "Y-You¡­ Forgot¡­ Something!!!" Just as Junius said those words, a rich line of obsidian erupted out of Shizen''s left breast, splashing red crimson blood all over the already tainted floor. The nature boy''s face was riddled with shock and fear, as everything in the world seemingly turned white. There was no pain, and neither was there any sound. "W-What?" Shizen''s fearful voice echoed through the valley. He turned over his shoulder, hoping to figure out the identity of his assailant¡­ and as it turns out¡­ The Freak of the Dundlewood really did forgot something¡­ Something important¡­ "Y-Your sword¡­ Your Sword Partner..." At the end of the Obsidian Blade, was the pesky replica of Junius that Shizen had ignored just moments prior. He focused all of his attention on Junius and failed to notice the Sword Partner creeping upon him from the shadows. Junius was ghast and on the verge of certain death. However, he could still break out in a smile. "Like I said..." Junius moved his Obsidian Water Blade from his right hand to his left. With the added space, the man stabbed through Shizen''s eye and devouring the light from within the man''s soul. Nothing remained of Shizen''s intelligence as it faded into the abyss. The man couldn''t even harbour one final thought before he died. It was done. The sacred duel was over. "Like I said¡­ I''ll kill you for that..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 503 Victory And Defeat 2 "Shizen!!!" Venerate Maurice screamed out at the top of his lungs. His face was drained of blood, and his entire being was shivering. His job was to protect the young nature boy, no matter the cost. Yet, the Spirit Venerate had failed. Junius'' sword had pierced through Shizen''s skull, leaving no room for error. The Freak of the Dundlewoods¡­ has died. But it wasn''t without a cost. "Junius!!!" Like Venerate Maurice before him, Ao hollered out. Leaping from his rested position, the World Serpent instantly rushed towards the falling body of Junius. The Kshatriya was riddled with holes, and almost half of his blood was spent. A critical condition was a light term to describe Junius'' current predicament. If nothing was done within the next ten minutes, the Kshatriya was certain to pass on into the netherworld, alongside the opponent that he''d just slain. Ao immediately sent legions of spiritual energies into Junius'' broken body, hoping to somewhat stabilise his condition before carrying him to a healer. The rough mana of the Tier 9 Spirit Beast continued to pour into the young man and bit by bit, some of the colour that Junius had lost was rapidly coming back to him. Though it was far from complete. Still somewhat lucid, Junius attempted to grab hold of Ao''s wrist. The force of his hands was akin to that of a baby''s grip, fragile and easy to break at any moment. Thus, the World Serpent leaned in with a worried cry. "Junius! Don''t think too much! I''ll get you to safety soon!!!" For the first time in over a thousand years, the World Serpent cried out from the bottom of his heart. It took his all to push out that thought that Junius might lose his life. Who could blame him? Junius was basically a soccer ball with dozens of holes pierced into it. However, before Ao could carry him out, the young man used what little strength he had to remind the World Serpent of one thing¡­ "T-The¡­ S-Sp-Spirit¡­ V-Venerate..." Junius'' finger pointed to the side, where Venerate Maurice lay standing. He stood rooted to the ground, utterly shellshocked by the death of Shizen. However, once Junius pointed his finger right at the man, the veteran mind of the Master Explorer came online. The sacred duel to determine who would become the Champion of the Tree of Illusions had been concluded. Therefore, the ban on fighting had been lifted. Ao was now allowed to use all his spiritual abilities with impunity, and so was Venerate Maurice. Now that Shizen had passed on, there was a need to eliminate the sole witness of the battle. No one should know that Junius was hiding in a mansion near the Illusory Canyon and more importantly, Shin should never find out that Junius had killed one of his closest friends. Thus, even when he was on the verge of swimming down River Styx, Junius pointed towards Venerate Maurice, begging Ao to kill the man before he could escape. "..." The World Serpent froze in his place. He was a peak Tier 9 Spirit Beast, one that possessed the power to defeat almost every single Spirit Venerate that ever existed. In fact, he could even give some of the weaker Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts a run for their money. So, defeating and ultimately killing off Venerate Maurice wouldn''t be an issue. The true problem lay in what he had to give up. If Ao decided to go for Venerate Maurice, it was almost a given that Junius would die. It was a miracle that he was still alive anyway. Once his spiritual energy left Junius'' body, the tough Kshatriya would succumb to his wounds, passing away into the abyss. However, if Ao allowed Venerate Maurice to run away, he would come back with the wrath of the Alliance, as well as the anger of Shin. At this point in time, Shin was among the most influential figures in the world. If he found out Junius'' location, an army would come knocking on the western region''s doorsteps. Of all the bases that the Black Mask had, Junius'' region was by far the most underdeveloped. However, even though it was undeveloped, it didn''t mean that it wasn''t necessary. According to the Allfather''s plan, during the next phase of his master plan, Spirit Beasts from the Uncharted Wildnerness would march past Illusory Canyon, infesting the Kori Federation with a billion-strong Beast Horde. So, by all metrics, it was imperative that Ao not allow Venerate Maurice to escape and act as the man who blows the horn. Yet¡­ Ao hesitated. Junius, or the fate of the Black Masks¡­ If it were a few years before, Ao would unquestionably choose the Black Masks. Heck, if it was a few months earlier, Ao might have abandoned Junius, no matter how much he treasured his protege. However, the image of Junius'' child came to mind. The faces of Shia and Vellan, who wished Junius safe passage home as he kissed them goodbye. Every second passed like an eternity. Junius'' pulse was getting weaker, and Venerate Maurice mental faculties were being restored. In due time, the Spirit Venerate would attempt his escape while Junius was still suffering. If Ao wanted to act, he had to move now. And so¡­ He did. Ao grabbed Junius in a princess carry, as a vast amount of spiritual energy flowed from his soul to the young man. The World Serpent didn''t even spare a single glance at Venerate Maurice. Instead, he kicked the ground in an epic stomp, sending his body flying into the skies above. The World Serpent had chosen sentiment over logic. He was going to save Junius even if it meant abandoning the west. "..." The tension that had been built up in Venerate Maurice''s veins instantly dissipated as he was left all alone in front of the Tree of Illusions. Bodies of the Black Masks that died still remained and a horrendous smell was already coming out from their bodies. The White Weeping Willow Tree remained untouched by the damage that Junius and Shizen had inflicted upon the earth. In fact, it was looking rather jovial, as if it had experienced the most epic movie humankind had ever produced. Venerate Maurice looked down at his feet. He found that his legs were shaking and the strength of a Spirit Venerate had all but been drained. Maurice had to fight the urge to fall to his butt. The fight was over, but it was far from won. No, it was a significant loss. The middle-aged man glanced over his shoulder, only to notice the motionless body of the acclaimed genius. Then, he slapped his cheeks until they were red and bruised. "Now is no time to mourn..." The Spirit Venerate said to himself, trying his hardest to wake up from that dream. "I must bring Shizen back¡­ I must¡­ Tell the world of the Black Masks..." He wanted vengeance. He wanted to rip Junius'' body limb from limb and feed them to the dogs. Alas, Maurice lacked power. It was by the World Serpent''s grace that he was still alive, so he had to make full use of it. The Spirit Venerate had to¡­ Return Shizen back to the Prince of Water. ??? The great naval war between the Lantis Navy and the Black Masks was rapidly coming to its conclusion. After losing all of their longboats, every single Dalit, Shudra, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Brahmin was embroiled in a war to the death. Not to mention, the thousands of Spirit Beasts that joined their crusade were launching suicide bombing missions, just to thin down the Lantis Navy''s numbers. Fatalities, broken ships¡­ Both sides had them, but for the most part, it was the Lantis Navy that came out on top. Shin watched from the protection of Heigui Xuekang''s shield while Bingbing in her human form, locked her arms with his. A random tsunami in the middle of the ocean, created by the fight between Zishen and the Ghost Corsair, crashed onto the barrier. However, the Heigui Spirit Venerate''s mana stood firm. At the corner, the battle between Admiral Zhangyu Ruogang and Meijing Xuenkai had reached its peak as well. The Abominable Cthulhu and the Killer Whale Spirits screamed in complete anger as they faced one another. It was a fight between a loyalist and a betrayer. There was no way that there would be good blood between them. The storms that they created became more and more devastating by the hour, as they kept aiming for one another''s throats. Finally, the last Spirit Venerate battle, the epic between the Fleet Admiral and the Sword Baron Seymour Fielder was in its final stages. The Fleet Admiral used all of his power to push the Sword Baron back. His Mythic-Grade Harpoon had tipped the battlefield into his favour, and the Sword Baron was unable to get a single advantage over the dominant Spirit Venerate. Being a Fire-Elemental Spirit User didn''t help the man''s cause at all. Even though it looked like a stalemate to the inexperienced eyes, those with greater insights could tell that the Sword Baron was bound to lose within the next few moves. "We''ve won," Shin observed. "They should be giving the order to retreat anytime soon." "Yip? You can tell already?" Bingbing asked back. The man nodded, utterly confident of his claim. "There''s nothing left for the Black Masks. Most of their Spirit Beasts had been killed. The Dalits and Shudras are all dead now. All of their resources have been spent¡­ Now, their Spirit Venerates are just trying to cause as much mayhem as they possibly could so that their weaker members can escape. It''s¡­ over..." The Nineteenth Artificial Island tragedy had stuck deep in the souls of the Lantis Republic. Now by forcing the Black Masks to completely destroy their Paradise Hearts and mowing down their numbers, their grieved hearts were eased somewhat. As if on cue with Shin''s words, the escape flare had been fired, and the mass retreat had begun. The space that the Spirit Venerates created were being appropriately utilised, and hundreds of the most powerful Black Masks took to the skies. The Lantis Navy was tempted to give chase, but they had their own problems to solve. Hundreds of their most capable men had fallen in battle, and Lady Seph''s Divine Rain had been completely drained out. Even if the Divine Healer wanted to heal the injured, she simply wasn''t able to do so. Therefore, they had to give up on the chase. "Kekeke¡­ Looks like my job here is done..." Meijing Xuenkai looked to the skies with a delighted smile. He turned over to his opponent and launched a simple kick at the Admiral. "Let''s settle this another time." "No! You''re staying here!!!" Zhangyu Ruogang hollered. It wasn''t easy, finding a turncoat that had caused the Lantis Republic that much pain before. If he let Meijing Xuenkai slip out of his fingers, who knows when would be the next time that they would meet. "Not at all," the Brahmin''s cold voice entered the Admiral''s ears. A humongous tidal wave emerged from the bottom of his feet, pushing the Spirit Venerate far away from the Brahmin as possible. "Kekeke, if fate permits, we''ll meet on the battlefield once more..." With that declaration, Meijing Xuenkai leapt towards the skies, disappearing into the horizon at the speed of light. "..." The Ghost Corsair looked at the Azure Dragon Lord floating in front of him. They had been at one another''s throats for the past few minutes now and had almost constantly been at a stalemate. Granted, Zishen was fighting a little defensively as he wanted to ensure Shin''s safety. Thus, with no more objectives for the Black Masks, there was no point for the Ghost Corsair to remain on the battlefield. "I''m sorry¡­" The Ghost Corsair gave a simple apology for cowering out of their duel before disappearing in the same manner that Meijing Xuenkai did. And that leaves the Sword Baron. He was being pressured by the Fleet Admiral and had a much harder time attempting an escape. Still, he was a Spirit Venerate that once dominated an entire region. With one final swing that consisted of all his might, Seymour pushed the Fleet Admiral a dozen kilometres away, giving him enough space to make his retreat. However, before he left, his eyes darted south and landed on Shin. The Sword Baron was wearing a scowl, like a rabid dog looking at an intruder on its turf. His every plan, the masterful escape to smuggle out the Paradise Hearts, had been thwarted by the Prince of Water. It was no wonder that he was livid. Nonetheless, Shin was way too protected for anyone to kill. Unable to do anything, Seymour scoffed and took to the skies, joining the rest of his army in the retreat. The Lantis Navy had won¡­ They had tasted a victory sweeter than any revenge tale. They had now¡­ Crippled the Black Masks control over the East! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 504 Victory And Defeat 3 "Hahahaha!!! Drink! Drink! Drink!!!" Merry voices cheered through the taverns of the Lantis Republic, particularly the stores near Jerack Port. Hundreds of soldiers returned from the battlefield with the Black Masks. Their bodies were battered and bruised. Some even had five or six layers of bandages wrapping their bodies together. However, even with the massive injury toll, they were all wearing smiles that connected both their ears together, taking on pints of booze in joy. Barmaids walked around their patrons, charming the men with their signature floral smiles. Some sleazeballs that had taken a drink too many slapped on some of the girl''s butts, but they were firmly apprehended by the broad-shouldered bouncers that roamed the streets. Jerack Port¡­ No, most military bases had a district like this. A place for the soldiers to grieve in defeat, and to celebrate in victory. Fortunately for the brave warriors of the Lantis Navy, it was the latter. "Hohoho!!! Fuck ''em Black Masks!!!" One patron threw his pint into the air, causing all sorts of sticky fluids to spill onto the already dirty floor. "They think that they can claim our territory? The East?! Hahaha!!! Fuck ''em dead!!!" "That''s right!!!" Another drunk officer slapped his lap and took one fried salted potato chip from the shared bucket. "The Lantis Navy is the King of the Oceans! Ah, if only we could record their faces to preserve them into the world''s memory!" Downing his pint, the previous patron, nodded furiously. "Ahhh!!! That''s the stuff! Just like this mead, revenge tastes the sweetest! We have avenged those that perished on the Nineteenth Artificial Island! That''s all that matters now!!!" The whole situation that started this ordeal was the tragedy that fell upon the Nineteenth Artificial Island. All this while, although the Lantis Republic had provided assistance to the Alliance in the war against the Black Masks, it was never personal. They treated the resources they spent as a necessary evil to keep the other two superpowers happy and occupied. And a big reason for their cavalier attitude was because the war hasn''t reached their shores as of yet. All of the tragedies that the Black Masks had unleashed upon the world was mostly in the Terre Continent. Until now, that is¡­ Thus, it was important for the Lantis Navy to strike back and more importantly, it was imperative that the Lantis Republic came back with a win. If they could show their general populace that the Lantis Navy was one that could protect its citizens, even against the behemoth that had terrorised the entire Terre Continent, the Lantis Republic''s morale would be kept up high, and the chances of people defecting to the dark side would be significantly reduced. "Honestly, we should really thank the young Prince for his assistance!" The hungry patron yelled out to the crowd. "If not for the young Prince, who knows if we could have won this battle?" "That''s right!" His drunk buddy added on, with an intoxicated bad breath. "I''d heard that the real reason why the Navy decided to dispatch was due to our young Prince. Not to mention, all of his accomplishments on the field. Summoning the Beast Horde to come to our aid, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast that froze the oceans¡­ Even his consort had fucked with the longboats, giving us space to breathe..." "Hahaha! We really owe it all to the Prince!!!" One more patron who was eavesdropping swung over to the table with his jug in hand. "It really is our blessing that the young Prince had descended upon our lands!" "That''s right!!! Fuck all of those High Elders that sit on their thrones, not willing to get their hands dirty! It was the Prince that stood by us, even when his life was in danger!" "Hehehe! The Celestial Dragon really has chosen the right heir! Come! Let us drink! Let us drink to the Prince that was promised and the Prince that had delivered!!!" The drunk patron raised his glass into the air. Many of the tavern''s guests all did the same, wearing the same jovial expression. "LONG LIVE THE PRINCE!!!" The chant hollered out at a decibel that muted every single man, woman or child on the streets. It was so loud that even the drunken cries of men in other taverns were incomprehensible. They were really celebrating Shin''s addition to the Lantis Republic with the joy of welcoming a new addition to their family. Unbeknownst to the drunken soldiers, the target of their worship was currently pushing his head down with a flushed face right on top of their heads. "Long live the prince, they said..." Kanari placed held her head up with her elbows rested on the dining table before her. Her left hand was caressing the young man''s thigh trying to soothe the youth into a sense of security. However, amid her comforting exterior, there was a hint of impishness in her voice and actions. It has been three years since Shin became a celebrity within the Lantis Republic and he still couldn''t get used to the fame. "Kanari, stop teasing me..." The young man protested as he took one major gulp of his wine. Reaching adulthood had its woes and its benefits. One, there was much more responsibility on Shin''s shoulders now, and he had to be much more thoughtful of his actions. On the other hand, he could drown those burdens with alcohol, something that wasn''t an option when he was just a mere child. Everyone seated around him looked over with teasing eyes. The twins, Bingying and Huanyuan, Zishen, and even the iconic angel duo, Lady Seph and the newly promoted Kamaitachi, Bingbing. They were having their celebratory feast in what they thought to be a remote location, far away from the general public. However, who could predict that the decision to come here would bite Shin in the ass? ''I can''t be the only one flustered...'' Shin instantly sought to take the advantage. He had already downed two vats of Nu''er Hong, so his mental functions had shortcircuited a little. Shin grabbed on Kanari''s waist and pulled her close among all of the peering eyes, and a short yelp flowed out of the maiden''s mouth. Seeing that his impromptu scheme was bearing some fruit, Shin continued on with a seductive grin. "I''m not the only one that they''re talking about¡­ They''re calling you my consort. How does that make you feel, my princess?" Shin thought that it was a sure-fire way to gain the initiative. Alas, he had underestimated his opponent. Kanari''s dainty fingers gently held onto the young man''s lips as she leaned in closer towards his face, not caring about the blushing faces of her company. Their faces were now just one inch apart, close enough for the most intimate of interactions. At this distance, Shin could smell her heavy alcohol breath. Looks like Kanari was intoxicated as well. "Well, if I really am your consort, maybe we should seal the deal tonight..." Kanari licked her lips and moistening her breath. Their faces were red hot, and some could visualise steam coming out from both their bodies. Shin gulped, trying his hardest to hold back his desires. However, the two of them were simply far too close, and their brains were far too convoluted. It was dangerous to leave them alone for now¡­ Which was why¡­ "Alright, both of you enough!" Lady Seph''s voice echoed into the private chamber as a divine golden light descended upon both their bodies. The fuzziness in their minds was cleared up instantly, and a light of intelligence beamed within their eyes. Realising what they''d done, the couple immediately separated, dropping both their faces down onto the table. "Hehe, looks like their relationship is still progressing smoothly..." Emma smirked. "Urghhh, just leave it in the bedroom, please..." Meijing Bingying rolled her eyes and nestled her head on Huanyuan shoulders. "Look at them, they''re not even married yet, and they''re so flirty¡­ One can only imagine what would happen if they really tie the knot." "I agree with that..." Xunyu Huanyuan chuckled, not disputing his girlfriend''s claim. However, even though they were teasing the young couple, the two couldn''t help but wear brilliant smiles. They had seen Shin grow ever since the Summit six years back. They knew what obstacles the pair had to overcome to reach this state. So, even though they were disgusted by Shin and Kanari''s public display of affection, they weren''t really disturbed by it. "..." Ella folded her arms and her nose twisted around in its place. She was feeling uncomfortable, and she just didn''t understand why¡­ "What''s the matter?" Being her direct twin, Emma was the first to sense her sister''s irregularity. She gently grabbed the young girl''s cold hands and asked with a face of concern. "I feel that¡­ Something''s not right..." Ella said, her eyes twitching rapidly. "What could be wrong? We defeated the Black Masks, avenged those who died during the raid on the Nineteenth Artificial Island and most importantly, all of us came back completely unscathed!!!" Emma exclaimed. Everything was right in the world. They had gotten an overwhelming victory, and everyone was celebrating. Very little of the soldiers died in battle, and most of them with injuries were fit enough to join in on the drinking. The mood at Jerack Port was the closest it could get to heaven as possible. "Hah¡­ Maybe I''m just imagining it," the purple-haired girl didn''t want to burst on everyone''s mood, so Ella just held back her uneasiness. To further show her intent, the young maiden raised her glass and cried out at the top of her lungs. "Come! Let us drink until we drop!" "Haha, now that''s the spirit!!!" Shin''s group continued to take down litres upon litres of fine wine, warming their cores and further flushing their faces. Lady Seph, who didn''t particularly like wine, was busy sipping her tea while examining the Tier 9 Bingbing in her human form. It led to a comical scene where the young girl rushed into Shin''s lap, utterly fearful of Lady Seph predatory experimental eyes. All was right with the world¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. That was until¡­ "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Heavy pants could be heard from the hallway as a dark silhouette rushed towards the room of drunk men and women. Then, a suave man, who looked to be the older version of Shin, barged through the door. It was the most powerful man in the Longyu Clan, Longyu Dao. Even after three years, the man hasn''t aged a single wrinkle, and in fact, he seemed even more youthful than he did before. Perhaps it was due to all the pleasant dreams that he had after Shin joined the Lantis Republic. The only people who shared the same blood as the Prince was the Longyu Clan and their position in the nation had been bumped up tremendously. Of course, the Clan Master would be ecstatic. However, there wasn''t a single hint of happiness on his face. All that it had¡­ was urgency and terror¡­ "Clan Master?! What''s going on?" Shin leapt to his feet and greeted the middle-aged man. Shin was drunk, but that didn''t mean that he was completely impaired. He could tell that something was amiss. "Shin..." The Clan Master wanted to speak; however, he appeared hesitant. There was anxiety in his voice, as well as an unwillingness to share the news. Alas¡­ There was no hiding the truth¡­ "Shin¡­ I have some bad news..." ~~~ End of Book 10 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, j?rn h?vard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers. Chapter 505 End of Book 10 & Authors Thoughts Before we get into the author''s thoughts, I just want to inform you all that I''ll be taking a one week break and will resume posting on 14th of October. I''ve been really busy at work and my chapter bank has been exhausted. I need some time to just write more chapters, rest, and recharge. Particularly with the next Book... Hihi~ Linodo again!!! So¡­ That just happened¡­ Spoilers ahead! Duh¡­ Okay, Shizen''s death was something that I didn''t really plan when writing the overall plan for Spirit Immortal, but it was one that I felt was natural at this point of the story. You see, even though I have a macro-view of the beginning and end of the story, I like to leave gaps for the novel to organically grow. And well¡­ This is perhaps the most major decision that I''d made thus far. See, I wrote myself into a hole. I''ve made Shin too powerful for his own good. He can''t grow through battle anymore since he''s already strong enough to stomp everything. In the previous arcs, Shin had already grown to become smarter in battle. So, I can''t write Shin as a hot-headed youth that barge takes on fights for no reason whatsoever anymore, and it showed in the recent naval battle where Shin decided to stand back while others died in battle. So, here''s the problem¡­ How do I grow Shin now? I can''t use the traditional troupes of him losing a battle only to become stronger at the last moment. Neither can I make him weaker, since it''ll only undermine the growth I''ve written for him. Thus, I came up with an answer¡­ Having him deal with a blow that he couldn''t control. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Back in the day, I watched a Superman movie or TV show where Superman grieves over the loss of his adopted father due to a heart attack. I found that scene to be quite endearing. It showed that no matter how omnipotent and smart you were, there were just some things that were out of a person''s control. As many of you know, me being me, every few books follow a certain theme. Book 1 to 4 was Family and Book 5 to 8 was Growth. I won''t spoil you on what Book 9 to Book ??? theme is, but I can tell you this. Shizen''s death is something that fits in the theme like a glove. When you finish the story, I hope you''ll understand why I''ve chosen this route to go with Shin and the story as a whole. Alright, don''t mind me¡­ I''m going to grieve about Shizen''s death now and curse Junius a thousand times like many of you would... Chapter 506 I Loved You 1 Each second that passed felt like an eternity. It was winter, and the Lantis Republic was as cold as can be. Most people wore thick layers and stayed in the warmth of their own homes. Knowing that architects of the supernation made sure to insulate the buildings, particularly sensitive government ones, to keep their population warm. Shin walked down the hallways of the grey construction, still dressed in his white fur uniform. His face was still red with alcohol, and his internal body temperature was much higher than usual. There was no way for Shin to feel cold, yet¡­ His heart was frozen. The hallway was quiet, even though there were at least fifty individuals located at all corners. Longyu Dao led the way while Zishen protected the rear. All of Shin''s closest aides within the Lantis Republic were by his side, some of them wearing grim faces of their own. They all knew what lay at the end of the hallway, they just didn''t want to believe it. Shin could acutely hear his footsteps and the movements of his compatriots. They weren''t loud or anything. In fact, it was the contrary. They were as silent as a feather, completely keeping aware of their surroundings. Disturbing the peace of this sacred place was the last thing that the group wanted to do. However, Shin could hear the heavy footsteps as if they were bursting within his own ears. The ticking of the clock, the breaths of the guards that held the door¡­ Everything single detail that the isolated chambers possessed, Shin could hear. Even the uneven heartbeat of the Spirit Venerate that sat motionless, staring into space. "Venerate Maurice¡­ They''re here..." The officer in charge of guiding the Master Explorer tapped on his shoulder, bringing his attention up towards the group that was walking in his direction. The Spirit Venerate stood up with his back straightened. He had a fantastic posture and was able to meet Shin in the eye. Alas, the man just didn''t dare to. Maurice looked on the floor, and the ceiling, anywhere but the young Prince''s eyes. Still, he was in the presence of royalty. Bowing down, the Spirit Venerate called out: "Greetings, Your Grace..." "..." Shin didn''t reply. He simply stared at the Spirit Venerate, causing visible goosebumps and a cold shiver to run down Maurice''s spine. Shin was only a Spirit Lord, how could he cause this much dread to a Spirit Venerate? That was Maurice immediate thought. However, he quickly recalled the epic tales that the bards and soldiers had sung about the young Prince. How Shin was able to strike terror to any cultivator''s mind and how he would become the most powerful cultivator in recent memory. Songs from bards were often overplayed and exaggerated, so Maurice didn''t really put those rumours to heart. However, after meeting Shin, he could only say that the stories were watered down. Just being in the presence of the Rank 50 Spirit Lord was intimidating enough to make his legs shiver, so one could only imagine how it''ll feel like if the Celestial Dragon was summoned. "You¡­ were supposed to protect him, weren''t you?" Finally, after half a minute of silence, Shin opened his mouth. His tone was full of sharpness, so much so that even Longyu Dao felt frightened for Maurice''s life. "I¡­" Maurice suddenly choked on his words. That was right, the Spirit Venerate was hired with the intent to protect Shizen as he explored Illusory Canyon. Yet, he failed that one job miserably. He even had the gall to return alive. "I accept any punishments that you''ll give me..." "..." Shin''s two fists were clenched up now. He knew it wasn''t the Master Explorer''s fault; however, he wanted to tear the Spirit Venerate''s head up from his neck. It took everything Shin had to say the next few words. "No¡­ Killing you won''t bring him back¡­" He turned towards the final door of the hallway. Shin''s hand reached out but was quickly pushed back by his own desires. He didn''t know if he wanted to see what lay behind those doors. Shin knew what was inside¡­ but he didn''t want to see it. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he believed that as long as he didn''t see the body, there would be a slim chance that his friend was still alive and well. However, that were dreams that couldn''t be. There was no delaying the inevitable. "Open the doors..." Shin commanded. There were Spirit Venerates and top government officials present within the morgue, but none dared breathed a single word. The man with the highest authority in the land was the young man that stood with his fists clenched. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee¡­ The doors gently creaked open, revealing a rather empty chamber. It was surgically clean and lacked even the slightest hint of dust. Likewise, the air within the room was as clean as can be. Furthermore, per the theme of the morgue, silence was kept within the room. Three men, donned in fully sterilised uniforms with rubber gloves, stood with their faces turned back to the exit. Once they noticed the young Prince, they quickly gave a simple bow before retreating far back to the end of the room. Well, two of them did. The final man, who seemed to be the most senior, walked up to the side of the stone bed that was covered entirely with a white satin sheet. "Do you want to inspect the body?" The mortician asked. "..." Shin didn''t speak or move at all. He was far too hesitant to do anything. However, by some mystical force, his head began to nod by itself. Everyone watched intently as the mortician tightened his rubber gloves and placed his mask back on. Both his hands held onto the edges of the white satin sheets, and with a gentle tug, he revealed the embalmed corpse that laid completely still on the bed. Brown hair, smooth acne-free skin and a boyish, hobbit''s face. It really was him¡­ "Shizen..." Shin cried. The Freak of the Dundlewoods, the man that Shin called his friend¡­ He really was dead. "Ella!" Before anyone else could react, Emma called out to her twin, who had rushed out of the chambers and ran down the hallway. The bob-haired girl wanted to give chase, but she was worried about Shin as well. Torn by both sides, Emma stood her ground as cold sweat dripped down her forehead. "It''s okay," the young Prince looked over his shoulder and blinked. Shin could tell what Emma was feeling and quickly moved to resolve her anxiety. "You can follow her..." "... I''ll be right back," Emma replied as she leapt out of the room. While Shin was an essential member of her life, Ella was equally important to the young maiden. They were bound by blood and shared a connection that few in the world would ever experience. Not to mention, Shin had the support of Kanari, Lady Seph, and a plethora of other loved ones by his side. Shin''s hands touched the cold, motionless body, completely unaware of the other''s worries. ''He''s so cold...'' The young Prince thought. From the beginning, Shin''s face hasn''t changed in the slightest. He was stoic and silent, just like the corpse that he was touching. Everything in the morgue was so¡­ cold. The atmosphere, the people, the lights¡­ and most importantly, the motionless body of Shizen. "You idiot..." Shin scolded Shizen. If he had simply stayed put in the Lantis Republic if he hadn''t been impatient in visiting the Tree of Illusions if he had remained by Shin''s side¡­ No, that was one too many ifs¡­ Shizen was fated to leave for the Illusory Canyon, and he was fated to find the Tree of Illusions. The problem was¡­ Shin should have been there to protect him. "No, I''m the idiot..." Shin chided himself. Why did Shizen want to rush his growth anyway? Wasn''t it precisely because of the young man that soared to the heavens way too quickly? Shizen had always been there for Shin, even during the most uncomfortable of situations. Yet, when Shizen needed him the most, Shin was nowhere to be found. Shin could blame everyone in the world, but the first person he had to point the finger to¡­ was himself. No, there was one person that could be blamed more¡­ Shin''s face turned into a menacing scowl, as all of his teeth were shown. The dispassionate look in his eyes was replaced with a feral rage that could burn the underworld. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Junius!!!" The Prince slammed his fist down onto the table, creating huge cracks on the concrete. Shin hadn''t used any mana strengthening or cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement. It was just mortal flesh crashing into an immovable object. Thus, his skin was torn, and rich crimson fluids flowed down from his knuckles. "Shin!!!" Kanari cried out, moving right towards the agitated young man. Lady Seph, as if anticipating this development, unleashed a calm and soothing golden light, quickly patching up Shin''s bleeding fist. "Don''t harm yourself! I''m sure Shizen wouldn''t want you to mourn him this way!" The black-haired woman cried as she held Shin''s hands firmly, afraid that he would launch yet another punch into the drywall. "Why am I mourning him anyway?" Shin looked to the ceiling, his lips trembling and eyes watering up. Was it anger? Or was it remorse? Was it fear? Or was it grief? Shin didn''t know what emotions he was feeling. However, one thing was for certain¡­ There was only one man that came to his mind at this very moment. "I''ve let him roam free for far too long¡­ " The young Prince morphed from a grieving widow to a man with a vengeance. All of those present, including the mighty Spirit Venerates gulped down mouthfuls of saliva, completely taken aback by the domineering presence that Shin was displaying. "Zishen, gather up all of the Azure Dragons. Clan Master, call the High Council to convene. I''ll need their permission to loan one Spirit Venerate from each clan. Kanari, tell the Highgarden Duchy that I''ll be burrowing Venerate Maurice as our guide back to the Illusory Canyon. Master, please stop your experiments for a week or two..." Shin gave out orders as easily as a seasoned general that had been through a thousand wars. The funny thing was, no one dared to breathe a word of retort. They all nodded in agreement and simply stood back like servants to the Emperor. "Contact the Alliance¡­ Now that we''ve found the Blade of Death¡­ I''m going to hunt him myself!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 507 The Most Powerful Force 1 "Eight Spirit Venerates from our nation, twenty Tier 8 Azure Dragons, three Tier 9 Azure Dragons, including the Azure Dragon Lord¡­ Venerate Seraphim, Venerate Maurice, Mistress Kanari''s bodyguard Venerate Thea Freifeld, and the recently promoted Tier 9 Kamaitachi¡­ Is the Prince trying to burn down the entire western region or something?" A cold sigh touched the souls of the officers within the Chancellor''s chambers as a gorgeous grey-haired woman slammed her back onto her chair. Among Shin''s congregation, the weakest members were the Tier 8 Azure Dragons that were going to serve as mounts for them to fly. How absurd was that?! High and mighty Azure Dragons that were as strong as Spirit Emperors being used as mounts! Longyu Dao stroked his black, rugged beard and replied despondently. "It can''t be helped¡­ The Prince has just lost his bosom friend, and the one to kill him was the same person that killed his first lover¡­ There''s no way that the Prince would just sit still..." The Longyu Clan head shrugged his shoulders, recalling the determined look in Shin''s face just a few hours prior. "Furthermore, his logic is sound. If the Black Masks are really attempting to create a hole through the Illusory Canyon for the Spirit Beasts to overflow out of the Uncharted Wilderness, shouldn''t we deal with it before it''s too late? Killing the Blade of Death, and sealing that gap should be the next priority of the Alliance. However, gathering an army and marching them all the way to the Empyrean Wonder would be nothing less than suicide. The best way to deal with that problem is to gather a team of elites to utterly decimate the place with overwhelming force." The Longyu Clan Master eloquently echoed what Shin said in the morgue. "... You have surprisingly gotten used to the Prince calling the shots," the Chancellor remarked after a brief moment of pause. As a Clan Master, particularly one belonging to the Eight Clans of Water, the Spirit Venerate wasn''t known to be adept at taking orders from others. In fact, he would fight tooth and nail against the High Council when it comes to procuring benefits for his own clan. Seeing Longyu Dao firmly under Shin''s thumb came as a surprise to Jingyu Shenxian. "As they say, action speaks louder than words," Longyu Dao replied without taking any offence. "The Prince has proven himself time and time again. Not only is his cultivation monstrous, but the brain that he has on top of his head also has shown its worth over the years. Winning battles that seemed to be bound for defeat, finding new ways to counter problems, and most importantly¡­ He keeps his calm even in times of peril. If I were his age, I might have just secretly escaped from the Lantis Republic just to get vengeance on my own." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Shin was twenty-three, going twenty-four now. A young and premature age for most cultivators. However, the experiences that have moulded him over his twenty-four years of living had shaped him into a wiser and calmer man. Shin knew that he was impulsive, which was why he kept those that could keep him in check close. He never wanted to repeat the tragedy of losing his loved ones due to his stupidity ever again. Alas, man proposes, and Heaven disposes. Many things were out of his control, and Shizen''s untimely death was one of them. Still, even if he couldn''t prevent it, Shin was definitely going to avenge it. "So, oh great Chancellor¡­ What would you do?" Longyu Dao spread his arms on his cushioned chair and folded one leg over the other. "Will you summon the High Council?" Jingyu Shenxian harrumphed, "Do I even have a choice?" Going against the Prince''s orders? That was tantamount to her tendering her resignation immediately. Shin''s popularity with the masses was no joke. He allowed anyone, regardless of status, to bask in his Celestial Dragon''s Aura, as long as they were talented enough. Shin''s strategies and influence had brought victory to the Lantis Republic time and time again, and his breathtaking looks would charm anyone to do his bidding. It wasn''t a stretch to say that Shin had long usurped the Chancellor in status and power long ago... "Hehe, of course not!" Longyu Dao grinned, his pearly white teeth reflecting the blaze from the candles that lit the room. "Oh, and do it quick. The Prince wants to leave either tomorrow or the day after. He says that every second wasted is a second that Junius could use to escape." Jingyu Shenxian squinted her eyes, and an ugly pause ensued. "Ass..." The Chancellor cursed, but her fingers somehow moved a little more quickly as she wrote up an official letter for the High Council to convene... ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Shin''s Manor. Stars shimmered in the night sky, and milky white snow fell as if they were the stardust that the heavens bled. The crescent moon reflected all the light from the sun and beamed down on the mortal earth, giving some semblance of holiness in this dark night. Shin sat alone on the balcony of his room, watching the snowfall silently¡­ Everything was so peaceful¡­ So quiet¡­ Shin couldn''t make sense of the world. How could such a peaceful place be so chaotic at the same time? How could it be that he was experiencing one of the best days of his life and in a matter of seconds, it became one of his worsts? "Shizen, you fucking idiot..." Shin continued to curse his deceased friend, not that he could ever hear it¡­ The Freak of the Dundlewoods was already embalmed and placed in a coffin. Typically, they would conduct the funeral rites to mourn the passing of their friend. However, since they were about to leave for the west, the funeral had to be postponed. Better yet, it allowed Shizen to be ferried back to the Terre Continent, and back to the Dundlewoods, where he truly belonged. Shizen loved nature, so it was only fitting that he was buried in the forests where he first grew up. "Tired?" At that moment, a soft voice entered Shin''s mind, prompting the young man to glance over his shoulders. It was the familiar Kanari in her favourite silken pyjamas. After they took their relationship to the next step, Kanari basically spent every night sleeping in Shin''s room. Sometimes, their hormones would take over the bed, but most nights, they would simply cuddle and talk about each other''s day. Shin had just suffered an emotional blow, no, both of them were grieving over the loss of Shizen. Kanari was Shizen''s friend as well, not to mention the person that gave him the chance to visit the Tree of Illusions. Even though it wasn''t her fault that Shizen passed, Kanari couldn''t help but feel a little responsible. The beauty''s hands slipped down Shin''s meaty neck and dropped all the way down his chest. Kanari took big mouthfuls of Shin''s scent, slowly comforting her tense and remorseful heartbeat. "I''m tired as well..." "You''re not to blame, Kanari..." Shin''s right hand grabbed hold of Kanari''s left, which was crossed over his chest. "We could have all done better¡­ We shouldn''t have left Shizen alone..." "Yeah, we shouldn''t have..." Kanari questioned why she thought one Spirit Venerate guard would be enough. If she could have done it all over again, Kanari would be sure to send at least half of the Highgarden''s military just to escort the young man. Alas, there were no do-overs in life. "Kanari¡­" Shin gently pulled on the young woman''s hands and led her right to the front of his sofa. When ahead, he grabbed Kanari''s waist and dragged her petite little bum onto his lap, firmly embracing the woman like a teddy bear. At their close distance, Kanari could sense Shin''s trepidation. The young Prince couldn''t show any weakness in front of his subjects, but when he was alone with her, Shin would revert back to his childish and fearful self. His inner body was shivering, and his body had turned completely cold. Was it due to the winter winds, or was it something else? Kanari didn''t know. However, the beauty understood that it was her job to stay by his side and listen to her man''s woes. "Am I wrong?" "Huh?" Kanari pushed her head up, glancing at Shin''s handsome face from the chin up. She didn''t understand the youth''s question. "Were all my convictions wrong?" Shin repeated himself. "Ever since Latina¡­ Ever since I found out that Star Face was her father¡­ I''ve been looking at Black Masks as humans that have to be redeemed. If possible, I won''t kill anyone¡­ That was my promise when I created the Domain of Dreams, that was my new resolution after meeting Latina, but..." The young man paused, his teeth gritting down as if he were trying to whet a blade. "But right now¡­ All I can think about is killing Junius! He had killed Ariel, Lily and Linus! He killed innocents from the Frie Clan that weren''t part of the Frie-Awter enmity! He joined with the Black Masks, creating far more malicious plans that had cost thousands, if not millions of people their lives! And now¡­ Junius had taken my friend, the one I can call my best friend¡­ away..." Shin''s voice was resonant and forceful; however, Kanari could sense a tinge of guilt within it. At his core, Shin wasn''t a bloodthirsty person. He loved life and had done everything in his power to preserve it. When Ariel died, Shin denied that nature of his and sought destruction to the point of self-harm. The actions by the Black Masks that followed didn''t help in that cause. It was only after Shin''s encounter with Latina did he become true to his human self. Yet, Junius'' actions had caused Shin to get in touch with his feral side again. Unlike the previous time, Shin hadn''t sworn off his current path and was instead questioning the morality of taking a life now. Shin''s mind was telling him that he should apprehend Junius and send him back to the Alliance for judgement. However, his heart was telling him to avenge those that had fallen to the man''s evil. It was an internal battle that Shin had no idea what should win. Both answers were right in his mind, and Shin was most definitely capable of achieving both, especially with the help of eleven Spirit Venerates and four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. "Shin..." Kanari adjusted her body so that her streamline curves fit Shin''s laid down chest like a puzzle. She held the young man close to her body, afraid that he would disappear far into his own abyss, leaving her to deal with the broken fragments that were left behind. "What you should do¡­ I don''t know..." The beauty admitted. "However, you must never lose sight of your own path¡­ What will make you the happiest? What''s the decision that won''t make you regret ten, twenty years from now? Only you have that answer." "..." Shin remained silent, listening carefully to the maiden''s wise words. There was a lot to think about. What was Shin going to do when he faced Junius once more? What would his first words to the man he once considered his brother be? And¡­ What would he do to the villain that wrecked his family apart so many times already? "But no matter what happens," before Shin could even mouth a reply, Kanari''s soft touch embraced the roughened skin of her man. "I''ll always be here for you¡­ Have always been, and will always be..." "Kanari..." Shin grabbed onto the soft cheeks of the maiden as he did many times before. Noticing the cue, Kanari shut her eyes and allowed Shin''s lips to interlock with her own. Basking in the radiance of the moonlight, the pair felt their souls melt into one. Before long, the young man wasn''t able to take it anymore. He grabbed onto Kanari in a princess carry and immediately flung her onto his bed and pinned her four limbs down. His breath was quick, and his face completely flushed. Due to the cold, warm smoke escaped from Shin''s mouth as if he was a dragon spitting fire. Fearfully, or was it joyfully? Kanari''s voice trembled, "S-Shin?" "I can''t wait anymore..." The young man had so much lust that it was almost visible. No, it wasn''t just lust that Kanari saw in Shin''s eyes. She saw¡­ A desire to progenate¡­ A man''s desire to leave his seed into the world. It was a miracle that Shin had lasted this long. A dragon''s lust, particularly one of a dominant species such as the Celestial Dragon, was legendary after all. If not, why did the Lady of Water gave birth to eight children? Shin had held back for this long due to his love for Ariel, which hadn''t subsided in the slightest. However, the flurry of recent events, as well as seeing one more of his loved ones leaving the earth prematurely, had peaked the man''s desires to the absolute limit. There was no stopping him now¡­ And neither did Kanari have any intention to¡­ She had been waiting for this moment for so long¡­ Raising her arms, Kanari held onto Shin''s muscular neck. There was nothing else she had to do to seduce him. All she needed to do was lie down as she became Shin''s woman¡­ "Come..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 508 The Most Powerful Force 2 Noon. Precisely one night has passed since Shin had found out that his precious friend had passed on into the netherworld. Fearful that he would lose yet another, Shin embraced Kanari tightly, all through the night. They had crossed the final threshold between the genders and became man and woman together. Shin''s eyes flickered open as he felt his muscles and bones ache. He stretched to rid himself of the soreness, but no matter how hard Shin tried, there was still a slight discomfort within his body. Reddened marks were crisscrossed all over his body, be it small red bruises or claw marks on his back. It was physical evidence of the rough night that he had and the fatigue that dominated his entire soul. ''What time is it?'' Shin mentally asked himself, turning his attention to the analogue clock that hung above his bed frame. Both the long and shorthand were pointed directly upwards, forcing the young man to immediately freshen up internally. ''Damn it, we overslept!!!'' Today was an important day for Shin and the rest. If the High Council had agreed to his terms, he would instantly take the Azure Dragons and fly west. Even though the Tier 8 Azure Dragons were perhaps the fastest mounts in the world, it would take at least a full week for them to traverse the entire Terre Continent to reach the Illusory Canyon. Not to mention, there were a few more bureaucratic hurdles that they had to jump over. Essentially, Shin didn''t have the luxury to be sitting still. Each second that passed was one that Junius could use to escape, Shin firmly believed that. He couldn''t be wasting time lying down on the bed. However, just as the young man attempted to free his feet, he felt an absolute pressure clamping down on him. In a sense of urgency, Shin didn''t think twice before throwing away the duvet that covered his entire body. It was his mistake. Kanari''s fully naked body, engulfed in the same scents and hickeys that Shin had, lay comfortably on the bed. His ankles were latched together by her milky thighs, and his right hand was still in a place where it shouldn''t be. At that moment, bits of yesterday night came flowing back into Shin''s memory. Their night was a wild one. Shin was grieving from losing his friend and wasn''t particularly in his right mind. Thus, he vented everything that he had onto Kanari''s innocent body. Not that she minded it though. The young man looked down at his lover''s beautiful features ready and gently stroked her hair. Enjoying the sensation on her face, Kanari purred as she nuzzled closer to the warmth of Shin''s hands. It was this smile¡­ It was precisely this smile of his loved ones that he wanted to protect. ''Sleep tight...'' Shin gulped down a mouthful of saliva and attempted to free his locked limbs and to not wake the sleeping beauty. Alas, that was easier said than done... "Hmmm?" Kanari''s nose twitched like a bunny''s as her eyes gingerly opened up. The world was quite hazy from her point of view, but it was quickly brightened up. The first thing she saw was Shin''s flabbergasted face looking right at her as if he had just seen a ghost. "What''s the matt-? Wait!" Instantly, Kanari could sense that something was amiss and her tiredness was washed away. She leapt up from the bed and grabbed Shin''s toned waist, not caring that their naked bodies were interlocked in a sweaty position. "You''re trying to leave me in the Lantis Republic as you run to the Illusory Canyon right?!" "..." The young man dropped his jaw, stunned at how perceptive Kanari was even after she''d just woke up. Yes, Shin had to admit that there was that fleeting thought that dominated his mind. If he somehow managed to keep Kanari asleep while he escaped with Zishen and the rest, at the very least, he could keep her safe. Who would have thought that the moment Kanari awoke, she would be able to perceive her man''s thoughts instantaneously? "I''m not wrong, am I?" The young maiden, no... The black-haired woman pressed on. "What did I tell you last night? If there are any troubles, I''ll be there to weather it with you! Have you forgotten? There''s no way that you can leave me alone while you rush into the heart of Black Mask territory alone!!!" Kanari''s sharp cry echoed within Shin''s vast chambers. Shin wanted to retort, but Kanari''s gorgeous features that wouldn''t take a refusal as an answer prompted the young man to quickly give up. "Hah¡­ There''s no winning against you..." The Prince of Water sighed. He gently plucked Kanari''s koala bear arms out from his body and walked steadily towards his luxurious wardrobes. He doused himself in some cold, healing water to quickly clean up the reddened spots that made him look like an ill patient and reached into the dresser. Putting on a fresh set of underwear, Shin''s hands moved into Kanari''s section of the closet and threw a few clothes over as well. "Get dressed, we''re already late for the meeting..." Kanari instantly leapt to her feet, her tearful face took a one-eighty and morphed into one of complete bliss. That face swap was so rapid that Shin had mistaken the woman for an opera actor. Given her superior looks, Kanari could probably give even the most dominant actors in their field a run for their money. ''No, I shouldn''t let my mind wander...'' Shin chided himself for his foolish thoughts. His mind instantly reverted back to the critical matter at hand. ''Shizen, don''t worry¡­ I won''t let you die in vain¡­ Junius will have to answer for his crimes, be it by death or otherwise!!!'' ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. The High Council Assembly Hall. Shin walked down the familiar corridor, his eyes gazing straight ahead. It was odd to call the most secure place in the Lantis Republic a familiar one, but Shin had explored the halls many times before. Even in recent months, Shin had been known to preside over the High Council meetings, either as an observer or a participant. The High Elders unanimously agreed that the young Prince should be exposed to the politics of the Republic, and the sooner, the better. Thus, even with his busy schedule, Shin still tried to squeeze out a day a month to attend the High Council meetings. Technically, with his power and position, Shin could call for the High Council to convene at any given moment. However, that power was used sparingly over the years. Heck, it was only used once before, back when Shin found the method to hunt down the Payircis. Thus, when Shin had called for all of them once again, it had turned into a significant talking point for the entire nation. Gossips that the Prince was going to launch a full-on invasion into the Terre Continent began to spread like wildfire, and thousands of soldiers prepared themselves for war. Well, not that it mattered to Shin. Right now, he only had one objective, and that was to inspect the elite force that the Lantis Republic had gathered for him¡­ "Prince, you''re late!" Jingyu Shenxian, the Chancellor and the old ''face'' of the Lantis Republic exclaimed as she took significant steps forward. Shin''s arrival prompted many heads to turn, particularly those that were invested in the upcoming mission. There was a tall, sturdy man. A feminine woman, with a viper''s charm. An elderly man who seemed barely able to lift a rock¡­ and many, many more. Of course, there were familiar faces as well. Heigui Xuegang, the man that protected Shin during the naval battle against the Black Masks, stood tall as the first man to have a proper connection with the Prince among the eight Spirit Venerates. At the corner, Longyu Hai, Shin''s squire, was looking at Kanari, giving her some odd looks. For some reason, her ''sister-in-law'' seemed more radiant on this day, and she was confused as to why. Those that had an inkling of what had happened titled their head with amusement, while others who were denser remained utterly oblivious. Wholly uninterested in the gossip by others, Shin looked for Jingyu Shenxian to give his updates. "The High Council has approved of your request to rally an elite force. These are the shortlisted candidates for the Spirit Venerates and more Spirit Emperors would be arriving shortly for you to vet..." "No need for that," Shin raised his hand and disrupted the Chancellor''s speech. "Eight Spirit Venerates should be more than enough to raid Junius'' base. We need ample forces to stay behind lest another Black Mask raid comes from the west." The young Prince gave out his thoughts eloquently and turned to examine the eight faces. Examining Spirit Venerates¡­ Who else had that ability but the Prince of Water himself?! Most people would be glad that eight Spirit Venerates, the top cultivators before the untouchable Spirit Saints, would be joining in their expedition. Anyone who could cultivate to that realm was already among the cream of the crop. Placed in any family clans, they would become the undisputed Hegemons. Heck, even the Frie Clan that Shin grew up in only had three Spirit Emperors and could only dream of having a Spirit Venerate. However, Shin wasn''t like most people. If he wanted to raid the Black Masks'' base, especially one that housed Junius and many of his fellow goons, Shin needed the best of the best. Fortunately, it looks like the Lantis Republic didn''t skimp on the manpower dispatchment. Almost all of the Spirit Venerates present were battle-oriented or at the very least, auxiliary battle-oriented. For instance, Venerate Xunyu Lengjing from the Xunyu Clan. She wasn''t particularly a monster on the battlefield, but her boosting abilities were second to none. Heigui Xuegang as well¡­ Shin had been protected by his barrier once before, so naturally, the young man knew how powerful his defensive ability actually was. The remaining six Spirit Venerates weren''t to be scoffed at either. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Most of them were Admirals or former Admirals. Some were just legendary fighters that served the government using different methods. It was a miracle that the Lantis Republic managed to gather all of them within a day, and have them ready to deploy. "Mmmm, thank you all for coming on this short notice. I know that it must have been a hassle to leave all of your responsibilities behind," Shin gave a short nod towards the eight Spirit Venerates. Though they were bound by the orders of the High Council, Shin knew the ins-and-outs of keeping his army happy. "It''s no hassle at all!" One Spirit Venerate saluted the Prince with a radiant smile. "It is an honour to serve the Prince, as well as to rid the evil of the Black Masks!!!" "Still, I have to thank you," Shin dropped his shoulders and placed his hands on the Spirit Venerate. "The travel west would be a little long, so I pray that all of you are prepared for the distance..." "Ha!!!" All the Spirit Venerates saluted in unison, utterly unfazed by the Prince''s warnings. "My Prince, we''ve provided all of the supplies for your trip." At that moment, the Chancellor swooped in with a friendly face, holding onto a checklist using a wooden backboard. "Food, ammunition and numerous change of clothes. Once you have arrived in the Kori Federation, there would be a congregation from the Alliance ready to receive you. We have discussed the details with Senior Zishen and the rest of the Azure Dragons as well. You can learn more from them during your journey." "That''s great..." During all of the commotion, Shin noticed that there was a slight shadow moving in the distance. It was a familiar silhouette, one that he had forgotten about ever since seeing the motionless body of Shizen. "Good, if everything is prepared, we''ll depart in three hours then," Shin instantly nodded with a slight urgency hidden within his voice. "Please excuse me..." Ignoring the piercing stares that were sent his way, Shin hurried towards the shadow before it ran away forever... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 509 The Most Powerful Force 3 "Ella? Ella!" Shin''s voice gradually got louder with each passing step. Among all of those that lived with him in the Lantis Republic, other than Lady Seph, he''d known the twins for the longest. Shin could recognise their silhouettes even if they were ten kilometres away, let alone just a few metres. He took significant steps and instantly got a hold of the stationary girl, who was wearing a beautiful frown. Ella didn''t bother to free herself from Shin''s grasp. No, she didn''t even bother to move a single inch. Ella wanted Shin to come chase her, and more importantly, she wanted to talk to him alone, free from the distractions that surrounded them. There was no reverence in her expression like the numerous high-ranking officials that Shin just addressed. In fact, Ella was sending Shin a visible scowl, utterly unbefitting of how one should address a Prince. However, that was a luxury that Ella and the rest of the orphans could afford. Few got to peek behind the curtain and see what the indomitable Prince was really like on the inside, and Ella was one of the few that got a first-class ticket. She had known Shin when they were barely able to walk. Obviously, she could be forefront and direct about her feelings towards the Prince without any barrier separating them. "I want to go with you..." Ella said, completely immune to any pressure, which caught Shin slightly off guard. His sister had cut straight to the point, not giving him any slack. "I want to be there¡­ I want to be there to avenge Shizen!!!" It took all of her resolve to mutter out those words. From the start to end, Ella has always been denying her relationship with Shizen, and it was sad to say¡­ The feeling was mutual. For some reason, the pair had always been denying their feelings for one another. Ella always felt like Shizen was a brat that couldn''t be left alone, while the nature boy thought that Ella was a nagging mother or sister that never ceased to disturb him. They had always kept some distance but were almost always seen together. Even Ella didn''t really know if the feelings she had for Shizen were indeed that of how a woman loved a man. However, she did know one thing¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Shizen had to be avenged¡­ For her sake, and for the mental well-being of all those that knew and loved him¡­ "Ella, I know how you feel¡­ I really do..." Shin shook his head and placed one hand on Ella''s shoulders. How could Shin blame her for being impulsive when he was doing the exact same thing? However, the battlefield that he was going into, the Illusory Canyon and the Junius'' base, they were all far more dangerous than any other place they''ve been before. According to Venerate Maurice, the infamous World Serpent that had killed the Dalgeom Sect''s Wangu and had forced Shin to escape with his tail between his legs was present as well. Not to mention whatever, forces lay within the Uncharted Wilderness. It could very well be the most dangerous place that Shin would have ever entered, and no one''s safety could be guaranteed. That''s why he was so apprehensive about bringing Kanari. "If I bring you there, you''ll only be a burden to us," Shin logically explained. "Of the force, there are eleven Spirit Venerates and four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts! Tier 8 Azure Dragons that can match any Spirit Emperors in the world would also be heading out to battle! Our objective is to destroy the base and either kill or capture Junius! There''s no place for a Spirit Spectre like you!!!" Shin''s words were harsh but true. Over the years, the gap between Shin and the rest of the young heroes that he toured the world with became increasingly apparent. Kanari was a freak and could be counted out. Isadore had been in reclusive training; thus, no one knew how strong he''d become. However, the twins, Shizen and Elrin had been lagging far behind, particularly the twins. Shizen was known as the Freak of the Dundlewoods and was once slated to be more prodigal than Shin himself. Elrin, who had been steadily improving her cultivation and merchant skills concurrently, was also once considered to be equals with Kanari. Alas, even they were incapable of keeping pace with the couple''s monstrous pace. So, one could imagine how far behind the twins were. Yes, they''d reached the Spirit Spectre realm at a relatively young age, becoming Luminaries of their own right. However, that was with the help of the Meijing Clan and their resources, the Celestial Dragon''s Aura that Shin provided for them to cultivate and most importantly, their overall relationship with the Prince of Water. If they wanted the best teachers, they''d get them. If they wanted more resources, the Lantis Republic would dive the deepest oceans just to procure more for them. It was their heaven¡­ but also their hell¡­. Humans needed conflict to grow, and the twins were deprived of that. Everything was handed to them on a silver platter, and there wasn''t a hunger for them to grow anymore. In the end, after they reached the Spirit Spectre realm¡­ they stagnated. Their cultivation didn''t grow at the stratospheric rate that it did before, and it became apparent that the twins weren''t able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as they did with Shin before. "I know that!" Ella screamed back, forcing Shin to jump a little. The ponytailed girl was known to be calm and collected, even during the most desperate of situations. However, in these dire times, Ella''s facade was shattered into pieces. "I know that I''ll only become a burden, I know that my power is inconsequential against the force that you have gathered! But¡­ I can''t just sit back and do nothing!!!" "..." The young Prince was silenced. There were so many logical arguments he could throwback at the woman, how she''ll only slow him down, or how her presence alone would be a weak point that the Black Masks could exploit. Alas, none of those words came out of Shin''s mouth. Why? It was because¡­ Shin was feeling the exact same way as Ella. Shizen was a close friend to everyone. Shin would even go so far as to call him family. Thus, it wasn''t surprising for Shin have the desire to avenge his fallen brother. It was the same feeling that Shin once had with Junius, back when he was injured by the Second Elder. "Use me as a squire, a cleaner, a porter, I don''t care! I just want to be there when you finally bring Junius¡­ That asshole who ripped our lives apart time and time again¡­ apart..." Ella gritted her teeth and held back a thunderous scream. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her veins were already popping out. "Shin, Ella is right..." Just as the Prince was about to rebut, a third voice entered the fray. A young woman, who looked exactly like Ella, walked out from the darkness with her hands held behind her back. Emma''s expression was stern, entirely unlike her aloof and easygoing self. Gone was the gentleness that Shin was used to. In its stead, there was a scowl befitting of the moniker, the Glacial Fairy Markswoman. "We have allowed Brother Junius to have run rampant for far too long. As long as he''s with the Black Masks, we''ll always run the risk of losing those that we love..." Emma''s logical voice sounded within Shin''s mind, and¡­ her next words really pushed him over the edge. "Shin, let me ask you this¡­ Are you going to kill Brother Junius?" "T-That!" ''Of course!!!'' Those were the words that Shin immediately wanted to holler back. However, as Shin thought about the deed, as he visualised the scene where he took his former brother''s life¡­ Shin couldn''t see himself going through with the killing, and he couldn''t really be blamed for it. After he found out that Latina was Star Face''s daughter, he realised that his actions had repercussions, no matter if it was the right thing to do or not. Therefore, Shin had resolved himself to never kill again. Now, think about Junius. Though almost a decade has passed since the tragedy on Frie Mountain, the young man still once loved the man like a brother. Heck, Junius was the one that raised the orphan division as the eldest and most matured child. That attachment¡­ Those memories¡­ They didn''t vanish entirely¡­ They were just buried in the deep recesses of the orphans'' minds. So, if one asked Shin if he could really murder Junius as vengeance for Shizen¡­ It would be a hard question to answer¡­ "I knew it," seeing Shin''s hesitance, Emma sighed. "Shin¡­ Brother Junius isn''t just your cross to bear. All of us, the orphans, have ties to both you and Brother Junius. So, it must be one of us to sever those ties. Ella and I are both part of the orphans, and also the ones that were most detached from Brother Junius¡­ If push comes to shove¡­ We''ll be the ones that will land the final blow..." "Emma, you..." Shin finally understood their plan. They wanted to be the backup in case Shin''s convictions faltered and if he was unable to kill off Junius. "Please, Shin¡­ This could be the request of our lifetimes..." Ella pleaded, her eyes were on the verge of tears. From the looks of it, Shizen''s death had affected her more than she imagined. "Let us be there¡­ Let us be there to bring Junius to justice!!!" ??? East of the Uncharted Wilderness. The Illusory Canyon. The Black Masks'' Western Base. Crows cawed unsuspecting into the moonless night as feathers silently floated down towards the winter earth. The howls of snow creaked every window that lay within the area and the memory of light faded into oblivion. No one could see through the thick darkness and the solid, snowy winds that ploughed through the vicinity, but¡­ There was a single light source amidst the dark. A flickering flame that was distorted by the harsh conditions guided those that sought shelter, or demise to its humble abode. Well, it wasn''t particularly ordinary at all. A vast castle, at least five dozen metres tall, stood within the blizzards, protected by a potent energy field. Spirit Beasts, many of which were Tier 5 or 6, flew around the compound with watchful eyes. It wasn''t just feral beasts that roamed the lands. Hundreds of Black Masks'' ranging from Shudras to Kshatriyas stood guard at the watch posts as well. They were all on red alert, even though there wasn''t a single soul in sight. Why? Because of one single room in that castle¡­ "H-Healer Adrian, how is he?" A frantic woman''s voice echoed down the hallways of the massive palace, breaking the peace of the atmosphere. Shia held the hands of an aged old man, who had black lines over his forehead. "Mistress Shia, the Kshatriya injuries are quite bad this time..." Healer Adrian remarked with a sigh. All these years, he had been treating Junius for his wounds. Even when the Blade of Death was battered and blue, the fallen Registrar had the capability of putting Junius back to shape. Alas, this time, the battle against Shizen had cost far too much. "I''ve done all that I could¡­ The rest... is honestly up to the Kshatriya to handle..." "N-No way..." Aghast, Shia fell to the ground with a loud thud. Her knees were wobbly, and her body was screaming out in fear. The rest of the Awter Clan members came forward as well, this time to assist the shaken mother. However, even they couldn''t hide their trepidation. It was the first time that Junius had been injured this badly before. "Fortunately, the noble has brought him back in time¡­ If he was left out in the open for a few minutes longer¡­ Hah, even the Allfather wouldn''t be able to save him..." Healer Adrian looked over at the blue-haired man, who was blankly staring out the window as this matter was none of his concern. "I''ll remain in the mansion for the next few weeks to monitor the Kshatriya''s condition. If we''re lucky, he''ll wake up in two or three days. If we''re not..." The healer didn''t dare to say the next few words, but everyone knew what they were. Junius¡­ May be on borrowed time. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! Chapter 510 The Most Powerful Force 4 "Junius..." Shia''s sobs never seemed to cease. It was supposed to be the best few days of her life. She had just given birth to her first child¡­ her son. The husband that had been so busy over the past few years had been ordered to stay home and guard them. Everyone that Shia loved was by her side, cheering her on as she embarked on a new chapter of her life. Yet¡­ Her husband was now bedridden, with little to no hope of getting up. The depression¡­ the stress¡­ In the end, it became too much to bear. Shia''s eyes furled backwards as she dropped straight to the floor, her mind completely blanking out. It was fortunate that Vellan was there to catch her fall, but just like Junius before her, the woman needed to be treated immediately. "Humans¡­ What fragile and idiotic creatures they are..." Ao spat, watching the Spirit King carrying Shia out of Junius'' treatment room. First, it was Junius who almost died, fighting against the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Now, it was Shia who took the baton. Every single human that surrounded the World Serpent was dropping like flies, and Ao didn''t like that one bit. Little did he know, the World Serpent had become more and more human-like in the eyes of those peering in. Meeting Junius had fundamentally changed the Spirit Beast''s perspective. He had become much more mellow and empathetic to the mortal woes, something he severely lacked before. Even as he sat by the young man''s bed, Ao wore a saddened frown, not that he could see it. If it were a few years back, the World Serpent would have never cared that much for a Black Masks'' life. Spirit Beasts lived far longer than any normal human being. Though powerful humans could live up to four hundred years old by shedding the mortality twice, their lifespans passed in a blink of an eye from the perspective of Spirit Beasts that could live for thousands of years. Thus, Ao always saw humans as passing curiosities, much like how an entomologist would see an insect. The World Serpent had never felt attached to any humans that he worked with¡­ until Junius, that is. Junius was resilient, talented and most importantly¡­ he had the attitude of a champion. No matter what hardships were placed in front of him, Junius would most certainly overcome, and if he were too weak to deal with the issue, the young man would train until his fists bled. And¡­ Ao was with him every step of the way. For the first time, the World Serpent had a protege, one that would absorb all of his teachings like a sponge. Ao''s interest in Junius began with pure curiosity, but soon¡­ It morphed into something far more powerful. It was a first for the World Serpent, an experience of this kind¡­ However, he didn''t particularly dislike it¡­ "Such a foolish child..." Ao''s voice turned tender and soft as his hand gently stroked the Kshatriya''s hair. "No, I''m the fool¡­ You''re going to die in a few hundred years anyway, why should I even care about you?" The World Serpent continued to chide the unconscious Junius. Sweat was falling from Junius'' forehead and drenching his pillows. Every few minutes, the young man would let out a grimace, showing his discomfort, and each time Junius did that, Ao could feel a thousand needles pricking at his heart. The World Serpent knew that it was a stupid move¡­ but Ao''s heart wouldn''t forgive him if he sat back and did nothing. His long legs were stretched over the cotton bed as the blue-haired man sat comfortably down. Just like a snake, Ao''s left hand slithered up the mattress and rested itself on the sweaty man''s forehead. He closed his eyes as he searched deep into his Beast Soul. Like human cultivators, Spirit Beasts all had an internal soul that determined their cultivation base. Although they didn''t have cultivation techniques to absorb spiritual energies into their soul, they had a near limitless supply of mana hidden deep within them. Particularly Spirit Beasts that had lived for thousands of years. The mana that they accumulated just by being alive could match that of any Spirit Saint. Heck, in the case of the World Serpent, he had more spiritual energy within his body than ten Spirit Saints combined. In Ao''s case, his Beast Soul took the shape of a bottomless ocean, one that was befitting of his colossal World Serpent size. Legend has it that the World Serpent was an entity that could endlessly grow and once it becomes large enough, it would coil around the globe once, giving it a chance to swallow its tail. When that comes to pass, the world would be squeezed into oblivion, just like how a contractor boa kills its prey. Naturally, Ao didn''t believe in the myths that humans had created about him. He knew what his limits were and how he needed to evolve. Therefore, he continuously expanded the ocean within his Beast Soul, making it as vast as the Celes Ocean itself. Consequently, it took a while for Ao to fully navigate his Beast Soul. He was searching¡­ searching for one thing. The only thing that could save Junius and elevate him into greatness. "There it is..." It took quite some time, but eventually, Ao finally reached his destination. A central black core, plagued with sinister dark mist that coated its very being, stood entirely still within the currents of the ocean. Each water droplet within Ao''s Spirit Soul was a result of his countless years of cultivation, and the liquids were as dense as osmium itself. However, the black sphere didn''t care. It was as if nothing in the world¡­ in Ao''s world could ever hope to hurt it. "Allfather¡­ Forgive me..." The World Serpent looked at the black core, his eyes completely obsidian. Ao turned from his human shape into the gargantuan snake that everyone was accustomed to. The serpent opened his mouth, revealing and endless darkness that seemed capable of swallowing the ocean whole. However, instead of attacking his own inner soul, the World Serpent bared his fangs at the sphere of darkness. Chhhoommppp¡­ With one clean movement, Ao split the sphere in two. The structure wasn''t in its solid-state, or was it even in any state at all? Under the dense pressure of the ocean, the blob of mana that was deformed turned into a haphazard bubble, its surface wobbling around with the risk of popping anytime soon. Fortunately, the foreign mana within the World Serpent''s Beast Soul was resilient. In just a few moments, the sphere reforged itself, shining with the same obsidian hue as it did before. However, this time, it was half its original size. The ocean raged as billions of bubbles rushed to the surface. Seaquakes the size that couldn''t be measured on the Richter scale crashed throughout the entire ocean, while vast undersea tornadoes dominated the Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s soul. It was behaving like a spoilt brat that had half of its candy confiscated for no apparent reason. Alas, Ao didn''t have the luxury to act as the stern parent. He brought the dark mana out of his Beast Soul and exerted it upon his fingertips. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!" An anguished scream, one that could only be heard during the greatest of pains known to man, escaped out of Junius'' mouth. For the first time since beating Shizen, the Spirit Lord awoke. However, it wasn''t a pleasant wake-up call that had a young maiden riding his crotch; instead, it was one of extreme pain. Junius felt that he was pressured by a billion weights, each one compressed into fine needles that pierced through his pores. His mana was going out of control as his vision turned completely black. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Ao''s hands were trembling, trying to control the dark smoke that was gushing out from his fingers. The Allfather''s mana that was implanted into his body was just that strong. Lifting up the heaviest mountain on the Terre Continent was far easier than controlling this rampant mana that ran wild like a savage mare. Still, the World Serpent had to hold on¡­ If he wanted Junius to survive, that is¡­ "ARRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Junius continued to scream like a prisoner that was subject to the thousand torture arts. It was all too painful for him to bear, but he had to hold on¡­ Seconds passed like they were years, and the whole room came to a standstill. Snow didn''t fall from the outside, and neither did the beads of sweat from Junius'' body. They were all held firmly still by the Allfather''s mana. Was it a good idea to allow Junius to undergo the Allfather''s baptism for the third time? Anyone knowledgable about the issue would say no. However, Ao had to give it a shot¡­ Until finally¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! A resonant pulse shot out from Junius'' Spectre Soul. Furniture surrounding his bed were decimated within the matter of milliseconds, and dark billowing smoke emerged out from Junius'' core. Expending all of the mana that he''d call for, Ao dropped his hand lethargically. It looked limp and feeble as if someone had permanently disabled it. The World Serpent looked battered. He didn''t sweat, or rather, he couldn''t. The blue-haired man was a guise for his snake form after all. However, every single fibre of his body, particularly his beast soul, was feeling the anguish of holding back a certain amount of mana. It was the first time the World Serpent had felt this weak. Even during his early years, the blessed Spirit Beast had never been in such a tattered state before. So¡­ Were his actions worth it? Ao looked down at Junius, who was still bleeding out sweat. Particles of darkness flowed out from his pores, looking like the grime of a swamp. The putrid stench of broken human flesh and bone dominated the chambers as well, making it a truly disgusting scene to watch. However, miraculously, Junius looked fine. In fact, his Spectre Soul seemed more robust than before. Like a bottle that had taken in too much water, the Kshatriya''s soul was about to overflow¡­ ''Looks like when Junius wakes up, he''ll be in for a surprise...'' Ao mused, dismissing the tired limbs that weighed him down. Everything was now fine¡­ If Junius plays his cards right, by the time he wakes up, he''ll leave the Spirit Lord realm behind and be reborn anew. Just as Ao was about to fall into meditation to quell his rampaging Beast Soul, a voice called out to the World Serpent. "Did you really have to go that far?" The dark residue mist that flowed around the chambers congregated into a single point, taking the form of a faceless, cloaked reaper. It was the image that had haunted the dreams of all living beings on the Terre Continent and the Lantis Archipelago. It was the enemy that the joint Alliance had sworn to take down, even at the cost of their own lives. It was¡­ "Allfather..." Ao squinted his eyes. He would bow, but the World Serpent simply lacked the strength to even stand. "Weren''t you supposed to be hibernating?" "I was¡­ But I noticed that someone had used the mana that I had painstakingly set aside for his ascension into the Primordial Beast realm¡­ Naturally, I would be curious, no?" The Allfather''s chirpy voice sounded out, even though the figure lacked a mouth. "It had to be done¡­ Otherwise, Junius wouldn''t have made it..." "I know," the Allfather retorted. Since there was no face, the World Serpent couldn''t tell if the shadowy figure was amused, disappointed or sad. Ao gulped, ready for whatever reprimand would come his way. He waited and waited¡­ However, nothing of that sort ever came. Instead, all the World Serpent got was a shaking head. "Hey, Ao¡­ Would you regret it?" The Allfather asked, visibly concerned about the World Serpent. All his life, he had been attempting to become a Primordial Beast. However, no matter how long Ao lived, how many cultivators and Spirit Beasts he ate, the evolution never came. The Allfather''s mana was the World Serpent''s best shot, and even that wasn''t a done deal. Yet¡­ Ao had squandered it all, just to save one Spirit Lord''s life. "I''m not sure..." Ao didn''t lie. He honestly couldn''t tell if this was the right decision for his future. However, he does know one thing¡­ "But it''s the right decision to make right now¡­ That''s how I honestly feel..." "Hmmm," the Allfather''s voice turned lighter, seemingly much more amused. It was the feeling one would get when seeing their child grow up to be a more matured adult. Alas, emotions were fleeting. After a few seconds, the usual coldness in his voice returned, and his next words sent chills down the World Serpent''s spine. "Well, then you should prepare yourself then¡­ Your actions haven''t gone unnoticed..." The Allfather''s figure turned towards the window, which was facing east. As if he were foreboding the eventual apocalypse, the Allfather said: "The Prince is coming..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 511 Underdogs 1 "The Prince is coming?" Ao''s tired voice echoed within the chambers. For the past few days, all of his attention had been focused on Junius and Junius only. The World Serpent hadn''t had the time to catch up with the latest affairs and was mostly out of touch. Luckily for the Tier 9 Spirit Beast, he had a master that would be glad to fill in the details. "This time, you messed up," The Allfather said with a derisive tone. "You should have killed that Spirit Venerate¡­ He brought that brat''s corpse back to the Lantis Republic for the Prince of Water. You''ve killed the friend of the Prince; naturally, you can expect that he''ll come for vengeance." "What?" Ao thought back to the scene back at the Tree of Illusions. He had to make a choice, save Junius and let Venerate Maurice go free, or kill the intruder, leaving the young man to bleed to death on his own. Choosing the later, Ao had allowed the Spirit Venerate to blow the whistle. "Shin Iofiel, the man that brought the Celestial Dragon back to life¡­ He''s coming with eleven Spirit Venerates, four Tier 9 Spirit Beasts and a few dozen Spirit Emperors and Tier 8 Spirit Beasts." "NO WAY!!!" Ao slammed his palm on the bed, and the ground shook as a consequence. Miraculously, the bed frame remained standing, giving Junius the same peace that he''d always had to recuperate. Realising his folly, the blue-haired man moved over to the nearby chair, with wobbly legs, of course. Who could blame him? Ignoring the Spirit Emperors and Tier 8 Spirit Beasts, fifteen Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts were a force capable of taking down any nation''s capital without the protection of their Spirit Saint. To commit all of that firepower on one single battle¡­ Shin was serious about killing Junius. "Yes way," the Allfather coldly replied. "As you know, other than the Tree of Darkness at the centre of the world, there''s no other Black Mask base that could withstand an attack of that magnitude. Even if I were to send the other Eight Coloured Noble Beasts over, there''s no guarantee that you''ll win." "Allfather, what are you saying?" Ao fearfully asked. Though the cloaked shadow was faceless, the World Serpent could tell that he''s sighing. "We had meant to develop the West as our trump card to demolish the Kori Federation at the right time. However, because of the Prince, we can no longer commit to this region¡­" The Allfather touched the brick walls of the mansion as if he was mourning its loss. They had spent a considerable amount of resources on building the West to their liking, and just one paltry mistake had sent it crashing into oblivion. "Ao, do you remember of the Siege of Elton Hall?" Suddenly, the Allfather changed the topic. The blue-haired man took some time to ponder before finally answering as if a lightbulb had been turned on above his head. "Wasn''t it one of the final battles before the three Superpowers came to be? I''ve heard many humans during that time mention it, but I''d never bothered to remember the details." It was a tale long passed. Before the three major superpowers came to be, there were numerous warring kingdoms and mercenary clans. The ancestors of the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic all fought against those smaller adversaries, hoping to consolidate their power to establish the new world order. The savage battles were no less violent than that of the Great War hundreds of thousands of years ago, that created three Spirit Immortals from the first true unified civilisation. During those times, there was a Kingdom just north of the Himmel Empire. It was called the Windsor Kingdom, run by a long lineage of valiant warriors and guarded by Spirit Emperors and Venerates. They had been mostly left untouched due to their warrior-like mentality. Legend has it that all children were filtered according to their prospects based on their Spirits and physical conditions. Anyone with defects was cast aside while those that were in the pink of health were sent through barbaric training routines that killed almost half of those that entered. In the end, only the most powerful of the lot remained. For the most part, the Himmel Clan co-existed with the Kingdom peacefully, sometimes even hiring their services to deal with the threats up north. However, there was no such thing as an eternal alliance. In a desperate attempt to protect their borders, the Himmel Clan launched one of the most vicious crusades in modern memory, just to secure the north for their own. And it all began with one simple battle. "The Siege of Elton Hall, it''s a legendary battle that still stimulates the songs of bards and the writing of poets..." The Allfather thought back to the first time he''d read the details of the battle, back in the most expansive library to have ever existed. He was just a young boy then, and the words that fell out of the papyrus blew his mind into another dimension. "The Himmel Clan, now the Himmel Empire, held all the cards. They had the larger armies, Spirit Saints that could move mountains with just a thought, and they even had better resources and strategists. In every sense of the word, the Windsor Kingdom were the underdogs." "..." Ao listened attentively, not willing to miss a single word. The Allfather wasn''t one to spin stories for no reason whatsoever. There must be a point for him to bring up the Siege of Elton Hall in this darkest hour. "It was apparent from the start that Elton Hall was going to fall. The Himmel Clan had a hundred thousand troops while Elton Hall only had four thousand. They were outnumbered 25:1, and not only that¡­ The Himmel Clan had sent one of their Imperials that had awakened the Spirit of Himmel. It was a definite loss for the Windsor Kingdom, but..." "They won?" The World Serpent interjected, bringing out his own hypothesis. The Allfather shook his head. "No, they lost." "Huh?" "Well, that''s what the history books say," the cloaked figure shrugged his shoulders. "The battle lasted only three days. In just three days, the armies that the Himmel Clan had proved to be too much for the Windsor Kingdom to handle and the walls were sieged. As if it were their own backyard, the troops from the Himmel Clan stormed the castle and planted their flag right in the middle of it all." "Wait¡­ So why?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Why is the Siege of Elton Hall so famous?" The Allfather completed Ao''s question for him. If the Himmel Empire scored a comfortable victory, why would the whole world still remember the Siege of Elton Hall amongst all of the legendary battles that took place during the War to End all Wars? "It''s quite simple, actually¡­ See, the Earl of Elton Hall knew that their defeat was imminent right after the first day. Reinforcements were far away, and the overwhelming force of the Himmel Clan was too much for the men of his castle¡­ So, he came up with an ingenious plan¡­ A plan that only those born and bred by the Windsor system could think of¡­ They decided, to burn themselves down." "What?!" The blue-haired man''s eyes widened, evidently taken aback by the sudden revelation. "That''s right¡­ The Earl of Elton Hall ordered his men¡­ No, his entire population to give themselves up to the vile evils of the raiders. He knew that many were going to suffer as prisoners. So, instead of waiting for reinforcements to arrive, he laced Elton Hall with explosives, all capable of burning through skin and tearing flesh with just one detonation. To lull the invaders into a false sense of security, the Earl gave up the battle in a mere three days, allowing the Himmel Clan to run amok within his walls. And when their guard was lowered all the way¡­ That was when disaster struck." The Allfather narrated the story as if he had witnessed the horrors firsthand. "Flames the size of volcanoes erupted from the barren earth, and billions of spirit particles were sent flying all around. Not a single soul inside of Elton Hall survived that immense explosion. Not hundred-thousand strong army that sieged the walls, not the Earl that ordered the attack and not even the innocent children and women that were just living their lives. The Himmel Clan had even lost one of their prized Imperials, as scarce as they were. It was a tremendous blow for the nascent superpower¡­ One that took decades for them to recover from¡­ And it all began, with the Earl''s willingness to sacrifice his entire population just to preserve the greater good for just a few more months..." The Allfather glanced out of the window, turning his head towards the gaping hole that was meant to be the gate between the Uncharted Wilderness and the Kori Federation. He had spent far too long developing this region, and losing this base would unquestionably set his plans back fifty years. However, the force that Shin was bringing along was just far too immense. Just like the Earl of Elton Hall, the Allfather was facing a tremendous decision. Could he burn down his hard work for the greater good? Well¡­ "Ao¡­ Do you get what I''m trying to say?" "..." The World Serpent kept silent. Of course, he knew! Alongside Kuro, the World Serpent was one of the Allfather''s longest followers. For the first time since the war began, the Black Masks found themselves in a true underdog situation. They were bound to lose the battle, and the West would once again return to the Alliance''s control. So¡­ If they were going to go out, why not do it with a loud boom? "I''m going to send some minor reinforcements, to help you kill as many Spirit Venerates as you possibly can. If you could, take out that pesky Seraphim. She gets on my nerves more than any other Spirit Venerate out there." Due to her ardent belief in research that mirrors that of Spirit Immortal Dream, the Allfather found Lady Seph to be quite unbearable. "Ah, and remember that order I had, telling you to leave Shin Iofiel alone to grow? Scratch that¡­ At this point, he''d grow too fast, and all of my plans would fail because of his meddling. Your priority is to kill Seraphim and Shin, I''m sure you can do that?" "Ha!!!" Ao struck his chest in a salute. The Allfather paused. He turned around, shifting his attention from the outside to the World Serpent. In his weakened state, Ao felt that the Allfahter''s presence was far more distinguished and incomprehensible. A heavy pressure mounted on his chest, and his head was forced to remain down. "Ao, you have failed me once¡­ Don''t fail me again..." "I-I¡­ Won''t fail again!!!" The World Serpent hurriedly said, fearing the wrath of the most powerful being in the entire world. "Good," the Allfather nodded. Reaching into his hollow cloak, the shadow took out a beautiful Black Mask, with a golden tree imbued upon its forehead. It shone with the radiance of a thousand melting stars and emitted out a sinister black aura that would suffocate any weak cultivator that stood near it. "This is a gift for Junius¡­ Should he advance into the Spirit King realm, give him the mask. He''ll officially become a commander of the Tree." "You''re too kind..." Ao held his two hands up and accepted the Brahmin''s mask on Junius'' behalf. "I''ll be sure to train Junius to a Brahmin that lives up to your standard." "Hahaha, you''ve really changed¡­ My old friend..." The Allfather chuckled, shifting his tone from coldness to harmony once again. "No matter, time will tell whether this change would be good or bad¡­ For now..." The darkness began to dissipate as the cloaked individual turned into an illusory mist. It was as if the man wasn''t there to begin with. All that remained was the sound of the Allfather''s voice beckoning within the empty chambers. "Do your job..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 512 Underdogs 2 The Kori Federation. Five hundred kilometres east of the Uncharted Wilderness. One Week Later¡­ High noon. The hottest time of the day, where the sun was at its peak, and the darkness ran away with fear. Most farmers and coolies would avoid this deadly time by taking a long lunch break, spending some time to bond with their fellow colleagues. Enjoying their afternoon tea while hiding under the shade of restaurants was a luxury that many seek out, just to avoid the torrid temperatures of the afternoon. Alas, not everyone could follow that trend. Shin, alongside the greatest force ever assembled by the Lantis Republic, was still flying up high in the skies, a few thousand metres up from nearby land. The Azure Dragons, though specialists in the water, had the innate ability to soar without much hindrance. If needed, with Shin''s Celestial Dragon domain, the Azure Dragons could most likely fly for a few weeks without stopping. Given the urgency of the situation, that asset was greatly needed as the elite force found themselves traversing over three-quarters of the Terre Continent already. If their pace continued for just one more day, they would unquestionably be at the doorstep of the Illusory Canyon, with time to spare as well. However, for the first time since they left the Lantis Republic, Shin''s congregation had to finally¡­ stop. "My Prince, we''ll be meeting with the Alliance in just a few moments..." The Spirit Emperor that was responsible for holding a Cikai Mirror to communicate with the Alliance and the Lantis Republic came flying towards the Azure Dragon Lord Zishen and explained the situation. "Understood," the young man disinterestedly replied. Shin glanced down at the rapidly moving ground from the clouds. There was nothing but trees and grass for acres, and only wildlife could be seen happily trodding around their natural habitat. Shin couldn''t see the connection between the Alliance and this particular location, but who was he to judge? Sighing, the man tapped on Zishen''s dragon head. "Senior, you''ve heard the man. We''ll be stopping soon. Keep a lookout for any irregularities." "Mmmm¡­ Will do..." The crew continued flying for fifteen minutes, crossing mountain ranges and vast lakes as if they were part of a moving picture. They''d even dropped down to a lower altitude to see the ground a little better. So, it wasn''t long until they finally came across something completely man-made. A cleared small region, a hundred metres wide and long. From the skies, it looked like a typical diamond grey patch, amidst the tremendous amounts of greenery. Even without confirmed with the Cikai Mirror, the congregation could tell that the people they were meeting were most definitely within that grey patch of land. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, I''m descending..." Zishen''s voice rumbled out. Seating on his back were Shin, Kanari, the twins and Lady Seph. They all uniformly gulped as the dragon made a nosedive towards their target, sending the wind gushing right at their spotless faces. Within moments, their hair was dishevelled, and their eyes were watery by the updraft. However, that didn''t affect their judgement one bit. Shin and the group peered around the grey diamond, scanning every detail that they possibly can. There were a few dozen stone huts, all crudely put together with the help of the Blacksmith''s League stonemasons. There wasn''t much development in the area, no farms, no drinking water source¡­ Just temporary structures that housed some logistics and a vast open space for flying beasts to land. There was no way that a community could ever thrive in such a destitute town, and fortunately¡­ No community had to... "Your grace, thank you for taking the time to quell the western region." One tall elderly man, who seemed untouched by the physical ailments that would plague someone of his age, stood out from the crowd. He was holding onto a black cane, embedded with freshly mined aether crystals from the nearby cave. "You are?" "Ah, pardon my manners!" The old man waved his hands animatedly. In one elegant motion, the old man gave a deep bow and said: "My name is Macron Richie, a Sentinel from the Dragon Tiger Gate. The Alliance had tasked me to be your proctor during your stay in the Kori Federation." Shin''s indifferent attitude instantly evaporated once he heard Macron''s introduction. "No, please pardon me¡­ I couldn''t recognise Sentinel Macron, that''s my folly." Shin didn''t return the bow due to his status as the supreme of another superpower, but his tone was mostly apologetic. Dragon Tiger Gate, alongside the Shaolin Sect, Emei Church, Khan Tribe and Dalgeom Sect, were the five most powerful Master Sects of the Kori Federation. The Shaolin Church relied on the mantras of Spirit Immortal Buddha to bolster their all-male disciples, to become true monks that were as powerful as they were celibate. The Emei Church took in vast populations of females, no matter if they were impoverished orphans or maidens from huge households. Their techniques made the women of the Emei Church just as powerful as any man and in some cases, powerful enough to dominate any man that dared to step foot on their gates. The Khan Tribe was the most vicious of the five, being bred on slaughter and death. Only strength was respected within the tribe, and anyone with enough talent was bestowed the surname ''Khan.'' The Dalgeom Sect was a little different than the rest. They had strict criteria for accepting new disciples as they had to either have a talent for the sword or a knack for any of the elements. And finally¡­ There was the Dragon Tiger Gate¡­ The Master Sects of the Kori Federation had always been changing since the constitution was first signed into paper. Core states could gain and lose power, based on their overall military might and economic prowess. There was even a time where the Khan Tribe and Dalgeom Sect had troubles maintaining their authority. However, there was always one hegemon that stood above them all, unchanged by the times¡­ And that was the Dragon Tiger Gate. Their martial arts and cultivation techniques were second to none. While the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic relied on their bloodlines to dominate their competition, the Dragon Tiger Gate simply takes promising youngsters and train them to their peak potential. With a governing area almost the size of Celestial Island and the Capital combined, Dragon Tiger Gate had a large population to pick and choose from. Not to mention, middle-class families would almost always move to their region just to gain an opportunity for their children to enter the prestigious clan. It was a paradise for geniuses to thrive and boy... were there geniuses. Among the Master Sects of the Dragon Tiger Gate had cultivated the most number Luminaries throughout the years. The government positions of the Kori Federation was almost all monopolised by talents from the Dragon Tiger Gate and the Spirit Emperors that they possess far outnumbered that of any Master Sect. The only entities close to their power were the Shaolin Sect and Emei Church, but even they were outclassed. Why? Because of the Sentinels that the Dragon Tiger Gate had. Eight Spirit Venerates, each one masters of their own school of martial arts, stood at the peak of the pack. Legend has it that to become a Sentinel, one had to at least have the capabilities of fighting a Spirit Saint to a standstill. For cultivators who saw Spirit Saints as the absolute realm that no mortal could ever hope to touch, it was a feat that could never be accomplished. ''They actually sent in a Sentinel¡­ Looks like the Kori Federation is trying to curry up favours...'' Shin thought to himself. Just like Spirit Saints, Sentinels don''t usually come out in the open. They spent their days cultivating or training their disciples, hoping to reach the Spirit Saint realm as soon as they possibly could. For the Dragon Tiger Gate to send a Sentinel, particularly during this warring period¡­ It was a massive testament to the new status that Shin had. "You''re too kind, your Grace." Macron laughed heartily. "My reputation is nothing like yours, it doesn''t matter if you didn''t recognise me." The two continued to converse lightly, while the congregation from the Lantis Republic began to settle down. Many of them were feeling lightheaded from the long hours of flight and had to shield themselves from the blaring sun. Macron noticed that and immediately moved: "I''m sure that you''re all tired from your journey west. Please, we''d prepared some light refreshments in the sheltered buildings we''ve constructed. If you may follow me..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The Tier 8 Azure Dragons, who hadn''t unlocked the ability to transform into humans, were forced to shrink into a pet''s size to fit within the compounds of the buildings. The weaker members of the congregation, such as Kanari and the twins, all immediately found comfortable positions within the shade and rested their spines. All that flying had really taken a physical toll on their mortal bodies. On the other hand, the Spirit Venerates were a little more apprehensive. Bingbing, in her child form, held onto Shin''s hand with a tightened grip while Zishen stood smilingly by his side. They were prepared to shield Shin should there be any malicious intent from the Kori Federation, even if it meant risking their own lives. Lady Seph and the other Spirit Venerates were on the same boat. The Sentinel knew all of their worries, but he didn''t really care. Right now, all of his attention was focused on the one youth that was on the front pages of every newspaper for the past few years. "Your Grace, you have no idea how long I have waited to meet you¡­ And I must say, you sure do not disappoint¡­ Assembling such an elite force with just one word and¡­ that immense aura that doesn''t suit a recently promoted Spirit Lord¡­ The stories about you have been watered down..." Macron kept pouring praises at the young man as if he were a courtesan flirting with a wealthy patron. Most young men would relish with the compliments and their nose would begin to grow with their heads held high. However, the only response that Macron got was the cold look of annoyance from Shin''s inner core. "Sentinel Macron, there''s no need for formalities between us¡­" Shin raised his hand and to put an end to this farce. There were more pressing matters for them to discuss after all. "The fact that you''ve built a base this far east of the Illusory Canyon and obscured by the mountains and forests¡­ Did something happen during the week that we were travelling?" "..." Macron''s radiant smile quickly froze. The fake joyous emotions within his expression had evaporated, and all that remained was a bone-chilling coolness. "Your Grace, you''re quite perceptive¡­ Yes, there have been some complications..." The Sentinel looked at his assistant and gave a simple nod. Moving to the forefront, the man laid down a map, detailing as much of the landscape as they possibly could. "We''ve tried to triangulate the location of the Black Mask base, according to the descriptions given by Venerate Maurice." At that point, everyone turned to the Master Explorer, who was carefully examining the map. Shin observed the man''s expression carefully and was only satisfied when his eyes shone with approval. "Through that, we have narrowed down the possible locations to five¡­ However, all of them are heavily covered by the snow and harsh blizzards that this region is known for. If we tried to scout now, there''s no guarantee that our men would make it back alive." "A battle against the weather, huh?" Shin scratched his chin as his head fell slowly. Fighting in low visibility where the opponent had the advantage was a recipe for suicide. The snow that covered the Illusory Canyon during winter was perhaps the worst possible scenario for Shin and his elite troops to fight in. So¡­ Why not change it? "About that..." Shin threw his head back on his chair as the corners of his lips curled up into a smile. "I think that I have an idea..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! Chapter 513 Underdogs 3 "An idea to deal with the blizzard?" Macron raised his brow, clearly intrigued by the absurd premise. Changing the weather was something that only Spirit Saints could assuredly accomplish. Shin was just a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, and though there were hundreds of stories about his accomplishments, he was still far off from the Spirit Saint realm. "That''s right," Shin nodded, unfazed by the scepticism in the Sentinel''s voice. "However, I''ll probably only be able to hold it for a day, maybe even half that. During that time, you would have to send all of your resources to scour the lands." The young Prince was now giving out orders as if it were second nature to him. However, no one called him out on that. The Sentinel wanted to ask a few more questions, but instead simply nodded in agreement. "Understood..." "Am I right to believe that this diamond would be our base as we raid the Black Masks?" Shin tilted his head and asked Macron. "Yes, it would be," Macron confirmed. "If we travel too close, we''ll be vulnerable to an attack by the Black Masks. Furthermore, since there''s no army for us to move, we can just fly straight to the Illusory Canyon in less than half a day." Looking around, the Sentinel saw cultivators that were either in the Spirit Emperor or Venerate realm. Even the youngest and weakest among them all, the twins, had their Spectre Souls condensed. "Of course, if you think there''s a need to, we could move the base a little closer..." "No, there shouldn''t be necessary..." Shin shook his head. They weren''t on a military expedition that required weeks of meticulous planning. All they needed to do was search and destroy¡­ But first things first¡­ "Let us take a full day''s rest for now," Shin looked around at his crew. They were the cream of the crop, the top monsters that the Lantis Republic had. However, they had been travelling for over a week now. Particularly the Azure Dragons, that had been flying non-stop regardless of the weather. Even the toughest Spirit Saints would be forced to rest after prolonged periods of activity, let alone those Tier 8 Spirit Beasts. Furthermore, when facing Junius for the final time, Shin wanted his group to be in the best condition possible. "Of course!" Macron clapped his hands as his fake smile returned to his face. As if on cue, a few maidservants sauntered in with plates of exotic fruits and deliciously cooked meat. "Take all the time you need, we can discuss the details at a later time." With that, the Sentinel promptly made his retreat, leaving the group to drop their shoulders as if a heavy load had been lifted off their shoulders. "Sentinel Macron, a minute of your time?" Shin gestured for Bingbing and Zishen to act as his bodyguards as he walked out of the stone hut with Macron. "Hmmm?" Ella looked up at the young man, who was only wearing a warm smile. Knowing that this would happen, Lady Seph gently held back the ponytailed woman while shaking her head. "Don''t worry, Shin has it under control..." The blonde beauty said, her words showed that she had complete faith in Shin''s capabilities. "Let him be..." "Alright..." Ella turned around, only to see Emma and Kanari with the same warm smiles that Shin had. Evidently, they were all in on the deed. Pouting, Ella kicked back on her chair and enjoyed the light refreshments that the Alliance provided for them. Meanwhile, Shin had travelled over fifteen metres away from their makeshift new lodgings. He looked around at the stone houses and observed the forces that the Alliance had sent. There was barely anyone below the Spirit Spectre realm. In fact, the majority of troops here were in the Rank 50 Spirit Lord and Rank 60 King realm. It really was a sight to behold¡­ "So, what do you think?" Macron noticed the young man''s awe and returned it with a beaming smile. "We''ve prepared all of this for the fight against the Blade of Death and the World Serpent, two of the greatest threats within the Black Masks. Is it to your liking?" "How could I dislike it?" Shin laughed. "The more elites, the merrier. We''re all unified under the Alliance''s banner to defeat the menace of the Allfather and his minions." "Hahaha, since Your Grace has said so, would you mind if I introduce you to some of my Dragon Tiger Gate members? I''m certain that they''ll be delighted to finally meet you in the flesh," Macron brought back his signature fake smile. From the very beginning, he intended to mingle his juniors with the future Prince of the Lantis Republic. Not many people were aware of the Celestial Dragon''s true nature and its significance to the Lantis Republic, but Macron was among that select few. Once the Black Masks were defeated, the world would once again go through a period of power reshuffling, with Shin and his Celestial Dragon at the very centre of it all. As it stood, only the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic had ties to the genius youth, who was slated to inherit the world. If the Kori Federation strays too far behind, it wouldn''t be long before their power would be chipped away by Shin''s explosive growth. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I would be honoured," Shin replied with a similar business-like smile he''d learnt from Elrin. "However, before that, I have something that I need to discuss..." "Please, Your Grace. Your word is my command." "Haha, it''s no order..." Shin rolled his eyes at the blatant flattery. "If you''ve volunteered for this mission, I''m sure you''ve read up on my history¡­ Particularly the real reason why I''ve rushed this far west..." Macron paused for a moment, thinking of whether he should play the fool. However, the early scene where Shin called him out on his bullshit came to mind. "That¡­ Yes, I''m aware..." "Good, I''ll not beat around the bush..." Shin walked a few metres forward, keeping his hands folded behind his back. His gaze turned westwards as if trying to glare at an enemy that couldn''t be seen. "If you find the Blade of Death before we do¡­ If you find the whereabouts of Junius¡­ Let me and my team deal with him..." "Why¡­ Of course..." Macron didn''t contest that claim. Everyone present knew the long history between Shin and Junius. From brothers to enemies. From boys that would bathe together to men that showered in the blood of others. It was their destiny to clash one final time, and no one would dare to get it their way. Not the Black Masks or the Alliance. However¡­ "Your Grace, if I may be so rude¡­ What are your intentions for the World Serpent then?" The Sentinel asked. "Hmmm?" Shin looked back at the elderly man with a raised brow. "What about it?" "See¡­ All of those that were sent to assist you are from the Kori Federation and some of them¡­ have an unresolved hatred for the dastardly Spirit Beast. Before they volunteered to come, they had the same request as you. They wanted to have the World Serpent all for themselves. If you wished to kill the World Serpent as well, I''m afraid that there would be a¡­ clash..." Macron explained patiently. "A vendetta with the World Serpent?" "That''s right..." Before the Sentinel could elaborate, something caught his eye. Waving his hands, Macron yelled: "Ah, speak of the devil! Dalgeom Sect members, come here for a moment, would you?" ''The Dalgeom Sect?'' Shin''s facial features rose at the familiar term. Memories of the Land of Dreams came flooding into the Prince''s mind. When Shin was still a mere teenager, he came to the region, hoping to find a clue about Junius. What he got... was an experience that shook the foundations of his soul completely. The apocalypse that the World Serpent created, seeing a dominating Spirit Emperor, Wangu, sacrifice himself for them to escape. Killing Star Face and finally¡­ Witnessing the tragedy that befell on the Land of Dreams¡­ Every single experience he had changed him¡­ And a large part of that story¡­ Was with that sword-crazy sect that flung him into the chaos. Fifteen well-dressed individuals could be seen walking towards the duo. They all hung impeccable pieces of jade down from their waistbands and swords of all shapes and sizes were kept in their scabbard on the other end. They all looked gentle, but Shin was certain that if need be, they could explode with a force that wouldn''t lose out to any of his subordinates. Especially the two people that led the entire squad. "Senior Jimga¡­ Senior Yeunghi..." Shin called out the faces of the pair that he was familiar with. "Shin¡­ No, Your Grace¡­ It''s been a long time..." Jimga was the first to bow down. Yeunghi, the maiden of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, followed suit soon after. They both knew of Shin before he was the indomitable Prince that brought the Lantis Republic to heel, so they felt a little jittery as they watched the young man casually talking to a Sentinel. ''That brat has now grown into someone crazy...'' Jimga scoffed inwardly. If he had known about Shin''s potential, he would have treated the young man a little better. "Oh, you know them?" Macron looked over at Shin, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity. "Yeah, we fought together once when the Black Masks first attacked the Land of Dreams," Jimga quickly answered. "You could say that we''re loosely acquainted." "Hoho, that simplifies matters then," the Sentinel laughed. "Your Grace, the ones that wish to take on the World Serpent are these fellas. You should know about how that beast killed off their Senior Brother?" "Yeah¡­ I was there that day..." Shin grumbled. Not only was he there, to a certain extent, but Wangu''s sacrifice had also saved the youth from certain death. "If it''s the Dalgeom Sect''s that requested it, I''m in no position to contest. However, Junius is strictly off-limits." In the first place, Shin didn''t really care about the World Serpent. It didn''t matter if he killed it or those from the Dalgeom Sect severed its head. As long as he was the one battling Junius, nothing else mattered. "That''s great!" Macron clapped his hands. "Your Grace, now that''s settled, would you be free to tour around with me?" The Sentinel couldn''t pass up this chance to curry more favours with the young Prince. He walked over to the young man, ready to tug him by the hand. However, Shin simply shook his head. "Hmmm, if you would excuse me¡­ I would like to have a word with the members of the Dalgeom Sect," Shin politely declined the Sentinel''s invitation, turning his body towards the group of swordmasters. "..." For the first time since Shin first arrived, the Sentinel''s smile evaporated. He had been sucking up to the youth for the longest time, and yet¡­ Shin still brushed him off, for a rival Master Sect, no less! It was understandable that the Sentinel would be pissed. Shin, on the other hand, wasn''t thinking too much about it. He wanted to talk to the Dalgeom Sect to learn a little more about swordplay and how to deal with Junius'' near-perfect sword dances. Also, he felt a little repulsed with the way that the Dragon Tiger Gate''s Sentinel was blatantly trying to kiss his ass. Thus, he opted to stay with the ones he was more familiar with. "As you wish, Your Grace..." The Sentinel bowed elegantly, not revealing the shaking pursed lips that he had. ''Shin Iofiel¡­ What a moron...'' Hiding the wicked thoughts he had to himself, Macron wore back his fake smile and made a silent retreat back into his own abode. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 514 Old Enemies, Old Allies 1 Six figures sat around a stone table, each one taking turns to stare at the other. Shin sat in between Bingbing and Zishen, his arms relaxed on both the armrests while his back was plastered to the support of his chair. Zishen was in a far more relaxed position. After realising that the three people sitting opposite from them were weaker than himself, the Azure Dragon Lord simply smiled and allowed Shin to do all the talking. Finally, Bingbing was just absent-mindedly gazing into nothing, completely uninterested in the conversation at hand. On the other side, Jimga and Yeunghi shuffled around in their seats, unsure of how to appropriately react. Shin was a junior that they were loosely familiar with and had once used as a guide for their purposes. Now, even though Shin was still technically their junior, his position had shot up to the stratosphere, leaving them in a somewhat awkward position. They couldn''t be too overly familiar with him, and neither could they act like they''ve never met him before. Thus, with no solution on the horizon, they simply remained silent, giving Shin all the initiative. "Seniors, there''s no need to be this tense..." Shin dropped his shoulders with a radiant smile. It was odd seeing people he held with a significant amount of respect behave in the same manner as the rest of the common folk. "Your Grace, we..." Yeunghi''s lips quivered a little bit, before being interrupted by Shin''s uplifted hands. "No need for formalities," the handsome man chuckled. "On this mission, we''re all allies that are fighting against the same enemy. Who cares about titles during such a drastic time?" Shin''s words could be considered to be blasphemy, but the man didn''t care. Shin truly believed that in a war, it didn''t matter what pedigree a person was from. As long as they contributed to the battle, they were all warriors that were meant to be respected. "..." Jimga and Yeunghi looked at one another, before turning to the one remaining person seated in between them. The man had been silent for a while, as his emerald eyes carefully observed the man called the Prince of Water. It was the first time that he''d met Shin and he wanted to evaluate the young man as much as he could. The piercing gazes of Jimga and Yeunghi finally came to a halt as the man''s stoic expression broke out into a smile. "Young Master Shin, your reputation really precedes you..." The middle-aged man chortled. "I see that Wangu''s life wasn''t sacrificed in vain¡­ Perhaps it was his destiny to leave his soul behind, just for you to escape..." He looked up to the ceiling as he remembered his deceased disciple. "You are?" Shin never got the man''s name. After being escorted to the Dalgeom Sect''s abode, Jimga brought over a venerable swordsman that seemed to be their leader. And that was barely a minute ago. "Pardon my rudeness," the man exhaled so hard that the table shook slightly. "My name is Pangu, Wangu''s teacher and one of the Masters of the Dalgeom Peaks. Just like you, I''m here on a mission of vengeance¡­ A mission to take down the beast that killed my beloved disciple..." "I see..." Shin nodded and examined the Spirit Venerate from head-to-toe. Not that he''d like to brag, Shin had seen his fair share of Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. He could acutely tell the difference between an average Spirit Venerate and a top-tier one, just by examining the cultivator''s aura. Thus, Shin could tell that Pangu, just like Sentinel Macron from the Dragon Tiger Gate, was a frightening existence. "Senior Wangu was a brave man¡­ Even when the odds were stacked against him, Senior Wangu never once lost his conviction to save us¡­ If half of all cultivators had his willpower, I''m sure the Alliance would have utterly destroyed the Black Masks by now..." There was nothing but praises from Shin about the late Wangu. Shin did owe his life to the swordsman after all. Pangu blinked twice, before finally loosening his body. Who wouldn''t like to hear someone else sing praises about their students? "That''s right¡­ Wangu really was a man that everyone in the Dalgeom Sect looked up to¡­ His perseverance, his dedication to the sword¡­ They were all legendary¡­" The happiness in Pangu''s voice quickly evaporated and was replaced with a red hot endless wrath. "But¡­ He still died¡­" "..." An awkward silence fills the room. The Lantis Republic, the Himmel Empire, the Kori Federation, they had all lost friends and family to the onslaught of the Black Masks. It was hard not to feel empathy for the mourning Pangu. Shin took a deep breath in and quickly changed the subject. "Senior Pangu, if I may be so bold¡­ Have you fought with the World Serpent before?" "That¡­ No..." The swordsman was mildly taken aback but quickly bounced back with his own question. "What of it?" "I have¡­ Twice, in fact..." Shin added. He wasn''t gloating though, he was just stating it as a matter of fact. "I roughly know how the World Serpent fights¡­ So, I can help with the planning¡­ However, in return, I would like some of you to train me in swordsmanship¡­ Particularly the style that Junius is adept in..." That was Shin''s primary goal from the beginning. If he could get pointers from elites of the Dalgeom Sect, the premier organisation for sword martial arts, Shin would have an added defence against the danger that was Junius. ''Also¡­ It''ll give me some time to blow off some steam...'' Shin gritted his teeth while his fists tightened up. From the moment that he''d found out about Shizen''s death, the young Prince hadn''t had the time to grieve or vent out his frustrations. He wasn''t even given a steady training session to warm his body up. Everything since then was either travelling or planning their resources. If Shin wanted to defeat Junius, he had to be amply prepared¡­ "Hoh¡­ So we''ll get to see the Prince of Water personally fight, huh?" Pangu teased the youth. "Haha, if you wouldn''t laugh at my inexpertise..." The young man shrugged his shoulders. Standing up from his chair, Shin dragged Bingbing along as he walked towards the exit. With one deep breath, Shin''s entire disposition completely changed. Gone was the aloof young man that smiled at every single man that came by his path. Instead, there was a ferocity of a lion that had braved a million battles. "Come seniors¡­ Let us train¡­ Let us train until we''re strong enough to defeat anything the Black Masks have!!!" ??? The Uncharted Wilderness. Illusory Canyon. The Black Masks Stronghold. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Snow fell from the trees, and the sound of the winter winds was disrupted by the constant trembling of the ground. Sparrows flapped their wings violently, escaping from their comfortable abodes and retreating into safer lands. Foxes leapt out from the burrows onto open ground, hoping to prevent any falling debris from permanently damaging their bodies. For almost fifteen minutes, the tremors of the earth continued on, covered by the mist of winter. Also... "Hurry up!" A sharp human cry resonated in the tunnels underneath the canyon. The harsh winter conditions were one thing, but the Black Masks had also ensured that there was a vast interconnected web of tunnels linking their stronghold to multiple secret exits. That way, they could move resources and people unhindered by the constant surveillance of the Alliance. Mindless Dalits carried boxes over their backs and were watched like a hawk by the Shudras that oversaw the operation. Should any Dalit slow, the Shudras'' whip of cruelty would come flying down, spurring their weakened bodies to be pushed even further. It truly resembled a scene depicted in the seventh hells, where men atoned for their sins by serving the demons that ruled the netherworld. Still, none of the Dalits complained, or rather¡­ They couldn''t. Their brains were burnt by the Allfather''s mana, and most of them were only moving on instinct. They could eat, sleep and fight, but other than that¡­ They were just cannon fodder for the more pristine Black Masks. A tall man stood among the Shudras, coldly looking down at the orderly line. His face was distorted slightly, displeased at the rate his minions were working at. No¡­ There was also something else that was bothering him... "Fred! Did you hear the news?" A chippy voice came from the sides, calling out the muscular man. "Charles..." Fred glanced over his shoulder to find the only friend he had in the Black Masks running over. However, he wasn''t amused by Charles'' presence. Instead, he was annoyed. Why? Because he knew what news his friend was bringing. "So you did hear..." Looking at Fred''s expression, the former noble of the Himmel Empire smiled. "Looks like your reunion with that unattainable flower is scheduled sooner than expected¡­ No, since she''s been with Shin for all this time¡­ I guess she''s already someone else''s flower, huh?" That''s right¡­ The person in charge of the Black Masks'' logistical operation was the former talent of Imperius Academy that the entire Himmel Empire went crazy about¡­ Fred Newton. Though he wasn''t as talented as Kanari and Shin, Fred was still on track to become at least a Spirit Emperor. Everyone wanted his signature, but alas¡­ The man was solely devoted to one girl and one faction¡­ Even after getting turned down for the thousandth time, Fred still dreamt of marrying Kanari and of becoming her knight in shining armour. It really was a shame¡­ Of all the organisations he could have joined, he entered the most repulsive one that existed. "Shut it before I wring your neck!" Fred warned his friend and based on the fury in his eyes¡­ He wasn''t joking. "Haha, a joke! A joke!" Charles brought both his hands up in surrender. "..." No matter how long Fred thought about it, his anger wouldn''t subside. Each time he closed his eyes, Fred could see Kanari''s disgusted face as she turned him down time and time again. Then, the man imagined the very same maiden falling into Shin''s arms, with a radiant smile blossoming. It was infuriating!!! BOOOOOOOMMMM!!! Fred''s right arm turned into iron as he punched out at a nearby Dalit. The poor man flew straight into the upper ceiling of the tunnel, as his brittle bones were shattered throughout. Blood was coughed out, and his pupils turned back into its sockets. With one punch, Fred had murdered one man¡­ Out of pure spite¡­ However, no one cared. There was still a job to be done, and the Dalits were mindlessly carrying out their orders. "You don''t have to be that violent~" Charles rolled his eyes. "Look here, Shin and Kanari would be coming to the base in pursuit of Kshatriya Junius. Before long, you''ll gain the chance to rip Shin''s head off and take Kanari as your own personal trophy! So, why the long face?" "You think I don''t know that, Charles?" Fred scoffed. "I can''t wait to get my hands on that fucking adulterous pair¡­ Before, I thought that I could be a partner to that bitch¡­ I thought that as long as I loved her enough, she''ll give me a chance to stand by her side¡­ But then, just like any whore¡­ She went for the guy that had the most influence and talent..." Fred''s iron coating extended itself from his arm and slowly crept up his entire body. The wrath of the man didn''t stop there. His spiritual pressure climbed rapidly, forcing many Dalits to fall to their knees. Some of the weaker ones even crumbled to the pressure and were struggling to even breathe. Alas, no one cared about their well-being. All they could do was to squirm like the worms they were before the absolute might of the Spirit Lord. "Shin Iofiel¡­ Kanari Saniela¡­ I''ll be the one to end your fairy tale¡­ I''ll be the man that kills you all!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 515 Old Enemies, Old Allies 2 "Junius¡­ Junius..." The world was pure white, filled with the sweet aroma of the nectar of Lilies. Gentle winds, one that went with the soft spring highlands, gushed through the dreamy world. A young man lay completely still among the garden of flowers as his chest rose and fell with each passing moment. A warm mist, one that shouldn''t exist during the winter cold, tickled the supple cheeks of the man, triggering a soft response. His eyelids flickered five times, all while his body began to awake. The scent of the garden was far too sweet for one to be asleep, not to mention¡­ Ten children ran across the fields. Some had blue hair, others purple¡­ A few of them were black as well¡­ They were all familiar faces, particularly for the man who had just woken up from his slumber. He sat up, watching as the young children ran towards him all with radiant smiles. They recognised the man as one of their own¡­ A part of their family... "Junius, wake up you sleepyhead!" A purple-haired girl, who seemed to be the oldest of the bunch, knocked on the man''s forehead. "If you sleep that much, you''ll become another Shin! Do you really want that?!" "Sister Lily¡­ You shouldn''t bully Shin that much..." A bowl-haired boy timidly stood up to the domineering girl. He seemed as frail as a leaf, ready to break at a moment''s notice. However, he still managed to stand up for his elder brother, who was hanging way back in the crowd. "Max, you shouldn''t pamper Shin!" A purple-haired ponytail girl countered. By her side, there was an identical-looking girl, this time in a bob cut. She giggled gently as if used to the banter that her sister usually had. In the end, she opened her mouth as well, "Come on, guys¡­ We were trying to wake Brother Junius up from his sleep! How does the conversation always lead to Shin?" Emma retorted, bringing all the attention onto her. "Because he''s always making us worry!" Lily scoffed as she folded her arms. "Hah¡­ If only he were just a little more diligent! I''m sure that he''ll become a powerful cultivator in the future. Right now, I can only see him as a leech that would eat off Ariel when he''s older!" "Leech is a little..." Lia, the second oldest girl among the orphans, cringed at the term. She quickly intertwined her hands around Lily''s arm to appease the angered girl. A water Hyacinth bloomed from her palms and joined the bed of flowers that surrounded the orphans. "Relax a little, Sister Lily! We''re finally free from the Frie Clan! We can go do whatever we want! Shin doesn''t have to grow up to be a cultivator!" ''Free? The Frie Clan?'' Junius'' eyes became slightly brighter after hearing those terms. He was still trying to comprehend his current situation and what had led him into this false world. Three more figures popped up into Junius'' vision. One was a young black-haired who seemed sly and detached. He looked up at the azure sky, absent-minded and not caring about the reactions of the group. The other boy was far younger than anyone present. He was barely even ten, and his nose was filled with an innocence that could only be found in a toddler. The final figure was a girl, or rather, a girl who liked to dress as a boy. She wore martial clothes befitting that of a warrior than a maiden, showing her disdain for social norms. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''Ryner, Jacob, Fionn?'' Junius mentally called out their names. They were the spitting image of how he''d remembered them, back when he first left the Frie Clan to find clues about the Awter Clan. They were reserved and hardly liked to open their mouths, but they always stood by the other orphans'' side. And then¡­ Junius looked over the densely packed group¡­ Two figures, both standing far away, held hands as they enjoyed the beautiful morning view in the garden of flowers. One was a young girl, who seemed genuinely attached to the boy she was holding onto. Her face was in complete bliss, and her fingers were deeply connected with the boy''s. Just like the girl, the boy was smiling with absolute joy. His eyes were slanted slightly as they gazed lovingly at the young girl. Though they clearly didn''t look alike, there was no doubt in any onlooker''s minds that they shared a tender sibling relationship. The boy hadn''t noticed that Junius was awake and staring right at him, so he went on with his own activities. He looked down at the assortment of flowers and used his fingers to guide the girl, slowly introducing her to each one. It was a warm sight to behold. "Shin..." Junius'' voice crackled out. It was weak and tender, completely unlike his normal dominant tone. In front of the Black Masks, Junius could never show such weakness¡­ he just couldn''t¡­ However, in the memory of his loved ones, the scene of what could have been¡­ Junius'' bottled-up emotions were now overflowing. The man''s eyes turned misty, drawing gasps from the spectators that came to wake him up. "Junius? What''s wrong?!" Lily was the first to drop to the floor. She tapped down Junius, looking for any visible wounds or injuries. "Did you hurt yourself? What happened to you?" "Lily..." Junius'' voice was far too weak to retort. Instead, he grabbed the girl by the waist and pulled with all of his might. Lily was no match for the warrior''s colossal might. All she could do was let out a silent yelp, perhaps with a tinge of pleasure, as she was enveloped by the Junius'' scent. Their faces were dead-close, with their eyelids almost touching. ''Warm...'' Junius thought. Everything about the experience. Lily''s scent, her touch, the squirms as her body heat rose¡­ Everything seemed so lucid¡­ It seemed¡­ so real¡­ "H-Hey! W-W-What are you doing?!" With a face reddened like a tomato, Lily shrieked. The other orphans were likewise taken aback by Junius sudden movement; however, they quickly realised something and smiled in amusement. It was completely like how a couple would be teased by their mutual friends. "Just¡­ Enjoying you..." Junius chuckled. In this world, he looked like he was fourteen, but in actuality, he was nearing his thirties. Junius didn''t feel any lust for the underdeveloped body of his former lover, and instead, his heart was filled with an untouchable, longing love. It took a while, but something woke Junius up from his indulgence. "Hehe, looks like Brother Junius is finally becoming proactive!" A youthful voice called out to the hugging pair. Junius opened his eyes, only to find Elyse standing right above them. Elyse was just playing with the black-haired boy a few moments ago on the flowery plains. Her presence here could only mean one thing¡­ "Shin..." Junius pivoted his head and saw the face he once swore to protect, walking over with a smile. "What is it?" Shin asked back, utterly clueless about how he''d been chasing Junius down for the past decade. Shin wasn''t broody or moody at all, and his eyes held the same innocence that he once had. No¡­ He shared the innocence that all children should have¡­ He hadn''t seen his loved one burn¡­ He hadn''t been forced to kill someone¡­ He didn''t confront the daughter of the man he murdered¡­ Everything was just¡­ Right... "No, it''s nothing..." Junius shook his head, releasing his grasp on the young maiden. Like a frightened squirrel, Lily quickly scurried away, her face vermillion in shade. It took her a while to adjust to the change in Junius'' character, but eventually, she sat right in front of him, ready to answer any questions he may ask. "I''m just a little confused¡­ Why are we here?" "Hehe, have you forgotten?" Lily bowed down with a beaming smirk. "We''ve finally escaped the Frie Clan! We''re on the road to find a new home! Though, it looks like we have a winner..." Lily looked at the faces of the orphans, all of whom were nodding rapidly. "So¡­ We''ll probably have to settle down here!" "That''s right, Brother Junius! Let''s live here forever!" Ella cheered. "Mmmm, I saw some wildlife in the area¡­ It should be a good place to hunt..." Ryner added, in his own dark way. Bit by bit, all of the orphans'' hands were raised. They wanted to start a new life, and these floral fields were the best place to do it. "Hehe, then it''s decided!" Shin clapped his hands, ending all discussions. "We''ll be finally settling down!" "Oryahhhhh!!!" All of the children threw their hands in the air, happily reaching out for the stars. "However¡­ There''s still one thing missing..." Shin''s cheerful voice quickly turned cold. The warmth in his eyes had declined sharply, and his hands hung by his waist. Suddenly, the clear blue skies darkened, as torrents of grey cloud covered the firmament. The gentle morning mist was replaced by a howling gale and the temperature rapidly dropped. The tenderness in the orphans dissipated, leaving the world with nothing but cold and darkness. Junius instantly froze. What had happened? Was the world¡­ was the perfect world he imagined going to be destroyed? Shin''s small mouth opened, this time with a detachment within his tone. "You¡­ killed Ariel, Junius¡­ You killed her..." Shin''s azure eyes turned obsidian, and his voice was distorted. There wasn''t love in his expression anymore¡­ Instead, there was hate and anger¡­ Hate that Junius had murdered the girl that he loved, and an anger at his own incompetence to bring Junius down. "You also¡­ killed me..." Lily was the next to turn. Her clean and puffy bosom had turned crimson, and numerous holes broke her body. Beads of lifeblood flowed out from the wounds, tainting the beautiful white Lilyflowers that lay underneath her. "You tore us apart, Brother Junius..." Elyse cried, forcing black tears to fall out from her eyes. "You took everything from us!!!" Ella screamed, her face contorted entirely. "You took everything from me!!!" One by one, the orphans turned on Junius. The eyes that were filled with love had been stuffed with hate. They wanted nothing to do with the Kshatriya¡­ They wanted nothing to do with their former brother¡­ "Guys..." Junius collapsed onto his bum. His entire body was shaking like a leaf in the autumn''s breeze. The skies were split open, and thunder boom out as lightning struck. The orphans were slowly disintegrating in a pile of black grime, and they weren''t the only ones¡­ All of the flowers, the trees¡­ Everything beautiful in the white world was now fading into oblivion. And then¡­ Finally¡­ Junius'' world¡­ The world that he had dreamt of from the day he joined the Black Masks¡­ Faded into darkness... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 516 Old Enemies, Old Allies 3 ''It''s cold...'' Junius ''opened'' his eyes. Everything had turned dark¡­ The white, holy utopia¡­ The world that ought to be his had been utterly shattered to pieces. He was supposed to be the champion that led the orphans out of the Frie Clan. Junius was supposed to be the big brother that gave his family a happily ever after¡­ He was supposed¡­ To be the true protagonist of his own story¡­ Yet¡­ Junius was the villain¡­ Why did he even join the Black Masks, to begin with? Why did he seek the power to destroy anyone, no matter how powerful they were? Wasn''t it just to protect the ones that he loved? The viridian-haired man dropped down onto his bum and gazed into the sky. He thought back on the orphans'' words, and his blood turned cold. "Lily''s right¡­ I did kill her..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It was a memory that he''d blocked out. A bitter recollection that had been drowned out by Shia''s presence. However, it was all coming back to him now, and he could remember the sight as if it were yesterday. The fresh, crimson blood that flowed out of Lily''s body¡­ The burning heat on his skin¡­ The tears of Shin and the rest of the orphans¡­ Everything was so lucid¡­ Junius didn''t want to experience that ever again¡­ He didn''t want to¡­ Dream about that ever again¡­ Alas, there was nothing that Junius could do to stop it. The past can never be changed, and he had to face everything that he''d done¡­ Alone in the darkness¡­ Junius reached out his arms, hoping to find some warmth in the cold. He pleaded and pleaded, calling out for anyone within his memory. ''Shin¡­ Lily¡­ Shia¡­ Anyone¡­ Please...'' Junius'' cries went completely unheard. How could anyone hear him? He was inside of his Spectre Soul and blocked off from all contact with the outside world. It would be a miracle if anyone came to his rescue. In his normal state, Junius would most definitely know that. However, he was far too afraid, far too small to consider the facts. He was now akin to that of a helpless child, wishing for even the slightest semblance of warmth¡­ Bling¡­ Bling¡­ Bling¡­ As if his prayers were heard, the darkness waned as a flicker of light flashed by Junius'' vision. Junius turned, his face wet and sticky from snot, all to reach for the final light that remained in his soul. The young man leapt up to his feet, his entire being pulled by the gravity of the light. It didn''t take long for Junius to figure out the identity of the light. "The Tree of Illusions..." The man muttered to himself. Centred within the ball of light was a white weeping willow tree. Its pinkish leaves hung down from its branches, and gorgeous, white wisps floated around its trunk. The Mind Elements were leaping about in complete bliss, showing their happiness in the form of jumping balls of light. The swordsman walked closer towards the Tree of Illusions, this time, with the Obsidian Water Blade in his hands. Junius stared at the ethereal tree blankly. It was the first time he''d faced the Tree of Illusions within his Spectre Soul. At this range, without the interference of the Illusory Canyon, he could feel the intimacy of the Empyrean Wonder. It had the serene smell of nature and the divine touch of something otherworldly¡­ Something beyond human comprehension¡­ Something¡­ Superior¡­ Suddenly, when Junius was just a mere three metres away from the tree, a full bubble enveloped both the man and the Empyrean Wonder. The darkness that engulfed Junius'' entire soul instantly resisted the change, attempting to pierce the bubble with everything that it had. Alas, no entity in the world could go against the Tree of Illusion''s mana. In the end, the dark smoke that enveloped the world could only die down like a disheartened puppy. "The Allfather''s mana¡­ It can''t reach here?" Junius thought out loud. "..." The Tree remained silent, not perturbed by the dark mana that filled the void. All it wanted to do was spend time with the champion that it had chosen and the man that had woke it from its long and boring slumber. Junius held his breath, all while witnessing the Tree of Illusions awake. It wasn''t moving the slightest bit, Junius could feel something familiar¡­ Something, human... "You have emotions?" Junius asked the Tree of Illusions. It was swaying from side to side, highly resembling that of a juvenile child waiting to be entertained. "..." Naturally, the tree didn''t answer. However, the wisps that surrounded its bark grew ever bright, while the cold mist that it created gently seeped into Junius'' pores. Bit by bit, the hatred¡­ The self-loathing in the man''s mind was slowly chipped away¡­ Within this bubble, the Allfather''s influence was virtually nil. The Obsidian Water Blade in Junius hand had reverted back to its original azure colour, and the man''s soul seemed to be refreshed by the Empyrean Wonder''s mana. Junius felt as if he were five years younger, but a million years wiser. BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! Unable to bear the loneliness, the black smoke outside of the bubble quickly condensed into a thick ball, and waves of desperate tentacles ravaged the bubble that protected Junius. The mana outside was wild and savage, behaving as if it were a child that had lost its toy. "The Allfather¡­ He..." Junius gasped. It was the first time he''d seen such an explosive display of might by the black mana hidden within his body. What Junius didn''t know was that the Allfather wasn''t consciously controlling said mana. At Rank 99, the Allfather had enough spiritual energy to match three regular Spirit Saints. He shared all of that mana with thousands, if not millions of the Black Mask members. Not to mention, a massive chunk of his spiritual energy was divided equally amongst the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. In his hibernating state, the Allfather lacked the capabilities of controlling his mana within Junius, and it was left alone to grow by itself. Once fully matured, it would seep into every particle of Junius'' soul, giving the Black Mask a chance to reach new heights¡­ Heights that weren''t possible with his mere talent. "..." Clearly annoyed, the Tree of Illusions sent one of its branches flying out from the barrier, striking the black core right at its centre. Ssssssttt¡­ The Allfather''s mana hissed like an indignant snake. It wanted Junius, but all it got was an Empyrean Wonder''s wrath. Still, it knew its place. It was secondary to the power bestowed upon Junius by the Tree of Illusions. "Wow¡­" Junius gaped in awe. It was the first time he''d seen the Allfather lose. Granted, it was just a fragment of his power, but it was still potent enough to elevate Junius'' cultivation level by a realm or two. Typically, with his cultivation talent, Junius should only be a Rank 40 Spirit Spectre¡­ However, with the Allfather''s mana, Junius was about to cross the threshold and enter the Rank 60 Spirit King realm. "..." The Tree of Illusions remained silent, not at all thrilled by the victory it had scored against the world''s most powerful being. Instead, it focused all of its attention upon the man that stood by its roots. He was tattered to the soul, emotionally, physically and mentally. Bright white particles fell out from its canopy like the winter snow, enveloping Junius'' body completely. With no power to object, Junius allowed his soul to go with the flow, as the Tree of Illusions slowly elevated him up higher and higher¡­ In the material world, Junius'' body was still in pieces, bandaged and red. Cuts zigzagged all over his body, and the gaping hole that Shizen had created was still being stuffed by temporary treatment. However, from the deep recesses of his abdomen, a pure white light emerged. Almost instantly, the wounds disappeared, and his reddened skin was replaced with a healthy pink hue. The muscles that were destroyed were slowly being restored, and his toned body was reverting back to shape. No, they were being enhanced by the Empyrean Wonder''s mana¡­ If Junius didn''t already look like a sculpture of the perfect being, he did now. However, the most important deed was yet to come¡­ Whhhhhhoooooooossssssshhhhhh!!! Junius'' Spectre Soul was unable to hold back the intense pressure anymore. He was like an overflowing cup that had been blocked by a lid. If Junius wanted to breakthrough¡­ If he wanted to become Rank 60 and to turn into a Spirit King¡­ There was one more thing that he needed to do¡­ Inside the darkened world, Junius looked at the Tree of Illusions. After sending its mana to repair Junius'' body, it immediately quieted down. It had done its job, and wouldn''t lift a single finger to assist the young man anymore. When Junius was baptised with the Empyrean Wonder''s mana for the first time, he experienced his past like a moving picture. Every single memory¡­ Every single thought¡­ Every single experience¡­ They were all thrown into the face of Junius. Each and every pain Junius suffered¡­ Each and every time he cried¡­ And¡­ Each and every time, he was happy¡­ The memory of Shin and him playing in the fields, leaping around without a care in the world. The memory of his first kiss with Lily. The memory of his first achievement with the orphans¡­ All the memories of the orphans rushed into Junius'' mind and displayed themselves as illusions¡­ They were all happy memories¡­ But they weren''t the only ones¡­ Junius had many happy experiences with the Black Masks, particularly those regarding the Awter Clan. Shia, Vellan¡­ and most crucially¡­ The most important one of them all¡­ The birth of his only son¡­ Junius looked down at his body. It was illusory, making him look like a complete ghost. The Azure Water Blade was rapidly reforging itself, trying to become the best possible form that it could. A tear fell from his left eye, falling rapidly upon the lonely ground. There was no helping it¡­ Junius knew what he must do¡­ Step by step, the man moved towards his destiny. The Azure Water Blade sliced the Tree of Illusion''s bubble, triggering a response by the Allfather''s mana. It gushed in like the wind, hoping to secure Junius all for itself. And well¡­ Junius allowed it to¡­ Tsssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttt!!! Junius'' raised both his hands in surrender, allowing all of the darkness to flow back into his body. The Azure Water Blade once again changed its colour, turning back into the Obsidian that the Allfather was known for. The Tree of Illusions faded into the backdrop, seemingly amused by the path that Junius was taking. However, its job was done. From here on out, it would only be a spectator as it watched its champion play out the world''s greatest play. Junius had accepted it¡­ He had accepted his role in the story. He had accepted his sins for the first time and was now absorbing the Allfather''s mana in earnest. That''s right¡­ Junius was accepting his position¡­ As the Allfather''s new Brahmin¡­ Junius'' eyes snapped open in the real world. Above him, there was an empty, grey ceiling. There was no one in the room to tend to him; thus, no one noticed the commotion that occurred within his Spectre Soul. The cold lunar light of the night beamed through the windows and touched Junius'' skin. He took a deep breath in, taking in as many nutrients as he possibly could. "So this is the Spirit King realm..." Junius summoned out his Obsidian Water Blade, checking every nook and cranny of his newly forged Spirit. There was so much power pulsating through his veins, so much spiritual energy empowering his very being. It was as if the man had been reborn again into a new body. "Hmmm?" Now that he was awake, Junius could feel a slight contortion by his pillow. A Black Mask, with the symbol of a golden tree, was laying right by his side. Evidently, Ao had left it here, barring every servant from ever touching it. The World Serpent believed in Junius¡­ Ao believed that by the time Junius woke up, the man would be fit to wear that resplendent mask. Well¡­ He wasn''t wrong... "I see..." Junius smiled. He reached out to the Brahmin''s mask, pumping in the Allfather''s mana into it. Black tendrils emerged from the corners of the mask, lusting for the flesh of a fresh human¡­ No, it was lusting for the flesh of one human¡­ "HARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" The moment Junius put on the mask, dark smog emerged from his Spectre Soul and filled the entire room up. The spiritual pressure of a Spirit King descended upon the poor chambers, breaking the bed and everything else within. There was nothing else remaining in the room, just the image of a man basking in the gorgeous moonlight... "I now know what I must do..." Junius looked to the east, his eyes squinted. He could feel it¡­ He could feel the fight that was about to come¡­ "I now know¡­ My destiny..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 517 Old Enemies, Old Allies 4 Clank! Clank! Clank! The sun hung high up in the skies of the Uncharted Wilderness, beaming down all of its majestic glory upon the frozen earth. Piles of snow slowly melted away, turning into pure, glacial water. Though, that didn''t mean the winter was over¡­ In fact, it was still far off. Temperatures remained consistently around the freezing point, making it impossible for wildlife to flourish. The West of the Kori Federation was so cold that human skin would crack and fall off without any gloves or heat packs. Well¡­ Not that it mattered to the Prince of Water¡­ Holding onto the Spear of Aiglos, Shin charged towards his opponent. A tall and jaw-dropping beauty, whose face was as white as the snow that surrounded her, tip-toed her way around the bull-charging youth. Shin''s movements were sublime and effortless. There were no wasted muscles, and every single part of his body was engaged in his spear art. Theoretically, Shin could mow down any foe with his sanctified spearmanship, and he had done just that with thousands of martial artists back in the Lantis Republic. However, the woman he was facing was no pushover. Standing at the peak of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Yeunghi was a bona fide swordmaster of the Dalgeom Sect. Although the Ice Fairy Sword Dance wasn''t as prestigious as the other sword arts that the Dalgeom Sect had, it didn''t mean that it was inferior. To a certain extent, it was the contrary. For a cultivator to learn the legendary sword art, they must first have a mutated Ice-Element Sword Spirit and ideally, they had to be female. Just like the other pillar sword arts that the Dalgeom Sect, it was exceedingly difficult for someone to reach the pinnacle. However, once there, the swordmaster would stand alongside all of the legendary figures that once used a sword. Yeunghi, having inherited Durandal, ergo the entire Ice Fairy Sword Dance faction, was one of the said legends. So what if Shin was the top martial artist of his generation? He couldn''t beat the light footwork and expert swordplay of the Spirit Emperor. The Spear of Aiglos was regularly parried, and the sharp tip of the spear never found its way onto Yeunghi''s robe. The pattern continued on for quite some time, with Shin charging into Yeunghi''s strike zone, only to be brilliantly countered. Yeunghi''s Durandal flashed, seemingly tired of the constant bombardment and struck Shin''s weapon right at its neck. The spear shot out of the Prince''s hand, while Shin fell straight to the ground with a loud thud. "Tsk¡­ Tsk¡­ Tsk..." Back laid flat on the floor and snow covering his entire face, Shin clicked his tongue multiple times in frustration. "Are you alright?" Yeunghi skipped over, while her blade found its sheath. "Yeah, I''m fine..." Shin blinked, and his hands met Yeunghi''s. The Spirit Emperor pulled the young man up to his feet, tapping off the remnant dust that remained on his clothes. At that moment, Kanari and the twins, who had been spectating the entire affair, walked over to the duo. Kanari seamlessly handed over the wet towel she prepared as if she had been used to the action. "I can''t believe I hadn''t landed a single hit on you yet, senior..." After cleaning his face, Shin turned his bright azure eyes to the sword fairy. "I''ve managed hit Senior Jimga and so many other swordmasters¡­ You''re the only one that I''ve failed to land a single blow on..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "That''s supposed to be normal, you irregular..." Yeunghi folded her arms and scoffed. Who in the right mind would think that a Rank 70 Spirit Emperor would lose to a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, particularly one that had just recently been promoted? Yet, Shin was capable of fighting Jimga, the Tyrant Sword, one-on-one for at least fifteen moves. The bulging eyes of the Dalgeom Sect elders were priceless, Yeunghi felt. It took the Ice Fairy Sword Dance to finally push Shin to his limits, and regain some face for the Dalgeom Sect. "I have been training to fight a swordsman since the day I picked up a spear, after all..." Shin shyly rubbed his nose. Yeunghi shrugged her shoulders. "But honestly¡­ Your spearmanship is quite queer¡­ I''ve never seen someone use every muscle in their body to create a ceaseless flow that continuously crashes upon their opponent¡­ It was quite troublesome to avoid all of the strikes..." "Ah, the Infinite Tsunami Spear?" Shin beamed. "That''s a move that was developed by the Lantis Republic spearmen. Perhaps you''ve just haven''t seen it in battle thus far..." "Sounds logical¡­ The Lantis Republic has always been the secretive one among the three superpowers..." Yeunghi nodded as she turned towards the elderly bodyguard that followed Shin around. Zishen noticed the Spirit Emperor''s gaze but didn''t really bother to match it. Instead, he looked up at the clouds, whistling as he felt the foreign atmosphere. If one had to rank the power levels of all the Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts present, Zishen would unquestionably be listed at the top. He was the only Dragon Lord that existed in the present day, and he''d soaked up the energy of the Celestial Dragon''s corpse. Given the right push, Zishen could easily become a Primordial Beast and dominate the entire Lantis Archipelago. There was no question in Yeunghi''s mind that Zishen was one of the trump cards that the Lantis Republic held. And yet¡­ His existence was only made public a few years ago¡­ It made one ponder¡­ How much have the Lantis Republic hidden away throughout the centuries? They were known for their neutrality and self-sustenance. It didn''t matter how badly the Himmel Empire or the Kori Federation were quarrelling, the Lantis Republic would always keep a neutral stance. Thus, not much was known about the maritime nation. ''Shin will become the bridge that connects the Lantis Archipelago to the Terre Continent¡­'' Yeunghi glanced at the handsome young man, who was busy reassuring Kanari about his physical condition. ''As long as he remains the Prince of the Lantis Republic, the world would stand to benefit...'' The woman thought, holding her blessed blade up. The Durandal was a package with the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, one of the most powerful sword arts in the Dalgeom Sect. Typically, it would only be used for the Master Sect, protecting all of its assets from foreign interests. However, Yeunghi was willing to break that one rule¡­ ''Fine then¡­ Maybe, I''ll teach him something...'' "Young Master Shin, have you fought against Junius¡­ The Blade of Death before?" "Hmmm? Ah, yes¡­ Quite a few times actually..." Shin recalled all of the training sessions where Junius would leisurely spar with him, honing the young boy''s skills into perfection. Of course, those sessions didn''t count as Junius was far more powerful now, and his swordplay had been altered drastically. "The most recent time I fought him¡­ It was a disaster¡­ His ''Pierce'' was deadly fast, and his swordplay was utterly unbeatable. The Starlight Blade, Natasha Aldana, wasn''t capable of landing a single strike on his body, and had been injured after a few exchanges." "Mmmm, if Natasha couldn''t land a hit, it must mean that his sword arts are on the same level as ours..." Yeunghi frowned and scratched the bottom of her chin. "Could you describe how he moved in detail?" Shin quickly shuffled up to his feet. "Hmmm, how would I put it? It was like thrusting my weapon into water?" Shin thought of the aptest description. "Junius'' swordsmanship is quite unique. No matter what I tried to do, I couldn''t break his guard. Whenever I was in range of him, he''ll simply parry and move the flow of battle into his advantage. It was as if I was dancing in a river. Actually, there are some similarities between your sword skills and Junius''." "Care to elaborate?" "Mmmm..." It took a few seconds for Shin to think of the words. "Just like the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, Junius'' swordplay was gentle¡­ It never seemed capable of decapitating heads or slicing flesh¡­ It was just like¡­ nature¡­ However, just like a rampaging river, it can turn torrential very quickly. Also, the Ice Fairy Sword Dance and Junius'' swordplay both rely heavily on agility and reaction time. So every time I imagine Junius being in your position, I can see him performing the same exact manoeuvres..." "Ah, I get it..." Yeunghi''s face lit up, enlightened. "I know how you can beat the Blade of Death now..." "Really?! Do tell!" For the first time since the training started, Shin jumped right to the face of the sword fairy. Kanari''s face contorted, carefully observing her man for traces of infidelity. "It''s quite simple, actually¡­ Since his style is similar to mine, I''ll tell you the weaknesses of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance, and you''ll learn how to counter his movements accordingly." "..." The training grounds were silenced. No one dared to breathe a single word¡­ In fact, no one even blinked. They couldn''t believe their ears. "W-Why would you do that?" Shin''s face instantly tightened¡­ Weaknesses of one''s martial arts were supposed to be well-guarded secrets. Should someone with nefarious motives hear of the Ice Fairy Sword Dance weaknesses, Yeunghi''s entire faction may as well be kicked out of the Dalgeom Sect!!! "Take it as an investment..." Yeunghi smiled. "Now, the Prince of Water will owe me a favour. Next time if the Dalgeom Sect is in peril, Young Master Shin¡­ You mustn''t be idle..." "An exchange of favours, huh..." Shin squinted as he weighed the pros and cons of the transaction. However, no matter which way he saw it, Shin would win no matter what. There was no hesitation with his next words. "Deal! If it''s within my means, I''ll definitely be certain to repay this favour that Hero Yeunghi has bestowed upon me! Also, I swear to never divulge the information you share with anyone! Not even my loved ones!" "Hehe, I''ll take your word for it!" The Spirit Emperor''s eyes radiated with happiness. Then, she looked at the spectators that still had their jaws dropped. "Ah, please excuse us. The next matter we''ll be discussing is kind of private..." "Kanari, Emma, Ella¡­ Please head back first," said Shin. Yeunghi did the same with her companions, particularly Jimga. "You can come check on us in a few hours." "Are you sure about this?" The Tyrant Sword questioned Yeunghi. "Don''t be a worrywart!" Yeunghi giggled. "I won''t tell him the weaknesses of every single form that the Ice Fairy Sword Dance has! Just the general picture of how to defeat it, so that he''ll adapt his style to fight the Blade of Death! Also, I trust in the boy!" "If you say so..." Jimga threw his head back, thinking: ''I''m just afraid that you''re underestimating Shin''s comprehension abilities...'' And sure enough¡­ Just six hours later¡­ Two figures emerged out of the training ground, each with drastically different expressions. Shin''s lips were connected to his ears as his face was radiating with a satisfying sheen. His entire body was sweaty, and his core temperature shot up through the roof, but Shin didn''t care. The Spear of Aiglos in his hands were trembling in pure joy as if it had absorbed the world''s best mana source. Yeunghi, on the other hand, was completely aghast. Her cheeks were hollowed in, and her posture slouched. The Spirit Emperor looked like she''d been through a devastating nightmare, one that had utterly torn her soul apart. Strands of unkempt hair dropped down from her scalp, showing the signs of extended stress and complete anguish. "Do I even want to know what happened?" Jimga folded his arms, with a face that emitted the tone ''I told you so.'' "That bloody freak¡­ All I did was show him some weak points..." Yeunghi didn''t even need to complete her sentence, and Jimga could already guess the rest. "Hey¡­ He won''t point his spear at the Dalgeom Sect¡­ Right?" "Who knows?" The Tyrant Sword shrugged his shoulders. "Well, at the very least¡­ You''ve gotten into his good books..." "ARGHHH!!! I''m so going to create new moves!!!" The Ice Fairy swore as she raised Durandal into the air. "I won''t let that brat win because he''d learnt how to counter half of my techniques!!!" "Half, you say..." Jimga rubbed the temples of his forehead, exhaling with a deep sigh¡­ Fortunately, the Prince of Water was solely focused on fighting the Black Masks¡­ A man of his calibre would most definitely topple the Dalgeom Sect and the Kori Federation if he chose to... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 518 When Snow Becomes Rain 1 Two days had passed since Shin, and the Lantis Republic first landed in the Alliance''s temporary base. These two days were crucial for the congregation, particularly the Azure Dragons that served as mounts, to recharge and rejuvenate their bodies. The other Spirit Venerates and Spirit Emperors that joined in the flight were also relaxing in their respective abodes, drinking tea amidst the calm before the storm. On the outside, the Alliance members, particularly those from the Kori Federation, were working overtime as per Shin''s request. Just like the Prince of the Lantis Republic, they too realised the urgency of the situation. The sooner they dealt with the Black Masks, the better. And well¡­ After the two days, the Alliance was finally ready to launch the first attack. Flying high above the skies, over fifty figures levitated silently, observing the white terrain down below. At this altitude, everything was just a patch of white. Snow continued to fall down softly, while the winter winds turned the gentle snow into a blizzard tempest. Trees were swayed down as if doing the limbo and the routine avalanche would decimate the land beneath the cliffs. "This is quite bad..." Shin muttered from the confides of Heigui Xuegang protective shell. By his side, Lady Seph, Bingbing and the Azure Dragon Lord Zishen, all wore tense faces. They weren''t certain about Shin''s prospects of completing the deed, mainly when the weather was this bad. Lady Seph was the first to break the silence. "Shin, don''t you think that you should wait for a few more days? It''s far too dangerous to attempt to change the weather when it''s this bad..." "Master, this is still considered average for this region..." Shin repeated what he''d heard from Yeunghi, Macron and basically everyone familiar with the region. "Tomorrow might be worse than today, and the day after it might be a complete hailstorm. No one can really tell. So, it''ll be better for me to just change the weather now..." "If you say so..." Lady Seph folded her arms with an unsatisfied scoff. A radiant golden light broke out from her core as two angelic empyrean wings burst forth from her back. An equally beautiful halo graced the crown of her head as bits of golden aura fell down from her rejuvenated body. Once again, the Divine Healer had merged with the Iofiel Angel, boosting every single aspect of her healing and support skills. "Either way, I''ll be here to prevent you from exhausting your mana. [Rise]." A divine voice, wholly detached from an average human''s, emerged out of Lady Seph''s mouth. Golden spheres of hallowed light forced their way into the young man''s body, giving him a seemingly endless source of pure mana. Just like Elrin''s Sacramental Boost, Lady Seph''s Divine Words was one of the world''s top auxiliary skills. She could boost someone''s physical state, heal someone back to perfect health and even paralyse those that were weaker than her, just by saying the words. In this case, all she needed to do was watch Shin as he prepared to attempt the impossible. Shin closed his eyes, peering deep into his Spectre Soul. The Celestial Dragon, who had been slumbering for the longest time, reappeared back into the world. It pivoted its head around, carefully observing the snow that fell from the heavens. Being Shin''s Spirit, it was acutely aware of what its master was trying to accomplish. Scales emerged out from Shin''s healthy white skin as the Celestial Aura flowed out from his pores. What Shin was about to attempt would unquestionably take a toll upon his mortal body. If he wanted to hold out even for just a millisecond longer, he''ll need all the support that he could get. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The familiar siren''s wail pierced through the eardrums of those that stood beside the young man. The Azure Dragon''s Shard, Shin''s fourth spiritual ability that greatly enhanced his attacking powers and mana output, appeared behind the young Prince''s back. Its appearance had made the atmosphere a hundred times tenser as the elements danced about with euphoria. However, Shin wasn''t done... "Senior Zishen! Now!" The Prince cried. It was no coincidence that Zishen and Lady Seph were selected to travel with Shin. Both of their skills were needed for the Prince to guarantee his plan''s success. The Azure Dragon Lord smiled and raised his opened palms towards the burning shard. Even though it had long assimilated with Shin and was part of the Celestial Dragon''s spiritual abilities, the Azure Dragon Lord did once have a connection to his very own claw. It was simple for him to transfer a bit of his own mana into the Spirit Lord''s own Spectre Soul. "ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!!!" Shin screamed out with an agonising cry. The shard on his back was getting heavier by the second, and the mana within his Spectre Soul was being overwhelmed by the spiritual energies sent by the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Shin''s blood started to boil and his face turned red-hot. The Prince felt like he''d been placed into a furnace, with nowhere to escape to. However, he had to hold on¡­ Shin''s pores all opened up, as the consistently repeated the Hymn of Origin. Zishen''s mana was being rapidly converted into Shin''s own and the Domain of Dreams filled with the Celestial Dragon''s aura spread out far and wide. Unknown to the change, the grey clouds kept pumping down snow at a constant rate, while the winds continued to churn out new blizzards. The world was still in the midst of its endless snow, powered by the Winter of the West. In essence, as long as the weather was cold, the snow would continue to fall. If winter never left, the whole region surrounding the Illusory Canyon would continue to be covered with the white, cold slush. However¡­ That was about to change¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Snap! Shin''s fingers crossed each other. The energy that was stored within his Spectre Soul was released out in droves, and the Domain of Dreams stretched to over five kilometres wide. Mana was drained out of Shin''s body at an astonishing rate. His four limbs turned extremely heavy, and his face was contorted into a weird shape. If not for Lady Seph''s blessing and the Celestial Dragon''s spiritual body enhancement, Shin was certain that his body wouldn''t last a minute with the pressure. Though, all his suffering was worth it¡­ Pom¡­ A ripple spread out from the top of Shin''s cranium, spreading out throughout the firmament. The white pieces of heaven that fell from the skies all turned into pure water droplets. The winds that tormented the poor lands were all morphed into gentle breezes that wouldn''t harm a single fly. The Domain of Dreams broke down the weather changing it to suit Shin''s liking, and well¡­ There was nothing that anyone could do about it. "One second¡­ Two seconds¡­ Three..." Shin mentally counted the amount of time he needed to sustain this state. His eyes were gleaming with divine azure light, and his fingers were already shaking. It was hard to control the immense mana outflow and prevent his soul from getting too drained, but he had to do so¡­ At the same time, the ground was bustling with activity. Numerous figures leapt out from their hidden positions with their weapons in hand. With the blizzards gone, the scouts were able to move around in the rain with impunity. Their movements were sharp and quick, taking what little time they had to sweep through the entire region. They had prepared for this mission for quite some time now. The scouts knew all of the hot areas that had to be scoured. Uniformly, the Alliance members broke through regions that were deemed unbreachable by the weather, desperately looking for any clue of the Black Masks'' base. They even brought highly trained Gryphons, which had been reared for the sole purpose of pursuit. Not even the Spirit Emperors were spared for the menial task. Yeunghi, Jimga¡­ They were all flying about the skies with their weapons pointed at the ground. "Damn¡­ Changing the weather¡­ is¡­ hard..." Shin bit down on his lip, sending a line of crimson life down onto the floor. Lady Seph''s Iofiel Angel immediately noticed Shin''s injury and sent a radiant golden wave to mend the broken lip. "Shin, concentrate! Don''t harm yourself!" Lady Seph swam within the dense domain and placed her handkerchief in Shin''s mouth. Alas, the Prince could hardly hear her. His mind was completely fuzzy just by the outpour of mana, and his soul was wailing in agony. No matter how much of a wonder kid Shin was, he was still a Rank 50 Spirit Lord. Changing the weather was something that only Spirit Saints could do with ease. Not only was his forty ranks short, but Shin was also using the infant power of the recently promoted Celestial Dragon that hadn''t fully grown yet. Though he could change the weather, it was only for a meagre fifteen minutes. Any more and his Spectre Soul would face irreversible damage. Sweat trickled down Shin''s entire being. In no time at all, the man looked like he''d just ran a marathon even though he''d been standing still for less than thirty seconds. The spiritual energies that surrounded him became denser by the second and the brightness of the shard was ever bright. Zishen was careful not to send too much mana into Shin''s body, but the young man was like a thirsty hippo, greedily sucking as many spiritual energies as he could. "Mmmm, my Prince¡­ You have to endure..." The first few seconds were always the hardest. The wailing pain and agonising screams that Shin''s joints echoed didn''t wane at all, but at least he could get used to it. Bit by bit, the searing pain in his body got a little more bearable, and the mana outpour that shouldn''t usually occur was being standardised. "I¡­ I''m¡­ fine..." Shin muttered out, while Bingbing held onto his hand. "Yip, Shin! You''re doing great!" The young girl spurred him on like a cheerleader. "Yeah¡­ Please, Master¡­ Zishen¡­ Keep an eye out for the signal..." Those were the last words that Shin said before finally closing his eyes, and entering into a state of absolute concentration. On the surface, the search continued to intensify. The Spirit Emperors cleared ploughed through the snow at drastic rates. One Spirit Emperor destroyed half a mountain, just to check for any clues of the Black Masks. The other scouts did simple movements, like diving in and out of caves. However, no matter how menial the task, the search progressed at an exceedingly fast pace. They were all connected via a communication network, developed through the use of Aether Crystals. Once a region was deemed to be clear, the scouts would instantly move to the next one and repeat the process all over again. It was all going exceedingly well¡­ until¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Jimga, the Tyrant Sword, swung his colossal blade down upon the gigantic mountain that stood just a hundred kilometres north of the Illusory Canyon. Normally, once a hill took a cleave by the dominant Sword Emperor, it would crumble down into nothingness. Yet, instead of falling down, it was Jimga''s sword that dissipated. "This..." Aghast, the Spirit Emperor leapt back. What he''d hit, wasn''t a mountain that was made of earth and strengthened by mud. Instead, it was an entire force field that shielded a complete mansion within! "Bingo..." A wry smile crept up Jimga''s lips as his eyes flashed with joy. Using the flare that was handed down to all scouts, the Spirit Emperor launched the beacon into the sky, alerting everyone of his new discovery. "Shin! That''s the signal! You can stop now!!!" Bingbing grabbed onto Shin''s wrist and hollered right into his ear. As if waiting for this moment, Zishen and Lady Seph moved. Zishen halted his mana influx into the shard and instantly focused on rejuvenating Shin''s Spectre Soul. Lady Seph did the same, but her focus was more on the physical side. The Domain of Dreams laced with the Celestial Dragon''s aura was instantly recalled, and the weather reverted back to its original state. The winds of winter returned, and the light drizzle became a massive snowstorm. Many of the scouts weren''t ready for the drastic weather change, but Shin didn''t really care. What mattered was... "So¡­ We''ve finally found it..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 519 When Snow Becomes Rain 2 "Everyone, we''ve found the base!" Sentinel Macron''s voice bellowed through the intercoms, sending shockwaves all across the west. The scouts all hit on the brakes, forcing their bodies to come to an abrupt halt. However, instead of easing their tension, those on the ground doubled up their vigilance. The easy part was over¡­ It was now time for the most arduous task of them all¡­ Macron held onto the Aether Crystal that was used to transmit his voice with a tremble in his fingers. The map had been laid bare before him, and the markings were exceedingly clear. "Unit Alpha, move eleven kilometres north. Unit Bravo, move six kilometres south-west. Unit..." The Commander of the entire operation quickly directed his forces to move into position. Time was of the essence. They had to completely enclose the area and mark it with members of the Alliance. They couldn''t give the Black Masks any time to recuperate and regroup. In the worst-case scenario, Junius would escape wholly untouched, and the Black Masks would unleash hell upon the mortal lands. Macron and Shin both knew that all too well. "Senior Heigui, Bingbing¡­ Please continue to defend me," Shin weakly mumbled before falling down into a seated lotus position. "Master, Senior Zishen¡­ I''m ready..." "Gotcha," Lady Seph grinned before placing her pure, white fingers around Shin''s weakened wrist. The Azure Dragon Lord did the exact same thing, but with Shin''s other hand. They both closed their eyes and focused deep into their Venerate and Beast Soul, respectively. The mana that they''d produced over the past few hours quickly left their bodies and entered through the pores of Shin''s loose skin. Everything had been planned out beforehand. Once the flare was fired, Shin would immediately begin his recovery process. The Alliance and the forces brought over by Shin would be responsible for triangulating the region where the base laid, creating huge ditches and temporary strongholds for the members to regroup. Macron''s plan was quite simple. Seek, surround and destroy. The seeking was done, and it was time to move on to the next phase. Shin, on the other hand, couldn''t join in on the fun. He''d just expended all of his energy to change the weather, and his mana reserves had basically been run dry. It was a miracle that Shin''s Spectre Soul hadn''t entered into exhaustion. Fortunately for the young Prince, he had two of the best mentors around to guide him to regain his mana. Lady Seph was in charge of recovery, while the Azure Dragon Lord supplied the mana. Glorious verses from the Hymn of Origin echoed out from Shin''s mouth, all while the elements danced around him. In this state, Shin would be incapacitated for at least an hour or two; thus, Heigui Xuegang and Bingbing''s role were absolutely crucial. "Hahaha, fucking Black Masks! We''ve finally found you!!!" Jimga hollered out with his Tyrant Blade in hand. Beads of light flowed out from the Spirit Emperor''s dominant sword and quickly rose above his head. They all merged into one, creating a colossal Sword Avatar that was at least a hundred metres tall. The Tyrant Blade was many things. A patient man, he was not. "DIE!!!" Jimga sent his Sword Avatar crashing down upon the barrier like how the waves of the ocean would destroy the breakwaters. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The earth trembled in fear. Trees were uprooted, and legions of boulders flew across the white skies. Jimga''s one swing had forced the barrier to break its illusory spell revealing the vast castle that laid within. Thousands of Spirit Beast, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 6, all bared their fangs and claws at the Spirit Emperor. Black Masks sentries, who had been lying in wait, all took their battle positions as Vaishya, Kshatriyas and Brahmins all took to the skies. They were all ready to face the oncoming threat, albeit in their own manner. Jimga took a deep breath in, cleanly absorbing the dense energies of the area. There was something familiar with the air¡­ Something the tyrant had faced countless of times in the past. "So¡­ Even in the heart of hell¡­ Devils still feel fear..." Jimga scoffed, watching some of the Black Masks standing their ground with shaky legs. They all served the Allfather and couldn''t go against his orders. Thus, they couldn''t escape even if it meant that their lives would be forfeit. Jimga quite liked that¡­ Facing terrified enemies was much easier than going against foes that had nothing else to lose. "Come¡­ Let me ease your burden!!!" "With just your ability?" "!!!" Before Jimga could create yet another Sword Avatar, a cold and detached voice echoed out from his behind, halting the Tyrant Blade''s mana output. Unconsciously, Jimga leapt a hundred metres the other way, as he looped his body around to face the unseen foe. A blue-haired man, who seemed utterly unperturbed by the disturbance that Jimga had created, stood all alone within the snowy skies. His tall physique and charming appearance would captivate any human who loved to observe the beauty that life could produce. Jimga was no exception. Still, the Spirit Emperor raised his blade in a combative form. "Who are you?" Jimga questioned the man, his blade held up high. "Does it really matter?" Ao tilted his head as his face showed no signs of change. "You''ve attacked the hornet''s nest. Is it that surprising for us to retaliate?" Ao watched the unmoving Jimga as his eyes narrowed quickly. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''A hornet? More like the queen bee!!!'' Jimga bit down hard on his lower lip. The Tyrant Sword stood near the apex of the cultivation world. If his senses had failed him, that could only mean one thing¡­ ''For him to come so close without me noticing¡­ He must at least be a Spirit Venerate or a Tier 9 Spirit Beast!!!'' "What''s the matter? Weren''t you a talkative one?" Ao raised his chin. "Something about devils and hell? Easing our burden? Quite the tall statement coming from someone that''s running away from a confrontation!" The World Serpent''s face finally contorted. The single dot pupils that he had morphed into vertical lines, akin to that of a snake''s. A deadly aura flowed out from his pores, filling the thin atmosphere with a dense spiritual pressure. Jimga held on his chest, forcing his lungs to contract to ease the pressure. His eyes turned red as veins climbed up his entire neck. Every muscle that he had tensed up tremendously and the man''s fingernails rapidly dug into his palms. He had felt this pressure only once before¡­ ''It''s him!!!'' The Spirit Emperor mentally cheered. The world was rapidly crashing down on his soul, but Jimga could only feel overwhelming joy. The Dalgeom Sect, Jimga and Yeunghi especially, had been chasing the World Serpent down ever since he''d killed their Senior Wangu. They searched high and low, leaving no clue unturned¡­ And yet, the World Serpent never showed. Until now, that is¡­ "We''ve finally found you..." Jimga''s choked voice entered the eardrums of the World Serpent. "Hmmm? You know me?" Ao raised his brows. "So you''ve forgotten, huh..." The Tyrant Blade gritted his teeth and held on desperately to his growing blade. The spiritual pressure of the World Serpent was still there, but the man, by some mystical force, was able to push his body past his limits. "Seven years! I''ve waited eight long years for this!!! I''ve trained so long and hard for this very day¡­ The day where I finally meet you again!!! Finally, I can avenge Senior Wangu''s death!!!" "Seven years?" Ao reflected on his past experiences, rewinding his memories back that given time frame. "Ah, yes¡­ I vaguely remember you¡­ The three swordmasters that tried to go against me back at Mort Bay. If my memory serves me right, there was one man that stood behind to let all of you escape¡­ How regretful¡­ That brave man had given up his life to save all of you, but you''re just going to let his sacrifice go to waste..." Ao shook his head. He vaguely remembered the form of Wangu, who would rather die than to let his juniors leave their souls behind. It was one of the noblest deeds that Ao had seen come out from a human. "What was his name¡­ Wangu, was it?" "YOU DON''T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT NAME!!!" Jimga screamed back. The sword in his hands grew to fifteen times its original size and was swung cleanly at the blue-haired man''s neck. Jimga wanted to end the World Serpent once and for all. All of his power was sent to his blade, and the air trembled alongside the man. Alas, the sword wouldn''t find its target. Clank!!! Ao grabbed onto the descending blade. His claw dug deep into the sharp end of the sword, holding back the eventual damage that it may inflict. The light that the Sword Avatar emitted was quickly being quelled as the World Serpent''s strength completely overwhelmed the Spirit Emperor''s. "A fine strike," the blue-haired man lauded Jimga''s attempt to take his neck. "If that had hit my flesh, I''ll probably get cut..." Ao added more force into his fingers, and the Sword Avatar was broken into a million light particles, leaving Jimga completely naked to an advancing attack. With nowhere to run, the Spirit Emperor braced himself for Ao''s rapidly approaching fist. "ARGHHH!!!" Jimga wailed. His six-packs abdomen was crushed as blood gushed out from his interior. Flying back a thousand metres, the Tyrant Blade saw the world spin as his body was violently crashed upon the snowy landscape. ''Just one hit causes this much damage?!'' The Spirit Emperor cursed. He''d been training tirelessly to improve his swordplay and cultivation level, hoping to at least bridge the gap between the Tier 9 Spirit Beast and him. Unfortunately, he''d forgotten the one rule of life. Everything grows¡­ So what if Jimga was ten times stronger than before? Ao wasn''t the same either. He''d been advancing steadily in preparation for his eventual ascent into a Primordial Beast. Additionally, the Allfather''s Grand Scheme was rapidly approaching its final stages, and there was a need for the Black Masks, particularly the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, to become far stronger than they originally were. Some might say in the past seven years, Ao had advanced faster than he did thousands of years before. "Hah¡­ How weak..." Ao pitifully glanced at the fallen Spirit Emperor who couldn''t even last a single hit. Then, he turned his attention to the eastern skies, where a tiny speck of light could be seen floating around. "On the other hand, that kid¡­ He''d grown so strong¡­ To think that he could change the weather in the Spirit Lord realm..." Ao recalled the times where he''d met Shin. The first time they''d met, Shin was wholly focused on escaping from Mort Bay, and he was nothing more than an ant that the World Serpent could squash at any moment. The next time they''d met, Shin had used the shard to destroy the Paradise Heart of Junius'' Payirci, making the Black Masks suffer the first significant loss. Now, in just a span of a few years, Shin had grown strong enough to influence the weather, albeit in a constrained manner. ''If he were to be left alone, how much would he continue to grow?'' Ao grew increasingly amused. ''No, it''s because of the war that he''s able to grow at this rate¡­ Oh, great Allfather¡­ Your predictions never fail to impress me...'' Sighing, Ao looked down at the wiggling Jimga. "Hmmm, there many mana signatures coming in rapidly¡­ They''re all Spirit Kings¡­ No, Spirit Emperors? Wow, the Alliance is really giving their all this time, huh?" "..." Jimga remained silent at the World Serpent''s monologue. All he needed to do, was hold out until Yeunghi and Spirit Venerate Pangu arrived. Until that point, he couldn''t perish. Jimga held back the pain and raised his sword once more. The fight wasn''t over just yet¡­ "Hmmm, but the brat has a point..." Ao continued to ignore Jimga''s useless struggle, adding to his own monologue. "This snowy weather is quite the hindrance, even for me¡­ So¡­ Let''s change it shall we?" Ao''s body began to glow. Azure beams flashed out from his inner soul, and the water elements went into complete disarray. They were all crying out in bliss, for the world was now going to be filled with them. A tower of light burst forth from Ao''s body, as the World Serpent took its original form. Taller than any mountain and longer than any pipe, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast coiled around the barrier, bearing its fangs towards the snowy skies. "Let it rain..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 520 Hell Is A Place On Earth 1 The World Serpent''s jaw continued to spew out dense amounts of spiritual energies into the air, creating vast amounts of ripples that affected the weather. The white snow that fell from the heavens quickly turned into pure water, and the torrential winds promptly got out of hand. Gone were the deadly blizzards that blurred visions. Now, it was an endless downpour of heavy rain, as the sharp whistles of the heavens pierced the forest. Whooooooooooshhhhhhh!!! The winds rapidly whirled, turning into deadly hurricanes that broke through bone and tore into flesh. Jimga was forced to defend by digging deep into the ground as his Sword Avatar wasn''t enough. Over a dozen tornadoes sprung forth from the heavens and landed straight onto the ground. The snowy fields were cleared by the impact, and thousands of trees were instantly uprooted. Jimga watched the skies in horror as the world came to a resounding halt. For the beast to change the weather that easily¡­ The World Serpent was close to the Primordial Beast realm, that was for certain. If Ao somehow makes yet another breakthrough, all of the Spirit Venerates that Shin and the Alliance had brought would be completely wasted. Only a Spirit Saint could stand against the terror of a Primordial Beast. After the snow had been converted to rain, Ao closed his mouth. He looked at the weather he''d created and revealed a sinister smile. "Ah, that''s better..." The World Serpent marvelled at his own work. It has been quite some time since he used the full extent of his powers. "Now this is the kind of weather that I can fight in..." Jimga gritted his teeth, desperately tightening the grip on his sword''s handle. The Spirit Emperor wanted to leap out in the open and take the World Serpent one-on-one. However, he wasn''t stupid. Jimga''s injury was severe, and even at his full power, Ao still manhandled him as if he were a teddy bear. It would be impossible to defeat the World Serpent in his current state. What Jimga needed to do was focus on his recovery while waiting for backup to arrive. Should Pangu, one of the Dalgeom Sect''s faction leaders, arrive at the scene, the World Serpent was sure to fall. Fortunately, or unfortunately for the Spirit Emperor, the World Serpent wasn''t paying attention to the downed Spirit Emperor. In its opinion, Jimga was as good as dead. What''s more important was¡­ "The prey has entered the net..." Ao raised his senses to the maximum, finding every single mana signature that was nearby. Over half of the Spirit Venerates that were sent out were within fifty kilometres of the base, and many more were rapidly rushing over. They all wanted to end the battle as quickly as possible, even if it meant delving deeper into the belly of the beast. Ao snickered, baring his pure white fangs for all to see. "I guess it''s time to unleash them all..." VVVVVVVVVVVVVVOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!! A shockwave far exceeding anything measured on the Richter scale, pulsated throughout the entire region. Jimga, who had been buried under a dozen metres of snow, was forced to emerge out into the open. His colossal sword was quivering in fear as his Spectre Soul turned completely cold. "What''s¡­ this¡­ feeling?" The Spirit Emperor felt a cancerous terror spreading all over his very being. It was the first time in ages that Jimga had felt this way. He felt¡­ so small¡­ Glancing over his shoulder, Jimga could finally understand why there was so much fear within his soul. Five kilometres away from the castle shrouded in secrecy, a dense fog rose to over ten kilometres in height. The mist was seemingly created with snow, sand and stardust, obscuring the object that hid within the Uncharted Wilderness. Vast amounts of spiritual energies burst forth from the interior of the fog and formed a dense wall. Even with Jimga''s Rank 70 Spirit Emperor senses, he was unable to discern what laid beyond the crazy fog. However, one thing''s for certain¡­ ''If that thing''s unleashed¡­ The Black Masks would rule the region!!!'' Jimga wanted to stop the giant that lay within the fog, but alas¡­ He was far too late. The dense clouds were blown away as the elemental energies of the area doubled dramatically. With the fog gone, Jimga could observe everything that the Black Mask hid. A structure, measuring ten kilometres tall and twenty kilometres wide, towered over the region. Made by black, obsidian blocks, the structure weighed down on the forest. And most importantly, there was one vital feature of the structure that caught Jimga''s attention more than any other... ''A-A g-gate?'' The Spirit Emperor''s eyes widened in confusion. That''s right¡­ The object that the Black Masks were hiding¡­ The whole reason why they stayed this long in this god-forsaken area¡­ Was precisely because of this gargantuan gate. "We''ve originally planned to open the gate in ten years when most of our forces were depleted from the long years of killing..." Ao sighed once more. "If the gate was completed, we could have destroyed the entire Kori Federation¡­ It''s really a shame..." The World Serpent shook its head, disappointed that the gate wouldn''t be able to serve its original function. "Oh well, destroying half of the Kori Federation should be fine..." Ao gazed deep into the gate, before finally hollering out the order. "FOR THE ALLFATHER!!!" "FOR THE ALLFATHER!!!" The Black Masks within the barrier all parroted the same words. At that moment, the gears of time were finally set into motion. Black Masks of all ranks rushed to their positions and quickly churned the mechanisms needed. Tier 7 Spirit Beasts all leapt into the open, slicing a portion of their flesh off and dripping blood onto the obsidian gate. At the same time, the Uncharted Wilderness began to shake. Baduk¡­ Baduk¡­ Baduk... It wasn''t a natural disaster, and neither was it man-made. The trees that remained were quickly being dismantled, and the boulders that surrounded the area were quickly thrown down into the open. A gaping hole, one light up with dark blue particles and strengthened by the obsidian that held it together, brought forth the endless dread that lay within the lands. The Uncharted Wilderness, the world''s most secretive place, was now¡­ finally¡­ open¡­ Reeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! The first Spirit Beast to escape from the gate was a flying winged serpent. It held some resemblance to Ao, the King of Serpents, but ultimately, it was its own beast. Green toxic fluids dripped down from its fangs, staining the foresty earth that laid underneath it. Its wings were coloured in a beautiful jade as if behaving like luminous lights to attract prey. It was a fearsome creature, but that was just the beginning. A flaming humanoid giant barged out from the gates of hell, melting the leftover snow that remained on the ground. It stood at over ten metres tall and held two magma clubs in its hands, ready to dispatch the next fool that dared to look in its direction. By its side, an orange manta ray, wiggled up into the skies, as if it were a fish in the water. Spikes coiled with blue electricity shot out from its back, instantly vapourising the rain that fell upon its body. Vvvvvvvvooooooooooommmm!!! The woods of the Uncharted Wilderness continued to shake, sending tremors pulsating throughout the world. Finally, after minutes of anxious anticipation, Jimga was finally able to witness what was causing all of that mayhem. Thousands of Spirit Beasts, most of them Tier 1 and Tier 2, charged forth from the Uncharted Wilderness like a ravaging horde. Dark matter spiralled within their brains, forcing them to bolt towards the obsidian gate. Mighty beasts that were above Tier 6 weren''t the focal point of the gate¡­ It was the weaker ones that mattered the most. Wolves, bears, birds, insects, fishes, humanoids¡­ Every single Spirit Beast that the Allfather and the Black Masks had collected from the Uncharted Wilderness were all finally released. Their long years¡­ Their century-long preparations had developed to this final moment... Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Ripples spread each time the Spirit Beasts passed through the gate. The Spirit Beasts were being controlled and had no clue about what they''d just given to the massive structure. The thousands upon thousands of Spirit Beasts continued to pass through the gate under the Allfather''s influence. However¡­ Oddly enough¡­ After the Spirit Beasts passed through the gates, the dark matter that was flowing out of their foreheads immediately dissipated. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Once they passed the gates, the Spirit Beasts were immediately freed of the Allfather''s control. Their free will returned, the Spirit Beasts all chose different paths to follow. Some stuck around, purring as they stayed near the World Serpent and the powerful Black Masks that welcomed them. Others fled back into the Uncharted Wilderness, returning to whence they came. Finally, the most bloodthirsty of them all¡­ rushed further east. Their instincts were calling out to them¡­ In the east, there was food¡­ Food that couldn''t be procured in the Uncharted Wilderness. What kind of army was the most fearsome? Some might say the most armed armies, others might say the ones with the best strategists. However, they were all untrue¡­ The most feared army¡­ Was the one that you could never see coming¡­ The Allfather knew that. Thus, once the lower-tiered Spirit Beasts had served their purpose, they were free to infect the Kori Federation, killing about any human they came into contact with. As prodigal as the Prime Minister was, there was no way that he could predict the random movements of an array of Spirit Beasts. So, why did the Allfather need the Spirit Beasts to pass through that obsidian gate first? "N-No w-way..." Jimga dropped his jaw and his blade, respectively. Five minutes had passed, and the majority of Spirit Beasts that came from the Uncharted Wilderness had already passed through the giant structure. Logically speaking, this would be when the Obsidian Gate would lose its purpose. However¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ The ripples that the Spirit Beast had created started to reverse themselves, and the obsidian that made up the gate created thousands of dense mana particles. Dark figures began to assimilate from the particles that were created and soon¡­ GRRRRRRRRRAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!! An agonising wail echoed through the winter lands, turning all heads towards the massive gate. Jimga watched on as the first Spirit Beast that was made with pure darkness stepped out of the gate. It bore the same exact features as the flying winged serpent that first passed through the obsidian structure. However, unlike the coloured winged serpent¡­ This one was completely black with shadow mist flowing out from its body. And that''s not all¡­ GRRRRRRRRRAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Five more of the winged serpent Umbras escaped from the gates. With every passing second, more and more winged serpents emerged. After the winged serpents continued to roam the lands, the other Spirit Beasts had emerged from the gate as well, this time as Umbras. The pattern continued on and on, creating thousands of Umbras by the second. The spiritual energy that the gate was giving off choked the air out of any who stared deep into the abyss, not that it mattered for Ao and the rest of the Black Masks though. ''Ah¡­ The Gate of Hell¡­ What an aptly named structure¡­'' The World Serpent snorted as he watched the Umbras continuously spawn. ''Too bad we only managed to charge up half of its maximum mana... Well, whatever¡­ Five hundred million Umbras¡­ That''s still a good army to take down the Kori Federation with...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 521 Hell Is A Place On Earth 2 "T-This¡­ This is absurd!!!" Jimga screamed out at the top of his lungs. Everyone knew that Umbras were a packaged deal with the Payircis. Their greatest strength was their ability to respawn, even after being dismantled from head-to-toe. However, that was only possible due to their close proximity to the Payircis and the Paradise Heart that it housed. The false beasts were even allowed to stray a kilometre away from the floating towers. Thus, the Alliance never really thought of the Umbras as an existential threat. Yes, they were annoying to deal with, but they weren''t as important as the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. However¡­ What if, what if¡­ The Umbras didn''t need a Payirci to form? What if they could congregate in outrageous numbers to create a mindless army that didn''t fear death? Well¡­ The world was about to find out¡­ The Umbras continued to pour out of the gates as if they were simple droplets of water that gushed down the river source. The Black Masks all cheered as if they were watching their own children run a marathon. Based on the aether crystals that powered the Obsidian Gate, over five hundred million Umbras could be created. If everything goes smoothly, the Kori Federation would be infested with Umbras within the week. "W-What''s going on?!" Heigui Xuegang, the Spirit Venerate tasked with protecting Shin while he recovers his spiritual energy, had his eyes opened so wide that they almost popped out from their sockets. He was over ten kilometres up and could clearly see the colossal structure churning out Umbras at a rapid rate. It wasn''t just him. The other Spirit Venerates from the Lantis Republic were all slack-jawed at the downright terrifying scene. They had been rushing towards the scene, but a colossal gate had appeared out of nowhere. Naturally, the Spirit Venerates would be taken aback. Nonetheless, being professionals that were committed to completing their mission, the forces of the Alliance and the Lantis Republic quickly came up with a new plan of attack. "Hey, that gate¡­ what the hell is that?" Yeunghi screamed into her intercoms, hoping to get a satisfactory answer before she proceeds. "Yet another of the Allfather''s mechanisms..." Sentinel Macron spat out. "How is he able to bring a new contraption every single time?! Does he have an endless supply of innovations?!" The Spirit Venerate cursed the enigmatic leader, though it was akin to praise. "It doesn''t matter what the Allfather creates! What we need to do is close that portal!" Pangu, the Premier of the Dalgeom Sect screamed out as he brandished his sword. "We''ll need to aim for the gate! Ignore those Spirit Beasts that had already passed us by! Once the gate is destroyed, we won''t have to care about the Umbras!!!" Pangu continued to fly at breakneck speeds as he followed the scent left behind by Jimga. Yeunghi, who had reached the vicinity, swung the Durandal in the air, creating a gust of Jack Frost pixie dust. Her light body quickly landed by Jimga''s side, and in no time at all, Yeunghi grabbed onto the Tyrant Blade''s body and launched both of them a kilometre away. "Y-Yeunghi¡­ My apologies..." The injured man weakly thanked the Ice Fairy, who was expertly evading the Black Masks'' detection. "Senior Brother Jimga, what happened here?!" The swordmaiden cried, her face wholly filled with shock and fear. When Jimga fired the flare, she was just a few kilometres away and was the first to rush to the site. However, the colossal obsidian gate''s spiritual pressure was too much for the Spirit Emperor to bear, and the constant gaze of the World Serpent left little to no gap for Yeunghi to enter. Fortunately, Ao was still preoccupied with the obsidian gate opening to notice that a pesky Spirit Emperor had flown into his domain. "T-they..." Contrary to his name, the Tyrant Blade was barely able to breathe as sweat dripped down like a waterfall. "That spiritual energy¡­ That''s not of this world! How could something possess that much energy?!" Jimga glanced over his shoulder, watching the colossal gate that stood taller than anything else that surrounded it. That sense of dread and hopelessness¡­ Not even Spirit Saint Geom, the Kori Federation''s strongest Spirit Saint, could make Jimga feel that small. In fact, Jimga doubted that the Allfather even possessed that much spiritual energy! "It must be the aether crystals..." Yeunghi theorised, her vision moving back towards the immense gate. On the obsidian blocks that made up the structure, several gems were flickering, each one possessing their own unique elements. They were all spectacular, akin to the stars the filled the night sky. "The Black Masks must have stockpiled a vast collection of aether crystals just to power up this gate..." "... We need to destroy that gate..." Ignoring the cries of his aching body, Jimga got to his feet. His fingers were trembling, and his arms were barely able to carry the hefty sword. However, no matter how much pain the Tyrant Blade was in, he wouldn''t dare to let go of his sword. Seeing this, Yeunghi flashed a bitter smile. She placed her hands over Jimga''s and gently loosened his grip. "Not to worry," the woman said, her warmth transferring over to the weakened man. "You just stay still and recover¡­ The..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As she said those words, numerous flashes of light dropped down from the heavens like shooting stars. A handsome middle-aged man emerged from the first light. He was wielding a clear steel blade, one that reflected brought forth an endless rainbow of colours with each passing swing. "The Spirit Venerates¡­ They have arrived!!!" Yeunghi cheered as the most elite force in the entire world, quickly congregated into one place. The first to emerge was naturally the Dalgeom''s Sect Premier. His eyes wandered around before finally settling in on the colossal serpent that stood right before the castle in the barrier. "World Serpent¡­ We finally meet..." Pangu looked at the colossal beast, who was bearing paying any attention to the Spirit Venerate''s arrival. It was, however, looking at the countless specks of light that emerged from the distance. "Sword Venerate Pangu, mind if I join in on the fun?" Yet another light broke into the field, this time, it was a relatively young-looking boy. He had gorgeous emerald hair, and his eyes were as innocent as can be. In his left hand, there was an excellent viridian staff, with a coiled cobra''s head at the top. However, Pangu acutely knew of the Spirit Venerate''s reputation as a bloodthirsty foe. He was, after all, part of the notorious Shenshe Clan. "Could I really refuse the mighty Venerate of Cobras?" Pangu scoffed as he swung his blade down. The boy shrugged his shoulders, "Well, it depends if you''ll want to be poisoned or not!" "..." An awkward silence descended upon the duo. It was hard to tell, but the Lantis Republic and the Kori Federation weren''t particularly on the best terms. Although the maritime nation loved neutrality, there were the odd times where the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic butted heads in the past. The younger generation may not remember, but the older members of the two nations most certainly would. Their relationship was a little better now, with the existence of the Alliance and their new Prince, but old wounds don''t heal overnight. "Yowang, don''t tease the man..." Another figure emerged from the falling lights, this time, a middle-aged woman who seemed on the brink of old age. "Forgive him, Venerate Pangu¡­ My comrade here has been chasing the World Serpent for the longest time under his Spirit Saint''s orders. Now that he''d finally found it, there''s no way that he''ll sit back and do nothing right?" "Meijing Yisa..." Pangu blinked and carefully observed the woman. Just like Bingying, the woman held onto a transparent sword that brought forth the chillness of the arctics. The frosty mist that it created would blur the vision of any that dared to stare deep into its blade, and the soul-crushing spiritual energy that it produced was an eye-opener, even for the experienced Pangu. "Senior Sister Yisa, leave them be..." A younger woman leapt into the open, holding her divine rapier close to her mouth. Instantly merging with her Heavenly Sturgeon, the Xungyu Clan''s Spirit Venerate turned summoned out fifteen mirror figures of herself, all holding onto the same Mythic-Grade weapon. "Let them take on the World Serpent, our focus should be that dreadful gate." "Lengjing..." "As much as I hate to say it, the absent-minded lass is right..." A tall and suave man levitated right by Meijing Yisa''s side. He was about 1.8 metres tall and commanded a full, broad chest. His left hand held onto a black chain while his right spun a spiked flail. A phantom of the Abominable Cthulhu emerged behind his back, forcing anyone who laid eyes on the man to feel an endless feeling of inferiority. "We''re only here to deal with the Black Masks¡­ It doesn''t matter who gets the kill, as long as the Prince gets the Blade of Death, we can all go home happy," said a black-haired man as he summoned his Sovereign Koi. "The Longyu Clan would do anything in its power to give the Prince his wish..." "Yeah, yeah¡­ We all know of your devotion to the Prince, Xiuteo..." A ghastly man with hollow cheeks floated from the side. Just like Zhangyu Yaofu, the Spirit Venerate with the Abominable Cthulhu, the man had summoned a phantom of his Spirit to stand by his side. The Seven-Headed Hydra bared all of its fangs as the winds began to churn around the man. "... You want to go?" Longyu Xiuteo looked back at the gaunt man with raised fists. "Qilong Wuga, you may be stronger than me, but I won''t let that derisive tone slide." "Oh, the bitch is ready to bite on behalf of its master, ey?" The Qilong Clan''s Spirit Venerate spat. Yes, he was disrespecting Shin, but what of it? He was a Spirit Venerate, and the brat was a mere Spirit Lord. To him, it didn''t make sense that the rest of the nation was bowing their heads in subservience to the child who barely lived in the Lantis Republic for four years. "Enough!!!" At that moment, a dominating voice descended upon the two Spirit Venerates, shutting both their mouths up. They were Rank 83 and 85, respectively, capable of towering over ninety-nine percent of the world''s population with ease. For someone to inflict pressure on them¡­ There could only be one person¡­ A grey-haired woman, who had the signature golden whale hairpin holding her gorgeous falling hair together, stood right above the squabbling pair. Her eyes were fiercer than Lord Yama''s glare, and the mana she unleashed was almost as potent as the World Serpent''s. "Jingyu Hilin..." Pangu narrowed his eyes, welcoming the ''leader'' of the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates with a hapless smile. At Rank 88, Jingyu Hilin was the most powerful Spirit Venerate among the eight elites that were chosen to accompany Shin. Her powers were no less than his own, and she would most definitely give Sentinel Macron a run for his money. The woman glared at Longyu Xiuteo and Qilong Wuga one final time to ensure that they were settled. Only then did she finally turn to the Dalgeom Sect''s Premier. "Venerate Pangu, I know that your powers are unparalleled amongst men and you wish to avenge your pupil''s life¡­ However, the World Serpent is not a foe to be underestimated. If you don''t mind, my comrades, Shenshe Yowang and Zhangyu Yaofu would be here to assist you. As for the other Black Masks and that Obsidian Gate..." At her signal, all of the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates spiked their mana and unleashed their domains. If one felt that a Spirit Saint''s presence was intimidating try, having eight Spirit Venerates unleash their Venerate Soul at the same time! "Let us deal with them..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 522 Hell Is A Place On Earth 3 BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Dust and ash flew out from the core of the Black Mask base, tainting the world in a white and grey hue. Thunderstrikes flashed throughout the thick smoke, while hundreds of Umbras were instantly fried. A ghastly man emerged from the smog with a fearsome Seven-Headed Hydra flying by his side. The winds and lightning coils that surrounded him were enough to deal with the lower-tiered Umbras that ran out from the gate in droves, and the man had every intention to destroy any darkness beasts that dared to crawl in his path. "Wuga, watch where you''re firing that thing!" Xunyu Lengjing, the rapier-wielding Spirit Venerate, cursed the Qilong Clan''s domain user. "Each time you fire your Tempest Cannon, everyone nearby would be affected!" "Hmph! My Tempest Cannon is enough to deal with them brats!" The gaunt man snorted. "If you feel that I''m hindering you, go fight in a different location!" "Like I said¡­ Urgh¡­ This guy doesn''t listen..." Before Xunyu Lengjing could retort, the Seven-Headed Hydra flew higher into the skies, absorbing as much spiritual energy that it could. The young-looking woman rubbed the temples of her forehead, before finally turning to her fellow comrade. "Senior Sister Yisa, please boost me¡­ I don''t think that my body can handle the attacks from two fronts..." "Haha, do your best!" The middle-aged woman replied with a bitter smile. From the beginning, Jingyu Hilin, the Rank 88 ''leader'', had divided their tasks equally. Qilong Wuga and Longyu Xiuteo, who were both masters in wide-area combat, were to thin down the number of Umbras that the Black Mask was creating. Xunyu Lengjing would be responsible for taking down the upper-tiered Umbras or the more powerful Black Masks that stayed within the castle. Shenshe Yowang and Zhangyu Yaofu would be assisting the Dalgeom Sect''s Sword Venerate Pangu in taking on the World Serpent while Meijing Yisa supported the rest with her boosting ability. Finally¡­ Jingyu Hilin¡­ The leader herself¡­ was responsible for the most crucial aspect¡­ Taking down the colossal obsidian gate that measured over ten kilometres tall. Only Heigui Xuegang, who was busy defending Shin from any potential threat, wasn''t present to deal with the Black Masks. The other seven Spirit Venerates that Shin had brought over were now fighting their own respective battles, and that wasn''t all¡­ GGGGGGRRRRRRRRROOOAAAAAAARRRR!!! With an amazing vigour, all of the Azure Dragons that were under Shin''s command blasted through the skies. They opened up their amazing jaws, biting down on every single foe that stood in their path. Dense mana particles flowed out from the two leading Azure Dragons, turning into heavy breaths that collapsed the entire sky. The aerial dominance of the flying umbras, particularly the winged serpents, were now being broken. Though¡­ That success didn''t last for long... "Hup!!!" A tense manly groan echoed through the skies as a black shadow was flung up. One of the Azure Dragons, who was closest to the attack, was instantly struck by the heavy bludgeon and was sent spiralling down onto the ground. The other Azure Dragons quickly flew back to assist their fallen brother, only to be stopped by yet another dastardly hammer. As the smoke dissipated, a tall shadow emerged from within the barrier. Brown-hair and severely obese, the Brahmin that emerged held onto a black iron hammer as if it were a piece of candy. Not one Azure Dragon dared to fly close to the Brahmin, fearing the wrath of the large hammer. "Pffttt, even the mighty Azure Dragons fear my hammer!" The fat man raised both his arms over his head in jubilation. "Hey, if you''re that afraid, why don''t you run along now! I won''t blame you in the slightest!" That obvious taunt didn''t go unheard. All of the Azure Dragons universally cracked their faces, and heated mist flowed out from their mouths. Dragons were always prideful creatures. From birth, they were blessed with an ungodly amount of mana and the growth rates were second to none. If anyone were to be prideful, it was them. How could a mere Brahmin dare to look down on them?! One of the Azure Dragons who faithfully served Zishen rushed to the front and bared all of his deadly fangs. "Arrogant human..." The Dragon cried out in the human tongue. There were indignation and anger in its tone, but that didn''t intimidate the Brahmin in the slightest. "State your name¡­" "Me?" The fat man pointed to himself, amused that the Azure Dragon would ask for such a demand. "My name is Pangzi! Though it shouldn''t really matter to you..." The Brahmin took up his hammer and slammed onto the earthen soil. Five terrestrial golems, each one bearing the identical black hammers, emerged from the snowy lands and took to the skies like deadly missiles. "You know¡­ I never had Dragon''s meat before¡­ I''m really curious as to how it tastes like..." "GRRRRAAOORRRRRRRRRRRR!!!" One Azure Dragon roared, this time, its eyes were completely bloodshot, and the breath that it unleashed was a thousand times hotter than before. It wanted to rip that fatso in front of it into pieces of lard, even if it meant risking its own life in the process. Fortunately, the ''leader'' of the Azure Dragons stopped its compatriot before anything brash was done. The ''leader'' of the Azure Dragons closed its eyes and spied deep down into its Beast Soul. Inside, there were thousands of Celestial particles, each one gleaming with an otherworldly hue. It was warm, gentle¡­ but most importantly¡­ fierce and powerful. The Azure Dragon quickly took deep breaths in, assimilating with the remnant blessings that Shin had bestowed upon it. The mana quickly melted down into the Dragon''s core before finally¡­ Bling! A meandering sparkling river, highly reminiscent to that of the Celestial River, dazzled the Azure Dragon''s forehead. It was now¡­ No longer a Tier 8 Spirit Beast. It had entered into the realm that was hard to reach, even for Dragons that were blessed by the elements. It was now, a Tier 9 Spirit Beast. "It''s decided¡­ The Azure Dragons will take you down, Pangzi¡­ Let it be known to all that those that cross our paths¡­ Never return in one piece!!!" "Hoho..." The fat man sent a thousand hammers flying at the Azure Dragon''s direction, only for them to be expertly countered by a single breath. However, Pangzi wasn''t deterred. Instead, a dense earthen ball of mud rose from the surface, giving the Spirit Venerate a platform for him to stand on as balls of clay orbited around him. With a sly smile, the fat man licked his lips: "I''d like to see you try!!!" ??? Each battlefield''s respective battle had finally begun. Spiritual energies went wild as many tremors shocked the entire region, while hurricanes broke through the surface. Trees that filled the area had all been uprooted while the winter snow had been replaced with ash, dirt and rainwater. Theoretically, nowhere was safe from the onslaught of the Spirit Venerates. However, there was one place that was wholly unaffected by the summoning of Hell upon the Kori Federation¡­ A kilometre away from the Illusory Canyon, there was a cave that was obscured by one of the Soul Trees that the spawned nearby. To further blend into the surroundings, there were countless of dense overgrowth and mossy plants littered all over its entrance. Just like the castle fifty kilometres away, the cave was protected by a powerful barrier, one that couldn''t be destroyed even if a Spirit Venerate attacked it with their full might. It really was the perfect hideaway for anyone that wanted to escape the carnage. However, even though it was the best place to be, it didn''t stop a young woman from worrying excessively. "Are you sure that this place is safe?" The woman embraced her plump little baby, nuzzling his mouth at her left breast. She was trying to quell the cries of the infant, who was just a few weeks old and sensitive to the loud noises. "Don''t worry, Shia¡­ I''ll never place you in an unsafe location..." A viridian-haired man answered her cries. "Senior Vellan would be stationed here throughout the ordeal¡­ If push comes to shove, he''ll escape with you and Errol. Everything has been planned out¡­ You don''t have to worry about a thing!" Junius gave his signature smile, gently stroking Shia''s head in the process. "What about you?" Shia couldn''t help but notice that Junius had left his own name out of the equation. "Ah, I''ll be here too!" The Brahmin assured. "However, there might be an instance where I''ll be called out to protect the Illusory Canyon. So, there''s no guarantee that I''ll escape with you when the time comes." "What?! That can''t be!" Shia grabbed on Junius'' shirt, her face was on the verge of tears. "You can''t let me be a widow!" "Hey, watch your mouth!" Junius replied by pinching the woman''s adorable lips shut. He smiled and leaned in for a short kiss before releasing the pressure on his fingers. "Who said that I''m going to die? Are you cursing your husband?" "No, that''s not what I meant!" Flustered, Shia flailed her arms in the air. "I just¡­ Can''t stand the thought of losing any more members of my family..." Junius'' wife was a fair bit older than himself, but she still behaved like a spoilt child that wished for her family''s comfort. There was no helping it. After the Awter Clan fell, those that survived the massacre had bonded together like a family. They were all motivated by the same goal and served the same purpose. However, over the years, their numbers were thinned down rapidly, either by losing their lives on Black Masks missions or simply dying due to disease or old age. Before, there used to be over a hundred survivors. Now... barely two dozen remained. Shia has seen too many people she loved leave to never come back. She couldn''t do that again with Junius¡­ Junius was the ''leader,'' the shining light for the survivors. And most importantly, he was her husband and the father of her child. If Shia lost Junius... "Hehe, don''t worry¡­ I won''t die! I promise!" Junius gave a broad smile, showing his full set of pearly teeth. "Hey, I want to see Errol grow up! I want to see him marry a bride and give me a hall full of grandkids! There''s no way I would throw my life away, right?" "Ah¡­ Right..." "So, there''s no need to worry! For now, just rest with Errol in the chambers¡­ I need to be alert, lest the Allfather calls for me..." Junius gently tucked his wife, who was breastfeeding his son, into the bed as he gave her a goodbye kiss. Junius got out of the room and plastered his back against the wall. A despondent sigh escaped from the man''s mouth as he gazed up at the ceiling. "Family, huh?" The Brahmin blinked twice, thinking about all of the past experiences that had led him to this point. Based on the headquarters orders, Junius was to wait in the safe house and was only allowed to secretly leave once the battle had concluded. However, deep down, both the Black Masks and he knew that it wouldn''t end that simply... "Junius..." A broad-chested man emerged from the end of the hallway, calling out the viridian-haired man. "Senior Vellan," Junius smiled at his senior''s entrance. Vellan stopped just inches away from the door opening his ears to the best of his ability. When no sound was heard, the man asked. "Has the mother and child settled down yet?" "... Give her some more time," Junius replied. "Haha, that''s to be expected!" The hefty man bellowed out. "It''s chaos outside after all! I doubt any baby can sleep soundly..." "..." Junius carefully gazed at the burly man, noticing every change of expression that he had. Worried by the unsettling gazed, Vellan sweated and anxiously asked: "What''s the matter? Did I say something wrong?" "No.. That''s not it..." Junius shook his head. "Senior Vellan¡­ You know that I trust you more than anyone else in the Black Masks¡­ No, I probably trust you more than anyone in my life, save Shia." "Yeah..." "So¡­ Actually..." Junius'' eyes shifted around like a wildcat, not sure if he should divulge the information that he had. However, in the end, the man dropped his shoulders and gazed right into the colossal man''s eyes. "Senior Vellan¡­ Could you do me a favour?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 523 Hell Is A Place On Earth 4 "This is hell..." Kanari''s fearful voice softly tickled the eardrums of Ella and Emma. They were standing far from the humongous obsidian gate and therefore, far away from the heart of the battle. The Spirit Venerates, being forces that could change the maps of a region with a swing of their blade, continuously forced billions of dust particles into the air as Umbras were hacked in droves. Fire spewed out from the destruction, even though the deluge that the World Serpent had summoned continued to grow stronger by the second. There was next to nothing that Kanari and the twins could do to assist in the battle. Any stray attack by the Spirit Venerates would be capable of decimating their bodies, and they would be taking a one-way trip to the River Styx. Their only task¡­ was to mow down any Spirit Beasts or Umbras that entered into their camp. In her Spiritual Body Enhancement form, Kanari sent a pale, flaming ball at the charging bull that zoomed past the camp. Just like the Black Masks, the Alliance had created a temporary camp made with simple makeshift tents that could be dismantled and rearranged within minutes. It wasn''t particularly fortified with thousands of men or potent cannons that packed firepower capable of destroying forts. However, it did have a plethora of divine talents¡­ Ella and Emma would expertly snipe down all of the flying creatures that attempted to pass them by while Kanari would burn down the threats on the ground using her domain. The other Spirit Emperors that were stationed here to protect them felt like they had their jobs stolen and wore sullen faces. "To tell the truth, I would love to be by Shin''s side now..." Kanari gazed up into the heavens'' in the rough direction that her lover had flown to. As they spoke, Shin was busy recharging his mana for the eventual final assault against the Black Masks. Although he''d promised to return before charging right at Junius, Kanari and the twins were sceptical if Shin would really adhere to his promise. "We all would¡­" Emma frowned and dropped her head. "However, we would just be a burden to him¡­ For now, we should wait patiently for his return..." Another nocked arrow was released from Emma''s body as it flew over a kilometre into the air. The falcon beast stood no chance and fell straight down into oblivion. Ella was doing well herself, with her icicles rushing out from her bow at astonishing speeds. Of the three, she was by far¡­ The quietest. Her mind wasn''t even on the Spirit Beasts that surrounded them. Instead, they were looking further west, waiting for even the slightest hint of Junius. "Are you sure that Junius would be hiding in the base? It doesn''t make sense for him to be among the Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts..." "We don''t have to worry about that," Kanari replied, her eyes narrowing down even more. "Venerate Maurice says that Junius is the Champion of the Tree of Illusions. For him, the safest place to hide would most definitely be in that region..." The black-haired beauty gentled tapped on Ella''s shoulders as a bitter smile crept up the corners of her lips. "Don''t worry¡­ Even if Shin were to pull his punches, I would be there to take Junius down¡­ He killed Shizen, and I don''t intend to let him get away with it!" Kanari felt responsible for allowing the nature boy to venture into the Illusory Canyon. If she hadn''t given Shizen the opportunity, perhaps the hobbit-like boy would be hopping around Ella, annoying her to death. However, the past could never be changed. What Kanari needed to do now¡­ Was to make sure that Shizen was properly avenged. "Kanari¡­ Something''s off..." Emma, the most alert of them all, suddenly jumped back in alert. Her ears were twitching uncontrollably while her nose was shifting from side-to-side. They could sense something that Kanari and Ella could not¡­ "What is it?" "The ground¡­ Was it always that tingly?" Emma asked. "Are you talking about the earthquakes created by the Spirit Venerates?" Kanari tried to confirm her friend''s suspicions. Yes, the ground beneath them was roaring, but it had been shaking ever since the battle began. There was nothing odd about it then, so there shouldn''t be anything wrong about it now. However, Emma quickly shook her head. "No, this is different¡­ The source of the tremors seems more¡­ It seems closer than before..." Emma elaborated on her worry. "That''s¡­ You''re right..." Ella, her twin sister, instantly fell down to the earth and placed her ear above the ground. It was a time-old trick, but it had always worked. "The tingly sensation that Emma''s talking about¡­ It isn''t from the Spirit Venerate attacks!!! They''re coming from underneath us!!!" "What?!" Kanari jerked into alert. She leapt away from the Spirit Beasts and Umbras that stayed in her domain and promptly retreated to her butler Claudia and her Spirit Venerate bodyguard, Thea. The twins promptly did the same. The other Spirit Emperors of the Alliance were wholly unaware of the change in the earth and were focusing on stopping as many Umbras as they possibly could. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ "What''s this?" One Spirit Emperor finally noticed the odd change, ten seconds after Kanari and the twins made it back to safety. She stopped on the battlefield and gently placed her fingers down on the cold, muddied floor. The trembles continued to intensify, ignoring the cries of the beasts that roamed above the ground. The Alliance members that were mindlessly killing the enemies quickly ground to a halt, holding their weapons a little more cautiously now. Alas, it was a little too late¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!! A colossal detonation erupted from the bottom of the earth, decimating anything that stood at the surface. The explosion was in a beautiful shade of crimson and was emitting a mesmerising light that dazzled any that gazed into it. Light continued to flow out like a reverse waterfall, as the mushroom cloud of the explosion took the shape of a gorgeous crimson flower. Lightning flashed within the core of the Crimson Rose, and dense mana particles warmed the faces of any that stood before the light, Kanari included. Oddly enough, the woman felt that the Crimson Rose was quite familiar. It was warm and devoted, much like someone she once knew. However, the stench of blood and crude power that was used to create such a spectacle¡­ It was something that Kanari hated more than any other. Peering into the bottom of the lit-up crevice, Kanari could see a dense network of passageways, each one wide and complex. Thousands of beasts made with pure obsidian horror crawled out from the tunnels, further plaguing the already dirtied world. Like the other Umbras that crawled out from the Obsidian Gate, the beasts ranged from Tier 1 to Tier 6, each one carrying their own unique characteristics. Some could create poison, others mauled their enemies with the power of their own bodies. "There''s no way that we could beat those numbers..." Kanari remarked, her voice no longer holding the same confidence as before. Thea, the only Spirit Venerate protecting Kanari and the rest, was also holding a broken frown. In truth, she wanted to scoop Kanari right now and fly back to the Himmel Empire, where it was the safest. However, fortunately, it looked like the Spirit Venerate bodyguard didn''t have to resort to that method just yet... The Umbras all charged on by the camp, ignoring the injured Spirit Emperors and the youngsters that stood on by. Many of them moved haphazardly as if unburdened with the curse of intelligence. They barged forwards with their fangs and claws unleashed focused on one direction and one direction only¡­ East. "They''re ignoring us..." Ella remarked, amazed by the sight. "Yeah, it looks like they''re more focused with invading the Kori Federation..." Emma thought out loud, her nails firmly in the centre of her two front teeth. "Though, that isn''t all that bad¡­ Kanari, we should leave the base and find somewhere a little safer. That way¡­ Kanari?" The bob-haired archer raised her brow, confused as to why her friend was staring straight into the tunnels like a fish with an opened mouth. However, it didn''t take her long to find out why¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "T-That''s!" Like Kanari, Emma dropped her jaw as she followed her friend''s line of sight. There were a handful of Black Masks, each one with their Spirit summoned and weapons drawn. The majority of them had Umbras standing underneath them, acting as faithful mounts. However, that wasn''t the main reason why Kanari had halted her movements. The man standing at the very front¡­ The man that stood over two metres tall and was covered in a thick iron sheen¡­ Kanari knew him¡­ No, everyone in Imperius Academy, nay¡­ Everyone in the Himmel Empire''s High Society knew of that devoted face. It was none other than the world''s most dedicated lovebird himself¡­ Fred Newton. "Fred..." Kanari spat, her face contorted wildly. "Kanari¡­ Oh, my beautiful Kanari¡­ How do you like my present?" The man flew up from the broken floor and landed just ten metres away from the woman. Thea moved to the front, and like a mother hen, the Spirit Venerate placed her arm in front of Kanari''s. The man with the Iron Giant Spirit squinted his eyes but didn''t mutter out a single word in complaint. Instead, his face was firmly attached to the love of his life''s slender body. Before, when Kanari was still a teenager, her S-line was nowhere near this defined. An ample bosom and an hourglass figure that would make any man drool, Kanari had now grown into a full-fledged woman¡­ and that drove Fred utterly crazy. "I see you''ve grown quite spectacularly over the years." "And I see that you''ve remained the same¡­ A fucking pervert that doesn''t know his limits..." Kanari continuously spat venom, utterly disgusted by Fred''s morbid use of his powers. "I''ve heard that you''ve gone missing, but never would I have imagined that you''d joined the Black Masks¡­ Have you really stooped that low?!" "HAHAHA!!! Who are you to judge me?! The woman that had rejected my love so many times?!" A vein popped in the colossal man''s forehead. "I had everything! I had talent! I had the looks! I had the prospect to become someone big! Every single girl would die to have a date with me and yet to rejected me over fifty times!!! In the end, you even settled with some random brat that loved someone else! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT STOOPED LOW!!!" Fred continued to holler in a white-hot rage. "I did everything right¡­ Yet, you didn''t even want to look in my direction¡­ So¡­ I turned to other prospects..." "Hmph! And you think that you''ll win my heart by joining the Black Masks?!" Kanari scoffed in fury. If she were frank, Kanari didn''t hate Fred at all. She just didn''t feel any love or attraction to the man. "No..." Fred shook his head as he waved his arms up. In his right hand, there was a black crystal, one that emitted a sinister wave of energy. As Fred raised the crystal higher, a portion of the Umbras that were charging out to the East stopped in their tracks and made an abrupt turn towards the young ladies and their protectors. "I''ve given up on winning your heart, Kanari¡­ I''ve learnt my lesson¡­ No matter how many times I try to prove myself, I''ll only be hurting myself..." The man exhaled and raised both his arms tragically, like an opera lead performing in the theatre. "However, although I can''t win your heart¡­ I can at least obtain your body¡­ See, there''s a senior in the Black Masks that has a trick to reanimate the dead..." There was no need for Fred to elaborate any further. The five women that heard Fred''s speech instantly scowled and their pupils shrunk back in disgust. There was no need for any sympathy now¡­ Fred Newton, once the brightest star of the Imperius Academy¡­ Was now an enemy that had to be killed no matter the cost. "So, Kanari¡­ My beloved Kanari¡­ Die for me, will you?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 524 Love... What A Tragedy 1 Before I start the chapter, I have an announcement to make about my P A T R E O N. I''ll be deleting my highest tier ($20) and will be altering the other tiers accordingly. So do consider pledging if you''re interested! Tier 1 ($2) --- Read 5 chapters in advance Tier 2 ($5) --- Read 10 chapters in advance Tier 3 ($10) --- Read 21 chapters in advance ??? "You disgust me, Fred..." Kanari''s entire body was wreathed in pale blue flames as her mana output continued to climb. Her domain continued to stretch far and wide, creating a tense atmosphere for anyone to breathe in. At Rank 51, Kanari was far stronger than most of her peers. Not to mention, her Kumiho Spirit highly versatile and extremely powerful. Although it couldn''t compare with Shin''s Celestial Dragon, the Kumiho was still a Legendary-Beast Spirit that was capable of using three elements. "Say what you want, Kanari¡­ I don''t care anymore!" The man coated in a dark-iron hue directed his crystal right at the ladies. Umbras screeched in happiness, like puppies finally released from their collars. "Kill them all!!!" Fred barked. Fred''s objectives had changed drastically. He didn''t need Kanari''s soul to be housed in that voluptuous body. He only needed the body to satisfy his own carnal and emotional needs. Momo, one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, had promised to reanimate the woman, no matter what shape the corpse was in. If so, Fred would be able to live his fantasy, making the Kanari into his loving, faithful wife. Thea wasn''t going to just let that happen though¡­ The Spirit Venerate raised her weapon and let out a berserker''s war-cry. The shockwave that flowed out from her mouth pushed all the Umbras far away as the spiritual pressure she unleashed pushed many of those beasts on the floor. Not only that, the Black Masks that emerged from the tunnels were all universally kneeling on the ground, completely flattened by the Spirit Venerate''s presence. "Tsskkk, annoying bitch..." Fred clicked his tongue, unconsciously taking two steps back. The other Spirit Emperors were still recovering from the initial explosion and were mostly immobilized. Only Thea, the woman responsible for taking care of Kanari throughout her stay in the Lantis Republic, was fully healthy. Still, that one woman was enough to hold the Black Masks back. Thea continued to spew out dense mana particles as her fingers turned into a solid claw. She wanted to kill the toad that lusted over the swan''s flesh in one single palm strike; however, Thea''s movements was stopped by a soft, supple arm. "Aunt Thea¡­ You should focus on the other Black Masks and the Umbras..." Kanari coldly said. "I was the one who caused his fall, so I should be the one to end him¡­ Let me deal with the pervert." "Kanari¡­ Are you sure?" "Yeah..." the black-haired girl nodded. "Against someone like him, lifting one finger is more than enough." Kanari''s nine fluffy tails wagged against the torrents as her claws were instantly sharpened. A pale green flame ignited from the centre of her left palm while her right was decorated in her signature blue foxfire. Both of the flames were mesmerizing to watch, but their functions were far less beautiful. The green fire¡­ Kanari''s Mind Flame, was a spiritual ability that directly targeted one''s consciousness. Those that were inflicted by the flame would fall into the femme fatale''s control and would be manipulated beyond their body''s control. The blue fire was far less sinister, but it didn''t mean that it was weak. Packing enough mana to burn down an entire forest, Kanari''s Foxfire would detonate anyone that dared to come near. Adding to the flames, Kanari had her domain firmly set up, creating thousands of gorgeous auroras that glittered the rainy day. With her gale control, Kanari could expertly fan her flames, making her overall power output a dozen times more dangerous. "Phew¡­" Emma whistled as she slowly took a few steps back. It seemed that many people had forgotten that before Kanari became known as Shin''s other half, the woman was once renowned throughout the modern world as the Witch of the South, the most talented genius that the Himmel Empire had. Just like Shin, once she unleashed all of her powers, there were only one or two Spirit Lords in the world that could deal with her, let alone a hack like Fred, who needed the support of the Allfather''s mana. "You could have lived a happy life in the Highgarden Duchy¡­ You could have become one of my most treasured lieutenants..." Kanari looked at the fallen prodigy, not just with rage, but with a tinge of sympathy. In a certain aspect, Kanari felt responsible for causing Fred''s fall from grace. Therefore¡­ Kanari felt obligated to be the one to end him. "It''s a pity¡­ A pity that you''ve chosen this path..." The beauty leapt high in the air, creating a flaming tempest that was coloured in green and blue. It was as if a miniature, decorated sun had been summoned to grace the earth and charm the poor souls that laid eyes on it. All of the Black Masks and Umbras who saw the beautiful sun were spellbound and locked to their positions. Only those with slightly higher resistance to the Mind-Elements were able to keep their wits. "Die..." Kanari waved her arm down and the sun she created fell rapidly onto the centre of the Black Masks. BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Kanari''s sun found the weakest point of the formation and triggered an explosion of epic proportions. Anything within half a kilometre''s radius was burnt to shreds, and the Black Masks that weren''t in the Spirit Core realm had fallen into a pile of dust. It was hell, even for those that remained living. The residue green flames that piled on the ground kept infiltrating and disrupting the survivor''s minds, bringing all of their actions to an abrupt halt. Fred gritted his teeth, annoyed that his men were weak enough to perish from one attack. "Fucking useless!" Fred spat, turning to the one man he trusted. "Charles! Assist me!" A lean Black Mask that wore the signature mask with a green snake embroidered at the centre of its forehead ran out of the tunnels and sent a wave of mana into Fred''s Spectre Soul. His already giant body started to swell, and the iron skin that toughened his body was getting more and more chromatic. Fred''s weight must have doubled as his feet sunk more in-depth into the muddied soil, making it hard for anyone to move him with any attack. "Invincible Iron Body? Hmph! I''d fought with much tougher opponents before!" Kanari scoffed and raised both her arms into the sky. An illusion of five gorgeous moons graced the rainy skies as her mana surged to astronomical heights. Her five fingers were outstretched, and her nails clawing at the crazy skies. Fire elements turned the moist air crisp, and the winds started to spiral around the gorgeous five moons that took over the heavens. Fred''s weight was now doubled, and his muscles were swelled up. With his enhanced properties, perhaps he could evade one of the moons, but there was no way that Fred could completely escape all five of them. So, the warrior decided to take the legendary attack head-on... "LUNAR BEAM!!!" Her preparations complete, Kanari unleashed her signature ability. Five luminous strikes fell from the heavens, completely evaporating every single raindrop that fell in her domain. TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! TUM!!! The five beams travelled halfway through the air before breaking into countless smaller rays. Light fell onto the poor ground like a meteor shower wrecking the poor world. Dozens of explosions filled the moist, muddied floor, creating a broken Hell on the face of the earth. Fred stood on and tanked all of those hits. Each time one beam slammed upon his dominant metallic body, the Spirit Lord could feel his entire soul screaming out in terror. An intense heat, one that far exceeded that of molten lava, attempted to melt Fred''s Invincible Iron Body¡­ and it was on the verge of succeeding. If the man hadn''t gotten buffed by the Allfather''s mana and Charles immense supportive abilities, Fred would have long turned into a pool of metallic waste. "Hoh¡­ You actually survived that?" Kanari was briefly amazed. Not many, including Shin himself, could take her Lunar Beams Head-on without fear. One could only imagine what lengths Fred had gone through to toughened his body to its current state. "KANARI!!!" The man slammed both his crisscrossed arms down and unleashed a Lion''s roar. He leapt from his position and charged straight at the Kumiho woman. At the same time, he broke the black crystal that was handed down to him, creating a dense blackened fog that reigned terror upon the cold world. Quickly, the Umbras lost all sense of control. Their movements turned haphazard as they have forgotten the difference between friend and foe. Many of the Black Masks, which should have been protected by the Umbras, were now simply prey to the mad beasts. Injured bodies were ripped to shreds while healthy ones were targeted for no apparent reason. So why¡­ Why did Fred break the crystal and in essence, shatter the control he had over the Umbras? Well, the answer was quite simple¡­ GRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Almost instantly, each and every one of the darkness beasts howled in hunger as their eyes turned as red as the fluids within all living things. Dark mist pulsated out from their bodies, contaminating the air with a putrid stench. The Umbras all grew like swollen pigs and the mana of death that was housed in their bodies drastically increased. Some of the beasts even upped a tier, something that was completely unheard of in the long history of man. "They''re growing stronger..." Kanari winced, pulling her arms back. Fred threw the broken fragments of the crystal into the air before finally leaping into the air. He no longer needed to control the beasts and could now focus on ripping the heart out of Kanari''s chest. Thea, who was busy killing off some of the stronger Umbras, was tempted to jump back to the beauty''s side. However, a menacing scowl by that very same woman stopped the Spirit Venerate in her tracks. "I see that you''ve grown stronger..." Kanari sighed as she closed her gorgeous eyes. The aurora domain continued to flow around her as an illusory mist escaped from the depths of her Spectre Soul. She raised both her arms up, peaking the spiritual energies that hid within. Bits of the Celestial starlight was incorporated into her mana pool, no thanks to the wonder boy that she slept next to every day. And then¡­ The Spirit Lord paused. On her left hand, there was an illusion of a gorgeously lit-up full moon. It shone with the essence of a beautiful celestial night and brought forth a divine hue that was unmatched by the ages. On Kanari''s right, there was a green and blue coloured sun. "The moon on the left¡­ The sun on the right¡­" Kanari''s face radiated out in glorious splendour. "Fred¡­ Let me bring you back to the light¡­" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 525 Love... What A Tragedy 2 Before I start the chapter, I have an announcement to make about my P A T R E O N. I''ll be deleting my highest tier ($20) and will be altering the other tiers accordingly. So do consider pledging if you''re interested! Tier 1 ($2) --- Read 5 chapters in advance Tier 2 ($5) --- Read 10 chapters in advance Tier 3 ($10) --- Read 21 chapters in advance ??? Kanari was the first person among Shin''s group to advance into the Spirit Lord realm. Many tend to forget, but before she was the Prince of the Lantis Republic''s consort, Kanrai was the heir of the Highgarden Duchy. The Duchess of Highgarden had been supplying Kanari with a constant source of resources and mentors that could help her unlock her best potentials. Not to mention, the Kumiho Spirit has many prior users, which meant that there were much more recorded tomes about cultivating the Spirit, unlike Shin''s Celestial Dragon. Adding to the fact that Kanari was the biggest beneficiary to Shin''s residue essence, it was no surprise to anyone that she breezed her way into the Spirit Lord realm. The two orbs, one representing the aspect of the solar, the other taking the form of the lunar, continued to mesmerise all who peered into its divine power. The everlasting downpour of Ao''s doing should have long extinguished any flames in the area and diminish whatever fire elements that existed. However, that didn''t affect Kanari''s power one bit¡­ The Solar and Lunar orbs left the ethereal beauty''s fingertips and orbited around her like they were satellites to her body. The spiritual pressure that Kanari unleashed was also a cut above any Spirit Lord that existed. Auroras continued to flow out of the black-haired woman''s body, creating an endless domain that could only be described as otherworldly. "Ah¡­ So beautiful..." Fred stopped in his tracks, completely spellbound by the empyreal scene. His mind darkened as a flashing film emerged from the recesses of his memories. Fred had lived in extreme poverty for a good part of his early childhood years. His parents were born paupers, and their fate was carried down to the young Fred. Months before he was born, Fred''s father left his pregnant mom, uninterested in raising a child when he was suffering on his own. When he was one, his mother was forced to prostitute herself to earn what little money she could to support the budding infant. When Fred was five, he had to rummage through trash cans in the slums, praying to the Immortals that he would get an unfinished lunch that someone threw out. Every single day of his early childhood, Fred had been suffering. His mother, who had long been broken down by the years of abuse to her body, passed away before Fred was even nine-years-old. Left alone in this world, Fred was forced to fend for himself. He lacked everything in the world, except for a phenomenally strong body. By fighting against the other beggars in the slum, Fred had obtained a potent body that could easily overpower those that were twice his age. Fred train in the conventional sense as just trying to stay alive for the next day was training enough. He would fight off beggars for food scraps and even steal from vendors. All just to survive. Everything changed when Fred turned ten years of age. Just like every other child his age, Fred attended the mandatory Spiritual Awakening Ceremony, conducted by the Himmel Empire''s missionaries in the local church. His amazing constitution and colossal size at ten-years-old made Fred a child to watch during the Day of Spirits. Sure enough, the child pauper who struggled to even feed himself on some days awakened the Iron Giant Spirit, a mutated elemental Spirit that was sure to put him onto a path of greatness. From then on, nobles whose territories surrounded the slums began to take notice of the new wonder kid. Some of them tried to woo Fred over, with the promise of a solid roof over his head and the fact that he wouldn''t have to scour for food ever again. However, in the end, Fred decided to go with the household that seemed the most generous with their offer. The nobility that his friend Charles was formerly from. Slowly, Fred would climb up the ranks, becoming a retainer for the very noble that took him in. Fred''s expertise in martial arts and cultivation was staggering, particularly for someone who had no actual background. At the age of thirteen, he had reached the Spirit Apostle realm and was capable of learning Spiritual Body Enhancement. Not only that, Fred''s long years in the slums had honed his cunning and survival abilities. His temperament was perfect, never complaining about a single session of training. In fact, he sought out more training, even though he wholly didn''t have to. As Fred grew older, more and more people started to take notice. He''d even become close friends with Charles, and the noble family was going to sponsor him throughout his education. Overnight¡­ Fred turned from a budding nobody, into a genius that everyone would fawn over. Thus, Charles'' father had started seeing Fred as an asset no less valuable than his own son. He forced the youngster to take etiquette lessons, foreseeing that Fred would marry into a High Noble''s faction in the future. He gave the boy all the resources he''d given Charles¡­ Basically, anything to foster a good relationship with Fred, Charles'' had done. And that includes bringing him to High Society parties that were inaccessible by mere peasants. Fred remained rooted to the ground, watching on as Kanari''s gorgeous Solar and Lunar Dance was reaching its apex. "It''s just like that day..." he muttered in pure awe. Many years ago, when Fred was still under rigorous training, news had broke that the Highgarden Duchess was inviting every noble under the Himmel Flag to attend her daughter''s twelfth birthday. Everyone had long heard of the Highgarden Duchess pretty little flower, a genius that awakened the legendary Kumiho Spirit. From a young age, her distinct and adorable features showed hints of the beauty she was to become, making her the prime target for nobles who wanted to set their son''s up. Hundreds of nobles attended that party in Highgarden. Extravagant wine and scrumptious delicacies were served, while lower nobles rubbed shoulders with Princes and Dukes. It was a legendary feast that cost over a thousand gold ingots to pull off. It was the first-ever time that Fred had experienced such luxuries in his entire life. However, that wasn''t the key takeaway of his entire experience. What really struck the young and impressionable youth at the time¡­ Was the star of the show. When Kanari first came out in that striking flaming violet dress, Fred''s jaw dropped all the way to his knees. The young maiden back then was far more mature than her age would suggest, and there was a hint of mystique with her every movement. She wore light make-up, but even that was enough to make her the prettiest girl in the entire room filled with nourished nobles. Kanari was¡­ by far¡­ the most beautiful flower that Fred had ever come across. The typical girl that came up to Fred back then were all money-hungry girls, sent by their families to butter-up with the man. At any given time, Fred could have gone out with any of them or even bed them. Nobody would ever care. However, for the first time in his life, he''d met someone that was so far from his world¡­ So uninterested in his talent¡­ That she hadn''t spared him a single glance. For someone that grew up in the slums, someone that had clawed his way up from the pits of poverty¡­ Attaining Kanari would be the most succulent achievement. That was the beginning of Fred''s interest in the black-haired beauty. Kanari represented everything that he was not¡­ And Fred wanted to change that. It didn''t help that Kanari also possessed immense talent, one that easily dwarfs anyone her age or older, Fred included. When Kanari quickly dispatched Rank 20 Spirit Core cultivators at Rank 11¡­ That was a slap in the face for Fred. He''d always thought that he was special, but that was far from the case¡­ Meeting Kanari made him truly understand what it was like to be a frog at the bottom of the well. To be honest, Fred didn''t really know why he''d turned into a devoted lovebird. Initially, his interest in Kanari was like most guys. An innate lust to obtain something inobtainable. While other boys would have moved on to their next crush after a few weeks, Fred''s devotion turned into something else. Slowly¡­ The interest in Kanari morphed into an obsession. Each time Fred got turned down after a confession, the resilient survivor in him would keep mending his heart, preparing him for the next confession. Fred firmly believed that he loved the girl, it was just¡­ He didn''t really understand why¡­ Love¡­ What was it really? Why was Fred so devoted to this one girl, even though she clearly would never be his? Why did he put himself through hell when he could have settled for another girl and find his own happily ever after? Honestly, Fred had no clue. However, as he witnessed the flames that were thrown out of Kanari''s two hands, Fred felt his cold and bitter heart start beating once more. That scene¡­ That pale blue flames that wreathed around the beauty of Kanari¡­ It had remained the same¡­ The Moon in Kanari''s hands was the first to be unleashed. Concentrated Lunar Beams, ten times stronger than the usual dosage, flowed out of the Kumiho''s claws and targetted the stationary Fred. Not willing to be outdone, the Sun quickly did the same. Light pulsated throughout camp as every single raindrop that fell was instantly vapourised. Against the force of the Sun and Moon, there was nothing that Fred could do. He summoned out his Iron Giant, creating a dense layer of protection that enveloped every part of his body. Charles'' boost was still in effect, but how much could it really safeguard the Spirit Lord from the forces of the Celestial Objects? "ARRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!" An agonised cry echoed out from Fred''s dropped jaw as the metallic skin that he had was being charred at an astonishing rate. It wasn''t just the Kshatriya that felt the heat¡­ The majority of all Umbras that surrounded the young man had been obliterated into dust, leaving nothing but embers behind. "You..." As the Sun and Moon reverted back to nature, Kanari felt her body turn sluggish as the mana within her soul had been rapidly depleted. Manifesting the Celestial Objects was her trump card, just like how Shin used the Shard of the Azure Dragon to utterly destroy all his enemies. The power of the Sun and Moon was theoretically capable of burning down legions of Spirit Lords and even Spirit Kings if need be. Therefore, it was a miracle that Fred''s body could still remain intact. "You just don''t die, do you?" Kanari spat, her eyes locked with Fred''s. Kanari recalled the hundreds of times that she''d rejected the man, only for him to come back the next week ten times bolder. Fred was just like a cockroach, persistent in all the wrong attributes. "Urgh..." Fred opened his mouth, creating a thin fog that resembled that of a dragon''s heavy breath. His body was hunched down, with both his arms hanging like pendulums. Fred''s mind had been fried, just like the rest of his body, making him the embodiment of a walking zombie. However, there was still something propelling his mind forward¡­ Something pushing him on even though his body was on the verge of collapse¡­ "URRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The zombie-man bolted from his position and in a mere three seconds, was just two metres away from the ethereal beauty. Kanari, still exhausted by the mana expenditure, was a little slow to react. She was able to take a few steps back, but it was far too late. With Fred''s momentum, he would be capable of landing one fatal blow on the woman''s body before he fell to the abyss. Alas¡­ That would never come to pass... Slighhhggggttttt!!! Slighhhggggttttt!!! Slighhhggggttttt!!! A flash of silver dazzled past Kanari and pushed the colossal Iron Man a dozen metres back. On the surface of Fred''s skin, over fifty scars could be seen crisscrossing from all directions. The Invincible Iron Body, which had even endured the power of Kanari''s sixth spiritual ability, was now just like any lump of flesh¡­ Weak to the simple cut by a spear. "Kanari¡­ You''d let your guard down..." A familiar voice entered the young woman''s ears. It was sweet and youthful at times, but there was a slight tinge of maturity as well. Looking up, Kanari saw a suave silver-haired man, with an equally charming spear. On his wrists and ankles, five prayer beads were oscillating around like a Ferris wheel, providing tremendous amounts of mana into the agile spearman''s body. "Hah¡­ You''ve gotten complacent with your abilities, Kanari..." Yet another voice reverberated through the woman''s ears. This time, it was an impish woman''s voice, one that had caused countless troubles for Kanari back in the day. As expected, a white-haired woman, who held onto a Rosary with multiple pearls levitating around her, came forward and tapped Kanari''s face. Nostalgic energy flowed out from the woman''s finger and filled the mana void that Kanari had inflicted upon herself. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Isadore¡­ Elrin..." Kanari gasped. "W-What are you doing here?" "Hmph! Do you think that you''re the only ones that can avenge Shizen''s death?" Elrin snapped back, her face a little miffed. "Shizen was our friend as well; naturally, we would want to be here when that bastard Junius dies!" "Also¡­ It''s about time the Himmel Empire does something more in this war..." Isadore''s eyes sparkled as he twirled his spear around. "Wait¡­ If you''re here, does that mean!" "That''s right," Isadore tapped his nose twice, confirming Kanari''s conjecture. He looked up at the western skies, where the vast Obsidian Gate stood over the entire region. "The Ancestor¡­ He''s finally going to make his move..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 526 Love... What A Tragedy 3 Before I start the chapter, I have an announcement to make about my P A T R E O N. I''ll be deleting my highest tier ($20) and will be altering the other tiers accordingly. So do consider pledging if you''re interested! Tier 1 ($2) --- Read 5 chapters in advance Tier 2 ($5) --- Read 10 chapters in advance Tier 3 ($10) --- Read 21 chapters in advance ??? "The Ancestor is on the move?!" Kanari''s heart nearly stopped as she received the news. "How did you manage to convince him to intervene?!" Spirit Saints were all reserved individuals, hiding in their own abodes and protected by dozens of the country''s henchmen. Due to their immense power, the Spirit Saints hardly interfered with mortal affairs, and most of them spent their time cultivating in the hopes of being the next Spirit Immortal. For the Himmel Empire''s Ancestor¡­ It was a far different case. The Spirit of Himmel was a cursed Spirit that completely locks a cultivator''s ability to advance into the Spirit Immortal realm. However, even though he couldn''t reach the coveted land of Immortals, the Himmel Ancestor was considered to be the most powerful Spirit Saint among the three superpowers. Therefore, his actions were mostly kept in check by the other two superpowers. It was no exaggeration to claim that each time the Himmel Ancestor moves, the world would tremble in a mixture of fear and anticipation. For the Ancestor to travel deep into Kori Federation territory¡­ Many stones must have been unturned. "It''s a long story..." Isadore dropped his shoulders as he spun his spear. A fierce glint could be captured within his pupils as his inner body was swelling up. Isadore had charged his mana strengthening to the limits, bringing every muscle in his body to the peak of human strength. A cool mist flowed out from his mouth as blood vessels popped throughout his forehead. "We can go into details a little later¡­ First, let us clear up this mess..." "Yeah, I agree with Isadore!" Elrin cut into the conversation with her own high-pitched voice. "The reinforcements from the Himmel Empire are already dealing with the infected areas. Soon, more and more members of the Alliance would swarm in. Our job is to defeat the enemies here!" The cutesy maiden murmured a few verses and the eternity symbol on her Rosary radiated with a mystical light. Mana flowed into Kanari''s soul, and twenty beads were split off from Elrin''s Spirit, giving the fatigued black-haired war maiden a much-needed boost. "Sacramental Boost and False Armament¡­" Kanari glanced down at her wrists with nostalgia. "It really has been a while since we''ve fought like this." "Hey, you sure have grown much more talkative over the past three years! You still have the nerve to yap away when an enemy is aiming for your head!" Elrin scolded Kanari, who was absent-minded even in the heat of a battle. "Haha, I guess you''re right..." The beauty chuckled. "I guess I really have been pampered¡­ No matter¡­ I''ll be sure to end this..." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Kanari quickly reverted back to her combat stance as the gorgeous pale-blue foxfires orbited around her slender body. The blood of the Kumiho was now riled up, as more and more mana was being pumped up her soul. Every single fibre of her body was now screaming out in pure euphoria, ready to unleash all sorts of chaos upon the battlefield. "Ka¡­ Na¡­ Ri..." A blackened zombie walked on the other side of the field. Crimson blood was flowing down from his numerous cuts and bits of char remained on the Invincible Iron Body. The sweet scent of burning flesh was emitting out of the colossal man''s exterior, greatly repulsing anyone who came near to his very existence. "Fred..." Kanari inhaled deeply as she witnessed the terrible state of the former genius. Just a few years ago, Fred was one of the most valuable talents in the entire Himmel Empire. Nobles from all over the country would pay good money just to get his signature. Even the Himmel Royalty was no exception. If he''d chosen the right path, Fred could have very well become a Royal Guard or even better, a General of the Himmel Army. Alas¡­ Look at him now¡­ Fred''s body was shattered beyond belief. His Invincible Iron Body was on the verge of collapse and blood continued to drip down from the opened cuts. Fred didn''t cast many spiritual abilities, and his mana was about seventy percent full. However, no matter how much spiritual energy one had, if their vessel were broken, they would still be taking a one-way ticket to the Netherworld. The seasoned cultivator had seen many injuries in her day, and Fred''s was by far one of the worst. Kanari estimates that in just a mere ten minutes, the fallen genius would fall once more. This time, into the pit of the abyss, never to awake ever again. "Kanari," Isadore called the woman, his eyes never leaving the limping body of the burnt man. "Do you want me to finish him?" "No..." The maiden shook her head. Mana flowed from her Spectre Soul and onto all ten of her fingertips. The greenish sun took form on her right hand once more, and the illusion of the moon graced her left. Kanari took many steps forward, her eyes never leaving the frail body of the man near his death. "Fred''s my burden to carry¡­ Let me be the one to send him off." From the start, there was no way that Fred, or the Black Masks that he''d brought, would have overwhelmed Kanari and her forces. Even if Fred were stronger than herself, which he was not, Thea would have leapt into the fray, protecting the Highgarden heiress from any form of danger. However, that didn''t stop Fred from trying. His devotion¡­ His love for that woman that could never be his¡­ It hadn''t faded for a single second. Charles, the one person he trusted the most in the world, had long fled through the tunnels that the Black Masks had built. With his entire body burnt to a crisp and all his tendons ruptured by Isadore''s rapid attack¡­ There was nothing left for the lovebird to do, but to accept his fate... ''Why¡­ Why...'' The burnt man reached his arms out, his vision mostly blurred by the heat and sweat that his body radiated. Everything was a patch of a blur to the man. The sounds of Umbras being slashed to bits, the soul-wrenching cries of the remaining Black Masks, the scent of his own flesh burning and the searing pain within his very soul. Everything was blurred out. However, there was one thing that was crystal clear to the man, even in his weakened state. Kanari''s gorgeous visage crept ever closer, both her hands bringing forth endless amounts of dread and destruction. There was no love in Kanari''s eyes. She couldn''t even see the man as a human anymore. What Kanari saw¡­ Was a pitiful walking corpse that was living on borrowed time. ''Why¡­ I did everything right...'' Fred continued to lament his fate. He truly loved Kanari, at least¡­ that''s what he''d believed. So, Fred did everything in his power to become the best possible mate for the noble girl. He''d ensured that his body was chiselled, a tip that was imparted by the casanovas of the Captial. Being from the lower class, the man took various lessons on how to behave in High Society, including learning music, art, calligraphy, etiquette¡­ He''d never meet with other women or even drank wine, fearing that Kanari would disdain debaucherous behaviour. Essentially, Fred had morphed himself into the perfect man, a Prince in shining armour that dazzled every young maiden''s dreams. And yet¡­ Kanari hadn''t even spared the man a single glance. Was it because Fred was from the lower class? No, if that''s the case, why did she fall in love with Shin, who had basically little to no background before entering the Lantis Republic? Or was it because of his face? The man had seen himself multiple times in the mirror and in his opinion, he was far more handsome than the snobby azure-eyed brat. ''So¡­ why? Why Kanari? WHY DID YOU NOT CHOOSE ME?!'' The zombie-man screamed inwardly. His vocal cords were far too burnt for sound to escape. The moistness in Fred''s eyes had long been evaporated as his entire vision was blurred out. With Fred''s face entirely burnt, no one could clearly see the distraught''s man expression. Still, Kanari could feel the tense emotions that had been bubbling up within Fred''s inner consciousness. So¡­ The right thing to do¡­ Was to end the man''s misery... "Fred Newton¡­ Any last words?" Kanari stood five metres away from the broken body, ready to launch her ultimate attack one final time. "W¡­ W¡­ Why..." Fred''s weak voice echoed throughout the broken battlefield. It was so soft that the flickering embers were loud enough to drown that voice. However, Kanari could hear the man¡­ Quite clearly in fact. At that moment, she felt her heart tense up, as if someone had gotten a firm grip on her heart. "Fred¡­ I never hated you¡­ However, I also never loved you..." Kanari replied, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I saw you as a senior at first, then a talented person that could one day help the Highgarden Duchy. I''ll admit, there was a voice inside me that kept asking me to keep you on the hook¡­ Perhaps that''s why you''d always thought that you''d have a chance with me..." The black-haired woman thought back to her teenage years. Back then, she was just an immature noble brat that saw everyone as tools to consolidate her power. That''s why she first approached Shin and Shizen in the first place. They were capable talents that could one day boost the Highgarden Duchy, and her story with Fred followed along the same lines. Kanari wanted to secure the general-calibre talent before the Young Drake Duke, her biggest competitor. And well¡­ Her tactic worked. Fred never entertained a single contract unless it was from the Highgarden Duchy and his demand for joining always remained consistent. Fred wanted Kanari''s hand in marriage¡­ He wanted to obtain the unobtainable flower¡­ "I''m sorry, Fred¡­ I was never attracted to you¡­ Not in the slightest bit..." Kanari sighed, tearful for the pitiful soul that had wasted his life. "Love¡­ It''s a mystical thing¡­ You never know why you love someone or what makes you love that very same person. But when you love someone, you''ll be capable of dedicating your everything to that one person..." Kanari''s eyes turned towards the western skies, the corners of her lips creeping slightly upwards. There was so much warmth¡­ So much tenderness in her gaze that it made Fred''s slow-beating heart, burn. Those were the eyes that Fred had sought to see from Kanari¡­ Those were the eyes that he wanted all for himself¡­ Alas, they were for someone else. "I understand how you feel about me because I feel the very same way about Shin¡­ Whenever I see him smile, I smile. Whenever I see him in pain, I feel in pain. That''s¡­ Love isn''t it?" A bead fell from the gorgeous beauty''s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ''S-She''s crying? For me?'' "I''m sorry, Fred¡­ I''m sorry for causing you this much pain..." Kanari raised both her arms above her head, forcing the two Celestial Orbs in her hands to slowly merge. The Fire, Wind and Mind elements all ran wild as a vortex of pure spiritual energy dominated the battlefield. Every single ounce of mana in Kanari''s Spectre Soul was being converted into pure elemental energy¡­ all to kill a man that was already half-dead. "In your next life¡­ Go find someone that truly loves you¡­" Those were the last words that Fred heard. A flash of blaring light covered every single part of his vision as the man''s consciousness was enveloped with a warm and soothing embrace. Kanari''s mana¡­ It wasn''t violent at all¡­ It was the contrary. It was all-encompassing and extremely tender, just like how Fred had imagined Kanari''s love to be like. ''Ahhh¡­ Is this how it feels to be loved? To be truly cared for?'' Fred snickered, making one final declaration within his dying soul. He thought back on his life¡­ How he suffered among all the hardships of the slums, only to become the most highly sought after talent in the Himmel Empire. All of Fred''s life, he had been subjected to the superficial emotions of humans. Using Fred when he was useful and disposing of him when his use was fulfilled. Every single interaction that he''d been part off¡­ Every deal that was given to him¡­ It wasn''t because others had cared for him as an individual, but as a tool that could be used for their own gains. Then¡­ The memory of that night¡­ The night of Kanari''s birthday came into Fred''s dying mind. The gorgeous young girl¡­ The star that held the world in her hands¡­ Walked over to Fred with an uninterested smile. She was forced to attend the function and shake hands with all the attendees, much to her dismay. Kanari, then twelve, was rather inept in hiding her false smile. After shaking the hands of over a hundred nobles, the girl took Fred''s with a tired and spiritless look. She was genuinely disinterested in Fred, a stark difference to the rest of the people in his life. ''Perhaps it was then¡­ That I fell for her...'' Fred thought. Everyone else thus far had been superficial, but this young girl¡­ She was the only one that treated Fred honestly. The final ember of his life was growing weaker and weaker, but his mind had a spot for one more memory. The image of Kanari''s loving eyes¡­ That was the face that Fred had longed to see. It was the emotion that he had longed for from the gorgeous maiden. He wanted to see that face¡­ directed at himself. It was unfortunate¡­ That dream... Would never come to pass¡­ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 527 The Spirit Of Himmel 1 "How''s everyone holding up?!" Jingyu Hilin, the leader of the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates, gave a firm holler as she cut down one Tier 7 Spirit Beast. Red veins could be seen throughout her peach forehead, and her clothes were drenched in a mixture of rainwater and sweat. Although there weren''t any visible injuries on the woman''s body, one could tell that mentally, she was drained and frustrated. "These fuckers are endless!" Qilong Wuga complained while his Seven-Headed Hydra continuously generated dense torrential winds. "At this rate, we''ll run out of mana before we even reach the Obsidian Gate!" Every single Spirit Venerate stood silently, agreeing with the man''s statement. For the longest time now, the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates had been attempting to close that bloody gate which was spewing out thousands of Umbras per second. Alas, it was easier said than done. Before the Spirit Venerates could even make it a kilometre, a new wave of Umbras would crash into their Spirits, forcing them back thousands of steps. Though the Spirit Beasts weren''t all that strong, there was power in numbers. No matter how powerful the Spirit Venerates were, they still had their limitations, both in physical powers and their overall mana pool. In due time, the Spirit Venerates would be exhausted beyond recovery, leaving them vulnerable to the onslaught of the Umbras. By then, it wouldn''t matter if the Lantis Republic forces were Spirit Venerates or Spirit Practitioners, they would all be taken apart all the same. Jingyu Hilin watched over her fellow Spirit Venerates, observing their every movement. Although the majority of them were in the pink of health, she could tell that their mana was nearly halfway exhausted. Overpowered abilities that cleared thousands of Umbras in one-shot weren''t infinite after all. She puckered her lips and allowed her General mind to take over. ''Should I give the order to retreat?'' The Spirit Venerate thought. In any other circumstances, it would be wise for the Lantis Republic''s forces to make a tactical retreat, regroup and come up with a different plan of attack. However, these weren''t ordinary circumstances. If they retreated, all of the Umbras, including the Black Masks, would make a smooth getaway into the horizons, where no one could ever hope to find them. The moment Jingyu Hilin gave that order, the Alliance would lose all hope of ever catching Junius and the Black Masks within the region. The Spirit Venerate turned her head up, her eyes zooming in on the fantastical barrier that was immune to all impurities. Neither rain or shine could enter the thick energy barrier, and a tremendous amount of spiritual energy was being emitted from its core. ''The Prince would be especially unhappy...'' Jingyu Hilin frowned. The whole reason why the Lantis Republic had sent such a powerful force into the area was due to Shin. If they pulled back and potentially allow Junius to escape for another time, Shin would be sure to unleash the wrath of the Celestial Dragon upon the Spirit Venerates. ''Tsk, there''s no helping it...'' The woman performed a somersault, turning her attention to the second most senior person in the group. "Yisa, hold the lines for me! I need to have a talk with the Prince!" "Huh, me?" Meijing Yisa, who had been supporting the rest of the Spirit Venerates with everything that she had, pointed her index finger to herself in confusion. "I''m not a combat-oriented Spirit User, you know that!" "Yeah, I know!" Jingyu Hilin screamed back. Following that, she turned her attention to the two rampaging Spirit Venerates who had both their domains spread out. "Wuga! Xiuteo! Hold back on the killing for now! Conserve your mana and assist Yisa in holding the lines! Once I get confirmation from the Prince, we''ll retreat immediately!" The Spirit Venerates had to leave before they were completely overrun. Losing favour with the Prince was bad, but it would be nowhere near as terrible as losing their lives on the battlefield. "You want me to group up with that Longyu Clan bastard? How ludicrous¡­ My power is more than enough to hold the lines!!!" The Qilong Clan''s Spirit Venerate spat, prompting a piercing glare from his compatriot. "Oh ho¡­ You honestly think that you''re stronger than me, huh?" Longyu Xiuteo congregated a dense blob of mana in his right hand as the Sovereign Koi spun a few rounds. "Why don''t we test that theory right now? I''m sure the Umbras can wait for a second or two as I push your head into your ass!" "Hmph! There''s no need to pause my attack! My one finger is capable of taking you on!" Qilong Wuga released his left hand and used his index finger to spur the agitated Longyu Clan Spirit Venerate on. And well¡­ The fish had taken the bait. Longyu Xiuteo face turned vermillion as smoke seemed to flow out from his nostrils. "You fucking retard..." The Spirit Venerate raised his arms over his head, sending legions of spiritual energies into the open air. Umbras detonated from the inside, as dense water elementals danced all around. The Sovereign Koi that measured over two metres in length had opened its jaw, ready to suck in the brazen man that dared to demean its master. "Damn it, these assholes!" Jingyu Hilin spat, ready to clap back at the morons that dared to fight during these drastic times. However, before the woman even had the opportunity, a cold voice echoed within the compounds of their brains. "Hah¡­ Looks like the problems between the Longyu and Qilong Clan still persists huh?" "!!!" All the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates leapt back with their Spirits unleashed. The prolonged battle with the Black Masks had heightened their senses to the utmost limit. Just a stray breeze was enough to ring alarm bells all over their heads, and yet¡­ No one had noticed the owner of the sombre voice. The Spirit Venerates universally cocked their heads, curious to figure out the identity of the mysterious person. "That is!" Lady Seph, who was still assisting Shin in his mana recovery, dropped her jaw so wide that an apple could fit within. Her eyes were quivering, and the golden light that flowed out of her palms had faltered a little. However, being the expert healer that she was, Lady Seph quickly got her emotions in order; but that didn''t mean she wasn''t utterly flabbergasted. A leathery-faced elderly man, with luxurious silver hair, stood silently in the centre of the skies. The wrinkles on his slightly browned face had been enriched from the passage of time, and the lifeless eyes that seemed nonchalant to the changes around him scared the living daylights out of those that peered deep within his soul. The man was holding onto a near two-metre-long spear, blessed with the splendour of the world''s shiniest metal. RIght below its tip, there was a thick silver chain crisscrossing around the shaft. Every few seconds, the spear would shake like a leaf, as if it was a shaking jail cell, locking in a violent beast that couldn''t wait to be unleashed. Though, that wasn''t the main draw of the spear. What really shook the Spirit Venerates, and the entire battlefield as a whole, was the immense spiritual pressure that the elderly man generated. It was as if the entire Terre Continent had switched positions with the sky. If not for their resilient bodies as Spirit Venerates, they would have been forced to kneel or risk having their heads crushed from the pressure. There was only one entity in the entire world that could make the Spirit Venerates feel this way¡­ "Spirit Saint..." The World Serpent hissed, its venomous eyes glaring daggers at the elderly man. A Spirit Saint appearing was not part of the plan. Ao could deal with a handful of Spirit Venerates, but a Spirit Saint was a whole other story. Among all the forces that the Black Masks had, only Kuro, the sole Primordial Beast in the syndicate and the Allfather himself could stand toe-to-toe with a Spirit Saint. Furthermore, the man that had appeared was no mere Spirit Saint¡­ "I greet the Himmel Ancestor!" Jingyu Hilin was the first to bow her head with her hands cupped. There were only eleven Spirit Saints in the entire world, and all of their details were recorded. How they looked like? What Spirits do they possess? What were their behavioural habits? Which wine was their favourite? Nothing was left to the imagination, and those who held senior positions would be capable of identifying all eleven of the Spirit Saints, Jingyu Hilin included. A leather-faced man who held the legendary Spirit disguised as a spear¡­ There was only one Spirit Saint in the entire world that fit that profile. "I greet the Himmel Ancestor!" Longyu Xiuteo followed suit. It took a few seconds, but eventually, even the prideful Qilong Wuga had to gulp down a mouthful of saliva and bend the head. The whole battlefield came to a standstill. It didn''t matter if they were from the Black Masks or the Alliance. They all had to hold their punches and stare at the dignified, old man. The Shield of the Himmel Empire¡­ The God of Martial Arts¡­ Saint of Spears¡­ The man went by many names in the mortal world¡­ However, the one that everyone knew him by¡­ The one that made every single person freeze in the battlefield¡­ "The Strongest Man in the World..." Ao spat. Before the Allfather announced his existence, the Rank 96 Spirit Saint was widely considered to be the world''s strongest being. Thus, even though the Himmel Empire only had three Spirit Saints compared to the Kori Federation or Lantis Republic''s four, no one dared to move against the southern superpower. He knew no equal and could quite easily defeat two Spirit Saints all on his own. The Himmel Ancestor turned his attention to the skies, where his eyes met Lady Seph''s. The blonde beauty''s shoulders tensed up as she desperately fought the urge to look away. It has been a long time since she''d last met with the Spirit Saint after all and they hadn''t particularly parted on good terms. The Himmel Ancestor stifled a laugh, before finally landing his eyes on the black-haired boy, who was still in the midst of meditation. ''So that''s the boy that Isadore mentioned...'' The Ancestor narrowed his eyes, carefully examining every nook and cranny of the youth. For the longest time, the Ancestor had been living in seclusion. Though he''d heard whispers of Shin''s deeds, to him, the black-haired youth was just a good friend of his disciple. The Ancestor watched the vast amounts of spiritual energy flow back into Shin''s Spectre Soul at an astonishing rate. The Celestial Dragon kept opening its mouth, greedily sucking in whatever elements it possibly could. Shin''s face was wholly focused on recovering and hadn''t noticed the sudden appearance of the Spirit Saint, but that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing¡­ The faster Shin recovered, the sooner he could return to the battlefield. ''What a splendid talent¡­ Mmmm, perhaps listening to Isadore wasn''t that bad of an idea.'' The elderly man chuckled mentally. "S-Sir Ancestor," Jingyu Hilin broke the Spirit Saint''s train of thought, moving in with a curious smile. "If I may be so bold¡­ Are you here to destroy the Obsidian Gate?" Against any other person, Hilin would be the same domineering general that everyone knew her for. However, the Himmel Ancestor was a different story. In front of the dominating man, she could only purr like a gentle kitten. "..." The Himmel Ancestor didn''t spare the woman a single glance. Instead, his eyes were focused on the World Serpent and the Colossal Obsidian Gate that pumped up Umbras by the thousands. If nothing were done, in just an hour, the whole region would be swamped with Spirit Beasts, making it impossible for anyone to reach the Obsidian Gate anymore. "Not on my watch..." A silver blob erupted out of the elderly man''s mouth as he spun the gorgeous spear around. "Lantis brats¡­ Keep the World Serpent and Black Masks company¡­ Let me take down that gate..." Without any warnings, the Himmel Ancestor flew deeper into the ocean of Umbras. Silver flashes sparked throughout the entire battlefield as beasts were mowed down continuously. The man''s leathery skin lacked any moisture, and his muscles weren''t overly defined and yet¡­ The Ancestor moved through the Umbras like a graceful swan. Every single Spirit Beast, no matter their Tier, were decapitated with one clean cut. There was no restraint in his movements, and before anyone could count to three, the Ancestor was already in the centre of the Umbras. However, instead of continuing his onslaught to the gate¡­ The Ancestor¡­ stopped. Thousands, no millions of Umbras were surrounding him, but the man felt completely at ease. He was undeterred by the immense pressure that was mounting on his decrepit body and raised his spear up to the heavens. "Oh¡­ Dear Forefathers¡­ Loan me the strength to defeat the enemy of the Himmel Empire..." Terrestrial light emerged from the depths of the Ancestor''s soul, creating ten thousand silverish-yellow wisps. Mana, one of the type that none of the Spirit Venerates had ever felt before, broke out into the battlefield, causing Umbras that weren''t at Tier 4 to perish instantly. The mana was so breathtakingly painful that even Shin, who was at least ten kilometres away and protected by the Obsidian Xuanwu''s shell felt his chest contract. Crack¡­ Crack¡­ Crack... The chains that bound the Spirit of Himmel were finally showing cracks. Metal pieces, linked to the Spirit Saint''s soul, fell to the floor and continued to provide mana for the floating wisps. Bit by bit¡­ The sealed form of the Spirit was being unravelled for all to see. An emerald banner broke free from the chains and fluttered wildly amidst the rapid rainy winds. Everyone nearby could see the beautiful banner. A silver emblem, one depicting a crown with golden chains held up by three spears, was centred in the middle of the banner. Yes¡­ The Spirit of Himmel''s true form¡­ wasn''t a spear at all. It was a glorious flag depicting the bloodline of Himmel. As everyone felt breathless from the pressure. Spirit Venerates who were known to be the top of their fields were now shaking like leaves in an autumn wind. The power that the Spirit Saint was emitting¡­ It was far too much for anyone to bear. However, the Himmel Ancestor hardly cared. His emerald eyes glowed with a divine splendour as he said the final¡­ mystical¡­ words... "Arise¡­ Come aide me¡­ HEROES OF HIMMEL!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 528 The Spirit Of Himmel 2 The Spirit of Himmel. A cursed Spirit that only appears in few Spirit Users bearing the bloodline of Spirit Immortal Lucius Himmel. Distinguishable by their hair which was as rich as the silver that filled the Empire''s coffers, the cursed Spirit Users all shared the same destiny. Those that awakened this Spirit were fated to remain mortal their entire lives, never getting the chance to promote to the Spirit Immortal Realm. Their curse¡­ The curse that Spirit Immortal Lucius Himmel had placed upon them, would force them to stop at Rank 99. And the curse didn''t stop there¡­ Without the ability to harness elemental energy, they weren''t able to create their own spiritual abilities. They had to rely solely on their physical and mana strengthening to stay ahead of the curb. Fortunately, those who awakened the Spirit of Himmel had an excellent cultivation technique that enabled them to breeze through their cultivations. Theoretically, without their bottlenecks, as long as the Spirit Users cultivated consistently, they would be able to reach the Spirit Saint realm without becoming stuck. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. So¡­ Why was the Spirit of Himmel so feared in the mortal world? If there were that many limitations on that Spirit, why fear it at all? Well¡­ Everyone knew that the Spirit of Himmel had only one spiritual ability. It doesn''t matter if the cultivator was a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner or a Rank 99 Spirit Saint. Those that awakened the Spirit of Himmel would all only have one spiritual ability. However¡­ It was this one spiritual ability that kept the Himmel Empire a superpower that everyone knew. It was this one spiritual ability that made the Himmel Ancestor the most powerful man in the world. It was this one spiritual ability that¡­ struck fear to everyone''s soul¡­ "ARISE, HEROES OF HIMMEL!!!" The Ancestor''s voice bellowed through the battlefield, which had turned as silent as a church. The Flag of Himmel was fluttering wildly in the wind, sending out dense mana particles throughout the broken earth. Mana that could tear mountains in half burst forth from the Ancestor''s body, turning the entire world into a muddied mush. Ten thousand wisps flowed out from the flag, slowly morphing into humanoid creatures. Some were over two-metres tall, holding a flaming great shield in one hand while spinning a flail in the other. A handful of them were dual-wielding giant claymores as if they were light rapiers. Some had glorious spears and could dexterously spin them around like a baker kneading dough. At the rear, archers pulled their sheepskin bowstrings and nocked deadly arrows that could easily pierce through flesh in a fraction of a second. Almost all of them were armoured like any army that came before them. Some wore full metal plates while others had leathery clothes to ease movement. However, one thing was constant throughout the ten-thousand strong army¡­ They were all emitting the pressure of¡­ Rank 60 Spirit Kings. Shin, who had been peacefully recovering his mana, felt a disturbance in his Spectre Soul. Saint Himmel''s spiritual energy was just far too powerful for anyone to sleep through. Not to mention, the immense pressure that his ten-thousand strong army was emitting would wake any Spirit Lord up, even if they were in the deepest of sleeps. The black-haired Prince opened his eyes, only to witness the aghast faces of those that protected him. Heigui Xuegang was biting on the bottom of his lip and holding back the urge to run back to the Lantis Republic. Bingbing was quivering while grabbing onto the hems of Shin''s clothes. Zishen squinted his eyes, his face lacking any form of nonchalance and finally¡­ Lady Seph scowled, her eyes mixed with fear, uneasiness and apprehension. Though she wouldn''t admit it, there was a hint of awe as well. Honestly, who wouldn''t be taken aback by the Spirit of Himmel''s majesty? Even Shin''s Celestial Dragon, a being that could easily topple the world once fully matured, nudged Shin on the cheek as it wanted nothing to do with the Spirit Saint. "Master¡­ This is..." Only Shin''s voice could be heard among the pale group. "Yes, I told you about it before..." Lady Seph felt her blood run cold. "That''s the Spirit of Himmel''s true power¡­ The power to create an Immortal Elite Army!!!" The Spirit of Himmel had only one spiritual ability, one that couldn''t be used unless its owner was in the Spirit Spectre realm. Once their Spectre Soul had formed, they would be capable of unleashing the most powerful spiritual ability known to mankind. The ability to summon all of the heroes that fought alongside Lucius Himmel in the war to end all wars. "Every single one of the soldiers that are summoned would always be three realms lower than the caster¡­ A Rank 40 Spirit Spectre would summon ten thousand Rank 1 Spirit Practitioners¡­ A Rank 50 Spirit Lord would summon ten thousand Rank 10 Spirit Apostles¡­ The Ancestor, who is a Rank 96 Spirit Saint, will summon ten thousand Rank 60 Spirit Kings that can respawn as long as he provides them with mana¡­ How frightening is that?!" Lady Seph exclaimed at the top of her lungs. Ten thousand Rank 60 Spirit Kings¡­ That was equivalent to ten thousand Brahmins!!! In the whole world, there were barely thirty thousand Spirit Kings and yet, the Himmel Ancestor had just summoned thirty percent of their population. Furthermore, the Spirit Kings under his command were elites that once fought alongside the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Immortal, a legendary army filled to the brim with heroic figures. To rub salt to the wound, they weren''t mortal beings that would die once beheaded. If their form was destroyed, all the Himmel Ancestor needed to do was pump in a little more mana and they would be ready to fight again. It was a true Immortal Army, one that was capable of defeating any forces that the other two superpowers had. "It''s bad enough that he has that atrocious spiritual ability, but his own physical and martial prowess are the best among all the Spirit Saints!!!" Lady Seph exclaimed. Shin gazed at the Spirit of Himmel''s divine glimmer, stunned that such an overpowered ability could ever exist. No wonder the Himmel Bloodline and Isadore in particular, was so protected! If they could produce a Spirit User with the Spirit of Himmel, the Himmel Empire would continue to reign as a superpower for many years to come. No general in their right mind would ever charge their forces into an Immortal Army led by a Spirit Saint. That would be tantamount to suicide! And well¡­ The Black Masks didn''t have the luxury to choose. Once the Umbras were spawned out of the Obsidian Gate, their instincts urged them further east. Thus, without knowing of the danger, wave upon wave of Umbras crashed onto the Himmel Ancestor''s vicinity, hoping to overrun him eventually. That¡­ was a mistake. "Oh, great Heroes of Himmel!" Thrusting the sharp end of the flag into the air, the Ancestor roared. There was a dominant mana in his voice and everyone felt a chill run down their spine. It was as if they were witnessing Lucius Himmel himself, the Spirit Immortal that was long gone, lead the Immortal Army into battle. "The Terre Continent¡­ No, the Himmel Empire is in danger! Are we going to sit back and do nothing?!" "ORRYYYYYYYAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The ten-thousand ghost army groaned, raising every single weapon they had into the air. "I''d thought so¡­ The target is that Obsidian Gate! Don''t stop until that structure is destroyed! Anything or anyone that gets in your path¡­ Kill them!!!" "GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRRRR!!!" The Immortal Army responded with a deafening warcry. Arrows wreathed with sacred flames were launched from the rear. Some of the archers closed their eyes, mumbling something inaudible to the human ear. In a fraction of a second, the arrows that they''d unleashed split into a few thousand smaller ones, creating a hail of whizzing projectiles. The mindless Umbras could only wail in horror as the holy fire incinerated their darkness bodies before dissipating into nothingness. "Elemental Arrow Rain?!" Shin''s eyes bulged and his heart almost stopped. "Can the Heroes all use spiritual abilities?!" It was a proposition that struck fear into the young Prince''s heart. There were ten thousand Spirit Kings summoned. Assuming that the phantoms were like normal Rank 60 Spirit Kings who had seven spiritual abilities¡­ Does that mean that the Himmel Ancestor could use seventy thousand spiritual abilities?! "Yes and no..." Lady Seph shook her head as a bitter smile crept up her face. "The Spirit of Himmel''s sole spiritual ability, the Heroes of Himmel, is powerful but it does have some limitations. The Heroes can only cast one of their spiritual abilities from their peak and using it puts an enormous toll on the Ancestor''s soul." "Still¡­" The black-haired Prince gulped. "If he can use one spiritual ability per Hero, does that mean the Ancestor could cast ten thousand spiritual abilities?!" "Theoretically, yeah..." Lady Seph replied grimly. "Although they are limited by the lack of elemental energy and mana, it is possible for the Himmel Ancestor¡­ No, anyone who has the Spirit of Himmel to cast ten thousand spiritual abilities. That''s why the Spirit of Himmel is so revered all around the world!" "..." Shin''s mouth was sewn shut. Ten thousand spiritual abilities¡­ Even if they were limited due to the Spirit Saint''s lack of elemental energy, that variance was enough to confuse any opponent. So what if the Spirit of Himmel''s owners couldn''t create their own abilities? They had over ten thousand abilities to choose from just by summoning out their Immortal Army. ''I wonder if Isadore could do the same...'' Shin''s mind instinctively went into theory town, where he formulated new stratagems to combine the might of the Celestial Dragon and the Spirit of Himmel''s overwhelming power. However, it didn''t take long until his train of thought was derailed. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The World Serpent slapped his tail on the earthen floor, which was covered with rain and snow, sending avalanches and mini tsunamis flying all about. The three Spirit Venerates that were sent to take him down all created energy barriers to protect themselves from the onslaught, particularly Pangu, who still had a blood feud with the beast. ''I can''t let him run rampant!!!'' Ao cursed inwardly. The Obsidian Gate still had to stand if the Black Masks wanted to overrun the Kori Federation. Though the Himmel Ancestor had arrived and the gate''s fall was inevitable, the least that Ao could do was delay the Spirit Saint for a few more minutes. Alas, it wasn''t as easy as it sounds. SLIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! An energy beam shaped in a crescent moon whizzed past the World Serpent, forcing the Tier 9 Spirit Beast back in place. Ao rapidly turned his head, only to see Pangu, the Sword Venerate from the Dalgeom Sect, putting on an ever-radiant smile. By his side, Shenshe Yowang and Zhangyu Yaofu flashed the devil''s grin as well. "You''re not going anywhere, you fat snake..." They could see the light at the end of the tunnel. They knew¡­ They knew that the Alliance was going to triumph, landing a crushing blow to the Black Masks. The moment that the Himmel Ancestor arrived, it was the final nail in the coffin. Now, all that was left for them to do, was to add the World Serpent''s corpse into said coffin. ''God damn it!'' Ao hissed mentally, his eyes switching from the Obsidian Gate to the three Spirit Venerates that surrounded him. Defeating them was one thing, but attempting to hold both the Spirit Venerates AND the Himmel Ancestor off¡­ That was a tall task, bordering on the impossible, in fact. However¡­ It was still something that had to be done. ''Oh, Allfather¡­ Give me strength...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 529 The Spirit Of Himmel 3 The Heroes of Himmel took charge of the entire battlefield. Ten thousand Rank 60 Spirit King phantoms, each one more powerful than the next, stormed into battle without a single shred of fear. The calvary were the ones that led the charge. Mounted on their ghost steeds, the gallant warriors mowed down the Umbras as if they were carving through a cake. Their pikes easily decapitated thousands of Spirit Beasts while the elements surrounding them danced around in complete joy. Some of the spearmen were able to summon eternally burning flames, corroding the flesh of the Umbras made out of the darkness. Others summoned out torrential hurricanes with each swing, breaking through the frontlines as quickly as a cheetah dashing through the Serengeti. Thousands of arrows were released from the rear, and many of them broke into a thousand more arrows. Bowmen that had Elemental Arrow Rain, one of the most famous archery spiritual abilities, endlessly unleashed their fury. Other archers leapt up into the skies, their muscles popping from pulling their bowstring too hard. Their sharp eyes locked onto the higher-ranked Umbras, such as the winged serpent that breathed poisonous gas. With no warning, the archers released their arrows, and within milliseconds, the Umbras fell straight to the ground with their souls ripped from their vessels. If the calvary and backlines were working this hard, there was no way that the vanguard could remain idle. The warriors stomped their feet on the winter grounds, barging forward with their great shields and weapons both drawn. Knights danced through the snowy fields as if they were figure-skaters, slicing and dicing anything that stood in their way. None of the armoured warriors cared about defence, moving without fear of pain or death. Beautiful and deadly martial arts were displayed by each soldier, and the Umbras could barely counter them. However, whenever the Umbra did pierce through one of the phantom''s skull, it would merely take a step back, regenerate and attack once again. Dark matter spewed onto the ground as each Umbra fell into oblivion. The Obsidian Gate was still churning out more and more of their compatriots, but how long could they actually last? Although there were more than a million Umbras, what could they do against ten thousand Immortal Spirit Lords? As long as the Himmel Ancestor still had mana, the battle would continue to rage on. The flag of Himmel was still fluttering proudly in the winter winds, contaminating the world with an endless amount of spiritual energy. The World Serpent attempted to attack the Spirit Saint, but nine Spirit Venerates had long surrounded him. The remnant forces of the Alliance, filled with a mixture of Spirit Emperors and upper-tiered Spirit Beasts, had overrun the mansion that Junius once called home. Black Masks of all levels, Brahmins, Kshatriyas¡­ and even Dalits. They were all being pushed back and massacred. Some of the Alliance members attempted to capture the Black Masks, but it was to no avail. The Black Masks that were captured, under the Allfather''s influence, all self-detonated, leaving behind nothing but ash and burning flesh. "It''s¡­ over..." Shin muttered from high above the skies. With his bird''s eye view, Shin could witness the entire battle unfold. There were over a million Umbras, with many more coming out from the Obsidian Gate. Each one of them bore fangs that were as sharp as spears, and their mana was as frightening as any ferocious Spirit Beast that lived. However, that elderly man¡­ The one that seemed incapable of beating an entire army by himself¡­ was currently doing just that. The Spirit of Himmel was hoisted high, and the unkillable phantom army charged onwards onto the Obsidian Gate. There was nothing that the World Serpent, or the Allfather for that matter, could do about it. "So this is the power of the Himmel Empire''s Ancestor..." Shin gulped as a cold shiver ran down his spine. He''d once thought that he''d seen it all. He trained daily with Saint Longyu Tian and had seen the other three Spirit Saints of the Lantis Republic display their skills. Shin had swum with the Azure Dragons and visited all of the Guardian Beasts that protected the Lantis Republic. He''d seen the Kraken, a goliath octopus that measured larger than any living creature Shin had ever seen. However, the power that the Himmel Ancestor was displaying¡­ That was on a whole other level. "No wonder no one dares to march on the Himmel Empire''s Capital¡­ They will be flattened if the Ancestor acts..." The new Prince of the Lantis Republic made a mental note to never cross the Himmel Empire. Lady Seph nodded before dryly coughing twice. "That''s right, Shin. As much as I hate to admit it, that leathery-faced bastard is standing at the pinnacle of all human beings. So, you should avoid him at all costs. If he wishes to harm you, there''s little that I can do..." "I understand..." Shin gulped and reverted his eyes back onto the battlefield. In due time, the Ancestor will reach the Obsidian Gate, and the world will revert back to normal. The strongest force that Shin had assembled would take over the entire west, leaving the Black Masks completely trapped on Mythpoint Reach. Once that happens, the Alliance would be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The war that had taken the world by storm would reach its final stages, and all that was left to do was to chop off the Allfather''s head once and for all. However, before that could happen¡­ ''Where''s Junius?'' Shin had some unsettled business to tend to. Half of his mana had been replenished by Zishen, and in just a few more minutes, Shin would be topped off, becoming as good as new. He had travelled this far north for one reason and one reason only. To claim Junius'' head. There was no way that Shin was going to leave Illusory Canyon empty-handed. The eagle eyes of Shin scoured through the entire mansion, which was now desolate and burnt. All of the Black Masks hiding within were either detonating themselves or fighting till the very end. Their eyes were bloodshot, and their faces completely drenched with sweat. The zealots were willing to throw their lives away for the Allfather and were all on the frontlines. However, there was no sign of the tall, viridian-haired man. "Bingbing, have you seen anything?" Shin asked the little girl who was grabbing onto the hems of his shirt. "Yip! Not particularly," the Kamaitachi replied, her face completely blank. "I''ve been keeping my eyes peeled, but there hasn''t been any sign of the man you asked me to look out for. Did he escape beforehand?" Bingbing theorised. Shin shook his head in denial. "I highly doubt so¡­ According to Venerate Maurice, Junius is the Tree of Illusions'' champion. For him to leave the Empyrean Wonder so willingly¡­ I just can''t see the Allfather agreeing to that notion." Any key to an Empyrean Wonder was a great asset to any organisation. For example, the Lantis Republic was able to monopolise the Celestial River, and it had served them well throughout their long history. At the very least, an Empyrean Wonder could serve as an eternal source of spiritual energy, a resource that the Black Masks needs to heavily capitalise upon should they want to win the war. Not to mention, given how quickly Shin and the Alliance members had rushed to the scene, Junius shouldn''t have had the time to escape. Shin took one final look at the dominant showing that the Himmel Ancestor was putting on before heaving out one deep sigh. "There''s nothing else that we can do here. If Junius isn''t in the mansion, we''ll just have to expand our search area." "My Prince, you''re leaving?" Heigui Xuegang glanced over his raised arms, which were busy providing mana to the Xuanwu''s turtle shell barrier. "Yes," Shin succinctly replied. "Tell Senior Hilin and the rest that I''ll be heading to Illusory Canyon with Venerate Maurice in search of Junius. Once I''ve replenished my mana, I''ll be moving off immediately." The Prince then looked at Zishen, the Azure Dragon Lord who was wearing a bitter smile. A tonne of spiritual energy had been transferred from the Tier 9 Spirit Beast into Shin; however, the man showed no signs of strain. "Senior, are your mana reserves sufficient?" "Mmmm¡­ All good..." "Master, what about you?" Shin turned to the blonde beauty, posing the same question. "Never been better!" Lady Seph chuckled. "I''ll be able to restore you back to your former self in no time!" "That''s good..." The black-haired man took one deep breath in. "Speaking of Restoration¡­ Let me place a Restoration Point in all of your bodies. As insignificant as it may seem, the Illusory Canyon is still the domain of the Tree of Illusions, an Empyrean Wonder. We can''t underestimate the danger that the Tree and Junius will pose." Shin''s voice turned extremely low. Even though the Alliance had turned the battle into a one-sided affair, the Prince didn''t dare belittle the threat of his former brother. Shin had been burnt far too many times before. That''s why, even though he was plenty strong enough, Shin was going to bring Zishen, Bingbing, Lady Seph, Maurice and even Heigui Zhengkang with him. Just to face Junius. ??? "We''re losing..." A few kilometres away from the action, two figures were standing on top of an obscured cave. Surrounding them were hundreds of tree branches, blocking anyone from ever catching an eye on their darkened robes. Vellan, the bulkier of the two, stood just inches away from the cave entrance. However, he could still clearly witness the terrifying onslaught of the Himmel Ancestor. "All of our plans¡­ Just washed down the drain¡­ Just like that..." The Brahmin sighed. It took them years to mould the west to their liking. Building the Obsidian Gate, securing the mansion¡­ Even the numerous tunnels that connected the Uncharted Wilderness to the rest of the Kori Federation. It took years of planning and decades to build. However, with just one mistake¡­ All of that hard work had come crashing down. "It was inevitable..." Junius replied. His eyes were completely dead and his frown bringing forth a tone of loneliness. "Unless the Allfather himself makes an appearance, we were doomed to lose to this squad. The moment Senior Ao let Venerate Maurice escape, the west was fated to fall." "Hey, he made the choice to save your life, Junius." Vellan snorted. "If it weren''t for him, you would have bled to death by now." "I know," the viridian-haired man said coldly. "However, if it weren''t for him, we wouldn''t be in this situation. And that''s a fact you can''t deny." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Junius! That''s enough already! You¡­!" Vellan wanted to make a rebuttal but was forced to swallow his words. Junius sights were no longer on the man that saved his life and accompanied him all these years. Instead, they were looking at a far more distant figure¡­ "It''s about time..." Junius exhaled, his voice laced with a tinge of melancholy. He turned around to Vellan, saying: "Remember what I''ve told you. When the time comes, execute your duty." Junius leapt down from the trees and headed straight towards the misty canyon. "Wait, Junius! You''re not even going to say goodbye to Shia and your son?" "There is no more waiting..." Junius stifled a laugh as he turned back at the hefty man. "Everything that happens next¡­ It''s my destiny¡­ And it will be yours. There''s no fighting it Vellan." And with that, the Blade of Death bade his final farewell, before fading into the dense fog, wholly enveloped by the Tree of Illusions'' mana. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 530 The Beginning Of The End 1 Ten kilometres south of the Illusory Canyon. Kanari, Shizen, Elrin and the twins were slowly cleaning up the mess left behind by Fred and the rest of the Black Masks. Divine foxfires bedazzled the area as a hurricane gale rushed through the snowy battlefield. There was no running from the Rank 51 Spirit Lord''s wrath. However, those that did attempt the escape were all left at the mercy of a particular silver flash. Isadore, boosted by his mana and superior martial arts, slashed through the remaining Umbras as if they were made out of paper. The chained silver spear moved as quickly as a dragon through water while the young man who held onto the spear was as flexible as said water. Claw strikes that would reap a body in two were easily parried away while elemental attacks fell short of the agile man''s footwork. Kanari and the twins were spellbound at the man''s expert movements. Though they''d known Isadore from the very beginning and were well aware of his superior martial arts, this was on a whole other level. Before, one would liken Isadore''s martial arts to that of a skilful prodigy that showed immense promise for greatness. Now¡­ The genius had already morphed into the greatest martial artist there was. "Was he always this strong?" Such explosive growth was unheard of for martial artists. It would take decades, centuries even, for someone to reach the mastery that Isadore was showing. Therefore, Ella had a hard time believing that the Isadore that was slicing down enemies at an unheard-of rate was the same Isadore that they all knew and loved. "I don''t know..." Kanari, the one who knew Isadore the longest, was doubtful as well. "Judging from his mana coating, he should still be in the Spirit Spectre realm. However, how is his body moving like a Spirit King?! It doesn''t make any sense!" The future Duchess of Highgarden exclaimed. She had seen many warriors dominate the battlefield, mostly using a mixture of their potent spiritual abilities and above-average martial arts. Yet, Isadore was simply using his mana strengthening and martial arts to pierce through his foes like a hot knife through butter. At his current state, even Kanari doubted if she would pose a decent match for the spear prodigy. Kanari had always thought that her growth rate was second only to Shin. However, Isadore, a man who hadn''t been training within the Celestial Dragon''s domain, seemed to be in much better shape. These past few years have seen the rise of many prodigal talents, something that couldn''t be observed just a few decades prior. Was this a golden generation, one that appeared once in every ten thousand years? Or was it the product of the warring period that the Black Masks have plunged the world into? Kanari couldn''t tell. "Well, isn''t it good?" Emma clapped her hands with a simple chortle. After getting used to Shin''s antics, Emma had become immune to their group showing talents beyond their years. "At least there would be less pressure on our shoulders now!" "Yeah..." The black-haired beauty raised her eyebrow before bringing in her domain, resting the Kumiho Spirit within her soul. Every Alliance members'' battles were already wrapping up nicely. Kanari had dispensed Fred Newton, the man responsible for attacking the Alliance''s base. The Himmel Ancestor was charging forward with the intent to destroy the Obsidian Gate. The World Serpent Ao was surrounded by some of the world''s top Spirit Venerates, including the Sword Venerate Pangu. It was safe to say that the Black Masks influence on the west was already falling apart. In due time, the Alliance would defeat every last soul within the region. However, there was still one unfinished deed that plagues all of those present. Elrin was the first one to break the ice. She puffed up her perky chest with her arms holding both sides of her waist. "So, where''s Junius?" The white-haired maiden pouted, her gaze moving beyond the horizons. "Unclear," Kanari replied. They had been mobilised all for the sake of dealing with the pesky Blade of Death. If the World Serpent was the gatekeeper, the golden goose was the man who had reaped Shizen''s life away. However, even after many hours of searching, the viridian-haired felon was nowhere to be seen. Kanari turned around, turning her attention to a well-dressed female butler who had been faithfully serving by her side. "Claudia?" "Young Mistress," the butler bowed her head in servitude. "Does Spion have any information?" "Yes!" Claudia saluted as she took out the aether crystal attached to her inner ear. "Spion has been monitoring the entire battlefield from afar, including the mansion located at the heart of the region. However, there hasn''t been any sign of the Blade of Death. Most likely, he wasn''t located within the mansion at all." "Not at the mansion?" The ethereal beauty pouted her lips and fell deep into thought. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "That''s right," Claudia continued her report in a tone-dead manner. "Even with our vast network of watchers, we couldn''t find the Blade of Death. However, we have overheard the Lantis Republic''s intercoms. I believe that the Prince would be heading to the Illusory Canyon once his mana is fully recovered." "The Illusory Canyon? Wait¡­ That actually makes sense..." Kanari, being the one who was closest to Shin, immediately connected the dots. "There''s no way the Allfather would abandon the Tree of Illusions as a resource. Since Junius is the champion of the Empyrean Wonder, he could most likely survive a few weeks within the canyon. When the turbulent winds blow over, then the Black Masks would send reinforcements to rescue Junius." Elrin chimed in as well: "Wait¡­ Remember Fred saying something about digging tunnels to connect the mansion to the rest of the Kori Federation?" Elrin''s merchant eyes were shining as her right index finger pointed towards the crevice located just metres away. "If that''s the case, perhaps one of these tunnels would lead us to Junius'' hiding place? All we need to do is move in the direction of the Illusory Canyon, right?" "..." The entire group went speechless, Kanari and the twins particularly. They turned to the impish young maiden and winced as if they had just seen a peculiar ghost. "It''s amazing how a few years can change a person¡­ First, it was Isadore¡­ Now Elrin..." Emma rubbed on her forehead, amazed by the scene that unfolded. "To think that a mere Elrin could think of that..." Kanari''s face turned aghast. She was the one most taken aback among the three. Typically, Kanari was the sharp one of the group and yet¡­ She had lost out to the short and petite merchant. "Time sure does miracles..." Ella whistled in wonder. "Hey, aren''t you guys being a little too harsh?!" The white-haired girl yelped in protest. "We haven''t seen each other in god knows how many years and this is how you treat me? Your token genius?! Hick..." Elrin covered her eyes with her sleeves and began to sniffle. She was really adamant about playing the part of a woman that was hurt. Though, her long-term friends were able to see through her act in a heartbeat. Kanari rolled her eyes while the others started to giggle. Isadore, who had just wrecked the final Umbra in the area, floated back towards the four girls like an Immortal descending from the heavens. His androgynous features had morphed into a dashing young man, one that wouldn''t lose out to either Shin or any other Prince. In fact, with his superior build, the spearman had a claim as the most eligible bachelor in all of the three superpowers. "Are any of you hurt?" Isadore asked, genuinely concerned about the well-being of his bosom friends. "No," Emma was the first to reply. "Thank you, Isadore. You really helped us out here." "Haha, no worries!" The silver-haired man shrugged his shoulders. "I should be apologising. If not for my Master, I would have met up with all of you much sooner." Isadore lamented his lack of ability. "Oh?" The rest may not be perceptive enough, but Kanari could tell that there were greater shades to Isadore''s words. "Have you convinced the Himmel Ancestor to release his hold on you? Are you now free to move on your own?" Due to him awakening the legendary Spirit of Himmel, Isadore had been locked in the Imperial Palace for a large portion of his childhood. Everyday, his movements would be under constant surveillance, and any notions to escape were all foiled by Spion and the Imperial Family''s servants. When Isadore reached fifteen, he was allowed to attend the prestigious Imperius Academy, to bolster his ability to interact with his peers. However, even though he was far from the reach of the Himmel Ancestor, the invisible eyes of the Spirit Saint were following Isadore wherever he went. In the end, Isadore was just like a caged bird in a controlled environment. Never truly free. "No, I''m not freed completely, but I do have some autonomy now that I''ve mastered ten-thousand martial arts and improved my Spirit to a certain extent." The silver-haired Prince didn''t bother to hide his identity anymore. In front of these few, there was no more need for secrets. "I don''t want to lose any more of my friends..." The mood instantly turned heavy. Everyone was promptly reminded of the real reason why they''ve come all the way to the west as a childish face popped up within their memories. "When I first heard the news, my heart felt like it was being broken into a million pieces. The feeling of ineptness¡­ The incapability to do anything while my friend perished in a land that I could never reach¡­ That haunted me for many days¡­ No, it''s still haunting me to this hour." Isadore steeled his flinching face. "So, even if I had to make a pact with the devil, I swore to never let my friends perish ever again." "Isadore..." Kanari dropped her shoulders. She wanted to comfort the broken man but was promptly stopped by his extended palms. "If I felt this way, I can''t imagine the grief that Shin is going through¡­ Not to mention, the man who killed Shizen was the one he once called his brother!" Clearly agitated, the silver-haired man tightened his grip on the spear until a red fluid started to flow. "I can''t let Shin suffer anymore from Junius'' terror. That cockroach¡­ That nightmare that continues to haunt Shin¡­ I will be the one to end him!" "Hmph! Get in line!" Ella stepped forward, her Ice Bow sending out crystal bits floating down onto the snowy floor. "Shin is my brother, and Shizen is my¡­ Shizen is my friend! Furthermore, I''m part of the orphans that Junius ripped apart! If it''s anyone that''s going to claim Junius'' head, it''s going to be me!" "..." "..." Isadore and Ella stared at one another, neither of them willing to back down from their convictions. They both had noble hearts, however¡­ "Well, let''s not get ahead of ourselves¡­ We have to first find Junius, right?" Emma interjected with a bitter smile. Their desires were admirable, however, what good was convictions when the goal was nowhere to be found. Instantly, the pair flushed and dropped down their heads in embarrassment. They were both in their twenties now, but they still managed to argue over such a small detail. "Hahaha, looks like some things really don''t change..." Kanari chortled, her gaze was as warm as a cosy fireplace. The group had often bickered like this back in the days of their travel. Ella, Isadore, Elrin and Shizen would often argue over minor things while Emma spectated with a warm smile. Shin and Kanari, being the ''leaders'' of the girl and boy groups, had always played the mediator, bringing peace back to the team. Still, even with their numerous disputes, the seven young heroes were hailed to be the greatest team ever assembled in Imperius Academy history. Of course, now there was only six¡­ "Guys..." With Shin still recovering, it was up to Kanari to take charge. Her eyes turned dead-serious as if she were now a general that had battled a thousand battles. Kanari threw her fist into the centre of the five cultivators and easily brought her companions'' hands together. "If we''re going to avenge Shizen¡­ Let''s do it right..." Kanari declared. "Let''s¡­ Kill Junius¡­ That bastard that continues to haunt our dreams!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 531 The Beginning Of The End 2 Junius walked deeper into the ravine, filled to the brim with dense, white fog. Dozens of floating wisps flew by the Brahmin, lowering the temperature and bringing forth a surreal feel to the area. The man nearing his thirties took one deep breath in, sucking in as much mist into his expanded lungs. Mind elementals danced around the lean man as if trying to lift Junius into a higher realm. At the same time, from deep within the Brahmin, a dark power turned itself into dense, black smog. The Mind and Darkness Elements started to counter one another, each one of them vying for supremacy within Junius'' body. However, Junius didn''t care. So what if his body blew up from an overdose of mana? Junius hardly even cared if he lived past this day. Junius tightened his grip on the two-metre-long, hiltless Odachi in his left hand, while his right summoned out the Obsidian Water Blade. Junius lifted the two swords up, gazing deep into their metallic hue. Both swords could represent the two sides of his relationship with the Black Masks and the Allfather. Hofuku, the legendary-grade sword that was bestowed to him by the supreme leader himself, represented the merits and prestige that came from serving the Allfather. Every good thing that had come from serving the Allfather. Elevating the Awter Clan to a more luxurious mansion, the extravagant prestige that came from being a Brahmin, having thousands of men and women bending to his every whim¡­ All the luxuries that ever happened to Junius were represented in the glorious legendary-grade spirit armament. On the other hand, his Obsidian Water Blade was a symbol of the contamination that the Black Mask Syndicate had placed upon his soul. Its original beautiful, azure hue had been stripped bare, leaving nothing but complete darkness. How many had perished under his sword? How many had suffered because he had followed the Allfather''s orders? Junius probably couldn''t count them all. However, Junius could count one person that was affected more than any other soul he''d ever come across. In fact, he knew that person all too well¡­ Taking a few steps forward, the scenery around Junius instantly changed. The rocky canyons and thick mist had been lifted, leaving behind the glorious scene of a white weeping willow tree. It was pulsating out legions of Mind-Elements, those of the likes that could never be seen anywhere else in the world. Spirit Saints, those that topped the world in every single metric, would be spellbound by the Empyrean Wonder''s power. It didn''t matter if the cultivator was young or old. As long as they possessed a mind, they would be at the Tree of Illusions'' mercy. And well¡­ So was Junius. The world around him changed once more, and a vast verdant field was laid bare before his eyes. Eleven young children hopped around the fields, blowing bubbles and joking around under the summer sun. A warm cottage with a soot-filled chimney was built behind them, and numerous farm animals wandered the pastures. All eleven of the children were wearing simple linen garbs while their hands were littered with splinters for holding onto wood axes for too long. However, none of them showed any signs of bitterness. In fact, their faces were so radiant that Junius had a hard time looking at them. "Tree of Illusions¡­ Must you play me so?" Junius sighed, raising the Hofuku up into the air. With two swings, the impossible scene was shredded and left to dissipate into pure mind elements. All eleven of the happy children faded into oblivion, leaving behind nothing but the familiar weeping willow tree. Junius stared right at the Empyrean Wonder and said: "I know that you''re sentient¡­ Can you tell me what your will is? What''s your true will?" The Brahmin questioned the tree. "..." There was no answer. "You chose me¡­ You made me fight Shizen for your own amusement¡­ So I believe that I have every right to know¡­ What do you want from me?" "..." Still, no answer. It was odd, seeing a man attempting to hold a conversation with a tree. However, Junius knew for a fact that the Empyrean Wonder was hiding something more than meets the eye. If not, why would it have chosen both Junius and Shizen as its champions, forcing them to duke it out until one remained? Thus far, Junius had been serving the Allfather faithfully. He''d carried out all of his orders perfectly and had proven that he was one of the best Brahmins there was. However, it was a different case for the Tree of Illusions. "Do you want me to kill Shin? The man who inherited the Celestial River? Is that it?" Junius asked while raising his voice. "Do you want me to prove to the world that the Tree of Illusions is superior to the Celestial Dragon? Is that what it is?" "..." Nothing. The whistles of fog and mist captivated Junius'' eardrums as the Tree of Illusions remained utterly silent. No one truly understood how Empyrean Wonders worked. Were they sentient? Or were they just blobs of spiritual energy that just somehow happened to form in nature? It was all a blank paper. However, for some gut-wrenching reason, Junius somehow felt that the Tree of Illusions, who many have assumed to be inanimate, was laughing heartily at his expense. It was just¡­ His existence was just too weak to perceive it, much like how an ant would never be able to comprehend the emotions of a human. "Whatever..." Junius spat on the ground before slamming the Hofuku''s tip onto the soil. Leaning against the trunk of the tree, the Brahmin held one arm over his thigh before throwing his head back. "Shin should be arriving any moment now¡­ If it''s a show you want¡­ It''s a show you''ll get..." The viridian-haired man closed his eyes, allowing the elements to take over his body. In due time, the one person he''d wanted to see the most, would arrive at his location. The least he could do was to look presentable. ''Shin¡­ We''ve been chasing each other''s tails for the past seven years...'' Junius breathed in vast amounts of mana, charging up the full might of his Rank 60 Spirit King cultivation level. ''It''s about time we ended it...'' ??? Just as Junius began meditating, Shin''s lips muttered out the Hymn of Origin''s final verse. After his Spirit evolved from the Sovereign Koi to the Celestial Dragon, Shin had become capable of absorbing all sorts of elements from the surroundings. Naturally, his mastery in the water elements was far above that of the others, but the ability to incorporate all elements still helped in his mana recovery. In less than fifteen minutes, the young Prince was topped off and ready to fight another war. He gazed down at the battlefield, his eyes coloured in a solid azure hue. The visage of dead Umbras filled his peripheral vision. The Himmel Ancestor, the one called the strongest man in the world, was just one kilometre away from the colossal Obsidian Gate. Though the number of powerful Umbras was multiplying by the second, the Spirit Saint remained utterly unfazed. He didn''t doubt his ability to down the structure at any point and was busy pumping mana into the glorious flag. At the side, the eight Spirit Venerates that had accompanied Shin from the Lantis Republic all had their humongous Spirits summoned. The Eight Scions of Water, topped off with Pangu''s immense sword ability, were keeping the World Serpent at bay. No matter how many hurricanes the Tier 9 Spirit Beast summoned, it was being quelled by the colossal spiritual energies that the Spirit Venerates shot out. It was like a well-oiled machine, the operation that is. Shin smiled as he watched the fruits of his labour come into fruition. ''With this¡­ The Black Masks are sure to quieten down for the next few months...'' In this war, it wasn''t the soldiers or the noblemen that suffered the most. The ones that suffered the most were the innocent lives that would perish after every beast horde. The thousands of families that would be displaced. The millions of children that would be forced into orphanages or even worse, forced into a life of crime. Shin had once suffered that fate¡­ The fate of a child broken down by the flames of war. He would never wish that fate upon another living soul, particularly one of a child that didn''t have anything. "Senior Heigui, you can stop now." The young Prince stood up within the compounds of the dense Obsidian Xuanwu''s barrier and tapped on his protector''s shoulders. "Master, Senior Zishen, Bingbing, Venerate Maurice..." Shin turned to the other powerhouses that had been waiting for his recovery. Three Spirit Venerates and two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. It was a line-up that would make any lower-ranked Spirit Saint reconsider fighting. And Shin was bringing all five of them to face a Rank 60 Spirit King. To call it an overkill was an understatement. Shin didn''t even bother taking one final look at the battlefield. Once everyone was prepared, they burst through the sound barrier and instantly appeared above the skies of the Illusory Canyon. There was nothing to see, but ethereal mist and tonnes of rock. The odd tree would burst out from the top of the canyon out other than that, the resting place of the Empyrean Wonder was mostly obscured. "Your Highness," Maurice stepped forward for the first time since arriving. "I wouldn''t suggest that you charge into the Illusory Canyon, even if Junius is laying in wait." "Hmmm?" The black-haired Prince glanced over his shoulder, shooting the Spirit Venerate an odd look. "Why''s that?" "Your Highness, do you remember how Shizen was killed?" Maurice prompted in a respectful tone. "Junius forced him into a sacred duel where outsiders aren''t allowed to interrupt. Even though the World Serpent and I were present, we were unable to do anything within the Tree of Illusion''s majesty." "Ah, you don''t have to worry about that..." Shin shook off the Spirit Venerate''s worry with a smile. "That''s why I only brought people that are much stronger than Junius. If the Tree of Illusions does trigger the sacred duel, anyone of the seniors here would be capable of taking him down." "No, that''s not the point! With all due respect, your highness... What would happen if the Tree of Illusions chooses you as the target for the sacred duel? No matter how many Spirit Venerates are present, it wouldn''t help at all!" Maurice''s worries weren''t unfounded. If done incorrectly, Shin would not only fail to kill Junius, but he would run the risk of being killed himself. Lady Seph and Heigui Xuegang raised their eyebrows, probably thinking if the Master Explorer had gone mad after his long years of exploring. Zishen and Bingbing, on the other hand, were stifling a laugh, amused that Venerate Maurice would ever reach this notion. However, the man couldn''t be faulted. He hadn''t lived in the Lantis Republic over the past three years and had no idea of the true nature of Shin''s Spirit. The Prince raised his palms and flashed a smirk. "Venerate Maurice¡­ You don''t have to worry about that..." "What? Hah¡­ Venerate Seraphim, would you..." Before the man could even seek the help of the one person that Shin would listen to, an immense pressure fell upon his shoulders. Vibrant colours erupted from the depths of the Prince''s soul and lit up the region. The mixture of snow and rain from the heavens had ceased, bowing down to the hegemony of the divine mana that plagued the earth. Mist from the Illusory Canyon attempted to resist the sacred colours, but it was to no avail. The Celestial Dragon, boosted by Shin''s Domain of Dreams, had once again made its appearance. At its rear, a dreamy apparition of the Celestial River flowed down from the top of Shin''s head. Spellbound, the only thing that Venerate Maurice could do was drop his jaw. He was an explorer that hoped to see every Empyrean Wonder in the world. However, never in his wildest imaginations would he have thought that he''d lay his eyes on the world''s first-ever Empyrean Wonder battle. "See, there''s no way that the Tree of Illusions would choose me as its champion..." Shin chuckled as he summoned everything out from his arsenal. The Spear of Aiglos, the Azure Dragon Shard, full Spiritual-Body Enhancement, the Domain of Dreams¡­ And last, but not least¡­ His myriad of created water abilities¡­ They were all targeted at the Illusory Canyon¡­ "How can I be the champion of that tree when I''m an Empyrean Wonder myself?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 532 The Beginning Of The End 3 Shin''s Celestial Dragon spun a few times, baring all of its sharp teeth at the dense, misty canyon. Mana continued to surge out from every single pore that Shin had, turning the region into a place solely for his pleasure. The spiritual energies of the Tree of Illusions and the Celestial River continued to intersect as if they were two apex lions vying for dominance. Due to Shin''s lack of spiritual maturity, his domain was being pushed back by the near million-year-old Tree of Illusions. However, that didn''t mean that the youth was completely disadvantaged. Normal Spirit Users, be it a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner or a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, would suffer under the effects of the Tree of Illusions. As they entered the Illusory Canyon, they would first feel light-headed as the Mind Elements would overrun their soul. Following that, their entire body would face numerous physiological changes, such as increased heart rates and breaking into a cold sweat. Eventually, when the Empyrean Wonder takes over, even the strongest Spirit Users would fall into the illusions that it creates. However, Shin didn''t have that disadvantage. Being backed by the Celestial River, the Empyrean Wonder created by the essence one of history''s strongest ever Dragon, Shin''s domain was able to withstand the impairment brought forth by the Tree of Illusions. As long as he unleashed his Celestial Dragon and the Domain of Dreams, Shin would be capable of walking into the Illusory Canyon completely unhindered. The same goes for those that accompanied him. As long as they remained inside of Shin''s domain, they could block out the Tree of Illusion''s mana and fight with a single mind. Venerate Maurice gulped, looking straight at the glorious sparkles that illuminated the skies. Every time the Spirit Venerate thought that he''d seen the peak of Shin''s abilities, the Prince would showcase a new side to his never-ending arsenal. Ignoring the shock he''d inflicted on Venerate Maurice, Shin remarked: "Let''s go in..." There was no telling where Junius was in the misty canyon. In fact, no one knew if Junius was even hiding near the Empyrean Wonder or not. However, for some mystical reason, Shin could somehow tell that something was waiting for him. He was instinctively drawn to the centre of the canyon as if there was a chain pulling him down. What was that force? Shin would wonder. The Prince frowned. There was no point in mulling over the unknown. With his loaded party filled with Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, there was no need for him to fear. Now, all he needed to do¡­ Was to fly down head-first. Everyone prepared themselves for the worst fight of their lives. Lady Seph had long summoned out the Iofiel Angel, merging with the Spirit to create a holy body, filled with light elements. Bingbing was in a similar state. Her childish body had morphed two ice angel''s wings, all while bits of icy dust flowed down from her hands. Zishen had partially transformed his two hands into sharp claws, while the water elements danced around the beast in complete euphoria. And finally, Venerate Heigui Xuegang had enveloped the entire group with a dense Xuanwu''s shell, protecting them from any possible harm. The energy barrier continued to descend as per Shin''s orders. They moved gradually, enabling the elites to slowly observe their surroundings. Although they were under the protection of the Celestial Dragon, one could never be too cautious. Their pupils all dilated as their facial expressions tightened. Surrounding them was a mist so thick that one could barely see a metre ahead. The temperature was frosty cold, and the atmosphere spell-bindingly eerie. No one would dare to stay within the Illusory Canyon for months or even days at a time. The Spirit Venerates unconsciously came closer to the young Prince, ready to protect him from any and all harm. God knows what horrors the Allfather and the Black Masks may have placed in the area. Fortunately, the group hadn''t any traps thus far. Falling deeper and deeper, the group eventually landed on the cold, moist soil. Still within the barrier, all of the guards remained vigilant of their surroundings. The fog was ever-thick, and the Mind Elements dwarfed any spiritual or elemental energy in the atmosphere. Everyone had crunched up expressions, ready to leap into battle at a moment''s notice. Everyone¡­ but one. Shin loosely held onto the Spear of Aiglos, completely nonchalant to their sudden shift in the environment. It felt odd¡­ He was in the heart of the enemy''s turf, but strangely enough, Shin felt utterly at home. Walking within the Illusory Canyon, Shin didn''t feel any fear or worry. In fact, his entire soul was soothed by the refreshing dip in temperature. Something was beckoning him forward and deep down¡­ Shin knew what it was¡­ "Shin?" Lady Seph raised her brows as the young man walked confidently towards the east. The whole place was fogged off, and even the Master Explorer Maurice had no clue on how to proceed. However, Shin was behaving as if he were a fish put back in the water. He knew where he had to go¡­ Shin led the group a few dozen metres through the dense fog, not stopping to sightsee or even look for danger. Deep within himself, Shin could tell¡­ There was nothing here that could threaten him. The Celestial Dragon which was baptised by the Celestial River coiled itself around Shin, continuously pouring out vast amounts of spiritual energies into the atmosphere. Distinct vibrant colours of cerulean, azure and emerald filled the landscape, turning the murky world into one that inspired hope. The world was slowly becoming dyed in his colours, and that wasn''t the end. Bit by bit, the Celestial Dragon eroded the Tree of Illusion''s influence, eliminating any single chance for the Empyrean Wonder to take over the minds of those present. It took about two minutes for the elite force to reach their destination. A gorgeous ravine, filled with a verdant backdrop. Thousands of floating wisps decorated the scenery, making it one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The Spirit Venerates all universally dropped their jaws at the outpour of spiritual energies. It was, by far, one of the most mana-rich areas that they had ever been in. And at the centre of it all¡­ A beautiful white, weeping willow tree stood tall over the entire region. There were Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts accompanying Shin. They were the cream of the crop, the strongest beings that would roam across the lands. However, in the face of the Empyrean Wonder¡­ The elites felt¡­ So small¡­ For one, the Mind-Elements that dominated the land was overwhelmingly potent. Secondly, the foreign nature of the Tree of Illusions stifled all who laid their eyes upon it. The Spirit Venerates felt like they were witnessing something otherworldly within their mortal domain. Shin, on the other hand, felt the opposite. The young Prince felt like he''d entered a place that could never bear to hurt him. He''d felt¡­ completely at home. However, that didn''t deter Shin from focusing on his objective. If he could see the white weeping willow tree, it made sense that he would have seen the man seated right beneath it. A gorgeous blade was stuck in the soil before the seated man. It was pristine and glowing as if it had never tasted human blood before. But Shin knew the truth. How many have perished under that dreadful blade? Ten? A hundred? A thousand? Shin didn''t know. However, he did know one thing¡­ The adorable brown-haired youth that he''d called his best friend¡­ Had perished under that very blade. Shin took two steps forward, only to be stopped by Zishen''s raised palm. The Azure Dragon Lord felt repressed in the area and knew that it wouldn''t be wise for Shin to approach the man seated under the tree. It wasn''t just Zishen, the rest of the elite force also felt uneasy. Alas, Shin didn''t share the same concerns. Simply shaking his head, the young Prince pushed away Zishen''s palm and continued to walk forward. Unable to stop Shin, the Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts all prepared for battle. The moment the man leapt out from under the tree, they would strike with all the force that they had. Pat¡­ Pat¡­ Pat¡­ Shin''s footsteps echoed through the verdant ravine, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere that the Empyrean Wonder had worked so hard to build. Other than the time Shizen visited, the Tree of Illusions hadn''t been spotted for more than a thousand years. Generations of explorers had come and gone, all without disrupting the Tree of Illusion''s peace. Yet, in this short time frame, so many had treaded onto its soil. Shin''s azure eyes glistened, reflecting the gorgeous lights given out by the wisps. His face was utterly expressionless, even after seeing the slumbering man opening his eyes. Seven years¡­ It has been seven long years since that fateful day on Frie Mountain. So many things had happened since then. Shin had made new friends and connections. Seen sights that few would ever hope to see in their entire lifetimes. Experienced all the luxuries that life could offer. However, Shin had also lost many that he''d loved. Made mistakes that he''d never wanted to repeat, and most importantly¡­ Felt grief that one could hardly endure. As much as Shin didn''t want to admit it, his entire life was intertwined with the man seated under the tree. Due to the man''s existence, Shin could never have a good night''s sleep. Due to the man''s actions, Shin had lost so many. It was a connection that surpassed mortal bonds and went into the supernatural. All of Shin''s happiness and all of his sufferings¡­ They were all connected to this one man. Looking up at the viridian-haired man who was slowly getting up, Shin was reminded of his beautiful past. A past that he''d long forgotten¡­ No, a past that he''d wanted to forget. Those happy memories of children playing under the valley. They were oppressed by the Frie Clan, but that had only tightened their bonds. They were inseparable, even as rambunctious children. They weren''t related by blood, but Shin loved him as if he really was his brother¡­ But now¡­ Here they stand¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As mortal enemies. "Junius..." Shin muttered out the name that he''d been chasing for over seven years now. The viridian-haired man stood silently under the Tree of Illusion''s light, looking on at the newcomers that stepped on his domain. It didn''t take an idiot to tell that he was outnumbered and outmatched. However, Junius still grabbed onto his glorious, hiltless Odachi. A legendary-grade sword in his left and an Obsidian Black Blade on his right, Junius stared straight at Shin, flashing a wry smile. "Shin¡­" Junius'' raspy voice, one that had shown signs of ageing, reverberated through the silent canyon. Shin was currently twenty-two, and Junius was closing in on twenty-seven. They weren''t children or teenagers anymore, but fully grown adults. Needless to say, they had been through so much, and their life experiences could easily fill eleven books. However, they weren''t meeting under the white weeping willow tree to reminisce about the past. "That''s quite a force you''ve brought..." Junius glanced over Shin and immediately noticed the elite force. Three Spirit Venerates and two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts¡­ No Brahmin could ever hope to stand against those odds. "Are you planning to capture me again?" Junius remembered the first time he''d met Shin at the Merry Waterfall. Back then, Junius still held onto the pipe dream that Shin could be turned to the Black Masks and Shin had the naivety to believe that Junius could be captured to pay for his sins. Time has changed that¡­ "No, Junius..." Shin shook his head. The image of Shizen''s restful corpse flashed by his mind, forcing Shin to grimace in complete agony. He had let this cancer run amok for far too long¡­ It was time¡­ To end it¡­ "Junius¡­" Shin raised his Spear of Aiglos while the Celestial Dragon roared. As if on cue, Zishen morphed into his Azure Dragon form and roared in anger, spewing all sorts of dragon breath onto the valley. Lady Seph did the same, this time by buffing Zishen to the best of her ability. Heigui Xuegang created a dense barrier to protect Shin, while Bingbing flew closer to the Prince. All of that hostility was targetted to that one man¡­ "Junius Awter¡­ You caused the deaths of thousands in the Land of Dreams. With your assistance, the Black Masks had been able to kill thousands more using the Payircis. Your sins are far too heavy for any normal court to bear... Therefore, in the name of Shin Iofiel, the Prince of the Lantis Republic¡­ I sentence you... to death." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 533 Ripples of Blood 1 Zishen unleashed the strongest breath attack that was known to his soul, bringing forth death and destruction with one single blow. The ground trembled as the world came to a halt. White leaves dropped down from the weeping willow tree, bringing a sense of ethereal beauty to the mundane ravine. Though, it didn''t matter to the Azure Dragon Lord if the world was dyed white or red. As long as Junius, the man who had caused his master so much harm, had perished, everything else didn''t matter. The light from the heated dragon''s breath created a billowing smoke, one so dense that it covered the entire Tree of Illusions. Mist was replaced with dark, throat-constraining smoke while the verdants grasslands were swapped with breathtakingly dangerous pale blue flames. Zishen was a Spirit Beast that used the Water-Element, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t create fire. Condensing all of his mana into pure external spiritual energies, the Azure Dragon Lord could easily douse the world with peerless destruction. Most men, including Spirit Saints, would unquestionably pale up when attacked with such an otherworldly force. However, Junius remained utterly calm. He didn''t move a single inch as he stood confidently under the Empyrean Wonder''s canopy. The resultant force was capable of breaking down mountains and creating torrential storms that would last for days. Alas, against the defensive capabilities of the Godlike tree, Zishen''s all-out attack fell short. The smoke dissipated, revealing the completely intact Tree of Illusions, alongside a fully healthy Junius. His eyes weren''t muddied in the slightest, and the two blades in his hands were vibrating violently, seemingly in blissful anticipation of what''s to come. The Empyrean Wonder had repelled Zishen''s immense might, a deed that only a few in the world could ever pull off. "This damned brat..." A flaming flower bloomed with Lady Seph''s beautiful eyes as she took five steps forward. If pure physical might couldn''t cut it, then what about astral attacks? The blonde beauty raised her hand up, congregating a large portion of her golden light within those dainty fingers. In her Angel Form, Lady Seph''s abilities were all boosted, particularly the ones that controlled another human''s body. In one breath, the woman hollered out with a voice that seemed to come from the divine. [KNEEL!!!] Unleashing the Words of the Angel, Lady Seph laid out an order upon the Rank 60 Spirit King. Junius'' face broke out in a grimace as cold sweat flowed out from all his pores. Facing the Divine Healer''s spiritual ability without the proper resistance was tantamount to suicide. In due time, Junius lost control over his body, and his legs began to shake. He''d felt as if a thousand stones had been mounted upon his shoulders. Lady Seph smiled, feeling confident that her ability was working on the man. A long time ago, when the First Elder first brought Junius and Shin to Yakkokyu Clinic, Lady Seph had used this very same ability to heal Junius'' crippled legs. It was ironic that now, she was using the exact same ability to cripple his body. Whhhhhhhhhhhooooooooosssssssssshhhhhhhhhh!!! Alas, not everything would go as planned. Before Junius knees could touch the ground, one of the falling branches of the weeping willow tree enveloped the young man, bringing his body back to its original posture. Lady Seph''s spiritual ability was instantly countered, and the woman fell to her bum in shock. Two abilities thrown, two abilities failed. One was a dragon breath that could dominate any battlefield while the other was a divine ability that could dominate any man. Yet, the Empyrean Wonder standing behind Junius had countered them all. Evidently, it wasn''t thrilled with the idea of Junius being beaten by someone far stronger than him. The Tree of Illusions wanted to see a fair fight. Even if it were an inanimate creature, it knew that there was a bond connecting Shin and Junius. For an entity that lived millions of years unhindered, it was keenly waiting for something to entertain it. There was no way that the Tree of Illusions would allow Junius to perish in the first few blows by a bunch of Spirit Venerates or Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. And Shin could tell that¡­ Perhaps it was due to his connection to the Celestial River, Shin could feel the emotions of the tree just as Junius could. Sighing, the Prince raised his hand and stopped his seniors: "There''s no point in forcing it¡­ If the Tree of Illusions really wants to protect Junius, there''s nothing that you can do..." At the same time, Shin offered his own answer to the deadlock by raising the deadly spear that rested firmly on his hands. The Shard of the Azure Dragon beamed out droves of dense spiritual energies all while the water orbs danced happily around the youth. "Let me deal with Junius..." "Your Highness, that can''t be done!" Venerate Maurice leapt out ready to interject with his most boisterous voice. However, once again, Shin''s cold expression and chest-contracting pressure silenced the Spirit Venerate. "Don''t worry about it," the youth remarked apathetically. "If there''s any danger, Master or Senior Zishen will jump right in. Also..." Shin spun his spear around, sending waves of elemental energy flying all around. How long has it been? How many times has Shin played this scenario in his head over and over again? Shin was far stronger than he''d ever been. He''d trained so tirelessly, grabbed his spear until both his palms bled out the crimson fluid of life. All for this one moment¡­ And Shin didn''t feel like he could lose. "I''m going to kill Junius with my own hands!!!" As Shin made his way closer to the tree, Junius raised both his brows. He examined the expressions of all the elites that followed Shin, making sure not to miss a single flinch. Only when he was completely confident that he wouldn''t be attacked, did the man finally leave the protection of the tree. Junius stared Shin right in the eye, his two blades glistening in the light of the Empyrean Wonder. Junius had never thought of fleeing. If he had, the Blade of Death would have long escaped through the tunnels. Just like Shin, Junius wanted to end everything today. It didn''t matter if he lived or died. The bond between Shin and himself had grown ever so weary, and it was time to sever it once and for all. GROOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRR!!! Cold, black wisps emerged from the Obsidian Water Blade and congregated themselves into a blob of matter. Slowly, a replica of the same Spirit formed right next to Junius as a fully grown male body grew out from its hilt. Junius had cast the deadly ability that had taken Shizen''s life, the one ability that Venerate Maurice now hated more than any other¡­ The enigmatic Sword Partner. Whhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! Before Junius could even command his Sword Partner to do anything, a sharp whistle tore through the air at a speed at that not even Junius could match. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. SPLAT!!! Instantly, the Sword Partner halted its aggressive nature. A pointed two-metre-long ice spear was protruding out of its body as white smog dropped down onto the mossy floor from its shaft. Created by the water of Junius'' Spirit, the Sword Partner was in no way capable of resisting the Ice-Elements that now overtook its entire body. In just a fraction of a second, the Sword Partner turned into an ice sculpture and collapsed on its weight, destroying Junius'' spiritual ability before it even had the chance to act. "What?" The Brahmin looked perplexed. How could one of his most powerful abilities, the one ability that had got him through so many tough situations, just fail? It hadn''t even been a second since Junius had summoned the Sword Partner. Tracing the trajectory of the spear, Junius saw Shin''s right hand turn red from contracting his muscles too much. A trace of smoke flowed out from his palms as the young man slowly returned to his original posture. Shin was calm like a dandelion bracing a spring''s breeze. He brought his middle finger and thumb together before letting out the familiar snap. Once again, a new Spear of Aiglos formed, practically instantaneously. There was no almost no wastage of movements from the moment Shin threw the spear, to the time he remade another. "Do you honestly think that I wouldn''t have prepared countermeasures for all your abilities?" Shin scoffed with his chest puffed out. There wasn''t conceit in his gaze, just pure, unadulterated confidence¡­ What was Shin''s speciality? Wasn''t it precisely analysis and creating counters to each one of his enemy''s specialities? In battle, Shin understood that knowledge was key. The one who had more information always held the upper-hand. Therefore, Shin would always make it a priority to analyse and calculate the best way to take down his opponent, even if he was facing the foe for the first time. Junius was Shin''s mortal enemy, the man that he''d chased for over seven years. In the past, Shin had even trained tirelessly with the man. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Shin had examined everything that was needed to know about Junius. His tells in battle... What spiritual abilities did he rely upon... How skilful he was at the sword¡­ Nothing was left to the imagination. For every ability that Junius had, Shin would create ten counters. For every sword art that Junius was proficient in, Shin would learn a thousand weak points. Sword Partner, being the ability that took down Shizen, was the top ability on the list that Shin had made. Shin calculated and examined the information he''d gotten from Maurice, intelligence reports from the Alliance Information Network, and even whispers from the commonfolk that had witnessed the Blade of Death in battle. In the end, Shin had come up with a simple conclusion to counter the replica Sword Partner that used Junius'' martial arts with ease¡­ ''I''ll just freeze it before it can strike or hide...'' Shin preemptive strike was far too unexpected for Junius to foresee. In the end, the Brahmin had wasted a portion of his mana before the battle had even begun. Alas, it didn''t take long for the seasoned fighter to regain his wits. Junius had fought in countless battles over his years of servitude to the Allfather and instinctively knew that Shin was about to launch the next attack. Therefore, Junius lowered his hip and blade down, entering his signature stance for his infamous attack. "PIERCE!!!" The Obsidian Water Blade expanded rapidly, at least ten times the speed of sound. It bolted straight at Shin, thirsting for the crimson blood that circulated the Prince''s body. Junius ''Pierce'' had once again improved by leaps and bounds, reaching speeds that were unheard of for such a mundane innate skill. In battle, Junius had fallen hundreds, if not thousands, with this one strike alone. Alas¡­ SPLLLLLATT!!! "Eh?" Junius'' brows instantly rose as his expanding sword burst out into splatters of water. ''Pierce'' was unable to find its target and instead, had detonated itself the moment it touched Shin''s glistening domain. It was as if¡­ The Brahmin''s blade was a servant to Shin, unable to raise a single hand upon its Prince. Shin puffed his chest up, flashing a haughty expression. "Junius¡­ Have you forgotten my nickname? The name that had gotten me into the upper echelons of the cultivation world?" The youth took two steps forward and pierced the Spear of Aiglos into the soil. He raised both his hands, and dense water droplets arose from the moist ground. Bit by bit, Shin''s domain became more humid as rapidly rotating water spheres orbited around the young man''s body. It wasn''t just water orbs, numerous water weapons, spears, swords, and even humanoids sprouted out within the domain. "All water is under my control¡­" Shin''s azure eyes continued to sparkle as ripples burst forth from the bottom of his feet. "Let me show you the wrath¡­ Of the Prince of Water!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 534 Ripples of Blood 2 Shin''s fingers moved like a conductor directing an orchestra, threading and weaving about with fluidity that would make seasoned professionals cry with shame. Water spheres all turned into tendrils, and icy spears continued to rain down from the skies. Junius raised the Hofuku, sending mana into the pristine jewel that laid at its centre. A solid emerald bubble emerged from the blade''s hilt, creating a dense layer of protection for the struggling Brahmin. Like effervesce, Shin''s attacks all dissipated into nothingness once they had come into contact with the powerful barrier. The Prince of Water furrowed his brows, evidently annoyed by the pesky barrier that had foiled his plans so many times before. Even back when Shin faced Junius at the Payirci, the Hofuku was the main reason why the seven heroes had such a hard time beating Junius. However, it wasn''t Shin if he hadn''t come up with a counter for the pesky barrier. Radiant, white light beamed out from the floating shard, enveloping many of the ice spears with intense, explosive spiritual energies. That''s right¡­ Shin had long mastered the capability of merging the power created by his partially ignited shard into the structures that he''d created. Swirling forms of endless explosive energies were hidden within the sharp confines of the deadly spear. It seemed capable of detonating at any given moment, bringing all kinds of death and destruction towards its targets. And well¡­ That was Shin''s goal in the first place¡­ BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! Endless explosions broke the air and sent embers flying all about. The emerald barrier shook thousands of times, as billowing smoke rose to the surface of the shield. In no time at all, Junius'' Hofuku found itself losing a tonne of spiritual energy within seconds and the Brahmin was forced to insert more of his own mana into the aether crystal. However, Shin had long anticipated Junius'' plans. With two snaps, thousands of rapidly spinning orbs crashed into one another, as if mimicking a planetary disaster. The residue water droplets slowly congregated into a blob, gradually forming into a massive spiralling sphere which screamed out terror to any who laid their eyes upon it. At the same time, Shin fully ignited the shard and raised both his hands up towards the near fifty metres wide sphere. The young man''s shoulders started to tense up as if he were trying to lift up the entire world in his arms. However, Shin didn''t care. Reciting some verses from the Hymn of Origin, Shin masterfully incorporated his mana into the spinning water orb. Junius dropped his jaw, and the grip on the Hofuku loosened. It was one thing to go against the explosive power of the shard, but if it were evenly distributed into such a vast area¡­ There was simply no dodging the ultimate variant ability that Shin had created. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''Flow-Style Technique¡­ PLANETARY DEVASTATION!!!'' BBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The earth turned mushy as the world trembled in complete fear. Endless amounts of spiritual energies swirled within the atmosphere. There was no possible defence that Junius could possibly bring out to protect himself against Shin''s most forceful attack. In the end, all he could do was gape in awe as the shattered remnants of Hofuku''s aether crystals fell silently onto the floor. Not wasting any opportunity, Shin leapt forward like a leopard stalking its prey. Another ice spear reappeared in his hands, this time taking the colour of a vibrant mossy green. It was the variant poisonous form of the Spear of Aiglos, the Spear of Visam. After taking some classes with the Shenshe Clan a few months back, Shin had figured out the best possible poison to deal with a durable Spirit Lord or King. Mixing the venom of the Divine King Serpent and the potent poison of the Tositaxi Mushroom, Shin had concocted the perfect brew, just to deal with Junius. Just one pierce would be sufficient to bring Junius face-to-face with the King of the Netherworld. Moving in like a serpent locked on his prey, Shin danced around the white flames created by his explosive attack and was soon just inches away from touching the Brahmin. Immediately coming to his senses, Junius turned one rapid round, creating a ring of water to protect himself. Mixing in a good portion of his mana, Junius had instilled a sharpness capable of breaking down the hardest metal in the world and slicing through the toughest bodies that Gaia could have conceived. It was another one of Junius'' signature spiritual abilities¡­ Elemental Ring. First taught to him by the Instructor, Junius had modified the ability into a deadly force that severed heads faster than the blink of an eye. Just like Sword Partner and Pierce, Junius relied heavily on this ability to roam the battlefields that the Black Masks made, solidifying his place as a dominant commander in the syndicate. Unfortunately¡­ SPLAT!!! Just like ''Pierce'' before it¡­ Elemental Ring used water to propel its deadly nature. Against Shin, the Prince of Water, Elemental Ring was as good as falling raindrops that were smoothened by a parasol. Before it could attempt to take Shin''s blood, it had already burst into millions of water droplets, some of them evaporating into vapour as well. Junius, once again, was alarmed by the ineffectiveness of his spiritual abilities. Three of them failed so beautifully that it was a complete waste to cast them in the first place. With his back against the wall, Junius was forced to raise both his two swords up, in anticipation of Shin''s physical onslaught. The Spear of Visam was first parried away by the Hofuku, forcing Shin to retract his spear thrust. However, that didn''t mean that the Prince was done attacked. A pivot to the ankles and Shin was back within Junius'' striking zone. Back during his fight against Shizen, having a foe within two-metres of his body was already a given victory for the Brahmin. However, against Shin, it was anything but a win. Shin expected that Junius would rely on his dual swords to fight from the very beginning and had trained tirelessly with Yeunghi for this very same reason. In no time at all, the Spear of Visam already slipped through a small crack in Junius'' faltering stance and was headed straight towards his upper torso. Junius, no, the Blade of Death''s swordplay focused entirely on fluidity. To control the body of oneself as well as the motions of his opponent. When Shin slammed the Planetary Devastation upon Junius'' broken Hofuku barrier, he had taken the momentum away from Junius and had gained the momentum all for himself. Now, Junius was forced to play according to Shin''s movements. However, Junius didn''t climb his way to the top of the Black Masks without facing any hardships in battle. Losing the upper hand was fine, as long as Junius was able to slow the pace of the fight, he could easily enter his flow-like state, controlling Shin with the sword dance that had mesmerised many who stood before it. But¡­ Clink!!! Clank!!! Clink!!! Shin wasn''t backing off in the slightest. In fact, the Spear of Visam moved far more ferociously after Shin had gotten control over the tempo. Junius'' swordsmanship prides itself for its fluid and unhittable nature. All moves would be parried in accordance with Junius'' will, and it relied heavily on counter-attacking. However, Shin wasn''t allowing Junius to gain control of his much-needed pace. The Brahmin was still trying to recover from the shock that the Planetary Devastation had caused and eventually¡­ SLLLIICCCKKK!!! The Spear of Visam had hit its mark after the fifteenth move. An opening showed itself the moment Junius attempted to parry away Shin''s terrifying spear. Hitting straight at the man''s left shoulder, the mossy spear unleashed a colossal ripple, completely disorienting Junius'' perfect swordsmanship. Blood splattered all over the place as the Brahmin nearly lost his wits. "Hmph!" Shin snorted and finally retreated for the first time since the battle began. Throwing a relentless assault was the way to beat Junius, but even Shin wasn''t able to maintain that rapid pace against the Blade of Death''s fluid swordplay. However, the deed was done. Green fluids replaced Junius'' blood, and the Brahmin''s consciousness immediately turned hazy. The poison that Shin had explicitly prepared for Junius was able to affect the swordsman instantly. Disoriented and weakened, Junius had to bite down his lower lip, just to maintain control over his consciousness. Everything¡­ Everything that Junius did was beautifully countered by the man called Shin. To some extent, one could call Shin the ultimate counter to Junius. Shin examined every single detail about Junius'' abilities, martial arts, strategies¡­ All just to take him down one day¡­ Leaving nothing to chance, once Shin had regained a large portion of his stamina, the young Prince just leapt back in. Junius was weakened, and it was time to capitalise. The Spear of Visam danced around in the cold, misty breeze, pushing away the Blade of Death''s two signature swords with ease. With his mind muddied, Junius could only move on instinct, rendering him utterly defenceless against Shin''s masterful martial arts. SCHLLICCKK!!! SCHLLICCKK!!! SCHLLICCKK!!! The Spear of Visam continuously found openings within Junius'' posture, drawing blood with each attack. Junius'' two blades attempted to parry the spear, but Shin had all the answers to the Blade of Death''s fluid swordsmanship. Compared to Dalgeom Sect''s Yeunghi, Junius'' movements were far more sloppy and crude. Furthermore, each time Shin damages Junius with his signature spear, more and more poison would be transferred into his system. From the very beginning, Junius stood no chance against Shin''s masterful control over the fight. Junius wasn''t a genius like Shin, and he wasn''t able to plan fifty moves ahead. However, there was one thing that Junius had that could match up to the indomitable Prince any day of the week¡­ And that was, his resilience¡­ "ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!" The Brahmin wailed in agony as he desperately swung his blades. Even after being brutally countered at every turn, being damaged and poisoned beyond repair, Junius was still able to barely hold on to his consciousness. The noble and majestic swordplay of the Blade of Death was replaced with a marauder''s uninspired technique. There was no beauty in his movements, just pure, unadulterated, brute force. [Junius¡­] At that moment, a voice called out in the deep recesses of Junius'' mind. On the exterior, the Brahmin had turned into a berserker that had lost his calm, ready to reap the lives of any who stepped foot before his blades. However, on the inside, Junius still retained his sentient mind. That authoritative voice which oozed majesty¡­ That mana that put fear into all living beings¡­ There was only one man who possessed both those traits. "Allfather..." Junius ''opened'' his eyes. Inside of his Spectre Soul, a dark-robed figure, highly-reminiscent to that of the Grim Reaper himself, levitated just a few inches away from the tall and hunky Brahmin. [Junius,] the Allfather wasted no time and held out his palms towards the young man. [I''m going to send my mana to overflow your systems. That way, you can purge the poisons in your body and gain a significant boost. You may not be able to live through this ordeal but at the very least¡­ Kill Shin Iofiel.] The hooded figure laid down the order as dark smoke emerged from his palms and entered Junius'' Spectre Soul. It was a deed that the Allfather had done countless of times in the past. Overflowing his subordinate''s mana to give them a temporary boost in power. However¡­ [Huh?] The Allfather raised a voice filled with confusion. The amount of mana that he had supplied all disappeared the moment they entered Junius'' body. No, disappear wasn''t the right word... The Allfather had lost all connections to the mana he''d given to Junius. "Allfather¡­ Oh, great leader of mine¡­ How have I waited for this very moment..." "Junius..." The shadow realised that something had gone awry. His connection with Junius, the link that he''d had fostered with all who were baptised by his mana¡­ It was slowly crumbling to dust. As the connection was severed, Junius could hear the Allfather''s voice for what it truly was¡­ It wasn''t some otherworldly voice that called out from the depths of hell. Neither was it an Immortal''s calling that charmed everything. It was instead¡­ A regular, old human''s voice¡­ "Junius, what have you done?!" The Allfather panicked. Over his long years, he''d never seen anyone capable of breaking his connection. Junius looked at the fading shadow, who had turned into a blob of pure mana for him to absorb. The Brahmin¡­ No, Junius¡­ He''d been waiting for this moment for far too long. "I''m just¡­ Ending it all..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 535 Ripples of Blood 3 ''What''s he doing?'' Shin asked inwardly, observing the motions of Junius. After taking dozens of spear thrusts, Junius had collapsed onto the floor while legions of spiritual energies sprouted out from his interior. The spiritual pressure that followed was far beyond anything that a Rank 60 Spirit King could possibly muster up, but oddly enough¡­ Shin didn''t feel any malice from Junius'' mana. In fact, there was a slight tinge of warmth amidst the cold temperature that resonated out from the injured man''s body. Shin hesitated, unsure if he should sit back and wait, or charge in for the final thrust to the heart. He didn''t know if it was safe to approach Junius when he was in this foreign state, but also¡­ There was a tinge of sentiment remaining in Shin''s compassionate heart. He''d thought maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ He could capture Junius instead of killing him straight off. Maybe in due time, the Blade of Death could repent and turn into a force that would aid the Alliance. However¡­ ''Shizen...'' The face of Shin''s best friend flashed on by. Whatever beef Shin and Junius had, it was between the two of them. Yet, the innocent nature boy had become collateral damage for no apparent reason. Shin owed it to Shizen¡­ He owed it to the best friend of his life, to end Junius once and for all. There was no more hesitation in the young man''s eyes. The Spear of Visam spun around three times, sending waves of hot, turbulent air roaming through the battlefield. Shin''s draconic scales sparkled as thousands of water orbs levitated all around him. Locking onto the left side of Junius'' chest, Shin charged forward like a barbarian in heat. There was no need to think anymore. Thinking would only soften his resolve. All that Shin needed to do¡­ Was act¡­ ''Let me avenge you!!!'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The blisters on Shin''s palms all burst out with precious, crimson blood, while the veins on his arms all popped. Everything¡­ Everything that he''d planned for the past seven years¡­ Was all for this moment. He wanted to bring Junius to justice, and this was the time. Shin''s sensitivity had shot through the roof with each passing microsecond. The tensing of his lower calves that held his running body, the smell of the ethereal mist, the sound of the grass rustling as he passed on by¡­ Nothing was left to the imagination. In this current state, no one on the planet could hope to match Shin. Step¡­ Step¡­ Step¡­ Shin could hear his footsteps resonating within his mind. Time passed as if it were an eternity, but in reality, less than a second had passed. Shin''s entire body was aching, possibly in a mixture of fear and anticipation. Once he''d crossed this threshold¡­ Junius¡­ Would finally meet his end. Five metres¡­ Four metres¡­ Three¡­ Shin''s mind attempted to bring forth some visions of the past, but he''d forcibly repressed those memories. Shin knew that a moment''s pause would be sufficient to change his decision, so he didn''t pause at all. His mind was completely empty, wholly focused on the task at hand. The Spear of Visam slowly got into a position parallel to the ground. All Shin needed to do, was to continue his relentless charge, and Junius'' heart would be so viciously pierced. Two metres¡­ At this point, Shin''s mind went blank. All that he could see was the face of the coughing and weakened man he''d once called his brother. The momentum that the Spear of Visam had was currently too powerful to be drawn back anymore. Even without any additional force, the spear would meet its mark, ending the life of Shin''s recurring nightmare, once and for all¡­ One¡­ SCCCCCCHHHHHHLLLIIIICCKKKK!!! It was done. Junius knelt on the softened ground as a mossy spear protruded out from his chest. The specially concocted poison that Shin had created was now spreading like wildfire throughout the man''s muscular body. Most of Junius'' blood had been tainted with a tinge of mossy green, and each drop was capable of eroding grass and burning soil. It was the end¡­ Not only was Junius'' heart pierced, but his entire body was corroding from the inside. Shin had made sure that the poison he''d created would seep into the organs within seconds and forcefully purging it out would be rendered impossible. Even if Junius were to somehow attempt to purge, with his nervous system temporarily paralysed, he would be vulnerable to whichever gruesome act that Shin could think off. However, the kind-hearted Prince didn''t want that of his former brother. At the very least, he could give Junius a quick and painless death. Shin let go of the green spear as he leaned in on the man''s ear. The viridian-haired man''s entire body trembled as his chest rapidly contracted. Junius was on his dying breath, there was no question about it. In less than a minute, the man would fall into the abyss and joined the countless others he had slain, Shizen included. With his enemy vanquished, compassion lit back up within Shin''s mind. Shin had never wanted it to end this way. It was his dream to bring Junius to justice, be it in the form of jail time or otherwise. Shin had even dreamed that Junius would be able to repent and reincorporate his life in the light. Alas... "Junius¡­ I''m sorry¡­ Your sins are far too horrible for anyone to forgive¡­" Both of Shin''s gorgeous azure eyes shook. "I hope¡­ I truly hope¡­ That you''ll enter Yggdrasil together with Ariel, Sister Lily and Shizen¡­ If I reach the Immortal realm, maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ We could..." Rumble... Before Shin could complete his sentence, Junius body began to shake violently like an epileptic patient. The two blades in his hands did the same, this time with the same gentle aura that Shin had felt just moments prior. It wasn''t like a violent supervolcano waiting to erupt; instead, it was more like a sweet jack-in-the-box, ready to pop out and brighten everyone''s day. Shin gulped as he took two steps back. So what if the mana was gentle and familiar? One had to be cautious at all times, and that includes facing a fallen opponent. "Shin!" Lady Seph hurriedly rushed to the youth''s side and grabbed hold onto his blistered palms. A radiant golden light moved from the core of her Venerate Soul and began to probe Shin''s entire physique. "Are you hurt anywhere?" "No," Shin replied. Other than some broken skin, the youth was in the pink of health. "I''m completely fine." However, his voice was a little shaken. Looking straight at the man who should be dying, Shin felt that something was terribly wrong. Junius wasn''t supposed to behave this way at all. Once the poison kicked in, a Spirit King with the body of Junius would simply fade away into unconsciousness. Convulsing this wildly wasn''t part of the equation, not to mention that wild spiritual energy that was dominating the atmosphere. "That''s good..." Lady Seph breathed a sigh of relief. She knew what her disciple was capable of and also, what he was incapable of. Against that potent mana that even sent shivers down her Venerate Soul, Shin would be vaporised within seconds. "What happened to that brat? Why is he behaving like this?" "That''s what I want to know," Shin furrowed his brows as he asked the same question. "He''s not supposed to act this way¡­ Junius, he..." Bzzzzzzzzzzttttt!!! Shin was cut off by the buzzing resonance that Junius'' blades created. All of Shin''s guards watched with gaping mouths as dense mana, one that they could never hope to match in a million years, emerged from the Spectre Soul of this Rank 60 Spirit Lord. Dark smoke broke free from Junius'' pores and slowly seeped their way into the two-metre-long Odachi in Junius'' right hand. However, it didn''t stop there. The Brahmin''s mask, the one with a golden tree embroidered at its centre, tore itself up into thousands of small pieces and sent the same dark smoke flying into the Hofuku. On Junius'' left, the Obsidian Water Blade was experiencing a change as well. The darkness that had corrupted the Spirit in its entirety was now being reflected back. Just like the Brahmin''s mask, dark smoke moved from the Obsidian Water Blade into the Hofuku. Shin''s eyes nearly bulged out from his sockets after witnessing the change. What laid inside of Junius'' left hand, was the familiar Azure Water Blade that the kid Junius was renowned for. Simple logic would suggest that Junius'' body had purged out the Allfather''s mana into the Hofuku, be it of Junius'' own will or not. Shin didn''t know if it was the former or the latter¡­ However, he was just about to find out¡­ Junius'' neck pushed the man''s head up, showing every nook and cranny of his facial features. All of his veins were showing, laced with a mossy hue. Though the Allfather''s mana had been expelled, it didn''t mean that Shin''s poison wasn''t doing its work. In fact, without the protection of the Allfather''s mana, the poison was spreading twice as quickly as before. With all his vital organs failing by the second, Junius shouldn''t even be conscious. However¡­ ''He''s¡­ smiling?'' Shin watched as the viridian-haired man beamed with pure euphoria. Junius'' face was pale and aghast, not the face of a victor or someone who could possibly feel happiness. Yet, even with the poison rushing through his body, Junius still managed to break into a smile. Shin had seen that expression before, multiple times, in fact. Back on Frie Mountain, Junius would always smile, just to brighten up the days of the normally oppressed orphans. If someone were bullied by the main bloodline, Junius would console them with that exact same smile. It was so uncanny that Shin felt his blood run cold just by witnessing it once more. Dark smoke continued to be transferred from all corners of Junius'' body, Spectre Soul and Spirit, into the Hofuku that remained pierced into the ground. It shook violently as if trying to escape, but it could do nothing within the Tree of Illusions domain. All it could do was stand by and watch helplessly as Junius purified the dark will that lay within his body. INNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A resplendent ray of gorgeous light emerged from the depths of the Azure Water Blade, blinding Shin and any who attempted to stare right at Junius. It was, by far, one of the greatest spiritual energies that Shin had ever felt in his entire life. Shin was confident that the spiritual energy that Junius was spewing had to either be the Allfather''s mana or the natural energy of the Tree of Illusions. Or perhaps it was a mixture of both? Blinding light continued to spew out from the Azure Water Blade, suppressing the darkness-imbued Hofuku that protruded from the ground. Everything was a blur for the youth but somehow¡­ Shin''s eyes were plastered on the smiling face of the decrepit man. "Junius¡­ What are you¡­" Shin was about to call out to the man but suddenly¡­ The Azure Water Blade expanded at the speed of light. All Shin and his guards saw was a sudden white flash, before the infamous Spirit found its way into Shin''s upper chest. No one had the reflexes or the defences to react to such blinding speeds. Lady Seph widened her eyes in horror as she grabbed onto the wrists of her beloved disciple. "Shin!!!" The Spirit Venerate hollered. On his dying breath, Junius had cast ''Pierce,'' his signature ability to land his very first hit against Shin. Typically, it would be a deadly attack that would reap the lives of any who endured it. However, oddly enough, no blood fell from Shin''s pierced chest. In fact, there was nothing wrong with the youth''s body. If anything, there was foreign mana rushing into Shin''s body, reforging and clearing Shin''s physical form of any impurities. Naturally, this stunned Lady Seph. She looked right at the dying Junius, curious to figure out the true identity of this foreign mana. On the other hand¡­ "Junius, you..." Shin warm and fuzzy, entirely unlike the cold winter afternoon that he was in, and eventually¡­ Shin''s consciousness waned as he fell deep into his evolving Spectre Soul. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 536 Ripples of Blood 4 Kanari led the group down the tunnels with a reserved caution. Four beautiful foxfires illuminated the darkness of the channel, giving the world a sense of beautiful mystique. Charred corpses, most of them decapitated, were littered throughout the narrow tunnels. The elite team had seen gruesome scenes over the years, but few could top the current bloodied atmosphere of the humid passageways. Elrin, a woman who had been holed up in the Zedcris Conglomerate''s headquarters for the longest time, felt completely out of place in the damp quarters. She had to pinch her nose and cover her mouth just to keep the nauseous feeling suppressed within her. The twins were showing similar symptoms, but they resisted the sickening feeling through sheer will. "Elrin, Ella, Emma, you alright?" Isadore asked with concern. He was a peak martial artist and had trained his body to the apex. There was no way that some burnt and broken corpses could hinder his mental state. "We''re fine," Ella answered for the trio. "It''s just a little stuffy in here, that''s all." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Yeah, let''s continue..." Emma replied with confidence. The twins, being the two most sensitive people within the team, had some troubles with the pungent stench and choking air. They had to purge out the smoke using a particular breathing technique that Meijing Bingying had taught them a year back. Elrin, on the other hand, mumbled out a few verses and split her Rosary of Eternity. Pretty pearls rushed to all corners of the tunnel, surrounding the twins and herself. Mana flowed out from the pearls, and a simple bubble enveloped the young women, creating a small pocket of air for their own personal use. Inhaling like a swimmer that had just crossed an ocean, the white-haired woman instantly felt rejuvenated. "Phew¡­ With this, I should be fine!" "Elrin, that''s..." Kanari glanced over her shoulders as curiosity filled her eyes. "Yeap, it''s my fifth spiritual ability!" Elrin declared, not hiding a single detail. "After forming my Spectre Soul, I realised that there wasn''t someone within our group that focused on pure defence. So, while I was cultivating, I read some scriptures about boosting defences. I''ve read all about the Heigui Clan''s Xuanwu''s Shell, the legend of the impregnable bubble Aegis and many, many more." The merchant girl beamed. "In the end, after much consideration, I decided to create a mobile safe zone that could be used for protection, defence and most importantly¡­ Recovery." The white-haired girl exclaimed. Elrin was the auxiliary cultivator within their group. She had to ensure that there were enough support abilities in her arsenal to use, while the rest of the elite team ran amok on the battlefield. "Within this bubble, I can withstand any attack from anyone at the same cultivation level as me. For those that are a realm above, I could probably take five hits before the barrier dissipates." Elrin continued to explain her abilities with a charming smile. "So, filtering some bad air is a piece of cake!" "How dependable..." The left side of Kanari''s lips curled upwards, pleased that Elrin had improved herself to match up with the tremendous pace of Shin and herself. Their band of seven had been reduced to six. Kanari and Shin were monsters in cultivation, while the twins weren''t trailing too far behind, with the assistance of the Meijing Clan. Isadore had the support of the strongest man in the world, so Kanari wasn''t particularly worried about him. However, Elrin lacked the same opportunities to grow, as compared to the rest of them. Fortunately, the merchant heiress didn''t need any of the aforementioned opportunities. She was smart enough to make her own¡­ The group slowly clawed their way through the darkness of the tunnels, inching closer to the unknown source of the Black Masks'' base. For Fred Newton to bring that many Umbras through the tunnels, there has to be a base hidden somewhere¡­ "Aunt Thea, do you sense anything?" Kanari asked the Spirit Venerate that protected her. Among the few that were present, other than the twins, only Thea was capable of sensing danger at a far greater accuracy than the rest of them. "Nothing as of..." The burly woman was about to reply with a negative before stopping her speech. She walked in front of Kanari and spread her left arm in front of her. Her brows started to twitch, and her face tightened up. Mana burned within her soul as every part of her body was being strengthened at an astonishing rate. "Young Mistress, please prepare for contact..." Thea let out a cryptic suggestion, but that alone was enough to get the group on their toes. Every single one of them unleashed their Spirits and assumed their battle positions. Isadore took the vanguard, empowered by Elrin''s Sacramental Boost and False Armaments. The twins stood shoulder-by-shoulder with their marksmen eyes homing in on the darkness and their bows fully drawn. And finally, Kanari assumed her Spiritual Body Enhancement form while ready to unleash the full extent of her domain. Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Slow footsteps broke the eerie silence, as something emerged from the complete dark. A near two-metre-tall man, whose muscles were swollen beyond anything a bodybuilder could manage, showed his face for all to behold. He wasn''t injured in the slightest, but his face was as haggard as an eighty-year-old on the brink of death. At first, Kanari felt a little sympathetic for the man, who had seemed to be drawn into the mess that was the battle outside. However, that sympathy all changed when she saw that familiar black mask that hung on the side of his head. "A Brahmin!" Thea growled, ready to pounce and defeat the threat before it could even touch the soles of her master. A Brahmin appearing inside of the tunnels wasn''t outside Kanari''s calculations. Some of Shin''s cautious mindset to think ten, twenty steps ahead had rubbed off onto the gorgeous beauty after all these years of sleeping next to him. Kanari had ordered Thea to kill any Brahmin before they could collapse the tunnels, which would be the standard way one would slow down pursuers. So, the Spirit Venerate instantly left her position as a guard and roared all her way towards the Brahmin. However¡­ The unthinkable happened¡­ Boom!!! Instead of readying his stance or summoning his Spirit, the Brahmin fell to the ground with both his knees facing the black-haired beauty. His eyes were twinkling with a tinge of hope, despair and shame, all at the same time. The muscular man, who seemed capable of moving the world, now seemed¡­ so small. "What?" Confused, Thea halted her charge just moments before her punch landed. She hadn''t been in a fight where her opponent would surrender before anything had even begun. The man ignored the Spirit Venerate''s disorientation and glanced over the woman, locking eyes with the leader of the group. "Are you Kanari Saniela?" A rhetorical question. There was no way that the Brahmin would kneel before a Rank 50 Spirit Lord, particularly one as young as Kanari, without knowing her identity. All he wanted to do was to confirm what he already knew. "Yes, that''s me..." Kanari lowered her arms and replied. She was still on guard, but the state of the man had caused her interest to be piqued. "Who are you?" With his objective found, the man''s eyes finally unleashed the wetness that had been held back for so long now. Ever since he''d first heard the news, the man had been holding back his emotions. However¡­ There was no need to hold back anymore¡­ A loud thump echoed through the narrow tunnels, as Kanari saw the man slam his forehead upon the solid ground. "Please¡­ Please save his child!!! Please¡­ Please save Junius'' child!!!" ??? Ao saw gallons of blood flying out of his body with each passing moment. The pain was beginning to feel searing hot, and his spiritual energies were leaking out like a broken dam. Before him, one dominant Spirit Venerate was followed by eight secondary ones, each with their own unique Spirits. Oddly enough, even though the eight Spirit Venerates had their quarrels, their coordination was unmatched by any. All eight of them possessed Spirits that had been together since the Lady of Water''s era. Naturally, many fighting combinations had been passed down through the generations. However, the one that caused the legendary World Serpent the most trouble weren''t the pesky Eight Scions of Water¡­ But the madman with the sword which continued to fling his body into danger, without a care in the world about his own safety. Ao has rarely faced anyone this ferocious, even with his millenniums of living. ''Funny, the last person I faced with this much fire¡­ Was that Wangu fella, this guy''s disciple¡­ It must be something that''s passed down throughout the Dalgeom Sect...'' The World Serpent joked, while one more cut was embedded into its thick hide. Ao could retaliate, but what was the point? He was outnumbered and outgunned. Even if he defeated the nine Spirit Venerates that was facing him, he would have to take down the Himmel Ancestor, who was just seconds away from breaking down the Obsidian Gate. ''Ah¡­ Is this where my dream ends? Is this place¡­ my grave?'' Ao couldn''t help but have pessimistic thoughts. "HAHA!!! You stupid snake!!! Get ready to become cultivation materials for my disciples!" Shenshe Yowang exclaimed in glee. To him, the fight was long over. There was no need for any caution now, and his mind was already thinking about reaping the benefits. "Focus, Yowang! Don''t get distracted!" Jingyu Hilin barked. "God knows what tricks the World Serpent might be hiding! Target its core!!!" Fortunately, his leader had her eye on the ball. "Tch, fine..." While the Lantis Republic Spirit Venerates were playing around, Pangu, the swordmaster from the Dalgeom Sect, congregated all of his mana and dropped his sword down to his waist. He was ready to launch the most powerful strike that he had. "Wangu¡­ I''m going to avenge you¡­ I''M GOING TO KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER WHO KILLED YOU!!!" Beautiful lights decorated the scenery, as potent spiritual energies burst forth from the elites. Ao, who was weakened by transferring the Allfather''s mana to Junius, had nothing left to protect himself. All he could do¡­ Was to wait for the final slash to arrive, ending his life right there and then. However¡­ That attack never landed. "Huh?" The World Serpent let out a voice of visible confusion. As Ao opened his eyes, a dark presence was floating right in front of the colossal serpent, sucking in all forms of energies from the surroundings. That included the attacks by the Spirit Venerates. "Allfather?" "Yes¡­ That''s me..." The shadow replied without its usual otherworldly voice. With his cloak on, Ao couldn''t see the face of the man he served. However, based on the tense mana in the air, there was no way that the Allfather was in a pleasant mood. "Ao, you idiot¡­ Were you trying to die without my permission?!" "Ah, I-I''m sorry!" Ao rapidly bowed his head in subservience. "Hmph! We''ll talk about your punishment another time¡­ For now, let me get you out of here..." The shadow turned into dark mist and begun to envelop the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. The Spirit Venerates felt that something was amiss and immediately moved to stop the World Serpent; however, all of their attacks turned into mana for the thirsty Allfather. "I''ll bring you to me right now." "Wait, what about Junius? What about his family?!" Ao screamed out within the dark mist, begging the Allfather to save his protege''s life. Teleporting people to and fro was a simple matter for the Allfather, who possessed the most mana out of anyone in the world. However¡­ "Junius¡­ That brat..." The Allfather''s voice turned sour, and the atmosphere seemingly turned a hundred degrees colder. "Junius¡­ That fucking brat¡­ He had betrayed us¡­" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 537 Ripples of Blood 5 Shin opened his ''eyes.'' The gorgeous Tree of Illusions was nowhere to be found. Lady Seph, his Master, was nowhere to be found. Bingbing, Zishen, Heigui Zhengkang, Venerate Maurice¡­ Everyone who was meant to protect him was nowhere to be found. And most importantly¡­ His enemy, Junius, was nowhere to be found. However, Shin didn''t feel worried in the slightest. Why? Because he has been in this place before. Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Shin moved his feet, sending a few small ripples spreading out from under him. Underneath his feet, Shin was graced by a vast ocean, one that was as big as any ocean he''d ever seen. Shin couldn''t tell how deep the ocean was, and neither could he tell how wide it was, but that didn''t intimidate him one bit. In fact, Shin was proud of the immense growth of the water body. He remembered the days where it was just a small lake that looked nothing more than a glorified puddle. After years of cultivation, Shin was able to grow his inner Spectre Soul into something colossal. The young man turned his attention to the centre of the ocean, where six gorgeous crystal obelisks levitated. Ripples burst forth from underneath the floating crystals, sending some disturbances upon the peaceful ocean. Shin felt calm watching the six monoliths that represented his spiritual abilities. He had worked hard to learn all of those marvellous abilities, after all. However, something was terribly wrong. Why was he within his Spectre Soul, even though he hadn''t cultivated enough yet? It was just a few months ago that he''d reached the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm. In theory, Shin would require a few years, decades even to reach the peak of Rank 59. Only then, would he be forced to look within his Spectre Soul... So why was he here now? Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Plop¡­ Bubbles floated up to the surface from the bottom of the ocean, creating a small vortex of disturbance within the confines of the six obelisks. Interested, Shin popped his head closer towards the structures that housed his spiritual abilities, all while increasing his perception within his own Spectre Soul. Typically, a cultivator would know everything about the inner workings of their Spectre Soul. However, Shin''s Spirit held multiple secrets of its own. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Initially, it was an adorable little fish. However, it morphed into a ferocious dragon of legend, one that was said to be capable of bringing the world to heel. Not just that, the oceanic world that the Celestial Dragon had created was far too vast for Shin to explore. In the end, Shin simply used the Hymn of Origin to refine his Spectre Soul, but he probably only understood fifty percent of his enigmatic Spirit. The Celestial Dragon descended from its lofty home in the skies and twirled around Shin, lovingly caressing its head on the young man''s shoulder. It looked like a little puppy that had been separated from its mother for the longest time and was seeking some warmth, something that greatly tugged on Shin''s heartstrings. "Yes, yes¡­ You''ve been suffering..." Shin laughed as he pulled the Celestial Dragon''s face closer to his own. As much as he wanted to relish in the warmth of the dragon, Shin had more pressing matters to tend to. "Do you know what''s happening here?" He asked, only to be greeted with a shaking head. "So even you don''t know what''s going on?" Shin puckered his lips. The last thing Shin remembered was Junius'' blade through his chest. However, there was no pain with that attack. Instead, it was a refreshing feeling, one that wouldn''t beat that of having a refreshing drink after a full day''s worth of workouts. Every part of his Spectre Soul felt energised, and even as he stood above the vast ocean, Shin could feel his internal spiritual energies rising like a tidal wave. Speaking of which¡­ A shadow appeared from within the depths of the ocean, rising up where the bubbles were located. Like a geyser, a seventy crystal obelisk emerged within the original six, taking its place right in front of Shin''s eyes. Shin''s jaw dropped while his eyes glistened with utter confusion. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. Shin was all too familiar with this phenomenon. He had experienced this five times before¡­ "Am I¡­ advancing?" There was only one reason why a new crystal obelisk would appear within his Spectre Soul. However, that didn''t make any sense. Shin had just advanced from the Spirit Spectre into the Spirit Lord realm just a few months ago. Although Shin had skipped ranks in the past, skipping realms was a whole new ball game. There wasn''t even a recorded instance where a cultivator could survive bypassing an entire realm''s worth of cultivation. "That''s right!" "!!!" Shin abruptly jumped at the sudden reply. He had unknowingly voiced out his inner thoughts, thinking that he was alone within his Spectre Soul. Thus, Shin wasn''t expecting someone to actually answer his question. He snapped his neck back, attempting to find the intruder that had dared to trespass into his soul. Oddly enough, the overprotective Celestial Dragon did nothing to find the third party. Instead, it looked down at Shin with a warm and loving smile, as if there was nothing to fear. Though, the black-haired Prince didn''t see that face. Shin was busy trying to find the foreign influence that had broken into his psyche. Fortunately¡­ Shin didn''t have to look for long. A tall, viridian-haired man, wearing a full coat of white, tip-toed his way through the calm ocean surface like a gliding swan. The man was a few hundred metres away, but his steady flying speed would allow him to reach Shin within a few seconds. In his hand, there was a pure azure sword, entirely made out of water that was oddly similar to the one in Shin''s ocean. However, there was one distinct difference. Colossal mana, one that wouldn''t lose out to the Celestial Dragon''s own, wreathed all around the dazzling blade. Usually, Shin would be breathless before such splendour, but his heart was completely calm. Somehow, he knew¡­ That mana could never hurt him¡­ It was as if¡­ That sword had long become an extension of his body. A million questions were running through his mind; however, there was one thing that Shin had to confirm first. His pulse rate increased as the words got stuck in his mouth. All the emotions that he''d felt over the past seven years faded into oblivion. Hate, frustration, anguish¡­ All the pain and suffering that Shin had endured¡­ It all seemed so useless now. Why? Because of the smiling man that stood right before his eyes. "Junius..." "Yeah, that''s me..." Junius replied with his signature elder brother smile. How many times had Shin seen that face? How many times did Shin feel his soul being soothed by the warm sensation that Junius could make him feel? Shin lost count. It was this smile that had stayed Shin''s hand for so many years. Shin believed that deep down, Junius'' brotherly smile was hidden underneath the many layers of hate and fury. The collapse of the Awter Clan, their suffering as outcasts of the Frie Clan¡­ To the eventual, unfortunate¡­ Deaths of Ariel, Lily and Linus¡­ All of those matters had changed Junius. Adding to the fact that the Allfather and the Black Masks had capitalised on his noble heart, Shin knew that the real Junius had just been pushed down by the darkness. And Junius'' current smile¡­ had proven Shin''s theory right. Without the Allfather''s mana, Junius had reverted back to the loving brother that Shin knew. Without the burden of the Awter Clan¡­ Junius could show his true self. The noble soul that would sacrifice anything for his younger siblings. "You fool..." Shin felt his vision blur as his throat started to get choked. He was no fool. The fact that Shin was undergoing such a drastic change¡­ The scene where Junius expelled some dark smoke, purifying the domineering mana into a pure state¡­ Junius piercing Shin''s chest with his Azure Water Blade... And finally, Junius appearing within his Spectre Soul¡­ It didn''t take a fool to connect the dots¡­ Even with all the odds stacked against him¡­ When he was surrounded by Shin and the rest of the elites¡­ When he was pressured by the Allfather to take Shin out¡­ Junius still managed to execute his suicidal plan. Junius shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "Hah¡­ Yes, I am a fool¡­ But before I''m a fool, I''m your elder brother..." Shin froze. How had he longed to hear those words? How long has he waited for this day? The day where his brother would return¡­ "Junius!!!" All of a sudden, the memories that Shin had repressed came flooding back in. The days where Shin would fall sick and Junius would stay up all night just to tend to his needs. The time where the Second Elder sent someone to assassinate Shin during the Harvest Festival and Junius risked his life to fend off against opponents much stronger than himself. The days Shin and Junius spent together at the Mushinkei, goofing around with Sister Riko and Marshall¡­ Those were the joyful times that Shin had spent with Junius. There were many ups and downs in their relationship, but one had to admit¡­ Without Junius'' presence, there possibly would never have been a Shin Iofiel. Shin had suppressed those memories, just to strengthen his nerves to kill off the villain that was the Blade of Death. However, with his brother Junius back¡­ There was no need for him to hold back those memories, after all¡­ SLAM!!! Shin tackled Junius to the ocean surface, sending ripples flying all over the place. Gone was the indomitable Prince of Water, who had brought the entire Lantis Republic to heel. Shin''s face was filled with salty tears and unblissful snot. Normally, he was the pillar that everyone would rely on, the unshakeable force that everyone could turn to. Not many people knew that before Shin took on the significant brother role for himself, there had always been a big brother in his life. And that big brother¡­ was currently being manhandled by the young man. "Stupid boy¡­ You still haven''t kicked that habit of yours..." Junius chuckled as he brought Shin''s tearful face up towards his. "It doesn''t matter if you''re three-years-old or twenty-three¡­ You are still the same..." Ripples continued to spread out from Junius'' bum. The ocean was calm as the seventh crystal obelisk solidified itself within Shin''s Spectre Soul. However¡­ Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Drip¡­ One red droplet fell from Junius back. One became two, two became four. Slowly¡­ Shin realised that something was amiss. The ocean, which should have been holy and azure, was now laced with ripples of blood. Junius didn''t show his pain and neither did he change his expression. Taking a firm stance, the man looked Shin right in the eye and said: "I''m sorry¡­ But I don''t think I have enough time left..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 538 Tear Of The Dragon 1 "J-J-Junius?" Shin''s voice faltered. Removing his hands from the viridian-haired man''s back, Shin found his palms drenched with fresh blood. Then, he remembered that Junius'' heart in the material realm had been so viciously pierced by his own spear. "W-Wait for a bit! If I can give you a little bit of my healing aura-!" "There''s no point," Junius shook his head. "From the beginning¡­ From the moment I became blessed by the Tree of Illusions, I have long known my destiny. When I took the leap of faith and decided to betray the Allfather, my soul was already one step into the netherworld." The Spirit King knew his fate. Shin''s poison had invaded all corners of Junius'' body, making his physical state completely untreatable. Not to mention, his heart was destroyed by the Spear of Visam as well as much of his internal organs. Physically speaking, there was nothing that Shin or Lady Seph could do to save Junius. Spiritually, Junius was also hanging by a thread. The former Brahmin hadn''t expelled the Allfather''s mana; instead, he had purified it of the Spirit Saint''s will. An impossible feat if not for the Tree of Illusion''s help. The Allfather''s will was separated from his mana and sealed into the Legendary-Grade Odachi that was ironically handed down to Junius to serve the Black Masks. There were no contaminants in the dense white mana that was injected into the Azure Water Blade. One could say that it was the purest form of spiritual energy there was. So, what did Junius do with all that purified mana? Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzztttt!!! The ocean within Shin''s Spectre Soul roared as a hurricane landed upon its calm surface. Billions of water droplets flew everywhere, each one representing the hard-toiled mana that Shin had cultivated thus far. However, within the mixture of oceanic water, there was a new source of spiritual energy. One that was utterly calm and harmless to the owner of the Spectre Soul. Shin turned straight at Junius, only to see him desperately trying to hold onto his heavy Azure Blade. The specially purified mana of the Allfather was rapidly diving down into the ocean. The spiritual energy that was housed within Junius included his own Rank 60 cultivation. The mana that the Allfather had blessed upon Junius twice. The power of the Brahmin mask. And most importantly¡­ The spiritual energy that had been set aside for Ao, the World Serpent, to make his advance into the Primordial Beast realm. All of that mana that had been stored within Junius'' body¡­ was now rapidly leaving his dying Spectre Soul and charging straight into Shin''s inner body. That''s right¡­ Junius was sending all of the mana that he''d accumulated into Shin''s Spectre Soul, giving the Prince the base to leap realms altogether. Shin was blessed by the Celestial River and possessed one of the most legendary Spirits of them all. He also had one of the strongest bodies for a Rank 50 Spirit Lord. Shin''s vassal was more than sufficient to make the leap; however, he just lacked a safe way to push mana into his body. Junius had given him that opportunity. The Allfather was a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, and just a fraction of his spiritual energy was sufficient to overwhelm multiple Spirit Lords. Now that Junius had cleaned up that evil will within that mana, Shin was able to simply integrate it into his Spectre Soul without any fear of backlash. Shin hadn''t even realised that his cultivation level had climbed to the peak of Rank 59! Furthermore, that wasn''t the end. Once Shin had solidified his seventh spiritual ability, with the residue mana left spiralling within his Spectre Soul, there was no saying if Shin wouldn''t climb to higher ranks. It was a gift¡­ Junius'' last gift to his beloved younger brother... "Shin¡­ Our relationship over the past seven years has been¡­ difficult..." A low baritone shocked Shin''s mental functions as he snapped his head rapidly to the side. Junius'' back, which had long been dripping with blood, was now bleeding profusely. Splitting the Allfather''s will from his mana was no easy task. Even with the assistance of the Tree of Illusions, it had ripped Juniu''s Spectre Soul into thousands of pieces. Not to mention, on the outside, Junius'' body was already failing. In just a few more minutes, the man named Junius would cease to exist. However, for the sake of completing his mission, the Spirit King still stood his ground, resisting the urge to close his eyes for the final time. "Ariel''s death¡­ I never got to apologise for that..." Junius locked eyes with Shin, who was trembling slightly. "I never intended to kill Ariel or Lily during that assault¡­ I was just so frustrated that I couldn''t save any of you that I..." The man bit down on his lip, all while strength left his body. Shin watched on as Junius continued to self-decrepitate and burn his soul. "That day¡­ The day where Frie Mountain burned¡­ I just wanted to reunite all of us..." There was no need for Junius to explicitly call out the names. Instinctively, Shin knew what he was talking about. "We had been suffering under the Frie Clan for far too long¡­ If the First Elder wanted us dead, we would have all died¡­ That wasn''t a life I wanted all of you to lead. I wanted all of you to live happy and carefree in a remote village, spending the rest of your lives without worry about hunger, war or the fear of death..." Junius rambled on about the recurring dream he had for the orphans. How good would it have been if all of them had their happily ever after? Free from the Frie Clan, the orphans would live the rest of their lives in bliss, all while Junius protected them under the guise of a Black Mask. It was a dream that had haunted Junius'' sleep for the past few years now, but unfortunately¡­ He couldn''t live to see it pass. "But¡­ I now understand¡­ My actions¡­ My anger towards the Frie Clan, my desperation to bring happiness to all of you¡­ It does not excuse my sins. The sins of a man who served the Allfather, the vilest human to have ever lived..." The man looked up in the starry night sky as the Azure Water Blade started to dim. The Allfather''s mana was about to dry up, and with it, Junius'' life. The moment the transfer was complete, Junius'' soul would finally break apart alongside his physical body. "Even your friend¡­ Shizen, was it? I shouldn''t have killed him¡­ I just¡­ Had to see you one more time... I know that a simple sorry wouldn''t suffice, but at the very least, my death should bring some release to your tainted soul..." "Junius, you were controlled by the Allfather! You were corrupted by the Awter Clan''s vengeance! It had no-" "Nothing to do with me?" Junius finished Shin''s sentence, flashing a bitter smile. "You''re wrong, Shin¡­ I was under the influence of the Allfather and the remaining Awter Clan members. Still, everything that I did was my decision alone¡­ I killed thousands just by drafting a plan or two. Those that died had families, much like we had ours¡­ The blood on my hands¡­ Even if I washed it in the River Styx, it would still reek!" "..." Shin didn''t reply. As much as he hated to admit it after Junius had repented, a large portion of Shin''s heart still blamed Junius for all the evil deeds that he''d committed. He agreed with Junius'' own self-assessment. The man was right. Even if Shin could forgive Junius, the world wouldn''t. "To a certain extent¡­ Death is a reward..." Junius shrugged his shoulders. He could feel it¡­ The life force that was powering his soul¡­ It was fading away rapidly. "Shin¡­ You were right, I had to be brought to justice. However, before I died, I''d hoped to do one good deed." The man lifted his Azure Water Blade as the last bit of spiritual energy was being squeezed out. "Shin¡­ The Allfather is powerful¡­ More powerful than any of you could ever imagine¡­ You need to grow stronger and quickly. Once the Allfather awakens from his hibernation, the Terre Continent would be sent into an age of turmoil, no¡­ an age of destruction..." Junius'' astral form seemed to be fading away. The seventh crystal obelisk that stood in the centre of Shin''s deep mana ocean was shaking like an egg that was ready to hatch. The Celestial Dragon greedily sucked up the mana being provided by Junius and converted it quietly into its own. While Shin got stronger by the second, Junius'' soul seemed to be fading into oblivion. Hence, the man started to blurt out everything that he knew. "What¡­ What do you know about the Allfather?" Shin''s expression fell. Without the Allfather''s curse, Junius was able to spill out everything he knew about the enigmatic leader. "Who is he? What is he after? WHY DID HE DO THIS TO ALL OF US?!" Shin rapidly fired his questions. "I..." Junius hesitated. Even though he was a Brahmin and one of the most trusted humans within the Black Mask Syndicated, even he was unclear of many of the details. However, there were some things that he did know¡­ "The Allfather, he¡­ Isn''t some God that descended upon the Terre Continent, or neither is he a Spirit Beast that lived for thousands of years." Junius immediately shot down the two main falsehoods that were spread about the enigmatic figure. "The Allfather was a genuine human. He is¡­ A man who had lived during the era of Spirit Immortal Dream..." "Spirit Immortal Dream?" Shin raised his eyebrows at the inclusion of the latest Spirit Immortal. "Didn''t she ascend five hundred years ago? Are you saying that the Allfather is..." "Yes, he''s a human that''s over five hundred years old..." Junius very cautiously explained. "Or rather, he was a human that was over five hundred years old¡­ The Allfather, his Spirit is¡­ special..." The young Prince''s Adam''s apple rose and fell, as his throat started to feel dry. "What Spirit does the Allfather have?" "I have no idea," regrettably, Junius shook his head. "I have been with the Black Masks for about a decade now, but I''ve never seen the Allfather summon his Spirit outright. Occasionally, I would feel his overwhelming presence. However, there was never an instance where the Allfather would summon out his Spirit." For beings like the Allfather, there was no need to fully summon out their Spirits. Just their spiritual pressure and mana were sufficient to overwhelm any opponent. Not to mention, the Allfather''s Spirit seemed to be exceedingly special. Not only could he share his mana with thousands of cultivators, strengthening them in the process, but the Allfather could also even teleport from place to place without batting an eye. Only a select few in the Black Mask organisation had seen the Allfather face-to-face, let alone witness the full grandeur of his Spirit. Junius sighed as he continued to answer Shin''s questions: "For your next two questions¡­ They are both intertwined..." Junius threw his head up as he recalled the many conversations that he had with Ao. ''What will the Allfather do when he conquers the world?'' ''Huh? Where did you get that thought?'' ''What isn''t the Allfather aiming for world domination?'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''HAHAHA!!! WORLD DOMINATION?! That''s rich! Why would the Allfather, the man who stands above anyone else, care about the affairs of the mortal world?!'' ''So¡­ Why are we trying to destroy the three superpowers then?'' Junius'' face paled. The answer had once shaken him to the core and just repeating it had made his dying heart beat rapidly. What the Allfather wanted¡­ The reason why he killed so many people in the world... "The Allfather¡­ He wants to¡­ Open the Gate to the Immortal Realm!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 539 Tear Of The Dragon 2 "Open a gate to the Immortal Realm?" Shin parroted Junius'' words. Humans have survived on the planet for millions of years now. Ever since the appearance of the first-ever Spirit Immortal, every single soul had been scrambling to reach immortality. Thousands of men and women cultivated to the upper ranks all in hopes of chasing eternal life. However, only twenty-one of them had succeeded. Spirit Immortal Dream, the genius that stood above all geniuses, was one of the legends that managed to surpass the limits of mankind. The Allfather was a powerful being, perhaps the strongest in the world. However, even he paled in comparison to the legendary beings that reached the Immortal Realm. "I don''t know the specifics, but there''s a reason why the Allfather has remained mortal for all these long years," Junius elaborated with a frown. "He wasn''t able to reach the famed realm and instead, stayed on in the world as a heretic and a hidden Spirit Saint. Without any hopes of becoming a Spirit Immortal on his own, the Allfather made plans to build a gate that could break into the Immortal Realm." The perceptive young man perked his ears as he noted Junius'' shift in tone. "Made plans¡­ Does that mean he failed?" "Yes¡­ And quite spectacularly..." The fading ghost smiled. "Did you see that Obsidian Gate that split open the Uncharted Wilderness? That was the Allfather''s expensive attempt to build that gate. Unfortunately¡­ There''s a reason why the greatest genius of all time, Spirit Immortal Dream, failed in building that gate." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Junius shrugged his shoulder as he thought about the powerful mana that had dominated the Black Masks. "No matter how prodigious a mortal was if the Immortals above despise your existence, there''s no stepping into their threshold." There were many a day where Ao recited the failed attempts of their enigmatic leader to open Heaven''s gate. How he struggled from a mere boy with no parents or friends, to become the most powerful human that the World Serpent had ever encountered. Junius had once admired the Allfather as the all-powerful being''s story somewhat mirrored his own. However, as time went on, Junius began to see the Allfather as what he truly was¡­ An unscrupulous being that would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, even if it meant massacring billions in the process. "The Allfather is trying to build a gate to the Immortal Realm, and the Black Masks are his tools to make that a reality, I..." Junius'' soul continued on, but his voice was getting softer and softer. In the material realm, in the Tree of Illusions'' domain, every single soul was worrying about Shin''s current comatose state. Lady Seph was busy sending mana into the young man''s body while Heigui Xuegang was protecting his Prince from any harm. Therefore, they hadn''t noticed that Junius'' flat body was rapidly losing its colour. Blood ceased to flow, and the organs had all shut down. His brain, heart, lungs¡­ Everything had been eaten alive by the potent poison that Shin prepared. Junius'' exterior was gone, and all that remained was his astral form. He''d managed to create a link between Shin and himself during his final moments, just to transfer his mana and knowledge over; however, that was beginning to wane. Shin''s eyes started to mist, watching Junius'' soul fade away. "Junius, you..." "Ah¡­ It looks like my time is up¡­" Shin could see Junius'' soul fading, but the man himself could feel his strength disappearing. All of his thoughts, all of his mana¡­ It had been ripped away from his soul. "I have so much more to tell you, but it looks like it''s impossible now." From the very beginning, Junius understood what he was getting into. The moment he took the Tree of Illusions blessing, the moment he''d decided to betray the Allfather, the man was fated to lose his life for the greater good. "Honestly, I think that this punishment is rather light¡­ I feel sorry for the ones that I''ve killed, but I''m grateful that I get to spend my final moments with you, Shin..." "..." Shin stared silently at the man he''d once called his brother¡­ No, he stared at his brother, as his tear ducts began to break apart. Moments ago, Shin had nothing but hatred in his heart. He wanted to kill Junius for taking the life of Shizen, his bosom friend and partner. Shin knew that Junius was a sinner¡­ He knew that the man had deserved everything that had come to him. He deserved this death¡­ However, Shin''s heart felt heavy. He just couldn''t help it. Shin hated Junius, but at the same time, a part of him loved this elder brother. The memories came flooding in. The days where Junius would stay up just to keep Shin warm. The times where Junius stood in front of him against the threat of the bullies. The Harvest Festival where Junius put his life on the line to save Shin. Even at the final moment, Junius had sacrificed his own life to benefit Shin! In fact, all of Junius actions, no matter how vile, was due to the man''s love for the orphans and his desire to reunite them. Alas¡­ He would never live to see the day where everyone laughed happily in the farmlands he had dreamed of. "Don''t cry, Shin¡­ Don''t cry for someone like me..." Junius consoled the youth with a beaming bright smile. His world was fading, but Junius could still feel the warmth of his family. Speaking of family, the man''s face softened up as he ambled towards the crying Prince. "There is one thing that I would hope you consider¡­ Shia¡­ No, the remaining members of the Awter Clan¡­ They are hiding in a hidden cave right outside the Canyon. Those that had been baptised by the Allfather will¡­ disappear." Junius thought back to the tall task he had requested of Vellan. For betraying the Allfather, the Awter Clan would have no home in the Black Masks anymore. "However, those that weren''t moved by the Allfather. Please, I beg you¡­ Please take them in. Please take in Shia and¡­ my newborn child..." "!!!" Junius dropped a bomb right on Shin, freezing him up instantly. Shin''s lips shivered, and his face tensed up as if the sky had fallen down. Flashbacks came to the forefront of his young soul. He saw two main faces. One had a star tattoo covering his right eye, while the other was the face of the one girl Shin couldn''t face. Gulping, he weakly breathed out: "You¡­ have a child?" "He was born just before your friend Shizen arrived." Junius nodded. BOOM!!! Shin felt like a war pike had been thrust against his head. Junius had killed Shizen not out of cold blood like he''d initially thought, but as a defence for his newborn and his family. Shin felt like the entire world was crashing down on his soul. If Shin was in Junius'' position and Kanari or his beloved partners were in trouble, would he have done the same? There was no need to ask¡­ If anyone of his loved ones were threatened, Shin would do everything in his power to protect them, even if it meant killing another child''s father. Not knowing the turmoil in Shin''s heart, Junius continued to beg. "Shin¡­ You and I both know how it''s like to grow up without any parents¡­ Without a true family. I can''t be there for my child, but I wish is that he''ll live a life free of any battles. I wish¡­ That he''ll live the life that I wanted for all of us. I know it''s too much to ask, especially from a sinner like me, but the boy is pure and innocent. Please¡­ Take care of him when I''m gone." "I¡­ I..." Shin tripped on his words. "Shin¡­ I beg of you..." "..." The young Prince looked Junius straight in the eye. He was literally a ghost fading away and was in no position to ask for any demands. Yet, the man''s eyes were unyielding. Not with fear, but with complete sadness. Junius didn''t want his child to suffer the same fate as he did. The fate of one that killed their way into the battlefield, without a single regard of human life. Shin looked down at his feet as the inner turmoil in his heart faded. There was a new glint in his eyes, one of pure dedication and resolve. ''That''s right! What am I hesitating for?! A child bears no ill will¡­ I can''t just turn my back on an innocent soul!!!'' "I¡­ Give my word..." The youth declared. "As long as I live, I swear that your child would never suffer a day in his life!" Shin''s booming voice brought a big smile to Junius'' face. "Now, that''s the Shin that I know..." Junius took approached the sobbing Shin, his arms turning fainter by the second. It was finally time. The mana that had held his soul to the mortal realm had dissipated into nothingness. There was nothing binding Junius anymore. It was time¡­ For the Blade of Death to die. "Shin, there''s so much that I want to tell you¡­ So much that I want to say¡­ But none of that matters now..." Junius attempted to touch Shin with his astral hands, only to completely miss the mark. Junius couldn''t touch Shin anymore¡­ He couldn''t touch anything anymore. All of his senses were dulling. His vision blurred and hearing deafened. However, even with the world blackening, he could still make out the figure of his beloved younger brother. The brother he had let down time and time again. "There''s only one thing that I wanted to say, only one thing that I needed to say..." Just like Shin before him, the waterworks started to fall down from the stoic man''s face. Junius had thought he had rid himself of those emotions years ago when he became the Blade of Death to carry out the Allfather''s will. However, now there was nothing of the sort. Now¡­ There was only a grieving man, and his beloved younger brother. "Shin¡­ I''m sorry¡­" That one statement froze Shin. He watched as Junius, the indomitable figure that always seemed so far away, grow more faint by the second. "I''m sorry for all the pain and suffering I''ve put you through¡­ I didn''t mean for it to be this way. I just wanted everyone to be happy. I''m sorry for killing Ariel¡­ I''m sorry for killing Lily¡­ I''m sorry for killing Shizen¡­ Shin, I''m..." Light spewed out from the fading soul and without even saying his final goodbye¡­ Junius was gone. He couldn''t even finish his apology before his soul disappeared from the world forever. Shin''s entire being remained silent as he watched the light of Junius'' soul slowly fade away. There was no one there, but him and the Celestial Dragon, but strangely, Shin felt like he could hear the final words that Junius wanted to say. No, he knew the two words very well¡­ They were words that he''d repeated many times before and would probably do so many times again. ''I''m sorry...'' Junius gentle voice echoed through Shin''s heart. The coldness, the anger that Shin had all melted away. Shin rushed to the Uncharted Wilderness with the desire to send Junius to the netherworld, gaining vengeance for his fallen best friend. Shin had accomplished what he sought out to do. He had killed Junius, but oddly enough¡­ Shin didn''t feel vindicated. He didn''t even feel accomplished. All he felt, was a colossal void wrenching at his heart. By all measurements, Shin had come out on top. He''d ended the Black Masks'' influence in the west, destroyed the Obsidian Gate that could spawn millions of Umbras, weakened the Allfather, killed the Blade of Death and was even on the verge of breaking into Rank 60. However, Shin didn''t feel accomplished in the slightest. Far from it in fact. He looked up at the celestial sky. Gorgeous milky stars twinkled while the night deepened on. Light from Junius'' mana shone underneath Shin''s feet. The Celestial Dragon spun around twice before roaming its way onto the seventh crystal obelisk. It was preparing¡­ It was preparing itself for its master''s ascent. Junius soul turned into gorgeous astral wisps, and they universally rose to the heavens. It was a scene to behold, watching thousands of spectral lights gracing the celestial stars. Shin watched the light as spiritual energies flowed into his fingers. And in the end¡­ Just like the youth''s face¡­ The heavens let out a single, mournful¡­ tear. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 540 Tear Of The Dragon 3 The single teardrop floated up high in the air like an assertive monarch that stood over its subjects. However, even though that single teardrop was capable of sending thousands into a breathless state, there was a slight gentleness in its aura. It wasn''t a sovereign that ruled over its subjects with an iron fist, but one that treated everyone with benevolence. Shin''s eyes were still misty after all the crying he''d did so he couldn''t study the teardrop in great detail. However, he could sense its dominating power. It was a might that ruled over life and death, it was a power that could destroy mountains but also¡­ could never harm a single human life. It was a mystery why this single tear came out of Junius'' body and turned itself into a dominant force within Shin''s own Spectre Soul, but that didn''t matter to the young man. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Deep down, Shin understood what the teardrop meant. Shin knew what he must do, no¡­ What he''d been directed to do by the will of his deceased brother. It was time to advance to the Spirit King realm¡­ "Junius, you silly fool..." Shin threw his head back and stared at the blinking stars. The ocean moved around him, waves rising and crashing at every given second. All of the spiritual energy that Junius had sacrificed his life for spun like a whirlpool with its epicentre at the seven crystal obelisks. The original six monoliths slowly distanced themselves from the seventh as it rose right to the centre of Shin''s spiritual world. Like a greedy infant, the seventh crystal obelisk sucked in all of the residue mana that Junius had provided. The Allfather was a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, and his spiritual energy was the closest to that of a Spirit Immortal. Now that it was purified, the Allfather''s mana was equivalent to that of a booster pill that could increase any living soul''s cultivation. Even Spirit Saints who took decades or centuries to advance one rank would benefit from the pure mana that Junius provided. So, it came as no surprise that Shin had skipped the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm entirely. Making the mana its own, the seventh crystal obelisk roared out, and a gorgeous colourless hue shone from its core. Everything was laid out for Shin. It was, by far, the easiest time that Shin had when it came to advancing realms. Without even lifting a finger, the young Prince was already on the precipice of a breakthrough. However, Shin didn''t feel accomplished in the slightest. There was a heavy burden weighing down on his heart, and it was pushing him to the brink of collapse. He saw the single teardrop that stood silently over his Spectre Soul as a reflection of his failures. Shin had failed to save so many people in the past. Ariel was the first. Shin loved the girl more than anything in the world, but he was far too weak to protect her. Therefore, he sought power, a strength that could dominate over anyone that dared to harm his loved ones. Years later, after bleeding his heart out, Shin had obtained said power. He became the most prodigious talent of his generation, so much so that he could defeat Kanari and Suji, the two most powerful in the Himmel Empire. With confidence, Shin attempted to wield that power for justice. He killed off vile humans without blinking an eye and protected everyone who he held dear. However, with great power, came a great burden. However, Shin was too immature to realise that fact. Without knowing, Shin killed off Star Face, a man who had left behind an orphaned daughter, a daughter that Shin had sworn to protect. Although his intentions were righteous, it didn''t change the fact that Shin was directly responsible for Latina''s plight. If he hadn''t killed Star Face, the sweet little child wouldn''t have turned into an orphan. That mistake had changed Shin once more. He resolved to only use his power to protect the ones he loved and to minimise the number of people suffering on his way to defeating the Allfather. Day by day, Shin grew his strength. He turned from a small fish into a dominating dragon, one that could command the greatest navy the world has ever seen and was on his way to become the world''s greatest man. Shin had everything by his side. A tender and loving master. The most magnificent beauty in the world. A family that loved him no matter what he did. Servants that catered to his every need. Shin''s life was almost perfect in any sense of the word. Not to mention, his goal of becoming more powerful was going exceedingly smooth. He learnt the top martial arts, created a new cultivation technique that was purer than water, and even learnt multiple miscellaneous arts such as poison techniques. Shin was, by far, the most powerful Rank 50 Spirit Lord that existed. Alas, even with that much power, there was only so much that Shin could do. Shizen, the young Prince''s best friend, had passed on in a place that he couldn''t reach. He had died at the hands of his former best friend and eldest brother. So what if he had the power to defeat every single threat that existed? There were many things that Shin couldn''t do. Death came in many forms, some expected, some unexpected. Shin was unable to protect Shizen, and the nature boy had faded into the abyss like many before him. So, Shin had opted to go for the next best thing. To absolve the hatred in his heart, Shin traversed the entire continent, all in the hopes of killing Junius, avenging Shizen and finally ending the seven-year chase. With overwhelming power, Shin destroyed the entire Black Masks'' base and smoked Junius out of his hiding place. Shin had been preparing for this final clash for seven years now. He had thousands of scenarios panned out in his mind. He knew how to counter every single one of Junius'' extravagant moves and had studied his fighting style into a science. In the end, all that effort paid off as Shin fought a one-sided battle against the famed Blade of Death. However, that didn''t give Shin any happiness at all. In fact, it just left the youth feeling¡­ empty. Why? Because Junius had meant to sacrifice himself for Shin''s growth. Junius had intended to give up his life and the bright future that he had, just to redeem himself in his brother''s eyes. "Why¡­ Why am I always the one left?" Shin looked up at the single teardrop that held its place in the sky. It was as majestic as a King. No one could touch its supremacy, and everyone had to bow down in reverence to the holy power. It stood at the peak of the world, never dropping its grandeur for anyone. It was a power that every single soul would dream of having. However, it was also¡­ Lonesome. It was lonely at the top. Shin was unquestionably the most renowned genius of them all. He proved all his sceptics wrong by clawing his way to the top with hard work and dedication. Alas, what good was power when there was no one to share it with. It was Shin''s destiny to stand above the masses. However, it was also his burden. How many mistakes had Shin made to get to this point? How many people had been sacrificed for Shin to become the hero that he was meant to be? And more importantly¡­ How many more have to die for Shin to finally bring peace back the world. At that moment, the teardrop''s azure hue deepened. Absorbing all of the starlights above, the teardrop flew right to the centre of Shin''s Spectre Soul, levitating above the impressive seventh crystal obelisk. Mana rose from the depths of the ocean and was quickly being absorbed by the gorgeous single teardrop. Shin threw his shoulders back in awe. Even before he had found his answer, the Celestial Dragon had determined what Shin''s next spiritual ability would be. No, even if Shin were in control of his Spectre Soul, his answer would still be the same. The single teardrop that housed the responsibilities and burdens of a King, that was his next spiritual ability. The young man smiled. His eyes were still in a mess as the tears continued to fall. Ariel, Lily, Shizen, Junius¡­ They had all perished according to their destinies. Shin, on the other hand, had to carry on moving towards his own. Would he die in a tragedy just like the rest of them? Or would he live on to become the world''s new legend? Only time could tell. However, there was only one thing that Shin had to do now. Shin took a deep breath in, filling his lungs with a crapload of spiritual elements. Everything has been prepared for him by Junius and the Celestial Dragon. All Shin needed to do was to give the command. There was no way that Shin could let all of those sacrifices go in vain. Raising both his arms heavenward, the young man looked at the single teardrop with a determination of a King. The Celestial Dragon spun around in complete bliss as it oscillated around the tear like it was the world''s most precious jewel. "Come down to me¡­ Dragon''s Tear!!!" Phhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! The Azure Dragon''s Tear fell from its lofty position and dripped onto the seventh crystal obelisk. All of the mana in the Spectre World was being congregated into a single point. It became brighter and brighter as if Heaven''s Gate had opened itself within the monolith. Slowly, the world came to a halt as the six other obelisks eagerly awaited the arrival of their newest brother. The first obelisk released a cerulean aura, one that was gentle and oddly flexible. The second one was wreathed with a golden, holy power that would mend the souls of any who saw through it. The third one possessed massive draconic scales, ones that were tougher than diamonds. The fourth obelisk sealed a torrential shard that sprung out white lightning at every given opportunity. The fifth monolith housed an array of colours, representing all shades of the visual spectrum. The sixth one sealed a grey aura that resembled that of the River of Time. And finally, when the dust settled, and the whirlpools calmed down¡­ The seventh crystal obelisk showed its form. The single azure teardrop was encased within the two-metre-tall crystal as the energies of the world were pulsating out in droves. However, there was one thing odd about the teardrop. Instead of boasting its original azure hue, Shin had morphed it into one distinct colour. One that showed the world of its true origins. It had been changed into¡­ A gorgeous viridian colour. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 541 I Loved You 2 Shin opened his eyes. The seven obelisks had been replaced with the gorgeous, perky face of his beloved blonde master. Gone was the celestial skies that inspired Shin''s every dreams as a familiar mist filled his vision. Shin''s five senses were still a little numb, so he wasn''t able to make out the words that came out of Lady Seph''s mouth. Even his trustworthy lip-reading skills had failed him this time as her cherry lips were blurred out by the fuzzy vision that he had. However, the young Prince slowly sat upright as his mind cleared up. His five senses were slowly being recuperated. The air was moist and refreshing, and each breath brought a new wave of calmness to the young man''s heart. There was nothing but silence surrounding Shin, as any and all wildlife had long retreated. "Shin! Are you alright?!" Slowly, Shin started to hear the concerned voice of his master. There were radiant golden lights on her fingertips, all laced with a massive dosage of her healing power. It brought serenity to any who were enveloped by the Iofiel Angel''s light, and Shin was no exception. After coming out from the disturbance in his Spectre Soul, the young Prince needed that familiar, warm energy to calm his emotions. "Master..." Shin''s fatigued voice called out to the woman, which in turn, brought a relieved smile to her face. "Thank goodness you''re alright!" Lady Seph grabbed onto Shin''s neck and brought his small head into her bosom. Her voice was choked up and her eyes, misty. Who could blame her? Right after the battle was won, Junius had actually sent his Azure Water Blade flying towards Shin''s chest, piercing it in the process. Not only that, after Junius surprise attack, Shin fell onto the ground with no visible injuries and yet¡­ He slept for over an hour. Worst still, even with her plethora of experience, Lady Seph was unable to identify the cause of Shin''s coma. All she could deduce was that something had happened within Shin''s Spectre Soul. Fortunately, Shin had awakened from his temporary slumber completely unharmed. "You really have a knack for making me worry!" Lady Seph pushed Shin''s face out before gently slapping it twice. "I''m sorry..." A bitter smile crept up the black-haired man''s face as he felt his strength returning. "I just¡­ had to do something..." "Hah¡­ Honestly, Shin, you shouldn''t..." Just as Lady Seph was about to give her signature lectures, the perceptive Spirit Venerate noticed that something was off with her disciple. The elements swirled around Shin like never before, and a mind bending aura was being emitted out from his pores. Although Shin looked like he had just recovered from an incurable disease, the young man''s inner soul was anything but weak. Mana that would dominate over any Rank 50 Spirit Lord pulsated out from the youth''s body, dropping the jaws of all who witnessed it. "Shin¡­ You..." Lady Seph''s lips were chapped, and her heart was beating wildly. She had been monitoring Shin''s condition from the moment he fainted, but she was primarily focused on any external injuries. The Divine Healer would have never guessed that Shin''s Spectre Soul would have undergone such a drastic change. "Shin, don''t tell me you..." "It''s a long story, Master..." Shin slowly stood up. Bingbing, in her human loli form, shuffled her feet towards the man and held him up with her icy wings. Just like the Spirit Venerate, Bingbing could sense the drastic change in Shin''s inner body. The vast mana ocean within his soul had almost doubled, and his mana circuits had widened tremendously. Any and all impurities had been dispelled into the air, making the young man seem like a different person altogether. "But yes, I''m now a Rank 60 Spirit King." "You what?!" That statement instantly drew shouts from everyone present. The long-living Azure Dragon Lord, Zishen, knew that his Prince was an enigma. Still, he would have never guessed that Shin was capable of skipping an entire cultivation realm. The same went for Venerate Maurice, perhaps the one human who had seen more than any other. A master explorer, Maurice had seen sights that Shin could only dream of. However, never in his long years had he seen or even heard of the miracle that Shin had pulled off. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Heigui Xuegang gulped, thankful that the Heigui Clan had stood behind the Prince without much resistance. Shin was a bona fide freak of nature, and his ascent to the top was all but inevitable now. A Rank 60 Spirit King at twenty-three-years-old¡­ Even novelists wouldn''t dare to imagine that kind of progression. Maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ Shin might be able to beat Spirit Immortal Dream''s impeccable record that many thought wouldn''t be surpassed until the end of time. Alas, Shin wasn''t done shocking people just yet¡­ "I''m currently hovering just above Rank 60. Once I absorb the rest using the Hymn of Origin, I could possibly increase my cultivation by a few more ranks..." "You still can advance?!" At that moment, Venerate Maurice exclaimed with everything that he had. Breaking through into the Rank 60 Spirit King realm wasn''t enough for this little genius. He was able to promote even further, becoming the undisputed cultivation juggernaut of his generation. "Like I said, it''s a long story..." Shin shook his head as all of his mental functions came online. Now, he could sense everything within the Illusory Canyon. The gentle movements of the grass as the winter''s breeze passed on by. The sweet mist that brought a mixture of Mind and Water elements to the already humid area. And most importantly¡­ Shin turned his attention to the Tree of Illusions, shooting out a sharp glare. Mind-Elements showed themselves in the forms of wisps, orbiting around the white weeping willow tree like moons. Snowlike leaves fell from the tree, gracing the mossy ground with its glorious splendour. It was a beautiful sight, to say the least, but Shin wasn''t interested in admiring the Empyrean Wonder''s beauty. A scoff ran out of Shin''s annoyed face as he cursed the peak existence: "Hmph! Why should I accept the blessing of a maniac that takes pleasure in watching people kill each other? Keep your fucking Mind-Elements to yourself!" That sudden burst of emotion startled Lady Seph and the rest of Shin''s entourage. Just like it had done to Junius, the Tree of Illusions was looking to make Shin its new champion, the one that would carry out its will. Shizen and Junius, both tremendous geniuses of their own, had fought to the bitter end for the said blessing. However, Shin wasn''t interested in the Tree of Illusion''s proposal. In fact, Shin''s honest feelings were to uproot the dastardly Empyrean Wonder that used human lives for its own entertainment. The wisps stopped their jubilant cheering and had halted mid-air. Evidently, the Tree of Illusions was stunned by Shin''s swift rejection. However, after a given amount of time, the weeping willow tree resumed the movements of its floating wisps and slowly shrouded itself back into the mist. "Shin¡­ What in the world just..." "The Tree of Illusions is something that shouldn''t be interacted with," Shin gave a succinct reply even before Lady Seph could complete her sentence. "In exchange for taking its power, I will always be a toy for it to play with. Just like how Shizen and Junius were. I can''t have that kind of weakness in my life..." The Prince¡­ No, the newly ascended King looked at the Tree of Illusions as if it were a maggot that had to be crushed. Deep down in his Spectre Soul, Shin could feel his Celestial Dragon roar as well as the rising aura of the Celestial River. Junius may have been the one that killed Shizen, but it Shin knew that the real culprit was the Tree of Illusions. If not for its playful meddling, Shizen would still be alive and kicking, smiling alongside Shin and the rest of his friends. ''No¡­ There''s no need to overthink...'' Shin sighed. The Tree of Illusions had now returned back into hiding and god knows how long it would take for it to re-emerge on the Terre Continent. Even if Shin wanted to burn that bloody tree down, there was probably not a single chance to do so anymore. Sighing, the young man sauntered over to the unmoving corpse that was sprawled out on the floor. Heart pierced, and complexion turned green, Junius'' unmoving body was unfit for embalmment or burials. Well, not that Shin had intended for Junius to be buried anyway. How could he justify honouring the death of the Blade of Death, the man responsible for the Land of Dreams massacre? Not to mention, many people had lost their lives to Junius'' nefarious schemes. Even if Shin wanted to bury him, the whole world wouldn''t sit back and watch it happen. Therefore, Shin had opted for a different route. "Yip? Shin?" Bingbing was holding onto the stumbling youth''s hand, hoping to support him if he fell over. However, Shin gently peeled the young girl''s hands off his body. Flashing the brightest smile, Shin said: "Stand back, Bingbing. I don''t want you to get caught up in what''s to come..." "Yip, yip! Okay!" Always the obedient one, the Kamaitachi leapt once and was ten metres away from Shin. The rest of the entourage were perplexed as well, but Shin''s determined face kept their doubts at bay. Taking two deep breaths in, Shin peered deep into his Spectre Soul. The vast ocean began to boil rapidly, and the Celestial Aura seeped out of Shin''s pores without even him calling for it. The air distorted wildly, while the temperature of the winter evening rapidly rose. "Junius¡­ Please forgive me for not giving you a proper burial¡­" Shin''s voice cracked as the final burst of energy surged into the forefront of his Spectre Soul. All of a sudden, a dense single drop of liquid emerged above Junius'' unmoving body. It was just like the one encased in Shin''s seventh crystal obelisk. Deep viridian in colour, sprinkled with a touch of majesty that few could hope to emulate. The appearance of the single teardrop took every single spectator''s breath away as the mana continued to rise inside of the newly promoted Spirit King''s soul. It continued to rise up like a high tide at night, until¡­ Plop¡­ A single ripple disrupted the space-time continuum. Junius was a martial artist, a peak one at that. His body had been trained to the highest degree, and even though he had passed, the physical attributes still remained constant. The muscles had been developed with years of mana strengthening, and the skin had been hardened by millions of hard labour. An average steel blade would crack if it dared to strike at the body. However¡­ Sssssssssssssssstttttt A low hissing sound could be heard as the iron-like body disintegrated into ashes. There was no way to protect the corpse from Shin''s seventh spiritual ability. Black goo dripped out of the corpse as the ripple tore through every skin cell, vein, and muscle that Junius once had. And in less than five seconds. Junius'' body had returned back into nature. The Dragon''s Tear. Shin''s newly created spiritual ability was one that reflected all the sacrifices that had been made for the Prince to reach this point. It used almost half of Shin''s innate mana to instantly disintegrate anything that Shin targeted. Be it a lifeform, a barrier, or even space itself¡­ As long as Shin had given it enough power, the Dragon''s Tear would do his bidding and rid any threat that stood in his path. It would turn out to be Shin''s greatest offensive ability to date, excluding a fully charged shard attack with the support of the Celestial Dragon. Also, there was one attribute that differentiates it from any other spiritual ability¡­ It didn''t care about the cultivation realm of its opponent. While most spiritual abilities were proportionate to their caster''s cultivation level, Shin''s Dragon''s Tear didn''t care about such restrictions. In theory, if he possessed enough mana to sacrifice, Shin could theoretically kill off a Spirit Saint. A terrifying ability and if word got out that it existed, it would shake the foundations of the world; but Shin didn''t care. The Dragon''s Tear was his answer to the enigma that was the Allfather. Shin didn''t have the patience to wait until he cultivated to the Spirit Saint realm. He was plenty strong now, and it didn''t make sense to wait any longer. Now that he''d learnt that the Allfather was mortal, there was a chance¡­ There was a chance for him to beat down the bastard that had caused himself and so many others that much harm. Once the ability had run its course, Shin took a knee and grabbed a single gourd from his belt. He emptied the contents, a clear liquid meant to be the reversal poison in case Junius had managed to turn the tables during their bout. Alas, there was no need for that nerve-agent anymore. Instead, Shin tenderly scooped up as much of the ashes he could retrieve. So what if he can''t give Junius a formal burial? Shin could at the very least place his ashes right next to Lily''s grave, a deed that he''s sure Junius would appreciate. "I''m sorry, Junius..." Shin''s mournful voice echoed out in the silence of the canyon. No one disturbed him as the young Prince paid his final respects to the man he once called a brother. ''What do mean the cockroach grew?!'' Memories that Shin had hidden came gushing up into the surface, forcing tears to fall out from his eyes. ''Hey! Stop slacking around, Shin! Don''t you want to become strong?!'' Tears stained the black ashes beneath Shin''s palms. ''Shin, I won''t abandon you! No matter what, I''ll always be your brother!'' Shin was an emotional wreck. He had achieved what he''d sought out to do. Shin had rid the evil that was the Blade of Death¡­ Unquestionably, once Shin returned to the Lantis Republic, they would all hail him as a hero that slew evil. But so what? In the end¡­ Shin had lost far too much. He had lost¡­ A person that he cared about with that decisive victory. He had lost¡­ A brother. As the sun hid under the horizon, the warmth from Shin''s mana dissipated, leaving the world in a cold and putrid state. Alas, that wouldn''t stop Shin from pouring out the words that he''d always meant to say to this foolish elder brother of his. Forcing a smile, Shin relayed his final goodbye: "Rest in peace, Junius¡­ I loved you." ~~~ End of Book 11 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 542 End of Book 11 & Authors Thoughts Break notice! One week break as usual! Will start posting on 25th November 2019! Hi all~! Linodo here again!!! So we''ve finally come to the end of Book 11 and the end of ARC 3!!! I had never thought that I would have come this far! I have to thank you all for supporting this novel, even though my release pace has been quite slow thus far! But don''t worry, you don''t have to endure the drag for much longer! Let me let you in on a secret¡­ Spirit Immortal has four arcs, which means¡­ We''re already ? of the way to the finish!!! Halfway through Book 9, I have confirmed the storyboard for the final three books which means that if all things stay on schedule, Spirit Immortal should come to its conclusion on the first quarter of next year! As a treat for all you loyal readers, let me reveal to you the names of the final three books! Book 12: The Villain Book 13: The Hero Book 14: The Dream Take the names of each book as you may, and craft whatever wild theories that you have! I quite like reading comments about the possible endings of Spirit Immortal, even though many of them are wrong! Hehe, before I get out of track, let me get into the Author''s Thoughts, yeah? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As per usual, there is a theme for each arc. Arc 1 is Family, while Arc 2 is Growth. So what''s the theme for Arc 3? Well, it''s Life and Death. Or rather, it''s the destiny for all life, to face death. Let me explain¡­ Book 1 to 4 explores the first part of all humans'' lives, Family. Every single human, no matter if they were an orphan or not, had two parents. A father''s sperm and a mother''s egg was required to make life after all. However, I wanted to touch on the true meaning of ''family.'' Does a family truly require both sets of parents? Or does a family consists of people who you grew up with? I wanted to explore that notion. That''s why Shin''s original setting was that of an orphan, instead of his blood right as the Awter Clan''s heir or the Lantis Republic''s Prince. Book 5 to 8 explores the second part of all human''s lives, Growth. As long as humans remain living, they would seek to endlessly grow. Whether we know it or not. It had also ''coincidentally'' happened when Shin was in his teenage years, the years where the most growth happens, both physically and mentally. All of the incidents, all of the story arcs that happened within those four books, were points for Shin to morph into something greater than himself. He would learn from his mistakes and hopefully arise out of those occasions a better man. Book 9 to 11, on the other hand, was an exploration into the themes of Life and Death. Also, it was a dive into Destiny. What was destiny? Google tells me that Destiny is ''the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.'' In real life, perhaps that''s the case. However, to the characters of a novel, Destiny is what the author desires. In my case, I subscribe to the idea that all story points should lead to an ending. For instance, what made Avengers: Endgame so satisfying to watch? It wasn''t because of the stunning visuals or the plot, but because¡­ Everything that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building on, had led to that one movie. Yes, there would be other movies that would follow Endgame, but if you look at it in its entirety, from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame¡­ It was a satisfying end. So, back to the theme of Life and Death or¡­ ''The Destiny of all living beings is death.'' All living beings, no matter how long-living they were, would eventually face death. Death was the end game, some reach it earlier, some reach it later. Unfortunately for Shizen and Junius¡­ Their deaths were sooner. Shin had to learn that the hard way. No matter how powerful you were, no matter how many resources you had¡­ No one could stop death, be it his own, or the ones that he loved. I''m sure that some of you have noticed that I''ve done a playful switch in the plot for Book 11. Traditionally in any cultivation novel, the protagonist would kill a friend/son of a powerful figure and the figure would send legions of his men for revenge. Pushed into a helpless situation, the protagonist would rise to the occasion and become powerful enough to escape from the situation, leading to an explosive growth in the character and the story. However, it was Junius who faced this problem. It was a reversal that I''d thought would be suitable for this point of the story. Many times, it was the antagonist that held the overwhelming odds. So, this time I''d thought to be a little playful to let Shin be the one with all the cards. Of course, like how Shizen was meant to die for Shin to grow, Junius in Book 11 played a similar role. From the start, I wanted Junius to die after realising his sins. However, I didn''t want it to be too abrupt, so it had dragged on for quite some time. Like it or not, Junius was the main antagonist for the first ? of the story. Thus, I tried to explore multiple themes with him, just like I did with Shin. If you look at the two, both their story arcs follow the same patterns. Arc one for Junius was about family and what he would do for people he wasn''t blood-related to. Arc two was his personal growth from a loving elder brother, into the cold-blooded killer that would stop at nothing to achieve his dreams. And finally, Arc three was for him to fulfil his destiny¡­ To die so that Shin could live on. Junius was by far, the most complex character that I had dived into, other than Shin. Sometimes, I might even have lost control over my writing due to my ineptness to fully describe what I wanted to convey. So, I apologise for those parts in the story. Now that Junius had perished, it is finally time to move onto the climax of the story. The final act of Spirit Immortal. So¡­ In the spirit of not giving out too many spoilers, I shall stop my author''s thoughts here. Once again, thank you so much for supporting Spirit Immortal. I know that many of you have come and gone throughout the time I''ve been writing this story, but I truly appreciate those that continue to read my story. I promise to all of you, I will finish Spirit Immortal, unlike the many stories that never end or were never completed. I''m a reader before I''m an author, so I understand how it''s like to read a story that takes years to complete or gets dropped. Be patient with me and I will deliver the best ending of Spirit Immortal that I could ever hope to conceive!!! ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 543 The Allfather 1 Shin slowly retrieved the ashes of his fallen brother and clapped his hands together for one final gesture of respect. The Blade of Death had been killed and with him, Junius'' sins. Although Junius'' legacy would be one of the villains, deep down, Shin knew that the man had repented. His power would forever live by Shin''s side, aiding him in taking down any enemy that dared to venture into his path. Shin''s eyes were reddened, and his face completely stern. One would question why the Prince was paying this much respect for the enemy he had slain, but Shin didn''t care. Junius was, by far, the most influential figure in his life. At a young age, Junius was the elder brother that Shin could count on, the man that the Prince would turn to at every single turn. After Junius turned heel, the man became Shin''s fuel source and was a significant reason for the young Prince''s explosive growth. Finally, as he perished under Shin''s spear, Junius sacrificed his life to allow Shin to springboard through an entire realm. There was no one else in the world that had influenced Shin more than Junius did. So, his fall from grace made Shin feel so¡­ empty. "..." Bingbing grabbed onto the young man''s wrists, tugging the man''s attention back onto herself. Curious, she asked: "Yip, yip! Are you alright?" "Yeah," Shin beamed as he gently messed up the Kamaitachi''s beautiful hair. "I can''t mourn forever¡­ There are still many battles to fight." The Prince looked to the skies and could see the colossal Obsidian Gate in the distance. Thousands of phantom soldiers rushed towards great structure, adamant of pulling it down brick by brick. Umbras and Spirit Beasts had been obliterated by the combined force of the Lantis Republic, the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation''s Spirit Venerates. The Black Masks had been annihilated, and there was no trace of the gargantuan World Serpent that towered over the entire region. Truth to be told, there was nothing else that Shin could do, other than acting as the clean-up crew. However, before he could commit to that task, there was one thing that Shin had to finish¡­ The young man lovingly placed the gourd into the young girl''s tender hands and whispered into her ears: "Bingbing, keep this safe. Stand behind Senior Heigui if you need to. It''s going to get a little messy." "Yip? A little messy?" "..." Shin smiled and didn''t elaborate. Instead, he tapped on the white-haired loli''s back, gesturing her to move a safe distance away. Although confused, Bingbing still faithfully carried out her task. The spectators were still unaware of Shin''s intentions. Still, they believed that the prodigal Prince wouldn''t do something without having a valid reason. They watched silently as Shin sighed and dusted off his white dirtied pants. His smile faded away and was replaced with a stern frown. There was a glint in his eyes that mirrored that of how a Lion would eye its prey. The Tree of Illusions had faded into the backdrop, and Junius'' corpse had been disintegrated by Shin''s Dragon''s Tear. Technically, there shouldn''t be any reason for Shin to put on his war face a safe zone such as this. However¡­ "Allfather, I know that you''re there." "!!!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. That statement dropped the jaws of everyone present, including the all-knowing Azure Dragon Lord who lived for thousands of years. The Allfather was present?! Does that mean that they had to fight against the world''s most powerful being right after they killed off Junius? Instinctively, all of the Spirit Venerates and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts got into position. Dense spiritual particles flowed out from their pores and contaminated the misty atmosphere. Heavy spiritual pressure fell down upon the canyon as each one of the elites unleashed their maximum potential. If the Allfather was indeed present, they didn''t have the luxury to hold back. However, Shin seemed as carefree as can be. He didn''t summon out the Celestial Dragon, and neither did he cast any of his spiritual abilities. Instead, the young man casually walked towards the simple blade that had pierced through the ground. Formerly a Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament, the Hofuku had lost the gem which provided its honeycomb barrier that could rival that of the Heigui Clan. Now, it was just an above-average blade. However, there was one distinct difference. Before Junius pierced Shin''s chest with his Azure Water Blade, he had transferred all of the black mist within his Spectre Soul into the Hofuku. Shin had absorbed the mana that Junius had purified, but what had happened to the excess wastage? The answer laid within the confines of the gorgeous Obsidian Odachi that protruded out from the ground. "I know that you can hear me¡­ Junius briefly described what your power entails¡­ It is unlike a Rank 99 Spirit Saint to be hiding from a Rank 60 Spirit King¡­ So, please come out, Spirit Immortal Dream''s relic..." "..." The Hofuku shook. The atmosphere around it looked like a man who had just gotten the news that his wife and two kids had just perished in an unfortunate disaster. Defeated, the pure black aura hidden within the two-metre-long Odachi slowly poured out like an open faucet and congregated right before the eyes of the elite group. Heigui Xuegang wanted to place Shin within his barrier but was immediately stopped by the young Prince''s arm. "Don''t worry¡­ That thing can''t hurt us. It''s just the remnant of the Allfather''s will." Being the one that absorbed the Allfather''s mana, Shin was acutely aware that the dominant Rank 99 Spirit Saint wasn''t truly present. All that was sealed within the Hofuku, was the remaining will that was attached to the mana that Junius had stolen. The Allfather''s Spirit was unique. As long as there was a single trace of his presence, he could be at anywhere at any given time. That was what made the Black Masks so terrifying. The Allfather''s voice could reach anywhere, and his eyes were far more vast than any intelligence network. "Shin Iofiel..." And that voice¡­ was now calling out Shin''s name. Shin''s back was pouring down sweat, and his palms had turned sticky. Yes, the dark smoke that was billowing out from the Hofuku had no way of hurting Shin, but that didn''t stop Shin from feeling fear. The person speaking was the world''s most notorious criminal, the sole person responsible for pushing the world into this dark age. It would be shocking if Shin didn''t feel nervous. The smoke collapsed on itself and congregated into a single point. It mushed around like a dough being kneaded until finally, it took a form that Shin was familiar with. A hooded man morphed out from the remnant Allfather''s will and landed his two feet on the moist soil. He was about Shin''s height, probably by design. His face was hidden by an endless amount of Darkness-Elements, and all four of his limbs were wrapped in black bandages. Although the Allfather''s avatar didn''t boast the same intimidating mana that could bring down ten Spirit Saints with ease, there was still a thick layer of dread when feeling the man''s aura for the very first time. Shin gulped as every single one of his senses screamed at him to run away. If not for the Celestial Dragon''s aura and his recent promotion into the Spirit King realm, the young man was certain that he would be grovelling on the floor. That was how scary the Allfather''s presence was, even without mana. If the real Allfather was present¡­ Shin couldn''t fathom such a frightening thought. ''So this is the Allfather¡­ The leader of the Black Masks and¡­ the man that corrupted Junius...'' Clenching his fists, Shin had to push down the desire to thoroughly tackle the Allfather to the ground. "Shin Iofiel¡­ You really are a treat to behold..." The Allfather''s raspy voice reverberated through the canyon and shook the souls of those present. "I was a fool to trust Junius. Betraying me for his younger brother that sought to kill him¡­ Humans really are an odd bunch." "Hmph! You speak as if you weren''t a human to begin with," Shin kept his emotions in check before interjecting with his own facts. "Junius had told me everything, you ancient dinosaur. You''re trying to open Heaven''s Gate because you''re not capable of breaking through into the Spirit Immortal Realm on your own! How disgraceful!" "..." The Allfather didn''t reply. Instead, the cloaked shadow kept his hands behind his back and directed its attention solely on the young man''s body. Naturally, shouldering the attention of the world''s most powerful being was a reach. Shin felt his chest contract and his heart beating ever-so wildly. However, Shin didn''t stop the slightest bit. "You''re not fit to carry on the will of Spirit Immortal Dream! You''re just a fake that wants to use human souls to feed your eventual failure of a gate!" "Was that what Junius told you? That I wanted to create a gate using the souls of those that I''d reaped?" "..." This time, it was Shin''s turn to be silent. Junius hadn''t explicitly said that to him, and Shin simply inferred it from the information that he''d got. Alas, it looked like the young genius had missed the mark altogether. "Looks like you really don''t understand my plans at all, huh?" The Allfather snickered. He wasn''t affected by Shin''s taunts in the slightest. Junius wasn''t able to fully transfer everything that he knew about the Allfather to Shin as there were many gaps in his knowledge. Therefore, Shin sought to piss off the Allfather to the extent that he would willingly reveal everything to him. Alas, what was a juvenile plan to someone who possessed centuries of experience? "Oh, child¡­ You still have much to learn..." The cloaked figure demeaned Shin quite openly. "But, you know what¡­ You have bested me time and time again¡­ I should give you some sort of reward for that, so I''ll willingly play along to your tune. My plan was never about opening Heaven''s Gate in the first place." "Huh?" The Allfather''s aura calmed down, and the shadow let out a slight chuckle. Shin couldn''t see the expression that lay within the hood, so he could only imagine the monstrous face of the Allfather in a smile. And that wasn''t a pleasant sight. "See, I''ve attempted to create the doorway to the Immortal Realm, just like how my Master tried to do in the past..." The shadow looked right at the Obsidian Gate that was being brutally destroyed by the Himmel Ancestor''s Phantom Army. Always keen on the verbal cues, Shin assumed that the Allfather was a protege of Spirit Immortal Dream before she ascended into the heavens. "However, after centuries of trying¡­ It became quite clear that it was impossible." At that moment, the Allfather seemed so¡­ lonely. He held all the power in the world, but he looked like a defeated man with nowhere left to go. "Shin Iofiel¡­ You must be curious about my real objective then¡­ The real reason why I created the Black Masks and brought my mana out of hiding. Why I killed thousands with a snap of my fingers? Why I brought my Master''s inventions back to the forefront of the mortal world? Why I collected talents from all over the world and bathed them with my mana?" The Allfather pointed out all of the questions that Shin wanted to ask with relative ease. The Allfather was by far, the most secretive entity that existed. No one knew who he was, what Spirit he possessed and most importantly¡­ Why he was annihilating populations and creating mayhem. So, Shin peeled his ears ardently as he listened in on the man made from the darkness. "Why did I do what I did?" The Allfather paused as his ''face'' moved right towards the rooted Prince. Shin couldn''t see his expression, but he could have sworn that the Allfather was smiling. With one single breath, the Allfather relayed the answer that every single soul in the world has been seeking. "Because of you." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 544 The Allfather 2 ''Because of me?'' The Allfather''s words dropped Shin''s jaw. Shin was currently twenty-three-years-old, far younger than the maximum lifespan of a Spirit Venerate at four hundred. Spirit Immortal Dream had ascended almost five hundred years ago, which meant that the Allfather had long surpassed the maximum lifespan that humans could live to. If the Allfather wanted was really all-knowing¡­ Perhaps he could have orchestrated everything in Shin''s life. From the moment the Awter Clan found the Aether Crystal Mine, to the day that the Frie Clan massacred through their rivals. What if the Allfather was responsible for Shin surviving the massacre and joining the Frie Clan as well? What if¡­ The Allfather knew everything about Shin''s life before he was even born? ''How was that possible?!'' At this point, Shin was unable to hold back his emotions. If the Allfather were telling the truth, Shin''s entire existence would have been dancing within the palms of the mighty being. There was no way that Shin would accept that as a fact! Fortunately... "Ah, to be more specific, it was to make someone like you." The Allfather clarified his statement. "Let me ask you this question, Shin Iofiel¡­ No, I extend this question to your friends back there as well¡­" The shadow looked over Shin''s shoulders and addressed Lady Seph and the rest. "What do you think of the world''s state before the Black Masks came onto the scene?" "Huh?" All of the onlookers let out an unconscious sigh. They couldn''t understand what the Allfather had meant. "It was peaceful!" Venerate Maurice was the one who stepped forward with the answer. Lady Seph was from the Himmel Empire, and Heigui Xuegang was from the Lantis Republic. Therefore, their view of the world as a whole might be short-sighted. Only the Master Explorer, a neutral citizen, could give an unbiased take. "I''ve travelled to every single corner of the globe! I drank wine with remote villagers that knew nothing of war! I slept in ravines without the fear of bandits! Everything was so¡­ peaceful!" Unable to hold back his emotions, Maurice went on a rampage. He thought of the deceased Shizen, the boy who had tragically died under the hands of Junius. Then, he thought of Junius, the man who was influenced by the Allfather to commit evil deeds. It was an endless cycle of violence and bloodshed, something that was rare during the era of peace. Lady Seph thought about it before finally nodding her head. "Yes, it was peaceful. It was an age where children wouldn''t be forced into poverty or war. Elderly folks would live to their maximum lifespans and pass away smiling, while young men and women would laugh daily all the way to the bedroom." There were some minor skirmishes, but they were mostly contained to the parties involved. There were few innocent lives lost, something that the ancient eras completely lacked. Before the Three Superpowers came into existence, millions of lives were lost per year just through war. Disease due to lack of medical advancements was another major cause of mass human death. However, once the legendary peace treaty had been signed, the world shifted to an age of massive technological change. Fewer people died from conflicts, and fewer humans were subjected to the terrors of losing a family member. Like it or hate it, it was a fact that the Three Superpowers were responsible for the age of peace that the world has enjoyed for the past few thousand years. "Yes¡­ The world was at peace..." The Allfather responded with a snicker. "Without war, the population had been exploding! More and more normal humans were able to awaken their Spirits, and billions had climbed up the cultivation ladder. Just five hundred years ago, the human race had set the record for the most number of Spirit Practitioners! However..." The cloaked shadow was animated, flailing his hands wildly in the air. He spoke with great nostalgia as if he had personally witnessed the growth of the human race from the beginning of its evolution. "The world was at peace¡­ But that had stagnated the growth of our race as a whole..." "What?" Shin didn''t realise he shot back a question. The cloaked figure shook his head. "Let me ask you this, other than Dream, how many had ascended into the Immortal Realm since the Three Superpowers came into existence?" "Huh?" Shin was stumped, and so were his fellow elite comrades. They were all the cream of the crop, so naturally, they had memorised the names of all the Spirit Immortals, as well as the year that they ascended. And well... "Let me tell you..." The shadow didn''t wait for anyone of them to answer. He looked up at the sky and said the magical number that was in everyone''s head. "Zero¡­ There have been zero Spirit Saints that ascended into the Immortal Realm. Dream¡­ My master¡­ She was an exception. A genius that could trigger her own Spirit before the age of ten, Dream was the most prodigal being that ever walked the planet. In my six hundred years of existence, I have never met someone that monstrous¡­ Even you, Shin Iofiel, would be an amoeba compared to her brilliance." The Allfather demeaned Shin, the greatest genius of his generation, without hesitation. However, no one dared to correct him. The man had lived for six hundred years, triple that of Lady Seph''s lifespan and not that far off from Zishen''s. He had most likely walked in the shadows for that half-millennium and had witnessed every genius that was in the book. Not to mention, Spirit Immortal Dream''s achievements were legendary, and her effect could be felt five hundred years later. "Other than Dream, no one else had come close to breaching that unbreakable barrier! Not a single Spirit Saint that I''ve seen could even hope to touch Dream''s shoes¡­ Not even..." The Allfather didn''t complete his sentence. He shifted his gaze from the heavens and looked at the ground. There was no question that the Allfather was the strongest being on planet Earth, but what was the point? The Allfather had failed to follow his master up into the heavens¡­ and that was unacceptable for the proud, ancient Spirit Saint. "Before I was the Allfather¡­ Before I became this way¡­ I was a theorist that served under Dream," a cold voice, one completely unlike the agitated voice from before, came out from the cloaked shadow''s hood. "I''d always pondered¡­ Why was it so difficult for someone to become a Spirit Immortal? Thousands of cultivators made it to the Spirit Saint realm and over a hundred could reach Rank 99 if they lived long enough¡­ But, why has there only been twenty-one Spirit Immortals?" Now, the cloaked shadow looked straight at Shin and the rest, and a voice of genuine curiosity echoed out: "Why is that?" "T-That..." Lady Seph stammered as she struggled to find an answer. Truth to be told, many elders in the world felt the same way. Other than Spirit Immortal Dream, the last Spirit Immortal was Spirit Immortal Himmel, the founder of the Himmel Empire. However, he ascended almost ten thousand years ago. "I''m sure you don''t know¡­ But I do." The cloaked shadow had no face, but Shin could tell that the man behind the voice was as gleeful as can be. "I have chased the Immortal Realm for five hundred years now¡­ I studied every ancient tome and compiled every document I found. I spoke with ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Beasts, and I scoured the continent for any and all relics from the past. And... I''ve found the answer..." "All of the Spirit Immortals barring Dream¡­ They were the product of their times. The first three Spirit Immortals, the Ancient Three¡­ They were the ones that unified the entire human race that had just come out from the age of extinction. They were the sole three beings that survived in the world where only ten percent of newborns survived and against all the odds, transcended their mortalities to reach the acclaimed realm. Spirit Immortal Damien was a child that had been rife miseries. His parents abandoned him for having a weak Spirit, his lovers were all prostitutes that died due to their association with him, and everyone he loved wanted to kill him. He rose above all odds and became the first-ever Spirit Immortal that used the Dagger, the one Spirit everyone thought was trash." Bit by bit, the Allfather narrated the legendary stories of all the Spirit Immortals of old. He''d even added essential details that had been forgotten by time to the mix, dropping the jaws of his ardent listeners. "Even Spirit Immortal Himmel was a product of the latest warring times. A man that killed thousands with a blink but lost hundreds of his loved ones the next day... So¡­ Do you see the pattern I''m trying to paint?" "..." The spectators weren''t idiots. They could infer what the Allfather was trying to convey easily. It was just¡­ It was hard to admit it outright. "What do all the Spirit Immortals have in common?" "They were..." Shin gulped not willing to say the final words. His palms were shaking, and every pore in his body was releasing gallons of sweat. However, in the end, Shin had no choice but to say the right answer: "... products of war." "That''s right..." The Allfather dropped his rapidly moving hands and stared down the young man. "Or to be more precise¡­ They were the products of endless conflict¡­ Shin Iofiel, let me ask you one final question, genius above geniuses..." The Allfather openly mocked the young man, forcing his heart into a wild state. "How do humans grow?" ''How do humans grow?'' Shin parroted the question. Was it through time? Was it through love? No, there was only one answer to that question. Shin looked back at all the times he showed explosive growth. All the times he shocked the world by shattering records. All the times he became stronger¡­ There was only one reason for his growth... "Conflict..." A weak voice was pushed out of Shin''s throat. "Precisely," the Allfather laughed. "Humans¡­ No, all living beings require conflict to grow. And the bigger the conflict, the more explosive the growth. Peace¡­ It seems like a good notion, but why is it that so little legends appear during peaceful periods? Why is it that not a single Spirit Saint could ever hope to reach my level? Isn''t it because of this fucking peaceful period?!" The cloaked shadow was beyond irate. The tone of his voice was as venomous as a snake, and his anger could be felt by the intense dark aura that surrounded his silhouette. "That''s why¡­ you plunged the world into war?" Shin asked fearfully. However, there was dark, murky energy flowing into his azure eyes. "That''s why you killed thousands?! That''s why you brainwashed innocent lives to do your bidding?! THAT''S WHY YOU CAUSED ME SO MUCH PAIN?!" "Hmph! You speak as if you''re the holiest being that exists..." "Y-you!!!" Shin wanted to retort, but his voice fell flat. He thought about the people he had killed to reach this point. He''d thought about the families he had shattered because of his desire to grow. "No, you''re right¡­ I am scum, by your standard at least." The Allfather sneered derisively. "But by my standard, I''m a saint that wishes to achieve the most impossible dream. To become the twenty-second." "You killed millions of lives¡­ You wrecked my life... For your selfish desire?" "HAHAHA!!! Shin Iofiel, that''s the most naive thing I''ve ever heard!" The Allfather let out a peal of bellowing laughter, shattering the demeanour of the angered Shin. "Who the hell remembers some random Joe selling oranges by the roadside? Who cares about a grandmother that would die on a farm that she grew up in? No¡­ Given enough time, even the most illustrious of Spirit Saints would fade into the annals of time! Only the names of Spirit Immortals live forever! Only those that reach eternal life would become the beacon that lights the next generation!" The Allfather''s words stung Shin. As much as he would like to retort¡­ The six-hundred-year-old existence was right. "My selfish desire? That''s rich! Aren''t you the same? Aren''t you trying to chase Yggdrasil for your own selfish desire? To meet Ariel and the ones you have lost?!" "!!!" Shin couldn''t retort. How many have Shin sacrificed for his own personal growth? And where did that growth stem from? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The Allfather was right¡­ "All humans are selfish¡­ You had best remember that, my potential nemesis and the springboard that would leap me into the Immortal Realm..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 545 The Allfather 3 "Shin is nothing like you!" Before the young man could fall into a pit of despair, a sharp sonorous voice echoed out in the ravine. Shin glanced over his shoulders, only to see a gorgeous blonde woman sparkle in the misty air. "Shin tries to save as many lives as he can! Whenever he''s forced to kill someone, he despairs! Whenever he fails to save an innocent soul, he cries! There''s no way Shin could be compared to a monster like you!" Being his Master, Lady Seph had witnessed Shin''s growth from a young child. Shin hated conflict but was always the first one to take up his arms. Shin loved to laze around but had turned more hardworking than anyone she ever knew. Shin was a kind and noble soul, but his soul was tainted by the cruel world that the Allfather had put him through. Although Shin wanted to reach the Immortal Realm, it wasn''t by a selfish desire like the Allfather''s. He didn''t care if his name was remembered by future generations. All he wanted¡­ was to meet his loved ones at the Eternal Burning Tree. "You''re just a sick fossil that can''t get over the fact that he''s not talented enough!" The blonde beauty continued to spew venomous words at the conductor of chaos. "Talent? HAHAHAHA!!! Maybe you''re right! I''m not talented enough!" The cloaked figure took the insult with a hearty laugh. "But so are the other relics that failed to surpass me! Ever since Dream had ascended, more and more humans awakened their Spirits, but none of them had reached Rank 99! The quantity of Spirit Users had increased, but the quality had dipped drastically! Even the Himmel brat that''s destroying my Gate of Hell now, he peaked at Rank 96 with no hope of ever surpassing that level!" The Allfather had lived long enough to roughly estimate all of his peer''s maximum potential. None of the current eleven Spirit Saints, not the Himmel Ancestor, not Saint Longyu Tian¡­ None of them had the potential of matching the overwhelming power of the Allfather. On the other hand, the younger generation was a different story¡­ "Look at where my plans have brought you! Shin Iofiel¡­ Kanari Saniela¡­ Isadore Himmel... Shizen Dundlewoods¡­ Suji Lasgeor¡­ Lukman Ramal... Brahmadhvaja Kittichat... Sierra Glynrel¡­ Meijing Bingying¡­ Jingyu Taiyi¡­ All of these youngsters have shown growth that was unheard of since I arrived! Because of the Black Masks, because of my plans to infest the world with Umbras and Payircis, all of you have surpassed your previous generation!" The Allfather listed the names of the world''s brightest prospects. Some may call them Luminaries, others, geniuses¡­ However, there was one thing for certain about all those names listed. They were certain to write their names into the history books, forever becoming legends of their respective nations. And¡­ The Allfather was right. Without the constant pressure of the Black Masks, there was no guarantee that any of those geniuses would have become the dominant forces that they were. Yes, they would have grown to become talent Spirit Emperors or even breakthrough into the Spirit Venerate realm. However, because of the constant warring period that the world was in, those geniuses had to tirelessly train and battle, improving their overall abilities by the day. Shin was the best example. If not for Junius'' betrayal, perhaps he would still be living happily on Frie Mountain with Ariel, and due to his innate laziness, Shin''s cultivation would have most likely stalled. "See Shin¡­ It was never personal. I don''t have any grudges against you or the ones you loved. It''s just¡­ At my level, there isn''t anyone that could possibly help me grow one final time¡­ At my level, there''s not a single person on the planet that could challenge me, helping me attain the final piece of the enigmatic puzzle! I needed to create despair¡­ I needed to create conflict around the world, just to force a genius like you to rise above the ashes!!!" At this point, the Allfather had thrown caution into the wind. He explained everything. His motivations for sending the world to chaos. The real reason why he killed millions without shedding a single tear. In his eyes¡­ There was only the goal. Anything else were just distractions and useless props for attaining said goal. Even¡­ ''Wait, something isn''t right!'' Shin exclaimed inwardly as his mind spun rapidly out of control. Junius'' last words entered his head as numerous reports he''d read resurfaced. "Shin Iofiel, I need you to-" "No¡­ You''re leaving something out..." Shin shook his head, interjecting into the Allfather''s monologue. He did his best to keep a calm and collected head to do what he did best¡­ Analysis. "The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts¡­ They are the apex predators of the Uncharted Wilderness¡­ They are the beasts that reign above all mortals. Why are they serving you if your goal was to simply break into the Immortal Realm? Why are those proud creatures lowering their heads to a mere human?" "..." It was the Allfather''s turn to stay silent. He hadn''t expected Shin to change the subject that abruptly. "There must be some sort of quid pro quo involved¡­ Something that is of equivalent value to their years of servitude..." Shin''s eyes flickered wildly as he looked straight into the Allfather''s hood. There was nothing but darkness, one that would frighten the living daylights out of any mortal''s soul, but Shin endured it. He wasn''t just a mere boy dancing around in the palms of another any more. Now¡­ He was a King on equal footing as the Allfather. "You¡­ Promised them eternity¡­ You promised them eternal life, a ticket into the Immortal Realm!" Shin shouted his hypothesis with conviction. "That''s why you''ve been amassing resources! That''s why you attack the Land of Dreams, to figure out the clue that Spirit Immortal Dream had left behind! You''re trying to build one final Heaven''s Gate!" "..." Once Shin''s screams quietened down, the canyon turned pin-drop silence. If he strained his ears enough, Shin could most definitely hear the rapidly beating heartbeats of his fellow companions, all of whom were stunned by the young Prince''s theory. The Allfather wasn''t just trying to manufacture a rival that could match him¡­ He was also¡­ Attempting to open Heaven''s Gate. There was a long pause of eerie silence. No one dared to breathe a single word until the Allfather responded¡­ And respond he did... "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" The cloaked shadow unleashed the most deafening laugh that Shin had ever heard. The facade of the world''s strongest being was broken down, making the Rank 99 Spirit Saint seem so¡­ human. "Hah..." It took a while for the Allfather to stop his chortle. A full minute to be exact. Evidently, it has been a long time since the almighty being felt such an experience. "You''re really something else¡­ I can see why Junius was so adamant about bringing you over to my side..." "So you don''t deny it?" Shin shot back with his own query. "Hmph, you brat..." The Allfather''s tone turned rather friendly or to be more precise¡­ A little more like a mischievous uncle who had watched his nephew grow up. "I guess I shouldn''t share any more of my plans with you, huh? You''ve already wrecked three of my phases if I explain anymore... You''ll probably ruin everything." "... That''s what I plan to do in the first place." "Plan to try," the Allfather corrected the young man. "I have lived far longer than you, child. I know secrets that you wouldn''t even dare dream about. I''ve seen horrors that no one else in the world could ever comprehend. If you think that you can outsmart me again¡­ You''re under a huge misunderstanding..." The shadowy smoke began to fade slowly as the Hofuku''s presence started to wane. Without his mana to latch on, the Allfather''s will was already beginning to dissipate. In just a few more seconds, the meeting between Shin and the man responsible for the greatest crimes known to history would finally come to an end. Shin clenched his fists, digging deep into the bottom of his palms. Blood dripped down his fingers as his serene azure eyes turned completely bloodshot. "Allfather¡­ I swear to the Immortals above¡­ I will kill you¡­ I will kill you for everything that you''ve done to the world¡­ I''ll kill you for everything you''ve done to Junius and my family..." The hooded shadow stopped. It wasn''t the first time that the Allfather had faced a threat. The number of people who cursed him daily were as abundant as the grass that grew on the ground. However, the powerful figure never paid the threats any heed. After all, why would a Lion care about the displeasure of some ants? But this was different¡­ From the moment the Allfather appeared in front of Shin, he had considered the man his equal. Or at the very least, the one with the most potential to become his rival. With Junius dead, all of Shin''s discontent¡­ All of his anger¡­ was now directed at the Allfather himself. Shin couldn''t see it, but somewhere in the Black Masks most defended and secretive base, a smile broke out on the Allfather''s face. He had been living for about six hundred years now, and his emotions had been toughened up centuries ago. There wasn''t much that could excite him in this world. However, Shin''s declaration of war had set off something primal in the man''s old body¡­ The Allfather could feel¡­ The overwhelming desire to battle. ''That''s it¡­ That''s what I wanted, no... needed to feel...'' The Allfather chuckled. Soon the will that he''d left behind would completely leave the Hofuku. As much as he wanted to stay and converse with this future rival of his, there was no time left. However, before he left, there was one last thing that the Allfather had to do¡­ "Shin Iofiel, before I leave, let me correct a misunderstanding of yours." "..." Shin didn''t reply and simply glared at the flickering shadow. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "My power is purely made from the Darkness-Element. I can''t control the Mind-Element at all." "What are you-?" Just as Shin was about to question that sudden shift in topic, alarm bells started ringing in his head. There was no way that his sharp mind was unable to unravel what the Allfather was trying to say¡­ "All of the Black Masks¡­ All of the humans that joined me¡­ They had been baptised of their own volition. I had never brainwashed any of them. Those that become brainless Dalits were just too weak to withstand my baptism." "You can''t mean..." "That''s right!" The Allfather chortled. "From the start, Junius and the other Black Masks weren''t brainwashed by me. They purely sought out power to achieve their dreams, even if it meant selling their soul to the devil." As the shadow continued to dissipate, Shin''s jaw continued to hang. Greatly amused, the Allfather put some volume to the final words that would ring in the Illusory Canyon. "Remember this, Shin Iofiel¡­ No matter how righteous the human. No matter how good they think they are¡­ No matter how much good they do... In the end¡­ Humans are just..." The cloaked shadow had turned into a puff of dark smoke and disappeared entirely. However, the Allfather''s voice still remained. That last sentence that would reverberate in Shin''s consciousness from this day to the end of his days echoed through the soulless ravine. "Animals..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 546 Donst Leave Me... 1 "Humans are just¡­ animals..." The Allfather''s words echoed within Shin''s young mind. The cloaked shadow had long dissipated into the darkness. There was no remnant aura left in the misty ravine. Neither the Tree of Illusions nor the Allfather had left a trace of their presence, making one wonder if they were in a dream sequence. However, Shin acutely knew that everything wasn''t a figment of his own imagination. The Hofuku that remained was living proof of that. Everything that Shin had experienced¡­ Shizen''s death, Junius'' sacrifice and the Allfather coming out of hiding¡­ It was all real. "Animals¡­ huh?" Shin slowly walked over towards the sharp silver sword that stuck out from the ground. The Hofuku had lost the mighty crystal that could generate one of the most resilient barriers there was on a Spirit Armament. Once a gift to Junius, now the Hofuku was simply a piece of scrap metal that was discarded by the Allfather. It had the metal befitting that of a Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament, but to the all-powerful Allfather, the Hofuku was as useless as a blade of grass. Not to Shin, though¡­ Shin''s shaking fingers engulfed the soft grip of the two-metre-long sword. Much of its shagreen had been torn apart, and bits of dried blood was stuck onto its colour. However, it had been tenderly woven back together, showing the care its previous owner had for the sword. Shin put more force into his palms, slowly pulling the blade out from the ground. To many, the Hofuku was a symbol of fear and death, an Odachi that told them the end was coming. In spite of that, Shin looked at the sword with a sentimental gaze. It was the final relic that Junius had left behind, the weapon that represented the struggle that the man had gone through. It was also the object that allowed Junius to commit to his sacrifice. If not for the Hofuku''s superior material, there was no way that he could seal the Allfather''s will within the confines of the blade. Shin picked the sword up, admiring its silent but deadly beauty. The Hofuku has been used to massacre innocent lives, it had been used as a medium of war. It was, by far, one of the dirtiest blades to exist in the modern world. However, Shin didn''t mind that. With Junius gone, there has to be someone that should be accountable for his sins. So, in the place of his deceased elder brother, Shin would use the Hofuku in a different way. Shin would use the Hofuku¡­ To protect the innocent lives that the Black Masks would reap. In the distance, Shin could see a young face staring back at him. He had brown, chestnut hair and possessed a body similar to that of a hobbit. Peaceful and serene, the young man seemed to have been merged with nature, becoming one with the thing he loved the most. Shizen''s illusion stared right at Shin with a dazzling smile, as if signifying that the youth had made the right choice. "Allfather¡­ You''re wrong..." The young man muttered under his breath. The Allfather believed that war was the only way that one could grow. He believed that the mass murder of billions was required for the birth of the next Spirit Immortal. Shin swore to prove him wrong. "I will strike you down¡­ I will become the next Spirit Immortal while protecting the innocent¡­ I swear on this sword..." Raising the Hofuku above his head, Shin sent a gorgeous wave of mana into its core. In no time at all, a magnificent array of colours blasted out from the simple-looking sword. With an aura that would mystify thousands, the sword glimmered in the evening light. "And I swear¡­ I''ll cut you down..." ??? Ten minutes later. Shin exited the Illusory Canyon with his elite companions surrounding him on all fronts. Bingbing held onto the young man''s hand, eyes peeled and ready to pounce at any threat that might fly Shin''s way. Lady Seph was standing on his left and although her Spirit was stored away, a faint golden aura could be seen enveloping her exterior. Zishen looked absent-minded as he trailed slowly behind. Still, Shin could tell that the man was examining every nook and cranny of his immediate surroundings. Even Heigui Xuegang and Venerate Maurice were on edge as they glared at the grass. Everything seemed to have happened in a flash, and the elites had finally figured out the Allfather''s motives for purging the world to chaos. In the end, the Allfather was chasing immortality, just like the rest of them. The only difference was, the Allfather was willing to annihilate the entire world''s population for his goal. He was even willing to create an unstoppable genius in the form of Shin just to create a potential rival. It was all so surreal¡­ Walking out of the ravine, Shin could sense a few mana signatures standing still. Bingbing and Zishen, being the two with the sharpest senses, naturally were the first to notice the presences. They both raised their brows and sent all of their heightened senses towards the standing mana signatures. After a few seconds, the duo quickly dropped their guard, and small smiles could be seen on their faces. "Yip! Yip! Shin! Let''s go!" Bingbing ignored Shin''s confusion and pulled the young man out of the canyon and straight towards the distant figures. Heigui Xuegang wanted to hold the Prince back lest there was any danger, but was promptly stopped by Zishen''s outreached arm. "Mmmm¡­ Let them be¡­ At this juncture, it''s better for the Prince with friends his age." The Azure Dragon Lord thought back on the Allfather''s words. There should be over a million things rushing through Shin''s head now. It would be best if he had emotional support from the ones he could relate to the most. As he watched Bingbing drag Shin away, Zishen turned towards the Obsidian Gate, which was already half-destroyed. "Child of Heigui..." "Yes?" "Mmmm¡­ Go find the others. Tell them that the Prince is safe and confirm the motivations of the Himmel Ancestor. The threat of the Black Masks may have disappeared, but there''s no guarantee that the Himmel Empire or the Kori Federation will play nice with our Prince in just a remote location. If need be, rush them over, so that the Prince could be protected." Zishen was worried that the Himmel Ancestor would turn heel and kidnap Shin while he was far away from home and the nearest Lantis Republic''s Spirit Saint. "... Understood." Heigui Xuegang bowed once before turning into a ray of light that sped for the heavens. He knew what dangers lay ahead if the Himmel Ancestor decides to act. Just as the poor Obsidian Gate that fell just as quickly as it appeared. While his bodyguards were busy worrying about secondary affairs, Shin continued to be led by Bingbing towards the hazy figures. Now that they were closer, Shin could sense the familiar aura of his fellow comrades. Kanari and the twins were there, all in the pink of health. Even Elrin and Isadore, two mana signatures that he hadn''t felt in a long time, were present in the group. Shin''s frown quickly turned into a beaming smile. Due to the mayhem, Shin wasn''t able to confirm the return of his two bosom pals, but their auras did prove to be a delightful surprise. It was precisely what he needed in this time of darkness. He had just lost Shizen and Junius¡­ It was good to rekindle some old bonds to ease the unease that pricked his heart. Alas¡­ It wasn''t to be. "T-this is..." Before Shin could even put on a smile to embrace the friends he held dear. One odd detail caught his attention. All of his five friends were wearing sombre faces, void of any emotion. No, if there were any emotion, it was one of grief. Universally, their eyebrows and lips were arched downwards, and the atmosphere that surrounded them was extremely heavy. So much so that even though Shin was a few kilometres away, he could feel their anguish. Isadore and Elrin, the two faces that should be jovial about their reunion, were both grim. They saw Shin running at them, but they couldn''t smile. How could they? After what they''ve just experienced¡­ The twins were in a similar state. Their eyes were hollow, and their faces aghast. It was as if they had just entered into a human slaughterhouse and witnessed the most obscene evils one could inflict on another. However, the one that stood out the most to Shin among the elite group wasn''t the twins, and neither was it the two friends he hadn''t seen in god knows how long. It was the black-haired woman that he loved and took as his partner. The beautiful features that would bring down a nation were on full display, though not in the way that Shin had hoped for. Her eyes were fully reddened up, and her complexion greyed. After sleeping next to her for over three years, Shin could tell¡­ His woman had been crying. Why? Because of the child that rested peacefully in her arms. "Kanari¡­ That..." Shin was no idiot. He didn''t bother with the useless question of whose child was that? Or what happened to them? Just one glance and he could infer everything. That infant that slept comfortably next to Kanari''s bosom¡­ was Junius'' child. "Shin¡­ I''m sorry..." The black-haired beauty thought that she had cried her all, but once she came face-to-face with Shin once more, her eyes began to swell once more. "We tried to stop her¡­ We tried to stop Shia¡­ We tried to stop her from taking her own life and the child''s, but¡­" Unable to complete her sentence, Kanari dropped her head and glanced down at the poor parentless child. "..." Shin was two steps away from Kanari and the child. He could see the adorable features of the infant, chubby cheeks that was no different than mochi and eyes that sparkled like the stars of the night sky. No parent in their right mind could ever abandon such a lovable creature. "What about the rest of the Awter Clan?" Isadore took a step forward to replace the sobbing Kanari. "Those that were affected by the Allfather''s mana¡­ All exploded. Those that weren''t¡­ Slit their necks the moment we got there. The child was all that we could save. The child is¡­ the last remaining survivor of the Awter Clan." One could only imagine the grief that Shia was in to end her own life and leave behind her only kin in the cold and isolated world. She had even tried to end her own child''s life after learning about Junius'' death. If not of Vellan''s plea and Kanari''s timely arrival¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I see..." Shin was unable to chain together thoughts as he gently caressed the infant''s face. "Yiia! Yiia!" The baby chuckled as Shin''s touch tickled its body. It was as pure as white and as innocent as a virgin''s smile. Seeing the baby giggle caused Shin''s heart to ache. How was it possible that this child was going to suffer the same fate as Shin and the other orphans? To grow up parentless and in the home of his parent''s murderers? "No¡­ I can''t let history repeat itself..." Shin shook his head as he gently placed his finger near the baby''s hands. Feeling Shin''s grief, the infant gently squeezed onto his finger, as if trying to console the young man and assuring him that everything was going to be alright. Shin let out a self-deprecating smile and said: "Will you be able to smile the same way if I told you I killed your father?" "Shin?!" Kanari wanted to retort but was stopped by Shin''s authoritative hand. Instead of looking at his lover, the young Prince gazed right at the twins. "Ella, Ema¡­ I won''t let this child suffer the same fate that we did. I won''t let him grow up clueless about his parentage. I won''t... follow in the footsteps of the Frie Clan. Once he''s fully grown, I''ll give him a choice." Shin and the orphans knew firsthand how irresponsible it was to hide the truth, particularly from an orphan that he sought to take care. He looked at the child, forcing back the tears that were rising up like a high tide. "Child¡­ No, my child¡­ I swear¡­ That I will¡­ Do you right." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 547 Donst Leave Me... 2 The baby''s eyes twinkled once again, and before long, wails were poured out of its mouth like deafening sirens. There was no way for it to have known that both its parents had passed on, nonetheless, it could feel that something was amiss. Shin''s obscene odour from being bathed in poison, blood and mist had stained the infant''s sensitive nose, making it unbearable for the child to be around him. A motherly desire emerged from the depths of Kanari''s soul as she turned away from Shin and gently soothed the infant. While the black-haired beauty was already starting to bond with the motherless child, Isadore tiptoed forward and landed a comforting hand on Shin''s left shoulder. "Shin¡­ You okay?" "Yeah..." Absentminded, Shin replied with a short sigh. He looked straight at the silver-haired Adonis who had more charm than any Prince that existed. In the past, Isadore always had a feminine vibe, perhaps due to his androgynous features. However, now that he''s all grown and toned down from all the training he''s been put through, Isadore was much more of a charmer than Shin himself. "It''s been a long time¡­ Have you grown a little?" "Far more than you," Isadore smiled. His gorgeous silver hair reflecting the setting sun of dusk. From the looks of it, Shin wasn''t the only one that drastically transformed. Shin recalled the scene where the Himmel Ancestor brought out his ten-thousand strong phantom army and attacked the Obsidian Gate. Even though a billion Umbras were protecting the gate, the phantom army charged through the Black Masks'' trump card like a hot knife through butter. It was a terrifyingly, beautiful scene. Beautiful for those on the side of the Himmel Ancestor, terrifying for those that went against him. In due time, Isadore would reach the pinnacle of the Spirit Saint realm and his power would equal that of the Himmel Ancestor. Though, Shin wasn''t afraid of Isadore surpassing him one bit. He had known the silver-haired man for a little more than eight years now. They''ve been through numerous highs and lows together, much like any close brothers would. Shin considered Isadore to be a brother, and the feeling was mutual. No matter what happens in the future, Shin was confident that Isadore would never point his spear in his direction, even if it meant going against the Himmel Empire. Taking the silver-haired man into his embrace, Shin chuckled and whispered: "I''ve missed you." "I know..." Isadore returned Shin''s bear hug with a bitter smile. "Sorry, I couldn''t come earlier¡­ If I did, perhaps Shizen would have never died." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "No, you''ve done more than enough," Shin shook his head before pulling Isadore''s shoulders away. He gazed right into Isadore''s eyes and said: "The fact that you''re here means that you''ve convinced the Himmel Ancestor to throw his foot into the war. That''s more than enough for the Alliance. Right now, there''s nothing more important than killing the Allfather!" "But..." "No buts!" Shin immediately shut Isadore''s mouth with a sharp retort. He released his hold on the young man and looked to the skies. In just a few more moments, the Himmel Ancestor and the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Venerates would land at their location. When that happens, it would be near impossible for Shin to openly speak his mind. Therefore, taking advantage of this timing, the young Prince looked at his fellow companions, the people that he trusted the most in the world. "Guys¡­ Remember what I had told you about creating a new organisation?" "Huh? Ah, the mercenary troop that targets only the Black Masks?" Elrin, the woman most sensitive to businesses, exclaimed at the top of her lungs. "That''s right..." Shin nodded his head. He glanced down on his right hand and the gorgeous blade that he retrieved. If the Allfather were left to do whatever he wished, millions, no, billions would perish. From his short conversation with the enigmatic leader, Shin could tell that the man wouldn''t bat an eye when it comes to massacres. "We''ve been putting off that idea for long enough¡­ We can''t always be sitting ducks waiting for the Allfather to strike. We have to be the ones to protect the innocent from the evils of the Allfather." Shin turned to his fellow comrades. Chills ran down their spines as they watched the young Prince morph right into a dominating Sovereign General. That was the Shin Iofiel that everyone feared. "Isadore. Your dream of creating the world''s best information network. I''ll grant you that. Elrin, your dream of expanding the Zedcris Conglomerate, I''ll grant you that. Ella, your dream of becoming the world''s most deadly archer. I''ll grant you that. Emma, your dream of unifying the orphans under one roof, I''ll grant you that. And Kanari¡­" Shin walked forward and held the black-haired beauty by the waist, dyeing her face in a rich crimson hue. But Shin didn''t care. Placing his head gently against Kanari''s forehead, the man whispered: "Your dream of becoming the world''s most influential Duchess¡­ I''ll grant you that." "..." Kanari beamed with the brightest smile that Shin had ever seen her wear. Though her eyes were red and face pale, the young lady looked like the happiest woman in the world. "Haha, I knew that it was worth talking to you during orientation!" Isadore chuckled as he thought back on the first day he''d met Shin in Imperius Academy. "Hehehe, a mercenary troop specialising in taking down the Black Masks led by the Prince of Water itself¡­ There''s no way that organisation won''t earn money..." Elrin rubbed her knuckles slyly. "Hmph! Now, that''s more like my brother!" Ella puffed out her chest, unable to hide the pride in her soul. "Hehehe, looks like everyone is going to be back together again..." Emma giggled. She looked forward to the future where all of the scattered orphans come back together under one umbrella. Kanari, on the other hand, remained silent. Her ruby-like eyes shuffled from Shin''s figure and the sleeping baby that nestled comfortably in her arms. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind as her eyelids began to twitch. Shin couldn''t have known, but a massive shift had been triggered in the young woman''s mind. However, instead of voicing it out, Kanari simply smiled and proudly beamed at the splendour of her man. "So¡­ Do you have a name for your new organisation?" Elrin, ever the imp, used her elbow to nudge the young Prince''s ribs. She was already thinking of creating merchandise for the new organisation that would write its name down in history, so it goes without saying that she wants to ensure that Shin had picked a good name. At her words, the entire elite group perked their ears and plastered their gazes upon Shin''s body. It wasn''t just Elrin that was interested. That name would be the flag that they now fought for, the name that would resonate all around the world. It was natural that the youngsters wanted to be the first to know its name. "That..." Shin turned back to the Hofuku, raising it up high into the skies. Truth to be told, he wanted to honour Junius for his final sacrifice, his final fight against the Allfather. However, there was no way the world would accept the Blade of Death''s name on any monument in the world. He did, after all, murder thousands with his plans. Therefore, in one final act of remembrance, Shin had come up with a fitting name for his new organisation¡­ "We will be the light that breaches the darkness. The elites that will defeat the Allfather and protect those that aren''t able to fight back. We''ll never discriminate over borders and will save every soul that we meet. We should be..." Shin felt a warm fuzzy feeling rise up to his chest and fill his young and heroic heart. It was the first chapter of his very own organisation, something of his own creation. It had nothing to do with the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic. It had nothing to do with his ties to Kanari and Isadore. It all stemmed from his pure desire¡­ to protect innocent lives. To protect those who might end up like himself or the little child that Junius had left behind. Therefore¡­ It was only fitting for his organisation to be called... "How about Guardian Sword?" ??? Five days later. The Himmel Empire. The Dundlewoods. Sun rays radiated brightly from the heavens, bringing warmth to the Capital that knows no winter. Birds flapped their wings while baby insects cried out the advent of the new morning sun. Flowers which should have been sleeping, instantly bloomed in joy, ready to bask in the light of the new dawn. It truly was a beautiful day, one fit for picnics that a whole family could enjoy. Alas, Shin wasn''t here in the Dundlewoods to enjoy. After defeating Junius and pushing the Black Masks'' presence away from the west, Shin and his group of elite friends were led silently back to the Himmel Empire. Naturally, the Black Masks'' defeat had long spread throughout the Alliance, and everyone wanted to witness the victory parade of the unbeatable Prince of Water. However, Shin didn''t care for such accolades. Immediately after saying his goodbyes to the Dalgeom Sect and Sentinel Macron, Shin rushed back to the place where his life began. Under the protection of the Himmel Ancestor and a legion of Spirit Venerates, there wasn''t a single threat in the world that could disrupt Shin as he paid his final respects to his deceased friend. Dressed in all black, Shin stood above the marble grave that the Himmel Empire had constructed for Shizen. Surrounded by the rustic aroma of nature, it was the perfect resting place for the Freak of the Dundlewoods. Shizen had always loved to laze around and bask in the sunlight. Shin could think of no better place for his friend to rest eternally. "Shizen¡­ Your death won''t be in vain..." Shin sadly looked down at the grave. Shizen''s funeral was a simple affair, attended by only his close friends from the Imperius Academy. There was no big announcement or any ceremony to mourn the young man. And well¡­ It was precisely what Shizen would have wanted. Kanari, donned in a simple black gown, walked over to Shin and gently held his hand. In response, Shin slid his arm over Kanari''s shoulders and brought her into his embrace. The two stood silently over the grave, each one of them engrossed in their own fond memories with the now deceased man. After a full minute of silence, Kanari finally spoke up: "Shin¡­ What are you going to do next?" Shin was slightly confused that Kanari would come up with such a question but answered anyway. "I''ll be returning to Yakkyoku Clinic, where Lily''s grave is. I''ll scatter Junius'' ashes there to give them a final goodbye." "After that?" "After that..." Shin paused and fell into thought. As the Prince of the Lantis Republic, there was basically no shortage of things to do. He had to cultivate and train with Longyu Tian, attend meetings with the higher-ups, use his Celestial Aura to train others¡­ Not to mention, Shin was going to start Guardian Sword and that needed approval from the High Elder Council plus the Alliance Head. The list of things to do was endless. But first things first¡­ "I''ll probably return to the Lantis Republic¡­ I can''t be out of the country for too long." "..." Kanari remained silent, which in turn, raised alarm bells within Shin''s mind. "What''s the matter?" Shin asked. "I''m¡­ returning to the Duchy." "!!!" Shin''s eyes widened. Kanari had been by his side since he first arrived at the Lantis Republic. He''d thought that their relationship could last for at least a few more years while he built up Guardian Sword and roamed the three superpowers to destroy any traces of the Black Masks. However, Kanari was the future Duchess of Highgarden¡­ There was no way that she could be that far away from her people for that long. ''I see¡­ Let me send you back¡­ That''s good¡­ You can finally meet your people again¡­ Ah, was it already that time?'' Shin thought of all the possible responses he should give at this moment, but none of them could come out of his mouth. If it were just a month ago, perhaps Shin would have an easier time saying his goodbyes to his lover. However, Shin had just lost two massive figureheads in his life. He was reluctant to part with another, even if he could see her again after a month or two. ''What if she dies in a place where I can''t reach?'' The trauma of Shizen''s death still stuck with him. Shin couldn''t get over the fact that even though he had trained so hard to obtain power, he was powerless to save the life of his bosom friend. If Kanari, the woman he loved the most in the world, were to perish¡­ "Shin, I..." Before Kanari could breathe her next word, she felt her entire figure being embraced by Shin''s massive strength. Stunned, the woman turned her head to the side, only to see her lover grimacing and forcing back his tears. And then, the resolute words of the man echoed its way into her delicate ears. "Kanari¡­ Don''t leave me..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 548 Donst Leave Me... 3 "Don''t leave me..." Shin''s weak voice entered the eardrums of the gorgeous beauty. All of his muscles were trembling involuntarily as if he were experiencing a seizure. It has been a long time since Shin had lost all control over his emotions. Being calm and collected no matter what the situation was, was what he strove to perfect¡­ Alas, due to recent events, Shin feared to lose Kanari to yet another tragedy. Kanari gently slapped the back of Shin''s shoulders and spoke back: "Shin¡­ I..." "I know this is selfish for me to say!" However, Shin wasn''t going to let her finish her statement. His arms were trembling, but they still held onto Kanair''s thin waist, fearing that she would disappear the moment he let go. "I know that it''s irresponsible for me to keep hoarding you and keeping you away from your responsibilities as a Duchess, but I don''t want to separate from you ever again!" "Shin¡­ Like I said..." "I don''t care if your parents hate me or the entire Duchy scorns me! Please, Kanari¡­ Just stay by my side¡­ Please..." Shin lifted up his torso and gazed at the Witch of the South right in her ruby eyes. All these years, throughout all the ups and downs, Kanari had been staying by his side. At his lowest point, Kanari acted as a pillar of support, lifting Shin up from the darkness. In Shin''s brightest moments, Kanari was also standing by his side. She brought joy to the young man''s heart just by existing, just by breathing the same air that he did. At this point in his life, Shin couldn''t imagine life without Kanari by his side. He didn''t want to think about the cold and soulless nights that would follow with Kanari''s absence. He couldn''t fathom not having his most faithful ear to rely on when the going gets tough. Shin¡­ couldn''t live without Kanari anymore. And more importantly¡­ He couldn''t live without giving Kanari a title anymore¡­ Shin thought about all of the things Kanari had done for him up until this point. From giving him the backing of the Highgarden Duchy to staying by his side for three long years¡­ Everything that she''d done for him was nothing less than a sacrifice. Yet¡­ What has Shin done for her? Although he had directly repaid the Highgarden Duchy through favourable trade deals, Shin hadn''t truly given Kanari anything in return. So¡­ It was about time that Shin changed that. "Kanari¡­ Marry me!!!" Closing his eyes, Shin declared his intent from the bottom of his heart. His entire being was shaking, and his mind blanked out. There was a fear that Kanari would flat out reject the young man due to her commitments, but Shin didn''t care. After losing so many of his loved ones, Shin realised that time was fleeting. If he didn''t seize the moment now, perhaps it would never come in the future. Therefore, Shin threw all caution into the wind and cried out his heart''s innermost desire. "..." But he was greeted with silence. Since Shin had his eyes closed, he couldn''t tell what reaction Kanari had. Was she angry that the young man tried to tie her down with marriage? Or was she annoyed by the gesture? Even Shin, with all his heightened senses, couldn''t tell without looking at Kanari''s face. Thus, slowly¡­ light returned to Shin''s eyes as he cautiously looked up at the woman. "Hic!" And there it was¡­ The most radiant smile that Shin had ever seen in his life. Kanari''s eyes were moist as both the corners of her lips bloomed like a flower. How long had she waited for Shin to say those words? How much time had she wasted staying by Shin''s side as he couldn''t forget Ariel? People called her a fool¡­ A moron for sticking by Shin even though his heart was with another woman. However, on this day, Kanari had proved everyone wrong. The immovable object had finally been shaken by the unstoppable force. She was now¡­ Shin''s number one. "Kanari?" Shin held back his gasp and tenderly caressed the cheeks of the untouchable beauty. Shin had never seen Kanari this moved in his eight years of knowing her. "You stupid man¡­ No, my stupid man..." Kanari slapped Shin''s hands away and grabbed both his cheeks with her claws. Not waiting for any consent, the beauty instantly flew her lips right into Shin''s and greedily sucked on her man''s face. The past two weeks had been rife with uncertainties. From hearing the news about Shizen''s passing to battling it out at the Uncharted Wilderness. All of those events had kept Shin and Kanari preoccupied, and they virtually had zero private time together. However, being a responsible adult, Kanari had kept her desires in check. She knew that Shin needed time to heal and mend back his broken soul. Not to mention, Kanari had troubles of her own. Alas, the moment Shin had proposed to her¡­ All of those bottled up feelings erupted like an active volcano and her love poured out all over her man. "Is that a..." From Kanari''s actions, Shin could already guess the answer. Still, the young man wanted verbal confirmation. No, he needed Kanari''s word... "Yes! Of course I''ll marry you!" Kanari didn''t bother to wipe the snot and tears off her face and gave the man a brilliant laugh. "From the start, there was no number two choice! You''re my man, and I''m not letting you get away!" "Thank god!" The young Prince brought Kanari''s body closer to his as he went in for yet another deep kiss. This warmth¡­ This soothing fragrance¡­ Shin didn''t want to imagine a world without it. He gave numerous small pecks on Kanari''s cheeks, showering her with an affection he''d never openly given before. "Thank you, Kanari¡­ Also¡­ I''m sorry for my selfishness. I know that you need to return to Highgarden, but just stay for a month¡­ No, two months more. By that time, I promise that I''ll visit your parents and get their blessings." Kanari''s eyes sparkled as she broke into a smile. "That''s why you''re my silly fool¡­ You didn''t allow me to finish my sentence!" "Huh?" It was now Shin''s turn to be confused. The gorgeous beauty shook her head. "Since when did I say I was leaving you for good? I just wanted to return to the Duchy to annul my succession rights." "You what?!" Shin''s eyes were bulged out, and his entire soul was shaken. Kanari wanted to give up her claim to the Duchy?! That was the first that he''d ever heard about it! "What do you mean you want to annul your rights? Why would you do that?" "Calm down, Shin..." The young lady giggled at Shin''s animated response. "To be honest, it''s something that I''ve been thinking about quite a bit during my stay in the Lantis Republic. On paper, I was stationed by the Himmel Empire as your overseer and as your link back to the empire. However, after being by your side for the past three years, I realised that my mission wasn''t that simple." Kanari lifted Shin''s hands and tenderly placed them onto her ample bosom. Badum¡­ Badum¡­ Shin could feel the rapid heartbeat of his woman and slowly¡­ He could feel that it was amplifying. In shock, he stared right into Kanari''s ruby pupils only to be greeted with the most passionate gaze. "I thought my mission, my duty as a noblewoman was to lead my Duchy into a brighter tomorrow. However, I quickly found that my thinking was totally wrong." Kanari shook her head with a bitter smile. "The commoners of Highgarden, the commoners of the Himmel Empire, the commoners of the Lantis Republic¡­ What differences do they have? After staying in the Lantis Republic for the past three years¡­ I realised... there was none. Shin remained silent as Kanari began her reflection. From the day she was born, Kanari had been drilled on the principles of Noblesse Oblige. Since Kanari was fortunate enough to be born as a Duchy''s heir, she was expected to give back to her community. However, as she expanded her scope beyond the Highgarden Duchy and the Himmel Empire, Kanari noticed one thing. "Whether it was Highgarden or Longyu Island, the commoners that live in those areas are all the same. They all share the same struggle to survive, the same desire to become stronger. And¡­ They all need support from the powerful." Kanari pointed at Shin and herself, perhaps the two most privileged people alive. "It doesn''t matter if we''re from the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic. We have a duty to protect the public order. So, I believe that your intention to create Guardian Sword is the right one." "You think?" "I know," the beauty beamed. "However, I can''t help you if I''m bound by the chains of Highgarden. That''s why I wanted to relinquish my rights for the succession so that I can formally join Guardian Sword and stay by your side without hindrances from my Duchy." "That''s why you wanted to return to Highgarden? To stay with me forever?" Shin shot Kanari an incredulous look. "Yeah..." Having her intentions being so spelt out brought a crimson blush to Kanari''s hot face. "Who would have guessed that you would misunderstand? Oh well, at least through that misunderstanding, I''ve gotten the thing I wanted to most." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "A-ah¡­ Right..." Shin scratched the back of his head and let out a dry laugh. Kanari was right, Shin did form his own ideas before the woman could give an explanation. "W-wait! Are you sure that your parents would allow you to relinquish your rights?! You''re an only child, right?" "I''m sure that they''ll moan about it for a while, but they''ll get over it." Kanari shook her head. "There are plenty of capable people in Highgarden, particularly in my extended family. Some of my cousins would kill to get my position. Not to mention, my mother is still young. She still has chances to give me a sibling, but¡­" Kanari was unable to hold back her naughty thoughts anymore, and her entire face turned redder than a tomato. She twiddled her thumbs and spun her fragrant, long hair around like a smitten teenage girl. "B-but if you really feel bad for them¡­ Why don''t we give birth to a c-c-child? I''m sure my mother would be more than willing to hand over Highgarden to her grandchild..." "Ah..." Shin''s jaw dropped and his blinked rapidly. Having grandchildren succeed a territory was not uncommon, particularly if the child had formidable parents backing them on both sides. If Kanari were to bear Shin''s child and train him or her to Highgarden, there was no way that the Duchess could complain. In fact, she would be more than happy to accept the child as her formal heir. A playful grin crept up Shin''s lips as he slithered his hands down onto Kanari''s waist. Bringing her in, he whispered: "Wifey, how many do you want?" "W-who''s your wife?! We''re far from being engaged yet!" "I personally think that eight should be enough¡­ You know, to repeat the Lady of Water''s feat of eight children?" "E-e-eight?! What do you think I am? A sow?" The two continued to banter lovingly all the way back to the Capital, flirting so much that a sickening, pink atmosphere developed. Many might think that Kanari was a fool to give up the succession rights in pursuit of protecting the entire world. Some might call her a lunatic, others might even think that she was corrupted by love. However, history would remember this day. History would remember the day that Duchess Kanari had morphed into... An Empress. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 549 The Nine Colours 1 The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. Darkness and warm, moist air filled the centre of the world, making the once gorgeous land seem like a realm for the dead. Crows disgustingly cawed as their black feathers fell from the dried-up trees. The moon hung brilliantly over the smokey, starless skies and the sounds of heaven were utterly drained out. Mythpoint Reach was once lauded as the world''s central hub for trade and commerce, a place that knows no war and no battle. Alas, after the advent of the Allfather, the once peaceful region had descended into an abyss that no soul dared to lightly tread. Nine humongous floating towers encircled the corners of the former trade town, all doing their part to hold onto an impregnable barrier. Illusory chains spread out from all sides of the Payircis as they expanded across the entire Terre Continent, seemingly holding the colossal landmass back in shape. However, those that knew the truth understood that it was far from the case. The gigantic chains were the Allfather''s solution to relieving pressure from Mythpoint Reach. No Spirit Saint in the world could possibly hope to take down the barrier with their own might. Spirit Immortal Dream made sure of that when she designed the blueprints. Using the power of Paradise Hearts scattered all over the globe, the barrier was perhaps the most powerful defensive contraption that ever existed in the mortal world. Even if all the eleven Spirit Saints in the world combined their powers, they were no match for the relic of Spirit Immortal Dream. The only way they could potentially destroy the barrier was to take out all of the Paradise Hearts that powered it. However, that would take a lot of manpower, resources and most importantly, time¡­ Using that buffer period, the Allfather could move on to the next phase of his master scheme. The Nine Payircis weren''t creating a barrier for no apparent reason¡­ Situated at the centre of it all, was an Obsidian Tree-Like structure. Unlike the World Tree of legend, this Obsidian one lacked the verdant features that any elf would call home. Instead, it was rife with ''dead'' branches, blackened by either char or metal. It stood at over three hundred metres tall and possessed an eerie aura that would creep out even the most resilient of minds. It wasn''t like the Payircis that protected it. It was an entity on a league of its own. An entity¡­ That ruled over the earth. A suave, blue-haired man sauntered down the pathway leading into the Obsidian Tree''s gates. Thinned down and hollowed eyes, the man seemed to have just gotten out of therapy for his post-traumatic stress disorder. Usually, the blue-haired man would exude confidence with every step that he took, and no one would dare gossip behind his back. However, at this very moment, the man seemed so¡­ small. Ao didn''t really want to show his face after his devastating failure. Not only did he lose the west and the Obsidian Gate that the Black Masks had spent centuries to build, but he had also lost the one human he latched onto the most. Junius, once a rising star for the Black Masks, turned out to be a traitor that backstabbed the Allfather and Ao in the back. Junius had even purified the Allfather''s mana that Ao had given him and sent it over to their mortal enemy, the Prince of Water. The guards didn''t utter a single word as the man passed by them. In fact, due to their obsidian masks, Ao couldn''t see their expressions at all. However, because of his paranoia, the World Serpent felt that every single one of them were laughing at him. Ao had poured his sweat and blood, nurturing Junius to become the best possible Black Mask operative that he could be. Many wondered why the Tier 9 Spirit Beast cared so much for one human, but the World Serpent didn''t heed their words. Ao poured everything he had into that one man, hoping that he could become an irreplaceable asset to the Black Masks. And look where that got him? "..." Ao silently walked down the glorious corridors, filled with ostentatious designs fit for the almighty ruler of the criminal syndicate. Tall marbled towers held the ceilings up together as thousands of weird gadgets were encased in glass. Flags with the Allfather''s emblem were hung down long poles, creating an atmosphere that could only be described as a throne room. It didn''t take long for the blue-haired man to reach his final destination. A giant obsidian gate with numerous carvings depicting the massacre that occurred five hundred years ago. Thousands of fallen men knelt down in suffering. Some holding onto their throats, some pushing their temples in to withstand the explosive pain, and some simply crying their hearts out. They were all weak and feeble compared to the being that levitated up high in the air. A single woman looked down without a single trace of empathy. Unlike the brutal massacre that was known throughout the world, the carvings on the gate showed the woman as the one in the right. A monarch punishing the subjects that dared to question her rule. A queen bringing judgement down on those that revolted against her. Ao gazed into the woman''s noble visage and let out a humbled sigh. ''Spirit Immortal Dream¡­ The woman that my master reveres¡­ I wonder what she would have done in my situation?'' Ao thought to himself before nodding to the two guards holding the door. In response, the muscular Black Masks placed down their weapons and faithfully pushed their palms against the colossal gate. ''Whatever, I can''t avoid this forever¡­ Time to face the music...'' Light entered Ao''s vision through the slit in the gate. His fate lay beyond the gate and the Tier 9 Spirit Beast would be lying if he said he wasn''t nervous. The gates were massive, and it took about twenty seconds for the two doors to be opened in its entirety. Usually, the World Serpent would enter once the gap was big enough, but Ao specifically waited for a reason. The throne hall, the temple that only the top Black Mask executives could enter, was larger than any structure inside of the Obsidian Tree. Gold and silver towers, laced with exquisite diamonds decorated the imperial hall, making it feel much grander than any other throne room that existed. Although the Black Masks were relatively low-key and spent as little money as they could, the throne hall was an exception for the syndicate. Why? Because of the statue that was raised above the most luxurious pedestal in the land. A young beauty, possibly in her late twenties, was immortalised in stone. No, to call the statue a stone sculpture would be an insult to its maker. Coloured and carved to perfection, it was as if a real person was frozen in place above the marble. It had straight, white hair that flowed down to her waist and a lifelike gaze that would charm any man in existence. Both her eyes highlighted the radiant smile that was plastered on her face. The woman wore a pristine white robe and held onto a thick book, which signified her pure, unadulterated love to the scholarly arts. The statue was like a deity in a church, ready to forgive the sins of any who prayed using her name. However, the ''people'' that were at the bottom of the stairs didn''t seem to be in a forgiving mood. "RARARA! You''re finally here, huh?" A fierce crimson-haired man bared his fangs as he watched the World Serpent make his way down the hall. "Rarara! I''d thought that snakes slither fast, looks like that rule doesn''t apply to the king of snakes!" "Akai¡­ Be polite..." A man with roots for legs and thick intertwined branches for arms blocked the redhead from speaking any further. "No matter what... Ao is still our valuable comrade... Aggravating him would do us no good..." "RARARA! Midori, whose side are you on?! The sinner or mine?!" "I''m on the side of the Allfather," the Treant promptly replied. Yes, the two voices that sparked through the Throne Hall were that of Akai the Lion Chimaera and Midori the Gargantuan Treant in his dwarfed form. They were both Tier 9 Spirit Beasts capable of destroying a fortress or two with just a flick of their fingers. If the two started to brawl within the hall, it would spell the end for the gorgeously laid out structure. Fortunately, there were seven other entities in the chambers that could keep them in check. "Ara, ara¡­ Aren''t you jumping the gun now, Akai?" A sultry voice, one that resembled that of a courtesan that just got out of bed, broke through the ferocious chatter. Turning their attention to the source of the voice, Akai and Midori saw a half-naked woman with both her breasts out in full view. Boasting vibrant purple hair and white ceramic skin that would make any woman cry in jealousy, the woman was as enchanting as can be. Of course, not that any human male would get hard after seeing her lower body. "The Allfather didn''t say that Ao had sinned. Neither did he say he was going to punish him for Junius'' betrayal. Aren''t you just conveniently interpreting the Allfather''s decision?" The Arachne Queen chuckled as her eight eyes uniformly blinked. "Rarara, I see that you''re still on Ao''s side." "No," the Arachne Queen giggled as her fingers scratched the bottom of her hairless chin. "Like Midori, I''m on the side of the Allfather. Also, if I were you, I wouldn''t be so conceited..." Murasaki turned her attention to the pink-haired young girl, who was guarded like a princess by two undead soldiers. "Nenene, Akai! Since when did you become the Allfather''s voice?" Momo cocked her head to the side as she looked cautiously at the Lion in human form. Two rabbit ears popped out from her head, and a pinkish illusory, moon rose out from her back. She looked like she was about to hop right into battle, which looked adorable on the exterior. Though, Akai wasn''t smiling in the slightest. Keeping his sweat in check, the crimson-haired man gulped as he replied: "I haven''t¡­ You''re still the Allfather''s number one." Momo''s rabbit ears twitched twice, and her aggressive mana began to surge down. "Nene! That''s more I like it!" "Hah¡­ Momo you''re so easy to control..." The white-haired boy standing next to the Moon Rabbit shook his head like an elder brother looking down on his sister that had been taken in by candy. "Ey! Shiro! You''re mean!" Momo tried to punch the boy, but his reflexes were far too superior. An after-image remained in Shiro''s place, and he reappeared just a few metres away. "Hey! Be careful with that, Momo! You know how powerful your punches are!" Shiro complained. "..." While the two youngsters were arguing non-stop, Kin and Gin, the only pair that looked like a real family among the entire Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, stared coldly at the pink-haired girl. ''Her relationship with Shiro is getting better,'' Kin, the gold-haired woman, mentally sent a transmission to her brother. ''I can see that,'' Gin sent back as a frown broke on his face. ''It might be a hindrance in the future¡­ Taking on Momo is hard enough and if we had to fight with Shiro as well...'' ''It would be disastrous.'' Kin finished Gin''s sentence with a grim sneer. ''We should factor in Shiro''s involvement in the future if we want to get Momo clean...'' The twins stayed silent, trying not to draw as much attention to themselves as they could. And it wasn''t that hard, given that half the group were already in the midst of quarrelling. Ao standing at the centre with Akai breathing down his neck. Though Momo had diffused the situation with her power speech, the two still locked eyes menacingly. And that came as no surprise, given how their elements were literally fire and water. "Enough..." A low-ringing voice echoed out into the chambers, stunning every single soul that stood within it. The final Noble Beast, the one entity that stood above all of them barring the Allfather, finally made his move. His jet-black hair and equally gorgeous obsidian eyes were stunning to anyone who caught sight of them. However, the real menace was his intimidating aura. The man didn''t need to unleash his spiritual pressure to show how powerful he was. Just standing in his presence was enough to force anyone to kneel, let alone the other eight Noble Coloured Noble beasts that were beneath his realm. With the crowd silenced, Kuro could finally start his interrogation: "Ao¡­ Before the Allfather arrives, tell us what happened." There wasn''t any movement by the near two-metre-tall man, but the World Serpent felt that an entire planet had collapsed upon his shoulders. That was the power of a fully grown Primordial Beast, an entity that could make Spirit Venerates cower in fear and Spirit Saints run away. "I don''t want a single detail to be missed. I want to know everything¡­ From the first day you''ve met Junius, to the second he chose to betray us!" Ao blinked. Like a prisoner put on trial, the World Serpent didn''t have the option to remain silent. Not that he had any intention to in the first place. Sighing, Ao finally started to speak... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 550 The Nine Colours 2 The Black Masks were a criminal syndicate that had come out from nowhere. Their meteoric ascent to the top was unprecedented for an organisation of their obscurity and size. Over the years, the Black Masks had grown from a syndicate that local mayors would handle to a gigantic force that could match the greatest superpowers to ever exist in the world. Although a large part of their success could be attributed to their leader being the most powerful being in existence, no one could scoff at the might of their Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Akai, bearing the colour of red, was a ferocious Lion Chimaera that could challenge any Spirit Venerate once he''d met them. Bearing the blood of a Lion, Eagle and Snake, Akai was a blueblood predator. He would decimate his foes with pure force so much so, that one might mistake his element as destruction. Midori, holding the Seat of Green, showed his power as a famed Gargantuan Treant. Treants, by nature, were Tier 3 Spirit Beasts at birth. Not particularly something to be amazed by given that most of his comrades were born at Tier 5 or 6. If it came to overall talent, Midori was without a doubt, at the bottom of the pack. However, Treants had one advantage over the rest of its fellow Spirit Beasts. Its seemingly never-ending lifespan. Midori slowly nurtured himself, taking thousands of years to climb up a single step. He never messed with humans or other powerful Spirit Beasts, fearing that he would be annihilated before he could fully grow. And his efforts paid off. Now, Midori was the sole Gargantuan Treant that existed in the Terre Continent and anywhere else in the world. Murasaki, the vicious Arachne Queen and the femme fatale holding the Seat of Purple. Bearing the upper torso of a woman and the lower body of a spider, Murasaki was by far the most terrifying being to look at. Humans would stray far away from the Arachne Queen that took pleasure in eating their heads while Spirit Beasts would instinctively keep away, fearing the cobs of her inescapable web. Being the queen of all spiders, her subjects, mostly lower-tiered creepy-crawlies, would do her every bidding, even if it meant mass-murdering billions of their own kind. Momo, the only ''young girl'' in the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, was the one bearing the colour of pink. Momo may look pure and innocent, and many might think she was incapable of harming a fly, alas¡­ Reality was often disappointing. Momo was part of the three strongest beings among the Nine Colours, alongside Kuro and Ao. Her true form was that of a Moon Rabbit, a rare Spirit Beast that used the power of the moon to supplement her lack of physical strength. Although they were rare, Moon Rabbits weren''t particularly the strongest Spirit Beasts, and there had been no recorded instance of them reaching Tier 9. It was by the Allfather''s grace that Momo had reached this far, and the Moon Rabbit acutely knew that. Hence, she ardently believed in the Allfather and swore to serve him with religious fervour. Kin and Gin, the twins that held the Golden Seat and the Silver Seat, respectively. Barring their differing hair colours and genders, the two in their human form looked exactly alike. However, their original forms weren''t remotely similar. Kin was a Golden Fox, a close blood relative to the legendary Kumiho. On the other hand, Gin was a Silver Monkey, a mythical creature that could inspire any monkey-type Spirit Beasts in the land. Kin and Gin were perhaps the most detached entities in the Nine Colours as they often stuck together like glue. Not many had seen the full extent of their capabilities, even in the long years they served under the Allfather. However, one thing was for certain¡­ Their powers were befitting of the Golden and Silver Throne, two of the pillars that held the Black Mask syndicate together. Shiro, the only ''young boy'' in the organisation, was the being that held onto the auspicious White Seat. Some might infer that Shiro was equal in strength with Kuro, the opposite colour and the only Primordial Beast in the Nine Colours, and they wouldn''t be that far off. Although Shiro lacked the offensive abilities of Momo, Ao or his direct opposite Kuro, Shiro''s auxiliary abilities were second to none in the Black Masks. Shiro was a Mirror Deity, the rarest of all Spirit Beasts, and that included the mythological Dragons. He could create mirages, generate barriers, heal broken bodies and regenerate mana¡­ The all-in-one support that all the Nine Colours relied upon. Not to mention, Shiro''s innate ability to create mirror images of himself made him one of the hardest beings to kill within the syndicate. Ao, the World Serpent holding the Seat of Blue. The oldest Spirit Beast among the Nine Colours, he was one of the most respected, particularly among the Spirit Beasts that originated from the Uncharted Wilderness. The fame of the World Serpent precedes that of the Allfather or his loyal servant, Kuro. Murasaki and Midori were among the ones who sided in principle with Ao, even though his actions had led to the downfall Phase Four of the Master Scheme. However, neither of them dared to openly stand behind Ao at the moment¡­ No matter how much they respected the World Serpent, it would be a fool to go against the boss of the Nine Colours. Kuro. The only Primordial Beast in the Nine Colours and the one being closest to the Allfather held onto the Black Throne. The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts had a vast array of Spirit Beasts. From Mirror Deities that would appear once in a blue moon to resilient Treants that grew to the apex. From rare Moon Rabbits to vicious Arachne Queens that were born to rule. There was even the legendary World Serpent thrown in the mix. So one might assume that Kuro, the leader of the pack, must be some utterly devastating Spirit Beast. One that had innate talents not inferior to that of the World Serpent. However, that was far from the truth. Kuro''s true form wasn''t some Dragon or Phoenix. Neither was it a unique Spirit Beast with extraordinary talents. Kuro''s true form¡­ Was a simple wolf. Kuro wasn''t a Spirit Beast at birth. It took him years of mutations and eating aether crystals for the predator to circulate mana in its weak body. Kuro became the Allfather''s mount when the almighty being was still a Rank 10 Spirit Apostle, making him the longest-serving servant within the Nine Colours. There was no one the Allfather trusted more than Kuro, and the feeling was mutual. When the Allfather was absent, Kuro''s words were the law. Thus, not a single soul dared to disrupt Ao''s explanation when the Black Wolf was fervently listening in. "... That''s all I have on Junius." Ao finished his speech, and the entire hall fell as silent as a church. The other eight Spirit Beasts stared silently at the World Serpent, each one hiding their own thoughts within. "It was my mistake for trusting Junius too much," the blue-haired man continued. Ao turned his attention to the colossal man, who was furrowing his brows in thought. With a sigh, the World Serpent did something that was unprecedented for Spirit Beasts, particularly those that reached Tier 9¡­ His knees¡­ met the floor. "It was my oversight and I take full responsibility for the loss to our organisation," Ao kowtowed to Kuro, drawing gasps from all over the chambers. Spirit Beasts were unlike humans. They were attuned to their natural senses and would never fully submit themselves to another being. While humans sometimes saw kneeling as an act of courtesy, whenever a Spirit Beast knelt, it meant they had given the fate of their lives to another. "..." At this point, not a single soul dared to interrupt. They had heard his explanation and could infer that Junius'' betrayal had nothing to do with the loyal World Serpent. Alas, there was guilt by association. Ao should have tightened the leash on his human, not giving him the slightest chance to betray the Allfather. "I see," Kuro''s stoic face crept down into a frown. Truth to be told, he wanted to break the traitor''s soul and tear his body limb from limb. However, with Junius'' body already disintegrated by Shin''s Dragon''s Tear, there was nothing that could be done. All of a sudden, Ao felt a sudden pull on his body, even though there wasn''t a single presence that was near him. Looking up, he saw Kuro raised his right hand like a king asking his subjects to arise. "Get up, Ao. Your fate is not for me to decide¡­ Your fate is..." [For me to decide.] A divine voice shook the massive hall. All of the Spirit Beasts, no matter how strong they were, felt a cold shiver run down their spine. A cold, shadowy figure stood right in front of Spirit Immortal Dream''s statue silently, as if it had been there from the very beginning. Once the Noble Beasts saw that figure, they all universally bowed their heads in reverence. "Allfather!" A plethora of emotions were shown through that uniform shout. Fear, joy, respect¡­ Every single one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts had their own feelings towards their enigmatic leader. However, there was one emotion that was constant throughout¡­ And that was pure admiration. [Ao, you have lost the west. You have foiled Phase Four of our Grand Scheme. All of the resources we''ve spent building Hell''s Gate have been wiped clean by Junius'' betrayal.] The Allfather cut to the chase. It was rare for him to summon the Nine Colours. Still, whenever he did so, there would definitely be a massive upheaval in the syndicate. By the look of things, it seems like the World Serpent was either going to be disposed of his rank or even executed to pay for his crimes. "I know," Ao bowed his head even lower than before. "I accept full responsibility. Punish me as you please, Allfather." [...] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The cloaked shadow didn''t turn around to face his followers. The gap in his hood was still facing Spirit Immortal Dream''s statue. Not one of them could see the Allfather''s expression, let alone tell what feelings lingered under that black cloak. Was he angry? Disappointed? Or was he in grief? None of them, barring Kuro, could tell. That''s why¡­ The Allfather''s next words came as a total surprise. [Why should I punish you?] "Huh?" Ao stared blankly at the hooded man. [Ao, you failed the mission I''d assigned to you¡­ But it was by no fault of your own. No one could have anticipated that Junius would use the Tree of Illusions to purify my mana, not even myself. If I couldn''t see it happening, neither could you.] "But I..." [And¡­ Do you think that this situation is terrible for me?] "... What?" Dumbstruck, the World Serpent stared blankly at the mighty being, who was still facing Spirit Immortal Dream''s statue. Slowly, the cloaked figure turned, and an immense pressure mounted on all of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Still shrouded by darkness, no one could see the face of the Allfather. However, they could definitely feel the state of his mana. It was¡­ jovial. The ordinarily stoic Allfather, who always held onto a majestic aura that was detached from human emotions¡­ was now bubbling with joy. [The reason why we''ve been casting a wide net¡­ The main reason why we''ve been causing mayhem in this peaceful world¡­ Was to create a hero. A person that would defy the odds, rise above all expectations and reach a level that was unattainable by those pampered Spirit Saints of modern-day¡­ And we found him...] "Shin¡­ Iofiel?" [That''s right! I needed heroes to emerge from the brink of destruction to come and spur me to improve. Thus far, only Shin Iofiel has managed to do so. And with Junius offering him my mana, it would only be a matter of time before he advances to the Spirit Saint realm!] The Allfather turned more animated than he ever was, dropping the jaws of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Where was their immovable leader that kept his calm throughout the centuries? [However¡­ I can''t wait for decades or centuries for Shin to catch up¡­ No, I can''t put all my eggs in one basket either¡­ Therefore¡­] The Nine Colours all thought that they were called to the Throne Hall to witness the downfall of the World Serpent. However, that was far from the case. Whenever the Nine Colours gathered, a major upheaval was soon to follow. And the Allfather''s agenda for today was... [I decided to move up the next phase of the Master Scheme!!!] ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 551 Akumu 1 [I decided to move up the next phase of the Master Scheme!] The Allfather''s words reverberated through the minds of the Nine Colours, forcing every single one of them to drop their jaw. All of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts present knew of the Grand Scheme. They even understood the rough outline of each phase and what the Allfather sought to accomplish with each successive phase. Decades, if not centuries of planning was required to complete each stage, and the resources necessary were unfathomable. Most of the time, the Allfather would wait a few years before initiating the next phase, and it would be seamlessly integrated into the Master Scheme. Hence, the Nine Colours'' shock was warranted. Noticing his subordinates confusion, the Allfather laughed and explained himself: [The reason why we''ve been delaying everything, was to give the younger generation of humans, who grew up in war and conflict, a chance to mature. The more war-stricken children meant that there would be more chances for a hero to emerge. However, Shin Iofiel had fulfilled that task. As long as we give him enough time, he would advance to the Spirit Saint realm and match my own power. Thus, the need to find me a rival has been voided.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The Allfather truly believed that for him to have one final breakthrough¡­ He needed to have an opponent that could match his strength. Failure was the mother of success. Conflict begets growth. That was the Allfather''s philosophy. He wasn''t the divine genius that was Spirit Immortal Dream who could just advance into immortality anytime she wished. The Allfather needed to have someone who could match his power¡­ to push him beyond Rank 99. And Shin was his answer. [So¡­ We can move onto the final two phases of the Master Plan. However, as you all know¡­ If I forcibly execute the next stage, I would be forced to take off a few decades off my already dwindling lifespan.] "Nenene! Father, you can''t do that!" Momo hurriedly ran to the foot of the stairwell and fell to both her knees. "Father can''t die! Father has yet to fulfil his promise to Momo!" "Momo''s right..." Midori, the Gargantuan Treant in his miniature form, assisted the Moon Bunny''s cries. "It''s too risky¡­ What if Shin Iofiel dies unexpectedly? Or worse¡­ Allfather¡­ What if something happens to you once you use that¡­ ability? I don''t think¡­ We should take the risk..." The Nine Colours all had their misgivings about the Allfather rushing the plan. They were far ahead of schedule, and the Allfather was seeking to speed it up even further? Ao, the one that all the Nine Colours thought would fall during the meeting, cried out: "Allfather, if you''re doing this because of my mistake, please reconsider! If you need to create more mayhem, I can start attacking the humans on my own! I swear that I will keep breeding chaos even if ten Spirit Saints gather to extinguish my soul!" [You fools¡­ Do you honestly think that I''ve lost my mind? That I''m rushing matters?] The Allfather''s snort silenced the crowd. He was their supreme leader, the man responsible for gathering all of them under his wing and promising them everlasting life in exchange for their servitude. It wasn''t in their place to question his plans or ideas. The Allfather''s meticulous plans were what had gotten the Black Masks this far. Which other criminal syndicates in the world could shake the three superpowers and bring terror to the already fortified Terre Continent and the Lantis Republic? [I''ll admit, Shin Iofiel''s growth has re-energised my dead heart, but it hasn''t affected my head. Shin Iofiel now has the ability to sense Paradise Hearts which means that he could find and destroy the remaining Payircis within the next year. Also, due to my long hibernation, the human''s growth had started to slow down. Regions that had been inflicted with terror are now slowly becoming peaceful. The number of cultivators that perished in battle are also beginning to slow. With all these factors added up, it would only be a matter of time before everything calms down¡­ When that happens, everything that we''ve done would be for nothing!] Every one of the Nine Colours shook as the Allfather''s voice boomed: [Yes, there may be other methods to throw the world into chaos, but the fastest method would be executing Phase Five! I''m sure all of you are aware of that...] "But Allfather¡­ The strain on your body would be..." [Yes¡­ It would be immense...] A sigh escaped from the man shrouded in darkness as he answered Ao''s claim. The Allfather was already reaching his seventh century alive, a full three-hundred-years longer than the maximum lifespan of a cultivator that had shed their mortality twice. Anyone with a Rank 80 Venerate Soul could easily reach a three-hundred-year lifespan. The lucky few could live out their maximum life expectancy and blow out four hundred candles on their birthday cake. Only a select few could ever hope to break that limit, and almost all Spirit Venerates or Spirit Saints never lived to see their five-hundredth birthday. Yet, the Allfather had passed the six hundred year mark and could almost reach the seven hundred mark. Such a feat was nothing short of a miracle. Not a single mortal cultivator had lived as long as him and possibly, no one else in the future could as well. The only reason why the Allfather could live for such a long time was due to the innate ability of his Spirit. By hibernating for long periods, the man could artificially extend his lifespan and preserve his dying body. Furthermore, the Allfather had the unique ability to share his mana with others, which meant that he could ''see'' the world without putting any stress on his physical body. However¡­ For Phase Five to work, the Allfather had to personally act. He had to forcibly wake himself from his slumber and cast the powerful spell. Only a Rank 99 being could hope to execute Phase Five, and the Allfather knew it all too well. Initially, he was planning on buying a little more time to amass his forces, but it was far too late now. If the Allfather wished for the war to continue on, he had to personally act. [That''s why for the next few days, I''ll need all of you to cease whatever activities you have. The moment I cast my ability, the entire world would notice what I''m doing. It wouldn''t be surprising if all eleven Spirit Saints came rushing over to Mythpoint Reach. Therefore, I want all of you to guard me during that time.] That was the reason why the Allfather had called for the Nine Colours to gather. He needed them to protect him with everything they''ve got. Even though the Allfather''s headquarters was already fortified by Spirit Immortal Dream''s barrier, it was better to be safe than sorry. The moment the Allfather begins the sequence to Phase Five, his real body¡­ The six, coming seven hundred-year-old body¡­ Would be vulnerable to all kinds of attacks. That couldn''t be allowed to happen, even if it meant the complete destruction of the Black Masks. [Call all our operatives back, particularly Brahmins in the Spirit Emperor and Venerate realm! I''ll give you a month to make Mythpoint Reach the most impregnable fort in the entire Terre Continent! Once I execute that power, I''ll be forced to go into a lengthy hibernation, one unlike the ones that came before. I would be completely vulnerable for that period of time, and I need all of you to protect Mythpoint Reach until I return!] "..." None of the Nine Colours replied. They weren''t sold on the idea that the Allfather had to sacrifice what little years he had left to move onto the stage. However, that silence just drew the ire of the almighty being. [Am... I... clear?] The Allfather enunciated each word with a grim tone, forcing all of the mighty Spirit Beasts to straighten their backs into a salute. "YES SIR!!!" [Good! You are dismissed!] The cloaked shadow waved his arm, dispersing his elite team of Spirit Beasts. Momo wanted to run to the Allfather and get pampered by his touch but instead was pushed out of the room by Shiro. Kin and Gin remained silent as they cautiously made their retreat, careful not to draw too much attention onto themselves. The remaining Spirit Beasts all universally bowed and were ready to make their prompt exit; however, the Allfather''s next words stopped all of them in their tracks. [Ao, you stay.] Every single one of the Noble Beasts stalled. They''d come to the meeting, assuming that Ao would be punished with at least a demotion for his failure. However, instead of being publicly humiliated, the World Serpent was even called to stay behind to have a personal chat with the Allfather? The other Nine Coloured Noble Beasts looked over at the World Serpent, their eyes burning with green envy. Alas, they had their own duties to carry out. Additionally, it wouldn''t be wise to antagonise the Allfather even more, particularly in his emotional state. All of the eight Spirit Beasts quickly made their way out of the colossal Obsidian Gate, some more willingly than others. Kuro was the last one out the door and also the man tasked with closing it. Watching Ao remain, the black-haired man flashed a simple smile and a playful wink, before completely sealing the gates shut. There were now only two people in the sacred Throne Hall. One cloaked shadow and one blue-haired man. Taking a few steps down the stairs, the mist shrouding the Allfather slowly dissipated as his mana became the faintest it could ever be. The cloaked shadow still remained. But, it was lacking the terrifying presence that could dominate over Tier 9 and Primordial Spirit Beasts alike. Instead, it looked seemed a friendly neighbour who just wanted to start a cordial conversation. And to start, he did. Still feeling guilty, Ao attempted to bow down. However, before he could do anything, the Allfather''s bandaged hand was already pinching on Ao''s chin. "Asyesco¡­" Without his aura, the Ao could hear the Allfather''s legitimate voice. "My old friend¡­ You don''t have to kneel to me. As I said, you are faultless." Asyesco. How long has it been since the World Serpent had heard that name? The age where humans would cower at that name had long passed. It was a name long forgotten by time, and only a handful of beings in the world knew what it meant now. For the Allfather to use the World Serpent''s name at this juncture¡­ It meant only one thing. The Allfather didn''t want to converse with Ao as if he were his leader¡­ The Allfather wished to speak to Ao¡­ As two friends of equal footing. Therefore, it was only fitting that Ao responds in kind. The edges of his lips crept up into a smile as he spoke out the forbidden word. "Thank you¡­ Akumu." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 552 Akumu 2 "Akumu¡­ What a nostalgic name..." The cloaked shadow turned around. His eyes met that of the coloured sculpture that stood alone at the centre of the Throne Hall. It was like an unmoving deity that gave the cathedral a holy aura, one that was so dazzlingly bright that it offered much more meaning to the simple hall. "Most that know that name had either perished during Dream''s ascension or fell to the annals of time. The only ones living that know that name is perhaps Kuro and yourself, Asyesco." Ao''s eyes narrowed into slits before he finally breathed out his final apology. "Akumu, I''m sorry..." The World Serpent knew that the Allfather wasn''t blaming him for losing the west and Junius'' betrayal, but it didn''t change the heavy guilt in the blue-haired man''s heart. "I should have been more vigilant. I shouldn''t have given Junius your mana." "That''s enough, Asyesco..." The Allfather waved his hands, possibly from irritation. "I already said that you''re blameless. Also, in this very moment, I don''t feel like being the almighty Allfather that frowns upon the wretched lives of humans. I''m just Akumu, and you''re just Asyesco, two friends gathered in one place for a simple chat." "... If that''s your wish," Ao bowed before lifting his head. His heavy footsteps echoed through the halls as he ascended the steps to the statue, where the Allfather lay in wait. Feeling the cordial atmosphere of the cloaked shadow, the World Serpent sighed. Ao remembered the first day he''d met the Allfather, a couple centuries back in the Uncharted Wilderness. Back then, he had all but given up on life. The World Serpent had been living for thousands of years and reigned over a region of the Uncharted Wilderness. He had seen the rise and fall of many dynasties. He had fought with countless Spirit Beasts, some dying under his fangs, while others lived on to become Primordial Beasts. However, as powerful as the World Serpent was, he was unable to make the final leap into the Primordial realm. No mortal''s life was infinite, and that includes Spirit Beasts. Although the World Serpent could live for a hundred thousand years, the time would come where he would fade into dust. Ao, then infamously known as Asyesco, the Destroyer of Worlds, couldn''t live with that fact. Spirit Beasts couldn''t become Immortals, no matter how powerful they grew to be. Just look at the Celestial Dragon and the Terrestrial Dragon, for instance. They were arguably the most powerful beings to have ever existed, but even they could outrun mother time. The Celestial Dragon contracted with the Lady of Water to hopefully continue his lineage and be reborn at a later date. On the other hand, the Terrestrial Dragon merged all the landmasses together with its body and soul to ensure that its legacy would live on in the form of the Terre Continent. All mortals, be it humans or Spirit Beasts, longed for eternal life. Alas, there was a reason why there were only twenty-one Spirit Immortals in history. Strength hardly mattered at all. Hence, the World Serpent had given up on life itself. If he were to perish anyway, why struggle to become a Primordial Beast? Asyesco wanted to live his life in peace and enjoy life''s vices. Hence, the World Serpent disguised himself as a regular human being and had decided to spend the last few years of his life touring human cities and enjoying whatever culture they had. Slowly, the indomitable World Serpent that only knew a life that was filled with battles had developed an interest in humans. He was curious as to how humans lived and was most curious about the vast knowledge that they kept in their libraries. However, happy days weren''t built to last. The moment Asyesco''s identity as a Spirit Beast was discovered, humans summoned the most powerful hunters in the land and pursued the World Serpent with a vengeance. To them, it didn''t matter that Asyesco was non-violent. They wanted to kill the Spirit Beast and hound him out of their civilisation. Some humans even lusted over the top-tier materials that they could make from the World Serpent''s corpse. In the end, even though Asyesco tried to avoid a life of battle, conflict would always come to him. He couldn''t live his life in peace, and neither could he attain Immortal life. At the end of his ropes, the World Serpent sought to end everything and pray that his soul would be reincarnated into a better future. It was then¡­ That Asyesco met him. An outcast. A wanderer. A being that surpassed all others. There were many nouns that could describe the mighty being that stood in front of Asyesco in his darkest hour. However, as the World Serpent looked back to that moment, he could only think of one word. Saviour. The Allfather was Ao''s saviour, there was no doubt about that. When Ao attempted suicide, it was the Allfather who had saved him from the brink. The World Serpent didn''t have a reason to keep going anymore, but the Allfather''s promise that day had kept him going on for over four centuries. Ao truly saw the Allfather as a friend worthy of the name. Therefore, he couldn''t sit still as the Rank 99 Spirit Saint continues to deteriorate his lifespan even more. "Akumu, are you really going to do this? If it''s Phase Five, you can sacrifice my body to-..." "I told you many times that it doesn''t work, Asyesco..." The Allfather scoffed. "Even if I wanted to, Phase Five won''t work unless it''s done using a Rank 99 Spirit Saint''s mana. I''m a half-step away from the Immortal Realm, that''s why I can endure the pain and mana drain that would come. Though, I would be forced into a lengthy hibernation." The Allfather levitated towards the stumped blue-haired man before landing a gentle touch on his shoulder. "So I''ll be relying on you to build the next Heaven''s Gate while I''m asleep." "Akumu..." The World Serpent had a thousand words to say, but in the end, he simply remained silent. Ao has been under the Allfather''s wing for centuries now. However, he had never seen the Allfather in such a peculiar mood. The Allfather¡­ Akumu¡­ He was ready to end it all. Phase Five and Six were the final two stages of the Grand Scheme. The scheme... to ascend into the Immortal Realm. The main reason why the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts agreed to lower their head to a human, was because of the Allfather''s promise to drag them into heaven alongside his ascension. For that, they needed to build Heaven''s Gate, a feat that had never been accomplished. Even history''s greatest genius, Spirit Immortal Dream, couldn''t accomplish that tall task. However, for Heaven''s Gate to work, the Black Masks needed the Allfather to breakthrough into Rank 100. Which was easier said than done. Even if all eleven Spirit Saints charged at the Allfather with all their might, they would fail to land a single scratch on the ancient being''s mighty power. Their power wasn''t enough for the Allfather to trigger a breakthrough. Therefore, the Black Masks needed to create as much chaos as they possibly could to create a new generation of heroes. And it paid off spectacularly. Shin Iofiel, Kanari Saniela, Isadore Himmel¡­ Those were just some of the names that could potentially become dominant Spirit Saints. Particularly, Shin. Once Shin matured, he would unquestionably become the Allfather''s greatest rival and the man that would push him over that final hurdle. "Hey, Asyesco..." The Allfather looked solemnly at Spirit Immortal Dream''s statue, wholly engrossed in the sculpture''s beauty. After meeting Shin in the Illusory Canyon, the Allfather''s mood had turned strange. And who could blame him? The dream that Allfather had been chasing for over five hundred years now¡­ It was nearly in his grasp. At that moment, the Allfather could see a little boy standing at the foot of the statue. Black hair and hazel-brown eyes, the boy was as cute as a puppy. His face was dirty, and the well-worn grey clothes were browned by mud and reek of faeces. The boy was clearly a pauper, one that would hardly live to see adulthood. However, there was a fire in his eyes. The boy gazed up Spirit Immortal Dream''s statue, the same way that the Allfather did. With an esteemed reverence that was unparalleled by any other. The Allfather stifled a laugh. Without looking back, he shot Ao a weird question: "Asyesco, have I told you about the first time I met Dream?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "... You know the answer to that question," Ao shook his head. Although the Allfather knew everything about the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the Nine Colours hardly knew anything about the Allfather''s past. They did know that the Allfather once served under Spirit Immortal Dream, but that was the extent of their knowledge. "You have always been touchy when it came to her..." "Have I really?" The Allfather chuckled. Lifting his fingers up, the cloaked figure gently caressed the cheeks of the statue. "Dream was the one shining light in my despondent life. The person that gave my life purpose and¡­ the reason why I''m pursuing the Immortal Realm." "She must have been quite the woman." Ao nonchalantly threw a comment, but that one sentence had sent tornadoes spiralling around the Allfather''s mind. The Allfather was a Rank 99 Spirit Saint. In any generation, the man would be worshipped by any organisation in the world. He didn''t need to create the Black Masks or formulate any sort of Grand Scheme. If the Allfather wanted to live in comfort, he could very well do so just by announcing his existence. Yet, he had given that all up, in the pursuit of the Immortal Realm and the beauty that was enshrined in this statue. Laughing at his old friend''s words, the Allfather gave the most radiant reply Ao had ever heard from him: "Yes¡­ Yes, she was..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 553 Akumu 3 Year 200. Six Hundred Years Ago. The Neutral Lands. Yume Metropolis. Loud chatter dominated over the bustling streets of Yume Metropolis, a pinnacle city that resided at the centre of the world. It was a hot summer''s day, and most of the residents should be lazing at home or mending their stalls under shade, but they had all congregated at the main road. Mothers brought their children out with milk bottle hanging from their belts while fathers held onto parasols to protect their families from the sun. It was odd for Yume Metropolis to have this many people standing in one place; however, none of the residents would want to miss this day that would go down in the record books. Unlike the three Superpowers that held sovereignty over vast amounts of land, Yume Metropolis was a simple city-state that relied heavily on trade and merchants setting up stores in their territory. The Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild were some of their main patrons. Yume Metropolis was wealthy, but it lacked a core identity. Most of their residents were immigrants from the three superpowers or foreign workers that came seeking a better job. Few citizens were genuinely loyal to the thriving commercial hub, and its government was hoping to change that. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Therefore, when the news broke that a once in a lifetime genius had been born within their compounds, the government immediately moved to make the most of it. Propaganda leaflets were distributed about the prodigal girl who awakened her Spirit all on her own. They called her an embodiment of an Immortal and the one that would lead Yume Metropolis into a brighter tomorrow. The whole population immediately jumped on the bandwagon and started to praise her name. At the age of five, Dream had awakened her Spirit without the help of a Shrine Maiden or the Day of Spirits. At the age of eight, she had promoted herself into the Spirit Apostle realm. At the age of ten, she could stand toe-to-toe with the world''s best professors when it came to Spirit studies and was capable of solving complex equations. At the age of eleven, she formed her Spirit Core and created her own version of cultivation techniques. Dream was now twelve-years-old, and her legacy was only just beginning. However, the top officials of Yume Metropolis wanted to strike while the iron was hot. They knew that the three superpowers would be tempted to poach the talent away. Hence, before any foreign power could influence Dream, they had given her a spot on their Grand Council. Though the appointment was mostly honorary, it was still a great privilege. How many had the opportunity to sit on the council, let alone a twelve-year-old girl? Basically, it was Yume Metropolis'' method of telling the world: ''Dream is our Princess, you best not have any thoughts about approaching her.'' "Where is she" One spectator that had been standing under the sun for hours now, moaned in protest. "They said that the bestowment ceremony would take place at noon, but I don''t see anything!" Another peaked over the barricades and supplemented his friend''s anguish: "There''s nothing there¡­ I''d thought that the young prodigy would parade down using a horse carriage¡­ Were we mistaken?" "No, that''s what the Governor said! She should be arriving soon!" One loyalist interjected with her hollering shrill voice. The delay in the parade was causing quite a stir amongst the general public, which had taken time off their busy schedules to witness the youngest ever councillor take office. Many had queued up since the break of dawn, just to get the best seats in the house. Many wanted to catch a glimpse of the once in a lifetime genius, regardless of their class. Even paupers, with little to no money to their names, were rubbing shoulders with the elite among the densely-packed crowd. And among them¡­ A black-haired and brown-eyed young boy stood silently. The boy was no more than ten-years-old. He wore sloppy garments, most of them reeking with a putrid stench. A torn beanie was all that he had to protect against the sun. His pearly white face had been utterly tanned by the sunburns he faced daily. Blisters and purple boils crisscrossed about his small and feeble hands. There were even numerous scars, possibly from the ill-treatment he''d received as he grew up. The boy was the literal definition of an impoverished orphan, one that had no one to care for him or protect him from the harsh world. But the boy''s eyes lacked despair. Instead, there was a tinge of reverence and joy in those hazel-brown eyes. He was hopping around right at the barricade that protected the main road. Ever since the boy had heard the news about Dream''s promotion, he''d set up camp right next to the path that Dream''s Chariot would take. It meant that he''s been out in the summer''s heat for days now, weathering everything ailment that came his way, but that didn''t matter to the boy. The boy had no family. No one cared for his well-being, and the world could care less if he lived or died. No one would mourn his passing, and no one would shed a single tear if he disappeared. He was free to do whatever he wanted, even if it meant cooking himself under the hot summer sun. But the boy didn''t mind. If he could meet his idol, the girl that was about to pass through this path. Everything would be worth it. See, Dream was an orphan as well. She had lost both her parents in a tragic accident when she was merely five-years-old. Some had theorised that the loss of her parents was what triggered her to awaken her Spirit, which was likely the case given the uncanny timing. However, even though her parents had passed on, Dream didn''t fall into despair. She picked herself up and began to carve a heroic path onwards for herself. Today''s bestowment ceremony was a crystallisation of all her efforts. Dream''s story was a beacon of hope for many orphans, particularly those that lived in Yume Metropolis. The boy was in a similar state. His parents had abandoned him the moment he was born. Raised in an orphanage for six years, the boy was forced to fend for himself when the orphanage ran out of money. He became a coolie, a porter, a beggar¡­ Anything that gave him money and a chance to survive, the boy would take. However¡­ The boy longed to be free of this wretched life. He saw the accomplishments of Dream, a girl that was just three years older than himself, and saw her as a goal to work towards. She was an orphan just like him, but she had risen through the ranks to become a councillor for the nation. Her genius that would force adults to cry in shame, charm that would topple even the coldest of hearts, and the resilience to never give up¡­ Dream was the embodiment of everything the boy sought out to be. Therefore, the boy didn''t mind waiting out in the sun, just to catch a glimpse of his idol. And fortunately¡­ He didn''t have to wait for much longer. Ding! Ding! Ding! Chimes of the clocktower''s bell rang endlessly, signifying the start of the parade. Hearing the chimes, thousands of men and women shuffled their feet forward and the ones at the front were squashed into the barricades. "She''s coming!!!" A fanatic cheered. "We can finally see the once-in-a-lifetime genius with our own eyes!" Another was grinning from ear-to-ear. Everyone was excited to witness the grandeur of Dream, the world''s greatest genius. They''d only heard rumours about her exploits and most of their knowledge came from the propaganda leaflets that the government distributed. Was she the jaw-dropping beauty that possessed an ethereal charm? Was she really at the Spirit Core realm at twelve? Did she really have eyes that could pierce through a person''s soul? The crowd couldn''t wait to find out. And neither could the boy. He had waited for days out in the blisteringly hot summer sun, just to reserve the best seat in the house. The boy lacked money, so he couldn''t pay to be at the ceremony like most nobles did. The only thing the boy had was time and effort. Thus, to meet his idol, he didn''t mind the suffering. He leaned over the barricade and saw shadow slowly approaching from the gates of the city. A radiant smile climbed up the face of the young boy. During this parade, there was only one vehicle that was permitted to ride down the cleared road¡­ And that was Dream''s Chariot. "She''s really coming..." The boy muttered under his breath. The boy could feel numerous warm bodies pushing on his back, but he hardly cared. He already had the best seat in the house. His heart was racing a thousand miles per hour, and his face was entirely flushed. In just a few more minutes¡­ He would finally meet his idol! Alas¡­ "Move over, brat!" A rough force grabbed onto the boy''s shoulder blade and dragged him away from the barricade. Feeling the world spin, the boy wasn''t able to identify the perpetrator and could only fall helplessly on the floor. His vision quickly came back as he saw a well-dressed man, possibly a merchant, taking his place on the barricade. "S-sir? I was there first!" The boy stuttered as he pulled on the merchant''s sleeves. "..." The man didn''t bother to look at him. He was too enamoured with the chariot that was slowly making its way to the town hall. The boy felt helpless. He was far shorter than anyone in the crowd and the fat, sweaty bodies that surrounded him made him dizzy. He needed fresh air, and more importantly, he wanted to see Dream. The boy desperately pulled on the man''s sleeves, hoping to reclaim just the slightest bit of space. "S-sir! I can''t see the parade! Sir?! SIR?!" "SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU BEGGAR!" The merchant slapped the boy with one backhand swing, and he was sent flying back to the floor once again. "What good would it be if you saw Dream? You don''t deserve it! Just grovel on the floor like the mongrel you are..." At this point, the boy''s vision turned utterly blurry. He was already malnourished and feeble from the summer''s sun. Adding in the physical damage that the merchant had delivered onto him, the boy was in no condition to struggle anymore. Ding¡­ Ding¡­ Ding¡­ The deafening clocktower bells continued to chime. No one came to the boy''s aid as they were still wholly focused on the parade. No, even without the parade, who would save a dirty orphan child whose days were already numbered? All they cared about... was themselves. Ding¡­ Ding¡­ Ding¡­ The yammering of the crowd turned softer and softer as all the boy could hear were the sweet sonorous bells. No, there was one other sound that he could hear. Clop¡­ Clop¡­ Clop¡­ The trotting of the horses pulling the chariot became louder with every passing second. Soon, Dream would pass by, and the one chance that the boy had to see the girl¡­ would be gone forever. ''I¡­ don''t deserve to see her? I will never be able to see Dream?'' That very thought pierced the boy to the core. For someone who idolised Dream, the hero of all orphans and champion of the weak¡­ That thought was something the boy feared more than death. ''No¡­ I will see her!'' Mustering up all of his strength, the boy rose from the ground. He could feel his bones creak, and his muscles were aching all over. Just standing was painful enough, but the boy did something more. He lunged at the merchant who took his spot and grabbed onto his thigh like a koala bear. "What the-? You fucking brat!!!" Incensed, the well-dressed man shook his leg in an attempt to shake the dirty beggar off. "HOW DARE YOU?! These clothes are worth more than your worthless life, you maggot!" The boy didn''t hear the merchant''s cry. Instead, he pushed his arms forward, hoping to claw his way back onto the barricade. By the sound of the horse cloves, Dream should be passing by any moment now. The boy could deal with the aftermath later, the most important thing was to catch a glimpse of Dream before it was too late. However, that would not come to pass¡­ The boy was far too weak to resist a fully-grown man''s strength, and his face was planted onto the stone ground. Angered, the merchant mercilessly stomped on the boy. "How fucking dare you! You''re just a beggar! A FUCKING BEGGAR! Know your place!" Curled up into a ball, the boy could only endure the brutal attacks of the merchant, be it verbal or physical. At this point, the trotting could no longer be heard, and the sounds of people chattering came into his ears. It looks like¡­ the boy had missed his opportunity. Dream''s chariot had passed them by and would soon reach town hall, where the boy would never get a chance to see his idol ever again. ''What¡­ What did I do to deserve this?'' The boy cried mentally. His parents had abandoned him, his orphanage had run out of money to rear him, he was forced to work low-paying jobs with no way of escape¡­ He did all he could to be a good citizen, and all he asked for was a glimpse of Dream? Why did society not grant him that wish?! The boy couldn''t hold back his tears. ''Ah¡­ Is this what life is? Me suffering¡­ every¡­ single¡­ day?'' All the boy wanted¡­ was to see Dream once. All he wanted¡­ was¡­ a dream¡­ "Hey! Hey!" At that moment, the boy''s muddied ears began to clear. He could hear loud chatter all around him. Light came back to his darkened mind, and he could feel his strength rapidly increasing. The boy''s five senses were slowly coming back online and were stunned by the first thing he saw. White hair with crystal white eyes. A pure angel descended from the heavens a sent to cure the ailments of the common man. That was the boy''s first impression of the girl that rescued him. Her emotions weren''t all that hidden on her innocent face. Bubbly yet mature, the girl made the boy''s heart race. "Don''t worry! I''ve dealt with the bad man that was kicking you," the angel smiled. "A-Ah..." The boy could only form random sounds. At the side, two guards were pulling the merchant that attacked him just moments prior, and the entire crowds'' eyes were glued onto the boy. However, he saw nothing of that. The boy only saw the gorgeous beauty that was the white-haired girl. "What''s your name?" The boy stalled for a moment. The young girl who he had heard legends about¡­ was offering her hand out to him. She didn''t mind the dirt and filth that tainted his entire body and was actively trying to touch him. "Akumu..." The boy weakly replied. "Akumu? That''s a nice name! My name''s Dream!" Pulling onto Akumu''s hand, Dream lifted the ragged boy onto his feet. Applying a simple fix to his clothes, the girl beamed once more. Akumu felt his entire soul being healed with that one smile, and a warm fuzzy sensation crept up his chest. "Nice to meet you!" That was the beginning¡­ of the Allfather''s and Spirit Immortal Dream''s story... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 554 Dream, The Peerless Genius 1 Year 210. The Neutral Lands. Yume Metropolis. The full moon hung over the starless sky, and eerie winds rustled the verdant leaves of the massive oak trees. A tall building, one that towered over the entire developed city, was decorated with heaps of luminous lights, a scene that would be unheard of ten years prior. The town had exploded in growth and lights were now on around the clock. Police were better armed and numerous odd contraptions laid by the side of the roads, deterring any evil. Before, no woman would dare roam the streets at three in the morning. Now, many young maidens were enjoying a night''s out of drinking, not fearing the dangers that might befall upon them. And it was all possible because of one person. All of the residents of Yume Metropolis were happily snoring away, enjoying the warmth of their beds, snuggled away from the cold winter winds. However, not all denizens of the town had that luxury. Inside of the gigantic building, numerous white-robed researchers paced up and down with flushed faces. Many of them had panda eyes and wrinkled foreheads, showing their overall fatigue from being in the laboratory for too long. Yet, none of them dared to complain. Why? "Damn it! I failed again!" An exasperated cry blasted through the narrow corridor and forced all of the sleepy scientists to awake from their drowsy naps. They all looked right to the end of the hall but eventually opted not to move. They were familiar with that hollering shout, so much so that some of the researchers had developed an immunity to the screams. Not to mention, when the woman shouted, there would always be that one man that would check in on her¡­ Soft, helpless footsteps echoed through the corridor as an average-looking teenager made his way to the end of the hall. Though the man didn''t possess the best of looks, what he lacked in charm, he supplemented with intellect. Bespectacled, the man hid his eyes that oozed with wisdom from the common man''s sight. Only those with enough experience could tell that the nineteen-year-old was far more intelligent than he looked. But right now, the teenager wasn''t the indomitable researcher that boasted respect from everyone in the community. Right now, he was just a friend trying to cheer up his partner. "Dream, how''s the experiment?" A rhetorical question. The teenager could clearly tell that Dream had failed based on her ire and scream. Just a stone''s throw distance away from the door, a patch of white was sprawled all over the table. Dream''s head pivoted up until her chin was touching the cold wooden table. She looked at the newcomer into the room, and her shoulders eased up a little. Still, the master scientist wanted to rant: "What do you think? Akumu! I just don''t get it! Why can''t I synthesize this stupid stone?!" "Hah¡­ Maybe you''re just a little too tired?" Akumu shrugged his shoulders as he gazed out the window. It was already a few hours past midnight, and most people would have descended into wonderland. Only Dream and her fellow researchers would stay up this long. "Why don''t you turn in for the night? Take a long break, and start fresh tomorrow?" "Like hell I could do that! I''m just this close to discovering how we can use mana crystals! Do you know how much we can accomplish if we can use this power?!" "Yeah, yeah..." "No, I don''t think you understand, Akumu! If I could just use these Aether crystals to-..." "... change the future of mankind and lead them into a brighter tomorrow." Akumu shook his head. Some things just never changed. He had heard Dream go on and on about her research topics for many years now. Akumu could even recite what Dream''s next words were going to be! "Yes, exactly!" Dream''s pale white eyes beamed with an even brighter radiance than before. "I don''t believe that I can''t synthesize it right!" The now twenty-two-year-old leapt to her feet as she pulled up her sleeves. "Come Akumu, help me out here!" "Hah¡­" The black-haired man sighed before helplessly walking over to the woman. Ten years have passed since Dream saved the impoverished Akumu from the vicious beatings of the merchant. In terms of a peak human''s lifespan of four hundred years, ten years wasn''t truly much. However, for Dream and Akumu, those ten years had brought endless changes to their lives. Immediately after rescuing Akumu, Dream allowed the boy to enter her tutelage, something she had done for many orphans she came across. Dream was a beacon of hope for many orphans, Akumu included. However, more importantly, she was the force that was propelling Yume Metropolis to a brighter future. Dream''s technical prowess and innovative ideas had transcended the scientific community. Her ingenious ideas could be sold for millions of gold, and her transcendent thinking had dramatically pushed forward the theoretical field. Just a few years back, Dream had discovered the existence of Aether, a crystal rock that could store spiritual energy like any other cultivator or Spirit Beast. She had also figured out the correlation between elemental and spiritual energy, once thought to be independent of one another. Many cultivation techniques had undergone massive overhauls after that discovery and Dream was the one who wrote the guidelines on how to change them. Finally, although this fact was unknown to the general populace, Dream had drawn the blueprints for many innovative designs that were far ahead of her time. The Aether Car, the River Train, a tower that acted as a training ground¡­ The list was endless. To call Dream a scientist would be an understatement. The woman was an incarnate of knowledge itself, and her countless achievements backed up that claim. Though, there were days where geniuses had their slumps. Once Dream had discovered Aether, she had been desperately trying to figure out a method to use it for her future designs. On paper, it seemed to be the perfect answer. Anything that required human or horsepower, could be replaced by the Aether crystals. Wagons could be changed into cars. Soldiers could be changed into cannons. The world would see much less death and much more development if Dream could synthesize Aether. Alas, it was easier said than done. Dream had been stuck on the problem for a little more than six months now, which was extremely long according to her standards. Akumu had never seen Dream incapable of solving a problem for more than two months. Granted, there were a million things on her mind that distracted her. However, it still didn''t change the fact that the greatest genius in history had no clue about using Aether. Sighing, the teenager grabbed onto Dream''s shaking hands and gently pulled her up. "You need to sleep. Don''t you remember Justine''s research into sleep? The longer to stay awake, the worse your cognitive abilities would be." "But I''m almost there! Just one more try!" Akumu furrowed his brows at her words. Was she a little girl? Or was she the greatest genius of all time? Akumu didn''t know. What he did know was¡­ "No can do," the teen sternly replied. "If I let you be, you''ll just keep on going until you pass out. As your friend, I can''t let that happen!" "But¡­ but..." Dream tried to appeal with teary, puppy eyes, but Akumu couldn''t be swayed. He was adamant about putting Dream to sleep, even if it meant knocking her out with force. "Some things just can''t be forced, Dream. If you can''t solve it today, just try again tomorrow! Now, go to sleep before I call the Elder here to drag you to¡­ Dream?" Akumu was expecting Dream to whinge and whine a little more, but oddly enough, she instantly turned silent. Looking right at the floor, the breathtaking beauty started to mumble like she was mentally ill, scaring Akumu entirely. "Dream? Dream? What''s wrong? Ai¡­ I was too late, she''s starting to see hallucinations already!" "No, you idiot!" Dream slid out of Akumu''s grasp and smacked the back of his head. "I can''t force it¡­ That''s right! Aether Crystals aren''t man-made at all! How could I forcibly synthesize it? Thanks, Akumu! I''ve solved the puzzle! I now know how to use Aether crystals to power my machines!" "Are you sure about that?" Sceptical, Akumu raised his brow and folded his arms. "Are you sure that it''s not a ploy to throw me off guard so that you can continue experimenting?" "Hmph! If you don''t believe me, just watch! I''ll need only five minutes!" Although Akumu wasn''t convinced, he still allowed Dream to continue on with her experiment. In five minutes, if she hadn''t synthesized the Aether crystal, Akumu would forcibly pull the woman out of the lab and throw her into her bedroom. He watched in earnest as the woman quickly picked up the inconspicuous crystal that had been lying on her desk. Surely, there was no way that a single sentence was enough to give Dream an epiphany into solving the greatest problem she ever encountered¡­ Right? Three minutes later, white smoke began to flow out from the cracks of Dream''s fingers, and a completely foreign spiritual energy filled the silent laboratory. The energy seemed ancient as if it had been crystallised for thousands of years. Under Dream''s masterful control, the spiritual energy flowed from one hand to the other, dropping the jaw of the already stunned Akumu. The black-haired teen had seen miracle after miracle being performed by Dream, but it was never at such a degree. Still stunned, the only thing Akumu could do was watch Dream''s pearly white teeth being flashed as she raised two fingers up to make a V. "Hehe, see! I did it!" ??? Dream''s breakthrough stunned the world. A new method of providing energy, one that could create a new wave of technological advancements¡­ Who wouldn''t jump on that bandwagon? The Lantis Republic were the first great superpower to bite. They pumped in a large amount of gold into Yume Metropolis or to be more specific, the genius that was known as Dream. When the city-state leaders saw the amount of money being pumped in, they tightened their control over Dream. Or to be more specific, they had given her a status far beyond that of any councillor that preceded her. Once again, like the scene from ten years ago, the entire government moved to give her the special status of Commander-In-Chief and State President. That meant that Dream had the authority to command any branch of government to do her bidding and she could overrule any decision made by the Elders of Yume Metropolis. Naturally, there was a whole ceremony and a ball thrown in honour of Dream''s new ascension. The top brass of the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation, Lantis Republic, Mercenary Guild, Blacksmith''s League, Healer''s Association and many more government leaders attended the party, all in hopes of shaking hands with the once-in-a-lifetime genius. Also, they wanted to bolster strong ties with Yume Metropolis, a nation that was fast on its way to become a superpower. However, as the sky began to darken, Dream disappeared from the lavish ballroom. The star of the show, the woman that every man wanted to meet, was nowhere to be found. As her bosom pal, Akumu was sent by the Governor to find and drag Dream back into the High Society party. Others were dispatched to find the young genius, but truthfully, they only needed Akumu. Without even batting an eye, Akumu brisked-walked right into the place that he knew that Dream would be. Akumu''s feet leapt down the stairs and glided through the halls at an astonishing speed. Breaking out of the extravagant building, Akumu was greeted by the luminous moon that shone brightly over the night sky. With a smile, the teenager simply walked north. On such a beautiful night, there was only one place that Dream would frequent. And he wasn''t wrong. Dressed in an haute couture, purple dress, the white-haired woman was oozing with class. Her pristine, pinkish complexion coupled with her beady eyes, only made the gorgeous lake before her much more ethereal. Dream was renowned all over the world as a beauty, and this picturesque scene in front of Akumu only served to heighten that claim. Noticing Akumu''s arrival, Dream glanced over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue. "Ah, I was found out!" "You can''t hide from me, Dream..." Akumu shook his head and walked closer to the edge of the lake. He let his body weight go, and his bum fell onto the grass floor. Now that they were side-by-side, Akumu could clearly see Dream''s expression. Unlike her normal bubbly state, she was serene. However, that serenity only seemed to hold a level of complexity that Akumu could never decipher. Dream blinked: "Are you here to bring me back?" "..." The teenager looked down at Dream. It was rare for her to be in such a mental disarray. Although Akumu didn''t know what was troubling her, he knew better than to bring a maiden back into the lair of wolves right now. "No, I''m here to look at the moon." "Haha, what''s with that?" Dream chortled. At the same time, both Dream and Akumu looked heavenward, staring at the celestial body that awed the entire world. It was one of those moments that seemed to never end. Two people enjoying each other''s company while they looked mindlessly at the sky¡­ However, nothing truly lasts forever. "Hey¡­ Aren''t you going to ask me why I left?" Dream asked, her eyes never leaving the moon. Akumu pivoted his head back and gazed at Dream''s face. As he had expected, it was still bearing the same pain that he''d seen before. "Nah¡­ You look like you don''t want to share it. I won''t force you to do something you don''t like." "Something I don''t like, huh..." Dream didn''t deny that claim and proceeded to smile. Taking one deep breath in, the peerless genius fell onto the grassy floor and sprawled all four of her limbs out. An unbecoming sight for an esteemed woman of her stature, but Dream didn''t care. With a smile far more radiant than the moon itself, Dream said something that would shake Akumu''s soul for the rest of time. "Akumu¡­ Let me tell you about my secret¡­ Let me tell you why I''m smarter than everyone else in the world!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 555 Dream, The Peerless Genius 2 "There was a secret to your genius?" Akumu looked blankly at Dream. Everyone in the world had assumed that Dream was given her talents from the day she was born. The government, the Elders from other superpowers¡­ Heck, even Spirit Saints thought that Dream was just an innate genius that was sent by the Immortals above to lead mankind into a brighter tomorrow. Evidently, from Dream''s words, that was hardly the case. "Yeah," the ethereal beauty nodded. Closing her eyes, Dream bent the Mind-Elements to her will and a purplish-crystal light congregated on her crown. As a Spirit Apostle, Akumu could feel a slight pressure weighing down on his body as Dream''s Spectre Soul started to shine. Akumu knew what Dream was attempting and trusted that she wouldn''t harm a single cell in his body. Still, the teenager couldn''t repress the burning urge to bolt to safety. "Dream, you..." Akumu shifted his body slightly to the right as the young woman summoned out all of her mana. The lake rippled wildly as the luminous reflection faded away. Above Dream''s white hair, there was now an ostentatious diamond tiara with white gold crystals falling from its top. Almost as bright as the moon itself, the diamond tiara exuded a majesty that only an Imperial should have. Gazing into the gems, Akumu felt his entire soul being scoured and his being scrutinised from head to toe. A Queen had descended upon the lake. Before her majesty, Akumu didn''t dare to raise his head. Such divine power wasn''t suited for mortal souls to witness, and the teenager didn''t feel worthy to gaze at Dream''s beauty. For that very moment that Dream summoned out her Spirit, she seemed to transcend all boundaries of mortality, making her a supreme being that could match any Spirit Saint in existence. Of course, that was all in Akumu''s mind. "The Crown of Wisdom..." Akumu gulped and thoughtlessly blurted out the Spirit''s name. Everyone who knew of Dream''s legend had heard of the Crown of Wisdom''s name. Due to Dream''s and Yume Metropolis'' tight secret-keeping, not much is known about the enigmatic Spirit. Even Akumu, who had known Dream for ten years, hadn''t seen the Crown of Wisdom in action. It was the first of its kind, a Spirit that was blessed by the Mind-Elements. It was able to propel Dream''s cultivation level by leaps and bounds. At twenty-two-years-old, she was already in the Rank 60 Spirit King realm. If Dream had focused all of her attention into cultivation instead of her dedication to science, she could very well be among the upper echelons of cultivators. Dream knew that Akumu was still a Rank 19 Spirit Apostle so she''d gently helped the teenager to his feet. With one of the gentlest smiles she''d worn, Dream asked the young teen: "That''s right, this is my Spirit the Crown of Wisdom. What do you think?" "It''s¡­ beautiful..." Akumu stammered, still bewitched by the gorgeous display. "Haha, I guess it would look that way to others." Dream shrugged her shoulders as she calmed down the Mind-Elements that congregated at her location. She took the Crown of Wisdom off her head, holding the diamond tiara on both ends. Dream looked at the crown like a mother would to a disappointing child. Many saw the Crown of Wisdom as a mythical Spirit that could boost one''s cultivation a thousand-fold. However, Dream didn''t think of the object that way. To her¡­ Possessing the crown was a curse. "It looks beautiful on the outside, but internally, the Crown of Wisdom is perhaps the world''s most vile Spirit." "Huh?" Akumu was stunned by Dream''s words. They said the most beautiful of roses had the sharpest thorns. Was it the same with the exquisite crown that every single soul in the world lusted for? "Akumu, do you know what my innate spiritual ability is?" Dream continued, her eyes still flashed the disgust that she had for the crown. "What is it?" "The power to read all minds." "..." Akumu fell silent. Till this point, only a few from the upper brass knew of Dream''s spiritual abilities. No, other than the Governor, the rest only had an inkling of what Dream''s real powers were. Though, no one really complained. After all, Dream was their golden goose, their ticket to a brighter future. It didn''t matter where Dream''s source of power came from, as long as she continued to produce results, no one would bother her. No matter how dastardly her ability was... "Or to be more specific, my innate spiritual power automatically reads all information from the minds of those that are within my effective radius. It doesn''t matter if they''re a Spirit Saint or a regular human being. As long as they''re within my radius, I would be able to obtain everything in their lives. Their memories from childhood... Their expertise in their craft¡­ Their knowledge of any science or cultivation-related matters¡­ In but an instant, I would suck up their entire life''s worth of information and store them in the Crown of Wisdom." "... What?" Dream just dropped a bombshell upon Akumu. To become a scientist, one needed to spend at least ten years in school, learning as much knowledge as they possibly could from dead books and even more boring professors. After that, they would have to do their post-graduate studies and prove that they were capable of holding the doctorate title. And that was just an ordinary scientist. If one wanted to become a leader in a field, one needed to spend decades, if not centuries, dedicating their time and effort to the science. It took an average person years to reach that level, and many fail along the way. Yet, with the Crown of Wisdom, Dream could match a master scientist in a split second. The same went for the high-levelled cultivators. Dream would suck in all of their combat experiences, their successes and failures when it came to cultivation¡­ Nothing was left to Dream''s imagination as she simply needed to be near people at the top of their respective fields to absorb all of their knowledge. That was the real reason why Dream was called the greatest genius of all time. As long as there were humans around, she could learn all of their past experiences and supplement her own path. When she was a child, Dream was only exposed to weaker humans that had limited knowledge. However, at times, quantity beat out quality. Dream absorbed the information of the local butcher, the cathedral''s priest, the librarian¡­ Every single one of those that Dream was exposed to gave her a sliver of wisdom that would be hard found for a child her age. With the Crown of Wisdom, Dream was forced to mature rapidly, and she forged out a path all on her own. As she climbed up the ranks, she absorbed the knowledge of world-leading scientists, powerful cultivators that dominated their lands, and every single government official in Yume Metropolis. Even the esteemed guests that routinely came to the city to visit her weren''t spared. In the end, Dream had become a human library, far more extensive than anything mere mortals could build. "That''s the source of my power¡­ The reason why I''m the smartest person who will ever live..." Dream said some egotistical words, but her demeanour wasn''t haughty at all. She held onto a straight expression as if she were just saying a statement of fact. Dream tilted her head and placed the crown back onto it. Looking back at Akumu, the beauty said: "In terms of intelligence, I''m probably around the same level as you, Akumu. Even without the crown, I would probably go onto the scientific route, since that''s my calling. However, with the Crown of Wisdom, I have a database that far outstrips that of any other person." "That''s¡­ absurd..." Akumu had barely any strength to muster a response. Dream''s innate ability was far too powerful. Even the world''s greatest Spirit Saints could only be humbled by Dream''s overpowered ability and watch in agony as she passed them by in knowledge and cultivation. "I know," Dream replied with a weak smile. "I didn''t ask for this ability, but the Crown of Wisdom gave it to me anyway. That''s why I''m afraid..." The young maiden peered back into the mansion where the world''s top dignitaries were awaiting. Many of them were Spirit Venerates who ruled over their territories. A handful were scientists that hadn''t met Dream yet and were here to mingle with the greatest genius of all time. While some were just opportune merchants that wished to get in the good books of Dream. With all those influential people gathered in one location, all Dream needed to do was to walk down the halls, and the Crown of Wisdom would absorb all of their information. "Those people in the ball¡­ They''re all leaders of countries, top scientists and monopolistic business people. If I absorbed all of their knowledge¡­ What would I learn? What would become of me? Will I¡­ see the world differently?" It was a genuine fear of the genius. If Dream absorbed all of the information in that ballroom, she would unquestionably know everything about the current world. All of the government secrets¡­ All of the theories of the world¡­ What relationships were being fostered behind closed doors¡­ Everything would be hers to read. Dream was afraid¡­ She was worried that the Crown of Wisdom would force her to change her life once more, just like it did when her parents passed to the Netherworld. "Am I¡­ a monster?" Dream asked Akumu, who had been silent throughout. Did finding out about Dream''s true ability change the teenager''s perception of her? Did Akumu now see Dream as a monster? "No¡­ No, you''re not." The youth shook his head. At that moment, the fear that the Crown of Wisdom brought seemingly dissipated into nothingness. Akumu couldn''t see the trembling young woman as a menace to all of mankind. Instead, Dream looked like an angel that had lost its halo. She needed someone¡­ to bring her radiance back. "You''re the world''s greatest genius," Akumu replied. "Didn''t you hear what I said? I''m a fraud! Without this crown, I''m-..." "... nothing?" Akumu finished Dream''s sentence for her. "Don''t kid yourself, Dream. Do you honestly think that there''s anyone on the planet that could use the crown''s power like you could? Do you think that all of your accomplishments were because of other''s knowledge?" The teenager berated Dream for her foolishness. "The reason why you''re this successful. The reason why you''ve been making discovery after discovery. It''s because of your own effort!" "T-that!" Dream was oblivious. She was oblivious to the fact that Akumu had been watching her all this time. He''d seen how much time and effort Dream had put into her craft. When others were sleeping, she would be toiling away in the laboratory, hoping to figure out the next significant discovery. When Dream was eating, she would discuss topics relating to her research with a beaming smile on her face. During her free time, Dream would draw random blueprints for her next project. Dream was dedicated to her craft, almost to a fault. Yes, the Crown of Wisdom gave her an excellent springboard, but it was Dream''s own effort that had taken her this far. "Dream, don''t worry about knowing everything there is to the world." Akumu placed both his hands on Dream''s shoulders and stared her right in the eye. "So what if you know everything? That''s a good thing! You will be the beacon of light that would illuminate the future of mankind, leading them into a brighter tomorrow!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Akumu, you..." Dream flinched. Those words were her signature. Having those words being parroted right to her face¡­ It was quite a unique experience. It took a while, but eventually¡­ Dream''s smile came running right back to her face. "HAHAHA!!! You''re right! I''m the world''s greatest genius that will lead the world into a brighter tomorrow!" The girl chortled. "Now that''s more like the Dream I know," Akumu relaxed his shoulders, and his hands dropped back to his sides. At that moment, he could hear a distant noise coming from the mansion. "Oh right, I''m supposed to bring you back¡­" Akumu finally remembered the reason why he''d come towards the lake in the first place. "Dream, we should hurry on back now. Everyone is waiting for you." Akumu grabbed onto Dream''s hand, ready to bring her back into the ballroom to finish the party. "..." However, Dream didn''t move an inch. The breathtaking woman had her head down as if she were contemplating some life-altering decision. In the end, Dream simply sighed as she pinched Akumu''s outreached hand to get his attention. "Hey, Akumu¡­ Can I ask you a question?" "Sure, what is it?" Dream was in a daze. She didn''t know where to start. Still, Dream had to ask this question; otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to live with herself. "Akumu¡­ Have you heard of Heaven''s Gate?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 556 Dream, The Peerless Genius 3 "Heaven''s gate?" Akumu replied, his mind still a little disoriented. "That''s right," Dream pivoted her head up and down. "Currently, there have only been twenty recorded instances of a human successfully cultivating into an Immortal. How is that possible? Human history started over a million years ago. In that time, only twenty people managed to enter the Immortal Realm? That sounds completely absurd!" "Now that you''ve mentioned it..." The black-haired teenager got to thinking. He was still a mere Spirit Apostle; therefore, he knew very little of what the world was like. However, Akumu had seen multiple powerful cultivators before. Spirit Venerates and Spirit Saints stood at the apex of the human realm, and their mere finger snap could break down mountains. Yet, even with that much power, they weren''t able to emulate the twenty Spirit Immortals that ascended into Heaven. Dream stared right at the moon as if she were trying to find the elusive gate that reached for the stars. "Ever since I''d absorbed the knowledge of Venerate Juaepix, the lead historian of ancient civilisations, I''ve become fascinated with the entire premise of Spirit Immortals. Why do they never return after ascending? What sets them apart from the thousands of Spirit Saints that came before them? Where the hell is the Immortal Realm? Why do cultivators need to reach Rank 100 before they can become a fully-fledged Spirit Immortal? There are just so many questions that I can''t answer..." Dream, a lifelong researcher, strived to tackle the world''s greatest problem¡­ Immortality. Like every other living being, Dream had an innate desire to chase Immortal Life. However, what truly compelled her wasn''t the notion of obtaining eternity¡­ But the desire to solve humanity''s greatest puzzle. Also, there was one other thing that pushed Dream forward in her research¡­ "However, legend has it that there''s a method to enter the Immortal Realm without obtaining Rank 100." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Wait, what?!" Alarmed, Akumu cried out. "How''s that possible?!" Conventional thinking would suggest that for one to enter the Immortal Realm, they had to reach Rank 100. It was the law set down by nature and could never be changed. To bypass cultivation entirely to reach Heaven''s Gate¡­ That was absurd, to say the least. "Hear me out, Akumu..." Dream shook her head. "As I said, I''ve absorbed the knowledge of Master Historian Juaepix, and I found some interesting details in his work. Do you remember the first-ever super civilisation that united the human race?" "How could I not?" Akumu scoffed. If one were a cultivator, they would have naturally heard about that ancient power. In ancient times, bloodshed were basically second nature to countries and each region would be embroiled in two or three wars at a time. Children would grow up without their parents while parents would lose their children at tender ages. Bodies would pile up like mountains while a river of blood flowed from the North to the South Pole. It wasn''t a particularly satisfying period to live in. However, those that survived the ancient war would be rewarded with a treat that never happened in the long history of mankind. At the end of the war, the three strongest beings in the world united humanity into one great superpower, just to fight off the extinction of their race. They established new laws and traditions that were still followed to this day. Millions of people worshipped their benevolent rule. In the end, they all ascended into the Immortal Realm on the same day. The scene of three Spirit Immortals ascending into Heaven was said to be the most beautiful day in history. Delighted by their ascension, the Immortal Realm bestowed the mortal world with an explosion of spiritual energies. Aurora Borealis decorated the skies as whirlpools of elemental and spiritual powers congested throughout the mortal plane. The number of cultivators skyrocketed, and their speed of cultivation almost doubled. It was perhaps the greatest miracles that were ever recorded in human history, so how could Akumu have not heard of that? "The First Superpower¡­ Founded by three Spirit Immortals, they reigned for thousands of years before they eroded from the inside. They were the ones that created the Day of Spirits and changed the way we looked at cultivation forever." "You''re absolutely right," Dream didn''t deny Akumu''s claim. "But you''re missing one thing¡­ No, the world is missing one vital thing¡­ Based on Venerate Juaepix memory, there was one additional detail that was lost to the annals of time." "What is it?" "That is..." Dream paused, looking up at the heavenly skies. She tried to imagine the scene that was recorded in the ancient tomes that Juaepix had read. "They said that at the point where the three Immortals ascended, there was a tear in the fabric of space. A colossal vortex, laced with divine energies that were far more powerful than any mortal, dominated the lands. It was only open for a split second before it faded away, so not many knew of that portal." "Are you saying that¡­ The ascension of the three Immortals¡­ Actually created a portal to the Immortal Realm?!" Akumu was no idiot. He could very well tell what Dream was inferring. "Yes¡­ Yes, I am." Dream smiled. "That''s the legend of Heaven''s Gate, the method to reach the Immortal Realm without ever reaching Rank 100." "But¡­ but..." Akumu choked as his mind struggled to find the words. Therefore, Dream helped him: "There has only been one instance that three Spirit Immortals ascended. Other times, only one Spirit Immortal would ascend at a time, during the Day of Spirits when spiritual energies were at their peak. That''s why we''ve never seen a repeat of the vortex. Also, based on how fast the portal closed, to open it long enough for people to pass through, we would need at least ten Rank 99 Spirit Saints to make a breakthrough at the same time¡­ As we all know, that''s easier said than done." Evidently, Dream had thought extensively about this topic. She''d sorted out all the facts and conjectures that she had and was able to present it eloquently. "It''s going to be hard-pressed to find even one Rank 99 Spirit Saint, let alone ten. Additionally, we don''t know the method of keeping Heaven''s Gate open. So we shouldn''t bank on creating new Spirit Immortals to open the path to the Immortal Realm. Instead..." Dream reached into her purse. Her fingers rustled around, and the bag made all sorts of noises, but in the end, the woman found her target. A gorgeous white crystal filled to the brim with spiritual energy. It was the object that Dream had been studying for over six months now, the one thing that had blocked her genius mind. "Aether Crystals?" "That''s right," Dream placed the crystal on Akumu''s hand. "We should be using Aether Crystals, a medium that can store mana like any other human being, to power Heaven''s Gate. How exactly, I''m not sure yet. However, I''m sure that with time, I can definitely solve this puzzle and create the world''s first portal to the Immortal Realm!!!" The ethereal beauty declared. Dream''s face was flushed, and her entire existence was bubbling with excitement. That was her true goal for discovering Aether. It was the whole reason why she had set up a laboratory in the heart of Yume Metropolis. It was all¡­ to create the impossible structure that was Heaven''s Gate. "..." A thousand thoughts ran through Akumu''s mind, and he blankly stared at the woman he''d revered. He didn''t understand. Akumu didn''t comprehend Dream''s desire to create Heaven''s Gate at all. Why? "Dream¡­ Why are you so obsessed with opening the portal to the Immortal Realm? With your talent, I''m sure that you''ll become the next Spirit Immortal anyway. Is there a need for you to dedicate your life to open Heaven''s Gate for others when you could just take eternal life for yourself?" "That..." It was a valid argument. Dream was unquestionably the frontrunner to become the next Spirit Immortal. Even without toiling away as a researcher, she would reach the Immortal Realm of her own effort. She was current at the Spirit King realm. If Dream focused all of her attention on cultivation, she would ascend far quicker than anyone in history and could very well ascend to Heaven before she reached thirty. So why? Why was Dream sacrificing her time for the benefit of others? "I¡­ want to give back to humanity." "Huh?" "Akumu¡­ I''ve told you about the Crown of Wisdom''s power¡­ The innate ability to read all information¡­ It must have been given to me for a reason. It may sound egotistical, but if I don''t do it, no one else would. Or to be more precise, no one else could create Heaven''s Gate but me! I believe that it''s my destiny to open Heaven''s Gate, and help everyone obtain Immortal Life." At that moment, Dream paused. Akumu felt his entire soul tremble as the brilliant ghostly eyes of his idol turned seemingly muddied as if an innate evil had taken over her soul. Staring right at Akumu, Dream said the four words that would influence the young man forevermore. "No matter the cost..." "No matter the cost..." Akumu gulped. He could tell that Dream was deadset on achieving Heaven''s Gate. "That''s right, but to do so¡­ There''s still so much that I need to learn¡­ There''s still so much that I need to solve¡­ And most importantly..." Dream tapped on Akumu''s shoulders. "I need capable men like you by my side to help me no matter what. Akumu, we''ve known each other for a long time now, and I know that it''s selfish of me to ask this of you¡­ But..." The ethereal beauty softened her voice into a mere whisper. She leaned in close to Akumu, and their faces were now close enough to kiss. Dream didn''t mean to be sultry, but Akumu''s heart was speeding at a thousand miles an hour. "... will you help me?" Dream''s soft-touch ignited a spark in Akumu''s heart. The woman that he''d trusted and loved the most¡­ was counting on him. How could Akumu deny Dream at this juncture?! "Of course¡­ Of course, I would!" "That''s great!" Dream beamed. She held onto Akumu''s hands and showed him the most gorgeous smile that he''d ever seen. "As expected of my lifelong friend! I''m sure you that with your help, we will be able to build Heaven''s Gate!!!" "Yeah¡­ I''m sure we would!" Akumu tightened his grip on Dream''s hand, happy just to be a source of joy for his beloved. "I''m sure that you''ll write your name down in history as the woman who led humanity into the next stage of their evolution! But first¡­ I think that you should write some autographs for the loyal fans back at the mansion." "Eyyy! Fine!" Harrumphing, Dream turned back to her playful demeanour. Akumu chuckled at Dream''s bipolar behaviour. Akumu was happy that he was the only one who knew all sides of this beauty. The moments when she was majestic. The times when she was playful. The rare moments where she would show weakness. Those were scenes that only Akumu knew about. If opening Heaven''s Gate was Dream''s goal¡­ Then Akumu''s dream was¡­ to help this beauty in whatever way he could. No matter the cost. ''I swear to you, Dream¡­ I will help you obtain Heaven''s Gate!'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 557 Divide And Conquer... And Fall 1 Year 220. Yume Metropolis. Twenty years had passed since Dream saved Akumu from the ruthless attacks by the dirty merchant. During that time, Dream''s constant ability to churn out invention after invention had revolutionised society, particularly that of Yume Metropolis. Before, it was hard-pressed to find lit up streets in the fog of midnight. However, with the new Domestic Lighting System that Dream implemented, candles were swapped housing lamps, making the Metropolis radiate even brighter. It wasn''t just the lights that experienced an upheaval. Facilities that tethered on the edge of fiction just decades ago were now coming alive. A state-of-the-art drainage system that connected toilets throughout the city. Hospitals that provided groundbreaking healthcare. Schools that taught postgraduate studies to the common public¡­ Yume Metropolis was unquestionably at the forefront of human development. The three superpowers could only look on in envy as this small city-state, which no one really bothered about before, pull ahead of them in terms of finance and development. And all that development¡­ was due to the brains of one entity. The peerless genius, Dream. Alongside her elite team of scientists, Dream led the charge on all technological and scientific fields. On average, there would be an invention a day among her thirty-four prime laboratories. With her dedication to educating the public, even those that seemed to have no future, Dream had created a vast pool of talent to pick from. In Yume Metropolis, becoming a researcher was more lucrative than becoming a dominant cultivator. There were no innate talent requirements, and neither does one need to have superior genes. Anyone, be it an orphan that was forced to beg, or a noble that hated their caged life, were able to join this elite crew of scientists if they had the desire to. And thus, Dream had single-handedly created a new age in the city-state. Dream had triggered the Age of Enlightenment. Millions had benefited from Dream''s inventions, which were churned out at a rapid pace. Dominant superpowers, such as the Lantis Republic and the Kori Federation spent astronomical sums of money to secure a partnership with Dream Labs. That had made Yume Metropolis the most wealthy entity outside of the three superpowers. The Blacksmith''s League, Mercenary Guild and Healer''s Association had also opened up new branches in the city-state, in hopes of improving their infrastructure and methods. Dream''s innovations weren''t just limited to science, after all. There were many times where she would come up with new blueprints that would increase forge''s efficiency. Additionally, her latest invention, the Cikai Mirror, had become a must-have for the Mercenary Guild. The Healer''s Association also received many kindnesses from the peerless genius. The most prominent of which, was how to store their legendary ''Heal'' ability in Aether Crystals. With that, Dream had created the first-ever hereditary opuscule. It was safe to say that the world now relied heavily on Dream and Yume Metropolis. In due time, the country and their nominal leader would soon reach superpower status. Not to mention, Dream was now deep into the Spirit Venerate Realm. In fact, people were already calling her the twenty-first Spirit Immortal, even though she was still a long way from Rank 99. A genius that the world needed. That was the term that was coined for Dream. However, at this moment, the world''s greatest genius was currently¡­ Crying like a baby. "Hic! Kuro bit me again!" Dream flashed her index finger, which was now swollen and red. It was adorable, seeing the world''s most famous woman sob while holding her strained finger. Years ago, Dream was a breathtaking beauty that could topple any nation. Now that she had the chance to fully mature, there was only a rare handful of men that dared to look directly at her perfect proportions. Her white hair, which seemingly never fades its colour, was tied up into a scorpion braid, showing off her seductive nape. Dream''s womanly body wasn''t one to be scoffed at either. Though she''d spent most of her time indoors, the woman had a perfect body, possibly due to her superior cultivation levels. "Akumu! How the hell did you raise this Spirit Beast?! Why does it only bite me and not the others?!" A fully bearded man walked over while supporting his two temples. Full head of ruffled hair, the man seemed like he hadn''t seen the light of day for many years now. He wasn''t particularly handsome. Still, one could sense the sheer amount of knowledge that he hid, just by gazing into his hazel-brown eyes. That man was the youngster that Dream had saved so many years ago¡­ The second-in-command of Dream Labs¡­ Akumu. "Others don''t try to poke Kuro in odd places to investigate his reproductive organs¡­" Akumu sighed as the black wolf leapt right into his arms. "Awoooooo!" The black wolf nuzzled itself closer into Akumu''s chest like an infant would to its mother. Kuro acted as if he were pleading: ''Help! Help! Get me away from that monster!'' "Dream, you really need to kick that habit of yours. I know that Kuro is unique, but if you want him to like you, you shouldn''t keep looking at him as a research specimen. Spirit Beasts have feelings too, you know?" "I know that..." Dream puckered her lips and frowned. "It''s just¡­ Kuro is really, really odd! A one of a kind specimen! How about this? I''ll cast my ability on him so that he''ll enter deep sleep. I can even give him a pleasant dream if he wishes to. Just give me two¡­ no three hours! I would solve everything about its heritage by then!" "Hah¡­ No can do, Dream..." Akumu gently slapped the crown of the woman''s head, slightly peeved that she hadn''t learnt from her lesson. Dream was beloved by all humans, young and old alike. However, animals avoided the genius as if she were the plague. It wasn''t that she smelt foul or had any particular oddity that would deter an animal''s superior senses. It was just¡­ Dream had no boundaries when it came to research. The master scientist wouldn''t mind defiling a Spirit Beast to sate her curiosity. Due to that fact, whenever any animal or Spirit Beast came close to the woman, a primal fear would overrun their senses. It wouldn''t be surprising if a litter of puppies yelped when Dream came near to them. If not for his association with Akumu, there was no way that Kuro would stay within ten metres of the woman. "Go, run along." Akumu winked at Kuro, whose nails were already pointed towards the exit. Evidently, the Spirit Beast didn''t want to stay too long with Dream. "Awoooo!" Kuro howled once more before bolting all the way out into the open. Dream, who had just lost her target for research, pouted furiously at the black-haired man. "Hmph! Mark my words, Akumu! One day, I''ll make you give up that Spirit Beast!" "Yeah, yeah..." Akumu rolled his eyes. How many times had Dream threatened him now? Though her cultivation far surpassed his own, Akumu didn''t fear the Spirit Venerate at all. It was the contrary. The bearded man even dared to chastise and lightly hit Dream on the head if she went out of line, which had been occurring more frequently now. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "By the way, the Mercenary Guild has issued a new commission." Akumu dropped the brown file that he''d brought on Dream''s table, and his wrists turned slightly. Curious, Dream picked up the document and started to scour through it. "They want us to find a method to mass-produce Aether Crystals that could transmit messages. The council had agreed on the terms. All that''s left is for you to accept it." Dream flipped through the document, and her radiant eyes gradually turned dull: "Something as simple as this¡­ The newbies should be capable of handling it, why come to me?" "Protocol." A succinct reply came from Akumu''s mouth. Dream was the President of Yume Metropolis and the head-of-state. Tremendous power for a single person. However, Dream had largely washed her hands off politics to dedicate her time for research. Most of the time, Dream would complete her own innovations and the world would react with awe. But as her reputation grew, so did the greed of others. Major organisations all thought: ''Maybe I could give Yume Metropolis a commission to develop something for us, and the supergenius would give me a solution?'' At the time, it was a win-win situation for all. Dream would get new research topics to solve, Yume Metropolis'' treasury would grow even further, researchers at Dream Labs would have higher pay, and the organisations that gave the commissions would have the problem solved. Initially, Dream was thrilled at the notion. However, as time went by, the commissions started to turn more and more money-oriented and thus, less attractive for Dream to work on. Dream eventually grew bored and threw the commissions to her subordinates to solve. "Eyy, I should really reprimand that council¡­ Shouldn''t they have some filters set in place to separate the boring commissions from the interesting ones?" "Hah¡­ Grow up, Dream. You may be the ''Supreme Leader'', but if you want to continue to spend gold as if it were water, these commissions are a must." "I don''t think my spending is THAT much..." "..." ".. Sorry," after being confronted by Akumu''s glare, Dream cowered back. Research was expensive, and Dream had to learn that the hard way. A few years back, Dream approved a multimillion gold project, the most costly scientific enquiry in modern times. With that one project, she emptied half of Yume Metropolis'' vaults. Back then, Dream had a success rate of a hundred percent, and though the government were hesitant to spend that much money, they still allowed Dream to do her thing. Alas, the research project led to a dead-end wasting all of the gold that Dream had spent. Dream wasn''t disheartened by the failure though. Only through defeat, could one learn to taste success. She was ready to spend all of Yume Metropolis'' money to give her project a second try, but this time, the council was forced to put their foot down. They simply couldn''t afford to let Dream spend whatever resources they had. Fortunately, a compromise was made. If Dream solved the commissions sent by the government, she could get all the funding she wanted. "Just come up with a theory or something. Given your abilities, you should be able to concoct a blueprint in an hour or two." Akumu snorted. "Overestimating me much?" "No, I''m being conservative." The black-haired man broke into a smile. Akumu had complete faith in Dream''s abilities, particularly after learning the Crown of Wisdom''s true nature. "Anyway, the deadline is in two years. You can return to the commission whenever you''re bored or something." "G-Genius!" "Psshhh, I don''t want to hear that from you." Akumu folded his arms before lifting the brown file up from Dream''s table. History''s greatest genius calling him a genius? That sounded more like an insult than a compliment. Akumu moved towards the cabinet, where all the other commissions were being ''stored'' for the future. Just as the twenty-nine-year-old was about to leave and reunite with Kuro, an angelic voice echoed in the chamber. "So¡­ When were you going to tell me about your promotion?" "... As expected, you''ve found out." Akumu unwillingly let out a sigh. "Yes, I''ve broken through into the Spirit Spectre realm. I''ve now... passed the second barrier of mortality." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 558 Divide And Conquer... And Fall 2 "Hmph! Why didn''t you tell me that you were about to attempt it?! I could have given you some pointers!" Dream complained, her face all tensed up like a miffed bunny. "If I did, would you let me attempt the breakthrough in peace?" "Crossing the first barrier of mortality is a significant thing! Any slight mishap and your cultivation could be crippled! Of course, I would have given you some space!" "Yeah, right..." Akumu rolled his eyes. After knowing Dream for twenty years, the man was well-aware of how worrisome she could become when it came to her allies. If Akumu had told her that he was attempting to form his Spectre Soul, Dream would unquestionably put down everything in her life just to act as his protector. Not to mention, Dream would deploy her own spiritual abilities to boost Akumu''s power, significantly increasing the chances for success. She would even spend millions of gold just to build a cultivation chamber for Akumu. And that wasn''t mere speculation. Dream had actually done all of that for a bosom childhood friend of hers, who had attempted to form her Spectre Soul. However, Akumu didn''t want that. He wanted to rely on his own power to stand next to the greatest genius of all time and the only way to do that was to tackle cultivation problems himself. Still, there was a need to appease the angry Dream. Therefore, Akumu threw out an empty promise: "Next time, I''ll take that into consideration. If I have any other cultivation problems, I''ll be sure to run to you." "Mnnn! Now that''s more I like it! Congrats on crossing the first barrier of mortality! Now your lifespan has doubled to two-hundred!" Dream chuckled. "Hearing that from you¡­ I don''t know how to feel about that..." Akumu frowned. Dream had just broken into Rank 80, passing the second barrier of mortality and quadrupled her lifespan in the process. Should all things go well, Dream could comfortably live until she was four-hundred-years-old. "Speaking of which, you haven''t told me¡­ What is your fifth spiritual ability?" Since Akumu hadn''t discussed his cultivation matters with Dream, the thirty-two-year-old had little idea of the man''s power. "Hehe, I''m naturally saving the best for last..." Akumu''s face turned queer as he heard Dream''s question. He raised his index finger, congregating a large amount of darkness elements into that single point. Then, the man turned to the exit and hollered: "Kuro, come in!" The wolf yelped in protest, still fearing that Dream might do something to it. However, it couldn''t disobey its owner''s command. Whimpering as it limped in, the wolf desperately tried not to look at Dream while it cowered behind Akumu''s body. At this scene, the black-haired man didn''t know if he should laugh or cry: "What the hell did you do to Kuro when I''m not around?" Dream just whistled and gazed at the ceiling: "Nothing!" "..." Akumu was highly sceptical of the woman''s claim but sought no further elaboration. He slowly moved his fingers from the air and gently poked his favoured pet. Almost instantly, Kuro''s fur stood erect, as if it had been electrocuted with the world''s highest voltage. Dark mist emerged from Akumu''s pores and coagulated inside of the Spirit Beast''s body. If one were able to peek into the wolf''s body, they would see an ominous obsidian core, filled with a dense amount of foreign mana, slowly taking shape. Dream watched in earnest as the scene continued to unfold. Kuro was currently a Tier 3 Spirit Beast, equal in power to a Rank 20 Spirit Core cultivator. However, as Akumu''s Rank 40 mana continued to pour into the wolf, Dream sensed that Kuro''s cultivation was rapidly increasing. Darkness elements continued to escape from Akumu''s arms, slowly empowering the already vicious wolf. And finally, after a full minute, Kuro''s entire body erupted with a shockwave. "AWWWOOOOOOO!!!" Kuro happily howled. Constant darkness particles flowed out from its fur, turning the chambers black in the process. The inner power of the beast almost doubled, and its overall presence had become more and more domineering. It was no longer a Tier 3 Spirit Beast, but a bona fide Tier 4 monster. "Akumu, you..." Dream''s bright white eyes quickly glazed over. She was taken aback by Akumu''s new spiritual ability, there was no question about that. However, what truly stunned her was¡­ "You actually succeeded?!" "Yes, yes, I did." The bearded man smiled. "You may have given up on the practicality of the Eternal Plan, but I sure haven''t!" The Eternal Plan. After Dream first introduced the concept of Heaven''s Gate to Akumu, the duo embarked on an arduous journey to discover a method to enter the Immortal Realm without passing the Rank 100 threshold. It was a momentous task, one that had stumped even the world''s greatest genius. Dream used the Crown of Wisdom to scour the entire planet for clues. She inspected the knowledge of every single expert in the world, be it Spirit Saints or top researchers. Initially, Dream believed that she could use a large amount of Aether Crystals to create the path. However, she quickly realised that it would prove to be an impossible task. If Dream''s calculations were correct, it would take at least a quadrillion peak Aether Crystals to imitate the power of ten Rank 99 Spirit Saints ascending. Not to mention, she had to figure out a method to keep the gate from falling apart. There were just too many variables that one needed to take into account, but there was one crucial detail¡­ "My fifth spiritual ability allows me to bestow my power to strengthen others and at the same time, monitor their surroundings. At the moment, I can only infuse my mana into Spirit Beasts that don''t refuse my will. However, as I grow more powerful, I''m certain that I can spread my mana amongst human cultivators. When I reach the Spirit Saint realm, I''m confident of sharing my mana with at least ten thousand entities!" To create Heaven''s Gate, Dream needed more¡­ mana. One way of obtaining that mana was to use an astronomical amount of Aether Crystals. However, that was far too impractical. It was hard enough to find just one Aether mine, let alone finding enough mines to get a quadrillion Aether Crystals. Thus, Dream had to obtain mana from another source. Humans. Alas, that was easier said than done. In this era of peace, there were few powerful cultivators and even fewer Spirit Saints. Dream needed at least a hundred Spirit Saints worth of mana to theoretically open Heaven''s Gate for ten seconds, but she was hard-pressed to even find ten Spirit Saints! Out of ideas, Dream was forced to abandon this line of thinking and instead, spent all of her power investigating other methods to enter the Immortal Realm. However, Akumu never gave up hope. He believed, with a little bit of hard work, he would be able to artificially lift the cultivation levels of many in the world. After all, Akumu''s Spirit was vastly different than regular ones. If he''d cultivated the right way, Akumu could empower thousands of talented individuals, helping them break into the coveted Spirit Saint realm. "Akumu, you''re really¡­ Hah¡­" Dream sighed. Akumu had imagined that Dream would be jumping for joy. He''d also prayed that Dream would give him a hug as well as praise him for his sacrifice. However, none of that came from the ethereal beauty''s mouth. Instead, she looked somewhat conflicted and blue. "W-What? What''s the matter?" Dream looked at the bearded man, her eyes glistening in the light. Although Akumu''s face was full of hair, in Dream''s eyes, Akumu was still the young boy that she''d saved on the streets twenty years back. "You should have learnt a more useful spiritual ability, one that could help you in future¡­ You''ve wasted your potential just so I could chase a dream that may or may not be attainable..." "Ah, so that''s what it was..." Akumu heaved a sigh of relief. At the very least, Dream wasn''t pissed off at him. "Don''t worry about me, Dream. I don''t really have a particular spiritual ability in mind. Furthermore, this ability isn''t inherently bad. I can help empower Kuro so that he could become a guard for me in the future. Also..." Akumu leaned in and flashed an impish smile. "You know how special my Spirit is¡­ This ability is unquestionably the best one for me." "Yeah¡­ You''re right..." Dream wasn''t all that convinced, but she still silenced herself. "Fine¡­ Truth to be told, I do have some insights on the Eternal Plan. I just hadn''t expected that you''ll make this sort of sacrifice..." "Really? What insights did you make?" Akumu''s heart was turning. Dream''s ''insights'' would almost always lead to breakthroughs. The Eternal Plan had morphed into a joint target for Dream and Akumu. If there were a significant breakthrough, Akumu would be more than delighted. "That is¡­ No, nevermind. I don''t think that my insights are ready to be crystallised yet." Dream hesitated to tell Akumu the full extent of her knowledge. To her, theories weren''t worth jack-shit. Only when the theoretical could be proven by the practical, would her information be worth. "However, I believe that we should act on our first assumption of Heaven''s Gate. Ah, I have an idea!" Having a eureka moment, Dream''s head flashed brightly. "Akumu, you said that your spiritual ability works best against Spirit Beasts right?" "... For the moment, yes." "If that''s the case, why don''t you head to the Uncharted Wilderness and gain more Spirit Beast subordinates?" Dream suggested with a brilliant smile. "In the end, the human population is far inferior to that of Spirit Beasts. Particularly those long-living ones that could match our continent''s best Spirit Saints! If you can get them under your control, we''ll have one more source of mana!" "T-That¡­ could work?" The bearded man was intrigued by the premise. "Hehe, divide and conquer! Divide and conquer! You strengthen the Spirit Beasts, while I empower humanity! A win-win for both of us!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Akumu had managed to inject his mana into Kuro for several reasons, the main one being that the wolf was a Spirit Beast of inferior intelligence. If Akumu wanted to strengthen humans, he had to at the very least wait till he was a Rank 70 Spirit Emperor. Dream, on the other hand, had a significant influence on human civilisation. At Dream''s order, millions would move to move mountains for her. It would be child''s play for her to strengthen the overall cultivation levels of the three superpowers. Akumu''s deployment to the Uncharted Wilderness truly was the best of both worlds. He could hastily increase his cultivation by leaps and bounds, all while taming the mysterious area. At the same time, Dream would gain a new source of mana for her Eternal Plan. There was one issue though¡­ ''I can''t bear to leave Dream...'' Akumu frowned. Deep down, he understood that his affection for the beauty had transcended normal love. He wanted to be with Dream at every juncture, even if it meant sacrificing his soul to the devil. However, Akumu''s feelings aren''t reciprocated. Dream showed no intention of jumping into any romantic relationships throughout her thirty-odd years of existence. Otherwise, how would history''s greatest genius and one of the most gorgeous people in the world, be unwed at her age? ''No, I swore that I would help her open Heaven''s Gate! I can''t let my own personal desire compromise Dream''s goal!'' "I understand. I''ll leave first thing in the morning." "Woah, there! You don''t have to be in such a rush!" The ethereal beauty jumped. She had just suggested that deployment in the passing. If they really needed someone in the Uncharted Wilderness, it would require months, if not years of planning. "How about this? I''ll ask the council to open an outpost a few kilometres away from the Uncharted Wilderness? That way, you can continue your experiments, and I can visit you every now and then!" Akumu grinned. "Yeah, that sounds really good. Let''s do it your way..." If Akumu had been more observant, he would have noticed that there was a strange glint inside Dream''s eyes. However, it murkish colour quickly faded into nothingness as she gave the man a firm bear hug. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 559 Divide And Conquer... And Fall 3 Year 247. The Uncharted Wilderness. Akumu''s Personal Base. The Uncharted Wilderness. A luxuriant and savage place, a domain where only the toughest survived. Throughout the years, humans had conquered all regions of the Terre Continent. Be it barren deserts or ravaging coastlines. Meandering rivers or highest peaks in the land. Humans had always found methods to conquer their environment. However, there was one area that completely befuddled the human race. There was one place that no government dares to expand into, even if they had a dozen Spirit Saints¡­ And that was the Uncharted Wilderness. A place where Spirit Beasts roamed and followed the law of the jungle. Prey became predators and predators become prey. A place where Tier 9 Spirit Beasts were common and Primordial Beasts were the overlords of their region. Mystical places, such as Illusory Canyon, deterred any mortals from entering while unrelenting Spirit Beast hordes would annihilate any human settlement nearby. It was, by far, the most dangerous region in the world. But oddly enough, a small brick building stood untouched amidst the danger. Small ploughed fields, measuring roughly thirty-metres in length, lay behind the building. Juicy fruits and crunchy vegetables were hanging from the metre-long crops which could easily sustain a large family. At the side, there were chicken coops and a few cattle grazing on nutritious grass. It looked boringly simple. There was nothing odd about this small farmer''s house¡­ other than the fact that it was located just a few kilometres away from the Uncharted Wilderness. Typically, Spirit Beasts should have charged out of the forest and ravaged everything in sight. However, that didn''t happen this time. The small house wasn''t well-protected or anything. There weren''t any towering fortifications blocking the Spirit Beasts'' path. It was just¡­ plain. However, the interior of the house was far from ordinary. Underneath the house, there were at least three basement levels, each one filled to the brim with countless reports and scientific findings. Expensive equipment, each one easily costing ten gold ingots, were littered all over the floor as if they were waste paper. Shelves upon shelves of parchment paper, holding vast amounts of information, decorated the walls of the chambers. In fact, it wasn''t just the quality of the papers that was staggering. If any lead researchers of their field were to stumble upon the base, they would likely drop their jaw in awe. How much effort had been put into the papers here? What maniacal genius had holed himself away in the world''s most dangerous place? "Kuro, where are you?" A rough voice thundered out from the residence. That booming voice led to a weak whimper within the forest. A black wolf leapt like an impala, taking great strides in running to the source of the voice. The door of the brick hut bolted open, and an average framed man walked out. He boasted black, curly hair that wasn''t combed in the slightest and his beard was likewise dishevelled. If there were a descriptive model of a caveman, this average-height man would be it. His face was toned and bronzed while arid smells seemed to form brown squiggly lines above his head. If not for the white, clean robe, one couldn''t be faulted for thinking that the man came from a primitive time. "Hah, you shouldn''t wander too far from the house, Kuro. Next time you do that, I''ll send you back to Yume Metropolis and let Dream deal with you!" That''s right¡­ The unkempt man was the second-in-charge for Dream Labs, Akumu. "Grrrrr!!!" The wolf growled, baring its teeth for its owner to see. However, as it thought back on the ghastly woman who always tried to touch its privates, the wolf gently slammed its head on Akumu''s thigh. "Hmph! That''s better!" Akumu bent down and stroked his loyal pet''s fur, calming the beast down in the process. Twenty-seven years had passed since Akumu was deployed to the Uncharted Wilderness. Although Akumu was already in his fifties, he looked no older than forty. Yes, the curly beard and bedraggled hair added a few years to his appearance, but the moist and wrinkle-less skin of his stood out tremendously. In fact, if Akumu bothered to shave or tidy his appearance, the man would look no older than thirty. Akumu flashed a radiant smile before asking the beast: "So¡­ What did you find during your trip?" "Awwooooo! Awwowoooo! Wooooo!" Kuro howled continuously while hopping about in excitement. It looked no different than that of a human child trying to tell its mother of their accomplishments. "Hmmm? There''s a giant serpent living two hundred kilometres deep? That sounds intriguing..." The researcher stroked his beard, clearly amused by the news that Kuro had brought back. Over the years, Akumu had practised his spiritual abilities on a myriad of Spirit Beasts. Most of them were weaker than Kuro and himself. Though there would be some instances where he would infuse his mana into more powerful Spirit Beasts, those were few and far between. Faithfully dedicating his soul to the Eternal Plan, Akumu had entered the Rank 60 Spirit King realm just a few years back. Although it was a far cry''s distance from Dream''s cultivation, Akumu''s cultivation was going swimmingly well. A Spirit King at fifty years old¡­ If all goes well, Akumu might break into the Spirit Venerate realm before his two hundred year lifespan waned. And it was all thanks to Dream''s arrangements. "Maybe we could attempt taming that serpent¡­ No, it''s still far too dangerous to be wandering two hundred kilometres¡­ Hah, if only I were a little stronger..." "Rrrrrrr!!!" "Yeah, yeah. I know that I''m strong enough!" Akumu chuckled at Kuro''s poor attempt to cheer him up. For him, it didn''t matter if he was a Spirit Venerate or not. As long as he could help Dream achieve her goals, Akumu would feel content. "I wonder how Dream is doing now¡­" The man looked to the sky, thinking about the beautiful face that sent him here. Twenty-seven years. Unknowingly, Akumu had spent twenty-seven years in the Uncharted Wilderness. Every winter, Akumu would travel back to Yume Metropolis to hide from the cold and more importantly, show his findings to Dream. So it wasn''t that Akumu hadn''t seen Dream in a long time. However, Akumu would have loved to be standing eternally by Dream''s side, helping her accomplish whatever desires she had. Of course, if their relationship were to progress one step further, Akumu wouldn''t mind in the slightest. Unfortunately, even after all these years, Dream showed no signs of romantic interest. In fact, the past ten years had been quite strange. Dream was usually upbeat and bubbly, but her personality had turned colder. On the surface, Dream would put on the same mask she did with others, but those close to her could tell that something was off. Akumu had confronted her about that sad and murky face she would make from time to time; however, Dream would always rub those claims off. In the end, the ethereal beauty would still smile when being spoken at and answer whatever questions that Akumu posed. Particularly those relating to their research. Dream was peculiar, but Akumu couldn''t tell what''s up. However, the black-haired man had unquestionable faith in Dream and whatever she wished to do. Little did he know that¡­ "Hmmm? Do you sense something?" Akumu asked Kuro, who was his only source of companionship in this humanless land. "..." The wolf raised its snout in the air while all four of its paws rested comfortably on the grassy floor. It was attempting to spread its Tier 7 senses throughout the forest, hoping to check if anything was amiss. However, it didn''t need to be that concentrated¡­ Why? RUMBLE¡­ RUMBLE¡­ RUMBLE¡­ The ground¡­ No, the entire Earth was trembling. Howls of cold winds pierced through the whole land and the spiritual energies of the world were running amok. The elements went wild, possibly fearing the energy that was pulsating throughout the heavens. Skywater rained down as if the Gods themselves were weeping. And this was just the beginning... Thousands of cracks broke the ground, causing heaps upon heaps of natural disasters. Landslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, seaquakes that triggered tsunamis¡­ The whole world was under siege, and the Uncharted Wilderness was no exception. Deathly winds uprooted millions of trees as deadly hurricanes crashed upon the woods. Fearing their lives, Spirit Beasts ran deep underground, where they believed it would be safe. Unfortunately, molten lava from the planet''s core had been spilt out, completely incinerating the land that stood above it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "HOLY SHIT!!!" Akumu cursed, and he slammed the doors to his lab shut with Kuro already yelping inside. Wasting no time, Akumu ran to the basement and immediately deployed his emergency protection system. A few months before he''d left, Dream had invented a method to create an energy barrier, one that could protect Akumu''s lab from attacks by a Primordial Beast. Akumu had no clue about how effective the barrier was against natural disasters, but it was worth a shot. Akumu couldn''t afford to let the precious resources and research he''d spent nearly three decades accumulating to go to waste. He masterfully deployed defensive barrier after defensive barrier, protecting his entire lab in one go. Although Akumu didn''t know the cause of the catastrophe, he needed to survive it. Otherwise, he would have let Dream, the person he loved most in the world, down. Once all of the defences were deployed, Akumu grabbed onto Kuro, and they both cowered in one corner. Kuro used its superior build to protect the fragile scientist should things go south, while Akumu projected even more of his mana into the Spirit Beast. BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! The brick house continued to shake, and the natural disasters showed no signs of slowing down. Akumu didn''t have any windows, so he couldn''t observe the changes of the outside world. However, based on the force of the collisions, Akumu could tell that the natural disasters were getting more dangerous by the second. In the end, the man and the wolf had to wait out a full three hours before the constant collisions subsided. Still shaken, the pair slowly got to their feet. Many books had fallen off their shelves, and glass beakers were shattered all over the lab. However, for the most part, the documents were all in pristine shape. Furthermore, the most valuable of papers had been locked up at the lowest level, in unbreakable chests designed by the Blacksmith''s League. Unless the entire structure caved in and killed Akumu, the documents will see the light of day once again. "A-Are we safe now?" The fifty-six-year-old''s voice faltered. He had no clue if the natural disasters had stopped or if there was a short break before the world was attacked again. Therefore, to be safe, Akumu remained settled in the house for a full three hours more. Only then, did he emerge from his protective hut to... "T-T-This..." Only drop his jaw¡­ The farm that he''d created had been wiped clean. All of the crops he''d prepared were now wiped clean, and the animals he''d raised had disappeared entirely. The building that he''d called home was now flattened by the winds and nothing, but debris remained. It was a disaster. However, the true thing that struck fear to Akumu''s soul¡­ Was the boundless sky that dominated the upper realm. It was¡­ torn. One massive grey tear broke the fabric of space, creating a soul-gutting catastrophe, one of the likes the world has never seen. Akumu had never heard of such a scene, even with his long years as a researcher. Since time immemorial, there has never been a case where the sky rips in two¡­ No, there has never been a case where the world trembles¡­ ever. Unless¡­ Akumu stared at the tear, one that seemed highly reminiscent to that of a portal to the heavens. There was only one entity on Earth that could possibly produce such a sight. There was only one human that had the ingenuity to tear the skies... "Dream¡­ What have you done?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 560 Mystery Of The Dream 1 The tear in the heavens only lasted for a good five seconds before it slowly recuperated. Due to the mayhem and the short time frame that tear was open, not many were able to witness the unbelievable sight. Furthermore, those that saw the sky open couldn''t believe their eyes and were all convinced that it was a hallucination. However, Akumu knew that the tear wasn''t just fantasy. And there was only one person in the entire world that could produce such a scene¡­ "Kuro, we''re heading back..." Akumu coldly muttered out. There was no hesitation. If something had happened to Dream, Akumu wanted to be the first guy by her side. The black wolf continuously wagged its tail with excitement as it leapt up and down like a puppy. Its fur stood erect as dense darkness particles erupted from its being. Growing to over three times its original size, Kuro bent its back down to give Akumu an easy way up. Without hesitation, the man jumped onto his contracted Spirit Beast''s back and held onto the wolf''s fur. A dark mist emerged from Akumu''s waist and crept down onto Kuro''s underbelly. It soon coagulated into a tendril and thus, combining man and wolf into one entity. "I''m counting on you!" "Awwwwooooooooo!!!" The black wolf howled. Securing its owner tightly, Kuro charged forth at maximum speed, ignoring whatever wind or friction that stood in its way. ??? Year 247. Yume Metropolis. The Dawn Of Dream. Darkened grey smudges of wool covered the early morning skies, like a spilt oil pot enveloping the entire floor. Howling winds, those that were sharp as knives and cold as ice, threatened the peace of the lands below. The sky roared at regular intervals while flashes of heavenly light crackled down with impunity. Soft water pellets trickled down, moistening the soil that all stood on. A pungent earthy aroma rose from the wet ground, giving a sense of calm to any that stood near it. Though, no one would be gullible enough to be drenched the rain¡­ Unless? Kuro''s four paws dug deep into the soil as it propelled himself relentlessly. Travelling from the Uncharted Wilderness to Yume Metropolis would generally take a full month using traditional methods. Still, the Black Wolf managed to make it in a third of that time. Not even Aether Cars, one of Dream''s most prized inventions, could match the speed of Kuro rushing at maximum speed. Once the Spirit Beast halted, Akumu slowly dismounted and immediately fell to the floor. His chest rapidly contracting, and his face was beyond flushed. Every single bone in Akumu''s body was aching, and the Rank 60 Spirit King had hardly any oxygen left in his body. From the start, Akumu wasn''t particularly in prime physical state. Just like Dream, he''d spent hours every day conducting experiments and writing reports indoors. He hardly ever exercised, and if not for his cultivation level, the man would have fallen sick a thousand times over. Therefore, riding Kuro for ten days without stopping had taken a significant toll on the man. Kuro worryingly poked Akumu with his snout, only to be replied with a shaking head. "Don''t worry, I''m fine¡­ I just need a minute or two of rest..." It took Akumu a few moments to catch his breath. Meanwhile, the fifty-year-old began to observe his surroundings. Yume Metropolis, the city that pushed the boundaries of mankind, had dozens of towering buildings, each one taller than the next. Well-paved roads, fortified structures with state-of-the-art cannons¡­ Yume Metropolis had everything. Yet, somehow, something was off¡­ The bustling country was oddly¡­ quiet. "T-This?! What''s going on?" Akumu could barely see a soul within the city. The busy roads were entirely empty. The lights that lit up the darkness were off. And most importantly¡­ Akumu could barely feel any signs of life. The whole city was¡­ dead. "Hey, you! Hey! HEY!!!" Still in a daze, Akumu couldn''t hear the authoritative voice call out to him. It was only at the third shout that the man came to his senses. Turning back, Akumu saw a burly man donning a Himmel Imperial Army''s armour plate storming in his direction. His sword unsheathed, the soldier looked like a ferocious guard dog ready to pounce at any who trespassed on his land. Before Akumu could even react, the man exclaimed with all that he had. "You''re not allowed to step foot in the restricted area!" "R-Restricted area?" Akumu was flabbergasted. What stood before him¡­ was the place where he was born and raised. The city that Dream had built¡­ How could it be a restricted area?! "What do you mean restricted area?! Isn''t this Yume Metropolis? I live here!!! This is my home!" "What''s this?" The soldier was taken aback. The fiery glint in his eyes slowly flickered away as he lowered his weapon. Instead of feeling anger, the soldier''s eyes were now filled with soft compassion and a slight tinge of pity. "Brother, you reside in Yume Metropolis? Did you go out on a trip or something?" "T-That¡­ yes!" Akumu couldn''t possibly take the time to explain his entire circumstances. "Tell me! What happened here? Why is access to Yume Metropolis restricted now? What happened to the people inside? What happened to¡­ President Dream?!" The soldier unsheathed his sword as a despondent sigh escaped his lips. Although Akumu was agitated, the guard didn''t feel that he was disrespectful. In fact, the soldier felt immense sorrow for the unkempt man. "Brother must''ve rushed home to see your family after experiencing the worldwide apocalypse¡­ Hah, it''s a pity..." "What''s a pity?" Hearing those words, Akumu''s heart sank. The soldier hesitated. He wasn''t sure if he was the right man to break the news to the distraught man coming home. However, Akumu had to learn the truth eventually¡­ Sighing, the soldier spoke: "Everyone in Yume Metropolis... passed on." "Passed on?! They died?! How''s that possible?" Akumu turned his attention to the intact city. The whole world had undergone some massive upheavals, including thousands of tornadoes and massive earthquakes. However, all of Yume Metropolis'' buildings were still standing. Nothing was destroyed, and in fact, it looked far safer than other regions on the planet. Furthermore, how could people die when Dream, who had long become a Spirit Saint, was standing at the helm of the town? "Then what about Dre-... President Dream?" "You really..." The soldier shook his head as if trying to quell a headache. Still, thinking that Akumu deserved to know the truth, the soldier continued to explain. "Everyone in Yume Metropolis was sent into an eternal slumber by President Dream. Or should I say¡­ Spirit Immortal Dream." "WHAT?!" That revelation stunned Akumu more than any other. ''D-Dream¡­ S-sh-she¡­ broke through into the Immortal Realm?! How''s that possible?! Didn''t she say she wanted to open Heaven''s Gate? What the hell happened?!'' "That''s right," not knowing Akumu''s inner turmoil, the soldier sadly recounted the event. "Two weeks back, Yume Metropolis was still the thriving city that it was famed for. Millions of people lived harmoniously like the exemplar city-state it was. It was peace on earth¡­ However, exactly fourteen days ago, Yume Metropolis government had discovered something about their genius leader¡­ Spirit Immortal Dream." "..." Akumu listened in earnest, trying to scoop up as much information as he possibly could. "Once the government found out about Spirit Immortal Dream''s secret research, they panicked and locked down the entire city. No merchants and visitors were allowed to visit or leave to contain the spread of information. Over the next four days, Yume Metropolis was shrouded in secrecy. No one knew what was going on within the walls and contact with the outside world had been limited. Thus, not even the three superpowers could find out what was the controversial study that Spirit Immortal Dream was researching¡­ However, what happened next, stunned everyone in the world!" The soldier looked at the sky above Yume Metropolis, his heart churning in fear and awe. "Spirit Immortal Dream¡­ She rose up and exposed her Rank 99 cultivation level! In a fury, she snapped her fingers and enveloped the entire city with her Mind-Elements. With all of them locked up, Spirit Immortal Dream forced every single one of her subjects to fall into an eternal sleep! Never to wake. Effectively, Spirit Immortal Dream had massacred her own people!" "She what?!" Akumu couldn''t help but scream. Dream had always been docile and virtuous. She wouldn''t even approve human experimentation, in fear of tormenting innocent souls. Dream also had a love for Yume Metropolis, the region where she was born and raised. There were millions of people, young and old living within the four walls of the city. For her to massacre everyone, including those that were too weak to fight back¡­ Akumu found it hard to believe. "It''s true¡­ Spirit Immortal Dream had cast her most powerful ability, causing the heavens to stir. Naturally, the rest of the Spirit Saints rushed over after sensing the disturbance. They were horrified by the dead bodies that littered the streets. So, they confronted Spirit Immortal Dream, asking her why she''d kill her subjects." "But they''d got nothing¡­ Without warning, President Dream ascended into the Immortal Realm, becoming Spirit Immortal Dream. However..." The soldier looked around. Trees were uprooted, and the ground was broken down. Though the slight drizzle was obscuring his vision, the soldier could clearly observe the broken world that surrounded him. "Spirit Immortal Dream''s ascension didn''t trigger the same gorgeous auroras that her predecessors did. Neither did it bestowed the world a boost in spiritual energies. Instead, Spirit Immortal Dream''s ascension and tore a fabric in the heavens, causing the world''s greatest natural disaster to date!" The burly man exclaimed, his towering body seeming so weak now. Akumu gulped: "You''re saying¡­ Dream caused the apocalypse that brought the world to heel?" "That''s precisely what I''m saying," the soldier nodded. "The three superpowers have been ordered by our Spirit Saints to cordon the area, while they investigated the cause of Spirit Immortal Dream''s actions. They also wanted to identify the reason behind her odd ascension. That''s why I can''t let you pass, brother." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The soldier gently tapped on Akumu''s shoulders, showing the same empathy one would to a mourner at a funeral: "I know that you may have friends and family in Yume Metropolis, but I can''t let you enter the area. Come, let me lead you to my base camp. The three superpowers have recovered all the bodies and are in the midst of identifying them. Maybe¡­ you can find your family there..." Akumu couldn''t hear the man''s kindness. His eyes were still affixed on the ghost town that stood before him as he muttered the same words over and over. "Dream¡­ Dream..." Akumu looked to the heavens. He couldn''t believe that Dream left him. They''d promised to open Heaven''s Gate together, so why did she go ahead first? Why¡­ did she become a Spirit Immortal without waiting for him? ''No¡­ The councillors, the governor¡­ They must have done something to Dream! Why did she rush her ascension? Something''s not right!'' Akumu knew Dream. She wasn''t the type to renege on her promise. She must''ve been forced¡­ Yes, Dream must''ve been forced to ascend! Otherwise, it made zero sense! "Brother?" The soldier sensed the change in Akumu''s demeanour and cautiously tapped on the man''s shoulder. "Thank you for telling me this," Akumu''s cold voice snapped back at the soldier. Kuro leapt right at Akumu, revealing its deadly fangs. At the same time, Akumu unleashed his Rank 60 mana and mounted his prized beast companion. Since he lacked the answers¡­ He should go get them. "Fuck me! That brother is actually a Spirit King?" The soldier fell to his bum, and his skin started to crawl. He was just a mere Spirit Apostle patrol guard. How could he contest against the might of a Spirit King? "Shit, I have to report this to the commander! Fuck me! I shouldn''t have played the nice guy!" Falling on his feet, the soldier limped back to the base camp. How could he have guessed that the man he''d just let through, would become the worst villain of all time? ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 561 Mystery Of The Dream 2 Akumu sped through the empty streets of Yume Metropolis, ignoring any sight in his path. If a Spirit Saint screamed at him, he would only turn a deaf''s ear. If a Primordial Beast attacked him, Akumu would still crawl forward was a single-minded determination. There was nothing that could stop Akumu''s drive to push onwards. In Yume Metropolis, there was only one place that could provide him with answers. Kuro continued to speed down the streets, past the government offices, past the towering buildings¡­ all the way to the familiar place. Kuro was connected to Akumu through their mana. It could be said that they were closer than blood brothers now. The Spirit Beast could feel Akumu''s anxiety and his desire to find the truth. Therefore, Kuro never stopped¡­ He didn''t stop until they reached their destination. Which was¡­ "Thank god it''s still intact!" Akumu breathed a sigh of relief. Before them, was a vast mansion donned in a creamy beige colour. Dream had only killed her subjects ''minds,'' and thus there was little destruction and bloodshed. The laboratory was wholly intact, as clean as a bone. It was left just the way Akumu had remembered it. Dream and Akumu had spent thousands of days burning the midnight oil in this facility. All of Dream''s discoveries and research were accomplished within this mansion. A beautiful facility that stood as a beacon of light for all researchers all around the world. How many wanted to land a job within these walls? How many had benefited from the discoveries that came out from Dream Labs? It was a majestic place, one that would unquestionably go down as a holy land in the future¡­ But now? It was reduced to an empty ghost mansion. Akumu rushed frantically into the building, meandering through the poor obstructions that first responders had placed down. The fifty-year-old had spent most of his adult life walking through these halls. He knew every corner, every shortcut and every defence mechanism that was placed within. Skipping them all to reach his destination was child''s play to him. Akumu continued his descent, all the way to the place where Dream''s office would be. He knew¡­ He knew if Dream were to leave, she would leave some clues in the place she worked. It took Akumu less than five minutes to descend, but once he reached the bottom¡­ He was wholly disappointed. Bookshelves that were usually filled to the brim had turned up empty. The usual mountain of papers were nowhere to be seen. The office, the place where Akumu thought he would find the most answers. Was completely cleaned out. "Damn it! The government must have cleared out Dream''s office before she ascended!" Akumu inferred. Dream would never throw away precious documents of her own accord. If anything, she was a hoarder of files and would always keep backups in her office. "There must be something left behind! There. Must. Be!" Akumu turned frantic. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face scrunched up. From what he knew of Dream, she wasn''t the type to leave no trace behind. There had to be something! The man searched high and low. He rummaged through cabinets and entered secret locations that were only known to Dream and himself. Kuro helped as well. The Spirit Beast had cultivated an intelligence, not inferior to that of an average human. It was more than capable of sniffing out some residue documents. Alas, how could Yume Metropolis'' government be so sloppy? If they had decided to confiscate all of Dream''s research, they would have been thorough in their seizure. Dream Labs was completely emptied¡­ "There must be something! There must be something!" Like a broken man, Akumu repeated the same words over and over, praying that he could find something¡­ anything. And when it seemed that all hope was lost¡­ Akumu saw it. "T-This¡­ This is?!" The man stumbled into the final chambers, the place where Dream most frequented. It was her restroom, the place where Dream took naps during breaks and the room where she laughed the most. Akumu had entered this room many a time, just to visit Dream and discuss anything under the sun with her. Dream had a firm policy... To never disturb this sacred room of peace. No vandalism, no food or drink and even no documents were allowed in the room! And yet, on the wall behind the bed, there were two deeply imprinted words, seemingly carved with chisels. [Dexsot Teinost!!!] They were two strange words. Was it a foreign language? Akumu had a cursory understanding of every language in the human race, so he could cross that conjecture out. Was it a code? Akumu knew all the codes that Dream liked to use, so he eliminated that possibility as well. So what was it? What were those two words that were carved into the stone? Akumu didn''t know. However, he could feel the pain the carver had when she put those words into the wall. Dream wasn''t at master swordswoman, and neither was she a stonemason. Thus, the only way she could carve those magnificent words was to use pure spiritual energy condensed into her fingers. Not to mention, the Mind-Elements that she was adept in had no physical properties. She couldn''t cut through stone like the sharp Wind-Elements could and neither could she turn softness into hardness like Water-Elements could. One could only imagine the amount of mana she poured into her fingers to carve the words into the enhanced walls. "Dexsot Teinost? What does that mean?" Akumu continued to ponder out loud. It was the only clue that Dream had left behind, so it had to mean something. It could very well be the answer he''d been looking for. Perhaps the reason why Dream left for the Immortal Realm prematurely, was because of these two words. The Spirit King continued to stare at the two words, hoping to decipher whatever meaning Dream had left behind. However, as Akumu continued to stare at the wall, he felt his eyes hurt as if a thousand daggers were piercing into his sockets. Unable to bear it any longer, Akumu was forced to look down, even though he''d only stared at the words for a mere ten seconds. A face full of sweat, Akumu felt his entire world spin, and his consciousness was bending into weird shapes. "Dream must have used all of her power to carve out these two words¡­ How terrifying!" How powerful was a Spirit Immortal? Throughout history, their power was unparalleled, and the mortal world had always forced them to ascend. Dream must have written those words just moments before she ascended into godhood. Akumu''s Rank 60 cultivation could never hope to compare against Dream''s prodigal power. "Dexsot Teinost¡­ Yume Metropolis confiscating Dream''s research¡­ Dream massacring the entire town¡­ Dream ascending into Heaven without solving the mystery of Heaven''s Gate¡­ All of these must be linked! Think, Akumu think!" Dream was the love of Akumu''s life, the beacon of light that guided him throughout. Akumu had promised Dream that he''d help her create Heaven''s Gate. He''d promised her that he would ascend to the Immortal Realm to accompany her. "Dexsot Teinost¡­ The path to the Immortal Realm¡­ Dream, what did you find?" Akumu continued to ponder and ponder, hoping to make some sort of breakthrough. However, just like the woman who always transcend mortal understanding, her last words were just as enigmatic. Akumu was smart, there was no question about it. Otherwise, how could he have kept up with Dream''s outstanding pace of research? But Dream''s actions were far too sudden. No, Yume Metropolis'' actions were far too abrupt. "Dream must have found the method to enter the Immortal Realm, but those bastards didn''t want her to publish it¡­ That must be it!" The bearded man made his own inference about the events that transpired. "They had forced Dream to ascend without warning¡­ Dream must have been forced to kill Yume Metropolis'' population to protect the secret. That must be it!" Seething with rage, Akumu slammed his fist onto a table, breaking it with his enhanced Spirit King''s mana. Kuro, who had been accompanying the man for the longest time, went over and licked his boots. In his memory, Akumu had always been calm and collected. He was never one to throw tantrums or blow off steam. Alas, when it came to Dream¡­ Akumu would change into a whole other person. The raging man smiled, his anger subsiding somewhat. "Don''t worry about me, Kuro¡­ I''m just a little angry, that''s all..." The man shook his head. In his life, Akumu had only cared about two beings. Dream, the woman that saved him and Kuro, the Spirit Beasts that he took in. Although Dream was gone, at least Kuro was still by his side. "Right now, I''m far too ignorant to understand Dream''s actions. I probably won''t decipher these two words as well¡­ However, I will¡­ No, I must do it! Even if the world turns its back on Dream, I never would!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Swearing on his life, Akumu took one final look at those two words on the wall. He couldn''t stare at it long, but he could feel Dream''s intent when she wrote those words. So what if Dream wasn''t around? So what if she had ascended into the Immortal Realm? Akumu was still here! He had all the resources he needed in the Uncharted Wilderness. He knew all of Dream''s blueprints and plans as well! Akumu had everything he needed to build Heaven''s Gate! Taking one final look at the two mystical words, Akumu sighed: "I will definitely solve this mystery, Dream¡­ I will definitely reunite with you in the Immortal Realm!" ??? "That''s how my destiny with Dream ended five hundred years ago..." The Allfather ended his story, his gaze still plastered on the beautiful statue that he''d personally built. The hall was silent as a church. Ao watched the almighty being he faithfully followed sigh constantly with longing. The Allfather had spent centuries trying to build Heaven''s Gate. He''d gathered some of the Uncharted Wilderness strongest beasts¡­ Spent millions of Aether Crystals on building his army. Created an unending supply of Umbras¡­ All so he could open the path to Heaven''s Gate and meet the one he missed the most. For the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, opening Heaven''s Gate was a way to escape their own lifespan, a method to obtain everlasting life. However, for the Allfather, Heaven''s Gate was his only way to meet his most beloved. "Am I a fool, Ao? To do so much for one person?" "No, Akumu..." Ao laughed. If it were ten years ago, the World Serpent would have scoffed at the Allfather''s foolishness. However, after being acquainted with Junius, the youngling that Ao sought to nurture, the World Serpent somehow understood the Allfather''s actions. "You''re being true to yourself." "True to myself..." The hooded figure chuckled. "Yeah, you''re right. I am true to myself." Placing his hand on Dream''s statue, the Allfather continued: "I want to meet Dream again¡­ But my talent is lacking. No matter how hard I tried, the Rank 99 barrier is impossible to breach. So all these years, I have relied on building Heaven''s Gate to enter the Immortal Realm. But I failed time and time again..." The Allfather thought of the Obsidian Gate he painstakingly built. Till this day, the Allfather hadn''t figured out the method to open Heaven''s Gate. Therefore, he created the Black Masks to spread conflict all throughout the world, hoping to simulate a period of chaos reminiscent to the ancient world that gave birth to three Spirit Immortals. The Allfather wanted to turn geniuses into legends and hopefully¡­ Legends into Immortals. And the Allfather had succeeded. Through his actions, he''d created Shin Iofiel, the world''s greatest Legend since Dream. Now, once he''d matured, Shin would be strong enough to fight toe-to-toe with the Allfather and possibly giving him a chance to break into the Immortal Realm. Then, with his connection to the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the Allfather could bring them all into his ascension. But first¡­ Shin had to grow stronger¡­ And to do that¡­ "I must execute the next phase..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 562 Triumphant Return! 1 Year 819. The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. "The Prince has slain the Blade of Death! The Prince has slain the Blade of Death! The Black Masks had created the Gate to Hell, but it was foiled by the Prince''s ingenious schemes! The World Serpent had been severely injured by the eight Spirit Venerates! The Allfather has lost! The Allfather has lost!" Echoes of Shin''s expedition west reverberated through the densely populated island. Newspapers were spread throughout the nation, announcing every single legendary deed that Shin had accomplished. From the very beginning, when Shizen had perished under Junius blade, to the moment that Shin foiled the Allfather''s plans for the west once and for all... Everything was published and circulated for all to see. However, the one thing that shook the nation far more than any other was Shin''s new cultivation level. A twenty-three-year-old Rank 60 Spirit King¡­ How absurd was that?! Becoming a Spirit Practitioner was easy. Most humans in the world, once they underwent the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, would instantly become Rank 1 Spirit Practitioners. However, that was the only easy part. Cultivation was a long and arduous process, and many failed at the first level. It was said that only half of all humans could cultivate out from the Spirit Practitioner level and advanced into the Spirit Apostle realm. Those that entered the Spirit Apostle realm within ten years would be considered to be average talents. Those that did it in five could consider themselves as the top ten percent. Those that did it in three would be the best of the best. Any lower, and they would be placed on a pedestal, alongside super-geniuses such as Spirit Immortal Dream. Shin and Kanari were part of that elite club. However, the two of them took it one step further. Crossing the first barrier of mortality at Rank 40 was considered to be a dangerous step. Only one percent of the entire human population could ever reach those heights. That was how difficult it was. However, freaks such as Shin and Kanari existed and reaching Rank 40 was just a matter of time. Those that ascended before they were twenty-five would be granted the legendary title of Luminary. Shin and Kanari made that jump when they were barely twenty. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. That deed alone was enough to write their names down in the history books as some of the best cultivators to ever grace the planet. But Shin wasn''t done. In three years, he leapt from Rank 40 to Rank 50. The moment a cultivator passed the first barrier of mortality and extended their lifespan by a hundred years, in theory, their cultivation should have slowed. Going from Rank 40 to Rank 50 should be two times harder than it was going from Rank 30 to 40. Adding to that, Rank 50 to 60 should be three times harder than it was going from Rank 40 to 50. That was the main reason why there were so few powerful cultivators in the upper realms, and why Luminaries were so highly valued. Alas, Shin doesn''t care about such restrictions. With his Celestial Dragon and the Hymn of Origin, Shin could absorb far more elements than before. The Hymn of Origin could cultivate in Water, Light, Mind, Space and Time elements, making it far easier for Shin to make breakthrough after breakthrough. Hence, in a mere three years, Shin was able to advance from Rank 40 to 50. And just when the world thought that they''d seen it all¡­ Shin''s trip to the Uncharted Wilderness had allowed him to return back as a Rank 60 Spirit King. It should be known, anyone who could reach the Spirit King realm before fifty would be seen as a person who could easily make it into the Spirit Venerate realm. Reaching that level before forty would make them a potential Spirit Saint contender. Below thirty, they would be the genius of an era, one that only came by once in ten thousand years. As for those that became Spirit Kings below twenty-five¡­ The number of humans in the world''s history who had reached that legendary status could be counted with the fingers of one hand. A Rank 60 Spirit King at twenty-three¡­ If not for Dream''s existence, Shin could have been the greatest genius of all time. In many ways, Shin could be considered as the next Spirit Immortal, one that could match Dream''s legacy. Thus, the Lantis Republic had already dubbed him as such. "The next Spirit Immortal, the Prince of Water. Quite a catchy headline!" A peal of hearty laughter thundered through the dining room of Shin''s mansion. Seated at one corner of the table, a blonde beauty happily bit down on her red apple, spilling all sorts of juices out of her mouth. Her left hand was supporting the thick parchment paper that had an assortment of words. However, most of them were recounting the deeds of the heroic Shin Iofiel. The blonde choked: "Shin Iofiel, the greatest genius that the Lantis Republic had ever produced? Hmph! What did they do to ''produce'' you? Wasn''t it all my hard work and effort?" "Yes, Master. You''re the one that put in the most effort..." A cool voice answered Lady Seph, though there was a tinge of humour in the man''s tone. Seated at the head of the table, a black-haired man wore the calmest smile that one could ever possess. His face was bright and azure eyes as sharp as can be. Anyone who gazed upon the man''s visage would be instantly entranced by his regal air, even though he was younger than most. "You''re teasing me again, Shin..." Lady Seph squinted her eyes, giving her disciple a death glare. Other than the Prince of Water, who else could sny sarcastically back at the Divine Healer? "Hah, the young would eventually bully the old¡­ I remember the days where you were a slacker that argued over cleaning the toilet¡­ How I wish to return to those days!" "Master¡­ Why are you making it sound like I was only good for cleaning toilets?" "Huh? Wasn''t that the case?" "..." The man of the hour, the Prince that everyone was talking about, had been shut clean by his Master''s teasing words. By Shin''s side, many youngsters stifled their chuckles as they leisurely took small bites from their luxurious meals. "Hmmm, the Prince of Cleaning¡­ Somehow that has a nice ring to it!" Never one to let an opportunity to tease Shin slip by, Elrin purred in defiance. "Lady Seraphim, would you please pen down some of your experiences with Shin back at Yakkyoku Clinic? If I sell that information to the Celestial Times, I wonder how much gold I would earn?" "... Ninety-ten." Lady Seph thought about it before seriously giving an offer. "No! That''s far too steep! You have to realise the number of connections I have to pull! How about seventy-thirty?" "Eighty-twenty¡­ No lower!" "Deal!" Elrin immediately shook the beauty''s hand, snapping down the contract before Lady Seph changed her mind. Now, everyone was raving about Shin Iofiel, the youngest genius alive. Essentially, now anything remotely related to Shin could be exchanged for a good amount of gold. Therefore, one could only imagine what sort of wealth would a book series depicting Shin''s origins would generate. Seeing the two women, separated by a near two-hundred-year age gap, hit it off over money, Shin shook his head. "You guys..." "Shin, I may be a Divine Healer, but my methods for earning money here is limited." Lady Seph regretfully said. Playing down her earning potential, the blonde beauty turned her head to the side, as a tear fell down her left eye. "Would you pardon this unfit Master of yours? Selling your body for cash?" "Master, you could just ask me for gold if you really need-..." "I''m sorry Shin! Please forgive this bad Master!" The play continued on, with Shin simply holding his head in frustration and his companions all hiding their laughter. It has been a while¡­ It has been a while since Shin''s immediate surroundings were so¡­ warm. "Anyway, have any of you seen Kanari? Is she skipping lunch today?" In an attempt to shift the conversation, Shin pointed out the absence of his bosom partner. Emma was the first to answer this time: "She''s with Errol." A succinct reply, but that was all Shin needed."Ah, I see..." Shin flashed a warm smile. Errol was Junius and Shia''s son named after the Awter Clan''s original Clan Master, Shin''s father, Errol Awter. With no family, the infant was completely defenceless on his own. And although he was carrying out justice, it was a fact that Shin slew Junius and as a consequence, caused Shia to take her own life. Errol''s orphan situation was solely attributed to Shin''s actions. Therefore, Shin had decided to adopt Errol into his care, to raise him as his own and different to how the Frie Clan had brought them up. Kanari, who was now engaged to Shin, couldn''t just let the boy be. If Shin were to become Errol''s father, Kanari would be his mother. Though they weren''t related by blood, Kanari has long seen Errol as her first child. Furthermore, she was at the age where her motherly desire would kick in. Kanari wanted to care for the child just like she would her own. Other than feeding the boy breast milk, Kanari did everything that she could for Errol. "Kanari isn''t even married, and she already has a child¡­ I wonder what the world would think?" Elrin winked at Shin, deliberately trying to poke her friend for a reaction. "You don''t have to worry about what the world thinks, Elrin. If they dare make fun of Kanari, they would feel the wrath of my Dragon''s Tear!" Shin joked. "Ah, but I do have to do something about her marital status though. I can''t stand it when others call her Miss Saniela instead of Missus Iofiel." Stunned by Shin''s bold statement, Elrin raised both her brows. However, she quickly settled herself. She was at the forefront when Kanari first awakened her feelings for Shin. Thus, one could say that Elrin had been there at the very beginning of their blossoming relationship. Elrin couldn''t be happier that her bosom friend had now gotten what she deserved. "Hehe, at least you''re smart!" The dinner continued on harmoniously. Shin would be teased left and right by the predominantly female cast at the dinner table while breathing in the delicious lamb chops on the table. That was until an emotionless voice broke the jovial laughter. "By the way, Shin¡­ What''s your plan now? Is it a convenient time to share it?" Ella, the ponytailed twin, asked her childhood friend about what to expect from the future. They had taken out Junius, their longtime foe and the man who killed Shizen. They had foiled the Black Masks'' plans in the west and crippled their entire organisation in the process. So¡­ What''s next? Although Shin had said something about creating a counter organisation to deal with the Black Masks, he''d been busy with a string of meetings to elaborate anything about that plan. ''Looks like Shizen''s death is still affecting her...'' Shin looked at the cold woman, whose eyes lacked its usual radiance. He knew that Ella had a thing for Shizen, but he''d never expected their feelings to be that deep. Perhaps, without Junius as a target, Ella had now focused all of her energy on the Black Masks and the Allfather. "No, I can share my thoughts. You brought up a great point, Ella." Shin gently placed down his cutlery and stared at all those present. There was Lady Seph, his great Master and the world''s top healer. Seated next to her was Kesyl, the apprentice that had long become Shin''s junior-sister. Elrin, the expert merchant that was the number two figure of the Zedcris Conglomerate. The twins, two of the most exceptional archer talents of their generation. Isadore and Kanari weren''t present, but no one dared to forget their existence. If not for Shin, they would be the two brightest stars of their generation. All of those talents were now under Shin''s wing and ready to move at a moment''s notice. "First things first, I already gained permission from the Alliance to set up Guardian Sword. However, to do that, I need talented people¡­ Personnel that I can trust." Shin winked at the twins and the pair instantly caught his intentions. "You can''t mean..." "That''s right," Shin chuckled as he looked towards the west window. "It is time to gather all the orphans together once more!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 563 Triumphant Return! 2 "Gather the orphans? It''s about time!" Emma was grinning from ear to ear just thinking about reuniting with them. The orphans were Shin''s closest allies, having followed him since they were born. Originally consisting of Shin, Ella, Emma, Ryner, Lia, Elyse, Fionn, Max, Jacob, Junius and Lily, the orphans were a tight-knit group. They''d been through many highs and lows together and had even cried themselves through devastating tragedies. Even after Lily passed and Junius defected to the other side, the orphans continued to band together under Shin''s umbrella. In a sense, Shin trusted the orphans more than he would Lady Seph or Kanari. Therefore, if Shin wanted to recruit people into his new organisation, the orphans would be an easy first choice. Furthermore, the orphans were an assortment of talents that each had their own specialities. Shin was a genius that trailblazed through his own generation, topping every chart for the most talented youth alive. Ella and Emma, though weaker and less talented than Shin, were still top cultivators and master archers. With the help of Shin''s Celestial Aura and the Meijing''s Clan years of wisdom, the twins had reached Rank 42 and 41 respectively. A mean feat for someone under twenty-five. In a sense, they could be considered as part of the new generation of Luminaries. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Though not all of the orphans were blessed with superior cultivation talent. Ryner, the oldest among them, had been stagnant at the Rank 30 Spirit Adept realm for a long time. However, that didn''t mean that Ryner was completely talentless. His Acidic Salamander Spirit had served him well in his hunting day-job, and he''d risen up to the upper echelons of the hunting community. Ryner treated the forest as if it were his second home and his experience in the wild would prove invaluable for Shin''s new organisation when it came to hunting Black Masks and the Umbras they''d created. Elyse and Fionn had followed the same path that Shin and the twins did by enrolling in Imperius Academy. After going through so many trials and tribulations, the pair weren''t the same lovable daughters of cuddliness that Shin had remembered. One with a Scythe and the other with a Dagger, the pair were known in Imperius Academy as the two Daughters of Hades. Particularly Fionn, with her Reaper''s Scythe, the cold-looking maiden looked like the incarnate of death itself. In terms of raw firepower, Elyse and Fionn couldn''t possibly match up to the monsters that were Shin or Kanari. However, their Wind-Elemental abilities could prove helpful when it came to gathering information. As Shin was resting, Isadore was in the midst of building up his very own information network exclusively for Guardian Sword to use. Isadore may be the figurehead of Guardian Sword''s new network, but he would require some talented hands to help him out. Shin was thinking of employing the two Daughters of Hades into that role. And then, there were Lia, Max and Jacob. Leaving aside Lia, who was the glue that stuck the entire orphans together, Max and Jacob had practically zero cultivation talent. Both of them barely condensed their Spirit Core, and it was questionable if they could break through the first barrier of mortality. However, though their cultivation levels were lacking, their expertise in other fields were above the charts. Max had taken apprenticeship under the Zedcris Conglomerate and had been slowly climbing the ranks. At a tender age, he was handed down the keys to a small store and had been rubbing shoulders with various company presidents. He inherited Elrin''s signature silver tongue, and his negotiation tactics were refined to a tee. Among the orphans, he was possibly the best when it came to administrative and logistical tasks. For an organisation, such a talent was invaluable, not to mention, Shin trusted Max with everything that he had. Jacob was a slightly different case. He had been studying hard in the Himmel National Institute of Science and Technology, in hopes of progressing his scientific career. Jacob wasn''t particularly a genius, but his knowledge of science and technology was unquestionably the highest among the orphans. If he joined Guardian Sword, Jacob could seamlessly integrate new technologies into their processes as well as liaison with Lady Seph to investigate the deeper meanings behind the Allfather''s technologies. Finally, there was Lia. She wasn''t skilled in anything and had focused all of her attention to housework and cooking. Lia''s cultivation wasn''t that great either as she was among the bottom three. However, if anyone were to question the orphans who was the most important among them, their fingers would all universally point to Lia. She was the ''mom'' of the group, the glue that kept them all together. Anytime any of the orphan''s had a grievance, Lia was the first to know about it. Shin, Ella, Emma, Ryner, Lia, Elyse, Fionn, Max and Jacob¡­ These were the nine remaining orphans of the Frie Clan. They''ve been through thick and thin, weathered so many storms to get to this point. It made sense for Shin to gather them all so that they could ride out the rest of their lives together. "Hehe, I can''t wait to see Sister Lia and the rest!" Emma let out her signature giggle. She was a fully-grown twenty-three-year-old and many looked up to her as a Luminary. However, at this moment, she was just a mere child who couldn''t wait to see her family. "Yeah, I can''t wait to meet them all again as well." Shin smiled. Now that one issue was dealt with, Shin looked over to the blonde beauty, who was happily reading the newspaper. "Master, I would have to trouble you to be the anchor Spirit Venerate of Guardian Sword. Don''t worry, I won''t send you on missions!" "Foolish child, you don''t have to be that worried about me. Anytime you need me, I''ll join you." Lady Seph chuckled. Back when Shin was still a mere junior that couldn''t protect himself, Lady Seph would accompany him everywhere. Even if she wasn''t physically present, her Golden String of Fate ensured that Lady Seph''s phantom could appear whenever Shin was in trouble. Now that Shin was a Rank 60 Spirit King as well as the bearer of the Celestial Dragon, few in the world could match his might. Not to mention, there was a dominant Azure Dragon Lord constantly guarding the youth as if he were the most precious jewel in the world. "Then I''ll trouble you, Master. Junior-sister, I''ve discussed this with Uncle Mesyl. You''ll be helping Master." Shin diverted his attention to the young maiden who had long taken over Shin''s role as Lady Seph''s primary sla-... apprentice. "It would be my honour." Kesyl simply smiled and gave a cute curtsy. "That''s good to hear," Shin smiled. Shin was eternally grateful of Lady Seph''s presence. Some might say that Lady Seph was the prime reason why he''d gotten this far, and Shin certainly wouldn''t disagree. When Guardian Sword was formed, Shin would give Lady Seph an entire branch all to herself. Allowing her to decipher any clues about the Allfather or the relics of Spirit Immortal Dream. For that, Kesyl needs to be by her side to assist the eccentric healer in whatever shape or form. "Elrin, I know that you''re busy with Uncle Terlus'' tasks, but could I trouble you with Guardian Sword''s finances?" Shin turned to his comrade, who had hidden her jester intentions. "Among us, you''re the most knowledgeable about how to manage our resources and finances. If we add Max to the fray¡­ Our administrative team would be quite the beast." The white-haired woman paused for a while before flashing her pearly white teeth: "Would you let me profit off Guardian Sword?" "... Make sure you ask me about the plans first." "Hehe, then you can count on me!" The little imp rubbed her index finger and her thumb together as she declared her addition. "Kanari and I would be the two anchors of Guardian Sword. Our main goal is to neutralise any threat of the Black Masks, be it Payircis or guerilla attacks." Shin outlined the basic tasks that Guardian Sword would be responsible for. "So we''re basically going to be the White Knights 2.0?" Elrin joked. "Haha, I guess you could put it that way! I''ve asked the Alliance to recommend some good personnel that could join Guardian Sword, be it temporary or permanent. Also, the Lantis Republic and Himmel Empire had agreed to loan some of their talents to get Guardian Sword up-and-running." Being the Prince of the Lantis Republic, as well as a former resident of the Himmel Empire, the two governments were more kindly disposed to Shin and his cause. Not to mention, forming Guardian Sword was a good thing. It could temper their younger generation as they faced off against the Black Masks and protected the general population of the planet. "That''s great news! We need talent more than any other! I mean, Shin you''re strong and all, but even you can''t be at multiple places at once!" "So true," Lady Seph nodded at Emma''s concerned screams. "I''m glad that you''re working hard, but be careful not to overtax yourself, Shin. I can heal your physical and to a certain extent, mental state, but I don''t have a cure for exhaustion." "You don''t have to worry, Master. I know my limits." Shin''s heart warmed. As their dinner continued on, a soft thud echoed through the luxurious dining chamber. Every single soul snapped their heads to the door, where the noise came from, only to see a graceful young woman walk inside. Her ruby-like eyes were sparkling under the chandelier light, making anyone who peered into them, enthralled. Black, vibrant hair fell to her bum, which highlighted her already thin waist. Shin''s face blossomed into a smile as he saw the woman walking in with grace. Anyone would be happy to see their blushing bride-to-be. However, what added to Shin''s happiness was the sleeping infant cradled in Kanari''s arms. "How''s Errol?" Shin immediately got off his feet and placed his hands over Kanari''s waist, while the other supported the baby''s head. "He''s doing much better than I''d thought," Kanari replied. "The wet nurses said that they''ve never seen such an obedient baby. Crying whenever he''s hungry and sleeping whenever he needs to." "Haha, isn''t that what all babies are supposed to do?" "Is that it? I don''t know..." Kanari blinked innocently. Evidently, the wet nurses were pulling on the ignorant Kanari''s leg, and who could blame them? Kanari''s face, when she was holding Errol, was one to behold. Who could believe that the continually smiling beauty was the woman renowned worldwide as the Witch in the South? "Well, crying normally is a good sign. I was afraid that bringing Errol over would harm his development. Fortunately, that doesn''t seem to be the case." "Errol has been rather well-behaved¡­ I wonder if all babies are like that?" "Hehe..." Shin chuckled as he leaned in on Kanari''s ear. "I''ll work hard so that we''ll find out..." A crimson blush heated up Kanari''s face, but she didn''t seem flustered. Instead, she smiled back: "Hmph! I''ll find out later tonight!" "Yes, yes! Of course, you will!" This was it. Why was Shin fighting so hard in his life? Why did he spend so much of his time and effort to oppose the dastardly Black Masks? Why did he oppose the Allfather this much, even though it might take his life? It was to spend time like these... with the ones he held most dear. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 564 Dreams Under The Starless Night Sky 1 Two sweaty bodies laid bare on the mattress, covered by a thick silk duvet to warm their privates. Beads of salty sweat dripped down from both their faces as it looked like the couple had just run a full marathon. The pungent aroma of musk and honey filled the nostrils of the pair as they took rapid breaths in. Beneath them lay puddles of fluids, mostly sweat, that stained their luxurious beddings. Not that the couple cared about money though. After a full eight hours of coiling around like snakes, Shin and Kanari separated, not by their desire, but by pure necessity. "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ I think we overdid it..." Shin tiredly muttered out. Red markings criss crossed his chiselled body, and his lean chest kept falling and rising rapidly. "Dra¡­ Dragon''s lust¡­ I''d thou¡­ thought it was just a legend... Who would have guessed¡­ guessed that I would experience it first-hand?" Kanari was similarly out of breath. She was a combat-type Spirit User, and her Kumiho Spirit was not one to be scoffed at. However, Kanari didn''t have limitless stamina. It took all that she had to keep up with Shin''s insatiable desire so much so that Kanari was already having second thoughts for tempting Shin all those years. Whatever¡­ There was no point crying over spilt milk. Since Kanari had opened Pandora''s Box, all she could do was accept Shin''s Dragon Lust. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Kanari small head was comfortably snuggling on Shin''s outreached arm. Just lying there on the bed with her loved one was enough to give her endless bliss. Kanari had chased Shin for so long, chipping away at his defensive walls bit by bit. Now that she''d got her goal, Kanari never wanted this happiness to end. Her fingers gently made circles around Shin''s broad chest, tickling and greatly amusing the fatigued young man. "Hmmm? What''s wrong?" "No, it''s nothing¡­ Just happy, that''s all. It''s not every day that we get to enjoy each other''s company, worry-free." "I see..." The black-haired man chuckled and didn''t continue. Kanari was right, they were worry-free, mostly that is. Junius had been killed, and Ariel, Lily and Shizen had been avenged. The Allfather''s plan had been foiled, and the Black Masks were forced to lay low. Millions, if not billions of lives had been saved when the Obsidian Gate had been destroyed. And last but not least, Shin was about to reunite with the people he held most dear. With a beauty in his arms, Shin was perhaps in the happiest state he''d ever been in years. However¡­ That made Shin exceedingly conflicted. His radiant smile that basked in the afterglow of sex was quickly replaced with a melancholic frown. Kanari was looking down at her man''s chest, so it was obvious that she couldn''t see that change. However, being the woman that stood next to Shin the most, Kanari could sense the overall change in mood. Looking up, she asked: "What''s the matter?" "Kanari, I..." Shin was stunned at the sudden question. He looked down at those ruby-like eyes that screamed of innocence and concern. Kanari was genuinely worried about her man''s mental state. ''No, I shouldn''t hide anything from her¡­ Kanari is going to be my wife. I should share everything that I''m thinking with her...'' Shin steeled his resolve. Kanari had sacrificed so much for him, and Shin had barely reciprocated the feeling. If he wanted their relationship to work, Shin had to open up everything that he had to the gorgeous woman. "Kanari, to be honest¡­ I''m feeling very conflicted right now¡­" "What do you mean?" Kanari blinked. "See¡­ When I first left Frie Mountain¡­ When I first joined Imperius Academy, no¡­ The reason why I joined Imperius Academy in the first place was to fulfil two main goals." Shin paused, his fingers climbing up Kanari''s naked back and gently caressing her slender nape. Purring, Kanari questioned: "What were they?" "First, to bring Junius to justice, avenging Ariel and Sister Lily. And secondly¡­ To chase Yggdrasil¡­ To reach the Immortal Realm and to hopefully¡­ revive Ariel." Shin didn''t wait to see Kanari''s response. In fact, it wouldn''t be surprising if Kanari knew about the goals in the first place, given how close they were. "These two goals were what had defined my relentless drive to improve, to always train until my knuckles bled. To always seek improvement even in the darkest of hours. Everything that I''ve done to this point revolved around those two goals." "Ah, right..." Kanari vaguely remembered Emma mentioning Shin''s goals before. However, she had been too drunk with the recent happiness she''d had to remember. "The first goal had been fulfilled. I''ve killed Junius with my own two hands, and on his deathbed, he''d repented. All of my training had paid off. The battle with Junius wasn''t even a fight." Shin wasn''t blowing his own horn. At his current level, few cultivators could challenge his power. His martial arts, overpowered yet versatile arsenal of spiritual abilities, his intellect in battle¡­ Even Junius, the man widely feared as the Blade of Death, was barely a challenge for Shin''s prowess. However, Shin didn''t feel accomplished for making it this far. Instead, he felt¡­ empty. "I know that the Allfather and the Black Masks possess far more powerful enemies than Junius, however¡­ My main objective for becoming stronger had been conquered. I don''t know¡­ I don''t know how I can grow from here on out..." Shin honestly relayed his feelings onto Kanari, who had been listening intently from the very beginning. "Shin..." "That''s not all, Kanari..." Shin shook his head. "Come with me..." Gently removing Kanari''s head off his arm, Shin pivoted off the bed and reached for a silk robe. Kanari rapidly did the same. Coarsely tying the robe in shape, Shin waited for Kanari to get ready before grabbing onto her palms. With one hand, Shin held onto his lover''s hand. The other one gently pushed open the balcony''s door, revealing a starless night. The night was cold, as expected from Celestial Island at this time of year, but Shin didn''t feel the chill. Kanari embraced the man by the waist, transferring her body heat to him, and vice-versa. Shin gazed up at the sky. Though there weren''t any stars to speak off, the luminous moon that hung overhead made the night all the more picturesque. Was the moon something like this when Shin and Ariel first talked about chasing Yggdrasil? Shin couldn''t remember. However, just thinking about that night put a broad smile on his face. Alas, that was the source of his confusion¡­ His feelings towards Ariel. "Kanari, I loved Ariel. I loved her more than anything else in my life..." Shin declared his affection to another woman who was not his future wife. The sides of Kanari''s lips flinched a little, but she didn''t interrupt Shin. "My second goal¡­ The drive to become powerful enough to chase Yggdrasil¡­ It was all because I loved Ariel so much that I couldn''t bear not seeing her ever again. In the past, each time I closed my eyes, I could see her tomboyish face filled with freckles and her gorgeous smile that just oozes with cheerfulness. I''d thought¡­ My feelings from back then would never change. I''d thought¡­ That once I reached the Immortal Realm, I could live happily ever after with Ariel and all those that passed on¡­ However..." Shin''s gaze never left the moon. There was a tinge of sadness, anxiety and most importantly of all¡­ turbulence. "In recent days, those dreams haunt me less and less now. I now no longer remember Ariel''s scent. I can see her face in my memory, but I can''t remember if she had any moles or not. Before, whenever I closed my eyes, I could see Ariel''s face as if she were standing right in front of me. Now, it''s starting to get fuzzy." At this point, Shin tightened his grasp on Kanari''s hands, turning over to the young woman. There was a slight murmur in his tone, as the man failed to keep a straight face. Confusion went left unchecked would lead to paranoia. And paranoia went left unchecked¡­ would lead to primal fear. "I love Ariel¡­ But did I really love her enough if I can forget her?" Shin was afraid¡­ He was afraid of his own feelings, about his own convictions. Shin had everything now. A beauty in his hands. A loving family in the form of the orphans and Lady Seph. Backing by one of the most powerful nations in the world. Eternal friendships with his closest allies. Shin had everything, and he was... happy. "I''ve been living my life in the hopes of reviving Ariel, however long that takes. But as I grew older, I started to realize many things. When I reached the Immortal Realm and manage to revive Ariel¡­ Wouldn''t she be just fourteen? I''m now twenty-three, and god knows how long would I take to become a Spirit Immortal. Even if I''m fast and transcend my mortality forever in twenty, thirty years, I would still be a forty or fifty-year-old man. Would it be proper for me to love Ariel as I loved you now?" Shin recalled the fiery time he''d just had with Kanari. There was no way that he, as someone who was much more mature than a fourteen-year-old, would condone such an act with a revived Ariel. "By the time we beat the Black Masks, by the time I become strong enough to rise above the firmament and transcend all mortals¡­ Will my love for Ariel still be the same? Right now, my feelings have already started to erode, be it by time or by my association with you. When I have children, when I have a family, when I become older¡­ Would my feelings still be the same? My second goal¡­ Would I still want to achieve it?" That was the source of Shin''s confusion. He didn''t know¡­ He didn''t know what he was fighting for anymore. Yes, he wanted to see Ariel right now, but as time continued to flow, Shin''s resolve started to wane. The source of his relentless drive to improve had been shaken, and Shin couldn''t be more confused. There was no question that he still loved Ariel, but recently¡­ Kanari had been slowly climbing through the ranks. In fact, it was to the point where Shin now loved Ariel and Kanari equally as much. One was his childhood love that Shin couldn''t forget. The other was his wife-to-be, who had stuck with him through thick and thin. No¡­ In a few decades, Shin was confident that his love for Kanari would deepen. Then¡­ Would Shin still have the desire to chase Yggdrasil? "Shin, you little fool..." Kanari wasn''t put off by her man''s inner turmoil, though. Instead, she looked at her man with exceedingly warm eyes. Shin was a genius, that was for certain. Alas, he wasn''t particularly adept with his emotions. He was a man that wore his heart on his sleeve. If Shin were angry, he would scream. If he were sad, he would cry. If Shin were confused, he would willingly show his weakest state. All of these weren''t negatives in Kanari''s eyes though. "Do you remember the promise you''ve made me?" Kanari declared, only to be met with an inquisitive look by her man. "Which one?" "You''ll continue to seek Ariel, to reach the Immortal Realm. However, in the mortal realm, you''ll never love another¡­ other than me." Kanari reflected on the time she''d shedded the first barrier of mortality. Shin had came to her cave and gave her that oath, possibly to ease her mind for smooth progress into the higher realm. It was also the day where Shin officially became her boyfriend. "In the beginning, I''d harboured a small amount of discontent¡­ I''ve done so much for you, but yet, I was still your number two. However, because I could earn your heart, I''d thought that it was all worth it." Kanari continued. "But I soon got to thinking¡­ Why was I willing to love you so much even though you were still chasing another? I thought about it long and hard¡­ I could have gotten any man in the world, and their sole dedication would be solely on me¡­ So why was I so willing to relegate myself to the number two spot? And I think I''ve recently got the answer..." The ethereal beauty smiled: "It''s because¡­ I wanted your love. Shin, your dedication¡­ Your blind faith to chase Yggdrasil, even though you don''t know if it exists or not just to see Ariel once more¡­ I wanted that desire all for myself." "That..." Truth to be told, Shin felt bad for relegating Kanari to second place. However, Shin was a person who followed his heart. Back then, he simply loved Ariel too much. He loved her too much to even consider a second choice. Kanari shook her head. "I''m not blaming you¡­ I would have probably done the same. I can understand your predicament, and I know why you''re confused, but Shin..." The beauty let out an impish smile, one that was only trumped by their resident jester Elrin''s. Leaning into Shin''s ear, Kanari whispered: "Who said that you could only chase Yggdrasil for Ariel?" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 565 Dreams Under The Starless Night Sky 2 "Who said that you could only chase Yggdrasil for Ariel?" Kanari asked, her face coming closer towards her man''s lips. "What do you mean?" Obviously, Shin was confused. He turned back at Kanari and shot a look of inquiry. "Shin¡­ You''re the most talented cultivator of our times, no¡­ You''re possibly the most talented cultivator since Spirit Immortal Dream! Ascending into the Immortal Realm is difficult, more so than any other deed in humanity''s existence! There''s a reason why in a million years of human existence, only twenty-one Spirit Immortals emerged. However, Shin¡­ You have a real shot at doing so! Shouldn''t you be aiming for a perfection that only a few could ever hope to reach?" "..." The young man''s brows softened up, and his shoulders dropped. Taking that final step into the unknown¡­ Many dreamed of achieving that! Although it wasn''t confirmed that Shin could take that step, at least he had a significantly higher chance than anyone else in the world. Even the Allfather, a man who had lived at least twenty times longer than Shin, had a lower chance of entering the elusive Spirit Immortal realm. "Also..." And Kanari wasn''t done. She blushed and gazed down on the concrete balcony that held their weights, not daring to look Shin in the eye. "I know myself¡­ I''m talented, no doubt about it, but there''s no way that I could ascend. I''m a Spirit Lord now, and I can already start to feel my cultivation slowing down tremendously. If not for your Celestial Dragon aura, I wouldn''t have made it this far..." "Kanari, you don''t have to beat yourself down¡­ I-I..." "Let me finish, Shin..." Placing her index finger on Shin''s lips, Kanari silenced her man as she attempted to raise another point. "I''m not as talented as you, and there''s no hope of me becoming the next Spirit Immortal after you. So¡­ My fate is to return to dust¡­ To become a footnote in history... I don''t want that..." "Kanari, don''t say that¡­ I''m sure that you can easily become a Spirit Immortal!" Shin tried to cheer his fiancee up but to no avail. "There''s a reason why only twenty-one Spirit Immortals exist, Shin." The ethereal beauty continually shook her head. Kanari was well-aware of her limits. She was talented, yes. However, to become a Spirit Immortal, one needed more than just sheer talent. They needed resilience and a one-sided dedication, aspects that couldn''t be cultivated or learnt. Ultimately, Kanari had been privileged since birth. She wasn''t like Shin, who had been meandering through tragedy after tragedy, becoming stronger with each challenge that he faces. In the end, Kanari could only helplessly age and watch as Shin transcend his mortality. And that was too much for Kanari to bear. "I know this may be selfish of me, but I want to be with you¡­ Even after this life. I may not be your number one then, but I still want to be with you. Chasing Yggdrasil¡­ You started off with the pure desire to only see Ariel. However¡­ If I may be so bold¡­ Could you revive me as well?" "T-that! Touchwood!" Shin spat. Why would Kanari talk about reviving her when she was clearly alive and well before his eyes? "Don''t joke about that, Kanari. I will never let you pass on like Ariel did..." A radiant smile bloomed on the beauty''s face as her heart warmed. Knowing that Shin cared for her that much really pleased her entire being. Alas, no matter how protective Shin was¡­ "No, Shin. No matter what happens, as long as we don''t become Spirit Immortals, we are all fated to pass on. You may be able to protect me from all the danger in the world, but you can''t save me from time itself. The same goes for the rest of the people we all love. Lady Seph, Emma, Elyse, Isadore¡­ When our soul fire burns out, we will all pass on." "Kanari..." "When that happens¡­ You''ll be the only one left to experience eternity¡­ I don''t think that you would want that." Kanari gently grabbed onto Shin''s outreached hand and gave it a tight squeeze. She knew her man more than any other. Kanari knew how sentimental Shin was. She knew how much Shin treasured his personal relationships. Perhaps it was due to his lack of parents, Shin treated everyone dear to him as his close family. Be it Junius or Shizen. Lady Seph or herself. Shin treated everyone with a devotion that would be hardly matched by any other. It was the source of his strength, but it could also be the source of his weakness. Eventually, Shin would stand at the apex of the world. That was his destiny. No, he would transcend this world to become the next Spirit Immortal. Kanari was sure of that. However, that could only occur if Shin had people he loved standing by his side. At the moment, there were many. The orphans, Isadore, Elrin, Lady Seph, Meijing Bingying, Longyu Tian¡­ There were people that could spur him onwards. However¡­ What would happen if Shin lost them all? War with the Black Masks was inevitable and even if none of them died during the endless turmoil¡­ Eventually, time itself would do the deed. What would Shin do then? With no one by his side, would Shin still have the will to transcend? Kanari doubted it. "Shin¡­ You were chasing Yggdrasil to meet Ariel once more. And that''s fine. However, if you are willing¡­ Could you revive me as well?" Kanari weakly asked. Until now, Kanari wasn''t certain if her position in Shin''s heart outweighed Ariel''s. She was afraid¡­ She was afraid that Shin would only revive Ariel at the Eternal Burning Tree. "Silly lass," a playful voice echoed out from Shin''s throat, chiding the woman in his arms. "Of course I would." The man enjoyed the intoxicating pheromones that oozed off Kanari''s tender flesh. Shin ran his fingers through Kanari''s hair, gently calming both himself and her. "Though, I would rather you not die in the first place and ascend together with me. After all¡­ I can''t confirm that Yggdrasil is a myth or reality." Yggdrasil was a popular folklore passed down from generation to generation. Many believed in it, but an equal number of people denounced it. A well that housed all living souls? It sounded too good to be true. Shin wanted to believe it and had always worked towards the Immortal Realm believing in Yggdrasil. However, as he grew older, Shin''s heart started to become a little more doubtful. He saw the world in a more logical light, and Yggdrasil became more and more like a myth to him. The pains of growing up. "Hehe, I''ll take my chances!" Kanari smiled. Evidently, Shin could see through Kanari''s act. Sighing, the man held onto his forehead: "Hah¡­ You''re becoming more and more like Elrin! That imp really gives me nothing but headaches..." "You don''t like me this way?" "How could I?" Shin shook his head with a dazzling smile. "My wife-to-be is perfect in every single way. How could I ever hope to dislike her? Even if she became the most atrocious woman in the world, I could never hope to leave her!" "Hmph! I see your sweet-talking skills have improved tremendously as well! I just hope that there won''t be a third wife before you reach the Immortal Realm! If that happens, I''ll make sure to team up with Ariel above to beat your ass to the ground!" The image of Ariel and Kanari teaming up forced Shin to gulp down a mouthful of his own saliva. What really tripped him up was¡­ how plausible it sounded. Kanari had a flair with words and Ariel was a dominant force with her fists. Together¡­ They would be quite a frightening force... "How would I dare?" Shin sweated as his lips started to twitch. The two continued to banter on like an aged couple who had spent decades together. They talked about anything and everything that they could get their heads around. Be it the Black Masks, the three Superpowers or their adopted child Errol. In the end, just like Shin did with Ariel a few years back, the couple shared¡­ their dreams under the starless night sky. ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Shin''s Private Manor. Two Weeks Later. The world was filled with darkness. The Black Masks had waged a terrifying war, killing thousands with their vile actions. The Allfather, who had seemed unbeatable, had been ordering the massacre of thousands with the snap of his fingers. Towns fell, and economies plummeted. Cities had to recruit untrained soldiers into their ranks, many of them were young blood that hadn''t tasted the disgusting scent of war. Death came with every Beast Horde that roamed passed the lands, and the common folk were getting desperate. Unlike the elites of the world, they didn''t have Spirit Emperors or Spirit Venerates protecting them. Once a Beast Horde came charging down, they could only pray for limited casualties. It was, without a doubt, the darkest era since the warring periods. Mothers feared for their children''s lives and children could never sleep peacefully through the night. They never knew if the next time they closed, their eyes would be the last. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. In the chaos, amidst the death and destruction¡­ Every single soul in the world prayed. They prayed for better days ahead. They prayed for the peaceful times to come back¡­ They prayed¡­ For a hero. And a hero¡­ was born. Shin Iofiel''s deathly blow to the Black Masks had rejuvenated faith back into every commoners'' hearts. He''d attacked the west of the Kori Federation, even though he didn''t have to, foiling one of the Allfather''s most nefarious plans. If not for Shin Iofiel''s involvement, the Black Masks would have sent a scourge of billions down into the Terre Continent, killing everything in sight. The Allfather''s trusted subordinate, the Blade of Death, had been executed by Shin, bringing closure to all of the Brahmin''s victims. The Alliance was strong, but they hadn''t been producing the results that the common folk had hoped for. However, Shin managed to do what they couldn''t do¡­ All with one move. It was no surprise that many adored the fresh Prince, who was pristine of any toxic bureaucratic bullshit. So, when Shin had announced to the world that he was creating Guardian Sword, an organisation specialised in neutralising the Black Masks'' threat¡­ Everyone jumped on board. And it was no exaggeration. "Is this what it''s like to be suffering from success?" Shin rubbed the temples of his forehead as he sat on his throne. Before him, there were towers upon towers of gifts and offerings from a myriad of organisations. The hall that could easily fit thirty people was already packed to the brim with boxed gifts or chests filled with gold. Merchants, companies, sects, clans, governments, nobles¡­ An outrageous amount of gifts were from those entities trying to butter up the young Prince. Heck, there was even an offering from the world''s top brothel for some reason. Guardian Sword needed funds, so Shin wasn''t all that hesitant about accepting said gifts. However, it did pose a problem logistically. Shin''s manor wasn''t built to store vast amounts of treasures, and his throne hall was only packed as all the other empty spaces were filled as well. As he stood dumbstruck, Zishen and Elrin were thinking of methods to store Shin''s newly found wealth. "Just thinking about writing thank-you letters gives me a headache..." Shin had to personally write thanks for everyone that sent a gift into his manner. That was just common courtesy. The problem was¡­ There were at least five thousand organisations that sent gifts. It would take him ages to write personally customised letters for each one. "Hehe, you should really get used to your new exalted status, My Prince." Kanari chuckled from the side as she finished logging her portion. "My Princess, compared to yourself¡­ I still have a long way to go." Shin shook his head. Kanari had been living in High Society for her entire life, while Shin had only recently been thrust into it. There was no comparison in terms of their experience with such affairs. "Well, you can put off the thank-you letters for another day. Isadore and the Himmel Procession will be reaching Celestial Island at noon. You should go and receive them." "I know that!" Shin replied with a smile. For Guardian Sword to work, Shin needed a vast information network unique to his organisation. And who better to run it than Isadore? Not to mention, the ''Himmel Procession'' that was tagging along, were Shin''s fellow orphans. There was no way that Shin would not receive them. Taking one leap down his throne, Shin beamed as he headed straight for the exit, away from all the responsibilities of a Prince. "I''ll be back!" "Have a safe trip!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 566 Guardian Sword 1 Shin stood silently on the balcony of a private room overlooking the pier. By his side, Zishen was enjoying the pleasant autumn breeze, taking in deep breaths as he took in the aroma of the oceans. They were both watching as ships gradually docked and left, their eyes peeled for each one of the flags. Shin was getting especially nervous as well. His feet were tapping and his fingers twitching every time he saw a banner that didn''t bear the Himmel Emblem. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, you don''t have to worry. They''ll surely arrive safe and sound." Zishen naturally was able to pick up on Shin''s concern and immediately moved to reassure him. "The oceans surrounding the Lantis Republic are unquestionably the safest. Even if the Himmel Empire is lacking in naval technology, the Guardian Beasts of each island will ensure their smooth passage into Celestial Island." "I know that, but..." The Guardian Beasts were the lineage of potent Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts that protected each one of the Lantis Archipelago main islands, particularly the waters surrounding them. Celestial Island was protected by the Azure Dragons, the most active dragon race living in the current day. Longyu Reef was guarded by the Kasmoes, a breed of Spirit Fish that lived in vast numbers, each one easily reaching Tier 7 or 8. Though weaker than their counterparts, their strength lay in their enormous amounts, and no army on earth would dare face them without thinking of the consequences. The Zhangyu Clan was protected by the infamous Krakens, humongous octopus creatures that could bring down a battleship or two just for fun while the Qilong and Heigui Clan were both protected by Spirit Beasts that reflected their Spirits. The Hydras and Xuanwus. They were the only lucky clans that were able to form a contract with Spirit Beasts that mirrored their own Spirits, giving them a significant advantage when it came to cultivation and nurturing their younger generation. Most of the other Clans didn''t have that luxury. Take the Xunyu Clan for instance. Heavenly Sturgeons were rare in the wild, even within the vast depths of the Lantis Ocean. Not to mention, Heavenly Sturgeons were challenging to raise and required thousands of years to mature. Therefore, the Xunyu Clan turned to a more potent race of Spirit Beasts to lord over their dwellings. The Hippocamps. Powerful half-horse, half-fish creatures, Hippocamps were considered to be the mounts of the High Seas. The Xunyu Clan relied on them heavily to protect the Xunyu Floats and all of its residents. The Meijing Clan were in a similar state. Due to the shockingly low amount of Arctic Narwhals, they had to employ the help of their more dominant cousin, the Ferocious Orcas. A pod of said orcas were able to take down any Spirit Venerate that swam their way and paired together with the might of the Meijing Clan¡­ Even Spirit Saints would think twice about attacking the Meijing Arctics. Finally, the Shenshe and Jingyu Clan. Though they weren''t able to find Guardian Beasts that completely reflected their Spirits, they were able to find powerful Spirit Beasts that were similar enough. The Shenshe Clan managed to procure the protection from the Baishe and its lineage. A mighty white serpent that oozed with pearly venomous essence, the Baishe was one of the most feared snakes in existence. Few could take a bite from its venomous fangs and live to see another day. The Jingyu Clan also had powerful Guardian Beasts protecting them. The Jakiu, also known worldwide as the world''s largest whales, defended Jingyu Haven with a territorial dominance. At birth, they were already the size of a house and could easily eat Tier 5 Spirit Beasts with a happy mouth. Once matured, the weakest would be at Tier 7 while the strongest could challenge Tier 9 Spirit Beasts with ease. All eight of the Ancient Clans of Water had powerful Spirit Beasts protecting them. Not to mention, the Azure Dragons were protecting Celestial Island, the central nerve of the entire archipelago. Even without their powerful naval force, the Lantis Republic could easily deflect any invasion from the Terre Continent. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that the Lantis Ocean was the most protected region in the entire world. Shin had gotten word that the Himmel Empire''s ships had already entered the Lantis waters, which meant that their protection was assured. So there really wasn''t a need for Shin to feel anxious. But he just couldn''t help it. "I can''t wait to see Elyse and the rest¡­" Shin smiled, his teeth shining with a pearly brilliance. It wasn''t as if Shin hadn''t had any contact with the orphans. They would routinely pay visits to one another and frequently kept in touch through a string of letters. In fact, when Shin visited the Himmel Empire a few weeks back, he''d had a brief reunion with the family he''d treasured the most. However¡­ Their upcoming reunion was different. When the orphans land on Celestial Island, they would be relocated to the Lantis Republic for good. Before, the orphans were still part of the Himmel Empire, with many of them embroiled in the nation''s society. For instance, Jacob was a scientist-in-training at the country''s leading science institute while Elyse and Fionn were students of Imperius Academy. They couldn''t just leave willy-nilly. Only after their commitments were resolved, could the youths finally sail towards the Lantis Republic, joining Shin and the twins for¡­ well, for good. "I wonder if they''re going to be seasick?" Shin wondered out loud. "Mmmm, you really care about them, don''t you?" "Haha, that''s right! So don''t you dare bully them, Senior Zishen! I''ll thoroughly punish you if Elyse or Max comes crying to me!" Shin lightly teased. The butler smiled: "Mmmm¡­ How would I dare?" Shin had started getting used to having Zishen around. Initially, Shin had thought that it would be rather tricky to bond with the Azure Dragon Lord, who was easily over ten thousand years old. However, after almost four years, Shin had started to see the aged dragon as a bosom friend, one that he could confide in and joke around with. Though, it would be better if Shizen was around¡­ Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''Hah¡­ No use looking back at the past...'' Shin shook his head before his mind was pushed to a negative state. He looked at the horizon as a small dot emerged. Many wouldn''t be able to see the dot without a spyglass, but Shin''s eyes clearly could. Smiling, the man-made a silent vow. ''What I can do¡­ Is change my future¡­ I won''t let anyone of my friends fall to the Black Masks ever again!!!'' ??? A half-hour later¡­ "Shin!" An excited cry reverberated through the silent chambers. A flash of sapphire burst through the private room doors and sped right into Shin''s lean body. Usually, Zishen would have done anything to protect his Prince, but this time, he just stood silently by. If one looked close enough, they would see a small smile break on the expressionless face of the Azure Dragon Lord. "Elyse!" Shin chuckled as he welcomed the young maiden into his arms. Her sapphire hair was tied into a scorpion braid while her luminescent eyes reflected all light that came into it. Elyse had grown exceptionally well, and a sense of pride filled up Shin''s chest. Not to mention, the spiritual energies pulsating out from her pores showed that she''d been cultivating well throughout her years at Imperius Academy. "I''ve missed you, Elyse! Are you feeling unwell? Are you hungry? Do you want candy?" "Hmph! Do you honestly think that I''m still a child?!" Exasperated, Elyse removed her arms from Shin''s waist and looked at her elder brother queerly. "I don''t need candy, you moron!" "Eyyy, don''t be like that! Here! Have some of our Lantis Republic''s legendary candied haw! It was your favourite when you''re young!" "I told you, I''m no longer a child! I''m already twenty-one! Ready to marry in fact?" "HUH?! What are you talking about?! Do you have a boyfriend? No, this can''t work¡­ Elyse, you have to let me see him once. No¡­ It''ll be better if I can evaluate him for a week or two. Zishen, I want a full report of this mystery boy..." "Enough! Enough! I don''t have a boyfriend!" Seeing how dead-serious Shin was, Elyse hurriedly retorted her brother''s comment. She was worried that Shin would really scour the entire Himmel Empire just in search for a boy that didn''t exist. "Wow¡­ To think that the Proud Daughter of Death could make such a face..." An amused voice echoed out from the back. Lia, who was accompanied by Ryner, chuckled as she watched Elyse frantically denounce Shin''s claims. "I''m sure all those suitors from Imperius Academy would be dropping their jaws at this scene." Although Elyse was already twenty-one-years-old and a fully grown woman, Shin still saw her as the same little sister that hung tightly by his side. "Hehe, if they have a problem with that I would like to hear it!" "Hah¡­ You still haven''t fixed that overprotective nature of yours, huh?" Ryner giggled. The black-haired man was now standing at 1.75 metres tall, an average height for a hunter his age. Ryner was the next one in line to embrace Shin with a smile. "Shin, thanks for receiving us." Ryner knew how busy his younger brother was, being the Prince of the Lantis Republic as well as the new head of Guardian Sword. For him to personally come down to the pier¡­ Shin must have sacrificed much of his valuable time. "Haha, you don''t have to worry about that!" Shin didn''t frown in the slightest. "Ella and Emma would have come too, but they''re insistent on cooking some delicacies for you back home." "My two little sisters are going to be working the stove?!" Lia looked perplexed. Let''s just say¡­ She had a ''wonderful'' experience when the twins tried to cook something back in Lady Seph''s abode. "Will the kitchen be alright?" "You don''t have to worry about that! Surprisingly, their cooking skills, particularly Emma''s, improved quite a bit." Shin reassured his eldest sister. Then, his gaze slowly moved to the remaining three youths that entered the room after Lia and Ryner. "Fionn, Max, Jacob! It''s been a while! Come, give your brother a hug!" However, instead of jumping into Shin''s arms like Elyse and Ryner before them, the trio placed both their hands out in rebuttal. "Brother Shin¡­ We''ve met just a few weeks back..." Max grimaced. "Yeah, there''s no need for that many hugs right?" Fionn retorted as well. "Also¡­ We''re grown up¡­ We can''t be treated as kids that hug their brother like koala bears forever..." Jacob landed the final blow, and Shin despondently fell to the floor. All three of them¡­ The three loving children of his memory¡­ Actually denied him of hugs?! "Y-You¡­ You guys¡­ Is this what it feels like to have teenage kids that are going through puberty? Will Errol be like them in the future?" Shin murmured, fearful that his adorable and loving adopted child would take on the traits of his fellow siblings. "Buahahahaha! To think that the Prince of the Lantis Republic, the feared Prince of Water and the most powerful Luminary of our generation would have this day!" A burst of bellowing laughter echoed into the chambers as a silver-haired man strolled in. Shin wasn''t amused though. His eyes glazed over, and he nonchalantly replied: "Oh right¡­ Isadore, you were here too." "What do you mean ''Oh Right?!'' You''re primary objective for coming here is to welcome me, a Himmel Prince, right?" After Isadore attacked the west with the Himmel Ancestor, his status as the next Himmel Spear was revealed. Just like the Himmel Ancestor, Isadore was supposed to walk a path in the shadows, never showing himself in the open. Although he was technically a Himmel Prince, Isadore had no political power over the Empire. He wasn''t even in line to inherit the throne. Isadore''s purpose was to become more powerful until he eventually inherited the Himmel Ancestor''s position as the Himmel Empire''s Eternal Guardian. However, the Allfather and Black Masks had forced the Himmel Ancestor to change his mind about Isadore''s training. In the end, if the Himmel Empire wanted to rid the world of the Black Masks, they needed the help of every superpower that existed. Thus, having Isadore join Guardian Sword wasn''t that difficult of a choice. "Yeah, yeah. Oh, exalted Prince of Himmel. Welcome to Celestial Island. There? You happy?" Shin lazily recited the simple speech made for welcoming guests. Of course, he omitted ninety percent of it and just read the opening and ending. "Somehow, I feel cheated." Isadore frowned. However, he quickly got over it. Taking two steps forward, the silver-haired man let out a conniving grin, one that brought shivers down Shin''s innocent spine. "Anyway, I''ve brought a surprise for you." "What is it?" "Hehe, come in!" Isadore clapped twice like a master magician cueing the end of his show. At that moment, seven figures made their way down from the other side of the hallways and slowly made their appearance. All of them were gallant and noble, each one dressed in better robes than the next. However, the ones that really caught Shin''s attention were the front three that led the charge. "Y-You guys are!" "Long time no see, Shin!" Danroy Frithron, the familiar fatso who had seemingly gained a few additional kilograms, made his entry. "It''s been a while! I''ll be in your care for the next few years!" Natasha Aldana, the infamous Moonlight Sword, greeted Shin as well. However, it was the one man that stood over all of them, that nearly gave Shin a heart attack. "Shin Iofiel¡­ We meet again." "H-Hi there¡­ Suji..." That''s right. Isadore, the newly crowned Prince of Himmel¡­ Had brought over three of the Himmel Empire''s top geniuses to join Guardian Sword. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 567 Guardian Sword 2 A few years back, the Alliance had suggested the use of elites to attack the Black Masks strongholds and various hotspots that the Allfather might be in. For the most part, the White Knight project had been doing exceedingly well. The Black Masks were pushed back, and many of their highest executives were wary of the White Knights'' existence. However, everything changed when the Allfather first made his appearance¡­ With one wave of his arm, the Rank 99 Spirit Saint annihilated half of the White Knights, tearing up the fabric of the Alliance from its core. Hundreds of powerful Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings were massacred while a handful of Spirit Emperors barely managed to escape from the abyss. It was a disastrous scene and by far, the worst failure in the Alliance''s history. From then on, the three superpowers became hesitant to provide more elites to the Alliance, fearing that their best Spirit Users would suffer the same fate as their seniors. The Alliance Head, Raphael, was having recurring headaches because of that fact. Although the three superpowers were willing to send troops to bolster the Alliance''s forces, the cream of the crop were held back and would only act within their own nation''s borders. Without adequate firepower, the Alliance had no chance when it came to countering the powerful monsters that ran the Black Masks. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Fortunately, Shin''s Guardian Sword was willing to fill that void. Shin, the Prince of Water, was more than a rising star. Among the three superpowers, he had good relations with both the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic. Even among the Kori Federation, Shin maintained a favourable relationship with the Dalgeom Sect, one of the most significant powers within the country. Adding the fact that Shin landed a fatal blow to the Allfather''s plans, many of the world''s top executives were seeing the young man in a different light. A Prince that has the backing of the Azure Dragons and the Lantis Republic as a whole. A friend of the newly ascended Himmel Prince, who was slated to inherit the strongest Spirit in the world. A man that is betrothed to the Witch of the South and the future son-in-law to the Highgarden Duchy. If an organisation created by Shin wouldn''t succeed, then no organisation in the world could. Guardian Sword could become the next White Knights¡­ No, given how influential Shin was, it could surpass the White Knights by a good mile. The Lantis Republic had already promised Shin that some of their top Luminaries would extend their services to Guardian Sword. Meijing Bingying, Qilong Hu, Jingyu Taiyi, Longyu Linji, Xunyu Feifei¡­ All of these geniuses were going to join Shin in combating the evil that was the Black Masks. Therefore, it wasn''t strange for the Himmel Empire to do the same. Isadore and Elrin were definitely joining up with Shin, so that was a no-brainer. However, the Imperial Family didn''t stop there. They''d sent seven of their country''s top talents, helmed by none other than Suji Lasgeor, to join Guardian Sword. "I didn''t expect that you''d come..." Shin tried his best to keep a straight face as he shook the colossal man''s hand. Shin wasn''t short. Some would even call him well above the average man''s height. However, Suji was just a hulk of a specimen. During his teenage years, the Son of War was already 1.8 metres and possessed a full set of muscles that could easily be mistaken as armour. Now that he was fully grown, Suji Lasgeor was easily two metres tall. His veiny muscles intimidated any that dared to breathe a single word his way and his presence was no different than that of a seasoned general of a thousand battles. Shin had seen many heroes in his day, he had even seen multiple Spirit Saints and powerful Primordial Beasts. Therefore, Shin wasn''t daunted by Suji''s presence. Still, it didn''t change the fact that Shin had to look up at the gargantuan man. "No, you''re the unexpected one, Shin Iofiel..." Suji smiled. "Or should I call you Prince of Water?" "Please spare me from that," the young man replied with a wry smile. "Unless you would like me to call you the Son of War from now on?" "... I guess we both have our own troubles." Suji''s short reply drew out laughs from the tense atmosphere. A few years back, Shin and Suji had been competing wildly to see who was the best of their generation. In fact, Shin''s explosive growth during his freshman year could be accredited to Suji''s constant pressure as the top dog in the Academy. As both of them grew older, they''d put behind their foolish hot-headedness and focused more on self-improvement. Shin pulled ahead in cultivation while Suji whole-heartedly poured his soul into improving his combat arts. However, there was one thing that remained constant¡­ They were both unquestionably¡­ Geniuses of their generation. Isadore butt into their conversation with a brilliant smile: "Suji and the other six would be joining Guardian Sword for the next ten years. I was the one that personally wrote the contract for them. I don''t think you have an issue with that right?" "Of course not! Guardian Sword would love to take in as many talents as it can get!" Although Shin was the leader of Guardian Sword, much of the organisation''s power was evenly split. Isadore was responsible for the information networks, Elrin would be accountable for the finances and Kanari would be taking care of diplomatic affairs. In essence, Shin was a figurehead that signed any document that came to his table. For Isadore to write a contract signing seven of the Himmel Empire''s top talents¡­ Shin couldn''t be happier. "Let me introduce you, I''m sure you''re familiar with Suji, Danroy and Natasha." Like a salesman, Isadore started his pitch to acquaint the seven talents with Shin. The front three needed no introduction. Suji, Danroy and Natasha were all part of Shin''s year, and each one of them had crossed swords with Shin before. It was the remaining four, who had their fists clenched by their sides, that needed to talk. Isadore first pointed to the woman who stood directly behind Suji. "Alyssa Lasgeor. The first daughter of Marquess Stanret and first daughter-in-law of the Lasgeor family. Twenty-seven-years-old and a Rank 41 Spirit Spectre." "Greetings, your highness." The woman immediately gave a polite curtsey. Her posture was impeccable, and she looked completely at ease when greeting Shin. Alyssa was a beautiful woman, there was no question about it. Her reddish-brown hair flowed like a spring''s stream down to her shoulder blades, hiding her two charming ears. Blue eyes and porcelain-like skin, Alyssa was the prime example of a Himmel Noble. "Wait¡­ first daughter-in-law of the Lasgeor family? Don''t tell me..." Shin''s eyes shifted from Suji and Alyssa. "That''s right, Alyssa is my wife." Suji succinctly affirmed Shin''s conjecture. "H-Hold on one second! You got married?! When?!" The Prince of the Lantis Republic was panicking, and with good reason. Although Shin knew that Suji had a betrothed, he''d never would have thought that Suji would marry this early. After all, the Son of War wasn''t known to be the affectionate type. "Right after graduation," Suji wasn''t fazed though. His face was still as expressionless as a dead specimen. "Alyssa had been my fiancee for many years, and she wasn''t getting any younger¡­ So I thought it would be better if we simply tied the knot as soon as we could." "..." Alyssa''s lips twitched, and her elbows were about to jab into her husband''s rib. However, like a true noble, Alyssa caught herself quickly and reverted back to her amicable smile. "T-That¡­ I didn''t know that you were such a romantic, Suji..." The Son of War didn''t take the praise well. Instead, he let out a sigh: "I''m no match for you, though. You took away the future Duchess of Highgarden, after all." "Haha, I guess that''s true..." Shin chuckled as he turned to the remaining three blank faces. No, Shin vaguely remembered seeing some of them before, when he''d attended some of the Himmel Empire''s High Society functions. One woman and two men, all three of them seemingly below twenty-five... ''They must all be nobles...'' he theorised. "Lynne Rahchell, daughter of Marquess Rahchell. Twenty-one-years-old and Rank 37 Spirit Adept. Her specialty lies in the auxiliary class and can boost her allies in battles, like Elrin." "Nice to finally talk to you in person, your highness." Lynne did an impeccable curtsey as well. Her chestnut hair bounced as she made the firm noble''s move. "Nice to meet you, Lynne. Weren''t you in Imperius Academy as well?" "That''s right! I was in the same class and Elyse and Fionn!" "Ah, that''s great!" Hearing that Lynne was in the same class with his two younger sisters, Shin''s favourability of the girl rose dramatically. "I would be counting on you to tell me all of their mischievous deeds back in school. These lasses never tell me anything, even after I ask them multiple times!" "Hehe, leave it to me!" Lynne rubbed her nose and declared with all that she had. "Shin!" Of course, that drew protests from Elyse, who had been sneakingly downing many sweets, but Shin ignored her. Clapping his hands with Lynne, Shin made a mental note to befriend this young woman who knew all of his sisters'' secrets. "Next is Fabian Dicregin. Son of Count Dicregin. Thirty-years-old and a Rank 47 Spirit Spectre. A combat-oriented cultivator." Isadore redirected Shin''s attention to the oldest looking person in the group. Although he didn''t have Suji''s massive height, the man had a colossal build, one not to be scoffed at. "Nice to meet you, your highness." Fabian gave a simple bow, and Shin received it with a smile. "Finally, this man right here is Baron Deandre Clamen. A twenty-nine-year-old officer in the army that''s slated to become the Himmel Empire''s next big general. Although he doesn''t have a noble background, Deandre is considered to be our military''s greatest talent. I hope you wouldn''t mind him joining Guardian Sword." "How would I dare? I wasn''t from a noble background, either!" Shin smiled. He gave Deandre a firm handshake. "It''s a pleasure to have you onboard, Deandre." "Your Highness, you''re too kind." Deandre smiled as he willingly allowed Shin''s senses to invade his body. As a Rank 60 Spirit King, Shin had all the ability to look into someone with an inferior cultivation level. ''Rank 46, huh? Isadore really brought over some great talents!'' None of the seven elites that Isadore brought here were simple. They were all youngsters that had the potential to become Spirit Venerates in the future. If they were counting Isadore as well, two of them could well be on their way to the elusive Spirit Saint realm! Guardian Sword didn''t lack resources, they lacked talented manpower. Although with a simple word, Shin could round out every elite in the Lantis Republic, it wouldn''t be the same as having a unified front of all the three superpowers. The Himmel Empire had sent some of their elites and Shin was about to request the Kori Federation do the same. Only through unity could humanity weather the storm that the Allfather was going to bring... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 568 Guardian Sword 3 The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. The Tree of Darkness. The air was tense and mood, foul. Towering men looked sluggish as they dragged their feet through the mud, patrolling every nook and cranny of Mythpoint Reach. Umbras and Spirit Beasts alike did the same. They trudged through the open fields, wary of any intruder that might come their way. Overseeing the entire ordeal, two figures crossed their arms in relative displeasure. "This is bad..." One of the figures said gloomily. "Morale is at an all-time low¡­" "It can''t be helped¡­ Losing the Gate of Hell is by far the worst setback that our organisation had faced." The other Brahmin replied with a sigh. Dark undulations pulsated out of his veins and bent the air around him, showing off his immense might even when idle. "Furthermore, the Allfather has gone into hibernation after that defeat. No army in the world could be happy at that fact." "It''s a pity¡­ If not for Junius'' betrayal, we wouldn''t be in such a sorry state." At this point, all of the higher-ups knew that the Blade of Death had defected right before his passing. "Seymour, back in your day, what did you do to boost morale?" All of a sudden, the other Brahmin raised his question towards the former Sword Baron. "Shouldn''t you know better than me? Fallen comrade of the Meijing Clan?" The colossal man teased his compatriot, Meijing Xuenkai. That''s right, the two Spirit Venerates that were overseeing the defence of the Tree of Darkness, were precisely the duo responsible for the fight in Lantis Waters just a few months back. The Sword Baron Seymour Fielder and the fallen son of the Meijing Clan, Meijing Xuenkai. "I''d never grown influential enough to command an entire army," Meijing Xuenkai chuckled. "Otherwise, why would I have betrayed the clan I sought to protect?" "Hmmm, I guess you''re right." Seymour didn''t deny his partner''s words and instead, gazed towards the empty-minded soldiers. "From the beginning, the reason why our forces were so devoted to the Black Masks was due to the Allfather''s overwhelming might. He could crush the established governments, handing them defeat after defeat. However, this time, it''s the Black Masks that are facing defeat after defeat." Seymour instantly got to the root of the issue. "We''ve lost all of our Payircis in the Lantis Republic, and our naval forces had suffered a heavy blow during the recent raid. The Obsidian Gate that was meant to bring the entire Kori Federation and the rest of the Terre Continent into chaos was also destroyed. All of our major plans, the deeds that we''ve spent so many decades to build, had all disappeared into a puff of smoke." "It''s all because of that Shin Iofiel¡­ That stupid rising star of the Lantis Republic..." Meijing Xuenkai gritted his teeth. He couldn''t wait to see the Lantis Archipelago burn and yet, Shin was lifting it to greater heights. It was evident that the Spirit Venerate wouldn''t look at the young Prince favourably. "Precisely¡­ Now that the Allfather has gone into hibernation and the Nine Nobles were frantically recalling their forces¡­ It''s no wonder that morale is low." Seymour wasn''t called the Sword Baron for nothing. He knew what it was like to lose the faith of his subordinates, and it wasn''t a pleasant feeling. "To answer your question, the best way to boost morale is to show results. Go into another battle and score an overwhelming victory. One that would wipe away the shame of previous defeats." "But the Allfather has ordered us to stand guard over Mythpoint Reach..." Meijing Xuenkai frowned. The Black Masks had many rules governing over them; however, there was only one law that mattered. The Allfather''s orders were absolute. It doesn''t matter if they were a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate or a mere powerless Dalit, every single one of them had to listen to the Allfather''s orders, their opinions be damned. "I know that, so all we can do is trust in the Allfather''s plans." Seymour Fielder shook his head. "Judging from his hibernation, I can safely assume that the Allfather is planning something big. All of Spirit Immortal Dream''s devices had been moved from the Uncharted Wilderness into Mythpoint Reach as well. I believe that the Allfather has a large-scale plan, one that we can''t fathom just yet." "I hope that you''re right¡­ Staying in this small Mythpoint Reach is getting real stuffy!" The Spirit Venerate complained. "And it''s all cause of that bratty Prince of Water," and he finished off with a snort. "You''re kind of obsessed with that kid, huh?" "Who wouldn''t be?! He foiled two of our greatest plans. Both of which we''ve been working on for decades! If not for his interruption, the Grand Scheme would have been at fifty-percent completion, and millions of lives would have been eradicated! Particularly in the Lantis Republic! Have you heard? Now he''s even creating his own organisation that''s specifically built to target us! Who wouldn''t be infuriated?!" "I guess you''re right..." Seymour sighed. "Still, an organisation to hunt Black Masks, huh? Isn''t he a little too conceited?" Shin had foiled two of the Allfather''s major plans. That was a fact. However, that didn''t mean that he had the capability of hunting down the Black Masks. The criminal syndicate may be weakened, but it was far from beaten. They still boasted a wealth of Spirit Venerates, Spirit Emperors and Spirit Kings. Over a hundred thousand Dalits that were willing to do whatever the Allfather wanted and if push comes to shove, either one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts could intervene in affairs. In terms of overall power, the Black Masks may trail behind the Alliance, but it wasn''t that far behind. In fact, in terms of single-target attacks, the Black Masks were far superior to any force from the three superpowers. "Hmph! If he comes into our crossfire, I''ll be sure to rip his skin from his flesh. Then, I''ll deliver it back to the Lantis Republic and the fucking Meijing Clan bitches that support him." Xuenkai spat. The Sword Baron shook his head. Just before he could give a simple retort, the Tree of Darkness unleashed a wailing siren, bursting the eardrums of any weaklings that stood near. "This is..." "The Allfather is calling us! His preparations must be complete!" Meijing Xuenkai beamed. "It''s about fucking time!" With a shout, the Spirit Venerate leapt back into the Tree of Darkness and sped all the way to the central hall. The slumbering giant was finally going to make his move, and it was going to shake the world. None of the Black Masks would dare to miss it for the world. Seymour was a little less enthusiastic than his compatriot. Sauntering back into the gargantuan structure, the man looked at the orange skies that graced the Neutral Lands. ''I wonder if you can handle the Allfather''s wrath the next time, Shin Iofiel...'' ??? The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Two weeks later. Setting up Guardian Sword was harder than Shin had imagined. Logistically and financially, Guardian Sword was in a stable place due to Elrin''s expert handling. Geographically, since the Lantis Republic was shouldering all costs for the organisation''s physical locations, Shin didn''t have to worry about that either. Diplomatically, Kanari was handling the gifts from all organisations throughout the world with a humble smile. So what was Shin''s true challenge? Manpower. Or to be precise¡­ An overabundance of it. When Shin had announced that they were recruiting talent, thousands of elites signed up from all parts of the globe, hoping to join the successor of the White Knights. Not to mention, every single entity in the world wanted to gain positive relations with Shin and the myriad of talents that came under his rule. Therefore, Shin had to begin an insane vetting process and was forced to eliminate talents in the hundreds. Guardian Sword may have a powerful backing, but their resources weren''t infinite. If Shin were to accept every elite that knocked on his door, Guardian Sword would be bankrupt within the hour. Therefore, Shin had to limit the number of places to a measly hundred people. Taking out the positions given to the Lantis Republic and Himmel Empire, there were barely eighty spots left. Thousands came from all parts of the world, and the elimination process was as gruelling as it was cumbersome. Shin had to personally evaluate many of the elites that came through his gates, which took out a vast amount of time. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. However, in the end, Shin had managed to narrow down the numbers to the people he''d felt would serve Guardian Sword the best. And now¡­ It was time to reap the benefits of his hard work. Shin stood at the apex of his lofty throne. A luxurious white coat decorated with images of golden dragons hung down his shoulders, keeping his grand violet ceremonial robes in check. His rich, black hair charmed anyone that laid their eyes on it, and his azure eyes shone like a transcendent lake. By his side, there was an equally dashing woman. Same black hair, but her eyes were shining like blood rubies that had been doused with the eternal flames of heaven. White porcelain skin and a perfect body proportion, there was possibly no better fit for Shin''s companion. The Prince and Princess stood close to each other as a number of men and women, mostly in their early twenties and thirties, respectfully bowed down to the two royals. At the side, numerous esteemed guests stood watch with great pride. Names such as the Lantis Republic''s Chancellor, Jingyu Shenxian. The Kori Federation''s Prime Minister Duncan and the Himmel Empire''s Sovereign Emperor himself, Tenno. They were all present to witness this historic moment. Today was finally the day¡­ Today was finally the day where Guardian Sword would be formally formed. In Shin''s right hand, a two-metre-long hiltless odachi glistened in the afternoon light, beaming out a holiness that couldn''t be compared by any entity in the building. Shin smiled as, and his sonorous voice echoed through the chambers. "Isadore Himmel!" "Present!" A silver-haired young man instantly took centre-stage. It is said that a dress made a man. His glorious royal garb made the man seem rather majestic, a stark contrast to his usual sloppy attire. Isadore originally possessed androgynous features, making him a beautiful man to begin with. So if one paired Isadore with great clothes, one couldn''t help but drop their jaw. Though Shin was undeterred. Smiling, he declared: "Son of Himmel and master of whispers. Your contributions to creating Guardian Sword is no inferior to mine. In accordance with our promise many years back, I shall give you a home in Guardian Sword, a place where you can use your talents to the utmost greatest and influence the entire world. From now on... you''ll be the Hall of Whispers'' Master!" "I appreciate your grace!" Isadore immediately replied and bent his left knee. Shin took the chance to gently touch the Hofuku''s blunt side on both of Isadore''s shoulders. In truth, all of Shin''s speeches were rehearsed a day before, so everything was moving according to plan. Once Isadore had accepted his position, Shin instantly moved onto the next person. "Elrin Zedcris!" "Present!" Elrin replaced Isadore at centre-stage as she wore her signature impish smile. "Daughter of Zedcris and master of coin. I can think of no better person to run our Hall of Gold. Are you willing to accept the position?" "How could I not?" Elrin chuckled and got on one knee. "I appreciate your grace!" "Good!" Shin continued on with the ceremony, crowning all of the Hall Masters one by one. In order, they were: Master of the Hall of Whispers. Isadore Himmel. Master of the Hall of Gold. Elrin Zedcris. Master of the Hall of Diplomacy. Kanari Saniela. Master of the Hall of Protection. Zishen. Master of the Hall of Hunts. Meijing Bingying. Master of the Hall of Science. Lady Seraphim. And finally, last but definitely not least. Master of the Hall of Guardians, and Founder of Guardian Sword... Shin Iofiel. These seven Halls would become the cornerstones of Guardian Sword, guiding it through the turbulent times that lay ahead. Seven halls, seven masters. Each one performing one function that could only be produced by their own expertise. In future, these seven Hall Masters would have their names resonate throughout the entire world, and few wouldn''t have heard of their names. But first¡­ Shin had to write his own history. Hofuku, the sword that inspired the name of Shin''s organisation, started to vibrate wildly as vast amounts of mana flowed into its blade. Spectral stardust dripped down from its core and filled the marble floors with a dense, yet strangely calming fog. Shin was directing all of his Celestial mana into the former legendary-grade weapon, and with a shout, he declared his intent: "With the world as my witness¡­ I shall make this oath!" Shin''s muscles turned sore as he forced all of his power into his right arm. The Hofuku was barely able to keep up with Shin''s dense mana and overwhelming power. Fortunately, it didn''t have to endure for long. With one fell swoop, Shin forced the treasured blade into the golden throne that sat towering above all. "I swear to the earth below and the heavens above. Guardian Sword will not rest until every single ounce of the Black Masks are eradicated from the planet! I shall bring down every Payrici and tear down any structure that houses the Allfather! I will destroy every Umbra and jail every Brahmin! And only when the Allfather had been torn apart from the planet would this blade..." Shin looked at the Hofuku in fervour. It was the only keepsake he had of Junius. It was the blade that killed thousands, but it was also the sword that gave Shin a new lease of life. It was, without a doubt, the Guardian Sword of Shin''s heart. "Only after I kill the Allfather¡­ Would the Hofuku see the light of day again." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 569 The Allfather Strikes Back 1 Late autumn. A time of year that the Himmel Empire dreaded, particularly those located at the southern tip of the country. The warm winds were slowly being replaced with chilling howls of winter, and the abundance of crops had been slowly dying out. Most farmers had already retreated all of their valuables into their barns while merchants had begun to wind down their businesses. Late autumn may be beautiful, but everyone knew how dangerous their situations really were. Particularly since the Black Masks still roamed the earth. Fortunately for them... "Kill them all! Don''t let a single one escape!" An agitated cry stormed out of a youngster''s mouth. A Guandao in one hand, the lightly armoured man barked out orders at his subordinates, forcing them to burst into the battlefield with immense vigour. One woman under his command screamed with all that she had, sending a shockwave filled with mana pulsating outwards. Merging with her Spirit, the woman''s arms gradually grew feathers and eventually, her hands had turned into fiery grey, wings. "It''s a harpy!" One of the onlookers declared, his eyes glimmering with intense excitement. "No you idiot, that''s Marchioness Alyssa''s Spiritual Body Enhancement!" Another commoner declared, his face flushed as well. "Combining with her Lightning Falcon, the Marchioness can turn her hands into wings to fly unhindered in the air. Honestly, if you can''t get your facts right, don''t spurt out nonsense." "IT''S A HARPY!" "My goodness..." Alas, the knowledgeable commoner''s words fell on deaf''s ear. Yet another spectator roared in joy as he watched the gorgeous beauty zap through the air, killing all of the Umbras that ran out of the nearby Payirci. It wasn''t just Umbras that were being massacred, even Spirit Beasts and Black Masks guarding the flying structure weren''t spared. Elements flew about as potent strikes were released from each one of the elites chasing evil. The towering black structure, which had been hiding in the ravine close to a nearby village, was now under heavy siege from Guardian Sword. A couple years back, the forces of the Himmel Empire would have killed to figure out the location of the Payirci, but alas¡­ The Black Masks were sly. Hiding the place with a mixture of arrays and natural terrain, it proved difficult for many to find the elusive black tower. However, they now had a sure-fire way to triangulate the place where most Payircis would be¡­ Why? Because of Shin Iofiel. "This marks the sixth one..." Shin stood watch over the whole operation as he stood on Zishen''s Dragon back. He watched joyfully as Suji''s platoon, an elite force that would give most powers a run for their money, laid waste to the Payirci''s surroundings. The leading three were obviously powerful. Suji with his profane Guandao that massacred anything that came into his view. Danroy with his ridiculous defence using the Bangeo Rhinoceros. And finally Natasha Aldana with her signature Moonlight Dance. All three of them were capable of rivalling Shin''s own team. However, what really surprised Shin were the other four that Suji had brought over. Alyssa Stanret, Suji''s wife, was one of the fastest Spirit Spectres that Shin had ever seen. Her Lightning Falcon could move her a kilometre within seconds and her agility at times made her seem illusory. Additionally, the lightning bolts that unfolded from her wings were as deadly as Suji''s own thunder strikes. The other three weren''t to be underestimated either. Fabian Dicregin and Deandre Clamen both had powerful Spirits, Fabian with the Jagoibe Flower and Deandre with the Blood-Laced Scimitar. Finally, Lynne Rahchell, Elyse and Fionn''s classmate, completed their elite team with her Staff of Hueuol. A potent treasure-type Spirit that could boost the overall power of all her allies. They weren''t as complete as Shin''s own elite team, but their attributes fully complemented one another. "Looks like I don''t have to worry about them after all..." Shin smiled and turned his attention to the collapsing Payirci. Straight after Guardian Sword was formed, Shin jumped straight into accepting requests by the Alliance. Using his Celestial Dragon, he''d scoured through the possible known locations for the Payircis. In no time at all, Shin had already discovered ten of the missing hundred remaining floating towers and had already begun clearing them out. For the barrier protecting the Tree of Darkness and the Allfather to fall, the Alliance needed to destroy every single Payirci that existed, not one could be ignored. Thus, Shin''s involvement had saved them countless headaches. "Mmmm, you look happy, My Prince." Zishen''s holy voice boomed out from his Dragon''s mouth. "How could I not be?" Shin beamed from ear to ear. Today marks the third month since Guardian Sword''s formation, and it also marked the sixth successful Payirci collapse that Shin had supervised. The first time, Shin had brought over the full force of Guardian Sword. All hundred elites were ferried over to the Himmel Empire using the Azure Dragons as mounts, and under Shin''s direct supervision, the Paradise Heart was destroyed with two days. The second time was mostly the same with Shin bringing the exact same force to crush yet another Payirci in the vicinity. However, continually moving his forces and making them attack an unknown Payirci relentlessly was rather taxing for the young organisation. Furthermore, the full power of Guardian Sword was nothing less than overkill when it came to conquering a Payirci. Therefore, with the help of the logistics adept Elrin, Shin had begun a rotating system. A third of the forces would be helmed by Suji and his team of elites, the other third would be taken care off by Qilong Hu and the Luminaries that came with him, while the final third would be the reserve forces. In the beginning, Shin was somewhat nervous with dividing Guardian Sword''s overall power, and he had supervised each and every subsequent raid from afar. He''d even stationed his reserve forces to provide help whenever it was needed. However, the power of Shin''s subordinates far exceeded his expectations. They entered each Payirci with a chest full of confidence, destroying anything that dared to stand in their way. In time, Guardian Sword started to see back-to-back victories and the world was stunned by their efficiency. Some had even questioned the capabilities of the Alliance and their previous iterations, the White Knights. Now that Suji''s team alone could take down an entire Payirci, Shin could finally heave a sigh of relief. "With all of these victories, I''m certain that we''re on the right path." Shin face reddened up, filled with pride and joy. He looked down at Suji and his team weeding out the remnants of the Black Masks bit by bit. In the distance, Shin could see thousands of ordinary folk cheering Guardian Sword on, as if they were supporting their favourite sports team. ''Yes, Guardian Sword is meant to be the protector of the innocent¡­ To save those that can''t resist the strength of the Black Masks and only want to live their lives in peace¡­ Isn''t that right, Junius?'' Shin gazed heavenward with a bitter smile. The Alliance had been losing ever since they''d waged war against the Black Masks. It was about time that the Allfather suffered a setback or two. "Once Suji is done with this area, we should visit the town and let the agents relish in their success. It would be good¡­ Senior Zishen?" Shin blankly talked to Zishen, but the Azure Dragon Lord showed no signs of response. Instead, his draconic brows furled together as he rose higher in the air. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, something''s amiss." The Azure Dragon Lord let out his most grim tone since Shin had met him. Dragons, particularly a Tier 9 one like Zishen, were particularly attuned to their surroundings. Their senses far outmatched that of any human''s sensory organ, and few Spirit Saints could hope to match their sensitivity. Therefore, if the Azure Dragon Lord felt that something was immensely wrong, Shin had to take notice. Instantly, a wave of celestial energy emerged from the depths of Shin''s chest, filling the area with a myriad of rainbow colours. After Junius had passed over the purified Allfather''s mana into Shin''s body, the young man had improved by leaps and bounds, reaching the Rank 60 Spirit King realm in one-shot. However, that was just the beginning. After breaking through to Rank 60, Shin had managed to stabilise the remnants of the Allfather''s mana, enabling him to instantly reach Rank 66. Adding in the power of the Celestial Dragon, Shin could likely crush any Spirit Emperor that dared to stand in his path and put up an even fight with any Spirit Venerate. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As of this moment, Shin was among the elites now. Although he couldn''t hope to scratch on the toes of a Spirit Saint just yet, there were only a handful of cultivators and Spirit Beasts alike that could possibly defeat Shin. The Celestial Dragon coiled around Shin, and oddly enough¡­ It was wearing the same expression that Zishen had. It was concerned about something¡­ Something huge that Shin had no clue about. "Mmmmm¡­ My Prince. Please stay on my back!" Zishen screamed as he rose higher and higher. And well¡­ Shin didn''t retort. Right now, at the centre of his very core¡­ Shin could feel it. There was something wrong with the ground. No, there was something wrong with the earth. No¡­ There was something wrong with the continent. His veins were screaming out in fear and the Celestial Dragon bared out its fangs with pure rage. Its scaly body tightened around Shin''s waist as if to protect the man with all that it had. And its fears weren''t unfounded. Cracks started to form throughout the ground, and the earth was gradually splitting in two. Suji and his fellow companions were stunned for the moment, but they quickly got to work. Spirit Spectres carried those that didn''t have the ability to fly up into the skies while the Azure Dragons helped the weaker commoners to higher ground. Cracks continued to form all the while, and dense spirit particles floated up like effervescence. "W-What''s this?" Shin could reach his fingers out and touch the array of particles. They were all oddly powerful, unlike their simple image and somehow¡­ Shin found the spiritual energy familiar. It was as if¡­ He''d seen it multiple times in the past. Zishen however, was terrified of the power. Scowling, the Azure Dragon flew even higher up into the skies, seemingly wanting to leave the planet altogether. "MY PRINCE! DO NOT TOUCH THAT!!!" The Dragon screamed out uncharacteristically. "Zishen, what''s going on?!" "MMMM!!! I don''t know! Just stay on me for now!" At this moment, the Azure Dragon Lord could care less about the peasants on the ground. It didn''t care if the entire world was engulfed in flames or not. The only thing that Zishen wanted¡­ Was to run away from the terrible power that was seeping out from the continent. Rising higher and higher, Zishen eventually reached the highest point that humans could reach without dying. Any higher and the Dragon would have led Shin out of the planet and into the darkness of space. However, to Shin, it was a blessing in disguise. At this height, he could have a macro view of what was causing the endless cracks of the earth and well¡­ "T-T-This¡­!" The man was speechless. The Azure Dragon Lord, who had lived for over a thousand years, was also in the same state. They both couldn''t believe what they were seeing. Why? "T-The Terre Continent¡­ It''s breaking apart!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 570 The Allfather Strikes Back 2 Up in the stratosphere, Shin stood on top of the Azure Dragon''s Lord''s back, watching in horror as cracks formed throughout the entire continent. Dense light-green particles escaped from each one of the cracks, filling at atmosphere with an abundance of spiritual energies one, unlike anything Shin had experienced before. It was as if¡­ The Terre Continent was losing all of the spiritual energy that it had accumulated for years now. Shin felt like he was in a simulation, watching the world''s greatest disaster unfold in real-time. The darkness of space above his head had nothing on the overwhelming power that was erupting from the centre of the earth. And that wasn''t all¡­ The light-green particles that emerged from the core of the continent seemed to trigger an innate response within Shin''s soul. No, it had sent the Celestial Dragon into a frenzy and Zishen into a maniacal state of panic. "Earth¡­ Fire¡­ Lightning¡­ Wind¡­ Darkness¡­ These elements are..." Being the patriarch of the Celestial River, Shin was far more attuned to the natural elements than anyone his age. He could instantly tell that the light-green particles that emerged from the Terre Continent boasted several different elements. However, the strange thing was... All of those elements weren''t the Celestial Dragon''s speciality. They were¡­ "Mmmm¡­ The elements of the Terrestrial Dragon..." Zishen finished Shin''s sentence with a grim tone. "Mmmm¡­ The Allfather¡­ That lunatic..." "Senior Zishen, do you know what''s happening?" Shin asked, his face still flushed with concern. "Mmmm, I can roughly guess." Before the age of humans, before the age of Spirits even. Elemental Titans ruled the entire realm. No living creature could hold a candle against the Titans, and they reigned supreme for millions of years. Amalgamations of power, the Titans were virtually invincible for aeons. However, the most powerful race in history, the Dragon race, sought out to change that. Generations of natural selection and millions of failed breeding experiments finally bore fruit at the end of the Titan era. Two Dragons were born, dragons that surpassed any being that came before them. They possessed an innate ability once unheard of in the ancient era¡­ The two dragons had the ability¡­ To consume all Titans. One by one, the overlords of the ancient world fell. Slain and eaten like livestock by the two mighty dragons. Each time the dragons ate one Titan, their elemental affinity would rise exponentially, and their powers would peak to levels never seen before. Eventually, the aged and dying Titans were all consumed by the relentless hunger of the two dragons. The two dragons of myth¡­ The two hegemons of the new age¡­ Were precisely the Celestial and Terrestrial Dragon. However, even dragons had their own unique taste buds. The Celestial Dragon ate all the Titans that possessed the Water, Light, Mind, Space and Time elements while the Terrestrial Dragon preferred the Earth, Fire, Lightning, Wind and Darkness elements. Using the power of the Titans, they were unparalleled in their era, and no living creature on the planet could even lick their feet. However, as long as there was life¡­ There would be death. No creature, no matter how powerful they were in the mortal realm, could outrun mother time. Therefore, to escape their impending death, each one of the two Primordial Beasts decided to attempt to solidify their legacy to form their own kind of immortality. The Celestial Dragon looked to humanity and formed a pack with the Lady of Water, ensuring that it could revive somewhere down in within the River of Time. The Terrestrial Dragon, on the other hand, took a drastically different approach. It merged with the immense landmass that stood underneath it called home and collected even more smaller islands to form one single continent. Its lifeforce, which was said to be the strongest in the world''s entire history, kept the single landmass in one shape, never separating even throughout the passage of time. In Memorium of the Terrestrial Dragon''s accomplishments, the single continent, the place where billions of humans called home¡­ Was named the Terre Continent. It was a homage to the ancient monarch, one of the two strongest beings to have ever graced the planet. It didn''t matter what natural disaster struck. Earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis¡­ Nothing could destroy the colossal continent. Not even the war to end all wars that the humans had waged¡­ The war that created three Spirit Immortals¡­ Had an effect on the Terre Continent. However, on this day¡­ History would be made. The Terre Continent¡­ Was breaking apart. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Mmmm, the Allfather must have found a way to unbind the Terrestrial Dragon''s spiritual energy from the continent!" Zishen''s voice sounded apathetic, but his actions showed a different side. Anger and fear struck his gorgeous eyes as he carefully moved away from the dense particles of the ancient beast. The Terrestrial Dragon was, without a doubt, a legend in the mortal realm. To see that its legacy was spat upon by the Allfather, made the Azure Dragon Lord''s blood boil. However, he was also afraid. For someone to affect the power of the Terrestrial Dragon, even though it had been weakened¡­ What kind of level would that person have reached? Rank 99 wasn''t going to cut it¡­ The Allfather had to at least be¡­ A step into the Immortal Realm. "The Allfather can unbind the power holding the Terre Continent together?! How''s that possible?!" The same could be said about Shin. He frantically looked down at the continent being broken down, not willing to believe his eyes. However, the facts were laid bare. By some magic, the Allfather had done the impossible once again. Be it through his own power or by some contraption that Spirit Immortal Dream had left behind, the Allfather was now releasing the energy of the Terrestrial Dragon back to nature. Zishen shook his head. "Mmmm, that monster sure is insane! Look at the plates moving!" More and more dense particles flowed into the stratosphere, and it looked like a trillion fireflies were heading towards the endless void of space. Say what you would about the continents breaking apart, seeing the entire planet being filled with endless lights was, without a doubt, a breathtaking scene. "S-Should we go down and help them?!" Shin screamed, worried about his immediate family and comrades that were still staying on the Terre Continent. "Mmmm! It''s far too dangerous!" Zishen screamed back. "We must wait for the plates to stop moving first! Mmmm¡­ If my guess is right, the only thing that the Allfather did was break the connection between the Terrestrial Dragon''s spiritual energy and the Terre Continent. Without the Terrestrial Dragon''s power binding them together, the tectonic plates are free to move as they please! There''s nothing that we can do but watch!" Protecting Shin was Zishen''s utmost priority. The earth may be breaking apart, but the sky was still untouched. Not to mention, Shin''s Celestial Dragon was said to be the Hegemon of the Skies. It was far safer for Shin to remain airborne than to return back to the ground. Biting his nails, the only thing that Shin could do was to sit still and pray for the safety of his loved ones. ''It looks like the Lantis Republic isn''t that affected...'' Shin observed. Originally, the Lantis Republic laid upon the Lantis Archipelago, a collection of islands that were separate from the vast Terre Continent. It wasn''t beholden to the Terrestrial Dragon''s mana and therefore, could escape the ordeal mostly unscathed. On the other hand, the other superpowers weren''t so lucky. The first casualty to the change was surprisingly, the Uncharted Wilderness. As if listening to the calls of the oppressed Spirit Beasts, the fissures tore a line through the eastern part of the Uncharted Wilderness, separating the colossal landmass from the Terre Continent entirely. The Uncharted Wilderness was by far, one of the most magnificent rainforests to have ever existed. If not for its deadly terrain and an overabundance of Primordial Beasts, humanity would have conquered the land all for themselves to use for agriculture and overall development. However, the Uncharted Wilderness had stood the test of time and fought back any human armies, and with its separation from the Terre Continent, it would be even harder for armies to conquer the unknown land. The fissures didn''t stop there, though. A humongous crack ran through the northeastern part of the Kori Federation, creating a considerable continent that was twice the size of Celestial Island. Almost immediately after the new continent was formed, multiple cracks created small islands that broke free from the western part of the Kori Federation, creating numerous small islands each one the size of a Baron''s land. The Kori Federation wasn''t the only superpower to be affected by the recent change. The Himmel Empire once prided to be the premier nation in the south, now had been split into three parts. The region where the Capital stood became one colossal landmass. The Highgarden Duchy to the southeast was also starting to split off, coming ever closer towards the Lantis Republic and finally, the western regions where Aldrich''s Keep and Frie Mountain were, became the final continent to break free. All in all, the once singular Terre Continent, was now split into six massive parts. The Uncharted Wilderness became the first new continent to be born. The Kori Federation divided in two, with one landmass being four times bigger than the other one. The Himmel Empire had broken into three near equal parts. No¡­ There was one more split¡­ One more crack in within the Terre Continent¡­ And that was... "The Neutral Lands..." Shin gasped as he watched ardently at the centre of the once might Terre Continent. The Neutral Lands, the place where the Alliance Headquarters and the Black Masks'' Tree of Darkness laid¡­ Had split off into its own continent, literally making it the middle point of the entire world. The roots of the Allfather''s power had spread so deep that it could even rip the continent from its core! How could anyone have believed that?! He had even made the Neutral Lands into its own continent! "T-That¡­ T-That¡­ How''s this possible?!" "Mmmm¡­ My Prince¡­ Stay calm for now..." Zishen wanted to soothe Shin''s nerves, but the Azure Dragon Lord was in no shape to mentor others. There was a slight tremor in his voice as he remained petrified at the Allfather''s power, something that had never been seen before in the history of the world. "Mmmm¡­ We must be patient¡­ To at least wait¡­ Until the dust has settled..." "..." Shin didn''t answer Zishen. All he did, was to helplessly watch as the Terre Continent, the most iconic region of history¡­ Faced its final hours. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 571 The Allfather Strikes Back 3 Shin and Zishen floated around in the sky for a good six hours, watching the Terre Continent tear itself apart from its very core. Over a million years of tectonic plate movement had been fast-forwarded within a few hours, and the entire topography of the world had been altered. Every single lifeform, be it human or otherwise, were affected by the drastic change. It didn''t matter if they were underground, sleeping within the oceans or flying around in the skies, nothing would ever be the same again for all lifeforms. The earthquakes had triggered numerous casualties, and not a single building managed to escape unscathed. Crops were utterly destroyed, and volcanic eruptions made half of all populated regions uninhabitable. However, even though the entire planet had undergone a massive overhaul, a vast majority of the human population lived through the disaster. Especially those from the Lantis Archipelago. "Kanari! Are you alright?!" Once the dust had settled, Zishen brought Shin and the other Azure Dragons carrying Suji''s team back to the Lantis Republic, back to Guardian Sword. Although Shin was concerned about the well-being of the general populace, nothing could trump the safety of his loved ones. A gorgeous woman, donning a breathy purple robe, ran straight to the concerned man who entered through the front gate. Wasting no time at all, Kanari embraced the young man and tapped down on his muscular build. "Shin! Are you alright?!" "You should answer my question first..." Seeing Kanari still mostly active, Shin heaved a sigh of relief. However, he still couldn''t put down his guard. "How are the rest?" Shin asked with a serious tone. Though Shin didn''t specify who the rest were, Kanari immediately replied: "None of us sustained any serious injuries. When the Worldquake happened, we all immediately took shelter in the enhanced bunker that the Heigui Clan had made for us." At that moment, all of the familiar faces that Shin was used to, emerged from the back of Shin''s mansion and brisk-walked to his location. "That''s a relief," the young man held his chest with an eased smile. "Shin! You''re back!" Lady Seph was the next person to greet the fatigued Prince. The blonde healer mirrored Kanari''s actions and gently tapped down on her precious disciple, all while the other orphans watched in earnest. "Are you unhurt?" "Yeah, Senior Zishen protected me throughout¡­" Shin reassured his family with a relaxed expression. "What''s the damage to the Lantis Archipelago?" Now that his immediate family was safe, Shin could now spare a little concern for the Lantis Republic. Although the denizens of the Terre Continent were the most affected by the tectonic shifts, it didn''t mean that the Lantis Archipelago would be completely unaffected. However, Kanari''s voice wasn''t the one to be heard. The silver-haired young man, who had nothing to do with the internal affairs of the Lantis Republic, took the stage: "Thousands of houses had been destroyed. Public services such as the River Train are now suspended, and each one of the Eight Clans is trying to provide shelter for those that became homeless. From what I can tell, casualties are likely limited to only a hundred thousand, as many fled to the oceans once they''d been informed of the worldquake." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Shin stood silent for a while, shooting Isadore a rather queer look: "Your information gathering skills is as scary as always..." Isadore was a Himmel Prince and had no business in having such a vast information network within the Lantis Republic. Heck, even Shin, the Prince of the Lantis Republic, would have a hard time gathering such key information in such a short period of tim e. "Glad I can help," Isadore didn''t really care about that, though. He beamed brilliantly as Shin took down the information with furrowed brows. "Could you ascertain the damage done to the Himmel Empire then?" Shin asked the silver-haired man. This time, Isadore''s smile melted into a bitter frown. After all, the Himmel Empire was his hometown, not to mention he was the Prince slated to become the Guardian Spear of the nation. In Isadore''s heart, the Himmel Empire was far more critical than his host nation, the Lantis Republic. "I need more time to confirm¡­ My agents are still going around collecting information." Isadore succinctly said. "Mmmm, okay." Shin looked at his bosom friend before adding his two cents. He explained that the Himmel Empire had been split into three equal parts, while the Kori Federation had broken into two. Kanari also listened in ardently as Shin mentioned the Highgarden Duchy, as well as how it had been isolated into its own continent. In the end, like what any good friend would do, Shin tapped on his buddy''s shoulders worryingly. "Isadore, if there''s really a need to, you can take an extended leave of absence to return. Also, just say the word, and I''ll send some forces over to help with the Himmel Empire''s disaster." Isadore shook his head: "There''s no need for that. From what I understand, my Master wouldn''t want me to return home anyway." The Terre Continent was in a mess now, that was for sure. Both the Himmel Empire and the Kori Federation, both supernations that relied heavily on the bountiful continent, were the two entities that suffered the most. The Lantis Republic, on the other hand, emerged from the worldquake mostly untouched. Yes, some fissures damaged their buildings and random volcanic eruptions decimated a few of their islands. But those damages were salvageable for the most part. Majority of its citizens were safe, and the nine major islands were fully functional. There was no safer place for Isadore be in right now. "However¡­ If the Black Masks are going to attack the Himmel Empire after this¡­ I''ll take you up on that offer." Isadore turned serious, his face hiding a burning hatred that was only matched by the flames of hell. "Oh, you know that the worldquake was triggered by the Allfather?" Shin was genuinely surprised. Even he couldn''t have guessed that it was the Allfather''s doing if not for Zishen recognising the Terrestrial Dragon''s spiritual energy. "No, but I can roughly guess¡­ There''s no human or Spirit Beast on the planet that''s capable of performing such a feat¡­ Also, who stands the most to gain if the Terre Continent is split into pieces? Who could possibly cause the deaths of millions and billions in property damage without hesitation? Connecting all of those dots, and there''s only one possible culprit for the worldquake." "You''re more perceptive than you let on..." Shin chuckled. However, he quickly reverted back to his serious face. "That''s right, it''s the Allfather. He''d somehow managed to unbind the bindings on the continental plates laid down by the Terrestrial Dragon." "You mean the Ancient Dragon that was equal to your Celestial Dragon?" Isadore raised both his brows. Although the Twin Dragons were legends that had been forgotten by time, one could argue that they had far more impact on the world than any Spirit Immortal. No, they were for sure much more powerful than any human that had ever lived. "How did he do that?" "I don''t know how he''d done it, but it''s the truth. Judging from how the Allfather acts, I would presume that he must have some follow-up plan once the Terre Continent had been split. So¡­ Be prepared for war." "... Understood." Isadore nodded and instantly walked towards a black-suited man, presumably to notify the Himmel Ancestor of Shin''s thesis. Now, Shin was left alone with Kanari and a heap of Guardian Sword''s top operatives. They were all wearing concerned expressions as if they were attending a loved one''s funeral. And that was to be expected. Many of Shin''s closest friend''s were from the Himmel Empire and those that weren''t could instantly take a boat to visit their family. Kanari was the first to break the ice. Holding onto Shin''s hands, the beauty said: "Shin¡­ I''m worried about my parents..." "I know¡­ If you want to, I can ask a few of the Azure Dragons to escort you back to the Highgarden Duchy." "Thanks! But there''s no need. Aunt Thea will guide me back." Kanari pointed to the muscular woman, who could easily give any Spirit Venerate a run for their money. "Mmmm, just to be safe, take two Azure Dragons to be your mounts. If there''s any trouble, they''ll notify Senior Zishen right away." Shin gave Kanari a warm bear hug before whispering into her ears. "Be safe. I''ll take care of Errol while you''re gone." "Okay, I''ll see you soon." Without batting an eye, Kanari landed a soft peck on Shin''s cheeks before flying off into the horizon with her bodyguard in tow. She''d only remained on Celestial Island to wait for Shin''s return and to inform him of her safety. Otherwise, the moment the Worldquake had decimated the Terre Continent, Kanari would have flown straight back instantly. Kanari wasn''t the only one that wanted a "Pardon us, Shin..." Suji and the majority of the Himmel Empire delegation stepped forward. They were all fidgety as well. "We would also like to check on our family. Is it possible that..." "Say no more," Shin stopped them and snapped his fingers. Almost instantly, the same Azure Dragons that had ferried Suji and the rest back to Guardian Sword headquarters flew back into the vicinity. "I''m sorry to spring this onto you when you''d just finished flying us back, but could you help my friends out a bit?" Shin apologetically asked the Azure Dragons. "No, it''s our honour to serve the Prince!" All of the Dragons universally roared. "Thank you. I''ll be sure to compensate all of you handsomely when you return." Shin bowed to the Dragons before turning back to Suji and the rest. "Please, go visit your families. Make sure that they''re safe. Also, I won''t forgive you if you don''t return in one piece." "... I won''t forget this debt." Suji succinctly said. Originally a man of few words, Suji only shot Shin an intense gaze before jumping onto one of the Azure Dragons and flying off into the sunset. "Elrin, do you want to return?" Shin turned to the only person who had yet to talk. The white-haired woman smiled wryly before shaking her head. "There''s no need. It''d be better if I remained here for a while first. My father isn''t that weak to die to some random Worldquake." "I-I see..." Truthfully, Shin wanted to check on many of his acquaintances back in the Himmel Empire as well. He had friends back in the Capital and mentors that he was indebted to. However, as the Prince of the Lantis Republic, Shin couldn''t just waltz into the Himmel Empire and tend to their every need. ''First¡­ Let us stabilise the Lantis Republic¡­ Then, I''ll worry about the Allfather and the rest of the Terre Continent...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 572 Return Of The Summit 1 Deus Citadel. Two weeks later after the Worldquake. The world was in shambles, and that wasn''t an understatement. Millions of people were displaced from their homes, and there were billions in property damage. Fissures continued to periodically churn the already split Terre Continent, making countries fear for their citizens'' safety. Amidst the chaos, criminal gangs took the opportunity to profit by stealing bread and wheat, monopolising their towns. With local constables already stretched thin, armies were recalled as did their utmost to remedy the situation. Spirit Beasts would often wander into the once-thriving cities due to the lack of defences and children had to live in fear within the disaster bunkers. Food was scarce, and the average gold a person could spend were rapidly depleted. It was¡­ without a doubt¡­ The worst period of time since the great warring age. Governments had spent billions of gold for disaster relief, and every single person from the privileged class were forced to spend their own dime to secure the safety of their people. Nobles got their hands dirty by jumping into slums, while merchants had spent a good portion of the personal wealth to help rebuild their community. The Worldquake that fractured the continent had gone beyond that of a national emergency. It was a worldwide emergency now. And what happens when the world was in peril? A Summit of course. Gathering on Deus Citadel, the Alliance''s most secure fortress, dignitaries from each one of the three superpowers took the stage. The Himmel Empire sent over the familiar Prince Koshaku, the Kori Federation dispatched Deputy Prime Minister Venus, and the Lantis Republic sent Zhangyu Yaoguai. That wasn''t all. The Blacksmith''s League dragged their President, Ingram Ragnar over. The Mercenary Guild also had brought forth their top dog, Guild Master Xerxes. And last, but definitely not least, the Healer''s Association former nominal leader and current Alliance Head, Raphael was also present. "It''s madness!" An exasperated cry echoed through the top floor of Deus Citadel. Guild Master Xerxes, the bulky old man who had a thing for excessive muscles, slammed his fist on the massive table. "Alliance Head! Didn''t you say that the Allfather would go into hiding after facing two successive defeats? Look at what he has done! People are dying all around, and there''s so little that we can do to help them!" "Believe me, I didn''t expect this to happen either..." The red-haired nobleman, who looked deathly pale, replied with bitterness in his mouth. "I should have been more careful and less complacent. I apologise for my lack of judgement." Raphael bowed his head, completely in grief and self-deprecation. "Xerxes, you can''t blame it all on the Alliance Head..." Ingram, the Blacksmith''s League President, came to the Divine Healer''s defence. "No one could have anticipated that the Allfather would have the capability of breaking the entire Terre Continent, no matter how prepared one person could be." "..." Prince Koshaku sat with folded arms, his mind not really focused in on the conversation. Everyone knew that the Allfather was mighty but to the extent of breaking apart the continent? That was just plain absurd. "Let''s not waste any more time¡­ What''s the situation in Mythpoint Reach?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus said in a tired voice. Her cheeks were hollowed in and her lips as pale as a winter''s ghost. The Kori Federation had suffered the most out of the three superpowers. The majority of its western side had been broken off while a massive chunk in the east had been split into its own continent. However, the Kori Federation''s main issue was their politics. Unlike the Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic, the Kori Federation was made out of countless smaller clans and sects. They didn''t have a unified flag to fly under. With many regions broken off, some of the smaller entities wanted to rule over their own area, particularly within the new continent. Their rebellions during this time of mayhem gave the higher-ups in the country a severe headache and countless sleepless nights. In fact, it took Deputy Prime Minister Venus all that she had to drag herself into Deus Citadel. "There has been no movement by the Black Masks after the Worldquake." Raphael shook his head regretfully. "However, we have at least a thousand eyes on Mythpoint Reach. And there are at least fifteen Spirit Venerates stationed there at any given time. If the Allfather were to move, we''d at least delay it for a few moments." "No, I''m not asking about that..." The atmosphere around Deputy Prime Minister Venus rapidly shifted. Feeling the shift, all the leaders in the room instantly felt their blood turn cold, and shivers ran down their spines. Instead of a tired bear that only wished to hibernate, the woman had turned into a venomous snake that wanted to maim its prey limb from limb. "I''m asking if there''s a way for us to strike back at that fucking Allfather! That asshole that brought hell back to our lives!" Venus spat. Prince Koshaku was the one to rebut his contemporary. "Deputy Prime Minister¡­ Although I know how you feel, we can''t just carelessly approach Mythpoint Reach right now, not when our forces are stretched so thin." "Your Highness¡­ Don''t you think that it''s the perfect time to strike? I don''t know what method the Allfather had used to destroy the Terre Continent, but there''s no way that it didn''t incur a cost. No, judging from how he''s still turtled up in Mythpoint Reach, it''s highly likely that he''s too weak to move out! If we pool all of our power, we might be able to push through the defences and take down the Allfather while he''s weakened!" "Deputy Prime Minister..." An icy voice echoed through the chambers, halting all movements. Everyone turned to the source of the cold voice, only to see a well-built physical man with a burly moustache. He was hideous, to say the least, but no one dared to belittle the representative from the Lantis Republic. "Clan Master Zhangyu..." Deputy Prime Minister Venus wasn''t one to be intimidated though. Staring straight into Zhangyu Yaoguai''s eyes, the woman crossed swords on the mental war ground with the frightening man. "I would suggest you think before you speak¡­ How can you be certain that the Allfather is weakened? He may be lying low, but there''s no evidence of his injury. If we took your advice and blindly charged into Mythpoint Reach, we could potentially be walking into a trap. Best case scenario, we lose a few men. Worst case¡­ We''ll be annihilated." Zhangyu Yaoguai gave his two cents, drawing many nods from the listeners in the chambers. "I agree with Clan Master Zhangyu''s line of thinking¡­ It''s far too dangerous for us to consider such an option." Raphael spoke out. "Hmph! That''s easy for you to say! The Lantis Republic is the country that suffered the least from the Worldquake! I''m sure you''re delighted to see our Kori Federation crumble while you spectate from afar!" It was true. The Lantis Republic was the nation that took the least damage. Mostly because of Shin''s expert handling of the Payircis and their separation from the Terre Continent. Compared to the millions that were displaced in the other two superpowers, the Lantis Republic only had a hundred thousand citizens that were homeless. The rest were happily living their day-to-day lives as if nothing had happened. "Mind your words, Deputy Prime Minister..." Zhangyu Yaoguai''s voice grew ever colder. "Am I not speaking the truth? I''d heard that your new ''Prince'' had a close relationship with the Blade of Death. He''d also met face-to-face with the Allfather just a few months prior¡­ Then, the Lantis Republic emerged from the Worldquake unharmed¡­ Perhaps you might be on the side of the Black Masks?" Venus shrugged her shoulders, trying to insinuate something. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "..." An eerie silence descended upon the chambers. All of the six representatives looked at one another, none of them willing to bat a single eyelash. "You''ve taken it too far, Deputy Prime Minister..." Zhangyu Yaoguai''s body started to glow in a chilling purple light, and the water elements began to dance. He was holding back his wrath, but the overwhelming mana within his body still managed to slip through his pores. "Oh, and what are you going to do about it?" Venus raised her chin as if daring the man to take a swing. One could cut the tension in the chambers with a knife as the two juggernauts continued to stare down one another. If nothing were done, Zhangyu Yaoguai would have likely sent a punch flying the Deputy Prime Minister''s way. Alas, it was not to be. "ENOUGH!!!" Raphael''s commanding voice boomed, forcing the auras of each Spirit Venerate to collapse back into their bodies. "We''re all on the same boat! We all want to take down the Allfather and bring peace back to our lands. If we don''t show unity in these times of peril, how do you expect the Alliance to defeat the Black Masks?!" The Divine Healer barked. "Clan Master Zhangyu, I would suggest you never unleash your mana in this place of peace ever again." "Fine..." With a snort, the hideous man leaned back in his chair and shifted his eyes to the side. "Deputy Prime Minister¡­ I''m only going to warn you once. Never make such groundless claims again¡­ Particularly against Guardian Sword''s Master. You should know better than anyone how much he''d done for the Kori Federation..." If not for Shin''s intervention, the Obsidian Gate would have spawned billions of Umbras and plunged the Kori Federation into an age of darkness on a scale that had never been witnessed before. The Kori Federation owed a debt to the young Prince, and its government should be well aware of that. "I spoke in poor taste..." Venus immediately admitted her fault before taking back her claim. It was understandable for the leaders of each country to be on edge. A disaster had struck, one of a scale that had never been seen before. Furthermore, based on how the continent had been split, the three superpowers would likely never be the same ever again. ''Hmph! You better be grateful to our Prince! If not for him, I wouldn''t have bothered coming here in the first place.'' Zhangyu Yaoguai mentally snorted. In his eyes, the Kori Federation and Himmel Empire losing power was a good thing. However, Shin was far less optimistic about their misfortune, mainly because of the billions of innocent lives affected. In fact, he''d even sworn to give some military and financial help wherever he was able. Even as they were seated and having a summit, Guardian Sword out saving people. That''s why there weren''t many that loathed the Lantis Republic for escaping Scott free from the disaster. "Ignoring the Deputy Prime Minister''s accusations, what she said prior to that does have some merit." Guild Master Xerxes interjected while stroking his beard. "If the Allfather is really weakened¡­ We should take this opportunity to strike!" "Oddly enough, I agree with Xerxes." Ingram from the Blacksmith''s League nodded his head. "The Black Masks only has the Allfather as an absolute threat. Their next strongest members are the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, of which only one had reached the Primordial Realm. If the Allfather is even slightly weakened, we should take this opportunity to cut down on the Black Masks numbers." "Problem is¡­ We have our own countries to tend after." Prince Koshaku cut in the conversation. "All of our military might has been stretched thin, and our Spirit Saints are on standby for a possible invasion. The Himmel Empire doesn''t have the resources to sponsor another raid on Mythpoint Reach." "Neither can our Kori Federation," Deputy Prime Minister Venus added. "Hmph! If you can''t even supply the men, why bring up that idea in the first place?" Zhangyu Yaoguai shouted back. "You didn''t let me finish..." The woman snapped back. "We can''t provide the military might, but if the Alliance is willing, the Kori Federation will send Saint Geom and a small force of ten Spirit Venerates." "Saint Geom, huh..." Raphael got to thinking. Previously, during the first attack on Mythpoint Reach, four Spirit Saints joined the assault against the Allfather, and it bore no fruit. If they really wanted to breach Mythpoint Reach, the Alliance need far more firepower. "I ask all of you present, are there any Spirit Saints from your organisation willing to step forward if we raid?" "... Our Blacksmith''s League''s Saint Thor won''t stay silent." "Neither will our Mercenary Guild''s Saint Atossa." Raphael smiled. "I will do my best to convince Saint Althea to join." Just like that, four Spirit Saints had joined the oncoming purge. All eyes were now on Prince Koshaku and Zhangyu Yaoguai. "I can''t promise anything¡­" "Like I said before¡­ Our Himmel Empire is stretched thin now¡­ If..." Before they could fully swerve away from the conversation, Raphael beamed, as if remembering something important. "Ah, I don''t really have to ask you guys, right? I''m sure Shin Iofiel''s tongue could get some Spirit Saints moving." "You..." It no secret that Shin had close relations with both the Lantis Republic and the Himmel Empire. He was personally close to Longyu Tian, the Saint of Time, while his fiancee''s mentor was Saint Firebird. Not to mention, there was also Isadore, who was the heir to the Himmel Ancestor. One word from Shin far surpassed anything that the representatives could say. If Saint Althea, Lady Seph''s master, were to personally put in a request, there was no way that Shin could ignore that. "Hmph! Fine! But first, you''ll have to confirm the status in Mythpoint Reach!" Zhangyu Yaoguai folded his arms and harrumphed. "Hah¡­ There''s no winning against you now, Alliance Head." Prince Koshaku rubbed the temples of his forehead. "I''ll let His Majesty know and get back to you within the week." "Haha, thank you!" Contrary to the start of the meeting, Raphael was now grinning from ear-to-ear. Looks like having Shin as his backing sure paid off... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! https://linodofictions.com/ Chapter 573 - Return Of The Summit (2) linodofictions.com/2019/12/25/map-of-the-new-spirit-immortal-world/ Check the new map of the Spirit Immortal World here! ??? "Now to the next order of business," Raphael clapped his hands and silenced the chattering chambers. Thus far, the members of the Summit had agreed on sending an elite force to weaken the Black Masks and Allfather if the intelligence suggests that they had been crippled. Made verbal agreements to send aid to whichever region needed help, regardless of the country. And to also evenly deploy forces to bolster the defences of each broken-down city, to fend off deadly attacks from stray Spirit Beasts. They''d even discussed the logistics of distributing food and supplies to the needy and had ticked off basically everything on the agenda. "Was there something else other than discussing the messy state of our planet?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus folded her arms, befuddled by the change of topic that wasn''t brought up in the agenda. "That''s right!" Raphael nodded and eyed the Blacksmith''s League President Ingram. Taking notice, the bearded man slowly stood up and reached into his oversized coat. Ingram took out a large scroll and tossed it effortlessly to the centre of the table, allowing it to unravel itself. Confused, the high-ranking members of each superpower glanced over. Ingram Ragnar may have his flaws, but he was still the respectable leader of the Blacksmith''s League. Raphael didn''t wait for everyone to take a peek and continued: "After the last Summit, we''d asked the Blacksmith''s League to study the Allfather''s creations and the relics that had been left behind by Spirit Immortal Dream. Remember that?" "Yeah..." Ingram took over with a beaming smile: "Well, after almost a decade worth of research¡­ Hours of hard work and gallons of burnt midnight oil, millions of gold spent in procuring the Paradise Hearts, we''ve finally managed to reverse-engineer the Payirci!" "You what?!" Prince Koshaku slammed his palms on the table as instantly got to his two feet. "The Blacksmith''s League had managed to reverse-engineer the Payircis." "You don''t have to be a parrot..." Ingram chuckled. "That''s right, the blueprints for creating the Payircis are drawn out in that scroll. Though we can''t create Umbras in the same method as the Allfather, we are on the verge of creating faux Spirit Beasts that bear some resemblance to Umbras. Furthermore, based on our projections, we can use the Paradise Heart to power yet another Deus Citadel. An improved version, as well!" The Payircis had always been a thorn in the three superpowers side ever since the Allfather made his presence known. Many armies had been sent into the Payircis, but they all almost universally failed magnificently. It was far too dangerous for normal humans to tread into the floating dungeons and only elites such as Shin''s Guardian Sword could clear the Payircis efficiently. However, now that the Blacksmith''s League had reverse-engineered the science of the structure, the future raids would be far more straightforward. "Can you identify all of the Payircis remaining and destroy them?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus asked with a grim tone. "Hahaha, we''re way ahead of you! Shin Iofiel, the Prince of the Lantis Republic and the Master of Guardian Sword, has begun to map out all of the remaining Payircis. Additionally, he has a copy of these plans, so breaching them and taking the structures down would be ten times easier than before!" "Him again..." Venus sighed, allowing her tensed shoulders to drop. Although Shin was doing good, the Deputy Prime Minister couldn''t help but feel a little restless. Shin''s achievements were just far too much for a guy his age. It made a three-hundred-year-old Spirit Venerate like her feel entirely useless. "That''s right Once the Payircis are conquered, Prince Shin would surrender all of the Paradise Hearts to the Blacksmith''s League for refinement. I hope you wouldn''t mind us using the Paradise Hearts to create stronger weapons! Don''t worry, the Blacksmith''s League won''t be charging a dime for the weapons we make out of the Paradise Hearts." "Wait a minute, are you going to give us those weapons?!" Hearing this for the first time, Guild Master Xerxes widened his eyes like saucers. It was uncommon for the black-hearted President Ingram to give away freebies just like that. At that moment, it was Ingram who let out a distasteful sigh. "It''s part of my agreement with the young Prince¡­ He said that he''ll break all of the Paradise Hearts if I don''t donate all of our creations to the Alliance." The Blacksmith''s League President didn''t hide his desire to charge the crippled Alliance one bit. "Also, Venerate Seraphim from his Hall of Science is imperative for our breakthroughs. If not for her, we would never have the ability to decipher Spirit Immortal Dream''s writings so quickly." Lady Seph was a well-known Spirit Immortal Dream fanatic. Other than studying the medical arts, Lady Seph''s research was almost exclusively based on learning Spirit Immortal Dream''s inventions. In fact, she was the one who discovered how to synthesize the Paradise Heart into a fuel core or use them to power weapons. "So we''ll owe yet another debt to Prince Shin, huh?" Guild Master Xerxes dropped his head and rubbed his temples. It seemed like¡­ Shin was doing much more than anyone from the elder generation. "The list of favours is probably endless. Even as we speak, His Highness is clearing out our Lantis Republic and gathering his forces to help the Himmel Empire and Kori Federation." Zhangyu Yaoguai took this opportunity to build up Shin''s reputation among the big shots. After all, the more the other countries owed Shin, the less likely they were to start a fight with the Lantis Republic. "That''s all good. Prince Shin is what we needed during these turbulent times..." Raphael grinned. "When the times are down, a hero will emerge to save the masses. That''s how it has been, and that''s how it''ll always be." "A Hero, huh..." All of the top executives in the room universally sighed. How long has it been since the last bona fide Hero had appeared? If Shin could genuinely become an entity that was beloved by everyone, the man could very well unify the three superpowers and the fractured planet into one singular civilisation once again. That''s if¡­ They could weather through the natural disaster that was the Allfather. "Let''s not think about that now¡­ We have more pressing matters to attend to." Prince Koshaku interrupted the flow of the conversation. "Let us more about the Blacksmith''s League inventions. How are they going to help us take down the Black Masks?" "Haha, I was waiting for you to ask!" Ingram chortled heavily. He reached into his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket once more and took out a new parchment of paper, this time detailed a different set of plans. Knowing that it would be a revolutionary invention, all the dignitaries in the room paid extra attention to the paper and quickly scoured through the details. What they saw¡­ Had shocked them to their very core. "T-This is!" "That''s right..." Ingram grinned from ear-to-ear. "Prince Koshaku, do you remember how the Black Masks managed to take down the Guardian Rock at Aldrich''s Keep?" President Ingram forced the royal to remember the dastardly laser beam that decimated the western part of the Himmel Empire. "You can''t mean..." "That''s right! Using the Paradise Hearts¡­ We shall make our own death lasers!!!" ??? The New Continent. Mythpoint Reach. The Tree of Darkness. Many days had passed since the Terre Continent had been split into seven different continents. The Uncharted Wildnerness had floated a distance away, far from the nearest human civilisation. The Kori Federation had been fractured in two, with many islands taking shape on their western border. The Himmel Empire was now equally divided in three, leaving a vast amount of ocean between each one of the new regions. However, there was one thing that remained firmly at the centre of the world. The former Neutral Lands. Once home to Spirit Immortal Dream and the Land of Dreams. Now, it had been reverted into an island that was half controlled by the Alliance and the Black Masks. The Alliance taking the Land of Dreams while the Allfather found his home on Mythpont Reach. It was at the centre of the world, and it sure felt that way as well. After the Worldquake, all eyes were now glued to Mythpoint Reach, cautiously waiting to see the Allfather''s next move. Would he lead an army of Spirit Beasts and bloodthirsty Black Masks out to annihilate every single human being that was left? Or would he slumber like a bear, only coming out when provoked? No one truly knew. Of course, inside of Mythpoint Reach, the Black Masks were far less confused. "Everyone to your stations! I don''t want to see a single person lagging behind!" A senior voice barked, lashing out at any who didn''t keep out with his tempo. "I want all sentry towers to be manned at all times! If there aren''t at least a hundred of you keeping watch, don''t even think about sleeping for the next three months!" Another authoritative voice boomed again. Vaishyas were flying around, relaying orders from their Brahmins, while the lower classes worked tirelessly to move their aching bodies about. Technically speaking, the Black Masks had gotten the last laugh. They had caused senseless destruction, one of a scale that had never been seen before. However, their current situation didn''t look like one of winners. Instead, they seemed rather frantic and afraid, as if they were a citadel under siege. No¡­ They were under siege. And they were currently at their weakest point. Ao stood silently over the entire army moving, watching with a scrunched face as the Black Masks turned even more restless. The situation was dire, and there was a Black Mask with the mark of the Golden Tree to back that claim up. "The reports have come in¡­ Deus Citadel had passed a resolution to invade Mythpoint Reach if there''s an opening..." "How accurate is the information?" "I have eighty percent faith." The Brahmin succinctly replied. "Eighty¡­." Ao closed his eyes and took one deep breath in. "That''s good enough. Now, we should move under the assumption that an attack would come from the Alliance at any given time." The Brahmin gulped fearfully. "Pardon my impudence, but¡­ Is the Allfather really unavailable?" "Do you think that breaking down the Terrestrial Dragon''s mana from the Terre Continent is a piece of cake?" Ao snorted derisively. "The Allfather has taken off a few years off his remaining lifespan, which isn''t much in the first place. If he were to awake now, it would severely affect his health, and the final battle that was prophesied would result in our loss." "But¡­ Based on our intelligence¡­ The Alliance might send six Spirit Saints over! I know that the barrier created by Spirit Immortal Dream is strong, but without the Allfather, how could we possibly resist SIX Spirit Saints?!" "That..." The World Serpent was stumped. If one or two Spirit Saints were coming, perhaps the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts could do something about it. However, if there really were six Rank 90 Spirit Saints arriving, there was nothing much that the Black Masks could do. "We should have faith in the Allfather''s plans. His mind works in ways that I couldn''t possibly fathom. Just look at everything that he''s done thus far." "Still..." "No more retorts," Ao quickly got annoyed at the Brahmin''s constant nagging. "If you really want us to survive, go and prepare the remaining defences quickly!" "... Yes, sir!" The Brahmin unwillingly clicked his boots together in a salute, before gradually fading into the background. It was only after Ao double-checked that he was truly alone, did he let out a despondent sigh. He looked back at the Tree of Darkness, the entity that represented everything that his celebrated leader represented, and took a knee. "Akumu, I don''t know if this is really the right way to do this, but I''ll promise you this. I won''t let Mythpoint Reach fall even if it costs my life!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 574 - Mythpoint Reach (1) Rain. Some people love it, others absolutely loathe it. On most days, people would generally stay indoors with warm blankets and even warmer food. However, for the residents of Jikaj Village, they didn''t have a choice but to detest the sparkling kaleidoscopes that dripped from the heavens. The Worldquake decimated the small village, sending half of the stone houses into ruin. On rainy days, families would have to squeeze into the few homes that still had a roof, but even that wasn''t enough. Attacks from wild boars became more frequent, and the little crops that the village had left were all dried up. Jikaj Village was at the end of their ropes. Children were dying from malnutrition, while many able men abandoned their families in search of a better life. The few that remained had to huddle up together and protect what little they had left, which wasn''t much. Pitter patter¡­ Pitter patter¡­ A small boy, less than a metre in height, gazed out at the grey sheets that blinded his world. It was breathtakingly beautiful yet frightening at the same time. No one knew what lay beyond the deadly rain. Would it be a knight in shining armour? Or would it be a messenger of death, coming to reap their souls away? It was scary not knowing one''s fate. However, the boy still stared into the glorious rain like a mesmerised deer. "Justin! It''s time for breakfast!" A shrill voice called the young boy, breaking him from his silent contemplation. "Coming!" The boy shouted back. He leapt to his feet and tip-toed his way towards the dining room. The stone home was about a hundred square metres. Not too small for a family, and neither was it too large. However, there were currently five families sharing the same brick home, making it more cramped than it should have been. Justin took several steps, meandering through all of the luggage that was prevalent in the area. Eventually, when he made his way into the dining room, he was presented with no seat on the already loaded table. A moderately obese woman walked over to the seven-year-old and handed over a metal plate. "Mom¡­ Is that all?" Justin looked at the small portion that he was given. There was a small slice of bread with a slice of butter on top with an equally small bowl of porridge on the side. It was quite pitiful, to say the least. Even as a child, Justin knew that his breakfast wouldn''t be able to fill him up at all. "We have no choice, rations are getting really low..." Tenderly stroking her son''s hair, Justin''s mother felt her heart sink deeper into her chest. "Endure this for now¡­ I''ll try to give you a bigger portion for lunch." What Justin didn''t know was that his mother had chosen to skip her morning meal to give Justin two full ''meals''. The bowl of porridge was meant for her burly body, and Justin was only meant to be given that slice of bread. "Okay..." However, as a child, Justin knew none of that. He pouted, tempted to raise another complaint, but silenced himself after seeing all the other kids gulping down their portions. With no place on the table, Justin slowly sauntered back to his favourite place in the entire house¡­ At the familiar window he''d just came from. Chomp¡­ Chomp¡­ Chomp¡­ Justin bit down on the stale bread that had been enhanced with a little flavour by the butter. It was putrid and barely edible, but Justin knew better than to throw it out. Inhaling the slice of bread, the young boy moved on to the next item on his menu while voices rang out behind him. "Chief! Our supplies are running desperately low now! Don''t you think that we should appeal to the Earl for help?" One voice boomed with concern. "Do you think I don''t know that?! I''ve been sending help requests since the day of the Worldquake!" Another masculine, anxious voice echoed back. "However, all of the requests had been met on deaf''s ear! Not a single soul had made their way to our Jikaj Village, not even a single response!" "Hmph! That f.u.c.k.i.n.g Earl! We''ve been toiling away in his fief for generations now and the moment tragedy strikes he abandoned us? What use are the nobles of Highgarden?" A totally different voice exclaimed with all that he had. "It can''t be helped..." This time, an aged voice cut into the conversation. "The Worldquake isn''t just affecting our village. All of the other villages, towns¡­ capitals even! They''re all crippled by the Allfather''s nefarious schemes." "But Elder!" The agitated man tried to retort but was stopped by the old man''s raised hand. "You''re still too unlearned to understand the matters of the world, George¡­ The Earl has to take care of our village, as well as the hundreds of villages in his fief. However, fret not. In all my years of servitude, not once had the Earl betrayed my trust. Not only that, the Marquess above him will be funnelling down resources at any moment now. But you have to be patient. Logistical work from the higher levels takes time." "That''s time that we can''t afford to lose!" George protested. "In twenty days, our supplies will run out! What then? Are we to eat our own dung and drink our own piss?!" "George has a point, Elder." The Chief of the village interjected while stroking his beard. "Although I understand the hardsh.i.p.s of the Earl, we have to put our survival above everything else. We can''t just rely on the help that would likely never come." "What do you suggest then?" "I say we move our entire village people to another region." "Blasphemous!" Knowing that his Elder wouldn''t take the news lightly, the Chief covered his ears and turned his head the other way. Everyone in the chamber could see that the Elder was fuming. His nostrils flared, and his eyes dilated. If there were ever an agitated person, the Elder would be a prime example. "You! The Chief of the Village, want us to abandon our sacred home and discard our duty to the Earl?!" "Elder! That''s the only way that we can survive!" "The Chief is right, Elder!" George spoke out on behalf of his friend. "Even if the Earl is going to send help, we would all be dead by then! We can''t just stay in this land forever! We..." Justin looked back at the arguing a.d.u.l.ts before finally letting out a resigned sigh. The noise was far too loud for the boy to eat in peace. He lifted up the window pane and slowly climbed out, careful not to spill any single ounce of porridge. During these times of crisis, every single drop of food was equivalent to that of gold. The young boy was sheltered by the overhang, but the gushing winds of the rain still managed to wet his cotton pants. Howling winds deafened the noise from the stone house, allowing Justin to get the best peace he has had in weeks. "I like rain..." Justin muttered out mindlessly. Yes, it may be hard to play outside when the rain was out. However, at least it gave the young boy some peace of mind. "Hmmm, do you really?" Not expecting an answer, Justin jumped to the source of the foreign voice. Standing at the doormat, a black-haired man donned in simple breathy robes looked down at Justin while wearing a kind smile. He was drenched from head-to-toe, but the man didn''t seem to mind. In fact, it looked like he enjoyed the feeling of clothes being stuck to his skin. "Who are you, mister?" Justin cautiously asked the stranger. "Just a wandering visitor," the man replied. "A wandering visitor? Why would you visit our village?" Justin knew the state of his village. People were starving, and arguments were as common as the raindrops that fell. There was nothing to be seen or had in the village. So why would anyone come to visit? "For business issues, I guess?" "Business¡­ Mister, from the looks of it, you must be a vagrant." Justin looked at the man and instantly came to a conclusion. "A vagrant? What makes you think that?" "Mister, vagrants aren''t welcome here!" Justin thought back to the incident that happened a few days back. A wandering traveller came to Jikaj Village, seeking shelter and food. However, instead of welcoming the man with open arms, all of the villagers chased him out with pitchforks and shovels, not willing to accept another burden into their already crumbling society. "You should leave before the others see you!" "Haha, you sure are wise for your age!" The black-haired man chuckled. "But I really have some business to attend to. So would you guide me to your parents or the highest Elder here?" "No can do! They''ll kill you, Mister!" Justin was getting increasingly incensed. Why couldn''t the man tell that he was trying to save his life? Gulping, the boy peeked back into the window, only to see the a.d.u.l.ts still amid a heated conversation. "Quick! You have to leave! While they''re not looking!" "Boy, you misunderstand! Really, I''m here to..." "GRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!" Before the man could complete his sentence. A deafening roar came from the woods next to the village. Stunned, every single a.d.u.l.t in the stone hut emerged from the front door, barely missing the black-haired man and Justin who were located at the rear. "Chief that is!" George was the first to notice the titan swinging out from the jungle. It stood at five metres tall and had weighty arms as long as its entire body length. Light gold in colour, the monkey was a muscular specimen, one that could easily uproot trees and swing them like bananas. However, the main distinguishing feature that the Spirit Beast had¡­ Was the four spider-like eyes that painted its face. "A Four-Eyed Golden Ape..." The Chief spat. "A Tier Four Spirit Beast¡­ It''s not an opponent that we can take on!" "Tier Four?! Have the Gods really forsaken us?!" One woman cried in complete horror. The strongest cultivator in their village was their Chief, who was only at the Rank 22 Spirit Core realm. The hunters, which could be counted on one hand, were Rank 10 Spirit Apostles, while the remaining members were all just Spirit Practitioners. None of them had the capability of matching a Tier Four Spirit Beast, especially one as ferocious as the Four-Eyed Golden Ape. "Hide underneath the floorboards! Quick! George and I will try to fend it off for the time being!" "Fend it off?! How are you going to fight a Tier Four Spirit Beast?! Hmph! Knowing you two, you would try to give your lives to sate its hunger, right?!" The Elder immediately figured out his juniors intentions. "Don''t be stupid! You''re still needed for the defence of Jikaj Village! Follow the youngsters in hiding! Let these old bones be the sacrifice!" "Elder!" The elites of Jikaj Village continued to argue like noisy sparrows even in the face of complete annihilation. "T-Tier F-Four?" Justin stuttered as he caught sight of the humongous beast. To a commoner like him, Tier One Spirit Beasts were dangerous enough, let alone a Tier Four. "W-Will I die here today?" "Boy, that''s why I really said that you should listen to me." On the other hand, the black-haired man was as calm as a lake. He didn''t seem perturbed by the presence of the dangerous beast. "If you would have let me in earlier, all of this mayhem could have been avoided." "M-Mister! C-Can you save us?" At this point, the shaken boy wasn''t listening to the man at all. He was just begging¡­ Begging for a miracle. And fortunately¡­ He was going to get one. "Hah¡­ Child, what''s your name?" The black-haired man''s voice turned softer and much more tender after hearing Justin''s tearful plea. "J-Justin..." "Justin, huh? That''s a fine name!" The man smiled as he stroked Justin''s oily hair. "My name is Shin! Shin Iofiel!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 575 - Mythpoint Reach (2) "Shin Iofiel? Where have I heard that name before..." That name rang alarm bells within the young boy''s mind, but due to the sudden danger, Justin couldn''t really recall where he''d heard that name before. "Hahaha, you don''t have to force yourself to remember!" Shin chuckled. Grabbing onto Justin''s hand, Shin led the boy to the front of the house, where his mother was frantically looking for him. "Justin!" The burly woman instantly hugged Justin the moment she saw him. "Where have you been?! And who is this person?" "Mom, I..." "Don''t fret, missus. I''m here to help!" Shin smiled as he handed Justin over to the woman. He then turned his attention to the confused men that were ready to sacrifice their lives for the safety of their Village. "Is there someone by the name of Lester Jikaj here?" "That would be me," the Village Chief took one step forward and raised his hand. He examined the young man like he would a medical specimen. The Village was currently facing a crisis, so he couldn''t spare too much attention to the young man who had appeared out of nowhere. Thus, the Chief snorted: "What business would a brat like you have with me?" "Business¡­ I guess you could say that it''s something like that." Shin smiled wryly. "I''ve been commission by the Highgarden Duchy to help as many villages in their region as I can, and I just so happened to chance by your letter to Earl Donnavan. To cut a long story short, I''m your reinforcement!" "... The Earl just sent one person?" George snorted, not hiding his utter tone of disgust. Village Chief Lester Jikaj looked at the black-haired man with a similar look. ''This young man¡­ He''s not even thirty, yet! How can he help our Village?'' "No, I''m just the early bird. I just so happened to have a head-start, the rest of my team would be arriving in a few moments." Unperturbed by the snide remark, Shin kept his gentle smile. "Thank you so much for staying and protecting Jikaj Village in place of the Earl. Supplies and ammunition would be brought by my allies, and you should be able to survive for the few months leading to the land''s revival. Of course, if you''re interested in settling down in a safer region, I can make some arrangements with the Earl." "Hmph! You speak as if we can live past this day!" Lester angrily scoffed. "Brat, if you want to live, stand behind us and fire as many flares as you can! Make sure your team gets here as soon as possible! Protect our families, and we''ll protect you!" To the Village Chief, Shin was nothing more than a liability. However, he did bring news about their reinforcements. If they could just hold out against the Four-Eyed Golden Ape until back-up arrived¡­ They might just be able to save their Village. "Oh, there''s no need to wait for my team to take on a mere Tier Four Spirit Beast," Shin replied with a toneless voice. It was a life-or-death situation. Still, the man was barely interested in the Spirit Beast that was charging towards the Village. "Boy! Are you crazy?! That''s a Tier Four Spirit Beast that you''re talking about! Even if you''re some prodigious child, you shouldn''t underestimate a foe like that!" George screamed. Shin looked barely older than twenty-five and was much smaller than the gargantuan Four-Eyed Golden Ape. In George''s eyes, Shin would be squashed as easily as a fly. "Brat, don''t make it difficult for us! Just stay with the women and children! We''ll deal with the Spirit Beast." "Just relax..." Shin chuckled. Ignoring the cries of protest, Shin stepped into the pouring rain. His black-hair and already moistened clothes were now shining with an intense hue, one that could only be described as mesmerising. Shin walked past the strongest fighters in the Village in a slow, but firm manner. One muscular man wanted to stop Shin, thinking that he was about to head to his death. However, the moment he reached a metre away from Shin''s body, he instantly fell to the wet ground with a loud thud. A sharp aura emerged from Shin, and for a moment, he looked like an indomitable mountain that the man could never hope to climb. Only the Elder could tell that something was amiss. That kind of atmosphere¡­ It wasn''t something that a twenty-year-old bumpkin could possess. Heck, even among all of the great warriors that he''d seen in his lifetime, none could compare with the cold nonchalance that was the black-haired man that stood before his eyes. "You! Do you want to die?! Come back here now!" The Village Chief hollered at the top of his lungs. He wanted to charge forward and drag Shin back to the safety of their compounds but was abruptly stopped by the Elder''s wrinkled, old hand. "Les¡­ Leave the boy be..." "Elder!" The Village Chief wanted to protest, but it was far too late. Shin was now within ten metres of the Four-Eye Golden Ape, which had tilted its head curiously at the weak-looking man who emerged. Typically, a Spirit Beast of its level was highly astute to the presence of other living beings. It could tell with a single glance whether its opponent was stronger or weaker than itself. However, no matter how hard the Tier Four Spirit Beast tried to evaluate Shin, it could only draw up a blank page. It was as if Shin was a phantom, a being that wasn''t meant to be of this world. Shin didn''t care about the Spirit Beast''s dazed state, though. He looked down on the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, as an elephant would an ant. "I should really hurry this up¡­ Justin seems to be starving for weeks now." Shin''s mind was still on the kind-hearted boy that tried to help him, even though it may have drawn the ire of his elders. "Grrraaaooorrrrrrrrrrrr!!!" The Four-Eyed Golden Ape banged on its chest, unleashing a similar roar from before. However, unlike the first time, it was far more reserved and cautious, as if afraid of the mystery that shrouded Shin. "As I said, I''m going to finish this quickly." Seemingly understanding the Spirit Beast''s mental state, Shin replied with a snort. "No offence, but you''re troubling my clients. Please rest easy, will you?" Shin raised his right hand, and every single pore in his body spat out chromatic orbs of transcendent light. Azure, cerulean, emerald, turquoise, magenta¡­ All sorts of colours sprang out of Shin''s inner body, creating a dense field of spiritual energies. Feeling the pressure that Shin was emitting, the Four-Eyed Golden Ape unconsciously took two steps back, and its back started to sweat profusely. Such a dense domain could only be created by one person. The man who used the Celestial Dragon to absorb a crap tonne of elemental energies. It was Shin''s signature Domain of Dreams. "Grrrrr!!!" The Four-Eyed Golden Ape growled, seemingly knowing that it wasn''t Shin''s opponent. However, the young man wasn''t just going to let the brutish beast run away. If it were to terrorise the other villages that Shin was meant to save, how could he ever hope to face Kanari and more importantly, his parents-in-law? "Sorry, but you''ll have to die here!" Shin snapped the fingers of his raised hand and all of a sudden¡­ The rain stopped. Billions of water droplets remained frozen in the air, like an ethereal painting that was suspended in time. All of the spectators dropped their jaw at the supernatural feat. Changing and manipulating the weather was one thing, but to think that Shin could physically restrain every single raindrop that drained from the heavens. None of the villagers had ever heard of such an ability, let alone witness it in action. "How beautiful..." Justin unknowingly muttered out. The rain that he so tenderly loved was now ten times more gorgeous than before. It seemed gentle, yet mysterious. Powerful yet loving. And who was at the centre of it all? None other than Shin Iofiel. Shin didn''t wait for the villagers to break out of their awe, and neither did he give the Four-Eyed Golden Ape any time to react. With a twist of his wrists, millions of raindrops congregated into a rapidly spinning drill and dashed straight at the Tier Four Spirit Beast. The Four-Eyed Golden Ape wanted to run, but it was far too late. Shin''s left hand, which had been idle all these while, was raised towards the heavens and the Tier Four Spirit Beast''s blood began to boil. Its massive body, which could easily crush a house, was lifted up as if someone had grabbed it by the throat. That''s right¡­ Shin had blood-bended the Spirit Beast to seal its path of escape and allowed the Four-Eyed Golden Ape not a single escape route. And in the end... "RAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!" The Four-Eyed Golden Ape could only helplessly watch as its heart was pierced by the sharp rainwater of Shin''s domain. It was left with nothing but a gaping hole in its chest, void of its earlier ferociousness. "T-that! What''s this?!" George was understandably shaken. The young man that he''d just spat curses to had turned out to be a hidden master, one that was far stronger than anyone in the Village. Lester Jikaj was likewise shaken. Who could have anticipated that the young man before him was a powerhouse that could really scoff at a Tier Four Spirit Beast''s might? "Esteemed senior..." Changing his tone, the Village Chief bowed to Shin in reverence with a tinge of hesitance. The young man before him had the power to either lead Jikaj Village to annihilation and salvation. So, Lester Jikaj had to be careful with his words: "Thank you so much for saving our village." "The bird sings a different tune," Shin openly mocked. "This bird didn''t recognise Mount Tai¡­ I hope you''ll forgive me..." "Hahaha! What''s there to forgive?" Shin chortled. "Well, I guess you''re now willing to hear what I have to say now?" "Of course I am! Before that¡­ I haven''t heard our saviour''s name." "Where are my manners?" Shin laughed. "My name is Shin Iofiel, Master of Guardian Sword. Nice to meet you, Chief of Jikaj Village, Lester Jikaj." "The Prince of Water!" George suddenly exclaimed from the side. "A-A-A-Ar-re you rea-ally¡­ S-S-Shin Iofiel?! The Prince of Water and... the man who killed the Blade of Death?!" "Oh, so you have heard of me! That simplifies matters then! The Duke of Highgarden has really entrusted me with stabilising the affected regions of the Worldquake. I believe that you can find that my words are trustworthy now?" Shin playfully raised his brows. "Yes, yes! Of course, we can!" The Village Chief nearly had a heart attack after hearing Shin''s name. Who could have imagined that the acclaimed Prince of Water would save Jikaj Village? They''d just been complaining about how the Earl didn''t care about their region, but he''d sent such a glorious bigwig over. "So¡­ Are you going to let me stand out here in the pouring rain, or are you going to invite me in?" "Ah! My apologies, your grace! Please, if you don''t mind my humble abode¡­ Please come in!" Like a sea splitting in two, all of the spectators forged a path for Shin to enter their shoddy home. Shin took a few steps forward before finding Justin, who was still embracing his mother like a koala bear. Merrily, Shin winked at the boy and gently grabbed his hand: "You okay, little one?" "H-Hero!" Not knowing much of the world, Justin exclaimed the first thing that came out of his mind. "Hero?" "Y-You saved us! So you must be a hero!" "Hmmm¡­ I guess you could see it that way..." Shin scratched his chin in embarrassment. Having a child''s adoration was never bad. "You''re a brave boy, Justin. I''m sure that you''ll grow up to be a fine man, one that can protect your mother and family. I''m sure that you can be a hero¡­ Just like me." "..." Justin gazed into Shin''s eyes, having nothing but reverence. To him, Shin was truly a knight in shining armour, the Hero that emerged from the rain to save his family for imminent disaster. And most importantly¡­ The man that would change the history of the world... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 576 - Mythpoint Reach (3) An orange haze donned the gorgeous backdrop of Jikaj Village. The soft aroma of honey after rain trickled the noses of those lucky enough to witness the view. Children chirped happily as a delegation from the Highgarden Duchy brought boxes of fresh food and drinks for them. Among them, Justin slurped a bowlful of noodles heartily while boisterously chatting with his fellow friends. Shin sat alone on top of a collapsed brick home, happily watching the children interact. Healers were tending to the wounds of some of the injured and malnutritioned, while warriors turned themselves into stonemasons, creating temporary barricades that could defend against a regular Tier 4 Spirit Beast. The appearance of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape did minimal damage to the already decrepit Jikaj Village. With the help brought over by Earl Donnavan, the village could likely spend the next three months rebuilding the torn area. The Duchess of Highgarden had even promised to build new roads to help facilitate ease of access to the remote region. If the Jikaj Village kept their end of the bargain, the tragedy that was the Worldquake could quickly become an afterthought. Children like Justin would be able to return back to their old lives while commoners could all have full bellies once again. It was truly a goal to look forward to. "A penny for your thoughts?" While Shin was still lost in thought, a sudden voice called out to him, breaking his concentration. Looking down, Shin saw a young woman walking to his location with a bright smile. "Sister Bingying," Shin responded. "Have you finished the rationing?" "It''s all done now," Bingying replied with a smile. "The Jikaj Village is rather low on supplies, so the most we could do was give them enough bread and wheat for three months now. However, once Earl Donnavan hears of this, he''ll likely send more rations down. So you don''t have to worry about a thing." "That''s good..." Shin dropped his shoulders and diverted his attention past Meijing Bingying. His eyes landed on Justin, the kind-hearted boy that tried to save him when he had thought that Shin was a vagrant. The boy was beyond jubilant, smiling with his full set of teeth while playing with his friends. Meijing Bingying noticed her younger brother''s loving eyes and jokingly teased: "Have you taken a liking to the boy? Do you want to bring him back?" "Why phrase it like I''m a child predator that kidnaps any cute child I see?" Shin helplessly sighed. "I was just wondering if Errol would grow up to be like Justin. A kind-hearted and brave boy." "Given that both Kanari and you would spoil Errol rotten¡­ I doubt so?" "You..." Shin growled, forcing Meijing Bingying to throw her hands up in defeat. "I''m joking, joking..." The beauty giggled. These moments were few and far between¡­ The times where the two could drop their facades as the Prince of Water and the Pearl in the East, to just be two regular human beings who could joke around freely. "I''m just trying to ease up the mood, ya? You seem kind of down ever since you''ve taken the request of the Highgarden Duchy." "Hah¡­ There''s no hiding from Sister Bingying, huh?" Shin dropped his shoulders. Relaxing his brows, the man leaned back on the roof, allowing Bingying to take a comfortable spot by his side. "So, I''ll ask again¡­ A penny for your thoughts?" Meijing Bingying repeated her opening statement, eagerly waiting for Shin''s response. Shin''s eyes never left the orange sunset as he blankly blurted out: "I was just thinking about the state of the current Terre Continent. At the top level, all we can see are reports, laced with flowery words and random numbers. However, as I toured around the affected regions¡­ All I can see is human suffering. Families are torn apart with many passing away or abandoning their homes. Children starving and a.d.u.l.ts sacrificing their lives for the safety of their offspring. The disconnect between someone who sits on their lofty throne and the commoners that are suffering day after day¡­ The disconnect is astonishing." Over the past few weeks, Shin had been travelling throughout the Himmel Empire, trying to save as many lives as he possibly could. Setting aside the big cities that had Spirit Kings and Spirit Emperors to protect them, Shin tried to save as many small villages as he possibly could. Those that had nothing left, no food, no money and no defences. Shin wanted to lead those helpless souls into salvation, and that was precisely what he''d done. However, some villages were utterly devastated by the Worldquake. Others were abandoned even before Shin could reach them. "I''m one of the lucky few¡­ Because I climbed to the apex of the world from the bottom¡­ I get to see both sides of the coin. All lives are not created equal¡­ I know that now. However, every time I see an innocent soul being displaced from their everyday lives¡­ My heart can''t help but sink." "That''s the sad part about reality¡­ We can''t save them all..." Meijing Bingying sadly said. "However, as those that view the world from the top, we have the ability to combat the source of all this destruction and suffering¡­ And that is¡­ To kill the Allfather." "I know that, but..." All of a sudden, Shin paused. He could feel that Meijing Bingying was insinuating something with her statement and being the sharp tool that he was, Shin immediately looked at the woman in shook. "You can''t mean..." "Yes¡­ Isadore has just sent word." Meijing Bingying playfully chuckled. However, hidden within her smile, was a fierce blade that could pierce through a thousand facades. "The plan to siege Mythpoint Reach as been approved. The Alliance has called for your return." ??? The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. Three months after the Worldquake. Every single country was licking their wounds, desperately trying to bring their homes back on track. Billions of gold were spent, and there wasn''t a single idle worker in their countries. Stonemasons, even those that had long retired, came out from hiding to rebuild the damaged buildings. Farmers worked tirelessly, planting new crops while testing the state of their soil. Constables joined forces with the military to curb bandits and stray Spirit Beasts that threatened the land. Fortunately for the three superpowers, the Allfather and the Black Masks hadn''t launched a counterattack and had been holed up in Mythpoint Reach for the longest time. This gave the three superpowers crucial time to rebuild their fractured communities without the pressure of certain death floating above their heads. However, that didn''t mean that the Alliance remained idle. They''d sent a large portion of their intelligence agents to observe Mythpoint Reach cautiously evaluating every movement, large or small, that the Black Masks made. To them, Mythpoint Reach was like a ticking time bomb, one that could detonate at any given moment. However, the time had finally come to defuse that dastardly threat once and for all. Six figures appeared in the distance, staring down the colossal Tree of Darkness. It was still protected by the intense energy barrier created by the Nine Payircis that surrounded it. Last time, Saint Geom, the one widely regarded as the most offensive-based Spirit Saint, attempted to destroy the barrier but to no avail. Over the years, the barrier hadn''t degraded one bit. In fact, in many ways, it was stronger than before. However, the six figures didn''t seem too concerned over that fact. Particularly with the colossal structure that was flying behind them. "Saint Thor¡­ Is there really a need to bring Deus Citadel over?" Saint Firebird, the Spirit Saint from the Himmel Empire, asked. "I don''t have a choice! The new weapon that our Blacksmith''s League had created can only show its true potential with Deus Citadel around! Do you think I would bring out our most prized asset if the weapon could be moved that easily?" "Leave him be, Saint Firebird." A calm voice entered the fray. Saint Atossa, the Spirit Saint that guarded the Mercenary Guild, chuckled as she stared at the short, yet sturdy Blacksmith Saint. "Saint Thor is probably feeling more aggrieved than you ever would. To him, Deus Citadel is his pride and joy. Bringing it out to face potential danger¡­ This is the first time I''d ever seen this black-hearted man do that." "Hmph!" Saint Thor snorted but didn''t give a single retort. Saint Atossa was right. He really was unwilling to bring out the Blacksmith''s League most potent weapon and frisk it into the thick of danger. Alas, he didn''t have a choice. "What''s the situation inside?" A woman''s voice sounded out. With long black-hair and porcelain-like skin that would make any teenage girl cry out tears of envy, the woman had donned on a pure white healer''s garb with golden angels embroidered all over it. It was the holy robes could only be worn by those from the highest order. The robes showing¡­ A Divine Healer. "Saint Althea, based on our projections, a few Brahmins are staring us down. The weaker Black Masks are also on standby. However, there hasn''t been any signs of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts." Saint Atossa replied with her findings. "Saint Longyu Tian," the Saint from the Mercenary Guild moved to the final figure among the six. "Did you see anything with your future sight?" The black-haired Spirit Saint from the Longyu Clan released her ability, turning her eyes from gold back to azure. "Unfortunately, no..." The original four Spirit Saints that attacked the Allfather before had gathered, with two prominent additions. In most cases, this force plus Deus Citadel and all the elites that roamed inside of the floating fortress would be enough to bring down any civilisation of old. Heck, even the three superpowers would think twice before going up against a force of six Spirit Saints. However, by some odd circ.u.mstances, it was actually the Alliance''s forces that were unsure of victory. The threat posed by a Rank 99 Allfather was just far too significant for anyone to simply brush off. "The barrier seems to block all of my senses¡­ The Time-Elements are dilated within the field, and I can''t accurately tell if the Allfather is awake or not." Longyu Tian added. "So we can''t really confirm if the Allfather would counter if we attack..." Saint Geom stroked his long beard in amus.e.m.e.nt. "No matter¡­ Even if he does interfere, I''m not the same sword that fought him all those years ago¡­ I''ll be sure to defeat him in one shot." "You sure have confidence," Saint Althea chuckled. "Hmph! As if I''ll let one defeat get me down. My sword has been grinded down and is ready to taste a Rank 99 Spirit Saint''s blood! In fact, I would hope that he puts up a fight! Otherwise, all my effort would have gone to waste!" That''s right. The Spirit Saints that lost against the Allfather¡­ They were here for round two. And this time¡­ They had brought out all of their trump cards, leaving nothing behind. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 577 - Mythpoint Reach (4) Shin sat alongside his fellow comrades among the elites stationed on Deus Citadel, ardently watching the Tree of Darkness and the Nine Payircis that surrounded it. A greyish-black barrier shrouded the structures that represented the whole force of the Black Masks, giving Shin a poor view of what''s inside. No birds flew overhead, and no animals dared to roam near the sphere of death. Mythpoint Reach, once the most desired land in the world, was now a hub of evil and eerieness. However, Shin didn''t feel rattled at all. Based on the plan, the six Spirit Saints would lead the assault while the rest of the Alliance supporting them from the rear. There were Spirit Venerates from all three superpowers. Thousands of powerful mercenaries from the Mercenary Guild. Hundreds of Senior Healers, and of course... Shin and the rest of Guardian Sword. Shin had temporarily left the saving of villages to Elyse, Fionn, Ryner, as well as a plethora of Guardian Sword''s weaker division. Why? He had to bring the elite division up north to join up with one of the greatest forces ever assembled and to possibly end the war against the Allfather and the Black Masks once and for all. "Tense situation, huh?" Isadore remarked from the side. Shin nodded: "We still have to wait for the Alliance''s Intelligence before we can strike. Aunt Tian says that here Future Sight isn''t able to peer into the barrier. So the Spirit Saints are going to take it one step at a time." The worst possible outcome of this final raid was the utter annihilation of the Alliance''s forces. There were six Spirit Saints, over twenty Spirit Venerates and many more high-levelled cultivators present. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that if this force were decimated, the whole Alliance would come crumbling down and the Allfather would likely win the war. Therefore, everyone wanted to only move on bulletproof intel, lest their entire force was wiped out. "Do you think that the Allfather would emerge?" Isadore asked. "It''s hard to say¡­ On the one hand, we don''t know how much energy he had expended to trigger the Worldquake that decimated the Terre Continent. However, based on Senior Zishen''s knowledge, we can safely assume that the Allfather should be severely weakened. Not to mention, he''s been hiding in Mythpoint Reach ever since¡­ If the Allfather isn''t crippled, then I''ll be shocked." Shin replied with a certain degree of confidence. "If what you say is true¡­ We could be witnessing the final battle of this stupidly long war, huh?" "I sure hope so," Shin nodded. He thought back to Justin, the young boy whose village was utterly destroyed by the Worldquake, drastically changing his way of life. Shin had once thought that only he suffered the most from the Allfather''s relentless assault on civilisation. However, after his journey to save the commoners, he''d realised¡­ The ones that suffered most from the war weren''t those that sat upon their thrones. But those on the ground who had nothing to do with the war. "The Allfather is a menace to the world that has to be eradicated..." The scene of the Allfather confronting Shin after Junius'' death sprung right into the young man''s mind. When he''d explained his rationale for waging war, Shin was beyond incensed. He just wanted to create chaos and to hopefully breed conflict on the innocent lands. In the Allfather''s mind, a boy like Justin didn''t matter. Heck, the Allfather would willingly toss Justin into the incinerator if it meant that another talent could rise from the ashes. To the Allfather, those that deserved to live were those that had talent. Weaklings such as Justin and the random villagers that were killed by the Worldquake were better off dead anyway. To sate his own selfish desire, to bridge his lack of talent, the Allfather needed an adversary. One powerful enough to take him to the next step. And the Allfather believed that mass conflict was the only way to achieve that. Well, in a sense, he was right. Shin was a product of the Allfather''s artificial manoeuvrings, and there was no denying that many more geniuses had become far stronger at a staggering rate. However¡­ It would all end today¡­ "We have to kill off the Allfather before he causes more damage to society," Shin growled. "Hmmm, it''s easier said than done though¡­ No knows how powerful a Rank 99 Spirit Saint is, particularly one with his back against the corner. If he''d planned to destroy the Terre Continent, he must have anticipated that we''ll arrive here as well?" Isadore theorised. "The Allfather is cunning, I will give him that. However, my bet is on him miscalculating," Shin shrugged his shoulders with a counter. "I bet that he''d expected our Alliance to fall apart the moment the Terre Continent split apart. After all, in the mayhem, who would dare send their Spirit Saints out of the country?" "That makes sense..." Shin folded his arms as he continued: "However, now that we have six gathered here, we''ll most likely take him down with far more ease. Not to mention¡­ No matter how good the Allfather''s foresight is, I doubt he could foresee the creating of the new Aether Cannon." Shin glanced to his back and gestured to the colossal structure that stood behind him. There was a metallic tube, potentially a hundred metres long and fifty metres wide. On it, there were countless of contraptions and gears, many of them were foreign even with Shin''s vast knowledge pool. After all, Shin was a cultivator first. If one were to ask him about cultivation, combat arts or even about medicine, Shin would be able to answer it within a heartbeat. However, the complexities of the Aether Cannon, the Blacksmith''s League new weapon, was far outside the realm of his capabilities. Though Shin was familiar with the core component that was powering this weapon. "The Blacksmith''s League had fulfilled their end of the bargain and created a deadly weapon using the Paradise Heart. The problem is, I can''t tell how effective it really is." Shin had heard bold claims about what the Aether Cannon was capable of doing. The Alliance was even planning to use it to destroy the impregnable barrier that protected Mythpoint Reach. However, they were all hearsay. Shin didn''t know if the Aether Cannon was indeed that powerful. "We have to trust the Blacksmith''s League''s engineers I guess..." Isadore shrugged his shoulders. "Hmmm, why don''t the Hall of Science hire some experts from the engineering department to help? That way, we won''t be that reliant on foreign intelligence." "I doubt Elrin would be happy about the additional expenditure though..." Shin frowned. "Last time I asked her for more supplies, she''d claimed that all our finances had been tied up in other engagements and we barely had any left to spare." "And you took her word for it? What if that imp tries to embezzle some gold?" "Hah! Even if she did, I doubt that I could stop her! You of all people should know how valuable she is as the Hall of Gold''s Master." In terms of their hierarchy, Shin was undisputably higher than Elrin. However, when it came to financial matters, even the almighty Prince of Water had to listen to the money-hungry merchant that dominated her field. "Also, I trust her¡­ Elrin wouldn''t do such a thing." "Hah¡­ I guess you''re right." Isadore sighed. All of a sudden, a siren wailed, breaking the duo from the casual conversation. Before either of them could question anything, two hefty guards rushed down the spiral staircase and called out to Shin and Isadore: "Your Highnesses! The Alliance Head have given down the order. The attack is to commence in thirty minutes! You have to vacate the premise of the Aether Cannon immediately!" "That soon?" Shin was obviously confused. There still hasn''t been any confirmation about the Allfather''s state and the inner workings of Mythpoints Reach was still mostly unknown. It didn''t make sense to rush the whole thing when they still had ample time to do reconnaissance. "There has been a change in the battlefield!" One guard hollered, his face still red as can be. "The Primordial Beast¡­ The Leader of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts¡­ Kuro has emerged from Mythpoint Reach!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 578 - A Battle Beyond Comparison (1) The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Nine Spirit Beasts that followed the Allfather throughout his journey from the researcher Akumu that lived on the outskirts of the Uncharted Wilderness, to the all-knowing, all-powerful being that reigned supreme over the Terre Continent. Little is known about the true extent of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts other than the odd times that they''d emerged to do the Allfather''s bidding. The most famous of them all was unquestionably the World Serpent who held the Throne of Blue, Ao. He was the ringmaster behind Junius'' nefarious deeds and among the top Tier 9 Spirit Beasts living on the planet. Ao had killed off Wangu, the Dalgeom Sect''s premier Spirit Emperor, forever putting him as an enemy of the Kori Federation. Furthermore, he was also part of the tragedy that destroyed the old Land of Dreams. Due to his active involvement in the Black Masks'' activities, the Alliance had gathered quite a bit of information about the Water-Elemental Spirit Beast. The other eight Noble Beasts were a little more obscure to them. They knew of Murasaki, the Arachne Queen that joined in the Land of Dream''s massacre and could roughly estimate how powerful she really was. The other two prominent Noble Beasts would be Akai and Midori, the Lion Chimaera and the Gargantuan Treant who had attacked Aldrich''s Keep that many years back, opening up the Himmel Empire''s western frontier. However, the rest of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were mostly unknown to the Alliance, particularly their enigmatic leader. The Alliance knew that Kuro existed. They even knew that Kuro was a Primordial Beast that could easily take on a Spirit Saint on a one-on-one battle. However, they didn''t know the true extent of the Spirit Beast who held the Throne of Black. Alas¡­ It was all going to change today. The six Spirit Saints levitated in the air, each one heightening their senses and brandishing their weapons. Saint Geom held his Samingeom up in the air, while the other Spirit Saints had long summoned out their Spirits. Elementals danced in pure euphoria as they felt the dense change in the atmosphere. It was a rare occurrence¡­ Six Spirit Saints unleashing their auras at the same time. However, such an action was warranted, given how powerful their opponent might be. A lone man floated above the energy barrier protecting Mythpoint Reach. Black, sharp hair that fell down to his bum and a muscular build that made him seem like a ravaging barbarian. Chiselled down to the very bone, there wasn''t a single ounce of extra fat on the toned man. His crystal black eyes sparkled with a luminous moonlight hue, even though it was still an overcast afternoon. The man wore a simple jet-black Haori with white stripes bordering its corners. His complexion was a little more tanned than it should have been, but there was not an ounce of facial hair covering his chin. Somehow, the man seemed barbaric and cultured at the same time. However, there was one fact that was undeniable¡­ His aura was downright frightening. Not a single life form dared to come within a kilometre''s radius of the black-haired man. Birds would fly higher than the clouds would permit while land critters dug deeper underground. Even cultivators weren''t immune to the devastating aura that the man was emitting. Shin, a freak of an aura master himself, could feel the bloodthirst and overall sharpness of the man, even though he was ten kilometres away. That was how frightening the lonesome man defending Mythpoint Reach was. In fact, if not for him already meeting the Allfather, Shin might have mistaken the man floating in the air as the all-powerful leader. "You must be the leader of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, Kuro..." Saint Geom led the introductions, not that the Spirit Beast asked for it. "My name is Kim Geom, High Elder and Spirit Saint of the Dalgeom Sect." The wizened old man paid his due respects towards a worthy opponent. Although Kuro was the second-in-command of the world''s most hated enemy, he was still a Primordial Spirit Beast. Typically, a Primordial Spirit Beast was far more powerful than an average Spirit Saint. Sometimes, a Primordial Beast might be capable of taking two Spirit Saints at a time. However, their power didn''t come at a cost. It was much more difficult for a Spirit Beast to cultivate all the way to the apex as compared to a regular human being. Some of them train for tens of thousands of years, only to be withheld at the final step. Therefore, each and every Primordial Beast were entities that had to be treated with the utmost respect. "I know who you are, Kim Geom..." A low baritone echoed out from the core of the black-haired man''s mouth, sending shivers down the Spirit Saints'' spines. He first looked at the ''leader'' of the Spirit Saints gathered, before slowly pointing his finger to the other five in order. "I also know you, Longyu Tian¡­ Firebird Gormatine¡­ Thor Danlaf¡­ Althea Carferum¡­ Atossa Towyn..." Hearing their full names being recited one-by-one really put the six Spirit Saints into a frenzy. It has been ages since anyone had dared to call them by their full names, due to the amount of respect that one placed on a Spirit Saint. Nonetheless, the Primordial Beast hardly cared about those titles. As far as Kuro was concerned, he was their equal¡­ No, he was superior to those Spirit Saints that couldn''t hold a candle to his esteemed master. "I know that this might be a fruitless ask, but I have to say this anyway..." Representing all of the Spirit Saints, as well as the Alliance that stood behind him, Saint Geom made the first move. "Surrender now, Kuro! We know that the Allfather has been weakened! We have Mythpoint Reach surrounded, and all of our resources are focused on bringing you down! The Black Masks'' reign of terror is over!" "..." Kuro stood there silently while folding his arms, seemingly amused by Saint Geom''s request. Seeing the lack of reaction from the man, Saint Geom added: "Kuro, I know that you''re a proud Primordial Beast, but we''ve already won! Don''t waste your long years of cultivation to die for a villain like the Allfather! If you leave the Allfather and the World Serpent here, I would be willing to spare your life and banish you to the Uncharted Wilderness!" Truth to be told, Saint Geom just didn''t want the Alliance''s forces to sustain more damages than it should. If he could convince Kuro, the only Primordial Beast in the Black Mask to leave the Allfather and Mythpoint Reach forever, Saint Geom was more than willing to let Kuro go. Alas¡­ He underestimated how loyal the Wolf was. "How ludicrous..." Kuro snorted. "You''re asking me to betray the Allfather? On what basis? Just because you''ve brought some fancy technologies and six Spirit Saints? Don''t make me laugh! The Black Masks aren''t an organisation that would fall to such useless threats!" Kuro''s aura turned even sharper as black mist emerged from every pore in his body. Most of them were filled with the Darkness-Element, creating a rather eerie backdrop for the Primordial Beast to stand in front of. However, Kuro wasn''t done. From the darkness, an arm-long blade with a baton-like handle emerged and graced his right hand. It was a shimmering obsidian-silver blade with tiny purple tips plus, the aura that it gave out was no less intimidating than that of Saint Geom''s own Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. "The Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt?!" Saint Thor, the most knowledgable man about weapons among the Spirit Saints, gasped in horror after seeing the weapon''s appearance. "Saint Thor, do you know what that weapon is?" Saint Geom asked. "I-It''s the lost Spirit Armament of Spirit Saint Mercurial, the Ghost of Oblivion!" The hefty man exclaimed. "It''s a relic of the ancient warring era! Legend has it that Saint Mercurial used the Blacksmith''s League best blacksmith at the time, Saint Overeem, to craft that mythical blade. Using the materials from over nineteen Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, Saint Overeem created his masterpiece and Saint Mercurial was the one to lift it into myth. If the records are correct, Saint Mercurial used the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt to fight against four top Spirit Saints at once, and that includes the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Immortal!!!" "What?! That weapon fought against the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Immortal?!" Everyone was visibly shocked, particularly Saint Firebird. Although it was impossible to verify how powerful those legends were at their peak, there was no question that the Spirit Immortal that founded the Himmel Empire was a powerhouse among powerhouses. Just looking at his descendants and one could guess how mighty the man was. "Granted, it was when he was just a recently-promoted Spirit Saint¡­ But that doesn''t change the fact that Saint Mercurial was able to fight four Spirit Saints to a standstill using the Blade of Ephemeral Haunt!" The Blacksmith Saint looked greedily at the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament that graced Kuro''s right arm. "I''d always thought that it had been lost to time¡­ To think that I would get to see the weapon once more!" "You have keen eyes..." Kuro praised Saint Thor, not worried in the slightest that his weapon had been exposed. "If you know about this weapon, then you should know about why it''s so legendary¡­ HAUNT!!!" Shouting out one word, Kuro pumped his own mana into the Immortal-Grade blade, and a terrifying buzzing sound broke the tension of the air. The Blade of Ephemeral Haunt started shaking at its core, and the two purple tips unleashed a vast amount of spiritual energies into the surrounding air. The already dense elemental energies had turned far thicker as the Primordial Beast unleashed his all against the six Spirit Saints. In no time at all, the purplish lights that came out of the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt congregated into five phantom figures, each one bearing the same face and build as the massive black-haired man that wielded the Immortal-Grade weapon. The purplish phantoms looked half-illusory, half-real. Their fleeting presence was quite challenging to pin down; however, the immense mana that each of them emitted was sufficient to choke anyone weaker than Rank 90. "Five Saint-level phantoms?!" Saint Althea gasped. Sain-level represented the apex that both cultivators and Spirit Beasts could ever hope to achieve. Any higher, and they would have reached the realm of the Immortals, a domain that few could ever hope to reach. Therefore, when Kuro summoned out five Saint-level phantoms from his Spirit Armament, one could imagine the surprise that the other Spirit Saints sustained. "Don''t fret! It may be at the Saint-level, but they''re nowhere near as powerful as the original!" Saint Thor quickly helped to ease his comrades'' worries somewhat. "The Spectral Haunts that the Blade of Ephemeral Haunt creates don''t possess spiritual abilities or martial arts! Think of them as empty shells that possess a Spirit Saint exterior!" "But it''s still at the Saint-level!" Saint Geom tested out his theory by swinging the Samingeom. A blade beam shot out from his Immortal-Grade weapon''s tip and raced right towards one of the phantoms. However, instead of being utterly destroyed, the phantom easily deflected the shot with its own swing. "Damn it, we can''t hold back at all against those shits!" The elderly swordsman spat as he took another stance. "Saint Atossa! Tell the Alliance Head to prepare the Aether Cannon! All six of us are needed to push back this Primordial Beast!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 579 - A Battle Beyond Comparison (2) The five purplish phantoms charged right at the Spirit Saints, particularly the weaker ones that weren''t suited for direct combat. Saint Althea, Saint Longyu Tian and Saint Atossa were the three prime targets. Saint Althea was a bona fide Divine Healer, as well as a top-tier support-type cultivator. Most of her abilities were geared towards supporting her comrades so that they could unleash their maximum potential. Therefore, she was by far the weakest Spirit Saint when it came to close combat. Saint Longyu Tian was in a similar boat. Her Golden Sovereign Koi, the variant Spirit that controls the Time-Element, wasn''t particularly the most offence-based Spirit among the six Spirit Saints. In fact, the majority of Saint Longyu Tian''s abilities were auxiliary-oriented, such as her Future Sight and Time Field. Hand-to-hand combat, on the other hand, wasn''t particularly her forte. The same goes for Saint Atossa. She was once the leader of the Mercenary Guild and her expertise laid in intelligence gathering and stealth movements. To a certain extent, she was also capable of assassinations and sneak attacks from a hidden location. Direct confrontations weren''t particularly her forte. It was Saint Firebird, Saint Thor and who could forget, the man known as the most powerful attack-based Spirit Saint alive, Saint Geom, that could stand toe-to-toe against the purple phantoms. The other three were severely lacking in terms of overall defensive and offensive ability. However¡­ "Underestimate me? How foolish!" Saint Longyu Tian naturally didn''t like that Kuro sent his phantoms to attack her first. In the art of war, to win a battle, it was always imperative to strike at the weakest link. Kuro chose to attack Longyu Tian first, which meant that he saw HER as the weakest link. The nerve¡­ "Time Field!!!" Longyu Tian shouted as she raised her left hand to the air. Almost instantly, a hundred-metre wide dome engulfed herself and the purple phantom that dared to battle her. It was grey with a tinge of silver plus, it bore the properties of the Time-Element. There was no other spiritual ability in the world that was like this field, and Kuro knew it. He attempted to call back the purple phantom that was sent to take down Longyu Tian, but it was to no avail. The monstrous apparition had its movements slowed tremendously by the Time Field and in no time at all, its speed that could match a swallow''s had been decreased to that of a snail''s. "Time Manipulation!" Saint Atossa gasped. Saint Longyu Tian''s ability to use the Time-Elements was legendary and many, even among the Spirit Saints, feared the Saint of Time most powerful skill. The ability to warp time itself. All of her enemies in the field would have their time slowed down, while her allies would have their time doubled. Imagine that. All enemies would be two times slower while all of her allies would experience time at twice the speed. It was a boost that was borderline unfair. Furthermore, in theory, there was no counter for Saint Longyu Tian''s Time Manipulation. It didn''t matter if one was a Rank 1 Spirit Practitioner or a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, they would be affected by the Saint of Time''s ability all the same. The phantom created by the Blade of the Ephemeral Hunt roared, but it was far too slow for any to notice. Saint Longyu Tian then warped space, forcing a dense object to emerge from her pocket dimension. A two-metre-long pole, with a celestial string tied from its bottom, took its rightful place in Saint Longyu Tian''s palms. A grey aura, one that seemed neutral at first glance, yet utterly mysterious the next, wreathed the rod, mystifying all those that laid their eyes on it. "Rod of Eternity!" Saint Thor exclaimed, his face completely flushed. The Blacksmith Saint was as shocked to see Longyu Tian bring out that seemingly inconspicuous fishing rod as he was when Kuro pulled out the Blade of Ephemeral Haunt. "You actually brought it out from Longyu Reef?" The black-haired Spirit Saint scoffed. "Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments aren''t made to collect dust in some vault. They''re meant to destroy the enemies that threaten my nation!" Not wasting this opportunity, Saint Longyu Tian rapidly twisted her wrist and cast her Rod of Eternity. The hook of the fishing line immediately found the purple phantom and locked it in place. There was no need for a follow up then. Once hooked, there was no escaping from the Rod of Eternity. Almost instantly, a river of clouds that flowed in one direction engulfed the purple phantom, enveloping it with an array of Time-Elements. The river was flowing in one direction, and the purple ghost was located almost at the very top. However, it was all about to change. Longyu Tian pulled the rod, forcing the ''time'' of the purple phantom all the way downstream. Everything in life had a lifespan. It didn''t matter if it were a human child or an ore of metal. Living or non-living, everything would eventually fade back into dust. And the phantoms were no different. Pulling the ghost all the way down its own River of Time, the purple spectre disappeared entirely, never to be seen ever again. "Hoho, so there''s a reason why that Immortal-Grade weapon is called the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt¡­ The phantoms that it creates are just as fleeting as its name suggest." "..." Kuro lips flinched. That''s right, the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt was a powerful Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament that could create Saint-Level phantoms. However, its haunting had a specific time-limit. Ten minutes to be exact. Typically, to defeat someone who possessed the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt, one had to turtle up and take defensive positions, hoping to wear down the user and wait for the hauntings to be over. However, Saint Longyu Tian didn''t need to play by the standard rules. Her Rod of Eternity allowed her to play around with the purple phantoms'' lifespan, which was already short, to begin with. If Longyu Tian was given the opportunity, she could easily neutralise all of the apparitions in one go. Unluckily for Kuro, the Rod of Eternity was precisely the counter to the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt. "Tsk!" Clicking his tongue, Kuro called back the phantoms that were near Longyu Tian. He couldn''t afford to lose any more of his ghosts, at least not until the preparations were ready¡­ "Attack!" However, even though Kuro called back some of his phantoms, it didn''t mean that he''d stopped his attack. Two purple spectres were now targetting Saint Althea, the theoretical weakest Spirit Saint among the six. She was a healer and lacked any physical attributes. Furthermore, she was the only one among the six Spirit Saints that could boost and treat her allies back to the brink of health. It was common sense for Kuro to target the Divine Healer. Alas, just like before¡­ He''d miscalculated. "DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!" A sonorous chime deafened the surroundings and forced the phantoms to retreat when they were just a few metres away from tasting Saint Althea''s tasty flesh. A radiating light, one that could match that of Heaven''s Gate, emerged from the depths of Saint Althea''s soul and created a holy aura that could only be described with one word¡­ Divine. It was as if Angels had descended from heaven and the chanting chorus of Cherubs protected the ethereal woman. Illusory white feathers covered all over Saint Althea''s weak body and protected her from the harm that the purple phantoms posed. Kuro was stupefied. How could the weakest Spirit Saint so easily defeat the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt''s power? Fortunately for the Primordial Beast, he didn''t need to wait long to find out his answer. A golden flame, one akin to that of a miniature star, emerged from Saint Althea''s bosom. It burnt was a radiance that was unheard of in the mortal realm, and one could hardly breathe when faced with the full brunt of its spiritual energy. None of the Spirit Saints could peel their eyes away from the holy fire. The flames gradually dispersed, revealing the core structure that laid within the Divine Healer''s chest. A white gold bell that was twenty centimetres tall and ten centimetres wide unleashed a godly aura that seemed impregnable, even for the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt. It possessed numerous ancient runes, one of the likes that were undecipherable in the modern era. Attacking the bell was deemed to be sacrilegious, and anyone who dared would be judged by the wrath of heaven itself. In fact, the moment that bell appeared in Saint Althea''s hands, Kuro had given up any notion of killing the Spirit Saint. He had a much higher chance of reaping the life of Saint Geom as compared to the Divine Healer who possessed that fabled bell. "Holy Destiny Bell¡­" Saint Thor gasped, this time a little fatigued from the constant shock he''d been receiving. It was the fourth Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament that appeared on the battlefield, but it was by no means the weakest. The guardian relic of the Healer''s Association, the Holy Destiny Bell was only usable by Healers who had reached the Spirit Saint realm. Many people often wandered¡­ How could the Healer''s Association survive with no offensive-based Spirit Saints standing guard at their headquarters? Even if Saint Althea existed, she was in no way capable of defending against a full-on attack by any of the three superpowers. However, with the Holy Destiny Bell in her possession, no one on the planet could dare attack the Healer''s Association. Why? Because of the unique properties of the Holy Destiny Bell. As long as Saint Althea lived, the golden barrier created by the bell would protect anything she desired. Even the Saint of Shells from the Heigui Clan couldn''t compare to the Holy Destiny Bell''s defensive capabilities. The Holy Destiny Bell also possessed two more unique abilities, a rare trait for an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. By ringing the bell thrice, the Holy Destiny Bell could call down the Attendants from Heaven, protecting the user and all who she deemed worthy. The Angels would become an Immortal Army that could defend against the onslaught of a handful of Spirit Saints. But what truly set the Holy Destiny Bell apart was its third and final ability¡­ The scariest and most legendary ability of them all¡­ "DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!" The Holy Destiny Bell chimed eight times consecutively, creating a shockwave surge of mana filled to the brim with healing aura. The five Spirit Saints surrounding Saint Althea all felt the blood in their body surge as mana filled their every vessel. Illusory angel wings grew from their backs as faux halos crowned their heads. The Eight Chimes signalled the heralding of a new era. An era of a Saint Squad that could defeat any foe that laid before them. Even if the Rank 99 Allfather was present, he would face trouble in fighting against the five Spirit Saints that had been buffed up. The final ability of the Holy Destiny Bell was a simple, yet potent spell. It was the strongest healing spell known to mankind as well as the most powerful auxiliary boost ever known. As long as a human hadn''t crossed the River Styx yet, the Eight Chimes of the Holy Destiny Bell would rejuvenate the person into the pink of health. Heck, it would even boost the person by a Spirit Rank or two. It didn''t matter what disease, poison, injury, ailment or sickness the person might have. The Eight Chimes of the Holy Destiny Bell would heal it all. But there was also one more thing that the Eight Chimes could do¡­ "I¡­ Feel so powerful..." Saint Geom, the Spirit Saint who was most aware of his own physical body, felt like his aged shell had been reverted back to its prime. Not only that, he''d felt that his stagnant Spirit Rank had been triggered once more and was on the verge of breaking through to the next Rank. "That''s my boost! It''ll maximise your potential and make you artificially reach it for a few minutes!" Saint Althea shouted from within the Holy Destiny Bell''s protection. "With this, I''m sure that you can take down a Primordial Beast or two!" "Hahaha! With three Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments on our side, how could I dare lose?!" Saint Geom bellowed out laughing. As a warrior, it was by far, the best moment of his life. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 580 - A Battle Beyond Comparison (3) Saint Geom had the power of the Holy Destiny Bell strengthening his every muscle. The Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament had maximized his potential to the utmost limit. Not to mention, there was his favoured Immortal-Grade weapon, the Samingeom boosting his overall power. It was not an exaggeration to say that Saint Geom was currently the most powerful Spirit Saint at this very moment. Kuro held his Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt tightly, his palms unwillingly shivered. Facing six Spirit Saints was already hard enough, however, now he had to worry about three Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments as well. Spirit Armaments were rare in the cultivation world with only a percentage of cultivators ever getting a chance to obtain one of them. Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments were even rarer, given how difficult it was to craft and use them. Take the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt for instance. It required the materials taken from nineteen Tier 9 Spirit Beasts and the craftsmanship of a Blacksmith Saint to forge. The three Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments that the six Spirit Saints held likely had similar stories. The Samingeom, the world''s most famous Immortal-Grade sword, was said to be forged from the remnants of a star that fell upon the planet. Furthermore, the Immortal-Grade weapon was infused with the insights of all the Dalgeom Sect''s Spirit Saints. Past and present. The amount of sword aura that it had been engulfed in¡­ The amount of blood that it had seen¡­ Was incomparable to any other Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament that existed. Saint Althea''s Holy Destiny Bell was a relic of similar stature. Created by the founder of the Healer''s Association, it had the lifeblood of a Spirit Immortal as well as the infused mana of Healer Saints throughout the generations. Its spiritual abilities were top-notch, even among Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments and its very existence had kept the Healer''s Association from being raided multiple times over. And finally, who could forget the Rod of Eternity. Unlike the other Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments, the Rod of Eternity was a weapon crafted especially for Saint Longyu Tian''s hands. In her youth, when she triggered a Spirit Evolution, Longyu Tian had already walked on the path of a Time-Elemental Spirit Saint. Unfortunately, there were literally no Time-Elemental Spirit Armaments around, particularly ones that could reach the Immortal-Grade. Therefore, the lonesome Longyu Tian embarked on a journey to create her very own Time-Elemental Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. It was an arduous attempt. Not only did she need to find suitable materials to craft the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, but her insights into the Time-Element had to be in the realm of perfection. A hundred years of research, development and failures after¡­ The Saint of Time had finally created a weapon that was unique to herself. The pressure given off by the Rod of Eternity, as well as the Spirit Saint who created it to suit her needs, was no less demoralising than that of Saint Geom and the Samingeom. Kuro had thought that he would be able to buy at least an hour with his Blade of Ephemeral Haunt. However, with six Spirit Saints and three Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments bearing him down¡­ It would be a miracle if he held on for five minutes. ''Allfather¡­ How are the preparations?'' So, with everything on the line, Kuro established his emergency connection with the slumbering Rank 99 Spirit Saint. [Not good enough¡­ Just buy as much time as you can. I will forcibly awaken my body immediately to use the final card.] ''But if you do that, your lifespan...'' [Will decrease even more, yes.] The Allfather clearly knew what was going on outside. His connection with Kuro enabled him to see the outside world as if he were physically present. So, he could tell what a desperate situation that his Guardian Beast was in. It was the Allfather''s mistake. He hadn''t realised how deep the three superpower''s resources were and had thought that it would take much longer for them to recover from the Worldquake. Alas, the three superpowers had proved him wrong. [I''d thought that they would take at least ten years to bother us, given the circ.u.mstances of their nations. I guess that they are desperate to end the war right now...] ''Those f.u.c.k.i.n.g...'' Kuro cursed mentally. If only the Alliance followed their script, the Allfather wouldn''t have to take such drastic risks. [Kuro¡­ I permit you to use everything that you have. Don''t worry about harming the barrier. Once the final card is used, we''ll all be drawn into my Spirit to hibernate anyway¡­ There''s no need to protect Mythpoint Reach anymore.] ''Allfather, no Master Akumu¡­ Must you really do this?'' Kuro was hesitant. He knew more than anyone else how weak the Allfather currently was from unbinding the shackles that the Terrestrial Dragon had placed on the Terre Continent. If he were to expend even more energy, there was a good chance that he wouldn''t awake ever again. [Don''t worry about me, Kuro¡­ Have you ever seen me fail in my goals before?] ''No Allfather, but...'' [No buts! Just hold them off for the time being. I''ve already begun the Call Of Darkness.] ''...'' The conversation between the Allfather and his beloved Guardian Beast seemed to span a long time, but in reality, barely five seconds had passed in the material world. Saint Geom was staring down Kuro as he called back his purple phantoms, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike. Additionally, he was buying valuable time for the Aether Cannon of Deus Citadel to charge up and land the decisive blow on Mythpoint Reach. The elderly Spirit Saint''s eyes never left Kuro''s image, and thus, he was the first one to notice the change in his atmosphere. Rumble¡­ The air turned crisp and the stale. No gales dared to come close, even at the high altitude that the Spirit Saints were levitating at. Oxygen became scarce, and the world turned ever dark. It was cloudy, but it seemed like the entire sky had been engulfed in the blackness of an eclipse. "This is..." Saint Firebird looked up, his Phoneix Heart thumping wildly. Fire-Elements cowered in fear while Light-Elements quickly hid within the Holy Destiny Bell. They were like usurped emperors, shouting at the rebel Darkness-Element that dared to claim their firmament for its own. There was no light, there was heat, there was no sun. There was only¡­ Darkness. "So¡­ That''s the true power of the Primordial Beast Kuro..." Saint Atossa wasn''t that pleased with their situation. The six Spirit Saints could only watch blankly as Kuro turned the world into darkness, overruling all the other elements that lived harmoniously on the land. "A Primordial Beast''s mana is really in a class of its own¡­ To change the entire region''s elements to suit its needs. That amount of spiritual energy needed to perform such a feat would suck a Spirit Saint dry." "Hmph! So what if he''s changing the elements to his will!" Saint Thor barked. Before, he wasn''t as confident when facing the full might of Kuro and possibly the Allfather. However, with three Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments supporting them, there was no way that the Black Masks wouldn''t fall today. Though, Kuro cared little about what his opponents felt. His left hand raised, embers of dark flames congregated into a dense ball of mana. Burrowing the image of the sky, the small black flaming ball in Kuro''s hand grew larger and larger, until¡­ "Unholy Star!" The Primordial Beast hollered. Dark thunder crackled from the inside of the star, and a chilling cold permeated anyone who came close to the Unholy Star. At the same time, billowing smoke emerged from the depths of the star, covering Mythpoint Reach''s barrier with dense fog and blocked the Alliance''s line of sight. "Still thinking about saving Mythpoint Reach? You sure are one loyal dog!" Saint Geom scoffed. Leaping out with the Samingeom in hand, the Sword Saint turned into a beam of pure Swordlight. In the infinite darkness that Kuro had created, Saint Geom''s gorgeous form was the only light that brought sense to the senseless world. At that moment, all the swordsman that were on Deus Citadel felt their hearts stir in fervour while their swords shook violently as if trying to escape from their scabbards. Most of them didn''t even witness Saint Geom''s Swordlight and were surrounded by brick and steel. However, their souls could feel the dominating effect of Saint Geom''s strikes. It was as if¡­ The monarch of all swords had descended upon the world, and anyone with an inkling of sword intent would have to bow down in reverence. Natasha Aldana did it, Meijing Bingying did it¡­ Heck, even some of the Dalgeom Sect''s Spirit Venerates had to bow their heads in respect of Saint Geom''s arts. He was¡­ the strongest swordmaster on the planet. "DIE!!!" And all of his wrath was focused onto one point. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The Samingeom landed squarely on its target. Above, the overcast sky had been split in two, allowing the bare minimum of sunlight down from afternoon weather. Cloud embellished in darkness had been ripped bare as the elements that had been sealed rushed angrily back into the atmosphere. Shin gaped in awe, while safely located at the most secure chambers in Deus Citadel. No matter how powerful he was, Shin wasn''t suicidal enough to join a battle of that calibre. That was how great the battle was. One being had the power to seal the heavens, while the other had the might to tear it apart. And it had all been done in less than a couple of breaths. However, neither Saint Geom nor Primordial Beast Kuro cared about their spectators'' shock. They were wholly focused on one another, particularly the elderly Sword Saint. That''s why Saint Geom was the first one to notice the change in Kuro. The Primordial Beast had blocked his Swordlight with the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt and was mostly fine from the attack. But there was one distinct difference. There was not a single patch of white left in Kuro''s eye sockets. They had been infused entirely with his own Darkness-Elements and more eerily¡­ Two lines of blackened blood dripped down from the corner of his eyes. ''He''s¡­ crying?'' Saint Geom wasn''t one to talk when it came to discussing emotions, but he could obviously tell that Kuro was in a peculiar mental state. His face was scrunched up and nose sniffing. Not to mention, the two lines of black blood flowing down his cheeks. Kuro was crying, there was no doubt about that¡­ But why? "You get no sympathy from me, you beast! Now die!" Saint Geom didn''t bother to retreat. He was going to end the Primordial Beast''s life right here. Swinging the Samingeom up high, boundless amounts of Swordlight gathered as if the Spirit Saint had called the well of stars to descend. Strengthened by the Holy Destiny Bell and the Samingeom, Saint Geom was now able to unleash his most feared technique to the absolute limit that his body was able to allow. The one strike that made even the Himmel Ancestor fall back in fear. The one strike that made Saint Geom a household name when he was still a mere Spirit Emperor. And most importantly¡­ The one strike meant to smite down those that dared to bare their fangs against him. The Sword of rebel and the power meant to surpass one''s own limits. "HEAVENBREAKER!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 581 - A Battle Beyond Comparison (4) "HEAVENBREAKER!!!" Saint Geom''s voice bellowed through Mythpoint Reach like a thunderclap. Those that were below the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm felt their eardrums burst and their faces fall flat on the floor. The sealed sky was now pierced by a single line of Swordlight, and the heavens roared out in a fury. Sunlight pierced through the opening of the black clouds, illuminating Mythpoint Reach and all who were within it. With light back in the world, the six Spirit Saints could now see the Primordial Beast that stood in their path rather clearly. The black-haired middle-aged man was now gone, and in his place, there was a five-metre tall wolf. Each one of its forty-two fangs were as large as a human head, and the claws that graced its claws were as sharp as a falcon''s beak. Dark mist permeated through its shoulder blades, and a chilling cold shrouded it like a cloak. It had two distinct eye colours, making it one of the rare Spirit Beasts to possess heterochromia. Its left eye had a golden hue, much like the sunlight that came down from the heavens. Its right eye, on the other hand, was glowing with a distinct sapphire radiance. Not one soul couldn''t peer into the Primordial Beast''s eyes and feel mystified, particularly if they were an average cultivator. Its aura¡­ The ferocity from its growls¡­ Even the darkness that protected it like a mother''s embrace. The Wolf was, without a doubt, one of the strongest Spirit Beasts to ever roam the planet. There was no question in Saint Geom''s mind that the wolf levitating in the air was the same man that he''d been fighting just seconds earlier. The Primordial Beast may seem to be domineering but there was an apparent wound stretching from one end of its body to the other. Bubbles emerged from its innards, trying to stitch the injury and revert Kuro back to his original state. However, each time Kuro''s mana attempted to heal him, a sharp aura pierced through the darkness, further injuring the Primordial Beast. Kuro tried to heal himself multiple times, but each attempt would yield the same results. Saint Geom smiled as he watched the Primordial Beast suffer. ''Hmph! There''s no way that you can resist the Samingeom''s ability!'' That''s right. How could Saint Geom''s Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament be any weaker than the Rod of Eternity or the Holy Destiny Bell? If someone were to get on the other end of the Samingeom''s attack, the piercing aura of the blade would continuously attack the physical body of the recipient. No matter how much one tried to heal the wound creating by the Samingeom, they would be continually hit by the intense Swordlight that the Immortal-Grade sword creates. The only way to stop the barrage was by killing Saint Geom or breaking the Samingeom. However, there was no way that Kuro was capable of performing either of those feats. Hence, the Primordial Beast could only whimper as the six Spirit Saints prepared to launch their final assault. "DIE!!!" Saint Geom swung the Samingeom one more time. He was looking to finish Kuro while he was still battered and weak. Alas, how could it be that easy? CLANK!!! The Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt, held by a purple phantom, collided with the Samingeom, creating a shockwave that uprooted trees and caused landslides from mountains. Saint Geom felt his blade shake as if he had attempted to slice through an immovable object. "You can still use the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt even in your Beast form?" The elderly Sword Saint asked unconsciously. "..." Kuro just remained silent. He was in a hell of pain, and his strength and mana were rapidly depleting. There was no way that Kuro would be in the mood to have a chat about his abilities at this juncture. Kuro''s body was rising and falling, his entire being wet and battered. The purple phantom was in a somewhat similar state. Flickering like a faulty bulb, it looked like the apparition could disappear at any given moment. If not for Kuro''s mind being powerful enough, there was no doubt in Saint Geom''s mind that the Immortal-Grade Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt would have been rendered useless in battle by now. "AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Saving the best for last, Kuro used his home ground advantage to generate even more Unholy Suns. That howl acted as a beacon, calling all of the Darkness-Elements that Kuro had sent to the atmosphere back down onto his body. "F.u.c.k.i.n.g wolf," Saint Firebird spat, not willing to let Kuro get his way. Embers emerged from the inner depths of his soul, and an orange glow turned his entire body into an eternal flaming bird. It was Saint Firebird''s own unique Spiritual Body Enhancement¡­ The ability to turn into a Phoenix. Typically, the bird of myth wouldn''t think twice about a mere wolf, particularly one that was injured. However, Saint Firebird in his Phoenix form didn''t dare to underestimate the Primordial Beast. Hence, instead of going straight for the head, Saint Firebird turned his attention to unlocking the skies. SKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! The Phoenix cried as it shot towards the heavens. Fire-Elements now took over as the blackened clouds burnt away. In its place, a new sun took the skies, one with a flaming bird at its core. Gone were the Darkness-Elements that sealed the firmament and the other elements began to return back into balance. With his home advantage lost, Kuro and the purple phantoms would find it much harder to resist the six Spirit Saints. Many of the Unholy Stars slowly lost their ferocity and l.u.s.tre, while the purple ghost looked to be on the verge of breaking apart. It was Saint Firebird''s greatest contribution to the battle that no mere mortal could join. But he wasn''t done yet. The skies were now his to rule, and he wasn''t just going to let this advantage slide. In his Phoenix form, Saint Firebird flapped his wings furiously, and the entire black skies had turned into an ocean of red. Balls of fire fell down like meteor showers, decimating the barrier that protected Mythpoint Reach. Kuro wanted to react, but the pressure that Saint Geom and his Samingeom were giving was too immense. In no time at all, the flames from Saint Firebird were now engulfing the entire barrier of Mythpoint Reach like a clay taking the shape of its mould. However, even with Saint Firebird''s deadly attack, the barrier still stood firm. There was no blemish to be seen, and neither was there a fault that could be exploited. The Allfather''s barrier was impregnable. "What an annoying barrier..." Saint Firebird was clearly annoyed. Although the Sky of Flames wasn''t his ultimate ability, it was still one that used a fair bit of mana. "Saint Thor! Is your blessed contraption ready or not?" The Blacksmith Saint turned back to Deus Citadel, only to see a reddish light blinking from its very top. With a smile, Saint Thor shouted back: "It''s ready! Clear the area lest you want to be blown away!" That message wasn''t just meant for Saint Firebird. All the Spirit Saints heard Saint Thor''s warning loud and clear, and they all rose up into the heavens, taking their place right next to Saint Firebird. Only Saint Geom remained entangled with the purple phantom and the roaring, injured Primordial Beast. He tried to fly upwards, but the Darkness-Elements kept holding him back. The purple phantom swung the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt while Kuro continued to spew Unholy Stars right at the Sword Saint. "Saint Geom can''t escape," Saint Althea gasped. Kuro may be injured, but he was still a ferocious beast that stood at the right hand of the Allfather. "I''ll help him out..." Saint Longyu Tian raised her left hand, and a greyish-golden light dripped out from her fingertips. Like River Time itself, the Time-Elements flowed downwards and created a hundred-metre wide Time Sphere that ''ate'' both Saint Geom and Kuro. At that moment, the two Saint-level beings halted entirely, as if they had been frozen in time. No¡­ That was what had happened. Saint Longyu Tian had frozen both their movements with her speciality. A bead of sweat fell down the black-haired woman''s forehead as her left arm started to feel the strain. "Stopping time for two Saint-level beings sure is hard..." Longyu Tian unwittingly spat out. Her right-hand rotated, casting the Rod of Eternity and establishing a connection with Saint Geom using its fishing line. Once he got the Sword Saint hooked, Longyu Tian pulled him out from the Time Sphere and brought him up to safety. "TELL THEM TO FIRE IT NOW!!!" Longyu Tian''s exasperated voice bellowed out. She was holding Kuro in time, but it was far harder than it looked. Kuro was a Primordial Beast, a powerful one at that. The mana and strength required to hold him in place were tremendous, and even the Saint of Time could only hold on for a few seconds. If nothing was done, Kuro would escape and this opportune moment to destroy both Mythpoint Reach and kill the Primordial Beast would have slipped on by. "FIRE!!!" There was no telling whose voice responded to Saint Longyu Tian''s cry. It could have been Saint Thor¡­ Perhaps it was Saint Atossa? Or was it the Alliance Head, Raphael who was in control of Deus Citadel? Longyu Tian didn''t know. However, that didn''t matter. What truly mattered was¡­ VOOOMMM¡­ VOOOOOMMMM¡­ VOOOOOOOMMMMM¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!! A white beam burst forth from the tip of Deus Citadel and like a monstrous tsunami, crashed right towards Mythpoint Reach. Heat that was no less than that of the sun permeated through the skins of any that stood near the beam. Electric currents found the earth, creating a dazzling scene of lightning breeding on the ground. It was utterly surreal, such a power¡­ However, what was more astonishing was¡­ "The barrier broke!" Saint Thor looked like a child on Christmas day. He face was completed red, and the whites of his teeth were glistening like embers. "It really broke! HAHAHA!!! Take that you Allfather! You''re now not the only one that can use the Paradise Heart!" The Blacksmith Saint gloated, and with good reason. It had taken them many years to develop a method to harvest the Paradise Hearts that came from the Payircis, and now¡­ They were able to use the Allfather''s weapon against him. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 582 - Call Of Darkness (1) The barrier shattering was just the beginning. Engulfed in light, Kuro seemingly turned into dust, and the Blade of Ephemeral Haunt fell right back into Mythpoint Reach. Well, not that there was much of it left. The beam continued to charged forwards, breaching all the defences that the Black Masks had put up. Everything from the Nine Payircis that protected the Tree of Darkness, to the Tree of Darkness itself. They were all wreathed in the glorious light that Deus Citadel had produced. Shin watched everything unfold, his expression as broken as shattered glass. He was the Prince of Water, the young scion of the Lantis Republic and the one slated to become the next Spirit Immortal. Shin''s experience far exceeded anyone of his age, heck it even exceeded most hundred-year-old humans. However, never in his entire life had he witnessed such an awe-inspiring battle. Even if he unleashed the full might of the Celestial Dragon and joined hands with his bodyguard Zishen, Shin couldn''t hope to contribute to the battle that was unfolding. One move could seal the heavens while the other could tear it apart¡­ Who else on the planet could match that strength?! And that wasn''t the most fearful thing that occurred. What scared Shin the most, was the pure white beam that flowed from the bottom of his feet. Deus Citadel, the flying fortress that was synonymous with the Blacksmith''s League, had unleashed the most blinding beam that Shin had ever witnessed. His eyes were burning, even if he closed them, and the sound trumped anything in the area. Shin felt as if his entire world was crashing down upon his shoulders as he unwilling took a knee. And he was still one of the better few. All those beneath the Spirit Venerate realm couldn''t help but fall flat on the floor, their bodies not willing to get up in fear of being destroyed. The weakest among them all were salivating from the sides of their mouths while their spines continued to tingle with an encroaching fear. Deus Citadel''s Aether Beam¡­ The power that utilised the entirety of a Paradise Heart¡­ Was that powerful. "F.u.c.k me! I can''t see!" Isadore screamed with all his might. He was a martial artist and a Rank 49 Spirit Spectre. A powerhouse in his own right. However, against the blinding beam that Deus Citadel spewed out, the toned young man was nothing in comparison. "Grit your teeth and bear with it!" Shin wasn''t able to see Isadore either, and could only shout in the direction of his fallen friend. The Paradise Heart was just far too domineering, and the engineers from the Blacksmith''s League hadn''t thought to put any protection for those within Deus Citadel. Just like the barrier protecting Mythpoint Reach, Shin and the others had to withstand the aftershocks from the beam with their own willpower. "..." The Aether Cannon''s whitebeam went on for a good minute and a half, only to finally wither away like the passing rain. The skies that had been engulfed in flames had been split in two as the wind pressure by the beam eroded all the elements above and below ground. The six Spirit Saints looked at one another, their eyes all sharing the same amount of disbelief. One universal thought ran through all of their minds at that very moment. It wasn''t if the Black Masks were annihilated, and neither was it about the state of the Allfather. All they could think about was one thing¡­ ''Could we withstand that attack?'' They glanced around carefully examining one another. Saint Longyu Tian tried to remain expressionless, but her anxiety was clearly showing. She was biting down on her lower lip, and her body was shaking like a leaf. Saint Atossa and Saint Firebird were also trying to put on a brave front, but it was to no avail. Even Saint Geom, the strongest among them, seemed to have dark lines emerging from his brows. There was only one answer to that question¡­ No. None of the Spirit Saints, living or dead, had the capability of withstanding the Aether Cannon''s attack. Even the Saint of Shells from the Lantis Republic, Heigui Zhengkang, couldn''t hope to block one move from that deadly weapon. Escaping the range of the Aether Cannon was simple, even the weakest of cultivators could run away given enough time. However, what if the Aether Cannon was directed at a major city? Or what if it were aimed at any government halls? That very thought sent shockwaves down the Spirit Saints'' minds. ''A new weapon of mass destruction has been born¡­ Fortunately, it was the Blacksmith''s League who have created it...'' Saint Firebird looked at Saint Thor, who was the only one drunk with happiness at his creation''s effectiveness. As the Alliance stood, the Aether Cannon would only be used against the Black Masks, the enemy of humanity. However, when the Allfather and the Black Masks were destroyed, and the Alliance had fulfilled its purpose¡­ What then? The three superpowers would, without a doubt, start a bidding war to obtain the new technology. Not to immediately start a war of conquest against their fellow nations, but to protect themselves through deterrence. "Congratulations, Saint Thor..." Longyu Tian was the first to strike. "You''ve created a technology that had never been seen in the history of mankind. You must be so proud of your Blacksmith''s League''s engineers!" "That''s right!" Saint Firebird instantly could tell what the Saint of Time''s scheme was. So, he also moved to butter up the Saint of Hammers. "It must be a monumental accomplishment for your Blacksmith League! Perhaps this new invention would trigger the new Golden Age of Blacksmiths! Your name would be written down in legend!" "Hahaha! I can''t claim all the credit!" Saint Thor laughed heartily. It has been a while since he was this happy. "Our Ingram was the lead in developing the Aether Cannon! Also, the Prince of Water was the one who generously supplied the Paradise Hearts and the numerous blueprints of the Payircis!" "Still, you''ve done a great deal for humanity! Creating this weapon that could destroy Mythpoint Reach''s barrier this easily." "HAHAHA!!! I guess you''re right!" The Blacksmith Saint continued to be showered with praises, and he gradually accepted all of them. Saint Geom, who had been silent all this while, finally opened his mouth: "Is there a name for this weapon?" "Hahaha! Of course there is!" Saint Thor bellowed out. "We''ve thought about it long and hard, even before the weapon was put into production! Also, we''ve gotten the Prince''s input for the name as well!" What could the new weapon of mass destruction''s name be? Was it something that would honour its creators? Or was it a name that paid homage to Spirit Immortal Dream, the woman who created the Paradise Heart and the numerous inventions that made the Aether Cannon possible? Whatever it would be, the name would be repeated for centuries, no millennia to come. Therefore, everyone was eager to find out what it would be. "The Light that shatters the Darkness. The beam that eradicates humanity''s despair and the eternal guardian that protects all life¡­ We''ve named the Aether Cannon, the Ray of Hope." It was neither of the names that the Spirit Saints had thought up. Shin, alongside the other prominent engineers of the Blacksmith''s League, were of the opinion that the Aether Cannon should only be used for protecting humanity. They all knew how dangerous the new weapon was. With the Aether Cannon powered by a full Paradise Heart, a small island-nation could match up against either one of the superpowers, even without any Spirit Saints or Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. Shin didn''t provide the Paradise Hearts for such a scene to unfold, and neither did the lead engineers of the Blacksmith''s League. They created the weapon of mass destruction to raise the world from despair, to destroy the Darkness that the Black Masks had brought it into. They didn''t want to see a scene of humans murdering other humans with the Aether Cannon. Hence, they gave it a name that would show the creator''s intent, wishing that future generations would take that into consideration before using the Aether Cannon. "Ray of Hope¡­ That''s a nice name," Longyu Tian sighed. She could tell that Shin had a good amount of authority when it came to naming the new weapon. She even felt guilty for l.u.s.ting the weapon. "Yes¡­ We should really use the Ray of Hope, only to bring the world out of despair..." Saint Firebird shared the same sentiments. "Hahaha, younger brother Shin is really something else!" Saint Geom chortled. He no longer called Shin as a child, but by a familial tone. In the Spirit Saint''s view, Shin was already standing side-by-side with the world''s leaders, the Sword Saint included. However, the Spirit Saints couldn''t laugh for long. As the smoke started to clear, the six Spirit Saints knew that they had to focus on the task at hand. They''d come to eradicate the Black Masks, and it was best to finish the job. "Is Mythpoint Reach destroyed?" Saint Atossa unconsciously asked. At that moment, all of the Spirit Saints woke up from their stupor. They turned their attention away from the death ray and peered downwards. The barrier that protected Mythpoint Reach had melted away like butter on a swelteringly hot summer''s day. Without its main protection, the Tree of Darkness and all the nine Payircis should have been destroyed¡­ right? "It''s¡­ Gone?" The expected rubble and shattered pieces of Mythpoint Reach were nowhere to be found. In its place, there was a bottomless abyss, one that seemed to have no end in sight. There was no way that the Ray of Hope, a beam that was aimed horizontally, could have created such a feat. "This is!" [Call of Darkness!] A booming voice beckoned the entire region, forcing everyone to stop in their tracks. The Darkness-Elements that had been voided by Saint Geom and Saint Firebird returned to the lands. However, instead of sealing the skies, it tunnelled deep into the broken earth. In a panic, the six Spirit Saints all unleashed their Spirits to the maximum, desperately trying to regain the balance of elements. "ARGHHHH!!!" Saint Thor unleashed his Thunder Hammer, and a billion coils of lightning slithered through the skies, raining down vengeance upon the abyssal pit. "DIE!!!" Not to be outdone, the ruler of the skies turned back into a Phoenix and cast his Flaming Rain ability once more. Fire-Elements joined with the Lightning-Elements, becoming a double threat when bridging through the Darkness. Even Saint Longyu Tian and Saint Althea jumped into the action, desperately wielding their Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. Saint Atossa, the one least adept in this situation, stood far back and focused on releasing Wind-Elements into the area. It was the least she could do, while the other Spirit Saint focused all their attention upon the abyss. [It''s futile...] The voice sounded out once more. It was toneless and lethargic like it was a machine speaking. Hands attached to snake bodies emerged from the newly formed abyss, slithering their way up into the atmosphere. The elements that dared to challenge the Darkness all disappeared with one contact of the many hands. "You!" Saint Longyu Tian gasped. "Everyone, get out of range of the hands!" Without even looking back, the Saint of Time hastened her own body and ''teleported'' away from the abyss'' range. "Saint Longyu Tian! You know what are those monstrosities?" "JUST DO WHAT I SAY IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Longyu Tian shouted once more, this time a little more frantic. Realising the danger, all of the other five Spirit Saints moved far away as well, just narrowly escaping the clutches of the encroaching hands. [A shame...] The Allfather''s voice sounded out again, this time with a little more emotion. [I''d thought that I would be able to get rid of at least one Spirit Saint, but you''ve realised it too quickly¡­ Was it your future sight, Saint of Time?] "..." Longyu Tian didn''t respond. However, her eyes that were initially azure had long turned golden, validating the Allfather''s question. [Impressive. You''ve improved yourself to this point¡­ Perhaps I''ve overlooked you just a little.] "Shut up, you monster! Tell us, what have you done to the Terre Continent! What have you done to trigger the Worldquake! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MYTHPOINT REACH!" [What do you think?] The Allfather sounded a little coy. He had lost three consecutive times before this moment, and it was nice to finally get a win. [Do you honestly think that I will sit back and let you destroy the Black Masks? The organisation that I had spent so much time and effort to build?] ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 583 - Call Of Darkness (2) A dark mist coagulated from the abyss and took the shape of a shrouded figure. His head was covered by a black hood, and his face was wreathed in the same dark mist that came from the abyss. The six Spirit Saints'' all tightened their faces as they prepared to face the Grim Reaper once again. However, unlike the first time that they''ve met, the Allfather didn''t possess the same amount of dread and darkness. Instead, it looked like the shrouded figure lacked even the slightest bit of mana. "A projection?" Saint Longyu Tian remarked. [That''s right¡­ You Alliance members sure have given me quite the surprise¡­ Creating such a dastardly weapon from the Paradise Hearts. I had to use all of my mana just to save Myhtpoint Reach from that death ray.] "You¡­ saved Mythpoint Reach? From the Ray of Hope?!" Saint Thor''s husky voice echoed out, completely stunned by the Allfather''s feat. The Ray of Hope was unquestionably the most powerful man-made attack made to date. Even Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts could only cower at the might of the weapon. Yet, the Allfather had managed to save Mythpoint Reach from it?! [Ray of Hope? Don''t make me laugh. How could that beam of pure destruction ever inspire hope?] The Allfather laughed at the ironic name. [No matter¡­ You have my admiration, Saints of the Alliance. For forcing me to this point. But don''t celebrate too early¡­ The Black Masks will find a way to strike back.] Saint Thor scoffed as he spun his hammer: "Hmph! From what I see you''re Black Masks are already done! We''ll just fire more Ray of Hopes into that stupid abyss! I''ll see how you''ll survive after that!" [HAHAHA! Are you blind?!] The Allfather''s playful voice echoed out once more. [All of your elements¡­ All of your attacks, physical or spiritual¡­ They''re all useless against my Call of Darkness!] As he said those words, the numerous hands with slithering arms leapt up from the abyss like water fountains, enveloping the Allfather''s figure. All of the elements excluding the Darkness ones, were greedily ate up by the hands, and the overall spiritual energies of the atmosphere drastically decreased. The six Spirit Saints were confused. In their long years of living, never had they seen such a unique ability, one that could eliminate all spiritual energies of the world, absorbing them back into the unknown abyss. [As a reward for creating such an excellent weapon, let me give you a warning¡­ My Call of Darkness is akin to Hell''s Gate. Anything that comes within it would never escape without my will. Even if you fire the beam into my abyss¡­ Nothing would happen. Aren''t I right? Saint of Time?] "..." Longyu Tian''s face tightened. All the while, she had been using her Future Sight to view the possible methods of defeating the Allfather. Could the six Spirit Saints all band up and launch their ultimate abilities into the abyss? Or could they use the Aether Cannon to destroy Mythpoint Reach once more? Longyu Tian saw the future possibilities, and none of them led to the destruction of the Allfather. "What the hell is your Spirit?" Saint Atossa of the Mercenary Guild shouted. The Mercenary Guild had, by far, the largest database of information, and that includes the myriad of Spirits that were known to the modern world. However, none of the Spirits they knew could possess the attributes that the Allfather had. Creating an army of Umbras. Distributing his mana with those that swore loyalty to him. The power to transcend the limitations of space, appearing wherever his mana was present, giving him near omniscience. All of those abilities were utterly absurd, and they were all present on one sole Spirit! [That''s for me to know, and for you to find out...] Naturally, the Allfather wouldn''t give away his most valued secret. The Black Masks were now at their lowest point in years. If the Alliance were to gather to attack Mythpoint Reach, everything that the Allfather had worked for would be washed down the drain. Therefore, the Rank 99 Spirit Saint was forced to cast his forbidden spell to create an abyss that could house the Black Masks and all of its operatives, hoping to bide his time for a future resurrection. "Allfather¡­" Saint Geom gritted his teeth. They were this close¡­ This close from eradicating the evil from the world and enacting justice, avenging the death of Wangu and so many others that had died in the hands of the Black Masks. Yet, they had managed to blow it at the final moment. "Come out and face me! One-on-one!" The elderly Swordmaster threw out a Hail Mary, trying to challenge the Allfather to a duel. [What idiocy¡­ Do you honestly think that I would fall for such an obvious ploy?] "ALLFATHER!!! FIGHT ME!!!" Saint Geom sent a wave of swordlight flying at the Allfather''s image, slicing the dark figure in two. However, like a hologram, the Allfather remained unaffected by the physical damage. [Don''t worry¡­ You''ll get your chance in the future¡­ But first, let me introduce you to the terror that''s going to come!] The Allfather laughed. Raising both his arms, the Allfather''s image brought forth a new wave of Darkness, and like a ravaging storm, countless of Umbras emerged from the newly formed abyss. Millions of Umbras emerged from the darkness, taking over the earth of Mythpoint Reach. However, that wasn''t the best bit. As if in conjunction with the Allfather''s actions, newly formed Payircis with a plethora of freshly brewed Umbras appeared in all corners of the globe. It was the next phase of the Allfather''s Grand Scheme. After splitting the Terre Continent apart, the Allfather would unleash the final act to help evolve the inhabitants of the planet once more. Shin'' growth was staggering, but the Allfather didn''t like to put all his eggs into one basket. He needed to groom the next generation of talent to be capable of matching him in a battle that transcended what Kuro and the six Spirit Saints could accomplish. He needed a potential Spirit-Immortal being to emerge from the despair that the Black Masks were unleashing. And for that¡­ He needed to drop the world to its lowest point in millennia. "YOU BASTARD!!!" A hallowed cry echoed through the world as the six Spirit Saints attempted to clean up the Umbras. However, the sheer amount of the Darkness Beasts were too much for the exhausted Spirit Saints to deal with. Not to mention, many of those seated within Deus Citadel had already been incapacitated by the Ray of Hope. There wasn''t much that the Alliance could do but watch helplessly as the Umbras charged freely across the seven continents. Shin was lost among the chaos. His mind was still spinning from the Ray of Hope''s aftershock, and he still had double vision. However, he could still somewhat make out what the Allfather had done to Mythpoint Reach and the entire planet based on the Spirit Saints screams. He wanted to lift his finger and at least provide the slightest bit of help. Alas, the man was still far too weak. Just remembering the earlier battle between the Saint-level beings sent shudders down his spine. If Shin were to jump into the fray, he would unquestionably be cut down within minutes. Thus, all he could do was look on helplessly, as the Umbras continued their charge towards the mainland. In due time, the Umbras would feast on the flesh of innocents and disrupt the peace of the already unstable seven continents. ''I-Is¡­ Is there no stopping that man?! How am I supposed to beat him?!'' The Allfather¡­ A being that was beyond comprehension. Even when Shin had thought that he''d pushed the man into a corner, he continued to betray all expectations, taking out trump card after trump card. Shin wasn''t weak. No, he was considered to be exceptionally powerful, even amongst the elites. However, even with all of his might and all of his influence. The Allfather still stood high above him, bringing despair and darkness followed wherever he went. The Allfather¡­ He was the true¡­ Villain of the World. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 584 - The Call Of Darkness (3) "Damn it!" Shin spat hate while he slowly got to his feet. He wanted to do something¡­ Anything¡­ Just to ensure that the Allfather didn''t run away with a sure victory. Otherwise, they would have gathered their troops and congregated their masses for nothing. Alas, there was nothing that Shin could do to stop the Allfather now. He had already destroyed the Terre Continent and had brought the Black Masks into the abyss formerly known as Mythpoint Reach. Umbras would infect the world, bringing terror down on the masses while the Allfather would acc.u.mulate his strength from the safety of his abode. There was nothing that Shin could do to stop the man but watch. [Shin Iofiel...] At that moment, a profane voice echoed within the recesses of Shin''s mind. Startled, the young man jumped up and summoned out his Celestial Dragon. Draconic scales covered the supple skin of the young man, and the Water-Elements spiked exponentially. Without even thinking about it, the Spear of Aiglos appeared in Shin''s hand while the Azure Dragon''s Shard resonated throughout the upper levels of Deus Citadel. Shin knew this voice. He wouldn''t forget it even if the world came crumbling down. And sure enough¡­ [There''s no need to be alarmed...] Dark particles congregated into one singular area, forming a figure that was reminiscent to that of the same shrouded figure that the six Spirit Saints were facing. Dark mist covered all parts of his face, preventing anyone from getting a good look at his real appearance. No one really understood why the Allfather took the shape of the Grim Reaper. Still, over the years, Shin had already mentally linked the two of them together. In his mind, the Allfather was the greatest evil that needed to be eradicated, much like the Grim Reaper himself. "ALLFATHER!!! You dare show your face here!" Before Shin could even react though, an azure flash sped past the young man charged right at the floating being. Zishen, faithful to his job as Shin''s bodyguard, moved to neutralise the threat before he could touch the toes of Shin''s feet. Unfortunately, Zishen''s attack was never able to land. Passing through the black-robed figure as if he were a hologram, the Azure Dragon knocked its own claw into the concrete ground of Deus Citadel. "Wh-hat the?!" Naturally, Zishen was baffled. Looking back, he could only see the Allfather''s back, which was floating about seamlessly. [Moron¡­] The Allfather scoffed, not even bothering to look at the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. His attention was wholly focused on the young man who had all his abilities locked and ready to go. Not only were the Water-Elements in a frenzy, but every single element that the Celestial Dragon had access to were also starting to go awry. Time-Element¡­ Space-Element¡­ Mind-Element¡­ Light-Element¡­ They were all congregating around the young man like moths to a lamp. However, the most surprising thing about Shin was¡­ The thick aura that permeated through his very soul, one that was unlike that of a mere Rank 60 Spirit King. [Shin Iofiel¡­ You''ve grown quite quickly...] The Allfather lauded Shin''s accomplishments. It has been a few months since Junius had sacrificed his life to transfer the Allfather''s purified mana into Shin''s body, allowing the Prince of Water to leap realms and jump into the Rank 60 Spirit King level. Few in the world could withstand such a leap, and many would fail to make the Allfather''s mana firmly their own. However, through sheer resilience, Shin had managed to make that work. Although most of the Allfather''s mana was used up during Shin''s ascension, there was enough leftover for the Prince of Water to consolidate into additional Ranks for his own cultivation. Now, Shin was a Rank 65 Spirit King, perhaps becoming the youngest one after Spirit Immortal Dream. The Allfather examined the youth from head-to-toe, and his sour mood instantly got better. Spirit Immortal Dream was a talent that would possibly never be replicated ever again. Though Shin lacked in some areas as compared to that cultivation monster, he was still a tremendous talent in his own right. [Rank 65¡­ Maybe in ten years, you''ll be able to reach the Spirit Venerate realm, and maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­ You would be able to match me.] The Allfather said. "Ten years? Watch me do it in five!" In the heat of the moment, Shin spat. Everything in the cultivation world boiled down to one factor, and that was power. It didn''t matter how wealthy or good-looking a person was. Those that stood at the apex of the world, those that controlled the destinies of everyone beneath them, were the world''s top cultivators. Just look at how Spirit Saints are treated in the modern era! The Allfather was standing at the pinnacle of all Spirit Saints, essentially making him the top dog and the one in control over everyone else''s destinies. Few could withstand his wrath and the only reason why Shin was still living today, was because the Allfather needed him to fulfil his master scheme of ascending to the Immortal Realm. [HAHAHA!!! You underestimate the upper realms, boy!] The Allfather bellowed out in laughter. [The lower cultivation ranks were easy for you because it was made to be so. Don''t you ever wonder why there are so few Spirit Kings, Spirit Emperors and Spirit Venerates? It''s because each rank obtained requires years of hard work and cultivation. Even you, with the Celestial Dragon in hand, won''t be immune to that immense hurdle!] "..." Shin remained silent. Oddly enough, the Allfather was feeling a little more chatty than usual. Perhaps it was because he was about to enter into a long slumber, and he wished to have a chat with someone before he slept. And his time¡­ was about up. The Darkness-Elements that filled the land was slowly creeping back into the abyss. The Call of Darkness, the Allfather''s forbidden spell, was a technique that focused on dragging Mythpoint Reach into his created abyss as well as create an endless loop of Umbras to arise and terrorise the region. From here on out¡­ The Allfather didn''t have to lift a single finger. He would be dragged into a long recovery, hoping to prolong his lifespan for however long he could. At least¡­ Until Shin became powerful enough to become his rival. [Before I leave, let me impart some valuable knowledge to you, Shin Iofiel¡­ Focus on your cultivation. Don''t waste your time saving those pointless lives that could be replenished at any time. You were born to stand at the peak of the world! Use that opportunity wisely!] Isadore''s'' information network was great, but how could it hold a candle to the Allfather, who had eyes and ears everywhere? The Rank 99 Spirit Saint clearly saw how Shin was going around to random villages, helping the weak cope with the Worldquake''s aftermath. It was a useless endeavour, in the man''s eyes. To the Allfather, Shin should be training with everything that he''d got to hopefully become a Spirit Saint before his soul fire extinguishes. "Hmph! And why should I listen to you?!" Shin snorted, not willing to back down in his beliefs. The Allfather truly held no regard for human life. The villages that Shin had rescued, to the Allfather, they were akin to livestock that could be replenished at any given time. As long as they could help him grow his strength, the Allfather would keep them around. If they''re not serving their purpose, they would be better off visiting the underworld. [You should listen to the wisdom of your elders, Shin Iofiel¡­ Don''t waste your time cleaning someone else''s mess. Don''t you want to defeat me and bring peace back to the world? Then, become the legend that you were meant to be!] "And what makes you think that I can''t do that saving lives?" Without hesitation, Shin hollered back. His fists and teeth were clenched, and his determined look never wavering. [...] "Allfather¡­ Do you know the reason why you can''t ascend? The reason why you''re stuck here in the mortal realm and not reunited with Spirit Immortal Dream? It''s because you¡­ Don''t understand the value of life." Shin didn''t wait for the Allfather to answer, before moving to educate the illusory being. "Human life¡­ It''s the most valuable thing that one could possess. Back then, when you told me that conflict is the catalyst of growth¡­ I started to wonder¡­ If that''s really true, then why haven''t you grown enough to ascend to the Immortal Realm?" [...] "I thought long and hard¡­ I thought, and I thought¡­ I wandered around the fragmented Terre Continent, saving lives as I thought¡­ And then I realised..." As if having an epiphany, the man looked straight at the Allfather. "Allfather you¡­ Have nothing to protect¡­ Nothing to love." [...] "You don''t value human life, and neither do you care about the lives of your subordinates. You only treat them as tools to dispose of once they exhausted their use. Even the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts¡­ You don''t love them at all, and if you could sacrifice their lives to ascend, you would do that in a heartbeat." [...] "Allfather¡­ Since you love nothing, you wish to protect nothing. And since you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to win either. That''s why you''re stuck. That''s why you''ve been stagnated in the mortal realm yearning for eternal life!" Shin went on and on as if he were stating a matter of fact. And to a certain extent, Shin''s words did manage to get the Allfather thinking. After all, the Rank 99 Spirit Saint had already acknowledged Shin as a potential rival. Not listening in to his opinions would be utterly disrespectful to both Shin and himself. However¡­ [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!] A boisterous laugh echoed through the chambers. The Allfather was amused, he was greatly amused. For the first time, someone had challenged his own ideology, instead of his overwhelming might. And¡­ It¡­ Was¡­ Refreshing. "What''s so funny?" [No, nothing!] The Allfather settled down. His aura was gradually dimming down, and the world was returning back to normal. In due time, the Allfather would disappear and return back to his hibernation, biding the opportune time to strike back. [You sure are amusing, Shin Iofiel. As much as I would love to counter your argument, it seems like I''m out of time. Grow stronger, my little seed! We will meet again!] Not able to hold on anymore, the Allfather vanished, completely disappearing back into the darkness. Shin wouldn''t know it now, but this meeting would be the last time he''ll meet the Allfather in many years. "Yeah¡­ Let us meet again..." The Prince sneered as he unleashed all of his mana, changing back to his human form. The Allfather was the red to his blue. The fire to his water. If Shin wanted to bring peace back to the world, he had to become strong enough to defeat the Allfather. ''And I will do it¡­ No matter what it takes!!!'' Shin declared with all his heart. However, first things first, he had to clean-up the Neutral Lands and the terror-stricken weak areas where hopeless commoners were living in. Alas, there was one more hurdle that Shin had to cross. "Shin!" A worried voice called out to the young Prince, who was still in the midst of thought. Isadore, wearing his signature effeminate look, called out to Shin and beckoned him to come. "Come quickly! Something''s wrong with Kanari!" "Huh? What''s going on?" "I don''t know! After Deus Citadel fired the Aether Cannon, Kanari has been continually vomiting! Lady Seph is tending to her as we speak!" Isadore rapidly answered Shin. "What?!" Shin didn''t understand what was happening, but his feet moved all the same. Kanari was a resilient girl, and there was no way that she couldn''t withstand the aftershock of the Aether Cannon. If she was continually vomiting even after the fact, something must have gone awry. ''Did the Allfather do something to her on his way out?'' Random thoughts ran through Shin''s mind as he ran all the way to the chambers that Kanari was held in. If the Allfather wanted to trigger one more growth spurt in Shin, what better way was there but to kill off those he held most dear. If something happened to Kanari¡­ ''No, you have to be fine!'' It took no time at all for Shin to reach the chambers, and as Isadore had mentioned, the black-haired girl was like a water fountain, spilling everything out from her guts. Worried, Shin immediately ran towards the woman, who was busy hugging the bin. "What''s going on?! Kanari, are you alright?!" Shin asked. "How could she be alright? This stupid lass actually..." Lady Seph held up her forehead, not knowing whether she should laugh or cry. "Stupid lass, if you were feeling unwell, go see a doctor! Why did you hide your condition?" "I''d¡­ I''d¡­ thought that it was just¡­ a¡­ bluerghhhh¡­ simple cold." Kanari continued, her arms never leaving the bin. "A simple cold! You actually thought that it was a simple cold?! Ah, whatever¡­ It''s your first time, so I won''t blame you." The Divine Healer chuckled while handing over a flask of water over to the mush machine. "What''s going on?" Visibly confused, Shin looked to Lady Seph for answers. And sure enough, the woman flashed her brightest smile and dropped a bomb: "Congratulations, Shin¡­ You''re going to be a father!" ~~~ End of Book 12 ~~~ ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 585 - End of Book 12 & Authors Thoughts Before we start the author''s thoughts, I have to tell you all something about the one-week break I normally take in between books. See, I''m going on holiday from the 20th Jan 2020 to 03rd Feb 2020. So, I''d thought to push back my one-week break until then. Everything will resume as per normal until 20th Jan 2020, so you can expect new chapters tomorrow! Hihihihihihi! Another Book has been completed yet again! So did you enjoy it? The first book of the final arc? Book 12: The Villain, as you could all guess, features the Allfather, Akumu the most. Most people have been wondering about the Allfather, his motivations and how he became the most powerful person in the world, so I hope that all of your answers had been answered with this book! Naturally, I won''t go into detail about the Allfather''s storyline, but he''s been planned out as the main villain of the story since the very beginning. Even before Junius'' fall from grace. Something like a Madara behind the Nagato if you will. In the last two books, I''ll go into detail about what his role in the story would play out and of course, in the FINAL Author''s Thoughts at the end of Book 14, I will go into FULL DETAIL about Spirit Immortal, inclusive of the Allfather. Honestly, this book was a little hard to write, because I''ve been f.u.c.k.i.n.g busy as of late. My new work is really amping up and my time to write has been squeezed completely dry. I''ve been trying to be consistent with my releases but honestly, it''s starting to feel impossible. You see, I''d haven''t taken to account how juggling two jobs plus my personal life could be this taxing. Don''t worry, I''m still going to write Spirit Immortal to its completion. I''m just putting it out there to rant and hopefully gain some sympathy points if I release something a little late! *Wink* *Wink* Either way, I WILL write finish Spirit Immortal and move onto the next project that I''ve been concocting. "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." Before, I''ve been thinking of using Lilyflower as a side project so that I can take breaks in between writing Spirit Immortal. However, as I developed the world and storyline of Lilyflower, it started becoming more and more complex, one that could surpass that of Spirit Immortal itself! So yeah, check it out if you have time! That''s all for this Author''s Thoughts. It''s a little short as compared to the others since I have not much to say, but yeah¡­ You can message me if you have any questions! I''ll see you in the next book! Chapter 586 - The Promise Crystallised Year 829. The Lantis Republic. The Prince''s Chambers. Ten Years Later. Glorious winds of spring brushed through the region, rustling the verdant trees and bushy fields. Grass sashayed from side to side, seemingly dancing in rhythm to the cooling breeze. The glorious golden kiss of sunlight permeated into all those who dared to roam outside and warming both their bodies and hearts in the process. The Lantis Republic had just experienced their turn of the seasons, and everyone was starting to warm up after the long winter. Children skipped to their schools while a.d.u.l.ts focused on earning a living wage for their families. Oddly enough, the Worldquake and the Allfather''s declaration of war had become somewhat of an afterthought for those denizens of the Lantis Republic. And who could blame them? The Worldquake that decimated the entire world didn''t really have much effect on the Lantis Republic. Yes, a couple of structures were destroyed, and some lives had been affected, but it was nowhere near the damage done to the other two superpowers. In fact, in a little over a year, the Lantis Republic was back in top form and had even started to bolster their armies. And it was all thanks to the work of their esteemed Prince. "Errol! Raise your arms! If you lower your guard too much, you''ll be vulnerable to a counter-attack!" A matured and sonorous voice echoed through the courtyard of the Prince''s Chambers. "I''m trying, father!" A prepubescent voice answered the man''s barks, though it was more of a whimper than an answer. "Cassiel! Luciel! The two of you as well! If you''re going to drop your guard that often, I will be sure to exploit them this time!" "Wait, father!" This time, a female voice that was as flowery as the rose garden that filled the background called out in protest. "Father, let me take a few minutes to rest! Please, just a few minutes this time!" Another male voice sounded out, not willing to get hit one more time. "Kids, just endure it for a few more minutes. It''s going to be good for your future development, trust me!" The matured voice replied, seemingly more emphatic this time. "Also, the one who puts down their guard the next time won''t get ice-cream for dessert!" "WHAT?!" The three juveniles universally hollered. If one didn''t know better, they would have thought that the world was ending by the tone of their voices. The four people who were training in the courtyard was obviously Shin and his three eldest children. Errol Laenar Awter, the child that Shin had adopted, was the first person to feel the power of Shin''s fists. Standing ahead of his two younger siblings, Errol raised his signature rapier and tried to push his father far away from the trio. Sweat trickled down his viridian hair, and his growing ten-year-old body was utterly red due to the internal and external heat that he was sustaining. Errol''s two siblings were in a similar state as well. After Shin had returned from Mythpoint Reach, he didn''t return empty-handed. Yes, the Allfather may have escaped, and yes, the world was still in fractures as the Black Masks hadn''t been eradicated, but Shin had emerged from the whole expedition a winner. Why? Because Shin and Kanari had returned from Mythpoint Reach, expecting a new bundle of joy. Well, two bundles of joy to be exact. By sheer luck, Kanari got pregnant in her first year of trying and as some might say¡­ Happiness comes in pairs. Kanari''s first pregnancy was one with twins, a shocking affair, to say the least. Many people wondered what Shin and Kaanri''s firstborn would be, but never in their wildest dreams could they have anticipated two children at the same time. Fortunately for Kanari, her first delivery went fine. There was a lot of pain, though. In a delivery that went on for twelve hours, two little children popped out of Kanari. Both of them inherited the good looks of their parents, boasting the same jet-black hair that their parents had. Cassiel, the older sister, inherited Kanari''s ruby-like eyes, and her overall demeanour was beyond exemplary. Luciel was an odd case in the sense that he took the eye colour of both his parents. His left eye took the same azure that glistened like a serene lake, while his right took the ruby pattern of his mother and older sister. Now that they were nine-years-old, the twins were starting to show hints of what they could be in the near future, once they entered their growing phase. It was said that every noble and wealthy family on the planet had sent gifts and engagement requests to the twins. Not just because of their background, but because of their astonishing good looks. They were confident that in future, both siblings would grow up to become the most striking visuals of their generation. Everyone wanted in on a piece of that pie. Though, Shin didn''t really care about those engagement request. To him, his children''s happiness was of paramount importance, and he didn''t really want to force them into doing something that they disliked¡­ Unless it was training. Cassiel inherited her mother''s aptitude when it came to close combat, while Luciel fancied the spear arts of his father and uncle Isadore. Hence, from the moment that they turned six, Shin had started to drill them in the basics of martial arts, to at the very least, give the young Royals a means to fend for themselves. A few servants stood silently in the backdrop while a gorgeous black-haired woman sat comfortably while sipping on her favoured tea. Looking in her mid-twenties, the woman was calm and reserved. Her supple, radiant skin seemed to age backwards, and her luscious hair showed no signs of degradation. Kanari was not worried in the slightest of her children''s welfare. After all, the person that was facing them was one of the most powerful Spirit Emperors in the current world. Shin knew when to hold back and when to apply pressure, and it was evident by the way he casually locked the three children''s movements down, without hurting them in the slightest. "Mommy, I don''t think that my brothers and sisters can hold on anymore..." While Kanari was still casually sipping on her tea and munching on some biscuits, a high-pitched voice called out to her, worried. Seated by Kanari''s side, there was a young girl, who didn''t look over five. Her jet-black hair was tied into a ponytail while her azure eyes glistened with anxiety as she watched over the three children failing to land a single hit on her father. That''s right. Shin and Kanari didn''t stop at three children¡­ They went full steam ahead for their fourth. "Uriel, you don''t have to worry about them. Your brothers and sister need to train hard to strengthen their bodies. That way, they would be more prepared for their Spirit Awakening Ceremonies that are coming up." "Spirit Awakening Ceremonies?" The girl shot Kanari a look of innocence. "What''s that?" Putting on her most motherly smile, Kanari stroked her youngest daughter''s hair and offered a new biscuit. "You''re still too young to know that¡­ For now, why don''t we cheer your brothers and sister on? Give them the extra energy boost to finish the fight?" "Yea! I can do that!" Uriel beamed, showing off her set of unfinished teeth. Oddly enough, the five-year-old''s cheers somehow worked, and the three children that were training against their father managed to hold on until the incense timer burnt down entirely. With a smile, Shin finished the bout by clapping twice, which gave the trio the signal to fall flat on the floor. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Father, you''re too mean!" Errol complained in between taking deep breaths. "Don''t say that," Shin smiled. "I just want to bring out your full potential! Especially for you, Errol. Unlike your two younger siblings, your Spirit Awakening Ceremony is about to arrive. If you don''t train hard enough for it, you''ll feel a hell lot of pain when you sense spiritual energy for the first time!" "I know that¡­ But it''s so tiring!" Errol continued to m.o.a.n. However, there was no hesitation in the young boy''s eyes. Errol knew that his father was trying to mould him into a better person, and more importantly, he was acutely aware of his place as the adopted child. Shin had never told Errol about his true parentage, but the young boy at least knew that he didn''t share the same blood as his younger siblings. Which made him all the more grateful for the opportunity to learn under his influential father. "Just endure it for now..." Contrary to his forceful face earlier on, Shin now wore a smile of compassion and love. He ruffled his adopted son''s hair before finally allowing him to take the well-deserved break. "All right, that''s all for today. Go enjoy yourself with some ice-cream!" "YAY!!!" The children universally cheered and got to their feet as if they hadn''t been training for the past few hours. Hearing the word ice-cream, Uriel got off her mother''s lap and immediately joined her elder siblings in running to the kitchen. "I want chocolate!" Cassiel cheered. "Chocolate is fine with me too," Errol chuckled. "Vanilla for me, thanks!" Luciel added on as well. "Me, me! Strawberry!" Uriel didn''t even look at her mother, who was holding onto the biscuit absent-mindedly. Her youngest child¡­ had just abandoned her for some treats? Truly¡­ Ice-cream was a frightening thing. "Why the long face, Kanari?" Shin walked over and took his place right next to his wife. Although he hardly broke a sweat from training his children, he still took one sip of the fragrant tea that Kanari had prepared. "You really spoil them¡­ Giving them ice-cream whenever they complain about training. See, now even the youngest is learning the bad ways! Sooner or later, she''ll forget that this mother of hers even exists!" The woman bared her fangs, angered that her husband had led their children astray. "Hmmm? Then why don''t we make another in the interim?" "Y-You¡­ Still have the mood to joke about that?" Exasperated by Shin''s reply, Kanari held onto her forehead, preventing it from falling right onto the table. However, seeing the lack of response on her husband''s side, Kanari let out a helpless sigh. In the end, she simply rolled her eyes and took her place on Shin''s chest. "Whatever..." The two enjoyed each other''s warmth as they watched their children dirty their faces with the decadent desserts prepared by the Lantis Republic''s best chefs. In their eyes, the peaceful days where their children could play without worry were the best ones. However, it was not to last. "Shin¡­ Ten years have passed..." "I know..." The sudden shift in the atmosphere caused Shin''s face to turn sour. "Ten years have passed, and the promise I made to Junius back then has yet to be fulfilled." "Are you really going to tell Errol everything? Everything about Junius and the Black Masks?" "I have to..." Shin''s grip on Kanari''s waist tightened. "It''s only fair that Errol learns everything about his parentage. Even if it means that he''ll come to hate me or if it means severing our ties as father and son¡­ It''s the justice that I owe to Errol, and warriors that fought for the Awter name." Shin looked his wife dead in the eye. It was a tough decision, telling Errol everything that had happened in the past. In most circ.u.mstances, keeping quiet about the tragedies of the past would be wise. However, Shin had lived through such a lie when the Frie Clan kept the Awter Clan''s massacre a secret from the orphans. It was better for Errol to hear from the source, then to learn it from the mouths of another later down in his life. "I''ll tell him¡­ Once he awakens his Spirit and can truly become independent." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 587 - The Day Of Spirits (1) Year after year, there was one event that the world could uniformly get together and celebrate. It didn''t matter if the world was in shambles or if there was a death in the family, there was one day where all battles would end, and grudges were set aside. The Lantis Republic, the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire¡­ It didn''t matter what cultures or traditions they held, they would all pause and celebrate this one day. The Day of Spirits. The Day of Spirits was the one day where spiritual energies were at its highest throughout the calendar year. Due to the ascension of the three ancient Spirit Immortals that led the very first unified human civilisation, the Day of Spirits continued to have a significant impact on the modern world itself. All wars would cease on that one day, while children would prepare to awaken their Spirits. Cultivators would stay at home, taking the time to accompany their families. Of course, that included Shin and his fellow comrades from Guardian Sword. "Ah, this tea is the best!" A booming voice bellowed through Shin''s private courtyard, the same one that he used to train his three children. Seated around the familiar stone table that was shaded by a pavilion, Shin poured more of the light-brown delicious tea that he had personally brewed. "I''m glad that you like it¡­ The Himmel Empire lacks the weather to grow the Kilse Tea, so it''s only available in the Lantis Republic," Shin winked, seemingly insinuating something with his gaze. Suji, the massive hulk of a man, took the words with a simple smile: "We had this conversation many times, Shin. I''m not moving to the Lantis Republic just to serve Guardian Sword for ten more years." "It''s not like I''m asking you to defect or anything..." The Prince of Water pouted. "I believe that the benefits that Guardian Sword is putting on your new contract specify this explicitly? We won''t restrict your freedom, and you can do whatever you wish. As long as you stay half the year within our borders, we''ll provide you with all the resources the Lasgeor Family need. You can even take the vacant Vice-Master position of the Hall of Hunts if you wish." Shin continued to sell the contract like an expert salesman, hoping to change the man''s mind. Alas... "The contract is good, there''s no doubt about it." Suji took one chug of his tea, emptying it within a second. "However, it''s about time that I took over my family house. I can''t be a contractor for Guardian Sword forever." Suji Lasgeor was one of the elites loaned to Guardian Sword to combat the Black Masks and their goons that were spread throughout the world. Suji has faithfully lead Guardian Sword into their golden age, destroying Payirci after Payirci and massacring all of the Umbras that stood in his way. In the ten short years, Suji had grown to become a Rank 63 Spirit King. At any time prior to this generation, a thirty-three-year-old Spirit King would drop the jaws of the entire world. However, Suji wasn''t living in just any age. He was living in the golden age of geniuses. Shin had lived up to his reputation as the world''s top prodigy and had cultivated at the speed of light. Now, he was at Rank 78, just two more ranks from breaching the second barrier or mortality. By his side, his wife was also moving onwards at a breakneck speed and was at Rank 69, one step away from the Spirit Emperor realm. The other geniuses of Shin''s era weren''t that far behind either. Isadore and Elrin, though having busier schedules with Guardian Sword, had advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Rank 62 and 61 respectively. The archer twins, Ella and Emma, were a little slower in that regard. They were ''only'' Rank 59 and were considered to be the weakest among the six living heroes. The Luminaries from the Lantis Republic weren''t trailing that far behind either. Most of them had reached the Rank 60 Spirit King realm with Meijing Bingying leading the charge at Rank 67. The Himmel Empire and Kori Federation also had geniuses of that golden generation that went all the way to the Spirit King realm in their thirties, and many were slated to become Spirit Emperors when they hit forty or fifty. Such a feat was practically unheard of. A whole generation of cultivators below fifty that could breach into the Spirit King or Spirit Emperor realm. As long as they survived through the endless battles that were raised by the Umbras which roamed the land, the youngsters were almost certain to become dominant Spirit Venerates and better yet, impossibly powerful Spirit Saints. Being part of said golden generation, Suji''s commodity was particularly hot. Guardian Sword had done everything in its power to keep the Son of War within their ranks, but ultimately, the Lantis Republic wasn''t Suji''s true home. He was the heir to the Lasgeor Family, and they were in dire need of their successor. It wasn''t just Suji either. Danroy and Natasha from the Himmel Empire both felt homesick. They wished to leave their adventuring days behind, returning back to their homeland. Hence, they decided to let their contract with Guardian Sword run down. The years that Suji''s elite team roamed the battlefields alongside Shin to cut down Payircis and Umbras were about to come to its end. "Hah¡­ Looks like there''s nothing that I can do to change your mind¡­" Shin sighed. He waved his arms and called for his maidservant to bring a new kettle of tea. "At least stay for the Day of Spirits?" "Haha, that I can do!" Suji chuckled. "Who would dare miss the Spirit Awakening of the Prince''s eldest son?" "If you wish, you can come and witness the Spirit Awakening of all my children. Guardian Sword''s door is always open for you." "I''ll hold you to that promise!" Suji downed his cup of tea once more, before cupping his hands together. "And I shall give you another promise. If the time comes and you require the Lasgeor Family''s help, just say the word. I will drop everything to help you!" "Don''t you think that your words could be misconstrued for blasphemy against the Himmel Empire?" Shin raised his brow. "Well, I trust that you wouldn''t force me to conspire against the Himmel Empire. And if that really happens, it just means that my foresight was just too lacking!" The muscular bearded man shook his head, not willing to blame Shin in the slightest. "HAHAHA!!! That''s what I like about you Suji! Your commitment to honour and valour!" Shin broke out in laughter. "Fine! I promise with the name of the Master of Guardian Sword that I won''t force you to do anything against the Himmel Empire! Besides, our Guardian Sword only focuses on destroying the remnants of the Black Masks and the Allfather. We wouldn''t callously put our finger into world politics." Shin was careful to make a clear distinction between the Lantis Republic and Guardian Sword. Yes, he may be the Prince of the Lantis Republic, but first and foremost, he was the Master of Guardian Sword. Shin had to be strictly neutral in all politics to attract talents from all over the world to contract with Guardian Sword, and he had managed to accomplish precisely that. Thousands of talents didn''t bat a single eyelid when signing with Guardian Sword because they knew that politics would be left at the door. Like the Alliance, Guardian Sword only served to eradicate threats against humanity and accepted everyone, regardless if they were from the Lantis Republic, Himmel Empire or Kori Federation. The beauty of Guardian Sword was that there would be no friction between nations. Geniuses would join and gain valuable cultivation as well as battle experience, sharpening their blades and significantly advancing their overall power. At the end of their contracts, the talents were free to resign or return back to their home nation, and the majority of them would have become exponentially stronger than when they first joined the elite organisation. "Thank you, Master..." Suji didn''t call Shin by name and instead went for the respectful bow as a subordinate would to their superior. "No need to be that formal! Come, let us drink! Vanessa, bring out the wine!" Shin clapped his hands and gave the maidservant the signal. With that, the duo started to chat merrily reflecting about their past experiences under the same flag. The Allfather had used the Call of Darkness to hide Mythpoint Reach and the remnants of the Black Masks, which was quite significant, to say the least. However, that didn''t mean that the world would revert back to its peaceful times. Due to the Worldquake, the entire planet was still in shambles, mainly since Umbras kept arising from the darkness to terrorise the general populace. Still in the midst of rebuilding, the three superpowers, namely the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire, lacked the manpower to provide support to that many isolated regions. They could only protect the core cities and trade routes within their borders. Therefore, there were many innocent lives still affected by the terror that the Black Masks'' Umbras posed. And that''s where Guardian Sword comes in. Completely free from world politics, Shin''s neutral organisation was given free entry to all corners of the three superpowers, enabling Guardian Sword to save as many lives as they possibly could. When the despair was at its highest, that was when heroes would be born. Guardian Sword helped anyone who was dealing with the Black Masks'' terror, no¡­ They helped with anything and everything that they could. Be it chasing away Spirit Beasts that terrorised a local village or relocating displaced families¡­ If there was despair, Guardian Sword would be there to save those innocent lives. Shin and the others didn''t realise it yet, but their actions as Guardian Sword would lay the foundations of future international relief efforts. People who would volunteer their services for the greater good and to uplift innocent lives in peril, regardless of their race, religion or skin colour. In a certain sense¡­ Guardian Sword and its leader, Shin Iofiel, had become the first international heroes. Heroes that would be praised throughout the entire planet, no matter where they were. "Ah, I''d almost forgotten." As his conversation with Suji was coming to a close, Shin reached into his pocket and took out an azure crystal pendant. "Pass this to Rose. I promised her that I''ll bestow her a gift for playing with Uriel when I was gone for missions." "This is..." "A Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament, yes." The Prince of Water confirmed Suji''s thinking with a wink. "I have bought something that could house my Celestial Aura within it. If Rose is ever in trouble, the pendant will unleash its inner power, scaring away Spirit Beasts weaker than Tier 5. In the future, she could use it for other purposes, but for now, it would be an excellent defensive tool." "Mmmm, my daughter would be delighted," reaching out to the pendant, Suji smiled in pure bliss as he thought of his only child. "Now would you look at that¡­ The mighty Son of War grinning from ear to ear like a maniac¡­ The sky must have fallen down." "Hmph! Unlike you, the breeding horse who has four children, I only have the one! Of course, I''m going to spoil her rotten!" Suji didn''t bother to hide his happiness. Having one additional tool to protect his daughter wasn''t something to be glum about. "Hah¡­ I honestly doubt if you could train Rose in the future¡­ The moment she complains about pain, you''ll probably drop all training to eat sweets or something!" "HAHAHA!!! That sounds about right!" The two prodigious talents who had been at loggerheads just a decade earlier were now two doting dads that shared stories about their children consistently¡­ If Kanari and Alyssa were to see this, they would have shrugged their shoulders and laugh at their husbands'' foolishness. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 588 - The Day Of Spirits (2) The Day of Spirits. The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island Thousands of craftsmen worked around the clock, decorating Celestial Island and all of the major cities that it had. Red lanterns roamed the city sky, the Capital Island and floral decorations embellished the populated roads. Every few seconds, there would be songstress bursting forth with their melodious voice, bringing joy and wonder into the already heated up festival. Food stalls were open throughout the night and residents fearlessly wandered down through the night, taking in as many decadent sweets as they could. And the funny thing was¡­ The Day of Spirits was only four hours in. The gibbous moon still hung high overhead, but it wasn''t in the middle of the night. It was the brink of dawn. In a few more hours, the sun would be raised up high in the sky. However, the residents of Celestial Island didn''t care. The Day of Spirits was the one day of the year where spiritual and elemental energies were at its peak. Water elements were now spiking, and the denizens of the Lantis Republic were ready to make full use of that opportunity. Millions of residents all returned home from the city to spend time with their families to celebrate this glorious day. In fact, the majority of soldiers were given a day off as well. Many entered closed-door cultivation phases, just to meditate and hopefully trigger a breakthrough. Some even trained their strongest attacks through the night in hopes of finding any flaws or methods to improve on them. However, the one true activity that all the residents were truly looking forward to¡­ Was the universal Spirit Awakening Ceremony performed on this day. Children who had reached the age of ten were all allowed to participate in the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. It didn''t matter if they were a commoner or a noble, a pauper or a scion. Any and all who reached the age of ten were welcomed to awaken their Spirits at the Shrines that were built for that purpose. Just like the Frie Clan, the Lantis Republic all had their own unique Shrines that were dedicated towards awakening Spirits. Shrine Maidens were trained to carefully guide the unknowing children through the awakening process, and the success rate of the Shrines were well over 98%. Of course, the more prosperous regions would request for the most experienced Shrine Maiden to oversee their children''s awakening process, and those regions would see success rates never falling below 100%. More affluent and influential people could even request for a private awakening, one that only paired one Shrine Maiden to one ten-year-old. And that was precisely what Shin had done. A woman donned in pristine white robes walked smilingly towards the Prince of Water, who was pacing back and forth earnestly awaiting her arrival. Once noticing the woman''s presence, Shin perked his ears up and leapt straight at her, not wasting any time at all in reaching for her hand: "Sister Yibai, thank you for coming down this early." "No, it''s my honour to awaken the Spirit of the young prince." The Shrine Maiden shook her head. "Also, I should be the one asking for your forgiveness. My schedule for the entire day is quite full, and I could only make time for four in the morning..." "No, no! We''re more than happy to accommodate to your hours, Sister Yibai." Shin fluttered his hands about, declining the Shrine Maiden''s words. "We''re the ones who are asking too much from you." "Haha, I''m glad." The courteous exchange went back and forth. To be completely honest, not many Shrine Maidens wanted to conduct a special Spirit Awakening Ceremony for Shin''s eldest son, Errol. Though they tried to curry favour with the Prince of Water, to them, Errol was still the adopted child. It would be a different story if the twins were to awaken their Spirit, though. The twins were, without a doubt, Shin''s own flesh and blood. Before the days of the Lantis Republic and the Eight Ancient Clans of Water¡­ The Lady of Water who contracted with the Celestial Dragon reigned supreme. In her life, the Lady of Water gave birth to eight children, each one of them awakening unique and domineering Spirits of their own right. The Sovereign Koi, the Enigmatic Narwhal and even the Indomitable Cthulhu. They were all Spirits that were birthed with the blood of the Celestial Dragon. So, everyone was eager to see what Spirits Shin''s own children would awaken. The Prince of Water had formed a union with Kanari Saniela, the former Duchess from the Himmel Empire that had the Mythical Beast, the Kumiho. Generally speaking, the children of powerful cultivators would either inherit one of their parent''s Spirits. However, when it came to the Celestial Dragon, all logic was thrown out the window. No one could fathom what Spirits Cassiel and Luciel would awaken. Even Uriel, the four-year-old, had a chance to shake the world once she undertakes her Spirit Awakening Ceremony. Would they awaken Spirits that were part of the original eight? Or would they form a new branch of Spirit Users, shaking the balance of the Eight Ancient Clans of Water? No one really knew, and that was what made their awakening exciting. On the other hand, most people who knew of Errol''s heritage could roughly guess what Spirit he would awaken. Since he was from Junius'' line, he would unquestionably inherit a sword-type Spirit, which wasn''t that bad¡­ But neither was it anything thrilling. Therefore, it was actually quite lucky that Shin had managed to hire a Shrine Maiden to perform private rites for Errol, and Shin made sure that he showed his thanks. Tapping on his eldest son''s back, Shin gestured for Errol to stand face-to-face with the white-robed woman: "Errol, come and pay your respects to the Shrine Maiden." Cupping both his hands together, Errol gave a respectful bow. "It''s an honour to meet you, Senior Yibai." "It''s an honour to meet you too," the woman smiled back. She examined the young boy, who didn''t seem to lack the slightest bit of sleepiness even at this ungodly hour. Instead, there was a determined flame burning within his pupils as if he had something to prove. ''The Prince has trained this child well, even though the boy is not his flesh and blood.'' The Shrine Maiden thought to herself while looking at the ten-year-old. Errol was rather tall for his age, well above a metre tall. Perhaps he''d inherited his father''s sharp features, the youngster was as chiselled as can be for his age plus his high bridged nose and warm smile could potentially place him as a lady-killer when he had fully matured. "The chambers had been prepared for you, Sister Yibai. The Spirit Awakening Ceremony can begin at any moment," Shin smiled as he led the Shrine Maiden into the adjacent hall. There, a plethora of supporters, both young and old, were seated on the makeshift chairs that Shin had prepared. There were many reasons why Shin wanted to host a private Spirit Awakening Ceremony for Errol instead of taking the usual route of enrolling him through traditional means. Firstly, he wanted the affair to be completely private, where he could invite only those who he trusted the most to witness the awakening. Secondly, Shin wanted to set up a precedent. Errol would be fine since his Spirit could be guessed, but his younger children were sure to raise a spectacle. It had to be said that no one really knew if Cassiel, Luciel and Uriel would awaken totally different Spirits or ones that shared the same roots as the Eight Scions of Water. Hence, it was imperative that Shin hosts a private Spirit Awakening Ceremony for all of his children, Errol included, to put a lid on the information spread. "Brother Errol, do your best!" Cassiel mouthed out her support, pushing both her arms up. "We will pray for you!" Luciel raised his support for his brother as well. Still sleepy, Uriel rubbed her eyes and pinched her reddened nose, "S-support!" Cutely, the young girl raised her arms as well. Smiling, Kanari tapped her fingers on Errol''s forehead before landed a gentle kiss. "You don''t have to worry about a thing. Just put your faith in the Shrine Maiden, and all will go well." "Don''t worry, mother! I will do my best to make you and father proud!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 589 - The Day Of Spirits (3) Errol stood silently on the stone altar prepared, his eyes closed and soul prepared for anything that was to come. Behind the boy, the Shrine Maiden took several deep breaths in before placing her final preparations. By her side, there was a bucket filled with sacred water from the Celestial River. Typically, as per the Lantis Republic''s tradition, those that underwent their Spirit Awakening Ceremony would be blessed by the water source that was closest to their Spirit origin. For the Sovereign Koi, that would be Longyu Lake. For the Jingyu Clan, the Shrine Maiden would harvest the water from the Celes Ocean. Generally speaking, not many would awaken their Spirits using the holy water from the Celestial River. One, it was too wasteful, particularly since no one knew when the Empyrean Wonder would dry up. And two, receiving the baptism of the Celestial River was the highest honour one could achieve. Only martyrs of the Lantis Republic, those that had done a significant amount for their nation, could allow their children to awaken their Spirit using the exalted water. For Shin though, that prerequisite was a non-issue. Even if the High Elder Council were to reject his ask, all Shin needed to do was bless any water source with his Celestial Aura. If he so wished, Shin could even create a hot spring of Celestial Water for Errol to awaken his Spirit. Of course, there was no real need to do that since all the Shrine Maiden needed was a few drops of Celestial Water to cleanse Errol''s soul. Shrine Maiden Yibai reached into the bucket, dousing both her hands with the glorious Celestial Water that Shin had provided. Her mana was running rampant, after feeling the primal power within the bucket, but she was experienced enough to hold her ground. Still, with closed eyes, Errol eagerly waited for the Shrine Maiden to begin the ceremony. He tried to remain calm, but there was no helping the chills that ran up his spine ever so often. "Brother Errol..." Cassiel grasped both her hands together as she watched her brother''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony. By her side, Luciel similarly had both his eyes glued onto his brother. Though they knew that the Spirit Awakening Ceremony was mostly safe, it was the first time that the two were witnessing the deed. Shin and Kanari were a little less worried, although their faces did betray a hint of anxiety. Who could blame them? Their eldest son was about to awaken his Spirit, marking the first step he would take to a.d.u.l.thood. Now, they understood how their senior first felt when they themselves took the plunge into their nascent spiritual body. "Look at you, worried about nothing. There''s no way that Errol would fail to awaken his Spirit, given how much you''ve trained him over the years!" A chirpy voice whispered into Shin''s ears. Glancing over his shoulder, Shin saw a white-haired woman, who looked no older than twenty-five, staring him down. Her height had remained mostly unchanged, and the woman was still a head and a half shorter than the Prince of Water. However, from the way she acted, one might think that she was actually the taller one. So who would dare speak to the Lantis Republic''s most dominant figure so callously? Who else but the resident imp of Guardian Sword, the Hall of Gold''s Master, Elrin Zedcris? "Elrin, you wouldn''t understand..." Shin shook his head. "You''re still unwed and childless, so there''s no way that you can comprehend a parent''s anxiety." "Hah¡­ You''re right..." The woman sighed before wrapping her arms around Shin''s neck. "Poor old childless me¡­ Already thirty-three but still no spouse in sight." "A-ah¡­ I didn''t mean it that way, Elrin!" Thinking that he accidentally stepped on a landmine, Shin waved his arms fl.u.s.teredly. He was blessed with four children and a happy family. However, not everyone shared his luck. Elrin remained unmarried throughout her young a.d.u.l.t life and was still single at her age. Furthermore, it was not due to her lack of interest in men. It was just¡­ Elrin had been experiencing a string of bad apples who only latched onto her for money and influence. In the end, Elrin had been through ten failed relationsh.i.p.s, all in the span of ten years. Even if she wanted to have kids, it wasn''t smart of her to bear one out of wedlock. "Hehe, just joking." A sly smile crept up Elrin''s face as her despondent expression quickly turned upbeat. "I''m not really that bothered about it. Hah¡­ Most men are sc.u.m anyway. I would rather stay at home with Chubby, Pickles and Harpy." The white-haired woman thought about her three kittens that she''d rescued from an animal shelter after her last breakup. Now that Elrin was living far away from her father''s control, she''d started to take control over her own house, purchasing whatever she wanted to decorate it. Her latest splurge was the three kittens, and it didn''t seem to stop there¡­ "Though Harpy is the only female cat that I have and she seems to pair quite nicely with Pickles¡­ Maybe I should adopt another female cat to pair with Chubby? Ah, then I can name her Flabby! Chubby and Flabby¡­ They''ll be the perfect couple!" Lost in her delusions, Elrin didn''t notice Shin and Kanari''s sour look. The two gazed into each other''s eyes, and a firm determination was transferred from one mind to the other. ''We need to set Elrin up now!'' ''You look for some people in the Himmel Empire, I''ll scour the entire Lantis Republic!'' There was no way that Shin and Kanari would let their bosom friend turn into a crazy old cat lady! While the husband and wife pair were going through the list of potential candidates for their bosom friend, another voice sounded out from the entrance of the hall: "Sorry that I''m late! Did I miss anything?" A breathtaking man rushed into the chambers, his face red and his head filled with humid sweat. Glorious silver hair flowed down from his crown while his gorgeous emerald eyes glistened like the pristine lake of the eternal realm. Standing about five centimetres shorter than Shin himself, the man had a somewhat intimidating frame, much unlike his baby-face. "Isadore¡­ To think that you''ll be late for your own godson''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony!" Shin gritted his teeth, pretending to be infuriated by Isadore''s tardiness. "Sorry, sorry! I didn''t realise how much time has flown by while in my office. If not for Fionn, I may have missed it entirely!" The silver-haired man scratched the back of his head, shyly looking back at the woman with cornflower blue hair. She was smiling like a radiant peach, but no one could fathom what malicious insults were floating within her mind. Apologetically, the woman bowed down to Shin and Kanari: "Sorry, I misjudged this idiot''s ability to tell the time. If I had been a little more aware, I could have dragged him out even earlier." "No issue, the Hall Master didn''t miss much." A sapphire-haired young woman tapped on Fionn''s shoulder, trying her best not to break out in laughter. "However¡­ Tardiness isn''t really an admirable trait for a Hall Master¡­ I wonder what punishments we should enact on him?" "Two strikes with your dagger and one strike from my scythe should be enough." "E-Elyse? F-Fionn? D-Do you really need to go that far?!" Isadore stammered as the two girls ganged up on him. The Hall of Whispers led by Isadore had quickly grown to become one of the world''s largest information networks. Due to his previous experience in the Himmel Empire as well as his further exposure to how the Mercenary Guild worked, Isadore had morphed the Hall of Whispers into an organisation that was universally feared throughout the world. And a significant reason why Isadore was so successful was because of his trusted aides, the Twin Daughters of Death, Elyse and Fionn. Fionn was widely considered to be the incarnate of the Grim Reaper herself as her Wind-Elemental Scythe danced through enemies as if she were slicing a cake. The Rank 54 Spirit Lord could shroud herself in the wind, masking her scent and presence on a whole other plane. On the other hand, Elyse had used her Cinereous Cyclone Dagger and improved her assassinations skills to a terrifying degree as well. Although she was still a Rank 57 Spirit Lord, given the right resources and time, the master assassin could easily take down a Rank 70 Spirit Emperor without much hassle. Of course, since they were still relatively weak as compared to the upper echelons of the cultivation world, the pair''s talents were mostly concentrated on intelligence gathering and socialising with High Society. In terms of status, although they weren''t fit to become the Vice-Masters of the Hall of Whispers as of yet, the women were widely considered to be the third and fourth in command of Guardian Sword''s sister branch. Even Isadore couldn''t brush off the remarks of his number three and four without bearing the consequences. "Haha, cut him some slack. I''m sure he''d learnt his lesson." Unable to bear with the charade no longer, Shin broke out in laughter and threw his friend a lifeline. "Don''t worry, the Spirit Awakening Ceremony has yet to begin. We''re still in the preparation phase." "Phew, thank goodness!" Isadore slammed his weight down on one of the empty chairs waving his arms to cool his hot head. Fionn subconsciously took the spot next to the silver-haired man while Elyse took her place alongside the other orphans. It was odd to see Fionn so detached from the orphans, her ''main family,'' but given the circ.u.mstances, not a single soul questioned her decision. Fionn had spent years under Isadore''s wing, and gradually, she''d begun to foster some emotions for the young unmarried man. Furthermore, seeing all of her fellow friends and family pairing up started to trigger a sense of urgency in the young woman''s heart. Shin wedded Kanari long ago, and unsurprisingly, Lia paired with Ryner. Max found a sweetheart through his work in the Hall of Gold while even the youngest among them, Jacob, got married to Kesyl, Shin''s junior-apprentice sister and the ''heir'' of Lady Seph''s healing arts. Ella remained unmarried as her heart was still ice-cold since the loss of Shizen while Emma couldn''t find a single man that fit her standard. Elyse was primarily the same as she focused entirely on improving the Hall of Whispers and Guardian Sword as a whole. Therefore, almost half of the orphans had found the love of their lives, and Fionn felt that she was lagging behind. Well, it wasn''t like Fionn didn''t have a person in mind. She had feelings for Isadore, alas their relationship wasn''t going anywhere. The man in question knew of Fionn''s feelings but feared that their circ.u.mstances would lead them to nowhere. After all, even though Isadore was the Hall of Whisper''s Master, he was first and foremost, a Prince of the Himmel Empire. The shield that would protect his nation from any outside harm. Isadore''s marriage wasn''t decided by him, but by the Himmel Ancestor. And it was hard to believe that the elderly man would allow Isadore to marry a girl who wasn''t loyal to the Himmel Empire. However, that didn''t mean that Fionn would just give up. Taking notes from Kanari, the maiden continuously tried to erase the division that separated Isadore and herself, hoping to secure the man''s heart before anything. "Guys, be quiet¡­ The ceremony is starting," Ella''s voice coldly sounded out, bringing the chatter to an abrupt halt. Errol, who had his eyes closed the entire time, suddenly felt something cold reach into his soul. The Celestial Water was doing its trick, and Errol''s body was feeling stronger than it ever did before. In terms of overall resistance, Errol could most definitely endure the awakening of his Spirit, no matter how potent it might be. And¡­ CLANK!!! A resplendent light burst forth from Errol''s soul at that exact moment. An azure aura wrapped the young boy like a taco, and a mysterious wreathed mist emerged from every single pore in his body. Instinctively, the boy raised his supple right arm, and a beautiful azure glow congregated itself into one point. At that moment, the azure aura turned sharp as its power was dialled up to eleven. Opening his eyes, Errol gaped in wonder as he gazed into the light of his Spirit. It was a hiltless sword with a river source flowing through its blade. It wasn''t turbulent, and neither was it too gentle¡­ It was just¡­ Beautiful. As expected¡­ "So he really did awaken the Azure Water Blade..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 590 - The Prince Of Waters Eldest Son (1) "It really is the Azure Water Blade..." All of the orphans universally heaved out a sigh. They were the ones who had grown up with Junius and were most familiar with how the Azure Water Blade looked like in its infancy. Not a single commoner could have possibly linked the resplendent Spirit to the former Blade of Death, the sword that terrorised thousands of innocent souls. It was simply too pure and beautiful to seem capable of reaping another''s soul. "Congratulations, Shin. Your son''s Spirit Awakening Ceremony is a success!" Suji, oblivious to the numerous conflicting thoughts that were running through Shin''s mind, cupped his hands together and praised Errol''s smooth awakening. "Congratulations, Master. I''m certain that your eldest son would rise above the masses, much like you did many years ago." Alyssa, Suji''s wife, quickly gave her appreciation as well. "Hahaha, looks like Shin''s children would pull ahead from all of ours!" Danroy, who had a pot-belly and flabby arms like a chicken, bellowed out in laughter. Although his tone was mostly cordial, one could feel that there was a tinge of jealousy within his voice. And who could blame him? Shin was not only lauded as the Prince of Water, but he was also the world''s greatest hero. There was no one on the planet who hadn''t heard of the Master of Guardian Sword. The man who sliced through the darkness and brought a fleeting peace back to the chaos of the world. Wealth, influence, power¡­ Shin had everything. Now, even his own children were maturing and could possibly grow to become influential figures in their own right. Who wouldn''t be jealous of such a perfect life? "Thank you all for your well wishes," Shin smiled, clearly amused. However, behind that smile, Shin''s inner thoughts were anything but jubilant. Shin thought about the promise he made to himself back when he first decided to adopt Errol as his eldest son. In the past, the Frie Clan had kept the fact that they''d massacred the Awter Clan from Shin and the other orphans, causing a visible rift between the two factions. The Frie Clan had thought that it was the right decision at the time, saving the young children from the burden of truth. However, that proved to be a miscalculation. Without understanding the Frie Clan''s point of view, Junius had defected to the other side and swore vengeance on the dastardly clan which had misled them their entire lives. He didn''t care if he was fighting against loved ones that raised him up, such as the Instructor or the First Elder. All he wanted to do was to walk down the path of revenge and get justice for the fallen Awter Clan. Alas, hatred only breeds more hate and destruction. In the final assault against Frie Mountain, hundreds of the Frie Clan''s brightest were so viciously killed off, including Ariel, Lily and Linus. Three innocent souls that Junius had respected and loved. Spiralling out of control, Junius made mistake after mistake and had dug himself deeper into the abyssal pit. It took him many years to finally acknowledge his sins and to repent in his final moments. Junius'' life could have been something more than that¡­ With his chivalrous and loving heart, Junius could have been a hero, much like Shin was. He could have been the Blade of Justice that slices through the darkness, instead of the Blade of Death that breeds destruction and despair. Shin would never want Errol, Junius'' biological son and his own loved child, to walk down that meandering path of suffering. Hence, Shin knew he had to tell Errol the truth. The truth about Junius and about how Shin was forced to put a spear through his heart, even if it meant losing Errol''s love of him. So, it really was a bittersweet moment for the Prince of Water. Alas, he wasn''t able to bask in the moment for that long... "Father¡­ I don''t feel too well..." Luciel tugged on Shin''s sleeves, his face red and filled with sweat. "Mother, I feel hot..." Cassiel did the same with Kanari. She looked nauseous and was grasping both hands close to her heart. "Luciel? Cassiel? What''s wrong?!" Stunned, Shin instantly fell to his knees and tapped their developing bodies. A wave of spiritual sense surged into the two teenagers bodies, slowly identifying if there was anything amiss. Kanari was likewise worried about their children, but how could she possibly compare to her Rank 78 Spirit Emperor husband in spiritual sense? She resisted the urge to hold her children and watched Shin''s expression with earnest. "What''s going on?!" Kanari gasped. "T-This¡­ Their spiritual bodies are being activated! Mana is flowing through their souls!" The astute Prince of Water exclaimed, his eyes still wide with shock. "Wait that means..." "They''re awakening their Spirits!" Shin shouted, his face smiling, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry. For mana to be produced, one must first possess a Spirit, something that could generally be awakened by the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. Cassiel and Luciel both were nine-years-old. By tradition, they had to wait a full year until they could attempt their Spirit Awakening Ceremony. The law stated that all children below the age of ten weren''t allowed to prematurely awaken their Spirits, due to the immense stress it would deal onto their growing bodies. However, there were some exceptions to that rule. Some rare talents were able to trigger the awakening of their Spirits all on their own, without the help of any Shrine Maidens or superior cultivators. Heck, the most famous cultivator of the modern age, Spirit Immortal Dream, awakened her Spirit without the help of the spiritually dense atmosphere of the Day of Spirits. So, even though the twins were awakening their Spirits, Shin wasn''t all that worried. Furthermore, the twins were far more physically resistant as compared to other children their age. They would unquestionably be able to weather through the sudden trial that was placed in front of them. Not to mention¡­ "Sister Yibai, please make way!" Shin lifted both his feverish children and bolted straight towards the prepared altar. Errol quickly stepped aside and allowed his younger siblings to take his place. The young boy was still delirious from his encounter within his spiritual body and could barely make out words. However, his eyes were filled with worry for the safety of Cassiel and Luciel. "F-Father! Are they going to be alright?" "Don''t worry," Shin smiled and reassured his eldest son. "Shrine Maiden Yibai is here right? Also, the moment I sense that something is amiss, I''ll instantly jump in and save them." Waving his hands like a wizard preparing a spell, Shin summoned out a wisp of Celestial Energy, that was injected inside a stream of water. "Did you forget? You father is the first disciple of Grandmother Seph! I''m more than capable of healing any injury!" That''s right¡­ The twins were in more than capable hands. Shrine Maiden Yibai didn''t even bother to confirm her doubts before placing her hands on both the children. Just as she did for Errol, the Shrine Maiden guided her consciousness into the twins'' spiritual body and helped guide them to their Spirits. Taking a hint, Shin channelled the mana within his body, and marvellous lights emerged from his pores. Sparkles appeared throughout the wide chambers, as the water elements danced in pure euphoria. Shin was careful not to overcommit and to use the gentleness of his element to full effect. He wanted to activate his children''s Spirits, not harm them in any shape or form. Therefore, Shin had to be as delicate as he could. Cassiel was sweating buckets while Luciel had his face entirely reddened. However, once Shin''s Celestial Aura enveloped their juvenile bodies, the pressure that came from within somehow ceased and a look of pure comfort came back to their faces. It was as if they had been turned back to infants and were enjoying the soft embrace of their mother. Shrine Maiden Yibai also felt the change in their spiritual bodies and was taken aback. To think that the twins'' Spirits would instantly calm down after sensing Shin''s Celestial Aura! It was at that moment that Yibai couldn''t restrain her smile. The twins¡­ Their Spirits were likely something that had inherited Shin''s Celestial Dragon bloodline, just like the other Eight Scions of Water! And she would be the first one to awaken them! The Shrine Maiden''s heartbeat quickened as she was grinning from ear to ear. Whispering, she said: "Look into your souls! Find your Spirits and make them yours!!!" "..." The twins both fell into a meditative state. The Shrine Maiden was guiding them while Shin was watching over them. There was nothing for them to fear anymore. They could simply let their souls roam free, and their Spirits would emerge all on its own. And¡­ NEIIGHHHHH!!! Cassiel was the first one of the twins to open her eyes. A plethora of azure and colourless elements surrounded the young girl, giving birth to an adolescent creature about a metre-long. It had a white horse''s upper torso and the back of a fish. Blue fins sprung out from its back while gills were embedded in its neck. Its eyes were translucent, giving it sort of a phantom look and more shockingly¡­ It had a single, drill-like horn. "What''s that creature? A mixture of a unicorn and a mermaid?" Isadore gulped. "A One-Horned Hippocamp..." Kanari blurted out a more apt description. "It even has Water and Mind Elements..." Cassiel was the first one of Shin''s own blood to awaken her Spirit, and shockingly enough, it was neither one of the Eight Scions of Water. The future generations of the Lantis Republic were about to be changed forevermore through Cassiel''s awakening¡­ However, that wasn''t the final bit. Luciel raised both his arms up heavenward, and two distinct colours descended upon his open palms. One blue, one red. The blue elements that congregated reflected the calmness of a pristine lake while the red ones showed the beauty of a shining, fiery ruby. Just like his sister, Luciel''s spiritual energy congregated in one spot, taking the shape of a metre-long furry lizard. Shockingly, the lizard boasted two heads, one blue and one red. On its back, there were two little bumps, seemingly waiting to burst open at any given moment. The two heads of the lizard playfully chirped, nibbling on Luciel''s fingers that held it. It was small now; however, there was no doubt in everyone''s mind that once it matured, this Spirit could become one of the most dominant powerhouses in the entire world. Why? "It actually has both Water and Fire elements together..." Shin gasped. There were no two more contrasting elements than water and fire. Water held tremendous versatility, while fire was the most explosive element of them all. Throughout human history, Spirits that held two elements were rare and Spirits that could use both the Water and Fire Element were even rarer. Heck, it was highly likely that Luciel''s Spirit could be the first of its kind! "Both of them awakened two-elemental Spirits¡­ Hah, I shouldn''t be that surprised..." Elrin slapped on her head, saying that it couldn''t be helped. True, Shin possessed the Celestial Dragon which could use as many as five elements while Kanari''s Kumiho held authority over three. It wasn''t surprising that their children could inherit at least two of their elements. "Still¡­ It''s going to be an uproar¡­" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 591 - The Prince Of Waters Eldest Son (2) The Neutral Lands. The Abyss, former location of Mythpoint Reach. An immense elk trudged through the lush forest that it called home, happily grazing whatever grass that it came across. Its horns dug deep into the ground while its muscular legs supported its hefty body off the ground. The earthen musk of soil hugged the elk''s nose like a koala bear, not willing to let go in the slightest. With a happy and innocent heart, the elk continued to graze, not one concerned about its own safety. It trekked further and further, unaware of its surroundings and it didn''t notice that it had long broken through its territory. The last tree past by the elk and it marked the end of the verdant forest. Finally realising its error, the elk glanced up, watching the scenery unfold right before its eyes. Gone were the healthy greenery and boisterous forest sounds. Burnt, blackened land laid before the animal with numerous darkness beasts meandering mindlessly like zombies. Frightened, the elk attempted to run. It needed to get back to the lush land that it so desired and loved. Alas¡­ It had wandered a step too far. An obsidian human hand with a serpentine arm emerged from the blackened soil. Like a coiled cobra, the hand struck forward, grabbing hold of the elk before it could even make the first leap. In no time at all, the elk was dragged into the Abyss without mercy. It put up a decent struggle, but the force of the hand of darkness was far too strong for any being to endure. Darkness. That was the first thing the poor animal saw and felt within the Abyss. A vast hole that was shrouded by thick, black smog, barring anyone vision of its interior. In the ten years since the Allfather dragged Mythpoint Reach into the darkness, not a single soul had managed to enter or leave the Abyss alive. No energy beam¡­ No armies¡­ Heck, not even the world''s strongest Spirit Saint, the Himmel Ancestor, was capable of breaching through the defences of the Abyss. In the end, the Alliance could only helplessly leave the Abyss alone. However, that didn''t mean that no one was monitoring the Abyss. It was akin to a dormant volcano. Mostly calm and serene, but when the time comes¡­ It was certain to erupt in a catastrophic event, one akin to the Worldquake that brought the three superpowers to heel. Thus, Alliance Head Raphael had assigned a large portion of his personnel to stand watch over the eternal dark hole. But for the most part, the Abyss had long become an afterthought for many civilians. Occasionally, it would spawn Umbras that would terrorise the region, but they were quickly muscled down by the Alliance members that patrolled nearby. In fact, the most dangerous place in the entire planet was no longer Mythpoint Reach, but the random cracks that spewed out Umbras ever so often. In time, the location of the former Mythpoint Reach had become a safe haven for fauna and flora to flourish once again, and the Neutral Lands were slowly coming back to shape¡­ Less the Abyss in the centre of the world, of course. The lifeless body of the elk continued to freefall down like a meteor as the dark mist wreathed all around it. It took about a full two minutes for it to finally break free of the darkness and plop right at the centre of a concrete platform. Nine floating towers were floating about, creating an ominous aura that was chokingly thick. A few hundred metres away from the concrete slab, a massive tree, possibly a kilometre tall, stood unblemished like a towering giant. Immense spiritual energy was pulsating out from its inner core, and anyone who laid their eyes on the structure would feel like their souls were being scoured from head-to-toe. Surprisingly enough, at the bottom of the Abyss, Mythpoint Reach was still safe and sound! All Nine Payircis were intact, and the Tree of Darkness that protected the structure was utterly unscratched!!! "Ahahaha!!! We''ve caught some elk, boys!" A sleazy man licked his lips, slapping the hind of the massive deer. "No more tasteless vegetables and fish for us! We can finally have the sweet, succulent taste of red meat!!!" "Hehe, an elk''s a rare catch!" Another man salivated while rubbing his palms. "Call Mycaene! We''re going to have a feast tonight!!!" The man hollered out, lifting his weapon in cheer. While all of the commotions was going on, two distinct figures glanced down at the gleeful Black Masks. They both wore luxurious black clothing that were well-ironed and well designed, much unlike the poor souls that were licking their lips over some catch. However, neither of them judged the hungry men for being sloppy. Instead, they universally heaved out a sigh. "This isn''t good¡­ The morale of the youngsters is getting quite low..." The first Brahmin, Seymour Fielder, the Sword Baron, closed his eyes in agony. "There''s no helping it. Cooping up in the bottom of the well doesn''t fit well for some people..." His buddy, Meijing Xuenkai, replied with a heavy heart. "We have a near-endless supply of vegetation and chicken meat. If need be, we could even fish from the nearby ocean. But ultimately, humans aren''t meant to be confined like this. Especially those that hadn''t transcended the first barrier of mortality..." The Black Masks consisted of many different levels, the weakest being the Dalits that blindly followed whatever the Allfather wished for. They were just regular humans with the slightest bit of cultivation. Therefore, they required the same bodily needs as any other mortal. Those with higher ranks, such as Rank 40 Spirit Spectres, could last for many days without food or drink and the most powerful ones of them all¡­ Rank 80 Spirit Venerates and above¡­ They could simply live on pure spiritual energy alone. Ten years wasn''t a long time for those monsters that reached the apex of the cultivation world as many of them could simply go into closed-door cultivation. However, the weaker members of the Black Masks are starting to turn delirious. They yearned for the outside world, for fresh air and water. To no longer see the same dark walls constantly and to reach for the skies carrying the Black Mask emblem. Alas, the Allfather was still in hibernation, making that ask all but impossible. "We can''t even use a submarine to ferry them out?" "No, we can''t¡­ You know that we don''t have that kind of authority, right?" Meijing Xuenkai brushed off his buddy''s ludicrous idea. "But who has?! The other Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were also trying to become stronger through their own means and hadn''t emerged from their cultivations! In Mythpoint Reach, we are the only ones that hold some form of authority!" The Sword Baron argued. Among all of the Spirit Venerates that joined the criminal syndicate, only Seymour had formerly held a major military role. He knew more than anyone else the importance of keeping the morale high, particularly when the ch.i.p.s were down. If the Black Masks were to keep trotting down this path, it was only a matter of time before the younger soldiers burnt out and lost all focus about their objective. "Hmph! If you have the guts, say that to either one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts!" Meijing Xuenkai snorted. However, in truth, the Brahmin was somewhat moved by the proposition. He was a warrior, one that dominated his own era through overwhelming power. Meijing Xuenkai wasn''t the type to remain in one spot, hibernating while his enemies trampled all over him. If he had the power, the man would unquestionably march out of Mythpoint Reach to combat high-levelled cultivators particularly those from the Lantis Republic. "I..." Astonished, the Sword Baron furrowed his brows. In terms of power, the Brahmins were still unable to outmatch the influence of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. In the Allfather''s absence, their word was law. Unfortunately, none of them wanted to go against their mighty overlord''s orders. "Tsk, we already wasted ten long years¡­ How long more must we wait?" Yes, the Allfather has been recovering from his substantial attack on the Terre Continent as well as casting the Call of Darkness. The Black Masks had survived an all-out attack from the Alliance consisting of six Spirit Saints as well as the invincible weapon, the Ray of Hope. In those ten years that they were hiding, every single one of the Black Masks consolidated their own cultivation, slowly becoming stronger and stronger. Some of them had even grown powerful enough to earn the Brahmin mask. However¡­ They were still stuck in a cage¡­ "I..." [Don''t worry about that...] Before Meijing Xuenkai could issue a rebuttal, a sombre voice echoed out in their brains. A cloaked figure emerged from the Tree of Darkness and took the empty spot behind the two Brahmins. There was no spiritual pressure coming out from the levitating reaper, but an endless amount of dread and fear crept up Seymour and Xuenkai''s spines. It felt like they were an ant looking up at a human, a tree facing up against a mountain¡­ They were just far too inferior to the being that emerged, and the Spirit Venerates could feel it in their core. Slamming down to their knees, the Brahmins kowtowed to their supreme leader. "We greet the Allfather!!!" [Mmmm¡­ Rise.] The shadow raised his left arm, and an invisible force pushed the two Spirit Venerates up. [I see that you have some complaints about me...] "I-I wouldn''t dare!" Seymour stuttered, his voice was shaking with fear. Had the Allfather already reverted back to his original strength? If he did¡­ There was no saying what he would do to Seymour. [No, they''re not unfounded¡­ I have been sleeping for a little too long.] The Allfather wasn''t angry. Instead, his voice held a tinge of remorse and pity. He glanced up at the roof made of dark mist and the nine lights that were rushing down towards him. The Black Masks had been sleeping alongside him for far too long now. Many of them were repressed, particularly the strongest members of them all. However¡­ It was all going to change. Today. [Ten years¡­ I''ve been sleeping for ten long years¡­ I wonder how much the outside world has grown in my absence¡­ I wonder how much¡­ You have grown in my absence, Shin Iofiel.] ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 592 - The Prince Of Waters Eldest Son (3) A week had passed since Shin''s eldest three children had awakened their Spirits. Everyone expected Shin''s eldest son, Errol, to awaken a sword-based Spirit and their estimates hit the bullseye. Just like his biological father, the young boy had awakened the Azure Water Blade and had inherited the legacy of the Awter Clan''s guardians. However, it was what came afterwards that shook the Lantis Republic to its core. Shin''s twins, the first two to be birthed out of Shin''s own blood, had shockingly awakened their Spirits a year earlier than anticipated. The more shocking part¡­ Neither of them awakened a Spirit that was part of the Eight Scions of Water. For the longest time, since the Lady of Water''s era, eight bloodlines ruled over the Lantis Archipelago. No matter how many thousand years had passed, the matter how many powerful Spirit Saints or Spirit Immortals emerged, the hegemony of the Eight Scions of Water had never been challenged. Why? Because of the Celestial Dragon''s bloodline. See, the Eight Clans of Water had one mission that never faded throughout the ages. And that was the revival of the Celestial Dragon. That''s why the Celestial River had been protected ardently, no matter what differences the Eight Ancient Clans had. That''s why Celestial Island had never been claimed by any one of the Eight Clans, no matter what powerhouses emerged from their ranks. In the end, they were all just tools for the Celestial Dragon''s revival, and¡­ After hundreds of thousands of years¡­ They had finally fulfilled their oath. The Celestial Dragon was reborn into the world again, creating a new Imperial Bloodline. However, a new question had arisen from that happy news¡­ Would the new bloodline supersede the old? What would happen with the current bloodline order? Would there be more clans spawning to challenge the age-old order? All those were questions posed to the Grand Council of the Lantis Republic. Were the Eight Clans of Water willing to divide their resources equally to cater to the new bloodline? The short answer was¡­ No. Yes, it was the mission of the Eight Clans of Water to keep the Celestial Dragon''s Bloodline going. However, nowhere was it said that they had to divide their resources equally with the new spawns that came from Shin''s line. After all, humans were inherently selfish. Though the Eight Clans were united as one in the Lantis Republic, competition still existed among them. There was no way that they would allow a new dominant Clan of Water to appear, and fortunately¡­ Shin was on the same page as them. Shin didn''t want his children to suffer the burden of power, much like he did. Shin was the Prince of the Lantis Republic as well as the Hero of his generation. There was no question that his direct offsprings would be compared to their father, much like the first generation of the Eight Scions of Water were compared to the Lady of Water. However, Shin didn''t want his children to grow up with the burden of creating a new clan that could topple the ancient structure of the Lantis Republic. Much like Junius'' hope before he passed, Shin wanted his loved ones to live in peace, away from the conflict and pain that wars bring. Therefore, from the moment that Kanari was pregnant with the twins, Shin had settled down the plans he had with the Lantis Republic''s Grand Council. If Shin''s children could awaken either one of the Eight Scions of Water, great! They would join the clan that corresponds with their Spirit, learning all of the perfected cultivation arts and martial ability that came suited the Spirit. On the other hand, if they were to awaken entirely new Spirits, they would fall under the direct tutelage of Shin himself. They would be entitled to the resources that the Prince''s faction had and wasn''t allowed to inherit any one of the Eight Ancient Clan''s lands. They would be given a share of Celestial Island once Shin either passed or ascended into the Immortal Realm, leaving the rest for the Eight Clans to equally distribute. In essence, they were given the free pass to train themselves, but their ability to build an entirely new clan was crippled entirely. Of course, if anyone of Shin''s offsprings wanted to expand their influence, they could go and find new lands to conquer. However, the Lantis Republic would take no part in those exploits. Hence, the rules that the new Celestial Dragon Bloodline had to follow was drawn out in fine print, quite comprehensively, in fact. So, when the twins had surprisingly awakened their Spirit one year in advance, the Lantis Republic was sent into a state of shock, but they weren''t overly worried. To them, the young Prince and Princess awakening new Spirits were an exciting frontier to watch, and everyone wanted to see how they would mature. Would their Spirits become as powerful as the Eight Scions of Water, or would they surpass them? Only time could tell¡­ However, as the Lantis Republic were all celebrating the jubilant news¡­ Shin was watching over his eldest son with a heavy heart. "Father¡­ I-Is¡­ That the truth?" "Yes¡­ There''s no way that I would lie to you, Errol." The father-son pair were seated alone in the bamboo dojo that the two of them frequently trained in. The aroma of residue sweat still remained within the exercise hall, making it a rather humid place for such a tight environment. Shin sat in a lotus position, his back straightened and eyes looking forward. On the contrary, Errol has his head down, and spine bent, tearfully gazing at the floor. His two fists were clutched, and his wet lips turned red. The ten-year-old couldn''t believe what he was hearing¡­ "Father¡­ killed my biological father?" Errol struggled to make out the words. "That''s right..." Shin nodded with resolution. He looked solemnly at his eldest son, who seemed as forlorn as a lonely leaf. In any other situation, Shin would rush to Errol''s side and give the boy a firm hug, telling him that Father would always be there for him. However, this wasn''t the time to be choked up on their familial love. Right now, Errol deserved to know the truth¡­ No matter how much it would hurt him. "Your real father''s name was¡­ Junius Awter! The man whom I looked up to as my brother as well as¡­ The man that I killed with my own two hands!" "But¡­ Why?" Ready for that question, Shin started the explanation he''d prepared since the day Junius had handed Errol over to him: "It''s a long story, so bear with me¡­ It all started before I was born, back when two clans were battling out for supremacy in the west of the Himmel Empire..." To fully explain everything, Shin needed to start with the background of the Frie and Awter Clan. He recounted everything that the First Elder and Junius had told him¡­ Everything from the rift formed by the Aether Mine, to the eventual massacre of the Awter Clan, to the final act of repentance by the crazed Frie Clan. Shin explained his childhood, how he and Junius were orphans of the Frie Clan, and how they were unaware of their true heritage. Continuing on, he recounted the day where Junius disappeared and joined the remnants of the Awter Clan in the Black Masks, to the fateful tragedy that befell on Frie Mountain. The years that Shin spent chasing Junius and the heinous deeds that Junius had committed as the Blade of Death. And finally¡­ The straw that broke the camel''s back¡­ The day that Junius killed Shizen, Shin''s best friend. Everything was told in full detail, not leaving anything to the imagination. Errol could feel the emotions in Shin''s voice each time he recounted the heartbreaking stories. There were so many tribulations that Shin had to face just to reach this point. He''d lost so many of his loved ones throughout the years¡­ Just¡­ too¡­ many¡­ Shin tried to be sombre, but there were tremors in his voice every time he spoke. He knew¡­ There was a real chance that he would lose his eldest son once he''d told him the truth. That was what happened with Latina those many years back. Shin had killed Star Face, the young girl''s father, and because of that¡­ The girl who looked up to Shin as a knight in shining armour denounced him and disappeared from his sights. Shin knew¡­ He knew that he might lose his eldest son and the ten years of love that they''d built up might be lost forever. However, Shin knew that it was the right thing to do. "At the very end¡­ Junius sacrificed himself for me¡­ In his dying moment, he sent the Allfather''s mana into my body, greatly boosting my cultivation forever." Shin was quickly coming in on the ending. Throughout his explanation, Shin''s unwavering gaze had been slowly falling down. He didn''t dare to look Errol in the eye, fearing that the young boy''s gaze of reverence might be replaced with one of hate. No matter how flowery he put it, Shin had killed Junius. That was an undeniable fact. Yes, it was for the greater good, but Shin had also forced Errol to live a life without his biological parents. So what if Shin had treated him as his own son and showered him with the love of a true parent? In the end, it was all artificial, much like how the Frie Clan treated the orphans. "And that''s how I brought you back to the Lantis Republic¡­ To raise you as my own and to fulfil my promise to Junius..." Shin was finally able to raise his head once he finished his story. He tried to look Errol in the eyes, but the young boy had his face firmly plastered towards the ground. "Errol¡­ What I''ve told you is nothing but the truth. I know that it might be a hard pill to swallow, but¡­ You have to accept it." Shin bit his lips, trying his hardest not to break out into tears. "I won''t ask for your forgiveness, and neither would I blame you if you begin to hate me. If you wish to leave Celestial Island, I can also understand that¡­ However..." Shin continued on, even though he couldn''t see what expression his eldest son was making. "Please don''t blame your mother or siblings. They had nothing to with the torn relationship between Junius and me. Your mother especially¡­ She didn''t have to love you like her own, but she did just that. She loved you more than I possibly could, and I believe that you can see that." It would break Shin''s heart if Errol came to hate him. However, it would completely shatter Kanari''s heart if Errol were to leave their custody. All these years, Kanari had honestly treated Errol as her own son. She''d pampered him with sugar. Sent kisses flying down his way and embraced him as she did with Cassiel, Luciel and Uriel. In a way, Kanari loved Errol more than Shin ever could, and it was painfully evident. The silence continued to envelop the dojo. Neither Shin nor Errol was talking, and both of them could hear one another''s heartbeat. The ten-year-old wasn''t moving a muscle. His head was still plastered down while his body remained completely still. Shin had anticipated Errol to break out in a fit of rage or at the very least¡­ disappointment. However, the boy just remained silent. The silence was too painful for Shin to bear anymore. Thus, with a shaky voice, he asked: "... Errol?" Taking on a deep breath, the boy finally made a move. Raising his head, Shin could see that both of Errol''s eyes were dyed red as a bitter smile crept up from both ends. Shin unconsciously pushed both his shoulders back as he watched his eldest son''s new expression. Shin hadn''t seen that smile from Errol before. There wasn''t anger or pain in his expression. There was just¡­ "Father¡­ You fool..." Errol said. Without dropping a beat, the boy leapt up from his kneeling position and charged right at Shin. Still shocked, the Rank 78 Spirit Emperor was a tad too late to react. No, there was no way that he could respond. THUD!!! Without resisting, Shin was tackled down onto the floor like a bowling pin. Errol had forced a hug onto his father, and a crackling voice broke free from the young boy''s throat. "Father¡­ Father¡­ PAPA!!!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 593 - The Prince Of Waters Eldest Son (4) "E-Errol?" Shin was barely able to say his eldest child''s name. Looking down, all the Rank 78 Spirit Emperor could see was a glossy viridian head. The sweet, simple smell of shampoo tickled the man''s senses as his son''s body heat was transferred onto his chest. No¡­ It wasn''t just body heat that Shin was feeling. Errol''s eyes were overflowing as crystalline beads dripped onto the Spirit Emperor''s shirt. Snot flowed down from the ten-year-old''s nose and continued to stain Shin''s pristine white shirt. Errol had just reverted back to calling Shin Papa, the word that Errol had used to refer to Shin from the very moment he could talk. As Errol grew older and learnt proper etiquette from the Kanari and Lady Seph, he''d changed his way of addressing Shin to the more formal ''Father,'' and it had been years since Errol had called Shin Papa. Thus, it had thrown the Spirit Emperor into a state of shock and nostalgia. "Papa¡­ Was it painful?" "Huh?" Shin was baffled. In his imagination, Errol should be aghast that Shin had killed Junius, whether it be right or wrong. Shin was ready to be hated by Errol. He was even willing to take a knife to the gut if it meant that his eldest son would be appeased. However, a funny thing happened. Errol wasn''t showing any signs of rage or bitterness. He wasn''t even burning in hate for the man who killed his biological father. Instead¡­ He was asking if Shin was alright¡­ "Father¡­ To be completely honest, I don''t understand a lot of what you''ve just said," Errol admitted. After all, he was still a ten-year-old who had just awakened his Spirit. Errol lacked the analytical intelligence to fully comprehend the gravity of what Shin had explained to him. However, the young boy''s emotional intelligence was anything but lackl.u.s.tre. From a young age, Errol knew that he was adopted. After all, anyone with half a brain could tell that the young boy didn''t hold any of Shin or Kanari''s characteristics. Hence, Errol was forced to mature a little more quickly than his peers. Shin and Kanari might treat wholeheartedly treat Errol as their eldest son, but the reality was far from that. Hence, many servants and seniors barely paid Errol any heed. Errol knew that he was treated differently by outsiders, and at times, it had hurt him significantly. However, Shin and Kanari never mistreated him one bit, often showering Errol with more love than that of his younger siblings. In the young boy''s mind, Shin and Kanari were his parents¡­ His true family. It didn''t matter if he were adopted or not. And to repay the family that took him in, Errol had made a silent resolution to grow up quickly so that he would no longer be a burden to Shin and Kanari. Awakening his Spirit was the best first step. Errol was thrilled to become his family''s sword, much like Shin was the heroic blade that protected the planet. So¡­ When Errol was told of the truth behind his heritage, he was somewhat¡­ relieved. For the longest time, the biggest question mark that Errol had was¡­ Who were his biological parents? Did they abandon him when he was born? Or had they passed away during the war against the Black Masks? Errol wanted to know¡­ And fortunately, he would learn everything today. Errol finally understood why Shin had treated him so dearly throughout the ten years that he was raised. He was finally aware of his true parentage and more importantly¡­ His true relationship with Shin Iofiel, the Prince of Water. It had all begun with a dysfunctional pairing, one that brought both Junius and Shin into an abyss of endless pain. Errol wasn''t smart enough to comprehend everything that Shin was trying to say, but he could tell the amount of pain that his father was in. The young brain of Errol could tell¡­ Shin was hurting from the deepest part of his core. Errol had never seen his father in such a state before. For the longest time, Errol had looked up to Shin with eyes of reverence. Shin was called the World''s Hero, the man who brought the Black Masks to their knees and unified a fractured planet. When they would walk down any path, people would stop just to shake Shin''s hands. There was an air of nobility shrouding Shin, and everyone felt compelled to drop their heads to Shin''s dignified aura. He was the man among men. The King among Kings. Yet¡­ At this very moment¡­ Shin looked so¡­ damned¡­ small. "Papa, you were hurting right?" "T-That..." Shin gulped, as his hands unconsciously reached for his son''s back. "Yes¡­ Yes, I was..." "I see..." Errol, who was still in the midst of tears, separated his face from Shin''s chest and looked the man in the eyes. "Papa¡­ I don''t know whether what you''ve done in the past was right or wrong. I don''t know anything about my real father or anything about the Awter Clan¡­ But, I know that you love me! I know that you and mother loved me like your own! How could I possibly come to hate you, Papa?" "E-Errol! But!" "Papa..." Downcast, the boy dropped his head while still in Shin''s embrace. "Are you taking care of me because you feel guilty for killing my real father?" "T-THAT!!!" For the first time since entering the dojo, Shin raised his voice. Even if Errol were to raise his hand and smack him down to the floor, Shin wouldn''t feel the slightest bit of rage. However, the moment that Errol suggested that ludicrous claim, Shin felt his heart wince, and body convulse. Yes, in the beginning, Shin admitted that he only took Errol in because of the guilt that he had. However, as the years went by, Shin had truly seen Errol as one of his flesh and blood. It didn''t matter if someone were to question his lineage, if Errol wanted to take over his inheritance, Shin wouldn''t bat a single eyelid and write Errol''s name in his will. That was how much Shin thought of Errol as his own. Shin knew all of Errol''s tells. How he rubbed his nose when he was telling lies. How he would smile stupidly when caught misbehaving. And¡­ How much Errol loved his younger siblings, much like how Junius did with the other orphans. To Shin, Errol wasn''t just Junius'' son¡­ Errol was his own¡­ legacy. "How can you say that?! I would never-!" "That''s all I need to know..." Errol smiled and dropped his head back on his father''s chest. It was comforting, staying in Shin''s chest like he did in the old days. Now that Errol was ten, he wasn''t all that willing to be pampered by his father as much as he did before, but ultimately, the young boy couldn''t resist the familiar warm embrace. "Papa¡­ You don''t have to worry. I would never come to hate you or mother or Cassiel or Luciel or Uriel¡­ Unless¡­ You don''t want me here?" "There''s no way!!!" Shin shrieked in a voice that even he didn''t know existed. How could Shin even fathom chasing his own eldest son out? He would execute himself if that mere thought crossed his mind. "I swear to you, Errol! As long as you''re willing, you can stay as my son forever! From this day to the end of time!" "Then that''s enough..." Errol smiled before finally separating from Shin. He looked at his father in the eyes. Gone were the anxiety that made Shin seem small. Right now, as he gave Errol his oath, Shin was the indomitable Prince of Water, the Hero that saved the world. "Papa¡­ No, Father¡­ I won''t blame you¡­ I could never hope to..." Errol shook his head. "All I ask for¡­ Is for you to love me all the same, then I''ll be content..." At that point, Shin was unable to hold back anymore. His eyes reddened, and his throat got choked up. Like the hopeless father that he was, Shin brought Errol into his arms and wailed out like a child. "My son! My son!" "Yes, yes..." Neither of the father-son pair could tell, but a shadow waiting outside dropped to her knees and sobbed as well. Kanari, who had been listening in on the conversation, was virtually in the same state as her stupid husband and child. However, her tears weren''t one of sadness, but ones of pure bliss and joy. Finally¡­ Errol had finally become¡­ The Prince of Water''s Eldest Son. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 594 - Rite Of Passage (1) Fluffy clouds graced the beautiful skies, filling it with awe and mystery that were unheard of White heaven-bound birds flapped their wings with great fervour, racing through the purple firmament. It was a beautiful day in the Lantis Republic, widely renowned for being the land of water and the enclave of the oceans. However, the peace that was held down was quite hard-fought. Two weeks had passed since the Day of Spirits and the mayhem that unfolded in the Lantis Republic. The twins awakening two unique Spirits outside of the Eight Scions of Water was one thing, but Errol finally acknowledging his own heritage had sent tremors all around Shin''s mansion. Everyone surrounding Shin were on edge as they knew that Errol might possibly leave the manor once the truth was revealed. Alas, everyone underestimated the maturity of the young boy. Errol didn''t grow to hate Shin, and neither did he throw a tantrum, running away from home in the process. The young ten-year-old decided to stick with the family that raised him with love and care. From then on, Errol had truly taken his spot as the Iofiel family''s eldest son and more importantly¡­ He had solidified his position in Shin''s heart as his successor. Little did Errol know that his father had been agonising about the decision to tell him about Junius for the past few years now. There had always been a mental burden weighing down on Shin and a mental demon that he was forever unable to conquer. Shin had experienced what it was like to be hated by someone he loved. He had also felt the loss of many family members throughout his growing life. Hence, Errol''s willingness to forgive the man had really lifted up Shin''s spirits. Shin now had no blockades barring his cultivation and was able to steamroll straight ahead and funnily enough¡­ "..." A sombre silence hung over Shin''s manor. The Lantis Republic''s Prince''s palace was usually a rowdy place. Four children often trained or played in the courtyard while guests would enter by the droves. Officials from both the Lantis Republic and Guardian Sword would frequent Shin''s office, either wanting him to sign doc.u.ments or give relevant advice, particularly when Shin was present at home. Shin''s job frequently required him to travel the world, either under the capacity of Guardian Sword''s Master or the Prince of the Lantis Republic. So the times where Shin could stay happily within the compounds of the Lantis Republic were few and far between. Yet, on this day¡­ There was not a single soul that came to disturb the Prince. The calming breeze was able to brush its way into the training facilities of the expansive mansion, unfettered by the movements of servants cleaning or children playing. The radiant sunlight beamed down warmly from the heavens, bringing a plethora of elements in its wake. It was a utopia for people to go outside and play, but there was one being that sat entirely still. Black haired and marginally bearded, a man who looked no older than thirty was meditating in silence. His wrists were facing the gorgeous firmament above, and a cerulean aura encircled around his head. A breathtakingly beautiful array of lights embellished the surroundings as all the elements danced around in pure euphoria. Water-elements turned the atmosphere humid while Time-elements dilated the man''s silhouette. Mind-elements made the seated Buddha seem ethereal while Space-elements completely shrouded the man from any divine senses. Finally, the most prevalent element of them all¡­ The Light-element that was absorbed by the sun made the man, who already seem mighty and lofty, enveloped his entire being, making the black-haired specimen a being that didn''t seem worthy to be touching mortal soil. That man was obviously the master of the mansion¡­ Shin Iofiel. Once his familial matters were settled, Shin took the opportunity to bond with his eldest son Errol through a host of father-son bonding activities. Naturally, he included the three misfits that came out of Kanari''s tummy as well. They went fishing, hiking and even played random games such as chess. It was rare for Shin to have some free time, so he had decided to spend it wisely¡­ With his family. However, as his heart''s demons were slowly coming unravelled, Shin started to see the world in a far different light. The world that seemed so dark and murky¡­ Was actually so radiant. Shin had travelled the planet, and he had come across all sorts of scoundrels and atrocities. In the chaos following the Worldquake, there was no shortage of mayhem. He''d seen women forced into slavery for other men''s pleasure. He''d seen families destroyed by the greed of men who wanted to supersede from the three superpowers. And worst of all¡­ Shin had seen the darkness that the Allfather wished to spread. Umbras continued to terrorise innocent lives, displacing thousands of homes and massacring countless of people. Every single day, there were at least a thousand lives lost to Umbras, and there was no feasible way that Shin and Guardian Sword could save them all. Shin had seen the darkness that the Allfather wanted to spread, and he was completely appalled. One could say that he was disgusted by everything that he saw. Shin was called a Hero because he''d saved everyone, regardless if they were poor or rich. Paupers or wealthy nobles. However¡­ Being a hero was tiring. Particularly since he had to watch the darkness encroach on everyone''s lives, eroding his humanity bit by bit. It was so f.u.c.k.i.n.g tiring... So¡­ When Errol had chosen to forgive him and to truly become Shin''s eldest son. Shin''s felt like his entire soul had been purified by the waters of Lake Minnetonka. There was a load lifted off his chest and Shin could feel his mana vessels widening up with every given moment. Now¡­ There was a warm light in his life. One that could never be outshone, even if he was embraced by the coldest of darkness. "Ah¡­ That''s refreshing..." After six full hours of silent meditation, Shin pulled his arms out and gave a simple stretch. The Celestial Aura that emerged out from each one of Shin''s pores was stronger than ever as the five major elements that the Celestial Dragon was proficient in danced around in harmony. "Father? Are you done with your closed-door cultivation?" A refreshing voice echoed out from the other side of the courtyard, bringing Shin''s attention right to the young voice. A viridian-haired boy leapt joyfully down bearing the gift of a wet, rinsed towel. Lovingly caressing Errol''s innocent face, Shin let out a cry of victory: "Yeah and I succeeded!" "You did?! Father, are you a Spirit Venerate already?!" "No, not quite yet..." Shin chuckled bitterly. "I''m now at Rank 79 and have finally reached the bottleneck before shedding my second barrier of mortality." "That''s awesome!!!" Errol looked at his father with starry eyes. In his mind, Shin had always been the man amongst men. For him to reach Rank 79, at thirty-three-years-old no less¡­ It really filled Errol with a chest full of pride. "Would you be the youngest Spirit Venerate in history if you reached the Spirit Venerate realm next?" "Haha, you flatter me too much!" Shin laughed at his son''s innocence. "Unfortunately, that record still belongs to Spirit Immortal Dream. No matter how hard I try, I probably wouldn''t break through the bottleneck of the second barrier of mortality for the next two to three years. By then, I''ll be thirty-six. Spirit Immortal Dream had entered the Spirit Venerate realm when she was just thirty-two. I''m definitely trailing far behind..." It was true. Crossing the second barrier of mortality was exponentially harder than simply gaining cultivation levels. Should one succeed, their lifespan would double and breach the four-hundred-year mark, making them one of the few in history to earn a second lease of life. It didn''t matter how talented a cultivator was. Crossing the second barrier of mortality required a healthy dose of comprehension, luck and most importantly¡­ timing. Those weren''t factors that Shin could easily rush to enter the Spirit Venerate realm. If Shin didn''t want to rely on the use of a hereditary opuscule and wanted to create his own ability, he needed ample time to prepare. One had to remember, Lady Seph was widely considered to be one of the most talented figures of her generation, and yet, it took her many years to take that final step. "Ah, no matter! Father is still much stronger than Spirit Immortal Dream!" "Haha, you little brat!" Shin gently rubbed on Errol''s crown, happily enjoying the young boy''s company in this joyous moment. The more he looked at this son of his, the more Shin found him likeable. Shin was confident that in future, Errol''s flowery use of words would certainly get him into trouble with the ladies. "Shin, you succeeded?" At that moment, a mature woman scooted over with a refreshing smile on her face. Kanari had no doubts that Shin would pass the Rank 78 bottleneck and enter into Rank 79. She had even been casually reading a good book while her children worried excessively over his father''s closed-door cultivation. By her side, Luciel and Cassiel rushed over, their faces beaming with reverence much like Errol was. Only Uriel, the four-year-old was still dazed by the glaring sun and could care less about her father''s accomplishment. "Mmmm, it wasn''t much." Shin bragged. "Look at you, becoming more and more powerful by the day¡­" Kanari winked at her husband''s response. Before long, the ethereal beauty leaned in on Shin and whispered into his ears, careful not to let her children eavesdrop: "Hey, could you match up with Spirit Saints now?" "... Quite possibly." "Wow," Kanari made her first gasp of the day. Shin was a calculative individual and wouldn''t make such a bold statement without the evidence to back it up. "It all depends on my Rank 80 Spirit Venerate ability¡­ If I''m able to create a powerful one, I wouldn''t need to fear anyone of the Spirit Saints living today, barring the weird ones like Aunt Tian. However, for the most part, I''m confident about my ability to spar with any other Spirit Saints." "Wao¡­ My husband is now a peak-level power!" Kanari''s ruby eyes sparkled. Who wouldn''t be happy when they saw their spouse gain power that was unachievable for many in the world? At such a young age as well! "Hehe, I''m not quite there yet, but I''m close!" Shin tried to water down his achievements, but even he was grinning from ear-to-ear. Now, the number of people who could threaten him was reduced to the fingers of one hand. How couldn''t he be excited? "Ah¡­ Now that I''ve reached this threshold, I think that it would be wise to bring the children out for some real-life combat experience." Shin looked down at the three mongrels that caused a stir in the Lantis Republic during the Day of Spirits. They''d all begun the first step of their cultivation and were starting their period of exponential growth. It was best that they experienced combat in the outside world, beyond the sheltered environment that they were raised in, to supplement that growth. "Will it be safe?" However, Kanari''s motherly attribute was swinging in full effect. She couldn''t help but be worried about her children''s safety. "As you said, I''m now a peak-level power¡­ There are few in the world that can challenge me." "I know that, but..." "Haha, if you''re really that worried, let''s bring Bingbing and Zishen along! Then we''ll have one expert per child." Shin suggested bringing the snowy white gerbil who had been lazily fattening up in Lady Seph''s lab and the domineering Azure Dragon Lord who had broken into the Primordial Beast realm during the ten years he''d joined Guardian Sword. "Hah¡­ If you''re really that insistent¡­ Fine." Kanari finally acquiesced, all while the three children were oblivious to the fact that they were about to enter their rite of passage. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 595 - Rite Of Passage (2) High above the empyrean sky, the blazing sun spontaneously beamed out waves of hallowed rays, warming the cold earth that laid beneath it. White pieces of cotton candy covered bits and pieces of the gorgeous azure lining, but it was unable to fully block the boundless sky. And amidst the crazy number of clouds, there were a few rapid moving objects, one that could outmatch any bird or projectile. No¡­ There were two of them. Those who lacked the vision was unable to see the two objects which were flying over ten thousand metres above sea level, but the few that could would physically see the speeding objects first before hearing a thunderous bang a few seconds later. Clouds were forced to make way for the supersonic flying objects, and a trail of pure wind could be seen in the distance. It was a shock, seeing such a queer phenomenon. However, those that boasted the ability to view up ten thousand metres in the air were all experts of their own right. They had a cursory understanding of what those two objects could possibly be. Some of them were even able to lens in on the target, making out the silhouettes of an elongated creature and a ball of fur. Naturally, those two objects weren''t man-made machines, and neither were they a natural phenomenon. It was the friendly snowy-white Tier 9 Kamaitachi and the scaly Primordial Azure Dragon Beast. Shin''s three children who had come of age were all seated on Bingbing''s back, protected by a dense golden mana barrier. The three children were amazed and somewhat afraid of being so high in the sky, so they all clenched together, careful not to move a single inch. However, there was no need for them to do such a pointless thing. No matter how fast Bingbing was moving, the three children didn''t feel any wind pressure or lack of oxygen. In fact, the conditions within the barrier were even safer than they would ever be on the ground. However, there was no way that the three children could remain calm. Cassiel, the older of the twins, moved her shaking hands and called out to the blonde woman who was controlling the reigns to the Tier 9 Kamaitachi. "G-grandma Seph¡­ How long more until we''re there?" Cassiel was calling the blonde woman ''grandma,'' but her facial features were anything but old. In fact, any ignorant bachelor would rush to get the woman''s marriage signature the moment they saw her flawless beauty. Her golden hair was glossy and pure, while even skin cell in her body seemed to be as supple as a baby''s bottom. There was no other two-hundred-year-old woman that could possibly boast such an immaculate appearance¡­ No one other than the Master of the Prince of Water, Lady Seph. "A few more minutes, why?" Lady Seph looked back, her hands unconsciously reaching out to the young girl. As Shin''s Master, the Divine Healer naturally had the authority to meet up with his children anytime she pleased. Other than Kanari, Lady Seph was perhaps the one female family member that Shin''s children frequently met. Heck, they were even calling her grandma even though they weren''t blood-related, something that greatly pissed off Longyu Tian when she first heard about it. Lady Seph quite liked her new role as Shin''s familial matriarch and often played her part to perfection. The woman would bring sweets to spoil her grandchildren rotten, and whenever they were in trouble with their parents, Lady Seph would be the first one to intercede for them. Therefore, when the doting grandmother found out that Shin was bringing three of her precious jewels out for an expedition, the Divine Healer insisted on tagging along as an overseer. "C-Can''t we take a break?" Lady Seph smiled: "Just endure it for a little while longer. Even if we stopped now, we''d still have to move sometime later¡­ If you''re scared, just don''t look down!" "That''s easier said than done, Grandma Seph!" Luciel raised his voice in protest. "H-Humans aren''t meant to be flying in the air!" "Hahaha, true!" Even Lady Seph can''t argue with basic science. "But once you transcend your first barrier of mortality, you''ll learn to fly! So either way, you''ll need to get used to moving at certain heights!" "Grandma!!!" The children continued to plead with the Divine Healer only to find out that she wasn''t willing to budge a single inch. Shin looked on the interactions between the grandmother and grandchildren with an amused smile. Sensing the change, a baritone voice called out to the Prince. "Mmmm, Venerate Seraphim really looks like the wise grandmother in Jia Si Ge." "You think?" Shin chuckled as he looked down at his mount. "Mmmm¡­ Even though she''s childless, she treats children with the love of a grandmother. Always spoiling them when the moment is right and disciplining them when it really counts. If Venerate Seraphim isn''t the wise grandmother of Jia Si Ge, who is?" "Hah¡­ Senior Zishen, you have been reading too many novels again..." The Prince dropped his head and heaved out a huge sigh. Five years ago, the Azure Dragon Lord had passed the final barrier that all Spirit Beasts could only dream of crossing. He fully stepped into the Primordial Realm, making him the next Saint-level expert that the Lantis Republic had. Well, since Zishen was tied down to Shin, technically, he a Saint-level expert for Guardian Sword. Being the Master of the Hall of Protection, Zishen''s job was mostly to protect the assets of the organisation. However, who in the right mind would dare to attack Guardian Sword? Located on Celestial Island, the base of Guardian Sword was protected by the Lantis Republic. At the same time, the Kori Federation and Himmel Empire both had favourable relations with Shin. Not to mention, Shin''s grandmaster was Lady Althea, the Spirit Saint of the Healer''s Association while the Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild all liked having the Prince around. With the Black Masks mostly in hibernation, Guardian Sword was mostly safe and Zishen had nothing to protect. Furthermore, now that he had become a Primordial Beast, there was no need for Zishen to worry about cultivation anymore. He could now live out the rest of his life, which still had at least ten thousand years in it, in leisure and happiness. And for his first act as a retired grandpa, the Azure Dragon Lord started digging into human literature, the Lantis Republic''s in particular. Jia Si Ge was the latest of his many literary conquests, and the Dragon couldn''t help but beam when he talked about it. "Mmmm, what''s wrong with that? Give me some work if you''re unsatisfied..." "Give you, Senior Zishen work? Give a Primordial Beast work? I''m not that bold yet..." "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, I told you many times. My power pales in comparison to yours. It''s only a matter of time before you can beat me to the ground with only your fists, so me submitting to you a few years early doesn''t harm my pride one bit!" Zishen''s voice echoed into Shin''s ears. That''s right. For the past ten years, Shin had been reluctant to give Zishen any orders and only used him for easy tasks that required little time and labour from the Primordial Beast. In Shin''s mind, Zishen could leave his side the very next day if he so wished. After all, how could Shin control a Primordial Beast that could match up against a Spirit Saint? Alas, Zishen didn''t see it that way. The Azure Dragon Lord saw himself as a servant to Shin, the heir to the Celestial Dragon and the Master that would illuminate the darkened world. Submitting to someone of that stature wasn''t anything to be shameful about, and in fact, Zishen took pride in it! "... I''ll consider it." A few days ago, Shin would have brushed off the Azure Dragon Lord''s in a nonchalant manner. However, now that Shin was a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor and potentially a Saint-level expert as well, the man was seriously thinking about incorporating Zishen into his plans. "Mmmm¡­ Don''t make me wait too long¡­ Reading and protecting your children is fun but..." The Azure Dragon Lord gazed down on the crevice that they were fast approaching. Locked in between two mountains, there was a pit of darkness that was pushing out legions of dark smoke. However, as the mist reached five metres up, it quickly dissipated and returned into nothingness. Tall trees and humongous boulders blocked the presence of the crevice from any passerby, and if not for an aerial view, there were virtually undetectable. That pit was one of the many consequences of the Allfather''s Call of Darkness. After the Worldquake had devastated the world, the Allfather had moved on to the next stage of his Grand Scheme¡­ Spreading as much chaos in the short time that he had. One of the ways he did that was to activate the numerous crevices that had been filled with his mana beforehand. Judging by the size of the fissures, Umbras would spawn by the thousands or millions and once they had all been awakened¡­ Terror would befall upon all innocent lives within its vicinity. The Terre Continent had been split into six parts, and one could imagine the amount of mayhem that existed within the top levels of government. Armies were stretched thin, and resources weren''t readily available for those located at remote areas. Not a single government in the world was ready to deal with the pain that those crevices could cause. And that''s where Guardian Sword stepped in. Showing his full set of teeth, Zishen smiled as he roared: "... annihilating the Black Masks is far more fun!" "Though I''m inclined to agree, please reign in your excited face¡­ You''re scaring the kids," Shin chuckled as he turned towards Bingbing and the four individuals that rode her. Perhaps it was a twin thing, but Cassiel and Luciel were both shaking in sync while in one another''s arms. Errol, on the other hand, had his arms wrapped around Lady Seph''s thin waist. Angered, Lady Seph glared at Zishen for raising his mana without warning and was ready to pounce at any given moment. Just like the grandmother in Jia Si Ge, Lady Seph was as overprotective as ever. "Mmmm, my bad..." "Haha, it''s good that you noticed it early..." "Mmmm, my Prince. Who would be the one to take care of the crevice? Do you want me to blast it away with my breath?" Zishen asked the innocent question. "No, that would defeat the purpose of Errol, Cassiel and Luciel coming here. If they wanted to see you attack something with full force, we could have let you attack a mountain or something..." Shin shook his head. Gently pushing his weight up, Shin''s body floated up from the Azure Dragon Lord''s body like a feather in the wind and every single element in his body burst forth like a volcanic eruption. Cerulean, Azure, Gold, Ashen-Grey and an ethereal colourless aura congregated into one simple domain. If one attempted to look into the domain, they would see a picture of their loved ones or something they cherished. If they were within the domain, they would feel their world being shifted from their consciousness and would fall into a trance-like state. "Father''s Domain of Dreams..." Errol gulped. It was the second time that he''d seen Shin use that infamous ability, and it was just as awe-inspiring as the first time he''d seen it. At that moment, the Celestial Dragon coiled around Shin''s lean body. It was at least fifteen metres long, severely outsizing the man who it had engulfed. Everyone knew that the Celestial Dragon was a force to be reckoned with. Who hasn''t heard about the time that the Celestial Dragon generated tsunamis and rogue waves on a whim, or the time where it would utterly decimate sailors that dared challenge its hegemony? However, instead of being the domineering beast of legend, the Celestial Dragon seemed to behave like a child, much like it did when it was just a Sovereign Koi. "Yes¡­ Let me deal with the crevice." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 596 - Power! (1) The Domain of Dreams was Shin signature ability, one that amplified all elements that were under his control and greatly impeded any foe that dared to step within its borders. When Shin first created the ability at Rank 40, he''d thought to use it to gently incapacitate his enemies without causing much damage to them. Throughout the years, the Domain of Dreams had served that purpose quite well. Many weaklings that were put down by Shin weren''t caused any severe physical or mental trauma. With the Domain of Dreams, Shin could forcibly put them all to sleep with a snap of his fingers, particularly now with his impressive Rank 79 cultivation level. However, the first ability of the Domain of Dreams was useless against the enemies that rushed out from the dark crevice sandwiched between the mountains. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, you do know that Mind-Elements don''t work on the Umbras, right? Why are you amplifying your Domain of Dreams to such an extent?" Zishen asked, a little puzzled by Shin''s decision. "Oh right, Senior Zishen you''re mostly ignorant about the affairs of the crevice..." Shin stroked his chin while the Celestial Dragon spun around him. "The darkness crevice created by the Allfather is intelligent. It would remain in hiding for the longest time, never showing itself to the outside world. In a sense, it''s like a dormant volcano that wouldn''t erupt¡­ Unless..." As Shin said those words, his Domain of Dreams burst into life. Elements dripped down from the heavens like a celestial rain that blessed every single soul that lived under its umbrella. At that moment, thousands of dark beasts emerged from the crevice, wailing out in a banshee-like cry. They were in all shapes and sizes. Hulking big colossus'' or birds with wingspans the size of houses burst forth from the crevice and forged a flank powerful enough to take down a platoon of the world''s best soldiers. "This is..." "The Umbras have to be triggered by an external force, and in this case¡­ My Domain of Dreams..." Shin ha deliberately used this ability not to damage the Umbras, but to force them out of hiding. The Domain of Dreams was by far the most expansive ability that Shin had. Just by casting this ability, Shin could easily affect a radius of ten kilometres. To the Umbras that laid less than a kilometre beneath him, such a significant area of effect was more than enough. "Errol, Cassiel, Luciel¡­ Watch carefully..." Shin''s voice echoed out as he raised his right hand up. The spiritual energy that bottled up within his body burst forth like a wrecking ball and the entire sky seemingly changed seasons. White clouds were rapidly transformed into a darkened background, and the temperature drastically dropped down to below the freezing point. "Let it snow..." At the peak of his powers, Shin snapped his fingers. Crystalline snowflakes dripped down from the heavens. Slowly but surely, the snow gradually grew in size. In no time at all, the snow condensed into vicious icy shards and eventually, hail fell down like broken shards of glass. The weaker Umbras couldn''t handle the icy barrage, and many of them fell by the hundreds. "The¡­ weather changed?" Cassiel, the young girl who was enthralled in fairy tales, couldn''t fathom the sudden shock. She had heard of Spirit Saints, and powerful Spirit Venerates that could change the atmosphere at their leisure, but little did she know that her father was capable of performing the exact same feat. "Yes, that''s your father''s science ability at work..." Lady Seph nodded in fervour as she watched her disciple''s power in full effect. "Back in the day when I was still mentoring him, your father would come up with all sorts of scenarios to affect his surroundings without using his spiritual abilities. Seeing him manipulate the principle of thermodynamics with ease is really something to be admirative of." "Father is amazing!" Naturally, the children were unable to comprehend the complexities of Shin''s abilities. In the end, they all just gave out shouts of worship, as one would with such a mighty father. "That''s not good enough¡­" Though his children were in awe of his abilities, Shin wasn''t all that happy with his performance. Raising both his hands, Shin increased his mana output by ten percent, creating an intense rift in the surroundings. Even Lady Seph''s barrier, which was capable of protecting against a full-fledged attack by a Spirit Emperor, trembled at little at her disciples raise of power. "Hey, Shin! Raise it in moderation!" "Ah, right¡­" Noticing his blunder, Shin moved closer towards the crevice and gradually adjusted his power output. However, just because he reduced the spiritual pressure that he was sending out, it didn''t mean that he was pulling his punches. With two snaps, much of the crystalline snow instantly melted into ice. The water was as clear as a diamond while an intense glow emerged from its molecules. In no time at all, the crevice was flooded at least by a metre, and rich mana essence was pulsating out from the ground. "Rise..." Once again, Shin snapped his fingers. Gallons of water created by Shin''s blizzard congregated into one spot, and various humanoids arose from the depths. Some of the humanoids held onto sharp spears and swords, creating an immortal army of water golems. It was yet another variant application that Shin had perfected through trial and error. After watching the Himmel Ancestor raise an immortal army, Shin thought to do the same with his own first spiritual ability, create water. Firstly, he perfected the art of the water golem. Eventually,... each soldier within Shin''s army was equivalent to that of a Spirit Core cultivator. However, the next stage of perfecting the immortal army was harder than Shin had anticipated. He was unable to figure out the principles that would keep the immortal army going. But fortunately¡­ Shin had encountered the dark crevice that spawned Umbras by the droves. Shin studied the phenomenon extensively and in a mere two months, had figured out the principles behind creating an infinite, immortal army. Just like that, Shin had copied the world''s most powerful bloodline''s only spiritual ability¡­ The spiritual ability that had made the Himmel Empire prosper for thousands of years. Granted, there were many limitations. For instance, Shin''s water golems weren''t as powerful as the Himmel Ancestor''s immortal army, and they certainly weren''t as varied. However, as Junius had said so many years ago, Shin''s first spiritual ability had indeed turned out to be his most powerful. The Umbras, stunned that their signature move was being copied, started to panic and sent shockwaves of attacks flying at Shin''s water golem army. Alas, it was far too late. Shin was generating waves of mana that spawned even more water golems, and in due time, the number reached a few thousand. "Six thousand¡­ That''s my limit for now, huh?" Shin sighed. He had gone all out, and he was still shy of four thousand soldiers to match the Himmel Ancestor''s and Isadore''s ten-thousand-strong army. "No, six thousand should be enough¡­ Once I reach the Spirit Saint realm, I won''t be limited by the ten-thousand-army limit..." As Shin was contemplating his inevitable rise to supremacy, the Umbras were going into panic mode. They raised breaths all throughout, trying to protect the crack of earth that they crawled up from. However, how could Shin simply let them do as they please? With snaps that moved like a conductor would an orchestra, Shin ordered his minions to do the deed. Umbras, no matter how powerful were subject to the wrath of the Spirit Emperor. Elements of all colours surged up into the sky, and Shin''s three children were treated to a feast for the eyes. After all, Shin had brought them over to experience the power of the Black Masks and the Umbras first-hand. It was the first time in their young lives that they''d seen such a spectacular scene. It was so beautiful, yet so terrifying... Bit by bit, the Umbras sheer numbers were chipped down. No matter how hard they tried to attack the water golems, the water from the melted snow would create a fresh batch, ready to attack at any given moment. One astute Tier 7 Umbra realised that it wasn''t smart to stand around and watch the immortal army run amok in their territory. If it wanted the immortal army to stop¡­ It had to go for the head. The raptor-like Umbra leapt up from the ground and flapped its giant wings like a menacing falcon. Each time it swung its wings, a torrential wind would blow like a storm. Wind-elements surged as its body rose up higher and higher, aiming to take down Shin''s head once and for all. Alas¡­ It was picking the wrong fight¡­ "Foolish little creature..." Shin smiled and closed his eyes. Shockingly, the Celestial Dragon did the same. A radiant light beamed out from Shin''s inner core, and a divine aura emerged. The light coiled around Shin and soon turned into a hundred-metre-long figure. Towering presence¡­ That''s what the Umbra felt as it stayed its movements in the air. Deep down to its innate core, it knew... There was nothing that it could do against that behemoth that was being created. "That''s..." "... Father''s Avatar..." Errol finished off his younger sister''s words. That''s right. The hundred-metre-long behemoth that was encircling Shin''s floating body¡­ Was precisely Shin''s eight spiritual ability¡­ The one ability that could only be unlocked by reaching the Spirit Emperor realm¡­ The Celestial Dragon''s Avatar. ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 597 - Power! (2) Shin''s Celestial Dragon Avatar was the apex ability that the Spirit Emperor had created. Much like Saint Geom''s Sword Avatar, the Celestial Dragon Avatar took Shin''s spirit and amplified it to the next level. Through pure mana itself, Shin could quadruple his Celestial Dragon''s size and quintuple the raw damage that the impossibly powerful Spirit. With the Celestial Dragon Avatar in hand, in terms of pure power, Shin was unquestionably at the peak of all Spirit Emperors. No, even Spirit Venerates who had surpassed their barrier of mortality twice would take issue with resisting a blow from Shin''s avatar. Only Spirit Saints, with their innate ability to lock down space, could possibly take a hit or two from Shin''s Celestial Dragon Avatar and even then¡­ There was no guarantee that they wouldn''t sustain an injury. Fortunately for them though¡­ Shin wasn''t interested in aiming for their lives. All he wanted to do was to take down the Black Masks and the Umbras that came from the aftermath of the Worldquake. The Tier 7 Raptor that took to the skies froze instantly after feeling the deadly aura being emitted by the Celestial Dragon avatar. In terms of power, it was at the higher tip end of all the Umbras that came out from the dark crevice, and yet¡­ It felt so small against the colossal powerhouse. ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!!! Shin didn''t even need to move a muscle. The Celestial Dragon, who was lovingly coiled around Shin''s body, took control of its own avatar and unleashed an innate roar. All of a sudden, the Raptor''s vision blurred as if it had been pulled into an endless mirage with no escape route. Elements danced with endless joy as Shin pulled off yet another one of his miracles. With just a simple roar from his avatar, the entire atmosphere changed once again. Instead of being filled with Water-elements due to the snow that he''d created, Time-elements took over the stage. Anyone looking into the mountain range from the outside would only see a patch of a blur as everything seemed to be shrouded in an elusive shroud of mist. And that was what Zishen, Lady Seph, Bingbing and Shin''s three children were witnessing. The Tier 7 Raptor was in a terrible state. Its body was slowed down to just a fraction than it was before and its vision of the colossal avatar had been impeded. There was no way for it to see what attack was coming next, and due to its slowed speed, it couldn''t even take any evasive measures. In the end, all the Raptor could do was agonisingly wait for its end to come. And to come, it did¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! A beautiful ray of light burst forth from the Celestial Dragon''s mouth and engulfed the Raptor in an assortment of elements. Unable to withstand the immense mana surge, the Tier 7 Umbra could only meltdown like an ice cube on a hot summer''s day. "Yip yip! Shin''s mastery of the Time-Element has improved!" Bingbing exclaimed, her voice laced with endless joy. "Yes, it did get more powerful..." Lady Seph thoughtfully nodded. "I''m sure Longyu Tian must have drilled him quite hard during their training sessions..." The Divine Healer didn''t know whether she was happy or disappointed. Yes, she was delighted that Shin had grown far stronger than he was before, but most of his new abilities were learnt from entities such as Longyu Tian or the Himmel Ancestor. There were little skills that Lady Seph could impart onto the Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, even though she was still his master-in-name. "Hmmm, I guess I''ll teach him a little more about my healing arts¡­ I can''t let the others take a step ahead of me..." Lady Seph seriously stroked her chin in contemplation. The three children that were watching the battle didn''t have the same thoughts though. They were witnessing their father putting on a one-sided display of dominance, and they thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. "Father is so powerful..." Cassiel said, clasping both her hands together. Without realising, her One-Horned Hippocamp emerged from her small spiritual body and wrapped its mermaid tail around her waist. Ever since it was awakened, the Spirit possessed an air of nobility and always seemed high and mighty. Even when faced with the Eight Scions of Water, the One-Horned Hippocamp didn''t put down its chin for a single second, staring them down like equals on a tennis court. However, against the Celestial Dragon and Shin''s overall power, the One-Horned Hippocamp willingly bent its neck down in submission. How could it be prideful over its father? Luciel''s Two-Headed Furry Dragon was the same. It bent both its heads down, ready to submit to Shin''s Celestial Dragon at any given moment. However, the Celestial Dragon avatar didn''t even bother to look down at its children. It was fully engrossed in dispatching the enemy that dared to challenge its master and only after it was annihilated, did it divert its attention elsewhere. "Father he¡­ He''s the hero of the world..." Errol gritted his teeth, completely taken aback by the overwhelming power that Shin was displaying. How much longer did he have to train to reach that amazing level? Fifty years? A hundred years? His entire lifespan? Errol didn''t know. However, deep within him, a flame started to ignite. A spark of passion¡­ A torch that would continuously grow¡­ A fire that would stick with him for the rest of his life. Shin didn''t know it yet, but he''d already succeeded in Errol''s Rite of Passage. Shin wanted to show his children the power that they could reach as well as the enemies that plagued the world. He wanted them to realise that the world wasn''t as flowery as they''d thought and they could only affect it by increasing their own personal strength. "Let''s clear up..." Removing the Time-Elements in the atmosphere, Shin continued his relentless assault. As Zishen had mentioned, he could have ordered the Primordial Beast to send a potent beam to utterly destroy the dark crevice. However, Shin wanted to show his children the Umbras and how to beat an array of them. Thus, the immortal water army did their thing and launch an inquisition against the intruders of the island. For flying Umbras, the water soldiers used projectiles to shoot them down. For massive Umbras, the soldiers poked for weak points and used counter-elements against it. For speedy enemies, the soldiers made traps that would neutralise their speed. For Umbras with impressive armour, the soldiers sealed their movements and ground them down with consistent attacks. An assortment of attack methods were placed on display for the three children to learn from, particularly against the weaker Umbras that the children would primarily face from now on. It was questionable if the children were able to absorb such a dense amount of information in such a short period of time, but at least they would have the memory of it to review later on. Shin''s Celestial Dragon never seemed to run out of mana as countless waves of immortal soldiers burst forth from the flooded ground. The Umbras tried desperately to cut down the numbers from Shin''s immortal army and had even attempted to evaporate the submerged lands. However, it didn''t help that the weather was still working against them. In the end¡­ "Mmmm, My Prince¡­ Don''t you think that it''s time to end it?" Zishen''s voice sounded out next to Shin''s ear. Turning back to his human form, the Primordial Beast yawned lazily. "Mmmm¡­ The young princes and princess must have learnt plenty by now. There''re more pressing things for you to do as well..." "You have a point..." Shin smiled and turned back to Bingbing and Lady Seph to give the thumbs up. Taking heed of the signal, the Tier 9 Kamaitachi flew back a few kilometres, much to the confusion of Shin''s three children. "Sister Bingying?" "Yip, you guys don''t have to be too close for the next attack," the Kamaitachi replied Cassiel curious cry. "Also, please brace yourselves¡­ What''s coming next might be a little too powerful for your feeble bodies to endure." Hearing that statement, the children universally gulped and tightened their grip on Bingbing''s smooth fur. Their eyes moved traced the Celestial Dragon avatar that was moving around in pure bliss above Shin''s head. Closing his eyes, Shin raised up his left hand and suddenly¡­ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! A familiar siren''s wail screeched through the mountain range, bursting the eardrums of any who were unprepared. A simple shard broke free from within Shin''s spiritual body and rose up just above the Celestial Dragon''s crown, forcing an intense spiritual pressure upon the poor earth. With no fear in the world, Shin channelled all of his mana into the shard, and the mountains shook disgracefully in dismay. The Umbras were the same. Many of them were brainless dark beasts that were created through the Allfather''s mana and a relic from Spirit Immortal Dream. Therefore, they never had to fear death in the first place. However, at that moment, all of the Umbras uniformly fled the scene. There was no point staying to face the attack that was about to arrive. Alas, how could Shin let them run amok? The immortal water army tied down many of the fleeing Umrbas, piercing their bodies with created water weapons that were as powerful as any steel. Until finally¡­ "Ignite." That word was the last thing the Umbras heard. The shard that Shin held onto burst forth with all the mana it acc.u.mulated, speeding down towards the world with a vengeance. For the Umbras, they felt as if the world was engulfed in light¡­ No, they felt as if the sun had been sent crashing down upon their poor souls. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! The earth trembled, and the skies roared. In one explosive reaction, the dark crevice that created the Umbras ceased to exist. No¡­ The entire mountain range had been completely devastated and was turned into a wasteland¡­ "Father he..." "... destroyed so many mountains..." Cassiel eyes were now seeing stars. There were many stories of experts levelling mountains and causing tsunamis, but to actually see it in person¡­ Cassiel was now starstruck. "Too powerful..." Bingbing was also behaving like a teenage girl who was looking at her idol from afar. Shin had simply grown far too powerful in the ten years that they Allfather was absent. As he was right now, he could easily contend with Spirit Saints and other Saint-level experts. And well¡­ Shin would soon have the chance to do just that... ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 598 - The Colours Emerge (1) Shin''s one-sided annihilation of the Umbras ended as quickly as it began. There was virtually nothing that the Umbras could do to stop the man''s onslaught. In no time at all, the darkness crevice that had become a hotspot for spawning Umbras had been completely wiped clean from the face of the earth, never to terrorise another living soul ever again. The three children''s faces were still hot from the shouting and fervour that they felt feverish. Shin''s display was something out of a fairy tale, after all. How could they have imagined that their father, the man who had fed them throughout the years and had cuddled them when they were feeling down¡­ was the same entity that could level mountains with just a thought? "Father, you were awesome back there!" Cassiel was the first one to embrace Shin, her face still beaming with endless joy. "Father, can you teach me how to level mountains as well?! I want to fight off the Black Masks just like you did!" Luciel screamed as he tugged Shin''s sleeves. If the twins hadn''t been looking at Shin with reverent gazes before, they were now. Only Errol, the eldest of the bunch, was able to hold back his fanboy expression. "You guys¡­ Can''t you see that father is troubled? Leave him be for now..." "No, it''s okay. I''m glad that you all are interested in your father''s power," Shin smiled. "However, we have all the time in the world to train back home. For now, there''s something important that I want to show you." "Hmmm?" The three children uniformly tilted their heads, confused by their father''s words. Shin didn''t need to elaborate though. With a smile, he led Zishen and Bingbing further south, flying at cruising speed. In no time at all, a patch of green appeared on the horizon with a few simple lines of billowing smoke flying out into the air. The three children looked down from the sky, only to see an assortment of wooden huts and a weak, city wall. Elderly men rode their horses while ploughing the fields. Women and children stayed safely at home, careful not to come out into the open and risk losing their lives. The mountainous region, as well as the gorgeous backdrop of forestry, made the village quite picturesque. However, even though the village was gorgeous, one couldn''t help but feel the dread in the air. But that all changed when Zishen and Bingbing landed at the town centre. "That''s¡­ The Prince of Water! He''s come to save us!" A villager shouted with everything that he had. Hearing the cry, everyone, no matter how busy they were, stopped their work and skipped to the town square. Young, old, man, woman, farmer, warrior. Every single person from the village emerged and gathered at the sight of the Prince. "T-They..." Luciel stuttered. Although it wasn''t the first time that he''d received the adulation of the masses, it was the first time that he''d seen such pure, blind faith in their eyes. It was as if the villagers had found a deity in Shin and had begun to worship him wholeheartedly. "Thank you for coming to receive me, village chief..." Shin took the hand of the aged man who came forward, showing the most affable smile he could put on. "No, we have troubled you in taking down the Umbral threat," the elderly man shook his head. "Speaking of which, have you..." "Yes, the Umbras won''t be bothering you anymore." "For real?!" The villagers who heard of the good new universally nodded their heads in absolute glee. For the longest time, they felt like a blade had been hanging above their necks. They knew that a darkness crevice had appeared nearby, and at any time, it could explode and destroy their way of life, much like the other crevices that spawned Umbras. Hence, they had sent a request to Guardian Sword to deal with the threat. Weeks had passed since then, and it seemed like help was never going to come. However, how could Guardian Sword, Shin in particular, sit back and watch as people suffered? A few days prior, Shin had rushed towards the village and investigated the situation as it was presented to him. With Isadore''s extensive information network, Shin was able to triangulate the location of the crevice. Taking his children out on an expedition to experience their rite of passage was just a bonus for the Prince of Water. What was truly important¡­ was the overall safety of the villagers he''d just protected. The glum and moody atmosphere instantly dissipated at Shin''s declaration. All of the villagers threw whatever they had on hand up in the air in celebration and screamed in jubilation. Overwhelmed, all of the villagers rushed towards Shin with jovial faces. "Hero Shin! Look over here!" One man rushed over with a reverent face. "Hero Shin! Please, hold my baby!" One mother ran up to Shin and offered up her newborn son. "Hero Shin! Please sign this!" A teenager brought a shirt over and handed it over. Shin smiled at the fervent gazes of the villagers and answered sweetly: "Certainly, one at a time, please. I only have one pair of hands." "Hahaha, it surely doesn''t feel that way!" Errol, Luciel and Cassiel watched ardently as their father was adored by the crowd. People from all walks of life all came over and did their best to please the man who had saved them from the terror of the Umbras. Without Shin''s interference, there was no question that their lives would have been negatively affected by now. If the Black Masks and Umbras had their way¡­ There was no telling what damage they would have done against the innocent lives that lived within the city. Now, as busy as he was, Shin had all the reason to deny the villagers of any of their requests. He could very well take his reward and leave at that very moment. However, Shin had decided to play his role as the hero to the finest degree. Not only did he agree to all of their mundane requests, but Shin also stayed for the banquet that was whipped up in a hurry. After dinner, Shin sat around with the villagers, listening in on their woes. The complaints they had towards their government. The fears they had living in such a rural area¡­ Everything was shared with Shin to listen. In the end, Shin stayed in the small village for almost half a day and was forced to stay the night. Since he was the most treasured person in the village, Shin and his company were given the best lodgings the village could provide. Well, it wasn''t all that fancy to speak with. It was one of the few brick homes in the village and the only one that could keep out the cold at night. The three children, who were used to soft beds and servants serving their every whim, felt completely foreign in such an unfamiliar atmosphere. However, no matter how uncomfortable they were, none of them were able to wipe the smiles off their faces. "Sleeping with father¡­ I wonder when was the last time we did that?" Cassiel purred as Shin brushed her wet hair. "Ah, I have been kind of busy as of late..." Shin got to thinking and frowned. "Well, at least we get to stay together for one night now!" Shin and his three children were sharing a room in the brick house. Lady Seph and Bingbing took the adjacent room, much to the protests of the Kamaitachi who wanted to stay with Shin. Finally, Zishen got the last room all for himself. "Are you tired, Cassiel?" "No father, I''m as energetic as can be!" Lovingly caressing his daughter''s hair, Shin carried her by the waist and brought her towards the king-sized bed, where her two brothers were waiting. "What about you two?" "We''re fine, father!" "Still not sleepy..." Errol gave out an energetic cheer while Luciel seemed rather languid. Well, who could blame him? They were out the entire day and had experienced more scenes than they ever did in their young lives. Being tired was more than average. "Haha, don''t worry Luciel, I''m going to be quick. Let me ask you this¡­ Why did I bring all of you here today instead of sending you back home?" The three children looked puzzled. To tell the truth, they weren''t exactly clear why Shin had led them all the way to the village. "To meet all the nice villagers?" Luciel answered back, innocently. "Hmmm, that''s one part." Shin smiled. "However, there''s a main reason why I''ve brought you here. Can you guess why?" "That..." None of them could come up with an answer. They kept thinking and thinking, but their juvenile brains were far too immature to figure out their father''s intentions. "Haha, you don''t have to think so hard..." Shin chuckled, bemused by his children''s adorable faces when they were stumped. "Truthfully, I brought you here to see the real reason why your father is fighting so hard. The reason why I''m always absent from home..." Shin''s eyes dropped as he gazed out of the window. The festivities never stopped as the villagers kept celebrating their freedom. They no longer needed to fear the threat of the Black Masks, and it was all because of Shin''s actions. "Errol, Cassiel, Luciel¡­ You have grown up sheltered, so you can''t understand the hardsh.i.p.s that the rest of the world are going through. To me, taking care of the darkness crevice was as simple as raising my hand and expending some mana¡­ However, to these villagers¡­ All these innocent people¡­ It''s a matter of life and death." "..." The three children gulped. "The reason why I brought you here today, was not only to let you experience what''s it is like to go against the Umbras, but to also show you what''s really at stake. It''s not our pretty palaces or the gold that we earn¡­ What we''re truly protecting, is the livelihoods of the world population..." "..." "I don''t expect any of you to contribute now, but when you grow up, I hope that you can take my words into account." "Yes, father!" ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 599 - The Colours Emerge (2) Before we start, I''m going on the two-week break that I''d told you about after the end of the last book. All chapters will resume posting on the 3rd of Feb. Sorry for the extended break, but I promise to return energized and ready to post at a regular pace! ??? The Neutral Lands. The Abyss. "Full house!" "Wait a minute! That''s your fourth full house in a row! You must be cheating!" "Hmph! Show me the evidence then!" Numerous voices of excitement bellowed out, breaking the serenity of the quiet lands. The Abyss, one of the most mysterious lands on the planet. Twenty-metre tall outposts decorated the lands that surrounded the Abyss, each one well-equipped with communication devices and newly designed weapons from the Blacksmith''s League. Most importantly of all, the outposts were run by some of the Alliance''s best sentries. For the most part, they were diligent and well-trained for their jobs. Back during their warring days, their countries could count on them to guard anything, be it barracks in the middle of winter or watchtowers in the blistering heat. However, the sentries are after all¡­ humans. Ten years of guarding the same place had made their lifestyles rather mundane and routine. One day, one soldier who had gotten so bored brought out a deck of cards and started to open a deal house for entertainment. In the beginning, many resisted the temptation of gambling due to their vows to watch over the outpost. Alas, the boredom of constantly looking down into a dark abyss turned out to be too strong for the soldiers to endure. One group fell within a week. The next one within the month. Until eventually, all of the soldiers were now involved in the illegal gambling den in the outpost. Currently, over ninety percent of the men were gathered in the mess hall, the place where all of the gambling was hosted. The remaining ten percent were taking their shifts, but their minds were on the boisterous event that was taking place downstairs. "Here you go..." The dealer looked at the man who won four times in a row with complete disgust. However, the rules were the rules. Pushing over all of the gold on the table, the dealer paid the man his fair share. "That''s more I like it!" The man smiled disgustingly as he pocketed all of the money. He was tempted to bet even more, but ultimately he took to his feet. "Leaving when you''re ahead?" A fellow soldier sneered, not happy that he had lost all of his money to the conman. "When I''m on such a streak? Don''t make me laugh!" The man chuckled. "I''m just going out for a piss! When I return, I''ll be sure to win you all clean! HAHAHA!!!" Like a stereotypical villain, the man left the room with a peal of maniacal laughter. His shoulders were trembling in pure bliss and face contorted to a crescent moon. "Hah, what a day! I''m really going to be rich after this!" Whistling while walking down the hallways, the man quickly made his way to the latrine and unzipped his pants. Though, he wasn''t going to hold his manhood in his palms. Taking out a golden idol from his pants, the man stroked the little fella with an adoration that he wouldn''t even use for his own children. "My lucky charm¡­ Who would have guessed that the Abyss could spit out such useful devices?" The golden idol was in the shape of a disfigured human being, not too pretty, but not entirely ugly as well. If the man were to bring out the idol, he would be certain to turn heads within the trained Alliance sentries. Fortunately, he didn''t, and it allowed him to keep his winning streak. "Hehehe, rub you for a little more good luck¡­" "..." "Hmmm?" The man continued to do what he does best. Caressing the idol to hopefully bring fortunes to him. A glimmering light broke free from the eyes of the idol each time the soldier rubbed its head, making it seem quite eerie in the process. However, the man didn''t care. As long as his luck improved, he was willing to make a deal with the devil. "Money, money, money, money¡­ Give me money!" The man was practically praying towards the idol in worship now. Drunk by the promise of riches, the trained soldier had ignored all of the warning signs that the object was giving out. Alas, that would prove to be his downfall... "Okay..." A languid voice sounded out from the idol, prompting the man to leap back in fear. Ever since he''d picked up the golden statue, the idol had been silent as a church. No matter how much he''d touched it or talked to it, the idol never responded one bit. Yet now¡­ Screaming, the man dropped his worshipped item: "W-what?!" A black mist surged forth from the idol as bits of golden splendour took the edges. Mana that wasn''t supposed to be present within the lavatory were now in full throttle, and a feeling of dread crept up the conman''s spine. He wanted to scream, but the mist was now pushing into his mouth. The man was silenced and all alone... "You''ve asked for it..." The same voice continued on, this time a little more chirpy. "I shall give you all the money in the world¡­ In hell." Before the conman could voice out one word in protest, he breathed his last. There was virtually nothing that he could do against the mysterious might of the golden idol. He wasn''t able to figure out whose mana was sealed within the statue of good luck. Once the man was motionless, the idol started to crack as more and more spiritual energies were released within the latrine. One might think that the undulations created by the idol would have caused an uproar within the outpost by now. However, the dark mist that shrouded the idol was doing its duty dutifully. None of the spiritual energies slipped out from the cubicle, and the area was still as silent as it was before. Though, there was one significant change¡­ The light generated by the idol congregated into one spot, creating a humanoid with a feminine figure. She had creamy, blonde hair with pale white skin that seemed sickly. She had a full bosom and a perfect set of teeth. Donned in a white-gold outfit, the woman embodied everything that was luxurious about her colour. Kin stretched her arms out while warming up her neck. She had been hiding inside of the idol for many days now, and it was starting to put a strain on her humanoid body. It took some time, but Kin eventually got used to her weakened body state. "Ah¡­ That bastard is finally dead..." Looking down at the corpse of the man who had been a little too familiar with her golden idol, Kin spat in disgust. "Tsk, I''ll probably need to jump into the yellow river to wash away the filth that he''d infected me with." "Don''t be that way," a telepathic message entered Kin''s mind, forcing her to stop her stretches. "We have to complete the mission first." "Gin, you''re not the one that had to deal with the disgusting shit that he''d put me through! How could you know what I''m feeling!" "We are linked, you know..." Kin''s twin brother sighed. Truth to be told, he was quite sympathetic towards his elder sister''s state. To gain information about the Alliance, she had been forced to endure the disgusting touch of the gambler, as much as she hated it. After all, Kin was a proud Tier 9 Spirit Beast that stood at the apex of the cultivation world. "No matter¡­ Once we''ve taken down this outpost you can take all the time in the world in the shower. I''ll even provide the most luxurious soap I can find." "That''s more I like it..." Kin folded her arms in delight at her brother''s suggestion. However, her smile quickly turned into something far more sinister. "Hey, you done yet? We want to win our money back!" An impassioned voice interrupted the sibling conversation as two loud knocks were heard on the door. Evidently, the other sentries in the outpost were here to demand the gambler to exit the latrine. Pouting, Kin channelled her mana all throughout her body as two ears popped out from her head and a fluffy tail emerged from her bum. "Hah¡­ Let''s end this quickly..." ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 600 - The Colours Emerge (3) The Neutral Lands. The New Land of Dreams. Alliance Headquarters. "So you''re saying that we''ve lost contact with five of them?" "I''m sorry, Alliance Head¡­" Two tired voices sounded out in the chamber, one slightly older, one younger. The younger voice came from an officer, not looking much older than thirty. He held both his hands behind his back while his head was stooped low. Though he looked like a scholar, one could tell from the battle scars littered all over his face that the officer was a man who braved a thousand battles, ones that were fatal enough to bring him to the brink of life and death. The older voice came from the red-haired man who held his chin up with his hands while resting his two elbows on the ebony desk. He had the face of a thirty-year-old, but his eyes were far more decades clocked into them. Though, even a man who lived a million years would be despondent to hear the news that came out of that officer''s mouth. "Starting from Monday, outpost four, seventeen, twenty-eight and forty-four had gone dark. Today, sixty-six failed to give their daily reports. It''s safe to assume that they''ve been compromised as well." "Five outposts in five days¡­ They''re playing a game with us, huh?" Raphael frowned and dropped his elbows. "Have you investigated the outposts that have gone dark?" "Only four and seventeen, sir!" The officer clicked his boots together and gave the report. "After we''ve given the signal, all nearby personnel were dispatched to investigate. Unfortunately, the results were all the same. Every soldier in the outpost has disappeared. No bodies, no blood¡­ No signs of struggle¡­ It was as if they had been spirited away." "Spirited away¡­ As if that could happen!" Raphael didn''t care much for his subordinates description. The men that they dispatched to the outposts weren''t just random volunteer soldiers. They were the cream of the crop of the Alliance, many of them have cultivations that exceeded Rank 30. Even if one of them disappeared, it would cause shockwaves around the Alliance. Yet, five full outposts simply vanished into thin air? "Tsk, any movements from the abyss?" The Alliance Head slammed his fists on the table and asked. "No, nothing¡­ It has been as peaceful as it was for the past ten years." "That can''t be right..." Raphael dropped his agitated bum down and rested on his comfy chair. There was only one entity in the entire world that could cause the disappearance of so many elites, and that entity had been sealed inside of the abyss for ten years now. "Have all the other outposts been notified?" "Yes, sir! I''ve issued out the command to double the patrols and to establish a connection with headquarters throughout the entire day. If one of the outposts were to miss an hourly report, we''ll immediately send our flying brigade over to investigate." "That''s good," Raphael stroked his hairless chin, seemingly falling into a state of deep contemplation. "Wait¡­ When you say flying brigade¡­ Which one is it?" Realising what the Alliance Head was getting at, the officer frowned and reported the truth: "Flying brigade four¡­ The one with the reduced Aerial Knights." "... I see." Over the years, the Alliance''s military power had been stretched thin. After all, the three superpowers who had loaned the troops to the Alliance were now in jeopardy as well, they couldn''t afford to keep sending elites over as per their agreement during the Summit. The Alliance still remained strong in terms of military might, but there was no enemy to fight. The Black Masks had all but disappeared into the pit, and the vast majority of the common folk had forgotten their dominance throughout the years. Yes, there were traces of the Black Mask era with the darkness crevices littered all over the planet, but overall, most people had forgotten about the Black Masks. Who could blame them? They were focused on rebuilding their nations to its former heights. Why should they waste their best warriors for the sake of the Alliance which had no enemy to fight? "Flying brigade four¡­ They don''t have the numbers or firepower to deal with a Brahmin. If the cause of the disappearances is indeed the Black Masks, I''m afraid that we would be outmatched..." Raphael mindlessly thought out some grim facts. "So¡­ What do we do?" "There''s no choice..." Raphael shook his head and reached out to the Cikai Mirror which had a dragon decoration encircling its borders. "We''ll have to call Guardian Sword." ??? "This is happiness..." A young woman laughed in happiness while surrounded by a thick, bubbling water. Milky white essence emerged from the bottom of the hot spring, blurring out all of the parts she had underwater. Her luxurious blonde hair was tied up into a bun, and her pearly white neck was slowly being submerged deeper into the springs. "Ah, Gin you''ve really outperformed yourself this time¡­ Where on earth did you manage to dig up a hot spring in the middle of your Payirci?" Kin, who was still in a blissful trance, asked the n.a.k.e.d young man sitting next to her. "Not long back¡­" The silver-haired man smiled. "We''ve been trapped in the Abyss for far too long, after all. I''d thought that I should make a replica of the Moon Springs since we were stuck here anyway. It was hard to make, given the limited materials that we have underneath the darkness, but I somehow got it done in the ten years. Fortunately, the timing of its completion coincides with your mission''s ending, so you''re getting this good reward." "You''re right¡­ As always, you''re the best brother one could hope to have." Kin pushed her petite body closer to Gin and reached out to his neck using her left hand. Holding it in place, the elder sister landed a soft peck on the cheek of the handsome man. "Here''s your reward for making me happy." "Haha, thanks for that." Gin giggled happily, enjoying his sister''s lips. However, his smile soon turned into a remorseful frown as a passing thought flashed through his mind. "Though¡­ I would wish to gift you back the Moon Springs itself..." Kin''s smile soon evaporated as well. Just like Gin, her face tightened, not by remorse though¡­ But by a seething rage that burnt even the lowest levels of hell. "Moon Valley¡­ We''ve been locked out from that place for far too long¡­ If it''s not for that f.u.c.k.i.n.g rabbit!" ''Careful, Kin¡­ The walls have ears...'' At that moment, Gin''s voice sounded out in his sister''s mind. Realising her folly, the blonde woman stopped her cursing and swallowed down her anger. ''Tsk, how annoying¡­ Even though we''re alone, we still have to keep our intentions hidden.'' ''It can''t be helped¡­ The Allfather is awake now. We can''t be as loud as we used to be...'' Gin regretfully sent over. ''No matter what, we''re just part of the package for Momo. If we make our intentions known, the Allfather might kill us on the spot.'' ''That f.u.c.k.i.n.g rabbit...'' Gin''s words somewhat cooled the angered Kin down. All she wanted to do was to rip Momo limb from limb, but she was always forced to turn the other cheek. Momo was still more powerful than both Kin and Gin. Not to mention, she had the Allfather''s favour. Going against the Moon Rabbit at this point was completely suicidal. ''Don''t worry about it, Kin¡­ From what I hear, the Allfather is now weakened beyond comparison. There''s a chance that the Grand Scheme might fail and we would gain our freedom!'' ''Hmph! The Allfather weakened? How many times has that happened already? Spirit Saints are supposed to only live up to four hundred years, but that man has already passed six hundred! Who knows how many surprises he can pull out from his hat?'' ''Good point...'' Gin thought back on the many times the Allfather suppressed them using nothing but his mana. Even the most ferocious of Spirit Beasts would roll over and reveal their belly when faced with that overwhelming might. ''So we still have to stick to our original plan? To kill Momo and get back the Key to the Moon Valley?'' ''Yes, unfortunately...'' Kin spat. ''Now that all of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts are now active again, we''ll have plenty of chances to attack Momo. Though, it''ll prove to be difficult with Shiro constantly by her side...'' ''No worries, I''ve honed my abilities to deal with that pesky mirror boy.'' Gin sent back with enthusiasm. ''As long as your killing ability is there, we can defeat Momo in a well-timed ambush! Also, with the Abyss opened, we can escape anytime we want now! Everything is set in stone for our success!'' ''Hehe, you''re right!'' Kin sent back with hearts in her voice. Leaning in on her brother''s chest, the blonde woman slightly purred. ''When everything''s done and dusted¡­ We can return back to the place where we truly belong¡­ And spend eternity together with one another¡­ And Brother Haiiro.'' ''Yes¡­ Yes, we can...'' ??? Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you''re always THREE WEEKS ahead!!! Now that is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can''t really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website''s link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there. Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot! Check out my side novel, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." as well!!! Visit my site for additional content!!! linodofictions.com/ Chapter 601 - The Colours Emerge (4) Day by day, the Alliance found that their men were regularly disappearing. Often times, the moment an outpost missed one of their hourly reports, a flying brigade would be dispatched instantly to check on the watchtower. However, by the time the brigade arrived, the outpost would have been wiped clean of any forms of life. There would be no signs of destruction or struggle. Not even a broken glass window. If not for the circ.u.mstances, one would have thought that the outposts were originally uninhabited. Naturally, the Alliance had been forced into a state of panic. They''d lost hundreds of their best men, and they weren''t able to ascertain the reason why. If nothing was done, faith in the Alliance would plummet, and the three superpowers would rescind their forces back to save their lives. When that happens¡­ The Black Masks that had been hiding in the abyss would have many more opportunities to emerge and plant their claws into the new continents. And that would be just the beginning¡­ In the familiar Tree of Darkness that acted as the base for all Black Mask activity, nine unique figures stood in a semi-circle surrounding the beautiful statue that was elevated above all within the hall. All of the nine figures possessed imposing auras, ones potent enough to choke any regular joe who stood near them. However, they were all outshined by the central sculpture, that seemed to lack a single morsel of life. Not that any of them cared though. "Thanks to Kin and Gin¡­ Eight outposts had been taken down." The black-haired man started the conversation with a jovial tone in his voice. He turned to the blonde and silver-haired twins with a warm smile. "Because of them, the Alliance are starting to feel the pressure from the three superpowers." "Rarara! That''s excellent!" A raspy voice bellowed out from the red-haired man leaning against the wall. "Good job, you twats! Finally, there''s some use for you two!" "..." Kin glared angrily at Akai but didn''t bother to retort. In terms of cultivation, Kin was about equal to the Lion Chimaera. In terms of raw power output though, Akai far towered over anything that Kin or Gin could perform. Naturally, since their talents laid in other areas, the twins weren''t afraid of getting into a head-on battle with the hot-head Lion, and for the most part, they would have a real chance of winning. Unfortunately, it didn''t stop Akai for belittling Gin and her. Still, it wouldn''t do well to start a feud against another one of the Nine Colours, so Kin endured. "Thank you for the praise." "Rarara! Maybe next time you can join in on our missions! Now that you''re useful! Right, Midori?" Akai opened his mouth and bared his fangs in delight. Nudging the Treant that stood by his side, the red-haired man sought some validation. Alas, his partner wasn''t as enthusiastic as he was. "Akai¡­ Manners¡­ Kin¡­ Gin¡­ They''re strong..." The Treant spoke slowly but sternly. He wasn''t all that amused that Akai was looking down on two of the great Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. "Rarara, you''re soft! How could they be strong if I exist?! I can burn them at any moment if I wish! Just like I could burn you!" Akai protested, his face turning as steamy as a whistling kettle. "Alright, alright¡­ Just cut it off..." At that moment, a sultry voice interjected. Every one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts snapped their heads to look at the purple-haired woman who had a spider bottom. Her n.a.k.e.d human body was on display for all to see and with such perfect proportions, even the most chaste of men would drop their jaws in agony. Alas, her allure didn''t work against the powerful Spirit Beasts in the chambers. "Rarara, Murasaki don''t butt in. You''re weak too!" Akai spat. Murasaki wasn''t threatened by the battle-hungry Lion though. Waving her hand callously, she muttered out in disgust: "Ara? I may not be able to take you out in direct combat, but could you survive any of my eight poisons?" "My fires would burn your poisons in a heartbeat!" The red-haired man hollered back. However, his voice wasn''t as intimidating as it was before. In fact, there was a slight falter in his speech. "I would like to see you try..." Murasaki''s eight eyes universally blinked, not wavering in the slightest. Among the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the only clear hierarchy was at the top of the food chain. Kuro stood heads and shoulders above the other eight as the only Primordial Beast, so there was no questioning his position. Ao and Momo both were in contention for second place, but since they hadn''t fought one another in years, it would be hard to tell who would prevail. As for the remaining six¡­ The lines were blurred. If it came to outright destructive power, Akai would top them all. However, a battle wasn''t determined on how physically powerful one was. For instance, Shiro''s innate ability to swap dimensions using his mirrors would prove to be fatal against Akai''s lack of mystic defences. Murasaki''s poison and summoning of all arachnid species was also a headache for the Lion Chimaera. Even Kin and Gin, with their unique powers, would prove fatal against an unprepared Akai. So, none of the six Noble Beasts under Kuro, Ao and Momo held a distinctive advantage over the other, and there was no need for any of them to fear one another. "Enough! I gathered you here to share the good news, not start an internal war!" Kuro''s angered voice boomed out, silencing all of the dissidents. "If you really want to settle your differences, do so when we all ascend into the Immortal Realm. We''ll have all the time in the world to sort out who''s stronger than who then!" "..." All of the Noble Beasts'' mouths were sealed shut. Akai was still pent up with rage and was ready to explode at any given moment, but he couldn''t afford to enter into a battle against Kuro. Silenced, the red-haired man returned to his pillar and waited for his next instructions obediently. "As I was saying¡­ The Alliance has already lost eight outposts, however taking any more would prove to be a stretch." Kuro proceeded to inform his subordinates about their situation. "The Alliance are now on their highest alert, with Cikai Mirrors being turned on twenty-four hours a day. Based on our intelligence, they''re requesting the help of Guardian Sword, and they should be expected to arrive within the next two days." "Guardian Sword¡­ Shin Iofiel..." Hearing the familiar name, Ao''s ears perked up with interest. "That''s right¡­ Shin Iofiel..." Kuro shared Ao''s frustration with that dastardly name. "Given the circ.u.mstances, we can assume that the man himself will be taking charge of the operation. Whatever you do, don''t underestimate him¡­ He''s now at Rank 79, and is said to have reached the Saint-level." "WHAT?! RANK 79?!" The Noble Beasts all shouted out in exasperation. "RARARA!!! F.u.c.k.i.n.g humans!!! They just cultivate too damned fast!!!" Akai was understandably pained. He''d once encountered Shin, back during the raid of Aldrich''s Keep. Back then, Shin was just a powerless soul that he could squash with the back of his hand. Now, in what seemed to be a blink of an eye, the young man had grown into a Saint-level expert, one that was capable of matching his own power. "Yes¡­ It''s a pity that we couldn''t kill him back when he was weak..." Ao frowned. For the first time, he agreed with his virtual opposite in the form of Akai. "But we deal with the cards we''ve been played¡­ If any of you meet with Shin Iofiel, let me know..." At that moment, immense pressure was forcibly mounted upon all of the Noble Beasts bodies. A blue aura emerged from the scholarly man''s figure and shrouded the Throne Hall with a feeling of dread and melancholy. It was as if¡­ The Noble Beasts were plunged into the bottom of the ocean, with no way of getting back up. Only Kuro was able to stand amidst the pressure with his arms folded and face smiling. "Ao, you..." Midori was the first to speak up. "Yes, I''ve made that leap..." The World Serpent spoke nonchalantly. "I''ve become a Primordial Beast¡­ So, I would like all of you to leave Shin Iofiel to me if possible." "You..." Everyone present knew the vendetta that Shin and Ao had. If anything, Ao hated Junius for betraying the Allfather and the Black Masks. Or to be completely accurate, Ao hated Junius for betraying his trust. The World Serpent had opened his heart up to Junius and treated him like a biological son. Yet, the man trampled all over it for the brother that he could never forget. Usually, Ao would take his vengeance up with Junius, but the man had passed away as soon as he backstabbed the Black Masks. Thus, Ao could only vent his frustration on the other man responsible for his mental turmoil. "I''ll take care of him¡­ I''ve gotten the Allfather''s permission on this one, so don''t you try to fight with me over this one..." Fight with him? Which suicidal Noble Beast would dare act against a Primordial Beast, not to mention one that had been living as a Tier 9 Spirit Beast for tens of thousands of years now. "Well, even if they wanted to steal Shin Iofiel away, I doubt that they have the capability." Kuro''s lackadaisical voice sounded out as he eyed down all of his subordinates. "They''re now weaker than that brat." "... Has he really grown that strong?" It wasn''t certain whose voice sounded out next, but that person''s thoughts spoke for the entire room. "Are you questioning the Allfather''s information?" "No, it''s just..." "Hmph! I know what you''re thinking. How could a mere human grow so powerful in just one decade? However, I would like to remind you that freaks like Spirit Immortal Dream existed. Plus, the Allfather''s plan was to forcefully raise the cultivation levels of all humans after all. We should be glad that Shin Iofiel has reached these heights!" "That..." The Noble Beasts turned silent. If Shin Iofiel truly was a Saint-level expert, wouldn''t all their lives be in danger? Seemingly reading their minds, Kuro snorted: "Don''t worry¡­ The last phase is upon us. The Allfather has permitted the use of all the resources that we have now." "Wait, you can''t mean..." "That''s right¡­" Kuro smiled in absolute delight. He had been waiting for this day for far, far too long... "All of you are now allowed¡­ to use your Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments." Chapter 602 - The Colours Emerge (5) Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. Said to be the gift from the gods and the rarest items on the planet. To create an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, one must have a combination of overwhelming skill, heaven-defying luck and riches beyond comprehension. No, even with all those factors, there was no guarantee that an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament would be made. Just like their name suggests, Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments could last for aeons. They possessed unfathomable amounts of mana within their cores and were far tougher than any regular diamond. However, it wasn''t their durability that made them renowned all throughout the world. It was how powerful an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament could become that frightened the world. Almost universally, an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament was equivalent in power to a Saint-levelled expert. For instance, the Healer''s Association Holy Destiny Bell had the capability of fighting off a Spirit Saint or Primordial Beast all on its own, as long as the user of the artefact knew how to use it correctly. The Dalgeom Sect''s Samingeom was the same way. Even if Saint Geom wasn''t alive and kicking, just the Samingeom''s existence alone was able to keep the Dalgeom Sect within the Five Pillars of the Kori Federation. In a sense, an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament''s value far surpassed that of any Saint-levelled expert since it could outlive any cultivator or Spirit Beast. In the distant past, during the age of lawlessness and wars, it was common for family clans or sects to start conflicts just for the opportunity to gain an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. That''s why, in the present day, almost every single Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament had been tied down to a major organisation. The Healer''s Association and Mercenary Guild each had one. The Blacksmith''s League kept three, with many suspecting that they had a few more. The Himmel Empire and the Lantis Republic had six. While the Kori Federation had a whopping seven Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. All in all, there were only twenty-four known Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments on the entire planet. Many thought to scour abandoned treasure vaults or venture deep into ancient labyrinths to hopefully find a few more, but it was always to no avail. So, due to its rarity, it was uncommon for the owners of the treasured items to use them in battle, leaving them as decorative ornaments in their well-secured vaults. It was thought that in present-day, there would only be twenty-four Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. No more, no less. Yet, the Black Masks had actually save nine of those invaluable treasures for their Noble Beasts? And that might not be all¡­ If the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were each given an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, who knew how many more the Allfather might be hiding? Could he have an arsenal full of said legendary weapons, each one more powerful than the next? No one could really tell... Once the world finds out about that fact, perhaps a new world war would emerge with everyone putting all their resources to gain all of the treasures that the Black Masks were hiding to bolster their overall might. "Rarara! It''s finally time for me to show my power off to the world!" Akai was beaming. Being the most violent in nature, staying repressed under a hole for ten years had made the Lion Chimaera pent up. He wanted to burst forth with seething rage and annihilate everyone that stood in his path. "Immortal-Grade... Spirit Armaments¡­ We''re already... at that stage..." Midori placed his wooden arms above his Treant face, seemingly holding back the tears. "Nenene! I can finally use Pink?" Like a little child, Momo tugged on Kuro''s pants with joy in her voice. "Yes, use it as you please." Kuro nodded his head and swung his hand twice. Dark mist coagulated at his palms and the familiar Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt reappeared. "We have to use our everything to contest against the combined might of the three superpowers. We can''t hold back our punches anymore." "Wait, does that mean we can use the Death Ray?" The white-haired young boy clapped as his eyes sprung back to life. Shiro, the Spirit Beast behind the Black Masks'' technology placement, bit down on his nails, anxious to hear his direct superior''s reply. "Yes," a short and succinct answer. "We have to use everything at our disposal. Dalits, Shudras, Vaishyas, Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Spirit Beasts, Umbras, Spirit Armaments, Payircis, Paradise Hearts, Death Rays¡­ The Allfather has given the green light to use all of them." "..." At this point, everyone turned speechless. The Black Masks'' full power was quite substantial and could easily contest against any one of the three superpowers. The only reason why the Allfather hadn''t used them all in one-shot was to conserve energy for the long war that was sure to come. If the Allfather had decided to use them all, it could only mean one thing¡­ The World Serpent''s languid voice spoke out grimly: "Are his days numbered?" "... Unfortunately." "..." "When the Allfather¡­ Father¡­ When he woke up from his hibernation, he''d realised one fatal flaw. His lifeforce couldn''t be extended anymore." Kuro gritted his teeth while clenching his fists. The Allfather had a special Spirit, one that could extend his life way past the known limits of mankind. In theory, should all go as planned, the Allfather should be capable of holding on for at least a hundred years more. However, he''d expended a vast amount of his mana and lifeforce in the previous battle. Breaking the shackles that bound the earth together. Creating darkness crevices all around the world to create Umbral energy that spawned vicious monsters to terrorise the public. Fighting off the six Spirit Saints and their Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. And most crucially¡­ Casting the Call of Darkness when his body was in a terrible state. Even if Spirit Immortal Dream was here herself, she would be incapable of saving the Allfather from certain death. A sombre atmosphere descended upon the room. Though the Allfather was still alive, everyone felt like they were attending his funeral, and the one most shook by the news was¡­ "Nenene¡­ Father¡­ Is dying?" Momo looked at Kuro with tears in her eyes. "Yes¡­ If we''re lucky, we might have ten years left. But from the looks of it¡­ Father would likely live for five more." Kuro broke the bad news with a heavy heart. All of the Nine Noble Beasts dropped their heads, saddened. No matter what their feelings were, the Allfather was the man who had changed their lives and promised them eternity. How could they be happy that the entity that they entrusted their lives to, was about to pass away early? "Two..." Ao repeated the number mentally, his face scrunched up and voice choking up. "That''s right, two¡­" Kuro repeated himself, this time with far less sadness. "So, if we want to complete the Grand Scheme, it has to be done within the next five years!" The Primordial Beast stabbed the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt into the concrete ground and roared: "We can''t let the Allfather lift a single finger anymore! All of the phases of the Grand Scheme has been completed. The preparations to open Heaven''s Gate has been completed. All that''s left¡­ Is to create an adversary for my liege to overcome." The voice of the lead Primordial Beast echoed within the ears of the Noble Beasts, filling their chests with an endless amount of vigour. With the Allfather weakened, it was up to the Noble Beasts to lead the charge and complete the mission that was promised. It was time for them to... "We need to create more Spirit Saints!" Chapter 603 - Shooting A Star (1) The Kori Federation. Shaolin Temple. The Sacred Peak of Buddha. Autumn. The best weather possible for the inhabitants of the holy mountain. The blistering heat of summer was nowhere to be found while the finger-breaking cold of winter had yet to descend. Breathtaking views of red, breaking leaves trickled down alongside the gentle breeze, giving a feel of life to the stone walls of the temple. Monks wearing different coloured robes or all ages interacted in harmony within the walls of the Sacred Peak, not one person willing to step out of line. The Shaolin Temple was one of history''s oldest organisations. For generations now, the Shaolin Temple had been producing faithful arhats, each one serving the Buddhist cause without any complaints. Some might even say, due to the number of people that pay their respects to the Buddhist faith, the Shaolin Temple held even more influence than any of the three superpowers and with billions visiting their temples every year, it may as well be the wealthiest organisation in the world. However, the monks of the Shaolin Temple never saw wealth or fame as something significant. And it wasn''t that there weren''t any corrupt or black monks. It was just that¡­ Those monks would have been weeded out the moment they climbed the hierarchy of the Shaolin Temple. The Shaolin''s cultivation system wholly relied on one being pure in the heart and to seek Nirvana, not mortal pleasures. Should a monk lose their way and seek personal glory instead of practising the Buddha''s teachings, their cultivations would be automatically crippled from the inside. Therefore, most of the money being spent on the Shaolin were funnelled back to the poor or to rebuilding ancient monasteries that had been broken down. In fact, due to the recent worldquake, the Shaolin was forced to empty their coffers to help rebuild the communities that had been destroyed by the Black Masks. Still, that didn''t mean that one of the oldest organisations in history didn''t have any extravagant buildings. Many iconic places were erected in the Shaolin''s name, further increasing their influence within human history. The Dharma Hall where annual cultivation lessons were held freely for anyone to attend. Devaraja Palace Hall, the morgue that held some of history''s greatest Buddhists. The Forest of Steles held monuments that were littered throughout history, making it a treasure trove for all historians. And many, many more. The list was endless, and just counting them all would make any mathematician faint-headed. However, there was no question which one of the buildings was the most famous, the most culturally significant and most importantly¡­ The most revered place of the Shaolin. The divine shrine of the Shaolin Temple¡­ The Sacred Peak of Buddha. The founder of Buddhism, the Buddha himself, was widely considered to be a transcendent being, even before he ascended into the Immortal Realm. To put it in perspective, even Shin''s current status couldn''t beat the Buddha in his heyday. He was the being who had brought a new cultivation system into the world and rewrote everything that humans knew about cultivation. Using Buddhism, one didn''t have to cultivate their Spirit. Instead, they used a series of martial arts and enigmatic cultivation dharmas to increase their overall power. So long as one had a pure heart and the willpower to walk the arduous path to Nirvana, they could practice Buddhism arts. It didn''t matter if they had a Sword-type Spirit or a Flower-type Spirit. All are created equal in the Buddha''s eyes. Therefore, it was not a surprise that all monks that had ever lived paid eternal reverence to their founder, and... The Sacred Peak of Buddha was the epitome of everything that Buddha represented. It was his home since birth. It was the place he''d spent his a.d.u.l.t life. And finally¡­ It was the place where he ascended into heaven. The Buddha had transcended his mortality for the final time and breached the Gates to the Immortal Realm, becoming history''s first Golden Immortal. To the Shaolin Temple, there was no greater sacred ground. They could relinquish their control over all of their monasteries, their vaults in other palaces, their Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments protecting their temples¡­ but they would never in a hundred million years, abandon the Sacred Peak of the Buddha. Thousands, if not millions, of Buddhists from all walks of life, take the pilgrim each year to visit the mountain. The many monks that lived in the holy mountain were mostly younglings who have come here to meditate and seek enlightenment from being within Buddha''s home. They would tend to the pilgrims'' requests for food and shelter all while cleaning up the sacred place hourly. However, it wasn''t just the younglings that lived on the mountain... A towering monk wearing the signature orange robe and red sash, brisk-walked through the silent corridors of the hallowed halls. He was about two-metres-tall with a sizeable build that could easily choke a man with his presence. Muscles that were built like rocks and a suffocating aura that pulsated out from his veins... Evidently, the monk wasn''t some small fry that had been sent to clean the monastery. It didn''t take long for the monk to reach his destination. A simple wooden cottage, situated just below the peak of the mountain. Compared to the lavish ornaments that decorated the holy temple, this cottage looked far too impoverished. It was as if, a beggar had decided to move into the holy mountain without consulting the High Monks of the Shaolin Temple. Naturally, that wasn''t the case. Once reaching the door of the cottage, the bulky monk instantly fell to his knees and slammed his chest with a salute. "Holy Abbot, the Alliance has sent a message." "..." The cottage was silent. Once again, the monk repeated himself: "Holy Abbot! We have received urgent news from the Alliance! May I enter?" "Mmm..." This time, a response. A lazy voice, one that felt like the person within had just woken up, gave the affirmation and the monk quickly pushed open the feeble doors. The monk looked to his left, and then right. The cottage was as simple as it seemed. There was a small walkway, a place to wash one''s feet, a bamboo floor with a mossy carpet, and a bed. It was nothing extravagant. Just a genuine, humble abode. However, the man that stayed in this cottage was anything but unassuming. Taking a peek at the bed, the red-sashed monk found his target. Without a single prompt, the monk fell to his knees once more and bowed his head in reverence. An old man, one that looked far older than ninety, sat in a lotus position on the bed. His wrinkles were far more defined than the jagged rocks of the mountain he slept on, and his white hairs were far paler than the snow that fell in winter. And most importantly¡­ The elderly man''s white robes with a golden sash made the towering monk feel completely breathless. "I greet the Holy Abbot!" "Mmm, please rise." The elderly man on the bed smiled and gestured for the monk to stand. Once again, the younger monk observed the Holy Abbot with complete adoration. The Shaolin Temple didn''t really care about hierarchy, they really didn''t. A Rank 70 Spirit Emperor could easily blend in with a Rank 7 Spirit Practitioner as they discussed about Buddhist Dharmas in the communal dining hall, and still be the best of friends. After all, in the eyes of the Buddha, all beings were equal. However, there had to be some segregation, particularly when it came to advancing into higher cultivation levels. For instance, there was no way that a new monk could gain access to the greatest works of the Dharma Temple during their first years. The spies throughout history would have wiped the coffers clean if that was the case. Normal monks beneath the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre realm were given the humble orange garb, synonymous with the Shaolin Temple. Those that transcended their mortality once were allowed to wear the red-sash that made them seem ever more holy. Those that reached the Rank 80 Spirit Venerate realm and had extended their mortal lives twice were able to switch out their orange robes with the even more sacred ivory white. On paper, that was the highest level of garb that a monk could obtain. White robes with a red-sash. Shaolin Monks with that combination of attire would be given worldwide acclaim and would be treated with the respect that they deserve. People would run to them just to touch their hands while devouts would dream of those monks blessing their children. However, there was one more level of attire that could be obtained during a monk''s quest to reach Nirvana. It wasn''t written down in the nomenclature since it was just far too difficult for any monk to reach it. But make no mistake, throughout history, there had been many prodigal monks that had gained that garb. And one of them¡­ was seated right in front of the bulky monk. "Holy Abbot, the Alliance had sent word! The Abyss had started to move! The Black Masks that had been hibernating for a decade¡­ are about to emerge!" "I see," the old man nodded. "Are they asking for help again?" "No, Holy Abbot! The Alliance had just sent out a warning, asking for all of the allies to be wary about the Black Masks!" "Mmmm¡­ That''s better..." The old monk smiled. "Our Shaolin Temple has been wiped clean of our gold. Our monks are now busy aiding the homeless and powerless. We don''t have any manpower or resources to spare..." The elderly monk¡­ The man whom everyone referred to as the Holy Abbot¡­ Was none other than the Shaolin Temple''s own Saint Suhavis Prakshringavant. Saint Suhavis was a practitioner of the Buddhist arts, and the only one of the modern-day to reach the Spirit Saint realm. "Is that all you''ve come to tell me? You should know that all mortal matters are now handled by Abbot Yajnabahu?" "T-That¡­ I..." The muscular monk''s mind turned blank. Yes, he should have known that Spirit Saints aren''t allowed to meddle in mortal affairs. Yes, he should have known that the Holy Abbot was not to be disturbed under any circ.u.mstances. Yet¡­ Why did he feel so compelled to come to the cottage? Why did he feel the need to rush here with everything that he had? "I see¡­ Amitabha..." Saint Suhavis placed his palm up vertically and chanted out in solidarity. Almost instantly, a golden light covered the Holy Abbot''s entire palm, and an illusion of a peach tree appeared in the background. Mesmerised, the monk''s body turned limp, and his mind was entranced. There was nothing he could do as Saint Suhavis sent a flying palm right into his chest. SSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A dark mist was exorcised out of the brainless monk''s body, as a holy light purified every single cell that the monk had. With yet another palm strike, Saint Suhavis sent a shockwave flying at the dark mist, forcing it to escape out the door. Knowing that his peace couldn''t be restored, the Holy Abbot sighed as he placed the unconscious monk onto his bamboo bed. "Rest. I''ll be back soon." Saint Suhavis leisurely chased the dark smoke, which had already started to coagulate into a foreign lifeform. It didn''t take long for the mist to take the form of a black-haired man with a familiar blade that was used in the legendary fight ten years ago. "... As expected of a Spirit Saint. You are different than the other humans. You noticed me right away." "Amitabha¡­ How could I ignore such a strong killing intent?" Saint Suhavis scoffed. "Ah, monks with pure hearts really are a nuisance." Kuro wryly smiled. "No matter¡­ Once we take you down, I''m sure that their hearts would all shatter with grief!!!" Chapter 604 - Shooting A Star (2) "Kill me?" Saint Suhavis didn''t know if he should laugh or cry at the Primordial Beast''s ludicrous claim. How many years, no¡­ How many decades has it been since someone had claimed to be capable of killing him? Ever since the Buddhist Saint earned his white and gold garb, the number of opponents that he had greatly diminished and not a single soul dared to offend him. And now¡­ this random Primordial Beast thought that he could take him on? "Amitabha, you are far too conceited my friend." "Friend? I want to kill you, and you call me your friend?" Kuro sneered at the monk''s foolish choice of words. "Everyone is equal under the eyes of Buddha. Everyone is bound by karma and will spin the wheel of Samsara once they''ve passed. Naturally, to me, you''re a brother that just lost his path." The Holy Abbot put both his hands together and gave a simple prayer. "Oh, Primordial Beast. Recognise your folly and change your ways. It''s never too late to repent." "Now who''s the conceited one?" The black-haired man snorted while he raised the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt. Dark mist burst forth from the blade, creating six similar phantoms, each one bearing Kuro''s face. At the same time, thousands of Umbras took the stage, creeping out from the Primordial Beast''s immense shadow. The Holy Abbot was somewhat taken aback by that sight. Evidently, the Black Masks had planned this out well in advance. "There''s only one God that I believe in, and that''s the Allfather!!!" "Amitabha..." There was no more need for words. From here on out, everything would be settled the old-fashioned way. With pure might alone. Kuro knew that he couldn''t hold back even a sliver of his strength. In all his years on the planet, Saint Suhavis might be the greatest foe that he''d ever faced. He had climbed the ranks of the Shaolin Temple, mastering all of the martial arts that defined the school. Bellow of the Laughing Buddha, Arhat''s Eighteen Hands, Golden Finger, Varja Body¡­ Even the legendary Shaolin Art, Yijingjing¡­ Saint Suhavis was proficient in them all. It was no stretch to call the Holy Abbot the most versatile of all the Spirit Saints alive today. Furthermore, Kuro wasn''t just fighting against the Golden Spirit Saint, but he was fighting against time itself. It wouldn''t be long until the Shaolin Temple raised the siren to call for reinforcements. Taking on one Spirit Saint was hard enough, now imagine if the Saints from the Dalgeom Sect, Emei Church and Khan Tribe all rushed over to protect the Shaolin¡­ Just thinking about it made Kuro shudder. Hence, the Primordial Beast needed to complete his goal before the apocalypse arrived. "Annihilate..." Kuro muttered out as the phantoms rushed right at the Spirit Saint. A cold mist tickled the wrinkled skin of the Holy Abbot. Darkness, despair, fear¡­ All of the emotions of dread seemed to have originated from the ethereal mist. Any regular joe would have surrendered to the beating in their chest and allowed their world to come crumbling down. However, Saint Suhavis wasn''t just some run-off-the-mill cultivator. A golden light burst forth from the depths of the Spirit Saint''s soul, illuminating the darkness that dared to surround him. "Om ga te ga te sa ma ga te bod hi sam om..." Saint Suhavis chanted out in solemn, creating illusions of runes sprouting out from his mouth. The phantoms attempted to stop the Holy Abbot from preparing his next move, but it was far too late. How many times has the Spirit Saint chanted in his entire life? If it weren''t in the millions, it was at least at nine hundred thousand. Preparing his attack? The Spirit Saint could do so in less than half a second. Saint Suhavis threw his left palm down, and at that very moment, it felt as if the entire earth was on his side. His palm turned illusory, and the phantoms that flew right towards him felt like the weight of the world was mounting on their shoulders. And just as their blades were about to reach Saint Suhavis'' neck... "Rulai Palm; Earth!" The Holy Abbot unleashed his furious strike. A spectral golden palm surged from the ground and rushed right at the phantoms. Not knowing what to do, Kuro''s Saint-levelled puppets braced themselves for impact, only to be sent flying way up into the stratosphere. However, that wasn''t the end of the Spirit Saint''s attacks. Almost like magic, the elderly man''s body disappeared and reappeared high above in the firmament. This time, he raised his right hand up, covering the entire sky in his grasp. Divine light beamed down from the clouds, and as if Heaven''s Gate was opened up, illusory feathers of weeping angels trickled down like rain. The phantoms, however, weren''t able to enjoy that holy view. Watching the palm, they felt like the entire sky was fighting against them. It was boundless and somewhat enigmatic, that palm. The phantoms felt like that could see where the strike was coming from, and yet, at the same time, they were powerless to stop it. "Rulai Palm; Heaven!" Saint Suhavis wasted no time in finishing his combination. First came the earth, then the heavens. The Holy Abbot didn''t just want to defeat the Primordial Beast that dared to step on his land, he wanted to completely crush him. Like its earth variation, the Rulai Palm; Heaven summoned out a giant palm that seemed to cover the entire sky. Even if the phantoms wanted to run, they had nowhere to escape to. The sky was falling down on them, and they could only accept their fate. BAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMM!!! The Rulai Palm connected cleanly, and all of the phantoms flew straight to the ground like broken comets. Saint Suhavis was careful not to let the beings harm the Sacred Peak of Buddha and had forced them to fly all throughout the forest surrounding the holy mountain. However, that wasn''t the Spirit Saint''s real intention in the beginning. ''Mnnn? They''re actually able to resist my Heaven Rulai Palm? Now, that''s a shocker...'' Saint Suhavis wanted to dissipate the phantoms with his strongest palm strike. Yet, the Saint-levelled summons were far tougher than he''d imagined. They could still stand even after receiving two of the Holy Abbots signature Rulai Palms. ''That must be the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt that Geom mentioned then...'' Narrowing his eyes, Saint Suhavis glared at the odd-looking blade in Kuro''s hand. Ten years ago, he''d heard from his good friend and fellow Spirit Saint that a lost Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament had reappeared under the Black Masks'' control. Never would he have guessed that one day, he would face it directly in battle. ''Phantoms that can''t be destroyed by my Rulai Palms¡­ I have to go on the defensive until Geom, Lyndis or Temujin comes...'' Being a jack of all trades meant that the Holy Abbot was a master at none. His offensive ability was far inferior to that of Saint Geom, and his defensive skill pales in comparison to Saint Heigui back in the Lantis Republic. Against a foe such as Kuro that had the assistance of an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, the best that Saint Suhavis could do was turtle up and delay the Primordial Beast''s assault. "Om ki jea ji mo kon ho gi te ga ja mon bod hi om ga te mi om e ja te mo hi ho ha po..." Saint Suhavis started to chant furiously, moving his fingers into erratic gestures that weren''t understood by any one of the Black Masks spectating him. However, the amount of mana that he was producing was colossal! Just by seeing him chant, Kuro felt his chest tighten up, and his nerves were going haywire. Even the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt was crying out. Whether it was with fear or anticipation¡­ perhaps only it would know. Realising that a window of opportunity had opened up, Kuro looked to the foot of the mountain and bellowed out: "NOW!!!" At his command, two shadows shot up from the base. One flew heavenward while the other rushed up the mountain from the ground. The one in the sky quickly grew out its serpentine body to over a kilometre in length, becoming big enough to coil around the holy mountain multiple times. The one that came from the ground was accompanied by a plethora of webs and arachnid creatures. However, the true menace wasn''t from the two suffocating figures¡­ But the heart-shaking red light that was pulsating from a distance. Even while in the midst of chanting, Saint Suhavis could feel the dreadful power encroaching upon his territory. His heart tightened and hair all throughout his body stood erect. If that red light were to be unleashed upon the mountain¡­ Saint Suhavis instantly changed his focus. Bells on the Buddhist Mountain all rang without anyone hitting them, and numerous statues came to life. Glorious rays of light burst forth from the bottom of the mountain, creating an elaborate birdcage. With Saint Suhavis finishing his chants, the Holy Abbot had become the focal point of the formation. A white-golden lotus appeared underneath the old monk, and Saint Suhavis casually laid his bum down. However, his face was anything but casual. The red light was only getting stronger by the second and the Spirit Saint didn''t want to waste even a second more. Resting both his arms on his lap, the Holy Abbot entered into his meditative state and mana overflowed from his pores. The aura he produced was breathtakingly beautiful as a golden pagoda embraced the Sacred Peak of Buddha. "The Great Arhat Formation..." Kuro spat in disgust. This legendary formation had been protecting the Holy Site of Buddhism for hundreds of thousands of years now. It was renowned as one of the world''s premier formations, one capable of defending against the full might of a Spirit Saint. Heck, with Saint Suhavis manipulating the formation, it could even take on two or three Spirit Saints without facing a single crack. Alas, the Great Arhat Formation had never faced the Black Masks'' most powerful weapon¡­ "Today, we shall witness the fall of a legend..." Kuro bared his fangs as he smiled. With one final breath, the Primordial Beast hollered: "DO IT!!!" With that command, the red light was finally fired. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!! Like a tidal wave that didn''t know when to stop, the fiery ray crashed onto the golden pavilion, completely decimating its exterior within seconds. Saint Suhavis tried his hardest to resupply the barrier with even more mana, but it was to no avail. The Great Arhat Formation was no match for the Allfather''s new technology and just like the Guardian Rock of Aldrich''s Keep¡­ It crumbled¡­ "NO!!!" The Holy Abbot lost his nerve for the first time in the battle. However, being the seasoned veteran that he was, Saint Suhavis changed his tactics on the spot. Instead of aiming to completely block the death ray, he now chose to deflect it. Moving all of the formation''s resources into one spot, Saint Suhavis created a dense shield that had concentrated all of his mana. Then, when he felt that the time was right, the Holy Abbot slightly gave the shield a tilt, entirely deflecting the beam into the sky. "Hah¡­ hah..." Sweat trickled down the Spirit Saint''s forehead as if he had just ran a hundred kilometres. Strength left his body, and he felt as if his innards were fried by the overuse of mana. And that wasn''t an understatement. To manipulate the Great Arhat Formation, Saint Suhavis had expended over half of his mana reserves. That was how powerful the red laser was. "Hoho, you actually managed to stop it?" Kuro gave his praise. "The Shaolin really lives up to their name as one of mankind''s oldest organisations!" "Y-You..." Still breathless, the Holy Abbot couldn''t even bring himself to curse Kuro. However, that didn''t mean he couldn''t give the Primordial Beast the death stare. "However, are you sure that you should be resting now?" The black-haired man smiled. "H-huh?" Now that the Great Arhat Formation had been broken, the Noble Beasts could finally begin their mission. In the skies, Ao and his Primordial might was summoning a heap of thunderclouds and spiralling whirlwinds. From the ground, Murasaki was spreading webs all around, condemning all the monks and pilgrims in the temple to die a poisonous death. And more frighteningly¡­ A red light had begun to charge up once more from the same place it was once fired. "T-that light! You can fire more of it?!" "I told you, you were the conceited one..." Kuro sent out his most disgusted laugh to date. "So¡­ I wonder how you would die? Will it be by my blade? Or by Murasaki''s poison? Or will it be by Ao''s dominion? Or perhaps¡­ Dying to protect your holy mountain from the Death Ray? I wonder which would it be?" Chapter 605 - Shooting A Star (3) "You..." Saint Suhavis was now seething through his teeth. As a monk, it has been ages since he''d been this worked up. The Black Masks they¡­ were serious about killing him. They knew that the Holy Abbot would never abandon the Sacred Peak of Buddha and would do everything in his power to protect it from harm. So, they brought the Death Laser to keep Saint Suhavis in locked in place. Then, to distract the Spirit Saint, they had brought over Murasaki, the Arachne Queen, to massacre all of the innocents on the mountain. To make matters worse, Ao would rain thunder and lightning from the heavens, while Kuro led the charge from the ground. Everything was set in stone for Saint Suhavis to fall to the Black Masks on this day. The Holy Abbot was appalled, but the anxiety on his face was quickly curbed down. Sighing, the wizened old man put both his palms together and said a silent prayer: "Amitabha..." "Have you resigned to your fate?" Kuro belittled the Spirit Saint with a mocking sneer. "I''ve lived for three-hundred and fifty-seven years, what adventures haven''t I been on? What else can I offer to my fellow brothers and sisters? Even if I die today, humanity''s greatest heroes would soon take you down. So what''s there to fear?" Saint Suhavis'' voice turned peaceful, like a spring''s breeze through a verdant forest. "However, I''m not one to just give my life away just because you want me to¡­" Keeping a pure and harmonious heart¡­ That was the Buddhist way. For Saint Suhavis to show the full extent of his powers, he had to keep his emotions in check, no matter how hard it was. Entering his prayer stage, the old man bent his two index fingers and made a distinct hand sign. Mana overflowed from every pore, and the lotus bed beneath him started to shed Guanyin tears. ''Is he trying to rebuild the Great Arhat Formation? No, that can''t be¡­ I confirmed its total annihilation...'' Kuro tried to guess Saint Suhavis'' next move. Before the attack on the Sacred Peak of Buddha, the Black Masks had devised a comprehensive plan to take down the Buddhist Saint as quickly as possible. By using the Death Ray, they were able to melt his greatest auxiliary support, the Great Arhat Formation. By using Murasaki''s dominion over spiders, they were able to tie him down. And finally, the two Primordial Beasts of the Black Masks would attempt to claim his life in whichever way possible. Theoretically, it was the perfect plan. The Black Masks had even used the Allfather''s vast information network to find out all of the Spirit Saint''s powers to draw up counters. However, the Black Masks had experienced a series of failures just ten years prior. There was no guarantee that the old Spirit Saint couldn''t reverse this insurmountable state of his. "Om ji ka ho bod hi om ji ro wa..." Saint Suhavis continued to chant while golden light continued to flow outwards. Waving his hands erratically, the Holy Abbot moved the particles he summoned and congregated them into a humanoid shape behind him. Starting from his fingers, the Spirit Saint''s body started to turn golden, and his arms quickly followed suit. In no time at all, the gold colour of his enhanced body was transferred over to the ethereal humanoid figure and finally¡­ "Buddha''s Incarnation..." Kuro finally muttered out the ability''s name. The Holy Abbot of the Shaolin Temple was known for his versatility, but two signature abilities stood heads and shoulders above the rest. And the first one was¡­ The ability to create an incarnation of Buddha himself. The incarnation was rich in gold, just like the Golden Immortal himself. Elongated ears with holy symbols drawn all over the lotus bed that held it in place. Each time it moved, a suppressive radiance forced all mortals to bow in reverence. Just like Shin''s Celestial Dragon''s Avatar, Saint Suhavis could use the Buddha''s Incarnation to strengthen all of his existing moves. Offence, defence, mental attacks, illusions¡­ All of the Shaolin martial arts that Saint Suhavis had perfected, were boosted to the next level. And that was what he was going to do... "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" The Buddha''s Incarnation opened its mouth, sending out a thunderous roar of laughter. Unable to resist the sonorous soundwaves, many of the Umbras quickly exploded into pieces, leaving behind nothing but ash. Murasaki''s spiders were likewise under an intense heat, and many of them dropped dead instantly. ''The Bellow of the Laughing Buddha¡­ What an annoyance...'' Kuro spat. The Shaolin Sect had many infamous abilities, and in general, a monk could only learn a handful. However, Saint Suhavis had mastered almost all of the Shaolin arts, which made him completely unpredictable in battle. Case in point... "RULAI PALM; MAN!!!" Ignoring the Primordial Beast''s shock, the Buddha Incarnation sent forth a flying palm strike, attacking Kuro in cold blood. That moment''s lapse of judgement had cost the Black Masks'' second-in-command to be thrown off the loop. Kuro scrambled to defend himself, pushing forth a tsunami of darkness mana and raising his Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. Against an attack by Saint Geom, perhaps Kuro''s defence wouldn''t be enough. However, against Saint Suhavis, it should be sufficient. It should¡­ However, the palm strike didn''t stop one bit. Instead of damaging the shield that Kuro had created, the palm strike phased through it like a ghost. ''What?'' Not realising that it was fruitless, Kuro''s mana attempted to strike the palm, but it was to no avail, and the moment the palm strike damaged the Primordial Beast¡­ ''What''s this?'' Kuro felt that his consciousness was plunged into a different plane. The world changed, and he was no longer within the holy mountain. All around him, there was darkness. The space that the Primordial Beast was in¡­ was so small¡­ At that moment, the mighty Primordial Beast felt like a mere ant. A flea that was meant to be killed with a single swat. Kuro had been in this place once before. He had seen this agonising fate once before¡­ And he never wanted to be here ever again. ''I see¡­ An illusion...'' Kuro instantly deduced the reason why he''d suddenly switched positions. ''Amazing, the Shaolin Sect is truly one of the most premier organisations that humans have. Fortunately, the Allfather was wise and told us to attack him first.'' The Primordial Beast wasn''t angered that Saint Suhavis had brought him into one of his most dreaded memories. In fact, he was quite bemused. Among all of the Spirit Saints that he''d read about, Saint Suhavis was by far the most interesting. Able to use offence, defence, and now even illusions? Even as the enemy, Kuro couldn''t help but admire the man. ''As much as I would love to relive some memories, I have a job to do, Saint Suhavis...'' Kuro waved his hand and summoned out a torrent of mana. A tear broke through the fabric of space and time itself, and the dark box that Kuro had been kept in was torn in two. Kuro was now brought back into reality, and the first thing he saw was the Holy Abbot''s mouth agape. Smiling, the Primordial Beast mocked: "That all you got?" ''He¡­ Took less than a second to break free?'' Saint Suhavis gritted his teeth. Although his proficiency in the Mind-Element wasn''t that good, it wasn''t weak either. Even a Spirit Saint should take a few seconds to completely unravel his mind-bending spell! "ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!" The Holy Abbot wasn''t given a single second to rest. The moment Kuro broke free from the illusions, Ao''s thunderbolts flashed down like intense hammer strikes. A hurricane whistled through the poor sanctuary, tearing down building after building, but most importantly¡­ Ao''s final gift for the Spirit Saint was about to arrive. A single rapidly spinning sphere, seemingly holding the full power of a typhoon within it, was sent flying down upon the Spirit Saint''s Buddha Incarnate. The Golden Immortal Body struggled to keep the sphere from tearing down upon the mountain like a man trying to hold up a bear''s weight. It could resist for a few seconds, but eventually¡­ The power proved to be way too powerful¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!! The Buddha''s Incarnate lost all of its colour and dissipated back to its origin¡­ Nothingness. Saint Suhavis was now like a single bird, levitating alone amidst the grandeur of the sky. And to make matters worse¡­ EEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The familiar red light shone once again. The Black Masks'' second round of the Death Ray had been wholly completed and was just waiting to fire upon the holy mountain. Saint Suhavis, now battered and blue, could only hold his breath as he watched the light continually turn more and more powerful. Kuro''s next wave of phantoms had burst forth from the mountain peak, aiming to snipe the Spirit Saint and send him to the pits of oblivion. Ao had prepared his next attack, the very same attack that destroyed the Buddha Incarnate. It was over¡­ All was lost¡­ Saint Suhavis¡­ was about to perish. ''Amitabha¡­ So this is the end...'' Following the Buddhist way, Saint Suhavis placed both his palms together and started to pray. He''d always imagined dying on a bed, with his precious disciples surrounding him as he''d taken his final breath. Who would have guessed that he would die on the battlefields, against an enemy that no one could foresee? ''Amitabha, Buddha¡­ Please forgive your unfaithful disciple, for I have failed you...'' Closing his eyes, Saint Suhavis floated up high in the air. His hope? To move the Death Ray''s aim away from the holy mountain and onto his dying body. As if hearing his plea, the Black Masks sent the Death Ray flying straight at the Spirit Saint, engulfing him in a torrent of light. And for the first time since the warring ages... A Spirit Saint had been shot down from the sky... Chapter 606 - When The Saints Come Marching In (1) "What¡­ What did you say?" "We just received word from the Shaolin Temple¡­ Saint Suhavis has¡­ perished to the Black Masks..." "Saint Suhavis¡­ was killed?!" Raphael couldn''t believe his ears. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out from their sockets and stain the ebony desk that he so favoured. It was one of those moments that one could read something, but couldn''t believe its contents. The Alliance Head dropped down on his chair and scratched his chin nervously. A Spirit Saint had died to the Black Masks¡­ In a war, it was natural that some top executives would perish to the enemy. After all, it was best to target the strongest assets before they could ever pose a threat. However, attacking a Spirit Saint was completely unfathomable, let alone killing one, A Spirit Saint was a Spirit User that had climbed their way to the apex of the cultivation world. They had years of experience, fought through thousands of battles, seen the change of eras¡­ Everything. They were the undisputed kings of the earth, and everyone had to bow in reverence to their aura. Emperors? Prime Ministers? Chancellors? They were nothing compared to the Spirit Saints that stood high above on their lofty thrones. The vast majority of Spirit Saints usually try to recluse themselves from the affairs of the mortal world, as they had the highest chance out of any other cultivator to gain immortality. It would take a miracle to bring them out from their seclusion and force them to interfere with the woes of mere mortals. Therefore, ever since the end of the warring age, Spirit Saints would never fall in battle. Until now, that is¡­ "When did this happen?! Since when did the Nine Noble Beasts of the Black Masks emerge?!" Raphael blurted out questions that his informant could never answer. "S-sorry¡­ I don''t know..." "N-no¡­ I shouldn''t be raising my voice at you..." The Alliance Head held his fist up to his forehead, trying his best to hold back his rage. A Spirit Saint had died! And it wasn''t just any Spirit Saint, it was Saint Suhavis of the Shaolin Sect! They were the most respected organisation in the world with millions of the population relying on their temples for prayers. ''As the Alliance Head, I was supposed to take care of the Black Masks before anything could happen to the mainland¡­ Yet, we''ve lost one of our fourteen Spirit Saints...'' Raphael continued to hold his head, frustrated that he''d failed in his most crucial task. ''No, to kill a Spirit Saint¡­ This goes beyond the war¡­ We can''t just let the Black Masks assassinate all of our most valuable assets.'' The Alliance Head quickly moved to his corner desk and took some papers out. Dabbing his fountain pen in some ink, the red-haired man quietly breathed: "Call Maroc and Joanne over! Tell them to bring in as many Cikai Mirrors as they can hold! Also, don''t tell anyone else!" "W-why?" Raphael bit his lower lip, his eyes trembling with every passing second. Was it with anger? Or was it with anticipation? Raphael didn''t know. However, what he did know, was that his next words would soon be etched into the history books for all to read about... "We¡­ will have to gather all of the Spirit Saints." ??? The Neutral Lands. The New Land Of Dreams. High Chambers. Five Days Later. A bright sunny day¡­ That was what graced the New Land of Dreams, a place where despair had spread many moons ago. The reason why the Alliance had placed their headquarters in an area that was utterly decimated by the Black Masks, was to bring a new breath to the godforsaken place. To watch the sunrise and see¡­ That humanity won''t be beaten down by the Allfather''s evil. Raphael, Shin, and many of the Alliance members loved to see the sunrise in the New Land of Dreams. It was a beacon of hope that illuminated the entire planet¡­ Yet, no one was smiling on this radiant day. The Alliance Halls were emptied out. The bustling sounds of footsteps and the sonorous shouts were nowhere to be found. If not for the lights being on, the uninitiated would have thought that the Alliance Headquarters had been completely abandoned. Naturally, that was far from the case¡­ "Are they all here?" Raphael asked a bespectacled lanky man. "Yes, they''re all in the chambers waiting for your arrival." Maroc quickly gave his superior a quick bow. However, if one sifted through his eyes, they would see a tinge of excitement and pure jubilation within. History was being made right behind that door, and the man was about to witness it unravel right before his very eyes. "Good¡­" Truthfully, Raphael felt the same way. As the Alliance Head, he''d witnessed many things throughout the years. Even during his days leading the Healer''s Association, Raphael wasn''t one to just slouch behind the desk. The experiences that he had were vast and incomparable, but even he couldn''t help but feel amazed at the situation. Raphael''s heart was beating at a thousand beats per minute, and his face was completely flushed. He was about to be the moderator for one of history''s most exciting events, so how could he not be thrilled. Though, he would prefer if the circ.u.mstances were a little less tragic. "Let''s enter..." Taking a deep breath, Raphael left his trusted subordinate behind and pushed open the familiar doors. Even though the Raphael had been in the High Chambers many times before, the doors felt exponentially heavier. Nothing had really changed. The material was the same, the chairs were all in the same place, and even the oval table remained with the same exact sheen as it did a day ago. Yet, at that moment, Raphael felt like he had just entered into another dimension. Why? Because of the thirteen individuals seated there. "About time you entered," one voice scoffed the Alliance Head''s late arrival. Raphael turned to the source, only to see an emerald-haired, sharp-nosed woman. She was donned in bright green attire, with gorgeous pearls hanging from her ear-piercings. "Saint Shenshe, I''m sorry to keep you waiting. Please forgive me..." Raphael didn''t even think twice before bowing. If the woman wanted to, she could easily kill the man within seconds, and there was nothing that Raphael''s healing arts could do to save him. "Zemin, behave. The Alliance Head should be the last one to arrive. After all, he''s the moderator." A muscular man stopped the green-robed woman from venomously targetting Raphael. He was extremely casual with the Spirit Saint that was widely feared around the world, and could even touch her skin as he pleased. Evidently, that man wasn''t just a heap of muscles. "Hmph! Whatever..." Shenshe Zemin snorted before dropping her elbows down on the table. To be honest, it wasn''t just Jingyu Han''s intervention that helped her pull her punches, but it was also the stares that the other individuals were shooting at her. Normally, she would snipe down any mortal that dared to look at her the wrong way. However, the men and women in the room weren''t just mere mortals. "Thank you," Raphael raised his head up and quickly shifted his feet towards the moderator''s chair. "Now, I shan''t waste any of your precious time. Let''s just get into today''s agenda immediately. The Shaolin Sect''s Spirit Saint, Saint Suhavis¡­" "WE KNOW THAT!!!" All of a sudden, a mighty voice boomed across the room, silencing Raphael. A brawny man, one with a face full of beard and battle scars that told a million stories, slammed his massive fist on the table. His brown hair was tied up into a bun, and the strands on his arms stood erect in pure anger. Facing the man''s wrath, Raphael couldn''t help but swallow a big mouthful. "Tell me¡­ Who are the f.u.c.kers who killed Suhavis! I''ll go deal with them myself!!!" "Saint Temujin Khan¡­ We didn''t call you here today to send you to battle, but..." "NO BATTLE?!" The burly man instantly got to his feet and glared right at the Alliance head. "So are you going to tell us to sit here and accept a defeat?! You called us here to be pussies?! I''m here to avenge my fellow Saint from the Kori Federation, so who are you to stop me, brat?!" "Saint Temujin, I..." "YOU WHAT?!" Almost instantly, the conversation got to a heated start. Due to the circ.u.mstances, Raphael hadn''t had the opportunity to relay all of the information he had to the Spirit Saints gathered, leading Saint Temujin Khan to misunderstand his intentions. Against the wrath of a Spirit Saint, there was little that Raphael could do. Fortunately, he had a trusted ally on his side. "Sit, Temujin. We didn''t come all this way to have you throw away the Kori Federation''s pride." Saint Geom, who was seated by Temujin''s side, calmed the man down. "Geom, are you going to let this brat tell us what to do?! Suhavis, that old geezer, had been killed! Don''t you want to enact justice?!" "I do! But this is neither the time nor the place!" Saint Geom shouted back. "Stay your hand, Temujin. Let''s hear what Raphael has to say first..." "Tsk..." Clicking his tongue, the Khan Tribe''s Spirit Saint fell to his chair and folded his arms. He was silenced, but his demeanour looked like an active volcano that was about to erupt at any moment now. And to make matters worse... "It''s nice to see the Kori Federation''s Spirit Saints live so harmoniously¡­ I''m almost touched." A new voice entered the ring, this time from the Himmel Empire''s side. "Saint Viacan Justine¡­ You have something to say to me?" Saint Temujin Khan glared right at the violet-haired woman who dared to cut in his speech. The woman looked just as youthful as a thirty-year-old. Her purple robes made her look like a true empress, one that was powerful enough to move an entire nation with just her gestures alone. "No, nothing¡­ I''m just happy to see the three of you get along..." "You..." Saint Temujin was never one to shy away from a battle. If the woman wanted to fight him, he was more than happy to comply. Not to mention, it was against a Spirit Saint from the Himmel Empire. It was no secret that the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire shared some bad blood. There were many a time where Saint Temujin had rode in battle, fighting against some of the sc.u.m of the dastardly southern empire. The same went for Saint Viacan. In her youth, she had crossed swords with the Kori Federation multiple times, and it wouldn''t be strange if Temujin and herself were on opposite ends of a battle during their past. The two Spirit Saints stared down one another with sparks shooting out from their eyes. However, before the sparks could ignite into flames, an imposing voice echoed out: "Viacan, we didn''t come here to make enemies¡­ Shut up." "... Sorry, ancestor..." As much as the Spirit Saint would have loved to continue on into battle, there was nothing that she could do against the most powerful being in the room. In fact, once the silver-haired man spoke out, the entire chambers turned silent as they gazed in his direction. Who didn''t fear the Himmel Ancestor, the man widely considered to be the strongest Spirit Saint before the Allfather came along? Whenever he spoke, people listened, no matter how high their cultivation was. That was the power of the Himmel Ancestor¡­ That was the power of¡­ Saint Idun Himmel. "Alliance Head¡­ Speak." Chapter 607 - When The Saints Come Marching In (2) "Alliance Head¡­ Speak." The Himmel Ancestor''s words were concise, yet powerful. No one dared to breathe a single word out after hearing the man''s authoritative voice and the floor was cleared for Raphael to give his piece. "Thank you, Saint Himmel¡­" Taking a deep breath in, Raphael took the papers in his hands and distributed them slowly amongst the Spirit Saints. At the same time, his trembling voice had turned into one of determination and resilience. "The main reason why I''ve gathered all of you here today is to discuss your future accommodations." "Accommodations? Are you expecting us to move out from our bases?" Hearing the idea, the sole woman on the side of the Kori Federation spoke out, gracing the chambers with her heavenly voice. The woman had rich, vibrant grey hair and a face full of black lines. Whenever she furrowed, it seemed like the world was collapsing inwardly. Whenever she clenched her teeth, wild animals would run with their tails stuck behind their legs. "Are you going to tell me to abandon my Emei Church behind and leave it vulnerable to an enemy attack?" "Saint Lyndis, that''s not what I''m suggesting at all!" Raphael was quick to disperse the female matriarch''s concerns. Spirit Saints would normally recluse themselves, trying their hardest to reach the Immortal Realm with the little time that they had left. However, they also served as a massive deterrent for any entity that covets their organisation''s assets. For instance, the Emei Church was a holy land where many young v.i.r.g.i.n maidens sought refuge from evil men who l.u.s.ted for their flesh. It was common for the Emei Church to accept young girls who had been abused by their families or were escaping forced marriages that could doom their bright future. If Saint Lyndis was not present at the helm of Emei Mountain, what''s stopping those vicious men from charging into their holy grounds? "So¡­ what do you mean by accommodations?" Raphael sighed: "Although it might be hurtful to hear, with the Black Masks returning back to the continent¡­ Not even Spirit Saints are safe now. They now have the power to congregate their forces to kill a Spirit Saint rapidly, without giving us enough time to send the appropriate reinforcements." "..." The room went silent. They would have loved to refute those words, but the facts speak for themselves. "Therefore, I would suggest that the remaining Spirit Saints always remain within a ten-minute flying radius from one another. Or at the very least, stay in fortified positions with at least twenty Spirit Venerates and an array of Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments." "..." Once again, no reply. The Spirit Saints were all appalled by the Alliance Head''s suggestion. "Twenty Spirit Venerates per Spirit Saint¡­ Do you think that our armies are that deep, Alliance Head?" Saint Firebird from the Himmel Empire snorted. "Even if we round up, the current cultivation world should have less than two hundred Spirit Venerates alive. To protect all thirteen of us, we''ll be at least sixty Spirit Venerates short!" "If I may be so bold¡­ My original thought is for all the Spirit Saints from each region to gather in one place and move as a unit." That was the best way to ensure the Spirit Saints safety. No matter what, there was no way that the Black Masks would have the capability of killing a cl.u.s.ter of Spirit Saints. The Black Masks were only able to kill Saint Suhavis was due to the surprise element and the vast amount of preparations they had. However, if there were two or more Spirit Saints gathered in one place unless the Allfather himself acted, there would be no chance that the Black Masks take any of them down. "I think that''s a great idea!" Saint Althea, the resident Spirit Saint of the Healer''s Association, beamed in pure bliss. "Thor, Atossa¡­ We''re independents, free from any of the nations. Shouldn''t we band together and move as one?" The burly blacksmith nodded at the black-haired beauty''s statement. "Yes¡­ If the Black Mask are actively hunting Spirit Saints, we should be their first targets." Saint Thor gave muttered the honest truth. Among the living Spirit Saints, the three independents were the ones who were most vulnerable. If the Black Masks were to target them as they did the Shaolin Spirit Saint, they would be done in minutes. "Though I''m not weak, I''m not as versatile as Saint Suhavis was. If I wanted to hold on until reinforcements arrive..." "Me too..." The Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint sighed. "Us independents had been living under the safety of our peace treaty. Now, we have an enemy that doesn''t care about humanity and only cares about causing mayhem. We should put aside our differences and protect one another." Just like that, the Spirit Saints of the Mercenary Guild, Blacksmith''s League and the Healer Association had joined hands. If someone like Saint Suhavis could be killed in his own home, what''s stopping the Black Masks from assassinating them? Not to be outdone, the Himmel Ancestor called out to his subordinates: "Firebird¡­ Viacan¡­ Heed the Alliance Head''s warning. Stay at least two minutes away from one another. If you wish, take up residence in the Capital where I can protect you." "Understood, Ancestor!" The Himmel Empire''s accommodations were resolved as quickly as one took a pee. After all, in the Himmel Empire, the Ancestor''s word was king. Even the lofty Spirit Saints couldn''t just brush off those orders for the sake of their own properties. "Our Lantis Republic''s Spirit Saints had always been staying on Celestial Island anyway. Honestly, our defence network is far more advanced than you would think." Saint Longyu Tian spoke with her chin up. The Spirit Saints of the Lantis Republic had always had a close bond, not to mention, with the passing of Saint Suhavis, the Lantis Republic were the only organisation with four Spirit Saints living now. They were more than capable of defending themselves. The Kori Federation, on the other hand¡­ "Lyndis¡­ Temujin¡­ What do you think?" Saint Geom nervously looked at his compatriots, who were both glaring daggers at one another. "I won''t let the Khan Tribe come anywhere near Emei Mountain!" "Hmph! You should be honoured if we wanted to protect you!" The two giants weren''t all that happy about the notion of staying near one another. See, the Khan Tribe and the Emei Church had a long history of conflicts behind them. In fact, many of the girls that sought refuge in the Emei Church were poor souls that had been discarded by the Khan Tribe. There was no way in hell that Saint Lyndis Virdove would allow the Khan Tribe to come anywhere close Emei Mountain, lest some old grudges resurfaced. "Hah¡­ This is going to be a problem..." Saint Geom grabbed on his forehead and heaved out a silent sigh. "How about this? Lyndis, you''ll team up with the Arhats. Protect the Shaolin Temple and ask them to loan some of the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments for you to use. Temujin, you move the Khan Tribe south to Dragon Tiger Gate. I''ll find a place in the middle to settle so that we can assist one another at a moment''s notice." "... I can do that." Saint Lyndis folded her arms and nodded. The Emei Church was on excellent terms with the Shaolin Sect since they were both considered as ''sacred'' lands. They wouldn''t mind protecting the Shaolin Sect in exchange for some protective items. Saint Temujin Khan, however, wasn''t all that happy with those arrangements. Furrowing his brows, he added: "Dragon Tiger Gate¡­ Would those freaks really agree to house the Khan Tribe?" The five most prominent entities in the Kori Federation were the Shaolin Sect, the Emei Church, the Khan Tribe, the Dalgeom Sect, and last but not least¡­ Dragon Tiger Gate. Although they didn''t have a single Spirit Saint, no one doubted their position as the top dog among all of the Master Sects. They had the most Spirit Venerates out of all them. They had the most comprehensive cultivation techniques and manuals. And more importantly, they had the most number of Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments under their belt. One skilled Spirit Venerate could use the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament to temporarily reach the level of a Spirit Saint. Even if the Khan Tribe fought with everything that they had, including with the power of their Spirit Saint Temujin, they would unquestionably lose to the might of Dragon Tiger Gate. "Don''t worry about that," Saint Geom snorted. "Even if they don''t want to, I''ll make them agreeable. You have my word." "Fine..." Gaining the protection of the Dragon Tiger Gate wasn''t all that bad a proposition for the Khan Tribe, particularly for Temujin Khan. "Good¡­ Now Alliance Head, this matter is now resolved. Us Spirit Saints will be sure to take care of ourselves from now on." "Thank you, Saint Geom," Raphael smiled. "Now, shall we move on to the next order of business?" "There''s still something else?" "Yes Saint Temujin, and it''s something that I believe that you would be most interested in..." Raphael pointed to the papers laid out in front of the Spirit Saints. With the most disgusting smile one could make, the Alliance Head spat out venomously. "Since the Black Masks are going to use Saint-levelled combatants in battle, we shall do the same against them!!!" Chapter 608 - When The Saints Come Marching In (3) "Nervous?" A young feminine voice, unsuited for such a solemn event, sounded out in the empty halls of the Alliance Headquarters. A black-haired man looked down at the woman who had interlocked her arms with his and stared deeply into those ruby eyes of hers. "Of course I am¡­" Shin answered Kanari, his voice hiding a slight tremor. "It''s the first time that a Spirit Saint had been killed since the warring ages. It''s very possible that the battles from here on out would escalate due to that fact." "That''s why the Alliance Head had gathered all of the Spirit Saints here right? To stop them from stepping out of line, potentially foiling our plans?" "But they''re Spirit Saints¡­ Do you honestly think that they would listen to Senior Raphael''s words?" That was Shin''s primary concern. Spirit Saints were powerful allies to have; however, they could also prove to be a two-edged sword. Due to their immense power and influence, Spirit Saints could do whatever they wished without any recourse. If they wanted to move east, who dared to move west? The only entities that could suppress a Spirit Saint was another powerful Spirit Saint. "The Spirit Saints from our Lantis Republic should be fine, but my main worry are those from the other two superpowers..." "Hey, the Himmel Empire''s Spirit Saints are quite unified too, you know?" Kanari protested. After all, the Himmel Empire was still her homeland and the place that she''d grown up in. Compared to the Lantis Republic, Kanari found that her heart leaned a little more towards the gorgeous Empire that she''d come from. "That''s only because of the Himmel Ancestor, right? From what I understand, Saint Lyndis and Saint Firebird aren''t really on talking terms." "... You''ve heard that from Isadore, right?" "Who else?" Shin chuckled. "That nosy little ass¡­ Why did he have to snoop around my Master''s private affairs?" Unbecoming of her motherly demeanour, Kanari snorted and cursed her silver-haired childhood friend. "Haha, don''t blame him. As the Hall of Whispers'' Master, Isadore has to build a great information network. Digging up facts about Spirit Saints just happens to be one of them." "Honestly, at this point, I''m not sure if Isadore is the Prince of the Himmle Empire or the Prince of the Lantis Republic..." Kanari sighed. The friendship between Shin and Isadore meant that they trusted one another wholeheartedly. Isadore wouldn''t mind divulging Himmel Empire secrets to Shin, and the same could be said vice versa. Either way, neither of them were interested in delving deep into politics once the Black Masks were eradicated, so it didn''t really matter if they knew all the weaknesses of each nation. "Ignoring the Himmel Empire, I''d heard that the Kori Federation''s Spirit Saints were also in shambles. Saint Suhavis of the Shaolin Sect was the only true neutral Spirit Saint among them all, and he was the first one to pass¡­" "Maybe that''s the reason why the Black Masks targeted Saint Suhavis first. They wanted to destabilise the Kori Federation before attacking the other Spirit Saints." Kanari shot out a feasible theory. "Perhaps," Shin shrugged his shoulders. "No matter what though, we have to figure out ways to vastly improve our overall strength. Now that the Black Masks had shown their hand, I doubt that they would be satisfied with the death of one Spirit Saint." On the now fractured planet, there was only one thing that could threaten the Allfather and the Black Masks. And that was the power of the Spirit Saints. Ten years ago, the main reason why the Black Masks were forced to drop down into the abyss was due to the six Spirit Saints that gathered to annihilate them. If the Black Masks wanted to solidify their dominance, the logical progression was to kill off as many Spirit Saints as they could before they escaped from the abyss that the Allfather had put them in. "Among the Spirit Saints remaining, the three independents are the ones in the most risk. Fortunately, Grandmaster, Senior Thor and Saint Atossa are willing to form a coalition to protect one another." Shin wasn''t the youngling that knew nothing when he first came to Imperius Academy. Before the meeting of the Saints even begun, the Prince had private conversations with each one of the independent Spirit Saints separately. Saint Althea was an easy contact since she was Lady Seph''s Master and practically saw Shin as her own grand disciple. Saint Thor had long established a Cikai Mirror connection with Guardian Sword, seeing as to how Shin was his biggest customer. While Saint Atossa was never one to shy away from an exchange of information. Doing his part as a peace arbiter, Shin had convinced the trio to form an alliance immediately, to prevent the Black Masks from reaping their lives away before it was too late. The same went for the Spirit Saints in the Lantis Republic. Shin''s relationship with the Saint of Time, Longyu Tian, was better than ever. They''d routinely cultivate together and even exchanged ideas on what should be done for the future of the Lantis Republic. His relationship with the other Spirit Saints wasn''t all that bad either. If Shin were to suggest something, the other Spirit Saints would most definitely take it into account. And with that, the only problems were Spirit Saints that Shin couldn''t contact. "Attacking the Black Masks using the power of the Spirit Saints would most likely be our next course of action¡­ However, is it really possible to bring those egos together without any conflict?" Shin thought out loud as he stared ardently down the corridor. At any given moment, the doors of the chambers would swing open, and the Spirit Saints would come marching out. If they had jovial faces, good. However, if they were despondent¡­ "Hah¡­ We may need to find other ways to increase our overall power. Relying on the Spirit Saints might be asking for a miracle." "Guardian Sword is plenty strong," Kanari leaned her head on Shin''s shoulder, flashing a brilliant smile. "Also, you should have faith in the Alliance Head and the rest of the Spirit Saints you''ve contacted. I''m certain that they would move the other barnacles to your plan." "I sure hope so..." The next few minutes were as gruelling as can be. After the first fifteen minutes, Shin had thought that perhaps it was a good sign. Maybe they were discussing the relevant details regarding Shin''s plan? Thirty minutes passed, still no signs of movement. Heck, there were even thunderous bellows pulsating out from the doors, causing Shin to anxiously bite on his nails. Something that he hadn''t done since he was a child. Forty-five minutes¡­ Still silence. Not a single soul had emerged from the doors, and there was no sign of any commotion, which made Shin''s imagination run wild. Was it good news? Or was it bad news? Minutes soon turned into hours and eventually¡­ Three full hours had passed since Raphael had walked through those doors. No one knew what the outcome of the meeting was and everyone was on the edge of their seats while waiting for the doors to open. Shin was unable to bear it anymore and paced up and down the hall. The Spirit Saints had to be agreeable¡­ They had to be willing to sacrifice for Shin''s plan to work, otherwise¡­ Eeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkk!!! Finally, the fateful sound echoed out. The doors of the chambers creaked open, forcing everyone to turn their attention to the room. The familiar silhouettes emerged, most of them wearing sombre expressions. None of them were grinning from ear to ear, but at least none of them had angered frowns. Well, Saint Temujin Khan was a man who seemed angry all the time, so no one could really tell what emotions were housed under that stoic face. "So you''re Shin Iofiel, the Prince of Water..." Speaking of which, Saint Temujin walked towards the Shin with his chin tucked high. "Yes, Saint Temujin." Never one to disrespect a senior, Shin instantly showed his respect. Kanari did a similar bow, just with a little more grace. The Spirit Saint observed the pair for a full five seconds before leaving them with the cryptic words: "... Good on you." "T-thank you?" Shin was understandably confused, but Saint Temujin didn''t bother to extensively explain. Walking off in the other direction, the man quickly disappeared from everyone''s view. Oddly enough, the other Spirit Saints did the same. They didn''t care for whatever refreshments the Alliance Headquarters had. The independent three didn''t even bother to greet Shin and flew up high into the skies. The Himmel Empire''s Spirit Saints shot Shin and Kanari a warm smile before doing the exact same thing. The Kori Federation''s powerhouses were a little more varied. Saint Temujin and Lyndis flew away instantly, but Saint Geom took some time to at least say a few words to Shin before leaving. Only the Lantis Republic had left Saint Longyu Tian behind, while the other three sped eastwards back to their homeland. Once everything had passed, Longyu Tian led Shin and Kanari into the chambers, where Raphael sat silently with his head thrown back on his chair. Just like the Spirit Saints before him, Raphael''s face was unreadable. The conversation could have gone extremely well or failed miserably. Therefore, Shin went for the most direct approach. "Senior Raphael¡­ How did it go?" The Alliance Head raised his brows at the sudden question and gently levelled his head. He observed Shin''s shaking hands with great amus.e.m.e.nt and even had the impish thought to delay the conversation. However, in the end, the man acquiesced and gave out a simple V sign. "Total victory! All of the Spirit Saints in the world have now joined the Alliance!" Chapter 609 - The Wild Hunt (1) The Neutral Lands. The Abyss. Phhhhhheeeeeewwww!!! Phhhhhhhhheeeeewwww!!! Phhhhheeeeeeewww!!! Five flying objects whizzed through the open fields of the Neutral Lands, disrupting the peace and quiet of the serene forests. Elk with broken horns all leapt out in frigid fear, leaving their grasslands and seeking refuge in the safety of some random caves. Frogs leapt out of their ponds and found soft holes in the ground to hide their delicious flesh. Not that the flying objects cared for it though. The two leading shadows broke stone and bark, sending a path of debris bolting right at their pursuers. They were desperate, hoping to slow the aggressors for even a split second. Alas, how could the three chasers be that weak? Without even batting an eye, the pursuers slashed the falling debris and dialled their speeds up to eleven. "Damn it! How is he so fast?!" One of the two shadows spat. "Quick, send the message! Sir Seymour needs to know about our failure, otherwise..." "Otherwise, what?" Before the shadows could even breathe another sentence, one of their pursuers charged forward at an astonishing speed. They could barely react before a colossal tidal wave of pressure fell upon their shoulders, bringing the shadows right down to their knees. The shadows attempted a futile struggle, flailing their arms about while desperately trying to use their Spirits to break free. Alas, the power of their chaser was far too strong. Clenching his fists, a dense water sphere engulfed the two shadows, creating an eternal water prison that they could never escape from. With his prey secured, Shin could finally breathe easy. At his back, the two silhouettes that were with him finally managed to catch up, their faces red and filled with sweat. One was a teenage girl, who looked no older than twenty while the other was a thirty-year-old man. Two drastically different images in terms of build, but they had one distinct similarity¡­ They both shared Shin''s black hair and gorgeous azure eyes. "Brother Shin¡­ You''re moving too fast!" Longyu Hai protested. "Sorry, sorry¡­ I just couldn''t let them escape," Shin smiled back while his fingers nonchalantly moved his prisoners to the other side. From the start of the chase to the eventual capture of the Kshatriyas, everything seemed so effortless for the Prince. He could even keep his eyes off the prisoners as he made small talk with Longyu Hai. "Hah¡­ To think that just a decade back, I could fight you on equal grounds¡­ My younger self must have been out of his mind." Longyu Linji issued some self-deprecating statements while glaring at the Rank 79 Spirit Emperor. The two that followed Shin were the two most promising talents from the Longyu Clan and Shin''s extended cousins. Shin was considered to be in the same generation as Longyu Linji and one generation older than Longyu Hai. However, his current status was far more prominent than any of his cousins. In terms of power, Shin vastly outmatched Longyu Linji''s Rank 61 cultivation or Longyu Hai''s Rank 38 Spirit Adept power. In terms of influence, there was no comparison. Shin''s words could move the government and force the elusive Spirit Saints to change their opinions, while his younger cousins barely had any control over their own homes. The only reason why the two of them were considered highly by the Alliance, was due to their talent and association with Shin''s Guardian Sword. In the future, they might grow into mighty beings that could move mountains with their words. However, as they were right now, the two Longyu Clan talents were only operatives for the most popular organisation on the planet. "Enough with the talking, we need to get these assholes to sing..." Longyu Linji turned his attention back to the duo that were incapacitated by Shin''s water prisons. "What have you done to the outposts? Why are the sentries all disappearing?! What are the Black Masks planning now?!" "..." The Black Masks kept silent. "You rascals¡­ Do you think that there''s still a chance for you to escape? You''d better confess else, we''ll put you through hell!" "..." "You really!" Longyu Linji raised his arms and spiked his mana output. He wanted to threaten the Black Masks into submission, but alas... "Wow, Brother Linji... you''re terrible at interrogations..." Longyu Hai chuckled at her elder cousin''s poor use of verbs. "No wonder our Hall of Whispers denied your application twice." "You little brat¡­ Must you really bring that up every single time?" Longyu Linji''s menacing facade quickly crumbled, drawing laughs from both Longyu Hai and Shin. "Hai''er, don''t make fun of Brother Linji too much," Shin held his smiles while slowly twisting his hands. An array of glorious colours emerged from the depths of his soul and slowly crept its way into the eyeballs of the sealed pair. All colour was lost from their eyes, and in their consciousness, Shin started to glow with a familiar radiance. No, he began to emit a pressure that was far too familiar to their senses. [Give me your report...] Using the Mind-element, Shin imitated the Allfather''s voice and aura to significant effect. Mesmerised by the familiar dominant power, the two Kshatriyas turned into lifeless dolls and blurted out everything that they knew. "A-ah! Lord Allfather! Esteemed Noble Beasts Kin and Gin are now marking the remaining outposts with their idols. We estimate that the plan should succeed in three months." "That''s right, Lord Allfather! The Noble Beasts Kin and Gin will fulfil your mission no matter what the cost! They will-..." Before the Kshatriyas could divulge anything more, a dark presence burst out from the Kshatriya''s bodies. It was dark and murky, much like the power that had been terrorising the continent for the past decade now. Sensing what''s to come, Shin attempted to save the Kshatriyas before it was too late, boosting the amount of pure mana in the prisons to the utmost limit. Alas¡­ PLOP!!! Like an inflated balloon that had far surpassed its limits, the two Black Masks erupted into a pool of red. Shin looked on despondently as the bits of flesh rolled around in his water prison. It has been a while since he''d seen a Black Mask self-destruct, but there was no way that Shin could forget it. After all, that was how Junius'' father had passed on right before his eyes. With disgust, Shin released his hold on the exploded remains of the two Kshatriyas and gave a simple prayer. As much as he hated the Black Masks, the deceased were once innocent humans that had been corrupted through circ.u.mstance. The least that Shin could do was to offer up a minute of silence. Biting on his lower lip, Shin said: "With this, there''s no doubting it¡­ The Allfather is alive and well..." "Not only is he alive and well, but his influence over the Black Masks has also grown stronger." Longyu Hai added, her small face flashing a frown. "Everyone under the influence of the Allfather would be constantly monitored by his Spirit. Once there''s any sign of betrayal, the Allfather would instantly ignite his subordinates..." Ten years had passed, and Guardian Sword hadn''t been idling around. With the help of the Hall of Science and other leading researchers in the world, Guardian Sword had analysed most of the useful data pertaining to the Allfather and the Black Masks. They''d even looked into relics of Spirit Immortal Dream, hoping to figure any information about the man from the previous era. Naturally, there were some breakthroughs when it came to the Allfather''s Spirit. "Yes¡­ Looks like he''d mostly recovered from the battle ten years ago..." Longyu Linji scowled as well. "However, at least we''ve got some additional information¡­ The ones responsible for the Alliance''s recent disappearances are the twin Noble Beasts." "Do we have any data about them?" "Not much," Shin thought back on the Hall of Whispers report on the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Of the nine, very little was known about Kin and Gin. The Alliance and Guardian Sword knew that the twins exist, but due to their elusive tendencies, not much is known about the twin Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. They didn''t even know what their true forms were. Nonetheless¡­ "Still, it looks like we have found our first prey to hunt..." Chapter 610 - The Wild Hunt (2) Shin had been in the Alliance Headquarters multiple times now, so it wasn''t strange for him to move unimpeded through the corridors as he reached the familiar heavy oak doors. The two Longyu Clan geniuses, on the other hand, had far more reserved expressions. They didn''t want to embarrass the Longyu Clan or Shin, but they were in a place where the world''s elites gathered. It wasn''t strange to see a Spirit Venerate strolling down the halls while reading the daily paper, or a master craftsman hammering down in an adjacent room. To make matters worse, after the gathering of Saints, all three of the independent Spirit Saints had moved their forces to the Neutral Lands and frequently visited the Alliance Headquarters for leisure. The Healer Association moved almost all of its resources into the new Land of Dreams. The Blacksmith''s League moved Deus Citadel and the other flying forts that they''ve built with Spirit Immortal Dream''s blueprints. And the Mercenary Guild, being the most versatile organisation of them all, simply moved their main manpower to the Neutral Lands. In the end, the new Land of Dreams had become a new hotspot for powerful beings to gather, even drawing the likes of rogue Spirit Emperors and nomadic hunters. Against all these bigwigs, even the former Luminary Longyu Linji had to be exceedingly cautious of his words. Fortunately, he didn''t have to worry too much, though. Why? Because he had the most significant backing of them all¡­ "Shin, you''re here!" Raphael opened up with a brilliant smile. "Senior Raphael, I''m back again..." Shin smiled bitterly. A few days back, he was right in this building spectating the meeting of Spirit Saints. Yet, a few hours later, he was back here visiting once more. If not for the circ.u.mstances, Shin would seem like a young kid who couldn''t bear to leave the crib. "No worries, no worries!" Raphael laughed. "The Alliance''s doors are always open for you! Come, take a seat!" The red-haired man was all smiles as he guided his guests to the comfy sofas. Raphael clapped twice, and a cupbearer walked in with a silver tea tray. In no time at all, the cupbearer took out the fanciest looking cups and placed them down on the table before the trio. Without even looking, Shin could tell that the tea being served to them were of the highest quality. The rich aroma that could be smelt ten kilometres away was far too enticing for Shin to resist. Noticing the man''s salivation, Raphael laughed: "Please, have some refreshments first. You must be tired from the journey." "Don''t mind if I do..." Shin wasted no time in tasting the best flavours from the Divine Healer''s collection. The bitter, yet the sweet touch of Oolong filled Shin''s senses as he took small sips with comfort. The warmth was just perfect for a tea of this calibre, and the decadent aroma continued to tickle Shin''s sense of smell. It felt like he was transported back into the woods, surrounded by the warm embrace of nature. ''Mmmm, delicious. As expected of Master''s junior¡­'' Shin looked at the beaming Alliance Head, and the image of Lady Seph overlapped with his own figure. They were both from the Healer''s Association, so it was no surprise that Raphael and Lady Seph shared the same interests when it came to tea. Naturally, Shin being Lady Seph''s student had also taken a liking to the Dao of tea. "Exquisite, Senior Raphael." "Hehe, I''m glad you like it." The Alliance Head chuckled before taking the seat right in front of the Guardian Sword members. Laxing his body, Raphael crossed his thighs over one another before asking the crucial question: "So, what brings you back so soon?" "The outposts." Shin succinctly replied. At those words, Raphael couldn''t remain smiling. Narrowing his eyes, the red-haired man asked: "What did you find out?" "As you may know, Guardian Sword has an array of informants, within the Alliance and out. Just twenty-four hours ago, we were tipped off by a source that two Black Masks have been seen approaching one secluded region near the fiftieth outpost." "I see," Raphael frowned. "And from the fact that you''re here instead of chasing them..." "Yes, we''ve managed to track them down and ''asked'' some simple questions." Shin took one more sip of his tea. "However, before we could extract even three sentences, the Allfather''s curse took over, and both of them detonated." "They detonated from the curse¡­ Damn it, so that bastard is still alive and well!!!" As anticipated, Raphael could guess what Shin and the Lonyu Clan members deduced. "However, before they exploded, I did manage to gain some vital intel about the true reason why the outposts are disappearing so quickly. They mentioned that Kin and Gin, the Noble Beasts carrying the crown of Gold and Silver respectively, have been mobilised." "The enigmatic pair?" Raphael frowned. Among the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the Alliance had the most information about Kuro and Ao, the supposed strongest two. Next would be the Spirit Beasts that had openly shown their aggression to the Alliance. Beasts such as Akai, Midori and Murasaki. They even had some intel about Momo and Shiro, the ones that appear less frequently as compared to their companions. However, the remaining two Spirit Beasts were completely shrouded in mystery. Other than their names, very little was known about the twins. Their abilities, character, even their relation to the Black Masks. Everything was hidden from the Alliance''s intelligence. "That''s right. Kin and Gin are the ones attacking the outposts and the reason for our sentries disappearing is most likely due to their unique abilities," Shin theorised. If Shiro had the power to teleport and phase through dimensions, it was highly likely that other Spirit Beasts could do the same. "Anything else?" "Hmmm¡­ They did say something about idols though..." "Idols? You mean like carvings using stone or metal?!" "I would guess so," Shin scratched his chin, curious to see what the Alliance Head was stunned about. At the very least, Shin doubted that the Black Masks had celebrities performing down in the abyss when the whole world was out to destroy them. "No, if you''re talking about idols, we''ve seen a few mysterious objects." Raphael moved over to the evidence box that was presented to him by the Alliance''s agents. Among them, there were bits of exotic memorabilia, ones that normally served as souvenirs that soldiers would use to remember their families. They weren''t anything overly strange, and Shin could tell that in a glance. However, as he peeked closer down into the box, he''d started to feel something pulsating in his mind. "That golden one¡­ Where did you find it?" Shin pointed to the statue of a disfigured human that seemed to have been crudely chiselled by a roadside craftsman. It wasn''t anything too flashy, and one could have easily missed it amidst the junk. The gold plating wasn''t even that prominent, with numerous black patches and broken cracks. "Ah, it was found in the bathroom of one outpost. It was odd for such an object to be in that area, so our boys brought it back for further analysis. Unfortunately, it seems to be a regular gold idol. Nothing more." "Is that so..." Shin raised his brows in suspicion before leaning in for a closer look. "Mind if I inspect it?" "By all means," Raphael replied unhesitantly. Shin raised the disfigured statue up into the light and stared right into its core. For the first few seconds, nothing happened. Shin looked like a collector trying to find flaws in the product that he was thinking of buying. However, just after half a minute¡­ IIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGG!!! A blistering sharp sound pierced the ears of everyone present, deafening them all. The familiar elongated coil wrapped around Shin''s body, while a kaleidoscopic radiance burst forth like a blooming flower. Shin pores were opening at record rates, allowing his Celestial Aura to take full control over the chambers. Longyu Linji and Longyu Hai were used to Shin''s frequent aura and were mostly unfazed by the sudden action. Raphael, on the other hand, was greatly shaken. The aura and pressure being generated Shin were not at all inferior to his own. However, it was what happened next that truly shook him to his core¡­ All of the light that Shin had created had turned into a greyish hue. Without any resistance, Shin''s mana bolted right into the golden idol and forced the unmoving statue to tremble in complete fear. And then, Shin ''opened'' his eyes... "Found you..." Chapter 611 - The Wild Hunt (3) "Found you..." Shin''s voice beckoned out within the consciousness of Kin, even though she was kilometres upon kilometres away. On the other side of the idol, the blonde woman snapped open her eyes while exhaling rapid breaths. Kin slammed her knees upon the hard wooden floor as she desperately attempted to keep the fear from taking over her mind. By her side, the similar-looking silver-haired man instantly pushed his palms onto her back and began to channel some mana into his sister. "Kin! Don''t panic!" Gin cried out, attempting to soothe his elder sister''s frantic mental state. Kin gritted her teeth and used the mana supplied to stabilise her mind. At that moment, she felt as if a thousand needles were poking down all over her body, and a towering gaze was looking down upon her. Her mind started to make hallucinations, mainly about two celestial eyes looking right at her, examining every nook and cranny of her existence. If not for Gin''s assistance, Kin would have succ.u.mbed to the power like a poor girl that was forced to marry as a concubine. "..." There was an investigative hint in the powerful eyes that befell upon the woman, and it took everything that Kin had to completely erode that presence from probing even further. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" Kin shouted. A golden light, coiled with a tinge of silver, attacked the floating eyes with a vengeance. Like a black cloud that had been struck by a comet, the eyes vanished into thin air, leaving Kin with space to finally take a deep breath. "That power¡­ That''s Shin Iofiel..." Kin instantly deduced. "Are you certain?!" Gin shot his sister a look of fear. The pair''s souls were intricately linked, so he could feel everything that Kin did. That presence that descended upon them so suddenly¡­ It was no less powerful than a Spirit Saint. Or at the very least, the power of that entity''s soul easily surpassed that of theirs, given how fearful it could make them feel. "There''s no question¡­ I''ve seen him once before, and I memorised his mana signature..." Kin spat as she bit her lower lip. "Those eyes were that of the Celestial Dragon, there''s no doubt about it!" Kin wasn''t an ignorant Spirit Beast. Yes, she had remained low-key to prevent the Alliance from targetting Gin and her. However, the Spirit Beast also had used a large chunk of her own resources to build up an information network, much like Isadore or the Allfather. After all, in order to protect her interests, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast has to have as much information as she could gather without the Black Masks'' interference. She naturally knew what Shin''s mana signature and appearance were like. It was just¡­ Kin would have guessed that Shin had progressed this far. "He''s seen our location," the woman scorned. "He was able to use the Celestial Dragon to reverse space-time from the golden idol we''ve left behind to spy on the Alliance..." "Wait, does that mean?!" "Yes..." Kin stood up and sent a shockwave flying out upon the old wooden cottage. During their mission, the twins had decided to take up residence in a remote location near the Alliance. For the outposts to fall quickly, Kin and Gin had to be close by to react as quickly as they did. Alas, they had to scratch all of their plans now¡­ Kin watched menacingly as the cottage they used was crushed right into smithereens. "We''re abandoning this mission¡­ We can''t risk our lives to take down any more of those outposts now that they know how to counter my ability." "That''s absurd! Wasn''t he of the water-element? Even with the Celestial Dragon, how can he reverse-scour the idol?! That''s something that only the Allfather can do!" The blonde woman shook her head. "I don''t know, Gin. But the facts are laid bare. We can''t dilly-dally here anymore. Let''s report to the Allfather that some irregularities have popped up and we''re unable to destroy the remaining outposts. Since there''s chaos on the other side of the world, I doubt the Allfather would force us to continue on the mission." As much as the twin Spirit Beasts wanted to one-up their sworn enemy, they weren''t dumb enough to throw their lives away just for that cause. Behind Shin were a plethora of Spirit Venerates and more frighteningly, he has the power to move Spirit Saints. If any of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were discovered, there was no question that a few of the thirteen remaining Saints would come flying with Shin to decimate their foes. "Let''s leave now!" ??? The Neutral Lands. In between Outpost fifty-four and fifty-five. Fifty shadows spearheaded down like meteorites tearing down from the heavens. The familiar tall oak trees that towered over their compatriots seemingly shivered as the figures passed them by. Terrified, numerous wildlife ran far in the other direction leaving the shadows to completely take over the serene yet, mystical area. The first of the fifty shadows landed squarely upon the broken down hut and carefully lifted out one plank to examine. "They left..." Shin frowned. "That has to be expected, right?" A sombre voice sounded out from behind the Prince. "These two are the most elusive of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. The moment you used your spiritual sense to whiff out this location, that was the time where they would bolt back to the Abyss or any stronghold that the Black Masks had." Raphael continued to remark. "Mmmm, that''s right, My Prince." Zishen''s nonchalant voice tickled Shin''s senses from the left. "Kin and Gin have been eluding our intelligence for the past decade now. Even Sir Isadore has trouble digging up any dirt about the two Spirit Beasts. There''s no shame in not catching the pair." Words of consolation came from all corners of the congregation. They''d believed that Shin had rushed over intending to take down two pillars of the Black Masks in one swoop and that this failure might have severe repercussions on his psyche. Naturally, Shin didn''t think of it that way. "Don''t worry, I''m not all that disappointed. Only a fool would stay in an exposed base." Shin shook his head before pointing right to the ruins. "However, this is the place where the two had spent most of their time while they were clearing our outposts. There should be some clues left behind." "Understood¡­ Men!" Raphael barked at the subordinates that followed the Prince of Water over. Without any further orders, the Spirit Kings and Lords rushed towards the broken hut, turning over every broken plank and every overturned rock. The men searched endlessly and brought back some items of interest. There were three similar golden idols, each one more crudely made than the last. There were also a few objects that were obviously from the missing sentries that guarded the outposts, and even more knick-knacks that seemed out of place for such a remote hut. However, none of them really resonated with Shin as the previous golden idol did. Evidently, Kin had severed her connection to many of the items that had been scattered within the cottage fearing that Shin would track her down once again. Though, there was one thing¡­ "Wait, pass me that book..." From the corner of his eye, Shin saw one Spirit Lord pulling out a gold-silver book from under the debris. The book was far too clean and shiny for an item that had been buried for at least half a day. Not to mention, the Mind-Elements were dancing about in complete disarray as they surrounded the colourful book. Shin could feel joy, sadness, fear, anger¡­ Even disgust when he saw the Mind-Elements flying about. Curious, the Prince took two steps forward while heightening his spiritual sense. And then¡­ He read the five glowing words that were as bright as the heavens itself... "The Rabbit in the Moon?" Chapter 612 - The Rabbit In the Moon Once upon a time, in a lush garden untouched by civilisation itself¡­ Four animals lived in complete harmony. Each one of the animals were unique and without comparison. However, even though they were as different as can be, the four animals were codependent on one another for their existence. The eldest member of the four was the charismatic Grey Otter. The Grey Otter was the first being to appear within the garden. Greasy and muscular, the Grey Otter was the most massive of the four. Whenever intruders dared to invade the sacred garden, the Grey Otter was the first one to stand up against them. Chivalrous and proud, the Grey Otter was the ideal eldest sibling one could pray for. The second oldest of the four was a gorgeous Golden Fox. Its hair was as luscious as the world''s top courtesan and an air of royalty wreathed around its golden coat of fur. Within the garden, the Golden Fox was by far the most beautiful of the four. Even if she were to leave the garden, one would doubt that they would find a more beautiful creature. Due to her beauty, the three animals all treated her as if she were their treasure, the pearl that couldn''t be tainted no matter what the cost. And that had made the Golden Fox quite the haughty figure. The third one in the hierarchy was the enigmatic Silver Monkey. Just like its elder siblings, the Silver Monkey had its own unique trait. It knew every single nook and cranny of the garden and was responsible for building anything that its siblings required. However, even though its intelligence and mechanical skills far surpassed that of its siblings, it was rather shy and reserved. The fourth and final one of the animals was also the most low-key of them all. The Pink Rabbit. Unlike her elder siblings, the Pink Rabbit didn''t really have a purpose in the garden. She grazed on grass and lived happily as a cheerleader of some sorts. Even though the Pink Rabbit had no true motivation and purpose in the garden, none of her siblings picked on her all. In fact, they loved her as the youngest of them all, always happy that their mascot was feeding well. The four animals lived in harmony, never stirring up any trouble within the beautiful gardens. Often times, they would take a dip in the hot springs that they loved so much all while talking sweet nothings into each other''s ears. They would hop around merrily, playing games to pass the time and sleep under the blanket of stars enjoying each other''s company. That was until¡­ "Nenene! Someone is entering the garden!" The Pink Rabbit perked up her ears and exclaimed with complete terror in her voice. The Grey Otter, being the most mighty of them all, leapt up on his two feet and bared his fangs. "Where did you see him?!" "He''s coming from the northwest!" The Pink Rabbit added while twitching her nose. The four harmonious animals all rushed to the scene, all showcasing their Tier 8 cultivations to the maximum. The four animals were always united when it came to the threat of outsiders. After all, they were codependent on one another to stay alive in this little garden of theirs. Anything that came to disturb that balance was meant to be cut with a vengeance. It didn''t take long for the four animals to see their target. A middle-aged man donned in some of the most exquisite black robes the animals had ever seen in their lifetimes, sauntered casually into the garden his face as relaxed as can be. Waving the crow-feathered fan in his hands, the man watched jubilantly as the four animals came rushing to welcome him. "Are you the residents of this beautiful garden?" The man asked. "Yes, who the hell are you?! Why have you come to disrupt our peace?!" The Grey Otter screamed back while cognizant to his younger siblings locations. The man that intruded the sacred garden was unlike any being that came before him and the Grey Otter was acutely aware of that. If they were to start a fight, the combined might of the four animals might fall short, and there was no way that the Grey Otter was going to risk it. "I''ve heard legends of the Moon Valley, the garden that housed four holy Spirit Beasts. Naturally, I''m curious about how holy you guys really are!" The man shouted back. "Hmph! People like you are not welcomed here! Leave at once or suffer the consequence!" The Golden Fox snorted, unaware of the dangers the man may bring. "Now, now¡­ Just hear me out..." The man smiled, not at all offended by the Golden Fox''s provocation. "I''ve come here searching for the key to the Immortal Realm. If you guys have any information about that, I would love to hear it." "The Immortal Realm? What the hell is that?!" The Golden Fox continued to fold her arms in scorn. "Wait, you don''t know what the Immortal Realm is?" The man was genuinely shocked. Spirit Beasts were intelligent beings, and just like humans, they should have an innate desire to chase the Key to Immortality. Yet, the four animals seemed utterly unaware of such a term, let alone hold the key that the man so desperately wanted. "What''s that?" Intrigued, the Silver Monkey asked. Seeing the ignorant animals made the man second-guess his intelligence. However, even after knowing that it may be fruitless, the man still sighed and gave his answer: "All mortals, be it you or me, will die one day. The only way to avoid that is to reach Immortality by opening the Gate to the Immortal Realm." "Nenene, what''s die?" The Pink Rabbit hopped over, unconcerned about the dangers that the man now posed. "Hmmm¡­ Dying is when your soul leaves your body forever. You will no longer be aware of your surroundings, never be able to feel the touch of your loved ones and will never be able to enjoy the pleasures of life." "NEVER?!" The Pink Rabbit gasped, as did her fellow siblings. They had lived happily under the umbrella of the sacred garden and never had to experience the scary fact that was death. They only knew life and could never fathom the horrors of death. "That''s right, death is a scary thing. So, I''m here to seek answers. But from the looks of it..." The man looked around and saw nothing of note in the garden. No fountain of youth, no colossal gate¡­ Not even a single Spiritual Armament. It was doubtful that the answer he sought laid here. However¡­ There was something that interested him in the holy garden. "Though the Key to Immortality isn''t here, you guys are quite the odd specimens..." The man chuckled, drawing quick breaths from the four animals. "Three animals staying under the protection of a mere bunny. Quite a queer scene." "Wait, what do you mean under the protection of a bunny? I''m the one who is protecting the garden!" The Grey Otter shouted back. "That''s right! Our eldest brother is the one who shields us from all dangers! What are you talking about?" The Golden Fox retorted as well. "What, you didn''t know?" The man frowned. "Did you really think that your Moon Valley would exist without the power of the Moon Rabbit?" "Moon Rabbit?" The three elder siblings looked right at their youngest, their faces were plastered with shock. "Hahaha, you were well-sheltered from the outside world! To think that you all don''t know your own species!" Watching those funny expressions, the man laughed. "However, your little sibling here won''t be able to protect the three of you anymore. I''ve breached this barrier once, and more and more powerful Spirit Beasts will notice this Eden." "YOU WHAT?!" The Golden Fox yelped. "I''m sorry, I was just dead-set on finding the Key to Immortality. How about this? Won''t the four of you join me under my banner? Fight for me as we chase the Key to Immortality together? I promise, I won''t let any of you come to any harm, and I will even bring you up into the Immortal Realm!" "That''s absurd!" The Grey Otter cried. "You came in and took away our peace! Now you want us to fight for you? Don''t be ridiculous!" "That''s right! Leave here immediately, or else we''ll get violent!" The Golden Fox supplemented her elder brother''s words with a snare of her own. "Hah¡­ Suit yourself," the man shrugged his shoulders and pivoted his sole around. Since the thing that he was searching for wasn''t here, there was no point in sticking around. However, before he could even leave, a gentle tug could be felt on his pants. "Hmmm?" The man looked down, only to see the Pink Rabbit looking up at him with upturned eyes. "What is it?" "Nenene¡­ Will I die? Will my siblings die?" The Pink Rabbit asked. Her body was shaking and her ears twitching ever so wildly. "Yes¡­ Unfortunately..." The man sadly replied. "That''s the circle of life. Where there is life, there will be death. Particularly for Spirit Beasts like yourselves. There hasn''t been a recorded instance of a Spirit Beast gaining eternal life on their own." "Nenene, what about you? Do you know anyone who has gained eternal life?" The Pink Rabbit continued to ask, taking aback all those who listened in. The man stood silent for a solid three seconds before returning a smile: "Yes¡­ I know someone who has entered the Immortal Realm. She''s the reason I want to go there in the first place." "I see..." The Pink Rabbit shivered before looking at the man with everything that she had. "Nenene¡­ Can you help us gain eternal life?" "Hey, you!!!" The Golden Fox screamed at the Pink Rabbit, angered by her youngest sibling''s suggestion. Alas, it all fell on deaf''s ear. The Pink Rabbit''s mind was in the clouds and was wholly focused on the matter of life and death. "Yes¡­ Yes, I can." "Nenene~ Are you sure~" "Yes. Yes, I''m sure..." "Then it''s good enough..." The Pink Rabbit finally let go of her shaking fear before beaming the brightest smile she ever made. And at that very moment¡­ CLINK!!! The ''garden'' shattered into a million pieces. Everything that the four animals loved¡­ The hot springs, the flowing rivers, the fragrant flowers¡­ They all wholly disappeared from existence. Even the sunny skies above had been altered drastically. Afraid, the three eldest siblings huddled up together, watching in fear as the sky came crashing down. However, there was no damage to the three animals. It was as if¡­ Nothing in the ''garden'' was meant to harm them, even in destruction. The Pink Rabbit leapt up towards the celestial heavens, a congregation of nebulas cl.u.s.tering around the real luminous full moon that graced the planet. Looking up, the three animals dropped their jaws in absolute awe. The sky¡­ It was gone¡­ And in its place¡­ Was the image of the Rabbit in the Moon. Chapter 613 - Kin And Gin (1) "This story..." Shin raised his head up after reading the book from cover to cover. The story that was told was quite the fantastical one. Four animals that lived in a secluded area untouched by civilisation itself? It was quite the tall tale to believe. However, it was just a fictional story, so there wasn''t any need to take heed to its contents¡­ Right? "What''s the matter?" Raphael came over and peeked into the book as well. Like Shin, the Alliance Head scrutinised the story with a solid eye but didn''t really feel anything of the tale. "Hmmm, an interesting story. I wonder who wrote this book?" "Senior Raphael¡­ Don''t you find it a little odd?" Shin raised his brow as he questioned the man. "The Rabbit in the Moon¡­ Why would such a book be stored here?" "Why would that be odd? There are literally millions of stories created all over the globe. Spirit Beasts that gained human intelligence are also no strangers to reading up on our literature." The Alliance Head didn''t think that it was strange for the twin Spirit Beasts to possess a few literary items. However, the Light-Elemental Spirit Venerate didn''t have the spiritual sense to pick up on the immense Mind-Elements that were congregating on the simple book. "No that''s not what I meant..." Shin shook his head as he raised the book slightly higher. A refreshing aura burst forth from his soul and enveloped the object in his hands. "The owner of this book¡­ Or the one that held this book last¡­ They had so many emotions for the story. I can feel the happiness in the first chapter, and the anguish in the last¡­ It''s as if, this story isn''t fictional¡­ But an account of the owner''s life story..." "You can tell that much just by picking it up?" Raphael scoffed, wholly unconvinced that Shin''s ability could pick up something so specific. "Unsure¡­" The Prince frowned before falling deep into contemplation. There had to be a missing clue somewhere¡­ "Wait a minute¡­ Senior Raphael, didn''t you say that Kin and Gin loved to take the forms of humans, just like the other Nine Coloured Noble Beasts." Thinking of something, Shin''s mind burst into life. "Yes, that''s what our intelligence concludes," Raphael scratched his chin while recalling the numerous reports that were placed on his table. "The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts would normally take human form, and their hair colours would manifest according to their attribute. Kuro would take the shape of a thirty-year-old black-haired man. Ao, a blue-haired intellectual. Akai, a hot-headed, red-haired man. So on and so forth..." "What about Kin and Gin?" Shin asked. "Hmmm, if I''m not mistaken¡­ Kin takes the form of a golden-haired woman in her mid-twenties, while Gin takes the shape of a silver-haired man with equal beauty." "Gold and silver¡­ Ain''t that the colours of the Golden Fox and Silver Monkey in the tale?" The Prince flipped the pages and landed on the first chapter. "Also¡­ Wasn''t there a pink-haired young girl among the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts?" "Yes, but we''d never found out her true identity¡­ Wait, are you suggesting that..." "..." Shin remained silent, but that''s all the Alliance Head needed to hear his thoughts. Throwing his eyes down at the book once more, Raphael started to read the first few paragraphs out loud. "Once upon a time, in a lush garden untouched by civilisation itself¡­ Four animals lived in complete harmony. The Grey Otter¡­ The Golden Fox¡­ The Silver Monkey, and¡­ The Pink Rabbit. And if the man who had entered the garden during the later chapters was the Allfather, that means!!!" "Yes¡­" A sinister smile crept up the sides of Shin''s lips. All this while, there had been this patch of blank information when it pertained to some members of the Noble Beasts. However, if this book wasn''t just fiction¡­ Shin may have stumbled upon the last piece of the puzzle. "Kin is the Golden Fox, Gin is the Silver Monkey and Momo¡­ The third strongest Spirit Beast under the Allfather''s command¡­ Is the legendary Moon Rabbit..." The Moon Rabbit. It was a Spirit Beast that everyone, no matter how young or old, would know about. A mythical creature said to be the companion of the Moon Goddess herself, the Moon Rabbit was a staple in humanity''s culture. It had appeared in numerous folklores throughout the years. Some say that the Moon Rabbit was the companion of the Moon Goddess and was the one responsible for pounding the medicine that the Immortal uses. Others say that the Moon Rabbit was an animal that created elixirs that could grant eternal life, the one thing that every living mortal chased after. No matter what the myth, there was one constant¡­ The Moon Rabbit was said to be the bearer of the Key of Immortality, the being responsible for opening the gate to the Immortal Realm. Naturally, most people in the modern age denied those claims as fiction, much as they did the Eternal Burning Tree, Yggdrasil. Nevertheless, it hadn''t curbed most people from seeking and worshipping the enigmatic creature. "So it really is the Moon Rabbit..." Raphael bit his lower lip. "The number of times humanity had seen the Moon Rabbit could be counted with the fingers of one hand¡­ Why would such a legendary and elusive Spirit Beast join forces with the Allfather?" "If the story is to be believed¡­ The Moon Rabbit wants to gain the Key to Immortality as well, which just so happens to coincide with the Allfather''s ultimate plan." Shin explained. "So the legends aren''t true, huh¡­ The Moon Rabbit isn''t the Moon Goddess'' pet or the Key to the Immortal Realm." "Well, since when fairy tales are considered to be facts?" The Prince chuckled; however, his face quickly scrunched up. Wasn''t he chasing a fairy tale as well? ''No, let''s not think about that for now...'' The man shook his head and flipped through the pages once more. Reaching the page he sought, Shin asked Raphael the crucial question. "Now that we know what Kin, Gin and Momo''s real identities are, we can configure new methods to deal with them! So, Senior Raphael¡­ Do you know anything about the Golden Fox, Silver Monkey and the Moon Rabbit''s abilities?" "Not per se..." The Alliance Head replied with a negative. "I''d never even heard of the Golden Fox or the Silver Monkey! The Moon Rabbit, on the other hand, is so elusive that I doubt any library in the world would have a record of its abilities." "Now that''s a problem..." Shin frowned. They had just found a significant breakthrough in the case, and yet they had nothing to show for it. If they could at least figure out the abilities of the Golden Fox and the Silver Monkey, they could understand how the sentries from the outposts were disappearing and plant traps to ensnare the twin Spirit Beasts. However, if Shin and the Alliance knew nothing, they could do nothing. Fortunately... "Mmmm¡­ The Golden Fox and Silver Monkey..." Zishen''s aged voice echoed from the side, bringing a flash of radiance back to Shin''s pale complexion. "Senior Zishen! Do you know anything?" "Mmmm¡­ My ancestors had recorded a thing or two..." The Azure Dragon Lord tilted his head as he started to recall what little knowledge he had. "Mmmm¡­ The Golden Fox and Silver Monkey are auxiliary-types from what I can tell. The Golden Fox has control over the Space-Elements while the Silver-Monkey is proficient in Time-Elements." "Space and time?!" Raphael exclaimed. Among all of the elements of the known world, the Space-Time elements were always the rarest. Even though those were the most omnipresent elements, they were always the hardest to sense and therefore, the most difficult ones to control. "Mmmm¡­ That''s from what I''ve heard. As for their abilities, I think the Golden Fox is able to morph into whichever form that she chooses and is capable of teleporting between her marked items. Mmmm¡­ As of the Silver Monkey¡­ It''s more secretive of the two, so I don''t really know what it can do." "No, your words are more than enough..." Shin gratefully bowed down. "Then, do you know anything about the Moon Rabbit?" "The Moon Rabbit..." At that moment, Zishen''s brows were knitted into a singular line. His mind was trembling just at the memory of his ancestor''s words and even feared to word out his next statement. "The Moon Rabbit¡­ She¡­ Controls the power of death." Chapter 614 - Kin And Gin (2) "So you can''t continue with the mission?" A tall, black-haired man looked down at the twin Spirit Beasts, who were busy shaking from their waists down. "I''m sorry¡­ We were discovered by the Alliance members far too early." Kin bit her lower lip in regret as she announced the failure of their objectives. "They''d managed to track down my location through the use of my idol. If I were to stay near the outposts, the Alliance would have launched an attack on us." "It''s our fault¡­ We''ve underestimated the powers of the Alliance..." Gin added with the same remorseful expression. Both his shaking legs met the cold, hard concrete of the floor as he said the bitter words: "We''ve failed the Allfather, please punish us." "Punish you?" Kuro looked up at the ceiling with one eye kept down on the twins. If he were honest, it would be best to punish the pair for failing the Allfather''s mission. The Black Masks were on the verge of making their comeback into the mortal world, and there was little to no room for error. They had been gearing up for their return to the surface for a decade now, and any fatal mistakes could compromise that blood-stained effort. However... "No, we can''t afford to lose both of your powers during these sensitive times..." Kuro didn''t allow his emotions to get the better of himself. "I won''t punish you, but that doesn''t mean that you''re pardoned." "W-What?" The black-haired man took in a deep breath before continuing: "Continue with the mission. We need to clear at least half of the outposts in two months." "Senior Kuro!" Kin abruptly raised her head, ready to shoot her most eloquent protest. However, as her eyes met the towering, muscular man, she felt as if she were drenched in an icy-cold waterfall. The pressure that Kuro was emitting out was insane, so much so that even a Tier 9 Spirit Beast such as herself couldn''t bear to raise her head. "You have an objection?" Kuro''s cold voice echoed out. "S-Senior Kuro¡­ If we continue on the mission, our lives will be in severe danger!" Alas, the deadly pressure wasn''t going to shut the hot-hearted Kin up. Shivering while withstanding his killer aura, Kin talked back to Kuro: "As long as my idol is in their possession, the Alliance would have a method of tracking us down whenever they wish! Against some Spirit Emperors or Spirit Venerates, we might be able to manage. However, after the attack on the Shaolin Saint, the Alliance would be certain to send Saint-levelled beings to deal with us!" Kin had a point. When Shin came chasing after them, he''d brought Zishen, a Primordial Beast, as well as a plethora of Spirit Venerates from the Alliance. And that was only because he was rushing to capture both of them once they were discovered. If Shin were given the time and opportunity to plan¡­ Kin shivered just by thinking of the possibilities. Kin and Gin still had many plans¡­ Plans to return to the Moon Valley and reunite with their eldest brother. They couldn''t just lose their lives for the Black Masks and a cause that they didn''t follow. "As much as I would love to grant you your wish, the outposts of the Alliance have to be cleared. No matter the cost." Kuro face tightened, drawing gulps from the two Spirit Beasts. "The Allfather''s days are numbered, we can''t delay the Grand Scheme anymore than we already had." "... Could you at least send some backup?" Gin interjected. "Our powers aren''t suited for direct confrontation. If a Saint-levelled expert appears, we will become ducks on a platter." The silver-haired man looked to the side, in the direction of Ao''s floating Payirci. "If Senior Ao works with us, we would have nothing to fear, even if a Spirit Saint hunts us down." Kuro frowned: "The aftermath of Saint Suhavis'' death had caused all of our top resources to be tied up. None of the Noble Beasts or the Spirit Venerates that joined are able to assist you. We simply don''t have the resources to help you finish the mission that you''re supposed to complete." "T-That..." Gin was speechless. That''s right, the Allfather''s mission to clear the outposts was something that was solely responsible on the twin Spirit Beasts. Their success would mean endless adoration and rewards that they could only dream of. However, it also meant that their failure would result in infinite scorn and frowns, as the rest of the Black Masks would look down at them with disdain. "Of course, if you beg Momo, maybe she''ll help you out-..." "No! That won''t be necessary!" Kin venomously spat out her real thoughts, completely ignoring the fact that she was talking to a superior. Gin hurriedly nudged on Kin''s lower rib with his elbow forcing her to curb the hate and anger that was written all over her face. "A-Ah, I mean¡­ We can handle the Alliance ourselves. There''s no need to burden Momo for it..." "Well, it''s good that you understand..." Kuro let out a sinister smile, seemingly insinuating something. "So, I believe that I will hear your good news soon?" "Y-yes..." Kin lowered her head in subservience. Internally, however, the woman was already cussing up a storm against the dastardly man who stood before her. ''This f.u.c.k.i.n.g asshole! Using Momo''s name to subdue us¡­ Hmph! Just you wait! Once the Allfather passes on, I''ll see what you can do!'' "Great¡­ So what are you waiting for? Go and finish the mission for the Allfather!" With a spit, Kuro kicked the duo out of his chambers and forced them to take the walk of shame back. They were not only seen as losers who had failed the most important mission that was assigned to them but also were forced to dive right back in without any backup. It truly was, a lose-lose situation for the twin Spirit Beasts. "That bastard! How dare he talk to us this way!" The moment that Kin returned back to her abode, she started cursing up a storm. "Just because he gained the power of a Primordial Beast through latching onto the Allfather¡­ Does he really think that he''s our senior?!" "Calm down, Kin¡­" "How can I? If we continue on with our mission, we''re basically throwing our lives away!" The golden-haired woman continued, still exasperated. "Damn it¡­ We should have just kept a low profile¡­ Why did we have to go and accept this stupid mission?" "You know that it''s hardly our choice..." Gin glanced down, entirely in sync with his sister''s frustrations. "If we keep distancing ourselves from the Black Masks, we''ll ultimately be outcast, and our rank as Noble Beasts would be stripped. Once that happens, the other Noble Beasts would be more than happy to kill us and claim our Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments for themselves." "Tsk, this is getting more and more annoying by the day¡­" With a sigh, the blonde woman took the hand of her younger brother and slowly leaned on his shoulders. "I miss the days where we could live carefreely¡­ You, me¡­ and brother Haiiro." "Yeah¡­ I miss those days too." Tightening his grasp on Kin, Gin started to reminisce the good times as well. "If it wasn''t for the Allfather¡­ We may still have a younger sister as well..." "Don''t talk about it anymore!" Kin angrily spat. "As far as I''m concerned, we don''t have a younger sister! Never had, and never will!" "Yes, yes, yes..." Gin nodded before gently caressing his sister on her crown. "So¡­ What are we going to do about the remaining outposts?" "Hah¡­ You just had to pour cold water on me..." Kin shrugged her shoulders in dissatisfaction. "But you''re right, the sooner we discuss it, the better." "So, what are your thoughts?" Kin scratched the bottom of her chin as she got her thinking cap on. It took her a few minutes, but the blonde woman finally came up something: "Since we can''t directly target the outposts anymore, let''s change our approach." "Elaborate?" "Our mission is to clear half the outposts so that the Black Masks are able to emerge from the Abyss unhindered. That''s the end result that we all seek. However, since when did we have to manually clear out each and every outpost?" True to her willy nature as the Golden Fox, Kin started to think outside the box. "You mean..." Kin''s beautiful face started to contort as heinous thoughts emerged from within: "Instead of killing the sentries that live within the outposts, why don''t we shatter their will to live?" Chapter 615 - Kin And Gin (3) The Neutral Lands. The New Land of Dreams. Alliance Headquarters. The Alliance Headquarters. One of the most stunning structures ever built in the modern age. Its palatial halls with beautiful adornments were no less inferior to that of the Himmel Empire''s own Imperial Palace or the Eight Ancient Clans of Water''s castles. However, it wasn''t just a dazzling structure for the eye, the Alliance Headquarters also boasted an array of defensive structures and well-established designs for streamlined military deployments. Additionally, with the inclusion of the three Spirit Saints from the independent powers, the Alliance Headquarters was reinforced with all sorts of new gadgets. Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments from each one of the major organisations. New technologies from the Blacksmith''s League, including the infamous Deus Citadel. The world''s best healers from the Healer Association, including the most famous Divine Healer of them all. And last but not least, the extensive intelligence network of the Mercenary''s Guild. In a sense, the Alliance Headquarters was the most fortified place in the world right now. Not even Shin''s own personal palace could hold a candle to the defences that the Alliance Headquarters boasted. However, even with all those defensive measures protecting them, there was no stopping the sombre mood of war from seeping into the secure four walls. Raphael sat silently on his desk, with the three Spirit Saints and Shin, all nearby. Saint Althea from the Healer''s Association and Saint Atossa from the Mercenary Guild were seated on the adjacent sofa, slowly sipping their tea while observing the red-haired leader of the Alliance. Shin was the same. He sat next to Saint Althea, but he wasn''t in the mood to casually drink tea like the others by his side. At the corner, Saint Atossa from the Mercenary Guild was staring out of the window, watching the eastern scenery with a serene face. Though, the atmosphere within the chambers was anything but serene. A chilling silence remained hanging over those present, all while they stared down the officer who was shivering on the spot. Eventually, Raphael exhaled a despondent sigh before asking: "How many abandoned their posts?" "Sir! Approximately two hundred!" The officer saluted and shouted out the truth. "Two hundred¡­ How many outposts are affected?" "Of the ones remaining¡­ Two-thirds..." "Two-thirds, huh?" Raphael pushed his back up against his chair before gazing up at the ceiling. "Do we have an estimate on the number that want to remain?" "..." The officer turned silent. Evidently, he knew the answer but was far too afraid to voice it out. Particularly with three Spirit Saints and the famed Prince of Water staring him down. "Be honest," Raphael urged the man to speak his mind. "Sir Alliance Head¡­ Their friends¡­ Their comrades are disappearing one-by-one. They can''t see the enemy, and neither can they fight back against it. All of them are on edge. They''re afraid¡­ Afraid that they would be the next one to disappear." The officer obliged and gave the hard truths. "Also, they''ve been away from their families and homes for the better part of a decade now. Their spouses, parents, children¡­ None of the sentries wants to be the next victim of our statistic. Furthermore, their allegiances were never with the Alliance in the first place..." It was true. The majority of the Alliance''s soldiers were loaned by the three superpowers. They had little interest in the Alliance''s cause as their bodies were meant to be used for their homeland. Why would any of them throw their lives away just because the Alliance Head asked them to? "I see..." Raphael dropped both his eyelids before heaving out a deep sigh. "Tell them that everyone who stays on would get a bonus at the end of the year. A bonus equivalent to half a year''s salary. Also, be extra alert during these turbulent times. Tell them that we''ve dispatched the world''s best elites, Guardian Sword, to be on the case." The Alliance Head turned to Shin seeking approval, to which, the Prince gave a simple nod. "Yes, Guardian Sword will be expending all of our resources to catch the ones responsible for the outposts disappearances! I swear that no innocent victims would be sacrificed anymore!" "Your assurance is all that they need," the officer bowed to Shin in reverence. However, as admirative as he was of Shin and Guardian Sword''s capabilities, even the officer couldn''t hide his fearful expression. "Please excuse me," the officer pardoned himself and shuffled his feet towards the door, leaving the most powerful people of the Alliance to talk amongst themselves. "This is a problem..." Saint Atossa was the first to break the ice. "The Black Masks had switched tactics. Instead of attacking our bases, they''re attacking the soul of the Alliance. Our soldiers." "The Black Masks are getting real brazen..." Saint Thor stroked his beard while in contemplation. "Making random men and women from each outpost disappear without a trace. It sends an unequivocal message to the rest of the soldiers. ''We can kill you anytime, are you willing to take the risk?'' Now, all of our sentries are choosing to return back to safety." "Could we ask the Lantis Republic, Himmel Empire and Kori Federation to send them back?" Saint Atossa asked the room, but her question was mainly targetted at one man. Shin shook his head with a negative reply: "They wouldn''t do that. I''ve met with some the deserters. They would rather face military punishment than to return to the place where they could potentially lose their lives without knowing why. Furthermore, how could we send out soldiers who are not willing to fight a war?" "That''s¡­ true..." "..." The saddening silence returned. Kin and Gin''s new strategy had proven to be effective. Far too effective perhaps. Sentries were leaving their posts by the dozens, and it was getting harder to keep them around by the day. Furthermore, it wasn''t like the Alliance could just abandon the outposts. They were the first line of defence in case there were any movement from the Abyss. But¡­ They couldn''t just let their soldiers die¡­ It was a brain-wracking conundrum, one that could hardly be solved by one mind alone. "The main problem is Kin and Gin, the two Spirit Beasts that use the Space and Time Elements..." Shin frowned as he picked up the fable they twins left behind. "If we can deal with them, the disappearances will stop." "Easier said than done," Saint Althea scoffed. "How can we catch those someone who is always one step ahead of us? It''s as if they were ghosts stalking the halls of our bases!" "Ghosts, huh?" Shin stroked the bottom of his chin. The discussion was slowly coming to a halt as no new ideas were being presented. The Alliance had to deal with this issue and quick, yet¡­ They hadn''t the faintest of clues on how to begin chasing the ghosts that lurked in their chambers. While the Spirit Saints and Raphael were in the midst of a brainstorm session, Shin silently flipped through the well-worn book, hoping to find even the slightest bit of clues. Though, he read The Rabbit in the Moon many times now and could even recite the entire first chapter from memory. "Once upon a time, four animals lived in harmony¡­ Four animals¡­ Four..." The bookworm started to repeat the first sentence, particularly the one word that somehow stood out more than the others. "Wait a minute¡­ Senior Raphael?" "Yes?" "The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts¡­ Could you name them all?" "Hmmm, why?" "Just do it for me please..." Shin begged, but his eyes didn''t leave the book for the slightest second. "Fine¡­" Raphael dug into his cabinet and pulled out the familiar doc.u.ment. "There''s Kuro. The Wolf carrying the Throne of Black. Ao, the World Serpent holding the Seat of Blue. Shiro, species unknown. Theoretically holding the Colour of White. Momo, the Moon Rabbit. Chair of Pink. Murasaki, the Arachne Queen. Throne of Purple. Midori, the Gargantuan Treat. Holding the position of Green. Akai, the Lion Chimaera representing the Red Colour. Kin, potentially a Golden Fox. Throne of Gold. Gin, potentially a Silver Monkey. Throne of Silver." Raphael read the intelligence report the Alliance had about the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. Some of the information was unclear and needed further intelligence to confirm, but most of them were as clean as a crystal. "It''s not there..." Shin thought out loud. "What''s not there?" "The Grey Otter," Shin pointed to the first page of the book. "Once upon a time, four animals lived in harmony. The Grey Otter, the Golden Fox, the Silver Monkey and the Pink Rabbit¡­ Among the four animals listed in the story, only the Grey Otter is missing from the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts." "You''re right..." Raphael puckered his lips. "Something must have happened to it during the interim¡­ Otherwise, why would there be so many emotions floating around this book?" Shin continued to think. And that was when... "Ah, I have an idea¡­ I know how to deal with the two Spirit Beasts now!" Chapter 616 - Brother Haiiro...? (1) Days passed. The Alliance was still in a mess as men were disappearing by the day. In less than a week, over thirty sentries had been ''spirited away'' with many leaving no trace of where they went or who took them. The number of deserters were likewise increasing. As the report concluded, none of them wanted to be the next number in the statistic. They had friends and family to return to and had no plans of losing their lives in this god-forsaken land. Raphael''s incentives to keep the men around didn''t work miracles either. A bonus worth half a year''s pay? What good would that be if they weren''t able to spend it? Bit by bit, the Alliance''s frontlines was falling, and the upper brass were more than panicking. The Black Masks, on the other hand¡­ "Cheers!" Kin raised her glass up in the air, meeting the ceramic cup that was in her brother''s hands. "We''ve really outdone ourselves here!" "Haha, you''re right!" Gin replied while flashing his full set of teeth. "Instead of taking out an entire outpost which takes at least an hour. We''ve just targetted a handful of them, taking any soldier at random! They now truly believe that ghosts were haunting them! You should have seen the look on the soldiers faces when you''ve sent them to me! Pale-white and completely aghast! They were so afraid that most of them peed their pants!" "Is that so? You should have recorded it down for me!" Kin continued to laugh as she gulped down her wine. "And the results are far better than we''d thought! Without expending too much effort, we''ve made the majority of them abandon their posts! If they continue at this rate, won''t all the outposts be deserted by the end of the month?" "Haha, if that really happens, the Allfather would be sure to bestow upon us with more rewards! I wonder if he''ll give us anymore Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments? That way, we would have a much better chance of fighting Momo should the time arise!" Gin was already drooling at the endless rewards that may come their way. The Spirit Beasts were ignorant, so they weren''t all that informed about the rarity of Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. Nonetheless, even if they didn''t get the things that they desired, the Allfather was a leader to give credit when credit was due. They could expect some generous gifts from their almighty leader. "Haha, you''ll have to thank my intellectual brain for that!" Kin puffed her chest out, as proud as can be. "Now that we''ve struck fear in their hearts, the morale of the troops would be at an all-time low. Fortunately, I''ve planted many of my idols around the outposts beforehand! Otherwise, we''d be in for hell." Gin gently stroked his elder sister''s hair with the signature warm smile that a father would use to commend his daughter. "Yes, yes¡­ It''s all thanks to you!" "Hehe, that''s nice! Do it more!" Like the loving sister that she was, Kin pushed her head closer into Gin''s chest. When in public, Kin was always the ice princess that seemed above and beyond the reach of mere mortals. One deafening gaze from her symmetrical pupils would send shivers down any being''s spine. However, in private, the Golden Fox was just a juvenile that loved to be cradled like the child she was. The cuddling continued on for a while. Kin was in no hurry to leave her younger brother''s arms, and Gin wasn''t all that displeased with their situation. Ever since they left Moon Valley, the two had been forced to rely on one another. Their youngest sister, Momo, had fully defected to the Allfather''s side and was obsessed with gaining immortality alongside that bastard human. And since Momo was the Moon Rabbit, she alone held the key to the Moon Valley, the place where their eldest brother was sealed. If Kin and Gin wanted to return to the home that they loved, they would need to either force Momo to open the gates or¡­ To remove her from the face of the planet. "We''re one step closer¡­ One step closer to finding Brother Haiiro..." Kin continued her embrace of her brother, not willing to separate for even the slightest second. Even though they were Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, Kin and Gin hadn''t lived a long time in Spirit Beast years. Their cultivations had been artificially raised through their association with the legendary Moon Rabbit for hundreds of years and the Allfather''s boost in mana had provided them with another significant boost. In other words, the pair were a bunch of teenagers living in an aged master''s body. They weren''t as emotionally mature as their other Noble Beast counterparts. "Yes, we''re at the final stretch¡­ Everything will fall into place in the next decade. Everything..." Gin whispered softly in his sister''s ears, putting her in a fragile state. "Alright, we''ve rested enough! Let''s do some work today, shall we?" Gin lightly teased as he slapped his sister''s butt. "Hah¡­ Fine..." Kin rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction but still acquiesced. She raised her hands up in the air and leaned her back closer down on Gin''s chest. A projection of a dense forest appeared right in front of the laidback duo, one that made them feel like they were physically present. "Ah, this idol is undiscovered. Let''s switch to another one." Once again, a projection was shown. This time, a man lying comfortably down in a warm bathtub could be seen. His face was free of anxiety, and his muscles were as relaxed as a sloth''s. Though heavy mist from the warm water blocked a clear path of his privates, Kin still scowled in disgust: "Urgh¡­ Stinking human. Dare to bring my idol into the shower with him? Let''s kill him next!" "Haha, lets." Snorting, Kin continued to change the image played on the screen. There were scenes in the kitchen. Most of them were in bedrooms. A select few were shrouded in complete darkness, meaning that they were well-secured and hard for Kin to teleport to. And the list continues. It was routine for Kin and Gin to continue watching the Alliance through the eyes of the idols, just to gain as much intel as they possibly could. Yes, Shin could reverse-search the pair through his odd powers, but the mission had to be completed by any means. If Kin were to find something amiss, she would instantly teleport to a safe location, where Gin or any other Black Masks might be at. "Hmmm, looks like there''s nothing new today¡­ I guess we can go back to the bathing dude and-..." Kin was mouthing out her master plan before coming to an abrupt halt. Her eyes were bulging, and her face turned as pale as a ghost. "What''s the matter?" Curious, Gin looked to the screen, and then¡­ "N-No way!" Gin turned limp on the legs as well. He could hardly believe what he was witnessing at that very moment. The idol was located in a secure cell, one that was at least thirty-metres wide and fifty-metres tall. Quite expansive for a prison cell, but the moment the twins saw its captive, they couldn''t bring the words out to describe their feelings. A Grey Otter, possibly ten metres in length, laid suspended in the air with seven deadly chains stuck to its body. All four of its limbs, its abdomen, it back and its neck¡­ They were all pierced by the soulbound chains. At the side, two men were busy sending flying wh.i.p.s down the Grey Otter''s body, causing laceration after laceration. Blood flowed down like an endless, gushing river while bits of flesh flew like comets. It was a scene of torture, no doubt. However, the thing that got the Golden Fox and the Silver Monkey wasn''t the scene of torture. But the subject of said torment. "B-Brother¡­ Haiiro?" Chapter 617 - Brother Haiiro...? (2) "Brother Haiiro?" Kin muttered out softly, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing. The image on the projected screen was unquestionably one that depicted a prison cell and their long-lost brother being tortured. But¡­ Why? And how? "Is that really¡­ brother Haiiro?!" After a few seconds, Kin''s mental functions came back online. She sprung to her feet and leapt closer towards the screen. Her pale white skin had turned flushed as both her arms and legs were flailing about. Kin didn''t know whether she was over the moon or under the ocean. Was the Grey Otter being tortured really¡­ their brother? "Wait, Kin! It might be a trap!" Gin quickly held his sister back. "Brother Haiiro has been sealed in the Moon Valley for years now! There''s no way that he could be with the humans!" "But that''s clearly him!" Kin protested, her eyeballs were on the midst of popping out. "You know how rare Grey Otters are, there''s practically only one of them every hundred thousand years! That''s brother Haiiro for sure!" Losing control over her emotions, the blonde woman gradually morphed from her humanoid shape and back to the Tier 9 Golden Fox that she truly was. "Calm yourself, Kin! You''re losing control over your metamorphosis!" The silver-haired man quickly grabbed his arms around his sister''s neck, trying his best to calm her down. But how could she? Kin had just witnessed the brother she loved most dearly being tortured right before her eyes. How could the Golden Fox sit back and relax while the Grey Otter was suffering? "We can''t rush to conclusions! It may not be him! The Alliance may use a fake as a trap to lure us in!" The Golden Fox screamed in retort: "How can you know that?! The Alliance have no clue that brother Haiiro exists! Only the both of us, Momo and the Allfather know about brother Haiiro!" "T-That..." The Silver Monkey had no retort. Kin was right, the existence of the Grey Otter was kept a tight secret. Heck, many people didn''t even know the true identities of Kin and Gin until recently, let alone the enigmatic first brother of the Moon Valley. "Can you hear them?" Relenting a little, Gin asked his sister for audio confirmation. If they could at least hear the Grey Otter''s voice than maybe, just maybe¡­ The scene before them could be real. "G-Good idea!" Kin nodded as she pressed her left index finger upon her ear. Space-elements began dancing as the woman concentrated, filling the air with a thick ethereal mist. Watching through the lens of the idol was one thing, but actually tuning in like Kin was doing right now¡­ It took a tremendous toll on the Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s mana. Kin''s body was shaking, probably due to a mixture of anxiety and excitement. She had longed to see her eldest brother for many years now¡­ and if the Grey Otter was real¡­ They would finally be reunited, fulfilling her most desired dream. "It''s connected!" Kin exclaimed after a good five seconds, her eyes were sparkling like luminescent lights. The twins stared perked their ears up, listening in as attentively as the could. This was their eldest brother that they were talking about! If it really was brother Haiiro that was being tortured¡­ SLIIIIIICKKKK!!! SLIIIIIICKKKK!!! SLIIIIIICKKKK!!! The deafening bursts of the wh.i.p.s tore through the flesh and bones of the Grey Otter who had its movements suspended, sending lumps of decayed flesh flying all over the place. "Are you willing to talk now?!" The bulky interrogator bellowed out as he landed yet another whip. "..." The Grey Otter was silent. His head was pointed down, and eyes were basically that of a dead fish. It was as if there wasn''t a mind within the once towering figure. Kin could barely watch the thick pounds of flesh that were sizzling on the floor. Be it her brother or not, such a gruesome scene wasn''t one for the faint-hearted. "He''s not speaking¡­ He looks lifeless..." Gin observed, careful not to jump to any conclusions. "Brother Haiiro has been tortured for so long! Of course he would he''s lifeless!" Kin didn''t know it, but her current frame of mind had already connected the Grey Otter to her long-lost brother without confirming the facts. "We need more evidence! We can''t just-..." Before the Silver Monkey could retort, the angered torturer''s voice boomed out: "We know about your connection to the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, Kin the Golden Fox, Gin the Silver Monkey and Momo the Moon Rabbit! We know that they''re your younger siblings!" "!!!" The twins both snapped their head right towards the bulky man, gobsmacked that their true identities had been so easily revealed. However, that wasn''t the last of their surprise¡­ "Those assholes had been attacking our bases for the longest time now! Do you know how many innocent lives have been lost, never to see their families again?" The bailer hollered. "If not for the upper brass, we would have killed you instantly the moment we claimed you from the Moon Rabbit''s abode!" "!!!" Everything was coming in place¡­ The Alliance somehow managed to find Haiiro from the Moon Valley and secured him. They were even at the next stage, interrogating the Grey Otter for any information about the Black Masks! "It''s him! It''s really him!" Kin screamed in delight. She was barely able to contain her excitement as she leapt up in a fit of joy. Why had Kin and Gin stayed in the Black Masks for so long? Wasn''t it because they wanted to save their eldest brother from Momo''s seal? However, now they didn''t have to go through the long way! Their brother was right before their eyes and was ready to be saved at any moment! "He''s being tortured, we have to save him now!" "Wait! Kin, we shouldn''t rush into it! We should investigate before acti-..." SCHLICKKKK!!! Yet another resonant whip came flying down, tearing out the flesh from the Grey Otter''s bone. Still amid his heated stupor, the jailor cried out: "I can do this all day, so¡­ ARE YOU GOING TO TALK OR NOT?!" Like a madman, the torturer sent out a flurry of attacks right at the Grey Otter''s behind. "NOOO!!!" Unable to bear it anymore, Kin instantly acted. She turned into a golden ray and before Gin knew it¡­ Kin was gone from his arms. In her place, there was the same golden idol that was used to spy in on the Alliance Headquarters. "Shit!" Gin spat. The Golden Fox was far too agitated for him to control. Even before he could react, the girl was gone, and there was no feasible way for Gin to chase her down. The only thing that he could do was¡­ "F.u.c.k it, I''m going to risk it all!!!" Changing into his Silver Monkey form, Gin rushed down to the treasure vault of his Payirci, all while spewing Time-Elements to hurry his pace. Meanwhile¡­ Kin reappeared in the exact same dungeon as the image. Her fluffy golden tail swung from left to right, while her paws kept her brilliantly bright torso upright. Such a scene was hard to miss, particularly in a dungeon such as this one. Stunned by the sudden arrival, the jailor stayed his hand as the whip lifelessly fell to the floor. '' The Golden Fox''s eyes twinkled as she gazed right at the imprisoned Grey Otter. The image that she saw through her idol''s eyes wasn''t particularly of the best quality, and she couldn''t examine every single detail of the Grey Otter. However, now that she was a few metres away, Kin was absolutely incensed. The injuries that her eldest brother had taken were far more severe than she''d thought. "You filthy human¡­ GET YOUR HANDS OFF!!!" Kin shrieked. Without even moving a muscle, the muscular man, who was easily over a hundred kilograms, was swept off his feet telekinetically and was sent flying right at the cold, hard walls. "Brother Haiiro, I''m here to save you!" The Golden Fox flew right at the suspended Grey Otter, ready to break him free of his restraints. Alas¡­ "HALT!!!" A domineering voice burst forth from the Grey Otter''s body, and Kin instantly turned motionless. To the Spirit Beast, it was as if space itself had turned against her. Nothing worked. From her fingers to even the slightest strand of hair. Everything had been ceased by the power of space and was constricting the Golden Fox like a python. This sort of dominance¡­ To be capable of holding her in place like that¡­ There was only one class of entities in the world that had that ability¡­ "S¡­ S¡­ Spirit¡­ S¡­ Saint..." "That''s right!" The ''Grey Otter'' quickly turned fuzzy as a whirlpool sucked in its image. Then, a woman wearing an ornate eyemask emerged and flashed the Golden Fox a brilliant smile. The woman didn''t need to remove her disguise for Kin to guess her true identity¡­ "Saint Atossa¡­" "Wow, this little fox knows of me? I''m flattered." The Spirit Saint of the Mercenary Guild chuckled. "Did you hear that? I''m famous among the Black Masks." "Which Spirit Saint isn''t famous in the land?" Another feminine voice echoed out from the shadows. This time, a black-haired woman, who didn''t seem a day above thirty, sashayed out in delight. "Saint Althea''s right. I''m pretty sure all of the Noble Beasts were forced to remember our names, faces and abilities. So that they could one day kill us as they did with Suhavis..." Saint Thor showed himself as well, bringing the total tally of Spirit Saints in the cell to three. That was basically a fifth of the total Spirit Saint population that mankind had to offer. "Y-you¡­ tricked¡­ me..." Kin choked. "Well, we can''t take all the credit," Saint Althea laughed. "Your schemes and powers weren''t discovered by us after all..." At that moment, the black-haired woman gestured to the side, drawing the Golden Fox''s attention. A tall, handsome man was leaning at the corner of the chambers, just inches away from where the golden idol once was. His azure eyes were staring right at her like a scientist would his specimens. In his hands, there was a familiar book, one that Kin could have sworn was destroyed in its entirety. However, once she saw that face and that book together, all the pieces fell into the puzzle. It was this man¡­ that led to her current disaster. And this man¡­ Just so happens to be the most wanted man within the Black Masks. "Shin Iofiel..." Chapter 618 - Brother Haiiro...? (3) "You fell for that scheme quite easily¡­ Did the Grey Otter really mean that much to you?" Shin''s first words to Kin was a question. "You¡­" The Golden Fox growled, unhappy that she''d been forced into such a state just by one faux image of her beloved brother. She was angry at herself for being that hot-headed, livid at Shin''s despicable planning and most importantly¡­ Kin was absolutely incensed that Shin had taken the image of the Grey Otter and stomped all over it. The Golden Fox was in glee after finding out that her brother might be free from the grasps of the evil bunny. However, never in her worst dreams could she had anticipated Shin''s deceitful plan. "Don''t worry, we won''t kill you and also¡­ We won''t let you be killed.." Shin gave a gesture, and Saint Atossa flashed the brightest smile her lips could bear. Both Saint Althea and Saint Thor moved instantly, creating a sealed barrier within the locked cell with no doors. Why were Spirit Saints considered to be on a class on their own? Yes, their cultivation was far above any other of their peers, and they''d acc.u.mulated decades, if not centuries of experience. However, the actual reason why Spirit Saints were able to dominate over all mortals, was their innate ability to control space. Once a cultivator had crossed the Rank 90 threshold, they were given the power to lock down space with just their thoughts alone. They didn''t need the assistance of the Space-Elements or the Immortals above. They themselves were the law of the land. So, with three Spirit Saints working together to seal one mere Tier 9 Spirit Beast¡­ It was questionable if the Allfather could even kill Kin through his curse. ''This! They prepared this much!'' Kin''s foxy eyes were now on the verge of bursting out of their sockets. Shin''s preparations were perfect. Once Kin had swapped with the golden idol, Saint Atossa would remove her disguise and seal the Spirit Beast when she was the most vulnerable. While that happens, the other two Spirit Saints would emerge from their hiding spots and seal the chambers with their own powers. It left Kin without any room to breathe or even resist. Without putting up a fight or a whimper, one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the top executives of the Black Masks¡­ Was captured just like that. Not a single soul was lost in the fight, mainly because there wasn''t a fight. Shin and the Alliance expended nothing, and yet they got the overwhelming victory. "Congratulations, Shin." A cheery voice sounded out from the back of the man. Kin pivoted her neck around, only to see an array of powerful auras emerging from the same darkness that Shin had done just moments before. There was a blonde woman who seemed to be a direct descendant of a hallowed angel. By her side, a young white-haired girl who didn''t seem older than ten bolted straight to Shin with a face of elation. Finally, to round it all off, a towering well-built man wearing breathy, comfortable clothes, folded his arms and gave his seal of approval by nodding. "Mmmm¡­ As expected of the Prince. To be able to string together such an elaborate plan with so little details¡­" Zishen had his chin raised high. Though he was praising Shin, the Primordial Beast was also commending his own decision to follow the young Prince. "Yip yip yip! So this is the Spirit Beast responsible for Shin''s headaches!" Bingbing chirped in joy as she bounced around like a little agitated infant. Shin was busy as of late and hadn''t even spared a single second to play with her. Even before, when he was touring around the world attending to the affairs of Guardian Sword, Shin could spare an hour or two to play with the pure white Tier 9 Kamaitachi. However, due to the disappearing outposts, Shin had been stuck in meeting after meeting, brainstorming methods on stopping Kin and Gin''s rampage. "Good that we caught her!" Bingbing was tempted to give the Golden Fox a tight kick, but she held herself back. After all, attacking the captured Spirit Beast while she was in the midst of three Spirit Saints was a suicidal endeavour. "So¡­ How should we start questioning her?" Just like Lady Seph, Saint Althea was a straightforward woman. She instantly got to the crux of the issue while holding onto the suspended woman. "No rush¡­ We have time," Shin replied. "First, let''s ensure that the walls are firmly secured, and no one can trespass. Capturing a Noble Beast¡­ I would imagine that it would take mere seconds for the Allfather and the Black Masks to find out. In fact, they might be amassing a retaliation force to recapture her as we speak." "Good idea," Saint Thor agreed as he increased the control of his space. Kin could feel the air thickening as every molecule in her body refused to listen to her. Instead, it was wholly in the control of the three Spirit Saints that were steadily preparing to seal her for eternity. ''I''ve messed up...'' Kin cursed her carelessness inwardly. If she had been a little less hot-headed¡­ Perhaps she would be able to see through such an apparent trap. Alas, her love and yearning for Haiiro, the Grey Otter, was just far too much for her to endure. ''I''m sorry, Gin...'' The Golden Fox cried out. And to her utter surprise... ''Then you should listen to me more often!'' Gin''s jovial voice descended upon her like honey nectar from heaven, lifting up Kin''s sour mood. ''Gin!'' The Golden Fox shouted back mentally. ''How can you connect with me? This cell should be secured!'' ''I''m using the Enchanted Silver Bracelet,'' the Silver Monkey replied. ''I see that you''re surrounded by three Spirit Saints¡­ To deal with them, I would require the power of this Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament.'' ''But that''s far too risky!'' Kin screamed back. ''It''s not just the three Spirit Saints! There is one more Primordial Beast, one Spirit Venerate and one Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Also¡­ Shin Iofiel is here!'' ''Shin Iofiel? That bastard?'' Gin scoffed. ''No worries, I''m not going to fight any of them anyway. The most important thing is to get you out safe and sound!'' ''Are you confident?'' Kin''s voice echoed out in her brother''s mind. Unlike her domineering style, the Golden Fox was far more restrained, like a weak infant that needed the embrace of her mother. ''You won''t be harmed, right?'' ''You don''t have to worry, Kin¡­ Have you forgotten what powers I have?'' Gin chuckled. ''Killing three Spirit Saints? I''m far from capable. But stealing you right under their noses¡­ Piece of cake. Just hang tight and endure! I''ll be there in ten seconds.'' ''Then¡­ I''m counting on you!'' The conversation between Kin and Gin seemed to have lasted for a long time, but in reality, barely a second had passed. Kin was still suspended by the space lockdown while the other Spirit Saints were busy trying to isolate the cell from the outside world. A little too late for that perhaps¡­ ''Ten¡­ Nine¡­ Eight...'' Kin counted down the seconds religiously. If Gin said that he was going to save her in ten seconds, it wasn''t a metaphor. It was an exact time-frame of when he was going to activate his powers. With the help of his Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, the Silver Monkey could temporarily surpass his limits and unleash the greatest Time-Element ability that he had. ''Seven¡­ Six¡­ Five...'' "Shin, we''ve secured the base." Saint Thor dropped both his hands and flashed a little smile. "Now, can we question her?" "By all means," Shin replied, unaware that Kin''s silence was to buy her some time. ''Four¡­ Three...'' "Then, shall we begin?" Saint Thor summoned out his hammer while cracking his knuckles. The Alliance had to dig up information about the Black Masks, and what better way was there than interrogating their top executive? ''Two¡­'' At that point, Kin was unable to hold back her laughter anymore. "Wait¡­ Something''s off!" Shin noticed the smile a little too late. Before he could even summon out his Spirit, a silver light beamed out from the recesses of the Golden Fox''s body. "One¡­ GOODBYE, YOU FILTHY HUMANS!!!" Kin hollered out in pure euphoria as the familiar touch of Gin''s monkey hands embraced her shoulders. She was now safe¡­ With Gin around, they were invincible. Or so she thought¡­ "Ah, so you finally showed yourself, monkey..." A new presence made herself known in the chambers, stunning the twin Spirit Beasts. The Time-Elements, which should have been in Gin''s control, was now flowing off in the other direction. In a panic, the Silver Monkey raised his left wrist, showing off a shining silver bracelet with a gem embedded in the middle. He was trying to regain control of the River of Time, but how could he? Gin was trying to contest¡­ With the Saint of Time herself. "Saint Longyu Tian!" Gin let out an exasperated cry. Being a Spirit Beast that was adept with the Time-Element, there was no feasible way that he wouldn''t know about Longyu Tian. The sole woman in the modern era to cultivate the Time-Element to the Saint-level, as well as the first cultivator to create an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament with said element. To a certain extent, Gin even admired the Spirit Saint and had emulated some of her techniques. Therefore¡­ Saint Longyu Tian was the last person that Gin wanted to face. And yet, there she was, holding onto the Rod of Eternity and staring him down. Flipping her wrist, the Saint of Time latched the Rod of Eternity''s hook onto the Enchanted Silver Bracelet, essentially nullifying its use. Without the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, the Silver Monkey was helpless against Longyu Tian, and not to mention¡­ Three Spirit Saints were staring him down as well. Like her brother, Kin panicked. She tried to take control of the space within her boundaries but was overruled by the more powerful Spirit Saints surrounding her. Gin tried the same. He mustered all the strength that he had to pull back some control over the Time-Elements, but it was to no avail. Saint Longyu Tian was simply the Hegemon of the Time-Element. What could a mere monkey do to her? "And with this¡­ That''s checkmate." Shin''s voice echoed in the twin''s ears, bringing both their faces to the conniving mastermind. Did Shin deliberately hide Saint Longyu Tian precisely because he knew of Gin''s mastery of the Time-Element? How was that possible? There were Brahmins in the Black Masks that didn''t know the full extent of their abilities, so how did Shin figure it out? Alas, no one was interested in their questions. As a matter of fact¡­ It was the opposite. "Now that we have the two of you in our custody¡­ It''s time for you to talk." Chapter 619 - The Great Loli Battle (1) The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. The Abyss. Garden of the Moon. The Black Masks headquarters¡­ A place that was relatively unknown to the Alliance and the three superpowers. They knew about the Tree of Darkness, the main heart of the Black Masks and the supposed home of the Allfather. They also knew that the Nine Payircis that were protecting the Tree of Darkness were forts for the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. However, they were unaware of what really laid within the Nine Payircis. Accounts differ from each intelligence report that came back. Some said that the Payircis were like medieval castles, with menacing halls of marble and breathtaking armoured knights protecting each chamber. Others claim that it was an infernal land, one with millions of flaming giants roaming through each base. The contrary was also put forth, in which the Payircis held oceans within each floor, all with their own unique ecosystem. With all the conflicting accounts, it was natural for Raphael to be a little apprehensive with confirming the information. But little did he know¡­ They were all completely accurate. Each one of the Nine Payircis were designed according to its owner''s traits. Ao, the World Serpent, had created a labyrinth filled with underwater threats. On the other hand, Akai, the Lion Chimaera, created a domain akin to that of a volcanic region. Each one of the Payircis were designed to account for their Noble Beasts attributes, to strengthen them when they were defending the Tree of Darkness and to boost their cultivation throughout. So naturally, each Payirci was uniquely different¡­ And the same went for the Payirci owned by the one and only¡­ Moon Rabbit. Pristine rivers flowed down from towering mountain tops while a blanket of stars graced the heavenly skies. Yes, even though it was indoors, Momo''s Payirci was capable of creating an illusion of a breathtaking night. However, there was one distinct difference. The moon that hung overhead¡­ It never changed shape. From the very beginning, Momo loved gazing up at the full moon. It made her aware of her natural self and could completely put her at ease. So, it didn''t make sense to create an eternal night that wouldn''t have the luminous full moon. The pink-haired girl sat silently in her created garden, lonesome and blue. Her eyes were sparkling with a reminiscent light as if she were reliving some of her best memories silently. Raising her left hand, the young girl tried to ''grab'' the moon with her tiny fingers, but it was too no avail. No matter how much she loved the full moon, no matter how powerful she was¡­ An illusion was an illusion. "Hah¡­ I miss them..." A sigh crept out of the Black Masks'' third strongest executive, a rare sight for a being of her calibre. In recent days, the Moon Rabbit had been quite the busy bee, travelling to each corner of the globe. Due to the nature of her powers, Momo was unquestionably the best asset the Allfather had when it came to causing mayhem. In fact, it wasn''t an exaggeration to claim that Momo was the most powerful being under the Saint-realm, given how extraordinary the Moon Rabbit''s traits were. However, that power came at a staggering price. Because of Momo''s desire to chase immortality, she distanced herself from the family members she''d held most dearly. Ever since they''d left Moon Valley, Kin and Gin hadn''t even taken a second glance at the Moon Rabbit, much to her dismay. All Momo wanted was to live happily with her two elder siblings, but yet¡­ They treated her as a pest. ''Nenene¡­ Why won''t you talk to me again? I''m lonely...'' The Moon Rabbit was a being that required constant attention and care. That''s why she loved to fawn over her three elder siblings back in the Moon Valley, hiding her true power and relying on their love to survive. So without Kin and Gin''s care, Momo hung out constantly with the Allfather and Shiro, hoping to fill up her affection reserves. To a certain extent, the Moon Rabbit was able to be satisfied. However, nothing could beat the raw emotion that her real siblings could bring. Momo longed for the days of happiness when she was sheltered by Haiiro, Kin and Gin. But alas¡­ It was not to pass. ''Nenene¡­ It''s not my fault...'' The Moon Rabbit looked up at the white glowing orb, thinking out her deepest thoughts that she had never shared with anyone else. What if she told Kin and Gin the truth? Would their relationship go back to the way it was? Or would it just serve to sever the ever-thinning string that connected them? Momo didn''t know. While the pink-haired girl was deep in her meditative state, a foreign voice sounded out from the entrance of her Payirci. "Momo, there''s bad news..." "Shiro?" Momo turned back and saw the familiar white-haired boy. "What''s wrong?" The white-haired young boy was hesitant to relay the news, knowing Momo''s relationship with the twins. However, there was no hiding it: "The Allfather had just confirmed¡­ Kin and Gin were captured by the Alliance just three minutes ago." "WHAT?!" Jumping to her feet, Momo stared down the white-haired boy. "NENENE!!! SAY THAT AGAIN!!!" "Three minutes ago¡­ Kin and Gin''s connection to the Allfather had been severed. The moment that happened, the Allfather started to investigate the cause¡­ Apparently, Kin and Gin had fallen into the Alliance''s trap and are now being constrained by four Spirit Saints." "FOUR SPIRIT SAINTS?!" The Moon Rabbit continued to shriek, her eyes were shifting from left to right. "Nenene, we have to save them! They will die!!!" "We know that," Shiro nodded in agreement. Although he didn''t have any lingering affection towards Kin and Gin, the twin Spirit Beasts were imperative for the Black Masks and their Grand Scheme. They couldn''t lose Kin and Gin this early on, particularly when the Allfather isn''t ready to launch the final battle. "The Allfather has ordered for you and me to go rescue them. We''re allowed to bring our Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments." "Nenene, is that true?!" Momo continued to second-guess the white-haired boy, even though he hadn''t lied to her before. "Can we really save my older siblings?" "Of course," Shiro chuckled and waved his hand, cracking the space-time fabric of the Moon Rabbit''s abode. On the other side, there seemed to be a considerable chasm leading to a foreign land. "Time is of the essence¡­ Summon out your minions and let''s..." Shiro blinked as he reached into a pocket dimension, pulling out a clear, octagon mirror with black oak bordering its sides. "Let''s go save your siblings." ??? "It''s time for you to talk..." Shin glared at the two captured Spirit Beasts, his face filled with righteous anger. There were a million questions that Shin could have asked. How would they get to the Black Masks? What were the Allfather''s next plans? What''s the Allfather''s and the rest of the Noble Beasts'' weaknesses? And that was only just the surface¡­ However, Shin asked a question that neither Kin nor Gin could have guessed: "Where are the sentries of the outposts? What have you done to them?" ''The sentries? Ah, those humans? Why is he asking about them?'' Kin mentally sent a message over to Gin. ''He''s human, it''s natural that he''d care about other humans...'' Gin scoffed. To them, the humans that they''ve displaced were no more important than that of livestock. However, Shin didn''t see things through their eyes. He saw each and every one of the soldiers to be a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter, a father, a mother¡­ As the Master of Guardian Sword and one of the leading members of the Alliance, Shin needed to confirm if the sentries were still alive and if they weren''t¡­ The least he could do was to retrieve their bodies. "Where are they?" "..." Neither the siblings opened their mouths. Although they were immune to the Allfather''s curse while in the cell, there was no need for them to give information that would benefit the enemy, particularly the man who had orchestrated their capture. "Not talking, huh? No matter..." Shin pivoted his wrists and summoned out hundreds of flying icicles. Without any warning, the ice needles mercilessly pierced through the hide of the Silver Monkey, causing the man to scream out in agony. "AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" "Gin!" The Golden Fox cried out, this time with her own vocal cords. "AAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Alas, how could the Silver Monkey hear her? All of his prime meridians had been pierced with the Celestial Dragon''s mana, plus Shin''s needles were frightening accurate. Before he''d captured the twins, he''d studied all about the Golden Fox and Silver Monkey. Although the majority of his analysis were inferences drawn by loose records, Shin had managed to pinpoint all of the Silver Monkey''s physical weaknesses even before he''d seen a real-life specimen. "Are you going to tell us now?" Shin asked once more, his face not changing the slightest bit¡­ All while the Silver Monkey continued to holler. "ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" "ENOUGH!!! I''ll tell you so stop that right now!!!" Tears were flowing out of Kin''s eyes, as she continually shot her brother a worried look. Lowering his hands, Shin asked once more: "What happened to the soldiers?" "They''re dead!!!" Shin had prepared himself to hear the worst, but even then¡­ He couldn''t help but feel a heavy heart. "Hah¡­ The bodies?" "Does it matter?!" "..." Angered, Shin turned his wrist once more, sending the icy needles deeper into the Silver Monkey''s flesh. "ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" "ENOUGH!!!" Kin barked with agony. She would much rather see herself in pain than to watch another second of Gin''s screams. "They were sent to the breeding ground!" "Breeding ground? What''s that?" "It''s¡­ The place where we rear new Spirit Beasts..." "Why would they go..." Shin was about to question the Golden Fox, but his mind was just far too quick for that. In but a moment, he could guess what the fate of the poor souls that were spirited away was. "You¡­ Used them as food?" "How could we waste good meat? Many Spirit Beasts were starving, after all." Kin spat. There was no remorse in her voice, and neither was there any compassion for the dead humans. To her, the humans were literally... livestock. "This f.u.c.k.i.n.g-..." Saint Thor felt the urge to cave the Golden Fox''s head in with a hammer strike, and many of his compatriots felt the same way. "You..." Shin had to bite down on his lower lip to prevent the rage from overflowing. Killing the soldiers was one thing, but to disgrace their bravery by letting them be pig feed? That was inexcusable and was a crime punishable by death. However, Shin couldn''t bring himself to kill the twins¡­ Yet. "Let''s move on..." Before he got angrier, Shin decided to change the subject. However, before he could even breathe his next word, a voice of concern echoed next to his ear. "Mmmm¡­ My Prince, a word?" "What is it?" "Mmm¡­ There''s a problem..." Zishen whispered in the lowest voice possible, not giving the twins any chance of hearing the news he brought. "Numerous presences are rushing towards our cell." "The Black Masks reacted that fast?" Shin turned back in shock. They had literally just captured Kin and Gin, how could there be a force dispatched to this remote location that quickly? "Mmmm¡­ Nonetheless, we have to deal with them now. Else, they''ll take our prized prisoners." "... Got it," Shin muttered under his breath. "Zishen, you take Bingbing and Master out to hold them off. The Spirit Saints have to be present to seal the room from the outside world and prevent the Allfather from activating his curse." "Mmmm¡­ Leave it to us," the Azure Dragon Lord nodded before relaying the news onto the Tier 9 Kamaitachi and Lady Seph. ''Tsk, looks like we don''t have that much time¡­ I''ll extract as many questions as I can before the Black Masks try anything funny...'' Chapter 620 - The Great Loli Battle (2) Lady Seph, Bingbing and Zishen rapidly made their way out of the only exit of the cell. The elements congregated around their humanoid forms as the Spirit Venerate, Tier 9 Spirit Beast and the Primordial Beast, took their combative stances. Lady Seph merged with the Iofiel Angel, creating a sacred aura that wasn''t inferior to that of any regular holy maiden. Wings made with a hallowed white gold, blinded any that dared to stare straight at it, while an angelic halo rested above the blonde beauty''s head. Bingbing, being the Spirit Beast that was raised by the Divine Healer, replicated her caretaker''s abilities with her own icy field. Two crystal wings burst forth from her back, and millions of snowflakes dripped down from the heavens. Beautiful halos filled the backdrop as well while Bingbing''s snow-white hair seemed to float gorgeously as if she were underwater. Zishen took a different approach though. He hadn''t released all of his power, leaving the frontlines to the Master-Spirit Beast pair. And it wasn''t because he was lazy¡­ The best use of Zishen''s power was to sit back and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. Based on their intelligence, the ones approaching weren''t of the Saint-level¡­ At least those at the vanguard. God knows how many Saint-levelled Black Masks were hiding in the shadows, waiting to attack when their guard was down? Thus, Zishen floated half a kilometre higher than Bingbing and Lady Seph, all while they watched the numerous dots fill in from the horizon. While they were waiting, three dazzling lights burst forth from the western front, immediately stopping right before they passed Lady Seph. "Seraphim!" A red-haired man broke free from the first beam and took his place on the left of Lady Seph. "Raphael," the blonde beauty acknowledged the man''s presence and said nothing more. Her attention were on the other two presences that came alongside this junior of hers. One was a short man with a relatively unkempt beard. Though the man seemed sloppy, his eyes were revealing a frightening glint, one that was unlike any mere vagrant or beggar on the street. The other one was a towering man, over two metres in height. His chest was filled with brick-like muscles, and his face was as chiselled as one could hope for. "President Ingar... Guild Master Xerxes¡­ Both of you are here..." Lady Seph replied in awe. With their arrival, all of the lead representatives from all the major organisations were here. The Healer Associaton''s Head, Raphael. The Blacksmith''s League''s President, Ingar and the Mercenary Guild''s Master, Xerxes. All of them had impressive backgrounds, each littered with decades if not centuries of experience. Even if it was to defend a base, wasn''t this much firepower a little excessive? "We can''t slack off if the Spirit Saints are working overtime," President Ingar joked. "Hmph! The Black Masks actually dare to be so brazen!" Guild Master Xerxes was incensed. After months of tolerating the Black Masks'' rampage, the Alliance had finally scored their first win by capturing the two Noble Beasts. There was no way that they would squander it away without a fight. "Let''s see what they dared to conjure up! I''ll blow them all away!" "..." The enthusiasm of the Guild Leader largely went over the heads of the spectating elites. They all knew that the Black Masks and the Allfather was powerful, particularly after a decade-long silence. Therefore, they had to be exceedingly careful with their defence. No one wanted to be the next victim to the Allfather''s nefarious schemes, and the army that was charging right at them was without a doubt, the most dangerous thing that the Black Masks had sent out. It didn''t take long for the Alliance members to witness the full view of their enemies. Thousands of Umbras, each one stronger than the next, stood in an ordered fashion, much like how a real army would behave. It made one wonder, how could the Black Masks move such an organised army in a matter of minutes? Alas, the elites defending the cell lacked the luxury to have such thoughts. Their eyes were peeled hoping to catch sight of the army''s commander or at the very least¡­ The most powerful being in their enemy lines. And that''s when they saw it¡­ A young, pink-haired girl standing on top of a colossal, decomposing giant. Bits of flesh hung from the giant''s four limbs as all of its organs were exposed for all to see. Maggots crawled all over its sinews and bits of dirty insects fell off with every movement the giant took. Although it had lifeless eyes, the spiritual power within its half-eaten body was anything but soulless. On the girl''s left, there was a humanoid insect creature which stood at 1.5 metres. Its steel-like exoskeleton creaked each time it moved each one of its four hands or two legs. Its two feelers twitched gently whenever a soft breeze blew by. Three pairs of transparent wings buzzed about, giving the dead insect the ability to zoom in the skies. On her right, a three-metre long white tiger heeled like a faithful dog, earnestly waiting for the orders from its master. Like the two beings before it, the white tiger bore unmoving eyes and had holes drilled through its flesh. Much to the disgust of its spectators, the undead tiger had a yellow flower planted into its forehead, much like a parasite would to any living tree. Each one of the three undead beasts shared different characteristics; however, there was one constant¡­ All of their manas were no less weaker than any Tier 9 Spirit Beasts''. Heck, even some of the Spirit Venerates present couldn''t compare with the trio, particularly the mana-filled insect humanoid. And to top it all off... "That''s Momo¡­ The Moon Rabbit..." Raphael muttered under his breath, but for some reason¡­ Everyone on the side of the Alliance could hear his soft words. "Yip yip¡­ So she''s the one..." Bingbing chirped. "The third strongest executive from the Black Masks is here¡­ Looks like we''re in for a fight!" Guild Master Xerxes summoned out his trusty halberd, swinging droves of Wind-Elements with each movement. "So if we capture her, we''ll take down three Noble Beasts in one day? What a pleasant surprise!" "Stay your hand!" Zishen barked. "We can''t be careless when facing the Moon Rabbit." "Why? What''re its powers?" Raphael asked. "Mmmm¡­ The Moon Rabbit¡­ She doesn''t possess any element. Not Earth, Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind, Light, Darkness, Mind, Space or Time. The Moon Rabbit, she''s a different beast altogether. A unique mythical creature." "Enough with the suspense! Just tell us what element it uses!" Guild Master Xerxes snapped. "Mmmm¡­ The Moon Rabbit she¡­ uses dead corpses to fight." "Corpses? Don''t tell me she has the Death-Element?!" Raphael screamed. Everyone knew that there were only ten elements in the world. However, many theorised that the world wasn''t just limited to a mere ten. After all, there were mutated elements, variant elements¡­ Some cultivators were even able to mould two elements into one. There were researchers who believed that there could be as many as ten thousand elements, with the most enigmatic of them all being the Life and Death Elements. In theory, those that controlled the Life and Death Elements would effectively be immortal without ascending into the Immortal Realm. However, how could there be such a convenient truth in this world? "Mmmm¡­ No, the Moon Rabbit doesn''t have the Death-Element¡­" Zishen shook his head in denial. "Mmmm¡­ What she does is just mere puppetry. She can''t truly bring the dead back to life and neither did she have eternal life. The Moon Rabbit collects corpses and reanimates them as her servants." "Dead puppets?" "Mmmm¡­ That''s right. Those Spirit Beasts that are by her side¡­ Were most likely Primordial Beasts when they were alive." "Primordial Beasts?!" "Mmmm¡­ But there''s no need to worry now. They''re much weaker than they were at their peak. The Moon Rabbit should only be capable of extracting thirty percent of their overall powers." "Still! Thirty percent of a Primordial Beast''s power is quite terrifying!" Raphael spat. "Three quasi Primordial Beasts and a peak Tier 9 Moon Rabbit controlling them¡­ Not to mention a thousand plus Umbras¡­ The Allfather had sent out quite the force alright!" "Mmmm¡­ It may be a little bit troublesome to defeat them all..." Zishen nodded his head before growing his body back to its original size. The Azure Dragon Lord brought forth its maximum potential before muttering out: "Mmmm¡­ I''ll help you take them down quickly. I will handle the giant. The insect and the tiger¡­ You''ll figure it out by yourselves." And with that, Zishen charged right at the rotting giant, hoping to quickly end its wretched second life. Momo and her two servants dodged speedily and immediately went on the counterattack. "Raphael! Boost Xerxes! I''ll support Ingram!" Lady Seph barked orders at her fellow Divine Healer before flying behind the Blacksmith''s League''s President. As Divine Healers, their expertise was in the auxiliary department. It was better for the pair to support a Spirit Venerate, rather than to face a former Primordial Beast all on their own. However, that would leave Momo with the only free Alliance member in that star-studded lineup¡­ "Nenene, where''s Kin and Gin?" "Yip yip, I don''t know!" "Nenene, are you sure?" "Yip yip, yes I''m sure!" The pink-haired Momo landed just five metres away from the white-haired Bingbing. They were both young Spirit Beasts, and their mental age wasn''t as developed as most of their compatriots. Thus, their conversation sounded like two five-year-olds starting a bickering contest. "Nenene! Tell me where Kin and Gin are, and I promise I won''t kill you!" "Yip yip! I won''t let you harm brother Shin!" "Nenene, who''s Brother Shin?" Bingbing puffed out her chest and declared with all her might: "The most handsome man in the world!" "Nene! Most handsome man? That can''t be! The Allfather is the most handsome man!" "Yip yip! Bullshit! The Allfather is a smelly old man!" "SMELLY?!" The Moon Rabbit pushed her head back, completely infuriated. "You''re the smelly one!" "No, you!" "No, you!" And thus¡­ The prelude of the Great Loli Battle¡­ Had just begun. Chapter 621 - The Great Loli Battle (3) "Nenene, the Allfather is much more handsome than your stupid Brother Shin!" "Yipyipyip! Say that again! I dare you! I double-dare you!!!" The two young lolis bickered on, shooting vicious words after vicious words at one another. Bingbing bared her adorable canine teeth while channelling her most potent mana. The Ice-Elements floated all around her, creating a frosty aura that could easily bring an active volcano down to cool. On the other hand, Momo was shifting her fingers like a mad conductor, shifting her mana from place to place without any struggle. A grim and lifeless aura shrouded the little pink-haired girl, creating an atmosphere of dread and death. Bingbing felt her organs turn each time she looked at Momo, the seemingly innocent being with bright eyes and an innocent face. Even as a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, Bingbing felt the urge to run to the hills rather than to face the menace of the Moon Rabbit. Alas, how could she abandon her post and possibly endanger Shin? "Yip!" With a yelp, the white-haired loli fired the first strike. Spreading her arms out like an eagle, a burst of cold energy dashed forward like a cobra moving in on its prey. Every blade of grass, every grain of rock¡­ In that single second, every single object in that cold burst''s path¡­ Was turned into ice. Glowing mist emerged from the frozen ground, and any lifeform that dared to tread its path were instantly chilled down to their innards. It was Bingbing''s greatest ability, one that turned her entire field of view into the terrain that best suited her powers. The Domain of Ice. "Nenene¡­ It''s cold..." Momo grimaced in annoyance. She raised her left hand up, and dark essence moved from her fingertips into her palms, generating a spectral shield capable of defending against a meteor strike. The cold burst was unable to penetrate that vastly defensive barrier and could only fade into nothingness as it passed Momo by. "Yipyip¡­ Not powerful enough," Bingbing furrowed her brows in disappointment. Though she knew that the fight wasn''t going to be easy, the Tier 9 Kamaitachi thought that she could at least faze Momo just a little bit. Alas, the Moon Rabbit wasn''t called the third strongest Noble Beast in the Black Masks for nothing. "Nenene¡­ If you''re not going to tell me where Kin and Gin are¡­ Die, will you?" The pink-haired girl tilted her head to a side before raising her left arm heavenwards. Pushing her mana to the absolute brink, Momo sent forth a surge of rapidly spinning dark mist. Clouds hung overhead, taking the image of the Grim Reaper ready to claim the lives of those it so desperately deserves. Bingbing, the Ice-Elemental Spirit Beast, was no stranger to the cold. In fact, she was a creature that relishes sub-zero temperatures. Yet, while Bingbing''s eyes caught sight of those ominous clouds, her entire spine froze as her feet became paralysed. It was cold¡­ But it wasn''t the cold that Bingbing so loved. It was the freezing temperature¡­ of fear. "Yipyip!" Being the Spirit Beast that she was, Bingbing was acutely in tune with her instincts. There was no need for any further movement from the clouds, the little white-haired girl was already retreating at her maximum speed. And it was a good thing that she moved as quickly as she did¡­ Blop¡­ Blop¡­ Blop¡­ Black grime dripped down from the dark clouds, looking like a filthy sewage leakage. It smelled absolutely horrendous, highly reminiscent to that of an open graveyard where corpses were left to rot in the open, as wild dingos and vultures feasted and defecated as they pleased. Lighting crackled from the inner layers of the grim clouds while more and more of those disgusting liquid dripped down into the open. ''Yipyipyip!!! What the hell is that?!'' Bingbing screamed inwardly. Before the battle against Momo, Zishen had given her a cursory briefing of the Moon Rabbit''s abilities. The Moon Rabbit uses the power of corpses, using them like a puppeteer would when fighting her own battles. Controlling any dead body, the Moon Rabbit could use the powers of her dead to protect herself, which was sorely needed. See, her body was frail and weak for a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, and she lacked the physical attributes to defend herself against a drastic onslaught. Which means that the ideal method to defeat the Moon Rabbit was to take her on directly without any of her puppets to protect her. Hence, Bingbing attempted to freeze Momo from the get-go. But who could have guessed that the Moon Rabbit enhanced by the Allfather''s mana would have such a ghastly new technique? "Nenene¡­ Allfather, give me power..." Momo let out a silent prayer, and an explosion of black mana erupted out. Bingbing''s Domain of Ice instantly melted away, and a smouldering field of black flames engulfed the pink-haired girl''s immediate surroundings. None of Bingbing''s ice remained, and a darkened sanctuary enveloped the Moon Rabbit. Tall trees and towering boulders appeared out of nowhere, while the sonorous sound of hot spring water flowed in the background. The sky within the sanctuary changed as well. It was no longer the dim sky of the afternoon, but the starry patch of celestial night that all Moon Rabbits were synonymous for. Not to mention, an illusory full moon beamed down from the ersatz sky, making the world ever more confusing. "A world within a world?!" Lady Seph, who had been observing her companion beast and her opponent, let out a tense scream. "I''d thought only immortals are able to create that!!!" "Mmmm¡­ Normally, that would be the case," Zishen agreed. It made sense that Immortals that had unshackled their very souls from the cycle of life to be capable of godly feats. One of which would be the creation of their very own utopia realm. Yet, the Moon Rabbit that Bingbing was facing was showing her capabilities of pulling off such a feat. "Mmmm¡­ But look closely¡­ That world isn''t a true realm. Just a figment of a garden." The Azure Dragon Lord made the link almost instantaneously. Yes, there was a beautiful sky and a shockingly real moon hanging within the created world. However, the land area itself was barely able to match the size of a football field. "You''re right..." Lady Seph gulped as she took a second look. The initial surprise had fried her mental functions for a few seconds, so her analytical skills weren''t as refined as they normally were. With her mind a little calmer, Lady Seph could clearly see the shortcomings in Momo''s sanctuary. "The spiritual energies holding the place in unstable and the aspects within the realm aren''t real at all. Just mirror phantoms that could fall with the slightest touch," Lady Seph analysed. "However, that doesn''t mean that it''s a failed ability¡­ The sky itself is as real as our own night sky!" "Mmmm¡­ That''s the Moon Rabbit for you," Zishen snorted. "Do you think that the lassy can hold up against her for a few minutes? I''ll take down this giant as soon as I can." The Azure Dragon Lord was still entangled in a battle with Momo''s Giant-Type Zombie. It was nowhere near the level of the Primordial Beast, but its tenacity was beyond any other Spirit Beast that the Azure Dragon Lord had ever faced. If left unchecked, it could easily smash the protective barrier of the closed chambers, potentially ruining Shin''s chance of questioning his two captives. Thus, it was better if Zishen focused all of his attention in crippling the rotting giant. Though, that would leave Bingbing all alone to fend against the dastardly Moon Rabbit. "Bingbing, she..." Lady Seph turned back and looked at her companion beast with anxiety. Kamaitachis weren''t normally meant to grow to Tier 9. It was due to the Himmel Empire''s experimentation that Bingbing had managed to enhance herself to such a state, and even without that gene ambiguity, there was no guarantee that Bingbing could defeat one of the Black Masks'' most powerful Spirit Beasts. However, as Lady Seph was about to fly to Bingbing to give a helping hand, the skies above turned utterly overcast. Massive particles of snow fell, and they slowly got bigger and bigger, until¡­ Shiillllliinnnggggg!!! Shiillllliinnnggggg!!! Shiillllliinnnggggg!!! Many of the snow particles congregated into heavy icicles, and they rained down like shrapnel. Momo''s Garden was instantly caught under the heavy fire, and she had to move the Allfather''s mana to protect her head. The silver rain ripped through the air, slamming down sharp vengeance upon the mana umbrella that Momo had created. Some managed to slip through her defences and broke down some of the faux trees and rocks in the Moon Rabbit''s valley, wreaking temporary havoc upon the poor Momo. "YIPYIPYIP!!! I won''t let you near Brother Shin!!!" The Kamaitachi shrieked, her face flushed with a mixture of anger and protectiveness. "NENENE!!! I''ll let to see you try!!!" The two lolis continued to exchange words as they venomously spewed mana in one another''s direction. "Ah..." The blonde beauty hung her jaw down for a little before breaking out a bitter smile. "These two are powerful Spirit Beasts, but they''re minds are akin to that of a five-year-old¡­ Zishen, I think that Bingbing should be able to hold!" "Mmmm¡­ That''s fantastic..." The Azure Dragon Lord said. "For now, we take down the Moon Rabbit''s goons. Once they''re defeated, we can then take the Moon Rabbit down!" "Affirmative," Lady Seph nodded while her angelic powers flowed into President Ingram and his explosive hammer. "You heard the dragon, let''s end this quickly!" Chapter 622 - Wrong (1) While Momo was single-handedly tying down four Spirit Venerates, a Tier 9 Spirit Beast and a Primordial Beast, her two siblings were still caught in the prison of four Spirit Saints. The Allfather''s reach was mysterious, and his curse could work in an array of different methods. If not for the four Spirit Saints sealing the cell from the outside world, it was highly probable that the Allfather could kill the twin Noble Beasts remotely. Therefore, Shin and the other Spirit Saints had to move quickly. Every second counted, and any information that they could pry out from the two top executives would prove advantageous in future battles against the Black Masks. "Are you going to talk now?" Shin''s voice went even deeper than he''d ever thought possible. He glared at the Golden Fox and Silver Monkey, doing his best not to rush forward and rip every limb from their bodies. After all, they were the ones responsible for the Alliance''s current predicament and the disappearances of many poor soldiers. However, killing them right now wouldn''t do any good for vengeance. "You''re making a horrible mistake," Kin spat. "Once we escape from here, you''ll never get to sleep soundly ever again!" "..." As the old adage goes: "Corner a dog in a dead-end street, and it will turn and bite." Right now, the twin Noble Beasts had their backs stuck at the far ends of the walls. It would be a miracle for them to quietly give in to Shin''s demands like a docile puppy who knew nothing of the world. However, Shin had an ace up his sleeve¡­ "I see, so you won''t talk?" The tall man took three steps forward and was now nose-to-nose with the sealed Silver Monkey. "W-What are you doing?" Kin stuttered. The look on Shin''s face was anything but friendly. His eyes were burning with vengeful hate while mana unconsciously flowed out from his every pore. Their eyes interlocked, the Silver Monkey was acutely aware of Shin''s odd pressure. He was a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor but yet¡­ Gin felt like he was facing an angered Primordial Beast, one that had the power to squash him like an ant. And to squash¡­ he did. "Y-You! What are you doing?!" Kin screamed, her eyes bloodshot and golden fur all standing erect. "If you''re not going to talk..." Shin didn''t even bother to turn his head and address the golden fox. Mana flowed to the tips of his fingers, creating a cold mist that was easily below zero degrees. Almost instantly, three long needles made with the pure image of Jack Frost poked out from the gaps in Shin''s fingers. Each one of them were as sharp as any godly blade while their icy powers could quickly freeze a Saint-Levelled combatant''s spine. "If you''re not going to talk, I''ll make you talk..." Shin''s voice went down yet another octave as he plunged the three needles into the Silver Monkey''s body. "ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" An agonised cry echoed out from Gin''s furry mouth, sending shockwaves through the dim prison. "ARRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" "Hmmm, as I''d thought¡­ Your meridians are really located there¡­ Monkeys are our closest relatives, after all." Shin admired his guesswork, not at all bothered by Gin''s screams. "Y-YOU!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GIN?!" Kin continued to holler. There was nothing more important in the world than her younger brother and seeing him in agony was too much for the elder sister to bear. "The Divine Needle Bindings," Shin replied indifferently. "Using my needles, I''ll seal your brother''s mana flow by piercing his meridians. Done normally, it should seal the movements of your brother, leaving him in a painless stasis. However, if done incorrectly..." Once again, Shin created one more ice needle and pierced through the Silver Monkey''s thick hide. And once again... "ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Gin screamed, this time with even more volume. "GIN!!!" The Golden Fox bared her fangs while screaming. "If done incorrectly, the target of the Divine Needle Bindings will be subject to the worst pain imaginable, particularly with my Dragon Glacial Needles providing the icy spiritual energies," Shin explained with his toneless voice. "If inserting the Divine Needle Bindings incorrectly is akin to feeling a billion suns crawling up one''s skin, the Dragon Glacial Needles will bring the frost of absolute zero onto one''s internal organs. Torture using both hot and cold¡­ I wonder how your brother is going to survive this..." "ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Gin continued to scream, unaware of his sister''s cries or Shin''s heartless tone. Gin had never felt pain like this ever in his life. Even in the centuries that he''d served under the Allfather, even as he watched his family being ripped apart by the callous actions of Momo¡­ There was nothing that could compare to his current agony. The Silver Monkey felt as if he''d forgotten his own existence. He wanted to rid himself of this pain, even if it meant taking the one-way ticket down to the netherworld. And Kin could sense it. They were connected mentally, and the information that Gin was suffering was being transmitted to Kin''s soul. Although she couldn''t feel that agonising pain, just from the fact that her brother wasn''t in the right mind to reply her cries was enough to shatter Kin''s heart in two. "Are you going to talk now?" Shin asked once more, his voice still as toneless as before. "..." Kin remained silent. However, unlike the last time, her face wasn''t as calm. There was a visible fear hidden within her eyes, and her fox mouth was trembling like an autumn leaf in the breeze. Kin would much rather she be the subject of torture, rather than her brother that was continually screaming. "Not going to talk?" Shin scoffed. "Another needle it is..." Snapping his fingers, Shin congregated three new needles and so viciously pierced through the open abdomen of the Silver Monkey. "ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Just when Gin thought that the pain couldn''t increase any further, a sharp blow snapped through his organs and filled the Silver Monkey with icy gas. With the Spirit Saints holding the Tier 9 Spirit Beast down, there were no defences against Shin''s constant onslaught. All Gin could do was endure the power of the world''s most powerful Spirit Emperor. "G-GIN!!!" The Golden Fox ground down her fangs, unable to bear looking at her brother suffer anymore. "OKAY, OKAY!!! YOU WIN!!! I''ll tell you what you want to know!!! Let Gin go!!!" "..." Shin gazed over his shoulder, not in a hurry to unbind the Silver Monkey. "ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! QUICK, STOP THAT!!!" Fearful that her brother might pass on through the torture, Kin screamed at the top of her lungs. It took Shin a full twenty seconds before he finally plucked out all but one needle from the Silver Monkey. The piercing pain was no longer there, but Gin was still under the soft influence of the Divine Needle Bindings. There was a slight pain paralysing his vocal and mental functions, leaving him incapacitated for any conversation. "Y-You¡­ I told you that I was going to cooperate! Why haven''t you removed all the needles?" "There''s no rush," Shin laughed. "We have all the time in the world. If I sense that you have given one falsehood, I''ll double the pain that your brother had experienced." Shin wasn''t going to play into Kin''s hands. He needed to assert dominance, to show that he wasn''t messing around. If Kin tried to buy time until reinforcements arrived, it would be far too late for Shin to milk out any information. Thus, he needed the Silver Monkey to remain in a state of constant pain, to urge Kin to tell the entire truth. "You asshole¡­ How can you call yourselves the heroes if you resort to torture?!" Kin snorted. Even in this perilous situation, her haughty and foul-mouthed nature was still at the forefront. "Heroes do anything that they can to save the ones they hold dear. I doubt that vile beasts like you two could ever comprehend that fact..." Shin didn''t want to waste too much saliva changing the incorrigible Spirit Beast''s mind. Right now, his eye was wholly on the prize. "Now, answer my questions. What is the Allfather planning to do next?" "The Allfather he..." Kin was about to spill everything, but she immediately looked down at her bosom. There wasn''t any change in her mana signature and neither did the obsidian mana within her move even the slightest bit. Immediately guessing what the Golden Fox was worried about, Shin reassured her: "You don''t have to worry about the curse. The Allfather can''t hear us in here." "You bastard..." "I don''t like to repeat myself¡­ What''s the Allfather planning to do next?" Shin waved the floating ice needles around, all of them pointing straight at the open meridians of the Silver Monkey. "Tsk, you really are an annoying asshole." Kin shook her head while withstanding the flaming fury that was rising up at every given second. "The Allfather, no the Black Masks¡­ We''re at the final stage of the Grand Scheme." "Elaborate." "Our objective is to gain eternal life. To open the door of the Immortal Realm and to allow all those who follow us to enter using the Allfather''s mana. As it stands, the spiritual energies of the mortal realm have become unstable due to the releasing of the Terrestrial Dragon''s mana." "I know that," Shin retorted sharply. "What I want to know... are your future operations. Why are you killing all of the soldiers around the Abyss? What is your next big plan?" "Hmph! What do you think?" Kin snorted. "All of our plans lie on the Allfather''s shoulders. Once he transcends into the Spirit Immortal Realm, he''ll convert all of us into his phantoms and raise us all into the Immortal Realm as his eternal army. However, that can only work if the Allfather becomes the next Spirit Immortal." "So¡­ You''re trying to bring the world back into ruin once more? To wage war once again? To create more deaths so that some elites can grow to contest the Allfather?" "No, not that..." Kin furrowed her brows and scrunched her face up. She didn''t really want to divulge all of the Allfather''s plans, but what choice did she have? "See, to power the Immortal Gate, we need vast amounts of mana. And vast amounts of vessels." "What does that even-... No, you can''t mean..." Shin was about to throw yet another question, but his mind instantly spewed out the answer. "Haha, that''s right..." Kin smiled. "Do you think we''re feeding the chicken for free? Once it''s time, the chicken will have to pay back some of its meat." Chapter 623 - Wrong (2) "You..." Shin glared at the blonde woman, completely unable to hide the wrath that was bubbling within for the longest time. "You''re going to use us as livestock to fuel the Immortal Gate?!" "Not you! The many cultivators that benefited from the Black Masks'' actions!" Kin quickly corrected Shin. "We''ve been giving them free training for all these years. How many of them could only remain in the Spirit Practitioner realm? How many of them ever felt fear and danger in their lives? It''s only because of the Black Masks that they''re able to grow into Spirit Apostles and gain the battle instincts of a seasoned soldier! It''s only natural that they pay some of it back to us!" The Golden Fox ranted. She truly believed in her heart that the human race owed the Black Masks a huge favour. Once the bindings of the Terre Continent had been unshackled, the spiritual energies in the world had greatly benefited the regular human cultivators who had no chance of crossing their bottlenecks. Not to mention, after plunging the world into chaos, humans had to revert back to their primitive roots. Plumbers become warriors and housewives became porters. Yes, the number of deceased increased with every passing year, but the number of great cultivators skyrocketed. As for talents such as Shin, Kanari and the rest of the shining Luminaries¡­ Their cultivation speed significantly increased as well. So, one could say that the Allfather and the Black Masks'' existence had proved somewhat helpful for the human race¡­ If you discount the billions of lives that were affected by their atrocities, that is. "So you''re killing the sentries of the Abyss because you want to further spread chaos?" Unable to control his anger anymore, Shin growled like a beast in his death throes. "Oh, don''t be a p.u.s.s.y." Kin snapped. "Humans have been trying to kill us Spirit Beasts from the beginning of time. If you have the opportunity, you would unquestionably kill all of the Black Masks. Be it the ones that defected to our side or the Spirit Beasts that serve faithfully under the Allfather. Don''t act like all noble!" "You still don''t understand what you''ve done, huh?" Shin was tempted to throw some of his Dragon Glacial Needles at the Golden Fox''s skull but ultimately forced himself to stay his hand. "There were countless of innocent lives lost because of the Black Masks'' evil! Children that will grow up without their parents! Elderly that have to move out of their ancestral homes! How many more lives will you destroy until you are all satisfied?" "You''re taking this way too personal, kid." Kin snorted, her face contorting after every word. "What the Black Masks want¡­ Is eternal life. Isn''t that what humans want as well? Isn''t that what you want as well? With your constant chase for Yggdrasil? Our methods just differ, that''s all." It was true. The Black Masks had been formed by the Allfather for one purpose and one purpose only. To reach the Immortal Realm. The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. And what greater unknown was there, than what happens after death? If one was human, one would fear death. Humans were known to struggle, to overcome their weaknesses and to ascend to the top of the food chain, and death... was ultimately one struggle that they have yet to overcome. However, many beacons had shown them the way. Twenty-one to be exact. The twenty-one Spirit Immortals of human history had paved the way towards true eternal life, and every single cultivator dreamed of following in their footsteps. And the Allfather had given them what they wanted. Every passing minute, there would be a new cultivator passing through their bottleneck, a threshold that they could never hope to transcend if not for the constant strife that surrounded them. Each conflict tempered the general population and made them universally stronger. Before, an average ten-year-old would be completely helpless against any sort of Spirit Beast, even if it lacked the capabilities of a hunter. However, in the current day, it wasn''t surprising to see ten-year-olds actively hunt Spirit Beasts, just to keep their village safe. "It''s only natural that we''re going to collect some dividends. Just taking a few thousand cultivator''s lives to power the Immortal Gate, isn''t that a bargain?" Kin said without remorse. "..." At this point, Shin was unable to hold back anymore. With a slice of his left hand, an ice needle flew like an unbound arrow, finding its place within the Golden Fox''s bosom. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Kin shrieked. Icy chills crept up her cranium, bringing her mind into a state that she''d never experienced before. Her entire face turned numb as the central point of her forehead filled up with intense cold mana. Even her screams turned weird due to the constant bombardment of subzero temperatures. It was only after twenty gruelling seconds, did Shin stop his sudden torture. "A-AHHH¡­ AHHHH!!! AHHHHH!!!" Convulsing in shock, the Golden Fox quickly tried to regain her bearings, only to glare right at the black-haired man who caused her pain. "W-What¡­ What''s that for?!" Kin screamed in protest. "Don''t push me," Shin''s low voice boomed into Kin''s ears. "Don''t make me kill you prematurely." "Kill me? For the lives of some random fodder that don''t even matter?" The Golden Fox was utterly oblivious to Shin''s attachment to the common folk. "We are beings that transcend the masses! Those randoms are fated to die in a hundred years anyway! Even if we didn''t use them as sacrifices, they would all die out eventually! It should be their honour to die for the Allfather''s cause!" "..." Shin gritted his teeth. Resisting the urge to snap Kin''s neck right here, right now took everything that the Prince of Water had. He''d seen the destruction that the Black Masks had unleashed upon the masses. Families would never see peace ever again, and communities had been ripped apart from the inside out. Yet, the perpetrators of the violence felt no remorse for what they''d done. In fact, it was the contrary. Kin thought that the lives of those she killed were necessary, much like how one would view the souls of livestock. "Shin, endure¡­" Before the Prince of Water completely lost it, a soothing voice echoed in from the side. Longyu Tian placed her left hand over his right, slowly calming down his agitated state. "We have many more things to ask her¡­ Once we''re done with the questions, it''s never too late to avenge those that perished." "Aunt Tian..." Shin tilted his head to the side. He blinked twice and bit down on his lip so hard that it started to bleed. But ultimately, the Prince of Water knew that Longyu Tian was right. It did him no justice to vent out his frustrations right now. What he needed was a calm and collected heart. Heaving in a deep sigh, Shin composed himself before shooting yet another question: "Let''s try this again¡­ What''s the Black Masks'' next plan? Which region are you going to target next once you''ve escaped from the Abyss?" "That..." Kin shifted her eyes, not willing to stare the Prince right at his face. She had just divulged one major detail about the Black Masks. Was it truly safe to give out another? After all, she hadn''t said anything of substance yet. Perhaps she could regain the Allfather''s favour and make him pardon her for the crimes that she''d committed. Alas, how could Shin simply let her be? Pushing in the floating needles into Gin''s body, Shin forced the Silver Monkey into the peak of pain once more. "ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" "Are you going to answer, or not?" "Fine, fine! You''ve got me!" Kin instantly shouted, prompting Shin to stop his torturous ways. Shifting her eyes back and forth, the Golden Fox meekly said: "We''re going to attack the elderly Spirit Saints, the ones that lack any hope of advancing past the Spirit Saint realm. Kuro said that we need to spur new talent to advance, so killing off the relics of the past is the best start." "So that''s why you killed Saint Suhavis?" Saint Thor''s angry voice bellowed out. "Why are you stating the obvious?" Kin scoffed. "Also¡­ We needed to weaken the Alliance. You guys became united far too fast. We''d thought that there would be enough time to rebuild our powers, but everything moved too quickly." "Killing Spirit Saints to make new Spirit Saints? What kind of logic is that?" Saint Atossa, who had been silent thus far, interjected with her own rapid thoughts. "Let me ask you this¡­ How many of the elderly Spirit Saints have any chance of becoming the next Spirit Immortal? Haven''t they all given up and decided to become statues whose life force would eventually fade away?" Kin continued her retort. "We don''t have much time left, so why waste our resources investing in old relics? It''s much better to spur more vigorous, younger talents so that they could pose somewhat of a challenge to the Allfather." "You bastards..." All four of the Spirit Saints growled. They were brethren to Saint Suhavis and many of those from the elder generation. Many of them looked up to the Spirit Saints, emulated their cultivation techniques to further their own advancements. To a certain degree, there was an invisible reverence between the Spirit Saints from the different generations. That''s why hearing the Black Masks'' plan to eradicate them all really placed a wrench into all of their stomachs. However, Shin wasn''t as disgusted. His mind was repeating the statement that Kin had just given. "Wait a second¡­ What do you mean that you don''t have much time left?" "!!!" Like a deer caught in the lights, Kin froze completely. The Allfather lifespan being numbered was the most valuable secret that the Black Masks had. If that knowledge fell to the Alliance''s hands¡­ Even if Kin and Gin managed to escape from this prison, the Black Masks would make certain that their lives would be forfeited. "Not enough time¡­ Tell me, how many resources you have left? How many cultivators? How many Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments? How many..." Shin''s mouth continued spewing out questions, ready to grind the Golden Fox like a seasoned cop. However, before he could finish, a low rumbling sound shook the cell as if an earthquake had struck. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble... "What the hell?" Shin spat, turning his face up to the ceiling. And that''s when¡­ he saw it. The completely sealed ceiling, which should have been enhanced by multiple layers of protection, was now opened via a narrow crack. Light raced into the dark cell, like an angel''s light descending from heaven. And in the midst of it all¡­ There was a white-haired boy... holding a mirror. Chapter 624 - Wrong (3) "That is..." Shin stopped his finger movements, and the floating needles remained suspended in the air. The four Spirit Saints were slack-jawed as well. They had combined their powers to create the most isolated and secure cell possible. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that the prison was the most defended location on the planet. Even the Allfather, with all of his mysterious means, would take countless tries to pry open the cell. Yet, this white-haired boy just came out of nowhere? While the four Spirit Saints and Shin were in the midst of confusion, Kin''s face instantly lit up in jubilance. "Shiro?!" the Golden Fox cried. "Shiro! Quick, save us! Use your dimension powers to bring us out of here!!!" For Kin, Shiro''s arrival was basically godsent. Despite his youthful appearance, the white-haired boy was anything but inexperienced. Shiro was a Mirror Deity, a being that commanded over the Space-Element like no other Spirit Beast. And due to that fact, no one truly knew the true age of the Mirror Deity. Some records suggest that he was over a million years old, while the being himself swears that he''s less than a thousand years old. However, whatever his exact age was, there was no denying that Shiro was one of the Allfather''s most trusted operatives. Shiro was usually reserved for auxiliary tasks. For instance, when the Black Masks attacked the Shaolin Sect to kill Saint Suhavis, it was Shiro who teleported Kuro and the droves of Umbras over without any detection. Other than that, the Mirror Deity stayed in the shadows, rarely moved in the bigger Black Masks operations. In fact, the Alliance were barely aware of Shiro''s existence, due to how sparsely he was utilised. So for Shiro to personally come out into the open to save Kin and Gin¡­ It showed tremendous confidence in their situation¡­ Right? "Kin¡­ You told them, didn''t you?" However, the first words out of the white-haired boy''s mouth weren''t ones that Kin had hoped to hear. Still floating near the cracks, Shiro''s cold voice echoed through the enclosed cell, forcing a chill to climb up Kin''s spine. "N-No¡­ I didn''t! I swear I didn''t!" The Golden Fox yelled. Betrayers in the organisation were frowned upon, no¡­ They were completely disdained. It wasn''t a stretch for the Allfather to immediately execute those that dared breathe a word of treason. Kin was well-aware of that fact. After all, she had been with the Black Masks since its early days, long before the Allfather began his rampage upon the Terre Continent. Thus, the Golden Fox had to be exceedingly careful¡­ Careful not to step upon the wrath of the Mirror Deity lest he abandoned them. "Are you sure?" "Of course!!!" Kin shrieked. "I would never do anything to betray the Allfather! I will never do anything to harm the Black Masks!" "I see..." Shiro blinked as a heavy sigh escaped from his mouth. "Tsk, we caught two Noble Beasts, and now another one dares to enter into our trap?" While the two Noble Beasts were in the midst of their tug-of-war, Saint Althea sent out a spiteful roar. "Guys, let''s imprison this brat as well! Once those outside capture Momo, we''ll have four captives from the Noble Beasts! We''ll be crippling half of their total executives!!!" "Leave it to me," without any prompting, Saint Thor flew upwards to the ceiling, his hammer flashing with righteous fury. The air distorted as the burly man spun his heavy weapon like a tornado, ready to flail the white-haired boy out of existence. However¡­ Whhhooooooooooooshhhhhhhhh!!! Saint Thor''s all-out hammer strike passed through the floating boy like a ball would a hologram. The hammer flew straight at the enhanced ceiling and was well on its way to breaking the cell wide open. Fortunately, Saint Thor was quick with his fingers and grabbed hold of the hammer''s handle, preventing any damage to the enclosed prison. The only thing that hit the ceilings were the air pressure generated by the heavy hammer. "What the-?!" Saint Thor was in shock after failing to connect with his intended target. Tumbling in the air, it took the muscular man a good five seconds to regain his bearings. "You''re a projection?" "..." Shiro didn''t reply the Spirit Saint. Instead, his eyes were wholly focused on the noisy Golden Fox and the weakened Silver Monkey. Twisting his eyes to the side, he saw Shin standing stoically with many icy needles floating by his side. It didn''t take long for Shiro to connect the dots about what had occurred in the interim. "The Black Masks¡­ has no place for traitors," the Mirror Deity said. Raising the l.u.s.trous mirror in his hands, the white-haired boy summoned out a ray of dazzling light, one that was akin to fifty suns blowing up. The light blinded Shin and the four Spirit Saints, forcing them to raise their arms above their eyes. That was a mistake¡­ "ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!" Gin''s familiar agonised voice bellowed out in the cell once again. Shin instantly snapped his head back with the Celestial Dragon quickly forming a protective barrier against the radiant light. With his Dragon Glacial Needles all withheld, there shouldn''t be any reason for the Gin to be in pain. So that means¡­ Shiro''s light instantly brought Gin''s face into a meltdown as black mana poured out from his pores. The Silver Monkey, which had constantly been suffering under the hands of his captor, was now being tortured by an even greater force. "GIN!!! SHIRO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kin, the only one who knew about the Mirror Deity''s powers, was the first to holler out in protest. "Damn it, stop that beast!!!" Shin also jumped, realising the gravity of the situation. Shiro didn''t come here to save the twins, he came here to go full scorched earth on them. Even Shiro, the enigmatic Mirror Deity that had dominion over the Space-Elements, was incapable of pulling Kin and Gin away from the combined powers of four Spirit Saints. The only way that he could protect the Allfather and the secrets of the Black Masks¡­ was to end the twins'' lives. "HALT!!!" Longyu Tian, the Saint of Time, whipped out her Eternal Fishing Rod, sending a blistering array of Time-Elements flying right at the white-haired boy. However, just like Saint Thor''s attack, Longyu Tian''s move proved to be fruitless. Shiro wasn''t physically present in the prison. What was attacking the Kin and Gin, was merely a projection created by his own powers with the assistance of his Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. If someone wanted to stop Shiro, they had to have an equivalent or higher mastery of the Space-Element. A feat near-impossible, seeing as to how Shiro was the one and only Mirror Deity. "F.U.C.K!!!" Shin cursed, forcing out all of his Celestial Aura. Kin and Gin were their best hope thus far to gain a decisive advantage over the Black Masks and the Allfather. If Shin let them die¡­ Everything that they had done would be washed down the drain. The lives that had been lost to Kin and Gin would be all for nought. But what could Shin do? Each passing second melted yet another part of Gin''s face, while his elder sister could only watch on in horror. She knew¡­ Her brother was not going to make it out. What they were facing wasn''t Shiro''s wrath, but the Allfather''s justice. The Golden Fox broke down crying, believing that it was the end for her brother and their dream of freedom beyond the Black Masks. ''Brother Haiiro¡­ Gin¡­ Anyone¡­ PLEASE SAVE GIN!!!'' Kin cried from the bottom of her heart. All she wished for was for her closest sibling to survive. And well... "Nenene, what are you doing?" A ray of hope came shining in from the opened ceiling, stopping Shiro''s light from completely eroding Gin''s face off. At that moment, Shiro''s outstretched hand was utterly frozen. Not by ice, but with a distinct, primal fear. Creaking his head backwards, he saw the familiar pink-haired girl, staring at him with her eyes wide open. There wasn''t any of the usual love or clinginess to her gaze. Neither was there any hate or fear. What was within Momo''s eyes at that very moment¡­ was a pure, una.d.u.l.terated¡­ anger. "Nenene¡­ What are you doing to my siblings?" Chapter 625 - My Siblings... (1) Wind back the clock a few minutes. Bingbing and Momo were spitting spiritual energies at one another, wholly unconcerned about the destruction that each wave brought. Bingbing''s icy angel wings sent droves of chilling pixie dust flying in the air, plummeting the temperature by tens of degrees with each flap. Momo, on the other hand, was expertly sending out black mana out from her pores, breaking down the frosty spiritual energies and warming up her immediate surroundings. Neither Bingbing nor Momo were physical-type Spirit Beasts that fought solely with their fists. They both affected their environments using the overwhelming elemental spiritual energies that they had. In Momo''s case, she was a master puppeteer that could take control of deceased Primordial Beasts. It was no surprise that a fight between the two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts would bring utter destruction to the land that they fought upon. The battle raged on as neither of them wished to give in even the slightest bit. They had been trading blows for almost five minutes now, and the landscape was utterly unrecognisable. There would be a desolate wasteland separated by an ocean of melted ice. All while massive ice mountains towered over the former grasslands. It was complete pandemonium. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah..." Bingbing panted heavily, her face flushed and body exceedingly hot. In that five minute exchange, almost all of her mana had been sucked dry as she fought the hardest she ever fought in her entire life. If her opponent were any other Spirit Beast, Bingbing would have frozen them into a crystal by now. However, Momo was far from any ordinary opponent. All of Bingbing''s attacks were falling short as the Moon Rabbit asserted her dominance using the faux sanctuary she created. Bones were spiralling about like a tornado, protecting Momo from the icy powers that the Kamaitachi tried to inflict upon her. Often times, the Moon Rabbit would raise her hands, creating a new mindless minion that faithfully executed her bidding. "Nenene¡­ Just die already, will you?" Momo was getting frustrated. She hadn''t expected that Bingbing would put up such a tough fight, and was quickly getting impatient. The Moon Rabbit was connected to her three top minions, the ones responsible for tying down the other senior executives from the Alliance. The rotting Giant was fighting a losing war against Zishen, and its body was on the verge of breaking apart. That was to be expected since it was a former Primordial Beast that only had a fraction of its power. Against a bona fide Spirit Beast, the Giant could only be the punching bag before its eventual collapse. The insect and tiger were no better. Guild Master Xerxes and President Ingram weren''t easy foes, particularly since they were being enhanced by two of the world''s top auxiliary Spirit Venerates. It was only a matter of time before they faded into dust, leaving Momo all alone to fend for herself. Naturally, the Moon Rabbit wasn''t unaware of that fact. Hence, she began to turn a little frantic. Looking deep into her soul, Momo went into the well of pure spiritual energy, one highly reminiscent to that of Ao''s back when he was still at Tier 9. It was the power bestowed upon her by the Allfather, the ace in the hole that was supposedly reserved for her advancement into the Primordial Realm. Every corner of the Moon Rabbit''s body started to glow as a pinkish hue filled the peaceful sanctuary that she''d built. Dark mana pulsated into the air and Bingbing''s ice all melted back into water. There weren''t any cold winds anymore. No, there wasn''t any winds at all¡­ All that remained in the atmosphere was Momo''s cheerful voice. "Nenene, let''s end this?" With a raise of her hand, the Tier 9 Spirit Beast sent forth an endless surge of mana, forcing it to congregate into a banana shape. The dense spiritual energies stunned all those in the battlefield, the mindless corpses that Momo controlled included. They all stopped fighting and moved their eyes to gaze at the black banana shape. And then¡­ Something cracked. "What''s she doing now?!" Lady Seph flapped her Iofiel Angel wings as her face filled up with concern. "Damn it, you guys take care of this! I''ll go help Bingbing!" "Yeah, do that!" Guild Master Xerxes shouted back. "We''ll back you up in a sec!" "..." Lady Seph didn''t even listen to the elite Spirit Venerate''s reply. She bolted right towards the snow white-haired girl, all while a translucent golden string tied her with her companion beast. "Yipyip! Master?" Feeling the familiar mana, Bingbing turned her head towards the flying woman. All of her fatigue was quickly being washed away as her depleted mana slowly went on the rise. All of the elements were scurrying, creating an illusory fog that shrouded Bingbing from Momo''s line of sight. "Bingbing, stay hidden!" Lady Seph sent. "You''ve done enough! I have a bad feeling about the Noble Beast''s next attack! I doubt that you can take it head-on!" "Yipyipyip! I can still fight!" Bingbing protested, a tail breaking free from her adorable little girl bum. "I must stop anyone from disturbing Shin!" "Don''t be foolish!" Lady Seph chided. "Don''t you remember when Shizen died? How much pain it caused Shin? If you overextend yourself like Shizen and potentially lose your life for Shin''s sake, how do you think he''ll feel?" "Yip!" Stunned, the Tier 9 Kamaitachi froze in her tracks. The adrenaline pumping through her head froze, and the Spirit Beast was no longer willing to move a single inch. "Yes, just stay hidden! We''ll deal with the Noble Beast now!" The blonde beauty took significant strides in protecting Bingbing and was already reaching her companion Beast''s side. However, before she could completely grab the Kamaitachi in her arms, the black banana started to shatter from the inside. "What''s going on?" All eyes in the battlefield, it didn''t matter if they were fighting or not, were glued to the new entity flying over Momo''s head. It was unleashing a terrifying amount of mana, one not inferior to that of any Primordial Beast or Spirit Saint. Even Zishen, the only Saint-levelled being in the area, felt apprehensive when staring at the blackened entity. And finally¡­ Like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, the creature within the banana broke free. Tall and grey, the being had a thick coat of fur and pure black beady eyes. Three-metre-long whiskers grew out from its adorable nose, and its face was as round as can be. However, even though it looked like a cute pet that every human would love to have, the dense, black aura surrounding its body was anything but welcoming. Anyone who dared to breathe in the same air that it did, would feel the intense pressure that was capable of crushing any mountain with ease. "A Grey Otter?" Lady Seph raised her brows, perplexed at the new addition. Compared to the other puppets that Momo commanded, this one seemed far superior and therefore, far more dangerous. There weren''t any signs of decay on its corpse, and neither were there any visual weaknesses that the Alliance members could exploit. There was only a potent iron defence that seemed capable of protecting against even the mightiest of blows. The Grey Otter looked down at its enemies like a dojo master examining those that entered into its school. It was frowning¡­ Though not because of the enemies it was supposed to face, but the cell that was located just a few hundred metres away. "Hmmm?" Once the Grey Otter appeared on the battlefield, Momo''s senses had almost quadrupled in sensitivity. She could feel every blade of grass dancing with the breeze and every bit of precipitation that fell from the heavens. And therefore¡­ "WHAT?!" Like the Grey Otter, Momo extended her senses towards the prison cell and was appalled at what she''d witnessed. Not even caring about Bingbing and the rest of the foes surrounding her, the pink-haired girl leapt upon the Grey Otter and surfed straight towards the open hole in the ceiling. "YIP!!! NO, STOP HER!!!" Bingbing cried. Her moment''s distraction had given Momo a chance to bolt past her defences. Lady Seph and the other Spirit Venerates tried to stop her, but it was far too late. In a blink of an eye, the Moon Rabbit had already hopped her way towards the prison opening, giving her a good glimpse of the scene within. Shin and the four Spirit Saints were frozen in place her companion Shiro was flashing a brilliant light at the prison walls. Usually, watching the Alliance members'' suffering was a good thing for the Noble Beast, but this time, two more beings were affected by Shiro''s power. Gin''s face was on the verge of being melted off while Kin was crying her heart out, begging for Shiro to stop his onslaught. Momo was confused in the beginning, but her sisterly instincts instantly kicked into gear. With the lowest voice she could ever muster, the Moon Rabbit asked: "Nenene¡­ What are you doing to my siblings?" Chapter 626 - My Siblings... (2) "..." An awkward silence hung over the room. Shin stood there with a hanging jaw, unsure of what to make of the current situation. The same could be said about the four Spirit Saints that failed to deter Shiro from unleashing his powers. Nothing that they did worked and yet, this little pink-haired girl had managed to halt the Mirror Deity from killing their prize? What was going on? Wasn''t the Black Masks supposed to be a unified bunch? "Nenene, Shiro? What were you trying to do to Gin?" Momo repeated herself, her voice as icy-cold as Bingbing''s own mana. "Momo, I..." A bead of sweat dripped down Shiro''s illusory forehead while he stared at the Moon Rabbit. Momo was by far, the strongest Tier 9 Spirit Beast among the Nine Coloured Noble Beast, now that Ao had made his advancement into the Primordial Realm. In an all-out battle, Shiro would unquestionably be the first to succ.u.mb, and there was even a chance that he''ll take severe injuries from an incensed Momo. Also, the Allfather and the Black Masks couldn''t afford to lose Momo at this critical juncture, when they were this close to completing their final dream. Therefore, the Mirror Deity had to be careful with his explanation here. "I was trying to save your siblings, Momo!" "Nenene, why was Gin screaming in so much pain to your mirror light?" However, Momo wasn''t that easily deceived. Although she didn''t share the unbreakable mental connection that Kin and Gin had, the Moon Rabbit was acutely aware of her sibling''s mental state. Right now, the Silver Monkey''s mind was utterly blurred, with pain being the only feeling that he had. The Moon Rabbit was innocent, but she wasn''t stupid. It was apparent from the get-go that Shiro was attempting to kill Gin for reasons unknown. When they were first deployed to the region, Shiro had promised her that both Kin and Gin would be returned back to her unharmed. So why was Shiro trying to melt Gin, effectively ending his life and ruining their sibling reunion? "Momo, you have to trust me! I was trying to-..." "Nenene¡­ Why is Gin in pain? Why is Kin crying? What did you do to them?" All of Shiro''s words fell on deaf''s ear, as Momo was sadly looking at her poor siblings. "Nenene¡­ Were you trying to kill them?" "Momo, I..." "Nenene, you promised that we would save them, right? Why are you trying to kill my only siblings?" The Moon Rabbit continued to ignore the Mirror Deity. Right now, her mind was wholly occupied on saving Kin and Gin, the two entities left from the Moon Valley. "MOMO!!! Listen to me!" Shiro continued to shout, trying desperately to sway the Moon Rabbit back to his side. "They were being tortured by the Alliance Members! I had to use those methods to deter them! Otherwise, Kin and Gin would have perished under their blades!" "Nenene¡­ Why is Kin crying?" Alas, the Moon Rabbit was having none of that. She could clearly see that the source of Gin''s pains was the light that Shiro was emitting. If not for her prompt arrival, she would have lost the Silver Monkey to the annals of history and Kin would likely hate her for life. "NENENE!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SIBLINGS?!" Shiro remained silent as he watched the Moon Rabbit''s spiritual pressure ever so quickly. Against four Spirit Saints, the Mirror Deity had the utmost of confidence. All he needed to do was send a projection, and there was nothing that the top powerhouses of the world could do to him. Momo, on the other hand, was a threat far closer to home. Momo knew how Shiro''s abilities worked and were even capable of locating his main body without any hassle. If Momo wanted to kill Shiro, it wasn''t a matter of if, it was a matter of when. "Momo..." Shiro sighed, knowing that the gig was up. Momo wasn''t going to listen to any of his lies and was ready to bring the fight. Therefore, he chose a different approach. "Momo, we can''t afford to lose any information about the Allfather¡­ Once we reach the Immortal Realm, once we reach Utopia¡­ We can summon back all of your siblings and even¡­ achieve your long wished dream. Don''t let your emotions cloud your judgement, Momo. This is the right thing to do." "..." Shiro didn''t know if his words worked but at the very least¡­ It shut Momo up. The Moon Rabbit, which was ready to take up arms and battle the Mirror Deity to the death, turned oddly quiet. Her face was hidden from view, not allowing anyone to read her emotions. Was she compliant, or was she amid a fiery rage? No one could tell for sure. And thus, Shiro prompted: "Momo? Are you alright?" "Nenene¡­ Did you try to kill my siblings for that reason? TO SAVE THE BLACK MASKS?!" Unleashing a fury of black mana, the Moon Rabbit confined the white-haired boy''s image into a cell, not allowing him to break free in the slightest. "HEY!!! Are you trying to defy the Allfather? Kin sold out information about us! Her knowledge will prove to be harmful towards the Allfather, and yet she did that to save Gin! Do you think that the Allfather would allow her to live after that?!" Shiro tried to protest, but alas¡­ Momo was too far gone. Her wrath towards the white-haired boy was at its apex and like an active volcano¡­ She was about to erupt. "MY SIBLINGS AREN''T DISPOSABLE!!! THEY ARE MY FLESH AND BLOOD!!!" Momo sent all of her mana into her left hand and raised it up at the ceilings. In no time at all, the reinforced walls started to show signs of cracks from the openings and then¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The entire prison, said to be capable of defending against a full-fledged attack by the Allfather, caved in from the outside. A Grey Otter, one that measured over fifty-metres in length, fell straight towards the floor, creating a crater upon impact. Seeing the new addition, Kin''s eyes opened up wide, and her face turned completely stiff. There was no way that she would forget that visage. Those familiar whiskers and the eyes that breathed out immense love¡­ It was the one being that she longed to meet once again and the Spirit Beast that started her intense wrath for Momo and her antics. And also, the main reason why Kin was against joining the Black Masks in the first place. "Bro-brother Haiiro?" Kin gulped. The Golden Fox tried to call the Grey Otter by name, but he wasn''t responsive in the slightest. In fact, it glanced past Kin as if she were another rock in the bay. To the Grey Otter, there was only one thing that mattered¡­ And that was protecting the master that had given it ''life.'' "Brother Haiiro? BROTHER HAIIRO?" Kin tried to gain the Grey Otter''s attention, but it was to no avail. Its eyes were glued at the white-haired boy that had caused Momo this much anguish and was ready to pounce at a moment''s notice. However, it was abruptly stopped by a squishy outreached arm. "Nenene, Kin..." While she was at the peak of her shock, Momo''s soft voice echoed into her consciousness. "I didn''t want to show you this¡­ I really, really wanted to prevent you from knowing the truth..." "W-What are you talking about?" "Nenene¡­ Brother Haiiro he¡­ Died long before the Allfather came to Moon Valley..." "!!!" "Nenene¡­ Two thousand years ago¡­ A group of Spirit Beasts came into the valley, looking for a good place to cultivate and hide from the humans." Momo started to explain. "Nenene¡­ Back then, you were too young, so you couldn''t remember it clearly¡­ When they came in, they didn''t have any plans on sharing Moon Valley¡­ They wanted to kill and eat us, to aide in their cultivation." "I-I remember that! Brother Haiiro fought them off! He made them promise to never step foot on our land ever again!" Kin instantly shot off the details of her memory. "Nenene¡­ No, he didn''t..." Momo regretfully shook her head. "Nenene¡­ In that fight¡­ Brother Haiiro died¡­" "He what?!" "Nenene, I was too young, so I didn''t understand the full extent of my powers yet. I didn''t know that¡­ I was the one in control of Moon Valley. However, the moment that brother Haiiro died, my powers started to run rampant, and I began to understand what I truly was..." The Moon Rabbit shook her head. "Nene¡­ I''m sorry¡­ If I were smarter then¡­ Brother Haiiro would still be with us..." "Y-you! What do you mean?!" Kin was still in a state of shock and fear. She didn''t know what to believe and what to be wary of. For all she knew, Momo was feeding her a convenient lie. But unfortunately, something in the willy Golden Fox could tell¡­ Momo was telling the truth. "Ne¡­ Don''t worry," the Moon Rabbit reassured. Raising her mana output, the Grey Otter coiled around her roared out an intense surge of mana, bringing down even more rock from the high walls. "Nenene, just stay still for now¡­ I will save you all and then¡­ we''ll talk." Chapter 627 - My Siblings... (3) The Moon Rabbit''s declaration poured cold water all over the white-haired boy''s body as he completely froze in place. The fingers that were holding his Immortal-Grade Mirror was trembling, and his face turned as pale as a winter''s curse. He had tried to sway Momo and to hopefully convince her to follow the Allfather''s word. Alas, the Moon Rabbit only joined the Black Masks and swore fealty to the Allfather because of one reason¡­ And Shiro tried to kill that reason right before her very eyes¡­ "Momo, think about the Allfather¡­ Please¡­ We can''t afford to lose you here," Shiro shot out his final hallelujah cry. "I don''t want to be the one to do this to you, Momo..." The pink-haired girl acted as if she hadn''t heard Shiro''s speech. "Nenene¡­ Kin and Gin¡­ They''re¡­ UNTOUCHABLE!!!" In a fit of rage, Momo''s petite body ''exploded,'' and black mist gushed out into the enclosed prison. The shockwave shook all who inhabited the room, forcing the four Spirit Saints to bundle up together near Shin and their two captives. Since the place had been compromised, there was no need to supply spiritual energies to the enhanced walls. Which could mean only one thing¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! With nothing protecting the prison walls, everything was blown apart by the sudden shockwave. Broken brick pieces flew everywhere, and ash clouds rose to the heavens like a towering skyscr.a.p.er. The billowing smoke slowly came to a halt, revealing the visage of the former pink-haired girl who had unleashed the ferocious attack. In her place, a two-metre-long pink rabbit, with fluffy, elongated ears and a bushy tail, stood silently over the prison. Her beady eyes were staring the white-haired boy down as if she were a monarch looking down on her subjects. "Shin! Are you alright?" Longyu Tian was the first one to arrive by Shin''s shoulder and gently held onto his body. Since the four Spirit Saints had moved quickly, the damage from the broken prison walls barely reached Shin and the two prisoners. However, the protective aunt nature of Longyu Tian couldn''t help but ask the obvious question. "Yeah," the Prince of Water replied, his face void of any emotion. "The Moon Rabbit¡­ It looks like there has been a falling out..." "Looks like it," the Saint of Time nodded. "The Black Masks may not be as unified as we initially thought." "..." Shin frowned and kept his thoughts to himself. The Alliance was just too ignorant about the internal affairs of the Black Masks. Typically, in a war against such a dastardly organisation, spies would be commonplace. Unfortunately, any and all spies that the Alliance sent into the Black Masks were instantly weeded out, and barely any information was leaked from within. Therefore, even though the Alliance had been in a prolonged war with the Black Masks, they knew painfully little about this enigmatic organisation that brought the whole world to heel. ''The Moon Rabbit is rebelling against the Black Masks? Is that even possible?'' Shin''s mind was rapidly firing signals, leading to an endless train of thought. Based on their intelligence, the Allfather''s word was law. If anyone dared to go against the Allfather''s wishes, they would be subjected to the worst punishment known to the Black Masks. The Allfather''s curse was ingrained in every Black Masks'' soul from the moment that they''d entered the organisation. Not even the mighty Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were exempted from this requirement. Hence, for Momo to actually launch a counter without any repercussions¡­ Something was really off. ''Just now¡­ Kin said that they lacked the time¡­ Now, the Allfather didn''t act even though Momo is clearly putting up an act of defiance¡­ Wait a second¡­ Does that mean?!'' Having an epiphany, Shin c.o.c.ked his head up and stared straight at the four Noble Beasts present. Even though the roof had been broken down, Kin, Gin and Momo were wholly unaffected by the Allfather''s curse, which would have killed any Black Masks that dared to betray the Allfather. "Yip yip yip! Shin!" While Shin was in the midst of his contemplation, a familiar voice rang from a distance. A snow-white haired girl flew straight down, her icy crystal wings fluttering in the wind. Behind her, a blonde beauty entered the building with an ashen face, as if she had regained the looks of her real age. "Yipyip! Shin, are you hurt?" "Shin! You alright?" Both the Kamaitachi and her master called out to Shin, utterly unbothered by the fight that was occurring overhead. "No, I''m fine," the Prince replied calmly. "What about you guys? Were you injured?" "Nothing of the sort," Lady Seph folded her arms. Once she confirmed her disciple''s safety, the lifelong researcher''s analytical mind took over. "The Noble Beast left Binging behind and charged straight at the dome. I''d thought that it would force all of you into comas or something. Also, what''s going on here? Why are the Noble Beasts facing off against one another." "That''s what we''re trying to find out," Longyu Tian interjected. Up till now, the four Spirit Saints had been holding back their captives while desperately trying to isolate the prison from the outside world. However, with the cell now destroyed, there was a major change in plans. "Seraphim. Take care of the prisoners for now. We''ll deal with the two Noble Beasts in the air." Whipping out her fishing rod, Longyu Tian summoned the elongated Golden Koi, forcing the Time-Elements to dilate all around her. The other three Spirit Saints had similar ideas as well. Saint Althea moved right next to Lady Seph, ready to supplement her precious disciple and grand-disciple. Saint Atossa left her post as guardian and brought out her own Spirit in an attempt to stop the carnage from ever breaking out while Saint Thor swung his mighty hammer around with the same intentions. "Shouldn''t you just let the two Noble Beasts fight it out? Let them wear each other out and then strike," Lady Seph suggested. "Wouldn''t it be simpler to just apprehend them? We have four Spirit Saints at our backs. They only have two Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. We can easily-..." "No wait, Aunt Tian¡­ Master has a point," Shin interjected, his face radiating up. "Something is wrong, don''t you think?" "Meaning?" "Why hasn''t the Allfather''s mana intervened, now that your protection is broken?" "That!" Longyu Tian widened her eyes. "You''re right¡­ That''s the whole reason why we handicapped ourselves in the first place¡­ So why haven''t the Allfather killed the prisoners?" Shin scratched the bottom of his chin, and the familiar face of thought came up. "I think¡­ The Allfather, he is weakened¡­ He no longer has the same hold of the Black Masks as he did before." "The Allfather is weakened?!" Lady Seph shrieked. "That''s just my hypothesis¡­ However, it makes total sense. Even if he was hibernating for the past ten years, splitting the continent, separating the Terrestrial Dragon''s spiritual energy from the land can''t be an easy feat. Not to mention, as much as the Black Masks wouldn''t want to admit it¡­ The Allfather isn''t an Immortal. He is still bound to the laws of nature and will age just like anyone else." "I see¡­ So you''re saying that the Allfather won''t interfere with their battle?" Longyu Tian asked. "There''s a high possibility," Shin nodded. "How''s the situation outside? Is Senior Zishen managing?" "They''ll survive¡­ The real problem is the Moon Rabbit right here. Once she''s down, the zombies that she controls will likewise fall." Lady Seph added. "That''s good," Shin smiled. "For now, let''s stay our hands. We can rest our forces while they weaken themselves. Furthermore..." The simple, innocent smile grew ever more sinister. His face contorted, the Prince of Water claimed: "We can manipulate them to leak more information about the Black Masks¡­ Let''s not squander this opportunity." Chapter 628 - My Siblings... (4) ''Urgh¡­ What''s happening?'' A thoughtless groan echoed out from inside Gin''s psyche as the light slowly came back to his darkened life. The Silver Monkey had been under constant stress ever since he had been chained, facing torture after torture from Shin. To make matters worse, once Shiro came flying from the roof, the Mirror Deity refused to save him and instead¡­ Force a radiant light upon his weakened body, further degrading it and sending waves of pain into his broken brain. Even if he were a Tier 9 Spirit Beast and one of the Nine Colours blessed by the Allfather''s mana, there was still a limit to the Silver Monkey''s tolerance. It took him a good few minutes to come to as the pain subsided and his body slowly got onto the path of complete recovery. His short eyelids started to flicker, and a blazing beam broke through his retina. ''So¡­ Bright...'' The Silver Monkey raised his left arm over his eyes while he turned his hip to the side. Gin opened his mouth, slowly tasting the damp air that surrounds him. Bit by bit, the senses that he''d lost after his mind had gone completely awry was coming back to him. The light was the first to permeate through his brain, and soon, his sense of touch returned. He tapped the gravelly floor, bringing his substantial body up to an uprooted position. Blood pumped all over his seemingly frozen body, and colour soon returned to his face. And finally¡­ ''I''m¡­ still alive?'' Gin thought to himself. His latest memory was a brilliant light, one that was filled with killing intent and adverse pain. The Silver Monkey was one of the strongest Spirit Beasts alive, but there was no way that he could resist that powerful light. To a certain degree, he had even resolved himself to passing on. Alas, by some mystical miracle, Gin was still alive. Pivoting his head, the Silver Monkey instinctively turned towards the one he was connected to the most. Kneeling just mere metres away from him, a Golden Fox was sprawled out on the floor, its four legs and bushy tail beaten into a submissive pose. Though her position was troublesome, there weren''t any visible wounds on Kin''s body, allowing Gin to breathe out a sigh of relief. ''Kin¡­ Thank god! You''re still alive!'' Gin sent a mental message over to his sister. ''...'' There was no reply. Kin was entranced, looking up at the sky with a blank expression, one that Gin had hardly ever seen. Though, the Silver Monkey never thought for one second to investigate the reason behind his sister''s trance. Instead, he attempted to call out to her one more time. ''Kin! Can you hear me?'' ''Gin?!'' This time, there was a response. Hearing her younger brother''s voice, the voice that she''d been praying to hear for the past few minutes now, Kin dropped her jaw and snapped her head back. ''GIN!!! You''re finally awake!!!'' The Golden Fox tried to embrace her younger sibling, but the bindings of the Spirit Saints were just far too potent. She struggled a little, but ultimately, the Golden Fox was still far too weak to resist the Spirit Saints. ''These stupid restraints,'' Kin cursed. All she wanted to do was to have a sweet little reunion and yet, the Alliance members weren''t going to give her that simple luxury. ''Gin! Are you hurt?! Can you still move?! How''s your psychological state, your spiritual body?! Tell me, are there any complications?!'' Since Kin couldn''t examine her brother, she resorted to shouting questions at him. ''Don''t worry¡­ Overall, I feel fine...'' Gin was still in the midst of recovery and couldn''t accurately determine what the real damage done to his body and soul was. Perhaps he was crippled for life, or maybe he was completely fine. Once they were free of the bindings, then the Silver Monkey could give a thorough assessment. Alas, he couldn''t do that as of yet. What Gin could assess, was their current state within the prison? ''What happened? Why was there a light that tried to kill me?'' The Silver Monkey asked. ''T-That...'' Kin hesitated, her eyes shifting from her younger brother to the ceiling. Intrigued, Gin''s focus followed his sister''s vision, and well¡­ "W-What¡­ What''s going on?!" Gin widened his eyes and unconsciously let out a shout with his own vocal cords. A fatal mistake as a prisoner who has just woken up from a coma, but who could blame him? Overhead, two entities were locked in a heated battle, one not giving up a single inch to the other. A white-haired boy was creating vast amounts of mirrors, leaping into most of them to switch locations spatially. On the other side, a pink rabbit was hopping on top of a Grey Otter, which sent forth hoards of disgusting mana like a locust plague through a wheat field. It was a one-sided battle, for sure. But what truly shocked the Silver Monkey, were the two beings that helmed the struggle. ''Momo and Shiro?! Why are they fighting?! And isn''t that...'' ''Yes, that''s Brother Haiiro...'' Kin interrupted Gin''s thought with a confirmation. ''Or to be more precise¡­ That''s Brother Haiiro''s corpse that fell under Momo''s control.'' ''WHAT?!'' Stunned beyond belief, the Silver Monkey had thrown away all of his drowsiness and pain. ''D-Did Momo...'' ''No, Momo didn''t kill Brother Haiiro...'' Kin shook her head, disproving Gin''s hypothesis. ''Brother Haiiro died in that battle with the intruders! Momo used her powers as the Moon Rabbit to keep our sanctuary running and place an image of Brother Haiiro, one that could interact with us like the real deal! She''s been deceiving us all this while!!!'' The Golden Fox whined. Although, it was unclear if it was from anger or complete resentment¡­ Resentment to her own self. Resentment for not seeing the truth sooner, and¡­ resentment for hating the youngest sister that had attempted to protect her for the longest time. ''She joined the Black Masks¡­ She joined the Allfather¡­ In the hopes of resurrecting Brother Haiiro and giving us eternal life. An eternal garden to play in, as we used to before...'' ''No¡­ No way...'' Just like his sister before him, Gin failed to accept that truth. From the day they were expelled from Moon Valley, the twins had been blaming Momo for breaking their peace and quiet¡­ For thrusting their lives into this whirlwind that they never wanted to be part of in the first place. Yet¡­ The peace that they had yearned for¡­ was actually just an illusion? A mirage that had been lost a long time ago? ''We''ve been¡­ misunderstanding the situation this whole time?'' Gin raised the question, but there was no reply. Neither of them wanted to believe that this was the truth. Like ostriches, they stuck their heads into the sand, not hearing, not seeing¡­ But alas¡­ The light of the battle was far too bright for anyone to ignore. ''T-then¡­ Why is Momo fighting Shiro? Why aren''t they joined together to save us? Look! Four Spirit Saints are staring at them, ready to pounce at any moment! Shouldn''t they save us first?'' ''That''s the problem...'' Kin gritted her teeth, holding back the overwhelming rage that was bottling within. ''Shiro tried to kill you! He wanted to silence us, to prevent us from revealing any secrets of the Black Masks and the Allfather! He never wanted to bring us out from this hell in the first place! If not for Momo''s arrival, you may have...'' The Golden Fox didn''t need to complete the sentence to convey her wrath. No, there was even a tinge of fear hidden within her shaking voice. Gin could clearly feel that, and a wave of emotions surged up in his brain as well. He looked up at the two beings amid their tense battle, and with a resolute sigh, Gin declared: ''We have to help her...'' ''Do you think I don''t know that?!'' Kin screamed. ''But we''re still stuck to the Spirit Saints! We are powerless to help Momo¡­ Sister Momo!'' The Golden Fox was in no shape to contest the fight. Kin was, by far, the most emotional of the four siblings back in Moon Valley. Everything was a blur to her now. The reality she believed was all a lie and the sister she hated the most, was actually her most trusted ally. Therefore, it was up to Gin to bring a new solution to the table. ''Just leave it to me...'' Chapter 629 - The Moon Sets... (1) Bewwwwwwwww!!! Bewwwwwwwww!!! Bewwwwwwwww!!! Two lights flashed past each other, each one bringing forth heaps of raw spiritual energies that would incinerate any mere mortal. The white light was bolting into illusory mirrors, changing its spatial location with every millisecond. The pink light, on the other hand, was bursting forth with cruel wrath, hunting down the white light like a tiger would its prey. As the pink light punched through the mirrors of the white light, it sent thousands of shards flying down and billions of particles tearing through the space-time fabric of the prison. ''Tsk! Momo has really lost it!'' Shiro cursed while attempting to somersault out of the Moon Rabbit''s wrath. Although it was risky to avert his attention during a heated battle, the Mirror Deity''s eyes naturally shifted towards the side, peering right at the four Spirit Saints and the infamous Prince of Water. They had all summoned their Spirits and were in their quasi-battle stance. The elites outside were even starting to show up by their side, giving them the ample support that they needed. However, Shiro''s eyes caught the most critical thing¡­ The twin Noble Beasts that he''d sought out to kill¡­ they were both awake, alive and well. ''I can''t let this drag out any longer¡­ I have to kill Kin and Gin, then escape! To hell with Momo!'' Shiro spat mentally. If it were up to him, he would have long escaped using his expert control over the Space-Element. Even if all the Spirit Saints were assembled right before his eyes, the Mirror Deity had the confidence to leave the place with his life intact. After all, the ''Shiro'' within the prison was just a mere projection, not the real thing. However, Kuro had given him a task that he couldn''t afford to fail. He had to kill Kin and Gin to curb any information leakage about the Allfather. The Alliance couldn''t find out about the Black Masks'' weakened state, particularly since they were this close to achieving their final dream. Alas, Momo just had to start a rampage at this perilous time¡­ ''Let''s do this!'' With a roar, the Mirror Deity spread both his arms out, sending a kaleidoscopic radiance flying out from his inner core. The Immortal-Grade Spiritual Armament in his hands started to glow with the essence of a rainbow erupting from an endless ocean, creating an Aurora Borealis within the grim and dark chambers. "What''s he doing?!" Shin gasped. The Celestial Dragon and his Celestial Aura were already pulsating out in full effect, creating a field that was more colourful than a field of roses. Yet, the domain that Shiro was emitting surpassed Shin''s tenfold, creating an aura of dominance around the white-haired boy. All of the Alliance members were confused, but the three Nine Coloured Noble Beasts weren''t as stumped. Kin''s lower lip trembled while Gin dropped his jaw in disbelief. They both knew what the Mirror Deity was doing, and they had seen him use that against many enemies before, just¡­ They didn''t expect that this overbearing power would one day be targetted at them. "NENENE!!! YOU WON''T HARM MY SIBLINGS!!!" Momo hollered, throwing her body right at Shiro. The Grey Otter moved far more quickly than the Moon Rabbit and was already defending the twins even before Momo could hop her way there. ''That''s right¡­ You do that, Momo¡­ SO YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO SUFFER!!!'' The field of colours soon turned right at the exposed Moon Rabbit, who was far away from the protection of the Grey Otter. Particles all gathered into a singular ball as the spiritual energies rose dramatically over the heads of all who inhabited the room. Even the mighty Spirit Saints, who had the power to lock down space and towered over all who dared to stand against them, felt a little apprehension looking at the light. Fortunately¡­ The almighty power wasn''t targeted at them, but the poor pink bunny who looked as dazed as can be. "Crap! Momo, watch out!!!" Kin screamed, her face broken down into tears and suffering. She couldn''t lose Momo now, particularly since the truth about Moon Valley had just come out. There were still many things that they needed to share, thousands of conversations they needed to have. Kin couldn''t afford to lose Momo¡­ and Gin knew that. Whoooooooooooooooooooosssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh!!! A silver beam bolted out from Kin''s left side, rapidly reaching the Moon Rabbit in a matter of nanoseconds. Even Shin, the one who was constantly watching over the twins, couldn''t anticipate that quick movement. Heck, he was still confused about its true nature. However, Momo wasn''t that ignorant. Seeing the silver flash, the pink bunny voiced out in a serene tone: "Nenene? Gin?" "Brace for impact!" The Silver Monkey shouted as he embraced the Moon Rabbit. A metallic glow permeated out from Gin''s body, creating a robust force-field with a honeycomb exterior. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! There were no wasted seconds. The moment Gin''s brought Momo into his embrace, the kaleidoscopic radiance burnt down, generating a pillar of green-yellow-blue fluorescent lights. No... It cycled between all the colours known to man and the heat brought forth by the lights were no inferior to that of a volcanic ash cloud. Shin spread out the Celestial Aura, rapidly plummeting the temperature to his liking and soothing the burning bodies of his comrades, all while the light continued to shine down. ''Wait a minute, that was the Silver Monkey¡­ How did he escape our bindings?'' Shin asked himself. A seal made by four Spirit Saints wasn''t easy to break. Even if it were the Allfather himself, he would at least make a struggle before breaking free of those constraints. So how did Gin manage to free himself? The answer was given to Shin the moment he stared down at the restriction zone. There, the familiar Golden Fox was still kneeling down, tears streaming down her eyes while all of her limbs were placed in a submissive pose. However, more importantly¡­ The Silver Monkey''s physical body was right there with her. ''The Silver Monkey''s body is still there?'' Shin frowned before switching his attention back to the twins. The analytical mind of the Prince of Water began to spin, and he rapidly sought clues from the vault of knowledge that was stored within his mind. In no time at all, a humble sigh broke free from Shin''s chapped lips: ''Ah, I see¡­ So that''s his power...'' "Master, Aunt Tian¡­ Be prepared." "Hmmm? Prepared for what?" Wearing his signature sinister smile, Shin said: "The twins¡­ They''re going to launch an escape with the Moon Rabbit soon. We''ll stop them when the time is right." ??? Smoke dominated the air of the already stuffy prison, bringing reduced visibility and breathability to anyone within the four walls. The multicoloured light that hung over the cell had dissipated in its entirety, leaving nothing but grey walls behind. Light still came from the outside, but it was mostly warmth from the afternoon cleared skies, not the vicious spiritual energies that threatened to take down one of the Noble Beast''s life. Like a glorious garden bathed in the prestige of Apollo himself, the gloomy prison started to shine. Any soul would be happy when bathed with the newfound light from the heavens, but unfortunately, there was one being that couldn''t relish in the breathtaking scenery. ''Tsk, she survived?'' Shiro clucked his tongue, glaring right at the billowing ash cloud. Gin, the Silver Monkey with the authority over metal, hugged the exposed Moon Rabbit, shielding her from any damage that the Mirror Deity could do. "Nenene, Gin? Gin?! Are you alright?!" Momo asked, her voice filled with fear and concern. "Y-yeah¡­ I-I''m okay..." A weak voice escaped from the charred Silver Monkey. "Nenene! Why are you so stupid?! I can take care of myself!!!" The Moon Rabbit protested Gin''s actions. "Nenene! You''re weak! So why did you think that you could protect me?!" "Haha, I''m not stupid¡­ And not weak too¡­ J-just¡­ The Mirror Apocalypse from Shiro¡­ Too strong..." Contrary to his words, Gin spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the beautiful, luscious fur of the pink bunny. "NENENE!!! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" "Y-yes¡­ Don''t worry..." Gin continued, albeit without the same strength that he had before. "L-Listen to me, please¡­ I have a plan¡­ To get us out of here..." "Nenene?" "J-just¡­ trust¡­ us..." With that, the Silver Monkey leaned in until his face was just an inch away from Momo''s ear and started to whisper. While the two were caught up in their own world, Shiro was seriously contemplating his next move. ''Should I attack again? No, that''s far too risky¡­ The Spirit Saints would seal my power to prevent the total collapse of the prison¡­ What should I do?'' It was a conundrum for the white-haired boy. Killing Momo, Kin and Gin was no easy feat, particularly when four Spirit Saints were staring him down. If the Mirror Deity attempted to pull yet another stunt, it would unquestionably result in a drastic failure. One that could even see him losing his treasured Immortal-Ranked Spirit Armament. There was little that Shiro could do to turn the tables. Of course, that is if he was alone, that is¡­ [Return.] ''Allfather!'' Hearing the familiar voice, Shiro perked his ears up and gazed up at the heavens from the opened ceiling. [Retun, Shiro¡­ Leave the rest to me.] ''But Allfather¡­ If you activate your curse in your current state¡­ On three Noble Beasts nonetheless! Your body will...'' [A small price to pay¡­ Your safety is of paramount importance. The brats from the Garden¡­ They can be sacrificed.] ''But!'' [Do you want me to repeat myself?] ''... As you command, my liege.'' Chapter 630 - The Moon Sets... (2) The moment Shiro finished the mental conversation he had with the Allfather, the white-haired boy''s visage started to turn illusory. The lights that hung over the prison had long dissipated into nothingness, and the dim darkness of the chambers took over the atmosphere. Yes, there were some light coming from the outside, but for the most part, the prison had reverted back to its dark, gloomy environment. With the drastic spiritual energy dip, it didn''t take long for someone to realise Shiro''s intentions. Saint Atossa pointed her finger at Shiro, shouting out at the top of her lungs. "That Noble Beast! He''s running away!!!" "Tsk, I''ll take care of him!" Saint Thor roared, spinning his mighty hammer as if it were a toy drum. Torrents of wind spun rapidly around the bulky man''s body while lightning flashes zoomed all throughout his body. In no time at all, Saint Thor''s spiritual energies took over the chambers, charring the enhanced prison walls. "N-Now¡­ N-Now''s our chance..." While the four Spirit Saints had their attention split for even a half-second, Gin''s tired voice whispered into Momo''s ears. He swung his burly left monkey arm over the Moon Rabbit''s neck, catching her in a darce choke. "Nenene, what are you doing?" Visibly confused, Momo asked with her eyes wide opened. "R-Remember¡­ Trust..." Gin was unable to form complex sentences due to how broken down he was, but he could still give Momo a rough overview. The Silver Monkey closed his eyes, sending all of his mana back to the physical body that was laying right by his eldest sister. Kin, as if waiting for this exact moment, wrapped her foxy tail around the Silver Monkey''s waist all while the Space-Elements danced around her four-legged body. All eyes were on the escaping white-haired boy, so no one really noticed that subtle change. Well, no one but an annoying peering, azure pair. Though, there was no way for either Kin or Gin to notice. Meanwhile, Saint Thor was already nearing the ceiling, his hammer smashing down with the full hatred of the Alliance. He didn''t care if he killed the Mirror Deity or not. If they couldn''t capture the Noble Beasts and force them to sing like a bird, then it would be better if they were dead. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" A full strike of a Spirit Saint, particularly one that used hammers to mould Spirit Armaments of the highest degree, was no joke. Pieces of metal fell down from the prison''s dome, even without the swing running down. The air somehow became a hundred times heavier as the spiritual density of the room spiked beyond measurements. Even Shin, a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, had his face contorted just a little, unable to withstand the pressure that a Spirit Saint naturally put out. On the other hand, the target of Saint Thor''s execution was utterly unfazed. His eyelids were dropping down while his face was completely emotionless. "What a fool..." Shiro scoffed. The mirror within his hands glowed like a shining star in the heavens and the same kaleidoscopic light that blinded them all. Power surged from his limbs as a mirror encasing hexahedron protected the white-haired boy. Naturally, since Saint Thor had swung his hammer, there was no pulling back his weight. The hammer was going to come down, whether there was a barrier or not. "DIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!" Saint Thor screamed with everything that he had. However, the intended impact that he so desired¡­ never came. Sending the hammer strike down, Saint Thor felt his weight melt away as his hammer phased through the barrier like a raindrop on the summer''s asphalt ground. Unable to stop the momentum, Saint Thor was sent crashing to the ground, sending shockwaves and creating a meteorite crater within the enclosed prison cell. "What the-?!" Perplexed, Saint Thor shot out a curse or two, but it was to no avail. Shiro was without a speck of dust or a drop of blood. Not even a bead of sweat. Instead, the white-haired boy finally executed what he sought out to do in the first place. "Bye-bye! See you soon!" Shiro chuckled. His high-pitched voice was drowned out gradually by the oppressive atmosphere until eventually¡­ just like the boy''s appearance, it disappeared in its entirety. "He f.u.c.k.i.n.g escaped?" Saint Thor spat as he emerged out of the crater he created. "Saint Longyu Tian! You couldn''t use your Time-Element to hold him down?!" "What do you think the Time-Element is? I can''t just seal a being that was never here in the first place." Longyu Tian shot a snide remark. "The Noble Beast was just an astral projection with a percentage of his mana. He could escape any time he wished, and there would be nothing we could do to stop him." "How is he so powerful for a Tier 9 Spirit Beast?" Saint Althea questioned, her head c.o.c.ked to the side. "Not powerful, annoying." Longyu Tian bit her lower lip. "I bet it has something to do with that mirror he was holding. It seemed like an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament. In a head-on battle, there''s nothing to fear against that brat. BUT, his movements will be annoying to deal with in any war. I reckon that his control over the Space-Elements far exceeds any Saint-levelled being." "And yet, we know nothing about him." "..." The prison went silent after Saint Althea''s words. She was right, the Alliance was just far too uninformed about the Black Masks. If they wanted to end this costly war, they required information, and lots of them to boot. "Back to the drawing board then¡­ Let''s capture the three remaining Noble Beasts and make them talk. Perhaps we can figure out a counter to that annoying mirror boy''s abilities," Saint Atossa turned her head back, ready to capture the Noble Beasts that were left behind. Truth to be told, they could have dealt with any of the Tier 9 Spirit Beasts at any given time. It was just Shiro that could elude their overbearing might. Or so they thought. "NOW!!!" Gin''s exasperated voice sounded out, and a radiant light beamed out from all three of the Moon Valley''s Spirit Beast. Kin, who had been sealed within the encas.e.m.e.nt that the Spirit Saints had placed upon her, had teleported out with her unconscious Silver Monkey brethren on her back. The ''Gin'' that protected Momo leapt into his original sleeping body and melted into it like an ice cube on a hot summer''s day. The three of them were finally free¡­ for a few seconds at least. Noticing their failure, the three independent Spirit Saints panicked and scrambled to make amends. "Saint Thor! Quick, use your hammer!" Saint Atossa, the former matriarch of the Mercenary''s Guild, was the first to scream out her orders. "Saint Althea, boost me! I''ll catch them before they teleport away!" "Got it!" "Copy that!" Spiritual energies shot out from their fingertips, and the entire field was overwhelmed with elemental powers. Lightning crackled while light and wind changed the murky cell into a field of flowers by the side of a hill. Carnage was ready to be unleashed, as per Saint Thor''s earlier reasoning. If they couldn''t be captured, they were to be killed. Of course, that would be the wisest choice. Unless... "Wait," Saint Longyu Tian raised her hands and broke her three compatriots'' concentration. "What are you doing?! Do you want them to escape?" "No, you idiots. Use your eyes a little!" Longyu Tian scoffed. Her left index finger pointed upwards at the ceiling, where two shadows laid in wait. Their silhouettes were already racing towards the three hopeful escapees, pushing down heaps of spiritual pressure and an odd spiritual light. "That''s..." "While you were all dazed, Shin had already sealed off their exit." Longyu Tian puffed her chest up, seemingly with a sense of pride. "We don''t have to lift a finger, they won''t escape even if they used all of their might." "Ah, how lucky of us!" Saint Althea smiled as well. To her, Shin was her cute little Grand-Disciple. It was natural that she would feel happy at his accomplishments. "Let''s seal the roof then." "Haha, no need for that as well." As the four Spirit Saints were conversing, the Celestial Dragon hovering above Shin''s head roared with the ferocity of a million savage beasts, sending a surge of Celestial Aura into the three Noble Beasts'' bodies. Longyu Tian''s spatial lockdown from before started to set in as Kin''s teleportation techniques all failed miserably and the three were forced back onto the floor. "THIS!!! HOW?!" Kin screamed, and her eyes turned as crimson as a bloodied rose. It was their final ditch attempt to escape, and it went downhill splendidly. "You were too complacent," Shin''s cold voice answered the Golden Fox. "From the beginning, my eyes never left your side. I could tell what you were thinking in a split second." He looked down at the kneeling Golden Fox and the Silver Monkey, snorting with every glance. "To a certain extent, I studied you more than anyone else in the world. There''s no pulling the wool over my eyes." "Nenene¡­ Who are you?" Momo took over, her body was the only one capable of withstanding Longyu Tian''s spiritual pressure. "Yipyipyip! This is Brother Shin! The man that you kept insulting!" Bingbing happily chirped from the side. "Yipyip! See? I told you that he''s better than your Allfather!" "Nenene¡­ You''re Shin?" Momo looked at the man, wide-eyed and open jaw. "That''s me," Shin folded his arms. "And you''re going to tell me everything you know about the Black Masks, the Allfather, everything..." "..." Momo went silent. Behind her, the two siblings she loved so much were flattened down like a pancake. In front of her, the corpse of the Grey Otter was sealed by the combination of Lady Seph and Bingbing. All while four Spirit Saints hovered overhead, ready to give any assistance that Shin needs. It was¡­ checkmate. Momo knew that. She also knew what it meant to be captured. In no time at all, the Allfather''s wrath would come crashing down. And when that happens¡­ So with no options left, Momo did the one thing that Shin expected the least. "Nenene, I ask this of you." The Moon Rabbit crouched down, dropping all of her limbs onto the floor and even lowered her fluffy ears. No spiritual energies could be sensed from the Tier 9 Spirit Beast, and neither was there any killing intent. There was just a pure¡­ raw emotion. "Nenene¡­ Please save my siblings!!!" Chapter 631 - The Moon Sets... (3) "Nenene! Please save my siblings!" Momo''s cry echoed inside of the sonorous prison, stunning all who stood over their sprawled out bodies. The four Spirit Saints, who were anticipating a fight, dropped their arms in total dismay while Shin threw his head back in confusion. Just a few moments'' prior, they were fighting to the death, ready to rid one another''s lives without any mercy. So why was Momo now putting herself down for Shin? "Momo! What are you doing?!" Kin, ever the prideful Noble Beast, screamed at her kneeling sister. "Why are you begging these bastards who imprisoned us?" Kin continued to wail. The Golden Fox still couldn''t forgive Shin for sealing them and torturing Gin for information. If not for Shin, the duo would have never been caught, and they wouldn''t be in this predicament. Furthermore, when they were trying to escape, it was Shin''s interference that made it all too complicated. Even if Momo were to kneel to someone, it could have been anyone else in the room. Heck, there were four Spirit Saints to beg. There was no way that Kin could endure seeing Momo beg something from the man responsible for everything wrong with their lives. "Nenene! I''ll tell you everything! Everything about the Allfather! Just save my siblings! There''s no time!" Momo continued to beg, ignoring the noise that sounded out behind her. "MOMO!!! Are you not listening? This man is-..." "NENENE!!!" Unable to withstand Kin''s annoying voice anymore, the Moon Rabbit screamed with everything that she had. "Nenene¡­ Keep quiet!" At that moment, an invisible pressure mounted upon Kin''s snout, nailing it straight to the floor. There was no movement from the Golden Fox, giving Momo a chance to finally speak to Shin one-on-one without interruptions. "Nenene! Promise me!" "..." Shin frowned. Everything had happened too quickly. One moment the Moon Rabbit was hopping about in the air, ready to force her way through the prison to rescue her siblings. The other, she was kneeling down, prepared to unveil all of the Allfather''s secrets. "What are you planning?" Shin asked, not too convinced of Momo''s sincerity. "Nenene¡­ My siblings, they¡­ Save them¡­ Then, I''ll tell you everything." Momo pleaded, tears streaming down their eyes. "Nenene¡­ It''s my fault. It''s my fault that they joined the Black Masks¡­ Nenene, save them¡­ Please." "... Alright," Shin thought for a moment before finally giving in to the Moon Rabbit''s request. "Tell me everything that you know about the Allfather, and I''ll save them." "Nenene! Thank you!" When Momo heard those words, her ears instantly came back to life, and her eyes glistened with the light of a thousand diamonds. She turned her head back at the twin Spirit Beasts, flashing out a brilliant smile. "Nenene¡­ Brother Gin¡­ Sister Kin¡­ Please don''t resist." Without further elaboration, Momo glowed in a pinkish light and an image of the same sanctuary that the Moon Rabbit was known for. The twins peered into the valley, their former home and instantly gasped in complete horror. The beautiful trees¡­ The succulent flowing rivers¡­ They were all tainted in a black substance, one that was so vile that it made both of them nauseous. However, what sickened them the most¡­ Was that it was the same aura that had been implanted within their very own souls, with no way of purging. "What are you doing?!" Shin hollered, afraid that Momo would renege on her promise and launch a fruitless, last-ditch struggle. "Nenene, don''t worry¡­" The Moon Rabbit shook her head, all while a soft voice echoed out. Oddly enough, Shin didn''t feel any malice from Momo, even though she had unleashed the full power of her domain. It was as if¡­ a tired lion mother had just given up on life and was willing to surrender it to the poachers that had been hunting her down. Clink¡­ Clink¡­ Clink¡­ Two black chains fell to the ground. One sprouted out from Kin''s head to Momo''s left hand while the other was dangling from Gin''s chest to Momo''s right. Momo didn''t do anything to connect the twins to herself. No, it was more like a revelation. The corrupted chains were always there, never dislodged in the first place. "This is-..." Kin was stunned. She''d never thought that there was such a connection between herself and the Moon Rabbit that she''d once loathed. "Our connection to the Moon Valley¡­ It was never severed?" Gin theorised. Although it was the first time that they saw these chains, the Silver Monkey could instantly tell the connection. Hearing her younger brother''s words, Momo gave a simple nod. Then, with a suction force that was no weaker than that of a tornado, the chains started to absorb the black mana hidden within the twin Spirit Beasts'' souls. A particular heat could be felt pulsating out of their bodies. "Ahhh!" Kin and Gin both groaned. The heat was subtle and warm, not the vicious destructiveness that was associated with the Allfather''s mana. The twin Spirit Beasts felt as if they had been thrust into a sauna, using the warmth of the fire source to soothe their cold and desolate souls. Bit by bit, the Allfather''s mana left Kin and Gin''s body, leaving through the chains and entering the sanctuary that Momo had created. The dark mana continued to corrupt the land as if it were a drought eating through a farmer''s crops. Trees died instantly while the heavenly skies lost all of its l.u.s.tre. Stars disappeared rapidly, and all of the water in the valley dried up. When it was all done and dusted, all that remained was a bright luminous moon, surrounded by an ash cloud of darkness. "She''s¡­ purifying the Allfather''s spiritual energy!" Shin gasped. He had seen this scene once before when Junius had injected into him a horde of pure spiritual energies. "She''s saving them from the Allfather''s curse..." "Ah, so that is what she''s trying to do," Longyu Tian scratched the bottom of her chin while observing the rare scene. "Shin, once she''s done, let''s seal the two Spirit Beasts." "Huh, why?" Longyu Tian looked at her protege, frowning in confusion as to where his usual smarts went. Still, the Spirit Saint elaborated: "The Moon Rabbit said that she would be telling us everything that she knew if we saved the two Noble Beasts and now she''s absorbing their curse. What does that mean?" Instead of spilling everything she knew about the Black Masks, the Moon Rabbit had absorbed all of the darkness that hid within Kin and Gin''s soul. Why was that? Why was she taking in the burden of the Allfather''s curse from her precious siblings? "She''s¡­ sacrificing herself?" Shin shot an odd look towards the Moon Rabbit. "That''s right," Longyu Tian nodded. "My guess is that with the withdrawal of the Mirror Boy, the Allfather will be slamming his hammer of justice down on the Noble Beasts soon. Before that happens, the Moon Rabbit wants to free her siblings from that fate, that''s why she''s absorbing their curses. In return, we will be free to gain information from the twins immediately¡­ Of course, if we keep our end of the bargain that is." "I see..." At the sudden revelation, Shin couldn''t help but look at the Moon Rabbit in a different light. All this while, he''d been facing Momo with the wrath of a vindicator. The Allfather was a vile being that plunged the world into chaos and had destroyed billions of lives and millions of homes. And¡­ The Nine Coloured Noble Beasts were the hors.e.m.e.n that made that possible. It was hard to see Momo as anything but a destroyer as well. However, this tender side of hers, one that was filled with love for her siblings, reminded Shin of his own relationship with his family. What wouldn''t Shin do for the ones he held most dear? The orphans, his Master, his friends and most recently¡­ His beloved children. Wasn''t Momo the same? It took a good minute for the process to be completed in its entirety. No corrupted presence was left within Kin and Gin''s soul and from this day forward¡­ They were truly free. Free from the Black Masks, the Allfather¡­ Even free from the Moon Rabbit, their one and only youngest sibling. Kin and Gin glanced at one another, unsure of what to feel at this very moment. Freedom. That was something that the Golden Fox and the Silver Monkey had sought for so long. They didn''t care for the Black Masks'' motives, they didn''t want to participate in the Grand Scheme for immortality. All that they wanted¡­ was to live their lives happily ever after. Now that they got their freedom, the twin Spirit Beasts didn''t know what to feel. Gaping at one another, a soft voice disturbed their frozen brains. "Nenene¡­ Forgive me, okay?" Momo pleaded. Her face was streaming with tears as her entire pinkish body had turned completely black. "Momo? MOMO!!!" Seeing the change, the Golden Fox screamed. "W-what¡­ What happened?! What happened to you!!!" "Nenene, the Allfather is calling..." "That!!!" Momo didn''t need to say another word. The sanctuary that surrounded her broke down, bits of spiritual energy fell to the ground as her body started to crumble. The Allfather''s curse had long been cast, and the black mana was overrunning her entire soul. Even a peak Tier 9 Spirit Beast like Momo was unable to resist the Allfather''s influence and could only lay down to await her inevitable fate. "Nenene¡­ I''m sorry..." Kneeling, the Moon Rabbit looked right at her two siblings, not even sparing a single glance at Shin and the other elites in the prison. An array of emotions were running through Momo''s eyes, and her face was breaking apart with every teardrop. "Nene¡­ If not for me¡­ You wouldn''t have suffered..." Momo continued to talk to her unresponsive siblings, knowing that these would be her final words. "Nene, I''m sorry..." "Momo? NO MOMO!!!" Kin continued her hysterical screamings, not abating in the slightest. All this time, Kin had thought that Momo betrayed Brother Haiiro, that she''d joined the Allfather in search of immortality for selfish reasons. However, that was far from the truth. Momo had joined the Allfather, she''d dragged the three of them into the Black Masks¡­ To revive her beloved Brother Haiiro. To reunite their entire family up in the Immortal Realm. Alas, that was never going to happen now... "Nene, I''m sorry..." "NO, MOMO!!! I''m the one who is sorry!!!" Kin cried. "I shouldn''t have done all those things to you! I shouldn''t have left you alone! I''m..." CRACK!!! While the Golden Fox was in the midst of her teary confession, a thunderous fracture broke off the Moon Rabbit''s four limbs. The four limbs then proceeded to be eaten by a gluttonous black aura. "Nene¡­ It''s time..." Momo sighed. She knew her time was up. In a few moments, the Allfather''s curse would reach up into her brain and swallow her up. There was nothing that Momo could do to resist anymore. And thus, she made her final request. "Ne¡­ Can you call me sister? Just one last time?" The two Noble Beasts froze. They thought back on the many times that Momo approached them, wanting to reconcile and play like the good old days. However, their pride¡­ Their misunderstandings¡­ It had forced them to distance themselves away from the one little sister that wanted to save their lives. Momo had to endure all of those dark ages alone, without her family¡­ How terrible must that have felt? And yet¡­ after all those years of isolation¡­ Momo still wanted to be part of their family? "Momo¡­ Sister Momo!!!" Kin choked on her tears. "Sister Momo!" Gin screamed as well. "Ne¡­ Thank you..." Momo closed her eyes with a fulfilled smile. And then¡­ There was silence. The curse had finally made its way into the Moon Rabbit''s brain and all of her residual spiritual energies faded away into nothingness. And just like that¡­ The moon sets. Chapter 632 - The World Never Stops Spinning (1) "..." Ash flew upwards into the opened ceiling while a chilling breeze carried them up into the heavens. Cold air entered the broken prison, freezing the skins of every single soul within the four walls. However, for two beings, the world wasn''t just physically cold. Kin and Gin knelt down silently, one was sobbing away like a disheartened widow. At the same time, the other was stone-faced and completely ashen. They tapped on the remnant ash that was left behind from their youngest sister, both of them unwilling to comprehend what had truly transpired. "Sister Momo¡­ You idiot..." Gin spat. Though he was cursing the deceased Moon Rabbit, the one he truly hated the most was himself. How could he have treated Momo that way all this time? Gin had ignored her, plotted against her¡­ He''d even fantasised about killing the Moon Rabbit in her sleep to open Moon Valley''s gate. "Sister Momo! Why¡­ Why did you do that?!" Kin was in a similar mental state. Her eyes were bawling and her entire body, shaking. The one that instigated Gin to ostracise Momo was none other than herself. In her pride, the Golden Fox had failed to see through the Moon Rabbit''s lies. She''d always blamed Momo for leaving Brother Haiiro behind while they joined the Black Masks. Kin had always thought Momo was a fool and a bitch that couldn''t be trusted. As it turned out¡­ Kin herself was the fool. Yet, even after all the shit that the twins had put her through... In the very end, Momo had still chosen to sacrifice herself for her sibling''s survival. She had even gone as far as begging on her knees, something the prideful Moon Rabbit, a highborn Spirit Beast with barely any equal, would never do. From the very beginning, Momo had placed her life¡­ her survival below the lives of her siblings. She''d even joined the Allfather, allowed her soul to be corrupted, all because she wanted to reunite Kin and Gin with their Brother Haiiro. That innocent love was so pure that Shin paused his resentment towards the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, even if it were for one moment. He looked at the twin siblings crying their hearts out, and his mind was taken back three years. Back when he was the most active among the members of Guardian Sword, Shin had seen countless broken families. Unmended homes with family members torn apart due to the war. Whenever he delivered a corpse to their families, the children would weep in the same manner as the twins. Unrelenting and remorseful. ''Why did I not spend more time with you? You''re such a fool! Why¡­ Why did you do that?'' Those were all questions that Shin had heard countless times before. He''d seen burly men, people that would never cry in a million years, break down into tears as they embraced their dying sons. He''d seen children turn into orphans at the deaths of their parents. And all of them shared the same faces that Kin and Gin had. It was so uncanny that it opened up a pit in the Prince of Water''s stomach. ''They are¡­ just like humans...'' Shin bit his lower lip as the forbidden thought came to mind. In war, there was no sympathising with the enemy. An hour prior, Shin hated the twins to his guts, torturing them to get whatever he wanted. When Kin confessed her nonchalance when killing her victims, Shin felt gut-wrenching wrath, one that could burn the lowest level of hell itself. He wanted to slit the Golden Fox''s throat, leaving her to bleed out and perish. The same went with Momo. The Moon Rabbit was a vile creature that worked for the Allfather. The number of Alliance members that perished under her thumb were too many to count. She was the bane of humanity, and her death would be celebrated in the streets for months to come. However, as he watched Kin bawl her eyes out for her deceased sibling¡­ Shin felt his heroic facade¡­ The noblest soul of them all¡­ break down into pieces. Wasn''t a hero meant to save? So what was he doing, torturing the Noble Beasts that cried like humans and forcing them into suicide? Sacrifice. Shin had thought that only the bravest of humans¡­ Fathers, mothers, beloved leaders¡­ Only those people were willing to put in the sacrifice, to lay down their lives for another human being. Those were the heroes that Shin admired the most. So¡­ Does Momo''s sacrifice classify her as a hero? The Moon Rabbit that served the Black Masks'' faithfully. The Moon Rabbit that killed humans for fun and used their corpses as servants to serve her needs. Was that being a hero as well? Shin''s mind was in disarray. He didn''t know what to feel at this given moment and fortunately for him¡­ He wasn''t the only one. "Sister Momo¡­ Why are you so stupid..." Kin''s never-ending supply of tears flowed like the river as she laid down on the scattered ashes of the Moon Rabbit. At the side, Gin''s grieving face quickly contorted into one with gritted teeth and flushing skin. Shin had seen that look in one''s face before, ironically, with the same victims that he''d been dealing with all this time. It was the face of pure, una.d.u.l.terated wrath. "Sister Momo¡­ I''m sorry," the Silver Monkey thought out loud. He turned to the black-haired man, who was still amid his inner turmoil and spoke: "Shin Iofiel, you will keep your promise to my sister, right?" "... As long as you share everything about the Black Masks, I will spare your lives." Shin nodded. "We have gained our freedom from the Allfather. We don''t share anything with him and the Black Masks anymore. Of course, we''ll oblige!" The Silver Monkey pumped his fist up in the air. "Whatever you need to know, just ask! I will tell you everything!!!" "Good..." Shin gulped. "First thing''s first¡­ Tell me everything about Black Masks'' resources. Manpower, supply situation¡­ Overall power." "Yes," Gin nodded and got to thinking. "We have an estimated one million personnel hidden under the Abyss. The majority of them are mindless Dalits that had been corrupted by the Allfather''s influence, but those there are also many who made it out of the Dalit class. Upper-class Black Masks, such as Rank 60 Brahmins, we have about a thousand of them. Rank 70 Spirit Emperors, about two hundred. And finally, fifty Rank 80 Spirit Venerates." The Silver Monkey spilt out everything that the Alliance needed. Everything from how the Black Masks'' were recruited, how much food they had to sustain their army. How the command worked from the inside. Locations of the major bases... Nothing was left to the imagination. Some of Gin''s information was so comprehensive that even the Mercenary Guild''s juggernaut, Saint Atossa, dropped her jaw at the minute details provided. Gin had even divulged the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments that the Black Masks had, and the powers that each one of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts had. Needless to say, all the Spirit Saints who heard of the details turned grey in disbelief. The amount of resources that the Allfather had stockpiled was truly unfathomable! It was a good thing that they didn''t launch an all-out attack in the decade-long ceasefire. "All of this information will be integral to ending the war!" Lady Seph whispered into Shin''s ear, hardly able to contain her excitement. "We will be able to finish the Black Masks'' reign of terror in the next year if we play our cards right." "Mmmm..." Shin nodded. Though his Master was talking, Shin''s attention was solely on the Silver Monkey''s mouth. "I have another question¡­ Why are the Black Masks in such a hurry? Killing Spirit Saints to create more Spirit Saints¡­ What''s compelling them to rush when they had been lying low for ten years now?" "Haha, you finally asked that question!" Kin turned her face around, showing her reddened eyes. "You''re sharp, Shin Iofiel. So don''t you already know the answer to that question?" "That..." Shin paused. He did know the answer to the question. Shin just needed verbal confirmation from someone who came from the inside. "That''s right¡­ The Allfather''s days, they are numbered." Chapter 633 - The World Never Stops Spinning (2) ''I knew it...'' Shin''s lips curled down, partially amused that his predictions were about accurate. The Allfather, the powerful being that had brought the entire world to heel¡­ His days were finally numbered. There were many people, even elites in the Alliance, that believed that the Allfather was truly an Immortal Being. Or at the very least, they believed that he was an entity that was invincible in the modern era, with not a single Spirit Saint that could match his overbearing might. However, with Kin''s confession, the former Noble Beast had revealed a crack in the Allfather''s myth of invincibility. And that was¡­ "So he''s dying already, huh?" Lady Seph scoffed while folding her arms. If word got out that the Allfather''s days were numbered, the entire world would leap up into the air in celebration. And the elites within the room were no different. "Hmph! Even the almighty Allfather can''t outrun father time." Longyu Tian, the Saint of Time, chuckled. "Though¡­ I''ll give him props for surviving this long. Living since the age of Spirit Immortal Dream is no mean feat." "Haha, so what if he''s good at living long? In the end, all living things fade back into dust," Saint Atossa added with an air of jubilance wreathing around her. "Once the Allfather perishes, the entire Black Masks will fall apart. If that''s the case, it makes sense that they''ve been ramping up their operations." "Yes¡­ That''s very true," Saint Althea nodded. "That''s the troubling thing about having a central leader that can do no wrong. Once the brain is removed, everything else tumbles like dominos." "Hmph! Better to kill him now that he''s weakened!" Saint Thor''s voice boomed out. "As they all say, a cornered dog will always be the most ferocious. Now that the Allfather is weakened, I''m sure the Black Masks will go all out to complete this stupid Grand Scheme of theirs!" "..." All of the Spirit Saints shared their own thoughts on the matter, each one bringing some merit to the table. However, Shin couldn''t hear a single one of them. All of his attention was focused solely on the Golden Fox, who had been flashing her gnarly teeth throughout. "You said that the Allfather is dying¡­ How many years does he have left?" Kin lifted her snout out and got to thinking. It wasn''t long before she could give a number: "Maximum ten years. However, each time he expends his deteriorating mana, he loses a significant amount of his lifespan. Since he killed Momo with his curse¡­ I bet that his lifespan has dropped a full year!" "That much?" Shin raised his brow. "You don''t understand," Gin interrupted the conversation, ready to fill in his two cents. "The Allfather''s Spirit is special. It can prolong his life using overwhelming spiritual energies. It makes him omnipresent in places where his mana can reach. It can place curses on every single Spirit Beast or Spirit User that comes under his influence. But it all runs on one universal fuel..." "The Allfather''s soul," Kin finished her brother''s sentence. "In his prime, the Allfather was able to brainwash a Spirit Saint with just his spiritual energies. However, age and decay had made him vulnerable. Each time he pulls a fancy stunt, the Allfather would be further weakened. That''s why Kuro was so desperate to not rely on the Allfather, even though that is what we have been doing this entire time." "I see," the black-haired Prince nodded. The Allfather, just like anyone else, had his own limitations. Destroying the continent, fueling an army of Umbras, placing his influence over a significant number of Spirit Beasts and Spirit Users¡­ These were all things that would place a burden on the Allfather, even if he were at his prime. So, it wasn''t surprising to say that he was the weakest he''d ever been in centuries. "Wait a minute, you said that Kuro is not planning to rely on the Allfather¡­ What operations are you talking about?" Like always, Shin caught something and immediately stuck down onto it. "Haha, I''m glad you asked!" Kin chortled, her face flushed crimson with both rage and grief. Now that she was free from the Black Masks and the Allfather, the Golden Fox couldn''t wait to leak information that would harm the entity who ripped her little sister''s soul apart. "The attack on Saint Suhavis was just the beginning¡­ The next Spirit Saint on Kuro''s list is¡­ Saint Firebird." ??? The Neutral Lands. The Abyss. The Tree of Darkness. The Throne Hall. [I f.u.c.k.i.e.d up...] A brooding voice echoed through the ostentatious walls of the decadent chambers, turning the glorious atmosphere into a gloomy one. A man shrouded in a black cloak floated silently above the platform and next to the beautiful female statue that all Black Masks were required to respect. By his side, a white-haired boy knelt down, his face plastered on the floor while his entire being started to tremble. "No, Allfather! It''s my fault! If I didn''t mess up, you wouldn''t have to clean up for me!" Shiro screamed, trying his best to gain the floating shadow''s attention. [No need to take the blame, Shiro¡­ I know that this was out of your control¡­ Who could have anticipated that Momo would do such a thing?] The Allfather consoled his trusted subordinate, never once pinning the blame onto him. Among all of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts, the Allfather trusted Kuro the most. There was no dethroning the wolf that had stuck by him through thick and thin and had even seen the Allfather mature from a mere Spirit Practitioner to a powerful Spirit Saint. However, if Kuro held the number one spot, Shiro was no doubt the silver medalist. Alongside Ao, Shiro was one of the longest-serving Spirit Beasts that the Allfather had. Of all the missions that the Allfather had assigned to him, Shiro had always executed them faithfully, without any complaints or grievances. Just excellence. Therefore, it was truly hard for the Allfather to find any fault with the Mirror Deity, particularly when the Black Masks were in this critical juncture where the Allfather could simply not afford to lose Shiro. [From the looks of it, Momo never trusted me completely...] The Allfather sighed. [She placed chains on Kin and Gin, just in case I would attempt to detonate them with my curse. Who could have thought of that? It was my miscalculation¡­ The Moon Rabbit''s powers are genuinely enigmatic...] The shadow chuckled in self-deprecation. He''d always thought of the Moon Rabbit as an innocent fool, who knew very little of the world. With Kin and Gin as leverage, the Allfather thought that he could reign in the Moon Rabbit anytime he wished. Alas, the Allfather was way too complacent. [Momo really gave me a tight slap on the face...] Highly amused, the Allfather continued to laugh to himself. Even at this age, there were still failures that he could learn from. Quite an amusing notion¡­ Shiro wasn''t as amused as his almighty overlord though. Shaking, he asked: "Allfather, you killed Momo, but the twins are still alive and kicking. Not to mention, they''re in the Alliance''s base¡­ Don''t you think that we should send someone to take care of them?" [It''s useless¡­ They''d probably leaked everything that they knew to the Alliance already. Even if we sent someone to kill them, the Alliance would know everything that we''d wanted to keep secret. Killing them would add nothing to our organisation.] "Tsk¡­ Those f.u.c.kers..." Shiro spat, incensed beyond any comparison. "So what¡­ Are all of our secrets leaked? Just like that? Everything that we''ve built for the last ten years will now crumble into pieces?" [Hah¡­ It''s a shame...] The Allfather clicked his tongue. After turning silent for a good ten seconds, the Allfather asked Shiro one last question. [Shiro, how many plans does Kuro have on deck?] "A-Ah, just two, sir! The assassination of Saint Firebird and the attack on the Heigui Clan!" [Mmmm¡­ Alright...] The Allfather closed his eyes, and a billowing smoke emerged from his invisible crown. In no time at all, a connection was established between the Allfather and his right-hand man. [Kuro, you hear me?] "Yes, Allfather! What do you need from me?" [Shiro told me you have two plans¡­ Execute them within the next twenty-four hours and immediately return to my side with all of your resources. If you succeed, great. If you fail, don''t push it. Right now, your return is of paramount importance! I''m I clear?] "... Understood. Your wish is my command." Chapter 634 - The World Never Stops Spinning (3) "W-What¡­ What did you say?" Kanari''s beautiful face contorted over the Cikai Mirror that Shin was looking into. Her jaw was hanging while her eyes were dilated. She couldn''t believe the words that came out of her husband''s mouth. "We have solid intelligence that the Black Masks are targetting Saint Firebird''s life," Shin repeated his subject sentence, though not in an enthusiastic manner. "I have notified the Imperial Emperor about the information, so you don''t have to worry too much about the man''s safety." "How can I not be worried?!" Kanari screamed. "Master''s life is in peril, and you want me to stay calm?!" It was quite a ludicrous ask. Kanari was the former heiress of the Highgarden Duchy, and her ties with the only Spirit Saint that lived in that region was rather tight. Not to mention, the Saniela Family had ties with Saint Firebird''s own bloodline, tying them down even before this current generation was born. In her youth, the Duchess of Highgarden herself had been the beneficiary of Saint Firebird''s wisdom and overall protection. And it didn''t stop at her generation. Back when Kanari was really young, her mother would teach her the art of governance. In contrast, her Master, Saint Firebird, would show her the cultivation arts. Yes, there were an array of mentors that were in Kanari''s childhood. Teaching her martial arts, etiquette, and many other skills that would make the heiress a great leader. However, the one that genuinely imprinted himself into Kanari''s psyche was Master and beloved Uncle¡­ Saint Firebird. To a certain extent, Kanari treated Saint Firebird the same way Shin treated Lady Seph. They more than just acquaintances¡­ They were family. So¡­ How could Kanari remain calm when there was a known threat to Saint Firebird''s life? "Relax, that''s the whole reason why I''m contacting you now." Shin did his best to calm his wife down. "Saint Althea and Saint Thor are headed straight towards the Himmel Empire to protect Saint Firebird if need be. Saint Atossa and Aunt Tian would be heading back to the Lantis Republic to deal with the threat on the Heigui Clan." "There''s a threat on the Heigui Clan? In our borders?!" "That''s right," the Prince of Water sighed. "That''s the other reason why I''m calling you. As you know, I''m not just the Master of Guardian Sword. Above that, I''m the Prince of the Lantis Republic. I can''t just abandon the Lantis Republic to defend Saint Firebird." "T-That¡­ I know that..." Shin''s beloved Princess raised her voice, seemingly wanting to argue, but she quickly changed her mind. As someone who came from high birth and was slated to inherit her position, Kanari knew exactly how Shin was feeling. Noblesse oblige, that was the rule that had been ingrained into her mind from a tender age. Thus, Kanari couldn''t really fault Shin for putting the interests of the Lantis Republic over his own. Though, Shin wasn''t done speaking. Sensing his wife''s sadness, the Prince of Water dropped his tense expression and got into one of love. "Don''t do that..." "Do what?" "Your pout¡­ You know that I can''t leave you alone after you show me that face." Shin dropped his shoulders all while keeping eye contact with Kanari. "Also, you know me¡­ I''m not going to let anyone close to me perish. And that includes anyone close to you, Kanari." "Wait! Are you saying..." "Yes, you silly. That''s the main reason why I''m contacting you today." Shin smiled. "As my deputy leader, you have the authority to take control over Guardian Sword. I want you to bring, Isadore, Elrin and half of Guardian Sword to the Himmel Empire." "Shin that-!" Kanari half-leapt up in joy, ready to give her husband a virtual kiss. However, a chilling thought came into her mind the instant she was on her feet. "But¡­ What about the kids? I can''t just leave them all alone..." "The kids will stay with me in the Lantis Republic, under the protection of Celestial Island and the Eight Clans. I should be reaching the shores by evening, giving you ample time to bring the necessary manpower together. If you are still worried, I''ll ask Saint Jingyu to watch over them before I arrive." As if he had prepared an answer sheet beforehand, Shin smoothly answered all of Kanari''s questions, considerably calming her down in the process. "S-Shin¡­ I don''t know what to say..." Shin watched the touched expression of his wife with a warm face. "Look, I know how much Saint Firebird means to you, and I''m sorry I can''t be the one to protect him, but hey! You can most certainly go to put your mind to ease. There will be a few Saint-levelled beings there to protect him as well. Saint Althea and Saint Thor¡­ Not to mention, the Himmel Empire itself has three Spirit Saints! Saint Firebird himself, Saint Viacan, and who could forget¡­ the mightiest Spirit Saint of them all. The Himmel Ancestor. Nothing will happen to Saint Firebird, I assure you." "... Thank you, Shin." Kanari smiled brilliantly. "Haha, no need to thank me. You''re just doing what you need to do." The Prince of Water chuckled. "Alright, I need to hang up now. There are a few more calls I need to make before I need to rush back to the Lantis Republic." "Okay," Kanari sadly waved her husband goodbye. "Stay safe, I love you." "I love you too..." Shin gave the woman a simple wave, and the Cikai Mirror broke its connection with a static screen. With a huge sigh, Shin threw his back onto the wooden chair and gazed up at the cracked ceiling. "Hah¡­ Being a husband sure is tough..." Shin thought out loud. "Mmmm¡­ Humans sure have complicated relationsh.i.p.s." An aged voice echoed out from Shin''s side. The familiar Azure Dragon Lord, who had long transformed back to his human form, laughed as he took his Lord''s side. "Mmmm¡­ I never had to talk too much with my mate. After we have done the deed, we went our separate ways. She raised the children while I continued on with my duties as the Lord." "Dragons and humans have totally different social structures, Zishen. We can''t compare them at all." Shin scoffed. Humans weren''t dragons, and dragons weren''t humans. For dragons, it was commonplace for the male to simply disappear after mating. After all, what good was he when it came to raising a family, particularly in the Azure Dragon Clan. Everyone was a family member, and it didn''t matter if a child had parents or not. It was a completely different social structure that any humans were used to. "Anyway, have you notified the Lantis Republic of the threat on the Heigui Clan yet?" Scratching his forehead, Shin casually changed the subject. "Mmmm, they were notified." Zishen nodded. "So, how did the Heigui Clan react? Since the Black Masks'' goal is to kill the elderly Spirit Saints, I imagine that Senior Heigui Zhengkang is their true target." "Mmmm, is it?" "What''s the matter?" "Mmmm¡­ Nothing¡­ It''s just, the Saint of Shells was present when I notified them, and he seemed oddly calm. He wasn''t anxious in the slightest." "That''s nothing. Senior Heigui Zhengkang is a seasoned man, he must have weathered through countless of tribulations before. He was probably not..." As Shin was about to finish his sentence, a light popped out of his mind. He thought about it for a while before his entire body began to break out in cold sweat. "N-No¡­ No that can''t be..." Shin had a really bad hunch, one that was horrible enough to shake him to his core. "Mmmm? What''s the matter?" Zishen shot Shin the same question he was asked. "I¡­ We''re heading back to the Lantis Republic right now! There''s no time to waste!" Chapter 635 - Akai And Midori (1) The Lantis Republic. The Heigui Enclave. Turtle Hall. The Lantis Republic was an agglomeration of eight unique clans of water. Each one of them possesses their own distinct cultures and different way of life. And that applied to the way the clans built their homes. The Longyu Clan, for instance, loved to build palaces on lakes, creating floating fortresses that were impregnable from the sides and the bottom. The Meijing Clan stayed in icy castles, made with some of the most ancient of arctic ice and was protected by the natural, unforgiving weather of the south. The Heigui Clan was drastically different from the others as well. Instead of staying on standard lands, they found their homes on the Xuanwus that guarded the Heigui Enclave. Many of the Heigui Clan''s top executives had their own respective Xuanwu, which were usually Tier 8 Spirit Beasts that could live for over ten thousand years. All of the Xuanwus were cultivated with loving care by the Heigui Clan. They were willing to serve the Heiguis as their ''floating islands'' giving an added layer of security for the Heigui Clan''s descendants. Additionally, the Heigui Clan''s headquarters, the Heigui Enclave, was a huge haven where all Xuanwus could beach to rest and further increase their cultivations. All in all, the Heigui Clan''s protection was near impossible to breach, especially since their speciality laid in defence. Hence, when the Lantis Republic heard about the attempt on the Heigui Clan from Shin, they weren''t all too concerned about it. "As per our plan, the Heigui Xuanwus will all gather on the enclave for two weeks." Jingyu Shenxian, the Chancellor of the Lantis Republic, slammed her palms on the salt table while staring deep into her other member''s eyes. "We''ll need at least one Spirit Venerate on each Xuanwu. I''ve called up the Guardian Beasts of each Clan to protect their homes while we divert our resources to the enclave. Of course, if something were to happen, I''ll be the first one to rush back." The jaded woman proceeded to explain her plan comprehensively. "That sounds good," an aged voice replied to the Chancellor. Turning her back, Jingyu Shenxian could clearly see the image of an old, wizened man, who had long past his prime years, staring back at her. His wrinkles were so defined that it looked like the topography of a map. Just gazing into those twinkling eyes made the Chancellor feel completely inferior. How many wars had been seen through those eyes? How many battles had the elderly man fought in? Those were all questions that Jingyu Shenxian had. Though, she would never mouth out any of them. "Saint Heigui, please rest assured. We will do our utmost to protect the Heigui Clan." The Chancellor bowed. "Mmmm¡­ Where''s Han, Zemin and Tian?" The Spirit Saint asked. "Saint Longyu Tian is rushing back from the neutral lands as we speak. The Prince is flying back with her as well. Saint Shenshe Zemin says that she will protect the northern islands while our own Saint Han will care for the southern ones, in addition to the Celestial Island itself." Jingyu Shenxian faithfully replied. "We have cleared the area for you, Saint Heigui, to stay with your clan in this tumultuous period. You can rest assured and single-mindedly protect Heigui Enclave without worrying about the rest of the Lantis Republic." "That''s good..." The Spirit Saint grabbed his hands behind his back and smiled. "The Xuanwus will be arriving at any moment now. I will be the one arranging their beaching." "Haha, though I don''t know how the Black Masks are thinking about ruining the Heigui Clan, there''s no way that they''ll be able to defeat us if you''re in charge." The Chancellor chuckled. However, instead of giving the woman a straight answer, Heigui Zhengkang sighed and narrowed his eyes. He looked at the single obsidian shell hanging overhead, the icon of the Heigui Clan''s strength, with sentimental eyes as he said: "Yes¡­ Yes, I think so too..." ??? A hundred kilometres west of the Heigui Enclave. Bubbles rose to the surface of the choppy oceans while the chilling winds brought even more high waves to the table. Two shadows rose from the bottom of the effervescence as if two artificial islands were being created in the middle of the ocean. Naturally, that was further from the truth. The first shadow emerged from the waters like a blue whale coming up for air. It revealed its crimson red exterior with an emerald snake''s tail. Mane as bloody as a vampire''s breakfast, the creature looked like a manifestation of a natural disaster. "Rarara, we''re finally here!" Akai, the Lion Chimaera, chortled in bliss. As he surfaced, the other shadow quickly made its entrance. An oval platform filled to the brim with wood and trees, the creature within was genuinely making an island in the middle of the ocean. Midori, the Gargantuan Treant, deliberately flattened his body to elude detection by the Lantis Republic. "Yes¡­ We''re here¡­ After five-long days..." "Rarara! Why must we attack this stupid water country?! I f.u.c.k.i.n.g hate swimming!" "Don''t insult¡­ Kuro''s plans..." "Rarara! That''s the problem with you, Midori! You don''t stand up for yourself! That''s why we''ve been pushed around so often!" The Lion Chimaera hollered. "You¡­ Talking¡­ Futile..." Midori couldn''t find the strength to argue with his partner anymore and turned his attention towards their target. Heigui Enclave was now surrounded with a hefty amount of battlesh.i.p.s with thousands of smaller sh.i.p.s patrolling around. Though he didn''t have the best eyesight, Midori was fairly certain that there was aerial and underwater support as well. On the other hand, the Black Masks only had a handful of submarines and Umbras on their side. Yes, they had two elite Tier 9 Spirit Beasts leading the charge, but it was wholly useless against the combined might of the Lantis Republic''s Spirit Saints. The moment Akai and Midori moved, the entire Lantis Republic would be informed, and a bloodbath would ensue. Just¡­ It would be the Black Masks'' blood that would flow, given the current circ.u.mstances. Thus, Midori could only look for their one ray of hope in this raid. "Hey¡­ Has our¡­ contact¡­ called?" "Rarara! Not yet!" Akai roared. "Rarara! So what if he calls or not?! Let''s just raid the place! We have the firepower to destroy the enclave in a matter of seconds!" "Fool..." If the Gargantuan Treant had a human face, it would certainly be turning red with rage and embarrassment by now. "We¡­ wait for¡­ signal..." "Rarara, you''re no fun!" Akai cursed. However, he didn''t raise a single paw to charge forward. In all operations, he was the muscle, while Midori was the brain. If Akai didn''t follow Midori''s orders, Kuro would be the first one in line to mete out his punishment. "Let''s... take our positions... and wait..." Midori had to repeat himself to ensure that Akai got the memo. They couldn''t risk losing their positions until their contact had finished their necessary preparations. "Rarara, fine!" Rolling his eyes, Akai sunk back into the water and the next time he resurfaced¡­ The Heigui Enclave would be engulfed in an ocean of flames. Chapter 636 - Akai And Midori (2) While the Heigui Enclave was preparing for a showdown to defend their territory, Shin''s congregation were bolting through the skies, flying at speeds that no mere bird could trace. Shin had even forgone using Zishen and Bingbing as mounts, which were the standard procedure when they travelled. He was using his own mana to fuel the rush home, and those that followed him were feeling the strain. "Shin! Slow down!" A ray of golden light flashed past the flying Prince, gradually slowing down to match his pace. "I know that you''re worried about the Lantis Republic, but if you continue flying at this rate, you''ll run out of mana by the time we reach!" "Don''t worry, Master! I know my mana reserves well, so you don''t have to worry about me." Shin rebuked Lady Seph''s claim that he''ll gas out and returned his focus to the path ahead. "Mmmm... The Lady is right, My Prince." Zishen interjected from the side. "There''s no need to be too concerned. In all my years living on Celestial Island, never has an invasion passed through the Lantis Republic''s potent defences. Mmmm, not to mention, the Heigui Clan is renowned for their defence. I doubt the Black Masks would have any idea on how to infiltrate them. You don''t have to rush. Please, rest a little." "Yip yip yip! Brother Shin, are you not going to rest?" Bingbing asked as a question mark appeared over her head. She was nestled in between Shin''s armour, giving her a chance to rest and take over as Shin''s mount if need be. Naturally, Shin wasn''t going to let the snow-white Kamaitachi work after her long ordeal with the Moon Rabbit and thus, he had to rely on his individual powers. "Guys, I''m fine¡­ Really!" Shin smiled. "I just want to reach the Lantis Republic as soon as we can¡­ I don''t want to risk it one bit..." "... Shin," after a brief silence, Longyu Tian spoke out in suspicion. "Are you hiding something from us?" "..." The Prince remained quiet. His eyes shifted from left to right, not willing to make eye contact with the Saint of Time. However, in the end, the Prince couldn''t run forever. The Spirit Saint took one leap and was instantly a hundred metres away from his position, forcing Shin to slow down dramatically lest there was a collision. "So?" Longyu Tian folded her arms and waited for the young Prince to open his mouth. "I¡­ I have a hunch. But it may not be true, so I didn''t want to alarm you." Shin frowned after hesitating to speak for a while. "It''s a hunch that even I don''t want to believe and it would make me happy if I were proven wrong. However, if I''m right..." "If you''re right, then what?" Shin bit his lip, unsure if he should unveil his irrational thoughts. Alas, how could he back out now? Dropping his shoulders, Shin looked right at the Saint of Time and said: "If I''m right¡­ The Heigui Enclave will fall in a matter of minutes." "What?! How''s that possible?!" Longyu Tian turned frantic, unable to comprehend how Shin could have possibly come to this conclusion. "Shin, you better elaborate now¡­ Else..." "I know, I know..." The Prince closed his eyes, calming his wildly beating heart for now. "The Heigui Clan is practically the most defensive clan in the entire Lantis Republic. Even if there were an earth-altering natural disaster, the Heigui Clan would likely sustain themselves through that, far better than any of our other clans. Why is that?" "... Because of the Xuanwus?" Longyu Tian gave the most straightforward of answers. "That''s right¡­ Yes, the Heigui Enclave is fortified. However, the true method in which that Heigui Clan ensures that their clan survives is by spreading the Xuanwus apart. Each one of the Xuanwus possesses an innate spiritual power that could defend against a few strikes from a Spirit Saint. Many of them could even hide underwater if it gets too heated. It truly is the most reliant of defences... Even if the Black Masks had an infinite amount of resources, there''s no way that they could defeat all of the Heigui Clan''s assets." "That makes sense..." "So¡­ Why did the Black Masks think that they could take down the entire Heigui Clan?" Shin threw out a simple question, one that none of the Lantis Republic''s elites had thought to answer. "They¡­ They knew that we would beach the Xuanwus..." Longyu Tian gasped. "Exactly. And the only person with the power to do such a thing is?" "Saint Heigui¡­ Wait, you can''t mean that!!!" Hearing Shin''s hypothesis, Longyu Tian finally realised why the Prince was so reluctant to voice his thoughts. "Yes..." Shin frowned. "I''m not a hundred percent sure so I can''t confirm that our Spirit Saint had really turned to the other side." "No way! Saint Heigui is an honourable man! He had served the Lantis Republic and the Heigui Clan faithfully throughout his entire life! He''s the oldest Spirit Saint and the oldest Lantis Republic citizen alive! How could he possibly betray our land?!" Longyu Tian defended the Saint of Shells with everything that she had. It was understandable. Before Longyu Tian was the Saint of Time, she was just a mere snot-nosed cultivator in Heigui Zhengkang''s eyes. Although the Saint of Shells hadn''t directly mentored her, he was a good enough influence to make the woman hold him up with huge esteem. After all, actions spoke louder than words. A general that directly led the Lantis Republic to victory during the War of the Oceans. A former Chancellor that sat on the High Council for over a hundred years. And most importantly¡­ A Spirit Saint that held the ground for the Lantis Republic. Even Shin''s prestige was nothing compared to the current, most seasoned Spirit Saint. Thus, it was no surprise that Longyu Tian found it difficult to accept that the Saint of Shells was a traitor. "I told you that you wouldn''t like it..." Shin rolled his eyes. "I don''t have the proof, but Senior Zishen''s account of Saint Heigui''s reaction to the news made me feel uncomfortable." "Mmmm¡­ His reaction was a little off..." The Azure Dragon Lord backed his Prince up. "If one were to find out that their beloved clan, the one entity that was more important than their own lives were in peril¡­ How could one remain as nonchalant as Saint Heigui?" Shin thought out loud. "Even the most steel-faced individual would feel anxious, not to mention, Saint Heigui was literally the gatekeeper to everything that the Heigui Clan had." "But that doesn''t mean that he''d betrayed us? What motives would Saint Heigui possibly have?" "What do the Black Masks offer that far exceeds anything our Lantis Republic can, Aunt Tian?" Shin shot the Spirit Saint a quick question. "Nothing! The Black Masks don''t have any resources that could possibly tempt¡­ Wait a second..." The Saint of Time immediately got to thinking, frowning while gazing up down at the vast oceans. Her mind turned into a static machine, pumping out images of the last fifty years she''d spent with the ageing Spirit Saint. ''Haha, I can''t beat you youngsters...'' ''This stupid law barring Spirit Saints from interfering in world affairs is absurd! Not all of us have the chance to breach the final barrier.'' ''Ah¡­ I''m really getting old¡­ I can''t even see you coming!'' Each one of those memories flashed by Longyu Tian''s mind. She had never thought much of it, thinking that it was just an old man''s ramblings. However, as Shin mentioned Saint Heigui''s possible motives for betraying the clan that he held so dear¡­ Those ramblings started to make even more sense. "Nothing could tempt Saint Heigui¡­ Nothing except..." "The allure of eternity." Chapter 637 - Akai And Midori (3) Fifty kilometres off the coast of Heigui Enclave. "Rarara! How long will we have to wait?!" An angered voice beckoned out at the tree-like man, who was casually staring up at the rising morning sun. The Treant turned his attention to the noise and saw that familiar red mane that he so disliked. "Rarara! We''ve been waiting for more than twelve hours already! If we wait even longer, reinforcements will arrive from the Alliance! Rarara, I say we attack now! Who cares if there''s back-up or not?!" Akai continued to protest. "That''s¡­ why¡­ you¡­ can''t gain¡­ Kuro''s¡­ trust..." The Gargantuan Treant frowned at his partner''s actions. "Listen¡­ When I''m¡­ gone¡­ Try to think¡­ before¡­ acting..." "Rarara, what do you mean think? Thinking is for weaklings! Everything can be solved through sheer might alone, so why think! You are the one that''s senile, old fossil! Rarara, I can''t wait until you leave our organisation! Then, I''ll show you what it really means to be a Noble Beast serving the Allfather!" "You¡­ Nevermind..." Midori wanted to raise a retort, but his higher instincts prevented him from continuing even further. The Gargantuan Treant had been babysitting the Lion Chimaera for over a hundred years now. If he hadn''t changed in the century that they were together, nothing else could change Akai''s mindset. "Rarara, if you don''t believe me, you''ll see! Though I don''t know if your new home will be too far away to see anything!" Akai continued to tease his partner, not knowing where the off-switch of his mouth was. "Rarara, I don''t even know why you''re leaving the Allfather when he''d promised us eternity. I don''t know if you''re stupid or just plain ignorant!" "You''ll¡­ never... understand..." Midori sighed. "The Allfather¡­ has fulfilled¡­ his promise to¡­ me¡­ I don''t¡­ need anymore..." "Rarara, just a senile beast not knowing the greatest of what''s put in front of him!" The Lion Chimaera shrugged. "Rarara! I''ll be laughing at you in the Immortal Realm while you grovel away in the dirt of the mortal realm! RARARA!!!" "Yes¡­ you do¡­ that..." Midori sighed, not willing to convince his partner otherwise. All these years, he''d been serving the Allfather faithfully in hopes of achieving his dream. Now that the Allfather had delivered on his promise, Midori''s contract with their enigmatic leader had been completed. This mission would be the Gargantuan Treant''s final one, respecting the long-term relationship that Midori had with the Black Masks. However, after this mission, the Gargantuan Treant would essentially be retired, only surfacing to defend the Allfather''s base if need be. "Rarara, listen here! Let me tell you why eternity is better than-..." "Wait..." Before the Lion Chimaera could go on his impassionate rant, Midori raised his wooden arm, blocking his partner from breathing even a single word. The Gargantuan Treant placed his left hand onto the floating platform he''d created and pulled out a petite Cikai Mirror like a magician would with a bunny in a hat. Crrrkkkkktttt¡­ Crrrkkkkktttt¡­ Crrrkkkkktttt... Static overruled the simple reflection of the Treant, and it didn''t take long for an image to appear. A black obsidian Xuanwu statue turned upside down on its lofty throne. There were no humans around it, and neither was there any signs of movement. There wasn''t even a written indication or order for the Black Masks to move. However, when Midori saw that image, a smile rose up his nonchalant face. "That''s¡­ the¡­ signal..." "RARARA! Finally!" The Lion Chimaera cheered. His emerald snake tail swung happily with the wind and dozens of shadows surfaced from the bottom of the ocean. With the signal already given, Akai and Midori were able to do whatever they pleased. The Lion Chimaera leapt over the seas, stabilising his four paws above the water like a water strider. An intense red aura leaked out from his pores, greatly intensifying the heat of the subzero waters. Hot mist filled the air of the ocean as the Lion Chimaera forced the Fire-Elements to dance to his tone. Midori, on the other hand, had a much different plan. Now that the need to remain covert had become obsolete, the Gargantuan Treant was free to assume its true form. Channelling his mana, Midori allowed himself to grow exponentially tall, and his petite size had risen to that of a small mountain. The platform of roots grew drastically more massive as well. Trees and vines dominated the region beneath the Gargantuan Treant''s feet, and the colossal giant was free to do whichever stretches he pleased. However, that''s not all from the Black Masks. Metallic submarines, each as long as a significant blue whale, brought heaps of new ballistics to the battle to come. On their side, numerous oceanic Umbras protected the submersible sh.i.p.s with their potent water-elemental powers and massive bodies. And most importantly¡­ Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!! A silver pillar arose from the pits of the ocean, and its tip was targetted right at the Heigui Enclave. Not a single soul on the isles noticed the drastic change in the waters surrounding them, not even the sensitive Xuanwus that had been beached for a good few hours now. Akai leapt above the immense cannon, sending vast amounts of his near bottomless mana into the monstrosity. A dazzling light, much like that of a sunray that escaped from the canopies, pierced the eyes of those who stood at the Heigui Enclave, blinding them temporarily. To those who were unaware of the attack, it was as if a star had been teleported at the horizon. However, that star wasn''t as friendly as those that sparkled in the night sky. If Shin were present, he would most definitely drop his jaw in shock. Though, not because he had never seen that light before¡­ but precisely cause he''d seen it once. It was¡­ The very same attack that brought down the Guardian Rock at Aldrich''s Keep many years back. Aldrich''s Keep was once renowned for its invincible defences, a monolith of the Himmel Empire that could never be overthrown. Yet, that same light had been used to send that myth crumbling into oblivion. And on this day¡­ History was going to repeat itself. "RARARA!!! Ready?!" "Wait¡­ for¡­ it..." Midori held his hand up, halting the Lion Chimaera''s ultimate attack. The Heigui Enclave was still protected by a substantial astral turtle shell. The Gargantuan Treant was no dummy. How could the Heigui Clan last for so many generations without losing their most valuable island once? It was precisely because of the legendary Sleeping Xuanwu Formation that protected the Heigui Enclave. Even Akai''s enhanced solar beam that could bring down the mythical Guardian Rock paled in comparison to the defensive attributes of the Sleeping Xuanwu Formation. So¡­ Why not attack the enclave when it was gone? Zsssssssssssssssssssssssstttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!! As if hearing Midori''s thoughts, the hefty barrier melted away from the top, much like an ice-cream cone on a hot summer''s day. First, the tip of the turtle shell was exposed, bringing in hordes of foreign spiritual energies¡­ power that the Heigui Enclave had never experienced in its existence. In a mere ten seconds, over a fifth of the barrier had melted away from the foreign influence. And the pace was only accelerating. Holes appeared all over the astral turtle shell, and the exposed parts increased even more, until eventually¡­ The legendary formation had entirely melted away. And that''s when¡­ Midori said the words that would put the nail in the coffin. "Akai¡­ FIRE!!!" Chapter 638 - I Just Want To Live (1) Tongues of flames spat out from all directions of the former, prospering Heigui Enclave. Trees were laid down on their sides while heaps of rock flew everywhere like volcanic rocks after a deadly eruption. The gorgeous green and blue of the enclave had been replaced with the crimson colour of the fiery pits of hell. Nothing could escape the wrath of the devil, not even the poor Xuanwus that had been synonymous with the legendary Heigui Clan. There were about fifty beached Xuanwus and that single strike from the Black Masks had wiped out three-fifths of their population. Charred with broken shells and damaged flesh which revealed their bones, the deceased Xuanwus seemed to have gone through decades of torture before passing away, even though their deaths were quick. The lucky ones, or depending on how one looked at it, unlucky ones that were able to escape that onslaught, weren''t in perfect shape either. The majority of them were sprawled out on their backs with bits of flesh dripping out from their limbs. Some of them had no limbs to speak of. Fires continued to burn over all of their hardened skins, forcing many of them to escape down into the ocean and heal all on their own. The safe haven that the Heigui Clan had promised them was already compromised. There was no way that the Xuanwus would stick around to defend the place that caused them this much death and injury. Which meant one thing¡­ The elites of the Lantis Republic were left all¡­ alone. "Cough, cough!" A middle-aged looking woman pushed herself out of the debris, stretching out her strained shoulders. Jingyu Shenxian was sore all over, her face covered with ashen soot and her eyes watering up with tears. Even as a Spirit Venerate, a surprise attack like that was completely out of the Chancellor''s ballpark. Shellshocked, Jingyu Shenxian needed a good full minute to comprehend what had happened. Raising her arms above her shoulders, the Chancellor reached for the light in the broken debris, slowly clawing her way out into freedom. And it didn''t take long for her to find what she sought out. Standing atop the pile of rock that was formerly known as Turtle Hall, the Lantis Republic''s top executive gasped in horror at the sight before her. "N-No¡­ No way..." Jingyu Shenxian gulped. An intense heat permeated through her veins, warming up the already scorched skin of hers. All around her, the crimson flames left behind by the solar beam flickered without any mercy, burning any and all that came into their paths. Buildings that had been standing for thousands of years were falling apart, while structures that could classify as heritage sites were burning like an eternal campfire. In her long years as Chancellor¡­ No, in her long years as a Lantis Republic servant, Jingyu Shenxian had never seen such a devasting scene close to home. Particularly in the heartlands the Eight Clans. The Lantis Republic was renowned for keeping battles far away from its majestic islands and had always established an isolationist policy. It was rare for one of their sh.i.p.s to fall, let alone a full island that was widely regarded as the base of the Heigui Clan. So¡­ How did it fall, and so quickly to add? Jingyu Shenxian didn''t have to look far to find her answer. An elderly man levitated about fifty metres above the ground, overseeing the death and destruction that had befallen the land. His arms were tied behind his back, and his wrinkled face was in a dead frown. He wasn''t pleased with the result, and neither was he angry about it. Just an air of desolation. However, that nonchalance ticked the Chancellor off the wrong way. She was no idiot. There was only one way that an attack could land on the Heigui Enclave, especially since it was protected by all of its Xuanwu population. And that was... "Saint Heigui¡­ Why?" The Chancellor mustered up all of her remaining strength to ask that simple question. She didn''t have to go into detail, and neither did she need the man to admit his guilt. All Jingyu Shenxian asked was¡­ why? "..." The elderly man floated silently, seemingly ignoring the woman''s plea. He was looking at the destruction caused by the Black Masks, not knowing what emotions he should put on. There was anguish in his heart, but he couldn''t show it. Anger was boiling up, like the heat that surrounded him, but he couldn''t show it. And most prominently¡­ There was a sadness, one that made the coldness abyss of the oceans kneel in inferiority¡­ but Saint Heigui couldn''t show it. Why? Because he was the one that enabled the attack on his homeland. "Little Shenxian¡­ Do you know what the most common behaviour known to mankind is?" Saint Heigui shot the Chancellor a question, his voice going as low as can be. "Y-You¡­ HOW CAN YOU FOOL AROUND EVEN AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" Jingyu Shenxian hollered out, emptying all the air in her lungs. "YOU BETRAYED YOUR CLAN! YOUR FAMILY! YOU LET THE BLACK MASKS DESTROY WHAT YOUR ANCESTORS HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD!!! HOW CAN YOU ACT LIKE NOTHING''S WRONG?!" Spit after spit flew out of the Chancellor''s mouth, but it got nowhere near the levitating old man. As if expecting that the woman would go on an impassioned rant, Saint Heigui waited¡­ He waited for the woman to calm down, all while smoke billowed all around him. And then, the Spirit Saint continued his speech. "Little Shenxian¡­ Why do we yearn for eternity? Why do we want to protect our bloodlines and family? Why do we all strive to improve ourselves, even though we have everything the world has to offer?" Saint Heigui wondered out loud. He didn''t care if Jingyu Shenxian was listening in or not. The elderly man was speaking out to justify his actions, or at the very least¡­ to convince himself that it was the right choice. "Little Shenxian¡­ Do you know why?" "... I f.u.c.k.i.n.g don''t care," the Chancellor spat. "It''s because the most common behaviour of all humans¡­ is selfishness." Saint Heigui finally turned his attention to Jingyu Shenxian, who was already beaten and blue. The moment a Spirit Saint''s pressure mounted upon her battered body, the Chancellor felt a chilling cold climb up her spine. She was far too weak to contest against Saint Heigui Zhengkang, one of the four most powerful entities within the Lantis Republic. All she could do was shut her trap and listen to the elderly man sound off. "Everything thing that we do¡­ is for the betterment of ourselves. Does a mother really care for her kids? No, that''s just the hard-wiring into our genes to make the younger generation prosper so that our seed can carry on evolving in the next generation. Would soldiers be really willing to give their all to their country? No, they only fight to the death because they know that their families are at home waiting for the country''s victory." Saint Heigui sighed. "Selflessness is an illusion created by selfish people. Our ancestors did so, and our descendants for generations to come will do the same. We will all choose to do things for our self-betterment. And my choice today carries the same principle." "You chose to betray your nation¡­ The country that you have served for almost four centuries¡­ For your own selfish desires?" "That''s right, Little Shenxian..." The elderly man chuckled. "All living things will eventually fall into dust. Only a handful of humans had ever breached that barrier of immortality, twenty-one to be exact¡­ HAHA!!! HOW LUDICROUS!!! In all the years of humanity, only twenty-one Spirit Immortals are born! What a statistic!!!" Saint Heigui held the temple of his forehead up, unable to wrap his head around that unfathomable number. "It''s that hard to ascend¡­ It''s that hard to ascend¡­ I have long reached my bottleneck, and I will remain at this level from this day to the day that I return to the ocean. Me? A Spirit Saint that stands at the apex of the world?" The Spirit Saint stared right into Jingyu Shenxian''s eyes, his desires piercing through her very soul. The decision to betray his clan wasn''t made overnight. Saint Heigui had been agonising over this decision for many moons and had tipped his decision multiple times now. However, at this very moment, there was only one desire in the Spirit Saint''s mind. One that was conveyed articulately to the Lantis Republic''s Chancellor. "I just¡­ want to live." Chapter 639 - I Just Want To Live (2) The wind gushed past Shin''s face as he tore through the clouds with mind-bending speeds. His face was turning icy cold from the high altitude, and he could barely see what was in front of him, but the Prince didn''t care. Shin only wanted to rush back to the Lantis Republic, praying to whatever Immortal there was that his gut feeling was wrong. Even the members of his congregation, notably the Azure Dragon Lord and the Saint of Time, felt an uneasiness creep up their inner cores. They had heard of Shin''s hypothesis and found that it was quite sound... They just didn''t want it to be right. Alas, life wasn''t all flowers and sunshine. "W-What¡­ What''s this?!" Shin paused in the sky. From the east, a billowing pillar of ash and smoke could be seen, one that could only be matched by a mega-eruption from an active volcano. Although the Lantis Archipelago was known to have many volcanoes, none were slated to erupt within the next few months. Not to mention, the direction that Shin and the rest were facing was one of the heartlands of the entire Lantis Republic. "The Heigui Enclave! Something bad has happened!" Longyu Tian screamed, possibly the loudest that she had in a long time. "Tsk, Shin do you really think that-!" "Aunt Tian¡­ Given how fortified the Heigui Enclave is¡­ There''s only one explanation for their rapid fall..." Shin clicked his tongue in frustration. "If Saint Heigui has really betrayed us, our current firepower isn''t sufficient. Master!" The Prince turned to the blonde Divine Healer and pulled out the Kamaitachi that was nestled within his robes. Without any mercy, Shin threw Bingbing into Lady Seph''s hands, all while saying: "Master, take Bingbing and rush back to Celestial Island. Take over Saint Jingyu''s position as the children''s protector. We need as many Saint-Levelled beings as possible if we want to bring down the Black Masks." "Got it!" Lady Seph didn''t even pause for a single moment. Once she grabbed hold of the Kamaitachi, the Divine Healer turned into a ray of light, bolting straight towards Celestial Island, which wasn''t too far from their current location. "Senior Zishen, Aunt Tian, Saint Atossa¡­ We''ll need to be prepared for a fight. I hope that you''re ready." Shin quickly turned to the three Saint-levelled beings that joined him in rushing towards the Lantis Republic. "Mmmm, no problem." Zishen took in a deep breath and reverted back to his original form. A fifty-metre long Azure Dragon Lord with hefty mana reserves and a towering aura that could choke the average Spirit Spectre. "Already prepared," Longyu Tian whipped out her Rod of Eternity, sending all kinds of Time-Elements flying around her. "Don''t worry, Shin Iofiel. If the Lantis Republic falls, our Alliance would be affected. Furthermore, there''s no way that I''ll run from a fight with the Black Masks¡­ This is personal for me too..." Saint Atossa, the only Spirit Saint with no allegiances to the Lantis Republic, reassured the Prince while flashing her deadly dagger. "Okay, that''s good..." Shin smiled before closing his eyes. Holy particles of light gushed out of his pores with every subsequent breath, and his leather-like skin was quickly replaced with an armour of draconic scales. The Water-Elements spiked, even though they were right above a vast ocean that was literally filled with water. However, that wasn''t the only thing that Shin had done. Waving his arms, Shin turned the water vapour that surrounded him into pure water. From the water, he froze it down into a singular point, adding heaps of his own mana into the elongated spear. A shining beacon of power and dominance¡­ That was what Shin was summoning. With his Spiritual Body Enhancement plus his commanding domain, Shin was no less powerful than the other Saint-levelled beings around him, and they could feel that quite clearly. Though he lacked the capabilities of sealing space as they could, if they were to ever get into a straight-up brawl, none of them could assertively say that they could pull a win against the Prince. Air filled the lungs of Shin as he slowly calmed his beating heart. The energies within his body were stabilising and the pressure he was emitting, immense. At this point, Shin resembled a bloodied general that knew no defeat. Finally opening his eyes, the Prince pointed the Spear of Aiglos at the billowing smoke and commanded with a baritone voice: "Let''s do this..." ??? Meanwhile, at the Heigui Enclave... "Little Shenxian¡­ I just want to live." Saint Heigui looked at the grey-haired woman, dropping a tear down his wrinkled face. Jingyu Shenxian gaped, not knowing what to say. The Lantis Republic had always taught its citizens to put the survival of their country first. Yet, the highest-ranking member of the nation had just turned heel and burnt down his heritage within a blink of an eye. How could anyone feel elated by that? "Live¡­ Just because of your desire to live¡­ You''re willing to sacrifice the Heigui Clan?" The Chancellor gritted her teeth. "HOW CAN YOU FACE YOUR ANCESTORS?!" "The funny thing is¡­ I won''t..." The elderly man snorted. "All of our ancestors, even the mythical Lady of Water¡­ They never reached the Immortal Realm. None of our bloodlines had produced a Spirit Immortal, even though we''ve been in existence far longer than any one of them. Heck, even that bastard Himmel Empire had Saint Himmel." Saint Heigui expressed disgust for his own clan. "When I enter the Immortal Realm with the Allfather¡­ I will be the first of our kind." Saint Heigui started to fantasise. "History isn''t kind and forgiving. Civilisations such as ours will eventually fall, and our tale will be forgotten to time. However, only those that had escaped the cycle of life and death. Only those who have reached eternity will be remembered forevermore!" "Look at you, already kissing the Allfather''s feet..." Jingyu Shenxian spat while glaring at the Spirit Saint she formerly respected. "You won''t be a true Immortal, just a servant to the greatest villain of all time. I hope you enjoy your eternal damnation!" "..." Saint Heigui paused his impassioned speech. Turning his left hand towards the Chancellor, the Spirit Saint made use of his Spirit Saint powers to give her a telekinetic choke. "A-ack!" Weakened, there was little Jingyu Shenxian could do about the force lifting her up. She flailed her legs about all while trying to free herself from the Spirit Saint''s grip. Alas, how could a battered Spirit Venerate contest against a spotless Spirit Saint? "I''ll have you know this, Little Shenxian¡­ The Allfather is the only one who has ties to Spirit Immortal Dream, a genius even among Spirit Saints." "Y-You! Be-betra-yer!" "Well, it''s hard to deny that..." The elderly man chuckled. "But when it''s all done and dusted¡­ My name will resonate among the trillions that will walk this earth. As the twenty-third Spirit Saint after the Allfather¡­ HAHAHAHA!!! WHAT WILL YOU BE, LITTLE SHENXIAN?!" Losing his mind, Saint Heigui increased his grip on the Chancellor. After destroying his home clan''s base and killing the majority of his beloved Xuanwus, the old fossil that had served the Lantis Republic faithfully had gallons of blood rushing to his head. He felt high with energy and needed an outlet to vent. Fortunately, the yelling Jingyu Shenxian proved to be the perfect target. "Little Shenxian¡­ Should I kill you now, or should I let you suffer the same fate that I was supposed to? To become a Spirit Saint and die from time, with everything just a centimetre away from your grasp?" "Y-You¡­ s-sh-all..." "What''s that?" "Y-You¡­ sh-all¡­ die..." "Haha, quite a patriot, aren''t you?" Saint Heigui smiled. However, there was no tenderness in that happy expression. With a cold harrumph, the old man slammed the Chancellor down onto the burning ground, sinking her over ten metres underneath. "Out of respect to your grandfather, I''ll spare your life this time¡­ But I''ll tell you this, Little Shenxian¡­ One day, you will understand my pains." Saint Heigui snorted. Once he confirmed the Chancellor''s removal, the elderly man floated straight towards the oceans, where two hefty figures were waiting for his arrival. "Saint¡­ We''ve¡­ been¡­ expecting¡­ you" Midori cupped his hands together to greet Saint Heigui. "Rarara, good job old human! You really smoothened things for us! We destroyed the island in a matter of seconds!" Akai cheered as well. He may hate the Alliance, but there was no need to disrespect a Spirit Saint, particularly one that had defected over to their side. "... You did well in destroying my home." "Rarara, you''re the one that gave us the order! Don''t be having second thoughts now." "..." The elderly man looked back at the burning flames and ashen ground. People weren''t even running away as most of them were scorched to the bone. It was pure destruction, one of a scale that the Heigui Enclave could never have anticipated. "Yeah¡­ I am the sole person responsible for this..." The Spirit Saint sighed heavily before changing the topic. "So, where''s the Mirror Deity? The one that was supposed to teleport us out of here?" "Don''t¡­ worry¡­ he''s coming... soon!" Midori replied. "Well, he better hurry..." Saint Heigui looked towards the western horizon, narrowing his eyes after one single glance. "Reinforcements are coming, and they aren''t weak..." "Rarara, whoever they are, we''ll just pulverise them!" The Lion Chimaera declared. "You don''t worry about a thing, old human!" "Don''t worry about a thing, huh?" Saint Heigui wanted to retort, but he shut his mouth. Although he had just turned, the Spirit Saint already knew much about the inner workings of the Black Masks. Arguing against Akai would be just a massive waste of time and effort. ''Hah¡­ The Prince with three Saint-levelled beings. Judging from their mana signatures, Lord Zishen, Little Tian and Atossa from the Mercenary Guild... Looks like I will have to prepare for a siege...'' Chapter 640 - I Just Want To Live (3) Four bolts of light flashed through the western skies of the Lantis Republic, dazzling their way to the billowing central tower of smoke coming from the Heigui Enclave. As the only ones already heading towards the broken headquarters of the Heigui Clan, Shin and the rest were naturally the first ones to arrive. As they halted in the air, their eyes widened with complete horror and their usually steady spiritual energies wavered. And who could blame them? Heigui Enclave, renowned worldwide as the most defensive sanctuary there is. Home to the world''s greatest defensive clan and the legacy child of the original Obsidian Xuanwu. Golden statues that could be dated back thousands of years were gone. Stone monuments that stood against the will of time¡­ Burnt to a crisp. Everything that the Xuanwu Clan was known for¡­ was wholly gone. "T-This..." Longyu Tian, being the one most familiar with the Heigui Enclave, was the most shaken among the four. Her lips were twitching wildly, and her entire body lost all feeling. Ever since she''d become a Spirit Saint, this feeling of powerlessness had never been a problem. Yet, as she saw the once splendid island in ruins, the Saint of Time felt a pit form within her stomach. A pit that she could never recover from. "How terrible..." Saint Atossa frowned, holding back her desire to retch. Although she didn''t have any ties to the Lantis Republic, it was still a shame to see a monolith of the world fall into ruin. "They actually destroyed the Heigui Enclave this quickly¡­ We''ve even rushed here as soon as we received the news." "Mmmm..." Zishen nodded. His usual nonchalance was gone, and the Azure Dragon Lord was oddly silent. The Azure Dragons were pledged to defend Celestial Island, being the Guardian Beasts of the Lantis Republic from this day to their last. Just like the Xuanwus of the Heigui Clan. The Azure Dragons had always kept a close relationship with the Xuanwus, some might say that they were the tightest-knit band among the Guardian Beasts. Thus, seeing the corpses of the black turtles made Zishen''s heart curl up in anger. "The fact that they destroyed Heigui Enclave this quickly can only mean one thing..." Shin, ever the analytical mind, put aside his rage and got to thinking. "Saint Heigui has betrayed us¡­" "A Spirit Saint betrayal¡­" Saint Atossa threw her head up. "How long has it been since the last turncoat Spirit Saint?" "Not within a thousand years, unless you count Spirit Immortal Dream''s surprise massacre." Longyu Tian spat in disgust. "Saint Heigui¡­ I''d thought that you were a respectable human being¡­ I guess my eyes were completely blind. If I had used my Future Sight even once..." The Saint of Time cursed her own ineptitude for judging one''s character. If she had just used her signature ability once, perhaps Heigui Enclave could have been spared. "It''s not your fault, Aunt Tian..." Shin spun his Spear of Aiglos around, sending heaps of elemental energies flying down like a summer''s rain. "We''ve trusted our own members too much. We were naive, thinking that no one would ever defect to the Black Masks. But that all changes today..." Spreading his Domain of Dreams over the entire island, Shin sent forth all of his mana, putting nothing to chance. Vibrant colours descended upon the land, creating an illusion of ethereal mist shrouding the island entirely. Fluffy white clouds turned into looming grey ones, and the light of the heavens were blocked out entirely. And that wasn''t all¡­ The Celestial Dragon enlarged himself into a colossal being, about twenty times its original size. It was even bigger than the Azure Dragon Lord that levitated next to it. An invisible pressure mounted onto any who dared to look up at the breathtaking creature as aurora borealis took over the cloudy skies. The Celestial Dragon had returned, and it made very sure to tell the world who was their sovereign. Every single element froze and bowed down to the king. It didn''t matter if one was a Spirit Saint or a Primordial Beast. All had to lower their heads to the majesty of the Celestial Dragon, the being that was closest to the stars. Which was good news for the members of the Alliance, bad news for the Black Masks and in particular, their newly inducted member... "Rarara! Shin Iofiel, huh?" Akai roared in pleasure. The Lion Chimaera was always up for a challenge, and what better challenge was there than the apex Prince that took the world and the Allfather by storm? "Rarara, Midori! He''s mine! Don''t you dare steal my kill from me!" "Stupid..." The Gargantuan Treant rooted his right hand on his face. "We''re¡­ not¡­ fighting¡­ Suicidal..." "RARARA! You''re suicidal!" Akai rebutted his partner. "Rarara, we can kill them all! They''re weaklings compared to our Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments and us." "No, Midori is right..." Saint Heigui interjected from the side. Without consulting the pair, the elderly man raised both his arms out and allowed a jet-black aura to seep out from his pores. All of a sudden, a colossal turtle, one that was about ten-metres tall and thirty-metres wide, covered all of the Black Masks'' and protected them with Aegis protection. "Rarara! What are you doing?!" "Just watch..." Midori had to hold back the raging Lion Chimaera to allow the Spirit Saint to complete his ability. In no time at all, a humongous turtle shell, one that was in no means weaker than the Sleeping Xuanwu Formation, covered the entire Heigui Enclave, protecting all who stood within its protection. "The Tidal Shell..." Longyu Tian clicked her tongue in disgust. "To think that the Saint of Shell''s ultimate defensive ability would be used to protect our enemies¡­ The Lantis Republic will never forget this dishonour!" "Tidal Shell¡­ Any way that we can pierce through it?" Saint Atossa probed. "Why do you think that it''s called the ultimate defensive ability?" Longyu Tian shrugged her shoulders. "Saint Heigui isn''t our Lantis Republic''s greatest Spirit Saint, but he sure as hell is the one with the greatest survivability. Even if Saint Geom was here with his Immortal-Grade Samingeom, there''s no guarantee that we can destroy the Tidal Shell." "So what? We wait here and do nothing?!" Saint Atossa screamed. "They won''t be able to escape either..." Shin replied to the frantic Spirit Saint. "The fact that the Tidal Shell is active means that Saint Heigui hasn''t escaped yet. Judging from the mana signatures that I''ve sensed on the way here, there should be two other of the Nine Colours with him." Shin scratched the bottom of his chin. "Tidal Shell is powerful, but it burns mana quickly. If we just wait it out, Saint Heigui would be forced to put down the barrier and make their final, desperate attempt to flee." "But¡­ Ah! What about the white-haired boy that was able to teleport people away?! If they are with them, it''s only a matter of time before they make their escape." The Mercenary Saint made an excellent point. Among all of the Nine Colours, the peskiest one was Shiro, the Mirror Deity. He wasn''t all that powerful physically, but his auxiliary skills were second to none. Teleporting enemies into the heart of the Shaolin Sect to kill Saint Suhavis. Single-handedly breaking into the most secure cell that the Alliance could create. Shiro was the bane of the Alliance''s existence. If Shiro was assisting in Saint Heigui''s escape, it could prove to be problematic for the Alliance. Alas, Shin wasn''t that short-sighted. Anything that Saint Atossa could think of, Shin did so too. "Why do you think I unleashed my Domain of Dreams laced with the Celestial Dragon''s aura?" "Huh?" "Haha, don''t worry about it..." Shin smiled. He looked down at the impregnable barrier that Saint Heigui had created, quickly turning that face of jubilance into one of complete anger. "From the moment they chose to stay, it was checkmate..." ??? "Rarara¡­ You really blocked them out..." Akai frowned. He was having mixed feelings about Saint Heigui''s arrangements. On the one hand, he wanted to challenge Shin to a battle to the death. On the flip side, the Lion Chimaera knew deep down that fighting four Saint-levelled beings was tantamount to suicide. "Don''t worry, even if the other Spirit Saints of the Lantis Republic shows up, we''ll be safe." Saint Heigui dropped his hands, breathing a sigh of relief. "Now¡­ All we have to do is wait for your Mirror Deity to come. Once he teleports us out of this, the Black Masks win this battle without a single casualty¡­ Just like the Allfather planned for." "Rarara, human! I like you!" "Yeah¡­ You''ll fit¡­ perfectly¡­ in our¡­ organisation..." Midori smiled as well. Who wouldn''t? The victory was close enough for them to smell, and if they pull it off, it would be the most successful mission in the history of the Black Masks. The Allfather was certain to reward the members handsomely once they return. "So¡­ How long until the Mirror Deity comes?" "Shiro¡­ will be¡­ here¡­ so-..." "I''m already here..." Midori was about to answer the old man, but a voice interrupted his speech. A white-haired young boy emerged from the shadows, his face not as enthusiastic as his compatriots. "Rarara, Shiro! You''re finally here!" The Lion Chimaera roared in delight. "Rarara, our new member, is getting impatient! He wants the Allfather favour right now, RARARA!!!" "..." Shiro didn''t answer the hyped Akai. Instead, he looked apologetically at the trio, not knowing how to break the news to them. Though, it wasn''t hard for Midori to sense that something was horribly wrong. "What''s... the matter?" Midori asked. "Why isn''t... your true... body here? Why¡­ projection?" Shiro sighed and dropped his shoulders. "Hah¡­ There''s a problem¡­ The Celestial Dragon has taken over the space-time fabric with his aura¡­ I can''t teleport all of you out as we planned..." "WHAT?!" Saint Heigui screamed, uncharacteristic of a Spirit Saint. "Are you saying that you''re unable to bring me out of here, even though I betrayed my home for the Black Masks?" "Believe me, no one is more gutted than I am..." Shiro snapped back. "Who knew that the Celestial Dragon could lock down my abilities?" "Tsk¡­ Useless..." Saint Heigui cursed underneath his breath. If the Lantis Republic captures him, the man who betrayed his home for the sake of chasing immortality¡­ Who knows what horrors would lie in wait? "So what¡­ Are we going to sit here and let us die? Is that how the Black Masks does things?" "... If you can force Shin Iofiel to put down his Celestial Aura, or at the very least, open a tunnel for me to teleport in, I should be able to get you out in less than a second. However, for that to happen..." "One of us¡­ have to¡­ fight them..." Midori finished Shiro''s sentence. It was a terrifying proposition. Facing off against four Saint-levelled beings alone. However, if the rest were to escape¡­ It had to be done. Midori looked at his two partners-in-crime. Saint Heigui would never offer to be the bait, especially after he made his aspirations crystal clear. Akai may be up for the challenge, but he was too much of a dolt to succeed in the mission. Which meant that there was only one possible contender for the suicidal mission¡­ "Fine¡­ Leave it¡­ to me..." Chapter 641 - I Just Want To Live (4) "I''ll¡­ go¡­ and open¡­ a path..." Midori stood up and twirled his wooden fingers around. "RARARA!!! Don''t be stupid!" As anticipated, Akai was the first one to protest. "Rarara, you''re weak! I''m strong! I should be the one to open a path!" "Do you even know how to isolate space?" Saint Heigui scoffed with folded arms. "Before that, are you even confident that you can hold back fighting against the Prince, two Spirit Saints and a Primordial Beast? You are a pure fighter, not one that could weave in between them¡­ Not that they''ll let you do that though..." The Spirit Saint was by far the most level-headed of them all. He knew the powers of Saint Longyu Tian, the Azure Dragon Lord and the legendary Prince of Water. Saint Heigui even knew a thing or two about Saint Atossa''s power, given that he''s the oldest Spirit Saint in the Alliance. Hence, he knew how daunting it was to open a path against those monsters. "RARARA!!! What do you know about me, old human?!" The Lion Chimaera roared. "Rarara, I''m Akai! The most powerful Noble Beast there is! I can burn oceans and level mountains with a single breath! RARARA, those assholes? I can deal with one finger!!!" "You..." Saint Heigui rolled his eyes. However, instead of waiting for the other Black Masks to do something about their ally, the elderly man made the first move. Pushing his right palm down, Saint Heigui instantly locked down space around Akai, completely binding him in place. "RARARA!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Akai flailed his four mighty thighs about, or at least he attempted to. No matter how much he denied it, Akai was still a mere Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Against a Spirit Saint, particularly at this range, the Lion Chimaera was nothing more than a simple fly in the wind. "Midori, go do your thing¡­ Open up a path for us to leave." Saint Heigui gave the simple order, not caring in the slightest about the Lion Chimaera''s protests. "Thank you..." The Gargantuan Treant sighed. "Shiro¡­ Wait for¡­ my signal..." "... Midori, you sure about this?" The white-haired boy didn''t give the affirmative answer. Instead, his mind was wholly focused on the loving Treant of the Black Masks. "You do know that if you leave this barrier, you-..." "I¡­ know..." Midori shook his head. However, that was all the Mirror Deity needed to understand the Gargantuan Treant''s feelings. After all, Shiro was present when the Allfather recruited Midori into their ranks. From the very beginning, the Gargantuan Treant never joined the Black Masks for eternal life like the rest of the Noble Beasts. His intentions were far more personal and also¡­ the only one that the Allfather had actually fulfilled. "Shiro¡­ Thank¡­ the Allfather¡­ for me..." "Hah¡­ Looks like I can''t change your mind..." Shiro shrugged his shoulders. "Don''t worry about the Allfather¡­ I''ll know what to do once you''re gone..." "Mmmm¡­ Thank you..." Midori slowly nodded, content with the Mirror Deity''s answer. He stepped closer to the edge of the Tidal Shell barrier, all while he reverted back to his original size. Each step that the Gargantuan Treant took, a bed of trees would immediately sprout from its feet. Each time he inched closer to the edge, the spiritual energies of the land started to reverberate. Although the Gargantuan Treant wasn''t a true Primordial Beast, his aura wasn''t all that far from one. Eventually, the Noble Beast had reached his final position¡­ The shores that were a metre away from the vast ocean and the menacing Saint-levelled beings that waited outside the barrier. "RARARA!!! YOU CAN''T DO THIS, MIDORI!!! I-..." "Shut it!" Twisting his wrists, Saint Heigui silenced the noisy Lion Chimaera. "Akai¡­ I''m sorry..." The Gargantuan Treant shot his longtime partner a sombre look, much to the Lion Chimaera''s horror. "Live well..." "Thank you, Midori..." The elderly Spirit Saint smiled. However, deep down, he was heaving a big sigh of relief. He''d betrayed the Lantis Republic for the Black Masks. If he didn''t escape, god knows what would have happened to him. Raising his free hand, Saint Heigui gestured at the barrier. "You only have a half-second to leave my barrier. Any longer, the Spirit Saints will be able to infiltrate us. Ready?" "I''m ready..." "Good..." Saint Heigui slowly weakened the front where the Gargantuan Treant was supposed to leave from. "On my count¡­ One¡­ Two¡­ THREE!!!" In less than a blink of an eye, the barrier that protected Heigui Enclave and the rest of the Black Masks dimmed, and a translucent hole opened up. With a single breath, the Gargantuan Treant stepped into the open and freeing itself from the island. And just as quickly as the Tidal Shell opened, it closed with blinding speeds. Naturally, Shin and the other Saint-levelled beings were unprepared for such an event and were a tad late with their reaction. By the time they noticed that something was off, Saint Heigui was already strengthening the barrier with all of his mana, even making it far sturdier than before. The only thing that changed¡­ was the colossal Treant that stood hovering above the water like a hallowed messiah. "That''s..." Zishen, the only one who was wholly nonchalant about external affairs, raised his brow in confusion. He hadn''t seen or heard about the Gargantuan Treant in his entire life, and it was the first time he was looking at one in the flesh. On the other hand, Shin had a wealth of experience with the said beast. Back in Aldrich''s Keep, when he was a mere novice healer, Shin had seen the Gargantuan Treant run amok within the fortress. It killed regular human beings without mercy and had led the charge for the first-ever Black Mask Beast Horde. One could say that it was the event which led Shin and the world to realise how powerful the Black Masks really were. During those days, Shin was nothing more than an ant to the Gargantuan Treant. If it wished for Shin''s death, all it needed to do, was to step firmly upon his weakling body. No, back in the day, it wouldn''t even care if Shin died or not. That was how inconsequential Shin was to the Gargantuan Treant. Alas, the times had changed. Shin was now capable of matching the Gargantuan Treant in a head-on battle and had even forced the being into a showdown to the death. "Midori..." Shin spat as he watched the calm creature walk on the ocean. "Be careful! The Black Masks are up to something! There''s no way that they''ll send a mere Tier 9 Spirit Beast to deal with us! There has to be a trap somewhere!" "..." The Gargantuan Treant looked up at the four beings that stood in his way and flashed a bitter smile. Bit by bit, vines and roots emerged from his bottom, covering the entire ocean with a patch of leafy green. Not just that, thousands of trees grew from the base, and a dense rainforest suddenly appeared above the endless water source. With a wave of his hand, millions of vines and tendrils gushed heavenwards from the wooden platform that he''d created. "Tsk! Annoying!" Shin summoned out all of his mana and caused an eruption of Celestial energies. The moment the tendrils tried to pierce through his guard, it was vapourised like sand through magma. The Celestial Dragon Avatar was no slouch either. With a roar, the familiar shard flashed with all of its mana and a dense pressure fell upon the Gargantuan Treant''s shoulders. By all accounts, the Gargantuan Treant''s attack was a massive failure. Not only did he fail to damage a single soul, but he''d also even been subject to a brutal counterattack. There was nothing that Midori could do to escape out of this precarious situation. Which prompted Shin to ask: "That''s all you got?" "No¡­ Not yet..." However, even though the Gargantuan Treant was in the midst of pain, it could still crack a smile. It looked down at its feet and was delighted to see the completion of an airtight tunnel which led out into the open oceans, far away from the Celestial Dragon''s influence. And then¡­ PLOP!!! The humongous Tidal Shell, the pinnacle of all defence arts, disappeared entirely. There was no trace of mana, no trace of life and worst of all¡­ No trace of Saint Heigui within the burning island. "W-What?" Shin gulped, looking down at the Gargantuan Treant in horror. And all he got¡­ Was a simple smile. "Sorry¡­ We win..." Chapter 642 - I Just Want To Live (5) The Heigui Enclave quickly lost its external protection, reverting back into the desolate flaming abyss that the Black Masks had left it in. Heigui Zhengkang, the one responsible for the Tidal Shell and the man that the Lantis Republic was about to punish, had just vanished in a puff of smoke. Shin and the three Spirit Saints were gobsmacked and were unable to mouth out any words. They''d come here prepared for war, and yet¡­ Their enemies disappeared even before they could draw their swords. "Y-you¡­ W-what did you do?!" Shin stammered in disbelief. He''d firmly believed that there was no escaping from his Celestial Aura. He''d even asked the Spirit Saints that accompanied him to lock down space just in case. Yet, Saint Heigui had managed to escape unscathed. "Tunnel..." Midori replied with a vibrant chuckle. "Tunnel¡­ You mean that Mirror Deity only needs a small connection to move objects through the fabric of space-time?" "..." The Gargantuan Treant didn''t reply. He was surrounded by four Saint-levelled experts, but his expression was wholly calm. Not to mention, each one of them was carrying an overflowing bottle of hate for the Black Masks and Saint Heigui. However, without their targets, the experts weren''t sure where to direct all of their bloodl.u.s.ts. Well, they do know it was just¡­ it took them a few seconds to figure it out. "YOU F.U.C.K.I.N.G BLACK MASKS!!!" Longyu Tian cursed with everything that she had, summoning out the iconic Golden Sovereign Koi. The immense spiritual energies that infested the world choked any poor soul that wandered near the explosive Spirit Saint, and the Gargantuan Treant was no different. For the first time since he appeared, Midori felt a constricting pain weighing down upon his chest. The vines and trees that sprouted from his verdant floating platform were melting away while he''d lost all control over his mana. Without any probes, the Gargantuan Treant fell to his knees and exposed all of his weak spots for the Spirit Saint to see. ''This¡­ is the¡­ end, huh?'' Midori thought to himself. People say that the moment the final flicker of light burns out in one''s soul, one''s whole life would flash before their eyes. And Midori was experiencing something similar. The Gargantuan Treant thought back on the first day he saw the light. He was just a mere infant, no taller than a bonsai tree. He marvelled at the beauty of the sunlight which pierced through the canopies, the succulent water that dripped upon his newborn face, and the gentle air of the Uncharted Wilderness. Then, the Gargantuan Treant started to reminisce on the thousands of years it took him to mature. The first time he''d seen the ocean as a landbound creature. The first time he''d spread his pollen around to create new Treants. The first time he''d seen the faces of a newborn Treant, his very own children¡­ Everything was so simple and beautiful¡­ And then¡­ The Gargantuan Treant remembered the first time he''d met¡­ humans. As they had for generations, humans had been trying to tame the Uncharted Wilderness ever since they''d learnt how to traverse vast lands. They wanted new and unconquered territory to increase their influence and grow their never-ending population. Development of humans would lead in the destruction of fertile soils, and the Uncharted Wilderness was no exception. Once, the Gargantuan Treant had met a wandering Spirit Saint that had delved into the Uncharted Wilderness for no apparent reason. He''d attacked any Spirit Beasts he saw and challenged the overlords of the land. If the Spirit Saint failed, he wouldn''t retreat. He would simply take a little time to recover, before diving headfirst in again. In the end, the Spirit Saint had caught himself in a trap created by an Empyrean Wonder, paralysing the man and dampening any hopes he had of escape. Intrigued by the Spirit Saint''s behaviour, the Gargantuan Treant once asked: "Why do you do this? Why do you kill our brethren and try to conquer the Uncharted Wilderness every time?" The Spirit Saint just looked at the Treant and laughed. His answer would shock the Gargantuan Treant to his core and have placed him on the path he was on. "Because I can." Those three words had made the Gargantuan Treant realise one thing¡­ Humans would never cease their siege on the Uncharted Wilderness and the homeland of the Spirit Beasts. As long as the Uncharted Wilderness exists, humans will continue to raid it, killing billions of Spirit Beasts in the process. No matter how many times they fail, humans will continue to attempt to clear out the forests, killing all of the inhabitants within. And that included the Gargantuan Treant''s species. So¡­ When the Allfather came to the Gargantuan Treant with a deal that would separate the Uncharted Wilderness from the main continent¡­ The Gargantuan Treant didn''t even need to think twice. From that moment, the Gargantuan Treant, who was widely known as the most docile of Tier 9 Spirit Beasts, joined the flanks of the Black Masks and became Midori. Midori served the Allfather, not for the promise of eternity, and neither was it for overwhelming power or resources to enter the Primordial Realm. Midori served the Allfather only because of the Grand Scheme and its side-plan of dividing the Terre Continent. Yes, humans won''t stop their desire to colonise unsearched lands such as the Uncharted Wilderness. However, putting an entire ocean in between them was an excellent way to slow them down and deter future expeditions. Furthermore, with the human world in turmoil, the Spirit Beasts within the Uncharted Wilderness would be free to grow and evolve, becoming even stronger versions of themselves in the near future. And thus, Midori faithfully carried out the Allfather''s plans to the letter. It didn''t matter if he had to kill thousands of humans or carry a simple boulder up a hill. As long as the Treant species in the Uncharted Wilderness were safe, Midori was content. And to top it all off¡­ The Allfather had delivered on his promise. The Uncharted Wilderness was now its own continent, and the whole world had forgotten about its existence. Therefore, the Gargantuan Treant had lost all reason it had to serve the Black Masks anymore. ''Maybe¡­ This is¡­ for the¡­ better...'' Midori chuckled to himself. ''No more¡­ battles¡­ No more¡­ killings¡­ No more¡­ deaths...'' There was no reason for Midori to fight and thus¡­ No reason for him to challenge the Spirit Saints that were staring him down. From the start, the Gargantuan Treant was a gentle being, hating death and destruction. If there wasn''t a need to, Midori would be certain to treasure life above all else. Thus, his end here¡­ Facing his end under Shin''s hands¡­ That didn''t sound all that bad. "Wait, something is wrong..." Shin halted Longyu Tian''s attack. "He''s not moving..." "Hmph, isn''t it obvious! He sacrificed himself to let the others escape!" The Saint of Time roared. "That bastard knows that he''s nothing against us and wants to die under our hands¡­ Hmph! Since he''s so smart, let me oblige him!" "Wait, Aunt Tian!" Shin shouted, stopping the Saint of Time from one-shotting the Gargantuan Treant. "He''s not going to run anywhere now! We can capture him like the other Noble Beasts and interrogate him! Who knows? If we can get the Allfather''s curse out of his body, maybe he''ll become like Kin and Gin?" "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Ha..." While the Prince of Water was desperately trying to convince his partners from killing the Gargantuan Treant, a burst of amused laughter emerged from his mouth. "What? Is this funny to you?" Longyu Tian snapped. "No¡­" Midori shook his head. "Shin Iofiel¡­ You are¡­ kind¡­" "Gargantuan Treant..." The Prince looked at Midori with sad eyes. "Gargantuan Treant¡­ Although you are one of the most active among the Noble Beasts, you rarely kill people. Even if you must do so, you limit the casualties. So, I don''t believe that you''re an evil being like the rest of them." "Rest¡­ of¡­ them? You''re¡­ mistaken..." Midori chuckled. "W-what?" "None¡­ of¡­ us¡­ are¡­ evil..." The Gargantuan Treant continued to amuse the Prince. "We¡­ are¡­ the¡­ same¡­ as¡­ humans..." "..." This time it was Shin''s turn to keep his silence. In any normal circ.u.mstances, Shin would have called on the Noble Beast''s bullshit. Alas, Midori had hit the problem that was troubling Shin''s conflicted heart. From the situation with Kin, Gin and Momo to the current tragedy that was inflicted on the Heigui Clan where Saint Heigui betrayed his own family clan. "You''ll see..." "Wait¡­ What are you-!" "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Ha¡­" Midori spread his wooden arms out wide, bellowing in hysterical laughter. The sturdy limbs of the Gargantuan Treant started to come apart. Leaves dropped down from his head as the mighty wood that was capable of resisting a steel katana was now withering away. Midori''s abundant mana was decaying rapidly, and his entire soul seemed to be sinking to the bottom of the ocean. "Shit! He''s committing suicide!" Saint Atossa hollered. "Mmmm¡­ That seems to be the case." Zishen snorted. "Tsk, this bastard..." Saint Longyu Tian clicked her tongue and folded her arms. If the Gargantuan Treant was launching an attack, they would do everything in their power to seal down space and lock the Gargantuan Treant within. However, even a Spirit Saint couldn''t stop a Tier 9 Spirit Beast''s suicide from within. "Midori, you..." Shin gulped. "Shin Iofiel¡­ I hope... we meet... again..." The Gargantuan Treant smiled. He looked up at the heavens, as each molecule within his body was disintegrating away. There was no stopping it now¡­ The mighty Gargantuan Treant, the oldest Tier 9 Spirit Beast on record, had now¡­ Faded into oblivion. ~~~ End of Book 13 ~~~ Chapter 643 - End of Book 13 & Authors Thoughts TLDR: One week break once again! Will resume posting on 23rd March 2020! Yip yip yip! We ended yet another book! Oh, how the time flies. With this, the second-last book of Spirit Immortal has come to its end! Honestly, I would like to keep this author''s thoughts short since we''re close to the end now. With my final author''s thoughts, I will pour out everything that I have been keeping close to my heart and it will be the longest one yet. So please bear with me for this short reflection of Book 13. So Book 13: The Hero, is what I would call the final climb before the summit. I planted many plots in this book to be resolved in the conclusion of the whole story in Book 14, the final heap of words to conclude this near two-year journey that I''ve had with Spirit Immortal. If Book 12 was about the Allfather, his origins, motivations, and ultimate goal. Then Book 13 was about how Shin reflects himself as the hero, the protagonist of our story. I started Book 13 asking¡­ What is the definition of a hero? Is it a father who will always be the shining beacon of light for his children? Is it the man who sacrifices himself for the greater good of the people? Is it the man who travels around the world saving people from chaos? What do we imagine when we think about a hero? The first thing that comes to mind is the knight in shining armour that rescues the beautiful princess from the evil dragon. That''s the cliche fiction that everyone is told when they''re young. There''s a clear good guy, a bad guy and an objective that the ''hero'' needs to accomplish. However, as you all know, I don''t like to make things black and white in my novels. Shin is the Hero, don''t get me wrong. He saves innocent lives from the terror of the Black Masks and is selfless enough to sacrifice his own time and money to save the powerless. However, he''s only the hero for humans. What about the Black Masks? Kin and Gin were villains. They killed innocent humans for the sake of their own personal pleasures. But, were they truly evil? They saw humans as livestock much as how humans saw Spirit Beasts as beings that had to be eradicated. However, the only reason why they joined the Black Masks in the first place, was to hopefully get their eldest brother back. If they were left alone in the Moon Valley, they wouldn''t care to hurt a single human being. What about Momo? She was just like Kin and Gin, killing humans to make puppets for fun. However, she truly never thought that her actions would tear families apart. Momo simply used her powers for the Allfather because she thought that was the right thing to do. After all, she was an innocent little Moon Bunny before the Allfather came into her life. Lastly, Midori. He joined the Black Masks to separate the Uncharted Wilderness, his homeland that had been raided by humans from the beginning of time. Although it had been protected by the heaps of Primordial Beasts that live within it, billions, if not trillions of the weaker ones were massacred. See? All of them had joined the Black Masks, possibly the worst crime syndicate since the beginning of humankind, but they all had their reasons. Yes, their actions were extreme and had caused detrimental effects to innocent lives, but once again¡­ They were all doing it for a cause dear to their hearts. All in all, Shin was a hero to the humans, but in consequence, he had turned the villain to the rest of the Black Masks. Members of the Black Masks aren''t inherently evil. Heck, what does evil mean anyway? All four members of the Noble Beasts that died in this book had their reasons for killing humans. They didn''t kill them just because they wanted to spread evil, they killed them for the sake of their ultimate goal. Even Saint Heigui! He betrayed the Lantis Republic because he wants to reach the Immortal Realm, to gain eternal life. A dream that all humans would have. Does that mean he''s evil for betraying the clan he swore to protect? I don''t know. You decide I guess. :) Chapter 644 - Parallels (1) "Hey¡­ What is your dream?" Two figures sat quietly under the moonlight, watching in peace as the star twinkled with celestial radiance. The leading figure stood up in pure bliss, folding her arms behind her back by cuffing her left with her right. She was stood at least a head above an average woman, with long white hair that could give Rapunzel a run for her money. The heavenly eyes which seemed to pierce through every living beings'' soul, flickered under the moonlight, mesmerising the guy that she was with. The other figure was a haggard middle-aged man. Wearing a week-old lab coat, the man seemed completely out of place with his ruffled hair and bone-dry body. Akumu looked back at the woman who asked him that weird question and asked: "My dream?" Why the sudden question?" Dream smiled. "Don''t know¡­ Just curious." "..." The unkempt researcher frowned. He slowly got up and basked in the same moonlight that his companion was under. Akumu''s face was wrinkled and dry, while Dream''s was as flawless as jade. It was a strange comparison, but Akumu felt inferior while standing next to the ethereal beauty. "Hmmm, let''s see¡­ I think that my upcoming trip to the Uncharted Wilderness to study ways to enter the Immortal Realm would help in advancing our knowledge of Immortality." "No, no..." Dream shook her head. "Not that! That''s just a job that I''ve forced upon you," the gorgeous woman chuckled while flashing her perfect set of teeth. "What I really want to know is¡­ What is YOUR Dream, not mine." "T-That..." Akumu was finally caught in the spot. For him, as long as Dream was happy, he was happy. So why would he care about his own selfish desires? However, Akumu also didn''t want to disappoint Dream with his answer, so he got to thinking. What was it that he truly desired? Why was he fighting so hard to gain Immortality? Akumu''s face brightened after a solid ten seconds of thought. Truth to be told, he didn''t really need to think too hard about it. After all, the answer was right before his eyes. Scratching the back of his head, Akumu straightened his hair and replied with a brilliant smile. "My dream is..." ??? The Neutral Lands. The Abyss. The Tree of Darkness. "I see¡­" A low voice echoed through the halls of the famed Allfather''s manor. Firmly rested next to the gorgeous woman sculpture was a floating phantom, highly reminiscent to that of a Grim Reaper. Dark smoke wreathed all around him, spreading ominous mana that could easily choke an average cultivator into a comatose state. Though he had no face, everyone in the room could tell that the man wasn''t all that thrilled. "... I''m sorry, we failed you." A white-haired boy was shaking like a leaf, all while he knelt before the magnificent being. "No, you didn''t fail me¡­ The mission on the Heigui Enclave was never meant to be easy. We''re fortunate that Midori was willing to sacrifice his life for the cause." The Allfather sighed. He remembered the first day he''d met the Gargantuan Treant. Midori was a Spirit Beast that hated conflict and hated to kill. If not for the Allfather''s magnetic charisma and the promise of separating the Uncharted Wilderness from the main continent¡­ It was hard to tell if Midori would have jumped on board. "Hah¡­ Make arrangements with the Spirit Beasts that followed Midori out to return back to the Uncharted Wilderness. I''m certain that he wouldn''t want them to continue fighting for our cause." "Understood," a muscular black-haired man that knelt right next to Shiro replied. "Mmmm, Midori¡­ I''d never expected that he would be the one to sacrifice his life first..." The Allfather m.o.a.ned. Other than the fact that Midori was compassionate about everything, the Allfather quite like the Gargantuan Treant. Or perhaps, it was because of his compassion that the Allfather found a connection. Nonetheless, the hulking Treant had now withered away into the afterlife, and the Allfather couldn''t hide the grief that rose up in his heart. "However, thanks to his sacrifice, we''ve obtained a Spirit Saint safe and sound," Kuro added. "Not only that, the Heigui Clan is done for¡­ At least for this generation. No matter what they do, they won''t be able to recuperate their losses from this attack. The Lantis Republic, who had been enjoying relative freedom for a while, will be forced to recuperate while we strike at the rest of the world." "Speaking of which..." The Allfather turned to the black-haired beast of a man. "What happened to the assault on Saint Firebird? You sounded so confident when you pitched that idea to me..." "..." Kuro''s vibrant eyes instantly turned dark. He bowed down and in a fit of despair, replied sadly. "I''m sorry¡­ We didn''t expect the Himmel Empire to act so quickly." The towering man gritted his teeth. "We''d expected to ambush Saint Firebird in his premises, where no one is able to protect him on time. However, Saint Firebird never returned to his home and instead hid in the Imperial Palace." Kuro gritted his teeth as he remembered the cause of his failure. "By the time we realised our miscalculation, Guardian Sword and the pesky Spirit Saints from the Alliance had entered the Imperial Palace as well. With so many Spirit Saints concentrated in one area, we just couldn''t take the risk¡­ Please punish me for my lack of foresight!!!" "..." The Allfather looked down at his trusted companion beast coldly. The two objectives of the Black Masks were integral to the final part of the Grand Scheme. With Saint Heigui defecting and Saint Firebird dead, the balance within the cultivation world would be set to a tipping point. However, the Black Masks had only completed one of the two main objectives. They have weakened the Kori Federation with Saint Suhavis'' assassination and destroyed the Lantis Republic''s myth of invincibility. However, the Himmel Empire was still as strong as it was before and would prove to be a pesky thorn in the Allfather''s throat. The floating shadow paused for a few seconds before placing his left hand on the beautiful statue before him. "I''m tempted to punish you, but we can''t afford to lose any more valuable members of our organisation anymore. Momo and Midori are dead. Kin and Gin are captured, and their curse has been lifted. I''m only left with five of the Nine Colours, I can''t afford to lose a single one more." "... Thank you, Allfather." Kuro gulped and heaved a sigh of relief. "If you really want to thank me¡­ Focus on the next task at hand." The floating shadow pointed up to the concrete ground that separated them from the surface. "It''s about time for the Black Masks to come out from our hiding." Chapter 645 - Parallels (2) While the Allfather was busy chiding his subordinates, the High Council of the Lantis Republic was facing a similar dilemma. Crowded into one room, over two dozen High Elders, each one at least in the Spirit Venerate realm, raised their voices like housewives at a wet market. Some of them threw up their hands in the air while others sulked silently in their remote corner. Fear. Agitation. Sadness¡­ All sorts of emotions ran rampant in the crowded chambers, and who could blame them? As if mirroring all of their current feelings, the Chancellor seat, which should have been filled by the familiar grey-haired woman, was completely empty. "How could you not notice that your Spirit Saint was about to defect?! Does the Heigui Clan have shells for eyes?" One aggravated voice echoed in the chambers. "Hey! Do you think that our Heigui Clan wants to be destroyed? We were betrayed far worse than you guys! Our ancestral island has been destroyed, and more than half of our Xuanwus are killed! DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT WE WANT THAT?!" "Calm down, calm down! Let''s talk normally..." "SHUT IT!!! Saint Heigui had access to every level of our government. He knows national secrets that would ruin all of our clans! How can we be calm?!" The shoutings continued on and on, all while Shin stood on the pillar right behind the Chancellor''s seat, watching the mayhem unfold with a glint within his eyes. The words of the concerned High Elders all entered into his mind, but none of them registered as information. Instead, the Prince''s mind was solely focused on the last words of the Gargantuan Treant. ''We are the same as humans...'' That single phrase kept repeating itself in Shin''s mind, bringing his soul to a halt. As a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, Shin had long learned how to manage all of these emotions. Yet, they were still overflowing without his consent. ''The Noble Beasts¡­ All of them had killed innocent humans and ruined the fabric of society¡­ They amongst the evilest criminals known to humanity¡­ So, why can''t I bring myself to hate them?'' Shin thought those blasphemous thoughts to himself. Since Shin was lost in his thoughts, he didn''t realise the thin figure breaching his comfort zone until she was just a half-metre away. Shin blinked twice before turning his head up to stare at the beautiful middle-aged woman. She had long blue-hair which reached down to her waist and arms so thin that one could mistake it as sticks. Though she was close enough to land a solid punch on Shin''s abdomen, he wasn''t fazed in the slightest. Instead, Shin was able to force a fake smile, even with his turbulent mood. "Elder Huian," Shin acknowledged his visitor. "My Prince," The woman bowed with the same uneasy smile that Shin was wearing. "How''s the Chancellor?" "Her condition is stable. She''s just in shock from both her physical and mental injuries." "Oh my, that doesn''t sound good..." The woman bit her lower lips. "Ah¡­ If only I was present at the Enclave¡­ Perhaps I could have helped protect her..." "It''s not your fault," Shin shook his head. "No one expected Saint Heigui to betray us like that. Who could have? We are lucky that he didn''t massacre them all as the other Black Masks would." "Hmph! Even a bastard like him has some remnant feelings for his kin. There''s no way that he''ll kill the Chancellor when he was friends with her father," the High Elder scoffed. "And yet¡­ He launched an attack on the clan he swore to protect..." Shin folded his arms and sighed. "I heard that he''d relocated most of his family members from the Heigui Enclave before the attack begun. That bastard must have been planning this from the very beginning." The Elder Huian gritted her teeth. "If he was willing to betray the Lantis Republic like that, God knows how much information he''d leaked to the Black Masks? Maybe we''ll have to overhaul our nation to wipe out all of the spies." "... That might be a real possibility..." Shin gulped. The Lantis Republic was a sovereign nation that had functioned for thousands of years. If they wanted to make a full overhaul of that system that had worked for millennia, the resources they needed to use would bankrupt their coffers overnight. "Still, I doubt that any of us can come up with a solution without the Chancellor¡­ Look." The High Elder gestured to her back, where an Elder from the Zhangyu Clan was arguing with one from the Jingyu Clan. Typically, the High Elder Council was a balanced place where representatives from each major clan could voice out their opinions in a civilised manner. They would debate and calmly come to a solution altogether. However, that was only possible with the existence of a moderator or in this case, the Chancellor. A neutral party meant to sit in on all High Council meetings, the Chancellor was the anchor that held the High Council together. Alas, Longyu Shenxian was in no condition to sit over the emergency High Council meeting in her current condition, and the place was now a mess. "We can''t have a conversation without the Chancellor¡­ There needs to be someone to facilitate this madness. Are the Spirit Saints available?" "If they were, they would be here..." Shin m.o.a.ned. "Now that our nation is under fire, they have to alert just in case. Aunt Tian is guarding the southwest, Saint Jingyu is taking the north, while Saint Shenshe is protecting our southeast. We can''t be slack just because they left after destroying the Heigui Enclave." "So there''s really no one here that could facilitate, huh?" The High Elder dropped her shoulders and gave Shin a little wink while nudging his shoulder. Shin was no idiot. He could tell what the Elder was insinuating. "Hah¡­ Why can''t the most experienced High Elder sit in that chair?" "Nah, the other High Elders won''t allow that! How could we ensure that the High Elder would be impartial? If only there was someone that had little connections to our internal clan matters and is widely respected throughout our proud nation? One that could help patch together our discords instead of ruining it?" "... You''re exactly like Sister Bingying. No wonder you''re related¡­" Shin rolled his eyes. "You do know that I''m at least four times younger than the youngest ElderElder, right? Can you expect them to respect me?" The Meijing Clan''s High Elder chuckled. "You''re the only one that can do this, Prince of the Lantis Republic. Also, if you don''t have their respect¡­ Why not use force to earn their respect?" "... Honestly, the similarities are eerie. Are you sure that you''re not Sister Bingying''s mother?" Shin snorted. "Hehe, that lass stayed a year under my tutelage! I''m glad that she''d used the things that I''d taught her!" "Hah¡­ Fine..." Taking in a deep breath, Shin calmed down his nerves. In just a moment, he was going to have all of the Lantis Republic''s most powerful men and women staring right at him. It was natural for Shin to feel a little jittery. First was his muscles, then his eyes. Everything had to be calm and collected if he were to pull this off. "Alright!" Shin clapped his hands together, sending a wave of his Celestial Aura towering over all the High Elders. Almost instantaneously, the chatter stopped, and a pin-drop silence returned to the solemn chambers. At that moment, Shin seemed to have turned into a different man. His posture was perfect, and his expression completely clean. He wasn''t fazed by the dozens of Spirit Venerates in the room and their combined experience of close to five thousand years. Shin just looked at them as any Emperor would his subjects. Not budging an inch, the man took the chair of the Chancellor. "Look at the lot of you¡­ The Lantis Republic is facing a crisis, one that we haven''t seen in thousands of years. And all you can do is squabble like chickens. Is this how the Lantis Republic High Elders act?" "Y-you br-..." One High Elder was about to curse at Shin, but he suddenly remembered who he was talking to. "Brat?" Shin scoffed. "You''re right, I am a brat compared to you guys. But I''m also..." Shin snapped his fingers, and the familiar dreadful roar emerged from his back. The entire High Council chambers were filled with Celestial Aura, a power that was innately overpowering towards those with the Eight Scions of Water. "No using of Spirits in the High Council chambers! Prince Shin, you may be favoured by Saint Longyu Tian, but even you can''t..." "Elder Juigan!" Shin roared at the elderly man who chided him. "What did you just call me?" "P-Prince Shin?" "Exactly¡­ I am the Prince of the Lantis Republic! The heir of the Lady of Water and the sole inheritor of Celestial Island! I''m also the only person capable of sitting on this chair at this moment!" Shin continued to berate the man with facts. "If you want to waste your time and saliva arguing with the other Elders, be my guest. However, I don''t want to see the Lantis Republic fall, so if you can''t deal with that¡­ I suggest you leave now." "..." The High Elders went silent. "I''d thought so..." Shin slowly brought back the Celestial Dragon''s Aura and folded his legs together. Now that the stick had been administered, it was now time for the carrot. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to listen to all of your debates impartially. However, first things first, the Heigui Clan needs aid. I suggest that we redistribute some manpower and food from Celestial Island. If there''s not enough, Guardian Sword will step in." "Thank you, Prince Shin!" The Heigui Elder which had been shouting like a child starting to weep tears of joy. "You''re welcome," Shin smiled. "The Eight Clans should always stand united as one. If one falls, the other seven should come to their aid. I believe that was our creed, no?" "Yes..." "Good, so let''s get down to business!" News of the Heigui Clan''s fall and Saint Heigui''s betrayal spread to the other superpowers like wildfire. For the first time, the invincible Lantis Republic had suffered a setback. One that was capable of rewriting their entire history. Fortunately, due to the quick actions of their Prince, panic and mayhem didn''t follow. Instead, the situation around the Heigui Clan stabilised, and the Lantis Republic had grown tremendously from that setback. And of course¡­ Shin''s position as the Lantis Republic''s top dog¡­ was securely encased into the record books. Chapter 646 - Parallels (3) The Lantis Republic. The Prince''s Manor. Main Courtyard. Darkness fell upon the weary souls of the Lantis Republic, bringing along a carpet of dark velvet stars and a luminescent moon. After the mayhem caused by the Black Masks, the members of the Lantis Republic needed a nice, silent night where no one would bother them. Well, not that any of them slept soundly. Millions stayed up, watching the skies in caution and praying that nothing harmful will come upon their families. The Heigui Enclave had just been destroyed¡­ They didn''t need another catastrophe. Likewise, Shin was feeling the same way as the many common folk that called the Lantis Republic home. He sat alone on the marble stools that were pinned down under a gazebo. As with any other of his subordinates, Shin was having trouble getting some shut-eye. After the High Council meeting, the man had been moving from place to place without getting any rest. If not for Lady Seph personally stepping in, Shin would have likely slept over in the Chancellor''s office, stamping doc.u.ments while Jingyu Shenxian was out of commission. "But I''m not tired..." Shin sighed to himself. How could he be tired? The Lantis Republic had just suffered one of the worst setbacks in its history. An entire Ancient Clan had just lost sixty percent of all its resources and the cornerstone of every supernation, a Spirit Saint, had just betrayed them for the enemy. "This is a mess¡­ Kanari, I wish you were here..." The Prince kicked his feet up and stared at the western skies. During times like these, Shin''s wife would always be there to comfort him and offer some worldly advice. Alas, Kanari was still tied up to the affairs of the Himmel Empire and her Master. For now, Shin was all alone¡­ At least, that was what he''d thought. "Father? You''re still up?" An innocent voice sounded from the other side of the garden, prompting Shin to turn his head around. A pretty little girl, who had her gorgeous black hair untied, rubbed the sleepiness off her eyes and walked over to Shin''s private gazebo. "Cassiel? It''s past midnight¡­ You should be sleeping." "I was just coming back from the toilet," Shin''s daughter replied. "What about you, Father? What are you doing up this late?" "Me? Nothing much¡­ I was just admiring the stars while thinking about your mother." "Eyyyy, no fair! You get to think about Mother while I stay cooped up in bed!" Cassiel puffed her cheeks and instantly turned into an adorable squirrel in Shin''s eyes. She stomped her feet right at the steps of the gazebo, not moving an inch closer or back. It was evident what the young girl wanted, and her pure innocence made Shin chuckle. "Five minutes¡­ You can stay with me for five minutes only! I can''t have you sleeping late and waking late like your Uncle Isadore..." "Hehehe, you''re the best Father!" Cassiel hoped onto Shin''s free thigh in a blink of an eye, comfortably nestling herself down like a rabbit would in its own burrow. "So, so, so¡­ You were thinking about Mother, right? What were you thinking about?" "About how I miss her?" "Eyyy, that''s no fun!" Cassiel pouted. "Tell me about how the two of you got together or something! Like how you fell in love!" "I''d thought you''d knew?" Shin was genuinely confused. Shin and Kanari''s story wasn''t a well-kept secret or anything. Practically every living soul in the Lantis Republic knows of their history, and that includes Shin''s children. "I know that you''ve met in the Himmel Empire as students!" The jubilant daughter waved her hands in excitement. "However, how did you fall in love? Who was the one who initiated the first move? Where and when did you have your first kiss?" Cassiel''s eyes sparkled as brightly as the stars above, tying knots in Shin''s tender heart. Girls of her age were just starting to come into contact with romance, and the closest romance that Cassiel was exposed to were her parents. She wanted to know all of the details and nothing was going to stop her. "Haha, one at a time dear..." Shin laughed as he gently stroked his daughter''s hair. "Well, firstly¡­ It was Kanari who chased after me." "Mother was the beast?" "Beast?" "Yeah! Aunt Elrin says that in every relationship, there''s a beast and the meal. The beast would always be the one hunting for the meal." Cassiel innocently regurgitated everything her impish Aunt had taught her. "She''d also said that although men are mostly the beasts if I were to find a guy that I like, I should become the beast instead! It''s way more satisfying that way!" "Okay¡­ I think we need to limit your time with Aunt Elrin..." Shin smacked his forehead, not knowing the words to say. "Don''t listen to that gibberish, Cassiel. You''re way too young to be talking about love and what not..." "Mmmm¡­ Okay! Honestly, I didn''t understand much from Aunt Tina either..." The ten-year-old girl furrowed her brows. "Haha, you don''t have to worry about that! Alright, now where were we? Ah, how your mother and I forged a relationship¡­ It''s a little long, so sit tight, okay?" By this point, Shin had utterly forgotten the five-minute limiter he set on his daughter. With all the travelling, fighting and mental fatigue that Shin had been put through over the past few weeks, the man felt like he deserved a break. And what better way was there to relax than to chat with his adorable little daughter? The pair talked for hours upon hours, until the young girl''s eyes completely went shut. Cassiel''s body was heavy, and snot bubbles were forming out from her nose. It wasn''t the most aesthetically pleasing sight, a noble daughter that was set to inherit Celestial Island one day. However, Shin didn''t care about whipping manners into his daughter. As long as they lived happy lives, lives that were unlike those that suffered under the Black Masks, Shin would be content. Shin held Cassiel up in a princess carry and slowly edged his way into her bedroom. Although a ten-year-old in a deep sleep wasn''t light, Shin made it seem like he was carrying a mere feather rather than a deadweight. He gently placed Cassiel onto her soft, woollen bed, and tucked her in while humming a soothing song. "Such a precious child..." Each time Shin looked at this jewel of his, a warm, fuzzy feeling crept up his inner chest. Before he became a parent, Shin would often wonder why some family members would go above and beyond to protect their child, even if it were to the point of pampering. However, as Shin stroked Cassiel''s soft skin, he sympathised with all the families he''d cursed before. "Family¡­ A universal feature in both humans and Spirit Beasts..." Shin groaned. Now that he had some peace and quiet, the blackened thoughts of yesterday came pouring back in. How Momo sacrificed herself for Kin and Gin. How Midori sold his soul to the Allfather to separate the Uncharted Wilderness from the Terre Continent. In a sense, all of Shin''s adversaries were fighting for the same ideals that he had. To protect their families¡­ "Family, huh?" Shin looked down at his eldest daughter one more time. He laid down right next to her bed and just like the youngster¡­ Shin began his steps into the Garden of Hypnos. Chapter 647 - My World (1) "I see¡­ I''m back here again..." Shin opened his ''eyes'' and observed the gorgeous scenery that surrounded him. After he fell asleep next to his daughter''s bed, Shin thought that he would sleep through the night and wake up rejuvenated for the next task at hand. After all, being the Prince of the Lantis Republic and the Master of Guardian Sword meant that the paperwork on his desk would never cease. However, as his consciousness came back to him, Shin noticed that something was terribly off. Instead of the wood-scented bed that comforted his daughter every single night, Shin was sleeping on top of a vast ocean, pushing ripples out with every small movement. Above, there were a full plethora of stars twinkling in jubilance. There weren''t any moons, and neither were there any clouds. Just pure stars that showed the resplendence of night. One might think that in the thicket of night, there would be little to no vision. However, Shin could monitor his surroundings clearly. Beneath Shin, the vast ocean was sparkling with a cerulean glow, one that was soothing and illusory all at the same time. It was as if Shin had been transported into an astral dimension, one that was separated from the material realm. Shin pushed his heavy body up, sending waves rippling out from underneath him. Before he knew it, the Prince was standing on top of the vast ocean, filled with dense Celestial energies. The ocean was humongous, far bigger than Shin had ever anticipated. In fact, Shin wasn''t sure if there was an end to this bottomless ocean. "Wow¡­ It really has grown..." Shin chuckled to himself, awed by his spiritual body''s advancements. He was taken back to the first time he entered this realm, back when he was a mere ten-year-old child. The ocean was a mere lake, one that could be found in any small forest. There were a mixture of lake creatures, but they weren''t overwhelming in numbers. Yet, as Shin stared into the abyssal lake, he couldn''t even fathom the number of oceanic creatures that it could hold. If Shin''s spiritual body was a vessel, the amount of water within him was considered to be his mana pool. With such a deep and unsurpassable mana pool, it was no wonder that Shin could contend with Spirit Saints even though he was a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor. "Come out. I know you''re there," Shin softly ordered. As if on cue, bubbles rose to the surface in front of Shin, creating massive undulations among the ocean surface. A serpentine shadow broke free from the ocean''s restraints and took one turn around Shin''s vulnerable body. However, the Prince didn''t bat a single eyelid. He smiled and reached his left hand out, allowing the mana-dense water to splash all over his body. "You''ve grown as well." "RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRR!!!" The Celestial Dragon cheekily roared. It has been a while since Shin last praised it. "So big and strong¡­ And yet you''re still a child..." Shin scratched his forehead jokingly. However, in a split second, all silliness left Shin''s expressions. He furrowed his brows together and bit the bottom of his lip. "Bringing me here once again¡­ Am I already on the precipice of breaking through to the next realm?" "..." The Celestial Dragon was quiet, but its head slowly moved up and down. "I see¡­ The Spirit Venerate realm, huh? To think that I won''t even have to prepare to breach the second barrier of mortality..." A low grunt escaped from Shin''s lips. There were two major bottlenecks in a cultivator''s path. The Rank 40 ascension from Spirit Adept to Spirit Spectre, and the Rank 80 ascension from Spirit Emperor to Spirit Venerate. Billions of cultivators have struggled from each bottleneck, and only a select few had the capabilities of breaching the barriers of mortality. After all, when one breaks through that barrier, they would double their lifespans, bringing them one step closer to the ultimate goal of eternal life. Therefore, the difficulty when ascending was staggeringly hard, particularly the second barrier of mortality. It didn''t matter if one was a genius. It didn''t matter if one had hundreds of years of experience. It didn''t matter if one had the best resources known to mankind. The second barrier of mortality was the bottleneck that separated experts from legends. Even Lady Seph, one of the most talented Divine Healers in history, had difficulties ascending into that legendary realm. Given how difficult it was to ascend, Shin had thought that he would take at least a decade or two. That''s why he was so obsessed with matching a Spirit Saint''s power when he was just a Spirit Emperor. However, as he stared at the Celestial Dragon that was oozing out immense amounts of mana, Shin couldn''t help but feel a little downtrodden. "I didn''t have to put in any work, and I''m already ascending¡­ Why is that?" "I think you know the reason," a calm voice that shouldn''t be in Shin''s consciousness echoed out. Needless to say, Shin abruptly turned to the source of the voice. His heart was palpitating, and the blood in his system was pumping at absurd speeds. Not just because there was a voice within his Spiritual Body that wasn''t his, but because¡­ He recognised that voice. Standing with his arms behind his back, a tall, handsome man smiled at Shin. His luxurious, viridian hair glossed as the radiant starlight bounced off his cranium. His flawless skin that didn''t seem capable of ageing continued to sparkle in youthful radiance. However, most importantly, the smile that he wore on his lips was the most comforting one that Shin had seen in ages. "Junius!" Shin called his elder brother''s name with tears in his eyes. "Haha, look at you¡­ Already over thirty and still this emotional." Junius laughed. "You''re a father and the new figurehead of the Lantis Republic¡­ Shouldn''t you show some control?" "Hah¡­ You''ve just reunited with me, and you''re back to your nagging days!" Shin laughed at the familiar teasing that Junius used to do. "That''s just a brother''s nature," Junius shrugged his shoulders while floating towards his younger brother. "So¡­ How have you been?" "Not that bad!" Shin chuckled. "Oh, don''t you want to hear about Errol? That little fella that you''ve left in my hands, he had just awakened his Spirit! Also, I told him about us..." Excited by his brother''s return, Shin continued to speak at a rapid pace. To him, the two closest friends he had in his childhood were his ex-lover Ariel and his eldest brother Junius. Seeing him up close again had reverted the mature Shin back to his childhood years, and gave him the excitement of a teenager. Shin didn''t hold anything back. All of his experiences over the past ten years were narrated to Junius in great detail. Witnessing the birth of his children, fighting battles all over the continents under Guardian Sword, and even the progression of Errol''s growth. Nothing was left to the imagination. "I see, you''ve been through a lot, huh?" A warm smile crept up Junius'' lips. "Listen Shin, as much as I would love to listen more, I have come here with a task... You''re about to breach the Spirit Venerate realm. So, I''d thought that I would lend a helping hand." "Spirit Venerate realm..." "What''s the matter? You don''t seem all that happy about ascending." "No, it''s just¡­ I don''t know if I''m worthy of becoming a Spirit Venerate anymore." Shin looked down at the vast ocean and the Celestial Dragon that was coiled around him. "All these years, I''ve been handed Spirit Ranks like a spoilt brat because of my bloodline. If I hadn''t awakened the Celestial Dragon, how could I ever become a Spirit Venerate? I feel like a fraud..." "..." "That''s not all! In my years battling the Black Masks, I''d fought believing that the Allfather was the root of all evil and all who follow him are just mindless killing machines. However, as I dig deeper into their core, I''ve started to second-guess my motivations. The Noble Beasts that I''d fought and killed¡­ They''re just like you and me. No¡­ They''re more like you, Junius. Fighting for their ideals¡­ To protect their family." "Yeah, I''ve heard." Junius nodded sympathetically. Then with a broad smile, he asked: "Shin¡­ Why are you fighting?" "Huh?" "The Allfather is fighting to gain Immortality. So are every member of the Black Masks. The Alliance is fighting to kill the Allfather and bring peace back to the world. Your Master, your Aunt Tian, your wife Kanari, your Guardian Sword¡­ They''re all fighting to restore balance to the world¡­ So Shin¡­ What are you fighting for? What is your dream?" "My dream?" "Yes, your dream..." Junius pointed to Shin''s core. "What is Shin Iofiel''s dream? The one thing that led you on your cultivation journey in the first place?" "Dream..." Shin fell deep into thought, but honestly¡­ He didn''t have to. In a mere two seconds, the images hell flames flickered within his mind. The images of a corpse surrounded by mourners that weep like the wraiths of the netherworld came to his soul. And most importantly¡­ the image of the single night where he gazed at the stars with his special somebody... "That''s right¡­ I trained so hard¡­ To chase Yggdrasil." Shin was enlightened. "Yes, you were also fighting to gain Immortality Shin¡­ That was your dream." Junius smiled. "You wanted to resurrect Ariel and create a utopia where all of us could live happily ever after. That was what my kind little brother had dreamt of..." "The Dream¡­ To become an Immortal?" Shin looked at the Celestial Dragon, who only had a smug face. "I see¡­ From the very start, the Allfather and I had been chasing the same dream¡­" Chapter 648 - My World (2) "We were chasing the same dream..." Shin muttered Junius'' words like a broken record. "I see, that''s the reason why the Allfather said that we weren''t too different. That''s the reason why I''ve been torn over fighting the Black Masks in recent days¡­ All living beings¡­ We''re all the same." As if a weight had been lifted off his shoulder, Shin relaxed his entire body. All of the tension that had been building up over the past few weeks had been released, and his soul felt like it was sinking into the vast ocean that lay underneath his feet. For the Prince of Water, the courage to admit how similar he was to the Allfather, that was the key for his ascension. Shin knew that all too well. Turning his head over his shoulder, Shin could see Junius smiling right at his direction, wholly appeased with his brother''s advancement. "Junius, thank you..." "Don''t thank me, I don''t really exist. All you should do¡­ Is thank yourself." The viridian-haired man slowly started to fade, and his entire body turned into a see-through plastic. And as Junius disappeared into the abyss, a new lifeform took his place. A lean and thin woman, one that was at least two metres tall, stood above the calm ocean with a beaming smile. She had blue hair that fell all the way to her ankles with a pale complexion that could make anyone fear for her health. However, her aura was anything but weak. Even though it was Shin''s inner realm, the woman seemed to have absolute authority over the vast ocean that Shin called his own. Whenever she waved her hands, the oceans would rise along. Whenever she stamped her feet, the skies would sparkle in complete fury. In this world, she was the queen¡­ And so was Shin. However, Shin wasn''t perturbed at all. His eyes were as calm as a pristine lake undisturbed by any lifeforms, and his face was as relaxed as can be. Shin raised his chin up and spoke in indifference: "I know you." "And I know you." The woman replied. The Celestial Dragon who was coiled around Shin didn''t see the woman as a threat to its owner''s life. Instead, it smiled and floated towards the gorgeous woman like a dog would when its owner returned. Other than Shin, there was one other entity in history that could do that to the Celestial Dragon. "Lady of Water..." "Yes, that''s me..." The pair stared at one another, not moving in the slightest. If Shin were in the material realm, his mind would be racing at a million thoughts per second, trying to deduce what in hell was going on. However, within his own Spiritual Body, Shin didn''t feel the urge to over analyse. Nothing in this world could harm him, and Shin knew that better than anyone. "So is this the answer? Am I your reincarnation?" The Lady of Water chuckled and shook her head. "No, reincarnation doesn''t exist. I am just a memory of the Celestial Dragon that had awakened itself in your body." The woman waved her hand, causing a ripple to spread out from the bottom of her feet. The bright ocean beneath started to morph into something else¡­ A mirror. A mirror that acted as a screen to recount details of Shin''s life. There was the first time Shin entered his Spiritual Body, a mere ten-year-old who had no understanding of this profound realm. The first time Shin created a new ability. A gorgeous crystal obelisk that could hold the majestic power of ''Heal'' within its compounds. The moment when Shin passed through the first barrier of mortality¡­ The list went on. Shin observed the changes all with a nostalgic glint in his eyes. Those thirty-odd years had passed by like a beam of light. Shin didn''t even remember most of them to a great degree. Yet, all of those scenes were being played back to him in high definition. "Shin, from the beginning of your cultivation journey, you have been wrestling with the inner powers of this world. I''m sure you''ve noticed that there were some irregularities with your Spirit." "And those irregularities weren''t with the Celestial Dragon?" "No, most of them were." The Lady of Water declared. "However, the main reason why you''ve been unable to fully synchronise with this world¡­ Is because of the inheritance of the Celestial Dragon. The Celestial Dragon is one of the two most powerful beings that ever existed. It is far more powerful than you could ever imagine. Therefore, as a mere human cultivator, you''ve only been able to inherit bits and pieces of its inheritance as you were far too weak. Until now that is..." "The Spirit Venerate Realm..." "Precisely," the Lady of Water smiled. "Well, normally the Celestial Dragon would pass down all of its power to you when you reach the Spirit Saint realm, just like I did. However, your vessel is far more amazing than mine ever was. So, you have gained the right to take complete control over the Celestial Dragon¡­ To inherit everything that it had." "I see..." Oddly, Shin wasn''t all too surprised with the current developments. It was as if deep down inside his soul¡­ He''d always expected this to happen. Seeing the Prince of Water this calm, the Lady of Water smouldered and clapped her hands twice. The calm oceans turned berserk as hurricanes and tsunamis became the norm. Raindrops, snowflakes, icy hail¡­ All sorts of precipitation fell from the heavens, filling the entire oceans with a c.u.mbersome pressure. However, Shin wasn''t affected by the changes at all. Instead, it seemed like he thrived from the intense weather changes, and his entire soul was lifted from its original state. And then¡­ Shin clapped his hands. The oceans calmed down instantaneously and the never ending winds heeled in submission. Chaos had turned into order with Shin at the epicentre. The Prince of Water walked silently alone to the centre of the ocean, and nine crystal obelisks rose from the abyssal deep. The first eight were familiar to Shin, as he was the one responsible for placing them there. They were the manifestations of his spiritual abilities, each one boasting a different type of aura. However, Shin wasn''t interested in the eight coloured ones. His eyes were wholly focused on the singular transparent one, that didn''t have an ounce of mana or elemental energy. "The ninth obelisk..." Shin raised his head in complete awe. "I''d never thought that I would get to see it this quickly..." "Yes, the ninth obelisk¡­ Your Spirit Venerate''s ability." The Lady of Water smiled. "Accept your inheritance, Shin. Accept it and learn the one ability that allowed me to dominate my era. The ability that will give you the power to contest against the Allfather!" As the woman spouted out her rambling thoughts, five immense shadows crept up from the bottom of the ocean. Each one was titanic in size and was easily capable of overpowering an island or two with just their movements. Water dripped down from their immense bodies as they rose from the depths of Shin''s soul. The first shadow revealed itself as a blob of blue slime. It looked adorable and cuddly, but its size was anything but cute. It was at least ten times the size of the Celestial Dragon and possessed a staggering amount of Water-Elements within its viscous body. The second shadow turned into a pure golden ring, one that held the power of the heavens itself within its lining. Each time Shin stared into the golden ring, he could feel his eyes burn at the immense Light-Elements that slept within it. The third shadow was a billowing celestial cloud that expanded and contracted like any good nebula. No matter how skilled one was if their consciousness were to be trapped within the Mind-Element dense fog, they would likely fail to escape and were doomed to sleep an eternal rest. The fourth shadow morphed itself into a transcendent butterfly, one that had cosmic wings that held the entire sky within them. Each time the butterfly flapped its wings, a part of the ocean turned turbulent, and the other corner of the heavens became warped in a spatial disturbance. The Space-Elements that came with the Cosmic Butterfly were hard to grasp, even with Shin''s abundance of experience in cultivating that element. And finally, the fifth shadow. Breaking free from its restraint, the fifth shadow was surprisingly in a shape that was familiar to Shin. In fact, he had grown up with that entity constantly flapping its tail by his side. Though it wasn''t the same cerulean colour that he enjoyed, but the intense flavour of grey. "The Sovereign Koi..." "No, that''s the Koi of Time." The Lady of Water corrected Shin''s mistake. "The Water Titan, the Aqua Slime. The Light Titan, the Divine Halo. The Mind Titan, the Mystic Cloud. The Space Titan, the Cosmic Butterfly. The Time Titan, the Koi of Time. These are the five Titans of Old that the Celestial Dragon consumed to become the strongest being on the planet. The primordial entities that ruled the ancient world at the beginning of our planet and the beings that allowed me to rule my era unhindered." The Lady of Water looked at the five beings with a whiff of nostalgia until; eventually, she flashed Shin the brightest smile one could put on. "And now¡­ They''re yours." Chapter 649 - My World (3) "The Titans of Old?" Shin raised his chin, enjoying the magnificence of the five colossal creatures. All this while, these behemoths had been sleeping within his Spiritual Body, steadily providing him with assistance without him even knowing it. The main reason why the Celestial Dragon was so feared, the main reason why the Lady of Water could dominate over her generation, was precisely because of the Five Titans of Old. Back in the day, before humans and Spirit Beasts walked the Earth, it was the Titans of Old that ruled the land. Their farts could cause catastrophic natural disasters, and their mere presence could make any mortal turn crazy. If anyone of them were to be set free within the material realm, it would cause countries to fall into ruins and civilisations would be buried by their own whimsical movements. Just one of them was that destructive and yet... Shin was inheriting five of them¡­ "Yes, the Titans of Old." The Lady of Water beamed. "Their powers have been watered down due to the passage of time, but they''re still powerful nonetheless. For your fight against the Allfather, their assistance would prove to be of paramount importance." "I know," Shin didn''t dispute his predecessor''s claims. He looked at the Five Titans with an awestruck expression, not knowing how these beings were eaten by the Celestial Dragon during its peak. "The Titans of Old¡­ How overwhelmingly powerful. So from the very beginning, my Spiritual Body was never completely mine." "Naturally¡­ The Titans were once the most dominant beings of the planet. There''s no way that they''ll let you control them when you''re a weak cultivator." The Lady of Water clapped her hands. As if on cue, the Five Titans surrounded the ninth crystal obelisk, bowing towards the final vessel as eunuchs would to their Emperor. "However, your current power far exceeds that of any Spirit Venerate and some Spirit Saints. Not to mention, your intellect and ability to analyse through any situation has prepared you well enough. You may even be overqualified for the inheritance!" "..." Shin didn''t reply to the Lady of Water''s teasing. Instead, he took many deep breaths, calming his soul back to its original state. "No, my soul was never complete in the first place." "That''s right, but it will be soon¡­ Once you absorb the Five Titans into your ninth obelisk, you will gain the power to breach the second barrier of mortality! You will gain full control over this world and make it yours!!!" The Lady of Water''s face flushed red in pure jubilance. "Becoming a Spirit Venerate, huh?" Shin stroked his chin as the memories of his past came flying into his mind. All the defeats he faced throughout the years, the victories, the losses, the tears¡­ Everything came running into his soul at that very moment. The ocean within Shin''s Spiritual Body started to morph as well. Instead of a pure water body that never seemed to end, various landforms rosed to the surface, taking the shape of continents and islands. Rainforests that would make the Uncharted Wilderness cry in shame. Deserts that looked far grander than the infamous Sahara Desert in the West. Arctic icecaps with vast amounts of Ice-Elements freezing the water surface. Rocky plains that lacked any Water-Elements but possessed the dominance of Space. And the enormous Celestial sky that never seemed to turn to the light of day finally beamed out like the morning sun. The fundamentals of Shin''s inner astral form was changing, and it was giving the man all the control he ever sought. In the past, whenever there were any significant changes within his Spiritual Body, Shin would often faint and allow his the beings within to do all the heavy lifting. When he formed his Spirit Core¡­ When he created his Spectral Soul¡­ Shin had blacked out during all those vital times in his cultivation journey. However, as his fleshy body was ripped apart and rebuilt once more from within, Shin could acutely sense everything that was going on. His consciousness was fully intact, and he could control everything within the newly formed world of his. And that includes¡­ The Five Mighty Titans that were forgotten to time. The Lady of Water''s astral body turned more illusory as Shin wrestled back control over the inner world. After all, she was just a memory created by the Celestial Dragon. The Lady of Water didn''t have the right to remain in the world where Shin was the Hegemon. However, the legendary figure wasn''t incensed in the slightest. She smiled in happiness, allowing the remnants of her consciousness to be devoured by Shin and the new Celestial Dragon. ''I sure hope¡­ That you will fulfil the Celestial Dragon''s dream, Shin Iofiel...'' Spreading her arms open, the Lady of Water turned into a blob of pure energy and fell into the oceans beneath. Never to reappear in history ever again. Alas, Shin was too engrossed with taking back control over his world that he hardly cared about the Lady of Water''s departure. Within this world, Shin was the King. He could see every drop of water within this vast ocean. He could sense every lifeform movements as if they were waves of energy that rippled through space and time. And most importantly of all¡­ Shin was able to control them all like a literal God. Shin raised both his hands, taking control over the Five Titans that had submitted themselves to the Prince of Water. Mana flowed out of his outreached hands as the world shook in utter fear, anticipating the birth of the newest entity to its dimension. And then¡­ With a vibrant smile, Shin said the one word that the Five Titans had been waiting for... "Combine." Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhh!!! The Five Titans were sucked into the ninth crystal obelisk as if a whirlpool to another dimension had been opened up. Their colossal bodies, each one capable of destroying an island with just a slight movement, had been compressed and condensed into the obelisk that wasn''t even ten metres tall. Water, Light, Mind, Space, Time¡­ All of those elements wreathed the ninth crystal obelisk, and heaps of pure energy pulsated out from its core. One had to wonder, how could the ninth obelisk withstand such power? Five colours radiated out from the monolith and each time Shin went near it, he felt as if his soul would be sucked in without any mercy. However, at the same time, Shin wasn''t intimidated by that power. He reached his hand out and tapped on the glowing giant, sending a small ripple flying out from its epicentre. Almost instantly, the five colours merged into one, one pure and simple colour that represented Shin''s current state of mind. It was the colour of Shin''s soul. It was... "The Ashen Grey of my Dream." Chapter 650 - My World (4) The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. The Prince''s Manor. The Prince''s Manor. Shin''s private estate and the only place where the Prince of the Lantis Republic could get a good night''s rest. Typically, there would be less than twenty people in the mansion, including the servants, to ensure that Shin and his family had ample privacy. Shin could meditate and cultivate in peace while watching his four children play happily in their verdant yards. However, on this day, that privacy contract of the Prince''s Manor had been broken. Over a hundred men and women graced the mansion. The majority of them were aged elders, donned in luxurious robes that were only available for the wealthy and influential. Some of them were middle-aged warriors, those that held the highest positions within the Lantis Republic and the final minority of them were elites of Shin''s generation. Even the three remaining Spirit Saints of the Lantis Republic had rushed over! All of them had busy schedules, some had even left their vital positions just to make time to visit the mansion. And there was a very good reason why... "How long has he been in that state?" A concerned voice echoed out behind Kanari''s face. "Five days..." The former Duchess replied in a flat tone. "Ever since I''d got back from the Himmel Empire, he''s been cultivating like that." Kanari''s mission to the Himmel Empire was a short one. Due to Shin''s prompt warnings, Saint Firebird was given the world''s greatest protection, with several Spirit Saints watching over him and deterring any foe from attacking. Furthermore, Guardian Sword basically sent half of all their resources to fortify Saint Firebird''s position, making it near impossible for the Black Masks to strike. Hence, Kanari really didn''t have to expend any resources during her stay at her former home. Alas, it was her current home that gave her a headache. "Isadore, what do I do?" Kanari scratched her skull, completely at a loss of words. "I won''t be able to forgive myself if something happens to Shin while I''m in the Himmel Empire." "It''s not your fault," the Master of the Hall of Whispers stroked the hair of his childhood friend. "No one could have guessed that Shin would attempt to cross the second barrier of mortality this quickly¡­ Even by his standards, this is absurd!" That was right. Shin was a Rank 79 Spirit Emperor, but that didn''t mean that he would easily become a Spirit Venerate anytime soon. Lady Seph was the most excellent example. She only became a Spirit Venerate when she had untied all of her past heart knots and purified her soul from eternal self-loathing. And that was when she had about two centuries worth of experience. Even if one could factor in Shin''s abnormal circ.u.mstances, he wasn''t due to pass the second barrier of mortality until he was forty or fifty years old. A good decade or two away. "Still..." "You don''t have to worry about a thing! How many times have we seen Shin in these kinds of situations? He always came out on top!" Isadore reflected. "You should have more faith in your husband!" "It''s not that I don''t have faith in him, but..." "I get your worries," Isadore shook his head. "After all, it''s the second barrier of mortality¡­ Once he crosses it, he''ll be reborn in a new fleshy body while you''re left behind to grow old and wrinkled. Don''t worry! I doubt that Shin cares about how beautiful you are on the outside! It''s the inside that counts!" Aghast, Kanari widened her eyes and slapped the silver-haired man on his biceps. "Y-You! I''m not that old yet!!!" "Hahaha, I''m joking! Joking!" Isadore raised his arms up in surrender. "Besides, you would definitely become a Spirit Venerate before you reach your first century! You''ll get to age backwards just like Lady Seph, so you don''t have to worry that much!" "You asshole..." Kanari blushed while gently tapping her face. "I don''t think I have that many wrinkles..." "Hmmm, what did you say?" "N-Nothing!" The Princess hurriedly swung her hand behind her back and bit her lower lip. "Anyway, I should go check on Shin¡­" "Yeah, please do that. The members of Guardian Sword are getting quite restless. I don''t think that I can hold them back any longer. Sooner or later, they will storm the mansion to see if their Master is alright." Isadore remembered the scenes of protest back at his office. "Okay..." Kanari sighed and walked deep into the halls of her manor. Being the mistress of the house, the guards didn''t block her way or impede her progress. In fact, many of them opened the door for Kanari to pass through. She sauntered down the quiet passageways, dreading the walk back into her daughter''s room where her husband was found cultivating. When Kanari first returned to the Lantis Republic, Cassiel was distraught, thinking that she''d caused something to go off in her father. Fortunately, Kanari had arrived home in time and was able to quell her daughter''s nerves else, who would have guessed what psychological damage it would have caused the impressionable ten-year-old? "Aunt Tian, may I come in?" Kanari knocked on the door, calling out the only one in the room other than Shin that she knew. "It''s open." "..." The wooden doors creaked as Kanari edged her petite body through the narrow gap between them. The first thing that Kanari saw was the image of her husband in a deep meditative state, as droplets of black grime escaped from his outer pores. By his side, the Saint of Time was carefully observing Shin, ready to pounce in with the necessary assistance if need be. However, with the presence of a particular blonde woman, it seemed like Longyu Tian''s attendance wasn''t really required. "Lady Seph¡­ I didn''t know that you were here as well." Kanari said softly. "I had some free time," the blonde healer shook her head. "Not to mention, it''s the fifth day since Shin entered this state. I have to check for any irregularities." "So? Are there any?" "Oddly enough, no..." Lady Seph frowned as she shared the good news. "In fact, his body seems to be in perfect condition. He''s already shed his fleshy body and rebuilt a new one. The grime that you''re seeing is all the impurities leftover from his original one." Hearing the news, Kanari''s face flashed up in delight: "That means that Shin is fine, right? We don''t have to worry anymore?" "Yes and no..." Longyu Tian''s uninspired voice echoed out once more. "Based on Shin''s current state, he should have woken up many days back, given that there''s nothing wrong with him. Breaching the second barrier is difficult, but once he''d passed it, Shin should instantly regain his consciousness. Yet..." "He''s still in a coma." Lady Seph frowned, unsure of how to diagnose the unique situation that was her disciple''s ascension. "A healer''s worst nightmare is seeing an ailment and not knowing how to diagnose it. Shin should have woken up by now, and he certainly doesn''t need five days to get used to his new powers. I don''t know what to do..." "What can we do?" Longyu Tian snorted. "No one can become a Spirit Venerate with outsider help. Shin has to fight off whatever is going on within his soul to advance. There''s nothing we can do but wait and have faith in Shin''s abilities." "Have faith¡­" Kanari dropped her shoulders and stared at her husband''s placid expression. There was never an instant in Kanari''s life that she lacked faith in Shin''s abilities. After all, he''d defied all expectations time and time again. Alas, it was called the second barrier of mortality for a reason. Many talents, ones that were slated for greatness had fallen at this bottleneck, becoming fooder for the history books. Furthermore, Shin had been stuck here for five days, an oddity, to say the least. Leaning in on the meditative man''s forehead, Kanari planted a simple kiss and whispered softly: "Don''t make me wait too long¡­ We are all waiting for you to wake up." "Than maybe you should kiss me harder?" "!!!" As the familiar voice reverberated through everyone''s ears, they all snapped their heads to look at the man seated at the centre of the room. Both his eyes, which had been securely shut for the past five days, were now fully opened as vast amounts of spiritual energies spewed out from his pores. His skin was sticky and dirty, but it was quickly washed off by a coat of water, giving the man a new glossy appearance. And most dazzlingly, the man flashed the most disgustingly bright smile one could make. "Honey, I''m back." Chapter 651 - No Holds Barred (1) The Neutral Lands. The Abyss. Mythpoint Reach. It has been a good decade since the Black Masks had vacated the centre of the world and hid their headquarters within the deepest parts of the Abyss. Many have attempted to dive into the broken realm, hoping to dig up the remnant Black Masks and force them into open combat. The war had been running for long enough. Each day the Allfather and the Black Masks lived, millions will continue to suffer as peace would never return to the broken lands. Unfortunately, none had been successful in luring the Black Masks out. Not the mighty Alliance that combined all three superpowers together. Not Guardian Sword, the one organisation that was specifically created to target the Black Masks. And not even the strongest Spirit Saints of the mortal plane could force the Allfather out of his hiding. If anything, it was the Black Masks that had brought their enemies to their knees. The watchtower massacres had sprouted seeds of doubt in all of the common folk''s hearts. None of them wanted their sons, fathers, husbands to die fruitlessly in the war that had been leading to nowhere. Thousands had already abandoned their position, leaving the once fortified Abyss in a state of complete disarray. There weren''t any patrols looking out for the Black Masks'' eventual ascension onto the continent, and neither were there any defensive resources spent to retaliate should they ever arise. It was the perfect opportunity for the Black Masks to make their resurgence on the world, and no surprise¡­ It was precisely what the Allfather was waiting for. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The Neutral Lands, now a small island that held the New Land of Dreams and the former Mythpoint Reach, was now shaking like a leaf facing an autumn''s breeze. Vibrant fauna, or what little of it was left in this desolate lands, raced away from the dark hole patched in the centre of the world, fearing the aftermath of what''s to come. It wasn''t just the animals that were affected. Trees, flowers, fungi¡­ Any living creature that had an inkling of what spiritual energies were had swayed their relatively unmoving bodies away from the epicentre of the Abyss. Dark mana swirled into the skies, turning the beautiful afternoon sky into an overcast nightmare. Not a single bird dared to fly as they dived down like arrows towards the safety of the ground. Though, it wasn''t all that safe either. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble... The earthquake continued on, giving rise to hoards of latent spiritual energies that had been hibernating for the past decade. Earth, Fire, Lightning, Wind, Darkness¡­ All of those elements engulfed the roaring Abyss, bringing wave after wave of new elemental superiority to the lands. Currently, the Abyss was no different than a Holy Ground that was used for Spirit Users to accelerate their cultivation. Darkness fell upon the former Mythpoint Reach, all while all life was rendered void by the newly adjusted spiritual energies. Not a single soul dared to stay near the Abyss at this point as the majority of them would fall to an overdose of spiritual energies. And then¡­ That happened. Eight menacing vines erupted from the bottom of the Abyss. Each one of them were at least a hundred metres thick, and God knows how long it really was. There weren''t any leaves on the withered vines, and each time its thorny tip licked the air, a torrent of black energy surged into the atmosphere. If there were any semblance of life left in the area surrounding Mythpoint Reach... there won''t be anymore. The black smoke eroded all living creatures, sometimes even corroding rocks and metals with its deadly grasp. However, that wasn''t all¡­ The vines coiled up like a spring, giving space for eight colossal, structures to float back into their rightful places. Levitating towers, each one storing the mana of at least a Spirit Saint or Primordial Beast, bordered one another, creating a dense protective net that was ten kilometres wide. The obsidian energy field resembled that of a turtle shell, sturdy and never bending to protect what''s important on the inside. Speaking of which¡­ It was protecting something. It was protecting something that was far more important than the valuable floating towers that held Paradise Hearts worth millions of gold. GRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A thick vine, one that was at least ten times wider than the vines that erupted just moments earlier, shot up like lava from a spewing volcano. It reached for the heavens but fell shy at just a few kilometres. However, it didn''t want to give up. From the tip of the vines, numerous smaller ones stretched out, trying their hardest to at least touch the upper firmament to achieve the largest vine''s dream. Alas, it was just not long enough to break through that final barrier and was still a few hundred metres from breaking out of the Earth''s gravitational field. In sadness, the single trunk sent forth a surge of obsidian matter, seemingly weeping in denial and grief. The shed matter quickly turned into falling leaves and petals. Whenever one of them reached the roots of the newly established tree, they turned into angered Umbral Beasts. Some were easily in the upper tiers while the majority were expendable Umbras that knew no fear and death. All that it wanted to do was protect their creator¡­ The withered tree that sprouted out from the centre of the world. "The Tree of Darkness, final form¡­ One with the World." A deep, booming voice reverberated through the mayhem, and the chaotic world came to an abrupt standstill. The Eight Payircis that were summoned quelled their constant vibrations, heeling their authority to the King that had returned. The blackened skies stopped roaring, calming down to hear the shrouded man talk. Everything came to a standstill, except for the one hooded figure that floated at the canopy of the withered Tree of Darkness. "Finally¡­ I have finally used my tenth spiritual ability..." The Allfather chuckled under his hood. "Who would have thought that I would wait nearly four centuries to use it?" "Congratulations almighty Allfather!!!" Kuro led the remaining five Noble Beasts to praise their leader and sole Sovereign. They all knelt down in complete reverence and happiness, ready to offer their lives for the newly born Allfather. By their side, the remaining Black Masks were all grovelling, planting their foreheads onto the obsidian branch that was closest to the Allfather''s crown. It didn''t matter if they were helpless Dalits or Rank 80 Brahmins¡­ They were all servants under the Allfather''s eyes. "Allfather, congratulations..." Saint Heigui wasn''t all that willing to kneel though. He bowed solemnly, giving all the respect that a Spirit Saint would to another. He may have defected, but the former Lantis Republic Spirit Saint did have a morsel of dignity left in his body. "Mmmm, we''re only halfway there..." The cloaked figure pointed his finger at Shiro, Murasaki and Akai, sending a surge of dark mana into their hefty bodies. "A-Ah¡­ AHHHH!!!" Murasaki m.o.a.ned in pure euphoria as wave after wave of energy surged through her veins. "RARARARARA!!!" On the other hand, Akai was unable to form words, only noises as the power strengthened every single fibre of the Tier 9 Spirit Beast. "..." Only Shiro was able to keep his mouth shut, but even the most experienced of the three was unable to hide his contorting expressions. Behind them, the remnant Black Masks were also deforming wildly. They were holding onto their beating chests as heat surged up from their inner cores. Mana was sprouting out from their pores, creating a dense black aura that eclipsed their Spirits and elemental energies. So¡­ What had the Allfather done? The Allfather had injected into all his subjects what he''d promised them from the very first day they''d joined. The ticket to the Immortal Realm and the power to get there. However, Kuro wasn''t all that thrilled by the Allfather''s sudden movements. "Allfather! If you use that much energy, your lifespan-!" "Enough, Kuro..." The shrouded figure raised his hand, silencing the faithful servant. "My days were already numbered. Even if I hold back my powers, I will live for a few more years at most. If I don''t advance during these coming months, the Dream for Eternity will be dead, so..." The Allfather watched all of his subjects wincing in agony as well as the elemental change surrounding the Tree of Darkness. From the very beginning, this was the final scene that he''d envisioned. All of the world''s elites, torn apart by the constant wars that plagued them for decades¡­ Coming at him all for one, final battle. "Why not go out with a bang?" Chapter 652 - No Holds Barred (2) "Urgent news! Urgent news!" Two shouts burst through the silent halls of the Alliance Headquarters, following the loud clanks of metallic armour. A fully dressed knight, crowned with the emblem of the Himmel Empire, loudly banged of the Alliance Head''s wooden doors without any regard of the man inside. "Alliance Head Raphael! There''s urgent news from the remaining watchers at the Abyss! May I come in?" The knight continued with his frantic voice. "..." There was no answer from the other side of the door. However, that didn''t deter the knight from knocking once more. Just as his metal gauntlets were about to wreak havoc on the wooden doors, the locked entrance magically opened with no physical assistance. His goal achieved, the knight stormed into the room with a face full of sweat. Alas, the man that he was looking for was nowhere in sight. Not on the familiar desk that he was always at, and neither was he at the couch which served as his bed during peak hours. The Alliance Head''s chambers were completely empty, save the messy doc.u.ments that were littered all over the tables and floor. "Alliance Head Raphael?" The knight called out worriedly once more. He needed to relay the vital information that he''d got. Shuffling his metal boots, the knight continued to search for possible locations where the Alliance Head might be, until he stumbled upon the opened glass doors leading to the balcony overseeing the eastern front. Comically, a trail of papers could be seen leading towards the ornate glass doors, hinting to the true location of the Alliance Head. The knight bolted to the doors, earnestly hoping to relay the terrifying news to Raphael. And sure enough¡­ "Alliance Head Raphael! There''s urgent news from the Abyss! We-..." The knight saw the familiar red-hair and slim physique of the Alliance Head, standing silently at the edge of the porch. Both of Raphael''s hands were glued to the concrete handrails in front of his body, and his back was facing the agitated knight. In most circ.u.mstances, the knight would deliver the urgent news straight on, without waiting for Raphael''s response. However, as he stepped on foot out into the open, the knight instantly turned silent, just like his highest superior. The Neutral Lands were divided into two sections. The New Land of Dreams, which was controlled by the Alliance, and the Abyss, which had been housing the nefarious villains that were the Black Masks. Both of these lands were close to one another that one could walk if they wished, but they also weren''t so close that one could see the other from a distance. On any other day, Raphael would saunter out to the balcony, viewing the eastern sky while metaphorically watching the Black Masks'' side of the Neutral Lands. But on this day¡­ Raphael could actually ''see'' the evil that sprouted out from the Black Masks'' side. A withered tree, one that was tall enough to touch the heavens, towered over the entire Neutral Lands, making it the most unmissable landmark in the whole world. The foul energy that it emitted was so deadly that even Raphael felt his blood pressure rising. "A-Alliance Head..." The knight stuttered, unsure of the right words to say. "The Allfather has finally made his move," Raphael sighed. "Such overwhelming power¡­ None of our troops will be able to last a single second within that foul mana field. Our resources will be withered away the moment we march on the Tree of Darkness. Our aether cars will melt, our tamed beasts will die. The Allfather has outplayed us once again¡­" The red-haired man gazed up at the blackened sky. It was foreboding a disaster, one that announced that a new era had fallen upon their world. The era of the Allfather... "The point of the Alliance is to prevent such a thing, and yet¡­ I''ve failed my brethren." "Alliance Head! You can''t blame yourself! Who could have guessed that the Allfather was hiding such a trump card?" "I know..." Raphael bit his lower lip while his two fists clenched up. "But it''s not over yet. We have to destroy the Black Masks, else who can be accountable for the innocent lives lost during our long war?! I KNOW THAT!!! So..." Raphael stormed back into his chambers, leaving the young knight scrambling behind. He ignored the clumsiness of his supposed elite knight and reached into the thick, reinforced safe, accurately bypassing the security locks within seconds. Feeling the Cikai Mirrors that laid within, the Alliance Head instantly set up his desk in the optimal configuration, tapping on each one of them with urgency in his mind. Crkkkktttt!!! Crkkkktttt!!! Crkkkktttt!!! The Cikai Mirrors showed all kinds of static, awaiting the connection to the other side. It took a minute or two, but the Cikai Mirrors quickly lit up, showing the faces of the most influential political figures of each superpower. "Raphael¡­ What was that tremor?" The Himmel Emperor was the first one to connect, seemingly anticipating the call from the Alliance Head. The Allfather casting his tenth and final spiritual ability wasn''t a feat that went unnoticed. Anyone with a decent enough spiritual level was able to sense the drastic change in the material plane. "That power isn''t something that any Spirit Saint or Primordial Beast can create," the Prime Minister of the Kori Federation added. "And since it came from the Neutral Lands¡­ What''s going on with the Abyss?" The final Cikai Mirror connected and instead of the familiar Chancellor that everyone knew and loved, it was a handsome young man with a flawless, glossy complexion as if he had been reborn with baby skin. "Uncle Raphael, the Neutral Lands..." "Tenno, Duncan, Shin..." Raphael didn''t bother with the honorifics and solemnly called out each individual by name. He just wasn''t in the mood to play the games of Kings and Queens. It was the first time in his entire life that Raphael felt so helpless, so small¡­ And it was because of the gargantuan Tree of Darkness that towered over all the lands. "The Allfather has decided to go all out..." "What do you mean?" "... It''s better to show you." Raphael made one reverse heel kick, sending a force equivalent to that of a hundred elephants stampeding. The wall that protected the Alliance Headquarters shattered into a million pieces creating a huge hole that was equivalent to the size of a cabinet. Before any of the high-ranking members could question Raphael''s sanity for breaking his wall, their jaws dropped at the sight that laid on the other side. It was as if a maniac''s painting had come into life¡­ "That is..." The Himmel Emperor threw his head back, slamming it on the golden throne unwittingly. "The Tree of Darkness, the Allfather''s Spirit," Raphael exclaimed, his voice hiding a tinge of wonder and fear. "He has brought the Black Masks out of hiding¡­ The terror is once again¡­ in full swing." Raphael wiped off the fear in his expression, steeling his nerves as he gave the three most important figures in the world an¡­ order. "With the authority of the Alliance Head, I shall ask this from the three of you. Himmel Emperor, Kori Prime Minister and Lantis Prince." "..." The three on the other side of the mirrors remained silent. "Give me all of your resources¡­ No Holds Barred." Chapter 653 - Stacking The Odds (1) The Neutral Lands. The New Land of Dreams. Days had passed since the Allfather pulled the Tree of Darkness up from the Abyss. Ever since the skies of the Neutral Lands had been dr.a.p.ed in a curtain of grey and black clouds. Eternally burning obsidian flames filled the vast fields of the decrepit Neutral Lands surrounding the Tree of Darkness. Umbras spawned and encircled the eight Payircis protecting the Tree of Darkness, adding an additional layer of protection for the Black Masks'' headquarters. Flying Umbras, Ground Umbras, Oceanic Umbras¡­ It didn''t matter what element there was. The Allfather had created Umbras to counter all of the Alliance''s resources. Not to mention, the overwhelming mana that enveloped the Neutral Lands was too dense for any regular cultivators to step into. Just like that, the Alliance''s advantage of having armies that were millions strong had just vanished into thin air. To combat the Black Masks at the Tree of Darkness, the Alliance needed to send elites that were powerful enough to withstand the immensely dense spiritual energy field. By Raphael''s estimates, only those above the Spirit Spectre realm. Talents that were lucky enough to break through the first barrier of mortality were able to fight within the new terrain. Hence, in an angered plea, Raphael had ordered the three superpowers to stand down their armies and provide as many elites as they possibly could for the final fight. The Lantis Republic, now led by Shin, were the first to acquiesce. The full force of Guardian Sword was being sent out, including the Prince of Water himself. Not only that, Shin had called back all of his former comrades that had left him after the ten-year agreement was up. Luminaries such as Suji Lasgeor, the Himmel Empire''s Son of War, and the Kori Federation''s Ice Fairy Sword, Haeun were called back to serve Guardian Sword in the upcoming war. On the side of the Lantis Republic, each one of the Eight Ancient Clans, barring the now weakened Heigui Clan, was sending out at least a thousand Spirit Spectres, with an array of Spirit Lords, Kings and Emperors assisting their every movement. Not to be outdone, the Kori Federation and Himmel Empire had committed to a similar endeavour. The Kori Federation had all of their Master Sects send out hordes of their best talents. Even the regular Houses of Kori had sent half their elites to the Alliance''s cause. However, the stars of the show were the five most prominent Master Sects. The Dalgeom Sect, the Dragon Tiger Gate, the Shaolin Temple, the Emei Church and the Khan Tribe. All five of them had sent a good number of their Spirit Venerates, each one of them more powerful than the other. In fact, the Dalgeom Sect had even gone out of their way to send Saint Geom, one of the three living Spirit Saints in the Kori Federation. And yet¡­ The Dalgeom Sect wasn''t the one that stood out from the pack. For generations, thousands of years before the Kori Federation came to be and the Master Sects were formed¡­ One organisation stood heads above shoulders above the rest. And that was¡­ The enigmatic Dragon Tiger Gate. The Dragon Tiger Gate had by the most Spirit Venerates of the entire Kori Federation, plus it had the most Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments. If not for the fact that this current generation hadn''t spawned a Spirit Saint yet, the Dragon Tiger Gate would most definitely tower over the other four premier Master Sects, even though they were technically equal on paper. Sending in a record twenty Spirit Venerates, the Dragon Tiger Gate was serious about ending the prolonged war that had been plaguing the entire planet for the past few years. Finally, the Himmel Empire. Unlike the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic, they lacked the numbers and resources that thousands of years brought. After all, compared to the other two superpowers, the Himmel Empire was a relatively new nation that was being carried by the bloodline of the twentieth Spirit Immortal, Immortal Himmel. However, what they lacked in numbers, the more than made up with pure raw power. Instead of sending a thousand Spirit Venerates, the Himmel Empire sent the one being that the Alliance wanted the most. "Saint Himmel¡­ It''s an honour to finally see you in person," Alliance Head Raphael bowed down to the silver-haired elderly man, who sat silently in his aether car. It was odd for the highest authority in the land to personally come and welcome a caravan, but given the person inside, it made total sense. "Alliance Head Raphael, I''ve heard much about you." Saint Himmel smiled, taking two strokes to his beard. "Forcing the three superpowers to bend to your will¡­ Impressive." "Nothing of the sorts, Saint Himmel." Raphael didn''t dare to raise his head. He didn''t dare to cross the Spirit Saint that was second to strength only to the Allfather. Especially since they needed Saint Himmel to fight the Allfather during the upcoming battle. "I am just looking out for the safety of our people. Doesn''t matter if they''re from the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation or the Lantis Republic. We all need to be united¡­ to survive." "Quite a tongue," Saint Himmel snorted but didn''t press the Alliance Head any further. He gently dismounted the aether car and made his way into the palace where all the other elites were waiting. Speaking of other elites, a lean and handsome man rested his shoulders on the windowpane, watching the interactions between the Alliance Head and Saint Himmel. It wasn''t just that, aether cars from the Kori Federation were coming in from a distance, while sh.i.p.s from the Lantis Republic were docking in by the hundreds. "By three they come¡­ By three they come..." Shin remarked, beaming with delight. "Has there been such a concentrated number of Spirit Venerates gathered in one place?" The black-haired beauty that accompanied Shin in his room pondered out loud. "Never, not even during the legendary Summit that formed the Alliance." "Yeah, that was possibly the closest one." Kanari scratched the bottom of her chin and chuckled. However, as her eyes turned to the blackened sky, Kanari couldn''t help but stifle a sigh. "But still¡­ We''re finally reaching the final stretch¡­ Once we uproot the tree, the tyranny of the Allfather will finally come to an end." "I sure hope so," Shin nodded in agreement. "If all of these one-of-a-kind talents are unable to breakthrough the Allfather''s last-ditch attempt to ascend, no one can." "..." The couple held one another''s hands, gently calming both their hearts down. Everything that they had been preparing for had been boiling down to this moment. They left their children behind and brought all of their trusted allies to the final battlefield. It was time to fight the Allfather with everything that they had. "*Knock* *Knock*. Is this the room of Shin Iofiel?" While the married pair were enjoying each other''s company, two loud thumps could be heard on the heavy oak door. The voice that called out to them was rather low and quite foreign-sounding. At the very least, Shin and Kanari both couldn''t make out who the man that disturbed their alone time was. "Yes," Shin hollered back at the man at the other side of the door. "Who is it?" "Hahaha, Shin! So you''re really here!" Without even confirming that he was allowed in, the man pushed open the heavy doors, as if they were made out of paper. Shin was taken aback at first and was gearing up to reprimand the man. After all, he was the Prince of the Lantis Republic. Not everybody could just slam his door open without prior permission. Alas, as Shin was about to give the man a piece of his mind, his throat choked up. The man that stormed into his room was a handsome, brown-skinned man, seemingly in his early thirties. Pure muscle bulged out from his comfortable white, cotton shirt and sweat dripped down his chiselled chin. The man was foreign-looking alright, with a complexion and appearance that was uncommon in the Himmel Empire or the Lantis Republic. However, Shin had seen the man once before. No, it was a face that he could never forget. Why? Because the main reason why Shin got so famous in the first place was due to the sparring match that they shared back in the Summit. "Lukman Ramal? The Prince of Sand?" "Yours truly," Lukman bowed like a royal, flashing a happy smile. It was the first time since the Summit that Shin had met the prodigy of the Tuareg Sect, but his jovial nature hadn''t changed one bit. "We finally meet again!" Chapter 654 - Stacking The Odds (2) "Lukman Ramal?" Kanari peeked over Shin''s shoulder after hearing his audible gasp. The Prince of Sand was radiating an aura of invincibility, one that was typically reserved for Kings and Sovereigns. There wasn''t a single second that Lukman second-guessed his abilities, in fact, his confidence was so contagious that both Shin and Kanari felt overwhelmed just by his demeanour alone. "Long time no see," Shin offered his right hand to the man from the Tuareg Sect. "Yes, it''s been a long time, Shin Iofiel! The last time I saw you, you were a mere teenager that was hardly grown. Now, look at you! You''re even starting to grow a beard like me!" Lukman roared with laughter. He abruptly touched Shin''s chin and what little facial hair he had, completely ignoring the protocol for interacting with royalty. Naturally, Shin was somewhat taken aback. Other than Kanari and his closest family members, there hadn''t been anyone that dared to touch him willy-nilly. Still, Shin kept his wits and gently grabbed Lukman by the wrist. "A pleasure to meet you again as well," Shin forced a smile before setting Lukman''s hand aside. His fingers happened to brush past Lukman''s wrist, and a surge of spiritual energy surged into Shin''s body. Being a Spirit Venerate, Shin was more sensitive to his surroundings, particularly when it came to overall spiritual or elemental energies. Just with a touch of his wrist, Shin could instantly tell the cultivation level of the Prince of Sand. "Rank 73 Spirit Emperor? Looks like you''ve done well for yourself." Shin was genuinely surprised. Among all of those within his generation, none of them had reached the Spirit Emperor realm yet. Even Kanari, who was said to be second in talent only to Shin, was still a Spirit King. Given how young Kanari was, being a Spirit King was already a staggering achievement. For Lukman to become as strong as he was at his age was quite the feat. "I don''t want to hear that from the Spirit Venerate¡­ Tsk, I''d thought that I would at least match you, but you had to go and advance so quickly." Lukman clicked his tongue, truly annoyed at Shin''s tremendous progress. "Haha, you''re mighty enough!" Shin laughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Coming from you¡­ Why does that sound like an insult?" Lukman furrowed his brows in thought, but ultimately, decided not to overthink Shin''s intentions. "Haha, no matter! I have a bone to pick with you!" "Hmmm? What is it?" Shin tilted his head, confused. The Prince of Sand folded his arms and snorted: "Back during the Summit, you promised that you''ll visit the Sahara Desert to exchange pointers! I''ve been waiting ever since!" "Ah¡­ That..." Vaguely remembering the promise, Shin scratched his head with a little shame. "Sorry, I''ve been rather busy..." "Don''t give me that! Everyone knows what you''ve been up to! From becoming the Prince of the Lantis Republic to creating Guardian Sword! I know everything! You''ve even been taking requests all over the new continents without once thinking of coming west to the Sahara Desert! I guess my Tuareg Sect wasn''t high enough on your importance list!" "No, not at all!" Shin was caught in the awkward position that everyone was most familiar with. "Tell you what, once the final battle is over, I''ll take a trip to the Sahara Desert! With my family, of course!" Taken aback, Lukman tilted his head to glance at Kanari: "Ah, I almost forgot. You have a wife and kids now. Wow, we''re really getting old. You were only a Spirit Core cultivator when we first fought. Now you''re a Spirit Venerate with a full family." Shin stifled a laugh: "What about you? You seem to have wisened up throughout the years. I''m sure that you have a child or two of your own." "No, not yet." Lukman shook his head. "Children will weigh me down in my journey to become a Spirit Saint. The entire Tuareg Sect''s future is counting on my success." "I see..." "Speaking of my success..." The Prince of Sand grinned sinisterly. "I do have a request that I hope you could grant me." "W-What is it?" A cold bead of sweat dripped down Shin''s face, as a bad feeling crept up his chest. "Do you remember the details of our fight? We were in the final stretches of our bout, but my Elder held me back." Shin tilted his head, roughly recollecting the details of that day. "Yeah, somewhat..." "So¡­ We never really got to finish our fight," Lukman chortled, a jovial glint shining in the corners of his eyes. "..." As Shin had anticipated, nothing good was going to come out of Lukman''s mouth. "Let me experience the fruits of your labour, Prince of Water! Let''s determine who is the better Elemental Prince!" ??? The Tree of Darkness. The Grand Hall of Eternity. A black-haired man walked down the winding steps of the never-ending Tree of Darkness, waving his special blade in a taunting manner. For the man, he''d never been in such an uplifted mood in ages. Twirling his feet while on the verge of skipping, the black-haired man continued his jovial descent, only stopping when there was a physical diamond gate blocking his path. "Open it." Kuro issued a succinct order to the two guards holding the door. "Yes, sir!" Kuro strolled into the room and focused all of his attention on its contents. The chambers were filled to the brim with dense spiritual energies. If any cultivator lower than the Rank 80 Spirit Venerate realm were to enter into this room, they would instantly be incinerated by the intense mana flows and their mana circuits would short circuit indefinitely. However, Kuro was immune to the demerits of the room. Heck, the Primordial Beast even felt refreshed in this spiritual energy-dense atmosphere. At the end of the chambers, there were three luxurious beds with comfy pillows and snug blankets. On them, three visible humanoid beings with luscious faces laid rested, entirely at peace with their surroundings. Warmth permeated out of their radiant faces, causing them to have beautiful rosy cheeks. If not for the terrifying mana that was radiating out, one would be inclined to think that the humanoid creatures were mere children that had overeaten the day prior. "You guys done sleeping?" Kuro snorted, calling out to the three hibernating humanoids. Hearing Kuro''s voice, the white-haired boy leapt his back up, promptly taking an upright position. His crystal bright eyes were laced with eye boogers, while his eyelids were steadily falling down by the millisecond. The next one to open their eyes was the red-haired muscular man. Wrapping his head, he looked to the left, only to see the familiar long purple hair of his comrade. "Kuro? What happened?" Shiro asked, his head still throbbing. "Hehe, congratulations!" The head of the Noble Beasts flashed his teeth in pure delight. "By the Allfather''s grace, you''re all now bona fide Primordial Beasts!!!" Chapter 655 - Stacking The Odds (3) "Primordial Beasts? Really?" Shiro raised both his hands up, staring at them with disbelief. The Mirror Deity may look the strongest, but he was by far the most mature of the three sleeping beauties. Shiro knew more than anyone else how hard it was to break through into the Primordial Realm, particularly since he''d been trying his hardest to do so for aeons. "RARARA!!! The mighty me just got even mightier!" Feeling the heat pulsate through his body, Akai roared while raising both his arms in the air triumphantly. "With this power¡­ RARARA!!! With this power! I can kill the son of a bitch who caused Midori''s death! RARARARARA!!!" "Relax, you''ll get your chance." The black-haired man who awoke them from their slumber tried his best to calm the agitated Akai down. Alas, how could the hot-headed Lion be tamed that easily? Fire-Elements danced about in pure euphoria, ready to burst out like a supervolcano. And the owner of those Fire-Elements was no better. Akai was geared up to fight, even if it meant going all the way to death. "RARARA!!! IT''S TIME! IT''S TIME! IT''S TIME!!! WITH THIS POWER, I''LL REIGN..." "OH SHUT UP!!!" Amidst Akai''s impassioned speech, an aggravated siren''s wail burst the eardrums of any who dared stray close to the chambers. Needless to say, both Akai and Kuro stopped glaring at one another. In fact, they felt a sudden chill permeate their veins. When they closed their eyes, both the Noble Beasts saw a puddle of blood at the bottom of their ankles. Each time they looked down at the ever-growing puddle, they couldn''t help but feel a little inferior. Such killing intent couldn''t be replicated, even by Kuro''s standard. Only a being that had seen millions of heads roll and personally executed all of their foes could possess that overwhelming killing intent. And who else was better suited for the intense killing aura other than the Queen of Pain herself? "Murasaki, what are you doing?" Kuro screamed at the purple-haired woman, who was already floating about in mid-air. When Murasaki was still a Tier 9 Arachne Queen, she boasted a human torso and a spider''s bottom, making her the perfect half-human. However, in her evolved form, Murasaki was no different than a regular beauty from the streets. Her eight legs were gone, her eight eyes were gone, her putrid stench of poison and death was gone¡­ Barring her unbelievably pale complexion, no one would suspect that she wasn''t a real human being. "Noisy..." Murasaki spat, wiping her eyes as she slowly came to be. Her chest rose and fell with each passing breath, quietly balancing the dense mana that was pulsating throughout her veins. Still drowsy, Murasaki quietly cried: "Urghhh, I''m hungry." The black-haired man expected Murasaki to spew out those words and reached into his bag for the gift that he''d prepared. A severed human head, with fresh blood flowing out from its base, was thrown out from the bag and landed squarely next to Murasaki''s fatigued body. "Here, it''s a Spirit King that I found spying on the Tree. You can have him the way you like¡­ Raw." "HAHA, great!!! How long has it been since I''d ate fresh brain matter!" The woman happily gouged into her new meal. "OH YES! This is so f.u.c.k.i.n.g delicious! Delicious! DELICIOUS!!!" Shiro''s eyes narrowed before breaking into a sigh. "She may look different, but that''s Murasaki alright. Primordial Beast or not, Murasaki is the same glutton that eats everything that she sees." "Haha, what''s the problem?" Kuro laughed. "Now she has entered the Primordial Realm, her power would prove integral to winning the war that''s to come." "The war¡­ Has the Alliance moved?" "No, not yet. But it''s only a matter of time. The three superpowers had sent armies of Spirit Spectres and a good number of Spirit Venerates. If our intelligence isn''t wrong, there would be at least nine Spirit Saints joining their legions as well. That''s why it''s important for all of you to safely enter the Primordial Realm as soon as you possibly can." "That many, huh?" Shiro''s eyes glazed over. The Alliance had every advantage in the book. Overwhelming numbers of Spirit Spectres. Far better quality of Spirit Venerates and Saints. Deeper pockets with far more expendable resources. In all aspects, the Alliance were the superior side. Other than the fact that the Allfather was the most powerful being in the world, the Black Masks held no other advantages. "So¡­ do you think that we can win?" "We don''t have to, remember?" Kuro snorted. "Our job is to make the Allfather the next Spirit Immortal, and having all of these elites here is exactly what we need. Also, while you were sleeping, we finally gathered all of the necessary ingredients." "You can''t mean..." Kuro flashed a wry smile, downright smug at how far the Black Masks had come. "Yes¡­ Heaven''s Gate will be opened." ??? The New Land of Dreams. Alliance Headquarters. Kjlose Yard. The Alliance Headquarters in the New Land of Dreams was exponentially big. There was a central town hub where merchants could do business with the everyday soldier of the Alliance. Buildings upon buildings for bureaucracy and matters pertaining to the Alliance. Encampments for armies to rest and workshops for making weapons. There were even hospitals manned by the best healers in the world. Such was the benefit of having the Mercenary Guild, Blacksmith''s League and Healer''s Association move to the New Land of Dreams to build a central hub. However, there lacked a particular area for one to do battle, especially one that involved a Spirit Emperor and Spirit Venerate. Fortunately for the Prince of Sand and Prince of Water, there was one place that the two of them could have a regular sparring session. Kjlose Yard, fifty kilometres away from the New Land of Dreams. The only vast plain that was free of human dwellings. The majority of the time, the Alliance would use this area to perform drills and practice sieges. But on this day¡­ It was the arena for the fated rematch between the two Elemental Princes. "You sure you want to do this?" Shin rubbed his wrists while finishing the last bit of his warm-ups. "What''s there to lose?" Lukman Ramal chuckled. "Our rematch had been long overdue. Also, I doubt there would be another opportunity for me to challenge the inheritor of the Celestial Dragon. I really hope you won''t disappoint me, Shin Iofiel." "Hah¡­ Fine." Shin closed his eyes, circulating his mana with overwhelming focus. The Celestial Dragon floated out from the Prince of Water''s inner body, all while his aura seeped out with great ferocity. His healthy skin started to be covered with draconic scales, and his spiritual energies spiked tremendously. Lukman smiled, elated that his challenge had been met with great ferocity. Likewise, the Prince of Sand summoned out his glorious goblet with beautiful rubies on decorating its sides. The earth beneath Lukman''s feet shook violently, and they disintegrated into pure sand grains. Snapping his fingers, Lukman created various sand beasts, each one more savage than the next. "Lukman Ramal. Rank 73 Spirit Emperor. Spirit, the Musnu Goblet. Please advise me." "Shin Iofiel. Rank 80 Spirit Venerate. Spirit, the Celestial Dragon. Please advise me." Chapter 656 - Elemental King (1) "HAH!!!" Lukman roared while dense light brown particles swirled all around their bodies. Wasting no time, the Prince of Sand turned the terrain under him into a vast desert with a quick stomp and allowed his shining goblet to float in the air. The eight rubies that were engraved inside of Lukman''s Spirits sparkled all with pure bliss as the Prince of Sand continued to feed mana into them. "Sand Army!" Lukman raised both his hands up, forcing his fourth ruby to glow far brighter than any of the other seven. In no time at all, over a thousand valiant sand warriors, each one armed to the teeth with armour and deadly weapons, rose from the depths of the desert and took over the entire arena. "Infinite Weapons!" Once more, Lukman snapped his fingers. Sand tendrils arose from the depths of the sand field and broke off into an array of flying swords and spears. That wasn''t all. Arrows, daggers, halberds¡­ All sorts of sand weapons were created from one snap of Lukman''s fingers, and they were all awaiting the signal to rain down like hellfire. And finally... "Beasts of the Desert!" The Prince of Sand pumped over a third of his mana to cast his next ability. The sand shook violently as if an earthquake with the maximum magnitude had just been detonated at the bottom of the tectonic plates. A massive shadow emerged like a hurricane, sending a vast sandstorm flying over Kjlose Yard. The shadow soon turned into a physical specimen, one that was familiar to Shin''s eyes and others. An elongated tail sticking out from an armoured body with two sharp pincer claws hanging out from its upper torso. "Scorpion?" Shin marvelled at the lifelike image of the Beast. If not for Lukman personally making it right in front of him, Shin would have thought that the Scorpion Beast was a legitimate Spirit Beast that sprawled out from the bottom of the desert. However, Lukman wasn''t done. In fact, he was just beginning. Fifty new shadows broke free from the restraints of the immensely large desert, each one bearing different features that could easily take down an army of cultivators. Camels, snakes, hawks, vultures, meerkats¡­ An assortment of Sand Beasts took the stage, and none of them looked dead or even weakened. They were all boasting huge elemental affinities that were on par with Spirit Lords and with the Prince of Sand being their general, Lukman''s Beast of the Desert were absolutely a significant threat for Shin during this sparring session. "Amazing, so this was what I had missed..." Though, the man wasn''t worried in the slightest. Back during the Summit, Shin and Lukman''s bout ended in a draw, or rather a forfeit from Lukman''s corner. The Elders of the Tuareg Sect didn''t want Lukman to be the stepping stone for Shin to exponentially grow and had pulled the plug before the Prince of Water took all the techniques away from Lukman. Thus, Shin had never got to witness Lukman''s Beasts of the Desert upfront. Even the intellectual in him was wondering: "What would have happened if they were allowed to go all the way?" And today, he was finally going to get his answer. "What a powerful trump card that you''ve held from me¡­ I was doomed to lose that Summit fight no matter what." "Don''t say that," Lukman chortled. "You were younger and less experienced than me back then. If you had really taken a win over me, I would never let myself roam freely ever again." Spinning his right index finger around the bottom of his goblet, Lukman waited for Shin to get into position. In a standard battle, the Prince of Sand would have attacked the open Shin a thousand times over by now. However, since it was just a mere sparring match, there was no need for such underhanded tactics. "Either way, the past doesn''t matter now. All that matters is the present. Now, Shin¡­ I''ve shown you how much I grew. Now it''s your turn!" "Haha, don''t worry. I always keep my end of the bargain." Shin stifled a laugh and pointed up to the heavens like a prophet calling out to his deity. Plip¡­ Plop¡­ Plip¡­ Plop¡­ Lukman felt a single wet spot on the crown of his head, substantially bringing his body temperature down. The first drop¡­ The second¡­ The third¡­ It was gradual, but eventually, Kjlose Yard turned into a rainforest with an endless supply of monsoon rain. Many of Lukman''s sand-made weapons which were floating about got drenched almost instantly, turning them into useless grime that wouldn''t pierce through a rock no matter how many times it tried. Fortunately, for the Prince of Sand, this Sand Army and Beasts of the Desert were a little more fortified. Taking on the deluge like champions in a real war, Lukman''s creations stood firmly, eyeing down the floating Prince of Water. "You think rain can stop me? Try harder!" The Prince of Sand hollered out. Once again, he raised both his hands, this time not to create anything new, but to launch his first-ever attack. All of the flying beasts that Lukman morphed into reality zigzagged their way to the levitating Prince of Water, seeking to take over dominance over the aerospace. Expecting their arrival, Shin quickly forced the Celestial Dragon to wrap around his torso and form a dense protective barrier. The flying beasts melted away once the Celestial Aura touched their frail skins and the Celestial Dragon roared with a vengeful fury. The familiar screech of the shard pierced the eardrums of any that stayed too close to the spacious yard. With a snap of his fingers, Shin activated the familiar shard and partially ignited it, causing numerous sparks to be sent flying. Highly concentrated lightning bolts tackled the flying sand beasts in the air, burning their wings and removing flight from their dictionary. In the end, the overpowering spiritual energies were too much for Lukman''s flying Beasts to bear and they were reduced back to their sandy state. ''The Beast of the Desert are powerful, but the bridge between a Spirit Venerate and Spirit Emperor isn''t that easily crossed, Lukman...'' Shin spat mentally. He didn''t have to overly analyse the Prince of Sand''s techniques as he did back in the day. Shin could simply use his spiritual energies to overwhelm Lukman without even batting an eye. "..." Lukman stayed quiet, possibly disturbed that his aerial assault was stopped that quickly. Raindrops dripped down his wet hair, somewhat tainting his vision and blurring Shin''s visage overhead. However, the Prince of Sand didn''t falter. He knew from the beginning that it was going to be a hard fight against Shin, and thus¡­ He prepared a trump card. "Fall." Bending his fingers like a pianist, Lukman moved all the sand around him. The tendrils twisted around the Prince of Sand like an anaconda would its prey. However, there was no malice with the sand tendrils. Instead, it was more of a comfortable embrace that protected the Prince of Sand from the dangers of the outside world. And then¡­ Clink. "Huh?" Something sharp fell on Shin''s defensive barrier, forcing the man to stop his assault and peer up towards the heavens. Clink¡­ Clink¡­ Clink¡­ Sharp objects continued to be mixed in with Shin''s rain, and oddly enough, many of them were falling with a force powerful enough to drive Shin to put more mana into his defence. It was a surreal experience for Shin, having his rain turn against him. However, the Prince of Water quickly deduced the reason why his created rain was being so disobedient¡­ Mixed within the rain, were sharp, translucent objects. Objects that were considered to be the toughest material on the planet and commonly found deep underground with immense pressure. Yet¡­ Those death gems were now¡­ Falling from the sky. "Diamonds?" Chapter 657 - Elemental King (2) "Diamonds?" Shin''s pupils dilated, wholly caught off guard by the suddenness of the attack. He was the original elemental king, able to control the weather with just his thoughts. Yet, Lukman had turned the rain against him. While Shin was busy getting surprised by the hail of diamonds, Lukman''s other Beasts of the Desert crept closer towards the floating Prince of Water. Sandy dunes popped like pimples, elevating the Sand Beasts while the Sand Army aimed their weapons to the heavens. They all were waiting for Shin to fall and ready to pounce on him like a predator cat. Furthermore, Lukman hiding in his sandy sphere was proving to be irritating. Shin didn''t know what abilities the Prince of Sand was hiding, and that unknown factor placed the Prince of Water at a disadvantage. Normally, Shin was the one controlling the entire battlefield with his array of abilities. But in a fight against yet another Elemental Prince, all of Shin''s techniques were reflected back at himself. Furthermore, it seemed that Lukman had ever furthered his elemental affinity, taking it to the absolute peak of perfection. Changing sand into diamonds was no easy feat. It was far more difficult than changing water to ice or water to mist. He could even materialise his element in the skies now, something that was originally Shin''s domain. Alas, Shin was no idiot. Yes, he was at a disadvantage in the elemental department. However, he had many advantages elsewhere. "Tsk, annoying..." Spreading both his arms out, Shin supplied the Celestial Dragon with even more mana, allowing beautiful undulations to pulse out from its scales. An astral soul escaped the towering Spirit, turning into an elongated version of itself that was at least ten times its size. The five elements it was known for, Water, Light, Mind, Space and Time, morphed around the Celestial Dragon Avatar like a cyclone and a gigantic force field willed itself into creation. Diamond continued to fall from the sky, piercing through the immense Celestial Aura with a wrathful vengeance. It wanted to see blood, Shin''s to be exact and it wasn''t going to stop until it drew it. Snorting, Shin gave the order: "Ignite." INNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The shard burst forth with its signature siren''s wail, sending surges of pure spiritual energies flying throughout the granular fields. Diamonds were meant to be the toughest material on the planet, but just like their cousins beforehand, they were disintegrated into fine dust, never to threaten the sovereignty of the Prince of Water again. With the aerial threat gone, Shin turned his attention to the beasts roaming underneath his feet. They were clawing their way to the heavens, sending sand and grovel flying Shin''s way in hopes of shooting the man down. "Useless..." Shin raised his right hand and pointed his index finger down at them. Once again, the shard screeched like a banshee as the fabric of space and time rippled in complete terror. Thousands of stars sparkled under the overcast sky as immense lunar energy spilt out from Shin''s pores. The spectators from afar were aghast as they witnessed that scene. Their heads spun towards the black-haired woman, who was as cool as a cuc.u.mber. She wasn''t worried at all at her husband''s safety and was beaming with delight as he mirrored her signature move. "What? It''s only natural for Shin to imitate Lunar Beam. Haven''t you seen him use it before?" Kanari replied calmly. Lunar Beam was the one ability that Kanari was synonymous with. Like how Lukman and Shin were known for their first spiritual ability, elemental creation, Kanari''s signature ability to fame was the deadly beam attack which combined all three elements she had jurisdiction over. Though Shin didn''t have the fire and wind elements to completely replicate Kanari''s attack, the destructive power of his shard proved potent enough. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!! In a flash of light, the stars burst into gorgeous aurora rays, descending upon the mortal plane like a hammer of justice. The Beasts of the Desert all tried to counter, many of them moving sand to protect themselves. Alas, it was all in vain. The Shard of the Azure Dragon was Shin''s most destructive ability, even till this day. Although it was once a fingernail from Zishen''s claw, Shin had perfected it to replicate the attack from the memory of the charred thorn, which was able to utterly evaporate the Flame Titan of Old. Unshockingly, the damage output of the shard could easily match Zishen''s breath, and due to Shin''s absolute control over it, it was far more versatile. In a mere ten seconds, all Lukman''s Beasts of the Desert evaporated into sand particles. The numerous starlight beams were capable of destroying Spirit Kings and injuring Spirit Emperors, let alone some Desert Beasts that Lukman created. To top it all off, Shin mixed in some of his shard''s energy into the falling rain, turning them into absolute teardrop monsters. N Time stood still. No matter what Lukman tried, it was just too little. Shin had overwhelming power on his side, and he was most definitely going to use it all to his advantage. ''Hah¡­ This battle was fruitless from the start,'' Shin sighed mentally. He was peerless amongst Spirit Venerates and could hold his own against Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts. Yes, Lukman was talented, and his battle experience had propelled him to the Spirit Emperor stage ten years before anyone of his generation. However, against the freak that was Shin, Lukman was just too inferior. ''Also, it looks like Lukman isn''t going to surrender this easily.'' As the Shin stared at the defensive sand sphere, he could sense more and more spiritual energies being pumped out. Not only that, the Desert beneath him started to twirl, turning into a vast whirlpool which sucked all creation under. Even an idiot could guess that Lukman was preparing his next move. ''Hmmm, whatever¡­ I''ll just use that ability¡­ I haven''t tested it against anyone yet.'' Shin pondered for a moment before turning his frown into a smile. The Prince of Water spread both his arms out wide, looking deep within his astral soul. In there, all of his nine crystal obelisks were calling out to him, in desperate need of attention. They were screaming out, agitated by the fight in the mortal plane and were willing to lay out their everything for their owner. In particular¡­ The ninth and newest one. It gleamed with five colours, all pulsating out with an angel''s joy. Like a kid in a kindergarten class, it wanted to be picked by Shin, so much so that it would sprout out colours to seek attention. "Come out." Shin obliged the obelisk, sending a surge of energy through its veins. Five distinct figures emerged, each one more towering and intimidating than the next. They were all brimming with confidence, ready to go to war with their commander-in-chief. Unfortunately, Shin had other plans. "No, I only need one of you. The rest of you will remain sealed until the time is right," Shin willed four of the Titans into the obelisk, much to their utter dismay. And soon¡­ Only the gorgeous fluttering butterfly remained. Shin reached out his left hand, taking an unassuming pose. He was beckoning for the Titan, waiting for it to accept his invitation. The butterfly flapped happily before finally calming down, morphing into a shape fit for a human. Now, it looked no different from any other butterfly, save the mesmerising cosmic wings on its back. In a flash of light, Shin merged with the butterfly in his astral realm, and his consciousness was instantly transferred into the mortal plane. Lukman was ready to launch his next attack and possibly his final one based on the elemental energy he was putting out. The entire Desert was shaking, and billions of sand particles floated in the air like a poltergeist had manipulated them up. No Spirit Emperor should have that kind of power, and that made Shin feel yet another wave of awe towards his fellow Elemental Prince. "Beautiful¡­ Our Alliance really does have hope for the upcoming fight after all," Shin mused. The younger generation of cultivators were really growing at breakneck speeds. All of his comrades from Guardian Sword reached heights that were unprecedented for their ages. So did the Luminaries from the Lantis Republic. However, none of them could touch the level that Lukman had reached. Even Kanari would lose to the monster that was the Prince of Sand. However, Shin knew that he would never lose. Particularly after he created his Spirit Venerate spiritual ability¡­ The Old Titans. Merging with the Space Titan, the Cosmic Butterfly, the same cosmic wings sprouted out from Shin''s back, morphing him into a human butterfly. Vast amounts of Space-Elements dripped from his body, messing up the fabric of space and time. The energies turned the world illusory around Shin even though no Mind-Elements had been manipulated. It was all just the disturbances of having the Cosmic Wings in the material plane. Shin didn''t notice the shock in the spectator''s face and was wholly concentrated on the sand sphere that was levitating in the air. Shin couldn''t see it, but Lukman''s face turned blank after the two surreal wings popped up. The Prince of Sand had even lost control over his sand, leaving a small vulnerability in his protective sphere. And sure enough, Shin''s hawk eyes caught sight of that exploit. "Let''s go, partner." Chapter 658 - Elemental King (3) Shin''s cosmic wings flapped in unison, bursting the Prince out into the open, free from the protection that his Celestial Dragon Avatar provided. In fact, the Celestial Dragon had been purged from the material plane and took residence back within Shin''s spiritual soul, too unmotivated to come out. With the Cosmic Butterfly''s wings attached to Shin''s back, there was no need for the Celestial Dragon to do all the heavy lifting. Space-Elements glittered down the cosmic wings, turning Shin''s figure illusory. In his current state, one would be hard-pressed to pinpoint his exact location and launch a satisfactory counter-attack. And that was precisely the case with the Prince of Time. Within his protective sand sphere, Lukman heightened his senses to the maximum. The attack that he had been preparing for the last few seconds was at its completion, and all he needed to do was to target his opponent. Unfortunately, Shin''s cosmic wings made the job all too difficult. Not to mention, there was an element of uncertainty when it came to Shin''s new ability. ''Those wings should be his Spirit Venerate ability¡­ I''d never heard of Shin creating butterfly wings before,'' Lukman instantly deduced the true nature of the uncertain variable. ''Though I don''t know what ability it has, I doubt it would be any weaker than his other broken spiritual abilities. I guess I''ll have to play it safe!'' The desert vortex grew ten times bigger than it was before with Lukman''s single thought. Winds that ripped through the sky at speeds that would uproot mountains took over the atmosphere, blowing all types of debris from the sandy surface beneath. In no time at all, fifteen humongous tornados, filled to the brim with Lukman''s own created sand, took over Kjlose Yard. It looked like an armageddon had just descended upon the poor Land of Dreams, tearing up much of the natural surface, or what little that was left of it. Lukman had shifted his tactics. If he couldn''t find Shin when he was shrouded by Space-Elements, the Prince of Sand would blow the entire battlefield away. No matter how elusive Shin was, there was no feasible way that the man could evade a wide-area attack such as the sandstorm apocalypse that Lukman was unleashing. Tearing winds seared through the sandy plains, and encroached on Shin''s location at blinding speeds. In just a few moments, the skies would become the Prince of Sand''s domain, and Shin would be forced to ground himself. However, at the bottom, numerous whirlpools in the sand were lying in wait. Once Shin landed, Lukman''s created terrain would wreak more havoc than the Prince of Water could bear. The skies weren''t safe, the ground wasn''t safe. There was nowhere that Shin could evade to, which left the man with one option. To face the staggering attack upfront and risk his body being ripped to shreds. Or so that was what Lukman thought¡­ "..." Shin stood still, allowing the rapid winds to inch closer and closer towards his vulnerable body. Though Shin has cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement and had the defence of a fortified dome, the Prince of Sand''s cataclysm would unquestionably force Shin to shed a limb or two. However, the man wasn''t perturbed. His eyes never left Lukman''s protective sphere. They were wholly focused on one point, even as the tornados were at his doorstep. The spectators looked on in horror, not knowing if Shin had just given up and accepted his fate. Some weak-willed individuals even looked away, unwilling to watch the bloodshed that was about to occur. Though, Kanari didn''t share the same worries as the rest of them. She had utter faith in her husband, particularly since she''d seen what the cosmic wings were capable of. Holding her chin high, the Princess waited in anticipation to see her husband carry himself to victory. Shin remained unmoving, even as the tornados were just five metres away from ripping his head off his body. He could feel the blistering winds picking on his scaly exterior all while sand entered into his eyes, ears and nostrils. It was getting hard to withstand the pressure from Lukman''s attack, but Shin didn''t have to hold still for much longer. It was now¡­ The perfect time to strike. ''Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ NOW!!!'' In a blink of an eye, the cosmic wings behind Shin glimmered like the patch of the night sky, and an astral sound echoed out. If not for the staggering whirlwinds that shrouded Shin''s image, Lukman may have picked out the strange phenomenon and pulled back his attack. However, the Prince of Sand had committed his all, and therefore, wasn''t able to see that Shin had disappeared from the place he was meant to be. Slamming his palms together, Lukman willed his final sandstorm to wreak havoc in Shin''s prior location, and the fifteen tornados slammed into one another. The Sahara Desert had its fair share of sandstorms during its day, but even it hadn''t faced a sandy catastrophe quite like this. Winds tore through everything that laid before its path as sand rained down from the heavens like meteor showers crashing onto the planet. Any being, be it a cultivator or a Spirit Beast, would find it impossible to withstand the pressure from all fronts and crumble to the attack, and Shin was no exception. His Celestial Dragon Avatar could only protect him from so much and against that worldly disaster, there was nothing much that Shin could do but pray for a quick death. Fortunately, the Prince of Water didn''t have to face that attack head-on¡­ Why? As Lukman''s final attack settled, time came straight to a halt. The immense spiritual energies that the Prince of Sand spewed out faded away rapidly and the blistering whirlwinds calmed. There was not much action left in Kjlose Yard, except the falling particles of sand which trickled down like harmless snow. Many of the spectators opened their eyes, assuming that Shin''s body had been torn apart and heaps of blood and flesh would be raining down from his original position. However, instead of the gory scene that they''d all expected, there was nothing there. In the meantime, within Lukman''s sand sphere... "Y-you¡­" The Prince of Sand''s eyes glazed, delirious and weakened. Blood trickled down the left side of his mouth, staining his clean and pristine robes. The sand sphere, now void of any mana, was melting away rapidly, allowing all of the onlookers to witness the perplexing scene which was unfolding within. Shin, which should have been utterly mauled by Lukman''s cataclysmic ability, was floating right in front of the Prince of Sand with a spear thrust directly into his belly. "H-how?" Lukman weakly worded out. All of his calculations were perfect. He''d even analysed all of Shin''s known abilities beforehand in preparation for the rematch. Yet, Shin had come out triumphant again. "I''d never told you my Spirit Venerate ability, right? Let me tell you then." Shin chuckled, leaning in close so that his lips were just an inch away from Lukman''s ears. "Teleportation." "A-Ah..." The Prince of Sand threw his head back in understanding. However, Lukman wasn''t in awe or anything. Instead, a wave of disappointment and sadness filled his weakened expression. "I see¡­ So¡­ You''ve abandoned your element." Chapter 659 - Elemental King (4) "Abandoned my element?" Shin shot a perplexed look down Lukman''s way. "What do you mean?" "No¡­ It''s nothing..." The Prince of Sand snorted and gripped the ice spear that had pierced through his abdomen. "Mind pulling this out of me? I''m not a healer like you, so I''ll probably die if I don''t receive treatment." "Ah, you don''t have to worry about that," Shin send a surge of mana into the spear and instantly turned it back into water. At the same time, Time-Elements dilated around the injured Lukman as Shin''s free hand waved around like a conductor at an orchestra. Stunned, the Prince of Sand watched in shock as his supposed injury closed up, and the pain subsided rapidly. Even his bloodied clothes reverted back to their original state. It was as if¡­ The spear had never pierced through Lukman in the first place. "Restoration¡­ I''d read about it, never thought that I would get to experience it in person," Lukman dazed over. "It even converted my clothes and mana back to normal¡­ As expected as the history''s premier healing ability." The Prince of Sand sighed, averting his eyes from Shin''s vision. All around him, the world was converted to sand. Sand particles reigned supreme in the skies while the ground was literally a desert. By all accounts, Lukman was the winning party. He controlled the battlefield and towered over Shin for the past few minutes. Yet, just one ability from Shin was able to break it all down. "I guess you''re no longer the Prince of Water, huh? Using the Space and Time-Elements to this degree¡­ If I''m not wrong, the Celestial Dragon is also capable of manipulating Light and Mind Elements... Perhaps it''s more fitting to call you the Elemental King." Lukman gave a snide remark. "Elemental King? You flatter me," Shin shook his head regretfully. "I''m just a man that wants to rid the world of the Black Masks. Gaining a few additional skills mean nothing to me if the Black Masks still terrorise us." "How noble of you," Lukman scoffed, turning his head away from Shin. That act greatly perturbed Shin for some reason. The Prince of Sand was normally an upbeat and friendly individual. Humble in defeat and wise in victory. He was never one to feel bitter at losing a battle and would even go out of his way to help his opponent improve. That was what happened back in the Summit, where Lukman actually took some time to guide Shin much to his elder''s dismay. However, Lukman wasn''t even looking Shin in the eye now. He was solemn and bitter, a mood that was completely unlike the Prince of Sand. "Lukman, is something bothering you?" Never one to mince his words, Shin directly confronted the Prince of Sand. "Are you that affected by your defeat? I''m a Spirit Venerate, so it''s only natural that you''re at a disadvantage. You don''t have to worry, no one would belittle the Tuareg Sect just because you lost to me." "No, that''s not it¡­ I knew from the start that I wasn''t your match, Shin." The Prince of Sand heaved a big sigh, his eyes shifting from side to side. Deep down, he was uncertain if he should share everything with the now crowned Elemental King. Alas, just like Shin, Lukman could only wear his heart on his sleeve. "Fine¡­ Let me tell you the truth. I proposed this sparring bout with you not to determine who grew the most or whatsoever. I never even thought of beating you. Tuareg Sect, Kori Federation, honour¡­ None of that mattered for our bout. All I wanted to do¡­ Was to compare notes about our elements." "Huh?" Visibly perplexed, Shin tilted his head as the pair floated down upon the sandy dunes beneath their feet. "My Sand-Element is a unique variant, one that has never been perfected in the past, even with the long history of the Tuareg Sect. I had been training for over three decades now, and it came to a point where I''d got stuck on how to improve my Sand-Element." The Prince of Sand looked lost as he recollected the hardsh.i.p.s he''d gone through over the past few years. "During my coming-of-age journey, I''d ventured into many ancient ruins in the Sahara Desert, hoping to find any relics or tomes that may possess some insights about the Sand-Elements. However, nothing I tried worked out. The libraries I visited in the Kori Federation didn''t help, the Himmel Empire records didn''t help. Nothing I read had anything that I could use to improve my control over the Sand-Element." "..." Shin stood there silently, watching wave after wave of frustration hit the Prince of Sand. "However, I persevered. I came up with innovative ways to control sand, combining them with the Wind-Elements, compressing them into diamonds, adding new techniques to use sand¡­ Even making sand rain like snow! In the end, I came up with as many abilities as I could, but ultimately, I hit a bottleneck." "..." "Should this continue, I would unquestionably fail the second barrier of mortality, and I''ll be doomed to remain as a Spirit Emperor for the rest of my life. It''s really frustrating..." Lukman spat. "But then I remembered¡­ There was someone else that mirrors my position. Someone that uses one element and is innovative enough to comprehend new abilities from it. I''d thought that if it were him, perhaps he''ll show new abilities that would make me inspired. New abilities that would help me push through this bottleneck... I''m sure you know who I''m talking about..." "I see," Shin dropped his shoulders, understanding why Lukman looked so bitter now. "You wanted to learn how I manipulated water to its perfect state and learn from it. However, since I took a different path, you''re disappointed and angry." "Hearing you word it out does make me sound petty." Falling to his bum, Lukman reached into his jacket and took out a cigar. Two sand tendrils seeped out from the back of his ears and snapped at the tip of the cigar, causing enough friction to light it up instantly. "Prince of Water, oh, Prince of Water¡­ I guess you can''t be called by that title now, huh?" "T-that..." Shin dropped his jaw. That was right¡­ After evolving his Sovereign Koi to the Celestial Dragon, Shin had lost touch with the Water-Element. Focusing on the other prime elements, Shin had become more proficient with the other four elements than his original one. It has also been a long time since Shin relied on his first and truest spiritual ability. "I guess¡­ You could say that..." "Hah, looks like I''m the only Elemental Prince now." Lukman threw his head back while puffing out one more ounce of agonising smoke. History would record today as the day where the Prince of Sand lost to the Prince of Water, with the latter coming out as the Elemental King. However, little did they know that¡­ The Prince of Water was the one who truly lost that day. Chapter 660 - All The Ch.i.p.s Are Gathered (1) The Neutral Lands. The New Land of Dreams. Alliance Headquarters. Days had passed since Shin took on the Prince of Sand in a secret sparring bout just a few kilometres away from the Alliance Headquarters. Bit by bit, the congregations sent by the three superpowers turned up, each one bearing a wealth of resources and elite manpower. The New Land of Dreams, which was built to hold an army over a hundred thousand strong, was now being packed as their accommodations started to run thin. Houses were built by the thousands, and weapons were mass-produced with jaw-dropping efficiency. Aether cars replacing the traditional horse carriages and lamps were being powered by the Paradise Heart generators. Reinforced bunkers with force field protecting them from any aerial assault had become the norm and most surprising of all¡­ Many floating Payircis surrounded the New Land of Dreams, imitating the Tree of Darkness'' impregnable force field. All of a sudden, the New Land of Dreams morphed into the most technologically advanced city there was, drawing awe from any who stepped foot into the land. Engineers and developers from each superpower took notes at how advanced the Alliance Headquarters had come and were eagerly waiting for the war to end so that they could deploy these assets for themselves. However, for those that were participating in the war, their excitement wasn''t as defined as their fellow peers. Deus Citadel, the Alliance''s best advantage against the Black Masks, was anchored just a few kilometres south from the New Land of Dreams. Protected by the defensive Payircis that the Blacksmith''s League had developed, the floating fortress was the most ideal place for the top executives of the Alliance to gather. And therefore... "Are we all gathered?" A bulky man seated at the corner of the highest chambers yawned. "Not yet," Alliance Head Raphael replied a negative. "The Kori Federation''s Saint Lyndis Virdove and Lantis Republic''s Saint Shenshe Zemin hasn''t arrived yet." "No, we can proceed without Lyndis." An elderly man with sharp sword eyebrows and a ferocious glint in his eyes interjected. He glanced over at the other old man wearing red garbs who was seated next to the Himmel Ancestor. Sensing his gaze, the fellow Spirit Saint shot Saint Geom a friendly smile. At that moment, all of the executives finally realised what was up. The three superpowers had been squabbling like chickens for thousands of years now. It wasn''t strange for their Spirit Saints to have beef with one another. Saint Firebird and Saint Lyndis were no exception to that rule. Though not many knew about their turbulent past, many among the executives consisting of Spirit Saints and leaders of their factions did. "Saint Lyndis doesn''t really like crowds¡­" Saint Geom continued. "Also, there is a need for her to settle down the Kori Federation''s troops." "I believe so." Saint Firebird nodded, secretly glad that the matriarch of the Emei Church had failed to show. Then, the old man quickly turned his attention to the Lantis Republic''s side, abrupting changing the conversation. "What about the Saint of Poisons?" "Saint Zemin is meditating after observing the peculiar powers shrouding the Tree of Darkness." Shin quickly replied, obliging Saint Firebird''s hidden request. "She won''t be attending this meeting as well." "Then I guess we''re all gathered!" Once again, Saint Thor slammed his fists on the table, drawing nods from all the executives'' faces. "Alliance Head, let''s get this over with. The sooner we get that dastardly tree out from the backdrop, the sooner we can go back to our peaceful lives!" "Agreed!" Not a single voice came out in contention against the Blacksmith''s League Spirit Saint. How long has it been since nine Spirit Saints and a plethora of Spirit Venerates gathered against one enemy? Possibly never. Once the Black Masks and the Allfather were eradicated, the world could go back to the way things were. Without the threat of constant death from the Allfather. "Fine, let''s start." Alliance Head Raphael smiled. He turned around and pointed out the glass window at the towering Tree of Darkness. "For the past few days, the Alliance and Guardian Sword had been surveying and investigating Mythpoint Reach, as well as that tree that had taken over the former trade hub and we have come up with the following conclusions." Raphael gestured towards his subordinates, who later faithfully placed some doc.u.ments in front of all the leaders. It didn''t matter if they were Spirit Saints or high-ranking members of their governments, they were all carefully examining every word given by the intelligence reports as if they were engrossed in a book. Well, all save one member. One silver-haired man folded his arms in akimbo, smiling with shifting his gaze between everyone gathered at the round table, which greatly perturbed the man seated next to him. "Isadore? Aren''t you going to read it?" Shin questioned the head of his Hall of Whispers, who was busy looking at the reactions of all the executives. "Why should I read it? I wrote the damn thing!" Isadore bragged, holding his chin up. "I bet none of them has ever read an intelligence report this comprehensive before. Hehehe¡­ I can already smell the money..." The Master of the Hall of Whispers eagerly watched the elites in the room, waiting in earnest to see their reactions. From a young age, Isadore''s dream was to establish the world''s greatest intelligence agency, one that surpassed that of his Himmel Empire''s Spion or any other. After years of struggle and millions of gold ingots spend, Isadore had managed to do just that with the Hall of Whispers, Guardian Sword''s exclusive intelligence agency. In fact, the Hall of Whispers methods were so advanced and complicated that it made the director of Spion cry with jealousy once. There was no doubt in Isadore''s mind that once the war was over, the Hall of Whispers would turn into the world''s most profitable intelligence agency and having the top executives of the world sample its capabilities was the perfect marketing tool. "Where did you learn that from¡­ Ah, you don''t have to tell me." Shin snorted, turning his attention away from the grinning silver prince. Isadore may be the best talent when it came to collecting intel, but his business ac.u.men was subpar at best. However, Guardian Sword consisted of more than one transcendental talent¡­ "Yeap, Elrin laid out the plan for Guardian Sword to thrive post the Black Masks! We''ll be rich, Shin!" "Of course it''s that imp..." Shin rolled his eyes, though not chiding Isadore in the slightest. How could he blame Elrin when she was thinking about the benefit of their organisation? Furthermore, if everything goes as planned, Guardian Sword would become the premier organisation for Shin and the rest to seek refuge in, regardless of their affiliations. ''Whatever, let''s just focus on the ch.i.p.s we''ve gathered.'' Chapter 661 - All The Ch.i.p.s Are Gathered (2) The high executives of the Alliance all flipped through the intelligence reports, taking in every single detail that the Hall of Whispers had found. Nothing was left to the imagination as the near thousand-page report detailed everything that was happening around the Tree of Darkness. The Umbras that plagued the area, what were the most dangerous spots and even aerial images of the Eight Payircis guarding the enigmatic tree. "This is quite the report," Saint Atossa, former head of the Mercenary Guild, remarked. "There are even markings of where possible hidden tunnels are. Successor of Idun, you''ve done a remarkable job." "No, it''s nothing." Isadore shook his head, denying the Spirit Saint''s high praise. A few seats to the right, the Himmel Ancestor stared back at his silver-haired protege, holding a neutral face that was neither smiling or frowning. Though, if one looked carefully, they would notice the slight arc curling upwards. "Yes, the Hall of Whispers has done a fantastic job detailing the Tree of Darkness. Without them, we would be going into the fight blind." Alliance Head Raphael continued to shower down praise at Isadore''s brilliance. "For security reasons, none of these doc.u.ments can leave this room. I believe we all remember what happened to the Heigui Clan just a few weeks back." All eyes darted towards the side of the Lantis Republic, which was represented proudly by their Prince and Saint of Time. Folding her arms, Longyu Tian didn''t seem all that perturbed by the piercing gazes. Instead, with a bitter sigh, the black-haired woman bowed her head. "We''re ashamed¡­ If we had paid a little more attention, perhaps we could have prevented the Saint of Shell''s betrayal." If it were any other day, any disrespect towards the Lantis Republic would have been sorely punished by Longyu Tian and her Golden Sovereign Koi. Alas, it was the Lantis Republic''s oversight that had fed yet another Spirit Saint to the Black Masks. Not only that, but he''d also taken all of the Alliance''s vital intelligence over, possibly tipping the odds in the Allfather''s favour. Longyu Tian''s face tightened, and the wrath that had been hidden from the Alliance members surged up into her eyes. Those not in the Spirit Saint realm felt their spines turn cold and goosebumps could be seen on all of their arms. The Saint of Time wasn''t using any mana or exerting any spiritual pressure. What brought their souls to heel was just good old fashioned¡­ killing intent. "But you shall rest assured¡­ The Lantis Republic will do everything in our power to right this wrong. We will personally deliver that traitor''s head to the Alliance Table on a silver platter, before serving it as a sacrifice for our sunken comrades." That cold permeating pressure forced many in the room to swallow a gry gulp. Even mighty combat Spirit Saints like Saint Geom or Saint Thor could hardly handle the pressure from the Saint of Time. "S-Sure..." Alliance Head Raphael turned his head away and coughed, abruptly changing the subject. "When you''re in the chambers, you''re free to analyse this report as much as you want. However, let me just brief you on the most important finds that we''ve found." The red-haired man flipped through the pages of the thick binder, only stopping when he was at the middle of the pack. "There are two major points that we''ve figured out about the Black Masks'' base. Firstly, unlike the Payircis and Deus Citadel, the tree at the centre isn''t a pure physical object. Many of our observers, the majority of them holding astral eyes that can analyse the true nature of objects, concluded that the tree is a manifestation of a Spirit." "Manifestation of a Spirit? You mean like an avatar?" Deputy Prime Minister Venus from the Kori Federation raised her brows while a question flowed out her mouth. "No," Raphael replied in solemn. "It''s not an avatar. It absorbs spiritual energies and creates mana just like any other Spirit. Because it''s summoned, the Darkness-Elements had taken over the entire land, as you can see from the darkened skies and lifeless fields that it created. We''re guessing that the tree is the Allfather''s own Spirit sprouted with the help of some peculiar spiritual energy." "So it''s a Spirit summon¡­" That one fact caused many of the elites in the room to suck in their breaths. Summoning out one''s Spirit was the most basic thing that a cultivator could do. Any child who had undergone the Spirit Awakening Ceremony would instinctively know how to summon out their Spirit and manifest it in the material plane. However, most Spirit summons had their limits. See, Spirits utilise mana, a resource that was far from infinite any Spirit Users. Especially if the cultivator was in a higher realm. A Spirit Saint would spend a thousand times more mana just to keep their Spirits in the material plane as compared to a mere Spirit Practitioner. Even Shin, with his near bottomless ocean of mana, was unable to keep the Celestial Dragon summoned for extended periods of time. If Shin really wanted to stretch it, perhaps he could keep the Celestial Dragon in the material plane for a week at most. But the Allfather had the Tree of Darkness out for months now¡­ And that''s excluding the time it was out in the Abyss. "Yes, it is. And it defies all common sense," Raphael frowned. The Allfather was an outlier that lived alongside the most aberrant of weirdos, Spirit Immortal Dream. Hence, it wasn''t surprising that he''d developed strange spiritual abilities. His long lifespan, bestowing mana upon Spirit Beasts and Spirit Users, his all-knowing attributes¡­ The Allfather was an enigma through and through. So much so that the Alliance had quickly become numb to all the surprises he brought. "That tree is the Allfather''s Spirit. Striking it normally won''t deal any damage to it. If we''re to take it down, we have to find the Allfather''s main body first." Raphael explained the main challenge when it came to the Tree of Darkness. "For that, we''ll need more probing. Possibly with Spirit Users that can observe things from afar. I hope that you''ll go through your list of available elites and dispatch them accordingly." "Of course!" All of the leaders nodded unanimously. "Great, now for the next major detail in the report." Raphael turned the pages once more, directing the members of the roundtable to the third last section. Images of Payircis were reflected upon the pages. They were protected by the dense force field that the Allfather had created using the remnant technologies from Spirit Immortal Dream''s era. The report also detailed what kind of attacks were used against the energy barrier to hopefully test its weaknesses. Physical attacks, elemental attacks¡­ even mental attacks. Data, no matter how big or small were being detailed down in that report. However, none of the leaders present were interested in the minute details. What they were looking for¡­ was at the very last page of the section. "This is!" Saint Geom gaped, his face torn in between shock and joy. And who could blame him? All of the other leaders were in a similar mood after browsing through that one section. Of the eight Payircis, only four were lit up with pure white energy flowing through its veins. The other four were as dim as an abandoned lighthouse that had been left to rot on their remote cliffs. There were many among the leaders that remembered when the combined force of Saint Geom, Firebird, Longyu Tian, Thor, Atossa and Althea failed to breach that force field. It didn''t matter if they had the world''s greatest striker, Saint Geom on their side. The barrier was as still as a rock when the combined forces of six Spirit Saints tried to penetrate through it. However, that was when all eight of the Payircis were fully functional. Now that half of it had been crippled... "Yes," Raphael smiled. "We''ve found the way into Mythpoint Reach." Chapter 662 - Light Vs Dark (1) The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. A Hundred Kilometres south of the Tree of Darkness. The Tree of Darkness'' reappearance had triggered some major changes in Mythpoint Reach, mainly environmental. Thousands of trees and endless plains of grass and moss had been wiped clean and were replaced by dark, rocky lands. Void of life and filled to the brim with Darkness-Elements, Mythpoint Reach had become a nesting ground for Umbras to spawn, all while they were powered by the eight Payircis floating overhead. The warmth of morning had been masked, leaving only the chill of a never-ending night. Though, there was no moon or heavenly stars. Just plain black clouds that blocked all semblance of light from the Neutral Lands. An ocean was the best place to find water elements. A volcano would breed fire. A cave would bring earth. It was the balance of the natural world. Some places were hotbeds for certain elements to thrive. However, as Shin and the Alliance were nearing the epicentre of Mythpoint Reach, all they could feel were Darkness-Elements. It didn''t matter if they were in the sky, on the earth or underground. The Darkness-Element reigned supreme. Kanari groaned, not at all pleased with the putrid atmosphere. "That Allfather bastard¡­ How dare he do this to Mythpoint Reach!" "He''s a bastard alright¡­ That''s why we''re going to hunt him down," Ella swung her Ice Bow once, sending glitters at subzero temperatures flying. Ella was no longer the simple teenage archer that everyone knew. Throughout her years serving as a founding member of the Hall of Hunts, Ella had grown exponentially, particularly in the combat front. Her Ice Bow had evolved twice, after each bottleneck she passed. Ella''s trusted Spirit was now about a metre and a half long, with icy tree roots reaching out to each corner. The crystalline bowstring was now basically invisible, not allowing any of Ella''s prey to view when it was pulled. However, the most drastic change to the Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter was the dense killer aura that she produced. Her eyes had turned to that of a seasoned hunter that killed over a million beasts. Once, Ella stared her target in the eye, and he froze like a stunned deer in lights, giving the archer an easy kill. "Finally, we''re going to finish this war..." By Ella''s side, a gorgeous woman who bore a similar face to her heaved out a relieved sigh. "All the years of suffering from Junius¡­ It will finally end now." Emma held her Ice Bow in a more reserved position, watching the distant Tree of Darkness with eyes of hope rather than anger. If Ella grew, there was no way that her twin sister would trail far behind. While Ella was fueled by the death of Shizen to continuously improve, Emma''s desire was much more benign. The Glacial Fairy Markswoman wanted to see peace, and she had taken her growth in that similar direction. Emma''s Ice Bow had evolved as well, though not in the pure offensive way that her twin sister''s had. Two dove wings spread out from the central point of her bow and a gentle aura pulsated out from its core. The string was woven out of pure white feathers, with supportive essence seeping out from its very being. In the beginning, the twins had Spirits that were as similar as can be. However, as they had grown, their personalities had influenced how the Ice Bows had evolved. One was for the hunt, the other¡­ for the people. "Yes, we can finally avenge all those that had lost their lives to the Black Masks." The white-haired woman standing behind all of them frowned. "Himmel, Kori, Lantis¡­ It all doesn''t matter now. Once that tree falls, all that remains will be our laughter." "Elrin..." Emma glanced back at her fellow auxiliary mate. The Zedcris Conglomerate heir didn''t seem an age above twenty; still the same height and wearing the exact same fresh expression as the first time they''d met. However, the same couldn''t be said about what''s inside that petite young woman. Elrin had been managing Guardian Sword''s Hall of Gold, but that didn''t mean she skimped on training. In fact, Elrin surpassed the twins when it came to cultivation, peaking at Rank 64. Ella, Emma and Isadore were either Rank 61 and 62. If they didn''t count the two oddities that were Shin and Kanari, Elrin had the highest cultivation among the Heroes! And that was just considering their cultivation levels. Elrin''s Rosary of Eternity was considered to be the most premier of treasure-type Spirits, which support abilities that could make any auxiliary Spirit User cry out in envy. Now that Elrin was a Spirit King, there was no questioning the effectiveness of her abilities. If push comes to shove, the darling daughter of Zedcris was capable of boosting Shin''s Celestial Dragon as well! "Let''s not get carried away for now. We should focus on the task at hand," Shin paused his companions'' wild thoughts, directing them to the mission they had to complete. "Isadore, you''re the mastermind, what''s the plan?" "Thought you wouldn''t ask." Isadore smiled before pointing towards the desolate ground below. Hundreds of bodies, weapons, armours were littered all over, with Umbras walking the grounds. Given that there was a battle just a few weeks back when the Tree of Darkness came out from the Abyss, it wasn''t surprising to see that much death and destruction. Though, there was one oddity. "See those markers? The spears that are standing out?" "Yeah?" "They show the path that we have to take to the Payirci." Isadore elaborated. "In Mythpoint Reach, the Umbras are the second most deadly thing that we have to look out for. Traps are far more dangerous, to be honest. Ground traps, aerial traps, buried traps¡­ I can''t count the number of operatives that got injured just to identify them all. Anyway, we''ve found the safest path to our designated Payirci. One void of traps and has minimal Umbras standing in our way." "I see," Shin nodded. "What about our escape route?" "Secured," two voices echoed behind one another. Elyse and Fionn, the two pillars supporting Isadore in the Hall of Whispers, said out loud. Elyse, the one closest to Shin from young, took a step forward and declared: "Brother Shin, once you''ve conquered the Payirci, a vacuum tunnel will be opened for you. And don''t worry, we have more than one method of extracting you all safely. So rest assured and attack the Payirci with all you''ve got." "Haha, I knew I could count on you," Shin beamed in delight. After the meeting of the higher-ups, it was determined that the Alliance would strike at all four of the vulnerable spot simultaneously. The Kori Federation and their Spirit Saints would take the western one. The Lantis Republic, the eastern Payirci. The Himmel Empire the southern one and finally¡­ Guardian Sword will attack from the north. They would charge their way through the weakened spots in the barrier and hopefully take down the disabled Payirci, breaking down the barrier and giving way for the main force of the Alliance to raid the Tree of Darkness. Naturally, many felt that it was too dangerous to send Guardian Sword alone without the support of any Spirit Saints. After all, should they meet a Primordial Beast, they would run the risk of a complete wipeout. Hence, to reassure the worrywarts, Shin fielded Guardian Sword''s entire force. Zishen, the Azure Dragon Lord in charge of the Hall of Guardians, will lead the frontlines. Lady Seraphim, the Master of the Hall of Science and Lady Bingying, the Master of the Hall of Hunts were both taking care of the rear, protecting the main force from any Umbras that may threaten their advance. And finally, who could forget the main force? Shin would personally lead all of his elites, who all have a decade''s worth of experience taking down Payircis, to raid the northen front. Kanari Saniela, the Witch of the South and the Master of the Hall of Diplomacy. Isadore Himmel, the Himmel Spear and the Master of the Hall of Whispers. Elrin Zedcris, the Divine Merchant and Master of the Hall of Gold. And finally, the Icy Bow twins, master huntswomen and part of the original seven Heroes that shook the world. Six of the most prodigious talents of their generation would be leading the charge, with many more elites from Guardian Sword following close behind. Suji Lasgeor, Natasha Aldana, Danroy Frithron, Qilong Hu, Jingyu Taiyi, Longyu Linji, Xunyu Feifei, Kim Haeun, Sierra Glynrel¡­ These were some of the names that followed Guardian Sword into combat, many of them great talents of their own superpower. And yet, they were fighting under one banner. That one banner that represented the unity of all humanity, to free themselves from the suffering and pain caused by their universal enemy. "Let''s chop that tree down." Chapter 663 - Light Vs Dark (2) Void of light, the path towards the northern Payrici suffered from low visibility and endless peril. None of the Guardian Sword members needed to illuminate a light to feel the vast amounts of Umbras that plagued the land. Given how the Hall of Whispers had even detailed a good number of traps, it would be suicidal for any of them to charge forward without a plan. Fortunately for them, they had the apex king of analysis by their side. "Team Alpha, move into position. Team Beta, wait for my signal." Shin gave the order. The Celestial Dragon''s aura was radiating out spiritual energy, ensuring that none of the traps Isadore had signalled out were about to set off. By his side, Ella and Emma had activated their hawk eyes, giving Shin a sniper''s view about the path his men were taking. "Any irregularities?" Shin turned to Emma and asked. "Nope, all clear," Emma replied with a smile. "I''m actually quite astonished¡­ Not only were there no traps, but the Umbra count is also staggeringly low. Are you sure this isn''t a trap?" Ever the sceptic, the master huntswoman turned to Shin with cynical eyes. Shin shook his head, chuckling at Emma''s conjecture. "Isadore marked it with Fionn and Elyse confirming it for themselves. You should know how thorough they are." "Yeah, but..." "Even if it was a trap, I have confidence in the Hall of Whisper''s ability to bail us out." The Leader of Guardian Sword bared his teeth, turning his eyes towards the three faces watching from the ground. Isadore was giving out the orders while Fionn assisted him from the side. Elyse, on the other hand, was acting all on her own. She was preparing the escape route for Guardian Sword with her fifteen faithful subordinates in tow. Watching what a well-oiled machine the trio had become brought a tear to Shin''s eye. The Hall of Whispers had long become an elite organisation that could easily branch away from Guardian Sword if they wanted to. It was the manifestation of Isadore''s dream, the very same one that he had since he was the prince locked inside a palace. ''What about my dream?'' Shin wondered to himself. To enter the Immortal Realm was no easy feat. Even the Lady of Water, the Celestial Dragon''s prior host, wasn''t able to take that final step. Furthermore, there was something innate that was bugging Shin. Yes, Shin was powerful. Strong enough to take on Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts. With his latest spiritual ability, Shin might be able to give the Allfather a run for his money as well. However, recently, Shin felt that his progression was inadequate. Something was screaming inside him... Screaming that it wasn''t enough. Then, Lukman''s words resonated within his mind. ''So¡­ You''ve abandoned your element...'' The duel with the Prince of Sand had ended with Shin''s resounding victory. A win that unquestionably placed Shin at the apex as the Elemental King. Yet, Shin felt hollow. He felt that there was a hole ripped apart from his heart and each time he thought about Lukman''s words, the hole became bigger and bigger. It seemed like¡­ He was missing something. ''Whatever, let''s just take down the Allfather first.'' Shin shook his head, steering his thoughts away from matters that he couldn''t solve. What Shin could do was conquering the Payirci that stood in front of him. After all, it was Guardian Sword''s bread and butter before the final battle. Slowly but surely, the first wave of Guardian Sword elites made their way through the well-marked route without any hassle. Of the hundred elites from Guardian Sword that were participating in the raid, seventy of them had made it through safe and sound. They were just inches away from the massive door that separated them from the Paradise Heart and weakening the barrier. "Almost all of them had made it through," Ella remarked. Turning her eyes back to Shin, the master archer said: "It''s about time that we move." "Yes... Kanari! Elrin! Isadore! Come over here!" Shin barked. Three beams of light flashed up towards the floating Shin all surrounding him within seconds. The original six heroes had assembled, each one battle-hungry and ready to go. Shin closed his eyes, peering deep into his inner psyche. Vast amounts of Space-Elements rose to the surface, and they slowly manifested themselves into two distinct, butterfly wings behind Shin''s back. Though they were of a physical form, it seemed like the wings held the entire night''s sky within their small surface area, all while Space-Elements glittered down from them like stardust. "Ready?" "Ready!" Anticipating the call, all five of them shouted back with conviction. The moment the words left their mouths, their vision became blurred as the scenery around them morphed into something else entirely. Ella and Emma, the most sensitive ones among them, closed their eyes and shut their senses. On the other hand, the other three were as awake as can be. They personally watched as Shin''s cosmic butterfly wings enveloped their bodies like a mother bear hugging its cub, and watched as their spatial coordinates changed in an instant. "Uerrghhh!!!" Ella hurled, not able to stop her nausea. Emma was in a similar state. Pinching her nose, the bob-haired twin tried her best not to turn into Spitting Beauty. But it was turning out to be harder than she''d thought. "Teleportation¡­ I can never get used to this..." Ella cursed right after she emptied her breakfast. "Later on, I''m taking the vacuum tunnel back. I can''t deal with that ability anymore." "Haha, sure thing." Shin beamed. Although his Spirit Venerate ability could call out the power of five Old Titans, Shin decided to reveal only one of them. The teleportation ability that was granted to him by the Space Titan. He''d even hid it from all of his close associates, including Kanari and the high-ranking members of Guardian Sword and the Alliance. After Saint Heigui''s betrayal, Shin started to doubt many of the elites that stood by his side. No one knew where the next traitor was going to come from, and Shin wanted to keep his new abilities a secret for now. Thus, the whole world mistakenly thought that Shin had only learnt teleportation as his ninth spiritual ability. Little did they know that there were four other equally powerful abilities lying in wait. While the twins were still recovering from the retching, the final members of Guardian Sword made their crossing. Suji, the one leading them all, took to the front and saluted Shin in earnest. "Team Alpha and Beta have made it through! We''re ready to attack!" "Good!" Shin smiled, putting both his hands on the heavy doors. Guardian Sword had hunted Payircis for about a decade now, and Shin roughly knew what to expect after he opened those doors. However, as the stone gates opened up, an odd chill crept down Shin''s spine. "This is..." Chapter 664 - Light Vs Dark (3) "This is..." Shin held his arm out, stopping the advance of his fellow companions. He placed one foot into the Payirci, taking some time to observe the insides. Guardian Sword had taken down dozens of Payircis, and they knew better than anyone that each Payirci had their own unique feature. Some of them looked like gloomy dungeons with grey walls and dead moss falling from the ceiling. Others had verdant fields with lush trees and smooth, natural smells that would make one question their senses. There were even a select few that were completely aquatic in nature. However, as Shin stepped foot into the Payirci, he could feel his skin crawl and his inner being felt completely laid bare. There was nothing of note within the Payirci¡­ As if it had been cleaned out by a horde of locusts. Lack of elemental energies¡­ Lack of lifeforms¡­ All that it had was smooth grey walls that made it rather gloomy to be in. "There''s nothing here?" Shin thought out loud. He placed one hand on the floor, sending out a simple surge of energy to probe the surroundings. It was common for a Payirci to take the form of a dungeon, but this was bizarre, even by the Black Masks'' standards. Frowning, the muscle man exclaimed: "Now this is really looking more and more like a trap." "No, it might not be only that..." Isadore stroked his hairless chin. "Remember the information that Kin and Gin shared with us? The one about each of the Payircis being a tower for the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts?" "Yeah, what about it?" "Kin and Gin have left the Black Masks, voiding their connection to the Allfather. Momo the Moon Rabbit and Midori, the Gargantuan Treant, had passed on. Which means that four Payircis suddenly turned ownerless." Isadore laid out his hypothesis for all to hear. "Based on their testimonies, each Payirci was meant to be a labyrinth based on its owner''s element. Midori would have a forest in his Payirci, Kin would have Golden Totems all around, and Gin would make his Payirci look like the Moon Valley¡­" "Ah, I see your point now." Shin nodded his head and stared at the empty walls ahead. "So this Payirci''s owner should be one of the four Noble Beasts that we''d taken down, huh? Without the constant elemental energies from its owner, it couldn''t sustain its altered form and reverted back to how it was built?" "Exactly," the Hall of Whispers Master nodded. "Though I can''t be completely certain. I believe that this Payirci was owned by either one of the four Noble Beasts we took out." "Then it should be convenient to take down then!" Suji slammed his Spirit on the floor, sending sparks flying all over the cold dungeon. "Leave the Paradise Heart to us, Shin! The Master of Guardian Sword should be sitting back, sipping tea! By the time you finish your first pot, the Payirci will be conquered!" All of the other Hunters raised their Spirits as if chanting in unison to Suji''s overbearing claim. Potent cultivators which had seen decades of war glared menacingly at the layered tower, waiting in earnest to run rampant and tear this object of evil down once and for all. "Don''t be too overconfident Suji," Shin rolled his eyes. "This is a Payirci that''s used to power the barrier protecting the Tree of Darkness. I''m certain that it''ll be more fortified than the others. I''ll be providing back-up support." "Hahaha, suit yourself!" Suji exploded into a fit of laughter before waving his war blade up. "My brothers and sisters! Let''s do this!" "ARGHHHH!!!" War cries echoed out within the solemn Payirci as all of Suji''s elites charged forward with him into battle, ignoring the helpless expressions of Shin and his companions. The bullet had been fired. There was no stopping them now. Like war dogs on the hunt, the elites charged up the Payirci, clearing the floors one room at a time. Traps, Umbras, Black Masks, be damned. Against the full might of Guardian Sword, it was only a matter of time before the Payirci fell, no matter what the Allfather threw at them. "Hah¡­ Suji''s moniker is really well-deserved..." Elrin chuckled as she watched the Son of War lead his army into battle. "Now I''m curious as to how the Lasgeor Family reigns him in. Once peace arrives, I doubt that he''ll have many chances to ride into battle as he does with Guardian Sword." "He''ll manage," Kanari beamed. "The Lasgeor Family had just sworn fealty to Highgarden. I can''t think of a better restrainer than my mother." "Ah¡­ They did?" Shin turned his head, only to meet his wife''s smiling eyes. "Of course! Our Saniela Family isn''t to be underestimated!" "Haha, yeah..." ''Like mother like daughter¡­ My mother-in-law is really a formidable force...'' Shin hid that thought in the recesses of his mind while he began his mission to take down the floating tower that protected the Allfather''s heart. ??? The Tree of Darkness. The Apex of the Tree. The Tree of Darkness. A physical manifestation of the Allfather''s Spirit and currently, the world''s most hated object. Thousands of cultivators, be it Spirit Saints or Spirit Practitioners, hated the dreaded withered tree that reached towards the heavens. It was the source of all the darkness in the Neutral Lands, and it was also the source of all the pain and suffering that had befallen upon the material plane. Ever since the Allfather created the Black Masks and launched his era of terror, the whole world had wanted to see the Tree of Darkness fall. It had long become the symbol of the suffering sustained by all mortals, whether they were young or old. Meanwhile, on the side of the Black Masks, the Tree of Darkness wasn''t the idol of terror that all mortals feared. Instead, it was the stairway to heaven that all living beings sought after. It didn''t matter if they were cultivators or Spirit Beasts, the Black Masks all joined the Allfather for one reason only¡­ To enter the Immortal Realm and gain eternal life. And the most esteemed location in the entire Tree of Darkness was naturally¡­ The very peak of it all, where they were just inches away from touching the sky. "Allfather, the Alliance had infiltrated our Payircis as we''d anticipated." A black-haired man bowed down to the hooded figure, who sat silently on his throne made of black wood. "It''s a four-pronged attack to take down the weakened Payircis and destroy our barrier¡­ Should we send the Brahmins to counterattack?" "There''s no need," a brooding voice came out from the covered hood. "The Alliance has more forces than we do. They are also far more superior in quality. If we send Brahmins over, we''ll just be sending them to their deaths without accomplishing anything." "So we let them take our Payircis?" "Yes," the Allfather replied with no emotion whatsoever. "They don''t matter anymore. Eventually, the Alliance will break our defences. The fact that we''ve delayed them this long is sufficient enough." "Allfather..." Kuro stared at his liege, bitterness creeping up his very heart. If he''d executed all of the Allfather''s plans to perfection, they wouldn''t be in such a one-sided situation. The Grand Scheme originally had the Allfather gaining Immortality with all Nine Coloured Noble Beasts with the world being plunged into a state of complete chaos. However, wedge after wedge had been thrown into the Allfather''s plans and the failures of the Black Masks were partially to blame. Of course, there was the unpredictable factor which was Shin Iofiel which had also ruined many of the Allfather''s plans thus far. "Should we at least kill that bastard?" "Who, Shin?" Kuro gave a succinct nod. "No Spirit Saints are protecting him. The Azure Dragon Lord''s ability to protect him is at a disadvantage due to our Payirci restrictions¡­ If I personally act with Shiro, just as we did with Saint Suhavis, I believe that I can kill him without any hassle. There won''t be a more perfect opportunity after this." "Haha, you''re underestimating Shin Iofiel, Kuro." The Allfather stifled a laugh, turning his attention to the northern Payirci where his nemesis was. "He''s much stronger now than he was before. If you want to successfully assassinate him without drawing any attention from the Spirit Saints, you''ll need to send all of our remaining Noble Beasts over." "You''re kidding..." "Kuro, I may be weakened, but I''m not blind." The Allfather sighed. "My ''Eyes of the Dark'' had been observing Shin ever since he''d made an impression on me. He''s recently advanced into the Spirit Venerate realm. By my calculations, his power should be on par with a Spirit Saint''s." "No way." "Yes, way." The hooded figure floated away from his throne and pointed to his finger to the north. "Not only that¡­ There''s something powerful pulsating out from his body. Something that I can''t quite put my finger on. I doubt that he''s just a Spirit Venerate that can fight against Spirit Saints and Primordial Beasts. There''s something else¡­ Something dangerous." "Still! Time and time again, he''s the one responsible for foiling our plans! If we leave him alive, there''s a chance that he''ll destroy our Heaven''s Gate!" "I know that..." The Allfather raised his arm, signalling for his trusted subordinate to keep hush. "He''s the most critical factor in our Grand Scheme. But he''s also my best shot at advancing through this stupid Rank 99 bottleneck." "Allfather..." "Leave him be." The Allfather''s voice boomed. "Once they conquered the final four Payircis, that''s when our final resistance begins. I suggest you get our men prepared for that instead." "I¡­ understand..." Chapter 665 - Light Vs Dark (4) "This is odd..." "Hmmm? What is?" Shin frowned while his wife gently held his warm, sturdy hands. As the top dogs of Guardian Sword, neither of them had to lift a single finger to attack the Payirci. They watched their subordinates conquer floor after floor with anxious eyes, not certain if their men would fail or not. However, thus far, the elites of Guardian Sword had been flying through the floors with little resistance. Yes, there were the odd hiccup where one fighter got injured, or one healer ran out of mana, but otherwise, it was a smooth-sailing conquest. And that was the strange part. "It''s far too easy." Shin grimaced as he''d never thought that he would say those arrogant words. "The Payircis we faced before were all of varying difficulties. Some of them are particularly tough, even when we field our entire force, while others could be cleared with one team. Though this Payirci isn''t the easiest one we''ve faced, it also isn''t the hardest. I would believe that a Payirci protecting the Tree of Darkness would be at least ten times more difficult than the other ones." "Far too easy? Hmmm, I guess you could say that''s the case." Kanari nodded as she recalled the first time she cleared a Payirci with Shin. Back then, Junius had used the Paradise Heart to bring them to the brink of annihilation. It was a memory that the Princess would never, ever forget, even if she were to be reincarnated into a frog. In comparison, this Payirci was really akin to that of a walk in the park. "But we''re all far stronger and more experienced with the Payircis. There''s no other organisation in the world that has more experience taking down Payircis other than Guardian Sword. Also, all of our best elites are here! You''re even supervising the whole thing! Is it possible that we''re making it look easier than it really is?" "Still..." Shin scratched his forehead. He could see his wife''s point. Guardian Sword really were far stronger than they originally were. Before, they would struggle just to clear one Payirci without sustaining any casualties. Now, it was common for them to breeze through one without even a single splinter on any of the participating elites'' bodies. "Given that it was a Payirci that was once housed by a Noble Beast, I would imagine that there would be more unexpected defences¡­ Guess I was wrong." Shin couldn''t remove that budding feeling of unease in his heart. He knew that the Tree of Darkness was the Black Masks'' final opportunity to reach the Immortal Realm. There was no way that it could be that undefended¡­ Right? "Shin! We found the Paradise Heart!" Just as the Guardian Sword Master thought that things couldn''t get any easier, Suji''s team sent a transmission that they''ve found the central core of all Payircis. If they destroyed the Paradise Heart, the Payirci would be rendered useless, and the barrier protecting the Tree of Darkness will fall. "That quickly?" "There''s no doubt about it!" Suji''s voice was trembling. Both in unease and excitement. Just like Shin, he felt that the difficulty of the Payirci was far too easy. However, why should anyone ignore a free meal when they were presented with it? It was possible that the Black Masks had run out of resources to defend this Payirci and allowed it to be run over without any hindrances. In fact, that was likely the case. Shin knew better than anyone how thinly stretched the Allfather''s forces were. Kin and Gin had given them all the information they needed after all. "The Payirci was lackl.u.s.tre, but the Paradise Heart is the real deal! This high concentration of spiritual energy that mirrors that of a Spirit Saint¡­ It must be the Paradise Heart, no question about it!" Suji continued his hysterical rant. "What should we do? Do you want to personally come and destroy it? Or should we take care of it for you instead?" "... I''ll leave it to you." Shin replied without much emotion. The grip on his wife''s hand tightened, as his head pivoted to the exit of the Payirci. Knowing her husband''s behaviours, Kanari instantly knew that Shin was thinking about moving elsewhere. "Shall we exit?" "Yes¡­ I want to see it with my own two eyes." Shin spat, his eyes burning with concern. "The Allfather isn''t one to make such a horrendous mistake. There are two possibilities for our situation. One, it''s a trap, and once the Paradise Heart is taken down, we would be met with an ambush that will wipe us out. And the second option..." "What?" "The second option is¡­ This Payirci doesn''t matter at all. Even if we destroy it, the barrier will remain intact. If it''s the former, then good. We can make an escape while delivering a heavy blow to the Allfather. If it''s the latter¡­ We''re in for some trouble." Kanari''s shoulders shuddered, realising the gravity of the situation now: "All our efforts will be washed down the drain." "Yes¡­ But let''s pray that it won''t come to that..." Shin frowned before he bunny leapt dozens of metres out into the open. It wasn''t long until the married couple were out of the Payirci, staring down at the single Tree of Darkness that towered over the entire Neutral Lands. "Suji should be destroying the Paradise Heart any moment now¡­ Let''s wait and see what happens." The pair held hands firmly, waiting for the exact moment where the Payirci would finally sink into the Abyss where it belonged. They waited and waited, and two minutes later¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The anticipated sound came. Hearing the explosion, Shin glanced back down and watched as the floating tower in the sky crumbled away. Bricks fell without any warnings as waves of mana surged out like overflowing rivers. Shin had seen this scene multiple times before, and almost always¡­ The Payirci would lose all power, weakening the chains that increased the Tree of Darkness'' potency. So¡­ Shin was waiting for that exact moment. The moment where the barrier will finally weaken and allow the Alliance to barge into the Allfather''s base. And then¡­ It happened. "No way..." Shin dropped his jaw, not believing the scene that was panning out before his eyes. Once the Payirci lost all of its power, an immense hole was ripped in the Tree of Darkness'' energy field. Not only that, as if a domino chain had been released, but the other three Payircis that the Himmel Empire, Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic were attacking had also started to crumble away. One hole became four and from thereon¡­ Multiple tears could be seen over the mighty Black Masks'' barrier. It was like a honeycomb that had lost a few of its pieces. The barrier which was capable of defending against Saint Geom''s all-out assault¡­ Was now dissipating away like the winter''s snow in spring. It wasn''t just Shin that couldn''t believe his eyes. The Spirit Venerates which led the charge in the other Payircis, failed to comprehend what they saw either. They had anticipated success, but not at this scale. They''d done the impossible, breaking into the Allfather''s domain without sustaining a single injury. "We did it?" Chapter 666 - Light Vs Dark (5) "We did it! We did it!" "The four Payircis had been conquered! The barrier has been lifted!" "Can we finally attack the Tree of Darkness now?" Members of Guardian Sword raised their voices in disbelief. All of them had been expecting a hard fight, one that would see them lose at least half of their manpower. However, everything was going far smoother than they could ever anticipate. The members of the Alliance all held their breaths as they watched the barrier that barred their path disintegrate away, leaving a straight road towards the final destination. At the same time, ten figures were levitating solemnly over the New Land of Dreams. Some of them looked like warriors, others, scholars. Some of them had weapons attached to their h.i.p.s, others had artefacts that looked somewhat mystical. It was an odd band of people that had gathered but make no mistake¡­ At this current moment, that force was the most deadly one the world had seen in years. Back in the New Land of Dreams, Raphael and the other Spirit Saints were watching the scene unfold with bleached eyes, particularly Saint Geom. His all-out attack said to be the strongest single-target ability in the world, failed spectacularly against the energy field protecting the Tree of Darkness. Now that it was gone¡­ "I''m going..." Saint Geom declared. Reaching to his waist, the Spirit Saint unsheathed the Samingeom, and an arc of swordlight dripped down onto the darkened ground. "We''ll end this war right now!" "I''m coming with you!" Saint Longyu Tian wasn''t one to hold back either. The Golden Sovereign Koi unleashed its familiar time aura while the black-haired woman''s eyes mirrored her Spirit''s colour. Longyu Tian was there that day¡­ When the Allfather single-handedly took on six Spirit Saints and handed them a spectacular defeat. This time¡­ It was going to be different. "Hold on!" Raphael, being the least brash one of them all, felt the same suspicions that Shin and the other raid members were feeling and held his hand out to pause the Spirit Saint''s agitation. "We can''t just run into the area without confirmation from the teams we''ve dispatched! We should stick to the plan!" "What are you talking about?!" Longyu Tian hollered back. "After they cleared the Payircis, we would raid the Tree of Darkness! That was the plan!" In the Saint of Time''s mind, Shin''s job was done. Now, it was time for the Spirit Saints to take over and attack the Allfather''s base, drawing the supposed world''s strongest man out into the open. Should Shin or any of the Lantis Republic''s young talents were to be caught in that crossfire¡­ It would only prove to hold deadly results. The other Spirit Saints felt the same way, particularly those from the three superpowers. Many of them were in from the previous generation and were willing to die for the peace of the world. The youngsters that led the charge, on the other hand, had their whole lives left before them. They just couldn''t risk their young elites'' lives anymore. Now that the path had been open, all that''s left for them was to trailblaze their way to the apex of the Tree. "No, we can''t be hasty! We should wait for them to send the green light and analyse our situation!" "What are you talking about? The path is open! We should just..." OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! While the Spirit Saints were busy bickering away, lightning crackled, and thunder boomed. Winds returned back to the Neutral Lands, and the Darkness-Elements spiked exponentially. Hearing the change, every Alliance member ran out into the open and turned their attentions to the black clouds that hung overhead. Ever since the Black Masks took over the Neutral Lands, both the ground and sky had been taken over by their presence. Umbras wandered the lands, and with the presence of the defensive Payircis, they were relatively unhindered. Meanwhile, the skies were also ruled by the Black Masks, or to be more exact, the Allfather. His domain spanned high and wide, sending heaps of Darkness-Elements heavenward and overcrowding the sky with dark, ominous clouds. None of the Alliance members, be it Spirit Saints or Primordial Beasts, could do anything about the altered environment and they could only sigh in helplessness as they watched the Allfather turn the entire Neutral Lands into his home court. However, something was changing in the sky¡­ Something that no one in the Alliance had ever seen before. The blackened clouds which covered the sun and moon were now swirling around like a whirlpool, sucking in all spiritual energies that the world could provide it. It was like a glutton with a bottomless stomach, sucking in everything that came by its path. The Allfather''s mana, the Alliance''s mana¡­ and more surprisingly, the world''s very own essence. "That vortex¡­" Raphael unconsciously gulped. The other Spirit Saints were in a similar state. They couldn''t breathe without wheezing, and their eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. "..." Idun Himmel, the strongest Spirit Saint in the Alliance, was also silent. He folded both his arms, quietly observing the never before seen phenomenon. Little did they know¡­ That it was just the beginning. Once the whirlpool had spread far enough to cover the entire Neutral Land''s skies, thousands of odd rocks escaped out from the Tree of Darkness and floated up into position, as if moved telekinetically by an astral being. Furthermore, those rocks weren''t just regular items that could be found on any canyon floor. Every single one of them were gleaming with spiritual energies, creating a sparkling light show that was unfathomable by human imagination. "Those are all Aether!!!" Lady Seph instantly recognised the rocks and screamed with everything that she''d got. In the past, the Divine Healer had fought in a battle to control an Aether Mine, the very same battle that propelled her to stardom. However, even if they were to dig up all the Aether in that same mine, it would pale in comparison to the number of Aether rocks that were floating about in the atmosphere. By this time, all of the Alliance raid members had escaped from their respective positions and retreated a few kilometres back. Therefore, Shin and the other members of Guardian Sword were given a front-row seat to the bizarre sight that stood before all of them. He could see the Aether flying about and the gluttonous whirlpool which sucked all manner of spiritual energies into its epicentre. "The Allfather¡­ What is he planning now?" Shin thought out loud. He was long in his battle stance, ready to move out if need be. "The Payircis! Look at them!!!" Ella quickly shouted out. Following the master archer''s outstretched finger, Shin saw what he dreaded the most. The five remaining Payircis that were believed to be inhabited, were now radiating out new waves of elemental energies with each passing moment. They were burning up, like a volcano ready to erupt, until finally¡­ Five beams of light surged out from the tips of the Payircis. They all slammed onto the clouds overhead, creating a pentagon shape that were powered by each one of the elemental energies. Black, white, blue, purple, red. These five distinct colours painted the sky, turning the distinct dark of the Neutral Lands into a vibrant light show for the ages. However, it wasn''t only for the glam¡­ The energies that erupted from the Payircis fed the spinning whirlpool, giving it more and more spiritual energy that was readily absorbed without breaking a sweat. The same couldn''t be said about Shin thought. His face was already dripping with sweat, and his entire battle robes were drenched to the bone. Shin clearly knew what the whirlpool represented¡­ He just didn''t want to believe in it yet. "No way¡­ Are they trying to open Heaven''s Gate already?!" Chapter 667 - Heavens Gate (1) Opening Heaven''s Gate. That was a term that was first imparted upon the Alliance by Shin when the Allfather appeared before him to uncharacteristically talk about his ideals. In the beginning, many executives from the Alliance took that news with a grain of salt. After all, opening a gate to the Immortal Realm was not that far off from a complete fairy tale. However, as the years went by, more and more hints towards the Allfather''s Grand Scheme started to surface until finally¡­ The capture of Kin and Gin. The two former Noble Beasts basically confirmed the Allfather''s intentions and had detailed the ways that he sought to complete such a bold objective. The first and most prominent one was to trigger conflict after conflict, giving room for new, talented cultivators to grow. Creating the Black Masks and pitting them against the three superpowers was the first step. Killing thousands and forcing changes in governments using spies and Brahmins was the next one. And the most prominent scheme of them all¡­ Splitting the Terre Continent, triggering a mass execution of all living human beings and fundamentally changing how society as a whole worked. By causing mayhem, the Allfather had weeded out the weaklings of the human race. Those that left behind were all fighters, both in mentality and physicality. They would soak in the pressure created by the Black Masks and train way harder than their parents and uncles, turning into machines that only sought to grow stronger to survive. As a consequence, although the overall population had dipped, the average cultivation level of all cultivators had risen dramatically. The constant strife of Payircis and Umbras had also paved the way for talents such as Shin and the Luminaries to advance at a rate that was unheard of in modern times. The Alliance saw that staggering growth and were pleasantly surprised. In the darkness created by the Allfather, an unexpected light had shone through. Those youngsters who were now leading their generations would one day turn into Spirit Saints and in some special occurrences¡­ Spirit Immortals. The leaders of the three superpowers even felt that there was a need to celebrate such an accomplishment. Little did they all know¡­ They were playing right into the Allfather''s hands. More cultivators reaching the later ranks meant that there were far more spiritual energies floating around in the world. The quality of the spiritual energies would also change dramatically. Many cultivators were able to migrate elemental energies and move it to places that one would never expect. For instance, a Fire-Elemental cultivator could move a high density of Fire-Elements into the middle of the ocean, where Fire-Elements were practically void. The same went for any cultivator regardless of their elemental affinities. Cultivators were akin to human batteries that would power the world as long as they existed, and now¡­ The best and finest cultivators were all gathered near the Tree of Darkness. "What''s this?!" Bits of mana seeped out from the Alliance member''s pores, entering the atmosphere like mist on top of a lake. To the untrained eye, it would look like they were red and steaming, but those that could feel spiritual energies knew the truth. That thing in the sky¡­ It was sucking out their mana. "Tsk, he''s trying to speed up the opening of Heaven''s Gate," Shin spat. "All of you retract your Spirits! Try not to use any spiritual abilities from here-on out! Use mana strengthening if you need to and keep your mana inside of your bodies! Don''t let it seep out into the atmosphere!" "G-Got it!" The members of Guardian Sword faithfully carried out their Master''s order, circulating their mana deep within their bodies. As a result, the steam that evaporated out from their bodies began to subside rapidly, giving them their healthy pinkish hue back. "Shin!" Kanari ran straight to her husband and held him by the hand. "That whirlpool in the sky, it-..." "It''s the first step to opening Heaven''s Gate, I know." The Master of Guardian Sword nodded his head. "Aether crystals, Payirci beams, the Allfather''s own spiritual energies¡­ It''s probably not enough. They''ll need our spiritual energies as well!" "Is that why they willingly allowed us to take the four Payircis? To force us to spend our mana and let it seep into the atmosphere?" "I''m afraid so," Shin grimaced. "I knew that we were clearing it this easily¡­ I never would have guessed that they had such a scheme." "But based on Kin and Gin''s accounts, the Black Masks lack the resources to open Heaven''s Gate! Why are they trying to open it now?" "The Allfather has been pushed into a corner, Kanari. Other than the Tree of Darkness, what other resources does he have? It makes sense that they''re trying to push the Grand Scheme forward, even if they''re lacking in materials." "Ah, I see..." Kanari turned her head back to the black skies. The spiralling whirlpool in the sky continued to turn like a never-ending vortex and sent hundred-kilometre winds upon the chilling Neutral Lands. It turned icy, and the elemental energies of the world were being sucked into its epicentre without any mercy. Kanari''s eyes then traced the five beams back to the Payircis and oddly enough¡­ "Hey, Shin¡­ The Payircis, aren''t they..." Shin was watching the exact same thing that his wife was and could instantly tell what she was referring to. "Yes, they are. They are absorbing the spiritual and elemental energies of the world and feeding it to the whirlpool!" The Master of Guardian Sword continued to observe the odd phenomenon. All sorts of ideas popped into his head. How the Allfather''s Heaven''s Gate operated? What was allowing the Payircis to absorb the elements from the surroundings? Was the Tree of Darkness now vulnerable to attacks now that the energy field protecting it was gone? All of these questions came up in Shin''s mind, and it was running currents to figure out any of those answers. Fortunately for Shin, he wasn''t the only thinker in the Alliance. Three bursts of light resembling that of crescent moons rushed from the New Land of Dreams and flew unhindered through the air. One was aimed skywards, attacking the whirlpool that seemed to be unfathomable and invincible. Another was targetted at the nearest Payirci, which was still coated in thick elemental energy. And the final one and the most powerful crescent moon was fired straight at the source of it all¡­ The Tree of Darkness. Kanari and the rest of Guardian Sword were enthralled and surprised by the sudden move and could barely react to the three lights. Only Shin was able to somewhat trace it back to the white-haired elderly man holding an unsheathed sword among the Spirit Saints. Knowing who the source of the sword lights was, Shin spun his head back into position and waited in earnest to see the results of the three strikes. Unnnhhhggggggggg!!! Unnnhhhggggggggg!!! Unnnhhhggggggggg!!! The first one sliced through the clouds but failed to dissipate the never-ending whirlpool of spiritual energy. In fact, after being hit by the sword light, the skies roared in delight like a drunkard asking for another pint of ale. The second crescent moon slammed right into its target, the Payirci. However, unlike expectations, it didn''t slice the barrierless tower into two. The crescent moon split into a thousand different shards once it came into contact with the Payirci and was turned into harmless, spiritual energy spheres that floated like fireflies. It was all quickly absorbed into the core of the impregnable building, and the light beaming out from its highest point turned just a little bit brighter. And the final hope of the Alliance, the sword light aimed at the Tree of Darkness, failed to impress as well. Once it came in range of the Tree, the power within the crescent moon faded gradually and as it treaded its way closer and closer, the spiritual energies of the sword light melted and scattered away. Like the cherry blossoms in spring, the Alliance''s probing shot all faded away, drawing the illusion of their advantage into a grinding halt. Chapter 668 - Heavens Gate (2) "Even Saint Geom''s attacks aren''t working?" Shin gulped, not wanting to believe his eyes. Among all of the Spirit Saints, there was no one better at single-target attacks than Saint Geom. If his sword lights fell short, one didn''t have to imagine how the other Spirit Saints would fare. As if to confirm Shin''s hypothesis, an array of probing elemental attacks charged straight from the congregation of Spirit Saints and landed right where Saint Geom''s sword lights were aimed at. Unfortunately for the Alliance, all of those attacks were absorbed just like Saint Geom''s and had just become additional fuel for the spiralling whirlpool in the sky. "It looks like the Allfather has figured out a method to absorb spiritual energies from attacks." Isadore frowned. "If none of the Spirit Saint''s attacks worked, none of us will be able to destroy the Payircis or the Tree of Darkness from the outside." Shin nodded, acknowledging his right-hand man''s deduction. The Allfather has been preparing for this moment for centuries. The preparations that he had and the number of variables he''d calculated far surpassed anything that the Alliance could come up with. Thinking back, it was foolish for Shin to have thought that they had won that easily. "The five remaining Payircis are the ones sucking in the elemental and spiritual energies from the atmosphere, behaving like filtration tanks that pump energy to power Heaven''s Gate. Kin and Gin said that Heaven''s Gate requires an astronomical amount of spiritual energy, an amount that couldn''t be obtained even if the Allfather multiplied his resources ten times over. However, if he could continually absorb spiritual energies from the world..." "He''ll gather enough spiritual energy to open the path to the Immortal Realm," Shin grimly finished off Isadore''s sentence. He glanced down at the five floating towers, carefully examining every nook and cranny. It was smooth and shiny as if it had been polished to perfection by an obsessed cleaner. Unlike traditional buildings, there weren''t any windows or chimneys that the Alliance could use to infiltrate. It looked alien, a structure that modern science was unable to completely replicate. It did, however, have one similarity to all modern structures. "Those doors¡­ They''re unguarded." Shin thought out loud, not thinking about the ramifications of his words. The Guardian Sword members overheard his ramblings and turned their attention to the opening to observe that Payirci for themselves. "It''s another trap," Isadore declared. "They want us to spend our spiritual energies inside the Payircis to further power up Heaven''s Gate." A logical conclusion, given as how the four destroyed Payircis were floating up into the sky, becoming fuel for the never-ending vortex. "But we can''t sit here and do nothing!" Ella butted into the conversation with her own two cents. "If we do nothing, Heaven''s Gate will be opened. If we at least try to destroy the Payircis, there''s a chance that we could stop the influx of spiritual energies into the sky! I say we charge in and do what Guardian Sword is known for!" "I concur," Elrin sided with the ponytailed archer. "Time is money. If the Allfather ascends to Heaven, he''ll break the ecosystem of our world in the process. God knows what that would do to the economy! If we dilly-dally any longer, we''ll lose our only chance of stopping the Allfather!" "Let''s not be hasty." From the side, the most maternal figure of them all interrupted with a gentle, yet anxious smile. Shin turned to the blonde beauty, pouting while biting his lower lip. He asked: "Master, what do you think?" "Naturally, we''ll take it down from the inside. Just like we''ve always done." "You also think so?" "But¡­ The remaining five Payircis aren''t like the four that we''ve destroyed," Lady Seph reminded them. "They''re all home to one of the Noble Beasts. Not to mention, the Black Masks has an army of cultivators and Umbras that could be sprinkled all over the floating towers. Though I believe Guardian Sword has sufficient manpower to conquer it, why risk it when we can gather more reinforcements?" The Divine Healer turned her head around, prompting the rest of the crew to look backwards. Ten lights bolted right at Shin and the others, stopping only when they were just a dozen metres away. "Shin!" Raphael screamed at the top of his lungs. "Did you notice the change in the Payircis?" "Yes," a simple affirmation came out of Shin''s mouth. "They''re batteries powering the Allfather''s plan to open Heaven''s Gate! We have to stop it from the inside!" "It''s good that you''re quick on the uptake! There''s been a change of plans! Since the Allfather is planning to go all-out now, we won''t be pulling any punches anymore." Raphael extended all five of his fingers, pointing it right at Shin. "Five Payircis, five Spirit Saints. The Himmel Empire, Lantis Republic and Kori Federation will take care of one Payirci respectively. The remaining members of the Alliance will take the fourth one, so¡­ Could we trouble Guardian Sword to remove the fifth?" "No problem!" Shin declared without any hesitation. From the very beginning that was their plan. To enter the Payirci and destroy it from the inside. Furthermore, Guardian Sword had the backing of Zishen, a Primordial Beast that could equal the might of a Spirit Saint. Not to mention, Shin himself was at the Saint-level. If anything, Guardian Sword was the most prepared among the five raid forces to take down their allocated Payirci. Though, it wasn''t bad to have an additional Spirit Saint backing them up. "Who would be our supporting Spirit Saint?" Shin asked. "That will be me," a familiar voice sounded out from the pack of ten as a black-haired beauty stepped forth with a smile. "Zemin will be leading the Lantis Republic''s raid force. I''ll join you, Shin." "Aunt Tian..." Longyu Tian was the Spirit Saint that Shin was most comfortable with. She knew all of his habits and for a certain period, acted as Shin''s solitary master. Additionally, Longyu Tian''s expertise came in supporting the attackers using a mixture of Time-Elemental abilities and her cheat future sight, something that Zishen and Shin sorely lacked. In a sense, there was no one more suited than Longyu Tian to watch over Shin''s Guardian Sword. "Time is of the essence. I''ll notify the rest of the Alliance about this arrangement." Raphael, still with a red face and sweaty palms, rapid-fired his statements, ending with one question. "Shin, could I leave the blue Payirci to you? You''re nearest to it and have fought its owner once before!" "The blue one?" Shin inadvertently asked, but expected no answer. He turned his head to the right, watching as the nearest Payirci fired a blue beam into the sky, congregating all Water-Elements there was. The blue Payirci. Even without checking its interior, Shin knew who its owner was. Over the years, Shin had encountered many Noble Beasts, be it face-on or from a distance. However, there was one Noble Beast that stood heads and shoulders over the rest in Shin''s mind. That Noble Beast was responsible for leading Junius deeper into the Allfather''s clutches and as a consequence, he was also the Noble Beast that had the most history with Shin. Even before he was the Prince of Water. Even before he was the gem of the Lantis Republic¡­ That Noble Beast had known Shin. Some might say that Noble Beast knew Shin more than most of his teammates. Love it or hate it, their fates were interlocked, far more than the Allfather was with Shin. That''s why¡­ Shin had to be the one to end it. "Yes¡­ Leave the World Serpent to me." Chapter 669 - Water (1) The Alliance was now scrambling hard. Spirit Saints from each superpower went to their positions, taking a few dozen elite Spirit Venerates and Spirit Emperors with them and were ready to charge into the floating towers with everything that they had. Of course, not all members of the Alliance were committed to the Payircis raids. A select few were floating up in the skies, earnestly watching the progression of their raid forces while keeping watch over the Tree of Darkness for any sudden movements. Heaven''s Gate was about to be opened and the only way to stop it was to destroy the Payircis supplying the spiritual energies. Thus, it was natural for the Black Masks to defend the floating towers with everything that they had, unlike the four Payircis that fell to the Alliance. Given the amount of Umbras that were congregated at that small area and the vast amounts of movement within said Payircis, Raphael''s assumption wasn''t too far from the truth. "The pieces are now set in place..." The Alliance Head gulped. Less than fifteen minutes had passed since he''d delivered the news to Shin. All of the raid forces were joined by at least one Spirit Saint with a horde of elites from each respective nation backing them up. "If we fail this and the Allfather wins, we''ll lose our way of life..." "Don''t jinx it you, moron!" An agitated voice cut into Raphael''s monologue. The familiar elderly swordsman twirled his sword around, showing off its sharp glint with every spin. "We''ll defeat the Allfather for sure! You should be thinking about how we''re going to assimilate back into normal life!" "Normal life, huh?" Another aged voice echoed out from the side of the Alliance Head. Though the Alliance had divided themselves into raid groups that would destroy the floating Payircis, that didn''t mean that all of their forces were expended. Saint Geom, Saint Himmel, Saint Althea and Saint Atossa remained on the outside, alongside a handful of the Alliance best Spirit Users, waited patiently on the outside. After all, someone had to monitor the situation from a safe vantage point. Furthermore, they had to protect the raid forces from any external threats that may come from the Tree of Darkness. "Can we really return to normalcy after this?" Saint Himmel wondered out loud. Though his words were soft, everyone who surrounded him were able to make out the soft noise without straining their ears. The three Spirit Saints all dropped their faces, not really willing to meet Saint Himmel in the eye. The Allfather and the Black Masks were a bane to humanity, there was no question about that. Just looking at the number of lives lost and the amount of suffering it has caused¡­ The Black Masks were easily one of the most villainous organisations that humanity had ever produced. However, the Black Masks'' existence wasn''t without merit. The three superpowers were at constant loggerheads, with either one of them trying to step over the other when the opportunity arises. Although wars were barred due to their peace treaty, random skirmishes were unavoidable. Battles would unfold every single year with hundreds, if not thousands enlisted to fight for phoney wars that made no sense. Bigotted people would become prominent voices during those ''peaceful'' times. Lantis Republic loyalist would look down on the Kori Federation and Himmel Empire, for their dependency to fertile land. Kori Federation racists would physically and mentally abuse any that didn''t follow their ways, and that included some immigrants from other countries such as the Lantis Republic and the Himmel Empire. And finally, the Himmel Empire wouldn''t even spare a glance at their two mighty neighbours, doing all that they can to further their influence, even if it meant destroying regular lives from the Kori Federation and the Lantis Republic. The three superpowers were in a fragile balance of power, one that would topple with a single blow to their foundations. But then¡­ The Black Masks came. With the Black Masks, the three superpowers were forced to set aside their differences. The Black Masks didn''t care if a person was from the Lantis Republic, Himmel Empire or the Kori Federation. There was only the creed. You could either stand with the Black Masks or lay flat in your grave. The Allfather''s troops terrorised the world targetting the establishment especially. They wanted to create anarchy and didn''t care about the number of lives lost in doing so. To them, the Allfather was their ticket to greatness, to eternal life. They didn''t care if the world was destroyed in pursuing that dream. Even if a young baby was maimed or an elderly woman was beheaded, the Black Masks would kill anything that barred their path to immortality. Which was what made them so dangerous. Due to that threat, the three superpowers had become the Alliance. With a common enemy, everyone was forced to band together to fight off the threat to humanity. Kori Federation members were forced to interact with Himmel Empire troops. Himmel Empire soldiers were forced to break bread with Lantis Republic sailors. Lantis Republic elites were forced to rub shoulders with Kori Federation commonfolk. Bit by bit, the walls that separated the men and women of the three superpowers were removed, and they were slowly getting accustomed to one another. So, the question was¡­ What happens when that enemy was removed? Would the world move forward in a better direction? Would it revert back to the way things were as racists and bigots would be born yet again? Would the three superpowers go back to their bickering ways? Would the world become unstable as more wars broke out between humanity? No one knows for sure. "Normal ways¡­ That would be for the younger generation to decide..." The Himmel Ancestor sighed, his eyes darting towards the blue Payirci. He watched as Shin led Guardian Sword, a mixture of elites from all three superpowers which included his very own successor, into the open entrance of the floating tower. In the past, it was unimaginable for the Himmel Ancestor to allow Isadore into a foreign organisation, particularly one that allowed Isadore to use his powers for the benefit of an entity that wasn''t the Himmel Empire. After all, the Spirit of Himmel was a Spirit that was only inherited by those of the Himmel bloodline, and it was exclusively used to protect the Imperial Family. Yet, Isadore was now one of the seven leaders of Guardian Sword and wielded his might not for the Himmel Bloodline, but for the benefit of all mankind. It was a surreal experience for the Himmel Ancestor, given how strict he was in following the rules and traditions set by his predecessors. "Hah¡­ My fellow Saints. We''re just the old guard." Saint Himmel spoke with a tinge of despondence in his voice. He looked at the three Spirit Saints that stayed behind to accompany him with a cracked smile that said a million words. "We''re not the ones who will decide whether the world reverts back to normal." At that moment, thousands of shadows emerged from the ashen ground that was covered with thick smog. Some took the shape of human warriors, others imitated the figure of random Spirit Beasts that the cultivation world was familiar with. However, no matter the shape or size, the Umbras had one specific motive in mind. Groaning like the mindless beasts they were, the Umbras hobbled their way towards the five Payircis. "We''re not the ones who will decide anything, but..." The Himmel Ancestor swung his right hand to the side, and a glorious silver spear morphed itself into existence. Without looking at his weapon, the Himmel Ancestor sent a surge of mana into the sealed spear, unveiling the flag that hid beneath its tip. Fluttering in the wind, the Himmel Emblem shone brightly for all to see and like a beacon that called all warriors, the Himmel Ancestor''s Spirit summoned out a full astral army. Spearmen, swordsmen, archers, calvary¡­ A thousand fully armoured knights glimmered into existence, imposing upon every living soul with their towering presence. The Himmel Ancestor didn''t need to give the order. Once they came to life, the warrior burst onto the battlefield, splitting into five battalions and went to the five Payircis respectively. Some Umbras resisted the armoured knights, but it was to no avail. Each one of the warriors were at the level of a Rank 60 Spirit King, and even if they were to be killed, they would instantly reform themselves with the mana provided by the supreme leader. They were the true Immortals of the battlefield, undying and relentless, as compared to their blackened counterparts. Saint Himmel smiled as he turned to his slightly stunned Spirit Saints. That old, steel-face that hadn''t changed in a hundred years suddenly softened up as he said: "We can''t decide the future¡­ So we must protect the ones that can." Chapter 670 - Water (2) Shin''s raid team carefully entered the blue Payirci, moving at a pace that wasn''t too slow or too expedited. There was a race against time, but Guardian Sword couldn''t afford to be careless with their actions. Typically, the elites in the raid force would summon out their Spirits before entering any Payircis, just like any army would when going into battle. However, the circ.u.mstances surrounding Heaven''s Gate had crippled that capability. Instead, the majority of them used mana strengthening to enhance their bodies to prevent any mana leakage as they treaded cautiously into the open entrance. So¡­ It didn''t take long for Guardian Sword to bypass the first bottleneck and come face-to-face with what laid on the inside. Before Shin invaded the floating tower coated with Water-Elements, he''d come up with some cursory landscapes of what to expect. After all, each Payirci was different in their own way. Given that the blue Payirci''s owner was none other than Ao the World Serpent, Shin had anticipated that its interior would be a vast ocean and most of their battles would be fought underwater. Shin had even cast Spiritual Body Enhancement on his own body, strengthening it with the Celestial Dragon''s scales and giving him the ability to breathe underwater. However, the moment Shin stepped foot into Ao''s domain, the familiar, sweet scent of water didn''t hit his nose. His face inadvertently turned red as a dry, hot wind blew onto his face, warming it into a crisp. "What the hell?!" Shin raised his right arm and blocked the heatwave with a curse. The same went for the other members of Guardian Sword. They had prepared to fight in a cold environment, so many of them were wearing thick armours and waterproof vests. So, the new area''s heat was a little too much for them to bear at the moment. Shin took two seconds to recollect himself. He wiped off the sand that blew into his eyes and rubbed his face vigorously. Unconsciously, a water ball appeared above Shin''s head and two tendrils spread out from its core to damp Shin''s uncomfortable body. "Wait a minute¡­ Sand?" Shin thought out loud, his eyes slowly opening up. The moment that Shin decided to enter into Ao''s Payirci, he was prepared for a battle in a large body of water. Or at the very least in a place that was damp and humid¡­ A territory that was suitable for the World Serpent to fight in. However, as Shin opened his eyes, all of his predictions were blown out the window. Ao didn''t create a vast ocean or a humid mangrove for his personal Payirci. What the World Serpent had decided to create, was shocking for all to see. A ball of golden fire was hung high above in the ''sky'' sending down rays of blistering heat that burnt through one''s skin. Howls of sandy winds slapped into the faces of the members of Guardian Sword, forcing them to cover their faces with their sleeves to protect themselves from the winds. Sandy dunes stretched for kilometres from end to end, and tall mountains of sand towered over the vast landscape. Shin couldn''t believe his eyes. If not for the fact that the exit to the Payirci was still open, showing the harrowing darkness of the Neutral Lands, Shin would have thought that he''d entered another dimension. "A desert? He created a f.u.c.k.i.n.g desert?" Isadore gasped, perplexed. "Wasn''t the World Serpent a Water-Elemental Spirit Beast? Why didn''t he make his Payirci aquatic?" "Is this even Ao''s Payirci then?" Ella shot the unusual question. Common sense dictates that the Payirci coloured blue would fall under the jurisdiction of the Noble Beast that held the Throne of Blue. However, based on its interior, one would be sane to debate that opinion. "Maybe they''d changed the Noble Beasts around just to confuse us?" Emma backed her sister up. "The World Serpent has a history with Shin. It makes sense that he could be the lure to entrap Shin." "No¡­ This is his domain alright..." Shin shook his head, his eyes gazing into the distance. Unlike most Payircis, the current one that Guardian Sword was raiding didn''t have many floors. It had a vast open space that was enhanced by Aether crystals to make the place seem larger than it really was. Therefore, it was simple for Shin, the inheritor of the Celestial Dragon and the Five Titans of Old, to extend his senses to each end of the Payirci. Shin''s radar picked up on about a thousand different signatures, most of them being weak beings that were beneath the Rank 60 Spirit King realm. There were a few dozen in the Spirit Emperor realm with a select few breaching into the coveted Spirit Venerate realm. On paper, Shin''s power rivalled that of Spirit Venerates. After all, he himself had just recently ascended past the second barrier of mortality. However, Shin''s true power could challenge those at the Saint-realm, and his sensitivity to those in a similar realm was rather acute. Saint Longyu Tian and Primordial Beast Zishen were two of the distinct mana signatures that Shin had picked up. However, they were friendly and posed no threat at all to Shin''s overall being. The ones that truly bothered Shin were the two heavy mana signatures located at the far end of the Payirci. One of them was massive with elemental energies swirling around its being. Shin couldn''t see it, but the first mana signature seemed like a vortex that greedily sucked in everything that was fed to it. It was just like the whirlpool up in the sky, but instead of being an endless pit¡­ There was a point where the entity ''spat'' all of its energy out. ''That should be the Paradise Heart¡­ It''s supplying energy to Heaven''s Gate, alright.'' Shin instantly identified the target that he''d sought to destroy. The whole idea of raiding the Payirci was to cut off the link that kept feeding the Allfather''s attempt to open Heaven''s Gate. If that link was severed, the Allfather''s plan would unquestionably take a tremendous blow. Identifying the first mana signature came easily to Shin and so did the second one. Just a few metres away from the enormous blob of energy, there was a single concentrated point of mana. It wasn''t as far-reaching and insurmountable as the previous mana signature, but it was most definitely a towering force that resembled that of a Spirit Saint''s. No, it was about one and a half times more overwhelming than a mere Spirit Saint''s spiritual energy. And the most important aspect of that mana signature was¡­ "That crazy amount of Water-Elements surrounding it¡­ There''s no question about it! Ao is present in the building!" Shin declared. "Haha! No traps, no hidden floors, no gimmicks¡­ Just an open arena that we can duke it out without a care in the world¡­ That really does sound like something that World Serpent would do." Ao was never a calculating individual. Being a Spirit Beast of immense strength and size, the World Serpent was able to resolve any conflicts with just his overwhelming might. So, in the final battle that would determine whether the Black Masks or the Alliance wins¡­ Ao had decided to make it as straightforward as can be. All of your troops versus all of mine. Let''s fight it out and see who''s superior! That was the message that Ao had sent to Shin through the layout of his Payirci. The lack of Water-Elements in the area could be a means to cripple both Shin and himself so that they would fight with their fists alone. Having a handful of elites by Ao''s side proved that point. He could have summoned out armies upon armies of Umbras to slow down Shin''s progress, and he could have aligned the Payirci with mazes and useless traps that would buy the Black Masks some valuable time. However, Ao wasn''t that kind of Spirit Beast. The World Serpent wanted to go head-to-head with Shin. And well¡­ Shin was up for that challenge! "Let''s go!" The Prince of Water led the charge into battle, ready to rip the first branch of evil from its very core. Chapter 671 - Water (3) "He''s coming..." Ao said out loud, his tone flat as if he were bored. A greasy man overheard the World Serpent''s words and gave his leader a soundless bow: "Should we hinder their advance?" "No, let them be," Ao replied while shaking his head. "It''s better this way. We can let things come to an end immediately." Shin and Ao''s relationship was a complicated one. Their fates had been intertwined since the very beginning and Ao was one of the beings that had watched Shin grow, albeit from the perspective of an enemy. Ao mentored Junius and had heard many things about Shin throughout the years. How he was a crybaby that needed his elder brother''s love. How he was the one to lead the vengeance against the Frie Clan for annihilating the Awter Clan. And most importantly¡­ How much Shin meant to Junius and the brotherly bond that they shared. In a certain way¡­ Ao knew Shin more than anyone else ever could. Yes, they were enemies that were about to battle to the death, but the World Serpent couldn''t care less. Ao wanted to see for himself¡­ What made Junius love Shin so much? So much so that the young man was willing to give up his life and betray Ao even after everything he''d done. "... I understand." The unkempt man''s lips twitched, a tinge of unwillingness hidden beneath his breath. Excusing himself, the Spirit Emperor retreated to a distant corner, far away from the World Serpent and the Paradise Heart he was protecting. Only when he was far enough from Ao that he couldn''t sense it, did the man finally reveal his ugly grimace. ''This bastard snake¡­ He''s going to be the death of me! THE DEATH OF ME!!!'' The sloppy man cursed. ''Leave them be?! He''s not even trying to stop them from coming! Other Payircis have littered traps all around, but he actually made it into an open desert?! What a f.u.c.k.i.n.g moron!'' Turning his face away, the ugly man took a knee and hurriedly absorbed all of his spiritual energy into his inner body. Like the invaders, the Brahmin was employing a mixture of mana strengthening and absorption techniques to stealthily hide his presence. He was behaving like a scared duckling that feared the outside rain and only wanted to hide in the warmth of its mother. ''He must have known about my history with Shin Iofiel! If not, why did he bother to request for me by name?!'' Few people remembered the Spirit Emperor''s name ever since he''d defected to the Black Masks. Normally, that would be a good thing, since he could lay low and out of sight from the vengeful eyes of the Alliance. However, among the handful of people that did recognise him, there was one pesky Prince that stood at the apex of the cultivation world right now. ''If I had known that he''ll become such a monster, I would have killed him back on Frie Mountain! Just my luck!'' The Brahmin never really met Shin face-to-face before. He''d wasn''t even aware of Shin''s existence back then! However, the Brahmin was unquestionably linked to Shin¡­ In the most dreadful of manners nonetheless. Nearly three decades ago, the remnants of the Awter Clan had launched an assault of vengeance upon Frie Mountain. The Awter Clan that joined the Black Masks were short of manpower and lacked any Spirit Emperors that could threaten Frie Mountian. Therefore, they requested assistance from the higher-ups. The Allfather himself had given the green light, thinking that it was an inconsequential matter. So, a Spirit Emperor was dispatched to lead the attack. And that man was¡­ Malgen Chaxrala. The Spirit Emperor that just pleaded with Ao to do something to kill Shin before they reached their location. On that day, hundreds of lives were lost, and memories were shattered. It was a day that Shin wanted to wipe clean from his mind and it was also the day that the poor little orphan from the Frie Clan was reborn into a new existence altogether. Before, Malgen didn''t even know who Shin was. Who could blame him? Shin wasn''t even a Spirit Core cultivator back then. However, the Shin now was far stronger than Malgen could ever be. If he wanted to kill Malgen to enact vengeance, it would be as simple as raising a finger. Shin''s target was the Paradise Heart and the Noble Beast that protected it, no doubt. However, once he realised that Malgen, one of the assholes that were responsible for Ariel''s death was present¡­ It wasn''t that hard to imagine a change of motivation for the sentimental Prince. ''No matter! I''ll just lay low¡­ I won''t fight in that stupid battle and just lay low...'' Malgen thought to himself as he cowered in position. And it was fortunate for the Spirit Emperor that he did just that. Voooomm!!! Voooomm!!! Voooomm!!! Voooomm!!! Voooomm!!! Many light beams darted across the sky, only slowing down when they were a hundred metres away from the Paradise Heart. There were no aerial mines to stop their advance, and neither was there a defensive line that would launch ballistas that they should they come near. However, they gradually turned back into cultivators, all wearing stern expressions. The blonde lady at the front raised her hand and pointed a finger at the glowing core in the middle. A ball of golden light glimmered out from her nails, slightly raising the Light-Elements that wreathed her body. As anticipated, the ball of light started to lose a little bit of its energy through a line of golden sand as it made a line straight towards the immense core. "That Paradise Heart¡­ It''s really sucking in our mana..." Lady Seph frowned. "That''s what we''ve expected, right?" Shin replied with a lack of emotion. He scanned the area, quickly picking out the Black Masks that he had to be wary about. In Shin''s vision, anyone that was above the Spirit King level was instantly picked out and highlighted in red. Naturally, Malgen turned up in that radar of his, but Shin hadn''t recognised the man that attacked Frie Mountain that day yet. As the Brahmin anticipated, Shin''s eyes were solely on the blue-haired man at the centre of it all. "The World Serpent, Ao¡­" "Shin Iofiel¡­ You''ve finally come." Ao stood up from his rested position and projected his voice for all to hear. "I was worried that you''ve lost your way." "Thanks to you, finding this place wasn''t all that hard." Shin snidely replied. The two lofty beings stared at one another, their gazes not wavering in the slightest. In Shin''s eyes, there was anger and frustration. Also a tinge of hate. On the other hand, Ao was looking at the boy with inquisitive yet cautious eyes. The World Serpent didn''t have the same hate that Shin was looking at him with. "You''ve advanced..." "You''ve grown¡­" Two similar responses. Two different meanings. Shin saw that Ao was now a Primordial Beast, a being that could stand toe-to-toe with a Spirit Saint with ease. There was also a crystal orb by his side which pumped out spiritual energies at an astronomical rate. Though Shin hadn''t seen anything like it before, it wasn''t hard to deduce that it was an Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament based on its spiritual output. Ao didn''t see Shin via the same lens. What he saw... was the young boy that Junius had once bragged about, mirrored within that matured body of Shin''s. For a moment there, Ao felt an unfamiliar feeling blossom within his cold heart. Seeing Shin''s growth made him feel a little¡­ pride. ''If Junius was still alive, maybe that''s the feeling that I would have with him...'' The World Serpent instantly realised what he was missing. Junius may have betrayed him, but Ao once loved that human with all his heart. Watching Shin grow into the being that could challenge the Allfather¡­ perhaps that was what Ao wanted with Junius this whole time. And as Ao thought about the viridian-haired boy that lost his life, a tear dripped down his mournful face. "Shin Iofiel¡­ You''ve really grown up." Chapter 672 - Water (4) "I''ve grown up?" The corner''s of Shin''s lips flinched, not at all amused by the World Serpent''s statement. "Who do you think you are? My father?" Ao shook his head disappointingly. "You''ll never understand¡­" How could the World Serpent say the words that were on his mind? How could Ao tell Shin that he bore him no ill will, even though they were enemies that were on two sides of a coin? How could the Noble Beast expect Shin to understand his perspective when the Black Masks had massacred thousands, if not millions of innocent lives? In the end, Shin wasn''t Junius. Shin was the person that foiled the Allfather''s plans time and time again and was public enemy number one to the Black Masks. Ao knew that. However¡­ ''In another life, maybe we wouldn''t be facing each other like this...'' Ao chuckled to himself. If history had panned out a little differently, Ao could imagine a scene where he would share a drink with Shin and Junius, as they taught him things about humans and he would lecture them about the gifts of Primordial Beasts. Alas, it was just a fascination of the World Serpent. Right now, Shin and he weren''t friends, but mortal enemies. Ao served the Allfather and Shin was the number one threat to his exalted leader. Therefore, he must be killed. "Do you know why I''ve turned this place into a desert?" Ao shot an inquisitive gaze towards Shin while his fingers traced up his cashmere coat, untying the knots in a circular motion. "..." Shin didn''t reply. It didn''t matter what the answer to that question was. The World Serpent was readying himself for battle, and so should the Prince of Water. Already coated with draconic scales, Shin took the liberty to summon out his Cosmic Wings. Though, he remained adamant about keeping his Spirit within his body. The Paradise Heart was already absorbing the spiritual energies around it like a thirsty whale. Shin didn''t want to feed it more than he should. "You are of the Water-Element, and I am of the Water-Element. Both of us are slaves to the elemental energies that bind us both. So¡­ What happens when both of us are placed in a place without water? A place where we''re forced to use anything, but water?" "..." Shin raised his left arm, testing whether he could create the Spear of Aiglos. Unfortunately, just like Ao said, the Water-Elements in the area was practically zero. "Don''t you think that it''s interesting, Shin Iofiel?" "No, not particularly." Shin snorted. ''Well¡­ If I can''t use any Water-Elements, I could always rely on my many other techniques!'' "Master¡­ Aunt Tian¡­ Zishen¡­ I''ll keep the World Serpent busy. You guys find and opportunity to destroy the Paradise Heart." Shin muttered under his breath so that only those that were a metre away from him could hear. "Keep the World Serpent busy? He''s a Primordial Beast now! He''s not Tier 9 like before! Facing him would be like facing a Spirit Saint! Don''t be stupid, Shin!" Longyu Tian refuted Shin with the protective shrieks of a mother. "I''ll keep him busy. The rest of you find a way to destroy the Paradise Heart!" "Aunt Tian¡­ Your mastery over the Time-Elements is necessary to stop the Paradise Heart for a few moments so that Zishen could send a Dragon''s Breath its way without getting completely sucked dry." Shin explained his rationale. "Also, the World Serpent and I have a long history. He won''t kill me immediately, and neither am I that easy to kill." "But Shin!" "Please, Aunt Tian! Just trust me!" Shin didn''t look back for a single second. His eyes were facing Ao, who was gleaming with an intense amount of mana. "Saint-leveled or not¡­ The World Serpent isn''t my opponent." ''Such daring words!'' Longyu Tian faltered. It was rare for Shin to brag as he was mostly reserved with his words. Most of the time, Shin was humble enough to admit his shortcomings and understand that he was the weaker man. So, the words that came out of Shin''s mouth weren''t out of arrogance¡­ but pure confidence. ''Seraphim and Senior Zishen aren''t budging as well¡­ Aren''t they concerned about Shin facing a Primordial Beast?'' Standing behind Shin, the blonde beauty and Azure Dragon Lord were standing nonchalantly, waiting for Shin to make the first move. They weren''t wincing or flinching in the slightest as their expressions were as calm as Longyu Lake. Lady Seph even shot Longyu Tian a triumphant look, degrading her concerns in the process. ''Whatever, if they trust him, I''ll do the same.'' In a split second, Longyu Tian made up her mind. She waved her hands once, sending out a surge of particles which slowly coagulated into a fishing rod. An ethereal grey aura wreathed the black-haired woman as well, all while a sphere of grey wrapped around her as if the Spirit Saint was encased in a snow globe. "We''ll be counting on you," Longyu Tian declared. "Yeah, count on it." Shin returned her gesture with a smile. "Kanari, you''re in command of Guardian Sword while I''m battling the World Serpent. You have permission to either kill or capture anyone that stands in your way, so..." "Go crazy?" The ageless beauty chuckled with a sinister tone. "Yes. Go crazy." "Hehe, gotcha." Kanari waved her husband away sweetly, giving the man some space to concentrate. Since there was nothing that Kanari could do to assist in the battle, she was going to help in the war from a different angle. Whooosssssshhhhhhhhh!!! Shin''s Cosmic Wings glittered once, and his entire body disappeared into a puff of elements. Ao''s shoulders dropped for a moment, stunned at the sudden development. However, the World Serpent instantly realised what was going on and turned his elbow flying to the left. A blue surge of mana escaped from the tall man''s joint, distorting the reality that surrounded him, forcing a ripple to occur in space. That surge of mana wasn''t without a purpose. The moment the ripple expanded to ten times its size, a human butterfly appeared out of nowhere and retreated just about twenty metres away from Ao. Naturally, Shin''s mouth was agape. His eyes were wider than footballs and veins started popping out from his forehead. Sweat dripped down his cheeks, and his mouth was experiencing a slight tremble. "Teleportation¡­ You''ve come up with a pretty annoying ability." Ao spat. "I''ve haven''t seen it used since the Void Crocodile of the North passed on. Where did you manage to master the Space-Element? Have you forgotten how to use your water element?" "... You sure are talkative today." Shin''s stunned expression quickly turned cool as he started to squint. On the surface, he tried to keep his composure. Internally, on the other hand¡­ ''This is going to be troublesome¡­ I wanted to slip past him and land a surprise attack with Teleportation but who would have guessed he knows how to counter it?!'' Shin wanted to throw his playbook out and write a new one. Utilising the Cosmic Wings was Shin''s best shot at defeating the World Serpent without any injury. However, that plan had failed quite spectacularly. ''Still, making ripples in space with just his mana¡­ He''s a Primordial Beast, alright...'' "You''re right¡­ I guess I''m in a fairly good mood today." Ao was unaware of Shin''s inner turmoil and replied with a reserved smile. "But I guess¡­ I can''t fool around anymore." Ao''s eyes spun around, watching as Zishen and Longyu Tian edged their way closer towards the Paradise Heart. In the end, Ao was still bound to the Allfather just like any other Black Mask or Noble Beast. He was never going to let the Alliance takedown the Paradise Heart that could harm the Allfather''s dream. "HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!" The aura enveloping Ao exploded into life as a serpentine body broke free from Ao''s humanoid self. The snake coiled around the Paradise Heart many times until it was eventually too big and it covered the entire fifteen-metre wide ball of spiritual power. A blue scaly body that was more than fifty kilometres long¡­ That was the full size of the World Serpent. Shin had read reports about it before but actually facing the World Serpent in its original size was¡­ eye-opening. "That big? No, he''s grown bigger..." Shin had once seen the World Serpent in its original size before. In terms of overwhelming presence, pressure inflicted upon those that gazed upon it and overall size¡­ The current World Serpent far surpassed the one in Shin''s memory. "Bigger and stronger, Shin." Ao laughed. "I''m the World Serpent! A being that lived for more than ten thousand years! I am the King of Snakes and the one that will eventually wrap my body around the world! I will always become bigger! And if you want to destroy the Paradise Heart¡­ You''ll have to do it over my dead body!!!" Chapter 673 - Vindication (1) While Shin was fighting his battle with the King of Serpents, the others in the Payircis were trying their hardest not to be caught in the crossfire. Shin''s Cosmic Wings and immense physical strength were things to be wary about, but the World Serpent had a far greater advantage. Each time he swung his massive tail, a tsunami of sand sped through the entire desert, toppling the placid environment that the Black Masks and the Alliance could fight on. It didn''t matter if they were friendly or not, the World Serpent''s movement showed no disregard to those that stayed near him. Eventually, the Black Masks and Guardian Sword were forced to retreat over fifty kilometres away, to a remote part of the Payirci just to survive. It was only after reaching that safe distance, did the two sides start to engage in an intense standoff. Kanari instantly cast her Spiritual Body Enhancement. Nine tails emerged from her behind while her nails and claws elongated exponentially. Watching her movements, the other elites of Guardian Sword quickly got into positions as well. Combatants strengthened their bodies while unsheathing their weapons while auxiliary Spirit Users tried their best to minimise their mana leakage. Suji was the most creative one. Instead of summoning out his trusted Spirit that was capable of mowing down thousands in a blink of a second, the Son of War took out his own personal warblade and only used his plethora of martial abilities. Moving at blinding speeds, Suji kicked himself straight at the weakest members of the Black Masks. His objective was clear. Let Shin and the Saint-leveled members deal with the heavyweights. Suji was only there to make sure that the flies wouldn''t bother Shin while he''s working. Kanari didn''t chide Suji''s clear disregard of the command. Her attention was planted right on the other elites that hadn''t made their moves. Haeun, the genius swordswoman from the Dalgeom Sect, brandished her spellbinding icy sword, creating crystal petals with each passing step. She skipped through the first defences of the Umbras, leaving a trail of blooming snow roses in her wake. Watching that seamless movement brought a smile back to Kanari''s face. Haeun was no longer the fresh-faced swordswoman that sought battle to constantly improve. The first time they''d met, Haeun had challenged Meijing Bingying to a duel at the Summit just because she was mesmerised by the Pearl in the East''s blade. The result was obvious, but Haeun came out from that duel the overall winner as she progressed tremendously with her Ice Fairy Blade Dance techniques. Now that the Dalgeom Sect''s genius was already matured and had a few battles under her belt, Haeun''s movements were far less reckless and much more meticulous. She danced through the Umbral army as if they weren''t there and each sword dance was seamlessly transitioned to the next one. Speaking of female prodigies, the other top-tier talent from the Kori Federation was doing quite well herself. Sierra Glynrel, the former Flower in the North, took the liberty to target the first Spirit Emperor within the Black Masks. She was a mere Spirit King, one that was equal in ranks with both the twins and Isadore, but her attacks proved otherwise. The Spirit Emperor was fl.u.s.tered by Sierra''s confusing movements and the myriad of control abilities that she possessed. The Brahmin broke free from a vine? There was a poisonous fog awaiting him. He expelled the poison? Clones were waiting to assassinate him at every given opportunity. There was no resting for the Spirit Emperor, even though he was one realm above his opponent. The same could be said about the Lantis Republic''s elites. Former luminaries such as Qilong Hu and Jingyu Taiyi overpowered their opponents with shocking speed and accuracy. At the same time, Longyu Linji and Xunyu Feifei did their best to support the hard-hitters. Not only that, but Meijing Bingying was also showing off a thing or two of her own. People tend to forget, but before Shin came into the picture, Meijing Bingying was the Lantis Republic''s brightest star. She was the youngest Spirit Adept and the one who climbed the highest at the Celestial River. Meijing Bingying was most certainly a future Spirit Saint, and she was currently living up to that mantle. Each swing of her see-through sword made the temperature dip by a hundred degrees, even though they were in the middle of a desert. If a Black Mask came charging at her unprepared, their fates were to either be turned to ice, or be sliced down before they could even count to one. That''s why an exalted Spirit Venerate was forced to personally come down to neutralise the young threat. And shockingly enough¡­ Meijing Bingying actually knew her opponent. "Meijing Xuenkai! You actually have the nerve to face me after what you''ve done?!" The next head of the Meijing Clan spat while glaring daggers at the man who attempted to sneak attack her. "The heir of the Meijing Clan is standing right before me. How could I stay still?" A cheeky reply sprung out of the Spirit Venerate''s mouth, his smile still as disgusting as ever. "If not for you! If not for you, our Meijing Clan wouldn''t be struggling so much!" Bingying gritted her teeth as she shot a curse. "Do you know how much humiliation and damage you''ve caused our clan! You still have the nerve-!" "Yap yap yap¡­ Clan this, clan that. Girl, your kind is the main reason why I couldn''t tolerate the Meijing Clan anymore!" The Brahmin scolded her in anger. "You''re just a traitor that sold out your clan for evil! Don''t badmouth the Meijing Clan, you mongrel!!!" "Evil? Haha, from your perspective it''s certainly that case!" Meijing Xuenkai chortled out while sending his left hand flying to the right. The Killer Whale, the symbol of the Meijing Clan''s fall from grace, coiled around the Spirit Venerate''s body as if he were wearing a cape. "..." Bingying''s face tightened. She was, after all, just a Rank 70 Spirit Emperor. Against a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate like Meijing Xuenkai, a being that had crossed the second barrier of mortality¡­ There was bound to be some pressure. Fortunately for the Meijing Clan''s heir¡­ "Yipyip! Don''t you dare touch my sister!" A tiny girl tapped on Meijing Bingying''s shoulder, instantly alleviating the pressure that Meijing Xuenkai was putting onto her. "Thank you, Bingbing." That simple compliment made Bingbing''s face brighten up like the summer''s sun. "Yipyipyip! Don''t misunderstand! I''m only here because of Shin''s request! I could care less if you lived or died! I''m the better Bing after all!" "..." Bingying dropped her jaw in a flabbergasted shock. After all these years, Bingbing was still holding a grudge about how similar their names were? "If you help me beat this guy, I shall hail you as the eternal Queen of Bings," the Meijing Clan heir said half-jokingly. "YIP! Really?! Then I''ll just kill him then!" Bingbing instantly got excited, spinning her petite body right at the poor Meijing Xuenkai. "Yipyip! No hard feelings uncle! You''re going to die today!" ''Uncle?'' Meijing Xuenkai''s eyebrows twitched a little after being called that unfamiliar term. ''It must be the first time a Tier 9 Spirit Beast had ever called me that...'' Chapter 674 - Vindication (2) While Meijing Xuenkai was busy having his mid-life crisis, on the other side of the battlefield, another Spirit Venerate had made their move. Guardian Sword had a fixed amount of cultivators. Though they were all talented as can be, they were most certainly on the younger side. Shin had gathered the best and brightest from all corners of the world in the hopes of developing them into experts that could stand toe-to-toe with the Black Masks. Therefore, Shin hadn''t taken in many Spirit Emperors, or Spirit Venerates into his ranks. Some of Guardian Sword''s members were still in their twenties! So, it was natural for some of the Black Masks'' elites to feel offended to fight against them, particularly since some of them were nearing their second century of battle experience. "Fighting against kids¡­ I don''t know how I feel about that." A fully armoured knight lazily walked across the sandy desert, not at all interested in his younger opponents. "I''d thought that I could at least face that Tier 9 Spirit Beast but Xuenkai already beat me to it¡­ Lady Seph isn''t particularly a good opponent for me either." "Are you looking down on us?" Unable to bear the knight''s monologue anymore, Isadore bit his lower lip and complained. "Look down on you?" The knight scoffed. "I don''t even know who you are, why should I even look at you?" "..." Isadore''s face turned a little sour. However, he had no words to retort the armoured knight. Seymour Fielder, also commonly known to the outside world as the Sword Baron. He was a legend decades before Isadore was even born. In close combat, few could top the former general of the Kori Federation. In fact, in any kind of combat, the Sword Baron could easily trump over his opponents. It was only natural for the Sword Baron to look down on Isadore, a brat that was over two centuries his junior. He folded his arms, not at all, reaching towards his sword''s handle to unsheathe his blade. Isadore snorted and spun his wrist. Spiritual energy trickled out from his outreached palm, and it slowly congregated into a singular sharp object. Isadore wasn''t blessed with the power to manipulate elemental energies since birth, so the Himmel Ancestor''s heir could freely use his Spirit, unlike his fellow compatriots. "Elrin, support me." The silver-haired man commanded. "Okay!" Elrin raised her brows but didn''t question Isadore''s judgement. She wasn''t going to voice out the vast disparity between the Sword Baron and Isadore. She wasn''t going to say how stupid it was to challenge a man that was superior in battle experience, cultivation level and strength. She wasn''t going to tell Isadore that even with her boost, there was no guarantee that he could beat a Rank 80 Spirit Venerate while he was just a Rank 60 Spirit King. Elrin knew Isadore. They had fought alongside one another for decades now. If Isadore wanted to fight, all Elrin could do¡­ was trust that he could win. "I''ll try to minimise the leakage, but there''s no way for me to boost you to a hundred percent." "How much then?" "Seventy should be a conservative estimate." Elrin did the math in her head and gave a rough estimate. The Rosary of Eternity was flashing in her palms as droplets of elemental energies leaked from its core and flowed naturally towards the Paradise Heart in the middle of the Payirci. "Seventy is more than enough," Isadore beamed. He swung the Spear of Himmel, slowly undoing the chains that bound its tip. And just like that¡­ the flag which hid within the transcendental spear broke free of its restraints, and it waved in defiance to the winds generated by Shin and Ao''s battle. Seeing her cue, Elrin immediately sent a few beads flying Isadore''s way and forced them onto his wrists and ankles. At the same time, a holy light flowed straight from the top-tier support into Isadore''s robust body. Overwhelming with both spiritual energy and power, hair all over Isadore''s body sprung into life as more holy light beamed out from the waving Himmel flag. Watching all of this unfold, for the first time, the Brahmin Knight felt a little unsettled. That puny Spirit King that laid before him was suddenly displaying the pressure of a Spirit Emperor after a few seconds. Not only that, but his instincts were also screaming out at him. ''That flag¡­ It''s dangerous.'' The Sword Baron''s eyes twitched. He was a seasoned fighter that charged into combat thousands of times. Through that, Seymour had developed a sensitivity to each of his opponent''s level. Whether it was an enemy that was far superior, weaker or at the same level, the Sword Baron could tell with just a glance. That''s why he was so confident when Isadore was still showing the level of a mere Spirit King. The current Isadore, on the other hand¡­ ''He''s not an opponent that I can relax on,'' Seymour instantly deduced. The Sword Baron reached towards his sword handle with his metallic gloves safely attached to his palms. If Isadore was truly a threat, it was better to cut him down with a claymore before it was too late. Alas¡­ WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! A crystal arrow darted across the sky like a shooting star. It was moving at a speed that even the Sword Baron could only emulate if he was under the influence of a top-tier Spirit Armament. Shocked, the Brahmin could only release his grip on the handle and turn away with an angered roar. The icy arrow grazed the Sword Baron''s backhand which was just milliseconds away from pulling out his sword. Seymour glanced down, only to see his armoured gloves torn with a singular line on its back. If he had pulled out just a fraction of a second later, there was no doubt in his mind that his hand would have been incapacitated. ''Who in hell-?!'' The Sword Baron traced the trajectory of the arrow, desperate to find the identity of the sniper. Fighting against Isadore was going to be troublesome enough, but if there was a sniper mixed within his foes¡­ It was going to be a frustrating fight, to say the least. However, before Seymour could even turn his head ninety degrees, a silver light charged right towards him. Forced to react, the Sword Baron could only spin his waist to dodge the incoming danger, and just like the arrow before¡­ It just barely missed him. "... Sneak attacks aren''t the way of the warrior." "Like the way of the warrior means anything in a battle to the death." Isadore scoffed, swinging the Spear of Himmel down and forcing the Sword Baron to retreat far away. However, as he skipped about fifty metres away, yet another spearman came crashing down from the sky. "Annoying!" This time, the Sword Baron was able to get a hold of his blade. With a single breath, the Brahmin mana strengthened his entire body, added some of his mana into the claymore spiritual armament, unsheathed that sharp sword and swung it with all his might. There was no running away. In a mere split second, the Sword Baron cut the spearman''s torso in two. In any other circ.u.mstances, the Sword Baron would have moved away and attacked Isadore right away. However, the spearman that attacked Seymour didn''t stop moving after it was sliced apart. As its upper body was falling down, its spear fell upon the Sword Baron as it aimed towards his neck. In a fit of pure reflex, Seymour swung his claymore, parrying the spear away with relative ease. "... What?" Seymour stared at the spearman as it reassembled its torn parts back together. The spearman looked human, but it lacked the expression to match. It was a little see-through and had a ghostly aspect to its appearance. Therefore, it didn''t take long for the Sword Baron to come up with an answer to that odd phenomenon. "Astral soldiers?" Chapter 675 - Vindication (3) SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!! As of today, Spirit Immortal has officially concluded!!! A few hours ago, I had typed my final word of Spirit Immortal and it is all available on my P A T R E O N. Normally, I would be inclined to mass release the remaining chapters for all of you to enjoy, but that would be unfair to my paying Patrons, particularly those that have supported me throughout. So... If you can''t wait to see the ending of Spirit Immortal, you can go to my P A T R E O N, pay ten bucks and read it to its completion! Of course, releases will continue as per usual until the story''s official end date. Which should be in the middle of May 2020. So yeah, enjoy!!! ??? Emma gently dropped her Ice Bow, allowing the elements to freely fall from its body. Her sharp eyes activated, the master sniper could view the fight between Isadore and Seymour Fielder quite clearly. In theory, the Sword Baron should be capable of taking down Isadore with a couple of swings from his claymore. However, with Elrin''s support and the Immortal Army that came with the Spirit of Himmel, the battle had tipped heavily in Isadore''s favour. The Sword Baron attempted to take Isadore down quickly, but each time he moved, dozen-odd soldiers would bar his path. Annoyed, the Sword Baron made use of all his years of experience plus the superior combat abilities that he''d honed to slice down the astral warriors. Alas, it was to no avail. No matter how many times he cut, bludgeoned or pierced the enemies, they would come back stronger and fresher than ever. To make matters worse, Isadore wasn''t the type of general to sit still while his soldier fought his war. Swinging the Spear of Himmel with the flair of a master dancer, the silver-haired man waltzed across the sandy dunes as if they were made out of ice reaching a dexterity that was unheard of even by the Sword Baron''s standard. Elrin was supporting him from the back, so there was no need to worry about the gap between the Spirit Venerate and himself. Furthermore, if Isadore really was to get injured, Lady Seph was waiting next to Kanari, ready to patch anyone who got mortally wounded. In the end, the balance in power had shifted towards Isadore''s side, and it was now the Sword Baron who was under threat. If all went as planned, Isadore would most certainly defeat the Sword Baron within ten minutes, as long as his mana was able to withstand the pressure. Being the sniper of the team, Emma''s job was to support her teammates from afar. If the Sword Baron was the only enemy that Guardian Sword had to face, she would continue to shoot her Ice Bow with a vengeance, ensuring that the Brahmin would fall before any. Emma gazed to the left, watching the battle unfold between Meijing Xuenkai and Meijing Bingying. Just like Isadore''s bout, it was supposedly a one-sided affair. In his heyday, Meijing Xuenkai was one of the candidates to inherit the entire Meijing Clan and if not for his variant Spirit¡­ There was a high likelihood that the man could have become Bingying''s Clan Master. In truth, Bingying had little confidence that she could fight against the Meijing Clan''s betrayer and come out on top. Fortunately, there was a ferocious beast that controlled ice just as good as any Meijing Clan Master by her side. Bingbing, still in her human form, summoned out her crystal ice wings in total defiance to Meijing Xuenkai''s own power. As a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, Bingbing could directly manipulate the elements far better than the average human cultivator, allowing her to summon out heaps of ice even though the Water-Element was severely lacking within this desert. Bingying was no slouch either. Flashing her sword, the future Meijing Clan Head charged fearlessly towards Meijing Xuenkai. The combination of Bing One and Bing Two turned out to be an exemplary one. Both of them were of the Ice-Element, and their techniques complemented one another to an astonishing degree. Bingbing would freeze the sandy plains with her immense mana pool, leaving Bingying the terrain to do as she pleased. Her sword dances which even mesmerised the Dalgeom Sect''s genius Haeun were on full display. Meijing Xuenkai wasn''t a close-combat oriented warrior like his partner the Sword Baron. He was used to summoning his Killer Whale Spirit and dominating the battlefield with his astral projections. Alas, there was no way that the two Bings would let him have his way. In the end, just like the Sword Baron bout, it turned out that Guardian Sword''s members held the distinct advantage. "Don''t lose, you guys..." Emma pleaded. She was the master sniper of the group, and her task was to oversee the entire battlefield. Since the two Spirit Venerates were currently tied down, Emma had the luxury to look around for easier prey to snipe. Emma''s hawk eyes scoured the battlefield. All of the respective battles that were taking place came into her field of view. The Guardian Sword members that were struggling, the Black Masks that were waiting in ambush¡­ Basically, if anything had a pulse and moved¡­ Emma was able to accurately determine its position. And thus, by sheer coincidence, she spotted one distinct mana signature. "This is-!" There was a Spirit Emperor Brahmin that hid silently under the sands, not willing to leak a single fraction of his mana into the atmosphere. Shockingly, he wasn''t even exuded killing intent! It was as if that Black Mask had no intention to battle at all! Naturally, Emma found it weird, but there was something else that was bugging her. "Where have I sensed this mana signature before?" Emma swore that she''d felt that presence before. Though the Brahmin was just a Spirit Emperor, Emma felt a surge of anxiousness and fear overwhelm her brittle heart. Facing that mana signature, the seasoned archer felt like she was transported back in time¡­ Back to the time where she was a teenager that feared anything and everything. For someone like Emma, it was a strange feeling. It was as if¡­ she was transported back to the day she felt the most helpless. The day she lost two of her most treasured friends¡­ The day¡­ "THIS MANA SIGNATURE!!!" In a fit, Emma jerked. She realised whose mana signature it belonged to. She remembers. Ella would remember. All the orphans would remember. And in particular¡­ Shin would remember. "ELLA, FIONN, ELYSE! COME HERE NOW!!!" Emma screamed into the intercoms, calling out her fellow orphans. "What? What happened?!" Ella, her twin sister, was the first to answer the call. Flying over from her other vantage point, the master archer carried the two young girls over in a jiffy. "Did you get hurt?" "No¡­ Look there," Emma didn''t bother to explain much. All of the orphans present were master scouts of their own right. They could easily pinpoint the hidden existence that laid deep within the sand. And well¡­ It didn''t take long for them to share Emma''s astonishment. "That f.u.c.ker! He''s actually here!" Ella cursed with fury. "He actually dares to show his face after all he''d done!" "Coming to the same place that Brother Shin is¡­ That guy has balls." Elyse folded her arms, snorting at the stupidity of the Brahmin''s decision. Elyse knew better than anyone else how much Shin suffered that night. She remembered watching Shin grieve in her arms, crying while trying to hold back his emotions. "No, he knows that Shin is here, that''s why he''s hiding. If Shin were to spot him, that ass would be dead in a second." "... Malgen Chaxrala" "Fionn?" "Finally¡­ I finally get to get revenge on the guy who caused Linus'' death." "Ah¡­ Right." Ella nodded, just remembering the history that Fionn had with that Spirit Emperor. On that day, Ariel died while trying to save Elyse. Lily died because she threw herself to save Max. And finally, Linus, the Second Elder''s grandson, sacrificed his life for the sake of Fionn''s. Even though they weren''t that close when Linus was alive, Linus'' death had placed a significant mental scar on Fionn''s mind. "Brother Shin may be disappointed, but let''s take him on for ourselves." Fionn appealed to the rest of the orphans. "We''re no longer the weakling kids that needed to hide in the burning huts from him. Let''s show him that." "Haha, I like the way you think sister!" Ella spun her Ice Bow around, and a frosty domain enveloped everyone that stood within ten-metres. The three other orphans smiled at Ella''s resolute thinking. Of all of them, Ella was by far the most independent and brash orphan. Normally, that would be the cause of multiple headaches for Shin and the other poor members of Guardian Sword but in these circ.u.mstances¡­ "Let''s avenge Sister Lily and all those that perished that day!" Chapter 676 - Their Respective Battles (1) Guardian Sword weren''t the only ones engaged in hard-fought battles. The representatives from the Kori Federation, Lantis Republic, Himmel Empire and the Alliance were also facing their own unique war within the Payircis of their choosing. Based on the Hall of Whispers reports, each one of the Payirci''s masters had been revealed long before the Alliance members even stepped foot into the floating towers. The Purple Payirci could only be helmed by Murasaki, the Arachne Queen and the entity responsible for the Land of Dream''s massacre. Hence, it was only fitting for the Alliance forces, led by the elites from the Healer''s Association, Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild, to shoot down the Purple Payirci from the skies. The Red Payirci was under the strict jurisdiction of the Lion Chimaera, Akai. He was renowned for the fall of Aldrich''s Keep and the monster that assisted Saint Heigui in betraying his own people. Not only that, but he had also once resided in the east of the Himmel Empire, terrorising many civilians and displacing thousands of homes. For the Himmel Empire¡­ Fighting Akai was personal. There wasn''t even a second thought before Saint Firebird led his fellow Himmel Empire warriors into the floating tower, aiming to claim the lion''s head all of themselves. The White Payirci could only belong to the Mirror Deity. In the past, the Mirror Deity was a blank file in the Alliance''s database. However, recent events had made the white-haired boy far more notorious. Assisting in the assassination of Saint Suhavis, leading the assault on the Alliance''s vault to kill Kin and Gin before they could speak, and even teleporting Saint Heigui out of danger. Among the remaining Noble Beasts, Shiro''s name was on the top of their blacklist. To avenge the Heigui Clan''s fall, Saint Shenshe led the Lantis Republic''s forces into the White Payirci without a second thought. In her mind, killing Shiro could lead to hints of where Saint Heigui could be hiding. And finally¡­ The Black Payirci. Everyone knew the owner of the Black Payirci wasn''t a simple figure. Kuro had once challenged a plethora of Spirit Saints and had actually managed to stand his own against them with the Blade of the Ephemeral Haunt assisting his every move. Kuro was powerful, and truthfully, there was only one entity out of the three superpowers that had the manpower to deal with that dastardly foe. "Have you killed them all?" A handsome man with sharp eyes and an evil glare asked the woman who knelt before him. "Ha! The path is clear, Sect Elder!" "I trust that no one is injured?" "Yes! There''s no way that our Dragon Tiger Sect''s disciples would fall to some mere Umbras!" The woman''s eyes shone in pride. "Mmmm..." The handsome man nodded, cuffing his hands behind his back and turning towards the aged woman in the middle of the pack. "Saint Lyndis, you''ve heard her. The path to the top floor is cleared. We can attack the Paradise Heart now." "... Good work." The Spirit Saint smiled bitterly, unsure whether to feel happy or not. Dragon Tiger Gate always stood at the top of the Kori Federation. Each and every year, they would produce a vast array of geniuses, each one with talents that would surpass their predecessors. Their martial arts, cultivation techniques, battle formations, Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments¡­ To be honest, Dragon Tiger Gate alone could conquer this Payirci without the help of the other Kori Federation''s Master Sects. It was only through sheer luck that Dragon Tiger Gate hadn''t produced a Spirit Saint this generation. Otherwise, they would have dominated this era and run unbridled throughout the Kori Federation. ''However, from the looks of things¡­ The next era would be the Dragon Tiger Gate''s one.'' Saint Lyndis from the Emei Church sighed. She had watched with her own two eyes how powerful Dragon Tiger Gate''s next-generation were. That woman kneeling down to her elder¡­ She single-handedly took down a Spirit Emperor in just three strikes. Standing behind her, a bulky man held onto the head of a Tier 9 Spirit Beast, one that could easily match the might of a Spirit Venerate. At the far corner, a brown-haired man donning the noble white dragon clothes folded his arms in boredom, all while standing on top of a mountain of Black Masks'' corpses. ''A Spirit Saint will be born from that generation. No, it''s possible that there would be a few Spirit Saints sprouting out from that bunch. Our Emei Church also has Sierra and Joetri who could possibly become Spirit Saints¡­ Will the next generation be the golden age of cultivation?'' Saint Lyndis couldn''t help but wonder. The Allfather''s plan to raise the number of elites in the world had turned out to be a staggering success. Guardian Sword wasn''t the only beneficiary of the elongated war. Every one of the three superpowers would gain future Spirit Saints, possibly at record numbers as well. While the Spirit Saint was still lost in thought, the Kori Federation''s congregation had made their way to the apex of the Payirci. Unlike the Blue Payirci that Ao ran, Kuro''s layout of the dungeon was far more complex. There were traps that would fool even the most experienced of scouts. Enemies and ambushes at every corner. And even a vast number of Brahmins guarding each floor. However, they were no match for the speedy onslaught of Dragon Tiger Gate. The final door of the Payirci was quite the ostentatious one. Made out of pure obsidian, the final gates were as big as they were heavy. Even if all of the Kori Federation''s raid force were to stack on top of one another, they would fail to reach the top of the door. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!! The heavy gates creaked open as the biggest man in the group used all of his strength on that single point, revealing a plain spacious hall with nothing but pillars and floor. It was grey and dull, much like an abandoned castle. There were no signs of life, and neither was there a vast amount of spiritual energies sprouting forth from every corner. "We''re finally here..." One Dragon Tiger Gate elder remarked as she stepped through the door. "Now, all we have to do is destroy the Paradise Heart, and we''re out of here!" "Yeah, where is it?" The elites quickly got on their toes, with their weapons out and battle spirit heightened. ''Left clear¡­ Right clear¡­ Ahead clear¡­ Behind clear¡­ Down clear¡­ So that leaves...'' Saint Lyndis did the usual checks, hoping to find the enemy before an ambush could threaten them. So, with one remaining location remaining, the Spirit Saint''s head inadvertently tilted up. "That''s-!!!" The Emei Church''s Spirit Saint yelped, forcing the Kori Federation''s raid force to follow her gaze upwards. There it was. The Paradise Heart and its protector. Oddly enough, both the beings were unaffected by gravity and could remain on the ceiling without any punishments. No¡­ It was as if the laws of gravity had been purposely manipulated for the purposes of protecting the Paradise Heart. "You did well for coming this far..." The black-haired man applauded the raid force. "Clearing all of my gifts in less than a half-hour¡­ That''s quite impressive. Unfortunately¡­ It''s the end of the line for all of you." Dark smoke billowed down from the ceiling, corrupting the entire throne hall with Kuro''s distinct mana. It was suffocating as well, with the Primordial Beast''s spiritual pressure weighing down on all of their bodies. Slowly, Umbras arose from the black smoke, falling down like monkeys and blocking the path to the sky. "Rejoice. As a reward for coming this far, I''ll let you be the first sacrifices for opening Heaven''s Gate!!!" Chapter 677 - Their Respective Battles (2) Kuro''s fight with the Kori Federation''s elites was just beginning, and so were the rest of the remaining Payircis. Within the Purple Payirci, the Alliance''s raid force, led by the Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint Atossa, was rushing through the floating tower with cautionary speeds. Unlike Ao''s and Kuro''s Payircis, the Purple one was set up in a bewildering labyrinth state. Spiderwebs measuring over ten metres wide covered the dark, decrepit walls of the Payirci while poisonous gas overflowed from the cracks in the walls. It was one thing to traverse within enemy territory, it was another to have literally millions of spiders crawling out from hidden locations, threatening the group with death from every single corner. The Alliance members knew that it was going to be a disadvantaged fight from the very beginning. Hence, they mostly huddled up together, watching out for danger at any given moment. Fortunately for the Alliance''s raid force, the Mercenary Guild had the most experience out of any organisation in scouting and neutralising traps. Not only that, but they were also led by Saint Atossa and Guild Leader Xerxes themselves! The legends of the Mercenary Guild and the two best suited for playing the role of a guide. The Blacksmith''s League and Healer''s Association''s members weren''t a liability either. Forged by fire and steel, the members of the Blacksmith''s League had the strength to wrestle a fully grown bear with their bare hands. And there was no way to understate the importance of the Healer''s Association. Their healing and auxiliary spiritual abilities had carried the raid force all the way to the very end, minimising the casualties and maximising the damage of their allies. "Rotting flesh¡­ Skeletons of both humans and Spirit Beasts alike¡­ This is really the den to hell." Saint Atossa groaned. "Murasaki is the Arachne Queen, a predator species that eats any brain matter that she could get her hands on. I doubt we could count the number of victims that had fallen to her sticky webs." Guild Master Xerxes replied with a m.o.a.n as well. All around them, there was signs of death and violence. And most of that didn''t come from their fight against the Black Masks or the Umbras that guarded the Payirci. It was highly likely that Murasaki used this floating tower as her own feeding lair, luring thousands of humans and Spirit Beasts alike to sate her never-ending hunger. "Yeah, I know that¡­ Look!" Saint Atossa pointed her finger towards a remote corner of the Labyrinth''s end. There were familiar woollen garbs, one that was used to represent a Spirit Venerate of the Mercenary Guild, laid out all over the place. "She killed most of our scouts that we''ve sent. For a mere Tier 9 Spirit Beast could cause this much death¡­ Our Mercenary Guild will really have to re-evaluate our force''s true power." "They must have been caught off guard¡­ Who wouldn''t be staggered by the vast array of webs and traps that this Purple Payirci produced?" "Tsk, has the quality of Spirit Venerates really dipped that low? To die in a den of a Tier 9 Spirit Beast? Hopefully the next generation wouldn''t be as disappointing." Saint Atossa complained for the last time before coming face-to-face with the final room. Rather than facing an ordinary door or an opulent gate, the entrance to the Arachne Queen''s chambers was a simple hole in the ground. All the webs in the Labyrinth, all the spiders and arachnids, they were all coming from this one location. Saint Atossa was certain. Their target was just one leap away. However, that leap took a considerable amount of courage to pull off. "Alright, this is the final step. Are you ready?" Saint Atossa glanced back at her fellow raiders. "Born ready." "With this, the war will finally be over right? We can return back to our normal lives?" "We''ll kill the Purple Queen and return as heroes!" All kinds of responses came shooting back from the Alliance members'' mouths. They had been waiting for this moment for far too long. In fact, they were concerned that Saint Atossa wouldn''t jump down instead! "Haha, what a stupid question. Forgive me." The Spirit Saint shook her head, taking out an array of shining light sticks that the Alliance had prepared. In a dark place like this, it was imperative for the Alliance members to retain their ability to see. Furthermore, they were facing a Spirit Beast that thrived in the night, killing and feeding whenever their prey was enc.u.mbered without light. Against that kind of foe, Saint Atossa naturally had to be prepared. The Alliance''s raid force dropped many of the light sticks down the hole while some Wind-Elemental casters blew them all over the place. Since they were highly viscous, the light sticks stuck to the walls like glue, giving the Alliance a more unobstructed view of the final chambers of the web weaver. And true enough¡­ "Ara, ara¡­ I didn''t expect that you would reach here this quickly." A half-woman, half-spider glanced up with a smile. Her eight eyes blinked in unison, creating a mystical attraction that couldn''t be explained with pure words. However, the Alliance couldn''t be bothered with how charming Murasaki looked. What their eyes were affixed on, were the fully formed webs that spread for kilometres upon kilometres. Baby spiders would crawl innocently through the sticky webs, unhindered by the vast amounts of web cocoons that were tied up all around them. Big and powerful looking spiders were also present. They guarded their mistress like the Kingsguard would their King. They shot unpleasant glares at the intruders who were disturbing their Queen''s rest and were ready to pounce once the order was given. And that wasn''t all¡­ Umbras crawled on each one of the jagged walls while towering flying Spirit Beast protected the entrance to the chambers. There weren''t any Brahmins present, notably because none of them dared to volunteer. Yes, they may be Spirit Venerates that serve the Allfather, but if Murasaki felt that their brain matter was too enticing, what was stopping her from eating them right there and then? "You know¡­ I''ve been starving for weeks now." Murasaki let a little bit of her carnivorous instincts leak, and a purplish aura of death wreathed her entire being. Licking her lips, she continued: "Hmmm, the brain matter of a Spirit Saint. I wonder if that will satisfy my hunger?" An invisible pressure forced the Alliance''s troops to take a step back, gulping down gallons of their own nervous saliva. It took Saint Atossa, the only one that could freely move in the deadly aura, to break the deadlock with her own mana. Twitching her lips, the Spirit Saint muttered silently: "Hey¡­ Didn''t you say that she was a Tier 9 Spirit Beast?" "..." "So why is she emitting the power of a Primordial Beast?" "She¡­ must''ve advanced recently." "You only had one job-!" Saint Atossa wanted to scold Xerxes even more, but ultimately, the Spirit Saint held back. Turning her attention back to Murasaki, she caught sight of a pulsating light hidden deep within the cobs of web that made up the Arachne Queen''s bed. "No¡­ There''s no point crying over spilt milk," Saint Atossa sighed. "I''ll distract the Primordial Beast, you''ll find a way to destroy the Paradise Heart." She unsheathed her dagger and spun around like a dexterous thief. In a split second, her muscles and bones all toughened up while her entire body turned as light as a feather. Hopping in place, the Spirit Saint was ready to unleash the full extent of her powers, even if it meant hurting herself. Murasaki watched all of this unfold without much heed. In the Noble Beast''s mind, no one that stepped foot in her domain had a chance to leave it with their heads intact. In fact, there were droplets of water dripping down the sides of her mouth, as she waited earnestly for Saint Atossa to descend. If Murasaki killed the Mercenary Guild''s Spirit Saint, it would be her first time tasting such high-quality brain matter. So, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that she was anticipating that fall from grace. "I''m counting on you," Saint Atossa ordered her subordinate as she fearlessly leapt down into the weaver''s paradise. "I''m gonna eat you!" Chapter 678 - Their Respective Battles (3) Just as the Kori Federation had reached the apex of the Black Payirci and the Alliance''s forces had charged straight into the belly of the Arachne Queen, the Himmel Empire had also charged right into the apex of the Red Payirci. As they''d anticipated, the Red Payirci was ruled by the Lion Chimaera, the Noble Beast that was blessed with the affinity of fire. All throughout their ascent, the Himmel Empire''s raid force was stopped by flaming sentinels and endless magma pits. Hot steam forced their low body temperatures to overheat, and the infinite smoke had suffocated their entire respiratory systems. Fortunately, for the Himmel Empire, they too had an expert in the Fire-Element. And he wasn''t just any expert, the man was the Spirit Saint whose name was synonymous with fire itself. For most cultivators, entering this lava chambers was akin to suicide. Their faces would melt off once they came too close to the explosive area, and their bodies would sweat off its entire body weight if they were exposed for too long. However, for Saint Firebird, entering this Payirci was no different than coming back to his own personal abode. The Fire-Elements rejuvenated the slumbering Phoenix inside of him, allowing him to breeze through the toughest sections of the Payirci within seconds. And eventually, just like their fellow comrades in the other Payircis, the Himmel Empire''s raid force came face-to-face with the boss of their dungeon. The final chambers mirrored the exact environment that Akai would thrive in. Bubbling molten rock coloured in the flavour of the fiery pits of hell rose to the surface while sulfuric smoke blocked the vision of all who stepped forth. It was as if the Himmel Empire''s forces had been transported into the middle of a volcano''s crater rather than a central building of the Black Masks. Though, it wasn''t all lava and fire in the room. Bits of obsidian rock that were resistant to the sweltering heat, could be seen floating at every odd corner. Like islands in the open ocean, the rocks floated without much hindrance, allowing some of the Black Masks'' to hold their ground while waiting for the Alliance''s eventual arrival. And to top it all off¡­ A towering figure sat impatiently on the central obsidian rock, squirming about in discomfort as it moved its eyes between the Paradise Heart and the entrance to its abode. When the monster first saw movement, its eyes glistened with hope and jubilation. It wanted to roar with all of its might and was barely able to hold its excitement. However, once the monster did a cursory scan of the group of intruders, all of its anticipations faded away as it shot the Himmel Empire raid force a look of pure disappointment. Snorting, Akai scolded the group: "Rarara, you''re not who I''m looking for!" "... Were you expecting someone else?" Saint Firebird replied while trying to hide his twitching face. Just like Saint Atossa, he''d expected that his opponent would be a Tier 9 Spirit Beast. However, the ruby red aura that pulsated out from Akai was nowhere less potent than his own Spirit Saint energy. "Rarara! I have no business with you!" Disinterested, Akai bent his gigantic lion body down and rested on top of his pure obsidian island. "Rarara! Go back and tell Shin Iofiel to come! We have unsettled business!" "Shin Iofiel?" The Himmel Empire''s Spirit Saint was perplexed that his disciple''s husband''s name came out and raised a single eyebrow. He thought about the connection between the red beast and Shin and was hard-pressed to find one. It took one of his subordinates to whisper into his ear that Saint Firebird finally understood what had gone wrong. "Ah, that Gargantuan Treant huh? You want to face Shin because you want vengeance?" "... I don''t care about that stupid tree!" Akai harrumphed and didn''t elaborate any further. "Rarara! Just get him over here! If you leave now, I can spare your lives." "Haha, that''s not an option..." Saint Firebird shook his head. Raising one hand up, the Spirit Saint summoned out an image of his famed Phoenix Spirit, sucking in all of the Fire-Elements within the sacred grounds. Unlike the others, Saint Firebird wasn''t all that good at physical enhancement to bypass the mana leakage problem. Therefore, he had come up with a new strategy to deal with the Paradise Heart that was sucking in all of the elemental energies. Akai''s body jerked as he came to his feet. Saint Firebird was sucking in all of the Fire-Elements that he''d prepared to feed the Paradise Heart in the hopes of allowing the Allfather to open Heaven''s Gate. If Saint Firebird was to get his way, the Paradise Heart would be crippled, and the Allfather''s precious doorway to the Immortal Realm would crumble away like a house of cards. "See, Shin is like my son-in-law. I can''t let you kill him on my watch, can I?" Saint Firebird raised his voice. "Rarara¡­ If you want to die, so be it!!!" ??? Meanwhile, on the other side of the Tree of Darkness... "Where the hell are we?!" "Didn''t we pass this place before?" "Don''t leave the group! Stick together or you''ll get lost!" While the raid forces from the other teams had reached the final boss room and were ready to face their respective Noble Beast, the Lantis Republic''s congregation was unable to escape from the first floor that they''ve entered. It wasn''t that they were weaker than their counterparts, and neither were they inexperienced. It was just... this White Payirci that they were trying to conquer, it was just too¡­ Confusing! Mirrored hallways with dizzying Space-Elemental traps were as commonplace as ants in the White Payirci, and it posed a considerable problem for the Lantis Republic''s raid force to gather their bearings. Since all the rooms looked the same, it was hard to tell if they were walking around in circles. Placing down markers was also proving useless. They could mark their paths with whatever means at their disposal, in the end, the Space-Elements in the Payirci would remake the rooms, reverting back into its original shape. Breaking the mirrors was no solution either. Saint Shenshe learnt that the hard way. She attempted to utterly destroy the entire floor in the hopes of finding an exit. However, to her utter surprise¡­ None of the mirrors were destructible. They were like illusions that could never be altered with the physical form. Each time an attack landed on a mirror, it would simply reform itself as if it had never been hit. There were no Umbras. There were no Brahmins. There were no Spirit Beasts. However, the Lantis Republic''s raid force had failed to even pass the first level! "This f.u.c.k.i.n.g Mirror Deity!" Saint Shenshe cursed, her face turning as red as can be. "Call for reinforcements from the Alliance! Preferably get someone that''s adept at moving through confusing spaces!" "Yes, ma''am!" One officer saluted the Spirit Saint and was just about to turn around before a thought shocked his consciousness into a standstill. "What''s the matter?" "I''m sorry but¡­ Which way is the exit?" "..." Silence. The Lantis Republic''s raid force immediately turned silent. They weren''t even able to escape now and were trapped here like a mouse in a bowl. "THIS F.U.C.K.I.N.G MIRROR DEITY!!!" Saint Shenshe continued to curse, this time with one octave higher. At the same time, a white-haired boy was watching this entire scene unfold with bemused eyes. The mirror in front of him was flashing with pure bright colours, showing every detail of the Lantis Republic''s ascent in his Payirci. "They should be trapped here for the foreseeable future," Shiro deduced. "Fortunately, Shin Iofiel didn''t attempt to enter my Payirci. Hah, if he did, there''s no guessing how quickly he would see through my traps." As Shiro had anticipated, Shin was the wild card of the Alliance. His ability countered all of the Noble Beasts'' specialities, and he had experience fighting or observing all of them. Shiro would literally rather fight a Spirit Saint than to spend a minute playing the dance against Shin. "Now, all we have to do is buy some time¡­ The Allfather should be preparing to open Heaven''s Door anytime now." Chapter 679 - Powers Of The Titans (1) Shin''s fight with the World Serpent was intensifying by the millisecond. His tight fists landed blow after blow on Ao''s thick skull and the echoes of their strikes boomed like thunder within the Blue Payirci. One might think that Shin''s inferior size would prove fatal in the duel to the death. After all, from an outsider''s perspective, Shin looked like a fly while the World Serpent was an absolute goliath. However, the battle had surprisingly come to a standstill. Shin''s Cosmic Wings twinkled with starlight, and the Space-Elements overflowed from every fibre of its being. Whenever Ao thought that he''d managed to entrap Shin to land a decisive blow, Shin would simply use the power of his Cosmic Wings to teleport around the World Serpent. In a fight where one party was so much smaller than the other, each side had to play according to their advantages. Ao''s advantage was that he was far larger and had much more physical strength than Shin himself. One tailwhip from Ao was enough to render Shin physically handicapped and if any of his fangs were to pierce through Shin''s human flesh¡­ It would be game over for the poor Prince. However, it wasn''t like Shin was completely hopeless. Ao''s size meant that his speed and dexterity was severely impaired. Compared to Shin who had literally the wings of a butterfly, the World Serpent was hard-pressed to land a clean strike on the agile cultivator. Shin teleported around the desert, moving from one advantageous position to another. If Ao''s massive frame was about to come crashing down on Shin, he would simply teleport away using his Cosmic Wings, and repeat the process all over again. Hence, after over a hundred moves, neither Shin nor Ao had held a distinct advantage. "Stop squirming about and fight me!" At this point, even the usually patient Ao was starting to feel the heat. Lashing out in anger, the World Serpent sent a quick tail strike at Shin which in turn caused a colossal sand tsunami to arise. With no feasible way to evade, Shin had to once again rely on the use of his Cosmic Wings to teleport far away. Clicking his tongue, Shin retorted: "Return back to your human form, and then we''ll talk!" "Human form? I''m a Primordial Beast, this is the way I was brought to this world! What human form?!" Ao scoffed at the outlandish thought. Turning into a humanoid form was just one method for Spirit Beasts to interact with other humans. It proved useful when it came to communication, but fighting was another detail altogether. In their human form, Primordial Beasts were only able to display a fraction of their true abilities. If Ao really fought in that mode, Shin would walk away with the destruction of the Paradise Heart within seconds. "Shin, what kind of warrior are you?! Junius would never squirm around like a rat! He would face all adversities head-on!" "... You sure are getting on my nerves." Shin frowned. He''d long known about the connection between Junius and Ao. Shin knew all about how Ao led Junius further down the dark path and groomed him to be a worthwhile asset to the Allfather. So, hearing Junius'' name come out of the World Serpent''s mouth really put a damper on his mood. ''Tch! If only I could use the Water-Element! I would end you right here, right now!'' Shin cursed inwardly. Shin''s entire arsenal of tricks and techniques heavily relied on his ability to manipulate the Water-Elements. That was an undeniable fact. So with the Water-Elements in this Payirci as scarce as can be, Shin was unable to execute his true might against the World Serpent. Even if Shin did manage to turn this world into the aquatic world that he was most comfortable in, the Paradise Heart at the centre of it all would absorb his spiritual energies and supply to the Allfather to use. In the end, Shin was caught in a no-win scenario. ''In the end, I must rely on the power of the Old Titans¡­ Hah, I really wanted to save them for the Allfather...'' Steeling his resolve, Shin flew up high into the sky before teleporting three hundred metres away from the floundering World Serpent. "Hmmm? Giving up so soon?" Ao shot Shin a snide remark, but the Prince paid him no heed. Shin''s eye was on the prize, and his focus shifted to executing his next move. ''Water¡­ Out of the question. Time¡­ It should be useless here¡­ As for the rest, yes¡­ Three Titans should be enough¡­'' His arms raised above his head, Shin reached deep into his Spiritual Body, calling out the ninth crystal obelisk within his soul. Five flashing lights expanded and contracted, each one more stunning than the last. Shin raised his right hand up, calling out for the three brightest lights of them all. And just like that¡­ WUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! In the material plane, Shin''s body glowed with three distinct colours. The Cosmic Wings grew to three times its original size as a holy ring of light graced Shin''s head like a Prince being bestowed a divine crown. Bathed in the golden light, Ao found the need to avert his gaze while coiling around to protect the Paradise Heart from the unknown power that permeated out of Shin''s body. With his Cosmic Wings and Golden Halo summoned, Shin looked more like an angel that wandered down from the heavens than a regular human being. However, that wasn''t the end of Shin''s transformation. The lights of the Space Titan and the Light Titan were beaming out of Shin''s crown and back, but there was one more¡­ Shin had closed his eyes to peek deep inside of his subconsciousness. It seemed to be suicidal, closing his eyes in front of an enemy that could flatten him with one single clean strike. However, Shin remained confident. Why? ''That eye¡­ What happened?'' Ao was the first to realise that something was amiss with Shin''s ocular organ. The energies that were spiking out from within couldn''t be compared to how Shin was in the beginning. The Cosmic Wings were mystical, the Divine Halo was holy and bright¡­ However, that thing within Shin''s left eye¡­ It was utterly terrifying. All the three powers that Shin had shown, that thing within his eye¡­ Ao felt that power residing within Shin''s eyes¡­ It was capable of shooting him down, even with his Primordial Beast''s defences. "..." Unconsciously, the World Serpent tightened its coil around the Paradise Heart, trying its best not to separate itself from the prized possession. However, Shin wasn''t going to let Ao rest for a single second. The bright golden halo above his head glimmered in dazzling light, blinding any that stood within its target radius. The halo turned the entire faux sky into an intense golden hue, creating an endless surge of starlight rain to fall from the heavens. As if knowing that it would happen, the World Serpent quickly strengthened all of its body parts to withstand the oncoming onslaught. BING!!! BING!!! BING!!! BING!!! The starlight fell upon the World Serpent''s thick hide but failed to pierce through it as Shin intended. Yes, the World Serpent felt immense pain and burning heat permeated through all of his veins¡­ But alas, the piercing power of the Light-Element was still too lacking as compared to the World Serpent''s notorious toughness. Noticing that he held the advantage for now, Ao attempted to ball up just a little longer so that he could ride out the storm and wait for a suitable time to counter-attack. However¡­ "Hiding is futile, stupid snake. Come and accept your fate." A hypnotic whisper entered the World Serpent''s consciousness, luring it to raise its head to the mesmerising source. And that''s when Ao saw it¡­ Shin was floating right in front of his face, completely defenceless and without a single ally in sight. If Ao wanted to, he could open his mouth and swallow the poor guy down whole, and the war would be over. But¡­ he couldn''t. No matter how hard he tried, Ao''s body wouldn''t listen to him. It was caught in a trance, just like the World Serpent''s consciousness itself. There was a higher power locking him in place, a higher power that was unknown, even to the knowledgeable World Serpent who lived thousands of years. And its source¡­ Was coming straight from Shin''s left eye. Shin''s right eye remained with the same rich azure hue, a colour that was beautiful and gentle and the same time. However, Shin''s left eye socket had changed entirely. Instead of holding a lake within his pupils, Shin''s entire left eye had wholly disappeared. In its place, there was a chaotic gas cloud, one that was seemingly as small as an insect but could hold the entire universe in its grasp should it have to. Ao had never seen or experienced such a mesmerising power in his entire life. No, he didn''t even read of such a power from the many texts that the Allfather had supplied him. Right now, Ao was like a stunned animal in the shining lights. There was nothing he could do but stare in awe and fear. And that was his downfall¡­ The longer Ao stared into the Mystic Cloud that slept within Shin''s left eye, the longer his mind would be entrapped by Shin''s own Mind-Elemental powers. Thus, after a good three seconds of watching Shin''s enigmatic left eye, Ao''s entire body just¡­ froze. Chapter 680 - Powers Of The Titans (2) "Where am I?" Ao ''woke up,'' turning his head around in confusion and uneasiness. His head was hurting, and his face was as sore as can be. He was unable to recall what he was doing or what he had been doing. Ao looked perplexed, trying his hardest to recollect what had happened to him. Ao looked down, only to see that his magnificent serpentine body that had the size to wrap around the planet twice over was long replaced by his frail humanoid form. He tried to muster up some strength, but his muscles weren''t listening to him. It was as if, something had drained the life out of the man and had left him bare. If Ao was catapulted into a desolate wilderness, he would be eaten by the wild beasts that roamed the land, there was no question about that. Fortunately, he wasn''t anywhere near a ravine or a forest. Ao was¡­ Lying flat on a bed in a secluded room, one that was vaguely familiar to him. "Ah, I remember this place¡­ This is..." Ao awoke, grinning from ear to ear. He recognised this place¡­ It was a location where the World Serpent had shared some of his most cherished memories and the place where he''d felt most at home. The familiar sight of half-read books on the table, the nightshade which helped him calm his nerves down. The snow that gently fell from the window¡­ It was all so familiar and so warm. And also¡­ "Senior Ao! It''s time for breakfast!" A voice called out to the World Serpent from the other side of the door. There was no need for knocking or excessive shoutouts, the youth on the other side simply turned the doorknob and addressed the blue-haired man straight on. The viridian-haired youth who entered the room, his chest puffed and eyebrows knitted. Noticing that Ao was seated upright on his bed, the youth made a snide remark: "Oh, you''re already awake? That''s rare." "Junius¡­" Ao widened his eyes for a moment. Junius was supposed to be dead. He betrayed the Black Masks and tore his soul apart when he purified the Allfather''s mana. There was no way that any part of the man could still remain. Yet, there he was¡­ standing right by Ao''s side. "How are you..." "How am I what? This handsome?" Junius snorted. "Did you have a bad dream?" "No, I..." The World Serpent''s brain started short circuiting. He was going through all the variables that could potentially lead to this outcome and well¡­ It wasn''t long until the knowledgeable World Serpent got his answer. "Ah¡­ I see¡­ So, I''ve already lost." Ao looked out the window and pierced his glare at the snowy skies. There was no one outside, but the World Serpent behaved as if a thousand eyes were watching him. "What''s the matter? I didn''t know that Spirit Beasts could have nightmares!" Junius, oblivious to Ao''s inner thoughts, cracked a cheerful joke. "Hahaha, I guess we Spirit Beasts do have our odd days." Ao shook his head, taking three steps towards the youth standing at the door. "You said that breakfast was ready. I hope you made my favourite." "Yeah, fried Tuscany Rodents." Junius rolled his eyes. "Honestly, who the hell eats rats?" "I''m a snake-type! Of course I would eat rats! You should try it one day! It''s rich in proteins and-..." "Diseases," The viridian-haired youth folded his arms and retorted. "You do know that humans were once wiped out by a plague caused by rats right?" "Hoho, just because you read a few books in my library¡­ Do you think that you''re better than me now?" Ao chuckled as he held the young man close. "Humans are better learners than snakes..." "Oh, you''re such a bore." Ao followed Junius out the door and into the dining hall where the other Awter Clan remnants were waiting. Shia, the gorgeous wife of Junius, was beaming radiantly at the passionate exchanges between the World Serpent and her beloved husband. The breakfast table turned into a barrel of laughs as Ao teased Junius about his loving relationship and praising the man for finishing the books that he''d assigned to him. After breakfast, Ao held Junius by the shoulders and brought him out to the training grounds. Ao took out a training sword and handed it over to Junius while he maintained his signature boxing style. As per usual, the World Serpent trained the young man in physical combat. Though, since Ao''s physical body was so much more defined and powerful, it was more of a beatdown than a normal practice duel. Once training was over, Ao brought Junius over to the study, where they started to discuss the books that they''d read over the past week. Sometimes, Ao would just sip on his precious tea while listening to Junius'' arguments and reasonings. It was a dull day. No, it was a typical day for the World Serpent and his precious protege. Black Masks, Allfather, Shin Iofiel, the Frie Clan and Awter Clan¡­ All of that was forgotten as they passed the time with each other. Ao would train Junius, while Junius would listen to his master''s ramblings and answer any curiosities that the World Serpent might have about human society. It was bliss. Alas, happiness wasn''t a constant in the world¡­ The sun quickly set beyond the horizons, plunging the world from the brightest of day to the darkest of nights. Ao and Junius never once left the mansion as their bodies were almost glued to one another. They talked until their mouths were void of saliva and laughed until their cheeks were unable to bear the strain. The day that they''d spent together¡­ It was a day that Ao would treasure for all eternity. "Junius¡­ I''ve really missed you." "What are you talking about? Aren''t we spending time together?" "Yes¡­ Yes we are." Ao smiled and stared deep into Junius'' eyes. He leaned in on the young man and brought him into his warm, loving arms. "I''d always thought that I''d never had a son¡­ Or I would never want one. My species is one that loves to rely on themselves after all¡­ But I guess I was wrong. What we have is probably that of a father-son relationship." "..." "So thank you, Junius¡­ Thank you for appearing in my life. Thank you for teaching me the things that I would never have experienced. Thank you¡­ For being my disciple." "..." Ao held Junius in his embrace for a solid five minutes. The World Serpent didn''t move, and neither did Junius. Ao tried to get his final fill of the young man before he reluctantly whispered the words into Junius'' ear: "It''s enough now. It really is." "..." Junius remained silent. Or rather, the viridian-haired man that Ao was hugging never intended to respond. He knew that the illusion had broken. The world¡­ The mansion that Ao and the Awter Clan lived in¡­ It crumbled away like broken glass. The relaxed, snowy atmosphere¡­ The warmth of a family¡­ The laughter and smiles that came with Junius¡­ It was all fading away. The dream had been lifted, and the World Serpent''s mind had been sent back to the material realm. When Ao opened his eyes next, he saw the broken Paradise Heart, the one thing that he was supposed to protect for the Allfather and the artefact that would elevate the Black Masks into the next dimension¡­ That Paradise Heart¡­ It was shattered into a million pieces. Longyu Tian stood right next to Zishen, ensuring that none of the elemental energies floated out of the Payirci and into the spiralling vortex outside. They also had one eye on the World Serpent, ready to pounce should things go south. However, Ao didn''t care about the two of them. The Paradise Heart was destroyed¡­ He had expected that the moment he saw Junius in his dreams. Of all the Noble Beasts, Ao was the most learned. Ao knew that he was caught in an illusion too strong for him to break once he stared into Shin''s left eye. The fact that Ao was still alive with his body intact when he was vulnerable this entire time¡­ That itself was a miracle. "Ah, so I failed huh?" "Ao, you..." Shin''s shaking voice entered the World Serpent''s ears, prompting the titanic snake to turn towards him. "You¡­ you actually..." "Shin Iofiel¡­ I must admit you are the strongest human I''ve ever met." Ao ignored the trembling black-haired man and began to monologue. "More so than Junius¡­ More so than the Akumu. Give it a few more years, and you''ll unquestionably reach the heights that Spirit Immortal Dream once did." "..." "As Junius'' mentor, I''m inclined to let you live. So that I can see his dream fulfilled in your form. Unfortunately, as Akumu''s friend, I can''t let you hinder his dream anymore." The World Serpent sighed, curling away from the broken Paradise Heart. Plip plop¡­ Plip plop¡­ Drops of water fell down from the top of the Payirci while the Water-Elements returned back to the Blue Payirci. Ao thought that the best way to defeat Shin was to strip away his favoured element from the environment. Who would have thought that the Prince of Water had long turned himself into the Elemental King and was able to use the other elements to such a high level? If that was the case¡­ Why should Ao cripple himself anymore? Forcing the rain to fall, the World Serpent hissed and created a tempest of endless winds and waves. The desert turned into a mudslide as kilometres of water overflowed in the Payirci. The rain had returned to the world, and the World Serpent was going to make full use of it. Chapter 681 - Powers Of The Titans (3) "Shin!" While the World Serpent was preoccupied with summoning back the Water-Element, Saint Longyu Tian and Zishen came flying back towards Shin with expressions that mixed excitement with anxiousness. "Shin! The World Serpent is going berserk after we''ve destroyed the Paradise Heart!" Longyu Tian flung her Rod of Eternity in front of Shin and hollered back: "Leave this place and leave him to us!" "Mmmm¡­ He''s an admirable foe¡­ I believe that my fight with him will be quite the delight." Zishen nodded, though not at Longyu Tian''s suggestion. It was rare to find a Primordial Beast of the same element of himself. If the two of them fought¡­ What kind of insights could Zishen get? The Azure Dragon Lord was getting jittery with curiosity. "Mmmm¡­ You''ve done well, my Prince. Escape with the others. We''ll be behind you in a moment." "No¡­ Senior Zishen, Aunt Tian. You''re wrong." Shin shook his head, denying his seniors'' suggestions. "I should be the one to face Ao¡­ The World Serpent. You guys take the rest and escape." "You-!" Longyu Tian gasped. It was one thing for Shin to distract the World Serpent, but fighting it in a one-on-one bout? That was a stupid decision, no matter how one tried to slice it. However, just as the Saint of Time was about to give her signature rebuttals, she flashed a glance into Shin''s unwavering eyes. They were as calm as Lake Longyu and the fire that burnt within¡­ burned hotter than molten lava itself. "... I see." Sighing, Longyu Tian dropped her shoulders and gestured to Zishen. "Don''t make us wait too long. We''ll need your help to take down the Allfather." "Yeah, it won''t take long." "... You moron." Longyu Tian left Shin with an affectionate berate, before flying away with Zishen in tow. Now that the Blue Payirci''s Paradise Heart was destroyed, it was time to escape the structure and aid the Alliance forces fighting outside. Of course, they had to clear the remnant Black Masks within the floating tower first. ??? Ao and Shin. World Serpent versus the Prince of Water. Both of them were the hegemons of water and were able to live and breathe using solely that element. In terms of experience, the World Serpent had lived more than three-quarters of its entire life underwater. Dwelling deep under the depths, the World Serpent had absorbed more Water-Elements than any other creature and its colossal size served as an abysmal tank of mana. However, Shin wasn''t at all inferior when it came to water. Before the Lantis Republic had discovered him and allowed him to undergo the Celestial River Baptism, Shin''s abilities were almost all exclusive to water. Even after Shin had obtained the Celestial Dragon and increased his affinity with the other elements, the Prince of Water remained faithful to his Water-Elemental cultivation, always innovating from the powers that he was given. Junius had once told Shin, his first ability, the ability to create and manipulate water was likely to be his strongest. Shin took that to heart and continuously upgraded his skills. He was able to turn water into mist, mist into ice, manipulate the blood of others and constantly change his abilities mid-combat. Shin wasn''t bestowed the Prince of Water title¡­ He earned it. "Fly," Shin flicked his fingers, sending a tower of gushing waves spiralling right at the World Serpent. At the same time, he summoned out his arsenal of spiritual techniques. The Spear of Aiglos, Shin''s favoured ice spear, spun around him twice, protecting the Prince from any sneak attack that the World Serpent might have prepared. To entrap the Primordial Beast, Shin summoned out his favoured Army of Water, an ability that was inspired by Isadaore''s and the Himmel Ancestor''s spiritual ability that could summon out an army of astral soldiers. At the same time, he equipped said soldiers with a plethora of water-created weapons. Ice spears, mist guns, water cannons, snow arrows¡­ There was so much variety that Ao didn''t bother to count them all. "I''d thought you''d forgotten about the Water-Element¡­ Looks like you didn''t abandon it completely." "..." Shin didn''t reply. His mind was still spinning from the illusion he''d created to ensnare Ao. Shin may have obtained the ability of the Mind Titan, but his proficiency with the element wasn''t as solid as a cultivator who had devoted his entire life to the Mind-Element. Hence, he was only able to create illusions that showed his victim''s deepest fears or most cherished memories and desires. For that scene¡­ That loving memory of Junius to appear in Ao''s dream¡­ It meant only one thing. "Answer me this, Ao. Did you mean what you''ve said in the illusion?" "Take it as you may," Ao replied Shin cryptically. However, that was all it took for Shin to understand everything that the World Serpent was feeling. "It really is¡­ a shame." "Yes, it is." The two Water-Elemental juggernauts sighed. The rain was turning into a tempest, one that could blow mountains away and cause waves that would tower over the entire continent. Shin controlled his Army of Water well, all while summoning new and more powerful techniques to deal with the World Serpent. Spears of Sparta, Mines of the Ocean, Mystic Geyser, Meteor Shower¡­ All of Shin''s created techniques were thrown right at the colossal snake. Alas¡­ Shin wasn''t the only one that was powerful with water¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Ao hissed, turning the tempest into a never-ending hurricane that could engulf the entire world if it had the time and space. All of Shin''s water techniques, be it the Army of Water that held a thousand different weapons or the Arcane River that was powered up by his Shard of the Azure Dragon¡­ They were all blown away without mercy. If Shin''s speciality was creating water, Ao''s forte was to blow everything up with water. Creation and destruction. Two polar opposites of water had collided in a showdown to determine who was the Sovereign of Water. Anything that Shin could create, Ao would destroy. It was a classic tale of push and pull. The battle raged on. Shin continued to throw everything that he had in his arsenal, only for Ao to completely beat it down with his never-ending storms. Shin refused to use the other powers of the Old Titans, adamant that they were his trump cards against the Allfather. But in truth¡­ Shin wanted to give Ao the perfect warrior''s duel. If Ao was going to die by his hand, Shin wanted it to be done with the Water-Element. Well, in terms of who would win the final battle¡­ It was hard to say. Ao''s deep mana pool and countless years of experience would indicate that the Primordial Beast would have a far better shot at emerging as the eventual winner. However, Shin had one distinct advantage over the Primordial Beast. ''Water¡­ Water¡­ Water¡­ Lukman said it first. I''d abandoned the path of water. Ao reaffirmed it by removing the Water-Element from the environment. I¡­ have been too complacent.'' Shin''s mind went into a rapid-fire mode, a mode that Shin had rarely dived into ever since he first created Guardian Sword. For the longest time, Shin was the underdog, the weaker opponent that had to use creative methods to overcome his adversary. Now that he''d attained all of the Celestial Dragon''s powers, Shin had rarely faced a challenge that was too hard to overcome with his overwhelming might. ''Water¡­ Whether it is creation or destruction. It can take any form. It is omnipresent and neutral. It is¡­ the building blocks of life and also the fundamental power that all living beings rely on. It is everywhere¡­ and¡­ everywhere...'' In a mere ten seconds, Shin finally realised what the missing piece of the puzzle was. Comfort crept through all parts of his body as blood stopped pumping through his veins. He could feel it all. Water was everywhere¡­ In the air, in the ground, in all living beings¡­ So¡­ Why not use all of it? What was Shin''s true superpower? It wasn''t the ability to use every element. It wasn''t the ability to summon out the powers of the Old Titans. From the very beginning, Shin''s superpower was something that the World Serpent could only dream of having. And that was... The ability to comprehend everything. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHH!!! Just as Ao was about to summon yet another typhoon to decimate Shin and bury him a kilometre under, all water under the World Serpent''s control dissipated away. The winds¡­ the oceans¡­ the waves¡­ Everything was snatched away from the World Serpent''s grasp. "Huh?" Naturally, Ao was confused by the sudden development. He moved his gaze straight towards Shin, who had closed his eyes and remained motionless for the most part. "What in the world-?" All of the Water-Elements that Ao had generated and the Blue Payirci had stored¡­ They were all dancing around Shin in pure jubilation. A profound azure aura permeated out of Shin''s tightened body and a divine light wreathed around the relaxed man. Ao couldn''t believe it¡­ For the first time in his life, he wasn''t able to control a single ounce of his favoured element. And when Ao looked at Shin¡­ It was as if he were a baby turtle looking at the ocean for the first time. ''Water¡­ is everywhere and...'' Shin opened his eyes, spreading his arms out wide like a pair of eagle wings and sucking in all of the Water-Elements that surrounded him. All of the rain¡­ the tempest¡­ the oceans¡­ They all evaporated away, leaving the Payirci with nothing. All that remained¡­ was Shin and his glowing blue aura. ''Water is everywhere and¡­ I am water.'' Chapter 682 - Ending It All (1) Rewind the clock back a few minutes. Shin and Ao weren''t the only ones reaching the epilogue of their battle. The other members of Guardian Sword were also wrapping up their respective bouts with relative flair. Kanari, the one overseeing the entire battlefield, had led the elites of Guardian Sword to an apparent victory against the floating remnants of the Black Masks. Since Ao had largely abandoned his army and allowed them to do as they pleased, the Black Masks had become rather disorganised by the time the first wave of sandy tsunamis hit them. The Brahmins that were supposed to lead them were also facing powerful opposition of their own; thus, they were unable to group up and deal with any significant damage to Guardian Sword. It actually became a one-sided sweep, where Kanari quickly dispatched half of the scurried villains with the help of Lady Seph. Furthermore, since the destruction of the Paradise Heart, Umbras were unable to spawn no longer. The vast numbers of the Black Masks also quickly dwindled, with each passing wave of strikes by the Kanari-led Guardian Sword. "Kanari, you actually did it." Lady Seph wiped the sweat off her face before flashing a smile at the black-haired beauty. "I''d thought that you were locked behind a desk all day. Where did you get the time to learn military tactics?" In Guardian Sword, all Hall Masters were given a defined role. Kanari, as the Hall of Diplomacy''s Master, was given the task of managing external and internal affairs. A human resources department of the sorts. Furthermore, she was a mother of four as well as the Princess that married into the Lantis Republic. One couldn''t count the list of responsibilities that she held even with all of their fingers and toes. For Kanari to learn military tactics on top of all that¡­ How the hell did she get the time? "Before bed, Shin always discusses tactics with me. You know him, he always has plan Bs for everything. He''d predicted that there would come a day where I would have to lead Guardian Sword into battle in his place." "Ah, no wonder." The sides of Lady Seph''s lips curled upwards. "That really sounds like him, that little bugger." "Haha, he''s no longer little, Lady Seph!" Kanari jokes. "He''s now a fully grown man with four kids!" "Hmph! No matter how much he grows, Shin will always be a child in my eyes!" The blonde beauty groaned. "But still¡­ The others sure are taking their time, huh?" After joking around for a bit, the two leaders of Guardian Sword turned their attention to the three most contested battles. Guardian Sword had cleared out the weaker opponents of the Blue Payirci. All of the remaining members of the Black Masks were the Brahmins that were at least in the Spirit King realm. And of all the said Brahmins, only three of them were putting on somewhat of a fight. Meijing Xuenkai versus Meijing Bingying and Bingbing. In terms of combat ability, the two sides were almost equal. Meijing Xuenkai was a monstrous talent, even way back when he was first competing for the Meijing Clan Master title. He had the experience that was only matched by Admirals of the Lantis Republic and possessed the infinitely deep mana pool of a Spirit Venerate. Against any other enemy, Meijing Xuenkai was undoubtedly going to be an unparalleled enemy. However, the combined might of Meijing Bingying and Bingbing perfectly countered the Spirit Venerate, so much so that he was unable to land a single hit on them despite being the superior foe on paper. "The two Bings are in quite a pickle¡­ Should we aid them?" Lady Seph probed. "Not yet¡­ There are others to watch." Kanari just shook her head, her eyes turning to the next heated battle that was going on. The Sword Baron and Isadore''s fight was what caught Kanari''s eye. Seymour Fielder was a bona fide Spirit Venerate with years of experience to match his overbearing mana pool. In all accounts, his battle with Isadore, a Rank 60 Spirit King boy with one-tenth of his years of experience, was a bad match. Among all of the duels with the Brahmins, Kanari was most concerned about Isadore''s one. If need be, she was willing to leave the command post just to assist her precious friend. Yet, for some mystical reason¡­ Isadore was holding his own against the Brahmin of Swords. If Seymour swung his sword once, Isadore would parry it with his godly silver spear. If the Brahmin attempted to slice Isadore''s head off, a random warrior from his astral army would tank the hit. And more shockingly¡­ Isadore''s martial arts was superior to that of the Sword Baron. Yes, he lacked the firepower and mana pool that the Spirit Venerate has. But his battle sense was in no way inferior to that of the commander of a million battles. "That Himmel brat¡­ When did he get so strong?" Lady Seph''s face soured. She still had bad memories pertaining to the Himmel Empire, and deep down, she felt that the whole Imperial system needed a complete overhaul. Watching Isadore, the man who will one day carry the torch of the Imperial Family, become that strong¡­ the former Imperial Tutor didn''t know how to feel. "He''s one of Guardian Sword''s top members. His strength is to be expected!" Kanari beamed. "At least for now, we don''t have to worry about Bingying, Bingbing and Isadore. The last fight remaining is..." Kanari turned her gaze to the final duel, the one located at the far corner. And well¡­ To call it a battle would be an overestimation¡­ The fight between Malgen Chaxrala, the Spirit Emperor that brought Frie Mountain to its demise, and the former orphans that lived on that mountain¡­ It was a one-sided beatdown. And shockingly¡­ It was in favour of the orphans. The Brahmin''s Thargak Golem incarnation, the Spirit Avatar that had enabled him to take on the might of Enfen Frie, the Rose of the Frie Clan, was slowly dissipating away like the autumn leaves. Ice arrows stuck out from all parts of his body like an enraged porcupine as he knelt in a pool of his own blood. Emma and Ella, the two master archers that were most effective from a distance, had crept up close with the defeated Spirit Emperor. Usually, it would be suicide for them to come this close with the Spirit Emperor, whether he was on his last breath or not. However, the two girls that surrounded Malgen made sure that nothing was going to happen. Elyse had her Cinereous Cyclone Dagger pinned just inches away from Malgen''s heart. At the same time, Fionn''s Reaper''s Scythe was plastered under his neck, ready to pull his head out like a chicken''s if need be. "Any last words?" Fionn coldly asked. "Y-You¡­ F.u.c.ks..." "Are you sure you want those to be your last words?" Ella scoffed and shot yet another arrow at the kneeling man''s thigh. He was already half-dead, what difference would one more arrow to the knee make? "You killed our elder sisters¡­ Your actions that day killed Lily and Ariel! Do you regret it now?!" "I-I¡­ don''t¡­ f.u.c.k.i.n.g care!" The Brahmin spat. Blood trickled down his eyes and nose, turning the man''s face into a broken mess. "I will curse you all! I will curse you all in hell! Once the Allfather becomes an Immortal and resurrects me, I will be sure to kill you all!!! I don''t f.u.c.k.i.n.g-..." SCHLING!!! Before Malgen could get the last word, the world from his eyes turned upside down. For just a millisecond, he could see the silver blade of Fionn''s Reaper''s Scythe, right before his consciousness faded to black for good. "..." The girls stared in shock as Fionn spun her blade around nonchalantly. She wasn''t bothered by the head that flew out from her scythe. Instead, Fionn closed her eyes and muttered out a silent prayer. "We have avenged you guys¡­ Now you can finally¡­ rest in peace." Chapter 683 - Ending It All (2) "That lass¡­ She''s grown more ruthless." Lady Seph narrowed her eyes, somewhat doubting her own vision. The seasoned Divine Healer was the one most knowledgeable about the orphans among all the members of Guardian Sword. Even Kanari, Isadore and Elrin, the three most bosom friends of the orphans, couldn''t compare to Lady Seph. After all, the blonde woman watched them all grow from young children to mature a.d.u.l.ts. "Difficult times make strong people," Kanari sighed. "We can''t all be pampered children that hide behind our seniors anymore, Lady Seph." "I know that¡­ It''s just¡­ odd." Being a Divine Healer, Lady Seph wasn''t a stranger to death, especially in a warring period such as this. However, seeing Fionn, who in her eyes was still just a child, murder in cold blood¡­ It was quite a surreal moment. ''First Shin, now the other orphans¡­ I''ve heard stories, but watching them kill someone in person¡­ It''s really unsettling.'' The Divine Healer dropped her head and stared at her feet. ''Hah¡­ I sure am useless¡­ I mentored countless prodigies. Enfen, the Imperial Family, dozens of healers¡­ Yet, it''s just something about their generation...'' Lady Seph''s connection with Shin and the orphans was special. Perhaps too special, in fact. Rather than a mentor-mentee relationship, Lady Seph felt like the orphans were her own kin. Since leaving the Frie Clan, Lady Seph had reared the orphans as her own. Taking them everywhere she went, be it Imperius Academy or the back mountains of the Himmel Empire. Wherever Lady Seph was, the other orphans weren''t too far behind. ''What am I saying¡­ I''m just a spinster without a child.'' Shaking her head, Lady Seph emptied the useless thoughts in her head before turning towards the commander of the battlefield: "Those four girls are going to be fine. The rest of the battlefield has also been cleaned up. Only two more battles are raging on, don''t you think we should intervene?" Kanari followed Lady Seph''s words and surveyed the sandy Payirci one final time. The Divine Healer was right. Other than the two Bings and Isadore''s duels, the rest of the Payirci had been completely wiped clean. All the Umbras and Black Masks had been defeated, from the small fried to the big whales. All that remained, were the two pesky Spirit Venerates. "Yes¡­ It''s time." The fox maiden finally acquiesced. "Lady Seph, would you assist Sister Bingying and Bingbing? I will assist Isadore." "Good idea!" Lady Seph didn''t even think twice about Kanari''s orders. For her, Bingbing was far more important than Isadore, the brat of the Himmel Empire. Turning into a ray of light, the Divine Healer merged with the Iofiel Angel and charged right towards the Meijing fight. "Oya? What''s this?" Meijing Xuenkai, the Spirit Venerate who almost had Bingbing on the ropes, skipped cautiously backwards, avoiding the single ray of light. However, that was a fatal mistake. That moment''s hesitation allowed the flash of light to burst into two, landing right on the fatigued Meijing Bingying and the Tier 9 Kamaitachi that had numerous cuts on her tough hide. And then, just like magic¡­ The injuries that the two Bings had faced miraculously dissipated away as if they weren''t even inflicted with any hits, to begin with. Not only that, but Bingying''s tired face also turned plump and red, signifying a full recovery from any ailments she may have received. Mana was returning to their spent souls as well, and they felt as if their entire bodies were overflowing with energy. "Yipyip! Master!" Bingbing yelped in joy as she welcomed Lady Seph''s prompt arrival. "Yip yip yip you''re finally here!" "Silly lass, you should cherish your body a little more! I know that you''re desperate to win, but think about how Shin and I would feel if you come back riddled with scars from every battle?" "Yip! Sorry..." The Kamaitachi dropped her ears, not willing to stare the infuriated blonde in the eyes. That abated Lady Seph''s fury just a little, forcing her to lovingly pat the Tier 9 Spirit Beast on the head. "Just be a little more aware next time, alright?" "Yip! Yes, ma''am!" Annoyed by the lack of attention Divine Healer was giving him, Meijing Xuenkai cried out: "Hahaha, what a touching reunion! I think that I''m about to cry! Honestly, you shou-..." [SILENCE!!!] Before Meijing Xuenkai could breathe another word, Lady Seph''s voice burst out with fury. The Brahmin''s mouth slammed shut, just like the Divine Healer''s orders and for a good five seconds, he was unable to separate his teeth. Shivering, it took Meijing Xuenkai everything that he had to finally unbind the shackles that Lady Seph had implanted upon him, and even then¡­ he had to fall to his knees in shock. "Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah¡­ What was that?!" Gone was his nonchalance and disgustingly natural smile. When Meijing Xuenkai fought against Meijing Bingying and Bingbing, everything came too easily for him. In a certain sense, the man felt like he was punching below his weight class. However, that one word from Lady Seph changed the entire ball game. "Hoh¡­ You broke free? Then what about this?" Lady Seph swiped her hand to the left, sending fifteen crystals into the air. Once they were directly overhead, the crystals broke into birds of light and swarmed right at the poor Brahmin. However, that wasn''t all. In her angel form, Lady Seph summoned out thousands of strings made out of crystallised light and sent them all flying. Biting down on his lip, Meijing Xuenkai summoned out his Spirit Avatar, trying his best to deflect the power moves made by the Divine Healer. Alas¡­ [KNEEL!!!] Lady Seph cast her Divine Words, once more ensnaring Meijing Xuenkai and crippling his abilities. Without his Spirit Avatar, the man was vulnerable to all the attacks that Lady Seph had thrown out¡­ and boy did they work. BOOOOM!!! BOOOOM!!! BOOOOM!!! BOOOOM!!! First, the fifteen birds crashed onto Meijing Xuenkai''s hard body and exploded without mercy. Bruises and cuts zigzagged throughout the Brahmin''s solid physique as blood poured down from his open wounds. That wasn''t the end¡­ Thousands of strings pierced through the open wounds, a feat that was impossible without the birds'' weakening that Spirit Venerate body first. Crippling effects such as paralysis and exhaustion crept into Meijing Xuenkai''s body, weakening him in ways that weren''t possible for a healer. Angered, Meijing Xuenkai hollered out: "Aren''t you a healer?!" "What? And a healer can''t fight on the battlefield?" Lady Seph sneered. "I''ll let you know, Shin is my disciple, and who''s a better fighter than him?" "You-!" That was just sophistry! Meijing Xuenkai wanted to yell that out. Lady Seph was Shin''s master, yes. But the whole world knew that she didn''t teach him a single ounce of fighting techniques! Lady Seph was legendary for her healing abilities, no one had ever heard of her being that proficient at combat! However, the Brahmin was half-right. Lady Seph wasn''t a combat medic by any stretch of the imagination. The attacks that landed on Meijing Xuenkai was all the attacks that she had in her arsenal. Lady Seph''s true abilities laid in enhancing her allies and healing them back to full health. The only reason why all of those attacks landed was because the man had underestimated Lady Seph from the very first second she landed. "Lass, I''ll buff you and Bingbing for now. You finish the job." Lady Seph turned to Bingying and smiled. After sending a few holy strings of light to Bingying, Lady Seph said: "He''s a betrayer of your clan right? Do your duties as the heir." "... Thank you, Venerate Seraphim." Meijing Bingying picked up her sword and gave Bingbing the firm nod. Both of them, powered by the Divine Healer''s grace, walked towards the enc.u.mbered man with the determination to end it all. "Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!!" Meijing Xuenkai hollered out, knowing that certain death was approaching. However, no matter how much he screamed and shouted, his body just wouldn''t listen to him. Lady Seph''s power was just too intrusive and mysterious. The Spirit Venerate, who had little to no experience with healing, was unable to remove that shackles that the Divine Healer had placed upon him. Which meant¡­ "Meijing Xuenkai¡­ As a former Meijing Clan member, I shall give you a chance to repent your sins." Meijing Bingying placed her cold blade just a centimetre away from the Brahmin''s throat, ready to pierce it at any given moment. "Repent? Don''t make me laugh!" Meijing Xuenkai spat. "Why should I care about the clan that abandoned me? The clan that used me for my power and threw me away just because I was different? Why should I care about the clan that wouldn''t give two f.u.c.ks about my legacy and future?!" "Till the very end¡­ You don''t see your folly." "Folly?! FOLLY?! That''s rich! Coming from a pampered lady that was b.r.e.a.s.t-fed everything to her from birth! Just because I had a mutated Spirit I was passed up for the Meijing Clan heir! But you! You don''t even have half the talent that I do, and you are served the Clan Master position on a silver platter! I''m not the foolish one! The clan is!" ".. For your selfish ambition, you destroyed the Meijing Clan from the inside. Your actions that day killed thousands and wrecked millions of lives on the Meijing Arctics. If not for you¡­ We would still be a thriving clan!" "Clan! Clan! CLAN!!! Who the f.u.c.k cares about the clan?!" Meijing Xuenkai broke. "I curse you all! I curse you and all of the Meijing Clan! Once the Allfather ascends, he''ll revive me and rain down judgement on that bastard clan! I will make certain of that! I will-!" SCHLING!!! Unable to bear his putrid words no longer, Meijing Bingying pushed her sword in. To make certain of his demise, Bingbing sent thousands of icicles flying into the man''s body, turning the former Spirit Venerate into a cheese grater as his soul left his body. "It is done," Meijing Bingying knelt down in prayer. She thought of the many lives that were lost the day Meijing Xuenkai betrayed the clan. She thought of the day the Meijing Clan fell from the upper echelons of the Lantis Republic, only to slowly claw their way back up to the surface. And it was all because of this one man''s actions. But now¡­ that man was no more. "I''ve ended it." Chapter 684 - Ending It All (3) KLINK!!! KLINK!!! KLINK!!! Sonorous metallic clanks of blades echoed throughout the Blue Payirci, even beating the noise that was booming out from Shin and Ao''s bloody fight. A silver-haired man chased a fully armoured knight, ignoring the legions of sword light that flew out of the knight''s claymore. In order to close in the distance, astral warriors would block the disgustingly strong claymore that the Sword Baron held, giving Isadore a chance to display his astonishingly acute martial arts. The Sword Baron wildly swung his sword, using all of his overbearing strength and deep mana pool to power his strikes. One swing was capable of splitting a mountain in two and slicing an ocean in half. However, Isadore knew that going into the battle. Swinging his spear like a seasoned dancer, the silver-haired prince dodged all of the Sword Baron''s attacks like a fish swimming with the current. Once the sword strike had passed his body, Isadore would fluidly use the momentum to execute a counterattack, one that was unavoidable. Thrown off a loop, the Sword Baron would coarsely call his claymore back, blocking the silver spear that was aimed at his vital parts. However, that only worked nine out of ten times. Due to his superior physical attributes and unfathomable mana strengthening skills, the Sword Baron was able to block most of the strikes. Alas, there was always that one moment where everything fails... "Bleurgh!!!" The Sword Baron hurled out a mouthful of blood, emptying his guts as a spear hit the centre of his abdomen. When boosted by Elrin, Isadore''s strength and mana strengthening were equivalent to that of a peak Spirit Emperor. A direct strike with his spear was certain to do damage, even if the Sword Baron was all armoured up and protected by his Spirit Venerate energies. Typically, one would be delighted that his enemy was showing signs of weakness during their battle. However, Isadore''s face was starting to sweat, both with frustration and impatience. ''He''s still standing after all that?! What a f.u.c.k.i.n.g monster!'' Isadore cursed out in his mind. The duo had been fighting for quite some time now, and while Isadore held the advantage through landing blow after blow¡­ He was fighting on borrowed time. Elrin''s boost couldn''t last forever, and his muscles were starting to strain from all the clean hits that he''d executed. As more time passed, it was more and more likely that Elrin''s boost would wear off and Isadore''s high intensity of attacks would start to slow. Once that happens, all the Sword Baron needed was one clean hit to end the silver prince''s life. Fortunately, Seymour was bleeding and fatigued as well. Thus, he wasn''t able to see the beads of sweat dripping down Isadore''s face or the puffing that Elrin was trying to hide. His eyes were blurry and knees, heavy. The Brahmin felt like he had been running for days with an open wound, unable to treat it, only to slowly bleed his lifeforce away. ''Annoying brat...'' The Sword Baron spat in his mind. He raised his trusted claymore up, sending a wave of energy bursting from its inner blade. A mixture of light and darkness wreathed the massive claymore, creating a harmony of white and black particles. ''I''m not dying to a f.u.c.k.i.n.g child! Allfather, give me power!'' The Darkness-Elements, the power that represented the Allfather, moved up the claymore at rapid speeds, entering the opened bloodstream of the wounded knight. His gorgeous iron armour, a representative of all the good that the Sword Baron had given to the world, was now tainted black, corrupted by the essence of the Allfather. The Sword Baron had taken the final step¡­ The plunge into the abyss that he had held off from taking. In his own naive way, Seymour Fielder didn''t want to completely rely on the Allfather. He wanted to have an escape route should things go sour with the Black Masks, a plan B of sorts. However, with his life fading away, there was no need to hold back anymore. Devoting his everything to the Allfather, the Sword Baron turned into an Umbral Knight, a being whose soul solely belongs to the Tree of Darkness. "Another power up? How many of those are the Black Masks hiding?!" Isadore screamed in annoyance. Still, the seasoned warrior in him picked up his spear, ready to fight for yet another day. "Elrin? How are you holding up?!" "... Not long! Maybe three minutes!" Elrin tried her best to keep a neutral face, but the strain was starting to pile up. "You have to defeat him quickly! Or else, we''ll all die!" "Easy for you to say..." Isadore''s eyelids twitched. He tried everything. His martial arts, his Immortal Astral Army, a mixture of deception and speed¡­ Everything! However, the Sword Baron''s toughness wasn''t one to be scoffed at. ''The only thing left is that forbidden move¡­ But I can''t use it when a f.u.c.k.i.n.g Spirit Venerate is charging at me! What should I...'' "Isadore!" Just as the silver-haired prince was about to lose all hope, a divine voice descended from the heavens like an angel''s aria. A hybrid between a Kumiho fox and a human bolted past Isadore''s vision, all while raising one of her hands to the sky. "LUNAR BEAM!!!" WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!! A beautiful torrent of light sliced through the air, targetting the knight clouded in darkness. Unlike before, the Sword Baron was well aware of the imminent danger. He quickly made a huge evasive maneuver to increase the distance between himself and the enemies. "You guys alright?" Kanari asked worriedly. "Barely hanging on," Elrin replied in place of Isadore. "You came in the nick of time. Isadore was about to go out of options." "Out of options? Oh, I hardly think so..." Kanari flashed a mischievous grin. She pinched her index finger and thumb together, playfully gesturing for Isadore. "All for one, one for all?" "... You even know about that?" "Don''t underestimate the power of the Highgarden Duchy. We''ve known about the Imperial Ancestor''s special move from day one. As his inheritor, I''m sure that he had imparted it onto you." "..." Isadore rolled his eyes. From their childhood years, Kanari was the elder sister that knew all of his secrets. And as it turns out¡­ That trait had carried on to their a.d.u.l.t years. Alas, it was no time to interrogate Kanari about everything. "Buy me fifteen seconds." "Got it!" The black-haired beauty happily obliged. She was a Spirit Emperor and monster that could control three-element with ease. Not to mention, before Shin burst into the scene, Kanari was wildly considered to be the best talent of her generation. Defeating the Sword Baron in his enhanced state may be a stretch, but delaying him for fifteen seconds? Easy. A dozen pale blue rotating balls of flame orbited around Kanari forming a solar system with the Kumiho lady as their sun. The Fire, Wind and Mind-Elements danced with the utmost of joy, turning the Blue Payirci into a gorgeous array of colours and energies. At the same time, twenty ''moons'' appeared overhead, all of them charged up with lunar energy. "Cataclysm!!!" There was no need for any wind-up. With a ferocious roar, Kanari allowed all of her abilities to let loose, turning the already barren sandy fields into a further wasteland. The Sword Baron, unwilling to spend too much of his energy, evaded all of the lunar beams with his superior speed and aerial movements. The balls of flame, however, were quite unavoidable. "STOP ANNOYING ME!!!" Seymour screamed, swinging his claymore wildly once more. Black and white sword light flowed out from its tip and sliced the fireballs as if they were butter cakes. Watching her first attack fail, Kanari charged up yet another round of lunar beams. Also, to add insult to injury, Kanari''s nine tails glowed with pale blue flames, all while her ruby eyes channelled the power of the Mind-Element. "Kanari is strong as ever..." Elrin said in wonder. "But that Isadore¡­ When did he learn that fearsome move? I can''t even breathe just by looking at him!" Kanari was impressive, yes. But the pressure that Isadore was putting out¡­ It far surpassed anything that Kanari could do. The Sword Baron was preoccupied with the woman that was attacking him, so he hadn''t noticed yet. All of the astral warriors that the Spirit of Himmel had summoned¡­ They had all disappeared. However, that didn''t mean that their power had dissipated away¡­ All of their energies, their techniques and power¡­ It was all being concentrated in Isadore''s one spear. All of Isadore''s muscles tightened up as he did his best to hold onto the power that was sealed in that one spear. To the man, it felt as if he was carrying a mountain on his shoulders. No, a mountain was too light. He felt as if the entire ocean had been concentrated into one point. "Kanari, make space!" Once his preparations were complete, Isadore barked at the woman wreathed in flames. "I''ll open a path!" There was no need for Kanari to look back. Kanari rushed fearlessly towards the Sword Baron, not caring that he was juiced up and ready to slice her apart like fruit. Once she was mere metres away, Kanari swung her tails rapidly, sending flames out to confuse the Brahmin. However, Seymour was much too experienced to fall for her trap. Dodging the fire, the Sword Baron concentrated his might on the one woman that mattered. "I''ll kill you!!!" "No, you won''t!" Before his claymore could taste Kanari''s tender flesh, her ruby eyes sparkled and sent a wave of Mind-Elements flying his wave. It was weak, but it could disrupt the Sword Baron for a good millisecond¡­ A millisecond. That was all it took. Seymour watched in stasis as Kanari''s visage twinkled away and in her place¡­ there was a blinding silver flash. And then... "W-what..." Seymour held his sword low. He was the King of Swords, the man that held the title of Sword Baron and the man who slain thousands of enemies with his claymore. He knew more than anyone how dangerous it was to hold his sword down. However, Seymour couldn''t help it. The Sword Baron could feel all of his mana gushing out of his body as strength left his fingers. The might of ten thousand warriors came crashing down in one single point, the open wound that Isadore had exploited just moment''s prior. However, with Isadore''s all-out attack, that small wound had expanded into a vast hole, one the size of an oversized watermelon. The Sword Baron had lost all of his stomach, intestines, and even bits of his lungs from that one blow. "..." Seymour was unable to breathe his last in peace. Isadore, tired of the battle, beheaded the man with one clean stroke, ending the tale of the Sword Baron once and for all. "Hah¡­ I did it..." Now that his foe had been slain, Isadore could finally take a quick break. Losing all energy in his legs, the man fell to his bum and laid flat on the floor. "Isadore! You alright?" Kanari flew over quickly and asked the crucial question. "No, I''m not!" Isadore scoffed. "That ability is forbidden for a reason¡­ All of my strength is gone now. I probably won''t recover for days..." "Haha, but you killed a Spirit Venerate! You should be glad that you escaped with your head still intact!" "You ass..." Isadore cursed the woman who seemed to know everything about him, but deep down, he knew how crucial of a role Kanari played. "Thanks." "Your welcome!" The beauty beamed. "Now¡­ We''ve either killed or captured all the Black Masks¡­ All that''s left is..." HHHHHHHHHHHSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! A surge of cold energy pulsated out from the centre of the Blue Payirci, forcing all of Guardian Sword to fall down to the floor in evasion. That overwhelming presence¡­ That Water-Elemental energy that seemed to continue on for ages¡­ It was frighteningly foreign. Tsunamis, hurricanes and even complete monsoon winds returned to the sandy dunes of the Blue Payirci, but that wasn''t all¡­ There was one other¡­ more destructive power hanging above all of the Water-Elements. One that was completely alien yet at the same time¡­ familiar. "That power..." "... Shin?" Chapter 685 - The Fall... ''Ah¡­ What is this?'' Shin''s consciousness was taken on a ride. He had his eyes closed, but oddly enough¡­ Shin felt like he could see everything. Power surged throughout his veins, and at the same time, it dissipated away like the fresh morning dew of spring. Shin tried to open his eyes, but¡­ there were no eyes to be opened. He was in the midst of a universe, one that wasn''t his but at the same time¡­ his for the taking. Finally, after relaxing well enough¡­ Shin ''opened his eyes.'' Or to be exact, his consciousness had awakened from its prolonged slumber. His eyes opened, Shin could finally identify where he was¡­ or rather, where he was transported to. All around him, the torrential powers of the Water-Element embraced his tight body, giving him warmth and consolation at the same time. However, that wasn''t the full extent of the Water-Element. It was cold and depressing, with a weight that could carry the entire world if it so wished. It was the source of all life and the being of destruction. The harbingers of chaos and the rejuvenator of harmony. That was the true essence of water. And Shin was currently being embraced by its glorious powers. ''Water¡­ How beautiful.'' Shin knew how little he was compared to the vast Water-Elements that loved and embraced him. No cultivator¡­ No, no living being on the planet could compare to all of Water. It was in the oceans, the trees and all living beings. It channelled mana, spiritual energies and the building blocks of humanity. Water was everywhere in the world, and Shin knew how inferior he was to it. So¡­ why not grab it and seize it for his own? ''World¡­ You gave me the power to create and manipulate water¡­ Is it in anticipation for this day? The day where I become your emissary?'' ''...'' Shin''s question didn''t get any reply, and understandably so. However, Shin flashed a jovial smile nonetheless. ''Today will be the day¡­ Where I become the true Sovereign of Water.'' Clenching his fist, Shin allowed his soul to undergo its final metamorphosis. Bit by bit, all of his astral being was stripped bare. Baptised by the Celestial River, Shin had taken one step away from humanity and into the realm of the Primordial Beasts and the Old Titans. However, with his own comprehension, Shin had taken yet another step away from his human form. The spiritual essence that made up his soul was being reforged¡­ remade in the image of the newly imagined Water Sovereign. In the material realm, Shin''s flesh was undoing a similar transformation. The blood that flowed through his veins was no longer that of his parents. The body that was chiselled by steel was ripped bare, taken apart and transformed into something else entirely. The vital organs that powered his life¡­ They were also being replaced. No, they were taken away entirely. Why? From this day forth¡­ Shin no longer needed his organs to live. He longer needed blood to pump within his body. He no longer needed a body to hold his soul. Because from this day forth¡­ He was one with water. ??? Ao watched Shin transform, powerless to do anything to stop the man. All of his prized Water-Elements had been snatched away, and his physical body was unable to do anything to Shin''s new fleshy body. Each tailwhip just passed through Shin was if he wasn''t there and each bite only served to damage the World Serpent''s mouth. Shin''s body had transformed into water, a state that couldn''t be damaged no matter how much one tried to physically harm it. It was an odd situation, one that the experienced World Serpent had never seen before. Ao had traversed the entire world, lived near Empyrean Wonders, the World''s most mystical places, and yet¡­ He''d never experienced such an odd situation. The Water-Elements that Ao had controlled were now in Shin''s grasp, and he was unable to muster a single ounce of his mana to fight back. Furthermore, as a Primordial Beast, his primal instincts were rather acute. He knew if an enemy was weaker than him or too powerful for him to handle. In fact, Ao''s instincts were the main reason why he befriended the Allfather in the first place. Among all humans, the Allfather was the only one to make Ao''s scales stand erect the first time they''d met. However, with Shin''s new transformation¡­ There were now two. Shin emerged from the torrent of water, walking at a leisurely pace. On the outside, there were no changes to his appearance. He still looked like a thirty-year-old cultivator that possessed an above-average physique. Inside, however¡­ ''My spiritual energy¡­ Rank 99, huh?'' Shin raised his hands and exclaimed in awe. The moment he merged with the Water-Element, all of Water had fallen under his control. The oceans, the rain, the animals, the plants¡­ Everything that possessed water became part of Shin. With that, he could draw as much spiritual energy from the World and call it his own. That was what it meant to be one with water. As long as water existed, Shin would be alive. He could teleport his soul to anywhere with water, and all water could be summoned to his location. His body wasn''t human anymore, so the limits of humanity no longer applied to him. Spirit Venerate, Spirit Saint¡­ Those titles didn''t matter to a man who controlled all Water. The amount of mana that he could use wasn''t limited anymore either. Since all Water-Elements were his, his mana pool was literally deeper than all the oceans combined. ''I can feel everything¡­ The Five Payircis¡­ The Tree of Darkness¡­ The Lantis Republic¡­ The Himmel Empire¡­ The Kori Federation¡­ I can feel¡­ everything.'' Shin was intoxicated by the new power he had attained. It was like his Domain of Dreams was able to touch every corner of the world, just on a much deeper level. He could understand their anatomies, their structures, their power¡­ All with a single touch. It was truly a power akin to that of the Gods. And the World Serpent could feel that. "You¡­ What the hell did you do?!" Ao struggled to form words as his body unconsciously leaned backwards. The mighty World Serpent, King of the Snakes and master of the ocean¡­ couldn''t help but shake. Before Ao could view Shin as an equal, or a junior that had advanced rapidly to stand toe-to-toe with him. Now, however¡­ Ao felt like an ant that could only stare at the infinitely tall mountain ahead of him. The World Serpent had never felt this small and defenceless before, which prompted the shivering question. Awakened by the World Serpent''s question, Shin shot an uninterested glance at him. "Ao, repent." Shin didn''t bother answering Ao''s question. Instead, he came out with his own one. "Unbind yourself from the Allfather. Atone for your sins by serving the Alliance. That way, you''ll have a chance to live again." "... Live again?" "Yes¡­ You''re no longer a match for me. If you repent, I''ll put a good word for you with the Alliance. They won''t be satisfied with your continued existence, but if you enter into their servitude for thousand-odd years..." "Stop right there, Shin." Ao raised his voice. "I am no servant. I am the World Serpent! Even if I die, I refuse to be a slave to another!" "What about the Allfather?" "You misunderstand our relationship," Ao berated Shin. "He''s my partner. My partner that will bring me eternal life and knowledge. I have never been his servant. Never had, never will be. We are equals." "I see¡­ It seems like we have reached an impasse." The World Serpent paused. "Yes, I think that we have. Though I don''t know what you''ve attained in that short period of time¡­ You are foolish to think that you could beat me with just that!!!" "... I''d thought you would say that." Shin sighed. "I really didn''t want to come to this. But the least I can do¡­ Is to give you a send-off with honour." Shin closed his eyes, his feet slowly starting to levitate up. Countless Water-Elements spiralled around the Emissary of Water, creating a vortex of elements unmatched in the modern cultivation world. Heck, even the Titans of Old were unable to call up that much elements during their peak years. Raising his finger, Shin roared: "Shin Iofiel, Rank 99 Spirit Saint. Spirit, the Celestial Dragon. I challenge you, World Serpent, to a duel to the death! Will you accept?" "Rank 99?!" Ao exclaimed. "I see¡­ so you weren''t joking¡­ HAHAHA!!! Dying in a formal duel to a Rank 99 Spirit Saint? That''s the best honour that I can get! You sure are a piece of work, Shin Iofiel! Fine, I''ll accept!" The World Serpent bellowed out in laughter. Perhaps this was for the best. Ao didn''t want to kill Shin and neither did he want to betray his oath to his long-time friend and partner. Perhaps¡­ This was the ending that best fit his tale. "World Serpent¡­ On Junius'' account, I shall grant you a painless death." "HAHAHA!!! BIG WORDS!!!" Ao hissed as he threw his body at Shin. The World Serpent gave up on all defences and only focused on one thing¡­ Biting the big head out of Shin''s feeble body. "Come on! Show me what you''ve-..." "Stop." Shin held out his index finger and pointed it at the charging snake. Just a millisecond later, the World Serpent''s body froze. No matter how much Ao tried to move, his body just wouldn''t budge. It was as if¡­ His entire body wasn''t his, to begin with. ''What the-!'' Ao desperately tried to break free of the restraint, but he couldn''t understand what was binding him. There weren''t any chains coming out from Shin''s body, and neither was there a surplus of the Mind-Element. Ao couldn''t even move his mouth to speak! All he could do was watch as Shin brought his fingers together for a final snap. "Goodbye, World Serpent. Thank you for cherishing Junius as you did. If there is an afterlife, I hope that you''ll treat Junius the same way." And then¡­ SNAP!!! That was the last thing the World Serpent heard as his consciousness, which had survived for tens of thousands of years¡­ fell into the abyss. Chapter 686 - ... And The Rise Deep in the Tree of Darkness, the Spirit that was summoned out from the abyss¡­ A lone figure sat broodingly on top of his lofty throne. There weren''t any men or creatures serving the hooded man. There wasn''t even a fly to annoy him. The only company that man had¡­ was the beautiful statue that he''d erected so many years back. The Allfather sat silently, staring at the statue with affection. He wasn''t a stonemason, so his sculpting skills were quite wanting. The Allfather was unable to accurately depict the full image of his most beloved person even after centuries of training. However, he still treated the statue with the utmost reverence, not willing to let anyone go near or touch it. The Allfather had also rarely touched the figure himself, ever since it was first put in place, fearing that he would damage the last remaining memory he had of his loved one. Alas, nothing lasts forever. Mustering up the courage, the man stood up from his throne and finally took the inanimate object by its face. The Allfather stroked the cold stone of the statue using his bandaged hands, trying desperately to recreate the touch of a human interacting with another. "Dream¡­ After so many years, we''re finally going to meet." The Allfather didn''t have a face, but his tone was as jovial as can be. How long has he been waiting for this day? It has been five hundred years since Spirit Immortal Dream ascended. And throughout those five hundred years, not a second had passed where the Allfather didn''t think of her. He longed to hear her voice, touch her supple skin, to smell her scent and feel her love. It was an addiction, one that couldn''t be cured through pills and herbs. The Allfather needed Spirit Immortal Dream''s touch, and he knew it better than anyone. Even as the Black Masks were fighting a losing war, the Allfather couldn''t care less. The havoc that the Alliance had wreaked¡­ The Allfather couldn''t care less. The number of Black Masks that passed away from the raids¡­ The Allfather couldn''t give two f.u.c.ks. The Allfather was on the precipice of attaining the one thing he desired the most. Crossing into the Immortal Realm and reuniting with his loved one. He could care less about the state of his subordinates. All that he cared about¡­ was the hole in the sky. "One more step¡­ One more step to eternity." The Allfather was finally willing to part ways with the inanimate statue. This time, he didn''t look back with affection. "I will no longer have to yearn for you¡­ Yearn for you using this statue. With Heaven''s Gate opened¡­ I will be with you forever." That was the Allfather''s oath. To reach for the stars and be with Spirit Immortal Dream. "Hurry¡­ Hurry¡­ Hurry¡­" The Allfather prayed, urging for the final touches to be added to Heaven''s Gate. He could feel everything. The elemental energies that the Payircis were providing the whirlpool in the sky. The Noble Beasts fighting the enemies and sucking their spiritual energies dry to provide the massive energy toll. The power of the Alliance and Black Masks diminishing by the second as Heaven''s Gate continued to widen. The Allfather could sense everything¡­ but he couldn''t do anything. All of his energy was reserved for the final push. The Allfather had to either become a Spirit Immortal in the next few hours or pray that his preparations were enough to open Heaven''s Gate. So¡­ all that the Allfather could do now was wait for his subordinates to finish their jobs. Alas¡­ It was at that moment... "Asyesco?" The Allfather shot a perplexed look at the direction of the Blue Payirci. The Paradise Heart which should have been pumping spiritual energies into the air had ceased and more frighteningly¡­ The World Serpent''s power had begun to diminish. Ao''s lifeforce was the most robust among all of the Noble Beasts. He was the World Serpent, a Spirit Beast that was said to have descended from the Serpent God itself. In terms of pure lifeforce, Ao was unquestionably at the top of all the Noble Beasts, surpassing even Kuro himself! Even if he were matched against two Spirit Saints, there was no way that the World Serpent would have lost this quickly. But that wasn''t all¡­ "That aura¡­ What the hell is that?!" The Allfather had a connection with all of the Black Masks and the Noble Beasts under his command. As long as it was a place that his mana could reach, the Allfather was able to sense everything within the vicinity as if he were physically present. And Shin''s altered power¡­ was something that the Allfather had never seen in his entire life! That spiritual energy¡­ that elemental power that was as vast as the ocean and as unfathomable as the deepest trenches of the World¡­ The Allfather had never experienced such a drastic feeling. Even Spirit Immortal Dream didn''t have that kind of power at her peak! Peering into the Blue Payirci, the Allfather attempted to uncover what had gone wrong. And well¡­ Countless of corpses laid flat on the sandy floor, including the motionless bodies of Meijing Xuenkai, Seymour Fielder and Malgen Chaxrala. All of the top Brahmins that were supposed to assist the World Serpent had perished, and the Paradise Heart had been utterly shattered. However, what really brought the Allfather''s soul to fear¡­ was the single man standing on top of Ao''s unmoving body. He looked human and yet¡­ the power that he held was anything but. It was as if¡­ the Allfather was staring at the entire World itself. And as expected¡­ "Allfather..." Shin accurately determined the point in which the Allfather was observing him and flashed a sinister smile. "Wait right there¡­ I''m coming." And with that declaration¡­ The Allfather''s senses in the Blue Payirci were cut entirely. He couldn''t overrule Shin''s power like the other Spirit Saints, and he couldn''t influence the Blue Payirci anymore. That domain, which should have been under the direct control of the Allfather, was now in Shin''s hands. "Bad¡­ This is really bad!!!" For the first time since the war began, the Allfather did something he''d never done for centuries. He panicked. There was only one reason why he couldn''t spy in the Blue Payirci anymore. The opponent that he was trying to observe¡­ was at a much higher level than himself. "Kuro! Shiro! Akai! Murasaki!" The robed man immediately shouted out into empty space, his voice booming with authority. "Allfather?! What is it?" Kuro was the first to send back a mental transmission. "Execute the final movement! We can''t afford to wait anymore!" "Rarara!!! What happened?" Akai asked worriedly. He''d never heard the Allfather this frantic ever before. "No time to explain! Execute the final movement! We don''t have time to fully charge up Heaven''s Gate! We''ll have to open it as it is!" The Allfather continued to bark out orders. "Shiro, once everyone has done their part, teleport them into the Tree of Darkness! Your locations aren''t safe anymore!" "U-understood!" The nervousness of the Allfather had been carried forward to the other Noble Beasts. As per their orders, they ignored the forces that attempted to reap their lives and placed their bodies upon their respective Paradise Hearts. "What the-!" "What are they doing?!" Naturally, the Alliance members were confused. Why did the Noble Beasts, who had been relentlessly fighting against them, suddenly move away? Woooooooooonnngggg!!! Woooooooooonnngggg!!! Woooooooooonnngggg!!! Woooooooooonnngggg!!! Beams of astral light rose from the respective Paradise Hearts as they became bits of mush that solely consisted of elemental energy. All of the power that they have collected throughout the time that they were sucking energy were now being fed to the whirlpool in the sky. It took a few seconds but eventually¡­ all of the Paradise Hearts melted into nothingness as they added the final touched onto Heaven''s Gate. The moment their mission was completed, four mirror portals opened, enabling the remaining Noble Beasts and a percentage of the Black Masks and their minions to escape safely. Since it was a rush, only those at the Brahmin level were taken into the portal, leaving the weaker Black Masks out to dry. "ALLFATHER!!! SAVE ME TOO!!!" "GIVE US SALVATION!!! LIKE YOU PROMISED!!!" The zealots tried to beg the Allfather, but it was to no avail. They didn''t know it yet, but the Allfather was racing against time. Before the monster in the Blue Payirci could unleash his wrath¡­ Before he could bring down justice upon them... He had to open Heaven''s Gate. With the Paradise Hearts and their owners gone, the remaining Payrics had nothing left to support time. Like falling Jenga pieces, they crumbled away, not caring about the remaining living beings inside, be it friend or foe. The Alliance members naturally knew that this was coming and quickly drilled an escape route into the open. "What the f.u.c.k? Were we too late?!" Saint Shenshe spat, as she escaped from White Payirci. She saw the other Spirit Saints staring at the sky with their mouths agape and determined the worst. The Tree of Darkness'' dead branches, the omens of disaster and death, had suddenly sprung to life. They reached out to the whirlpool in the sky, making ripples as each one of them touched the vortex. More and more of those branches touched the maelstrom until all of them had been outreached and locked in place. And then... it pulled outwards. And from that action¡­ The light falling down from the centre of the whirlpool suddenly got just a tad bit wider. It was trying to rip it open¡­ It was actually trying to rip the sky open! "He''s actually doing it¡­ He''s trying to open Heaven''s Gate!" Raphael hollered out, his heart rate going a million beats per second. "We have to stop him! Stop him now!" "Tsk, all Spirit Saints! Let''s attack that f.u.c.k.i.n.g tree!" It may seem pointless, but the Himmel Ancestor wanted to try it one last time. He couldn''t just sit down and let the Allfather attain Immortality¡­ Not after all that the World had been through. However, before anyone could move a single finger. A single man teleported right in front of them. He had rich black-hair and a handsome face that would make one question his age. His limbs were long and complexion pale. He looked regal, almost otherworldly. However, the most drastic aspect of it all¡­ His power was bottomless. All of the Spirit Saints, they had seen and done it all. They''d seen Primordial Beasts, Spirit Saints, and Empyrean Wonders that would baffle a human''s mind. They''d seen bottomless ravines that possessed infinite mysteries and fought in all sorts of wars. However¡­ They''d never seen such overwhelming power in one person before. Even the Allfather, the being that was closest to that of a Spirit Immortal, was unable to match that seemingly harmless black-haired man that stood in front of them. And at that point, the Spirit Saints finally knew. It was the rise¡­ of the World''s next Spirit Immortal. Chapter 687 - The Wall (1) "Shin? Shin? Is that you?" Saint Geom''s voice trembled as he called out that black-haired man''s name. Although his exterior was that of Shin Iofiel¡­ The power that was radiating out of him was completely different! It was as if he was staring into an abyss that had no end, not a thirty-something-year-old man. "Saint Geom, are you going senile already? Can''t you recognise my face?" Shin returned a playful smirk. "But¡­ But..." Saint Geom''s pointed his finger at the man, afraid to make any wild guesses. The last time he saw Shin, he was still a newly promoted Spirit Venerate with less than a thousandth of the mana that he currently possessed. It wasn''t an exaggeration to think that the Shin that stood before them wasn''t the same Shin that they all knew and loved. Fortunately for the eight Spirit Saints that didn''t witness Shin''s transformation, there was one who did. Saint Longyu Tian, the guard that escorted Guardian Sword into the Blue Payirci, levitated between Shin and the eight Spirit Saints, her face ashen and blue. Just like the other Spirit Saints, Longyu Tian didn''t know what to feel when Shin suddenly advanced that quickly and jumped into the realm of the divine. What shocked her even more, was Shin''s new ability to move all Guardian Sword members and teleport them into safety without her noticing. "I understand your anxiety, Saint Geom. But that''s really Shin." Saint Longyu Tian scratched her old wrinkles while she answered the Sword Saint. "I personally saw him breakthrough and attain that godly power¡­ Also¡­ As incredulous as it sounds... With that power, he killed the World Serpent with a single touch." "A single touch, you say..." The Himmel Ancestor raised his brow. Among all of the Spirit Saints, he was the most powerful and experienced. However, even he was afraid of the unknown power that Shin boasted. The other Spirit Saints were also wary of Shin''s intense presence, many of them were even in their combative stances, ready to pounce if Shin should attack them. Who could blame them? They were already on edge with the Allfather trying to open Heaven''s Gate right before their eyes. Now, there was a new unknown factor that came out of Shin? It wasn''t unusual for them to think that it was another one of the Allfather''s elaborate schemes. Knowing that, Shin simply dropped his shoulders and sighed: "Trust me, when all of this is over, I''ll explain everything to all of you, but for now..." Shin looked at the thousand-odd members of the Alliance with a distinct frown. Many of them were injured, some of them mortally so. It wasn''t like the cuts and bruises that one would encounter in any training ground. Instead, there were many with severed tendons, torn limbs and pale complexions due to an excessive loss of blood. That wasn''t all¡­ Fighting against the Black Masks had taken a considerable toll, both physically and mentally. Most of their mana had been depleted with several of them facing a huge mental toll from all the tension that they''ve been facing. Now that the Allfather was preparing his final ascent, the Alliance should be in tip-top form, not the broken down as they were. So¡­ Why not tip the scales in their favour? Shin peered deep down into his consciousness and entered into his spiritual body. Once again, he was presented with the glorious ocean that laid deep within his soul. However, this time, it wasn''t just an ocean¡­ It was a super water body that went down millions of kilometres and spanned billions. There was no ocean on the planet, or on any other planet that could possibly be this big. However, Shin''s motive for entering his spiritual body wasn''t to admire his newly formed mana pool. What he was looking for¡­ were the ten crystal obelisks that stood firmly at the centre of his entire world. The ability to create water. The ability to heal anyone that Shin loved. The ability to enhance his body to protect the weakest ones. The power to call upon the Shard, the destructive ability to wreak havoc upon all who threatened him. The Domain of Dreams, the power to tower over any opponent and to grant them mercy. The greatest healing ability known to man, Restoration. The power to call upon the Dragon''s Tear, a power that held the remorse of its wielder and the one ability that targetted only the caster''s enemies. The Celestial Dragon Avatar, the power to raise one''s power to protect those that he held dear. The power to call the Old Titans, the power of the Primordial World and to find the roots of his heritage. And finally¡­ The most powerful ability of them all¡­ Shin''s tenth and brightest obelisk. The power to become One with Water. These were the ten abilities that Shin had created throughout his cultivation journey. His path to immortality. And they were now all¡­ unleashed. "Come out!!!" No longer feeling the need to hold back, Shin willed all of the obelisks to shine. Pillars of light arose from his astral form, and they took shape outside, in the material realm. The Celestial Dragon, which had been watching Shin advance from afar, let out a ferocious roar. It wasn''t one of anger, but one of pure jubilation. Who wouldn''t want to use all of the power that it had gotten? The familiar Cosmic Wings of the Cosmic Butterfly were the first to appear on Shin''s body. The flapped sporadically, sending waves of Space-Elements glistening down from its otherworldly existence. Shin used the Cosmic Wings to teleport to the highest point, where he could spot every single member of the Alliance, whether they were injured or not. Next, it was the Divine Halo, the Titan of Light, who made its appearance. Shining right above Shin''s head, the halo gleamed with a holy light, one that even blinded Lady Seph. The Divine Healer who boasted the Iofiel Angel. But the blinding light wasn''t something that pierced every fibre of her being. Instead, it brought a soothing effect, one that rejuvenated any who came into contact with it. "Heal!" Shin said resolutely. The rays created by the Divine Halo gently touched every member of the Alliance. It didn''t matter if they were lightly injured or on the verge of death. A mere Spirit Spectre or a mighty Spirit Saint. They were all touched by the healing light and within moments¡­ "Ah¡­ So comfortable..." The Alliance members all felt power surging through their veins. The lacerations that they''d sustained were closing rapidly, and the pale complexion started to become pinkish. Those that lost a limb or two felt a new limb growing from their stubs. Men and women who lost gallons of blood were no longer feeling light-headed but clear-minded. The mana that they''d all lost were now surging through their veins, giving them a newfound strength to fight in yet another battle. "Mass heal at this scale?" Saint Althea gasped in shock. Normally, this would be her job. She was the only Spirit Saint Healer among them after all. However, even with her Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament, Saint Althea would be hard-pressed to actually heal that many in such a short amount of time. And even if she succeeded, her mana would be sucked dry within seconds. Alas, that was just the beginning of Shin''s showcase. Once the Alliance members were fully healed up, his other Titan abilities came to the forefront of the show. The Mind Titan, the Mystic Cloud, was stored inside of Shin''s left eye, giving him the ability to see through all the illusions that the Allfather had placed on the Tree of Darkness to protect himself and his advance into Heaven''s Gate. At the same time, Shin swung his hand, allowing an adorable little fish to escape through his fingers as if it were made out of sword light. The fish continued to grow in size until it became as large as the Tree of Darkness itself. However, since it didn''t have a physical form, the fish couldn''t harm the countless Alliance members that it engulfed. Instead, it bestowed upon them an array of Time-Elements as a marker was placed on every single one of them. "This is..." "I''ve attached restoration points to every single member of the Alliance. That way, if any of them are injured later on, I can restore them back to their original state." Shin stated his actions straight. He then looked at his silver-haired friend, who was still in shock. "And that includes mana¡­ Use your Immortal Army to its fullest." "Shin, you..." Isadore''s and the Himmel Ancestor''s only had one spiritual ability, and it was renowned all over as the most overpowered ability a cultivator could get. However, it had one fatal flaw¡­ It was heavily mana dependent. So, Shin''s restoration ability, the power to bring Isadore''s mana pool back to its original state, was a lethal combination, to say the least. "Just go crazy," Shin replied with a smile. He knew how powerful Isadore was and how much he wished to let loose, particularly with that potent ability of his. Now that Shin has an infinite mana pool, the man could now grant his best friend''s wish. Chapter 688 - The Wall (2) While the Alliance members were busy getting awed by Shin''s abilities, their opponents didn''t have the same luxury. Second by second, Mirror Portals opened up as Shiro transported all of the Allfather''s remaining forces into the Tree of Darkness. The majority of those that were saved had high cultivation levels or at the very least, had a considerable effect on the Black Mask organisation as a whole. The Dalits, Shudras and even Vaishyas were coldly abandoned, as the Allfather scrambled to get everyone into one place. So, the number of cultivators and Spirit Beasts gathered at that one point alone¡­ was pitifully low. "At our peak, we had over a hundred thousand¡­ Now, we''re down to just two hundred and ninety-four." Murasaki grimaced while she counted the survivors. Given that she brought about sixty of her own cherished arachnids along, the Arachne Queen''s division was on the high-end of the survivors. The other factions on the other hand¡­ "We''ve even lost five of the Noble Beasts." Shiro supplemented the Spider Queen''s assessment. "None of my subordinates, or Ao''s, survived the final attack. Perhaps the Allfather was right in calling us back this quickly." Akai looked to the left, where the Green Throne stood with emptiness. Like its former owner, it had been taken over by roots and leaves, turning it into a monument that had been returned to nature. "Rarara¡­ We''ve lost too much." "I think we''ve allowed the Alliance to grow too strong. If we''ve killed more Spirit Saints in the early days." Shiro slapped his palms together while gritting his teeth. "No point crying over spilt milk," Kuro interjected with his booming voice. "When we ascend, all of this will be just an afterthought, a footnote in our story! If you really want vengeance against the f.u.c.k.i.n.g Alliance, do it in heaven! Laugh at them while we bask in the Allfather''s power as we attain eternal life!" "RARARA!!! Well said!!!" Akai chortled. "In the end, we''re the ones that will get the last laugh! Not those assholes that are squirming about on the floor!" "Hehe, I wonder how does an Immortal''s brain matter tastes like? Would it be as tasty as a Spirit Saint''s? NO!!! It should be even more heavenly! Arghhhh!!! My mouth is salivating just from imagining that taste!" "Immortality¡­ We''re really going to achieve it!" Shiro followed the other''s lead and threw away his despondent self. Just like the other Noble Beasts, he had been waiting for this day for far too long. Eternal life was a pipe dream for all Spirit Beasts and was a puzzle only solved by humanity. The Titans of Old couldn''t do it, the twin Dragons of Origin couldn''t do it¡­ But humans¡­ They had cracked the code. They had figured out how to ascend, unlike the many who came before them. And now, it was their turn to be etched into the annals of history. "No one will remember the names of the Alliance. They won''t remember the Spirit Saints that fought against us! They won''t remember the Himmel Empire, the Kori Federation or the Lantis Republic! All they will remember is the name of the new Spirit Immortal and all of us who supported him!" Kuro rallied the remnants of the Black Masks with his touching speech. "They will remember us! The first beings to solve the puzzle and the ones who helped the twenty-second Spirit Immortal gain eternal life! We will live forever, not just in their memories but in the Immortal Realm!" "YEAH!!!" The Black Masks all issued a war cry, glad that their worst times had passed them. Seated at the Tree of Darkness'' apex, they had the best seats in the house as the branches attempted to rip apart Heaven''s Gate. Now¡­ all they had to do was wait patiently. The next time they spoke¡­ They would be staring up the stairway to the serene paradise. Or that was what they so believed... ??? "Allfather, what''s going on?" Saint Heigui, the only one who stayed in the Tree of Darkness all this time, ran up the stairway to the throne, only stopping when he was a few metres away from the almighty ruler. All this time, the Allfather had been boasting an air of invincibility, and each move he made was seemingly thought out hundreds of years in advance. That was one of the main traits that won Saint Heigui over when the Allfather presented him with the opportunity to join the Black Masks. Through the Allfather''s demeanour, Saint Heigui truly believed that the man was capable of achieving immortality and would be the elderly Spirit Saint''s best shot at gaining eternal life. However, as he looked at the frantic hooded man, Saint Heigui''s godly impression of the man had shattered away completely. "Heigui, it''s time to show your worth!" No one could see the Allfather''s face, but they could hear the fear within his voice. "Cast your most powerful barrier on the Tree of Darkness! Buy me time! Don''t let anyone come near!" "Isn''t the Tree of Darkness impregnable?" Saint Heigui asked with a frown. "Its a manifestation of your Spirit and has a quasi-physical form. From what I understand, the Alliance should have no penetrating power to infiltrate us? Do you really need my barrier?" "SHUT UP AND DO AS YOU''RE TOLD!!!" Running out of patience, the Allfather screamed at the top of his lungs. "O-Okay..." Though he had his doubts, Saint Heigui wasn''t one to go completely against the Allfather, particularly since the man was his only lifeline. Escorted out by two Brahmins, Saint Heigui floated out to the peak of the Tree, far away from the final congregation of Black Masks. "This is bad¡­ really, really bad..." The Allfather muttered. In the past, anything that his mana touched, the Allfather was able to view. He was able to watch two flies mating a thousand kilometres away, as long as his mana was able to touch that location. However, as the Allfather stayed cramped up within his own Tree of Darkness, he found that all of his mana influences littered throughout the globe had been melted away. Centuries of preparations, sending Black Masks and Black Spheres towards every corner of the globe. It didn''t matter if they were in populated locations or desolate islands. The Allfather had spent many years spreading his influence. All for the sake of his Grand Scheme. However, just a moment prior, the Allfather found that all of his influences had been cut loose, destroyed and never to exist ever again. And it all happened within the snap of a finger. The only safe place the Allfather had left was his own Tree of Darkness, which was why he was so adamant that the Black Masks all gathered back immediately. Alas, even his own sanctuary wasn''t free of the external influence which melted away all of his power on the outside. As he peeked into the Tree of Darkness, he could sense a foreign power spying from within. It was the closest thing to an omniscient ability, that was what the Allfather had deduced. And he had a rough idea who was behind that dastardly ability. ''I said to grow stronger to match me, not overrule me...'' The Allfather cursed. Shin had attained a power that no one had ever anticipated. An ability that was never recorded in history and more importantly, never analysed before. The Allfather didn''t know its limitations, its strength, or how it even functioned. However, one thing was for sure¡­ Shin was coming for him, and it was only a matter of time before he broke through the final line of defence. The Allfather looked up at the opened heavens. The whirlpool of energy had opened up a light portal, one that contained infinite amounts of energy, be it spiritual or elemental energy. What laid beyond the eye of the whirlpool¡­ was a dimension that no human had ever returned from. That infinite power and the immense pressure that mounted upon the Tree of Darkness¡­ It wasn''t something that belonged in the material plane. Initially, the Allfather wanted to be more prepared, more beefed up before he attempted to rip apart that gate and claim the power for himself. However, with Shin''s sudden rise to power, there must be a change of plans. "It''s going to be a coin flip¡­ But it has to be done." The Allfather spoke silently as he rose up to the heavens. The Black Masks watching the scene all clapped and cheered delightedly that their long war was finally coming to an end. Everything that they had been fighting for¡­ it was all for this moment. At the same time, Saint Heigui''s barrier came into effect, protecting the Tree of Darkness from the oncoming onslaught of the Alliance plus their newly advanced Spirit Saint. For a brief moment, the Allfather and Shin''s eyes met. It was but a split second, but their intentions were conveyed loud and clear. "Dream, help me one last time!" The Allfather pointed his finger down, onto the gorgeous statue that accompanied him all these years. It had been slumbering deep within the Tree of Darkness, never meant to see the light of day. However, the Allfather couldn''t afford to hold back all his trump cards anymore. Hearing the silent command, the statue came to life like a robotic humanoid. Dyed black in the Allfather''s flavour, the beautiful sculpture flew into the open, out of the Tree of Darkness and the protection that Saint Heigui gave it. And once it came within a kilometre of the Alliance¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! The treasured statue of the Allfather blew up into gravel, turning all of its condensed dark energy into floating shadows. They multiplied like bunnies, and in a mere twenty seconds, a billion Umbras stood between the Alliance and the Tree of Darkness. It was the Allfather''s final trump card, the one technology that he developed all on his own without Spirit Immortal Dream''s help. And now¡­ it was baring its fangs against Shin and the Alliance. Chapter 689 - The Wall (3) "The Allfather is on his final breath..." Shin squinted his eyes while he watched the Umbras gather by the millions. In his One with Water form, Shin was acutely aware of his surroundings, and that included the fact that the Allfather''s mana sources had been ripped to shreds. All of his influences that were scattered all around the globe, the aether crystals that he controlled, the Spirit Beasts that were under his curse¡­ They were all torn apart through Shin''s expert meddling. So, Shin was acutely aware of the Allfather''s current predicament. He was rushing his ascent¡­ and that could only bode bad results. "Still, we can''t risk it¡­ If he really succeeds, that would be quite the bummer." Shin glanced up at the opened portal, which was slowly getting bigger through the Tree of Darkness'' efforts. "Shin! Heaven''s Gate! It''s opening!" Saint Longyu Tian flew next to Shin and screamed out in a fury. "That bastard Heigui... He''s blocking our move into the Tree of Darkness!" "That''s not all..." Saint Geom floated to the other side of Shin, twirling his Samingeom in the process. "The Umbras that the Allfather summoned¡­ They''re going to block our paths with a deadly vengeance. Our men wouldn''t be able to come close to the barrier, and even if they did¡­ We won''t be able to do much damage to it." Those words instantly got Shin thinking. From the onset, Shin''s greatest attribute wasn''t his overwhelming powers, and neither was it his newfound power to overrule everything beneath his level. Shin''s greatest attribute has always been one thing¡­ his superhuman comprehension ability. Within seconds, the man came up with a thousand plans, each one formulated from the data that he personally analysed within the millisecond. It was a race against time. Each second they wasted, was another second the Allfather had to open Heaven''s Gate and breach into the Immortal Realm. So¡­ Shin came up with the fastest plan he could think of. "Seniors, leave the Umbras to me. I''ll wipe out half of them, while the others will clear up the area. You Spirit Saints should gather all of your strengths to breakthrough Saint Heigui''s barrier. The Obsidian Xuanwu may be the most defensive-oriented Spirit in history, but it has a fatal weakness." There were a thousand questions the Spirit Saints wanted to ask from that one statement alone, but many of them held back. It was Saint Geom who broke through the pack and asked the next blaring question. "What weakness does it have?" Saint Geom asked in earnest. Saint Longyu Tian and Saint Shenshe Zemin were somewhat reluctant to share national secrets with foreign nations. Still, neither of them had a say in the matter right now. Shin was calling the shots, and no one could object his decision. "Just like any other material, the Obsidian Xuanwu''s barrier has a breaking point. The reason why it has such a high-defensive stance is due to its ability to shift mana from one part of the shell to the other. If the left side was compromised, the right would sacrifice a little of its defence to supplement the left. If the top of the shell was under attack, the bottom parts would provide energy to it, doubling or even tripling its defences." "Ah, a distribution of mana?" Saint Geom nodded. It was a simple concept, one that could be understood by a six-year-old. However, that simple concept was hard to replicate among barriers and other shields known to mankind. Thus, the Obsidian Xuanwu has always ranked supreme amongst all of its defensive peers. "Yes, quite fundamental right? So¡­ Instead of attacking it on one point, what happens if the entire turtle shell is pressured?" Finally catching on, Saint Geom had his own eureka moment: "... There would be no distribution in mana! We can then use that as an opportunity to target a single point and make a total breakthrough!" "Bingo," Shin smiled. He glanced over his shoulder, pointing a thumbs up towards the nine Spirit Saints'' direction. "Seniors, that job will lie on your shoulders. I will even the mana supplied to each corner of the barrier. That will be the best time to strike and break Saint Heigui''s barrier. Don''t hold anything back! The barrier may be at its weakest point, but it''s still the world''s most impregnable defence ability. You''ll need all the mana that you''ll get. As for the Umbras..." Shin raised his right hand and closed his right eye, leaving the eye inhabited by the Mind Titan fully open. The Divine Halo and Cosmic Wings which carried his entire body began to glow with a dazzling light, charging up all of the elemental energies that Shin could provide them with. At the same time, the Time Titan, the Koi of Time, encircled around all of the Alliance members, further deepening its hold on their feeble souls. They were all preparing for the big one¡­ The one Titan in Shin''s arsenal that had yet to be revealed... "Come out¡­ Aqua Slime!" Shin dropped his hand in a karate chop. Within minutes, a humongous blob of liquid dropped upon the barren lands like a meteor smashing onto the planet. With nowhere to run, the Umbras were flattened by the Aqua Slime''s sudden appearance. While in most cases, the Umbras would simply reform itself over and over again until its mana source had been depleted, those touched by the Aqua Slime would disintegrate away into nothingness. It didn''t matter if they were at Tier 1 or 7, all Umbras were equal under the weight of the mighty Aqua Slime. However, the Aqua Slime''s appearance was just the beginning of the Umbras'' nightmare. Once settled, the Titan of Water split itself up into a million smaller slimes, raining down hell upon the Umbras once more. Many of the enemies that blocked the path to the Tree of Darkness melted away as if acid was poured onto them and before the Alliance could blink twice, ten percent of all the Umbras had been exterminated. With the path cleared, Shin moved on to the next phase of his plan. Raising his dominant arm, Shin willed half of the split slimes into the air and forced them to rain down upon the unbreaking barrier. In no time at all, the Aqua Slime had covered the entire surface area of the Heigui Clan''s ultimate technique and was steadily applying as much pressure as being at the bottom of the ocean. Saint Heigui, stuck inside of the Tree of Darkness, could only grit his teeth while he quietly endured the pain, praying for the Allfather to somehow make a breakthrough in the time he''d bought. "Honestly¡­ I''m not surprised anymore." Saint Longyu Tian snorted in derision. She witnessed the rise of Shin''s power back in the Blue Payirci and still couldn''t believe her own eyes. "Once this is all over, I''ll be sure to dig up everything that happened to you in the interim! For now..." Longyu Tian gestured to the rest of the Spirit Saints and whipped out her Rod of Eternity. Taking that signal, Saint Geom quickly followed suit. He bent his knees and assumed a charging stance, putting all of his mana into the Immortal-Grade Spirit Armament that was synonymous with his name. "Isadore, now that I think about it¡­ You''ve never seen me use One for All, All for One in battle before right?" The Himmel Ancestor turned to his beloved grandson, smiling as the Spirit of Himmel began charging up with all the mana left in his body. "No..." "Then, watch and learn. How the Himmel Empire''s Spear is supposed to be used!!!" Saint Longyu Tian, Saint Shenshe, the Himmel Ancestor, Saint Firebird, Saint Geom, Saint Lyndis Virdove, Saint Thor, Saint Althea and Saint Atossa¡­ These nine Spirit Saints gathered all of their ultimate piercing techniques and aimed for the big red dot that Shin had drawn upon the impregnable force field. It didn''t take long for the remaining Umbras to notice that something was going amiss. Without even a second''s hesitation, they all came charging right towards the nine Spirit Saints with the intent to kill. They didn''t care about their safety or mana usage. They needed to protect the barrier, and that was that¡­ Alas¡­ "No, you don''t!!!" The Alliance members intercepted all of their advances. Members of Guardian Sword, elites from the Lantis Republic, geniuses from the Kori Federation, powerhouses from the Himmel Empire. Friends, enemies, loves, rivals¡­ They all gathered in a union¡­ to protect the Spirit Saints as they prepared all of their abilities. Umbras didn''t fear death because they knew nothing about it. If they were cut, they would simply reforge themselves with their mana source. However, the Alliance members didn''t have that luxury. Sure, Shin''s restoration skill would bring them back to the pink of health should they be injured, but if they were pierced through the brain¡­ they would still instantly die. No¡­ The Alliance Members didn''t fear death not because they didn''t know it¡­ They didn''t fear death because the alternative was far more terrifying. They couldn''t let the Allfather succeed, and they all knew it by heart. Therefore¡­ "Kill them all!!! Don''t let them go near the Spirit Saints!" "Don''t stop even if you''re injured! The saviour''s restoration ability will heal us back!" "It''s all or nothing! We will beat the Allfather today!!!" All of the warriors here had lost someone or something that they cherished. Family members, friends, homes, towns¡­ They came from all walks of life, but they all shared the same objective. To defy¡­ the Allfather. The Alliance members unionised, turning the progressing Umbras into mush and giving the Spirit Saints much needed time to charge up their ultimate attacks. And well¡­ it paid off. All of the Spirit Saints held an immense amount of spiritual energy within their hands, be it in the form a Spirit Armament or their own two fists. The amount of mana that was within their hands was no way less than the power held by the Allfather himself. If it were all concentrated into one point¡­ The damage would be catastrophic. "HIT IT!!!" "HIT IT!!!" "HIT IT!!!" The Spirit Saint unleashed their stored-up power, sending nine torrents of light crashing right at the target that Shin had drawn. No Umbras were standing in their way. No Black Masks, and no foes that could disrupt that final strike. The nine beams emulated a rainbow, colouring the path to victory as it continued to melt the air and ground on its path. And eventually¡­ KRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! CLANKKKK!!!!!!!!! The Heigui Barrier, the final line of defence that protected the Allfather from the Alliance¡­ was shattered into pieces. Chapter 690 - The Wall (4) "It''s broken!!!" Without thinking, Saint Geom roared at the top of his lungs. His dominant arm was falling down from the strain that his strike had caused, but the Sword Saint didn''t care about fatigue. If need be, Saint Geom would leap into action and rip the Allfather out of the Tree of Darkness with his own two hands. However, the leader of this whole operation didn''t move a single inch. "Shin?!" Saint Longyu Tian called out to Shin, who had his eyes closed and body loosened up. From the outside, it looked like the man didn''t have the slightest intention of attacking the Allfather and the Black Masks, which greatly worried the members of the Alliance. "We have to attack the Allfather now, else he''ll ascend!!!" The portal at the centre of the mana whirlpool was getting bigger and bigger with each passing second. The Tree of Darkness'' branches weren''t impacted by the Spirit Saints'' all-out attack and were on the verge of ripping a hole through Heaven''s Gate. And more shockingly¡­ A hooded figure rose up from the apex of the tree, his body inching closer towards the threshold. It seems that¡­ the Allfather''s preparations were complete. He was about¡­ to make that final leap. "I know that..." Shin replied, but his heart wasn''t with the Alliance members. It looked like half of his mind had been split, and his soul wasn''t within his own body. "Damn it, he must have used too much mana!" In a fit of anxiety, Longyu Tian wrongly deduced Shin''s symptoms. "We''ll have to do it on our own! Let''s raid the Tree of Darkness now!!!" "ORYAHHHH!!!" With war cries echoing left and right, the Spirit Saints raised their Spirits and Spiritual Armaments, rallying all of Alliance members to join the final assault. "ATTACK!!!" Saint Geom was the first to fly out of the defensive line. Being the one with the highest offensive power, the Sword Saint was in a prime position to interrupt the Allfather''s ritual and bring an end to the dastardly war. The Samingeom glistened with Saint-Levelled swordlight, burning and melting away any Umbras that dared to venture into its path. The other Spirit Saints quickly moved to support Saint Geom''s charge. Saint Althea provided healing and auxiliary support. At the same time, Saint Shenshe Zemin spread her corrosive poison to keep the Umbras at bay. The Himmel Ancestor, with his mana restored using Shin''s Restoration ability, was able to summon out his Immortal Army once more to dominate the battlefield. In contrast, Saint Firebird dominated the skies with his fiery radiance. Saint Longyu Tian used her Time Field to slow down the movements of the Umrbas, which was child''s play for the Saint of Time, while she sped up her allies'' actions. Right now, they needed to rush towards the opened Tree of Darkness while they had the chance. If the Allfather ascends¡­ Everything that they had been fighting for would have been for nought. "Fly to Heaven''s Gate! We''ll stop the Allfather from ascending!!!" Saint Althea leapt to the sky, spinning her blade twice. "RARARA!!! GET AWAY YOU F.U.C.KERS!!!" However, before any of the Spirit Saints could come close¡­ A miniature sun came flying in their direction, forcing them to take two steps backwards to evade. Four coloured beams shot in between them and the Tree of Darkness. Black, White, Purple and Red¡­ The Four remaining of the Nine Coloured Noble Beasts. The final stewards of the Allfather and the ones that stayed till the very end¡­ They weren''t going to stand idle as the Alliance tried to crush their dreams. "Teleport away!!!" Shiro shot surges of Space-Elements into the air, creating random portals that moved the Spirit Saints further away from the Tree of Darkness. "You''re not delaying the Allfather!" Other Spirit Saints were caught up by the Archane Queen''s spun out webs, deterring their path forwards. "Ara, I would love to stay and taste your brain matter, but the Immortal Realm calls." And finally¡­ "None of you are going to interfere in my Master''s dream¡­ Just stand there and watch as we ascend!" Kuro growled in his Wolf form, showing off all of the powers that a Darkness-Elemental Primordial Beast. Umbral energy flowed out from his fur, and over a hundred clones were summoned, each one brandishing the energy of a faux Tier 9 Spirit Beast. Taking down the minions that Kuro had summoned wasn''t difficult, but it would sure as hell take time. Time that the Alliance couldn''t afford to waste. "Shin! What are you doing?!" At that point, Kanari couldn''t bear it anymore. She grabbed her husband by the sleeves and turned to his absent-minded face, hoping to slap some sense into him. "The Allfather is about to ascend! Do something about it!" It took him a while, but eventually¡­ Shin''s mind finally came back to his physical body. He looked at his wife, one eye staring her down, the other glancing at the image of the Allfather reaching towards Heaven''s Gate. And then¡­ he smiled. "Don''t worry, Kanari. We''ve already won." Shin declared. "What?" "Trust me. We''ve won." Shin shook his head and didn''t elaborate, he grabbed Kanari''s hand and gently peeled it away from his arm. "Just wait and see." ??? The Allfather didn''t care about the mayhem that laid beneath his feet. The Alliance were knocking on his door with everything that they had. Immortal-Grade Spirit Armaments, Spirit Saints, Primordial Beasts¡­ Everything that could very well mess up the Allfather''s plans for ascension were placed on the table. Given a few more minutes, the Tree of Darkness'' defences would be breached, and the full might of the Alliance would be pointing their swords at the Allfather''s neck. But the man didn''t care. The Allfather floated up to the highest of heavens and was basically centimetres away from escaping Earth''s gravity and breaking into outer space. However, the Allfather didn''t care for the material plane anymore. Standing before him was Heaven''s Gate, the entity that he''d been chasing for centuries now. "Two ways to enter the Immortal Realm. Becoming a Spirit Immortal or opening Heaven''s Gate¡­ Dream, I''m too untalented to use the former route, so I had to use this method. You wouldn''t hate me right?" The Allfather chuckled to himself. Would Dream be disappointed to see him use an unconventional method? Or would she be proud? The Allfather didn''t know. "But none of that matters¡­ The most important thing is that I will finally see you again." The portal was finally at its breaking point as it spread to over a hundred metres in diameter. It was more than enough for the Allfather to pass through and finally break free from the chains that bound him to the mortal world. He was going to become eternal¡­ he was going to meet Spirit Immortal Dream once more. Both his bandaged hands touched the invisible ceiling that separated the mortal plane from the Immortal Realm. All the Allfather needed to do now was push through, and he would climb the stairs to Heaven. All he needed¡­ was that final step. "I''m coming to meet you now, Dream!" But alas¡­ Man proposes, Heaven disposes. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR The moment the Allfather''s hand pushed through that invisible barrier, the skies roared in a fury. No, the entire world cried with the anger of every single soul that it had. Heaven''s Gate, the whirlpool in the sky that the Allfather had taken so many years to create¡­ was now broken into billions of elemental particles. Hellfires that burnt at over a million degrees. Torrential winds that went over ten thousand kilometres an hour. Rock showers that held stones with densities heavier to that of platinum. Lightning bolts that raged with the fury of a thousand Ancient Gods. Storms that brought forth rain that weighed heavier than diamonds. Light rays that burnt through flesh and melted everything away in moments. Dark clouds that carried all the evil and suffering the world had to offer. Spatial tears that disrupted the space-time continuum. Time fractures that broke one''s sensation of time. And even unending fogs that held the mysteries of the mind¡­ Disasters that were more destructive than the time Spirit Immortal Dream ascended¡­ They were all unleashed. But instead of bringing devastation to the world like in Spirit Immortal Dream''s case, all of the disasters were targetted on one sole entity¡­ "ARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" The Allfather couldn''t even form words from the pain that permeated through his entire soul. The Tree of Darkness, said to be invincible in the material plane, was now rotting away. All of the Umbras that the Allfather had summoned¡­ they were now being melted by the elemental storm that descended from the sky. "This is..." Kanari was absolutely gobsmacked by the gruelling sight. No living mortal was meant to suffer through even one of those disasters, let alone the full ten. It was one of those catastrophes that one wouldn''t even wish on their worst enemies. For a full minute, the former Mythpoint Reach was ravaged by the disasters, killing any living soul that got in its way. The Alliance members closest to the Tree of Darkness were teleported away by Shin''s Cosmic Wings. At the same time, the Black Masks, including the remaining Noble Beasts, were quickly moved using Shiro''s portals. Only the Allfather, the target of the ravaging storms, stayed behind to receive the Heavenly Punishment. Well, not by choice of course. "As I said, we''ve won." Shin didn''t look all too surprised. Facing all of those disasters, it would be a shocker if the Tree of Darkness survived that blow. Most of it melted away in seconds, leaving behind only a single bark and some roots. Shin looked down at the remnants of the Tree of Darkness with a complicated gaze. His eyes hid a burden of truth and pain, one that wasn''t felt by a regular mortal. "Idiot¡­ The Wall to Eternity isn''t that easily breached." "What did you say?" Since Shin''s voice was as soft as a fly, Kanari didn''t catch his words. Leaning in, the ethereal beauty asked for a volume up. "No, nothing." However, Shin wasn''t all that keen on elaborating himself. His body turned aqueous as he prepared to teleport away. "Stay here for a few moments. Gather the Alliance and rest. Wait for my return." "Where are you going?" "... To end it all." Chapter 691 - Dreams (1) The Tree of Darkness. An unknown land that hid countless mysteries. From its introduction to the Mortal Plane, the Alliance were stumped on how best to deal with the Tree of Darkness. Whenever they attempted to peek within, an interference would arise that hindered their progress. Whenever they moved close, the Allfather would deploy thousands of defensive mechanisms, be it Black Masks, Umbras or relics that Spirit Immortal Dream left behind¡­ They would all activate to deter the Alliance''s espionage tactics. In the end, even till the very end of the long-drawn war, the Alliance weren''t able to figure out a single clue about the Tree of Darkness. Its layout, its defences¡­ nothing. Though, even if they did manage to do a full investigation, it would all be futile. Deep within the Tree of Darkness, there laid a secret room. A secluded and protected area that was far from the apex of the tree. It was buried under all of the thick branches, stump and roots, hidden from plain sight and an unknown entity, even to the highest-ranking members of the Black Masks. In fact, there were only two beings in existence that knew of the secret chambers. The Allfather''s most trusted lieutenant, Kuro and the Allfather himself. Why was it the most secluded area in the whole Tree of Darkness? "Shit! Shit! SHIT!!!" Wails of pain echoed through the chambers. It was a rather simple room. There was no furniture, no paintings, no decorations. Just plain old walls with cold ceilings and still air. However, there was one distinct feature, one that made it hard for anyone to miss. Centred at the middle of the room, there laid a huge blackened chunk of wood. It was rotting from the inside with dark mist rising up from its central organ. From the offset, there wasn''t much life left within the broken wood. And the same went for the person that was stuck within that dying bark. Skin dried up like a prune, the white skeletal man that was stuck to the tree bark was looking death straight at the eye. He lacked any sort of hair, no eyebrows, chest hair or even facial hair. Hollow eyed with black roots escaping out of his torso and chest¡­ All four of his limbs were sealed by the tree bark behind him, and the man lacked any muscles to resist or escape from his uncomfortable position. In truth, the man looked closer to a dying treant than a living human being. "Why did I fail?! Why did you reject me?!" The man continued to curse with his eyes bloodshot and voice hoarse. He lacked the physical strength to move his body, so all he could do was eye up the ceiling. "I HAD EVERYTHING PREPARED!!! EVERYTHING!!! WHY DID YOU REJECT ME?!" "Your thinking is flawed, Allfather." As if hearing his question, a voice replied to the man. Only two people knew of this chamber''s existence and most of it had been hidden with numerous traps lacing the pathway. For someone to infiltrate here this quickly¡­ That was almost impossible. But¡­ The facts spoke for itself. The Allfather watched in horror as a man formed himself out from the water droplets in the room. His vibrant black hair and beautiful azure eyes that seemed to contain the entire ocean within, flashed inside of the Allfather''s vision, mesmerising the man to the ninth degree. The Allfather had seen many mystical things in his day, but never could he have anticipated that his greatest rival would make little of his tightest defence system in such an effortless manner. Shin didn''t continue to speak once he reformed himself. For a good ten seconds, Shin observed the Allfather with his own two eyes. He had imagined this day for so long. How would the final fight with the Allfather''s main body look like? Would he be faced with an unyielding beast of a Spirit Saint, with powers that defied all common sense? Would the Allfather be a ten-metre giant with the muscles of an apex predator? Would the Allfather have the mana reserves that tower over all living beings, including that of himself? Alas, reality was often disappointing. "So this is the true face of the mighty Allfather. A man that can''t even move his face." Shin spat. Where was the powerful entity that brought the world to its knees? Where was the man that dominated all who stood in his way, even a legion of Spirit Saints? Where was the man that forced Junius'' death and the massacres of millions? Where was the man that split the entire Terre Continent all on his own? Was it this bag of bones? "The face of the devil¡­ is quite disappointing." "Shin Iofiel..." The dying man cursed, his eyes still carrying the hate of a million burning suns. "Allfather," Shin gave the man a humble bow in response to his name. "We finally meet face-to-face." "... How did you get in?" "My tenth spiritual ability, the one that gave me the power to resist you¡­ Is called One with Water. As long as Water exists, I will exist. I can feel all Water, see all Water and more importantly¡­ I can teleport to anywhere that has Water. Entering your protected chambers is nothing more than child''s play." The Allfather was rendered speechless. The war was lost, the Allfather knew that clearly. Heaven had rejected him, the forces of nature had eroded his Spirit and were attacking his soul. The Tree of Darkness was withering away, and light returned back to the desolate Neutral Lands. In time, the Alliance would apprehend the remaining Black Masks to either execute or torture. And without the road to eternity¡­ The Allfather was doomed to perish. The Allfather''s days were numbered in the first place. Passing over six centuries, the Allfather had long surpassed the natural age limit for all Spirit Saints. It was only through the Tree of Darkness'' unique properties that the Allfather was able to prolong his withering life. However, with the Tree of Darkness eroding away, nothing was holding his ageing body from crossing through River Styx anymore. "One with Water¡­ What a broken ability." "I''d only attained this ability thanks to your meddling, Allfather." Shin snorted. "As you said, people need conflict to grow. It was a good strategy, trying to get us all to become strong enough to feed Heaven''s Gate. But you simply miscalculated." "Miscalculated what?" Shin sneered as he moved in closer towards the Allfather. In his current state, the Allfather was basically as weak as a newborn infant. There was nothing that could protect him against Shin''s overwhelming power. So even when Shin was just inches away from the Allfather''s dying body, there was nothing that he could do to resist. "You''ve underestimated how much we could grow. Not just me, the other Alliance members had become more powerful and unified thanks to your actions. That''s why you''ve lost, Allfather." "..." "Gaining eternity¡­ To achieve your dream, you actually brought the world to a grinding halt. Killing innocents and destroying families meant nothing to you. Your selfishness had brought upon you too many enemies, enemies that had become powerful enough to ignore their own differences just to see you fall." "..." "Alas, you were too lost in chasing your dream." Shin sighed. "You gained your Rank 99 powers not through talent, but through leaching the powers of your subordinates. Instead of self-betterment, you tried to cheese the system. You tried to become Immortal when your fate was to die a mortal." "What''s wrong about that?" After a brief moment of silence, the Allfather finally found the strength to shout a rebuttal. "What''s wrong with fighting against fate? Isn''t that what everyone wants to do? Defy their own incompetence to become the man or woman that they want to be? I did everything right! I just wanted to see her again¡­ WHY DID YOU REJECT ME?!" The Allfather screamed out at the top of his lungs, exhausting what little oxygen remains in his broken body. In the end, without the proper spiritual energies to hold him back, the Allfather coughed out several mouthfuls of blood while his body convulsed in agony. "Hah¡­ hah..." It quickly became apparent that the Allfather was no longer able to form words. His body was deteriorating at an extraordinary rate, and even if Shin didn''t do anything, the man would die within the next few hours. However, Shin didn''t have the patience to wait those godly hours. Tapping his fingers in the air twice, the man called out a ray of light filled with the Space-Element. When the light dissipated, in its place, a hitless sword rested on Shin''s palms. It held the sharpness befitting that of a Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament. Each time an element passed through its blade, the sword would shine with its correspondent colour, bringing a sense of wonder to the simple weapon. It was a sword that the Allfather was quite familiar with. After all, that sword was his present to Junius those many years back. It was the sword that laid the foundations of Shin''s organisation, Guardian Sword. It was the representative of all the evils that the Allfather had given the world and the hope that Guardian Sword aimed to bring. It was¡­ the Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament¡­ The Hofuku. "Allfather, the sins that you''ve carried out against humanity¡­ There are too many to count." Shin said his verse just as any executioner would. "I would love to give you one lash for each person that died in the war, each mother who lost their child in battle, each family that lost their regular lives to the destruction you''ve caused, each soul you reaped for your selfish desire. I would love to lock you up in the catacombs and torture you for the rest of eternity. I would love to do all that¡­ but I can''t." Shin injected his pure mana into the Hofuku, enhancing its sharpness a million fold. On this planet, there won''t be anything that the Hofuku can''t cut or anything that it can''t pierce. Be it illusions or diamond, space or time¡­ The Hofuku was now able to reap them all. "Allfather¡­ On behalf of the entire world. I sentence you to death." Chapter 692 - Dreams (2) Akumu watched silently as the Hofuku closed in on his heart. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, the blade approaching his body, the angered growl of Shin, the droplets of water that dripped from the ceiling. Everything had turned surreal, and the Allfather couldn''t really understand. In his mind, Akumu had done everything right. He''d applied the theories that Spirit Immortal Dream crafted. He''d spent hundreds of years meticulously planning his Grand Scheme. There were contingency plans for his contingency plans. Akumu spent so much of his time deliberating possible scenarios in which he could ascend to the Immortal Realm. Should Akumu fail to ascend the normal way, he would use the aether crystals that were gathered up by the Black Masks. To bolster his chances of fighting against the three superpowers, Akumu gathered Primordial Beasts and Tier 9 Spirit Beasts. He planted spies in every nation, slowly sinking his claws into every corner of the globe. When the time finally came to put his plans into action, Akumu had succeeded in everything he sought to accomplish. Akumu split the continent to create chaos. He made high-ranking cultivators from each superpower into turncoats. He reached for the Heavens with the technologies that Spirit Immortal Dream had left behind¡­ Everything was picture perfect in his mind¡­ So why did the Heavens reject him? Why did he have to see everything fail when he was just one step away from attaining his most cherished dream? Akumu didn''t know. The only thing that remained in his mind were the thoughts that led him to this final moment. The stories were true¡­ When one faced death directly in the face, their lives would flash before their eyes. At this moment, Akumu was watching everything that had led to this very moment. The day that he was thrown onto the streets as a vagrant, Akumu felt that all hope was lost. His entire world had been searching through trash bins for scraps while begging on the streets for some loose change to barely get by. The day Akumu saw the young beauty parade down the streets, attaining the title of the world''s greatest genius. Dream was a flower that Akumu could have never hoped to interact with, let alone touch. So¡­ The image of Dream reaching out her pristine hands to pull up his filthy body¡­ That resonated in Akumu''s mind for the rest of time. The day that Akumu and Dream shared their dreams for the future. Dream had opened up about the true nature of her abilities and explained why she was able to attain the title of the world''s greatest genius. It was also the day where Dream told Akumu about her desire to find a way to enter the Immortal Realm without becoming a Spirit Immortal. Akumu remembered her bewitching fragrance and innocent smile as if it were a picture stored right before his eyes. The day where Akumu was sent off on an expedition to the Uncharted Wilderness to investigate the theory behind Heaven''s Gate. That gorgeous smile of Dream''s as she sent him off, knowing that he would come back victorious¡­ And more painfully¡­ The day where he returned back to the Land of Dreams, only to find out that the woman he loved the most, had massacred her entire nation and ascended into the Immortal Realm without telling him. Rather than feeling betrayed, Akumu knew that something was amiss. He knew that Dream wasn''t the type to leave the mortal plane without saying goodbye or that she would abandon him on the planet. Hence, Akumu plotted his own ascension into the Immortal Realm, using the vast wealth of knowledge that was bestowed upon him. That journey to eternal life and brought Akumu down the road of a merciless killer, who would do everything in his power to achieve his dream. As Akumu ventured down the path towards Immortality, any modic.u.m of virtuousness had been eroded away. Unlike Shin, he was willing to do anything be it moral or immoral. Killing children? Akumu would do that. Destroying countries? Akumu did that. Feeding humans to satisfy his Spirit Beasts'' hunger? Akumu allowed that in a heartbeat. Making filthy vagrants into mindless killing machines to fuel his weak army? Akumu did the deed himself. In Akumu''s path to the Immortal Realm, he''d committed countless atrocities. He made billions of enemies and had become the world''s¡­ nay, history''s greatest villain. The amount of human life lost¡­ The broken economy of the world¡­ There wasn''t a single entity in history that could match Akumu''s evil. And that was how¡­ Akumu walked down the evil path to become the world''s most hated being¡­ the Allfather. However, the Allfather didn''t care about the nefarious deeds he did. He didn''t care about the titles, the names, setting records, whether history would remember him... All he wanted¡­ was to stand side-by-side with his most cherished lover. Alas, at the very end. The Heavens wouldn''t hear his pleas. The Hofuku entered through the Allfather''s flabby skin and easily pierced through his feeble ribcage. There weren''t any defences that the Allfather could bolster up anymore. All he could do is feel the cold blade slowly make its way through his flesh and pierce right into his heart. The Hofuku had returned back to its original owner¡­ though not in the way he expected it to. ''So this is death¡­ How unbelievably cold.'' Akumu closed his eyes, embracing the darkness that was encroaching on his very being. He had seen this darkness many times in the eyes of his victims before they passed on. The Allfather never anticipated that he would be on the other side of this darkness. He''d always believed in achieving eternal life and reuniting with Dream. ''It''s funny how everything comes back full circle.'' Akumu had an amusing thought as his consciousness was starting to sink into the never-ending abyss. Life was a cycle, a cycle that couldn''t be broken apart through human intervention. No matter how hard one tried to break the wheel, they would once again become part of its flow. He killed others, now others killed him. Perhaps¡­ His ending had always been to die at another''s hands. ''Ah, Dream¡­ I won''t be able to fulfil my promise to you. I won''t be able to meet you in the Immortal Realm¡­ after all.'' A single tear broke free from Akumu''s dried, prune-like skin while his mouth bled with all the fluids left in his body. Akumu''s lifeless body had no mana or strength left and could only lay still as the Hofuku remained firmly lodged within his body. Darkness that the Akumu once thought was his ally was now taking over his entire mind. His body had died, and his consciousness was next in line. Akumu''s five senses were cut off as everything turned dark. He couldn''t hear Shin anymore. He couldn''t smell the pungent aroma of the Tree of Darkness. He couldn''t touch the bark that held his body up. He couldn''t taste the cold air of his chambers and finally¡­ All vision that Akumu once had¡­ was ripped from his consciousness. Everything was black, and there was nothing to save the world''s most hated man from perishing into the abyss. ''I wonder¡­ if you still¡­ remember me, Dream¡­ I wonder¡­ if we could still¡­ meet again...'' In the end, Akumu could only make a silent wish. No one could hear that wish, and no one could grant it. But Akumu still hoped. He hoped and hoped and hoped and hoped¡­ Alas¡­ It was a dream that would never come to pass. Chapter 693 - Family (1) Ten years later¡­ The Lantis Republic. Celestial Island. Shin''s residence. Ten years had passed since that fateful day in the Neutral Lands. The long war that disrupted the peace and prosperity of the world¡­ had finally come to a close. When Shin teleported right to the Allfather''s main body and executed him, the remaining Black Masks all went into a state of frenzy. The mana that bound them all had been released, and their curses were lifted. Some of them shed tears of joy, jovial that the tyrant that ruled over them was finally dead. Most, however, took the marauder''s way out. Of the four remaining Noble Beasts, Kuro, Akai and Murasaki lost all sense of control, becoming berserk Primordial Beasts that bore their fangs one final time. Three Primordial Beasts that fought with nothing to lose was a scary sight, but against the empowered Alliance, they were nothing more than quick target practice. Without the Allfather''s mana supplementing them, the three Primordial Beasts were quickly struck down and executed before any trial could be given to them. The Mirror Deity Shiro, on the other hand, wasn''t willing to die with the sinking ship. Using his Space-Elemental portals, the Mirror Deity attempted to hide until the end of time, praying that no one would disturb him as long as he laid low. Alas, how could he hide from the man who had merged with Water itself? Shin found Shiro within seconds of his disappearance and dragged the Space-Elemental Primordial Beast back to the Alliance. Like Kin and Gin, Shiro was thrown into a maximum-security prison, which was specially designed to contain the Mirror Deity. During the Black Masks'' heyday, Shiro''s involvement was indisputable as he frequently teleported the Black Masks everywhere. He was also directly responsible for many of the Black Masks'' most heinous crimes, such as the assassination of Saint Suhavis. There was no way the Alliance would grant Shiro mercy. Life in prison¡­ that was just the beginning of Shiro''s sentence. For his crimes against humanity, the Mirror Deity would become a living test subject for the Alliance and their labs, in the hopes of further enhancing humanity''s understanding of the Space-Elements. He would forever be sealed, never to see the sun ever again. The remaining humans surviving from the Black Masks suffered similar fates. Most of them were left to rot in prison while a select few¡­ took the easy way out. Saint Heigui was one of those men. Rather than face the music for his crime, Saint Heigui decided to exhaust what little life he had left in his old body and pass on into the Netherworld without the Alliance''s permission. It was a more preferable fate, rather than facing the people he betrayed¡­ The men and women of his own clan that were affected by his selfish decision. A decision that didn''t even give him what he wanted. In the end, the war against the Black Masks lasted over two decades. Though history would record the Alliance as the winners, there was no real victor. The three superpowers who united to take down the threat¡­ they eventually started having problems of their own. Firstly, the cost to rebuild the devastation caused by the Allfather and the Black Masks was far too steep. Forget about the economic pit that most nations suffered through participating in the war¡­ the human cost itself was hard to recover from. It would take centuries of procreating for the world''s population to return back to what it was before the war, and there was no guarantee that the world would ever recover all that''s lost. Secondly, with the Terre Continent divided, what was stopping individual states from breaking free of their overlord''s control? The Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire, two former landlocked nations with territories that spread over thousands of kilometres¡­ were now fragmented. Borders that were formerly just separated by fences¡­ now had oceans between them. If any of those governments wanted to exert control¡­ it would take far more time and resources, something that neither of them lacked. And finally, the most significant pain that the war had caused¡­ was unquestionably the loss of human lives. Bonds that people had forged would never be recovered. People that fought valiantly in the war, only to give the ultimate sacrifice¡­ They could never join the victory parade that resonated throughout the three superpowers. The people that Shin had lost to the Black Masks¡­ Ariel, Lily, Linus, Shizen, Junius¡­ Young lives that were meant to lead long lives of happiness and prosperity¡­ They would never get to watch the end of the Black Masks. They would never get to see their own families, have children and laugh alongside Shin and the rest of their cherished friends. The family ties that they had formed¡­ they were never going to be the same ever again. However, life has to go on¡­ Of the seven young heroes, Elrin was the one that had to move on the quickest. Straight after the war, Guardian Sword''s purpose had evaporated away. All of the elites that were gathered by Shin, they were forced into unemployment when Shin effectively dissolved the organisation overnight. But, for those elites, going into unemployment doesn''t mean that they would never find work again. It was the contrary. Elrin left the Hall of Gold and returned back to the Zedcris Conglomerate, taking the place that she rightfully deserves¡­ The President. Her father still held the title of Chairman, but effectively, Elrin had taken full control over the world''s richest merchant group. Elrin used all of the tactics she''d learnt from being the Hall Master of the Hall of Gold and consolidated power around her small fingers. In just one decade, the relatively young prodigy doubled the revenue per year that the Zedcris Conglomerate earned and spread its influence from a nationwide merchant organisation to an international powerhouse. To some extent, the Zedcris Conglomerate was now the fourth superpower, with Elrin as their figurehead. Her influence was in no way inferior to that of the Himmel Empire''s Emperor, and that was saying quite a bit. And yes¡­ As Shin feared many years, Elrin didn''t marry. Not that she didn''t have any affairs with men, it was just¡­ none of them were worthy of her hand. They were all gold diggers hoping to marry rich and live the rest of their lives as worthless bums or trophy husbands. Because of that, Elrin much rather spend time with her cats than to go on any dates. Even with Max by her side, Elrin decided that marrying wasn''t for her. Elrin''s fellow Himmel Empire resident, on the other hand, had a much different tale. Isadore, the bosom friend of Shin and the next Spear of the Himmel Empire¡­ Took fate to his own hands. Rather than listening to the Himmel Ancestor''s teachings, Isadore started his own organisation that used the remnants of the Hall of Whispers. Like Elrin, Isadore''s new information agency snowballed, quickly becoming the premier choice for all high-levelled organisations. The Eyes of Silver became a household name after a good decade, and few could elude their vision. If the Eyes of Silver wanted to know something, chances are, they will get a detailed intelligence report by the end of the hour. That was how efficient Isadore''s new agency was. Unlike Elrin however, Isadore found something that the woman has yet to obtain. A lover. Fionn, the former Vice-Master of the Hall of Whispers and the former orphan that grew up with Shin, somehow managed to tie Isadore up by the neck. No, there was another pair that surpassed Isadore and Fionn in legend. Emma, Glacial Fairy Markswoman and Ella, The Blizzard Fairy Sharpshooter, took centre stage after the long war came to a halt. Since Guardian Sword had been dissolved, the twins had taken over the mantle of the saviour, going round broken communities to fix them through charitable work. Funded by the Zedcris Conglomerate, the twins built orphanages all around the world, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity. As a homage to their times as orphans, Ella and Emma spent much of the decade tutoring and making conducive environments for displaced children to grow. They would be aided by the majority of their fellow orphans. Ryner and Lia, already a married couple with two children, understood how imperative one growing years were. They willingly joined the twins in their cause, saving as many orphans as they could. Elyse, tired of the war as well, quit fighting on the frontlines and focused on the recovery efforts that the twins launched. Occasionally, she would return to the Lantis Republic to kick back and relax with her favoured brother and her nephews and nieces, but for the most part, Elyse led a retired life, aiding as many homeless children as she could. Though Elyse was living a semi-retired life, it was nothing compared to Lady Seph''s. Aided by her trusted disciple Kesyl and her serv-, apprentice Max, Lady Seph went deep into investigating the mysteries that plagued the scientific community. She had all the funding she needed from the Zedcris Conglomerate, and there were no governments in the world that dared to order her for commissions. Who dared to order the Master of the next Spirit Immortal? So, Lady Seph led her days peacefully, though there were the odd times where explosions could be heard from her lab¡­ but no one really has to talk about it. As for the original power couple¡­ Only Kanari continued to show her face to the world. The day that Shin reached Rank 99 and became a Spirit Saint, his status in the world had changed entirely. The old rules dictated that no Spirit Saint was allowed to meddle in mortal affairs, and that applied to Shin as well, doubly so in fact. Shin''s One with Water ability was powerful, so incredibly powerful that all the Spirit Saints in the world combined were unable to do a single thing to him. No, even if all the cultivators in the world were rounded up, given the best gear and trained by the best mentors¡­ They could only dream of beating Shin as long as he has One with Water. So that created a problem¡­ Shin had to abdicate and retreat into the shadows. For the sake of balancing the world, Shin couldn''t meddle in mortal affairs in any shape or form. In his place, Kanari took over all diplomatic matters. Although she was Shin''s wife, Kanari was a former Duchess as well as a Princess that ruled alongside him. She knew all there is to know about diplomacy and keeping power. Kanari acted as the international peacekeeper of the world, as it was slowly trying to rebuild. She helped the Healer''s Association, Blacksmith''s League and Mercenary Guild settle down in the new Land of Dreams while suggesting that embassies be put in each state so that better communication could be facilitated. She negotiated the peace treaty between the three superpowers, allowing them to settle their internal affairs without caring about foreign invasions. Kanari also set up international organisations such as a global police force that knew no borders, an international court that tried the remnants of the Black Masks and a peacekeeping organisation that helped prevent the outbreak of any further wars. They were all in their embryonic stages, but Kanari''s actions would become the bedrock of the new world order, one that was going to lead the planet for thousands of years to come. So¡­ What about the man behind it all? What about the man who the whole world now revered as their saviour? What about Shin? "This Oolong tea is remarkable! Uriel, you improved yet again." "Really? But I think it''s nothing compared to father''s brew..." "Haha, in my heart, anything that you make is far superior to my own!" Shin pinched the nose of his teenage daughter while they sat shoulder-to-shoulder at their garden''s gazebo. He lowered down the cup onto its saucer and took a calming breath. The air here was crisp and the scenery, as beautiful as can be. Few could enjoy such a life, watching a garden in full bloom while one''s daughter served him tea. So, Shin was going to make the full use of it. "How''s school?" "Boring..." Uriel rolled her eyes, the way any typical teenager would when they talked about school. "I''ve learnt everything that I needed from you! Must I really stay in school? Can''t I just graduate already?" "Graduate and do what?" "Ummm..." Uriel averted her gaze and bit the bottom of her lips. "See? You don''t even know what you want to become¡­ Your other siblings have already stepped foot on their respective career paths!" "They''re older than me, so it can''t be helped!" Shin''s youngest daughter objected. "I still have a long way to go!" "Hah¡­ What am I going to do with you?" Shin rubbed his forehead and squeezed his daughter''s adorable cheeks. "Ouch, ouch, ouch! Father, it hurts!" While the rest of his companions were out in the world making names for themselves, Shin remained secluded in his mansion, rarely leaving it for business or pleasure. He spent everyday teaching and nurturing his children, a life that he couldn''t have had if he was the saviour. And oddly enough¡­ Shin quite liked his new life. ''Though this can''t last forever...'' Chapter 694 - Family (2) Shin continued to tease and pinch Uriel''s cheeks, ignoring her cries saying that she was too old to be nudged or played with like a toy. But, how could Uriel escape the grasp of a Rank 99 Spirit Saint? If Shin wanted to squeeze his daughter''s cheeks, he was going to have his way. Fortunately for the teenager, her saviour was just around the corner. "Stop bullying our child, Shin!" Kanari''s laughing voice echoed out from the mansion as she walked over in her signature kimono. "Mother, you''re finally back!" Uriel ran to Kanari with tears in her eyes, sobbing uncontrollably as she rubbed the sore cheeks on her mother''s flowery dress. "Father was bullying me! You must seek vengeance for me!" "Haha, don''t worry I will!" Kanari rubbed Uriel''s head, gently calming her nerves. "Shin Iofiel! How dare you bully our child like that?" "It''s her own fault! How dare she inherit your cheeks! You know how much I missed you while you were on a business trip! Since I can''t touch yours anymore, I had to make do with hers!" Shin protested with everything that he had. "Ah¡­ If that''s the case, it can''t be helped..." "Mother?!" Uriel dropped her jaw at the about-turn that Kanari took. "Yes, it can''t be helped! I will continue pinching on her cheeks until the end of time!" "FATHER?!" "Yeah¡­ I know that you''re lonely when I''m not around¡­ Do as you wish. Just don''t overdo it¡­ Leave some of her cheeks for me to squeeze as well!" "Y-you¡­ two¡­ YOU TWO ARE BOTH BULLIES!!!" Unable to bear it anymore, Uriel ran far away from the garden, fearing that her cheeks were in danger. She could barely take her father pinching them, but if her mother joined in as well¡­ Uriel''s cheeks were going to lose all of its elasticity overnight! "Ah, you made her cry." "You were the one that landed the final blow, my wife." Shin chuckled as he took two steps forward from the elegant gazebo. Kissing Kanari''s forehead, Shin brought the woman into his arms, taking in huge whiffs of his wife''s sweet aroma. "Ten years had passed¡­ so why haven''t you changed a bit, Kanari? Your scent, your face¡­ it''s all exactly the same! It defies all common sense." "What are you a bloodhound?" Kanari chuckled as she returned her husband''s embrace. On the outside, Kanari was a woman who seemed otherworldly and unfit for mortals to be around. Her smile always made her distant, and her demeanour screams superiority. However, whenever Kanari was in front of her husband, she could always revert back to her teenage self. After enjoying each other''s warmth for a good minute or two, Kanari took the initiative to split from her husband, much to Shin''s annoyance of course. "So¡­ Why did you call me back so urgently?" Kanari got to the heart of the issue immediately. Over the last ten years, Shin never called Kanari back when she was busy. After all, all of his matters were just family affairs while Kanari had to deal with international issues. The world needed their impartial Queen, while the retired Shin could do whatever he pleased in peace and quiet. So, for Shin to call Kanari back¡­ Shin''s face turned sour. He slipped his hands down Kanari''s shoulder. He grabbed her by the wrists, leading her into the gazebo where they could have a private conversation. They both sat down as Shin laid his free hand on Kanari''s cheek, gently caressing it with all the love in the world. "Kanari¡­ I don''t have much time left." "... Is Heaven calling you?" "No, Earth is rejecting me." Shin shook his head. "I''ve told you this before¡­ My existence is too powerful for the planet to handle. The moment I learnt One with Water, Earth had marked me as an existence that can no longer reside within the material realm. I have been delaying my ascension by rarely using any spiritual abilities over the past ten years, but once the next Day of Spirits arrives..." "You''ll be forced to ascend?" Shin nodded in silence. There were two main reasons for Shin''s inactiveness over the past ten years. One was to keep the political balance of the world since his mere existence was a threat to all of the superpowers'' military forces. The other and more secretive reason for his early retirement¡­ was to keep himself from ascending too early. Spirit Saints could live for four hundred years, and Shin barely lived for fifty. While Spirit Immortals of the past didn''t wait for their four hundred years to pass to ascend, Shin didn''t want to rush. He wanted to spend more time with his friends and family. He wanted to see his children grow up and marry. He wanted to see the faces of his grandchildren. He wanted to watch the world rebuild after the disaster that broke the planet. Shin had so many ties to the mortal realm that he wasn''t willing to ascend, even though it was his long-wished dream to chase Yggdrasil and reunite with the ones he''d lost. "Last year''s Day of Spirits was bad¡­ In a lapse of concentration, Earth nearly kicked me out of the mortal realm without letting me say goodbye. Due to the nature of One with Water, my power grows even when I''m not doing anything. Over the past year, my understanding of the world''s secrets and cultivation level only deepened, so..." "You won''t be able to contain it?" "Yeah¡­" Shin nodded regrettably. "I''m sorry Kanari. I won''t be able to see your wrinkles form." "Hmph! As if that will happen!" The woman chastised her husband half-tearingly. "I''m already a Spirit Venerate! I won''t have the same ageing issues as a regular woman!" "Haha, you''re right..." Shin chuckled. His eyes turned towards the mansion, where Uriel was busy brewing another pot of tea for her mother who arrived unannounced. "My only worry is the children¡­ I wanted to watch them grow into splendid human beings, so I''d spent most of my time guiding them, but¡­ I won''t be able to watch them marry or have children. I won''t be there as they achieve their dreams, become Spirit Spectres or Spirit Venerates. I won''t be able to guide them through their cultivation woes¡­ Will they loathe me for being a bad parent?" "How could they?!" Kanari slapped Shin on the wrist. "You''ve already done more than enough as a father for them! You''ve done..." Kanari''s head fell, hiding her mournful face from her husband''s view. Kanari knew that this day was coming, Shin had told her many times before. Although chasing Yggdrasil was Shin''s dream, he delayed those plans just to stay with her and the children. Shin wanted to at least live a hundred years and watch the fruits of his labour blossom. He wanted to see his children grow and spend as much time with Kanari until he ascended. Kanari knew all of that, but¡­ She couldn''t bear to see him leave. "Don''t be like that..." Shin caressed Kanari''s head, gently soothing her as she dropped into his arms. "But¡­ but¡­ We didn''t spend much time together, and you''re leaving already¡­ How could you..." "Haha, how about this? There''s still a month until the Day of Spirits. Why don''t we gather the children and take this long month touring the world on Bingbing''s back? We can visit our friends, explore holiday destinations that we could never enjoy and you know¡­ just spend quality time with each other." "I would like that..." Kanari murmured back. "Yeah, but we should visit the Himmel Empire last to save time." "Save time? Why?" Shin remained silent for a bit. His grip on Kanari''s hands tightened as his emotions dialled down. Sighing, Shin finally said: "... I would like to make my ascension in the Himmel Empire. At the place where it all began." Chapter 695 - Family (3) News that Shin was ascending during the next Day of Spirit travelled fast. First, the entire Lantis Republic found out about it, and it spread far and wide. Even if the Eyes of Silver wanted to keep the information under wraps, it was spreading like wildfire. A fire that couldn''t be contained no matter how many firefighters threw their body at it. A Spirit Immortal was going to ascend! It was the most exhilarating news story of the century! Everyone wanted to witness the mystical grandeur of Shin''s ascension. Would he trigger the glorious auroras of the past twenty Spirit Immortals, or would he follow in the footsteps of Spirit Immortal Dream? The twenty-first Spirit Immortal who triggered a worldwide disaster the moment she broke into heaven. No one could predict what would happen with Shin''s ascension, but one thing was for certain. On the next Day of Spirits, the twenty-second Spirit Immortal would be born! The problem was, Shin kept the place that he wished to ascend strictly under wraps. Only the remaining Spirit Saints and those closest to Shin knew of his final destination, which left the world in a state of guessing. Would he ascend in the Lantis Republic, on Celestial Island with the entire government backing his ascension? Or would he ascend in the Himmel Empire, his birthplace and the country which he shared most of his childhood memories? Maybe Shin would choose a different place altogether? While the whole world was left guessing, Shin continued his leisurely time with a beaming smile on his face. The next month passed by in a flash. Shin led Kanari and their four children on a worldwide tour, bringing Bingbing and Lady Seph along for most of the ride. With his One with Water spiritual ability, there wasn''t a single place on the planet that Shin couldn''t explore. Even the Empyrean Wonders which remained as enigmas to the human world were child''s play in front of Shin''s superiority. Leading his family on an epic tour of the ages, Shin enjoyed his final month on the planet with smiles on his face. It didn''t matter if Primordial Beasts or Spirit Saints were blocking their way, Shin would simply do as he wished. If he wanted to watch the stars at night in a holy site, Shin would just walk in uninvited. If he wanted to read ancient scriptures that were never revealed to outsiders'' eyes, Shin would just walk into the relics and read them all. But most importantly of all¡­ Shin did everything in his power to please the ones closest to him on the planet. Kanari, Errol, Cassiel, Luciel and Uriel¡­ His wife and four children. They were the ones that would be most affected by Shin''s departure. So, Shin made sure to spend as much time creating memories with them. Alas¡­ all good things have to come to an end. The month went by quick¡­ almost too quickly. In the end, Shin and his family finished their tour in the Himmel Empire as Shin paid his final respects to Kanari''s parents. The Day of Spirits was already here, and Shin only had a few more hours to prepare before his ascension. And so¡­ Shin eventually reached his final location... "Spirit Immortal Shin! We''ve been expecting your arrival!" The Frie Clan''s Master, Enfen Frie, bowed down to Shin''s delegation as they appeared on the foot of Frie Mountain. "Clan Master, there''s no need for formalities between us." Shin raised his arms, sending an invisible force which lifted Enfen''s bent position into an upright one. "I used to bow to you all the time¡­ Seeing you bow to me now is quite¡­ the dilemma. Please, call me Shin like you used to." "How could I dare?! You''re the saviour of our planet and the next Spirit Immortal!" Enfen flailed her arms in the air, unable to accept Shin''s proposition. "Also¡­ Our clan has caused you many injustices in the past. We couldn''t dare ask for your forgiveness, and yet, you chose our humble mountain to make your ascent! We..." "Enough, Enfen..." Lady Seph interrupted her former pupil''s words with a gentle smile. "Shin isn''t like that, I think you know that." "But..." "Master is right, Clan Master." Shin walked over and tapped Enfen on the shoulders. "Let bygones be bygones. I have long forgotten about the grievances the Frie Clan had caused me." "Spirit Immortal Shin¡­ Thank you, thank you so much!" Enfen cried in relief. In terms of power, Shin was a behemoth, and the Frie Clan was an ant. If Shin wanted to crush the Frie Clan, all he needed was a word and the clan which killed his parents would have been burnt to the ground. "If you want to thank me, please double the protection around your mountain, please. Though I have kept it under wraps, news of my arrival on Frie Mountain must have spread by now. In due time, there will be thousands of people flocking here. I would like to have a little peace before I make my ascension." "Leave that to us! We will ensure that not even a fly gets into the mountain without your permission!" Enfen Frie saluted Shin and stormed out of chambers. It was the one job that the future Spirit Immortal was requesting her, there was no way that Enfen was going to screw it up. "You sure the Frie Clan''s protection is adequate?" Isadore came up to Shin with a raised eyebrow. "Are you telling me that Eyes of Silver doesn''t have boots on the ground?" Shin replied with a knowing smirk. With the One with Water ability, Shin knew everything and anything that was happening around Frie Mountain. He knew the exact number of forces that Isadore and the rest of the superpowers had assigned to protect the mountain from any trespassers. He knew precisely what measures they had taken to protect the Frie Clan while Shin made his ascent. "... You know, I thank the heavens every day that you''re not my enemy." "Well, after today¡­ I won''t be a problem for you." Shin smiled as the two shared a firm embrace. "I would rather you continue being a pain in my butt for the next four centuries though." "Haha, then try your best to ascend! I''ll be waiting for you on the other side." "You f.u.c.k.i.n.g moron..." Isadore slapped the man away, giving him a chance to say goodbye to the other members that had come to send him off. Elrin, the little imp, walked over to Shin and threw herself into his embrace. The whole world knew her as the cold and calculating President of the Zedcris Conglomerate, but Shin only knew her as a precious little sibling that he loved. "Take care up there," Elrin said while holding back her tears. "I''m going to miss you." "I''m going to miss you too..." Shin released his hold on the little imp''s body and slapped her butt mischievously. "Also, get a husband, you spinster! Work is important, but starting your own family is equally important!" "Oh shut it..." Elrin gently slapped Shin away, which led him to his next target group. "Shin..." The orphans stared at their brother with expectant eyes. Some of them mournful, others in pure bliss. "You''ve grown up way too quickly..." Lia couldn''t hold back her tears as she was the first to leap into his arms. "What are you, my mother?" Shin chuckled. "The day Sister Lily died, I became your mother, Shin!" Lia tearingly said, half-jokingly. Elyse was the next in line. She was the one closest to Shin ever since they were young and was the one that Shin would officially recognise as his younger sister. It pains his heart that he was going to leave her alone, just as much as it pained him to leave his own family behind. "Elyse, you''ve become strong..." "Not as strong as you, Brother Shin..." Elyse tried her best to hide her sobs, but it was uncontrollable. She was about to lose her most cherished brother, how could she be elated? "I''ll do my best to become a Spirit Immortal, but if I can''t cut it..." "Yes, I will resurrect you so that we can live eternally in the Immortal Realm." Shin wiped the tears off his sister''s eyes and cherished them with a smile. "But I believe that you can enter the Immortal Realm all by yourself, Elyse. I''ll be waiting with some candied haw." "I''m no longer a child, Brother Shin!" Elyse slapped Shin''s chest and left his embrace with tears. As much as she didn''t want Shin to leave, the result was inevitable. After Elyse, Shin took turns hugging the rest of the orphans. One by one, they recounted the happy times they shared as children growing up on Frie Mountain as they reflected on their journey to become what they were. It was a hell of a ride, particularly for the twins who had been by Shin''s side this entire time. "Brother Shin, don''t forget us in the Immortal Realm. I know that you''ll resurrect Ariel, Junius and Sister Lily, but once we pass, you have to resurrect us as well!" Emma released her hold on Shin, giving a chance for her twin sister to hug the man for one last time. "Brother Shin¡­ When you revive Shizen, mind helping me give him a whack in the face?" Ella sneered as she thought about the immature boy who gave his life and left her all alone in the Mortal Realm. "I''ll do my best." Shin laughed as his gaze turned to the members of the Lantis Republic. Longyu Tian, Sister Bingying, Jingyu Shenxian, Longyu Hai and Jingyu Taiyi¡­ They were all integral members of his life when he became the Prince of the Lantis Republic. They have mentored him, guided him, kept him company¡­ They were just as important as the other members who entered his life during his childhood. They were the rocks that helped him grow and the pillars of his strength as the Prince of Water. "Take care, all of you¡­" "Mmmm, my disciple is becoming a Spirit Immortal¡­ What an achievement!" Longyu Tian stroked her chin, amused and proud. "What do you mean YOUR disciple?!" Lady Seph wasn''t able to take that statement lying down and protested with all her heart. "Shin is my disciple and my pupil! You''ve only taught him some tricks with the Time-Element!" "The same goes for you, old hag! You only taught him how to heal!" "No, I did far more than that, I-..." "Master, wait..." Shin stopped Lady Seph before she could go too deep into the rabbit hole. He met Kanari''s eyes and gestured to her with a meaningful nod. Understanding her husband''s intentions, Kanari brought over a freshly brewed pot of tea that had been prepared from the very beginning and poured one cup for Shin to hold. Confused, Lady Seph tilted her head as she watched Shin take the cup and fall on both his knees. "Master¡­ You took me in when I had nowhere to go. You painstakingly taught me everything you knew and even sacrificed your hermit life just to accompany me on my education journey. You could have stayed at Yakkyoku Clinic, and you would still be the best Master I''d ever had. Yet, you went out of your way to watch me grow¡­ to protect me¡­ and to love me..." "Shin, you..." "Master, though I never have seen my mother¡­ I know what it''s like to have a mother''s embrace. And you''re the one that gave me that¡­ So before I ascend¡­ may I ask you to adopt me?" "!!!" Lady Seph almost dropped her body in shock. Becoming Shin''s mother? That was a thought that she''d never entertained before. Lady Seph was just content with being his Master and to just¡­ be there for him. She never anticipated getting anything in return. "Mother¡­ Mother¡­ HAHA!!! Yes, yes, YES!!! I will adopt you! My son, come here, my son!!!" Lady Seph fell to her knees, meeting Shin''s eyes and claiming the teacup as if it were her most cherished treasure. She down the tea with a single gulp, holding back the beating heart that wanted to leap out from her chest. "Call me mom again!" "Mom..." Shin returned Lady Seph''s embrace with his own, bringing the hard-faced woman into tears. "Hahaha, I have a son! I have such a prodigious son! Haha, mother of a Spirit Immortal! I''m your mother, Shin!" Lady Seph was beyond excited. She never had children of her own. She didn''t have a husband, and her parents had long passed away. Shin was the closest thing she had to a family, but ultimately, they weren''t related at all¡­ until now that is. "Mom, you''re hurting me..." Shin tapped Lady Seph''s tight arms, giving himself some space to breathe. "Sorry, sorry!" Lady Seph released her hold on Shin, but her hands never left his arms. "My child¡­ My filial child¡­" Shin rubbed his nose, embarrassed from all the love that Lady Seph was throwing at him. However, he didn''t dislike the intense love one bit. "Mom¡­ Thank you for raising me all these years. I can''t be by your side anymore, so please take care of your health." "Haha, my son! Who do you think you''re talking to? I''m a Divine Healer, the one that taught you everything about healing! You may be more powerful than me, but when it comes to health, you''re just an amateur!" "Then I''m relieved..." Shin smiled, showing off his pearly white teeth. And finally¡­ he turned to the final five that he cherished the most in the world. "Errol, Cassiel, Luciel, Uriel¡­ Father is bad. Father won''t be able to stay by your side anymore." "No father, you''re the best!" Errol shook his head and denied Shin''s self-deprecating claim. "You''re the best father I could ever wish for!" "That means a lot Errol," Shin hugged his adopted son, gently enjoying the young man''s warmth. "Thank you for letting me raise you, Errol. Thank you for being my son." "Father..." "Cassiel, Luciel¡­ You''re about to embark on your path to a.d.u.l.thood. Listen to your mother, alright? Give her all the love that I won''t be able to anymore." "Father!" "And Uriel¡­ You''re still young, so you''ll probably hate father for leaving you when you''re still growing. However, I hope that you''ll find a place in your heart to forgive me¡­ Am I asking for too much?" "Father! How could I hate you!" Uriel leaned in on Shin and bellowed away. "In the Immortal Realm¡­ remember me okay? When I become old enough¡­ When I cultivate enough... I will ascend just like you, father! So wait for me!" "Haha, I''ll be waiting!" Shin caressed the faces of his four children. They were the gems of his life, the seeds that he''d personally placed in the soil and nourished. There was nothing that he wouldn''t do for them. Shin loved them dearly, and they loved him. That was all it mattered. And then¡­ the final goodbye came... "Kanari..." "Shin..." The pair stared at each other, and not a word was shared between them. All of their goodbyes had been said a thousand times before. All of their sweet whispers of love had been said a million times before. Every emotion that they shared had been shared a billion times before. At this very moment, the only thing that they needed to share¡­ was one final kiss. The two plastered their faces together, not caring about the dozens of eyes that were watching them. It didn''t matter that the world''s top Spirit Saints were present, it didn''t matter that their family was present, it didn''t matter that their children were present¡­ All that mattered was that they were in their own world. A pinkish world that could transmit all of their thoughts and feelings without even breathing a single word. "Have a safe trip¡­ Don''t forget me, Shin." Shin smiled as he gently kissed his wife on the forehead. "I won''t¡­ I''ll see you on the other side..." ??? A white dimension. When Shin had opened his eyes once more¡­ his consciousness had been transported into a place of pure white. There was nothing for kilometres. No golden gate with angels singing choirs, no fiery hells which burnt with the heat of a billion suns, and no glorious energies that painted the world in an ethereal light. The dimension that Shin had awakened in¡­ was a place without any mana, any elemental energy, and any¡­ life. "Where am I?" Shin asked unknowingly. "Ah! Finally, someone has made it here!!!" A voice exclaimed with the highest tone of excitement Shin had ever heard in his life. In this foreign land, Shin had to continually be on guard. Thus, the moment that voice came out, Shin instantly spun around, hoping to find the origin of the sound. And well¡­ An ethereal white-haired beauty, one with features that could cause the downfall of a nation, walked towards Shin with a beaming bright smile. She had a diamond crown softly planted on her head. At the same time, a strikingly acute aura wreathed her very being, making her seem more mysterious the more one looks at her. Snow-like complexion with crystal clear eyes that were unheard of in the human population, the woman didn''t seem human at all. No, there was one person in history that bore all of those features. The woman who was lauded as the greatest genius in human history and the Spirit Immortal that the Allfather had been chasing all this time... "Welcome, my junior! You''ve worked hard!" "Spirit Immortal¡­ Dream?" Chapter 696 - Eternity "Welcome, my junior! You''ve worked hard!" Spirit Immortal Dream laughed as she welcomed Shin into the white-coloured World. "Spirit Immortal¡­ Dream?" "Ah, they do add titles after one ascends right? That''s a bummer." The gorgeous woman frowned, not really thrilled about the title that Shin addressed her with. "Looks like no one got the clues that I''d left behind! Are the people back home that dense? I''d thought that at least Akumu would get it!" The woman continued on at her pace, not caring about Shin''s apparent shock. "Hey, what''s your name? I''ve been stuck here for quite a long time, so I''ve been longing for human company! Tell me everything about your life! What happened to you from birth and how you ascended! Quick, tell me everything!" "Wait, wait, wait! Hold on for just one second!" Shin took a few moments to recollect himself. "If you''re Spirit Immortal Dream¡­ Does that mean that I''m in the Immortal Realm?" "Ah¡­ you really don''t know anything, do you?" Spirit Immortal Dream frowned. "Well no, you''re not in the Immortal Realm." "What do you mean?" Shin was dumbfounded. Breaking through to Rank 100, that was the way to attain Immortality. It was common knowledge for any cultivator. In fact, it was one of the main reasons why cultivators advanced their Ranks in the first place, to come closer to Rank 100 and hopefully become one of the select few to enter the Immortal Realm. Shin had done that, so why wasn''t he in the Immortal Realm? Spirit Immortal Dream sighed: "Hah¡­ The Immortal Realm doesn''t exist." "Huh?" "Immortality doesn''t exist!" Spirit Immortal Dream dropped the bombshell upon Shin''s lap. "This white space¡­ It''s a place between the Mortal Realm and the World Spirit." "W-What?" The Immortal Realm didn''t exist? Doesn''t that run counter to everything the World had been told? What about Yggdrasil, the well of souls that housed all of the dead? The twenty-one Spirit Immortals that ascended before Shin? What about those guys? Was everything about the Immortal Realm just¡­ a lie? "What about the Mystery of the Dream?! The final words that you left us before you ascended? Dexsoit Teninost? Wasn''t that your clue on how to get to the Immortal Realm?!" "Ah, Dexsoit Teinost? That''s just simple wordplay! See?" Spirit Immortal Dream stuck her finger out and wrong the words that Shin muttered out with light. The letters stuck in the air for a while before Spirit Immortal Dream swiped at them, restructuring them into a new sentence altogether. And that sentence was... "It does not exist?" "Yeap! It does not exist!" Spirit Immortal Dream replied. "..." Shin was rendered absolutely speechless. The Mystery of the Dream, the World''s greatest unsolved mystery¡­ was actually just a scrambling of a sentence? Seeing Shin''s confusion, Spirit Immortal Dream decided to bring his thoughts back on track: "Let me ask you a question, Junior. What do you think Immortality is?" "Immortality is..." Shin turned tongue-tied at the question. Humanity had imagined Immortals as beings that broke free from their fleshy bodies, living a life of eternity drinking wine while spreading the virtuous words of Immortals. However, Shin himself had never thought about what Immortality was really like. "Let me help you out there," Spirit Immortal Dream chuckled. "The literal definition of Immortality is¡­ to cease to be mortal." "Huh?" "Junior. In our texts, Immortals are beings that live free of time and age itself. They will never die, never hunger, never reproduce and simply¡­ exist till the end of time. They would wander the Immortal Realm, having epic adventures slaying Demons and Gods. They would drink the finest of wines while being served by a million servants. It really was a fantasy, humanity''s thoughts about how eternity would look like." Spirit Immortal Dream couldn''t help but smile. "However, one day, at the peak of my research into the Immortal Realm¡­ I began to ponder. Does Immortality really exist in the way that we all thought it would? Is Immortality really all that beautiful and is the Immortal Realm really worth chasing?" "..." Shin silently listened to Spirit Immortal Dream''s thoughts. "Immortal¡­ Immortal¡­ When you really think about it¡­ To become Immortal is to cease one''s mortality. What makes us mortal? To hunger is mortal, to love is mortal, to l.u.s.t is mortal, to rest is mortal, to greed is mortal, to anger is mortal, to fear is mortal. If we became Immortal¡­ won''t all those things cease as well?" "..." "Because we hunger, we go out and procure food. Because we love and l.u.s.t, we procreate to build our future generations. Because we anger, we become stronger to protect ourselves. Because we fear, we continue to live on adapting to things that could harm us¡­ All of these are evolutionary traits wired into all mortals. From cells to humans. From ants to whales¡­ All mortals are adapted to survive, and should we rid ourselves of that mortality..." Spirit Immortal Dream formed a miniature human with her mana. Mana filled it up at a rapid pace, and the human began glowing with vibrant intensity. However, the human body behaved just like a balloon. When the power flowing in was too much to bear¡­ the body just¡­ popped. "This is..." "The true nature of Spirit Immortals." Spirit Immortal Dream said with a sigh. "When a cultivator reaches Rank 100, they do not open the Gate to the Immortal Realm¡­ They turn into pure energy that feeds the World Spirit and nourishes it for future generations. Why do you think that each time a Spirit Immortal ascends, a wave of elements surges through the continent?" "The Immortal Realm is fake? Spirit Immortals aren''t living in a realm above ours? They don''t live eternal lives?" "No, they do live eternal lives¡­ Just not in the sense that you or I imagined it." Spirit Immortal Dream pointed her finger downwards, gesturing for Shin to follow its direction. And sure enough¡­ "That''s!" Shin couldn''t control his excitement. He saw a burning tree, one that mirrored his exact imagination of how Yggdrasil looked like. It was the well of souls that Shin had dreamed for so long about. It was the reason why he chased Immortality in the first place. To reach the Immortal Realm and resurrect Ariel and all those that he loved! "What do you see?" Spirit Immortal Dream asked. "Yggdrasil! Does it really exist? Can I resurrect the ones that I''ve lost?" Spirit Immortal Dream paused for a moment, not knowing whether to break the news to Shin or not. However, she quickly decided on the former. "No¡­ That''s not Yggdrasil. It''s not a well of souls, and neither is it a mystical entity that grants all wishes." "It''s not Yggdrasil?" Shin''s excitement melted away like ice on a blisteringly hot summer''s day. "What is it?" "It''s the World Spirit. The power that holds our planet together and the place where all Spirit Immortals reside." Spirit Immortal Dream looked frustrated as she watched the World Spirit morph yet again into a shape that bewitches those that came near to it. "I told you earlier on, this is the place between the Mortal Realm and the World Spirit. In a bid to escape my fate of becoming like the rest of the Spirit Immortals, I used up all of my spiritual energy and essence to create this space, hoping to prevent the next Spirit Immortal from suffering the eternal fate." "Suffering the eternal fate?" "Junior¡­ Immortality doesn''t happen in the books that we''ve been taught. Once you rid yourself of your mortality, you''ll cease to hunger because you''ll have no reason to eat. You''ll cease to love and l.u.s.t because you''ll have no reason to procreate. Since nothing can kill you, you need not be mindful of anything. Even trees adapt so that they can grow, but since Immortals can never grow¡­ they won''t have any reason to do anything. And without any reason¡­ Immortals simply become¡­ mindless energy." Spirit Immortal Dream''s reasoning struck Shin like a lightning bolt. It made total sense when one put it that way. The World lived on a cycle. Life and death. Birth and grave. Scholars had theorised many a time that to become Immortal, was to truly break the cycle. However, as it turned out¡­ Immortals simply became fodder for the World to build newer and better lifeforms. "In a sense, Spirit Immortals do lead eternal lives. As energy that lives within the World Spirit, as long as the World Spirit that doesn''t cease to exist, the Immortals that fed their life essence and mana to the World Spirit would continue to live on. As mindless energy, of course." "So that flaming tree is just..." "The World Spirit''s manifestation of your most cherished dream. To you, it looks like Yggdrasil, in my eyes, it''s the Book of Truth, the key toall knowledge in the World. Gnarly isn''t it? Since it can''t lure us into itself, the World Spirit is trying to charm you into entering its body." Spirit Immortal Dream frowned. "It can''t lure us in?" "Yeah! I''d told you right? I created this space to await the arrival of the next Spirit Immortal. I didn''t do that for fun, you know? I wanted to share the true nature of the World Spirit with you and send you back to the realm below!" "Then why didn''t you tell that to Yume Metropolis? Share that information with your own members and not massacre them!" "Do you think I didn''t try?" Spirit Immortal Dream snorted. "I don''t know what you know about what happened in Yume Metropolis that day, but it''s probably all fake news. That day, when the executives of my government broke into my lab and found out that the Immortal Realm wasn''t real, they all went into a frenzy! They destroyed all of my research, branding me as a heretic. At the same time, my own citizens claimed that I''d lost my way and were demanding my execution!" "Why would they do that?" Shin asked apprehensively. Based on Akumu''s and history''s reports, Spirit Immortal Dream was well-liked by her citizens. For them to turn on her that quickly... "You don''t know what the Immortal Realm, the dream of Immortality means to humans! At least in my time, there were still many who were ardent in their beliefs that the Immortal Realm was real and if one cultivated enough, they would become the next Spirit Immortal, breaking the curse of death. So I''d thought to seal myself here and wait for the times to pass. I was hoping that as the years passed, the World would become a much more liberal place where my research and relics would spread across the globe so once the next Spirit Immortal arises, he or she will have a better understanding of my thoughts. That''s why I didn''t leave a direct message, but a cryptic rearrangement of words. I only wanted people who thought like me to get the words that I''d left behind." "You..." "Well, it worked out fine didn''t it? You''re here now and from the looks of it¡­ You have no issue with the Immortal Realm being a false dream¡­ uh¡­ What was your name again, Junior?" From the beginning, since Shin got here, Shin hadn''t given Spirit Immortal Dream his name, nor did he tell his story. "It''s Shin¡­ Shin Iofiel." "Aha! Shin Iofiel! The name of the twenty-second human who broke through Rank 100! Hehe, I''ve told you everything that you need to know about me, so why don''t you return the favour? I''ve been cooped up here for a loooong time, and I really need some stories to keep my Spirit going!" "Wait! I''m not done asking questions!" "Hey! I''ve been talking my throat dry! Also, I''m not going to give out my information for free! I tell you one story, you tell me another. Make it fair!" Shin looked at the woman for a moment before relenting a sigh. Where was the dignified Spirit Immortal Dream that he heard his master gush about? Where was the super genius that ruled the World five hundred years ago? Where was the peerless beauty that the Allfather was willing to purge the World into the worst war in its history just to meet again? All of Shin''s expectations of Spirit Immortal Dream just came plunging down the cliff the moment he met her. "Fine, I''ll talk..." Shin started his story with his sole spectator glistening from both eyes as she sat obediently like a child waiting for a bedtime story. Shin''s account of his life started out lightly. His childhood in the Frie Clan and the happy memories he had as a child. Making friends with Junius, Ariel and the plethora of other orphans. Then, Shin''s story took a deeper turn as he revealed the backstory of his past about the Awter and Frie Clan. The fall of the Frie Clan... Ariel''s and Lily''s death¡­ Shin told everything to Spirit Immortal Dream. However, he didn''t just stop with all the negative in his life. Shin went straight into the other relations he formed with Kanari, Lady Seph, the other important people in his life¡­ His latter years with his children and watching them grow as a.d.u.l.ts¡­ But most importantly¡­ Shin told Spirit Immortal Dream all about the Allfather, or Akumu, her long-cherished friend who destroyed the World just to get another shot at meeting her. Spirit Immortal Dream''s face churned. Her smile vanished completely as he heard of all the atrocities that Akumu had committed just to open Heaven''s Gate. For the most part, Spirit Immortal Dream couldn''t believe that Akumu was capable of such a feat! "If you had made it clear to him from the start that the Immortal Realm doesn''t exist, I doubt the Allfather would have gone to such lengths." Shin chastised Spirit Immortal Dream, blaming her for the long war that the Allfather had waged. "The Payircis that you made to serve as training grounds, they became breeding grounds for Umbras. The weapons that you''ve developed, the Allfather used it to destroy cities. The research you had about the Terre Dragon, the Allfather used it to split the Terre Continent. Because you didn''t settle it with the Allfather, he destroyed the modern World as we knew it." "Akumu that brat..." Spirit Immortal Dream scratched the back of her ear, unable to refute a single word. "It was my folly¡­ I should''ve made it clear to him." "It doesn''t matter now..." Shin sighed as he turned his attention back to the World Spirit. He knew better than anyone that it was impossible to reverse time and resurrect a human being. So, he''d thought that the Immortal Realm would provide the answers. Alas¡­ Immortality doesn''t exist. "What''s done can''t be undone. The most that the World can do¡­ is look forward and rebuild from the ground up." Shin''s comment may have seemed to have no other implications, but Spirit Immortal Dream caught on to what Shin was insinuating. "The World¡­ Does it include a World without Shin Iofiel?" "... You''re sharp." Flabbergasted, Spirit Immortal Dream slammed her fist down in her first outbreak of the day. "Why?! I have the ability to send you back! That''s the whole reason why I created this place! To send the next Spirit Immortal back down so that he could spread the news about Immortality! Don''t you want to spend more time with your wife and children? Why do you want to throw away three centuries of your life just to become energy?" "Spirit Immortal Dream¡­ If I don''t make this ascension, will the World undergo the same cataclysm it did when you ascended?" "That..." Spirit Immortal Dream was tongue-tied. Yes, the main reason why the World didn''t dance with bliss sending auroras into the sky while pure energy halos graced all corners of the globe¡­ was because Spirit Immortal Dream hadn''t truly ascended. She defied nature and stalled her merger with the World Spirit, which in turn triggered an all-out natural disaster that decimated the planet. "The World can''t handle another disaster like that, Spirit Immortal Dream. Not when it''s rebuilding after the arduous war that it just faced." "But!" "Also¡­ You misunderstand something about the World Spirit." Shin turned towards the flaming tree. It seemed to be burning for eternity, but eventually, its flame will die out. And at the end of the burning tree''s life, an adorable cerulean little Koi will emerge, dancing along with the last embers of the tree. "It keeps the cycle going. It keeps the order of nature and the balance that holds the planet together. And in the end..." Shin glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the frozen face of Spirit Immortal Dream. "It will always keep the peace. The cycle will continue to spin, on and on until the end of time." "You really..." Spirit Immortal Dream slapped her hand on her forehead. Her interpretation of the World Spirit went one way, while Shin''s ideals of the World Spirit went the other. The two philosophical beliefs clashed and most likely¡­ there was no persuading Shin out of his final decision. "You know I really waited a long time¡­ I don''t want to wait another five centuries for another Rank 100." Spirit Immortal Dream sighed before making her final plea. "Alright! This will be the last time I''m offering you this. Do you want to enter the World Spirit, or take my portal back to the Mortal Realm? What''s your choice?" Shin paused for a moment. The allure of returning home, to a place where his loved ones would be delighted to have him back¡­ was a tempting offer. He couldn''t resurrect Ariel, Shizen, Junius or any of his cherished friends that he''d lost in the war anymore. Shin''s whole motive for entering the Immortal Realm had melted away, and it was stupid for him to live eternity as a mindless blob of energy. But ultimately¡­ there was only one choice that Shin could make. "My choice is..." Chapter 697 - Epilogue "Hey, wait up!" "Nah, uh! Why should I wait for slowpokes?" Two distinct voices, high-pitched and happy, could be heard on the vast plains surrounding Frie Mountain. The verdant, earthy fields reeked of jovial laughter and youthful vibrance. A girl and a boy ran through the flowery meadows, one wearing an expression of pure mischief, the other a face of complete fatigue. They were both in their early teens, probably not even twelve from their combined height and pimple-free faces. The girl didn''t care for the boy''s screams and ran happily without a care in the world. She ran and ran, not caring about her pursuers swollen feet and tightened thighs. The girl was only interested in trekking up the tall mountain and onto the legendary peak of myth. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Liera! Learn to care for others for once, can you?!" Finally catching up to the girl, the boy took a moment to catch his breath before lodging a complaint. "Ahaha, you''re the man Hsin! You should learn how to keep up with a weak girl like myself!" "What part of you is weak?" "Ah? Did you say something?" Liera clenched her fists, issuing a threatening growl towards Hsin. "No¡­ Nothing in particular." Hsin snorted and promptly turned his head. Alas, that proved to be the wrong move. The direction in which he averted his gaze, just so happened to be the precipice of Frie Mountain. The legendary land in which history''s latest Spirit Immortal had ascended from. What would it look like? Would it be filled to the brim of spiritual and elemental energy? Would alien flora and fauna be exploring the lands, birthing Primordial Beasts by the herds? Or would it have a thousand Spirit Venerates guarding the area as a glorious monument stood tall for all to see? Well¡­ it was none of that. "This¡­ it wasn''t what I''d expected." Hsin pouted in defiance. "Are you telling me, we climbed all this way just to see an empty peak? There''s nothing there!" "Hehe, that''s the way Spirit Immortal Shin willed it," Liera educated her disgruntled friend with a beaming smile. "He didn''t want any monuments, neither did he wish for anyone to guard the place." "Why is that?" After thinking for a while, Liera shrugged her shoulders with a sigh. "They say that Spirit Immortal Shin didn''t really care for titles and glory. He attained power not because of status, but because he wanted to protect those he loved the most. They say that Spirit Immortal Shin never really saw himself as a hero or anything, so he probably didn''t think he was worth any remembrance." "Spirit Immortal Shin said that?" Hsin found the whole story to be quite the incredulous tale. His eyes twitched wildly, and his lips contorted to the side. "The man that single-handedly ended the war against the madman Akumu and the hordes of Primordial Beasts that he had? The man who had attained the title of the strongest being in recorded history? THAT MAN didn''t think that he''s a big deal?" Shin may have denied any monuments to remember his name, but history wasn''t so kind to his requests. The prodigal Spirit Immortal who learned how to become One With Water. The strongest cultivator in history. The man who unified the entire world. The one that fought history''s greatest villain. The genius of modern times. The amount of monikers given to Shin were innumerable. Even though the continents and countries were still as divided as ever, Shin''s name reverberated through the entire world as a story of a shining hero that saved the world time and time again. He was the beacon of hope for all those suffering and in pain. The story that anyone who worked hard enough could turn their misfortunes into benefits. And most importantly¡­ Shin''s story was a tale to be remembered. From this day to humanity''s last day. Shin was in by any definition of the word, a legend. And Liera knew that all too well. "Some people just don''t feel that way, Hsin." Liera smiled sweetly in reply to her partner''s excessive praise over Spirit Immortal Shin. "That''s why he''s my idol!" "Ah¡­ So that''s why you dragged me all the way here? To see the place where your idol ascended?" Hsin folded his arms as he sulked away. The way Liera''s eyes sparkled as she talked about Spirit Immortal Shin, the way she overly praised him in any tale she accounted and the way she never shuts up about him¡­ That made Hsin''s heart prickle quite a bit. "Well, there''s that, but..." Liera cuffed her right hand over her left wrist, tiptoeing closer towards the leafy peak. "There''s another reason why I brought you here today." "Hmmm? What is it?" Hsin raised his eyebrows and leaned in closer to his partner. Liera played around with the swaying grass, her mouth opening and closing sporadically. There were words at the tip of her tongue, but the young girl just couldn''t voice them out. Her face started to flush, and her rosy cheeks turned even more vermillion, adding a certain mature charm to her pubescent body. In the end, the girl steeled her nerves and threw a confident fist in the air before turning towards the boy she dragged up the mountain. "Hey¡­ Have you heard of the legend of the Eternal Burning Tree?" "Yggdrasil? Yeah, I''ve heard of it. It''s the Tree of Life, right? That was Spirit Immortal Shin''s whole reason for entering the Immortal Realm. To resurrect the people he loved and to live a happy eternal life with them. You''ve told me that story a hundred times before." "That''s right¡­ The Tree of Life." Liera''s face continued to flush red. "Yggdrasil is a symbol of life and death. The dream that Spirit Immortal Shin pursued and the ultimate goal of eternal life. Also¡­ It''s a representative of the eternal love that Spirit Immortal Shin had..." "Yeah?" At this point, Hsin noticed that something was awry. Liera never beat around the bush for this long before. Also¡­ that face of hers was just too freaking adorable! Without realising, Hsin''s heartbeat was also raised as his face turned just as red as Liera''s. "... You know... Legend has it that sometimes¡­ Yggdrasil will descend at this very location. It will burn with a beautiful flame, as an adorable little cerulean fish encircles it. To remember the deeds that Spirit Immortal Shin had accomplished throughout his mortal life." "Okay?" "And! A-a-a-and! T-they say that those who confess when Yggdrasil appears! T-they they they¡­ Will be together forever!" "A-Ah Ah Ah! I-I see!" "..." "..." An awkward silence remained on the mountain as the couple continued to feel the heat rush up their faces. They were juvenile and pure, never encountering such a delicate situation before. So, though Liera was clearly insinuating something, Hsin didn''t know how best to respond. "B-but! I guess we came here for nothing!" Liera broke the ice, scratching her head while trying to hide her blushing face. "The myth is fake! There isn''t any tree or fish here! Hahaha! False alarm!" "..." "W-We¡­ should go! Our families are still waiting for us down the mountain! It would be rude to keep them waiting!" Liera attempted to cross Hsin''s path to descend the mountain. ''Ahhh!!! So embarrassing! Stupid Yliy! You said that it would work! I just want to kill myself now!'' Liera cursed her busybody sister, who suggested this stupid idea to her in the first place. ''Okay! I shall hole myself up in my room for the next week! That way, I won''t have to meet Hsin and deal with this embarrassment! Wait for me, oh soft bed!'' However, just as Liera was about to cross past Hsin, a firm grasp held her back. "Hic!!!" Liera squealed, not prepared for Hsin''s sudden attack. She paused for a few moments before turning her sultry eyes up towards the blushing youth. "That story¡­ is that true?" Hsin tried desperately to keep it in, gulping and tapping his chest to untie the knot that Liera had placed on his heart. "Y-yeah?" "That''s good then..." Hsin inhaled rapidly before blurting out his true feelings. "Liera! I like you! No, I love you! I''d loved you since the moment we met! Will you¡­ Will you be my girlfriend?" "HIC!!!" Liera''s pupils dilated as she gasped out in a squeal of shock, and a mixture of bliss of course. "I-I..." "Liera, please think it through! I really, really like you! I''m willing¡­ to spend my entire life with you! I don''t care if Yggdrasil exists or not! I want to spend eternity with you!" "Y-you¡­ you..." "Liera, please!" "OH SHUT UP!!!" Unable to bear it anymore, the abashed girl landed a right hook on Hsin''s lower jaw, pushing the boy a full two-metres away. Hsin got up from the clean hit, rubbing his swollen face while clearing his convoluted mind. "Ouch¡­ Your love is painful." "W-who said anything about love?! You blockhead! Why should I love you?!" "Huh? Didn''t you drag me all the way up here to confess?" "YOU!!! YOU!!! Oh my god, can''t you read the mood?! Bloody hell! Why did I fall for someone like you?" "Aha! See! You like me after all!" "Y-You¡­ You!!! I''m not talking to you anymore!" Harrumphing, Liera turned her back away from Hsin and continued to descend down the mountain. "Liera! Wait up!" And just like that, the couple''s expedition up Frie Mountain came to an uninteresting end. Which was a devastating shame. Why? As they descended, for a tiny second, really just one second¡­ An image of a burning tree came to view on top of the glorious Frie Mountain. It glowed with a fiery, holy image, not one that burnt all life to the ground, but one that gave life its true meaning. Its leaves were in flames, but not one of them fell to the ground. They remained on the tree, not harming the branches, trunk or roots in the slightest. It was a beautiful sight to behold and more stunningly... A cerulean koi encircled the flaming tree, its humongous eyes smiling at the adorable bickering couple. And just as quickly as it appeared, the burning tree and the cute little fish vanished into thin air. Like a phathom, it continued living on in legend, forever entangled with the tale of history''s greatest Spirit Immortal. ~~~ End of Spirit Immortal ~~~ Chapter 698 - End of Spirit Immortal & Final Authors Thoughts Well¡­ We''ve finally come to the end of Spirit Immortal. Hehe, I bet you guys didn''t see it coming right? The cover of the book was actually the ending scene of the entire story! Haha, I did well to keep it under wraps for the two years I''ve been writing this story! Finally, I get to share it all with you! For those that had stuck with me for the near two years, I''ve been posting Spirit Immortal¡­ It''s been quite the hell of a ride. There were many days where I wanted to quit writing this story and there were many times where I just wanted to say: "F.u.c.k it! Let me just leave everything and just tell you the outline of Spirit Immortal straight up!" However, because of you guys, I gritted my teeth and completed the story. So¡­ Before I begin the FINAL Author''s Thoughts of Spirit Immortal, I want to give a huge thank you for all who supported me. Especially my Patrons, who had actually invested money into Spirit Immortal even though you guys didn''t have to. There are some of you who have invested hundreds of dollars to support this project of mine and I don''t know how else I could repay you for your continued support... Honestly, I lack the words to describe my gratitude, so I can only say this¡­ Thank you all for being the rock in my life, guiding me to complete the story that I dreamed about so many years back¡­ Alright, enough of the emotional stuff! Let''s get to the real meat of the Author''s Thoughts. This will be my longest Author''s Thoughts yet so if you lack the time, you really don''t have to read it all. However, for those that had read Spirit Immortal all the way, I''m sure that you''ll find it all very interesting. Let me divide it into sections first, just to keep me on track. Firstly, I''ll be discussing the overall story of Spirit Immortal. How I conceived it from a theory that I had, the inspirations I took and ultimately¡­ The ending that I''m sure only a percentage of you saw coming. Secondly, I''ll be talking about the challenges I had writing Spirit Immortal. My journey from a teenager in university that had no clue about how to write, to the man that I am now. The challenges that a new author in the web novel genre will come to face and hopefully, it''ll teach any of you aspiring authors to not repeat the same mistakes that I''d made. Thirdly, I''ll be writing about the things that I would have done differently (ie, the things that I would want to do in future when writing future stories). Also, the lessons learnt that I wish to impart on my future self, as well as any budding authors reading this. Finally¡­ I''m going to talk about my future works and how I''ll be approaching writing web novels in the future. It''s going to be a long ride since I''ll be trying to condense two years worth of experience into one doc.u.ment, so please bear with me. Story of Spirit Immortal As many of you know, I am a fan of Wuxia/Xianxia novels. They have played an integral part of my teenage life, giving me content to binge through while I rode through my schooling years. By now, you should be familiar with how I got into Wuxia/Xianxia, so I''ll skip the long introduction and get to the reason why I imagined Spirit Immortal as a Wuxia. I had a different take about Immortality than the other novels. It was really as simple as that. In traditional novels, like Coiling Dragon or Doulou Dalu, the ultimate goal for the protagonist was to become an Immortal. Some even have realms above the Immortal Realm and they continually become stronger until they reach Godhood. It''s a tale that we''ve all read before. However, my thoughts about Immortality are a little different. I don''t believe that Eternal Life exists. Or at the very least, not in the way Wuxia/Xianxia novels portray it. Let me explain. What does Immortal mean? A literal definition means, not mortal. So, before we get to that, let''s define what mortal means first. A mortal is any living thing that exists in reality, doing their best to continue their ultimate goal¡­ To live. See, it doesn''t matter if you are a human or a dog, a tree or a pig. We''re all living creatures fighting against our final destination¡­ death. As much as we don''t like to admit it, all living things will die one day. That''s what makes them ''living'' in the first place. We have immune systems to protect against viruses. Possess various traits that will help us survive in our reality. Legs to run, arms to hunt, mouths to eat, s.e.x.u.a.l organs to reproduce¡­ All of these attributes are what makes us mortal. Which means that the desires that come from these attributes are also mortal desires. We hunger to live. We l.u.s.t to reproduce and further on our genetic lineage. We anger to pump ourselves into action to defend our survival. Every single emotion that humans feel are linked to one main thing¡­ To live. Even trees, which are effectively mortal, respond to changes and adapt to live. So what happens when you turn Immortal? All of our survival instincts, all of our desires that make us mortal¡­ It all goes away. We will no longer want to do anything because we''ve already lost our most primal need to survive. Hunger becomes redundant since you won''t die. S.e.xual desires disappear since there''s no need for you to reproduce anymore. Feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, fear¡­ All of them would be stripped bare of any mortal. Once we become ''Immortal'' we cease being ''Mortal''. Sounds stupid to say out loud, but in most cultivation novels, the protagonist becomes Immortal but still acts as a Mortal. Desiring to grow stronger even though he/she has obtained eternal life. L.u.s.ting over new girls in the new realm. Feeling emotions that no Immortal should have¡­ All of these got me wondering¡­ How could I make a story about an Immortal with this logic that I have? And then it hit me¡­ The journey. I have to make a journey tale, one where the protagonist starts from nothing and obtains everything that he''d ever thought possible. And it''s not like the journey was perfect. Shin lost people on the way. Learned lessons from a myriad of characters. Took on the journey of life to become the ''perfect hero'' that was slated to become the next ''Immortal.'' And at the end of it all¡­ He''ll realise that Immortality was just a lie made up by humans to feel better about his mortality. All humans live. All humans die. In the end, what really matters is the journey that we all take while we''re living. It doesn''t matter if you become a successful billionaire or a struggling pauper. It doesn''t matter if you get to live your dreams or be a recluse that loves to watch shows all day. As long as you''re satisfied with your life''s journey. That''s all that matters. At least, that was what I was trying to convey in Spirit Immortal. Remember when I said that I wanted to finish this story because I wanted all of you to see my ending? The ending that I created was to show what my thoughts were about mortality. The life of a mortal, the journey that said mortal would take and finally¡­ The end that no one can escape from. Spirit Immortal isn''t a story about Immortality like other Wuxias. It''s a story about¡­ Mortality. I''ll be the first to admit. I lost control over the story of Spirit Immortal halfway through writing it. The original storyboard was for Shin to have a single drive (Ariel''s resurrection) to carry him all the way to the ending. The ending that would reveal that the Immortal Realm doesn''t exist and they were all cogs in a wheel to power the World Spirit. However, as I wrote more settings, introduced more characters, the storyline became more convoluted. I''m an author that doesn''t like to keep things rigid. As I keep adding new things into the story, it would morph whatever narrative I''m trying to write. Kanari''s introduction as the secondary love interest was the major turning point for Spirit Immortal as well. I''d initially thought of Kanari as a friend character that was ultimately there only to fuel Shin''s growth and to eventually meet Ariel. However, as I''d thought about it¡­ Would Shin really behave that way when a beauty and good-hearted person like Kanari was chasing him? Was love truly eternal and could Shin only be single-minded about one person till the very end. Then there were more realistic scenarios that I could think of which broke Shin''s motivations. Even if Yggdrasil was real and Shin resurrected Ariel, he would still be a mature a.d.u.l.t while Ariel would be a fifteen-year-old girl. Was that really realistic for Shin to ignore Kanari, a beautiful woman who had been chasing him when he was a hormonal youth, for a future with an uncertain Ariel. And finally, I wanted to put in the family aspect into Shin''s cultivation life. Family was an important aspect of all human beings. It''s what fuels our evolution as a race and what drives us to live yet another day. So, Shin has to have a family before he ascends. So that he could make the final decision that he made at the end¡­ To not return to Earth and warn people that Immortality was a choice that Shin had to make. The world needs to have this cycle. Cultivators trying to ascend to Immortality, only to become energy for the new generation to rise up. That completes the evolution cycle of the Spirit Immortal world and Shin can only understand that if he has children of his own. I''ve hidden many clues throughout the early books about the true nature of the Immortal Realm as well. Remember in Book 1 when I said the Spirit Immortals "burst into energy?" Also, in Book 2, the Mushinkei, the Frie Clan''s house in Chilyoja Waypoint, means "Godless" in Japanese. And who could forget the easiest clue that I gave you all? Dexsot Teinost? Literally you can rearrange the words to form "It does not exist." Yes, yes. Very similar to the Harry Potter one with Voldermolt, but still! None of you got it! I even made it clear that I like scrambling words around with the Frie and Awter Clan all the way back in Book 1! Challenges The challenges of being a writer, particularly an online one, is a completely foreign concept to me when I first started writing. I began to write because of my love of it and I''d thought that it would be easy. There are literally thousands of stories online and they each had their own unique flair. Some of them were terrible, some of them were masterpieces. And well¡­ I got inspired by both types. The masterpieces made me fall in love with stories. The shit stories made me realise¡­ Anyone could write. Particularly online when there were no gatekeepers like traditional books. So even someone like me, who has bad English and horrendous storytelling skills can actually write something to the masses. Thinking back, I really was young and naive. The most challenging part of being a novelist isn''t the lack of time, which believe me, I was always swamped. It wasn''t even the social toll that it takes. I had to give up many social events or at least plan ahead many weeks because I stuck to this daily schedule of releasing a chapter a day. The most challenging part of being a novelist is¡­ Writer fatigue. There were so many days that I just couldn''t type a single word. I didn''t know how to pen my story. I didn''t know how to write my settings. I didn''t want to write anything because of how burnt out I was¡­ I lost all my love for Spirit Immortal after consistently writing about it for two years. I couldn''t bring myself to the keyboard, distracting myself with youtube videos and other entertainment means. I would miss the days where my fingers would dance on the keyboard. I remember there was once I wrote a thousand words in an hour, and ten thousand words in a day. However, at my lowest point of my writer''s fatigue. I couldn''t even write a thousand words a day. That''s why as the story neared its end, the quality kept dropping. I couldn''t bring myself to write two thousand words a day, which was the limit I placed on myself and could only come down to a thousand words. It was heart-wrenching, knowing that I was responsible for the dip in quality in Spirit Immortal, the story that all of you readers spent your valuable time to read. I could spin a thousand excuses. Not enough time to write. Meeting up with my friends. Real-life obligations. Real-life work comes first. However, all in all, the main reason why I couldn''t write¡­ It''s because I was tired. I was falling out of love with Spirit Immortal, even though it was the story that I dreamt into reality. I wanted to keep writing, but the author inside of me didn''t exist in the shape that he used to be in. BUT! I''m glad I faced all of those challenges, particularly with my first long-form novel. I now know what challenges lie ahead of me and I know what I must do from now on. To not just grow as an author, but as a person as well. Lessons learnt Major lesson learnt¡­ Spend more time storyboarding, and less time writing. A chapter a day is all well and good, but if the quality is shit, why bother? So I decided from here on out. I will no longer be releasing daily chapters. Maybe I''ll be releasing three or four chapters a week, or even less. I can''t tell you for sure right now. This is to prevent burning out once again. Writing is not equal to authoring. I''d thought that as long as I crafted a good story, I could be a good writer. However, I now know that I''m shit at writing. My English is bad, and my execution is subpar at best. So I will be learning more from other novels to hopefully bolster up my bad writing skills. I will keep evolving, or at least, that''s my hope. I will come back a better writer that could flawlessly execute the marvellous stories that I crafted in my head. The Future of Linodo Easy. I''m not quitting just because I''d finished Spirit Immortal. I will be continuing my second story, "When the Lilyflower Blooms..." while writing my new standalone book which I had been putting off for the longest time. I won''t be returning to Wuxia/Xianxia books because I realise I''m not cut out for this genre. I can''t write the 1000-2000 chapters that the undying Chinese Authors can. I can only go for so long before I burn out. So Lilyflower will be my comeback in an alternate genre, magical reality. I plan to write Lilyflower for about 100-200 chapters, 300 max. I don''t want to keep my story never-ending and open-ended. I just want to make sure that the journey is fun for all of you. I won''t be writing a Spirit Immortal sequel or any short stories from here on out. If I want to move on, I have to close this chapter called ''Spirit Immortal'' from my life. If you guys want, you can privately message me about the theories of Spirit Immortal and I''ll be sure to discuss anything that you want. However, for the most part, my creativity will now be focused on Lilyflower and the other stories that I have conceived thus far. The End So yeah¡­ That''s it for Spirit Immortal! I hope you''ve enjoyed these two years as much as I did. No matter what I say about this story, no matter how much time I''ve lost writing this and spending my heart''s emotions on it¡­ Spirit Immortal will always be a part of me. It would be a story that I would return to every once in a while to laugh at my young mind and enjoy thinking about forever after. Thank you for reading Spirit Immortal and may the Immortals bless your soul! :)